NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Wicker Leads SASC Hearing on the Department of the Army’s Posture and Readiness

    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 on the Department of the Army’s posture and requirements for the challenges ahead.

    During the hearing, the committee received testimony from the Army’s senior civilian leader, Secretary Driscoll, and the highest-ranking commissioned officer within the Department of the Army, General George.

    In his opening remarks, Chairman Wicker emphasized that this hearing marked the beginning of the Army’s dialogue with Congress on the Army’s Transformation Initiative (ATI) and underscored the committee’s willingness to partner with Army leadership to address fundamental problems within the service.

    Read Senator Wicker’s hearing opening statement as delivered.

    Good morning. The Senate Armed Services Committee meets today to receive testimony on the posture of the United States Army. I want to thank our witnesses, Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll and the Chief of Staff of the Army General Randy George, for being here.  Unfortunately, it seems the detailed Fiscal Year 2026 budget will not be available for several more weeks.

    Nonetheless, we will benefit from speaking with you both, Secretary Driscoll and General George. In the past month, we’ve been speaking publicly about the Army Transformation Initiative, or “ATI”. This initiative seeks to change portions of the Army’s capabilities and force structure while maintaining the Army’s flat budget.

    The Army provided this committee with the first real set of details on the ATI about a week ago. This hearing marks the beginning of the Army’s discussion with Congress on the idea.  We are ready to work with you, gentlemen.

    In fact, we must work together rapidly to fix fundamental problems with the U.S. Army.  Since 2000, the list of failed Army modernization initiatives – such as the Comanche helicopter, the Crusader howitzer, and the Future Combat Systems – has continued to grow.

    Between 2002 and 2012, the Army spent $50 billion on programs it eventually canceled. The record in the past five years has been better but still contains significant missteps. The Army recently spent $2 billion on a scout helicopter that will never fly. Other cancellations of programs have followed, including the Strategic Long-Range Cannon program, the Extended Range Cannon Artillery programs, and the M-10 Booker armored infantry support vehicle, as well as the “Hum-Vee.”

    Fundamentally, the Army needs to decide how to adapt to the changing character of warfare and meet priority missions, particularly against China and Russia. Mr. Secretary, many ideas you propose in your Transformation Initiative and your budget will meet that mark. I think you will find widespread support for increasing investments in long-range fires and air and missile defense, as you proposed. I would note, however, the lack of logistics investments in your plan, given the Army’s central role in logistics in the Pacific – so perhaps we’ll talk about that.

    Mr. Secretary, I think you will find Congress a very willing partner when presented with convincing analysis that justifies investment changes. In particular, those changes should help American soldiers deter war and, if necessary, win in convincing fashion. Where we do disagree, will likely be in effects on the industrial base. Our defense industrial base is brittle. We cannot afford to let sites close, or we will lose the defense expertise of many skilled workers. We need investment strategies that recognize this. Our investments should provide stability and ensure the United States can maintain maximum competition. The Army cannot follow the “divest to invest” strategy that the Navy and Air Force have wanted to pursue. The United States faces too many threats today to leave gaps in capabilities. It will require tightly woven investment strategies among the Army, Congress, and industry to get this right.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: More Sons of Freedom Doukhobors receive support to heal

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    More people belonging to the Sons of Freedom Doukhobor community are receiving financial health and well-being support, as part of the B.C. government’s apology for historical wrongs committed against them.

    In August 2024, the Province, in partnership with the Canadian Red Cross, distributed funds to living survivors who were forcibly apprehended and kept in New Denver as children. Now, the remaining health and well-being funds will be shared among:

    • living survivors who were not school-aged when they were forcibly taken, and
    • deceased survivors’ descendants, including spouses or common-law partners and legally adopted children.

    Descendants of survivors who are still alive or who have already received the health and well-being fund are not eligible to receive additional support.

    This work is part of the Province’s ongoing efforts to honour the legacy of the New Denver survivors and to acknowledge the hardships they experienced at the hands of government.

    People who believe they may be eligible to receive support but have not been contacted can email the Ministry of Attorney General: sofd@gov.bc.ca.

    The deadline to contact the ministry is January 2026.

    In 1899, the Doukhobors fled persecution in Russia, seeking refuge in Canada. Many settled in the Kootenay Boundary region in B.C. During the first half of the 20th century, the Province targeted the Sons of Freedom, a group within the Doukhobor community, with fines and seizure of property for acts of civil disobedience, such as missing school and protesting naked.

    In addition, hundreds of children from the Sons of Freedom were forcibly removed from their families and placed in institutions in New Denver between 1953 and 1959. There, many of the children were subjected to physical, emotional and sexual abuse that left deep, generation-spanning scars on them, their families, loved ones and the broader community.

    The Province issued a formal apology for these historical wrongs in February 2024.

    Learn More:

    For guidelines on determining eligibility and how to access the funds, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/Backgrounder%20-%20SoF%20Health_Wellbeing%20Funds%20Phase%202.pdf

    To learn more about government’s apology, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/30239

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pelosi Statement on the Reported ICE Arrests in San Francisco

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

    Washington, D.C. – Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi released the following statement on the reported ICE arrests in San Francisco:
     
    “It is stupid that ICE is now arresting families and children for obeying the law. The detained immigrants were diligently cooperating with law enforcement and complying with the law by reporting to their regularly scheduled check-in with ICE. These families were following their normal routine – and if the purpose of ICE is to ensure immigration laws and processes are enforced and followed, these arrests run counter to that mission and are inconsistent with it.

    “The traumatic impact these detainments will have on these families – including a three-year-old child – who are being detained for obeying the law is outrageous and unforgivable. This menacing conduct will instill fear in immigrants who have scheduled future check-ins with ICE officials and their trepidation may deter them from pursuing lawful pathways. Clearly ICE does not place a value on our responsibility to the wellbeing of families.

    “For a long time, there have been concerns about the behavior of ICE and how they are penalizing people who obey the law. The arrests in San Francisco are a manifestation of a broader pattern of ICE’s ineffective renegade behavior. Oversight and reform of ICE is needed now more than ever.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Senator Coons raises concerns over Trump’s Sixth Circuit nominee’s qualifications and experience

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons

    WASHINGTON – In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) earned praise yesterday for his questioning of Whitney Hermandorfer, President Donald Trump’s nominee for a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, regarding her lack of professional experience as part of a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. 

    Trump nominated Hermandorfer to fill the vacancy left by Judge Jane Stranch’s decision to take senior status. Senator Coons questioned Hermandorfer’s readiness to fill the seat, as Hermandorfer has only 10 years of legal work experience and has never tried a case to a jury verdict, performed direct or cross examinations in federal court, taken or defended depositions, or delivered oral arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court. 

    Senator Coons pointed out that the judge Hermandorfer has been nominated to replace had over three decades of legal experience before President Barack Obama nominated her to the Sixth Circuit. He also noted that the non-partisan American Bar Association, which has historically been seen as objective vetter by presidents of both parties, would likely rate Hermandorfer as ‘unqualified’ because of her lack of experience.

    From USA TODAY: Trump nominees for judgeships face scrutiny of youth, lack of experience

    “I am concerned about the striking brevity of your professional record,” Sen. Chris Coons, a Democrat from Delaware, told Hermandorfer. He said she only graduated from law school 10 years, [sic] ago, but the judge she is being recommended to replace had 31 years on the bench before her nomination.

    Coons pointed to a longtime standard from the American Bar Association that says federal judicial appointees should have at least 12 years of experience. While the association has long been involved in vetting judicial appointments, Attorney General Pam Bondi has said the association, which many conservatives criticize as too liberal, won’t be involved.

    From POLITICO: Confirmation process begins for Trump’s first judicial nominees

    …Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware suggested the nominee lacked the experience typically seen in lawyers proposed for federal appellate judgeships.

    “I am concerned about the striking brevity of your professional record,” said Coons. “You graduated from law school just a decade ago,” said Coons.

    Under further examination by Coons, Hermandorfer acknowledged she has never been lead counsel in a federal jury trial, questioned a witness on the stand or conducted a deposition.

    A video of Senator Coons’ full questioning and transcript of his comments are available below.

    WATCH HERE

    CAC: Thank you very much. Ms. Hermandorfer, thank you for your service and the Tennessee Attorney General’s office, and congratulations to you and your family for your nomination. As you may know, I am not a reflexive ‘no’ vote on nominees of a president of the other party. I supported President Trump’s judicial nominees in his first term when they had the qualifications and experience for the job and the character and the independence to carry out the role of a judge, particularly circuit judge, with integrity. I am concerned about the striking brevity of your professional record. You graduated from law school just a decade ago, and you spent four years with impressive clerkships, but often nominees for a position such as the circuit have real experience in court. Have you ever served as the sole or chief counsel in any case, tried to a jury verdict?

    Hermandorfer: Not to a jury verdict, Senator.

    CAC: Have you ever served as the sole or chief counsel in any case tried to a final judgment?

    Hermandorfer: I’ve served as chief counsel in many final judgment cases in trial court. If you mean a bench trial, I’m sorry I don’t understand, a bench trial would be no, but final judgment.

    CAC: How many direct examinations have you personally taken in federal court?

    Hermandorfer: As an appellate lawyer, I don’t usually take direct examinations, and the answer is zero.

    CAC: How many cross examinations have you taken in federal court?

    Hermandorfer: None.

    CAC: How many depositions have you taken?

    Hermandorfer: Again, as an appellate lawyer, that’s not really part of my practice.

    CAC: How many depositions have you defended?

    Hermandorfer: I have not defended depositions.

    CAC: How many federal appellate oral arguments have you presented?

    Hermandorfer: Federal appellate oral arguments? That would be four.

    CAC: And how many Supreme Court oral arguments have you presented?

    Hermandorfer: None. Though I’ve second-chaired and been counsel of record in Supreme Court matters.

    CAC: I’ll just point out that the jurist you’ve been nominated to replace, Judge Jane Stranch, had 31 years of legal experience under her belt when nominated to this position in the Sixth Circuit, and the ABA, although disregarded by some, has long had a standard that without more than adozen years of federal service, they would deem someone unqualified for positions such as what you’ve been nominated for. Let me move to a different issue, the Federal Rule of Civil Procedure Number 65 sets out the rules of the road for issuing TROs and PIs, including whether a party moving must post a security bond. What factors should an appellate judge consider when ruling on a challenge to a security bond set or not set by a district court under FRCP 65c before issuing a TRO or a PI?

    Hermandorfer: So, this comes up sometimes when the state is a litigant, and oftentimes parties can move to waive the security bond, and what a court is looking to is the gravity of harm to the potential appellant, should the case, the disposition in the District Court, be allowed to moveforward. So, it’s similar to kind of equitable considerations of harm and the gravity of that harm, and whether it would be reparable or, you know, compensable on the other end.

    CAC: Thank you. And in what sorts of cases is it typical to set or require a security bond?

    Hermandorfer: So, I think cases in which there’s going to be financial exposure, for example, on behalf of an appellant, could be such a case where a bond might be…

    CAC: Post contract case, or a case involving infringement of a patent or something like that. Does your analysis change if the matter is a constitutional case brought by a private plaintiff against allegedly unconstitutional actions of the federal government?

    Hermandorfer: So, it’s, I would have to take each constitutional violation and ruling on its own terms, and wouldn’t want to prejudge but the equitable factors, of course, would be the ones that I would apply in such a situation.

    CAC: How would you set a bond for something as foundational as a violation of the Constitution?

    Hermandorfer: I’m not sure I could answer that in the abstract, senator.

    CAC: And I’m not sure district court judges could answer that either. What tools does the Sixth Circuit, or any circuit, have to enforce its judgments? If you were confirmed and a party disobeys an order of the Sixth Circuit, perhaps even one you wrote, what would you do?

    Hermandorfer: Well, I know that there are mechanisms by which, of course, judgments are entered and executed and enforced through federal district courts.

    CAC: And what are those mechanisms?

    Hermandorfer: Well, the federal district court sometimes can issue contempt rulings, for example, that are appealable. And you know, if you’re talking about warrants or orders of those sort, I know the U.S. Marshals’ office has some sort of involvement in that, but I confess this hasn’t been part of something that I’ve litigated.

    CAC: And when would you feel you’d met the standard to call in the marshals to execute your judgment?

    Hermandorfer: I think it’s very difficult again, to answer that question in the abstract, and I could just tell you, as a party, I’ve followed the appellate practice process whenever I felt as though a judgment had gone the wrong way against me, and I’ve secured appellate relief in those situations.

    CAC: Last question, what would you do if the U.S. Marshals were to disobey and refuse to execute the judgment of the circuit court, if they were instructed by the DOJ to stand down and to refuse to implement an order of the court?

    Hermandorfer: That would, probably, as junior appellate judge on my court, be something that I would look to my colleagues and whatever governing rules and precedents would govern that situation, but again, on the abstract as a hypothetical matter.

    CAC: Ms. Hermandorfer, I hope this is an abstract and hypothetical matter, but it’s one that occupies quite a few of us and quite a bit of our discussion on this committee, as we come up against the question of whether or not we have a president willing to disobey orders of federal courts. Thank you for your testimony. Thank you.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crapo, Grassley and Republican Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Bolster Violent Crime Laws

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo
    Washington, D.C.–U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) joined Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and nine Republican colleagues in introducing legislation to strengthen violent crime statutes and help prevent future crime.  The Combating Violent and Dangerous Crime Act would clarify and strengthen penalties for violent offenses like carjacking, robbery and kidnapping. 
    “Our legal system has a duty to punish the guilty and protect the innocent, and conflicting legal standards hamper the ability of federal authorities to do so,” Crapo said.  “These necessary reforms clarify and strengthen federal drug and violent crime laws to ensure justice is applied fairly to all.”
    “Under the Biden-Harris Administration, our nation saw a massive spike in violent crime.  As the Trump Administration works to clean up the previous Administration’s mess, Congress has a duty to resolve any legal ambiguities that may weaken our ability to hold criminals fully accountable,” Grassley said.  “Our bill includes several modest, but meaningful, reforms to tamp down on future crime and ensure justice is served.”
    The Combating Violent and Dangerous Crime Act would address ambiguity and conflicting applications of existing law by clarifying congressional intent.  Among other provisions, the bill would: 
    Resolve conflicting circuit court decisions that have resulted in a higher burden to charge violent offenses;
    Clarify that an attempt or conspiracy to commit an offense involving physical force meets the legal definition of a violent crime; 
    Increase the statutory maximum penalty for carjacking and remove a duplicative intent requirement needed to charge a carjacking offense;
    Clarify that attempted bank robbery and conspiracy to commit bank robbery are punishable under the current bank robbery statute; 
    Outlaw the marketing of candy-flavored drugs to minors; and 
    Establish a new category of violent kidnapping offenses, allowing for greater penalties for violent kidnapping.
    Crapo and Grassley are joined by Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), John Boozman (R-Arkansas), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia) and Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina).
    Read the full bill text here. Read a section-by-section here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bill to Codify Key DOGE Initiative, Effectively Eliminate Billions in Improper Payments

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Shortly after President Donald Trump’s inauguration, he established the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to maximize efficiency and productivity within the federal government. U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), a member of the Senate DOGE Caucus, joined caucus chairs U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) and U.S. Representative Aaron Bean (R-FL-04) in introducing the DOGE in Spending Act to codify one of DOGE’s practices to identify and prevent fraudulent or improper payments.

    Introduction of the DOGE in Spending Act follows a recent Government Accountability Office report revealing 16 federal agencies reported an estimated $162 billion in improper payments across 68 programs in Fiscal Year 2024. The bill modernizes the U.S. Department of Treasury’s payment oversight system by requiring each federal disbursement include the payment’s purpose, funding source, and activity type all of which must be certified annually and publicly reported on USAspending.gov.

    It also empowers the Do Not Pay system to prevent improper payments by granting the U.S. Department of Treasury real-time access to verification data across agencies.

    “From the moment he took office, President Trump laid out a clear agenda: eliminate waste, reduce unnecessary spending, and restore fiscal sanity to Washington,” said Cramer. “The Department of Government Efficiency has delivered—cutting through layers of bureaucracy. This agency has taken a scalpel to the federal government, slashing misspending, and eliminating fraudulent and improper payments. By codifying DOGE’s best practices, we safeguard the taxpayer dollars of North Dakotans and Americans across the country.”

    “Requiring government to answer basic questions before spending tax dollars will save billions over the next decade,” said Ernst. “Enacting safeguards to spending has been one of the Trump administration’s and DOGE’s greatest triumphs, and I am determined to codify it and make it permanent. At $36 trillion in debt, the cost of inaction is too high, and I will continue to lead the fight in Washington to root out waste, fraud, and abuse.”

    “For too long, improper and fraudulent payments have drained resources and undermined trust in government spending,” said Bean. “The American people deserve responsible stewardship of their tax dollars, and this bill delivers exactly that. By ensuring federal payments are accurate, transparent, and verifiable, we are eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government. This legislation takes the first critical step toward codifying DOGE efforts into law—bringing real oversight and integrity to the way taxpayer dollars are managed.”

    Cramer is a member of the Senate DOGE Caucus, a bicameral effort launched to advance DOGE priorities through legislation and oversight. The caucus, led by Ernst and backed by President Trump, is committed to rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse across the federal bureaucracy.

    Click here for bill text. Click here for a section-by-section breakdown.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Argentina may rest Messi for Chile clash

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

    Argentina captain Lionel Messi could start on the bench in his team’s FIFA World Cup qualifier against Chile, Albiceleste head coach Lionel Scaloni said on Wednesday.

    Thursday’s clash in Santiago will have little consequence for Scaloni’s men, who have already secured a spot in football’s showpiece tournament next year.

    Lionel Messi (center) of Argentina vies with Jackson Irvine of Australia during their Round of 16 match at the 2022 FIFA World Cup at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar, Dec 3, 2022. (LI GA / XINHUA)

    Chile, meanwhile, is last in the 10-team South American group and must win to have an outside chance of qualifying.

    “We haven’t decided yet whether he’ll play from the start or not,” Scaloni said of 37 year-old Messi, who has been in impressive form for his club Inter Miami.

    “It would be good to know how he’s feeling physically. It’s clear that today we’re in a position to try other things. In principle, he’s available to play, and we’ll decide later.”

    Scaloni will already be without several key players for the duel at Estadio Nacional, including injured Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister and suspended duo Enzo Fernandez and Nico Gonzalez.

    Also missing will be Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez, who will be rested after the Italian club’s 5-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final on Saturday.

    “We’re going to have a lot of players out,” Scaloni said. “If some of the guys we call up are fit and ready to play, they’ll get their chance.”

    “I don’t have the starting eleven confirmed yet, but we will give some playing time to players who haven’t played much and who we believe are ready to play.”

    “Although the result is always important, we don’t think it’s crucial today. We’ll probably try to help these players settle in and give them the chance to get some playing time with the team.”

    Despite sitting top of the South American group with 31 points, eight clear of second-placed Ecuador with four qualifiers remaining, Scaloni said he was focused on obtaining “positive results” against Chile and also Colombia in Buenos Aires on Tuesday.

    “We want to play, it’s good for us to see other players, even those who are playing well. A match is never inopportune,” he said.

    “It’s not that we national teams play so much that we would say we don’t want to play this match. On the contrary. We think it’s a nice match to play, with its difficulties. We are in a good position.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: FIFA announces draw for U17 Women’s World Cup

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

    The draw for the ninth FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup was announced Wednesday, with the 2025 edition set to feature 24 teams for the first time.

    The tournament will take place in Rabat, Morocco, from October 17 to November 8.

    It will also mark the first time the global event is held in Africa, with the draw ceremony staged at the Mohammed VI Football Academy in Rabat.

    Host Morocco will compete in Group A alongside Brazil, Costa Rica and Italy. Defending champion Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has been drawn into Group B with Cameroon, Mexico and the Netherlands.

    China is in Group C with Ecuador, Norway and the United States. Group D includes Canada, France, Nigeria and Samoa.

    Group E features Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, South Korea and Spain, while Japan, New Zealand, Paraguay and Zambia make up Group F.

    The top two teams from each of the six groups, along with the four best third-placed teams, will advance to the round of 16. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Administrator Loeffler Applauds House Passage of “Save SBA from Sanctuary Cities Act”

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    WASHINGTON — Today, Kelly Loeffler, Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) applauded the U.S. House of Representatives’ bipartisan passage of H.R. 2931, the Save SBA from Sanctuary Cities Act of 2025, which will support the agency’s decision to relocate SBA field offices out of sanctuary jurisdictions that refuse to comply with federal immigration law.

    “By harboring criminal illegal aliens, sanctuary cities jeopardize both the lives of American citizens and the livelihoods of our small businesses — which is exactly why the SBA is moving our field offices out of these lawless jurisdictions and into safer, more accessible communities that comply with federal law,” said Administrator Loeffler. “This Administration is committed to ending the illegal invasion of our nation – and I am grateful for the bipartisan group of House lawmakers who voted in support of that agenda by passing the Save SBA from Sanctuary Cities Act of 2025.”

    In March, the SBA announced it would relocate six of its regional offices out of sanctuary cities, including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, New York City, and Seattle. This decision was undertaken not only in support of President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order 14218 ending the taxpayer subsidization of open borders, but also as part of SBA’s commitment to relocating field offices to safer, less costly, and more accessible communities.

    Under the leadership of Administrator Loeffler, the SBA has taken numerous steps to put American citizens first. Earlier this year, the agency announced it would require SBA loan applications to include a citizenship verification provision to ensure only legal, eligible applicants have access to taxpayer-funded SBA loan programs.

    # # #

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration
    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of entrepreneurship. As the leading voice for small businesses within the federal government, the SBA empowers job creators with the resources and support they need to start, grow, and expand their businesses or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Salvadorean National Charged with Illegal Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition after Standoff with SWAT at Fresno Hotel

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    FRESNO, Calif. — On June 5, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Helan Noel Lopez-Sanchez, 32, a citizen of El Salvador, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced.

    According to court documents, on Jan. 16, 2025, law enforcement officers received information that Lopez-Sanchez, a felon who had escaped from police custody, was located at a Motel 6 in Fresno after he logged into his Snapchat account. The Fresno Sheriff’s Office’s SWAT team was activated to serve an arrest warrant at the Motel 6.

    According to court documents, SWAT operators sent a drone into the motel room, where they observed Lopez-Sanchez with a rifle pointing the rifle at the door. Law enforcement officers ultimately took Lopez-Sanchez into custody and located ammunition as well as a short-barreled, privately manufactured rifle.

    Lopez-Sanchez is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to felony convictions including bringing alcohol/drugs into a jail and grand theft.

    This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes is prosecuting the case.

    If convicted, Lopez-Sanchez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to combat illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy, Pfluger Introduce Bill to Expand Health Care Innovation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and U.S. Representative August Pfluger (R-TX-11) introduced the Small Biotech Innovation Act to exempt research and development-intensive small biotech manufacturers from the Medicare drug price negotiation program.
    “When the federal government stands in the way of developing better care, there’s a problem. The cures developed through small biotech innovation change the future for many patients. Instead of limiting it, we should encourage it,”said Dr. Cassidy.
    “The Inflation Reduction Act has proven to fall short in several areas, including its small biotech exemption that disincentivizes companies from investing in R&D and hinders the development of innovative therapies. By tying eligibility to R&D spending, we can better incentivize companies to develop new treatments that will benefit patients nationwide,”said Representative Pfluger. “The bicameral Small Biotech Innovation Act is a forward-thinking approach that will strengthen America’s leadership in life-saving science by modernizing the small biotech exemption to reward real innovation and research investment, and ultimately protect these innovative small biotech companies.”
    The Small Biotech Innovation Act would counter the negative impact that the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) will have on innovation and drug development by providing any small biotech that spends a certain amount of money on research and development with the ability to delay one of their drugs for IRA negotiation for a year. The bill also prohibits any company that is owned by a foreign adversary from being eligible for the delay.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Canada officials to hold technical briefing on An Act to enact the Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act and the Building Canada Act

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Ottawa, Ontario – June 5, 2025 – Government of Canada officials will hold an embargoed background media technical briefing on the introduction of legislation to build One Canadian Economy.

    Date: Friday, June 6, 2025
    Time: 10:15 EDT
    Location: National Press Theatre
    Room 325 Wellington Building
    180 Wellington, Ottawa, Ontario

    The media technical briefing will be for background information only and not for attribution and will be under embargo until the start of the Prime Minister’s press conference. Journalists will have the opportunity to ask questions.

    Notes for media:

    • Participation is in-person or via Zoom and is for accredited members of the Press Gallery only. Media who are not members of the Press Gallery may contact pressres2@parl.gc.ca to request temporary access.
    • To receive briefing materials, please register with Privy Council Office Media Relations (media@pco-bcp.gc.ca). By registering to receive materials, participants agree to keep materials under embargo until the start of the Prime Minister’s press conference.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Cuellar Applauds Court Decision Halting Job Corps Shutdown

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar, Ph.D. (TX-28) released the following statement after a federal judge temporarily blocked the U.S. Department of Labor from moving forward with its plan to suspend operations at contractor-operated Job Corps Centers, including the one located in Laredo:

    “The federal court’s decision is the right one. The Department of Labor’s plan to shut down contractor-operated Job Corps Centers – including Laredo’s – will cause irreparable harm to students, staff, and South Texas communities. Sending young people home in the middle of their training is just plain wrong.

    “Of the nearly 200 students currently participating at the Laredo Job Corps Center, 154 live on campus. For many of them, this is their only stable housing. We cannot force kids out of their student housing at the start of the summer. It’s wrong and it should never have been considered in the first place.

    “Congress created Job Corps, and Congress funded it with nearly $1.8 billion in FY2024 and continued funding through FY2025. The Department does not have the authority to dismantle this life-changing program without Congressional input.

    “I proudly joined a bipartisan letter urging the Department of Labor to reverse course and protect these centers. Job Corps provides critical career training for over 20,000 young Americans, including hundreds in Laredo, many of whom are gaining skills in high-demand fields like welding, electrical, culinary arts, protective services, certified nursing assistance, facilities maintenance, accounting, and much more. For many, this program is the difference between hardship and opportunity.

    “I will continue fighting to ensure Laredo’s Job Corps Center remains open and fully funded. We must strengthen programs that give our youth a shot at success and help meet our nation’s growing workforce needs.”

    The Laredo Job Corps Center has the capacity to serve 220 students and employs nearly 200 staff. It offers pathways to in-demand careers, high school equivalency programs, English language instruction, and internship opportunities. The Department’s original decision threatened not only the futures of those students but also the economic stability of hundreds of families in South Texas.

    ###

    PARA PUBLICACIÓN INMEDIATA
     Jueves, 5 de Junio de 2025 

    El Congresista Cuellar Aplaude la Decisión Judicial que Detiene el Cierre de Job Corps

    Washington, D.C. – Hoy, el Congresista de los Estados Unidos Henry Cuellar, Ph.D. (TX-28) publicó la siguiente declaración después de que un juez federal bloqueó temporalmente al Departamento de Trabajo de los Estados Unidos de seguir adelante con su plan de suspender las operaciones en los Centros Job Corps operados por contratistas, incluyendo el que se encuentra en Laredo:

    “La decisión del tribunal federal es la correcta. El plan del Departamento de Trabajo de cerrar los centros Job Corps operados por contratistas -incluido el de Laredo- causará un daño irreparable a los estudiantes, al personal y a las comunidades del sur de Texas. Enviar a los jóvenes a casa en medio de su entrenamiento es simplemente incorrecto.

    “De los casi 200 estudiantes que participan actualmente en el Centro Job Corps de Laredo, 154 viven en el campus. Para muchos de ellos, ésta es su única vivienda estable. No podemos obligar a los jóvenes a abandonar su vivienda estudiantil al principio del verano. Es un error y nunca debería haberse considerado en primer lugar.

    “El Congreso creó Job Corps, y el Congreso lo financió con casi 1.800 miles de millones de dólares en el año fiscal 2024 y continuó financiándolo hasta el año fiscal 2025. El Departamento no tiene autoridad para desmantelar este programa que cambia vidas sin la participación del Congreso.

    “Con orgullo me uní a una carta bipartidista instando al Departamento de Trabajo a revertir el curso y proteger estos centros. Job Corps proporciona formación profesional crítica a más de 20.000 jóvenes estadounidenses, incluidos cientos en Laredo, muchos de los cuales están obteniendo habilidades en campos de alta demanda como soldadura, electricidad, artes culinarias, servicios de protección, asistencia de enfermería certificada, mantenimiento de instalaciones, contabilidad y mucho más. Para muchos, este programa es la diferencia entre la penuria y la oportunidad.

    “Seguiré luchando para asegurar que el Centro Job Corps de Laredo siga abierto y totalmente financiado. Debemos fortalecer los programas que dan a nuestros jóvenes una oportunidad de éxito y ayudan a satisfacer las crecientes necesidades de mano de obra de nuestra nación.”

    El Centro Job Corps de Laredo tiene capacidad para atender a 220 estudiantes y emplea a casi 200 trabajadores. Ofrece vías para acceder a profesiones demandadas, programas de equivalencia de enseñanza secundaria, cursos de inglés y oportunidades de prácticas. La decisión original del Departamento amenazaba no sólo el futuro de esos estudiantes, sino también la estabilidad económica de cientos de familias del sur de Texas.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: GAZA – Nasser hospital on the frontline: South Gaza’s lifeline must be preserved

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF)

    Jerusalem, 5 June 2025 – In southern Gaza, displacement orders and movement restrictions imposed by Israeli authorities on Nasser hospital are pushing this vital medical facility on the brink of becoming non-functional, warns Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF).

    Ordering hospitals to refuse new patients and making it harder for people to reach places of care has been a pattern aimed at bringing down the hospitals by the Israeli forces through this war. Nasser is the only last remaining vital lifeline for the people in need, and its full functionality must be restored immediately and preserved.

    On 3 June, our teams were told that any movement to Nasser hospital would require authorisation and this would have to be requested with at least 24 hours’ notice. This meant that medical staff due on the day shift could not reach the hospital. The staff from the previous night had to continue working. They ended up staying on shift for 48 consecutive hours.

    The outpatient department remained closed for the whole day.  Ambulances that were able to carry patients to the hospital did so at great risk, as there was a danger they would be shot at because they lacked authorisation. Nasser’s location on the frontline hampers both staff and patient’s ability to access this vital remaining hospital.

    This is happening while people are exhausted, their lives shattered by 20 months of extremely violent war and a suffocating siege where even the distribution of minimal amounts of aid results in devastating massacres. In this context, any remaining medical facility is of critical importance and must be protected.

    The attacks on healthcare are not only carried out through military action. They happen through limitations imposed on the importation of medical supplies, forcing doctors to ration pain relief medicine. They happen through displacement orders, leading to entire hospitals having to shut down at short notice. They happen through harassment and confusing orders issued by Israeli authorities, making it more and more difficult to provide lifesaving care.

    “We have seen this pattern before”, says Jose Mas, head of MSF emergency programmes. “It happened to facilities like Al Awda and the Indonesian hospital, in northern Gaza, where they were first asked to not admit more patients, and a few days later were attacked and practically shut down. Putting Nasser hospital out of service would equate to a death sentence for the most severe patients among wounded adults and children, critically ill patients, and women in need of emergency obstetric care.”

    Nasser hospital is a large referral hospital with many specialist wards not found anywhere else in the south of Gaza including operating theatres, an oxygen plant, ventilators, a blood bank, and incubators. Reducing access to this hospital and blocking the referral of patients who need specialist, emergency care, stops people from receiving treatment that may safe their life.

    In the past few months, MSF medical teams in Nasser hospital have provided care to over 500 patients in the maternity ward, including women requiring surgical care, as well as to more than 400 newborn babies and paediatric patients. The hospital is full of patients with burns and severe trauma.

    Healthcare is under attack everywhere in Gaza. In the morning of 4 June, Israeli forces struck the  MSF supported Al Aqsa hospital three times, the main facility in Deir Al Balah, central Gaza. Although no casualties were reported, it is a stark reminder of how patients, medical staff and health facilities are constantly at great risk in Gaza.

    Our teams have received patients who have been critically injured while trying to get food, as a result of the shootings which have taken place around the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation food distribution centres. This is in addition to the people who have been wounded in the ongoing bombardment of the Gaza Strip. Hospitals are overflowing with patients.

    It’s essential that Israeli authorities protect Nasser hospital and guarantee full and unimpeded access to patients and medical staff alike, to avoid more deaths.

    MSF is an international, medical, humanitarian organisation that delivers medical care to people in need, regardless of their origin, religion, or political affiliation. MSF has been working in Haiti for over 30 years, offering general healthcare, trauma care, burn wound care, maternity care, and care for survivors of sexual violence. MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. 

    In 2022, more than 120 project staff from Australia and New Zealand worked with MSF on assignment overseas. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au  

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Friday, June 6, 2025

    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    National Capital Region, Canada

    Note: All times local

    10:10 a.m. The Prime Minister will deliver remarks and meet with community members at an Eid al-Adha celebration.

    EY Centre

    Note for media:

    • Pooled coverage

    12:30 p.m. The Prime Minister will hold a media availability. He will be joined by the President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs and One Canadian Economy, Dominic LeBlanc, the Minister of Transport and Internal Trade, Chrystia Freeland, and the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Tim Hodgson.

    Third Floor Foyer
    West Block
    Parliament Hill

    Notes for media:

    • Open coverage

    • Media wishing to cover the event must be accredited with the Canadian Parliamentary Press Gallery.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Minister Sidhu meets with Maroš Šefčovič, European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security

    Source: Government of Canada News

    June 5, 2025 – Paris, France – Global Affairs Canada

    The Honourable Maninder Sidhu, Minister of International Trade, met Maroš Šefčovič, European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Ministerial Council Meeting (MCM) held on June 3 and 4, 2025, in Paris, France.

    Minister Sidhu and Commissioner Šefčovič discussed the importance of supporting the rules-based trading system, as well as continuing to collaborate, including among G7 members, in support of an open, stable and predictable trade environment. They also discussed ways to expand Canada-EU trade, including through the implementation of the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement.

    The EU market, comprising 27 member states, is Canada’s second-largest global trading partner for goods and services after the United States. Strengthening trade ties with the EU is key to ensuring Canadian businesses and industries have access to diverse markets and partners and supporting economic growth and jobs on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.

    Related products

    Associated links

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Minister Sidhu champions rules-based trade with Canada’s Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and World Trade Organization partners

    Source: Government of Canada News

    June 5, 2025 – Paris, France – Global Affairs Canada

    The Honourable Maninder Sidhu, Minister of International Trade, this week concluded his participation in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Ministerial Council Meeting (MCM) and World Trade Organization (WTO) mini-ministerial meeting, in Paris, France.

    At the OECD MCM, Minister Sidhu reaffirmed Canada’s support for the rules-based global trading system and its underpinning values. These include reinforcing the open, stable markets that ensure predictability amidst economic uncertainty, responsibly developing artificial intelligence and standing up for Ukraine. Canada served as vice-chair of the OECD MCM alongside Australia and Lithuania, under the chairship of Costa Rica.

    At the meeting, Canada and the Philippines formally took on the role of the 2025 to 2028 co-chairs of the OECD Southeast Asia Regional Programme (SEARP), a program that was created to address economic and development challenges in Southeast Asia. Minister Sidhu announced that Canada will contribute $2 million to support SEARP’s activities, which align with Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy and Strategic Partnership with ASEAN.

    At the WTO mini-ministerial meeting, Minister Sidhu advocated for deep and meaningful reforms of the WTO to ensure its rules are modernized and continue to support a rules-based global trading system. Canada also called for a pragmatic approach to the WTO’s 14th Ministerial Conference that considers current economic challenges.

    While in Paris, the Minister also hosted a business round table with Canadian companies active in the French market. As Canada seeks to strengthen its collaboration with reliable trading partners, the Minister heard the business representatives’ first-hand perspectives on the opportunities for Canadian businesses in France. 

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: North Dakota Department of Commerce Announces New Tools to Empower Economic Growth

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    The North Dakota Department of Commerce is thrilled to announce two new tools for partners aimed at supporting our mission of empowering the growth of the North Dakota economy.

    Commerce has purchased an umbrella subscription to LOIS, a property marketing software that markets our available sites and buildings globally. This subscription is statewide and provides service for all Regional, County, Local, and Downtown/Mainstreet economic development organizations and Tribal governments at no additional charge.

    Additionally, Commerce has acquired Lasso, an RFI data collection software used by corporate location decision-makers, site selectors, and economic development organizations. Access to Lasso will enable organizations to prepare for future site selection projects and keep their site and building database up to date on the LOIS property marketing map.

    “These new tools will significantly strengthen our ability to position North Dakota’s sites and communities in the competitive marketplace for business attraction,” said Commerce Commissioner Chris Schilken. “By providing comprehensive and up-to-date property marketing data, we can better showcase the opportunities available in our state and entice businesses to consider North Dakota as their next location.”

    The introduction of LOIS and Lasso represents a significant step forward in our efforts to enhance economic development across North Dakota. These tools not only provide valuable data and insights but also foster collaboration among various community and economic development organizations. By leveraging these resources, we can create a more cohesive and effective strategy for attracting new businesses and supporting existing ones.

    “These tools have significantly enhanced our ability to market properties and attract new businesses—but what’s been even more impactful is how they’ve strengthened collaboration between the regional council and our local EDC partners,” said Amber Metz, Executive Director of Lake Agassiz Development Group. “By working together and leveraging shared data and resources, we’re better positioned to showcase the opportunities from Ransom to Traill County and the broader region. It’s exciting to see how this partnership is driving momentum for future growth.”

    Benefits For North Dakota Organizations

    • Extend Marketing Reach: LOIS enables community sites and buildings to be viewed on a custom map, optimized with property brochures, geospatial map layers, demographic and workforce data, web visitor analytics, and sharing tools.
    • Preparedness for Site Selection Pursuits: Using Lasso allows organizations to proactively prepare for corporate site selection by sending RFIs and storing data in a cloud database for future retrieval.
    • Property Marketing Data Accuracy: Pre-populating the Lasso RFI ensures that the data fields corresponding to the public-facing property brochure in the LOIS property marketing map are updated.

    “We are thrilled to see the rollout of LOIS and Lasso,” said Red River Regional Council Executive Director Dawn Mandt. “Rural communities and regions, which can struggle to afford such tools, now have the same opportunity to promote their spaces as major cities. Our regions have been advocating for this for years, and we are looking forward to utilizing these services to enhance our economic development efforts.”

    LOIS and Lasso Training: Training will cover how to integrate the LOIS Map viewer on organization websites, generate reports, and walk through the Lasso RFI process.

    • LOIS Training
      • Wednesday, July 9: 2:00-3:00 PM CDT
      • Thursday, July 10: 1:00-2:00 PM CDT
    • Lasso Training “How to fill out an RFI”
      • Tuesday, July 22: 10:30 – 11:30 AM CDT
      • Tuesday, July 29: 1:00 – 2:00 PM CDT

    For more information, please go to https://www.commerce.nd.gov/lois.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Scholten Applauds Court’s Decision to Block Job Corps Pause, Calls for Full Compliance from Department of Labor

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Hillary Scholten – Michigan

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Hillary Scholten (MI-03) applauded a federal court ruling that blocks the Department of Labor’s abrupt decision to pause operations at Job Corps centers nationwide. The ruling comes after Rep. Scholten and fellow Michigan lawmakers raised serious concerns about the lack of notice, planning, and support for the more than 25,000 students affected across the country, including over 700 in Michigan alone.

    On May 29, the Department of Labor announced a “phased pause” of Job Corps operations that disrupted training centers in Kent, Wayne, and Genesee Counties, leaving students and staff without answers or a clear path forward. On June 4, U.S. District Judge Andrew Carter in Manhattan ordered the federal government to maintain existing Job Corps contracts and continue operations at Job Corps centers until the court issues a further decision in the case.

    “The court’s ruling is an important first step in protecting students and restoring stability to our workforce development pipeline,” said Rep. Scholten. “My office has already heard from concerned constituents who are deeply worried about what the Job Corps closure would mean for their futures. Now we need a clear commitment from the Department of Labor that they will honor this decision, withdraw the pause, and stop leaving these students in limbo.” 

    In a letter sent earlier this week to Secretary of Labor Chavez-DeRemer, Rep. Scholten and her colleagues called for the immediate reversal of the pause and demanded answers on how the Department planned to support students, staff, and local workforce partners impacted by the sudden shutdown.

    “The Job Corps program is an investment in our nation’s future. We can’t allow our young adults to think who they are today is all they have the potential to be,” said Brian Burnett, Gerald R. Ford Job Corps Center Director Brian Burnett. “Job Corps allows young adults to discover their potential, refine social skills, and utilize their ambition in positive ways. It is the jewel across the country that continues to give hope to individuals that are considered to be hopeless. Those who complete the Job Corps rigorous program find they have become hopeful. That is worth the investment and is a priceless return.”

    Rep. Scholten will continue working closely with the Gerald R. Ford Job Corps Center and local officials. She will monitor the Department’s response to ensure full compliance with the court’s decision and lasting support for Job Corps students and staff across Michigan.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Issa, Ernst Re-Introduce Bill to Protect Law-Abiding Gun Shops from ATF Overreach

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-50)

    Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-48) and Senator Joni Ernst (IA) re-introduced legislation to protect gun store owners from onerous Biden-era gun control policies, which instigated the ATF to unfairly target small firearms businesses and the legal products they sell to customers.

    The Fighting Irrational Regulatory Enforcement to Avert Retailers’ Misfortune (FIREARM) Act, provides a safe harbor for law-abiding Federal Firearms License (FFL) holders – granting them the ability to correct minor clerical mistakes and insulating them from ATF retribution. The bill also increases due process protections for these businesses and establishes a retroactive reapplication process for those whose FFLs were unduly revoked. Senator Ernst earlier this week introduced the Senate companion of the FIREARM Act.

    “The Biden Administration repeatedly undermined Second Amendment rights and weaponized federal agencies against law-abiding citizens and family-owned small businesses because they were part of the lawful firearms industry. This delivered a transparently unfair assault on the fundamental rights of Americans, and that’s why my friend Senator Ernst and I introduced the FIREARM Act. This bill prevents a repeat of that kind of government weaponization and puts in permanent safeguards for the future,” said Rep. Issa.

    “The Biden administration’s zero-tolerance policy empowered gun grabbers in Washington to infringe on the Second Amendment and shutter small businesses,” said Senator Ernst. “Iowans spoke loud and clear in November that they were tired of bureaucratic overreach. My FIREARM Act disarms the out-of-control ATF and ensures that the rights of law-abiding gun owners are protected.”

    “The firearms industry is a core enabler of our constitutional rights under the Second Amendment, as well as acritical component of our National Defense apparatus. As such, ensuring fair and transparent adjudication of licensing matters — to include a mechanism for voluntary disclosures and self-corrections — for federal firearms licensees is of paramount importance. FRAC applauds Representative Issa for his leadership on this issue and for spearheading this bold legislation, which aims to create accountability, transparency, and fairness in such adjudication process.” Travis R. White, President & CEO, Firearms Regulatory Accountability Coalition

    “Congressman Issa’s ‘FIREARM’ Act will ensure that future administrations cannot weaponize the ATF as a political gun control tool for special interests,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President & General Counsel. “Under the Biden administration, the firearm and ammunition industry witnessed the ATF being weaponized to carry out that administration’s extreme antigun policies. That damaged the cooperative relationships between firearm retailers, who are on the frontline preventing illegal straw purchases of firearms, and the ATF, which enforces laws to safeguard our communities. NSSF is thankful for Congressman Issa’s leadership to provide remedies that repair this necessary public trust in our federal agencies.”

    Specifically, the FIREARM Act:

    • Prohibits zero-tolerance ATF FFL policies
    • Creates a safe harbor for self-reported violations and provides FFLs 30 days to correct violations that are not self-reported
    • Requires ATF to work collaboratively with FFLs to fix violations
    • Explicitly defines “willful” to mean a voluntary, intentional violation of a known legal duty achieved through specific intent or deliberate planning
    • Gives FFLs the option of district court judicial review in cases of revocation
    • Creates a license restoration process for stores impacted by the previous Biden Administration weaponization

    Cosponsors: Reps. Claudia Tenney (NY-24), Randy Weber (TX-14), Derrick Van Orden (WI-3), Mike Collins (GA-10), Wesley Hunt (TX-38), Lauren Boebert (CO-4), Troy Downing (MT-2), Jeff Van Drew (NJ-2), Brett Guthrie (KY-2), Scott DesJarlais (TN-4), Gus M. Bilirakis (FL-12), Tim Burchett (TN-2), Cory Mills (FL-7), Michael Guest (MS-3), Pete Sessions (TX-17), David Kustoff (TN-8), Gabe Evans (CO-8), Scott Franklin (FL-18), Mary Miller (IL-15), Don Bacon (NE-2), Chuck Edwards (NC-11),Andy Biggs (AZ-5), Elise Stefanik (NY-21), Diana Harshbarger (TN-1), Ashley Hinson (IA-2), Clay Higgins (LA-3), and Anna Paulina Luna (FL-13). 

    Industry support includes the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) and Firearms Regulatory Accountability Coalition (FRAC).

    The bill text can be found here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen Blasts Trump Administration Decision to Rescind Requirement for Hospitals to Provide Emergency Abortions

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen released the following statement condemning the Trump Administration’s dangerous decision to rescind federal guidance that required hospitals to provide emergency reproductive care and protected doctors and health care providers who perform abortions during life-threatening emergency cases, regardless of state bans on the procedure.
    “The outrageous decision by the Trump Administration to get rid of federal requirements for hospitals to provide emergency abortions will have dire consequences for women in need of life-saving care,” said Senator Rosen. “Make no mistake – doctors will be arrested simply for doing their jobs and women will die as a result of this dangerous action by Donald Trump to implement his Project 2025 agenda. I’ll do everything I can to fight back against these dangerous anti-choice policies and push to restore Roe v. Wade.”
    Senator Rosen has been fighting against extreme anti-choice efforts to restrict women’s reproductive freedoms. Last year, she voted to protect access to IVF and joined legislation to federally protect access to IVF treatments. Senator Rosen helped introduce the Let Doctors Provide Reproductive Health Care Act to protect doctors and other health care professionals from being prosecuted for providing reproductive care to their patients. She also voted to protect women’s constitutional right to access birth control.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Miller, Lofgren, Capito, and Padilla Reintroduce the Preserving Emergency Access in Key Sites Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV)

    Washington D.C. – Today, Congresswomen Carol Miller (R-WV) and Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), and Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Alex Padilla (D-CA), reintroduced the Preserving Emergency Access in Key Sites Act (PEAKS) Act. The PEAKS Act would ensure Critical Access Hospitals in mountainous areas receive fair compensation for ambulatory services and modify distance requirements.  

    “Everyone, regardless of where they live, should have access to quality and affordable health care. My home state of West Virginia has more Critical Access Hospitals in mountainous areas than any other state in the country, and I know how hard it can be for those who live in rural, mountainous regions to receive treatment in a timely manner. The Preserving Emergency Access in Key Sites Act (PEAKS Act) is life-saving legislation that will ensure Critical Access Hospitals in mountainous areas are compensated fairly for the ambulatory services they provide to patients and positively impact rural communities across the nation. It’s imperative that all patients, especially those that live in unforgiving terrain, can access emergency medical care,” said Rep. Carol Miller.

    “All Americans deserve quality access to health services, even if they reside in areas that are difficult to access. To protect the wellbeing of our rural residents, we must ensure that these hospitals have enough funding to continue providing their life-saving services. The Preserving Emergency Access in Key Sites (PEAKS) Act allows us to do so, by broadening the requirements to become a Critical Access Hospital and by providing fair compensation for their emergency transportation services. The American public should be able to rely on its ambulances,” said Rep. Zoe Lofgren.

    “As residents of the Mountain State, we are proud of our beautiful peaks, however, we are also aware of the transportation challenges—especially for ambulances—that exist due to our mountainous topography. I’m proud to introduce the PEAKS Act to address this challenge and ensure even our most rural residents can depend on ambulance services, as well as ensure our critical access hospitals are able to provide the best care possible,” said Senator Capito.

    “We commend Congresswoman Miller for her leadership in introducing the PEAKS Act, which addresses the financial and operational challenges rural hospitals in West Virginia and across the country face every day. Her continued commitment to supporting access to care in underserved communities is deeply appreciated by our hospitals, providers, and the patients they serve. The PEAKS Act is a strong step toward ensuring the long-term sustainability of rural healthcare, and we’re proud to support this important effort,” said Jim Kaufman, President and CEO, West Virginia Hospital Association

    Click HERE for bill text. 

    Background: 

    • Critical Access Hospitals are hospitals that serve residents in rural areas.
    • The PEAKS Act would allow for Critical Access Hospitals located in mountainous areas to be reimbursed for their emergency medical transportation services.
    • The Act would also make certain that Critical Access Hospitals would not lose their designation despite any new hospital that is built within 15 miles. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Highway 4 near Cameron Lake closed Wednesday, June 11

    Drivers are advised that Highway 4 will be temporarily closed near Cameron Lake on Wednesday, June 11, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., for catchment cleanup and maintenance.

    Debris that was recently intercepted by the rockfall fencing next to the lake will be cleared to restore the catchment’s capacity. Geotechnical engineers have recommended this work to ensure the system continues to function as intended.

    The highway will reopen to traffic once the work is complete. No further closures are planned.

    For up-to-date information about road conditions, please visit www.DriveBC.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pressley, Haiti Caucus Condemn Trump’s Bigoted Travel Ban 2.0

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

    WASHINGTON – Today, House Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) and Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) issued the following statement on Donald Trump’s executive order that bans citizens of 12 countries, including Haiti, from traveling to the United States, and places partial restrictions on citizens of seven more nations:

    “We condemn Donald Trump’s bigoted travel ban in the strongest possible terms. Let’s be clear: the President of the United States has committed an unambiguously xenophobic attack on the most vulnerable people in the world, many of whom will die as a direct consequence of his cruelty. These are children, women, and men who are fleeing political turmoil and war, who are trying to survive famine and natural catastrophes. Haitians and so many others are drowning, and Donald Trump just ripped a life preserver from their desperate arms and tied weights around their ankles,” said the Co-Chairs. 

    “But the continuation of their suffering is the point. This is a targeted abuse of hundreds of millions of Black and Brown people at a scale of cruelty even beyond the historically despicable Muslim and African Bans, and it’s undergirded by nothing but baseless accusations and one man’s insatiable hate. The American people know that. No matter what sick justifications he gives or sadistic lies he spins, we see this vile, unlawful act for what is. Just as we see him for who he is. 

    “We call on all people of conscience to recognize this cruelty for what it is, and join us in standing with the innocent people who Donald Trump sought to hurt through this executive order. In the face of such brutal inhumanity, they need more than our support, and they need more than our love. Only our unwavering and absolute commitment to fight against this depraved act in the courts, in our communities, and in the halls of Congress is sufficient at this moment.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Foreign Arms Sales Task Force Hosts Roundtable with Defense Industry Leaders to Hear Perspectives on Needed Reforms

    Source: US House Committee on Foreign Affairs

    Media Contact 202-321-9747

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Foreign Arms Sales Task Force held the third in a series of roundtables featuring defense industry perspectives on reforming and improving America’s foreign arms sales process.

    As part of the bipartisan engagement, members heard from industry representatives from RTX, Lockheed Martin, L3Harris and Boeing on the need for regulatory reforms to the foreign arms sales process to meet the growing demand for cutting edge, American-made defense systems and hardware.

    During the roundtable, Task Force Chairman Ryan Zinke (R-MT) highlighted the importance foreign arms sales play in deterring adversaries, strengthening U.S. alliances and bolstering America’s defense industrial base. He underscored that improving the foreign arms sales process is critical for ensuring the U.S. remains as the partner of choice for allies around the globe.

    The roundtable provided a forum for candid, detailed discussions between industry insiders and Task Force members on the red-tape American companies face day-in and day-out because of outdated regulations and cumbersome approval processes across the interagency.

    The Task Force, which is being led by Chairman Zinke and Ranking Member Madeleine Dean (D-PA), will propose overdue reforms aimed at eliminating bureaucratic hurdles that encumber the current foreign arms sales process.

    The legislation put forward by the Task Force will build upon executive actions announced by President Trump last month to reform and improve the foreign defense sales process.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee Chairman Lawler Delivers Opening Remarks at Hearing on Syria

    Source: US House Committee on Foreign Affairs

    Media Contact 202-321-9747

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Foreign Affairs Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee Chairman Michael Lawler delivered opening remarks at a subcommittee hearing titled, “After Assad: The Future of Syria.”

    Watch Here

    -Remarks-

    Syria is at a turning point. The fall of Bashar al-Assad this past December following four decades of authoritarian rule has created conditions for unprecedented change for Syria and for the Middle East. This change comes with significant risk. The Syrian war dating back to 2011 has left most of the country in ruins, destroyed by years of indiscriminate bombing by Assad and his Russian and Iranian backers. The cost of reconstructing this broken country will be in the tens of billions, even by the most modest assessment, and investors face significant hurdles as they work to navigate the complex sanctions regime that has emerged after four decades of Assad family rule. While there are rightfully many who seek to break down barriers, advocating for sanctions relief to ensure reconstruction can take place and put Syria on a path of success, we must not lose sight of core US interests in this rush to embrace Syria’s new regime. There remain significant questions about Syria’s new interim authorities led by US-designated foreign terrorist organization Hayat Tahir al-Sham (HTS), a former al Qaeda affiliate. Ahmed al Shara, despite his hardened past, continues to verbally signal a commitment to reform through his ability, though his ability to deliver remains to be seen, which is why we must be explicit with our goals for Syria. This includes the counter ISIS mission, which has been a central part of US foreign policy since 2014.

    We must set clear expectations for the interim authorities on what we expect from them with respect to counterterrorism cooperation to prevent a resurgence and assume responsibility for detention centers holding thousands of ISIS members and affiliated individuals in the Northeast. Concerns about extremism are not by any means limited to ISIS. Iran and its proxies have long used the country as a sanctuary space to plan and carry out attacks, including against Israel, while Russia sees Syria as a strategic launch pad to undermine our interest not just in the Middle East but much further afield from Africa to Europe. There must be clear red lines when it comes to Iran and its proxies as well as Russia’s ability to operate in Syria. Preventing Syria from being used as a sanctuary space is vital not just for the US but also for Syria.

    This will no doubt be one of the metrics used as the international community measures the success of Syria’s transition and by extension for the prospects for further economic relief. For Syria to succeed and reestablish itself on the international world stage, it must take action to prevent extremism from thriving once again, including by signaling a commitment to inclusive governance by establishing a positive working relationship with our Kurdish partners, the Syrian Democratic Forces. They have been at the forefront of the campaign to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS. On that basis, the Trump administration has rightfully taken steps to waive US sanctions on a limited and temporary basis, giving Alhara sufficient time to demonstrate he is able to turn his words into actions, but this is not, I have to stress, a full embrace of Al Shara or those he continues to surround himself with. We must use this opportunity to press him on key US priorities, notably as to counterterrorism while also retaining limitations on US sanctions relief to ensure Iran and Russia cannot benefit financially. Al Shara has expressed a concerning willingness to embrace Moscow despite Putin’s complicity in war crimes against the Syrian people. For Russia, their presence in Syria is not just about the Middle East. It’s a vital staging ground essential to everything they do in Africa and the eastern Mediterranean. We underestimate the strategic importance Syria holds for the Russians at our own peril.

    Make no mistake, what happens in Syria does not stay in Syria. The country has consistently demonstrated its ability to impact and shape affairs far outside its borders, from Europe’s migrant crisis to ISIS to the war in Ukraine. When Secretary Rubio testified before Congress last month, he said, “There is no guarantee that by outreach and working with the transitional authority in Syria, things are going to work out. It may work out. It may not work out. But if we don’t reach out and try, it’s a guarantee not to work out.” I echo the secretary’s sentiments and just came back along with the ranking member from a trip to the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Jordan. That was the sentiment shared there as well. We want to give this an opportunity to work but are fully cognizant of the consequences of failure. Here during this hearing, we will further examine Syrian stability and the vital role Syria and the Syrian people play in the Middle East.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Volcano Watch — What Fans the Flames Observed at Volcanic Vents?

    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 week’s article is by Mike Cappos, a gas field engineer with HVO. 

    Image of burning hydrogen above the north vent inside Halemaʻumaʻu taken during the evening of May 21, 2025. USGS photo.

    During pauses between the high fountaining episodes of the ongoing Kīlauea volcano summit eruption, which began on December 23, 2024, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) scientists—and astute watchers of the HVO livestream cameras—have periodically observed yellow to orange-colored flames emanating from the two vents inside of Halemaʻumaʻu. These flames, which look most impressive at night, are the result of burning hydrogen gas. 

    Flames of this nature have been observed in and near eruptive vents during past eruptions of Kīlauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes, and at other volcanoes around the world—often basaltic ones like ours in Hawaii. Flames were observed at Kīlauea in the early 1900s by Thomas Jaggar, the original founder of HVO, while he was observing eruptions inside Halemaʻumaʻu. 

    Other occurrences of flames have been observed during the 1969–1974 Maunaulu eruption, the 1986–2018 Puʻuʻōʻō eruptive era on Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone, the 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption, the 2021–2022 Kīlauea summit eruption, and others.      

    Image of burning methane (blue flames in foreground) from ground cracks taken during the 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption of Kīlauea in Leilani Estates subdivision. USGS photo.

    Hydrogen gas is a minor constituent of volcanic gases. Water—which is made of hydrogen and oxygen—is a major component of volcanic gases, but in oxygen-poor magmas, some hydrogen that might otherwise be part of water remains as hydrogen itself in very small amounts.

    How do we get flames from that hydrogen though? The temperature at which hydrogen ignites in air depends on its concentration. Generally, the higher the concentration of hydrogen present, the lower the temperature required for ignition. 

    One example of this was the Hindenburg airship disaster of 1937. The gas envelope of the Hindenburg was filled with pure hydrogen gas, which caught fire and exploded from only a stray spark when the airship was beginning to land, all at normal ambient temperatures in the atmosphere near the ground surface. 

    The low concentrations (less than 2%) of hydrogen gas present in and near volcanic vents requires significantly higher temperatures for ignition to be achieved. Hydrogen gas such low concentrations needs temperatures above about 1380°F (around 750°C). Eruptive vents at Kīlauea have temperatures in excess of 1,830°F (1,000°C), which is more than sufficient to ignite the hydrogen. 

    However, we believe another key player for hydrogen to be efficiently ignited at the vent is the vent geometry. In most cases, flames are observed emanating from a hornito or small spatter cone within the vent. In this sort of geometry, water-rich magmatic gas can accumulate inside the orifice and stay in an oxygen-poor state because it has not yet mixed with the oxygen-rich ambient atmosphere. The hornito or small spatter cone effectively acts as a super-hot nozzle to help induce the combustion of hydrogen, which creates the flames we have seen recently, and during earlier eruptions.

    But what about blue flames? The yellow/orange hydrogen flames in volcanic vents are somewhat elusive compared to the blue flames that are commonly observed around active lava flows.

    Lava flows themselves typically don’t emit flames. Their broad surfaces disperse any remaining volcanic gases quickly and temperatures are too low to ignite any further diluted levels of hydrogen gas at the surface of the flow. 

    Blue flames that are sometimes seen around lava flows are more likely to be caused by the burning of methane gas, which is produced by the “cooking” of vegetation beneath the lava flow. This was a common observation during Kīlauea’s 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption in the Leilani Estates subdivision. Although those dancing blue methane flames may seem beautiful… they are dangerous themselves and can even create a secondary danger. As methane gets trapped beneath the lava flow, the methane may not just burn, it may explode in and around lava flows in vegetated areas. This is a constant danger to those in close proximity to a lava flow and extreme caution must be maintained.

    Volcanic flames are an interesting offshoot of volcanic degassing; their intriguing presence is an informative clue about vent or lava flow conditions. Still, they are dangerous. So, we’re happy to have our current flames mesmerizing us from a safe distance away but easy to see in HVO livestreams.

    Volcano Activity Updates

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

    Episode 24 of the Kīlauea summit eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu crater occurred from June 4-5, with approximately 7.5 hours of fountaining from the north and south vents. Lava fountains likely reached above 300 meters (1000 feet) and the eruption plume reached 16,500 feet (5,000 meters) above ground level. Summit region inflation since the end of episode 24, along with persistent tremor, suggests that another episode is possible. 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.

    One earthquake was reported felt in the Hawaiian Islands during the past week: a M2.8 earthquake 20 km (12 mi) S of Pa‘auilo at 25 km (15 mi) depth on June 1 at 8:22 a.m. HST.

    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: Senate Judiciary Committee Advances Waterman to be U.S. Attorney for Iowa’s Southern District

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    WASHINGTON – The Senate Judiciary Committee today advanced the nomination of David Waterman to be the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa by a voice vote. Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) endorsed his nomination. Waterman has been nominated for this position two Congresses in a row and was voted out of Committee last Congress with an overwhelming, bipartisan vote.  

    A recording of the executive business meeting can be found HERE.

    Read Grassley’s full statement at the executive business meeting HERE.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Q&A: Religious Freedom Must Not Be Taken for Granted

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    Q: What have you learned about the FBI’s bias towards American Catholics?

    A: From my top spot on the Senate Judiciary Committee, I’m pushing to get answers from the FBI about its efforts during the Biden administration to tie certain Americans of Catholic faith to violent extremist views. New information I recently released showed the anti-Catholic Richmond memo was widely distributed to more than 1,000 FBI employees across the country during the Biden administration. What’s more, the newly released records showed the targeting of Catholics based on biased sources included more than just a single memo. Records reveal the FBI produced many written products containing anti-Catholic terminology that hinged on information from the radical far-left Southern Poverty Law Center. This contradicts former FBI Director Christopher Wray’s misleading testimony to my questioning about these operations that have undermined the public trust in our institutions of government. I’m working to get to the bottom of the Richmond memo, including the FBI’s efforts to skirt congressional oversight. The American people deserve answers to help restore confidence that federal law enforcement agencies administer justice without fear or favor. Targeting Americans based on their religious faith crosses a constitutional guardrail enshrined in the Bill of Rights.

    Q: Is religious freedom in America at risk?

    A: For more than two centuries, the First Amendment protects freedom of religion. Specifically, the Establishment Clause prevents the government from establishing a state religion; and the Free Exercise Clause protects the right to practice religion freely. Unfortunately, the recent murders outside the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C. and the attack on the Jewish community in Boulder aren’t isolated incidents. They expose a grave and present danger for people of religious faith, particularly antisemitic extremism. Since the brutal attack in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, antisemitism is on the rise in the United States and around the world. During his first month back in the White House, President Trump signed an executive order to combat antisemitism. The Department of Justice formed a task force in February and zeroed in on incidents taking place on college campuses. I convened a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in March to strongly rebuke the stunning acts of antisemitism happening on campuses and elsewhere. During his first administration, President Trump made religious freedom a top foreign policy to stand against religious intolerance, persecution and violence around the world. Closer to home, President Trump last month created the Religious Liberty Commission to foster appreciation for our founding principles of religious freedom, identify emerging threats and protect the free exercise of religion. The president appointed advisory board members  representing  religious, legal and lay leaders to produce a comprehensive report on the foundations of religious liberty in America and its impact on society leading up to the 250th anniversary of American independence on July 4, 2026. The commission also will discuss Supreme Court rulings on religious liberty and delve into the meaning of separation of church and state.

    Written public comments may be submitted in advance of its first meeting prior to June 15. Send comments to RLC@usdoj.gov, or by postal mail to U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Associate Attorney General, 950 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Room 5706, Washington, D.C. 20530.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New Grassley Report Shows Biden DOJ Sent Taxpayer-Funded Grants to Soros-Backed, Soft-on-Crime NGOs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today released a Majority staff report exposing the disastrous consequences of the Biden Department of Justice’s (DOJ) grants to two non-governmental organizations (NGOs) – the Soros-backed Vera Institute of Justice and Impact Justice, which houses the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) Resource Center.

    The Trump administration has since terminated these grants to ensure DOJ awards align with the administration’s stated priorities: “support[ing] law enforcement operations, combat[ing] violent crime, protect[ing] American children, support[ing] American victims of trafficking and sexual assault, and enhanc[ing] coordination among law enforcement.” Ninety-three percent of DOJ’s recently terminated grants only impacted NGOs.

    “The Biden-Harris administration awarded millions of taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars to advance left-leaning agendas that ultimately put lives at risk. The American people overwhelmingly rejected these soft-on-crime, defund-the-police policies in the last election because they undermined the safety and security of their communities. Organizations like the Vera Institute and Impact Justice that promote radical ideology have no business collecting another dime from the federal treasury. Americans are safer without their influence in the criminal justice system,” Grassley said.

    Read the Grassley staff report HERE.

    Background:

    Under the Biden-Harris administration, the Vera Institute was awarded millions of taxpayer dollars to prop up left-wing District Attorneys, who would then partner with the Vera Institute to implement Soros-backed progressive policies. These policies included prioritizing violent criminals over victims and declining to fully prosecute felony charges – including assault, kidnapping, rape and murder.

    Impact Justice & the PREA Resource Center was awarded $7.45 million by the Biden-Harris administration to help combat sexual abuse in prisons and ensure the integrity of the PREA audit process.  However, the PREA auditors routinely failed to uncover pervasive sexual abuse. Further, PREA Resource Center training materials endangered women by encouraging the housing of transgender inmates in female prisons. This was done without due regard for inmate safety and in ways inconsistent with federal regulation.

    Key Findings of the Report’s Analysis on the Vera Institute:

    The Vera Institute used taxpayer funds to gain unprecedented access to progressive prosecutor offices. Below are several examples that illustrate the Vera Institute’s influence over federal prosecutors across the county.

    • In New York, New York County DA Alvin Bragg partnered with the Vera Institute and declined to prosecute certain misdemeanor felonies, actively worked to downgrade felony charges to misdemeanors and refused to detain criminals before their trials. Meanwhile, Bragg attempted to prosecute President Donald Trump for federal campaign finance violations.
      • In 2025, there were over 48,000 individuals arrested for misdemeanors in New York County, but only 3,000 of them were detained.
    • In Georgia, Athens DA Deborah Gonzalez partnered with the Vera Institute and pledged to protect illegal immigrant defendants and release criminals on bonds that do not require the posting of money.
      • During the Gonzalez’s tenure, the Gonzalez negotiated a lenient plea deal for a sexual predator and serial rapist who preyed on women and children. Gonzalez later refused to pursue the death penalty for the murderer of Laken Riley.
    • In Wisconsin, Milwaukee DA John Chisholm partnered with the Vera Institute to implement several progressive, soft-on-crime policies and reportedly told the Milwaukee Sentinel-Journal, “Is there going to be an individual I divert, or I put into a treatment program, who’s going to go out and kill somebody? You bet.”
      • In 2020, the Milwaukee DA’s office released a criminal twice before he ultimately drove an SUV through a Christmas Parade, killing six and injuring 62 others.
    • In Missouri, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner partnered with the Vera Institute and pledged to “expand diversion programs, decline to prosecute low level cases and decrease the number of people held on cash bail.”
      • Under the guidance of the Vera Institute, the Gardner dismissed more than 9,000 criminal cases and refused to prosecute 90 percent of reported crime, including cop killers and a child murderer.
    • In Massachusetts, Suffolk County DA Rachel Rollins partnered with the Vera Institute and instructed prosecutors to decline prosecution of 15 different crimes, as well as create a screening unit tasked with decreasing the number of arraigned cases.
    • In Virginia, Fairfax Commonwealth Attorney Steve Descano partnered with the Vera Institute and repeatedly released violent illegal immigrants back on the streets.
      • The Fairfax Commonwealth Attorney’s office repeatedly released an illegal immigrant who had a record of 29 run-ins with law enforcement and a documented history of sexual assault and indecent exposure. The illegal immigrant raped a woman in October 2024 upon release.

    -30- 

    MIL OSI USA News –