NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Kelly on Rep. Schakowsky’s Retirement, Decades of Public Service

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Robin Kelly IL

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (IL-02) released the following statement thanking U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowksy (IL-09) on her years of public service:

    “For over 25 years, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky has been a powerful advocate for her constituents and the people of Illinois. I’m incredibly grateful for her partnership in the Illinois Delegation and the Energy and Commerce Committee as we’ve fought together for access to high-quality healthcare.

    “Congresswoman Schakowsky’s legacy, including her leadership in passing the Affordable Care Act, will continue to improve American lives. I wish her and her family all the best in a well-earned retirement.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Kelly condemns Trump Administration for flooding streets with dangerous rapid-fire devices

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Robin Kelly IL

    CHICAGO – U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (IL-02) condemned the Trump Administration for permitting the sale of forced reset triggers, which enable semi-automatic weapons to fire rapidly like machine guns.

    The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) settled a lawsuit with the National Association for Gun Rights, which challenged a rule by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) to ban forced reset triggers. 

    “President Donald Trump just put people’s lives at risk in exchange for the gun lobby’s support. This is not about the Second Amendment – this is about a dangerous device that can do irreparable harm to communities. Anyone can buy or 3D print a forced reset trigger without a background check and without question as to why someone needs a gun with the same firing capacity as a machine gun. Machine guns have been illegal since 1934, and it’s time our laws catch up to the 21st Century to ban devices that cause the same damage, pain and grief.”

    Rep. Kelly has dedicated her career in public service to ending gun violence. Most recently, she led a letter to President Trump demanding he reinstate funds to community violence intervention organizations.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: In marathon committee markup, Rep. Kelly protects Medicaid from Republican $880 billion cut

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Robin Kelly IL

    Rep. Kelly offered amendments to codify Medicaid postpartum coverage, remove red tape

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (IL-02) offered two amendments to protect Medicaid in a marathon committee that has lasted for over 22 hours.

    “Republicans continue to play political games and scheduled their $880 billion cut to Medicaid overnight, because they know it’s unpopular and harmful. I, and my Democratic colleagues, however, are awake and fighting on behalf of the American people.

    “I offered two amendments that would strengthen Medicaid and actually reduce waste, fraud, and abuse. To no one’s surprise, Republicans voted them down. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle would rather force families to regularly report their employment status just to keep their health coverage – creating bureaucratic hurdles that lead to people losing Medicaid.

    “Cuts to Medicaid, which covers almost half of all births nationwide, threaten mothers and babies. My amendment would have codified the lifesaving policy that expanded postpartum coverage from 60 days to a full year. We cannot expect someone to recover from childbirth, return to work, care for a newborn and also scramble to reapply for coverage. That’s not healthcare – it’s chaos.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Kelly: ‘Cuts to Medicaid aren’t about saving taxpayer money’

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Robin Kelly IL

    House Republicans push $880 billion cut to Medicaid through Energy and Commerce Committee

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (IL-02), member of the Energy & Commerce Committee, is committed to protecting Medicaid. Today, Republicans on the committee will try to pass $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid as part of President Donald Trump’s “One Big, Beautiful Bill.”

    “Let’s be clear about what today’s markup is and isn’t about. This isn’t about reducing ‘fraud, waste, and abuse.’ This is about ripping healthcare away from working families, children, seniors, people with disabilities, veterans and pregnant women. 

    “Yet my Republican colleagues dismiss our concerns over $880 billion in Medicaid cuts as a ‘misunderstanding.’ But you don’t gut the largest insurer of low-income Americans without real harm. Call it what it is: abandonment, disinvestment, disregard for human life.

    “Cuts to Medicaid aren’t about saving taxpayer money. It’s about who we think is worth the investment of living a long, independent and healthy life.  In Illinois, 3.4 million people are covered by Medicaid. When Illinois implemented Medicaid expansion, the uninsured rate dropped by 44% between 2013 and 2015. These statistics demonstrate the significance of Medicaid for Illinoisans.

    “This committee is tasked with protecting public health, not dismantling it. We need to strengthen our health care system, not use budget gimmicks and add unnecessary requirements to make it harder for people to see a doctor. We owe it to the American people to stop playing games. They deserve affordable health care.”

    The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released a new analysis determining 13.7 million Americans would lose healthcare under President Trump’s and Republicans’s budget cuts.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: MATSUI STATEMENT ON TRUMP’S EFFORT TO ROLL BACK DIGITAL EQUITY FUNDING

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-07), Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, released the following statement in response to President Trump’s announcement that he would immediately end Digital Equity Act grant funding. 

    “President Trump is once again launching an illegal, unilateral attack on the most underserved Americans — this time by trying to block Congressionally directed funding meant to invest in communities and build a better future,” said Congresswoman Matsui. “Broadband access and digital literacy are far from luxuries. They decide who gets to participate and succeed in today’s economy. Digital Equity Act grants are a crucial tool to make sure that once Americans have access to the internet, they are able to make full use of it. From our children’s performance in school to our ability to find work, the digital divide has far reaching consequences for American families. Especially in our rural areas, millions of Americans continue to lack access to the resources and skills they need to capitalize on an increasingly digital world. That’s why I have worked my entire career to make sure equity is a central pillar of our long-term solutions. President Trump may be willing to jeopardize Americans’ future — but I will continue to fight back against his reckless attacks.”

    The Digital Equity Act, included as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, provides $2.75 billion to establish three grant programs that promote digital equity and inclusion. In October of last year, California was awarded $70 million from the program to implement its Digital Equity Plan.

                                                   

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: MATSUI BLASTS REPUBLICANS’ EFFORTS TO GUT MEDICAID DURING OPENING REMARKS AT ENERGY AND COMMERCE COMMITTEE RECONCILIATION MARKUP

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-07), delivered the following opening remarks at the Energy and Commerce Committee markup of Republicans’ budget reconciliation bill that would cut hundreds of billions of dollars from Medicaid and take health care away from millions of Americans. 

    A video of her remarks is available HERE. 

    Thank you, Mr. Chairman.  

      

    This committee wields immense power when it comes to reconciliation – and in the past we’ve used that power to deliver real results.   

      

    We expanded health care through the Affordable Care Act. We rescued the economy during COVID. We lowered drug costs. We made bold investments in clean energy and climate action through the Inflation Reduction Act. 

      

    Tangible. Positive. Impact.  

      

    But that’s not what we’re doing today.  

      

    Today, my Republican colleagues are trying to ram through a bill that would slash hundreds of billions of dollars from Medicaid.  

      

    Let’s be honest about what is happening. No matter what Republicans say, there is no if about it – benefits will be cut.  

      

    And I’ve seen this playbook before.  

      

    Fifteen years ago – in this room – we debated and passed the Affordable Care Act.  

      

    I’ll never forget the passionate advocates who filled this room then – and how Republicans looked them in the eyes and voted against a bill that would provide them lifesaving health care.  

      

    Then I watched as Republicans tried again and again to repeal the ACA. And I fought back every time. And I will fight back just as hard today. 

      

    Because Republicans can choose to callously ignore the facts – but the impact in each of our communities is real and plain to see.  

      

    Cuts to Medicaid mean denying care to the most vulnerable among us: seniors in nursing homes, cancer patients, people with disabilities, and kids. 

      

    Kids like Sam. 

      

    Sam is 13 years old. He has Down syndrome, autism, and a severe speech disorder. And thanks to Medicaid—Sam is living a safe, supported, and dignified life. 

      

    Medicaid covers his in-home supportive services so Sam can live at home with his family—not in an institution. It provides Sam with services to help him build toward greater independence.  

      

    Sam’s mom said it best: “Disability rights are human rights. Medicaid is what allows Sam to live a life of dignity, with his rights intact.” 

      

    If this bill passes, those rights will be rolled back. The support that helps millions of families like Sam’s will be ripped away. 

     

    Today, we will hear Republicans try to defend their bill. They’ll tell us their cruel policies exempt kids like Sam, and pretend that they’re reinvesting in services to support him. 

    But that’s simply not true. 

    This bill cuts around $800 billion dollars from our health care safety net. It rips massive holes in states’ budgets – that are near impossible to fill. It sets devious paperwork traps to force families like Sam’s to jump through hoops to keep coverage.

    The math is clear. $800 billion dollars gouged out of our health system means $800 billion dollars less care to go around. 

    With this bill Republicans are choosing to rip away health care and abandon the American people. All to pay for temporary tax cuts for the wealthy, and to keep fueling corporate greed that’s making life harder for everyday Americans. 

     

    I’m here to fight for those Americans. And I’ll be here as long as it takes.  

    I yield back.  

                                                   

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: President Trump’s Big, Beautiful Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Tom McClintock Representing the 4th District of California

    House Budget Committee Holds Hearing on Budget Legislation

    Washington, D.C. – Member of the House Budget Committee Rep. Tom McClintock (CA-05) today delivered remarks in committee on the budget reconciliation bill.  Rep. McClintock’s remarks:

    President Trump’s Big, Beautiful Bill
    Remarks by Congressman Tom McClintock
    House Budget Committee
    May 16, 2025

    Mr. Chairman:

    I share the disappointment expressed by some of our Republican colleagues that there is so much more reform that could have been and should have been made in this reconciliation bill.

    But as Benjamin Franklin reminded the Constitutional Convention, when you assemble a group of people to benefit from their collective wisdom, you will also get their collective folly.  He asked them, from such an Assembly can perfection be expected?  He noted that the principal difference between the Catholic and Anglican Church was that the Catholic Church was infallible, and the Anglican Church was never wrong.  But, he reminded them, as sure as we may be of our own perfection, we must all doubt a little of our infallibility if we can ever come together for the common good.

    And the common good is clearly served by this bill, with all its imperfections and disappointments.   The only economic indicator that matters is how people answer this question next year: “Are you better off today than you were two years ago.”  This bill provides much of the tax and regulatory relief that is needed to revive the American economy.  But it must be put in place now if it is to have time to work.  By this time next year, Americans could be enjoying one of the most explosive periods of growth in our history.    Only those who remember what it was like to wake up in Reagan’s Morning in America know how exciting and joyful that feels.  

    Are we to sacrifice all of that in the quixotic quest for perfection?  This is not the end of the fiscal reforms necessary to restore our nation’s solvency, but rather the first step.  

    The day after this bill becomes law, we’ll begin work on the 2026 budget act and the next reconciliation bill that will offer the next step toward enacting additional spending reforms.  But if we falter in taking this first step, we can’t get to the next one.  We’ll spend the summer squabbling and fuming to the delight of the Democrats and the despair of our fellow Americans.  If we succeed, we can then build on that success in the months ahead, adding additional spending reforms — a task that will be made easier by a prosperous and expanding economy and an electorate that can taste that success in their own lives and fortunes.

    As Lincoln once told Congress, “It is not can any of us IMAGINE better – but can we all DO better?”   He said, we can’t escape history, for we will either nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope of mankind. He said, “We must disenthrall ourselves – and then we will save our country.”

    Let’s do that today.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bipartisan Majority Members of the House Support H. Res 166

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Tom McClintock Representing the 4th District of California

    Washington, D.C.  – Today, Congressman Tom McClintock (CA-05) released the following statement on H. Res 166:

    “I am pleased to announce that H.  Res. 166 supporting a democratic, secular, and nonnuclear Republic of Iran has crossed an important threshold.  A majority of the entire House of Representatives has now joined to co-sponsor this resolution, comprised of 136 Republicans and 83 Democrats.

    “This truly bi-partisan and broad-based House majority endorses the general principles propounded by Iranian democracy groups, most notably the ten-point plan proposed the National Council of Resistance of Iran.  It calls for the universal right to vote; free elections; a market economy; separation of religion and state;  gender, religious, and ethnic equality; a foreign policy based on peaceful coexistence; peace in the Middle East; and a nonnuclear Republic of Iran.  It also condemns the Iranian regime’s terrorism, regional proxy war and internal oppression.

    “Over 4,000 parliamentarians worldwide, “the majority of 33 national legislative assemblies, over 130 former world leaders and 80 Nobel laureates have endorsed these principles and I am gratified that a majority of the entire House has stepped forward to support this resolution.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Aderholt Applauds Inclusion of Adoption Tax Credit Refundability in Budget Reconciliation Package

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04), Co-Chair of the Congressional Adoption Caucus and Chairman of the House VAT (Values Action Team), today announced a key milestone in ongoing efforts to support adoptive families: the inclusion of Adoption Tax Credit refundability in the House Ways and Means Committee’s reconciliation framework, known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill.”

    “One of our top priorities in reconciliation this year was providing families with a refundable Adoption Tax Credit,” said Congressman Aderholt. “I’m pleased to report that the Committee has included this much-needed provision in the draft package—a refundable amount of up to $5,000 for adoption expenses, indexed for inflation.”

    In March of 2025, the Congressman led the letter to House and Ways & Means Committee leadership urging inclusion of a refundable adoption credit in reconciliation.

    “For too long, the nonrefundable nature of the credit has limited its reach, particularly for working- and middle-class families who may not owe enough in taxes to use the full amount,” Aderholt continued. “Refundability means more children can be welcomed into permanent homes, and more families can say yes to adoption without being held back by financial constraints. I’m proud to see Republicans put families first in this year’s Budget Reconciliation.”

    As an original co-sponsor of H.R.2833 – Adoption Tax Credit Refundability Act of 2025, Congressman Aderholt has consistently led bipartisan efforts to make adoption more accessible.

    “As Adoption Caucus Chairman and a longtime advocate for children and families, this is personal,” Aderholt said. “Making adoption more affordable is both morally right and fiscally responsible. Every child who moves from foster care into a forever home saves taxpayer dollars and gains a stable, loving environment.”

    Group Support: National Right to Life; Concerned Women for America; Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission; March for Life Action; Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America; Students for Life Action; U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth; Americans United for Life; Lifeline Children’s Services

    Though the bill has not yet passed, Congressman Aderholt remains committed to ensuring the refundability language remains intact as the reconciliation process moves forward.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Aderholt Underscores Strengthening American Health and Well-Being During Hearing with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Robert Aderholt (R-AL), Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, underscored the critical need to strengthen public health systems and enhance the well-being of Americans. The hearing featured testimony from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who discussed the Department’s FY26 priorities.

    “Despite spending nearly $2 trillion annually on health care, America continues to face unacceptable health outcomes,” said Chairman Aderholt. “We need bold, innovative approaches—not simply more spending—to truly improve the health of our citizens. I’m encouraged by Secretary Kennedy’s willingness to bring fresh perspectives and reforms to HHS.”

    During his opening remarks, Chairman Aderholt welcomed Secretary Kennedy, noting his recent confirmation and swift engagement in the Administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative. Aderholt expressed his hope that Kennedy’s leadership will catalyze needed reforms and restore public trust in health agencies.

    Chairman Aderholt specifically highlighted key challenges facing rural communities like those in Alabama—including disproportionately high rates of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, coupled with mounting pressures on rural hospitals and persistent shortages in the health care workforce.

    “The health care challenges in rural America are urgent and deeply personal for the communities we serve,” Aderholt noted. “I’m committed to working with Secretary Kennedy to find practical, life-affirming solutions to protect access to care and support our rural hospitals and providers.”

    Aderholt also praised the Secretary’s commitment to protecting the sanctity of life and the conscience rights of medical professionals, stating, “As a strong supporter of the right to life, I appreciate Secretary Kennedy’s pledge to uphold these fundamental values.”

    During the hearing, Chairman Aderholt raised concerns about previous actions taken under the Biden administration that undermined pro-life protections. He cited reports that the CDC funded abortion-related activities overseas in violation of the Helms Amendment, and that Title X funding had been denied to states for not providing abortion counseling, contrary to their laws.

    Additionally, the Congressman acknowledged the public health impact of President Trump’s success in curbing illegal border crossings, including the 54% reduction in fentanyl inflow and a sharp decline in the trafficking of unaccompanied minors. “The President’s actions at the border are not only a national security issue but a public health victory as well,” he said.

    The hearing also focused on proposed structural reforms at HHS, including the creation of a new Administration for a Healthy America and efforts to overhaul the National Institutes of Health. Aderholt expressed optimism about these initiatives and reiterated his commitment to a collaborative legislative process.

    “Reforming Washington is never easy,” Aderholt concluded, “but we in Congress stand ready to work with the Secretary and the Administration to deliver lasting, meaningful improvements to our health care system.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: ‘King’ of Violent Haitian Gang Found Guilty on All Charges for Hostage Taking of 16 American Christian Missionaries

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Joly Germine, 32, of Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti, was found guilty today by a federal jury in the District of Columbia for his role in orchestrating the 2021 hostage taking of 16 American citizens, including five children, and holding them hostage for 62 days.

               The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Ryan James of the Miami Field Office.

               “This office will fight aggressively to protect Americans who are taken hostage and abused, and to uphold the religious freedoms of our people, including Christians.  As the evidence demonstrated, Joly Germine orchestrated a plot that leveraged American Christian missionaries as bargaining chips to try to secure his own release from a Haitian prison,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “When you commit crimes against Americans in other countries, it makes no difference where you are — we are coming for you. Justice may not always be swift but it is certain.”

               “This conviction demonstrates the FBI’s determination to follow the evidence wherever it leads and to work our way up to the leaders of criminal plots wherever they are. Haitian gang leader and convicted kidnapper Joly Germine found out he was not beyond the reach of the FBI,” said FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge James. “Neither time nor distance will weaken our resolve. We will use all tools available and go to farthest reaches of the globe to bring to justice those who kidnap Americans.”

               Following a 10-day trial in U.S. District Court, the jury found Germine guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit hostage taking and 16 counts of hostage taking of a U.S. national for ransom. 

               The former leader and self-described “king” of the notoriously violent Haitian gang known as 400 Mawozo, Germine previously pleaded guilty to his role in a gun trafficking conspiracy that smuggled firearms to Haiti in violation of U.S. export laws and the laundering of the gang’s funds derived from ransoms paid for other U.S. hostage victims. For those crimes, he was sentenced in June 2024 to 35 years in federal prison. 

               Germine’s gang, 400 Mawozo, operated in the Croix-des-Bouquets area to the east of the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince. Germine directed the gang’s operations from prison using unmonitored cell phones and was constantly in touch with other 400 Mawazo leaders, most of whom were his relatives. Germine controlled the gang’s finances, supplied the gang’s weapons, and otherwise directed operations. 

               On October 16, 2021, 17 Mennonite missionaries from Christian Aid Ministries, an Ohio-based missionary aid organization, were returning from visiting an orphanage when they were stopped by 400 Mawozo’s armed and masked soldiers. Many of the gang’s soldiers were brandishing firearms supplied by Germine.  The group included 12 adults and 5 children, including a 6-year-old, 3-year-old, and an 8-month-old. Sixteen of the victims were U.S. citizens and one was a Canadian citizen.  

               The gang drove the missionaries to a field and robbed them, while consulting by phone with Germine, their leader. The gang took the missionaries to a building in a rural area, held them at gunpoint, and demanded ransom of $1 million each for their return. In postings on social media, the gang threatened to kill all the hostages if the ransom was not paid. Early on in the negotiations, senior gang leadership said that, in lieu of the ransom monies, 400 Mawozo would accept Germine’s release from prison in exchange for the hostages. 

               On November 20, 2021, two hostages were released after one was suffering from life-threatening health conditions. On December 5, 2021, 400 Mawozo released three of the hostages, two adults who had significant medical issues and the six-year old child, after receiving a $350,000 ransom payment. Though the gang had stated they would release all the hostages for the ransom paid, at Germine’s direction, the gang thereafter refused to release any more hostages. On December 16, 2021, the remaining hostages escaped under cover of darkness while their captors were distracted, walking for five hours through the Haitian bush until they were out of the gang’s territory. They were received by the FBI, which had deployed to Haiti and arranged to immediately transport them from Haiti before the gang could respond to their escape. In total, most of the missionaries were held for 62 days. 

              The evidence at trial showed that Germine had directed the initial kidnapping, had arranged for the locations where hostages were held, and set the $17 million ransom demand, knowing it was too high to be paid and would result in the Haitian government negotiating his release from prison in exchange for the missionaries.  The evidence also showed that Germine was involved in or consulted on the decisions to release victims.

               The FBI Miami Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. During the law enforcement response to the kidnapping, extraordinary assistance was provided in a whole of government response by various agencies, including Customs and Border Protection Service, the Drug Enforcement Agency, Department of Defense, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Valuable assistance was provided by the government of Haiti, the government of the Dominican Republic, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the Department of State and the Embassy in Port-au-Prince, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida’s Special Prosecutions Section.

               The case was  prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen P. Seifert and Tom Saunders and Paralegal Specialist Jorge Casillas for the District of Columbia, with invaluable assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Paschall, Victim Advocate Yvonne Bryant, and Victim Witness Coordinators Tonya Jones and Guisela Castillo. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: District of Arizona Charges 310 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this Week

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from May 10, 2025, through May 16, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 310 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 125 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 170 aliens for illegally entering the United States.  In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States charged 15 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.

    These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

    Recent matters of interest include:

    United States v. Angelica Ramos-Lopez: On May 10, 2025, Angelica Ramos-Lopez, a United States citizen, was charged with Conspiracy to Transport an Illegal Alien, Birth Certificate Fraud, and Aggravated Identity Theft. On May 9, 2025, Ramos-Lopez approached the State Route 85 immigration checkpoint near Gila Bend in a vehicle with a child lying down in the backseat, covered by a blanket from head to toe. Ramos-Lopez presented a birth certificate and United States passport for the child with a birth year of 2017 that listed Ramos -Lopez as the mother. However, the child who was in the vehicle provided a different name than the one found on the birth certificate and stated that the driver was his stepmother. In a post-Miranda interview, Ramos-Lopez admitted that she did not know who the child was, but that she knew the child was undocumented. Ramos-Lopez told officers that she was getting paid to transport the child from Mexico to Phoenix, Arizona. Ramos-Lopez stated that the birth certificate was real, but it belonged to her biological son, not the child passenger. [Case Number: MJ-25-6234]

    United States v. Yolanda Mendivil-Diaz: On May 13, 2025, Yolanda Mendivil-Diaz was charged with Reentry of a Removed Alien. Mendivil-Diaz was previously removed from the United States in 2014 after being convicted for Conspiracy to Sell or Transfer Narcotic Drugs, a felony offense, in the Superior Court of Arizona. [Case Number: MJ-25-3192]

    United States v. Jose Herrera Daniel: On May 14, 2025, Jose Herrera Daniel was charged by criminal complaint for attempting to illegally export ammunition from the United States into Mexico. The complaint alleges that United States Customs and Border Protection officers searched Daniel’s car at the Douglas Port of Entry and found 6,399 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition hidden in the vehicle. [Case Number: MJ-25-9008]

    A criminal complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

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

    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-078_May 16 Immigration Enforcement

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    For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/

    Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Sentenced to 88 Months in Prison for Role in Drug Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TUCSON, Ariz. – German Montano-Peralta, 33, of Nacozari, Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced on May 12, 2025, by United States District Judge Angela Martinez to 88 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Montano-Peralta previously pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and Methamphetamine.

    On April 30, 2024, in Tucson, Arizona, Montano-Peralta and others possessed approximately 40 kilograms of powder and pills containing fentanyl and more than 55 pounds of methamphetamine, which they intended to deliver to others later that day.

    This investigation was a collaborative effort between federal law enforcement agencies and is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative in Southern Arizona that is being led by the Arizona Strike Force located in Tucson. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

    Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney, David Petermann, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.

    CASE NUMBER:            CR-24-2710-AMM-4
    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-079_Montano-Peralta

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    For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/

    Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Smucker’s IEWOTC Act Delivers Pro-Growth, Pro-Work Agenda

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Lloyd Smucker (PA-16)

    WASHINGTON—The Improve and Enhance the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (IEWOTC) Act sponsored by Rep. Lloyd Smucker (PA-11), a senior member of the Committee on Ways and means, would lead to job creation and reduce reliance on safety net programs, according to a recent study. 

    The study indicates the enactment of IEWOTC Act would “directly support 350,000 new jobs.” Additionally, the report shows the legislation would increase federal revenue by an estimated $5.8 billion and reduce federal expenditure by an estimated $5.6 billion. It would also add $56 billion to GDP over ten years. 

    “The Improve and Enhance the Work Opportunity Tax Credit Act is pro-growth and pro-worker. The Work Opportunity Tax Credit is a program that supports employers and employees as they reenter the workforce. I am committed to helping disadvantaged Americans get back to work by advancing legislation to improve this proven tool,” said Rep. Lloyd Smucker (PA-11). 

    WOTC has not been updated since its enactment twenty-seven years ago, and its value has been eroded significantly due to inflation. The National Employment Opportunity Network reports that the WOTC has saved federal governments an estimated $202 billion over ten years.

    The Improve and Enhance the Work Opportunity Tax Credit Act would:

    1. Update the WOTC, which has not been changed since its enactment twenty-seven years ago and encourage longer-service employment.
    2. Increase the current credit percentage from 40% to 50% of qualified wages.
    3. Add a second level of credit for employees who work 400 or more hours.
    4. Eliminate the arbitrary age cap at which SNAP recipients are eligible for WOTC. This change will provide an incentive to hire older workers and better align the credit with previously adopted work reforms.  

    Smucker introduced the legislation with his colleagues Reps. Steven Horsford (NV-4), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Mike Kelly (PA-16), Vern Buchanan (FL-16), and Tom Suozzi (NY-03). Companion legislation was introduced in the Senate by Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH).  

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Thirty-Two Republican Members, Led by Smucker, Renew Call for a Fiscally Responsible Budget Reconciliation Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Lloyd Smucker (PA-16)

    WASHINGTON—Thirty-one Members of the House Republican Conference, led by Rep. Lloyd Smucker (PA-11) Vice Chair of the Budget Committee, are calling for Congress to pass reconciliation legislation that is “genuinely fiscally responsible.” Failure to achieve the spending reduction targets outlined in the budget resolution will mean “the Ways and Means Committee’s instruction must be lowered dollar-for-dollar to keep the reconciliation bill within the agreed limits.”

    The Members write: “We are fully committed to passing a reconciliation bill that achieves the objectives we all support, which include extending President Trump’s tax cuts, growing our economy, securing our borders, unleashing American energy, and ensuring peace through strength.”

    The lawmakers continue, “We remain firmly committed to ensuring the bill is genuinely fiscally responsible. We reaffirm that our support depends, at minimum, on the bill’s strict adherence to the House framework for instructions contained in the concurrent budget resolution (Section 4001 of H.Con.Res.14).”

    The group expresses its appreciation for the Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and Leader Scalie’s commitments that no measure will be brought to the floor unless it fully meets the standards of the House framework for instructions contained in the concurrent budget resolution. 

    Signatories to the letter include Representatives: Andy Biggs (AZ-05), Lauren Boebert (CO-04), Josh Brecheen (OK-02), Tim Burchett (TN-02), Eric Burlison (MO-07), Michael Cloud (TX-27), Andrew Clyde (GA-09), Elijiah Crane (AZ-02), Brandon Gill (TX-26), Paul Gosar (AZ-09), Andy Harris (MD-01), Diana Harshbarger (TN-01), Clay Higgins (LA-03), Morgan Luttrell (TX-08), Richard McCormick (GA-07), Mary Miller (IL-15), Ralph Norman (SC-05), Jay Obernolte (CA-23), Andrew Ogles (TN-05), Robert Onder (MO-03), Scott Perry (PA-10), Chip Roy (TX-21), David Schweikert (AZ-01), Keith Self (TX-03), Lloyd Smucker (PA-11), Victoria Spartz (IN-05), Greg Steube (FL-17), Marlin Stutzman (IN-03), Tom Tiffany (WI-07), Beth Van Duyne (TX-24), and Ryan Zinke (MT-01).

    The full letter is available here. 

    Full text follows below: 

    May 7, 2025
     

    The Honorable Mike Johnson

    Speaker, U.S. House of Representatives

    Washington, D.C. 20515

    The Honorable Steve Scalise

    Majority Leader, U.S. House of Representatives

    Washington, DC 20515

    Subject: Commitment to House Framework in Reconciliation

    Dear Speaker Johnson and Leader Scalise,

    We are fully committed to passing a reconciliation bill that achieves the objectives we all support, which include extending President Trump’s tax cuts, growing our economy, securing our borders, unleashing American energy, and ensuring peace through strength.

    Additionally, we remain firmly committed to ensuring the bill is genuinely fiscally responsible. We reaffirm that our support depends, at minimum, on the bill’s strict adherence to the House framework for instructions contained in the concurrent budget resolution (Section 4001 of H.Con.Res.14). We also appreciate your assurance that no measure will be brought to the floor unless it fully meets this standard.

    The Big Picture

    America’s fiscal path is unsustainable and worsening. The national debt has exceeded $36 trillion and is growing by nearly $2 trillion each year. Annual interest costs are on track to surpass $1 trillion, overtaking what we spend on Medicare or national defense. Federal outlays remain at record highs, and the recent strain in Treasury markets makes it clear that we can no longer count on historically low interest rates. We must move decisively to restore market confidence and put the budget on a sustainable path.
     

    Minmum Criteria for Our Support

    Under the House’s framework, the reconciliation bill must not add to the deficit. The House budget resolution assumes that enacting President Trump’s agenda, including extending the 2017 tax cuts, will generate $2.5 trillion in additional revenue through economic growth. This means that all additional tax cuts or increases in spending above this level must be offset. To fully extend and build upon the 2017 tax cuts, this means that the reconciliation bill must include at least $2 trillion in verifiable savings either through spending reductions or scaling back the size of the tax package. If savings fall short, the Ways and Means Committee’s instruction

    must be lowered dollar-for-dollar to keep the reconciliation bill within the agreed limits.

    In practice, the Ways and Means Committee’s instruction may not exceed $2.5 trillion more than the debt reduction achieved by all other committees.

    Deficit Reduction in Other Committees                 Maximum Ways and Means Instruction

    $2.0 trillion                                                                 $4.5 trillion

    $1.5 trillion                                                                 $4.0 trillion

    $1.0 trillion                                                                 $3.5 trillion

    Critically, the deficit reduction target must be met with real, enforceable spending cuts – not budget gimmicks. The final bill must deliver structural reforms that strengthen long-term growth and produce long-term savings.

    Bottom Line

    A $2 trillion reduction in spending may sound substantial. However, it equals only 2.3 percent of projected federal outlays over the next decade and only reduces the rate of growth in spending. Even with those savings, annual spending is expected to grow from $7 trillion to $10 trillion over the next 10 years, and debt will exceed $50 trillion by 2035.

    The House reconciliation instructions are binding. They set a floor for savings, not a ceiling. We must hold that line on fiscal discipline to put the country back on a sustainable path.

    We are more committed than ever to making that happen.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Smucker Announces 2025 Congressional Art Competition Winner

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Lloyd Smucker (PA-16)

    Lancaster—Rep. Lloyd Smucker (PA-11) announced the winner of the 2025 Congressional Art Competition for high school students in Pennsylvania’s 11th Congressional District.  

    “Congratulations to this year’s Congressional Art Competition winner and thank you to all the students who submitted their incredible work,” said Rep. Smucker. “Once again, the entries showcased a remarkable range of talent and creativity, making this year’s contest especially competitive. I’m deeply impressed by the artistic abilities of students throughout PA-11, and I’m proud to see their work represented in our nation’s capital. I wish Gianna continued success in all her endeavors and thank her for sharing her artistic gift with the many visitors to Washington, D.C.”

    The winning entry, American Heritage by Gianna Fasano of Lampeter-Strasburg School District, will have the distinction of representing Pennsylvania’s 11th Congressional District in the 43rd Annual Congressional Art Exhibition. The artwork will be displayed for one year in the Cannon Tunnel of the United States Capitol in Washington, DC. The Cannon Tunnel is the most highly traveled access point between the office buildings of the House of Representatives and the U.S. Capitol. Every day, Members of Congress, distinguished visitors, and tens of thousands of tourists – from the United States and abroad – walk through the tunnel and admire the award-winning artwork from congressional districts across the nation. 

    The Congressional Art Competition showcases the remarkable artistic talents of students in each Congressional district and across the nation. Since the Congressional Art Competition began in 1982, more than 650,000 high school students have participated. 

    Rep. Smucker pictured with the winner of the PA-11 2025 Congressional Art Competition Gianna Fasano and her artwork entitled American Heritage. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Smucker Champions Key Tax Relief Measures Included in “One Big, Beautiful Bill”

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Lloyd Smucker (PA-16)

    WASHINGTON—Rep. Lloyd Smucker (PA-11), a senior member of the Committee on Ways and Means, voted to advance the committee’s legislative proposals in compliance with the instructions of H. Con. Res. 14, the Concurrent Resolution on the budget for Fiscal Year 2025. 

    “Today’s vote is a great step forward to enacting the “One Big, Beautiful Bill” to provide hardworking families, small businesses, seniors, and farmers with additional tax relief. This legislation will put more money back into Americans’ pockets and unleash greater business investment by providing them with much-needed certainty in our tax code. We must get this done for the American people,” said Rep. Lloyd Smucker (PA-11). “As Congress continues to move forward throughout this process, we must ensure that it is done in a fiscally responsible manner and complies with the outlines of the House’s budget resolution.”

    The committee reported legislative language to permanently extend many expiring provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, including the individual tax rates, the small business tax deduction, and relief for family-farmers from the death tax. 

    The Ways and Means Committee proposal contains legislative provisions authored by Rep. Smucker, including: 

    • Permanent Tax Relief and Certainty for Small Businesses: Permanently increasing and enhancing the small business tax deduction, known as Section 199A of the tax code. Smucker’s Main Street Tax Certainty Act has the support of 187 Members of the House and the legislation has broad support among stakeholders in PA-11 and across the nation.  
       
    • Expanded Support for Individuals with Disabilities Using ABLE Accounts: Smucker’s bipartisan ENABLE Act to allow individuals with disabilities and their families to save and invest in tax-advantaged accounts without jeopardizing their eligibility for essential federal support programs like Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income, is included making these tax provisions permanent. 
       
    • Improved Access to Primary Care: The Ways and Means Committee’s proposals include Smucker’s Primary Care Enhancement Act, which would clarify provisions of the Internal Revenue Code to remove barriers for individuals with Health Savings Accounts from using those funds to access Direct Primary Care, a health care delivery model which provides high-quality care at lower cost for individuals of all ages and incomes across America.

    # # #

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Kansas City Lawmakers Support National Historic Landmark Designation of Quindaro Townsite

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)

    (Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Derek Schmidt (R-KS), and Sharice Davids (D-KS) have called on the National Park Service to designate the Quindaro Townsite in Wyandotte County as a National Historic Landmark. The Kansas City, Kansas site served as a critical entry point for anti-slavery settlers and a sanctuary for those escaping bondage via the Underground Railroad prior to and during the U.S. Civil War.

    “The Quindaro Townsite is a vital piece of U.S. history that demonstrates our national commitment to liberty and self-determination, which ought to be celebrated and shared with future generations,” said Congressman Cleaver. “Just as I was proud to introduce the bipartisan Quindaro Townsite National Historic Landmark Act with Reps. Schmidt and Davids, I’m once again honored to advocate for the designation of Quindaro as a National Historic Landmark, preserving this important chapter in America’s story until the end of time.”

    “Quindaro is a meaningful part of our region, state, and country’s history,” Congressman Schmidt said. “Recognizing the site as a National Historic Landmark will provide the designation necessary to properly preserve the legacy of this important historical site. I’m proud to lead my fellow Kansas City area lawmakers in this effort.”

    “Quindaro is a powerful part of Kansas’ history in the fight for freedom and equality, but for too long, local preservation efforts of this important site have lacked much-needed resources,” Representative Davids said. “I’m proud to work with Representatives Schmidt and Cleaver to ensure this site receives the recognition and protection it deserves through a National Historic Landmark designation.”

    Founded in 1857, Quindaro emerged as a beacon for Free-State advocates during the turbulent “Bleeding Kansas” era. Strategically located along the Missouri River, it served as a critical entry point for anti-slavery settlers and a sanctuary for those escaping bondage via the Underground Railroad. The town’s establishment was a collaborative effort among the Wyandot Nation, New England abolitionists, and African American settlers, exemplifying a unique and harmonious multicultural alliance during a period marked by division and conflict.

    Beyond its pivotal role in the anti-slavery movement, Quindaro became a nucleus for post-Civil War African American advancement. The establishment of the Quindaro Freedman’s School, later known as Western University, marked a significant milestone as the first Black school west of the Mississippi River. Institutions like Douglass Hospital further underscored the town’s commitment to education and healthcare within the African American community.

    Archaeological excavations have unveiled a wealth of artifacts, offering invaluable insights into the daily lives of Quindaro’s diverse inhabitants. The site’s preserved foundations and structures provide a tangible connection to this rich history. Recognized on the National Register of Historic Places since 2002, Quindaro’s significance has been further acknowledged through its designation as a National Commemorative Site in 2019.

    In 2023, the lawmakers introduced the Quindaro Townsite National Historic Landmark Act to designate the Quindaro Townsite as a National Historic Landmark.

    The official letter from lawmakers is available here.

     

    Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Cleaver’s Statement on the Passing of Former Missouri Governor and Senator Christopher S. “Kit” Bond

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)

    (Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) released the following statement after the passing of former Missouri Governor and Senator Christopher S. “Kit” Bond.

    “Kit Bond was a superb statesman, an exemplary public servant, and a dear friend to myself and Missourians across the Show Me State. From his time as State Auditor to his stewardship of Missouri as Governor, and eventually as Missouri’s Senator in Washington, Kit was the kind of elected official that every Missourian could be proud to call their representative; I know I was.  

    “Having come from the small town of Mexico, Missouri, Kit would go on to graduate top of his class in law school and use his brilliant legal mind to clerk for the Chief Judge on the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. He was the epitome of the American Dream and what is possible through hard work and perseverance. While he could have stayed in Washington, D.C. to pursue a lucrative career in law, his love for Missouri and passion for public service were a magnetic force that brought him back home. 

    “As a City Councilman and then Mayor, I had the privilege of working with Governor-turned-Senator Bond on numerous projects to the benefit of Kansas City and those who reside in our community. From the Charles E. Whittaker Federal Courthouse to the National World War I Museum and Memorial, as well as the redevelopment of 18th & Vine and the construction of the Christopher S. Bond Bridge, one cannot walk around our community without experiencing the important work of Kit Bond – and every Kansas Citian should be grateful for his willingness to seek common ground and work across the aisle to make each of them possible.”

    “With time, our professional relationship grew into a profound friendship that I will cherish forever. It is with deep sadness that I say farewell to a true friend, and I extend my deepest condolences to the entire Bond family as they grieve this colossal loss. May every Missourian take a moment to give thanks to this Missouri hero, and may his memory be a blessing to all.”

    ###

    Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cleaver, Graves Introduce Resolution Honoring America’s Teachers

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)

    (Washington, D.C.) – In honor of National Teacher Appreciation Week, U.S. Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) and Sam Graves (R-MO) introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives to recognize the dedication and lasting impact of America’s teachers. This bipartisan resolution highlights the important role that teachers play in shaping the next generation to become productive, responsible, and successful citizens, and encourages every American to show appreciation for the teachers in their life. 

    “America’s teachers play an invaluable role in shaping our children, and the future of the country, into the resilient, intelligent, and morally virtuous individuals we expect them to become,” said Congressman Cleaver. “During Teacher Appreciation Week, I’m proud to join my friend Sam Graves in introducing this bipartisan resolution to formally recognize the important work educators do in Missouri and all across this great nation. On behalf of the communities we represent and from the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for your service.”

    “Our dedicated teachers go above and beyond to ensure that our children have the best possible education,” said Congressman Graves. “They show up every day to help students succeed, learn, and grow. I’ve been lucky to learn from great teachers throughout my life, and I’ve seen the same impact on my kids and grandkids. Thank you to all of America’s teachers. During Teacher Appreciation Week and every week, we thank the educators who shape our communities and help prepare our children for a successful future.”

    Congressman Cleaver has been a strong supporter of public education and American teachers. In 2023, Congressman Cleaver co-introduced the American Teacher Act to incentivize states to establish a K-12 teacher salary requirement of at least $60,000. Additionally, Rep. Cleaver previously called on Governor Parson to strengthen Missouri’s education system by boosting teacher pay. In March, following President Trump’s illegal executive order to dismantle the Department of Education, Cleaver hosted Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and Workforce, in Kansas City to meet with local educators in Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District to discuss the impact of potential cuts to public education.

    The bipartisan resolution is cosponsored by Representatives Angie Craig (D-MN), Ed Case (D-HI), and Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR).

    Official text of the resolution from Reps. Cleaver and Graves is available here.

     

    Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Cleaver, Local Federal Employees Hold Press Conference Condemning Cuts to Federal Workforce

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)

    (Kansas City, MO) – Today, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) held a press conference with local employees from the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Missouri National Education Association (MNEA), National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), and the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) to highlight the impact of the Trump administration and Elon Musk’s cuts to the federal workforce. More than 30,000 federal workers are employed in Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, with one economist estimating the region could lose 6,000 good-paying federal jobs, which could wipe out thousands of other jobs in the process. 

    “The Trump administration and Elon Musk have treated our federal workforce like a disposable expense, rather than the backbone of a functioning democracy,” said Congressman Cleaver. “Slashing jobs, hollowing out agencies, and undermining public service isn’t reform – it’s sabotage. I’m proud to stand with the unions representing the men and women who keep this country running. Today’s gathering is a line in the sand. We’re standing with the workers who’ve been silenced, sidelined, and scapegoated – and we won’t let billionaires hollow out public service under the guise of efficiency without a fight.”

    The basics:

    Where do federal employees work?

    • Federal employees work in every congressional district in the country. In fact, 80 percent of the 2.3 million federal civilian employees work outside the D.C. region. As a result, mass firings have the potential to not only affect government services, but also to disrupt local economies.

    What departments employ the most federal employees?

    • Eight departments each employ over 100,000 civilian employees. They are the Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Homeland Security, Department of the Army, Department of the Navy, Department of the Air Force, Department of Justice, Department of Treasury, and other Department of Defense employees not included in the branches of the military. Employees at these agencies account for almost 75 percent of the federal civilian workforce, not including U.S. Postal Service workers. 

    How much money is spent on federal employees?

    • Approximately 4 percent of all federal spending is compensation for civilian employees. In fiscal year 2022, the federal government spent $6.3 trillion in total outlays but only $271 billion was from compensation to civilian employees. For comparison, the gross tax gap from taxes the wealthy owe but refuse to pay is approximately $696 billion, or 2.5 times more than all compensation to civilian employees. Total civilian employee compensation is dwarfed by the amounts that wealthy tax cheats don’t pay in taxes.
    • Moreover, as Congressional Republicans enable DOGE cuts in communities across the country, they are currently working to pass a $4.5 trillion tax cut that overwhelmingly benefits the top 5% of Americans.

    Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scott: Republican Budget is a Big, Bad Bill

    Source: {United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bobby Scott (3rd District of Virginia)

    Headline: Scott: Republican Budget is a Big, Bad Bill

    WASHINGTON, D.C.:  Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) delivered the following statement at the House Budget Committee’s failed markup of Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2025, H. Con. Res. 14, President Trump’s so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”:  
     

     

    “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It’s hard to take my colleagues on the other side of the aisle seriously when they come here and give speech after speech after speech, complaining about the deficit and then support this reconciliation plan that INCREASES the deficit. But this should not come as a surprise because every single Democratic president and presidential administration since Kennedy has left for their Republican successors a better deficit situation than the one they inherited. And every single Republican presidential administration since Nixon has left a WORSE deficit situation for the Democrats than the one they inherited. All without exception. 

    “So here we go again. A Republican president following a Democratic president. The Republicans are here to make speeches about deficits and debts, and then again set to increase the deficit and national debt just like clockwork. So, the reason we have all this debt is because Democrats have not been able to clean up the Republican messes as quickly as they make them.

    “This bill not only increases the deficit, it makes working families pay a price. As the Ranking Member of the Committee on Education and Workforce, I am particularly outraged Republicans want to fund tax cuts for corporations and billionaires by making cuts in educational and nutritional programs. This bill uses taxpayers’ money to take resources from public schools, which serve 90% of students, and divert them to private schools. The bill also harms children’s access to school meal programs and makes it harder for students to afford a college education. 

    “So, there’s nothing fiscally responsible about this budget and working families and middle-class families will pay the price.

    “Programs that keep kids, seniors, veterans and people with disabilities from going hungry and ensure that students receive a quality education should not be on the chopping block. And after weeks of statements from Republican members that the budget they voted for twice does not cut Medicaid, this bill will rip away health care away from millions of Americans using Medicaid and makes health care more expensive for everyone else.

    “This Big, Bad Bill is a collection of bad policies. It kicks millions of people off their health care, threatens food security for millions of families, makes it harder for students to afford education, and diverts taxpayer resources from public schools. It does all of this to give corporations and wealthy billionaires a tax cut and then it makes our debt worse. I urge my colleagues to vote no on this legislation.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: McCaul to Co-Chair Friends of Australia Caucus

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Michael McCaul (10th District of Texas)

    WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) — chairman emeritus of the House Foreign Affairs Committee — announced he will co-chair the Congressional Friends of Australia Caucus alongside long-time co-chair, Congressman Joe Courtney AO (D-Conn.).

    “As the United States’ adversaries work together to create an increasingly dangerous world, trusted allies like Australia are as critical as ever. That’s why I’ve worked diligently to strengthen AUKUS — the Australia-U.K.-U.S. alliance that keeps Chairman Xi up at night,” said Rep. McCaul. “A strong U.S. relationship with Australia benefits both of our economies, enhances our mutual security, and deters the CCP’s malign ambitions in the Indo-Pacific. I look forward to working with Congressman Courtney, who has a proven commitment to the U.S.-Australia alliance, to continue bolstering the caucus’ work at this important time in history.” 

    “I am very excited to work with Congressman McCaul, who demonstrated his active support for the U.S.-Australia alliance in 2023 by partnering to enact historic bipartisan AUKUS authorities,” said Rep. Courtney AO. “As Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, he guided committee approval of key ITAR provisions that were incorporated into the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act. The bipartisan Friends of Australia Caucus has more work to do to build on that success, and I look forward to working with Michael to achieve this goal.”

    Background:

    The Congressional Friends of Australia Caucus seeks to expand and enrich the partnership between the United States and Australia, which enjoy strong economic and defense ties. McCaul has long supported the relationship between the U.S. and Australia, acknowledging that Australia is one of our most important strategic allies in the Indo-Pacific.

    Last Congress, McCaul championed several pieces of legislation to strengthen the Australia-United Kingdom-United States (AUKUS) defense pact. He also penned a recent op-ed in the National Review on the critical importance of AUKUS.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: McCaul Discusses Latest on Ukraine, Trump’s Visit to the Middle East, More on CBS’ Face the Nation

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Michael McCaul (10th District of Texas)

    Austin, Texas – U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) — chairman emeritus of the House Foreign Affairs and Homeland Security Committees — joined CBS’ “Face the Nation” with Ed O’Keefe to discuss the latest on ceasefire efforts in Ukraine, President Trump’s upcoming visit to the Middle East, and more.

    Click here to watch

    On ceasefire negotiations between Ukraine and Russia:

    “It’s very intense. … Mr. Putin decided to bomb Ukraine on Palm Sunday. He’s not making any concessions at all, while Zelensky seems to be making all the concessions. So the bottom line is: Putin has to agree to a 30-day cease-fire for any peace talks to go forward, and the land that he is asking for is — you know, even JD Vance talked about this, and the president — land that Russia has not even occupied in Ukraine. So [Putin] has to operate in good faith. We want peace, but not peace at any price. Because peace at any price is like appeasement, like we saw with Chamberlain and Hitler, and that’s unacceptable.

    On the likelihood of the US passing a sanctions package:

    “If Mr. Putin does not agree to a 30-day ceasefire, I think the sanctions are almost certain, not only from the Congress, but from the White House. … Getting [the national security supplemental package] passed the last time was a major accomplishment. Had we not accomplished that, Ed, Russia would be occupying Ukraine today — no question in my mind. … So again, it’s really up to Mr. Putin, who so far has not been negotiating in good faith, as to how we proceed from here. And we all want this war to end. We all want peace, but we want a just peace.”

    On President Trump’s upcoming trip to the Middle East:

    “We don’t have all the details. I know he’s there to discuss an economic alliance with the Saudis, with the UAE, with the Arab nations. And that’s important. Just like the minerals deal that the Ukraine parliament voted for, the more economically we’re tied to the Middle East, the more we’re security tied, and that will push China out of the region. The ultimate goal here, though, is a normalization agreement with Israel. We were getting close to that, until Iran decided, through its proxy in in Gaza — Hamas — to invade on October 7. So the point is, we need to be talking about all this as a package. But again, we cannot have normalization until you have a cease-fire in Gaza. And I think that’s the more difficult piece here.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: McCaul Praises Trump Admin’s Border Security Efforts at Hearing with Secretary Noem

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Michael McCaul (10th District of Texas)

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) — chairman emeritus and current vice chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee — delivered remarks on the Trump administration’s swift success in securing the border and questioned Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem about the importance of passing House Republicans’ reconciliation bill.

    Click to watch

    Transcript of Vice Chair McCaul’s Interaction with Secretary Noem:

    Vice Chair McCaul: Madam Secretary, it was great to serve with you in Congress. It was an honor, and it’s an honor to see you as secretary of this important department. Let me say on behalf of my state of Texas, thank you for what you’ve done in a very short period of time.

    I’ve worked on this issue — as a federal prosecutor [and] as chairman of this committee — for over 25 years. I never saw the border more broken, more chaotic, than I did under the prior administration. Yet within months, you have restored order to the border, and the stats speak for themselves. And I want to commend you and President Trump for that.

    You know, on day one, [the Biden administration] rescinded the Remain in Mexico policy, which led to the chaos. It said, we’re open for business, come on in. And they did. Over 10 million encounters, 2 million gotaways. Yet within months of your administration, that number [of encounters] has gone down 93%.

    Catch and release. I’ve been fighting that one for years [through solutions like Remain in Mexico]. The Biden administration did away with it. Now we’re decreased to 99.99%. Almost zero catch and release. A very dangerous policy. Remain in Mexico’s [underlying statute] has been on the books for 30 years. Yet I marked it up on the Foreign Affairs Committee last year as part of the Secure the Border Act.

    Most offensively, and the reason I was an impeachment manager against Mayorkas, was his dereliction of duty to basically prioritize allowing aggravated felons into the country, even though Congress, by federal law, said “shall detain” aggravated felons. Yet, what did he do? He told his agents, that’s discretionary. You can release these dangerous criminals into our society.

    What have you done within months? [In the first] 50 days, you have 14,000 criminal aliens arrested, some of the most brutal gang members like MS-13 and TDA, and it’s making this country safer.

    Fentanyl, each year more Americans die from fentanyl than the number of Americans who died in the Vietnam War over 20 years. You recently had the largest massive seizure of these deadly drugs just this last couple weeks [that were being trafficked] by the Sinaloa cartel. And again, my state thanks you for that.

    Terrorism. You said 250 known or suspected terrorists have been deported. We saw after Afghanistan, the debacle of the collapse of Afghanistan, when Bagram was shut down, the prisons were unleashed, ISIS-K went to the Khorasan region, crossed into the United States, and eight were found plotting in this country.

    You are making this country safer by your actions. The Biden administration made it dangerous, and it didn’t take a bunch of new laws. It [took] new leadership, which you have provided and the president has provided as well.

    My question to you is, as you know, you need resources. And nobody knows that better than I do. We marked up a bill — about $70 billion — that can be put into your department to [enforce] these laws already passed by the Congress. The Foreign Terrorist Organization designation [for cartels] was huge.

    Let me just ask you this. How will this bill, the reconciliation bill, assist you in your efforts to continue and promote safety in the United States?

    Secretary Noem: Well, thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I appreciate all of your leadership on our national security issues in the past and still continue in the future to focus on that.

    The reconciliation bill is imperative to our future in securing our nation. For years previous, the Department of Homeland Security has been neglected. It’s one of the larger agencies in the federal government with one of the smallest budgets. And certainly under the previous administration, the Coast Guard was hollowed out. Border Patrol and ICE were not allowed to do their jobs. They were not allowed to invest in new technologies that they could utilize for interdiction. Also, our borders need surveillance and technology to make sure that we know who’s coming into this country and why. Our ports of entry need new scanners so that we’re truly scanning our shipping containers and much of our air freight. We don’t know what’s coming in by air either.

    Those kinds of adjustments and technology and software upgrades are needed to compete, but also to secure our country with the threats that we face. And we don’t just face threats from gangs and cartels. It’s from China and the PRC and Iran and hackers that come into our system. Salt and Volt Typhoon have taught us that we’re extremely vulnerable to these kinds of attempts in the future.

    In fact, one of the most alarming things I heard as soon as I was nominated for this position, I was in a briefing from CISA that told me that they knew with salt typhoon that we had been hacked, but they also said they didn’t know how it happened or how to stop it in the future. Now the main goal of CISA is to hunt and to harden our systems. Hunt bad actors and harden our systems for our small and medium sized critical infrastructure. Department of Homeland Security has 10 of the 16 components of critical infrastructure, and that’s what we need to focus our resources on.

    Vice Chair McCaul: Thank you.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Cohen Urges FAA to Implement EVAC Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09)

    Also suggests Department of Defense helicopters be prohibited in commercial airline corridors

    WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9), the Ranking Member of the Aviation Subcommittee, discussed implementation of the 2024 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization law, including his EVAC Act, at a full Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing on an update of the measure on the anniversary of its passage.

    During the hearing, Congressman Cohen said in part: 

    “We passed a great bill last year but…implementation is what’s important and right now the FAA is clearly not tracking what they were intended to do, what we expected…” 

    In his questions to expert witnesses, Congressman Cohen suggested that the FAA “immediately” prohibit Department of Defense helicopters from operating in the flight paths of commercial airliners to prevent the kind of accident that led to 67 fatalities near Reagan National Airport in January. He also asked about the telecommunications outages that have been occurring at Newark Liberty International Airport. He also inquired on the status of the study called for in his Emergency Vacating of Aircraft Cabin (EVAC) Act, to determine whether a realistic cohort of air travelers can evacuate a plane within the mandated 90 seconds, required to be completed by tomorrow’s May 16 deadline. 

    See his line of questions here.

    Witnesses at today’s hearings were:

    • Jodi Baker, Deputy Associate Administrator of Aviation Safety, Federal Aviation Administration;
    • Wayne Heibeck, Deputy Associate Administrator of Airports, Federal Aviation Administration;
    • Frank McIntosh, Deputy Chief Operating Officer of Air Traffic Organization, Federal Aviation Administration; and
    • Derrick Collins, Director of Physical Infrastructure, United States Government Accountability Office.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Veasey Slams Republicans For Gutting Medicaid, Silencing Cancer Survivor

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Marc Veasey (33rd District of Texas)

    Headline: Rep. Veasey Slams Republicans For Gutting Medicaid, Silencing Cancer Survivor

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee shamefully voted to gut $800 billion from Medicaid—stripping health coverage from 14 million Americans. After a 27-hour markup, during which they attempted to hide from the public and silence the truth, Republicans unanimously voted to sign the death warrants of millions of children, mothers, seniors, and people with disabilities.

    “When I called Carla—a cancer survivor and the daughter of a WWII veteran—to share her story, Republicans didn’t just look the other way—they literally moved to silence her,” said Congressman Marc Veasey. “Make no mistake: Republicans are lying. Stripping away health care to hand billionaires a tax cut isn’t policy—it’s arson.”

    When Rep. Veasey phoned Carla to give voice to her experience, Republicans cut her mic—choosing silence and lies over humanity.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressional Caucus on Youth Sports Relaunches, Co-Chaired by Reps. Marc Veasey and Jake Ellzey

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Marc Veasey (33rd District of Texas)

    Headline: Congressional Caucus on Youth Sports Relaunches, Co-Chaired by Reps. Marc Veasey and Jake Ellzey

    Washington, D.C. – May 16, 2025 – Yesterday, Representatives Marc Veasey (D-TX) and Jake Ellzey (R-TX) announced the official resurrection of the bipartisan Congressional Caucus on Youth Sports, reaffirming Congress’s commitment to expanding access and increasing youth sports participation to communities across the nation.

    The caucus, co-chaired by Reps.Veasey and Ellzey, will bring together lawmakers to address the challenges facing our nation’s youth, including youth physical and mental health, juvenile crime, lagging educational outcomes, and lack of military preparedness, and the proven benefit of youth sports in counteracting and preventing these negative outcomes.   

    “Youth development is about more than academics—it’s about access to safe spaces where kids can play, grow, and thrive,” said Rep. Marc Veasey. “When I first co-chaired this caucus, our goal was to ensure every child—regardless of zip code—could benefit from the life skills, health, and community that sports provide. Reviving this caucus with Congressman Ellzey and our colleagues means we can do even more to break down barriers and invest in the next generation of leaders.”

    Rep. Jake Ellzey added, “As a former athlete and a parent, I know firsthand the positive impact sports can have on young people. Teamwork, discipline, and perseverance are lessons that last a lifetime. I’m proud to join Congressman Veasey in leading this bipartisan effort to support youth sports, strengthen our communities, and ensure every child has a chance to succeed—on and off the field.”

    The nation has a public health goal for youth participating in sports: 63% by the end of the decade, a target set through the Healthy People 2030 program administered by the Office of Health and Human Services. Currently our nation sits at 54% youth sports participation, as reflected in the latest available data from the National Children’s Health Survey.

    The revitalized caucus was announced today by Representatives Veasey and Ellzey at the National Physical Fitness and Sports Month’s Congressional Youth Sports Fest. The event was hosted by FundPlay Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to equalizing the playing field for youth sports, and featured activations by the National Football League and Washington Wizards, as well as other leading companies working to increase youth sports participation nationwide, in honor of National Physical Sports and Fitness Month (May 2025). 

    The Congressional Caucus on Youth Sports will focus on expanding access to facilities, increasing funding for community programs, and advocating for policies that support the holistic development of young athletes. The caucus welcomes the involvement of stakeholders nationwide as it embarks on this renewed mission.

    The current membership of the Congressional Caucus on Youth Sports can be found here: https://fundplay.org/story/congressional-caucus-on-youth-sports/ 

    Media Contact:
    Edward Do (Walrod), Communications Director, Rep. Veasey, edward.do@mail.house.gov 
    Scott Gilfillan, Communications Director, Rep. Ellzey, Scott.Gilfillan@mail.house.gov 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Veasey Introduces Resolution Recognizing May 2025 as National Physical Fitness and Sports Month

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Marc Veasey (33rd District of Texas)

    Headline: Rep. Veasey Introduces Resolution Recognizing May 2025 as National Physical Fitness and Sports Month

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Representative Marc Veasey (TX-33), Co-Chair of the bipartisan Congressional Youth Sports Caucus, introduced a resolution recognizing May 2025 as National Physical Fitness and Sports Month to encourage Americans of all ages to engage in physical activity and promote healthier lifestyles across the country.

    “As Co-Chair of the Youth Sports Caucus, I know firsthand how critical physical activity is to the long-term health and wellbeing of our communities,” said Rep. Veasey. “From lowering rates of chronic disease to improving academic performance and mental health, movement is medicine—and every American, regardless of income or zip code, should have access to safe spaces and opportunities to get active. With this resolution, we reaffirm our national commitment to healthier lives through fitness and sports.”

    The bipartisan resolution is co-sponsored by Representatives Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Don Bacon (NE-02), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. (GA-04), Emilia Sykes (OH-13), Terri Sewell (AL-07), and Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL)—reflecting a strong, cross-party commitment to the health and development of communities nationwide.

    Research continues to show the wide-ranging benefits of physical activity. In adults, just 150 minutes of activity per week can improve sleep, reduce anxiety, and lower the risk of chronic illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers. For children, 60 minutes of daily physical activity has been linked to better memory, emotional regulation, academic performance, and reduced risk of depression.

    Through his leadership of the Youth Sports Caucus, Rep. Veasey is championing legislative initiatives to expand access to youth sports, improve community infrastructure, and support educators and coaches who mentor students both in and out of the classroom. This resolution builds on those efforts and encourages families, schools, and communities to embrace movement as a foundational part of daily life.

    “As we celebrate National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, I invite Americans to get moving—and to join the broader push for policies that make sports and physical activity accessible to all,” Rep. Veasey added. “Healthy habits should never be a luxury—they should be a right.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ranking Member Hoyer Remarks at FSGG Hearing on the Federal Judiciary

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), Ranking Member of the Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) Appropriations Subcommittee, delivered opening remarks at the FSGG hearing on the Federal Judiciary. Below is a video and transcript of his remarks:
     

    Click here to watch a full video of remarks.
     

    “Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank Judge Conrad and Judge St. Eve for being with us and for the meeting we had, which was very helpful as a preface to this hearing. If the Judiciary, Mr. Chairman, is to meet this pivotal moment and preserve the rule of law, we must ensure that it has the resources and independence it needs to function as a co-equal branch of government. That’s why I’m very disturbed to see certain House Republicans call for retaliation against judges who rule on the law as they see it, but with which the President’s administration may disagree.

    “Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan sent a letter asking this committee to limit funding the Judiciary uses to issue and enforce injunctions. Other House Republicans have filed articles of impeachment against judges, not for any misconduct, but rather for ruling against the administration. Federal judges who block Trump’s illegal executive actions are just trying to do their jobs and interpreting the law. That is their role and that is critical to our democracy. Many were appointed by Republican presidents, some were even appointed by Donald Trump himself. I agree with Chief Justice Roberts’ assessment earlier this week, that retaliation against them has, to use his words, ‘endangered the rule of law.’ You can’t claim to stand for law and order when you threaten the independence of the branch responsible for upholding law and order. Some of my colleagues across the aisle agree, and I hope they’ll stand up for the Judiciary. Our subcommittee needs to ensure our courts receive the resources they need to fulfill their duties under the Constitution. Doing so is especially important considering the recent Continuing Resolution did not provide any funding increase for the Judiciary in Fiscal Year ‘25.

    “Six of the eleven judicial branch appropriations were funded at a freeze for a second year, meaning they were forced to continue operating at Fiscal Year ‘23 levels. For Fiscal Year ‘26, Judiciary requested $9.4 billion in discretionary funding, an increase of $800 million, or 9.3%, over the ‘25 Continuing Resolution. Most of that increase, however, some 68%, is just to offset inflation, while the rest is for programmatic reassessment. Failing to fulfill that request would threaten the Judiciary’s ability to perform basic, constitutional, and statutory functions. I’m particularly concerned, Mr. Chairman, about our federal public defender program, which has faced a severe staffing shortage and budget shortfall for years. As a matter of fact, we made a mistake in this committee and the Senate made a further mistake – which was corrected – which would have completely undermined the ability to perform the public defender service as is necessary.

    “The Judiciary has requested $1.77 billion for defender services, an increase – a substantial increase – of $350 million, or 22%, over the Fiscal Year ‘25 CR. Again, a freeze at ‘23 levels. Without that funding, courts will struggle to ensure that Americans are provided their constitutional right to an attorney, a competent attorney. We also need to ensure that our courts can keep up with the increasing caseloads. That means following through on the request to increase funding for the Court of Appeals and district courts by $345 million, or 6%, and again for the administrative office of the U.S. courts by $8 million, or 8%, over the ‘25 CR. Again, we’re talking about ’73 levels, essentially. Without these increases to help our courts here hire staff as needed and cover basic operational costs, case backlogs will only continue to grow, making it harder for Americans to receive timely justice and due process. I know all the committee members understand this, but criminal cases will become – must become before the civil cases because of the right to a speedy trial. That means small businesses and other Americans will be pushed to later resolution of their cases.

    “We also need to devote more resources to keep our judges and courts safe at the time when Donald Trump and his allies are vilifying our courts. The public hears that and it has a tendency to inflame those who may be irrational, may be mentally ill, or just may be angry. We ought to fulfill its request for a $142 million, or 19% increase above the ‘25 CR for court security – now court security is a euphemism for making sure our judges are safe, making sure that our judges are not intimidated, making sure that justice will be served unrelated to the threat of violence.

    “I look forward to hearing more from Judge Conrad and Judge St. Eve – although I want to say to you, I’m going to go back to my other hearing, I’m going back and forth, but my staff will be here and I’m going to hear everything you say but it may not be – it may be virtually. Everyone who stands for law and order, Mr. Chairman, ought to be united in the mission of ensuring that our Judiciary is safe, neutral, and articulating their thoughts regarding – and opinions with reference to the law, unrelated to intimidation and forces beyond their control. I yield back.”

    MIL OSI USA News –