NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Blumenthal, 36 Colleagues To Education Secretary: “We Will Not Stand By As You Attempt To Turn Back The Clock On Education In This Country”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy
    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) on Tuesday joined 36 of their Senate colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon expressing outrage at the administration’s reckless and illegal firing of half of the workforce at the U.S. Department of Education. The senators condemned the mass layoffs— part of a broader effort by the Trump administration and Elon Musk to attack public education—warning that closing offices and cutting 1,300 jobs will devastate America’s schools and harm students across the country.
    “At a time of massive income and wealth inequality, when 60 percent of people live paycheck to paycheck, millions of Americans cannot afford higher education, and 40 percent of our nation’s 4th graders and 33 percent of 8th graders read below basic proficiency, it is a national disgrace that the Trump Administration is attempting to illegally abolish the Department of Education and thus, undermine a high-quality education for our students,” the senators wrote.
    The senators noted that these layoffs and closures will have devastating effects on the nation’s students, including by limiting the department’s ability to guarantee federal funding reaches communities that rely on it, ensure students can access federal financial aid, and uphold students’ civil rights. Not even 24 hours after the staff reductions were announced, the Free Application for Federal Financial Aid (FAFSA) experienced a glitch that prevented students and families from accessing the application. Education Department workers responsible for fixing it had reportedly been fired.
    The senators continued: “[The layoffs] would also mean decreased enforcement of rights for children with disabilities and fewer resources for students from low-income backgrounds and children with disabilities, like the 26 million students from low-income backgrounds and over 100,000 public schools in every community across this country that rely on Title I funding; the 7.5 million students with disabilities who benefit under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and the 7 million students who receive Pell grants to help access higher education.”
    In Connecticut, 1,000 K-12 schools and over 533,000 K-12 students, including those with disabilities, from low-income backgrounds, and English learners, rely on critical federal funding coming into Connecticut. Financial aid and support also support students across Connecticut attend and complete college including through $286 million in Pell Grants for 63,000 students in Connecticut and $19 billion in current and outstanding federal student loans supporting the education of 517,000 borrowers in Connecticut.
    They concluded: “We will not stand by as you attempt to turn back the clock on education in this country through gutting the Department of Education. Our nation’s public schools, colleges, and universities are preparing the next generation of America’s leaders—we must take steps to strengthen education in this country, not take a wrecking ball to the agency that exists to do so.”
    U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Maize Hirono (D-Hawaii), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Chuck Schumer  (D-N.Y.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Mark Warner  (D-Va.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.) and Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) also signed the letter.
    Full text of the letter is available HERE and below.
    Dear Secretary McMahon:
    We write to express our outrage that you, President Trump, and unelected billionaire Elon Musk are taking steps to abolish the Department of Education (“the Department”) and eliminate educational opportunities for millions of students across the country, something that 61 percent of Americans oppose. This most recently includes a 50 percent cut to the workforce, resulting in the termination of over 1,300 workers at the Department of Education, as well as the abrupt, last-minute closure of all Department of Education buildings beginning at 6:00 PM on the same day that these terminations were announced.
    At a time of massive income and wealth inequality, when 60 percent of people live paycheck to paycheck, millions of Americans cannot afford higher education, and 40 percent of our nation’s 4th graders and 33 percent of 8th graders read below basic proficiency, it is a national disgrace that the Trump Administration is attempting to illegally abolish the Department of Education and thus, undermine a high-quality education for our students.
    As Secretary of Education, you are the foremost public servant responsible for carrying out the Department of Education’s mission to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access. Despite that responsibility, your first act as Secretary was announcing it was your “final mission” to dismantle the Department of Education, fire the public servants who keep it running, and terminate opportunities for students in public schools, colleges, and universities across the country.
    The false claims of financial savings by dismantling the Department of Education so that billionaires can receive huge tax breaks is bad public policy and morally reprehensible. The billionaires that are in charge of our federal government right now will not be harmed by these egregious attacks: wealthy families sending their children to elite, private schools will still be able to get a quality education even if every public school disappears in this country. But for working-class families, high-quality public education is an opportunity they rely on for their children to have a path to do well in life.
    Defunding federal support for public education would result in either higher property taxes or decreased funding for public schools, including in rural areas. It would also mean decreased enforcement of rights for children with disabilities and fewer resources for students from low-income backgrounds and children with disabilities, like the 26 million students from low-income backgrounds and over 100,000 public schools in every community across this country that rely on Title I funding; the 7.5 million students with disabilities who benefit under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and the 7 million students who receive Pell grants to help access higher education.
    It is undeniable that terminating 50 percent of the Department of Education’s workers will have harmful effects on public education in this country. The Department of Education already has the smallest staff of the 15 Cabinet agencies despite having the third largest discretionary budget, behind only the Departments of Defense and Health and Human Services. These reductions will have devastating impacts on our nation’s students and we are deeply concerned that without staff, the Department will be unable to fulfill critical functions, such as ensuring students can access federal financial aid, upholding students’ civil rights, and guaranteeing that federal funding reaches communities promptly and is well-spent. Not even 24 hours after the staff reductions were announced, the Free Application for Federal Financial Aid (FAFSA) experienced a glitch that prevented students and families from accessing the application, but the staff normally responsible for fixing those errors had reportedly been cut. The Department has also reportedly shuttered several regional offices responsible for investigating potential violations of students’ civil rights in local schools. We are deeply alarmed that cases will go uninvestigated and that students will be left in unsafe learning environments as a result.
    The Trump Administration also says it wants to ‘return education back to the states.’ Let us be very clear—public education is already run by states and local school boards. While just 11 percent of public education is federally funded, the Department of Education has a necessary and irreplaceable responsibility to implement federal laws that ensure equal opportunity for all children in this country. These laws guarantee fundamental protections, such as ensuring that children with disabilities receive a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment, that students from low-income backgrounds and students of color will not be disproportionately taught by less experienced and qualified teachers, and that parents will receive information about their child’s academic achievement.
    Without the Department of Education, there is no guarantee that states would uphold students’ civil and educational rights. Let us not forget that it was federal troops who protected the “Little Rock Nine” from a violent mob of segregationists when they integrated Central High School in the wake of the Brown v. Board U.S. Supreme Court decision. Not only was the state not going to provide this protection, but it was then-Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus who ordered the state’s National Guard to bar Black students from entering the school. Even today, the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights regularly investigates and resolves complaints of student discrimination related to students’ race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability status.
    We will not stand by as you attempt to turn back the clock on education in this country through gutting the Department of Education. Our nation’s public schools, colleges, and universities are preparing the next generation of America’s leaders—we must take steps to strengthen education in this country, not take a wrecking ball to the agency that exists to do so.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Trump’s tariff escalation sparks global concern

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Customers shop at a Target store in Rosemead, Los Angeles County, California, the United States, on March 4, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff strategy, including a universal steel and aluminum tariff of 25 percent and global reciprocal tariffs starting from April 2, has sparked widespread concern over its economic impact both domestically and globally.

    A poll published by The Guardian on Monday showed that 72 percent of Americans are worried about tariffs, up from 61 percent in January.

    The economic uncertainty is reflected across political lines, with 90 percent of Democrats and 57 percent of Republicans expressing concern. Many fear long-term damage, with 66 percent of Americans believing that the U.S. economy will take years to recover from Trump’s tariffs, the survey shows.

    “There’s growing concern that tariffs could have a lasting and unknowable impact on the economy, regardless of whether they’re walked back soon or not,” said John Gerzema, CEO of Harris Poll.

    Economist Kimberly Clausing said in a recent interview with The New York Times that high tariffs could reduce imports, harm U.S. production and cost jobs, calling the moves a “good starting point” of the goal to “weaken America’s position in the world.”

    According to a recent estimate from the National Association of Home Builders, the rising costs of construction materials, including lumber, aluminum and steel, could add 9,200 U.S. dollars in costs for a typical home.

    “Builders continue to face elevated building material costs that are exacerbated by tariff issues, as well as other supply-side challenges that include labor and lot shortages,” said Buddy Hughes, chairman of the association.

    The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development released a report on Monday, suggesting Trump’s escalating trade tariffs will hit world growth and raise inflation.

    Global economic growth would slow from 3.2 percent in 2024 to 3.1 percent in 2025, largely as a result of the trade tensions, said the organization.

    In Canada, the U.S. tariffs have been met with a wave of patriotism, with some consumers and businesses boycotting American products.

    “Right now, I’m a little angry. I don’t want to invest in American companies,” Joanna Goodman, owner of Au Lit Fine Linens, a Toronto-based bedding and nightwear company, told the BBC on Monday.

    “It’s about having your eggs in one basket. And right now, that basket is very reckless and very precarious,” Goodman said, referring to Canada’s long-time economic dependence on the United States.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Yukon announces plans for new community sport and recreation facilities in Whitehorse

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Government of Yukon announces plans for new community sport and recreation facilities in Whitehorse
    jlutz
    March 12, 2025 – 10:27 am

    As sport groups across the territory continue to report record growth in participation numbers, the Government of Yukon is enhancing community access to quality athletic spaces and addressing increasing demand for recreational and competitive programming space.

    As part of the pre-design and conceptual design phases of the relocation of École Whitehorse Elementary School to the northwest corner of the Takhini Educational Land Reserve, the Government of Yukon will include the construction of a large-sized gymnasium located inside the school facility that will be accessible to sports groups outside of school hours.

    Additionally, the Government of Yukon will maintain the space in Riverdale currently occupied by the Polarettes Gymnastics Club as a community sport facility once the club moves to their brand new building in Whistle Bend later this year. The Riverdale facility, which is an annex of St. Francis of Assisi Secondary School, will be renovated so that it is better equipped to host a variety of sport competitions and events.

    Large-sized gymnasiums at elementary schools, with appropriate sidelines and bleacher space, are a cost-efficient way of building usable, multi-purpose community spaces. Increasing the number of large gymnasiums in Whitehorse will expand the capacity of Yukon sport organizations to increase programming and provide more opportunities to a greater number of participants.

    These new spaces will also contribute to the fast-growing sport tourism industry in the Yukon, enhancing the territory’s appeal as a premier destination for tournaments, championships, clinics, training and more.

    The Government of Yukon has identified the northwest corner of the Takhini Educational Land Reserve for the construction of the new École Whitehorse Elementary School, reflecting the Government of Yukon’s commitment to providing young learners with modern, state-of-the-art educational facilities that meet both community needs and environmental standards.

    While the new school site overlaps with two existing softball fields used by Softball Yukon, the Government of Yukon and Softball Yukon have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to work together on solutions that will allow the organization to continue serving its nearly 2,000 members.

    As our population continues to grow, we need to grow our sport infrastructure to match the demand. By adding space for sport and recreation, we create communities where people want to live, work and play. The upcoming relocation of École Whitehorse Elementary School presents a welcome opportunity to expand recreational spaces in Whitehorse, ensuring Yukoners have greater access to facilities that promote active and healthy lifestyles.

    Minister of Community Services Richard Mostyn

    Sport Yukon is thankful to the Government of Yukon for working together to address the critical need to increase sport infrastructure in the territory. We are fortunate to live in such an active community and these spaces will help sport and recreation groups respond to the high demand for programming and growth in participation.

    President of Sport Yukon Stacy Lewis

    Quick facts

    • Currently, Whitehorse has 22 gymnasiums, but only six are large enough to accommodate a full basketball court. The smaller-sized gyms are not large enough for regulation volleyball or basketball. 

    • Sport groups across the territory are reporting growth in numbers over the past two years. 

    • École Whitehorse Elementary is over 70 years old and needs to be replaced. The estimated cost to renovate the existing facility is approximately 1.4 times more than the cost to build a new school. 

    • As announced in January 2024, the new École Whitehorse Elementary School will be built at the northwest corner of the Takhini Educational Land Reserve.

    Media contact

    Laura Seeley
    Cabinet Communications
    867-332-7627
    laura.seeley@yukon.ca

    John Tonin
    Communications, Community Services
    867-334-5816
    john.tonin@yukon.ca

    News release #:

    25-105

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Statement from Minister McPhee on the Jim Smith Building Community warming space

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Statement from Minister McPhee on the Jim Smith Building Community warming space
    jlutz
    March 18, 2025 – 2:31 pm

    Minister of Health and Social Services Tracy-Anne McPhee has issued the following statement:

    “As we continue our work to ensure all Yukoners have access to safe, warm and supportive spaces, I am pleased to share an update on the Jim Smith Building’s community warming space.

    “The Jim Smith Building community warming space reopened on November 4, 2024, as part of the Government of Yukon’s Downtown Whitehorse Safety Response Action Plan.

    “This initiative builds on the success of last year’s pilot project, which demonstrated a clear need for accessible, community-oriented spaces where individuals can find warmth, connection and essential services. Since reopening, the warming space has been well received, with weekly visits ranging from 110 in the first week to 411 at the end of February. As of March 7, the warming space has recorded 3,195 client visits since it opened in November.

    “This is a clear indication that Yukoners are benefiting from this service and we remain committed to ensuring that this space continues to meet community needs. Feedback from visitors has been overwhelmingly positive, reinforcing the importance of this initiative. One client described it as an ‘amazing space, 10 out of 10 overall’, while another praised the staff as ‘friendly, human and real’.

    “Others have highlighted the staff’s understanding and the centre’s welcoming atmosphere, calling it the ‘best place, best staff, wonderful’.

    “The warming space operates Monday to Friday, from 9 am to 5 pm, offering a range of supports, including:

    • warm, welcoming areas for individuals to gather and rest;
    • complimentary snacks and beverages;
    • access to harm reduction supplies and period products;
    • computer and internet access, along with printing and phone services;
    • free individual and monthly bus tickets, aligning with our 2023 Confidence and Supply Agreement initiative to replace fare-generated revenue for public transit; and
    • dedicated onsite outreach workers, including a social worker, to assist with supports and service connections.

    “In addition to services provided at the warming space, an outreach worker continues to be available at the Whitehorse Public Library, ensuring that community support remains accessible in multiple locations.

    “This month, as we recognize Social Work Month, it is particularly important to acknowledge the critical role social workers play in supporting individuals facing complex challenges. Their expertise and compassion are essential in ensuring that spaces like the Jim Smith Building warming space provide not only warmth but meaningful assistance and connections to further supports.

    “This initiative reflects the values of compassion and inclusivity that are central to our government’s work. It is part of our broader effort to create a downtown Whitehorse that is safe, welcoming and supportive for all.

    “The original pilot project ran from March 18 to May 17, 2024, during which time the warming space saw 1,245 visits – an average of 29 per day – with 379 bus tickets distributed.

    “We know that the challenges faced by vulnerable Yukoners are complex and multifaceted. Providing a space like the Jim Smith Building community warming space is just one step in our broader efforts to address public safety, health and social inclusion in our territory.

    “Feedback from visitors also indicates that the location serves as an appropriate space for individuals to relax, work and access necessary resources. Many clients use the warming space in addition to other community services, such as the Whitehorse Public Library, Skookum Jim Friendship Centre and the Multicultural Centre of Yukon.

    “This highlights the warming space’s role in complementing existing supports and ensuring that no Yukoner is left behind. Our government remains committed to adapting our approach based on community feedback and ongoing evaluation.

    “At the end of this winter season, we will assess the warming space’s impact and explore opportunities for further improvements to ensure we continue meeting the needs of Yukoners.

    “I want to express my gratitude to the dedicated staff and outreach workers who make this initiative possible. Their work ensures that those who visit the warming space receive the support and respect they deserve.

    “We are committed to continuing this work alongside our community partners and I look forward to hearing from Yukoners about how this space has supported them during the winter months.”

    Media contact

    Laura Seeley
    Cabinet Communications
    867-332-7627
    laura.seeley@yukon.ca 

    News release #:

    25-118

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Mexico bracing for potential US tariffs, says minister

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Mexico is fast-tracking measures to protect local businesses from potential U.S. tariffs, Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard said Tuesday.

    Addressing an event for the “Made in Mexico (Hecho en Mexico)” certification, Ebrard said the initiative aims to ensure fair competition and prevent unfair trade practices.

    “We are accelerating the program to support Mexican companies that export, compete and innovate,” he told reporters.

    The Mexican government is working with industry leaders to prepare a response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat of broad tariffs in April, Ebrard said, warning that higher trade barriers will have significant economic consequences.

    “Made in Mexico” is part of President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Plan Mexico, which seeks to strengthen local businesses and prepare for global economic challenges. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Senator Baldwin Continues “Hands Off Medicaid Tour” in Eau Claire

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
    EAU CLAIRE, WI – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) continued her “Hands Off Medicaid Tour” in Eau Claire, calling out President Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans’ plan to slash Medicaid to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy. In Eau Claire, Senator Baldwin was joined by Wisconsinites who shared their stories about how Medicaid helps them and their families afford the care they need to stay healthy. About 152,900 Wisconsinites in Western Wisconsin – or Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District – utilize Medicaid for health care, including 21,600 seniors and 50,000 children.
    “Republicans are planning to terminate health care for our neighbors, friends, and loved ones on Medicaid – all to make room in the budget for new tax breaks for big corporations and the wealthiest. In Western Wisconsin, over 150,000 Wisconsinites’ care would be in jeopardy, from low-income children to seniors in nursing homes,” said Senator Baldwin. “Today, I was in Eau Claire to hear exactly what taking away this lifeline would mean for Wisconsinites and send the message loudly and clearly: Hands off Medicaid.”
    Senator Baldwin was joined by the following Wisconsinites who shared their stories and appealed to Congressional Republicans to stop their efforts to terminate the health care that keeps them and their families well:
    Adam and Janice Wojak – Fall Creek, WI – Adam and Janice shared the story of their son Chase who was diagnosed with autism at around three years old and uses Wisconsin’s Medicaid programs, which allows him to live at home under the care of his parents rather than in an institutional setting.
    Sharen Warden – Eleva, WI – Sharen shared that her husband is at an assisted living facility after he suffered a massive stroke, and relies on Medicaid. She shared she isn’t sure what they would do without Medicaid.
    Sandra Dye – Eau Claire, WI – Sandra’s son is 30 years old and has been suffering from chronic migraines since he was eight. Medicaid has made it possible for him to get the care that he needs to continue fighting for relief from his symptoms.
    Sharon Dillon – Eau Claire, WI – Sharon cannot afford medications for her chronic illnesses without Medicaid. She also has two adult children with autism that utilize Medicaid for care.
    Republicans are planning deep cuts to Medicaid that will jeopardize the coverage of 72 million Americans. In Wisconsin, over 1.2 million are enrolled in Medicaid. About 1 in 3 children in both Wisconsin’s rural and metro communities have Medicaid coverage. More than 300,000 kids under age 19 are members of BadgerCare Plus or another Wisconsin Medicaid program.
    Across the country, Medicaid covers nearly half of all children, 31.5 million, over 8.3 million seniors, and around 15 million people with disabilities. Medicaid also pays for 6 out of 10 residents in nursing homes, with 5.6 million Americans counting on Medicaid for their long-term care bills and Medicaid paying for over half of long-term care in the United States. Severe cuts to Medicaid will also jeopardize rural hospitals and clinics’ ability to keep their doors open. Over 12 million rural Americans rely on Medicaid for health care.
    The next stops of the “Hands Off Medicaid Tour” include:
    Madison and Racine on Thursday, March 20, 2025
    Waukesha on Friday, March 21, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Global Bodies – 150th IPU Assembly to take place in Uzbekistan

    Source: Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)

    Geneva, Switzerland, 18 March 2025 – The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) will hold its 150th Assembly in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from 5 to 9 April 2025, hosted by the Parliament of Uzbekistan.

    The overall theme Parliamentary action for social development and justice will cover topics such as eradicating poverty, promoting decent work, fostering social inclusion, and increasing the participation of marginalized groups in decision-making.

    Key highlights will include the following:

    The IPU will celebrate its milestone 150th Assembly, which will include a keynote address from the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

    The IPU Forum of Women Parliamentarians will also celebrate its 40th anniversary, a significant milestone against the backdrop of new challenges to women’s rights in some countries and the stagnation of the proportion of MPs who are women at 27.2%, according to the latest IPU report.
    All the IPU’s other bodies will convene, including its four thematic Standing Committees, the Forum of Young Parliamentarians, the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians, the Committee on Middle East Questions and the Task Force on the peaceful resolution of the war in Ukraine.

    The IPU is poised to move closer to universality with its membership expected to grow to 182 Member Parliaments as Belize joins.

    MPs are expected to adopt resolutions on advancing a two-State solution in Palestine, and mitigating the impact of conflicts on sustainable development.

    The Assembly will feature workshops on climate action, parliamentary diplomacy, and social norms impacting women’s health.

    During the Assembly, the IPU will also open nominations for the 2025 edition of the Cremer-Passy Prize, recognizing parliamentarian(s) with exceptional records in gender equality, the IPU’s theme of the year.

    Historical background

    The first IPU meeting took place in 1889 in Paris, France with MPs representing nine countries. Since then, the IPU Assembly has grown to become a global platform, the parliament of parliaments, with hundreds of MPs attending from around the world, along with staff, partner organizations and experts.

    Practical details

    Venue: Tashkent City Congress Centre in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

    The IPU is the global organization of national parliaments. It was founded in 1889 as the first multilateral political organization in the world, encouraging cooperation and dialogue between all nations. Today, the IPU comprises 181 national Member Parliaments and 15 regional parliamentary bodies. It promotes peace, democracy and sustainable development. It helps parliaments become stronger, younger, greener, more innovative and gender-balanced. It also defends the human rights of parliamentarians through a dedicated committee made up of MPs from around the world.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Issues Statement After Trump Administration Unlawfully Fires FTC Commissioners

    Source: US State of California

    Tuesday, March 18, 2025

    Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

    OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued a statement after the Trump Administration unlawfully fired two Federal Trade Commission (FTC) commissioners. The FTC was created by Congress in 1914 with the Federal Trade Commission Act, which allows a president to remove a commissioner only for “inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office.” Since then, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the president’s removal powers do not go beyond what Congress authorized. Congress created the FTC to protect consumers and market competition — as such, the FTC is responsible for enforcing laws that touch virtually every area of commerce and targets its enforcement efforts at practices that cause the greatest harm to consumers. California regularly collaborates with the FTC to protect consumers, workers, and the market by bringing enforcement actions that check the power of corporations acting illegally. 

    “The Trump Administration’s illegal firing of the two Commissioners is extremely concerning. Consumer protection and antitrust are not political — they are about protecting working families and helping ensure the benefits of a vibrant economy are for everyone,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Time and time again, California has benefitted from the FTC’s collaboration and coordination in bringing enforcement actions and taking other measures to safeguard Americans nationwide, regardless of who is in the White House.”

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján Statement on Illegal Firings of FTC Commissioners

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Senator for New Mexico Ben Ray Luján
    Santa Fe, N.M. — U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) issued the following statement on President Trump’s illegal firings of Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Commissioners Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Slaughter: 
    “The Federal Trade Commission is an independent agency in charge of protecting American consumers and promoting competition. From combating fraud and deception to tackling unfair business practices, the FTC is there to serve the American people’s interests. President Trump’s illegal firings of Senate-confirmed Commissioners Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Slaughter are unlawful and should be reversed immediately.
    “President Trump is once again subverting the law to exert his own political agenda – one that serves the wealthiest and largest corporations and not the American people. The law — which makes it clear that the president cannot fire commissioners without cause — must be upheld.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Urban deer removal complete in Cranbrook, Kimberley

    The Province, with the support of the ʔaq’am First Nation and the cities of Cranbrook and Kimberley, has completed the removal and testing of urban deer to curb the spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD).

    The operation took place Feb. 18-28, during which time 100 deer were removed from Cranbrook and 26 from Kimberley. All deer removed in this project were tested for CWD at a Ministry of Agriculture laboratory in Abbotsford. One white-tailed adult female from Cranbrook tested positive for CWD by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. All other deer tested negative.

    CWD is a fatal infection that affects species in the deer family (cervids), such as mule deer, white-tailed deer, elk, moose and caribou. The disease spreads through grooming, body fluids, and shared spaces. While highly contagious among cervids, there have been no reported cases of CWD spreading to humans or pets. It is inadvisable for people or pets to consume meat from an infected animal.

    The risk of spread is higher in urban deer because of population density. Urban deer populations in Cranbrook and Kimberley are of special concern because of their proximity to five CWD cases detected in the Kootenay region in the last year.

    Targeted removal was undertaken by trained professionals following strict protocols to ensure public safety and minimize stress on the animals.

    Future management decisions will continue to be made in consultation with First Nations and local municipalities. An urban deer collaring program has been initiated to better understand the movement and ranges of these animals to inform risk assessment and an appropriate response. Other actions may include additional removals and testing of urban deer in Cranbrook and Kimberley.

    Provincial wildlife staff thank all the volunteers and partners who assisted with this project.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Statement from the Honourable Kody Blois, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Rural Economic Development

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Cutting red tape to ensure the resiliency and competitive advantage of Canada’s agricultural sector

    March 18, 2025 – Ottawa, Ontario – Canadian Food Inspection Agency

    As Canada’s new Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Rural Economic Development, ensuring the resilience of our agriculture sector and enabling a competitive advantage and level playing field for Canadian agricultural products are among my top priorities.

    To support these priorities, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is working to remove unnecessary red tape and burden and ensure that our processes and regulations continue to enable prosperity for our agriculture producers, agri-food businesses, and communities across Canada. These measures include:

    • Speeding up product approvals to provide alternatives to U.S.-sourced animal feed.
      This measure will alleviate the burden of tariffs on animal feed producers, by increasing the number of approved feed ingredients from within Canada or from other countries. The CFIA will work with industry to understand prioritization needs and provide new guidance to facilitate the pre-market evaluation process for the approval or registration of some feeds products which are already authorized by a trusted foreign regulator. Together, these measures will enable quicker access to alternative feeds, reduce costs to farmers in the short-term, and support future supply chain sustainability for Canadian producers for years to come.
    • Aiming to harmonize our bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) enhanced feed ban with U.S. requirements. Globally, the incidence of BSE has declined significantly and in 2021, the World Organisation for Animal Health recognized Canada as a country with negligible risk for BSE. Currently, differences between Canadian and U.S. requirements put our beef industry at a competitive disadvantage to their U.S. counterparts. We are working with industry on options to reduce unnecessary costs and improve competitiveness while continuing to protect animal health and maintain Canada’s international trade access.
    • Addressing stakeholder irritants and leveling the playing field for Canadian producers through advancing key regulatory changes that support industry growth and enable fair trade. Canada will explore increasing the maximum slaughter age for feeder calves from 36 to 40 weeks to permit a higher market price for Canadian producers. We are also working to ensure parity between Canadian hatcheries and U.S. hatcheries by harmonizing testing requirements for salmonella enteritis, in line with recent updates to Canadian hatchery regulations.
    • Removing outdated prescriptive requirements and supporting innovation to enable industry-led actions to meet consumer demands and evolving market conditions. We will examine removing unnecessary or outdated labelling requirements for r fresh fruit and vegetables. In addition, we will continue work on a new approach to modernizing fresh fruit and vegetable grades, with the goal of having grades that are outcome-based, harmonized with trading partners where possible, and align with the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations. The CFIA is committed to working with industry to understand obstacles and consult on requirements like standardized food container sizes, which can create unintended trade barriers within Canada, and internationally.

    We will continue to use all available measures to reduce red tape, streamline our processes, modernize our regulations, and reinforce our commitment to open and fair trade.

    Canada’s farmers, producers, and agri-food businesses are essential to our economy, and we are committed to ensuring they have the tools and support they need to succeed at home and on the world stage.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Claire Anderson to the Spectrum Summit 2025

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Nanaimo, British Columbia
    March 18, 2025

    Claire Anderson, Commissioner for British Columbia and Yukon
    Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)

    Check against delivery

    Thank you for the introduction and the warm welcome. Before I begin, I would like to acknowledge that we are gathered here today on the territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation. I understand that in the Sarlequun Snuneymuxw Treaty of 1854, the British Crown recognized Snuneymuxw self-determination and Aboriginal title, and that today, Snuneymuxw governance is rooted in Snawayalth (teachings), and this model of governance upholds the Nation’s self-determination and territorial sovereignty.

    It is a real pleasure to be here with all of you today. I want to thank the Indigenous Connectivity Institute for inviting me to speak and for gathering us all together to discuss this important subject. The Institute is an important, Indigenous-led voice helping to tackle the challenges that affect our own Indigenous communities. This includes the digital divide that disproportionately affects Indigenous communities and affects their ability to fully participate in the 21st-century global economy.

    As participants to this Summit, many or most of you have insight into what those challenges look like and how deep their roots grow. And that places you in a unique position to examine solutions that work best for your own communities.

    Access to wireless frequency ranges, or spectrum as we have come to call it, is critical to any telecommunications service provider. Access to spectrum helps a company provide its customers with reliable and clear wireless services. So it only makes sense that as more and more Indigenous-led companies and community groups look to improve connectivity in their communities, they are increasingly interested in spectrum management and access to this vital resource.

    Spectrum management and the CRTC’s role

    This is why I was so happy that we all had the chance to hear this morning from Mark Saunders at Innovation, Science and Economic Development (or ISED). ISED is responsible for managing spectrum in Canada, including how spectrum is allocated through the auction system that Mark touched on.

    Indigenous communities and companies who want to create local solutions to their community’s connectivity challenges need spectrum access. ISED’s ‘use it or lose it’ policy and, most importantly, its announcement of a new licensing framework for unused spectrum in rural, remote and Indigenous areas, should improve this access. This included, as Mark touched on, the ongoing development of the Indigenous priority window spectrum policy framework. I look forward to the seeing the results and the final policy when it is released.

    At the CRTC, our work focuses on telecommunications companies and the services they provide over spectrum, as well as the infrastructure that facilitates access to these services.

    Support structures, small cells and access

    For example, one of our areas of focus in the recent past has been working on regulatory measures to make access to telecommunications poles and other forms of existing infrastructure easier and more efficient.

    In fact, less than two months ago we released a decision designed to make it easier for companies to deploy new communications networks. It laid out the terms and conditions which will allow companies to access the poles, lines and other support structures controlled by large telephone companies, so that smaller competitors – such as Indigenous-led companies and co-ops – can deploy their own networks.

    There are several more granular and detailed changes that were made, as part of this decision, which I won’t cover today. But I will point out that all were made with the intent of making this new access as smooth and as easy as possible for new competitors to enter new markets. It will improve competition, lower prices, and provide high-quality telecom services to communities across the country, while also supporting continued investment.

    Building on this access, we are working on another decision concerning wireless attachments to these poles. Ensuring high-speed wireless connectivity on 5G networks and beyond will require the deployment of thousands of additional cell sites across Canada.

    We are now in the final stages of a consultation on whether the CRTC should allow third parties to attach wireless equipment like small cells onto poles across Canada. As this is still a matter before the CRTC, I cannot hint at the details of any decision that the Commission might make. But what I can say is that we expect to release a decision soon.

    Broadband Fund

    As we work on these key regulatory issues, we are also a part of the Government of Canada’s larger effort to connect all communities to reliable high-speed Internet services. In 2019, the CRTC launched the Broadband Fund to help connect rural, remote and Indigenous communities across the country. The Broadband Fund’s focus is broader than our scope today, focusing on wireline broadband services in addition to wireless services.

    To date, the fund has improved high-speed Internet and cellphone services in more than 270 communities, connecting essential institutions such as schools, health care facilities and community centres. We are wrapping up our evaluations of the projects proposed in our third call for applications – a call that garnered applications seeking more than $1.9 billion in funding. In the past year alone we committed funding that will better connect Inuit communities in northern Quebec and Nunavut, improve access along nearly 100 kilometres of major roads in Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec and Ontario, and improve connectivity along roads and to rural communities in Yukon, northern Manitoba, and right here in B.C.

    In addition to these funding commitments, we are also working to improve the fund itself. We want to make it easier for prospective recipients to apply for funding and make the evaluation process simpler and more transparent. And once an application is approved, we want to consolidate and simplify reporting requirements.

    As part of this review, we are also looking at how we can better engage with Indigenous communities and facilitate their access to the Broadband Fund. This includes changing the way we consult and engage with Indigenous communities, and we have created our Indigenous Relations Team within the CRTC to help. Furthermore, we are in the process of developing a distinct Indigenous stream of the Broadband Fund. I look forward to sharing more details as it progresses.

    Spectrum, telecom, and economic reconciliation

    And as I continue today, I want to acknowledge the opportunities for reconciliation that are found through telecommunications. Historically, when we spoke about reconciliation, it seemed as though there was an expectation that one party to a relationship had to reconcile or compromise their values to serve a larger interest. But we are moving away from that understanding of reconciliation, and placing a stronger emphasis on hearing how Indigenous communities can heal from historically damaging colonial relationships.

    I’ve been attending Indigenous connectivity conferences and learning from you about the opportunities that exist for communities to create revenue through telecommunications. The Commission has heard in multiple proceedings what communities stand to gain if they are included in the management and ownership of networks: jobs are created, skill sets are expanded, and relationships are nourished. Reconciliation is advanced through partnerships with existing telecom providers, but also when we have wholly Indigenous-owned service providers.

    Often, Indigenous communities are on the fringes of society, geographically and, unfortunately, politically speaking. And a way for Indigenous nations to assert self-determination and sovereignty has been through ownership of major critical infrastructure, including telecommunications infrastructure and services. The importance of jobs in remote communities where services and employment opportunities are sparse cannot be overstated. Keeping money in the community can be a deciding factor in whether or not a family has food in the fridge.

    One of the objectives of the Broadband Fund review that I mentioned earlier is to help advance reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. As we noted in one of our policy decisions resulting from that ongoing review, Indigenous groups told us of the barriers they face that discourage them from applying for Broadband funding. We have taken steps to streamline the application process and make it easier for Indigenous people to pick up the phone and call a point of contact in our Indigenous Relations Team instead of having to navigate our processes alone. We also are exempting Indigenous funding recipients from having to provide wholesale open access to transport infrastructure, because we believe they should have the choice to make that determination for themselves.

    Additionally, we are providing funding for up to two years of technical training for Indigenous staff in communities that propose to serve as part of funded capital projects, and we aren’t requiring a 10% holdback on projects with approved funding of $5 million or less.

    Furthermore, we are requiring each Broadband Fund applicant to obtain and show consent from any Indigenous community in which it plans to build infrastructure as part of its funded capital project. Meaningful consultation and community consent means that Indigenous communities are able to benefit from funded projects that happen on their territories.

    These are measures that result in capacity training, job growth and economic opportunities for Indigenous communities and people.

    Conclusion

    I believe the Commission is on the right path of advancing reconciliation, because reconciliation is integral to the public interest, and at the CRTC, the public interest is at the heart of everything we do. In everything I have discussed today, from our regulatory work to our funding decisions, we are supporting continued investments in our networks while also putting the needs of everyone in this country first.

    That includes our Indigenous communities. But while we can’t go back and change the past, we can ensure that the regulatory and funding decisions we make chart a course for a better future.

    And everyone gathered here today can influence that future. Every decision we make is based on an extensive public record including consultations, hearings, and public outreach.

    So I encourage you to get involved in our processes. Make your voice, and the voices of your community, heard. If you are unsure how to do that, get in touch with our Indigenous Relations Team or contact your regional CRTC Commissioner.

    Because the only way we can build that brighter future is by doing so together.

    If we have time for some questions, I’d like to invite any Indigenous youth to ask questions before moving on to questions from Indigenous participants and then all other participants.

    Thank you. Gunalcheesh.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Rosen Join Colleagues in Demanding Trump Administration Reverse Major Cuts to Food Assistance for Schools

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) joined Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and 29 of their colleagues in demanding the Department of Agriculture reverse its cancellation of food purchase programs across the United States, warning of the harmful impacts this move will have on both families and American farmers. Nevada utilizes these federal funds to support the state’s food bank network and school nutrition programs by purchasing local foods from farmers and producers in Nevada, benefiting students, families, and the local economy.

    “We write to express serious concerns regarding the cancellation of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs supporting local and regional food purchases providing assistance to those in need,” wrote the Senators. “These successful programs, the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA) and the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program (LFS), allow states, territories, and Tribes to purchase local foods from nearby farmers and ranchers to be used for emergency food providers, schools, and child care centers.”

    “At a time when food insecurity remains high, providing affordable, fresh food to food banks and families while supporting American farmers is critical,” they continued. “We have grave concerns that the cancellation of LFPA and LFS poses extreme harm to producers and communities in every state across the country.”

    The full letter can be found here.

    Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen have been vocal opponents of the Trump Administration’s efforts to cut critical programs Nevadans rely on all while trying to give further tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy. The Senators have pushed multiple Departments under the Trump Administration for detailed, public information regarding the impacts of President Trump’s federal funding freeze, hiring freeze, and terminations on Nevada – including to the Department of the Interior, the U.S. Forest Service, the National Nuclear Security Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Agriculture, and the General Services Administration. Earlier this year, Cortez Masto and Rosen urged the Department of the Interior to immediately cease its freeze of Inflation Reduction Act funding for the Lower Colorado River System Conservation and Efficiency Program.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Leads Colleagues in Reintroducing Legislation to Prevent the Shackling and Mistreatment of Pregnant Women in ICE and CBP Custody

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Legislation would provide permanent safeguards for pregnant and postpartum women in ICE and CBP custody; Rep. Garcia to introduce companion legislation in the House

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member and former chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) led 22 senators last week in reintroducing her Stop Shackling and Detaining Pregnant Women Act. The legislation will protect the health and safety of pregnant, postpartum, and lactating women in immigration detention by establishing a presumption of release, prohibiting any agency under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security from shackling pregnant women in its custody—including those in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP)—and setting new standards of care and transparency for the treatment of pregnant women and youth. Congresswoman Sylvia R. Garcia (D, TX-29) will soon be reintroducing companion legislation in the House.

    “Shackling pregnant women in immigration custody is not only unnecessary, it is dangerous and traumatic for women and their pregnancies—and there is simply no justifiable reason for this barbaric practice,” said Senator Murray. “At a time that we have a president whose approach to immigration appears to be cruelty for cruelty’s sake, it is more important than ever that we act to ensure all pregnant women in custody are treated humanely and with respect. I will continue to fight against the gross mistreatment of pregnant women in immigration detention and am proud to join my friend Rep. Garcia in reintroducing this important legislation.”

    The mistreatment of pregnant women in ICE detention has been well-documented—and without basic protections, pregnant women in ICE detention are at higher risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, and other pregnancy-related health complications. A Government Accountability Office study published in 2020 found that between 2016 and 2018, ICE detained pregnant women over 4,600 times. As Congress increased its oversight of the detention of pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women that number has dropped to just 158 pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women detained in the first half of Fiscal Year 2024.

    The Stop Shackling and Detaining Pregnant Women Act is supported by: The American Civil Liberties Union, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Center for Reproductive Rights, Church World Service, Families USA, In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, MomsRising, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, National Council of Jewish Women, National Immigrant Justice Center, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice, National Women’s Law Center, Reproductive Freedom for All, and Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

    In the Senate, the legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

    A one-pager on the legislation is HERE.

    The full text of the legislation is HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Canada to make an important announcement on the Hôpital-Général de Québec Monastery

    Source: Government of Canada News

    March 18, 2025                 City of Québec, Quebec                        Parks Canada

    On behalf of the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Culture and Identity, Parks Canada, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Member of Parliament for Québec, will make an announcement regarding the Hôpital-Général de Québec Monastery, the oldest convent in the country.

    Dating back to the 17th century, it is of vital importance to Canada’s medical, religious and social history.

     

    Please note that this advisory is subject to change without notice.

     

    The details are as follows:

     

    Date:            March 19, 2025

    Time:           1:00 p.m. EDT

    Location:     Hôpital-Général de Québec Monastery
                          260 Blvd Langelier, Québec, QC

    Members of the media who wish to attend the event must RSVP by contacting: Steve Carignan
    Office of the Member of Parliament Jean-Yves Duclos
    Member of Parliament for Québec
    Community Affairs Manager
    steve.carignan359@parl.gc.ca
    Tel.: 418-523-6666
    Cel.: 418-564-8314

                                                                                                                   -30-

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Durbin, Welch Announce Reintroduction of Legislation to Improve Access to Counsel Guaranteed by Constitution

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, along with Ranking Member Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) announced the reintroduction of the Providing a Quality Defense Act in commemoration of Gideon Day, the day in 1963 when the Supreme Court decided Gideon v. Wainwright, a landmark case that recognized the constitutional imperative that the government must provide counsel to those who are too poor to afford their own criminal defense. The Providing a Quality Defense Act would help provide indigent criminal defendants with meaningful and competent representation. 
    “Today marks the 62nd anniversary of Gideon v. Wainright, the landmark Supreme Court decision which affirmed that in order to ensure a fair trial, every person charged with a crime deserves adequate legal representation, regardless of their socioeconomic background,” said Senator Booker. “Public defenders help fulfill the promise of Gideon by serving as a lifeline for people navigating the criminal justice system. But far too often, public defenders are overworked, underpaid, and lack the necessary resources to effectively represent criminal defendants in the legal system. The Providing a Quality Defense Act seeks to change that by establishing grant programs for public defense offices to hire more public defenders, increase salaries to ensure pay parity with prosecutors, and provide the tools and resources public defenders need to handle their caseloads and provide competent legal defense.”
    “Public defenders bear the responsibility of ensuring our right to due process, a cornerstone of the American justice system,” said Senator Durbin. “They ought to have the necessary resources to fulfill their critical mission. Our bill helps support public defenders by bolstering resources to ensure public defense remains a competitive field of law that can attract and retain quality talent. This is an important step toward ensuring a fair justice system for all.”
    “As the Senate’s only former public defender, I have enormous respect for how essential this workforce is to our criminal judicial system and democratic institutions. Ensuring the country’s public defenders and panel attorneys are adequately trained with the necessary resources is crucial for improving access to justice,” said Senator Welch. “I’m proud to partner with my Judiciary Committee colleagues on this bill to support our public defender workforce and ensure the right to counsel is protected.”
    Specifically, the Providing a Quality Defense Act would: 
    Establish a grant program for public defense offices to hire public defenders or panel attorneys, case workers, social workers, investigators, or paralegals. These grants could also be used to achieve pay parity for public defenders or panel attorneys with prosecutors’ offices
    Provide grant funds to public defense offices to establish loan repayment assistance programs for public defenders
    Direct the Attorney General to develop best practices and recommendations for public defender and panel attorney caseloads and for the compensation of public defenders and panel attorneys
    Allow states to report data about criminal cases heard by courts to the Attorney General for the purpose of developing best practices
    Establish grants for educational programs for public defenders and panel attorneys, including for ongoing training and support
    To read the full text of the bill, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Peters Helps Lead Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Access to Broadband Service for Rural and Underserved Communities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters
    Published: 03.18.2025

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) helped lead bipartisan legislation to improve federal programs that help ensure rural and underserved communities have equitable access to broadband service. The Rural Broadband Protection Act – which Peters cosponsored with U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), and John Curtis (R-UT) – would require the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to certify that federal funding goes toward companies and internet service providers with proven track records in deploying broadband in rural areas. The bill recently passed the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. 
    “Access to affordable, high-speed internet is essential, whether it’s for school, work, seeing your doctor, or running a business, and I’ve been proud to secure robust federal investments in our state to help ensure every Michigander can get connected,” said Senator Peters, a member of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. “This bipartisan legislation would make sure these federal resources are awarded to organizations with experience in effectively delivering broadband service to rural and underserved communities who need it most.”   
    The FCC’s Connect America Fund (CAF) provides funding to ensure consumers in rural, insular, and high-cost areas have access to essential broadband services. In 2022, more than $8 million in fines were filed against CAF awardees who did not meet the requirements of their funding agreements to improve service in underserved areas. The Rural Broadband Protection Act would require future applicants, either under CAF or a new high-cost universal service program, to undergo a vetting process to help ensure broadband infrastructure investments are effectively implemented in the intended communities.   
    Peters is committed to expanding high-speed internet access across Michigan. In June 2023, he announced that Michigan would receive more than $1.5 billion in federal funding from the Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment Program, known as BEAD, to increase high-speed internet access. In 2023, Peters announced a more than $38 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to support rural communities across Michigan, which was made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act and the bipartisan infrastructure law. In 2024, he secured $27 million for Northern Michigan University to upgrade their Educational Access Network, enabling the university to expand broadband access beyond the thousands of students and families they serve in communities across the Upper Peninsula.   

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren Statement on the Firing of Two Federal Trade Commissioners

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    March 18, 2025
    Washington, D.C. – Following the news that President Trump fired Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Kelly Slaughter from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released the following statement: 
    “Donald Trump just illegally fired two independent commissioners at the FTC who fight big corporations that abuse consumers and workers. 
    “Why? Trump’s billionaire donors expect a return on their investment. He works for them, not you. 
    “The courts must reinstate the commissioners.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Hochul is a Guest on “PBS Newshour”

    Source: US State of New York

    arlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul was a guest on PBS NewsHour with Amna Nawaz to discuss how governors across the nation are responding to threats from the federal administration including DOGE, tariffs, and entitlement cuts.

    VIDEO: The interview is available to stream on YouTube here.

    AUDIO: The Governor’s interview is available in audio form here.

    A rush transcript of the Governor’s remarks is available below:

    Amna Nawaz, PBS News:  As President Donald Trump’s cost cutting agenda continues through the government, Democratic governors are now looking to recruit fired federal workers to their states. The State of New York has launched a campaign for those impacted by DOGE cuts, including billboards in New York City’s Moynihan Train Hall and in train and metro stations throughout Washington, D.C.

    Joining me now to discuss that effort and the other ways that New York is pushing back against the Trump administration is New York Governor Kathy Hochul. Governor, welcome back to the NewsHour. Thank you for joining us.

    Governor Hochul: Thank you.

    Amna Nawaz, PBS News: Let’s start with that effort then to recruit some of those fired federal workers. Have you had fired federal workers applying for those jobs? How many have you been able to hire so far?

    Governor Hochul: No, we certainly have. In fact, a couple weeks ago, I did a roundtable inviting a number of recently fired federal employees from the New York City area to come and one of them was a father of four. He’d done four tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. He worked at the VA. He was one week from ending his probation and he was dismissed and he was so upset and distraught about it.

    And I gathered others who were just really still reeling from the unexpectedness of it. They never thought this would happen to them. So, I told them we would take care of these individuals. I literally have almost 7,000 open jobs in state government. We are not back to our pre-pandemic levels, and we certainly have openings in law enforcement and education and social work, a lot of issues – we want to take care of our citizens.

    So, I think it’s a great opportunity. I was literally meeting with President Trump in the White House last week. I went to Union Station afterward and I saw our billboard that said, “DOGE may say ‘You’re fired,’ but in New York, we say, ‘You’re hired.’” And it’s been really successful. And I will give you the real numbers once we know for sure. But a lot more have applied than we expected. And I find that exciting.

    Amna Nawaz, PBS News: So tell me a little bit more about that meeting with President Trump last week, because you and the President have disagreed and clashed before, right? You’ve accused him of federal overreach. You’ve disagreed on his immigration approach, but you said it’s important to keep that dialogue open. So where can you work with this president? What did you agree on in that meeting?

    Governor Hochul: One area where we should all be able to agree on is infrastructure. Continuing important investments. Many started under the Biden Administration. But I want to make sure that we look at an asset like Penn Station in New York City, which is really the welcome mat for millions of people who come through that station, and it looks deplorable. We’ve been renovating certain parts of it, but I want to make it to be a beautiful train hall. Something that natural light comes in and that people will come through there and feel that this is a really world class experience. So, knowing that Donald Trump is a New Yorker, I appealed to his sense of understanding how important this asset is to our city and its identity. And we agreed to work on this together.

    Amna Nawaz, PBS News: What about on tariffs? Because we’ve seen publicly he has doubled down on the use of tariffs, particularly in Canada – which I know impacts your state quite a bit. You said you’ve told him that the tariffs are devastating for upstate farm and factory workers. Was he receptive to that?

    Governor Hochul: You know, he does believe that it’s short term pain for long term gain. Just that the people who are expecting prices to go down on Inauguration Day, are really in for a rude awakening. Not only did they not go down as promised, but they’re going up. And if you look at the possible impacts of $2,000 to $3,000 more a year for a family. I mean, especially in places like upstate New York, on the border with Quebec, and western New York – where I’m from – on the border of Ontario, this is not a foreign country to us. This is a natural trading partner. It’s part of a larger, broader community. So this really sent shockwaves through our state. And I wanted him to know that a lot of these people supported him. Many areas of Upstate New York did support him in the election, and now they’re just wondering what happened.

    Amna Nawaz, PBS News: Governor, on the immigration front, we know New York City has been in this administration’s crosshairs for a while. You’ve said you are not going to allow ICE to come in and take people off the streets, but the reports show that they’ve sort of already been doing that to some extent. We saw local New York reports show that during one week in February, there were 100 people arrested. Do you know how many people ICE has arrested and potentially deported from New York?

    Governor Hochul: Well, I had a conversation with the President about this a couple of times, and I said, “I am aligned with your interest in removing dangerous criminals off the streets and sending them back to where they came from.” It’s in my interest. My number one priority is public safety, and that particularly includes Venezuelan gang members who have been terrorizing parts of our city since their arrival. So this is not a bad outcome to have them removed. But we understand there’s a difference, and I explained this once again, saying, “We’re not separating families. We’re not going to allow that to happen.”

    Amna Nawaz, PBS News: But Governor, we know among the thousands of people already deported have been people who have no criminal record. Do you know how many of those people have been from New York?

    Governor Hochul: No, I don’t know how many, but I will say that we don’t cooperate in those cases. That’s why I don’t have information. We will cooperate — my State Police will cooperate — in a situation where you have a warrant, or it’s someone on a terrorism watch list; someone who’s committed crimes in their own country or here. That’s a different category from where we will not cooperate when it comes to just saying, – identifying who these people are and we’re going to take them. We’re not going to help with that.

    Amna Nawaz, PBS News: I need to ask you, too, about the Democratic Party, because it’s been a rough few weeks. You’ve seen the leader of your party in the Senate under fire from fellow Democrats, including your fellow New Yorkers, Hakeem Jeffries and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, for choosing to avoid a government shutdown and back a Republican funding bill. In your view, was that the right choice?

    Governor Hochul: I know that Senator Schumer has New York State’s best interest at heart, because he’s also not just a majority leader for the Senate, but also our state. He has delivered time and time again for New Yorkers. There can be disputes within our party. This is not unusual in a family to have disagreements on a strategy. But also at the end of the day – he and Hakeem Jeffries put out a statement together, working together to fight the Medicaid cuts. We cannot afford these cuts. So, already there’s a unity that’s restored.

    And again, going down the road, there will be more disagreements. That’s okay. But the bottom line is, who brought us to this place? Never forget it was the Republicans. And every day that we’re hitting each other, is another day that Republicans are getting away with what they’re doing. I’m going to continue to remind everybody, let’s stand together as often as we can, as loudly as we can, against what the Republicans are trying to do to undermine – not just our democracy, but our basic sense of security here. The chaos of the stock market, what you’re doing with tariffs, what you’re doing to make lives more expensive here — we have to stand up and call that out.

    Amna Nawaz, PBS News: Governor, there was clearly a divide within your party though on this one issue. Was it the right choice for Senator Schumer to vote for that bill?

    Governor Hochul: Listen, I’m focused on New York State here. I spent time in Congress, I would answer questions on federal issues when it came to that. He made a decision that he thought was best not to have the shutdown. Others disagree with that. I’m focused on making sure that New York can get through this tumultuous time, whatever happens, and agree that a shutdown would have been difficult for our state.

    Amna Nawaz, PBS News: That is New York Governor, Kathy Hochul, joining us tonight. Governor Hochul, good to see you again. Thank you again for making the time.

    Governor Hochul: Thank you.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar Statement on Illegal Firing of Federal Trade Commissioners

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)
    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), the only Democratic Senator on both the Judiciary and Commerce Committees, released the following statement on the illegal firing of Federal Trade Commissioners Rebecca Kelly Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya.
    “This is outrageous. President Trump’s dismissal of Commissioners Slaughter and Bedoya is not only illegal but also hurts consumers by undermining an independent agency that Congress established to protect consumers from fraud, scams, and monopoly power. The Federal Trade Commission has carried out this mission in a bipartisan way for more than 110 years—including returning more than $330 million to consumers last year and taking on hidden fees—but today President Trump has threatened that critical work. Illegally gutting the Commission will empower fraudsters and monopolists, and consumers will pay the price.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: PHOTOS: Capito Makes Stops in Morgantown and Bridgeport

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito
    MORGANTOWN/BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a leader on the Senate Appropriations Committee, made stops in Morgantown, W.Va. and Bridgeport, W.Va. During the visits, Senator Capito met with education and city leaders to receive updates on projects that will expand educational opportunities and contribute to economic growth.
    First, Senator Capito traveled to Morgantown, W.Va. to celebrate and announce the progress made for renovations at WVU’s School of Dentistry. The renovations, which Senator Capito supported through the Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) process, improved the educational needs and care of patients provided by WVU Medicine. About 82% of dentists practicing in the state of West Virginia are graduates from WVU’s School of Dentistry.
    “As West Virginia’s only dental school, WVU plays a critical role in training the next generation of dentists and expanding access to oral health care across our state,” Senator Capito said. “That’s why I was proud to support these renovations through the Congressionally Directed Spending process—because investing in this program means investing in the health and well-being of West Virginians. I was proud to celebrate these renovations at WVU today, and I look forward to seeing all the great work that will come from this facility in the years ahead.”
    “As the state’s flagship, land-grant university, and the only dental school in West Virginia, the WVU School of Dentistry is committed to providing excellence in student-centered education and patient-centered care. This renovation and modernization initiative will ensure we are able to meet the current and future needs of those entrusted to our care by transforming and improving access to oral healthcare across West Virginia,” Dr. Stephen Pachuta, Dean of the WVU School of Dentistry, said.
    In the afternoon, Senator Capito traveled to Bridgeport, W.Va. where she met with Bridgeport Mayor Andy Lang, as well as leadership from the Benedum Airport Authority and the City of Bridgeport, to discuss progress made on the new Airport Terminal Project at the North Central West Virginia Airport. The group also discussed the impact this project will have on both the aviation and tourism industries in the region and across the state.
    “I was glad to have the opportunity to sit down with leaders from the City of Bridgeport and the Benedum Airport Authority to discuss the exciting progress made on the new terminal at North Central West Virginia Airport. This project is a game-changer for our state’s aviation and tourism industries, improving connectivity, attracting new businesses, and making travel more efficient for residents and visitors alike. I’m proud to support investments like this that drive economic growth and open new opportunities for West Virginians,” Senator Capito said.
    Photos from today’s visits are below:

    U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) delivers remarks at the West Virginia University (WVU) School of Dentistry in Morgantown, W.Va. on Tuesday, March 18, 2025.

    U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) tours the West Virginia University (WVU) School of Dentistry in Morgantown, W.Va. on Tuesday, March 18, 2025.

    U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) meets with leadership from the Benedum Airport Authority and the City of Bridgeport to learn more about the progress made on a new terminal project at the North Central West Virginia Airport in Bridgeport, W.Va. on Tuesday, March 18, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Massacre at 2 am – Israel resumes indiscriminate attacks against Gaza, killing 400+ people

    Israel says President Donald Trump green lit a scorched-earth bombing of Gaza that wiped out entire families and killed dozens of infants and other children.

    By Abubaker Abed in Deil Al-Balah, Gaza, and Jeremy Scahill of Drop Site News

    The US-backed Israeli government resumed its intense genocidal attacks on Gaza early yesterday morning, unleashing a massive wave of indiscriminate military strikes across the Strip and killing more than 410 people, including scores of children and women, according to local health officials.

    The massacre resulted in one of the largest single-day death tolls of the past 17 months, and also killed several members of Gaza’s government and a member of Hamas’s political bureau.

    The Trump administration said it was briefed ahead of the strikes, which began at approximately 2 am local time, and that the US fully supported Israel’s attacks.

    “The sky was filled with drones, quadcopters, helicopters, F-16 and F-35 warplanes. The firing from the tanks and vehicles didn’t stop,” said Abubaker Abed, a contributing journalist for Drop Site News who reports from Deir al-Balah, Gaza.

    “I didn’t sleep last night. I had a pang in my heart that something awful would happen. At 2 am, I tried to close my eyes. Once it happened, four explosions shook my home. The sky turned red and became heavily shrouded with plumes of smoke.”

    Abubaker said Israel’s attacks began with four strikes in Deir al-Balah.

    “Mothers’ wails and children’s screams echoed painfully in my ears. They struck a house near us. I didn’t know who to call. I couldn’t feel my knees. I was shivering with fear, and my family were harshly awakened,” he said.

    ‘My mother couldn’t breathe’
    “My mother couldn’t take a breath. My father searched around for me. We gathered in the middle of our home, knowing our end may be near. That’s the same feeling we have had for the 16 months of intense bombings and attacks.

    “The nightmare has chased us again.”

    The Israeli attacks pummeled cities across Gaza — from Rafah and Khan Younis in the south to Deir al-Balah in the center, and Gaza City in the north, where Israel carried out some of the heaviest bombing in areas already reduced to an apocalyptic landscape.

    Since the “ceasefire” took effect in January, more than half a million Palestinians returned to the north and many of them have been living in makeshift shelters or on the rubble of their former homes.

    Hospitals that already suffer from catastrophic damage from 16 months of relentless Israeli attacks and a dire lack of medical supplies struggled to handle the influx of wounded people, and local authorities issued an emergency call for blood donations.

    Late Tuesday morning, Dr Abdul-Qader Weshah, a senior emergency doctor at Al-Awda Hospital in Al-Nuseirat camp in central Gaza, described the situation.

    “We’ve just received another influx of injuries following a nearby strike. We’ve dealt with them. We are just preparing ourselves for more casualties as more bombings are expected to happen,” he told Drop Site News.

    ‘Horrified . . . awoke to screams’
    “Since the morning, we were horrified and awoke to the screams and pain of people. We’ve been treating many people, children and women in particular.”

    Weshah said they have had to transfer some of the wounded to other hospitals because of a lack of medical supplies.

    “We don’t have the means. Gaza’s hospitals are devoid of everything. Here at the hospital, we lack everything, including basic necessities like disinfectants and gauze. We don’t have enough beds for the casualties.

    We don’t have the capacity to treat the wounded. X-ray devices, magnetic resonance imaging, and simple things like stitches are not available. The hospital is in an unprecedented state of chaos.

    “The number of medical crews is not enough. Overwhelmed with injuries, we’re horrified and we don’t know why we are speaking to the world.

    “We’re working with less than the bare minimum in our hands. We need doctors, devices and supplies, and circumstances to do our job.”

    Al-Shifa hospital director Muhammad Abu Salmiya told Al Jazeera Arabic: “Every minute, a wounded person dies due to a lack of resources.”

    The Indonesia Hospital morgue in Beit Lahia, Gaza on March 18, 2025. Image: Abdalhkem Abu Riash/Anadolu

    Rising death toll
    Dr Zaher Al-Wahidi, the Director of the Information Unit at the Ministry of Health in Gaza, told Drop Site Tuesday afternoon that 174 children and 89 women were killed in the Israeli attacks. [Editors: Latest figures are 404 killed, including many children, and the toll is expected to rise as many are still buried beneath rubble.]

    Local health officials and witnesses said that the death toll was expected to rise dramatically because dozens of people are believed to be buried under the rubble of the structures where they were sleeping when the bombing began.

    “We can hear the voices of the victims under the rubble, but we can’t save them,” said a medical official at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.

    Video posted on social media by Palestinians inside Gaza portrayed unspeakable scenes of the lifeless bodies of infants and small children killed in the bombings.

    Zinh Dahdooh, a dental student from Gaza City, posted an audio recording she said was of her neighbours screaming as their shelter was bombed, trapping them in the destruction.

    “Tonight, they bombed our neighbors,” she wrote on the social media site X. “They kept screaming until they died, and no ambulance came for them. How long are we supposed to live in this fear? How long!”

    According to local health officials, many strikes hit buildings or homes housing multiple generations of families.

    ‘Wiped out six families’
    “Israel in its strikes has wiped out at least six families. One in my hometown. The others are from Khan Younis, Rafah, and Gaza City. Some families have lost five or 10 members. Others have lost around 20,” Abubaker reported.

    “We talk about families killed from the children to the old. The Gharghoon family was bombed today in Rafah. The strikes have killed the father and his two daughters. Their mom and grandparents along with their uncles and aunts were also murdered, erasing the entire family from the civil registry.

    “We are talking about the erasure of entire families. Among Israel’s attacks in Deir al-Balah, Israel bombed the homes of the Mesmeh, Daher, and Sloot families.

    “More than 10 people, including seven women, from the Sloot family were killed, wiping them out entirely. The same has happened to the Abu-Teer, Barhoom, and other families.

    “This is extermination by design. This is genocide.”

    On Tuesday, Palestinian Islamic Jihad confirmed that “Abu Hamza,” the spokesman of its military wing, Al Quds Brigades, had been killed along with his wife and other family members.

    A hellish scene
     Israeli officials said they had been given a “green light” by President Donald Trump to resume heavy bombing of Gaza because of Hamas’s refusal to obey Trump’s directive to release all Israeli captives immediately.

    “All those who seek to terrorise not just Israel but also the United States of America, will see a price to pay,” White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said on Fox News.

    “All hell will break loose.”

    Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a statement asserting that “Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength”.

    Israeli media reported that the decision to resume heavy strikes against Gaza was made a week ago and was not in response to any imminent threat posed by Hamas.

    Israel, which has repeatedly violated the ceasefire that went into effect January 19, has sought to create new terms in a transparent effort to justify blowing up the deal entirely.

    “This is unconscionable,” said Muhannad Hadi, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

    “A cease-fire must be reinstated immediately. People in Gaza have endured unimaginable suffering.”

    Compounding the crisis in Gaza’s hospitals, Israel recently began blocking the entry of international medical workers to the Strip at unprecedented rates as part of a sweeping new policy that severely limits the number of aid organisations Israel will permit to operate in Gaza.

    Plumes of smoke from central Gaza just as Israel began its heavy bombing on Monday night. Image: Abubaker Abed/Drop Site News

    Editor’s note: Due to the ongoing Israeli attacks, Abubaker Abed relayed his reporting and eyewitness account to Jeremy Scahill by phone and text messages. This article is republished from Drop Site News under Creative Commons.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tillis, Padilla Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation to Help Find Missing Persons on Federal Land

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Chris Murphy (D-CT) introduced the TRACE Act, bipartisan, bicameral legislation that would require the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to include an additional category to the existing National Missing and Unidentified Persons Systems (NamUs) database so the public and law enforcement partners can denote cases where the person went missing or was identified on federal land—including by providing specific location details.

    The bill also requires DOJ to submit an annual report to Congress on the number of cases of persons missing on public lands or suspected of going missing on public lands from the previous year. With this new feature, family and friends of people who have gone missing on public lands could more easily find and include this information in NamUs, while law enforcement agencies can simultaneously work to improve the national records of individuals missing on public lands.  

    “Every year, thousands of people go missing on public lands without being recorded in the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System,” said Senator Tillis. “This oversight is impeding law enforcement from keeping track of those who go missing to help search and rescue efforts. I’m proud to lead this bipartisan, bicameral legislation so these cases can be added to the database and potentially save hundreds of lives in the future.”

    “Thousands of people go missing on public lands every year in the United States, but without an effective tracking system, law enforcement faces significant challenges in finding them,” said Senator Padilla. “Public lands should be safe for everyone. That’s why Senator Tillis and I are introducing bipartisan legislation to improve data accuracy and accessibility, give law enforcement better tools to resolve cases, and bring peace of mind to affected families.”

    “Our law enforcement must have the proper resources and tools to bring home missing people,” said Senator Blumenthal. “This legislation would improve oversight and search and rescue efforts—bolstering the safety and security of our country’s public spaces. By equipping our law enforcement with the necessary data to track missing individuals on public lands, the TRACE Act will help recover those individuals and potentially save countless lives in the future.”

    Background:

    According to a NamUs report, over 600,000 people go missing in the United States annually. While the majority of these cases are resolved, tens of thousands of people remain missing every year. 

    There are approximately 640 million acres of federal land which include national parks, national forests, and Bureau of Land Management lands. Estimates suggest that at least 1,600 people have gone missing on public lands, though the number is likely much higher, as isolated or rugged terrain on public lands can make it especially difficult to find or identify people who go missing. Despite this, there is no functional system to report people who have gone missing on public lands. Having accurate data on how many people go missing on our public lands every year is crucial to aid search and rescue efforts and resolve cases. 

    NamUs is the main system used by law enforcement, families and friends of missing persons, medical examiners, and coroners to report unidentified remains and missing persons, and is also used by the public.

    The TRACE Act is endorsed by the Public Lands Solution, Jewish Women’s Institute, Major County Sheriffs Association, Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies (ASCIA), NDAA, Raven, National Association to End Sexual Violence, and the Outdoor Industry Association.

    Full text of the bill is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: March 18th, 2025 Heinrich Introduces Legislation to Reverse Chaos & Damage Created by Trump & Musk at the VA, Reinstate Veterans Fired by DOGE & Protect Veteran Benefits

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee, introduced the Putting Veteran’s First Act, legislation that reverses the chaos and damage created at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) by Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and the “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE).
    Veterans make up 30 percent of the federal workforce with approximately 640,000 veterans working in federal agencies. This week, a leaked internal memo revealed the Trump administration’s plans to cut more than 80,000 of VA employees, to include at least 20,000 veterans, who make up 25 percent of the VA’s workforce.
    The Trump administration’s recent mass terminations of VA employees, which include a substantive number of veterans and military spouses. The firings come at a time of staffing shortages and increased demand for services, such as urgently needed mental health care to reduce the veteran suicide rate.
    Last month, Heinrich demanded that VA Secretary Doug Collins immediately reinstate the more than 1,000 VA employees terminated, including employees providing mental health support on the Veterans Crisis Line.
    The Putting Veterans First Act reinstates all veterans, military spouses, survivors, veteran caregivers, and members of the Guard and Reserves who worked in the federal government and were illegally fired, demoted, or suspended by Trump, Musk, or DOGE. The legislation protects veteran benefits, prohibits DOGE from accessing or altering veterans’ private data, and increases oversight of the VA claims backlog.
    “Veterans serve our country on the battlefield abroad and in civil service at home, making up 30 percent of our federal workforce. Their service deserves respect, not illegal terminations, demotions, and suspensions from a chainsaw-wielding, unelected billionaire. I’m proud to support this bill to show veterans, military spouses, veteran caregivers, and Guard and Reserve members the respect they are owed,” said Heinrich.
    Specifically, the Putting Veterans First Act will:
    Reinstate members of the veteran and military community indiscriminately fired by Trump, Musk, or DOGE working as federal employees;
    Protect the quality of VA care, benefits, and employment;
    Protect veterans’ data from DOGE and unelected billionaires;
    Determine the financial impact of DOGE’s reckless cancellation of contracts at the VA;
    Provide critical mental health care for former and current civil servants; and,
    Provide employment assistance for members of the veteran and military community fired from the federal government in Trump and Musk’s mass terminations.
    The Putting Veterans First Act is led by U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.). Alongside Heinrich, the legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ark.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Catherin Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.).
    A section by-section of the bill is here.
    Last month, Heinrich and U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) demanded that VA Secretary Doug Collins immediately secure veterans’ personal information provided by the VA or other agencies to Elon Musk and his “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE). This call followed Musk’s takeover of the U.S. Treasury’s payment system, which includes private information of veterans and their families, and reports of DOGE employees accessing VA computer systems at the Department’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.
    Heinrich also demanded answers from President Trump’s administration about Elon Musk and his “Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)” gaining access to veterans’ VA medical records.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy Announces $566 Million from WEP & GPO Repeal Given Back to Louisianans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today announced nearly 73,000 Louisianans have already received a total of $566,209,833.81 in retroactive payments after the repeal of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). This comes after Cassidy successfully secured a vote in the U.S. Senate to pass the Social Security Fairness Act to repeal WEP and GPO. After the bill was passed, Cassidy urged the Social Security Administration to implement the new law as quickly as possible. Louisiana has now received the seventh most of any state in retroactive payments.
    “$566 million has already been given back to Louisiana families, and there is more to come,” said Dr. Cassidy. “This is a great victory for every police officer, firefighter, nurse, teacher, and public servant who has waited so long. I’m grateful to the Trump administration for their quick work.”  
    SSA began depositing retroactive payments into bank accounts on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, and will complete nearly all retroactive payments by the end of March. Adjustments to ongoing monthly benefits will begin in April.
    Before the passage of the Social Security Fairness Act, around 94,000 Louisianans were unfairly penalized by WEP and GPO. WEP was enacted in 1983 and reduces the Social Security benefits of workers who receive pensions from a federal, state, or local government for employment not covered by Social Security. GPO was enacted in 1977 and reduces Social Security spousal benefits for spouses, widows, and widowers whose spouses receive pensions from a federal, state, or local government. 
    Background:
    Cassidy played a pivotal role in getting the Social Security Fairness Act signed into law on January 5, 2025. Cassidy successfully demanded a vote on the Social Security Fairness Act. In July and again in December, Cassidy spoke on the U.S. Senate floor urging Congress to repeal WEP and GPO as part of his “Big Idea” to save, strengthen, and secure America’s retirement system. In June, Cassidy entered a statement into the record urging the repeal of WEP and GPO ahead of the U.S. Senate Finance Subcommittee field hearing on Social Security. 
    Cassidy is a long-time cosponsor of the Social Security Fairness Act in the Senate, being an original cosponsor since he became a Member of Congress in 2009. He led the introduction of the legislation in the 117th and 116th Congress.
    Cassidy led a bipartisan working group to preserve and protect Social Security. He released the inaugural Bill on the Hill video where he asked Capitol Hill visitors from across the country their thoughts on the looming benefit cuts to Social Security and presented his “Big Idea.”
    Last March, Cassidy grilled U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on President Biden’s plan to address Social Security, to which Secretary Yellen admitted “the president doesn’t have a plan,” to save Social Security.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Cassidy: The National Debt is Crushing the American Dream

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) penned an op-ed in The Hill highlighting the need for Congress to address the national debt and put an end to runaway spending moving the American Dream further out of reach for many families.
    “Interest payments now consume 18 percent of federal spending. The $882 billion spent on interest exceeds the defense budget. Historian Niall Ferguson has called this a hallmark of national decline. By 2054, debt service will claim one-third of revenue, surpassing Social Security. If we don’t change course, Medicare, Social Security and debt service will eventually consume all federal revenue,” wrote Dr. Cassidy.
    “During the Biden administration, inflation and high interest rates crushed working families. Most Americans don’t have lobbyists advocating for them. Instead, they elected President Trump and a Republican Congress to bring relief. That means staying committed to fiscal conservatism. Congress must listen and act,” continued Dr. Cassidy. 
    The op-ed follows Dr. Cassidy’s vote to pass a six-month funding bill that cuts government spending.
    “Republicans don’t want to take away benefits Americans rely on. We support lower taxes. We can extend the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in a way maintains benefits, keeps taxes lower and keeps the American Dream alive. Let’s seize that opportunity,” Dr. Cassidy concluded.
    Read the full op-ed here or excepts below.
    The National Debt is Crushing the American Dream
    There are competing priorities in the reconciliation bill before Congress. Some want to make the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent. Others want to reduce our $36 trillion national debt and prevent it from reaching $65 trillion by 2034. The goal should be economic growth — not just measured by the S&P 500, but by middle-class families’ ability to afford groceries, buy a home, purchase a car and live the American Dream.
    To achieve that end, we must address spending and debt. Out-of-control expenditures and rising debt fuel inflation, pushing Treasury yields higher. This ripples through the economy, making loans tied to 10-year Treasuries more expensive. If debt climbs from $36 trillion to $65 trillion, as some proposals allow, it will pump more money into the economy, driving up inflation and the cost of financing that debt.
    President Trump understands this. His efforts to cut spending, increase revenue in creative ways and balance the budget show his awareness of the problem. But extending the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act without adjustments would make a balanced budget impossible.
    ….
    Republicans don’t want to take away benefits Americans rely on. We support lower taxes. We can extend the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in a way maintains benefits, keeps taxes lower and keeps the American Dream alive. Let’s seize that opportunity.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Following Push from Senator Collins, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Exempt from Hiring Freeze

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins
    Published: March 18, 2025

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins released the following statement on the Department of Defense’s announcement exempting the shipyard workforce from the civilian hiring freeze: 
    “The men and women who work at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and shipyards across the country are critical members of our defense industrial base, without whom the ability to repair, retrofit and refuel our country’s nuclear submarines would be in jeopardy,” said Senator Collins. “I am thankful the Department of Defense has elected to exempt our nation’s shipyards from the hiring freeze, and I will continue to work with the Department and advocate for the Shipyard and our shipyard workforce to make sure their critical work is able to continue unimpeded.”  
    Last month, Senator Collins and U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) sent a bipartisan letter to the U.S. Department of the Navy urging an exemption for Portsmouth Naval Shipyard employees from the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) deferred resignation program for federal employees. In their letter to Acting Secretary Terence G. Emmert, the Senators noted that any reduction to the Shipyard’s workforce would jeopardize our nation’s security by increasing submarine maintenance timelines.  
    Senator Collins has long advocated for Maine’s shipbuilding and ship repair industry and workforce, including through appropriating funding and securing workforce development initiatives for PNSY.  Senator Collins secured $401 million for a Shipbuilding Infrastructure Optimization Program (SIOP) project at PNSY in 2025, which will help to expand the Shipyard’s capacity to maintain America’s fast-attack submarine fleet.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Purpose Investments Inc. Announces March 2025 Distributions

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, March 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Purpose Investments Inc. (“Purpose”) is pleased to announce distributions for the month of March 2025 for its open-end exchange-traded funds and closed-end funds (“the Funds”).

    The ex-distribution date for all Open-End Funds is March 27, 2025. The ex-distribution date for all closed-end funds is March 31, 2025.

    Open-End Funds Ticker Symbol Distribution per share/unit Record Date Payable Date Distribution Frequency
    Apple (AAPL) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Units APLY $0.1667 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Canadian Financial Income Fund – ETF Series BNC $0.1225¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Global Bond Fund – ETF Units BND $0.0840 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Berkshire Hathaway (BRK) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Units BRKY $0.1000 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Bitcoin Yield ETF – ETF Units BTCY $0.0850 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Bitcoin Yield ETF – ETF Non-Currency Hedged Units BTCY.B $0.0970 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Bitcoin Yield ETF – ETF USD Units BTCY.U US $0.0815 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Credit Opportunities Fund – ETF Units CROP $0.0875 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Credit Opportunities Fund – ETF USD Units CROP.U US $0.0975 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Ether Yield – ETF Units ETHY $0.0405 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Ether Yield ETF – ETF Non-Currency Hedged Units ETHY.B $0.0500 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Ether Yield ETF – ETF Units Non-Currency Hedged USD Units ETHY.U US $0.0395 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Global Flexible Credit Fund – ETF Units FLX $0.0461 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Global Flexible Credit Fund – Non-Currency Hedged – ETF Units FLX.B $0.0551 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Global Flexible Credit Fund – Non-Currency Hedged USD – ETF Units FLX.U US $0.0385 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Global Bond Class – ETF Units IGB $0.0860¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Microsoft (MSFT) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF units MSFY $0.1100 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Active Balanced Fund – ETF Units PABF $0.1650 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Quarterly
    Purpose Active Conservative Fund – ETF Units PACF $0.1900 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Quarterly
    Purpose Active Growth Fund – ETF Units PAGF $0.1550 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Quarterly
    Purpose Enhanced Premium Yield Fund – ETF Series PAYF $0.1375¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Total Return Bond Fund – ETF Series PBD $0.0590¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Core Dividend Fund – ETF Series PDF $0.1050¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Enhanced Dividend Fund – ETF Series PDIV $0.0950¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Real Estate Income Fund – ETF Series PHR $0.0720¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose International Tactical Hedged Equity Fund – ETF Series PHW $0.1500 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Quarterly
    Purpose International Dividend Fund – ETF Series PID $0.0780 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Monthly Income Fund – ETF Series PIN $0.0830¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Multi-Asset Income Fund – ETF Units PINC $0.0840 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Diversified Real Asset Fund – ETF Series PRA $0.2100 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Quarterly
    Purpose Conservative Income Fund – ETF Series PRP $0.0600¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Premium Yield Fund – ETF Series PYF $0.1100¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Premium Yield Fund Non-Currency Hedged – ETF Series PYF.B $0.1230¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Premium Yield Fund Non-Currency Hedged – ETF USD Series PYF.U US $0.1200¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Core Equity Income Fund – ETF Series RDE $0.0875¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Emerging Markets Dividend Fund – ETF Units REM $0.0950 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Canadian Preferred Share Fund – ETF Units RPS $0.0950 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose US Preferred Share Fund – ETF Series RPU $0.0940 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose US Preferred Share Fund Non-Currency Hedged – ETF Units2 RPU.B / RPU.U $0.0940 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Strategic Yield Fund – ETF Units SYLD $0.0970 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    AMD (AMD) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Series YAMD $0.2000¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Amazon (AMZN) Yield Shares Purpose ETF- ETF Units YAMZ $0.4000 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Alphabet (GOOGL) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Units YGOG $0.2500 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    META (META) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Series YMET $0.1600¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    NVIDIA (NVDA) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Units YNVD $0.7500 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Tesla (TSLA) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Units YTSL $0.5500 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Costco (COST) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Series YCST $0.1000¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Palantir (PLTR) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Series YPLT $0.2500¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    UnitedHealth Group (UHN) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Series YUNH $0.1100¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Coinbase (COIN) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Series YCON $0.3000¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Netflix (NFLX) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Series YNET $0.1100¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Broadcom (AVGO) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Series YAVG $0.1500¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Tech Innovators Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Series YMAG $0.2000¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Closed-End Funds Ticker Symbol Distribution
    per share/unit    		 Record Date Payable Date Distribution Frequency
    Big Banc Split Corp, Class A BNK $0.1200¹ 03/31/2025 04/14/2025 Monthly
    Big Banc Split Corp, Class A BNK.PR.A $0.0700¹ 03/31/2025 04/14/2025 Monthly


    Estimated March 2025 Distributions for Purpose USD Cash Management Fund, Purpose Cash Management Fund, Purpose High Interest Savings Fund, and Purpose US Cash Fund

    The March 2025 distribution rates for Purpose USD Cash Management Fund, Purpose Cash Management Fund, Purpose High Interest Savings Fund, and Purpose US Cash Fund are estimated to be as follows:

    Fund Name Ticker Symbol Estimated Distribution per unit Record Date Payable Date Distribution Frequency
    Purpose USD Cash Management Fund – ETF Units MNU.U US $0.3440 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Cash Management Fund – ETF Units MNY $0.2657 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose High Interest Savings Fund – ETF Units PSA $0.1105 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose US Cash Fund – ETF Units PSU.U US $0.3374 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly

    Purpose expects to issue a press release on or about March 26, 2025, which will provide the final distribution rate for Purpose USD Cash Management Fund, Purpose Cash Management Fund, Purpose High Interest Savings Fund, and Purpose US Cash Fund. The ex-distribution date will be March 27, 2025.

    (1) Dividend is designated as an “eligible” Canadian dividend for purposes of the Income Tax Act (Canada) and any similar provincial and territorial legislation.
    (2) Purpose US Preferred Share Fund Non-Currency Hedged – ETF Units have both a CAD and USD purchase option. Distribution per unit is declared in CAD; however, the USD purchase option (RPU.U) distribution will be made in the USD equivalent. Conversion into USD will use the end-of-day foreign exchange rate prevailing on the ex-distribution date.

    About Purpose Investments Inc.

    Purpose Investments is an asset management company with more than $22 billion in assets under management. Purpose Investments has an unrelenting focus on client-centric innovation and offers a range of managed and quantitative investment products. Purpose Investments is led by well-known entrepreneur Som Seif and is a division of Purpose Unlimited, an independent technology-driven financial services company.

    For further information, please email us at info@purposeinvest.com

    Media inquiries:
    Keera Hart
    keera.hart@kaiserpartners.com
    905-580-1257

    Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees, and expenses may all be associated with investment fund investments. Please read the prospectus and other disclosure documents before investing. Investment funds are not covered by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government deposit insurer. There can be no assurance that the full amount of your investment in a fund will be returned to you. If the securities are purchased or sold on a stock exchange, you may pay more or receive less than the current net asset value. Investment funds are not guaranteed; their values change frequently, and past performance may not be repeated.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Quick Custom Intelligence Launches Advanced Real-Time Host Management Features

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN DIEGO, March 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI), the premier provider of real-time analytics and customer engagement solutions for the gaming and hospitality industries, today announced the launch of its latest enhancements to the QCI Platform. These enhancements address industry challenges related to coding and offer management, dynamic host incentive programs, and cross-platform communication—capabilities that set QCI apart from their competitors.

    Comprehensive Integration with Casino Management Systems for Coding and Offer Management

    QCI’s updated platform streamlines the intricate process of coding offers, importing and pushing lists, and integrating directly with casino management systems. By providing robust programmatic interfaces, the platform enables properties to seamlessly manage complex coding requirements and deliver tailored offers to guests in real time. This level of integration and flexibility empowers operators to maximize their campaign performance and guest engagement.

    Lynette O’Connell, VP of Customer Success for QCI, commented “With this enhanced integration, casinos can now execute highly targeted campaigns with greater accuracy and efficiency. By simplifying offer management and streamlining complex coding, we’re empowering operators to maximize guest engagement and ROI.”

    Dynamic Metrics Adjustments and Tiering for Host Incentive Programs

    Building on QCI’s core principle of real-time customization, the platform now offers advanced functionality to dynamically adjust player metrics and targets—such as theo net freeplay and comps—and reassign goal parameters based on mid-quarter book changes. These new tools enable properties to create adaptive host incentive programs with tiered goals and thresholds, ensuring that every incentive structure remains both profitable and continually optimized. Targets are cascaded down to the player level, giving hosts clear direction on who to engage and how to manage their players effectively.

    Nick Salemi, Sr. Customer Engagement Manager for QCI, stated “One of the biggest compliments I hear about our software is how easy it makes managing host books and their targets. Player development leaders can focus on coaching and developing their teams, knowing the math behind host targets is accurate. If player relationships change, managers can trust that the data and targets will reflect those updates. From a host’s perspective, my favorite insight to highlight is the relationship between ADT and visit frequency, showing just how valuable each guest and visit truly is.”

    Seamless Host Communication and Task Management Across Platforms

    Responding to the industry need for a unified host workflow, QCI’s latest enhancements centralize text message tracking, email integration (including Outlook), and real-time task assignments under one intuitive user interface. Hosts and property managers can collaborate more efficiently, gain immediate visibility into host activities, and document performance for comprehensive reporting—far surpassing capabilities offered by QCI competitors.

    Julie Margeson, Sr. Customer Engagement Manage for QCI, explained “Collaboration between Hosts, Slots, and Marketing is transforming how casinos engage with their customers. Slots teams coordinate with Hosts and players when games are added or removed from the floor, Hosts gain visibility into non-redeemers for Marketing campaigns, and Marketing creates targeted campaigns to promote new Slot Floor sections—inviting select players to generate excitement around new areas or games. By working together, these teams ensure players stay informed, enhance retention, and deliver a seamless, holistic customer experience rather than addressing isolated aspects of their journey.”

    Executive Commentary

    “In today’s rapidly evolving gaming environment, operators need agile solutions that bridge all aspects of player development—from comprehensive coding in IGT to dynamic host management and communications,” said Dr. Ralph Thomas, CEO of Quick Custom Intelligence. “We are committed to providing these high-level capabilities in a seamless platform so that our partners can maximize their revenue and strengthen player relationships.”

    ABOUT QCI
    Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI) has pioneered the revolutionary QCI Enterprise Platform, an artificial intelligence platform that seamlessly integrates player development, marketing, and gaming operations with powerful, real-time tools designed specifically for the gaming and hospitality industries. Our advanced, highly configurable software is deployed in over 250 casino resorts across North America, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Latin America, and Europe. The QCI AGI Platform, which manages more than $35 billion in annual gross gaming revenue, stands as a best-in-class solution, whether on-premises, hybrid, or cloud-based, enabling fully coordinated activities across all aspects of gaming or hospitality operations. QCI’s data-driven, AI-powered software propels swift, informed decision-making vital in the ever-changing casino industry, assisting casinos in optimizing resources and profits, crafting effective marketing campaigns, and enhancing customer loyalty. QCI was co-founded by Dr. Ralph Thomas and Mr. Andrew Cardno and is based in San Diego, with additional offices in Las Vegas, St. Louis, Dallas, Denver and Phoenix. Main phone number: (858) 299.5715. Visit us at www.quickcustomintelligence.com.

    ABOUT Dr. Ralph Thomas
    Dr. Ralph Thomas is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Quick Custom Intelligence. Ralph is a product visionary in applied analytics and the founder of two companies that deliver solutions in casino gaming, education, and adult learning. As a gaming industry veteran, Dr. Thomas has substantial experience implementing analytics into single and multi-property gaming companies to drive tangible and measurable gains to the bottom line and has built business intelligence tools for multibillion-dollar casinos. Dr. Thomas is co-author of seven books and over 80 articles on applied analytics and data science in gaming, an inventor on dozens of patents, and understands gaming from raw data up through casino operations, giving him a unique, 360-degree view of the industry.

    ABOUT Lynette O’Connell
    Lynette’s expertise is comprised of 20 years of high-volume gaming operations experience in CRM, database marketing, analysis, and loyalty club development. She leads the QCI customer team as well as being the customer advocate at QCI, focused on customer adoption, best practices, gathering feedback, and working to ensure that the customer’s goals are achieved satisfactorily, thus helping to increase sales as well. She defines and optimizes the customer’s journey post-installation, helping them develop best practices and working with them to measure success and see the ROI in QCI products.

    ABOUT Nick Salemi
    Nick earned a B.S. in Business Management and followed that up with a decade working in customer related roles from hockey teams to video technology companies, eventually finding his place in the casino gaming industry. He then focused on casino operations specifically as it pertains to customer loyalty and retention by delivering a positive experience and managing these relationships. He now brings all of this experience to the QCI Customer Success Team.

    ABOUT Julie Margeson
    Julie is a diversely skilled Technical Engineer with over 20 years of experience helping businesses in the casino industry maintain smooth operations and an optimal workflow. She is committed to applying emerging technologies to streamline product development and business operations. Her extensive background includes several years spent at top casinos in Las Vegas including The Cosmopolitan, Wynn, Encore and The Mirage. Now she brings her exceptional industry skills to work with the QCI Customer Success Team.

    Contact:
    Laurel Kay, Quick Custom Intelligence
    Phone: 858-349-8354

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Canada Supports Tree-Planting Activities in Gatineau and Across Quebec

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    News release

    March 18, 2025                                      Gatineau, Quebec                                Natural Resources Canada

    Today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, along with the Honourable Steven Guilbeault,  Minister of Canadian Culture and Identity, Parks Canada and Quebec Lieutenant, announced more than $16 million in funding for four tree-planting projects that will bring environmental, health and social benefits to both urban and rural communities across the province of Quebec.

    The City of Gatineau and the City of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu are receiving funding for urban tree-planting projects that will plant new trees on public lands, helping to capture carbon, increase biodiversity and cool areas vulnerable to extreme heat.

    With the funding announced today, the City of Gatineau will:

    • increase its urban tree canopy to 30 percent by planting 80,000 new trees in all the city’s communities over the next six years;
    • establish urban forests that will help improve air and soil quality, support biodiversity and contribute to the health and well-being of citizens; and
    • create five new jobs in the region, as well as long-term contracts for forest maintenance over the years. 

    The City of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu will carry out its own tree-planting project that will:

    • plant 70,000 new trees and increase its urban tree canopy to 20 percent, with the longer-term goal of 30-percent tree cover;
    • beautify the city by planting trees and establishing micro-forests along roadways, riverbanks and in existing forests; and
    • sequester carbon while increasing the city’s resilience to the effects of climate change.

    Two more federally funded projects across the province will contribute toward reforestation and afforestation in rural areas of Quebec:

    • Harpur Farm LTD is receiving funds to plant 251,000 trees in western Quebec, afforesting more than 208 acres of marginal lands and reforesting 41 acres in degraded woodlands.  In collaboration with Nature Conservancy Canada, this project will expand the critical Plaisance–Tremblant ecological corridor, to allow wildlife to move freely north–south and will establish multi-species forests with edible forest products such as nuts, acorns, fruit and maple syrup.
    • Pepinière Forestière Tshitassinu is receiving funds to develop a 100-percent automated, Indigenous-led tree nursery in Mashteuiatsh, Lac-Saint Jean, that will be able to produce more than 10 million seedlings per year. The proponent will set up 30 state-of-the-art greenhouses to produce seedlings to reforest the boreal forest.

    These projects are being supported in part by Canada’s 2 Billion Trees (2BT) program. This program is dedicated to working with governments and organizations across the country to support the expansion of Canada’s forests while creating sustainable jobs in communities. 

    Quotes

    “Trees are essential to our lives: they clean the air we breathe, they make the outdoors even more enjoyable, they provide new habitats for wildlife, and they help us adapt to a changing climate. The Government of Canada is pleased to be supporting municipalities and private organizations in Quebec in their efforts to increase urban green spaces and forests. By planting the right tree in the right place, we are creating a greener, healthier and more-resilient Canada for generations to come.”

    The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson
    Minister of Energy and Natural Resources 

    “Trees are one of the most effective ways to fight climate change and tackle biodiversity loss. We’re helping communities across the country become greener and more sustainable. In the cities of Gatineau and Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, this means planting tens of thousands of new trees — reducing pollution, improving air quality and combating urban heat islands, especially during extreme heat. This initiative will increase the urban tree canopy by over 20 percent in both cities and increase the quality of life for families. With over $12 billion invested in conservation and climate solutions since 2015, our government is building a greener, more sustainable future for generations to come.”

     

    The Honourable Steven Guilbeault
    Minister of Canadian Culture and Identity, Parks Canada and Quebec Lieutenant

    “Thanks to this investment from the federal government, Gatineau is taking another step toward implementing its Urban Forestry Plan and building a more sustainable city to reduce vulnerability to climate change. Planting 80,000 new trees is more than just an environmental initiative — it’s a concrete commitment to enhancing the quality of life for our residents by creating cooler, more attractive and accessible neighborhood’s and public spaces. With this vision, the city of Gatineau is accelerating the balance between urban development and the preservation of natural spaces.”

    Maude Marquis-Bissonnette
    Mayor, City of Gatineau

    “Valuable to our community, this funding allows us to increase our efforts to green our territory, one of the main objectives of our Tree Policy. As a City, we are working to provide a greener, more resilient and sustainable environment for our citizens in a context where climate change is already having a real impact. This support is a new incentive in achieving these collective goals, whose impacts will be felt quickly and well beyond our generation.”

    Andrée Bouchard
    Mayor, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu

    “Harpur Farms is a multi-generational family forestry business. We strongly believe that ‘great societies are those where people plant trees in whose shade they will never sit’. It is our privilege to work with a partner who shares the same long-term view.”

    Jordan Harpur
    President, Harpur Farms Ltd. 

    “First Nations want to play an active role in forest industry activities — especially in land management, forest reforestation and the production of forest seedlings to be planted on our Nitassinan (Territory) — and, above all, to leave an incredible legacy to our future generations.”

    Ricardo Arias
    President and Founder, Pepinière Forestière Tshitassinu

    Quick facts

    • The Government of Canada is contributing $2.7 million toward the City of Gatineau’s urban tree-planting project. The project is expected to plant 80,000 trees throughout the city by March 31, 2031.

    • The City of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu received $2 million in funding from Canada’s 2BT program to plant 70,000 trees by March 31, 2031.

    • Harpur Farm LTD received $1.9 million from Canada’s 2BT program to plant 251,000 trees on 208.5 acres of marginal lands and 41.9 acres in degraded woodlands. 

    • Canada’s 2BT program is funding $10 million to Pepinière Forestière Tshitassinu to build a fully automated Indigenous-led forest nursery. 

    • These projects are being supported by Canada’s 2 Billion Trees program. 2BT is part of the Government of Canada’s broader approach to nature-based climate solutions. The program is dedicated to working together with provinces, territories, local communities, non-and for-profit organizations and Indigenous Peoples across the country to ensure that the benefits of tree planting will endure for generations.

    • 2BT engages with applicants to understand their plans for preparing sites, how they are selecting species and how they plan to monitor after planting. Funding recipients report every year, and the program has a long-term monitoring plan to monitor the progress and the health of the trees. By ensuring the initial job is done well, nature can then thrive, maintaining the long-term health of forested sites. 

    • As of September 2024, the Government of Canada has secured or is negotiating agreements with partners to plant over 716 million trees.

    Associated links

    Contacts

    Natural Resources Canada
    Media Relations
    343-292-6096
    media@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

    Joanna Sivasankaran
    Director of Communications
    Office of the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources
    Joanna.Sivasankara@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

    Rachel Rivard
    Manager – Public Relations, Gatineau
    819 243-2345, ext 4001
    rivard.rachel@gatineau.ca

     

    Marie-Pier Gagnon
    Digital Strategy and Media Relations Advisor, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu
    450 357-2098, ext 2078
    m.gagnon@sjsr.ca

    Carl Simoncelli
    Vice-President, Harpur Farms Ltd.
    514-282-1996
    carl.simoncelli@taoco.com

    Ricardo Arias
    President and Founder, Pepinière Forestière Tshitassinu
    418-275-4545, ext 22
    arias.ricardo175@gmail.com

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    MIL OSI Canada News –