NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pfluger, Colleagues Sound the Alarm on Urgent Need for U.S. Drone Defenses

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11)

    WASHINGTON, DC — As first reported in Fox News, Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) joined 24 of his colleagues in a letter to U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem inquiring about the status of defense measures for U.S. military installations, government buildings, and critical infrastructure from the threat of drones. This letter follows a growing number of drone attacks launched by Israel and Ukraine to penetrate deep into Iranian and Russian territory, respectively. 

    In part, the members wrote, “Since 9/11, our nation has not suffered a major coordinated attack on our own soil. While the government has done good work in preventing an attack like 9/11 from happening again, we want to ensure that we are preparing for a new paradigm in which relatively cheap drones can quickly and effectively wipe out core military and government infrastructure.” 

    “While American threat projection globally is strong among all the branches of the military, we need to be prepared for a new paradigm of covert, but potentially disastrous, threats to our core military interests, including our nuclear triad in the homeland.”

    Other signers of the letter include U.S. Reps. Mike Carey (OH-15), Brian Babin (TX-36), Troy Balderson (OH-12), Aaron Bean (FL-04), Nicholas Begich (AK-AL), Sheri Biggs (SC-03), Ben Cline (VA-06), Michael Cloud (TX-27), Troy Downing (MT-02), Brad Finstad (MN-01), Mike Flood (NE-01), Harriet Hageman (WY-AL), Clay Higgins (LA-03), French Hill (AK.-02), Jim Jordan (OH-04), Dave Joyce (OH-14), Bob Latta (OH-05), John McGuire (VA-05), Max Miller (OH-07), Chip Roy (TX-21), Michael Rulli (OH-06), Adrian Smith (NE-03), Greg Steube (FL-17), and Beth Van Duyne (TX-24).

    In addition to this letter, Rep. Pfluger also introduced the COUNTER Act earlier this year to unleash the military on enemy drones in the U.S. 

    See the full letter HERE or read the full text below. 

    Dear Secretary Hegseth and Secretary Noem:

    We write to inquire with the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) about the current state of drone attack countermeasures for our military installations, government buildings, embassies, and consulates, both domestic and abroad. 

    The ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have demonstrated that large-scale, highly coordinated mass-drone attacks can be highly effective if the defender lacks adequate counter-drone defenses. 

    Since the beginning of the Russo-Ukraine war, drones have played a decisive role in deterring Russian armored and infantry assaults. With the relatively cheap cost to produce, maintain, and operate these systems, Ukraine can field drones to strike targets deep in occupied territories and Russian soil. The Russian Federation quickly adopted drone weaponry and surveillance equipment in response. 

    Drone technology has spread to other conflicts, including Israel’s confrontations with Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. On multiple occasions, Iran had used a tiered attack against Israel using drones alongside ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles.

    Ukraine’s Operation Spider’s Web and Israel’s Operation Rising Lion have demonstrated thedevastating threat of a large-scale drone attack upon military installations and critical infrastructure far beyond one’s own borders. These operations are complemented by deep infiltration operations among each country’s respective intelligence services. Not only that, but the cost asymmetry to produce and operate drones against the damage they can cause is incredibly valuable for this guerrilla tactic.

    With the former administration’s open border policies and most drones being purchased from DJI, a Chinese Communist Party drone company, it is becoming increasingly likely that we could see a similar attack upon our country that could threaten our service members and cripple our lethality if we are not prepared. 

    Since 9/11, our nation has not suffered a major coordinated attack on our own soil. While thegovernment has done good work in preventing an attack like 9/11 from happening again, we want to ensure that we are preparing for a new paradigm in which relatively cheap drones can quickly and effectively wipe out core military and government infrastructure.

    While American threat projection globally is strong among all the branches of the military, we need to be prepared for a new paradigm of covert, but potentially disastrous, threats to our core military interests, including our nuclear triad in the homeland.

    Following the successful U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan, it is imperative that we ensure the readiness and security of our military bases, critical infrastructure, and overseas diplomatic installations. A potential Iranian response could involve direct attacks here at home or abroad. We must take all necessary measures to safeguard our service members and defend our interests at this time.

    Any information you can provide in response to the following questions would be helpful:

    • What is the status of American countermeasures to deter and counter mass drone attacks against military installations, government facilities (including Washington D.C.), and critical infrastructure like roads, bridges, and manufacturing sites?
    • If defenses are currently inadequate to deter or repel drone attacks similar to those referenced above, what steps are being taken to address them, and what is the timeline for implementation?
    • Is the DOD or DHS aware of or actively working to deter potential threats posed by foreign-owned land near critical military and infrastructure sites in the United States that could be a launching point for a mass drone attack like we saw in Russia by Ukrainian forces?
    • Is there a concern of any sort of weaponized drone buildup already happening in theUnited States from drones that may have been smuggled in due to the former administration’s open border policies?
    • Will counter-drone technology be considered for President Trump’s Golden Dome air defense project?

    Thank you for your attention to this matter.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pfluger: A Spectacular Airstrike on Iran — and a Sobering Warning

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11)

    Pfluger: A Spectacular Airstrike on Iran — and a Sobering Warning

    Washington, June 27, 2025

    WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Congressman August Pfluger(TX-11)and retired U.S.Air Force Lt. General David Deptula penned an op-ed in The Hill outlining how the spectacular airstrike we witnessed last week that successfully destroyed Iran’s nuclear facilities should be a wake-up call if we are serious about preparing for sustained conflict with adversaries like China. In the op-ed, they argue that Congress must invest in U.S.Air Power because, to put it simply, we lack the depth to conduct this kind of operation repeatedly, or at scale.

    In the op-ed, the two wrote in part, “Today, America faces the greatest set of threats it has ever faced at the same time the Air Force is at its force-structure nadir. This is why Congress must significantly increase funding for Air Force modernization and expand end-strength if we are serious about preparing for sustained conflict against peer adversaries and countering the other threats we face. President Trump deserves credit for reversing the previous administration’s shortsighted cuts to the F-47 program —a vital next-generation capability. But more must follow.”

    You can read the full op-ed here or by clicking the image below.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General Appoints Carlos G. Ruiz Massieu of Mexico Special Representative for Haiti, Integrated Office Chief

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Carlos G. Ruiz Massieu of Mexico as his new Special Representative for Haiti and Head of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH).  He succeeds María Isabel Salvador of Ecuador, to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for her dedication and service.

    Mr. Ruiz Massieu brings to this position over 30 years of experience in public service and diplomacy, both in bilateral and multilateral contexts.  As Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Colombia since 2019, he led the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia, monitoring the implementation of the Peace Agreement between the Government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia–People’s Army (FARC-EP) guerrilla.  He provided good offices and political leadership in the recent peace dialogues of the Government of Colombia and the National Liberation Army, as well as with other illegal armed groups.  Prior to this assignment, he served as the Chairperson of the General Assembly’s Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions from 2013 to 2018.

    A distinguished career diplomat, Mr. Ruiz Massieu served in different positions in the Mexican Government prior to joining the United Nations, including at the Permanent Mission of Mexico to the United Nations.  Mr. Ruiz Massieu is a graduate in law from the Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico City, and holds a Master of Arts in politics from the University of Essex in the United Kingdom, with a focus on Latin America.  In addition to Spanish, he speaks English and French.

    __________

    * This supersedes Press Release SG/A/1844-BIO/5164 of 10 December 2018.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: SIRT Investigating Officer Involved Shooting on Flying Dust First Nation

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on July 3, 2025

    On Sunday June 29, 2025 at approximately 5:53 p.m., the Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) received a notification from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) regarding an officer-involved shooting that had just taken place on the Flying Dust First Nation. 

    SIRT’s Civilian Executive Director accepted the notification as within SIRT’s mandate and directed an investigation by SIRT.

    On June 29 at approximately 5:08 p.m., Meadow Lake RCMP received a call from a female youth reporting that a family member was intoxicated and aggressive within a residence on the Flying Dust First Nation. Two RCMP members operating separate vehicles responded and arrived at the residence at approximately 5:19 p.m. Almost immediately after arrival, the members were confronted outside of the residence by the subject of the call, a 39-year-old man, who advanced toward the members while holding a knife in each hand. The responding members issued verbal commands for the man to drop the weapon, but he continued to advance and at approximately 5:20 p.m., one of the RCMP members discharged two rounds from his service pistol, striking the man in the torso and causing him to fall to the ground. 

    RCMP members provided first aid to the man and contacted EMS, who responded to the scene and transported the man to hospital. The man was subsequently transported to hospital in Saskatoon by STARS Air Ambulance and remains in hospital in Saskatoon. 

    Following the notification, a SIRT team consisting of the Civilian Executive Director and six SIRT investigators was deployed to the Meadow Lake RCMP Detachment and the incident scene on the Flying Dust First Nation to begin their investigation. A community liaison will also be appointed pursuant to S.91.12 (1) (a) of The Police Act, 1990. Two knives were recovered from the ground at the scene of the incident and have been secured as exhibits for both the SIRT and RCMP investigations. 

    SIRT’s investigation will examine the conduct of police during this incident, including the circumstances surrounding the man’s arrest. The RCMP will maintain responsibility for the investigation of the original call for service as well as the man’s actions during the incident. No further information will be released at this time. A final report will be issued to the public within 90 days of the investigation ending.

    SIRT’s mandate is to investigate alleged cases of serious injury, death, sexual assault or interpersonal violence arising from the actions or omissions of on and off-duty police officers, or while an individual is in police custody.

    For updates on SIRT investigations, follow SIRT on X, formerly known as Twitter, at https://twitter.com/SIRT_SK.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Norcross Votes ‘NO’ on Trump’s Big Ugly Bill to Rip Healthcare and Food Assistance Away from Americans

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

    WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congressman Donald Norcross (D-NJ) voted against President Donald Trump’s Big Ugly Bill, which would result in the largest cuts to healthcare and food assistance in American history.  

    “I voted an emphatic ‘NO’ on President Trump’s Big Ugly Bill to rip healthcare and food assistance away from millions of seniors, veterans, and working families,” said Congressman Donald Norcross. “This bill marks the largest cuts to healthcare and food assistance in American history, and people will die as a result of this catastrophic legislation. Seventeen million Americans stand to lose their health insurance, 42 million could lose their food benefits, and countless Americans will lose their jobs. In America, we’re supposed to stand up for one another, not kick people when they’re down. This bill is a betrayal of our most fundamental values: freedom, compassion, and basic human decency.” 

    The Big Ugly Bill Breakdown: 

    • Provides more than $5 trillion in tax breaks, which will primarily benefit billionaires.  
    • Guts Medicaid, Medicare, and the Affordable Care Act by more than $1 Trillion. 
      • 17 million Americans will lose their health insurance. 
      • Threatens the closure of more than 300 rural hospitals and more than 500 nursing homes. 
    • Triggers $535 billion in Medicare cuts through a process known as sequestration, which occurs when trillions of dollars are added to the deficit. The process would require hundreds of billions in automatic payment cuts to Medicare providers, threatening patient access to care. 
    • Allows states to impose 90-day lockout periods on kids who get their healthcare through the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)—subjecting them to arbitrary periods where they are uninsured. 
    • Cuts SNAP by 20 percent, while forcing states to cover more of SNAP’s cost 
      • 42 million Americans risk having their food assistance taken away or reduced. 
    • Raises Americans’ utility bills and eliminates good-paying jobs by gutting energy tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). 
    • Increases the deficit by $3.4 trillion. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kelly votes for One Big Beautiful Bill, supports tax cuts for small businesses & hardworking Pennsylvanians

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA), Chairman of the Ways & Means Subcommittee on Tax, voted in favor of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a package of legislation that provides tax cuts, cuts spending, secures the border, expands American energy production, and more.

    “On November 5th, the American people made it clear – they voted for President Donald J. Trump by an overwhelming majority. The President campaigned on many policies in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, from tax cuts to securing our border to unleashing American energy. Today, the House of Representatives delivered on that promise,” said Rep. Kelly. “From employers to employees, from children to seniors, this legislation provides historic investments in Western Pennsylvania and the United States, both for today and for generations to come.”

    BACKGROUND

    The One Big Beautiful Bill Act Supports Workers & Small Businesses

    • Makes the 2017 Trump tax cuts permanent – protecting the average taxpayer from a 22 percent tax hike.
    • Eliminates tax on tips and eliminates tax on overtime for hourly workers
    • Strengthens our local manufacturers by preserving over 12,000 industry jobs in Pennsylvania’s 16th Congressional District, home to one of the highest concentrations of small manufacturers in the country, according to the National Association of Manufacturers.
    • Small businesses will also find an update to Section 199A, a critical boost to the qualified business income deduction.

    The One Big Beautiful Bill Act Supports Pennsylvania Families

    • Delivers a family of four an additional $1,228 tax cut annually for families in Pennsylvania’s 16th Congressional District.
    • Provides tax relief for seniors on Social Security by raising the standard deduction.
    • Creates new “Trump Accounts,” a $1,000 investment account for every child born over the next four years. The fund grows tax-free until the child reaches adulthood.
    • Expands Child Tax Credit, allowing parents to save more money. Without the One Big Beautiful Bill, that credit would have been cut in half.

    The One Big Beautiful Bill Act Supports Pennsylvania Communities

    • Makes permanent and expands Rep. Kelly’s Opportunity Zones (OZ) legislation, which encourages private investment in low-income communities. To date, more than $115 million in private-dollar investment to work in the downtown Erie with OZs spurring more than $400 million of long-term capital investment at work.
    • Makes permanent and increases the doubled Death Tax Exemption for 2 million family-owned farms.
    • Strengthens the Medicaid program by creating common sense work requirements and necessary oversight to ensure taxpayer dollars are properly allocated.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Brian Babin Votes YES on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Brian Babin (R-TX)

    Today, U.S. Congressman Brian Babin (TX-36) voted in favor of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, landmark legislation that advances President Trump’s America First agenda, delivers historic economic relief to American families, and puts an end to some of Washington’s most reckless and radical policies.

    The legislation stops taxpayer funding of the abortion industry, prevents the largest tax hike in American history, and shields small businesses from the crushing weight of federal overreach. It unleashes domestic energy production, restores law and order at the southern border, and reins in out-of-control government spending.

    “This bill puts America First in every sense,” said Rep. Babin. “It means bigger paychecks, lower taxes, secure borders, and strong national defense. It ends the Biden-era madness and delivers exactly what the American people have been asking for — common sense and accountability. With this vote, we’re protecting our children, defending our sovereignty, and restoring the American Dream for working families. I was proud to cast my vote for this historic bill, and I look forward to seeing it signed into law by President Trump.”

    Key provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act include:

    · Delivering the largest tax cut in U.S. history for middle- and working-class Americans

    · Eliminating taxes on tips, overtime, and tax breaks for seniors

    · Stopping taxpayer funding of the abortion industry

    · Unleashing domestic oil, gas, and nuclear energy

    · Permanently funding mass deportations and codifying Trump’s border security policies

    · Hiring 10,000 ICE agents, 5,000 Customs officers, and 3,000 Border Patrol agents

    · Restoring fiscal sanity and slashing the deficit by $2 trillion

    · Funding for the Golden Dome Missile Defense System to confront 21st-century threats

    · Modernizing our air traffic control system

    · Banning taxpayer-funded sex changes for minors

    This is a defining moment for our country — a bill that keeps our promises, secures our future, and puts American families back in control.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Carter celebrates passage of One Big, Beautiful Bill Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Earl L Buddy Carter (GA-01)

    Headline: Carter celebrates passage of One Big, Beautiful Bill Act

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: AFSCME’s Saunders: We will hold every elected official accountable who voted to betray working families

    Source: American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Union

    WASHINGTON – AFSCME President Lee Saunders released the following statement after Congress passed the budget reconciliation bill, which massively defunds public services and devastates communities nationwide to give billionaires tax cuts:

    “The passage of this bill is a betrayal of working families nationwide. It is a slap in the face to nurses, care providers, school bus drivers, special needs educators and other public service workers who have dedicated their lives to serving our communities. To satisfy the greed of their mega-donors, anti-worker elected officials voted to rob working families of their health care and life-sustaining public services to hand over trillions in tax cuts to the richest people on earth.

    “Because of this bill, children will go hungry. Seniors will lose access to long-term care. 17 million people, including veterans and their families, will lose their health care. People will die from preventable causes, and hundreds of thousands of workers will lose their jobs.

    “Let’s be clear: this debt-exploding budget will wreak havoc. States, cities, towns and schools will face a fiscal crisis due to these extreme cuts, putting all public services on the chopping block. Hospitals and nursing homes will close, depriving entire communities of care, especially in rural areas. The price of health care for workers with employer coverage will rise by nearly $2,000 annually for families. Cuts to clean energy investments will kill good union jobs and raise energy bills. During a time of rising costs, this budget doesn’t just fail the middle class; it pushes families out of it, trapping millions in cycles of poverty.

    “We will not sit back while Congress sells our futures to billionaires. Income inequality has continued to skyrocket. CEOs are paid nearly 300 times what the average worker is paid, and billionaires’ wealth is already growing exponentially. To unrig the system and build a country that rewards work over wealth, working people will keep organizing. We will organize to defend our jobs, our dignity and our safety at work. We will organize to protect our retirement and Social Security. And we will organize to hold every elected official accountable who voted to betray working families and hurt our communities.

    “We face tough times ahead, but when working people stand together, we have the power to reclaim what was stolen and build a better future for our families.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: John James Issues Statement Following Passage of One Big Beautiful Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John James (Michigan 10th District)

    John James Issues Statement Following Passage of One Big Beautiful Bill

    WASHINGTON, D.C., July 3, 2025

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman John James (MI-10) issued the following statement after voting in support of H.R.1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act:

    “Today I voted yes on the One Big Beautiful Bill — because it delivers on the promises President Trump and Republicans made in 2024.

    We’re cutting taxes on tips and overtime, protecting Social Security, rebuilding American manufacturing, and putting an end to handouts for illegal immigrants and able-bodied adults who won’t work.

    This bill secures our border, strengthens our economy, and keeps our word to the American people. It’s simple: America first. Always.”
                                                                                                              ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Alford Celebrates Passage of the One Big, Beautiful Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mark Alford (Missouri 4th District)

    Alford Celebrates Passage of the One Big, Beautiful Bill

    H.R. 1 now heads to President Trump’s desk to be signed into law.

    Washington, July 3, 2025

    Today, Congressman Mark Alford (MO-04) issued the following statement after House Republicans passed H.R. 1, the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act. The legislation now goes to President Trump to be signed into law.

    Watch Congressman Alford’s remarks on the House floor here or by clicking the image above.

    “In a watershed moment for the American people, Republicans’ One Big, Beautiful Bill is headed to President Trump’s desk,” said Congressman Alford. “This critical legislation delivers on our mandate from the by enacting the America First agenda. H.R. 1 includes the largest tax cut for middle- and working-class Americans in history, an historic investment in border security, and provisions to unleash domestic oil, natural gas, and nuclear energy production. In a strong step toward restoring fiscal sanity, we’re cutting almost $2 trillion in federal spending, rescinding billions in Green New Scam funding, and eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse from numerous federal programs. I was proud to support this legislation on the House floor.”

    Background:

    H.R. 1, the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act:

    • Will lead to a $5,200-9,900 wage increase for the average Missouri worker and a $6,900-11,600 increase in take home pay for average family of four in Missouri.
    • Stops the largest tax increase in American history, while providing the largest tax cut for working and middle-class families ever with no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, and tax breaks for seniors.
    • Includes and average 15% tax cut for Americans earning $15,000-$80,000 annually.
    • Protects the 87,000 Missouri farms and countless family-owned small businesses by expanding the death tax exemption.
    • Keeps American small businesses competitive by boosting the 199A small business deduction and making it permanent.
    • Reverses four years of Biden’s open border policies with a generational investment in border security, including funding to complete phase two of the border wall.
    • Modernizes our armed forces for 21st-century threats by properly preparing our military and funding the Golden Dome.
    • Ends the progressive left’s war on American energy by unleashing domestic oil, natural gas, and nuclear energy production—lowering energy costs, ensuring reliable and stable energy sources, and renewing energy dominance.
    • Restores fiscal sanity by cutting almost 2 trillion in federal spending, rescinding billions in Green New Scam funding, and eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse from numerous federal programs.
    • Strengthens Medicaid with work requirements for able bodied adults with no dependents, strengthened protections against illegal immigrants receiving benefits—preserving the program for those it was created to help.
    • Reforms SNAP to reinforce work requirements, restore program integrity, and institute long-overdue accountability incentives to control costs and end administrative overreach.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: McClellan on Final Passage of Republicans’ Big Ugly Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (Virginia 4th District)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (VA-04) issued the following statement after House passage of the Senate-amended budget plan:

    “Today, House Republicans passed a cruel and immoral tax and budget scheme that prioritizes billionaires over working people and puts the health, safety, and economic security of Virginians at risk. Their “One Big Ugly Bill” to enact President Trump’s agenda is not just unpopular — it’s one of the largest transfers of wealth from the poor and middle class to the ultra-rich in U.S. history, with the bottom-earning 80 percent of Americans paying for tax cuts for the wealthiest few.

    “This bill rips health insurance away from nearly 17 million people, including hundreds of thousands of Virginians, and slashes federal support for Medicaid, forcing Virginians to foot the bill while getting less.

    “Moreover, by shifting more Medicaid and SNAP costs to the states, this bill will force the Virginia General Assembly to make the impossible choice of raising taxes or cutting essential services.

    “Every Virginian will feel the impact — through shuttered hospitals, overcrowded emergency rooms, and rising health care costs across the board.

    “This legislation does the exact opposite of what Americans voted for last November, and I was proud to vote no on this harmful and heartless legislation.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Becca Balint on Passage of Devastating Republican Tax and Spending Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Becca Balint (VT-AL)

    Washington, D.C. – Rep. Becca Balint (VT-AL) released the following statement on the passage of the Republican tax and spending bill that guts Medicaid, food assistance and other critical programs that Americans rely on. The Republican budget includes over $800 billion in cuts that will decimate Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. These cuts put rural hospitals at risk of immediate closure. It will kick nearly 17 million Americans off their health insurance and throw at least 4 million people off food assistance, all to bankroll tax breaks for billionaires and massive corporations. All Democrats voted no.

    “This Republican budget is far and away the cruelest piece of legislation I’ve seen in my career. It’s an utter moral failure,” saidRep. Becca Balint. “This bill will leave people without food, without healthcare, without options to keep their families afloat. That’s the painful reality of this bill. It comes after the poorest among us to give to the richest, while Americans are already struggling to put food on the table, afford medications, and pay rent in an economy rigged against working people.” 

    “I’m horrified to see the Republican party almost unanimously support propping up billionaires at the expense of their own communities. It’s sickening and speaks to their vision for America. But I’m not giving up hope. It’s going to take all of us fighting together to work to reverse some of the worst policies passed today.”

    Republicans’ reckless tax and spending bill will:

    • Add over $3.9 trillion to the national debt, a $1 trillion increase over the House-passed bill.
    • Kick nearly 20 million people off their health insurance and increase health care insurance costs for everyone.
      • Medicaid is the largest single-payer of maternity care in the United States, covering an estimated 40% of births. One in five women, and nearly half the country’s children, are covered by Medicaid. 
    • Defund Planned Parenthood. The bill prohibits health clinics from accepting Medicaid funds for family planning and reproductive health care services if they provide abortions. The destruction of Planned Parenthood’s critical family planning and reproductive health care clinics will cost taxpayers $52 million, according to the Congressional Budget Office, and close 200 clinics. 
    • Cut to nutritional assistance jeopardizing SNAP for 40 million people including 16 million children, 8 million seniors, 4 million people with disabilities and 1.2 million veterans.   
      • Block future increases to the Thrifty Food Plan, which determines SNAP benefits.
    • Increases household energy costs by an average of $400 and will lead to millions of jobs lost and $197 billion in lost wages.
    • Cut clean energy incentives and add a tax to wind and solar energy. 
    • Spend more than $150 billion in funding for Trump’s cruel immigration enforcement agenda which breaks down our legal immigration system, deports people without due process and has turned its back on asylum seekers and refugees.

    Rep. Becca Balint is a member of the House Budget Committee. Throughout the budget process, Rep. Balint has offered amendments to protect Social Security and reduce health insurance costs. Her amendments to prevent the House of Representatives from considering legislation that would cut Social Security benefits, increase the retirement age, or privatize Social Security were all rejected by Republicans in the House Budget and Rules Committees. This week, Rep. Balint filed amendments to: 

    • Prohibit funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain individuals on the basis of their protected speech, 
    • Stop cuts to Medicaid funding that would close rural hospitals and community health centers,
    • Increase funding for the Rural Hospital Transformation Program to $100 billion to keep hospital doors open,  
    • Remove red tape and protect access to care for individuals seeking substance use treatment or mental health care. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Mrvan Statement on Republican Majority Reconciliation Legislation

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank J. Mrvan (IN)

    Washington, DC – Today, Rep. Frank J. Mrvan issued the statement below following the House approval of the Republican Majority Reconciliation Legislation.  As the Senate has already approved this legislation, it is expected to be signed into law shortly by President Trump.

    “This so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill” may seem beautiful to the boardrooms of major corporations and to the most wealthy billionaires, but to the teacher in East Chicago, the nurse in Gary, the steelworker in Portage, or the farmer in LaPorte County, it will create uncertainty and actually increase the cost of living.  

    “I opposed this measure because I cannot in good conscience leave people behind.  The Republican Majority made a decision to prioritize their elite donors and corporations, and now our seniors, veterans, hard-working Americans, women, children and those yet to be born will pay with increased costs and possibly their lives.

    “It is wrong that the Republican Majority failed to address the legitimate concerns raised by some within their own ranks, and resorted to coercion, bribery with personal gifts, and empty promises to meet an artificial deadline.

    “I won’t back down when it comes to protecting access to healthcare, feeding the hungry, and creating more opportunities for work and wealth for everyone.”

    Please click here to see Congressman Mrvan’s video statement from yesterday on this legislation.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Sara Jacobs Votes Against Trump’s Budget that Strips Health Care, Food Assistance Away From Millions of People

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (D-CA-53)

    July 03, 2025

    Rep. Sara Jacobs (CA-51) voted against Republicans’ budget that cuts health care, food assistance, education, and consumer protection in order to pay for tax breaks for the ultra-rich and corporations. The bill now heads to President Trump’s desk for his signature.

    Rep. Sara Jacobs said: “The consequences of this bill will reverberate for generations, widening the chasm between our country’s two social classes: the rich and powerful, and everyone else. It will kick 17 million people off their health insurance and close rural hospitals, nursing homes, and health clinics. It will take away health care from 5-year-old Delilah and 2-year-old Cesar, whom I met earlier this year and who rely on Medi-cal to navigate and pay for their many health conditions. This bill will force the biggest cut ever to SNAP – our country’s biggest and best program to address food insecurity – when the San Diego Food Bank already serves 400,000 San Diegans every single month. And it would leave four million children without access to nutrition assistance and 18 million kids at risk of losing their free and reduced-price school lunches. Meanwhile, this bill would explode our deficit and reward the richest Americans and the biggest corporations that don’t need any government help.

    “I fundamentally believe that government can be a force for good and make people’s lives better, but this bill represents government at its worst. It cements inequality by eliminating the few levers that people have to escape and stay out of poverty. It saddles future generations with enormous debt and a sicker and hungrier workforce. And it further erodes the American people’s trust in government, paving the way for further authoritarian power-grabs. I know that people are feeling lost and demoralized right now, but there are still people in Congress – including me – fighting for you.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Fitzgerald Statement on the Passage of the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1 – One Big Beautiful Bill Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05) issued the following statement in response to the passage of the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1 – One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

    “Just in time for the Fourth of July, we’re sending the final version of the One Big Beautiful Bill to President Trump’s desk and delivering on the conservative agenda we promised the American people.

    “This bill is a major win for working families. It delivers historic tax relief by boosting take-home pay, making the Trump Tax Cuts permanent, giving seniors eligible for Social Security tax relief, increasing the child tax credit, and protecting family farms from the death tax. By eliminating taxes on tips and overtime, it also ensures workers keep more of what they earn.

    “It also restores integrity to Medicaid by ending fraud and abuse—protecting benefits for the most vulnerable. It also fully funds President Trump’s border wall and increases staffing for ICE and Border Patrol. This helps restore law and order at our southern border and keeps our communities safe.

    “From putting more money in the pockets of hard-working Americans to making our national security a top priority, this legislation puts the needs of Americans first. I’m proud to have supported it from the start and look forward to President Trump signing it into law.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Garbarino Issues Statement on Final Passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Andrew Garbarino (R-NY)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Andrew Garbarino (R‑NY‑02) issued the following statement after the House passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act by a vote of 218–214, advancing the legislation to the President’s desk for his signature:

    “The One Big Beautiful Bill will provide much needed tax relief, safeguard essential programs, and strengthen our national security.

    “For nearly a decade, middle-class New Yorkers have borne the brunt of unfair double taxation. When Democrats had full control of Washington they failed to deliver a single dollar of SALT relief. After a hard-fought battle and months of negotiations, I’m proud to say that Republicans have quadrupled the SALT deduction cap to $40,000. This compromise will allow the vast majority of my constituents to deduct the full amount of their state and local taxes and provide much needed financial relief to hardworking Americans.

    “This bill also holds the line against higher taxes for working families by permanently locking in the 2017 tax cuts. It delivers on promises to address tax on tips, overtime pay, and car loan interest. It lifts up small businesses and strengthens SNAP and Medicaid to ensure these programs remain sustainable for generations to come and focused squarely on serving the vulnerable populations they were designed to help. Despite false claims to the contrary, this bill does not cut Medicaid benefits for pregnant women, children, seniors, people with disabilities, or low-income families. These targeted reforms are designed to protect benefits for those who truly need them while eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse that threaten the program long term.

    “At the same time, I remain concerned about the potential impact on New York State’s Essential Plan, but I am actively pursuing a fix that would ensure our state is not harmed by these provisions in the coming year. Continued access to affordable quality health care is a top priority.

    “Just as access to care must be protected, so too must the long-term stability of our energy supply. The future of American energy independence hinges on an all-of-the-above energy strategy. While some wanted a full repeal of key clean energy provisions, we fought back and secured language that will help preserve jobs, keep critical energy projects moving forward, and work to ensure American families and businesses have reliable access to power without the threat of blackouts or brownouts. This approach lays the groundwork to expand manufacturing and promote the development of AI and data centers across the United States. We didn’t get everything we wanted, but we got what we needed to make progress, and there will be more legislation to come that builds on these victories and addresses the remaining challenges.

    “In addition to domestic policy reforms, we are making a landmark investment in border security, public safety, and national defense at a time of escalating threats from hostile nation-states, transnational criminal groups, and terrorist actors targeting the United States. With the passage of this bill, Congress is delivering new resources and personnel to the border, building the wall, and modernizing our military to meet the challenges of today.

    “Lastly but importantly, this bill raises the debt ceiling to prevent default and protect the full faith and credit of the United States. Avoiding default is essential to maintaining economic stability, safeguarding retirement accounts, and ensuring continued support for our military and core government functions.

    “While not perfect, this bill includes real wins for Long Island and for the American people. I was proud to cast my ‘Yes’ vote to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill and send this critical legislation to the President’s desk.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Malliotakis Celebrates Passage of the Big Beautiful Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11)

    (WASHINGTON, DC) – Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis released the following statement after the final passage of the Big Beautiful Bill.

    “Today is a historic day for Staten Islanders, Brooklynites, and families across the nation who have been calling for meaningful tax relief. Our Big Beautiful Bill puts America first by strengthening our borders and military, and delivering tax relief for American workers, middle-class families, and senior citizens. We’re not only making President Trump’s 2017 tax cuts permanent but also ensuring 88% of senior citizens will no longer pay federal taxes on their Social Security income, as well as quadrupling the SALT deduction, to benefit 98% of taxpayers in our district. The legislation also raises the standard deduction, eliminates taxes on tips for service workers, provides relief for small businesses, and expands the Child Tax Credit all to ensure hardworking Americans keep more of their hard-earned money.

    We also save taxpayers $2 trillion by cutting waste and rooting out fraud and abuse throughout government. We fully protect the seniors, disabled, children, pregnant women, and those below the federal poverty level who rely on Medicaid, but take action to eliminate ineligible fraudsters and illegal immigrants from the rolls, and implement reasonable part time work requirements for able-bodied adults – all provisions supported by the vast majority of Americans.

     

    We also strengthen our national security by investing in our military, funding border barriers, hiring more law enforcement, and revitalizing our domestic energy production.

     

    Not passing this bill would have jeopardized all these America-First policies and led to a crushing $4 trillion tax increase on American families and businesses with New Yorkers seeing an average 22% tax hike.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Pat Fallon Statement on Passage of the Big Beautiful Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Pat Fallon (TX-04)

    Congressman Pat Fallon Statement on Passage of the Big Beautiful Bill

    Washington, July 3, 2025

    WASHINGTON, DC — On the final passage of the Big Beautiful Bill, Representative Pat Fallon (TX-04) commented: 

    “I’m proud to vote to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill today and advance the America First agenda that the American people chose last November. By extending President Trump’s 2017 tax cuts for working families and businesses, the American economy now has the increased certainty it needs to continue to grow.”

    Rep. Fallon continued, “With the bill’s dramatic increase in funding for Border Patrol and ICE, federal law enforcement now has the resources needed to fully secure our borders and continue to deport criminal illegal aliens. And with the bill’s huge investment in national defense, we can better deter China in the Indo-Pacific, restore our domestic defense industrial base, and move forward with President Trump’s Golden Dome missile defense plan. These are all tremendous wins for hardworking Americans, our military, and US national security.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: July 03, 2025 Rep. Mullin Votes No on Big Ugly Budget – Responds to Republicans Making Largest Cuts to Medicaid in History I am utterly disgusted that House Republicans chose to bend a knee to Trump instead of voting in their constituents’ best interests. They are stripping health care from the sick, taking food off the plates of children, and saddling future… Read More

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Kevin Mullin California (15th District)

    I am utterly disgusted that House Republicans chose to bend a knee to Trump instead of voting in their constituents’ best interests. They are stripping health care from the sick, taking food off the plates of children, and saddling future generations with trillions of dollars in debt. All of this just so Trump can give tax breaks to billionaires.

    Republicans better be ready to look their constituents in the eye and explain to them why they voted to strip health care from 17 million people. If you or someone you know lives in a Republican district, tell them to call their members and demand an explanation. Demand they host town halls. Demand they stand up for the everyday Americans they represent.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Nadler Statement on Opposing Trump’s “Big Ugly Bill” and Its Cruel Betrayal of New Yorkers

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jerrold Nadler (10th District of New York)

    WASHINGTON, DC — This afternoon, after Republicans tried to hide the cruelty of their agenda by debating the bill in the dead of night, I proudly cast my vote against Donald Trump’s Big Ugly Bill—because no one should be forced to lose health care, go hungry, or see their child priced out of college in order to fund permanent tax cuts for Republican donors and the ultra-wealthy.

    This bill is a historic betrayal of working Americans. It delivers the largest transfer of wealth from low-income families to the ultra-rich in our nation’s history, slashing incomes for the bottom sixty percent of earners while adding $4 trillion to the deficit, the largest increase ever passed by Congress. Republicans claim this was their only chance to extend tax cuts for the middle class. That’s false. They could have done it without gutting health care and food aid, and without adding to the deficit, if they had the courage to ask billionaires to pay their fair share.

    It strips health care from over 17 million people, including 1.5 million New Yorkers, as part of $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts nationwide. In New York alone, hospitals are projected to lose over $8 billion in funding, forcing closures, service reductions, and the elimination of programs for children, seniors, and people with chronic illnesses. Nursing homes and community health centers face similar threats. The bill also attacks reproductive freedom by blocking Medicaid patients from accessing care at Planned Parenthood health centers, cutting off cancer screenings, contraception, STI testing, and preventive care for millions who have nowhere else to turn. It also functions as a backdoor abortion ban, threatening to shut down one in four abortion providers nationwide. By some estimates, it could also result in more than $500 billion in cuts to Medicare.

    It slashes $2.1 billion a year from New York State and local governments by shifting SNAP costs onto them, gutting food aid for 300,000 households across our state. Families already struggling to afford groceries will see their benefits cut by an average of $220 per month, slashing support to less than $5 per day. One in seven New Yorkers relies on SNAP. And by stripping that funding, the bill threatens access to free and reduced-price school meals, forcing more children to learn on an empty stomach.

    It doesn’t stop there. The bill ends Pell Grants for 1.4 million students, eliminates income-driven repayment, and caps student borrowing, effectively slamming the door on higher education for students who can’t pay upfront. Medicaid cuts will also force states to raid education budgets just to keep health systems afloat. Campuses will close. Students will drop out. Our country needs more nurses, teachers, and engineers, not fewer. But this bill will shrink our skilled workforce and leave the U.S. less competitive in the global economy.

    It also decimates our clean energy economy, tearing up solar and wind projects, repealing tax credits, and eliminating key climate protections. It hands public lands back to Big Oil and halts progress toward energy independence. Experts warn it could cost 840,000 clean energy jobs in just five years. And families will pay the price. In New York alone, household energy bills will rise by $1.3 billion annually by 2030, $2.5 billion by 2035, and $12 billion over the life of the bill.

    Meanwhile, Republicans are spending $170 billion to ramp up family detention, mass deportations, and border militarization, giving ICE a bigger budget than the entire Canadian military. It’s unconscionable to spend billions expanding ICE’s surveillance and detention machine while slashing school lunches for children and ripping Medicaid away from cancer patients.

    Even the few crumbs Republicans offered to working families, like temporary SALT relief and short-term tax breaks on tips and overtime, expire after just four years. Yet the tax cuts for billionaires are permanent. Republicans continue to tout these short-term provisions as evidence they’re helping the middle class, but every so-called benefit for working Americans disappears quickly, while every giveaway to the ultra-wealthy is forever. And here’s the kicker: if Republicans had done nothing at all, the SALT cap would have expired this December. Instead, they passed a bill that leaves New Yorkers worse off.

    For months, I’ve been fighting this bill and listening to New Yorkers and people across the country who will suffer because of it. And behind these numbers are real lives. Patricia, 83 years old, lives in poverty in New York and relies on Medicaid just to get to her doctor. She told me, “I have no transportation other than help from Medicaid. I also live on only my Social Security and SNAP. If I lose this precious help, I will be homeless and surely die.” That’s the real cost of these cuts. I think of the father who told me he may have to sell his house to afford chemo for his child. I think of the senior who rationed insulin last winter to keep the heat on. This awful bill makes the rich richer and leaves everyone else behind.

    And to my Republican colleagues: come November 2026, you’ll have to answer for this vote. You’ll have to explain to the families who lost their health care, to the parents who lost child care, and to the students who lost their futures why you turned your backs when they needed you most. Because when hospitals close, when grocery bills spike, when classrooms empty and jobs disappear, your constituents will remember exactly who was responsible.

    I voted no because I came to Congress to fight for the people I serve, not to sell them out to further enrich the ultra-wealthy. And I will do everything in my power to shield New Yorkers from the harm this bill threatens to unleash, from pushing back against these cuts to working with local leaders to protect access to health care, food, education, and opportunity. New Yorkers deserve better. The American people deserve better. And I will never stop fighting to deliver for them.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Republican Megabill Betrays American Families

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (1st District of Washington)

    Republican Megabill Betrays American Families

    Bill raises health care, food, energy costs while increasing debt by $4 trillion

    Washington, D.C., July 3, 2025

    Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) released the following statement after voting against the Republican budget legislation.

    “Republicans made one fundamental promise to Americans – they would lower costs, and this big, ugly bill is the ultimate betrayal of that promise. It will make America more expensive by taking away health coverage, increasing hunger, and raising energy bills for millions of households. Lives and livelihoods will be put at risk because of the dangerous health care cuts in this legislation. The most outrageous and immoral part is that this is all so billionaires and large corporations can get yet another massive tax break.

    “It is clear who Republicans stand with, and it is not working families. Republicans know full well the consequences of this bill, but at every opportunity to show courage and stand up for their constituents, they always fall in line behind Donald Trump.”

    Impacts of Legislation

    • Medicaid and ACA Coverage: Nearly 17 million Americans would lose Medicaid and Affordable Care Act marketplace health coverage, including nearly 330,000 Washingtonians.
    • Medicare: Triggers over $500 billion in automatic Medicare cuts due to the huge cost of the bill.
    • Abortion: Prohibits funding for plans that cover abortion services on ACA health marketplaces, including state-based exchanges like the Washington Health Benefits Exchange. The bill also prohibits Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid funding, further limiting access to health services like cancer screenings and annual physicals.
    • Food Assistance: $300 billion would be cut from food assistance programs, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which covers over 880,000 Washingtonians.
    • Energy Bills: Increases energy bills by more than $110 per year on average by repealing cost-saving clean energy tax credits.
    • Child Tax Credit: 22 million children would be left out of receiving the full Child Tax Credit because of Republican income requirements, including over 400,000 kids in Washington, while wealthier families receive the full benefit.
    • Cost: Estimated to add over $4 trillion to the national debt.

    The bill now goes to President Trump to sign. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Castro Statement on House Passage of The Big Ugly Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Joaquin Castro (20th District of Texas)

    July 03, 2025

    WASHINGTON, D.C — Today, Congressman Castro (TX-20) released the following statement on the House Passage of The Big Ugly Bill:

    “This Republican bill represents the biggest wealth transfer from the working class to the wealthiest among us in our nation’s history—and it will set up hard working families to suffer now and for generations to come. It is cruel and immoral.

    “In my state alone, this bill will strip healthcare from 1.6 million Texans. Countless families will be forced to choose between getting medical care and falling into poverty. Lives will be lost. More of our neighbors will go to bed hungry, including veterans, parents, grandparents, and children. Many students will lose the financial aid they counted on to finish college. As the deficit explodes, families will pay more for groceries, energy bills, and housing. And so much more.

    “It is a dark day for America. But we will fight back. People have raised the alarm—speaking out to family, friends, and elected officials. Their efforts have not been in vain, rather they have changed the conversation in this country and demonstrated what democracy looks like.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Jayapal Statement on the Big Bad Budget Betrayal

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), a Member of the House Budget Committee, released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed the Big Bad Betrayal Bill 218-214:

    “This is a cruel, horrific betrayal that will leave Americans poorer and sicker. It will throw 17 million Americans off health care and increase health care costs for everyone. It will shutter over 300 rural hospitals, close over 500 nursing homes, and defund Planned Parenthood clinics that provide cancer screenings and basic reproductive care. It will slash food assistance for millions of hungry families, the largest cut in the history of the SNAP nutrition program. It will make electric bills more expensive in every single state, make it harder to pay for college, and substantially weaken our public schools. It will kill over a million good-paying jobs and destroy our planet for future generations. It will supercharge ICE’s kidnapping and disappearing of people of all legal statuses, giving $45 billion more to ICE to pad the pockets of the for-profit industrial prison complex that is detaining immigrants without due process. It will explode the deficit by trillions of dollars—all so that Republicans can give $5 trillion in tax breaks to the wealthiest millionaires and billionaires.  

    “The Big Bad Betrayal Bill is the largest ever transfer of wealth from poor and working people to the richest, and every single district and state—red, blue, and purple—will feel the effects. Under this legislation, the poorest Americans are dealt the biggest blow. Policies that are supposedly going to help working people—labeled “no tax on tips or overtime”—are instead another betrayal, structured to give very little help to very few people and set to expire in two years. When you add in the massive Medicaid and SNAP cuts, poor and middle class Americans will go backwards, not forward.

    “Everything in this bill is structured to lift up the wealthiest millionaires, billionaires, and giant corporations. Those tax cuts are permanent, not temporary, and they amount to gold bars while poor and working Americans get breadcrumbs. Every Republican who voted for this bill in the House and the Senate sold out their constituents to make their billionaire donors richer and to bend the knee to Donald Trump. Thanks to Trump, Republicans, and this bill, people will die.

    “The role of government should be to even the playing field for ALL Americans, to help Americans thrive, not just survive, and to create genuine opportunity for poor and working people. This bill does the exact opposite. I voted HELL NO and will never give up the fight to stand up for my constituents who deserve so much better.”

    Jayapal voted no on the legislation when it first passed the House in May.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rutherford Statement on House Passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Rutherford (4th District of Florida)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Thursday, U.S. Congressman John H. Rutherford (FL-05) released the following statement on the House passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act:

    “The One Big Beautiful Bill Act will give Americans a much-needed tax break and refocus our country on delivering on the promises made by President Trump for the American people like permanently closing the Southern Border, boosting our economy, offering historic tax relief for seniors, and revolutionizing our national security. This legislation also strengthens Medicaid solvency by rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse to help vulnerable Americans who need it most.

    “Contrary to what you may have heard, this is not a huge deficit bill. In fact, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has scored this bill incorrectly, just as they did in 2017 by underestimating revenues from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act by over $100 billion. They were wrong then, so why would we trust them now?

    “It’s time to get our country back on track. That’s why I was proud to pass this historic legislation.”

    The bill includes Rutherford’s priorities to:

    • Boost our economy

    • Make President Trump’s tax cuts permanent

    • Focus resources on permanently closing the Southern Border

    • Provide funding to small, rural, and Medicare-dependent hospitals, rural health clinics, community mental health centers, opioid treatment programs, and more

    • Strengthen Medicaid solvency for those who truly need it

    • Incentivize Made-In-America cars and manufacturing

    • End taxes on tips and overtime pay

    • Slash taxes on Social Security, offering historic tax relief to seniors

    • Increase the Child Tax Credit

    • Secure more than a trillion dollars in mandatory savings

    • Cap SALT deductions

    • Modernize America’s Air Traffic Control systems to ensure safe and efficient air travel

    • Unleash American energy dominance

    • Cut Green New Deal policies

    • Revolutionize national security and America’s maritime dominance

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DeGette Statement on Trump’s Big, Ugly Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Diana DeGette (First District of Colorado)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Diana DeGette (CO-01) released the following statement after she voted no on the Big, Ugly Bill in the House of Representatives. 

    “Today, Republicans in Congress jammed through the most cruel and fiscally irresponsible bill in modern history. It takes vital benefits away from the most vulnerable Americans to give billionaires and mega corporations massive tax breaks in the largest transfer of wealth we have ever seen. It includes the biggest cut in nutritional benefits in our history, it kicks nearly 17 million Americans off their health care, and it defunds Planned Parenthood causing even more Americans to lose health care.

    “Furthermore, it assaults our clean energy sector which will kill hundreds of thousands of good-paying jobs and harm our progress on tackling the climate crisis. If that’s not bad enough, this bill will add nearly $4 trillion to the debt and deepen the deficit even as my Republican colleagues endlessly preach about the need for ‘fiscal responsibility.’

    “The cruelty behind this bill is simply staggering, and it is all to appease the ego of Donald Trump and further his extreme and hateful agenda of mass deportations and his dangerous America Alone foreign policy. Our country is watching, and those who supported this horrific bill must justify taking Medicaid away from children, the disabled, our veterans, and senior citizens so that billionaires can get even more money in their pockets.

    “I am sickened this bill is even seeing the light of day, and my Republican colleagues who supported it should be ashamed of themselves.”

    The bill passed by a margin of 218-214 with every House Democrat voting no.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Scott Peters Votes NO on Disastrous Republican Tax Plan

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Peters (52nd District of California)

    Washington, D.C – Today, Representative Scott Peters (CA-50) voted against the Republican tax plan to cut healthcare and food assistance for millions of vulnerable Americans to pay for tax cuts for wealthy individuals and corporations that don’t need them. The Republican plan would kick 17 million people off their Medicaid and Affordable Care Act health plans, according to an analysis by the independent Congressional Budget Office. The bill also cuts short programs that encourage clean energy development that would produce enough energy to power 227 million homes. This will increase electricity bills by up to 29% and cost millions of construction jobs. And the non-partisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget has found that the bill could add more than $4 trillion to the national debt over the next 10 years.

    After the House voted 218-214 to pass the measure, Representative Peters released the following statement:

    “Today, Congressional Republicans put President Trump’s cruel, reckless agenda above the good of the American people. They will have to answer to the people they represent on how forcing millions off their health coverage will make America healthy again, how higher energy prices, fewer jobs, and more pollution will help our communities, and how they can support the biggest ever addition to the national debt.

    “All of this is to pay for tax cuts for people and corporations that don’t need them. We can all agree that to get our fiscal house in order, there should be compromise and shared sacrifice. But this partisan bill asks only those with the least to sacrifice while giving tax breaks to those with the most. It is obscene.

    “The fight for more affordable and accessible healthcare, a cleaner environment, and responsible fiscal policy is not over. I will continue to work to minimize the harm of this disastrous bill on San Diegans.”

    Read more about Rep. Peters’ opposition to the bill here.

    CA-50 Medicaid Facts: 

    • 156,100 people in the district rely on Medicaid for health coverage—that’s 20 percent of all district residents. 
      • 34,700 children in the district are covered by Medicaid. 
      • 17,700 seniors in the district are covered by Medicaid. 
      • 64,900 adults in the district have Medicaid coverage through Medicaid expansion—that includes pregnant women who are able to access prenatal care sooner because of Medicaid expansion, parents, caretakers, veterans, people with substance use disorder and mental health treatment needs, and people with chronic conditions and disabilities. 
    • At least five hospitals in the district had negative operating margins in 2022. These hospitals would be especially hard-hit by cuts to Medicaid. For example: 
      • Scripps Mercy Hospital had a negative 25.3 percent operating margin—and nearly 22 percent of its revenue came from Medicaid. 
      • Sharp Coronado Hospital had a negative 3.5 percent operating margin—and over 36 percent of its revenue came from Medicaid. 
      • University of California San Diego Medical Center had a negative 2.4 percent operating margin—and nearly 19 percent of its revenue came from Medicaid. 
    • There are 54 health center delivery sites in the district that serve 529,944 patients. 
    • Those health centers and patients rely on Medicaid—statewide, 69 percent of health center patients rely on Medicaid for coverage. 
    • Health centers will not be able to stay open and provide the same care that they do today, with more uninsured and underinsured patients. They are already operating on thin margins—in 2023, nationally, nearly half of health centers had negative operating margins. 
    • Medicaid cuts put health centers at risk, including: 
      • Family Health Centers of San Diego 
      • Neighborhood Healthcare 
      • North County Health Project 
      • San Diego American Indian Health Centers 
      • St. Vincent De Paul Village 

    Representative Peters is the co-author of the Fiscal Commission Act, legislation to create a bicameral and open-door commission to tackle our nation’s long-term debt, help us avoid automatic and across-the-board cuts to Social Security and Medicare, and secure a more prosperous future for our children. 

     

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Brownley Statement on Final Passage of Republican Tax Scam

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Julia Brownley (D-CA)

    Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) issued the following statement following final passage of H.R. 1, Republicans’ sweeping tax reconciliation bill, which enacts the largest cuts to Medicaid and food assistance in American history.

    “Today, Republicans in Congress turned their backs on the people they were elected to serve, ramming through a reckless budget package that will leave America hungrier, sicker, and poorer. This wasn’t about policy or the public good. It was about appeasing Donald Trump and checking a political box, no matter the human cost.

    “Instead of course-correcting after the Senate returned an even more extreme version of the bill, House Republicans caved without remorse. They pushed through the largest cuts to Medicaid in our nation’s history, ripping away health care coverage from more than 17 million Americans, with millions more having to pay higher premiums, co-pays, and deductibles. They gutted food assistance with the largest cuts in American history, jeopardizing SNAP for 40 million people, including 16 million children, 8 million seniors, 4 million people with disabilities, and 1.2 million veterans. They increased the national debt by $3.4 trillion over ten years, all to deliver a massive unearned tax cut to billionaires.

    “Now, after gutting the social safety net and mortgaging our children’s future, they’re heading home to celebrate the Fourth of July. Meanwhile, working families are left to suffer the consequences.

    “By passing this egregious and outright awful bill, Republicans made one thing unmistakably clear: their loyalty lies with Donald Trump, not the American people. They have abandoned their duty to govern. They chose blind allegiance over responsibility, compassion, and common sense.

    “Every single House Democrat voted no on this cruel and despicable bill because the American people deserve better. This bill may be headed to Donald Trump’s desk, but our fight is far from over. I will keep fighting tooth and nail to push back against the cruelty, extremism, and misplaced priorities of Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress, and to fight for a future where every family has a fair shot.”

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    Issues: 119th Congress, Budget

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Carbajal Slams Republican Passage of Trump’s Extreme Budget Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Salud Carbajal (CA-24)

    U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) released the statement below following the final passage of the Republican reconciliation bill. Carbajal voted against the bill because it contains extreme and unprecedented cuts to essential programs like Medicaid and food assistance. The bill now heads to the President’s desk.

    “Republicans in Congress passed Donald Trump’s disastrous budget bill that puts billionaires first and working families last,” said Rep. Carbajal. “This bill is a betrayal of the millions of children, seniors, and veterans who will lose their health care and food assistance. It’s a betrayal of the young people who will now shoulder the massive national debt burden this bill creates. It’s a betrayal of rural communities who will face unprecedented funding cuts to their hospitals and nursing homes. Donald Trump and congressional Republicans promised to lower the cost of living and make life easier, but this bill will do the exact opposite. Their agenda is shameful, and I’ll continue to fight back.”

    In California’s 24th Congressional District, 119,000 residents benefit from food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Over 236,000 people rely on Medicaid (also known in California as Medi-Cal).

    While Republican leaders claim their bill won’t cut Medicaid benefits, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office confirmed that the Republican budget would result in the largest Medicaid cuts in U.S. history (see fact sheet here). The Republican bill slashes $900 billion from Medicaid, a critical program that provides essential health care to nearly one in three Americans.

    The Republican bill also makes unprecedented cuts to SNAP, which helps over 42 million Americans afford groceries. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pressley Condemns Passage of Republicans’ Big, Ugly Bill: “This is Unforgivable”

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

    Pressley Implored Colleagues to Reject Cruel Legislation and Helped Stall a Vote on the House Floor

    Press Conference Video (YouTube)

    WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) issued the following statement on the final passage of Republicans’ Big, Ugly Bill that will rip healthcare and food assistance away from millions of people, including in Massachusetts, push reproductive healthcare further out of reach nationwide, and fuel Trump’s unlawful mass deportation agenda.

    Yesterday, Rep. Pressley joined colleagues at a press conference imploring the House to reject this cruel, harmful legislation, and the Congresswoman also joined the Congressional Black Caucus and over 100 colleagues in stalling a vote on the House floor. Rep. Pressley also filed an amendment to the bill this week with Rep. Diana DeGette to protect and expand reproductive healthcare.

    “Republicans have passed a bill that will be a death sentence—denying millions medical care, denying children food, and violently deporting immigrant families to destabilized countries,” said Congresswoman Pressley. “This is unforgivable. I remain yours in service to every family who calls the Massachusetts 7th home, and I will never stop fighting for you.”

    In Massachusetts, this bill is estimated to cause:

    • Over 320,000 people to lose health insurance
    • At least 103,000 to lose food assistance
    • 63,334 students to lose their Pell grants
    • 11,000 manufacturing and energy jobs to be cut
    • $1,400 in yearly premium increases for people covered by the ACA in the MA-07
    • $290 more per year in increased energy bills

    Congresswoman Pressley has been an outspoken critic of this harmful legislation since its inception.

    • Rep. Pressley joined colleagues at a press conference imploring the House to reject the cruel and harmful legislation.
    • Rep. Pressley joined the Congressional Black Caucus and over 100 colleagues in stalling a vote on the Big, Ugly Bill.  
    • Rep. Pressley and Rep. Diana DeGette, Co-Chairs of the Reproductive Freedom Caucus, filed an amendment to the bill to protect and expand reproductive healthcare.
    • Rep. Pressley issued a statement condemning the Senate’s passage of the Big, Ugly Bill and vowing to continue fighting it using every tool available.
    • Ahead of the third anniversary if the Dobbs decision, Rep. Pressley and her colleagues stood in solidarity with Planned Parenthood and condemned the proposed cuts to reproductive healthcare under Republicans’ Big, Ugly Bill.
    • Rep. Pressley and author Darrick Hamilton authored a Washington Post op-ed in which they discussed the regressive, ineffective “Trump Accounts” provision of Republicans’ reconciliation bill and urged Congress to instead embrace Baby Bonds to advance economic justice.
    • Rep. Pressley rallied with advocates from Caring Across Generations, Care Can’t Wait, and partner organizations to protest Trump’s and Republicans’ Big Ugly Bill that proposes disastrous cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and other essential programs and would leave communities sicker, poorer, and more vulnerable.
    • Ahead of the House’s vote on the bill, Rep. Pressley delivered an impassioned speech on the House floor in which she made a direct appeal to her Republican colleagues to oppose this cruel and harmful bill.
    • Rep. Pressley delivered a floor speech in which she slammed the bill’s proposed Medicaid cuts, which would decimate reproductive healthcare in America and worsen maternal health outcomes.
    • Rep. Pressley co-hosted a press conference with Color of Change to oppose the Republicans’ cruel and harmful budget reconciliation package, which would gut critical programs like Medicaid and SNAP.
    • Rep. Pressley rallied with caregivers, advocates, and fellow lawmakers at a 24-hour vigil to protect Medicaid from Republicans’ cruel budget cuts that would devastate communities across this country.
    • In the House Oversight Committee’s markup of the Republican reconciliation bill, Rep. Pressley demanded Republicans answer to the families who would go hungry by way of this reconciliation bill – and she was met with silence.
    • In the House Financial Services Committee’s markup of the Republican reconciliation bill, Rep. Pressley condemned the bill’s proposed cuts to Medicaid and shared the story of Mary Marinelli, a 70-year-old hospice nurse from a Republican district in Michigan whose family depends on Medicaid to care for their autistic son.
    • In an impassioned speech on the House floor, Rep. Pressley slammed Republicans’ cruel and callous budget resolution that would slash Medicaid and other critical government services to pay for trillions of dollars in tax giveaways for Donald Trump’s billionaire donors.

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    MIL OSI USA News –