NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI China: Inter, Dortmund advance as River crash out at Club World Cup

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Inter Milan clinched top spot in Group E at the FIFA Club World Cup on Wednesday with a win that knocked River Plate out of the tournament while Borussia Dortmund sealed first place in Group F after beating eliminated Ulsan.

    Elsewhere, Monterrey reached the last 16 by thrashing Urawa Red Diamonds, which was out of contention, and Fluminense advanced following a goalless draw that ended Mamelodi Sundowns’ campaign.

    In Cincinnati, Daniel Svensson’s first-half goal gave German club Borussia Dortmund a 1-0 win over South Korea’s Ulsan. Sweden international Svensson broke the deadlock in the 36th minute as he took a touch to control Jobe Bellingham’s pass before firing low past Jo Hyeon-woo.

    Both teams appeared to lower their intensity in the second half as temperatures reached 34 degrees Celsius (93 degrees Fahrenheit) at TQL Stadium.

    “The only thing we could have done a little better was maybe score a few more goals because we created a lot of chances today,” Svensson said.

    “Football is emotional. It was very nice to score the goal that turned out to be an important one. It’s a nice feeling,” he added.

    Ulsan goalkeeper Jo said his team had suffered in the conditions and expressed his disappointment for the club’s supporters.

    “I’m sorry that we weren’t able to meet our fans’ expectations,” he said. “The weather was really harsh. It wasn’t really appropriate for playing football but it is what it is.”

    While Ulsan departs, Dortmund will vie for a quarterfinal berth against Monterrey in Atlanta on Tuesday.

    In Miami, Brazil’s Fluminense progressed after a goalless draw with South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns in Group F.

    The Pretoria-based club dominated possession in the first half but Fluminense looked sharper in the second despite failing to register a shot on target.

    Veteran Argentine striker German Cano went closest to scoring when his right-footed effort after Jhon Arias’ pass hit the post.

    Fluminense, who finished second in the group, will face Inter Milan in the round of 16 while Mamelodi exits the competition.

    “It was a very hard match. They had most of the possession but we were able to repel them. Now we’re through to the next round and that was our goal,” Fluminense defender Ignacio Oliveira told reporters.

    Mamelodi manager Miguel Cardoso said he was proud of his team’s achievements throughout the group stage.

    “It has been a long journey for all of us, for the club itself and for the people that support it,” Cardoso said. “Today is not a happy result, but it is a very important day for us.”

    In Seattle, Francesco Pio Esposito and Alessandro Bastoni netted second-half goals as Inter Milan topped Group E with a 2-0 win over nine-man River Plate.

    Lucas Martinez Quarta was shown a straight red card in the 66th minute for scything down Henrikh Mkhitaryan when the Armenian midfielder was through on goal.

    Inter immediately took advantage as Esposito finished calmly from 12 yards after Petar Sucic’s clever layoff.

    Alessandro Bastoni added to River Plate’s misery by charging past two defenders and thumping a low 18-yard shot beyond goalkeeper Franco Armani.

    The Argentine outfit finished with nine men after Gonzalo Montiel received a second yellow card in the 95th minute for his part in a scuffle between players from both sides.

    The result left River Plate third in the group as it bid farewell to the competition.

    In Wednesday’s other match, Monterrey scored three first-half goals en route to a 4-0 rout of Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds.

    Nelson Deossa put the Mexican side ahead on the hour with a stunning 35-yard drive and German Berterame made it 2-0 by slotting into the far corner after Alfonso Alvarado’s assist.

    Mexico international winger Jesus Corona extended the lead with another long-range effort following a swift counterattack.

    Monterrey was in a relentless mood and Berterame completed the rout in the 97th minute as he pounced on a loose ball and slid home from inside the six-yard box.

    The victory meant the Liga MX side finished second in Group E while Urawa was last, having failed to pick up a point. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Legislation to build One Canadian Economy receives Royal Assent

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    Ottawa, Ontario, (June 26, 2025) – Today, Bill C-5, the One Canadian Economy Act, received Royal Assent. This legislation is key to building a stronger, more united Canada by supercharging productivity, economic growth, and competitiveness. 

    Once implemented, the One Canadian Economy Act will:

    1. Expedite nation-building projects (the Building Canada Act): Streamlining federal review and approval processes to increase regulatory certainty, helping attract capital, strengthening our industries, and moving towards greater sovereignty and resilience while protecting the environmental and respecting Indigenous rights.
    2. Remove federal barriers to internal trade and labour mobility (the Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act): Accepting comparable provincial or territorial regulations, where they exist, as meeting federal requirements for the movement of goods, services, and labour within Canada. This will allow more goods, services, workers and business to move freely across provinces and territories.

    With the Building Canada Act coming into force today, the federal government will immediately move forward on consultations with provinces, territories, Indigenous Peoples and private sector proponents to identify nation building projects and implement measures to streamline processes for other projects. This includes working with provinces, territories and Indigenous partners to adopt a ‘one project, one review’ approach to reduce duplication.

    This work will be led by the Federal Major Projects Office, a new entity that will be launched in the coming weeks. The Office will include support from an Indigenous Advisory Council with First Nation, Inuit, and Métis representatives.

    Indigenous partnership is a vital part of this legislation, and meaningful consultation will be key to the success of future projects. The federal government is committed to respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples recognized and affirmed by section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982, and to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Over the coming weeks, the Prime Minister will meet with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis rights holders, with the first meeting happening on July 17 with First Nations.

    The Government of Canada is fulfilling its promise to build one Canadian economy out of 13 while upholding Indigenous rights and protecting the environment as well as the health and safety of Canadians.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Implementation of Bill C-5: One Canadian Economy

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Bill C-5, the One Canadian Economy: An Act to enact the Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act and the Building Canada Act, received Royal Assent on June 26, 2025.

    Outlined below are next steps towards implementation of both Acts. Further details will be announced as they become available.

    Building Canada Act

    With the Building Canada Act in place, the Government of Canada will immediately move forward on consultations – as required under the Act – with provinces, territories and Indigenous rights-holders to determine the initial list of national interest projects.

    The criteria that will be weighed in those discussions and decisions include the extent to which the project will:

    • Strengthen Canada’s autonomy, resilience and security;
    • Provide economic or other benefits to Canada;
    • Have a high likelihood of successful execution;
    • Advance the interests of Indigenous Peoples; and
    • Contribute to clean growth and to meeting Canada’s objectives with respect to climate change.

    After consultations with provinces, territories and impacted Indigenous rights-holders, if the Governor in Council is of the opinion that a project may be in the national interest, an Order in Council will add it to the Building Canada Act Schedule of projects. Before adding the name of a project to the Schedule of projects, a notice that includes the name and description of the project must be published in the Canada Gazette for 30 days, so that everyone including the public has an opportunity to provide feedback on this choice. Projects can continue to be added to the Schedule of projects over the course of 5 years following the Act coming into force.

    Canada is committed to respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples recognized and affirmed by section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982 and the rights set out in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous Peoples will be consulted throughout the process of choosing projects of national interest as we work together towards the success of future projects. No projects will be added to the schedule until consultation has taken place.

    For projects that are added to the Schedule of projects, the regulatory review process will continue to include further consultations with potentially impacted Indigenous Peoples.

    Currently, the review process for projects can take many years to complete. Determining ahead of time that a project is in the national interest provides certainty, helping to attract investment. The intent of this Act is to ensure these nation-building projects complete the federal review within 2 years. We will do this by focusing these reviews on “how” to get the project built, instead of “whether” it should be built.

    Once the environmental and other review processes and consultations with potentially impacted Indigenous rights-holders are completed, the Minister responsible for the Act will issue a single set of binding conditions for the project. These conditions will include mitigation measures to protect the environment and accommodation measures to respect the rights of Indigenous Peoples.

    To reduce project approval duplication between the federal and provincial/territorial governments, the Government of Canada is committed to a ‘one project, one review’ approach. This will include working with provinces and territories to eliminate project assessment duplication and build a more efficient and timely system.

    A major projects office will be established to help implement this new process for national interest projects and serve as a main point of contact for the project proponents. The office will be supported by an Indigenous Advisory Council, with First Nation, Inuit, and Métis representatives, to advise the Minister on issues related to the implementation of the Building Canada Act, including best practices for Indigenous consultations. The Council will not replace consultation with Indigenous rights-holders. The Government will provide funding to strengthen Indigenous Peoples’ capacity and participation in consultation processes.

    The Prime Minister and other members of Cabinet will meet over the summer with First Nations, Inuit and Métis to ensure that consultation, partnership, engagement and participation are at the heart of every project of national interest. Indigenous equity participation in major projects is a central focus of this initiative. Backed by the federal government’s expansion of the Indigenous Loan Guarantee Program from $5 billion to $10 billion, this commitment will help create long-term economic opportunities and build lasting prosperity for Indigenous Peoples across Canada.

    Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act

    With the Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act in place, the Government of Canada will develop regulations to provide further clarity around the definition of “comparable”, to assist in the determination of comparable federal and provincial/territorial requirements. The regulations will also exclude certain federal requirements from the application of the legislation if there are unacceptable risks to the health, safety and security of Canadians, their social and economic well-being, the environment, or international trade objectives.

    The Government of Canada will not be revoking existing regulations; rather, it will recognize a comparable provincial or territorial requirement, removing the duplicative burden for businesses.

    The same applies for workers, where a worker authorized to work in a province or territory would be authorized to work the same occupation in federal jurisdiction without the need for further approvals or requirements.

    Once the regulations are approved by the Governor in Council, a plain language user guide will be available for Canadian workers and businesses, which will clarify where the Act applies, how they can take advantage, and who to contact to answer any questions.

    Where the legislation applies

    The Act only applies to federal requirements on the interprovincial trade of goods and services when there are comparable provincial or territorial requirements. In this case, “comparable” means that a provincial or territorial regulation/standard addresses the same aspect of a good or service and is intended to achieve a similar objective.

    When a good or service produced, used, or distributed in line with provincial or territorial requirements is recognized as meeting comparable federal requirements on interprovincial trade, it will be treated as if it meets federal requirements.

    However, the Act will not apply to areas where the Government of Canada decides there is an unacceptable risk to the health, safety and security of Canadians, their social and economic well-being, the environment, or international trade objectives.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Supreme Court rules that states may deny people covered by Medicaid the freedom to choose Planned Parenthood as their health care provider

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Naomi Cahn, Professor of Law, University of Virginia

    Abortion-rights demonstrators holds a sign in front of the Supreme Court building in Washington as the Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic case is heard on April 2, 2025. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images

    Having the freedom to choose your own health care provider is something many Americans take for granted. But the U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative supermajority ruled on June 25, 2025, in a 6-3 decision that people who rely on Medicaid for their health insurance don’t have that right.

    The case, Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, is focused on a technical legal issue: whether people covered by Medicaid have the right to sue state officials for preventing them from choosing their health care provider. In his majority opinion, Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote that they don’t because the Medicaid statute did not “clearly and unambiguously” give individuals that right.

    As law professors who teach courses about health and poverty law as well as reproductive justice, we think this ruling could restrict access to health care for the more than 78 million Americans who get their health insurance coverage through the Medicaid program.

    Excluding Planned Parenthood

    The case started with a predicament for South Carolina resident Julie Edwards, who is enrolled in Medicaid. After Edwards struggled to get contraceptive services, she was able to receive care from a Planned Parenthood South Atlantic clinic in Columbia, South Carolina.

    Planned Parenthood, an array of nonprofits with roots that date back more than a century, is among the nation’s top providers of reproductive services. It operates two clinics in South Carolina, where patients can get physical exams, cancer screenings, contraception and other services. It also provides same-day appointments and keeps long hours.

    In July 2018, however, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster issued an executive order that barred Medicaid reimbursement for health care providers in the state that offer abortion care.

    That meant Planned Parenthood, a longtime target of conservatives’ ire, would no longer be reimbursed for any type of care for Medicaid patients, preventing Edwards from transferring all her gynecological care to that office as she had hoped to do.

    Planned Parenthood and Edwards sued South Carolina. They argued that the state was violating the federal Medicare and Medicaid Act, which Congress passed in 1965, by not letting Edwards obtain care from the provider of her choice.

    A ‘free-choice-of-provider’ requirement

    Medicaid, which mainly covers low-income people, their children and people with disabilities, operates as a partnership between the federal government and the states. Congress passed the law that led to its creation based on its power under the Constitution’s spending clause, which allows Congress to subject federal funds to certain requirements.

    Two years later, due to concerns that states were restricting which providers Medicaid recipients could choose, Congress added a “free-choice-of-provider” requirement to the program. It states that people enrolled in Medicaid “may obtain such assistance from any institution, agency, community pharmacy, or person, qualified to perform the service or services required.”

    While the Medicaid statute does not, by itself, allow people enrolled in that program to enforce this free-choice clause, the question at the core of this case was whether another federal statute, known as Section 1983, did give them a right to sue.

    The Supreme Court has long recognized that Section 1983 protects an individual’s ability to sue when their rights under a federal statute have been violated. In fact, in 2023, it found such a right under the Medicaid Nursing Home Reform Act. The court held that Section 1983 confers the right to sue when a statute’s provisions “unambiguously confer individual federal rights.”

    In Medina, however, the court found that there was no right to sue. Instead, the court emphasized that “the typical remedy” is for the federal government to cut off Medicaid funds to a state if a state is not complying with the Medicaid statute.

    The ruling overturned lower-court decisions in favor of Edwards. It also expressly rejected the Supreme Court’s earlier rulings, which the majority criticized as taking a more “expansive view of its power to imply private causes of action to enforce federal laws.”

    Planned Parenthood clinics, like this one in Los Angeles, are located across the United States.
    Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

    Restricting Medicaid funds

    This dispute is just one chapter in the long fight over access to abortion in the U.S. In addition to the question of whether it should be legal, proponents and opponents of abortion rights have battled over whether the government should pay for it – even if that funding happens indirectly.

    Through a federal law known as the Hyde Amendment, Medicaid cannot reimburse health care providers for the cost of abortions, with a few exceptions: when a patient’s life is at risk, or her pregnancy is due to rape or incest. Some states do cover abortion when their laws allow it, without using any federal funds.

    As a result, Planned Parenthood rarely gets any federal Medicaid funds for abortions.

    McMaster explained that he removed “abortion clinics,” including Planned Parenthood, from the South Carolina Medicaid program because he didn’t want state funds to indirectly subsidize abortions.

    After the Supreme Court ruled on this case, McMaster said he had taken “a stand to protect the sanctity of life and defend South Carolina’s authority and values – and today, we are finally victorious.”

    But only about 4% of Planned Parenthood’s services nationwide were related to abortion, as of 2022. Its most common service is testing for sexually transmitted diseases. Across the nation, Planned Parenthood provides health care to more than 2 million patients per year, most of whom have low incomes.

    South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster stands outside the Supreme Court building in Washington in April 2025 and speaks about this case.
    Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images

    Consequences beyond South Carolina

    This ruling’s consequences are not limited to Medicaid access in South Carolina.

    It may make it harder for individuals to use Section 1983 to bring claims under any federal statute. As Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, joined by Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, wrote in her dissent, the court “continues the project of stymying one of the country’s great civil rights laws.”

    Enacted in 1871, the civil rights law has been invoked to challenge violations of rights by state officials against individuals. Jackson wrote that the court now limits the ability to use Section 1983 to vindicate personal rights only if the statutes use the correct “magic words.”

    The dissent also criticized the majority decision as likely “to result in tangible harm to real people.” Not only will it potentially deprive “Medicaid recipients in South Carolina of their only meaningful way of enforcing a right that Congress has expressly granted to them,” Jackson wrote, but it could also “strip those South Carolinians – and countless other Medicaid recipients around the country – of a deeply personal freedom: the ‘ability to decide who treats us at our most vulnerable.’”

    The decision could also have far-reaching consequences. Arkansas, Missouri and Texas have already barred Planned Parenthood from getting reimbursed by Medicaid for any kind of health care. More states could follow suit.

    In addition, given Planned Parenthood’s role in providing contraceptive care, disqualifying it from Medicaid could restrict access to health care and increase the already-high unintended pregnancy rate in America.

    States could also try to exclude providers based on other characteristics, such as whether their employees belong to unions or if they provide their patients with gender-affirming care, further restricting patients’ choices.

    With this ruling, the court is allowing a patchwork of state exclusions of Planned Parenthood and other medical providers from the Medicaid program that could soon resemble the patchwork already seen with abortion access.

    Portions of this article first appeared in another article published on April 2, 2025.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Supreme Court rules that states may deny people covered by Medicaid the freedom to choose Planned Parenthood as their health care provider – https://theconversation.com/supreme-court-rules-that-states-may-deny-people-covered-by-medicaid-the-freedom-to-choose-planned-parenthood-as-their-health-care-provider-259953

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crapo, Senate GOP Colleagues Introduce Resolution Supporting Operation Midnight Hammer

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo
    Washington, D.C.–U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) joined Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas), Roger Wicker (R-Missouri), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Katie Britt (R-Alabama), Dave McCormick (R-Pennsylvania), Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Jim Justice (R-West Virginia), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina) and Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska) in introducing a Senate resolution in support of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, including Operation Midnight Hammer, and praising President Trump’s efforts to reestablish deterrence and achieve lasting peace in the region as deserving of the Nobel Peace Prize.  Text is below, and you can view the full resolution here.
    “Whereas, in August 2002, the Islamic Republic of Iran’s secret nuclear program was revealed, including the existence of a fuel enrichment plant in Natanz, Iran, and the heavy-water plant in Arak, Iran;
    Whereas, on April 11, 2006, the Islamic Republic of Iran announced that it had enriched uranium for the first time to a level close to 3.5 percent at the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant in Natanz, Iran;
    Whereas, in 2018, during a raid on a warehouse in Tehran’s Turquzabad district, Israel’s Mossad seized a vast nuclear archive of approximately 100,000 documents (commonly known as ‘‘Iran’s Atomic Archive’’), which revealed Iran’s AMAD Plan, a structured nuclear weapons program aimed at producing 5 nuclear warheads, including detailed designs, high explosive tests, detonator development and integration of a warhead into the Shahab 3 ballistic missile;
    Whereas, on May 31, 2021, it was reported that the Islamic Republic of Iran failed to provide any explanation for the uranium remnants found at undeclared sites in Iran, and such an explanation had not been provided as of the date of the enactment of this resolution;
    Whereas, on May 30, 2022, the International Atomic Energy Agency (referred to in this preamble as the ‘‘IAEA’’) reported that the Islamic Republic of Iran had achieved a stockpile of 43.3 kilograms (95.5 pounds) of 60 percent highly enriched uranium, which is roughly enough material to construct a nuclear weapon;
    Whereas, on February 27, 2023, the IAEA reported that the Islamic Republic of Iran had enriched uranium to 83.7 percent, which is just short of the 90 percent threshold for weapons-grade fissile material;
    Whereas, on September 16, 2023, the IAEA reported that the Islamic Republic of Iran banned the activities of nearly one-third of the IAEA’s most experienced nuclear inspectors in Iran, a decision that, according to IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi, harmed the IAEA’s ability to monitor Iran’s nuclear program;
    Whereas, on December 28, 2023, the Governments of the United States, of France, of Germany and of the United Kingdom jointly declared, ‘‘The production of high-enriched uranium by Iran has no credible civilian justification;”
    Whereas, on July 23, 2024, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence published an assessment, in accordance with the Iran Nuclear Weapons Capability and Terrorism Monitoring Act of 2022 (22 U.S.C. 8701 note; section 5593 of Public Law 117–263), stating that the Islamic Republic of Iran has ‘‘undertaken activities that better position it to produce a nuclear device, if it chooses to do so;”
    Whereas, on November 15, 2024, the IAEA reported that the Islamic Republic of Iran has continued to expand its enrichment facilities and install additional advanced centrifuges, including at the Natanz Nuclear Facility, where there are 15 cascades of advanced centrifuges, and the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, where there are advanced preparations for the expansion of the facility;
    Whereas, on February 26, 2025, the IAEA reported that the Islamic Republic of Iran has between 5 and 7 metric tons of enriched uranium and had increased its total stockpile of 60 percent highly enriched uranium to 274.8 kilograms (605.83 pounds), which, if further enriched, could be sufficient to produce 6 nuclear weapons;
    Whereas, on May 31, 2025, the IAEA released a comprehensive report detailing Iran’s noncompliance with its Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons safeguards obligations, noting that Iran—
    (1) increased its stockpile of 60 percent highly enriched uranium to 408.6 kilograms as of May 17, 2025, which constitutes a 50 percent increase compared to its February 2025 report, a stockpile sufficient for approximately 9 nuclear weapons (if further enriched);
    (2) conducted undeclared nuclear activities at four sites—Lavisan-Shian, Varamin, Marivan, and Turquzabad—involving nuclear material and equipment; and
    (3) provided inaccurate or contradictory explanations, which severely obstructed IAEA verification efforts and raises serious concerns about the peaceful nature of its nuclear program;
    Whereas, on April 7, 2025, President Donald Trump stated, “You know, it’s not a complicated formula.  Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.  That’s all there is;”
    Whereas, on April 8, 2025, a senior official of the Islamic Republic of Iran rejected the dismantlement of its nuclear program by stating, “Trump wants a new deal: end Iran’s regional influence, dismantle its nuclear program and halt its missile work.  These are unacceptable to Tehran.  Our nuclear program cannot be dismantled;”
    Whereas, on April 15, 2025, in an ultimatum issued to the Islamic Republic of Iran, President Trump—
    (1) demanded that a new nuclear deal be signed within 60 days to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program; and
    (2) warned that failure to comply with this demand would result in military action to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons;
    Whereas, on April 16, 2025, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran rejected United States demands and asserted its right to maintain its nuclear program and missile capabilities, escalating tensions and setting the stage for subsequent military operations by Israel and the United States;
    Whereas, on June 13, 2025, Israel began Operation Rising Lion with strikes against the Iranian nuclear program, key Iranian military leaders and other strategic targets; and
    Whereas, on June 21, 2025, the United States launched Operation Midnight Hammer, conducting targeted strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, which significantly degraded Iran’s nuclear program;
    Whereas Iran has developed advanced ballistic missile systems, including the Shahab-3, Ghadr and Khorramshahr missiles, with ranges of up to 2,000 kilometers and payloads capable of carrying nuclear warheads, which poses a significant threat as delivery systems for nuclear weapons to targets in the Middle East and parts of Europe;
    Whereas Iran, currently the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of United States citizens, including more than 600 United States servicemembers in Iraq through Iranian-backed militias, and other terrorist activities: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate—
    supports the United States’ decisive military strikes under Operation Midnight Hammer to degrade Iran’s nuclear program;
    affirms that the Islamic Republic of Iran must never be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapons capability, which would threaten the security of the United States and its allies and partners;
    commends the Trump administration for taking resolute military action and praises the bravery of United States servicemembers who participated in Operation Midnight Hammer;
    concurs that President Trump’s efforts to reestablish deterrence are aimed at achieving lasting peace in the Middle East and worthy of consideration for the Nobel Peace Prize;
    reaffirms the right of the United States Government to take any necessary measures to prevent the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons;
    commends Israel for its targeted strikes under Operation Rising Lion against Iran’s nuclear facilities, ballistic missile infrastructure and regime targets, including the Natanz enrichment facility and missile launchers, and recognizes these actions are critical to neutralizing existential threats to Israel and its allies; and
    condemns the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran for launching missiles at United States forces in Qatar and Iraq, and for launching 21 missile attacks that indiscriminately target Israeli civilians.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell Statement on SCOTUS Decision That Paves Way to Eliminate Health Care Access for Medicaid Patients

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    06.26.25

    Cantwell Statement on SCOTUS Decision That Paves Way to Eliminate Health Care Access for Medicaid Patients

    49% of Planned Parenthood patients access care via Medicaid and/or the Title X family planning program; FACT SHEET: In WA State – Planned Parenthood serves 100,000 patients annually, about half are Medicaid recipients

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to allow South Carolina to end Planned Parenthood’s participation in the state’s Medicaid program –  denying South Carolinians easy access to preventive health care like birth control. The ruling opens the door for any anti-abortion state in the country to take the same action. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement in response to the decision:

    “Today’s Supreme Court ruling means that any state can blacklist Planned Parenthood or other health care providers, taking away access for Medicaid recipients,” said Sen. Cantwell. “This decision is another troubling step toward the anti-abortion movement’s ultimate goal — deciding for themselves what reproductive care American women are allowed to get.”

    The 1977 Hyde Amendment already bans the use of federal funding for abortion, with an exception for pregnancies that endanger the life of the pregnant person or that result from rape or incest. This decision paves the way for states to eliminate access for Medicaid patients to receive affordable cancer screenings, gynecological care, STD and STI screenings, and birth control services from Planned Parenthood clinics.

    According to a Planned Parenthood report, from 2023-2024 the provider accounted for 364,600 Pap tests and breast exams, 2.2 million birth control services, and 5.1 million STI tests and treatments. Half of all Planned Parenthood patients (49%) access care through Medicaid and/or the Title X family planning program. Allowing states to withhold Medicaid funding also puts rural communities at risk — 76% of Planned Parenthood health centers are located in rural or medically underserved areas, meaning patients would have to travel farther to receive care.

    Sen. Cantwell has been a champion for preserving Medicaid and access to reproductive health care. Earlier this week, on the three-year anniversary of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, Sen. Cantwell released a fact sheet detailing the dire consequences for Washington state’s reproductive health care delivery system if the Republican reconciliation bill is passed that would cut billions from Medicaid.

    Yesterday, Sen. Cantwell spoke on the Senate floor to urge her colleagues to vote against cuts to Medicaid that would effectively reverse the expansion of the program under the Affordable Care Act. Video of Sen. Cantwell’s speech is available HERE, and a transcript HERE.

    On Tuesday’s Dobbs anniversary, Sen. Cantwell joined the entire Democratic Senate Caucus in introducing the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025, which would guarantee access to abortion everywhere across the country and restore the right to comprehensive reproductive health care for millions of Americans. Also this week, Sen. Cantwell joined nine of her Senate Democratic colleagues in a letter condemning the Trump Administration’s recent rescission of guidance that reaffirmed hospitals and providers’ obligations under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) to provide medically necessary emergency abortion care, regardless of where the patient lives.

    A full timeline of Sen. Cantwell’s actions to defend Medicaid from cuts is HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn, Intelligence Committee Colleagues Introduce Bill to Streamline Intelligence Community Acquisition Processes

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D-VA), and Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) today introduced the Intelligence Community Technology Bridge Act, which would enable the Intelligence Community (IC) to streamline acquisition processes and prioritize small business and nontraditional defense contractor solutions: 

    “There are important advancements in intelligence products being made in the private sector, but our intelligence agencies and private sector partners must fight bureaucratic delays throughout the acquisition process,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This legislation would give our Intelligence Community the flexibility and agility it needs to speed up the acquisition of cutting-edge technologies and leverage American innovation across the country to get the most capable tools into the hands of our intelligence collectors and analysts.”

    “Our nation is not lacking in innovation or entrepreneurship – it’s lacking in the ability to quickly put these cutting-edge technologies in the hands of the intelligence agencies that keep us safe,” said Sen. Warner. “As our adversaries ramp up their tech capabilities, I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation to provide the funding needed to level up smart products and services beyond the research and development stage and streamline the process through which our Intelligence Community acquires them.” 

    “Our Intelligence Community works hard every day to protect our nation without any recognition or glory, but they are also fighting our own government with the amount of time it takes to process newer technology,” said Sen. Lankford.“The bad actors and foreign adversaries who are coming after us every day are not going to wait around while our Intelligence Community waits on bureaucratic delays. Our nation must have the ability to stop whatever new technology is being used against us without unnecessary delays.”

    “Bridging the gap between research and real-world use is critical to ensuring our intelligence community has timely access to the most advanced tools and technologies,” said Sen. Kelly. “By cutting unnecessary red tape and accelerating innovation, we can better support small businesses and innovators, get cutting-edge technologies into the hands of the intelligence community faster, and strengthen our national security advantage.”

    Background:

     In light of global threats to national security, acquisition leaders in the Intelligence Community (IC) must be able to secure technological advantages through the identification, development, and transfer of promising technologies to full-scale programs capable of meeting IC requirements.

    This legislation would create a fund to assist in transitioning useful IC products from the research and development phase to the contracting and production phase, with priority given to small business concerns and nontraditional defense contractors.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn, Senate GOP Colleagues Introduce Resolution Supporting Operation Midnight Hammer

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) led Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Katie Britt (R-AL), Dave McCormick (R-PA), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Rick Scott (R-FL), Jim Justice (R-WV), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Ted Budd (R-NC), and Deb Fischer (R-NE) in introducing a Senate resolution in support of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, including Operation Midnight Hammer, and praising President Trump’s efforts to reestablish deterrence and achieve lasting peace in the region as deserving of the Nobel Peace Prize. Text is below, and you can view the full resolution here.

    “Whereas, in August 2002, the Islamic Republic of Iran’s secret nuclear program was revealed, including the existence of a fuel enrichment plant in Natanz, Iran, and the heavy-water plant in Arak, Iran;

    Whereas, on April 11, 2006, the Islamic Republic of Iran announced that it had enriched uranium for the first time to a level close to 3.5 percent at the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant in Natanz, Iran;

    Whereas, in 2018, during a raid on a warehouse in Tehran’s Turquzabad district, Israel’s Mossad seized a vast nuclear archive of approximately 100,000 documents (commonly known as ‘‘Iran’s Atomic Archive’’), which revealed Iran’s AMAD Plan, a structured nuclear weapons program aimed at producing 5 nuclear warheads, including detailed designs, high explosive tests, detonator development, and integration of a warhead into the Shahab 3 ballistic missile;

    Whereas, on May 31, 2021, it was reported that the Islamic Republic of Iran failed to provide any explanation for the uranium remnants found at undeclared sites in Iran, and such an explanation had not been provided as of the date of the enactment of this resolution;

    Whereas, on May 30, 2022, the International Atomic Energy Agency (referred to in this preamble as the ‘‘IAEA’’) reported that the Islamic Republic of Iran had achieved a stockpile of 43.3 kilograms (95.5 pounds) of 60 percent highly enriched uranium, which is roughly enough material to construct a nuclear weapon;

    Whereas, on February 27, 2023, the IAEA reported that the Islamic Republic of Iran had enriched uranium to 83.7 percent, which is just short of the 90 percent threshold for weapons-grade fissile material;

    Whereas, on September 16, 2023, the IAEA reported that the Islamic Republic of Iran banned the activities of nearly one-third of the IAEA’s most experienced nuclear inspectors in Iran, a decision that, according to IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi, harmed the IAEA’s ability to monitor Iran’s nuclear program;

    Whereas, on December 28, 2023, the Governments of the United States, of France, of Germany, and of the United Kingdom jointly declared, ‘‘The production of high-enriched uranium by Iran has no credible civilian justification;”

    Whereas, on July 23, 2024, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence published an assessment, in accordance with the Iran Nuclear Weapons Capability and Terrorism Monitoring Act of 2022 (22 U.S.C. 8701 note; section 5593 of Public Law 117–263), stating that the Islamic Republic of Iran has ‘‘undertaken activities that better position it to produce a nuclear device, if it chooses to do so;”

    Whereas, on November 15, 2024, the IAEA reported that the Islamic Republic of Iran has continued to expand its enrichment facilities and install additional advanced centrifuges, including at the Natanz Nuclear Facility, where there are 15 cascades of advanced centrifuges, and the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, where there are advanced preparations for the expansion of the facility;

    Whereas, on February 26, 2025, the IAEA reported that the Islamic Republic of Iran has between 5 and 7 metric tons of enriched uranium and had increased its total stockpile of 60 percent highly enriched uranium to 274.8 kilograms (605.83 pounds), which, if further enriched, could be sufficient to produce 6 nuclear weapons;

    Whereas, on May 31, 2025, the IAEA released a comprehensive report detailing Iran’s noncompliance with its Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons safeguards obligations, noting that Iran—

    (1) increased its stockpile of 60 percent highly enriched uranium to 408.6 kilograms as of May 17, 2025, which constitutes a 50 percent increase compared to its February 2025 report, a stockpile sufficient for approximately 9 nuclear weapons (if further enriched);

    (2) conducted undeclared nuclear activities at 4 sites—Lavisan-Shian, Varamin, Marivan, and Turquzabad—involving nuclear material and equipment; and

    (3) provided inaccurate or contradictory explanations, which severely obstructed IAEA verification efforts and raises serious concerns about the peaceful nature of its nuclear program;

    Whereas, on April 7, 2025, President Donald Trump stated, “You know, it’s not a complicated formula. Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. That’s all there is;”

    Whereas, on April 8, 2025, a senior official of the Islamic Republic of Iran rejected the dismantlement of its nuclear program by stating, “Trump wants a new deal: end Iran’s regional influence, dismantle its nuclear program, and halt its missile work. These are unacceptable to Tehran. Our nuclear program cannot be dismantled;”

    Whereas, on April 15, 2025, in an ultimatum issued to the Islamic Republic of Iran, President Trump—

    (1) demanded that a new nuclear deal be signed within 60 days to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program; and

    (2) warned that failure to comply with this demand would result in military action to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons;

    Whereas, on April 16, 2025, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran rejected United States demands and asserted its right to maintain its nuclear program and missile capabilities, escalating tensions and setting the stage for subsequent military operations by Israel and the United States;

    Whereas, on June 13, 2025, Israel began Operation Rising Lion with strikes against the Iranian nuclear program, key Iranian military leaders, and other strategic targets; and

    Whereas, on June 21, 2025, the United States launched Operation Midnight Hammer, conducting targeted strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, which significantly degraded Iran’s nuclear program;

    Whereas Iran has developed advanced ballistic missile systems, including the Shahab-3, Ghadr, and Khorramshahr missiles, with ranges of up to 2,000 kilometers and payloads capable of carrying nuclear warheads, which poses a significant threat as delivery systems for nuclear weapons to targets in the Middle East and parts of Europe;

    Whereas Iran, currently the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of United States citizens, including more than 600 United States servicemembers in Iraq through Iranian-backed militias, and other terrorist activities: Now, therefore, be it

    Resolved, That the Senate—

    1. supports the United States’ decisive military strikes under Operation Midnight Hammer to degrade Iran’s nuclear program;
    2. affirms that the Islamic Republic of Iran must never be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapons capability, which would threaten the security of the United States and its allies and partners;
    3. commends the Trump administration for taking resolute military action and praises the bravery of United States servicemembers who participated in Operation Midnight Hammer;
    4. concurs that President Trump’s efforts to reestablish deterrence are aimed at achieving lasting peace in the Middle East and worthy of consideration for the Nobel Peace Prize;
    5. reaffirms the right of the United States Government to take any necessary measures to prevent the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons;
    6. commends Israel for its targeted strikes under Operation Rising Lion against Iran’s nuclear facilities, ballistic missile infrastructure, and regime targets, including the Natanz enrichment facility and missile launchers, and recognizes these actions are critical to neutralizing existential threats to Israel and its allies; and
    7. condemns the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran for launching missiles at United States forces in Qatar and Iraq, and for launching 21 missile attacks that indiscriminately target Israeli civilians.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pelosi on the 80th Anniversary of the United Nations: “One of the world’s greatest organizations for peace and the advancement of humanity.”

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi Representing the 12th District of California

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi commemorated the 80th anniversary of the signing of the United Nations Charter, recognizing the founding of one of the world’s most enduring institutions for peace and global cooperation.

    Speaking on the House Floor, she reflected on the historic role San Francisco played in hosting the 1945 conference that gave birth to the U.N., underscoring the pride felt by the city and its people.

    Watch her full remarks here.

    Read the transcript of Speaker Emerita Pelosi’s Floor remarks below:

    Speaker Emerita Pelosi. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the signing of the United Nations Charter and the establishment of one of the world’s greatest organizations for peace and the advancement of humanity.

    As a representative of San Francisco, this anniversary has a particular pride for the people of my city and for me, for it was in San Francisco that we played host to the Grand Conference of Delegates that wrote the U.N. Charter.

    And it was in San Francisco’s War Memorial and Performing Arts Center on June 26, 1945, that the charter was signed. On that day, President Harry Truman came to the plenary session to offer his congratulations and his hopes for the future of a new United Nations.

    He said, ‘You have created a great instrument for peace and security and human progress in the world.’

    President Truman said that. ‘And the world must use it now.’ The world must use it now. It was true then. It is true now. Eight decades later, 193 member states have ratified the charter. That day was 50, and then Poland joined making it 51.

    Now 193 members have ratified the charter. The world’s greatest leaders and thinkers have been among the United Nations representatives.

    In 1946, United Nations General Assembly delegate and former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt helped draft the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which builds on President Franklin Roosevelt’s commitment to freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom from fear and freedom from want—for all people.

    Throughout its history, the United Nations has worked to end disease, hunger and poverty. It has sought to advance human rights, human dignity and opportunities for women and girls.

    It has focused the world’s attention on the plight of refugees and the urgency of the climate crisis with its Sustainable Development Goals. It has been a bulwark for global peace and peacekeeping.

    And in striving to fulfill the ideals and promises of its charter, the United Nations, related agencies, programs and staff had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 11 times.

    In 1950, Ralph Bunche, an American, became the first person affiliated with the new organization to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. In his acceptance speech, he remarked. ‘I am but one of many cogs in the United Nations. The greatest peace organization ever dedicated to the salvation of mankind’s future on Earth.’

    Under the leadership of Secretary-General António Guterres, the United Nations remains a strong, resolute, unwavering voice for peace in a world burdened by war.

    And today, the United Nations is convening a plenary meeting of the General Assembly in New York at the United Nations Headquarters to – in their quote, ‘to revive the spirit of San Francisco and once again embrace the ideals that united humanity during the darkest hour, reaffirming our commitment to those values into the future.’

    May we recapture the spirit of solidarity that existed in San Francisco 80 years ago as United Nations continues to stand as a beacon of peace for the next 80 years and beyond.

    Since I have a little more time, I want to just tell a personal story. When I was in high school – this is like a dozen years after the founding of the United Nations – President, then-Senator Kennedy came to Baltimore for a great event. It was the United Nations Association of Maryland dinner honoring someone named Jacob Blaustein, a civic leader in our community.

    My father was the mayor of Baltimore. My mother, knowing how much I admired the Kennedy family because we were taught by Irish Catholic nuns from Boston—even in Baltimore, she said ‘I don’t think I feel well going to the dinner tonight. Why don’t you take my place?’

    Taking her place meant sitting next to Senator Kennedy for this dinner where he was giving the keynote address. There’s a picture of that occasion. Why I tell the story is, I was a member of United Nations Youth in high school, was like a junior in high school at the time.

    And there was a table of United Nations Youth. And they came over to me and said, ‘Since you’re a member of United Nations Youth, we invite you to sit with us at our table.’

    Oh, my gosh. John F. Kennedy, United Nations Youth. As conflicted as I was, how could I leave a vacant seat next to Senator Kennedy of Massachusetts, soon to become President of the United States?

    In any event, as I said at the beginning, this holds a special particular pride for me personally as well as officially.

    I yield back. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: “Adaptation of New Technology is What Wins Wars” King Stresses in Armed Services Hearings

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), in a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), spoke with Michael Dodd, the nominee to serve as the Assistance Secretary of Defense for Critical Technologies, about the importance of developing and deploying new defense technologies. During his discussion with Dobb, Senator King highlighted that previously the United States has significantly underfunded the development of advanced weapon technologies like directed energy— the class of weapons systems that use electromagnetic energy, such as high-energy lasers. At the end of the exchange, he received commitment from Dodd, that if confirmed, he will aggressively work to advance directed energy platforms.
    Senator King began, “Mr. Dodd, you have, I think, one of the most important jobs in the Pentagon, which is technology. The adaptation of new technology is what wins wars. Genghis Khan was able to conquer the world because of his utilization of the stirrup, which enabled his archers to shoot from horseback. It was that technology that enabled him, the longbow. In the battle of Agincourt, enabled 6,000 British troops to defeat an army of 20,000 French. You mentioned several technologies in your testimony, but we have been basically slow on several technologies. We’ve been slow on drones, hypersonics, and particularly on directed energy, which you didn’t mention. In the age of drones, directed energy can be more important than ever. The prior administration woefully underfunded the development of directed energy. I hope that is something you will pursue in your new position. “
    “Thank you for raising that important issue. If confirmed, directed energy would be a technology area in the critical technologies portfolio. I am a staunch advocate and believer, as you referenced, in a one to many response, in utilizing many faster, cheaper platforms. Certainly, in the counter U.S. Domain, directed energy will play a role in that. High-performance microwaves are making some significant advances. Those platforms have been protyped and are being tested currently. We are excited, it confirmed, to see the growth and scaling of energy platforms,” responded Dodd.
    “Well in the red sea today, we are shooting down $20,000 Yemeni and Iranian drones with $4 million missiles. That is unsustainable. A shot from a directed energy is about $.75. This is urgent. I hope it is pursued not only systematically but also with some urgency,” said Senator King.
    Dodd replied, “Senator I’m fully committed to pursuing directed energy platforms if confirmed.”
    “Thank you,” finished Senator King.
    As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Senator King is recognized as an authoritative voice on national security and foreign policy issues. Senator King has previously spoken up about the emerging threats of Russia and China’s development of “nightmare weapon” hypersonic missiles. He previously urged the Department of Defense (DoD) to take advantage of private sector technologies or risk losing access to innovative defense technologies and encouraged the (DoD) to reevaluate its acquisition process of defense technologies. Additionally, Senator King has been a steady voice on the need to address the growing nuclear capacity of our adversaries. In a recent Armed Services hearing, he received commitment from Secretary of the Navy John Phelan to advocate for an increase in the directed energy budget.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Maine Delegation Presses Labor Secretary to Reopen Job Corps Centers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a letter to Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Maine’s Congressional delegation opposed the agency’s attempt to bypass Congress and close Job Corps centers nationwide. The move, which DOL calls a “phased pause in operations,” comes just months after officials froze enrollment at the Loring and Penobscot Job Corps Centers —  exacerbating rural workforce shortages in central and northern Maine.

    “By calling this plan a pause, the DOL is closing Job Corps centers without Congressional approval…” the lawmakers wrote. “The agency’s decision, which has been temporarily paused by the courts, to dismantle a widely popular, successful program has put hundreds of low-income Mainers at risk.” 

    The lawmakers also wrote that as Job Corps staff in Maine have tried to meet the DOL’s timeline to close the Penobscot and Loring facilities, “complications are impacting students and staff alike. Some students at both Job Corps Centers in Maine are not able to return home and are facing a risk of homelessness, and while organizations around these communities are helping, their resources are limited.”

    Maine’s Job Corps is among the agency’s most successful and productive programs, with the Penobscot Center ranking fourth in the most recent national Job Corps Report Card. This report measures how efficiently students at each center attain trade credentials and improve other skills like math and reading. 

    Loring’s Job Corps Center currently has 129 staff members and is one of the largest employers in rural northern Maine. It currently enrolls 228 students and opened in 1997 — just a few years after the closure of the Loring Air Force Base devastated the region.

    The Penobscot Job Corps has 223 students enrolled, and 65 students have graduated since July 2024. Of those graduates, 58 students have been verified as placements into employment, the military, or higher education, and five have transferred to other centers for advanced training opportunities. Penobscot is home to the only Advanced Marine Pipefitting training program in Job Corps, which is a feeder program for future BIW and PNSY employees.

    Yesterday, a federal judge temporarily extended a block on the administration’s Job Corps plan while a lawsuit over the move remains ongoing. 

    A copy of the delegation’s letter can be found here, and is included in full below:

    +++

    June 26, 2025

    The Honorable Lori Chavez-DeRemer

    Secretary

    Department of Labor

    200 Constitution Avenue, NW

    Washington, D.C. 20210

    Dear Secretary Chavez-DeRemer,

    We write to express our strong opposition to the sudden announcement by the Department of Labor (DOL) to begin a phased pause in operations at Job Corps Centers nationwide. This follows an earlier decision to halt enrollments at centers in Maine with which we also disagree. Given the immediate and significant impact these decisions will have on hundreds of young Mainers currently enrolled at or interested in the Loring Job Corps Center and the Penobscot Job Corps Center, as well as the economic repercussions to the surrounding communities that need a skilled workforce, we urge you to retract this announcement.

    Since its inception in 1964, Job Corps has been a vital program for countless young Americans across the country. In Maine, we have seen firsthand the benefits that the Job Corps has both on young students and their communities. The program has provided countless opportunities for low-income students to tap into their true potential and secure good-paying jobs. The job placement rate for the Maine centers is well above the national average, placing students in local healthcare settings, masonry, welding and beyond. Students from the Maine centers have gone on to work within Maine’s storied shipbuilding industry, join the Armed Forces, and work at Maine’s Community Colleges. Employers across the State that hire Job Corps graduates have developed long-standing relationships with the centers, finding that the students have been well-prepared to join the workforce.

    By calling this plan a pause, the DOL is closing Job Corps centers without Congressional approval. Since the DOL’s announcement, we have heard from students, parents, local employers, and community officials about the devastating consequences that closing the Maine centers will have on some of our most disadvantaged young people. It bears emphasizing that as small and rural communities in Maine and across the country struggle with labor shortages, Job Corps provides businesses with a reliable source of workers armed with the necessary skills to productively contribute to our local economy.

    The agency’s decision, which has been paused by the courts, to dismantle a widely popular, successful program has put hundreds of low-income Mainers at risk. Additionally, the Maine centers provide stable employment for residents of its closest communities. The Loring Job Corps Center is one of the largest employers in Aroostook County, employing nearly 130 Mainers. The DOL’s plan would prevent around 260 highly skilled employees from sharing their knowledge and expertise with Maine’s next generation of students living in small and rural communities.

    In Maine, while dedicated Job Corps staff at Loring Job Corps Center and the Penobscot Job Corps Center are working around the clock to comply with DOL’s decision and expedited timeline, complications are impacting students and staff alike. Some students at both Job Corps Centers in Maine are not able to return home and are facing a risk of homelessness, and while organizations around these communities are helping, their resources are limited. There are additional hurdles in securing transportation for students in these rural communities and ensuring that every student’s documents are in order.

    We urge the Department of Labor to reopen Job Corps centers in Maine and across the country, and work with Congress to seek a path that can build on the successes of the program. We appreciate your attention to this important matter.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Rosen Condemn Trump Administration for Rescinding Approval of High-Speed Internet Funding for Nevada

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Senators Will Delay Department of Commerce Nominees Until States Receive Funding.

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senators Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), and 12 Democratic Senators in a letter condemning the Trump Administration’s reckless decision to rescind approval for states to receive their share of Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce. The BEAD program was created to connect families in the hardest-to-serve communities to high-speed internet and close the digital divide for students, families, and small businesses.

    “We write to express our deep concern with the recent guidance the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) issued regarding the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. This guidance will add needless delay to connecting millions of Americans to high-speed internet, while going against Congressional intent and betraying unconnected Americans in the process,” wrote the Senators. “Until states receive the entire amount of BEAD funds they are owed, including nondeployment funds, we will not consent to expedited consideration of any related Commerce Department nominees on the Senate floor.”

    The Trump Administration’s new guidance rescinded the final approval of three states, including Nevada and Delaware, and forces all states to redo burdensome steps in theirprocesses, hindering states’ ability to connect communities to high-speed internet. In their letter to the Secretary of Commerce, the Senators committed to blocking all related Department of Commerce nominees until states receive their full BEAD allocation.

    “With three states fully approved and ready to put shovels in the ground and 42 other states having completed or started the process of receiving project bids and selecting BEAD subgrantees, NTIA’s new guidance upends years of work and threatens to delay the program at a critical point… Simply claiming states will be able to comply with NTIA’s new requirements within 90 days does not make it true,” the Senators’ letter continued. “With this in mind, we implore you to provide states with the maximum flexibility possible and ensure states receive the full amount of funding they are owed. Should you fail to do so, we will continue to block the expeditious advancement of all Commerce Department nominees overseeing broadband policy, along with any related nominees.”

    Read the full letter here.

    As part of her Innovation State Initiative, Senator Cortez Masto has led efforts to improve broadband access and strengthen Nevada’s economy. She successfully called for increased accountability for federal broadband programs through efforts like the FCC broadband map which helped deliver the State of Nevada additional BEAD funding through more accurate broadband accessibility data. The Senator has also pushed for greater transparency and tracking of federal broadband dollars through her bipartisan mapping tool she created in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and passed her bipartisan ACCESS Broadband Act to establish a broadband oversight office in the Commerce Department, which administers the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law BEAD funding, provides technical assistance to communities, and tracks taxpayer dollars.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen, Collins, Kelly Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Expand Development of Sustainable Wood Products and Support Forest Products Industry

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen
    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Susan Collins (R-ME) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) are reintroducing the Community Wood Facilities Assistance Act, bipartisan legislation that would make it easier to develop sustainable wood products and energy from biomass made from small-diameter timber left over from forest thinning projects, including projects that reduce the risk of wildfire. Repurposing wood waste is key to supporting innovation in the forest industry and creating new jobs while also helping businesses that repurpose the wood save money on energy costs and reduce emissions.  
    “The forest products industry is crucial to the stewardship of the Granite State’s forests and fuels economic opportunity in our state’s rural communities,” said Senator Shaheen. “By strengthening the vital Community Wood Energy Innovations Grant program, our bipartisan legislation would both promote innovation in the forest products industry and help spur energy efficiency upgrades that help businesses save money.” 
    “Throughout Maine’s history, the forest products industry has helped drive local economies and sustain rural communities. As our economy changes, this vital industry is evolving to meet the challenges of the 21st century,” said Senator Collins. “This bipartisan bill would make improvements to the Forest Service’s Community Wood Energy and Wood Innovations Grant Program, which helps to promote innovative uses for wood products.” 
    “Thinning Arizona’s overgrown forests is key to preventing wildfires but too often, leftover wood is just burned in piles, polluting our air, endangering our foresters, and risking new fires. By backing facilities that turn this waste into energy or sustainable products, we can cut emissions, create jobs, and build stronger rural economies—while making our forests healthier and safer,” said Senator Kelly. 
    The Community Wood Facilities Assistance Act would revise the U.S. Forest Service’s Community Wood Energy and Wood Innovations Grant Program by: 
    Allowing grants to be used for the construction of new facilities, in addition to making improvements to existing facilities; 
    Increasing the authorization from $25 million to $50 million; 
    Increasing the maximum grant per facilities from $1 million to $5 million; 
    Increasing the federal cost-share from 35 percent to 50 percent; 
    Increasing maximum size for community wood energy systems eligible for grant funding from 5 megawatts to 15 megawatts; 
    Change the program name to the Community Wood Facilities Grant Program to avoid confusion with the similarly named Wood Innovations Grant Program. 
    The bill would revise the U.S. Forest Service’s Wood Innovations Grant Program by: 
    Allowing grants to be used for the construction of new facilities, in addition to making improvements to existing facilities; 
    Reduce the minimum non-federal cost-share from 50 percent to 33 percent. 
    A companion bill was introduced in the House of Representatives in March by Representatives Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03), Chellie Pingree (ME-01) and Dan Newhouse (WA-04). 
    Senator Shaheen has long advocated for America’s forests and initiatives that would survey and repurpose biomass for clean energy initiatives. The Community Wood Facilities Assistance Act builds on Shaheen and Collins’ Community Wood Energy Innovation Act which was signed into law in the 2018 Farm Bill and expanded the Community Wood Energy Program to better incentivize investments in energy-efficient wood energy systems and facilities that repurpose low-grade, low-value wood that would otherwise be sent to landfills. 
    Shaheen recently visited DCI Furniture in Lisbon, a family-owned furniture manufacturing company that is using Community Wood Grant program funding to install a new combined heat and power system that uses wood waste for fuel.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen, Ernst Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Create First-of-its-Kind Program to Make Child Care More Accessible for Military Families

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Joni Ernst (R-IA), senior members of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, are introducing bipartisan legislation to respond to the shortage of child care availability across the country, particularly for military families. The Senators’ bill proposes a first-of-its-kind Department of Defense-led pilot program to support workforce development opportunities for child care providers and to add capacity to the child care sector by increasing recruitment, retention and training of child care staff.

    “Too many parents are put in difficult situations when they don’t have access to the quality, affordable care they need for their kids—a problem that is especially acute for military families who face even higher barriers to finding child care,” said Senator Shaheen. “That’s why I’m proud to join with my colleague, Senator Ernst, to introduce bipartisan legislation that would create a first-of-its-kind Department of Defense-led pilot program to strengthen workforce development opportunities for providers with the goal of increasing the amount of available child care slots in a local communities.”

    “As a mom and a grandma, I know how important our next generation is, and our military servicemembers deserve high-quality, affordable child care,” said Senator Ernst. “The Expanding Child Care for Military Families Act will bolster the Department of Defense’s partnership with local organizations to provide care and education for military kids while their parents train and prepare to protect our great nation.”

    Specifically, the Expanding Child Care for Military Families Act would:

    • Enable the Department of Defense (DoD) to enter into partnerships with both private and public child care providers on or near DoD installations.
    • Require the Department to provide certification and training opportunities and to participate in recruitment and retention programs for participating child care providers.
    • Give the DoD the authority to enter into a partnership agreement with AmeriCorps to allow AmeriCorps volunteers to be placed at child care providers participating in the DoD pilot program.
    • Assess current administrative resources available to families to identify areas of improvement for child care enrollment procedures.
    • Encourage DoD to recruit and offer training and certification to eligible military spouses.
    • Identify areas with high unmet need for child care and increase access to child care in these areas.

    Senator Shaheen has been a leader in advocating for more affordable and accessible child care, including by delivering more than $77 million to New Hampshire through the American Rescue Plan and other COVID relief laws to the Granite State. Since then, Shaheen had urged state and local officials to distribute those federal funds, especially in communities that lack access to child care. Shaheen recently helped introduced the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act which would permanently expand the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC). She also introduced the Child Care Availability and Affordability Act and the Child Care Workforce Act—bipartisan, bicameral legislation that together form a bold proposal to make child care more affordable and accessible by strengthening existing tax credits to lower child care costs and increase the supply of child care providers. The bill includes language from Shaheen’s Right Start Child Care and Education Act legislation. In April, Shaheen visited the YMCA of Greater Nashua’s Merrimack Branch to highlight the Granite State’s shortage of child care providers and to discuss her recent legislative efforts to address the child care affordability crisis.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen, Ernst Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Create First-of-its-Kind Program to Make Child Care More Accessible for Military Families

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Joni Ernst (R-IA), senior members of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, are introducing bipartisan legislation to respond to the shortage of child care availability across the country, particularly for military families. The Senators’ bill proposes a first-of-its-kind Department of Defense-led pilot program to support workforce development opportunities for child care providers and to add capacity to the child care sector by increasing recruitment, retention and training of child care staff.

    “Too many parents are put in difficult situations when they don’t have access to the quality, affordable care they need for their kids—a problem that is especially acute for military families who face even higher barriers to finding child care,” said Senator Shaheen. “That’s why I’m proud to join with my colleague, Senator Ernst, to introduce bipartisan legislation that would create a first-of-its-kind Department of Defense-led pilot program to strengthen workforce development opportunities for providers with the goal of increasing the amount of available child care slots in a local communities.”

    “As a mom and a grandma, I know how important our next generation is, and our military servicemembers deserve high-quality, affordable child care,” said Senator Ernst. “The Expanding Child Care for Military Families Act will bolster the Department of Defense’s partnership with local organizations to provide care and education for military kids while their parents train and prepare to protect our great nation.”

    Specifically, the Expanding Child Care for Military Families Act would:

    • Enable the Department of Defense (DoD) to enter into partnerships with both private and public child care providers on or near DoD installations.
    • Require the Department to provide certification and training opportunities and to participate in recruitment and retention programs for participating child care providers.
    • Give the DoD the authority to enter into a partnership agreement with AmeriCorps to allow AmeriCorps volunteers to be placed at child care providers participating in the DoD pilot program.
    • Assess current administrative resources available to families to identify areas of improvement for child care enrollment procedures.
    • Encourage DoD to recruit and offer training and certification to eligible military spouses.
    • Identify areas with high unmet need for child care and increase access to child care in these areas.

    Senator Shaheen has been a leader in advocating for more affordable and accessible child care, including by delivering more than $77 million to New Hampshire through the American Rescue Plan and other COVID relief laws to the Granite State. Since then, Shaheen had urged state and local officials to distribute those federal funds, especially in communities that lack access to child care. Shaheen recently helped introduced the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act which would permanently expand the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC). She also introduced the Child Care Availability and Affordability Act and the Child Care Workforce Act—bipartisan, bicameral legislation that together form a bold proposal to make child care more affordable and accessible by strengthening existing tax credits to lower child care costs and increase the supply of child care providers. The bill includes language from Shaheen’s Right Start Child Care and Education Act legislation. In April, Shaheen visited the YMCA of Greater Nashua’s Merrimack Branch to highlight the Granite State’s shortage of child care providers and to discuss her recent legislative efforts to address the child care affordability crisis.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Hassan Recognizes Lynette Kaichen of Effingham as June’s Granite Stater of the Month

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Maggie Hassan

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan recognized Lynette Kaichen of Effingham as June’s Granite Stater of the Month. Lynette founded The Pass Along Project, which provides clothing to children in foster care.

    Ten years ago, Lynette and her husband became foster parents for children in emergency cases. The children, who often had little time to pack a bag with personal items or clothes, would show up to their new foster home with nothing of their own. She realized that if an organization could have every size of clothing ready ahead of time, every child in a foster home could have the clothes that they need.

    Lynette started assembling kits with over a full week’s worth of clothing and shoes in every size in her kitchen. Over the past eight years The Pass Along Project has grown and now serves more than 500 children across the state every year. Lynette’s goal is to be able to provide kits for all children in New Hampshire foster care and also those who have entered the care of their relatives under similar circumstances.

    Lynette’s dedication to supporting children that are going through a difficult time is an outstanding example of the Granite State spirit of stepping up to help those in need. Her compassion and attentiveness to children entering foster care is why Senator Hassan named her June’s Granite Stater of the Month.

    Senator Hassan launched the “Granite Stater of the Month” initiative in 2017 to recognize outstanding New Hampshire citizens who go above and beyond to help their neighbors and make their communities stronger. To nominate a New Hampshire citizen to be a “Granite Stater of the Month,” constituents can complete the nomination form here.

    To read Senator Hassan’s statement for the Congressional Record, see below.

    I am honored to recognize Lynette Kaichen of Effingham as June’s Granite Stater of the Month. Lynette founded an organization that provides clothing to children being placed in emergency foster care.

    Ten years ago, Lynette and her husband became foster parents for children in emergency cases. In an emergency removal, kids going into foster care have little time to pack a bag with personal items or clothes, which means that most kids show up to their foster home with nothing of their own. Lynette was frustrated by the lack of support for these children, who are already going through a traumatic experience and have often lost everything, and by the fact that they have to move into a new and unfamiliar situation without any possessions. She knew that emergency foster parents would likely have some toiletries and toys or books ready, but the main problem that she ran into was not being able to plan ahead and have the correct size of clothing on hand. Lynette realized that if an organization could have every size of clothing ready ahead of time, every child in a foster home could have the clothes that they need.

    Lynette decided to take action. She started The Pass Along Project from her kitchen table, putting together kits full of over a week’s worth of clothing and shoes in every possible size from newborn to adult, ready to be delivered on short notice to a foster parent giving a child a home. Over the past eight years the organization has grown to include a warehouse in Pembroke, and The Pass Along Project now serves more than 500 children across New Hampshire each year. Lynette’s goal is to be able to provide kits for all children in our state in foster care and also those who have entered the care of their relatives under similar circumstances.

    Lynette’s dedication to supporting children that are going through a difficult time is an outstanding example of the Granite State spirit of stepping up to help those in need. Her compassion and attentiveness to children entering foster care is why I am proud to name her June’s Granite Stater of the Month.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Hassan Recognizes Lynette Kaichen of Effingham as June’s Granite Stater of the Month

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Maggie Hassan

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan recognized Lynette Kaichen of Effingham as June’s Granite Stater of the Month. Lynette founded The Pass Along Project, which provides clothing to children in foster care.

    Ten years ago, Lynette and her husband became foster parents for children in emergency cases. The children, who often had little time to pack a bag with personal items or clothes, would show up to their new foster home with nothing of their own. She realized that if an organization could have every size of clothing ready ahead of time, every child in a foster home could have the clothes that they need.

    Lynette started assembling kits with over a full week’s worth of clothing and shoes in every size in her kitchen. Over the past eight years The Pass Along Project has grown and now serves more than 500 children across the state every year. Lynette’s goal is to be able to provide kits for all children in New Hampshire foster care and also those who have entered the care of their relatives under similar circumstances.

    Lynette’s dedication to supporting children that are going through a difficult time is an outstanding example of the Granite State spirit of stepping up to help those in need. Her compassion and attentiveness to children entering foster care is why Senator Hassan named her June’s Granite Stater of the Month.

    Senator Hassan launched the “Granite Stater of the Month” initiative in 2017 to recognize outstanding New Hampshire citizens who go above and beyond to help their neighbors and make their communities stronger. To nominate a New Hampshire citizen to be a “Granite Stater of the Month,” constituents can complete the nomination form here.

    To read Senator Hassan’s statement for the Congressional Record, see below.

    I am honored to recognize Lynette Kaichen of Effingham as June’s Granite Stater of the Month. Lynette founded an organization that provides clothing to children being placed in emergency foster care.

    Ten years ago, Lynette and her husband became foster parents for children in emergency cases. In an emergency removal, kids going into foster care have little time to pack a bag with personal items or clothes, which means that most kids show up to their foster home with nothing of their own. Lynette was frustrated by the lack of support for these children, who are already going through a traumatic experience and have often lost everything, and by the fact that they have to move into a new and unfamiliar situation without any possessions. She knew that emergency foster parents would likely have some toiletries and toys or books ready, but the main problem that she ran into was not being able to plan ahead and have the correct size of clothing on hand. Lynette realized that if an organization could have every size of clothing ready ahead of time, every child in a foster home could have the clothes that they need.

    Lynette decided to take action. She started The Pass Along Project from her kitchen table, putting together kits full of over a week’s worth of clothing and shoes in every possible size from newborn to adult, ready to be delivered on short notice to a foster parent giving a child a home. Over the past eight years the organization has grown to include a warehouse in Pembroke, and The Pass Along Project now serves more than 500 children across New Hampshire each year. Lynette’s goal is to be able to provide kits for all children in our state in foster care and also those who have entered the care of their relatives under similar circumstances.

    Lynette’s dedication to supporting children that are going through a difficult time is an outstanding example of the Granite State spirit of stepping up to help those in need. Her compassion and attentiveness to children entering foster care is why I am proud to name her June’s Granite Stater of the Month.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy Welcomes HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to Louisiana Ahead of MAHA Bill Signing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

    [embedded content]
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) released a welcome message to the U.S. Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. ahead of his visit to Baton Rouge for a Make America Healthy Again bill-signing event. Cassidy and Kennedy worked together to eliminate harmful ingredients and artificial dyes, safeguard children from sex change operations, and, most recently, increase patients’ access to life-saving treatment through prior authorization reform.
    “I want to welcome the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert Kennedy, to Louisiana. I thank you for coming, Bobby. And thank you particularly for going to the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, an LSU institution studying nutrition. And I know how passionate you are—and I am—about having good nutrition to Make America Healthy Again,” said Dr. Cassidy.
    Cassidy could not be in Louisiana to greet Secretary Kennedy due to the U.S. Senate’s consideration of President Trump’s One, Big, Beautiful Bill.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dingell, Luján Introduce Legislation to Strengthen Home and Community-Based Services and Workforce

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)

    Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06) reintroduced the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Relief Act, a bill that would provide much-needed support to state programs that fund home and community-based care services. Currently, staffing shortages of direct care providers have led to a reduction in HCBS availability and growing waitlists for eligible individuals. The HCBS Relief Act would provide dedicated Medicaid funds to states for two years to stabilize their HCBS service delivery networks, recruit and retain HCBS direct care workers, and meet the long-term service and support needs of people eligible for Medicaid home and community-based services. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) introduced a companion bill.
     
    “We know that the majority of individuals who require long-term care would prefer to receive it in their own homes and communities. No one should have to wait years to get the care they deserve, and no care worker should have to live below the poverty line to give this care,” said Representative Dingell. “Medicaid is the single largest payer of long-term care in our country. At a time when Medicaid is facing unprecedented, historic cuts, it’s more important than ever that we prioritize home and community-based services. This legislation will provide much-needed investment in our care workforce, making it easier for those who need care to get it, and supporting the caregivers doing this crucial work.”

    “Right now, millions rely on HCBS for basic everyday needs – help getting dressed, taking medications, preparing meals, and so much more,” said Senator Luján. “To support Americans who depend on home and community-based care, I’m proud to introduce my HCBS Relief Act. My bill would address chronic underfunding that has pushed families into crisis and forced many into institutions simply because they can’t access support at home.”
     
    The HCBS Relief Act would provide dedicated Medicaid funds to states for two years to stabilize their HCBS service delivery networks, recruit and retain HCBS direct care workers, and meet the long-term service and support needs of people eligible for Medicaid home and community-based services. States would receive a 10-point increase in the federal match (FMAP) for Medicaid for two fiscal years to enhance HCBS. These funds can be used to improve states’ HCBS infrastructure and workforce in several ways, including:

    • Increasing direct care worker pay,
    • Providing benefits such as paid family leave or sick leave to workers,
    • Covering transportation expenses to and from the homes of care recipients,
    • Facilitating the recruitment and training of additional direct care workers,
    • Implementing assistive technologies to support person-centered care,
    • Providing care to eligible individuals who are currently on waiting lists,

    Dingell has long been a leader in Congress on expanding access to HCBS. She leads the Better Care Better Jobs Act and HCBS Access Act to enhance Medicaid funding for home care, strengthen the caregiving workforce, improve quality of life for families, and boost the economy by creating good-paying jobs to make it possible for families and workers alike to thrive.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dingell, Wittman Introduce Bipartisan Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund Reauthorization

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)

    Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Rob Wittman (R-VA) introduced the bipartisan Sport Fish Restoration, Recreational Boating Safety, and Wildlife Restoration Act of 2025, which would reauthorize the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund through 2030. Since its enactment in 1950, the Trust Fund, which is set to expire at the end of the fiscal year, has provided more than $40 billion in funding for state-based conservation programs, recreational boating access and safety, aquatic resources education, and fisheries management and restoration.

     “For 75 years, the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund has provided essential resources to conserve critical fish populations, protect marine ecosystems, strengthen local boating safety programs, and more,” said Dingell. “The Trust Fund enables states and territories to make important investments in safeguarding our environmental heritage and improving access to the outdoors for all Americans. We look forward to renewing the Trust Fund as a bipartisan effort, and supporting necessary resources for recreational fishing and ecosystem conservation for years to come.”

    “Growing up in the Chesapeake Bay watershed gave me a deep appreciation for our waterways and a passion for conservation and fishing that still drives my work today,” said Wittman. “That’s why I’m proud to co-lead this bipartisan bill, which supports vital investments in sport fish species and habitat restoration, recreational fishing access, and boating infrastructure. This legislation helps ensure the long-term health of our coastal sport fisheries so that future generations can enjoy our public waters and the great American outdoors.”
     
    This bill would: 

    • Reauthorize the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund for another 5 years.
    • Update apportionment for Interstate Fisheries Commissions from a flat amount to a percentage to increase funding
    • Expand domestic fuel options for boaters by incentivizing the provision of alternative marine fuels
    • Reduce tax on aerated bait buckets from 10% to 3%, enabling more competitive pricing and reducing the competitive disadvantage faced by manufacturers of aerated bait buckets

    The legislation is endorsed by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, the American Sportfishing Association, the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMAA), and Boat U.S.

    “For 75 years, the Sportfish Restoration Act has been providing funding for fishery conservation, boating access, and aquatic education,” said Judy Camuso, President of the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies. “This funding provides critical support to state and territorial fish and wildlife agencies, ensuring that sport fish populations and aquatic habitats are healthy, sustainable, and available for future generations.”

    “With 11,000 inland lakes and tens of thousands of miles of rivers and streams, Michigan is home to great boating and fantastic fishing opportunities,” said Shannon Lott, Michigan DNR Natural Resources Deputy Director. “I thank Congresswoman Dingell and Congressman Wittman for introducing the Sport Fish Restoration, Recreational Boating Safety, and Wildlife Restoration Act of 2025, which will ensure that Michigan continues to receive critical funding generated from excise taxes paid on fishing equipment, motorboat fuel, and electric motors to support its efforts to restore and managing sportfish and provide public access for recreational boating.”

    “In Virginia, the apportionment we receive from the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund provides critical funding for programs that conserve aquatic resources and support safe, accessible recreational boating,” said Ryan Brown, Director of the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources and Chair of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’ Executive Committee. “These investments ensure that anglers and boaters can continue to enjoy our waterways for generations to come and sustain outdoor recreation and local economies across the Commonwealth.”

    “The Sport Fish Restoration Program is a model of collaborative conservation that is envied the world over,” said Glenn Hughes, President of the American Sportfishing Association. “The sportfishing equipment manufacturers we represent are proud to pay the federal excise tax on fishing equipment because they know it is being put to good use in support of aquatic resource conservation, access and fishing participation projects that benefit the future of the sport. As we celebrate the program’s 75thanniversary, we thank Reps. Dingell and Wittman for leading the Sport Fish Restoration, Recreational Boating Safety, and Wildlife Restoration Act so this program can continue well into the future.”
     
    “Thanks to the leadership of Representatives Dingell and Wittman, we are one step closer to reauthorizing the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund and ensuring that the program begins addressing modern issues impacting the recreational boating community,“ said Frank Hugelmeyer, NMMA Chief Executive Officer and President. “Paid for by recreational boaters, anglers, and manufacturers, the Trust Fund is the backbone of fisheries habitat restoration and boating infrastructure, providing critical funding for these efforts at the national and state levels, and we call on all members of Congress to swiftly approve this overwhelmingly bipartisan bill.”

    “With over 11 million registered boats in the United States, the reauthorization of the Sportfish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund is critical to ensuring access to our shared waterways,” said David Kennedy, Manager of Boat U.S. Government Affairs. “This fund supports vital conservation efforts and infrastructure improvements that preserve aquatic ecosystems and enhance boating for everyone. On behalf of BoatUS members nationwide, we thank Representatives Dingell and Wittman for introducing this widely supported bill that will benefit all who enjoy the water.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dingell, Pallone, Whitehouse Reintroduce Legislation to Strengthen Medicaid and CHIP, Provide Continuous Coverage for Enrollees

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)

    Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06) and Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, reintroduced the Stabilize Medicaid and CHIP Coverage Act to provide 12 months of continuous coverage for individuals receiving health care through Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Currently, millions of Medicaid and CHIP beneficiaries are at risk for losing health coverage each year due to short-term changes in income as well as burdensome paperwork or administrative requirements. These bureaucratic burdens result in significant churn of individuals on and off Medicaid and CHIP and serve as a barrier to effective coordination of care and preventative health care. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) introduced a companion bill.
     
    “No one should lose access to health care because of bureaucratic delays,” said Congresswoman Dingell. “Especially at a time when Medicaid is facing the biggest cuts in history, it’s more important than ever that we prevent people from losing coverage and slipping through the cracks due to paperwork and red tape. This legislation will guarantee 12 months of continuous coverage for the most vulnerable Americans, improving access to consistent, quality healthcare that results in better health outcomes.”

    “Republicans’ Big, Beautiful-for-Billionaires Bill will destabilize Rhode Island hospitals and entire health care systems with cruel and dangerous cuts to Medicaid, all so they can fund even more tax giveaways to big corporations and their billionaire donors,” said Senator Whitehouse.  “I’m glad to join Congresswoman Dingell in introducing this bill to cut red tape and strengthen Medicaid for the Rhode Islanders who rely on it for childbirth, addiction treatment, nursing home care, and so much more.”

    Nearly 80 million Americans – including 2.3 million Michiganders – are enrolled in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Medicaid is the largest public health insurance program in the United States. It provides funding to states for services at nursing homes, doctors’ offices, and hospitals for low-income elderly adults, children, pregnant women, veterans, and people with disabilities. Medicaid is the single-largest payer of long-term care and provides critical home health and school-based services as well as addiction and mental health services.

    The Stabilize Medicaid and CHIP Coverage Act extends twelve months of guaranteed coverage to all individuals enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP.  The legislation would ensure that once enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP, an individual retains their eligibility for 12 months regardless of fluctuations in income. Without this provision, beneficiaries can lose their eligibility for Medicaid because of short-term changes in income (e.g. a seasonal position) when income may briefly exceed 138% of the federal poverty level ($1,800/month for a single person). Guaranteeing a 12-month enrollment period smooths this cliff, ensuring beneficiaries do not lose their coverage until they are reevaluated at the next renewal.

    Dingell introduced the legislation as congressional Republicans try to pass their reconciliation bill that would rip health coverage away from 16 million Americans, without doing anything meaningful to address health fraud, which they claim is their goal. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has found that virtually all of the health care cuts in the legislation would actually come from families that count on Medicaid losing their coverage or benefits.  If the reconciliation bill passes, it would be the largest cut to American health care in history – all to fund tax breaks that would make the country’s richest people richer.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Aguilar Passes Amendment to Allow DACA Recipients to Work in Congress

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Pete Aguilar (31 CD Ca)

    Today, the House Appropriations Committee adopted Rep. Pete Aguilar’s amendment allowing recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program, also known as Dreamers, to work in the United States Congress.
    “Dreamers love America as much as any American and they want to pursue careers in public service, giving back to their communities and shaping the future of our country,” Rep. Aguilar said. “I’m grateful to my Appropriations Committee colleagues for supporting my amendment today, and I urge all my colleagues in the House to support this commonsense policy change. We want to ensure that truly the best and brightest job applicants have a chance to serve the United States and Dreamers should not be excluded. The best time to pursue this policy change was a decade ago. The second-best time is now.”
    The amendment was introduced at the full Appropriations Committee markup of the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Legislative Branch funding bill, passing by a bipartisan vote of 32 to 29. 
    Rep. Aguilar previously introduced this amendment in FY24 and FY25. The funding bill will now be voted on by the House of Representatives. 
    The DACA Program is a temporary program enacted in 2012 under the Obama Administration that provides immigrants brought to America as children with protection from deportation and work authorization. Since its enactment, DACA has allowed more than 800,000 DACA recipients to live and work in the United States. Rep. Aguilar serves as Chair of the House Democratic Caucus and as a member of the House Committee on Appropriations.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Volcano Watch — Where does Kīlauea tephra go? The answer is blowin’ in the wind

    Source: US Geological Survey

    Volcano Watch is a weekly article and activity update written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates.

    This animated GIF shows a timelapse sequence consisting of one image every several days between December 25, 2024, and June 20, 2025.  The photos were taken from the northern rim of the caldera, near Uēkahuna overlook and the view is south towards the ongoing eruption site in Halemaʻumaʻu. The sequence shows the dramatic development of a tephra cone on the rim of Halema‘uma‘u during the twenty-six episodes of lava fountaining that have occurred between December 23, 2024, and June 20, 2025. USGS images. 

    Recent Volcano Watches have described the episodic nature of this eruption, with episodes of lava fountains separated by pauses. Other Volcano Watches have described hazards associated with lava fountaining. 

    The extent and severity of hazards associated with lava fountaining depend on three factors: (1) lava fountain height, (2) wind conditions, and (3) lava fountain angle. 

    Overall, lava fountains during this eruption have been getting higher. This pattern is not guaranteed to continue, but the four most recent episodes have erupted the highest lava fountains—all taller than 1,000 feet (300 meters). Incredibly, these spectacular fountains are still shorter than the record 1,900-foot (580 meter) fountains of the 1959 Kīlauea Iki eruption. 

    Taller fountains means that more tephra (pieces of the lava fountain, which includes Pele’s hair) can be deposited further away, as the starting point from which tephra starts to fall to the ground is higher up. The ongoing eruption has created a hill of tephra southwest of Halemaʻumaʻu—similar to how tephra fallout from the 1959 Kīlauea Iki fountains formed Puʻupuaʻi. During the last four episodes the hill has grown by as much as 30 feet (10 meters) in a single episode! The growing hill hasn’t posed a hazard to the public as it is within a closed area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park—but this brings us to wind.

    Dominant trade wind conditions generally send tephra and volcanic gas southwest over the remote Kaʻū Desert. Eruption viewing areas within the national park are unaffected, but there can be decreased air quality in communities downwind of Kīlauea due to volcanic gas, vog (“volcanic smog”), and small amounts of Pele’s hair may fall.

    Future episodes could occur during less favorable conditions, or during wind patterns affected by hurricanes. This already happened: episodes 15 and 16 occurred during low and variable winds, and Pele’s hair fell on nearby communities—from the Volcano Golf Course to Ohia Estates and beyond. During episode 15, tephra also fell at Uēkahuna and Kīlauea overlooks, resulting in the temporary closure of these popular viewing areas, while during episode 16, tephra fell on Highway 11.

    What if an episode occurs during Kona winds (the opposite direction from trade winds)? Recent episodes provide a guide. Episode 23 fountains reached 1,150 feet (350 meters) during strong persistent tradewinds with speeds of 9–14 miles/hour, and episode 24 fountains reached 1,200 feet (365 meters) during tradewinds with speeds of 5–10 miles/hour. Both times, tephra deposits were up to 2 feet thick a mile directly downwind—about the same distance as from the vents to Kīlauea overlook. For both, the tephra deposit was visible in satellite imagery up to 2½ miles away—slightly less than the distance from the vents to Volcano House. This corresponds to an inch or less of tephra.

    What about lava fountain angle? Imagine a garden hose blasting water. If the nozzle is pointed straight towards the sky, water will fall back down on the ground nearby—although wind can send the water downwind. This is the default behavior of lava fountains. An “inclined fountain” happens when the nozzle is angled away from the sky (a change in vent geometry) or if there is a partial blockage.

    Inclined fountains happened briefly and suddenly in 1959 (Kīlauea Iki) and 1969 (Maunaulu) after the cone partially collapsed into the vent during lava fountaining (a partial blockage). It took up to 20 minutes for the blockages to clear and the fountain to straighten itself. As the nearest viewing areas of the current eruption are over a mile away from the vents, they are not likely to be directly affected in the unlikely event of an inclined fountain.

    The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) will continue to monitor Kīlauea’s summit eruption and its hazards, working closely with Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and the Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Agency. The combination of an episodic lava fountain and hurricane season is rare and its good to maintain an awareness of which way the wind is blowing.

    These maps show lava flow and tephra accumulation at Kīlauea volcano associated with episodes 23 (left) and 24 (right) of the ongoing eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu that started on December 23, 2024, using data recorded by the Italian Space Agency’s (ASI) COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation satellite constellation. These maps combine cross-polarized radar amplitude images taken on two different dates, along with interferometric coherence from the time between those dates. In the maps, unchanged barren areas are represented in blue/purple, vegetated areas appear in yellow/light green, and new deposits over barren land are shown in either dark or bright green. Large yellow dots show measured tephra deposit thickness, and the dotted circle encompasses distances within 1.3 miles (2.1 kilometers) of the eruptive vents. Public viewing areas within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park are indicated with white squares; these can be temporarily closed for public safety.

    Volcano Activity Updates

    Kīlauea has been erupting episodically within the summit caldera since December 23, 2024. Its USGS Volcano Alert level is WATCH.

    Episode 26 of the Kīlauea summit eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu crater occurred on June 20, with approximately 9 hours of fountaining from the north and south vents. Summit region inflation since the end of episode 26, along with persistent tremor, suggests that another episode is possible and could start between June 29 and July 3. Sulfur dioxide emission rates are elevated in the summit region during active eruption episodes. No unusual activity has been noted along Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone. 

    Mauna Loa is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert Level is at NORMAL.

    No earthquakes were reported felt in the Hawaiian Islands during the past week.

    HVO continues to closely monitor Kīlauea and Mauna Loa.

    Please visit HVO’s website for past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake information, and more. Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Volcano Watch — Where does Kīlauea tephra go? The answer is blowin’ in the wind

    Source: US Geological Survey

    Volcano Watch is a weekly article and activity update written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates.

    This animated GIF shows a timelapse sequence consisting of one image every several days between December 25, 2024, and June 20, 2025.  The photos were taken from the northern rim of the caldera, near Uēkahuna overlook and the view is south towards the ongoing eruption site in Halemaʻumaʻu. The sequence shows the dramatic development of a tephra cone on the rim of Halema‘uma‘u during the twenty-six episodes of lava fountaining that have occurred between December 23, 2024, and June 20, 2025. USGS images. 

    Recent Volcano Watches have described the episodic nature of this eruption, with episodes of lava fountains separated by pauses. Other Volcano Watches have described hazards associated with lava fountaining. 

    The extent and severity of hazards associated with lava fountaining depend on three factors: (1) lava fountain height, (2) wind conditions, and (3) lava fountain angle. 

    Overall, lava fountains during this eruption have been getting higher. This pattern is not guaranteed to continue, but the four most recent episodes have erupted the highest lava fountains—all taller than 1,000 feet (300 meters). Incredibly, these spectacular fountains are still shorter than the record 1,900-foot (580 meter) fountains of the 1959 Kīlauea Iki eruption. 

    Taller fountains means that more tephra (pieces of the lava fountain, which includes Pele’s hair) can be deposited further away, as the starting point from which tephra starts to fall to the ground is higher up. The ongoing eruption has created a hill of tephra southwest of Halemaʻumaʻu—similar to how tephra fallout from the 1959 Kīlauea Iki fountains formed Puʻupuaʻi. During the last four episodes the hill has grown by as much as 30 feet (10 meters) in a single episode! The growing hill hasn’t posed a hazard to the public as it is within a closed area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park—but this brings us to wind.

    Dominant trade wind conditions generally send tephra and volcanic gas southwest over the remote Kaʻū Desert. Eruption viewing areas within the national park are unaffected, but there can be decreased air quality in communities downwind of Kīlauea due to volcanic gas, vog (“volcanic smog”), and small amounts of Pele’s hair may fall.

    Future episodes could occur during less favorable conditions, or during wind patterns affected by hurricanes. This already happened: episodes 15 and 16 occurred during low and variable winds, and Pele’s hair fell on nearby communities—from the Volcano Golf Course to Ohia Estates and beyond. During episode 15, tephra also fell at Uēkahuna and Kīlauea overlooks, resulting in the temporary closure of these popular viewing areas, while during episode 16, tephra fell on Highway 11.

    What if an episode occurs during Kona winds (the opposite direction from trade winds)? Recent episodes provide a guide. Episode 23 fountains reached 1,150 feet (350 meters) during strong persistent tradewinds with speeds of 9–14 miles/hour, and episode 24 fountains reached 1,200 feet (365 meters) during tradewinds with speeds of 5–10 miles/hour. Both times, tephra deposits were up to 2 feet thick a mile directly downwind—about the same distance as from the vents to Kīlauea overlook. For both, the tephra deposit was visible in satellite imagery up to 2½ miles away—slightly less than the distance from the vents to Volcano House. This corresponds to an inch or less of tephra.

    What about lava fountain angle? Imagine a garden hose blasting water. If the nozzle is pointed straight towards the sky, water will fall back down on the ground nearby—although wind can send the water downwind. This is the default behavior of lava fountains. An “inclined fountain” happens when the nozzle is angled away from the sky (a change in vent geometry) or if there is a partial blockage.

    Inclined fountains happened briefly and suddenly in 1959 (Kīlauea Iki) and 1969 (Maunaulu) after the cone partially collapsed into the vent during lava fountaining (a partial blockage). It took up to 20 minutes for the blockages to clear and the fountain to straighten itself. As the nearest viewing areas of the current eruption are over a mile away from the vents, they are not likely to be directly affected in the unlikely event of an inclined fountain.

    The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) will continue to monitor Kīlauea’s summit eruption and its hazards, working closely with Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and the Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Agency. The combination of an episodic lava fountain and hurricane season is rare and its good to maintain an awareness of which way the wind is blowing.

    These maps show lava flow and tephra accumulation at Kīlauea volcano associated with episodes 23 (left) and 24 (right) of the ongoing eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu that started on December 23, 2024, using data recorded by the Italian Space Agency’s (ASI) COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation satellite constellation. These maps combine cross-polarized radar amplitude images taken on two different dates, along with interferometric coherence from the time between those dates. In the maps, unchanged barren areas are represented in blue/purple, vegetated areas appear in yellow/light green, and new deposits over barren land are shown in either dark or bright green. Large yellow dots show measured tephra deposit thickness, and the dotted circle encompasses distances within 1.3 miles (2.1 kilometers) of the eruptive vents. Public viewing areas within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park are indicated with white squares; these can be temporarily closed for public safety.

    Volcano Activity Updates

    Kīlauea has been erupting episodically within the summit caldera since December 23, 2024. Its USGS Volcano Alert level is WATCH.

    Episode 26 of the Kīlauea summit eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu crater occurred on June 20, with approximately 9 hours of fountaining from the north and south vents. Summit region inflation since the end of episode 26, along with persistent tremor, suggests that another episode is possible and could start between June 29 and July 3. Sulfur dioxide emission rates are elevated in the summit region during active eruption episodes. No unusual activity has been noted along Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone. 

    Mauna Loa is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert Level is at NORMAL.

    No earthquakes were reported felt in the Hawaiian Islands during the past week.

    HVO continues to closely monitor Kīlauea and Mauna Loa.

    Please visit HVO’s website for past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake information, and more. Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta: Patients Should Choose Trusted Medical Providers, Not Politicians

    Source: US State of California

    Thursday, June 26, 2025

    Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

    OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued a statement following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Planned Parenthood South Atlantic v. Medina denying Medicaid recipients’ individual right to receive care from the qualified providers of their choice, including Planned Parenthood. In a 6-3 opinion, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Medicaid beneficiaries do not have a private right of action to obtain assistance from any institution that is “qualified to perform the service or services required” under the Medicaid Act’s free-choice-of-provider provision  because the any-qualified-provider provision, passed by Congress, does not clearly and unambiguously confer individual rights enforceable under §1983. The case began when the state of South Carolina unlawfully terminated Planned Parenthood South Atlantic’s (Planned Parenthood) participation in Medicaid only because the organization performed abortions outside of the Medicaid program. As a result of the termination, Planned Parenthood immediately had to begin turning away Medicaid patients.

    “Congress expressly granted patients the right to choose a qualified doctor or provider they trust while seeking medical care. Today’s decision got it wrong: It strips choice out of the hands of patients, and allows politicians to block patients from making their own decisions about their own healthcare,” said Attorney General Bonta. “The impacts of this decision are likely to harm real people, especially low-income residents of South Carolina and other Medicaid beneficiaries who turn to Planned Parenthood for critical services, including physical exams, pregnancy testing and counseling, and screening for conditions such as diabetes, depression, and high blood pressure. In California, we will continue to defend patients’ access to choose providers they trust, including qualified providers like Planned Parenthood.”  

    As part of a coalition of 17 attorneys general, Attorney General Bonta previously filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of Medicaid recipients’ individual right to receive care from the qualified providers of their choice, including Planned Parenthood.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Casten Reintroduce Legislation Banning Inequitable Calculations of Civil Damages

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and U.S. Representative Sean Casten (D-IL-06) reintroduced the Fair Calculations in Civil Damages Act, legislation to prohibit the consideration of race, ethnicity, gender, or actual or perceived sexual orientation when calculating damages in civil lawsuits.
    “Nobody should be granted lower civil damages because of their gender, race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation,” said Senator Booker. “However, studies show that women and people of color often receive less in damages in comparison to their white, male counterparts. The Fair Calculations in Civil Damages Act will work to ensure equal justice under the law by banning discriminatory practices that prevent victims in civil cases from receiving fair compensation.”
    “It is unacceptable that our courts often award less in damages to women and people of color than white men in comparable civil cases,” said Congressman Casten. “In doing so, our courts are declaring that some Americans’ lives are worth less based on lifetime earning potential statistics borne of racism and sexism. I’m proud to join Senator Booker in introducing the Fair Calculations Act to outlaw discriminatory damage calculations in federal courts. This bill takes a major step in ensuring justice and equity in our civil courts.”
    Concerning studies and news reports have shown that state and federal courtrooms across the country consider race, ethnicity, and gender when calculating damages. Courts often award women and people of color significantly less than white men, even in comparable civil cases. In these instances, a person of color may, for example, be presumed to have less lifetime earning potential than a similarly situated white counterpart, leading to the low and unfair appraisal of damages. 
    The Fair Calculations in Civil Damages Act makes our legal system more just and equal by outlawing discriminatory damage calculations in federal courts and preventing courts from determining that victims in civil cases should be awarded less in damages on the basis of their actual or perceived race, ethnicity, sex, gender, or sexual orientation. 
    This bill is endorsed by the American Association for Justice and Equal Justice Under Law.
    This bill is cosponsored by Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC).
    To read the full text of the bill, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Goldman Reintroduce Legislation to Address Vulnerabilities Within Federal Gun Background Check System

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
    WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and U.S. Representative Dan Goldman (D-NY-10) reintroduced the Preventing Pretrial Gun Purchases Act, legislation that would address flaws in the background check process and keep firearms out of the hands of individuals that courts determine pose a risk of harm to others. 
    Current federal law requires licensed gun dealers to conduct a background check using the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) before completing a sale to ensure a buyer is not a prohibited purchaser. Yet, because state and federal background check processes can vary, jurisdictions cannot effectively and accurately report individuals who have been prohibited by a court from purchasing or possessing a firearm as a condition of their pretrial release.
    “We must close the existing loopholes in the background check system, especially when individuals who are known risks to public safety are still able to buy a firearm,” said Senator Booker. “This legislation will ensure that individuals subject to a pretrial release court order cannot walk into a gun store and buy one. We must act to close the dangerous gaps in our background check system so we can save lives and keep our communities safe.”
    “Improving our background check system and closing loopholes that allow unfit individuals to access firearms is one of the most effective steps we can take to address America’s tragic gun violence crisis,” said Congressman Goldman. “I am proud to jointly reintroduce the ‘Preventing Pretrial Gun Purchases Act’ with Senator Booker, which will close a dangerous loophole in our background check system by flagging individuals on pretrial release who are legally barred from purchasing firearms as a condition of their release. Congress must stop twiddling our thumbs and start taking decisive steps to close these deadly loopholes and prevent weapons from falling into the wrong hands.”
    “Background checks have proven to be an effective way to prevent gun deaths and keep our communities safe,” said Senator Padilla. “This bill is a commonsense step to ensure dangerous individuals cannot legally buy a gun while awaiting trial. I will keep fighting to strengthen background checks and protect families from the devastating toll of gun violence.”
    “Support for universal background checks is nearly unanimous among Americans, but when background checks have misguided loopholes, firearms can still fall into the hands of someone dangerous to themselves or others,” said Senator Durbin. “I’m joining Senator Booker to introduce the Preventing Pretrial Gun Purchases Act, which is much needed, commonsense legislation to strengthen background checks.”
    The Preventing Pretrial Gun Purchases Act would:
    Amend federal law to deny firearm sales to any person subject to a pretrial release court order that prohibits the person from purchasing, possessing, or receiving guns while awaiting trial.
    Prohibit any person from knowingly selling or disposing of a gun to individuals who fall in this category.
    Authorize $25 million in additional funding to be made available to states to pay for timely and accurate reporting of pretrial orders involving firearms restrictions to NICS
    The Preventing Pretrial Gun Purchases Act has been endorsed by the following organizations: Everytown for Gun Safety, Newtown Action Alliance, Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, and Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence.
    This legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL). 
    To read the full text of the bill, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Wicker Leads SASC Hearing to Consider Five Senior Pentagon Nominations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Mississippi Roger Wicker
    Watch Video Here
     
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today led a hearing to consider the qualifications of five senior nominees to serve within the Department of Defense, the Department of the Army, and the Department of the Navy.
    Mr. Hung Cao, nominated to serve as Under Secretary of the Navy, Mr. Michael F. Dodd, nominated to serve as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Critical Technologies, Mr. Jules W. Hurst III, nominated to serve as Assistant Secretary of the Army for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, Mr. Brent G. Ingraham, nominated to serve as Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology, and Mr. William J. Gillis, nominated to serve as Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment all appeared before the committee.
    In his opening remarks, Chairman Wicker praised the extensive experience and expertise of the nominees and emphasized the need for quality leadership in today’s threat environment.
    Read Chairman Wicker’s hearing opening statement as delivered.
    I welcome our nominees and their families, and I am grateful for their willingness to serve our nation. The United States faces a very dangerous threat environment, and we need people like this to step up, now more than ever.
    Mr. Hung Cao has been nominated to serve as Under Secretary of the Navy. He is a 25-year Navy veteran with industry experience. As Under Secretary, he would play a critical role in the daily management of the Navy and Marine Corps. And there will be plenty to keep him busy: revitalizing shipbuilding, improving maintenance to meet 80 percent surge readiness, and enhancing the welfare of our sailors and marines. His leadership and willingness to partner with Congress will be essential for a mission-ready Navy.
    Mr. Michael Dodd has been nominated for the position of Assistant Secretary of the Defense for Critical Technologies. If confirmed, Mr. Dodd will be the first individual to hold this position officially. Mr. Dodd brings experience at the Defense Innovation Unit and in thought leadership, particularly in microelectronics. I am interested to hear what actions Mr. Dodd believes we should take to make progress in delivering our most critical technologies to the battlefield.
    Mr. Jay Hurst has been nominated to serve as Assistant Secretary of the Army for Manpower and Reserve Affairs. Recent transformations in the Army will leave him to manage a workforce that is leaner, more agile, and more effective, while also ensuring soldiers and their families receive the support they need. Mr. Hurst is a seasoned Army Reserve officer with experience as a government contractor, in civil service at the DOD, and in national security roles on Capitol Hill. I look forward to hearing his plans for strengthening the force and supporting those who serve.
    Mr. Brent Ingraham has been nominated to serve as the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology. He has devoted nearly two decades of service to the Department of Defense, including in his current role as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Platform and Weapons Portfolio Management. I look forward to hearing Mr. Ingraham’s plan in his new role to ensure the Army stays on track.
    And finally, Mr. Jordan Gillis has been nominated to be the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Energy, Installations, and Environment. As a former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment, his experience will be crucial to ensuring the Department of the Army follows the law in implementing minimum Plant Replacement Value of 4 percent starting in 2030. I hope to hear today from Mr. Gillis on this issue, along with many other facility sustainment concerns.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Peters Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Secure Michigan’s Propane Supply

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters
    Published: 06.26.2025
    Peters’ Bill Aims to Lower Energy Costs, Help Ensure Michiganders Can Heat Their Homes & Stay Safe During the Winter

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) introduced bipartisan legislation to better secure our nation’s propane supply. Peters’ Securing Our Propane Supply Act – which he introduced with U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) – would direct the Department of Energy (DOE), in consultation with the Energy Information Administration (EIA), to study and address the harm that propane shortages have on communities in Michigan and across the country. In particular, the bill would direct DOE to evaluate the effectiveness of establishing a National Strategic Propane Reserve to prevent future shortages. Michigan residents use more propane for home heating than any other state in the country, leaving our communities uniquely vulnerable to supply shortages. Peters’ legislation aims to strengthen the national propane supply, lower energy costs, and ensure Michiganders can heat their homes during the winter.
    “Hundreds of thousands of Michigan households rely on propane to heat their homes in the dead of winter, but supply shortages have led to higher prices and put folks’ safety at risk,” said Senator Peters. “This bipartisan bill would help ensure that families can reliably and affordably heat their homes when temperatures drop.”
    Michigan uses more propane in the residential sector than any other state in the country. An estimated 320,000 Michigan households use propane as their primary heating fuel. In the Upper Peninsula, that number is disproportionately higher, where roughly 18 percent of households primarily heat with propane. In fact, if the Upper Peninsula were its own state, it alone would lead the nation in the share of households that heat with propane. In 2014 and 2021, Michigan declared a state of emergency in the face of propane shortages during the height of winter. Peters’ legislation aims to prevent future shortages and ensure Americans can access affordable, reliable heat during the cold winter months.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren, Senators Urge Trump Admin to Protect Workers, Expand Access to Overtime Pay

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    June 26, 2025
    Biden-era rule would have made 4.3 million more workers eligible for overtime pay
    “Repealing this rule would be a huge blow to working families across the country and is another way in which Republicans continue to run on working-class values but govern according to billionaires’ wishes.” 
    Text of Letter (PDF)
    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) led members of the Senate Democratic Caucus in writing to the Secretary of the Department of Labor (DoL), Lori Chavez-DeRemer, urging the department to preserve President Biden’s expansion of the overtime threshold. 
    Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) joined in signing the letter. 
    Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, certain hourly, non-salaried workers who work more than 40 hours a week get paid 1.5 times their regular pay rate for the extra hours they work. But these overtime protections do not cover “bona fide executive, administrative or professional employees,” as “defined and delimited” by regulations promulgated by DOL. Under the current regulation, only those workers making a salary less than $35,568 automatically qualify for overtime. Above that salary, workers are subject to the opaque and very employer-friendly duties test to determine if their work qualifies for exemption.
    In 2024, President Biden’s DoL updated the rule, which would have raised the salary cap to $43,888 and again in January 2025 to $58,656, instituted an automatic increase every three years, and provided clearer guidance and definitions to prevent employers from misclassifying employees. 
    The changes would have made 4.3 million more workers eligible for overtime pay and put $1.5 billion into workers’ pockets annually. 
    Unfortunately, in November 2024, a Trump-appointed District Court judge in the Fifth Circuit blocked this rule from going into effect. The Biden Administration immediately appealed this ruling. But on April 24, 2025, the Trump administration indicated it would abandon its efforts to appeal the ruling and revive the 2024 rule, robbing millions of Americans of overtime protections and the thousands of dollars the rule would have earned them.
    “This refusal to defend the overtime rule in court flies in the face of President Trump’s campaign promises to help workers. It is particularly cruel as President Trump and Congressional Republicans work to force through their ‘big beautiful bill,’ which would be the biggest wealth transfer in a single bill from working class Americans to billionaires this country has ever seen,” wrote the senators. 
    Senator Warren urged Secretary DeRemer to continue fighting to preserve the rule and provide an analysis or justification for why the Department decided to stop the appeals process to defend the rule by July 5, 2025. 

    MIL OSI USA News –