NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI USA: September 23rd, 2024 Heinrich, Leger Fernández Lead Bill to Approve Water Rights Settlement for the Navajo Nation in the Rio San José Watershed

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) introduced legislation to approve the water rights settlement for the Navajo Nation as well as participating non-Tribal parties in the Rio San José watershed. U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) and Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) cosponsored the bill.

    Heinrich and Leger Fernández previously introduced the Rio San José and Rio Jemez Water Settlements Act, which would implement the water settlements agreed to by the Pueblos of Acoma and Laguna, the United States, the State of New Mexico, and non-Tribal parties, in the Rio San José watershed. That bill received a hearing and was reported out of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee in December. The House version of this bill received a legislative hearing in the House Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee in July. The bill introduced this month would further resolve Tribal water claims in the Rio San José basin by settling the Navajo Nation’s claims. 

    “Our legislation will provide critically needed funding to get much-needed water to Navajo communities in the Rio San José watershed,” said Heinrich. “By passing this and our other pending Tribal water settlement bills this Congress, we can better follow through on the federal government’s promise to help Tribes access and use the water that has always been rightfully theirs.”

    “In New Mexico we know water is life. Navajo Nation, the surrounding communities, and the state of New Mexico worked together to reach an agreement that would make sure the life-giving waters of the Rio San Jose would flow for everyone,” said Leger Fernández.“Senator Heinrich’s and my bill would provide funding for much needed water infrastructure for Navajo Nation as well as nearby acequias. The powerful stories of collaboration around this precious resource we heard in committee prove that settlement is the best road for resolving these water claims.” 
     
    “As a member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, I am proud to join my New Mexico colleagues in introducing legislation to approve the water rights settlement for the Navajo Nation in the Rio San José Watershed,” said Luján. “This legislation has strong backing from stakeholders across New Mexico and will provide a comprehensive resolution for the Navajo Nation’s water rights claims in the Rio San José Stream System. It will ensure the protection of Tribal water rights while effectively addressing the water needs of the community.” 
     
    “In New Mexico, we know water is life,” said Stansbury. “As stewards of the land, water, and air since time immemorial, it is so important that our Tribal communities have a stake in how water is used in this state. This bill, as well as many others, will uphold our commitment to our Tribes and Pueblos granting them the right to use water for their needs. This is what environmental justice looks like.”

    “Protecting a critical resource and honoring Tribal sovereignty are some of our core responsibilities in Congress, and I’m proud to work with the New Mexico Delegation to fulfill our trust responsibility and provide essential resources to support the New Mexico’s water infrastructure,” said Vasquez. “This settlement ensures the Navajo Nation and our non-Tribal users of the Rio San José watershed will have the water resources needed to thrive for generations to come.”

    “On behalf of the Navajo Nation, I want to express my deepest appreciation to Senator Heinrich, Senator Lujan, and Representative Leger Fernandez for introducing this important legislation. Implementation of this settlement will make a real difference for Eastern Navajo communities where lack of water has constrained development. A collaborative negotiation process produced a comprehensive settlement that provides a path forward towards a better future for the people of the Rio San Jose and Rio Puerco Basins,” said Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren. 

    Additional Background on Tribal Water Settlements Legislation:

    The introduction of this bill follows Heinrich and Vasquez’s introduction of the Zuni Indian Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act in July, with Luján, Stansbury, and Leger Fernández all joining as original cosponsors. That bill would unlock federal funding to support a trust for sustainable water management and infrastructure development that upholds the federal government’s trust responsibility while protecting the sacred Zuni Salt Lake. The bill ratifies the settlement between the federal government, State of New Mexico and Zuni Tribe that affirms their water rights for irrigation, livestock, storage, and domestic and other uses.

    In June, Heinrich and Leger Fernández introduced the Ohkay Owingeh Rio Chama Water Rights Settlement Act, legislation to approve the water rights settlement of Ohkay Owingeh and participating non-Tribal parties for water in the Rio Chama Basin. Luján and Stansbury are original cosponsors of this bill.

    Last December, Luján and Leger Fernández introduced the Technical Corrections to the Northwestern New Mexico Rural Water Projects Act, Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act, and Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act, which authorizes the appropriation of $6.3 million for the Navajo Nation Water Resources Development Fund; $7.8 million for the Taos Pueblo Water Development Fund; and $4.3 million for  the Aamodt Settlement Pueblos’ Fund, which covers Nambé, Pojoaque, San Ildefonso, and Tesuque Pueblos. It will support water resources development projects for the Tribes. Heinrich and Stansbury are original cosponsors of this bill. 

    Last June, Luján and Leger Fernández introduced legislation that amends the Navajo Gallup Water Supply Project to ensure it has the resources and time needed to deliver drinking water to northwestern New Mexico communities in the San Juan basin, including roughly 43 Chapters on the Eastern Navajo Nation, the southwestern portion of the Jicarilla Apache Nation, and the City of Gallup, which currently rely on a rapidly depleting groundwater supply of poor quality. Heinrich and Stansbury are original cosponsors of this bill.

    Additionally, last year, the entire New Mexico Congressional Delegation announced a $235.1 million allocation to continue fulfilling settlements of Indian water rights claims using funding from the Infrastructure Law and the Reclamation Water Settlements Fund. As part of that overall allocation, the Navajo-Gallup Water Project received $164 million from the Infrastructure Law and the Reclamation Water Settlements Fund. Another $2 million was directed to Navajo-Gallup Water supply operations, maintenance and replacement efforts. The Aamodt Water Rights Settlement, which includes the Pueblos of Nambé, Pojoaque, San Ildefonso, and Tesuque, received $69.1 million in federal funding from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley Leads Bicameral Colleagues in Calling Out Abuses in the Biden-Harris Unaccompanied Migrant Children Program

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a senior member and former chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today led 43 bicameral Republican colleagues in a letter urging President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to work with Congress to root out abuses in their administration’s unaccompanied migrant children program and stop the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)’s cover-up of the crisis. HHS has failed to comply with two out of three Department of Homeland Security (DHS) subpoenas and other information requests issued amid its investigation into more than 100 suspicious sponsors identified as a result of Grassley’s oversight.

    Program Abuse

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

    In addition to hampering DHS’s child exploitation investigation, the Biden-Harris HHS attempted to obstruct Grassley’s oversight of HHS contractors, including Southwest Key. HHS has also defied House Judiciary Committee subpoenas.

    Seeking Solutions

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

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

    Read the full letter HERE.

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

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

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Norcross Releases Statement on Congresswoman LaMonica McIver’s Swearing-In

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Donald Norcross (1st District of New Jersey)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Representative Donald Norcross (D-NJ) released the following statement on Congresswoman LaMonica McIver’s swearing-in:

    “Congratulations to Congresswoman LaMonica McIver on being sworn in today as the Representative for New Jersey’s 10th Congressional District. Congresswoman McIver has dedicated her life to serving her community. She has been a steadfast leader as City Council President and an inspiring trailblazer in local politics. I know that the legacy of Congressman Donald Payne will live on in Congresswoman McIver’s work as she delivers for New Jersey families. I’m looking forward to working with her in Congress.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Sherrill Attends NJ/NY Gotham FC Championship Celebration at the White House

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) – a leading advocate for women’s sports – joined NJ/NY Gotham FC to celebrate their National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) title at the White House with President Joe Biden. In 2023, Gotham FC – which practices in Whippany, NJ and plays in Harrison, NJ – won the NWSL championship title after beating the OL Reign in the league finals. Today’s visit marks the first time a NWSL team has been invited to celebrate their championship at the White House. 

    Rep. Sherrill joined Gotham FC after she successfully passed legislation through the House of Representatives last week to award Billie Jean King with the Congressional Gold Medal.

    “It was wonderful to celebrate NJ/NY Gotham FC’s championship today at the White House – congratulations to the players, coaches, and staff who worked incredibly hard to earn the title. With practice facilities in Whippany and game days in Harrison, Gotham FC represents the very best New Jersey has to offer,” said Rep. Sherrill. “The National Women’s Soccer League’s success – and the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team’s fight for equal pay – is in no small part due to Billie Jean King’s decades of advocacy and hard work. I was so proud to lead efforts to award her the Congressional Gold Medal last week and I look forward to seeing how this generation of women carry the torch and grow opportunities for women in sports.”

    Representative Sherrill has been a leader in fighting for Title IX in athletics. She introduced the bipartisan  Women in NCAA Sports (WINS) Act to address the dramatic inequities between men’s and women’s collegiate athletics. Additionally, she helped lead efforts to pass the  Equal Pay for Team USA Act, ensuring that all athletes representing the United States in global amateur athletic competitions receive equal compensation and benefits in their sport, irrespective of gender.  

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Deputy Secretary-General’s remarks at the Leader Level meeting of the ECOSOC Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti (ECOSOC AHAGH) [as prepared for delivery]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The Right Honourable Mr. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, Your Excellency Dr. Garry Conille, Prime Minister of the Republic of Haiti, Distinguished Heads of State and Government,

    On behalf of the United Nations Secretary-General, I have the honour to join you for this high-level event – and stand together in solidarity with Haiti, during these critical times.

    I would like to thank Canada, the Chair of the ECOSOC Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti, for their active efforts to support a coordinated and coherent approach to Haiti’s stabilization and sustainable development.

    Excellencies,

    The security situation in Haiti remains extremely preoccupying – and poses major threats not only to the people of Haiti but also to peace and security in the region.

    Gang violence continues to ravage the country.

    Heavily armed gangs attack police stations, loot hospitals, occupy courthouses, and destroy other critical installations.

    These are deliberate efforts to erode state authority, sow chaos and make it easier to prey on vulnerable communities.

    Between January and end-August alone, the United Nations has documented more than 3,400 people killed and 1,600 others injured in gang violence – with over a 1,000 people kidnapped by these groups.

    Other shocking human rights abuses have been amply documented, including rape, forced recruitment, and exploitation.

    More than 578,000 people are internally displaced, over half of them children.

    Nearly half of the population are food insecure and lack access to clean drinking water.

    The proliferation of armed gangs in the capital has led to an alarming rise in sexual and gender-based violence mainly against women and girls.

    In some areas, health service providers have reported receiving 40 rape victims a day.

    The perpetrators of these heinous crimes must face justice.

    Many children are victims of crossfire, exploitation and trafficking, forced to join gangs and increasingly used to carry out attacks.

    [UNICEF estimates that 30 to 50 per cent of gang members are children.]

    Haiti’s situation exemplifies a vicious cycle where decades of development deficits are deepened by ongoing insecurity and political instability.

    This cycle has severely hampered any progress towards sustainable development, deeply affecting the socio-economic fabric of the nation.

    Haiti also has one of the highest infant and maternal mortality rates in the Western Hemisphere.

    Excellencies,

    These daily horrors must stop.

    The Haitian National Police face significant shortages of human, material and financial resources.

    They need sustained and generous international support to equip and empower them to tackle the escalating gang violence and to protect Haitians from violence.

    The deployment of the Multinational Security Support mission in June is a welcome development.

    I salute the commitment of Kenya, Belize and Jamaica, who have currently deployed personnel to the MSS.

    The UN Trust Fund for the MSS has received $67 million in voluntary contributions from Member States, out of a total of $84 million pledged.

    Still, much more is needed to ensure the MSS can fulfil its mandate.

    This is why the Secretary-General has consistently urged Member States to contribute to the MSS.

    However, addressing security concerns alone is insufficient.

    Enhancing educational opportunities, healthcare access, social protection and economic development is crucial to breaking the cycle of poverty and instability and foster a resilient society.

    Distinguished delegates,

    Breaking the cycle of violence requires both political solutions and security measures – in parallel.

    Progress on the establishment of transitional bodies is urgently to ensure that the elections timeline agreed by Haitian stakeholders and the restoration of democratic institutions by February 2026 does not slip.

    I call on all political stakeholders in Haiti to reaffirm their commitment to the political accord and roadmap to re-establishing democratic institutions.

    Finally, continued international support and collaboration are essential to ensure these political milestones are complemented by strong development policies.

    Today, nearly half of the population needs humanitarian assistance.

    Despite this dire situation, only one third [36%] of the 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan remains funded.

    I urge donors to step up, contribute to addressing these urgent needs while pledging long term development aid that addresses the root causes of instability.

    Dear friends,

    The Secretary-General and the entire United Nations remain steadfast in our commitment to the people of Haiti.

    Together, let us continue to do everything we can to bring peace, stability, and sustainable development – for all Haitians.

    Thank you.
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Media Advisory: Infrastructure Announcement in Sherbrooke

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French 1

    Media Advisory

    Sherbrooke, Nova Scotia, September 23, 2024 — Members of the media are invited to an infrastructure announcement with the Honourable Greg Morrow, Nova Scotia Minister of Agriculture and MLA for Guysborough–Tracadie, and Heather Kreffer, Executive Director of SMART-GO: St. Mary’s Association for Rural Transit.

    Date: Tuesday, September 24, 2024

    Time: 7:00 PM ADT

    Location:St. Mary’s District Lion’s Club8004 Highway 7,Sherbrooke, Nova Scotia B0J 3C0

    Contact persons

    For further information (media only), please contact:

    Sofia OuslisCommunications AdvisorOffice of the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and CommunitiesSofia.ouslis@infc.gc.ca

    Media RelationsHousing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada613-960-9251Toll free: 1-877-250-7154Email:media-medias@infc.gc.caFollow us onTwitter,Facebook,InstagramAndLinkedInWebsite:Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada

    Blaise TheriaultCommunications AdvisorNova Scotia Department of Public Works902-476-5092blaise.theriault@novascotia.ca

    Heather KrefferExecutive DirectorSMART-GO: St. Mary’s Association for Rural Transit 902-522-2000info@smart-go.ca

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

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Readout of the Secretary-General’s meeting with H.E. Mr. Gabriel Boric Font, President of the Republic of Chile [scroll down for Spanish version]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The Secretary-General met with H.E. Mr. Gabriel Boric Font, President of the Republic of Chile. The Secretary-General and the President discussed the outcomes of the Summit of the Future, reforms to international institutions and climate change. The Secretary-General and the President also addressed challenges to peace and security.

    *****

    El Secretario General se reunió con el Excelentísimo Sr. Gabriel Boric Font, Presidente de la República de Chile. El Secretario General y el Presidente conversaron sobre los resultados de la Cumbre del Futuro, la reforma de las instituciones internacionales y el cambio climático. El Secretario General y el Presidente también abordaron desafíos para la paz y la seguridad.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Deputy Secretary-General’s remarks at the High-Level Event Commemorating the African Union’s Year of Education [as prepared for delivery]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    Excellencies, Distinguished guests, Dear Colleagues,

    It is a pleasure to be here with you all to commemorate the African Union’s Year of Education.

    As the world emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic and the massive disruption it caused, we were faced with an exacerbated education crisis. A crisis of exclusion, of quality and of relevance. A crisis made worse by stagnating investments by national governments, as well as the international community.

    It was in this context that the Secretary-General called for the Transforming Education Summit.

    The Summit was a landmark moment that was borne out of a realization that the education of yesterday was simply not up to task to respond to the needs of today and of tomorrow.

    It succeeded in elevating education on the global agenda, in mobilizing greater commitment to deliver SDG4 at the country-level and in expanding the global movement for a reimagined education.

    The Summit led to several important initiatives, calls to action and national statements of commitment by over 140 countries, more than 40 of which are from Africa. It led to the creation of the SG’s High-Level Panel on Teachers, which earlier this year produced specific, actionable recommendations on transforming teaching as well as the teaching profession. I hope that we are all heeding these recommendations, as we devise policies and draft legislation.

    Importantly, it also led to the African Union’s declaration of 2024 as its year of education. A truly momentous decision. It represents a significant opportunity to highlight the importance of education within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals as well as Agenda 2063.

    This is important because when it comes to investing in education, our continent offers significant returns. African youth are poised to expand our continents and the world’s economic productivity. Within the next ten years, every third new entrant into the global workforce will be African.

    At the same time the proliferation of digital technologies, like Artificial Intelligence, offers an opportunity to leapfrog the many constraints we face when pursuing the traditional pathways of development.

    Investing in education now will help achieve broader development goals.

    Despite progress in the last two decades in increasing access to education in the region, there is still a lot to do. Close to 100 million children are out of school in Sub-Saharan Africa. Primary school completion rates are below 70%, which drops to 50% for girls. Africa needs an additional 15 million teachers in the classroom to achieve SDG targets by 2030.

    As you continue your journey, the UN system – UNESCO, UNICEF, UNECA, the RC system – stands poised to support you, through technical support as well as programme funding. This support will focus on digital transformation, entrepreneurship and jobs, inclusion and equity, and data and accountability, along with the traditional models of multilateral support which are focused on classrooms and curricula.

    Excellencies, ,

    Today, exactly two years after the Transforming Education Summit, we stand at an important inflection point.

    With our new Pact of the Future, you have renewed your commitment to the Goals including SDG4. With this rejuvenated focus on the SDGs we will proceed to the Global Education Meeting next month in Brazil; on to Financing for Development in Madrid (FFD4) and then the World Summit for Social Development in Qatar (WSSD2). As we do this, we must not lose sight of the work of actually delivering change.

    While we must keep pushing education to the forefront of the global stage through our advocacy, our efforts must also be aimed at delivering effective education policy changes at the regional, national and sub-national level.

    We must take concrete actions on the ground for a prosperous and growing Africa. We must transform and tailor teaching, curricula, and classrooms to the needs of young people and the demands of the modern world. We must harness technology, where possible to leapfrog the constraints that we may face in delivering the traditional model of education.

    Excellencies,

    In simple terms, we must deliver on education today, so a new generation of entrepreneurs, innovators and leaders can emerge in the years to come.

    I look forward to hearing about your discussions and follow-up actions as you move forward on the journey to transform education. Your motivation to face the crisis in education in meaningful and concrete ways is a source of hope for all of us.

    Thank you.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Sri Lankans throw out old guard in election upset: What nation’s new Marxist-leaning leader means for economy, IMF loans

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Vidhura S. Tennekoon, Assistant Professor of Economics, Indiana University

    Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s celebrates his vote. Tharaka Basnayaka/NurPhoto via Getty Images

    Sri Lankans voted for a new direction in leadership on Sept. 22, 2024, electing a leftist anti-poverty campaigner as president of the South Asian nation.

    The ascent of Anura Kumara Dissanayake marks a break with the past and from the establishment parties and politicians blamed for taking the country to the brink of economic collapse in 2022.

    Dissanayake characterized the victory as a “fresh start” for Sri Lanka – but he will nonetheless need to address the economic baggage left by his predecessors and the impact of an International Monetary Fund loan that came with painful austerity demands. The Conversation turned to Vidhura S. Tennekoon, an expert on Sri Lanka’s economy at Indiana University, to explain the task facing the new president – and how Dissanayake intends to tackle it.

    What do we know about Sri Lanka’s new president?

    Anura Kumara Dissanayake leads both the National People’s Power alliance, or NPP, and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, or JVP. Rooted in Marxist ideology, the JVP was founded in the 1960s with the aim of seizing power through a socialist revolution. But after two failed armed uprisings in 1971 and 1987-89 – which resulted in the loss of tens of thousands of lives – the party shifted toward democratic politics and has remained so for over three decades.

    Until this election, the JVP remained a minor third party in Sri Lanka’s political landscape, while power alternated between the alliances led by the two traditional political parties – the United National Party and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party – or their descendant parties.

    In 2019, under Dissanayake’s leadership, the NPP was formed as a socialist alliance with several other organizations. While the JVP continues to adhere to Marxist principles, the NPP adopted a center-left, social democratic platform – aiming to attract broader public support.

    Despite these efforts, Dissanayake garnered only 3% of the vote in the 2019 presidential election.

    But the political landscape shifted dramatically during the economic crisis of 2022. Many Sri Lankans, frustrated with the two traditional parties that had governed the country for over seven decades, turned to the NPP, seeing it as a credible alternative.

    The party’s anti-corruption stance, in particular, resonated strongly because many people blamed political corruption for the economic collapse.

    It helped deliver 42% of the vote to Dissanayake.

    While a significant achievement, it also marks a historic first for Sri Lanka — Dissanayake is the first president to be elected without majority support; the remaining 58% of votes were split between candidates from the two traditional parties.

    His immediate challenge will be to secure a parliamentary majority in the upcoming elections, a crucial step for his administration to govern effectively.

    What kind of economy is Dissanayake inheriting?

    Two and a half years ago, Sri Lanka experienced the worst economic crisis in its history. With foreign reserves nearly depleted, the country struggled to pay its bills, leading to severe shortages of essential goods. People waited in long lines for cooking gas and fuel, while regular blackouts became part of daily life. The Sri Lankan rupee plummeted to a record low, driving inflation to 70%. The economy was contracting, and the country defaulted on its international sovereign bonds for the first time.

    This sparked a massive protest movement that ultimately forced President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to resign. In July 2022, Parliament appointed Ranil Wickremesinghe to complete the remainder of Rajapaksa’s term.

    Sri Lankans protest near the official residence of then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on May 28, 2022.
    Tharaka Basnayaka/NurPhoto via Getty Images

    In the two years that followed, Sri Lanka’s economy made an unexpectedly rapid recovery under Wickremesinghe’s leadership. After securing an agreement with the International Monetary Fund, the currency stabilized, the central bank rebuilt foreign reserves, and inflation fell to single digits. By the first half of 2024, the economy had grown by 5%.

    The government successfully restructured its domestic debt, followed by a restructuring of its bilateral debt – that is, government-to-government loans, mostly from China but also from India and Western counties, including the United States. Just days before the election, an agreement was reached with international bondholders to restructure the remaining sovereign debt.

    Despite these achievements, Wickremesinghe was overtaken in the presidential race by both Dissanayake and opposition leader Sajith Premadasa. Wickremesinghe’s unpopularity stemmed largely from the harsh austerity measures implemented under the IMF-backed stabilization program.

    Dissanayake now inherits an economy that, while more stable, remains vulnerable. He will have limited room to maneuver away from the carefully planned economic path laid out by his predecessor, even as voters expect him to fulfill popular demands.

    How does Dissanayake plan to improve Sri Lanka’s economy?

    As a leader from a Marxist party, Dissanayake will likely pursue policies to reflect collective decisions made by the politburos and central committees of the NPP and JVP, rather than his individual views. He advocates for an economic system where activities are coordinated through a central government plan, emphasizing the importance of “economic democracy.”

    His party believes prosperity should be measured not just by economic growth but by the overall quality of life. They argue that people need more than just basic necessities — they require secure housing, food, health care, education, access to technology and leisure.

    Dissanayake’s long-term vision is to transform Sri Lanka into a production-based economy, focusing on sectors like manufacturing, agriculture and information technology rather than service industries. One of the key policies is to promote local production of all viable food products to reduce reliance on imports. To support these activities, the NPP plans to establish a development bank. Additionally, they NPP proposes increasing government spending on education and health care, in line with Sri Lanka’s tradition of providing free, universal access to both.

    Where does this leave the IMF loans?

    Historically, Dissanayake’s party has been critical of the IMF and its policy recommendations. Given the severity of Sri Lanka’s economic crisis, Dissanayake has acknowledged the need to stay within the IMF program for now. But he has vowed to renegotiate with the IMF to make the program more “people-friendly.” Dissanayake’s proposals include raising the personal income tax exemption threshold to double its current level and removing taxes on essential goods. Dissanayake’s party also plans adding jobs to the public sector, despite the ongoing effort to reduce the government workforce to manage the deficit.

    Dissanayake’s populist policies, aimed at attracting mass support during the campaign, will inevitably strain government revenues while increasing expenses. However, the IMF program requires Sri Lanka to maintain a primary budget surplus of at least 2.3% of gross domestic product to ensure debt sustainability. Dissanayake has promised not to jeopardize the country’s economic stability by deviating from this target. His strategy is to improve the efficiency of tax collection, which he believes will generate enough revenue to fund his policies.

    Additionally, his party has criticized the deal struck by Wickremesinghe’s government with international lenders, calling it unfavorable to the country. Dissanayake has promised to seek better terms. However, since these agreements are already in place, it remains uncertain whether the new government will attempt to renegotiate them.

    Vidhura Tennekoon was a former employee of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.

    – ref. Sri Lankans throw out old guard in election upset: What nation’s new Marxist-leaning leader means for economy, IMF loans – https://theconversation.com/sri-lankans-throw-out-old-guard-in-election-upset-what-nations-new-marxist-leaning-leader-means-for-economy-imf-loans-239649

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: In White Plains, Gillibrand Announces Legislation to Address Epidemic of Traumatic Brain Injuries in Service Members and Veterans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand

    Following a disturbing report showing that service members are sustaining crippling traumatic brain injuries as a result of firing their own weapons, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand visited the Westchester County Michaelian Office Building in White Plains to announce legislation to address traumatic brain injuries among service members and veterans. 

    Service members who regularly fire heavy weapons are at increased risk of brain injury as a result of repeated exposure to explosions or blasts from their own weapons and explosives – otherwise known as blast overpressure. These brain injuries can cause depression, anxiety, cognitive problems, hallucinations, panic attacks, violent outbursts, suicidal tendencies, psychiatric disorders, dementia, and a variety of other serious health problems. At least a dozen Navy SEALs who have died by suicide over the past decade were later found to have suffered blast injuries, and many more service members have complained of health issues after blast exposure. Despite this, the Pentagon has struggled to properly investigate the impact of blast overpressure, effectively track the prevalence of blast overpressure-related injuries, or offer appropriate care to service members and veterans. Gillibrand is calling for more research and better treatment for those affected.

    Gillibrand was joined by Westchester Deputy County Executive Ken Jenkins, New York State Assemblyman Chris Burdick, City of White Plains Mayor Thomas Roach, Westchester County Board of Legislators Chairman Vedat Gashi, Director of the Westchester County Veterans Service Agency Ronald Tocci, City of Mount Vernon Director of Veteran’s Services Andrea Molina, and local veterans.

    “After repeatedly being exposed to blasts from their own weapons during both training and combat, our service members are sustaining severe and crippling brain trauma,” said Senator Gillibrand. “This bill will require the DoD to investigate the prevalence and causes of these brain injuries; to track each service member’s exposure to blasts; and to help service members access care. This is a critical bill and I look forward to getting it passed in the NDAA.” 

    “With research showing an increased risk of traumatic brain injuries for our service members who regularly fire off heavy weapons, it is imperative we work together at all levels of government to start addressing the health implications they are being exposed to from the blasts of their own weapons. We know that doing so can truly save lives as blast overpressure has already been linked to the development of suicidal inclinations and cognitive issues,” said New York State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins. “The Blast Overpressure Safety Act will provide tools to investigate the scope and root causes of TBIs while also tracking service members’ exposure to blasts. The act will also promote access to care. I highly commend Senator Gillibrand for introducing this proactive piece of legislation, and I look forward to continuing to collaborate on initiatives to further protect our active service members and veterans who put their lives on the line to protect us.”

    New York State Senator Shelley B. Mayer said, “I am honored to join Senator Gillibrand in showing our steadfast support for our veterans, both abroad and when they return home. Traumatic brain injuries can be life altering and early assessment is critical to ensure that veterans have the resources and support they need to continue living life to the fullest. As a state and nation, we must do better to support our veterans.”

    “I am very pleased to see Senator Gillibrand’s support for the Blast Overpressure Safety Act,” said New York State Assemblymember Chris Burdick. “This is a great step in taking care of our active service members and veterans, who have already sacrificed so much for our country. As a society we are making progress in addressing traumatic brain injuries in sports, so it is not only appropriate but crucial that we also make progress concerning those who are putting their lives on the line for our democracy.”

    Westchester County Executive George Latimer said, “The brave men and women who serve our country deserve comprehensive care for the injuries they endure in the line of duty – that is the very least that we owe them. Traumatic brain injuries caused by blast overpressure are devastating and all too common, yet we’ve seen a lack of sufficient research and support for those affected. I applaud Senator Gillibrand’s outstanding leadership on this legislation. It is a critical step toward ensuring those we send to the front lines receive the care and understanding they need to heal.”

    “Our service members have sacrificed so much for our country, and it is our responsibility to ensure they receive the highest level of care when they return home,” said Westchester Deputy County Executive Ken Jenkins. “The effects of blast overpressure are a silent threat, leading to traumatic brain injuries that can severely impact their quality of life. Senator Gillibrand’s legislation is a vital move towards better understanding, tracking, and treating these injuries.”

    Specifically, the Blast Overpressure Safety Act would: 

    1. Mandate regular neurocognitive assessments over a service member’s career, including a baseline neurocognitive assessment before training. 
    2. Create blast overpressure exposure and TBI logs for all service members.
    3. Increase transparency regarding blast overpressure safety in the weapons acquisition process. DoD must consider the minimization of blast overpressure during the acquisition process, require contracting entities to provide blast overpressure safety data, and publish blast overpressure safety data for weapons systems and its plans to better protect service members from in-use weapons systems. 
    4. Improve data on concussive and subconcussive brain injuries service members sustain. This includes information on discharges related to and medical providers trained in these injuries, as well as efforts with allies and partners to better address these injuries. 
    5. Enhance efforts to mitigate exposure and help service members access care. This includes retaliation protections for those who seek care; modifying existing weapons system to reduce blast exposure; updating and making publicly available blast overpressure thresholds and creating a waiver system for exceeding these thresholds; training high-risk service members to help them recognize exposure symptoms and creating strategies to mitigate their risk; and expanding the types of technologies in the Warfighter Brain Health Initiative pilot blast monitoring program. 
    6. Support service member treatment by establishing a Special Operations Comprehensive Brain Health and Trauma program, making the National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE) a program of record and requiring DoD to provide child care services to those seeking treatment there, and mandating training for medical and training personnel on blast overpressure and exposure and TBI. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Marshall Joins Grassley and Bicameral Colleagues in Calling Out Abuses in the Biden-Harris Unaccompanied Migrant Children Program

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. joined Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and bicameral Republican colleagues in a letter urging President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to work with Congress to root out abuses in their administration’s unaccompanied migrant children program and stop the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)’s cover-up of the crisis. HHS has failed to comply with two out of three Department of Homeland Security (DHS) subpoenas and other information requests issued amid its investigation into more than 100 suspicious sponsors identified.
    Program Abuse
    More than 500,000 unaccompanied migrant children have crossed the southwest border under the Biden-Harris administration, while cartel trafficking activity surged an estimated 2,500 percent. Amid this crisis, the lawmakers note that the Biden-Harris administration limited background checks for sponsors of unaccompanied children, cut back on familial DNA testing at the border and decreased information sharing with law enforcement.
    Seeking Solutions
    The lawmakers are urging Biden and Harris to “make changes to [their] policies and procedures” in order to “end this public safety crisis.” They are specifically calling on the Biden-Harris administration to enhance information sharing with law enforcement and Congress, fully cooperate with DHS’s child exploitation investigation and thoroughly respond to all congressional oversight requests.
    “[The Biden-Harris HHS] must stop its cover-up and cooperate with law enforcement and Congress to end this crisis and protect unaccompanied children and the American people,” the lawmakers concluded.
    Read the full letter HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Romney, Hassan, Warner, Ernst Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Fight Pandemic Relief Fraud

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT)

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs (HSGAC) Emerging Threats and Spending Oversight Subcommittee, Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Subcommittee Chair, Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), and Joni Ernst (R-IA) today introduced the COVID Spending Transparency Act of 2024, bipartisan legislation that would extend the term of the Treasury Department’s Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery (SIGPR)—currently scheduled to sunset at the end of March 2025—for another five years.

    SIGPR was created by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020 to oversee spending of government funds in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Several federal inspectors general, including SIGPR, have collectively uncovered waste, fraud, and abuse in the pandemic assistance loan programs amounting to hundreds of billions of dollars. SIGPR currently has 42 open cases, with 28 of those cases amounting to more than $499 million in CARES Act funding

    “The CARES Act was critically important for the country at a critical time, but it’s become clear that the oversight of funds tied to the CARES Act and other COVID relief legislation is still needed,” Senator Romney said. “It would be unwise to let the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery expire when there is still work to be done to recover federal funds. Our legislation would extend this important office for five years in order to continue to give the inspector general the tools needed to continue rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse in our federal programs from the COVID pandemic.”

    “The CARES Act provided critical funds to help save lives, support families, and keep small businesses afloat during the pandemic — but we know that some bad actors took advantage of it. We need to keep working to recover fraudulently obtained or used CARES Act federal funding,” said Senator Hassan. “The Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery plays a crucial role in overseeing these funds, and we must extend the position so that it can continue to combat waste, fraud, and abuse.”

    “The CARES Act provided crucial support to businesses during the COVID pandemic, but it also opened the door for potential misuse. This legislation would ensure that those receiving COVID relief funds are using them appropriately,” Senator Warner said. “It’s crucial the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery continues their important work, and has the resources to do so.”

    “With hundreds of billions of dollars of waste and fraud, it is evident that the screening process for pandemic swindlers had more holes than Swiss cheese. We need to give the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery the time, resources, and jurisdiction to track down every last cent of COVID fraud,” said Senator Ernst.

    Background:

    In November 2023, Senators Romney and Hassan led a HSGAC Emerging Threats and Spending Oversight Subcommittee hearing examining federal COVID-era spending. During the hearing, Romney advocated for extending SIGPR past its expiration date of March 28, 2025.

    The CARES Act created the Main Street Lending Program, which offered loans to small and medium-sized businesses. The Main Street Lending Program issued loans for small and medium-sized businesses and set up a payment plan of 15% in the third and fourth years, with a majority of payment of 70% due in the fifth year. The expiration of SIGPR coincides with the maturing of loans under the Treasury Department’s Main Street Lending Program.

    To date, SIGPR has recovered over $60 million in taxpayer funds, which surpasses its budget appropriated by Congress. SIGPR’s investigations have resulted in 53 federal indictments, 44 arrests, 16 guilty pleas, with 3 additional guilty pleas filed with the court, and 4 sentencings which have generated $11.2 million in seizure or forfeiture orders, $11.9 million in court ordered restitution, and a $350,000 civil settlement.

    Text of the bill can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scanlon Condemns Project 2025 Plot To Take Over Government, Criminalize Abortion Nationwide

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon(PA-5)


    Washington, D.C.     — Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05) spoke on the House floor about Project 2025, the extreme MAGA Republican agenda that gives the President unprecedented powers to control the government and our lives and then uses that power to hurt the middle class, end Social Security and Medicare as we know it, and criminalize abortion nationwide.

    Watch Rep. Scanlon’s remarks HERE or read them as prepared for delivery below.

    “Thank you very much.

    “We’re here to discuss Project 2025, the extremist playbook to impose a radical right-wing agenda upon Americans.

    “It’s called Project 2025 because it’s designed to be implemented by Trump and his allies if he returns to the White House next year.

    “The authors of Project 2025 have even begun recruiting people to apply for jobs to help implement this scheme because – as they detail in Project 2025 – they plan to fire career civil servants and replace them with partisans who swear loyalty to Trump, rather than our country or Constitution. A move, by the way, that the former president tried to implement by executive order before he left office.

    “When the authors of Project 2025 decided to publish their radical agenda, they must not have realized that their ideas are so extreme that Americans would reject them as being – frankly – un-American.

    “That’s why the former president and many of his allies are now trying to distance themselves from Project 2025. But they can’t, because their fingerprints are all over Project 2025. And nowhere is that clearer than in Project 2025’s plan to ban abortion and restrict women’s reproductive freedom. Because the truth is – the extremists who plotted with Trump to overturn Roe v. Wade were never going to stop there.

    “Chapter 14 of Project 2025 outlines their plans. It was written by a member of the Trump administration, and you can read it yourself at pages 449 through 502.

    “Project 2025 would impose a nationwide ban on medication abortion by revoking FDA approval of that drug. It would resurrect a 19th century law, the Comstock Act, to ban the mailing of abortion care materials and criminalize their use. Project 2025 would rip away access to basic contraception. It would end emergency room reproductive healthcare for women whose health and lives are at risk. Project 2025 would end IVF as it’s currently practiced. It would require the government to monitor women’s pregnancies and miscarriages.

    “Project 2025 is beyond extreme. It’s dangerous.

    “Democrats will continue to stand firm and united against this radical agenda, and to stand up for Americans’ reproductive freedom because we trust women to make decisions about their own bodies, not politicians.

    “I yield back.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoeven Congratulates Lincoln Elementary, Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood Public, and Red Trail Elementary Schools on Designation as 2024 National Blue Ribbon Schools

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven

    09.23.24

    WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today congratulated Lincoln Elementary School in Beach, Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood Public School in Mohall and Red Trail Elementary School in Mandan on being designated by the U.S. Department of Education as 2024 National Blue Ribbon Schools. Since 1982, the Blue Ribbon School award has honored public and private schools across the country that display overall academic excellence or progress in closing achievement gaps.

    “This Blue Ribbon designation recognizes the hard work of students, teachers and faculty, and the entire school community as examples of academic success,” said Hoeven. “We congratulate these schools on this honor and are grateful for their investment in the success and well-being of their students.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Burgess Statement and Video on Passage of the Building Chips in America Act

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

    Semiconductors are necessary for some of the most vital technology we have today – from the phone in our pockets to insulin pumps and advanced medical imaging. This bill will cut through bureaucratic tape and streamline the National Environmental Policy Act’s regulations for microchip manufacturing which otherwise would have taken years to ever cross the finish line.

    Let me be clear, the NEPA process is valuable. The Environmental impact assessments and reviews that are conducted in this country are a pragmatic symbol of the American people’s commitment to environmental conservation and land management. However, there is work to be done on the efficiency of the process as a whole.

    Due to NEPA’s red tape, many semiconductor projects are delayed and manufacturers become discouraged in developing domestic manufacturing projects. Not only will this bill open job opportunities for thousands of people, but it also will empower our nation’s economic and national security goals. The Chips Act is an investment into domestic manufacturing projects.

    This legislation is important to Texas as we remain at the forefront of national resurgence in high-tech manufacturing. Streamlining the NEPA process will help companies in the semiconductor supply chain bring great economic prosperity to our state. I urge members to support this bill, thank you and I yield back.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaptur Statement On the War In Gaza and Escalation Between Israel and Hezbollah In Lebanon

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

    Washington, DC — Today, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) released the following statement regarding the ongoing war in Gaza, and recent escalation of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

    “This weekend’s escalation in combat between Israel and 140,000 Hezbollah forces supported in southern Lebanon by Iran creates a powder keg. If not contained, this conflict could widen and adversely impact thousands more innocent people of adjacent nations, as well as destabilize global markets.

    “This war must end. A ‘ceasefire’ is not enough. There must be a UN negotiated truce subject to multinational enforcement. The constituents I represent include thousands who trace their ancestry to Israel, Lebanon, Palestinian communities, and other impacted adjacent nations across the Middle East. I release this statement out of deep concern for them and the people of their ancestral lands. The road to peace must begin with the United Nations and its Security Council whose primary charge is the “maintenance of international peace and security.”  

    “The UN must demonstrate leadership and backbone in resolving this festering conflagration. With no intervention, the widening war of utter destruction across that war-torn region will escalate. It must end. An immediate truce is fundamental. It will require multinational enforced military lines of demarcation. Terrorist organizations cannot be voting parties to ongoing negotiations. States sponsoring terrorist organizations should face a strictly enforced multinational sanctions regime. 

    “I urge the Speaker and Minority Leader of the US House to bring forward this week, as the House reassembles, a first order of business House Privileged Resolution urging the United Nations be called into Special Session. The UN must address deescalating this widening carnage and ongoing war. In 1948, the United Nations following World War II acted with dispatch to address vast rebuilding and resettlement issues arising in post war regions of the Middle East and elsewhere.

    “Today, the unresolved Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Gaza and the West Bank — inflamed by the Hamas terrorist organization in alliance with other terrorist organizations and supported by arms from Iran — continues to plague the people of that region. Ethnic and religious cleansing forms a brutal and nonviable substitute for a truce and contemporary compact among neighboring States. It is long overdue. The United Nations must step up to this crucial, modern-day challenge which the people of all sovereign nations know is necessary. The bloody fighting in the Middle East must be brought to a negotiated truce. 

    “The hatred unleashed by the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas on Israel will reverberate across future generations of families on all sides of this conflict. Surely the people of the region and world seek a better road forward. The United Nations must rise to this compelling occasion.”

    Since the start of the conflict in Gaza, Congresswoman Kaptur has remained actively engaged in urging an aggressive diplomatic path forward to address the ongoing conflict and work toward a negotiated two-state solution. On October 8th, Congresswoman Kaptur released a statement condemning the Hamas terror attacks. On November 3rd, Congresswoman Kaptur released a statement following a meeting with Egyptian Ambassador Zahran calling for a humanitarian pause so aid could be delivered and those seeking safety could reach it. On November 16th, Congresswoman Kaptur released a statement following a dialogue with Jordanian Ambassador Kawar in diplomatic efforts to secure a durable peace. On December 13th, Congresswoman Kaptur released a statement following a meeting with Lebanese Charge D’Affaires Hachem. On December 15th, Congresswoman Kaptur released a statement following a meeting with Apostolic Nuncio, Cardinal Pierre. On January 19th, Congresswoman Kaptur urged the State Department to affirm US opposition to forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza. On January 31st, Congresswoman Kaptur published an opinion article in the Toledo Blade. On March 28th, Congresswoman Kaptur reaffirmed her support for a two-state solution. On April 4th, Congresswoman Kaptur released a statement following a call between Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Biden. On May 6th, Congresswoman Kaptur released a statement on the ongoing developments in Gaza. On June 3rd, Congresswoman Kaptur affirmed her support for a two-state solution, and applauded the peace plan for Israel and Gaza. On June 11th  Congresswoman Kaptur released a statement reaffirming her support for a Two-State Solution for the Israeli and Palestinian people, and applauding the United Nations Security Council vote to support the US diplomatic peace plan for Israel and Gaza.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst Demands Action to Stop Iranian Crime on U.S. Soil

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)

    WASHINGTON – Following reports indicating Iran is paying criminal organizations to carry out violent plots—including assassinations—against their critics within the United States, Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) joined a bipartisan group of her colleagues in demanding the Department of Justice (DOJ) stop this criminal activity.  
    “We write to request information regarding how the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is prosecuting criminals who commit or attempt to commit acts of violence in the United States on behalf of foreign adversaries, and what statutory changes to the criminal code would help DOJ to robustly prosecute these crimes,” wrote the senators.
    “An…example includes a plot, allegedly ordered by individuals in Iran, to use members of an Eastern European criminal organization who refer to themselves as ‘Thieves-In-Law’ in an attempt to murder a prominent critic of Iran—who is a United States citizen—within the United States,” continued the senators. “The attempted assassination followed a prior plot by Iranian intelligence officials to abduct the same critic from within the United States for rendition to Iran.”
    The senators requested DOJ share efforts that foreign governments have undertaken to enlist criminal actors to commit crimes in the United States, identify if there has been any increase in these activities, explain their strategy in thwarting foreign government activity, and answer whether there would be changes to the criminal code to deter these illicit actors.
    Read the full letter here.
    Background:
    Ernst introduced the PUNISH Act to enforce “maximum pressure” sanctions on Iran until the State Department can certify that Iran has not supported any attempt in the last five years to kill a U.S. citizen or a former or current U.S. official. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst Names Small Business of the Week, Dusted Charm

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
    RED OAK, Iowa – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Ranking Member of the Senate Small Business Committee, today announced her Small Business of the Week: Dusted Charm of Pottawattamie County. Throughout this Congress, Ranking Member Ernst plans to recognize a small business in every one of Iowa’s 99 counties.
    “From humble beginnings in a basement to a thriving warehouse and showroom that sells clothes, home goods, and candles, Dusted Charm is a testament to the power of family, perseverance, and the importance of a supportive community,” said Ranking Member Ernst. “This small business encapsulates what it means to give back, and it is inspiring to see folks come together to support one another in times of need.”
    Inspired by the gravel roads and street signs she saw on the way to her daughter’s doctor appointments, Becca Wiggins founded Dusted Charm in 2017 in her basement with a few t-shirts and a passion for graphic design. As the business grew, Becca relocated her operation to the historic 100-block of West Broadway, where she brought her mom and sisters on board as co-owners. Today, Dusted Charm sells a wide variety of women’s clothing and home goods, including signs, candles, and more. In the spirit of giving back, Dusted Charm organizes “Give Back” days where they donate 25% of all sales to a designated charity. In 2022, Dusted Charm received the Omaha Metropolitan Area Tourism Award for being the best retail business in Pottawattamie County, and it recently celebrated its 7th business anniversary.
    Stay tuned as Ranking Member Ernst recognizes more Iowa small businesses across the state with her Small Business of the Week award.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn: Schumer’s Delays on Defense Make America Less Safe

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
    WASHINGTON – Today on the floor, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) discussed the national security implications of delaying the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and failing to pass funding for our national defense in a timely manner under Democrat Majority Leader Schumer’s direction. Excerpts of Sen. Cornyn’s remarks are below, and video can be found here.  
    “The lack of productivity on some very important matters by the United States Senate lies squarely at the feet of the Majority Leader.”
    “We have less than five days before the end of the month. That’s why we’re hearing all of this unnecessary drama and narrative about a potential government shutdown.”
    “We’ve not considered a single appropriations bill in the Senate, which we could have done months ago.”
    “We have defense leaders from every facet of our military saying that the way the Senate is currently operating when it comes to funding the military and providing for the authorities that they need in order to do their job in the defense authorization bill, that the Senate’s failure to act on a timely basis is making their jobs harder and Americans less safe.”
    “The picture of leadership here in the United States Senate is truly pitiful.”
    “We could have avoided all of this if the Senate Majority Leader had scheduled votes on individual government funding bills months ago.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Capito, Colleagues Reintroduce Bill to Crack Down on Illicit Drug Analogues

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) joined a bipartisan group of colleagues to reintroduce the Stop Importation and Manufacturing of Synthetic Analogues (SIMSA) Act. The legislation is led by U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.).

    Specifically, the SIMSA Act targets deadly drugs that are substantially similar to already-controlled substances, but carefully engineered—often in China or Mexico—to slip into the U.S. undetected.  

    “Preliminary data from the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources shows that fentanyl and fentanyl analogues were involved in approximately 82% of all drug overdose deaths in West Virginia in 2023,” Senator Capito said. “These deadly substances are flowing into our communities from China and across our southern border, and criminals know that they can get around existing law by slightly changing the chemical makeup of a drug while still having the same negative effect on the human body. This legislation will allow for law enforcement to crack down on synthetic drugs and save lives.”

    BACKGROUND:

    U.S. law prohibits the unauthorized use of certain controlled substances. However, illicit drug makers and importers circumvent those laws by altering single atoms in controlled substances to create tweaked drugs that are not yet outlawed, but have similar effects on users. Currently, uncontrolled substances must undergo a time-consuming analysis before the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) can permanently schedule them. 

    Full text of the bill can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Markey’s Major Alzheimer’s Legislation Passes Through House, Moves to President Biden’s Desk

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    Then-Representative Markey authored the National Alzheimer’s Project Act in 2011 and the Alzheimer’s Accountability Act in 2014
    Washington (September 23, 2024) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee on Primary Health and Retirement Security and founder and co-chair of the Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer’s, applauded passage by the House of Representatives of the National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA) Alzheimer’s Accountability and Investment Act, legislation that would cement and build on the important progress that has been made to prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer’s disease. The National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA) Reauthorization and the Alzheimer’s Accountability and Investment Act (AAIA) now head to President Joe Biden’s desk to be signed into law.  
    “Since my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 1985, I have fought to ensure the federal government has the funding, resources, and coordination necessary to find a cure for this disease,” said Senator Markey. “The National Alzheimer’s Plan Act and the Alzheimer’s Accountability Act have transformed our understanding of the disease and its risk factors for more than a decade. But our work is not yet done. Today’s extension of these bills until 2035 is a commitment from Congress that we will not stop fighting until Alzheimer’s is a disease only found in history books. I thank Senator Collins and my colleagues for their support in delivering hope to millions of families just like mine across the country as these two bills head to the President’s desk.”
    “We have made tremendous progress in recent years to boost funding for Alzheimer’s research, which holds great promise to end this disease that has had a devastating effect on millions of Americans and their families,” said Senator Susan Collins, a founder and co-chair of the Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease. “These two bills will maintain our momentum and make sure that we do not take our foot off the pedal just as our investments in basic research are beginning to translate into potential new treatments. We must not let Alzheimer’s to be one of the defining diseases of our children’s generation as it has ours.”
    “I know from firsthand experience what a devastating illness Alzheimer’s disease is, as I watched my mother battle with it for a decade before her passing,” said Senator Mark Warner, co-chair of the Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease. “While we’ve made great strides in research, there is still so much work to be done to find effective ways to prevent and treat Alzheimer’s. On behalf of the millions of American families who have been touched by Alzheimer’s, I’m glad to see these two bills head to the president’s desk to be signed into law.”
    The NAPA Reauthorization Act — co-led by Senators Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Collins (R-Maine), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.),  Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) — would reauthorize NAPA through 2035 and modernize the legislation to reflect strides that have been made to understand the disease, such as including a new focus on promoting healthy aging and reducing risk factors. The bill also includes updated language to reduce health disparities for underserved communities, including Black, Brown and disabled communities, who are at increased risk for Alzheimer’s as they age.
    The NAPA Reauthorization Act is endorsed by the Alzheimer’s Association, UsAgainstAlzheimer’s, National Down Syndrobe Society, National Down Syndrome Congress, and LuMind IDSC Foundation.
    The Alzheimer’s Accountability and Investment Act — authored by Senators Markey, Collins, Capito, Warner, Moran, Menendez, Murkowski, and Stabenow — would continue through 2035 a requirement that the Director of the National Institutes of Health submit an annual budget to Congress estimating the funding necessary to fully implement NAPA’s research goals. Only two other areas of biomedical research – cancer and HIV/AIDS – have been the subject of special budget development aimed at speeding discovery.
    The Alzheimer’s Accountability and Investment Act is endorsed by the Alzheimer’s Association and UsAgainstAlzheimer’s.
    Senator Markey is a leader in the fight to find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease and to support family caregivers. In July 2024, Senator Markey applauded the HELP Committee’s passage of Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2024, which included provisions based on his Respite Care And Resources for Everyone (CARE) Act and Convenient Care for Caregivers Act to expand respite care for family caregivers of older adults that need long-term care, including individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia. Earlier that month, Senator Markey unveiled his “Caring for Caregivers” family caregiving agenda, which included his Convenient Care for Caregivers Act to support family caregivers and individuals with Alzheimer’s receiving health care services at the same time and location to improve health outcomes. As a member of the House of Representatives, Senator Markey founded the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer’s to develop a whole-of-government approach to finding a cure for Alzheimer’s. He created the Independence at Home program to provide seniors, including individuals with Alzheimer’s and other dementia, the option to receive primary care in their home. Senator Markey authored the bipartisan Spending Reductions Through Innovations in Therapies (SPRINT) Act, which would encourage drug development for high-cost, chronic health conditions such as Alzheimer’s, the Health Outcomes, Planning and Education (HOPE) Act to improve early detection and diagnoses of Alzheimer’s and support caregivers, and the Alzheimer’s Breakthrough Act, which would require the National Institutes of Health (NIH) work to improve treatment outcomes and engage federal agencies in the effort to combat Alzheimer’s.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Markey, Warren Send Letter to IRS Commissioner, Urging Action on Payment of Employee Retention Tax Credits

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Letter Text (PDF)

    Washington (September 23, 2024) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a senior member of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) today sent a letter to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Daniel Werfel urging the IRS to expedite payment of Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERC) claims, prioritizing low-risk claims from taxpayers experiencing financial hardship. After the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ERC was an important lifeline that kept workers employed during the difficult economic downturn.

    The lawmakers wrote, “On September 14, 2023, the IRS imposed a moratorium on processing new claims. On August 8, 2024, the agency announced that, going forward, it would start processing claims filed between September 14, 2023, and January 31, 2024. It also disclosed that it had identified 50,000 valid ERC claims, would expedite those payments, and would pay another large block of low-risk claims this fall. Although we support the agency’s effort to prevent improper payments, both the slow pace of review and the moratorium have caused significant delays and hardship for those with legitimate claims. During the moratorium, the IRS backlog doubled to around 1.4 million claims. The long delay and backlog have put many nonprofits and businesses in jeopardy of shutting down before the IRS even considers their ERC claim.”

    The lawmakers continued, “The agency’s recent announcements are a positive step towards providing the relief Congress intended for taxpayer employers. But there are a significant number of claims that the IRS has identified as low risk, which the IRS is not currently processing. This means that many claimants likely will have to wait several more months to receive the benefit to which they are entitled. We believe that, as soon as possible, the IRS should approve and pay low-risk ERC claims from struggling nonprofits and small businesses. Immediately approving and paying low-risk ERC claims would greatly benefit the hundreds of thousands who are still operating in a challenging economic environment.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Markey, Warren, Healey, Wu, Massachusetts Leaders Secure $472 Million in Federal Funding to Replace Draw One Bridge, Renovate North Station T Stop

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    Largest federal award MBTA has won to date
    Funding will increase ridership, streamline operations, and improve resiliency along Amtrak’s Downeaster route and regional rail lines
    Washington, D.C. – Today, Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), along with Representatives Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Katherine Clark (MA-05), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Lori Trahan (MA-03), Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, and MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng announced a grant of $472 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) to fully replace the North Station Draw One Bridge and renovate Platform F at North Station. The grant is the largest federal award the MBTA has won to date.
    The nearly half a billion dollar grant will provide critical support for one of MBTA’s top priority projects and a vital transportation asset to MBTA’s north-side operations. It will also support more than 14,500 jobs, make the bridge more climate resilient by bringing it above projected sea-level rise, and lower emissions. 
    Specifically, the new funding for MBTA’s North Station Renovation and the Draw One Bridge Replacement Project will support the full replacement of the existing drawbridge, the extension and activation of a platform with two tracks at North Station, and the replacement of track, signals, and switches to modernize and improve station infrastructure.
    “With $472 million to replace the North Station drawbridge, we’re drawing up a new future for rail transit north of Boston. I’m grateful to the Biden-Harris administration, Governor Healey, General Manager Eng, Senator Warren, and our whole federal delegation for securing this funding. Together, we are delivering critical federal dollars to the T and building a modern, safe, and reliable public transit system for all,” said Senator Markey.
    “This $472 million investment is a game-changer for the thousands of passengers who pass through North Station every day — and will build a safer, more reliable public transit system for the Commonwealth. Massachusetts leaders worked together to secure the largest ever federal award for the T, and I won’t stop fighting to bring home even more investment to improve transit across the Commonwealth,” said Senator Warren.
    “We know that improving our transportation infrastructure is critical for improving quality of life and making sure Massachusetts remains the best place to live, work, raise a family and build a future,” said Governor Maura Healey. “That’s why our administration is competing so aggressively to win federal funding that can be put toward our roads, bridges and public transportation. Congratulations to General Manager Eng and the MBTA team for this award that will improve train service for millions of riders. We’re grateful to the Biden-Harris Administration and U.S. Department of Transportation for their continued investment in Massachusetts’ transportation infrastructure.” 
    The Draw One railbridge carries the MBTA Commuter Rail and Amtrak trains, serving approximately 11,250,000 passengers per year. It is particularly critical for Amtrak’s Downeaster, an intercity passenger rail service that travels from Maine and New Hampshire into Boston, which is projected to have some of the highest ridership in New England. Draw One is also a vital connection for all of MBTA’s north-side regional rail lines, including Fitchburg, Lowell, Haverhill, and Newburyport/Rockport. The new federal investment will improve service reliability and operations, reduce congestion along a known bottleneck, and increase capacity across the bridge. Additionally, the funding will allow for upgraded signaling and expanded track capabilities, further improving traffic flow.
    “I am pleased to join my colleagues in government to announce the State of Massachusetts was awarded over $472 million in federal funding that will help improve MBTA and Amtrak services,” said Rep. Lynch. “This funding is the result of our hard work and partnership with the Biden-Harris administration to ensure we invest into our nation’s transportation and infrastructure. People all over the Commonwealth rely on public transportation every day, and this DOT grant is critical to make the necessary repairs and replacements that will make train service more safe and reliable.”
    “This bridge is a critical connection point for the communities north of Boston. This federal investment will improve the quality of life for commuters, reduce traffic for everyone, and bring opportunity to the Commonwealth. We will have a faster, more modern, and more user-friendly public transportation system, and that’s exactly the direction we need to move in,” said Democratic Whip Katherine Clark.
    “Transit justice is a racial and economic justice issue, and a matter of public safety – and this massive federal investment helps make the Commonwealth more connected and our transportation system safer and more reliable for commuters,” said Congresswoman Pressley. “I’m glad that families in the Massachusetts 7th who depend on the commuter rail will be better able to access jobs, healthcare, education, and essential services in other parts of the state, and we won’t stop fighting to build the more just, equitable, and accessible transit system our communities deserve. I thank my delegation colleagues and the Healey-Driscoll Administration for their partnership, and the Biden-Harris Administration for continuing to invest in Massachusetts.”
    “The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues to deliver unprecedented federal investments to make our transit systems safer and more efficient,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “This massive award is proof that, thanks to the strong partnership between our federal delegation and the Healey-Driscoll administration, Massachusetts continues to punch above our weight when competing for federal funding.”
    “North Station Draw One is a connection point between Boston and Cambridge, and the many cities and towns north who rely on this train bridge to visit and work in our city. Thanks to the leadership of the MA federal delegation and the Healey-Driscoll administration in securing this funding, the Greater Boston area will see benefits from updated infrastructure and more reliable transportation. This funding for a bridge replacement represents our region’s commitment to our local economy and green transit,” said Mayor Michelle Wu.
    “I’m proud of the MBTA team that worked diligently to put this project in a strong position to win this highly competitive federal award. I thank the USDOT Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, Deputy Secretary of Transportation Polly Trottenberg, and our partners at the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Acting Administrator Veronica Vanterpool, FTA Region 1 Administrator Pete Butler, and their entire team, for this incredible award allowing us to deliver the North Station Draw 1 project, freeing up state capital dollars for other essential needs,” said MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng. “This award continues to demonstrate our aggressive approach to pursuing all funding opportunities under the lead of the Healey-Driscoll Administration as we pursue every available federal grant. Our Grants and North Station Drawbridge teams deserve all the credit for their exceptional work to secure this funding which allows us to ensure the efficient and reliable movement of all North Station train lines while greatly improving our ability to provide more frequent, regional rail-style service across the entire northside corridor to serve future generations to come.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Readout of the Secretary-General’s meeting with H.E. Mr. Daniel Noboa Azín, President of the Republic of Ecuador

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The Secretary-General met with H.E. Mr. Daniel Noboa Azín, President of the Republic of Ecuador. The Secretary-General thanked President Noboa for Ecuador’s constructive role in the Security Council. The Secretary-General and the President discussed significant threats posed by transnational organized crime in the region.

    *****

    El Secretario General se reunió con el Excelentísimo Señor Daniel Noboa Azín, Presidente de la República del Ecuador. El Secretario General agradeció al Presidente Noboa por el papel constructivo de Ecuador en el Consejo de Seguridad.  El Secretario General y el Presidente discutieron las importantes amenazas que plantea el crimen organizado transnacional en la región.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: McConnell Urges Administration, Colleagues Not To Make Israel’s Job Harder

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding national security priorities:

    “In May, 2000, Israeli forces withdrew from southern Lebanon. But while the occupation ended, Hizballah’s appetite for waging war on Israel only grew. And its further deadly attacks on Israel invited the 2006 conflict.

    “The history of Israel’s fight to defend its northern border and innocent civilians against Hizballah terrorists bears eerie parallels to the story of brutal violence Hamas has perpetrated from Gaza.

    “Israel withdrew there in August, 2005. And by 2007, Iran-backed terrorists had bent the enclave to its all-consuming mission: war on Israel.

    “But the most glaring through-lines in Israel’s north and south are not the relentless bloodlust of terrorists. They’re the predictable delusion of Israel’s ‘friends’… And the shameful cowardice of international authorities that claim to stand for peace.

    “Take, for starters, how the Biden-Harris Administration chose to welcome the U.N. General Assembly by signaling its openness to resuming funding for UNRWA. And how it apparently still clings to the fiction that an organization so thoroughly corrupted by Hamas that nearly a dozen of its staff directly participated in the October 7th attacks is somehow reform-able.

    “But while the civilized world gathers in one place, the General Assembly might productively spend its time contemplating other pressing questions. For example:

    “Why hasn’t the U.N. Security Council managed to enforce resolutions 1559 and 1701 in Lebanon? These resolutions were passed to end and prevent further conflict between Israel and Lebanon by removing the threat Hizballah posed on Israel’s border, and to end the threat Hizballah posed to the state of Lebanon itself.

    “And why has the U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon allowed Hizballah to build up massive stockpiles on Israel’s border in clear preparation for war? Why has the UN looked the other way as Hizballah has expanded its corrosive influence over the institutions of Lebanon’s government?

    “But setting aside the failures of the so-called international community, this past weekend once again cast a spotlight on America’s own naivete toward the glaring facts of Iran-backed war on our friend, Israel.

    “In an interview that might rightly attract scrutiny for its host’s obfuscation of the facts on Israel’s latest responses to Hizballah terrorism, the White House national security communications advisor said out loud what the Biden-Harris Administration has been saying by its actions for nearly a year.

    “Quote: ‘We’ve been working since the beginning of this conflict, October 8th… to try to prevent an escalation…’

    “Think about it, Madam President. The only way to claim credit for working to ‘prevent an escalation’ is by pretending like Hizballah’s October 8th attacks – or Hamas’ October 7th massacre – weren’t actually escalations, themselves!

    “Unfortunately, the Administration official also seemed to suggest a moral equivalence between Israel and Hizballah. He suggested that ‘military action, by either side’ would not be ‘in either side’s best interest,’ and implied that an Israeli response would itself be escalation.

    “Second-guessing Israel’s interests.  Micromanaging their defensive efforts.  Blaming Israel for escalation when it’s clear Hamas and Hizballah have been the instigators of this conflict. It’s a tired playbook.

    “The Administration is telling the world that what America wants is a return to October 6th, as if the status quo ante was sustainable or peaceful. This, of course, is pure fantasy. Hamas broke a cease-fire on October 7th.

    “Or consider Hizballah’s history as the centerpiece of Iran’s ‘ring of fire’ around Israel:

    “Just since the 2006 conflict, Hizballah terrorists have imported tens of thousands of rockets to target Israel, deployed forces directly to Israel’s border, and constructed tunnels that would allow them to emulate Hamas’ October 7th invasion.

    “Recent estimates suggest the terrorists posses up to 200,000 rockets, missiles, drones, and precision-guided munitions, along with 25,000 active-duty militants. All of it is pointed south at Israel. And all of it, as Hizballah’s leader has boasted, is from Iran.

    “Or consider Lebanon itself. Hizballah is a cancer on the Lebanese state. It wields its power as a sectarian terror squad, and leaves a long trail of blood through the highest ranks of civilian government and civil society. Sunnis, Christians, Druze, and fellow Shiites – none are immune from Hizballah’s wrath.

    “Then again, National Public Radio refers to Hizballah as a ‘political’ group. Perhaps the Administration officials’ confusion is a symptom of their media diet. Or, more likely, the foundations of their foreign policy are fundamentally flawed:

    “Remember the declaration by the President’s national security advisor early last fall that the Middle East was ‘quieter than it has been for decades’.

    “The absurdity of this boast in light of October 7th is striking enough. But even when it was written, it betrayed the Administration’s naivete toward glaring and abiding threats to Israel and America’s national security interests in the region.

    “Iran’s agents in Syria and Iraq had already fired hundreds of rockets at American forces on this Administration’s watch. Since last October, these attacks have only metastasized, including into the Red Sea. Was this an acceptable status quo?

    “Was Hizballah’s steady preparation for war? Was Hamas’ expropriation of humanitarian assistance in order to build terror tunnels?

    “The United States ought to stand with our friend, Israel, as it faces these terrorists down. The goal should not be simply to avoid escalation or to return to the status quo ante, but to help Israel defend itself against terrorists bent on Israel’s destruction.

    “We have a stake in ensuring Israel emerges from this conflict stronger and these terrorist organizations and their Iranian patron weaker. These same terrorists want to expel the United States from the region. We are the Great Satan, in their own parlance.

    “Instead, by their misplaced obsession with escalation, the Administration and Washington Democrats are making Israel’s job harder.

    “If the President and Vice President want to see an end to war in Gaza and prevent greater hostilities in Lebanon, then it’s time to switch the focus of their diplomatic pressure.

    “Every time Administration officials try to tie Israel’s hands in public comments… And every time a U.S. Senator threatens to hold critical security assistance hostage… Hamas, Hizballah, and their patrons in Tehran are emboldened.

    “If our colleagues want peace, it’s time to show support for a nation founded on peace… And resolve toward terrorists whose reason for existence is chaos and violence.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher Invites Students in Texas’ Seventh Congressional District to Participate in 2024 Congressional App Challenge

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07)

    Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher Invites Students in Texas’ Seventh Congressional District to Participate in 2024 Congressional App Challenge

    Houston, TX, September 23, 2024

    Today, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) announced the launch of the 2024 Congressional App Challenge for Texas’ Seventh Congressional District.  The competition, which is open to middle school and high school students, encourages students to learn to code and inspires them to pursue careers in computer science.  

    “I am excited to launch this year’s Congressional App Challenge for students across our district and to provide them with an opportunity to demonstrate and develop their STEM skills,” said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher.  “I look forward to seeing the submissions from our talented young neighbors.”

    The Congressional App Challenge is open to middle school and high school students in Texas’ Seventh Congressional District.  The deadline to submit an app is October 24, 2024.  The winner for Texas’ Seventh Congressional District will be selected by a panel of judges from the district.  For more information about the competition, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Three cheers for Simon Court

    Source: ACT Party

    The Haps

    ACT MP Todd Stephenson has picked up the End of Life Choice baton. David Seymour’s original bill did not restrict access to people terminal within six months, but he would have had no bill without adding the restriction. That political compromise has meant some of the people who suffer most – especially those with long, slow, degenerative diseases like Motor Neurone Disease – are denied choice and control. Stephenson explains how his new bill would put this compromise right on Q&A, here.

    Three cheers for Simon Court

    The most important thing this Government does in three years may be what’s happening quietly in the background of resource management reform. Last week Court announced, beside Chris Bishop, that the Government is replacing the RMA with two laws based on property rights.

    If you’re a long-term Free Press reader, all of this will sound very familiar. The difference is that this time it is happening. It is now official Government policy with a series of dates by when legislation will be drafted, introduced to Parliament, and passed into law.

    At the heart of New Zealand’s problem is that it’s a beautiful, isolated piece of land. It has a mild climate that beats Canada’s skin-freezing cold or Australia’s blood-boiling heat any day. It’s filled with resources that make it one of the richest per-capita in the world. Climate change will probably actually make New Zealand even better off compared with the rest of the world.

    When a group of people have such a wonderful inheritance, they have two choices. Either make the most of it, or pull up the drawbridge.

    Making the most of it would mean making it easy for each generation to build a home. That would mean making it easy to build the infrastructure that connects homes together, forming towns and cities. It should be easy to farm the land, and extract resources that make human life long and happy (just not while they’re left in the ground).

    This seems like an obvious choice, but enter human nature. For the last few decades, the net result has been pulling up the drawbridge. You can’t do bloody anything, home building has only once reached the levels of the 1970s, when there were only three million people. There are probably more Kiwis working in Australian mines than New Zealand ones.

    The result is a generation who feel hopeless. Born into the best place on the planet where it’s needlessly hard to get a place of your own. Why not vote for a politician who promises to tax the rich? Better still, cut out the middle man, join a gang, and do it yourself. Then there’s those who leave.

    That is the result of the RMA. The simple diagnosis is that it’s a bureaucratic nightmare, but it’s more than that. It is the legislative expression of a people’s desire to enjoy what they have and bugger anyone else.

    The central concept in the RMA is sustainable development, to provide for current generations without taking from future ones. Because nobody knows what future generations want, or what technology they’ll have to achieve it, the best way to achieve this is to do as little as possible, which is pretty much what’s happened.

    Too many people have too many grounds to object to too many activities meaning nothing gets done. It’s not unusual for it to take longer to get permission to do something than to actually do it. The range of criteria Councils must consider under the RMA is everything from climate change (but you already pay under the ETS for whatever you do) to the ‘intrinsic values of ecosystems’ (how can you know them if they’re intrinsic)?

    David Parker’s RMA reforms, replacing it with three acts, introduced a new central concept ‘te oranga o te taiao.’ Nobody knows what that means in the context of resource management decisions. By the time the Courts figured it out, Indonesia would have overtaken us in GDP per capita.

    So that’s gone and the Resource Management Act is being replaced with a law whose central concept is the enjoyment of private property. The starting point is that you have a right to use and develop your own property. The second result is that you have a right to object only if your own property is affected.

    The result is a switch back to the pioneering vision of New Zealand. A nation of people who can instead of a nation of people who are not allowed.

    The law will also make many processes standard. If you have a water treatment plant that spits out water with less than x parts per million of E. Coli, congratulations. You’ve met the standard and can just build it.

    The Government will now listen to an expert advisory group, people with real experience of development, as the law itself is developed for introduction to Parliament. It will be passed before the next election, and New Zealand will have taken a massive step forward to achieving its potential.

    Much of this is owed to Simon Court, one of only two engineers in Parliament (David Seymour is the other one). Court has been working away since he entered Parliament, releasing ACT’s detailed RMA policy in 2022, and making it real in Government. A very good example of how ACT keeps the Government in place, and makes it better.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Collins’ Two Bills to Combat Alzheimer’s Head to President’s Desk

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins applauded the passage by the House of Representatives of two bipartisan bills she authored that would cement and build on the important progress that has been made to prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer’s disease. The National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA) Reauthorization and the Alzheimer’s Accountability and Investment Act (AAIA) now head to the President’s desk to be signed into law.
    “We have made tremendous progress in recent years to boost funding for Alzheimer’s research, which holds great promise to end this disease that has had a devastating effect on millions of Americans and their families,” said Senator Collins, a founder and co-chair of the Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease. “These two bills will maintain our momentum and make sure that we do not take our foot off the pedal just as our investments in basic research are beginning to translate into potential new treatments. We must not let Alzheimer’s to be one of the defining diseases of our children’s generation as it has ours.”
    More than six million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s costs our nation an astonishing $360 billion per year, including $231 billion in costs to Medicare and Medicaid. If we continue along this trajectory, Alzheimer’s is projected to claim the minds of 13.8 million seniors by 2060 and nearly surpass $1 trillion in annual costs by 2050. In 2022, family caregivers provided 18 billion hours of unpaid care for loved ones with dementia.
    In 2011, Senator Susan Collins authored the National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA) with then-Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN).  NAPA convened a panel of experts, who created a coordinated strategic national plan to prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer’s disease by 2025. The law is set to expire soon and must be reauthorized to ensure that research investments remain coordinated, and their impact is maximized.
    The NAPA Reauthorization Act would:
    Reauthorize NAPA through 2035 and modernize the legislation to reflect strides that have been made to understand the disease, such as including a new focus on promoting healthy aging and reducing risk factors.
    Update language in recognition of the need to include underserved populations, including individuals with Down syndrome, who are at increased risk for Alzheimer’s as they age.
    This bill is now endorsed by the National Down Syndrome Society, the National Down Syndrome Congress, and LuMind IDSC Foundation.
    The Alzheimer’s Accountability and Investment Act would:
    Continue through 2035 a requirement that the Director of the National Institutes of Health submit an annual budget to Congress estimating the funding necessary to fully implement NAPA’s research goals.
    Only two other areas of biomedical research – cancer and HIV/AIDS – have been the subject of special budget development aimed at speeding discovery.

    Senator Collins authored the NAPA Reauthorization Act with Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) and the Alzheimer’s Accountability and Investment Act with Senator Ed Markey (D-MA). Both bills are cosponsored by Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI).
    The NAPA Reauthorization Act and the Alzheimer’s Accountability and Investment Act are endorsed by the Alzheimer’s Association and UsAgainstAlzheimer’s.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 09.23.2024 Sen. Cruz Issues Statement on Israeli Military Strikes in Lebanon

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas Ted Cruz
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement:
    “Hezbollah exerts far-reaching control over Lebanon’s territory, governance, and infrastructure, and they have transformed vast regions of the country into a military terrorist base. They have stockpiled hundreds of thousands of rockets, missiles, precision munitions, and other weapons, which they have placed behind a vast network of human shields, including by placing uncountable ready-to-launch projectiles in civilian homes and buildings across the country. Hezbollah believes that the civilian casualties they generate through their use of human shields will trigger international pressure against and demonization of our Israeli allies, which has happened far too often, including the inexcusable complicity and participation of Biden-Harris officials. Since October, Iran has been using its terrorist groups across the Middle East, including Hamas and Hezbollah, to wage war against Israel. The Israeli government has the right and obligation to respond and protect the Israeli people, and it is imperative for that the Biden-Harris administration to reverse its policy of equivocating between Israel and Hezbollah, and for the United States to unequivocally stand with our Israeli allies as they respond to the attacks Iran has been waging through Hezbollah.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Brown Calls on U.S. Department of Agriculture to Allow Emergency Haying and Grazing for Ohio Farmers Experiencing Drought Conditions

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Ohio Sherrod Brown
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – With hay supplies being used three to four months earlier than expected, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) called on U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack to provide additional flexibility for Ohio farmers experiencing drought conditions to conduct emergency haying and grazing on Conservation Reserve Program enrolled land. Brown’s letter amplifies the concerns raised by Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Brian Baldridge, who wrote to Vilsack asking for these flexibilities for Ohio farmers.
    “I share Director Baldridge’s concern that most farmers experiencing intensifying drought conditions in Southern Ohio are not eligible for the existing USDA emergency haying and grazing allowance due to the fact that most CRP acres in Southeast Ohio are enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) and the State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) Program, ” wrote Brown.
    “As Ohio farmers work to withstand this historic drought, I ask that you grant ODA’s request and provide additional flexibilities to allow for emergency haying of CREP and SAFE acreage in Southeast Ohio,” Brown continued.
    Earlier this week, Brown hosted a news conference call with farmers and other leaders in Ohio agriculture to discuss the severe drought stretching across Southeast Ohio and share resources available to affected farmers. Ohio is currently experiencing the worst drought in the state in over a century. Last week, Brown also hosted a webinar in partnership with USDA’s Farm Service Agency to help connect farmers with federal resources related to the drought.
    “The Ohio Cattlemen’s Association (OCA) appreciates Senator Brown’s support of the state’s request for USDA to allow emergency haying of acreage enrolled in various conversation programs,” said OCA President Mark Goecke of Allen County. “Cattle families in Southern and Southeastern Ohio are struggling to manage through a drought of historical proportions. The expanding drought has negatively impacted pasture and forage conditions statewide, but these areas have been battling the lack of rainfall all summer. Hay cuttings were severely limited, and the ongoing drought has forced producers to already feed their winter hay supplies, resulting in a dire situation to provide the feed needed for their cattle.”
    The full letter is HERE or below. Director Baldridge’s letter is HERE.
    Dear Secretary Vilsack:
    I write to draw your attention to the attached letter from Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) Director Brian Baldridge, requesting U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) provide additional flexibility to conduct emergency haying of eligible Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres.
    I share Director Baldridge’s concern that most farmers experiencing intensifying drought conditions in Southern Ohio are not eligible for the existing USDA emergency haying and grazing allowance due to the fact that most CRP acres in Southeast Ohio are enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) and the State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) Program.
    As Ohio farmers work to withstand this historic drought, I ask that you grant ODA’s request and provide additional flexibilities to allow for emergency haying of CREP and SAFE acreage in Southeast Ohio.
    Thank you for your consideration; I ask that you please keep my office informed of any further action.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –