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Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murkowski: In Alaska, We Do Have an Energy Emergency

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Lisa Murkowski

    02.26.25

    Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) today voted against S.J.Res.10, a resolution to terminate the national energy emergency declared by President Trump on January 20, 2025. Murkowski spoke on the Senate floor in advance of the chamber’s vote to defeat the resolution, detailing the energy emergency in Alaska—which includes supply in Southcentral, affordability in rural and remote communities, and low throughput in the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System—while also pointing out the United States’ deep, self-inflicted vulnerabilities on mineral security.

    View Senator Murkowski’s remarks here

    A transcript of Murkowski’s floor statement is below.

    TRANSCRIPT

    Murkowski: Mr. President, I join my colleague from Utah, the Chairman of the Energy Committee, in speaking today in clear opposition to Senate Joint Resolution 10, which would terminate the energy emergency that has been declared by President Trump.

    I think my colleagues here on both sides of the aisle know that I’m not afraid to suggest when I think that the President may be heading in the wrong direction, but folks, on this one, he has absolutely, positively, clearly hit the mark. And I think that the Chairman of the Energy Committee has outlined in pretty good detail how that has come about.

    We know that our country is blessed with extraordinary, extraordinary assets. We have the potential to become the world’s leading resource superpower. But in order to do that, we have to be able to produce more energy domestically, and we have to be able to extract more minerals. We have to be able to build more transmission lines. We need to be able to overhaul what is clearly a broken federal permitting process. And we can do this.

    We can do this in a way that is cheaper, that is more reliable, more clean, than any other nation in the world. But wewe’ve got to kind of dig out now from where we have been over these past four years, where we saw setback after setback for resource producing states like mine, the state of Alaska.

    Let me give you a little detail in terms of what we’re facing in the state of Alaska, a state that, again, is known for its resource wealth.

    Right now, in the southcentral part of the state, we’re on the verge of importing LNG to meet the needs of some 75% of our population during the colder winter months. I’ll just repeat that: Alaska, the place where everybody knows we’ve got extraordinary oil resources, we have extraordinary natural gas potential, not only on the North Slope, but down in Cook Inlet. Well, Cook Inlet reserves are on the decline, and we are actually talking about importing LNG from Canada. That ought to just be considered a non-starter for anyone who knows and understands the extraordinary potential for resource development that we have in our state, with the wealth that we have.

    Right now, in some of our remote communities across the state, residents are truly in what I would describe as an energy emergency. They might not use that term anymore, because they’ve just gotten so used to the fact that they’re paying so much to keep their lights on and to keep warm. We have residents in many communities that are spending up to one half of their incomes on energy just to, again, to keep the lights on and to keep warm.

    Think about what that means when you’re spending half of what you what you make for just the basic necessities. It means that you have less to feed your family, to educate your kids. We’ve got communities where power costs 10 times the national average, where gasoline can easily exceed $10 a gallon, and that includes diesel as well. And those costs, of course, impact everything, everything – because you’ve got to move your food, your goods, usually by airplane, sometimes over the water, sometimes you’re able to drive it, but when you’re paying this much for diesel, gasoline, for avgas, it impacts everything.

    So, it’s not unusual to go into a village store and, if you can actually find a gallon of milk, see that it costs $18 a gallon. I do my comparison shopping by checking the prices of a box of Tide. People need to be able to wash their clothing for sanitary purposes. In almost every village that I’m going to, you’re looking at prices over $50 a box. $50 for a box of Tide laundry detergent. And it’s not because Tide is any more expensive than anything else, it’s just the reality of what we’re paying there. So, I think we’ve got an energy emergency when it comes to affordability.

    Right now, in our state, we also have an oil pipeline that is just one-quarter filled. We’ve had this pipeline pumping oil safely from the North Slope to delivery down in Valdez, going to other parts of the country for refining. That oil pipeline was completed in 1977 and has been producing for America ever since. But right now, it’s about one-quarter full. What’s happening is you have the federal government controlling most surrounding lands, and that has led to decreased opportunities to expand production up there, and a pipeline that again is about one-quarter full.

    I mentioned the benefits of oil here. I talked about natural gas, but we also have known deposits of about 50 critical minerals, the building blocks of our modern society and our national security. We have just about everything that our nation needs to break its deep dependence on China, to be able to rebuild our supply chains. But if you can’t access it, you can’t produce it, we can’t benefit from it.

    We tried to build a road from the Dalton Highway to the Ambler mining district that is explicitly provided by a 1980 federal law. We authorized this as part of a grand compromise. The road corridor was in exchange for creation of a massive National Park and Preserve. But we can get the Ambler project approved in one administration, only to have the next one come in, reopen it, ignore the law, and then make a political decision to reject it. And then here in Congress, we run into a partisan wall with some less interested in the rule of law than the whims of the very same environmental groups that pushed this resolution. And then meanwhile, what’s happening when we’re not able to produce in our own home states? China is cutting us off from its mineral exports, including the gallium and the germanium that we could produce from the Ambler district, if only the federal government would uphold its promise to allow Alaskans to responsibly access it.

    So, yeah, when I when I look at my home state, when I look at Alaska, I do see an energy emergency. I see several actually. And I see even more reasons to be concerned nationally. As the Chairman of the Energy Committee just noted, electricity demand is growing, and yet we can’t permit new power plants or build transmission lines. We can’t build pipelines in the Northeast or almost anything, particularly mines, on federal lands in the West. And you know, I’m listening to some of the arguments that are there being presented here, and maybe I’d feel differently if my home state was producing more than two million barrels of oil per day, as some are. But we’re not, and it’s not because we can’t, it’s because we’ve been denied the opportunity to do so. And that’s why I’m very thankful for President Trump and the administration for the focus that they have given to the state of Alaska with a specific executive order to allow us to unleash Alaska’s energy and resource potential.

    I have shared with the Secretary of the Interior, as well as the Secretary of Energy, that we need to stop treating energy like it’s some kind of an evil or a bad thing. We need to recognize that it is good. When I was chairman of the Energy Committee, we had a little bumper sticker, and I summed up my whole policy with: energy is good. I haven’t deviated from that policy. Energy makes us stronger, makes us less vulnerable, and it is an asset, not a liability, and we need to treat it as such.

    We need to be unleashing our resources, including all of our renewables, because that’s all part of the energy basket as well. So, it’s not an either-or, in my view, it’s all of the above. And that’s good for our economy. It’s good for our security, it’s good for our geopolitical power. America’s resource production is good for the global environment, because when we’re producing our resources, we stop paying countries that have little to no environmental standards, no interest in reducing their emissions, who often rely on child slave labor, and who frankly don’t even like us. So why not seize the opportunities we have here?

    Why not seize the opportunities that we have here, benefit our own people, our own economies, and again, benefit the global environment as well? If an energy emergency helps us figure this all out, then I’m good with that. And if it helps us remove the federal sanctions that we have seen on Alaska and returns my state to the heart of our national strategy for resource production, then that is also good. I think we’ll all be better off.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gillibrand, Schumer, Garbarino, Nadler, Kean, Goldman Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation To Fix World Trade Center Health Program Funding Shortfall

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand
    Without Congressional Action, The WTCHP Will Have To Start Turning Away First Responders And Survivors, Cut Back Access To Care For Existing Enrollees By 2028
    Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and U.S. Representatives Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), and Dan Goldman (D-NY) joined advocates and survivors to introduce the 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2025. Representative Tom Kean (R-NJ) is also an original House cosponsor. 
    Despite recent congressional action, the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) continues to face an impending funding shortfall. As a result, by October 2028, the program will be forced to close enrollment to new 9/11 responders and survivors, and existing enrollees will face direct cuts to their care and be denied medical monitoring and treatment. 
    The 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2025 would update the program’s outdated funding formula to ensure adequate funding until the program’s expiration in 2090. The bill would also increase funding for data collection on 9/11-related conditions and expand access to mental health care for program members. 
    A full recording of the press conference is available here. 
    “Yet again, we are introducing a bill to fix a projected funding shortfall in the World Trade Center Health Program,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Thousands of Americans risked their lives to protect our country in its darkest hour, and it is now our responsibility as members of Congress to be there for them as they continue to battle the horrific health ramifications from that day and the many days after. Our bill updates the funding formula for the WTCHP so that no 9/11 hero has to worry about losing coverage year after year. It is beyond time to get this passed, and I look forward to working across the aisle to do so.” 
    “‘Never Forget’ does not mean just commemorating 9/11, it is a promise to always take care of our 9/11 first responders and survivors. That’s why we are introducing legislation to stop funding patches and make this healthcare program funded permanently: now and forever,” said Senator Schumer. “Our 9/11 heroes should not have to come down here year after year, month after month, pleading for the funding for the healthcare they have earned, deserve, and was promised to them. It’s time for America to put its money where its mouth is and prove to the heroes of 9/11 that we mean it when we say will Never Forget.”
    “Today, alongside my House and Senate co-leads, responders, and survivors, I was proud to announce the reintroduction of the 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act,” said Congressman Garbarino. “This legislation would ensure the World Trade Center Health Program has the resources it needs to continue providing care for those suffering from 9/11-related conditions. We made a promise to never forget, and today, we stood together to reaffirm our commitment to delivering on that promise.”
    “While over twenty years have passed since the 9/11attacks, so many of our heroic responders and survivors continue to carry with them the burden of that terrible day as they have fallen sick from the air surrounding Ground Zero,” said Congressman Nadler. “Congress must uphold the promise made to our first responders and survivors by fully funding the WTCHP to provide the injured and their families the aid they need and deserve. I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing the 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2025, which will address the funding shortfall to keep the program available for those who need it for years to come.”
    “Every New Yorker has been impacted by the profound loss and devastating pain from the September 11th attacks, including those like me who lived in Lower Manhattan at the time,” said Congressman Goldman. “We owe a permanent debt to the first responders and unwavering support for the survivors who continue to bear the physical and emotional scars. The 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act will ensure that these heroes receive the health care they are owed. As representatives of New York, it is our bipartisan duty to guarantee that these American heroes receive the assistance they deserve from the federal government.”
    “Everyone remembers the dark day of 9/11, a day etched in history,” said Congressman Kean. “We honor all who ran toward danger, risking everything to help those in need. As an original cosponsor of the 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2025, I am committed to ensuring that the heroes and survivors of 9/11 receive the care and support they deserve. This bill corrects outdated funding formulas, expands mental health resources, and strengthens data collection to address the long-term health impacts of that tragic day. We have a responsibility to stand by those who sacrificed so much, and this legislation reaffirms that commitment.”
    In addition to Reps. Garbarino, Nadler, Goldman, and Kean the 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2025 is cosponsored by Reps. Michael Lawler (R-NY), Laura Gillen (D-NY), Nick LaLota (R-NY), Ritchie Torres (D-NY), George Latimer (D-NY), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Nick Langworthy (R-NY), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Claudia Tenney (R-NY), Pat Ryan (D-NY), Josh Riley (D-NY), Tom Suozzi (D-NY), Nydia Valazquez (D-NY), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Josh Gottheimer (D-NY), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), Tim Kennedy (D-NY), Grace Meng (D-NY), and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).
    “Cancer, COPD, Pulmonary Fibrosis and other serious respiratory illnesses are literally decimating the 9/11 Community from the toxic aftermath of 9/11,” said 9/11 advocate John Feal. “But we fail to mention the Toxic Redundancy in DC that continues to to take its toll on the deathly ill men & women, uniform and non uniform heroes and survivors who continue to travel over and over and over again to implore lawmakers to enact legislation again. The redundancy of traveling, the redundancy of being away from family, the redundancy of telling their stories, and the redundancy of me watching them die one by one. So one more time, no one last time we implore Congress to “ACT” now, so we can be left alone. The WTCHP is a lifeline for 140,000. $3 billion is a small ask for what we have been through dealing with our injuries, illnesses and most of all the redundancy we had to put up with for over two decades now. Together, today “WE” all have the opportunity “NOW” to stop the madness, the cruelty and redundancy!”
    “My name is Mariama James. I’m the daughter of two now late survivors dead of 9/11-related disease, the mom of three young survivors all with multiple WTC Health Program certifications, and I’m a health-impacted survivor myself,” said Mariama James, 9/11 survivor and advocate. “I stepped into this fight as a young woman, believing justice and care would swiftly follow the devastation of 9/11. Now, nearly 24 years later, I stand here still, imploring our leaders: fully and permanently fund the WTC Health Program. Time is not healing, it’s revealing the ongoing toll, and our commitment must match that reality.” 
    “Firefighters and officers are suffering from 9/11-related illnesses every day,” said Jim Brosi, President of the Uniformed Fire Officers Association. “Congress has a duty to uphold the promise made to first responders and ensure the WTCHP is fully funded for as long as our members need care. Access to treatment and medication is the least we can do for those who sacrificed their personal health to save the lives of countless victims.”
    “While it has been nearly 24 years since terrorists attacked our nation on 9/11, we still have daily reminders of the heavy price paid by the NYPD, FDNY, and first responders across this nation who willingly and selflessly answered the call to duty,” said NYPD Sergeants Benevolent Association (SBA) President Vincent Vallelong. “These brave men and women did not delay, they did not hesitate, and their actions in the weeks and months that followed September 11 gave our nation hope and the strength to rebuild.  The original Zadroga Act and the World Trade Center Health Program recognize our nation’s obligation to care for those first responders who sacrificed so much on that fateful day. The SBA is grateful for the continuing strong leadership of Sen. Gillibrand, Rep. Garbarino, Sen. Schumer, and the New York delegation in reintroducing the 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act and ensuring Congress fulfills its obligation to fully fund this critical program.”
    ““We walked the halls of Congress in 2010 to enact the World Trade Center Health Program, and again in 2015 to reauthorize this vital program to ensure our nation took care of those suffering from 9/11-related chronic health conditions as a result of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States. Attacks that left many Port Authority Police Officers with severe disabling and life-threatening illnesses contracted during the selfless performance of their duties in the World Trade Center Rescue and Recovery efforts,” said Frank Conti, President of the Port Authority Police Benevolent Association. “The WTCHP is facing a significant funding gap that, if not addressed by Congress, will impact its ability to provide necessary care to our nation’s 9/11 responders and survivors, including the officers we represent. We thank Senator Gillibrand and Representatives Garbarino and Goldman for their support, and we stand with them in urging Congress to pass the 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act now. This is not over…the sacrifice continues.”  
    “We fought for the enactment and near permanent reauthorization of the WTCHP as we view it as our obligation and duty to ensure that responders, who risked their lives to protect us, and survivors continue to receive the care that they deserve,” said Bill Johnson, Executive Director of the National Association of Police Organizations. “The 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act honors that obligation and ensures the WTCHP is fully funded. We thank Senator Gillibrand and Congressman Garbarino for their leadership and stand with them in support of this legislation.”
    We have vowed to never forget our heroes and survivors of the horrific attacks of 911. Yet, here we stand today, fighting for them once more. The actions Elon Musk has taken against the World Trade Center Health program are as insulting as they are inhumane. Our heroes and survivors deserve the utmost respect and the best possible care. I would like to thank the New York and New Jersey Republican members of Congress, led by Congressman Garbarino, for having the courage to stand shoulder to shoulder with us. Their actions were instrumental in having President Trump rescind the termination of many of the program’s key providers. Standing here in solidarity, hopefully Congressman Garbarino can convince more of his colleagues to do the right thing and fully fund the World Trade Center Health Program. As stated earlier we will never forget, and we will never go away until all our heroes and survivors are treated with the respect and dignity they deserve.” said Thomas Hart, President of Citizens for the Extension of the James Zadroga Act and President of Local 94 International Union of Operating Engineers.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 02.26.2025 Sen. Cruz, Rep. Roy Reintroduce RESULT Act to Increase Access to Life-Saving Medical Care

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas Ted Cruz
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and U.S. Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas-21) reintroduced the bicameralReciprocity Ensures Streamlined Use of Lifesaving Treatments (RESULT) Act. The legislation increases access to drugs, devices, and other medical therapies already approved in other trusted countries, facilitating access to life-saving treatments for Americans.
    Upon introduction, Sen. Cruz said, “Washington bureaucracy and regulations far too often interfere with the healthcare decisions of patients and their doctors.  The RESULT Act will facilitate access to life-saving drugs, devices, and medical treatments that are already proven safe and effective in other trusted countries, empowering patients to access the medications they need to improve their health. I’m proud to be advancing it, and I call upon my colleagues to expeditiously take it up and pass it.”
    Sen. Lee said, “Americans should have access to the very best medicines and treatments in the world, without government bureaucrats standing in the way. This legislation will strengthen medical freedom, increase healthcare options for patients, and allow the most brilliant innovations from our trusted allies across the globe to help countless families in the United States.”
    Rep. Roy said, “Waiting for a pencil-pusher in Washington to green-light medications that are already approved in other trusted countries is the epitome of the bureaucratic nightmare that has plagued our healthcare system. This bill would cut through a wall of red tape that separates Americans from getting the care that they need, which means prioritizing their healthcare freedom.”
    This legislation was also cosponsored by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah).
    Companion legislation was introduced in the House by Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas-21).
    Read the bill text here.
    BACKGROUND
    The RESULT Act amends the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act to allow for reciprocal approval of drugs, devices and biologics approved in certain trusted countries, including the UK, EU member countries, Israel, Australia, Canada, and Japan. Sen. Cruz previously introduced the bill in 2023 and 2021.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Lofgren Ask DOJ to Investigate United Kingdom Notice to Apple Threatening U.S. Cybersecurity Interests

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla, Lofgren Ask DOJ to Investigate United Kingdom Notice to Apple Threatening U.S. Cybersecurity Interests

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.-18) requested that the Department of Justice (DOJ) review the United Kingdom’s recently reported notice that would provide the British government access to Apple iCloud users’ protected data and could severely limit Apple’s ability to offer encrypted iCloud backups around the world. The lawmakers asked DOJ to investigate whether the United Kingdom may have breached the terms of the U.S.-U.K. Agreement on Access to Electronic Data for the Purpose of Countering Serious Crime and that DOJ reevaluate the United Kingdom’s eligibility for an agreement under the Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data (CLOUD) Act. The CLOUD Act allows select foreign governments to seek data directly from U.S. technology companies for the investigation and prosecution of crimes without individualized review by the U.S. government.
    The U.K.’s notice reportedly requires Apple to weaken the encryption of its entire global iCloud backup service and give the U.K. government the “blanket capability” to access customers’ data in plaintext. Reports further suggest the U.K. believes its notice applies not just domestically to U.K. companies, but across borders with global effect. The U.K. law could conflict with the laws and public policy of other jurisdictions, intrude on the rights of people across the globe, and significantly hamper the United States’ ability to make sure American companies follow responsible cybersecurity practices. Last week, Apple announced the company can no longer offer encrypted cloud backup in the U.K. to new users, and that current U.K. users would eventually need to disable this security feature.
    “If these press reports are true, they necessitate the Department of Justice’s review of its approval of the U.K. as a qualifying nation under the CLOUD Act, and whether the notice may violate or otherwise be inconsistent with U.S. law and public policy, as well as with the Agreement,” wrote the lawmakers.
    “Encryption is also acknowledged by all to be a critical means to secure information systems essential to the national security and economy of our country,” added the lawmakers. “… It is difficult to see the U.K.’s notice to Apple, if the reports are accurate, as anything less than an action that undermines U.S. law, public policy, and information security by requiring U.S. companies to take such reckless action as undermining encryption for all users globally.”
    “Therefore, given the U.K.’s reported conduct, and Congress’s important oversight role in these matters, we respectfully request that the DOJ conduct a review of the U.K.’s compliance with the statutory requirements of the CLOUD Act and the terms of the Agreement, taking into account the factual predicates behind the CLOUD Act, the sovereign interests of the U.S. in regulating the conduct of U.S. companies, and cybersecurity public policy imperatives,” continued the lawmakers. “This review is essential to ensure that agreements under the CLOUD Act uphold the privacy, security, and human rights standards that Congress set in enacting the CLOUD Act and will inform Congress as to whether statutory reforms are necessary to protect these strong U.S. interests.”
    In the 2018 CLOUD Act, Congress enacted one of the first significant changes in decades to U.S. law governing cross-border access by law enforcement to electronic communications held by private companies. CLOUD Act agreements remove legal restrictions on certain foreign nations’ ability to seek data directly from U.S. providers in cases involving “serious crimes,” provided that the data requests do not target U.S. persons, and so long as the Executive Branch has determined that the foreign nation’s laws adequately protect privacy and civil liberties, among other requirements. The CLOUD Act also gives Congress the power to prevent a proposed executive agreement from entering into force through expedited congressional review provisions after the agreement certifications are provided by the DOJ.
    The United Kingdom received the first CLOUD Act agreement in 2019, which went into force in 2022. These agreements are authorized for five years, and the U.K. agreement was renewed in November 2024.
    Notably, U.S. cybersecurity officials have urged Americans to use encrypted services to protect their communications, including in the wake of recent significant cybersecurity compromises, such as China’s Salt Typhoon operation attacking AT&T and Verizon’s systems.
    The lawmakers also asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to respond to additional questions regarding the U.K.’s concerning notice by March 5, 2025.
    Full text of the letter is available here and below:
    Dear Attorney General Bondi:
    We write to seek the Department of Justice’s views on whether the United Kingdom (U.K.) may have breached or otherwise acted inconsistently with the terms or spirit of the U.S.-U.K.’s Agreement on Access to Electronic Data for the Purpose of Countering Serious Crime (“Agreement”) authorized by the Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data Act (“CLOUD Act”).
    According to press reports, the U.K.’s Home Secretary served Apple, a major U.S. technology firm, with a secret technical capabilities notice (“Notice”) last month. This notice reportedly requires the U.S. company to weaken the encryption of its entire global iCloud backup service and give the U.K. government the “blanket capability” to access customers’ data in plaintext. Reports further suggest the U.K. believes its notice applies not just domestically to U.K. companies, but across borders with global effect. As reported, the U.K. law is no mere domestic law and could conflict with the laws and public policy of other jurisdictions, intrude on the rights of far more people than just U.K. citizens, and significantly affect U.S. interests in ensuring U.S. companies follow responsible cybersecurity practices. Last week, Apple announced the company can no longer offer encrypted cloud backup in the U.K. to new users, and that current U.K. users would eventually need to disable this security feature, giving rise to the inference that the U.K. did indeed issue a notice to Apple, as reported. Apple is reportedly prohibited from acknowledging that it received such a notice, which limits Congressional oversight into the matter, including the extent to which the U.K. is asserting its authority over U.S. persons and entities outside of the U.K.
    If these press reports are true, they necessitate the Department of Justice’s review of its approval of the U.K. as a qualifying nation under the CLOUD Act, and whether the notice may violate or otherwise be inconsistent with U.S. law and public policy, as well as with the Agreement.
    The case made for the CLOUD Act rested on the argument, asserted by U.K. officials in hearings before Congress and elsewhere, that without it, the U.K. would not be able to reach providers under U.S. jurisdiction to assist in investigating serious crime without those providers violating U.S. law. As you know, relying on these representations, Congress authorized the DOJ via the CLOUD Act to form an executive agreement with qualifying jurisdictions, which would partially lift the U.S. legal prohibitions on providers voluntarily honoring foreign legal process. The Attorney General, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State, must determine and submit a written certification to Congress that the criteria set out in the CLOUD Act have been met. The certification must also include an explanation of each of the statutory considerations.
    Section 2523(b)(3) of Title 18 emphasizes that agreements must not create an obligation that providers be capable of decrypting data. While the statute does not say that a qualifying jurisdiction is barred from adopting laws that undermine encryption, the U.K.’s notice to Apple has the effect of extending to U.K. disclosure demands made under the Agreement the obligation to decrypt. This obligation would not exist but for the fact that the Agreement effectively removes the bar to disclosure on which Apple would otherwise rely in refusing to make the disclosure. It splits the finest of hairs to say that because the Agreement itself does not contain an obligation to decrypt that a CLOUD Act country can impose such an obligation on a U.S. provider, issue disclosure orders under the Agreement that rely on such obligation, and impose penalties for non-disclosure when compliance with such orders is refused.
    Notably, there is no obligation under U.S. law to require a provider subject to U.S. jurisdiction to take the actions reportedly required by the U.K. notice. Encryption is also acknowledged by all to be a critical means to secure information systems essential to the national security and economy of our country. In the wake of recent significant cybersecurity compromises, such as the Salt Typhoon hack, U.S. officials have encouraged the adoption of encrypted communications. It is difficult to see the U.K.’s notice to Apple, if the reports are accurate, as anything less than an action that undermines U.S. law, public policy, and information security by requiring U.S. companies to take such reckless action as undermining encryption for all users globally.
    In addition, to qualify for an agreement with the U.S. and gain the benefits of streamlined enforcement, section 2523(b)(1)(B)(v) of Title 18 requires the foreign government’s domestic surveillance law to have sufficient accountability and transparency. The complete secrecy surrounding this matter suggests serious cause for concern that this requirement is being violated by the U.K. Gagging the recipient of such a notice to disclose its effect to its users – or even to the U.S. government – seems inconsistent with the commitment to transparency on which the certification of the Agreement in part rests.
    These agreements are a product of legislation passed by the Congress. The statute contemplates Congress continuing to play a significant role in the agreements signed between the United States and foreign governments. As you know, the CLOUD Act gives Congress the power to prevent a proposed executive agreement from entering into force through expedited congressional review provisions after the certifications are provided by the Department.
    Therefore, given the U.K.’s reported conduct, and Congress’s important oversight role in these matters, we respectfully request that the DOJ conduct a review of the U.K.’s compliance with the statutory requirements of the CLOUD Act and the terms of the Agreement, taking into account the factual predicates behind the CLOUD Act, the sovereign interests of the U.S. in regulating the conduct of U.S. companies, and cybersecurity public policy imperatives. This review is essential to ensure that agreements under the CLOUD Act uphold the privacy, security, and human rights standards that Congress set in enacting the CLOUD Act and will inform Congress as to whether statutory reforms are necessary to protect these strong U.S. interests.
    In addition to your broader review, we ask that you respond in writing to the following questions:
    1. Was the Department of Justice or anyone in the Trump Administration notified of, or consulted about, the U.K. Home Secretary’s Notice? And if so, by what means and when?
    2. Is the Department of Justice aware of the issuance of such a Notice to any other U.S. tech company respecting an encrypted service offered by such company, or of any plans by the U.K. government to issue such a Notice to any other U.S. tech company with respect to an encrypted service?
    3. What is the Department’s view on whether the U.K.’s Notice is evidence that the domestic authorities under the U.K.’s Investigatory Powers Act may be inconsistent with the statutory criteria required of the CLOUD Act?
    4. What is the Department’s view as to whether because of the U.K.’s Notice or the nontransparent nature of its issuance, the DOJ should reassess the U.K. as a qualifying foreign government for purposes of the CLOUD Act?
    5. What is the Department’s view on the imposition of extraterritorial regulations by a foreign government on U.S. providers that are contrary to U.S. law or public policy?
    6. In its report to Congress accompanying the renewal of the U.S.-U.K. CLOUD Act Agreement in November 2024, the DOJ stated that it had “taken the opportunity of this determination to remind the U.K. of the statute’s requirements that the terms of the Agreement shall not create any obligation that providers be capable of decrypting data or limitation that prevents providers from decrypting data.” Please share with whom the DOJ met, what specifically was communicated, and whether the DOJ considered whether the U.K.’s use of its Investigatory Powers Act might undermine U.S. interests.
    7. Has the DOJ taken any steps to protect U.S. interests as contemplated by the CLOUD Act and the Agreement before or since the reports became public?
    8. If Apple were to comply with the Notice as initially reported: (a) could the U.K. obtain U.S. person data, which would have been encrypted absent compliance with the Notice, through means other than the CLOUD Act, and (b) could other jurisdictions obtain data, which would have been encrypted, absent compliance with the Notice?
    We appreciate your timely attention to this serious matter and welcome hearing your response by March 5, 2025.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Expands Detention Capacity with Delaney Hall Facility in New Jersey

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    February 26, 2025Washington, DC, United StatesStatement

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced today the imminent reopening of the Delaney Hall Facility in Newark, New Jersey, after reaching an agreement with the facility’s owner to reestablish the federal immigration processing and​ detention center at the 1,000-bed facility.

    “This detention center is the first to open under the new administration,” said acting ICE Director Caleb Vitello. “The location near an international airport streamlines logistics, and helps facilitate the timely processing of individuals in our custody as we pursue President Trump’s mandate to arrest, detain and remove illegal aliens from our communities.”

    The facility will expand ICE’s detention capacity in the Northeast, enhancing the agency’s ability to manage the region’s growing enforcement and removal operations.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Trump’s Systemic Takedown of CFPB is Making U.S. Consumers Less Safe & Increasing Financial Risks for Military Families and Veterans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC — Despite the fact that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has returned over $21 billion to American consumers who were ripped off by abusive and illegal financial activity since 2011, the Trump Administration is working to dismantle the watchdog agency. 

    The Trump White House has moved to dismiss the agency’s entire workforce, canceled the lease for the agency’s headquarters, suspended supervision of big banks, and dismissed open-and-shut cases against predatory lenders for deceiving consumers into paying usurious interest rates.  Two weeks ago, President Trump said in the Oval Office that his goal is for the CFPB to “be totally eliminated.”  Billionaire tycoon Elon Musk—a White House employee who donated $288 million to Trump’s 2024 campaign could personally benefit from rolling back the CFPB’s oversight capabilities— proposed “deleting” the agency.

    U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) says millions of Americans are more likely to be scammed and ripped off by junk fees after the Trump Administration took recent steps to incapacitate the CFPB, which was set up after the last major financial crisis.  And Reed, who created CFPB’s Office of Servicemember Affairs to help protect military families from financial fraud, says the Trump Administration’s efforts to dismantle the CFPB increase financial risks to service members.

    “Apparently the Trump-Musk administration thinks consumers never get the short end of the stick from unscrupulous businesses, but that’s not the experience of families.  Billionaires don’t have to worry about having enough money to pay the mortgage and feed their kids, but the vast majority of Americans do.  The CFPB exists so that every American has a strong consumer watchdog looking out for their financial well-being, preventing scams, stopping special interests from running amok, and holding offenders accountable.  This is especially true for servicemembers, veterans, and their families, who are disproportionally targeted by predatory lenders and abusive mortgage, debt collection, payday lending, and auto lending schemes and often face greater financial risks than civilian borrowers due to the nature of their military service,” said Senator Reed.  “Since the CFPB was created, it has made real progress taking on special interests, rooting out scammers, and punishing financial abuse, from deceptive mortgages to unfair credit card terms to unscrupulous payday lenders.  We should be building on that progress, not tearing it down and empowering bad actors.”

    The Trump Administration’s short-sighted decision to stop supervision, enforcement, and litigation eliminates key Military Lending Act (MLA) protections that prevent servicemembers from being exploited. The financial and legal protections in these bipartisan laws–most notably a cap on interest rates on mortgages, credit cards, and auto loans–are critical to national defense and military readiness. Troops should focus on their service obligations while on active duty, rather than worrying about making ends meet at home.

    U.S. service members submitted approximately 84,600 complaints to the CFPB in 2023, a 27 percent increase over the previous year.

    Many elderly veterans are targeted for fraud and deceptive schemes, including scams operated by unaccredited veterans benefits claims agents, who charge exorbitant fees for illegitimate assistance with claims.

    At a special CFPB forum in Washington, DC this week, Senator Reed had a chance to speak with Stacey McCall, an Army veteran who was trapped in a doom loop with an auto lender, unable to transfer her title back home after her assignment overseas ended and being unfairly charged for a Toyota vehicle she couldn’t drive.  She worked for nearly a year to resolve it, unsuccessfully, until the CFPB came to the rescue.

    Senator Reed noted his own experience in uniform and how he saw fellow Army soldiers unfairly treated by unscrupulous car dealers: “I discovered how soldiers, sailors, airmen, guardians are used by financial companies a long time ago.  I was the executive officer of a parachute company in the 82nd Airborne Division, and I spent a lot of time talking to my troops and wondering why they signed a contract to buy a car with 250 percent interest. I thought that was a little outrageous.  But more importantly, why would anyone try to exploit a soldier serving the nation and defending the nation?  So, it got me a little bit upset and put it in the back in my mind.”

    Reed cited his experience in the military as one of the reasons for supporting a regulator whose mission is to focus on consumer protection and military families.

    “Whether serving stateside or abroad, U.S. military personnel and their families and veterans deserve financial protection and a watchdog that actively looks out for their financial well-being.  The CFPB’s Office of Servicemember Affairs has been staffed by real people who have done outstanding work providing personalized assistance to those in need.  The Trump Administration is cutting that service off and as a result, more troops will lose their hard-earned paychecks and more families will fall victim to abusive and predatory financial practices,” said Reed.

    The Senate Banking Committee plans to hold a confirmation hearing Thursday for Jonathan McKernan, President Trump’s nominee to lead the CFPB.  Senator Reed says he plans to ask Mr. McKernan about his plans to protect consumers, including military families, and take meaningful enforcement actions against predatory lending.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed, Colleagues Demand Answers on VA Firings

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jack Reed is teaming up with Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA), the Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs (Milcon-VA), to demand answers on how the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will ensure veterans receive the health care and benefits they earned amidst the Trump Administration’s indiscriminate firing of recently hired VA employees.

    Senators Reed and Ossoff were joined by Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) in pressing VA Secretary Doug Collins for answers after the Department fired doctors, nurses, and crisis hotline staff, despite the agency claiming otherwise.

    “VA recently announced the firing of ‘more than 1,000 employees’ and claimed in its press release that ‘mission-critical positions’ were exempt. This claim is false. Clinicians, researchers, and Veterans Crisis Line employees were fired, apparently solely on the basis that they were recent hires,” the Senators wrote.

    “We hope it goes without saying that clinical staff who provide medical care and employees who field calls from suicidal veterans are indeed ‘mission-critical,’” Senator Reed and the group continued. “VA’s indiscriminate termination of such personnel is self-defeating and risks the immediate disruption of veterans’ health care and services. The potential consequences — delayed clinical appointments or neglected phone calls from veterans in crisis — could be life threatening.”

    As part of the inquiry, Senator Reed and the group requested specific answers from Secretary Collins about the locations, positions, and veteran status of staff impacted by the Trump Administration’s Hiring Freeze Executive Order and mass firings, in order to determine whether veterans in Rhode Island will be impacted by the actions.

    Additionally, the Senators asked for data on the termination of VA researchers who were in active and ongoing clinical trials for veterans dealing with cancer, burn pit exposure, opioid addiction, and more.  

    Earlier this month, Senator Reed joined colleagues in pressing Secretary Collins to protect veterans, their families, and VA staff from unprecedented access to sensitive information by Elon Musk and the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

    The VA’s mission is to help veterans successfully transition to civilian life and assists them in their post-service journey by ensuring they have access to the benefits they earned.  The VA offers veterans and their families a wide range of services, including healthcare, housing, education, training, disability compensation and pension assistance, and more.

    Read the full text of the letter here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Schatz: Trump’s Fake Energy Emergency A Distraction From High Costs, Big Oil Giveaways

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Hawaii Brian Schatz

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) issued the following statement after voting for S.J.Res.10, a joint resolution to terminate President Trump’s “national energy emergency.”

    “Should Trump and the Republicans ever get serious about addressing our most pressing energy challenges – modernizing and expanding our grid to bring reliable energy at a low cost to all Americans – we stand ready and willing to legislate. But a reckless buildout of fossil fuel projects to the benefit of Big Oil executives and at the expense of everyday Americans – at a time when communities are increasingly being decimated and people are dying as result of extreme weather – is not that.”

    As part of his Day One executive orders, President Trump declared a “national energy emergency” that aims to expedite the development of primarily fossil fuel projects. That, coupled with his illegal freezing of federal funding and halting of permits for wind and solar projects – our cheapest sources of energy – threaten to raise energy costs and eliminate hundreds of thousands of jobs spurred by the investments Democrats made in the Inflation Reduction Act.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Lummis Delivers Remarks in Support of President Trump’s Energy Dominance Agenda

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wyoming Cynthia Lummis

    February 26, 2025

    Washington, D.C. — Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) applauded President Trump’s energy dominance agenda and opposed her Democrat colleagues’ attempt to repeal the president’s declaration of an energy national emergency. 
    During her speech, Lummis said, “Over the last four years, the Biden administration worked overtime to stick it to the energy industry at every turn, while my colleagues here cheered them on and helped them. On day one, President Biden placed a moratorium on public land energy development that never truly went away until January, 20 of 2025 when President Trump was sworn into office and signed an executive order.”
    Click here to watch the full video. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fischer Pushes for Legislation to Protect Rural Nursing Homes

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer
    During a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) pushed for passage of her Protecting Rural Seniors’ Access to Care Act, which would overturn a harmful Biden-era rule regulating nursing homes. Senator Fischer reintroduced the legislation today.
    In her remarks, Senator Fischer emphasized how unrealistic the Biden administration’s staffing standards are for rural nursing homes and the detrimental effects of nursing home closures in rural communities. She stressed her commitment to passing this legislation to protect rural seniors from upheaval in their final years.
    Click the image above to watch a video of Senator Fischer’s remarks.
    Click here to download audio 
    Click here to download video
    Following is a transcript of Senator Fischer’s remarks as prepared for delivery:M. President,
    Across America, 1.3 million people live in nursing homes.
    Many of us have parents, grandparents, or other loved ones who rely on these homes for care and community in their golden years.
    We understand just how vital nursing homes are—in urban, suburban, and rural areas alike—to help seniors around our country thrive.
    But unfortunately, a federal rule that is still in place from the Biden era is putting many of America’s nursing homes in jeopardy—especially those in rural communities.
    Last year, under President Biden, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services finalized a rule that placed strict, unrealistic regulations on nursing homes.
    The rule requires a registered nurse to be present 24/7 in these homes, and requires three and a half daily hours of dedicated nursing care for each resident.
    If this rule is not stopped, the regulations will be imposed on every nursing home in America over the next few years.
    It may sound nice to have a nurse on hand in nursing homes every moment of the day or night. But the reality is that these homes are already facing historic staffing shortages.
    Across the country, nursing homes lost more than 200,000 workers from February 2020 to December 2022.
    These shortages have already caused many nursing homes to close down.
    Since 2015, 44 nursing homes and 35 assisted living facilities have shut their doors in Nebraska alone.
    Those closures deprived Nebraskans of over 3,000 beds and hurt seniors who wanted to stay in their home community, close to family and friends.
    The CMS rule will worsen this crisis. According to the agency itself, 75 percent of America’s nursing homes will have to increase staffing to comply with its regulations.
    Under the Biden administration’s rule, nursing homes now have to scramble to find staff in the midst of overwhelming shortages.
    If they fail, they’ll have to shut their doors, depriving seniors of care and housing.
    That’s why today, I reintroduced legislation to stop this Biden-era rule in its tracks.
    My Protecting Rural Seniors’ Access to Care Act will prevent the rule’s misguided requirements from going into full effect.
    It will also establish an advisory panel on the nursing home workforce representing various stakeholders, including members from rural and underserved areas.
    This will ensure that the government hears voices outside the big cities on the coasts when it comes to nursing homes.
    Nursing homes are few and far between in rural areas of our country. If one facility closes, the next closest one could be many miles or even hours away.
    Just one closure could be detrimental to seniors in some of our communities.
    But if our nursing homes stay open, seniors won’t have to face upheaval in their final years.
    They won’t have to leave family and loved ones behind to find a new home.
    They won’t have to experience the loneliness, uncertainty, and depression that can come along with moving to an unfamiliar place.
    My bill advocates for these seniors, their care, and their families. It fights for our rural communities and for nursing homes in Nebraska.
    I’ll keep pushing for this legislation until the president signs it into law—to protect seniors from a rule that would only harm them, their families, and their caretakers.
    Thank you, M. President, I yield the floor.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Natural Dior LLC Issues Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Vitafer-L Gold Liquid Due to Presence of Undeclared Tadalafil

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

    Summary

    Company Announcement Date:
    February 25, 2025
    FDA Publish Date:
    February 26, 2025
    Product Type:
    Dietary SupplementsDrugs
    Reason for Announcement:

    Recall Reason Description
    Undeclared Tadalafil

    Company Name:
    Natural Dior LLC
    Brand Name:

    Brand Name(s)
    Natural Dior LLC

    Product Description:

    Product Description
    Dietary Supplement

    Company Announcement
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Natural Dior LLC (USA) – February 25, 2025 – Natural Dior LLC, is voluntarily recalling the affected lots of Vitafer-L Gold Liquid, a dietary supplement with iron and vitamins, to the consumer level. The product has been found to contain undeclared tadalafil, an ingredient in FDA approved products for treatment of male erectile dysfunction in the family of drugs known as phosphodiesterase (PDE-5) inhibitors. Products containing tadalafil cannot be marketed as dietary supplements. Vitafer-L Gold Liquid is an unapproved new drugs for which safety and efficacy have not been established and, therefore, subject to recall.
    Risk Statement: Consumption of products with undeclared tadalafil may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs (such as nitroglycerin) and may cause a significant drop in blood pressure that may be life threatening. People with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart disease often take nitrates. Among the adult male population, who are most likely to use this product, adult males who use nitrates for cardiac conditions are most at risk. To date, Natural Dior LLC has not received any reports of adverse events related to this recall.
    The product is used as a state indication(s) and is packaged in 16.9 fl oz (1.06 pt) 500 mL bottles in a folding cardboard box.

    Lot Numbers and Expiration Dates:

    Lot 7021-2304 – Exp. April 2025
    Lot 7017-2304 – Exp. April 2025
    Lot 7040-2305 – Exp. May 2025
    Lot 10020-2402 – Exp. February 2026
    Lot 10011-2404 – Exp. April 2026
    Lot 7695-2307 – Exp. Not specified
    Lot R6715-2303 – Exp. March 2025
    Lot 7292-2305 – Exp. May 2025
    Lot 9669-2403 – Exp. March 2025
    Lot 10060-2404 – Exp. April 2026

    The product was sold nationwide via Amazon and Walmart and distributed through wholesale accounts. The product was also exported to Miami, Florida, through an importer (Laboratorio Natural Dior LLC).
    Consumers who have purchased this product should stop using it immediately and dispose of it properly or return it to the place of purchase for a refund.
    Consumers with questions regarding this recall can contact Natural Dior LLC at +57 315 2814091 from 10AM – 5PM or via email at vitafer.original@gmail.com.
    Consumers should contact their physician or healthcare provider if they have experienced any problems that may be related to taking or using this product.
    Adverse reactions or quality problems experienced with the use of this product may be reported to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting Program either online, by regular mail, or by fax. No adverse reactions have been reported to Natural Dior LLC (USA) as of February 20, 2025

    This recall is being conducted with the knowledge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
    Natural Dior LLC is committed to ensuring the safety and quality of its products and is taking all necessary steps to remove the affected product from the market.

    Company Contact Information

    Product Photos

    Content current as of:
    02/26/2025

    Regulated Product(s)

    Follow FDA

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Washington stands with trans military personnel in multi-state amicus filing

    Source: Washington State News

    SEATTLE – The president’s discriminatory ban on transgender military service members undermines state and national security, attorneys general in 21 states argued in a brief filed Wednesday in support of personnel who filed suit seeking to overturn the order.

    Washington Attorney General Nick Brown co-authored the amicus brief that says the president’s order “not only violates the Constitution…but it will also weaken our nation’s military, including the National Guard, and undermine the Amici States’ institutions and efforts to protect their communities.”

    The brief was filed in Shilling v. Trump, which was brought by lead plaintiff and decorated U.S. Navy Commander Emily Shilling. Shilling, who has served for over 20 years and flown over 60 combat and high-risk missions, is transgender and wants to continue working for the American public.

    The amicus brief describes how the president’s action deprives the state’s National Guard units of experienced and qualified soldiers at a time when recruitment is especially challenging. Trump’s blatantly discriminatory policy is also fundamentally at odds with state laws protecting transgender individuals.

    Washington was joined by the attorneys general of 20 other states in the filing, which was co-authored by Brown’s office and the Vermont Attorney General’s Office. The other states joining are Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin.

     -30-

    Washington’s Attorney General serves the people and the State of Washington. As the state’s largest law firm, the Attorney General’s Office provides legal representation to every state agency, board, and commission in Washington. Additionally, the Office serves the people directly by enforcing consumer protection, civil rights, and environmental protection laws. The Office also prosecutes elder abuse, Medicaid fraud, and handles sexually violent predator cases in 38 of Washington’s 39 counties. Visit www.atg.wa.gov to learn more.

    Media Contact:

    Email: press@atg.wa.gov

    Phone: (360) 753-2727

    General contacts: Click here

    Media Resource Guide & Attorney General’s Office FAQ

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Markey Raises Concerns Over Conflict of Interest with FAA Deployment of Elon Musk’s Starlink Terminals

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

     Letter Text (PDF)

    Washington (February 26, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today wrote to Chris Rocheleau, Acting Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), with questions about the FAA’s recent decision to deploy three Starlink terminals, which provide broadband internet connectivity through a satellite network, from Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Given Musk’s dual positions as CEO of SpaceX and wide-spread role in the Trump administration, this decision creates an appearance of a conflict-of-interest. The FAA has not released any information about SpaceX employees’ role in the FAA or whether the Administration has agreed to or implemented any ethics agreements to ensure Musk and the SpaceX employees do not improperly use their FAA access to benefit SpaceX.

    In the letter, Senator Markey wrote, “The FAA’s recent announcement — made on X, another company owned by Musk — that it was testing one Starlink terminal in Atlantic City and two terminals at non-safety critical sites in Alaska raises questions about the process by which this deployment occurred. Although Musk’s role in the Trump administration remains ambiguous, he is reportedly serving as a ‘special government employee’ and SpaceX engineers have reportedly been touring FAA facilities and were brought on as your senior advisers… Although I recognize that Starlink could be helpful in ensuring reliable connections in remote areas, such as Alaska, given the overlapping relationships with Musk and SpaceX employees, transparency is critical to ensure that the Starlink deployments are serving FAA’s core safety mission.”

    Senator Markey requested answers by April 9, 2025, to questions that include:

    • Please provide any final contract award to SpaceX for the three SpaceX terminals that FAA recently deployed.
    • Are reports accurate that SpaceX engineers are currently serving as your senior advisors?
    • Has Musk had any access to the FAA’s offices or FAA employees?
    • Have you had any communications with Musk about using Starlink terminals as part of the FAA’s IT systems?
    • Did Musk or any SpaceX engineers have any role in any agreement with SpaceX to deploy the Starlink terminals?

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Trump says to impose 25% tariffs on EU products

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    U.S. President Donald Trump returns to the White House via Marine One in Washington, D.C., the United States, Feb. 22, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that his administration has made a decision to impose 25 percent tariffs on products from the European Union (EU), including cars.

    “We have made a decision. We’ll be announcing it very soon, and it’ll be 25 percent generally speaking, and that’ll be on cars and all other things,” Trump told reporters at a White House cabinet meeting.

    Trump claimed that the European Union has “taken advantage of” the United States. “They don’t accept our cars, they don’t accept, essentially, our farm products. They use all sorts of reasons why not. And we accept everything of them, and we have about a 300 billion dollar deficit with the European Union,” he said.

    Politico previously reported that the 300-billion-U.S.-dollar deficit is overstated. “In 2023, the U.S. goods trade deficit with the bloc was 155.8 billion euros, according to EU data. In services, however, the U.S. had a surplus of 104 billion euros, bringing the overall trade balance to 51.8 billion euros (roughly 56 billion U.S. dollars),” according the report.

    When asked by a reporter whether he would continue to delay tariffs on Mexico and Canada due to progress on border control, Trump said he would not prevent the tariffs from taking effect and claimed that the influx of fentanyl had caused “millions of deaths.”

    “I’m not stopping the tariffs. No,” Trump said.

    U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick explained two key deadlines related to the tariffs. Previously, the tariffs on Mexico and Canada had been delayed for one month and is set to take effect on March 4, and the two countries needed to prove to the president before the deadline that they had taken satisfactory actions in controlling the entry of fentanyl. Trump said that “it will be hard to satisfy.”

    Lutnick also noted that the overall tariff actions against more countries would be implemented on April 2.

    On Feb. 1, Trump signed an executive order to impose a 25 percent tariff on goods imported from Mexico and Canada, with a 10 percent tariff increase specifically for Canadian energy products. On Feb. 3, Trump announced that the additional tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada would be deferred for one month, allowing more time for negotiations.

    On Monday, Trump said that tariffs on Mexico and Canada will “go forward.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Tech and Business – Oracle Services Power IT Modernization in Asia Pacific

    Source: Information Services Group, Inc.

    Enterprises embrace providers with GenAI tools to improve enterprise cloud migrations, optimize Oracle investments, ISG Provider Lens report says.

    A growing number of enterprises in Asia Pacific are seeking Oracle ecosystem services to help them carry out digital transformations to remain competitive in rapidly changing markets, according to a new research report published today by Information Services Group (ISG) (Nasdaq: III), a global AI-centered technology research and advisory firm.

    The 2024 ISG Provider Lens Oracle Cloud and Technology Ecosystem report for Asia Pacific finds many large Oracle customers are modernizing legacy systems, navigating cloud migrations and evaluating hyperscale cloud options. Service providers are helping clients optimize their Oracle investments, often with the use of AI tools, while Oracle is increasingly investing in talent development and collaboration in the region, including partnerships with governments in Singapore, Australia and India for large-scale training programs.

    “Companies in Asia Pacific need digital transformation to stay relevant,” said Michael Gale, partner and regional leader, ISG Asia Pacific. “Oracle and its partners are rising to the challenge by strengthening their expertise and developing talent in the region.”

    Large organizations in manufacturing, retail, financial services, consumer packaged goods and the public sector are increasing their use of Oracle services, the report says. In addition to modernization planning and execution, many seek help addressing regional nuances such as data sovereignty and compliance requirements, especially in India, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand.

    Outdated legacy systems are holding back many organizations in the region, leading to rising demand for both consulting and advisory services to plan modernization initiatives, ISG says. To reach strategic goals and maximize Oracle investments, enterprises seek providers that demonstrate domain expertise and the ability to innovate. Carrying out transitions with minimal disruption and consistent data integrity is a key requirement.

    Companies seeking to maintain Oracle performance and uptime amid cost, compliance and complexity challenges are driving up demand for managed services in Asia Pacific, the report says. Comprehensive services allow clients to optimize resource management, enhance productivity and focus on strategy.

    More enterprises in the region are adopting Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), often leveraging local data centers and integrating advanced tools, ISG says. A key requirement is the availability of generative AI for process automation and management of multicloud environments. Companies give priority to service providers that offer comprehensive support for Oracle and non-Oracle environments and enhance integration across cloud platforms.

    “Enterprises in Asia Pacific are choosing leading OCI providers with a strong local presence,” said Jan Erik Aase, partner and global leader, ISG Provider Lens Research. “Along with competitive pricing and proven track records in Oracle migrations, this fosters trust.”

    The report also examines other trends affecting Oracle users in Asia Pacific, including enterprises consolidating providers of comprehensive application management services and the impact of OCI’s recently introduced interoperability across AWS, Azure and Google Cloud.

    For more insights into the challenges faced by enterprises using Oracle in Asia Pacific, see the ISG Provider Lens Focal Points briefing here.

    The 2024 ISG Provider Lens Oracle Cloud and Technology Ecosystem report for Asia Pacific evaluates the capabilities of 28 providers across four quadrants: Consulting and Advisory Services, Implementation and Integration Services, Managed Services and OCI Solutions and Capabilities.

    The report names Accenture, Cognizant, Deloitte, HCLTech, Infosys, LTIMindtree, TCS, Tech Mahindra and Wipro as Leaders in all four quadrants. It names PwC as a Leader in three quadrants and KPMG as a Leader in two quadrants. Capgemini is named as a Leader in one quadrant.

    In addition, Capgemini, DXC Technology and Kyndryl are named as Rising Stars — companies with a “promising portfolio” and “high future potential” by ISG’s definition — in one quadrant each.

    In the area of customer experience, Capgemini is named the global ISG CX Star Performer for 2024 among Oracle Cloud and Technology Ecosystem providers. Capgemini earned the highest customer satisfaction scores in ISG’s Voice of the Customer survey, part of the ISG Star of Excellence program, the premier quality recognition for the technology and business services industry.

    The 2024 ISG Provider Lens Oracle Cloud and Technology Ecosystem report for Asia Pacific is available to subscribers or for one-time purchase on this webpage.

    About ISG Provider Lens Research

    The ISG Provider Lens Quadrant research series is the only service provider evaluation of its kind to combine empirical, data-driven research and market analysis with the real-world experience and observations of ISG’s global advisory team. Enterprises will find a wealth of detailed data and market analysis to help guide their selection of appropriate sourcing partners, while ISG advisors use the reports to validate their own market knowledge and make recommendations to ISG’s enterprise clients. The research currently covers providers offering their services globally, across Europe, as well as in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, the U.K., France, Benelux, Germany, Switzerland, the Nordics, Australia and Singapore/Malaysia, with additional markets to be added in the future. For more information about ISG Provider Lens research, please visit this webpage.

    About ISG

    ISG (Nasdaq: III) is a global AI-centered technology research and advisory firm. A trusted partner to more than 900 clients, including 75 of the world’s top 100 enterprises, ISG is a long-time leader in technology and business services that is now at the forefront of leveraging AI to help organizations achieve operational excellence and faster growth. The firm, founded in 2006, is known for its proprietary market data, in-depth knowledge of provider ecosystems, and the expertise of its 1,600 professionals worldwide working together to help clients maximize the value of their technology investments.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen Helps Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Cut Down on Government Waste, Increase Transparency on Improper Federal Payments

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Pete Ricketts (R-NE) introduced the Improper Payments Transparency Act. This bipartisan bill would require that the President’s annual budget request include clear and comprehensive data on the improper payments made by federal agencies in an effort to eliminate government waste.
    Improper payments are defined by U.S. code as any payment that should not have been made, or that was made in an incorrect amount, including an overpayment or underpayment, under a statutory, contractual, administrative, or other legally applicable requirement. Since 2003, the Government Accountability Office estimates that the federal government has made $2.8 trillion in improper payments. However, the true cost of improper payments is likely higher due to a lack of reporting requirements.
    “We owe it to the hardworking people of Nevada to make sure that the federal government is using their tax dollars efficiently and responsibly,” said Senator Rosen. “Our bipartisan legislation will help to increase transparency and cut down on wasteful government spending. I’ll keep working to clean up Washington and look after American taxpayers’ hard-earned money.”
    “When federal agencies waste money, it means less money for essential services, national defense, or deficit reduction,” said Senator Ricketts. “Transparency brings accountability. My bipartisan bill will highlight where money is being misspent so we can combat waste and save taxpayer dollars.”
    Senator Rosen has been a leader in fighting government waste and protecting Nevadans’ hard-earned tax dollars. Last year, Senator Rosen’s bipartisan No CORRUPTION Act became law, barring Members of Congress from collecting taxpayer-funded pensions if they are convicted of felonies related to their official duties. She also helped pass bipartisan legislation out of committee to cut down on wasteful spending by ensuring the federal government does not make improper payments to people after they have passed away. Last Congress, the Rosen-backed bipartisan Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act, legislation to increase transparency in government projects that are delayed or over budget, passed the Senate. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Blasts Trump and Musk for Attacks on Child Care, Head Start & Focus on Tax Cuts for Billionaires Like Themselves

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Murray: “Trump and Musk are preparing lifeboats for billionaires who can already buy their own fleet of yachts—but ripping away support for families who have been struggling for years to keep their heads above water.”

    ***VIDEO HERE***

    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a senior member and former Chair of the Senate HELP Committee, joined a virtual press call to discuss the Trump administration’s recent attacks on child care and Head Start—and President Trump’s utter failure to do anything to help families find and afford child care, despite his promises to lower costs for American families. The call was hosted by Child Care for Every Family, Zero to Three, the National Women’s Law Center, and MomsRising.

    Senator Murray blasted the Trump administration’s mass firings at Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Head Start and Office of Child Care—which reportedly lost roughly 20% and 25% of their staff respectively—as well as the Trump administration’s blanket funding freeze that caused chaos and uncertainty for Head Start centers nationwide, including in Washington state.

    “In a shock to no one, a billionaire like Donald Trump and his boss, Elon Musk—the literal richest man on the planet—have absolutely zero clue why child care is so important to families and to our economy. Despite the President’s grand campaign promises to lower families’ costs, Trump and Musk have done absolutely nothing to increase child care openings, nothing to lower child care costs, nothing whatsoever to address the child care crisis,” said Senator Murray. “When it comes to helping themselves, they are gearing up to give themselves and other billionaires trillions in tax cuts—but when it comes to helping parents and kids, a big fat zero.”  

    Senator Murray’s remarks, as delivered on today’s press call, are below:

    “In a shock to no one, a billionaire like Donald Trump and his boss, Elon Musk—the literal richest man on the planet—have absolutely zero clue why child care is so important to families and to our economy.

    “And despite the President’s grand campaign promises to lower families’ costs, Trump and Musk have done absolutely nothing to increase child care openings, nothing to lower child care costs, nothing whatsoever to address the child care crisis.

    “Of course, when it comes to helping themselves, they are gearing up to give themselves and other billionaires trillions in tax cuts—but when it comes to helping parents and kids, a big fat zero.

    “And really, even that is being far too kind—because all they have done so far is make the child care crisis worse, and all their plans for what to do next are to make it even worse!

    “When Trump and Musk are haphazardly freezing Head Start funding, then promising to turn it back on, but not actually ensuring that happens, and throwing Head Start centers and families who count on them into complete chaos; when they are firing, left and right, without rhyme or reason, the very workers who help child care providers and Head Start centers keep their doors open and who help ensure the kids in their care are safe—they are turning their backs on families and making the child care crisis that much worse.

    “President Trump and Elon Musk have reportedly already fired a fifth of workers at the federal Office of Head Start and Office of Child Care—and it’s clear they plan to keep firing federal workers with reckless abandon. These are folks that help all of our states keep child care and Head Start centers open.

    “There’s no mistaking it: Trump and Musk’s agenda will have devastating consequences for families and for our economy.

    “Because—despite how important Elon Musk thinks he is—the reality is that working families are the backbone of our economy. And mom and dad can’t go to work if they can’t get child care.

    “And of course, if things weren’t bad enough—Republicans’ next big priority involves ripping health care away from kids and families and seniors to shower even more tax cuts on billionaires. Child care doesn’t become more affordable when parents and their kids get kicked off Medicaid.

    “In other words, Trump and Musk are preparing lifeboats for billionaires who can already buy their own fleet of yachts—but ripping away support for families who have been struggling for years to keep their heads above water.

    “They are telling fellow billionaires: ‘Whatever you want!’ And telling parents and kids: ‘Tough luck!’

    “Well, I have fought for child care from my first day in politics and I am going to make sure they know I am not stopping now.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murray, Blumenthal Demand VA Swiftly Reverse Moves to Cut VA Researchers Working to Improve Veteran Health Outcomes

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    ICYMI: Senator Murray Presses VA Deputy Secretary Nominee on Mass Firings of VA Researchers, Holding Oracle Accountable to Get EHR Right for Veterans

    ICYMI: Murray, Senate Democrats Demand Trump Exempt All VA Employees From Hiring Freeze

    ***LETTER HERE***

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, sent a letter this week to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins expressing their deep concerns about how the ongoing federal hiring freeze is affecting VA researchers—many of whom have already lost their jobs—as well as the research programs funded by external entities that improve care and services for our nation’s veterans.

    The senators wrote, “Without immediate action to address the recent hiring constraints imposed by the Trump Administration, critical research efforts—and the veterans who rely on them—are at risk. Hundreds of VA research-funded positions are in jeopardy due to the hiring freeze. This freeze impacts researcher positions funded by grants, which are awarded as part of competitive funding mechanisms based on peer-review. These roles are essential to the safe and effective conduct of ongoing VA-funded research, by ensuring compliance with biological safety, data security, and other critical protocols.”

    The members also pointed out that, according to the National Association of Veterans’ Research and Education Foundations, “[D]uring the next 90 days alone, VA could lose an additional 200 research personnel who directly support research to advance veterans’ health and healthcare access,” highlighting the time-sensitive nature of the impacts to research funding.

    Senator Murray has been outspoken in standing up for veterans, VA employees, and VA researchers against Trump and Elon Musk’s indiscriminate mass layoffs that will undermine critical services our nation’s veterans rely on every day. Senator Murray, a senior member and former Chair of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, was among the first to raise the alarm about the layoffs of VA researchers and called on President Trump to immediately reverse the firings. She pressed VA Deputy Secretary nominee Dr. Paul Lawrence on the firings of VA researchers at the hearing on his nomination last week, held a press conference with a VA employee and veteran in Seattle who was abruptly laid off as part of the mass firings with zero justification, and put out a fact sheet on how the indiscriminate mass firings were hurting workers in Washington state, including VA researchers. In January, Murray and others called on President Trump to exempt all VA employees from the hiring freeze issued as part of his Day One Executive Orders.  

    Senator Murray has also repeatedly sounded the alarm over DOGE access at VA. She voted against Doug Collins’s nomination to be VA Secretary—making clear that the Trump administration’s lawlessness was putting our national security and our veterans at risk—and joined her colleagues in pressing Secretary Collins to take immediate actions to secure veterans’ personal information provided by VA or other agencies to Elon Musk and DOGE.

    The full text of Sens. Murray and Blumenthal’s letter can be found below and HERE.

    Dear Secretary Collins:

    We write to express our deep concerns regarding the impact of the ongoing federal hiring freeze on Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) research and the research programs funded by external entities that improve care and services for our nation’s veterans. The VA research enterprise has long been a pillar of medical innovation, responsible for groundbreaking advancements that have improved the lives of millions of veterans and Americans, and is a major recruitment tool in bringing top talent to the Department. Researchers at VA have been responsible for revolutionary medical achievements, including implanting the first successful cardiac pacemaker, developing the nicotine patch and other therapies for smokers, maintaining the nation’s largest genomic biorepository, and advancing prosthetics technology.  Without immediate action to address the recent hiring constraints imposed by the Trump Administration, critical research efforts—and the veterans who rely on them—are at risk.

    Hundreds of VA research-funded positions are in jeopardy due to the hiring freeze. This freeze impacts researcher positions funded by grants, which are awarded as part of competitive funding mechanisms based on peer-review. These roles are essential to the safe and effective conduct of ongoing VA-funded research, by ensuring compliance with biological safety, data security, and other critical protocols. Further, according to the National Association of Veterans’ Research and Education Foundations, during the next 90 days alone, VA could lose an additional 200 research personnel who directly support research to advance veterans’ health and healthcare access. These positions are either funded by non-VA entities, such as other federal agencies or philanthropic organizations, or are short-term assignments from academic institutions to allow VA to capitalize on specific expertise.

    These mechanisms are not only fiscally responsible, but essential to sustaining VA’s research mission. At a time when the Trump Administration claims to be hyper-focused on efficient use of taxpayer dollars, it is unacceptable that the Department has targeted cost-effective research aiming to improve veterans’ health outcomes. If these appointments are not processed, an estimated 370 studies and clinical trials could be canceled or suspended in the next 90 days, directly impacting up to 10,000 veterans currently participating in research studies.

    As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of VA research, we have a responsibility to safeguard its future. VA has been at the forefront of medical breakthroughs for a century, and continued investment in its research workforce is essential to ensuring that legacy endures. We strongly urge VA to swiftly reverse the hiring freeze and any related personnel decisions to prevent disruptions to research that directly contributes to improving veteran health outcomes.

    We appreciate your attention to this critical issue and stand ready to support swift efforts that will allow VA research to move forward without disruption.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murray, Warnock, Rep. Schrier Introduce Bill to Improve Children’s Health Care Access

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    ICYMI: Murray Slams Republican Plan for Deep Cuts to Medicaid That Will Rip Away Health Care From Millions

    In Washington state, over 1.83 million individuals rely on health care through Medicaid, including over 840,000 children

    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member and former Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA) introduced the Kids’ Access to Primary Care Act in the Senate—legislation that would require Medicaid to pay at least the same rate as Medicare for primary care services, which would incentivize more providers to participate in Medicaid and increase access to care for children and families. Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (D, WA-08) introduced the legislation in the House with Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (R, PA-01) and Kathy Castor (D, FL-14).

    “Medicaid is a lifeline for tens of millions of American families, especially women and children—one in five women and nearly half of all children in America get their health care through Medicaid. Our legislation is a commonsense solution that would encourage more providers to see Medicaid patients and make it easier for families who rely on Medicaid to get timely care close to home,” said Senator Murray. “Right now, Republicans are doubling down on their plans to make deep cuts to Medicaid and rip away health care from millions of people who need it—it’s dangerous and flat-out-wrong. I’ll keep fighting back and working to strengthen Medicaid and bring down the cost of health care in America.”

    “I’ve been in the Medicaid fight long before I got to the Senate, so I know the importance that affordable health care provides for so many Americans, including millions of children. In Georgia, kids make up over 70 percent of all Medicaid enrollees,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “Right now, nearly half of our country’s children get health care through Medicaid, which is why it’s so troubling that Washington Republicans are fighting to make cuts to health care access. That is why the Kids’ Access to Primary Care Act is so important. This commonsense solution shouldn’t be a partisan issue, kids and parents deserve the peace of mind that comes with knowing you have health care access.”

    “As a pediatrician, I have seen firsthand the impact that proper medical care can have for the health and well-being of families and children. The current Medicaid payment rate has led to fewer available doctors, longer waiting periods, and overall reduced health care coverage for families across the country,” said Congresswoman Schrier. “My bill offers a commonsense, clear solution. Almost half of the children in the United States are insured through Medicaid, so the best way to take care of our kids is to strengthen Medicaid.”

    “I want to thank Senator Murray and Representative Schrier for their unwavering commitment to children’s healthcare with the introduction of the Kids’ Access to Primary Care Act,” said Jeff Sperring, MD, CEO of Seattle Children’s Hospital. “Now, more than ever, ensuring that children’s healthcare is prioritized is of the upmost importance. Healthy kids means a healthy community and a healthy future- this bill puts us closer to that goal.” 

    “Timely access to primary care for children is non-negotiable. The AAFP supports the Kids’ Access to Primary Care Act, which will help raise Medicaid payment rates for primary care services to Medicare levels,” Jen Brull, MD, FAAFP, President, American Academy of Family Physicians. “Increasing access to Medicaid coverage leads to better health outcomes and reduces long standing health disparities. We urge Congress to pass this legislation to improve access to care and ensure family physicians have the resources they need to treat Medicaid patients.” 

    “The WSMA believes that primary care is the foundation of an effective, efficient, patient-centered healthcare system. Increasing Medicaid reimbursement rates to Medicare levels is essential to ensuring our patients have access to timely, quality healthcare,” said Washington State Medical Association President John Bramhall, MD, PhD. “Without adequate reimbursement, many physicians are unable to sustain their practices while serving this population, leading to reduced access to care, longer wait times, greater distances traveled, worsening health disparities, and associated increased healthcare costs. We applaud Congresswoman Schrier and Senator Murray for investing in the health of our communities by introducing the Kid’s Access to Primary Care Act of 2025.”

    “Children should be able to receive the health care they need, when they need it. For too long, low Medicaid payments have made it difficult for children to get timely care. The Kids’ Access to Primary Care Act takes a critical first step to address the barriers families face when trying to access high quality primary care. Raising Medicaid payments to at least Medicare rates for the same services will help ensure pediatricians and other primary care clinicians can provide the care children need to learn, grow, and thrive. The American Academy of Pediatrics thanks Senators Murray (D-Wash.) and Warnock (D-Ga.) for their leadership on this issue and calls on Congress to advance this legislation without delay,” said AAP President Susan Kressly, MD, FAAP.

    Right now, Medicaid pays a lower rate than Medicare for the same primary care procedures and services. This discrepancy severely reduces the number of providers who participate in Medicaid and limits access to health care for children and families. In Washington alone, over 1.83 million individuals are insured through Medicaid, including over 840,000 children who depend on the program for their health care needs. The Kids’ Access to Primary Care Act would improves Medicaid coverage by ensuring that providers are paid at least the same rate as they are for Medicare. Experts agree that higher Medicaid payment rates will broaden the provider network and increase access to care for Medicaid patients, including the more than half of children in the U.S who rely on Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

    Senator Murray has fought to strengthen and protect Medicaid throughout her career and previously led similar legislation that would raise the Medicaid reimbursement rate to Medicare levels for primary care services—the Ensuring Access to Primary Care for Women & Children Act—with former Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) in the 113th, 114th, 116th, and 117th Congresses.

    In the Senate, in addition to Senators Murray and Warnock, the Kids’ Access to Primary Care Act is also cosponsored by Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Peter Welch (D-VT).

    The legislation is supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Physicians, Seattle Children’s Hospital, and the Washington State Medical Association.

    The full text of the legislation is HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FACT SHEET: Trump and Musk Endanger Veterans’ Care, Heartlessly Fire Thousands Who’ve Served in Uniform

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Trump’s VA announced another round of 1,400 indiscriminate firings late Monday–jeopardizing veterans’ benefits and care

    VA’s cancellation of nearly 900 contracts supporting patient safety and veteran privacy, as well as its decision to reduce medical centers’ purchase card limits to $1, will further endanger veterans’ access to benefits and care

    Trump and Musk fire veterans across government

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, detailed how President Trump and his billionaire co-president Elon Musk’s hazardous directives and indiscriminate mass firings endanger the benefits and care veterans have earned and deserve–and how the two are thoughtlessly firing thousands of veterans who have served our nation in uniform who fulfill critical roles across the federal government.

    In a statement, Senator Murray said:

    “Donald Trump and Elon Musk are utterly betraying our veterans–indiscriminately firing men and women who have served our nation in uniform and endangering the care and benefits they deserve and have earned.

    “Trump and Musk’s heartless firings will worsen VA’s longstanding staffing shortage and force veterans to wait longer to have their claims handled, have their phone calls picked up, or even see a doctor. That is downright unacceptable.

    “Now, Trump and Musk are also paralyzing countless operations at VA hospitals across the country by essentially freezing their purchase cards–preventing them from buying more supplies for hospitals, operating shuttles for patients, covering lodging for veterans, and much more. This is a totally senseless and reckless move that is creating more chaos for VA providers and their patients. 

    “Trump and Musk have now fired thousands of veterans who–after serving their nation in uniform–have chosen to next serve their country as civilians. Now, these veterans are without jobs, wondering what they’ll do next and how they will provide for themselves and their families.

    “Trump and Musk are jeopardizing VA patient safety, and they are going to push out the VA staff that remain with their uninformed and thoughtless mandates and staffing cuts. This shutdown of the VA, bit by bit, must immediately stop.”

    INTENSIFYING VA’s STAFF SHORTAGE

    The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has long suffered severe staffing shortages, including in clinical positions, which have negatively impacted veterans’ ability to get the support, benefits, and care they need. 

    To address these shortages, VA has sought–and Congress has provided–expanded hiring authorities and increased pay and bonus schedules for certain VA employees, underscoring how serious staffing challenges have been. VA’s Office of Inspector General reported, for instance, 2,959 severe occupational staffing shortages at Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facilities in fiscal year 2024.

    Nonetheless, President Trump has not only initiated a federal hiring freeze but has indiscriminately fired thousands of VA staff–without providing information about who has been laid off or why.

    Trump and Musk have now fired more than 2,400 staff at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in mass–with VA announcing the firing of 1,000 staff on February 13 and another 1,400 on February 23. 

    VA has also lost other critical staff through the Trump administration’s “deferred resignation program.”

    ENDANGERING VETERANS’ ACCESS TO BENEFITS AND CARE—AND PATIENTS’ SAFETY

    Veterans deserve to be able to get the benefits and care they have earned, but Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s heartless firings of VA staff are threatening their ability to do just that.

    Firing VA employees will–among much else–likely force veterans to wait longer: 

    • To see health care providers; 
    • To have their disability claims adjudicated;
    • To have someone to pick up their calls at the Veterans Crisis Line; 
    • To have burial and funeral expense reimbursement requests processed;
    • And much more. 

    A number of staff supporting the Veterans Crisis Line–which provides 24/7, confidential crisis support for veterans and their loved ones–were among those fired by Trump and Musk.

    In 2022, Congress also passed the PACT Act, the largest expansion of veterans’ benefits in two decades, which requires a significant influx of resources and staff to deliver the benefits and care under the law. Trump and Musk’s firings–and hiring freeze–badly undercut VA’s ability to process claims under the law. The mass firings and the ongoing hiring freeze, which prohibits new disability claims raters from coming on board, will force the backlog of unprocessed claims to grow above 254,000.

    Firing long-time VA researchers also puts clinical trials that veterans are enrolled in at risk and jeopardizes research that could yield critical breakthroughs for veterans. 

    • Ongoing VA research is examining treatment options for PTSD and opioid addiction, as well as for cancer that was caused by veterans’ exposure to toxic chemicals, among much else. 
    • According to VA, in fiscal year 2024, there were 102 active research sites nationwide, with 3,685 active principal investigators who led 7,278 active funded research projects involving teams of researchers. In addition, VA investigators authored or coauthored 11,732 published research articles.

    VA’s dangerous directives this week, which they have already begun to walk back, cause more harmful chaos and confusion and also have detrimental impacts on the ability of veterans to receive their care and benefits. 

    • VA issued a blanket cancellation on Tuesday of nearly 900 contracts–supporting patient safety efforts like chemical waste disposal and monitoring of hospital air quality, systems providing secure storage of veterans’ private records, clinical recruitment efforts, and more. 
    • VA also implemented a decision to reduce purchase card limits to $1–curbing VA medical centers’ ability to purchase supplies and equipment they need to serve veterans or to provide lodging for transplant patients.  

    While the Trump administration tries to rehire clinical staff they have already fired and may ultimately walk back the purchase card limits and contract cancellations, it is clear that they are acting before thinking–and the people paying the price are veterans.

    BETRAYING VETERANS WITH ZERO JUSTIFICATION

    Beyond indiscriminately firing workers who help get veterans the benefits and care they have earned, Trump and Musk have also indiscriminately fired thousands of veterans who have served our country in uniform. In firing probationary and other federal workers across government, Trump and Musk have fired scores of veterans.

    • Veterans make up 30% of the federal workforce, and the federal government is the largest single employer of veterans in the country.
    • Trump and Musk have already fired nearly 6,000 veterans, by one recent estimate.
    • Federal agencies uniquely work to hire and accommodate veterans with service-related disabilities. Longstanding law requires, for example, that veterans who are disabled or who serve on active duty in the Armed Forces in military campaigns are entitled to preference over others in hiring from a list of eligible, competitive applicants. In 2021, there were 337,000 disabled Veterans serving in the federal government, making up 16% of the federal workforce.

    As one veteran in Washington state who was laid off by VA through no fault of his own told Senator Murray last week: 

    “I swore an oath to serve our country—first in the U.S. Army and then at the VA—only to be abruptly terminated by the very institution that promised to care for those who have served. My termination isn’t just a personal tragedy; it’s a stark reminder that our federal government is dismantling essential support systems for veterans and vulnerable communities. When cost-cutting means sacrificing dedicated, disabled service members and committed federal employees, it isn’t about efficiency—it’s about eroding the trust and dignity that our nation owes to those who answer the call to serve.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Banco Itaú Chile Files Material Event Notice Summoning to Annual Shareholders’ Meeting

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SANTIAGO, Chile, Feb. 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BANCO ITAÚ CHILE (SSE: ITAUCL) (the “Bank”) today announced that it filed a Material Event Notice with the Chilean Commission for the Financial Market reporting that the Bank scheduled its Annual Shareholders’ Meeting for April 24, 2025.

    The full Material Event Notice is available on the company’s investor relations website at ir.itau.cl.

    Investor Relations – Banco Itaú Chile

    IR@itau.cl / ir.itau.cl

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley, Baldwin Introduce Legislation to Crack Down on Foreign Investment in Farmland, Protect Rural Communities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    Foreign ownership of American farmland has increased 85 percent since 2010
    WASHINGTON – Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) introduced the Farmland Security Act of 2025 to build on their work to safeguard rural communities and protect American farmland from shady foreign investments.
    The bipartisan legislation builds on a Grassley-Baldwin law to ensure that all foreign investors, including “shell companies,” who buy American agricultural land report their holdings. It additionally strengthens penalties for those who evade filing and invests in research to better understand the impact foreign ownership of farmland has on agricultural production capacity.
    “Foreign purchases of American farmland needlessly increase competition for young and beginning farmers and potentially threaten our national security. Family farmers and ranchers have a justified cause for concern. Our commonsense legislation provides the resources needed to monitor these sales and protect against risks they may pose. It also increases penalties for violators, especially shell corporations, who fail to report or misreport their acreage. I’ll never stop fighting to support family farmers and protect our farmland,” Grassley said.
    “America’s farmland is critical to the health of our rural communities and our national security. But when foreign investors own farmland or our ability to process food, it can put our national security, domestic food supply, and local communities at risk. Our bipartisan legislation will help bring to light foreign investments in rural America, so we know who is buying up land critical to all of our safety and the future of our agricultural communities,” Baldwin said.
    Background:
    According to the Department of Agriculture (USDA), approximately 45 million acres of American agricultural land is under foreign ownership – and  85 percent increase since 2010. These investments have the potential to impact America’s food security and national security.
    As a then-member of the House of Representatives, Grassley helped author the first reporting requirements to ever address foreign ownership of farmland – the 1978 Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act also directed the USDA Secretary to analyze the information and determine the effects of foreign transactions and holdings on family farms and rural communities.
    The Grassley-Baldwin Farmland Security Act of 2022, which was signed into law as part of funding legislation for 2023, imposed requirements for USDA to create digital filings tracking foreign purchases of domestic agricultural land and establish a publicly accessible database of certain disaggregated foreign ownership data for research purposes. It also requires USDA to report to Congress on the impact these investments have on family farms, rural communities and the domestic food supply.
    The Farmland Security Act of 2025 takes additional steps to support transparency and better understand the scale and impact of foreign ownership by:
    Requiring research into trends of foreign-owned “shell corporations” purchasing American agricultural land;
    Requiring research into foreign ownership of agricultural production capacity and foreign participation in agricultural economic activity in the United States;
    Requiring USDA to conduct annual compliance audits of no less than ten percent of the reports to ensure completeness and accuracy of filings;
    Amending reports to Congress to require research into foreign entities’ agricultural leasing activities and the impact it has on rural communities, family farms and the domestic food supply;
    Requiring USDA to provide annual training to state and county-level staff on the identification of non-reporting foreign-owned agricultural land;
    Striking the cap on fee of 25% of the agricultural lands valuation for failing to report or misreporting foreign-owned acreage;
    Requiring a fee of 100% of the agricultural land’s valuation for shell corporations that are failing to report or misreporting foreign-owned acreage, except in cases where the shell corporation remedies non-filing or defective filing within 60 days of notice by the Secretary; and
    Authorizing $2 million annually for the activities prescribed under the Agriculture Foreign Investment Disclosure Act, as amended.
    Companion legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives by Reps. John Moolenaar (R-Mich.) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.).
    Full bill text is HERE. A one-pager on the legislation is available HERE.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Grassley-Durbin WSJ Letter to the Editor: What RFK Jr. Gets Right on Big Pharma

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    WASHINGTON – In a Wall Street Journal letter to the editor, Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) welcomed Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s support for enhanced transparency regarding direct-to-consumer (DTC) prescription-drug advertisements. Grassley and Durbin are leading bipartisan legislation to require price disclosures in DTC commercials.
    President Trump recently signed an Executive Order to empower patients and increase price transparency.
    Text of Grassley and Durbin’s letter to the editor follows:
    We write in regard to the Jan. 2 article “What RFK Jr.’s Dislike for Drug TV Commercials Could Mean for the Ad Industry” (CMO Today), describing Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s support for banning direct-to-consumer prescription-drug advertisements.
    The U.S. Senate previously passed our bipartisan measure to require price disclosures in these commercials. In fact, the last Trump administration supported our legislation. A federal watchdog review we requested found that nearly two-thirds of Medicare’s drug spending is on a small handful of costly medications shown on TV.
    We recently reintroduced our bipartisan bill to bring price transparency to prescription-drug advertising and put patients in the driver’s seat. By ending Big Pharma’s secrecy, patients will be empowered to make more informed choices. Drug corporations may also think twice about price increases or running commercials if they had to be honest about the cost.
    We look forward to working with the second Trump administration on this.
    Sen. Dick Durbin (D., Ill.)
    Sen. Chuck Grassley (R., Iowa)
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Announces Murkowski As New Cosponsor Of Bill To Grant Ukrainians Already In The U.S. Temporary Guest Status

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    February 26, 2025
    WASHINGTON – Following the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, announced U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) is a cosponsor of his Protecting our Guests During Hostilities in Ukraine Act, legislation that would provide temporary guest status to Ukrainians and their immediate family members who are already in the United States through the “Uniting for Ukraine” parole process. The bill allows Ukrainians to stay and work in the U.S. until the Secretary of State determines that hostilities in Ukraine have ceased and it is safe for them to return. In addition to Murkowski, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Peter Welch (D-VT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) are cosponsors of the legislation.
    “Three years ago, Putin began his brutal, criminal, full-scale invasion of Ukraine—which remains on the frontlines of democracy and transatlantic security,” said Durbin. “When the war started, Americans across the country opened their hearts and communities to Ukrainians fleeing Russian aggression. Both Republicans and Democrats petitioned President Biden to protect them from deportation. I’m glad Senator Murkowski joined my legislation to ensure Ukrainians lawfully present in the U.S. have temporary guest status until conditions in Ukraine are safe for return. I hope others will follow her lead.”
    “I have had the opportunity to visit with many Ukrainians who fled Russia’s unprovoked war who have found safety and community in Alaska. These families—and the Alaskans and Alaskan businesses who have supported and employed them—have expressed their strong desire to remain and work here,” said Murkowski. “Granting temporary guest status for Ukrainians already in the United States achieves this goal. As the war enters its fourth year, we must continue to provide the Ukrainians who have taken refuge in the U.S. a safe haven to weather the storm.”
    The individuals included in the bill already underwent rigorous vetting to ensure that they present no criminal or public safety risks. The legislation would also allow the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to revoke this temporary status if new information raises such concerns about any individual. Bill text can be found here.  
    The following organizations endorsed the Protecting our Guests During Hostilities in Ukraine Act: Refugee Council USA; Chin Association of Maryland; HIAS; World Relief; Center for Gender & Refugee Studies; Human Rights First; Church World Service; International Refugee Assistance Project; Global Refuge; Boat People SOS; Center for Victims of Torture; Jesuit Refugee Service; and Veterans forAmerican Ideals.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Exposes Trump’s Phony “Energy Emergency,” Which Will Only Cut American Jobs And Enrich Big Oil Billionaires

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    February 26, 2025
    In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin urges his colleagues to vote for Senator Kaine’s measure that will end President Trump’s fabricated “energy emergency”
    WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) disparaged the Trump Administration’s fabricated “energy emergency,” which President Trump declared in a vile effort to use additional presidential authority to fast-track the construction of oil pipelines and drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, among many other pro-fossil fuel projects.  The false emergency is a thinly veiled effort to appease President Trump’s wealthy donors at the expense of the planet, American jobs, home electric bills, and the U.S.’ energy independence from China.
    Durbin’s remarks came ahead of a vote on a measure introduced by U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) that would end the fictitious national energy emergency declared by President Trump through an Executive Order. 
    Durbin began his floor speech by emphasizing that, despite the Trump Administration’s claims, the United States has been thriving in energy production, particularly because of the Inflation Reduction Actprovisions that every congressional Republican voted against.
    “Among those Executive Orders [issued by President Trump] was his declaration of an ‘energy emergency.’  Turns out that the claim is not based on fact.  There is no ‘energy emergency’ in America.  Under the Biden Administration, we saw record deployment of wind, solar, biofuels, batteries, oil, gas, and nuclear.  In fact, the United States is producing more power than ever, and last year, the United States of America produced more oil than any nation in the history of the world,” Durbin said.  “And yet, President Trump continues to insist that America is on the verge of nationwide blackouts and that clean energy will raise prices.  [That is] Simply not true.”
    As Durbin underscores, President Trump’s emergency declaration was motivated by placating the billionaires that he asked for hefty campaign contributions from.  The declaration grants President Trump additional presidential authorities, allowing the Administration to circumvent critical environmental regulations and open up federal lands and waters for oil and gas drilling.  This will only enrich Big Oil executives while desecrating protected lands.
    “So what’s the reason for the President to try to mislead the American people? The short answer is that he wants to give handouts to his billionaire buddies in the fossil fuel industry,” Durbin said.  “Before Elon Musk showed up with his multi-billion-dollar fortune, it was reported that then-candidate Donald Trump invited fossil fuel executives to Mar-a-Lago to ask for – hold on to your seats – a one-billion-dollar campaign contribution.”  
    “Now that President Trump is in office, he is doing everything he can to keep those billionaires happy.  That means tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy, which is on its way I’m afraid, opening up federal lands and waters for drilling, and yes, declaring this phony energy emergency,” Durbin said.
    While President Trump falsely asserts that his declaration will support U.S. energy production, he failed to include any provisions to support fossil fuels’ cleanest competitors—wind and solar power.  As wind and solar power are the cheapest energy to produce, consumers who use this power, in turn, see a reduction in their energy costs. 
    In fact, President Trump’s so-called “energy emergency” could raise a family’s annual energy bills by up to 12 percent or around $500 a year.  In addition to costing Americans hundreds of dollars, the phony “energy emergency” could cost the country the 400,000 new jobs that Democrat-led investments have spurred since August 2022.
    “Wind and solar power is the cheapest energy in the world.  And those cheap prices get passed on to families…  I know personally.  A few years ago, my wife and I made the decision to install solar panels on the roof of our home.  Our home project gave union workers in my community a good-paying job, and it was just one project contributing to the hundreds of thousands of jobs created under the Biden Administration,” said Durbin. 
    “Since Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act was enacted two and a half years ago, more than one and a half million Americans have installed solar panels,” Durbin said.  “Every one of those installations also helped to create good-paying jobs for electricians, carpenters, and other workers, and supplying those panels created thousands of new jobs at factories around the country.  But President Trump was not impressed.  He wants to eliminate those jobs.”
    President Trump’s fabricated national emergency also jeopardizes the U.S.’ energy independence.  Earlier this month, the American solar industry reported that, for the first time ever, it had the capacity to meet the demand for all solar in the U.S.  Historically, China has dominated solar manufacturing by controlling at least 80 percent of the global market; however, the country was leading the sector by circumventing tariffs and using forced labor to produce solar panels.  Rather than invest in American-made clean energy and American jobs, President Trump is turning toward Big Oil billionaires and allowing China to overtake the U.S.’ energy sector.
    Durbin concluded his remarks by urging his colleagues, on both sides of the aisle, to stand up for American-made clean energy, American jobs, and American energy independence by voting to end President Trump’s fictional energy emergency.
    “We have an opportunity to undo the harms of one of President Trump’s many lies today…  We need to raise up American workers, lower utility bills, and put our country back on track to lead the world in clean energy.  I urge my colleagues to support the Kaine measure,” Durbin said.
    Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
    Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
    Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth, Durbin Join Pritzker and Illinois Congressional Delegation in Pressing White House on Withholding $1.8 Billion from Taxpayers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    February 26, 2025

    [WASHINGTON, DC] – Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and members of the Illinois congressional delegation in issuing a joint letter to White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought demanding action and accountability from OMB on the approximately $1.88 billion in funding that is illegally being withheld from Illinois taxpayers despite the funding being appropriated by Congress and numerous court orders.

    “On behalf of our constituents, we are seeking full transparency and accountability on any and all funding that has been paused or interrupted. If the Trump Administration is unable to follow the law and uphold their end of the deal, the people of our state deserve to know,” wrote the lawmakers in a letter to OMB Director Vought.

    The letter provides an update that as of mid-February many agencies and organizations in Illinois have reported an inability to access funds, with some in danger of needing to pause operations, cancel projects, or lay off staff. Impacted grant programs and organizations include, but are not limited to:

    • Nine state agencies, boards and commissions have a total of $692 million in federal funds obligated but not yet received and they are unable to access those funds.
    • 10 state agencies, boards and commissions have a total of $1.19 billion in federal funds anticipated/awarded but not yet obligated and the grants/programs are essentially paused.
    • 14 state agencies, boards and commissions have a total of $1.88 billion in impacted federal funds, including the Illinois Department of Agriculture, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Illinois Community College Board, Illinois Emergency Management Agency, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, Illinois Finance Authority, the Illinois Department of Human Rights, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Illinois Power Agency, Illinois Department of Transportation, Illinois State Board of Education, Illinois Commerce Commission, Illinois Department of Labor and Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services.

    A copy of the full letter is available on the Senator’s website and below:

    Dear Director Vought:

    As we write this letter, the federal government continues to withhold $1.88 billion from Illinois. These are federal funds that were passed by Congress, signed into law, and promised to Illinois. State agencies, small businesses, nonprofit organizations, and everyday citizens across Illinois— including in rural communities—are still having trouble accessing allocated federal funding. We have an obligation to Illinois taxpayers and residents to demand answers about the future of this funding, including when the Trump Administration will follow the law and make good on the federal government’s promise to deliver hard-earned taxpayer dollars back into Illinois’ economy, workforce, and communities.

    The evening of January 27th, our offices read in the news that the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) had released a memorandum directing Federal agencies to “temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all federal financial assistance.” Throughout the following day, we received widespread reports of system outages and lockouts that prevented grantees from accessing entitled funding. Attempted communications with government liaisons were often ignored and public statements from the White House were inconsistent with the experiences of our grantees.

    Since then, despite OMB’s rescission of the memo, we have continued to receive reports from agencies and organizations detailing their inability to access funds. This uncertainty over receiving future, assured funds, along with little clarity provided by the Administration, has forced many to pause operations, cancel projects, or cut staff.

    We are seeking clarity on your actions, as well as assurances that you will legally uphold your financial commitments to the State of Illinois. These funds have been contractually agreed to, allocated, and planned around by their recipients—which include childcare providers, educational institutions, small businesses, community and economic development organizations, and more. Needless to say, the restriction of these funds will have a detrimental impact on vulnerable people, local economies, and the state as a whole.

    As of February 24, 2025, impacted grants programs and organizations include, but are not limited to:

    • Nine state agencies, boards, and commissions have a total of $692 million in federal funds obligated but not yet received, and they are unable to access those funds.
    • 10 state agencies, boards, and commissions have a total of $1.19 billion in federal funds anticipated/awarded but not yet obligated, and the grants/programs are essentially paused.
    • In total, this constitutes $1.88 billion in impacted federal funds across 14 state agencies, boards, and commissions in Illinois, including the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Illinois Community College Board, Illinois Emergency Management Agency, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, Illinois Finance Authority, the Illinois Department of Human Rights, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Illinois Power Agency, Illinois Department of Transportation, Illinois State Board of Education, Illinois Commerce Commission, Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities, Illinois Department of Labor, and Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services.

    These frozen funds impact programs that provide technical assistance for small businesses, provide affordable solar energy for low-income residents, improve roads and bridges, and more.

    On behalf of our constituents, we are seeking full transparency and accountability on any and all funding that has been paused or interrupted. If the Trump Administration is unable to follow the law and uphold their end of the deal, the people of our state deserve to know.

    Pursuant to that, we ask that you answer the following questions by March 4, 2025:

    1. Please identify any forms of federal financial assistance for which federal funding disbursements did not promptly resume following the recission of OMB Memorandum M-25-13.
    2. For all forms of federal financial assistance that did not promptly resume, please describe the steps you have taken or will take to resume the disbursement of funds in compliance with court orders. Also indicate when the disbursement of funds can be expected to resume.
    3. For any disbursement of funds that have not been promptly resumed, and following two federal judges issuing temporary restraining orders regarding the funding freeze, what is your legal basis for continuing to withhold funds?
    4. What steps have you taken to identify and communicate with grant recipients who have been negatively affected by this oversight?
    5. What steps will you take to ensure that this issue does not occur again?

    We appreciate your timely attention to this matter.

    Sincerely,

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Trump says to impose 25 pct tariffs on EU cars, other products

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that his administration has made a decision to impose 25 percent tariffs on products from the European Union (EU), including cars.

    “We have made a decision. We’ll be announcing it very soon, and it’ll be 25 percent generally speaking, and that’ll be on cars and all other things,” Trump told reporters at a White House cabinet meeting.

    U.S. President Donald Trump returns to the White House via Marine One in Washington, D.C., the United States, Feb. 22, 2025. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)

    Trump claimed that the European Union has “taken advantage of” the United States. “They don’t accept our cars, they don’t accept, essentially, our farm products. They use all sorts of reasons why not. And we accept everything of them, and we have about a 300 billion dollar deficit with the European Union,” he said.

    Politico previously reported that the 300-billion-U.S.-dollar deficit is overstated. “In 2023, the U.S. goods trade deficit with the bloc was 155.8 billion euros, according to EU data. In services, however, the U.S. had a surplus of 104 billion euros, bringing the overall trade balance to 51.8 billion euros (roughly 56 billion U.S. dollars),” according the report.

    When asked by a reporter whether he would continue to delay tariffs on Mexico and Canada due to progress on border control, Trump said he would not prevent the tariffs from taking effect and claimed that the influx of fentanyl had caused “millions of deaths.”

    “I’m not stopping the tariffs. No,” Trump said.

    U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick explained two key deadlines related to the tariffs. Previously, the tariffs on Mexico and Canada had been delayed for one month and is set to take effect on March 4, and the two countries needed to prove to the president before the deadline that they had taken satisfactory actions in controlling the entry of fentanyl. Trump said that “it will be hard to satisfy.”

    Lutnick also noted that the overall tariff actions against more countries would be implemented on April 2.

    On Feb. 1, Trump signed an executive order to impose a 25 percent tariff on goods imported from Mexico and Canada, with a 10 percent tariff increase specifically for Canadian energy products. On Feb. 3, Trump announced that the additional tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada would be deferred for one month, allowing more time for negotiations.

    On Monday, Trump said that tariffs on Mexico and Canada will “go forward.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Video: Kaine Speaks on Senate Floor Ahead of Vote to Terminate Trump’s Sham Energy Emergency

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

    BROADCAST-QUALITY VIDEO OF KAINE IS AVAILABLE HERE.

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) spoke on the Senate floor to highlight the ways President Donald Trump’s war on American-made energy—including through his sham national energy emergency—will raise costs and cost Americans good-paying jobs. Later today, the Senate will vote on legislation led by Kaine and U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) to terminate President Trump’s emergency declaration.

    “President Trump took a number of actions on his first day in office, and many of them got a lot of attention. One that didn’t get so much attention was his decision on day one—on day one—to declare that the United States was in an energy emergency,” said Kaine.

    “I am proud to stand here and tell you, especially as one who has supported many of the policies that has led to this growth in American energy, that America is producing more energy today than at any point in the history of this nation. America is the leader in the world in energy production, and for the last few years, we’ve been an energy surplus nation, producing more than we consume,” Kaine continued.

    Kaine said, “Donald Trump and his Administration are attacking wind projects. They’re attacking solar projects. They’re attacking clean energy projects that aren’t oil, coal, natural gas, and nuclear, and by doing so, they’re reducing supply and likely raising prices on American consumers.”

    “There are a number of projects in Virginia, as an example, that benefited from tax breaks included either in the Inflation Reduction Act for clean energy projects or the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for rollout of electric vehicle charging,” Kaine said. “President Trump’s Administration has attacked those projects, has put them on hold, and the Virginians who were intending to invest billions of dollars hiring people to build these projects are now uncertain about what they can do.”

    “This would be more than a horrible policy… It would also set a horrible precedent—a precedent that a president of either party can invent a sham emergency and then grab away from Congress powers that Congress has under Article One,” Kaine concluded. “We took an oath to a Constitution that gives Congress certain powers. We should not let the President trample on those powers.”

    In the hours following his inauguration on January 20, 2025, President Trump signed a slew of executive orders, including the national energy emergency order, to withdraw support for renewable energy—despite its benefits to America’s economy and environment—and grant his administration new powers to promote fossil fuels at the cost of bedrock environmental laws. Specifically, the emergency will benefit Big Oil by giving his unelected Cabinet officials the power to oversee the accelerated approval of fossil fuel projects, including oil drilling rigs and pipelines, and explore the use of eminent domain to take Americans’ land for the “siting, production, transportation, refining, and generation” of non-solar and non-wind-related energy production.

    Last week, Kaine and Heinrich held a press conference with environmental leaders to urge their colleagues to support their legislation to end the emergency.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaine & Heinrich Statement Regarding Republicans’ Rubber-Stamping of Trump’s War on Affordable, American-Made Energy

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM), the Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, released the following statement after their legislation to terminate the national energy emergency President Donald Trump declared to benefit Big Oil was blocked by Senate Republicans, thereby rubber-stamping Trump’s war on American-made energy that will raise energy costs and kill good-paying jobs:

    “The United States is producing more energy than any country in the world at any point in history. If President Trump wants to find the real emergency, he should look in the mirror. His war on American-made energy is yet another Trump mistake that will weaken our economy, raise prices, and kill new, good-paying jobs. And today’s vote goes to show, once again, that Senate Republicans refuse to do their jobs and put the American people above the wish lists of Trump’s donors and billionaire energy tycoons. To our colleagues: don’t say we didn’t warn you when your constituents’ energy bills go through the roof. To the American people: we’re going to keep fighting for you.”

    In the hours following his inauguration on January 20, 2025, President Trump signed a slew of executive orders, including the national energy emergency order, to withdraw support for renewable energy—despite its benefits to America’s economy and environment—and grant his administration new powers to promote fossil fuels at the cost of bedrock environmental laws. Specifically, the emergency will benefit Big Oil by giving his unelected cabinet officials the power to oversee the reckless approval of fossil fuel projects, including oil drilling rigs and pipelines, and explore the use of eminent domain to take Americans’ land for the “siting, production, transportation, refining, and generation” of non-solar and non-wind-related energy production.    

    Since August 2022, Democrat-led investments have created an American-made energy boom, spurring the highest levels of factory construction in American history, with more than 400,000 new jobs announced across the country. Trump’s war on American-made energy will kill these new jobs and raise families’ annual energy bills by up to 12 percent. That’s $32 billion more in total household energy costs over the next five years.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WATCH: Senator Reverend Warnock Defends Consumer Protections Under Threat by DOGE

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    WATCH: Senator Reverend Warnock Defends Consumer Protections Under Threat by DOGE

    During a Wednesday Senate Democratic Banking Committee forum, Senator Reverend Warnock spotlighted disastrous harm for Georgia families because of the Trump Administration’s reckless attack on consumer protection, gutting the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)
    The special hearing followed the recent news of the dissolution of CFPB, one of many federal agencies gutted by the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)
    Senator Reverend Warnock is a member of the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Protection, which he chaired last Congress, and which oversees the CFPB
    In partnership with Senator Reverend Warnock, CFPB addressed 266,560 complaints from Georgians, including 20,168 from servicemembers in the state
    Senator Reverend Warnock on DOGE: “The CFPB is the only financial regulator dedicated solely to protecting Americans’ wallets and pocketbooks from scammers and predatory financial services companies”

    Watch Senator Reverend Warnock at the special Banking hearing HERE
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), member and former chair of the Senate Banking Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Protection, which oversees the CFPB (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau), highlighted the benefits and savings provided by the CFPB and the disasters consequences of this new administration’s efforts to dismantle the agency.
    The special hearing was organized by Ranking Member of the Banking Committee, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and aimed to highlight the repercussions of dismantling the CFPB, which was ordered by the Elon Musk-led DOGE earlier this month.
    “If you want to see what government efficiency looks like, it’s a government agency that gets this kind of response [quick], often from bad actors who don’t want to respond, and has returned some $21 billion not to the Treasury, but to the American consumer,” said Senator Reverend Warnock during the special hearing.
    Some of the key witnesses included a former CFPB employee and others who had benefited from the work of the CFPB. Elon Musk was invited to the hearing, but did not attend.
    Last Congress, Senator Warnock worked extensively with CFPB Chair, Rohit Chopra, to return funds and protect Georgians from future financial hardship, including:
    Watch the Senator’s full remarks and line of questioning HERE. 
    See below transcript of the key exchange between Senator Warnock and the hearing witnesses:
    Senator Reverend Warnock (SRW): “We’re here today because of an unelected billionaire – nobody elected Elon Musk – posing as co-President, is trying to delete the CFPB (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau), the only financial regulator dedicated solely to protecting Americans’ wallets and pocketbooks from scammers and predatory financial services companies.”
    “The CFPB, let’s be reminded why it was created. It was created in the wake of the financial crisis that Americans saw when Wall Street bankers got bailed out while millions lost their jobs, lost their homes, lost their life savings, lost their retirements.”
    “Let me get right to the questions because we all understand just how critical this issue is, but let me just point out that when you file a complaint with the bureau, the CFPB sends it directly to the company on your behalf. Americans need to know what they’re getting. Most companies respond within 15 days, it took less than that for Ms. McCall.  This is a model of government efficiency, that’s the tragic irony of this moment.”
    “If you want to see what government efficiency looks like, it’s a government agency that gets this kind of response, often from bad actors who don’t want to respond, and has returned some $21 billion not to the treasury, but to the American consumer.”
    “One predatory practice that has increased costs on consumers that Donald Trump says he wants to address are these opaque hidden fees. If you want to address consumer costs, deal with junk fees. These fees can prevent a working mom from being able to afford a routine car repair so she can get to work. They could mean a person with diabetes cannot afford their insulin or that a family may have to skip a meal during the week to make ends meet.”
    “Ms. Salas, what effects have the bureau’s policies, toward limiting junk fees had on consumers?”
    Ms. Salas (MS): “We placed a lot of emphasis on looking at junk fees across different markets for consumers, we looked at the mortgage market, we looked at banks, and other finance companies in the last two or three years. And in addition to the litigation that my colleagues in the enforcement team have brought to the courts, we have instructed, we have advised companies to refund consumers – over $350 million just in the work that supervision does, and that is money that consumers, American families don’t even know it was the bureau behind the company saying ‘You must give this money back’ because again the work is confidential.”
    (SRW): “So very efficient, very effective.”
    “What do you anticipate happening if congressional Republicans repeal the overdraft fee rule?”
    (MS): “I’m afraid we will go back to where we were a few years ago where consumers didn’t quite understand why they were paying all these fees on their bank accounts, on their savings, on their checking accounts, because of the complicated ways in which banks decided to order the different payments, and for people who are struggling to make ends meet, you cannot afford to lose $25, $30, $100 from your bank account.”
    (SRW): “One last question. Consumer or medical debt is a major problem in our country, we see it, especially in Georgia. According to the CFPB data as of June 2023, about 5% of Americans had unpaid medical bills on their credit reports down from 15% in March of 2022.”
    “From 15 percent now to 5 percent.”
    “Ms. Gillen, it is coming up on 2 years since the credit bureaus made this announcement. What changes have you seen on applicants’ mortgage applications and has this change made it easier for Americans to rightfully qualify for a mortgage?”
    Ms. Gillen (MG): “Yes, I have seen fewer medical debts being reported, but guilty as charged, if I see medical debt, I’ll have the borrower dispute the charge, and I’ll pull a new credit report.”
    (SRW): “Well, good for you, and the CFPB magnifies that many, many times over.”

    MIL OSI USA News –