NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cotton to Patel: Review All FBI Actions by James Comey

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton
    Cotton to Patel: Review All FBI Actions by James Comey
    Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today sent a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel, asking for a review of all FBI actions in which James Comey was personally involved in as FBI Director. This request comes after Comey’s recent social media post threatening President Trump. 
    In part, Senator Cotton wrote:
    “While I have long questioned Mr. Comey’s motive behind various decisions, his social media post threatening President Trump calls into question every FBI action Comey carried out during his tenure as director.”Full text of the letter may be found here and below.
    The Honorable Kashyap PatelDirectorFederal Bureau of Investigation935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NWWashington, DC 20535Dear Director Patel:
    I write requesting a review of all Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) actions in which former Director James Comey was personally involved. While I have long questioned Mr. Comey’s motive behind various decisions, his social media post threatening President Trump calls into question every FBI action Comey carried out during his tenure as director.
    As you are aware, Mr. Comey recently posted a photo on social media of seashells arranged on a beach that formed the numbers “8647”. Mr. Comey admitted that although he thought this was a political statement, he did not intend to call for violence. But in the words of President Trump, “he knew exactly what it meant.”
    I commend the Secret Service for investigating this threat and appreciate the support the FBI has offered. Mr. Comey has politicized investigations, been at the center of leaks, and obviously shown bias against the Trump administration and supporters. I urge you to review all FBI actions directed by Mr. Comey from September 4, 2013, until May 9, 2017.
    I appreciate your attention to this urgent matter.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Offers Relief to Colorado Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Drought

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the availability of low interest federal disaster loans to small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Colorado to offset economic losses caused by drought beginning March 4.

    The disaster declaration covers the Colorado counties of Delta, Dolores, Eagle, Garfield, Gunnison, Mesa, Moffat, Montrose, Ouray, Pitkin, Rio Blanco, Routt, San Juan and San Miguel as well as the Utah counties of Grand San Juan and Uintah.

    Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.

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

    “Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.62% for PNPs with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months after the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

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

    Submit completed loan applications to SBA no later than Jan. 5, 2026.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Statement from Attorney General Bonta Regarding the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Decision to Uphold AB 5

    Source: US State of California

    Friday, May 16, 2025

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

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued the following statement regarding the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit’s decision to uphold AB 5 in Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, Inc. v. Bonta. The case was brought by the California Trucking Association, along with Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, Inc. (OOIDA) in the Southern District of California. Plaintiffs argued that applying AB 5 to drivers who own their trucks and lease their services to motor carriers violates the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution. In today’s decision, the Ninth Circuit disagreed, concluding that AB 5 neither discriminates against interstate commerce nor imposes an excessive burden upon it. 

    “We’re pleased with Court’s decision today to uphold AB 5’s protections. This landmark law is essential in preventing the exploitation of workers misclassified as independent contractors, including in the trucking industry, and ensures a more just and equitable economy for all Californians. The California Department of Justice remains steadfast in our commitment to standing up for the rights of our workers to receive the benefits and protections to which they are legally entitled.”

    A copy of the ruling is available here.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: May 16th, 2025 Heinrich, Luján Fight to Protect Head Start, Meals on Wheels, Social Services from Republican Budget Cuts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) joined Democratic Senate colleagues in sending an open letter to the public exposing the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans’ plan to gut Head Start, Meals on Wheels, and other essential social services like those to prevent child abuse and provide special services for individuals with disabilities. 
    Republican senators are currently writing legislation that will give a tax break to the wealthiest by ripping away programs that American seniors, children, and families rely on. Republicans have targeted two essential funding sources for social services programs—Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) — putting nearly 25 million children, seniors, and families at risk across the country.
    “We write to make our position on this legislation perfectly clear: Congress should not give tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans by ripping away programs that almost 25 million Americans – close to 50% of whom are children – rely on for basic needs,” the senators wrote to the American public. 
    “Earlier this month, Congressional Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate passed a budget that sets the stage for existential cuts to the safety net. Republican leaders claim they have no plans to eliminate essential services, but tens of billions in catastrophic cuts to these programs appeared on Republicans’ published wish list, alongside cuts to Medicaid and SNAP,” the senators continued. “State and local leaders confirm that eliminating SSBG and TANF would reduce programs that serve our most vulnerable as states and localities are already operating under tight budget constraints.”
    The senators’ letter concludes: “Right now, Republicans are writing the most consequential legislation contemplated in decades entirely behind closed doors. That’s because Trump and Congressional Republicans must hide the ugly truth – their legislation feeds corporate and wealthy individuals’ greed by abandoning vulnerable children, starving seniors, and cutting off families in need. You, your family, and your neighbors deserve far better. Democrats are fighting to protect your communities from Republican cuts. Join us and keep up the fight.”
    The open letter to the public is led by U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). Alongside Heinrich and Luján, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.).
    The full text of the letter is here and below:
    An open letter to the public:
    The Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans are planning to give another round of tax handouts to the ultra-wealthy and corporations that are paid for by gutting funding that supports Meals on Wheels, Head Start, and other essential programs that seniors, children, and working families rely on. While Republicans maintain that they are not cutting benefits for people, they have zeroed-in on two essential funding sources for these programs – Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) – putting children, seniors, and families at risk across the country.
    We write to make our position on this legislation perfectly clear: Congress should not give tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans by ripping away programs that almost 25 million Americans – close to 50% of whom are children – rely on for basic needs.
    Earlier this month, Congressional Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate passed a budget that sets the stage for existential cuts to the safety net. Republican leaders claim they have no plans to eliminate essential services, but tens of billions in catastrophic cuts to these programs appeared on Republicans’ published wish list, alongside cuts to Medicaid and SNAP. State and local leaders confirm that eliminating SSBG and TANF would reduce programs that serve our most vulnerable as states and localities are already operating under tight budget constraints.
    These devastating cuts will rip away access to child care and early education for close to 40,000 children, taking away programs that help set them up for successful lives. This will force working parents to walk an even tighter economic tightrope and make impossible choices about whether to cut back their hours or leave their jobs altogether to take care of their children. Moreover, these funding cuts will disproportionately impact kinship families – families in which grandparents or other family members raise children – as TANF is often their sole federal support outside of Social Security and the foster care system.
    Along with children, seniors will bear the brunt of these cuts. For example, in South Carolina, the state’s adult protective services is funded entirely by SSBG, raising questions about how the state will be able to effectively identify and prevent elder abuse without these dollars. SSBG is also a critical funding source for Meals on Wheels programs across the country. If Congressional Republicans get away with eliminating SSBG, the local Meals on Wheels program in Abilene, Texas will be forced to cut services for over half of the 1,700 seniors and people with disabilities across 15 rural communities it currently feeds. It doesn’t get crueler than going after a program that seniors rely on to eat what is often their only meal of the day, and there are programs like these in every community.
    Right now, Republicans are writing the most consequential legislation contemplated in decades entirely behind closed doors. That’s because Trump and Congressional Republicans must hide the ugly truth – their legislation feeds corporate and wealthy individuals’ greed by abandoning vulnerable children, starving seniors, and cutting off families in need. You, your family, and your neighbors deserve far better.
    Democrats are fighting to protect your communities from Republican cuts.
    Join us and keep up the fight.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Schatz Votes To Demand Answers On Trump Administration’s Illegal Deportations To Salvadoran Prisons

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Hawaii Brian Schatz
    Published: 05.15.2025
    Senate Republicans Voted To Block The Resolution

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) released the following statement after voting for a resolution led by U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) to demand answers on the Trump administration’s compliance with court orders regarding illegal deportations of American citizens and residents as well as more information about El Salvador’s human rights record. The resolution was blocked by Senate Republicans.
    “President Trump’s disappearing of American residents to Salvadoran prisons without due process is immoral and unlawful – and it has to stop.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Schatz Criticizes Trump’s ‘Small, Insular, Mercenary’ Foreign Policy, Discusses Rebuilding American Foreign Assistance

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Hawaii Brian Schatz
    WASHINGTON – Speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, condemned the Trump administration’s wholesale dismantling of American foreign assistance and its abrupt departure from generations of bipartisan American foreign policy consensus. He underscored the various ways the administration’s cuts are costing lives and disrupting work critical to American interests around the world. Schatz also outlined ways in which the foreign assistance enterprise could be reformed to be more disciplined and effective going forward.
    “The existing tools of American foreign policy have served us, and the world, well,” said Senator Schatz, a member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. “American leadership has deterred conflict and forged peace; cured diseases and slashed poverty. It has advanced equality, unleashed unprecedented economic prosperity, and powered extraordinary breakthroughs in science and technology. The world order we’ve established, flawed as it is, and as episodically counterproductive as our actions have been, is far better than the alternatives. But we now have a president and Secretary of State in Marco Rubio who are racing to shatter it.”
    Senator Schatz continued, “Legitimate, lawful, and lasting reform is not just possible, but necessary. For foreign assistance, that means rethinking what we do, where we do it, and how we do it. I’m not arguing that we shrink the scope of our ambitions or the scale of our investments. What I am advocating for is a more disciplined approach.”
    “Whether this moment is a requiem or a recess for American leadership is up to all of us. Because for all of the chaos and suffering of the past 4 months, we’re still in a position to rebuild the enterprise. We can still return to being the indispensable nation, as Madeleine Albright used to say. But that requires recapturing our ambition to once again be big, and bold, and expansive, and engaged, and innovative. And it demands a forceful rejection of the false choices being presented about strength and greatness and patriotism,” Senator Schatz concluded.
    A copy of Senator Schatz’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, is below. Video is available here.
    Good evening, everyone. It’s a pleasure to be here with all of you, and I want to thank the Council on Foreign Relations for having me.
    The toll of President Trump’s foreign policy, both on a human level and in policy terms, is rising every day. Children are starving. Mothers are passing HIV onto their newborns. Countries that were partners for decades are now turning to China for help. And our friends and allies, feeling confused and betrayed, are moving on without us.
    But this moment also raises an essential question about the future. Which is: what does a modern American foreign policy – one that is smart and strategic – look like? How do we adapt to reflect the lessons of recent decades and face future challenges?
    And here’s the truth. The existing tools of American foreign policy have served us, and the world, well. American leadership has deterred conflict and forged peace; cured diseases and slashed poverty. It has advanced equality, unleashed unprecedented economic prosperity, and powered extraordinary breakthroughs in science and technology. And so while I get the gravitational pull towards newness, we don’t need to outsmart ourselves, either.
    The world order we’ve established, flawed as it is, and as episodically counterproductive as our actions have been, is far better than the alternatives. But we now have a president and Secretary of State in Marco Rubio who are racing to shatter it.
    President Trump’s narrow and transactional view of the world is not news to anyone. What is genuinely surprising is that Secretary Rubio is aligning himself so closely with it. This is someone who, up until 4 months ago, was an internationalist. Someone who believed in America flexing its powers in all manners, but especially through foreign assistance. And yet, he is now responsible for the evisceration of the whole enterprise. He’s a colleague. I voted for him. And what I’m trying to understand is: what happened? Has he suddenly changed his mind on all of this? Or is someone else in charge?
    We could have done this well – and together. If the goal was to reform foreign assistance, rather than gut it from top to bottom, then the administration was pushing on an open door. In fact, my first meeting with Lindsey Graham at the start of the year when I became Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations was about reforms. What’s working and what’s not? Does our work match our priorities? How can we better align our investments and our objectives? But you don’t fix something by burning it down.
    Legitimate, lawful, and lasting reform is not just possible, but necessary. For foreign assistance, that means rethinking what we do, where we do it, and how we do it. The objectives are the same as they’ve always been – keeping Americans safe, strengthening American businesses overseas, saving lives, and promoting rights and freedoms. The question is: how do we pursue them?
    And it’s through things like PEPFAR which is the most successful global health program in history. It’s saved 26 million lives to date and enabled local health systems to combat the spread of diseases, making the whole world safer and healthier. But because of the administration’s indiscriminate cuts to HIV testing and treatment, thousands of children have already died, and an estimated half a million more could die in the next 5 years. 2030 was our goal to end the HIV/AIDS pandemic. But we’re now moving backwards with more – not fewer – people dying. Kids are dying because we walked away.
    Our work in the Indo-Pacific is important for several reasons – geopolitics, security, trade, climate. But our security partnerships with Vietnam, for example, are possible because of USAID’s health and climate programs which also help address the legacies of the Vietnam War. Abandoning those projects overnight hurts both of our countries.
    And on foreign military financing, which has helped make us the security partner of choice globally, the administration initially froze billions of dollars, forcing our allies to beg for the money that they count on.
    Going forward, the task is two-fold: restoring the things that were clearly working. And that requires processes that actually work and staff who are allowed to work. But most of all, it requires Secretary Rubio’s undivided attention. And then second, we have to look at what we can be doing better.
    And that starts with doing fewer things. Not less, but fewer – and there is a big difference. I’m not arguing that we shrink the scope of our ambitions or the scale of our investments. What I am advocating for is a more disciplined approach. Just because there’s a lot of great and worthy work that we could be doing doesn’t mean we should be the ones doing it. We’re not a private foundation.
    Second, we have to reduce our overreliance on big contractors with high overhead. Contractors shouldn’t be bigger than the agencies that oversee them. And less overhead means more money in the field, actually helping people. Along those lines, we need to stop overregulating our implementing partners and be more flexible about how money is spent.
    Third, there’s a lot of private capital flowing in the world. The challenge sometimes is getting it to flow to the places and projects that we want it to. But we can help fix that with grant dollars that help private sector-led projects pencil out. It’s a good example where the U.S. government doesn’t have to assume the majority of the burden. But we can be smarter about leveraging our resources to achieve outcomes that are in our interest.
    And finally, where possible, we should work to transfer the delivery of basic services – food, water, education – to partner governments. Otherwise, our development programs aren’t actually development programs. They’re service delivery programs with no end in sight. And that’s not helping anyone.
    This isn’t an exhaustive list, but those are the kinds of reforms we should be working toward in our annual appropriations bill. Now, the good news is that there’s longstanding, bipartisan support for this bill. Because leaders and members on both sides of the Capitol understand that we can’t do foreign policy without the tools of foreign policy. It doesn’t matter where you are on the ideological spectrum. You need tools to implement your policies. And so we’re starting to work toward a bill on that basis, and we have a hearing on it next week with Secretary Rubio.
    President Trump’s version of America – small, insular, mercenary – is fundamentally un-American. It’s antithetical to not just our belief, but the world’s belief, in America as the promised land. And it defies generations of American leadership which helped defeat the Nazis, rebuild Europe, prevent nuclear Armageddon, and take down terrorists.
    But whether this moment is a requiem or a recess for American leadership is up to all of us. Because for all of the chaos and suffering of the past 4 months, we’re still in a position to rebuild the enterprise. We can still return to being the indispensable nation, as Madeleine Albright used to say. But that requires recapturing our ambition to once again be big, and bold, and expansive, and engaged, and innovative. And it demands a forceful rejection of the false choices being presented about strength and greatness and patriotism.
    We didn’t become the most powerful nation in human history by walling ourselves off from the world or by trying to extort friends and monetize every relationship. We’re the good guys. And that’s important for its own reasons – separate and apart from geopolitics, though it’s helpful with that too. Being the good guys is foundational to how we move through the world. It’s not woke or left or soft. It has been the perennial, bipartisan consensus since our founding.
    Getting back to that is going to require all of us to do our part. And I really mean that. Many of you here have dedicated your lives to promoting our values and interests. Your work and your voice matter, now more than ever. This is a hard time, but it’s not the hardest of times. We’ve survived greater challenges before, and we can do it again. To save America as we know it, we all have a role to play, both in Congress, but especially outside of it. And as my colleague Sarah McBride’s dad said, if everyone has just a little bit of courage, then no one has to be a hero. So let’s get to it. Thank you.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell Statement on Trump Administration Withholding $500M for Fish Passage at Howard Hanson Dam

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    05.16.25

    Cantwell Statement on Trump Administration Withholding $500M for Fish Passage at Howard Hanson Dam

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, released this statement following news that the Trump administration is withholding $500 million in planned federal funding to construct fish passage at Howard Hanson Dam.

    “Constructing fish passage at Howard Hanson Dam was key to reopening at least 60 miles of prime salmon and steelhead habitat, nearly doubling Green River spawning grounds for endangered salmon and steelhead,” said Sen. Cantwell. “Withholding funding for this project is a stab in the back to tribal, commercial, and recreational fishing families. It also amounts to an abandonment of our commitment to tribal treaty rights, and ignores federal law intended to protect salmon.” 

    In November 2021, nine members of the Washington Democratic congressional delegation led by Sen. Cantwell and Rep. Kim Schrier, M.D. (D, WA-08) sent a letter to Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Michael Connor and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Acting Director Shalanda Young requesting the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and OMB prioritize funding for the planned Howard A. Hanson Dam fish passage facility on the Green River as part of the $17.1 billion in funding included for the Corps in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

    In February 2020, Sen. Cantwell joined Rep. Schrier and the entire bipartisan Washington congressional delegation in sending a letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and OMB requesting funding for the dam.

    Sen. Cantwell was the leading champion in securing a historic $2.855 billion investment in salmon recovery and ecosystem restoration programs in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that passed in November 2021. This funding includes a Cantwell-authored provision to provide $1 billion for the U.S. Department of Transportation to create a new program aimed at removing, replacing, or restoring culverts, which enable the recovery of salmon passage and habitats.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell Statement on Spokane Tech Hub Funding Delay

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    05.16.25

    Cantwell Statement on Spokane Tech Hub Funding Delay

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, released this statement regarding today’s announcement by the U.S. Department of Commerce to delay funding for six Tech Hubs nationwide, including $48 million in funding previously announced for Spokane’s American Aerospace Materials Manufacturing Center (AAMMC).

    “This is an unnecessary delay in a very fast race for future aerospace jobs critical to America’s economic success. In the Economic Development Agency’s own announcement today, they confirm the Spokane Coeur d’Alene Tech Hub award.

    “So now why the delay? 

    “Are they actually trying to lose the race?

    “Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said at his confirmation hearing that he would not withhold previous awards from the Biden Administration.

    “This is causing us chaos and uncertainty in a race against world competitors to build high rate manufactured composites likely to determine which country wins the aerospace future.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Schrier Slams Republicans for Attempts to Cut Medicaid in the Middle of the Night, Highlights Damage Proposal will cause to the Eighth District’s Healthcare System

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – During the 26-hour-long House Committee on Energy and Commerce reconciliation markup, Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) blasted congressional Republicans for their attempts to cut Medicaid and kick nearly 14 million Americans off of their health insurance. Congresswoman Schrier highlighted the impact that slashing Medicaid would have on the Eighth District by sharing the story of Ayla, a four-year-old who is alive today thanks to her rural hospital, Kittitas Valley Healthcare (KVH), which depends on Medicaid to keep its doors open. 

    “Today, Ayla is four years old. She is a happy, healthy child. This story is a testament to what rural healthcare can do — when it is resourced, when it is staffed, and when it is supported. But it’s also a stark reminder of how close Jason and Vanessa came to a very different ending,” said Congresswoman Schrier. “Cutting Medicaid will close rural hospitals. Without KVH, Ayla would not have gotten the critical care she needed.  She wouldn’t have gotten to Children’s in time. The outcome would have been tragic. That’s just one reason Medicaid is essential. Republicans say they’re going after waste, fraud, and abuse when they’re actually going to disenfranchise 13.7 million Americans from health insurance. And all of this, taking health insurance away from people, is meant to fund a gigantic tax cut for billionaires.”

    To watch Congresswoman Schrier’s remarks, click HERE. 

    During delivery, Ayla had transfused nearly 40% of her blood volume back to her mother, leaving her without enough blood to survive. KVH quickly organized a transfer to Seattle Children’s Hospital, but the helicopter was forced to turn back due to weather conditions. KVH was able to make new arrangements, coordinate an EMS transport, and save Ayla’s life.

    In Washington State, approximately 1.8 million individuals are enrolled in Medicaid, also known as Apple Health. The Republican budget calls for billions of dollars in cuts to essential programs like Medicaid, which would be devastating for thousands of patients in the Eighth District and millions across the country. Congresswoman Schrier, the first pediatrician elected to Congress and member of the Democratic Doctors Caucus, has been a leader in fighting against these cuts and defending patients’ access to care.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Tornado Watch 270

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    Note:  The expiration time in the watch graphic is amended if the watch is replaced, cancelled or extended.Note: Click for Watch Status Reports.
    SEL0

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Tornado Watch Number 270
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    650 PM CDT Fri May 16 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Tornado Watch for portions of
    Northern and Central Arkansas
    The Missouri Bootheel
    Far Northern Mississippi
    Western Tennessee

    * Effective this Friday night and Saturday morning from 650 PM
    until 200 AM CDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    A few tornadoes likely with a couple intense tornadoes possible
    Scattered large hail and isolated very large hail events to 3
    inches in diameter likely
    Scattered damaging winds likely with isolated significant gusts
    to 75 mph possible

    SUMMARY…Multiple supercell thunderstorms should pose a threat for
    a few tornadoes this evening, with a strong tornado possible with
    any persistent supercell. Otherwise, large to very large hail (up to
    2-3 inches in diameter) along with scattered to numerous
    severe/damaging winds also appear likely. Peak gusts may reach up to
    65-75 mph if a line of thunderstorms can form later this evening.

    The tornado watch area is approximately along and 60 statute miles
    north and south of a line from 5 miles south southwest of
    Russellville AR to 50 miles east of Jackson TN. For a complete
    depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline update
    (WOUS64 KWNS WOU0).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for
    tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch
    area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for
    threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements
    and possible warnings.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 262…WW 264…WW
    265…WW 266…WW 267…WW 268…WW 269…

    AVIATION…Tornadoes and a few severe thunderstorms with hail
    surface and aloft to 3 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind
    gusts to 65 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 600. Mean
    storm motion vector 27035.

    …Gleason

    SEL0

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Tornado Watch Number 270
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    650 PM CDT Fri May 16 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Tornado Watch for portions of
    Northern and Central Arkansas
    The Missouri Bootheel
    Far Northern Mississippi
    Western Tennessee

    * Effective this Friday night and Saturday morning from 650 PM
    until 200 AM CDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    A few tornadoes likely with a couple intense tornadoes possible
    Scattered large hail and isolated very large hail events to 3
    inches in diameter likely
    Scattered damaging winds likely with isolated significant gusts
    to 75 mph possible

    SUMMARY…Multiple supercell thunderstorms should pose a threat for
    a few tornadoes this evening, with a strong tornado possible with
    any persistent supercell. Otherwise, large to very large hail (up to
    2-3 inches in diameter) along with scattered to numerous
    severe/damaging winds also appear likely. Peak gusts may reach up to
    65-75 mph if a line of thunderstorms can form later this evening.

    The tornado watch area is approximately along and 60 statute miles
    north and south of a line from 5 miles south southwest of
    Russellville AR to 50 miles east of Jackson TN. For a complete
    depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline update
    (WOUS64 KWNS WOU0).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for
    tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch
    area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for
    threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements
    and possible warnings.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 262…WW 264…WW
    265…WW 266…WW 267…WW 268…WW 269…

    AVIATION…Tornadoes and a few severe thunderstorms with hail
    surface and aloft to 3 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind
    gusts to 65 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 600. Mean
    storm motion vector 27035.

    …Gleason

    Note: The Aviation Watch (SAW) product is an approximation to the watch area. The actual watch is depicted by the shaded areas.
    SAW0
    WW 270 TORNADO AR MO MS TN 162350Z – 170700Z
    AXIS..60 STATUTE MILES NORTH AND SOUTH OF LINE..
    5SSW RUE/RUSSELLVILLE AR/ – 50E MKL/JACKSON TN/
    ..AVIATION COORDS.. 50NM N/S /55WNW LIT – 60NNW MSL/
    HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT..3 INCHES. WIND GUSTS..65 KNOTS.
    MAX TOPS TO 600. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 27035.

    LAT…LON 36059312 36478803 34738803 34319312

    THIS IS AN APPROXIMATION TO THE WATCH AREA. FOR A
    COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE WOUS64 KWNS
    FOR WOU0.

    Watch 270 Status Report Message has not been issued yet.

    Note:  Click for Complete Product Text.Tornadoes

    Probability of 2 or more tornadoes

    High (70%)

    Probability of 1 or more strong (EF2-EF5) tornadoes

    Mod (50%)

    Wind

    Probability of 10 or more severe wind events

    High (70%)

    Probability of 1 or more wind events > 65 knots

    Mod (50%)

    Hail

    Probability of 10 or more severe hail events

    High (70%)

    Probability of 1 or more hailstones > 2 inches

    Mod (60%)

    Combined Severe Hail/Wind

    Probability of 6 or more combined severe hail/wind events

    High (>95%)

    For each watch, probabilities for particular events inside the watch (listed above in each table) are determined by the issuing forecaster. The “Low” category contains probability values ranging from less than 2% to 20% (EF2-EF5 tornadoes), less than 5% to 20% (all other probabilities), “Moderate” from 30% to 60%, and “High” from 70% to greater than 95%. High values are bolded and lighter in color to provide awareness of an increased threat for a particular event.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: SHARC Energy Enters Into Short Term Loan Agreement

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SHARC International Systems Inc. (CSE: SHRC) (FSE: IWIA) (OTCQB: INTWF) (“SHARC Energy” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that the Company has entered into a short-term working capital loan agreement for up to $400,000 (the “Loan”).

    The Loan matures on July 31, 2025, subject to mutual agreement for extension, and bears interest at an annual rate of 8%. The Loan is secured against all present and after acquired assets of the Company.

    The Loan will be used for working capital purposes as SHARC Energy works through the working capital cycle of several SHARC and PIRANHA projects that are to be delivered over the next three months.

    In consideration of the Loan, the Company issued 800,000 stock options (the “Options”). Each Option entitles the holder thereof to acquire one common share of the Company at $0.10 per share for three years from the date of issuance.

    About SHARC Energy  

    SHARC International Systems Inc. is a world leader in energy transfer with the wastewater we send down the drain every day. SHARC Energy’s systems exchange thermal energy with wastewater, generating one of the most energy-efficient and economical systems for heating, cooling & hot water production for commercial, residential and industrial buildings along with thermal energy networks, commonly referred to as “District Energy”.

    SHARC Energy is publicly traded in Canada (CSE: SHRC), the United States (OTCQB: INTWF) and Germany (Frankfurt: IWIA) and you can find out more on our SEDAR profile.

    Learn more about SHARC Energy: Website | Investor Page | LinkedIn | YouTube | PIRANHA | SHARC

    ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

    Freid Andriano
    Chairman

    For investor inquiries, please contact:   For media inquiries, please contact:
    Hanspaul Pannu   Mike Tanyi
    Chief Financial & Operating Officer   Director of Marketing & IT
    SHARC Energy   SHARC Energy
    Telephone: (604) 475-7710 ext. 4   Telephone: 604.475.7710 Ext.109
    Email: hanspaul.pannu@sharcenergy.com   Email: mike.tanyi@sharcenergy.com
         

    The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    Forward-Looking Statements 

    Certain statements contained in this news release may constitute forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified using words such as “anticipate”, “plan”, “estimate”, “expect”, “may”, “will”, “intend”, “should”, and similar expressions. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. SHARC Energy’s actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in this forward-looking information as a result of regulatory decisions, competitive factors in the industries in which the Company operates, prevailing economic conditions, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. SHARC Energy believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking information should not be unduly relied upon. Any forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the Company’s expectations as of the date hereof and is subject to change after such date. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities legislation. 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Video: President Donald J. Trump Visits the UAE 🇺🇸🇦🇪

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

    “We now have…over $10 trillion of investment. When I add the $1.4 trillion, we easily break that number. That’s your biggest investment… We also agreed to create a path for UAE to buy some of the world’s most advanced AI semiconductors from American companies…” –President Donald J. Trump

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJlb9qgcahs

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: During National Police Week, Rosen Addresses Nevada & National Law Enforcement, Pledges Continued Federal Support

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
    WASHINGTON, DC – During National Police Week, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) addressed the National Association of Police Organizations, including Nevada law enforcement officers, to thank them for their service to our communities and renew her pledge to work across party lines to make sure they have the resources they need. In her remarks, Senator Rosen detailed her bipartisan efforts to address the police officer shortage and provide law enforcement agencies with the federal resources they need to continue doing their jobs safely and effectively.
    Below are excerpts from Senator Rosen’s remarks as written:
    Let me start by saying how truly grateful I am to the National Association of Police Organizations for all of the work you do every day to keep our communities safe.
    I’m honored to be here with you during National Police Week to say: thank you.
    Each day, you put on your uniform knowing the risks, whether it’s a routine traffic stop or a domestic dispute, any situation can escalate in the blink of an eye.
    […]
    As I’ve met with law enforcement officers all across my state of Nevada, one challenge I hear again and again is the shortage of officers and support staff. 
    This isn’t just a Nevada problem. This is a national crisis.
    When departments are understaffed, the burden on existing officers grows, stretching resources thin and putting even more pressure on those still on the job.
    That’s why I’ve been working across party lines to help recruit and retain the next generation of law enforcement officers.
    I was proud to help pass the bipartisan Recruit and Retain Act, which was signed into law last year. 
    This law established a federal pipeline program to strengthen collaboration between local police departments and schools, helping encourage more young people to pursue careers in law enforcement.
    It also expands the COPS Hiring Program to help local departments cover the costs of recruiting and onboarding new officers.
    This is a critical step to making sure we’re expanding training and making it easier for departments to hire new officers based on the needs and demands of their communities.
    […]
    At the end of the day, this all comes down to one thing: respect – respect for your service, respect for your sacrifice, and respect for your commitment to keeping us safe.
    You are the heroes who put your lives on the line to protect our families, fight crime, and keep us all safe. 
    I promise that as long as I’m in the Senate, I will continue working with my colleagues — Democrats, Republicans, and Independents — to support you, invest in your health and safety, and ensure that you and your families have the support you’ve earned.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner & Kaine Slam Republican Efforts to Gut Health Care in Order to Pay for Tax Cuts for the Wealthiest Americans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (D-VA) released the following statement on findings by the Joint Economic Committee that more than 262,000 Virginians are set to lose their health insurance under the cuts being proposed by President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress:
    “Donald Trump wants to give another massive tax break to his billionaire friends, and Republicans in Congress are planning to pay for that by ripping health care away from working families. These findings make clear that cutting health care to offset the cost of tax breaks will hurt millions of Americans, including 262,400 Virginians who would quickly find themselves with no insurance and no way to pay for a doctor’s visit or the medication they rely on. To make matters worse, these cuts would also deliver a massive blow to rural communities, where hospitals are often able to stay open only because of the dollars they receive from Medicaid. Virginians deserve better than this.”
    The cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act are being proposed as part of the President’s “big, beautiful” tax bill, which seeks to give trillions of dollars in tax breaks to the rich.  
    According to the Joint Economic Committee, these cuts are set to affect approximately 262,400 Virginians, including 100,826 who would lose coverage under the Affordable Care Act and 161,614 who would lose Medicaid coverage. Medicaid serves primarily low-income families, including children, parents, elderly people, and people with disabilities.
    These calculations are based on the latest numbers available, including from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO)’s initial analysis released on Sunday evening – which found that cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act would result in roughly 13.7 million people losing their health insurance by 2034.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Amo Stands Firmly Against the Republican Budget Betrayal

    Source: US Congressman Gabe Amo (Rhode Island 1st District)

    Today, Congressman Gabe Amo worked to amend the disastrous Republican budget to ensure millionaires contribute their fair share.

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today in the House Committee on the Budget, Congressman Gabe Amo (D-RI) voted against on the disastrous Republican reconciliation package that would kick over 13 million people off their health care, gut food assistance for about 11 million people, and steal the dream of higher education from over 4 million Americans to fund tax breaks for billionaires.

    Congressman Amo also introduced a motion to amend this budget betrayal to ensure Republicans fulfill President Trump’s request to make those earning more than a million a year pay their fair share in taxes. Due to hardline Republicans seeking greater cuts to vital services and Democrats sticking together, the bill did not advance out of Committee.

    “Rhode Islanders know that cutting health care and food assistance for millions of Americans to give the richest few an extra $82,000 a year is a bad deal,” said Congressman Gabe Amo, a Member of the House Committee on the Budget. “Some Republicans, however, think it does not cut enough, making clear once again that cruelty is their north star. Republicans are betraying working Americans to fund giant tax breaks for their billionaire buddies, so I voted against this bill.”

    BACKGROUND

    On April 9, 2025, Amo slammed the Republican budget resolution on the House floor and shared the story of a Rhode Islander in the First Congressional District who would be hurt by Republican cuts. 
    On February 25, 2025, Amo took to the House Floor to slam the Republican budget resolution that threatens devastating cuts to critical programs.
    On February 24, 2025, Amo submitted two amendments to the House Committee on Rules to protect SNAP and affirm that Medicaid is a critical program for more than 306,000 Rhode Island residents. The Republican-controlled House Committee on Rules refused to consider Congressman Amo’s amendments.    
    During the House Budget Committee markup on February 13, 2025, Amo offered two amendments to support protecting and extending Medicare’s solvency as well as protect SNAP, the Community Eligibility Provision, the School Breakfast Program, and the National School Lunch Program. Republicans voted no.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: US pullback from renewables has strengthened Canadian industry, panel says

    Source: – Press Release/Statement:

    Headline: US pullback from renewables has strengthened Canadian industry, panel says

    There was a noticeable air of relief at the second Net Zero Quebec summit, hosted by the Canadian Renewable Energy Association in Montreal on May 15. Despite much noise from Canada’s southern neighbour (the U.S.) running from trade tariffs to threats of annexation, renewable companies in Canada and in Quebec seem to be not only surviving, but flourishing, panellists noted. Read more.
    The post US pullback from renewables has strengthened Canadian industry, panel says appeared first on Canadian Renewable Energy Association.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: More power to the people

    Source: – Press Release/Statement:

    Headline: More power to the people

    Canada is entering the age of customer-owned power generation

    By Phil McKay, Senior Director, Distributed Energy Resources and Grid Integration, Canadian Renewable Energy Association 

    Welcome to the new age of customer-owned power generation! The promise of making your own electricity, at your own apartment, house or business, is within reach. On-site, or Behind-the-Meter (BTM) solar and energy storage, can power your appliances, heating, cooling, cars and anything else you can think of. This can provide emergency backup power and protect against energy cost fluctuations. Smart BMS (Building Management Systems) can provide usage data and controls to improve your lifestyle and your business profitability.

    So who is holding the key to unlocking these benefits? Your electricity utility.

    Right now, Canada’s utility professionals are protecting customers by keeping costs low and reliability high. While wrestling with a whole new world of energy needs: People need more electricity because they are electrifying things that never used to get plugged in; data centres are changing the game; industrial processes are shifting.

    The dominant, central power-production model that has been used to push huge amounts of electricity along transmission and distribution lines has already been disrupted. Wind, solar and energy storage are scalable solutions, allowing power-generation projects to contribute energy and services to the grid in hundreds of locations distributed across Canada.

    Now, electricity grids need more resilience in the face of a changing climate, and they must meet new demands from customers connecting fleets of electric vehicles and power-hungry data centers. People want cleaner power and a more equitable distribution of infrastructure to support their communities.

    As a result, we’re seeing the next disruption. Canada is about to cross the milestone of 100,000 solar projects installed behind meters by customers like you and me.

    Over the past three years as the Executive Director of CanREA’s Electricity Transition Hub, I have learned a lot about Canada’s electricity utilities and system operators. We recently concluded this three-year capacity building project, supported by NRCan’s SREPs funding.

    I’ve had the chance to work with dozens of utilities and system operators, helping them make sense of the overwhelming volume of information on the clean-energy transition, and bridge the gap between global learnings and Canada’s specific regional needs.

    Continuing with CanREA as Senior Director, Distributed Energy Resources and Grid Integration, I will expand our work with utilities, system operators, regulators, government agencies and other organizations, while also addressing the next big disrupter: behind-the-meter (BTM) distributed energy resources (DERs).

    I will work with CanREA’s growing BTM membership of solar installers, suppliers and supporting organizations, to address the barriers to a full-scale transformation of neighbourhoods, cities, industrial parks and rural networks.

    At this moment in Canada’s future energy story, the ability to produce and manage power on-site is not available to everyone. There are financial barriers to upgrade a legacy system, both at the utility level and within Canada’s existing building stock.

    There are also connection barriers, with some utilities having prohibitive requirements, or processes based on legacy-protection schemes. Unlocking every electricity meter in the country demands a standardized connection approach and financial mechanisms that allow everyone to participate.

    There has been a lot of progress in some areas of the country. In other places, customers just can’t get at the same opportunities. I think everyone should have the opportunity to build, buy and grow their clean-energy lifestyle or business in their own way, through strong policies, supportive regulations and standards that keep everyone safe and empowered.

    Until Canada’s net-zero emissions economy is within reach, the knowledge-transfer from global learnings to Canadian contexts will not be complete. That’s why I’m excited to work on these two complimentary programs: our Utility GRID Integration Program focuses on finding answers to some of the utility sector’s toughest questions; our BTM Program focuses on hearing from the ‘boots on the ground’ (or on the roof).

    Contact us for more information on either of these two exciting programs and to learn more about membership options that work for you.

    As CanREA’s new Senior Director, Distributed Energy Resources and Grid Integration, I am really looking forward to leading these two programs and supporting the industry in the months and years ahead, as we bring in learnings from around the world and chart the course for Canada’s just, affordable, resilient and clean power system of the future.
    The post More power to the people appeared first on Canadian Renewable Energy Association.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy Joins 29 Colleagues In Introducing Senate Resolution Decrying Two-Month Blockade On Food And Medicine In Gaza

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    May 16, 2025

    WASHINGTON—As the humanitarian situation in Gaza worsens, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joined 29 of his U.S. Senate colleagues in introducing a resolution calling on the Trump Administration to use all diplomatic tools at its disposal to ensure an end to the blockade of food and lifesaving aid to address the needs of civilians. The senators express grave concern about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, including the imminent starvation of tens of thousands of children. 

    “What’s happening in Gaza is a full-blown humanitarian catastrophe. Half a million Palestinians are now at serious risk of famine, and every day that food and medicine are kept from starving families, more children suffer, and more innocent lives are lost,” said Murphy. “There is no time to waste, aid must start moving immediately.”

    On March 2, 2025, the Israeli Government began blocking all food and emergency aid—including food, medicine, infant formula, fuel, and other lifesaving humanitarian supplies—from reaching Palestinian civilians in Gaza. In the same month, all 25 World Food Program (WFP)-supported bakeries in Gaza closed, wheat flour and cooking fuel ran out, and food parcels distributed to families—with two weeks of food rations—were depleted. According to the United Nations, about 10,000 children have been identified as suffering from acute malnutrition since January 2025. 

    More than two months later, a US-backed aid organization established to distribute humanitarian assistance in Gaza announced Wednesday that it would begin rolling out aid by the end of the month and that Israel would lift its blockade in the interim. Aid has yet to flow, and the risk of mass starvation remains dangerously high.

    U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Angus King (I-Maine), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) also cosponsored the resolution. 

    The resolution is supported by Anera, the Friends Committee on National Legislation, J Street, and Oxfam America. 

    Full text of the resolution is available HERE. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Jayapal Statement on SCOTUS Order Blocking Trump Admin’s Efforts to Deport Immigrants Without Due Process

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)

    WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ranking Member of the Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee, released the following statement regarding the Supreme Court’s 7-2 decision blocking the Trump administration from violating due process rights with its reckless implementation of the Alien Enemies Act.

    “Once again, the Supreme Court, including Justices appointed by Trump, overwhelmingly ruled that all people, including immigrants, are entitled to due process. 

    “The Trump administration has been kidnapping and disappearing immigrants, violating their right to due process. By the administration’s own admission, people have been deported by mistake. Their goal appears to be to run roughshod over our Constitution and any fundamental rights. While this is not a final ruling on the merits of the case, it is another critical warning to the administration that it cannot ignore due process. Now, the Trump administration must stop these illegal actions and abide by judicial rulings.”

    Issues: Immigration

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Griffith Actions to Honor, Support Law Enforcement During National Police Week

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA)

    The United States of America celebrates May 11, 2025, through May 17, 2025, as National Police Week. The U.S. House of Representatives voted on three measures during National Police Week to help law enforcement:

    • H.R. 2240 – Improving Law Enforcement Officer Safety and Wellness Through Data Act. Directs the U.S. Department of Justice to gather data on violent attacks against law enforcement officers.
    • H.R. 2243 – LEOSA Reform Act. Improves the Law Enforcement Officer Safety Act and extends concealed carry privileges to qualified law enforcement officers.
    • H.R. 2255 – Federal Law Enforcement Officer Service Weapon Purchase Act. Allows current federal law enforcement officers in good standing to purchase a retired weapon at market value from a federal agency.

    U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) voted in favor of all three measures. 

    On Thursday, May 15, Congressman Griffith attended the 44th Annual National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. The ceremony honored the country’s fallen law enforcement officers. During the ceremony, Vice President J.D. Vance delivered remarks. Second Lady Usha Vance, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Border Czar Tom Homan also attended the Service.

    The Service featured a roll call of the 147 fallen police officers who perished in the last year, including Smyth County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Hunter Reedy. In August of 2024, Deputy Reedy was killed by gunfire and his partner, Deputy Michael Fedorchuk, was injured. Deputy Reedy’s family participated in the Service while Smyth County Sheriff “Chip” Shuler and some of Deputy Reedy’s colleagues were in attendance.

    Following the week of DC activities, Congressman Griffith issued the following statement:

    “Many Virginia communities are equipped with safe streets and peaceful neighborhoods thanks to the firm support and care of our law enforcement officers. I will continue to ‘back the blue’, fight against efforts to defund the police and honor the courageous service of our law enforcement. My heart and prayers go out to the family of Deputy Reedy, the Smyth County Sheriff’s Office and the greater law enforcement community of Southwest, Southside and Central Virginia. The emotional service at the Capitol demonstrates America’s rich culture in celebrating the contributions and sacrifices of law enforcement.”

    BACKGROUND

    Congressman Griffith submitted into the Congressional Record an Extension of Remarks honoring the courageous service of Deputy Hunter Reedy.

    Congressman Griffith also requested a flag be flown over the U.S. Capitol.

    Congressman Griffith presented Deputy Reedy’s family with a printed copy of the Congressional Record and the flag during a ceremony at the Southwest Virginia Criminal Justice Training Academy.

    A copy of the remarks in the Congressional Record can be found here.

    A video of Deputy Reedy’s name being called at the Memorial Service can be found here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Energy Department Announces Emergency Actions to Provide Overdue Relief to Puerto Rico Power Grid

    Source: US Department of Energy

    WASHINGTON—The Department of Energy (DOE) today announced new emergency actions to provide urgent and immediate assistance to the American citizens of Puerto Rico and strengthen the island’s failing power system. Just one month after Puerto Rico’s most recent island-wide blackout, U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright is issuing two emergency orders authorized by the Federal Power Act Section 202(c) to address critical grid security issues and improve grid resiliency. These orders, issued by the Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER), in accordance with President Trump’s Executive Order: Declaring a National Energy Emergency, will unlock emergency protocols and empower Puerto Rico’s government to address immediate problems plaguing the already fragile grid system and prevent further widespread outages ahead of peak summer demand season. 

    In addition to issuing the emergency orders, DOE’s Grid Deployment Office (GDO) will review the $365 million in funding from the Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund (PR-ERF) to ensure all DOE assistance is used to support practical fixes to the grid and benefits all residents of Puerto Rico.  

    “Access to energy is essential for all modern life, yet the current energy emergency jeopardizes Puerto Ricans’ access to basic necessities. This system is unsustainable, and our fellow citizens should not be forced to suffer the constant instability and dangerous consequences of an unreliable power grid,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. “With President Trump’s leadership, we are prioritizing immediate and comprehensive actions that will mitigate the greatest threats to the grid and benefit a vastly larger portion of the population, including critical facilities like hospitals and community centers.”  

    “I thank President Trump and Secretary Wright for their leadership and commitment to address once and for all Puerto Rico’s energy emergency. This Administration clearly understands the urgency of the crisis and is utilizing available, existing emergency authorities to put words into action. With today’s Section 202(c) orders, we will have the necessary flexibilities to begin stabilizing our power grid infrastructure and ensure an affordable, secure, and reliable supply of energy for all of Puerto Rico’s 3.2 million Americans,” said Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer González-Colón. “Energy is essential for both the well-being of our citizens and the island’s economic development, particularly as we seek to attract investment and support the Administration’s re-shoring initiatives. I look forward to continuing our partnership, because when Puerto Rico thrives, America thrives.” 

     Puerto Rico’s electrical grid is facing an energy crisis, with insufficient reserve capacity and recent system-wide blackouts demonstrating its fragility and vulnerability. As Puerto Rico approaches the start of both the summer and hurricane season, challenges around balancing energy supply and demand, along with emergency preparedness, become paramount. Emergency protocols are necessary to address these issues and prevent further widespread outages. 

    The first emergency order directs the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) to dispatch generation units necessary to expand baseload generation for the island and maintain grid reliability, closing the gap in generation shortfall. The second order directs PREPA to perform vegetation management activities, including the clearing of overgrown brush, trees, and vines that present risk of shortages and fire. This vegetation clearing to re-establish a right-of-way will help ensure operational availability of the Specified Transmission Facilities.   

     These emergency activities have been carefully coordinated with the Puerto Rican energy industry, FEMA, HUD, and DOE power experts to streamline efforts and ensure maximum effectiveness. Both Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer González-Colón and Energy Czar of Puerto Rico Josué A. Colón-Ortiz have expressed strong support for these emergency activities. DOE is continuing to work closely with the Governor and all stakeholders to address Puerto Rico’s energy challenges. These collaborative efforts will continue to create a more secure and reliable energy future for all Puerto Ricans. 

    Learn more about the Federal Power Act section 202 (c). 

                                                                                                       ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE, joint partner investigation results in illegal alien, alleged human smuggler from Mexico indictment for first material support of terrorism charges against CJNG Member

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    WASHINGTON — An indictment unsealed May 16 in the Western District of Texas is the first in the nation to charge a Mexican national with providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization based on her involvement with the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación, including providing the cartel with grenades and engaging in alien smuggling, firearms trafficking, bulk cash smuggling, and narcotics trafficking on its behalf, following a groundbreaking U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and joint law enforcement partner investigation.

    “We will never allow criminal gangs and cartels to terrorize American communities,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. “The days of unchecked gang and cartel violence are over.”

    “Cartels like CJNG are terrorist groups that wreak havoc in American communities and are responsible for countless lives lost in the United States, Mexico, and elsewhere.” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This announcement demonstrates the Justice Department’s unwavering commitment to securing our borders and protecting Americans through effective prosecution.”

    According to court documents, Maria Del Rosario Navarro-Sanchez, 39, of Mexico, conspired with others to provide and did attempt to provide grenades to CJNG, a designated foreign terrorist organization. Additionally, Navarro-Sanchez, is charged with conspiracy to smuggle and transport aliens in the United States, straw purchasing and trafficking in firearms, bulk cash smuggling conspiracy, and conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute. Co-defendant Luis Carlos Davalos-Lopez, 27, of Mexico, is charged with conspiracy to smuggle illegal aliens into and transport aliens in the United States, straw purchasing and firearms trafficking. Co-defendant Gustavo Castro-Medina, 28, of Mexico, is charged with straw purchasing and firearms trafficking, conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute, and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.

    On Feb. 20, the U.S. Department of State announced the designation of eight international cartels, including CJNG, as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and specially designated global terrorists. This designation makes available much stronger criminal charges in the fight to secure our nation’s borders. CJNG is a transnational criminal organization that controls a significant portion of the narcotics trafficking trade and has a presence in nearly every part of Mexico and dozens of other countries, including the United States. In addition to trafficking fentanyl, CJNG engages in money laundering, bribery, extortion of migrants, taxing of migrant smugglers, and other criminal activities, including acts of violence and intimidation. According to the State Department, CJNG has conducted attacks on Mexican military and police with military grade weaponry, the use of drones to drop explosives on Mexican law enforcement, and assassinations or attempted assassinations of Mexican officials.

    On Jan. 20, President Trump directed ICE, the Justice Department and other agencies to pursue total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations because they pose extremely serious threats to the United States, including by jeopardizing a stable and secure border. These and other criminal organizations commit brutal and intolerable violent crimes related to narcotics and firearms trafficking, money laundering, extortion, and other criminal acts. They also are responsible for huge flows of illegal immigration into the United States. They organize and facilitate all manners of illicit travel and immigration into the United States through the southern and northern borders and rely on co-conspirators and organization members operating in various countries throughout North and South America. This situation is untenable and threatens our national security. ICE, DOJ and its law enforcement partners are committed to protecting the United States against invasion, working urgently toward the goal of total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, aggressively enforcing our immigration laws, and maximizing the impact and effectiveness of all available law enforcement tools.

    “Supplying grenades to a designated terrorist organization — while trafficking firearms, narcotics, and human beings — is not just criminal; it’s a direct assault on the security of the United States,” said ICE acting Director Todd M. Lyons. “Sanchez acted as a key enabler of violence who empowered cartels and terrorist organizations. Her crimes extended beyond smuggling; she was involved in firearms trafficking, bulk cash smuggling conspiracy, and a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Her actions endangered countless lives and undermined our efforts to protect the nation’s borders and communities. Confronting this level of criminality demands more than resolve — it requires a unified, all-of-government response, and that’s exactly what we demonstrated today: a coordinated effort to identify, disrupt, and bring to justice those who profit from violence and human suffering.”

    “As alleged, the defendant engaged in multiple of the most insidious kinds of criminal activity: firearms trafficking, narcotics trafficking, human and bulk cash smuggling, and even providing grenades to CJNG,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s announcement demonstrates the Criminal Division’s hard work and commitment to eliminate cartels and foreign terrorist organizations like CJNG.”

    “The slew of federal charges we have brought against Navarro-Sanchez sends a monumental message through the ranks of cartels like CJNG—now designated as a terrorist organization—along with those who support them in various capacities, that U.S. law enforcement is turning up the pressure to crack down on unlawful immigration practices and to dismantle the smuggling of illicit drugs and firearms,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas. “These crimes, all included as allegations in the indictment, do nothing but place human lives on both sides of the border in grave danger, while loading the pockets of criminals who profit off of them.”

    “The arrest of Maria Del Rosario Navarro-Sanchez should send a clear message to people who wish to align themselves with terrorist groups that they will be sought out and held to the highest extent of the law,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “I’m extremely proud of the dedicated men and women of the FBI and its law enforcement partners who work tirelessly every day to protect Americans and keep our communities safe.”

    “The brutality and destruction inflicted by cartels and terrorist organizations is devastating communities across the United States and around the world,” said Bureau of Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Acting Director Dan Driscoll. “The capture and arrest of Maria Del Rosario Navarro-Sanchez demonstrates what international law enforcement cooperation can achieve when united against the threat posed by these violent networks. ATF and our partners will use every tool at our disposal to relentlessly hunt down, dismantle, and bring to justice every trafficker, every cartel operative, and every individual who dares to threaten the safety and sovereignty of our communities.”

    “This case lays bare the true nature of the threat we face,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Acting Administrator Robert Murphy. “A cartel associate providing support to a designated foreign terrorist organization is not just a criminal threat — it is a national security threat. DEA will use every tool of law enforcement to dismantle CJNG and its network that floods our streets with poison, traffics in human lives, and wages violence against law and order. We are not just keeping our communities safe from dangerous, illegal drugs — we are fighting a national security crisis.”

    Since its establishment, Joint Task Force Alpha’s work has resulted in increased coordination and collaboration between both domestic and foreign law enforcement; precedent setting indictments, extraditions and prosecutions; more than 365 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of these crimes; more than 334 U.S. convictions; more than 281 defendants sentenced, including significant jail sentences imposed; and substantial seizures and forfeitures of assets and contraband including millions of dollars in cash, real property, vehicles, firearms and ammunition, and drugs. ICE Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, the FBI, ATF, and DEA assisted by the U.S. Border Patrol, investigated the case. ATF Legal Attachés in Mexico City and the Mexico Attorney General’s Office also known as Fiscalía General de la República Firearms Trafficking Unit provided substantial assistance. The CBP’s National Targeting Center, and ICE HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C. also provided assistance with the investigation.

    Human smuggling is a multibillion-dollar industry for transnational criminal organizations that do not value human safety and take advantage of vulnerable people. HSI investigates human smuggling networks that pose a national security and public safety risk, jeopardize lives, or engage in violence, abuse, or extortion.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Myers and JTFA Associate Director Ian Hanna of the Western District of Texas, and Trial Attorney Marie Zisa of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Judicial Attachés in Mexico provided substantial assistance. The Justice Department thanks its Mexican law enforcement partners, who arrested Navarro-Sanchez on May 4, during an enforcement operation.

    This case is 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, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood.

    This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi­ jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The OCDETF El Paso / Las Cruces Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, CBP, DEA, FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Marshals Service, ATF, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, and the El Paso Police Department.

    Individuals across the world can report suspicious criminal activity to the ICE Tip Line 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 866-DHS-2-ICE. Highly trained specialists take reports from both the public and law enforcement agencies on more than 400 laws enforced by ICE.

    The charges contained in an indictment are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Newly Organized IAM Union Network Operations Control Customer Planners Reach Strong Tentative Agreement with Southwest Airlines

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    IAM Union (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) District 142 members who are Network Operations Control Customer Planners (NOCs) announced a tentative agreement with Southwest Airlines, marking a significant milestone in the union’s efforts to deliver strong first contracts across the airline industry.

    The IAM members are part of the Southwest Customer Service Employees, also known as Passenger Service Employees (PSEs), which is the class and craft of employees. PSEs process passengers at the airport and handle customer reservations.

    This tentative agreement is the first for the NOC group after a majority of the workgroup signed authorization cards to join the IAM in 2024. It reflects months of negotiations and represents a major step forward in recognizing the essential work performed by these professionals in maintaining and enhancing Southwest’s operational network.

    The 2.5-year tentative agreement includes:

    • Transition wage scale with an 8% wage increase on the date of ratification, effective first full pay period. (True Up)
    • A pay increase of 3% on Dec. 15, 2026.
    • New wage scale with anniversary pay increases
    • 3% of the current wage from March 1, 2025, to date of ratification paid in a lump sum.

    Click here for full highlights of the agreement.

    “An industry-leading IAM Union contract is exactly what our newest Southwest Airlines members have earned,” said IAM Air Transport Territory General Vice President Richie Johnsen. “Southwest Airlines’ NOCs are critical to the carrier’s everyday operations – and we couldn’t be prouder to have delivered this agreement for our members and their families.”

    “These members know just how important they are to Southwest Airlines, and this industry-leading first contract will set the stage for many years to come,” said IAM District 142 President/Directing General Chair John M. Coveny, Jr. “I am especially proud of our negotiating team. Their dedication and commitment to their fellow members were unmatched, and this agreement resulted from their hard work.”

    “As a Southwest Customer Service employee, I know that our power grows when we have more members in the IAM family,” said IAM Air Transport Territory Chief of Staff Edison Fraser. “This agreement sets a new standard in the industry and shows all airline workers the true power of North America’s largest airline union.”

    “It was a pleasure to work with Southwest NOCs in their successful quest for a first agreement,” said IAM Airline Coordinator Tom Regan. “We’re excited to build on this momentum and continue to grow our bargaining strength at Southwest and throughout the airline industry.”

    IAM District 142 represents thousands of airline industry workers across the United States and continues to lead the way in securing strong contracts and workplace protections.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Lt. Governor Dianne Primavera Recognized for Work in Health Care, Public Health

    Source: US State of Colorado

    Lt. Governor Inducted into Delta Omega National Honorary Society in Public Health

    AURORA — Yesterday, Lt. Governor Dianne Primavera was officially inducted as an Honorary Member of the Delta Omega National Honorary Society in Public Health at the Colorado School of Public Health’s 2025 Awards Banquet, held at the Anschutz Health Sciences Building in Aurora.

    The Alpha Upsilon Chapter of Delta Omega, housed within the Colorado School of Public Health, selected Lt. Governor Primavera for her lifelong commitment to advancing health equity, public policy, and patient advocacy in Colorado and beyond. In addition to serving as Lt. Governor, she serves as the Director of the Office of Saving People Money on Health Care. Under her leadership, the Office has championed cutting health care costs through reinsurance, the Colorado Option, the Prescription Drug Affordability Board, capping the cost of insulin, and more.

    In her remarks, Lt. Governor Primavera spoke about the personal and professional path that brought her to public service — a path shaped in part by her experience facing cancer four times and her steadfast belief that no one should have to fight for care or face illness alone.

    “This recognition means so much to me because I know the power of public health — not just from a policymaking standpoint, but as someone whose life has been directly shaped by it,” said Lt. Governor Primavera and Director of the Office of Saving People Money on Health Care. “I’ve always believed that health care is a human right, and I’m honored to join a community that works every day to make that belief a reality.”

    The event celebrated the achievements of students, alumni, faculty, and public health professionals who have demonstrated excellence in leadership, research, and service. Lt. Governor Primavera also highlighted her administration’s collaborative work with the School of Public Health — including a first-of-its-kind Long COVID surveillance system designed to assess the burden of the condition on Coloradans and guide targeted responses.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: This Week, Senator Luján In The News Standing Up For New Mexicans and Fighting Back Against Republicans’ Attacks On Nutrition Programs

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Senator for New Mexico Ben Ray Luján
    Washington, D.C. – In case you missed it, this week, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) has been fighting back against Congressional Republicans’ attacks on essential services and programs that New Mexicans rely on, exposing the Trump administration’s blocking of billions for Indian Country and Native communities, and introducing bipartisan legislation to protect cattle farms and ranches in New Mexico from the growing New World screwworm (NWS) outbreak.
    Fighting Back Against Republicans’ Attacks on SNAP, Nutrition Programs
    This week, Senator Luján, Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee Subcommittee on Nutrition and Specialty Crops, alongside Senate colleagues, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, and nutrition advocates hosted a press call on Republicans’ efforts to gut the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a critical anti-hunger program that helps more than 41.6 million Americans. 
    Senate Democrats, including New Mexico Sen. Ben Ray Luján, are holding a conference Tuesday after the House Agriculture Committee released their provisions to a Republican backed bill that would require states to cover a portion of SNAP benefit costs, tighten eligibility requirements for the program, and block future increases to monthly benefits.
    One in four New Mexicans rely on SNAP, said Sen. Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M. The farmers and ranchers he represents also plan their farming season based on what grocery stores and food banks will need, and farmers already planted seeds with the idea that those vegetables will be used for school lunches and other food programs. “The way to look at this is it’s not fiscally responsible,” Luján said. “It’s taking away from the hungry across America to make billionaires and millionaires even wealthier, and it’s going to even explode the deficit.”
    Exposing How the Trump Administration is Illegally Blocking Nearly $316 Billion Owed to Native Communities
    This week, Senator Luján, a member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, shared a new tracker revealing that the Trump administration is blocking or freezing more than $430 billion in federal funding owed to communities across the country — including nearly $316 billion for national programs that support Indian Country and Native communities. 
    U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján continued to sound the alarm this week on the Trump administration’s decision to block hundreds of billions of dollars in federal funds for programs that focus on health, education and other services in Native American communities. A day after questioning the impacts of potential cuts to early childhood, maternal health and other programs for Indigenous people during a meeting of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, the New Mexico Democrat on Thursday blasted the administration of Republican President Donald Trump.
    New Mexico Senator Ben Ray Luján (D) said Donald Trump’s Administration has blocked hundreds of billions of dollars for programs that support Indian Country and native communities. The United States Senate Committee on Appropriations released a tracker of the cuts made by DOGE in President Trump’s first 100 days.
    Combatting the Screwworm Outbreak
    This week, Senator Luján, a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, introduced the bipartisan Strengthening Tactics to Obstruct the Population of Screwworms (STOP Screwworms) Act, legislation that would combat the growing New World screwworm (NWS) outbreak that threatens to wreak havoc on the American cattle industry.
    U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, announced on Thursday bipartisan legislation, also sponsored by fellow New Mexico Democrat U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, aimed at curbing the outbreak.
    The legislation was introduced by New Mexico Senator Ben Ray Luján and Texas Senator John Cornyn. It was co-sponsored by Martin Heinrich and Ted Cruz. The screwworm is a parasitic fly whose larvae feed on livestock, wildlife, and in some cases humans.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sullivan Secures Army Corps Pledge to Fast-Track Juneau Flooding Solution

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Dan Sullivan
    05.16.25
    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, received commitments from Adam Telle, President Trump’s nominee to head the Army Corps of Engineers, to expedite efforts to protect homes and property from the recurring threat of glacial lake outburst flooding in Juneau, Alaska. Sen. Sullivan emphasized the unique challenges facing Alaska’s capital city, where seasonal glacial flooding has become an urgent concern, damaging hundreds of homes and causing millions of dollars in losses to personal property and infrastructure last year. Sen. Sullivan also received a commitment from Mr. Telle to implement President Trump’s Day One executive order, “Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential,” declaring “the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works shall immediately review, revise or rescind any agency action that may in any way hinder, slow, or otherwise delay any critical project in the state of Alaska.”
    Sen. Sullivan posed his questions to Mr. Telle during his confirmation hearing before the committee.
    [embedded content]
    Below is a full transcript of Sen. Sullivan’s exchange with Mr. Telle.
    Sen. Dan Sullivan: Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you to the witnesses and your families for your service. Mr. Telle, you’re a glutton for punishment. A lot of folks don’t know you had your Armed Services confirmation hearing yesterday, so you did a great job on that one. This should be a piece of cake.
    Adam Telle: Thank you, Senator Sullivan.
    DS: By the way, in my state—I’m going to focus a lot on Alaska. I appreciated our meetings, Mr. Telle and Mr. McMaster. It’s hard to build anything in Alaska. Right? You want to build a road, a sidewalk, you usually get 12 radical far-left environmental groups that sue to stop it. We have the King Cove Road. We’ve only been trying to get that done for 40 years. A nine-mile, single-lane gravel road that every Democrat in the country—including, God rest his soul, Jimmy Carter, writes op-eds [saying] you can’t build a road in Alaska. Then it went so bad, we had the Biden administration’s Last Frontier Lock Up. My great state suffered through 70 executive orders and executive actions from the Biden administration singularly focused on Alaska. I like ripping this up because that’s not the issue anymore. We now have President Trump who issued his day-one executive order called, “Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential.” Mr. Telle, as you and I discussed, there’s a lot of great provisions in here. This is all about getting things done in Alaska, not crushing us as the radical left wants to do. There’s a really good provision about the Corps of Engineers. I’m going to read it to you: “The assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works”—that’s you—”shall immediately review, revise or rescind any agency action that may in any way hinder, slow, or otherwise delay any critical project in the state of Alaska.” That’s from the President. Will you commit to abide by that very expansive provision to get things done in my great state after four years of being crushed by the previous administration?
    AT: Senator Sullivan, absolutely. When I visited your office, I tattooed the executive order that the President issued on Alaska on my heart.
    DS: By the way, that’s a great answer.
    AT: I will go ahead and read the second paragraph to you from memory, which essentially says that I shall, if confirmed, coordinate as closely with the Governor of Alaska as a human could possibly coordinate.
    DS: Good. And the Senator from Alaska.
    AT: Of course.
    DS: Okay. Just double checking on that. We talked about the Juneau glacial lake outburst flooding. You want to talk about a unique issue in Alaska—we’ve had this flooding that pretty much happens now every summer. It’s amazing it hasn’t killed anybody. We need the Corps’ help, right? This is a unique challenge. The Corps is uniquely qualified to help us. You can’t have flooding. I went and toured where this happened this past summer. Over 200 homes were flooded. We’ve got to fix it and the Corps initially said, “Well, Senator, we’re going to work on this. We think it’ll be ten years to study and fix this.” Say what? That is the wrong answer. Can you commit to me, and really importantly, the citizens of Juneau, Alaska, that the Corps is going to bring its best minds in a very rapid way to help address this unique challenge that we really need the Corps’ help on?
    AT: Senator Sullivan, thank you for the question. I failed to mention as a part of my answer to your previous question that Alaska is home to greater than 60% of the U.S.’s wetlands. So it makes the work of the Corps of Engineers critically important. That’s the need for the executive order. With regard to the glacial outburst issue, you rightly point out that this is an issue that is brand new, as far as I understand it to be, in terms of flood risk management, and it’s going to require creativity.
    DS: Yes, it is.
    AT: The Corps of Engineers was made to solve tough problems. I look forward to working with you, with the surrounding communities, to try to solve this challenge.
    DS: Great. Thank you. In an expedited manner, not ten years. That’s just…
    AT: In an expedited manner, Senator.
    Below is a timeline of Senator Sullivan’s work to address the Juneau flooding challenge:
    On August 7, 2024, Sen. Sullivan visited Juneau following the largest glacial outburst flow ever recorded along the Mendenhall River system. Sen. Sullivan surveyed the damage and spoke to homeowners and local leaders.
    On August 8, 2024, Sen. Sullivan spoke with the FEMA administrator to coordinate the immediate emergency response to the flooding.
    On August 16, 2024, Sen. Sullivan coordinated an initial meeting between the City and Borough of Juneau and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on long-term response solutions. Corps flood fighting officials visited Juneau in September, October, and November 2024 to provide flood fighting expertise and insight.
    On September 27, 2024,  Sen. Sullivan led a letter to the Corps with his Alaska congressional delegation colleagues requesting the agency to advance measures to mitigate the imminent threat of glacial flooding by prioritizing a long-term engineering solution for the community.
    On October 16, 2024, following advocacy from the Alaska delegation, President Biden approved the major disaster declaration for the Juneau flood.
    On November 19, 2024, Senator Sullivan led a letter to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) with his Alaska delegation colleagues requesting that funding for the Mendenhall Glacier flood recovery and mitigation be considered and included in the disaster supplemental request to Congress, including the addition of necessary expenses related to flood mitigation, disaster relief, long-term recovery, and restoration in areas that received a major disaster designation due to “glacial flooding.”
    On December 3, 2024, Sen. Sullivan met with Lt. Gen. William “Butch” Graham Jr., Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of the Corps, and pressed the urgency of achieving a solution for Juneau. In this meeting, Graham shared that the Corps was committed to Juneau and leading the project to a long-term engineering solution.
    On December 21, 2024, H.R.10545, the American Relief Act, was signed into law and included a Sullivan-led provision for a Corps study of Juneau’s glacial lake outburst flooding, the first step to identify long-term engineering solutions for the community.
    On January 14, 2025, Sen. Sullivan led a letter to OMB urging that, as the funding allocations under the American Relief Act are evaluated, recognition of the congressional intent to address the Mendenhall Glacial flood recovery and mitigation efforts be reflected in OMB’s budget.
    On March 4, 2025,  Sen. Sullivan sent a letter to OMB with his Alaska congressional delegation colleagues requesting an increased permitting budget for the Corps in Alaska to better reflect Alaska’s geographic scope, unique regulatory challenges, and the new directives outlined in Executive Order (EO) 14153, “Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential,” issued by President Trump to expedite permitting and infrastructure development in Alaska.
    On March 14, 2025, the Corps designated $4.75 million for a feasibility study following Sen. Sullivan’s requests for funding.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Jimmy Gomez Condemns Republican Tax Bill Provision Allowing Trump To Target Nonprofits

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jimmy Gomez (CA-34)

    Rep. Jimmy Gomez Condemns Republican Tax Bill Provision Allowing Trump To Target Nonprofits

    Washington, May 16, 2025

    WASHINGTON, DC – Representative Jimmy Gomez (CA-34) released the following statement regarding the provision House Republicans included in their tax bill to let President Trump revoke tax-exempt status from charities and nonprofits — without due process:

    “Hidden deep in the Republican tax bill is one of the worst provisions I’ve ever seen: it would allow Donald Trump to weaponize the IRS and punish nonprofits he doesn’t like. That’s a direct hit on reproductive rights, climate, veterans’ services, and civic organizations across the country — just to name a few. I’ll be voting against this authoritarian nonsense if this bill reaches the House floor.”

    House Republicans advanced the tax bill through the House Ways and Means Committee after rejecting every Democratic amendment — including Rep. Gomez’s proposals to ensure billionaires pay their fair share, support paid leave, protect health care coverage for working moms and kids, and make housing more affordable. The bill includes sweeping tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy while slashing Medicaid and food assistance for working families. It could reach the House floor as soon as next week.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Department of Justice Announces Settlement of Litigation Between the Federal Government and Rare Breed Triggers

    Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division

    Headline: Department of Justice Announces Settlement of Litigation Between the Federal Government and Rare Breed Triggers

    Today, in accordance with President Trump’s Executive Order Protecting Second Amendment Rights, as well as the Attorney General’s Second Amendment Enforcement Task Force, the Department of Justice announced the settlement of litigation between the federal government and Rare Breed Triggers.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Garbarino, Tenney Reintroduce Local Law Enforcement Protection Act to Protect Qualified Immunity

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Andrew Garbarino (R-NY)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Andrew R. Garbarino (R-NY-02), alongside bill sponsor Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (R-NY-24), announced the reintroduction of the Local Law Enforcement Protection Act to protect qualified immunity for police officers serving at the state and local levels nationwide.

    This bill solidifies the precedent set in the Supreme Court case Saucier v. Katz, which ruled that police officers can only be held liable if there is a clear violation of an individual’s constitutional rights. The Local Law Enforcement Protection Act will block federal grants to state and local governments if they deprive police officers of qualified immunity protections. 

     “Qualified immunity has long protected law enforcement officers from being sued for doing their jobs when acting lawfully in the line of duty. Police protect and serve our communities every day—we have a responsibility to stand with them, not tie their hands. I’m proud to co-lead the Local Law Enforcement Protection Act, which discourages state and local governments from adopting harmful policies that undermine our law enforcement community,” said Rep. Garbarino.

    “As assaults on police officers continue to increase and the radical Left’s ‘Defund the Police’ movement gains traction, some local and state-level governments are cutting police budgets and working to strip away qualified immunity. Police officers who put their lives on the line every day should be able to do their jobs without the constant threat of senseless lawsuits. The Local Law Enforcement Protection Act safeguards qualified immunity for these courageous police officers who risk their lives to serve our community. I will continue to stand with our men and women in blue to ensure they are treated like the heroes they are,” said Rep. Tenney.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Promoting Alberta in Mexico

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –