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Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI USA: IAM Union Centralizes Organizing Efforts to Deepen Focus on Growth

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    In order to more strategically and effectively grow the union, the IAM Union Executive Council has unanimously voted to centralize the union’s U.S. organizing efforts.

    The decision builds on IAM Union organizing successes in both traditional and emerging industries for the union, such as healthcare and non-profits. The IAM Union was recently recognized as the second-largest union in terms of membership percentage growth among the top 20 largest U.S. unions.

    Part of the plan involves a more central organizing structure built out of the IAM Union Organizing Department, which will allow for more sharing of knowledge and coordination in campaigns. Six Assistant Organizing Coordinators will manage organizing efforts, under the leadership of IAM Organizing Director Mike Evans and Assistant Organizing Director Juan Eldridge.

    IAM Assistant Organizing Coordinators
    Eastern: Brent Coleman
    Western: Joe Solis
    Southern: Bridget Fitzgerald
    Midwest: Ali Rhodes
    NFFE-IAM: Jerry McCarty
    IAM Headquarters and Rail Division: Jason Woodward 

    “In recent years, the IAM Union has opened our doors to an even more diverse array of members, rebranded our union for the future, and now we are taking the next logical step toward becoming a true organizing union,” said IAM International President Brian Bryant. “This new structure will further our commitment to growth, as well as improve service to our current members by allowing more representatives to focus on negotiating, servicing and more.”

    International President Bryant, as well as Resident General Vice President Jody Bennett, recently met with the Organizing Department to strategize for the future. Representatives from IAM Departments also spoke with organizers about growing collaboration efforts.

    “Our IAM Executive Council is more committed than ever to giving our organizers every resource necessary to grow and strengthen our union,” said IAM Resident General Vice President Jody Bennett. “We know that this is the right team at the right time to deliver for working people who need and deserve strong IAM representation.”

    Learn more about the IAM Organizing Department and its recent victories here.

    “This is an exciting time to organize in the IAM Union, and myself and Juan are honored to be on this journey with such a talented group of organizers,” said IAM Organizing Director Mike Evans. “We thank our Executive Council for taking this bold step to further prioritize the Organizing Department and the work we do to grow our union.”

    The post IAM Union Centralizes Organizing Efforts to Deepen Focus on Growth appeared first on IAM Union.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Addressing Key Challenges To Mapping Sub-cm Orbital Debris in LEO via Plasma Soliton Detection

    Source: NASA

    Christine HartzellUniversity of Maryland, College Park
    The proposed investigation will address key technological challenges associated with a previously funded NIAC Phase I award titled “On-Orbit, Collision-Free Mapping of Small Orbital Debris”. Sub-cm orbital debris in LEO is not detectable or trackable using conventional technologies and poses a major hazard to crewed and un-crewed spacecraft. Orbital debris is a concern to NASA, as well as commercial and DoD satellite providers. In recent years, beginning with our NIAC Phase I award, we have been developing the idea that the sub-cm orbital debris environment may be monitored by detecting the plasma signature of the debris, rather than optical or radar observations of the debris itself. Our prior work has shown that sub-cm orbital debris may produce plasma solitons, which are a type of wave in the ionosphere plasma that do not disperse as readily as traditional waves. Debris may produce solitons that are co-located with the debris (called pinned solitons) or that travel ahead of the debris (called precursor solitons). We have developed computational models to predict the characteristics of the plasma solitons generated by a given piece of debris. These solitons may be detectable by 12U smallsats outfitted with multi-needle Langmuir probes.
    In this Phase II NIAC award, we will address two key technical challenges that significantly effect the value of soliton-based debris detection: 1. Develop an algorithm to constrain debris size and speed based on observed soliton characteristics. Our prior investigations have produced predictions of soliton characteristics as a function of debris characteristics. However, the inverse problem is not analytically solvable. We will develop machine learning algorithms to address this challenge. 2. Evaluate the feasibility and value of detecting soliton velocity. Multiple observations of the same soliton may allow us to constrain the distance that the soliton has traveled from the debris. When combined with the other characteristics of the soliton and knowledge of the local plasma environment, back propagation of the soliton in plasma simulations may allow us to extract the position and velocity vectors of the debris. If it is possible to determine debris size, position and velocity from soliton observations, this would provide a breakthrough in space situational awareness for debris that is currently undetectable using conventional technology. However, even if only debris size and speed can be inferred from soliton detections, this technology is still a revolutionary improvement on existing methods of characterizing the debris flux, which provide data only on a multi-year cadence. This proposed investigation will answer key technological questions about how much information can be extracted from observed soliton signals and trade mission architectures for complexity and returned data value. Additionally, we will develop a roadmap to continue to advance this technology.
    2025 Selections

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Breathing Beyond Earth: A Reliable Oxygen Production Architecture for Human Space Exploration

    Source: NASA

    Alvaro Romero-CalvoGeorgia Tech Research Corporation
    The reliable and efficient operation of spacecraft life support systems is challenged in microgravity by the near absence of buoyancy. This impacts the electrolytic production of oxygen and hydrogen from water by forcing the adoption of complex multiphase flow management technologies. Still, water splitting plays an essential role in human spaceflight, closing the regenerative environmental control and life support loop and connecting the water and atmosphere management subsystems. Existing oxygen generation systems, although successful for short-term crewed missions, lack the reliability and efficiency required for long-duration spaceflight and, in particular, for Mars exploration.
    During our Phase I NIAC effort, we demonstrated the basic feasibility of a novel water-splitting architecture that leverages contactless magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) forces to produce and separate oxygen and hydrogen gas bubbles in microgravity. The system, known as the Magnetohydrodynamic Oxygen Generation Assembly (MOGA), avoids the use of forced water recirculation loops or moving parts such as pumps or centrifuges for phase separation. This fundamental paradigm shift results in multiple operational advantages with respect to the state-of-the-art: increased robustness to over- and under-voltages in the cell stack, minimal risk of electrolyte leaching, wider operational temperature and humidity levels, simpler transient operation, increased material durability, enhanced system stability during dormant periods, modest water purity requirements, reduced microbial growth, and better component-level swap-ability, all of which result in an exceptionally robust system. Overall, these architectural features lead to a 32.9% mass reduction and 20.4% astronaut maintenance time savings with respect to the Oxygen Generation Assembly at the ISS for a four-crew Mars transfer, making the system ideally suited for long-duration missions. In Phase II, we seek to answer some of the key remaining unknowns surrounding this architecture, particularly regarding (i) the long-term electrochemical and multiphase flow behavior of the system in microgravity and its impact on power consumption and liquid interface stability, (ii) the transient operational modes of the MHD drive during start-up, shutdown, and dormancy, and (iii) architectural improvements for manufacturability and ease of repair. Toward that end, we will leverage our combined expertise in microgravity research by partnering with the ZARM Institute in Bremen and the German Aerospace Center to fly, free of charge to NASA, a large-scale magnetohydrodynamic drive system and demonstrate critical processes and components. An external review board composed of industry experts will assess the evolution of the project and inform commercial infusion. This effort will result in a TRL-4 system that will also benefit additional technologies of interest to NASA and the general public, such as water-based SmallSat propulsion and in-situ resource utilization.
    2025 Selections

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Uniting Labor and Community – IAM Midwest Territory’s H.E.L.P.S. Program

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    This article was featured in the Summer 2025 IAM Journal and was written by IAM Communications Representative John Carr.

    IAM Local 1202 and IAM District 8 delivered toys to deserving children around Aurora, Ill through the Aurora Fire Department as part of its annual toy drive.

    The IAM Midwest Territory continues to demonstrate its commitment to community service through its “IAM H.E.L.P.S. in the Community” program. This initiative, which stands for Honoring, Engaging, Lifting, Providing, and Servicing, reflects the union’s mission to make a positive impact beyond the workplace.

    For IAM Midwest Territory General Vice President Sam Cicinelli, service is more than just an obligation it’s a core value of the labor movement. A 37-year IAM member, Cicinelli has long believed that unions should not only advocate for workers’ rights but also strengthen the communities where members live and work. Since stepping into his leadership role, he has championed IAM H.E.L.P.S. as a vehicle to spread the values of compassion, advocacy, and mutual support.

    “Service is the heart of solidarity,” said IAM Midwest Territory General Vice President Sam Cicinelli. “Through IAM H.E.L.P.S., we lift each other up, strengthen communities, and prove that the labor movement is about more than just work, it’s about making a meaningful difference.”

    Each year, every Midwest Territory District and unaffiliated Local sponsors a H.E.L.P.S. event to support local community or others that are in need. By organizing events and volunteer efforts, IAM members strengthen communities, support those in need, and uphold the values of solidarity and service to the community. The events also foster solidarity among members and reinforce their union values.

    “Many of us take a warm meal, a safe place to sleep, or a simple winter coat for granted,” said Kristy Kerr, Vice President for District 6 and Local 254’s Recording Secretary. “But for those struggling, these acts of kindness can be life changing. It’s not just about giving back it’s about creating continuing change.”

    Meals for Children in Need

    FIAM District 5, and members from Locals 2525, W33, and W384, performed their yearly IAM H.E.L.P.S event at the Great Plains Food Bank.

    In December 2024, IAM Midwest Territory staff participated in their annual charity event at Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) in Schaumburg, Ill. Volunteers packed 143 boxes of scientifically formulated meals designed to combat child malnutrition.

    These meals will sustain 85 children with daily nourishment for an entire year, ensuring they have the necessary nutrition to grow and thrive. The IAM’s continued partnership with FMSC highlights the union’s dedication to humanitarian efforts beyond national borders.

    “FMSC Coordinators said we were not only the largest group to volunteer, but also the most productive, having packed more meals than any other group,” said Dan Michalski, a Local 701 Member and ASE Master Certified Journeyman Technician. “Many members brought their families with them to help and experience the effort giving it a real family atmosphere. The H.E.L.P.S. projects not only brings union members together, it brings families together to participate to do something for a greater cause.”

    Getting Community Members Back on Their Feet

    In November 2024, members of IAM Local 1010 and IAM District 6 came together for a service event at Hope Haven, a nonprofit organization in Iowa that provides vocational, residential, and community living services to needy individuals. IAM members dedicated their time and effort to improving the organization’s grounds, creating a more welcoming and comfortable environment for its residents and participants. Their work included landscaping, cleaning, and general maintenance to ensure that the space remains a supportive haven for those who rely on its services.

    Keeping Our Commitment to Those Who Served

    In September and October 2024, IAM Local 254 and IAM District 6 focused on supporting homeless veterans in the Des Moines area. Recognizing the pressing need for resources as colder months approached, IAM members coordinated an initiative to collect winter clothing, hygiene essentials, and other necessities packed into backpacks.

    This project provided much-needed relief for veterans who have served their country but are now facing difficult circumstances. Through these efforts, IAM members demonstrated their unwavering support for those who have sacrificed so much, reinforcing the union’s dedication to service and advocacy.

    “We have a real homeless problem, especially amongst veterans who have given so much for our country. It’s our duty to step up and support them in their time of need,” said Kristy Kerr, Vice President for District 6 and Local 254’s Recording Secretary. “Getting volunteers isn’t easy, but if you can get the buy-in from your members, even if it’s just once, that usually starts to snowball amongst others, and they bring in more volunteers. We’re not just giving back, we’re creating lasting change.”

    Every Child Deserves a Safe, Secure Night’s Rest

    Kristy Kerr and her daughter Kenna turned a H.E.L.P.S. event into a family affair.

    In June 2024, members of IAM Locals 41, 313, and 660 from District 9 collaborated with Sleep in Heavenly Peace in Alton, Ill., to build beds for local children in need. This initiative, part of the IAM Midwest Territory’s H.E.L.P.S. program, reflects the union’s commitment to community service and ensuring that no child sleeps on the floor.

    “It brings a lot of locals together throughout the District,” said Local 313 Vice President and District 9 Delegate Garrett Gerdes. “When union members come together for a cause bigger than themselves, the impact is extraordinary. Whether it’s feeding children, supporting veterans, or providing essentials for families, our efforts show that the IAM is always ready to lend a helping hand.”

    Clothing Donations Help Local Children

    The Midwest Territory’s commitment to community service extends even further, as seen in past initiatives such as IAM District 8 members from Locals 126, 1000, 2068, 49 and 48 came together in mid-December to make a difference in the community by volunteering at Cradles to Crayons in Chicago, a nonprofit dedicated to providing essential items to children who face clothing insecurity. During their volunteer efforts, IAM members played a vital role in sorting donations and preparing approximately 640 quality clothing items for distribution to local children. This effort aims to help many families that struggle to provide essential clothing, directly impacting the lives of at-risk children. It ensures children have access to the basic items necessary for confidence, safety, and success.

    Giving Back to Our Military Veterans

    IAM Local 254 and IAM District 6 organized an event under the IAM Midwest Territory H.E.L.P.S. initiative to support homeless veterans in the Des Moines area.

    IAM District 77 has also been a leading example of volunteerism within the program, and their consistent dedication to IAM H.E.L.P.S. events. IAM District 77 members recently volunteered their time to support the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans (MACV), an organization that works to provide housing services to veterans and former service members who are either homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

    During the holiday season, IAM Midwest Territory staff brought warmth and cheer to the homeless by organizing meal services and distributing essential items. These efforts provided comfort and sustenance to individuals facing hardship, highlighting the union’s commitment to serving the most vulnerable members of society.

    Chicago based IAM Mechanics Local 701 members also contributed to the community by participating in various service projects, including supporting local shelters and food banks. Their involvement has made a tangible difference in the lives of many residents, demonstrating the far-reaching impact of the IAM H.E.L.P.S. program.

    Through each of these events, IAM Midwest Territory and its members reaffirm their commitment to making a difference. The IAM H.E.L.P.S. in the Community program is about fostering a culture of service and advocacy that strengthens neighborhoods, supports the most vulnerable, and upholds the core values of the labor movement. As IAM members continue to step up and give back, they embody the true spirit of unity and compassion, proving that the labor movement extends far beyond the workplace and into the heart of the community.

    Every year, the recipients of the IAM Midwest Territory Helping Hands Awards, affectionately known as the “IAM Helpy’s” honor IAM Districts and unaffiliated Locals that have demonstrated exceptional commitment to their communities through the “IAM H.E.L.P.S. in the Community” program.

    New Year, New Initiative Added

    For 2025, Midwest Territory General Vice President Sam Cicinelli has announced a new initiative geared towards the IAM’s favorite charity, Guide Dogs of America | Tender Loving Canines. The new initiative, known as the Top Dog Award, will feature a “traveling” doghouse-shaped plaque. The annual winner will have bragging rights for the year being the top revenue generator and get to display the traveling trophy in their District or Local for the year.

    The idea behind the plan is to foster friendly competition amongst the states of the Midwest Territory, making the fundraising effort more of a good-natured and competitive series of events that also fosters team building while increasing fundraising across the territory.

    Carolyn Clark puts a finishing touch on the new Top Dog Award. The plaque was handcrafted by the Winpisinger Center’s own John Wible.

    “These programs aren’t just about volunteerism,” said IAM Midwest Territory General Vice President Sam Cicinelli. “It’s about building stronger communities and reinforcing the values of service, solidarity, and compassion that define our union. Every event, every hour volunteered, and every donation makes a difference in someone’s life, and that’s what being part of the IAM is all about.”

    Through the IAM H.E.L.P.S. in the Community program, IAM Midwest Territory members are proving that unions are about more than just workplace rights they are about uplifting people in every aspect of life. The program serves as a model for how organized labor can build stronger, more compassionate communities.

    The success of IAM H.E.L.P.S. should inspire IAM members everywhere to look beyond the workplace and find ways to make a difference in their communities. Every act of service strengthens the bond between the IAM and the people it serves, proving that the labor movement is, and always will be, about lifting people up together. 

    The post Uniting Labor and Community – IAM Midwest Territory’s H.E.L.P.S. Program appeared first on IAM Union.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: TFINER – Thin Film Isotope Nuclear Engine Rocket

    Source: NASA

    James BickfordCharles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc.
    The Thin-Film Nuclear Engine Rocket (TFINER) is a novel space propulsion technology that enables aggressive space exploration for missions that are impossible with existing approaches. The concept uses thin layers of energetic radioisotopes to directly generate thrust. The emission direction of its natural decay products is biased by a substrate to accelerate the spacecraft. A single stage design is very simple and can generate velocity changes of ~100 km/s using a few kilograms of fuel and potentially more than 150 km/s for more advanced architectures.
    The propulsion system enables a rendezvous with intriguing interstellar objects such as ‘Oumuamua that are on hyperbolic orbits through our solar system. A particular advantage is the ability to maneuver in deep space to find objects with uncertainty in their location. The same capabilities also enable a fast trip to the solar gravitational focus to image multiple potentially habitable exoplanets. Both types of missions require propulsion outside the solar system that is an order of magnitude beyond the performance of existing technology. The phase 2 effort will continue to mature TFINER and the mission design. The program will work towards small scale thruster experiments in the near term. In parallel, isotope production paths that can also be leveraged for other space exploration and medical applications will be pursued. Finally, advanced architectures such as an Oberth solar dive maneuver and hybrid approaches that leverage solar sails near the Sun, will be explored to enhance mission performance.
    2025 Selections

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Photophoretic Propulsion Enabling Mesosphere Exploration

    Source: NASA

    Igor BargatinUniversity of Pennsylvania
    We propose to use the photophoretic levitation and propulsion mechanism to create no-moving-parts flying vehicles that can be used to explore Earth’s upper atmosphere. The photophoretic force arises when a solid is heated relative to the ambient gas through illumination, inducing momentum exchange between the solid and the gas. The force creates lift in structures that absorb light on the bottom yet stay cool on the top, and we engineered our plate mechanical metamaterials to maximize this lift force and payload. The levitation and payload capabilities of our plates typically peak at ambient pressures in the 0.1-1000 Pa range, ideal for applications in Earth’s mesosphere and Mars’s low gravity and thin atmosphere. For example, in the Earth’s mesosphere (i.e., at altitudes from ~50 to ~80 km), the air is too thin for conventional airplanes or balloons but too thick for satellites, such that measurements can be performed for only a few minutes at a time during the short flight of a research rocket. However, the range of ambient pressures in the mesosphere (1-100 Pa) is nearly optimal for our plates’ payload capabilities. Phase 2 of the proposal focuses on the scalable fabrication of Knudsen pump structures that will enable missions with kg-scale payloads in the mesosphere as well as trajectory control with 1 m/s velocity control in existing stratospheric balloon vehicles.
    2025 Selections

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Mars Roundtrip Success Enabled by Integrated Cooling through Inductively Coupled LED Emission (MaRS ICICLE)

    Source: NASA

    Aaswath Pattabhi RamanUniversity of California, Los Angeles
    Exploration of Mars has captivated the public in recent decades with high-profile robotic missions and the images they have acquired seeding our collective imagination. NASA is actively planning for human exploration of Mars and laid out some of the key capabilities that must be developed to execute successful, cost-effective programs that would put human beings on the surface of another planet and bring them home safely. Efficient, flexible and productive round-trip missions will be key to further human exploration of Mars. New round-trip mission concepts however need substantially improved long-duration storage of cryogenic propellants in various space environments; relevant propellants include liquid Hydrogen (LH2) for high specific impulse Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) which can be deployed in strategic locations in advance of a mission. If enabled, such LH2 storage tanks could be used to refill a crewed Mars Transfer Vehicle (MTV) to send and bring astronauts home quickly, safely, and cost-effectively. A well-designed cryogenic propellant storage tank can reflect the vast majority of photons incident on the spacecraft, but not all. In thermal environments like Low Earth Orbit (LEO), there is residual heating due to light directly from the Sun, sunlight reflected off Earth, and blackbody thermal radiation from Earth. Over time, this leads to some of the propellant molecules absorbing the requisite latent heat of vaporization, entering the gas phase, and ultimately being released into space to prevent an unsustainable build-up of pressure in the tank. This slow “boil-off” process leads to significant losses of the cryogenic liquid into space, potentially leaving it with insufficient mass and greatly limiting Mars missions. We propose a breakthrough mission concept: an ultra-efficient round-trip Mars mission with zero boil off of propellants. This will be enabled by low-cost, efficient cryogenic liquid storage capable of storing LH2 and LOx with ZBO even in the severe and fluctuating thermal environment of LEO. To enable this capability, the propellant tanks in our mission will employs thin, lightweight, all-solid-state panels attached to the tank’s deep-space-facing surfaces that utilize a long-understood but as-yet-unrealized cooling technology known as Electro-Luminescent Cooling (ELC) to reject heat from cold solid surfaces as non-equilibrium thermal radiation with significantly more power density than Planck’s Law permits for equilibrium thermal radiation. Such a propellant tank would drastically lower the cost and complexity of propulsion systems for crewed Mars missions and other deep space exploration by allowing spacecraft to refill propellant tanks after reaching orbit rather than launching on the much larger rocket required to lift the spacecraft in a single-use stage. To achieve ZBO, a storage spacecraft must keep the storage tank’s temperature below the boiling point of the cryogen (e.g., < 90 K for LOx and < 20 K for liquid H2). Achieving this in LEO-like thermal environments requires both excellent reflectivity toward sunlight and thermal radiation from the Earth, Mars and other nearby bodies as well as a power-efficient cooling mechanism to remove what little heat inevitably does leak in, a pair of conditions ideally suited to the ELC cooling systems that will makes our full return-trip mission to Mars a success. 2025 Selections

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gravity Poppers: Hopping Probes for the Interior Mapping of Small Solar System Bodies

    Source: NASA

    Benjamin HockmanNASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
    The goal of this effort is to develop a robust and affordable mission architecture that enables the gravimetric density reconstruction of small body interiors to unprecedented precision. Our architecture relies on the novel concept of “Gravity Poppers,” which are small, minimalistic probes that are deployed to the surface of a small body and periodically “pop” so as to perpetuate a random hopping motion around the body. By tracking a large swarm of poppers from orbit, a mother spacecraft can precisely estimate their trajectories and continuously refine a high-resolution map of the body’s gravity field, and thus, its internal mass distribution. Hopping probes are also equipped with minimalistic in-situ sensors to measure the surface temperature (when landed) and strength (when bouncing) in order to complement the gravity field and build a more accurate picture of the interior. The Phase I study focused on feasibility assessment of three core technologies that enable such a mission: (1) the mechanical design of hopping probes to be small, simple, robust, and “visible” to a distant spacecraft, (2) the tracking strategy for detecting and estimating the trajectories of a large number of ballistic probes, and (3) the algorithmic framework by which such measurements can be used to iteratively refine a gravity model of the body. The key finding was that the concept is feasible, and demonstrated to have the potential to resolve extremely accurate gravity models, allowing scientists to localize density anomalies such as “weighing” large boulders on the surface. This Phase II Proposal aims to further develop these three core technologies through continued mission trade studies and sensitivity analysis, case studies for simulated missions, and hardware prototypes demonstrating both hopping behavior and tracking performance.
    2025 Selections

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Register Today for the 2025 IAM Union Human Rights Conference – “Breaking Barriers”

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    The IAM Union is proud to announce the 2025 Human Rights Conference, taking place September 24 – 26, 2025, at the Hilton Atlanta (255 Courtland Street NE, Atlanta, GA 30303).

    This year’s theme, “Breaking Barriers,” reflects the IAM’s shared commitment to building a stronger, more inclusive union. The conference will bring together IAM human rights activists, women’s rights advocates, young workers, and community leaders from across North America. 

    The Hilton Atlanta is offering a special discounted rate of $189 per night (plus tax) for single or double occupancy. To receive the discounted rate, you must register for the conference first by visiting: cvent.me/1Ml0ya

    After registering, you’ll receive instructions to book your hotel room. Space is limited, so early registration is strongly encouraged to lock in your room and rate.

    Through workshops, panels, and networking sessions, IAM members will gain the tools to help break down systemic barriers and build a union that reflects the dignity, diversity, and strength of all its members.

    Click here for the official call letter and early registration details.

    For any questions, reach out to the IAM Human Rights Department at 301-967-4747 or email IAMHumanRights@iamaw.org.

    The post Register Today for the 2025 IAM Union Human Rights Conference – “Breaking Barriers” appeared first on IAM Union.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FEMA Inspecting Homes Affected by March and April Storms

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency 2

    FEMA Inspecting Homes Affected by March and April Storms

    LITTLE ROCK – After Arkansas residents apply for FEMA assistance, a home inspection may be necessary to verify damage from the March 14-15 or April 2-22 severe storms, tornadoes and flooding.Homeowners and renters in Greene, Hot Spring, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Lawrence, Randolph, Sharp and Stone counties can apply for FEMA assistance for losses not covered by insurance for the March storms.Homeowners and renters in Clark, Clay, Craighead, Crittenden, Desha, Fulton, Hot Spring, Jackson, Miller, Ouachita, Pulaski, Randolph, Saline, Sharp, St. Francis and White counties can apply for the April storms.Within 10 days after applying, a FEMA inspector may contact applicants to schedule an appointment. The call or text to schedule an inspection will probably come from an out-of-state phone number.Information gathered during the inspection is one of several criteria used by FEMA to determine if applicants are approved for federal assistance. If survivors have already made repairs or replaced damaged items, although not required, it may be helpful to have pictures of the damage and receipts for repair or replacement. Applicants should also have their insurance policy available.The housing inspector will consider:The structural soundness of the home, both inside and outside.Whether the electrical, gas, heat, plumbing and sewer/septic systems are all in working order.Whether the home is safe to live in and can be entered and exited safely.All FEMA representatives carry photo identification. Inspectors will never ask for or accept money. Their service is free. A home inspection may take up to 45 minutes to complete. After the inspection, applicants should allow seven to 10 days for processing. For questions about the status of an application, call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. Help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service, such as video relay (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service.For more information, visit fema.gov/disaster/4865 or fema.gov/disaster/4873. Follow FEMA Region 6 on social media at x.com/FEMARegion6 and at facebook.com/FEMARegion6/. 
    joy.li
    Tue, 05/27/2025 – 13:52

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New Guidance for SIEM and SOAR Implementation

    News In Brief – Source: US Computer Emergency Readiness Team

    Today, CISA, in collaboration with the Australian Signals Directorate’s Australian Cyber Security Centre (ASD’s ACSC) and other international and U.S. partners, released new guidance for organizations seeking to procure Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) and Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR) platforms.

    This guidance includes the following three resources:

    • Implementing SIEM and SOAR Platforms – Executive Guidance outlines how executives can enhance their organization’s cybersecurity framework by implementing these technologies to improve visibility into network activities, enabling swift detection and response to cyber threats.
    • Implementing SIEM and SOAR Platforms – Practitioner Guidance focuses on how practitioners can quickly identify and respond to potential cybersecurity threats and leverage these technologies to streamline incident response processes by automating predefined actions based on detected anomalies.
    • Priority Logs for SIEM Ingestion – Practitioner Guidance offers insights for prioritizing log ingestion into a SIEM, ensuring that critical data sources are effectively collected and analyzed to enhance threat detection and incident response capabilities tailored for organizations.

    CISA encourages organizations to review this guidance and implement the recommended best practices to strengthen their cybersecurity. For access to the guidance documents, please visit CISA’s SIEM and SOAR Resource page.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE arrests convicted rapist after local jurisdiction fails to honor immigration detainer

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    BALTIMORE — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested an illegally present, 20-year-old Honduran national convicted of second-degree rape in Maryland. Officers with ICE Baltimore arrested Alex Yonatan Flores-Arce, May 22 after the Howard County Detention Center failed to honor an ICE immigration detainer and released Flores back into the community on two separate occasions.

    “The decision by Howard County Detention Center to ignore our immigration detainer and release a removable individual with an egregious criminal history undermines public safety and put Maryland communities at risk,” said ICE Baltimore acting Field Office Director Nikita Baker. “This failure is not an isolated incident, but part of a concerning pattern we see all too often. ICE Baltimore remains committed to prioritizing public safety. Working together with local jurisdictions is the only way to keep our neighborhoods safe and uphold the rule of law.”

    On March 12, 2019, the U.S. Border Patrol encountered Flores near El Paso, Texas, and served him a notice to appear.

    The Howard County Police Department arrested and charged Flores with second-degree rape Oct.17, 2024. The Circuit Court for Howard County convicted Flores April 29 and sentenced him to 15 years of confinement and five years of supervised probation.

    ICE lodged an immigration detainer on Flores with Howard County Department of Corrections Jan. 13. On May 5, the department failed to honor the immigration detainer and released Flores from custody.

    The Howard County Police Department arrested and charged Flores with a violation of probation May 8.

    ICE Baltimore’s Fugitive Operations team arrested Flores at large as he walked out of the detention center. Flores has a final administrative removal order and will remain in ICE custody.

    Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in our communities on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @EROBaltimore.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: SOLUM Expands Production Capacity and Accelerates Retail Digitalization Across North America

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SEOUL, South Korea, May 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SOLUM, a global leader in electronic shelf labels (ESL) and digital retail solutions, is strengthening its global leadership by scaling production and securing key wins across major retail markets. As demand for smart retail technology continues to rise, SOLUM is emerging as a core enabler of retail digital transformation worldwide.

    In April 2025, SOLUM’s Vietnam manufacturing facility shipped a record 6.26 million ESL units, the highest monthly volume since the site’s inception. Production value reached KRW 59.6 billion, marking a 33% increase year-over-year. In May, the company expects shipments to exceed 7 million units, with production value approaching KRW 100 billion—a milestone that could mark the plant’s highest monthly performance to date.

    This output growth is the result of long-term investment in production automation. Since 2020, SOLUM has introduced multi-phase automation lines for ESL performance testing. Its flagship Newton 2.9-inch model is now fully automated, and semi-automated lines have been optimized to further increase output. Despite a 27% reduction in workforce compared to the 2022 average, per-person productivity has improved, supported by tighter quality control. As of 2024, defect rates dropped to 18 ppm, well below industry norms.

    _____________________

    North America: Demonstrating ESL Value in High-Volume Grocery Chains

    SOLUM has firmly established its North American presence by supplying ESLs to more than 1,000 stores operated by Canada’s largest retail group. The implementation has been particularly impactful in grocery environments where product turnover and price variability demand real-time responsiveness. SOLUM’s ESL system supports dynamic pricing, automated markdowns, and simultaneous display of member and promotional pricing across thousands of SKUs.

    “ESLs deliver their highest value in complex environments like grocery stores, where frequent price changes and high operational demands are the norm. Our partnership with Canada’s largest retailer represents a turning point in the region’s digital transformation. We’re aiming for a 70% market share in Canada’s ESL segment,” noted CW Ahn, CEO of SOLUM America.

    To support this growth, SOLUM has established a local sales entity in Canada and is expanding its technical and sales teams. The company recently signed a new contract with one of Canada’s Top 3 grocery groups, further enhancing its leadership in the region.

    The company’s North America lead stated, “We’re evolving from a hardware vendor into a solution partner. Beyond large enterprise clients, our long-term vision includes empowering small and mid-sized retailers to adopt ESL through a SaaS-based platform. Our organizational growth reflects this shift toward platform-driven retail technology.”

    _____________________

    Platform-Led Leadership in Smart Retail

    As global demand for digital retail solutions accelerates, SOLUM continues to lead through a powerful combination of manufacturing scale, premium quality, and technology integration.

    Its Newton ESL lineup supports full product customization, while upcoming solutions—including BLE-based trace tags and handheld terminals—will offer retailers greater operational control and visibility. These initiatives mark SOLUM’s evolution from a hardware supplier to a platform-based smart retail partner.

    “SOLUM isn’t just following global retail trends—we’re helping shape them,” said Steve Jun, Head of ESL Division, at SOLUM. “With proven success across North America and Europe, we’re committed to delivering intelligent, future-ready solutions that drive the next phase of retail innovation.”

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6e8f1b89-47c2-4284-a84f-b72a4a452faa

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Red Cat Partners with ESAero to Support Manufacturing for Teal’s Black Widow™

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, May 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Red Cat Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: RCAT) (“Red Cat”), a drone technology company integrating robotic hardware and software for military, government, and commercial operations, today announced a partnership with ESAero to provide critical AS9100 manufacturing capacity for the Black Widow sUAS and its subsystems. The AS9100 standard ensures a manufacturer has a quality management system in place to meet the stringent requirements of the aerospace industry.

    Teal Drones is a wholly owned subsidiary of Red Cat Holdings. The company’s Black Widow drone is a small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) designed for short-range reconnaissance (SRR) missions. The system, which was down selected for the U.S. Army’s SRR Program of Record contract, provides military operators with improved situational awareness, autonomous capabilities, and rugged performance in contested environments.

    “As we ramp up production of the Black Widow to fulfill our SRR contracts and meet growing demand from U.S. and international customers, securing high-quality, aerospace-certified manufacturing capacity is critical,” said Jeff Thompson, Red Cat CEO. “ESAero’s facilities, combined with their deep engineering expertise, make them an ideal partner for Red Cat. This collaboration supports our ability to scale manufacturing, focus on continuous improvement, and deliver mission-ready sUAS platforms to the warfighters that depend on them.”

    ESAero is committed to supporting Red Cat’s mission of delivering high-quality Made-in-America sUAS to its customers and the warfighter. With multiple AS9100-certified manufacturing facilities located in San Luis Obispo, CA, ESAero is well-positioned to enhance the production throughput of Teal’s technologies for key customers. ESAero’s vertically integrated facilities and robust supply chain are perfectly suited to bolster the production of components and subsystems for Black Widow in a schedule-driven manner.

    “We have had a great relationship with Red Cat over the past year and a half supporting various developments, including the Teal 2 and Black Widow,” said Andrew Gibson, President, CEO, and Co-Founder of ESAero. “During this time, we have made significant investments in our manufacturing capability for producing Group I – III UAS at scale, which we are thrilled to now provide to Red Cat and Teal. We believe this partnership will effectively and efficiently provide Teal the capacity they need to meet the production needs of their customers and the warfighter.”

    Red Cat and ESAero recognize the importance of strong partnerships within America’s industrial base to meet the critical production needs of the warfighter. By combining Teal’s core technology with ESAero’s proven ability to scale production of advanced systems, Black Widow will be well positioned to be deployed rapidly and reliably.

    About Red Cat Holdings, Inc.

    Red Cat (Nasdaq: RCAT) is a drone technology company integrating robotic hardware and software for military, government, and commercial operations. Through two wholly owned subsidiaries, Teal Drones and FlightWave Aerospace, Red Cat has developed a leading-edge Family of Systems. This includes the flagship Black Widow™, a small unmanned ISR system that was awarded the U.S. Army’s Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) Program of Record contract. The Family of Systems also includes TRICHON™, a fixed wing VTOL for extended endurance and range, and FANG™, the industry’s first line of NDAA compliant FPV drones optimized for military operations with precision strike capabilities. Learn more at www.redcat.red.

    About Empirical Systems Aerospace, Inc. (ESAero)

    ESAero produces Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and advanced aerospace technologies for commercial and military applications. An established leader in the field, ESAero has been demonstrating for decades its core competencies in the design and manufacturing of innovative, reliable, and scalable aircraft systems including power and battery management systems. Based in San Luis Obispo, California, ESAero provides vertically integrated AS9100 certified services in R&D, engineering, design for manufacturing, rapid prototyping, testing, and serialized production expanding in the thousands. With over 130,000 sq.ft., ESAero has the capacity, capability, and facilities to scale and accelerate manufacturing to support its partners and customers.

    Forward Looking Statements

    This press release contains “forward-looking statements” that are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release may be identified by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “seek,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “target,” “aim,” “should,” “will” “would,” or the negative of these words or other similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Forward-looking statements are based on Red Cat Holdings, Inc.’s current expectations and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Further, certain forward-looking statements are based on assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. These and other risks and uncertainties are described more fully in the section titled “Risk Factors” in the Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 27, 2023. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of this date, and Red Cat Holdings, Inc. undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law.

    Contact:

    INVESTORS:

    E-mail: Investors@redcat.red

    NEWS MEDIA:

    Phone: (347) 880-2895
    Email: peter@indicatemedia.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden, Smith Celebrate The “Kids to Parks Day” Resolution Passing in the Senate

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    May 27, 2025
    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., today celebrated passage of their bipartisan resolution in the Senate that encourages children to get outdoors and promote healthy outdoor recreation by designating May 17, 2025, National Kids to Parks Day. 
    Kids to Parks Day is a national day of outdoor play celebrated annually on the third Saturday of May. The day encourages kids and families to take advantage of their local parks and public lands to promote healthy outdoor exploration. 
    “Celebrating the great outdoors and public lands is who we are as Oregonians,” Wyden said. “National Kids to Parks Day honors the natural treasures we have in Oregon and states around the country, while encouraging future generations to experience and learn from outdoor spaces. I am proud to continue celebrating this tradition that connects our children with the adventures and memories that come with exploring Oregon’s great outdoors.”
    “Spending time outdoors and in nature offers countless benefits – from better health to greater imagination, creativity, and learning,” Hyde-Smith said. “Kids to Parks Day reminds us to take every opportunity to explore and enjoy the outdoors.  Mississippi is lucky to have so many beautiful parks and natural areas where kids can get outside and connect with nature.”
    “We know that kids need parks, and parks need kids. For 15 years, National Park Trust’s Kids to Parks Day has inspired families to get outside, connect with nature, and support the parks they love. In 2025, that mission is more important than ever,” said Grace Lee, Executive Director of National Park Trust. “Furthermore, having bipartisan support from the United States Senate sends an important message nationwide about the key impact our parks have on our health and wellness.”
    Kids to Parks Day was celebrated Saturday, May 17, 2025.
    The text of the resolution is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Uninformed comments on autism are resonant of dangerous ideas about eugenics

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Cornelia Schneider, Associate Professor of Education, Mount Saint Vincent University

    Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health and human services secretary in the United States, held a recent news conference and made uninformed comments on autism. His remarks created an uproar, especially among people with autism and other disabilities.

    The news conference was related to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about autism.

    Among other comments, Kennedy Jr. said:

    “Autism destroys families, and more importantly, it destroys our greatest resource, which is our children. These are children who should not be
    suffering like this … And these are kids who will never pay taxes. They’ll never hold a job. They’ll never play baseball. They’ll never write a poem. They’ll never go out on a date. Many of them will never use a toilet unassisted.”

    Earlier, during a cabinet meeting, he promised to find the cause of autism by September.



    Read more:
    If Trump puts RFK Jr in charge of health, get ready for a distorted reality, where global health suffers

    We are researchers whose combined focus covers the rights of people with disabilities in educational systems and the history of disability in medical discourse. One of us is a sibling (Cornelia) and the other a parent (Martha) to people with intellectual disabilities.

    These comments were deeply worrisome for us due to their resonance of dangerous ideas espoused during the eugenics movement.

    Origins of eugenics

    Eugenics is the belief that society can and should be “improved” through selective breeding. It is based on a pseudo-scientific ranking of humans in a racist and ableist hierachy that judges non-white and disabled people to be the least desirable.

    During the height of the movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, eugenics was promoted by scientists, physicians, politicians and clergy, authoritative voices who encouraged the “fittest” to reproduce while recommending that those people with “undesirable” physical or intellectual traits be removed from society. Part of achieving this goal meant people with disabilities were sterilized or institutionalized.

    Eugenics was applied in its most extreme form in Nazi Germany during the 1930s and ‘40s. Six million Jews, and millions more people, including an estimated 250,000 people with disabilities, were killed.

    A formal condemnation of Nazi actions in the form of the Nuremberg Trials fostered a popular backlash to these Nazi horrors after the Second World War, resulting in a global repudiation of eugenic ideas and a gradual phasing out of practices such as sterilization and institutionalization of people with disabilities.

    ‘Eugenic logic’ seen in many places

    However, Kennedy Jr.’s comments remind us that eugenic ideas are alive and well, including, but not exclusively, amid the radical right and tech-enabled ideas about a return to “strongman” values.

    Eugenics ideas exist in the form of what bioethicist and humanities scholar Rosemarie Garland-Thomson calls “eugenic logic.” This is the ongoing belief that erasing disability and people with disabilities is a desirable and common-sense objective.

    The power of eugenics logic surrounds us. It shapes immigration policy that penalizes disability. It means reproductive technologies and medical practices are used to eliminate certain conditions that cause disabilities.

    For example, recently, the Québec College of Physicians called for legislation to allow the euthanasia of severely disabled infants. This also affirms the views of popular but controversial philosopher Peter Singer, who argues that babies with disabilities lack qualities of personhood and therefore could be killed.

    Linking human value to ‘productivity’

    RFK Jr.’s eugenics ideas resonate strongly today. They square politically with neoliberalism to create a form of ableism that regards the individual citizen as “an able-bodied entrepreneurial entity.”

    Neoliberal ableism links human value to their capacity to work, to what disability studies scholars Dan Goodley and Rebecca Lawthom refer to the ability to “productively contribute … bounded and cut off from others, capable, malleable and compliant.”

    People with autism, and others who cannot serve society in this way, threaten the neoliberal order and capitalism. They are seen as a detriment to society.

    Autism organizations heavily criticized Kennedy Jr. for his portrayal of autistic people as incapable.

    However, some critics unwittingly reinforced his neoliberal and eugenic framing of human value. These critics rightly contradicted Kennedy Jr. by pointing out that many people with autism have capabilities that he denied them. However, focusing on those abilities gave support to the devaluation of people with autism — and others with disabilities — who do not possess them, and who cannot be independent or will never be “productive workers.”

    The social model of disability

    Uninformed comments about autism by people in official health leadership positions threatens to undo decades of work that led to remarkable gains for people with disabilities.

    The 1970s and ‘80s saw the development of what disability activists and scholars discuss as the social model of disability. This shifted the understanding of disability away from the “problem” of individuals’ physical/intellectual conditions. Disability is seen as a mismatch of the interactions between the impairment and the barriers it faces in the (social) environment.

    This important shift in how disability is understood rejected the notion that disability is a personal fault or flaw. For the first time, it paid attention to environmental, financial and attitudinal barriers. It allowed people with disabilities unprecedented access to education and other aspects of society.

    The progress made remains fragile.

    Important to push back

    All who value human diversity and the continued expansion of the rights of people with disabilities must push back against eugenics politics.

    Political parties and broader society must commit to full participation and belonging of all people with disabilities by continuing to remove physical, attitudinal and financial barriers.

    Accessibility legislation at the federal and provincial levels must be implemented and enforced. In Canada, this includes the re-establishment of a federal minister for disabilities, a post that previously existed as minister of diversity, inclusion and persons with disabilities) but is lacking under the new Liberal government and its smaller cabinet.

    It means we need to heed the voices of disability advocates who have launched a court challenge against a key provision of Medical Assistance in Dying legislation. A recent version of this legislation accepts disability without a terminal condition as a reason to end life. As advocates recently told the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, this implies that a disabled life is not worth living.



    Read more:
    A dangerous path: Why expanding access to medical assistance in dying keeps us up at night

    Lived experiences must inform decisions

    The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (signed by the U.S.; signed and ratified by Canada) lays out the key ideas that Kennedy Jr. appears to reject: “Disability results from the interaction between persons with impairments and attitudinal and environmental barriers.”

    The lived experiences of the disability community must always be included in political decision-making.

    It’s our responsibility to uphold and protect the human rights of all persons with disabilities, including those who require more intensive support.

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

    – ref. Uninformed comments on autism are resonant of dangerous ideas about eugenics – https://theconversation.com/uninformed-comments-on-autism-are-resonant-of-dangerous-ideas-about-eugenics-256762

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ezell, Carter Introduce the Capacity Building for Business Districts Pilot Program to Support Small Communities

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mike Ezell (Mississippi 4th District)

    Congressman Mike Ezell (R-MS4) and Congressman Troy Carter (D-LA2) introduced the Capacity Building for Business Districts Pilot Program Act to increase technical assistance to organizations assisting small communities who are trying to increase business through The United States Economic Development Administration (EDA) Research and National Technical Assistance (RNTA) grant program.

    “The Capacity Building for Business Districts Pilot Program is a smart investment in the people and organizations that power local economies,” Ezell said. “By strengthening the operational and technical abilities of business district organizations, we’re laying the foundation for job creation, local wealth building, and an improved quality of life in underserved areas of South Mississippi. Through targeted technical assistance and better access to the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s RNTA grant program, we’re making sure small communities have the tools they need to build stronger, more competitive business districts and achieve lasting economic growth.”

    “Small businesses are the backbone of our economy. This bipartisan legislation will help grow capacity in our business districts and create more equitable economic opportunities in Louisiana. It would increase vital resources for many organizations in my district that conduct critical, on-the-ground work to uplift small, local businesses. I’m proud to co-lead this effort again this Congress with Rep. Ezell,”  Carter said.

    “We applaud the introduction of the Capacity Building for Business Districts Pilot Program and are grateful for Rep. Carter’s co-sponsorship of this important legislation and his continued support to Main Street districts and organizations across New Orleans and Louisiana,” Dasjon S. Jordan, Executive Director, Broad Community Connections said.

    “By strengthening existing place-making efforts and serving as a catalyst for economic growth and development by creating a sense of place and pride for the community, the Downtown Hattiesburg Association is improving the quality of life in Hattiesburg. Added resources for capacity and technical assistance to expand our work will increase our impact. We are grateful for Rep. Ezell’s support to make that vision a reality,” Marlo Dorsey, Board Member, Mississippi Main Street Association and Hattiesburg Downtown Association said.

    “Sankofa Community Development Corporation is excited about the Capacity Building for Business Districts Pilot Program to offer opportunities to strengthen economic development initiatives. We initiated the Lower Ninth Ward Main Street project in alliance with a network of organizations, community stakeholders, and local businesses. We look forward to seeing its positive impact on the growth of small businesses and revitalization of our historic commercial corridor,” Rashida Ferdinand, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Sankofa Community Development Corporation said.

    “As an organization dedicated to promoting, enhancing, and supporting our community’s downtown district, Main Street Pascagoula is incredibly thankful for Representative Mike Ezell’s support of the Capacity Building for Business Districts Pilot Program. We are confident that this Program will prove tremendously impactful for our community and other districts engaged in revitalization efforts, and we look forward to what the future holds,” Susannah Northrop, Director, Main Street Pascagoula said.

    “Picayune Main Street’s mission is to preserve the historic character and integrity of our community’s downtown commercial and residential district, as well as to enhance the culture and quality of life through active community involvement. While we have seen successes, the additional support enabled through the Capacity Building for Business Districts Pilot Program would equip our organization to take this mission to new heights, facilitating small business growth, job creation, and enhanced quality of place for our community,” Reba Beebe, Director, Picayune Main Street, Inc. said.

    “The Mississippi Main Street Association is thankful for Representative Ezell’s leadership of this legislation. As Mississippi’s leading organization for preservation-based community and economic development, we are excited about the potential of this funding to strengthen our network of organizations committed to supporting our downtowns and small businesses,” Jim Miller, Executive Director, Mississippi Main Street Association said.

    ‘We applaud Representatives Ezell and Carter for introducing the Capacity Building for Business Districts Pilot Program. This program will provide critical resources to locally based, non-profit organizations that support small business ownership and economic revitalization in urban neighborhoods and rural communities across the country,” Matthew Josephs, Senior Vice President for Policy, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) said.

    “We believe Main Streets are the backbone of the small business economy. Main Street America is pleased to support the Capacity Building for Business Districts Pilot Program. We thank Representatives Ezell and Carter for recognizing the critical role that business district organizations, such as Main Street programs, play in creating thriving local economies,” Erin Barnes, President and CEO, Main Street America said.

    “The Capacity Building for Business Districts Pilot Program represents a powerful opportunity to support local leaders in rural America who are working hard to build vibrant local economies. By enabling the U.S. Economic Development Administration to collaborate with trusted national nonprofits to direct federal resources, we would be taking an important step to drive sustainable economic growth, and revitalize places, like rural communities, that are often overlooked and underfunded,” Matt Dunne, Founder and Executive Director, Center on Rural Innovation said.

    “This legislation represents overdue investment in the community development organizations that help so many business districts adapt and thrive. By giving them access to the flexible capital and technical support they need, it strengthens these organizations’ ability to serve local entrepreneurs, revitalize neighborhood corridors, and meet the business needs of the communities they know best,” Frank Woodruff, Executive Director of Community Opportunity Alliance (formerly NACEDA) said.

    Background:

    Currently, grants under RNTA are not used for capacity-building assistance and pass-through funds to local entities. Additionally, there is no EDA resource dedicated to business district organizations or business districts that are already assisting these entities.

    The Capacity Building for Business Districts Pilot Program Act is expected to benefit small businesses and underserved communities by providing them with the expertise necessary to apply for RNTA grants. These grants will enable communities to fund projects that boost local economies, foster innovation, and strengthen their overall business infrastructure.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Farewell Remarks by CFTC Commissioner Christy Goldsmith Romero: The Future of Financial Services Regulation

    Source: US Commodity Futures Trading Commission

    Remarks as Prepared for Delivery 
    Thank you to Brookings for inviting me to give my farewell remarks as I depart from the Commission and retire from 23 years of federal service.  For the last time, I will give the disclaimer that my views are my own as a Commissioner and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Commission or my fellow Commissioners.
    I have been reflecting on my public service under four Presidents and today I am feeling nostalgic.  I have had such a good run.  I want to express my gratitude to so many.  First and foremost, I’m grateful to my wife and children.  I am grateful to President Biden and President Obama for believing and trusting in me with three Presidential nominations.  I’m grateful to those Senators in both parties who have actively supported me and unanimously confirmed me twice.  I am grateful to the leaders with which I have had the privilege to serve, including my fellow Commissioners.  I am also grateful to all my staff, the hundreds of people who have worked for me and put their trust in my leadership.
    Never could I have planned or envisioned such a meaningful and fulfilling career.  All I knew was that I was following my passion to make a difference in our financial system.  I have always wanted our financial system to serve everyone, not just powerful interests.  And along the way, I learned from each of the leaders I worked for—my SEC enforcement leaders, SEC Chairs Chris Cox and Mary Schapiro, and at Treasury, Neil Barofsky, the first Special Inspector General for TARP (or SIGTARP) before me.
    Never could I have imagined that my work would get the notice of President Obama who appointed me as the SIGTARP in 2012.  I can share that it was entirely daunting to be a 41-year-old career staffer sitting on the same Senate Banking confirmation panel with Jay Powell.  Of course, that meant that I did not get many questions.
    But don’t worry.  Senate Banking would make up for that this past summer when I got two plus hours of questions in my confirmation hearing for FDIC Chair.
    At SIGTARP, I was forged by fire, as were all of us who worked to strengthen the financial system in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis.  Former FDIC Chair Sheila Bair supported me for FDIC Chair this summer drawing on the work that we did during the financial crisis.  Last year, I was at Treasury and ran into former Secretary Paulson who remembered me and said, “Those were the days.  Look at what we did for the economy.”
    SIGTARP is also where I honed my leadership of white-collar law enforcement.  We worked closely with DOJ to bring justice and accountability to just about every major Wall Street financial institution and 465 criminal defendants.  This includes 76 bankers who courts sentenced to prison for crisis-related crimes.
    I continue to feel tremendous affection and gratitude to all those who served at SIGTARP as I learned invaluable lessons about how to lead an organization. SIGTARP is where I found my voice and the courage to speak truth to power.  It was a necessity when testifying before Congress and meeting with Treasury Secretaries, the Federal Reserve Chair, the FDIC Chair, and Attorneys General.
    As SIGTARP was winding down, I was fortunate to be contacted by several Senators and President Biden’s White House about a possible next appointment.  Various financial regulators were discussed.
    I raised the possibility of the CFTC.  First, I had always enjoyed being a market regulator.  Second, I was interested in climate-related financial issues, and the Chairman had sponsored a climate report and was speaking a lot on climate issues.  Third, the CFTC was the only regulator of cryptocurrency trading, and I had been teaching cryptocurrency regulation at two law schools.  As a Commissioner, I was pleased to prioritize all three of these areas, broadening crypto out to technology, as I sponsored the Technology Advisory Committee.
    The accomplishment that I am most proud about in my tenure is that derivatives markets worked well, that they remained resilient, vibrant, and had integrity.  Since my testimony at my CFTC confirmation hearing in 2022, I have always said that ensuring that markets worked well would be my highest priority.  This was so critical because the markets the CFTC regulates tie directly to the economy. That tie is something that I have had the privilege to see firsthand.  What incredible experiences I have had to get out of Washington and go on agriculture tours and energy tours, to meet with people who are feeding and fueling our world. To truly understand the way markets work, you have to engage with those who rely on the markets and who need them the most.
    I’m also proud of the Technology Advisory Committee for its work on future of finance issues.  I’m grateful to the Committee members who we picked because they are well regarded experts in cryptocurrency, stablecoins, blockchain, AI, cyber, and Fintech, and who come from all different viewpoints.  We held public forums, and the Committee issued two landmark reports, the first on Decentralized Finance, and the second on Responsible AI in Financial Markets.
    As I contemplate the future of financial services regulation, my thoughts keep returning to an area that I speak a lot about—promoting market resilience.  Resilience is defined as the ability to bounce back quickly from setbacks.  U.S. markets and global markets have and will continue to experience periods of volatility and stress.
    I arrived at the Commission in early 2022, in a time of geopolitical uncertainty.  The economy was recovering from the pandemic, suffering supply chain disruption, and oil and gas markets were at record-high levels of volatility and prices after the start of Russia’s war with Ukraine.
    Fortunately, what I found was that the post-crisis reforms through the Dodd Frank Act, other regulations, and regulatory supervision, have built up resilience.  As a result, our markets have withstood significant stress and volatility, including last month.  Our economy has been better for it.
    As the current Administration pursues a deregulatory agenda in the name of growth, care should be taken not to remove the load-bearing resilience built into markets—resilience that has resulted in financial stability and protected our economy. Regulators should not have to sacrifice growth for financial stability.  These are not mutually exclusive goals.  Regulators should promote both.  Growth is important for markets.  Growth requires a regulatory environment where markets are financially stable and resilient during times of volatility, uncertainty, and stress.
    I am concerned about big swings between more regulation and deregulation with each change of party in the White House.  This leads to uncertainty in markets.  It would be better for our markets and financial system if regulators could follow a steady, consistent path.  That would create the foundation for a resilient, stable, and vibrant financial system and economy.
    It’s a really tough challenge—one that requires independent regulators engaging with each other on a bipartisan basis and engaging with many stakeholders who use and need U.S. markets.  I plan to continue to share my voice, and I will always be rooting for the CFTC.  After all, you can take the girl out of public service.  But you can’t take public service out of the girl.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Man Charged in Connection With CARES Act Loan Fraud

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    Click Here to View the Original U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Press Release

    The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Joseph Ronald Trenkle, 54, formerly of Cherry Hills Village, Colorado and currently of Dorado, Puerto Rico, has been charged in a criminal information with one count each of wire fraud and money laundering.

    According to the information, between April 30, 2020, and February 25, 2022, Trenkle applied for and received $1,850,000 in COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) from the Small Business Administration (SBA) and $2,999,995 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds from an SBA-approved lender.  The information alleges that after first obtaining an EIDL loan in March 2020, Trenkle made two requests to increase the amount of his EIDL and made false representations as part of each of request.  The information further alleges that Trenkle submitted two fraudulent PPP loan applications, and also submitted fraudulent applications for PPP loan forgiveness for each PPP loan.

    The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was enacted in March 2020 and was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans dealing with the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.  The CARES Act created the PPP, a program administered by the SBA that provided loans to small businesses to retain workers, maintain payroll, and certain other expenses consistent with PPP rules.  Additionally, the CARES Act authorized the SBA to provide EIDLs to eligible small businesses experiencing substantial financial disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The defendant made his initial appearance on May 22, 2025, in Denver in front of Magistrate Judge Cyrus Y. Chung.

    The charges contained in the information are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, and Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Craig Fansler.

    Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form

    Case Number: 25-cr-00150-RMR

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Department of Aging to Announce New Resource to Support Pennsylvania’s Unpaid Caregivers

    Source: US State of Pennsylvania

    May 28, 2025 – Fort Washington, PA

    ADVISORY – Department of Aging to Announce New Resource to Support Pennsylvania’s Unpaid Caregivers

    Pennsylvania Department of Aging Secretary Jason Kavulich will join state and local leaders to launch the PA Carekit – a new resource that will help caregivers in the Commonwealth to address their unique situations, so they can continue caring for Pennsylvania’s older adults.

    The event will feature a presentation on the PA Carekit, and a panel discussion moderated by Secretary Kavulich on the state of caregiving and how this new resource could provide needed support to the 1.5 million unpaid caregivers who provide care for friends, neighbors and loved ones.
    The development of the PA Carekit is the result of Aging Our Way, PA – the 10-year strategic plan that will help transform service delivery to ensure all Pennsylvanians can live healthy, fulfilling lives as they age.

    WHO:
    Secretary of Aging Jason Kavulich
    Senator Maria Collett
    Representative Maureen Madden
    Carrie Cleary, Office of Commonwealth Libraries
    Jennifer Haeussler-Barnhart, Executive Director, Montgomery County Area Agency on Aging
    Nathan Lampenfeld, Department of Aging William & Hannah Penn Fellow

    WHEN:
    Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at 1:00 PM

    WHERE:
    Upper Dublin Library
    520 Virginia Drive
    Fort Washington, PA 19034

    MEDIA RSVP:
    Media interested in attending must RSVP with the name of photographer/reporter to agingcomms@pa.gov.

    MEDIA CONTACT: Jack Eilber

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government tables a Motion to bring down costs for Canadians

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    May 27, 2025 – Ottawa, Ontario – Department of Finance Canada

    Today, His Majesty King Charles III delivered the Speech from the Throne – outlining the government’s bold and ambitious plan for the future. Key to that plan is bringing down costs so Canadians keep more of their paycheques to spend where it matters most.  

    To that end, the Minister of Finance and National Revenue, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, today tabled a notice of Ways and Means Motion in Parliament with proposals to:

    • Deliver a middle class tax cut, providing tax relief for nearly 22 million Canadians and saving families up to $840.
    • Eliminate the Goods and Services Tax (GST) for first-time home buyers on new homes valued up to $1 million, saving them up to $50,000, and lower the GST for first-time home buyers on new homes valued between $1 million and $1.5 million.   
    • Remove the consumer carbon price from law, following its cancellation, effective April 1, 2025.

    With these measures, we are delivering change to cut taxes, bring down costs, and put money back in the pockets of Canadians. 

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Treasury Board President tables in Parliament the 2025–26 Main Estimates for the Government of Canada

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    May 27, 2025 – Ottawa, Ontario – Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

    Efficiency and effectiveness must guide everything government does. The Government of Canada is focused on maximizing investments that drive growth and deliver results.

    To that end, today, the Honourable Shafqat Ali, President of the Treasury Board, tabled in the House of Commons the Government of Canada’s Main Estimates for 2025–26. The Main Estimates outline priority investments in housing, the Canadian Armed Forces, Indigenous communities, dental care, border services, and Veterans’ benefits. Also included are transfer payments to provinces and territories, such as those for health care, and payments for individuals, including benefits for elderly Canadians and those with disabilities.

    Data about the government’s expenditures and performance targets are also available through GC Infobase, an online tool that presents the numbers in easy-to-understand visual stories.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Lane closures on Macdonald-Cartier Bridge

    Source: Government of Canada News

    For immediate release

    Gatineau, Quebec, May 27, 2025 – Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) wishes to inform users that there will be lane closures on the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge to accommodate maintenance work during the following periods:

    • Saturday, May 31, from 7 am to 7 pm
    • Sunday, June 1, from 7 am to 7 pm

    During these periods, at least 1 lane will remain open at all times to motorists in each direction, and access for cyclists and pedestrians will be maintained.

    The schedule may change depending on weather conditions.

    PSPC encourages users to exercise caution when travelling on the bridge and thanks them for their patience.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Removing the consumer carbon price from Canadian law

    Source: Government of Canada News

    The Government of Canada is proposing legislative amendments that would permanently repeal the fuel charge framework under Part 1 of the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act (GGPPA) in the following four phases to ensure an orderly process for charge payers. These proposed amendments follow the regulations made in March that already ceased the application of the federal fuel charge, effective April 1, 2025.

    Phase 1: Charging Provisions Repealed effective April 1, 2025

    Effective April 1, 2025, nearly all charging provisions would be retroactively repealed, to reflect in legislation what has already been accomplished by regulations.

    The only remaining charging provision would be a special rule for certain railways in respect of past fuel charge consumption that needs to be trued-up. Certain railways pay fuel charge based on estimates and must perform a true-up exercise on their fuel charge obligations in respect of the previous year. This provision would remain until October 1, 2025 to allow for this exercise to take place in respect of fuel charge obligations incurred prior to April 1, 2025.

    Phase 2: Rebate Provisions Repealed effective October 1, 2025

    Effective October 1, 2025, all rebate provisions would be repealed. Certain uses of fuel after April 1 but prior to October 1 may give right to a rebate (e.g., fuel charge embedded fuel that is exported during this period). This aligns with the treatment of rebates under the regulations made in March 2025.

    Rebates for charge paid in error and rebates for reassessment (e.g., to correct accounting mistakes in returns) would continue to be available until the final repeal phase.

    Phase 3: Registration Provisions Repealed effective November 1, 2025

    Effective November 1, 2025, all registration provisions would be repealed. This would give registrants until October 31, 2025, to file returns to claim rebates arising before October 1, 2025. Beyond this date, registration rules are no longer needed.

    Phase 4: Remaining Provisions Repealed effective April 1, 2035

    Effective April 1, 2035, the remaining provisions of Part 1 of the GGPPA would be repealed, including definitions, interpretation rules, administrative and procedural rules, etc. This would provide continuity and certainty for final wind down activities, including CRA administrative processes that may continue to rely on existing rules. Subject to the normal limitation periods in the Act, the CRA would also continue to have legal authority to make reassessments, and charge payers to file amended returns, in respect of fuel charge obligations that accrued prior to April 1, 2025.

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    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: GST relief for first-time home buyers on new homes valued up to $1.5 million

    Source: Government of Canada News

    To lower the upfront cost of buying a new home for young Canadians and spur the construction of new homes across the country, the government is eliminating the Goods and Services Tax (GST) for first-time home buyers on new homes up to $1 million and reducing the GST for first-time home buyers on new homes between $1 million and $1.5 million.

    On May 27, 2025, the Minister of Finance and National Revenue, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, tabled legislative proposals to amend the Excise Tax Act to introduce a new GST rebate for first-time home buyers (the “FTHB GST Rebate”). As a result of this rebate, first-time home buyers will be able to save up to $50,000 on a new home. This measure is expected to deliver $3.9 billion in tax savings to Canadians over five years, starting in 2025-26.

    First-Time Home Buyers’ GST Rebate

    If you are a first-time home buyer, you may be eligible for a FTHB GST Rebate if:

    • you buy a new home from a builder;
    • you build, or hire someone else to build, a home on land you own or lease; or
    • you buy shares of a co-operative housing corporation.

    The FTHB GST Rebate will apply to the same types of housing and apply similar eligibility criteria and conditions as the existing GST/HST New Housing Rebate, with certain modifications to ensure that the rebate is targeted at first-time home buyers.

    To be considered a “first-time home buyer” for the purposes of the FTHB GST Rebate, an individual would generally need to meet the following conditions:

    • be at least 18 years of age;
    • be either a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada; and
    • not have lived in a home, whether in or outside Canada, that they owned or that their spouse or common-law partner owned in the calendar year or in the four preceding calendar years.

    Together with the existing GST/HST New Housing Rebate (where that rebate is applicable), the FTHB GST Rebate would provide for a rebate of 100% of the GST on new homes valued up to $1 million.

    The FTHB GST Rebate would be phased out in a linear manner for new homes valued between $1 million and $1.5 million. For example, under the linear phase-out, a home valued at $1.25 million would be eligible for a 50% GST rebate (a rebate of up to $25,000).

    No FTHB GST Rebate would be available for new homes valued at or above $1.5 million.

    New Homes Purchased from a Builder

    The FTHB GST Rebate would allow an individual to recover up to $50,000 of the GST (or the federal part of the HST) paid in respect of a new home purchased from a builder (including on leased land).

    To qualify for a FTHB GST Rebate, at least one of the purchasers of the home would need to be a “first-time home buyer” that is acquiring the new home for use as their primary place of residence. That individual would also need to be the first individual to occupy the home as a place of residence.

    The FTHB GST Rebate would generally be available if:

    • the agreement of purchase and sale for the home is entered into with the builder on or after May 27, 2025 and before 2031; and
    • construction of the home begins before 2031 and the home is substantially completed before 2036.

    Owner-Built Homes

    For an owner-built home, the FTHB GST Rebate would allow an individual to recover up to $50,000 of the GST or the federal part of the HST that they paid to build the home.

    For an owner-built home, the FTHB GST Rebate would allow an individual to recover up to $50,000 of the GST or the federal part of the HST that they paid to build the home.

    To qualify for a FTHB GST Rebate, at least one of the owner-builders would need to be a “first-time home buyer” that is building, or hiring another person to build, the new home for use as their primary place of residence. That individual would also need to be the first individual to occupy the home as a place of residence.

    The FTHB GST Rebate would generally be available if construction of the home begins on or after May 27, 2025 and before 2031 and the home is substantially completed before 2036.

    Shares of a Cooperative Housing Corporation

    The FTHB GST Rebate would allow an individual to claim a rebate of up to $50,000 in respect of the purchase of a share of a cooperative housing corporation (co-op) where the co-op paid GST or the federal part of the HST in respect of new housing.

    To qualify for a FTHB GST Rebate, at least one of the purchasers of the share would need to be a “first-time home buyer” that is acquiring the share to use the co-op housing unit to which the share relates as their primary place of residence. That individual would also need to be the first individual to occupy the co-op housing unit as a place of residence.

    The FTHB GST Rebate would generally be available if:

    • the agreement of purchase and sale of the share is entered into with the co-op on or after May 27, 2025 and before 2031; and
    • construction of the cooperative housing begins before 2031 and is substantially completed before 2036.

    A FTHB GST Rebate would not be available in respect of a co-op share if the co-op housing is eligible for the 100% GST rebate for purpose-built rental housing.

    Limitations

    To ensure that the rebate is available as intended to first-time home buyers after the announcement date, a series of rules would limit the availability of the FTHB GST Rebate in certain circumstances. These rules include the following:

    • An individual would not be permitted to claim a FTHB GST Rebate more than once in their lifetime.
    • An individual would not be permitted to claim a FTHB GST Rebate if their spouse or common-law partner previously claimed a FTHB GST Rebate.
    • If, pursuant to an assignment sale, a FTHB assumes the rights and obligations of another person that is a purchaser of a new home under an agreement of purchase and sale with a builder, the FTHB rebate would not be available if that original agreement of purchase and sale was entered into before May 27, 2025.
    • If an agreement of purchase and sale for a new home was originally entered into before May 27, 2025 and the agreement is subsequently cancelled and a new agreement of purchase and sale is entered into (or the agreement is varied or altered to effect that outcome), the FTHB GST Rebate may be disallowed in respect of the sale of a new home under the new agreement (and would not be allowed in respect of the varied or altered agreement).

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    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Delivering a middle-class tax cut

    Source: Government of Canada News

    The government is moving forward with the proposal to deliver tax relief for Canadians by reducing the lowest marginal personal income tax rate from 15 per cent to 14 per cent, effective July 1, 2025.

    The government is moving forward with the proposal to deliver tax relief for Canadians by reducing the lowest marginal personal income tax rate from 15 per cent to 14 per cent, effective July 1, 2025.

    Nearly 22 million Canadians are expected to benefit from this measure. The middle-class tax cut would reduce the tax rate that is applied to the first $57,375 (in 2025) of an individual’s taxable income, regardless of their income level. As shown below, the bulk of total tax relief will go to those with incomes in the two lowest tax brackets, including nearly half to those in the first bracket. This measure is expected to deliver over $27 billion in tax savings to Canadians over five years, starting in 2025-26.

    Chart 1
    Shares of Tax Paid and Tax Relief by Taxable Income in 2025

    The maximum tax savings will be $420 per person and $840 per couple in 2026. As a result of this measure, hardworking Canadians will save over $27 billion over five years, starting in 2025-26.

    Income is reported and tax is calculated on an annual basis. To reflect a one-percentage-point cut in the lowest tax rate coming into effect halfway through the year, the full-year tax rate for 2025 will be 14.5 per cent and the full-year rate for 2026 and future tax years will be 14 per cent. The rate applied to most non-refundable tax credits will continue to be the same as the lowest personal income tax rate. 

    The Canada Revenue Agency will update its source deduction tables for the July to December 2025 period so that pay administrators are able to reduce tax withholdings as of July 1. This means that, effective July 1, individuals with employment income and other income subject to source deductions could have tax withheld at 14 per cent. Otherwise, individuals will realize this tax relief when they file their 2025 tax returns in spring 2026. 

    Gender-Based Analysis Plus Summary

    Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) is an analytical tool used to support the development of responsive and inclusive policies, with consideration given to intersectional factors such as gender, age, and economic status.

    Reducing the lowest marginal personal income tax rate from 15 per cent to 14 per cent would reduce taxes for nearly 22 million individual taxpayers, with nearly half of the total tax relief going to those in the first income tax bracket. The remaining third of tax filers would already not owe federal personal income tax, although some of these filers may benefit from the rate reduction in future years if their taxable income increases and they start owing federal tax.

    It is estimated that the measure would be gender balanced; 52 per cent of beneficiaries would be men, and 48 per cent would be women.

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    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SEC’s Division of Investment Management to Host Third Annual Conference on Emerging Trends in Asset Management

    Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

    The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Investment Management announced it will host the third annual Conference on Emerging Trends in Asset Management on Thursday, June 5, 2025. The conference will bring together a variety of asset management industry participants, regulators, and academics to discuss emerging trends in asset management. The full agenda, with a list of speakers, is available at the conference’s webpage.

    Conference sessions will include:

    SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce, Investment Management Division Director Natasha Vij Greiner, division staff, and panelists from outside the SEC will participate in the conference.

    The conference is open to the public both in person at SEC Headquarters and via live webcast at www.sec.gov from 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. ET. Individuals planning to attend the conference in person should register, but registration is not necessary for those attending virtually. The conference will be archived on SEC.gov for later viewing.

    The Division of Investment Management is responsible for administering the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. It develops regulatory policy for investment advisers and investment companies, including mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, and other funds and products in the asset management industry. To learn more information about asset management and the work of the division, please visit IM’s webpage.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Stein Honors Military Appreciation Month

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Stein Honors Military Appreciation Month

    Governor Stein Honors Military Appreciation Month
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    Last week Governor Josh Stein presented the Order of the Long Leaf Pine to 104-year-old Joe Balogh, a pilot and WWII veteran, for his exceptional service to his country. May is Military Appreciation Month, and Governor Stein was proud to mark the occasion with Major Balogh.  

    “North Carolina’s service members put their lives on the line to protect our country and our freedoms,” said Governor Josh Stein. “I am proud to proclaim Military Appreciation Month to recognize people like Major Balogh who have served our county with dedication and bravery.”

    Click here to read Governor Stein’s proclamation recognizing Military Appreciation Month.  

    May 27, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: International Arrest of Sexual Offender

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Abingdon, VA – The United States Marshal in the Western District of Virginia is pleased to announce the arrest of fugitive Corey Parton in Mexico and his subsequent deportation to the United States on May 26, 2025. Parton is charged with violations of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act, resulting from alleged interstate or foreign travel after having been convicted as a sex offender and being required to register pursuant to the law.

    On March 12, 2024, 36 year old Corey Parton, Bristol, Virginia, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Abingdon, Virginia, for violations of the Adam Walsh Act, or Sex Offender Registry and Notification Act, pursuant to an investigation by the United States Marshals Service. He remained a fugitive, presumably in Mexico, since said time. On May 25, 2025, members of the Federal Police of Mexico, acting on information provided by the U.S. Marshals Service, located and arrested Parton, an American citizen, and promptly deported him to the United States. On arrival back on American soil, members of the U.S. Marshals Service assumed custody of Parton and he is currently awaiting initial appearance and arraignment. He is presumed innocent until the resolution of his case.

    United State Marshal Thomas Foster stated, “This case is not only proof of the dedication of members of the U.S. Marshals Service to investigate and prosecute persons in violation of federal law, but an example to all that regardless of how far one may flee, the U.S. Marshals Service, with our partners, will apprehend them. I express appreciation to all participating branches of the U.S. Marshals Service and to the Mexican Federal Police in bringing this person back to face his crimes.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tillis, Edwards Introduce Legislation to Relocate the C-141 Crash Memorial on the Cherohala Skyway

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, Senator Thom Tillis introduced legislation to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to relocate a memorial honoring the nine Air Force crew members who lost their lives in an airplane crash in the Cherokee and Nantahala National Forests during a training mission on August 31, 1982.
    “The nine Air Force crew members who perished in the 1982 C-141 crash made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation,” said Senator Tillis. “Their bravery deserves to be honored at a location that truly reflects the gravity of their loss and provides a meaningful place for reflection for visitors and their families. This legislation is a crucial step in ensuring these heroes are properly remembered in perpetuity at the actual crash site.” 
    Representative Chuck Edwards (R-NC) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
    “Western North Carolina will never forget the tragedy that occurred in 1982, when nine Air Force crew members lost their lives in our district,” said Rep. Edwards. “The families and supporters of these servicemembers have requested that the memorial be moved to a more prominent location, closer to the site and available for the public to visit. This bill will give the families the authority they need to move the memorial, keeping the memories of our nation’s fallen soldiers alive for years to come.” 
    Background:
    On August 31, 1982, a C-141 left Charleston AFB on a training mission and crashed in the mountains of North Carolina, killing all nine crew members. To honor these heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice, a group consisting of their families and airmen from a sister squadron placed a small granite marker on private land within the Nantahala National Forest along the Cherohala Skyway.
    The current location of the memorial is several miles away from the actual crash site. As the sister squadron veterans are getting older, they want to ensure the memorial stands in perpetuity and that their story is shared with the many visitors to the area. 
    The bill would allow the Secretary of Agriculture to authorize the memorial’s placement at the Stanton Ridge Rest Area along the Cherohala Skyway, where the crash actually happened, and the majority of the wreckage was recovered. No taxpayer dollars will be used to move or maintain the memorial.

    MIL OSI USA News –