NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 05/29/2025 PHOTO: Blackburn Tours Memphis xAI Facilities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)

    NASHVILLE, Tenn. – U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) released the following photo and statement after touring xAI’s Memphis facilities. In June 2024, xAI announced plans to build the world’s largest AI supercomputer, named Colossus, in Memphis:

    “Tennessee is the best state in the nation to do business, and xAI’s Memphis facility is proof that innovative companies thrive when entrpreneurs like Elon Musk choose to set up shop in our state,” said Senator Blackburn.  “Touring the site, I witnessed first-hand how xAI is creating hundreds of good-paying jobs, generating millions for Memphis and Shelby County, and partnering with small businesses to give hardworking Memphians exciting economic opportunities. This is only the beginning of what xAI will accomplish, and I’m excited to see how the company continues to grow and flourish for years to come.”

    Click here to download this photo of Senator Blackburn.

    BACKGROUND

    • xAI was founded by Elon Musk in 2023.
    • xAI’s Memphis facility occupies a 785,000-square-foot former Electrolux manufacturing plant. xAI has committed more than $10 billion to turn the plant into state-of-the-art super computer.
    • Memphis was chosen for a number of strategic reasons, including:
      • Existing industrial infrastructure, including access to water and energy resources;
      • Logistical advantages due to the city’s location as a major freight and shipping hub; and
      • Economic incentives provided by local and state governments eager to bring high-tech jobs and investment to the area.
    • In March, xAI announced a significant expansion of its operations in Memphis with the acquisition of a one million square foot property.
    • The development of the new facility is expected to attract additional tech companies to the region, further enhancing the city’s status as the “Digital Delta” and contributing to the local economy through job creation and technological advancement.
    • xAI has made numerous commitments to the city of Memphis, including:
      • Constructing an $80 million graywater recycling facility in Southwest Memphis, protecting the Memphis Aquifer for generations to come;
      • Developing a battery farm that allows its operations to function independently from the local power grid;
      • Creating over 320 high-paying jobs in Memphis, with 80% of the workforce being local hires. Hundreds of more hires are expected in the coming months and years; and
      • Generating between $15 and $20 million in tax revenue for the city.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Building on Previous Success Bringing Investments Home to Illinois, Duckworth Returns to Taiwan to Help Bring Jobs to our State

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    May 29, 2025

    [TAIPEI, TAIWAN] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) traveled to Taiwan this week to underscore Illinois’s preparedness for additional international investments similar to those she’s already successfully secured in her previous international travels. On this trip, Duckworth met with the Island’s representatives, economic leaders and corporate and business leaders to highlight how Illinois is an ideal location for Taiwanese business expansion. Photos from Taiwan are available on the Senator’s website.

    “In Taiwan this week I’m continuing my work of championing Illinois abroad,” Duckworth said. “Illinois is ideally situated for greater investment from international business—we’re already a hub of agriculture, manufacturing and transportation, and in the coming years we’re going to be a national and international leader for quantum technology. As I’ve traveled across Asia and Europe, I’m proud I’ve been successful in promoting Illinois on a global level and bringing home investment, and I hope to continue that success after this trip.”

    During Duckworth’s visit she met with Hon Hai Research Institute, the research division of the microelectronics manufacturer, which recently visited Chicago to learn more about Illinois’s growing quantum and microelectronics industry. Duckworth also met with leaders including President Lai Ching-te, Vice President Hsiao Bi-Khim, Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung, Defense Minister Wellington Koo and National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu.

    As a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Duckworth has extensively championed Illinois abroad. In Taiwan previously she helped secure a commitment from Taiwan to purchase an estimated $2.6 billion of Illinois’s corn and soybeans, and following an official visit to Japan, Japan announced a regulatory change that will lead to an increase in imports from U.S. biofuel producers, supporting our farmers and growing Illinois’s economy. Since becoming a member of SFRC Duckworth has also traveled to Laos and Vietnam, Sweden and the Netherlands, Romania and the United Kingdom and the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand.

    Following her meetings in Taiwan, Duckworth is now continuing onto Singapore for this year’s Shangri-la Dialogue.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER WARNS: UNDER CLEAN ENERGY TAX HIKE IN GOP PLAN THAT PASSED HOUSE LAST WEEK, NEW YORK COULD LOSE A STAGGERING 20,000+ JOBS & SEE HIGHER MONTHLY ENERGY BILLS; SENATOR SOUNDS ALARM AND DEMANDS…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer

    Last Week, The House GOP Rushed To Pass Trump’s Tax Giveaway To Billionaires, That Guts Food Assistance And Medicaid, AND Also Kills The Fed Clean Energy Investments NY Companies Are Using To Lower Energy Costs, Create Good-Paying Union Jobs & Bring Manufacturing Back From China

    Since The Inflation Reduction Act Passed Three Years Ago, NY Companies Have Announced Over $5 BILLION In Clean Manufacturing Investments Creating Thousands Of Good-Paying Jobs From Long Island To Buffalo; Senator Warns What Will Happen If GOP Doesn’t Back Off Plan To Kill Clean Energy And Manufacturing

    Schumer: Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Is An Ugly Mess That Means Bigger Electric Bills & Big Job Losses For New York

    Just a week after House Republicans passed Trump’s devastating bill to kill clean energy incentives so they could give tax breaks to billionaires, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer revealed how tax hikes on clean energy tucked in the bill would be a gut punch to New York’s economy.

    Schumer said new data studies from NERA Economic Consulting shows that repealing the clean energy tax credits could cause New York to lose up to 20,300 jobs as clean energy projects are cancelled or scaled back due to lack of incentive, with a whopping nearly $3.5 billion hit to the state’s GDP and New Yorkers paying up to $650 in higher energy costs each year by 2032 if these devastating cuts become law.

    “Higher energy bills and many thousands fewer jobs, that’s what New York gets under Trump’s reckless tax bill, which is a giveaway to billionaires and corporations. Already, thousands of New Yorkers were making improvements to their homes to lower their electric bills and make their homes warmer in the harsh winters, now they lose all that support. Thousands of new jobs building clean energy projects in every corner of the state and bringing manufacturing back from China will all be vaporized by the GOP’s ugly budget bill. It is a gut punch to New York and a gift to China, which wants to dominate clean energy manufacturing,” said Senator Schumer. “Losing these clean energy projects means losing cheaper electricity for families and businesses. We need more energy production from many sources including wind and solar and water; we need America to be energy independent and to manufacture clean energy technology here, not overseas, and eliminating these tax credits radically and irresponsibly rolls back all the progress we have made in recent years. It turns America’s clean energy boom into a bust.”

    Schumer explained that the bill which passed the Republican House last week would kill clean energy incentives created in the Inflation Reduction Act, these tax credits are already benefiting hundreds of New York businesses with ongoing projects and families who are using them to help improve their homes and lower their electric bills. These cuts are broad and deep to New York’s clean energy sector, Schumer specifically highlighted how the bill would:

    • Eliminates the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Tax Credit, which provides families in New York up to $3,200 to help weatherize their homes for better protection in the harsh winters and make improvements to make their homes more energy efficient to lower their electric bills with qualifying items like doors, windows, better insulation and heat pumps.
    • Eliminates the Residential Clean Energy Credit, which gives New York families a 30% discount on home energy improvements, like solar panels, heat pumps, or energy storage, that help lower energy bills and keep the lights on during power outages.
    • Eliminates the Clean Electricity Investment & Production Credits that support more cheap, clean electricity. With natural gas turbines on a five-year delay, the IRA’s clean electricity tax credits have ensured a robust buildout of wind and solar power while helping keep electricity prices from increasing and spurring demand for American-made energy products.
    • Sabotages the Advanced Manufacturing Investment Tax Credit that has generated a more than five-fold increase in investment in manufacturing in the solar and EV supply chains, creating thousands of jobs and shifting these industries out of China to the U.S.
    • Eliminates the IRA’s Electric Vehicle Tax Credits that make it cheaper to buy new and used electric and plug-in hybrid cars, and has led to a massive onshoring of EV and battery supply chain manufacturing, undercutting China and bolstering American companies.
    • Eliminates the New Energy-Efficient Home Credit that makes it cheaper to build new, highly efficient and affordable homes, expanding the housing supply while reducing energy costs.
    • Eliminates the Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit that supports American-made clean hydrogen, led by New York companies like Plug Power and Air Products, to be used for clean manufacturing and agriculture.

    Schumer said that clean energy investments from the Inflation Reduction Act have created the biggest clean energy boom in American history, but now with many of these core provisions being clawed back or eliminated it risks all the progress that has been made in New York and across the country. The senator said if NY energy projects are forced to stop or scale back, energy costs would increase for families and businesses across the country. With electricity demand surging in New York and across the country, clean energy sources like wind and many other sources of clean power are often the most efficient sources of new electricity, much cheaper than traditional alternatives like natural gas and oil. NERA Economic Consulting estimates costs for New York families could increase by $650 a year, as the Republican plan to gut the clean electricity production and investment tax credits makes it more expensive to provide more electricity, while simultaneously killing the Residential Clean Energy and Energy Efficient Home Improvement tax credits makes it more costly for families to make their homes more efficient and reduce their energy bills.

    Schumer added, “Democrats are united in opposing this cruel and counterproductive bill, and these ill-conceived elimination of energy tax credits so they can put more money in the pockets of billionaires. We need the GOP to block these cuts, otherwise it will be American families and our manufacturing future paying the price.”

    The Clean Economy Tracker estimates the Inflation Reduction Act’s incentives have spurred over $5 billion worth of investments in clean manufacturing in New York, creating over 7,200 jobs. Schumer said if this House Republican plan goes through, many of the clean energy projects spurred by the IRA could be forced to scale back or even stop and the workers building the future of American energy would be laid off, and projects that otherwise would have come online will never come to fruition. That would impact both major NY employers and manufacturers in the clean energy, manufacturing, electric vehicle, battery, research sector and our small businesses. One example is Geothermal Works in the Hudson Valley, a small Westchester based family business with that helps homes get updated with heat pumps and geothermal systems to lower their electric costs, who said that if the current clean energy cuts go through in the GOP bill it would shutter their business and force them into early retirement.

    Below are just some examples of projects spurred by the Inflation Reduction Act in New York State that show why eliminating these provisions could be so harmful:

    • Off Long Island, Equinor invested $5 billion in building a massive offshore wind farm project, Empire Wind, that will provide power for hundreds of thousands of homes in New York State, and is supported by tax credits for offshore wind projects created by the Inflation Reduction Act .
    • In the Capital Region, Plug Power invested $125 million in a new green hydrogen fuel cell factory in 2023, creating new good paying jobs to boost production of clean hydrogen fuel cells with support from the Fuel Cell Production Tax Credit. Additionally, the company is poised to harness the Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit which was created by the Inflation Reduction Act, to spur further growth both in the Capital Region and at Plug’s Henrietta, NY Gigafactory in the Finger Lakes that manufactures Electrolyzers. GE Vernova invested $50 million in a new manufacturing line for its onshore wind business in 2023, hiring 200 new workers with support from a production tax credit for U.S. wind turbine manufacturing created by the Inflation Reduction Act.
    • In Western New York, Viridi Parente a fast growing company on Buffalo’s East Side has added hundreds of good-paying jobs growing the domestic battery manufacturing industry with support from clean energy tax credits created by the Inflation Reduction Act, such as the Advanced Manufacturing Production tax credit. Solar Liberty Energy Systems and PanelClaw are installing thousands of solar panels at homes and businesses. Solar Liberty Energy Systems is helping customers navigate available federal clean energy tax credits created by the Inflation Reduction Act to reduce the burden of installation costs while PanelClaw is producing racking systems with help from the American Domestic Manufacturing Bonus tax credit created by the Inflation Reduction Act.

    Since Trump was elected, approximately $14 billion worth of manufacturing projects have been outright cancelled, representing more than 13,000 jobs lost. If the GOP plan to raise taxes on energy goes through, those cancellations could balloon to threaten more than $800 billion in private investment in domestic clean energy made in the past three years across the country, according to the Clean Investment Monitor. NERA Economic Consulting estimates that New York could lose an estimated 20,300 jobs if these tax breaks are killed. Schumer said the House Republican bill would repeal the very parts of the Inflation Reduction Act that have helped companies grow in New York and spurred millions of investments, many of which are in Republican districts.

    Repealing the clean energy tax incentives would also be a disaster for America and Schumer said that would cede energy manufacturing leadership to China, which already produces a significant amount of the world’s clean technologies like solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries. If companies can no longer support clean energy manufacturing in the United States, they will bring these projects to America’s competitors, and jobs that would’ve otherwise been created in America will be created in countries like China. This will destabilize American supply chains and make American families and businesses reliant on China for cheap energy.

    “No matter which way you slice it, the House Republican bill is bad news for New Yorkers. Shutting down projects, killing jobs, and increasing electricity bills would be devastating for our state, which is why we need Republicans to stand up to this bill to save investments in homegrown American energy,” concluded Schumer.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Budd Applauds Trump Administration for Postponing Closure of Blue Ridge Parkway to Prioritize WNC Recovery

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ted Budd (R-North Carolina)

    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) released the following statement after the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) announced postponing full closures on the Blue Ridge Parkway, between Blowing Rock and Beacon Heights, until 2026 to accommodate for community recovery efforts in Western North Carolina following Hurricane Helene.

    “Communities in Western North Carolina were hit hard by Hurricane Helene, and as we begin to rebuild, closing the Blue Ridge Parkway at this juncture would only set us back. The Parkway serves as a lifeline to small businesses and recreation access across the Appalachian Region — bringing tourists, supporting local businesses, and keeping our economy moving. I’m grateful the Trump administration recognized our state’s needs following a letter I sent last month. This is the right decision to prioritize the near-term recovery of our region while still ensuring the resurfacing project is completed in the future,” said Senator Budd.

    Read the full text of the letter from the Trump administration HERE.

    Background

    In April 2025, Senator Budd was joined by Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) in sending a letter to the Secretary of the Interior, Doug Burgum, requesting DOI to consider options to delay the resurfacing of the Blue Ridge Parkway until after the peak 2025 recreation season. Read the full text of the letter HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Strengthening Alberta’s market presence in Southeast Asia

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyoming Army Guard 2-300th Field Artillery Regiment Returns Home (Cheyenne)

    Source: US State of Wyoming

    Cheyenne, WY – The Wyoming National Guard invites media representatives to cover the second of two groups of redeploying Soldiers assigned to 2nd Battalion, 300th Field Artillery Regiment.  Details are further below.

    The 2-300th deployed last summer to several Middle Eastern countries to support Operations Spartan Shield and Inherent Resolve.

    This deployment marked their eighth deployment in the past 20 years.  While earlier deployments for the command typically saw only portions of the unit depart, this mission represented the first time the battalion had deployed as an entire command for a field artillery mission since the Korean War.

    Overall, more than 360 2-300th Soldiers deployed, representing batteries headquartered in the Wyoming communities of Torrington, Gillette, Lander and Casper.

    Returning 2-300th Soldiers will be greeted by senior WY National Guard and government leadership on the tarmac as they debark the aircraft at the Casper-Natrona County International Airport before departing for home with their families and loved ones.

    Event Details:

    • Time and Date: 1:30pm (approx.), May 30th, 2025.
    • Location: Casper-Natrona County International Airport, 8410 Airport Pkwy, Casper, WY 82604
    • Program: Returning Soldiers will deplane and be greeted by senior command and government leadership before departing the airport with families and loved ones.
    • Contact: For more information and to RSVP, please contact the Wyoming National Guard, Chris Hyde, at 443-883-2698, or email at wyoguard@gmail.com.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Press Sec: “…We will deport you if you’re here illegally.”

    Source: United States of America – The White House (video statements)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBKpfwRgt0M

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Lead the Charge to Establish Binding Code of Ethics for U.S. Supreme Court

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)

    May 29, 2025

    Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act would require the Supreme Court to adopt a binding and enforceable code of ethical conduct; Congress, the executive branch, all lower federal courts, and every state supreme court have ethics guardrails and a mechanism for enforcing ethics rules

    Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today they joined their colleagues to reintroduce the bicameral Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency (SCERT) Act. The legislation would require Supreme Court justices to adopt a binding code of conduct and create a mechanism to investigate alleged violations of the code of conduct and other laws. Led by U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and U.S. Representative Hank Johnson (D-GA), the SCERT Act would improve disclosure and transparency when a justice has a connection to a party or amicus before the Court, end the practice of justices ruling on their own conflicts of interests, and require justices to explain their recusal decisions to the public.

    “All Supreme Court justices should be held to a binding code of ethics, just like all other federal judges, the executive branch, and Members of Congress,” said Merkley. “Thanks to the Federalist Society, the highest court in the land has become compromised, pushing a right-wing, corporate viewpoint above all else. To restore a government in service of the people—not the powerful—it’s clear we need to pass the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act.”

    “It’s imperative the U.S. Judicial Branch serve its Constitutional duty to uphold laws set by Congress, not accept lavish gifts from constituents scheming to curry favor with the court,” said Wyden. “I’ve been watchdogging Clarence Thomas’ unethical acceptance of gifts and sounding the alarm that he and any other judge who won’t recuse themselves in cases where they have a vested interest are compromising their oaths to defend the Constitution. If they won’t recuse themselves, we must prevent any egregious breach of ethics by passing the Supreme Court Ethics, Recuse and Transparency Act.”

    In the last two years, reporting from ProPublica and the New York Times has exposed Justice Clarence Thomas’s long record of accepting undisclosed gifts from politically active right-wing billionaires. Further reporting from ProPublica found that Justice Samuel Alito accepted private jet travel to an all-expenses-paid vacation from a hedge fund billionaire who had contributed over $80 million to Republican political organizations and had business before the Court. Justice Alito’s luxury vacation was organized by Leonard Leo, the engineer of the current right-wing Supreme Court supermajority at the behest of a cadre of right-wing billionaires and special interests.

    The SCERT Act would address these ethical shortfalls and help restore Americans’ faith in the judicial branch. The bill would:

    Develop a Process for Enforcement of a Code of Conduct

    • Require the Supreme Court to adopt a code of conduct within 180 days;
    • Require the Supreme Court to publish its code of conduct and any other rules or procedures related to ethics, financial disclosure, and judicial misconduct;
    • Require the Supreme Court to create a transparent process for the public to submit ethics complaints against the justices, and for a random panel of chief judges from the lower courts to investigate and make recommendations based on those complaints;
    • Require safeguards modeled on the lower courts’ complaints process to deter and punish frivolous ethics complaints.

    Improve Gift Rules and Transparency

    • Require the Supreme Court to adopt rules requiring disclosure of gifts, travel, and income received by justices and law clerks that are at least as rigorous as the House and Senate disclosure rules;
    • Require the rules for what gifts justices can accept to be as restrictive as Congress’;
    • Require greater disclosure of amicus curiae funding;
    • Require parties and amici curiae before the Supreme Court to disclose any recent gifts, travel, or reimbursements they’ve given to a justice;
    • Require parties and amici curiae before the Supreme Court to disclose any lobbying or money they spent promoting a justice’s confirmation to the Court.

    Strengthen Recusal Requirements

    • Create new recusal requirements governing gifts, income, or reimbursements given to judges;
    • Create new recusal requirements governing a party’s lobbying or spending money to campaign for a judge’s confirmation;
    • Ensure that requests for a judge to recuse are reviewed by a panel of randomly selected, impartial judges, or by the rest of the justices at the Supreme Court;
    • Require written notification and explanations of recusal decisions;
    • Require the judiciary to develop rules explaining when a judge’s connection to an amicus curiae brief might require recusal; and
    • Require the Federal Judicial Center to study and report to Congress every two years on the extent to which the judiciary is complying with recusal requirements.

    A recent report from Senator Whitehouse found every state supreme court (or equivalent high court) subjects its judges or justices to ethics reviews—similar to the processes that apply to all federal judges except the Supreme Court under the Judicial Conduct and Disability Act. The SCERT Act would eliminate this loophole by establishing an ethics review process for the Supreme Court.

    Congress has an appropriate and well-established role in oversight of the judiciary and updating ethics laws that apply to federal officials, including federal judges and justices. Congress passed the Ethics in Government Act and judicial recusal law, which expressly apply to Supreme Court justices. Congress created through statute the Judicial Conference, which administers financial disclosure laws for the entire judiciary. Congress also has the authority to regulate and make exceptions to which cases justices can hear, outside of a small category of cases required by the Constitution.

    In addition to Merkley and Wyden, the legislation was cosponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Richard Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Peter Welch (D-VT).

    The legislation was endorsed by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), Fix the Court, Public Citizen, Demand Justice, Accountable.US/Accountable.NOW, Common Cause, End Citizens United/Let America Vote, New York City Bar Association, People’s Parity Project, League of Conservation Voters, Court Accountability Action, Free Law Project, American Governance Institute, Lawyers for Good Government, and Stand Up America.

    Full text of the bill is available by clicking here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy Announces $9.6 Million for Hurricane Ida Repairs, Fire Response

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) announced Louisiana will receive $9,623,017.01 from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in reimbursement for permanent school repairs and fire suppression efforts following Hurricane Ida and recent wildfires.
    “When disaster strikes, whether it’s a hurricane or a wildfire, Louisianans stand together. This funding supports the schools and first responders that anchor our communities,” said Dr. Cassidy.

    Grant Awarded
    Recipient
    Project Description

    $3,589,727.97
    Jefferson Parish Public School System
    This grant will provide federal funding for permanent repairs to J.D. Meisler Middle School as a result of Hurricane Ida.

    $3,156,954.41
    Louisiana Office of Emergency Preparedness
    This grant will provide federal funding for fire suppression measures during the Tiger Island Fire.

    $2,876,334.63
    Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry
    This grant will provide federal funding for fire suppression efforts during the Highway 113 Fire.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Israel accepts US special envoy S. Witkoff’s proposal for ceasefire in Gaza – media

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    JERUSALEM, May 29 (Xinhua) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday said the Jewish state’s government has accepted the proposal of U.S. Special Envoy for the Middle East Steven Witkoff for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages, Israeli state broadcaster Kan reported.

    According to Kan, B. Netanyahu made the statement during a meeting with the families of the Israeli hostages who are presumed dead.

    The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office is not yet ready to comment.

    Earlier on Thursday, Hamas said in a statement that it had received Witkoff’s proposal and was currently studying it.

    As reported by Kan, citing a senior Israeli official, the proposal includes a 60-day ceasefire in the Gaza Strip in exchange for the release of 10 live hostages and the handover of 18 bodies of the dead in two stages. Israel, in turn, must free 1,236 Palestinian prisoners and hand over the bodies of 180 dead Palestinians.

    The proposal does not oblige Israel to end its 19-month offensive in Gaza, but it does require the Jewish state and Hamas to negotiate a long-term truce. The United States, Egypt and Qatar would act as guarantors of the ceasefire. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DeGette Statement on Supreme Court Ruling Paving Way for Uinta Basin Railway

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

    DENVER, CO — Today, Congresswoman Diana DeGette (CO-01) released the following statement after the Supreme Court ruled that construction of the Uinta Basin Railway can begin.

    “This decision lays the groundwork for an environmental catastrophe,” said DeGette. “As the harsh impacts of the climate crisis increase the vulnerability of the Colorado River, the risk of an oil spill along this train route is unacceptable. Increasing fracking levels and transporting them across the country would not only harm the communities through which the train travels, including those in Denver, but it would further devastate the communities surrounding the facilities where this oil would burn. This is a public health nightmare waiting to happen, and I am deeply concerned about how this decision will hamper environmental justice and allow big oil and gas to exploit our public lands.” 

    On Thursday, May 29, the Supreme Court ruled that the Surface Transportation Board properly analyzed the impact of the Uinta Basin Railway, clearing the way for an 88-mile stretch of railroad to proceed. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Opens Disaster Loan Outreach Center in Hardy

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced today the opening of a Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC) in Sharp County to assist small businesses, private nonprofit (PNP) organizations and residents who sustained economic losses and physical damage from severe storms, tornadoes and flooding occurring April 2-22.

    Beginning Friday, May 30, SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at the Disaster Loan Outreach Center in Hardy to answer questions and assist with the disaster loan application process. No appointment is necessary, walk-ins are welcome. Those who prefer to schedule an in-person appointment in advance can do so at appointment.sba.gov.

    The center’s hours of operation are as follows:

    SHARP COUNTY
    Disaster Loan Outreach Center
    Hardy Fire Station
    203 Church St.
    Hardy, AR  72542

    Opens at 9 a.m., Friday, May 30

    Mondays – Fridays, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
    Saturdays, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

    “When disasters strike, SBA’s Disaster Loan Outreach Centers perform an important role by assisting small businesses and their communities,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the U.S. Small Business Administration. “At these centers, our SBA specialists help business owners and residents apply for disaster loans and learn about the full range of programs available to support their recovery.”

    Businesses and nonprofits are eligible to apply for business physical disaster loans and may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.

    Homeowners and renters are eligible to apply for home and personal property loans and may borrow up to $100,000 to replace or repair personal property, such as clothing, furniture, cars, and appliances. Homeowners may apply for up to $500,000 to replace or repair their primary residence.

    Applicants may be eligible for a loan increase of up to 20% of their physical damage, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements include insulating pipes, walls and attics, weather stripping doors and windows, and installing storm windows to help protect property and occupants from future disasters.

    The SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and private nonprofit organizations impacted by financial losses directly related to these disasters. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.

    EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

    Interest rates are as low as 4% for small businesses, 3.62% for nonprofits, and 2.75% for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not begin to accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA determines eligibility and sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    To apply online, visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    The deadline to return physical damage applications is July 21, 2025. The deadline to return economic injury applications is Feb. 23, 2026.

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    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, 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 USA: NIH scientists pioneer promising treatment for intractable cancer pain

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 2

    News Release
    Thursday, May 29, 2025

    RTX is a non-addictive pain therapy derived from a cactus-like plant.
    National Institute of Health (NIH) scientists report that a first-in-human clinical trial of a new therapy based on the plant-derived molecule resiniferatoxin (RTX) shows that it is a safe and effective agent for pain control in patients with intractable cancer pain. Researchers tested a single injection of small quantities of RTX into the lumbar cerebral spinal fluid (by lumbar puncture) of advanced-stage cancer patients and found that it reduced their reported worst pain intensity by 38% and their use of pain-relieving opioids by 57%.
    “The effects are immediate,” said Andrew Mannes, M.D., lead study author and chief of the NIH Clinical Center Department of Perioperative Medicine. “This is a potential new therapy from a new family of drugs that gives people with severe cancer pain an opportunity to return some normality to their lives.”
    The trial enrolled research participants with terminal end-stage cancer who were among the 15% of cancer patients unable to find pain relief from standard of care pain interventions, including vast quantity of opiates without relief.
    A single injection of RTX provided patients durable relief. Patients’ need for pain-relieving opioids declined sharply, and their quality of life improved. They no longer needed to spend significant periods being sedated with opioids and after treatment were able to reengage with their family, friends and communities.
    The NIH scientists believe RTX has potential to treat many other pain conditions, including other types of cancer pain, chronic pain from nerve injuries called neuromas, post-surgical pain, a facial pain condition called trigeminal neuralgia, and chronic oral inflammatory problems following head and neck radiation therapy.
    “Targeting specific nerves brings many pain disorders into range of RTX and allows physicians to tailor the treatment to the patient’s pain problem. This interventional approach is a simple path to personalized pain medicine,” said senior study author Michael Iadarola, PhD, a senior research scientist in the NIH Clinical Center Department of Perioperative Medicine.
    RTX is not addictive and doesn’t cause a high. Instead, it prevents pain signals from reaching the brain by inactivating a specific sub-group of nerve fibers which transmit heat and pain signals from damaged tissue. RTX is an activator of the transient receptor potential vanilloid 1, or  TRPV1 ion channel and a super-potent equivalent of capsaicin, the active molecule in hot peppers. The ability of RTX to open the channel pore in TRPV1 allows an overload of calcium to flood into the nerve fiber and block its ability to transmit pain signals.
    “Basically, RTX cuts the pain-specific wires connecting the body to the spinal cord, but leaves many other sensations are intact,” Iadarola said. “These TRPV1 neurons are really the most important population of neurons that you want to target for effective pain relief.”
    Iadarola’s contributions have led decades of basic science research into the neurobiology of pain and pain control. That body of research has informed them that to effectively block pain, you must block it from getting into the spinal cord and from there having it leave the spinal cord to transit to the brain, where we perceive pain.
    Unlike other current approaches that use heat, cold, chemicals, or surgery to non-selectively interrupt nerves to stop pain, RTX targets the specific sensory pathways of tissue damage pain and heat. Other sensory pathways, such as touch, pin prick, pressure, muscle position sense (known as proprioception), and motor function, remain intact. It is not a generalized numbing as occurs with local anesthetics.
    “What makes this unique from all the other things that are out there is this is so highly selective,” Mannes said. “The only thing it seems to take out is heat sensation and pain.”
    RTX is derived from the Euphorbia resinifera plant, a cactus-like plant native to North Africa. Euphorbia extract has been known for 2,000 years to contain an “irritant” substance, which NIH scientists identified how to use for patients through basic research on living cells observed through a microscope. Adding RTX to TRPV1-containing cells caused a visible calcium overload, which Iadarola and Mannes eventually translated into an early-stage human clinical trial.
    The next steps include additional, larger clinical trials to move RTX toward eventual approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and clinical availability.
    This research was supported by the Intramural Research Program of the NIH Clinical Center and NIH’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
    About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.
    NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health®

    Reference:
    Treatment of Intractable Cancer Pain with Resiniferatoxin — An Interim Study 2025. NEJM Evidence. DOI:10.1056/EVIDoa2400423

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Together With Local and Federal Law Enforcement Partners, Attorney General Bonta Reaffirms Commitment to Combat the Fentanyl Epidemic

    Source: US State of California Department of Justice

    Attorney General Bonta joins law enforcement partners in Sacramento region to discuss collaborative efforts to protect communities from fentanyl

    SACRAMENTO — California Attorney General Rob Bonta, Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho, Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper, Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire, and local and federal law enforcement partners today to reaffirmed their commitment to combating the fentanyl epidemic through collaborative action. The California Department of Justice (DOJ) is actively working to prevent fentanyl trafficking across the border through coordinated efforts with local and federal law enforcement partners throughout California to stop fentanyl before it ever has a chance to make it to Sacramento. As of April 2025, DOJ has seized a total of 15,468,990 fentanyl pills, 6,793 pounds of fentanyl powder and have arrested 508 suspects on fentanyl related charges. 

    “Today, I want to remind Californians that our work will continue until illicit fentanyl stops destroying lives,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “We will continue to collaborate with local, state, and federal law enforcement wherever possible. We’ll investigate traffickers, disrupt trafficking networks, and continue to prevent overdose deaths by taking illicit fentanyl off of our streets. Those who bring this poison into the state can expect to be prosecuted and held accountable for the death and devastation they’ve caused. We are extremely thankful to all our Greater Sacramento area law enforcement partners standing on the frontlines with us to battle this epidemic.”  

    “With a focus on increased accountability for drug dealers, our SACFORCE team has successfully prosecuted dangerous drug peddlers,” Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho. “We’re partnering regionally to disrupt fentanyl distribution and increasing public awareness to protect people from fentanyl poisonings. This combined approach is working in Sacramento, and we will continue to keep fentanyl deaths on a downward trend.”

    “With 33 years in law enforcement, and having worked as a gang and narcotics detective, I have been in the war against drugs for decades – and fentanyl is the deadliest drug I have ever seen,” said Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper. “We need to be the adults in the room. The social experiment of allowing this deadly poison to flow freely has failed – and now it’s time to take action, with more than just words.”

    “We are proud to stand with our federal, state, and local partners in the continued fight to rid our communities of fentanyl and those who peddle it,” said Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire. “Our aggressive enforcement and prosecution, combined with our extensive outreach and education campaigns, have reduced overdose and poisoning deaths in our region and are saving lives. We will continue to hold dealers of this poison accountable and use all available resources to combat this deadly epidemic.”

    In 2022, in response to the fentanyl epidemic, the California Legislature and the Governor approved appropriation for the creation of the California Department of Justice Fentanyl Enforcement Program (FEP). FEP works with local and federal law enforcement partners throughout the state to address the fentanyl crisis and get these dangerous drugs off California’s streets. The program is comprised of regional investigative teams placed in San Diego, Los Angeles, Dublin, and Sacramento. FEP targets major multijurisdictional fentanyl-trafficking criminal networks. The program works with local and federal law enforcement partnerships to identify, investigate, disrupt, and dismantle these criminal networks. 

    Some of Doj’s recent fentanyl related enforcement actions can be read about here:

    • March 2025: Announced the arrest of three major fentanyl traffickers and the seizure of nearly $55 million worth of fentanyl in Los Angeles.
    • January 2025: Announced an update on the ongoing efforts to combat the fentanyl epidemic at the Mexico and California border through the Fentanyl Abatement and Suppression Team. 
    • October 2024: Issued guidance to provide local governments with suggestions for the permissible, effective, and strategic use of opioid settlement abatement funds.
    • April 2024: Together with local and federal law enforcement partners, Attorney General Bonta received a briefing on fentanyl trafficking and toured the California-Mexico border
    • February 2024: Announced a joint operation in San Diego County resulted in the felony arrest of a suspect and the seizure of 720,000 fentanyl pills.
    • January 2024: Announced that FEP arrested and filed charges against three drug traffickers alleged to be responsible for bringing 30,000 fentanyl pills across the Mexico and California border.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Colorado Recognized for National Climate Leadership, Receiving A-List Top-Status in Environmental Reporting and Data Transparency

    Source: US State of Colorado

    STATEWIDE – CDP, a global non-profit running the world’s only independent environmental disclosure system, named Colorado to its 2024 CDP A-list Thursday. Colorado is one of only two states to receive this designation (out of 92 states and regions that disclosed). In addition, 37 U.S. cities also received the designation, including Aspen, Boulder, Denver, Fort Collins, and Lakewood. 

    To receive this top-status A-list recognition, states and local governments had to meet rigorous criteria, including publishing an emissions inventory, a climate risk and vulnerability assessment, and a climate action plan through CDP. A-listers also had to be working to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 or sooner and tracking progress toward that goal. 

    Data transparency, quality, and accessibility are key parts of Colorado’s environmental justice strategy. These not only hold Colorado accountable to achieving our goals and addressing historical inequities in disproportionately impacted communities, but also help the state, local governments, and businesses make decisions that reduce emissions, improve air quality, and save Coloradans money. 

    “Colorado is a national leader in climate action, and our data plays an important role. Data helps Colorado to make the right decisions to help save people money and maximize environmental, economic, and health benefits in our communities. We appreciate CDP’s recognition and look forward to demonstrating the ongoing benefits of our climate work,” said Governor Polis. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Westland Insurance unveils essential wildfire guide to prepare for 2025 fire season

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Surrey, BC/Territories of the Coast Salish (Kwantlen, Katzie, Semiahmoo, Tsawwassen First Nations), May 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As we enter the 2025 wildfire season, with multiple wildfires being monitored across the country, Westland Insurance is releasing an essential guide to wildfire preparedness and recovery to educate Canadians to take immediate steps to safeguard their families, car, homes, and businesses, helping them face the season with greater resilience and confidence. 

    The guide provides practical, easy-to-understand advice on how to prepare for, respond to, and recover from wildfires. It highlights several items for consideration, including:

    • Prevention tips on making homes more fire-resistant by creating a wildfire protection plan, including effective landscaping and securing entry points.
    • Detailed steps for preparing an emergency kit tailored to individual family or business requirements.
    • Suggestions for staying informed with real-time wildfire updates and evacuation notices in each province.
    • AAdvice on actions to take during necessary evacuations and accessing emergency support. 

    Westland Insurance is committed to helping Canadians stay one step ahead this wildfire season. With the release of its wildfire guide, the company is empowering individuals and businesses to take meaningful action before, during, and after a wildfire. Whether it’s reviewing insurance coverage, navigating the claims process, or simply knowing where to start, Westland’s trusted advisors are available to support local communities in protecting what matters most and rebuilding with confidence. 

    Learn more about wildfire preparedness and explore the full range of comprehensive insurance solutions by visiting www.westlandinsurance.ca. 

    – 30 -  

    About Westland Insurance Group   

    Westland Insurance Group is one of the largest and fastest growing insurance brokers in Canada. Trading over $4 billion of premium, Westland continues to expand coast to coast. Westland’s brokers provide expertise and advisory-based services across commercial, personal, employee benefits, farm, and specialty insurance segments. The company’s mission is to protect individuals, businesses, and communities across Canada with trusted advice and tailored insurance solutions. As a Canadian-based company, Westland is proud to support local communities, Canadian jobs, and a strong economy. For more information, please visit westlandinsurance.ca. 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Ninepoint Partners Announces Final May 2025 Cash Distribution for Ninepoint Cash Management Fund – ETF Series

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, May 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ninepoint Partners LP (“Ninepoint Partners”) today announced the final May 2025 cash distribution for the Ninepoint Cash Management Fund – ETF Series. The record date for the distribution is May 30, 2025. This distribution is payable on June 6, 2025.

    The per-unit final May 2025 distribution is detailed below:

    Ninepoint ETF Series Ticker Cash Distribution per
    unit    		 Notional Distribution
    per unit    		 CUSIP
    Ninepoint Cash
    Management Fund    		 NSAV $0.12203 $0.00000 65443X105
             

    About Ninepoint Partners

    Based in Toronto, Ninepoint Partners LP is one of Canada’s leading alternative investment management firms overseeing approximately $7 billion in assets under management and institutional contracts. Committed to helping investors explore innovative investment solutions that have the potential to enhance returns and manage portfolio risk, Ninepoint offers a diverse set of alternative strategies spanning Equities, Fixed Income, Alternative Income, Real Assets, F/X and Digital Assets

    For more information on Ninepoint Partners LP, please visit www.ninepoint.com or for inquiries regarding the offering, please contact us at (416) 943-6707 or (866) 299-9906 or invest@ninepoint.com.

    Ninepoint Partners LP is the investment manager to the Ninepoint Funds (collectively, the “Funds”). Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees, performance fees (if any), and other expenses all may be associated with investing in the Funds. Please read the prospectus carefully before investing. The information contained herein does not constitute an offer or solicitation by anyone in the United States or in any other jurisdiction in which such an offer or solicitation is not authorized or to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such an offer or solicitation. Prospective investors who are not resident in Canada should contact their financial advisor to determine whether securities of the Fund may be lawfully sold in their jurisdiction.

    Please note that distribution factors (breakdown between income, capital gains and return of capital) can only be calculated when a fund has reached its year-end. Distribution information should not be relied upon for income tax reporting purposes as this is only a component of total distributions for the year. For accurate distribution amounts for the purpose of filing an income tax return, please refer to the appropriate T3/T5 slips for that particular taxation year. Please refer to the prospectus or offering memorandum of each Fund for details of the Fund’s distribution policy.

    The payment of distributions and distribution breakdown, if applicable, is not guaranteed and may fluctuate. The payment of distributions should not be confused with a Fund’s performance, rate of return, or yield. If distributions paid by the Fund are greater than the performance of the Fund, then an investor’s original investment will shrink. Distributions paid as a result of capital gains realized by a Fund and income and dividends earned by a Fund are taxable in the year they are paid. An investor’s adjusted cost base will be reduced by the amount of any returns of capital. If an investor’s adjusted cost base goes below zero, then capital gains tax will have to be paid on the amount below zero.

    Sales Inquiries:

    Ninepoint Partners LP
    Neil Ross
    416-945-6227
    nross@ninepoint.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lankford and Peters Reintroduce Bill to Streamline Federal Cybersecurity Regulations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Oklahoma James Lankford
    WASHINGTON, DC — US Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Chair of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Border Management, Federal Workforce and Regulatory Affairs, and Gary Peters (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, have reintroduced legislation to simplify cybersecurity regulations across federal agencies. The Streamlining Federal Cybersecurity Regulations Act would address overlapping and contradictory compliance requirements that hinder effective cybersecurity efforts and create unnecessary burdens for critical infrastructure owners and operators, as well as communities across the nation.
    “Bureaucratic red tape shouldn’t get in the way of preventing a cyber-attack, but complicated regulations are making it more difficult to address the major cyber threats facing our national security and critical infrastructure,” said Senator Lankford. “Harmonizing these efforts will make sure that federal requirements are focused on actually improving security instead of imposing a convoluted set of compliance challenges.” 
    “By reducing the number of duplicative or burdensome reporting requirements, we can give businesses the tools to better secure our critical infrastructure against the serious threat of cyberattacks,” said Senator Peters. “This legislation ensures federal agencies can work collaboratively to create effective cybersecurity standards, enabling businesses to focus on safeguarding their systems rather than navigating a maze of conflicting requirements.”
    As cyberattacks continue to grow, requirements to prevent cybersecurity breaches have become more complex. Some companies estimate that their cybersecurity teams are spending between 30 to 60% of their time on compliance with reporting requirements, rather than on improving their cybersecurity. This bill tackles the challenges of overlapping regulations by creating an interagency Harmonization Committee within the Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD) to align cybersecurity regulations, rules, and compliance standards. It also requires that all agencies, including independent regulatory agencies, consult with the committee before issuing or updating regulations. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Salinas Reintroduces Bill to Create Scholarship Program for Future Behavioral Health Workers

    Source: US Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06)

    Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06) reintroduced a bill to grow and strengthen America’s mental and behavioral health workforce. The Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery (STAR) Plus Scholarship Act would create a new scholarship program for students of diverse backgrounds pursuing a degree in the mental health, behavioral health, or substance use disorder treatment professions.

    “We have a drastic shortage of behavioral health workers in America – a shortage that is partly due to the high price tag that comes with obtaining a behavioral health degree,” said Rep. Salinas. “That is why I am proud to reintroduce the STAR Plus Scholarship Act, which would create a new scholarship program for students in the mental and behavioral health fields. My bill would prioritize students from underrepresented backgrounds to ensure that our future workforce is both highly qualified and reflective of the communities they serve. Ultimately, my legislation will break down barriers and encourage more students to pursue this critical line of work.”

    It is estimated that about one in five adults – or about 50 million Americans – struggle with mental illness, many of whom receive no treatment. Meanwhile, 17.1% of Americans report suffering from a substance use disorder, and 96.6% receive no treatment. While the prevalence of mental and behavioral health problems is growing, there are simply not enough providers to meet demand, especially for those living in rural areas or people seeking a provider who looks like them or speaks their primary language.

    However, a significant barrier to entry for mental and behavioral health providers is the cost of attending school. The average graduate with a master’s in social work had $67,000 in debt in 2019. Students pursuing graduate degrees in psychology take on an average debt load between $95,000-$160,000. These figures are even higher for Black and Latino students.

    The STAR Plus Scholarship Act would help address the mental and behavioral health workforce shortage by:

    • Creating a scholarship program for students pursuing a degree to provide substance use disorder treatment, mental health and behavioral health services;
    • Students would be eligible for non-taxable scholarships to cover the costs of their programs;
    • Requiring students to fulfill their obligations in a mental health shortage area or an area where the mean drug overdose rate exceeds the national average;
    • This bill also includes provisions to recuperate funds from students who do not fulfill their obligations;
    • Prioritizing students from groups or populations that are underrepresented in the substance use disorder treatment, behavioral and mental health workforce.

    ​​​​​​​In addition to Rep. Salinas, the STAR Plus Scholarship Act is cosponsored by Reps. Paul Tonko (NY-20) and Dan Goldman (NY-10).

    The legislation is also endorsed by the following organizations: American Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists (AAPP), American Counseling Association (ACA), American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), American Psychiatric Association (APA), American Psychological Association (APA), NAADAC — The Association for Addiction Professionals, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), NAMI Oregon, National Association of Social Workers (NASW), National Council for Mental Wellbeing, Oregon Council of Behavioral Health (OCBH), Young Invincibles.

    “There are simply not enough clinicians to address the mental health crisis in this country,” said American Psychiatric Association CEO and Medical Director Marketa M. Wills, M.D., M.B.A. “The APA applauds Rep. Salinas for introducing The STAR Plus Scholarship Act. This critical legislation would help alleviate the behavioral health care shortage and diversify our workforce to enhance access to much needed care.”

    “The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) applauds Rep. Andrea Salinas for her vision to introduce the STAR Plus Scholarship Act. NASW supports opportunities to grow the social work workforce in a way that allows social workers to afford their education. This legislation would help social workers and other mental health professionals complete their education with the knowledge that they have financial support. This is a step in the right direction to meet the needs of individuals in a mental health professionals shortage area and help bolster the social work workforce,” said Anthony Estreet, PhD, MBA, LCSW-C, Chief Executive Officer, NASW. 

    “The American Psychological Association applauds Congresswoman Salinas for introducing the STAR Plus Scholarship Act. This important legislation would help alleviate the cost of education, which often serves as a barrier to growing the behavioral health workforce, as more prospective psychologists are forced to rely on student loans,” said Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD, CEO of the American Psychological Association. “By creating a scholarship program for students pursuing a career as a mental health services or substance use disorder treatment provider, the STAR Plus Scholarship Act would ensure that more qualified professionals are trained to meet the needs of underserved communities without having to take on additional student debt.”

    “Access to mental health care cannot be achieved without a skilled and diverse workforce, yet our country faces a severe shortage of mental health and substance use providers,” said Hannah Wesolowski, Chief Advocacy Officer, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). “There is an urgent need to expand and diversify the mental health and substance use workforce to meet the cultural and linguistic needs of people seeking care. Expanding and sustaining scholarship programs is a critical strategy to recruit and retain professionals in this field. NAMI strongly supports Representative Salinas’ STAR Plus Scholarship Act as an investment in building the workforce needed to ensure timely and equitable access to mental health care.”

    “NAADAC is excited and proud to support the STAR Plus Scholarship Act, as creation of these scholarship opportunities is an essential step towards building a more robust and well-trained addiction workforce. NAADAC applauds Representative Salinas for her leadership and recognition of the meaningful difference this policy solution will make in countless lives,” said Terrence Walton, MSW, Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer, NAADAC — The Association for Addiction Professionals.

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

    To download a one-page description of this legislation, click here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Young Kim Pushes to Cap Medicare Late Enrollment Fees

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Young Kim (CA-39)

    Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Representatives Young Kim (CA-40) and Nikema Williams (GA-05) introduced the Medicare Economic Security Solutions Act, a bipartisan bill that would lower Medicare costs for seniors by capping late Medicare enrollment fees. 

    Under current law, American seniors who defer enrollment in Medicare may unexpectedly find themselves with a higher bill due to late enrollment charges. This bill would cap the fee amount and duration for late Medicare Part B enrollment and lift penalties for COBRA, retiree, and Veterans Affairs (VA) enrollees who delay Medicare coverage.  

    Rep. Kim also co-led this bill in the 118th Congress. 

    “Seniors shouldn’t be punished for working later in life. Unfortunately, Americans can face higher fees for delaying Medicare enrollment,” said Congresswoman Kim. “The Medicare Economic Security Solutions Act will cap these unnecessary, burdensome fees hurting seniors already struggling on fixed income.” 

    “Seniors in Georgia’s Fighting Fifth and across the country are finding themselves hit with surprise fees simply because they didn’t know all the rules about signing up for Medicare. It doesn’t have to be this way. The Medicare Economic Security Solutions Act makes sure seniors who continued to work are not unnecessarily punished for missing confusing deadlines. This bill is about protecting our seniors and helping them get the care they’ve earned,” said Congresswoman Williams. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Portuguese cities advance MCR2030 commitments at 12th National Resilience Meeting

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    From 21 to 23 May 2025, the municipalities of Funchal, Machico, and Ponta do Sol hosted the 12th edition of the National Meeting of Resilient Cities and Towns — a key event under the Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030) initiative.
    Bringing together more than 120 participants representing 38 Portuguese cities, along with international delegations from Brazil and Greece, the meeting served as a vital platform for local authorities, civil protection professionals, international partners, and resilience experts to exchange knowledge and reinforce collective action toward urban resilience.

    The three-day program featured thematic panels, roundtables, technical field visits, and strategic dialogue. Topics included:

    • Artificial Intelligence for Disaster Risk Reduction
    • Resilience in urban and tourism contexts
    • Risk communication strategies
    • International cooperation for disaster mitigation
       

    One of the key moments of the event was the certificate ceremony during the opening session, where several new Portuguese cities were officially recognized and awarded by UNDRR for joining the MCR2030 initiative. This growing network of engaged municipalities reflects Portugal’s continued leadership in promoting disaster resilience at the local level.

    UNDRR joined the meeting to support dialogue on urban resilience with Ms. Yigyeong Oh, Regional focal point for MCR2030 at UNDRR Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, delivering remarks and engaging in discussions on local risk governance and multi-level coordination.

    “Portugal has consistently demonstrated strong leadership within the MCR2030 global network. With two MCR2030 Resilience Hubs and an actively growing number of committed cities, it offers a model for peer learning and local action,” said Ms. Oh of UNDRR.

    This event reaffirmed the commitment of Portuguese cities to building safer, more resilient communities through knowledge-sharing and collective action. It also highlighted Portugal’s continued efforts to align local resilience strategies with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

    About MCR2030

    MCR2030 is a ‘who’s who’ of international partners with unmatched expertise and experience in supporting urban resilience. The partnership has 35 MCR2030 Resilience Hubs globally, recognized global leaders in urban resilience that are increasingly active in terms of capacity-building support to other local governments. Portugal has been a champion in the MCR2030 network with two Resilience Hubs and 82 cities as of 28 May 2025.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Road resurfacing season starts in northern B.C.

    People in northern British Columbia will benefit from improved roads as the Province rolls out highway and side-road resurfacing projects in summer 2025 covering approximately 320 kilometres.

    In the Prince George area, approximately 20 kilometres of highway and side roads will be repaved, including six kilometres of Highway 97 from the Simon Fraser Bridge to Sintich Road, and 14 kilometres of side roads, including Old Cariboo Highway, Sintich Road and Johnson Road. The $11.5-million project is expected to be completed by fall 2025.  During repaving work, drivers can expect delays as long as 15 minutes. The project will minimize traffic disruptions by scheduling night work on Highway 97.

    In the Valemount area, 24 kilometres of Highway 5 are being resurfaced from Tete Jaune Cache to the Cedarside Bridge overhead, as well as six kilometres of side roads, including Whiskey Fill Road and Cedarside Road. The $7.7-million project is expected to be completed by fall 2025, with delays as long as 15 minutes for the duration of the project.

    Other major resurfacing projects taking place in the region this spring and summer include:

    • Highway 29 Cache Creek to Hudson’s Hope and Canyon Drive (35 kilometres) – hot-in-place recycling asphalt resurfacing
    • Highway 16 Fort Fraser to Engen (25 kilometres) – conventional asphalt resurfacing
    • Highway 37A Bitter Creek Bridge to Surprise Creek and Highway 37 Meziadin Area (35 kilometres) – hot-in-place recycling asphalt resurfacing
    • Highway 37 Serpentine Creek to Dease River Bridge (51 kilometres) – graded aggregate sealcoat resurfacing
    • Highway 77 Junction Highway 97 to Tsinhia (82 kilometres) – graded aggregate sealcoat resurfacing
    • Smithers side roads (42 kilometres) – graded aggregate sealcoat resurfacing

    This year’s construction season will see approximately $56 million invested into resurfacing northern highways and local roads.  

    Drivers are reminded to observe construction-zone speed limits and traffic-control personnel.

    Learn More:

    To learn more about updates on delays and closures, visit: https://www.drivebc.ca/

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Spring legislative session focuses on standing strong for B.C., growing economy

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    In the face of global instability, the first session of the 43rd parliament focused on growing a stronger, more self-sufficient economy that supports good-paying jobs and protecting the services British Columbians rely on.

    “In this time of rapid change and disruption, there’s nowhere I’d rather be than right here in British Columbia,” said Premier David Eby. “We have everything we need to build lasting prosperity, including the abundant natural resources, clean energy and critical minerals and metals the world needs. That’s why we are taking action to leverage our strengths. B.C. will emerge from this global transition as Canada’s economic engine.”

    Key actions during the spring session include:

    Standing strong for B.C. and Canada: Standing up to the Trump administration by passing a new law to respond quickly to tariff threats, including by removing interprovincial trade barriers, pulling American liquor from store shelves and directing government to cancel contracts with U.S. companies and support suppliers from Canada and trusted trading partners.

    Growing the economy and creating good jobs: Expediting major natural-resource and renewable-energy projects in partnership with First Nations equity owners, while passing new laws to get vital public infrastructure, such as schools and hospitals, built faster and create good jobs throughout the province. Government also outlined a new vision for mining development in the northwest focused on generating tens of billions of dollars in investment and creating thousands of family-supporting jobs.

    Helping people with costs: Eliminating the consumer carbon tax, while ensuring big polluters pay their fair share. Delivering a fifth ICBC rebate to drivers, while maintaining basic car insurance rates through to 2026, marking six years in a row with no increases. Seniors with low incomes are also receiving more financial help to pay their rent.

    Strengthening health care: Recruiting more doctors, nurses and other health-care professionals from the United States by fast-tracking credential recognition for nurses and launching a targeted marketing campaign, while introducing legislation to prohibit employers from requiring employees who are sick to provide a doctor’s note, freeing doctors to spend more time treating patients.

    This session, the B.C. government also launched the Clean Power Action Plan to harness B.C.’s clean-electricity advantage through a second call for power to power 500,000 homes, building on the first call for power that attracted $6 billion in private-sector investment. In addition, government has opened hundreds of new homes for families, delivered a relief package to tree-fruit growers and made heat pumps more affordable for low- and moderate-income households.

    The legislature has passed 13 pieces of legislation this session, including two members’ bills. The Supply Bill will be introduced and passed on Thursday, May 29, 2025, bringing the total to 14 pieces of legislation. Three other bills will be considered in the fall session.

    “The challenges our province and country faces are best met with a united front,” said Mike Farnworth, government house leader and Minister of Transportation and Transit. “This past session, our government has worked closely with the Green Party caucus to put B.C. first and work together on our shared priorities. We’re removing barriers to interprovincial trade, reducing everyday costs for British Columbians and addressing the shift in the global economy by leveraging our province’s many advantages.”

    Learn More:

    To learn more about the legislation introduced this spring, visit: 
    https://workingforyou.gov.bc.ca/legislation

    To learn more about the government’s new vision for mining development in the northwest, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2025PREM0059-000496

    To learn more about the government’s efforts to recruit health-care workers from the U.S., visit: 
    https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2025HLTH0020-000443

    To learn more about the Clean Power Action Plan, visit:
    https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2025ECS0018-000412

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Medical, Dental and Funeral Assistance for Survivors of May Tornadoes in Kentucky

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Medical, Dental and Funeral Assistance for Survivors of May Tornadoes in Kentucky

    Medical, Dental and Funeral Assistance for Survivors of May Tornadoes in Kentucky

    FRANKFORT, Ky

    – If you sustained injury, illness or death of a loved one due to the severe storms, straight-line winds and tornadoes from May 16-17 in Kentucky, you may be eligible for medical, dental and/or funeral assistance from FEMA

    Medical/dental assistance can help cover uninsured expenses for medical care related to disaster-caused injury or illness

    This funding can also be used to help replace medical/dental equipment, breastfeeding equipment or prescribed medicine damaged or lost due to the severe storms and tornadoes

    If you had funeral or burial expenses because of the severe storms and tornadoes of May 16-17, funeral assistance may be available from FEMA

    Eligible Funeral ExpensesFEMA’s Other Needs Assistance (ONA) program provides assistance with certain eligible disaster-caused funeral expenses

     Eligible expenses may include cost of transfer of remains, casket or urn, funeral services, death certificates, burial plot, cremation, interment, cost of reinterment if disinterment is caused by the disaster, and/or occurs in a family cemetery on private property

     Eligibility Criteria for Funeral AssistanceTo verify eligibility, FEMA will need:An official state-issued death certificate or a signed statement from a medical examiner, coroner or other certifier stating that the death was directly or indirectly related to the disaster

    Evidence of an unmet funeral expense – a receipt or verifiable estimates for funeral expenses that indicate the applicant incurred, or will incur, eligible interment, reinterment or funeral expenses

    Confirmation that funeral expenses have not been paid using other resources

    By law, FEMA cannot provide you a grant when any other source – Social Security or Veterans Affairs benefits – has covered expenses for the same disaster-related need

    How To Apply for FEMA AssistanceTo request medical/dental or funeral assistance you must first apply with FEMA

    Survivors in Caldwell, Laurel, Pulaski, Russell, Trigg and Union counties who have disaster-caused damage or loss from the May tornadoes can apply for federal disaster assistance under the major disaster declaration DR-4875 in several ways: Online at DisasterAssistance

    gov

    Visit any Disaster Recovery Center

    To find a center close to you, visit fema

    gov/DRC, or text DRC along with your Zip Code to 43362 (Example: “DRC 29169”)

    Use the FEMA mobile app

    Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362

    It is open 7 a

    m

    to 10 p

    m

    Eastern Daylight Time

    Help is available in many languages

    If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service

     FEMA works with every household on a case-by-case basis

    For more information about Kentucky tornado recovery, visit www

    fema

    gov/disaster/4875

    Follow the FEMA Region 4 X account at x

    com/femaregion4

     
    martyce

    allenjr
    Thu, 05/29/2025 – 16:18

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Integrated Testing on Horizon for Artemis II Launch Preparations

    Source: NASA

    Teams responsible for preparing and launching Artemis II at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida are set to begin a series of integrated tests to get ready for the mission. With the upper stage of the agency’s SLS (Space Launch System) integrated with other elements of the rocket, engineers are set to start the tests to confirm rocket and ground systems are working and communicating as planned.
    While similar to the integrated testing campaign conducted for NASA’s uncrewed Artemis I test flight, engineers have added tests ahead of Artemis II to prepare for NASA’s first crewed flight under the Artemis campaign – an approximately 10-day journey by four astronauts around the Moon and back. The mission is another step toward missions on the lunar surface and helping the agency prepare for future astronaut missions to Mars.
    Interface Verification Testing
    Verifies the functionality and interoperability of interfaces across elements and systems. Teams will conduct this test from the firing room in the Launch Control Center and perform health and status checks of various systems and interfaces between the SLS core stage, the solid rocket boosters, and the ground systems. It will ensure different systems, including core stage engines and booster thrust control, work as planned. Teams also will perform the same series of tests with the interim cryogenic propulsion stage and Orion before conducting a final interface test with all segments.
    Program Specific Engineering Test
    Teams will conduct separate engineering tests for the core stage, rocket boosters, and upper stage following the interface verification tests for each part of the rocket.
    End-to-End Communications Testing
    Integrated test of SLS core and upper stages, and Orion command and telemetry radio frequencies with mission control at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to demonstrate flight controllers’ ability to communicate with the ground systems and infrastructure. This test uses a radio frequency antenna in the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), another near the launch pad that will cover the first few minutes of launch, as well as a radio frequency that use the Tracking Data Relay Satellite and the Deep Space Network. Teams will do two versions of this test – one with the ground equipment communicating with a radio and telemetry station for checkouts, and one with all the hardware and equipment communicating with communications infrastructure like it will on launch day.
    Countdown Demonstration Test
    Teams will conduct a launch day demonstration with the Artemis II astronauts to test launch countdown procedures and make any final necessary adjustments ahead of launch. This test will be divided into two parts. The first will be conducted while SLS and Orion are in the VAB and include the Artemis II crew departing their crew quarters after suiting up at the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building and driving to the VAB where they will enter Orion like they will on launch day and practice getting strapped in. Part two will be completed once the rocket is at the launch pad and will allow the astronauts and Artemis launch team to practice how to use the emergency egress system, which would be used in the event of an unlikely emergency at the launch pad during launch countdown.
    Flight Termination System End-to-End Test
    Test to ensure the rocket’s flight termination system can be activated in the event of an emergency. For public safety, all rockets are required to have a flight termination system. This test will be divided into two parts inside the VAB. The first will take place ahead of Orion getting stacked atop SLS and the second will occur before the rocket and spacecraft roll out to the launch pad.
    Wet Dress Rehearsal
    Teams will practice loading cryogenic liquid propellant inside SLS once it’s at the launch pad and run through the launch countdown sequences just prior to engine ignition. The rehearsal will run the Artemis II launch team through operations to load liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen into the rocket’s tanks, conduct a full launch countdown, demonstrate the ability to recycle the countdown clock, and also drain the tanks to give them an opportunity to practice the timelines and procedures they will use for launch.
    Teams will load more than 700,000 gallons of cryogenic, or super cold, propellants into the rocket at the launch pad on the mobile launcher according to the detailed timeline they will use on the actual launch day. They will practice every phase of the countdown, including weather briefings, pre-planned holds in the countdown, conditioning and replenishing the propellants as needed, and validation checks. The Artemis II crew will not participate in the rehearsal.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Langley Uses Height, Gravity to Test Long, Flexible Booms

    Source: NASA

    Researchers at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, have developed a technique to test long, flexible, composite booms for use in space in such a way that gravity helps, rather than hinders, the process. During a recent test campaign inside a 100-foot tower at a NASA Langley lab, researchers suspended a 94-foot triangular, rollable, and collapsible boom manufactured by Florida-based aerospace company, Redwire, and applied different forces to the boom to see how it would respond. 
    Having a facility tall enough to accommodate vertical testing is advantageous because horizontal tests require extra equipment to keep gravity from bending the long booms, but this extra equipment in turn affects how the boom responds. These mechanical tests are important because NASA and commercial space partners could use long composite booms for several functions including deployable solar sails and deployable structures, such as towers for solar panels, that could support humans living and working on the Moon.  
    Redwire will be able to compare the results of the physical testing at NASA Langley to their own numerical models and get a better understanding of their hardware. NASA’s Game Changing Development program in the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate funded the tests. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA’s MAVEN Makes First Observation of Atmospheric Sputtering at Mars

    Source: NASA

    After a decade of searching, NASA’s MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere Volatile Evolution) mission has, for the first time, reported a direct observation of an elusive atmospheric escape process called sputtering that could help answer longstanding questions about the history of water loss on Mars.

    [embedded content]

    Scientists have known for a long time, through an abundance of evidence, that water was present on Mars’ surface billions of years ago, but are still asking the crucial question, “Where did the water go and why?”
    Early on in Mars’ history, the atmosphere of the Red Planet lost its magnetic field, and its atmosphere became directly exposed to the solar wind and solar storms. As the atmosphere began to erode, liquid water was no longer stable on the surface, so much of it escaped to space. But how did this once thick atmosphere get stripped away? Sputtering could explain it.
    Sputtering is an atmospheric escape process in which atoms are knocked out of the atmosphere by energetic charge particles.
    “It’s like doing a cannonball in a pool,” said Shannon Curry, principal investigator of MAVEN at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder and lead author of the study. “The cannonball, in this case, is the heavy ions crashing into the atmosphere really fast and splashing neutral atoms and molecules out.”
    While scientists had previously found traces of evidence that this process was happening, they had never observed the process directly. The previous evidence came from looking at lighter and heavier isotopes of argon in the upper atmosphere of Mars. Lighter isotopes sit higher in the atmosphere than their heavier counterparts, and it was found that there were far fewer lighter isotopes than heavy argon isotopes in the Martian atmosphere. These lighter isotopes can only be removed by sputtering.
    “It is like we found the ashes from a campfire,” said Curry. “But we wanted to see the actual fire, in this case sputtering, directly.”
    To observe sputtering, the team needed simultaneous measurements in the right place at the right time from three instruments aboard the MAVEN spacecraft: the Solar Wind Ion Analyzer, the Magnetometer, and the Neutral Gas and Ion Mass Spectrometer. Additionally, the team needed measurements across the dayside and the nightside of the planet at low altitudes, which takes years to observe.
    The combination of data from these instruments allowed scientists to make a new kind of map of sputtered argon in relation to the solar wind. This map revealed the presence of argon at high altitudes in the exact locations that the energetic particles crashed into the atmosphere and splashed out argon, showing sputtering in real time. The researchers also found that this process is happening at a rate four times higher than previously predicted and that this rate increases during solar storms.
    The direct observation of sputtering confirms that the process was a primary source of atmospheric loss in Mars’ early history when the Sun’s activity was much stronger.
    “These results establish sputtering’s role in the loss of Mars’ atmosphere and in determining the history of water on Mars,” said Curry.
    The finding, published this week in Science Advances, is critical to scientists’ understanding of the conditions that allowed liquid water to exist on the Martian surface, and the implications that it has for habitability billions of years ago.
    The MAVEN mission is part of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program portfolio. MAVEN’s principal investigator is based at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado Boulder, which is also responsible for managing science operations and public outreach and communications. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the MAVEN mission. Lockheed Martin Space built the spacecraft and is responsible for mission operations. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California provides navigation and Deep Space Network support.

    By Willow ReedLaboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado Boulder
    Media Contacts: 
    Nancy N. JonesNASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
    Karen Fox / Molly WasserHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1600karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / molly.l.wasser@nasa.gov
    karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / molly.l.wasser@nasa.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: IAM Local 47 Joins Denver’s Best Buddies Friendship Walk for Inclusion and Awareness

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    On May 4, members of IAM Local 47 proudly participated in the Best Buddies Friendship Walk at Washington Park in Denver. The event, the nation’s leading gathering dedicated to supporting inclusion for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), brought together advocates, allies, and friends to champion the mission of Best Buddies.

    Best Buddies is an international nonprofit organization focused on ending the social, physical, and economic isolation of individuals with IDD. The Friendship Walk, held annually across the country, raises crucial funds to support one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development, and inclusive living opportunities for individuals with IDD.

    “Through amazing efforts, vital funds were raised in addition to awareness to sustain and expand our local Best Buddies programs,” said Maurice Jewell. “We look forward to next year’s event. With the Territory’s support, our mission of friendship and inclusion is stronger than ever!”

    Local 47 not only contributed generously to the cause but also showed up in full force. The delegation included Cesar Alvarado (organizer), Pedro Castillo, Juan Gonzalez, Garry Harper, Maurice Jewell, Teddy Salazar, Isabel Salazar, Shivam Talwar (sponsor and guest speaker), Ademir Velaquez, Fernando Villa, and Jacob Ynigez.

    The local gave special thanks to IAM Western Territory General Vice President Robert “Bobby” Martinez, whose donation of shirts ensured that members “represented the union with style” for the walk.

    “It was inspiring to see Local 47 members step up for such an important cause,” said Martinez. “Their commitment to supporting inclusion and advocating for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities speaks to the values we hold dear as a union — solidarity, community, and respect for every individual. I’m so proud of these members for how they showed up for their community.”

    Image Gallery

    The post IAM Local 47 Joins Denver’s Best Buddies Friendship Walk for Inclusion and Awareness appeared first on IAM Union.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: IAM Union Members Show Strength and Solidarity at 54th CBTU Convention

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    IAM Union members from across the country joined hundreds of labor leaders and activists in Orlando earlier this month for the 54th Annual Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) Convention. The theme, “Preserving and Building on Our Legacy: Unbought, Unbossed, Unstoppable,” reflected the ongoing commitment of Black trade unionists to economic, political, and social justice for all workers.

    CBTU is not a Black separatist or civil rights organization. It is the fiercely independent voice of Black workers within the trade union movement, challenging organized labor to be more relevant to the needs and aspirations of Black and poor workers.

    At the same time, CBTU is recognized as a potent economic and political force within the African-American community. One of every five Black workers belongs to a union, and Black union members earn 40% more than non-union Black workers. In the political arena, CBTU has leveraged the vast resources of unions to mobilize Black voters to influence elections and public policy at every level of government.

    Rev. Terrence L. Melvin, president of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU), spoke to CBTU delegates throughout the Convention on the importance of leaders who will stand up against billionaires ramping up attacks on all workers. President Melvin also gave a moving tribute to President Emeritus William “Bill” Lucy, who passed away earlier this year at 90.

    READ: Civil service workers: Front-line against union busting and corporate domination People’s World 

    The delegates also heard from AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond, AFSCME President Lee Saunders, AFGE President Everett Kelley, and many other leaders. 

    WATCH: IAM Delegates Motivated At CBTU Convention in Florida

    IAM members attended workshops on organizing, conflict resolution, leadership development, building power, and sharing strategies to strengthen our union and the broader labor movement.

    View photos here.

    “Our members showed up strong at CBTU because we know that real power comes from solidarity,” said IAM Union International President Brian Bryant. “IAM members believe that working people have a right to the full value of their labor. CBTU’s work aligns with our mission to raise standards for all workers—on the job, in our communities, and across the country.”

    IAM National Political and Legislative Director and CBTU Executive Board Member Hasan Solomon delivered an impactful update on the Boeing strike, highlighting the strength and unity of IAM members and the broader labor movement. Solomon also discussed the pros and cons of tariffs and the IAM’s support of strategic tariffs that help protect and grow jobs in the United States and Canada. 

    “The CBTU Convention is about action,” said IAM Human Rights Director Nicole L. Fears. “IAM members left Orlando recharged and ready to organize, mobilize, and lead. We’re proud to be part of a movement unafraid to speak truth to power and fight for justice for all workers.”

    Since its founding conference in 1972, CBTU’s stature among African-American workers has grown. Currently, more than 50 different international and national unions are represented in CBTU. With 50 chapters nationwide and one in Ontario, Canada, CBTU is maximizing the strength and influence of Black workers in unions and empowering their communities.

    IAM members are proud to stand with CBTU in fighting for dignity, justice, and a better future for all.

    The IAM remains committed to building a stronger union through solidarity, justice, and the belief that working people deserve to live with dignity and share in the wealth they create.

    The post IAM Union Members Show Strength and Solidarity at 54th CBTU Convention appeared first on IAM Union.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DHS Secretary Noem Doubles Down and Escalates Action Against Harvard for their Continued Antisemitic Behavior, Fostering Violence, and CCP Coordination

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: DHS Secretary Noem Doubles Down and Escalates Action Against Harvard for their Continued Antisemitic Behavior, Fostering Violence, and CCP Coordination

    lass=”text-align-center”>The Trump Administration will be relentless in its efforts to end Harvard’s abuse of the American taxpayer and national security interests
    The United States Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem continued to hold Harvard University accountable for failing to comply with Student Exchange Visa Program (SEVP) regulations, for encouraging and allowing antisemitic and anti-American violence to rage on its campus, and for coordinating with Chinese Communist Party officials on training that undermined American national security

    Following a letter from Harvard officials indicating an “intent” to now comply with SEVP, Secretary Noem held firm and reminded the once respected institution, which has disgraced American values, it still has a long way to comply with requirements of the program and be trusted with U

    S

    taxpayer dollars
    “Harvard’s refusal to comply with SEVP oversight was the latest evidence that it disdains the American people and takes for granted U

    S

    taxpayer benefits,” said Secretary Kristi Noem

    “Following our letter to Harvard, the school attempted to claim it now wishes to comply with SEVP standards

    We continue to reject Harvard’s repeated pattern of endangering its students and spreading American hate—it must change its ways in order to participate in American programs

    ” 
    The Department will continue to engage in good faith with Harvard and looks forward to the University’s full compliance with its requests

    Full text of the notice is available here

    # # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –