NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI USA: CONGRESSMAN JOE MORELLE MARKS AMERICA’S 88TH GOLD STAR MOTHER’S AND FAMILY’S DAY

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Joe Morelle (NY-25)

    (Washington, D.C.)—Today, Congressman Joe Morelle released a video marking this upcoming Sunday as Gold Star Mother’s and Family’s Day. Established by an act of Congress in 1936, Gold Star Mother’s and Family’s Day pays tribute to our fallen heroes and serves as an expression of our gratitude to their families, who have endured the unspeakable grief of losing a child in armed conflict.

    The full transcript of Morelle’s remarks is below.

    “This Sunday is Gold Star Mother’s Day, an important time to pay tribute to our fallen heroes and express our gratitude to their families, who have endured the unspeakable grief of losing a child in armed conflict.

    The origins of Gold Star Mother’s Day date back to Grace Darling Seibold, the mother of a World War One aviator and the first ‘Gold Star Mother.’

    Grace’s son George was lost during combat duty in France, and following his death, she and a number of other mothers who had lost children during the war, created the American Gold Star Mothers, Inc.

    Because of their advocacy, an Act of Congress in 1936 created the official recognition for Gold Star Mother’s Day, which has since become known as Gold Star Mother’s and Family’s Day.

    Our Gold Star Mothers and their families have endured the unimaginable, and it is our responsibility as Americans to ensure we never forget the sacrifices their children and their families have made for our country.

    In Congress, I’m proud to continue advocating for legislation to expand the recognition and support provided to our Gold Star Families as well as all veterans, military families, and brave men and women in uniform.

    In closing, I want to again reiterate my support and thanks to Gold Star Families. We will never, ever forget the sacrifices you and your loved one have made for our country.

    We will be careful, truthful stewards of your loved one’s memories, and I hope you all find comfort and support in the thanks of a very grateful nation.

    God bless you all.”

    Video footage is also available and can be found here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Edwards speaks in support of due process for recognizing federal tribes

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chuck Edwards (NC-11)

    U.S. Congressman Chuck Edwards (NC-11) today delivered remarks on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives in support of upholding the merit-based process when recognizing federal tribes, including the Lumbee community.

    The remarks as prepared are below, or you may watch online here.

    [embedded content]

    “I rise today to express my deep opposition to any circumvention of the merit-based process set out in law, which would grant federal recognition to the Lumbee community through political means.

    “I am proud to represent North Carolina’s 11th District, which is the home of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, a Tribal Nation rich with culture, language, and sovereignty that is a treasure to the State of North Carolina and the United States.

    “I am proud to have the representatives of the Eastern Band with us in the gallery today.

    “The Eastern Band Cherokees are the descendants of those that fought to stay in their traditional homelands in the face of forcible federal removal efforts.

    “Some Cherokee, including a man named Junaluska, made the forced journey and then walked back to the mountains of Western North Carolina to return home.

    “It must be noted that the Lumbee community has no standing treaties with the federal government, no reservation land, and no common language.

    “As Members of Congress, one of our most sacred duties is making sure that laws are drafted and implemented in an objective and equal manner.

    “For over 40 years, the Department of the Interior has carried out a merit-based process, as set out by Congress and administered by the Office of Federal Acknowledgment (OFA), to make determinations on federal recognition of tribes.

    “If the administration or Congress allows the Lumbee to bypass the OFA, it sends a clear message that other groups with dubious claims for tribal recognition can also avoid the deliberation and scrutiny that the OFA petition process is designed to provide.

    “We need the OFA process to protect Indian country and the public. The process requires verification that the persons who claim to be tribal members actually have Native American descent.

    “Believe it or not, the OFA has determined that some petitioning groups are comprised entirely of people that cannot demonstrate Native American ancestry. Not a single person.

    “Regarding the Lumbee, in one fell swoop, the federal government would recognize a tribe that would soon be the largest in the country, and all enrolled members would likely gain full access to all federal benefits, which will further strain the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Indian Health Service’s already-stretched budgets.

    “As a member of the Interior & Environment Subcommittee on House Appropriations, I’m proud that we funded the needs of the Indian Health Service and other critical priorities for our nation’s tribes in the FY25 bill recently approved in the House.

    “That said, if the overall tribal population covered by these services is allowed to swell by tens of thousands of people, many of whom have no Native ancestry, I fear that necessary appropriations cannot feasibly keep pace.

    “That is the crux of the issue to me – if there was actual merit behind the Lumbee case for federal recognition, they’d go through the OFA process as set out in the law.

    “But as they know it won’t hold up under a deliberative process, they’ve instead sought to get special treatment through other avenues, all in the face of credible opposition by multiple federally recognized tribes.

    “More than 140 established tribes from across the country have said that the Lumbee and other groups should go through the federal recognition process at the Department of Interior to demonstrate the merits of their claim to be a tribe. I agree.

    “I urge all of my colleagues to take these concerns into account, and I hope that the merit-based process put in place by Congress decades ago on federal tribal recognition will be adhered to.

    “And Mr. Speaker, while I have the floor, I’d also like to urge you and my colleagues to move H.R. 7227, the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act, to create a commission to get a better understanding of the grievous wrongs done to Native American children in federally run boarding schools.

    “Our tribal nations deserve the dignity to understand what happened to their family members at these schools. It’s the very least this country can do.”

    Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Chief Michell Hicks said, “We commend Congressman Edwards for his leadership in defending Indigenous sovereignty from those seeking to undermine the OFA process. The Lumbees, who have repeatedly failed to meet the standards for federal recognition – attempt to circumvent the established process through political pressure and maneuvering in Congress by blocking the return of historic and sacred lands back to tribes across the country and other key legislation impacting Federally-recognized tribes.

    “Additionally, the Lumbees are taking millions of dollars in Federal Funding through HUD, HHS and other Federal agency funding sources blocking hundreds of Tribes from receiving these critical resources. We will continue to fight these political tactics and will continue to fight to protect the sovereignty of Indigenous communities and uphold the integrity of our nation’s processes.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Presidential Silver Medal Honoring Grover Cleveland Available October 2

    Source: United States Mint

    WASHINGTON – The Grover Cleveland Presidential Silver Medal will be available for purchase directly from the United States Mint (Mint) on October 2 at noon ET. Cleveland was the Nation’s 22nd and 24th President, serving from 1885 to 1889, and from 1893 to 1897, respectively. He was the only President in U.S. history to serve non-consecutive presidential terms.

    The Presidential Silver Medals are 99.9 percent fine silver, with each medal measuring 1.598 inches in diameter.

    The obverse and reverse designs are by Mint artist C.E. Barber. The obverse (heads) depicts a bust of Grover Cleveland with the inscription “GROVER CLEVELAND.” The reverse (tails) features, within an oak wreath, the inscriptions “INAUGURATED PRESIDENT OF∙THE∙UNITED∙STATES MARCH∙4∙1885” and “SECOND∙TERM MARCH∙4∙1893.”

    Each medal is encapsulated and comes with a certificate of authenticity.

    The Grover Cleveland Presidential Silver Medal is priced at $90. Orders will be accepted at https://catalog.usmint.gov/grover cleveland-presidential-silver-medal-S822.html/ (product code S822).

    To view additional medals in this series, visit: https://catalog.usmint.gov/medals/presidential/silver-presidential-medals/.

    Presidential Silver Medals are also available for purchase via the Mint’s Product Subscription Program, which works like a magazine subscription. After you subscribe, you will receive the next product released in the series and continue to receive products until you end your enrollment. Visit https://catalog.usmint.gov/presidential-silver-medal-subscription-RJ.html/ to learn more.

    Please use the Mint’s catalog site at https://catalog.usmint.gov/ as your primary source of the most current information on product and service status or call 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468). Hearing and speech impaired customers with TTY equipment may order by calling 1-888-321-MINT (6468).

    About the United States Mint
    Congress created the United States Mint in 1792, and the Mint became part of the Department of the Treasury in 1873. As the Nation’s sole manufacturer of legal tender coinage, the Mint is responsible for producing circulating coinage for the Nation to conduct its trade and commerce. The Mint also produces numismatic products, including proof, uncirculated, and commemorative coins; Congressional Gold Medals; silver and bronze medals; and silver and gold bullion coins. Its numismatic programs are self-sustaining and operate at no cost to taxpayers.

    Note: To ensure that all members of the public have fair and equal access to United States Mint products, the United States Mint will not accept and will not honor orders placed prior to the official on-sale date of October 2, 2024, at noon EDT.

    The Presidential Silver Medals are also available from the Mint’s sales centers at the Philadelphia Mint, 151 N. Independence Mall East, Philadelphia, PA 19106 (on 5th Street between Arch Street and Race Street); at the Denver Mint, 320 West Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO 80204 (on Cherokee Street, between West Colfax Avenue and West 14th Avenue); and from the United States Mint Headquarters Coin Store in Washington, D.C.; 801 9th St., NW; Washington, DC 20220.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Disaster Recovery Center Opening in Potter County, Pa.

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Disaster Recovery Center Opening in Potter County, Pa.

    Disaster Recovery Center Opening in Potter County, Pa.

    HARRISBURG, Pa. – A new Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) will be opening at 8 a.m. tomorrow at the Penn-York Retreat Center in Potter County. Beginning tomorrow, survivors will be able to visit DRCs in all four disaster-designated counties in Pennsylvania: Lycoming, Potter, Tioga and Union counties. 

    The following is a list of all current DRCs in Pennsylvania. Disaster survivors residing in Lycoming, Potter, Tioga, and Union counties can visit any DRC to receive assistance.

    Disaster Recovery Center locations and addresses  Hours of Operation   

    Lycoming County 

    Hepburn Township Volunteer Fire Company

    615 East Route 973 Highway 

    Cogan Station, PA 17728

    Monday – Saturday 

    8 a.m. – 6 p.m. 

    Sept. 25 hours: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.

    Resuming normal hours on Sept. 26

    Potter County 

    Penn-York Retreat Center 

    266 Northern Potter Road 

    Ulysses, PA 16948

    Monday – Saturday 

    8 a.m. – 6 p.m.

    Opening Sept. 26 at 8 a.m.

    Tioga County 

    Knoxville Community Center 

    301 W. Main Street

    Knoxville, PA 16928

    Monday – Saturday 

    8 a.m. – 6 p.m. 

    Union County 

    Union County Resource Center

    480 Hafer Road

    Lewisburg, PA 17837

    Monday – Saturday 

    8 a.m. – 6 p.m. 

    Tropical Storm Debby survivors can visit a DRC to: 

    • Start an application for FEMA assistance. 
    • Get help understanding FEMA decision or request for information letters.
    • Check the status of your FEMA application.
    • Meet with Commonwealth of Pennsylvania agencies.
    • Get referrals to non-profits that offer additional help. 
    • Meet with a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) representative.

    Survivors do not have to visit a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) to register with FEMA. If it is not possible to visit a DRC, call 800-621- FEMA (3362). The toll-free telephone line operates from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA the number for that service. In addition to applying by phone and in person at a DRC, you can also register for FEMA assistance at DisasterAssistance.gov or through the FEMA App on your phone.

    For more information on Pennsylvania’s disaster recovery, visit the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency Facebook page, fema.gov/disaster/4815 and facebook.com/FEMA.  

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    FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. FEMA Region 3’s jurisdiction includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. Follow us on X at x.com/FEMAregion3 and on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/femaregion3

    Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency, or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 833-285-7448. If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA the number for that service. Multilingual operators are available (press 2 for Spanish and 3 for other languages).

    erika.osullivan

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Polis Administration Announces Solid Power Planned Expansion in Colorado: 40 New Jobs in the Renewable Energy Sector

    Source: US State of Colorado

    DENVER – Today, Governor Polis and the Global Business Development Division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) announced that Colorado-based Solid Power, Inc. (Nasdaq: SLDP), an industry-leading developer of next-generation all-solid-state battery technology, plans to expand its presence in the state. 

    “We are thrilled that Solid Power will continue to grow in Colorado, creating new jobs in the renewable energy industry. Companies like Solid Power are helping drive innovation in our state and will play a key role in helping us reach our clean energy goals and achieve 100% renewable energy by 2040,” said Governor Polis. 

    A uniquely Colorado success story, Solid Power was founded in 2011 and grew out of research at the University of Colorado Boulder. In 2021, the company went public and listed on NASDAQ. Solid Power is known for its work with BMW, Ford, and SK On. Most recently it was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to begin award negotiations for up to $50 million in federal funding to install the first globally-known continuous manufacturing process of sulfide-based solid electrolyte materials for advanced all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) and expand its electrolyte production capabilities at its Thornton, Colorado facility. These materials help create batteries needed for electric vehicles. Colorado is among the top states for EV adoption in the nation, with more than 22% of new cars sold being electric. 

    Solid Power is committed to supporting the transition to renewable energy by developing ASSBs that are expected to have longer life, be safer, and cost less than current lithium-ion batteries. The company chose Colorado for expansion of up to 40 new jobs because of the state’s talent pipeline and the collaborative network of higher education and research institutions. 

    “We are excited to continue expanding our technology development in Colorado,” said John Van Scoter, President and Chief Executive Officer of Solid Power. “As part of the DOE, State of Colorado, and City of Thornton funding, Solid Power will prioritize employee welfare and safety, community engagement, and benefits to local communities, and we look forward to partnering with various groups in Thornton to add talent and advance our goals.” 

    With this expansion, Solid Power expects to create up to 40 net new jobs at an average annual wage of $77,823.90, which is 111% of the average annual wage in Adams County. The positions will include production operators, chemists, and engineers. Solid Power is also partnering with local institutions such as Northglenn High School, Front Range Community College, and Metropolitan State University of Denver for internship programs, as well as a partnership with the local Adams 12 school district. 

    “Solid Power is a true Colorado success story, who’s next chapter will advance the technologies of tomorrow and create new good jobs for Coloradans. That’s a win for our state and the nation, as we look forward toward a more renewable future,” said OEDIT Executive Director Eve Lieberman. 

    The State of Colorado supported Solid Power’s early growth with an Advanced Industries Accelerator grant in 2014, offered through OEDIT’s Global Business Development division to support the development of early-stage technologies. 

    To support the company’s upcoming expansion, the Colorado Economic Development Commission approved up to $160,000 in a performance-based Strategic Fund incentive over an eight-year period, at $4,000 per net new job. These incentives are contingent upon Solid Power, referred to as Project Maverick 2024 throughout the OEDIT review process, meeting net new job creation and salary requirements. 

    “The City Council and I are always delighted to hear that a company in our city is thriving so much that they need to expand their operations here,” says Thornton Mayor Jan Kulmann. “We look forward to the continued growth of Solid Power here in our community. This exciting opportunity for new job development and advanced technologies in the solid-state battery industry further shows Thornton is an attractive destination for business.” 

    “The creation of up to 40 new STEM jobs paying above the annual average wage is wonderful news for the Adams County business community and our residents,” says Board Chair for Adams County Commissioners, Emma Pinter. “Adams County continues to focus on innovative and inclusive initiatives to bring smart growth and opportunities to the area.” 

    In addition to Colorado, Solid Power considered Columbia, South Carolina, for exemption. 

    About Solid Power, Inc. 

    Solid Power is developing solid-state battery technology to enable the next generation of batteries for the fast-growing EV and other markets. Solid Power’s core technology is its electrolyte material, which Solid Power believes can enable extended driving range, longer battery life, improved safety, and lower cost compared to traditional lithium-ion. Solid Power’s business model – selling its electrolyte to cell manufacturers and licensing its cell designs and manufacturing processes – distinguishes the company from many of its competitors who plan to be commercial battery manufacturers. Ultimately, Solid Power endeavors to be a leading producer and distributor of sulfide-based solid electrolyte material for powering both EVs and other applications. For more information, visit http://www.solidpowerbattery.com/. 

    About OEDIT’s Global Business Development Division 

    Global Business Development (GBD) is a division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade. GBD supports Colorado businesses and communities by using a data-driven approach to recruit, support, and retain businesses that contribute to a robust and diversified economy. We align our portfolio of programs, services, and incentives with industries that benefit Colorado companies and elevate the state’s national and international competitiveness. GBD also hosts foreign delegations and participates in trade and investment missions around the world to strengthen global awareness of Colorado. With a highly educated and motivated workforce, a thriving innovation economy, and nation-leading entrepreneurial spirit, Colorado is a top market for business development. 

    About Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade 

    The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) works to empower all to thrive in Colorado’s economy. Under the leadership of the Governor and in collaboration with economic development partners across the state, we foster a thriving business environment through funding and financial programs, training, consulting and informational resources across industries and regions. We promote economic growth and long-term job creation by recruiting, retaining, and expanding Colorado businesses and providing programs that support entrepreneurs and businesses of all sizes at every stage of growth. Our goal is to protect what makes our state a great place to live, work, start a business, raise a family, visit and retire—and make it accessible to everyone. Learn more about OEDIT. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Now is the time to press forward. Now is the time to act.

    Source: US International Brotherhood of Boilermakers

    Now is the time to recruit new members and organize new industries, contractors and employers. Now is the time to research new Boilermaker work opportunities and stay on the cutting edge of technology. 

    Tim Simmons, International President

    It is an honor and privilege to have been elected by the International Executive Council as the International President of our union, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve each and every member of this distinguished organization.

    It is no secret that the past 18 months have not been pleasant for our union as we address the consequences of past mistakes. I want to reaffirm that the International Executive Council is continuing to work together as never before to ensure fiscal responsibility, foster transparency and make certain all Boilermakers are provided the service they so deserve. We have worked hard over the past months to implement new systems and accountability while focusing on new efforts to educate, recruit and organize, and we will continue to make necessary changes focused on service to members as our top priority.

    But now is not the time for just words. Now is the time to press forward. Now is the time to recruit new members and organize new industries, contractors and employers. Now is the time to expand into new Boilermaker work opportunities and regain lost marketshare. 

    I am calling all Boilermakers to action. We need you to get involved. We need you to go to your union meetings and let your voices be heard—tell us what we can do to better serve you. Be the change you want to see in our union. 

    Every union Boilermaker needs to focus on recruiting and organizing. It is the duty of each and every Boilermaker to recruit and train two new members: one to replace you when you finally lay down the tools of your trade and enter into your well-deserved retirement, and another to grow the organization. Our union’s future and the future of our pensions depend on it.

    Boilermakers are, and will remain, the most versatile, skilled and hard-working crafts-persons our nations have ever seen. The rich history of our union reminds us of how Boilermakers in the United States and Canada worked to expand our respective nations with steam locomotives and went on to power our nations with steam-generated electricity while building the largest fleets to supply and protect them. We will not let adversity stop us. 

    I will not promise the path forward will be easy, but we have faced storms before. Our union holds 144 years of dedication and unwavering unionism, and I look forward to seeing what we accomplish in the next days, months and years ahead. We are Boilermakers, there is nothing we cannot do, and we will come out of this stronger.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Sites for New Francophone Schools in Saskatoon and Prince Albert

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on September 25, 2024

    Today, the Government of Saskatchewan and the Conseil des écoles fransaskoises (CÉF) announced that the sites for new Francophone Schools in Saskatoon and Prince Albert have been identified.

    “The sites selected for these schools indicate progress and increased opportunities for our communities,” Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill said. “These schools hold great significance for Saskatchewan’s Francophone community and are essential for maintaining language, culture and identity. We are excited to be a part of these projects that will support Francophone students and their families for years to come.”

    In Saskatoon, the planned location is in the Kensington neighbourhood, adjacent to Lions Century Park. When complete, it will accommodate up to 400 Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 6 students and will provide 51 child care spaces.

    The new CÉF school in Prince Albert will replace École Valois and will be designed to accommodate up to 350 Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12 students, including 51 child care spaces. It will be located near the Alfred Jenkins Field House.

    Currently, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of SaskBuilds and Procurement and the CÉF are working with the City of Saskatoon and the City of Prince Albert and will soon begin procuring project managers to ensure the specific needs of the Francophone community and CÉF are fully understood and thoughtfully included in the planning and design of the new schools.

    “We are very pleased to see that the Government of Saskatchewan is recognizing Francophone families’ need for a new school on the west side of the river in Saskatoon and another in Prince Albert close to the Alfred Jenkins Field House,” Conseil Scolaire Fransaskois Chair Alpha Barry said. “These new student facilities will help alleviate some of our education needs. Our school division will continue to work with the Province to ensure that all Fransaskois students have access to the resources and infrastructure they need to ensure their full development.”

    Since 2008, the Government of Saskatchewan has committed approximately $2.6 billion toward school infrastructure projects, including 69 new schools and 32 major renovation projects with an additional seven projects approved through the Minor Capital Renewal Program.

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    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Giving Albertans a voice in setting policing priorities

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Ensuring Albertans are kept safe is a priority for Alberta’s government, which is why it introduced and passed the Police Amendment Act, 2022 in the fall session of 2022. This important piece of legislation is strengthening RCMP ties to the communities they serve and improving police accountability by mandating civilian governance bodies for municipalities policed by the RCMP. An order in council for the legislation was signed today, with the new regulations coming into force March 1, 2025.

    The creation of the municipal and regional policing committees and the Provincial Police Advisory Board will ensure large and small municipalities have a role in setting province-wide policing priorities and performance goals for the RCMP to ensure service delivery reflects and addresses local needs.

    The changes coming into force through the amendments and new regulations represent a collaborative effort on the part of municipalities, the RCMP and Alberta’s government to improve public safety in communities throughout the province.

    “By creating new civilian governance bodies, we’re responding to Albertans’ long-standing desire for more say in how the RCMP police their communities while advancing a paradigm shift that sees local police across the province as an extension and a reflection of the communities they serve. Unique communities have unique public safety priorities and the creation of civilian governance bodies will address this issue. Creating mandatory civilian governance bodies also ensures accountability, as officers will be held responsible for their actions and behaviour.”

    Mike Ellis, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services

    “Amendments to the Police Act support your Alberta RCMP’s ongoing efforts to ensure that communities have a strong voice in their policing priorities. In particular, it will assist our work on local resourcing, responding to calls for mental health and addictions issues, targeting prolific offenders, and dealing with hate crimes. The Alberta RCMP welcomes any changes or enhancements to oversight and governance that help us meet the needs of the communities we serve.”

    Deputy Commissioner Rob Hill, commanding officer, Alberta RCMP

    “Our association’s 265-member communities welcome the provincial government’s effort to build stronger ties between the RCMP and the communities they serve. We hope these policing committees and the Provincial Police Advisory Board lead to improved public safety in communities throughout Alberta.”

    Tyler Gandam, president, Alberta Municipalities

    Municipal and regional policing committees

    Communities with municipal policing contracts and populations of more than 15,000 will be required to appoint municipal policing committees to oversee RCMP service delivery for their area. These committees will work with elected municipal officials to set policing priorities for the community, report on initiatives to support those goals, and create safety plans with their local RCMP detachments, authorities and agencies.

    RCMP-policed communities with populations between 5,000 and 15,000 will be represented by regional policing committees to which they will be required to recruit and appoint members. These civilian committees will represent the interests and concerns of the public to the RCMP leadership in their district, work with local officials to identify and address public safety concerns for their region, and report on the implementation of programs and services to address them.

    The Provincial Police Advisory Board

    Small and rural communities policed by the RCMP with populations under 5,000 will be represented by a new advisory board. The Provincial Police Advisory Board will represent the interests and concerns of Albertans in these communities, support integrated safety planning and liaise with Alberta’s government, the RCMP and municipalities to align policing priorities and resources to help address local concerns and challenges. The 15-person board will include dedicated seats for representatives from Alberta Municipalities, Rural Municipalities of Alberta, and First Nations and Métis communities, as well as community representation for each of the province’s RCMP districts.

    Quick facts

    • The Police Amendment Act, 2022 received royal assent on Dec. 15, 2022, with the aim of improving police accountability, strengthening ties with communities and enhancing public confidence by reforming existing policing practices.
      • The Police Amendment Act, 2022 made a number of amendments to the Police Act, including the creation of civilian governance bodies in jurisdictions policed by the RCMP.
    • The Public Safety Statutes Amendment Act, 2024 received royal assent on May 16, and included amendments that allow for the regulation of municipal police committee memberships.
    • Both the Police Amendment Act, 2022 amendments and the new regulations created to support these municipal and regional civilian governance bodies will come into force on March 1, 2025.

    Related information

    • Modernizing Alberta’s Police Act
    • Keeping Alberta Families and Communities Safe

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Readout from ERO Detroit meeting with the Wexford County Sheriff’s Office

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    DETROIT — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations Detroit Field Office Director Robert Lynch met with the Wexford County Sheriff Trent Taylor Sept. 25 to strengthen our partnerships, discuss issues of common concern and explore ways to collaborate. ERO Detroit’s partnerships across Michigan and Ohio continue to promote national security and public safety by removing egregious noncitizen offenders from our communities.

    ICE officials regularly meet with state, local and tribal law enforcement entities — including agencies, associations and organizations — to offer federal support, answer questions and share information.

    Open dialogue strengthens the agency’s essential partnerships, fosters trust and helps keep American communities safe. Transparency is a vital part of ICE’s mission, so the agency also meets with state, local, tribal and territorial governments; elected officials; private sector entities; faith- and activism-based organizations; and colleges and universities. ICE continues to enforce the laws Congress sets forth by cooperating and sharing resources with local officials, maintaining the public’s trust and ensuring the highest levels of care for noncitizens in U.S. government custody.

    To learn more about ERO Detroit’s public safety mission across Michigan and Ohio, follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @ERODetroit.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Ami Bera, Larry Bucshon Introduce Bipartisan Penicillin Allergy Verification and Evaluation Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Ami Bera (D-CA)

     U.S. Representative Ami Bera, M.D. (D-CA-06), along with U.S. Representative Larry Bucshon, M.D. (R-IN-08) and eight additional bipartisan colleagues, recently introduced the Penicillin Allergy Verification and Evaluation (PAVE) Act. This legislation would add a penicillin allergy verification component to the “Welcome to Medicare” preventive visit and annual wellness visits.

    “Evidence shows that millions of seniors have either outgrew or mistakenly believe they have a penicillin allergy, yet have never been retested. As a doctor, I understand firsthand how crucial it is to have accurate, up-to-date health information,” said Representative Ami Bera. “An outdated or incorrect penicillin allergy in someone’s medical record can restrict treatment options, increase healthcare costs, and contribute to the spread of antimicrobial resistance. The PAVE Act offers a common-sense solution to this problem. By including penicillin allergy verification in Medicare’s initial and annual wellness visits, we can help ensure that seniors receive the most effective and appropriate treatments available.”

    “As a physician, I know just how important it is to have a full picture of a patient’s health and wellness.  Without accurate health information, patients and their health care providers can’t make informed health decisions,” said Dr. Bucshon. “It has become apparent that millions of patient records contain inaccurate information about a penicillin allergy—maybe because of a misdiagnosis, or because the individual outgrew the allergy later in life. This legislation will provide our seniors with better access to penicillin allergy verification testing, ensuring that they can receive treatments most appropriate for their situation.”

    The PAVE Act is supported by a wide variety of clinician and patient stakeholder groups, including the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, which provided feedback in drafting the bill.

    “The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) enthusiastically applauds Representatives Bucshon, Bera, Griffith, Peters, Murphy, Schrier, Kelly, DelBene, Miller-Meeks, and Underwood for their leadership in introducing the PAVE Act”, said Dr. Paul Williams, President, AAAAI.  “Millions of patients believe they are allergic to penicillin, but evidence shows that 95% of patients with a self-reported penicillin allergy in their electronic medical record can safely take penicillin. The PAVE Act would add penicillin allergy verification and evaluation for Medicare beneficiaries, which will improve healthcare outcomes for these patients, while also reducing healthcare costs and help fight antimicrobial resistance.  As we approach National Penicillin Allergy Day on September 28, the AAAAI looks forward to working with the bill champions to educate the public on penicillin allergy testing and advance this important legislation.”

    Additional Supporting Organizations:

    American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI)

    American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy (AAOA)

    American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS)

    American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology(ACAAI)

    American College of Physicians (ACP)

    American Gastroenterological Association (AGA)

    American Geriatrics Society (AGS)

    Allergy and Asthma Network (AAN)

    American Medical Association (AMA)

    Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA)

    Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT)

    Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE)

    Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA)

    International Food Protein Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome Association (I-FPIES)

    The Mast Cell Disease Society, Inc. (TMS)

    Peggy Lillis Foundation (PLF)

    BACKGROUND: Millions of patients believe they are allergic to penicillin, but evidence shows that the vast majority of patients with a self-reported allergy can safely take penicillin after verification testing and evaluation. Removing an incorrect penicillin allergy label from a patient’s electronic medical record is a relatively easy, low cost and important public health intervention that can improve patient outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and advance the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Addressing inaccurate reports of penicillin allergy is particularly crucial for older adults, who face heightened vulnerability to severe infections and adverse drug reactions.

    BILL SUMMARY: To improve antibiotic stewardship and combat AMR, the PAVE Act seeks to identify and de-label Medicare patients who have been previously labeled with a penicillin allergy. The legislation adds “penicillin allergy verification and evaluation” as part of Medicare’s Initial Preventative Physical Exam (IPPE) and Annual Wellness Visit (AWV). IPPEs are covered for new Medicare Part B enrollees within the 12 months and AWVs are covered annually.

    The bill defines “penicillin allergy verification and evaluation” as: 

    • identification of individuals reporting a history of penicillin allergy; 

    • consideration of whether the reported reaction history is consistent with an allergy/hypersensitivity reaction or can be re-evaluated; 

    • provision of information on the adverse individual and public health impact of a penicillin allergy label; and 

    • referral to an allergy/immunology specialist, as appropriate.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NYC’s First Mixed-Use Housing & Light Manufacturing Space

    Source: US State of New York

    Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the completion of a new, mixed-use residential and light manufacturing development, located in Brownsville, Brooklyn. The $118 million complex reimagines the former Fox’s U-Bet Chocolate Syrup factory at Rockaway Avenue and Newport Street as the Greenpoint Manufacturing and Design Center’s Brownsville Industrial Center. The development includes 39,000 square feet of affordable, top-of-the-line light manufacturing space on the ground-floor; Bridge Rockaway, a residential building with 174 units of affordable and supportive housing above the manufacturing space; and a 2,000 square-foot community space, spanning half a city block. It is the first new project in New York City to co-locate affordable housing and light manufacturing space on the same site.

    “Our continued efforts to foster renewal in Central Brooklyn are what this development is all about,” Governor Hochul said. “Bridge Rockaway with its affordable homes and supportive services in combination with light manufacturing, which has long provided the pathways to the middle class for Brooklynites, is spurring a fresh start for this piece of Brownsville. This is what it means to be pro-housing and pro-business. Congratulations to The Bridge, the Greenpoint Manufacturing and Design Center and their partners for bringing these new homes and jobs to the people of Brooklyn.”

    Bridge Rockaway, the residential development at 203 Newport Street, consists of two residential towers – a six-story structure and a seven-story structure – separated by an 11,000-square-foot garden. Units will be affordable to residents earning between 30 percent and 70 percent of the Area Median Income, and 87 units with on-site supportive services will be set-aside for veterans, seniors, and other individuals struggling with homelessness. Residents will have access to the building’s vibrant garden terrace, a reception area with 24/7 staffing, a computer room, community rooms, a bicycle room, and storage and laundry facilities. The Bridge, which operates supportive housing and behavioral health services for New Yorkers living with behavioral health concerns, will own and operate Bridge Rockaway and provide on-site services.

    The GMDC Brownsville Industrial Center at 805 Rockaway Avenue includes 10 units, ranging in size from 1,250 square feet to 6,000 square feet, for light manufacturing businesses that might include custom woodworkers, cabinet makers and artisanal tradespeople, such as set builders and display makers; home goods manufacturers; metal workers and finishers; and garment makers; among others. GMDC’s space features a loading dock with hydraulic lift and a state-of-the-art finishing room for industrial tenants. In addition to these and other services and amenities, GMDC has invested more than $11.5 million abatement measures to ensure the safe coexistence of residential and industrial tenants. GMDC’s project is expected to create up to 35 direct jobs, in addition to indirect jobs and investment. The space is owned and operated by GMDC, a nonprofit industrial developer and property manager with a portfolio of more than 685,000 square feet of industrial space across New York City. The project serves as a model for developing affordable housing on underutilized manufacturing property, while maintaining manufacturing use.

    State support includes a $1.6 million capital grant from Empire State Development to support the GMDC Brownsville Industrial Center, per the recommendation of the New York City Regional Economic Development Council. New York State will also provide $11.4 million in permanent tax-exempt bonds, Federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits that will generate $46 million in equity, and $16.9 million in subsidy through New York State Homes and Community Renewal. The New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance is providing $6.5 million through the Homeless Housing Assistance Program, as well as rental subsidies funded through the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative.

    Additional funding is being provided by the City and other public and private sources. The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development is providing $17.1 million in support of the project’s residential portion. The U.S. Small Business Administration, the New York City Economic Development Corporation, the New York City Neighborhood Capital Corporation, New York City Industrial Development Agency, JP Morgan Chase, the Partnership Fund for New York City, Enterprise Community Loan Fund, and National Grid also provided support.

    The project development team includes The Bridge, Mega Development and Greenpoint Manufacturing and Design Center. The building was designed by THINK! Architecture and Design.

    Governor Hochul’s Housing Agenda

    Governor Hochul is committed to addressing New York’s housing crisis and making the State more affordable and more livable for all New Yorkers. As part of the FY25 Enacted Budget, the Governor secured a landmark agreement to increase New York’s housing supply through new tax incentives for Upstate communities, new incentives and relief from certain state-imposed restrictions to create more housing in New York City, a $500 million capital fund to build up to 15,000 new homes on state-owned property, an additional $600 million in funding to support a variety of housing developments statewide, and new protections for renters and homeowners. In addition, as part of the FY23 Enacted Budget, the Governor announced a five-year, $25 billion Housing Plan to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide, including 10,000 with support services for vulnerable populations, plus the electrification of an additional 50,000 homes. More than 45,000 homes have been created or preserved to date.

    Last August, Governor Hochul also announced the Pro-Housing Communities Program. Pro-Housing Community certification is a requirement for localities to access up to $650 million in State discretionary funding. To date, more than 160 communities have been certified, including New York City.

    Housing and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said, “The environmentally sustainable coexistence of affordable housing and manufacturing in this $118 million, 174-apartment development offers a promising template for the future. Governor Hochul knows that every thriving community needs both quality homes and business. Bridge Rockaway and the GMDC Brownsville Industrial Center provide both, plus dedicated wraparound services for seniors, veterans and people who have been chronically unhoused. In terms of what this brings to the neighborhood, it is truly a holistic development – the complete package. We at HCR are proud of the part we played, along with our sister agencies, to bring the shared dream of the Bridge and GMDC to fruition.”

    Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “Today’s ribbon-cutting for Bridge Rockaway and the GMDC Brownsville Industrial Center is a significant step forward in New York State’s commitment to providing affordable housing and driving economic growth in Brooklyn. The inclusion of 39,000 square feet of light manufacturing space not only supports local small businesses but also creates sustainable jobs. This project demonstrates how strategic investments in both housing and manufacturing can uplift communities and build a stronger, more inclusive economy.”

    Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Commissioner Barbara C. Guinn said, “We are grateful to Governor Hochul for her steadfast commitment to expanding the supply of permanent supportive housing options across New York State and helping vulnerable New Yorkers break the cycle of homelessness. The opening of Bridge Rockaway provides formerly homeless individuals – including those with mental illness, veterans with disabilities and older adults – with much-needed affordable housing in Brownsville, Brooklyn, that includes essential services that will help the residents live safely and successfully in the community.”

    Greenpoint Manufacturing and Design Center CEO Brian T. Coleman said, “After nearly eight years of planning, development and construction, we are thrilled to finally open our doors. This project does what no one thought was possible: putting 39,000 square feet of light manufacturing space, more than 170 units of housing, and a community facility on the same site safely and affordably. Now, as we get ready to welcome our first tenants, I thank our partners at The Bridge, Mega Development, and at every level of government for supporting our vision to transform this block and create a stunning new home for businesses and residents in Brownsville.”

    The Bridge CEO Susan Wiviott said, “When The Bridge conceived this project, our goal was to create much needed supportive and affordable housing while preserving manufacturing uses. This first of its kind project proves a concept that can be replicated across the City. I am deeply grateful to our entire development team, particularly Mega Development, Think! Architecture and Design, and GMDC for seeing this project through to completion. We look forward to welcoming our first residents early next week.”

    New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President & CEO Andrew Kimball said, “GMDC’s Brownsville Industrial Center is a fantastic example of a nontraditional approach to addressing two of the City’s priorities; providing much-needed new affordable housing while also creating modern manufacturing space and good jobs. NYCEDC congratulates GMDC and its partners on this remarkable project that can set a model as we work toward a more affordable and equitable city.”

    NYCREDC Co-Chairs Félix V. Matos Rodríguez and William D. Rahm said, “The NYCREDC is proud to support Bridge Rockaway and the GMDC Brownsville Industrial Center, which not only address the critical need for affordable housing but also strengthens Brownsville’s economy through job creation in the manufacturing sector. By integrating affordable housing with light manufacturing space, we’re creating a vibrant mixed-use environment that will provide both homes and jobs for New Yorkers, fostering long-term benefits for local residents and businesses alike.”

    State Senator Roxanne J. Persaud said, “Thanks to a concerted effort by state, federal and local government funders, Bridge Rockaway is bringing much-needed housing to Brownsville. Of the 174 units, half will be affordable to households earning up to 70 percent Area Median Income (AMI), and the other half will be supportive units for older New Yorkers, veterans and people who have experienced homelessness. This new development is an exciting opportunity for my constituents.”

    Assemblymember Latrice Walker said, “It’s no secret that we have an affordable housing shortage in New York State. The lack of affordable housing is particularly acute among seniors and those who wage a daily battle against homelessness. Not only does a development like Bridge Rockaway offer affordable units, but the complex also offers 87 apartments with supportive services for seniors, veterans and formerly homeless New Yorkers. I’m also excited about the inclusion of manufacturing space that will create up to 35 jobs. Please count me as a resource if you need help connecting people from the community with those job opportunities.”

    New York City Mayor Eric Adams said, “For too long, our zoning laws lived in the past, ignoring the realities of today and the bold possibilities of tomorrow. This new development in Brownsville, Brooklyn is symbolic of the endless potential that still rests in our City. Affordable and supportive housing, industrial development and community space all come together in one mixed-use development, transforming an entire neighborhood. When we open our doors and say, ‘yes’ to housing, jobs and opportunity, there’s nothing our City cannot do.”

    New York City Housing, Economic Development and Workforce Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer said, “Congratulations to the entire development team on the opening of this exciting and path-breaking project, one that will deliver 170 units of affordable and supportive housing and roughly 40,000 square feet of industrial space. This $118M project exemplifies the spirit of the City of Yes and a modern, flexible approach to building housing while simultaneously supporting a modern industrial sector.”

    Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso said, “New housing and new jobs are a recipe for economic success, and the Bridge Rockaway and GMDC Brownsville Industrial Center complex brings that mixed-use success to our borough. Thanks to this new complex, our neighbors in eastern Brooklyn will have 174 units of new housing, with 87 apartments dedicated to older adults, veterans, and chronically homeless adults, as well as tens of new manufacturing jobs that will benefit Brooklyn’s economy. I am proud to see this mixed-use development come to our borough and thank the many partners who made this day possible.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Labrador Leads 29-State Coalition Against Maryland’s Bizarrely Unconstitutional Gun Ban

    Source: US State of Idaho

    Home Newsroom Attorney General Labrador Leads 29-State Coalition Against Maryland’s Bizarrely Unconstitutional Gun Ban

    [BOISE] – Attorney General Raúl Labrador, joined by 28 other states, has filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court of the United States.  The broad coalition requests a writ of certiorari, asking SCOTUS to take up the case of Snope v. Brown, where the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Maryland’s unconstitutional ban on hundreds of styles of firearms, including the AR-15, the most popular modern semi-automatic sporting rifle in America.  Inexplicably, the Fourth Circuit simply declared that the AR-15 was “military-style” and therefore not an “arm” protected by the unambiguous language of the Second Amendment.
    “It is gravely concerning for a federal court to blatantly ignore the most recent clarifying decisions regarding the right to keep and bear arms to ever come from SCOTUS,” said Attorney General Labrador.  “The AR-15 is the most common and prolific semiautomatic rifle in our country and the very definition of a firearm used for sport, personal protection and civil defense.  These arms are lawfully owned and used by tens of millions of citizens across the country, and a textbook definition of the firearms protected by the Second Amendment from capricious government overreach.”
    The Fourth Circuit decision flies in the face of recent SCOTUS decisions Relying on sparse and irrelevant historical evidence, including some that the Supreme Court has already considered and rejected, the Fourth Circuit erroneously concluded this nation has a tradition of banning the possession of commonly owned firearms like the AR-15.
    There is no such tradition. Nor could there be in a free nation.
    The brief argues, “…there is no principled distinction between weapons that are ‘for military use’ and weapons that are ‘for private use.’ By pretending otherwise, the Fourth Circuit authorizes itself to ignore the Second Amendment whenever it thinks a weapon looks too much like a soldier’s.  And this leaves citizens, businesses, and regulators guessing as to what supposedly makes an arm ‘most useful in military service’ – after all the Fourth Circuit said that even weapons with only semi-automatic capabilities may be considered best suited for military…even if the military does not actually use such weapons.”
    Joining Idaho’s Attorney General Labrador in this effort are attorneys general from Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming, and the Arizona and Wisconsin Legislatures.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grants Support Zero-Emission Vehicle Fleets

    Source: US State of New York

    Governor Kathy Hochul today announced $5.5 million available in grants for municipalities to support the installation of electric vehicle chargers, including hydrogen fuel filling station components and Level 2 and direct current fast chargers, as part of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Municipal Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Grants program. These projects support New York’s ongoing efforts to advance clean transportation and help the State achieve the greenhouse gas emission reduction requirements of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.

    “New York is committed to advancing and energizing the transition to a cleaner, healthier, and more efficient transportation future,” Governor Hochul said. “Our sustained investments in electric vehicle infrastructure across the State will help encourage more drivers to make the switch to EVs, promote greener alternatives for transportation, and combat climate change.”

    The 2024 round of the Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) Municipal Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Infrastructure program opened on Sept. 25 with $5.5 million available. Additional information can be found in the request for applications (RFA) document. The deadline for applications is 4 p.m. on Feb. 28, 2025.

    The program includes a variable local match requirement based on the municipality’s median household income (MHI) and whether the ZEV infrastructure is located in a disadvantaged community, based on the disadvantaged communities criteria developed by the Climate Justice Working Group.

    Eligible expenses incurred between Oct. 1, 2023, and Sept. 20, 2026, are eligible for reimbursement.

    Applications are available through the Consolidated Funding Application under the title “2024 Municipal ZEV Infrastructure Grants.”

    To be eligible for an award, applicants must be registered in the NYS Statewide Financial System Grant Management System (SFS GM). Information regarding registration in SFS GM can be found on the Grants Management website. More information about the DEC Municipal ZEV Infrastructure Grant program, as well as the DEC Municipal ZEV Rebate program, is available on DEC’s website. For questions about the Municipal ZEV program, email [email protected] or call DEC’s Office of Climate Change at 518-402-8448.

    New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar said, “With Governor Hochul’s sustained commitment to ensuring a cleaner, greener future, New York continues to be a leader advancing the State’s transition to clean transportation to help achieve our climate targets. The Municipal ZEV Infrastructure Grant program makes it even easier, more accessible, and more affordable to make the switch to greener vehicles and is expanding New York’s EV charging station network. DEC looks forward to continuing to support municipalities statewide that are taking climate action, investing in electric transportation, and helping facilitate the clean energy economy of the future.”

    State Senator Peter Harckham said, “Our transportation sector is a major source of climate and air pollution in New York. The DEC’s Municipal Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure grants program will accelerate the transition to an emissions free future, where we all can breathe easier. This is a good example of how the state and local governments, working together, can create a cleaner, greener New York.”

    Assemblymember Deborah Glick said, “Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by shifting to vehicles that do not rely on fossil fuels is essential for New York to achieve our climate goals. One major obstacle to the public’s adoption of electric vehicles is the lack of publicly available charging stations. Making it easier for municipalities to step up and expand this critical piece of the green infrastructure puzzle is welcome news. Thank you to Governor Hochul for this important $5.5 million investment in NYDEC’s Municipal Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Grants program to help expand this green infrastructure throughout New York, helping us to further achieve our climate goals.”

    New York State’s Nation-Leading Climate Plan

    New York State’s climate agenda calls for an orderly and just transition that creates family-sustaining jobs, continues to foster a green economy across all sectors and ensures that a minimum of 35 percent, with a goal of 40 percent, of the benefits of clean energy investments are directed to disadvantaged communities. Guided by some of the nation’s most aggressive climate and clean energy initiatives, New York is advancing a suite of efforts – including the New York Cap-and-Invest program (NYCI) and other complementary policies – to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent by 2030 and 85 percent by 2050 from 1990 levels. New York is also on a path toward a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040, including 70 percent renewable energy generation by 2030, and economy-wide carbon neutrality by mid-century. A cornerstone of this transition is New York’s unprecedented clean energy investments, including more than $28 billion in 61 large-scale renewable and transmission projects across the State, $6.8 billion to reduce building emissions, $3.3 billion to scale up solar, nearly $3 billion for clean transportation initiatives and over $2 billion in NY Green Bank commitments. These and other investments are supporting more than 170,000 jobs in New York’s clean energy sector as of 2022 and over 3,000 percent growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality, New York also adopted zero-emission vehicle regulations, including requiring all new passenger cars and light-duty trucks sold in the State be zero emission by 2035. Partnerships are continuing to advance New York’s climate action with more than 420 registered and more than 150 certified Climate Smart Communities, over 500 Clean Energy Communities, and the State’s largest community air monitoring initiative in 10 disadvantaged communities across the State to help target air pollution and combat climate change.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Press briefing on the occasion of the ceremony to establish the new Canadian Armed Forces Cyber Command

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French 1

    Media are invited to attend the ceremony to establish the new Canadian Armed Forces Cyber Command with the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, General Jennie Carignan, Chief of the Defence Staff, and Major-General Dave Yarker, Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Cyber Commander.

    September 25, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces

    Establishment ceremony

    Media are invited to attend the ceremony to establish the new Canadian Armed Forces Cyber Command with the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, General Jennie Carignan, Chief of the Defence Staff, and Major-General Dave Yarker, Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Cyber Commander.

    Date and Time: Thursday, September 26, 2024 (Please arrive by 9:15 a.m. EDT – ceremony begins at 9:45 a.m. EDT)

    Format: In person at SFC Leitrim, 3545 Leitrim Road, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K2

    Details: Accredited media can register for this event by contacting the Media Relations Office at mlo-blm@forces.gc.ca.

    Press briefing

    The Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, will hold a media availability. He will be joined by Major-General Dave Yarker, CAF Cyber Commander.

    Date and Time: Thursday, September 26, 2024, 11:00 a.m. EDT

    Location: CFS Leitrim, 3545 Leitrim Road, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K2

    Details: Participation in this press briefing is reserved for accredited media.

    Simon LafortunePress Attaché and Communications AdvisorOffice of the Minister of National DefenseEmail: Simon.Lafortune2@forces.gc.ca

    Media RelationsDepartment of National DefenceTelephone: 613-904-3333Email: mlo-blm@forces.gc.ca

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Manitobans Encouraged to Participate in Orange Shirt Day Events

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    September 25, 2024

    Manitobans Encouraged to Participate in Orange Shirt Day Events

    The Manitoba government is encouraging Manitobans to honour survivors of the residential school system on Sept. 30 by participating in one of many Orange Shirt Day events taking place across the province, Premier Wab Kinew, minister responsible for Indigenous reconciliation, announced today.

    “Every Child Matters is a call to action to learn from history and ensure the harm caused by the residential school system is never forgotten,” said Kinew. “The Orange Shirt Day events taking place across our province over the next week are incredible learning opportunities and I encourage Manitobans to take part.”

    Orange Shirt Day, also known as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, is a day to recognize and reflect on the tragic history and ongoing legacy of residential schools, honour survivors and remember the children who never returned home.

    In December 2023, Manitoba established Orange Shirt Day as a provincial statutory holiday, so that all Manitobans have the opportunity to reflect on the legacy of residentials schools and the profound impacts of that trauma that still exists today, noted the premier.

    To mark the historic event, the Manitoba government allocated up to $800,000 to establish the Orange Shirt Day Fund. The fund provides one-time grant funding for projects and initiatives that raise awareness of Orange Shirt Day and create opportunities for Manitobans to come together in observation, reflection and commemoration.

    Events supported by this fund are taking place throughout the province. To find one near you, visit www.gov.mb.ca/inr/osd.html#events.

    The premier noted the investment aligns with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action and specifically responds to Call to Action No. 80 to establish a statutory holiday in honour of survivors, their families and communities to ensure the public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component in the truth and reconciliation process.

    This initiative also aligns with commitments made in the November 2023 speech from the throne to advance truth and reconciliation in Manitoba.

    Manitobans are encouraged to wear orange to work or school on Sept. 30 in honour of residential school survivors, their families and communities and those who never returned home.​​​​​​​​

    – 30 –

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI: Andrew Cardno, Dr. Ralph Thomas and Dr. A.K. Singh Release Their 11th Book: “The Math That Gaming Made, Compendium”

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN DIEGO, Sept. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Acclaimed gaming and analytics experts Andrew Cardno and Dr. Ralph Thomas of QCI have proudly released their 11th book, “The Math That Gaming Made, Compendium,” a definitive exploration of the mathematical frameworks and strategies that have shaped the modern gaming industry.

    The book, which serves as a comprehensive guide to the intersection of mathematics and gaming, is a deep dive into how advanced analytics, mathematical modeling, and data science have revolutionized the gaming landscape. Covering decades of research and insights, “The Math That Gaming Made, Compendium” provides a wealth of knowledge for industry professionals, data enthusiasts, and anyone passionate about the intricacies of gaming mathematics.

    A Legacy of Expertise

    Andrew Cardno, a recognized authority in gaming analytics, and Dr. Ralph Thomas, a pioneer in gaming data science, bring together their years of experience and research in this book. Together, they offer readers an unparalleled understanding of how math is used to optimize everything from player experiences to casino operations.

    “This book is a culmination of over 20 years of innovation in the gaming industry,” said Andrew Cardno. “It not only highlights how data and analytics have evolved but also provides the tools and knowledge for others to apply these concepts in real-world gaming environments.”

    A Must-Read for Industry Professionals

    Industry expert Buddy Frank shared his praise for the book: “If there’s one thing the casino gaming industry does not do well, it is sharing. This book breaks that mold as the authors dish some of the best advice on improving your slot mix, gaining market share, understanding databases, and a lot more. They even translate all our obscure acronyms. This new volume is several inches thick, but you’ll find gems on every page. Better yet, follow their advice and your profitability will improve.”

    “The Math That Gaming Made, Compendium” is available now through Amazon.

    About Andrew Cardno

    Andrew Cardno is a distinguished figure in the field of artificial intelligence and data plumbing, with over two decades of experience leading private Ph.D. and master’s level research teams. His expertise has made significant contributions to data tooling, including groundbreaking innovations like the deep zoom image format, now a cornerstone in many mapping tools. Andrew’s leadership has earned him two Smithsonian Laureates and garnered 40 industry awards, including three pivotal gaming industry transformation awards. Co-founding Quick Custom Intelligence with Dr. Ralph Thomas, Andrew holds over 150 patent applications and has made a profound impact across various industries, from telecommunications and retail to the medical sector. He is also a prolific author, contributing to over 100 industry publications and co-authoring eight influential books with Dr. Thomas. Andrew advocates for community and diversity and has made a significant impact on over 100 Native American Tribal Resorts, reflecting his expansive and inclusive professional endeavors.

    About Dr. Ralph Thomas

    Dr. Ralph Thomas is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Quick Custom Intelligence. Ralph is a product visionary in applied analytics and the founder of two companies that deliver solutions in casino gaming, education, and adult learning. As a gaming industry veteran, Dr. Thomas has substantial experience implementing analytics into single and multi-property gaming companies to drive tangible and measurable gains to the bottom line and has built business intelligence tools for multibillion-dollar casinos. Dr. Thomas is co-author of seven books and over 80 articles on applied analytics and data science in gaming, an inventor on dozens of patents, and understands gaming from raw data up through casino operations, giving him a unique, 360-degree view of the industry.

    About Dr. A.K. Singh

    Chair & Professor, Resorts, Gaming & Golf Management Department at University of Nevada Las Vegas. After obtaining his Ph.D. in Statistics from Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, Ashok worked as a Visiting Research Fellow at the NIEHS, Research Triangle Park, NC, in 1977. He has held academic positions since 1978, including: 1978 to July 1991: Associate Professor of Mathematics at New Mexico Tech, Socorro, NM. August 1991 to December 2005: Professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences at UNLV. January 2006 to present: Professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences at UNLV, serving as Chair of the Resorts, Gaming & Golf Management Department since July 1, 2021. His research interests encompass applications of statistics in engineering, business, and law, as well as machine learning applications in business and medicine, and predictive analytics.

    Contact:

    Laurel Kay, Quick Custom Intelligence

    Phone: 858-349-8354

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scott, Grassley, and Bicameral Colleagues Call Out Abuses in the Biden-Harris Unaccompanied Migrant Children Program

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) joined Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) in a letter urging President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to work with Congress to root out abuses in their administration’s unaccompanied migrant children program and stop the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)’s cover-up of the crisis. HHS has failed to comply with two out of three Department of Homeland Security (DHS) subpoenas and other information requests issued amid its investigation into more than 100 suspicious sponsors.

    “As a result of your open-borders policies, overseen by Vice President Harris, who was tasked with “stemming the migration” at our border with Mexico, more than 500,000 unaccompanied alien children (UACs) have crossed the southwest border without a parent or guardian to provide care since you took office, a massive increase when compared to previous administrations.1 These UACs often experience horrible sexual, physical, and emotional abuse on the journey and are victims of cartel trafficking and exploitation, a business that surged an estimated 2,500 percent from the Trump Administration to the middle of your term in 2022,” wrote the senators.

    The senators said, “Even as the trafficking business and the number of children entering the U.S. surged, HHS (Department of Health and Human Services) ORR (Office of Refugee Resettlement) cut back significantly on background checks and vetting procedures to speed up the process, despite knowing children were being trafficked through HHS ORR’s UAC (unaccompanied alien children) program. Your Administration likewise continued Vice President Harris’s longtime priority of cutting back on information sharing between HHS ORR and law enforcement related to unaccompanied children and sponsors.”

    “This is not a partisan issue. It can and should bring us together, as we try to protect Americans and UACs placed in HHS ORR custody alike. Your Administration must make changes to its policies and procedures for UACs to end this public safety crisis,” continued the senators.

    “[The Biden-Harris HHS] must stop its cover-up and cooperate with law enforcement and Congress to end this crisis and protect unaccompanied children and the American people,” the lawmakers concluded.

    Read the full letter HERE.

    Program Abuse
    More than 500,000 unaccompanied migrant children have crossed the southwest border under the Biden-Harris administration, while cartel trafficking activity surged an estimated 2,500 percent. Amid this crisis, the lawmakers note the Biden-Harris administration limited background checks for sponsors of unaccompanied children, cut back on familial DNA testing at the border and decreased information sharing with law enforcement.

    Seeking Solutions
    The lawmakers are urging Biden and Harris to “make changes to [their] policies and procedures” in order to “end this public safety crisis.” They are specifically calling on the Biden-Harris administration to enhance information sharing with law enforcement and Congress, fully cooperate with DHS’s child exploitation investigation and thoroughly respond to all congressional oversight requests.

    Joining Senators Tim Scott and Grassley on the letter are Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), along with Sens. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.),  John Thune (R-S.D.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), John Kennedy (R-La.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), and Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.).

    Additional co-signers in the House include Reps. Tom McLintock (R-Calif.), Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Chip Roy (R-Texas), Dan Bishop (R-N.C.), Scott Fitzgerald (R-Wis.), Cliff Bentz (R-Ore.), Ben Cline (R-Va.), Barry Moore (R-Ala.), Russell Fry (R-S.C.), Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.), Wesley Hunt (R-Texas), Laurel Lee (R-Fla.), and Michael Rulli (R-Ohio).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall Joins America’s Newsroom on Fox to Discuss the Butler, PA, Trump Assassination Attempt Senate Report

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Senator Marshall Joins America’s Newsroom on Fox to Discuss the Butler, PA, Trump Assassination Attempt Senate Report
    Washington D.C.  – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. joined America’s Newsroom on Fox to discuss the breaking Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee report on the security lapses surrounding the assassination attempt on President Trump at his Butler, Pennsylvania rally in July and the top-down culture crisis at the Secret Service. 
    Senator Marshall has previously urged for immediate reform at the Secret Service and led the call for increased security resources for President Trump.

    You may click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full interview.
    Highlights from Senator Marshall’s interview include:
    On the Secret Service Report: 
    “Two minutes before shots were fired, the Secret Service knew there was a man on the roof for two minutes they left the President out there exposed before those shots were fired, and then back up for at least 30 minutes, the Secret Service knew that there was a suspicious character out there with the range binder.”
    “Why did they let the President take the stage? Why didn’t they get them off the stage? I think what this report reveals is, number one is there’s a lack of a chain of command. They had a horrible plan. It was executed even worse, and the communications were siloed. It will take days to break down the failures, but there is a cultural rot within the Secret Service. We need a crisis management team to go in there yesterday, turn this place upside down and start over.”
    On Counter Sniper Team in Butler:
    “So number one, there was absolutely a credible threat that day. And I can’t go into the specifics of what the credible threats were, but the Trump team, the Secret Service, knew of a very credible threat to President Trump, and I think that is one of the reasons why they had this counter sniper team.”
    “Look, there was a credible threat there. The Secret Service failed. No one is accepting responsibility… And that’s why we need to turn this place upside down. And I go back to this: They need a crisis management team to go in there and take the place over.”
    On the Whistleblower Claim: 
    “I keep going back to this. It is so broken. We need someone like a Mike Pompeo to step in there and take over and get President Trump the protection he needs.”
    “This is why it’s so important, Americans are out there thinking, if we cannot protect our leaders, can they protect us? So, we need to give all the resources necessary to protect President Trump. It’s very obvious that Iran, that Russia, that China, does not want Donald Trump to be president again. They’re scared to death of him.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth, Booker, Blunt Rochester, Tlaib, Dingell, Lee Call for Expedited Review and Implementation of Biden Administration’s Proposed Strengthening of the Lead and Copper Rule

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    September 25, 2024

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Cory Booker (D-NJ)—co-founders of the new U.S. Senate Lead Task Force and the U.S. Senate Environmental Justice Caucus—along with U.S. Representatives Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE-AL), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12), Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06) and Barbara Lee (D-CA-12) are calling on the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to expedite its review of the Biden Administration’s proposed Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI), which would lower the lead action level to better protect human health and require water systems to replace old and deteriorating lead pipes within a decade. The lawmakers’ bicameral letter underscores the importance of OMB completing its review ahead of the October 16th finalization deadline to not only help ensure these important improvements are implemented as quickly as possible, but also prevent water systems from being forced to temporarily comply with the prior rule proposed by the Trump Administration—also known as the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR)—which would put public health at risk. Congresswomen Blunt Rochester, Tlaib and Dingell are co-founders and co-leads of the Get the Lead Out Caucus in the House.

    In the letter, the lawmakers outlined what’s at stake if the proposed LCRI is not finalized by October 16th: “…water systems and states will be required to start complying immediately with the deeply problematic LCRR. EPA concluded that temporary implementation of the LCRR rule from the prior administration will create bureaucratic complexity and confusion for regulated entities, waste scarce resources, result in widespread non-compliance and risk delaying or failing to realize the full benefits of the LCRI… In addition to the unnecessary potential confusion and complexity, the prior administration’s LCRR would put public health at risk by implementing inadequate policies that do not meaningfully address the lead contamination problems in communities across the country.”

    In addition to preventing water systems from being forced to comply with Trump Administration’s previously proposed LCRR, swiftly finalizing the Biden Administration’s proposed LCRI would help ensure full implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s provisions aimed at removing lead pipes and advancing environmental justice. The lawmakers wrote: “The commitment of the Biden-Harris Administration and EPA extends beyond the LCRI, but a timely final LCRI is necessary to stop the ongoing environmental health crises. The $15 billion in dedicated funding for lead pipe replacement and additional $11.7 billion in grants, loans and principal forgiveness made possible through Congress’s passage of Senator Duckworth’s Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act, included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and other sources, need the proposed LCRI to be finalized to ensure safe and expedient implementation.”

    The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law included Duckworth’s Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act (DWWIA) and is the most significant federal investment in water infrastructure in history, including $15 billion for national lead pipe replacement. DWWIA, which focuses on disadvantaged communities, will help rebuild our nation’s crumbling and dangerous water infrastructure and enable communities to repair and modernize their failing wastewater systems.

    Along with Duckworth and Booker, the letter is co-signed in the Senate by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tom Carper (D-DE), Bernie Sanders (D-VT) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).

    Along with Blunt Rochester, Tlaib, Dingell and Lee, the letter is co-signed in the House by: Alma Adams (D-NC-12), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01), Julia Brownley (D-CA-26), Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13), Sean Casten (D-IL-06), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL-20), Yvette Clarke (D-NY-09), Steve Cohen (D-TN-09), Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06), Dwight Evans (D-PA-3), Bill Foster (D-IL-11), Maxwell Alejandro Frost (D-FL-10), John Garamendi (D-CA-08), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (D-IL-04), Robert Garcia (D-CA-42), Sylvia R. Garcia (D-TX-29), Daniel Goldman (D-NY-10), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-05), Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ-07), Jared Huffman (D-CA-02), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL-01), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07), Robin Kelly (D-IL-02), Ro Khanna (D-CA-17), Daniel Kildee (D-MI-08), Summer Lee (D-PA-12), Stephen Lynch (D-MA-08), Seth Magaziner (D-RI-02), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA-04), Betty McCollum (D-MN-04), James P. McGovern (D-MA-02), Grace Meng (D-NY-06), Kevin Mullin (D-CA-15), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY-12), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC-At Large), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14), Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01), Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03), Linda Sánchez (D-CA-38), John Sarbanes (D-MA-03), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA-03), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI-07), Eric Sorensen (D-IL-17), Melanie Stansbury (D-NM-01), Haley Stevens (D-MI-11), Shri Thanedar (D-MI-13), Jill Tokuda (D-HI-13), Ritchie Torres (D-NY-15), Frederica Wilson (D-FL-24), Hank Johnson (D-GA-04), Patrick Ryan (D-NY-18), Joe Courtney (D-CT-02), Katie Porter (D-CA-47), David J. Trone (D-MD-06), Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (D-VA-08), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), Gerald Connolly (D-VA-11), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-18), Gabe Amo (D-RI-01), Sara Jacobs (D-CA-51) and Darren Soto (D-FL-09).

    After leading a dozen of their Senate colleagues in calling on EPA to strengthen and enforce the Lead and Copper Rule, Duckworth and Booker applauded the Biden Administration for heeding their request in November of last year. In February, Duckworth, Booker, Tlaib and Dingell urged the Biden Administration to strengthen the rule further by considering additional provisions that would improve and expedite the Biden Administration’s effort to remove all lead service lines from our nation.

    The letter is endorsed by: Natural Resources Defense Council, League of Conservation Voters, EarthJustice, Protect Kids From Lead Coalition, National Association of Water Companies, BlueGreen Alliance, Environmental Defense Fund, Unleaded Kids and National Center for Healthy Housing.

    The full letter can be found below or on Senator Duckworth’s website:

    Dear Director Young:

    We appreciate the Biden-Harris Administration’s bold leadership and substantial efforts to remove nearly all lead service lines from across our nation within 10 years.  The commitment to ensure safe, lead-free drinking water in every community has been evident through both federal investments and the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) proposed rule that was published in December 2023 and submitted for finalization to the White House Office of Management and Budget’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs in August 2024. This proposal represents another critical step forward that will protect public health, create jobs and ensure a better future for our children. We write to underscore the importance of finalizing the LCRI before October 16, 2024, to avoid a default implementation of the previous administration’s Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR).

    As you know, if the rule is not finalized by October 16, water systems and states will be required to start complying immediately with the deeply problematic LCRR. EPA concluded that temporary implementation of the LCRR rule from the prior administration will create bureaucratic complexity and confusion for regulated entities, waste scarce resources, result in widespread non-compliance and risk delaying or failing to realize the full benefits of the LCRI. See 88 Fed. Reg. at 84,903, 84,967-69. In addition to the unnecessary potential confusion and complexity, the prior administration’s LCRR would put public health at risk by implementing inadequate policies that do not meaningfully address the lead contamination problems in communities across the country. 

    Finalizing the LCRI in a timely way also works to protect our most vulnerable.  Lead service lines are disproportionately located in low-income communities and communities of color. This increased risk of lead-contaminated drinking water factors into disadvantaged communities’ greater cumulative risk of lead exposure. Early lead exposure can lead to lasting behavioral and intellectual disabilities and research shows that children who were exposed to lead are more likely to have lower socioeconomic statuses than their parents in adulthood. But adults are not exempt from lead’s impacts; exposure causes cardiovascular and renal problems as well as an increase in all-cause mortality. There is no safe level of lead exposure.  

    The commitment of the Biden-Harris Administration and its EPA extends beyond the LCRI, but a timely final LCRI is necessary to stop the ongoing environmental health crises. The $15 billion in dedicated funding for lead pipe replacement and additional $11.7 billion in grants, loans and principal forgiveness made possible through Congress’s passage of Senator Duckworth’s Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act, included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and other sources, need the proposed LCRI to be finalized to ensure safe and expedient implementation. 

    A timely final LCRI is necessary to immediately and urgently address lead contamination in communities across the country and remove the estimated 9 million service lines across the nation that contain lead. The final rule will ensure that safe and lead-free drinking water is available in all communities and we look forward to continue working with you on this effort. 

    Sincerely,

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Scott Leads Effort to Increase Access to Capital, Create Investment Opportunities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.), the top Republican on the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, is leading legislation to revitalize the businesses within our communities and open up our capital markets to all Americans. Senator Scott’s Empowering Main Street in America Act will boost avenues for capital formation that create jobs and generate economic growth.

    Senate Banking Committee members, including Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), and Steve Daines (R-Mont.), joined Senator Scott on the legislation. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) is also a co-sponsor of the bill.

    “Our capital markets system is the envy of the world and has helped many Americans build wealth and save for their futures. But unfortunately for individuals in communities like the one I grew up in, investing in a local venture or raising capital to grow a business seems out of reach. We need to change that – and this comprehensive legislation will create economic opportunity and provide more Americans with the resources necessary to achieve financial security for their families and realize their version of the American Dream, while ensuring small business owners can access capital to grow and innovate,” said Senator Scott.

    At yesterday’s Punchbowl News event, Senator Scott highlighted how the legislation will improve access to capital for entrepreneurs across the country, tailor regulations for small and newly public companies looking to grow and expand their operations, and create new avenues for hardworking Americans to invest in their community.

    Click here to watch the full discussion.

    Senator Scott’s legislation, in part, is the result of feedback from his from his February 2024 roundtable with Black investors and business founders discussing ways to improve minority communities’ access to capital. Here’s what the roundtable participants had to say on the bill:

    “I thank Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) for his leadership in introducing the Empowering Main Street in America Act (EMSAA), which will significantly improve access to capital for all entrepreneurs and investors. I had the good fortune to participate in a roundtable that Senator Scott hosted in February with Black founders and investors, and I am very pleased to see many of the insights raised at that event reflected in the legislation. I launched RareBreed in response to the lack of access to capital for founders of color and founders outside the major investment hubs of Silicon Valley, New York, and Boston. Current rules price out many accredited investors, especially those of color, from participating in investment funds. This limits capital to drive innovation, economic growth, and job creation, and restricts capital invested in founders of color. We know this because research has shown that Black-led funds are four times as likely to invest in a Black-led company. The EMSAA will provide accredited investors of color more opportunities to participate in venture capital at lower minimums, helping to reduce risk, better diversify investments, and create wealth in communities of color. As someone who has spent my entire career in venture capital as an advocate for reducing barriers and expanding participation, I applaud this legislation and look forward to supporting its passage any way I can,” said McKeever “Mac” Conwell, Managing Partner, RareBreed Ventures.

    “Entrepreneurs don’t need to be in Silicon Valley or Wall Street to deserve access to capital. To truly foster innovation and growth, we must meet entrepreneurs where they are—whether in rural communities, urban centers, or underserved areas. The Empowering Main Street in America Act will help ensure entrepreneurs, regardless of location, have the financial resources they need to launch and grow their business, driving local economies and building stronger communities nationwide,” said Herbert Drayton III, Managing Partner, HI Mark Capital.

    “This legislative solution tears down barriers and fuels economic growth from the ground up. It’s about ensuring that every American has the opportunity to build a business, invest, and achieve financial security. The message from our roundtable was clear: strengthen our capital markets, foster entrepreneurship, make financial literacy a priority, and create pathways to prosperity for all,” said Ryan Frazier, Managing Partner and CEO, Frazier Global.

    For a section-by-section on the bill, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rubio Introduces Bill Requesting U.S. Sanctions on Fentanyl Precursors and Manufacturers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Florida Marco Rubio

    Rubio: Family, Community, and Faith Are the Fiber of our Nation

    Sep 24, 2024 | Press Releases

    Photo courtesy of the National Religious Broadcasters association. On September 19, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) spoke to the National Religious Broadcasters association on the importance of faith-based messaging. “The most important thing the government can do is…

    read more

    Rubio, Colleagues to Biden-Harris Officials: Individuals Tied to Cuban Regime Are Not Welcome

    Sep 24, 2024 | Press Releases

    Under U.S. law, any individual who has been, or is affiliated with a Communist Party is deemed inadmissible for entry into our nation. However, under the Biden-Harris Administration’s mass immigration program, it’s been reported that individuals tied to the…

    read more

    Rubio, Scott Introduce Bill to Punish Colleges That Allow Antisemitism

    Sep 24, 2024 | Press Releases

    Since the October 7, 2023 terrorist attack against Israel, cases of antisemitic harassment have increased more than 500 percent at college campuses across the United States. Yet, many Institutes of Higher Education (IHEs) have failed to prevent or stop antisemitism…

    read more

    Rubio Applauds House Passage of USCIRF

    Sep 24, 2024 | Press Releases

    The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, is a bipartisan commission that monitors and reports on international religious freedom. The commission’s authorization is currently…

    read more

    Rubio, Scott Support Florida Request for Pre-landfall Emergency Declaration

    Sep 23, 2024 | Press Releases

    Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine, soon to be Hurricane Helene, is expected to make landfall in Florida as a major hurricane later this week. The storm will bring strong winds, heavy rain, severe storm surge, flooding, and hazardous seas to Florida’s impacted areas….

    read more

    ICYMI: Rubio, Clement Present Plan to Stop Antisemitism on College Campuses

    Sep 23, 2024 | Press Releases

    Congress Can Protect Jews on College Campuses U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Paul Clement September 23, 2024 Wall Street Journal The ancient poison of antisemitism has infected American higher education…. Campus antisemitism isn’t restricted to…widely publicized…

    read more

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth, Durbin, Ramirez, Underwood Celebrate Senate Passage of Resolution Honoring Wadee Alfayoumi

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    September 25, 2024

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] –  U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Representatives Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03) and Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14) celebrated Senate passage of a resolution honoring Wadee Alfayoumi, a six-year-old Palestinian American boy who was murdered as a victim of a hate crime in Plainfield, Illinois, on October 14, 2023. The lawmakers introduced the resolution earlier this year.

    “My heart breaks for the family of Wadee Alfayoumi, the precious, innocent 6-year-old who lost his life in an unimaginably cruel way, just because of his Palestinian Muslim identity,” Duckworth said. “This barbaric, cold-blooded murder was a chilling act of hate against the Palestinian community in Illinois, and we must do everything in our power to denounce and stop more hatred and violence. I’m proud our resolution passed honoring Wadee’s life and legacy. May his memory live on and serve as a reminder that we must be united in our shared goal of ending—rather than perpetuating—the needless suffering of innocent human beings.”

    “Wadee Alfayoumi and his mother were violently attacked for no apparent reason other than their religion and their ethnicity. Targeting someone based on their ethnicity or religion is wrong, and targeting an innocent child based on those characteristics is pure hatred. Nearly a year after Wadee Alfayoumi’s young life was taken too soon, our nation continues to mourn with his family,” said Durbin. “By passing this resolution, the United States Senate is honoring and remembering Wadee’s life and condemning all forms of hate.”

    “Yesterday’s Passage of S.Res. 847, honoring Wadee Alfayoumi, was an incredibly important step for humanity, for the movement against hate and bigotry, and for this moment,” said Ramirez. “We are 12 days from October 7th and 19 days from the anniversary of Wadee’s murder – both dates marked by children torn from their mothers. While time has passed, we continue to see an escalation of violence in the Middle East, a rise in bigotry and dehumanizing rhetoric, and a rejection of our shared humanity. We must remember Wadee. And his memory must move Speaker Johnson and the House to take up the Concurrent Resolution and bring it to the Floor for a vote after the October Recess.”

    “Our community lost a beautiful light when Wadee Alfayoumi was taken from us. He brought so much sunshine and joy to his loved ones and classmates,” Underwood said. “The hatred that took him has no place in our community or in our country. I’m glad to see this resolution pass the Senate, and proud to have worked on it with Wadee’s family and community leaders to honor his life and his memory.”

    In addition to Duckworth and Durbin, the resolution is cosponsored by Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Patty Murray (D-WA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Maria Cantwell (D-WA).

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Highway Hotline Introduces New Highway Condition Terminology

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on September 25, 2024

    Saskatchewan’s Highway Hotline has updated the terminology it uses to describe winter driving conditions. 

    The new terminology offers more clear and concise messaging that will help drivers make decisions about winter travel. The updated language is also more consistent with neighbouring provinces, which will make using the Hotline easier for people traveling across western Canada. 

    “The Highway Hotline is used millions of times throughout the year to help travelers plan ahead,” Highways Minister Lori Carr said. “These changes will help drivers make an informed decision while having better consistency with our neighbouring provinces and national standards.”

    The new primary conditions include:

    • Bare – Road appears black, means all wheels of a passenger vehicle are on a bare surface. 
    • Partly Covered – Road appears yellow, means two wheels of a passenger vehicle are on a snow or ice-covered surface. 
    • Covered – Road appears pink, means all wheels of the vehicle are on snow or ice. 
    • Travel Not Recommended – Road appears blue, means that visibility is less than 250 metres and could become impassable. 
    • Closed – Road appears red, means the highway is impassable. 

    The colour white was removed because it did not show up well on the digital maps. The maps will continue to indicate poor visibility using a dotted line.

    During winter driving season, road conditions are updated a minimum of four times daily or whenever there are known changes that affect drivers.

    The Highway Hotline has existed for more than 50 years. It provides information on highway conditions, road closures, construction zones, ferries and border crossings. As of February 2024, it now allows users to track the progress of plows involved in snow removal and ice treatment. This real-time information helps drivers make informed decisions to protect their safety. 

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Bringing mobile lung screening to rural Alberta

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    [embedded content]

    Alberta’s government is committed to providing high-quality health care services for all Albertans, no matter where they live in the province. To ensure Albertans can get the care they need close to home, Alberta’s government and the Alberta Cancer Foundation are partnering with the not-for-profit 19 to Zero to support mobile lung health units that will bring screening services to underserved communities across the province.

    Investing in mobile services available in rural and remote communities will increase the likelihood of early detection and treatment, improving health outcomes and bridging gaps in the health care system. The mobile screening program will receive $1.5 million from Alberta’s government, which will be matched by the Alberta Cancer Foundation.

    “We are committed to ensuring every Albertan has access to the health care services they need when and where they need them. These mobile units will help bridge existing gaps in the health care system and improve outcomes for Albertans in rural and remote areas.”

    Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Health

    “Living outside of a big city shouldn’t mean less access to vital testing and screening services. Early detection is key to successful cancer treatment, and these specialized mobile clinics will bring essential diagnostics to thousands of Albertans in rural, Indigenous and underserved communities each year.”

    Wendy Beauchesne, CEO, Alberta Cancer Foundation

    The mobile lung health units will travel to and service underserved, high-priority communities across the province. Patients in these communities often experience lengthy travel times to reach their closest diagnostic centres, which can lead to delayed diagnoses and the suboptimal management of lung conditions.

    “19 to Zero is excited to be partnering to provide mobile health services for lung cancer and lung health testing. Many Albertans face health care access challenges, particularly in rural and remote areas, and this mobile unit will help improve equitable access across the province.”

    Theresa Tang, co-founder and CEO, 19 to Zero

    The mobile units include a converted medical sprinter van for pulmonary function testing (PFT) and a custom-built diagnostic imaging truck. The units will be designed and operated by Aceso Medical, and they will use mobile internet and Starlink to integrate with Connect Care, ensuring instant access to test results for radiologists and pulmonologists.

    The mobile lung health units will provide PFT and computed technology (CT) scans, which are critical diagnostic tools for identifying and managing lung diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer. Across Canada, these services are predominantly available in urban centres, leaving rural and remote communities without access close to home.

    Alberta’s government will work with health care partners and local leadership to help determine areas of need for mobile visits. A website will be developed where the location and schedule of the units will be available.

    The pulmonary function testing van is expected to be operational and on the road in spring 2025, with the CT truck following in late summer. Once operational, these mobile units will be able to complete more than 4,000 PFTs and up to 6,000 CT scans per year.

    Alberta’s government is committed to improving outcomes for Albertans diagnosed with cancer and will continue to engage in partnerships to leverage the growing life sciences sector.

    Quick facts

    • Alberta’s government is providing $1.5 million to support the mobile units. These funds will be matched by the Alberta Cancer Foundation.
      • $1 million in 2024-25
      • $500,000 in 2025-26
    • PFTs are non-invasive tests that measure lung volume, lung capacity, rates of flow and gas exchange in patients. These tests help health care providers diagnose and develop treatment plans for various lung conditions.
    • Low-dose CT scans provide detailed images to identify small nodules and other abnormalities that might be missed by standard X-rays. They are vital tools in the early detection of lung cancer and other life-critical diseases.
    • Units will be staffed by qualified nurses, CT technicians and respiratory therapists.
    • The 41-foot mobile CT truck will be the first of its kind focused on lung health in Canada.
    • One in 13 Albertans will develop lung cancer in their lifetime and more than 1,500 lives are lost each year due to this disease.

    Related information

    • Cancer Care Alberta
    • Alberta Cancer Foundation
    • 19 to Zero

    Multimedia

    • Watch the news conference

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Barbara Lee Applauds CBC’s Report on Corporate Accountability

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Barbara Lee 13th District of California

    September 24, 2024

    New report finds strong support among Fortune 500 companies for workforce diversity, equity, and inclusion despite ongoing attacks.

    WASHINGTON — Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-12) applauded the release of the Congressional Black Caucus’ (CBC) corporate accountability report “What Good Looks Like”: A Corporate Accountability Report on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, a first-of-its-kind report to hold Fortune 500 companies — across all sectors — accountable to their diversity, equity, and inclusion commitments and racial equity investments post-George Floyd.

    “This report underscores the continued importance of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accountability practices across all sectors. I applaud the business leaders who upheld their commitment to inclusion despite attacks from right-wing extremists.” said Congresswoman Lee. “It is increasingly crucial that corporations have diverse representation in board rooms across the country. I look forward to continuing my work with my CBC colleagues and other stakeholders to ensure that our corporations and college campuses reflect the diversity of our country.”

    Research from institutions such as the Black Economic Alliance Foundation show that 78 percent of Americans agree that corporate America should reflect the racial diversity of the American population. Similarly, research from McKinsey & Company show that companies with racially diverse executive teams outperform their peers in profitability by 39 percent.

    The report comes nearly 10 months after the CBC issued its corporate accountability letter in December 2023 in response to the ongoing attacks on diversity initiatives in the private sector. The letter urged corporate America, particularly those in the Fortune 500 who made public pledges to diversity and racial equity post-George Floyd, to stand firm in their commitments, and to update congressional members on the progress of their commitments.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lee, Blunt Rochester, Tlaib, Dingell, Duckworth, and Booker Call for Expedited Review and Implementation of Biden Administration’s Proposed Strengthening of the Lead and Copper Rule

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Barbara Lee 13th District of California

    September 25, 2024

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Representatives Barbara Lee (D-CA-12), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE-AL), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12), and Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06), alongside  U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), called on the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to expedite its review of the Biden Administration’s proposed Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI), which would lower the lead action level to better protect human health and require water systems to replace old and deteriorating lead pipes within a decade. The lawmakers’ bicameral letter underscores the importance of OMB completing its review ahead of the October 16th finalization deadline to not only help ensure these important improvements are implemented as quickly as possible, but also prevent water systems from being forced to temporarily comply with the prior rule proposed by the Trump Administration—also known as the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR)—which would put public health at risk. Congresswomen Blunt Rochester, Tlaib and Dingell are co-founders and co-leads of the Get the Lead Out Caucus in the House.

    In the letter, the lawmakers outlined what’s at stake if the proposed LCRI is not finalized by October 16th: “…water systems and states will be required to start complying immediately with the deeply problematic LCRR. EPA concluded that temporary implementation of the LCRR rule from the prior administration will create bureaucratic complexity and confusion for regulated entities, waste scarce resources, result in widespread non-compliance and risk delaying or failing to realize the full benefits of the LCRI… In addition to the unnecessary potential confusion and complexity, the prior administration’s LCRR would put public health at risk by implementing inadequate policies that do not meaningfully address the lead contamination problems in communities across the country.”

    In addition to preventing water systems from being forced to comply with Trump Administration’s previously proposed LCRR, swiftly finalizing the Biden Administration’s proposed LCRI would help ensure full implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s provisions aimed at removing lead pipes and advancing environmental justice. The lawmakers wrote: “The commitment of the Biden-Harris Administration and EPA extends beyond the LCRI, but a timely final LCRI is necessary to stop the ongoing environmental health crises. The $15 billion in dedicated funding for lead pipe replacement and additional $11.7 billion in grants, loans and principal forgiveness made possible through Congress’s passage of Senator Duckworth’s Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act, included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and other sources, need the proposed LCRI to be finalized to ensure safe and expedient implementation.”

    The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law included Duckworth’s Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act (DWWIA) and is the most significant federal investment in water infrastructure in history, including $15 billion for national lead pipe replacement. DWWIA, which focuses on disadvantaged communities, will help rebuild our nation’s crumbling and dangerous water infrastructure and enable communities to repair and modernize their failing wastewater systems.

    Along with Duckworth and Booker, the letter is co-signed in the Senate by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tom Carper (D-DE), Bernie Sanders (D-VT) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).

    Along with Blunt Rochester, Tlaib, Dingell and Lee, the letter is co-signed in the House by: Alma Adams (D-NC-12), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01), Julia Brownley (D-CA-26), Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13), Sean Casten (D-IL-06), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL-20), Yvette Clarke (D-NY-09), Steve Cohen (D-TN-09), Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06), Dwight Evans (D-PA-3), Bill Foster (D-IL-11), Maxwell Alejandro Frost (D-FL-10), John Garamendi (D-CA-08), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (D-IL-04), Robert Garcia (D-CA-42), Sylvia R. Garcia (D-TX-29), Daniel Goldman (D-NY-10), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-05), Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ-07), Jared Huffman (D-CA-02), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL-01), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07), Robin Kelly (D-IL-02), Ro Khanna (D-CA-17), Daniel Kildee (D-MI-08), Summer Lee (D-PA-12), Stephen Lynch (D-MA-08), Seth Magaziner (D-RI-02), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA-04), Betty McCollum (D-MN-04), James P. McGovern (D-MA-02), Grace Meng (D-NY-06), Kevin Mullin (D-CA-15), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY-12), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC-At Large), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14), Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01), Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03), Linda Sánchez (D-CA-38), John Sarbanes (D-MA-03), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA-03), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI-07), Eric Sorensen (D-IL-17), Melanie Stansbury (D-NM-01), Haley Stevens (D-MI-11), Shri Thanedar (D-MI-13), Jill Tokuda (D-HI-13), Ritchie Torres (D-NY-15), Frederica Wilson (D-FL-24), Hank Johnson (D-GA-04), Patrick Ryan (D-NY-18), Joe Courtney (D-CT-02), Katie Porter (D-CA-47), David J. Trone (D-MD-06), Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (D-VA-08), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), Gerald Connolly (D-VA-11), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-18), Gabe Amo (D-RI-01), Sara Jacobs (D-CA-51) and Darren Soto (D-FL-09).

    After leading a dozen of their Senate colleagues in calling on EPA to strengthen and enforce the Lead and Copper Rule, Duckworth and Booker applauded the Biden Administration for heeding their request in November of last year. In February, Duckworth, Booker, Tlaib and Dingell urged the Biden Administration to strengthen the rule further by considering additional provisions that would improve and expedite the Biden Administration’s effort to remove all lead service lines from our nation.

    The letter is endorsed by: Natural Resources Defense Council, League of Conservation Voters, EarthJustice, Protect Kids From Lead Coalition, National Association of Water Companies, BlueGreen Alliance, Environmental Defense Fund, Unleaded Kids and National Center for Healthy Housing.

    To read the full letter, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Michoud Continues Work on Evolved Stage of SLS Rocket for Future Artemis Missions

    Source: NASA

    Manufacturing equipment that will be used to build components for NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket for future Artemis missions is being installed at the agency’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, Louisiana.
    The novel tooling will be used to produce the SLS rocket’s advanced exploration upper stage, or EUS, in the factory’s new manufacturing area. The EUS will serve as the upper, or in-space, stage for all Block 1B and Block 2 SLS flights in both crew and cargo configurations.
    In tandem, NASA and Boeing, the SLS lead contractor for the core stage and exploration upper stage, are producing structural test articles and flight hardware structures for the upper stage at Michoud and the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Early manufacturing is already underway at Michoud while preparations for an engine-firing test series for the upper stage are in progress at nearby Stennis Space Center in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.
    “The newly modified manufacturing space for the exploration upper stage signifies the start of production for the next evolution of SLS Moon rockets at Michoud,” said Hansel Gill, director at Michoud. “With Orion spacecraft manufacturing and SLS core stage assembly in flow at Michoud for the past several years, standing up a new production line and enhanced capability at Michoud for EUS is a significant achievement and a reason for anticipation and enthusiasm for Michoud and the SLS Program.”
    The advanced upper stage for SLS is planned to make its first flight with Artemis IV and replaces the single-engine Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) that serves as the in-space stage on the initial SLS Block 1 configuration of the rocket. With its larger liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellant tanks feeding four L3 Harris Technologies- built RL10C-3 engines, the EUS generates nearly four times the thrust of the ICPS, providing unrivaled lift capability to the SLS Block 1B and Block 2 rockets and making a new generation of crewed lunar missions possible.
    This upgraded and more powerful rocket will increase the SLS rocket’s payload to the Moon by 40%, from 27 metric tons (59,525 lbs.) with Block 1 to 38 metric tons (83,776 lbs.) in the crew configuration.  Launching crewed missions along with other large payloads enables multiple large-scale objectives to be accomplished in a single mission.
    Through the Artemis campaign, NASA will land the first woman, first person of color, and its first international partner astronaut on the Moon. The rocket is part of NASA’s deep space exploration plans, along with the Orion spacecraft, supporting ground systems, advanced spacesuits and rovers, Gateway in orbit around the Moon, and commercial human landing systems. NASA’s SLS is the only rocket that can send Orion, astronauts, and supplies to the Moon in a single launch.
    NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center manages the SLS Program and Michoud.
    For more on SLS, visit: 
    https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/space-launch-system

    Jonathan DealMarshall Space Flight CenterHuntsville, Ala.256-544-0034

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Republicans Pick Up Unlikely Allies in Key House Races: Unions

    Source: US National Republican Congressional Committee

    The following text contains opinion that is not, or not necessarily, that of MIL-OSI –

    September 25, 2024

    In case you missed it…The New York Times is out with a new article highlighting the ongoing shift of union support from belonging exclusively to Democrats to now treading into Republican territory. 

    In the article, Rep. Tom Kean is highlighted for his notable support from Building and Construction Trades Council who, “not only flipped sides to support Representative Tom Kean Jr. but helped keep the Democrat-aligned A.F.L.-C.I.O. on the sidelines.”  

    Read more here and below.

    Republicans Pick Up Unlikely Allies in Key House Races: Unions
    New York Times
    September 25, 2024

    The president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters praised one Republican congressman on national television. A major transportation union rated another among its most loyal supporters in Congress. And an influential building trades group said a third would help begin “restoring the sense of unity” the country had lost.

    […]

    In New York’s Hudson Valley, Representative Mike Lawler has collected tens of thousands of dollars more in union donations than his Democratic opponent. Further upstate, a 1,500-member electrical workers’ union that once opposed Representative Marc Molinaro is now working to re-elect him. And in New Jersey, the state’s Building and Construction Trades Council not only flipped sides to support Representative Tom Kean Jr. but helped keep the Democrat-aligned A.F.L.-C.I.O. on the sidelines.

    […]

    Last week, the 1.3-million-member Teamsters voted to stay neutral in the race for president, a blow to Democrats after years of support. Prominent Republicans, including former President Trump and his running mate, Senator JD Vance of Ohio, have begun to speak in more explicitly pro-worker terms, though many labor leaders say their policies do not match their rhetoric. And leaders of some of the nation’s oldest unions increasingly find themselves grappling with how to respond to members shifting rightward.

    […]

    And yet, even the idea of Republicans and Democrats fighting in a general election over who is more friendly to working people represents a change.

    […]

    Read more here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Ninepoint Partners Announces First Closing of Ninepoint 2024 Short Duration Flow-Through Limited Partnership II

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Sept. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ninepoint Partners LP (“Ninepoint”) is pleased to announce that the Ninepoint 2024 Short Duration Flow-Through Limited Partnership II (the “Partnership”) has completed the first closing in connection with its offering of Class A and Class F limited partnership units (the “Units”) pursuant to a prospectus dated September 18, 2024. The Partnership issued 508,296 Units for aggregate gross proceeds of $12,707,400. The Partnership will have a second closing in respect of the Units on or about October 17, 2024. The Units are being offered at a price per Unit of $25.00 with a minimum subscription of 100 Units ($2,500).

    The Partnership intends to provide liquidity to limited partners through a roll-over to the Ninepoint Resource Fund Class in the period between January 15, 2026 to February 28, 2026.

    Investment Objective of the Partnership
    The Partnership’s investment objective is to achieve capital appreciation and significant tax benefits for limited partners by investing in a diversified portfolio of Flow-Through Shares (as defined in the Prospectus) and other securities, if any, of Resource Issuers (as defined in the Prospectus).

    Attractive Tax-Reduction Benefits
    Flow-through partnerships are one of the most effective tax reduction strategies available to Canadians. Ninepoint anticipates that investors participating in the Partnership will be eligible to receive a tax deduction of approximately 100% of the amount invested.

    Resource Expertise
    The Partnership will be sub-advised by Sprott Asset Management LP (“Sprott”), one of Canada’s leading investment advisors in small and mid-cap resource companies. Over its long history of investing in the resource sector, Sprott has developed relationships with hundreds of companies. Its experienced team of portfolio managers is supported by a team of technical experts with extensive backgrounds in mining and geology.

    Portfolio manager Jason Mayer will manage the portfolio of the Partnership and will be supported by Sprott’s broader team of experienced resource investment professionals.

    Agents
    The offering is being made through a syndicate of agents led by RBC Dominion Securities Inc. which includes CIBC World Markets Inc., TD Securities Inc., National Bank Financial Inc., Scotia Capital Inc., BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc., Manulife Wealth Inc., iA Private Wealth Inc., Raymond James Ltd., Richardson Wealth Limited, Canaccord Genuity Corp., Desjardins Securities Inc., Ventum Financial Corp. and Wellington-Altus Private Wealth Inc.

    About Ninepoint Partners LP
    Based in Toronto, Ninepoint Partners LP is one of Canada’s leading alternative investment management firms overseeing approximately $7 billion in assets under management and institutional contracts. Committed to helping investors explore innovative investment solutions that have the potential to enhance returns and manage portfolio risk, Ninepoint offers a diverse set of alternative strategies spanning Equities, Fixed Income, Alternative Income, Real Assets, F/X and Digital Assets.

    For more information on Ninepoint Partners LP, please visit www.ninepoint.com or for inquiries regarding the offering, please contact us at (416) 943-6707 or (866) 299-9906 or invest@ninepoint.com.

    Certain statements included in this news release constitute forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, those identified by the expressions “expects”, “intends”, “anticipates”, “will” and similar expressions to the extent that they relate to the Partnership. The forward-looking statements are not historical facts but reflect the Partnership’s, Ninepoint’s and Sprott’s current expectations regarding future results or events. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations. Although the Partnership, Ninepoint and Sprott believe the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and, accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. Neither the Partnership, nor Ninepoint or Sprott undertake any obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statement or information whether as a result of new information, future events or other such factors which affect this information, except as required by law.

    This offering is only made by prospectus. The Partnership’s prospectus contains important detailed information about the securities being offered. Copies of the prospectus may be obtained from one of the dealers noted above. Investors should read the prospectus before making an investment decision.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Capito Secures CDS Awards to Expand Cybersecurity, Health Facilities and Services in West Virginia

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS), announced eight Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) awards from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for education and research programs, facility construction and renovations, and healthcare treatment resources in West Virginia.
    These awards, which were secured through CDS requests made by Ranking Member Capito in Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24), will be used to improve medical centers and treatment, bolster cybersecurity education, and expand the educational opportunities for future healthcare workers in West Virginia.
    “After partnering with organizations across our state and listening to their needs, I am excited to see these awards help West Virginia institutions meet critical goals to expand medical services offered by providers in our state in both scope and quantity. I am also particularly excited to see Marshall expanding its National Center of Excellence for Cyber Security in Critical Infrastructure, which I have championed,” Ranking Member Capito said. “These CDS awards will help deliver medical and educational outcomes in West Virginia and I am proud to have secured them. As Ranking Member of the Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee, I will continue to partner with local leaders to identify their most pressing needs and work to build up our medical and educational infrastructure.”
    Individual award details listed below:
    $15,000,000 HHS CDS award to Marshall University (Huntington, W.Va.) for cyber security training of critical infrastructure operators in West Virginia. This project will continue development of a critical infrastructure cyber security lab started in 2023 to research cyber-attacks and determine how to mitigate their effects. The project also will continue efforts to train critical infrastructure operators on the cyber-defense techniques that will allow them to maintain their systems, even in the face of cyber-attacks. This funding will allow the university to add additional categories of critical infrastructure to its laboratories, and to conduct research to determine how those categories are vulnerable, what attacks will be effective, and then subsequently what mitigation techniques can be developed to overcome them. Additionally, a curriculum will be developed to train operators on these attacks and mitigation techniques, so that they can recognize them and respond in a timely manner with an appropriate mitigation response.
    Ranking Member Capito has long been a supporter of this effort, using her role on the Appropriations Committee to drive resources to help Marshall grow their cyber security emphasis. In August, Senator Capito hosted U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Director Jen Easterly at Marshall University’s Institute for Cyber Security and the National Center of Excellence for Cyber Security in Critical Infrastructure.

    $12,600,000 HHS CDS award to West Virginia University (WVU) (Morgantown, W.Va.) for the expansion and renovation of existing WVU School of Dentistry clinical space and the consolidation of all postgraduate programs on the Health Sciences Center campus. The renovations and upgrades will transform dental education and practice to meet the oral health needs of West Virginians, provide excellence in training for new generations of dental professionals, enable the school to compete for and retain well-qualified faculty and students, and propel dental research to further support patient care, education, and outreach programming.
    $7,516,000 HHS CDS award to the Charleston Area Medical Center (CAMC) Greenbrier Medical Center, Inc. (Ronceverte, W.Va.) to construct a state-of-the-art facility to house an employed multispecialty physician practice of CAMC Greenbrier Valley Medical Center. Currently, the employed physicians supporting the hospital are not located on the campus of the hospital. The current rented locations are neither modern nor accessible and were not constructed to meet the needs of patients and providers.  The new medical staff office building on the CAMC Greenbrier Valley Medical Center campus will support improved access to multispecialty services for the hospital’s patients. It will also enhance the hospital’s ability to attract new physicians and retain the ones already recruited to the area.  The enhanced ease of access will ultimately improve the health of residents in the Greenbrier Valley Region. The project will allow CAMC Greenbrier Valley Medical Center to expand its Family Medicine, Cardiology, Urology, Pulmonology, ENT, and General Surgery departments. It will also provide room for the addition of Neurology Services and a telemedicine hub as CAMC Greenbrier Valley Medical Center becomes a full services community hospital.  

    $5,000,000 HHS CDS award to the Minnie Hamilton Health Care Center (Grantsville, W.Va.) to make the necessary improvements to the hospital building that offers the needed healthcare services for the community in order for those services to remain uninterrupted. This renovation project would provide new clinical, dietary, and laboratory space for patients. Also included in this phased project would be the remodel of the emergency department, ancillary therapies, and pharmacy. These renovations would enable Minnie Hamilton to provide the needed healthcare services to one of the most underserved regions of West Virginia. The current facility is over 60 years old and has exceeded its useful life. Completion of this project would ensure those healthcare services remain for the next 30-40 years.

    $5,000,000 HHS CDS award to Camden-on-Gauley Medical Center (Camden on Gauley, W.Va.) to construct a new building in Summersville, W.Va. that will contain the organization’s administrative offices, optical, x-ray, and physical therapy services. Camden Family Health plans to transition all administrative functions to this proposed building, along with the health center’s optical, physical therapy, and x-ray services. The construction of a new building and the transfer of services will provide increased access to patients, as the existing space that houses administrative services is in proximity to patients served.

    $3,000,000 HHS CDS award to Summers County (Hinton, W.Va.) to assist the Summers County Commission, in partnership with Appalachian Regional Healthcare, Inc. (ARH), in renovating and expanding the emergency department at Summers County ARH Hospital in Hinton, W.Va. Summers County ARH Hospital treated over 4,600 emergency cases in 2022; however, with 1,808 square feet of space, Summers County’s existing emergency department faces numerous challenges in accommodating emergency patients. The emergency department renovation project will be an asset for the entire Summers County community and a resource for the residents of all ages who need the medical services this modern facility will be designed to provide. 
    $1,000,000 HHS CDS award to Potomac Valley Hospital (PVH) of W.Va., Inc. (Keyser, W.Va.) to create a new six-bed observation unit that will enhance Emergency Department (ED) capacity and quality of care by reducing premature discharges and transfers, improving operational efficiency, and lowering costs. By renovating an outdated segment of the existing ED layout, PVH will create a new 1,675 square foot clinical space centered on six dedicated observation beds to take the pressure off of existing inpatient beds and boost the Hospital’s overall capacity.

    $300,000 HHS CDS award to Jefferson County Community Ministries, Inc. (Charles Town, W.Va.) for a homeless shelter that will supply a variety of essential services, including emergency housing, health and medical care, food and clothing, case management and life skills training, and other aid to vulnerable citizens, children, and families in Jefferson County. Currently, there is no homeless shelter or family shelter in Jefferson County region. Jefferson County Community Ministers (JCCM) is working to establish the first emergency shelter for the homeless and vulnerable in Jefferson County, which will include the first family emergency shelter in the Eastern Panhandle.
    $300,000 HHS CDS award to the Wood County Parks and Recreation Commission (Waverly, W.Va.) to replace the outdated Chiller/Air Conditioner at the White Oak Village section of the park to ensure the continued success of the Harmony Ridge Recover Center operation. The replacement and upgrade of the Chiller/Air Conditioning unit for the lodge plays a vital role in continuing treatment services offered by Harmony Ridge Recovery Center.

    MIL OSI USA News –