NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUYLKILL COUNTY – Governor Shapiro to Visit Child Care Center to Highlight Proposed Investments to Recruit and Retain Child Care Workers, Expand Access to Quality Services

    Source: US State of Pennsylvania

    February 25, 2025 – Pottsville, PA

    ADVISORY – SCHUYLKILL COUNTY – Governor Shapiro to Visit Child Care Center to Highlight Proposed Investments to Recruit and Retain Child Care Workers, Expand Access to Quality Services

    Governor Josh Shapiro will visit The Perception Training Center to talk about the major investments in workforce development in his 2025-26 Budget Proposal and his plans for expanding Pennsylvania’s child care workforce and making child care more affordable.

    During his first two years in office, Governor Shapiro signed into law a historic expansion of the Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit and created a new tax credit for businesses who want to contribute to their employees’ child care costs. Those two initiatives helped make child care more affordable – and the Governor’s proposal this year would make child care more available through an investment of $55 million to support child care workforce recruitment and retention grants.

    WHO:
    Governor Josh Shapiro
    Senator David Argall
    Representative Tim Twardzik
    Michelle Dallago, Owner and Executive Director of Perception Early Learning, Inc.
    Bob Carl, President and CEO of the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce
    Meridith Driscoll, Parent

    WHEN:
    TOMORROW, Tuesday, February 25, 2025 at 10:15AM

    WHERE:
    The Perception Training Center, Inc.
    1265 Laurel Boulevard,
    Pottsville, PA 17901

    LIVE STREAM:
    pacast.com/live/gov
    governor.pa.gov/live/

    RSVP:
    Press who are interested in attending must RSVP with the names and phone numbers for each member of their team to ra-gvgovpress@pa.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Colorado Airports Contribute $68.9 Billion Annually to State’s Economy

    Source: US State of Colorado

    WATKINS, CO –The Colorado Department of Transportation’s (CDOT) Division of Aeronautics is pleased to announce the results of the 2025 Colorado Aviation Economic Impact Study (CEIS). This comprehensive study aims to quantify the economic contributions of airports across the state, updating the previous analysis conducted in 2020. 

    “The aeronautics industry in Colorado creates jobs, boosts economic growth, and contributes to the success of our agricultural and trade partnerships. International and domestic air travel in Colorado has contributed to aeronautical business retention within our state, and opened up job opportunities that have fostered a skilled-workforce here in Colorado” said Governor Polis. 

    The 2025 CEIS evaluates the economic impact of on-airport activities and visitor spending at each participating airport. In addition to these key metrics, the study explores the critical role of airports in facilitating air cargo operations, driving economic growth, and supporting Colorado’s agriculture industry. It also examines tax revenues generated by aviation-related activities and highlights the significant economic contribution of Denver International Airport. 

    The 2025 study assessed the annual economic impact of 66 public-use airports in Colorado, measuring their contributions in terms of employment, payroll, value added, and total business revenue. The findings revealed that these airports collectively generate $68.9 billion in annual business revenue, support 348,500 jobs with a total payroll of $23.5 billion, and contribute $40.3 billion in value added. While employment levels remained relatively steady, the study highlighted a significant 42% increase in annual business revenue associated with Colorado airports from 2020 to 2025. 

    “This crucial study underscores the vital importance of airports and air travel for communities large and small throughout Colorado,” said Colorado Aeronautical Board Chair Kent Holsinger. 

    “Since opening thirty years ago this week, DEN’s exponential passenger growth and emergence as a central hub in the global aviation market has contributed to it being a multi-billion-dollar economic engine for the Denver metro area, Colorado and the entire Rocky Mountain region. This is something we are incredibly proud of, and it’s a responsibility we take seriously,” Denver International Airport CEO Phil Washington said. 

    The 2025 CEIS deliverables, including the executive summary, individual airport brochures, and animated flight maps, are now accessible at https://www.coloradoaviationsystem.com/2025-ceis. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville, Paul Introduce Legislation to Overhaul NIAID

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
    Legislation would make national research institute directors Senate-confirmed positions
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) to introduce the NIH Reform Act to increase congressional oversight on leadership at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). The NIH Reform Act would separate the NIAID into three national research institutes: the National Institute of Allergic Diseases, the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, and the National Institute of Immunologic Diseases. Each new institute would be led by directors subject to Senate confirmation and limited to no more than two five-year-terms to prevent the unchecked authority that led to disastrous mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic.
    “Anthony Fauci single-handedly shut down small businesses, forced our children out of classrooms, and took away the opportunity for many Americans to say goodbye to loved ones during the COVID pandemic,” said Senator Tuberville. “It’s scary to think that someone who was never elected – or even confirmed by the Senate – had so much power over health care decisions that impacted millions of Americans.  We need greater transparency in our government’s institutions to ensure this never happens again. I’m proud to join Senator Paul in this legislation to increase oversight of the NIH and give the American people greater transparency surrounding our government institutions.”
    “For nearly four decades, Dr. Anthony Fauci sat atop a bureaucratic empire, wielding unchecked power over public health policy—despite never being confirmed by the Senate once,” said Dr. Paul. “He dictated mandates that shut down businesses, kept kids out of school, and trampled individual liberties—all while being the highest-paid official in the federal government. That kind of power without oversight is dangerous, and my legislation will ensure it never happens again. This legislation will bring accountability and oversight into a taxpayer-funded position that has largely abused its power and has been responsible for many failures and misinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
    U.S. Representative Chip Roy (R-TX-21) introduced the legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
    Complete text of the bill can be found here.
    BACKGROUND:
    Dr. Anthony Fauci was Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for over 38 years—longer than J. Edgar Hoover was Director of the FBI. By the time he retired, he was the highest paid official in the entire federal government. Yet the Senate never voted to confirm him once. Current law does not require Senate confirmation of the NIAID Director.
    The NIAID’s stated mission is “to better understand, treat, and ultimately prevent infectious, immunologic, and allergic diseases.” This sweeping mandate covers everything from asthma to Ebola, from peanut allergies to the plague. As the head of that institute, Dr. Fauci installed himself as a de facto pandemic czar, advocating for misguided policies like mandatory vaccinations for school-aged children (one of the populations least at risk from COVID-19).
    To improve accountability of the NIH, the NIH Reform Act will restructure the NIAID to better align with its mission as follows:
    Abolish the NIAID and replace it with the following three new institutes:
    National Institute of Allergic Diseases
    National Institute of Infectious Diseases
    National Institute of Immunologic Diseases
    The directors of each new institute would be:
    Appointed by the president
    Subject to Senate confirmation
    Limited to no more than two 5-year terms
    This type of reorganization is nothing new. In the aftermath of J. Edgar Hoover’s decades-long tenure as head of the FBI, Congress passed a law in 1976 limiting the FBI Director to a single 10-year term, and as recently as 2012, Congress eliminated one center within the NIH and replaced it with a new one. In the aftermath of the damage done by pandemic-era mandates and restrictions, Congress must enact the NIH Reform Act to ensure that one official cannot claim the unquestioned authority to dictate the federal response to public health emergencies.
    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Statement from Premier Pillai on the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine

    Statement from Premier Pillai on the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine
    jlutz

    Premier Ranj Pillai has issued the following statement:

    “Three years ago today, Russia launched its illegal and unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine. This war has caused immense suffering and its effects have been felt around the world, including here in the Yukon.

    “Ukrainians living in the Yukon are an important part of our community and I want to express my deepest condolences to them and to everyone affected by this ongoing conflict. We stand with them in hope for peace.

    “For the past three years, Ukrainians have shown incredible strength and resilience – they are not only fighting for their own freedom but also for the principles of sovereignty, democracy and international law.

    “Today, we think of our brothers and sisters in Chortkiv, Ukraine, a sister city of Whitehorse. I think back fondly to my meeting with Mayor Volodymyr Shmatko and his delegation of Chortkiv residents who visited the Yukon in 2023.

    “I want to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of members of the Ukrainian Canadian Association of Yukon, who have helped welcome Ukranian newcomers to the territory and have worked with Yukoners to collect and deliver medicines, supplies and supports to hospitals and other agencies in Ukraine. Their work is not just important – it is an example of the kindness, compassion and strength of all Yukoners.

    “Today – and every day – let us reaffirm our support for Ukraine and its right to remain free and independent. Ukraine’s fight is a fight for democracy everywhere. We honour those who have suffered and never forget the importance of standing together in the face of injustice.

    “Слава Україні! Героям Слава! Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the Heroes!”

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE worksite enforcement operation results in the arrest of three illegal aliens

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    KENNETT SQUARE, Pa – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, working with the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, conducted a worksite enforcement operation at Chavos Tires in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, Feb. 21. Three employees, who are illegal aliens unlawfully present in the United States were encountered, interviewed, and subsequently arrested for administrative immigration violations and detained pending removal. One of those arrested has a criminal history of driving under the influence and assault.

    “The worksite enforcement operation at Chavos Tires is a prime example of our commitment to upholding the laws established by the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. By ensuring employers hire legally verified employees, we help protect jobs for U.S. citizens and lawfully employed individuals, eliminate unfair competitive advantages, and strengthen public safety and national security,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Philadelphia Special Agent in Charge Edward V. Owens. “The arrest of three individuals unlawfully present in the United States, underscores the importance of our ongoing efforts to promote compliance with U.S. employment laws and deter illegal employment practices.”

    This investigation began after ICE received information the business was hiring illegal aliens and could be involved with labor exploitation. The investigation into the business operations is ongoing.

    Under federal law, employers are required to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all individuals they hire, and to document that information using the Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9. ICE uses the I-9 inspection program to promote compliance with the law, part of a comprehensive strategy to address and deter illegal employment. Inspections are one of the most powerful tools the federal government uses to ensure that businesses are complying with U.S. employment laws.

    ICE’s worksite enforcement strategy includes leveraging the agency’s other investigative disciplines, since worksite investigations can often involve additional criminal activity, such as alien smuggling, human trafficking, money laundering, document fraud, worker exploitation and/or substandard wage and working conditions.

    ICE uses a three-pronged approach to worksite enforcement: compliance, from I-9 inspections, civil fines and referrals for debarment; enforcement, through the criminal arrest of employers and administrative arrest of unauthorized workers.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Environment – Invasive predators from the ocean: not only ships, but also many fish use the Panama Canal

    Source: Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB)

    The Panama Canal is a busy maritime route, with 14,000 ships passing through it every year. But this canal is also a potential pathway for the spread of non- native fishes from one ocean to another. 

    Researchers at the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Freie Universität Berlin, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama and Harvard University have now compared the fish communities of Lake Gatun in the Panama Canal aquatic corridor before and after the canal’s expansion in 2016. 

    Since the extensive structural changes to the canal’s lock system, significantly more marine fish species have entered the freshwater lake; they now make up 76 percent of the total biomass of the fish population and are primarily large predatory fishes. 

    As a result, the lake’s food web is changing and local fisheries are heavily impacted. There is also an increased risk that some species will pass through the canal and colonize the opposite ocean – with important ecological and evolutionary consequences.

    Maritime shipping is one of the most important introduction pathways for invasive species. Historically, species introductions through the Panama Canal have been relatively low, largely due to the existence of a soft barrier – the freshwater artificial Lake Gatun – inside the Canal. However, the 2016 expansion of the Panama Canal involved major structural changes to the canal’s lock system, which may have increased the likelihood that more marine fish species and greater numbers of them enter the lake and eventually cross the canal. This is because the new locks for the passage of mega-ships (called Neopanamax) are substantially larger than the old ones. So for every ship transit through the new locks, more freshwater flows into the sea, but also more seawater enters Lake Gatun – and therefore potentially more marine fishes.

    The research team compared the fish populations before (2013-2016) and after (2019-2023) the expansion of the canal. They used a unique long-term series of scientific standardized catch data on the number, biomass and spatial distribution of the fish community. “The Panama Canal has the potential to connect the marine biota of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, which have been separated for three million years. Before the canal’s expansion, this potential was relatively low. Now it looks that the permeability of the canal to interoceanic invasions is increasing after its expansion”, said Gustavo A. Castellanos-Galindo. He is one of the two lead authors of the study and a researcher at IGB, FU Berlin and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.

    After the canal expansion: the proportion of marine fish species in total mass increased from 26 to 76 percent

    Since 2016, the composition of the fish community in Lake Gatun has significantly shifted from freshwater to marine fish species. Before the canal’s expansion, marine fishes made up only 26 percent of the total fish biomass; now they account for 76 percent. Of these species, 18 are originally from the Atlantic and five from the Pacific. Prior to 2016, around 57 percent of the biomass of the lake’s fish community consisted of non-native freshwater fishes, particularly the Peacock Bass (Cichla ocellaris var. monoculus) and the Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), while native freshwater fishes made up 17 percent. After the expansion, native and non-native freshwater fish species make up only 11 and 13 percent of the total fish biomass, respectively.

    Large predatory fishes from the ocean change the food web and thus the fish stocks for local fisheries

    The researchers also looked at functional groups. These are groups of fish species that use environmental resources in a similar way. With this approach, the impact of the altered fish community on the ecosystem can be better assessed. The team found 15 new functional groups in the fish community of Lake Gatun following the canal’s expansion. The most representative group (by weight) are large pelagic predators, such as the Atlantic Tarpon (Megalops atlanticus). Conversely, eight groups from the pre-enlargement period are missing: they correspond mainly to native freshwater fish species, mostly small in size, that feed on detritus or are omnivores, for example Brycon petrosus. “The food web in Lake Gatun is being severely altered by the novel marine fish species. This has also important impacts on local fisheries”, said Prof. Jonathan Jeschke, co-author of the study and researcher at IGB and FU Berlin.

    Risk of interoceanic invasions

    The researchers also investigated the risk that these changes pose for possible interoceanic migrations. “The increase in marine organisms in this water corridor could represent a potential invasion in progress, increasing the likelihood that some species will pass through the canal and colonize the opposite ocean. Since most of these marine fish are apex predators with a broad niche range, their colonization of the Atlantic and Pacific is likely to alter ecological interactions and possibly lead to ecosystem-level changes”, said Gustavo A. Castellanos-Galindo.

    Publication:

    Gustavo A. Castellanos-Galindo, Diana M.T. Sharpe, D. Ross Robertson, Victor Bravo, Jonathan M. Jeschke, Mark E. Torchin, New fish migrations into the Panama Canal increase likelihood of interoceanic invasions in the Americas, Current Biology, 2025, ISSN 0960-9822, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2025.01.049

    Gustavo A. Castellanos-Galindo, IGB: https://www.igb-berlin.de/en/profile/gustavo-castellanos-galindo

    About the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB):

    IGB is Germany’s largest and one of the leading international centres for freshwater research. It is also one of the oldest institutions in this field. The roots of the predecessor institutions can be traced back to the end of the 19th century. Today, science at IGB covers a wide range of disciplines – from hydrology, physics, geography, ecology and evolution to socio-ecology, from molecular biology to the study of entire ecosystems and catchments, and from microbial ecology to fish behaviour. 

    Our findings and methods provide an excellent basis to train young scientists and to promote an open knowledge exchange with society. Thus, we contribute to coping with ecological and societal challenges, such as the adaptation to global change, the conservation of aquatic biodiversity and the sustainable use and management of inland waters. https://www.igb-berlin.de/en/

    IGB Newsroom: https://www.igb-berlin.de/en/newsroom

    IGB Newsletter: https://www.igb-berlin.de/en/newsletter

    IGB at Bluesky: @leibnizigb.bsky.social 

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 02.24.2025 Sens. Cruz, Cornyn, Schumer, Gillibrand Reintroduce Border Airport Fairness Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas Ted Cruz
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) introduced the Border Airport Fairness Act, legislation that would designate user fee airports within 30 miles of a land border as a port of entry (POE) and eliminate duplicative government fees.
    Upon introduction of the Border Airport Fairness Act, Sen. Cruz said, “Congress needs to take advantage of every opportunity to improve efficiency in logistics and travel in the United States. By giving our border airports the designation they deserve, we will put them on the same footing as all the other similarly situated primary commercial service airports. This will boost commerce in the Rio Grande Valley and upstate New York and reduce repetitive costs that affect both airports and travelers. As Commerce Committee Chairman, I look forward to working with my colleagues to get this important legislation enacted.”
    Sen. Cornyn said, “Right now, airports in Harlingen, Texas, and Plattsburgh, New York, have to pay to hire U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents despite their close proximity to the border, resulting in higher costs for both the airports and travelers. This legislation would designate these airports as official ports of entry, requiring CBP to provide agents.”
    Sen. Gillibrand said, “This is a commonsense, bipartisan bill that will designate Plattsburgh International Airport as a port of entry. This change will save the airport hundreds of thousands of dollars each year – money that the airport will then be able to spend on infrastructure upgrades and passenger experience improvements. I’m proud to be introducing this bill and look forward to getting it passed.”
    Read the full text of the bill here.
    BACKGROUND
    Currently, user fee airports like the Valley International Airport (VIA) in Harlingen, Texas, and Plattsburgh International Airport (PBG) are the only two Primary Commercial Service airports in close proximity to a U.S. border land crossing that are not ports of entry and are not international or landing rights airports. This designation means that these airports must pay potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars to staff the airport with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents. While these existing airports, and other potential future airports, qualify as ports of entry under the CBP’s criteria through their association with the nearest land border crossing, they have not received this designation—resulting in increased costs for these airports and travelers who fly in and out of these airports.
    Sen. Cruz, Cornyn, and Gillibrand previously introduced this legislation during the 118th Congress and Sen. Cruz introduced this legislation during the 117th Congress.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fischer Announces Commerce Subcommittee Assignments & Chairmanship

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer
    Today, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) released her subcommittee assignments for the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation in the 119th Congress:
    Chair, Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Media
    Member, Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, Freight, Pipelines, and Safety
    Member, Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Technology, and Data Privacy
    “Nebraska’s communities rely on connectivity—in both transportation and telecommunications—to thrive. This is especially true in our rural communities, which are too often neglected in policy conversations. I look forward to continuing my work on the Commerce Committee this Congress where I will advocate for Nebraskans’ needs, especially as Chair of the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Media,” said Senator Fischer.The Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Media has broad jurisdiction over communications matters, including telephone, internet, satellite, broadcast, wireline and wireless broadband, spectrum management, and public safety communications. In the 119th Congress, Senator Fischer will lead the subcommittee’s efforts to keep Americans connected along with Ranking Member Ben Ray Luján (D-NM).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Joins Durbin, Senate Judiciary, Approps Democrats in Denouncing President Trump’s Unlawful Transfer of Immigrants to Guantánamo

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, joined Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, along with Democratic leaders of the Senate Judiciary and Appropriations Committees in sending a letter to President Trump denouncing his transfer of immigrants from the United States to Guantánamo as unlawful and asking for answers to basic questions yet to be provided to Congress. 
    The Senators begin by denouncing the transfers, writing: “We write to object to your illegal and unjustified transfers of immigrants from the United States to the detention center at Naval Station Guantánamo Bay, which follows your directive to the Secretaries of Defense and Homeland Security to prepare the base to hold tens of thousands of noncitizens. These actions are unprecedented, unlawful, and harmful to American national security, values, and interests. The United States has never sent anyone from the United States to be detained at Guantánamo before now.”  
    The Senators continue by outlining the unlawful and unjustified nature of the directive, writing: “There is no basis in U.S. immigration law for transferring noncitizens arrested inside the United States to a location outside of the United States for detention prior to or for the purposes of conducting removal proceedings. Noncitizens inside the United States are entitled to numerous protections under U.S. immigration law and the U.S. Constitution. For example, removal processes under our immigration laws afford noncitizens due process and an opportunity to seek protection from removal to a place where they could face persecution or torture. These rights cannot be extinguished by transfer to a location outside the United States. Simply put, if the processes for obtaining a lawful removal order have not been followed, the forcible removal of a noncitizen to Guantánamo violates U.S. immigration law.” 
    The Senators continue by refuting a false DHS statement to the Committee that suggests immigrants with final orders of removal do not need access to counsel, writing: “In addition, individuals in civil immigration detention have a right to access counsel under ICE detention standards, and immigration laws governing removal proceedings. Impeding access to counsel for detained immigrants also may violate the Constitution in some circumstances. In addition, individuals in immigration detention may have appeal or other review rights and cannot be held indefinitely, and the only effective means by which a detained individual could assert these rights would be through access to counsel.” 
    The Senators also refute the Trump Administration’s false claim that only high-risk immigrants are detained, writing: “While no noncitizen should be sent from the United States to Guantánamo, it also appears that your Administration’s claims that it was sending ‘worst of the worst’ there are misleading. Public reporting indicates that noncitizens who DHS deemed low risk were sent to Guantánamo. In response to inquiries from Judiciary Committee staff, your Administration has even left open the possibility that families, including children, will be detained at Guantánamo, stating that future decisions regarding detention would be made on a ‘case-by-case basis.’”  
    The Senators conclude with a striking portrayal of the practical ramifications of this decision before issuing a series of information requests, writing: “Your efforts to house or detain noncitizens forcibly removed from the United States at the MOC and the Camp 6 law of war detention facilities at Guantánamo are cruel, unlawful, and unprecedented. Such hasty and unlawful actions will cause harms to the United States for years to come. As those familiar with the long history of operations at Guantánamo can tell you, detaining individuals there is not a quick fix. Congress has not appropriated funds for such purposes for good reason. Given the isolated location of the base, its controversial history, and the lack of legal authority to detain noncitizens there, continuing down this path will invite more litigation, drain resources, place undue strain on our servicemembers, diminish military readiness, undermine support from our allies, and harm our standing in the world.”  
    In addition to Sens. Welch and Ranking Member Durbin, the letter is signed by Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee; Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Border Security and Immigration; and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security. 
    Last Congress, Senator Welch joined Senator Durbin in sending a letter to President Biden expressing support for finally closing the Guantánamo Bay detention facility. 
    Read the full text of the letter. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Statement on Trump White House Victory Against the Associated Press

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    “As we have said from the beginning, asking the President of the United States questions in the Oval Office and aboard Air Force One is a privilege granted to journalists, not a legal right. We stand by our decision to hold the Fake News accountable for their lies, and President Trump will continue to grant an unprecedented level of access to the press. This is the most transparent Administration in history.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kevin Lombardo’s Family Rebuilt Their Home and Lives After Marshall Fire

    Source: US National Renewable Energy Laboratory

    Fire Survivors Embraced an Energy-Efficient Passive Design Structure

    The family is settling into their new house, enjoying the benefits of the efficient design. Photo from Trendum Media

    Sitting in a friend’s Boulder, Colorado, townhouse after the Dec. 30, 2021, Marshall Fire burned his family’s home to the ground, Kevin Lombardo, a National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Client and Infrastructure Services manager, was struck by the enormity of what they faced.

    He and his wife Casey had grabbed their two young sons and some precious belongings to flee just before the Marshall Fire engulfed their Louisville, Colorado, home of six years. Driven by wind gusts up to 115 mph, Colorado’s most destructive wildfire ever quickly destroyed 1,100 structures in Louisville, Superior, and unincorporated Boulder County. Two residents died in the firestorm.

    “I don’t really know what to do,” Lombardo recalled thinking. “Do I file an insurance claim? Take a picture? Still pay my mortgage? This feels bigger than that.”

    Lombardo, who has worked in tech since he was a teen growing up in New Jersey, is used to problem solving and was familiar with NREL’s building expertise.

    Having started at NREL in 2007 as a contractor before becoming a full-time employee the following year, Lombardo said, “I know a little bit of a lot of what NREL does. I’ve worked with the buildings folks in the past. Our team [in IT] supports [the U.S. Department of Energy] DOE and the Solar Decathlon.”

    But starting from scratch to rebuild his family’s home was overwhelming. He was not thinking of anything special. All he wanted to do was replace their dwelling. “I felt like: I don’t care. Let’s put a house back,” he said.

    Their former home was an almost unidentifiable scorched lot filled with rubble. Only a surviving metal mailbox revealed where they had lived. “All the landmarks were gone,” he said.

    The next few months became an exhausting blur of trying to navigate a new reality. Slowly, with support from the community and neighbors—getting donated clothing, food, as well as emotional and logistical support—they began with others a journey to recovery, becoming “fire survivors,” not victims.

    During a building webinar about passive-designed homes, which use a building strategy that relies on natural sources of heating and cooling to reduce energy use, a new vision finally clicked. While such designs have been around for decades, they are employed more commonly on the East and West coasts using various building techniques to increase building efficiency.

    Encouraged by an Xcel Energy rebate program designed to ease the demand for electricity, the Lombardos began exploring a way to rebuild a better structure.

    “It hadn’t crossed my mind at first,” he said. “Then it clicked. I blame my mental state at the time.”

    After a series of meetings with different builders, the Lombardos decided on an architect, builder, and landscaper who shared their vision. Their ties to NREL emerged.

    “I asked my architect and builder, ‘Did you guys ever hear of this Solar Decathlon?’” Lombardo recalled. “And my architect said, ‘Yeah, I competed in it.’ My builder said that he had consulted with some of the student teams.”

    The exterior of Kevin’s rebuilt home. Photo from Trendum Media

    NREL-Tested Building Technology Used

    Techniques tested at the competition and validated at NREL came into play.

    “We were holistically tied together,” Lombardo said, noting that after only a couple of meetings, they had a concept. “It took off, and it took off fast.”

    Still, it took time. On Sept. 1, 2022, the Lombardo family moved into their secondary rental property in Louisville. The property was unharmed but occupied by renters during the Marshall Fire.

    The new footprint that emerged was solid: a three-story, 2,572 square-foot rectangular home, slightly larger than their previous house. But the difference was obvious, reflecting their own adjustments and personal touches. Even the two boys, Max and Miles, had input. The architect asked the boys to draw what they would like. Overjoyed, both sketched out rooms that, as Lombardo said, look like something from Tony Stark’s Iron Man lab. Their desires became reality. Both have lofts in their bedrooms connected by a secret bookshelf door. This helped comfort the youngsters who had been frightened by the devastation.

    The loft inside of the Lombardo house was suggested by the two boys. Photo from Trendum Media

    Other construction elements incorporated a mix of traditional and cutting-edge building techniques.

    The new home is situated on their reclaimed lot to ensure maximum exposure to the sun in the winter, yet the house also has awnings to protect from too much sun in the summer. The exterior of the house is corrugated steel. Also, the entire house is air sealed, and all the vents are ember-resistant vents. That way, if there is another fire and an ember hits the vent, a material within the vent expands to prevent the fire from entering. Exterior walls are thicker than normal construction, employing a 12-inch double-stud technique, which helps with both insulation and fire resistance.

    Furthermore, the house is all-electric, utilizing a heat pump for any active heating and cooling that might be needed, and solar panels are being installed. Control and monitoring of the energy usage, air quality, and mechanical systems are accomplished through multiple sensors and an open-source home-automation platform running on a local server in the house.

    The Lombardos also chose to leverage additional techniques such as recycled denim and cellulose insulation, a concrete-free “slab” under the ground floor, and a laundry-to-landscape gray water implementation that helps provide irrigation to their native and waterwise perennials and trees in the front yard.

    Finally, in spring 2024, the family moved into the house. Hours after the movers left, the electric utility shut off the power for 42 hours due to high winds. A lot of the neighbors got cold and uncomfortable and left for hotels, but because of the high performance of their house, the Lombardos stayed comfortable and warm with no active heating.

    The family loves it, even though they still need to make the home their own. “It sort of feels like being on a vacation,” Lombardo said.

    The house has drawn plenty of attention as one of several green-technique homes in the neighborhood. They have opened it up for tours, including the Boulder Green Homes Tour in June when more than 140 visitors stopped by.

    As time goes by, it becomes more and more like home. “Finding a place for the Christmas tree will make it seem more like ours,” Lombardo said.

    Yet, memories of the tragedy linger.

    “We don’t want to go through it again. I don’t want my kids feeling like they’re living in a house where it could happen again,” Lombardo said. “So, yes, a fire can happen again. Nothing is fireproof, really.”

    But Lombardo and his family feel comfortable knowing that they have done the best possible to ensure their house is safe and energy efficient—and perhaps an inspiration to others.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Administrator Loeffler Issues Memo on Day One Priorities

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    WASHINGTON — Following her confirmation and swearing-in as the 28th Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration, Kelly Loeffler issued a Day One memo outlining her top priorities for the agency.

    “Small businesses are the backbone of our nation, driving innovation, job creation, and prosperity – and there’s no stronger advocate for small business than President Trump or myself. But over the last four years, the SBA has burdened entrepreneurs with bureaucracy – with its programs becoming mired in fraud, waste, and abuse,” SBA Administrator Loeffler said. “That changes today. My first priority is rebuilding the SBA into an America First engine for free enterprise – by empowering small businesses and fueling economic growth.

    “From day one, we will uphold the highest standards of accountability, performance, and integrity, where taxpayer dollars will be safeguarded, not squandered. We will streamline operations, drive efficiency, and ensure programs deliver real results. It’s a new day at the SBA, and I’m honored to lead a team that is committed to serving America’s job creators and citizens when disaster strikes.”

    The following priorities have been distributed to all SBA staff as the agency prepares to carry out President Trump’s America First agenda and empower small businesses to thrive:

    Supporting President Trump’s America First Agenda

    1. Promoting “Made in America” with U.S. manufacturing: The vast majority of America’s manufacturers are small businesses, and SBA programs have powered tens of thousands of them. This agency is committed to supporting the America First agenda by rebuilding American supply chains and investing in manufacturing to strengthen our economy and national security. The agency will transform its Office of International Trade into the Office of Manufacturing and Trade – which will focus on promoting economic independence, job creation, and fair trade practices to power the next blue-collar boom. SBA will also partner across agencies to scale innovative manufacturing and technology startups that will help our nation return to “Made in America.”
    2. Implementing President Trump’s executive orders: SBA will enforce all of President Trump’s executive orders including Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government, Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing and Unleashing American Energy. To date, SBA has already taken the following actions:
      • Eliminated the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility, placing DEIA employees on administrative leave.
      • Paused grants across the agency that do not comply with President Trump’s executive orders.
      • Paused the Green Lender Initiative to reverse the previous Administration’s favoritism for Green New Deal ventures that did not support America’s return to energy dominance.
    3. Supporting the Department of Government Efficiency: SBA will continue working closely with President Trump’s DOGE as the federal government moves into a new era of accountability, transparency, and efficiency. SBA will prioritize eliminating fraud and waste within the agency, to ensure American taxpayer dollars are utilized in the most productive way possible to benefit small businesses and economic growth and resilience.
    4. Mandating full-time, in-office work for SBA employees: Pursuant to President Trump’s Return to In-Person Work presidential memorandum, SBA will require all employees, unless exempt, to return to their respective duty stations five days a week as of today, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025.
    5. Prioritizing workforce optimization: As part of the broader effort to support President Trump’s workforce optimization initiatives, SBA will continue to evaluate workforce reduction measures, including the overhaul of all advisory boards, to ensure the agency is operating with maximum efficiency to deliver results for U.S. taxpayers, small businesses, and those affected by disaster.
    6. Cracking down on fraud: SBA’s loan programs should be a powerful tool for empowering small business formation and delivering critical aid to disaster victims. The prior Administration left these programs with unaddressed fraud – including an estimated $200 billion in pandemic-era fraud. Starting today, the SBA will institute a zero-tolerance policy for fraud and investigate fraud across all programs. The agency has established a Fraud Working Group and will appoint a Fraud Czar to identify, stop, and claw back criminally obtained funds on behalf of American taxpayers – working across agencies to prevent fraud.

    Eliminating Wasteful Spending and Cracking Down on Fraud

    1. Conducting an agency-wide financial audit: As fraud has risen, so too have delinquencies, defaults, and charge-offs on loan programs, exacerbated by the previous Administration’s lax loan underwriting, servicing, and collection efforts. As a result, SBA has not satisfactorily completed a financial audit for several consecutive years. Therefore, the agency will request an independent audit of its financials to address mismanagement, restore the credibility of financial statements, and preserve the solvency of public-private programs like the 7(a) lending program and the Small Business Investment Company program, which are designed to drive economic growth without taxpayer subsidy.
    2. Protecting the solvency of loan programs and restoring underwriting standards: Likewise, SBA will review all options to protect the solvency of its lending programs, including revising practices that have jeopardized the zero-subsidy status of programs like 7(a). The agency will also restart its dormant collections programs effective immediately. Furthermore, SBA will restore its underwriting standards, ensuring taxpayer dollars only go to supporting eligible small businesses across America – by conducting a full review of current lending SOPs, ending the “Do What You Do” standard for lending, and enhancing oversight of non-bank lenders.
    3. Banning illegal aliens from receiving SBA assistance: Programs funded by American citizens should only benefit American citizens. Consistent with President Trump’s Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Open Borders executive order, the agency will implement a policy banning illegal aliens from receiving any taxpayer-funded assistance from SBA – putting U.S. citizens and America first.
    4. Restricting hostile foreign nationals from accessing SBA assistance: Similarly, in the interest of national security, the agency will implement measures to prevent hostile foreign nationals, especially those with ties to the Chinese Communist Party, from accessing SBA assistance.

    Empowering Small Businesses

    1. Creating a strike force to cut regulation: For the first time in years, SBA will fully staff and empower the Office of Advocacy to utilize its power to identify and eliminate burdensome regulations promulgated by all federal agencies, as authorized by the Regulatory Flexibility Act, Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996, the Congressional Review Act, and other statutes. The Administrator will work alongside the Chief Counsel for Advocacy to cut past and future regulations across the board and partner with all federal agencies to ensure they are working to reduce bureaucracy and costs for job creators and promote successful business formation.
    2. Improving SBA customer service, technology, and cybersecurity: Respecting that small businesses must perform for their customers, the SBA must meet performance standards across our own operations. Working with DOGE, the SBA will review the agency’s multiple digital interfaces. To streamline and improve user experience across all platforms, the agency will also review its technology for cybersecurity, response times, and customer satisfaction – including by collaborating with the White House on the application of artificial intelligence.
    3. Promoting fair competition by returning 8(a) contracting goals to statutory levels: The previous Administration increased the 8(a) federal contracting goal for Small Disadvantaged Businesses to an all-time high of 15%. This action unfairly tipped the scales against any small business that did not qualify as “disadvantaged,” negatively impacting many veteran-owned small businesses. As part of a broader effort to support competition and equal access to federal contracting for all small business owners, SBA has returned the 8(a) SDB contracting goal to its statutory level of 5%.
    4. Relocating regional offices out of sanctuary cities: To better serve Main Streets across America, especially in rural areas, SBA will relocate regional offices currently based in sanctuary cities to less costly, more accessible locations in communities that comply with federal immigration law. Additionally, Administrator Loeffler commits to personally visiting SBA’s regional offices and district offices – to facilitate a continuous dialogue with small business owners and hear directly from local job creators about real-world challenges and opportunities to support growth and innovation.
    5. Ending partisan voter registration activities: The SBA will end all taxpayer-funded voter registration activities – starting by rescinding the agency’s 2024 Memorandum of Understanding with the Michigan Secretary of State’s office, which forced SBA district offices to conduct partisan voter registration on behalf of the previous Administration. Instead, the agency will return its focus to its founding mission of empowering job creators, delivering disaster relief, and driving economic growth.

    # # #

     

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of entrepreneurship. As the leading voice for small businesses within the federal government, the SBA empowers job creators with the resources and support they need to start, grow, and expand their businesses or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Billy Hickman to Celebrate Georgia Reads Day at State Capitol

    Source: US State of Georgia

    ATLANTA (February 24, 2025) — On Tuesday, February 25, at 12:00 p.m., Sen. Billy Hickman (R–Statesboro) will celebrate Georgia Reads Day with the Georgia Council on Literacy. Sen. Hickman will be joined by Georgia Reads Coach Malcolm Mitchell, Rep. Chris Erwin (R–Homer) and leadership from the Georgia Council on Literacy. The 2025 Georgia READBowl champions and the Georgia Reads Community Award winners will be recognized during the event.

    EVENT DETAILS:                      

    • Date: Tuesday, February 25, 2025
    • Time: 12:00 p.m.
    • Where: Georgia State Capitol, North Steps, 206 Washington St., Atlanta, GA 30334
    • This Event is Open to the Public.

    MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES:

    We kindly request that members of the media confirm their attendance in advance by contacting Jantz Womack at SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.

    More information on Georgia Reads can be found here.

    # # # #

    Sen. Billy Hickman serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education and Youth. He represents the 4th Senate District which includes Bulloch, Candler, Effingham, and Evans County as well as a small portion of Chatham County. He may be reached at 404.463.1371 or by email at billy.hickman@senate.ga.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: BlackRock® Canada Announces Final February Cash Distributions for the iShares® Premium Money Market ETF

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Feb. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited (“BlackRock Canada”), an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE: BLK), today announced the final February 2025 cash distributions for the iShares Premium Money Market ETF. Unitholders of record on February 25, 2025 will receive cash distributions payable on February 28, 2025.

    Details regarding the final “per unit” distribution amounts are as follows:

    Fund Name Fund
    Ticker    		 Cash
    Distribution
    Per Unit
    iShares Premium Money Market ETF CMR $0.123

    Further information on the iShares ETFs can be found at http://www.blackrock.com/ca.

    About BlackRock
    BlackRock’s purpose is to help more and more people experience financial well-being. As a fiduciary to investors and a leading provider of financial technology, we help millions of people build savings that serve them throughout their lives by making investing easier and more affordable. For additional information on BlackRock, please visit www.blackrock.com/corporate | Twitter: @BlackRockCA

    About iShares ETFs
    iShares unlocks opportunity across markets to meet the evolving needs of investors. With more than twenty years of experience, a global line-up of 1500+ exchange traded funds (ETFs) and US$4.2 trillion in assets under management as of December 31, 2024, iShares continues to drive progress for the financial industry. iShares funds are powered by the expert portfolio and risk management of BlackRock.

    iShares® ETFs are managed by BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited.

    Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investing in iShares ETFs. Please read the relevant prospectus before investing. The funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Tax, investment and all other decisions should be made, as appropriate, only with guidance from a qualified professional.  

    Contact for Media:
    Sydney Punchard
    Email: Sydney.Punchard@blackrock.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Mobile Office Hours in Larimore and Mayville Postponed

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)

    BISMARCK, N.D. – Mobile office hours in Larimore and Mayville have been postponed. Members of U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer’s (R-ND) staff were scheduled to hold mobile office hours Thursday, February 27 at 9:00 a.m. CT in Larimore and 11:00 a.m. CT in Mayville. More information will be announced at a later date regarding rescheduling the office hours.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hickenlooper, Bennet, Colleagues Reintroduce Bill to Combat Wildfires, Drought Across the West

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Colorado John Hickenlooper
    Protect the West Act would invest $60 billion to reduce wildfire risks, restore watersheds, and protect communities
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper, Michael Bennet, Ron Wyden, Ruben Gallego, and Jacky Rosen reintroduced the Protect the West Act, which invests $60 billion in forests across the West to reduce wildfire risk, restore watersheds, protect communities, and decrease the cost of fighting wildfires.
    “Colorado’s forests, grasslands, and waterways are the bedrock of our outdoor economy,” said Hickenlooper. “Every effort we make to prevent wildfires and mitigate the impact of climate change is an investment in Colorado’s future.”
    “In the West, our forests, grasslands, and watersheds are essential to our economy and way of life. But they are under threat from the worsening effects of climate change and consistent underinvestment from the federal government,” said Bennet. “As we face a 1,200-year megadrought and wildfire season that never seems to end, we need to break from the status quo and invest in the restoration of our forests and public lands to meet this challenge. We have no time to waste.”
    “Climate change is threatening our way of life in Colorado. We must act,” said Crow. “The Protect the West Act would help combat intensifying wildfires and help better protect Colorado communities.”
    “With summers getting dryer and hotter, the West and Oregon’s treasured lands are a tinderbox waiting to light ablaze,” said Wyden. “In my town halls, I’ve heard countless Oregonians fearing for their health and safety while struggling to maintain their economic livelihood as severe drought and wildfires wreak more havoc on their communities every year. More investments are needed to protect our forests and watersheds so local communities across the West are healthy and can have the opportunity to explore its beautiful natural treasures for generations.”
    “In Arizona and across the West, we face a rapidly growing backlog of projects for wildfire mitigation, drought resilience, and land restoration,” said Gallego. “I’m proud to help introduce the Protect the West Act which will finally give states and tribes the tools they need to take on these projects, all while creating good-paying jobs and boosting rural economies.”
    “Nevada’s forests and public lands are increasingly susceptible to wildfires, drought, and other extreme weather events. We need to do everything we can to protect our communities from the damage caused by these disasters and bolster our ability to recover,” said Rosen. “This critical legislation will support Nevada’s wildfire mitigation and restoration efforts, helping to keep Nevadans safe. I’ll always work to ensure Nevada has the resources it needs to fight wildfires and other weather-related events.”
    In the West, our strong outdoor rec industry and our agricultural communities depend on healthy lands, forests, and waterways. Increasingly frequent wildfires threaten those communities and our economy.
    Currently, the federal government spends approximately $2.9 billion to fight wildfires every year, with costs expected to increase by a billion by 2050. Already, the U.S. spent nearly $48 billion fighting wildfires over the last five years.
    Preventing wildfires before they even start is thirty times more cost-effective. Investing in fire mitigation and making our communities more resilient will save taxpayers money by reducing response and recovery costs.
    Specifically, the Protect the West Act would:
    Establish an Outdoor Restoration & Watershed Fund to better support local efforts to restore forests and watersheds, reduce wildfire risk, clean up public lands, enhance wildlife habitat, remove invasive species, and expand outdoor access
    Establish an advisory council of local, industry, conservation, Tribal, and national experts to advise funding priorities, coordinate with existing regional efforts, and provide oversight
    Empower local leaders by making $20 billion directly available to state and local governments, Tribes, special districts, and nonprofits to support restoration, drought resilience, and fire mitigation projects
    Partner with states and Tribes to invest $40 billion to tackle the backlog of restoration, fire mitigation, and resilience projects
    Create or sustain over two million good-paying jobs, primarily in rural areas, to support existing industries like forest product, agriculture, and outdoor recreation
    Save landowners and local governments money by investing in wildfire prevention and natural hazard mitigation.
    “The Protect the West Act is a significant investment in Colorado’s natural resources and Colorado is proud to support its reintroduction in the US Senate,” said Dan Gibbs, Executive Director, Colorado State Department of Natural Resources. “As Colorado experiences drought and continued threats from devastating wildfires, now is the time to invest in Colorado’s forests, watersheds, and landscapes that drive economic activity across the west, employ thousands of Americans, and provide environmental and ecological benefits to our communities and wildlife.”
    “One of the greatest threats to our Tribal lands are the devastating wildfires caused by the extreme drought conditions in the western United States,”said the Southern Ute Indian Tribe. “Sen. Bennet’s Protect the West Act will provide much needed investment in conservation, restoration and wildfire mitigation. A key component of this legislation is Sen. Bennet’s recognition of the importance that Tribes have in land use and regulation, assuring that funds will be made available directly to Tribes for maintenance of our forests, watersheds and rangeland. Moreover, he assures that Tribes will have a seat at the table in determining the distribution of funds, ensuring that there will be a tribal representative working alongside our state and federal partners on the Restoration Fund Advisory Council. We thank Sen. Bennet for introduction of this important legislation and look forward to its swift passage in Congress.”
    “Healthy watersheds face numerous challenges, including increasing drought, longer and hotter fire seasons, disconnected watersheds and degraded streams that no longer support healthy fisheries. The most effective way to tackle this challenge is through partnerships and collaborative conservation at the landscape scale,” said Chris Wood, President and CEO of Trout Unlimited. “The Protect the West Act would foster collaboration and provide resources for public-private partnerships to restore lands and waters across multiple jurisdictions, creating jobs and better fishing along the way. We thank Senator Bennet for his leadership and vision to restore our lands and waters at the scope and scale that will make a difference for future generations.”
    “The Colorado River District’s highest priority is to protect the water security of Western Colorado. Water security starts with our forests,” said Andy Mueller, General Manager, Colorado River District. “Our largest source of water is the snowpack that develops in our forests above 9,000 feet in elevation, mostly on federal lands. Sen. Michael Bennet’s $60 billion Protect the West Act proposal is a direct water security initiative through the funding of proactive watershed protection actions. These actions would help prevent catastrophic fires and start restoration work where warming temperatures and fires have already done harm. It’s noteworthy that $20 billion will be available to fund projects generated at the state and local levels. We applaud Senator Bennet for advocating for important western priorities in the Senate.”
     “I support the Senator’s Protect the West Act. This is a great first step in recognizing and acknowledging the problem that was created over 30 years ago,” said Merrit Linke, Grand County Commissioner. “The lack of proactive management and the ‘hands-off’ approach is now clearly having devastating effects on our communities, forest health and sustainable watersheds. This bill addresses this problem, provides much needed funding, and hopefully is the beginning of a new era in resource management. Now it is time to get to work.”
     “As Western communities continue to face the threats and the impacts of the climate crisis, now is the time to pursue initiatives that will help us become more resilient,” said Jon Goldin-Dubois, President of Western Resource Advocates. “The Protect the West Act will provide critical resources to help Western states mitigate wildfire, restore forests, improve air and water quality, and advance equity, all while pumping billions of dollars into local economies and supporting millions of good-paying jobs; it’s a true win-win. We applaud Senator Bennet for his leadership and look forward to supporting this legislation to build a more resilient West.”
    “Healthy forests support fish and wildlife habitat and outdoor access important to hunters, anglers, and recreationists in Colorado and across the nation,” said Joel Pedersen, CEO, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “However, decades of inadequate funding for forest management have placed a strain on the National Forest System that will require active management and sustained funding to increase workforce capacity. Further, these investments will help to ensure we’re better prepared to address the growing risks associated with wildfire.  The TRCP applauds the proactive investments in our forests and watersheds and the additional resources for growing the forest management workforce provided through the Protect the West Act.”
    The bill is supported by: The National Wildlife Federation, the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, National Association of State Foresters, The Freshwater Trust, American Forests, National Wild Turkey Federation, National Audubon Society, Family Farm Alliance, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Western Landowners Alliance, Western Resource Advocates, Trout Unlimited, and Conservation Legacy.
    U.S. Representative Jason Crow introduced companion legislation in the House.
    The full text of the bill is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Blumenthal, Colleagues Urge Secretary Rubio To Restore Critical Global Health Programs To Keep Americans Safe

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) joined 19 of their Senate colleagues in sending a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging him to restore funding for global health, development, and humanitarian programs. In the wake of the Trump administration’s abrupt termination of key foreign assistance programs and personnel without review, the senators highlight the national security imperatives of U.S. global health efforts, which keep Americans safe, strengthen U.S. leadership, and increase global stability.

    “The Trump Administration’s freeze on foreign assistance and opaque waiver process, coupled with the attempted dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has significantly weakened our ability to respond to emergencies, left gaps in disease surveillance, and undermined global partnerships— leaving a vacuum that our adversaries are eager to fill,” the senators wrote.  

    Without American global health programs, current outbreaks of infectious diseases like Ebola, Marburg Virus, and Bird Flu have the potential for spreading to U.S. soil. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an infectious disease can spread from a remote village to a major city in the United States in as little as 36 hours. Additionally, the foreign assistance funding freeze has stopped critical Malaria interventions before peak transmission and paused many clinical trials and data collection endeavors that require continuous data collection. As a result, product development for desperately needed drugs and vaccines have been brought to a halt. 

    “The U.S. cannot afford to withdraw from the global stage. Weak health systems in already fragile regions create opportunities for infectious disease to spread unchecked, for extremist groups to gain influence, and for adversaries to expand their reach,” they continued.

    The senators warned Secretary Rubio that Russian leaders have publicly praised the decision to dismantle USAID, an agency that helps counter China’s efforts to expand its Belt and Road Initiative in Africa and Latin America. Additionally, China is already stepping in to fill the vacuum left by the United States at the World Health Organization.  

    “We urge you to reverse the damaging personnel actions at USAID, and swiftly restart U.S. investments in global health, development, and humanitarian aid—not just as a moral obligation, but as part of the necessary strategy to protect America’s national security. In the meantime, there must be a clear process to achieve and implement waivers for these critical programs… Restoring these investments and the professional staff with training and skillsets to implement these life-saving programs will strengthen global health security, reinforce our leadership on the world stage, and make us safer at home,” the senators concluded.

    U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) also signed the letter.

    Full text of the letter is available HERE and below:

    Dear Secretary Rubio,

    At a time when the world faces increasing instability—from disease outbreaks, to violent conflicts, to economic crises—U.S. investments in global health, development, and humanitarian aid are more than acts of goodwill; they are strategic imperatives contributing to our strength, security, and prosperity. Without strong and sustained U.S. leadership, American lives and economic stability is at risk.

    The Trump Administration’s freeze on foreign assistance and opaque waiver process, coupled with the attempted dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has significantly weakened our ability to respond to emergencies, left gaps in disease surveillance, and undermined global partnerships— leaving a vacuum that our adversaries are eager to fill.

    The freeze on global health activities is particularly troubling. There is resounding evidence that global health programs protect Americans. Recent history has shown that infectious disease outbreaks in distant regions can quickly reach U.S. soil, causing devastation to lives and livelihoods. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a disease can spread from a remote village to a major city– including in the United States– in as little 36 hours. Such deadly diseases continue to emerge in countries which need assistance to respond. Consider the following examples:

    1. Ebola: Uganda is currently experiencing a deadly outbreak of Sudan Ebola virus in its capital city of Kampala, with a population of 1.9 million people. Suspected cases have also been reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. USAID and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) global health programs are critical to helping countries control and manage these outbreaks. The 2014-2016 West African Ebola outbreak spread beyond the region, with cases reaching the U.S. and Europe. American led investments in global health systems helped contain the crisis, prevented further transmission and strengthened global preparedness. Just within the last four years, USAID and CDC frontline health responders played critical roles in halting 11 similar outbreaks, but we are unaware of any USAID personnel having been deployed to Kampala to specifically respond to the outbreak. The Trump Administration’s retreat from these investments has left the world—and the U.S.—more vulnerable to future outbreaks.
    2. Marburg Virus: Tanzania recently confirmed an outbreak of Marburg virus—an illness as deadly as Ebola, but with less treatment and vaccine options. This deadly outbreak has highlighted the urgent need for disease surveillance and rapid response. The U.S. has long been a leader in these efforts, but the freeze on USAID has hindered our ability to detect and contain these threats before they become global crises.
    3. Malaria: While malaria may seem like a distant problem, it deeply affects regions where the U.S. has significant interests. The next few weeks, just before peak transmission, are critical for malaria prevention campaigns. Malaria is preventable, but if this particular window is missed, lives will be lost, most of whom will likely be children. The President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) has reduced cases and deaths worldwide, fostering healthier, more productive societies and reducing the risk of political instability and migration crises. The halt in U.S. funding threatens decades of progress. According to Malaria No More, halting PMI programs for 90 days would prevent the delivery of approximately: 9 million insecticide-treated bed nets; 25.3 million rapid diagnostic tests for malaria; 15.6 million life-saving antimalarial treatments; 48 million doses of seasonal malaria chemoprevention; and safe, effective indoor residual spraying for 3.8 million people.
    4. Bird Flu: Bird flu has already caused one death in the U.S. and is currently circulating throughout America’s livestock. With the foreign aid freeze, the monitoring of bird flu effectively ends in 49 countries, leaving the U.S. in the dark regarding a pressing threat should the virus evolve or mutate to start spreading more rapidly among humans.
    5. PEPFAR: Though the waiver for certain PEPFAR activities is slowly being implemented, critical prevention services remain paused. Without access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and other prevention services, HIV transmission will increase, risking an upsurge of the disease across partner countries and undermining the more than $100 billion in U.S. investment contributed toward the HIV response to date.

    In addition, the foreign assistance funding freeze has paused many clinical trials and data collection endeavors that require continuous data collection. This will significantly delay the product development timelines for desperately needed drugs and vaccines. Clinical trials are now hanging on by a thread and will have to shut down soon if the pause is not lifted. This risks the health of the trial participants around the world and the lives in the U.S. and globally that could be saved thanks to the results of these trials. Furthermore, U.S. global health programs that treat, monitor, and prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Polio, and other infectious diseases are all vital to saving lives and keeping Americans safe.

    The U.S. cannot afford to withdraw from the global stage. Weak health systems in already fragile regions create opportunities for infectious disease to spread unchecked, for extremist groups to gain influence, and for adversaries to expand their reach. Already, Russian leaders have publicly applauded the decision to dismantle USAID, an agency that is also uniquely positioned to forestall China’s expansion of its Belt and Road Initiative in Africa and Latin America. China is already trying to fill the vacuum left by the United States at the World Health Organization when President Trump issued his intent to withdraw. Investing in foreign assistance, including global health and development programs, strengthens our alliances, promotes stability, and reduces the need for costly emergency interventions and military engagements.

    We urge you to reverse the damaging personnel actions at USAID, and swiftly restart U.S. investments in global health, development, and humanitarian aid—not just as a moral obligation, but as part of the necessary strategy to protect America’s national security. In the meantime, there must be a clear process to achieve and implement waivers for these critical programs. Nearly all USAID staff and critical implementing partners have been eliminated and payment systems are not functioning for the vast majority of implementers, rendering the waiver process irrelevant. Restoring these investments and the professional staff with training and skillsets to implement these life-saving programs will strengthen global health security, reinforce our leadership on the world stage, and make us safer at home. Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: World News in Brief: Famine in Sudan, Gaza polio campaign continues, West Bank update, Kenyan officer killed in Haiti

    Source: United Nations 2

    Peace and Security

    Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep concern on Monday following the announcement by Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia and affiliated groups, of a political charter proposing the establishment of a rival governing authority in RSF-controlled areas to the transitional Government.

    He warned in a statement issued by his spokesperson that this further escalation of the battle for the country between Government troops and their former RSF allies, deepens the fragmentation of Sudan and risks entrenching the crisis even further.

    Sudan is in the grip of a catastrophic crisis as “bloodshed, displacement and famine are engulfing the country,” he said earlier at the opening of the latest UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva.

    Preserving the nation’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity remains crucial for a sustainable resolution and long-term stability in Sudan and the wider region.

    The Secretary-General also condemned the persistent violence against civilians perpetrated by both sides of the conflict – including ethnically motivated attacks – with Sudanese civilians paying the highest price for the ongoing war.

    His Personal Envoy for the Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra, is actively engaging the warring parties and relevant stakeholders to secure a cessation of hostilities, protect civilians, ensure humanitarian access, and promote de-escalation, the UN chief’s statement said.

    Gaza and the West Bank: Health campaigns and humanitarian relief

    In Gaza, the emergency polio outbreak response continues, with a mass vaccination campaign which began on Saturday scheduled to run until 26 February.

    The novel oral polio vaccine is set to be administered to more than 591,000 children under the age of 10, targeting those previously missed, in order to close immunity gaps and halt the outbreak.

    “Over 261,000 children in Gaza received their polio vaccine on the first day of the campaign, despite all challenges,” noted a representative of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

    Since the ceasefire took effect, UN humanitarian partners have distributed tents, sealing materials, and tarpaulins to families – particularly in northern Gaza.

    Additionally, over 80,000 children have been screened for malnutrition, and thousands of families have received hygiene kits and water supplies.

    OCHA emphasised that sustaining these humanitarian efforts will require continued international funding and a lasting ceasefire.

    Meanwhile, the World Food Programme (WFP) said on Monday the ceasefire has enabled it to reach one million people across Gaza with food assistance, including fresh bread, hot meals and cash support, while preparing to extend its reach further across both Gaza and the West Bank.

    West Bank turmoil continues

    Nevertheless, OCHA has confirmed that Israeli forces continue operations in northern areas of the West Bank, with reports of home demolitions in the Tulkarm refugee camp adding to displacement and destruction.

    Mr. Guterres called for “a permanent ceasefire” in Gaza and “the dignified release of all remaining hostages”.

    Kenyan police officer killed in a Haiti anti-gang operation

    A Kenyan police officer serving with the Security Council-backed Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) in Haiti died on Sunday after sustaining injuries during an anti-gang operation in the lower Artibonite region, marking the mission’s first casualty.

    The officer was wounded during a security operation in Pont Sonde, as part of efforts to curb escalating gang violence. In a statement, the MSS confirmed the death, expressing condolences to his family and colleagues.

    Mr. Guterres also reacted to the news, saying he was “deeply saddened” by the officer’s death and extended his sympathies to “the family of the police officer, the people and Government of Kenya, and of course all of his colleagues in the MSS.”

    The tragic incident comes amid worsening insecurity in Haiti, where gangs control large parts of the country.

    Speaking in Geneva, Mr. Guterres underscored the severity of the crisis. “In Haiti, we are seeing massive human rights violations – including more than a million people displaced, and children facing a horrific increase in sexual violence and recruitment into gangs,” he said.

    To address the crisis, the Secretary-General announced plans to propose new measures to the Security Council, including strengthening support for the MSS, the Haitian National Police, and Haitian authorities.

    “A durable solution requires a political process – led and owned by the Haitian people – that restores democratic institutions through elections,” he added.

    The officer’s death highlights the growing dangers facing international forces deployed to stabilise the country. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: OP-ED: Firing Military Officers for Perceived Political Disloyalty Endangers the Nation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    The following op-ed by U.S. Senator Jack Reed appeared exclusively in The Washington Post:

    Donald Trump’s quest for power is endangering our military.

    On Friday evening, the president dismissed Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as well as Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the chief of naval operations, and a number of other senior officers — including the judge advocates general for the Army, Navy and Air Force — for perceived political disloyalty. He is also reportedly considering dismissing additional officers who lack “requisite leadership qualities.”

    The implications for our national security cannot be overstated. A clear message is being sent to military leaders: Failure to demonstrate personal and political loyalty to Trump could result in retribution, even after decades of honorable service. In particular, firing the military’s most senior legal advisers is an unprecedented and explicit move to install officers who will yield to the president’s interpretation of the law, with the expectation they will be little more than yes men on the most consequential questions of military law.

    Trump has already fired the Coast Guard’s top admiral, Linda Fagan, for reasons that appear political. He has taken partisan steps by stripping retired Gen. Mark A. Milley and former defense secretary Mark T. Esper of their protective details and removing their portraits from the Pentagon.

    The firings are sure to create a dangerous ripple up and down the ranks. Leaders might hesitate to refuse illegal orders, speak their minds about best practices or call out abuses of power.

    A commitment to provide the “best military advice” exists at every level in the ranks. Commanders expect their troops to give them the facts, straight and true, because lives are on the line. But firing officers as a political litmus test poisons this military ethos. It sends an immediate signal to service members that the best military advice might have career-ending consequences.

    Congress expects the same candor from senior officers as presidents have enjoyed for decades. Lawmakers like me rely on senior officers to provide their best judgments — without fear of retribution — for both the security of our country and that of the 2 million service members who put themselves in harm’s way.

    As retired Gen. Martin Dempsey and Peter Feaver recently wrote: “Preemptively firing generals would only politicize the military and make it less candid, less ready, less professional and less lethal.”

    Trump’s advisers have defended the firings and their “warrior board” proposal by pointing to Gen. George C. Marshall’s “plucking board” of 1940, which removed senior military officers who had languished in the service for years. Marshall’s actions did lead to a number of generals being dismissed. But the current administration fails to acknowledge that Marshall’s board was not designed to cull senior leaders for their personal beliefs but rather to quickly create promotion opportunities for promising junior officers ahead of America’s entrance to World War II.

    The comparison is not relevant. Young officers at that time were stymied by a promotion system that rewarded seniority above merit, unlike today’s system.

    Further, Marshall was able to carry out his review board only because Congress — through the Second Supplemental Appropriation Act of 1940 — reformed the criteria for military promotions by prioritizing merit over seniority. Trump is endangering our security by ignoring existing law and injecting politics and nonmerit principles into the military promotion system.

    As in Marshall’s era, the United States will face threats in the years ahead, and we must ensure that the rising generation of military leaders is prepared to meet them.

    U.S. service members, like the nation they represent, are extremely diverse in racial, socioeconomic and political backgrounds. All of them should expect that they can have successful careers in the military. However, if young Americans perceive the military to be a place where leaders are punished at the whims of politicians, we will lose countless potential recruits.

    When I joined the Army in the early 1970s, the military was rife with racial tension, women were prohibited from many roles and entire communities of Americans were banned from serving. Today, our military is fully integrated and every qualified individual, regardless of gender, race, religion or sexual orientation may pursue a military career. By no coincidence, our military is more lethal than ever.

    We need it to remain so. Trump is entitled to a staff of civilians who are politically loyal to him. For the safety of all Americans, however, his military officers must remain free to give their best military advice without fear of reprisal.

    Jack Reed, a Democrat, represents Rhode Island in the U.S. Senate and is a former Army paratrooper.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed Rebukes Trump’s Politically Charged Firing of Military Officers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
    WASHINGTON, DC – Tonight, after President Trump fired a number of senior U.S. military officers, including General Charles “CQ” Brown, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the Chief of Naval Operations, General James Slife, the Air Force Vice Chief of Staff, all Judge Advocates General for the Army, Navy, and Air Force, and is reportedly considering firing a number of other senior U.S. military officers, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement:
    “I am troubled by the nature of these dismissals. This appears to be part of a broader, premediated campaign by President Trump and Secretary Hegseth to purge talented officers for politically charged reasons, which would undermine the professionalism of our military and send a chilling message through the ranks.
    “I salute General CQ Brown, Admiral Lisa Franchetti, General James Slife, and their fellow officers for their outstanding service. Each of them have had brilliant careers and led with great courage, honor, and distinction. We owe all of them a debt of gratitude for their service and sacrifice.
    “America has the strongest, most capable military in the world. But firing uniformed leaders as a type of political loyalty test, or for reasons relating to diversity and gender that have nothing to do with performance, erodes the trust and professionalism that our servicemembers require to achieve their missions.
    “A professional, apolitical military that is subordinate to the civilian government and supportive of the Constitution rather than a political party is essential to the survival of our democracy. For the sake of our troops and the well-being of every American, elected leaders—especially Senate Republicans—must defend that enduring principle against corrosive attempts to remake the military into a partisan force.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed Statement on Life & Legacy of Judge Bruce M. Selya

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
    PROVIDENCE, RI – After the recent passing of Judge Bruce M. Selya, 90, a proud son of Providence who became the first Jewish person to ascend to the federal bench in Rhode Island — serving as a senior U.S. circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and later as chief judge of the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review — U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) issued the following statement today hailing Judge Selya’s remarkable life and legacy:
    “Rhode Island has lost a legal legend whose outstanding contributions to the community and the people of Rhode Island go well beyond his four decades of remarkable service on the federal bench. 
    “As a judge, Bruce Selya was nationally renowned and respected and set a high bar that many others in his profession admire and aspire to reach.  As a man, he will be remembered for his exemplary devotion to the law and uplifting others, particularly those in his beloved hometown of Providence.
    “A man of great wisdom, integrity, modesty, wit, and high ethical standards, Judge Selya was known for his thoughtfulness, keen intellect, and judicial temperament.  He touched countless lives in his courtroom and beyond, including legions of law clerks he mentored over the years, including U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Ketanji Brown Jackson.
    “Over the course of his impressive legal career, he had a hand in over 1,800 opinions, many written in his signature, concise writing style that brings complex issues into focus.  He participated in notable cases that helped shape and influence the nation’s jurisprudence.
    “An inspiration to many, his example will continue to serve as a guiding light to future generations of lawyers and judges.  And his philanthropic work will continue to make a positive difference.
    “Our heartfelt condolences to his beloved wife Cindy, their children, grandchildren, and extended family and friends.  We join them in mourning a great loss, and in celebrating a life well lived.  Thank you, Your Honor, for a lifetime of service to others and for your undying dedication to the people of Rhode Island and the principles of democracy and justice for all.”
    Born and raised in Providence, Selya attended Classical High School before going on to graduate with honors from Harvard Law School.  In 1982, Selya was nominated to U.S. District Court by President Ronald Reagan and later elevated to the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in 1986.
    In 2000, U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist appointed Selya to the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation, a position Selya held until 2004.  In 2005, U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts appointed Selya to the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review, and in 2008 Selya was appointed to the chief judgeship of the Court of Review.
    Selya contributed his time and talents to many community causes and public service endeavors, including leadership roles on numerous and diverse institutional boards.  He taught law school students and received honorary degrees from Bryant University, Roger Williams University, and Brandeis University.
    In 2023, the City of Providence designated Fulton Street as Judge Selya Way.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Polis Orders Flags to Half Staff To Honor Former Representative Rod Bockenfeld

    Source: US State of Colorado

    DENVER – Governor Polis ordered flags to fly at half-staff from sunrise until sunset tomorrow, February 25th, 2025, to honor Former Representative Rod Bockenfeld. 

    “Today, I join many across the state to honor the life of Former Representative Rod Bockenfeld. I am thankful for Rep. Bockenfeld’s commitment to his district and his thoughtful approach to his legislative work, including during his time at the Joint Budget Committee. My thoughts are with the Bockenfeld family and I hope they find comfort in their community during this difficult time.” 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Alaris Equity Partners Provides Corporate Update

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES.
    FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS RESTRICTION MAY CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF UNITED STATES SECURITIES LAW.

    CALGARY, Alberta, Feb. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — (all numbers in this release are in US dollars (US$) unless otherwise noted) Alaris Equity Partners Income Trust (the “Trust“) (TSX: AD.UN) is pleased to announce that its subsidiary, Alaris Equity Partners USA Inc. (collectively, with the Trust and its other subsidiaries, “Alaris“) has made an investment of $21.0 million into Berg Demo Holdings, LLC (“Berg“) (the “Berg Investment”) and $61.1 million into Professional Electric Contractors of Connecticut, Inc. (“PEC“) (the “PEC Investment“). Alaris is also pleased to announce the redemption of Alaris’ investment in Unify Consulting LLC (“Unify“), which closed in December, and resulted in gross proceeds of $12.3 million to Alaris (the “Unify Redemption“).

    “A productive start to 2025 with the closing of two new partnerships and the successful exit of another. Berg and PEC both signify the forming of partnerships with very strong entrepreneurs. David Berg and Jim Bisson from Berg and PEC respectively are exactly what we look for in partners. Long track records of success and a strong passion to continue to grow their businesses. Both partners have the capacity and desire to grow through acquisitions in addition to continued organic growth.

    I’d like to thank Darren Alger and his team at Unify for a wonderful eight years as our partner. Alaris originally funded a management buyout for Darren and we are proud of how well he has done as majority owner. Crystallizing another investment with an IRR of 20% is also an excellent result for our management team,” said Steve King, Chief Executive Officer, Alaris.

    Berg Investment

    The Berg Investment consists of: (i) $17.15 million (the “Berg Preferred Contribution“) of preferred equity, entitling Alaris to an initial annualized distribution of $2.40 million (the “Berg Distribution“); and (ii) $3.85 million (the “Berg Common Equity“) for a minority common equity ownership in Berg. The Berg Distribution will reset annually based on the percentage change in gross profit, subject to a collar of +/- 7%.

    Berg has an earnings coverage ratio between 1.5x and 2.0x based on Berg’s trailing twelve-month financial results and giving effect to certain other changes to Berg’s capital structure. The Berg Investment will be used for capital investment and to provide partial liquidity to equity holders.

    “We are thrilled to partner with Alaris, a partnership that strengthens our leadership team’s ability to drive future growth. As a third-generation demolition, scrap, and hazardous materials company, Berg has built a legacy of excellence. With Alaris’s strategic support and expertise, we are confident that Berg will continue to thrive as an industry leader for generations to come,” said David Berg, Founder, Berg.

    Berg is a leading demolition solutions provider serving public, commercial and industrial end markets in the Baltimore and DC, Maryland & Virginia (“DMV”) metropolitan area in the United States. Founded in 1998 by David Berg and headquartered in Baltimore, MD, Berg has become the preeminent hazardous material abatement, selective structural and building razing operation in the region.

    PEC Investment

    The PEC Investment of $61.1 million consists of a $37.0 million investment in debt and preferred equity (the “PEC Contribution“) as well as an investment of $24.1 million in exchange for a minority common equity ownership in PEC (the “PEC Common Equity“). Included within the $37.0 million PEC Contribution is $10.0 million of preferred equity redeemable at par. The PEC Contribution will result in an annualized cash distribution to Alaris of $5.18 million (the “PEC Distribution“), an initial combined annual yield of 14% and will reset annually +/- 7% based on changes in PEC’s revenue. The proceeds from the PEC Investment were used for partial liquidity to existing PEC shareholders.

    PEC has an earnings coverage ratio between 1.5x and 2.0x, based on PEC’s trailing twelve-month financial results and giving effect to changes to PEC’s capital structure following the Alaris investment.

    “When we first met Alaris, we liked their people and their unique model immediately; Alaris’ combination of financial strength and M&A acumen will allow us to focus on growth, while their approach recognizes our desire to protect and preserve PEC’s culture, which has always been a competitive advantage and our defining attribute,” said Jim Bisson, Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer, PEC.

    PEC is a full-service electrical contracting firm with a broad range of capabilities ranging from commercial installations, historical structural retrofits and large scale Photovoltaic (PV) projects. In addition, through its subsidiary North American Renewables, Inc, PEC is a leading solar engineering, procurement and construction (“EPC”) contractor. PEC serves the Greater New England and New York area.

    Unify Redemption

    Alaris successfully exited its partnership with Unify after eight years resulting in total gross proceeds over the life of the investment of CAD$51.6 million. Alaris’ total return on the Unify investment is CAD$38.6 million, equating to an unlevered IRR of 20% and MOIC of 1.9x.

    Following the Berg and PEC Investment, and the Unify Redemption, Alaris will have approximately CA$412.9 million drawn on its senior credit facility (the “Facility“) and $87.1 million available for investment purposes while the total senior debt to EBITDA on a proforma basis is approximately 2.43x. Alaris estimates its run rate payout ratio to be approximately 57.6% following today’s announcement.

    About Alaris:

    The Trust, through its subsidiaries, invests in a diversified group of private businesses (“Private Company Partners“) primarily through structured equity. The primary goal of our structured equity investments is to deliver stable and predictable returns to our unitholders through both cash distributions and capital appreciation. This strategy is enhanced by common equity positions, which allow us to generate returns in alignment with the founders of our Private Company Partners.

    NON-IFRS MEASURES:

    Earnings Coverage Ratio refers to the Normalized EBITDA of a Partner divided by such Partner’s sum of debt servicing (interest and principal), unfunded capital expenditures and distributions to Alaris. Management believes the earnings coverage ratio is a useful metric in assessing our partners continued ability to make their contracted distributions.

    Normalized EBITDA refers to EBITDA excluding items that are non-recurring in nature and is calculated by adjusting for non-recurring expenses and gains to EBITDA. Management deems non-recurring charges to be unusual and/or infrequent charges that our Partners incur outside of its common day-to-day operations.

    EBITDA refers to earnings determined in accordance with IFRS, before depreciation and amortization, net of gain or loss on disposal of capital assets, interest expense and income tax expense. EBITDA is used by management and many investors to determine the ability of an issuer to generate cash from operations.

    IRR is a supplementary financial measure and refers to internal rate of return, which is a metric used to determine the discount rate that derives a net present value of cash flows to zero. Management uses IRR to analyze partner returns. The Trust’s method of calculating this supplementary financial measure may differ from the methods used by other issuers. Therefore, it may not be comparable to similar measures by other issuers.

    MOIC is a supplementary financial measure and refers to multiple of capital invested, which is a financial metric used to evaluate the value of an investment relative to the initial capital. Management uses MOIC to analyze partner returns. The Trust’s method of calculating this supplementary financial measure may differ from the methods used by other issuers. Therefore, it may not be comparable to similar measures by other issuers.

    The terms Earnings Coverage Ratio, Normalized EBITDA, EBITDA, IRR and MOIC (the “Non-IFRS Measures“) are not standard measures under IFRS. Alaris’ calculation of the Non-IFRS Measures may differ from those of other issuers and, therefore, should only be used in conjunction with the Trust’s annual audited and unaudited interim financial statements, which are available under the Trust’s (and its predecessor’s) profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

    FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

    This news release contains forward-looking statements, including forward-looking statements within the meaning of “safe harbor” provisions under applicable securities laws (“forward-looking statements”). Statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this news release may be forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, management’s expectations, intentions and beliefs concerning the Berg and PEC Investments and the Unify redemption. Many of these statements can be identified by words such as “believe”, “expects”, “will”, “intends”, “projects”, “anticipates”, “estimates”, “continues” or similar words or the negative thereof. Forward looking statements in this news release include, without limitation, statements regarding: the annualized distributions for the Berg and PEC Investments; the earnings coverage ratios for Berg and PEC; and Alaris’ outstanding indebtedness and use of the balance of the Facility. Any forward-looking statements herein which constitute a financial outlook or future-oriented financial information (including the impact on Run Rate Payout Ratio) were approved by management as of the date hereof and have been included to provide an understanding of Alaris’ financial performance and are subject to the same risks and assumptions disclosed herein. There can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which these forward-looking statements are based will occur.

    By their nature, forward-looking statements require Alaris to make assumptions and are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties. Assumptions about the performance of the Canadian and U.S. economies over the next 24 months and how that will affect Alaris’ business and that of its Partners are material factors considered by Alaris management when setting the outlook for Alaris. Key assumptions include, but are not limited to, assumptions that: interest rates will not rise in a matter materially different from the prevailing market expectations over the next 12 to 24 months; no widespread global health crisis will impact the economy or any Partners’ operations in a material way in the next 12 months; the businesses of the majority of our Partners will continue to grow; the businesses of new Partners and those of existing partners will perform in line with Alaris’ expectations and diligence; more private companies will require access to alternative sources of capital and that Alaris will have the ability to raise required equity and/or debt financing on acceptable terms. Management of Alaris has also assumed that the Canadian and U.S. dollar trading pair will remain in a range of approximately plus or minus 15% of the current rate expectations over the next 6 months. In determining expectations for economic growth, management of Alaris primarily considers historical economic data provided by the Canadian and U.S. governments and their agencies as well as prevailing economic conditions at the time of such determinations.

    Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions and should not be read as guarantees or assurances of future performance. The actual results of the Trust and the Partners could materially differ from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of certain risk factors, including, but not limited to: the ability of our Partners and, correspondingly, Alaris to meet performance expectations for 2025 and beyond; any change in the senior lenders’ outlook for Alaris’ business; management’s ability to assess and mitigate the impacts of any local, regional, national or international health crises like COVID-19 or its variants; the dependence of Alaris on the Partners; reliance on key personnel; general economic conditions in Canada, North America and globally; failure to complete or realize the anticipated benefit of Alaris’ financing arrangements with the Partners; a failure of the Trust or any Partners to obtain required regulatory approvals on a timely basis or at all; changes in legislation and regulations and the interpretations thereof; risks relating to the Partners and their businesses, including, without limitation, a material change in the operations of a Partner or the industries they operate in; inability to close additional Partner contributions in a timely fashion, or at all; a change in the ability of the Partners to continue to pay Alaris’ distributions; a material change in the unaudited information provided to Alaris by the Partners; a failure of a Partner (or Partners) to realize on their anticipated growth strategies; a failure to achieve the expected benefits of the third-party asset management strategy or similar new investment structures and strategies; conflicts of interest that may arise under the asset management strategy or otherwise; a failure to achieve resolutions for outstanding issues with Partners on terms materially in line with management’s expectations or at all; and a failure to realize the benefits of any concessions or relief measures provided by Alaris to any Partner or to successfully execute an exit strategy for a Partner where desired. Additional risks that may cause actual results to vary from those indicated are discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” and “Forward Looking Statements” in the Trust’s Management Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2023, which is filed under the Trust’s profile at www.sedar.com and on its website at www.alarisequitypartners.com.

    This news release contains future-oriented financial information and financial outlook information (collectively, “FOFI”) about increases to the Trust’s net operating cash from activities and revenues, each of which are subject to the same assumptions, risk factors, limitations, and qualifications as set forth above. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on FOFI and forward-looking statements. Alaris’ actual results, performance or achievement could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements and FOFI, or if any of them do so, what benefits the Trust will derive therefrom. The Trust has included the forward-looking statements and FOFI in order to provide readers with a more complete perspective on Alaris’ future operations and such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Alaris disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

    Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information contained in this news release as a number of factors could cause actual future results, conditions, actions or events to differ materially from the targets, expectations, estimates or intentions expressed in the forward-looking statements. Statements containing forward-looking information reflect management’s current beliefs and assumptions based on information in its possession on the date of this news release. Although management believes that the assumptions reflected in the forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct.

    The forward-looking statements contained herein are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and Alaris does not undertake or assume any obligation to update or revise such statements to reflect new events or circumstances except as expressly required by applicable securities legislation.

    Neither the TSX nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    For further information please contact:

    ir@alarisequity.com
    P: (403) 260-1457
    Alaris Equity Partners Income Trust
    Suite 250, 333 24th Avenue S.W.
    Calgary, Alberta T2S 3E6

    www.alarisequitypartners.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Moving beyond Black history month towards inclusive histories in Québec secondary schools

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By R. Nanre Nafziger, Assistant Professor, African/Black Studies in Education, McGill University

    As Montréal celebrates its 34th Black History Month, it is time to fully integrate Black history into Québec education.

    As an all-out war on diversity and inclusion rages below Canada’s southern border, an opportunity is opened for Québec to live up to its vision of a truly inclusive and multicultural society.

    Integral to this is mainstreaming the histories of Black, Indigenous and other racialized and equity-deserving communities. This can be done through history studies and also through citizenship and cultural education.

    It is important to go beyond Black History Month in order to embrace the importance of Black history for Black students and all students — ignored for too long in history textbooks and teaching.

    To this urgent issue we bring our combined research and educational expertise. Nanre Nafziger, the first author of this story, has researched how Black/African peoples can reclaim their histories and cultures, and Sabrina Jafralie, who has a PhD in teacher education, has researched Québec curricula and also brings experience as a Québec-born-and-raised teacher at a Montréal high school.

    Essential to combat anti-Black racism

    Teaching Black history is essential to fighting against anti-Black racism reinforced through negative depictions of African and Black histories.

    History education is important for raising critical and actively involved citizens and increasing acceptance and understanding. Educators speak of developing a “historical consciousness” — which includes learning to examine causes and consequences, and to revisit and interpret sources. This is a critical building block for fighting racism and negative depictions of racialized groups.

    History education is important for raising actively involved citizens and increasing understanding. Students at Dawson College in Montréal in 2021.
    THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

    Québec curriculum development, like most North American curricula, has historically leaned towards a Eurocentric narrative.

    Black/African history education is largely absent in Québec’s history curricula, reinforcing the erasure of the contributions of Black people to the development of Québec but also to world history. For example, history and citizenship secondary education (Cycle 1) refers to Black/Afro-Canadian history only in naming enslavement and oppression.

    This creates a narrow and damaging history that fails to recognize the diverse range of achievements by Black people. It neglects the rich cultural heritage of Afro-Canadians and reinforces systemic inequities in how knowledge is produced and disseminated.

    Sabrina writes: I was fortunate that my Afro Nova Scotian mother taught me our history across Canada. However, it was not present in my education until I created it in high school.

    Historical fight for Black history

    Researchers have raised concerns that Québec’s “interculturalism” — a longstanding province-specific take on how to address and integrate cultural differences — fails to take into account the complexities of identities and omits important histories.

    Such an approach further compounds anti-Black racism in schools.

    Black students, parents and educators have called for Black history to be taught in Québec schools year-round and activists have called for the creation of a more inclusive curriculum.

    Despite systemic omissions, Black and African communities in Québec have a rich tradition of upholding and preserving their histories through the meticulous work of community archivists and memory keepers.

    This includes the creation of Black libraries, books, articles and curriculum materials, oral storytelling and walking tours. Black community organizations offer cultural and community programming that focuses on diverse cultures and histories of Black people. Renowned historian, educator and long-time advocate for Black history Dorothy Williams, created a curriculum toolkit called the ABCs of Black History in French and English for teachers and educators to use in schools.

    Recommended revisions

    In its brief to the education minister, the Advisory Board on English Education recommended rewrites to “the K-11 history curriculum to broaden its perspective beyond Québec based content and Eurocentricity,” and allowing latitude for schools to incorporate history curriculum relevant to students’ backgrounds.

    While it is helpful when school boards mark Black History Month and share resources for teachers, the integration of Black history requires a holistic and comprehensive curricular focus.

    Québec may learn from other provinces. Nova Scotia has a curriculum on African Canadian history and Ontario plans to roll out a Black history curriculum in schools in September 2025. Educators in British Columbia created a Black Studies 12 course which helps promote racial equity in education.

    Culture and citizenship curriculum

    The new Culture and Civics Curriculum (CCQ), a mandatory subject in primary and secondary schools, offers opportunities to address systemic racism with a focus on citizenship, culture and identity. Yet, there is no assurance students will gain competencies to address racism, or teachers will be well-equipped to lead such learning, given the curricular approach. For example:

    • The elementary program of the CCQ prepares students to understand “cultural realities” and contains a module on Indigenous perspectives. However, the approach is rooted in Euro-centered sociology.

    • Secondary 5 (students aged 16-17) names the compulsory concept of social inequalities (along with sexism and other inequalities related to gender and sexuality; racism and colonialism; socio-economic inequalities; environmental inequalities). However, the teacher decides how to teach these grouped concepts and what emphasis to give these areas.

    This means there is a possibility that the CCQ curriculum could address anti-Black racism, but there are too many variables to guarantee it. By contrast, sexuality education and civic education are deemed mandatory and special topics.

    Black history now

    Including Black history in the curriculum will have a profound, direct impact on students by strengthening their identity, citizenship, and “sense of pride and belonging to Québec society.”

    Healthy learning can take place when students and people see their place in history and curriculum, as this creates a sense of belonging. The current curriculum creates exclusion and allows educators to hide in their bias if they desire.

    Diverse curricula create space and acknowledge hidden histories and foster a shared humanity and a vision for a shared, socially just, future.

    Québec’s complicated history of colonialism, systemic racism and ongoing repression associated with secularism is not one to be shied away from.

    Rather, integrating Black history can serve as a portal for inspiring and encouraging critical discourses on histories of communities that are under-represented in dominant stories of Québec.

    At a moment when exclusion, vitriol against difference and increasing intolerance dominates social discourse and interactions, Québec can choose another path. Only through critically assessing our past can we look forward to any form of a unified future: nous nous souvenons, we must all remember and be remembered.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Moving beyond Black history month towards inclusive histories in Québec secondary schools – https://theconversation.com/moving-beyond-black-history-month-towards-inclusive-histories-in-quebec-secondary-schools-248832

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: U.S. cuts to HIV/AIDS funding will be detrimental for vulnerable groups in Kenya

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Toby Le, PhD Candidate in Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba

    On his first day in office, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to freeze foreign aid funding. This was followed by a stop-work order for dozens of life-saving humanitarian programs.

    One of the programs affected by this announcement is the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). This program has invested more than US$100 billion in the global HIV/AIDS response since it was founded in 2003. This makes the U.S. the largest funder of HIV/AIDS programs worldwide.

    Although a 90-day waiver has since been issued which temporarily allows life-saving HIV drugs to continue being delivered, the impact of this executive order is already being felt across the globe — including in Africa, where PEPFAR funding has been integral in controlling the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

    If PEPFAR funding ends when the waiver expires — or resumes but doesn’t allow funding for services to all key populations — this will have severe impacts on those in the continent living with HIV or at high-risk of infection.

    HIV/ AIDS research

    For 45 years, the University of Manitoba has been part of an important initiative in Nairobi, Kenya — partnering with the Sex Worker Outreach Program (SWOP and local agency Partners for Health and Development in Africa (PHDA) to develop effective strategies against HIV that can be employed in the region and communities worldwide. The approach, developed in 1985 by Elizabeth Ngugi, a public health nurse, and Francis Plummer, a University of Manitoba researcher, has empowered the community to share knowledge and to advocate for their rights. It has been vital in reducing HIV prevalence.

    This partnership between the University of Manitoba and SWOP has been funded by PEPFAR since 2003. It receives an average of US$1.5 million annually to deliver reproductive health, tuberculosis, sexually transmitted infection and HIV services to key populations. Currently, this funding allows the program to operate nine clinics in Kenya, which annually provide services to over 40,000 female sex workers, 12,000 men who have sex with men and 1,400 transgender people.

    The program offers safe spaces and tailors services to address the specific needs of each group and reduces health-care barriers. Our research team assessed gaps and refined approaches so that this partnership could serve the most vulnerable — transforming engagement with key groups.

    Groundbreaking research findings have also emerged because of this partnership. University of Manitoba research conducted with the SWOP community was among the first to show that STIs increase the risk of HIV infection, that breastfeeding heightens the risk of transmitting HIV to babies, that male circumcision helps prevent HIV and that some people exposed to HIV have a natural immunity to the virus.

    These findings have informed global prevention strategies and highlight the partnership’s significant impact.

    Critical funding

    If PEPFAR funding does indeed end in April once the temporary waiver expires, it would have a serious impact on the HIV/AIDS programs being delivered not only in Kenya but around the globe.

    SWOP clinics have been instrumental in curbing HIV infections among sex workers. HIV prevalence among female sex workers accessing SWOP clinics declined from 44 per cent in 2008 to 12 per cent in 2017. This 67 per cent reduction can be attributed to an increase in HIV testing, community education and STI treatment. The program also highlighted the prevalence of HPV anal lesions in men who have sex with men and the importance of early detection. The cessation of PEPFAR funding will jeopardize STI and HIV services.

    After much advocating, the SWOP clinics servicing female sex workers were able to resume some of their activities last week (Feb. 12, 2025). However, the waiver specified that PEPFAR-funded HIV care and treatment services could only be offered to certain groups. This meant we were unable to resume HIV prevention services for all key groups.

    Without a strong contingency plan, the abrupt end to PEPFAR funding will have devastating consequences. It would mean an immediate end to SWOP activities. This would mean no more HIV testing, preventive treatment and anti-retroviral therapy — which would increase the risk of transmission, leading to an increase in cases and even a greater number of deaths in people living with HIV.

    Key groups accessing SWOP are among the most marginalized in Kenya. Without access to dedicated clinics, the majority will avoid seeking care due to fear of stigma, discrimination and harassment in clinics designed for the general public.

    SWOP partners with local agencies to provide empowerment, legal support and counselling. Closing these clinics could leave the communities they serve more vulnerable to violence, exploitation and human rights abuse.

    On the research front, funding cuts would mean ongoing projects would be halted and new ones couldn’t be started. Three already-funded University of Manitoba studies are planned to start this year. These aim to further investigate the impact of HIV on women living in the region and understand how women’s health can be improved not only in Kenya but worldwide.

    But without SWOP’s infrastructure (such as their clinics and outreach team) we won’t be able to start these new studies. Furthermore, the implementation of research-based programs that aim to prevent HPV-related cancers would be stopped.

    Cuts to HIV/AIDS funding could threaten the 40 years of work that has gone into ending the AIDS epidemic — potentially putting the lives of millions of people at risk.

    The PEPFAR program has saved over 25 million lives since its beginning in 2003. Ending the PEPFAR program would have serious impacts on services for key populations and the LGBTQ+ communities. If the funding does end after the waiver expires in April, it will be necessary for Canada’s provincial and federal governments to step in and become leaders in global health and the fight against HIV.

    Toby Le receives funding from CIHR and Research Manitoba.

    Julie Lajoie receives funding from Grand Challenge Canada, Canadian Institute of Health Research, CANFAR and MMSF (Manitoba Medical Service Fundation).

    Keith Fowke receives funding from CIHR and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

    – ref. U.S. cuts to HIV/AIDS funding will be detrimental for vulnerable groups in Kenya – https://theconversation.com/u-s-cuts-to-hiv-aids-funding-will-be-detrimental-for-vulnerable-groups-in-kenya-250001

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Francis − a pope who has cared deeply for the poor and opened up the Catholic Church

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Mathew Schmalz, Professor of Religious Studies, College of the Holy Cross

    Pope Francis during the Palm Sunday Mass at St. Peter’s Square on April 2, 2023, in Vatican City. Antonio Masiello/Getty Images

    Pope Francis, who remains in critical condition and hospitalized as he battles pneumonia in both lungs, was elected pope on March 13, 2013, after the surprise resignation of Benedict XVI.

    Prior to becoming pope, he was Jorge Mario Bergoglio, archbishop of Buenos Aires, and was the first person from the Americas to be elected to the papacy. He was also the first pope to choose Francis as his name, thus honoring St. Francis of Assisi, a 13th-century mystic whose love for nature and the poor have inspired Catholics and non-Catholics alike.

    Pope Francis chose not to wear the elaborate clothing, like red shoes or silk vestments, associated with other popes. As a scholar of global Catholicism, however, I would argue that the changes Francis brought to the papacy were more than skin deep. He opened the church to the outside world in ways none of his predecessors had done before.

    Care for the marginalized

    Pope Francis reached out personally to the poor. For example, he turned a Vatican plaza into a refuge for the homeless, whom he called “nobles of the street.”

    The Argentinian Jorge Mario Bergoglio, ordained for the Jesuits in 1969 at the Theological Faculty of San Miguel.
    Jesuit General Curia via Getty Images

    He washed the feet of migrants and prisoners during the traditional foot-washing ceremony on the Thursday before Easter. In an unprecedented act for a pope, he also washed the feet of non-Christians.

    He encouraged a more welcoming attitude toward gay and lesbian Catholics and invited transgender people to meet with him at the Vatican.

    On other contentious issues, Francis reaffirmed official Catholic positions. He labeled homosexual behavior a “sin,” although he also stated that it should not be considered a crime. Francis criticized gender theory for “blurring” differences between men and women.

    While he maintained the church’s position that all priests should be male, he made far-reaching changes that opened various leadership roles to women. Francis was the first pope to appoint a woman to head an administrative office at the Vatican. Also for the first time, women were included in the 70-member body that selects bishops and the 15-member council that oversees Vatican finances. Shortly before his death, he appointed an Italian nun, Sister Raffaella Petrini, as President of the Vatican City.

    Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square on April 18, 2022.
    Stefano Spaziani/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images

    Not shy of controversy

    Some of Francis’ positions led to opposition in some Catholic circles.

    One such issue was related to Francis’ embrace of religious diversity. Delivering an address at the Seventh Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in Kazakhstan in 2022, he said that members of the world’s different religions were “children of the same heaven.”

    While in Morocco, he spoke out against conversion as a mission, saying to the Catholic community that they should live “in brotherhood with other faiths.” To some of his critics, however, such statements undermined the unique truth of Christianity.

    During his tenure, the pope called for “synodality,” a more democratic approach to decision making. For example, synod meetings in November 2023 included laypeople and women as voting members. But the synod was resisted by some bishops who feared it would lessen the importance of priests as teachers and leaders.

    In a significant move that will influence the choosing of his successor, Pope Francis appointed more cardinals from the Global South. But not all Catholic leaders in the Global South followed his lead on doctrine. For example, African bishops publicly criticized Pope Francis’ December 2023 ruling that allowed blessings of individuals in same sex couples.

    His most controversial move was limiting the celebration of the Mass in the older form that uses Latin. This reversed a decision made by Benedict XVI that allowed the Latin Mass to be more widely practiced.

    Traditionalists argued that the Latin Mass was an important – and beautiful – part of the Catholic tradition. But Francis believed that it had divided Catholics into separate groups who worshiped differently.

    This concern for Catholic unity also led him to discipline two American critics of his reforms, Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas, and Cardinal Raymond Burke. Most significantly, Carlo Maria Viganò, the former Vatican ambassador, or nuncio, to the United States was excommunicated during Francis’ tenure for promoting “schism.”

    In the last days of his pontificate, Pope Francis also criticized the Trump administration’s efforts to deport migrants. In a letter to US Bishops, he recalled that Jesus, Mary and Joseph had been emigrants and refugees in Egypt. Pope Francis also argued that migrants who enter a country illegally should not be treated as criminals because they are in need and have dignity as human beings.

    Writings on ‘the common good’

    In his official papal letters, called encyclicals, Francis echoed his public actions by emphasizing the “common good,” or the rights and responsibilities necessary for human flourishing.

    Pope Francis washes the foot of a man during the foot-washing ritual at a refugee center outside of Rome on March 24, 2016.
    L’Osservatore Romano/Pool Photo via AP

    His first encyclical in 2013, Lumen Fidei, or “The Light of Faith,” sets out to show how faith can unite people everywhere.

    In his next encyclical, Laudato Si’, or “Praise Be to You,” Francis addressed the environmental crisis, including pollution and climate change. He also called attention to unequal distribution of wealth and called for an “integral ecology” that respects both human beings and the environment.

    His third encyclical in 2020, Fratelli Tutti, or “Brothers All,” criticized a “throwaway culture” that discards human beings, especially the poor, the unborn and the elderly. In a significant act for the head of the Catholic Church, Francis concluded by speaking of non-Catholics who have inspired him: Martin Luther King Jr., Desmond Tutu and Mahatma Gandhi.

    In his last encyclical, Dilexit Nos, or “He Loved Us,” he reflected on God’s Love through meditating on the symbol of the Sacred Heart that depicts flames of love coming from Jesus’ wounded heart that was pierced during the crucifixion.

    Francis also proclaimed a special “year of mercy” in 2015-16. The pope consistently argued for a culture of mercy that reflects the love of Jesus Christ, calling him “the face of God’s mercy.”

    A historic papacy

    Francis’ papacy has been historic. He embraced the marginalized in ways that no pope had done before. He not only deepened the Catholic Church’s commitment to the poor in its religious life but also expanded who is included in its decision making.

    The pope did have his critics who thought he went too far, too fast. And whether his reforms take root depends on his successor. Among many things, Francis will be remembered for how his pontificate represented a shift in power in the Catholic Church away from Western Europe to the Global South, where the majority of Catholics now live.

    Mathew Schmalz is Roman Catholic and a political independent.

    – ref. Francis − a pope who has cared deeply for the poor and opened up the Catholic Church – https://theconversation.com/francis-a-pope-who-has-cared-deeply-for-the-poor-and-opened-up-the-catholic-church-164362

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Merkley, Wyden: Trump Devastates Oregon’s Rural Communities with Federal Funding Cuts and Mass Firings

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)

    February 24, 2025

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley, the former top Democrat on the Appropriations subcommittee overseeing the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Ron Wyden demanded recently confirmed U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins immediately reverse disastrous actions at the USDA that have harmed Oregon farmers and families.

    Their letter follows President Donald Trump’s illegal executive orders cutting federal funds which support farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners and mass firings across the federal government, impacting researchers at units in Burns, Newport, Hood River, and Pendleton.

    “These funding freezes and mass firings are cutting jobs, stopping essential investments for our farmers and rural communities, and making our communities less resilient to market volatility from climate, supply chain disruptions, tariffs, and natural disasters,” wrote the Senators. “These agency actions must be immediately reversed.”

    The Senators stressed the effects on Oregon by saying, “Many of our constituents have already started much-needed infrastructure projects – such as irrigation modernization under the Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations Program to help farmers in drought-prone areas upgrade their irrigation practices to increase efficiency and conserve water – under the assurance that they would receive their grant money. Halting these payments means that a project in Hood River County will not only be delayed for over 100 days but will put the irrigation district at risk of insolvency. Even if funds are restored immediately, the current delay will ultimately increase the overall costs of this and other urgent projects while also costing hardworking Americans their jobs. Preventing grant recipients from finishing their projects is not a cost-effective or efficient approach to governance and is irresponsible stewardship of Congressionally appropriated taxpayer dollars.”

    “While there are reports that some funds have been released, in accordance with the Constitution and federal law, we direct you to immediately release all funds under these grants to ensure these projects stay on schedule, on budget, and preserve jobs. Further, we direct you to stop these senseless firings and restore these dedicated public servants to their jobs to enhance our agriculture industry, protect food safety, and bolster jobs in rural communities and throughout Oregon,” the Senators directed.

    Full text of the letter can be found by clicking here and follows below:

    Dear Secretary Rollins,

    On the same day he was sworn in, President Trump signed an Executive Order effectively halting all investments under the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act, commonly known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and Inflation Reduction Act, jeopardizing vital programs that support Oregon farmers and families. Despite court intervention at other agencies pausing these harmful cuts, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) continues to freeze critical funding, which continues to cause severe disruption to farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners who are implementing projects under these landmark pieces of legislation. Since then, the Trump Administration has also fired an estimated 4,200 dedicated public servants in Oregon and across the country, grinding critical work and research to a halt across the agency.

    These funding freezes and mass firings are cutting jobs, stopping essential investments for our farmers and rural communities, and making our communities less resilient to market volatility from climate, supply chain disruptions, tariffs, and natural disasters. These agency actions must be immediately reversed.

    Critical research partnerships with universities and local farmers and ranchers through the USDA Agricultural Research Service are devastated with uncertain futures after public servants at research stations in Pendleton, Burns, Hood River, Corvallis, and Newport were fired. This vital work helps Oregon’s leading agricultural sectors find solutions toward improving soil health, dealing with wildfire smoke exposure in wine grapes, protecting the rangeland for both ranchers and ecosystems, and navigating threats like disease and pests to reliably bring global-class products to market.

    Many of our constituents have already started much-needed infrastructure projects – such as irrigation modernization under the Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations Program to help farmers in drought-prone areas upgrade their irrigation practices to increase efficiency and conserve water – under the assurance that they would receive their grant money. Halting these payments means that a project in Hood River County will not only be delayed for over 100 days but will put the irrigation district at risk of insolvency. Even if funds are restored immediately, the current delay will ultimately increase the overall costs of this and other urgent projects while also costing hardworking Americans their jobs. Preventing grant recipients from finishing their projects is not a cost-effective or efficient approach to governance and is irresponsible stewardship of Congressionally appropriated taxpayer dollars.

    Other projects, such as programs that partner with farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners in over half of Oregon’s 36 counties – including in Baker, Coos, Crook, Douglas, Grant, Jefferson, Klamath, Lake, Malheur, Morrow, Polk, Umatilla, Union, and Wheeler counties – to confront the challenges of drought and other extreme weather events have had the rug pulled out from under them. These landowners have already started projects amounting to tens of millions in investments to build operational and environmental resiliency into our food systems by implementing innovative production practices, increasing market competitiveness, and supporting local manufacturing.

    Other longer-term grants for wildfire resiliency through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program, such as a $22.25 million investment for work in Jackson County, has also been frozen. This has paused vital work to help ensure local landowners can not only recover from past devastating wildfires but are able to protect their neighbors and communities from future wildfires.

    Grant recipients are expecting reimbursement or payment for projects already underway and instead have been met with the message that their projects were either being paused or completely stopped. Many of these recipients are now scared to come forward for fear of further retribution and loss of vital federal support.

    While there are reports that some funds have been released, in accordance with the Constitution and federal law, we direct you to immediately release all funds under these grants to ensure these projects stay on schedule, on budget, and preserve jobs. Further, we direct you to stop these senseless firings and restore these dedicated public servants to their jobs to enhance our agriculture industry, protect food safety, and bolster jobs in rural communities and throughout Oregon.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Legislature assembles for start of spring session

    [.  

    This session will see Alberta’s government take action to support the implementation of measures announced in Budget 2025, modernizing existing legislation and reducing red tape, ensuring the province’s laws remain relevant, easy to understand and attractive to investors.

    “Alberta’s government is heading back to the legislature to continue to work for Albertans. In the face of the shifting geopolitical landscape and a federal government preoccupied with its own internal bickering rather than guiding the country through these uncertain waters, our government will be taking decisive action to ensure Alberta is best positioned to meet challenges as they come.”

    Joseph Schow, Government House Leader and Minister of Tourism and Sport

    Among the proposed legislation for the spring session is an act that would provide a uniform governance framework for professional regulatory organizations, so they can continue the important work of protecting the public interest of Albertans. Additional legislation would support Albertans’ understanding of addiction treatment services, providing confidence that providers are aligned with the standards set out by the Alberta Recovery Model.

    Alberta’s government will also be introducing several pieces of legislation to help Albertans face the rising cost of living. Legislation would ensure Albertans have access to the utilities they need when they need them, at a price they can afford, and would enable better, faster, cheaper auto insurance for Alberta drivers.

    The work in the assembly will be in addition to the government’s ongoing efforts to de-escalate border and trade tensions with the U.S. amid uncertainty in global geopolitical and energy markets, reduce barriers to interprovincial trade, and maintain Alberta’s status as the best place to live, work, and raise a family.

    Alberta’s government will table approximately 20 pieces of legislation this session, including*:

    • Agriculture and Irrigation Statutes Amendment Act
    • Automobile Insurance Act 
    • Financial Statutes Amendment Act
    • Mental Health Services Protection Amendment Act
    • Professional Governance Act
    • Public Safety and Emergency Services Statutes Amendment Act
    • Red Tape Reduction Statutes Amendment Act
    • Utilities Statutes Amendment Act
    • Wildlife Amendment Act

    *Names of legislation are subject to change.              

    Multimedia

    • Watch the news conference

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: H.R. 1156, Pandemic Unemployment Fraud Enforcement Act

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    Bill Summary

    H.R. 1156 would extend the statute of limitations from 5 to 10 years for federal criminal prosecution and civil enforcement actions for fraud related to the temporary unemployment programs enacted during the coronavirus pandemic. Under current law, the statute of limitations for those offenses will begin to expire in March 2025. Currently, states refer unemployment insurance claims involving allegations of fraud to the Office of Inspector General (OIG) at the Department of Labor (DOL) for further investigation. That office reviews cases and refers findings to the Department of Justice (DOJ) or other entities for criminal or civil prosecution.

    The bill also would rescind direct appropriations provided for program integrity activities in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

    Estimated Federal Cost

    The estimated budgetary effect of H.R. 1156 is shown in Table 1. The costs of the legislation fall within budget functions 500 (education training, employment, and social services), 600 (income security), and 750 (administration of justice).

    Table 1.

    Estimated Budgetary Effects of H.R. 1156
     

    By Fiscal Year, Millions of Dollars

    		    
     

    2025

    2026

    2027

    2028

    2029

    2030

    2031

    2032

    2033

    2034

    2035

    2025-2030

    2025-2035
     

    Increases or Decreases (-) in Direct Spending

    		    

    Estimated Budget Authority

    0

    *

    *

    *

    *

    *

    *

    *

    *

    *

    *

    *

    *

    Estimated Outlays

    -3

    1

    1

    1

    *

    *

    *

    *

    *

    *

    *

    *

    *
     

    Increases in Spending Subject to Appropriation

    		    

    Estimated Authorization

    *

    2

    1

    1

    1

    *

    n.e.

    n.e.

    n.e.

    n.e.

    n.e.

    5

    n.e.

    Estimated Outlays

    *

    2

    1

    1

    1

    *

    n.e.

    n.e.

    n.e.

    n.e.

    n.e.

    5

    n.e.

    n.e. = not estimated; * = between -$500,000 and $500,000.

    CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 1156 would increase revenues by less than $500,000 over the 2025-2035 period.

    Basis of Estimate

    CBO assumes that the bill will be enacted in March 2025. Estimated outlays are based on historical patterns for existing and similar activities.

    Direct Spending and Revenues

    CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 1156 would increase net direct spending and revenues by less than $500,000 over the 2025-2035 period (see Table 2).

    Table 2.

    Estimated Changes in Direct Spending Under H.R. 1156
     

    By Fiscal Year, Millions of Dollars

    		    
     

    2025

    2026

    2027

    2028

    2029

    2030

    2031

    2032

    2033

    2034

    2035

    2025-2030

    2025-2035
     

    Increases or Decreases (-) in Direct Spending

    		    

    Extend the Statute of Limitations

    		                      

    Estimated Budget Authority

    5

    *

    *

    *

    *

    *

    *

    *

    *

    *

    *

    5

    5

    Estimated Outlays

    *

    3

    1

    1

    *

    *

    *

    *

    *

    *

    *

    5

    5

    Rescind Funding for Program Integrity Activities

    		                  

    Budget Authority

    -5

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    -5

    -5

    Estimated Outlays

    -3

    -2

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    -5

    -5

    Total Changes

    		                        

    Estimated Budget Authority

    0

    *

    *

    *

    *

    *

    *

    *

    *

    *

    *

    *

    *

    Estimated Outlays

    -3

    1

    1

    1

    *

    *

    *

    *

    *

    *

    *

    *

    *

    Extend the Statute of Limitations. Upon the enactment of H.R. 1156, CBO expects that DOL would provide additional funding to states to continue their referrals of cases to DOL and provide information about those cases to the department’s OIG and federal law enforcement agencies. Under current law, DOL has permanent authority to fund whatever amounts are necessary for those activities for pandemic-related programs. Using information from DOL, CBO estimates that under the bill the department would provide $5 million in additional funding to states, increasing direct spending by the same amount over the 2025-2035 period.

    By extending the period for which DOJ could pursue prosecutions, CBO expects that H.R. 1156 would increase the collections of penalties and the recovery of additional benefits paid fraudulently in 2025 and subsequent years. That change would not affect state laws or rules governing the recovery of overpayments. Based on an analysis of data for similar offenses from the U.S. Sentencing Commission, CBO estimates that the increase in penalty collections would be insignificant. Criminal and civil fines are recorded in the budget as revenues; criminal fines are deposited into the Crime Victims Fund and spent without further appropriation. Thus, CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 1156 would increase revenues and the associated direct spending from penalty collections by less than $500,000 over the 2025-2035 period. Additionally, using information from DOL and DOJ, CBO estimates that any additional recoveries of overpaid benefits, which are recorded as reductions in direct spending, would be insignificant. The extent to which any additional recoveries would happen is highly uncertain.

    Rescind Funding for Program Integrity Activities. The bill would rescind $5 million in mandatory funding provided in the American Rescue Plan Act to state unemployment insurance agencies for program integrity activities, which are undertaken to ensure that benefits are paid correctly. Using information from DOL, CBO estimates that the rescission would decrease direct spending by $5 million over the 2025-2035 period.

    Spending Subject to Appropriation

    CBO assumes that if the statute of limitations were extended, more potential fraud cases would be referred to the OIG, and that office would continue to investigate cases it might otherwise have dropped. Using information from the Department of Labor, CBO estimates that the OIG would require an additional $5 million over the 2025-2030 period to handle those referrals and cases. Assuming appropriation of the estimated amounts, CBO estimates that outlays for those activities would total $5 million over the same period (see Table 1).

    Pay-As-You-Go Considerations

    The Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 establishes budget-reporting and enforcement procedures for legislation affecting direct spending or revenues. CBO estimates that enacting the bill would increase direct spending by less than $500,000 over the 2025-2035 period and increase revenues by less than $500,000 in every year and over the 2025-2035 period (see Table 3).

    Table 3.

    CBO’s Estimate of the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Effects of H.R. 1156, the Pandemic Unemployment Fraud Enforcement Act, as Ordered Reported by the House Committee on Ways and Means on February 12, 2025
     

    By Fiscal Year, Millions of Dollars

    		    
     

    2025

    2026

    2027

    2028

    2029

    2030

    2031

    2032

    2033

    2034

    2035

    2025-2030

    2025-2035
     

    Net Increase or Decrease (-) in Outlays

    		    

    Pay-As-You-Go Effect

    -3

    1

    1

    1

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Increase in Long-Term Net Direct Spending and Deficits

    CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 1156 would not significantly increase net direct spending in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2036.

    CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 1156 would not significantly increase on‑budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2036.

    Mandates

    The bill contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.

    Mandates: Erich Dvorak

    Estimate Reviewed By

    Elizabeth Cove Delisle
    Chief, Income Security Cost Estimates Unit

    Justin Humphrey
    Chief, Finance, Housing, and Education Cost Estimates Unit

    Kathleen FitzGerald 
    Chief, Public and Private Mandates Unit

    Christina Hawley Anthony
    Deputy Director of Budget Analysis

    H. Samuel Papenfuss 
    Deputy Director of Budget Analysis

    Phillip L. Swagel

    Director, Congressional Budget Office

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Barrio Azteca Gang Leader and Member Extradited from Mexico to the United States to Face Charges Related to 2010 U.S. Consulate Murders in Juarez

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    Two alleged members of the Barrio Azteca (BA), a transnational criminal organization allied with the Juarez Cartel, were extradited from Mexico to the United States to face charges related to the March 2010 murders of U.S. Consulate employees in Juarez, Mexico. Eduardo Ravelo, also known as Tablas, Tablero, and T-Blas, and Enrique Guajardo Lopez, also known as Kiki, arrived in the United States on Feb. 20 and made their initial appearances today in the Western District of Texas. Ravelo, a former FBI Top 10 Most Wanted Fugitive, and Guajardo were charged in a 12-count third superseding indictment unsealed in March 2011.

    “The defendants allegedly participated in the murder of three U.S. Consulate employees in Mexico in March 2010, along with many other acts of senseless violence,” said Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “No U.S. citizen, on either side of our border with Mexico, should have to live in fear of Barrio Azteca, any other violent border gang, or any drug cartel. The defendants’ extradition to the United States is an example of the Department’s unwavering commitment to eliminating transnational criminal organizations and the pursuit of justice for the victims of those tragic murders in Juarez, Mexico.”

    “The extradition and U.S. custody of these two defendants, who are both alleged to be members of Barrio Azteca operating along the border, is essential to our mission of disrupting and dismantling these dangerous criminal organizations,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas. “With the help of our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, this U.S. Attorney’s Office will aggressively prosecute Ravelo and Guajardo throughout this case for their alleged participation in the 2010 Consulate murders and other gang related activity.”

    “These extraditions demonstrate the FBI’s commitment to holding violent criminals accountable, no matter where they flee,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI and our partners will continue to aggressively pursue the Barrio Azteca and other transnational gangs wherever they operate and seek justice for the victims affected by their violent actions.”

    “The extradition of these two members of the Barrio Azteca transnational criminal organization brings us another step closer to justice for the victims of the 2010 U.S. Consulate murders in Juarez,” said Acting Administrator Derek S. Maltz of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “DEA never forgets and we never give up. Our commitment to pursue the members of violent criminal organizations threatening American lives is as strong as ever, and our message is clear — DEA will use every resource we have to get justice for American lives lost as a result of these violent networks.”

    A total of 35 BA members and associates based in the United States and Mexico were charged in the third superseding indictment for allegedly committing various criminal acts, including racketeering, narcotics distribution and importation, retaliation against persons providing information to U.S. law enforcement, extortion, money laundering, obstruction of justice, and murder. Of the 35 defendants, 10 Mexican nationals, including Ravelo and Guajardo, were charged with the March 13, 2010, murders in Juarez of U.S. Consulate employee Leslie Ann Enriquez Catton; her husband, Arthur Redelfs; and Jorge Alberto Salcido Ceniceros, the husband of another U.S. Consulate employee. All the defendants have been apprehended, and 28 have pleaded guilty. Three defendants have been convicted at trial, one committed suicide before the conclusion of his trial, and one is awaiting extradition from Mexico.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at co-defendant trials, the BA is a violent street and prison gang that began in the late 1980s and expanded into a transnational criminal organization. In the 2000s, the BA formed an alliance in Mexico with “La Linea,” which is part of the Juarez Drug Cartel (also known as the Vincente Carrillo Fuentes Drug Cartel or VCF). The purpose of the BA-La Linea alliance was to battle the Chapo Guzman Cartel and its allies for control of the drug trafficking routes through Juarez and Chihuahua. The drug routes through Juarez, known as the Juarez Plaza, are important to drug trafficking organizations because they are a principal illicit drug trafficking conduit into the United States.

    The gang has a militaristic command structure and includes captains, lieutenants, sergeants, and soldiers — all with the purpose of maintaining power and enriching its members and associates through drug trafficking, money laundering, extortion, intimidation, violence, threats of violence, and murder.

    According to court documents, Ravelo and Guajardo participated in BA activities, including narcotics trafficking and acts of violence by BA members, both in Mexico and the United States. If convicted, Ravelo and Guajardo each face a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Ravelo’s and Guajardo’s extraditions are the result of close coordination between U.S. law enforcement and the government of Mexico in the investigation and prosecution of this case. The cooperation and assistance of the government of Mexico was essential to achieving the successful extraditions.

    The FBI El Paso Field Office; FBI Albuquerque Field Office, Las Cruces Resident Agency; DEA Juarez Division; and DEA El Paso Division investigated the case. Special assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Federal Bureau of Prisons; U.S. Diplomatic Security Service; Texas Department of Public Safety; Texas Department of Criminal Justice; El Paso Police Department; El Paso County Sheriff’s Office; El Paso Independent School District Police Department; Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission; New Mexico State Police; Dona Ana County, New Mexico Sheriff’s Office; Las Cruces, New Mexico Police Department; Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility and Otero County Prison Facility New Mexico.

    Trial Attorney Jay Bauer of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, Trial Attorney Christina Taylor of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Spitzer for the Western District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, and the Criminal Division’s Office of Enforcement Operations provided significant assistance in this case.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL OSI USA News –