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Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kugler, How We Got Here: A Perspective on Inflation and the Labor Market

    Source: US State of New York Federal Reserve

    Thank you, John, and thank you for the opportunity to speak here today.1 It is good to be back at the Kennedy School and in particular at the Mossavar-Rahmani Center, which has a long tradition of engaging on important policy issues.
    In my remarks today, I will provide my outlook for the U.S. economy and the implications for monetary policy. The combination of significant ongoing progress in reducing inflation and a cooling in the labor market means that the time has come to begin easing monetary policy, and I strongly supported the decision last week by the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) to cut the federal funds rate by 50 basis points. While future actions by the FOMC will depend on data we receive on inflation, employment, and economic activity, if conditions continue to evolve in the direction traveled thus far, then additional cuts will be appropriate.
    I will begin by summarizing where we stand on inflation, including details on how the different components of inflation have changed over time, since these facts form the basis for my judgment on where inflation is headed. I will then talk about the recent cooling in the labor market and the forces driving it as well as how shifts on this other side of our mandate fit into the overall economic outlook for the rest of this year. I will conclude with the implications of all this for appropriate monetary policy and our focus on our dual mandate.
    Inflation based on personal consumption expenditures (PCE) has come down from a peak of 7.1 percent on a year-on-year basis to 2.5 percent in July. Core PCE inflation, which excludes energy and food prices and tends to be less volatile, has come down from a peak of 5.6 percent to now 2.6 percent. Based on consumer and producer price indexes, I estimate headline PCE and core PCE inflation to be at about 2.2 and 2.7 percent, respectively, in August, consistent with ongoing progress toward the FOMC’s 2 percent target. The progress on inflation is good news, but it is important to remember that households and businesses are still dealing with prices for many goods and services that are significantly higher than a couple of years ago. Prices for groceries, for example, are about 20 percent higher than before inflation started rising in 2021, and while earnings have been rising faster than inflation, it may take some time for it to feel as though prices are back to normal.2
    Inflation data are produced by the Labor Department, and when I served as chief economist at Labor, I delved into the differential effects of inflation on various demographic groups. When inflation was at its peak in 2022, it was more than 1 percentage point higher for lower-income households, for those without a college degree, and for those aged 18 to 29—all groups that spend a higher share of income on necessities and have less wealth to draw from.3 Fortunately, research by staff at the Fed shows that disinflation helps close that gap as well, something that only adds to the urgency I feel about returning inflation to the FOMC’s 2 percent goal.
    Research on the causes of inflation and the subsequent disinflation show that both supply and demand forces have played an important role. In the past two years, specifically, improvements in supply, along with moderation in demand in part due to tighter monetary policy, have both played a role in the disinflationary process.4 Supply chain bottlenecks as well as the drastic drop in the labor force due to excess retirements and the withdrawal of prime-age workers contributed to the initial rise in inflation, but the resolution of these disruptions and the return of workers to the labor force have also helped rein in inflation. Early on, consumers shifted spending from services to goods, a development that goods producers struggled to accommodate, putting upward pressure on prices. But as the demand shock to goods unwound and consumer spending shifted back to services, goods inflation fell and has been running below zero in recent months. Also, the increased demand due to the fiscal response to COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021 has more recently been roughly neutral on growth, as shown by the Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy in their measure of fiscal impact. And, of course, as I will discuss in a moment, tight monetary policy has been and continues to be a moderating force on demand, primarily by raising costs for interest-sensitive goods and services.
    As I think about where inflation is headed, I find it helpful to consider how it has evolved over the past several years and in particular how the major components of inflation have behaved, so I want to take a few minutes to walk through those details.
    As I have indicated, the big picture is that goods inflation surged early on in 2020 and 2021, followed by prices for services excluding housing, and then housing, with some overlap in those steps. Disinflation has followed that course in reverse. Core goods inflation rose, after almost a year of social distancing shifted spending from services and after production and delivery of goods was disrupted by the pandemic. This was a big change because over the long expansion leading to the pandemic, core goods prices actually fell, slightly but consistently.5 On a 12-month basis, core PCE goods inflation rose above zero in December 2020, reached a peak of 7.6 percent in February 2022, and fell again below zero at the end of 2023. In July of this year, it was negative 0.5 percent. This recent disinflation offset still-rising prices for services and helped reduce overall inflation. Goods inflation has reverted to its longer-term pattern as demand has moderated and supply chain problems have abated. This is reflected by various indexes of supply chain bottlenecks that showed the supply-side disruptions that contributed early on to surging inflation have now retreated to pre-pandemic levels.6 Other data show that computer chip supply, which fell far short of demand early in the pandemic, is back to normal conditions as well.
    Food and energy prices, always subject to larger ups and downs than other parts of inflation, rose also early on. Food inflation increased in 2020 as shoppers began stockpiling groceries and as warehouses and production facilities had difficulty staffing due to COVID. After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, energy price inflation reached a peak 12-month rate of nearly 45 percent and food inflation reached a peak of 12 percent in mid-2022, highlighting the importance of petroleum and agricultural commodities from that part of the world. Food and energy inflation has moderated over the past two years and are now both running at 12-month rates of 1.4 percent and 1.9 percent, respectively, as supply chain issues have resolved and production in the U.S. and elsewhere has increased. Food and energy expenses represent a sizable share of consumer spending, but the frequent purchase of these goods means that they are highly salient in the public’s views on inflation. Research by Francesco D’Acunto and coauthors has shown that the weights that consumers assign to price changes in forming their inflation expectations are not based on the actual share of their expenditures but instead on the frequency of purchases, which happen to be highest for food and energy goods.7 Thus, the fall in food and energy prices is important because it may feed back into lower inflation in other categories by moderating overall inflation expectations and also real wage expectations in wage bargaining.
    Housing services price increases were the last component of inflation to escalate, rising to a peak 12-month rate of 8.3 percent in April 2023 and moderating to a 5.3 percent pace in July. It took time for housing prices to escalate and has taken longer for them to moderate because of both the nature of the rental market and the data collection method from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as I have discussed at length in other speeches.8 However, new rent increases, which better capture rental price changes in real time, are falling and are the main reason why I expect housing services costs to moderate furt
    her.
    The final component of inflation is services excluding housing, which accounts for 50 percent of PCE inflation and is heavily influenced by labor markets. On a 12-month basis, this component of inflation rose to a peak of 5.3 percent in December 2021, stayed persistently high until February 2023, and has moderated since then to 3.3 percent in July of this year. Its escalation was driven both by the rise in labor costs and by the transition of demand from goods to services following the pandemic. Labor costs are a substantial share of the total costs for services. For example, labor accounts for between 60 percent to 80 percent of costs in construction, education, and health services.
    Among the initial forces driving the escalation in wages were the increase in food and energy prices, as wage demands tend to track closely with the prices of these frequently purchased goods. Data on wage demands from the New York Fed’s Survey of Consumer Expectations indeed show a sudden increase early on during the pandemic right after the first bout of food inflation.9 Importantly, worker shortages likely allowed those higher wage demands to be realized, contributing to the rise in wages. Later, as demand for services quickly rose and employers were creating a large number of jobs in several service sectors, workers were able to be more selective, and the ensuing “Great Resignation” took hold, allowing people to choose different careers. The relatively high demand relative to the supply of workers in some service sectors encouraged workers to move from job to job for higher wages, benefits, and other improvements in working conditions. Evidence from the Atlanta Fed’s Wage Growth Tracker suggests that during this period, wages for job switchers grew more than 2 percentage points faster than wages for people staying in the same job, though this wage premium for job switchers disappeared by the second half of last year.
    But now inflation for services excluding housing is declining, after a temporary escalation in the first quarter of this year that was likely partly due to residual seasonality. There had been fears that wage increases would drive a wage–price spiral, as the U.S. experienced in the 1970s, but this did not occur.
    To sum up, inflation has broadly moderated as the supply of goods and services has improved, and as producers and consumers have adjusted to the effects of higher prices. Demand has moderated, in part due to tighter monetary policy. And, as I just noted, changes in the pace of wage growth have also played an important role in the ups and downs of inflation, which points me toward a discussion of labor markets, which has recently become a greater focus of monetary policy.
    As I have noted, there has been a significant moderation in the labor market recently, but I want to start by pointing to what really has been a remarkable performance of the labor market over the past four years. After the unprecedented job losses early in the pandemic, and even accounting for the quick recovery of a large share of those losses, the recovery of the labor market that followed was historically swift. Unemployment was 7.8 percent in September 2020 and 4.7 percent only 12 months later, and it fell to under 4 percent 3 months after that. That is a more rapid recovery than the U.S. has experienced since the 1960’s. What started, at that point, was 30 straight months of unemployment at or below 4 percent, which had not happened during the pre-pandemic period, the boom of the 1990s, or anytime during the 1980s, and it was only exceeded by the strong labor market of the latter half of the 1960s. Something that I think was just as remarkable has been the narrowing of the typical gap between labor market outcomes for less-advantaged groups. For example, there has been a reduction in the unemployment rate between Black and Latino workers, on the one hand, and white workers, on the other hand. There has also been a narrowing of the prime-age labor force participation rate among these groups, and, perhaps most notable of all, wage inequality among them has narrowed, which is not typical during economic expansions, according to research by David Autor and several coauthors.10 They found that one benefit of the unusually tight labor market of the past few years was that the heightened competition for scarce workers produced more rapid wage gains for workers at the bottom of the wage distribution. The real wage gains for those in the lower quartiles of the distribution and with higher propensities to consume, in turn, likely spurred consumption and helped sustain growth after the pandemic.
    After a couple of years in which labor demand exceeded supply, the labor market has come into balance, reflecting an economy that has moderated in part due to tighter monetary policy. On the labor supply side, two forces have contributed to this rebalancing of the labor market. Labor force participation suffered due to the disruptions in work during the pandemic but rebounded strongly in 2022 and 2023 as the labor market tightened and wages rose sharply. The labor force participation rate for prime-age women reached historic highs over the past year and reached yet another historic record high in August. The overall increase in participation among workers aged 25 to 54, in the prime of their working lives, helped offset the loss of many workers aged 55 and over who experienced excess retirements during the pandemic. The second force boosting labor supply has been the large increase in immigration. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that net immigration boosted the U.S. population by close to 6 million people in 2022 and 2023, the majority of them of working age, and, by most accounts, rates of immigration have remained high in 2024.
    As a result of improved supply and easing of demand for workers, the labor market has rebalanced. After running at very low levels, unemployment has edged up this year to 4.2 percent in August, still quite low by historical standards. The slowdown in labor demand is most evident in payroll numbers. Job creation averaged 267,000 a month in the first quarter of the year and now stands at an average of 116,000 in the three months ending in August, which is still a healthy pace of job creation. Yet, given recent revisions in the payroll numbers, it is important to continue monitoring additional labor market indicators. In addition, the fall in diffusion indexes suggests that job creation cooling has been broad based, complementing the payroll data in showing rebalances in demand and supply across sectors. Beyond payroll data, voluntary quits, which tend to reflect the rate at which people find a better job, are now back around where they were before the pandemic. The ratio of job vacancies to the number of people looking for work, the V/U ratio, has also fallen close to its pre-pandemic ratio.11 In summary, after a period of demand exceeding supply, the labor market appears to have rebalanced.
    In tandem with the cooling in the labor market, economic activity has slowed but is still expanding at a solid pace. After adjusting for inflation, gross domestic product (GDP) grew 2.5 percent in 2023 and at around a 2 percent annual rate in the first half of 2024. Personal spending, which accounts for the majority of economic activity, has been solid this year, supported by a resilient labor market so far and high levels of household wealth relative to income. But given a rise in credit card and auto delinquencies, a rise in credit card balances, and a cooling labor market, I expect spending to grow at a somewhat more moderate pace moving forward.
    Certainly, tight monetary policy has contributed to cool off aggregate demand and slow the economy. It has done so in large part by slowing spending on interest-sensitive expenditures, such as housing, as well as autos and other durable goods. Other spending typically financed with credit, such as business equipment, has also been slower.
    Another effect of tight monetary policy is to keep expectations of future inflation in check. And, to the extent that ex
    pectations affect decisions by businesses to set prices and by workers to negotiate wages, this has helped put downward pressure on inflation. Survey- and market-based measures of future inflation did increase when inflation surged, but only modestly, and they have moved down in tandem with inflation and have largely returned to their 2019 levels.
    In conclusion, I would say that recent economic developments, against the backdrop of the experience of the past four years, have validated the Federal Reserve’s focus on reducing inflation and set the stage for the shift in monetary policy that occurred last week. The progress in bringing down inflation thus far, coupled with the softening in the labor market that I have described, means that while our focus should remain on continuing to bring inflation to 2 percent, we should now also shift attention to the maximum-employment side of the FOMC’s dual mandate. The labor market remains resilient, but the FOMC now needs to balance its focus so we can continue making progress on disinflation while avoiding unnecessary pain and weakness in the economy as disinflation continues in the right trajectory. I strongly supported last week’s decision and, if progress on inflation continues as I expect, I will support additional cuts in the federal funds rate going forward.
    Thank you.

    1. The views expressed here are my own and are not necessarily those of my colleagues on the Federal Reserve Board or the Federal Open Market Committee. Return to text
    2. Unlike in previous recoveries, those in the lower half of the distribution have benefited more from the real earnings increases during the post-pandemic period. The 12-month change in average hourly earnings and the employment cost index have been rising faster than consumer price index inflation for those in the first and second quartiles since 2019 and since 2022, respectively, and for everyone across the distribution for roughly a year. Return to text
    3. See Xavier Jaravel (2021), “Inflation Inequality: Measurement, Causes, and Policy Implications,” Annual Review of Economics, vol. 13, pp. 599–629. Return to text
    4. Different approaches allow a parsing of the relative contributions of supply and demand, top-down approaches by Bernanke and Blanchard (forthcoming) and Benigno and Eggertson (2023) and bottom-up approaches by Braun, Flaaen, and Hoke (2024) and Shapiro (2022); see Ben Bernanke and Olivier Blanchard (forthcoming), “What Caused the U.S. Pandemic-Era Inflation?” American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics; Pierpaolo Benigno and Gauti B. Eggertsson (2023), “It’s Baaack: The Surge in Inflation in the 2020s and the Return of the Non-Linear Phillips Curve,” NBER Working Paper Series 31197 (Cambridge, Mass.: National Bureau of Economic Research, April); Robin Braun, Aaron Flaaen, and Sinem Hacioglu Hoke (2024), “Supply vs Demand Factors Influencing Prices of Manufactured Goods,” FEDS Notes (Washington: Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, February 23); and Adam Hale Shapiro (2022), “How Much Do Supply and Demand Drive Inflation?” FRBSF Economic Letter 2022-15 (San Francisco: Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, June 21). All of these studies agree that both supply and demand shocks contributed to the surge in inflation as well as its fall. Return to text
    5. The causes most often cited by economists are competition from globalized trade and productivity gains, including from technological advances. Return to text
    6. The most commonly used indicators of supply chain bottlenecks are the Global Supply Chain Pressure Index produced by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the Supplier Deliveries Index from the Institute for Supply Management, and the percent of answers to the question of why production is not at capacity in the Quarterly Survey of Plant Capacity Utilization fielded by the Census Bureau and funded by the Federal Reserve Board. Return to text
    7. See Francesco D’Acunto, Ulrike Malmendier, Juan Ospina, and Michael Weber (2021), “Exposure to Grocery Prices and Inflation Expectations,” Journal of Political Economy, vol. 129 (May), 1615–39. Return to text
    8. Rental prices are the basis for all estimates of housing service costs. Prices tend to change only when rented homes change tenants, which happens relatively infrequently. Prices tend to change more when there are new tenants, while the majority of lease renewals tend to keep the same price-generating persistence. In addition, the Bureau of Economic Analysis samples rents only every six months. As a result, substantial lags are built into the official statistics. See Adriana D. Kugler (2024), “The Outlook for the Economy and Monetary Policy,” speech delivered at the Brookings Institution, Washington, D.C., February 7; Adriana D. Kugler (2024), “Some Reasons for Optimism about Inflation,” speech delivered at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, Washington, D.C., June 18. Return to text
    9. The Survey of Consumer Expectations from the New York Fed collects data on “reservation wages,” which are what workers report as being the minimum wage that they would require to accept a job. Return to text
    10. See David Autor, Arindrajit Dube, and Annie McGrew (2024), “The Unexpected Compression: Competition at Work in the Low Wage Labor Market,” NBER Working Paper Series 31010 (Cambridge, Mass.: National Bureau of Economic Research, March; revised May 2024). Using Current Population Survey microdata, they show that increased labor market competition for scarce workers produced more rapid real wage gains at the bottom of the wage distribution, reducing wage inequality. Return to text
    11. I consider here a V/U ratio in which the numerator is the ratio of the vacancy rate for the total nonfarm sector computed as job openings over the labor force. Job openings data are from the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey fielded by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The denominator is the unemployment rate. The last data point available for job openings is July 2024, while the last data point for the unemployment rate is August. Return to text

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FEMA To Hold Public Event in Flatwoods To Assist Survivors

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: FEMA To Hold Public Event in Flatwoods To Assist Survivors

    FEMA To Hold Public Event in Flatwoods To Assist Survivors

    FRANKFORT, Ky. — Homeowners and renters affected by May 21-27 severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, landslides and mudslides are invited to Flatwoods Senior Center to meet with FEMA face to face. Disaster survivors can talk with FEMA experts to ask questions and learn everything they want to know about federal disaster assistance.

    FEMA, other federal agencies and local resources will be on hand to provide one-on-one assistance. Applicants who want to understand their FEMA letter, receive help with applications and appeals, or learn about contract estimations, repairs and new builds are encouraged to get their questions answered at this event.

    If weather permits, this event will be held at the following location:

    Flatwoods Senior Center, 2513 Reed St., Flatwoods, KY 41139

    • Sept. 27, 10 a.m.–7 p.m. ET; and 
    • Sept. 28, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. ET.

    FEMA programs are accessible to people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs.

    For the latest information on Kentucky’s recovery from the May 21-27 severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, landslides and mudslides, as well as news releases, fact sheets and other helpful documents in multiple languages, please visit fema.gov/disaster/4804. Follow FEMA on X at x.com/femaregion4and at facebook.com/fema.

    sandra.habib

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Struggling to make decisions at work? Learn how to build confidence

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

    A lack of experience often causes new leaders to hold back, intimidated by the fear of making mistakes. (Shutterstock)

    One of the most daunting tasks for new leaders is making decisions that impact others. Although the average person makes thousands of conscious decisions each day — some estimates suggest as many as 35,000 — when it comes to making decisions in the workplace, many hesitate.

    A lack of experience often causes new leaders to hold back, intimidated by the fear of making mistakes. The stakes can feel high, as their choices can have far-reaching consequences, not only for themselves but also for the organization and its employees.

    New leaders might face decisions such as delegating responsibilities among team members, prioritizing projects with limited resources or managing conflicts between employees.

    With time and practice, leaders learn to develop decisiveness — the ability to listen to their intuition for making effective, quick decisions. Decisiveness is not about being rash, but about having the confidence to act based on evidence and experience.

    Effective decision-makers balance competing priorities and options while staying deeply aware of the needs of their stakeholders, from employees and colleagues to customers and investors. Once they reach a decision, they follow through with firm, resolute action.

    A bar above the rest

    What sets effective leaders apart is their ability to consistently make decisions that drive organizational success. These leaders understand the difference between operational and strategic decisions, and how each serves a different purpose.

    Operational decisions deal with immediate concerns, focusing on day-to-day activities that require quick responses to keep the business running smoothly. For example, an operational decision might involve addressing a staffing shortage, resolving a technical issue or adjusting a production schedule.

    Strategic decisions, on the other hand, are more complex, involve higher risks and require a broader perspective. They focus on the future direction of the organization and may involve a careful assessment of external factors, such as launching a new product or restructuring a department.

    Building decision-making skills

    But how do emerging leaders develop the skill to confidently make decisions, especially when there are many possible options? To build a strong foundation for decisive leadership, consider these three practical strategies:

    1. Clarify your values

    Understanding your core values is crucial for effective and ethical decision-making. When you and your staff are clear on what matters most to you, decision-making becomes easier.

    For example, if you believe in transparency, you will communicate the decision-making process and outcomes to your team. They will trust that even if they don’t all agree with your decision, they’ll be informed promptly and consistently.

    To gain clarity about your values, reflect on past decisions, consider what felt right or wrong, and identify common themes that guided your actions. You can also use one of the many free assessments available online.

    ‘How to make faster decisions’ from TED’s the Way We Work video series.

    2. Use a decision-making framework

    There are several tools to help guide confident decision-making, especially early in your career. One simple and effective option is the 5 Ws Framework.

    The framework helps leaders think through these essential questions: Who will be affected? What are the available options? When does the decision need to be made? Why is this decision necessary? And how will the decision be executed?

    Using this framework helps emerging leaders quickly assess all angles of a situation and make thoughtful decisions that ensure no critical factors are missed.

    3. Learn from your network

    One of the most effective ways to develop leadership skills is by learning from others. Observe how your peers and more experienced leaders make decisions, ask them insightful questions and seek their feedback on your own decisions.

    Reflecting on your interactions with them can help you refine your decision-making style and identify areas for growth. It can also help you become more comfortable with ambiguity, risk and uncertainty. The support from your network will boost your confidence and provide much-needed encouragement in times of doubt.

    Other things to keep in mind

    Leaders in AI-integrated workplaces will need not only strong decision-making skills but also the ability to apply a critical ethical lens.

    Artificial intelligence offers many opportunities to accelerate decision-making and improve efficiency. However, the interconnectedness of algorithms, people and data also brings with it complex ethical and sustainability problems.

    To avoid the unintended consequences of AI such as algorithmic bias or privacy violations, leaders across all sectors must carefully evaluate the ethical implications of all decisions and ensure they align with principles of fairness and long-term sustainability.

    An explanation of AI ethics from IBM Technology.

    In technology-dependent workplaces, emotional intelligence becomes a crucial asset. Leaders who are self-aware and in tune with their emotions can pause to make thoughtful, deliberate decisions, instead of reacting impulsively.

    Mindfulness practices, such as deep breathing and meditation, can help maintain focus and clarity, particularly in situations of high pressure. A clear and centred mind allows leaders to make decisions that align with ethical standards and the long-term interests of people, the planet and profit.

    As you continue to develop your leadership skills, be patient with yourself and remember that leader development is a life-long journey of growth. To help you stay sharp and avoid decision fatigue, prioritize self-care taking time to rest, recharge and reflect.

    By practicing these strategies, staying true to your values, and leaning on your network, you’ll build the confidence you need to tackle any challenge that comes your way. Embrace the process, take care of yourself and trust that each decision you make brings you closer to becoming the decisive leader you aspire to be.

    Leda Stawnychko receives funding from SSHRC.

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

    – ref. Struggling to make decisions at work? Learn how to build confidence – https://theconversation.com/struggling-to-make-decisions-at-work-learn-how-to-build-confidence-239183

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Miller-Meeks Honors Lee County Sheriff Ireland on House Floor

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks’ (IA-02)

    Washington DC – U.S. Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks honored Mr. David Lee Ireland who died on September 17th, 2024 after a long battle with cancer. He served as Lee County Sheriff for 16 years and was a Scout Master for Troop 30 in Montrose, Iowa.

    A rough transcript of Miller-Meeks floor speech is below:

    Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life of Mr. David Lee Ireland. David died on September 17th following a long battle with cancer. He spent his professional life protecting and serving the people of Iowa as a police officer in the Lee County sheriff’s office, serving as Sherriff for 16 years. When he was not working, he was collecting antique Model T memorabilia or enjoying the outdoors with his wife, canoeing on the Mississippi River. David was also a lifelong member of the Boy Scouts, achieving the rank of Eagle scout, the highest rank in the Boy Scouts, and eventually seeing both of his sons achieve that same rank. He later served as the Scout Master for Troop 30 in Montrose, Iowa where he proudly taught these young boys essential life values such as hard work and commitment. He is survived by his wife Rebecca and his two sons Matthew and Shawn. Let us not despair in the loss of this great man, but rather praise God for sending David here to make the world a better place.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Cohen Remembers Bill Lucy

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

    WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today noted the passing of Memphis native and longtime civil rights and labor leader Bill Lucy, who passed Tuesday at the age of 90. Bill Lucy served for 38 years as the international Secretary-Treasurer of AFSCME and co-founded the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists. Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

    “Bill Lucy was a hugely influential trade unionist and leader of the civil rights movement, beginning with his critical role in leadership during the Memphis Sanitation Workers strike in 1968, where he was part of the group that came up with the iconic placard message ‘I AM A MAN.’ I have valued his friendship and good counsel over my decades in public life and particularly cherish the William Lucy Award I received for my work on labor issues in Tennessee. Bill Lucy was on the right side of so many issues and will be remembered for his historic efforts advancing labor victories and helping end apartheid. The nation and the world have lost a great leader, and he will be missed.”

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Cleaver, David Scott Reintroduce Legislation to Expand Access to Apprenticeships for Young African Americans

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)

    (Washington, D.C.) – This week, U.S. Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) and David Scott (D-GA), Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Committee, announced the reintroduction of the Jobs, On-the-Job ‘Earn While You Learn’ Training and Apprenticeships for Young African Americans Act. The legislation would encourage the U.S. Department of Labor to work with African American organizations and labor unions to recruit and hire African Americans in registered apprenticeship (RA) programs.

    “The Biden-Harris Administration has made it a priority to bring good-paying jobs back to communities across the heartland by investing in critical infrastructure, manufacturing, and clean energy—but we must also ensure the pipeline of workers ready to help fill those jobs reflects the diversity of the nation at large,” said Congressman Cleaver. “Registered apprenticeship programs provide young Americans with the opportunity to gain valuable skills in high-earning industries while earning a paycheck, and our legislation seeks to expand those opportunities to communities that have historically been left out, which will ensure greater prosperity for all.”

    Offering hands-on training opportunities, virtually zero student debt and the potential to advance in high-quality jobs, RA programs provide participants with the economic mobility needed to build wealth and a pathway toward high earning careers across a number of in-demand industries. However, according to data from the Department of Labor, African Americans have one of the lowest rates of participation in apprenticeship programs.

    The Jobs, On-the-Job ‘Earn While You Learn’ Training and Apprenticeships for Young African Americans Act would:

    • Create a Diversity and Inclusion Administrator position within the Employment and Training Administration at DOL responsible for promoting and assisting greater African American participation in RAs.
    • Support the Recruitment, Employment, and Retention of African American and other nontraditional Black populations in programs under the national apprenticeship system in high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand industry sectors and occupations.
    • Target High-Earnings Occupations in construction, welding, electrical engineering, plumbing, information technology, energy, green jobs, advanced manufacturing, health care, and cybersecurity.
    • Update the RA Application process requiring new sponsors to include a plan to boost African American participation in their apprenticeship programs.
    • Establish a Competitive Grant Program for eligible RAs to create, increase, or expand African American participation in traditional and non-traditional apprenticeship industries.

    The Jobs, On-the-Job ‘Earn While You Learn’ Training and Apprenticeships Act is endorsed by International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART), International Brotherhood of Electrical Engineers (IBEW), Atlanta-North Georgia Labor Council, Institute for Policy Studies’ Black Worker Initiative (IPS-BWI), and 100 Black Men of Atlanta.

    The Jobs, On-the-Job ‘Earn While You Learn’ Training and Apprenticeships Act is cosponsored by Reps. Juan Vargas (D-CA), Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Robin Kelly (D-IL), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Kweisi Mfume (D-MD), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Sanford Bishop (D-GA), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Alma Adams (D-NC), André Carson (D-IN), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Dwight Evans (D-GA), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Jahana Hayes (D-CT), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Nikema Williams (D-GA), and Marilyn Strickland (D-WA).

    Official text of the Jobs, On-the-Job ‘Earn While You Learn’ Training and Apprenticeships Act is available here.

    Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: The Coastal Science Navigator Companion Guide

    Source: US Geological Survey

    The Coastal Science Navigator Companion Guide

    An Introduction to the Coastal Science Navigator and a snapshot into USGS coastal change hazard-related products

    The Coastal Science Navigator Companion Guide introduces you to USGS coastal change hazards-related products—including interactive data maps, downloadable software, geonarratives, and more.

    The Companion Guide highlights 64 products in total, showcasing what the USGS has to offer coastal resource managers, long-term planners, and scientists researching and responding to coastal hazards. While it is not representative of all the information, tools, and data available, we hope it serves as a compelling snapshot of USGS products and encourages you to explore the Coastal Science Navigator to discover more of the products you need.

    We created the Companion Guide so we could have a tangible product to distribute at in-person events. As a highly visual booklet, with colorful imagery showing scenic fieldwork sites and coastal change hazards-related product interfaces, it’s a great resource to share with your peers.

    What Can You Expect from the Companion Guide?

    The Companion Guide is organized by timescale, highlighting products relevant to the present, past, and future. Additional sections are dedicated to downloadable software and geographic scope (where USGS products are applicable). The Companion Guide also provides a table containing all 64 products that match them to their applicable timescale(s) and geographic scopes. 

     

    What is the Coastal Science Navigator?

    The Coastal Science Navigator is an online gateway to USGS Coastal Hazards products. It was created to ensure partners and other stakeholders can easily locate and identify which may be of use to them.

    Using the Navigator

    Users can find relevant products using either the Guided Search or Filter Search functions presented on the Navigator’s home page. The Guided Search asks users a short series of questions to lead them to products and tools that may be useful for their specific needs. Users can then explore the applicable products or choose to refine the applied filters to narrow or widen their results. The Filter Search allows users to see all available products and apply filters to narrow the adjacent list to relevant tools and resources. A plain-language summary is available for each product that provides a link to the product itself, a concise product description, a list of special features, contact information, and associated properties such as geographic scope, time scale, coastal hazard themes, and product function, type, and output.

    Designed with user-input

    The idea for the Coastal Science Navigator was born after synthesizing stakeholder input and learning that coastal resource managers, long-term planners, and federal and state partners are overwhelmed with too many tools and have little time to find and adopt products that may better fit their needs. The Navigator helps address these issues by providing information about available coastal resources in one place and enabling users to curate a list of applicable products and tools.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SEC Levies More Than $3.8 Million in Penalties in Sweep of Late Beneficial Ownership and Insider Transaction Reports

    Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

    The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced settled charges against 23 entities and individuals for failures to timely report information about their holdings and transactions in public company stock. Two public companies were also charged for contributing to filing failures by their officers and directors and failing to report their insiders’ filing delinquencies as required.

    The charges announced today stem from SEC enforcement initiatives focused on Schedules 13D and 13G reports and Forms 3, 4, and 5 that certain corporate insiders are required to file. Schedules 13D and 13G provide information about the holdings and intentions of investors who beneficially own more than five percent of any registered voting class of public company stock. Forms 3, 4, and 5 are reports used to provide information about public company stock transactions by corporate officers, directors, or certain investors who beneficially own more than 10 percent of the stock. These reporting requirements apply irrespective of whether the trades were profitable and regardless of a person’s reasons for the transactions. SEC staff used data analytics to identify the charged individuals and entities as filing required reports late.

    Without admitting or denying the findings, all of the entities and individuals agreed to cease and desist from committing and causing violations of the respective charged provisions and to pay civil penalties.

    The firms charged in connection with beneficial ownership of publicly traded companies and their respective penalties are:

    • Sunbeam Management, LLC – $40,000;
    • TALANTA Investment Group, LLC – $45,000;
    • Grays Peak Ventures LLC – $65,000;
    • Stilwell Value LLC – $75,000;
    • BSC, LP – $75,000;
    • Bain Capital Credit Member, LLC – $130,000;
    • FIG LLC, which conducts business under the name Fortress Investment Group – $200,000;
    • Adage Capital Management, L.P. – $200,000;
    • Essex Woodlands Management, Inc. – $225,000;
    • The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. – $300,000;
    • Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. – $375,000;
    • The Bank of Nova Scotia – $375,000; and
    • Alphabet Inc. – $750,000.

    Alphabet was also charged with failing to timely file Forms 13F, reports institutional money managers are required to file regarding certain sizeable securities holdings.

    The Individuals charged who were officers, directors, and/or beneficial owners of publicly traded companies, and the civil penalty each will pay, are:

    • Mitchell P. Rales, of Potomac, Maryland – $10,000;
    • Scott B. Stevens, of Bedford, New York – $20,000;
    • Michael Winterhalter, of Dana Point, California – $20,000;
    • Pedro C. Gonzalez, of St. Petersburg, Florida – $25,000;
    • Curtis Drew Hodgson, of Addison, Texas – $30,000;
    • Kenneth E. Shipley, of Levelland, Texas – $30,000;
    • Peter M. Thomas, of Las Vegas, Nevada – $77,000;
    • Howard S. Jonas, of Easton, Pennsylvania – $90,000;
    • David L. Kanen, of Parkland, Florida – $109,000; and
    • Jack W. Schuler, of Lake Bluff, Illinois – $200,000.

    The public companies charged that contributed to filing failures and failed to report delinquencies, and the civil penalty each will pay, are:

    • Legacy Housing Corporation – $200,000; and
    • Celsius Holdings, Inc. – $200,000.

    “To make informed investment decisions, shareholders rely on, among other things, timely reports about insider holdings and transactions and changes in potential controlling interests,” said Thomas P. Smith, Jr., Associate Regional Director of the SEC’s Division of Enforcement. “Today’s actions are a reminder to large investors that they must commit necessary resources to ensure these reports are filed on time.” 

    The SEC previously charged corporate insiders for failing to timely report transactions and holdings, and several issuers for contributing to their insiders’ failures in September 2023.

    The SEC’s investigations were conducted by Eric C. Kirsch and Bari R. Nadworny, of the New York Regional Office, Christine Chen and Gary Zinkgraf of SEC Headquarters, Cassandra Arriaza and Dahlia Rin of the Boston Regional Office, Jennifer Miller of the Philadelphia Regional Office, and Douglas Dykhuizen of the Atlanta Regional Office. Beth Groves, Howard Kaplan, and Alexander C. Lefferts of the Division of Enforcement’s Office of Investigative & Market Analytics and Michael Pessin of the Division of Economic and Risk Analysis also provided assistance. The teams worked in close collaboration with Anne M. Krauskopf and Nicholas P. Panos in the agency’s Division of Corporation Finance. The investigations were supervised by Wendy Tepperman and Mr. Smith of the New York Regional Office and Jeffrey Weiss, Armita Cohen, and Mark Cave of SEC Headquarters.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: The NFB at the 2024 Festival du nouveau cinéma. Three films selected, including the captivating documentary Les enfants du large by Virginia Tangvald, presented as a world premiere.

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French 1

    The National Film Board of Canada is back at the Festival du nouveau cinéma (FNC) with three films, two of which are in competition. Virginia Tangvald’s feature film Les enfants du large (micro_scope/NFB/Urban Factory), presenting its world premiere and the only documentary in the National Competition section, is a fascinating family investigation shot in the four corners of the world.

    September 24, 2023 – Montreal – National Film Board of Canada (NFB)

    L’National Film Board of Canada is back at New Cinema Festival (FNC) with three films, two of which are in competition. The feature film Children of the open sea (microscope/NFB/Urban Factory) by Virginia Tangvald, presented in world premiere and the only documentary in the National Competition section, is a fascinating family investigation shot in the four corners of the world. The director had also won the Pitch First Works Award presented by Netflix at the FNC Forum in 2020 for this film. For its part, the animated short film Samaa (NFB) by Ehsan Gharib, screened in its Quebec premiere, explores the transcendent power of music and movement. The restored version of the masterful The orders by Michel Brault will also be presented to mark the 50th anniversary of the release of this masterpiece of Quebec cinema. The 53rd FNC will take place in Montreal from October 9 to 20, 2024.

    National competition

    Virginia Tangvald’s Children of the Sea (97 min) – WORLD PREMIERE Screenings: Cinéma du Musée, Monday, October 14 at 7 p.m. (original version with English subtitles); Cinéma Cineplex Odeon Quartier latin, Friday, October 18 at 6:30 p.m. (original version with French subtitles)

    A Canada-France co-production produced by micro_scope (Isabelle Couture and Élaine Hébert) with the NFB (Nathalie Cloutier) and Urban Factory (Frédéric Corvez and Maéva Savinien)Press kit: espacemedia.onf.ca/epk/les-enfants-du-large

    Following in the footsteps of her brother Thomas, who disappeared at sea, Virginia Tangvald offers a captivating and cinematographically beautiful investigation into the dark secrets of her family. Questioning the legendary idyllic life of her father, the sailor Peter Tangvald, her quest debunks the myth of absolute freedom. At the end of her courageous approach, as intimate as it is universal, emerges the hope of having broken a toxic cycle. Born on the Caribbean Sea, Virginia Tangvald grew up in Montreal, where she studied theater and classical guitar performance before adopting cinema as her chosen art. A graduate of INIS in 2015, she has directed several short fiction films and music videos for Montreal groups. She now lives in Paris. Les enfants du large, a fascinating investigation that seeks to uncover the dark secrets of her family and her father, the famous adventurer Peter Tangvald, is her first feature-length documentary.

    The New Alchemists Competition – Short Film

    Samaa by Ehsan Gharib (2 min 27 s) – QUEBEC PREMIERE Screenings in the short film program: Cinémathèque québécoise, Sunday, October 13 at 6:30 p.m. and Thursday, October 17 at 5 p.m.

    An ONF production (Maral Mohammadian)Press kit: spacemedia.onf.ca/epk/samaa

    A caged bird, yearning to fly, finds freedom through the transcendent power of music and movement. In this striking, hand-painted animated short, Ehsan Gharib celebrates the magic and mechanics of cinema. In Iranian culture, samaa is a meditative practice of achieving spiritual enlightenment through rhythm and movement. The film had its world premiere at the Ottawa International Animation Festival. Iranian-born Ehsan Gharib integrates photography, animation and design into his films. He created the animation for the award-winning NFB productionOscar(2016), a portrait of Oscar Peterson by Marie-Josée Saint-Pierre, and is part of the animation teams of the feature film Jasmine Road (2020) and Disenchanted (2022), produced by Disney. His first directorial effort, the experimental short filmDeyzangeroo(2017), won the Golden Dove at DOK Leipzig. In Samaa, he continues to experiment with the interaction between music and animated cinema.

    History(ies) of cinema

    Michel Brault’s Orders (1974, 107 min)Screening: Cinémathèque québécoise, Wednesday, October 16 at 7 p.m. (original French version with English subtitles)Press kit: spacemedia.onf.ca/epk/les-ordres

    This masterpiece of Quebec cinema celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. The NFB is proud to distribute the restored version by Elephant: memory of Quebec cinema at festivals, film clubs and other venues.

    Halfway between fiction and documentary, Les ordres is based on the testimony of around fifty people imprisoned following the application of war measures in October 1970. We follow five characters (three men and two women) constructed from these testimonies, from their arrest to their release. The film won the Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival in 1975.

    – 30 –

    Stay Connected

    Online viewing space at NFB.caFacebook NFB | NFB Twitter | Instagram NFB | ONF Blog | YouTube NFB | Vimeo NFBCurator’s Perspective | The filmmakers’ words

    The NFB in brief

    Lily RobertDirector, Communications and Public Affairs, ONFCell.: 514-296-8261l.robert@nfb.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 USA: Congressman Valadao Introduces Resolution to Raise Awareness on Rare Brain Disease

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David G. Valadao (California)

    WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman David G. Valadao (CA-22) introduced a bipartisan resolution to designate November 12th as Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Awareness Day. Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) is a rare brain disease that causes a rapid decline in a person’s cognitive health, and often leads to death within only a few months to one year following the onset of symptoms. Longtime Bakersfield Mayor Harvey L. Hall passed away from CJD in 2018.

    “As the longest serving mayor in Bakersfield history, Mayor Harvey Hall was a beloved member of our community and a dear friend,” said Congressman Valadao. “I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan resolution to designate November 12th as CJD Awareness Day to honor Mayor Hall’s memory and help raise awareness for CJD patients and their families across the country.”

    “Everyone in Bakersfield knows the influence late Mayor Harvey Hall had on our community, and of the lasting impact he left,” said Congressman Vince Fong. “We lost Mayor Hall too soon to CJD, which is why I am cosponsoring the CJD Awareness Day resolution, to honor a tremendous community leader, raise needed awareness for CJD, and show support for those living with the disease and friends and family who have lost loved ones to CJD.”

    “On behalf of the many families across the United States who have been affected by this horrendous disease, I am honored that our great Central Valley Representatives, who knew and worked with my husband Harvey, are once again leading the way to bring awareness to Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD). Great strides have been made in the past year legislatively, which I believe can be attributed to the attention generated by the inaugural resolution. By combining this legislative support with the groundbreaking medical research taking place on prion disease, I am confident in our collective potential to find a treatment or cure for CJD. I sincerely thank Rep. Valadao for again introducing this year’s resolution, which has the bipartisan support of Rep. Vince Fong and Rep. Jim Costa” said Lavonne C. Hall, widow of Mayor Harvey Hall.

    Congressman Valadao was joined in introduction by Reps. Vince Fong (CA-20), David Joyce (OH-14), Vern Buchanan (FL-16), John Rose (TN-06), Aaron Bean (FL-04), Mike Lawler (NY-17), Ben Cline (VA-06), Jim Costa (CA-21), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Don Davis (NC-01), Julia Brownley (CA-26), and Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon (PR).

    Congressman Valadao spoke in support of the resolution on the House Floor. Watch his remarks here. Download photos of Congressman Valadao signing the resolution here.

    Remarks as prepared:

    M. Speaker,

    I rise today to raise awareness about Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, or CJD. 

    CJD is a rare brain disease that causes a rapid decline in a person’s cognitive health, and often leads to death within only a few months to one year following the onset of symptoms.

    There are about 500 new cases in the United States each year.

    Sadly, one of these cases was a friend of mine and well-known member of the Central Valley community, Bakersfield Mayor Harvey L. Hall.

    In 2018, Mayor Hall lost his life from CJD just two weeks after his diagnosis.

    Mr. Hall was a beloved member of our community, and the longest-serving mayor in Bakersfield’s history.

    His sudden death was a shock to our community and devastating for all who knew him, including his wife of 28 years who is here with us today, Lavonne Hall.

    I’m introducing a resolution today to designate November 12th as CJD Awareness Day.

    I’m proud to honor Mayor Hall’s memory in this way and raise awareness for thousands of CJD patients and the families who have been impacted by this disease.

    Thank you, I yield back.


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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sorensen Announces Over $12.2 Million for Safety Upgrades at Local Airports

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

    MOLINE, IL – Today, Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17) announced $12,269,860 from the U.S. Department of Transportation for safety and infrastructure upgrades at Chicago-Rockford International Airport (RFD) in Rockford, the Quad Cities International Airport in Rock Island County, and the Central Illinois Regional Airport (CIRA) in McLean County.  

    “Too many of my neighbors across Central and Northwestern Illinois have to travel miles and sit through hours of traffic just to catch their flights at O’Hare or Midway,” said Sorensen. “By investing in safety upgrades at our local airports, our communities will have better access to affordable air travel right in their backyards. This important funding will be used to repair runways, prevent flooding, and purchase new safety equipment that will make our local airports sustainable for the future. I will always look for ways I can bring tax dollars back home to build up our communities through reliable transportation options.”  

    Northern Illinois 

    “We sincerely thank the FAA’s Airport Improvement Grant Program for the nearly $8 million in grant funding to support RFD’s taxiway replacement project,” said Zack Oakley, Executive Director of Chicago Rockford International Airport. “This vital taxiway section, used by all aircraft operating at RFD, was built during the early 1990s and has been crucial to our operations for over 30 years. With this support, we will replace the infrastructure and continue delivering safe, efficient, and excellent service to all, further strengthening our role as the economic engine of Northern Illinois and specifically the Rockford region.” 

    The Greater Rockford Airport Authority will receive $7,946,166 to reconstruct 2,624 feet of the existing paved Taxiway F pavement that has reached the end of its useful life at Chicago-Rockford International Airport.  

    Western Illinois  

    “The Metropolitan Airport Authority of Rock Island County appreciates the continued support of Senators Durbin and Duckworth as well as Congressman Sorensen in securing discretionary federal funding to support the Quad Cities International Airport,” saidBenjamin Leischner, A.A.E., Executive Director, Quad Cities International Airport. “This money will be used to improve airport safety by eliminating standing water on the airfield that has historically been an attractant to wildlife. Construction is estimated to begin next year with a local contractor.” 

    The Metropolitan Airport Authority of Rock Island County will receive $2,765,727 to construct new drainage improvements to adequately handle storm water runoff and mitigate substances that attract wildlife at the Quad Cities International Airport. 

    Central Illinois 

    “The Bloomington-Normal Airport Authority is grateful for Congressman Sorensen’s support of the Central Illinois Regional Airport and, specifically, for this new infrastructure and safety grant,” said Alan Sender, Chairman of the Board of Commissioners for the Bloomington-Normal Airport Authority. “The federal grant announced by the Congressman will advance two major projects at CIRA in the years ahead: the rehabilitation of Runway 11/29 and the purchase of a new aircraft rescue and fire fighting vehicle. Both components are key for the continued safe operation of the airport.” 

    The Bloomington-Normal Airport Authority will receive $1,557,967 for CIRA to replace one existing rapid response aircraft rescue and fire fighting vehicle to meet safety requirements. In addition, this funding will be used to rehabilitate 5,960 feet of the existing paved Runway 11/29 at CIRA to maintain the structural integrity of the pavement and minimize foreign object debris.  

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

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chair Bean Holds Hearing on Improving Teacher Preparation

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Aaron Bean Florida (4th District)

    WASHINGTON – Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittee Chairman Aaron Bean (FL-04) today chaired a hearing titled, “Innovative Teacher Preparation: Properly Equipping America’s Educators,” and offered the following statement, as prepared for delivery:

    Watch Congressman Bean’s opening remarks HERE.

    “Have you ever been in your car when you get an alert notifying you something is wrong? Let’s face it. There is no such thing as a good time for a warning light to signal a problem. Having your morning commute interrupted by a mechanical failure is an inconvenience at best and a downright emergency at worst. But the warning lights are there to help signal that action should be taken.

    I like to consider myself to be a very optimistic person, but I will say this: When it comes to our K-12 education system, we are facing a giant ‘WARNING!’

    America’s teacher preparation pipeline is struggling.

    And I’ll be blunt: the numbers are alarming. Eighty-six percent of public schools reported difficulties in hiring teachers for the 2023-2024 school year. Between 2020 and 2022, 16 percent of teachers left their schools. Teachers are feeling disheartened, and only 20 percent say they are very satisfied with their jobs. Just 16 percent would recommend the profession to others. With that said, it should be very apparent that these aren’t just statistics—they’re a flashing red light on the dashboard of our education system.

    Part of the solution is more affordable, accessible pathways into the classroom. Traditional teacher preparation programs can take four to five years to complete and come with a sticker price of up to $100,000. These costs are simply too high for many prospective teachers. The upfront investment is enough to send teachers running for the exits before they even start.

    That’s why alternative certification programs are gaining traction as a more efficient, cost-effective way to get talented individuals into the classroom. Between 2018 and 2021, enrollment in alternative programs increased by 20 percent. These programs offer a faster path to certification for individuals who already have expertise in other fields.

    But it’s not just about getting teachers into the classroom—it’s about keeping them there. The reality is that too many teachers leave the profession because they don’t feel supported and valued. We need to rethink the way we structure the teaching profession. Innovative programs like Arizona State University’s (ASU) Next Education Workforce are doing just that. By reimagining the traditional model of one teacher, one classroom, new approaches can provide teachers and students room to flourish.

    For example, third graders in ASU’s team-based teaching schools experience an extra 1.4 months of reading growth each year, and Algebra I students pass at rates four to seven percentage points higher than their peers in traditional classrooms. Teacher turnover and satisfaction also greatly improve. These results show that we can’t treat teachers like revolving doors and still expect our schools to thrive.

    Other colleges such as Appalachian State have developed similar models. We must continue to press harder and expand these ideas further. It’s time to think boldly and spotlight changes that will not only bring more people into the teaching profession but will also ensure that they want to stay there.”


    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Edwards’ bill to improve veteran access to commercial driver training heads to president’s desk

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

    The U.S. House of Representatives today passed Senate bill S. 656, the Veteran Improvement Commercial Driver License (VA CDL) Act, by a unanimous voice vote. Edwards introduced the House companion bill, H.R. 2830, which previously passed the House as part of H.R. 5914, the Veterans Education Transparency and Training (VETT) Act, in April 2023.

    The VA CDL Act is the first bill that Edwards co-led to be sent to the president’s desk to be signed into law.

    Edwards spoke on the House floor to highlight how the VA CDL Act will eliminate red tape that excludes veterans from accessing commercial driver-education programs using their GI Bill benefits.

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

    [embedded content]

    “Thank you Mr. Speaker, and thank you to Senators Fischer and Padilla for their leadership on the Veteran Improvement Commercial Driver License Act. I was happy to introduce the House version of this very important bill, H.R. 2830, and I look forward to the benefit this language will add to veterans’ quality of life once it becomes law.

    “Every day, brave men and women join our military to fight for the American dream so that each of us can live in a country where we have the opportunity to succeed and are free to pursue a better life.

    “But all too often, when our service members are transitioning to civilian life, our government fails them in pursuit of their own American dream.

    “A 2016 study by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation found that 53 percent of all veterans were unemployed for at least four months after leaving the military. These are our country’s strongest citizens, yet we repeatedly fail to sufficiently support them as they make the biggest transition in their life – from service member to civilian.

    “S. 656 and H.R. 2830 make a much-needed change to veteran educational assistance programs, expanding job opportunities for the brave men and women who serve our great nation.

    “The VA CDL Act will increase veteran access to timely, quality commercial driver license training, reduce veteran unemployment or underemployment, and reduce the strain on our nation’s supply chain by increasing the truck driver workforce pool.

    “Currently, roughly 8,400 commercial driving programs are approved for use by eligible veterans under the GI bill, but a bureaucratic ‘two-year rule’ prevents these training facilities from accepting GI benefits at secondary locations for two years.

    “This burdensome red tape has excluded many veterans from attending closer ‘secondary branch’ training facilities and dissuaded service members from joining the trucking industry. Because of the rule, veterans must decide between finding a new career path, waiting two years to pursue their commercial driver’s license, or traveling hundreds of miles away from their home for immediate training.

    “S.656 and H.R. 2830 fix that issue by exempting new branches of pre-approved training facilities located in the same state from the statutory two-year wait to accept veterans’ benefits.

    “It’s high time we take meaningful steps towards better supporting a veteran’s transition into the civilian workforce.

    “Too many arbitrary rules are impeding a veteran’s ability to achieve the very American dream that they are fighting for others to pursue, but the VA CDL Act helps to eliminate one of those barriers.

    “Ultimately, this is a commonsense reform that will reduce unnecessary roadblocks to veteran training and workforce opportunities and I urge my colleagues to support.”

    “When the brave men and women in our armed forces return home, the last thing they should have to worry about is red tape preventing them from achieving the American dream that they fought to defend,” said American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear. “Improving veterans’ access to CDL programs will open the door of opportunity to good-paying, in-demand jobs in the trucking industry. We are appreciative of the leadership by Representatives Edwards and Pappas on this important bill, which will help veterans secure rewarding careers and alleviate the truck driver shortage.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Magaziner Co-Leads Bill to Crack Down on Fentanyl Trafficking at Southern Border

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Seth Magaziner (RI-02)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — The House Committee on Homeland Security today passed H.R.9722: Contraband Awareness Technology Catches Harmful (CATCH) Fentanyl Act. This bipartisan legislation, co-led by U.S. Representative Seth Magaziner (RI-02), will establish a pilot program to use emerging technologies to crack down on fentanyl trafficking and speed up the inspection process at land ports of entry along the border.

    “Fentanyl has claimed the lives of thousands of Americans, and we need to do more to stop the flow of illicit drugs at the southern border,” said Rep. Seth Magaziner. “This bill will leverage promising new technologies at land ports of entry to crack down on fentanyl trafficking and other contraband while allowing legal trade to flow more efficiently.”

    The CATCH Fentanyl Act will require the Department of Homeland Security to establish a pilot program that tests the use of artificial intelligence, machine learning, quantum computing and other emerging technologies to detect contraband, including illicit fentanyl, illegal weapons and human trafficking. The bill also aims to increase efficiencies in inspections and reduce wait times at ports of entry. 

    Currently, the Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) system program used at ports of entry to scan vehicles and cargo for anomalies such as fentanyl only scans approximately 2% of passenger vehicles and less than 20% of cargo vehicles due to the following issues identified by Customs and Border Patrol (CBP): 

    • Only one-third of the passenger vehicle NII scanning systems CBP plans to use at ports of entry have the capability to adequately scan the undercarriage of vehicles, where fentanyl is often located;
    • Certain NII technology can’t physically fit at ports of entry located on bridges and surrounded by privately-owned land;
    • Machines that scan for weapons of mass destruction (WMD) can’t be placed near cargo scanning machines because of the radiation they release, which causes WMD scanning machines to make false detections;
    • And lines at POEs continue to be eight to 12 hours long during peak times at busier ports.

    The Senate version of this bill was introduced by U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and passed out of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (HSGAC) earlier this year. The House companion is led by U.S. Representatives Clay Higgins (R-LA) and Seth Magaziner (D-RI). The bill text can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Molinaro Passes 7th Standalone Bill With Bipartisan Support

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Marc Molinaro (R-NY-19)

    Washington, DC – U.S. Rep. Marc Molinaro (NY-19) today announced his Think DIFFERENTLY About Education Act has passed the House of Representatives with bipartisan support. Since coming to Congress, Rep. Molinaro has passed seven standalone bills, 57 bipartisan measures, and has had 12 measures signed into law. He was ranked the second most bipartisan member of Congress by the nonpartisan Lugar Center and is in the top five for most bills passed in Congress.

    In an annual individualized education program (IEP) meeting, school staff and parents of a child with a disability meet to develop an educational plan for the student. Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, parents have the right to bring a third-party advocate, such as a therapist, lawyer, or knowledgeable family member, to these meetings. However, most parents are not aware of this right. The Think DIFFERENTLY About Education Act requires K-12 schools to inform parents of their right to bring an advocate to IEP meetings. 

    Rep. Molinaro said, “I launched Think DIFFERENTLY in 2015. Since then, we’ve grown from a local initiative to a national movement, and I’m proud to once again pass a bipartisan bill that advances the cause. The Think DIFFERNTLY About Education Act guides and empowers students with disabilities to access the resources they need to get a quality education.”

    In 2015, Rep. Molinaro launched the ‘Think DIFFERENTLY’ initiative, which aims to break down barriers for individuals with intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities. In Congress, Rep. Molinaro has built on the effort by crafting and passing a package of bipartisan legislation that removes barriers in key areas of society for individuals with disabilities. The Think DIFFERENTLY About Education Act was a part of this bipartisan legislative package. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaptur Announces $1.15 Million National Park Service Award for Toledo’s Harvey Savage Park

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09)

    Washington, DC – Today, Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) announced a major $1,151,000 National Park Service award through the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Grants Program (ORLP) to the City of Toledo for upgrades and improvements at Rev. H.V. Savage Park. This award will increase public access to high-quality outdoor recreation and natural space in Toledo’s Junction neighborhood by rehabilitating the city’s oldest park, Rev. H.V. Savage Park. The City of Toledo will provide a range of new and improved outdoor recreational opportunities. Decommissioned buildings will be removed, and rehabilitation and improvement of the remaining structures will occur. Improved amenities would include a new open-air gathering space, new splash pad and spray features in the water play area, and improved accessibility at the playground. The Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) program provides matching grants to cities for park projects in underserved communities. Through ORLP, the National Park Service (NPS) will invest $254.68 Million into 54 projects in 24 states for the redevelopment or creation of new local parks.These investments enable urban communities to create new outdoor recreation spaces, reinvigorate existing parks, and form connections between people and the outdoors. The award will be fully matched by the City of Toledo for a total investment of $2,302,000.

    “I fought to bring this funding home so that we could improve park infrastructure and bring joy to the children and families of our Central City. I am glad to have worked closely with Mayor Kapskuiewicz and the City of Toledo on this project and to see it come to fruition,” said Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09). “There will be no greater reward than to see the bright and smiling faces of the children who will be able to splash, play, and enjoy the new improvements to Savage Park. As Toledo’s oldest park, it is important that we return it to a place where families and children seek respite and have the opportunity to have fun in the sun. I look forward to being on hand when these improvements are completed.”

    “Securing this grant will allow the city to completely transform the Rev. H.V. Savage Park and its splash pad. For too long, this space has not met the needs of our community. This funding will make the park into a vibrant, safe, and welcoming place for families and neighbors who rely on it for recreation and connection,” said Toledo Mayor Wade Kapsukiewicz. “Thank you to the NPS, Senator Sherrod Brown, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, and the team of city employees who made this possible.”

    The park is an important community anchor, playing host to events such as Trunk-or-Treat and giving children a place to cool off in hot summer months. This award will allow for more proactive stewardship and conservation of the park’s grove of native oaks, which are among the oldest trees in Toledo. The installation of green infrastructure will further strengthen the park’s distinctive combination of active and passive recreation, a combination that has given the park its unique character throughout its 150-year history. By protecting and activating the park’s unique natural assets and completing long-overdue repairs and upgrades, this project would provide a range of new and improved outdoor recreation opportunities in an area where such opportunities are currently lacking. This project is informed by more than five years of community engagement, and will serve more than 7,674 Toledoans.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Statement from Rep. LaMalfa on Passage of the Fix Our Forests Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Doug LaMalfa 1st District of California

    Washington, D.C. — This week the House passed H.R. 8790, the Fix Our Forests Act, a strongly bipartisan piece of legislation focused on improving forest management and reducing the threat of catastrophic wildfires. The act promotes enhanced cooperation among federal, state, and tribal land managers while strengthening local restoration efforts.

    Rep. LaMalfa (R-CA), released the following statement:

    “The Fix Our Forests Act is a hard-fought bipartisan compromise that will begin getting the work we need done in our forests to reduce fuels and risk of major wildfire. This bill starts to peel back the bureaucracy and limit some of the lawsuits that have hampered so many good forestry projects.  I was happy to see my bill to increase the use of grazing on federal lands to reduce fire fuels, as well as my bill to provide greater setbacks near powerlines to prevent trees from falling into them and starting fires, were included. Fix Our Forests combined with the reforms in the bipartisan Farm Bill we are hoping to pass this fall will make a huge difference in finally addressing our forest management crisis,” said Rep. LaMalfa.

    The Fix Our Forests Act streamlines the consultation process for the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, preventing environmental groups from stalling projects or forcing unnecessary revisions to management plans. Additionally, the act mandates clearer reporting on hazardous fuels reduction efforts, addressing prior misrepresentation by federal agencies regarding the number of acres treated. It also explores the establishment of a Western headquarters for the U.S. Forest Service.

    The bill also incorporates Rep. LaMalfa’s language to expand the clearance zone for hazardous trees around electric power lines, and his bill, H.R. 7666, was included as an amendment that directs the U.S. Forest Service to expand the use of livestock grazing in fuels management programs.

    Congressman Doug LaMalfa is a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District, including Butte, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, and Tehama Counties.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: S. 1956, Invent Here, Make Here Act of 2024

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    S. 1956 would require the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to identify and maintain a database of domestic manufacturers that commercialize products and services developed from federally funded research. The bill also would require NIST to report to the Congress on the commercialization of federal research by domestic manufacturers within 18 months of enactment. Additionally, the bill would require NIST to coordinate with federal agencies and industry organizations to identify domestic manufacturers to develop commercial products and work with the Small Business Administration to identify domestic investors to support commercial product development.

    Finally, the bill would require federal agencies to report annually on the commercialization efforts of nonprofit organizations or small businesses that elect to retain title to inventions that resulted from federal funding.

    Based on the cost of similar activities, CBO expects that NIST would need three people, at an average cost of about $225,000 per person in 2025, to implement the requirements in the bill. Based on the cost of similar activities, CBO estimates that implementing the other reporting requirements would cost less than $500,000 over the 2024-2029 period. On that basis, CBO estimates that implementing S. 1956 would cost $3 million over the 2024-2029 period. Any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Balderson Introduces Bill to Upgrade Interconnection Queue and Bolster Long-Term Electric Grid Reliability

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Troy Balderson (R-OH)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Troy Balderson (OH-12) introduced legislation today that would enable grid operators to fast-track consideration of power generation projects that improve the reliability of the electric grid.

    The Guaranteeing Reliability through the Interconnection of Dispatchable (GRID) Power Act would allow certain projects, at the request of the grid operator, to bypass the overwhelmed interconnection queue. The queue is where proposed projects wait before grid operators begin conducting their feasibility and system impact studies. In 2023, the median wait time grew to five years, delaying critical projects from being built and connected to the grid.

    “Our interconnection queue is buckling under its own weight,” said Balderson. “Transmission providers are tasked with ensuring we have enough electricity to keep the lights on, but the growing backlog of projects is adding years to an already time-consuming process. This legislation would give grid operators the authority to identify and expedite the consideration of essential projects that will protect our grid’s reliability and provide the power needed to meet America’s growing demand.”

    The interconnection queue has become inundated with proposed projects seeking to capitalize on the Biden-Harris Administration’s taxpayer-funded subsidies for “green” energy. These weather-dependent, renewable projects, which now make up 97% of all projects in the queue, cannot be dispatched at a moment’s notice to meet consumers’ day-to-day and hour-to-hour energy needs. As power demand in Ohio and across the nation grows at a historic pace, the grid will require more dispatchable baseload energy to avoid rolling blackouts and power shortages.

    New federal rules, such as the Clean Power Plan 2.0, are accelerating the retirement of American power plants currently responsible for providing much of the United States’ baseload power. The GRID Power Act would bring more baseload power generation online in a timely manner, leading to the long-term stability of the American electric grid.

    “EPSA commends Congressman Balderson for his continued leadership on electric grid reliability,” said Todd Snitcher, President & CEO of the Electric Power Supply Association (EPSA). “EPSA is a staunch supporter of the benefits of competitive markets; however, no economic model or structure can overcome inefficiencies in the interconnection process that can significantly delay critical investment in new dispatchable generation. This legislation appropriately creates a process that recognizes when reliability concerns require that certain investments be prioritized in the interconnection queue. The proposal is designed to recognize when reliability may be at risk and respond in a prudent and targeted manner. EPSA thanks Congressman Balderson and looks forward to supporting this effort.”

    “Demand for electricity is growing at a pace our nation hasn’t seen in decades,” said American Electric Power (AEP). “AEP alone has requests from large customers that would more than double the peak demand we serve on our system today. Ensuring we are able to reliably serve new and existing customers will require us to rapidly expand our power generation fleet and grid capabilities.  AEP supports Rep. Balderson’s efforts to improve and streamline the generator interconnection process.”

    “OOGA stands with Congressman Balderson as he works to bring common sense solutions to a real problem facing Ohio and the rest of the PJM footprint,” said Rob Brundrett, President of the Ohio Oil and Gas Association (OOGA). Queue reform is important to energy producers and consumers alike by prioritizing abundant, reliable and easily dispatchable energy such as natural gas.”

    “As the debate over generation adequacy continues within the 13-state grid region served by PJM Interconnection, Ohio manufacturers believe competitive markets will best respond to future load growth and demand,” said Ryan Augsburger, President of The Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA). “OMA supports queue reform to more quickly and efficiently interconnect generating resources to the grid.  Representative Balderson’s bill is a good first step toward reform.”

    The GRID Power Act

    The GRID Power Act directs the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to develop rules that authorize grid operators–Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs) and Independent System Operators (ISOs)–to “fast-track” critical projects that ensure grid reliability and meet growing power demands by allowing them to bypass the years-long wait in the interconnection queue.

    Under the legislation, grid operators would still be required to conduct feasibility and system impact studies on the generation projects before signing an interconnection agreement. The bill also promotes transparency by requiring the operators to provide a process for public comment and stakeholder engagement before submitting proposals to FERC and requires operators to provide regular reports on the state of grid reliability to FERC. This legislation empowers grid operators to accelerate projects that:

    • Provide new dispatchable power and improve grid reliability and resource adequacy;
    • Address power shortages caused by retiring or offline dispatchable power; and/or
    • Support increased power demand.


    FERC would be required to review and approve “fast-track” proposals within 60 days, potentially reducing the total time to approve these projects from years to just 12 months. Upon enactment, this legislation would require FERC to start the rulemaking process for this mechanism within 90 days of the bill’s enactment and finalize the rules within 180 days.

    Full text of the GRID Power Act can be found HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Griffith Announces $1,408,507 HHS Head Start Grant to People Incorporated of Virginia

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA)

    Griffith Announces $1,408,507 HHS Head Start Grant to People Incorporated of Virginia

    The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded People Incorporated of Virginia, based in Abingdon, Virginia, a roughly $1.4 million grant for Head Start projects. U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement:

    “This grant for more than $1.4 million helps People Incorporated of Virginia advance services that promote childhood education and contribute to family development in rural communities.”

    BACKGROUND

    People Incorporated of Virginia has Head Start centers in Abingdon, Bristol, Glade Spring and Lebanon, as well as an Early Head Start program administered in Clintwood.

    In June, People Incorporated of Virginia received an HHS grant of $3,414,040 for Head Start projects.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: S. 4294, Cross Border Aerial Law Enforcement Operations Act

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    S. 4294 would authorize the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish a program to conduct joint aerial law enforcement operations along the northern border of the United States and increase communication and collaboration with Canada. Under the bill, such a program could only be established pursuant to a bilateral agreement with the Canadian government. S. 4294 would require DHS to report to the Congress within 30 days of implementing the program about its scope and within two years of enactment if DHS fails to establish the program. Lastly, S. 4294 would require DHS to report to the Congress on the use of unmanned aircraft systems at the northern border. 

    Based on the time it took to implement similar agreements, CBO expects that DHS would begin to incur costs in 2025 but not fully implement the program until 2026. Using information from DHS, CBO estimates that the department would need five people each year, at an average annual cost of about $230,000 per employee in 2025, for a total of $6 million in personnel costs over the 2024-2029 period. Additionally, based on the department’s current spending on aircraft fuel and maintenance, CBO estimates that DHS would need $2 million over the 2024-2029 period to fund additional aerial operations. In total, CBO estimates that implementing S. 4294 would cost $8 million over the 2024-2029 period. Any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: B.C.’s plan for involuntary addiction treatment is a step back in our response to the overdose crisis

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Kora DeBeck, Professor, School of Public Policy; Dorothy Killam Fellow; CIHR Applied Public Health Chair, Simon Fraser University

    British Columbia Premier David Eby recently announced that his government plans to open highly secure facilities where people struggling with mental health, serious brain injuries and severe addictions will receive involuntary care.

    The B.C. government describes the move as a new phase of its response to the addiction crisis that includes a promise to change the law to “ensure that people, including youth, can and should receive care when they are unable to seek it themselves.”

    Unregulated drugs kill an average of six British Columbians every day. Since a public health emergency was declared in 2016, more than 15,000 people in B.C. have died from consuming unregulated drugs.

    Interventions and services

    Policymakers along with affected communities are struggling to identify, implement and scale up necessary interventions and services. Many highlight that we need all the tools in our toolkit to respond to this unprecedented crisis.

    Currently, involuntary admissions to care facilities are possible for people with a “disorder of the mind” through B.C.’s Mental Health Act. Between 2011-12 and 2020-21, the number of voluntary admissions in B.C. remained relatively stable (10,000 to 12,000) but involuntary admissions increased from 11,000 to more than 17,000 during this time period.

    Expanding involuntary care to people with addictions is intuitively appealing to some. Supporters of the idea position it as compassionate intervention that keeps the most vulnerable safe. But drug addiction and treatment are complex.

    While parents, policymakers and others rightfully want to do everything they can to protect young people from harmful drugs, in the long run, involuntary treatment will cause more harm than good.

    Involuntary treatment is dangerous

    Scientific evidence is lacking that supports involuntary addiction treatment as an effective approach for reducing substance use and related harms among vulnerable populations. A 2020 study of more than 3,000 people who use drugs in Vancouver found no significant improvements in substance use outcomes among those who were coerced into addiction treatment compared to people who received no treatment.

    We also know that substance dependence is a complex chronic condition and relapse is common. Relapse after a period of abstinence is a particularly dangerous time due to reduced tolerance. Indeed, the risk of overdose death has been found to be highest immediately after discharge from compulsory care, voluntary treatment and hospitals, as well as upon release from prison.

    A lack of effectiveness paired with serious increased risk of a fatal overdose, particularly in the era of illicit fentanyl, are not the only weaknesses of involuntary treatment for people with addictions.

    Involuntary treatment can undermine trust

    Accounts from young people who have experienced being coerced into treatment highlight that involuntary care can be counterproductive and risks pushing vulnerable young people away from the very services they need most.

    After consulting with young people who use drugs, the B.C. Representative for Children and Youth in 2021 cautioned that involuntary care “may create distress in young people to the extent that they may come to distrust the health-care system and be less inclined to seek support when it is needed.”

    Research scientist Danya Fast, who has more than a decade of experience working with young people who use drugs, has described seeing “the lengths that some young people would go to in order to evade or escape from [institutional] places, often with devastating effects. I knew that even the threat of involuntary hospitalization could lead some to avoid calling 911 if someone was overdosing and needed help.”

    Furthermore, a 2023 qualitative study with parents who resorted to involuntary treatment in Alberta describes how for some, forcing their child into treatment harmed their relationship, and for many, did not result in improvements in their children’s risky substance use behaviours.

    Addiction treatment in the era of fentanyl

    In the context of forced addiction treatment, it’s important to recognize that the effectiveness of current medications for opioid dependence (typically methadone and suboxone) is limited, particularly for young people.

    In a study among young people who used opioids in Vancouver between 2005-2018, initiating an opioid agonist therapy (primarily methadone or suboxone) was not found to be protective for non-fatal overdose. In addition, 60 per cent of young people who initiated methadone prematurely discontinue their treatment.

    This is consistent with emerging evidence from B.C. indicating that retention on methadone and suboxone have both been consistently declining over the last decade, which corresponds to the emergence of illicitly manufactured fentanyl in the province.

    Given the volatility of street drugs and increasing exposure to and dependence on highly potent fentanyl, the clinical management of opioid dependence is increasingly complex. This reality makes forcing people into addiction treatment against their will particularly concerning.

    There is also widespread evidence that the existing voluntary addiction treatment system is inadequate and fails to provide appropriate care. It is our view that resources are better directed towards improving the existing voluntary treatment system and ensuring there are comprehensive supports available throughout the continuum of care.

    Alternatives to involuntary treatment

    The safety of our children and communities would be enhanced if governments strengthened and expanded the voluntary treatment system and evidence-based prevention programs. Substance dependence is a chronic relapsing condition. Therefore, accessible harm reduction programs and addressing the toxic supply of drugs are critical steps to prevent overdose deaths and other drug related harms.

    B.C.’s provincial health officer issued a report in July 2024 outlining how a public health approach could be leveraged to provide alternatives to the toxic drug supply.

    While some may think we have already tried drug regulation, current prescribed “safe” supply programs include less than five per cent of the estimated 115,000 people in B.C. with an opioid use disorder.

    Analyses of overdose fatalities also indicate that the majority of people who died from drug poisonings did not have a diagnosed opioid use disorder or use opioids on a daily basis. These individuals would not have been eligible for existing prescribed safe supply.

    This underscores that current initiatives are not reaching the vast majority of the population at risk of a toxic drug poisoning. There are also many different approaches and models that could be considered for drug regulation.

    As we have outlined previously, innovation and transformational policy action to strictly regulate the production, distribution and consumption of currently illegal drugs is a promising way forward.



    Read more:
    Drug prohibition is fuelling the overdose crisis: Regulating drugs is the way out

    We empathize and relate to parents and caregivers who want to do everything possible to protect their children. However, we cannot “treat” our way out of our current crisis and involuntary treatment is a particularly risky and harmful tool.

    Evidence-based interventions across the pillars of early prevention, voluntary treatment and harm reduction, along with rigorous drug regulation that tightly controls the production, distribution and consumption of currently illegal drugs, will give us the most control over the toxic drug supply. This mix of foundational and innovative public health tools will be best positioned to reduce risky substance use and related health and social harms.

    Kora DeBeck receives funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the US National Institutes of Health and the National Killam Program. She is also a Research Scientist with the BC Centre on Substance Use.

    Perry Kendall was a cofounder of Fair Price Pharma, a not-for-profit dedicated to providing low-cost Canadian access to diacetylmorphine morphine as a treatment option for individuals whose treatment needs are not met by first-line available medications for opioid substance use disorder. He is no longer on the board, but remains a vocal advocate for the expansion of evidence-based therapeutics for opioid substance use disorder.

    – ref. B.C.’s plan for involuntary addiction treatment is a step back in our response to the overdose crisis – https://theconversation.com/b-c-s-plan-for-involuntary-addiction-treatment-is-a-step-back-in-our-response-to-the-overdose-crisis-239367

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Mullin Leads Colleagues in Urging Biden-Harris Administration to Remove Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Politics from Support Services and Nutrition Programs for Seniors

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator MarkWayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma)

    Mullin Leads Colleagues in Urging Biden-Harris Administration to Remove Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Politics from Support Services and Nutrition Programs for Seniors

    U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, led his colleagues in authoring a letter to the Administration for Community Living (ACL) to express concern about its recent regulation to require states to prioritize delivering Older Americans Act meal and support services to individuals based on their sexual orientation and gender identity. The lawmakers outline the harmful consequences of this recent change and urge the ACL to reverse its rulemaking.
    The Older Americans Act (OAA) authorizes support services and nutrition programs for older Americans such as congregate meal services, home-delivered meals (e.g. Meals on Wheels), transportation assistance, and caregiver respite. Since all older Americans qualify for services, states and area agencies on aging are required to prioritize the delivery of meals and support services to those with the “Greatest Social Need” and the “Greatest Economic Need.” The Biden-Harris administration’s new regulation under the OAA expands the definition of the “Greatest Social Need” to include social isolation caused by sexual orientation and gender identity among other factors. This expansion has not been approved by Congress and state administrators of OAA services have yet to determine how to comply with this new requirement.
    “The Older Americans Act was designed to fulfill essential services for our seniors, not serve as a vehicle for Kamala Harris’ gender identity politics. This expansion diminishes the prioritization placed on serving rural seniors like those in my state of Oklahoma,” said Sen. Mullin. “The Biden-Harris administration has once again expanded bureaucratic overreach without the consent of Congress or any real plan of how states might carry out this regulation. I want to thank my colleagues for recognizing the harm this haphazard expansion will cause and joining me in this effort to reverse it.”
    Sen. Mullin is joined by Ranking Member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC), and Sen. James Lankford (R-OK).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Secretary Blinken hosted a Ministerial on the Los Angeles Declaration

    Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)

    Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken hosted a Ministerial on the Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection in New York City, New York, on September 25, 2024.
    Transcript: https://www.state.gov/secretary-antony-j-blinken-and-colombian-foreign-minister-luis-gilberto-murillo-at-the-ministerial-meeting-on-the-los-angeles-declaration-on-migration-and-protection/
    ———-
    Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.

    The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.

    Get updates from the U.S. Department of State at www.state.gov and on social media!
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/statedept
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/StateDept
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    Subscribe to the State Department Blog: https://www.state.gov/blogs
    Watch on-demand State Department videos: https://video.state.gov/
    Subscribe to The Week at State e-newsletter: http://ow.ly/diiN30ro7Cw

    State Department website: https://www.state.gov/
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    White House website: https://www.whitehouse.gov/

    #StateDepartment #DepartmentofState #Diplomacy

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_J99AM1X4o

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Two McGarvey Bills to Support Veterans’ Education Passed by House of Representatives

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Morgan McGarvey (Kentucky-03)

    September 25, 2024

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 25, 2024) – Today, the House of Representatives voted to pass H.R. 7323, the Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserves (MGIB-SR) Tuition Fairness Act, a bipartisan bill led by Reps. Morgan McGarvey (KY-03) and Derrick Van Orden (WI-03) to increase access to educational opportunities for veterans by requiring public higher education institutions to charge in-state tuition rates for veterans using MGIB-SR. Included in this bill is the Veterans Flight Training Responsibility Act, another bipartisan veterans education initiative led by Rep. McGarvey and Rep. Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) to give veterans expanded flexibility to use their education benefits for flight training.

    “Every veteran should have access to quality, affordable education when they return home—they’ve more than earned it,” said Rep. McGarvey. “As a member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, I’m always looking for bipartisan solutions to make sure veterans’ benefits work for them. The initiatives we passed today make sure our vets and reservists can pursue higher education on their own terms, without breaking the bank. This is a great first step, and we’ll keep working to get them signed into law.”

    The Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserves (MGIB-SR) Tuition Fairness Act directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to require public higher education institutions to charge in-state tuition rates for veterans using MGIB-SR. The bill is supported by Veterans of Foreign Wars, The American Legion, Special Operations Association of America, Veterans Education Project, Military Officers Association of America, and Reserve Organization of America. Bill text is available here.

    The Veterans Flight Training Responsibility Act will cap flight training fees for veteran students at $108,480 for public flight training institutions and allow student veterans to use their GI Bill throughout the whole year, instead of requiring them to take time off or pay out of pocket. Bill text is available here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: House Passes Rep. Harshbarger’s H.R. 5526, The Seniors’ Access to Critical Medications Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Diana Harshbarger (R-TN)

    Washington, D.C. – Monday, September 23, The United States House of Representatives passed Congresswoman Harshbarger’s H.R. 5526, The Seniors’ Access to Critical Medications Act of 2024 which ensures that medicare seniors have access to the critical medications they need. This legislation restores pandemic-era flexibilities issued by the Centers of Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that allowed mail delivery of prescribed drugs to Medicare beneficiaries.

    “We shouldn’t have obstacles in the way of patients receiving the prescription medications they need,” said Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger. “The bipartisan Seniors’ Access to Critical Medications Act simply ensures that cancer patients as well as other patients have timely access to the appropriate oral medications, by allowing delivery of these medications, or allowing family members or caregivers to pick them up on the patient’s behalf.”

    Background

    Under the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’s (CMS) interpretation of physician self-referral law (commonly known as “Stark law”), it’s unlawful for a medical practice — such as a community oncology practice — to deliver a prescribed and filled drug to a patient by mail, courier, or UPS. CMS’ interpretation doesn’t even allow for a family member or caregiver to pick up a patient’s drug on their behalf.  

    

    During the pandemic, CMS recognized these barriers and issued a Stark waiver lifting the restrictions that hindered patient access to these crucial medications. H.R. 5526, The Seniors’ Access to Critical Medications Act of 2024, restores these flexibilities.

    See Rep. Harshbarger’s remarks on the House floor

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Van Orden Bill to Establish Educational Parity Between Reservists and Active-Duty Passes House

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Derrick Van Orden (Wisconsin 3rd)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Derrick Van Orden’s (WI-03) Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserves (MGIB-SR) Tuition Fairness Act passed the House on a bipartisan vote. The MGIB-SR Tuition Fairness Act establishes parity between reservists and active-duty personnel by requiring public higher education institutions to charge the same in-state tuition rates for veterans using MGIB-SR as veterans using other GI Bill programs.

    Prior to its passage, Rep. Van Orden spoke on the House floor encouraging his colleagues to support the MGIB-SR Tuition Fairness Act.

    [watch]

    Congressman Van Orden’s floor remarks, as prepared for delivery:

    Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

    I am honored to speak today on behalf of my legislation, H.R. 7323, The Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserves Tuition Fairness Act.

    This bill holds special meaning to me because the issue that this legislation addresses was raised by one of my constituents, Mr. Greg Tremeling, during a Veterans Day listening session.

    His voice, along with many other reservists and veterans, made clear the need for this change.

    This is what representative government should be—listening to our constituents and acting on their behalf.

    I am proud to represent the brave men and women serving at Fort McCoy, who make sacrifices every day to keep our nation secure.

    Earlier this year, we were tragically reminded of the ultimate sacrifice our servicemembers make when three Army Reserve soldiers lost their lives in a drone attack in Jordan.

    These servicemembers gave everything to defend our country, a solemn reminder that reservists face the same risks and make the same sacrifices as their active-duty counterparts.

    Their service must never be overlooked, and their sacrifices must always be honored.

    By passing this bill, we take a step toward ensuring parity between reservists and active-duty service members.

    By addressing a key disparity in educational benefits, my legislation will provide reservists with greater access to an affordable education.

    This is about more than just policy—it is about giving reservists the opportunities they deserve when they come home.

    Mr. Speaker, death does not care if you are in training, a reservist, or on active duty.

    The strength of our nation lies not only in its military power but in how we care for those who serve—whether it’s the three soldiers we lost in Jordan or veterans like Mr. Tremeling, who raised the need for change.

    By passing this bill, we honor their service and ensure future generations of reservists are supported.

    I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation, and with that, I yield back.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Introducing the Rate of Last Resort

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    “Alberta has a unique competitive electricity market, which gives Albertans the power to choose the best energy provider, plan, and payment option to fit their needs. Consumers can purchase their power from over 50 competitive retailers, with the choice of either fixed or variable rate contracts.

    Albertans who don’t sign a competitive contract are automatically enrolled on the Rate of Last Resort from their local provider, which in the past has tended to be more expensive and volatile than competitive options.

    Alberta’s government is taking action to protect Alberta’s ratepayers and lower utility bills by helping consumers be better informed of their energy options. New regulations and legislation are set to come into effect on January 1, 2025, to help Albertans better understand their energy options and encourage them to find the rate best-suited to meet their needs. Following the Utilities Affordability Statutes Amendment Act, 2024, the default electricity rate is being renamed from the Regulated Rate Option (RRO) to the Rate of Last Resort (ROLR). The name change better reflects the nature of the rate consumers are paying and is part of ongoing consumer awareness initiatives.

    “Utility bills can make or break a tight budget when every nickel and dime counts. Our government is giving Albertans the tools needed to help save more their hard-earned dollars and make their monthly costs more predictable, while protecting the most vulnerable from sudden price spikes.”

    Nathan Neudorf, Minister of Affordability and Utilities

    To ensure Albertans are better informed about their electricity rate options, Alberta’s government has also introduced a rate confirmation requirement. The Utilities Consumer Advocate, under the Ministry of Affordability and Utilities, will contact all customers on the Rate of Last Resort every 90 days to confirm whether they would like to stay on the Rate of Last Resort and encourage them to explore their options. Rate of Last Resort providers will also be required to clearly indicate on customer bills that they are on the Rate of Last Resort, inform customers of their options in the competitive retail market, and update the terms and conditions of their service agreements.

    “Alberta’s unique electricity market gives consumers choice in their energy providers and plans. These new regulations bring more clarity and stability to default electricity rates so that Albertans can choose with confidence.”

    Chantelle de Jonge, parliamentary secretary, Affordability and Utilities

    However, not all Albertans are able to sign a competitive contract. In some rural areas, the Rate of Last Resort may be a consumer’s only option to receive power. Poor credit or other financial difficulties also may prohibit Albertans, often seniors and other vulnerable populations, from signing a competitive contract. Currently, the Rate of Last Resort varies month-to-month based on market prices and is approved by the Alberta Utilities Commission, not the government. To protect these customers from sudden and volatile price spikes, the Rate of Last Resort will be set every two years and can only be changed by a maximum of 10 per cent between the 2-year terms starting January 1, 2025. Through these new regulations, Alberta’s government is making the Rate of Last Resort more stable and predictable for Albertans unable to sign a competitive contract.

    “The team at the Utilities Consumer Advocate is available to help consumers understand Alberta’s retail energy market, including these changes, and help them identify options that will work best for their household, farm, or small business.”

    Chris Hunt, Utilities Consumer Advocate

    Albertans are encouraged to explore their options and find the competitive rate best-suited to their needs. Last year, tens of thousands of households moved off the Rate of Last Resort to competitive contracts for a more affordable option. Albertans who are looking for help with their utility bills or are experiencing a dispute with their provider should contact the Utilities Consumer Advocate at 310-4855 or through their website.

    Quick facts

    • Albertans have three options when purchasing their electricity and natural gas utilities: the Rate of Last Resort, a competitive contract for a variable rate, or a competitive contract for a fixed rate.
      • The Rate of Last Resort is approved by the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) and is not determined by the government. Learn more about the rate setting process and current rates on the AUC’s website.
    • Approximately 26 per cent of residential customers purchase electricity through the Rate of Last Resort.
    • Approximately 29 per cent of eligible commercial customers and 40 per cent of farm customers purchase electricity through the Rate of Last Resort.

    Related information

    • Utilities Consumer Advocate
    • Alberta Utilities Commission

    Related news

    • Power rates slashed in half by new market rules (Sep 5, 2024)
    • Power watchdog supports Alberta’s electricity market reforms (Aug 5, 2024)
    • Preventing power price spikes (Jun 26, 2024)
    • Making utility bills more affordable (Apr 22, 2024)
    • Making electricity more affordable (Apr 18, 2024)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Port of Vancouver grain terminal strike: Joint statement

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    “Alberta’s government is extremely concerned about the grain terminal labour disruption at Canada’s largest port, the Port of Vancouver. Harvest is underway, and each day this strike continues will have far-reaching impacts on our agriculture industry, the supply chain and Canada’s economy.

    “A strike at the West Coast terminals has the potential to back up the entire grain-handling system. Local elevators may stop taking grain and farmers have limited abilities to store grain on their farms for extended periods of time. This could lead to spoilage or severe quality downgrades for the grain, causing financial hardship for both farmers and grain handlers.

    “While we respect the collective bargaining process and understand the parties have agreed to resume negotiations alongside federal mediators, the damage caused by this disruption will be devastating to our grain handling industry, disrupting about $35 million of grain exports each day the work stoppage continues, including $11 million of Alberta exports.

    “Alberta has one of Canada’s most competitive agriculture sectors and our producers rely on grain terminal systems to remain up and running to meet international demand. According to the Grain Growers of Canada, more than 52 per cent of the grain produced in Canada was shipped through terminals at the Port of Vancouver last year.

    “Our grain supply feeds Canadians and millions of people around the world. A prolonged work stoppage could undermine Canada’s position as one of the world’s most stable and reliable food suppliers. Over the past year, the world watched as labour disruptions in federally regulated sectors undermined our country’s reputation as a stable trading partner. We call, once again, on the federal government to step in and act now to avoid immediate and long-term damage to Canada’s economy and our farming families.

    “Market access is critical for Alberta’s farmers, ranchers and agri-food businesses. This strike is another blow to the agriculture industry, following closely after China initiated an anti-dumping investigation into canola seed imports.

    “The federal government must improve its approach to labour relations, particularly in federally regulated transportation sectors. The continuous strikes we have seen are a direct result of these failed relations and must be urgently addressed to restore stability in our supply chains.

    “That is why Alberta’s government has sent a letter continuing to call on the federal government to respond proactively and more effectively to labour disputes that have potential to create widespread damage to critical supply chains, as well as to our country’s economy and reputation as a reliable trading partner.”

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: MATSUI APPLAUDS BIDEN ADMINISTRATION’S WORK TO LOCALIZE 988 CALLS

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-07) released the following statement in response to the Biden Administration’s announcement that wireless carriers will start to route callers to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by their approximate location, rather than their area code.

    “Imagine the immense courage it takes to pick up the phone and dial 9-8-8 only to find you’re speaking with someone across the country,” said Congresswoman Matsui. “9-8-8 must be a reliable lifeline backed by a reliable crisis system. That’s why I’m thrilled that the Biden Administration took this significant step to ensure individuals in mental health crisis are linked with local support.”

    Specifically, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced that geo-routing implementation began last week with two major U.S. wireless carriers that combined make up about half of all wireless calls to 988. Additionally, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced that next month, the FCC will vote on final rules to require geo-routing from all U.S. carriers in specified timeframes.

    Congresswoman Matsui is a longtime champion of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and improving access to community mental health resources. She co-led the Local 988 Response Act of 2023, which would have required the FCC to promulgate regulations requiring carriers to geo-route 988 callers.

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    MIL OSI USA News –