Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) joined U.S. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.) in sending a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson, urging them to oppose any Democrat demands that would undermine President Trump and DOGE’s efforts to reduce wasteful federal spending. President Trump is fulfilling his promise to change the broken status quo in Washington that led the nation to a $36 trillion debt crisis, and Republicans must work together to ensure the President can continue to deliver on his mandate and Make America Great Again.
Sens. Johnson and Scott were joined by Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Bernie Moreno(R-Ohio), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.).
Additional co-signers in the House include Reps. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Sheri Biggs (R-S.C.), Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.), Clay Higgins (R-La.), Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.), Brandon Gill (R-Texas), Mark Harris (R-N.C.), Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.), Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), Barry Moore (R-Ala.), and Ralph Norman (R-S.C.).
Full text of the letter can be found here.
Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) delegates today urged the Secretariat to ramp up efforts to boost managerial accountability and internal controls, emphasizing the tone-setting role of top leaders in fostering a more effective United Nations.
“A strong system of accountability is not just a bureaucratic requirement, it is the very foundation of the trust that binds this Organization to Member States and to the citizens of the world,” said Switzerland’s delegate, speaking also for Liechtenstein. “Far from being a simple administrative reform, accountability is a fundamental principle that reflects our commitment to the values of the United Nations: integrity, transparency and efficiency in the service of peace and sustainable development.”
While the Secretary-General’s report highlights significant progress, it also stresses the persistent challenges that require determination and commitment to overcome, he said. Exemplary leadership is essential for greater accountability as the UN Values and Behaviours Framework emphasizes inclusion, integrity, humility and humanity. “A culture of accountability can only be built if those who lead the Organization embody these values on a daily basis,” he said.
He said that other essential components for boosting accountability are the use of data and transparency, such as the UN Results Portal, which strengthens the trust of Member States. In addition, sexual exploitation and abuse are an unacceptable betrayal of the Organization’s fundamental values while undermining public confidence. His delegation welcomes the Secretary-General’s efforts to strengthen prevention and response mechanisms, including improving ClearCheck, a screening database, and the adoption of a victim-centred approach.
The representative of Iraq, speaking on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, underscored that accountability within the Organization requires managers and decision-makers at the highest levels to commit to the accountability system’s six components. He emphasized the importance of weaving more results-based steps — of both institutional and personal accountability — into future Secretariat progress reports. The Group also values the recommendations of the recent Joint Inspection Unit’s review of accountability frameworks in the United Nations system organizations.
He asked senior managers to keep improving the presentation of the proposed programme budget and ensure resources are clearly linked to a continuously improving results-based budgeting framework. “This should reflect existing mandates and the measures to achieve them,” he said. Noting the Organization’s ongoing financial constraints, the Group believes it is even more urgent for the Secretariat to keep strengthening internal controls and monitor effective expenditures to fully implement agreed mandates and programmes. The General Assembly has asked the Secretary-General to urge senior managers to meet the geographical targets contained in the senior managers’ compacts. The Group also wants to understand the appropriate accountability measures that will be taken when the targets stipulated in the compacts have not been met.
Accountability ‘Cornerstone of Effective Management’
Israel’s delegate called accountability the cornerstone of effective management. “It must be treated with the significance it deserves,” she said. Her delegation welcomed progress on addressing misconduct and disciplinary issues, including the revision of policies on discrimination and harassment, including sexual harassment and the abuse of authority. “We call on the Secretariat to strengthen these efforts, ensuring a cultural shift where such misconduct is not only condemned in words, but eradicated in practice,” she said, adding that perpetrators must face real consequences, and every staff member must feel safe to report misconduct without a fear of retaliation.
The increased availability of data and information will enhance the transparency of activities, investigations and their outcomes. “Accountability is a principle that must be demonstrated from the very top of any organization,” she said, urging the UN leadership to “set the tone, ensuring that oversight is not only a bureaucratic exercise, but a force that safeguards the integrity of this Organization”.
Secretariat Delivers Reports
Karen Lock, Director of the Business Transformation and Accountability Division of the Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance, presented the Secretary-General’s “Fourteenth progress report on accountability: strengthening accountability in the United Nations Secretariat” (document A/79/696). Noting that the Secretary-General’s management reforms have shifted the focus from process to results, she said the report recognized that this transformation can only happen over time and must be part of a process of continuous improvement. While progress has been made in some elements of an accountability system that holds staff accountable for financial and programme performance, more needs to be done.
Some of the detailed measures taken in 2024, laid out in Section II of the report, include improving the internal control process, such as using targeted workshops and guidance on deepening the integration of internal controls and risk management and enhancing enterprise risk management. At the Secretariat-wide level, risk treatment and response plans were developed for 14 critical risks with corporate risk owners monitoring the implementation of mitigation measures. Sixty-four entities completed their risk assessments and have dedicated risk-governance practices in place.
The Secretariat’s data protection and privacy policy, meant to guide the responsible handling of personal data, provides transparency and lays down necessary safeguards, she said. The Secretariat has also disseminated the Secretary-General’s bulletin on the United Nations Values and Behaviours Framework, which aims to inform human resources processes, such as workforce planning, recruitment, learning and performance management.
As the transparency of information lies at the core of accountability, the Secretariat has enhanced Member States’ portals, she said. For example, the results portal (https://results.un.org) now provides information on when planned targets were met, exceeded or not reached. The Workforce Portal now provides up-to-date information on staff and demographics. The compendium of disciplinary measures contains detailed information based on nearly 14 years of practice in disciplinary matters and is available online on the human resources portal (https://hr.un.org). “The report shows the Secretariat’s continued progress — not perfection — in reinforcing accountability as a central pillar of its management system,” Ms. Lock said. “It includes planned activities in 2025 and beyond to drive continuous improvement.”
Caroline Nalwanga, Vice-Chair of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), presented that body’s related report (document A/79/772). The Advisory Committee trusts the Secretary-General will use existing resources to develop a maturity model for the accountability system and lay out a clear road map and benchmarks so progress can be noted and areas for improvements can be identified.
Turning to the performance-appraisal system, ACABQ reiterates that the performance appraisal system must be strengthened and “that more efforts be made to ensure a link between high-level deliverables outlined by legislative bodies and individual staff workplans”. An enhanced performance-appraisal system could not only show how performance has delivered results, but could better assess staff compliance with regulations, rules and the responsible stewardship of funds and resources.
Regarding the review of the Organization’s system of internal controls, the Advisory Committee noted the Assembly’s request to review the first and second lines of defence in the accountability system, including human resources and asset management. The Advisory Committee backs a comprehensive review that includes financial and budget management, information communications technology and supply chain management. “The Advisory Committee trusts that the review will be followed by the strengthening of the exercise of second line of defence across different departments in the accountability framework,” she added.
Fifth Committee Chair Egriselda Aracely González López (El Salvador) opened the meeting by thanking delegates for their monumental efforts during their final session in December 2024. Their collective commitment allowed them to finalize a complex session within the established time frame. She encouraged delegates to maintain the same momentum and spirit of collaboration as they forge ahead in this session and the second part of the resumed session.
Moving people to safety during an emergency is a key priority. That’s why Alberta’s government is investing $311 million over three years in Budget 2025 to increase emergency route capacity for residents in northern Alberta. This will provide new and better options to escape dangerous situations, like wildfires, that require people to evacuate from their homes. If passed, Budget 2025 will improve access to and from northern cities and communities and unlock more economic opportunity, opening up the resource-rich north and building a stronger, freer Alberta.
“Wildfires underscore the need for more emergency egress routes. That’s why we are starting detailed design work to extend Highway 686 between Peerless Lake and Fort McMurray, creating a new emergency route for northern residents and a new east-west economic corridor in this resource-rich part of Alberta.”
“These investments make it clear how important northern Alberta is to Alberta’s government. These infrastructure projects will boost safety and economic corridors, especially for people in the Fort McMurray and Lac La Biche region, and better connect Indigenous communities.”
Budget 2025 includes detailed design work to extend Highway 686 between Peerless Lake and Fort McMurray, adding a new egress route and providing new capacity for the movement of energy products, heavy equipment and the delivery of goods and services to communities in the region. The new Highway 686 alignment will extend the highway by 218 kilometres, creating a new east-west highway link to connect northern Alberta communities and to support economic development across the region.
“For years, our Nation has fought for better road access, knowing how critical it is for our safety, mobility and economic future. The province’s enhanced funding for the Highway 686 corridor – especially for paving the road from Red Earth Creek all the way to Trout Lake – is a direct and positive response to our advocacy and our Nation’s needs. We recognize the steps Alberta has taken to work with us as meaningful partners and beneficiaries in this process. These investments have the potential to transform lives in Peerless Trout First Nation, and as this spirit of collaboration continues and strengthens, even greater opportunities can unfold for our people.”
“With these latest investments in Highway 686, the Province of Alberta is demonstrating that major infrastructure projects can be developed in true partnership with First Nations. The province has heard our Nations’ voices and has been engaged early and meaningfully, and that is what will ensure this project benefits our communities, our people and future generations. We look forward to continuing to play a leadership role, knowing that this approach – one that respects our rights and prioritizes our leadership and direct involvement – will be key to its long-term success.”
“The Highway 686 project is moving in the right direction because it is being shaped by First Nations, not just around us, but with us. The province has shown a willingness to work with our Nations in a way that prioritizes our involvement and our ability to directly benefit from the work ahead. That approach must continue, because when our people are full participants in infrastructure projects like this, we don’t just see roads being built – we see opportunities being created for generations to come.”
“Major projects in traditional territories must balance responsible development with respect for the land and the people who live with it. I appreciate the province’s collaborative commitment to work with First Nations to develop the Highway 686 corridor. This funding announcement is an important step forward. We expect to see tremendous benefits – not just in improved access but in long-term economic development opportunities for our Nations.”
“Investing in Highway 686 is a game-changer for Fort McMurray and the entire northern region. This project will enhance safety for our residents by improving emergency access and unlocking new economic opportunities. I’m proud to see our government taking real action to strengthen our communities and build a more connected and resilient northern Alberta.”
Budget 2025 also proposes funding over three years for engineering work for grade, base and paving of about 61.7 kilometres of the north-south segment of Highway 686 near Red Earth Creek and Peerless Lake in Peerless Trout First Nation, with additional funding over three years to pave more than 27 kilometres between Peerless Lake and Trout Lake.
If passed, Budget 2025 will also invest in a number of other highway projects that are underway or in the planning phase, including $101 million for twinning Highway 63, north of Fort McMurray, between Mildred Lake and the Peter Lougheed Bridge. This will increase emergency route capacity and support economic growth throughout northern Alberta. Detailed design work on the new bridge continues, as well as consultations with local Indigenous communities.
Additionally, $141 million over three years would be invested in safety upgrades to Highway 881, from just south of Fort McMurray to Lac La Biche. The improvements include 14 new passing lanes, an oversize load staging area and several intersection upgrades. Construction is expected to take three to four years and be completed by fall 2028.
Finally, $7 million over three years would be provided to plan an extension to Highway 956 from La Loche in Saskatchewan to Fort McMurray, providing an additional route to and from the Wood Buffalo region. Planning will commence in 2025 and is anticipated to be complete in the 2026-2027 fiscal year. Design is expected to take about three years to complete.
Budget 2025 is meeting the challenge faced by Alberta with continued investments in education and health, lower taxes for families and a focus on the economy.
Quick Facts
Budget 2025 invests $8.5 billion over three years in Transportation and Economic Corridors’ Capital Plan, a $333.7 million increase compared with Budget 2024 that includes:
$2.6 billion in Capital Investment for planning, design and construction of roads and bridges.
$1.7 billion in Capital Maintenance and Renewal for highway and bridge rehabilitation projects.
$240.1 million for water management and flood.
$3.9 billion for Capital Grants to Municipalities.
Seattle – A 30-year-old citizen of Mexico was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to five years in prison for unlawfully possessing a firearm and possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, announced Acting United States Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Jose Gerardo Rodriguez-Montoya was encountered twice by law enforcement – the first time while they were investigating a drug distribution ring bringing narcotics to the area from Arizona. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead said, “These offenses are serious. You had large quantities of fentanyl and other drugs… Dealing in fentanyl is dealing in death.”
According to records in the case, in March and April 2023, Rodriguez-Montoya was identified as a drug supplier by someone working as a confidential informant. Law enforcement learned that the trafficking organization was expecting a new shipment of narcotics from Arizona, and they saw Rodriguez-Montoya unload a large duffel-bag from a car with Arizona plates and take it into his Federal Way apartment. When law enforcement moved in, they recovered three kilograms of fentanyl powder as well as three kilograms of heroin and various smaller amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl pills. They also found a .45 caliber pistol in the apartment.
Seven months later he was arrested coming out of Snoqualmie Casino after being linked to a burglary and car theft. At the arrest Rodriguez-Montoya was found to have a handgun in his right front pocket.
Rodriguez-Montoya pleaded guilty to the two federal felonies in November 2024.
In asking for the five-year sentence prosecutors noted for the court the latest statistics on fentanyl overdose deaths in our community. “In 2023, the King County Medical Examiner’s office reported 1,085 confirmed overdose deaths related to fentanyl, 778 deaths in 2024, and 99 fentanyl-related deaths in King County so far this year. Fentanyl is estimated to be fifty times stronger than heroin. Even a tiny amount of fentanyl can kill. And Rodriguez-Montoya knows personally the devastating impact of fentanyl. In 2021, his father passed away from an accidental fentanyl overdose while living here in Seattle.”
Rodriguez-Montoya has been in federal custody since his arrest in February 2024.
Judge Whitehead imposed 4 years of supervised release to follow prison should Rodriguez-Montoya return to the U.S.
The case was investigated by Seattle Police department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erika Evans.
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned indictments on March 4, 2025, charging 2 illegal aliens with federal criminal offenses.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations, Nashville, and Sam Olson, Field Office Director for Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Chicago, U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement made the announcement.
According to the indictments:
Vidal Ricardo Murillo-Zuniga, age 34, a citizen of Honduras, was charged with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about January 22, 2025, Murillo-Zuniga was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about May 29, 2013. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison. This case is being investigated by HSI and ICE/ERO.
Roberto Diaz-Jarquin, age 35, a citizen of Mexico, was charged with possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. On or about November 10, 2023, Diaz-Jarquin possessed 6 firearms in Jefferson County, Kentucky, with knowledge that he was an alien illegally and unlawfully in the United States. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. This case is being investigated by HSI and ICE/ERO.
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joe Ansari and Josh Porter are prosecuting the cases.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
ABERDEEN, MS – The final defendant was sentenced today in a case targeting the trafficking of firearms from Mississippi to Chicago, Illinois. Ronnell Pratt, 30, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced to 151 months in prison for firearms trafficking, conspiracy to traffic firearms, and retaliating against a witness.
The investigation began after agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives noticed a high volume of firearms recovered in crimes in the City of Chicago, Illinois had been purchased in the Northern District of Mississippi. Some of the firearms involved in new crimes had been purchased as recent as one day prior to use in a new offense.
Several of the firearms were recovered in violent crimes and had machinegun devices attached that converted the firearms to be able to fire automatically. In total, investigators identified over 60 firearms that were purchased illegally and transported to Chicago for resale by Pratt and others. While the case was pending, Pratt took harmful action against a witness for providing information to federal officers related to the offense.
On March 4, 2025, U.S. District Court Judge Sharion Aycock sentenced Pratt to 151 months in federal prison for the offenses to be followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Aycock imposed the 60-month sentence for the conspiracy violation to run consecutively to the 91-month sentence for firearms trafficking. Pratt was also sentenced to 120 months for retaliating against a witness to run concurrent to the 151-month sentence. There is no parole in the federal system.
Ultimately, six defendants were prosecuted for their roles in the trafficking conspiracy, with a federal jury convicting one defendant last fall. The other members of the enterprise received the following sentences for their roles:
Derrick Stewart, Jr., of Chicago, Illinois, 120 months imprisonment for firearms trafficking and conspiracy;
Jarvis Hood, of Belzoni, Mississippi, statutory maximum of 60 months imprisonment for the offense of conspiracy;
Jalene Young, of Inverness, Mississippi, 31 months imprisonment for making false statements during firearms purchases;
Herbert Scott, Jr., of Belzoni, Mississippi, 14 months imprisonment for making false statements to federal agents; and
Markeveon Brown, of Isola, Mississippi, 36 months of supervision for making false statements during firearms purchases.
“The straw purchasing and trafficking of firearms in this case contributed directly to the gun violence that plagues Chicago, and I hope that the message is clear that people who illegally purchase firearms for felons become convicted felons themselves when they face the inevitable consequences for their actions,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “I am extremely proud of AUSA Julie Howell Addison for leading this effort with our partners at ATF in Mississippi and Chicago to shut down this ring of people who were more than willing to take money to provide the means for violent criminals to terrorize a community.”
“The severity of this sentence holds this defendant accountable for the illegal trafficking of firearms between Mississippi and Chicago,” remarked ATF Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon of the Chicago Field Division. “I commend the ATF Oxford Field Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi for their diligence in investigating and prosecuting this important case in cooperation with our ATF Chicago Field Division.”
The case was investigated by the Chicago Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with assistance from the ATF Oxford, Mississippi Field Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie Howell Addison and Samuel Stringfellow prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Highly Rural Transportation Grant (HRTG) Program provides free transportation services to VA-authorized healthcare appointments for veterans living in highly rural areas. Roughly 2.7 million veterans reside in highly rural areas across the country.
U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Angus King (I-ME), and Dan Sullivan (R-AK), members of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs and Armed Services Committees, introduced the bipartisan Supporting Rural Veterans Access to Healthcare Services Act. The legislation would reauthorize the VA HRTG Program for five years and add Tribal Organizations as entities eligible to apply directly for the program.
According to Lonnie Wangen, Commissioner of the North Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs, “The number one reason our veterans have for missing a medical appointment is their lack of transportation. The Highly Rural Transportation Grant has provided hundreds of North Dakota’s highly rural veterans transportation to their VA medical appointments. This program has greatly improved the health and wellbeing of our most vulnerable veterans.”
The bill ensures transportation assistance for veterans living in rural areas with less than seven people per square mile. Eligible counties in North Dakota include Adams, Benson, Billings, Bottineau, Bowman, Burke, Cavalier, Dickey, Divide, Dunn, Eddy, Emmons, Foster, Golden Valley, Grant, Griggs, Hettinger, Kidder, Lamoure, Logan, McHenry, Mcintosh, McKenzie, McLean, Nelson, Oliver, Pierce, Renville, Sargent, Sheridan, Sioux, Slope, Steele, Towner, and Wells Counties.
“North Dakota is home to many veterans who rely on transportation assistance to access their healthcare services,” said Senator Cramer. “Reauthorizing the Highly Rural Transportation Grant Program will ensure veterans can travel to their medical appointments, whether in the community or at a VA facility directly facilitating access to the care they’ve earned.”
“Veterans in rural Maine communities already face challenges when it comes to accessing quality, affordable care because of distance to VA medical facilities and availability of health care workers,” said Senator King. “The bipartisan Supporting Rural Veterans Access to Healthcare Services Act would provide rural veterans with travel assistance to appointments, ensuring they can more easily and efficiently access providers and treatments. Where veterans choose to live should not impede their ability to get the care they earned and deserve. I want to thank my Veterans Affairs Committee colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their work to make sure our rural veterans get the support they need — from Maine all the way to Alaska.”
“Living in a small, highly-rural community far from a major metropolitan center does not justify a veteran losing or receiving limited access to the health care they have sacrificed for and earned,” said Senator Sullivan. “Transportation assistance is life-saving for Alaska’s veterans. I am glad to introduce legislation to reauthorize the Highly Rural Transportation Grant Program with Alaska-specific provisions to ensure our veterans are able to reach their VA appointments without lengthy delays or debilitating costs.”
Several organizations support this legislation, including the North Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs, the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), and the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP).
“Transportation to VA medical facilities remains a major challenge for the 2.7 million veterans who live in rural areas and are enrolled in VA care,” said Daniel Contreras, DAV National Commander. “DAV is proud to support the Supporting Veterans Access to Healthcare Services Act as it would improve rural veterans’ access to VA medical treatment. We applaud Sens. Cramer and King for their leadership in re-introducing this vital bipartisan legislation that will help ensure our nation keeps its promises to America’s veterans.”
“Among the post-9/11 wounded, ill, and injured veterans we serve, just over half report that they have experienced some degree of difficulty accessing health care through VA,” said Jose Ramos, WWP’s Vice President for Government and Community Relations. “The Supporting Rural Veterans Access to Healthcare Services Act would help ensure that transportation to appointments is one less barrier for veterans in rural areas to be concerned about. Wounded Warrior Project is pleased to support this legislation, and we thank Senators Cramer, King, and Sullivan for their leadership in supporting better pathways to health for our nation’s veterans.”
Click here for bill text.
Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator Jim Justice (R-WV) and six other Republican colleagues in sending a letter to the National Collegiate Athlete Association (NCAA) President Charlie Baker, urging the organization to clarify its stance on the participation of biological males in female sports. For the past four years, Democrats have waged a war against female athletes – allowing over 900 men to compete in women’s sports, share their locker rooms, and earn scholarships designed for women. In February, President Trump signed a historic Executive Order banning men from competing in women’s sports. Following the President’s Executive Order, the NCAA updated its policy to prevent men from competing in women’s sports. However, aside from competition, it is unclear what biological males have access to under the NCAA’s new policy.
“In response to President Trump’s order, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) updated its student-athlete participation policy to bar biological male students from participating in women’s sports. We commend the NCAA’s quick action to comply with President Trump’s order and write to encourage the NCAA to take additional steps to protect the safety and privacy of female athletes nationwide.
There is an opportunity to clarify that these guarantees do not include access to facilities that would undermine the privacy and safety of female athletes–such as women’s locker rooms or other female-only spaces— which the President’s order made clear should be protected,” they added. “We ask that the NCAA consider adding language to its policy that explicitly bars biological male athletes from female-only spaces and to consider adopting additional privacy protections for women and girls in sports,” wrote the Senators.
Joining Senators Tuberville and Justice are U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), James Lankford (R-OK), Mike Lee (R-UT), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Jim Risch (R-ID, and Jim Banks (R-IN) in sending the letter.
Read full text of the letter below or here.
“Dear President Baker,
On February 5, 2025, President Donald J. Trump issued an executive order-Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports- to strengthen Title IX and protect opportunities for biological female athletes to compete in safe and fair sports. After the Biden-Harris administration’s assault on Title IX in its efforts to allow biologically male athletes who identify as female to compete in women’s sports, this order came as a sigh of relief to millions of female athletes across the country who desire equal opportunity to engage in competitive athletics.
In response to President Trump’s order, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) updated its student-athlete participation policy to bar biological male students from participating in women’s sports. We commend the NCAA’s quick action to comply with President Trump’s order and write to encourage the NCAA to take additional steps to protect the safety and privacy of female athletes nationwide.
The NCAA’s new policy makes clear that biological male student-athletes may not compete on a women’s team. We could not be more supportive of this essential policy change. The NCAA’s policy guarantees that biological male athletes who practice with female athletes will “receive all other benefits applicable to student-athletes who are otherwise eligible for practice.” There is an opportunity to clarify that these guarantees do not include access to facilities that would undermine the privacy and safety of female athletes–such as women’s locker rooms or other female-only spaces— which the President’s order made clear should be protected. We ask that the NCAA consider adding language to its policy that explicitly bars biological male athletes from female-only spaces and to consider adopting additional privacy protections for women and girls in sports.
We also applaud the NCAA’s policy defining “sex assigned at birth” as the male or female designation that doctors assign to infants at birth, which is marked on their birth records—e.g. birth certificate. Publicly, the NCAA has affirmed that biological male athletes may not compete on a women’s team with amended birth certificates or by other documentary means. The NCAA’s public stance on this issue is commendable, and its policy could go a step further and explicitly state that amended birth certificates are prohibited.
We stand in support of President Trump’s unparallel actions to protect the safety and privacy of female athletes across the country. The NCAA’s efforts are likewise respectable, and we look forward to working with you to ensure women and girls have equal opportunity in athletics.
Sincerely,”
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.
Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) in re-introducing the Prioritizing Offensive Agricultural Disputes and Enforcement Act, which will help eliminate trade barriers that harm American farmers, producers, and businesses, leading to higher prices for consumers. This legislation aims to protect U.S. agriculture while ensuring that the food which appears on U.S. store shelves meets U.S. health standards.
“America’s ag industry can out-compete anyone in the world—as long as the rules are fair,” said Senator Tuberville. “But right now, our farmers, producers, and fishermen are suffering because of foreign countries violating their trade obligations. We must level the playing field to bolster our domestic ag industry. We must eliminate barriers to our agriculture exports. I will continue to keep working to remove red tape for those in our ag industry.”
Joining Senators Tuberville and Cassidy in re-introducing this legislation are U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Joni Ernst (R-IA). Sen. Tuberville cosponsored this legislation in the 118th Congress as well.
BACKGROUND:
The Prioritizing Offensive Agricultural Disputes and Enforcement Act establishes a joint task force on agricultural trade enforcement led by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). The task force will more proactively monitor upcoming Indian and Chinese industrial subsidies, rather than waiting to react after subsidies are in place. The bill will also require the task force to report recommendations to Congress to deal with unfair subsidies they identify, like India dumping shrimp on the U.S. market, driving down income for American fisherman.
Establishing a USDA-USTR task force urges USTR to hold bad actors, like India, accountable for agricultural WTO violations and requires regular reporting to Congress and industry on those efforts.
Since 2005, the U.S. has imposed antidumping duties and conducted reviews of those duties on shrimp. These antidumping duties were placed on foreign shrimp suppliers as a result of unfair trade practices. These practices flooded the U.S. shrimp market with foreign frozen warmwater shrimp, deteriorating the per-pound price from $6.50 in 1980 to under $1.00 today. The decline in shrimp prices has driven domestic harvesters out of business and allowed foreign entities to control this U.S. market. India is the world’s top shrimp exporter, accounting for roughly 40 percent of U.S. shrimp imports, largely due to massive subsidies from the Indian government.
Alabama shrimp farmers produce approximately 200,000 to 300,000 pounds of farm-raised shrimp annually. In 2022, commercial wild-shrimp landings totaled approximately 24.3 million pounds, with over $52 million in value, in Alabama.
As Alabama’s voice on the Senate Ag Committee, Senator Tuberville has taken rigorous action to bolster and safeguard our own domestic agriculture industry, including recently reintroducing the Protecting America’s Agricultural Land from Foreign Harm Act and Foreign Adversary Risk Management (FARM) Act.
MORE:
Tuberville Honors National Agriculture Week, Continues to Stand Up for Farmers
Tuberville Continues Fighting Foreign Influence in American Agriculture
Tuberville Gets the Gavel for Key Agriculture Subcommittee
Tuberville Continues Push to Combat Chinese Influence in U.S. Agriculture
Tuberville, Colleagues Stand up for Agriculture Producers
Tuberville Introduces Bill to Combat Foreign Influence in U.S. Agriculture Industry
Tuberville Announces Agriculture Subcommittee Assignments
Tuberville Statement on Tom Vilsack Confirmation as Secretary of Agriculture
Tuberville Advocates for Farmers During Senate AG Hearing
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.
Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) in introducing the Supporting All Healthy Options When Purchasing Produce (SHOPP) Act, which would expand access to frozen fruits and vegetables through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
“SNAP participants deserve access to healthy alternatives,” said Sen. Tuberville.“RFK Jr. has exposed the scary truth behind much of America’s processed food. Expanding access to frozen fruits and vegetables is a step in the right direction of Making America Healthy Again. It is important we continue to increase options and encourage Americans to make healthy choices.”
“Access to whole, nutrient dense foods are essential to making America healthy again,” said Sen. Cornyn. “The SHOPP Act will help meet this need for Texas families and communities across the country by ensuring SNAP participants are able to put well-balanced meals full of fruits and vegetables on their dinner tables.”
“I am proud to reintroduce the bipartisan SHOPP Act to expand access to fruits and vegetables for families across the country,” said Sen. Luján. “This legislation helps strengthen food security and supports healthier communities in New Mexico and nationwide, especially in rural and Tribal communities where access to fresh produce can be limited. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House and Senate to move it forward.”
U.S. Congressmen Mark Alford (R-MO-04) and Jasmine Crockett (D-TX-30) led the effort in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Full text of the bill can be found here.
BACKGROUND:
The Supplemental Assistance Nutrition Program (SNAP) and the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) are designed to help low-income families and individuals access the healthy food options they need. However, the GusNIP program currently only include funding for fresh produce, not frozen. The SHOPP Act would give local GusNIP providers the ability to provide frozen fruits and vegetables, which work better for SNAP participants who may live in rural or urban food deserts. Increased access to frozen produce makes eating a variety of fruits and vegetables possible for these families and individuals, and it is also easier to transport to areas that are on the last mile of a delivery route. This comes as March is National Nutrition Month and National Frozen Food Month, which raise awareness of the importance of developing healthy eating habits.
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.
Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
“At least 900 medals that belonged to women went to men instead over the past few years.”
WASHINGTON – Yesterday, the U.S. Senate took a procedural vote on U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville’s (R-AL) Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, his legislation to require federally-funded institutions to keep men out of women’s sports, locker rooms, and other spaces designated only for females. The bill did not receive the 60 votes needed to proceed. All 45 Democrats refused to stand up for female athletes and voted to block the bill.
Prior to the vote, Senator Tuberville called on his colleagues to pass this commonsense piece of legislation and preserve Title IX to keep a level playing field for current and future female athletes.
Excerpts from Senator Tuberville’s remarks can be found below, or on YouTube or Rumble.
“Over the past four years, women’s sports and women’s protections, at all levels, have been under attack. Since the beginning of time, people have agreed that sex is assigned at birth and determined by God. But under [the] Biden administration, you had people claiming that men can get pregnant. Pure, absolute insanity. But it didn’t stop there. They weren’t content just to erase gender norms that have been accepted for thousands of years. No, they wanted to allow transgender men to participate in women’s and girls’ sports. This has been happening at schools all across our country. […] Young women have been forced to compete against men and even to share locker rooms and shower time. And on top of that, your taxpayer dollars are paying for it. Thankfully, President Trump signed an Executive Order—he said, ‘no more, no more federal money to any state that allows this to happen.’ But you have to understand, this only lasts as long as President Trump is in office. We need this vote, which is going to happen in around an hour, to pass so we can make this into law. This Executive Order that he signed can be reversed.
[…]
Congress needs to act on this to protect women’s sports to ensure Title IX protections are preserved. My bill that we are voting on today in about an hour, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, would make sure women’s rights to equal competition, equal scholarships, safe locker rooms, and that they all are protected. This legislation has already passed the House just about a month ago – with two Democrats actually supporting it. I appreciate the support of all my Republican colleagues on this. You all have joined me in championing this important cause for the past three years. I especially want to thank Leader Thune for […] bringing my bill to the floor here in the United States Senate. This will be the third time. It is hard to get a bill on this floor, but it is important to understand that. I also want to thank my friend and former Democrat colleague Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia who was the only Democrat in the last few years to support this when he was in the Senate. But unfortunately, my Democratic colleagues have been radio silent on this very issue despite the fact that a recent poll shows 67% [of] Democrats do not want men in women’s sports. 67%.
[…]
One of the most frequent talking points I’ve heard from the other side on this is that it isn’t a big deal and isn’t impacting that many women. That’s not true. At least 900 medals that belonged to women have gone to men just over the past few years of men competing against women. In Pennsylvania alone, 66 female athletes have lost placements to male competitors since 2020. How sad is that. For each woman, the medals that went to men, there are potentially hundreds of women who lost out on that opportunity. Not to mention the hundreds of girls who perhaps did not make a team at all because they didn’t have a spot [on the roster]—you can only have so many on a team. Or the many young women who missed out on a scholarship because a man, or biological boy, took that scholarship. It’s not fair. [So] no, this is [not] a minor issue impacting a few Americans. […] I took the liberty of looking up how many women and girls participate in women’s sports in some of my Democrat colleagues’ home states. More than 77,000 girls participate in high school [athletics] in the state of Georgia. In Michigan, 114,000. In Virginia, 164,000. In New Hampshire, 17,000. Pennsylvania [has] almost 150,000. New Mexico [has] almost 20,000. Minnesota [has] 98,000. Arizona [has] 120,633. And don’t tell me it’s not going to affect these states when, today, my Democrat colleagues come on this floor that represent these states and vote against this bill. It will affect [women], and it will affect them for years. So, as you can see, men competing in women’s sports has a negative impact on a lot of different girls across this country. But you know, it’s not just trophies. It’s about playing time, it’s about learning and being on a team, learning how to win and learning how to lose.
[…]
Last week, my wife Suzanne and I were proud to welcome our first granddaughter, Rosie Grace. She’s about five or six days old. We want her to have the same opportunities that all the other girls have had over the years. She deserves [the same rights] to fair competition, scholarships, trophies. I already bought her first pair of golf clubs—at age five days old. But if Democrats have their way today, she may one day be forced to compete against a man. Let me tell you something, if she has to share a locker room with a boy, you’re looking at a grandfather that will raise hell. If they shower in the same showers, we’re going to have problems. So, what we’re creating here is more and more problems that our country doesn’t need. I heard a story the other day about a 6th grade girl in Minnesota who was changing in a college locker room after swim practice when a biological man who identified as a female walked in and came within 5-6 feet of her to grab something. Let me tell you something, her dad became unglued. You would have too. Anybody would. This isn’t even about politics. This is about right and wrong. 79% of Americans agree on this: allowing men to compete against women is just plain wrong. 79% of the entire country. And like I said earlier, 67% of my Democratic colleagues and their constituents say, ‘no way, Jose.’ It’s not going to happen. So, to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, you may want to check with your constituents before you make this vote today in about an hour.
[…]
Because if polling is even close to correct, 8 out of 10 of your constituents do not want men competing against women. And if that doesn’t strike a chord with you, let me ask you this: Do you have daughters? Do you have granddaughters? Do you have nieces? How would you feel if they trained for years – waking up early every morning, staying after school late practicing. Putting in those long hours when nobody else is watching. Missing spring breaks, family vacations, birthday parties, and holidays, making tremendous physical and financial sacrifices. All so they could one day have the opportunity either to win a trophy or win a scholarship. But then only to have that opportunity ripped away by a bigger, better, stronger, faster male athlete because they want to participate against women.
[…]
Thanks to President Trump’s Executive Order, the NCAA recently announced men will no longer be allowed to compete against women on the college level. While this is a step in the right direction, the NCAA’s rules still allow, to this day, the NCAA to change the rules but they still allow men—biological boys or men—to enjoy in all the other benefits of being on a women’s team—practicing, dressing in the locker room, showering. But they just can’t compete in a game. That makes no sense. The NCAA needs to stand up for young women across this country and say, ‘no way.’ It just makes no sense, when [President Trump] made that [Executive Order]. To fully protect women, Congress needs to pass legislation on this, as I said earlier. We have got to pass it. It’s the only way it’s going to stop. Because the people out there that have lost their minds are going to continue to force this to happen. The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act would prevent a school from receiving federal funding if it lets boys compete in women. It’s the only way we can stop it. It also defines gender as male and female. What an idea, right?
[…]
I hope we can put politics aside and in about, and hour [or] 45 minutes, do the right thing and protect women and girls in sports.”
BACKGROUND:
The issue of biological males in girls’ and women’s sports proved to be a winning message during the 2024 Presidential Election. Support continues to grow for keeping biological males out of women’s sports—a recent NYT poll found 79% of respondents said biological males who identify as women should not be allowed to participate in women’s sports. This number is a 10% increase from a 2023 survey where 69% of respondents agreed that biological males do not belong in women’s sports.
This growing increase in support for keeping biological males out of girls and women’s sports isn’t a partisan issue. In the NYT poll, of the 1,025 people who identified as Democrats or leaning Democrat, 67% agreed that biological male athletes shouldn’t be allowed in women’s sports.
The Trump administration has taken historic action to establish where it stands on the issue, including an Executive Order from President Trump himself recognizing two genders and the Department of Education’s announcement that it will revoke the disastrous Biden-era Title IX policies. President Trump has spoken about the need to keep biological males out of women’s sports on multiple occasions.
However, there is still a need to make the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act permanent law. Now, Senator Tuberville faces another different challenge—getting Republican leadership to bring the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act (or S.9 for Title IX) before the Senate for a vote after leadership previously signaled support. The legislation is simple: 1) it bans federal funds from going to ANY institution that allows biological males in spaces designated for girls and women, and 2) ensures that Title IX provisions only recognize a person’s biological gender—or gender at birth.
The U.S. House of Representatives quickly moved to pass the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act on January 14, 2025, a week after the bill’s reintroduction. Two Democrats—Reps. Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzales—joined Republicans in voting for its passage, bringing the vote to 218-206. Another Democrat congressman—Rep. Ron. Davis—voted “present.” The bill had no Democrat support when it passed the House in 2023, signaling that some Democrats are beginning to wake up to the fact that Americans do not want biological males competing against female athletes.
One of Tuberville’s first acts after taking office in 2021 was offering an amendment to protect female athletes. Though the amendment had broad support, Senate Democrats blocked it from even being considered by a vote of 49-50.
Senator Tuberville has continued to be the leader on preserving Title IX, introducing legislation such as the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act and the Protection of Women in Olympic and Amateur Sports Act, and forcing Democrats to show the American people exactly where they stand on the issue of protecting female athletes.
On June 23, 2022—the 50th anniversary of Title IX becoming law—the Biden Department of Education announced its proposed changes to Title IX that would allow biological males to compete in girls’ and women’s sports. Senator Tuberville led 21 of his Republican colleagues in submitting a “public comment” to then-ED Secretary Miguel Cardona that warned of the dangers of his proposal, should it be carried out.
In April 2023, Senator Tuberville reintroduced the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act to strip away funding from schools that allow biological males to participate in female sporting events. The U.S. House of Representatives passed this legislation, but Senate Democrats blocked it when Senator Tuberville brought it up for a vote on the Senate floor.
In March 2024, Senator Tuberville once again forced the Democrats’ hand during a critical election year, when offering the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act as an amendment. ALL 51 Democrats at the time voted against allowing the bill to proceed.
In March 2024, Senator Tuberville ALSO introduced a bill to ban men from competing in women’s U.S. Olympic sports, following USA Boxing’s announcement that it would allow men to box against women.
IN THE NEWS:
Not One Democrat Senator Voted to Protect Women’s Sports From Males
White House Backs Tuberville’s Women’s Sports Legislation Ahead Of Senate Vote
After This Vote, the Dems Show They Really Haven’t Learned Anything From Their 2024 Loss
Democrats Stall Senate Bill To Protect Women’s Sports
Bill to Ban Biological Males From Women’s Sports Blocked by Democrats
Senate Dems face backlash after bill to prevent boys from playing girls’ sports fails to break filibuster
Senate Dems Kill Legislative Effort to Protect Women’s Sports
Senate Democrats block GOP bill to keep male-born athletes out of female sports
Senate bid to prevent boys from playing girls’ sports get stuck on filibuster
Fight To Protect Women’s Sports Could Stall In Senate
Will Democrats stand up for women or let men destroy girls’ sports?
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.
Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy
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WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on Tuesday questioned Christopher Landau, nominee to be U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, and Michael Rigas, nominee to be U.S. Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources. Murphy pressed Landau on the administration’s hollowing out of USAID and how he can claim there was a good faith review if he also purports to not know the extent of furloughs and terminations. Murphy pushed Rigas on the executive branch’s legal obligation to spend money appropriated by Congress.
A full transcript of Murphy’s exchange with the nominees can be found below:
MURPHY: “Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Landau, I deeply appreciate your service to this country and your willingness to come before this committee. But I’ll be honest with you, I find it pretty offensive that you are trying to maintain that there is some good faith review happening at USAID, when the representatives of the administration in charge of cost-cutting have made it clear that the goal is to destroy USAID. Do you know what percentage of USAID employees have been fired or furloughed?”
LANDAU: “Senator, I do not. I’m here as a private citizen. I’m a nominee, so I am not part of the administration at this point.”
MURPHY: “Do you have a ballpark guess? You’re about to help lead America’s diplomatic efforts–a ballpark guess as to how many USAID employees have been fired or furloughed?”
LANDAU: “Again, Senator, I’ve just looked at the way the president has set this forth–that he has instituted a 90-day review period–”
MURPHY: “You haven’t read reports that you might be able to cite today?”
LANDAU: “Well, I’ve seen some reports, again, in the press, but I want to be very careful before I start acting as if I know what is going on behind the scenes. I’m not part of the administration yet. Obviously, if I am confirmed, you can call me before you for oversight.”
MURPHY: “Here’s the problem: so the number is 94%. 94% of USAID staff have been fired or essentially permanently furloughed. And you stated to us that you believe this is a good faith 90-day review. And yet, you actually don’t know how many people have been fired or furloughed. How can you come to the conclusion that this is a good faith review when you actually don’t know the extent of the terminations? Wouldn’t it be relevant as to the question of whether it was a good faith review if 94% of the agency had already been terminated?”
LANDAU: “Well, Senator, again, I think it’s important to recognize: what are the programs and how are these people that are being fired or furloughed–”
MURPHY: “But how did you come to the conclusion that this is a good faith review if you don’t even know what’s happening? You can’t have it both ways. You can’t come to the committee and say, ‘I know this is a good faith review, but I don’t know anything that’s happening because I’m not in the administration.’”
LANDAU: “Well, Senator, again, I assume– there’s a presumption of government regularity that exists generally in the law. I believe strongly that the president wants to comply with the law, wants to make sure that we are doing the American taxpayers’ bidding by looking carefully at these programs and making sure that we separate the baby from the bathwater.”
MURPHY: “I just don’t think you can have it both ways. I don’t think you can come here and tell us that you know that this is a good faith review but assert that you don’t have any basic information about what’s happening. Mr. Rigas, which branch of government has the power to decide how taxpayer money is spent? Is it the legislative branch, the executive branch, or the judicial branch?”
RIGAS: “Thank you for the question, Senator. Congress has the power of the purse. The executive has the power to make sure the laws are faithfully implemented, and the courts arbitrate disputes between those two branches.”
MURPHY: “So, if Congress has authorized an agency or a department, and has appropriated money with the caveat that the money shall be spent, does the administration have the obligation to spend that money in accordance with how Congress has appropriated the dollars?”
RIGAS: “Senator, I’m not a lawyer but my understanding is the executive has a role in how those moneys are spent. So to the extent that the–”
MURPHY: “I think Republicans and Democrats on this committee should care about the answer to this question. That’s a pretty easy one. If Congress has authorized a function, an agency or department, and has appropriated dollars with the word ‘shall,’ do you believe the executive branch can decide not to spend those dollars?”
RIGAS: “Well I’m familiar with mandatory entitlement programs which have that language, and those are on autopilot, so–”
MURPHY: “This is not an entitlement program. Let me give you an example. The National Endowment for Democracy is established by law. We appropriate every year, and we say that the dollars appropriated–in this case, $315 million–shall be spent. You are going to oversee spending at the Department of State. Do you believe that the executive branch could choose not to spend dollars that are appropriated by Congress with a ‘shall’ rather than a ‘may?’”
RIGAS: “I don’t think so but I’m not the ultimate arbiter of that question. And how the money is spent–”
MURPHY: “You are the arbiter of that question. You are actually being nominated for the job that would decide how those dollars are spent.”
RIGAS: “I think the question at hand here is on what things is the money being spent, not whether it should be spent or not.”
MURPHY: “No, we decide how the money is spent, and you’re supposed to execute it. If we say $315 million is to be spent at the National Endowment for Democracy, do you believe that you have the ability to deny that money to be spent on the functions that Congress appropriates? This is a really important question.”
RIGAS: “I don’t think so, but I also think what’s at–”
MURPHY: “So you don’t think so. So yes or no?”
RIGAS: “I think that if that’s what the law says, then that is what needs to happen.”
MURPHY: “Okay, thank you.”
Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins
Click here to watch and here to download video of Senator Collins’ remarks on the Senate floor introducing the bill. Her remarks can be read in full here.
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) introduced bipartisan legislation to support the health and wellbeing of family caregivers. The Lifespan Respite Care Reauthorization Act of 2025 would reauthorize the Lifespan Respite Care Program through fiscal year 2030.
One in five adults – 53 million people –in the United States provide long term care to persons who are aging, disabled, or chronically ill. In Maine, there are 166,000 family caregivers who provide 155 million hours of care to loved ones each year. Additionally, there are more than 5 million children in the U.S. who provide care for aging grandparents, parents, or siblings with disabilities.
“Caregivers provide an estimated $600 billion in uncompensated care each year. Yet, an astounding 85 percent of caregivers have not received any respite services at all. I saw this in my own family, where my mother took care of my father who was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease for eight years. Respite care was almost nonexistent for her, other than that provided by family members,” said Senator Collins. “Respite care helps to reduce mental stress and physical health issues that caregivers may experience, keeping them healthy and families intact. This bill would help give family caregivers and their loved ones the support they need by ensuring that quality respite is available and accessible.”
“I was proud to serve as the primary caregiver for my grandmother as she got older, which is why I understand firsthand the financial and emotional strain of taking care of a loved one,” said Senator Baldwin. “I’m proud to work with Republicans and Democrats to deliver some much-needed relief and support for family caregivers so that when Americans step up to keep their loved ones safe and well at home, they can be confident we have their backs.”
“While the benefits of family caregiving are plentiful, caregiving can take its toll. Respite—short-term care that offers individuals or family members temporary relief from the daily routine and stress of providing care—is a critical component to bolstering family stability and maintaining family caregiver health and well-being,” said Jill Kagan, MPH, Program Director of the ARCH National Respite Coalition. “We thank Senators Collins and Baldwin for their commitment to children and adults living with disabilities and chronic conditions, older adults in need of assistance and support, and the loved ones who care for them.”
Specifically, the Lifespan Respite Care Reauthorization Act of 2025 would:
Reauthorize the Lifespan Respite Care Program at current appropriations levels for five years (FY25-30); and
Clarify that youth caregivers (those under 18 who are providing care or helping to provide care to family members) are eligible for the program.
According to AARP, more than a third of family caregivers report wanting support like respite services, yet only 14 percent receive them, even as research indicates that caregivers who use respite have lower caregiver distress and better health and sense of well-being.
Respite care provides temporary relief to caregivers from their ongoing responsibilities. By protecting the health of caregivers, respite care decreases the need for professional long-term care and allows individuals who require care to remain at home. To date, 38 states have received funding through the Lifespan Respite Care Program, which provides competitive grants to states to establish or enhance statewide respite resources and help ensure that quality respite is available and accessible to all family caregivers.
Senators Collins and Baldwin championed legislation in 2020 to authorize the Lifespan Respite Care Program through fiscal year 2024. The Lifespan Respite Care Reauthorization Act of 2025 would reauthorize this programming through fiscal year 2030.
In addition to the ARCH National Respite Coalition, this bill is endorsed by the Autism Society of America and the Alzheimer’s Association.
The complete text of the bill can be read here.
(COLUMBIA, S.C.) – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced that on March 3, 2025, Rebecca Jean Workman, 48 years old, of Hickory Grove, S.C. pleaded guilty in Lancaster County on Chester County indictments to one count of Exploitation of a Vulnerable Adult {43-35-85(D)}, one count of Breach of Trust with Fraudulent Intent Value more than $2,000 but less than $5,000 {16-13-0230(A)}, and one count of Financial Transaction Card Fraud value more than $500 in six months. The Honorable Grace G. Knie presided over the hearing. Workman was sentenced to five years in prison, suspended to the service of three years active time in the South Carolina Department of Corrections, followed by five years of probation. Workman is also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $4,418.97, and she is to have no contact with the victims. The sentences are to run concurrently.
A Vulnerable Adult and Medicaid Provider Fraud (VAMPF) investigation revealed that on or about October 3, 2023, Workman, while employed at Palmetto Village, was entrusted with the victim’s funds and fraudulently converted those funds through multiple ATM withdrawals and debit card transactions for her own use. During the time of the alleged misconduct, the victim, a vulnerable adult under South Carolina law, resided at Palmetto Village in Chester County. The facility reported the activity to VAMPF.
Pursuant to federal regulations, the VAMPF has authority over Medicaid provider fraud and the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of individuals residing in assisted living facilities or nursing homes.
The South Carolina Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, dba VAMPF, receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $2,889,252 for federal fiscal year 2025. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $963,084 for FFY 2025, is funded by South Carolina.
(COLUMBIA, S.C.) – Attorney General Alan Wilson announces that, on March 3, Kevin Kenyatta Johnson pleaded guilty to two counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Third Degree, in Aiken County before the Honorable Martha Rivers.
In May 2024, a member of the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding possible child sexual abuse material being sent. After obtaining subscriber information, Johnson was shown as the assigned subscriber at an address in Aiken County. A search warrant was conducted on the address on July 10, 2024. Johnson lived alone in the home. During the search, investigators informed Johnson of his Miranda rights, and they seized his devices. A search of those devices determined that Johnson was in possession of child sexual abuse material. Johnson was already on probation for a conviction for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Third Degree, in Aiken County, from January 2024.
Judge Rivers sentenced Johnson to eight years in prison for each charge, which are to run concurrently. He will be a Tier III sex offender upon his release, and he consented to the forfeiture of his devices.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Johnson prosecuted the case for the state.
HAMILTON, Bermuda, March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Enstar Group Limited (“Enstar”) (Nasdaq: ESGR) announced today its Lloyd’s syndicate (“Syndicate 2008”), managed by Enstar Managing Agency Limited, has completed the previously announced transaction with Atrium Syndicate 609, managed by Atrium Underwriters Limited.
Under the terms of the loss portfolio transfer agreement, Atrium Syndicate 609 ceded net loss reserves of approximately $196 million, based on Atrium’s carried reserves as at Q3 2024, to Enstar’s Syndicate 2008. The reinsurance relates to business underwritten in the 2023 and prior years of account, with all claims handling transferring to Syndicate 2008.
Completion of the transaction followed receipt of regulatory approvals and satisfaction of various other closing conditions.
About Enstar
Enstar is a NASDAQ-listed leading global insurance group that offers innovative capital release solutions through its network of group companies in Bermuda, the United States, the United Kingdom, Continental Europe, Australia, and other international locations. A market leader in completing legacy acquisitions, Enstar has acquired more than 120 companies and portfolios since its formation in 2001. For further information about Enstar, see www.enstargroup.com.
axpayers filing their own 2024 income tax returns can get free assistance using the new combination of IRS Direct File and Direct File Oregon when Oregon Department of Revenue volunteers visit the Cornelius Public Library March 13.
Help will be available at the library, located at 1355 N Barlow Street in Cornelius, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The IRS estimates that 3,300 people in Cornelius are eligible to use IRS Direct File and Direct File Oregon.
Before arriving at the library, taxpayers should:
Videos are also available to show how to use IRS Direct File and Direct File Oregon and taxpayers can find more information on the department’s Free Direct File assistance at local libraries webpage.
Taxpayers should bring the following information with them to the library.
Identification documents
Social security card or ITIN for everyone on your tax return
Government picture ID for taxpayer and spouse if filing jointly (such as driver’s license or passport)
Common income and tax documents
Forms W2 (wages from a job)
Forms 1099 (other kinds of income)
Form SSA-1099 (Social Security Benefits)
Optional documents
Canceled check or bank routing and account numbers for direct deposit
Last year’s tax return
IRS Direct File does not support all return types. Specifically, taxpayers with dividends reported on Form 1099-DIV and capital gains or losses are not eligible to use IRS Direct File.
Taxpayers who aren’t eligible to use IRS Direct File can find other free options and free assistances sites on the agency’s website. Those who can’t use IRS Direct File to file their federal return can still use Direct File Oregon to file their state return.
The department believes that helping taxpayers file their own returns using direct file will help maximize the number of Oregonians who choose to use the new free option and make it possible for many who don’t have a filing requirement to file and claim significant federal and state tax credits for low-income families, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, or EITC. The IRS estimates that nearly 25 percent of eligible Oregon taxpayers are not claiming the EITC. One Oregon organization says that added up to almost $100 million in unclaimed credits in 2020.
Taxpayers can sign up for the new “Oregon Tax Tips” direct email newsletter to keep up with information about tax return filing and how to claim helpful tax credits.
The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Tezanos repatriated two aliens to the Dominican Republic, Saturday, following a Puerto Rico police interdiction of a suspect vessel with five people on board just off Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. One of the interdicted aliens, with a prior criminal history in the United States, is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico on charges of attempted illegally re-entry into the United States in violation of Title 8, U.S.C., Section 1326 b(2).
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LONDON, March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Diginex Limited (“Diginex Limited” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: DGNX), an impact technology company specializing in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues, announced today that it will ring the Nasdaq Closing Bell on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, marking a key milestone following its successful listing in January 2025.
Diginex Limited’s Chairman and Founder, Miles Pelham, will lead the ceremony, joined by members of the board of directors, executive leadership, business partners, key advisors, and other stakeholders who have been instrumental in the Company’s success.
“Ringing the Nasdaq Closing Bell is a momentous occasion for Diginex Limited as we continue expanding our presence in the sustainability focused RegTech space,” said Miles Pelham, Chairman and Founder of Diginex Limited. “This milestone reflects the dedication of our team, the support of our stakeholders, and our unwavering commitment to driving long-term value. We look forward to accelerating our mission of empowering businesses to operate more sustainably.”
The ceremony will be broadcast live on the Nasdaq website at https://www.nasdaq.com/marketsite/bell-ringing-ceremony, with live footage and event highlights starting at 3:45 p.m. Eastern Time. Event photos and videos will be available shortly after the ceremony on Diginex Limited’s corporate website and social media channels.
About Diginex Limited
Diginex Limited is a Cayman Islands exempted company, with subsidiaries located in Hong Kong, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. Diginex Limited conducts operations through its wholly owned subsidiary Diginex Solutions (HK) Limited, a Hong Kong corporation (“DSL”) and DSL is the sole owner of (i) Diginex Services Limited, a corporation formed in the United Kingdom and (ii) Diginex USA LLC, a limited liability company formed in the State of Delaware. DSL commenced operations in 2020, and is a software company that empowers businesses and governments to streamline ESG, climate, and supply chain data collection and reporting. DSL is an impact technology business that helps organizations address the some of the most pressing ESG, climate and sustainability issues, utilizing blockchain, machine learning and data analysis technology to lead change and increase transparency in corporate social responsibility and climate action.
Diginex’s products and services solutions enable companies to collect, evaluate and share sustainability data through easy-to-use software. For more information, please visit the Company’s website: https://www.diginex.com/.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on the Company’s current expectations and projections about future events that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “approximates,” “believes,” “hopes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,” “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “may” or other similar expressions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results disclosed in the Company’s filings with the SEC.
For investor and media inquiries, please contact:
Diginex Investor Relations Email:ir@diginex.com
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The garage is an important site in the founding myths of many entrepreneurial adventures. Before a company becomes successful, where it starts out is as important as the visionaries who invest in it. And in addition to the specific space of the garage, the surrounding urban environment is also important. What a city offers, and the way it is organized, both contribute to innovation.
This article is part of our series Our cities from yesterday to tomorrow. Urban life is going through many transformations, each with cultural, economic, social – and, in this election year, political – implications. To shed light on these diverse issues, The Conversation Canada is inviting researchers to discuss the current state of our cities.
Multiplicity of creative spaces
There are many spaces specifically designed to support entrepreneurship today, including incubators, accelerators and collaborative workspaces. In addition to providing a place to work, these spaces facilitate both networking with potential partners and access to business opportunities.
It is also interesting to note how these creative spaces have multiplied in most cities, sometimes with a specialization. They can be found in the fields of health, social innovation and digital technologies.
The Apple garage, located in Steve Jobs’s childhood home, was a meeting place for Apple’s founders. (Shutterstock)
Yet, as important as they may be for some players, these spaces are not the only factors that contribute to entrepreneurial success. Other places, sometimes unexpected, such as the fast food restaurant where Nvidia was born or the Californian saunas that have replaced luxury hotels for business meetings between investors and entrepreneurs, also contribute to the creation and development of new companies. Nor can the success of an entrepreneurial venture be explained by a single place.
That raises the question: what do we know about how cities, and the variety of places within them, affect the development of entrepreneurial capacity?
As a postdoctoral researcher at HEC Montréal (MOSAIC) and a professor of innovation management at the IAE Nantes University, respectively, we have explored this question as part of our research in innovation management, particularly in a recent piece of research.
The city, an ecosystem
Research has long focused on specific types of places. The aim is both to understand what happens there and to extract lessons that can be replicated elsewhere. Accessing a shared workspace offers entrepreneurs the opportunity to socialize. This was also the great promise of the American company WeWork: to be a member of a community.
Specific technologies or tools for prototyping can be found in a fab lab or a collaborative manufacturing workshop. Presenting your project to investors is easier from an incubator or accelerator. For example, by presenting a project at Y-Combinator in California, an accelerator renowned for supporting promising projects, entrepreneurs know they’ll get noticed by investors.
Similarly, it is easier to meet potential partners or pick up on the latest trends in a market or technologies by spending the evening in a trendy café or bar. Informal exchanges are easier there and these play a big role in the entrepreneurial dynamics of a territory.
WeWork shared office space in Two Summerlin, Nevada, USA. (Shutterstock)
And then, quite simply, where does the initial idea come from? As the American columnist and writer Steven Johnson shows through the examples of Gutenberg and Darwin, it is clear this often happens at odd times and in unusual places.
As a result, whether innovators are entrepreneurs, artists or scientists, it is unlikely that all the resources they require will be available to everyone, all the time, in one place.
As the American urban planner and sociologist Jane Jacobs so aptly put it, individuals experience the city. They do not got to a single place: they visit or pass by a variety of places, each of which, in its own way, can nurture the creativity and career of an entrepreneur. Our research reveals that it is above all the combination of a city’s places – their diversity of size, function, purpose and location – that produces entrepreneurial capacity.
Observing artists to better understand entrepreneurship
Let’s take the example of creators who produce projection mapping works in Montréal. Thanks to a six-month survey of 21 Montréal artists, we were able to show the heterogeneity of places they visited regularly throughout the process of creation and development.
Firstly, depending on the profile of individuals and their creative approach, the places they visit regularly are different, and sometimes distinctive. This is the case, for example, of an artist who benefits from a residency in a printing workshop to create a projection on fabrics. It is also the case of a designer who goes to a fab lab to experiment with sensors.
This suggests that there are specific trajectories for each individual, and therefore, no single path that leads to innovation.
The need for structuring places
Secondly, this observation suggests that the convergence around certain places does not owe to chance: multiple resources, sometimes crucial for recognition in a field, are mobilized there.
For example, many of the artists in our study regularly visited Montréal’s Society for Arts and Technology (SAT), a renowned meeting place that has helped the careers of many artists. The artists we met go there to take courses, attend shows, and meet musicians with whom they may eventually collaborate.
That’s how a venue’s reputation is built. As we have shown, this can become essential at a particular stage of the entrepreneur’s journey.
But before or after this stage, other places may be more beneficial.
In fact, depending on the phase of the innovation project, the types of places visited and their number vary greatly. So, since needs are different, the capacity to innovate depends on the places and possibilities that exist in a city. For example, Montréal’s diverse cultural offerings, with its artist-run centres and performance halls, strongly inspire projection mapping artists.
Workshops are obviously important places for experimentation and creation, but they are only used when a prototype or final work is being produced.
The territory of innovation
In a more global context, where there are many technological, societal and environmental challenges, innovations are necessary.
Ideas and entrepreneurs are essential to make innovation happen. Entrepreneurs need skills and financial resources. They need to be part of collectives and communities. But also, and perhaps even above all, they need to be in territories that offer a wide range of places where they can take advantage of complementary resources to carry out their projects.
The city as a whole, and on a smaller scale, its neighbourhoods, are the melting pot from which ideas circulate and mix, where projects mature and take shape. The urban morphology, which can be seen as a particular arrangement of places and transport or travel infrastructures, then becomes a new deciding factor in entrepreneurial capacity.
Les auteurs ne travaillent pas, ne conseillent pas, ne possèdent pas de parts, ne reçoivent pas de fonds d’une organisation qui pourrait tirer profit de cet article, et n’ont déclaré aucune autre affiliation que leur organisme de recherche.
Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons
WASHINGTON—Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Chris Coons (D-DE), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) issued the following statement condemning President Trump and Vice President Vance’s rhetoric during their meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy:
“Today’s behavior by President Trump and Vice President Vance would be more shocking if it wasn’t the new normal that this administration is forcing on our allies, partners and even our own citizens. Russia has not been able to break Ukraine’s spirit nor its will to fight. We are certain President Trump’s childish tantrum will not reach that objective either. Ukrainians have strong bipartisan support for their fight in Congress and Ukrainian flags continue to hang across our communities in the United States. We stand with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and will continue to condemn Putin’s aggression toward the brave and honorable citizenry of Ukraine.”
Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
RED OAK, Iowa – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee, today announced her Small Business of the Week: Plantpeddler of Howard County. Throughout the 119th Congress, Chair Ernst plans to recognize a small business in every one of Iowa’s 99 counties.
“Shipping over 15 million plants each year, Plantpeddler has rooted themselves as the go-to small business for all horticulture needs,” said Chair Ernst. “From garden mums to begonias, Plantpeddler serves 3,200 growers domestically and abroad, leafing an impact felt far beyond Iowa.”
After graduating from Iowa State University with a degree in horticulture, Mike and Rachel Gooder purchased Cresco Greenhouse in 1980 with plans to revitalize and rebrand it. The couple modernized the infrastructure, optimized production methods, and diversified the variety of plants grown, eventually renaming their business to Plantpeddler.
In 1984, Plantpeddler established a wholesale division, providing independent and middle-market retailers with a wide range of premium crops and plants. In 2001, they continued to expand and created a Young Plants division, positioning the business as a major propagator of vegetative genetics in the floriculture industry. In 2014, John Gooder, Mike and Rachel’s son, joined the company. John pushed for advancements in automation and genetic research, ultimately becoming part-owner in 2024. This June, Plantpeddler looks forward to celebrating its 45th anniversary.
Stay tuned as Chair Ernst recognizes more Iowa small businesses across the state with her Small Business of the Week award.
Question for written answer E-000789/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Kathleen Funchion (The Left), Lynn Boylan (The Left)
President Javier Milei of Argentina has in the past suggested that Argentina may exit the Paris Climate Agreement.
A fact sheet[1] on the EU-Mercosur partnership agreement published by the Commission states:
‘In the agreement, the EU and Mercosur commit to effectively implement the Paris Climate Agreement and to cooperate on the climate aspects of trade. Furthermore, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change becomes an “essential element” of the agreement, which means that a party can suspend the agreement if it considers that there is a serious breach of the Paris Agreement or if a party leaves the Paris Agreement.’
Can the Commission confirm that should Argentina exit the Paris Climate Agreement, this would result in the immediate suspension of the EU-Mercosur agreement, as stated in the Commission fact sheet?
Question for written answer E-000788/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Anna Bryłka (PfE)
Is the Commission carrying out legislative work in the following areas (please provide information on the ‘state of play’):
1.Eliminating anti-dumping duties on imports of urea, ammonium nitrate and UAN mixtures originating from the USA and Trinidad and Tobago?
2.Suspending conventional duties on imports of urea, UAN, DAP, MAP and NPK (codes 3102 10, 3102 80, 3105 30, 3105 40 and 3105 20 from the tariff nomenclature)?
3.Granting derogations under the Nitrates Directive to allow the use of processed livestock effluents (RENURE – Recovered Nitrogen from ManURE and certain digestates) beyond the current limit of 170 kg N/hectare?
The University of Valle (Spanish: Universidad del Valle), also called Univalle, is a public, departmental, coeducational, research university based primarily in the city of Cali, Valle del Cauca, Colombia. It is the largest higher education institution by student population in the southwest of the country, and the third in Colombia, with more than 30,000 students.
Premier David Eby has issued the following statement in response to tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump:
“We didn’t ask for this fight the president has brought to Canada and to British Columbia. I’ll tell you this — we’re not going to shrink from it.
“Effective immediately, BC Liquor Stores will be pulling all red-state liquor products off the shelf and will not order any more. Here at home, the government, including Crown corporations and health authorities, will be buying Canadian first, then non-U.S. products. This is something that we can’t do ordinarily because of trade agreements with the United States. Finally, we’re going to make sure support is in place so B.C. businesses can pivot to global and domestic markets.
“The federal government has committed that the revenues from counter tariffs announced this morning will be redistributed to businesses and individuals to provide support. We’ll make sure that that happens. As a province, we’ll fill in the blanks wherever there is an area that isn’t being addressed by Ottawa.
“We’re having conversations today that we never thought we would have. Today is our chance as Canadians, and as British Columbians, to send a message. At the grocery store, buy B.C., buy Canadian. If you have a choice about where to travel, avoid the United States. Visit somewhere in Canada or elsewhere in the world.
“This threat to our sovereignty has brought out a sense of pride, a sense of courage and a sense of solidarity among all Canadians.
“We’re big enough to stand on our own two feet. This is a moment for us to take an attack and turn it into a source of strength for ourselves as a province and as a country. We are tough. We are resilient. We are exceptional.
“Together, we’ll ensure that Canada remains the true north, strong and free. We will meet this moment with dignity and with courage. We are resolute in our willingness to stand up for what we believe, to partner with people who share our values around the world, and to lead the way in a moment of great uncertainty and, for some people, significant fear. People need Canada right now, they need British Columbia right now and we’ll be there to deliver for them. We’re going to fight and we’re going to win.”
Learn More:
For more information on B.C.’s tariff response, visit: https://gov.bc.ca/tariffs
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Florida woman has been sentenced March 3 to house arrest and ordered to pay more than $3 million in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service for wire fraud and tax fraud following a joint investigation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Feliciano Rodriguez, 47, of Orlando, was ordered to pay $3,338,558 in restitution, and ordered to serve a five-year term of supervised release. The court also entered a money judgment against Rodriguez in the amount of $347,760, representing the proceeds of the wire fraud.
“Fraudulent schemes that provide under-the-table cash payments ultimately exploit undocumented aliens for large profits and undermines the integrity of the industry, endangering both the workers and the system that’s meant to protect them,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge Tim Hemker. “ICE, alongside our law enforcement partners, will investigate those who engage in illegal practices and hold them accountable for their actions.”
According to court documents, Rodriguez established a shell company that purported to be involved in the construction industry. She obtained a workers’ compensation insurance policy in the name of the shell company to cover a minimal payroll for a few purported employees, then “rented” the workers’ compensation insurance to work crews who had obtained subcontracts with construction contractors on projects in various Florida counties as well as contractors in other states. Rodriguez sent the contractors a certificate as “proof” that the work crews had workers’ compensation insurance, as required by Florida law. By sending the certificate Rodriguez falsely represented that the work crews worked for the shell company. Over the course of the scheme, Rodriguez “rented” the certificates to dozens of work crews, defrauding the worker’s compensation carrier, typically allowing numerous undocumented illegal workers to be employed unlawfully.
As part of the scheme, the contractors issued payroll checks for the workers’ wages to the shell companies and Rodriguez cashed these checks, then distributed the cash to the work crews, after deducting their fee, which was typically about 6 percent of the payroll. During the scheme, Rodriguez cashed payroll checks totaling approximately $13 million. Neither the shell company nor the contractors reported to government authorities the wages that were paid to the workers, nor did they pay either the employees’ or the employer’s portion of payroll taxes – including Social Security, Medicare, and federal income tax. The amount of payroll taxes due on wages collected by Rodriguez totaled over $3 million.
The scheme also facilitated the avoidance of the higher cost of obtaining adequate workers’ compensation insurance for the numerous workers on the work crews to whom Rodriguez “rented” the workers’ compensation insurance. The policy that Rodriguez purchased and then “rented” out was for an estimated payroll of $121,800 and the insurance company issued a policy for a premium of approximately $8,006. Had a workers’ compensation insurance policy been purchased for the actual payroll totaling approximately $5 million dollars, the policy premium would have totaled about $461,679.
“Today’s sentence sends a clear message that off the books payroll schemes which enable illegal immigrants the ability to work without paying taxes will not be tolerated. These schemes are violations of a number of serious federal criminal statutes including wire fraud and tax evasion. The impact of this scheme, and others like it, harm law-abiding businesses and legal workers who are unable to compete against the tax-free labor of illegal immigrants,” said Special Agent in Charge Ron Loecker, of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Tampa Field Office. “We are proud to work alongside our partners at Homeland Security Investigations on this case, and we will continue this partnership to ensure all employers are on an even playing field.”
This case was investigated by ICE Jacksonville, IRS-CI, and the Florida Department of Financial Services. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Cannizzaro.
Carrying NASA technology demonstrations and science investigations, Intuitive Machines is targeting their Moon landing no earlier than 12:32 p.m. EST on Thursday, March 6. The company’s Nova-C lunar lander is slated to land in Mons Mouton, a lunar plateau near the Moon’s South Pole, as part of NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign to establish a long-term lunar presence. Watch live landing coverage of the Intuitive Machines 2 (IM-2) landing, hosted by NASA and Intuitive Machines, on NASA+ starting no earlier than 11:30 a.m., approximately 60 minutes before touchdown. Beginning at 11 a.m. the agency will share blog updates as landing milestones occur. Following the Moon landing, NASA and Intuitive Machines will host a news conference from NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to discuss the mission, technology demonstrations, and science opportunities that lie ahead as lunar surface operations. begin. U.S. media interested in participating in person must request accreditation by 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 5, by contacting the NASA Johnson newsroom at 281-483-5111 or jsccommu@mail.nasa.gov. A copy of NASA’s media accreditation policy is online. To ask questions via phone, all media must RSVP by 4 p.m. March 5 to the NASA Johnson Newsroom, and dial in at least 15 minutes before the briefing begins. Full coverage of the IM-2 mission includes (all times Eastern): Thursday, March 6
11:30 a.m. – Landing coverage begins on NASA+ 12:32 p.m. – Landing 4 p.m. – Post-landing news conference on NASA+
After landing, NASA and Intuitive Machines leaders will participate in the news conference:
Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters Clayton Turner, associate administrator, Space Technology Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for exploration, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters Steve Altemus, CEO, Intuitive Machines Tim Crain, chief growth officer, Intuitive Machines
The IM-2 mission launched at 7:16 p.m. Feb. 26 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The lander is carrying NASA technology that will measure the potential presence of resources from lunar soil that could be extracted and used by future explorers to produce fuel or breathable oxygen. In addition, a passive Laser Retroreflector Array on the top deck of the lander will bounce laser light back at any orbiting or incoming spacecraft to give future spacecraft a permanent reference point on the lunar surface. Other technologies on this delivery will demonstrate a robust cellular network to help future astronauts communicate and deploy a propulsive drone that can hop across the lunar surface to navigate its challenging terrain. NASA continues to work with multiple American companies to deliver technology and science to the lunar surface through the agency’s CLPS initiative. This pool of companies may bid on contracts for end-to-end lunar delivery services, including payload integration and operations, launching from Earth, and landing on the surface of the Moon. NASA’s CLPS contracts are indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts with a cumulative maximum value of $2.6 billion through 2028. The agency awarded Intuitive Machines the contract to send NASA science investigations and technology demonstrations to the Moon using its American-designed and -manufactured lunar lander for approximately $62.5 million. Through the Artemis campaign, commercial robotic deliveries will test technologies, perform science experiments, and demonstrate capabilities on and around the Moon to help NASA explore in advance of Artemis Generation astronaut missions to the lunar surface, and ultimately crewed missions to Mars. Learn how to watch NASA content on various platforms, including social media, and follow all events at: https://www.plus.nasa.gov Let people know you’re following the mission on X, Facebook, and Instagram by using the hashtag #Artemis. You can also stay connected by following and tagging these accounts: X: @NASA, @NASA_Johnson, @NASAArtemis, @NASAMoon, @NASA_Technology Facebook: NASA, NASAJohnsonSpaceCenter, NASAArtemis, NASATechnology Instagram: @NASA, @NASAJohnson, @NASAArtemis For more information about the agency’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative: https://www.nasa.gov/clps -end- Karen Fox / Jasmine HopkinsHeadquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / jasmine.s.hopkins@nasa.gov Natalia Riusech / Nilufar RamjiJohnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 natalia.s.riusech@nasa.gov / nilufar.ramji@nasa.gov
by Kat Troche of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific What Are Messier Objects? During the 18th century, astronomer and comet hunter Charles Messier wanted to distinguish the ‘faint fuzzies’ he observed from any potential new comets. As a result, Messier cataloged 110 objects in the night sky, ranging from star clusters to galaxies to nebulae. These items are designated by the letter ‘M’ and a number. For example, the Orion Nebula is Messier 42 or M42, and the Pleiades are Messier 45 or M45. These are among the brightest ‘faint fuzzies’ we can see with modest backyard telescopes and some even with our eyes. Stargazers can catalog these items on evenings closest to the new moon. Some even go as far as having “Messier Marathons,” setting up their telescopes and binoculars in the darkest skies available to them, from sundown to sunrise, to catch as many as possible. Here are some items to look for this season:
Messier 44 in Cancer: The Beehive Cluster, also known as Praesepe, is an open star cluster in the heart of the Cancer constellation. Use Pollux in Gemini and Regulus in Leo as guide stars. A pair of binoculars is enough to view this and other open star clusters. If you have a telescope handy, pay a visit two of the three galaxies that form the Leo Triplet – M65 and M66. These items can be seen one hour after sunset in dark skies.
Messier 3 Canes Venatici: M3 is a globular cluster of 500,000 stars. Through a telescope, this object looks like a fuzzy sparkly ball. You can resolve this cluster in an 8-inch telescope in moderate dark skies. You can find this star cluster by using the star Arcturus in the Boötes constellation as a guide. Messier 87 in Virgo: Located just outside of Markarian’s Chain, M87 is an elliptical galaxy that can be spotted during the late evening hours. While it is not possible to view the supermassive black hole at the core of this galaxy, you can see M87 and several other Messier-labeled galaxies in the Virgo Cluster using a medium-sized telescope.
Plan Ahead When gearing up for a long stargazing session, there are several things to remember, such as equipment, location, and provisions:
Do you have enough layers to be outdoors for several hours? You would be surprised how cold it can get when sitting or standing still behind a telescope! Are your batteries fully charged? If your telescope runs on power, be sure to charge everything before you leave home and pack any additional batteries for your cell phone. Most people use their mobile devices for astronomy apps, so their batteries may deplete faster. Cold weather can also impact battery life. Determine the apparent magnitude of what you are trying to see and the limiting magnitude of your night sky. You can learn more about apparent and limiting magnitudes with our Check Your Sky Quality with Orion article. When choosing a location to observe from, select an area you are familiar with and bring some friends! You can also connect with your local astronomy club to see if they are hosting any Messier Marathons. It’s always great to share the stars!
You can see all 110 items and their locations with NASA’s Explore the Night Sky interactive map and the Hubble Messier Catalog, objects that have been imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope.
NASA and the Italian Space Agency made history on March 3, when the Lunar GNSS Receiver Experiment (LuGRE) became the first technology demonstration to acquire and track Earth-based navigation signals on the Moon’s surface. The LuGRE payload’s success in lunar orbit and on the surface indicates that signals from the GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) can be received and tracked at the Moon. These results mean NASA’s Artemis missions, or other exploration missions, could benefit from these signals to accurately and autonomously determine their position, velocity, and time. This represents a steppingstone to advanced navigation systems and services for the Moon and Mars.
“On Earth we can use GNSS signals to navigate in everything from smartphones to airplanes,” said Kevin Coggins, deputy associate administrator for NASA’s SCaN (Space Communications and Navigation) Program. “Now, LuGRE shows us that we can successfully acquire and track GNSS signals at the Moon. This is a very exciting discovery for lunar navigation, and we hope to leverage this capability for future missions.”
Kevin Coggins Deputy Associate Administrator for NASA SCaN
The road to the historic milestone began on March 2 when the Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lunar lander touched down on the Moon and delivered LuGRE, one of 10 NASA payloads intended to advance lunar science. Soon after landing, LuGRE payload operators at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, began conducting their first science operation on the lunar surface.
With the receiver data flowing in, anticipation mounted. Could a Moon-based mission acquire and track signals from two GNSS constellations, GPS and Galileo, and use those signals for navigation on the lunar surface? Then, at 2 a.m. EST on March 3, it was official: LuGRE acquired and tracked signals on the lunar surface for the first time ever and achieved a navigation fix — approximately 225,000 miles away from Earth. Now that Blue Ghost is on the Moon, the mission will operate for 14 days providing NASA and the Italian Space Agency the opportunity to collect data in a near-continuous mode, leading to additional GNSS milestones. In addition to this record-setting achievement, LuGRE is the first Italian Space Agency developed hardware on the Moon, a milestone for the organization. The LuGRE payload also broke GNSS records on its journey to the Moon. On Jan. 21, LuGRE surpassed the highest altitude GNSS signal acquisition ever recorded at 209,900 miles from Earth, a record formerly held by NASA’s Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission. Its altitude record continued to climb as LuGRE reached lunar orbit on Feb. 20 — 243,000 miles from Earth. This means that missions in cislunar space, the area of space between Earth and the Moon, could also rely on GNSS signals for navigation fixes.
Traditionally, NASA engineers track spacecraft by using a combination of measurements, including onboard sensors and signals from Earth-based tracking stations. The LuGRE payload demonstrates that using GNSS signals for navigation can reduce reliance on human operators because these signals can be picked up and used autonomously by the spacecraft, even as far away as the Moon. The LuGRE payload is a collaborative effort between NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland and the Italian Space Agency. Funding and oversight for the LuGRE payload comes from NASA’s SCaN Program office. It was chosen by NASA as one of 10 funded research and technology demonstrations for delivery to the lunar surface by Firefly Aerospace Inc., a flight under the agency’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative. Learn more about LuGRE: https://go.nasa.gov/41qwwQN