NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI Global: Canada, Greenland, Panama, Gaza and now Ukraine: Wake up, world, Donald Trump is coming for you

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Jeffrey B. Meyers, Instructor, Legal Studies and Criminology, Kwantlen Polytechnic University

    It’s no longer speculative to ask how the post-Second World War world order, led by the United States, will end. It’s apparently already ended.

    The U.S. has snubbed its NATO partners and Ukraine itself from purported “peace talks” to end the three-year-old war in Europe in favour of direct bilateral talks between American and Russian officials hosted by Saudi Arabia.

    President Donald Trump has actually described Ukraine’s widely admired wartime President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “a dictator” and falsely claimed he started the war.

    These lies came directly after Vice President JD Vance’s recent broadside against NATO partners at the Munich Security Conference in which he downplayed the threat of Russia and China to the western alliance and suggested instead that liberal centrism was the real threat.

    His remarks were widely regarded as an intervention on behalf of the European far right, particularly far-right political parties in Germany ahead of upcoming elections in that country.

    Dreaming of a Gaza takeover

    Eighty years after the liberation of Auschwitz and 36 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, we are in the midst of new crimes against humanity, new forms of ethnic cleansing and even, potentially, genocide.

    In a news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump mused about an American takeover of the Gaza Strip by removing its occupants to neighbouring countries and developing the region as a seaside resort. This would very likely constitute a war crime.

    Snubbing international law

    Trump’s return to the American presidency marks a normalization of this type of threat.

    Instead of embracing the international rule of law in the post-Second World War spirit of avoiding another devastating global conflict, the U.S. is building new walls rather than tearing them down while at the same time threatening to annex other sovereign nations and amass new territory.

    Trump is obviously unsentimental about America’s longtime allies, including the innermost circle of English-speaking democracies — the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, Australian and New Zealand — that make up the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance.

    A group of countries that wouldn’t normally be fussed about the transition from one American president to another is now very nervous about how far Trump is going to go.



    Read more:
    Allies or enemies? Trump’s threats against Canada and Greenland put NATO in a tough spot

    Anarchy, colonialism

    During the first angry weeks of Trump’s second presidency, the U.S. appears to be signalling a return to an anarchic and explicitly colonial imagining of the world. In this regard, Trump’s disdain for the rule of law at home tracks a potentially even greater disdain for the international legal order, one that’s existed since 1945.

    The only real connection between the past and contemporary times predates the American-led post-war order of the past eight decades and harkens further back to America’s imperialist and expansionist past and ideas like Manifest Destiny from more than a century ago.



    Read more:
    How the U.S. could in fact make Canada an American territory

    Trump, not historically much of an imperialist in his rhetoric, has now doubled down on classical imperialist threats as he repeatedly proposes expanding the physical map of the U.S., musing in particular about Greenland, Panama, Canada and now Gaza.

    Greenland holds a strategic interest for the U.S. — there’s already an American airbase on the island — since its location is increasingly important as the Arctic ice melts and amid greater competition from Russia and China.

    Panama has been in America’s imperialistic sights more often than Greenland, and was even invaded by U.S. forces in 1989.

    Canada as a 51st state

    But Canada? At least Trump agreed at a news conference before taking office that military force was off the table. Instead, Canada only had to worry about “economic force” being used to annex it.

    Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has told business leaders that Trump’s talk about annexing Canada is “the real thing,” aimed at obtaining Canada’s critical minerals.

    Trump’s interactions with Denmark, Canada and Panama all demonstrate a disdain for basic principles of the rule of law at the international level, which is underpinned by the sovereignty of states.

    His musings on Gaza, which led United Nations Secretary General António Guterres to warn him specifically against endorsing ethnic cleansing, demonstrate a willingness to break completely with international legal norms.

    He’s not only peacocking on the global stage, he is also telegraphing that he holds international legal norms in even lower esteem than the norms of his own country, where he is a convicted felon. This situation is as alarming as it unprecedented.



    Read more:
    Despite the U.S. Supreme Court’s gift to Donald Trump, he could be barred from Canada as a convicted felon

    America now a threat

    Right now, cognitive dissonance in the form of status quo bias poses a real danger in terms of Trump’s dismissal of the rule of law. This means that folks are somehow convincing themselves that the undoing of the global rules-based order in real time is just a blip; things will somehow ramp down and return to normal.

    But the evidence is glaringly to the contrary.

    Trump is plainly communicating his wishes: a new age of American imperialism. At first few took him seriously. Now we all are. Canada, due to its proximity to and reliance on the U.S., must especially face a new reality in which an American president casually and repeatedly threatens its sovereignty.

    Canada, America’s closest ally in terms of shared language, culture and geography, should be the first and not the last to start believing Trump’s threats to annex it.



    Read more:
    Allies or enemies? Trump’s threats against Canada and Greenland put NATO in a tough spot

    Even when Trump is no longer in office, neither Canadians nor any of America’s other allies can be certain someone just like him will not be returned to power by the U.S. voters. That means America’s western allies, like Canada and Denmark, must learn the lessons Latin American and Middle Eastern countries learned along time ago: America is a threat.

    The Democratic Party must also figure out how it’s going to effectively resist Trump over the next four years.

    Only an American concern?

    Some might ask: Aren’t these American problems for the American people? As Canadians can attest, no. Trump poses grave dangers to the rest of the world due to the unique place the U.S. occupies in the geopolitical system.

    Nothing about Trump’s second presidency bodes well for America’s allies and friends, including Canada.

    A kleptocrat who regards friends and allies as transactional customers and for whom everything is “just business,” including national security, Trump poses an existential threat not only to America, but to the international world order.

    Jeffrey B. Meyers does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Canada, Greenland, Panama, Gaza and now Ukraine: Wake up, world, Donald Trump is coming for you – https://theconversation.com/canada-greenland-panama-gaza-and-now-ukraine-wake-up-world-donald-trump-is-coming-for-you-248737

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Ukraine’s natural resources are at centre stage in the ongoing war, and will likely remain there

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Nino Antadze, Associate Professor, Environmental Studies, University of Prince Edward Island

    Three years after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the world now knows the exact price for American military support of Ukraine. During a recent interview with Fox News, United States President Donald Trump put a $500 billion price tag on American aid to the war-torn country.

    But there was a catch: the exchange should be made in the form of Ukraine’s valuable natural resources, including rare earth minerals. “We have to get something. We can’t continue to pay this money,” Trump said in the interview.

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has since told his aides to reject the proposal.

    Given the dizzying pace of events that have unfolded since the Trump interview, it’s unclear now whether any deal with Ukraine on its rare earth minerals will ever come to pass. This is especially true given Trump’s subsequent surprise phone conversation with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and ongoing peace talks between the U.S. and Russia that have excluded Ukrainian and European Union officials.

    But there’s little doubt Ukraine’s natural resources will be an important element in future diplomatic negotiations.

    Always a strategic factor

    Ukraine’s rich natural resources have always been a strategic factor in the war. To some extent, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was driven by the interest to capture and control these resources — including critical minerals, fertile farmland and energy reserves.

    Ukraine’s previous attempts to develop its mineral deposits and energy reserves — such as oil and gas privatization in 2013 and later attracting investments for the development of its mineral resource extraction in 2021 — were cut short first by Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and then by the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022.

    In 2021, the European Union signed a strategic partnership with Ukraine to include “activities along the entire value chain of both primary and secondary critical raw materials and batteries.”

    The timing of the military campaign against Ukraine may not have been determined solely by the country’s attempts to develop its natural resources, but they have certainly been a factor. Most of these deposits, including oil and gas fields, are located in the eastern and southern regions of Ukraine, which are currently either under Russian occupation or near the front line.

    Ukraine’s mineral wealth

    Ukraine’s mineral wealth amounts to about 20,000 mineral deposits and 116 types of minerals. Most of these deposits are unexplored, with only 15 per cent of all the deposits active prior to the Russian invasion.

    Rare earth minerals are among this mineral wealth as demand for them has skyrocketed in the past several years.

    According to recent estimates, Ukraine has the largest titanium reserves in Europe and seven per cent of the world’s reserves, as well as the largest lithium reserves in Europe. It also has significant production capacity when it comes to rare earth minerals.

    Ukraine also has confirmed deposits of beryllium, uranium and manganese. Before the war, Ukraine was the world’s fifth-largest producer of gallium and is a major producer of neon gas.

    In addition, Ukraine also has large reserves of nonferrous metals, including copper, zinc, silver, lead, nickel, cobalt, as well as one of the largest global reserves of graphite.

    Estimates vary, but Ukrainian critical mineral deposits could be worth trillions of dollars.

    These resources are important from a geopolitical perspective: China has become the major supplier of rare earth minerals on the global market. Not only has China led in the extraction of these minerals, but it also has the largest production and refinement capacity.

    As reliance on Chinese supply has increased, China used it as leverage during the U.S.-China trade dispute in 2019 and stopped rare earth exports to Japan in 2010.

    China’s dominance in this sector means diversifying the supply of rare earth minerals has geopolitical importance, especially for the U.S. and the EU. They want to ensure the supply comes from a strategic partner — Ukraine.

    Ukraine’s natural wealth

    Ukraine’s natural riches go beyond critical minerals and include large deposits of hydrocarbons, particularly natural gas. Ukraine ranks second for natural gas reserves in Europe and fourth in terms of natural gas production.

    Ukraine’s fertile soil — or chernozem, humus-rich grassland soils used extensively for growing cereals and raising livestock — is also economically and strategically important, making the country one of the largest exporters of food globally.

    In 2021, Ukrainian wheat exports accounted for 12 per cent of the global wheat supply, 16 per cent of the global corn supply, 18 per cent of the global barley supply and almost half of the global supply of sunflower seeds, mainly to developing countries.

    Last but not least, Ukraine’s biodiversity, landscapes and ecosystems — some of which have been severely damaged due to the war — are invaluable to the country’s natural environment and essential for the health and well-being of Ukrainians.

    The country’s nuclear facilities and radioactive sites are also at risk of being compromised, which would result in severe environmental and health ramifications in the region. In fact, a recent Russian drone attack reportedly damaged part of the Chernobyl nuclear facility.

    What’s next for Ukraine’s natural resources

    The fate of Ukraine’s mineral riches will largely depend on how the conflict and post-conflict processes unfold.

    But their existence has already proven to be of strategic importance in the war — first, to Russia, and now to the U.S. as well.

    Ukraine’s natural wealth and how it features in current conversations about the future of the conflict reminds us about the central role resource politics can play in shaping war and peace.

    Nino Antadze does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Ukraine’s natural resources are at centre stage in the ongoing war, and will likely remain there – https://theconversation.com/ukraines-natural-resources-are-at-centre-stage-in-the-ongoing-war-and-will-likely-remain-there-249254

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How to handle difficult conversations in your early career, from salary negotiation to solving conflict

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Leda Stawnychko, Assistant Professor of Strategy and Organizational Theory, Mount Royal University

    When approached thoughtfully, difficult conversations can provide greater control over your career and workplace interactions. (Shutterstock)

    Many professionals struggle with difficult conversations in the workplace, particularly when emotions run high. Your first performance review, for example, was probably uncomfortable. Here’s why.

    What makes these conversations challenging isn’t just the subject matter, but the discomfort, tension or uncertainty about how the other person will react.

    Neuroscience research shows that when conflict is anticipated, the amygdala — the emotional centre of the brain — activates, flooding the body with stress hormones and making it harder to think clearly and respond calmly.

    For some, past negative experiences can amplify this response, making conflict feel even more distressing. As a result, people react differently: some freeze, others become defensive and some avoid interacting altogether.

    While avoidance often feels like the easier path in the short term, it can lead to reduced trust, strained workplace dynamics and even missed career opportunities.

    However, with awareness and preparation, you can learn to manage this stress response and approach difficult conversations with confidence.

    This six-week newsletter course from The Conversation will bring you research-backed advice and tools to help improve your relationships, your career, your free time and your mental health – no supplements or skincare required. Sign up here to start your glow-up at any time.

    Preparing yourself for these conversations

    Conflict is a significant source of stress in the workplace. Employees who cite conflict as their primary source of stress lose about 55 days of productivity per year. This issue is particularly critical for early-career supervisors, for whom conflict resolution is an essential leadership skill.

    Understanding why these conversations feel difficult — and learning how to approach them effectively — can help you build stronger workplace relationships, enhance your credibility as a manager and create a more positive professional environment.

    One strategy for reducing stress around these conversations is to reframe them as opportunities to strengthen professional relationships. When handled well, these difficult conversations can help you feel more in control of your career and workplace interactions.

    Here are three difficult conversations you’ll likely face early in your career, along with strategies for how to navigate them effectively.

    For early-career supervisors, developing conflict resolution skills is especially critical, as effective leadership depends on the ability to navigate tough discussions.
    (Shutterstock)

    1. The salary negotiation

    Many new professionals hesitate to negotiate their salary, fearing they’ll be seen as ungrateful or too demanding. Others worry about damaging their relationship with their employer.



    Read more:
    Negotiating a new salary or a pay rise? Here’s what you need to know to succeed

    However, advocating for fair compensation is not just about money — it’s about recognizing your value and setting the foundation for your career growth. To navigate this conversation effectively:

    2. Setting boundaries at work

    Feeling the pressure to prove yourself by agreeing to every request is natural, particularly when you are trying to get established in your field. While a strong work ethic is valuable, consistently overextending yourself can lead to burnout.

    Learning how to communicate your limits can help you maintain long-term productivity and professionalism. To address this conversation:

    • Know your priorities: before setting boundaries, understand what’s reasonable for you. Do you perform best with structured work-life balance, or do you prefer a flexible work-life integration approach? Does your work require uninterrupted, focused work?

    • Focus on organizational success: instead of framing boundaries as personal limitations, explain how they contribute to overall team efficiency. For instance: “If I can schedule deep-focus time in the morning, I’ll be able to deliver higher-quality work more efficiently.”

    3. Addressing workplace conflict

    Disagreements and miscommunications are inevitable in any workplace. Addressing workplace conflicts with emotional intelligence and professionalism is key to maintaining strong relationships and credibility. Instead of avoiding the conversation, approach it with curiosity and a focus on problem-solving:

    • Seek first to understand: before jumping to conclusions, gather all relevant information and reflect on possible perspectives. Could there have been a miscommunication? Was there an external factor at play?

    • Use future-focused language: avoid accusatory statements and keep the conversation future-orientated toward solutions. You could say, for example: “Let’s establish a process so we’re aligned moving forward.”

    By handling these conversations directly and professionally, you demonstrate leadership skill. Addressing misunderstandings openly and respectfully also contributes to a healthier and more collaborative workplace for everyone’s benefit.

    Mastering the art of conversation early in your career can set you apart as a thoughtful, capable professional.
    (Shutterstock)

    Why these conversations matter

    Successfully navigating difficult workplace conversations requires preparation, self-awareness and emotional intelligence.

    Rather than allowing unresolved tensions to escalate — or pushing you to consider leaving a job — remind yourself that discomfort is temporary. Being able to cope with feeling uncomfortable is an important career skill to develop.

    Whether it’s negotiating your salary, setting boundaries or resolving misunderstandings, these discussions can influence your professional reputation and how colleagues and managers treat you in the workplace.

    Taking proactive steps to engage in these conversations with confidence can set the foundation for sustained career success. Start practising these conversations now; the sooner you start, the more skilled you’ll become, and your future self will thank you.

    Leda Stawnychko has received funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    Anamika Choudhary does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. How to handle difficult conversations in your early career, from salary negotiation to solving conflict – https://theconversation.com/how-to-handle-difficult-conversations-in-your-early-career-from-salary-negotiation-to-solving-conflict-245340

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Public Service Unions and State Democracy Defenders Fund Challenge Unlawful, Mass Federal Firings

    Source: American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Union

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Some of the nation’s largest public service unions have filed a lawsuit seeking to block the unlawful mass terminations of probationary federal employees, which was directed by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and its Acting Director, Charles Ezell. They allege that the firings “represent one of the most massive employment frauds in the history of this country.” In federal service, new employees and employees who change positions (including through promotions) have probationary status. The unions claim that OPM is exploiting and misusing the probationary period to eliminate staff across federal agencies and are asking for an injunction to stop further terminations – and to rescind those that have already been executed. 

    The plaintiffs in this case consist of the American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO; the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO; AFGE Local 1216; and United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals, AFSCME, AFL-CIO. They are  represented by State Democracy Defenders Fund (SDDF) and the law firm Altshuler Berzon LLP.

    The complaint says that OPM’s egregious firings were made on false pretenses and violate federal law, including the Administrative Procedure Act and other statutes defining federal employment and OPM’s role. These firings were executed across federal agencies, based on directives from OPM. OPM, the complaint asserts, acted unlawfully by directing federal agencies to use a standardized termination notice falsely claiming performance issues. Congress, not OPM, controls and authorizes federal employment and related spending by the federal administrative agencies, and Congress has determined that each agency is responsible for managing its own employees.   

    “This administration has abused the probationary period to conduct a chaotic, ill-informed, and politically-driven firing spree. The result has been the indiscriminate firing of thousands of patriotic public servants across the country who help veterans in crisis, ensure the safety of our nuclear weapons, keep power flowing to American homes, combat the bird flu, and provide other essential services,” said AFGE National President Everett Kelley. “These actions aren’t just illegal. They are hurting everyday Americans and making us all less safe. It’s a stark reminder of the price we all pay when you stack the government with political loyalists instead of professionals.”

    “Overnight, tens of thousands of federal employees received the same termination letter citing ‘performance issues’ without any explanation or reasoning,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “These mass firings are yet another unlawful attempt by this billionaire-run administration to gut public services without regard for the health and safety of our communities. Federal workers are qualified professionals who make our nation stronger – supporting our schools, parks, hospitals and vital infrastructure. We will keep fighting these attacks on their freedoms that threaten everything from food safety to national security to health care.”

    “New hires are crucial as our country continues to face nurse staffing challenges. Indiscriminately firing these nurses, who are essential to the care their units provide, could truly cost lives,” said Charmaine S. Morales, RN and UNAC/UHCP President.

    Norm Eisen, representing the plaintiffs and executive chair of State Democracy Defenders Fund, said, “SDDF is proud to stand with leading public service unions in this critical fight to protect their members, who dedicate their lives to serving our nation. The mass firings ordered by OPM are illegal and betray the trust of countless federal employees. We are committed to restoring justice for these workers.”

    The complaint is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: H.R. 1005, CLASS Act

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    H.R. 1005 would require all public elementary and secondary schools that receive funding from the Department of Education to disclose to the department funds received from or contracts signed with foreign sources that are more than $10,000.

    CBO expects that schools would comply with the new requirements; thus, enacting the bill would not affect their eligibility to receive federal funds. Based on the costs of similar activities, CBO estimates that implementing the bill would cost the Department of Education less than $500,000 over the 2025-2030 period. Any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Garrett Quenneville. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.

    Phillip L. Swagel

    Director, Congressional Budget Office

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: H.R. 1049, TRACE Act

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    H.R. 1049 would require that local education agencies ensure that each school served by the agency provide information about funding from or agreements with foreign governments or related entities to parents upon request as a condition of receiving funds from the Department of Education.

    CBO expects that local education agencies would comply with these new requirements; thus, enacting the bill would not affect their eligibility to receive federal funds. Based on the costs of similar activities, CBO estimates that implementing the bill would cost the Department of Education less than $500,000 over the 2025-2030 period. Any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Garrett Quenneville. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.

    Phillip L. Swagel

    Director, Congressional Budget Office

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: H.R. 1069, PROTECT Our Kids Act

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    H.R.1069 would prohibit elementary or secondary schools that receive direct or indirect support from an individual or entity representing the government of the People’s Republic of China (including Confucius Institutes) from receiving funds from the Department of Education.

    CBO expects that schools would comply with the new requirements; thus, enacting the bill would not affect their eligibility to receive federal funds. Based on the costs of similar activities, CBO estimates that implementing the bill would cost the Department of Education less than $500,000 over the 2025-2030 period. Any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Garrett Quenneville. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.

    Phillip L. Swagel

    Director, Congressional Budget Office

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: TCU/IAM Lorton Amtrak Auto Train Workers Rally for Fair Wages

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    More than a year after voting to organize into the Transportation Communications Union (TCU/IAM), the largest union on Amtrak, union representatives for Drummac employees who work on the Amtrak Auto Train Property in Lorton, Va., held an informational picket on Feb. 19, 2025, to highlight Drummac management’s stall tactics during negotiations.

    SEE PHOTOS FROM THE INFORMATIONAL PICKET

    The informational picket took place in two shifts in the morning and afternoon, aligning with the arrival and departure of the Auto Train, one of Amtrak’s highest revenue-producing routes. The picket drew attention from Virginia commuters and Amtrak customers as the union representatives handed out informational cards about the workers’ frustrations over stalled contract negotiations.

    “These dedicated workers in Lorton brave weather conditions throughout the year to keep these trains running on schedule,” said TCU/IAM Organizing Director Sal Rodriguez. “Drummac’s continued delays in fair negotiations do not give our members the respect and dignity they deserve. Now is the time for the company to show their appreciation and negotiate a fair contract.”

    While Drummac workers were busy working, loading and unloading cars in the below-freezing temperature, TCU/IAM representatives held signs calling for fair and competitive wages that match industry standards, reasonable scheduling and pay for all required work, and improved benefits and working conditions.

    “Their offers on wages have not been fair,” said Matt Hollis, TCU/IAM’s Lead Negotiator. “All these workers are asking for is a fair wage – something most Americans have recently won. It’s time Drummac recognizes their worth with a contract that provides the wages they deserve.”

    Drummac employees are currently paid half the industry standard and have gone over a year without a raise.

    With strong participation and community support, Drummac workers will not give up until they secure the fair contract they deserve.

    Share and Follow:

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Alan Wilson announces significant developments in resolving Section 504 lawsuitRead More

    Source: US State of South Carolina

    (COLUMBIA, S.C) – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson and 16 other states filed a court update Wednesday night to clarify that a recent lawsuit will not take away Section 504 accommodations for anyone with a disability. Instead, it is intended to challenge the Biden administration’s use of Section 504 as an unlawful way to coerce states into implementing something that Congress expressly rejected in 1973.

    “We’ve been saying all along that there was never any intention to take away 504 accommodations, and this court filing confirms that,” Attorney General Wilson said.

    The joint status report says, “Plaintiffs clarify that they have never moved—and do not plan to move—the Court to declare or enjoin Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C. § 794, as unconstitutional on its face.”

    “We never asked the court to throw out Section 504 entirely. We were challenging the Biden administration trying to force states to adopt woke gender ideology by trying to attach it to Section 504 as a condition for federal funding,” Attorney General Wilson said.

    He adds that this is a big step towards this lawsuit winding down and going away entirely.

    You can read the court filing here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Career Offender Sentenced to 10 Years for Mailing Threats to Federal Officials

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TUCSON, Ariz. – Charles Morice Gilmore, 52, of Missouri, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Angela M. Martinez to concurrent statutory maximum sentences of 10 years in prison for Mailing Threatening Communications, and six years for Influencing Federal Official by Threat. Gilmore pleaded guilty to these crimes on October 1, 2024.

    Between February 28, 2023, and March 27, 2023, while an inmate at the United States Penitentiary in Tucson, Gilmore mailed letters to a federal judge claiming there were bombs in the courthouse where the victim worked and that the bombs could be remotely detonated. The letters to the judge contained religious slurs and asserted ties to the Hells Angels and the Ku Klux Klan. Gilmore also sent a threatening letter to a federal prosecutor who had previously handled one of his cases. Gilmore attached pipe bomb instructions to that letter. He claimed he had mailed the instructions to others outside the prison to carry out his orders. A third letter from Gilmore to a former cellmate with instructions for making pipe bombs and listing locations where the pipe bombs should be placed was also intercepted.

    Gilmore has a lengthy criminal history for violent offenses and is a career offender. Judge Martinez imposed concurrent stipulated sentences of 10 years for each mailing of threatening communications and six years for threatening a federal judge. The sentences will be consecutive to Gilmore’s 10-year federal sentence for mailing threatening communications in 2017; a 10-year sentence for threatening federal officials in 2014; a 90-month sentence in 2013 for mailing threatening communications to a different federal judge; and a 20-year prison sentence for stabbing an inmate in Jefferson City, Missouri in 2018. A separate case against Gilmore for mailing a hoax bomb threat to a state courthouse in Missouri was dismissed as part of the stipulated agreement in this case.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.

    CASE NUMBER:           CR-23-2122-TUC-AMM
    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-020_Gilmore

    # # #

    For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
    Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Graham, Colleagues Urge ATF To Strengthen Second Amendment Protections And Rescind Unconstitutional Biden Rules

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Lindsey Graham

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) joined U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) and 28 of their Senate Republican colleagues today to send a letter to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Deputy Director Marvin Richardson urging him to align the agency with President Trump’s Second Amendment priorities as laid out in his recent Executive Order.

    Graham and his colleagues called on Director Richardson to identify and rescind former President Biden’s unlawful firearms regulations, including the “Engaged in the Business” rule, pistol brace rule, so-called “ghost gun” rule, and “zero tolerance” policy under which ATF has revoked the licenses of federal firearm licensees (FFLs) over minor bookkeeping violations.

    The Senators wrote, “On Friday, February 7, 2025, President Donald J. Trump took decisive action to reaffirm law-abiding Americans’ Second Amendment rights in issuing his Executive Order, Protecting Second Amendment Rights.  We urge you to immediately align ATF’s rules and policies with the President’s strong support for the Second Amendment.”

    “Under former President Joe Biden, ATF adopted numerous policies and rules that infringed upon Americans’ Second Amendment protections. President Trump’s Executive Order directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to review and develop a plan of action regarding President Biden’s unlawful firearms regulations. We ask that you work with the Attorney General to quickly identify and rescind these policies.”

    Along with Graham and Cornyn, the letter was signed by Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) and U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), Jim Justice (R-W Virginia), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), John Hoeven (R-North Dakota), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee) Tim Sheehy (R-Montana), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Todd Young (R-Indiana), Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Jim Banks (R-Indiana) and Jerry Moran (R-Kansas).

    The full text of the letter is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Graham Statement On McConnell Retirement

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Lindsey Graham

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today made this statement after U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) announced he would not seek reelection.

    “I very much appreciate Mitch’s decades of dedicated service and leadership in the U.S. Senate.

    “As the longest serving Senate Republican leader, Senator McConnell reshaped the American judiciary, particularly the Supreme Court. He has a lot to be proud of and I am sure he will work hard to the very end of his term.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Video: Kaine Speaks on Senate Floor Regarding Republicans’ Bill to Cut Taxes for the Wealthy by Slashing Programs Virginians Rely On

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

    BROADCAST-QUALITY VIDEO IS AVAILABLE HERE.

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, spoke on the Senate floor raising alarm about President Trump and Republicans’ plan to cut critical funding for programs that Virginians rely on and use that to fund tax cuts for billionaires. Republicans are expected to bring a budget resolution that tees up tax cuts for billionaires at the expense of middle-class Americans to the Senate floor this week. Republicans are using a legislative process known as “reconciliation,” which allows certain legislation to be expedited and passed in the Senate by a simple majority, avoiding the 60-vote threshold needed for most other legislation.

    “If the Republican majorities here and in the House cared about the budget, we’d have an appropriations deal… Instead, what Democrats are hearing is that Republicans don’t want to do the traditional appropriations budget. They want to do a continuing resolution, which would be very harmful,” said Kaine.

    “This discussion is a Trojan horse,” Kaine continued. “This is about an effort to dramatically cut spending programs that support everyday Virginians and everyday Americans and then to take those dollars and use them to fund tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and the biggest corporations. Taking from people who rely upon community health clinics, rely upon Medicaid, rely upon student loans—taking those dollars and then using them to fund tax cuts for the wealthy.”

    “We can’t convince people that ‘oh, this is about border security and national defense’ when we’ve got a demonstrable bipartisan track record of being able to advance in those areas,” said Kaine.

    “Let’s just be clear about what this is,” Kaine concluded. “It’s a Trojan horse effort to amass savings off the backs of everyday people to pour into tax cuts for the wealthiest of Americans who don’t need help. We need to resist it in every way we can, and I look forward to joining my colleagues in doing so.”  

    President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress are currently negotiating an extension to Trump’s 2017 tax law, which cut taxes for large corporations and the highest-income earners and substantially increased the federal deficit. They are now proposing broad-based tariffs and massive, across-the-board cuts to federal programs like Medicaid to fund these tax cuts for billionaires. Tax estimates have shown that if fully enacted, Trump’s tariffs could raise costs by $2,500 to nearly $4,000 per household, and American consumers could lose between $46 billion to $78 billion in spending power each year.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaine Statement on Kash Patel Ahead of Confirmation Vote

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
    Published: February 20 2025

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) released the following statement ahead of the Senate’s vote to confirm Kash Patel to be Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI):
    “One of my top priorities is keeping Americans safe, and that’s why I will vote no on Kash Patel’s dangerous nomination to lead the FBI. The FBI Director should be someone who will prioritize the rule of law and independence from political interference. It’s obvious that Patel is unable and unwilling to do that. The Trump Administration—potentially at Patel’s direction—has already fired career agents and civil servants at the FBI who have led U.S. counterterrorism and counterintelligence efforts, investigated horrific crimes, and safeguarded Americans from threats; I fear that these politically-motivated firings will only accelerate if Patel is confirmed.
    “Senate Republicans’ rubber-stamping of Patel—and other nominees for critical national security and law enforcement roles—shows that they are incapable of prioritizing the safety and security of Americans for fear that they will upset the President. It also sends a terrible message to the men and women of the FBI and other national security and law enforcement agencies who have taken the same pledge that we take as members of Congress: to support and defend the Constitution of the United States.”  
    During his time in the U.S. Senate, Kaine has previously voted to confirm all FBI Director nominees, including during President Trump’s first term.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Peters Urges Republicans Against Making Cuts to Medicaid to Pay for Tax Breaks for Ultra-Wealthy

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) joined 46 of his colleagues in urging Republican leadership not to make cuts to Medicaid in order to pay for tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy. In a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), Peters and his colleagues underscored how cuts to Medicaid would have severe consequences for children, seniors, people with disabilities, and working families in Michigan and across the country. The letter emphasized that the proposed cuts would threaten the health and financial security of millions of families by forcing Americans to either struggle to afford or go without health care, mental health services, and other essential care. The letter also highlights that cuts to Medicaid would have lasting repercussions on state budgets, health care providers, and rural communities where children and non-elderly adults are more likely to be covered by Medicaid.

    “Medicaid is a lifeline for communities across the country. Nearly 80 million Americans get their health insurance through Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which provide services Americans rely on to remain healthy, go to school, and thrive at work,” Peters and his colleagues wrote. “Republicans are proposing cuts to the Medicaid program from hundreds of billions to multiple trillions of dollars. Cuts to Medicaid through drastically changing the program’s financing structure or imposing additional barriers to coverage are dangerous to the millions of people who rely on the program. These proposals will also force states to make difficult decisions that will result in millions getting kicked off their coverage and providers struggling to keep their practices open.”

    The letter continued, “The American people should be assured that Medicaid will be protected. We urge you to reject proposals that use Medicaid as a piggy bank for partisan priorities and continue to defend the importance of this vital program.”

    Nearly 3.1 million Michiganders rely on Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Medicaid covers nearly half of all births in the U.S., provides health insurance coverage to nearly half of all American children, and provides care to 3 in 5 nursing home residents as well as 17 million women of reproductive age. Proposals from House Republicans to slash Medicaid would hit working families the hardest and shift a greater financial burden to states, taxpayers, and already-strained local hospitals and clinics. In more rural areas, it would likely lead to the closure of health facilities, leaving vulnerable communities with fewer options for care and decimating the health care workforce. 

    To read the full text of the letter, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: McConnell Remarks on Final Senate Term

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor:

    “I’ve never liked calling too much attention to today’s date, February 20th. But I figured my birthday would be as good a day as any to share with our colleagues a decision I made last year about how I’ll approach the 119th Congress.

    “During my time in the Senate, I’ve only really answered to two constituencies – the Republican conference and the people of Kentucky.

    “Over the years, that first group trusted me to coordinate campaigns, to count votes, to steer committees, to take the majority, and on nine occasions, to lead our conference. Serving as Republican Leader was a rare – and, yes, rather specific – childhood dream. And just about a year ago, I thanked my colleagues for their confidence, which allowed me to fulfill it. To the distinguished members of this body I’ve had the privilege to lead, I remain deeply grateful.

    “Today, however, it’s appropriate for me to speak about an even deeper allegiance and an even longer-standing gratitude. Seven times, my fellow Kentuckians have sent me to the Senate. Every day in between I’ve been humbled by the trust they’ve placed in me to do their business here. Representing our Commonwealth has been the honor of a lifetime.

    “I will not seek this honor an eighth time. My current term in the Senate will be my last.

    “I’ve been a student of history my entire life. I can’t remember the last time I didn’t have a stack of biographies or political memoirs on my nightstand. And I know well how tempting it can be to read history with a sense of determinism: Assuming that, somehow, notorious failures were inevitable…That crowning triumphs were predestined…And in either case, that lives and careers followed orderly paths. This, of course, isn’t how things work. And I’ve never had to look further than my own life to recognize it.

    “I’ve never lost sight of the fact that, without my mother’s devoted care, a childhood encounter with polio could have turned out a lot worse…That, unless my father had taken a job in the Bluegrass state, my interest in politics might have run its course somewhere else entirely…That, if it weren’t for an eleventh-hour, outside-the-box idea on the campaign trail, my Senate career might’ve been over before it began…Or that, if not for the people of Kentucky time and again agreeing that leadership delivers and electing to send me back here, it would have been someone else from somewhere else taking that seat at the table where I’ve had the chance to work…and strategize…and fight…and win.

    “I grew up reading about the greatness of Henry Clay. But there were times when the prospect of etching my name into his desk in this chamber felt like more of a long-shot than making it in the Major Leagues.

    “I got a front-row seat to the greatness of Senator John Sherman Cooper of Kentucky as a summer intern in his office. But at so many moments in my early career, the idea of following in his footsteps here felt more distant than the moon.

    “So the only appropriate thing to take away today, apart from a healthy dose of pride, is my immense gratitude – for the opportunity to take part in the consequential business of the Senate and the nation.

    “Gratitude to the people I represent: Kentucky’s families and farmers and miners and servicemembers and small business owners. Gratitude to loyal friends, dedicated volunteers, and talented staff who have helped me serve them better. Gratitude to this institution that has repaid my devotion so generously over the years, and to so many colleagues who have become dear friends.

    “Gratitude to my family for their support…And particularly to my ultimate teammate and confidante for the past 32 years: Elaine’s leadership and wise counsel, in their own right, have made her the most seasoned Cabinet official in modern history. On top of all that, her devotion to me – and to Kentucky – is much more than I deserve.

    “When I arrived in this chamber, I wasn’t coming with a Governor’s statewide executive experience or a House member’s appreciation for Washington dynamics. I knew my hometown of Louisville, and I had spent the previous few years working hard to learn what mattered to folks across the rest of the Commonwealth. And yet, within weeks of swearing the oath, I was here on this floor talking with colleagues from other far-flung corners of the country, discussing solutions to a farm income crisis and infrastructure challenges that affected our different states in similar ways.

    “I learned quickly that delivering for Kentucky meant finding the ways the Commonwealth’s challenges were tied to national debates: Seeing to it that major agriculture legislation remembered Kentucky farmers, including when they needed extraordinary assistance, like the tobacco buyout…Making sure that nationwide steps on transportation infrastructure included resources for modernizing the Brent Spence Bridge, which supports billions of dollars in economic activity in Kentucky and the surrounding region every day…And, with the trust of the local community, finishing a task first assigned by President Reagan: the safe destruction of America’s legacy chemical weapons at Blue Grass Army Depot. Efforts like these have spanned the length of my Senate career. And I’ve been humbled by each and every opportunity to help Kentucky punch above its weight.

    “Of course, the Senate has to grapple with foundational questions that reach even more broadly across American life…and even further into posterity. We’re trusted, on behalf of the American people, to participate in the appointment of the federal judiciary…To be the final check on the assembly of power in courts, beyond the reach of representative politics…And to ensure that the men and women who preside over them profess authentic devotion to the rule of law above all else.

    “When members of this body ignore, discount, or pervert this fundamental duty, they do so not just at the peril of the Senate, but the entire nation. The weight of our power to advise and consent has never been lost on me. And I’ve been honored to perform my role in confirming judges who understand theirs.

    “On this floor, there is no place to hide from the obligations of Article One…The Senate’s unique relationship with Article Three…Or our role in equipping the powers of Article Two.

    “Here, every debate over agriculture or infrastructure or education or taxes is downstream of the obligations of national security. Every question of policy here at home is contingent on our duty to provide for the common defense.

    “One of the first times I spoke at length on this floor as a freshman, I was compelled to join the debate over strengthening the deterrence of America’s nuclear triad. Whether to expand the U.S. military’s hard-target nuclear capability was an interesting question to pose to someone whose most recent job had been running a county government. But there, of course, was the founders’ brilliance at work: The hopes and dreams of every American are tied up in our ability to protect and defend the nation and its interests. Every family traveling abroad, and every worker and small business owner whose livelihood depends on foreign trade – they depend in turn on the credibility of America’s commitments to friends and the strength of her threats to enemies.

    “In turn, the safety and success of the men and women who volunteer to serve this great nation in uniform depend on the work we do here to ensure that enemies think twice before challenging them…and never face a fair fight.

    “Thanks to Ronald Reagan’s determination, the work of strengthening American hard power was well underway when I arrived in the Senate. But since then, we’ve allowed that power to atrophy. And today, a dangerous world threatens to outpace the work of rebuilding it.

    “So, lest any of our colleagues still doubt my intentions for the remainder of my term: I have some unfinished business to attend to.

    “In our work, most of us in this body develop an appreciation for the Senate itself – its written rules, its collegial norms, even its pace of play. And yet so often, I’ve watched colleagues depart, venting their frustration at the confines of the institution…or mourning what they perceive to be the decline of its norms.

    “Regardless of the political storms that may wash over this chamber during the time I have remaining, I assure our colleagues that I will depart with great hope for the endurance of the Senate as an institution.

    “There are any number of reasons for pessimism. But the strength of the Senate is not one of them. This chamber is still the haven where the political minority can require a debate. It is still the crucible in which jurists are tested for their fidelity to upholding the Constitution and laws as they were written. The Senate is still equipped for work of great consequence…And, to the disappointment of my critics, I’m still here on the job.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch on Republicans’ Plans to Slash Medicaid to Pay for Their Tax Bill: “It is an absolute disgrace that there is any discussion that we would be taking that away. Shame on Trump.”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    Welch slams Trump for taking a “sledgehammer” to Vermonters’ health care 
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, spoke on the Senate Floor Wednesday evening and slammed President Trump and Republicans’ cruel budget which would slash Medicaid and increase health care costs for millions of seniors, children, veterans, people with disabilities, and people with chronic diseases like cancer in order to give tax handouts to the ultra-wealthy.  
    “It’s really, really a problem everywhere, but I think in rural communities it’s even more severe. Because we’ve got rural hospitals, and we’ve got rural community health centers, that play a major role in rural life. They’re all on thin ice financially. They have overworked staff, but who are committed to the people in that community. And the only reimbursement they get is through Medicaid. And, as we all know, the Medicaid reimbursement is much lower than Medicare and it’s certainly way lower than private insurance. But they pull it together and somehow keep the lights on, keep the doors open, and provide the health care that the folks in that community need…. 
    “I want to save money, but I want to save money by stopping the rip-offs. I don’t want to save money by dumping people who make $21,000 a year off of the health care that they absolutely need. And that’s what Musk is doing. That’s what Trump is doing. That is wrong, and we have to stop it. We have to stand up for the hardworking people of West Virginia. The hardworking people of New Hampshire. The hardworking people of Wisconsin. And the hardworking people of Vermont. So, no—we have got to say ‘No’ and acknowledge the rip off that Donald Trump is trying to inflict on hardworking people in our states so that he can pay for the tax cuts for his billionaire friends,” said Senator Welch. 
    Watch Senator Welch’s speech below: 
    Key quotes from Senator Welch’s speech: 
    “But a lot of folks making $20,782—there’s no no way they can afford health care. There’s no way. And that’s another absolute requirement: that each of us level with one another. Let’s not pretend that there’s some fictional health care out there that a person who’s working 40 hours a week making $10.39 an hour can pay for health care. It doesn’t exist.  
    “And the major responsibility that we have is to make certain that we have a health care system where people who work hard, who love their kids, who have an elderly parent, can have some security that the health care they need, they’ll get…. 
    “[President Trump is] taking a sledgehammer to it. And he’s taking a sledgehammer that’s cutting off folks in West Virginia, folks in Vermont, who are working hard, who struggle every week to pay their bills, and who could get some peace of mind that the child that they love, that the grandparent that they’re caring for, can have decency and access to health care or a nursing home. 
    “It is an absolute disgrace that there is any discussion—that there’s any discussion—that we would be taking that away. Shame on Trump. Shame. On. Trump.”  
    ■■■
    On Wednesday, Senator Welch joined Senate Finance Committee Democrats for a press conference on Capitol Hill to highlight how drastic cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) included in Republicans’ Trump-endorsed budget blueprint would kick tens of millions of people off of their health coverage and increase costs for the more than 100 million people across the country who rely on these programs.   

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Sheriffs close drug house in Medicine Hat

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Cérémonie de remise de la Médaille de la bravoure de 2024

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    À partir de la gauche, Tim Houston, premier ministre; les récipiendaires de la Médaille de la bravoure de 2024, Carl Comeau, de Pointe-de-l’Église, Carl Deveau, de Saulnierville, et Terrence Leblanc, de Saulnierville; Tom Steele, président du comité consultatif de la Médaille de la bravoure, dans le Salon rouge de Province House, à Halifax, aujourd’hui, 22 octobre (Communications Nouvelle-Écosse)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Following Dangerous Cuts to Transportation Workforce, Markey, Leader Schumer, Colleagues Demand Secretary Duffy Prioritize Safety

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Letter Text (PDF)

    ?Washington (February 20, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, today led 12 colleagues in a letter to Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Sean Duffy urging the agency to stop the mass layoffs and firing of essential transportation safety employees and instead focus on prioritizing safety. The lawmakers demand information regarding DOT plans to protect passengers and prevent future crashes.

    In the letter the lawmakers write, “At the Department of Transportation, safety must come first, but that commitment appears in doubt as the Trump administration promotes cost-cutting over protecting the public. By offering to buy out federal employees, ordering government agencies to prepare for mass layoffs, firing employees with critical safety functions, giving Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) free reign to cut the federal workforce, and turning Musk, DOGE, and their unqualified staff loose on the air traffic control system, the Trump administration risks undermining decades of safety improvements. We urge you to cease this dangerous approach to governing and request important information on how the Department of Transportation (DOT) plans to prioritize safety in this environment.”

    The lawmakers requested responses by March 3 to questions that include:

    • How many DOT employees were offered the buyout? How many accepted? How many declined or did not respond?
    • How many DOT employees were ineligible to take the buyout offer?
    • How many DOT employees have lost their jobs since January 20, 2025?
    • What is Musk’s and DOGE’s role in reviewing DOT personnel and program information? What steps is the Department is taking to ensure that Musk and the DOGE do not compromise public safety?
    • What is Musk’s and DOGE’s involvement with the ATC system?

    The letter was co-signed by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Votes to Confirm Kelly Loeffler for SBA Administrator

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) released the following statement after former U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) was confirmed as Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA):

    “Kelly Loeffler’s business experience and time in public service make her eminently qualified to lead the SBA and help enact President Trump’s agenda to boost small businesses, which are the backbone of our economy. I was pleased to support my former colleague’s nomination and look forward to working with her in her new role.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn, Lankford, Kelly Introduce Bill to Stop Drug Smuggling at the Southern Border

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) released the following statement after he joined Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) in introducing the Border Enforcement, Security, and Trade (BEST) Facilitation Act, which would support border law enforcement by providing additional personnel to scan cargo for illegal drugs, guns, or human smuggling:

    “Texas has borne the brunt of the Biden administration’s abject failure to secure the border and stop the deadly flow of fentanyl ravaging our communities, but I’m hopeful we will soon turn the tide of this devastating crisis,” said Sen. Cornyn. “By streamlining inspections at ports of entries and improving training and resources for detecting drugs and human trafficking at our southern border, the BEST Facilitation Act would help CBP officers better identify contraband and save lives.”

    Background:

    Border law enforcement have raised the issue of workflow challenges at port of entry inspection booths and requested increased personnel and resources to scan cargo to better enforce the law and combat drug smuggling at the southern border. The bill creates a new position within Customs and Border Protection (CBP) who would receive specialized training to review and assess scans of cargo images and either recommend entry to the primary inspection CBP booth officer or refer for further inspection if illegal or illicit items are suspected.

    The Border Enforcement, Security, and Trade (BEST) Facilitation Act would:

    • Establish a five-year Image Technician Pilot Program;
    • Create the position of “supervisory image technicians” who would review and asses difficult-to-review images, as well as receive, report, and disseminate intelligence to and from the National Targeting Center to image adjudicators;
    • Mandate specialized training in image analysis and implement annual assessments to ensure accuracy for image technicians;
    • Require the development of a workforce staffing model and institute reporting requirements;
    • And launch five regional command centers at existing ports where the image inspectors would work.

    This legislation is endorsed by the U.S. Travel Association, Border Trade Alliance, National Sheriffs Association, and National Association of Counties.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Previews Request to Rescind Unlawful Biden ATF Rules

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – Today on the floor, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) blasted the Biden administration’s attempts to infringe on law-abiding citizens’ Second Amendment rights, praised President Trump’s recently issued Executive Order, and discussed his upcoming request to the Trump administration to reverse course and rescind unlawful firearm regulations imposed under former President Biden’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Excerpts of Sen. Cornyn’s remarks are below, and video can be found here.

    “The President’s Executive Order comes on the heels of four years of President Biden’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, otherwise known as ATF, from trampling on Americans’ Second Amendment rights.”

    “In April of 2022, the Biden administration decided to target law-abiding citizens who exercised their Second Amendment rights to build their own firearms with the so-called ‘ghost gun’ rule.”

    “The Biden administration’s rogue ATF continued down this path in January of 2023, when they finalized the so-called ‘pistol brace’ rule.”

    “In April of 2024, the Biden administration’s ATF finalized a rule known as the ‘engaged in the business’ rule. This was an attempt to rewrite a statute that was passed by the Congress and signed into law by the President of the United States.”

    “I’ve long been a defender of Second Amendment rights for the 31 million people that I have the honor of representing in Texas.”

    “This is why I introduced the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, which would allow people with concealed carry privileges to exercise those privileges in other states that allow concealed carry.”

    “In addition to introducing this legislation, I will very soon send a letter to Deputy Director of the ATF, encouraging him to work with President Trump on rescinding many of these regulations in order to reverse the Biden administration’s reckless attacks on the Second Amendment.”

    “While the last four years have been a lot of headache for law-abiding citizens who simply want to exercise their constitutional rights, I have no doubt that President Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi will right this ship.”

    “I look forward to working with both of them to reform and redirect the energies of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to safeguard rather than to attack the Second Amendment rights of American citizens.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Budd, Tillis, Warner, Kaine Urge Swift Distribution of Funding for Public Lands for Helene Recovery

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ted Budd (R-North Carolina)

    Washington, D.C. — Today, Senators Ted Budd (R-NC), Mark Warner (D-VA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Tim Kaine (D-VA) sent a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, urging these departments to quickly allocate funding appropriated by Congress for public lands that were ravaged by Hurricane Helene. 

    Read the text of the letter:

    We write today regarding our states’ recovery from Hurricane Helene and the supplemental funding made available to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of the Interior (DOI) by the American Relief Act of 2025 (H.R.10545). We urge you to expeditiously allocate this funding to our public lands in North Carolina and Virginia that were ravaged by this deadly storm.

    Hurricane Helene devastated communities across North Carolina, Virginia, and large swaths of the Southeast. Historic flooding and high winds resulted in over a hundred deaths, damaged and destroyed thousands of homes and businesses, and decimated critical regional infrastructure in our states. Additionally, the storm caused unprecedented damage to public lands in western North Carolina and Southwest Virginia that are essential drivers of economic activity for many communities.

    Public lands managed by USDA and DOI are crucial economic engines for communities throughout western North Carolina and Southwest Virginia. For example, the National Park Service’s (NPS) most visited unit, the Blue Ridge Parkway, which spans 469 miles across the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina and Virginia, supports the economies of dozens of communities in our states. In 2023, 16.7 million visitors spent nearly $1.4 billion in communities surrounding the Parkway, which supported over 19,000 jobs. Helene decimated the Blue Ridge Parkway resulting in indefinite closures along large portions of the roadway and damage to many trails, historical sites, and recreational areas. The recovery effort for the Parkway will be one of the most significant and expensive infrastructure projects in the park’s history, and its success will be essential for the dozens of gateway communities that rely on the Parkway.

    In addition to National Park Service managed property, many of our communities in Southwest Virginia and western North Carolina contain U.S. Forest Service lands that were decimated by Hurricane Helene. This includes the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests in Virginia, the Cherokee National Forest in Tennessee and North Carolina, and the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests in western North Carolina. These lands attract millions of visitors each year who contribute millions more in visitor spending that sustains countless small businesses and gateway communities.

    Perhaps no Forest Service asset in the country suffered more damage from Hurricane Helene than the Virginia Creeper Trail, a 34-mile recreational trail that is co-managed by the Forest Service and the towns of Damascus and Abingdon in Southwest Virginia. The storm obliterated 18 miles of the Creeper Trail from Damascus to Whitetop, Virginia, destroying 18 trestles and washing away extended segments of the trail itself. The Creeper Trail is the most significant driver of economic activity in Damascus and one of the most significant tourism destinations in the entire region. The trail attracts more than 200,000 visitors annually, supporting local bike shops, restaurants, and lodging. In all, the Creeper Trail contributes nearly $13 million annually in tourism spending to the region’s economy. A prolonged closure of the trail could have devastating consequences for Damascus and the entire region. It is critical that USDA and the Forest Service move quickly to allocate appropriated funding to rebuild the Creeper Trail to ensure Damascus and other localities that depend on the trail can fully recover from Helene.

    We were pleased the American Relief Act of 2025 (H.R.10545) included robust funding to address natural disaster-related damage to public lands across the U.S., including $6.4 billion for the U.S. Forest Service and $2.3 billion for the National Park Service. This funding is intended to support the rebuilding of iconic public attractions in our states, including the Blue Ridge Parkway, Appalachian Trail, and Virginia Creeper Trail. It will also support a broad range of other reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts on our public lands to ensure they can continue to safely provide recreational opportunities to our constituents and millions of additional visitors who help sustain these Appalachian communities. As our states continue to rebuild from Hurricane Helene, it is critical that this supplemental funding is deployed to our public lands swiftly to ensure a timely rebuild of these assets that our communities depend on.

    Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to working with you to support the recovery efforts in our states. Please do not hesitate to reach out if we can provide additional information or assistance.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Budd Introduces Bill to Help Families Afford Health Sharing Ministries

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ted Budd (R-North Carolina)

    Washington, D.C. — Today, Senator Ted Budd (R-NC) introduced the Health Sharing Ministry Tax Parity Act, which would allow families to deduct the cost of a health sharing ministry membership from their annual tax bill.

    Health sharing ministries are faith-based nonprofits that enable members to share health expenses. The bill would level the playing field between health sharing ministries and traditional insurance, making it easier for more families to afford a health sharing ministry membership.

    Senator Budd said in a statement:

    “At a time when health insurance premiums and inflation are making it difficult for families to afford health care coverage, action is needed to offer more options. The Health Care Sharing Ministry Tax Parity Act would allow people to offset the cost of a health sharing ministry membership by deducting it from their taxes. Faith-based nonprofits like health care sharing ministries do great work helping Americans afford health care, and my bill makes it easier for more people to pursue this option.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Justice Administration Amendments Advanced

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Amendments to legislation introduced today, February 20, will make targeted changes to help clarify processes for those representing others while in a position of trust, update legislation and make amendments to the Provincial Court Act.

    “Our laws need to keep pace with the needs of Nova Scotians,” said Attorney General and Justice Minister Becky Druhan. “Today’s amendments will bring important legislation up to date and add additional safeguards for adults who need assistance in making important decisions.”

    The Justice Administration Amendment Act addresses four pieces of legislation, which include:

    • Following a first phase of amendments in 2022, the Powers of Attorney Act will be further modernized to better clarify roles and responsibilities. Changes include allowing remote witnessing of documents, compensation for those acting as a power of attorney and flexibility to delegate authority to a financial specialist.

    • The Adult Capacity and Decision-Making Act will be amended to improve the application process for personal representatives including allowing courts to waive the current bond requirement for representatives, aligning the times for notice of application and increasing safeguards by requiring the public trustee to be added as a party to proceedings.

    • The Interpretation Act will allow for legislation to be automatically repealed if it has not been proclaimed within ten or more years.

    • The Provincial Court Act will be amended to repeal the Family Court Act to reflect that family law matters are now heard in the unified family court and to clarify the composition of judicial council and the authority of the provincial court chief judge.

    Quick Facts:

    • the Interpretation Act will allow for the House of Assembly to pass a resolution to prevent the repeal of any statute; the governor-in-council will also have the authority to delay the automatic repeal for up to three years
    • the unified family court has been in place for several years; changes to the Provincial Court Act were needed to reflect this structure

    Additional Resources:

    Bills tabled in the legislature are available at: https://nslegislature.ca/legislative-business/bills-statutes/bills/assembly-65-session-1

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Services & Support for Youth Who Repeatedly Go Missing

    Source: US State of New York

    Governor Kathy Hochul today announced a new state initiative launched in Buffalo to connect youth who repeatedly go missing with services and support that address their needs and the circumstances that cause them to leave home. The Runaway Intervention Program: Services, Training, Opportunity, Prevention, or RIPSTOP, pilot program is designed to increase safety and stability and reduce multiple missing episodes, which put youth at risk of harm and victimization. The Scott Bieler Child Advocacy Center at BestSelf is partnering with the Buffalo Police Department and Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo to implement the pilot program developed by the State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) with support from 10 other state agencies.

    “Public safety is my top priority and I’m committed to using every tool at my disposal to protect all New Yorkers, especially our most vulnerable population,” Governor Hochul said. “That’s why my administration is supporting this pilot program and several other initiatives to provide assistance to our most vulnerable youth. We thank our partners in my hometown of Buffalo for helping us launch this pilot, which, if successful, will be replicated statewide.”

    The pilot will serve children younger than 18 who are involved with social services, and those who are not, providing opportunities to identify specific services and interventions that can reduce or eliminate runaway episodes. The initiative kicked off earlier this week with a community listening circle hosted by the Scott Bieler Child Advocacy Center at BestSelf to raise awareness about the pilot and seek community input. A second session is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 25, at the Martha Mitchell Community Center. The listening circle will be closed to the media to facilitate open and honest dialogue and protect privacy of youth and families in attendance.

    New York State Department of Criminal Justice Services Commissioner Rossana Rosado said, “Youth outreach and engagement are critical components in our efforts to prevent crime. When we invest in the future of our youth by providing support, services and opportunities, we improve lives, strengthen families and communities, and increase public safety. I thank Governor Hochul for her commitment to young New Yorkers and my DCJS staff for working with sister state agencies and other partners to spearhead this pilot.”

    The Scott Bieler Child Advocacy Center at BestSelf will administer the two components of the pilot: a Missing Youth Services Referral Program, and a Multi-Disciplinary Runaway Youth Treatment Team. BestSelf plans to hire a youth runaway coordinator to run the referral program, which is funded by a grant from the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo. The Buffalo Police Department unit that responds to reports of missing persons, child abuse and domestic violence refers children to the Scott Bieler Child Advocacy Center at BestSelf and plans to have an officer at the Center daily as part of the pilot.

    BestSelf CEO and President Elizabeth Woike said, “We’re incredibly proud that our Scott Bieler CAC at BestSelf was chosen as the pilot program, consistently proving itself as the premier CAC in New York State. We are looking at the youth runaway crisis through a preventative lens to address larger health issues down the road. Our commitment remains strong to provide cutting-edge treatment and lead the way in collaboration and advocacy.”

    Youth who are reported missing are at risk of homelessness, exploitation for sex and/or labor trafficking, academic underachievement that can lead to dropping out of school, and involvement in the juvenile justice system. Children with multiple missing episodes are more likely to be depressed, have attempted suicide, and have mental health or substance use issues. Last year, 12,114 reports of missing children younger than 18 were entered into the New York State register, with 94 percent reported by police as runaways. More than half (6,161) of those reports involved a total of 1,772 children. DCJS identified Buffalo for the pilot due to the high number of missing children reports received by the city’s police department, which had already begun working with the Scott Bieler Child Advocacy Center at BestSelf to address the issue. During that same time period, the City of Buffalo had 522 missing child reports, with nearly 200 representing multiple incidents.

    Staff from the Missing Persons Clearinghouse at DCJS will oversee implementation of the pilot and foster ongoing communication and coordination among all national, state and local partners with the goal of improving how different systems respond and support these youth. The New York State Youth Justice Institute, a partnership between DCJS and the University at Albany, will evaluate the pilot’s implementation and outcomes to determine its success and whether it should be replicated in other communities. The Youth Justice Institute strives to build and strengthen the capacity of localities around New York State to adopt evidence-informed youth justice practices by disseminating information, assisting with implementation and assessing efficacy in existing youth justice programs, and by conducting cutting-edge research to advance the science and practice of evidence-based initiatives.

    The following state agencies are participating: the Department of Health; State Education Department; Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs; Office of Addiction Services and Supports; Office of Children and Family Services; Office of Mental Health; Office for People With Developmental Disabilities; Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence; Office of Victim Services; and New York State Police.

    The New York City Administration for Children’s Services; New York State Association of Chiefs of Police; New York State Sheriff’s Association; New York State Youth Justice Institute; St. Anne Institute; State of New York Police Juvenile Officers Association; National Center for Missing & Exploited Children; and National Child Protection Task Force also are partners in the initiative.

    City of Buffalo Mayor Christopher P. Scanlon said, “I want to thank Governor Hochul for her continued investment in our youth and for recognizing the urgent need to address the challenges facing vulnerable children in our community. One of my administration’s key priorities is collaboration, and the RIPSTOP pilot program is a powerful example of what we can accomplish when we work together. By bringing together New York State, the City of Buffalo, the Buffalo Police Department, the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, and the Scott Bieler Child Advocacy Center at BestSelf, we are ensuring that at-risk youth receive the care and support they need. This initiative reflects our collective commitment to building a safer, more supportive future for the children of Buffalo.”

    Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs Acting Executive Director Maria Lisi-Murray said, “We know from our work safeguarding vulnerable populations that runaway youth are particularly susceptible to trafficking, exploitation, and homelessness. They are also often reluctant to seek help from law enforcement or access critical intervention programs. The RIPSTOP pilot will help bridge those safety and communication gaps by getting youth the support they need sooner to reduce the likelihood of recurrent runaway episodes. Thank you to Governor Hochul for continuing to prioritize the safety of New York’s youth.”

    New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “Providing accessible support services to our youth is imperative for their well-being and is key to reducing the number of runaway and missing episodes. The relationship between law enforcement partners, combined with the execution of effective initiatives are essential in carrying out the mission of keeping the youth of New York State safe. I commend Governor Hochul for her continued commitment in making sure each New Yorker has the assistance available they need.”

    Office of Addiction Services And Supports Commissioner Dr. Chinazo Cunningham said, “Young people with an unstable home life are at increased risk of experiencing harm when it comes to their health, including the impacts of substance use and addiction. Programs like this support our goal to reach at-risk individuals and direct them to the services and help they need. As one of the agencies involved with the development of this pilot program, alongside our partners in state government and community stakeholders, we are looking forward to seeing the benefits that this will bring to youth in the Buffalo area.”

    Office of Victim Services Director Bea Hanson said, “Key to our mission at OVS is advocating for victims’ rights and working to ensure that systems designed to assist them are accessible and meet their needs. We are proud to partner with our sister agencies to improve state services for at-risk youth, protect them from harm and give them the support they need to thrive.”

    About the Division of Criminal Justice Services Missing Persons Clearinghouse

    The Missing Persons Clearinghouse at the State Division of Criminal Justice Services provides investigative support to local, state and national law enforcement, including cold case reviews; assists left-behind family members, and offers internet safety education programs for children and parents, among other responsibilities. Staff members have extensive experience in law enforcement, training and information technology, and the Clearinghouse accepts leads and tips about missing persons cases it has permission to publicize at [email protected] and 800-346-3543.

    About BestSelf Behavioral Health

    BestSelf Behavioral Health is the largest community-based behavioral health organization serving Western New York. It offers comprehensive services for mental health and substance use disorders. The organization serves over 41,000 individuals annually across more than 70 locations, focusing on trauma-informed care and person-centered treatment.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: During Black History Month, Scott Pushes Investment in Underserved Communities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott
    Senator Scott announced his goal to unleash $1 trillion into communities like the one he grew up in.
    WASHINGTON — As part of Black History Month, U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) is building on his commitment to increase economic opportunity across the United States. In his role as Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, and as a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, Scott is pushing solutions with a goal of unleashing up to $1 trillion of investment into underserved communities.
    Scott joined Walter Davis, founding member of Peachtree Providence Partners, as part of his Opportunity Summit series in celebration of Black History Month to discuss his efforts and their shared goal of helping all Americans achieve their version of the American Dream.

    Click here to watch the panel.
    “I think it’s incredibly important for us to figure out how to unlock capital for disadvantaged communities. My goal is to set the kind of parameters that allows for $1 trillion of capital to be set free in disadvantaged communities in the next 10 years… My goal is to make sure that everyone who is struggling…has an opportunity to access more resources. That’s called the American way, or at least it’s supposed to be the American way. And I aim to make sure that, from a banking perspective, we have the flexibility with our regulators, so that small business owners with a good plan – with decent credit – have access to the capital to start hiring people from their own communities. Because when I started my business, it’s exactly what I did. I took an Allstate Insurance Agency and I crafted three other Allstate agencies out of my one Allstate agency, with two of them being African Americans. How do you do that? You just do the right thing. But it starts at home in your community, and if you want to see higher employment numbers in your community, you probably have to start a business and make it happen,” said Senator Scott.
    BACKGROUND: By focusing on affordable housing, quality education, small business growth, financial inclusion, keeping tax rates low for families and expanding Opportunity Zones, as well as leveraging digital assets, Senator Scott is working to pave the way for transformative economic development across the country. 
    Boosting Affordable Housing Senator Scott’s ROAD to Housing Act will facilitate investment in quality and affordable housing, providing the opportunity to create generational wealth for so many historically ignored communities. The ROAD to Housing Act will change outdated caps on private investment in public housing, open the door to small-dollar mortgages, and help boost the supply of manufactured housing.
    Small Business Growth Small business owners – particularly Black and other minority-owned businesses – face significant challenges accessing capital, including through our capital markets system. Senator Scott’s Empowering Main Street in America Act will fuel economic growth by giving local entrepreneurs – not elites in New York or Silicon Valley – the power to direct capital to historically overlooked communities.
    Increasing Financial Inclusion Senator Scott has consistently prioritized increasing financial inclusion and incentivizing growth in local communities and historically overlooked neighborhoods. Senator Scott will continue to push efforts to streamline and modernize the rules governing financial institutions, prioritizing changes that support access to capital and investment in underserved communities across the country.
    Protecting Taxpayer Dollars Senator Scott’s Opportunity Zones initiative has driven $85 billion to underserved communities, unlocking economic opportunities that had never before been available. With the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act set to expire this year, Senator Scott will work to ensure middle class families and small businesses are not hit with a massive, $4.1 trillion tax hike, and to broaden and extend Opportunity Zones to continue driving economic development in the communities that need it most.
    Leveraging Digital Assets Senator Scott will prioritize establishing a clear, tailored regulatory framework for digital assets through legislation on stablecoins and crypto market structure, aiming to empower families, small businesses, and underserved communities to build wealth and participate more fully in the digital economy. 
    Expanding Quality Education Education is a catalyst to driving long-term economic growth and labor market participation. Americans with a bachelor’s degree face less than half the unemployment rate and earn more than double the income of those who dropout of high school. Unlocking the power of education starts with K-12 education, which is why Senator Scott is helping lead the Education Choice for Children Act (ECCA) to provide up to $10 billion in federal tax credits for charitable contributions to K-12 scholarships for middle- and low-income students, benefitting nearly 2 million students.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: New Mental Health Group Home for Youth Opens in Regina

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on February 20, 2025

    The Government of Saskatchewan is providing $800,000 in annual funding to partner with Eagle Heart Centre in a new, five-space mental health group home for youth. Joe and Irene’s Youth Home, which officially opened today in Regina, provides youth ages 12 to 18 with short-term residential care that includes 24-hour mental health and addictions support. 

    “This funding to Eagle Heart Centre will provide youth in Regina and surrounding communities with the help they need in a safe and stable environment close to home,” Social Services Minister Terry Jenson said. “Staying connected to their communities while receiving care will also help youth transition back to their families or into alternative care arrangements.”

    This mental health group home is part of a larger $2.4 million commitment in the 2023-24 Provincial Budget. The ministries of Social Services and Health each committed $1.2 million to develop three mental health group homes to serve youth struggling with mental health and addictions issues. Each ministry is providing $400,000 in annual operating funding to Eagle Heart Centre. 

    “Supporting Joe and Irene’s Youth Home is part of our effort to ensure that we meet the mental health needs of youth,” Mental Health and Addictions Minister Lori Carr said. “I appreciate the great work that Eagle Heart is doing to help our young people feel cared for, supported, and equipped to face a better future.”

    The Saskatchewan Health Authority works in partnership with the Ministry of Social Services to refer youth with chronic mental health or addiction issues to Eagle Heart Centre. Eagle Heart Centre provides culturally relevant services and trauma-informed care for vulnerable youth and families in Saskatchewan. The community-based organization specializes in providing programming and services that support and empower families, children and youth to attain a healthy lifestyle.

    “Our new home has been named in honour of my Métis parents,” Eagle Heart Centre Founder and Executive Director Delora Parisian said. “Despite facing racism, poverty and personal hardships, my parents raised us with the values of hard work, financial independence and the encouragement to follow our dreams. Joe and Irene’s Youth Home has been built for roots to grow strong and bold, where dreams unfold.” 

    The Eagle Heart Centre mental health group home for youth is the second of the three planned homes to open, with the EGADZ Garden of Hope in Saskatoon as the first to open in December 2023. The third home is currently in development.

    For more information about Eagle Heart Centre and its programs, visit: www.ehcregina.ca.                                                                               

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    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: CWA to FCC: Stop AT&T’s Plans to Abandon Rural America

    Source: Communications Workers of America

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Communications Workers of America (CWA) union has filed comments with the Federal Communications Commission opposing AT&T’s application to discontinue landline telephone service in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin. CWA is calling on the FCC to counterbalance the company’s focus on maximizing profits over the public interest.

    AT&T’s proposal would enable the telecommunications provider to exit 250,000 square miles of rural communities across 18 states, or fifty percent of AT&T’s historic footprint. While AT&T would continue to provide service to more populated, profitable areas, the “mobile first” proposal would put rural communities last, with lower quality and less reliable connectivity options.

    “While AT&T’s corporate executives and investors are insulated from the impact of these cuts on the communities they serve, frontline workers bear the brunt of customers’ frustration with poor service quality, long wait times, and other harms from understaffing and outsourcing of critical functions,” wrote CWA President Claude Cummings Jr. in his comments filed with the FCC.

    Ending service over AT&T’s copper network without upgrading to fiber will leave communities with limited and inferior options. Fiber is sustainable, scalable, and renewable. It offers greater capacity, predictable performance, lower maintenance costs, and a longer technological lifetime than coaxial cable, satellite, and fixed wireless technologies. An engineering analysis of fixed wireless technologies by consulting firm CTC Technology and Energy concludes that “fiber represents the most fiscally prudent expenditure of public funds in most circumstances because of its longevity and technical advantages.”

    AT&T’s abandonment of rural America leaves the government to shoulder the burden of providing affordable service to all residents. The industry-driven deregulation of communications services has allowed telecommunications companies to select their own service areas. In recent years, AT&T has allowed its rural network to deteriorate, focusing on deploying fiber in densely populated areas that can yield a high profit margin.

    AT&T has prioritized shareholder returns over investment in its network and workforce. On the same day the company announced plans to retire the “large majority” of its copper-based network by 2029, it also said that it expects to return over $40 billion to shareholders over the next three years through stock buybacks and dividends. To fulfill its universal service mandate, CWA urged the FCC to push AT&T to invest in fiber deployment beyond what the company might otherwise choose to pursue.

    CWA represents workers in telecommunications, media, technology, public service, manufacturing, airlines, video games, and other fields, including tens of thousands of workers at AT&T.

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    About CWA: The Communications Workers of America represents working people in telecommunications, customer service, media, airlines, health care, public service and education, manufacturing, tech, and other fields.

    cwa-union.org @cwaunion

    MIL OSI USA News –