NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell, Murray, Kilmer Announce $51M Federal Grant to Repair Hood Canal Bridge

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
    10.16.24
    Cantwell, Murray, Kilmer Announce $51M Federal Grant to Repair Hood Canal Bridge
    Hood Canal Bridge is a vital link between Olympic and Kitsap peninsulas & helps more than 30,000 daily commuters avoid a 100-mile detour around Puget Sound; As the longest floating saltwater bridge in the world, the structure is deteriorating in the harsh marine environment
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Patty Murray (D-WA) and U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (D, WA-06) announced that the Washington State Department of Transportation will receive $51,125,917 in federal funds to repair the Hood Canal Bridge.
    The funding comes from the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) Grant Program, which provides grants to nationally and regionally significant transportation projects to improve the country’s freight network.
    “Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Hood Canal Bridge will receive the repairs it needs to continue providing a vital connection between Kitsap, Jefferson, and Clallam Counties, with more than 30,000 crossings per day. Without this bridge, drivers would need to take a 100-mile detour around Puget Sound. And if the bridge’s retractable span were to fail, submarines and other vessels would be cut off from Naval Base Kitsap – Bangor,” Sen. Cantwell said. “This bridge is critical to the quality of life for residents and our national security.”
    “The Hood Canal Bridge is an absolutely critical connection for people and businesses on the Olympic and Kitsap peninsulas,” said Sen. Murray. “This is a piece of infrastructure that must remain safe and reliable so people can get to where they need to go—whether that’s work, a doctor’s appointment, or anything else. With thousands of travelers relying on this bridge just about every day, I’m proud to have worked together with Senator Cantwell and Representative Kilmer to ensure we bring these federal dollars home to replace outdated portions of this bridge.”
    “The Hood Canal Bridge is often a lifeline for folks on the Olympic Peninsula, enabling them to get where they need to go,” said Rep. Kilmer. “This federal funding is a major step toward improving the safety and reliability of the bridge, helping ensure that it will remain open, accessible and resilient for years to come. And with federal support it means this project can move forward without the costs falling solely on the backs of taxpayers in our state. That’s a win-win.”
    This project will replace over 3,400 linear feet of the western half of the bridge including the replacement of 55 reinforced concrete crossbeams and 216 prestressed concrete girder lines and the placement of nearly 4,800 cubic yards of concrete. Preliminary design work is scheduled to begin in November 2025, with project completion scheduled for June 2027. The project’s total budget is $85.2 million.
    The Hood Canal Bridge links the Olympic and Kitsap peninsulas, allowing over 30,000 motorists to get to and from work each day. As the longest floating bridge in the world over saltwater, this unique structure sits in a harsh marine environment that’s deteriorated its condition over the past 40 years. Currently, vehicles that can cross the bridge are weight-restricted at 17,000 lbs per axle or less, and overweight vehicles are forced to drive nearly 100 miles around Puget Sound.  If the bridge’s condition goes unaddressed, further deterioration and restrictions would have severe impacts on commerce and the livelihood of those who depend on the bridge every day.
    The Hood Canal Bridge also crosses a channel used by U.S. Navy submarines to reach the Pacific Ocean from Naval Base Kitsap -Bangor. Should the bridge’s retractable span become unusable, those vessels would be cut off from the base.
    Sen. Cantwell authored the INFRA Grant Program in the FAST Act of 2015, to provide grants to nationally and regionally significant freight and highway projects. This grant program was the first discretionary grant program to focus on improving the multimodal freight network and addressing freight bottlenecks. In 2022, as chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Sen. Cantwell helped secure $8 billion over five years for the INFRA Grant Program as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, a 78 percent increase in funding. Additionally, in August 2024, Sen. Cantwell wrote a letter to Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in support of the Hood Canal Bridge project’s INFRA grant application. The State of Washington has received 11 INFRA Grants, for a total of $532,300,108 since the start of the program.
    Sen. Murray, as a senior appropriator and then Assistant Majority Leader, helped secure $3.2 billion for the INFRA grant program in advance appropriations in addition to the $4.8 billion funded through the Highway Trust Fund when she helped pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, for a total of $8 billion over five years. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sullivan Legislation Protects Alaska Native Artists’ Cultural Heritage and Economic Opportunities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Dan Sullivan
    10.16.24
    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) introduced the Alaska’s Right to Ivory Sales and Tradition (ARTIST) Actand the Archie Cavanaugh Migratory Bird Treaty Amendment Act to protect the legal rights of Alaska Native artists using natural materials, such as walrus ivory or migratory bird feathers, in traditional handicrafts, art, ceremonial regalia, and clothing. These bills would clarify that existing laws do not prohibit the use or sale of these materials in Alaska Native handicrafts by Alaska Native artists who are partaking in centuries-old cultural practices.
    “Alaska Native artists, who have sustainably used natural materials in traditional art and cultural practices for thousands of years, are negatively impacted by overly broad bans on materials like walrus ivory and bird feathers,” Senator Sullivan said. “The products made with these materials provide not just valuable artistic and cultural expressions, but also vital income for many rural Alaskans. Many of these restrictions have been enacted without consultation from indigenous communities and local lawmakers—and can have devastating consequences. Archie Cavanaugh, a renowned Alaska Native artist, faced jail time and legal challenges for using these materials in his traditional art. This is completely unacceptable. Not only do we need to cut through the confusion and affirm the legal rights of Alaska Native people to use these materials, we need justice for those who have been unfairly targeted for taking part in centuries-old, sustainable cultural practices. My legislation listens to stakeholders and carries out the true intent of our existing laws to allow Alaskan Native artisans to use these resources without the threat of misguided legal repercussions.”
    Below are statements from Alaska leaders and stakeholders in support of Sen. Sullivan’s legislation.
    Vera Metcalf, Director of the Eskimo Walrus Commission: “The Eskimo Walrus Commission (EWC) strongly supports this bill and thanks Senator Sullivan and his staff for working with us on it. We also greatly appreciate the support from Kawerak, the Indigenous People’s Council on Marine Mammals (IPComm), the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC), WWF Arctic Program, and especially our Alaska Native communities. The Pacific walrus remains a significant component of our Indigenous food security and remains a major feature of Alaska Native cultural heritage. Our use of ivory gives full expression to our traditional relationship with the Pacific walrus and our way-of-life. EWC asks Congress to pass this bill to ensure the cultural and economic well-being of Alaska Native communities to thrive.”
    Steve MacLean, WWF US Arctic Program managing director: “The creation of handicrafts using legally sourced walrus ivory is a longstanding cultural tradition for Alaska Natives and a vital source of economic opportunity and income for their communities. This bill affirms the enduring rights of Alaska Native artists to continue creating these authentic handicrafts and bring them to market for sale. We know that words matter, particularly those that are written into law in DC and affect the everyday lives of people in places like Alaska. WWF is grateful to the Eskimo Walrus Commission for ensuring that the language in this bill meets the needs of the subsistence community, and we thank Senator Sullivan for his leadership in reintroducing this legislation. We encourage Congress to pass it into law.”
    Rosita Worl, President of Sealaska Heritage Institute: “The Archie Cavanaugh Migratory Bird Treaty Amendment Act is a bill that is much about justice as it is about the preservation of Native cultures.  The legislation carries the name of the gifted musician and an award-winning Tlingit artist, Archie Cavanaugh. Archie was Tlingit Raven from the G_aanax_teidí clan of the Xíxch’I Hít (Frog House) in Klukwan.  On his father’s side, he was a Was’ineidí yádi (child of the Was’ineidí clan).  He had three Tlingit names: Shaas Táak, given to him by his late great uncle, Harold Donnelly of Sitka, and Shkein and Ldaagoohaa, adopted names given to him by the K_aach.ádi clan in Kake.  He was born in Wrangell and raised in Kake.
    “It was through his art that Archie suffered a grueling ordeal that we hope will result, through this legislation, in new federal protections for Native artists.  In 2012, federal agents fined Archie for including raven and flicker feathers on a hat and headdress he crafted for sale.  The agents confiscated the feathers and a rifle previously owned by his father that Archie used to hunt for and feed his family.  Archie also faced jail time for using the feathers, which is an ancient art practice.   
    “When Congress enacts this bill into law, Congress will take the critical step towards restoring our rights to practice traditional arts that require the use of bird feathers, while retaining existing protections for the animals.  In our vision, Archie would have someday gained the right to replace the flicker feathers back on his headdress and the raven feathers back on his hat.  Sadly, Archie has passed without having that opportunity.  But our collective commitment to do right by our Native artists who carry forward our traditions today—and those who will carry forward those traditions tomorrow—remains with us, and that commitment in turn is carried forward by this legislation.”
    The full bill texts can be found here and here.
    Background:
    In September 2020, Sen. Sullivan led a Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hearing on the Empowering Rural Economies Through Alaska Native Sustainable Arts and Handicrafts Act, Sen. Sullivan’s bill to preempt states from banning walrus ivory, whale bone, and other marine mammal products that have been legally carved by Alaska Native people under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).
    Sen. Sullivan advocated for Etsy and Facebook to amend their guidelines on handicraft sales to include products or artwork made by Alaska Native artists using sealskin, otter, walrus ivory, and other protected materials.
    In September 2017, Sen. Sullivan wrote the National Governors Association and National Conference of State Legislatures with the Alaska congressional delegation to highlight the “potentially devastating and unintended consequences of broadly crafted state ivory bans that are currently in place or under consideration in nearly half of the United States.”
    In September 2017, Sen. Sullivan introduced the Allowing Alaska IVORY Act, legislation to preempt states from banning walrus ivory or whale bone products that have been legally carved by Alaska Native people under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar On Track to Visit All Minnesota’s 87 Counties By Tomorrow

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)
    MINNESOTA –  Today Senator Amy Klobuchar met with Minnesotans in five counties as part of her commitment to visit every county in 2024. Klobuchar stopped in Baudette in Lake of the Woods County to discuss federal funding she helped secure for search and rescue equipment. In Koochiching County, Klobuchar met with the widow and colleagues of fallen Voyageurs National Park Ranger Kevin Melvin Grossheim. In Itasca County, Klobuchar toured a child care hub in Grand Rapids, and in Hubbard County, Klobuchar met with local Park Rapids officials to tour housing that was supported with federal funding. Finally, in Cass County, Klobuchar met with the mayor and local business leaders to discuss economic development and tourism.
    Tomorrow, Klobuchar will have events at American Peat Technology in Aitkin, the Cloquet Carlton County Airport in Carlton, and Lakes and Pines Community Action Council in Kanabec at which point she will have visited every one of Minnesota’s 87 counties this year.
    “One of the best parts of my job is going out across the state every year and meeting with Minnesotans,” said Klobuchar. “I get to see incredible innovation, hear inspiring stories from families, thank our first responders, and talk to local leaders about what resources they need. These stops are how I get ideas for new legislation and how I know what to prioritize in Washington to make a real difference in people’s lives.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sorensen Statement on Announced Layoffs at Deere & Company

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17)

    ROCK ISLAND, IL – Today, Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17) released the following statement on the news of an additional round of layoffs at Deere & Company.  

    “Every day, I’m proud to be a Quad Citizen and call this place my home. We have a special way of life here, we take pride in what we do, and how we do it. Deere & Company is part of the fabric of the Quad Cities and the UAW workers who build the Seeders & Harvesters that are used around the world help our community thrive and grow,” said Sorensen. 

    “Today is a hard day for our Quad Cities community and I pledge to do everything that I’m able to support the workers affected by these layoffs. Our Congressional Office has the resources to connect affected workers with services and benefits. We will work hand-in-hand with our partners in the Governor’s Office and UAW to make sure that we do everything we can to support workers.”  

    “Representing our district on the House Agriculture Committee has always been important, and it is clear from today’s decision that now more than ever we need to pass a bipartisan Farm Bill. Critical programs that impact the price of corn and soy are running out of money and need to be replenished and updated. This affects Deere & Company’s production and impacts workers as much as our family farmers. We must get a bipartisan Farm Bill passed, which will open up opportunities for Deere.” 

    “Deere & Company’s annual profits exceed $7 billion. Today’s stock price exceeded $410 per share. C-suite salaries are in the tens of millions of dollars. They can afford to better take care of their workers in John Deere’s hometown.” 

    Congressman Eric Sorensen serves on the House Committee on Agriculture and the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. Prior to serving in Congress, Sorensen was a local meteorologist in Rockford and the Quad Cities for nearly 20 years. His district includes Illinois’ Quad Cities, Rockford, Peoria, and Bloomington-Normal. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Strong condemns court ruling to allow non-citizens to vote in Alabama

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Dale Strong (Alabama)

    WASHINGTON – Congressman Dale W. Strong released the following statement regarding the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama’s decision to grant injunctive relief and prevent Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen from removing illegal aliens from the state’s voter rolls: 

    “Any non-citizen found voting in a federal election should be prioritized for deportation. I am appalled that the Department of Justice is litigating against states who are working to prevent non-citizens from voting. What we saw today is a continuation of the Biden-Harris Administration’s four-year campaign against the enforcement of our laws. 

    In Congress, Democrats blocked the SAVE Act, which would require proof of citizenship when registering to vote. 

    As Border Czar, Kamala Harris oversaw the worst border crisis in our nation’s history, and now her Administration is blocking states from maintaining accurate voter rolls.  

    The American people are tired of the double talk. The SAVE Act is lying in the Senate awaiting a vote. If the Democrats really believe in securing this election, Chuck Schumer must bring it to a vote immediately and end this madness.”  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Polis Issues Executive Order to Memorialize Verbal Disaster Declaration that Provided Resources for Recent Pearl Fire

    Source: US State of Colorado

    DENVER – Today, Governor Polis issued an Executive Order to memorialize the September 16  verbal declaration of disaster emergency to provide support and resources in response to the Pearl Fire in Larimer County. The Executive Order also memorializes the Governor’s verbal authorization to employ unarmed Colorado National Guard members, if needed, to coordinate fire suppression response, consequence management, mitigation, and recovery efforts. As of September 30, 2024, the fire was 95% contained and burned 128 acres. No structures were destroyed during the fire.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Great Oregon Camp-In Activities

    Source: US State of Oregon

    he Great Oregon Camp-In offers Oregonians a chance to dedicate a few hours or a couple of days working on their emergency plan. It is a time to practice day-to-day activities as if a large disaster has occurred. Whether you’re just starting your preparedness journey, or you’ve been doing this awhile, the Great Oregon Camp-In is for everyone.

    Emergency planning starts with a simple conversation. Make sure everyone in your household knows basic, essential details:
    Where to meet:     Choose a meeting spot for your family. Take a walk together from your kids’ school and from your house to the meeting location, so that everyone is familiar with the route.
    Primary contact:     Identify a point of contact. This should be a person out of town (if possible) who will be less likely to be affected by a large disaster and can act as an information hub for your household. This person should know their role, and everyone in the family should have that person’s contact information memorized.
    Alert subscriptions:     All adults should be subscribed to http://www.oralert.gov and have Wireless Emergency Alerts activated on their cell phones.

    Following these three steps can set you on the path to success after a disaster. If you’re ready to take your preparation a few steps further, check out the activities below that can help you and your community be better prepared to respond in emergencies. We also have an article on Making Preparedness Fun offering kid-friendly tips, and the Red Cross has an entire website Prepare with Pedro that will help you make the Camp-In fun.

    Here are some additional activities you can do during the Camp-In:
    Download the Be 2 Weeks Ready toolkit and complete Unit 2, Activity 6: Build Your Emergency Plan on page 45.
    Talk to your neighbors about your different plans, and how you can work together during a disaster.
    Identify and walk to an emergency meeting place away from your home.
    Prepare a go-bag for everyone in your family, (including your pets) – include an extra pair of shoes and clothes you won’t miss and customize them with comfort items.
    Store copies of legal identifications, medical insurance cards, prescription RXs, immunization records, mortgage paperwork, homeowner/renter’s insurance, emergency contacts, birth certificates, marriage certificates, and any other legal papers like wills or power of attorney—in a waterproof container in your go-bag.
    Create an inventory of your belongings for insurance purposes using Unit 2, Activity 7: Catalog and Insure Belongings on page 55 in the Be 2 Weeks Ready toolkit.
    Identify an out-of-area contact, make sure everyone has their number memorized, and call them to let them know they are part of your emergency plan.
    Practice how you will evacuate your home and make any necessary changes.
    Sign up for emergency alerts at Follow Oregon Emergency Management on social media:
    Facebook: Oregon Department of Emergency Management
    X: OregonOEM
    Instagram: @oregonoem
    Threads: @oregonoem
    Follow Take inventory of your emergency supplies and identify any gaps.
    Set up a “campsite” inside your home, with blankets, pillows, and other supplies.
    Cook meals using a camping stove or grill or prepare no-cook meals.
    Practice using your emergency radio and add extra batteries to your kit.
    Learn how to shut off utilities in your home (please, do not turn off your gas unless absolutely necessary).
    Play games, read books, or do other activities that don’t require electricity.

    A prepared household is a resilient one, and every effort you make strengthens your ability to respond to whatever challenge the future may bring. As you participate in the Great Oregon Camp-In, share your activities on social media using the hashtag #GreatOregonCampIn2024.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Ruiz Celebrate Groundbreaking of Salton Sea Species Conservation Habitat Project Expansion

    US Senate News:

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

    Padilla, Ruiz Celebrate Groundbreaking of Salton Sea Species Conservation Habitat Project Expansion

    WATCH: Padilla highlights Inflation Reduction Act funding for Salton Sea habitat conservationSALTON SEA, CA — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife, and Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D. (D-Calif.-25) joined federal and state leaders to announce the expansion of a restoration project at the south end of the Salton Sea through the Salton Sea Management Program (SSMP). The event celebrated the groundbreaking of the expansion of the Species Conservation Habitat (SCH) Project after the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation awarded California $70 million from the Inflation Reduction Act for the project last December.
    The investment is a portion of the $250 million that Padilla, Ruiz, the late Senator Dianne Feinstein, and Representative Juan Vargas (D-Calif.-52) secured for the SSMP from funds included in the Inflation Reduction Act for drought resiliency. The federal funding commitments were made in the 2022 Commitment to Support Salton Sea Management Related to Water Conservation in the Lower Colorado River Basin Agreement.
    The expansion of the SCH Project represents a multiagency collaboration to address the ecological challenges facing the Salton Sea. The commitments made by the federal and state governments, as well as from regional agencies, will add 750 acres to the project’s footprint. This unprecedented support helps set the current project footprint at nearly 5,000 acres with the potential to expand to around 8,000 acres.
    “As the Salton Sea lakebed recedes, toxic dust is contaminating air quality and threatening the stability of the local ecosystem,” said Senator Padilla. “The $250 million in Inflation Reduction Act funding we secured for the Salton Sea Management Program is essential not only to protect public health in surrounding communities, but to restore the habitat of the abundant aquatic and avian wildlife in the region. Today’s exciting groundbreaking of the Species Conservation Habitat Project expansion will expand critical wetland habitat and improve air quality around the hazardous exposed lakebed.”
    “For years, my constituents have shared their concerns about the harmful impacts of the Salton Sea. As a physician in Congress, I have been committed to addressing this ongoing public health and environmental crisis,” said Congressman Ruiz, M.D. “Thanks to our partnership with the Biden-Harris administration and the $4 billion secured through the Inflation Reduction Act to stabilize the Colorado River Basin, we are bringing vital resources to our communities that will protect the health, environment, and economy of our region.”
    “Our largest project at the Salton Sea to suppress dust and restore habitat is getting bigger,” said Wade Crowfoot, Secretary for the California Natural Resources Agency. “The Biden-Harris Administration and our Congressional delegation delivered major funding to get this done, and it’s another step forward at the Sea. I’m proud of our partnerships and progress, while we all know much more work lies ahead.”
    “It was less than two years ago that we signed a memorandum of understanding for the Salton Sea, and here we are today breaking ground on phase two of the Species Conservation Habitat Project, on the heels of signing the largest water conservation agreement with the Imperial Irrigation District,” said Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton. “We’re grateful to our partners in the State of California, the Imperial Irrigation District Board, and farmers and growers in the Imperial and Coachella Valley for leading the way for the Sea and the Colorado River Basin.” 
    “California’s commitment to protecting the Colorado River by conserving 1.6 million acre-feet under the Lower Basin Plan would not have been possible without the leadership of the Biden-Harris administration and Commissioner Touton,” said JB Hamby, Chairman for the Colorado River Board of California. “Their historic $250 million investment in California’s Species Conservation Habitat — the largest ever for Salton Sea restoration — marks a turning point. Together, these efforts protect both the Colorado River and the Salton Sea.”
    Located at the south end of the Salton Sea, near the community of Westmorland, the project aims to restore ecological value at the Salton Sea and help protect regional air quality by
    Creating a network of ponds and wetlands;
    Providing a habitat for fish and birds that visit the Salton Sea; and
    Suppressing dust within the project area.
    In August, the Bureau of Reclamation and the Imperial Irrigation District agreed to conserve nearly 230 billion gallons of water by 2026, facilitate land access for project implementation, and provide an additional $175 million in federal funding to accelerate California’s Salton Sea restoration efforts.
    Comprised of the California Natural Resources Agency, the California Department of Water Resources, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the SSMP is implementing a 10-year plan to improve the conditions around the Salton Sea by constructing 29,800 acres of habitat and dust suppression projects while establishing a long-term pathway for the Salton Sea’s success.
    Senator Padilla worked to include $4 billion for drought resiliency and inland waterways, including for projects to address historic drought impacting the Colorado River Basin and Salton Sea, in the Inflation Reduction Act. The $250 million in federal funding Padilla secured for the SSMP allows the Department of the Interior to contribute to vital restoration projects at the Salton Sea, including to expedite existing projects that the State of California and California water users are contributing to, like the SCH Project. Last Congress, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee advanced Padilla and Senator Feinstein’s Salton Sea Projects Improvements Act to give the Interior Department additional authorities to invest in Salton Sea ecological improvement projects and address the public health and environmental crises at the Salton Sea. Padilla also applauded the Department of the Interior last year for awarding approximately $367 million to California partners to protect the Colorado River Basin, including to restore the Salton Sea.
    Additional photos from the event are available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley Demands VP Harris Own Up for Failures as Border Czar

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) wrote Vice President Kamala Harris asking questions about the policy decisions she has made in her role overseeing border issues for the Biden administration, as well as the dangerous consequences and crimes that have ensued as a result.

    “Every community is a border community because the Biden-Harris administration has refused to enforce our immigration laws,” Grassley today said of his letter. “The federal government’s number one job is to keep its citizens safe. By reversing the effective border security policies of the Trump administration, the Biden-Harris administration has done the very opposite of protecting American citizens.”

    Grassley on a radio call this morning cited the following actions, among others, the Biden-Harris administration has taken that have weakened U.S. national security and made innocent Americans targets of otherwise preventable crimes: 

    • Ordering the Defense Department to stop building the southern border wall;
    • Blocking $2 billion previously allocated for barrier construction; and
    • Ending the Trump-era “Remain in Mexico” program.

    Click HERE for audio of Grassley discussing his letter to Vice President Harris. The full letter is available HERE and below. 

    Vice President Kamala D. Harris

    The White House

    Office of the Vice President

    1600 Pennsylvania Avenue

    Washington, D.C. 20500

    Dear Vice President Harris:

    In one of your first official public appearances, you joined President Biden in the Oval Office when he opined on the Trump administration’s immigration and border policies. President Biden dismissed the previous administration’s policies as “counterproductive to our security,” “harmful,” and a “moral and national shame.” 

    Since your first day in office, you and President Biden have worked to dismantle the Trump-era border policies and halted further construction of the border wall. The presidential proclamation terminating construction read, in part: “It shall be the policy of my Administration that no more American taxpayer dollars be diverted to construct a border wall.” This initiated a so-called “careful review of all resources appropriated or redirected to construct a southern border wall.” By April 2021, the Department of Defense (DOD) announced the cancellation of border barrier projects. In June of the same year, the Biden-Harris administration returned $2 billion to the DOD previously allocated for the purpose of border wall construction. Your administration also initiated a review of the Remain in Mexico policy, which Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Mayorkas subsequently ended in June 2021.

    Meanwhile, every fiscal year throughout your engagements, crossings from Mexico and the

    Northern Triangle markedly exceeded any year of the Trump administration. Despite the stark increase from those nations and many others, deportations and returns overall have decreased as a share of crossings. 

    Now, you are engaging in a numbers racket, telling Americans modest decreases in encounters from soaring, record highs is somehow proof that what your administration has been doing all along is working. It is not. 

    President Biden’s executive order—more than three years after your administration’s reckless reversal of key policies—is an implicit admission that he and you bear ultimate responsibility for this crisis and this disastrous approach. As a result of these slow-walked changes, our national security has been undermined and the safety of our communities has been threatened all across the country. 

    Due to the Biden-Harris administration’s failure to achieve adequate border security, illegal immigrants, including those entering from Mexico and the Northern Triangle, have been able to perpetrate heinous acts against innocent American citizens. For example:

    • On May 14, 2024, an 18-year-old Honduran national, who purportedly entered the United States illegally in April 2022, pled guilty to sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl in Waterloo, Iowa.
    • On April 2, 2024, a Honduran national, who was previously convicted of sexual assaulting a woman in Connecticut and deported, was charged for failing to register as a sex offender. He was reportedly able to re-enter the United States undetected by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and subsequently was arrested twice before being charged.
    • On February 25, 2024, a 19-year-old Honduran national was arrested for the alleged rape and aggravated assault of a 14-year-old girl at knifepoint in Louisiana. He entered the United States illegally in October 2023.
    • On May 4, 2024, a Guatemalan national was arrested for allegedly kidnapping and sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl in a van in Palm Beach County, Florida. He reportedly entered the United States illegally in January 2024, was given an immigration hearing date in 2027, and was released by DHS.
    • On June 26, 2024, a Guatemalan national was charged with alleged sexually battery of a 14-year-old girl in Okaloosa County, Florida. He was deported on February 9, 2024, before this incident, but was able to re-enter the United States untraced days later.
    • On May 8, 2024, an El Salvadoran migrant was arrested for allegedly murdering a woman and the malicious assault of two homeless individuals with a baseball bat in West Virginia. He had an extensive criminal history and was in prison in El Salvador for over twenty years for “DUI [driving under the influence], sexual assault/murder, aggravated robbery, and narcotics related crimes.” Law enforcement believes he illegally entered the United States shortly after his release from prison.

    This is just a snapshot from this year alone of the sorts of preventable tragedies, which have become all too common across the United States.

    The Biden-Harris administration’s policies—pulling resources, reversing Remain in Mexico, and stopping wall construction—are largely to blame for our open and unsafe border over the last three-and-a-half years. Because of your actions and inactions, every state is now a border state and every community is a border community.

    Given your role as the leader of engagement with this region, which the media has colloquially dubbed as “Border Czar” or “Root Causes Czar,” I ask that you provide answers to the following immigration and border policy questions by October 24, 2024.

    1. Have you engaged with your international counterparts regarding violence perpetrated against innocent Americans by citizens of their countries? Have you raised this concern with any counterpart(s)? If so, what concerns were raised and when? What was their response?
    2. In light of the Biden-Harris administration’s ending of Remain in Mexico in 2021, what data can you provide suggesting migration from Mexico has been “stemmed” as you were tasked with accomplishing prior to 2024?
    3. In February 2024, the Biden-Harris administration endorsed a proposal that, among other provisions, included a requirement that a few hundred million dollars in unspent funds be used specifically for border wall construction. As noted above, the Biden-Harris administration previously returned $2 billion allocated for the purpose of building a border wall. Did the Biden-Harris administration ever consider reversing course regarding this funding? If not, why not? If so, why has no discernable action been taken to that end?
    4. The Biden-Harris administration has auctioned off some $300 million worth of unused border wall materials for mere pennies on the dollar. Why did the Biden-Harris administration endorse a proposal asking Congress to require them to use hundreds of millions of unspent dollars for border wall construction after deciding to sit on hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of unused supplies instead of building the wall?

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: EBC Financial Group Expands Asset Management Capabilities with Second Australian Financial Services Licence

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SYDNEY, Oct. 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In a significant move toward expanding its global asset management footprint, EBC Financial Group (EBC) has successfully obtained an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) for Asset Management from the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC). This acquisition strengthens EBC’s ability to provide sophisticated investment solutions to institutional investors, professional investors, and high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) worldwide. By securing the AFSL, EBC is not only deepening its presence in Australia but also enhancing its capacity to serve clients across global markets, aligning with its broader strategy to offer diversified and regulated asset management services on a global scale.

    The new licence, issued to EBC Asset Management Pty Ltd, strengthens the group’s existing offerings. It complements EBC’s existing AFSL for General Financial Advice, enhancing the group’s ability to deliver a comprehensive range of investment strategies across asset classes such as real estate, fixed income, equities, and alternative investments, including private equity and venture capital funds. This marks a key milestone in EBC’s continued effort to expand its global financial ecosystem.

    Global Strategy: Addressing an Evolving Investment Landscape
    As global economic uncertainties and market volatility increase, more HNWIs and institutional investors are seeking stable asset management solutions. EBC’s acquisition of the AFSL for Asset Management is a strategic response to these changing dynamics, enabling the company to offer flexible investment options and enhanced market access. By securing this licence, EBC is well-positioned to address the growing demand for reliable, diversified investment strategies, not just in Australia but across global markets, ensuring clients worldwide can benefit from EBC’s expertise in regulated and transparent environments like Australia’s.

    Previously, under the AFSL for General Financial Advice, EBC provided a wide range of financial products and services to both retail and wholesale clients. The new licence empowers EBC to offer specialised services exclusively for wholesale clients globally. These services include general financial product advice on managed investment plans (excluding investor-directed portfolio services) and securities. Additionally, EBC is now authorised to facilitate financial product transactions, including issuing, applying for, acquiring, varying, or disposing of interests in managed investment schemes and securities. This also extends to offering custodial services that provide enhanced protection and transparency for client assets.

    Kris Wang, Country Head of EBC Financial Group in Australia, stated, “The acquisition of this licence reflects our commitment to maintaining the highest regulatory standards while broadening our asset management capabilities. We are dedicated to delivering a diversified and robust investment portfolio designed to meet the varied requirements of high-net-worth individuals and institutional investors.”

    Strategic Expansion into Australia’s High-Net-Worth Market
    Australia is home to a substantial number of HNWIs, with approximately 400,000 individuals whose assets exceed USD 1 million. By obtaining the AFSL for Asset Management, EBC is positioned to capitalise on this market, offering investment strategies that cater specifically to the wealth management needs of Australia’s growing high-net-worth population, including family office solutions and international investment products. EBC’s global experience will also help clients navigate regulatory complexities and optimise cross-border investments.

    “We see immense potential in Australia’s growing high-net-worth segment,” added Wang. “Our goal is to leverage our global expertise to help investors optimise their portfolios through diversified and innovative investment strategies. We also plan to expand our services to include family office management and other global investment products in the near future.”

    Custody and Family Office Services: Core to Future Growth
    Custody services, which are a core component of EBC’s long-term strategy, are a vital addition to EBC’s Australian service offerings. Through custodial services, EBC ensures the segregation of client funds, enhancing asset transparency and compliance. EBC’s planned family office services will offer bespoke wealth management support to HNWIs and institutional clients, addressing complex cross-asset and cross-border wealth management needs, including tax optimisation and wealth inheritance, further strengthening EBC’s ability to serve clients worldwide.

    With the new asset management licence, EBC Financial Group continues to solidify its global presence, offering premium financial services to wholesale clients in both developed and emerging markets. This strategic move aligns with EBC’s broader mission of delivering sophisticated investment solutions that meet the evolving demands of investors worldwide.

    About EBC Financial Group
    Founded in the esteemed financial district of London, EBC Financial Group (EBC) is renowned for its comprehensive suite of services that includes financial brokerage, asset management, and comprehensive investment solutions. EBC has quickly established its position as a global brokerage firm, with an extensive presence in key financial hubs such as London, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Singapore, Sydney, the Cayman Islands, and across emerging markets in Latin America, Southeast Asia, Africa, and India. EBC caters to a diverse clientele of retail, professional, and institutional investors worldwide.

    Recognised by multiple awards, EBC prides itself on adhering to the leading levels of ethical standards and international regulation. EBC Financial Group’s subsidiaries are regulated and licensed in their local jurisdictions. EBC Financial Group (UK) Limited is regulated by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), EBC Financial Group (Cayman) Limited is regulated by the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority (CIMA), EBC Financial Group (Australia) Pty Ltd, and EBC Asset Management Pty Ltd are regulated by Australia’s Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).

    At the core of EBC Group are seasoned professionals with over 30 years of profound experience in major financial institutions, having adeptly navigated through significant economic cycles from the Plaza Accord to the 2015 Swiss franc crisis. EBC champions a culture where integrity, respect, and client asset security are paramount, ensuring that every investor engagement is treated with the utmost seriousness it deserves.

    EBC is the Official Foreign Exchange Partner of FC Barcelona, offering specialised services in regions such as Asia, LATAM, the Middle East, Africa, and Oceania. EBC is also a partner of United to Beat Malaria, a campaign of the United Nations Foundation, aiming to improve global health outcomes. Starting February 2024, EBC supports the ‘What Economists Really Do’ public engagement series by Oxford University’s Department of Economics, demystifying economics, and its application to major societal challenges to enhance public understanding and dialogue.

    https://www.ebc.com/

    Media Contact:
    Susindhraseghar Chandrasekar
    Global Public Relations (APAC, LATAM)
    susindhra.c@ebc.com

    Chyna Elvina
    Global Public Relations Manager (APAC, LATAM)
    chyna.elvina@ebc.com

    Douglas Chew
    Global Public Relations Lead
    douglas.chew@ebc.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2ef43b93-2ecf-4d4c-a6ca-8c91ff2aa721

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Joint doorstop interview, Brisbane

    Source: Australian Treasurer

    JIM CHALMERS:

    Welcome to the most important electorate in Australia, the People’s Republic of Rankin. Welcome to the PM, Clare, Meaghan, this is our home patch. Cameron Dick and I and Shannon Fentiman, we’re really proud to represent this part of South East Queensland. We’ve got really 2 fantastic announcements to be making today.

    The first one which Clare will elaborate on is that we are announcing more money for this part of the world for more housing. More housing for Meadowbrook, more housing for South East Queensland, more housing for middle Australia, and most importantly, more housing for essential workers and social housing tenants near where the jobs and essential services are being provided. The wonderful thing about this part of South East Queensland – we’ve got a university there, a hospital and a TAFE there, a retail centre there, 2 motorways, a train station – and this is all about making sure that we build more homes for Australians where the jobs and essential services are. And so it’s a really important day to be making this announcement. This kind of funding is at risk with the worst combination of David Crisafulli and Peter Dutton and we make that clear as well today.

    More homes for our local community. Our highest priorities are housing and the cost of living and the Albanese Labor government, the Miles Labor government, we work together really closely to do whatever we can to build more homes and to ease the cost of living for more people. And a really important part of what we’re announcing today are our efforts to crack down on excessive charges when it comes to using credit cards and debit cards and tapping your phone. Too many Australians are paying too much when they tap their phone or use their credit cards. Too many Australians are paying too much when it comes to excessive fees on debit cards, in particular. We are cracking down on excessive fees for debit cards and we are funding the ACCC to do their important work in this regard as well. We are prepared to ban surcharges on debit cards subject to the important work that the RBA is doing, and also making sure that there aren’t unintended consequences for small businesses and for consumers. This is all about a better deal for consumers and small businesses. People are paying surcharges which are too high just to use their own money, and we want to see what we can do to crack down on that. We are prepared to ban the surcharges on debit cards subject to making sure that consumers and small businesses are the beneficiaries of any change. This is a really complex system. There are a number of fees at play in this system. It’s why the RBA’s work is so important, and it’s why it’s so important that this Albanese Labor government is taking action to crack down on excessive fees. While this work is being undertaken, we will provide $2.1 million to the ACCC for their education and monitoring and to make sure that businesses are doing the right thing when it comes to the charging of these fees and surcharges. We are making it really clear today. This Albanese Labor government is about easing the cost of living and building more homes. Whether it’s excessive surcharges using debit cards, whether it’s building more homes in communities, just like the Miles government, we are focused on the main game for middle Australia and that’s why we’re here today. I’ll throw you over to the Deputy Premier and Treasurer of Queensland, Cameron Dick.

    CAMERON DICK:

    Well, thanks, Jim. It is terrific to have the Prime Minister, Jim, Clare and Meaghan in Logan here today to announce more homes for Queenslanders. And this is what happens when you have a State Labor government and a Federal Labor government working together to deliver for the people of Queensland. This isn’t something you get from the Greens and it is certainly something you would never get from the LNP. It’s also great to have 2 Queensland based institutions, the Australian Retirement Fund and the Brisbane Housing Company, collaborating together to deliver on this project. We’ve already got homes through that collaboration coming out of the ground in Redcliffe, Chermside and Southport and now we will see more homes right here in Logan for hardworking Queenslanders. And so we very much welcome this announcement today and we thank the Prime Minister and his federal team for supporting Queensland.

    I just wanted to say something briefly before I hand over to the Prime Minister on David Crisafulli and the LNP’s election commitments, their costings and of course, their plan for cuts. Yesterday, David Crisafulli said he wouldn’t borrow for the operational costs of government. That would mean David would have to cut $3 billion as soon as he took office in October. It means David Crisafulli would have to cut $10 million a day, each and every day until the 30th of June next year to deliver on his promise. That means there are 17,000 Queenslanders whose jobs are now on the line under David Crisafulli and the LNP. And that is before he even finds one cent to pay for the $18 billion in election commitments that are unfunded and that he has already announced in this campaign. David Crisafulli won’t even tell Queenslanders the total of the election commitments he’s made in this campaign so far. That’s because he would have to tell Queenslanders what he would have to cut to deliver on those promises.

    I’ll hand over to the Prime Minister and thank him again for coming to Queensland and making this important announcement for the people of our state.

    ANTHONY ALBANESE:

    Well, thanks very much, Treasurer. And it’s great to be here with 2 treasurers and 2 housing ministers and I think 3 local members here in Logan. It’s fantastic to be, particularly to be in my friend, the Treasurer’s electorate of Rankin, and to show what happens when good Labor governments work together. This is about 1,100 new homes for Queenslanders – 1,100 new homes that will be built, including right here on this site, but throughout South East Queensland as well. It comes on top of, just a couple of weeks ago, the announcement we made in Cairns with about 500 new affordable and social homes being built there. This is about increasing housing supply, which is what our commitment is to do.

    It’s also about easing the cost of living and the measures that the Treasurer spoke about before in outlawing debit card surcharges, having a real crack at making sure that people, when they use their own money, there shouldn’t be surcharges on them using their money. And that’s why we are providing additional funds – $2.1 million for the ACCC – but also the Reserve Bank doing their inquiry to make sure that the details of this are got right, that small businesses looked after on the way through. This is my government’s priority, looking after the cost of living whilst also delivering on housing supply in partnership with state and territory governments. And it stands in stark contrast to our opponents. Be it David Crisafulli, who doesn’t seem to have too many policies I’ve got to say, at the Queensland election, and certainly no costed ones, and the Federal Opposition that today Michael Sukkar was out there once again just being opposed to our investment in new housing. They said they’ll get rid of the Housing Australia Future Fund. They’ve said they’re against the targets that we’ve set in partnership with state and territory governments, with those financial incentives for better planning for state and territory governments to make sure that we increase the supply. This project here as well is about our support for infrastructure in order so that homes can be built. It’s one of the missing pieces in the puzzle of housing supply that we are addressing. Making sure that energy, sewerage, water can all be connected so that new homes can be built. Something that we are providing that was never provided under the former government that didn’t for a while even bother to have a Housing Minister. I’ll turn to Clare and then we’re happy to take questions.

    CLARE O’NEIL:

    Thank you, PM and Treasurer, can I thank you for welcoming us to your beautiful electorate. We all know a bit about Jim Chalmers and one way to get the guy talking is to ask him about his community here in Rankin and you won’t hear the end of it. He is a huge advocate for this local area, he’s very proud of where he comes from, and it’s fantastic to be here. This is a really big and important announcement for South East Queensland where the Albanese government and the Miles Labor government here are announcing 1,100 new homes for Queenslanders. Five hundred will be constructed on this site here in Meadowbrook and 600 others will be scattered around some of the nearby suburbs. This is a reflection of what gets done when state and federal governments identify something that matters hugely to our constituents and that’s housing, and then works together to make a difference to that problem. We are, without question, one of the boldest and most ambitious Commonwealth governments on housing that we have seen for a generation in this country. We came from a standing start. The Prime Minister here mentioned that for most of the time the Coalition were in power, they didn’t even have a Housing Minister. Didn’t even have a Housing Minister. That’s how tapped out they were on this critical problem. Well, we have changed all that. Our country, led as it is by a Prime Minister whose access to housing in his childhood totally transformed the rest of his life. So, what are we doing? We’re building more homes. An ambitious target to build 1.2 million homes around the country over the coming 5 years. We’re helping renters through the work we’re doing with National Cabinet and lifts to the Commonwealth Rent Assistance payment. And we’re making sure that more Australians can own their own homes. We’ve helped 120,000 citizens get into home ownership in the time we’ve been in government. And we would be able to do more if other parties in the Parliament would come together and work with us. Now, we’ve got boldness and we’ve got ambition. But what do I see when I look at other parties in the Parliament? Well, I see the Greens who say some of the right things about housing. But when it comes time to make real progress for real people, instead of helping childcare workers and aged care workers get into housing, they instead try to play politics and stand in their path. And then I see the Liberals who have not a shred of credibility when it comes to housing. We heard this morning the Shadow Housing Minister, Michael Sukkar, make extraordinary admissions in a radio interview where, firstly, he said that the government is being too ambitious about housing. He says that if the Liberals are elected federally, they will scrap having a housing target altogether. Well, it’s that kind of low ambition that got us to where we are right now. And that is in a housing crisis where this is affecting the lives of millions of people in our country and the Liberals want us to lower our ambitions. The second thing he told us is that they want to make more cuts to states and territories in the funding that we’re giving them to make housing possible. Well, this is where we are right here. 1,100 new homes that’s made through that partnership that we’ve worked through with National Cabinet and we know with the Liberals we’ll get what we always get. That is cuts, cuts, cuts that hurt real people.

    ALBANESE:

    Happy to take questions.

    JOURNALIST:

    PM, on the banking surcharge, it’s been welcomed by some, but others are saying that a few cents here and there might not save people that much in a cost living crisis. I guess, how do you expect it to assist people if they’re only saving small amounts on these surcharges?

    ALBANESE:

    We think it’ll make a difference. And when people go and they see a price up on the board at the business where they’re making a purchase – that should be the purchase price. There shouldn’t be hidden charges and surcharges there when people are using their own money. Bear this in mind – a debit card is taking money directly from people’s accounts. It is their money and there shouldn’t be surcharges on it.

    JOURNALIST:

    Prime Minister, this is a housing announcement, do you think it’s a good look to be buying a $4.2 million home during a cost‑of‑living crisis?

    ALBANESE:

    Well, Jodie and I are getting married, as is known, and I’m pleased about that. And Jodie’s a Coastie. She’s a proud Coastie. She’s as proud of being a Coastie as Jim is here, of being a Logan lifelong resident. There are 3 generations of Haydons on the coast there. And when your relationship changes, your life changes and you make decisions. But what I’m focused on is making sure that everyone can get a roof over their head. I’m focused on increased public housing and social housing investment. That’s why we have our Housing Australia Future Fund. We’re focused on increased rentals, which is why we have our Build to Rent scheme. And we’re focused, in addition to that, in getting more housing supply, such as the 1,100 homes for Queenslanders that we’re announcing right here.

    JOURNALIST:

    PM, buying a $4 million dollar home is very different to buying a modest family home or living on a block like this. Do you think it’s a good look?

    ALBANESE:

    I have – of course, I am much better off as Prime Minister. I earn a good income. I understand that. I understand that I’ve been fortunate, but I also know what it’s like to struggle. My mum lived in the one public housing that she was born in for all of her 65 years. And I know what it’s like, which is why I want to help all Australians into a home, whether it be public homes or private rentals or home ownership.

    JOURNALIST:

    PM, it’s been reported that Australia is seeking an assurance from PNG it won’t sign new security agreements with China in return for the $600 million assistance package for its NRL bid. Can you confirm if there is a security element in this agreement and what exactly it says?

    ALBANESE:

    This is a relationship between friends and what we don’t do is have our security arrangements out there in public. What we do is to work with our friends and partners. Papua New Guinea has made it very clear that Australia is their security partner of choice.

    JOURNALIST:

    PM, do you plan to retire at that house on the New South Wales Central Coast?

    ALBANESE:

    Sorry?

    JOURNALIST:

    Are you planning to retire there?

    ALBANESE:

    I’m planning to be in my current job for a very long period of time.

    JOURNALIST:

    Are you going to rent it out in the meantime?

    ALBANESE:

    I’m planning to be in my current – I haven’t bought it yet. To be clear, it hasn’t settled yet, these arrangements, I’m very transparent. I declare everything. I’ve declared, some time ago, if you followed the story that I was selling a house in the Inner West that will make a contribution towards this.

    JOURNALIST:

    There’s been a lot of commentary around the hope from Federal Labor that some of the frustration may be taken out on October 26 and then maybe go easy at the federal election. What do you make of this and are you concerned about support for Labor in Queensland?

    ALBANESE:

    I want people to vote Labor in Queensland and to return Steven Miles as the Premier and this bloke here as the Deputy Premier, because I want a government that actually cares about Queenslanders. It’s a government that’s committed to increasing housing supply, that’s committed to dealing with cost‑of‑living pressures, including the 50 cent fares. I had the privilege of going on Gold Coast Light Rail yesterday. It’s committed to the free school lunches to make sure that people are looked after. This is a government that is getting things done and is worthy of re‑election and I’m very pleased to campaign with them.

    JOURNALIST:

    PM, Canada has expelled 6 Indian diplomats, accusing them of being part of a criminal network targeting the Sikh diaspora. Have you spoken, or do you plan to speak with Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau about this?

    ALBANESE:

    I speak with the Prime Minister of Canada all the time.

    JOURNALIST:

    Does Australia –

    ALBANESE:

    I speak with the Prime Minister of Canada all the time. And what I do in my relationships with international leaders is I have proper discussions with them and that’s how we get things done. And that’s why – one of the reasons why my government has been so effective in international diplomacy.

    JOURNALIST:

    On the Bruce Highway, why won’t you match Peter Dutton’s commitment for an 80/20 split.

    ALBANESE:

    He hasn’t done anything. His commitment? He was part of a government that didn’t fund things, that was good at media releases. I’ll give you the big clue. You can’t drive on a media release. What you can drive on is a road. And to build a road, you need money. So, Rockhampton Ring Road, for example, was $700 million short in terms of its funding. The former government made announcements with $0 attached to it, from time to time. When we came into government last time, we put record funding into the Bruce Highway. $1.3 billion under the Howard government, $7.6 billion under us, and we have $10 billion in our plan for the Bruce Highway, including additional money that we put in in the last Budget.

    JOURNALIST:

    So, those accusations are credible that we were talking about just before?

    ALBANESE:

    I’ve answered your question.

    JOURNALIST:

    Queensland has – you took a 50 cent fare yesterday. Obviously it’s a fair bit more expensive in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, to take a light rail, in Canberra. Should it not be? I mean, it’s increased our patronage in Queensland and would not do the same thing elsewhere?

    ALBANESE:

    Well, it’s a matter for state and territory governments. But I say this, that the Queensland government – and Cameron or Meaghan might want to comment on this as well – it’s been a huge success. Increasing patronage gets cars off the road, saves people money and also it’s good for people’s health. It’s good for a range of reasons to increase public transport patronage and from a Commonwealth government perspective, I make this point, when it comes to infrastructure. Gold Coast Light Rail, $365 million in the 2009 budget from the government when I was the Infrastructure Minister and now stage 3 underway, will be completed next year. It was opposed by the LNP – state and federal. You had federal LNP members like Steve Ciobo collecting petitions against Gold Coast Light Rail. Cross River Rail, major project to increase the whole capacity of the network was funded $715 million from the Commonwealth with an availability payment going forward each year in partnership with what was the Queensland LNP government then, originally started under the Labor government. Tony Abbott got elected, the whole thing crashed, and then they came up with this ridiculous plan that didn’t go anywhere. Cross River Rail would be open today if Labor governments had kept being elected. That’s why we believe in this. That’s why we’re funding Sunshine Coast Rail as well.

    JOURNALIST:

    Question for Mr Dick, please.

    ALBANESE:

    Sure.

    JOURNALIST:

    Credit rating agency S&P Global has warned Queensland’s AA+ credit rating is in danger of being downgraded due to your spending. How concerning is that?

    DICK:

    Well, S&P Global and Moody’s went through the Queensland Budget books top to bottom, left to right, up and down after our Budget, and they reaffirmed our AA+ credit rating. And when you look at our competitor states, our comparative states in New South Wales and Victoria, we are streets ahead of them when it comes to budget management and fiscal management in this state. Just a week ago, I announced the unaudited financial results for Queensland. Our net debt for last financial year has been halved from $12 billion to just under $6 billion. Our surplus went up from $600 million to $1.7 billion. And let’s put that in comparison to New South Wales and Victoria. So, our net debt at the end of last financial year was $5.7 billion. In New South Wales , it was $97 billion. In Victoria it was $136 billion. So, that means New South Wales debt is 16 times higher than Queensland and Victoria’s debt is 22 times higher. And so we are in a really strong position to make commitments and deliver on them because our commitments are fully funded. And the question for David Crisafulli and David Janetzki, who did 2 train wreck interviews today, the Shadow Treasurer who’s been in an LNP witness protection program, has not been seen with the Leader on the campaign trail for 2 weeks. And that is disrespectful to train wrecks because a train needs momentum and forward movement before it can run off the rails. We haven’t seen or heard from that bloke. And when he came out today, he didn’t say to Queenslanders – he couldn’t even tell Queenslanders what the total cost of their commitments would be, nor how they would pay for them. Now, their election commitments in this campaign are twice as high as ours. The LNP election commitments in this campaign now total $18 billion, twice as high as Labor. We’ve been upfront about how we’re paying for that. The only way that David Crisafulli can deliver on his promise of not borrowing for operational costs of government, by spending more, reducing taxation, lowering debt, delivering balanced budgets, not having a fiscal deficit, having a fiscal surplus. He has promised all of those things in this campaign. The only way he can deliver that is by cutting and that is what he is going to do. And that should put a shiver down the spine of every Queenslander, because the last LNP leader who offered to the community that he would look after the money of the people of Queensland, the last LNP leader who said that he would deliver a fiscal surplus was Campbell Newman. And 14,000 Queenslanders paid for that promise with their jobs. They built nothing for 3 years. So, they cut operating expenditure and they cut infrastructure expenditure. And the hide of David Crisafulli to say to Queenslanders that he respects money. The hide of David Crisafulli. David Crisafulli doesn’t respect public or private money. This is a man who was responsible for a training company that collapsed under $3 million of debt and owed the Australian Taxation Office $750,000. That’s not a man who respects money. That’s a man who disregards every single creditor of that company, including creditors that came from this community. And so we are fighting hard for the future of Queensland. Fully costed, fully funded plans, our promises will be delivered within the budget envelope and the funding envelope we’ve set aside. You cannot say the same for David Crisafulli.

    JOURNALIST:

    He wouldn’t have said what they’d said if they didn’t have concerns, though, surely?

    DICK:

    Well, let’s see what happens when I do – if I have that privilege – when I do the Budget update in December and when I do the Budget next year. Because there are 2 aspects to budgets, one’s expenditure and one’s revenue. And so you have to look at the budget position in total before we go to the ratings agencies and before they look at us. And so we’ll continue to deliver as we’ve delivered for every budget, except my first one, we’ve beaten our debt projections in every budget that I’ve delivered as Treasurer and we’ll continue to work hard to maintain that AA+ credit rating. We are the only state of the big 3 states that didn’t have a credit rating downgrade during or subsequent to COVID. That was because of our effective and appropriate financial and budgetary management and we’re going to continue on that path and people can trust us to deliver on our promises. The only thing you can trust David Crisafulli to do if he’s elected Premier is to cut. Anything else?

    JOURNALIST:

    Mr Janetzki was on radio this morning that he would release his costings once they make their final announcement. Is that the typical convention? Are you aware of that? And do you think it’s good enough considering voters already going to the polls?

    DICK:

    Look, this is all just a smokescreen for David Crisafulli to hide his plan for cuts. Our Party, Queensland Labor, has been the most transparent of any political party in any election in history. We put our costings live 2 weeks ago. We said upfront what we would do and how we would pay for it. And I released a budget economic and tax plan 2 weeks ago. Two years ago, David Crisafulli promised to release a tax and debt plan for Queensland. It is now 11 days until the election. David Crisafulli has been the Leader of the LNP now for more than 1,200 days and he still won’t be honest with the people of Queensland. And look, it’s just obvious the reason they won’t tell Queenslanders the total of their election commitments is because they would have to reveal to Queenslanders what they need to cut to deliver those election commitments. Which is why they’re hiding their costings, hiding their funding sources, because their single biggest funding source is to cut. And that’s why they’re not being honest with you.

    JOURNALIST:

    Amy McMahon from the Greens reckons you’re a hypocrite for recommending a preference for the Katter Australia Party in North Queensland. Are you not assisting an anti‑abortion party here by putting them above the Liberal Party?

    DICK:

    I don’t take political advice from the Queensland Greens Political Party. I never have and I never will. Anything else?

    JOURNALIST:

    What have you made of voter sentiment on the ground?

    CHALMERS:

    I don’t like being called the other Treasurer, but sure, you go ahead.

    JOURNALIST:

    What have you made of voter sentiment around the area? How closely will you be watching the result, particularly around this area?

    CHALMERS:

    Oh, look, Queenslanders right around our state desperately need a re‑elected Miles Labor government. You know, I was listening to Cameron and to the PM a moment ago. You know, Cameron is running one of the strongest budgets in the Commonwealth and that’s because we have a couple of things in common. You know, we are all about responsible economic management so that we can afford to provide cost‑of‑living relief for people who really need it, whether it’s in our community right around Queensland or indeed right around Australia. So, we have that in common and we want to work with the Miles Labor government after the election in a couple of weeks’ time. Now, as Cameron rightfully pointed out a moment ago, David Crisafulli and Peter Dutton have got something in common as well. Neither of them will come clean on their secret cuts. And those cuts that Peter Dutton and David Crisafulli won’t tell us about will make Queenslanders and Australians personally financially worse off. They’ll come after wages, they’ll come after housing, they’ll come after health. They will absolutely gut the joint. And we know this because Peter Dutton did that last time with Medicare when he was the Health Minister. And we know this because David Crisafulli is essentially Campbell Newman 2.0. And that was devastating for our local community. That has been a real low point for this part of the world seeing the way that Campbell Newman slashed and hacked at the essential services that local people desperately need. You asked a moment ago about our surcharging change and what it will mean for the cost of living. Now, that’s an important step that we are taking to help ease the cost of living, but it’s not the only step. Tax cuts for every taxpayer, Energy Bill Relief for every household, cheaper medicines, Rent Assistance, cheaper early childhood education, getting wages moving again. And here we have an enthusiastic and willing partner in the Miles Labor government. Cheaper fares for these communities in the outer suburbs are absolutely transformational. I’ve lost count of the amount of times that people have come up to me and said, ‘if you run into Cameron, or if you run into Steven, can you tell him how much we value those 50 cent fares?’ So, I’ll do that in front of all of our friends now, Cam. People appreciate the Energy Bill Relief that we’re working together with Steven and Cameron and Meaghan to provide. And so we desperately need a Miles Labor government re‑elected. We love working with these guys, not because we always have an identical view about every single issue, but because we’ve got a heart for local people. And that shows when it comes to housing, when it comes to health, and when it comes to cost of living.

    JOURNALIST:

    Sorry, just on the sentiment, you pick up anything on the ground around you?

    CHALMERS:

    Yeah, well, in our communities, people are desperately relying on the cost‑of‑living help that the Miles government and the Albanese government are providing. Now, we know that people are under pressure. You know, we know that people are doing it tough, but more than acknowledge that, we’re doing something about it. In all of the ways that I ran through a moment ago. And today, in addition, when it comes to surcharging on people’s debit cards, people shouldn’t be paying huge fees to use their own money. The Prime Minister has made that clear and we’ve made that clear today. So, in these local communities, we take no votes for granted. We don’t take any outcome for granted in this election. But I know I’ve seen what it’s like to have mostly state LNP members around here. I’ve seen what it’s like to have mostly Labor state members around here. We desperately need Labor members in this part of the world to look after the interests of the people and to work with Albo and I to make sure we’re rolling out that cost‑of‑living help.

    JOURNALIST:

    So, Queensland has – the Liberal National Party in Queensland has 21 of the federal seats in Queensland. Do you think that a plebiscite on nuclear power might change that?

    CHALMERS:

    Oh, we need to do better federally in Queensland. We’ve made that clear. You know, Anthony is an honorary Queenslander. You know, he spends a lot of time here in Queensland and I think Queenslanders understand because he is a practical, pragmatic leader and we are practical and pragmatic people in Queensland. And so, we need to do better, we’ve acknowledged that. Queensland is front and centre when it comes to our efforts as a Federal Labor government, including in the upcoming federal campaign. But first, we’ve got to re‑elect these guys because 2 Labor governments working together are better for local communities like this one.

    JOURNALIST:

    Queensland Labor has announced help for GP clinics that bulk bill. Isn’t that a tacit admission that Federal Labor hasn’t done enough to stop the gap, the Medicare gap, which has led to this?

    CHALMERS:

    No, I think it’s a tacit admission that both Labor governments are investing, in our case, billions and billions of dollars in strengthening Medicare. Now, there’s an Urgent Care Clinic down the road in Browns Plains which is making a major difference, taking the pressure off Logan Hospital, which is just next door. These are the investments that Labor governments make in local communities in getting out of pocket health costs down. And we welcome the contribution that the Miles Labor government comes to the table with when it comes to providing more money for health, so that we can get out of pocket costs down, so we can get the waiting times down, so that we can take pressure off local hospitals. But most importantly, make sure that we’re providing the healthcare that local families and pensioners need.

    JOURNALIST:

    When you were in Opposition, how many days before the election did you announce your costings?

    CHALMERS:

    Well, we did, unfortunately, we had a couple of goes at it when we were in Opposition and the timing of that varied. The difference was, you know, we didn’t have a big agenda for secret cuts like David Crisafulli does, and like Peter Dutton has. You know, Peter Dutton and Angus Taylor say that there’s $315 billion of spending in the Commonwealth Budget that they don’t support. That includes pension indexation, that includes Medicare funding, that includes funding for veterans, it includes funding for housing. And David Crisafulli and Peter Dutton are joined at the hip when it comes to their secret plans for cuts. I don’t think Queenslanders are asking too much when they say to David Crisafulli, ‘come clean in time for us to make an informed decision.’ And when they do, and if they do, they will understand that the Miles Labor government is providing cost‑of‑living relief, investing in housing and health, and David Crisafulli will cut all of those things as sure as night follows day.

    JOURNALIST:

    Why upgrade the travel advice to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories?

    ALBANESE:

    It’s a dangerous place at the moment. We know that that’s the case. So, what we do is we take advice from our security agencies and the government then implements that advice. We know that travelling into an area where there is conflict is a dangerous thing to do and it’s appropriate that the federal government make announcements in accordance with that advice from the security agencies. Can I just make one further point before we wrap up, which is that I was noticing – Clare probably noticed as well this morning – Michael Sukkar actually speak about the delay in implementing the Housing Australia Future Fund roll out and Help to Buy scheme that’s stuck in the Senate. Well, Labor are the builders, they’re the blockers. Between the LNP and the Greens, they blocked the Housing Australia Future Fund and now they’re still blocking the Help to Buy scheme. They could vote for it tomorrow or the next day that Parliament sits, but they don’t. So, they vote against it, block it and then complain that there’s a delay in its implementation. That says it all about how hopeless the Opposition are when it comes to policies that will actually deliver more housing supply. Thanks very much.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: AG Ferguson statement on defeating Meta’s attempt to dismiss his lawsuit accusing it of harming youth mental health

    Source: Washington State News

    SEATTLE — Attorney General Bob Ferguson issued the following statement today after a federal court rejected Meta’s attempt to dismiss his lawsuit accusing the company of knowingly harming youth mental health.

    “Meta can’t get off the hook that easily. This ruling brings us one step closer to accountability. Meta and its top executives disregarded their own research and publicly downplayed the risks Facebook and Instagram posed to its most vulnerable users. I am committed to protecting the mental health of Washington youth.”

    Ferguson is suing Meta in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, as part of a bipartisan coalition of 42 state attorneys general. The federal lawsuit, filed by 33 of those states, accuses Meta of putting profits before the well-being of millions of children and teens by intentionally targeting them with harmful features to get them hooked for life. Internal documents show the tech company knew the risks those features posed and not only ignored them, but publicly downplayed them in violation of the Consumer Protection Act. Read more about the lawsuit here.

    The judge’s order

    In the order, U.S. District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers denied most of Meta’s motions to dismiss the case. Judge Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Ferguson’s asserted violations of the Washington state Consumer Protection Act and federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act can proceed. The judge wrote: “Meta’s alleged yearslong public campaign of deception as to the risks of addiction and mental harms to minors from platform use fits readily within these states’ deceptive acts and practices framework. Meta’s design, development, and deployment of certain product features plausibly constitutes unfair or unconscionable practices under all at-issue federal and state standards.”

    The judge also denied Meta’s attempt to dismiss state claims that it failed to warn users of known risks of addiction. The judge kept in claims regarding Meta specifically using its programming to target younger users, which include:

    • appearance altering filters;
    • features that hindered time restrictions; and
    • and Instagram’s “multiple accounts” function.

    However, the judge dismissed other claims that Meta’s programming violated state and federal laws, including:

    • infinite scroll and autoplay;
    • how Meta designed and deployed audiovisual and vibration notifications and alerts;
    • the quantification and display of “likes;” and
    • how Meta algorithmically served content to young users.

    Case background

    Ferguson’s lawsuit accuses Meta’s top leaders of knowingly targeting youth — calling them a “valuable, but untapped” market — with harmful features designed to get them hooked for life to maximize profits. Meta simultaneously and publicly downplayed the associated risks for those users, including disregarding its own research. These tactics contradicted the company’s public-facing claims that it puts user safety first.

    The federal lawsuit also alleges that Meta knew young users, including those under 13, were active on the platforms and knowingly collected data from those users without parental consent.   

    The lawsuit claims these unfair and deceptive practices violate state consumer protection laws, including here in Washington, and the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. Meta designed features to provide prolonged and repeated dopamine, or “feel-good,” responses that discourage users from leaving Meta’s apps once they open them, tapping into their “fear of missing out,” and offering facial filters that mimic plastic surgery.

    Internal documents show that Meta knew about the wide variety of harms its features could cause young users. Not only did Meta disregard and fail to mitigate the risks, the company exploited them. According to internal documents included in the lawsuit:

    • Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg ignored internal documents on detailed consultation with “21 independent experts around the world” who found that filters with cosmetic surgery effects “can have severe impacts on both the individuals using the effects and those viewing the images.” Experts told Meta that children were particularly vulnerable as well as those with a history of eating disorders and mental illness. Instagram’s head of public policy wrote to Zuckerberg that outside experts were “nearly unanimous on the harm here.” Zuckerberg canceled a meeting to discuss these issues, then subsequently vetoed a proposal to ban the filters. He dismissed the concerns as “paternalistic.”
    • In response to the veto, then-vice president of product design wrote in an email to Zuckerberg: “I respect your call on this and I’ll support it, but want to just say for the record that I don’t think it’s the right call given the risks . . . I just hope that years from now we will look back and feel good about the decision we made here.”
    • Meta executives repeatedly ignored or declined requests to fund proposed well-being initiatives and strategies to reduce harmful features on Instagram and Facebook. For example, in April 2019, Meta’s then-vice president of research emailed Zuckerberg proposing well-being investments on the platforms, pointing out, “there is increasing scientific evidence (particularly in the US…) that the average net effect of [Facebook] on people’s well-being is slightly negative.” Meta’s leadership team declined to fund the initiative. Requests like these, which involved internal discussions between multiple top executives at both Instagram and Facebook over several years, were repeatedly denied.

    The coalition seeks to stop Meta from engaging in unlawful practices that deceive and harm youth, including fundamentally changing the user experience for all adolescent users.

    -30-

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

    Media Contact:

    Brionna Aho, Communications Director, (360) 753-2727; Brionna.aho@atg.wa.gov

    General contacts: Click here

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: What is a Coral Reef?

    Source: NASA

    Coral reefs cover only 1% of the ocean floor, but support an estimated 25% of all marine life in the ocean, earning them the moniker ‘rainforest of the sea.’ They also play a critical role for coastal communities; preventing coastal erosion, protecting coastlines from hurricane damage, and generating $36 billion in annual income worldwide.
    We asked Juan Torres-Pérez, a research scientist and coral reef expert at NASA Ames Research Center, about the science behind coral reefs, and the role they play in both marine ecosystems and human communities.

    Reef
    Reefs are ridge-like structures, either natural or artificial. “A reef by definition is a structure that provides some relief above the ocean floor,” Torres-Pérez said. “It could be something man-made: you can pile a bunch of car tires, and then they get colonized by different organisms. Or it could be natural: a small hill on top of the ocean floor in which the primary framework is a rock.”
    Corals
    Corals are animals from the phylum Cnidaria, typically found along tropical coastlines. They comprise hundreds to thousands of living organisms called polyps, each only a few millimeters in diameter. Each polyp has its own body and a mouth with stinging tentacles to capture food such as plankton and small fish. The polyps grow together until they form a colony, and it is this colony that we recognize as a coral. There are two types of coral: hard corals and soft corals. Hard corals, also known as stony corals or more formally as Scleractinians, secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton; it is this type of coral that form a coral reefs. Soft corals, also known as Alcyonacea, are fleshy and bendable, often resembling trees or fans.  

    The colorful appearance of corals comes from the microscopic algae that live inside coral cells, called zooxanthellae. These algae perform photosynthesis, bringing vital food and nutrients to the corals. “The majority of the products from photosynthesis, about 80 to 90%, pass on to the coral, and then the coral uses those for its own metabolism,” said Torres-Pérez. “This is why corals are usually found in shallow waters: because these organisms need the sunlight to photosynthesize.”
    Coral Reefs
    A coral reef is a term used to describe the collective structure of hard corals that help shape a coral reef ecosystem. “A coral reef is a reef whose main structure is made by living organisms, in this case corals,” said Torres-Pérez. “A coral reef will always be a reef, but not all reefs are coral reefs.” The largest coral reef in the world is Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, which is over 1,000 miles long and covers around 133,000 square miles.

    Healthy coral reefs play a crucial role in providing coastal protection, habitats for marine life, and even key ingredients for potential new medicines.
    “Coral reef ecosystems provide habitat for thousands of species, from unicellular organisms like bacteria or some phytoplankton communities, to large organisms like sharks, groupers or snappers, and reptiles like sea turtles,” Torres-Pérez said.
    Corals act as a protective barrier during big storm events such as typhoons or hurricanes and have proven to be 97% effective in preventing damage to the natural and built environment. As coral reefs have been damaged in recent decades, coastal flooding and erosion have increased, causing significant damage to coastal communities.
    Many communities depend on coral reefs as a resource to sustain their livelihoods. “These are critical ecosystems, not only in terms of the whole biodiversity of the planet but because they also provide sustenance for millions of people, especially in island nations,” Torres-Pérez said. Coral reefs also support fisheries (fish caught for commercial, recreational, or subsistence purposes), recreational activities, and educational purposes.
    Scientists have been exploring coral as a new ingredient source for some medicines. They have discovered that a chemical from coral can be extracted to create antibiotics that are effective against bacteria resistant to other types of antibiotics. These ingredients are replicated in a lab, eliminating the need to continuously harvest and harm corals.

    According to a 2020 report produced by the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN), 14% of the world’s coral reefs have been lost since 2009. In the wake of the 2023-2024 global coral bleaching event, that number is expected to increase.

    Coral bleaching is caused by increasing ocean temperatures. As water temperatures rise, it causes corals to expel their zooxanthellae, leaving behind a bone-white shell and depriving the coral of its main food source. “Eventually what happens is that the coral is too weak to compete with other organisms, like filamentous algae, that can overgrow the coral and eventually kill the whole colony,” said Torres-Pérez.
    Other threats to coral reefs come from human activity, such as pollution or physical damage. “Increases in sedimentation from poor land management get deposited into the reefs,” said Torres-Pérez, citing urban stormwater runoff and deforestation as two examples of sedimentation. Coral sedimentation is the deposition and accumulation of sediments, like fine sands or mud, on a reef. This clouds the waters, blocking critical sunlight and reducing the ability of zooxanthellae to photosynthesize.
    Another human-caused threat to corals is eutrophication, the unnatural increase of nutrients in the water. “Eutrophication provides grounds for the development of filamentous algae, which grows much faster than corals,” said Torres-Pérez. Some of these excess nutrients in the water come from sewage released into coastal waters or runoff of agricultural fertilizers into the ocean. The algae feed off the excess nutrients and grow into massive blooms, which suppress the growth of corals.

    Moreover, Torres-Pérez pointed out that human-caused physical damage to reefs can result from mechanical damage, such as ship anchors being thrown onto corals. Some fishing techniques, like deep water trawling (dragging fishing nets along the sea floor), can also damage reefs by pulling and tearing corals away from their bases. On a more individual scale, coral damage can also result from being stepped on by humans, or accumulated trash left behind by beach-goers.

    Many coral reefs in the world are still unclassified, unexplored, or yet to be discovered. NASA’s NeMO-Net hopes to change that. Torres-Pérez, who is a Co-Investigator for NeMO-Net, described how the citizen science project functions like an interactive mobile video game, allowing anyone to identify corals. “Users can characterize different components of a coral reef based on 2D [and 3D] images of a coral reef,” said Torres-Pérez. “which goes into a machine learning component.” The information from these classifications is fed into a scientific model and helps NASA both classify and assess the health of coral reefs around the world. To learn more about NeMO-Net and how to get involved, check out their website.
    In 2022, Torres-Pérez founded OCEANOS (Ocean Community Engagement and Awareness using NASA Earth Observations and Science for Hispanic/Latino Students), a program aimed at bringing oceanography and STEM opportunities to the next generation of Hispanic/Latino students in Puerto Rico. During the program, students build and test their own low-cost optical sensors, test data in a phytoplankton lab, replant coral reefs, and create storymap presentations of their work. “We want students to feel confident and capable to pursue STEM careers,” Torres-Pérez said, “and we want them to become agents of change in their community to share the importance of preserving the ocean.”

    Outside of NASA, Torres-Pérez is an active member of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF); an interagency body established in 1998 from Executive Order 13089: Coral Reef Protection that aims to preserve, protect, and restore coral reef ecosystems.

    To learn more about coral reefs and how they are monitored, Torres-Pérez recommends checking out resources from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which has a section on their website dedicated to corals. One notable coral reef resource from NOAA is their Coral Reef Watch website, which monitors sea surface temperatures on global and local scales. The website serves government and non-governmental agencies with their data products, which are used to monitor and predict climate impacts on coral reefs worldwide.
    Written by: Katera Lee, NASA Ames Research Center

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Socially distanced layout of the world’s oldest cities helped early civilization evade diseases

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By R. Alexander Bentley, Professor of Anthropology, University of Tennessee

    Excavations at Çatalhöyük show how closely people lived before the settlement collapsed. Mark Nesbitt/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

    In my research focused on early farmers of Europe, I have often wondered about a curious pattern through time: Farmers lived in large dense villages, then dispersed for centuries, then later formed cities again, only to abandon those as well. Why?

    Archaeologists often explain what we call urban collapse in terms of climate change, overpopulation, social pressures or some combination of these. Each likely has been true at different points in time.

    But scientists have added a new hypothesis to the mix: disease. Living closely with animals led to zoonotic diseases that came to also infect humans. Outbreaks could have led dense settlements to be abandoned, at least until later generations found a way to organize their settlement layout to be more resilient to disease. In a new study, my colleagues and I analyzed the intriguing layouts of later settlements to see how they might have interacted with disease transmission.

    Modern excavations at what was once Çatalhöyük, where inhabitants lived in mud-brick houses that weren’t separated by paths or streets.
    Murat Özsoy 1958/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

    Earliest cities: Dense with people and animals

    Çatalhöyük, in present-day Turkey, is the world’s oldest farming village, from over 9,000 years ago. Many thousands of people lived in mud-brick houses jammed so tightly together that residents entered via a ladder through a trapdoor on the roof. They even buried selected ancestors underneath the house floor. Despite plenty of space out there on the Anatolian Plateau, people packed in closely.

    Homes at Çatalhöyük were so tightly packed that people entered through the roof and even buried some ancestors beneath the floor.
    Illustration by Kathryn Killackey and The Çatalhöyük Research Project

    For centuries, people at Çatalhöyük herded sheep and cattle, cultivated barley and made cheese. Evocative paintings of bulls, dancing figures and a volcanic eruption suggest their folk traditions. They kept their well-organized houses tidy, sweeping floors and maintaining storage bins near the kitchen, located under the trapdoor to allow oven smoke to escape. Keeping clean meant they even replastered their interior house walls several times a year.

    These rich traditions ended by 6000 BCE, when Çatalhöyük was mysteriously abandoned. The population dispersed into smaller settlements out in the surrounding flood plain and beyond. Other large farming populations of the region had also dispersed, and nomadic livestock herding became more widespread. For those populations that persisted, the mud-brick houses were now separate, in contrast with the agglomerated houses of Çatalhöyük.

    Was disease a factor in the abandonment of dense settlements by 6000 BCE?

    At Çatalhöyük, archaeologists have found human bones intermingled with cattle bones in burials and refuse heaps. Crowding of people and animals likely bred zoonotic diseases at Çatalhöyük. Ancient DNA identifies tuberculosis from cattle in the region as far back as 8500 BCE and TB in human infant bones not long after. DNA in ancient human remains dates salmonella to as early as 4500 BCE. Assuming the contagiousness and virulence of Neolithic diseases increased through time, dense settlements such as Çatalhöyük may have reached a tipping point where the effects of disease outweighed the benefits of living closely together.

    A new layout 2,000 years later

    By about 4000 BCE, large urban populations had reappeared, at the mega-settlements of the ancient Trypillia culture, west of the Black Sea. Thousands of people lived at Trypillia mega-settlements such as Nebelivka and Maidanetske in what’s now Ukraine.

    If disease was a factor in dispersal millennia before, how were these mega-settlements possible?

    Geophysical plot of Nebelivka settlement shows its circular layout, divided into neighborhoods.
    Duncan Hale and Nebelivka Project, CC BY-NC

    This time, the layout was different than at jam-packed Çatalhöyük: The hundreds of wooden, two-story houses were regularly spaced in concentric ovals. They were also clustered in pie-shaped neighborhoods, each with its own large assembly house. The pottery excavated in the neighborhood assembly houses has many different compositions, suggesting these pots were brought there by different families coming together to share food.

    This layout suggests a theory. Whether the people of Nebelivka knew it or not, this lower-density, clustered layout could have helped prevent any disease outbreaks from consuming the entire settlement.

    Archaeologist Simon Carrignon and I set out to test this possibility by adapting computer models from a previous epidemiology project that modeled how social-distancing behaviors affect the spread of pandemics. To study how a Trypillian settlement layout would disrupt disease spread, we teamed up with cultural evolution scholar Mike O’Brien and with the archaeologists of Nebelivka: John Chapman, Bisserka Gaydarska and Brian Buchanan.

    Simulating socially distanced neighborhoods

    To simulate disease spread at Nebelivka, we had to make a few assumptions. First, we assumed that early diseases were spread through foods, such as milk or meat. Second, we assumed people visited other houses within their neighborhood more often than those outside of it.

    Would this neighborhood clustering be enough to suppress disease outbreaks? To test the effects of different possible rates of interaction, we ran millions of simulations, first on a network to represent clustered neighborhoods. We then ran the simulations again, this time on a virtual layout modeled after actual site plans, where houses in each neighborhood were given a higher chance of making contact with each other.

    Based on our simulations, we found that if people visited other neighborhoods infrequently – like a fifth to a tenth as often as visiting other houses within their own neighborhood – then the clustering layout of houses at Nebelivka would have significantly reduced outbreaks of early foodborne diseases. This is reasonable given that each neighborhood had its own assembly house. Overall, the results show how the Trypillian layout could help early farmers live together in low-density urban populations, at a time when zoonotic diseases were increasing.

    The residents of Nebilevka didn’t need to have consciously planned for their neighborhood layout to help their population survive. But they may well have, as human instinct is to avoid signs of contagious disease. Like at Çatalhöyük, residents kept their houses clean. And about two-thirds of the houses at Nebelivka were deliberately burned at different times. These intentional periodic burns may have been a pest extermination tactic.

    Re-creation of a Trypillian house-burning, with additional straw and wood necessary to burn hot enough to match archaeological evidence.
    Arheoinvest/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

    New cities and innovations

    Some of the early diseases eventually evolved to spread by means other than bad foods. Tuberculosis, for instance, became airborne at some point. When the bacterium that causes plague, Yersinia pestis, became adapted to fleas, it could be spread by rats, which would not care about neighborhood boundaries.

    Were new disease vectors too much for these ancient cities? The mega-settlements of Trypillia were abandoned by 3000 BCE. As at Çatalhöyük thousands of years before, people dispersed into smaller settlements. Some geneticists speculate that Trypillia settlements were abandoned due to the origins of plague in the region, about 5,000 years ago.

    The first cities in Mesopotamia developed around 3500 BCE, with others soon developing in Egypt, the Indus Valley and China. These cities of tens of thousands were filled with specialized craftspeople in distinct neighborhoods.

    This time around, people in the city centers weren’t living cheek by jowl with cattle or sheep. Cities were the centers of regional trade. Food was imported into the city and stored in large grain silos like the one at the Hittite capital of Hattusa, which could hold enough cereal grain to feed 20,000 people for a year. Sanitation was helped by public water works, such as canals in Uruk or water wells and a large public bath at the Indus city of Mohenjo Daro.

    These early cities, along with those in China, Africa and the Americas, were the foundations of civilization. Arguably, their form and function were shaped by millennia of diseases and human responses to them, all the way back to the world’s earliest farming villages.

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

    – ref. Socially distanced layout of the world’s oldest cities helped early civilization evade diseases – https://theconversation.com/socially-distanced-layout-of-the-worlds-oldest-cities-helped-early-civilization-evade-diseases-239586

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Thanks to Rosen-Backed Law, Nevada Seniors Can Now Sign Up for Plan to Make it Easier to Pay for Prescription Drug Costs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
    Senator Rosen Helped Pass Legislation To Cap Seniors’ Out-Of-Pocket Prescription Drug Costs And Allow Them To Pay In Monthly Installments
    LAS VEGAS, NV – Starting today, thanks to legislation that U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) helped pass, Nevada seniors can sign up for a Medicare plan to make it easier for them to pay for prescription drugs in monthly installments, beginning in January. The Rosen-backed Inflation Reduction Act will cap Medicare Part D beneficiaries’ total out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs at no more than $2,000 a year, and it will allow them to opt-in to the new Medicare Prescription Payment Plan to spread out any out-of-pocket costs over several months. For more information, visit: http://www.medicare.gov/prescription-payment-plan. 
    “I was proud to help pass historic legislation to give Medicare the power to negotiate lower prescription drug costs, cap out-of-pocket costs, and increase payment flexibility to lower the burden on our seniors,” said Senator Rosen. “Starting today, Medicare beneficiaries can sign up for the new Medicare Prescription Payment Plan to spread out payment of their out-of-pocket drug costs over several months. I’ll keep working in the Senate to lower costs for hardworking Nevadans.”
    Senator Rosen has been leading the fight to lower prescription drug costs. Last month, she joined her colleagues in filing an amicus brief supporting the federal law they helped pass to give Medicare the power to negotiate for lower prescription drug prices. Earlier this year, Senator Rosen introduced bipartisan legislation to lower out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for seniors. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, Senator Rosen helped lower prescription drug costs for seniors, lower health care premiums, and cap the insulin costs for those on Medicare Part D at $35/month per prescription.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Latta Presents Paulding County Veteran with Overdue Bronze Star

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green Ohio)

    Congressman Bob Latta (R-OH5) today presented Paulding County Veteran William Young with a Bronze Star for his meritorious service in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Young served as one of the members of the ‘B’ Company, 720th Military Police Battalion, Military Police Brigade.

    This Bronze Star awarded to Young is part of a larger effort by Latta’s office, spearheaded by a group of the members of the ‘B’ Company in their appeal to obtain the Combat Infantry Badge (CIB) to recognize their service during the Vietnam War. After Latta worked alongside the veterans, the Department of the Army concluded the men of ‘B’ Company performed actions essential to the success of the entire 720th MP Battalion during the Vietnam War, and they were recognized with Bronze Stars for their service. 

    Last year, Latta held a ceremony in the U.S. Capitol for 35 Vietnam Veterans to receive their Bronze Stars. To date, 74 Bronze Stars have been awarded to the men of ‘B’ Company. 

    “It was a true honor to present a Bronze Star to Mr. William Young, a Paulding County resident, who honorably served our great nation in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War,” Latta said. “Mr. Young was trained to be a Military Policeman (MP) but when he arrived in Vietnam, his unit became part of the Bushwhackers whose duties included heading into the jungle to interdict North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops. And since they were MPs, the Army would not issue them the Combat Infantry Badge. I was pleased to work with the veterans to make sure they received the recognition they deserve – the Bronze Star. We are forever grateful and indebted to our servicemembers for serving and sacrificing for our people and country.”

    Additional background on the Bronze Stars:

    Three years ago, Latta received a copy of a book written by Robert Bogison, entitled Up Close & Personal, that detailed the service and history of ‘B’ Company, 720th Military Police Battalion, 18th Military Police Brigade during the Vietnam War.

    The book came with a letter appealing for assistance with their effort to obtain the Combat Infantry Badge (CIB) to recognize their unique service during the Vietnam War. While they were classified as Military Police during their service, the Battalion unofficially performed infantry missions on the front lines.

    After contacting the U.S. Department of Defense and the Department of the Army to inquire as to the possibility of the group receiving the CIB recognition, officials within the Defense Department undertook an extensive search at multiple personnel records facilities to locate official documentation that could back up claims that the company performed infantry actions. The veterans group also provided documentation for the Army to consider.

    After the Department of the Army concluded ‘B’ Company performed actions essential to the success of the entire 720th MP Battalion during the Vietnam War, it was announced these individuals would be recognized with Bronze Stars for their service.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: USAF leadership engage allies, partners to counter pacing threat

    Source: United States Air Force

    Headline: USAF leadership engage allies, partners to counter pacing threat

    U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force David Flosi are participating in an international Air Force Forum hosted by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force in Tokyo Oct. 14-16.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: No escape from Eagle’s prying eyes

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Police arrested a gang member in east Auckland early this morning, after disturbing his dangerous late-night ride along the Southern Motorway.

    Auckland City Central Response Manager, Senior Sergeant Dave Plunkett, says a Police unit noticed a speeding motorcycle in Grafton just before midnight.

    “Police signalled for the rider to stop but he fled at speeds well over the legal road limit. We did not pursue the motorbike, due to this dangerous manner of driving.

    “However, the Police Eagle helicopter was deployed to the area and observed the motorbike as it exited the motorway towards Mount Wellington, and to an address on Panama Road.

    “Eagle directed Police ground staff to the address, where the alleged motorbike rider met them the gate and led them to the suspected motorbike in a garage.”

    The bike was impounded for six months along with another motorbike in the garage, that had multiple alerts for fleeing Police.

    The alleged rider, a 45-year-old patched Head Hunters gang member, was summoned to the Auckland District Court where he will face charges of failing to stop and dangerous driving.

    “This incident shows once again that we have no tolerance for reckless driving behaviour that puts other road users at risk,” Senior Sergeant Plunkett says.

    “Thanks to the good work of all Police staff involved, the rider will be held to account.”

    ENDS.

    Tony Wright/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Photos: Rubio Visits Charlotte County Post-hurricane Milton

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Florida Marco Rubio

    Photos: Rubio Visits Charlotte County Post-hurricane Milton

    Oct 15, 2024 | Press Releases

    Following Hurricane Milton’s catastrophic impact on communities throughout Florida, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) met with Charlotte County emergency management personnel, local officials, and small business owners to discuss the storm’s impact and current recovery efforts.

    Photo courtesy of Senator Rubio’s office.

    Senator Rubio meets with emergency management personnel at the Charlotte County Emergency Operations Center. 

    Senator Rubio meets with constituents in Charlotte County. 

    Senator Rubio discusses Hurricane recovery with Punta Gorda Mayor Lynne Matthews and River City Grill and River City Italia owners Doug and Diane Ameral.

    Senator Rubio surveys damage at Leroy’s in Charlotte County.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley Stands Up for Iowa Farmers, Calls Out Biden-Harris Ag Failures

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a lifelong family farmer and a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, is sharing Iowa farmers’ concerns regarding the Biden-Harris administration’s approach to agriculture, energy and trade. 
    “Farmers are struggling to stay afloat thanks to falling profitability, sky high input costs and burdensome regulations,” Grassley said of his letter to President Biden and Vice President Harris. “In order to forge a better future for farmers, Washington needs to listen to the real-world experience of those with dirt under their fingernails. I’m demanding the Biden-Harris administration wake up to the challenges our farmers are facing.”
    Grassley’s letter shines light on President Biden and Vice President Harris’ harmful ag and trade policies, including:
    Grassley is urging President Biden and Vice President Harris to prioritize agricultural issues and lend farmers a helping hand by issuing timely, science-backed guidance on the 45Z Clean Fuels tax credit and expanding market access.
    Download audio of Grassley discussing his letter HERE. Read the full letter HERE and below.
    Monday, October 14, 2024
    The Honorable Joseph R. Biden
    President of the United States
    1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
    Washington, DC 20500
    Dear President Biden and Vice President Harris,
    I am writing to express my concerns regarding the impact of your administration’s policies on the agricultural community. As a lifelong family farmer, I know first-hand the decisions made at the federal level have far-reaching consequences. It is critical that these decisions support, rather than hinder, our farmers. 
    Many aspects of farming have changed over the last four years of your administration. Unfortunately, the most important aspect of farming, profitability, has declined. In 2021, net farm cash income for the United States was around $176 billion. This year, 2024, net farm cash income is estimated to be down to $154 billion. As any farmer could tell you, if you aren’t profitable, you won’t be farming for long. I would like to take this opportunity to address areas where I believe your administration has fallen short in supporting the agriculture sector.
    First, under your administration the regulatory environment has become increasingly burdensome. Farmers and businesses alike have faced a host of new regulations that complicate their operations and drive up costs. For example, your changes to the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule, would have covered over 90 percent or the State of lowa and made the government involved in any land management decision for farmers, developers, and businesses such as golf courses. Thankfully, all nine Supreme Court justices agreed that the Environmental Protection Agency’s expansive regulatory efforts violated the Clean Water Act.
    From electric vehicle mandates to overly complicated strategies for herbicides and insecticides, farmers are concerned that these regulations will impose additional compliance costs and restrictions on their ability to manage their land effectively. This is also seen clearly in the Department of Treasury’s guidance for the 40B sustainable aviation fuel tax credit. Instead of enabling farmers to benefit from science-backed farming practices that work for them, your administration’s guidance restricted American farmers and benefitted foreign feedstocks. While I understand the need for sustainable practices, pushing farmers to specific farming practices can undermine the autonomy of farmers to make decisions that best suit their unique circumstances, and edge them out of new markets.
    Trade policy is another area where your administration has missed the mark. The lack of new trade agreements and uncertainty around tariffs has left the United States agriculture sector with a record estimated $30.5 billion trade deficit this year. In March, I joined 21 of my Senate colleagues in a letter to Ambassador Tai and Secretary Vilsack to ask if your administration intended to pursue any new free trade agreements. As my colleagues and I expressed at that time, the increased deficit is, “exacerbated by an unambitious U.S. trade strategy that is failing to meaningfully expand market access or reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade.” Though your administration has acted in trade disputes and other areas, it has been based on previous trade agreements established before your administration. The lack of a comprehensive strategy to expand market access for American agricultural products has been frustrating for farmers who rely on exporting their products to sustain their livelihoods.
    Lastly, I urge your administration to prioritize these important issues in the agricultural community. There are still important steps that you can take to support farmers. Issuing timely guidance on the 45Z clean fuels tax credit would help provide certainty to farmers looking to market the grain they are currently harvesting. Allowing farmers a seat at the table for 45Z guidance and reducing the complicated and unworkable structure from 40B would go a long way in ensuring farmers maintain their autonomy in farming practices.
    Thank you for your attention to these important issues. I look forward to your response and hope that in the coming months you work to support our farmers who continue to contribute to the nation’s food security, fuel independence, and economic stability.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Trade Minister to attend G20 meeting in Brazil

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Trade Minister Todd McClay will attend the Group of Twenty (G20) Trade and Investment Ministerial Meeting in Brasilia next week. 

    “As an exporting nation reliant on trade, this is a significant opportunity to boost our interests with some of the world’s largest economies and many of our most important trading partners,” Mr McClay says.

    “New Zealand was invited to attend following our success in negotiating the E-Commerce agreement at this year’s WTO Ministerial Trade negotiation in Abu Dhabi, and our inaugural attendance at the G7 Trade Ministers meeting in Reggio Calabria.”

    Minister McClay will represent New Zealand alongside G20 members to discuss sustainable development, investment, global food security, reducing Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) and strengthening of the Multilateral system to grow trade. 

    In addition to G20 meetings, Mr McClay will look to engage directly with counterparts including from Brazil, Canada, Chile, the European Union, Germany, India, Mexico, Netherlands, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States.

    While in the region, the Minister will also lead a business delegation to São Paulo to boost New Zealand’s $242 million exported to Brazil and supporting the 40 Kiwi businesses already operating in the region.

    The delegation includes 13 organisations: Aroa Biosurgery, Auckland Council, Foot Science International, Framecad, Gallagher Animal Management, Latin America Centre of Asia-Pacific Excellence (CAPE), Latin America New Zealand Business Council (LANZBC), Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC), Loadscan, Mindhive Global, New Zealand Brazil Business Chamber (NZBBC), Seequent, and Tait Communications.

    “We are committed to ensuring New Zealand remains competitive on the world stage and that our high-quality, safe and sustainable exports gain the recognition they deserve.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 10.15.2024 Cruz, Cornyn, Tillis, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Stop Biden-Harris Amnesty Program

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas Ted Cruz

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) to introduce the Visa Integrity Preservation Act, which would close a loophole in current immigration law that the Biden-Harris administration exploited to grant amnesty to illegal immigrants who have entered the United States without inspection or overstayed a visa.
    Upon introduction, Sen. Cruz said, “The Biden-Harris administration has failed to secure our southern border and politically exploits the crisis they’ve created. What they call their ‘keep families together’ agenda is being used as a loophole to allow illegal immigrants to bypass our legal immigration process, granting amnesty to 500,000 illegal aliens. We must send a clear message that the United States will not tolerate any manipulation of our immigration laws. That is why I am proud to join Senators Cornyn, Tillis, and several of my Republican colleagues to stop this exploitation of our immigration system.”
    Sens. Cruz, Cornyn, and Tillis were joined by Sens. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) in introducing the bill.
    BACKGROUND
    Current U.S. immigration laws do not allow illegal immigrants who overstay their visas to reenter the United States for up to 10 years if they leave, and those who illegally enter the U.S. are not allowed to reenter at all. The law also requires that temporary visa applicants interview abroad at a U.S. consulate before they can receive their visas, so illegal immigrants are not eligible to regularize their status using the temporary visa programs. The law does allow the U.S. Secretary of State to waive the consular interview requirement, but only on a case-by-case basis in the national interest of the United States or in emergency situations.
    In June 2024, the Biden-Harris administration announced a new initiative to grant amnesty to over half a million illegal immigrants, including spouses of American citizens. As part of that initiative, President Biden and Vice President Harris waived the consular interview requirement for nonimmigrant visas, enabling immigrants who have illegally entered the U.S. or overstayed a visa to obtain temporary work visas. The Biden-Harris administration’s decision to waive this policy encroaches on Congress’s authority and threatens to transform nonimmigrant visa programs into a tool to provide amnesty to illegal immigrants.
    The Visa Integrity Preservation Act would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to clarify that immigrants who have entered the U.S. illegally or overstayed a visa for more than 180 days are not eligible for a waiver of the in-person consular interview requirement and would instead be required under all circumstances to depart the U.S. for an interview before they could receive a nonimmigrant visa. Under existing law, they are barred from reentering the U.S. upon presenting for inspection at a Port of Entry.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Markey Maps Need for Climate Action and Highlights Federal Investments in Massachusetts Climate Resilience, Following Extreme Weather Events Across the Country

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Calls for more investment in resilient schools and hospitals and for a federal climate emergency declaration

    WATCH: Senator Markey, advocates discuss climate resilience

    Senator Markey joined by City Councilor Gabriela “Gigi” Coletta Zapata; Brian Swett, Boston’s Chief Climate Officer; Dwaign Tyndal, Executive Director of Alternatives for Community and Environment (ACE); and John Walkey, Noemy Rodriguez, and Roseann Bongiovanni from GreenRoots.

    Boston (October 15, 2024) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today was joined in Boston by local officials and advocates to call for increased federal investment to bolster the climate resilience of regions at risk of sea level rise – exacerbated by devastation from climate change-fueled storms, as well as highlight ongoing resiliency projects in Massachusetts, following two devastating hurricanes in the southeastern United States that are expected to cost $300 billion and have resulted in more than 250 deaths. Senator Markey announced that over the past two years, Boston, Chelsea, and Revere have already secured more than $75 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act for resiliency projects that include building resilient transportation corridors in Roxbury, greening the Chelsea Creek waterfront, and making the MBTA (Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority) Blue Line more flood resistant. In total, Massachusetts has secured approximately $200 million for climate resiliency projects from those two laws so far. Senator Markey was joined by Brian Swett, Chief Climate Officer for the City of Boston; Boston City Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata; Roseann Bongiovanni, Noemy Rodriguez, and John Walkey from GreenRoots; and Dwaign Tyndal, Executive Director of Alternatives for Community and Environment (ACE).

    “If we don’t drive down our emissions as a country, we could see more than six feet of sea level rise by the end of the century. That’s sunny-day flooding in neighborhoods from East Boston to Back Bay. TD Garden wouldn’t be flooded with a sea of fans—it would be flooded by the sea itself. Back Bay will go back to the bay,” said Senator Markey. “Our task is twofold. One, cut climate pollution by ushering in a clean energy revolution unlike any we’ve seen before, dismantling our dependence on fossil fuels. And two, prepare for the future by investing in resilient buildings and strong communities. Thanks in part to the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are well on our way to meet that second goal. In Massachusetts, we don’t wait, we create.”

    “Chelsea and East Boston, the two communities that we serve at GreenRoots, are frontline environmental justice communities that are disproportionately impacted by environmental assault. On a daily basis, environmental justice communities throughout the United States and in the Global South face increased frequency of severe storms, storm surge, sea level rise, drought, heat island impacts, wildfires and much more. We need federal leadership like that of Senator Markey’s to prioritize policies and investments in climate resilience and climate justice, an end to fossil fuel use, and implementing greater renewable, resilient energy,” said Roseann Bongiovanni, Executive Director of GreenRoots.

    “Many of the people here have immigrated as a result of natural disasters in their home countries, and with climate change, we know that natural disasters are only going to be increasing in number. When this happens, we need to ask the questions, ‘Where are we going to go? What is going to happen to us?’ These are the questions and worries that many of us have, not just for East Boston, but all over the country. We are the first generation feeling the effects of climate change and we may be the last generation that can do something about it,” said Noemy Rodriguez, Waterfront Initiative Organizer at GreenRoots.

    “We know that when climate change happens, the least among us are the first affected and the worst affected. We frequently say that people are a paycheck away from disaster. According to FEMA, just an inch of floodwater in a home causes roughly about $25,000 in damages. There are over 400,000 Massachusetts residents living in the hundred-year flood zone which means more than a one in four chance of having a flood during a 30-year mortgage period. If home ownership is the route to generational wealth that we would leave to the next generation, we need to be planning and prepared for this,” said John Walkey, Director of Climate Justice & Waterfront Initiatives.

    “Boston is deeply grateful for Senator Markey’s unwavering leadership in securing critical federal funds that are bolstering our city’s climate resilience. Thanks to our partners in the federal government, Boston has secured over $60 million in grants for coastal resilience projects helping us protect our neighborhoods from rising sea levels and extreme storms. However, with the increasing frequency of extreme weather, much more work remains, and additional funding is essential to fully safeguard our city and its most vulnerable communities,” said Brian Swett, Chief Climate Officer for the City of Boston.

    “We have a moral obligation to move quickly to identify all strategies and tools that are at our disposal to ensure that Boston’s forty-seven-mile coastline is resilient and to protect these residents. I want to thank Senator Markey for his leadership in the Senate, and President Biden’s leadership in securing these necessary federal funds that Boston is now being awarded, which will help protect our communities. This is our next big challenge. We need the resources, capital, and collaboration to adequately protect Boston. We need the vital investments coming down the pike from the federal government in both green and gray infrastructure to protect our future. I am hopeful, with the level of partnership and leadership on display here across all levels of government, advocacy groups and philanthropy, and I know that we will continue to lean in and get it done,” said Boston City Councilor Gabriela “Gigi” Coletta Zapata.

    “This is a reminder, a call to arms, a warning and a reality check. We may have more resources than imagination to deal with this issue. We have all the policy, the information, and the possible solutions. The struggle now is to push beyond our imagination to do what we need to get this done. This is not going to be a part of the political cycle, or fundraising cycles, but part of the continual struggle and persistence that many of us are here today are taking part in,” said Dwaign Tyndal, Executive Director of Alternatives for Community and Environment (ACE).

    The destruction of extreme weather events is disproportionately felt by Black, Brown, low-income, and immigrant communities, who are burdened by historical disinvestment and the compounded effects of legacy pollution and dangerous infrastructure sited in their neighborhoods. Under the Biden-Harris administration, including through the historic Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, federal funding has come to Massachusetts to help prevent the worsening impacts of climate change and support the Commonwealth’s climate resilience efforts, but continued federal investment in resiliency and clean energy will be needed to help avoid worsening disasters and billion-dollar storm recoveries in the future.  

    Senator Markey has been working to ensure that Massachusetts is climate resilient and prepared for extreme weather events, which are only increasing in frequency due to climate change. On October 4, Senator Markey joined Mayor Jennifer Macksey for a briefing on the Hoosic River Flood Mitigation Study, a project that aims to evaluate potential flood risk reduction measures and support development of a new flood mitigation system built with 21st-century engineering standards. Senator Markey led the effort to get the study included in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), advocated for $750,000 in funding for the Army Corps of Engineers this year, and has secured $950,000 in the pending appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25).

    In September, Senator Markey announced a grant of $472 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to the MBTA to fully replace the North Station Draw One Bridge and renovate Platform F at North Station. The grant is the largest federal award the MBTA has won to date. The nearly half a billion-dollar grant will provide critical support for one of MBTA’s top priority projects and a vital transportation asset to MBTA’s north-side operations. It will also support more than 14,500 jobs, make the bridge more climate resilient by bringing it above projected sea-level rise, and lower emissions. 

    In August, on the second anniversary of the historic Inflation Reduction Act, Senator Markey launched his Climate Hub, a centralized site with resources to help stakeholders navigate opportunities from both the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Together, these two laws have created the largest and most significant climate and clean energy investments in history, putting the United States on a path to address the climate crisis, repair historic harms to disadvantaged communities, create good-paying union jobs in the clean energy economy, and work towards a Green New Deal future.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Army Unveils New Blue Book | U.S. Army

    Source: US Army (video statements)

    About the U.S. Army:

    The Army Mission – our purpose – remains constant: To deploy, fight and win our nation’s wars by providing ready, prompt & sustained land dominance by Army forces across the full spectrum of conflict as part of the joint force.

    Interested in joining the U.S. Army?
    Visit: spr.ly/6001igl5L

    Connect with the U.S. Army online:
    Web: https://www.army.mil
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/USarmy/
    X: https://www.twitter.com/USArmy
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/usarmy/
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/us-army
    #USArmy #Soldiers #Military #AUSA2024

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTE9p7ws_IE

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cramer Attends Send-Off Ceremony for Members of the 142nd Engineer Battalion

    US Senate News:

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

    ***Click here for media resources.***

    VALLEY CITY, N.D. – The North Dakota National Guard (NDNG) held a ceremony today to send off members of the 142nd Engineer Battalion being deployed to Fort Bliss, Texas, in support of Joint Task Force North. The joint service command is tasked with supporting federal law enforcement agencies in the “identification and interdiction of suspected criminal activities conducted within and along the approaches to the continental United States.”

    U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, participated in the ceremony and expressed his gratitude for the members of the unit.

    “Protecting the homeland is the highest priority of the United States Armed Forces, and no one protects ours better than the soldiers of the North Dakota National Guard,” said Cramer. “Helping send off the heroes of the storied 142nd Engineer Battalion as they deploy for their mission in support of federal law enforcement agencies is an honor of a lifetime, and I get to do it on behalf of grateful North Dakotans and Americans everywhere. As I do for all of our service members and their families, I pray for a successful mission and a safe return home. They are the best of the best, and I look forward to their homecoming.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: NAMRU INDO PACIFIC Grows Partnership in Malaysia

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia  –  

    Capt. Andrew Letizia, science director of Naval Medical Research Unit (NAMRU) INDO PACIFIC, has described the command’s collaborations with partner nations as the lifeblood of Navy Medicine’s OCONUS research and development.

    “The best part of my job is sitting down with excellent researchers from a host nation, putting our goals and concepts on paper, designing a project, and then watching the project help meet the needs of the partners as it comes to life,” Letizia explained. “Since I first started playing with Legos many years ago, I have enjoyed building things. Watching NAMRU INDO PACIFIC build new partnerships and strengthen the previous ones brings back that same joy I felt as a kid, making all of the pieces fit together correctly to make a great creation.”

    NAMRU INDO PACIFIC partners with 10 different countries within the area of responsibility (AOR). This network of collaborators continues to grow as the scope of Navy Medicine research expands to meet the ever-evolving needs of U.S. service members. Malaysia, home to many of the U.S. Navy’s partners, is the latest of these countries to see an expansion in collaboration.

    KUALA LUMPUR
    Like many Sailors, Lt. Cmdr. Dawn Weir wakes up early to make her way to the office. Unlike other Sailors, Weir’s walk to work takes her through the bustling metropolis of Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. From her office at the U.S. Embassy, she oversees research projects in Malaysia for NAMRU INDO PACIFIC, one of Navy Medicine’s three OCONUS research commands.

    Weir, a microbiologist, is the first person to fill this brand-new billet. NAMRU INDO PACIFIC has been building partnerships within Malaysia for almost 15 years, and Weir is the first active-duty U.S. Sailor stationed in-country.

    “The best part of my job is working with our Malaysian partners,” Weir said, “to foster and strengthen existing collaborative research endeavors, as well as to expand and create new efforts to achieve both their and our research needs and objectives. I also enjoy sharing space and working with my Office of Defense Cooperation and other U.S. Embassy colleagues to support various medical lines of effort and other global health security initiatives.”

    In 2007 NAMRU INDO PACIFIC, then known as NAMRU-2, initiated a partnership with the University of Malaysia. In the years since, the partnership has grown into a much bigger relationship, spanning multiple projects and interoperability.

    “We have been working with [NAMRU INDO PACIFIC] for the past 16 years,” explained Dr. Sazaly Abu Bakar, professor and executive director of the Tropical Infectious Diseases Research & Education Centre (TIDREC) at the University of Malaysia, “and this relationship has really grown over the years. We are now at a transition point that is going to take this relationship to the next level.”

    Part of that next level involves Weir as an active-duty researcher and in-country liaison.

    “We used to have just a few projects,” added Abu Bakar. “Now we have more activities, focused on biomedical research. This shows how the relationship between the two has grown over the years.”

    NAMRU INDO PACIFIC also partners with the National Defense University of Malaysia. Brig. Gen. Mohd Arshil Moideen, dean of the university’s medical facility and defense health division, spoke highly of the partnership.

    “The collaboration includes capacity building in our research, specifically in diagnostic laboratory capabilities,” Moideen explained. “We are currently running a few major research collaborations with tropical disease, as well as entomology studies. Lt. Cmdr. Weir is here specifically for this research cooperation, and this has never happened before. This means that Malaysia is now a significant partner in term of research collaboration.”

    “A permanent NAMRU presence within Malaysia will not only enhance our ability to achieve our mission, but also demonstrates to our Malaysian partners our commitment to continue to work together to enhance health security in the region for years to come,” said Weir. “In my experience thus far, the biggest challenges have been overcoming various administrative challenges often outside of our control that impede the progress of our collaborative research goals and objectives.”

    BORNEO
    NAMRU INDO PACIFIC is also partnering on research in collaboration with The University of Malaysia Sabah, located in the Malaysian state Sabah, which lies on the island of Borneo.

    Borneo is an island east of Kuala Lumpur, and the third largest in the world. It is home to one of the most diverse ecosystems on Earth, with native flora and fauna that includes the world’s biggest flower and world’s smallest elephant. Borneo is also one of the few places where orangutans live in the wild.

    Borneo is also home to East Malaysia, comprised of 2 states and 1 federal territory, the country of Brunei and 5 provinces of Indonesia. The university has over 100 lecturers and more than 500 students, as well as a medical and nursing school.

    “We have a lot of diseases in Sabah,” explained Dr. Yosof Ibrahim, dean of UMS. “The number of research that has been done is limited, because of manpower and expertise. There are a lot more diseases that need to be discovered, identified and to be explored. Sabah has many different ethnicities. We have 32 different ethnicities. This is a challenge. Topography is a challenge. Dialect is a challenge. The way we [in Sabah] live and look at things are very different.

    “This collaboration is beneficial,” Ibrahim added, “not only to NAMRU, but to us. In a way, it opens an avenue for us to expand our research and design what our protective measures should be for rural people. 70 percent of our people are in a rural area. There is a difficulty in access to medical facilities.”

    “Malaysia is rich in culture,” said Weir, “with Malay, Chinese, Indian, and indigenous communities. This diversity fosters a vibrant social scene and a diverse and unique culinary experience! Malaysia is also home to diverse and beautiful landscapes perfect for outdoor activities like hiking, diving, and exploring national parks. I personally love the year-round warm tropical environment. Anyone who is fortunate enough to have the opportunity to visit or work in Malaysia should not pass it up.”

    NAMRU INDO PACIFIC plays an important role in the heath of those in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) AOR. One of the most culturally, socially, economically and geopolitically diverse regions, the Asia-Pacific region is home to 38 nations and 60% of the world’s population. More than one-third of these nations are smaller, island nations, where many tropical diseases are prevalent.

    NAMRU INDO PACIFIC collaborates with partners in Singapore, Mongolia, Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Australia, Papua New Guinea and the U.S. to conduct research efforts throughout the USINDOPACOM area.

    The command’s “hub and spoke” model of operations from its headquarters in Singapore, its wide array partners in the INDOPACOM AOR and the over 375,000 U.S service members stationed in the Pacific allow the NAMRU INDO PACIFIC scientific portfolio to shift, as needed, to align with host nation and sponsor priorities while maintaining focus and efforts on U.S. health security objectives.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Urgent joint statement: Northern Gaza is being erased – global leaders must act now to end Israel’s atrocities

    Source: Oxfam –

    Oxfam and 37 other humanitarian organisations are raising the alarm about the catastrophic situation in Northern Gaza

    The Israeli forces’ assault on Gaza has escalated to a horrifying level of atrocity. Northern Gaza is being wiped off the map. Under the guise of “evacuation,” Israeli forces have ordered the forced displacement of an estimated 400,000 Palestinians trapped in northern Gaza, including Gaza City. This is not an evacuation—this is forced displacement under gunfire. Since 1 October, no food has been allowed into the area, and civilians are being starved and bombed in their homes and their tents. 

    Hospitals, already overwhelmed, are being ordered to evacuate. They are running out of fuel and essential supplies, while doctors and nurses battle to save lives with what little they have left. The wounded flood in – children, older people, victims of Israeli airstrikes – but with no resources to treat them. 

    Dr. Mohammed Salha, acting director of Al-Awda Hospital in northern Gaza, described the dire situation: “The Israeli military has contacted us more than once to evacuate the hospital… [All] the departments are full of wounded people and we are discharging even the wounded who have minor or moderate injuries, because we do not have [enough] beds for them. I [told the Israeli military] clearly that we would not evacuate the hospital unless there are ambulances that can preserve the lives of the wounded people we have and reach another hospital that provides better service to the wounded.” 

    The world cannot continue to stand by as the Israeli government commits these atrocities. Global leaders have both a legal and moral duty to act now. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ordered Israel to take all measures within its power to prevent the commission of all acts within the scope of Article II of the Genocide Convention including “killing members of the group; causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; and imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group”. There is no evidence that Israel has adhered to these orders, and the killing of Palestinians has only intensified. 

    Any attempt to alter the territorial integrity of Gaza constitutes a blatant violation of international law. This is especially egregious in light of the recent ICJ advisory opinion, which significantly heightens the obligation of third states to take decisive action. Failure to do so risks their complicity in perpetuating the illegal occupation. 

    All parties must allow unimpeded access for humanitarian organisations to deliver aid based on need, without restricting types, volumes, or locations. Aid delivery must remain impartial and independent of military objectives to prevent its instrumentalisation or politicisation. Civilians must not be forced to flee to receive aid; those choosing to stay in their homes must be protected under international law. 

    We demand an immediate ceasefire and an end to Israel’s illegal occupation. Global leaders must act in line with the UN General Assembly Resolution on the ICJ Advisory Opinion and fulfil their obligation not to facilitate or support Israel’s illegal occupation. Third states must halt now the transfer of all weapons, parts and ammunition that could be used to commit further violations of international humanitarian law.

    This is not a time for silence – this is a time for action. The people of Gaza cannot wait. The world must intervene now before more innocent lives are lost. 

    The forcible transfer of Palestinian civilians in Gaza is a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention and does not amount to a permissible evacuation. Relocation areas have not provided safety, adequate shelter or essential services, and there has also been no guarantee that displaced populations will be able to return once hostilities end. 

    Signatories:

    1. ActionAid 
    2. Action For Humanity 
    3. Afri (Action from Ireland) 
    4. Amos Trust 
    5. Bloody Sunday Trust 
    6. Centre for Global Education 
    7. CESVI 
    8. Children Not Numbers 
    9. Christian Aid 
    10. Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) 
    11. Comhlamh Justice for Palestine 
    12. Council for Arab-British Understanding (Caabu) 
    13. Embrace the Middle East 
    14. Feminist Humanitarian Network (FHN) 
    15. Gender Action for Peace and Security (GAPS) 
    16. Global Justice Now 
    17. HelpAge International 
    18. Interpal 
    19. Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign 
    20. Islamic Relief 
    21. KinderUSA 
    22. Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) 
    23. Médecins du Monde Spain 
    24. Middle East Children’s Alliance 
    25. Muslim Aid 
    26. Novact Institute for Nonviolence 
    27. Oxfam 
    28. Plan International Jordan 
    29. Sabeel-Kairos UK 
    30. Sadaka-The Ireland Palestine Alliance 
    31. TDH Italy 
    32. Trócaire 
    33. Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union/ Aontas Mac Léinn Choláiste na Tríonóide (TCDSU/AMLCT) 
    34. Vento di Terra 
    35. War Child 
    36. War on Want 
    37. WeWorld 
    38. Welfare Association 

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen Welcomes USS Manchester Crew, Joins for Visit with Manchester West High School NJROTC Students

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

    Published: 10.15.2024

    (Manchester, NH) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee and the Ship Sponsor for the USS Manchester, welcomed crew members, including Commander Ralph Lufkin, back to Manchester and joined them for a visit with Manchester West High School Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (NJROTC) students. The USS Manchester crew members delivered a presentation to the NJROTC students and other faculty and students on the ship’s recent deployment, Navy career opportunities and the importance of civic duty. Photos from today’s event can be found here. 
    “I was excited to welcome members of the crew of the USS Manchester back to their ship’s namesake city, and to join them in speaking to Manchester West High School’s Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps students,” said Senator Shaheen. “As future defenders of freedom and the epitome of civic duty, I was pleased these aspiring Naval cadets were able to meet and speak with Commander Lufkin and some of his crew.”  
    As the Ship Sponsor of the USS Manchester, Shaheen led the Ship’s Commissioning in Portsmouth in May 2018 and is considered a permanent member of the ship’s crew. The USS Manchester is part of the Independence Class of Littoral Combat Ships. These ships are designed to face asymmetrical threats in shallow areas of coastlines and primarily perform surface warfare, antisubmarine warfare and mine countermeasures. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Reverend Warnock, Georgia Delegation Colleagues Demand EPA Regulate BioLab Chemicals Following Latest Incident at Conyers Facility

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    Senator Reverend Warnock, Georgia Delegation Colleagues Demand EPA Regulate BioLab Chemicals Following Latest Incident at Conyers Facility

    Senator Reverend Warnock is calling on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to strengthen federal oversight of facilities manufacturing or storing certain hazardous chemicals 
    Senator Reverend Warnock joined Senator Jon Ossoff in the bicameral push with Representatives Hank Johnnson, David Scott, Lucy McBath, and Nikema Williams
    ICYMI from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Georgia congressional leaders demand EPA scrutiny of BioLab chemicals
    Senator Reverend Warnock, lawmakers: “Given TCCA’s involvement in multiple safety incidents due to its highly reactive properties, we urge the EPA to include it on the list of regulated substances under the Risk Management Program (RMP)”
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) led a bicameral push to urge the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to strengthen federal oversight of facilities manufacturing or storing certain hazardous chemicals in the wake of the latest incident at the BioLab plant in Conyers. 
    Leading alongside Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Congressman Hank Johnson (D-GA-04), and joined by U.S. House Representatives David Scott (D-GA-13), Lucy McBath (D-GA-07) and Nikema Williams (D-GA-05), Senator Warnock sent a letter to EPA Administrator Michael Regan urging the agency to enhance federal oversight of facilities that manufacture and/or store the hazardous chemical Trichloroisocyanuric Acid (TCCA), which is at the heart of the incident at the BioLab plant in Conyers. The environmental and public health crisis that has been ongoing since September 29.
    “We are concerned that facilities like BioLab Conyers, which manufacture and/or store TCCA are improperly managing these substances,” the lawmakers wrote. “When not handled correctly, these chemicals can contaminate local air, water, and soil, posing severe public health risks which include respiratory issues, skin irritations, and long-term conditions like lung and heart disease.”
    Specifically, the lawmakers urge the EPA to “include it on the list of regulated substances under the Risk Management Program (RMP),” which would prompt federal and state agencies to develop more effective safety protocols and management strategies, ensuring stricter adherence to safety standards for facilities handling this chemical.
    “The gravity of this situation underscores the need for changes to the federal and state regulatory systems,” concluded the lawmakers.
    The lawmakers are also requesting the agency respond to nine key questions surrounding the reactive chemical in question.
    Read the letter HERE or below.
    The Honorable Michael Regan
    Administrator 
    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
    1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
    Washington, DC 20460
    Dear Administrator Regan,
    We are writing to urge the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to take immediate action to enhance federal oversight of facilities that manufacture and/or store the hazardous chemical Trichloroisocyanuric Acid (TCCA). 
    On September 29, 2024, just after Hurricane Helene slammed the area, a catastrophic chemical fire took place at the BioLab facility in Conyers, Georgia, that stores TCCA. The fire released a large, billowing plume of hazardous, toxic gasses into the air, which caused the closure of parts of Interstate 20 for nearly 17 hours, with local businesses and government offices forced to close while 17,000 residents living near the plant were forced to evacuate.  
    As of today, toxic substances continue to rise into the air from the smoldering ruins of the plant, with corporate and government officials being unable to offer a specific timetable as to when the danger will end.   People not just in the immediate vicinity of the plant but also millions across southeastern metropolitan Atlanta are under constant exposure to hazardous air quality. This incident has raised serious concerns about the community’s vulnerability to toxic chemical exposure. The danger is heightened by approaching rain which will douse the collapsed building under which millions of pounds of TCCA remain exposed to moisture.
    BioLab, a division of KIK Consumer Products, manufactures and stores millions of pounds of chemical mixtures primarily composed of TCCA at the Conyers, Georgia facility. When TCCA comes into contact with small amounts of water, a hazardous chemical reaction is triggered that generates heat and causes decomposition of the chemical and can in turn produces toxic chlorine gas and can also produce explosive nitrogen trichloride. The Conyers BioLab facility has experienced three separate chemical incidents in the past seven years, four in the past 20. Each event resulted in dangerous chemical reactions and fires, releasing toxic gases like chlorine into the air.
    There have been conflicting reports on what caused the most recent fire at the Conyers facility. One report cited water used to douse a fire on the roof of the plant seeping in, while another report blames the fire on a malfunctioning sprinkler system. Rainwater from Hurricane Helene seeping into the BioLab facility during and after Hurricane Helene has not been ruled out as a cause as well.
    We are concerned that facilities like BioLab Conyers, which manufacture and/or store TCCA are improperly managing these substances. When not handled correctly, these chemicals can contaminate local air, water, and soil, posing severe public health risks which include respiratory issues, skin irritations, and long-term conditions like lung and heart disease.
    A similar incident occurred on August 27, 2020, at the Lake Charles BioLab facility in Westlake, Louisiana, in the aftermath of Hurricane Laura. The facility sustained severe damage after TCCA manufactured and stored therein was moistened by small amounts of water and decomposed, producing toxic chlorine gas and nitrogen trichloride. These gases ignited, causing a fire and noxious clouds of toxic gases. The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazardous Investigation Board (CSB) investigated the incident and issued safety recommendations to minimize the consequences of future accidental chemical releases like the Lake Charles incident.
    The 2023 (CSB) report on BioLab Lake Charles found a regulatory gap regarding the oversight of chemicals like TCCA, particularly in their classification and management under existing federal regulations. Given TCCA’s involvement in multiple safety incidents due to its highly reactive properties, we urge the EPA to include it on the list of regulated substances under the Risk Management Program (RMP).
    This action will prompt federal and state agencies to develop more effective safety protocols and management strategies, ensuring stricter adherence to safety standards for facilities handling this chemical. We hope the Conyers debacle will prompt the inclusion of TCCA to the Process Safety Management (PSM) Standard under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
    We call on the EPA to collaborate with states to implement training programs specifically designed for emergency responders and facility staff. These programs should address the unique challenges posed by reactive chemicals that adversely react to water used to extinguish fires, focusing on appropriate firefighting techniques, chemical behavior, and risk assessment. The EPA, in partnership with state fire marshals and chemical safety experts, can establish comprehensive guidelines for fire suppression techniques tailored to reactive chemicals, including recommendations for effective alternative extinguishing agents, such as dry chemical extinguishers or foam.
    Considering these concerns, we respectfully request clarification by November 20, 2024, on the following matters regarding regulatory oversight and preventative measures at chemical facilities like BioLab: 
    1. Has the EPA, in conjunction with the State of Georgia, initiated any investigations or inspections regarding BioLab Conyers’ compliance with federal environmental and chemical safety and risk management standards following its incidents since 2020?
    2. What immediate actions are the EPA and State agencies taking in response to this latest fire, given the history of public safety concerns at the Conyers facility?
    3. The 2023 Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) found that TCCA and TCCA-based formulations are not covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Process Safety Management (PSM) Standard. Has there been any progress in addressing this regulatory gap?
    4. Following the BioLab Conyers incident, is the EPA considering adding TCCA to the list of regulated substances under the Risk Management Program (RMP)?
    5. How is the EPA collaborating with state agencies to ensure that chemical facilities like BioLab Conyers are prepared for extreme weather events that could worsen fire hazards or hazardous material spills?
    6. In response to BioLab Conyers’ repeated safety failures, what specific measures will the EPA implement with state agencies to improve fire preparedness protocols, particularly for training facility staff and local emergency responders on handling fires involving non-water extinguishable substances?
    7. Does the EPA anticipate monitoring potential groundwater, soil, and water contamination from the chemical fire at the Conyers BioLab facility?
    8. We understand that the EPA is working to monitor air quality following the chemical fire. What steps has the EPA taken to inform affected communities of their findings and recommendations to safeguard the health and safety of these communities and their environment?
    a.How have the locations and spatial extent of the EPA’s air quality monitoring area changed as the location and direction of the smoke plume has shifted?
    9. What specific additional authority and resources does the EPA need to effectively prevent future incidents at chemical facilities like BioLab Conyers?
    The gravity of this situation underscores the need for changes to the federal and state regulatory systems. We look forward to your prompt response and urge robust, decisive measures to address the serious environmental and safety concerns posed by incidents like this.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Large high-grade iron ore deposit found in east China

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    A high-grade iron ore deposit has been discovered in east China’s Shandong Province, with estimated reserves at 104 million tonnes.

    The Department of Natural Resources of Shandong Province has identified 16 high-grade iron ore bodies in the Qihe-Yucheng region.

    High-grade iron ore typically has a total iron content of over 45 percent — making it a strategic mineral resource in short supply in China.

    Hu Zhiyong, an official with the department, said the newly confirmed high-grade iron ore deposit is one of few in China, and is notable for its large distribution, considerable ore body thickness, high ore quality, and promising exploration potential.

    He emphasized the global imbalance in iron ore supply and demand, noting that major reserves are concentrated in countries such as the United States, Australia, Brazil, Russia and China. Despite having iron ore reserves, China faces a shortage of high-grade iron ore.

    The Qihe-Yucheng area, now poised to become a major high-grade iron ore base, is expected to alleviate some of the resource challenges facing China and improve the nation’s security in terms of iron ore supply, he added.

    As of 2022, a total of 173 kinds of minerals had been found in China, according to a report released by the Ministry of Natural Resources.

    MIL OSI China News –