NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI USA: MATSUI, CITY OF WEST SACRAMENTO ANNOUNCE $15 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR BRYTE PARK

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

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-07) and the City of West Sacramento announced $15 million in federal funding for the city’s Bryte Park Master Plan Implementation Project.

    “The partnership between the federal government and the City of West Sacramento is crucial to deliver tangible results for our residents. This infusion of federal funds goes right into the heart of the city to reinvigorate Bryte Park,” said Congresswoman Matsui. “Parks have a transformative impact – expanding access to green space and recreation options creates a healthier, more resilient community. That’s why I have been such a strong advocate for our city staff and their forward-thinking approach to bring community conscious amenities where they are needed most.”

    “I am excited about these much-needed renovations coming to Bryte Park!” said West Sacramento Mayor Martha Guerrero. “These amenities, which will include upgraded fields for both adult and youth sports used by our entire community, will enhance quality of life, promote healthier lifestyles, and provide a space for families to connect and thrive.”

    West Sacramento’s Bryte Park Master Plan will transform the park by developing a lighted, all-weather soccer field, an aquatics facility, a dog park, an outdoor amphitheater, and ample green space.

    The funding comes from the National Park Service’s Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) Grants Program. The nationally competitive program provides matching grants to assist communities with little to no access to outdoor recreation opportunities in urban areas. Funds can be used for the acquisition and development of, or to substantially renovate public parks and other outdoor recreation spaces. West Sacramento was one of four communities across the country to receive the top allotment of $15 million.

    A rendering of the project is available below.

     

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. McGovern, Adams; Sen. Booker Introduce Climate-Smart Farm Conversion Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representative Jim McGovern (MA-02), U.S. Representative Alma S. Adams, Ph.D. (NC-12), and U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced the Industrial Agriculture Conversion Act (IACA), which would allow farmers to voluntarily convert their on-farm infrastructure toward more climate-friendly uses with USDA conservation dollars.

    The IACA would use existing agricultural conservation funds to support farmers transitioning from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) to more sustainable and humane production systems. Reps. Adams and McGovern are leading the bill in the House, and Sen. Booker introduced companion legislation in the Senate.  

    “We need a food system that feeds everyone while doing right by the people, the planet, and animals” said Congressman McGovern. “Farmers are at the center of that vision, and we need to do everything we can to support them. I’m proud to co-lead this bill with Representative Adams and Senator Booker so that we can empower farmers to break free from a broken system and thrive as independent producers.”

    “Farmers want to produce food in ways that are good for people and the planet, but aren’t always empowered to do so in a consolidated food system like ours. I’m thrilled to introduce the Industrial Agriculture Conversion Act, which unlocks climate-forward conservation dollars to assist producers who want to transition out of the factory farm model,” said Congresswoman Adams. “Whether pasture-based or plant-based, farmers want to farm sustainably, humanely, and resiliently. I’m glad to support them in partnership with Representative McGovern, Senator Booker, and dozens of organizations on the ground.”

    “Corporate meatpackers use their market power to trap producers in the factory farm system with terrible profit margins and unsustainable debt,” said Senator Booker. “Their practices contribute to climate change and destroy rural communities. This legislation leverages conservation funding to give farmers a completely voluntary new path forward by providing them with the resources they need to transition to a more climate-friendly and humane production system that is good for people, animals, and the planet.”

    The IACA is the first stand-alone federal legislation to assist producers who want to make the move from intensive animal agriculture to pasture-based animal agriculture or specialty crop production. It would allow the USDA to create a grant program for eligible climate-smart conversion projects, funded by the Inflation Reduction Act’s pathbreaking investments in agricultural conservation. Earlier this year, Congresswoman Adams, Congressman McGovern, and Senator Booker all signed a letter cautioning against the use of IRA conservation money towards industrial agriculture; the IACA would ensure the integrity and effectiveness of these funds.

    “Factory farming is not just a nightmare for animals—contract farmers who were promised easy profits and the chance to ‘feed the world’ find themselves taking on seemingly endless debt to raise animals in this cruel industrial model, threatening the security of their families and farms,” said Kara Shannon, director of farm animal welfare policy for the ASPCA. “The Industrial Agriculture Conversion Act offers resources to support farmers who are climbing the ladder out of the pit of factory farming and want to transition to more humane and economically sustainable practices. We commend Representatives Adams and McGovern, and Senator Booker for introducing this groundbreaking legislation to create a more compassionate food system that respects animals, farmers, rural communities and our environment.”  

    “The factory farming industry preys on our nation’s farmers by trapping them in exploitative contracts and depriving them of meaningful autonomy. The Industrial Agriculture Conversion Act seeks to promote competition in our food system by creating a program for farmers who wish to transition from the highly consolidated factory farming model to climate-smart practices, such as specialty crop production,” said Frances Chrzan, senior federal policy manager, the Transfarmation Project of Mercy For Animals. “We applaud Rep. Alma Adams, Rep. McGovern, and Sen. Cory Booker for introducing legislation to create kinder and more sustainable pathways for farmers, which will benefit not only farmers and our economy but human health, the environment, and farmed animals.”  

    “I know firsthand the difficulty both financially and socially in transitioning from a confinement animal system to a regenerative farming system, having transitioned our farm in 1996,” said Ron Holter of Holterholm Farms. “Financially there is often a lag time from the beginning of what can be an expensive transition to eventually achieving an improved income while the land heals and the livestock become accustomed to a healthier, happier lifestyle. Transitional funds like those provided in the Industrial Agriculture Conversion Act would be a blessing to farmers attempting to move to more regenerative, livestock friendly systems.”    

    “We took on over $400,000 in debt to become contract chicken farmers and came close to foreclosure when we decided to get out of industrial animal agriculture. When we cancelled our contract, the integrator came out to our farm, picked up their $20 sign and drove away without another thought,” said Paula Boles, co-owner of JB Farms. “We know too many farmers have similar stories of being exploited by integrators and left with few options to keep their farms going. The Industrial Agriculture Conversion Act would help support farmers like us across the country who want to transition to more sustainable and economically viable farming systems.”  

    “In North Carolina’s Duplin and Sampson counties, hogs outnumber people by approximately 30-to-1. The vast majority of these industrial agricultural operations use an outdated cesspit and spray field system in which hog feces and urine are flushed into open-air pits and sprayed onto nearby fields, causing higher rates of anemia, kidney disease, and infant mortality among local communities,” said Dr. Rania Masri, Co-Director of the NC Environmental Justice Network. “NCEJN applauds Rep. Alma Adams, from North Carolina, for introducing the Industrial Agriculture Conversion Act and speaking up for the contract farmers, trapped as serfs on their own land, and the communities who are struggling against this polluting industry.”  

    “Too many farmers have been exploited and trapped in the factory farm system for too long, which is why Farm Aid applauds the introduction of the Industrial Agriculture Conversion Act,” said Hannah Tremblay, Policy and Advocacy Manager of Farm Aid. “We’re especially excited that livestock farmers will have an opportunity to be a part of the solution to climate change through the funding for climate-smart conversion projects.”  

    “The Industrial Agriculture Conversion Act will release farmers ensnared in the highly flawed industrial animal agriculture model and usher in much-needed sustainable food and farm system reform. ‘Get Big or Get Out’ has failed farmers, rural communities, and our country. The IACA will help farmers and rural America get out from under CAFOs and thrive,” said Harry Manin, deputy legislative director of the Sierra Club.  

    “The factory farm system that traps farmers under mountains of debt and damages rural communities, public health and the environment didn’t happen by accident,” said Patty Lovera of the Campaign for Family Farms and the Environment. “Factory farms are the result of decades of failed enforcement, bad farm policy and direct government support, including federally-guaranteed loans for new factory farms. The Industrial Agriculture Conversion Act would be a critical first step in the transition away from factory farms to a system based on independent, family farm livestock production.”  

    “Today’s factory farm system stacks the cards against farmers, workers, consumers, and the environment while letting Big Ag corporations reap all the rewards. The Industrial Agricultural Conversion Act is an important opportunity to transition our food and agriculture sector away from factory farms and an important lifeline for those squeezed by corporate consolidation,” said Rebecca Wolf, senior food policy analyst for Food and Water Watch.  

    “This bill would give small farmers more control over their operations to not have the larger corporations controlling what they do on their own farms. Factory farms put a strain on our health. This gives those farmers an opportunity to create a better product for our communities and consumers and improve our food system as a whole,” said Philip Barker, farmer and co-founder/co-project director of Operation Spring Plant, Inc. 

    “More than ever before, consumers want the assurance that the products they buy are aligned with their values. The data shows us that 80% of U.S. consumers are concerned about the environmental impact of the products they buy,” said David Levine, Co-founder and President of the American Sustainable Business Network. “In just the last few years, the sale of meat with labels boasting environmental and labor benefits increased 18% compared to conventionally labeled meat products. In addition, the sustainable fashion industry market is expected to more than double to $15 billion by 2030. Sustainable business is no longer just about doing the right thing, it’s also a wise investment and makes good business sense. Once farmers can move out of the industrial model, they will see higher profits and more resiliency to extreme weather and volatile markets, the Industrial Agriculture Conservation Act will begin to provide the needed support to take that first step to transition.”  

    “Over a decade ago I began to transition away from conventional cattle production to more sustainable, humane and regenerative practices and I’ve seen more benefits than I can name in the health of my animals and land. But without the kind of support this legislation offers, doing the right thing has been a slow and extremely risky process for myself and farmers like me across the country,” said Don Jackson, owner of Pompey’s Rest Farm. “The Industrial Agriculture Conversion Act gives farmers a way out of a destructive system that’s squeezing them dry, and that’s a wonderful thing.” Specifically, the IACA would:

    Create a new grant program within the existing USDA Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), using funds provided for climate-smart conservation practices by the IRA 

    Provide grants for on-farm infrastructure improvements to convert medium or large CAFOs to either crop production or pasture-based livestock operations 

    Require that grant recipients permanently cease operation of a CAFO within 180 days 

    Prevent grant funds from being misused for new unsustainable facilities, such as methane digesters or manure lagoons 

    Require 10% non-federal cost-sharing, with the option of lower cost-sharing amounts for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers 

    Protect grant applicants from retaliation under the Packers and Stockyards Act

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Burgess, Carter on the Passage of the HEALTH Panel Act in the House Budget Committee

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Michael C Burgess MD (R-TX)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX) released the following statement after the passage of the HEALTH Panel Act through the House Budget Committee.

    Congressman Burgess and Congressman Buddy Carter (R-GA) introduced H.R. 9686, the HEALTH Panel Act which will give authority back to the House and the Senate to appoint the Panel of Health Advisors in the Congressional Budget Office. This bill will also require the CBO provide an annual report to the Budget Committee detailing the panel’s work and recommendations.

    “The passage of the HEALTH Panel Act through the House Budget Committee is a major win for American patients, physicians, and the U.S. health care system,” said Congressman Burgess. “Unelected officials in the Congressional Budget Office should not have the power to influence the legislative process as it pertains to health care policies. This commonsense legislation will grant congressional authority to codify a bipartisan Panel of Health Advisors within the CBO that prioritize the needs of the patient and not their own partisan agenda. Thank you to Congressman Carter for joining me in revitalizing this panel with statutory authority.”

    “It’s no secret that health care is expensive. As one of the primary drivers of our nation’s runaway $35 trillion in debt, it is critical that CBO have the authority required to accurately project the budgetary impact new health care policies will have. The HEALTH Panel Act is a necessary, common-sense step to improve both cost estimates and congressional oversight of this key panel, and I hope to see it on the House floor soon,” said Congressman Carter.

    Click HERE for bill text.

    Background:
    The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Panel of Health Advisors was informally established 20 years ago and consists of healthcare experts and stakeholders that advise CBO on issues pertaining to health care policy.

    The core purpose of the panel is to provide technical and functional expertise and recommendations to CBO to improve its studies, analyses, and cost estimates related to health care issues and policies. Yet, there is no statutory authority for this panel, nor is there any clear guidance on the responsibilities of the panel.

    This bill will establish congressional appointment authority and require the panel report to the Budget Committee.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Norma Torres Co-leads Reintroduction of Bicameral Legislation Holding Judiciary Accountable to Its Employees

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Norma Torres (35th District of California)

    September 25, 2024

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Norma Torres (CA-35), senior member of the Appropriations Committee and member of the Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee that oversees the Federal Judiciary alongside Rep. Hank Johnson (GA-04), ranking member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet, in concert with Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Rep. Jerrold Nadler (NY-12),  and Sen. Mazie Hirono (HI), a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (AK) – reintroduced the Judiciary Accountability Act of 2024 (JAA).

    The JAA would ensure the more than 30,000 employees of the federal judiciary have strong statutory rights and protections against discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, and other forms of workplace misconduct.

    The foundational federal anti-discrimination statutes — such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 — still do not apply to the federal judiciary, making it one of the only employers in the entire country – public or private – whose employees are not protected by federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination and retaliation. The federal judiciary has faced sustained criticism for its approach to preventing, investigating, and redressing sexual harassment and discrimination by judges and other high-level judicial branch officials. This summer, back-to-back reports were released — one from the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the other from the Federal Judicial Center and National Academy of Public Administration — underscoring that the internal dispute resolution mechanisms implemented by the judiciary to combat these issues have instead led to a lack of accountability for judges who mistreat employees.

    “The Judiciary Accountability Act is a significant step towards ensuring the safety and rights of judiciary employees. It is crucial that judiciary employees feel secure in expressing concerns about misconduct without fearing for their safety or job security. All Judiciary members are entitled to fundamental workplace rights that safeguard them from harassment and discrimination,” said Rep. Norma Torres. “The era of judges abusing their power and instilling fear in the work environment is over. That is why I am honored to co-lead the Judiciary Accountability Act alongside ranking member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Rep. Johnson. We are deeply committed to providing protections backed up by the full force of United States law for employees who come forward after experiencing sexual harassment. Our federal Judiciary must set an example of accountability in addressing sexual harassment, and the provisions outlined in this bill will help achieve that goal.”

    “It is the height of injustice that judiciary employees who support the daily functioning of our courts lack basic workplace protections,” said Rep. Hank Johnson, Ranking Member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts. “These protections are already provided to congressional and executive branch staff. Why should we continue to exempt our third branch of government? In the face of clear, repeated evidence of unaccountable judges committing egregious misconduct, Congress has the power and the duty to fix it and ensure judicial employees who use their voices and bravely sharing their experiences do not do so in vain. I’m pleased to lead the re-introduction of the Judiciary Accountability Act, which is common-sense legislation that would align the federal judiciary with not just the rest of the federal government but with private sector workplaces as well.”

    “It is unconscionable that over 60 years after the signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, employees of the federal judiciary are not protected from workplace discrimination,” said Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler. “The lack of protections undermines credibility in the court, which is why I’m proud to reintroduce the Judiciary Accountability Act, to bring the same basic rights available to congressional and executive branch staff to the judicial branch.”

    “No one is above the law, but most federal judiciary employees lack essential workplace protections, preventing them from obtaining justice when they face discrimination and harassment,” said Senator Hirono. “Employees of the federal judiciary dedicate their careers to providing justice, and they deserve justice when they face misconduct in the workplace. Yet these employees are among the only ones in the United States who lack the right to sue when they face discrimination or harassment. The Judiciary Accountability Act will help to protect the 30,000 federal judiciary employees by extending basic anti-discrimination protections to cover them, giving them access to federal court to vindicate those rights, and helping to ensure more accountability in the federal courts.”

    “The Judiciary Accountability Act expands federal laws that prohibit workplace harassment and discrimination to employees of the judiciary, putting them on par with executive branch, congressional, and private sector employees who have long-had these protections,” said Senator Murkowski. “This legislation not only helps safeguard employees from mistreatment at work, but also establishes a review system to foster accountability when those rights are violated. I appreciate the opportunity to lead this bipartisan legislation with Senator Hirono to cultivate transparency and a positive working environment within the judicial branch.”

    Cosponsors: Reps. Madeleine Dean (PA), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ), Rashida Tlaib (MI), Adam Schiff (CA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC)

    Full bill text 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Assistant Leader Neguse Advances Disaster Management Costs Modernization Act Through Committee, Bringing Bill Closer to House Floor for Vote

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Joe Neguse (D-Co 2)

    Washington, D.C. — Today, House Assistant Minority Leader Joe Neguse successfully advanced his bill, the Disaster Management Costs Modernization Act, through the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee which now heads to the House Floor for consideration. The bipartisan, bicameral legislation helps communities build long-term capacity for disaster recovery by allowing for state and local governments to use Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster management costs for multiple disasters. 

    “Communities in my district have received FEMA disaster assistance as recently as last month. This critical support makes it easier to coordinate response and rebuilding efforts at the state and local levels – and, if enacted, the Disaster Management Costs Modernization Act will allow these funds to also bolster community resilience for future disasters,” said Assistant Leader Neguse. “As Americans continue to see an increase in climate-induced disasters, pursuing policy solutions like these are more important than ever. I look forward to getting this bill through the House and across the finish line.” 

    “Natural disasters have become more frequent and more severe as a result of climate change, making it important for Congress to ensure communities have the resources they need to mitigate damage and save lives,” Ranking Member Larsen said. “Thanks to the leadership of Representative Neguse, the T&I Committee passed the Disaster Management Costs Modernization Act today, which allows states, territories and Tribes to transfer excess disaster recovery funds to build capacity. This important legislation ensures critical funding will not go to waste and helps communities remain vigilant against future natural disasters. I look forward to this bill getting a vote in the full House.”

    Under current law, management costs awarded for one disaster may only be used for that disaster. Assistant Leader Neguse’s Disaster Management Costs Modernization Act would allow recipients to retain excess management costs, or use them towards other open disasters, bolstering a community’s capacity to prepare for, recover from, or mitigate the impacts of major disasters or emergencies. 

    More specifically, the legislation:

    • Authorizes FEMA to permit recipients to retain excess management costs for up to five years after the close-out of a disaster; and

    • Permits grant recipients to use excess management funds for capacity building activities to prepare for or recover from other disasters.  

    Background

    Colorado Congressman and House Assistant Minority Leader Joe Neguse has been leading efforts in Congress to expand access to critical federal disaster assistance for communities impacted by natural disaster. Recently, he introduced a package of legislation to streamline access to federal assistance under the Small Business Administration for families and communities impacted by natural disasters. 

    Also, in July, when the Alexander Mountain Fire and Stone Canyon Fire threatened parts of his congressional district, Neguse acted swiftly to secure federal funds authorized by FEMA to fight the fires. He has also fought to secure proper cost coverage for Coloradans impacted by the Marshall Fire in December 2021. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: House GOP Chairmen Demand Biden-Harris Administration Release Unclassified Ukraine Strategy

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (25th District of FLORIDA)

    CategoriesMIL OSI

    WASHINGTON, D.C.– U.S. Representative Mario Díaz-Balart (R-FL), Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs joined U.S. Reps Tom Cole (R-OK), Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, Ken Calvert (R-CA), Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, Mike Rogers (R-AL), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Michael McCaul (R-TX), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Mike Turner (R-OH), Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, in a joint statement demanding the Biden-Harris Administration release an unclassified version of the Ukraine strategy as required by law.

    “The Biden-Harris Administration must immediately release an unclassified version of its strategy for how U.S. and allied assistance will hasten a Ukrainian victory in Russia’s war of aggression. After submitting the strategy months after the congressionally-mandated deadline, the decision to fully classify it is unacceptable and defies critical provisions that House Republicans fought to enact as part of the National Security Supplemental and the FY24 spending bills. Given the vital U.S. interests at stake in Ukraine defeating Putin’s invading forces, all of Congress and the American people deserve to understand how their hard-earned tax dollars are being spent.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: PASSED: Lee and Steel’s Bipartisan, Bicameral Bill to Unleash American Geothermal Energy Passes House

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Susie Lee (NV-03)

    WASHINGTON –Congresswoman Susie Lee’s (NV-03) bipartisan, bicameral bill (H.R.6474) to expedite geothermal exploration and development passed the U.S. House of Representatives. The legislation cuts government red tape by giving geothermal projects the same flexibility to explore and develop on previously disturbed or studied public lands that the oil and gas industry has had for nearly two decades. That means clean energy projects will be on a more level playing field while creating jobs, cutting emissions, and reducing foreign energy dependence. 

    Congresswoman Lee championed this legislation with Congresswoman Michelle Steel (R-CA-45) in the House and Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) in the Senate. 

    Nevada is already the second-largest producer of geothermal in the country, but government red tape is getting in the way of truly maximizing Nevada’s — and the nation’s — abundant resources with next-generation geothermal technology.  

    Nevada is now home to the country’s first enhanced geothermal plant, “Project Red,” the result of a partnership between Google and Fervo Energy — which is actively producing carbon-free energy to power Google Cloud operations in Las Vegas as well as data centers across the state. The U.S. Department of Energy has found that enhanced geothermal systems such as Project Red could extend geothermal energy production nationwide and affordably power the equivalent of more than 65 million U.S. homes.  

    “If we want to fully unleash our renewable energy potential, then we need to cut the red tape that has been a barrier to the growth of geothermal energy development,” said Congresswoman Lee. “I want to thank Congresswoman Steel for partnering on this commonsense, bipartisan bill to strengthen energy independence and help lower costs for the working families we represent.” 

    “Geothermal energy is a vital tool to make America more energy independent and less reliant on our adversaries. This legislation will provide a cleaner energy future and allow my home state of California to seize the reins as a leading national energy provider,” said Congresswoman Michelle Steel. “I was honored to work with Representative Susie Lee to successfully pass this legislation through the House of Representatives and look forward to its passage in the Senate.” 

    “The common-sense improvements to geothermal leasing and permitting passed by the U.S. House of Representatives will help expedite geothermal exploration,” said Tim Latimer, Co-Founder and CEO, Fervo Energy. “Thank you to Representatives Michelle Steel (R-CA) and Susie Lee (D-NV) for leading on this critical issue. We urge the U.S. Senate to pass similar improvements – like those in the Energy Permitting Reform Act — which the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee advanced on a 15-4 bipartisan vote.” 

    Congresswoman Lee has made cutting government red tape a priority — in March, she sent a letter to Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland calling for the Department to reduce barriers to geothermal projects. Lee is also leading bipartisan legislation to cut red tape that is slowing down housing, infrastructure, conservation, and other projects on public lands, which passed the House in July and was endorsed by Republican Governor Joe Lombardo. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: English/Español:Díaz-Balart Leads Letter Condemning the Biden-Harris Admin for Allowing U.S. Entry of Cuban Communist Party Pilot Allegedly Linked to Brothers of the Rescue Aircraft Shoot Down

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (25th District of FLORIDA)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Los legisladores Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-26), María Elvira Salazar (FL-27), Carlos A. Giménez (FL-28), y Alex Mooney (WV-2), enviaron una carta al Secretario de Estado Antony Blinken y al Secretario de Seguridad Nacional Alejandro Mayorkas expresando profundas preocupaciones sobre informes que indican que un alto operativo de la dictadura cubana, presuntamente involucrado en el atroz asesinato de americanos, fue recientemente admitido en Estados Unidos.

    Lea la carta en ingles aquí o a continuación:

    “As Members of Congress with constituents directly impacted by the brutality of the Castro regime, we write with profound concern regarding reports that a high-level operative in the Cuban dictatorship who is alleged to have participated in the heinous murder of Americans was recently admitted into the United States.

     “According to numerous press reports, Cuban Lieutenant Colonel Luis Raúl González-Pardo Rodríguez entered the United States within the past few weeks. Additional reports, as well as a letter from survivors, contend that Gonzalez-Pardo participated in the Brothers to the Rescue shootdown of 1996. That shootdown resulted in the murders of three American citizens and one legal permanent resident, respectively: Carlos Costa, Mario de la Peña, Armando Alejandre, and Pablo Morales. These humanitarians were working to rescue refugees at sea who were escaping totalitarian Cuba, and saved countless lives since the Brothers to the Rescue’s founding. As both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) affirmed after the attack, these civilian, unarmed Cessnas were shot down by MiGs in international waters. This was a flagrant violation of international law. 

     “The families of these victims deserve justice. It was an insult to them and a disgraceful travesty of justice that the Obama Administration released the one person who had been held accountable for their murders, Gerardo Hernandez, in a concession to the regime in Cuba. Now, the possibility that another person who may have participated in that heinous act was granted the extraordinary privilege of U.S. entry is yet another affront.

     “The remaining survivors of the Brothers to the Rescue shootdown have demanded an investigation into the vetting process that allowed González-Pardo into the United States, and whether he lied on his forms. We reiterate their call, and are deeply concerned about the seeming influx of high-level Cuban Communist Party operatives into the United States .”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: CFTC Orders U.S. Trading Firm to Pay $800,000 Penalty for Federal Natural Gas Futures Position Limits Violations

    Source: US Commodity Futures Trading Commission

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Commodity Futures Trading Commission today issued an order filing and simultaneously settling charges against Aspire Commodities LLC (Aspire) for exceeding the federal spot month speculative position limits for cash-settled reference contracts to the New York Mercantile Exchange’s (NYMEX) physically-delivered Henry Hub Natural Gas (NG) futures contract on seven occasions from 2022 to 2024.

    The order requires Aspire, an energy trading firm with locations in Houston and Dorado Beach, Puerto Rico, to pay an $800,000 civil monetary penalty, and to cease and desist from further violations of the Commodity Exchange Act and CFTC regulations. Aspire admits the facts in the order.

    Case Background

    From 2022 to 2024, the ICE Futures U.S. Energy Division (IFED) and the Nodal exchanges granted Aspire conditional limit exemptions, which allowed the company to exceed the federal spot month speculative position limit by an additional 8,000 NYMEX NG cash-settled equivalent contracts on each of the exchanges during the NG contract spot month so long as Aspire did not hold or trade positions in the physically-delivered NYMEX NG contract during the final three trading days in the contract’s spot month.

    This order finds Aspire violated those conditions seven times over a two-year period by exceeding the federal spot month speculative position limits in cash-settled reference NG futures contracts.

    The CFTC thanks IFED and Nodal exchanges for their assistance in this matter.

    The Division of Enforcement staff responsible for this case are James W. Deacon, Carrie Kennedy, James H. Holl, III and Rick Glaser.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Readout of Deputy Secretary of Defense Hicks’ Meeting With Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri

    Source: United States Department of Defense

    Pentagon Spokesman Eric Pahon provided the following readout:

    Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks hosted Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri at the Pentagon today to discuss priorities for strengthening the U.S.-India defense partnership through defense industrial cooperation, technology innovation, and operational cooperation.

    She noted that the United States and India continue to break new ground in areas of cooperation that will enhance the security of both countries, as well as the broader Indo-Pacific region.

    Deputy Secretary Hicks thanked Foreign Secretary Misri for India’s strong support of the maritime security and logistics initiatives announced at the Quad Leaders Summit last weekend.

    They also discussed ongoing efforts to co-produce jet engines, land mobility systems, and munitions, as well as the continued progress through the India-U.S. Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) to foster joint innovation among defense industry stakeholders in both countries.

    Deputy Secretary Hicks highlighted the success of the recent INDUS-X Summit, which resulted in the announcement of a new joint innovation challenge for space domain technologies, as well as an upgraded memorandum of understanding between the U.S. Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and the Indian Defense Ministry’s Innovations for Defense Excellence (iDEX) office.

    The two officials also discussed regional security issues and a range of operational cooperation initiatives aimed at promoting stability and security in the Indo-Pacific.

    Deputy Secretary Hicks expressed the importance of continuing to advance progress across all areas of the Major Defense Partnership, and pledged to deepen cooperation to promote a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Statement of Commissioner Summer K. Mersinger Regarding Extension of No-Action Position from Certain Reporting Obligations

    Source: US Commodity Futures Trading Commission

    I support an extension of the staff no-action position in Letter No. 20-30 from certain reporting obligations under the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s[1] Ownership and Control Reports (“OCR”) final rules.

    However, I feel compelled to reiterate what I said last year when Commission staff extended this same relief:

    “I urge staff and the Commission to develop and issue an OCR proposed rulemaking soon—so that staff is not compelled to issue yet another extension when this one expires a year from now.”[2]

    Yet, here we are in exactly the situation I had hoped we would avoid—issuing another extension in a seemingly endless series of extensions instead of addressing a known issue head-on.  Commission staff has taken a no-action position with respect to certain reporting obligations under the OCR final rules since 2014.  But despite a petition to address this issue, we have spent the past decade repeatedly kicking the can down the road.[3]

    Instead of using Commission resources and staff time to issue unnecessary rules codifying existing expectations[4] or providing guidance to our most sophisticated markets on lightly traded contracts[5], maybe it is time to focus on fixing what is actually broken, like the OCR rules which are the subject of today’s no-action relief.

    [1] This statement will refer to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission as the “Commission” or “CFTC.”  All web pages cited herein were last visited on September 24, 2024.

    [2] Statement of Commissioner Summer K. Mersinger Regarding Extension of Staff No-Action Position Regarding Ownership and Control Reports (September 22, 2023), available at https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/SpeechesTestimony/mersingerstatement092223b.

    [3] Extension Letter at 1-2 (“Since 2014, [the Division of Market Oversight (‘DMO’)] has taken a no-action position with respect to reporting entities from certain reporting obligations under the OCR [f]inal [r]ule.  In September 2017, DMO issued no-action letter 17-45 (‘NAL 17-45’).…. NAL 17-45 extended the time period for the no-action position, which was itself previously granted and extended in several prior no-action letters, from certain reporting obligations under the OCR [f]inal [r]ule….

    Subsequent to the issuance of NAL 17-45, on June 14, 2018, [the Futures Industry Association (‘FIA’)] and [the Commodity Markets Council (‘CMC’)] submitted a petition to the Commission, which requested, among other things, that the Commission codify the no-action positions provided in NAL 17-45…. As of the date of this letter, the Commission has not acted upon FIA and CMC’s petition….

    On September 25, 2020, DMO issued no-action letter 20-30 (‘NAL 20-30’), which extended the no-action position in NAL 17-45.  On September 22, 2023, DMO issued no-action letter 23-14 (‘NAL 23-14’), which extended the no-action position in NAL 20-30 with respect to each obligation covered by NAL 23-14 ‘until the earlier of: (a) the applicable effective date or compliance date of Commission action addressing such obligation or (b) September 30, 2024.’  Therefore, without further action by the Commission, by its terms NAL 23-14 will expire on September 30, 2024.” (emphasis added).

    [4] See Dissenting Statement of Commissioner Summer K. Mersinger Regarding Amendments to Part 40 of the CFTC’s Regulations (September 12, 2024), available at https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/SpeechesTestimony/mersingerstatement091224b.

    [5] See Dissenting Statement of Commissioner Summer K. Mersinger on Guidance Regarding the Listing of Voluntary Carbon Credit Derivative Contracts (September 20, 2024), available at https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/SpeechesTestimony/mersingerstatement092024.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen, Shaheen, Baldwin Introduce Legislation to Increase Startup Tax Deduction to $50,000

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
    Currently, Entrepreneurs Can Only Write Off $5,000 In Costs When Starting A New Business
    A Recent Survey Found That Small Business Owners Spend An Average Of $40,000 To Get Their Businesses Off The Ground
    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Chair Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) introduced legislation to provide more tax relief to entrepreneurs looking to start a small business, and reduce barriers for startups. The Tax Relief for New Businesses Act would increase the startup tax deduction from $5,000 to $50,000, and allow businesses to write off more expenses to compensate for the increasing cost of starting a business. Currently, small business owners can only deduct up to $5,000 in startup costs in the first year, yet a recent survey found that they spend an average of $40,000 to get their businesses off the ground.
    “It’s getting harder and more expensive for local entrepreneurs to turn their dreams of starting their own small business into reality, which is why I’m proud to introduce legislation to increase the startup tax deduction from $5,000 to $50,000,” said Senator Rosen. “This is a common-sense step to make this tax deduction practical and helpful for startups, and I’ll keep working to support Nevada’s entrepreneurs and small business owners.”
    “Allowing small businesses to deduct more of their startup expenses will help support the growth of the 19 million new businesses formed during the Biden-Harris administration while creating good-paying jobs in our communities,” said Small Business and Entrepreneurship Chair Shaheen. “Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and in the Granite State, approximately two thirds of job creation is done through small businesses. With legislation like the Tax Relief for New Businesses Act we can continue to spur job growth while giving entrepreneurs a fair shot at success.”
    “On Main Streets across Wisconsin, small businesses are creating jobs and contributing to our local economies. For too many entrepreneurs, starting a business can be out of reach and it’s our job to break down the barriers in their way so more Americans can pursue their dreams,” said Senator Baldwin. “This legislation is a commonsense step that will unlock opportunities for Wisconsin’s next generation of small businesses and help ensure they have the capacity to grow, innovate, and shape the future of the Badger state.”
    “The Reno + Sparks Chamber of Commerce is enthusiastic about Senator Rosen’s bill, that if passed, would open doors to hundreds of entrepreneurs who dream of developing and owning a small business in our community,” said Ann Silver, CEO of the Reno + Sparks Chamber of Commerce. “The Tax Relief for New Business Act would stimulate commerce and enable our small business economy to be determined by those with the grit and determination to be successful.”
    “Starting a business is a vote of confidence in the future,” said Richard Trent, Executive Director of Main Street Alliance. “Men and women all across the country start businesses that help our communities thrive. Small businesses are connected to their communities, sponsoring little league teams, providing employment and creating a robust culture and economy. But one of the most difficult parts of starting a business is having the capital to do so. A lack of generational wealth, unfair lending practices and discrimination make this difficult for too many. The Tax Relief for New Businesses Act is a huge step in the right direction to level the playing field and jump start Main Streets all across America.”
    “Repeated research has demonstrated that new businesses – ‘startups’ – are a critical driver of economic growth, job creation, and opportunity expansion,” said John Dearie, President of Center for American Entrepreneurship. “But launching a new business costs money. And because startup costs are incurred long before the first dollar of revenue, those costs can be a major obstacle to new business formation. That’s why the Tax Relief for New Businesses Act is so important. The Act would increase the tax deduction of startup costs from $5,000 to $50,000, expand the types of expenses eligible for the deduction, and stretch the phase-out threshold of the credit from $50,000 to $150,000, allowing entrepreneurs to write-off more of the costs required to launch their business once they become profitable. The legislation is powerfully pro-entrepreneurship, pro-growth, and pro-job creation. CAE thanks Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) for their leadership and looks forward to working with them to ensure swift passage of the legislation.”
    This legislation is endorsed by the Reno+Sparks Chamber of Commerce, Main Street Alliance, Center for American Entrepreneurship, and the Vegas Chamber.
    As a member of the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Senator Rosen has been a champion of Nevada’s small business community. Every year, she leads her Senate colleagues in pushing for robust funding to support small businesses and cut burdensome red tape. Senator Rosen has introduced the bipartisan Minority Entrepreneurship Grant Program Act to establish a Minority Entrepreneurship Grant Program through the Small Business Administration (SBA) to award grants to Minority Serving Institutions to promote and increase opportunity. She also introduced the bipartisan One Stop Shop For Small Business Licensing Act to require the SBA to create a centralized website that includes federal, state, and local licensing and business permit information for starting a small business.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ahead of 1 October, Rosen Gives Speech on Senate Floor Honoring Victims of Tragic Shooting, Calling on Congress to Ban Bump Stocks

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
    Watch Senator Rosen’s Speech HERE.
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, ahead of what will be seven years since the 1 October shooting in Las Vegas, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) delivered remarks on the Senate floor to honor the sixty lives lost and highlight how Nevada was forever changed by this senseless violence, the deadliest mass shooting in American history. She also recognized the heroism of Las Vegas’s first responders and urged further action by Congress to prevent gun violence, including banning bump stocks.
    Senator Rosen has been a leader in the fight against gun violence. Following this year’s Supreme Court decision to reverse the Trump-era bump stock ban, Senator Rosen joined bipartisan legislation to permanently ban bump stocks. Last year, she helped introduce the Resources for Victims of Gun Violence Act to provide all victims of gun violence and their loved ones with the resources to help meet medical, legal, financial, and other needs. Senator Rosen also recently helped introduce the Background Check Expansion Act to expand federal background checks to all commercial gun sales, including those made online and at gun shows. She helped pass the historic Bipartisan Safer Communities Act to enhance background checks on firearm purchases for individuals under 21, fund the implementation of red flag laws, combat firearms trafficking, and invest in school safety and mental health programs. 
    Below are Senator Rosen’s floor remarks as delivered:
    Mr. President,
    This year will mark seven years since my community of Las Vegas was forever changed on October 1st, 2017.
    On that night, we experienced a tragedy on a scale far worse than anyone could have ever imagined.
    Ten minutes. Ten minutes is all it took for a gunman to open fire on an unsuspecting crowd at a music festival, killing 58 innocent lives, injuring thousands, and leaving a permanent scar on our state.
    Sadly, in the years since, two more victims of that night’s attack died because of injuries they received during the shooting, bringing the death toll to 60.
    It remains the deadliest mass shooting in American history.
    The families of the victims of that tragedy had their worlds shattered that day, their lives forever changed. 
    Families who didn’t get to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, holidays. And the families who never got to say goodbye to their loved ones.
    That night also changed the lives in our city. People who were attending or working at the Route 91 Harvest festival, the first responders who ran towards danger to save lives. 
    And in the following days, we saw lines of people, lines of people around entire blocks willing to donate blood, willing to help in any way they could.
    This kind of selflessness embodies the incredible spirit of our community. It showed the country why we’re Vegas Strong.
    And as we remember and as we reflect on this tragedy, we must also commit ourselves to action so that no community has to experience the pain and suffering like we did. 
    The 1 October shooter was able to inflict as much pain and carnage as he did by using bump stocks.
    This dangerous modification allowed his weapon to fire more bullets faster, as a way to inflict the most amount of pain on our city. Over 1,000 bullets, 1,000 bullets in just a matter of minutes.
    And it was in response to this carnage that then-President Donald Trump issued a federal rule banning bump stocks. It helped save lives from these deadly modifications.
    But unfortunately, the Supreme Court overturned this common-sense federal ban, allowing bump stocks to flow into our streets once again.
    This shameful decision, shameful decision by the Supreme Court will put more lives at risk, which is why I joined bipartisan legislation to restore this common-sense federal ban on bump stocks.
    And when members of this chamber tried to pass this bipartisan legislation, extremists in this body, what did they do? They blocked us, and some even had the audacity to say this legislation was trying to solve a “fake problem.” 
    A “fake problem.”
    Mr. President, should we tell the families who lost a loved one at the hand of a firearm using a bump stock on 1 October that it’s a “fake problem?” A fake problem that they’re sad at every holiday, and every meal, and every Thanksgiving table that their loved one is missing? A “fake problem?”
    Their grief is real. Their loss is real, and their loss is forever. This is not a “fake problem.”
    It’s a very real problem, and there are real solutions. But once again, Congress has failed, year after year, to act.
    Las Vegas knows how the real threat, what the real threat of bump stocks are and why we must act. 
    And as we approach the seventh anniversary of this unthinkable tragedy,  I ask all my colleagues in this chamber to remember and to honor the memories of the victims, to honor their families, to honor everyone whose lives were forever changed from the night and the shooting on October 1st, 2017.
    I also ask that we come together, Republicans and Democrats, in a bipartisan way to save lives by just passing common-sense legislation to ban bump stocks. 
    Thank you.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Collins Joins Bipartisan Legislation to Honor WWII Nurses with Congressional Gold Medal

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins joined 32 of her Senate colleagues in supporting the bipartisan WWII Nurses Congressional Gold Medal Act, a bill to recognize the work and sacrifices of World War II nurses by presenting them with a Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian award bestowed by the United States Congress. The bill would award this honor to the more than 59,000 Army Nurses and 14,000 Navy Nurses who served in World War II.
    Awarding this medal is a well-deserved commemoration of the service of nurses like Alize Zwicker, who was born in Brownville, and during the war, was held in a Japanese internment camp in the Philippines for three years after the nation was seized by Japan in 1942. Alize was the only Maine servicewoman held as a prisoner of war in either of the two world wars.
    “The brave and resilient women who answered the call to serve the nation during the Second World War deserve to be remembered alongside our country’s greatest patriots,” said Senator Collins. “This bipartisan effort would ensure that the adversity overcome by Maine nurses like Alize Zwicker is properly memorialized in our history.”
    The WWII Nurses Congressional Gold Medal Act is endorsed by the American Red Cross, Friends of the National World War II Memorial, and the National Military Women’s War Memorial.
    In addition to Senator Collins, the WWII Nurses Congressional Gold Medal Act is sponsored by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Steve Daines (R-MT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Mike Braun (R-IN), Jon Tester (D-MT), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Joe Manchin (I-WV), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), John Cornyn (R-TX), Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), Tina Smith (D-MN), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), John Barrasso (R-WY), Edward Markey (D-MA), Mark Warner (D-VA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Angus King (I-ME), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Peter Welch (D-VT), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Laphonza Butler (D-CA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin, Shaheen Lead Bill to Make Affordable Care Act Premium Tax Breaks Permanent, Lowering Costs for Millions of Americans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) introduced the Health Care Affordability Act—legislation to make permanent the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits (PTCs) for millions of Americans who use the Health Insurance Marketplace for coverage. The enhanced PTCs, which have made health care more affordable and accessible for millions of Americans, are currently set to expire at the end of 2025. If this provision expires, over 20 million Americans will see a sudden increase in their health insurance costs, an estimated three million Americans could lose their health insurance entirely, and nearly nine million people will pay more—roughly $406 per person—for coverage.
    “I’m focused on the kitchen table issues that keep families up at night and the skyrocketing cost of health care and prescription drugs is high on that list. I fought hard to cut health care costs for Wisconsinites – saving thousands of families hundreds of dollars each year – and I refuse to let us go backward,” said Senator Baldwin. “Our legislation will stop millions of hard-working Americans from having their healthcare costs jacked up, giving families peace of mind that they can get the quality health care they need at a price they can afford.”
    “For years, the ACA enhanced premium tax credits have significantly lowered costs and increased access to health insurance for families in New Hampshire and across the country. But let’s be very clear: if Congress fails to act before these tax credits expire, tens of millions of Americans will suffer a substantial increase in health care costs and millions of individuals could lose their health insurance entirely,” said Senator Shaheen. “It’s time to extend these highly effective tax credits to keep costs from skyrocketing and ensure health care is within reach for every American, and I’m proud that our Health Care Affordability Act does just that.”
    In Wisconsin, over 230,000 Wisconsinites are receiving advanced premium tax credits, averaging a monthly savings of over $500. Senator Baldwin first voted to expand the premium tax credit in the American Rescue Plan Act. This expansion of premium tax credits marked the biggest improvement to the ACA since it became law over a decade ago. When the tax credits were set to expire at the end of last year, Baldwin voted to extend their authorization through December 2025 in the Inflation Reduction Act.
    Cosponsors of Shaheen and Baldwin’s bill include U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR), and U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), John Fetterman (D-PA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tina Smith (D-MN), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Peter Welch (D-VT), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Laphonza Butler (D-CA), John Tester (D-MT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Gary Peters (D-MI), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Tom Carper (D-DE), Bob Casey (D-PA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Ed Markey (D-MA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), George Helmy (D-NJ), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Patty Murray (D-WA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: McConnell, Kaine Applaud Final Rule To Raise Minimum Age For Tobacco Sales Set By Their Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, applauded a final rule issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding ID requirements for the purchase of tobacco products at retail establishments. The rule, which will go into effect on September 30, was required by McConnell and Kaine’s Tobacco-Free Youth Act. Signed into law in December 2019, the bipartisan McConnell-Kaine legislation raised the minimum age to buy all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, from 18 to 21.
    Last week, Senator McConnell delivered remarks on the Senate floor highlighting a recent survey by the FDA and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) which concluded the number of young people in America smoking e-cigarettes dropped to its lowest level in the last decade.
    “Youth e-cigarette use was at its peak just five years ago. That’s when I introduced legislation along with Senator Kaine to raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco products to 21. Today, the number of young people smoking e-cigarettes dropped to its lowest level in a decade,” said Senator McConnell. “I’m glad to see the FDA finally produce this rule that will help keep even more children from getting their hands on addictive vaping devices. While more work remains, I’m grateful to see our bipartisan legislation making a big impact.”
    “I’m glad the FDA issued final guidance to implement our bipartisan legislation to raise the tobacco age to 21,” said Senator Kaine. “I was proud to work with Senator McConnell to get this legislation signed into law. Our bipartisan bill has already made a huge difference in keeping tobacco products away from young people, and this final rule will only further these efforts.”
    In 2022 and again in 2023, McConnell and Kaine pushed the FDA to issue this final rule. The final FDA rule requires retailers to ask for photo identification for anyone under the age of 30 and prohibits retailers from selling tobacco products via vending machines in facilities where individuals under 21 are present or permitted to enter at any time.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: McConnell: VP Harris’ Willingness To Throw Away Senate’s Guardrails As Disqualifying As Her Record

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell
    ‘There is nothing normal or rational about blowing up the dam holding back simple majority rule. And the fact that a major political party has welcomed this short-sighted radicalism into the mainstream will be to their eternal shame. To lean on today’s fill-in-the-blank justification is to miss entirely what’s at stake. The Senate’s protections against the vacillations of simple majority rule are bigger than Washington Democrats’ policy preferences.’
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding the filibuster:
    “’I am prepared to get rid of the filibuster to pass a Green New Deal.’
    “‘I think we should eliminate the filibuster for Roe.’
    “These are the words of the Vice President of the United States and the Democratic nominee for President.
    “Her willingness to shatter the institution of the Senate is not unique. Nearly every single one of our Democratic colleagues was willing to do it two years ago. And they would have succeeded had two members of their own caucus not stood in the breach.
    “Nor is this campaign to rip up precious safeguards for political minorities confined here to the Senate. From a sitting President all the way down to grassroots activists, Democrats have made smashing institutions a core pillar of their party’s platform.
    “The Vice President’s latest comments are not novel. But they are shocking – no less so than the votes our colleagues cast here on January 19, 2022.
    “There is nothing normal or rational about blowing up the dam holding back simple majority rule. And the fact that a major political party has welcomed this short-sighted radicalism into the mainstream will be to their eternal shame.
    “To lean on today’s fill-in-the-blank justification is to miss entirely what’s at stake. The Senate’s protections against the vacillations of simple majority rule are bigger than Washington Democrats’ policy preferences. They’re bigger than my own.
    “A Senate that can steamroll a legislative minority to codify Roe v. Wade or enshrine the lunacy of the Green New Deal into law…
    “…is a Senate that will drive a stake through liberal hopes as soon as the political winds change.
    “To gamble the guardrails that make the Senate what it is… To short-circuit the process by which dissenting views are guaranteed a hearing… That ought to be disqualifying, by itself.
    “Then again, so should the Vice President’s record on the issues.
    “In November, the Democratic nominee will own the worst border crisis in American history, and the broken policies that invited it.
    “She will own the worst inflation in forty years, and the reckless spending and tie-breaking votes that enabled it.
    “The American people may well worry, like I do, about the future of an institution designed to be the world’s greatest deliberative body.
    “But more than that, they worry about keeping their families safe and putting food on the table. And I expect they’ll vote accordingly.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch, Sanders, Smith Introduce Bill to Help More Farmers Access USDA Emergency Farm Loans After Natural Disasters

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) introduced the Emergency Loans Reform Act of 2024, legislation to reform the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Emergency Loan Program to remove barriers to emergency funds and be more responsive to the needs of farmers and ranchers in the aftermath of a natural disaster. The Emergency Loans Reform Act would amend USDA’s Emergency Loan Program to remove the written credit denials requirement and increase flexibility in defining losses. The aim of the legislation is to improve eligibility and access for farmers seeking emergency loan funding.
    “Emergency farm loans can provide a lifeline to farmers and ranchers in their journey to rebuild and recover after a natural disaster strikes. But USDA’s one-size-fits-all system often fails to reflect losses facing Vermont-sized farms, making it difficult for them to access those crucial funds.” said Senator Welch. “Our bill makes commonsense reforms to the Emergency Loans Program to ensure that farmers and ranchers impacted by natural disasters can quickly get the support they need to recover.”
    “The last thing anyone needs after a disaster strikes is more red tape obstructing the road to recovery,” said Senator Sanders. “After the devastating floods of last summer and this summer, we saw too many Vermont farmers struggling to get the emergency assistance they needed in a timely and effective manner. This should not be happening in the richest country in the history of the world. With the existential threat of climate change making these disasters more frequent and more severe, we must take urgent action to reimagine disaster response in this country. This legislation, which makes it easier for farmers to get the emergency aid they need as quickly as possible, is an important step in the right direction and I am proud to join Sen. Welch and my colleagues on it.”
    “Farmers are the backbone of our economy and they need our help when severe weather strikes,” said Senator Smith. “This bill will help farmers deal with the inevitable ups and downs in the marketplace, including natural disasters.”
    In order to access funds through FSA’s Emergency Loan Program, farmers and ranchers impacted by extreme weather must currently provide evidence of 30% of total production losses and provide one or more written declinations from a commercial lender. As USDA does not always require written denials for similar loan programs, requiring farmers to receive written denials can be particularly burdensome, depriving them of resources at a crucial time. This 30% production loss requirement can be a misleading indicator when determining the need for emergency relief and create unnecessary obstacles for farmers to receive assistance when they need it most.
    Learn more about the Emergency Loans Reform Act.
    Read the full text of the bill.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: McConnell: Subservience To Autocrats Neither An American Value Nor Strategic Interest

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell
    ‘Hungary’s leaders have made no secret of their conviction that the future is one of American decline. They’re not hiding the ways they’re preparing for American weakness and betting on our failure. There’s nothing tough about bowing to autocrats. And there’s nothing for America’s leaders to gain by praising those who do.’
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding NATO:
    “I’ve spoken frequently about the welcome signs that America’s European allies are waking up to the strategic challenge posed by the PRC, and to the dangers of predatory Chinese influence in their own backyards.
    “Like America, our allies are watching the flaws of China’s statist economic model laid bare. They’re increasingly wary to hitch their wagons to a totalitarian system that stifles innovation, discourages free thought, and complicates free enterprise.
    “They’re hesitant to take risks in a system where the rule of law is trampled by the whims of the state, and assets are subject to expropriation by the regime.
    “Encouraging progress, like a German security strategy that explicitly recognizes the Chinese threat, and efforts across the EU to reduce reliance on Chinese technologies, presents opportunities for the West to work closer together. To secure supply chains. And to lower barriers to cooperation among allies.
    “Unfortunately, this progress is not across-the-board. China may not be a safe business partner, but it’s still an enticing one for far too many economies… including within the NATO alliance.
    “I’ve spoken before about Hungary’s decade-long drift into the orbit of the West’s most determined adversaries. It’s an alarming trend. And nobody – certainly not the American conservatives who increasingly form a cult of personality around Prime Minister Viktor Orban – can pretend not to see it.
    “Hungary’s leaders aren’t cozying up to Moscow, Beijing, and Tehran in private. They’re doing it publicly and vocally as well.
    “The Orban government has welcomed China’s view of a ‘European bridgehead’ in Hungary as the perfect complement to its own declared policy of an ‘opening to the East.’ And it hasn’t been shy about turning words into actions.
    “When Chinese state enterprise has said jump, Hungarian officials have asked, how high?
    “As European allies began to heed warnings from the Trump Administration to reduce reliance on Chinese industry and technology, Budapest repeatedly blocked EU progress and welcomed a geyser of Chinese Belt-and-Road investment.
    “Included in the torrent of PRC influence was five-hundred-million Euros from a Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer to build a new facility on Hungarian soil… and another seven-billion-euro investment in a new EV battery plant.
    “Meanwhile, the Prime Minister of a former vassal of Russian communism has nothing but praise for the neo-Soviet imperialist responsible for the first major land war in Europe since 1945.
    “Viktor Orban describes the regime that has sacrificed tens- if not hundreds of thousands of Russian lives and more than $200 billion dollars in military force for its unprovoked – and thus far unsuccessful – aggression against Ukraine as ‘hyper-rational’.
    “But this NATO Prime Minister doesn’t just admire Putin. He helps him. His government runs interference for Moscow, gumming up European and trans-Atlantic efforts to combat Russia’s unlawful aggression at every turn.
    “European allies are providing more assistance to Ukraine than the US is, but Americans who complain the EU isn’t doing more to help Ukraine should look no further than to Budapest’s efforts to block additional EU assistance for the answer.
    “And then there’s Budapest’s relationship with the Islamic Republic of Iran. Hungary’s Foreign Minister has bemoaned that ongoing international sanctions make it ‘really challenging to build effective economic and trade cooperation’ with the world’s most active state sponsor of terror.
    “I have little sympathy for Hungarian companies that struggle to profit from their ties to the genocidal regime in Tehran.
    “Of course, that hasn’t stopped Hungarian firms from committing tens of millions of dollars to financing joint nuclear projects with Iran.
    “It didn’t stop a national Hungarian university from inviting the former Iranian President to a conference on ‘common values in the global environment’.
    “’Common values’ with Tehran. And here I thought it was American conservatives who claimed shared values with Hungary’s ruling party. Has the Orban government forgot its adoring fans on this side of the Atlantic?
    “No. Hungary’s leaders have made no secret of their conviction that the future is one of American decline. They’re not hiding the ways they’re preparing for American weakness and betting on our failure.
    “There’s nothing tough about bowing to autocrats. And there’s nothing for America’s leaders to gain by praising those who do.
    “Subservience to revanchist powers is not an American value. But far more importantly, it is not in America’s interests.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Ramirez Applauds the Passage of S.Res. 847, The Wadee Resolution by the U.S. Senate

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Delia Ramirez – Illinois (3rd District)

    Ramirez urges the House to demonstrate its commitment to end anti-Palestinian, Islamophobic, and antisemitic violence by bringing the House concurrent resolution to the Floor after the October recess

    Washington, DC — Today, Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03) celebrates the passage of the Senate companion to her resolution honoring Wadee Alfayoumi and calling for elected officials to reject dehumanizing rhetoric that leads to hate crimes, Islamophobia, antisemitism, and anti-Palestinian discrimination. The passage of the legislation comes a week after Congresswoman Ramirez joined survivors of hate crimes and their families, national organizations, interfaith leaders, and members of Congress to call for Congress to pass the bicameral Wadee Act. 

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

    BACKGROUND

    On December 19, Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), joined by Representatives Lauren Underwood (IL-14), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), introduced a resolution honoring Wadee Alfayoumi, a 6-year-old Palestinian boy, murdered on October 14 as a victim of a hate crime for his Palestinian Muslim identity, in the State of Illinois. On March 14th, in commemoration of International Day to Combat Islamophobia, Congresswomen Ramirez, Jacobs, and Watson Coleman reintroduced the resolution in a bicameral manner with U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL). 

    The Resolution resolves that:

    • the United States lost the beautiful light of Wadee Alfayoumi because of hate;
    • it is the duty of elected officials and media to tell the truth without dehumanizing rhetoric when informing the public of factual information;
    • freedom of speech and peaceful protest are constitutionally protected and a fundamental cornerstone of democracy; and
    • the United States has zero tolerance for hate crimes, Islamophobia, antisemitism, and anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab discrimination.

    Full text of the resolution is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: House Foreign Affairs Committee Passes Salazar’s Legislation to Fight Fentanyl Crisis

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

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – The House Foreign Affairs Committee passed Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) and Rep. Joaquin Castro’s (D-TX) DISPOSE Act (H.R. 9172) in a bipartisan, unanimous vote.

    “The fentanyl crisis has become a scourge of the Western Hemisphere,” said Rep. Salazar. “By passing the DISPOSE Act, the Foreign Affairs Committee is committing to working with our partners to destroy fentanyl precursor chemicals well before they reach Miami and the rest of the country.”

    In 2023 alone, Customs and Border Protection seized over 23,000 pounds of fentanyl at the Southern Border, providing a critical source of income for Latin American cartels. Most of this fentanyl is created using Chinese chemicals that are shipped to the Americas, turned into drugs in clandestine labs, and trafficked into the U.S. by Mexican cartels through drug mules. The DISPOSE ACT keeps Americans safe by cutting off their supply and targeting the precursor chemicals foreign criminal cartels use to produce fentanyl, ensuring they can be destroyed and disposed of well before they reach the United States. This will also cut off crucial income for the cartels.

    The DISPOSE Act establishes the Precursor Chemical Destruction Initiative to fight drug trafficking with our partners in the Western Hemisphere. Working directly with partner countries, the Initiative will:

    • Increase rates of seizure and destruction of listed chemicals in beneficiary countries;
    • Alleviate the backlog of seized chemicals and dispose them in an environmentally safe and effective manner;
    • Ensure that the seized chemicals are not reintroduced into the illicit drug production network within beneficiary countries;
    • Free up storage space for future chemical seizures within beneficiary countries; and
    • Reduce the chemicals’ negative environmental impact.

    “In San Antonio and communities across the world, families have endured unimaginable tragedy as a result of the fentanyl trade,” said Rep. Castro. “The DISPOSE Act is an important step forward to support our neighbors in the Western Hemisphere as they work to curb the trafficking of fentanyl within their own nations. This bill will save lives at home and abroad, and I am honored to work with Chairwoman Salazar and a bipartisan coalition in the House and the Senate as we move this much-needed progress closer to the president’s desk.”

    Rep. Greg Stanton (D-AZ), an original cosponsor of the bill, was instrumental in advancing this bill through the Committee. Rep. Salazar is working to get this bill passed by the full House of Representatives. The Senate version is led by Senators Grassley (R-IA), Shaheen (D-NH), and Risch (R-ID).

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

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ricketts on Iran’s Threats Against President Trump: “These Provocations Demand a Strong Response”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)

    September 25, 2024

    September 25, 2024
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) issued the following statement in response to news that the Trump campaign had been briefed on “real and specific threats from Iran to assassinate him.”
    “While Iran’s President and Foreign Minister spew lies at the United Nations, the Iranian regime works to assassinate former President Trump and meddle in our election. They chant ‘death to America’ and fund global terrorism. These provocations demand a strong response, but the Biden-Harris administration has done nothing. They have an appeasement-first policy. We need strong leadership, not weakness.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Mann Rejects Continuation of Fiscal Insanity

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Tracey Mann (Kansas, 1)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) voted against H.R. 9747, the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025. The legislation, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 341-82, fails to reduce government spending, protect the integrity of the upcoming U.S. election, or tackle America’s $35 trillion debt. Rep. Mann released the following statement after the vote.

    “I did not come to Congress to be a caretaker in the slow demise of America,” said Rep. Mann. “Our country currently has $35 trillion in debt that our children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren will be responsible for. We cannot continue to do the same thing over and over again and expect different results. Kansans regularly tell me that the economy and the federal government’s reckless spending are two of their top concerns. I will not contribute to the decimation of America’s fiscal house by supporting spending bills that fail to prioritize the real needs of America. It is Congress’ job to pass 12 individual appropriations bills each year to fund the government. We must return to regular order, stop kicking the can down the road, and do our job.”

    In March 2024, Rep. Mann voted against H.R. 1061, the first part of a $1.66 trillion spending package. Mann also opposed the second vehicle in the spending package that further exceeded spending caps and ballooned the national debt.

    H.R. 9747 will now go to the U.S. Senate for further consideration.

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    For more information about Representative Mann, visit: www.mann.house.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Josh Brecheen Votes Against Continuing Resolution (CR) That Increases Spending and Fails to Secure Our Elections

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Josh Brecheen (2nd District)

    Congressman Josh Brecheen Votes Against Continuing Resolution (CR) That Increases Spending and Fails to Secure Our Elections

    Washington, September 25, 2024

    Today, Congressman Josh Brecheen voted against H.R. 9747, the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025.

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Josh Brecheen voted against H.R. 9747, the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025. 

    “This Continuing Resolution (CR) maintains heightened government spending that must be reduced given our current $2 trillion annual deficits,” said Congressman Josh Brecheen. “I could not vote for this given we are more than $35 trillion in debt and this continues our trajectory towards a sovereign debt crisis.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Question on the EU acquis – E-001737/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001737/2024
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Costas Mavrides (S&D)

    On the Commission’s website, in the section entitled ‘European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR)’, the 35 chapters of the EU acquis are outlined[1]. The subsection headed ‘Chapter 32: Financial control’ includes the following reference:

    ‘This chapter also requires an institutionally, operationally and financially independent external audit institution that implements its audit mandate in line with the standards of the International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) and reports to the parliament on the use of public sector resources.’

    In the Commission’s 2024 Rule of Law Report – Country Chapter on the rule of law situation in Cyprus[2], there are various references to these INTOSAI standards.

    On 17 May 2021, the EU Contact Committee, which is the assembly of the heads of supreme audit institutions (SAIs) of the EU Member States and the European Court of Auditors (ECA), which was at that time chaired by the ECA, issued a statement[3] that included the following wording:

    ‘The acquis communautaire provides for an operationally, institutionally and financially independent external audit function, which is in line with the Lima and Mexico Declarations’.

    Does the Commission indeed consider that the aforementioned references in Chapter 32 are part of the EU acquis?

    Submitted: 17.9.2024

    • [1] European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR), ‘Chapters of the acquis’, European Commission website: https://neighbourhood-enlargement.ec.europa.eu/enlargement-policy/conditions-membership/chapters-acquis_en.
    • [2] European Commission, 2024 Rule of Law Report, ‘Country Chapter on the rule of law situation in Cyprus’ (SWD(2024) 813 final): https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/a3e5a6f3-2dc4-403a-94ea-af42177813e9_en?filename=31_1_58067_coun_chap_cyprus_en.pdf.
    • [3] EU Contact Committee statement (CC 1/2021) in support of the constitutional role, mandate and independence of the Audit Office of the Republic of Cyprus, 17 May 2021: https://www.eca.europa.eu/sites/CC/Lists/CCDocuments/CC_Statement_2021/CC_Statement_in_support_of_CY_EN.pdf.
    Last updated: 25 September 2024

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Frederica Wilson’s Statement on the Continued Resolution to Keep Government Open Until December

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Frederica S Wilson (24th District of Florida)

    Washington, DC — Today, Congresswoman Frederica Wilson released the following statement on the Continued Resolution to Keep Government Open Until December, to which Congresswoman Wilson voted yes to keep government open:

    “Today, Democrats and Republicans came together to prevent a government shutdown that would have hurt millions of Americans by passing a continuing resolution to keep the government open until December. But before we celebrate, let’s take a moment to address how we got here.

    “Last week, House Democrats stood strong to block the extreme MAGA Republicans’ efforts to inject toxic provisions into our funding bills. These poison pills would have implemented parts of Trump’s Project 2025, shortchanged veterans, and harmed the middle class. Make no mistake, the only reason we’re passing a continuing resolution today instead of months ago is because MAGA Republicans deliberately chose to derail the process.

    “Months ago, Democrats and Republicans had already reached a bipartisan agreement to fund the government and avoid this last-minute scramble that people assume is normal in Congress. But instead of honoring that agreement, House Republicans, ordered by President Trump and his political ambitions ahead of the election, decided to stall the process—putting their own political interests above the needs of the American people.

    “This didn’t have to happen. Even with this three-month extension, we could have passed a full budget by now if MAGA Republicans had been willing to put aside politics and work with Democrats for the good of the country.

    “And let’s be clear: this isn’t just about Democrats pointing fingers. Look at today’s vote. Once again, it was Democrats who stepped up today. Once again, it was Democrats who provided the majority of votes to keep the government open. Once again, Democrats have proven that we are committed to solving problems for the American people and delivering real results, while many House Republicans—despite being the majority—voted to shut the government down.

    “So, while I am thankful that we’ve kept the government open, we didn’t need to be pushed to the edge. This process was delayed and nearly derailed by the extremism of MAGA Republicans.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Hassan Statement on Bipartisan Secret Service Report Following Trump Assassination Attempt in July

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Maggie Hassan
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH), a senior member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, released the following statement today in response to the Committee’s new bipartisan report on the Secret Service leadership failures surrounding the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania in July:
    “The report on the Secret Service’s failures is damning and shows the need for a serious overhaul in how the agency does its job. There were very basic things the Secret Service failed to do, making clear how preventable this awful shooting, which cost one of our fellow Americans his life, was. As we continue to push the Secret Service to make the changes it needs to keep protectees safe, in Congress we also just passed legislation to require presidential candidates to receive the same level of protection as the President. We are also working today to pass a bipartisan funding bill with more funding for the Secret Service for the remainder of the campaign. Congress must also continue its oversight and ensure that the Secret Service engages in major reforms to prevent this type of failure from ever happening again.”
    As a senior member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Senator Hassan has pushed for answers from the Secret Service. In July, Senator Hassan pressed Acting Director Rowe at a Homeland Security hearing on improving the Secret Service’s coordination with local law enforcement and counter-drone capabilities to prevent future security failures. Yesterday, Senator Hassan helped the Senate pass the Enhanced Presidential Security Act of 2024, which requires presidential candidates to receive the same level of Secret Service protection as the President and Vice President. This bill is headed to the President’s desk. Today, the Senate is voting on bipartisan legislation that will increase funding for the Secret Service for the remainder of the campaign season.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Johnson, Peters, Paul, and Blumenthal Release Bipartisan Report Examining U.S. Secret Service Security Failures and Assassination Attempt on Former President Trump

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson
    WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Ranking Member of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, along with U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-Mich.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Chairman of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, released a bipartisan interim report on the U.S. Secret Service’s (USSS) security planning, communications and coordination failures that contributed to the July 13 assassination attempt on former President Donald. J. Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. The interim report includes key findings and recommendations to address those failures and ensure the Secret Service can effectively carry out its protective mission.   
    “Shortly after the July 13, 2024 assassination attempt on former President Trump in Butler, PA, I released preliminary findings detailing some of the significant security failures that occurred on that day,” said Ranking Member Johnson. “Today’s interim report expands on those security failures, but the investigation is not complete. Federal agencies like the Secret Service, FBI, and DOJ continue to withhold records that are vital to this Committee’s work. There is still much more information that the public and Congress deserve to know. Going forward, this Committee must be prepared to use compulsory process to ensure that the American people have a complete and thorough understanding of the security failures that resulted in the multiple attempts on former President Trump’s life.” 
    “From planning missteps, to the siloed and flawed communication to the lack of effective coordination between law enforcement, to the breakdowns in technology, the Secret Service’s failures that allowed an assassination attempt on former President Trump at his July 13 rally were shocking, unacceptable, and preventable – and they led to tragic consequences,” said Chairman Peters. “Moving forward, our bipartisan interim report makes recommendations for needed reforms to address these serious failures, provide accountability and transparency for the American people, and ensure that the Secret Service has the tools and resources they need to prevent another disaster like this from happening.”  
    “Our initial findings clearly show a series of multiple failures of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) and an inexcusable dereliction of duty,” said Ranking Member Paul. “Not only did USSS fail to ensure the AGR roof was adequately covered, they were also aware of a suspicious individual with a rangefinder for at least 27 minutes and did not delay proceedings or remove former President Trump from the stage, even after being informed that the suspicious individual was on the roof of the AGR building. Someone needs to be held accountable for these egregious failures by the USSS, and despite USSS, DHS, FBI, ATF, and other federal agencies’ continued obstruction of our bipartisan investigation, I will continue to push for answers and accountability.”    
    “What happened on July 13 was an accumulation of errors that produced a perfect storm of stunning failure,” said Chairman Blumenthal. “It was a tragedy and completely preventable from the outset. There was both a failure to provide resources – like a working radio, drone detection system, or counter surveillance team – and lack of an effective chain of command. Looking forward, we need structural reform in the agency itself. The Secret Service is filled with dedicated and skilled men and women who serve our country at great risk to themselves and personal sacrifice, and they deserve better leadership. Today’s report is only an interim step, and I look forward to our continuing pursuit of evidence to help understand what went so catastrophically wrong and how we can prevent an event like this from ever happening again.” 
    READ THE INTERIM REPORT: “Examination of U.S. Secret Service Planning and Security Failures Related to the July 13, 2024 Assassination Attempt” 
    The interim report’s key findings of failures include:   
    USSS failed to clearly define responsibilities for planning and security at the July 13 rally: USSS personnel responsible for planning in advance of the July 13 rally denied that they were individually responsible for any planning or security failures and deflected blame. USSS Advance Leads told the Committee that planning and security decisions were made jointly, with no specific individual responsible for approval.      
    USSS failed to ensure the AGR Building was effectively covered: USSS identified the AGR building as a concern due to the line-of-sight from the roof to the stage, but did not take steps to ensure sufficient security measures were in place. USSS knew that local snipers planned to set up inside the AGR building and USSS did not express objections or concerns about that placement. USSS personnel, including the USSS Counter Sniper Team Leader, did not enter the AGR building or go on the roof prior to the shooting. One USSS counter sniper team, whose responsibility included scanning the area around the AGR building for threats, had an obstructed view of the AGR roof.   
    USSS failed to effectively coordinate with state and local law enforcement: USSS did not give state or local partners any specific instructions for covering the AGR building, including the positioning of local snipers. USSS did not adequately consider state and local law enforcement operational plans. Communications at the July 13 rally were siloed and USSS did not ensure it could share information with local law enforcement partners in real time.   
    USSS failed to provide resources for the July 13 rally that could have enhanced security: USSS denied specific requests for additional Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems capabilities and a Counter Assault Team liaison. A USSS Counter Surveillance Unit – which could have helped patrol the outer perimeter that included the AGR building – was not requested by USSS Advance Leads.    
    USSS failed to communicate information about the suspicious person to key personnel and failed to take action to ensure the safety of former President Trump: At approximately 5:44 pm, USSS personnel were notified that local law enforcement observed a suspicious person with a rangefinder near the AGR building. By 5:52 pm, at least eight USSS personnel had been informed. Approximately two minutes before shots were fired, the USSS Security Room, located on the rally grounds, was told that there was an individual on the roof of the AGR building. Shortly before shots were fired, a USSS counter sniper observed local officers running towards the AGR building with guns drawn.   
    USSS’s counter drone system experienced technical problems that left it inoperable for hours: With no backup system, the USSS agent responsible for overseeing the C-UAS capabilities at the July 13 rally called a toll-free 888 tech support hotline “to start troubleshooting with the company,” which took several hours.  That agent had only three months of experience working with that equipment and lacked knowledge about it.   
    Several USSS officials reported experiencing technical problems with their radios at the rally, and told the Committee such problems are common for USSS: A USSS Hercules 1 counter sniper was offered a local radio on July 13 but said he did not have time to pick it up because he was occupied fixing technical problems with his USSS radio.  In addition, at the Pittsburgh airport before the motorcade left for the rally, the USSS Special Agent in Charge (SAIC) of the Pittsburgh field office gave the Lead Agent his radio because the Lead Agent’s radio was not working.   
     The interim report’s key recommendations include:   
    Planning and Coordination: Congress should require USSS to identify defined roles and responsibilities for USSS personnel responsible for advance planning of any protective event. For all protective events, USSS should improve coordination and specify roles and responsibilities between and among federal, state, and local law enforcement partners. USSS policies and protocols should require advance planning leads to request and review state and local operational plans in advance of any protective event to ensure a shared understanding of security responsibilities and vulnerabilities as well as other critical planning and security components.  
    Responsibility: In advance of each protective event, USSS should designate a single individual responsible for approving all plans, including the responsibility for approving security perimeters.  
    Communications:  DHS and USSS should ensure communications plans between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and first responders are properly executed and should ensure records retention capabilities. Congress should require that USSS record its radio transmissions at all protective events. Congress should require DHS and USSS to evaluate the steps it needs to take to ensure communications plans with state and local partners are fully executed when conducting law enforcement and/or first response activities at a given location.  Congress should require that DHS and USSS report to Congress any steps taken to remedy past failures to execute communications plans and to ensure compliance with those plans in the future.    
    Intelligence: USSS should consider sending additional assets, including counter snipers, to all future outdoor protective events as it evaluates intelligence and threats against protectees. USSS should also ensure that the appropriate agents working protective events are informed of relevant intelligence and threats against protectees.  
    Resources:  Congress should evaluate USSS budget and resources. Security requirements should be determined depending on various threat levels, ranging from less severe threat environments to the highest level of security at National Special Security Events.  Congress should require that USSS allocate assets and resources based on the threat level, not the position or title of the protectee.   

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dr. Rand Paul Forces Vote on Six Penny Plan to Balance the Federal Budget in Five Years 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Rand Paul
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
    September 25, 2024
     Contact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343
     
    Dr. Rand Paul Forces Vote on Six Penny Plan to Balance the Federal Budget in Five Years 
    Senate Votes 39-56 on Dr. Paul’s Six Penny Plan
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) forced the Senate to vote on his “Six Penny Plan” federal budget that will balance within five years. Dr. Paul spoke on the Senate floor ahead of the vote, below are excerpts from his remarks.
    “This year, the United States will spend over $6 trillion while only bringing in $4 trillion in revenue. That’s a profound gap, $2 trillion will be borrowed this year. To add insult to injury, Congress spends like drunken sailors without even bothering to pass a budget…In fact, over the past 20 years, Congress has passed a budget less than half the time. So, today, I will attempt to do what both parties have failed to do and that is pass a budget…The Penny Plan that I offer today will balance the budget in 5 years.
    “Americans will pay dearly for Congress’s insatiable appetite for more and more spending. The high level of spending that is currently crushing the American family is just the beginning. If we continue down this unsustainable path, American families will be forced to deal with even higher inflation, confiscatory tax rates, rising interest rates, and a weak economy. It will be harder to find a job and provide for a family because the deals made in the halls of Congress always stick the taxpayers with the bill.
    “As interest payments on the national debt crowd out the rest of the government’s budget, tax increases, inflation, and an eventual default on the debt are what lie ahead for the American economy. Unfortunately, a debt crisis will not just stop with our economy. A threat to our financial security is also a threat to our national security.
    “Even the Biden-Harris Administration’s own Treasury has admitted that our current path is unsustainable. The math is clear, and I urge my colleagues: do not get in an argument with math. You will lose.
    “Our current trajectory weakens our national security and drains productivity from our economy. History will remember those who had the courage to make the hard choices now and who chose to leave their children with less of the burden. For just six pennies on the dollar, we can reverse this dismal trajectory. In just five years, we can restore trust in the U.S. dollar, the U.S. economy, and walk the U.S. government off the fiscal cliff. Vote yes on this plan, vote yes on restoring fiscal sanity, vote yes on securing a future for our country.”
    You can watch Dr. Paul’s full floor remarks HERE and HERE. 
    Background:
    The Six Penny Plan is a federal budget resolution that will balance on-budget outlays and revenues within five years by cutting six pennies off every dollar projected to be spent in the next five fiscal years. This plan is the most recent in a series of plans that Dr. Paul has introduced to address an ever-worsening budget crisis:
    In the 100 days between CBO’s February and June budget baselines, the federal government added an additional $540 billion to the national debt (an additional $1,600 per U.S. citizen).
    CBO’s June estimates increased projected deficits by $2.5 trillion over CBO’s February estimates.
    Interest payments on the debt account for more spending than our entire defense budget.
    At over $35 trillion, the national debt is nearly double the amount of total bank deposits in the U.S. In other words, emptying every bank account in the U.S. would only cover half of the government’s debt.
    In 2017, Dr. Paul introduced a budget that would have only required a spending freeze to balance in five years. An annual six percent cut is now required to achieve the same results. Dr. Paul’s Six Penny Plan implements these cuts while preserving congressional discretion regarding how to achieve these spending targets. This plan would:
    Reduce spending by $329 billion in the first year. The plan would continue to cut six percent until balance in year five, then allows spending to rise with the pace of revenues in the five years remaining.
    Make no specific policy assumptions. All savings are reflected in the newly defined budget function 930: New Efficiencies, Consolidations, and Other Savings. The budget sets a goal of balance and then calls on Congress to make the changes needed to achieve this objective.
    Assume the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is made permanent (originally set to expire in 2027). Since CBO originally assumed this would expire and federal revenues would increase, this plan accounts for the decrease in projected revenues if TCJA were to be made permanent.
    You can read the Six Penny Plan HERE.
    Dr. Paul’s Six Penny Plan has wide support:
    “For decades, the government has spent beyond its means and expected hardworking taxpayers to foot the bill. This reckless spending in Washington has delivered nothing but record inflation, leaving the American people unable to make ends meet. It’s past time for Congress to make the hard decisions required to put our financial house back in order. Heritage Action thanks Sen. Paul for his consistent support for fiscal responsibility and backs his ‘Six Penny Plan’ to balance the budget,” said Ryan Walker, Executive Vice President of Heritage Action.
    “The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste supports Sen. Paul’s amendment to cap spending for five years and achieve a balanced budget. His proposal to cut spending by 6 percent annually should be supported by every senator who believes in fiscal responsibility and getting the nation back on the right track,” said Tom Schatz, President of Council for Citizens Against Government Waste.
    “Senator Paul has been a true pioneer in new concepts for fiscal responsibility, with his first introduction of a Penny Plan to balance the budget back in 2017. At the time, achieving eventual balance would have only required cutting 1 cent per dollar of federal spending. However, due to continued reckless policies, a Six Penny Plan, requiring annual 6 percent savings to tackle deficits, is now necessary. Senator Paul’s legislation also locks in the pro-growth Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, preventing tax hikes on top of inflation. Also important, the Six Penny Plan wisely proposes scorekeeping reforms to identify duplicate programs in new proposals and strengthened budget enforcement in the Senate. Taxpayers can only hope that Congress acts swiftly on the Six Penny Plan, so Senator Paul won’t need to introduce a Dime Plan or, worse, a Quarter Plan,” said Demian Brady, Vice President of Research, National Taxpayers Union Foundation.
    “Senator Rand Paul has been fighting for fiscal responsibility and raising the alarm on federal spending with his Penny Plan since 2017. Had Congress listened to Sen. Paul and passed his plan, the country would have a balanced budget today. Instead, Congress continues to exacerbate inflationary pressures with unprecedented and obscene spending levels. As President of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, I thank Senator Rand Paul for this commonsense and much-needed solution to balance the budget and protect taxpayers,” said David Williams, President of Taxpayers Protection Alliance.
    “Citizens for Renewing America supports Senator Rand Paul’s Six Penny Plan, which offers a real solution to years of reckless spending policies. As Congress continues to avoid addressing the root causes of our growing national debt, Senator Paul’s plan forces genuine cuts to the woke and weaponized federal bureaucracy. This legislation is critical to restoring the fiscal sanity that Washington has sorely lacked and provides the necessary course correction to years of flawed policies that have failed to reduce our national debt or deficits,” said Wade Miller, Executive Director of Citizens for Renewing America.
    “Unfortunately, the Biden Administration continues to advocate for inflationary spending plans that would add to the crushing tax burden faced by hardworking Americans. As we face the real threat of stagflation for the first time since the 1970s, we need a major course correction from policymakers in Washington. Senator Rand Paul should be commended for his bold approach to address our $35 trillion national debt, while avoiding economically damaging tax increases. Sen. Paul’s common sense spending reforms put our hardworking taxpayers first by addressing the root cause of our national debt: overspending,” said Jonathan Williams, ALEC Chief Economist and Executive Vice President of Policy.
    “Unsustainable federal spending is driving the bloated national debt and contributes to economic weakness and elevated inflation, so I applaud Senator Paul’s Six Penny Plan to get control of the spending crisis,” said Vance Ginn, Ph.D., President of Ginn Economic Consulting and former Chief Economist of Trump White House OMB. 
    “Senator Rand Paul has long been a champion of balancing the federal budget and protecting the American taxpayer. Senator Paul has a plan that will balance the budget in five years. Interestingly, if Congress had voted for Senator Paul’s plan five years ago, we would not be suffering runaway inflation, economic downturns, slowdowns, severe shortages, and empty shelves at the store. And we’d be celebrating a balanced budget too! And balancing the budget has national security benefits as well. If we wait even longer to take action, we will suffer more inflation, larger and larger deficits, and more economic instability and our national security will slide downhill as well. And then it will take much larger cuts to get things back on track. So now is the time to act before the problem becomes so large that it cannot practically be fixed,” said George Landrith, President of Frontiers for Freedom.
    “Senator Rand Paul is one of the few Senators who are serious about the fiscal challenges facing America. Quite simply, the current rate of government spending is unsustainable with interest payments on the debt for the first ten months of fiscal year 2024 reaching a staggering $763 billion fully $202 billion more than the same period the previous year. Net interest payments on the debt surpass every other spending category other than Social Security. It is astonishing that the fiscal apocalypse that we have worried about for decades is now upon us with even defense spending dwarfed by the cost of simply making interest payments on our $35 trillion national debt. Senator Paul’s Six Penny Plan forces an honest discussion about the crisis our nation faces and some of the tough decisions which will be required to reverse course from the almost $2 Trillion in debt our country adds onto the ledger every single year. Higher interest rate payments on more of the debt combined with the spending spree which has raised the debt from $26.9 Trillion on September 30, 2020 to more than $35 Trillion. America is in trouble and Senator Paul is one of the few members of Congress willing to propose solutions,” said Richard Manning, President of Americans for Limited Government Foundation

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner, Connolly Introduce Legislation to Promote Federal Worker Safety

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner
    WASHINGTON – With winter cold, flu, and COVID season upon us, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) is leading Senate introduction of the Chai Suthammanont Healthy Federal Workplaces Act, legislation requiring federal agencies to establish and publish workplace protections in the instance of a public health emergency declared for an infectious disease. Companion legislation was also introduced today in the House of Representatives by U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA).
    The legislation is named for Chai Suthammanont, a kitchen staff worker at a childcare facility on Marine Corps Base Quantico, who died from coronavirus-related complications in May of 2020 after being exposed to COVID-19, likely in the tight kitchen space he shared with additional staff. Confusion and uncertainty regarding best practices and agency policies, as well as a general lack of communication with federal workforce staff, likely contributed to his death.
    Joining Sen. Warner in Senate introduction are Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH).
    “Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, federal employees remained hard at work, ensuring that the American people could continue to count on their government. But unfortunately, the pandemic highlighted that our federal agencies were widely unprepared to protect these essential workers,” said Sen. Warner. “It’s crucial that we learn from our mistakes. We owe it to our federal workforce to ensure a safe workplace, and when faced with another public health emergency, we must be prepared.”
    “On May 26, 2020, Chai Suthammanont, my constituent and a kitchen staff worker at a childcare facility on Marine Corps Base Quantico, died from COVID-related complications,” said Rep. Connolly. “Confusion and uncertainty surrounding agency guidance during the pandemic emerged as two of the largest contributing factors to Chai’s death. These factors, combined with a general lack of communication with federal workforce staff, led to tragedy. Our Chai Suthammanont Healthy Federal Workplaces Act will ensure federal employees are informed and better protected during any future public health emergency. I want to thank Senator Warner for his partnership, and I want to thank Chai’s widow, Christina, for her continued efforts to transform her family’s loss into a charge to help others.”
    Specifically, the Chai Suthammanont Healthy Federal Workplaces Act would:
    Require each federal agency to develop and maintain a plan that details public health protocols the agency will take during a nationwide infectious disease PHE declaration. The plan must include guidelines for testing, cleaning, occupancy limits, use of personal protective equipment, notification of individuals who may have been exposed, and protections for employees who travel off-site;
    Require each agency to publish the safety plan on its website and communicate its plan to employees, contractors, and subcontractors;
    Ensure accountability and oversight by requiring the Office of the Inspector General for each agency to report to Congress on plan implementation. The Government Accountability Office would also issue a report on the lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic to improve future protocols.
    This bill has been endorsed by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), and the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE).
    Bill text is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –