NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Point of Contact for Election Fraud and Voting Rights Concerns

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    ALBANY, NEW YORK – United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Joshua R. Rosenthal will lead the efforts of the United States Attorney’s Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election.  AUSA Rosenthal has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Northern District of New York and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of Election Day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department headquarters in Washington, D.C.

    United States Attorney Freedman stated: “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election.  Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to threats of violence.  The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”

    The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud.  The Department will address these violations wherever they occur.  The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.

    Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input.  It also contains special protections for the rights of voters and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice.  The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).  

    In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Rosenthal will be working while the polls are open.  He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 518-431-0389.

    In addition, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will have Special Agents available in each Field Office and Resident Agency Office throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on Election Day.  The FBI Albany Field Office can be reached by the public at 518-465-7551.

    Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C. by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.

    Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities.  State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Leading Federal Response to Hurricane Helene in Georgia, Senator Reverend Warnock Pushes President Biden to Kickstart Bipartisan Disaster Funding Effort

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    Leading Federal Response to Hurricane Helene in Georgia, Senator Reverend Warnock Pushes President Biden to Kickstart Bipartisan Disaster Funding Effort

    Senator Reverend Warnock is urging the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to submit a request for supplemental appropriations to Congress to support Hurricane Helene and Milton recovery efforts
    Senator Reverend Warnock to President Biden: “Congress stands ready to ensure the federal government and our communities have what they need to recover from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, and future natural disasters”
    Separately, Senator Reverend Warnock also urged senior Biden Administration officials to prioritize investigating and sharing information about disaster-related frauds and scams, monitoring incidents of price gouging and other unfair or illegal pricing following natural disasters, and addressing intravenous (IV) fluids supply challenges impacting frontline health workers and patients
    ICYMI from Politico: Senators Want A Supp
    ICYMI from Capitol Beat News Service: Southeastern senators urge passage of disaster relief for Helene victims
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) led a bipartisan group of Senators in urging the White House to rapidly submit a government funding request to Congress that will fully cover costs associated with clean-up and recovery following Hurricanes Helene and Milton so that affected communities can begin to heal. In a new bipartisan letter to the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Senator Warnock, joined by Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Warner (D-VA), and Ted Budd (R-NC), highlighted the heartbreak facing southern communities recovering from the destruction of these hurricanes, and requested the White House to rapidly submit a detailed supplemental government funding request to Congress that considers the full cost of recovering from these storms so Congress can quickly pass aid for American families. Senator Warnock has called for Congress to return to Washington from the October in-state work period to approve federal disaster relief legislation, despite opposition from U.S. House leadership.
    “We urgently request the White House’s Office of Management and Budget rapidly submit to Congress a detailed supplemental appropriations request that considers the full cost of recovering from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, as well as other devastating natural disasters, so Congress can quickly consider supplemental appropriations this year, and affected communities can begin to heal,” wrote the Senators.
    “Given the immense need, we respectfully ask that the Office of Management and Budget work quickly to determine the costs of recovering from Hurricane Helene and Milton and immediately submit a supplemental appropriations request to Congress that includes this full cost. Congress stands ready to ensure the federal government and our communities have what they need to recover from Hurricanes Helene and Milton and future natural disasters,” concluded the lawmakers.
    In three additional, separate letters to regulators and agencies across the federal government responsible for consumer protection and more, Senator Warnock urged federal officials to prioritize investigating and sharing information about disaster-related frauds and scams, monitoring incidents of price gouging and other unfair or illegal pricing following natural disasters, and addressing intravenous (IV) fluids supply challenges impacting frontline workers and patients, including successfully pushing President Biden to invoke the Defense Production Act to ramp up production of needed supplies.
    Read the Senator’s letter on price gouging HERE, on banking difficulties HERE, on scams and frauds HERE, and on addressing IV fluids shortage HERE.
    Read his letter to President Biden HERE and below:
    Dear President Biden,
    As the Southeastern United States continues to respond to life-threatening conditions in the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the sheer scope of the destruction from these hurricanes is heartbreaking. We urgently request the White House’s Office of Management and Budget rapidly submit to Congress a detailed supplemental appropriations request that considers the full cost of recovering from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, as well as other devastating natural disasters, so Congress can quickly consider supplemental appropriations this year, and affected communities can begin to heal.
    Hurricane Helene struck Florida’s coast as a Category 4 storm on September 27 before devastating communities across Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Tragically, the death toll continues to rise, with 228 being confirmed to date. Hurricane Milton struck Florida on October 9, bringing life-threatening storm surges and wind gusts and causing 24 deaths to date.
    We are immensely grateful to first responders and federal workers as they perform life-saving work. However, the task of recovering from these storms has overwhelmed state and local governments. Federal support will be needed to restore and rebuild our communities.
    While the recovery costs are still being determined, estimates of Hurricane Helene’s damage range from $34 billion to $47 billion. Hurricane Milton is likewise expected to cost billions more in damages.
    The Federal Emergency Management Agency will require significant additional funding to ensure it has the resources it needs for Hurricane Helene and Milton recovery, and additional federal funding will be required to support states and federal agencies’ emergency response efforts. Likewise, as communities begin to rebuild, uninterrupted access to key disaster assistance loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration is imperative. Agricultural producers will also need financial assistance to help them recover from yet another natural disaster that is further compounding their already tenuous economic situation, and small businesses will need support to help cover the damage to their livelihoods and rebuild, so they can reopen their doors to communities.
    Given the immense need, we respectfully ask that the Office of Management and Budget work quickly to determine the costs of recovering from Hurricane Helene and Milton and immediately submit a supplemental appropriations request to Congress that includes this full cost.
    Congress stands ready to ensure the federal government and our communities have what they need to recover from Hurricanes Helene and Milton and future natural disasters.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Watson Coleman Statement on Death of Hamas Leader Yahya Sinwar

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman

    October 18, 2024

    Today, Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) issued the following statement regarding the death of Yahya Sinwar, the military leader of the Hamas terrorist group, and a chief architect of the October 7th, 2023 massacre.

    “Yahya Sinwar was a terrorist who murdered countless innocent civilians and the primary architect of the October 7th massacre, responsible for the killing of over 1,200 people, including 46 Americans, and the kidnapping of more than 250 hostages. I pray that his death can bring some measure of peace and closure for the families of the victims of his countless atrocities.

    “With Sinwar’s death a stated aim of the war in Gaza has been met. The war must finally end. The Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Netanyahu, must abandon their refusal to negotiate a ceasefire, and work to return the remaining hostages, as the Israeli people themselves have been demanding for months.

    “The war waged in response to Sinwar’s egregious attack has claimed the lives of at least 42,000 Palestinians (with some estimates ranging as high as 4.5 times that amount). The majority of these dead are innocent women and children. A recent study by Oxfam found that more women and children have been killed in Gaza by the Israeli military over the past year than the equivalent period of any other conflict over the past two decades. 

    “There has been incalculable suffering in the Middle East since Hamas’s attack. Israelis, Palestinians, and everyone caught in the crossfire has been forced to endure unrelenting tragedy. De-escalation, diplomacy, and peace are the only path forward.

    “I will continue to pray for, and work towards, a swift and lasting resolution to this horrible conflict.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Manchin Announces $19.2 Million From Appalachian Regional Commission For 14 West Virginia Projects

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Joe Manchin
    October 18, 2024
    Charleston, WV – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (I-WV), member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced $19,243,249 from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) for 14 projects in West Virginia. The funding will support economic and workforce development, outdoor recreation, and historical restoration across the state.  
    “The Appalachian Regional Commission’s continued commitment to revitalizing and strengthening Appalachia is good for West Virginia and the entire region. The more than $19 million announced today will bolster economic and workforce development, as well revitalize our outdoor recreation and historical landmarks,” said Senator Manchin. “I look forward to seeing the positive impacts of these projects and, as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I remain dedicated to boosting economic growth across Appalachia.”
    Individuals awards listed below:
    $2,000,000 – West Virginia Health Right, Charleston
    This funding will support the Helping Individuals Retain Employment Dignity (HIRED) Program.

    $1,990,600 – Fairmont State University, Fairmont
    This funding will support the Building Connections to Grow Capacity: Breaking Down Regional Barriers in the STEM Workforce Pipeline project.

    $1,982,460 – West Virginia Department of Economic Development, Charleston
    This funding will support the Childcare West Virginia: Building the Business That Supports Business project.

    $1,897,137 – Woodland Community Lenders, Elkins
    This funding aims to achieve long-term economic success for the 12 gateway towns in eight counties surrounding the Monongahela National Forest by advancing the local outdoor economy through technical assistance in the key areas of connectivity, communication, capital, and capacity.

    $1,839,750 – Wheeling Convention & Visitors Bureau, Wheeling
    This project will prepare and implement a visitor experience and engagement master plan for a newly built visitors center, complementing the city’s broader tourism and downtown redevelopment strategies.

    $1,750,000 – International Association of Bridge Structure and Ornamental Ironworkers Local 549, Wheeling
    This project will fund a 7,840-square-foot expansion of the apprenticeship training facility.

    $1,650,800 – Advantage Valley Inc, Charleston
    This funding will support creating a more resilient and diversified regional economy by increasing the market potential and growth of the existing manufacturing and business services sectors.

    $1,385,205 – Coalfield Development Corporation, Huntington
    This funding will support establishing a food system workforce development program based on three areas of need: training/readiness and employability, transportation services, and housing for individuals in recovery.

    $1,260,000 – Partner Community Capital, Charles Town
    This funding will support expanding on PCAP’s successful WV Women’s Business Center.

    $1,232,256 – West Virginia University Research Corporation, Morgantown
    This funding will support expanding West Virginia’s outdoor economy through supporting and increasing capacity of local outdoor businesses, communities, and current and emerging non-profit organizations.

    $1,105,041 – Tamarack Foundation, Charleston
    This project will build critical infrastructure to address gaps in access to services, resources, capital, markets, and consumers for arts to foster entrepreneurial activities in all 55 counties of the state.

    $1,050,000 – West Virginia University Research Corporation, Morgantown
    This funding will support cybersecurity accessibility, implementation, and education through establishing a statewide hub for direct cybersecurity resources and support for businesses in West Virginia.

    $50,000 – Alpine Heritage Preservation, Thomas
    This funding will support completing the design, development, and construction documents for the full restoration of the historic opera house.

    $50,000 – City of New Martinsville
    This funding will support the Northern Panhandle Clean Energy Futures Workforce Needs Assessment project.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Meet New Director of Judaic Studies, Jessica Cooperman

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    You’re new to UConn. What made you decide to come here?

    I know the previous director, Avinoam Patt, quite well, and it was a big draw that I’ve spoken to him throughout the years and he always raved about UConn. So that made it an appealing position to consider. After years of teaching at a small liberal arts college, I was also drawn to the new challenges and opportunities of working at a large research university.  

    What do you teach and what do you like to teach?

    I teach broadly in the field of Jewish history, and I especially enjoy teaching American Jewish history and American Judaism. In those courses, I try to weave in my own research and interests when possible, which makes it fun. 

     Some Jewish students may take my class thinking, “Oh, this will be familiar to me, right?” But it’s an opportunity for me to show them that there’s much more to learn.   

    Learning about Jewish history introduces students to all kinds of broader debates about migration, race, religion, cultural production, state structures, prejudices, minority rights, and civil rights—topics they might not have thought about in connection to Jewish history. Judaic Studies creates opportunities to learn about Jews and Judaism, but it also leads students to lots of other issues, which we can explore together. I find that really exciting. 

    Could tell us about your research?

    My field is broadly defined as modern Jewish history, but my research is on American Jewish history and American Judaism.  

    My first book focused on soldiers’ services in the First World War. The American military wanted to create a more well-behaved force, to keep soldiers in line, engaged, and out of trouble. The military came up with the idea that soldiers needed to participate in morally uplifting activities—like singing, sports, and educational classes—to be good citizens and good soldiers.  So, they hired the YMCA to provide those services.  

    Instead of protesting about the Protestant YMCA getting this role, the Jewish Welfare Board, a Jewish organization, and the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal organization, volunteered to be counterparts to the YMCA. In the book, I argue that they ended up changing the government’s conception of religion and the roles of Judaism and Catholicism within these government programs. By the end of World War I, the government perhaps didn’t celebrate, but at least clearly advertised in their propaganda, the partnership among Protestants, Catholics, and Jews in the service of the country.   

    My current research project focuses on the history of Passover in the United States. I’m interested in exploring how both Jewish and non-Jewish communities, particularly Christian ones, have adapted and adopted the holiday and its rituals to express various social, political, and cultural concerns throughout the 20th century.  

    I am also interested in in the history of Jewish-Christian relations in the United States, especially in 20th century projects intended to promote Jewish-Christian dialogue – that is the research project ahead.   

    What are some themes in your field right now?

    I am one of the co-editors of the journal American Jewish History, so I get to read a lot of the newest scholarship in my field. Some of our recent issues have included articles about Sephardic and Mizrachi history in the Americas, Jewish farm collectives, policies on immigration and disability, 19th century religious school curricula, transnational trends in Jewish liturgical music, and Emma Goldman’s love of opera. Because Judaic Studies is an inherently interdisciplinary field, there are always many directions of research – and that is just in the field of American Jewish history. Judaic Studies also includes scholars who study everything from Biblical literature and the ancient world to medieval Jewish mysticism, gender studies, Holocaust studies, Israel studies, contemporary Judaism – and absolutely everything in between. I am not sure that there is any one topic that drives the entire field, but that diversity is part of what makes it dynamic and exciting. 

    Why do you think it’s important for large universities to have a center that focuses on Jews and Judaism?

    I think that higher education has an obligation to serve the public good, and I believe that is particularly true at a public institution. It was part of what drew me to UConn—there is an explicit responsibility to not just teach in an “ivory tower” or a removed academic setting, but to think about how what we teach can be shared with, useful to, and interesting to the public at large.  

    While students are perhaps the first audience we’re speaking to, I think it’s important to consider how a public institution of higher education can serve the public. The Judaic Studies Program and Center for Judaic Studies and Contemporary Jewish Life can offer classes, events, programs, and research projects that help to meet that responsibility.   

    I think people want educational and intellectual opportunities. They want to learn new things and to be introduced to new ideas. And at this moment of ongoing violence in Israel and in Gaza, and growing concern about antisemitism in the United States and around the world, learning about Judaism, Jewish culture, and Jewish history feels particularly relevant.   

    What do students who aren’t majoring in Judaic Studies get from your classes?

    Jews can serve as a lens through which we examine larger social structures and institutions, and you never quite know where that journey will take you. If someone takes a class on Jewish history—like my class on American Jewish history—and they love it and decide to focus on Judaic Studies, that’s fantastic. I very much want to expand the major in and minor in Judaic Studies at UConn. But if students take a class with me and then go on to explore questions about immigration in the United States, or the forces that lead people to migrate from place to place, or any number of other issues that they might encounter in one of my classes then that’s also great.    

    In the humanities, our ultimate object of study is humans and human societies.  So, if my classes can provide both a window into a particular set of human experiences and tools to help students think critically and analytically about the varieties of human experience, and about the different ways that people have made sense of the world and organized their societies over time, then that’s fantastic. 

    Are there any misconceptions about your field?

    The biggest misconception I’ve encountered is that Judaic Studies is only for Jewish students. I’m always happy when someone comes to one of my classes because they have a personal connection to the topic and want to explore it. But just as there’s no expectation that you must be Russian in order to be interested in Russian literature or history, just as an example, you certainly don’t have to be Jewish to be interested Judaism and Judaic Studies.   

    You can want to study something simply because you’re curious. It’s great if you find a personal connection that draws you to a class, but sometimes that connection can be purely intellectual.  Intellectual curiosity is enough—the classes are for anyone who’s interested. 

    In your time here so far, what’s your favorite spot on campus?

    I don’t have a favorite spot yet, but I love how beautiful the campus is, and I am really enjoying watching the fall leaves change color. I have come to bond with the Dodd Center, which is where the Center for Judaic Studies is located. Students and faculty are welcome to come in and say hi!  

    This Q&A is part of CLAS Visionary Voices, a series highlighting the College’s new academic leaders and their innovative visions for education, research, and outreach at UConn.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pappas, Shaheen, Hassan Join EPA in Celebrating $31 Million for NH School Districts to Upgrade to Clean School Buses, Bringing Healthier Air to NH Children and Families

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)

    Today, during Children’s Health Month, Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) joinedSenator Maggie Hassan (NH),U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash, and the Derry Cooperative School District to celebrate $31 million in funding for 110 new clean school buses across nine school districts in New Hampshire. This funding is from the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program, which was made possible by the bipartisan infrastructure law, and includes $8.6 million in rebate funding for Derry to purchase 25 zero-emission buses.

    “Clean school buses safeguard the well-being of New Hampshire children, save taxpayer dollars, help keep our air and environment clean, and make a big difference in the long-term health of our communities,” said Congressman Chris Pappas. “The EPA’s Clean School Bus Program was created by the bipartisan infrastructure law and is providing New Hampshire school districts with resources to upgrade their bus fleet to cleaner, safer vehicles, including rebate funding for Derry to purchase 25 zero-emission buses. This is an important step in the right direction for our children, taxpayers, and communities.”

    “Replacing older diesel buses makes a big difference for kids’ health and air quality in our communities. That’s why I’m so glad New Hampshire is receiving more than $33 million for 11 school districts to supply 117 new, zero-emission electric school buses. I couldn’t be prouder to help deliver this lasting investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in the future of New Hampshire communities,” said Senator Jeanne Shaheen.

    Today’s event showcased Derry’s new clean energy school buses, which will address climate change, improve public health, and lower costs for New Hampshire schools,” said Senator Maggie Hassan. “I worked with my colleagues to negotiate and pass the bipartisan infrastructure law to help make smart investments like this possible, and I will continue to work to support New Hampshire’s clean energy economy and lower costs.”

    “When I was a kid, I remember the acrid smell of the stinky diesel school bus that picked me up at my bus stop. No kid, no matter where they live, should have to breathe in the unhealthy exhaust from a diesel bus,” said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. “EPA’s Clean School Bus Program is making it easier for kids to breathe better, cleaner air on the way to and from school. With October being Children’s Health Month, this is a great opportunity to continue amplifying the relationship between cleaner environments and the well-being of our communities, particularly our children. By transforming our nation’s diesel school bus fleet, we’re not only protecting our students, but saving school districts money, improving air quality, and uplifting American innovation and manufacturing.”  

    “We are thrilled to be part of this initiative and grateful for the support of the EPA in helping us transition to clean energy. These new buses represent our commitment to reducing our environmental impact while ensuring safe, reliable transportation for our students. This grant allows us to take a significant step toward a greener future for our community and the next generation,” said Derry Cooperative School District Transportation Coordinator, Dr. Clifton Dancy.  

    “At First Student, our top priority is ensuring each student we transport to and from school arrives ready to learn and returns home safely. Students across the state will soon have cleaner, quieter rides thanks to this funding, which will deliver 25 new electric school buses,” said Kevin Matthews, head of electrification for First Student. “As the company with the most electric school buses on the road today, we are pleased to work with the EPA and school officials in Derry to get these electric school buses in service. Reducing exposure to harmful tailpipe pollution will improve student health and better position them to succeed in school.”  

    EPA’s Clean School Bus Program was created by the bipartisan infrastructure law, which Congressman Pappas and the New Hampshire Congressional delegation supported and provides an unprecedented $5 billion in funding to transform the nation’s fleet of school buses. The Clean School Bus Program is a key player in advancing the transition to zero-emission vehicles and replacing older diesel-fueled buses that contribute to asthma and other respiratory conditions, particularly affecting children in overburdened communities. These new electric buses will not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also enhance the air quality for students, bus drivers, and nearby communities, leading to healthier outcomes for children and Granite Staters. Over the lifespan of the vehicles, clean school buses can also cost less to maintain and fuel than the older buses they are replacing – freeing up needed resources for schools and saving taxpayer dollars. For more information click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Joins Multistate Amicus Brief Protecting Access to Mifepristone

    Source: US State of California

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today joined a coalition of 18 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in Bryant v. Stein to protect mifepristone access in the state of North Carolina. In the brief, filed in United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, the attorneys general strongly urge the Court to uphold the District Court’s determination that North Carolina cannot impose restrictions on mifepristone access that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has explicitly determined are unnecessary to ensure patient safety. 

    “For decades, medication abortion has been recognized not only as effective, but so safe that it presents lower risks of serious complications than taking Tylenol or getting a colonoscopy,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Restricting its availability not only undermines the rights of individuals but also creates unnecessary barriers to essential healthcare. That’s why, I, alongside attorneys general nationwide are urging the Court to protect access to mifepristone for North Carolinians.”

    Mifepristone is a safe and effective medication prescribed to patients who need critical, time-sensitive reproductive care, including for abortions and the treatment of miscarriages. Studies show that medication abortion allows people to get reproductive care as early as possible when it is safest, least expensive, and least invasive. It plays an important role in reducing barriers and promoting equitable access to healthcare, particularly for those who live in rural and underserved communities. 

    In 2023, North Carolina revised its laws governing pregnancy termination by implementing several archaic restrictions around the use and distribution of mifepristone. These restrictions included physician-only prescribing; in-person prescribing, dispensing, and administering; the scheduling of in-person follow-up appointments; and non-fatal adverse event reporting to the FDA. 

    Ultimately, a North Carolina federal district court judge ruled that while the State may impose certain restrictions on abortion care, it cannot override the FDA’s determination to remove these specific restrictions on mifepristone. The coalition’s amicus brief defends the District Court’s decision as striking the proper balance between state authority and FDA regulation. 

    In the brief, the attorneys general argue that mifepristone has been safely used as an integral part of reproductive healthcare for decades since its initial approval by the FDA, and over that period, the FDA has carefully balanced patient safety and access to the drug by removing certain restrictions on mifepristone distribution. Therefore, they argue that North Carolina’s restrictions on mifepristone, which re-instate the same restrictions that the FDA has explicitly considered and removed, create unnecessary burdens to reproductive healthcare. 

    Attorney General Bonta joined the attorneys general of Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia. 

    A copy of the brief can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Afreximbank announces aim to double Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) funding to $2 billion to boost Africa’s creative economy

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    ALGIERS, Algeria, October 18, 2024/APO Group/ —

    President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Afreximbank (www.AfreximBank.com), Professor Benedict Oramah, has announced that Afreximbank will increase its funding to the Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) programme from $1 billion to $2 billion for the next three years. The announcement was made during the CANEX WKND 2024 opening ceremony in Algiers, Algeria, and underscores the Bank’s dedication to Africa’s growing creative economy.  

    The decision to double CANEX funding arises from a marked surge in demand across Africa’s creative sectors. Since 2022, Afreximbank has seen a significant increase in opportunities within industries from film production and music to fashion manufacturing and sports. With the newly increased $2 billion fund, Afreximbank aims to fulfil these verticals’ growing needs by providing infrastructure, financing, and other resources that will help Africa’s creative industries flourish on a global scale.  

    Professor Oramah observed that this expansion marks a historic progression in Afreximbank’s strategy to support the creative economy – from the Bank’s initial commitment of $500 million to the sector when CANEX launched in 2020. That figure, the President noted, increased to $1 billion in 2022 to satisfy demand. This upward trend reflects Afreximbank’s profound belief in the power of African creativity to drive economic growth and generate employment.  

    Commenting on the funding decision, Prof. Oramah said:  

    “As with many things in Africa, opportunities in the African creative industries abound but remain untapped. This is why Afreximbank has adopted a proactive approach to catalysing the industry. Today, I am pleased to announce a further doubling of our creative industry finance window to 2 billion US dollars for the next three years. This will enable us to support significant infrastructure investments for film production, stadia, arenas, manufacturing facilities for fashion, and training centres.” 

    The new funding will primarily focus on infrastructure development, which remains a key challenge in the creative sectors. Afreximbank plans to invest in film production facilities, music arenas, sports stadiums, and fashion manufacturing hubs across the continent. These projects aim to equip African creatives with the necessary tools and spaces to produce content and goods that can compete internationally.  

    Moreover, the fund will also support talent development. Afreximbank’s goal is to help nurture and train African creative professionals to international best-standards, ensuring they have the skills and resources to thrive.  

    Afreximbank also recognizes the need for innovative financing solutions tailored to the unique challenges of the creative economy. In response, the Bank is developing a $500 million private equity film fund through its impact equity arm, Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA). This initiative will finance film production and distribution, giving African filmmakers access to critical resources for creating content that can attract global audiences.  

    Another focus area for the Fund will be the fostering of collaborations between Africa and the Diaspora. The viability of this model has been demonstrated by partnerships such as that between African musicians and global artists like the Afro-Brazilian band OLODUM, which led to the production of the acclaimed “ONE Drum” EP. The expanded fund will enable more collaborations of this kind, amplifying African cultural expression and visibility on the global stage.  

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Steil Leads WI Delegation in Urging Biden-Harris Administration to Address IV Fluid Shortage

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Bryan Steil (Wisconsin-1)

    Janesville, WI (October 18, 2024) – Congressman Bryan Steil (WI-01) today led the Wisconsin delegation in urging the Biden-Harris administration to take immediate action to address the nationwide IV fluid shortage due to the damage caused by Hurricane Helene. In a letter to the administration, the members are seeking a clear plan from the Biden-Harris administration on how they will address this national crisis. 

    Excerpts and highlights from the letter below: 

    “As you may be aware, Baxter International’s North Cove site, located less than an hour from Asheville, North Carolina, is the largest manufacturer of IV fluids and dialysis solutions in the U.S.  

    “According to the company, their site was “significantly impacted by the rain and storm surge” from Hurricane Helene and is temporarily closed. Baxter supplies roughly 60% of the IV fluids to hospitals in the U.S. 

    “Our offices have heard from Wisconsin hospitals and health systems who have already begun postponing and canceling elective procedures for patients due to the impending shortage.

    “With more disruptions anticipated from Hurricane Milton, we ask your administration to take all available action to minimize the impact of this shortage on patient care and increase the supply of IV solutions.” 

    CLICK HERE to read the full letter.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Media availability with members of HMCS Regina following the conclusion of JoLTEX 24 

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Media are invited to speak with members of His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Regina…

    October 18, 2024 – Ottawa, O.N. – National Defence / Royal Canadian Navy

    Media are invited to speak with members of His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Regina following the conclusion of Joint Littoral Targeting Exercise 2024 (JoLTEX 24), planned for October 23, 2024 at the United States Navy’s Point Mugu Sea Range, off the coast of Southern California. Factors such as weather conditions may delay the exercise.

    JoLTEX aims to develop and test targeting processes that enable Royal Canadian Navy ships to employ sea-based weapons against targets on or near land, including firing a surface-to-surface missile against a simulated surface combatant, using a Harpoon Block II missile.

    What: Commander Jeremy Samson, Commanding Officer HMCS Regina, Commander Tyler Smith, JoLTEX subject matter expert, and members of the ship’s company who participated in the missile firing will be available for a virtual or phone interview following the conclusion of JoLTEX 24.

    When: Thursday, October 24, 2024 to Friday, October 25, 2024.

    *Should weather or other factors delay JoLTEX 24, confirmed interviews will be rescheduled.

    Where: Virtually through Microsoft Teams or Zoom, or over the phone during the availability window.

    – 30 –

    Note to editors: Media are to contact Sub-Lieutenant Simon Gonsalves, HMCS Regina Public Affairs Officer, to schedule an interview time and to communicate their preferred interview platform.

    Video and imagery of JoLTEX 24 will be available upon request.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Golden leads 68 lawmakers pressing Biden administration on threats to domestic shipbuilding

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02)

    WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) today led a letter to President Joe Biden and U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Katherine Tai urging swift action to counter China’s domination of maritime industries. His letter comes as the USTR’s office investigates unfair Chinese trade practices in the maritime, logistics and shipbuilding sectors after accepting a petition sent from a coalition of unions. 

    Golden’s letter was co-led by Representatives Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Steven Horsford (NV-04), and Mark Pocan (WI-02), Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Joe Courtney (CT-02), and Val Hoyle (OR-04). It was signed by 68 representatives. 

    “China’s cheating — and its resulting outsize maritime capacities in the face of our own shipbuilding crisis — has led to our nation’s military leadership sounding the alarm,” the lawmakers wrote. “According to U.S. Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, China operates 13 large shipyards, with a single yard representing more capacity than all American yards combined.Even more shockingly, the U.S. Navy estimates that China’s shipbuilding capacity is roughly 232 times greater than the United States.”

    “Our nation has recently turned the page on decades of inaction, working to rebuild our critical infrastructure and strengthen the supply chains critical to the safety and livelihood of the American people,” the lawmakers wrote. “However, a key component of that infrastructure – our shipbuilding, repair, maintenance, and logistics sectors – has languished in the face of overwhelming efforts by the Chinese government to dominate the global maritime industry. It is time to rectify that.” 

    Specifically, the lawmakers highlighted a March proposal by labor unions to create a U.S. Commercial Shipbuilding Revitalization Fund. This program would support existing measures that incentivize domestic shipbuilding while investing in stronger supply chains and increased workforce development.

    “Our national security, and thousands of good IAM Union jobs, depends on standing up to predatory Chinese trade practices in the shipbuilding industry,” International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) Eastern Territory General Vice President David T. Sullivan said. “As a native Mainer and IAM Local S6 shipbuilder by trade, I have been proud to work with Congressman Golden as we push USTR to take on China’s takeover of shipbuilding. The IAM Union stands ready to defend our national security and the dedicated workforce that makes it possible.”

    Golden has been an ardent supporter of U.S. shipbuilding and a leading voice for the need to revitalize American manufacturing at large. In addition to securing authorization for Bath Iron Works to build a DDG-51 destroyer in 2025 and ensuring the shipyard continues to be a leader in naval warship production, Golden helped secure authorization for $50 million for shipyard infrastructure and technological improvements and more than $150 million for shipyard research and development in this year’s federal budget. This authorization represents years of additional work for Maine shipbuilding on top of existing orderssecuredby Golden in the past.  

    In September he introduced legislation that would implement a 10 percent tariff on all imports, which followed legislation in May that would raise tariffs on Chinese-made automobiles and energy components to ensure America’s industrial base, and thus its future, is strong. He published an essay the same month on the importance of a robust production economy for national security and middle-class prosperity.  

    Golden’s newest letter can be found here, and is included below in full:

    +++

    October 18, 2024

    President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
    The White House
    1600 Pennsylvania Ave
    Washington, DC 20500

    Dear President Biden:

    We write in strong support of the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative’s (USTR) investigation into discriminatory and unreasonable trade practices by the government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC or China) concerning the maritime, logistics and shipbuilding sectors. We urge you to reach a swift conclusion in this investigation and to consider strong and effective remedies to begin to turn the tide on our decades-long domestic shipbuilding crisis.

    In the face of China’s unfair, predatory and highly discriminatory practices, U.S. shipbuilding and maritime supply chain industries have been forced to compete on an uneven playing field, facing shipyards and order books that have benefited from hundreds of billions of dollars of state-directed funding. China’s industry is insulated from market forces, utilizes state-owned enterprises to provide cheap inputs and cut yard production costs, and strengthens the People’s Liberation Army’s Navy with expansive shipbuilding, repair, and maintenance capacities. Meanwhile, U.S. shipyards have been shuttered or forced to compete for a handful of remaining contracts. While the U.S. produces fewer than 10 ocean-going vessels annually, Chinese yards churned out over a thousand.

    China’s cheating — and its resulting outsize maritime capacities in the face of our own shipbuilding crisis — has led to our nation’s military leadership sounding the alarm. According to U.S. Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, China operates 13 large shipyards, with a single yard representing more capacity than all American yards combined.2 Even more shockingly, the U.S. Navy estimates that China’s shipbuilding capacity is roughly 232 times greater than the United States’.

    To meet the immense challenge of rebuilding U.S. maritime capabilities, we need a robust, highly-trained workforce. Tens of thousands of jobs have been lost as shipyards have closed and experienced workers have been forced out of the industrial base. The United States needs a healthy and revitalized maritime industry capable of meeting the commercial and defense needs of our nation for years to come. That will require making the investments needed to recruit, train and expand our world-class industrial workforce. Breaking the boom-and-bust cycle that has plagued U.S. shipbuilders is critical to maintaining that workforce and growing critical supply chains.

    The shipbuilding sector is still enduring the aftershocks from the closure of the Avondale shipyard in Louisiana in 2014. At one time, that yard employed over 26,000 people and was one of the top employers in the state of Louisiana. With that closure, the U.S. lost a key shipyard capable of building, repairing, and maintaining large commercial and specialty vessels. That workforce and capacity loss has yet to be restored.

    While U.S. workers were laid off and our capacity and know-how were lost, China’s shipbuilders were capturing additional market share and extending their growing domination of the global shipbuilding industry. According to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), in the first six months of this year, their shipyards accounted for almost 75% of the world’s new orders, while holding almost 60% of existing orders on their books.

    Our nation has recently turned the page on decades of inaction, working to rebuild our critical infrastructure and strengthen the supply chains critical to the safety and livelihood of the American people. However, a key component of that infrastructure – our shipbuilding, repair, maintenance, and logistics sectors – has languished in the face of overwhelming efforts by the Chinese government to dominate the global maritime industry. It is time to rectify that.

    The March 2024 petition submitted by a coalition of labor unions includes potential measures to revitalize America’s shipbuilding capacity through the creation of a U.S. Commercial Shipbuilding Revitalization Fund to (1) support existing U.S. government programs such as Construction Differential Subsidies, the Federal Ship Financing Program, and small shipyard grants; (2) expand the Maritime Security Program and the Tanker Security Program’s enrolled vessels with a premium on enrolling U.S.-built vessels; and (3) implement measures to increase demand for U.S.-built ships including through graduated requirements to transport U.S. energy products on U.S. built, flagged, and crewed vessels; and (4) promote the revitalization of shipbuilding supply chains and invest in training and workforce development. 

    We believe that USTR’s investigation will conclude that China’s predatory actions demonstrate a clear and unambiguous intent to dominate global markets to the detriment of American workers and industry. The result of the investigation, with your help, can lead to measures being put in place to restore American capacity in these sectors.

    We strongly urge you to swiftly conclude this investigation and to implement resolute measures to remedy decades of unfair and discriminatory policies by the CCP that have harmed our members and the economic and national security of the United States. The remedies must be commensurate in scope and magnitude to the large-scale harm caused to U.S. industry over the past several decades. We look forward to joining you as we commit to a brighter future for the U.S. shipbuilding, maritime, and logistics sector.


    CC: Ambassador Katherine Tai, U.S. Trade Representative

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Cohen Endorses Oversight Committee Conclusion that Trump Violated Constitutional Prohibitions with Hotel Payments

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09)

    WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9), a senior member of the Judiciary Committee who led early efforts to find President Trump in violation of the Constitution’s emoluments clauses when Trump was in office, today welcomed the House Oversight Committee’s conclusion that Trump accepted “ethically suspect payments” through his lease of the Trump International Hotel.

    As early as November 2017, Congressman Cohen cited violations of the Constitution’s emoluments clauses in his H.Res. 621 Articles of Impeachment against Trump. In April 2019, Congressman Cohen led a letter with 40 House members asking Appropriations Committee members to include language prohibiting the use of federal funds at businesses owned by President Trump. In January 2020, Congressman Cohen questioned General Services Administration Administrator Emily Murphy at a hearing on the GSA lease of the “Trump Old Post Office Hotel,” then known as the Trump International Hotel, and questioned other witnesses at a follow-up hearing.

    Legislatively, starting in 2017 and continuing throughout Donald Trump’s term, Congressman Cohen offered amendments to appropriations bills, expressly blocking federal funds from being used to support Trump Organization properties.

    Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

    “Today’s House Oversight Committee report confirms what we all knew about the grifter-in-chief and his corrupt misuse of office. Trump’s undisguised, brazen and unethical behavior was on display through all four years of his presidency, and was so overt I sought Articles of Impeachment against him soon after he took office. People need to know the character of the man who seeks to return to the Oval Office. The Oversight Committee report is a damning indictment of a corrupt and unqualified fraud.”

    See Congressman Cohen’s 2019 questioning of hearing witnesses about Trump’s lease of the Old U.S. Post Office Building here and here.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Panetta and Bipartisan Congressional Delegation Visit Israel, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif)

    Rep. Panetta and the Members of Congress hold high-level meetings with Middle East leaders

    Monterey, CA – United States Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) and a bipartisan delegation of House Armed Services Committee Members visited Israel, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia to meet with senior Israeli and Arab leaders to discuss the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and strengthen regional cooperation.  Rep. Panetta was joined by House Armed Services Chair Mike Rogers (AL-03) and Reps. Seth Moulton (MA-06) and Ro Khanna (CA-17).

    In Israel, the delegation met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as well as military leaders in the country to reaffirm the ironclad relationship between the U.S. and Israel and stress the importance of delivering robust humanitarian aid into Gaza.  In Jordan, the delegation met with His Majesty King Abdullah II and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II to discuss the United States’ bilateral relationship with this critical partner in counter-terrorism and regional stability.  In Saudi Arabia, the delegation met with senior government officials to discuss ongoing efforts to normalize relations with Israel.  The delegation also met with U.S. servicemembers stationed in the Middle East.

    “With the myriad of challenges facing the Middle East, the United States must continue to be a stabilizing force in support of our shared values, our democratic ally Israel, and the prospect of peace,” said Rep. Panetta.  “The discussions our delegation had with senior Israeli and Arab leaders over the last week underscores the importance of determined, deliberative, and dogged diplomacy in navigating this conflict’s complexities.  Especially with the elimination of Hamas leader and mastermind of the October 7 attack, Yahya Sinwar, United States Representatives must continue to be on the ground and at the table having serious conversations about a path forward to bring the remaining hostages home, secure a cessation of hostilities, and begin building a more secure future for the region.”

    Rep. Panetta greets IsraeliMinister of Foreign Affairs Israel Katz.

     

    Rep. Panetta and congressional leaders meet with Israeli officials.

    Rep. Panetta and congressional leaders meet with King Abdullah II.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Three WA Grid Enhancement Projects Get $208M from Cantwell-Authored Program

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    10.18.24

    Three WA Grid Enhancement Projects Get $208M from Cantwell-Authored Program

    Federal grants covering about half of project costs include $85M for Avista, $45M for Puget Sound Energy, $77M for coalition of PNW/Mountain utilities Funds will help make Washington state electric grid more efficient and resistant to wildfires and extreme weather

    SEATTLE, WA – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) announced three new federal grants totaling $208.4 million that will help utility providers in Washington state modernize their electricity grids and ensure homes and businesses can count on affordable and reliable electricity service, particularly during natural disasters.

    The funds come from the Department of Energy’s Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program, a $10.5 billion dollar program authored in part by Cantwell in 2007, which was subsequently expanded and funded with Sen. Cantwell’s assistance in the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).

    “A smarter grid is a more efficient and reliable grid, and key to meeting our region’s need for 30% more affordable electricity over the next decade,” said Sen. Cantwell. “Upgrading transmission lines with technologies like sensors and advanced controls will not only help prevent wildfires but also keep the lights on during extreme weather and natural disasters.”

    The following Washington state organizations received funding:

    • Puget Sound Energy (PSE) received $45,781,599 for the Skagit River Valley Transformation for Climate Resiliency Project: This funding will allow PSE to underground approximately 32 miles of power lines, as well as deploy cameras and sensing technologies for real-time monitoring that can help prevent forest fires. It will also enable PSE to make grid updates that ensure power delivery from the Baker River Hydroelectric Project to communities in Skagit County and help quickly restore power after major outages. Sen. Cantwell wrote a letter in support of the project to DOE Secretary Jennifer Granholm in April 2024. This federal grant will cover 50% of the total cost of the project.
    • Avista Utilities received $85,664,781 for the Lolo-Oxbow Transmission Upgrade and Optimization Project: This funding will allow Avista Utilities and Idaho Power Company to reconstruct a vital power line connecting the Pacific Northwest and Mountain regions, using designs and materials that make the line more resistant to wildfires and make outages exceedingly rare – projected to be fewer than one per year. Avista Utilities plans to use drones to string the new lines, which will limit outages during construction. Additionally, the project will deploy advanced technology that controls and optimizes the flow of power and increases capacity for the whole region, enabling the Nez Perce Tribe to increase their capacity for renewable energy generation on their reservation. This federal grant will cover 49.5% of the total cost of the project.
    • E Source received $77,021,741 for the Increasing Energy Resilience Via Technology Investment Acceleration (INERTIA) Project: The INERTIA project brings together a diverse coalition of grid operators, technology providers, and community partners in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain regions to enhance grid resilience and safeguard high-risk communities from natural disasters like wildfires, windstorms, ice storms, and extreme heat. This funding will help the coalition deploy microgrids across the region to provide backup power technology for high-risk areas, reducing the frequency and duration of power shutoffs by approximately 85%.  The funding will also integrate advanced sensing technologies and AI-driven analytics to detect faults in the grid in less than half the previous time and identify dangerous vegetation before it causes an outage. This federal grant will cover 46.5% of the total cost of the project.

    A full list of project recipients is HERE.

    Sen. Cantwell has long championed investments in smart grid technologies that can improve the efficiency and resiliency of our nation’s electricity grid. She authored the Smart Grid Title of the 2007 Energy Bill, pioneering smart grid legislation that created the smart grid R&D program at the Department of Energy (which was expanded in the BIL); required the development of an interoperability framework; established a federal matching grant program; created a Smart Grid Advisory Committee to advise the federal government on the deployment of smart grid technologies; initiated a Smart Grid Task Force to coordinate the federal government’s smart grid policies; and encouraged state utility regulatory commissions to allow for rate recovery for smart grid investments.

    This July, Sen. Cantwell joined U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and regional energy stakeholders to discuss technological and policy solutions that will ensure NW ratepayers and our regional economy continue to benefit from abundant, affordable, and reliable clean energy. More than 200 business, government, and non-profit energy professionals attended the event, including BPA Administrator John Hairston. On the day of the event, Sen. Cantwell released a snapshot report highlighting the key energy technology areas that the Pacific Northwest is poised to lead.

    In 2009, Sen. Cantwell pushed to include $4.5 billion in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for smart grid investments, funding which was authorized by Sen. Cantwell’s Smart Grid Title in the 2007 Energy Bill. In February 2009, Sen. Cantwell organized a Smart Grid Conference in Spokane attended by around 300 regional stakeholders to help coordinate a regional bid for a Smart Grid Demonstration Project. In November 2009, the Energy Department awarded $88 million, the largest award in the country, to launch the Pacific Northwest Smart Grid Demonstration Project which was used to install a smart grid framework including a digital telecommunications network, substation automation, and a robust distribution system infrastructure.

    In July 2021, Sen. Cantwell authored and fought for passage of a bipartisan amendment that eventually resulted in a $10 billion increase in the Bonneville Power Administration’s borrowing authority being included in the BIL. The measure allowed BPA to continue to borrow at low-interest rates at no ultimate cost to the taxpayer. Sen. Cantwell’s amendment also linked expanded borrowing authority to new financial oversight requirements and opportunities for increased stakeholder engagement. Since then, BPA has announced investments totaling more than $5 billion in the nation’s electricity grid (a more than $2 billion investment in July 2023 and a $3 billion investment in October 2024), made possible by their expanded borrowing authority.

    The GRIP Program, managed by the Department of Energy’s Grid Deployment Office, funds activities to modernize the electric grid to reduce impacts of natural disasters and extreme weather worsened by climate change; increase the flexibility, efficiency, and reliability of the electric power system with a particular focus on unlocking more solar, wind, and other clean energy and reducing faults that may lead to wildfires; and improve reliability by deploying innovative approaches to electricity transmission, storage, and distribution.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth Applications Closing Soon for Class of 2029 Service Academy Nominations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    October 18, 2024

    [SPRINGFIELD, IL] – Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), today announced that her office is accepting applications from high school students seeking a Congressional nomination to a United States Military Service Academy for the Class of 2029 through Friday, November 1. Each year Duckworth, along with a nomination committee, selects from the applicants a group of outstanding Illinois students to receive Congressional nominations to attend West Point, the Air Force Academy, the Naval Academy or the Merchant Marine Academy. Information on how to complete Duckworth’s academy nomination application can be found here.

    “It takes a special kind of young person to succeed at a U.S. Military Service Academy,” said Duckworth. “The rigorous nomination process demands outstanding test scores, a high GPA and a commitment to community service. I encourage all interested Illinois students to apply for a nomination through my website, and I applaud their desire to serve our country.”

    Service academies allow young people to serve their country while receiving a full four-year scholarship. Upon acceptance of an appointment into an Academy, a student commits to five years of active duty service after graduation. U.S. citizens between the ages of 17 and 23 may receive appointment from one of the four service academies.

    In order to be considered, a student must get a formal nomination from their Member of Congress, Senator or the Vice President. Students must apply directly to the Military Service Academy and elected official of their choice in order to be considered. A nomination does not guarantee an offer of appointment. Interested students should follow the instructions on Senator Duckworth’s website. Applications for the Class of 2029 are due Friday, November 1.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Keith Self Demands President Biden Rescind Threats Against Israel by Secretary Blinken and Secretary Austin

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Keith Self (Texas 3rd)

    Today, Congressman Keith Self sent a letter to President Biden admonishing Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin for threatening to withhold military aid in a letter to Israeli officials. 

    By way of background, on October 2, Congressman Self sent a letter to President Biden demanding a change in policy in the United States’ response towards Israel’s war against Iran and its terrorist group proxies. Joined by five Republican cosigners, Congressman Self requested that the President unlock all Congressionally approved foreign aid to Israel and enforce all sanctions against Iran. Then, on October 13, Secretary Blinken and Secretary Austin issued an ultimatum to Israel to meet certain humanitarian aid requirements for Gaza or to lose military aid in their war on terror.

    “While the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is on the cusp of dismantling enemies committed to the destruction of Israel, the Biden administration is again seeking to impede their progress,” said Congressman Keith Self. “I demand the Biden administration cease dictating the rules of engagement and threatening to remove aid for Israel. The President should instead release all Congressionally approved aid to Israel, direct his criticism to the remnants of Hamas, and demand the safe release of all the hostages.”

    To date, the remaining vestiges of Hamas combat units continue to fire rockets at Israel and hold approximately 101 hostages in captivity, including Americans. President Biden must let Israel finish its war on terror until all enemy forces have ceased hostilities.

    The full text of the letter is available HERE.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tillis, Warnock Lead Bipartisan Push for President Biden to Kickstart Disaster Funding Effort

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) led a bipartisan group of senators in urging the White House to rapidly submit a government funding request to Congress that will fully cover costs associated with clean-up and recovery following Hurricanes Helene and Milton so that affected communities can begin to heal. The Senators have previously called for Congress to return to Washington from the October in-state work period to approve federal disaster relief legislation.

    In a new bipartisan letter to the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Senators Tillis and Warnock, joined by Senators Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Warner (D-VA), and Ted Budd (R-NC), highlighted the heartbreak facing southern communities recovering from the destruction of these hurricanes, and requested the White House to rapidly submit a detailed supplemental government funding request to Congress that considers the full cost of recovering from these storms so Congress can quickly pass aid for American families. 

    “We urgently request the White House’s Office of Management and Budget rapidly submit to Congress a detailed supplemental appropriations request that considers the full cost of recovering from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, as well as other devastating natural disasters, so Congress can quickly consider supplemental appropriations this year, and affected communities can begin to heal,” wrote the senators.

    “Given the immense need, we respectfully ask that the Office of Management and Budget work quickly to determine the costs of recovering from Hurricane Helene and Milton and immediately submit a supplemental appropriations request to Congress that includes this full cost. Congress stands ready to ensure the federal government and our communities have what they need to recover from Hurricanes Helene and Milton and future natural disasters,” the senators concluded. 

    Text of the full letter is available HERE. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Statement from White  House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on the Visit of Prime Minister Robert Golob of the Republic of  Slovenia

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    On October 22, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. will host Prime Minister Robert Golob of the Republic of Slovenia for a bilateral meeting at the White House. This will be their first meeting at the White House and follows conversations that helped pave the way for the largest prisoner swap since the Cold War. The leaders will have an in-depth discussion on a range of issues of mutual interest, including energy security and cooperation, a shared approach to the Western Balkans, continued robust support to Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression, and events in the Middle East. President Biden will underscore our appreciation for Prime Minister Golob’s leadership to bring home Americans unjustly detained by Russia and our continued cooperation on a host of other global issues.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: A Proclamation on Minority Enterprise Development Week,  2024

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    Our Nation’s minority-owned businesses are the glue of our communities and the engines of our economies.  Investing in them is key to growing our economy from the middle out and bottom up, not the top down.  When minority-owned businesses do well, everyone does well.  More people get jobs, first-time business owners build generational wealth, our economy grows, and more Americans feel a sense of pride and hope in all that is possible in our Nation.  This Minority Enterprise Development Week, may we celebrate the talent and ingenuity of the innovators and entrepreneurs who run our Nation’s minority-owned businesses.  And may we recommit to ensuring that minority-owned businesses have access to the resources they need to thrive.
    Minority-owned businesses add incredible value to our economy, generating nearly $2 trillion in revenue each year.  These businesses not only provide the goods and services we need but are also sources of hope — helping people realize their American Dream, building generational wealth, and uplifting their families and communities.  That is why my Administration is ensuring that minority-owned businesses have access to capital and can grow.  The Small Business Administration (SBA) is lending tens of billions of dollars to small businesses that would otherwise struggle to access capital.  For example, since 2020, the rate of SBA-backed loans increased by about 40 percent for Asian American-owned businesses, tripled for Black-owned businesses, and more than doubled for Latino-owned businesses.  Further, my American Rescue Plan helped minority-owned small businesses keep their doors open during the COVID-19 pandemic and represents the largest-ever dedicated Federal investment to connect minority-owned small businesses to support.  That law invested $10 billion to launch and expand programs that provide critical access to capital for small businesses.  The American Rescue Plan also invested $500 million to fund over 100 awards for organizations working to connect entrepreneurs to resources to help their small businesses recover and thrive through initiatives like the SBA’s Community Navigators Program, the Department of the Treasury’s Small Business Opportunity Program, and the Minority Business Development Agency’s Capital Readiness Program. 
    My Administration has also been working to ensure that minority-owned businesses get a fair shot at success.  That is why I signed an Executive Order that would increase the share of total Federal contracts going to disadvantaged businesses from 10 percent to 15 percent by 2025 — and in the last 3 years, we have spent over $208 billion on small disadvantaged businesses.  My Bipartisan Infrastructure Law expanded and made permanent the Minority Business Development Agency, ensuring that minority-owned businesses have access to the resources and support they need to thrive.  And with my Inflation Reduction Act and CHIPS and Science Act, we are working to make sure that minority-owned businesses are benefiting from the billions of dollars we are investing in America’s infrastructure, manufacturing, and clean energy industries here at home.  In addition, Vice President Harris launched the Economic Opportunity Coalition in 2022 to provide tens of billions of dollars in investments to underserved communities. 
    Since Vice President Harris and I entered office, our Administration has created 16 million jobs, and American entrepreneurs have filed nearly 20 million new business applications.  Wages are growing faster than prices.  Unemployment remains low.  Black- and Latino-owned businesses are being created faster today than they have been in years and Federal contracts with Native American-owned companies increased by over $8 billion from 2020 to 2023. I also take pride in my Administration’s investments in Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions — all of which are helping launch the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, and business owners.  These investments will ensure that their graduates will have every opportunity to lead the industries of the future and build generational wealth.
    Across America — from small towns to big cities — we are seeing thousands of stories of revival, renewal, optimism, and pride.  And each new business that is created is an act of hope, not just for the business owner but for the entire community.  During Minority Enterprise Development Week, may we celebrate all the minority-owned businesses making our economy stronger, our Nation more competitive, and our communities more hopeful.  And may we recommit to supporting their success and longevity.
    NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 20 through October 26, 2024, as Minority Enterprise Development Week.  I call upon the people of the United States to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements and contributions of minority business owners and enterprises and commit to promoting systemic economic equality.
         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.
                                  JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: A Proclamation on National Character Counts Week,  2024

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
         In the Oval Office, I sit surrounded by portraits of exceptional American Presidents and busts of inspiring American leaders.  They remind me each and every day that we are a Nation of dreamers and doers, of promise and possibilities, and of ordinary Americans doing extraordinary things.  Above all, we are a Nation of good people, who show our kindness and character through small acts every single day.  This National Character Counts Week, we celebrate the core values of decency, honesty, dignity, and equality that have long defined the character of America.
         Our Nation is strong, and our future is bright — in large part because of the upstanding character that resides within all Americans.  I have witnessed it up close in educators like the First Lady, who inspire our Nation’s youth to reach for every possibility; mothers, fathers, and parental figures who raise their children with care, courage, and grit; first responders, who run toward danger to protect others; union workers, who are building America; and brave service members, who stand on the frontlines of freedom to defend our democracy.  Across the country, American workers are writing the greatest comeback story we have ever known — restoring pride in our hometowns, pride in America, and pride in knowing we can get big things done when we work together.
         Since I came into office, my Administration has taken large strides toward building an America that lives up to those values.  The American Rescue Plan helped keep child care programs open, families in their homes, and small businesses on their feet.  We set a record for Federal contract spending on small businesses.  Our historic investments across the clean energy economy are helping to combat climate change and create good-paying jobs.  Through the American Rescue Plan and Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, we have made significant investments in reducing crime, preventing gun violence, and saving lives, and last year, we saw one of the lowest rates of violent crime in more than 50 years.  We are also ensuring that America is a Nation where everyone is respected and where we give hate no safe harbor.  That is why I signed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, making it easier to report hate crimes, and hosted the United We Stand Summit to counter the corrosive effects of hate-fueled violence.  My Administration continues to work to counter antisemitism, Islamophobia, and hate in all its forms and ensure that everyone is treated with dignity and respect.
         Under my Unity Agenda, we are tackling the opioid epidemic and mental health crisis, holding Big Tech accountable, supporting our veterans and their families, and ending cancer as we know it.  We are investing more than $1 billion to help schools across the country train and hire new mental health counselors through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, we have granted new disability benefits to over one million veterans and their families under the PACT Act, and we launched the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health to fast-track progress on how we prevent, detect, and treat cancer and other diseases.
         My father taught me that our character is not measured by how many times or how hard we get knocked down but by how quickly we get back up.  Even in the face of challenges ahead and obstacles in our way, Americans always get back up.  It is what drives our great country forward and what makes our Nation strong.  This week and every week, let us recommit to upholding our most essential values and remember that the sacred task of perfecting our Union is not just about any one of us but about “We the People.” 
         NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 20 through October 26, 2024, as National Character Counts Week.  Now and throughout the year, I encourage all Americans to engage in efforts that honor and express the best attributes of our character, extend a hand of fellowship to their neighbors, and unite in service to their communities.
         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand thiseighteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.                               JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: A Proclamation on National Forest Products Week,  2024

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
         Our forests are central to our country’s heritage, history, and economy.  Forests support livelihoods across Tribal Nations, rural towns, and big cities — from foresters and loggers to mill workers and carpenters — while also sustaining the health of our environment and our communities.  During National Forest Products Week, we recognize that conserving our bountiful forests is critical to sustaining our economy and ensuring that Americans can enjoy the wonder of our forests for generations to come.
         As a Nation, we rely on our forests for so much — from cleaning the air we breathe and the water we drink to providing the lumber and paper we use every day.  But the existential threat of climate change endangers our forests, putting those jobs, livelihoods, and critical products at risk.  After decades of fire suppression and ignoring climate change, wildfire seasons have become wildfire years, burning down communities, destroying forest ecosystems, and upending people’s lives.
         My first year in office, I launched the “America the Beautiful” initiative to conserve at least 30 percent of all our Nation’s lands and waters by 2030 through local, voluntary efforts across the country while empowering foresters and farmers to advance sustainable practices to keep working lands productive.  These efforts will help strengthen our economy and pass on a healthier planet to our children and grandchildren.
         When I came into office, I was determined to conserve our forests while protecting the people who rely on them for jobs.  My Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is creating jobs managing our forests, restoring ecosystems, and preventing catastrophic fires.  It is investing in the removal of overgrown vegetation near homes and power lines, preparing evacuation routes in areas at risk of wildfires, removing invasive plant species from forests that can cause fire to spread, and planting native tree species that are more resilient to the changing climate.  And my Inflation Reduction Act made the largest climate investment ever, putting people to work planting trees, sustainably managing our forests, and working on fire prevention.  Together, these actions are producing new jobs that help us care for our forests and keep all of us safe from wildfires.
         At the same time, my Administration is working to support the American workers and rural communities producing our forest products.  We have awarded millions of dollars in grants to American businesses that support forest conservation, expand the sustainable use of American wood products, and find innovative ways to use our wood waste materials, including to build strong and sustainable buildings.  I also take pride in having raised the Federal firefighter minimum wage to $15 per hour — an important first step in ensuring the people who run into flames to keep all of us safe are paid what they deserve.
         Conserving our forests is good for our economy, the planet, and the soul of our Nation.  This week, may we recommit to responsibly stewarding our forests and the abundant resources they provide so that we may all enjoy their benefits and beauty for years to come.
         To recognize the importance of the many products generated by our Nation’s forests, the Congress, by Public Law 86–753 (36 U.S.C. 123), as amended, has designated the week beginning on the third Sunday in October of each year as “National Forest Products Week” and has authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this week.
         NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 20 through October 26, 2024, as National Forest Products Week.  I call upon the people of the United States to join me in this observance and in recognizing all Americans who are responsible for the stewardship of our Nation’s beautiful forested landscapes.
         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.                               JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Readout of the Meeting of President Macron of France, Chancellor Scholz of Germany, Prime Minister Starmer of the United Kingdom, and President  Biden of the United  States

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    President Emmanuel Macron of France, Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the United Kingdom, and President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. of the United States met today in Berlin, Germany.
    The leaders condemned Russia’s continued war of aggression against Ukraine, discussed their plans to provide Ukraine with additional security, economic, and humanitarian assistance – including leveraging the extraordinary revenues of immobilized Russian sovereign assets, as decided at the G7 Summit –, discussed President Zelenskyy’s Victory Plan, and reiterated their resolve to continue supporting Ukraine in its efforts to secure a just and lasting peace, based on international law, including the United Nations Charter, and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.
    The leaders also discussed events in the Middle East, in particular the implications of the death of Yahya Sinwar, who bears responsibility for the bloodshed of the October 7th terrorist attack, the immediate necessity to bring the hostages home to their families, ending the war in Gaza, and ensuring humanitarian aid reaches civilians. The leaders also reiterated their condemnation of Iran’s escalatory attack on Israel and coordinated on efforts to hold Iran accountable and prevent further escalation. They discussed the situation in Lebanon and agreed on the need to work towards full implementation of UNSCR 1701 and a diplomatic resolution that allows civilians on both sides of the Blue Line to return safely home.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FEMA Providing Financial Support for Survivors and Communities as Hurricane Response and Recovery Efforts Continue

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: FEMA Providing Financial Support for Survivors and Communities as Hurricane Response and Recovery Efforts Continue

    FEMA Providing Financial Support for Survivors and Communities as Hurricane Response and Recovery Efforts Continue

    The Biden-Harris Administration has approved more than $1.8 billion in federal assistance for individuals and communities affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell continues to lead the federal response, working in coordination with state and local partners to ensure that survivors receive the resources they need to jumpstart their recovery.

    Currently, FEMA has deployed more than 4,800 personnel to the affected areas, contributing to a total of over 7,500 federal responders who are working together to support state and local governments in their recovery efforts. FEMA personnel on the ground are actively coordinating with local officials, conducting damage assessments, and helping individuals apply for disaster assistance programs.

    Federal assistance for those affected by the hurricanes includes $722 million to support survivors with housing repairs, personal property replacement and other essential recovery efforts. Additionally, over $1.1 billion has been approved for debris removal and emergency protective measures, which are necessary to save lives, protect public health and prevent further damage to public and private property.

    Applying for assistance is a critical first step towards recovery. Disaster survivors in certain areas of Georgia, Florida (Helene), Florida (Milton), North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia can begin their recovery process by applying for federal assistance through FEMA. Individuals affected by the hurricanes are encouraged to apply as soon as they are able to by visiting DisasterAssistance.gov, which is the fastest way to get an application started. Individuals can also apply using the FEMA App, calling 1-800-621-3362 or in person at a local Disaster Recovery Center. Disaster Recovery Centers in the affected communities can provide survivors with in-person help on their applications and answer questions. Center locations can be found at FEMA.gov/DRC. FEMA also has Disaster Survivor Assistance team members in the field supporting survivors and helping them with the application process. 

    Federal assistance for individuals may include upfront funds to help with essential items like food, water, baby formula, breastfeeding supplies and other emergency supplies. Funds may also be available to repair storm-related damage to homes and personal property, as well as assistance to find a temporary place to stay. Homeowners and renters with damage to their home or personal property from previous disasters, whether they received FEMA funds or not, are still eligible to apply for and receive assistance for other federally declared disasters.

    FEMA also works with private sector vendors to fulfill critical disaster response needs. The agency contracts with local businesses in affected areas when practical and feasible. Companies interested in doing business with FEMA should follow the steps outlined on the agency’s Doing Business with FEMA webpage. FEMA will only engage with businesses through the formal federal procurement process and solicitations sent directly to individual FEMA staff will not be processed.

    Recovery Update

    For those affected by Hurricane Helene, FEMA has approved over $1.1 billion in assistance. This includes $655 million in assistance for individuals and families, along with more than $518 million for debris removal and efforts to protect public health and safety. In response to Hurricane Milton, FEMA has approved more than $671 million in assistance, with $67 million allocated for individuals and families and over $604 million for debris removal and safety measures.

    To support response and recovery efforts, FEMA delivered over 12.6 million meals and 13.1 million liters of water to states impacted by Helene. For Milton, FEMA delivered more than 2.8 million meals and 1.8 million liters of water to Florida.

    FEMA continues to open Disaster Recovery Centers in affected communities, offering in-person assistance, information on available resources and help with FEMA assistance applications. Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams are also on the ground in all affected states, helping survivors apply for aid and connect with additional resources from state, local, federal, and voluntary agencies. As of today, FEMA now has 40 Disaster Recovery Centers open and 850 Disaster Survivor Assistance team members on the ground supporting community members. 

    Support for North Carolina

    As ongoing response efforts continue in western North Carolina, FEMA has approved over $108 million in housing and other types of assistance for over 82,000 households.

    More than 3,500 applicants who cannot return home are staying in safe and clean lodging through FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance program. Shelter numbers remain steady, with 13 shelters housing just over 520 occupants. 

    Commodity distribution, mass feeding and hydration operations remain in areas of western North Carolina. Voluntary organizations are supporting feeding operations with bulk food and water deliveries coming via truck and aircraft. 

    • Residents can visit: ncdps.gov/Helene to get information and additional assistance.  
    • Residents can get in touch with loved ones by calling 2-1-1 or visiting unitedwaync.org to add them to search and rescue efforts.  

    There are over 402 Disaster Survivor Assistance members in communities providing support. There are also 10 Disaster Recovery Centers now open in Asheville, Bakersville, Boone, Brevard, Hendersonville, Jefferson, Lenoir, Marion, Sylva and Waynesville where survivors can speak directly with FEMA and state personnel for assistance with their recovery. To find the nearest center, visit FEMA.gov/DRC.

    Support for Florida

    In response to Helene, FEMA has approved over $253 million in housing and other types of assistance for more than 81,000 households. Additionally, FEMA has approved more than $330 million in Public Assistance for debris removal and emergency work. In response to Milton, FEMA has approved over $67 million in housing and other types of assistance for over 84,000 households. Additionally, FEMA has approved more than $604 million in Public Assistance for debris removal and emergency work. There are 46 Disaster Survivor Assistance members in communities to provide support. There are also 14 Disaster Recovery Centers now open supporting survivors from Debby, Helene and Milton where survivors can speak to state and federal personnel to help with their recovery. Centers are in Bradenton, Branford (2), Brooksville, Glen Saint Mary, Homosassa, Lake City, Largo, Live Oak, Madison, Old Town, Perry, Punta Gorda, Sarasota and Tampa. Survivors may find their closest center by visiting FEMA.gov/DRC. 

    Residents in need of information or resources should call the State Assistance Information Line (SAIL) at 1-800-342-3557. English, Spanish and Creole speakers are available to answer questions.  

    Support for South Carolina

    FEMA has approved over $146 million in housing and other types of assistance for more than 151,000 households. 

    There are 99 Disaster Survivor Assistance members in communities providing support. There are also four Disaster Recovery Centers now open in Anderson, Easley, Greenville and North Augusta where survivors can speak to state and federal personnel to help with their recovery. Survivors may find their closest center by visiting FEMA.gov/DRC.

    Residents with questions on Helene can call the state’s toll-free hotline, open 24 hours a day, at 1-866-246-0133. Residents who are dependent on medical equipment at home and who are without power due to Helene may be eligible for a medical needs shelter. Call the state’s Department of Public Health Care Line at 1-855-472-3432 for more information. 

    Support for Georgia

    FEMA has approved over $131 million in housing and other types of assistance for more than 125,000 households.

    There are 185 Disaster Survivor Assistance members in communities providing support. There are also six Disaster Recovery Centers now open in Augusta, Douglas, Lyons, Midway, Sandersville and Valdosta where survivors can speak to state and federal personnel to help with their recovery. Survivors may find their closest center by visiting FEMA.gov/DRC.

    Residents can find resources like shelters and feeding sites at gema.georgia.gov/hurricane-helene. 

    Support for Virginia

    To date, FEMA has approved over $5.3 million in housing and other types of assistance for more than 1,700 households.

    There are about 73 Disaster Survivor Assistance members in communities providing support. There are also five Disaster Recovery Centers open in Damascus, Dublin, Independence, Marion and Tazewell where survivors can speak to state and federal personnel to help with their recovery. Survivors may find their closest center by visiting FEMA.gov/DRC.

    Residents can find resources like shelters and feeding sites at: Recover – Hurricane Helene | VDEM (vaemergency.gov).

    Support for Tennessee

    FEMA has approved more than $12.3 million in housing and other types of assistance for more than 2,600 households. 

    There are more than 47 Disaster Survivor Assistance members in communities providing support. There is now one Disaster Recovery Center open in Erwin where survivors can speak to state and federal personnel to help with their recovery. Survivors may find their closest center by visiting FEMA.gov/DRC.

    Counties continue to establish donation centers. For the evolving list, visit TEMA’s website.

    FEMA remains steadfast in its mission to support survivors as they begin their recovery from these historic storms. The agency will continue to work with federal, state, and local partners to ensure the safety and well-being of those impacted by Milton and Helene.

    mashana.davis

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar Statement on the Passing of Former U.S. Representative Rick Nolan

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Minnesota Amy Klobuchar
    MINNEAPOLIS – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) released the statement below following the passing of former U.S. Representative Rick Nolan. 
    “Rick Nolan was an incredible friend that dedicated his life to public service and his family. With his thunderous voice and passion for the people, Rick was a one-of-a-kind leader,” said Klobuchar. “He was the comeback kid. He went from being one of the youngest members of Congress to being one of the oldest freshmen when he was sworn in again at 69. He was the consummate outdoorsman, friend of labor, and he never forgot where he came from. John and my thoughts and prayers are with Mary and his family.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Twelve Charged with Fentanyl Trafficking in Abilene

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    Twelve alleged fentanyl traffickers were arrested in a large-scale drug bust in Abilene, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.

    The takedown – the second in an operation that previously resulted in the prosecution of 17 drug traffickers arrested during a large-scale bust in late February  – involved agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office –  Abilene Resident Office, the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, the Abilene Police Department, and the Callahan County Sheriff’s Office. 

    Those charged in two separate indictments unsealed today include:

    • Christopher Thompson, charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
    • Marquee Anthony Aboso, aka OC, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
    • Kurtney Bernard Jones, aka KP, charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
    • Steven Lattimore, aka PNut, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
    • Mckenzee Marie Lane, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
    • Maxine Gonzales, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl
    • Tylik Ojur Johnson, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
    • Jeremiah Greene, aka Lil Mexico, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
    • Paul Eli Snyder, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
    • Robert Lee Mason, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
    • Glen Edward Lee, Jr., charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
    • Christopher Anthony Glaze, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl

    Over the course of the operation into these individuals, agents seized more than 14,856 fentanyl pills, 45.4 grams of heroin, 2.56 grams of meth, and 15.56 grams of crack cocaine, as well as multiple firearms.

    An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

    If convicted, some defendants named in these indictments face up to 20 years in federal prison.

    Sixteen of the 17 defendants arrested in February’s takedown have already been convicted. Fourteen have already been sentenced to a combined 187 years in federal prison; two pleaded guilty and await sentencing, and one is awaiting trial. The lead defendant, Diana Perez, deemed responsible for more than 109,221 kilograms of drugs, was sentenced Thursday to more than 24 years in federal prison.  

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office – Abilene Resident Agency, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division – Fort Worth Resident Agency, and the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division, and the IRS – Criminal Investigations. The cases are being prosecuted by the West Texas Branch of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas.

    This prosecution stems from an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) instigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transitional criminal organizations that threaten the Untied States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pressley Applauds Student Debt Cancellation for 60,000 Additional Public Service Workers

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

    Biden-Harris Admin. Has Now Cancelled Debt for Over 1 Million Public Service Workers, Including Over 22,000 in Massachusetts

    Under Project 2025, Public Service Loan Forgiveness Would Be Eliminated, Forcing 3.6M Workers to Pay $250B in Additional Debt

    BOSTON – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) applauded the Biden-Harris Administration’s approval of approximately $4.5 billion in additional student debt cancellation for approximately 60,000 workers nationwide who work in public service. This relief, which is the result of significant fixes that the Administration has made to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program, brings the total loan forgiveness approved by the Administration to over $175 billion for more than 4.8 million Americans, which includes more than $73 billion for over one million borrowers through PSLF, including over 22,000 public service workers in Massachusetts.

    “Thanks to the improvements President Biden, Vice President Harris and Secretary Cardona have made to PSLF, over one million public service workers—including educators, nurses, first-responders, and more—have now received the life-changing and life-saving student debt relief they deserve,” said Congresswoman Pressley in a statement. “This program is an essential one that benefits not only borrowers but our communities writ large but helping to keep skilled and dedicated professionals in public service and recognizing our commitment to economic justice and educational opportunity. With Project 2025 threatening to eliminate PSLF and saddle borrowers in Massachusetts and across the country with billions in additional student loan debt, I’ll keep pushing to prevent that agenda from becoming reality and continue working to deliver this transformative relief to as many borrowers as possible.”

    More information on the Biden-Harris’ announcement is available here.

    Earlier this month, Rep. Pressley, co-founder of the Stop Project 2025 Task Force, joined the Student Borrower Protection Center (SBPC) and President of the American Federation of Teachers Randi Weingarten to unveil a groundbreaking state-by-state analysis quantifying the harm that Project 2025’s elimination of the PSLF would wreak on millions of workers. Under Project 2025, 3.6 million public service workers, including 78,000 in Massachusetts, would be forced to pay an additional $250 billion in student loan debt over the next decade.

    Rep. Pressley has been a leading voice in Congress urging President Biden to cancel student debt. Following years of advocacy by Rep. Pressley—in partnership with colleagues, borrowers, and advocates—the Biden-Harris Administration announced a historic plan to cancel student debt that stands to benefit over 40 million people. She has consistently helped borrowers access student debt cancellation resources, including PSLF, and she was proud to welcome a union educator and PSLF recipient as her guest to President Biden’s State of the Union Address in March.

    As a member of the House Oversight Committee, Rep. Pressley has repeatedly sounded the alarm on Project 2025, a bucket list extremist policies that would uproot every government agency and disrupt the lives of every person who calls America home.

    • On October 2, 2024, Rep. Pressley joined borrowers and advocates to unveil new state-by-state data quantifying the harm that Project 2025 would have on millions of public service workers nationwide.
    • On September 10, 2024, Rep. Pressley joined Senator Warren and Rep. Jim Clyburn in urging the U.S. Department of Education to consider terminating its contract with student loan servicer MOHELA.
    • On August 29, Rep. Pressley issued a statement following the Supreme Court’s refusal to reinstate President Biden’s Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) student debt relief program.
    • On August 9, 2024, Rep. Pressley joined Senator Warren, Representative Dean, and their colleagues urging student loan servicer Navient to reform its flawed process to cancel the private student loans of borrowers who attended fraudulent, for-profit colleges.
    • On June 25, 2024, Rep. Pressley issued a statement on federal judges in Missouri and Kansas siding with Republican states to block portions of President Biden’s Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) student debt relief program. 
    • On June 25, 2024, Rep. Pressley colleagues, borrowers, and advocates urged the Biden Administration to terminate the contract of federal student loan servicer MOHELA. Their calls follow MOHELA’s repeated failure to perform basic loan servicing functions and ongoing harm caused by MOHELA to student loan borrowers.
    • On May 20, 2024, Rep. Pressley, along with Reps. Omar, Clyburn and Wilson, led their colleagues in urging the U.S. Department of Education to ensure its proposed student debt relief rule is implemented in the most effective and efficient manner possible for millions of borrowers.
    • On May 1, 2024, Rep. Pressley issued a statement applauding the Biden Administration’s approval of student loan discharge for 317,000 borrowers who attended The Art Institutes, including over 3,500 borrowers in Massachusetts.
    • On April 14, 2024, Rep. Pressley applauded President Biden’s approval of an additional $7.4 billion in student debt cancellation for 277,000 borrowers.
    • On April 8, 2024, Rep. Pressley hailed President Biden’s announcement of new plans to provide student debt relief for tens of millions of borrowers across the country.
    • On March 21, 2024, Rep. Pressley applauded the Biden-Harris Administration’s approval of $5.8 billion in additional student loan debt cancellation for 77,700 public service workers.
    • On March 20, 2024, Rep. Pressley and Senator Elizabeth Warren led their colleagues in calling on federal agencies to end the practice of offsetting Social Security benefits to pay off defaulted student loans.
    • On March 7, 2024, Rep. Pressley welcomed Priscilla Higuera Valentine, a first generation American, a proud union educator with Boston Public Schools and the Boston Teachers Union, and the daughter of a Colombian immigrant, who has received over $117,000 in student debt relief under the Biden-Harris Administration’s improved Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program, as her guest to President Biden’s State of the Union Address.
    • On February 23, 2024, Rep. Pressley applauded the Biden-Harris Administration’s approval of $1.2 billion in student debt cancellation for nearly 153,000 borrowers nationwide, including $19.5 million in cancellation for 2,490 Massachusetts borrowers.
    • On January 26, 2024, Rep. Pressley and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) led their colleagues in calling on the Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to host a fourth session of the student debt negotiated rulemaking to consider relief for borrowers experiencing financial hardship. She applauded ED’s announcement that it would heed their calls.
    • On December 11, 2023, Rep. Pressley testified at the U.S. Department of Education’s final hearing on student debt cancellation.
    • On December 11, 2023, Rep. Pressley and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), along with Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Representatives Ilhan Omar (MN-05) and Frederica Wilson (FL-24), sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, urging him to leverage his existing and full authority under the Higher Education Act to provide expanded student debt relief to working and middle-class borrowers. 
    • On November 30, 2023, Rep. Pressley emphasized the crucial role of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in protecting student loan borrowers from incompetent and predatory student loan servicers.
    • On November 6, 2023, Rep. Pressley joined Attorney General Andrea Campbell, Mayor Michelle Wu, and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) for a clinic to help federal student loan borrowers access a temporary opportunity to get closer to Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). 
    • On September 25, 2023, Rep. Pressley hosted a policy discussion with borrowers and advocates at which they renewed their urgent call for student debt cancellation with loan payments set to resume on October 1, 2023.
    • On August 23, 2023, Rep. Pressley, Sen. Warren, and their colleagues led over 80 lawmakers in a letter to President Joe Biden, urging him to swiftly deliver on his promise to deliver student debt cancellation to working and middle class families by early 2024. 
    • On August 22, 2023 Rep. Pressley applauded Governor Maura Healey’s plan to provide student debt relief for health care workers in Massachusetts. 
    • On June 30, 2023, Rep. Pressley responded to the President’s alternative proposal to deliver relief under the Higher Education Act and called for swift and efficient implementation.
    • On June 30, 2023, Rep. Pressley issued a statement slamming the Supreme Court’s decision to block President Biden’s student debt cancellation plan and calling on the President to use other tools available to swiftly cancel student debt.
    • On May 30, 2023, Rep. Pressley filed an amendment to H.R. 3746, legislation to raise the debt ceiling, to protect student loan borrowers and preserve the Biden Administration’s pause on federal student loan payments.
    • On May 24, 2023, Rep. Pressley issued a statement slamming Republicans’ harmful effort to overturn President Biden’s student debt relief, including his debt cancellation plan, the pause on student loan payments, and the expanded Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.
    • On May 24, 2023, Rep. Pressley delivered a powerful speech in support of President Biden’s plan to cancel student debt, which would benefit millions of people across the country.
    • On April 5, 2023, Rep. Pressley and Senator Elizabeth Warren wrote to the CEO of SoFi Technologies and SoFi Lending Corp calling on the company to answer for its lawsuits attempting to end the student loan payment pause and force borrowers back into repayment.
    • On March 7, 2023, Rep. Pressley, along with Sens. Warren, Schumer, Sanders, Padilla and Reps. Clyburn, Omar and Wilson led a letter to the Biden Administration expressing continued support for President Biden’s student debt relief plan.
    • On February 28, 2023, Rep. Pressley rallied with borrowers and advocates outside the Supreme Court to call on the Supreme Court to affirm the legality of President Biden’s student debt cancellation plan.
    • On November 22, 2022, Rep. Pressley issued a statement applauding the extension of the student loan payment pause.
    • On October 25, 2022, Rep. Pressley and Senator Warren toured communities across Massachusetts to celebrate the Biden administration’s student debt cancellation plan and help residents sign up for student loan relief.
    • On October 12, 2022, Rep. Pressley joined parent borrowers and advocates for a discussion on the impacts of student debt cancellation on parents and families.
    • On September 29, 2022, Rep. Pressley, along with Senate Majority Leader Schumer and Reps. Omar, Jones and advocates, held a press conference to call for swift and equitable implementation of President Biden’s student debt cancellation plan.
    • On September 21, 2022, Rep. Pressley delivered a powerful speech on the House floor in which she heralded President Biden’s action to cancel student debt for millions of families in the Massachusetts 7th and across the nation. Watch the full video here.
    • On September 12, 2022, Rep. Pressley and Senator Warren wrote to the nine federal student loan servicers to inquire about how they are providing borrowers with accurate and timely information about student loan cancellation.
    • On August 24, 2022, Congresswoman Pressley issued a statement applauding President Biden’s action to cancel student debt.
    • On August 10, 2022, Congresswoman Pressley and Senator Warren Massachusetts joined Massachusetts union leaders in Dorchester for a roundtable discussion on student debt cancellation.
    • On July 18, 2022, Congresswoman Pressley delivered remarks at the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) national convention and renewed her calls for President Biden to cancel student debt by executive action.
    • On July 8, 2022, Congresswoman Pressley with The Debt Collective hosted a virtual roundtable with student debt holders from all walks of life to highlight the intersectional burden the nearly $2 trillion student debt crisis has had on individuals and families. 
    • On June 22, 2022, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, with Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, joined AFL-CIO and union leaders for a roundtable discussion on the importance of student debt cancellation for American workers.
    • On May 20, 2022, Congresswoman Pressley applauded the Congressional Black Caucus’ (CBC) statement calling on President Biden to cancel student loan debt.
    • On May 4, 2022, Congresswoman Pressley visited Bunker Hill Community College to celebrate the $1 million in federal community project funding she secured and continued her calls for President Biden to cancel student debt.
    • On March 17, 2022, Congresswoman Pressley and Arisha Hatch, vice president and chief of campaigns at Color of Change, published an op-ed in Grio calling on President Biden to use his executive order authority to cancel up to $50,000 in student loan debt per borrower.
    • On December 8, 2021, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Senator Elizabeth Warren, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer sent a bicameral letter to President Joe Biden releasing new data about the adverse impact of restarting student loan payments and calling on him to act to cancel up to $50,000 of student debt.
    • On December 2, 2021, Congresswoman Pressley delivered remarks on the House floor in which she reiterated her calls for President Biden to cancel $50,000 in federal student loan debt by executive action.
    • On October 8, 2021, Representatives Ayanna Pressley and Ilhan Omar and their House colleagues sent a letter to President Biden and Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona urging him to release the memo to determine the extent of the administration’s authority to broadly cancel student debt through administrative action.
    • On July 29, 2021, Congresswoman Pressley issued a statement reaffirming President Biden’s authority – and the urgency – to cancel student loan debt.
    • On June 23, 2021, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and Congressman Joe Courtney led their colleagues on a bicameral letter to President Biden calling on him to extend the pause on federal student loan payments.
    • On April 13, 2021, Congresswoman Pressley testified at a Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on Economic Policy hearing to examine the student loan debt crisis in our country.
    • On April 1, 2021, Congresswoman Pressley, along with Senator Elizabeth Warren and Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, held a press conference calling on President Biden to tackle the student loan debt crisis.
    • On February 4, 2021, Congresswoman Pressley, along with several Democratic House and Senate leaders, led their colleagues in reintroducing a bicameral resolution outlining a bold plan for President Biden to tackle the student loan debt crisis. 
    • On December 17, 2020, Representatives Ayanna Pressley, Ilhan Omar, Maxine Waters, and Alma Adams introduced a resolution outlining a bold plan for President-elect Joe Biden to cancel up to $50,000 in Federal student loan debt for student loan borrowers.
    • On December 10, 2020, Congresswoman Pressley was in Yahoo Finance urging the Biden administration to cancel student debt, stressing the impact on Black borrowers.
    • On May 8, 2020, Representatives Ayanna Pressley, Alma Adams, and Ilhan Omar, led 28 of their colleagues and sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy calling for the universal, one-time, student debt cancellation of at least $30,000 per borrower in the next round of COVID-19 relief legislation.
    • On March 23, 2020, Representatives Ayanna Pressley and Ilhan Omar introduced the Student Debt Emergency Relief Act, legislation that provides immediate monthly payment relief for federal student loan borrowers.
    • On March 17, 2020, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley and Senator Elizabeth Warren were on The Hill calling on congressional leadership to include student debt cancellation in the next coronavirus relief package.
    • On October 11, 2019, Congresswoman Pressley introduced legislation – the Ending Debt Collection Harassment Act – to protect consumers from abusive debt collection.
    • On July 17, 2019, Congresswomen Pressley introduced legislation – the Student Borrower Credit Improvement Act – to provide much needed support to private student loan borrowers with a pathway to financial stability by helping them improve their credit.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Canada announces tariff remission process for Canadian businesses importing certain Chinese goods

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    News release

    October 18, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario – Department of Finance Canada

    Canadian workers, the auto sector, the steel and aluminum industries, and related critical manufacturing supply chains are threatened by unfair competition from Chinese producers, who benefit from China’s intentional, state-directed policy of overcapacity and oversupply, as well as its lack of rigorous labour and environmental standards. The federal government has recently implemented a suite of tariffs (also known as surtaxes) on certain Chinese imports to level the playing field and protect Canada’s workers and businesses from China’s unfair trade policies. These include:

    Today, the federal government launched the process for Canadian businesses to request remission of surtaxes on electric vehicles (EVs) and steel and aluminum imported from China. Remission would also be available for potential surtaxes on critical manufacturing sector products. To ensure that Canadian industry has sufficient time to adjust supply chains, remission will provide relief from the payment of surtaxes, or the refund of surtaxes already paid, under specific and exceptional circumstances.

    The federal government is offering this relief in recognition of the potential challenges that Canadian industry faces as the result of adjusting supply chains in a timely manner. Remission from applicable surtaxes would be provided in compelling circumstances in line with the rationale behind the application of the surtaxes—leveling the playing field for Canadian workers and businesses. The government is ensuring Canadian workers and businesses are not unduly burdened by surtaxes on imports from China.

    Accordingly, the federal government will consider requests for remission of surtaxes to address the following circumstances:

    • Situations where goods used as inputs, or substitutes for those goods, cannot be sourced either domestically or reasonably from non-Chinese sources;
    • Where there are contractual requirements, existing prior to August 26, 2024, requiring Canadian businesses to purchase Chinese inputs into their products or projects for a specified period of time; and,
    • Other exceptional circumstances, on a case-by-case basis, that could have significant adverse impacts on the Canadian economy.

    Remission will not be granted for goods intended for resale in the same condition to the United States.

    The federal government will consider the appropriate duration of remission, with intent to provide it on a transitional basis only in most cases, as supply chains adjust and may also be applied retroactively to the date of implementation of the surtaxes.  

    Should the government decide to impose additional surtaxes on other goods, such as critical manufacturing sector products, the remission process would become available for those goods.

    Remission requests and related inquiries can be submitted to remissions-remises@fin.gc.ca. Submissions received before November 8, 2024, will be processed on a priority basis, with subsequent submissions to be processed thereafter. Further details are available in the Public Notice for Remission.

    Quotes

    “We are moving in lock-step with key international partners to level the playing field for Canadian workers and businesses by protecting them from China’s intentional, state-directed policy of overcapacity and oversupply, which is undermining Canada’s ability to compete in domestic and global markets. Our government recognizes the challenges that Canadian businesses face in adjusting their supply chains away from Chinese imports, which is why we are providing remission relief as they work to secure imports from our trusted trading partners.”

    – The Honourable Chrystia Freeland,
    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance

    “Canada is well positioned to lead in the electric vehicle supply chain thanks to its skilled workforce, abundance of critical minerals and innovative capabilities. That is why our government has taken decisive action to protect Canadian workers and investments from unfair trade policies.”

    – The Honourable Mary Ng,
    Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development

    “The auto supply chain in Canada supports nearly 550,000 direct and indirect jobs, and automotive is one of the country’s largest export industries. We’re securing the fair, prosperous future Canadians deserve by imposing tough tariffs and making sure our workers, from the steel to the auto sector to various key manufacturing sectors, have the flexibility they require to stay competitive. That’s how we’ll protect our industries, secure jobs, support communities and  keep building the products Canada, and its partners, need.”

    – The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne,
    Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

    “Today, we are taking further action to level the playing field for Canadian workers in the face of China’s unfair, non-market practices. By providing relief from surtaxes, we are helping Canadian businesses foster home-grown clean technology and electric vehicle supply chains—from critical minerals to batteries and electric vehicles. As countries around the world increasingly look for a reliable supplier of green products, Canadian workers and businesses will be front and centre in seizing the economic opportunity this demand presents.”

    – The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson,
    Minister of Energy and Natural Resources

    Quick facts

    • Under section 115 of the Customs Tariff, the Governor in Council may waive duties, including surtaxes, on the recommendation of the Minister of Finance.  

    • The 100 per cent tariff on Chinese EVs is in addition to the Most-Favoured Nation import tariff of 6.1 per cent that will continue to apply to EVs produced in China and imported into Canada.

    • Since 2020, China has emerged as the largest manufacturer and exporter of EVs in the world, and its capacity continues to grow, as a result of policies such as extensive state subsidies and other non-market practices. In 2023, China’s annual EV exports totaled $47.2 billion, up from $0.2 billion in 2018. 

      • China’s unfair trade practices include weak standards across EV supply chains, including poor labour standards, a lack of environmental protections, and trade policies supporting oversupply.

    • Despite softening global demand, China has increased its steelmaking capacity by 18.6 million metric tonnes (more than Canada’s total production capacity) since 2018, making it the world’s largest steelmaker with over 1 billion metric tonnes produced in 2023.  Similarly, China’s primary aluminum capacity has grown from 11 per cent of global production share to 59 per cent over the last two decades, with the government investing up to $70 billion between 2013-2017 alone, according to the OECD.

    • Key likeminded trading partners have identified similar concerns with Chinese policies and practices in sectors critical in the net-zero transition, including the commitment from G7 Leaders in June 2024 to “acting together to promote economic resilience, confront non-market policies and practices that undermine the level playing field and our economic security, and strengthen our coordination to address global overcapacity challenges.”

    Associated links

    Contacts

    Media may contact:

    Katherine Cuplinskas
    Deputy Director of Communications
    Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
    Katherine.Cuplinskas@fin.gc.ca

    Media Relations
    Department of Finance Canada
    mediare@fin.gc.ca
    613-369-4000

    General enquiries

    Phone: 1-833-712-2292
    TTY: 613-369-3230
    E-mail: financepublic-financepublique@fin.gc.ca

    Stay Connected

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Problem Solvers Caucus Endorses the Dignity Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar’s (FL-27)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus in the House of Representatives announced its official endorsement of the Dignity Act (H.R. 3599), the groundbreaking immigration bill introduced by Reps. María Elvira Salazar (R-FL), Veronica Escobar (D-TX), and several of their colleagues in 2023.

    The Problem Solvers Caucus is a group of more than 60 Members of Congress who are committed to advancing common-sense solutions to key issues facing the United States. Problem Solvers Caucus endorsements are often a critical threshold to pass before advancing major bipartisan legislation. The bill was brought forward for Caucus endorsement by Representatives Salazar and Hillary Scholten (D-MI), an original co-lead of the bill.

    “The United States desperately needs an immigration solution, and the Dignity Act is the best and most viable bill to secure our border and solve our nation’s immigration problems,” said Rep. María Elvira Salazar. “I am proud that the bipartisan Dignity Act received the endorsement of the Problem Solvers Caucus – a critical group of lawmakers in Congress who are willing to advance solutions that prioritize national security, practical reforms, and economic growth.”

    “For far too long, our immigration system has been a glaring failure, and Americans are suffering as a result,” said Problem Solvers Caucus Co-Chair, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick. “The Dignity Act stands as a historic, bipartisan solution that decisively ends illegal immigration, secures our borders, and drives economic prosperity in the United States. I am proud the Problem Solvers Caucus has endorsed this critical bill and is garnering support from both sides of the aisle.”

    The bipartisan Dignity Act fully secures our border and fixes America’s immigration system once and for all. By sealing the border, pioneering the Dignity and Redemption programs for undocumented immigrants, investing in American workers, re-thinking high-skilled legal immigration, and overhauling the abused asylum system with new Humanitarian Centers at our ports of entry, the Dignity Act is Congress’ only serious bill to resolve the migrant crisis and build mutual consensus around immigration.

    “For years, I’ve been working to pass commonsense immigration reform that protects our borders and lives up to our values as a nation. I’m proud the Problem Solvers Caucus came together to endorse the bipartisan Dignity Act which will support American workers, stop cartels from exploiting migrant families, and finally end the uncertainty they face by establishing a clear path for success while also securing our border,” said Problem Solvers Caucus Co-Chair, Rep. Josh Gottheimer.

    “As an attorney who has worked on all aspects of the immigration problem, including employment, helping asylum seekers, and enforcement at the DOJ, I have seen firsthand how our system is failing, and it is past time we take charge to fix what’s broken,” said Rep. Hillary Scholten. “The bipartisan Dignity Act aims to repair our immigration system and restore humanity and justice to our process. I’m grateful to my colleagues in the Problem Solvers Caucus for recognizing the power rehabilitating our immigration system will have on our nation.”

    Since introduction, the Dignity Act has gained significant support from both parties in Congress and secured major endorsements from prominent national and local advocacy groups. Leading experts and policy groups commend the legislation for addressing the many inefficiencies and backlogs afflicting the current immigration regime and creating the conditions necessary to grow our economy by trillions of dollars, one of the largest expansions of the economy in American history. The innovative legislation also eliminates labor shortages in the healthcare industry, and helps save Social Security and Medicare from insolvency. Critically, the Dignity Act implements the funding for personnel, infrastructure, and equipment required to secure our borders and keep American citizens safe, at no expense to the taxpayer.

    The Dignity Act has been covered extensively in the press. Read some of more than 100 articles written about the bill here, and learn more about the bill on Congresswoman Salazar’s website here. A non-exhaustive list of every endorsement the Dignity Act has received from federal legislators and organizations across the United States can be found below and their statements of support can be found here. Statements come from prominent stakeholders, including from immigration groups, businesses, the agricultural sector, the faith community, educators, economists, national security experts, community leaders, Ambassadors, and United States Senators.

    A detailed summary of the Dignity Act can also be found below.

    Sponsors and Cosponsors (38): *María Elvira Salazar (FL), *Veronica Escobar (TX), *Jenniffer González Colon (PR), *Hillary Scholten (MI), *Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR), *Kathy Manning (NC), *Michael Lawler (NY), *Adriano Espaillat (NY), John Duarte (CA), Susan Wild (PA), Mario Díaz-Balart (FL), Susie Lee (NV), David Valadao (CA), Darren Soto (FL), Dan Newhouse (WA), Colin Allred (TX), Abigail Spanberger (VA), Jake Auchincloss (MA), Mike Levin (CA), Marilyn Strickland (WA), Matt Cartwright (PA), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA), Dean Phillips (MI), Chris Pappas (NH), Elissa Slotkin (MI), Pat Ryan (NY), Joe Courtney (CT), Lori Trahan (MA), Chrissy Houlahan (PA), Christopher DeLuzio (PA), Eric Sorensen (IL), Nikki Budzinski (IL), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL), Emilia Sykes (OH), Val Hoyle (OR), Jared Moskowitz (FL), Greg Landsman (OH), and Mary Peltola (AK).

    The following organizations have weighed in with endorsements, statements of support, and/or positive comments about the Dignity Act:

    Organizations (50+): Agriculture Workforce Coalition, Alliance for a New Immigration Consensus (ANIC), American Action Forum, American Business Immigration Coalition, American Families United, American Immigration Lawyers Association, American Podiatric Medical Association, American Senior Housing Association, Americans for Prosperity, BDV Solutions, Behring Co., Bipartisan Policy Center, Brick Industry Association, Business Roundtable, Catholic Charities USA, Casa de Venezuela, Chris Coons, U.S. Senator (D-DE), Cleaning Coalition of America, Essential Worker Immigration Coalition, Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, Florida Farm Bureau Federation, Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association, Florida Tomato Exchange, FWD.us, Hispanic Leadership Fund, Ideaspace, Immigration Hub, Improve the Dream, Invest in the USA (IIUSA), Ken Salazar, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, LIBRE Initiative, Mason Contractors Association of America, National Association of Counties, National Association of Evangelicals, NAFSA: Association of International Educators, National Association of Landscape Professionals, National Immigration Forum, National Latino Evangelical Coalition, National Retail Federation (NRF), Niskanen Center, Outdoor Amusement Business Association (OABA), Power & Communication Contractors Association, Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans, Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida, TechNet, TESOL International Association, Texas Border Coalition, Texas Impact, The Legal Immigration and Border Enforcement Reform this Year (LIBERTY) Campaign, UnidosUS, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), U.S. Hispanic Business Council, U.S. Travel Association, and World Relief.

    KEY PROVISIONS OF THE DIGNITY ACT

    Securing the Border and Restoring Law and Order

    • Provides $25 billion to fully secure the border.
    • Mandates 100% nationwide E-verify to ensure all American businesses are hiring legal workers.
    • Achieves operational control and advantage of the Southern Border by employing a comprehensive Southern Border Strategy.
    • Constructs enhanced physical barriers and deploys the most up-to-date technology at the border.
    • Hires thousands of new Border Patrol agents, CBP officers, and border intelligence units.
    • Implements new policies to stop criminals crossing the border illegally, including new authorities to track cartel spotters, and raises penalties on human traffickers and child sex traffickers.
    • Authorizes DHS to officially designate an organization as a criminal street gang, making any alien involved in a criminal gang inadmissible and deportable.
    • Designates Mexican cartels as Special Transnational Criminal Organizations.
    • Directs DHS to complete and implement biometric exit at all air, land, and sea ports-of-entry for international travelers.
    • Provides DHS the authority to use DNA testing to verify family relationships.
    • Enhances port-of-entry security by expanding surveillance and intrusion detection systems.
    • Improves legal commerce and trade by expanding inspection lanes and investing in X-ray technology to safely inspect commercial vehicles.

    Fixing our Asylum System

    • Expedites processing and ends catch-and-release policies.
    • Establishes at least five Humanitarian Campuses (HC) that will receive individuals and families arriving at the southern border for immediate processing.
      • Asylum-seekers will remain at an HC until their case is decided.
      • They will have freedom of movement within the HC, access to state-of-the-art facilities, medical personal, legal counsel, and non-governmental organizations.
    • Decides asylum cases within 60 days. Asylum-seekers will undergo an initial credible fear interview within 15 days of their arrival and further screening by trained asylum officers for final determination within an additional 45 days.
      • *Complex cases may be referred to case management to await a hearing before an Immigration Judge.
    • Creates five additional immigration centers in Latin America to stop migrant caravans and prevent individuals from making the dangerous land journey to the United States.
      • The centers will offer asylum pre-screening, child reunification services, and employment counsel to determine eligibility for work visas in the United States.
    • Implements a security and development strategy to address instability in Central America. This will help bring stability and economic development to Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras.
    • Increases U.S. authorities to target transnational criminals, smugglers, human traffickers, drug traffickers, and gangs like MS-13.
    • Cracks down on asylum fraud by increasing penalties for those that make false statements or provide false documentation.
    • Establishes a new two-strike policy for anyone caught crossing at a non-port-of-entry, to ensure legitimate asylum seekers are processed appropriately while bad actors are apprehended.

    Giving Dignity and Redemption to Undocumented Immigrants

    • Creates immediate protected status and streamlined path for Dreamers and TPS recipients, as outlined in the Dream and Promise Act.
    • Establishes the Dignity Program, a practical solution for undocumented immigrants who have been in the U.S. for more than five years.
      • Recipients will be offered a chance to work, pay restitution, get right with the law, and earn legal status.
      • Applicants must comply with all federal and state laws, pass a criminal background check, and pay outstanding taxes or debts.
      • Dignity participants will also pay $5,000 in restitution during the seven years of the program, check in with DHS every two years, and remain in good public standing.
      • Individuals in the Dignity Program will not have access to federal means-tested benefits or entitlements.
    • Establishes two options after successful completion of the Dignity Program – Dignity Status or the Redemption Program:
      • Dignity Status: Dignity recipients who choose this option will immediately receive a five-year Dignity Status, which provides full work authorization, the ability to live in the U.S., and travel authorization outside the U.S. They will also remain ineligible for citizenship, means-tested benefits, and entitlements. Dignity Status can be renewed an indefinite number of times as long as the individual remains in good standing with the law.
      • Redemption Program: The Redemption Program (+5 years) requires completion of the seven-year Dignity Program. It offers Dignity recipients a chance to redeem themselves and earn permanent legal status. Redemption Program participants must learn English and U.S. civics and contribute to their local community either through community service or an additional $5,000 in restitution payments. Successful completion of the Redemption Program provides legal permanent resident status and eligibility for existing pathways to citizenship. Participating individuals would go to the back of the line.

    Dignity for American Workers

    • Creates a new American Worker Fund, using restitution payments from the Dignity and Redemption Programs. This fund will provide workforce training, upskilling, and education for unemployed American workers.
      • For every participant in the Dignity Program, their restitution payments will be able to train or retrain at least one American worker.
      • The American Worker Fund provides grants for workforce education initiatives, apprenticeship programs, higher education, and Career and Technical Education to give opportunities for Americans to enter new careers.
        • *This will ensure Americans can secure employment in in-demand careers.

    American Agricultural Dominance

    • Streamlines the H-2A application process by allowing employers to file with relevant agencies in a single platform, reducing regulatory burden for farmers and businesses.
    • Creates a year-round Agricultural workforce, removing “seasonal” requirements on the H-2A program and expanding it to year-round labor.
    • Combats price hikes so families can access affordable groceries and a large variety of U.S.-based produce.
    • Repeals the complicated and unpredictable Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) formula to calculate wages for farmers set by the Department of Labor. It replaces it with either 125% of the federal minimum wage or the applicable state/local minimum wage.
    • Allows Staggered Entry for advanced planning so employers can have workers start at different dates of the year to meet their specific needs.
    • Opens the H2A program to apple cider pressing on farms, aquaculture, the equine industry, forestry activities, conservation, forest management, and wild fish and shellfish processors.
    • Includes special procedures regulations for shepherding and goat herding, shearing, bee keeping, and custom combining.
    • Creates a Certified Agricultural Workers (CAW) program, as established in the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, with renewable five-and-a-half year visas available only to undocumented workers that have been working in agriculture for several years previously.
      • Foreign workers could apply for lawful permanent residence (LPR) after successfully maintaining either eight years of CAW status or four years of CAW status plus ten years of previous agricultural work experience in addition to making restitution payments and paying owed back taxes.
    • Includes the Returning Worker Exception Act, which Reforms the H-2B program by exempting returning workers from the visa caps of the three previous fiscal years. It also improves the H-2B application process, requiring the DOL to maintain a publicly accessible online job registry, and strengthening program integrity measures and anti-fraud provisions to protect American workers and guest workers.

    Unleashing American Prosperity and Competitiveness

    • Modernizes our legal immigration system and fixes backlogs.
      • Cuts the legal immigration backlog at ten years, ensuring anyone that has been waiting for a legal visa (either family-based or employment-based) for ten years or more (calculated by priority date) will be provided with that visa.
      • Raises the per-country cap set in the Immigration Act of 1990 from 7% to 15%.
      • Allows STEM PhD graduates from American universities, including medical students, to be eligible for an O visa. This allows “Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement” to stay and work in the U.S. if they choose to.
      • Increases high-skilled employment visas opportunities by only counting the principal applicant and excluding derivatives (children and spouses) from counting towards the annual Employment-Based visa caps. It does not raise the caps.
      • Includes the H-4 Work Authorization Act, allowing spouses of H-1B immigrants to automatically be granted work authorization upon receiving their H-4 visa.
      • Includes the American Families United Act, which authorizes discretion if an undocumented child or spouse of a U.S. citizen is denied a visa or has received a deportation order, affording families relief on a case-by-case basis.
      • Includes the Temporary Family Visitation Act, which creates a new, 90-day visitor visa that can be used by foreigners to travel to the United States for business, pleasure, or family purposes.
      • Ensures that children legally present in the United States do not age out of receiving certain visas due to USCIS processing delays.
      • Requires students working in the United States as part of the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program to pay FICA (Social Security and Medicare) taxes.
      • Modernizes student visas by changing the F visa to be “dual intent.”
      • Creates an Immigration Agency Coordinator position to oversee and streamline immigration functions at USCIS, the State Department, and the Department of Labor.
      • Surges resources to USCIS operations, the Bureau of Consular Affairs and Visa Service at the State Department, and the Office of Foreign Labor Certification at DOL to reduce delays and improve visa processing.

    No taxpayer funds will be used to pay for the Dignity Act.

    • The border infrastructure, improved ports of entry infrastructure, new humanitarian campuses, increased personnel, and all other associated costs in this bill are paid for by an “Immigration Infrastructure Levy.”
      • A 1.5% levy will be deducted from the paychecks of individuals given work authorization under the Dignity Program. These levies will be deposited into the Immigration Infrastructure Fund to be used to carry out the provisions of this act.
    • The American Worker Fund, used to provide workforce development for American workers, will be funded by restitution payments from the Dignity and Redemption Programs.

    For a link to the full press conference, click here.

    For a one-pager on the Dignity Act, click here.

    For a more detailed summary of the Dignity Act, click here.

    For a section-by-section breakdown of the Dignity Act, click here.

    For the full text of the bill, click here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Deluzio Announces More than $2.2 Billion in Federal Grants and Contracts Brought Home to Pennsylvania’s 17th District Since Taking Office

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17)

     

    CARNEGIE, PA — Today, Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17) announced that since taking office in January 2023, the people, businesses, and workers of Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District have received more than $2.29 billion dollars of federal grants and contracts. This is an increase of more than $655 million from the data collected as of July 2024 ($1.63 billion). 

    “Since I was sworn in to the Congress, I’ve been laser focused on bringing home federal money for projects that will make life better for the people of Western Pennsylvania,” said Congressman Deluzio. “Today, I’m proud to announce that since I’ve been our Congressman, we’ve seen more than $2.2 billion in federal grants and contracts back into our community. From defense contracts creating work for local manufacturers, to grants for highways, or funding law enforcement, this federal funding is making a real impact in the lives of my constituents.” 

    At an event on Neville Island, PA highlighting his Administration’s bridge repair efforts, Governor Josh Shapiro took the time to highlight Congressman Deluzio’s dedication to bringing home federal investments for the people of Western Pennsylvania.  

    “This Congressman has been a bulldog when it comes to bringing funding back to Pennsylvania from his perch on the Transportation Committee in Washington,” said Governor Josh Shapiro. “The Congressman said it: he’s brought $2.2 billion so far back to Western Pennsylvania, including for these massive road and bridge projects. That’s a big deal!” 

    A clipped video of the Governor’s comments on Congressman Deluzio’s work is available here. The full video of Governor Shapiro’s remarks is available here, beginning at 19:30. 

    Some examples of the federal grants and contracts secured under Congressman Deluzio’s leadership include: 

    • … and much more! 

    With this total $2,294,852,869 federal funding number, the Congressman’s office is specifically referring to the total of award outlay transactions of Prime Grants and Prime Contracts where the place of performance is within Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District. This number only includes prime grants and contracts that were outlaid between January 3, 2023 and September 30, 2024. This number does not include subcontractors or secondary grant recipients.  

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Five Country Ministerial 2024 – Joint Communique

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Five Country Ministerial 2024 – Joint Communique

    National Security Risks of Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

    The Five Countries recognise the enormous opportunities presented by critical and emerging technologies – such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) – in creating new jobs, improving productivity, and aiding in cyber defence. However, the rapid development and deployment of AI risks creating novel security vulnerabilities (including both to and from AI systems) and providing a platform for malign actors to increase the speed and scale of malicious activities. We are particularly concerned by the use of AI to facilitate the creation and distribution of mis/disinformation, malware, terrorist and violent extremist content, non-consensual deep fake pornography, and child sexual abuse material (CSAM). We continue to share information on how our governments are establishing frameworks to best manage the risks associated with AI, while still taking advantage of the benefits, and remain committed to working together to ensure our shared values shape international standards and governance for AI. 

    We acknowledge that deeper cooperation among the Five Countries will support the safe, secure, and trustworthy deployment and use of these technologies in a way that minimises the risks and maximises opportunities in a national security context. The Five Countries remain committed to continuing to align our work in achieving this goal. 

    Countering Foreign Interference 

    With more people than ever voting in elections around the world in 2024, the Five Countries recognise the need for resilient and transparent democratic institutions to mitigate evolving threats to democratic processes. Such threats, including the proliferation of state-sponsored disinformation through increased use of emerging technologies, pose a significant challenge to upholding our democratic values. 

    We are resolute in our commitment to ensuring that communities are free from transnational repression, and recognise the continued need for collaboration, information sharing and taking action to protect our communities, businesses, and citizens. It is unacceptable for any foreign government to target members of our communities to prevent individuals from exercising their fundamental rights and freedoms in the Five Countries. 

    Finally, the Five Countries recognise the need to mitigate the threat posed by foreign interference and espionage within our research ecosystems. The Five Countries remain committed to exchanging best practices and threat information on research security, including how foreign entities of concern may be attempting to adapt to and bypass safeguards, to improve the resilience of those ecosystems. 

    Cyber Security 

    The increase in malicious and sophisticated cyber security threats is impacting the daily lives of citizens, businesses and governments across the Five Countries. We emphasise the need to target the enablers that make up the cybercrime business model, who are providing the illicit products, goods and services that make it easier to commit cybercrime. Malicious cyber activity against critical infrastructure by both state and non-state malicious cyber actors pose some of the greatest threats to our Five Countries and we are committed to jointly disrupting these operations and securing our most important networks. 

    We note the importance of fraud in the cyber security context and are particularly concerned about online scam centres that target vulnerable individuals globally; are involved in human trafficking for forced criminality to support their operations; or feed into a highly profitable criminal enterprise that undermines our cyber security. We reaffirm our support to the commitments made at the Global Fraud Summit. A key outcome from the Summit was to maintain strong engagement with industry, and the Five Countries agree to progress further efforts in this space to tackle the fraud threat and better protect our citizens. 

    We recognise the broader role of continued public-private collaboration in mitigating cyber security and data threats for our citizens, businesses and nations. To further deepen our relationship with industry, the Five Countries commit to share lessons learned from respective domestic efforts in securing data to ensure trusted and secure cross-border data flows and enhance the resilience of our data. 

    We recognise the value of coming together as the Five Countries to enhance strategic engagement on priority cybercrime threats, particularly through the international Counter Ransomware Initiative (CRI). The Five Countries will actively support the CRI and will engage in wider fora to advance our shared aims through international cooperation and build cross-border resilience to collectively disrupt malicious cyber actors. 

    Domestic Security 

    In response to recent events in the Middle East, the Five Countries have regularly drawn on the FCM to discuss the conflict and broader security situation, as well as associated domestic security challenges. This includes recognising the effects of this conflict on impacted communities, exploring the associated impacts in polarising and radicalising community attitudes, and understanding the threats posed by the spread of extremist content and disinformation. 

    We remain very concerned about the rise of terrorist and violent extremist content online and its impact, particularly on young people, and we recognise the importance of continued engagement with industry to mitigate this issue. 

    As members of the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (GIFCT) Independent Advisory Committee, we call on the organisation to strengthen its efforts to address terrorist and violent extremist content, including when it arises in the context of a prolonged conflict. We stress the importance of expanding GIFCT membership to include a broader range of technology companies, as well as in helping smaller platforms to identify and address terrorist and violent extremist content. In parallel, we continue to support the implementation of the Christchurch Call commitments and welcome the launch of the Christchurch Call Foundation. 

    We commit to addressing the complexity of youth radicalisation, as well as the need to better understand the risks of personalised ideological motivations. We acknowledge that unique pathways and factors can make at-risk individuals susceptible to radicalisation, including violent extremism. We will continue to share information on effective approaches to prevention, such as intervention approaches to support diversion efforts; and are committed to working together to conduct a diagnosis of how violent extremist actors leverage technology to encourage at-risk individuals to violence. 

    Lawful Access 

    The Five Countries will continue working together to maintain tightly-controlled lawful access to communications content that is vital to the investigation and prosecution of serious crimes including terrorism and child abuse. We will work in partnership with technology companies to do this, protecting the safety of our citizens. 

    Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (CSEA) 

    The Five Countries note the significant role of emerging technologies, including AI, in the proliferation of child sexual exploitation and abuse material. We reiterate our collective commitment to exercising all levers available to tackle this crime type and keep children safe in all settings. 

    We recognise the need to work collaboratively across the whole sector, noting the specific knowledge and role of industry and academia, and the expertise of victims, survivors and their families to ensure our efforts to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse are holistic, evidence-based, and promote technological innovation. In this spirit, we jointly endorsed the “Bridging Government Efforts and Elevating Survivors’ Voices” statement (Annex I). 

    We also recognise the continued importance of the Voluntary Principles to Counter Online Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and – noting that the landscape has changed significantly since their launch five years ago – commit to further engagement with signatories to seek updates on efforts to uphold the principles as outlined. 

    While there has been progress through voluntary action to date, the Five Countries urgently call on tech companies to continue to drive innovation to keep children safe online on their platforms and to adhere to legal requirements in each of our jurisdictions. We remain committed to working with industry to explore holistic efforts and supporting innovation in tackling child sexual exploitation and abuse, including responding to the proliferation of AI-generated child sexual exploitation and abuse content. 

    Migration  

    The Five Countries recognise the extensive pressures on our border management, migration and protection systems that are being exacerbated by significant volumes of global migration and displacement seen across the world. 

    We acknowledge that there are a multitude of drivers for irregular migration and forced displacement, and we recognise the importance of taking a whole-of-route approach in response to mixed migrant flows. The Five Countries will continue to explore opportunities to work together to combat organised crime groups that are facilitating and profiting from human smuggling. 

    The Five Countries also recognise the opportunities presented by the rise in global migration and mobility, and note the benefits of safe and regular migration pathways. At the same time, we remain committed to enforcing our immigration laws and delivering consequences for those individuals who have no right to remain in our respective countries. We encourage the use of innovative policy levers to maintain well-managed regular pathways in light of increasing demand on our migration systems. We are committed to deepening our collaboration to enhance the integrity of our migration and border systems by leveraging emerging technology and examining additional efforts to address fraud and stop bad actors from exploiting our regular pathways. 

    The Five Countries remain steadfast in our commitment to promoting and protecting the human rights of all migrants, refugees, and asylum-seekers in accordance with our international obligations, whilst endorsing pragmatic approaches of countries to establish policies in their own national interest and national security. 

    Closing 

    The FCM remains the preeminent Ministerial-level forum for the Five Countries to engage and exchange information on shared national security issues and implement new initiatives to respond to various areas of concern. Our efforts to collaborate and exchange best practise in responding to evolving threats continues to grow and we look forward to further deepening these efforts in the coming year ahead 

    MIL OSI USA News –