Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
Meet Mark, a Veteran. This is his VA story. the CCICM program was able to get him the help he needed. They helped him get housed, stay housed, and offer support with his treatment that he otherwise wouldn’t have had. More information about the CCICM program can be found at https://news.va.gov/117472/new-va-practice-simplifies-care-for-veterans/
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons recap his House Appropriation Committee testimony and more.
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
TSA Law Enforcement – Federal Air Marshal Service Counter-Unmanned Aerial System (C-UAS). Detect, Identify, and Response Operation at Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, LA.
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
Watch ICE officers arrest Mexican national Humberto Lopez at a San Diego gas station.
Convictions:
Assault with a deadly weapon
Transportation and sales of narcotics
Robbery
Grand theft
Illegal entry into the U.S.
Source: United Nations (Video News)
“Blue helmets can mean the difference between life and death,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged renewed global commitment to peacekeeping during the opening of the UN Peacekeeping Ministerial in Berlin, warning that operations are facing unprecedented financial and political pressure.
“My thanks to Germany for bringing us together at this consequential moment,” Guterres said. “This year marks the 80th anniversary of the United Nations organization was founded on the conviction that peace is possible if we work as one United’s human family. That is what our peace operations are about.”
Highlighting the symbolic and operational importance of the United Nations peacekeeping forces, the Secretary-General stated, “The UN Blue Helmets are the most globally recognized symbol of the world’s ability to come together to help countries move from conflict to peace.”
Guterres pointed to several countries that transitioned from war to stability with the help of UN missions. “There is a long list of countries that have achieved durable peace with the support of UN peacekeeping, including Cambodia, Cote d’Ivoire, El Salvador, Liberia, Namibia, Mozambique, Sierra Leone and Timor-Leste. Many of these countries now themselves contribute troops,” he said.
However, he also emphasized the human cost of these missions. “Through the decades, 4400 peacekeepers have fallen in the line of duty. Their service and sacrifice will never be forgotten,” he said, inviting participants to join him in a moment of silence.
As part of a broader reform process initiated by Member States, Guterres referenced the “Pact for the Future,” which calls for a comprehensive review of peace operations. “The review will examine how we can make peacekeeping operations more adaptable, flexible and resilient while recognizing the limitations in situations where there is little or no peace to keep,” he said.
He acknowledged the difficulties of operating in increasingly polarized geopolitical contexts. “We see increasing differences of views around our peacekeeping operations work, and then what circumstances with what mandates they should be deploys. And for how long,” he noted.
Guterres also addressed the challenge of shrinking financial resources. “Peace operations can only succeed when backed by robust mandates and clear, predictable and sustained contributions, both financial and logistical,” he stated. “It is crucial that we are able to use the increasingly limited resources we have and use them well.”
Concluding his address, the Secretary-General called for continued Member State engagement. “Supported at every step by Member States, we look forward to your government’s support and ideas as we tackle these challenges together,” he said.
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
With help from the Texas Department of Safety, we arrested Honduran criminal alien Wilmer Mancia-Morales in Harlingen, Texas, May 8.
Convicted of burglarizing a home
Facing criminal prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Texas for reentry after removal
Follow our page for news updates, operational videos & more.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo)
Thursday, May 15, 2025
Today, U.S. Senators Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) introduced the No Handouts for Drug Advertisements Act, which would end federal subsidies for pharmaceutical company advertising. Current law allows pharmaceutical companies to claim business deductions on direct-to-consumer advertising, subsidizing their publicity at taxpayers’ expense. Direct-to-consumer advertising contributes to increased healthcare costs and encourages patients to request specific brand-name drugs that may be substantially more expensive than more effective alternatives, including lifestyle changes. The Senators’ legislation would close this loophole. “For too long, Big Pharma has used our tax dollars to fund ads that push their products directly on patients. That needs to end,” Senator Hawley said. “HHS Secretary RFK, Jr. has made it clear that he wants to ban prescription drug commercials, and I’m proud to introduce legislation to do just that. Making America Healthy Again starts by ending handouts to these corporations and empowering consumers to make the health decision that is truly in their best interest.”
“It’s flat-out wrong that drug companies receive huge tax breaks for running ads directly to consumers, especially as taxpayers in my state pay more and more for life-saving drugs,” said Senator Shaheen. “It’s well past time for Congress to step in to end these tax breaks, lower costs for everyday Americans and hold pharmaceutical companies accountable. My bipartisan bill with Senator Hawley offers a practical solution to do just that.” The No Handouts for Drug Advertisements Act would:
Amend the Internal Revenue Code to disallow tax deductions for expenses related to direct-to-consumer advertising of both prescription drugs and compounded medications.
Define “direct-to-consumer advertising” as advertisements primarily targeted to the general public through television, radio, direct mail, billboards, internet, social media, and other digital platforms.
Read the full bill text here.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
May 15, 2025
Bicameral bill aligns with new White House guidelines on AI contracting for government agencies
Text of Bill (PDF) | Text of One-Pager (PDF)
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) reintroduced the bipartisan, bicameral Protecting AI and Cloud Competition in Defense Act to ensure that the Department of Defense (DoD)’s contracting for artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing tools prioritizes resiliency and competition. The bill reins in Big Tech monopolies and prevents them from cutting out competitors in the AI and cloud computing markets.
Representatives Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.), Pat Fallon (R-Texas), and Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.) introduced the bill in the House of Representatives.
The reintroduction comes as the White House has released new guidelines on AI procurement that encourage federal agencies to avoid vendor lock-in and to ensure that government data is protected and not used to train commercial AI models.
The AI and cloud computing industries are highly concentrated, and a few Silicon Valley companies control the markets the DoD relies on for cloud infrastructure, foundation models, and data infrastructure. DoD has already awarded $9 billion in contracts to Google, Oracle, Microsoft, and Amazon to build its cloud computing network, and requested an additional $1.8 billion for AI programs for Fiscal Year 2025. The Protecting AI and Cloud Competition in Defense Act would ensure that DoD’s new contracts protect competition in the AI and cloud computing markets, instead of giving an unfair advantage to a few big players. The bill also encourages DoD to consider cloud computing services from multiple providers so the agency isn’t locked in by a single tech company.
Specifically, the bill would:
Senators Warren and Schmitt first introduced the Protecting AI and Cloud Competition in Defense Act in December 2024.
“It’s a mistake to let Silicon Valley monopolize our AI and cloud computing tools because it doesn’t just stifle innovation, it increases costs and threatens our national security,” said Senator Warren. “Our bill will make sure the military can access cutting-edge tools and will keep our markets strong and our information secure.”
“The Department of Defense’s procurement system must encourage competition instead of allowing a select group of companies to dominate the awards process. We must move away from policies that create risk concentration, and stifle innovation to instead adopt policies that create opportunities for emerging A.I. defense companies. I am proud to be leading this bill that promotes this smart policy, as well as encourage innovation so the U.S. can continue to lead A.I.,” said Senator Eric Schmitt.
“Competition always pushes the limits of creativity, innovation, and excellence – whether in AI or any other field. That’s why the Department of Defense needs to prioritize competition in its AI and cloud computing contracts to ensure we deploy the best technologies to protect and strengthen our national security. I’m proud to help lead this bicameral legislation that will make our country safer, stronger, and more competitive on the global stage,” said Congresswoman Sara Jacobs.
“The Department of Defense needs to shape up its federal tech procurement process to protect data and public money from the failures of concentrated power and a lack of competition,” said Congressman Chris Deluzio. “Policies like the Protecting AI and Cloud Competition in Defense Act will promote real competition in the defense technology sector to help keep our military strong, fortified, and ready for anything.”
“By relying on free market principles, the Department of Defense can help ensure competition and innovation when it comes to the bidding process for government AI and cloud contracts,” said Congressman Pat Fallon. “It’s our duty to ensure the DOD is picking the winners now and, in the future, to keep ahead of our competitors. Due to the varied cyber threats facing our nation today, we must also ensure that AI and cloud related data is secure when it is held exclusively by the federal government. For these reasons, the Protecting AI and Cloud Competition in Defense Act is the next step forward Congress must take in the interest of US national security.”
The Protecting AI and Cloud Competition in Defense Act is endorsed by Economic Securities Project Action and the Open Markets Institute.
Senator Warren has been a leader in the fight to rein in Big Tech and boost competition in the tech and defense sectors:
Source: US State of Oregon
a href=”https://acl.gov/oam/2025/older-americans-month-2025″>Older Americans Month is celebrated every May and is an opportunity to recognize the contributions of older Americans and reaffirm commitments to meeting the needs of older adults in our communities. The 2025 Older Americans Month theme is Flip the Script on Aging, which focuses on shifting common perceptions of aging and explores ways people stay active and engaged in their communities as they age.
“We must challenge the outdated narratives that can limit older adults’ potential, recognize the many contributions being made by older adults, and support opportunities for people to thrive in their communities in ways that are meaningful to them,” said Nakeshia Knight-Coyle, Ph.D., Director of the Office of Aging and People with Disabilities (APD) within the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS).
As Gov. Tina Kotek’s proclamation of Older Americans Month highlights, “Older Oregonians continue to be active, engaged, and influential members of our community, participating in volunteer activities, mentoring, and contributing to the workforce.” The proclamation also notes that Oregon is home to more than 1.5 million people over the age of 50, and people over age 65 make up more than 19 percent of the state’s population. Estimates indicate that by 2034 there will be more people 65 and over than under 18. ODHS is looking ahead to ensure this growing population has and continues to have equitable access to programs that support and promote independence, health and safety, food security, employment, and connection through several initiatives. Recent accomplishments include:
People who need help with long-term care needs, food programs or other supports can contact their local APD office or office serving older adults and people with disabilities. A list of office locations and contact information is available on the ODHS office finder web page.
Free help and resource information is also available through the Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) of Oregon. Call 1-855-673-2372 or visit the ADRC website at https://adrcoforegon.org.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California
May 15, 2025
Washington, D.C. – Today, top Democrats on the House Natural Resources Committee introduced the Tribal Self-Determination and Co-Management in Forestry Act, a landmark bill that ensures Tribal Nations are full and equal partners in the management of federal lands. The legislation would direct the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Forest Service to incorporate Tribal co-management into decision-making processes—affirming Tribal sovereignty and fulfilling the U.S. federal government’s longstanding trust and treaty obligations.
“As wildfires grow more devastating and climate change accelerates, we simply cannot afford to ignore the expertise of those who have stewarded these lands since time immemorial,” said Ranking Member Huffman. “For too long, the federal government has left Tribal Nations out of decision-making processes when it comes to managing public lands, but these lands often hold deep cultural, spiritual, and ecological significance for Tribal communities. This bill changes that by creating a clear framework for real, equal partnership—where Tribes help shape decisions, lead restoration efforts, and bring their knowledge to the table in a way that is respected, protected, and empowered. This bill would help build a foundation for shared stewardship that respects Tribal sovereignty, improves forest health, and strengthens our communities against climate-driven disasters. It’s long overdue.”
“Federal recognition and respect for the deeply rooted relationship between Indigenous peoples and the land is overdue,” said Vice Ranking Member Sarah Elfreth. “As the original stewards of this land for centuries, their wisdom and lived experiences in preserving ecosystems, waterways, and natural resources like our forests offer generational knowledge we cannot afford to overlook. The Tribal Self-Determination and Co-Management in Forestry Act takes an important step in ensuring Indigenous communities have their rightful seat at the table.”
“Tribal Nations have been stewards of our forests and lands since time immemorial, guided by deep cultural knowledge and respect for the natural world,” said Representative Teresa Leger Fernández, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs. “When we recognize Tribes authority to lead and co-manage our public lands, we not only honor their sovereignty—we also protect our forests, our water, and our future. The Tribal Self-Determination and Co-Management in Forestry Act recognizes that Tribal leadership is not just a matter of justice, it is essential for a healthy planet and resilient communities.”
“I’m proud to join Ranking Member Huffman in introducing this bill to elevate Tribal voices in land management decisions. In Colorado, where many Tribes, including the Southern Ute and Ute Mountain Ute, have deep ties to the land, this landmark bill will improve Tribal co-management of our public lands.” said Representative Joe Neguse, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Federal Lands. “I’m excited to join my colleagues in an effort to recognize Tribal Nations as equal partners in land stewardship, and uplift their longstanding ecological knowledge.”
“Tribal Nations have managed these lands for thousands of years—they know what they’re doing,” said Representative Val Hoyle, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries. “If we’re serious about preserving our federal lands and preventing wildfires, we need to work with the people who’ve been protecting these forests long before the federal government existed. This bill gives Tribes the seat at the table they deserve and brings their deep knowledge into decisions that make our communities safer and our forests stronger.”
“Tribal Nations were stewards of their own lands for centuries before the U.S. government stepped in–they deserve an equal role in managing them now. I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing legislation that affirms Tribal sovereignty and strengthens Indigenous partnerships in the management of federal lands. Our state is home to 22 federally recognized tribes; this bill ensures Tribal voices are central in shaping the future of our forests and public lands, especially as we work together to address the climate crisis,” said Representative Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Ranking Member of the Energy and Minerals Subcommittee.
Tribal Nations have stewarded these lands since time immemorial, using traditional ecological knowledge to reduce wildfire risk, restore ecosystems, and protect sacred cultural resources. Yet despite this expertise, many Tribes continue to face bureaucratic hurdles and a lack of statutory authority that limit their participation in land management decisions.
This bill seeks to change that.
The Tribal Self-Determination and Co-Management in Forestry Act:
“We are excited to endorse Rep. Huffman’s tribal self-determination and co-management in forestry bill. Karuk people have been managing our homelands since time immemorial and partnering with the US Forest Service for decades. We appreciate that this bill recognizes the importance of sovereign-to-sovereign co-management frameworks that enable us to do the important work of proactively managing our forests and making our landscapes more resilient to wildfire in a manner consistent with our indigenous knowledge practice and belief systems. We look forward to progressing these efforts in a bipartisan manner to enable more proactive management across multi-jurisdictional landscapes” Karuk Chairman Russell “Buster” Attebery
“The Stewardship Project supports the Tribal Self-Determination and Co-Management in Forestry Act as a vital step toward reorienting federal land management around active stewardship and Indigenous leadership. This bill directly reflects recommendations from the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission by ensuring Tribes are not just consulted, but empowered as equal partners in forest management.” The Stewardship Project Co-Chairs Scott Stephens, Don Hankins, and Sara Clark
“This legislation builds upon the shared stewardship authorities authorized by past Congresses to create a permanent co-management role in improving the health and resilience of federal lands. It would give tribes the ability to expand the successful models and practices used in Indian Country for the benefit of all federal land within their traditional territories. We fully support Congressman Huffman’s legislation and urge its passage by Congress.” Cody Desautel, President, InterTribal Timber Council
“Sustainable Northwest supports the Tribal Self-Determination and Co-Management in Forestry Act and Representative Huffman’s recognition of Tribal sovereignty and treaty rights. Legislation designed to protect and manage federal lands must respect, uphold, and implement the legally binding obligations the federal government has to Tribal nations. This legislation paves the way for a new approach to manage and enhance federal lands, add workforce capacity, and uphold Tribal and treaty rights in land management by formally including Tribal Nations in planning and decision-making.” Dylan Kruse, President, Sustainable Northwest
“The Rural Voices for Conservation Coalition is strongly in support of the Tribal Self-Determination and Co-Management in Forestry Act which advances opportunities for Tribal co-management and co-stewardship of federal public lands. This bill is an important step in bolstering Tribal sovereignty, honoring protected Tribal rights, and bringing Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge into federal forest and grassland management. We thank Congressman Huffman for his leadership on this issue critical to the stewardship and resilience of rural communities and landscapes of the West.” Laurel Harkness, Coalition Director, Rural Voices for Conservation Coalition
“The Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission recognized co-management of federal lands with Tribes as a critical tool to achieve wildfire risk reduction. This bill expands the ability of the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior to partner with Tribes to plan and accomplish much-needed restoration and risk reduction work and is an important step forward in expansion of federal co-management authority.” Tyson Bertone-Riggs, Managing Director, Alliance for Wildfire Resilience
“Tribal Co-Management Plans are an important vehicle for fulfilling our nation’s treaty and trust responsibilities to Tribal Nations and improving the overall stewardship of fire-dependent public lands. The Climate and Wildfire Institute supports The Tribal Self-Determination and Co-Management in Forestry Act as a vital pathway for addressing the wildfire crisis by upholding and advancing Tribal rights and access consistent with recommendations from the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission Report.” Marissa Christiansen, Executive Director at the Climate and Wildfire Institute
“Our forests are unhealthy, and Tribal communities are held back from applying time-tested and locally driven practices in our own homelands. This bill on co-management is a fundamental step forward to restore forests and our communities who have managed them for thousands of years.” Ryan Reed, (Karuk, Hupa, Yurok), Director of FireGeneration Collaborative (FireGen)
###
Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-001847/2025
to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
Rule 144
Petr Bystron (ESN)
According to the ‘About Us’ section of its website, the European External Action Service (EEAS) works to support resilient democracies, promote human rights and contribute to a rules-based global order in Europe and around the world. However, the EEAS – the EU’s official diplomatic service, which receives approximately EUR 732 million annually from the EU budget – appears to cooperate with and fund NGOs that were previously part of the network of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), such as Development Alternatives Incorporated (DAI), Save the Children, Catholic Relief Services, Mercy Corps and others.
In light of recent actions by US President Donald Trump, which led to the termination of most USAID foreign activities, we would like to raise the following questions:
Submitted: 7.5.2025
Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-001844/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Dolors Montserrat (PPE)
On 28 April 2025, Spain suffered the largest power outage in recent history, with a total system collapse affecting the general supply and critical infrastructure. This episode followed other incidences of instability in previous days, and came against a backdrop of increasing use of renewable energies and planned decommissioning of nuclear power plants.
It should be noted that the current Chair of REDEIA, Beatriz Corredor – who was the Socialist Minister for Housing between 2008 and 2010 – stated publicly in 2021 that there was ‘no risk of a power outage’, describing Spain’s electricity system as ‘the safest and most advanced in the world’.
In view of the above:
Submitted: 7.5.2025
Source: European Parliament
Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety
Rapporteur: Antonio Decaro
(Simplified procedure – Rule 52(2) of the Rules of Procedure)
on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2023/956 as regards simplifying and strengthening the carbon border adjustment mechanism
(COM(2025)0087 – C10‑0035/2025 – 2025/0039(COD))
(Ordinary legislative procedure: first reading)
The European Parliament,
– having regard to the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2025)0087),
– having regard to Article 294(2) and Article 192(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C10-0035/2025),
– having regard to Article 294(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
– having regard to the budgetary assessment by the Committee on Budgets,
– having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee of 29 April 2025[1],
– after consulting the Committee of the Regions,
– having regard to Rules 60 and 58 of its Rules of Procedure,
– having regard to the opinions of he Committee on International Trade and the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy,
– having regard to the report of the Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety (A10-0085/2025),
1. Adopts its position at first reading hereinafter set out;
2. Calls on the Commission to refer the matter to Parliament again if it replaces, substantially amends or intends to substantially amend its proposal;
3. Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the national parliaments.
Amendment 1
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 25 a (new)
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Text proposed by the Commission |
Amendment |
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(25a) The CBAM applies to importation of electricity, but it should not apply to electricity generated entirely in the exclusive economic zone of an EEA Member State and imported directly into the customs territory of the Union ; |
Amendment 2
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 1 – point b a (new)
Regulation (EU) 2023/956
Article 2 – paragraph 3 b (new)
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Text proposed by the Commission |
Amendment |
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(ba) the following paragraph 3b is inserted: |
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3b. By way of derogation from paragraphs 1 and 2, this Regulation shall not apply to electricity generated entirely in the exclusive economic zone of an EEA Member State and imported directly into the customs territory of the Union. |
Amendment 3
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point 1 a (new)
Regulation (EU) 2023/956
Annex IV – point 3 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 5
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Present text |
Amendment |
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(1a) In point 3, in the notes explaining the formula for SEEg in the first paragraph, the note for EEImpMat is replaced by the following: |
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EEInpMat |
EEInpMat |
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are the embedded emissions of the input materials (precursors) consumed in the production process. Only input materials (precursors) listed as relevant to the system boundaries of the production process as specified in the implementing act adopted pursuant to Article 7(7) are to be considered. The relevant EEInpMat are calculated as follows: |
are the embedded emissions of the input materials (precursors) consumed in the production process. Only input materials (precursors) listed in Annex I and originating in third countries and territories that are not exempted pursuant to Annex III, Section 1 are to be considered. The relevant EEInpMat are calculated as follows: |
The rapporteur declares under his exclusive responsibility that he did not receive input from any entity or person to be mentioned in this Annex pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure.
for the Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety
on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2023/956 as regards simplifying and strengthening the carbon border adjustment mechanism
(COM(2025)0087 – C10‑0035/2025 – 2025/0039(COD))
Rapporteur for budgetary assessment: Sandra Gómez López
The Committee on Budgets has carried out a budgetary assessment of the proposal under Rule 58 of the Rules of Procedure and has reached the following conclusions:
A. whereas the proposal by the Commission to simplify the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism(CBAM) aims at achieving significant savings in terms of administrative costs for EU importers of CBAM goods;
B. whereas the proceeds of the CBAM are to become an EU own resource according to the amended Commission proposal of 23 June 2023 for a Council decision amending Decision (EU, Euratom) 2020/2053 on the system of own resources of the European Union (COM(2023)0331); whereas Parliament approved this proposal in its legislative resolution of 9 November 2023[2];
C. whereas the Council has failed to implement the steps set out in the legally binding roadmap towards the introduction of new own resources laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement (IIA), the objectives of this roadmap being to introduce sufficient new own resources to at least cover the repayment of NextGenerationEU (NGEU) debt;
D. whereas the estimated revenue from the CBAM would diminish in proportion to the CO2 emissions captured in the scope of the simplified regulation; whereas this impact would remain modest, presumably within one per cent of the overall estimated revenue;
E. whereas the Commission proposal entails additional operational expenditure in Heading 3 to be financed by means of redeployment from a budget line in Heading 4 and administrative expenditure for human resources in Heading 7 to be financed by redeployment within Heading 7;
F. whereas the penalties for CBAM declarants in breach of the regulation are, in principle, to be aligned with excess emission penalties under the Emissions Trading System (ETS); whereas the national competent authorities remain in charge of establishing and enforcing such measures based on implementing acts;
1. Takes note of the proposal to simplify the CBAM regulation in the context of an overall initiative to improve the EU’s competitiveness;
2. Recalls that Parliament has repeatedly endorsed a new own resource based on the CBAM and is keenly aware that this own resource is one of the few candidates that also enjoy tangible support from the Member States in the Council; regrets, therefore, that the embedded emissions covered under the reduced scope of the CBAM would lead to proportionately lower own resources revenue from the CBAM; acknowledges, however, that the amounts (in the order of EUR 20 million per year) and share (1 %) concerned are modest compared to the overall figures that the CBAM is expected to produce in terms of revenue;
3. Confirms that the amending regulation remains compatible with Parliament’s consultative opinion of 9 November 2023, which approves the Commission’s proposal for an amended Council decision on the system of own resources, including a new own resource based on the CBAM;
4. Considers that there are no provisions in the amending regulation that would fall under Rule 58(4), i.e. covering exclusively budgetary aspects which the committee responsible for the subject matter would not be allowed to amend; considers, furthermore, that no legislative amendments in this regard are necessary at this stage;
5. Recalls that the amendments or compromises in the course of the negotiations must not lead to any provisions contradicting Parliament’s established position on the use of CBAM revenue as an own resource; considers it necessary, therefore, to take part in the further negotiations, including the trilogues, in order to monitor the consistency with Parliament’s position on own resources and other pertinent budget-related provisions, and to ensure that the final agreement is compatible with the current MFF;
6. Observes certain flaws and errors in the Legislative Financial and Digital Statement (LFS) that should be rectified in the course of the further process, in a revised version of the Statement; questions, in this respect, the annual amounts listed in the table under Section 3.3 and, in particular, whether there will already be any revenue collected in 2026; also considers that the budget line (which is from the expenditure title) mentioned in this section is incorrect; recalls that in order to be consistent with present practice and the proposed own resources legislation, amounts indicated in this section should be shown ‘net’ of the 25 % collection costs to be retained by Member States and converted into current prices;
7. Acknowledges that the level of revenue foregone, in the order of EUR 21 million as of 2030, is non-material compared to the cost savings for companies, especially SMEs, and acceptable in view of the overall revenue expected from the CBAM;
8. Takes note of the necessary additional operational and administrative appropriations as indicated in the LFS; reiterates its long-standing position that new tasks and responsibilities should, in principle, be financed by fresh resources; deplores the limited margins available in the MFF and acknowledges that they could justify a certain level of reallocation; warns that the additional operational amounts will use a sizeable share of the remaining margin under Heading 3; also recognises that the redeployment from the instrument for financial support for customs control equipment (CCEI) implies the creation of some additional margin in Heading 4; determines that the amounts mentioned under points 3.2.1, 3.2.3 and 3.2.6 in the LFS are compatible with the MFF ceilings in Headings 3, 4 and 7, but will require adjustments in the financial programming; questions, nonetheless, whether such redeployment operations are in line with the ring-fencing logic of the MFF headings;
9. Questions why a reduction of the scope, by an alleged 90 %, of companies to be registered as authorised CBAM declarants does not lead to a lower level of administrative needs under Heading 7;
10. Acknowledges that any substantive changes in the governance of the implementation and enforcement of the CBAM, such as those related to the penalties for non-compliance, would be beyond the scope of this simplification initiative; considers, however, in light of the planned revision of the CBAM regulation, that the proceeds of the penalties could eventually be considered as general revenue for the EU budget;
11. Notes that the simplification initiative is also presented as a key enabler for a potential future extension of the scope of the CBAM; expects that such an extension would have significant budgetary implications, including for revenue flows;
12. Recalls that the Union’s budget is under strain and stresses the need for additional sustainable and resilient revenue; points to the legally binding roadmap towards the introduction of new own resources laid down in the IIA, in which Parliament, the Council and the Commission undertook to introduce sufficient new own resources to at least cover the repayment of NGEU debt; recalls its support for the amended Commission proposal on the system of own resources; is deeply concerned by the complete absence of progress on the system of own resources in the Council; calls on the Council to adopt this proposal as a matter of urgency and urges the Commission to spare no effort in supporting the adoption process; calls, furthermore, on the Commission to continue efforts to identify additional genuine new own resources beyond those specified in the IIA.
As part of its budgetary assessment, the Committee on Budgets also submits the following amendments to the proposal:
Amendment 1
Proposal for a regulation
Recital [10] a (new)
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Text proposed by the Commission |
Amendment |
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([10]a). This Regulation has implications for the Union budget. Accordingly, the European Parliament’s Committee on Budgets adopted a budgetary assessment, which forms an integral part of Parliament’s mandate for negotiations. |
ANNEX: ENTITIES OR PERSONS
FROM WHOM THE RAPPORTEUR FOR BUDGETARY ASSESSMENT HAS RECEIVED INPUT
The rapporteur for budgetary assessment declares under her exclusive responsibility that she did not receive input from any entity or person to be mentioned in this Annex pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure.
PROCEDURE – COMMITTEE ASKED FOR BUDGETARY ASSESSMENT
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Title |
Amending Regulation (EU) 2023/956 as regards simplifying and strengthening the carbon border adjustment mechanism |
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References |
COM(2025)0087 – C10-0035/2025 – 2025/0039(COD) |
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Committee(s) responsible |
ENVI |
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Date announced in plenary |
BUDG 31.3.2025 |
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Rapporteur for budgetary assessment Date appointed |
Sandra Gómez López 26.3.2025 |
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Discussed in committee |
31.3.2025 |
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Date adopted |
23.4.2025 |
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Result of final vote |
+: –: 0: |
23 9 1 |
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Members present for the final vote |
Georgios Aftias, Rasmus Andresen, Isabel Benjumea Benjumea, Olivier Chastel, Thomas Geisel, Jean-Marc Germain, Sandra Gómez López, Monika Hohlmeier, Alexander Jungbluth, Fabienne Keller, Giuseppe Lupo, Siegfried Mureşan, Matjaž Nemec, Danuše Nerudová, João Oliveira, Ruggero Razza, Karlo Ressler, Bogdan Rzońca, Julien Sanchez, Hélder Sousa Silva, Nicolae Ştefănuță, Carla Tavares, Nils Ušakovs, Lucia Yar, Auke Zijlstra |
|||
|
Substitutes present for the final vote |
Stine Bosse, Rasmus Nordqvist, Jacek Protas |
|||
|
Members under Rule 216(7) present for the final vote |
Marie-Luce Brasier-Clain, Tobias Cremer, Marieke Ehlers, Julien Leonardelli, Philippe Olivier |
|||
FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL
IN COMMITTEE ASKED FOR BUDGETARY ASSESSMENT
|
23 |
+ |
|
NI |
Thomas Geisel |
|
PPE |
Georgios Aftias, Isabel Benjumea Benjumea, Monika Hohlmeier, Siegfried Mureşan, Danuše Nerudová, Jacek Protas, Karlo Ressler, Hélder Sousa Silva |
|
Renew |
Stine Bosse, Olivier Chastel, Fabienne Keller, Lucia Yar |
|
S&D |
Tobias Cremer, Jean-Marc Germain, Sandra Gómez López, Giuseppe Lupo, Matjaž Nemec, Carla Tavares, Nils Ušakovs |
|
Verts/ALE |
Rasmus Andresen, Rasmus Nordqvist, Nicolae Ştefănuță |
|
9 |
– |
|
ECR |
Bogdan Rzońca |
|
ESN |
Alexander Jungbluth |
|
PfE |
Marie-Luce Brasier-Clain, Marieke Ehlers, Julien Leonardelli, Philippe Olivier, Julien Sanchez, Auke Zijlstra |
|
The Left |
João Oliveira |
|
1 |
0 |
|
ECR |
Ruggero Razza |
Key to symbols:
+ : in favour
– : against
0 : abstention
for the Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety
on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2023/956 as regards simplifying and strengthening the carbon border adjustment mechanism
(COM(2025)0087 – C10‑0035/2025 – 2025/0039(COD))
Rapporteur for opinion: Karin Karlsbro
The Committee on International Trade calls on the Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety, as the committee responsible, to propose that Parliament adopt its position at first reading, taking over the Commission proposal.
ANNEX: ENTITIES OR PERSONS
FROM WHOM THE RAPPORTEUR HAS RECEIVED INPUT
The rapporteur for opinion declares under her exclusive responsibility that she did not receive input from any entity or person to be mentioned in this Annex pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure.
PROCEDURE – COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION
|
Title |
Amending Regulation (EU) 2023/956 as regards simplifying and strengthening the carbon border adjustment mechanism |
|||
|
References |
COM(2025)0087 – C10-0035/2025 – 2025/0039(COD) |
|||
|
Committee(s) responsible |
ENVI |
|
|
|
|
Opinion by Date announced in plenary |
INTA 31.3.2025 |
|||
|
Rapporteur for the opinion Date appointed |
Karin Karlsbro 19.3.2025 |
|||
|
Simplified procedure – date of decision |
7.4.2025 |
|||
|
Discussed in committee |
7.4.2025 |
|
|
|
|
Date adopted |
23.4.2025 |
|
|
|
|
Result of final vote |
+: –: 0: |
36 2 0 |
||
|
Members present for the final vote |
Manon Aubry, Christophe Bay, Udo Bullmann, Andi Cristea, Raphaël Glucksmann, Markéta Gregorová, Svenja Hahn, Taner Kabilov, Karin Karlsbro, Rihards Kols, Sebastian Kruis, Bernd Lange, Ilia Lazarov, Miriam Lexmann, Thierry Mariani, Gabriel Mato, Javier Moreno Sánchez, Daniele Polato, Kathleen Van Brempt, Marie-Pierre Vedrenne, Catarina Vieira, Jörgen Warborn, Bogdan Andrzej Zdrojewski, Juan Ignacio Zoido Álvarez |
|||
|
Substitutes present for the final vote |
Petras Auštrevičius, Nicolas Bay, Saskia Bricmont, Markus Buchheit, João Cotrim De Figueiredo, Fabio De Masi, Jean-Marc Germain, Hana Jalloul Muro, Sandra Kalniete, David McAllister, Jessika Van Leeuwen |
|||
|
Members under Rule 216(7) present for the final vote |
Alexander Bernhuber, Daniel Buda, Fabrice Leggeri |
|||
FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL
BY THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION
|
36 |
+ |
|
ECR |
Nicolas Bay, Rihards Kols, Daniele Polato |
|
NI |
Fabio De Masi, Taner Kabilov |
|
PPE |
Alexander Bernhuber, Daniel Buda, Sandra Kalniete, Ilia Lazarov, Miriam Lexmann, David McAllister, Gabriel Mato, Jessika Van Leeuwen, Jörgen Warborn, Bogdan Andrzej Zdrojewski, Juan Ignacio Zoido Álvarez |
|
PfE |
Christophe Bay, Sebastian Kruis, Fabrice Leggeri, Thierry Mariani |
|
Renew |
Petras Auštrevičius, João Cotrim De Figueiredo, Svenja Hahn, Karin Karlsbro, Marie-Pierre Vedrenne |
|
S&D |
Udo Bullmann, Andi Cristea, Jean-Marc Germain, Raphaël Glucksmann, Hana Jalloul Muro, Bernd Lange, Javier Moreno Sánchez, Kathleen Van Brempt |
|
Verts/ALE |
Saskia Bricmont, Markéta Gregorová, Catarina Vieira |
|
2 |
– |
|
ESN |
Markus Buchheit |
|
The Left |
Manon Aubry |
Key to symbols:
+ : in favour
– : against
0 : abstention
for the Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety
on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2023/956 as regards simplifying and strengthening the carbon border adjustment mechanism.
(COM(2025)0087 – C10‑0035/2025 – 2025/0039(COD))
Rapporteur for opinion: Filip Turek
(Simplified procedure – Rule 52(2) and (3) of the Rules of Procedure)
SHORT JUSTIFICATION
The European Commission’ proposals aims at simplifying the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) obligations for small importers—primarily SMEs and individuals—by introducing a new de minimis exemption for imports below 50 tonnes mass. These importers bring in minor volumes of CBAM goods, resulting in negligible levels of embedded emissions entering the EU from third countries. Despite this exemption, approximately 99% of total embedded emissions would remain covered under CBAM, while around 90% of importers would be relieved from its obligations. For those importers who continue to fall within the CBAM scope, the proposal also includes a series of simplifications aimed at easing compliance. These measures involve streamlining the authorisation process for declarants, simplifying emission calculation procedures and improving the management of CBAM-related financial liabilities.
The initiative takes a more pragmatic approach for improving the overall functioning of CBAM, particularly by easing the obligations placed on smaller economic actors. Thus, the proposed exemption marks a necessary and welcome simplification. This, along with the accompanying set of procedural facilitations, represents a step forward in ensuring that the CBAM can be administratively manageable.
Within the Omnibus framework, it is appropriate to concentrate on the elements explicitly opened by the Commission, while awaiting the upcoming comprehensive review, which will provide a more suitable occasion to consider structural and far-reaching revisions, including concerns on the effectiveness of CBAM.
In its current design, CBAM disproportionately affects certain energy-intensive sectors and risks being an ineffective tool to ensure a level playing field for EU industries and to prevent carbon leakage. In fact, it could undermine the EU competitiveness by increasing the production costs and the administrative burdens for EU companies.
The structural revision is therefore urgent to address the risks of resource reshuffling and circumvention. Equally pressing is the postponement (or the deletion) of the phase out from the ETS free allowances, as well as the need to implement effective solutions for EU exporters. Moreover, the possible extension of CBAM to downstream products should be preceded by a thorough and comprehensive impact assessment.
While the ITRE Committee will refrain from tabling amendments to the proposal, the threshold could have merited more in-depth consideration. The de minimis exemption may in fact be too low to reflect meaningfully the reality of many SMEs and micro-enterprises. Data indicates that several businesses, including those officially categorized as “micro,” regularly exceed the threshold of 50 tonnes. Hence, a balanced solution could be raising it to at least 110 tons. This adjustment would strike a more realistic and equitable balance, enhancing the administrative feasibility of the CBAM, while continuing to capture the vast majority of emissions within the scope of the Mechanism (according to Commission estimates, still over 98%). The exemption of more importers from CBAM obligations would also generate additional cost savings, without significantly undermining the ratio of the proposal.
In conclusion, waiting for the upcoming comprehensive review, which will provide a timely opportunity to address the outstanding issues, the Rapporteur notes the willingness of the ITRE Committee to not table amendments and supports the Commission’s initiative.
*******
The Committee on Industry, Research and Energy calls on the Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety, as the committee responsible, to propose that Parliament adopt its position at first reading, taking over the Commission proposal.
ANNEX: ENTITIES OR PERSONS
FROM WHOM THE RAPPORTEUR FOR THE OPINION HAS RECEIVED INPUT
Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur declares that he received input from the following entities or persons in the preparation of the report, prior to the adoption thereof in committee:
|
Entity and/or person |
|
Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic |
|
ČEZ Group |
|
Emerson International |
|
Italian Confederation of Craft Trades and Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises |
|
European Express Association |
|
Round Table on Climate Change and Sustainable Transition |
|
Office of the Government of the Czech Republic |
The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur.
Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur declares that he has submitted to the concerned natural persons the European Parliament’s Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.
PROCEDURE – COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION
|
Title |
Amending Regulation (EU) 2023/956 as regards simplifying and strengthening the carbon border adjustment mechanism |
|||
|
References |
COM(2025)0087 – C10-0035/2025 – 2025/0039(COD) |
|||
|
Committee(s) responsible |
ENVI |
|
|
|
|
Opinion by Date announced in plenary |
ITRE 31.3.2025 |
|||
|
Rapporteur for the opinion Date appointed |
Filip Turek 25.3.2025 |
|||
|
Simplified procedure – date of decision |
18.3.2025 |
|||
|
Date adopted |
24.4.2025 |
|
|
|
|
Result of final vote |
+: –: 0: |
73 5 6 |
||
|
Members present for the final vote |
Wouter Beke, Tom Berendsen, Michael Bloss, Barbara Bonte, Paolo Borchia, Markus Buchheit, Borys Budka, João Cotrim De Figueiredo, Raúl de la Hoz Quintano, Elena Donazzan, Matthias Ecke, Sofie Eriksson, Jan Farský, Niels Fuglsang, Bruno Gonçalves, Nicolás González Casares, Giorgio Gori, Niels Flemming Hansen, Eero Heinäluoma, Ivars Ijabs, Fernand Kartheiser, Seán Kelly, Rudi Kennes, Ondřej Krutílek, Eszter Lakos, Isabella Lövin, Yannis Maniatis, Sara Matthieu, Marina Mesure, Angelika Niebler, Ville Niinistö, Thomas Pellerin-Carlin, Tsvetelina Penkova, Pascale Piera, Jüri Ratas, Aura Salla, Elena Sancho Murillo, Jussi Saramo, Paulius Saudargas, Diego Solier, Marcin Sypniewski, Beata Szydło, Dario Tamburrano, Bruno Tobback, Matej Tonin, Yvan Verougstraete, Mariateresa Vivaldini, Andrea Wechsler, Elena Yoncheva, Auke Zijlstra, Nicola Zingaretti |
|||
|
Substitutes present for the final vote |
Christophe Bay, Adam Bielan, Marc Botenga, Andi Cristea, Kamila Gasiuk-Pihowicz, Chiara Gemma, Andreas Glück, Michalis Hadjipantela, Martin Hojsík, Radan Kanev, Katri Kulmuni, Sergey Lagodinsky, András László, Marion Maréchal, Virginijus Sinkevičius, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Pierre-Romain Thionnet, Francesco Torselli, Marie Toussaint |
|||
|
Members under Rule 216(7) present for the final vote |
Magdalena Adamowicz, Marie-Luce Brasier-Clain, Krzysztof Brejza, Jaroslav Bžoch, José Cepeda, Vivien Costanzo, Ton Diepeveen, Siegbert Frank Droese, Anne-Sophie Frigout, Svenja Hahn, Andrzej Halicki, Ilia Lazarov, Jan-Christoph Oetjen, Vlad Vasile-Voiculescu, Axel Voss |
|||
FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL
BY THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION
|
73 |
+ |
|
ECR |
Adam Bielan, Elena Donazzan, Chiara Gemma, Fernand Kartheiser, Ondřej Krutílek, Marion Maréchal, Diego Solier, Beata Szydło, Francesco Torselli, Mariateresa Vivaldini |
|
NI |
Elena Yoncheva |
|
PPE |
Magdalena Adamowicz, Wouter Beke, Tom Berendsen, Krzysztof Brejza, Raúl de la Hoz Quintano, Jan Farský, Kamila Gasiuk-Pihowicz, Michalis Hadjipantela, Andrzej Halicki, Niels Flemming Hansen, Radan Kanev, Seán Kelly, Eszter Lakos, Ilia Lazarov, Angelika Niebler, Jüri Ratas, Aura Salla, Paulius Saudargas, Matej Tonin, Axel Voss, Andrea Wechsler |
|
PfE |
Christophe Bay, Paolo Borchia, Marie-Luce Brasier-Clain, Jaroslav Bžoch, Anne-Sophie Frigout, András László, Pascale Piera, Pierre-Romain Thionnet |
|
Renew |
João Cotrim De Figueiredo, Andreas Glück, Svenja Hahn, Martin Hojsík, Ivars Ijabs, Katri Kulmuni, Jan-Christoph Oetjen, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Vlad Vasile-Voiculescu, Yvan Verougstraete |
|
S&D |
José Cepeda, Vivien Costanzo, Andi Cristea, Matthias Ecke, Sofie Eriksson, Niels Fuglsang, Bruno Gonçalves, Nicolás González Casares, Giorgio Gori, Eero Heinäluoma, Yannis Maniatis, Thomas Pellerin-Carlin, Tsvetelina Penkova, Elena Sancho Murillo, Bruno Tobback, Nicola Zingaretti |
|
Verts/ALE |
Michael Bloss, Sergey Lagodinsky, Isabella Lövin, Sara Matthieu, Ville Niinistö, Virginijus Sinkevičius, Marie Toussaint |
|
5 |
– |
|
The Left |
Marc Botenga, Rudi Kennes, Marina Mesure, Jussi Saramo, Dario Tamburrano |
|
6 |
0 |
|
ESN |
Markus Buchheit, Siegbert Frank Droese, Marcin Sypniewski |
|
PfE |
Barbara Bonte, Ton Diepeveen, Auke Zijlstra |
Key to symbols:
+ : in favour
– : against
0 : abstention
|
Title |
Amending Regulation (EU) 2023/956 as regards simplifying and strengthening the carbon border adjustment mechanism |
|||
|
References |
COM(2025)0087 – C10-0035/2025 – 2025/0039(COD) |
|||
|
Date submitted to Parliament |
27.2.2025 |
|
|
|
|
Committee(s) responsible |
ENVI |
|
|
|
|
Committees asked for opinions Date announced in plenary |
BUDG 23.4.2025 |
INTA 31.3.2025 |
ITRE 31.3.2025 |
|
|
Rapporteurs Date appointed |
Antonio Decaro 10.3.2025 |
|
|
|
|
Simplified procedure – date of decision |
10.3.2025 |
|||
|
Discussed in committee |
18.3.2025 |
|
|
|
|
Budgetary assessment Date of budgetary assessment |
BUDG 23.4.2025 |
|
|
|
|
Date adopted |
13.5.2025 |
|
|
|
|
Result of final vote |
+: –: 0: |
85 1 1 |
||
|
Members present for the final vote |
Bartosz Arłukowicz, Sakis Arnaoutoglou, Anja Arndt, Thomas Bajada, Barbara Bonte, Stine Bosse, Lynn Boylan, Jorge Buxadé Villalba, Pascal Canfin, Laurent Castillo, Christophe Clergeau, Annalisa Corrado, Ivan David, Antonio Decaro, Ondřej Dostál, Viktória Ferenc, Pietro Fiocchi, Emma Fourreau, Anne-Sophie Frigout, Heléne Fritzon, Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy, Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz, Esther Herranz García, Martin Hojsík, Pär Holmgren, Romana Jerković, Marc Jongen, Ondřej Knotek, Stefan Köhler, Ewa Kopacz, András Tivadar Kulja, Peter Liese, Javi López, César Luena, Elżbieta Katarzyna Łukacijewska, Ignazio Roberto Marino, Tilly Metz, Dolors Montserrat, Dan-Ştefan Motreanu, Jana Nagyová, Rasmus Nordqvist, Jacek Ozdoba, Jutta Paulus, Michele Picaro, Jessica Polfjärd, Carola Rackete, Massimiliano Salini, Lena Schilling, Christine Schneider, Günther Sidl, Jonas Sjöstedt, Sander Smit, Claudiu-Richard Târziu, Ingeborg Ter Laak, Beatrice Timgren, Dimitris Tsiodras, Alexandr Vondra, Emma Wiesner, Michal Wiezik, Tiemo Wölken, Anna Zalewska |
|||
|
Substitutes present for the final vote |
Biljana Borzan, Marie-Luce Brasier-Clain, Stefano Cavedagna, Susanna Ceccardi, Sebastian Everding, Michalis Hadjipantela, Paolo Inselvini, Adam Jarubas, Nora Junco García, Karin Karlsbro, Billy Kelleher, Norbert Lins, Letizia Moratti, Maria Ohisalo, Virgil-Daniel Popescu, Manuela Ripa, André Rodrigues, Elena Sancho Murillo, Christine Singer, Liesbet Sommen, Sebastiaan Stöteler, Anna Stürgkh, Bruno Tobback, Raffaele Topo |
|||
|
Members under Rule 216(7) present for the final vote |
Javier Moreno Sánchez, Séverine Werbrouck |
|||
|
Date tabled |
14.5.2025 |
|||
|
85 |
+ |
|
ECR |
Stefano Cavedagna, Pietro Fiocchi, Paolo Inselvini, Nora Junco García, Jacek Ozdoba, Michele Picaro, Claudiu-Richard Târziu, Beatrice Timgren, Alexandr Vondra, Anna Zalewska |
|
ESN |
Anja Arndt, Ivan David, Marc Jongen |
|
NI |
Ondřej Dostál |
|
PPE |
Bartosz Arłukowicz, Laurent Castillo, Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz, Michalis Hadjipantela, Esther Herranz García, Adam Jarubas, Stefan Köhler, Ewa Kopacz, András Tivadar Kulja, Peter Liese, Norbert Lins, Elżbieta Katarzyna Łukacijewska, Dolors Montserrat, Letizia Moratti, Dan-Ştefan Motreanu, Jessica Polfjärd, Virgil-Daniel Popescu, Manuela Ripa, Massimiliano Salini, Christine Schneider, Sander Smit, Liesbet Sommen, Ingeborg Ter Laak, Dimitris Tsiodras |
|
PfE |
Barbara Bonte, Marie-Luce Brasier-Clain, Jorge Buxadé Villalba, Viktória Ferenc, Anne-Sophie Frigout, Ondřej Knotek, Jana Nagyová, Sebastiaan Stöteler, Séverine Werbrouck |
|
Renew |
Stine Bosse, Pascal Canfin, Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy, Martin Hojsík, Karin Karlsbro, Billy Kelleher, Christine Singer, Anna Stürgkh, Emma Wiesner, Michal Wiezik |
|
S&D |
Sakis Arnaoutoglou, Thomas Bajada, Biljana Borzan, Christophe Clergeau, Annalisa Corrado, Antonio Decaro, Heléne Fritzon, Romana Jerković, Javi López, César Luena, Javier Moreno Sánchez, André Rodrigues, Elena Sancho Murillo, Günther Sidl, Bruno Tobback, Raffaele Topo, Tiemo Wölken |
|
The Left |
Lynn Boylan, Sebastian Everding, Carola Rackete, Jonas Sjöstedt |
|
Verts/ALE |
Pär Holmgren, Ignazio Roberto Marino, Tilly Metz, Rasmus Nordqvist, Maria Ohisalo, Jutta Paulus, Lena Schilling |
|
1 |
– |
|
The Left |
Emma Fourreau |
|
1 |
0 |
|
PfE |
Susanna Ceccardi |
Key to symbols:
+ : in favour
– : against
0 : abstention
Source: United States SOUTHERN COMMAND
A group of enlisted leaders from the United States Army kicked off a subject matter expert exchange with fellow enlisted leaders from the Dominican Republic’s military just outside of the Caribbean nation’s capital in Santo Domingo – further progressing the professional development of noncommissioned officers in the Dominican armed services.
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
NEW YORK, May 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As the XRP price breaks past $2.50 and momentum surges across the XRP Ledger ecosystem, attention is turning towards Ripple’s initial public offering. Crypto observers closely watch how market participants react to Ripple’s going public amid the emergence of a new alternative: Remittix.
Since making its grand entrance in the global payment sector, Remittix inflows have toppled records, surging above $15 million within weeks. This analysis breaks down the XRP news regarding the Ripple IPO and Remittix’s impressive momentum.
XRP news: XRP price targets $5 move amid Ripple’s IPO launch
Source: CoinMarketCap
The XRP price has surged over 55% since its April low of $1.61, buoyed by a broader crypto market resurgence. This upswing is fueled by a temporary U.S.-China tariff deal and April’s unexpectedly low inflation data, which indicated a 2.3% year-over-year increase, its slowest pace since February 2021.
Amid this price performance, the XRP news of its initial public offering is bringing attention to Ripple. This market buzz started after CEO Brad Garlinghouse said a Ripple IPO is possible but not a priority. While no official date has been announced, speculations by year-end are highly entertained, given the slow momentum towards this project.
Meanwhile, the block data indicates that the XRP ETF has recorded inflows for five consecutive weeks, bringing its total assets to more than $99.1 million. This highlights the rising demand for XRP products.
Source: Captain Fabik on X
The momentum and positive developments had analysts double down on their bullish XRP price prediction. X analyst Captain Faibik spotted a falling wedge pattern. The chart pattern indicates a period of consolidation before signalling a reversal with a probable upside move in the XRP price. If the bullish pattern is confirmed, the price target is $5.
Remittix ICO breaks $15 million barrier with raw PayFi utility.
Raising $15 million in an initial coin offering (ICO) is no small accomplishment. This milestone shows the growing interest in the PayFi sector and investors’ trust in Remittix. The new crypto’s distinctive focus on transforming international remittances has resonated with its target audience.
This impressive performance shows that Remittix has the potential to be a ground-breaking project even for Ripple investors. The reason? Remittix simplifies international money transfers at a lower cost than conventional systems. It offers flexibility and accessibility with over 40 crypto options and 30 fiat currencies.
Remittix’s innovation has spread its popularity beyond niche investors, especially as normal people adopt digital assets without experiencing technical issues. Its ongoing presale has raked in over $15 million in inflows, which has led industry experts to dub it the XRP 2.0 to ride the next wave of growing adoption in the global remittance sector.
Conclusion
While the latest XRP price prediction is not far-fetched, especially with its institutional growth, Remittix’s focus on user accessibility and transparent fee structures for businesses positions it as a compelling alternative. Despite the choppy market conditions, Remittix’s ICO has powered through the $15 million milestone while selling millions of tokens at around $0.0757.
Early adopters have earned four-digit percentage returns, and analysts believe Remittix can do much more.
Discover the future of PayFi with Remittix by checking out their presale here:
Website:https://remittix.io/
Socials: https://linktr.ee/remittix
Media details:
Company: Remittix
Website: https://remittix.io/
Contact Person: Bowen Higgins
Email Id: B_Higgins@remittix.io
Address:22 Washington Square N, New York, NY 10011, USA
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Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
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US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator MarkWayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma)
ICYMI: Mullin, Oklahoma Delegation Sit-Down Interview: “Oklahoma Punches Above Its Weight in Congress”
“We find ourselves with a really good opportunity to make some big differences for the country right now. I think we can all say this, we feel privileged to be here right now.”
Washington, D.C. – On Wednesday, Oklahoma’s News 9 released a 40-minute roundtable interview featuring U.S. Senators Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), James Lankford (R-OK), and U.S. Representatives Stephanie Bice (R-OK), Frank Lucas (R-OK), Tom Cole (R-OK), Kevin Hern (R-OK), and Josh Brecheen (R-OK) for a special congressional delegation sit-down discussion with long-time Washington Bureau Chief, Alex Cameron.
During the wide-ranging conversation, the members gave an inside look as to how Oklahoma’s seven-member Republican delegation is working with the Trump administration and leveraging their committee assignments to deliver big wins for the Sooner State. Highlights below.
Sen. Mullin and the Oklahoma congressional delegation’s interview can be found here.
On how the Oklahoma delegation punches above their weight:
“I have no title, and I think James [Sen. Lankford] said it right, you see a problem and you go fix it. For me, I’m a Junior Senator. I don’t have seniority over here. So, what I have to do is, if youwant to get something accomplished, you have to build a coalition to do that. What’s interesting about our delegation is we all punch way above our weight. We all have separate issues, we trust each other, we allow that individual to take the leading position on that.
“I don’t care if it’s from Tom [Rep. Cole] on approps [House Committee on Appropriations] or Frank [Rep. Lucas] on ag [House Committee on Agriculture] issues, James being with financial services [Senate Committee on Financial Services] or budget [Senate Committee on the Budget] or you have Stephanie [Rep. Bice] and we have the ability to work together now on armed services [Senate Committee on Armed Services and House Committee on Armed Services] and on approps too, and you have Kevin [Rep. Hern] and you have Josh [Rep. Brecheen] who are all leading in different aspects in the House. What we have to do is build a coalition. What I learned when I went to the Senate real quick is that both chambers worry about the other chamber and most of the time when I’m arguing with my wife, it’s a misunderstanding.”
On how the senator’s role benefits the Sooner State:
“The role that I play between the White House, between the Senate, and between the House is breaking down that miscommunication and just bringing the facts to the table.
“Instead of worrying about what someone’s going to do, build a coalition to figure out how we can accomplish what our common goal is and deliver for the American people. That’s simply having a conversation and putting the right people on the telephone, putting the right people in the room, and having a clear vision on what we’re trying to accomplish.
“Fortunately, because I served so long in the House and I have those relationships and have been able to maintain those relationships, and have been able to build relationships in the Senate, and obviously have an outstanding relationship with the president, who I call a friend, we find ourselves with a really good opportunity to make some big differences for the country right now. I think we can all say this, we feel privileged to be here right now.”
On his support for President Trump’s tariff strategy:
“I have a saying; you’re never going to change anything you’re willing to tolerate. We’ve tolerated it [Unfair trade deals] so long. We’ve known it was wrong. We’ve known we’ve had to do something and finally we’re doing it. It is uncomfortable, but at what point was we going to fix it? At what point was it coming to head where it was going to force us to fix it? There is countries who’ve gotten extremely wealthy by taking trillions of dollars outside of the United States’ economy just turn it back around and sell it to us…
“A scalpel doesn’t work, nor can you simply take tariffs one country at a time…
“People have been taking advantage of us way too long, and President Trump is finally fixing it. It’s uncomfortable, but we had to right the ship at some point. This is the time to do it.”
Source: US Congressional Budget Office
H.R. 658 would establish qualifications for marriage and family therapists who are authorized to provide clinical supervision within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). The bill would allow supervising therapists to qualify either by meeting state authorization requirements or by holding a designation as a supervisor from the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.
The qualifications established under the bill would not change the number of VHA personnel or materially affect hiring practices at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Thus, CBO estimates that implementing the additional qualifications in the bill would not affect the federal budget.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Noah Callahan. The estimate was reviewed by Christina Hawley Anthony, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.
Phillip L. Swagel
Director, Congressional Budget Office
Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement
WASHINGTON — A federal grand jury returned an indictment May 14 charging Seth Herrera, 35, a U.S. Army soldier, previously of El Paso, Texas, with attempted sexual exploitation of a child and receiving files depicting child sexual abuse.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations special agents are investigating the case.
According to court documents, Herrera allegedly used encrypted messaging applications and network applications to find, receive, and download child sexual abuse material over the course of multiple years, beginning in 2021. He also allegedly used artificial intelligence chatbots to generate child sexual abuse material using images of children he knew and surreptitiously took images and videos of those same children undressing in his El Paso home.
Herrera is already charged in Alaska relating to his alleged transportation, receipt, and possession of child sexual abuse material, including AI-generated child sexual abuse material, while stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska.
Trial Attorney Rachel L. Rothberg of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mallory J. Rasmussen for the Western District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
Source: Securities and Exchange Commission
Division of Trading and Markets, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission[1]
Office of General Counsel, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.
On July 8, 2019, the staffs of the Division of Trading and Markets (“Division”) and the Office of General Counsel of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) issued a joint statement regarding broker-dealer custody of digital asset securities.[2] The staffs of the Division and the FINRA are withdrawing, effective immediately, the Joint Staff Statement.
To contact Commission staff for assistance, please visit the Commission’s Crypto Task Force webpage or contact Michael Macchiaroli, Associate Director, at (202) 551-5525, or Raymond Lombardo, Assistant Director, at (202) 551-5755. To contact FINRA staff for assistance, please visit FINRA’s Crypto Assets webpage or contact Tom Kimbrell, Associate General Counsel, at (202) 728-6926.
[1] This statement represents the views of the staff of the Division of Trading and Markets. It is not a rule, regulation, or statement of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission” or “SEC”), and the Commission has neither approved nor disapproved its content. This statement, like all staff statements, has no legal force or effect: it does not alter or amend applicable law, and it creates no new or additional obligations for any person.
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Marie-Agnes Parmentier, Professor of Marketing, HEC Montréal
Warning: This article contains spoilers about ‘And Just Like That…‘
Middle-aged women don’t have sex — or that’s what popular media might have us believe. But And Just Like That…, the HBO Max sequel to the seminal series Sex and the City, offers a markedly different portrayal.
The show presents a perspective of middle-aged women’s lives and identities that aligns more closely with studies demonstrating that 73 per cent of women in midlife are sexually active.
Premiering in late 2021, And Just Like That… resumes the story of Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon) and Charlotte York (Kristin Davis) 11 years after the second Sex and the City feature. Now in their 50s, the characters confront the realities of friendship and aging.
The series explores their evolving identities and relationships, highlighting the challenges and successes of midlife. With Season 3 set to release on May 29, And Just Like That… continues to provide a platform for the representation of middle-aged women as multifaceted individuals who assert their sexual agency.
While And Just Like That… breaks new ground by shining a light on the lives and experiences of middle-aged women, the industry as a whole has a long way to go.
Research from the Geena Davis Institute examining representation over a 10-year period found that in top-grossing films and popular television shows, less than 25 per cent of characters were over the age of 50.
Those who did appear were often depicted using elderly tropes. They were less likely to be featured in romantic story lines, show affection or be shown in intimate contexts. They were also more likely to be men.
In fact, two-thirds of characters aged 50 and older in streaming television, and four out of five in film, were men. Taken as a whole, with some recent notable exceptions, women over 50 are rendered largely invisible in media. In stories about romance and sex, they rarely take centre stage.
This lack of representation not only impacts societal perceptions about what it means to be a woman over 50, but also presents missed opportunities for businesses, advertisers and filmmakers to showcase authentic and relatable stories that resonate with audiences.
As consumer researchers and gender scholars, we were interested in understanding whether And Just Like That… challenges or reinforces expectations about middle-aged women in consumer culture.
In our previous research on Sex and the City, we found that consumption practices played heavily into character identity development, particularly in resolving and creating tensions around sexuality, domesticity and authenticity.
The original series drew audiences in with its portrayal of four young single women navigating sex and relationships in New York City. But to understand the sexual scripts for these characters as they are reprised years later, we turned to feminist gerontology, which highlights the ways social norms and structures around age and gender influence the aging experience.
Our content analysis of And Just Like That…‘s first season identified themes that reflect significant tensions around identity, liminality and sexual behaviours in middle age.
Carrie, as a central figure, provides a good example. Her journey highlights tensions between societal expectations and aging identity. Her fashion choices, once celebrated, now face scrutiny, reflecting ageist attitudes towards what is deemed appropriate for older women.
In one episode, Carrie wears a floor length white tulle tutu, reminiscent of her younger days. While fans might see this as a nostalgic nod to her past, the stares of onlookers suggest they regard this attire as age-inappropriate. Writing in the New York Times, English professor Rhonda Garelick notes that this tutu looks “off” on her, highlighting societal pressure on aging women to conform to certain standards.
In the pilot episode of And Just Like That…, Carrie’s husband, John “Big” Preston, dies in her arms of a heart attack in their apartment. In the aftermath, Carrie hires realtor Seema Patel (Sarita Choudhury) to sell the home and returns to her iconic Sex and the City apartment and her quest for love.
Over drinks, Carrie calls Seema “brave” for “still” looking for love at age 53. Seema replies that although she has yet to meet the love of her life, that fact isn’t tragic — and neither is Carrie’s loss, because she had many good years with Big.
Seema challenges the stigma of women’s singledom in middle age with her entitlement to sexual pleasure, personal growth and a belief that love is always possible. By addressing these themes, And Just Like That… contributes to discourse on aging and the right of women to be visible at any age.
Media in contemporary society not only reflects culture, but also affects it. Through representation and storytelling, media has the transformative power to showcase the full lives and identities of individuals, giving legitimacy to the full range of possibilities for people.
Since sexuality — the capacity for sexual thoughts — is an important influence on sexual well-being, women over 50 should not be erased from realistic narratives. They deserve to be seen and recognized as living vibrant, multi-dimensional lives.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. ‘And Just Like That…’ gives middle-aged women something media rarely does — a portrayal of their sexual lives – https://theconversation.com/and-just-like-that-gives-middle-aged-women-something-media-rarely-does-a-portrayal-of-their-sexual-lives-256058
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) introduced the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Whistleblower Protection Act to provide explicit whistleblower protections to those developing and deploying AI. Currently, AI companies’ restrictive severance and nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) create a chilling effect on current and former employees looking to make whistleblower disclosures to the federal government, including Congress.
The legislation merges existing AI and whistleblower protection laws to shield the communications of current and former AI employees who make disclosures. The bill would also provide relief for AI whistleblowers who suffer retaliation, including reinstatement, back pay and compensation for damages incurred, where applicable.
“Transparency brings accountability. Today, too many people working in AI feel they’re unable to speak up when they see something wrong. Whistleblowers are one of the best ways to ensure Congress keeps pace as the AI industry rapidly develops. We need to act to make these protections crystal clear. I’m proud to introduce this legislation to increase accountability and protect AI whistleblowers,” Grassley said.
Additional co-sponsors include Sens. Chris Coons (D-Del.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i). Reps. Jay Obernolte (R-Calif.) and Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) are introducing companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
“AI is rapidly evolving in ways that have the potential to radically reshape our society and transform our world for the better and for the worse,” Coons said. “I have long been concerned with how much more tech companies know about the risks and harms of their products compared with regulators, independent researchers, and the public. The AI Whistleblower Protection Act is a critical tool among others that Congress must enact to ensure that we can get the best out of AI while also learning when it poses a substantial danger to public safety.”
“As AI continues to develop at breakneck speed, we need to know about the risks that come with it,” Schatz said. “This bill protects whistleblowers from employer retaliation in the event that they report on significant dangers, security failures, or breaches of the law.”
“Protecting whistleblowers who report AI security vulnerabilities isn’t just about workplace fairness—it’s a matter of national security,” Obernolte said. “As artificial intelligence becomes more powerful and more deeply embedded in our infrastructure, we must ensure that those who identify potential threats can speak up without fear of retaliation. This bill will help safeguard the American people from emerging technological risks and protect the integrity of our AI systems.”
The legislation is endorsed by the National Whistleblower Center, Government Accountability Project, Center for AI Policy, The Anti-Fraud Coalition, Encode and Americans for Responsible Innovation.
“The introduction of the [AI Whistleblower Protection Act] answers the call for AI industry employee whistleblower protections that will serve to protect the public, marking a turning point in guaranteeing transparency and accountability over AI companies,” said Stephen Kohn, Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board of the National Whistleblower Center. “National Whistleblower Center extends its sincere appreciation to [Senator Grassley], and [his] fellow sponsors and cosponsors, for championing this bill and taking a stand for all AI employees.”
“In a time when AI technologies are advancing faster than many institutions can keep up, it’s absolutely vital that the federal government has access to accurate, truthful information about the dangers AI poses to public health and public safety,” said Jason Green-Lowe, Executive Director of the Center for AI Policy. “Senator’s Grassley’s strong and effective whistleblower protection bill will honor the brave individuals who step up to report genuine dangers and make it possible for them to do the right thing without giving up their careers. The Center for AI Policy firmly endorses this important and well-drafted bill and urges Congress to advance it without delay.”
“Sen. Grassley’s bill offers crucial protection for AI whistleblowers,” said Jacklyn DeMar, President & CEO of The Anti-Fraud Coalition. “Sector-based whistleblower protections are desperately needed to allow insiders within the AI industry to best protect investors and ensure proper safety protocols are implemented. Given the rapid development and adoption of AI throughout our society, insiders working within the industry need to be properly protected when they blow the whistle.”
“As AI systems grow more powerful and autonomous, we must shield those who sound the alarm about emerging risks. The engineers and researchers closest to these systems are the first to spot dangerous vulnerabilities or safety gaps,” said Sunny Gandhi, Vice President of Political Affairs at Encode AI. “The AI Whistleblower Protection Act creates a vital safety valve for our AI ecosystem, ensuring that legitimate national security concerns reach regulators before they spiral into preventable harm.”
“Ensuring transparency and accountability in the rapidly evolving field of AI is a public interest and national security imperative,” said Brad Carson, President of Americans for Responsible Innovation. “Employees in the industry have firsthand knowledge of practices that may jeopardize public safety and our national security. The AI Whistleblower Protection Act ensures they aren’t silenced by a fear of retaliation.”
Full text of the legislation is available HERE.
Background:Last year, Grassley sent a letter to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman raising concerns about the alleged use of illegally restrictive NDAs, as well as the company’s employment, severance and non-disparagement agreements.
-30-
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley’s (R-Iowa) staff will hold traveling office hours in 12 counties from May 22 to May 23. Iowans seeking assistance with a federal agency or wishing to share their views may stop by during the scheduled hours listed below.
NOTE: Senator Grassley will not be in attendance. He will be represented by his regional directors: Noah Schrad of Des Moines and Jacob Bossman of Sioux City.
“For 45 years, I’ve made it a point to hold meetings in every county, every year. I can’t meet face-to-face with all three million Iowans, so in addition to mail and telephone communication, my staff holds traveling office hours to ensure my constituents’ concerns are heard and their problems are addressed,” said Grassley. “I encourage Iowans needing assistance to stop by during these upcoming traveling office hours to meet with my staff, or contact one of my offices.”
The schedule is as follows:
Thursday, May 22
Woodbury County
9 – 10 a.m.
Little Courthouse
105 N 2nd Street
Anthon
Regional Director Jacob Bossman
Ida County
10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Lohff-Schumann Community Center
301 Lohff-Schumann Drive
Holstein
Regional Director Jacob Bossman
Adair County
11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Greenfield Public Library – Study Room
202 S 1st Street
Greenfield
Regional Director Noah Schrad
Cherokee County12 – 1 p.m.
Cherokee Chamber of Commerce
201 W Main Street
Cherokee
Regional Director Jacob Bossman
Guthrie County
2 – 3 p.m.
Panora Public Library – Meeting Room
102 N 1st Street
Panora
Regional Director Noah Schrad
O’Brien County
2:30 –3:30 p.m.
Paullina Community Building – Laue Room
127 S Main Street
Paullina
Regional Director Jacob Bossman
Friday, May 23
Osceola County
9:45 – 10:45 a.m.Ashton State Bank – Basement Community Room317 3rd Street
Ashton
Regional Director Jacob Bossman
Story County
11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Nevada Public Library – Study Room 2
631 K Avenue
Nevada
Regional Director Noah Schrad
Lyon County
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Inwood Community Center
103 S Main Street
Inwood
Regional Director Jacob Bossman
Sioux County
2:15 – 3:15 p.m.
Hawarden Public Library
803 10th Street
Hawarden
Regional Director Jacob Bossman
Marshall County
2:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Marshalltown Public Library – Community Meeting Room
105 W Boone Street
Marshalltown
Regional Director Noah Schrad
Plymouth County
3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Akron City Hall
220 Reed Street
Akron
Regional Director Jacob Bossman
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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.
SEL2
URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 252
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
155 PM CDT Thu May 15 2025
The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a
* Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of
North-Central into Northeast Arkansas
Far Western Kentucky
Far Southeast Missouri
Far Northwest Tennessee
* Effective this Thursday afternoon and evening from 155 PM until
700 PM CDT.
* Primary threats include…
Scattered large hail likely with isolated very large hail events
to 2.5 inches in diameter possible
Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph likely
SUMMARY…Line of storms moving through north-central Arkansas
continues to organize as it moves quickly eastward. The downstream
airmass is warm and buoyant, suggesting the potential for this
cluster to continue over the next few hours. Strong gusts and large
to very large hail are possible with this cluster, as well any other
storms that develop across the region.
The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 75
statute miles east and west of a line from 15 miles east northeast
of Poplar Bluff MO to 55 miles east southeast of Russellville AR.
For a complete depiction of the watch see the associated watch
outline update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU2).
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
REMEMBER…A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are
favorable for 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. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce
tornadoes.
&&
OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 251…
AVIATION…A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to
2.5 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 60 knots. A
few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean storm motion vector
26040.
…Mosier
SEL2
URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 252
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
155 PM CDT Thu May 15 2025
The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a
* Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of
North-Central into Northeast Arkansas
Far Western Kentucky
Far Southeast Missouri
Far Northwest Tennessee
* Effective this Thursday afternoon and evening from 155 PM until
700 PM CDT.
* Primary threats include…
Scattered large hail likely with isolated very large hail events
to 2.5 inches in diameter possible
Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph likely
SUMMARY…Line of storms moving through north-central Arkansas
continues to organize as it moves quickly eastward. The downstream
airmass is warm and buoyant, suggesting the potential for this
cluster to continue over the next few hours. Strong gusts and large
to very large hail are possible with this cluster, as well any other
storms that develop across the region.
The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 75
statute miles east and west of a line from 15 miles east northeast
of Poplar Bluff MO to 55 miles east southeast of Russellville AR.
For a complete depiction of the watch see the associated watch
outline update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU2).
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
REMEMBER…A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are
favorable for 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. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce
tornadoes.
&&
OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 251…
AVIATION…A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to
2.5 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 60 knots. A
few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean storm motion vector
26040.
…Mosier
Note: The Aviation Watch (SAW) product is an approximation to the watch area. The actual watch is depicted by the shaded areas.
SAW2
WW 252 SEVERE TSTM AR KY MO TN 151855Z – 160000Z
AXIS..75 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST OF LINE..
15ENE POF/POPLAR BLUFF MO/ – 55ESE RUE/RUSSELLVILLE AR/
..AVIATION COORDS.. 65NM E/W /49S FAM – 16N LIT/
HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT..2.5 INCHES. WIND GUSTS..60 KNOTS.
MAX TOPS TO 500. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 26040.
LAT…LON 36848886 34939087 34939352 36849158
THIS IS AN APPROXIMATION TO THE WATCH AREA. FOR A
COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE WOUS64 KWNS
FOR WOU2.
Watch 252 Status Report Message has not been issued yet.
Note: Click for Complete Product Text.Tornadoes
Probability of 2 or more tornadoes
Low (10%)
Probability of 1 or more strong (EF2-EF5) tornadoes
Low (5%)
Wind
Probability of 10 or more severe wind events
Mod (60%)
Probability of 1 or more wind events > 65 knots
Low (20%)
Hail
Probability of 10 or more severe hail events
Mod (60%)
Probability of 1 or more hailstones > 2 inches
Mod (30%)
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.
Source: US State of California
A federal grand jury returned an indictment yesterday charging Seth Herrera, 35, a U.S. Army soldier, previously of El Paso, TX, with attempted sexual exploitation of a child and receipt of files depicting child sexual abuse.
According to court documents, Herrera allegedly used encrypted messaging applications and network applications to find, receive, and download child sexual abuse material (CSAM) over the course of multiple years, beginning in 2021. He also allegedly used artificial intelligence chatbots to generate CSAM using images of children he knew. He is also alleged to have surreptitiously taken images and videos of those same children undressing in his home in El Paso.
Herrera is already charged in Alaska relating to his alleged transportation, receipt, and possession of CSAM, including AI-generated CSAM, while stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret F. Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Rachel L. Rothberg of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mallory J. Rasmussen for the Western District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Source: US State of California
OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued a legal alert to help California local officials — such as council and board members, planning directors, city attorneys, and county counsel — understand new requirements of state housing law under Senate Bill 1037 (SB 1037). Authored by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and sponsored by Attorney General Bonta, SB 1037 went into effect on January 1, 2025 and establishes new court-ordered civil penalties for cities (including charter cities) and counties that (1) fail to adopt a compliant housing element and/or (2) fail to ministerially approve a housing development application that state law requires be approved ministerially. In today’s legal alert, Attorney General Bonta includes five hypothetical examples to assist local officials in understanding the practical effects and implementation of SB 1037.
“Increasing the production and affordability of housing is a top priority of mine. That’s why I created the Housing Justice Team, and that’s why my office regularly works with the Legislature on bills that will help us build housing faster. SB 1037, which I proudly co-sponsored, is one of those pieces of legislation,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “This new law imposes bigger financial penalties than ever before when cities and counties deny or delay the homes that Californians desperately need, and the fines will go toward building even more affordable housing. We need every local government to build their fair share of housing, and SB 1037 requires the bare minimum: prepare your housing element on time and follow state law when you receive a housing development application.”
“Robust enforcement is absolutely critical to ensuring that the bold pro-housing policies California has enacted in recent years translate into actual new homes on the ground. With this legal guidance, cities have everything they need to comply with state housing law—these requirements aren’t surprises for anyone,” said Senator Scott Wiener. “I’m grateful for the Attorney General for being a strong pro-housing champion and using tools like SB 1037 to hold bad actors accountable for exacerbating our housing shortage.”
Previously, when a court found a locality in violation of state housing law, monetary penalties could only be imposed 60 days, or in some cases up to a year, after a court ordered compliance. SB 1037 provides that:
Background on Housing Element
Under the state’s Housing Element Law, every city and county in California must periodically update its housing element to meet its share of the regional and statewide housing needs. Among other things, a compliant housing element must include an assessment of housing needs, an inventory of resources and constraints relevant to meeting those needs, and a program to implement the policies, goals, and objectives of the housing element. Once the housing element is adopted, it is implemented through zoning ordinances and other actions that put its objectives into effect and facilitate the construction of new homes for Californians at all income levels.
The housing element is a crucial tool for building housing for moderate-, low-, and very low-income Californians and redressing historical redlining and disinvestment. State income limits for what constitutes moderate-, low-, and very low-income Californians vary by county and can be found here.
Background on Ministerial Approval
Ministerial, or streamlined, approval is where review by public officials, such as local planning staff, is limited to ensuring that a proposed development meets all objective standards in effect at the time that the application is submitted to the local government. If the objective standards are met, the project must be approved, without being subjected to special discretion or personal, subjective judgment in deciding whether or how the project should be carried out.
Laws requiring ministerial approval include but are not limited to streamlined housing approvals under SB 423 (Wiener, 2023), certain ADUs, duplexes, and lot splits under SB 9 (Atkins, 2021), small lot subdivisions under SB 684 (Caballero, 2023), and affordable housing located in commercial zones under AB 2011 (Wicks, 2022).
A copy of the legal alert can be found here.
Source: United States of America – The White House (video statements)
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
May 15, 2025
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden—along with U.S. Representative Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01)—joined over 80 of their Senate and House colleagues in a bipartisan effort to demand that Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem reinstate the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This essential program supports local efforts to protect and harden communities in Oregon and nationwide from natural disasters.
“BRIC funds are spurring communities across the country to strengthen their resilience to extreme weather, and forgoing these critical investments will only make it harder and more expensive for communities to recover from the next storm,” Merkley, Wyden, Bonamici, and the lawmakers wrote.
The BRIC program provides grants for hazard mitigation planning and projects that reduce risks posed by natural hazards to communities, Tribal Nations, and territories requesting assistance. The lawmakers’ bipartisan letter emphasizes the urgent need to continue investing in pre-disaster mitigation and community resilience and calls on the Administration to work with Congress to improve the program’s accessibility and efficiency.
“The BRIC program was established by Congress in the 2018 Disaster Recovery Reform Act and signed into law by President Trump with bipartisan support. In the years since, this program has catalyzed community investments in resilient infrastructure, saving federal funds by investing in community preparedness before a disaster strikes,” they continued. “According to research, one dollar invested in disaster mitigation can save up to $18 in response and recovery expenditures.”
Previously, Merkley led his Democratic colleagues in the Oregon delegation to denounce the cancellation of awards under the BRIC program. These grants are critical to ensure that Oregon’s communities—especially in frontier, rural, and coastal regions of the state—can withstand the increasing threat of natural disasters.
“We urge the Administration to take swift action to reinstate the BRIC program, and to work with Congress to identify and implement reforms to strengthen our nation’s resilience for decades to come,” the lawmakers concluded.
This latest letter was led by U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), as well as U.S. Representatives Chuck Edwards (R-N.C.-11), Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas-29), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.-01).
In addition to Merkley, Wyden, and Bonamici, the letter was also signed by Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Representatives Alma Adams (D-N.C.-12), Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.-33), Donald Beyer (D-Va.-08), Rob Bresnahan (R-Pa.-08), Nikki Budzinski (D-Ill.-13), Greg Casar (D-Texas-35), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.-20), Judy Chu (D-Calif.-33), Angie Craig (D-Minn.-02), Sharice Davids (D-Kan.-03), Donald Davis (D-N.C.-01), Sarah Elfreth (D-Md.-03), Lois Frankel (D-Fla.-22), Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.-10), Chuy García (D-Ill.-04), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.-07), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.-04), Bill Keating (D-Mass.-09), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.-17), Jen Kiggans (R-Va.-02), Kimberlyn King-Hinds (R-Northern Marina Islands), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.-08), Doris Matsui (D-Calif.-07), Sarah McBride (D-Del.-01), Jennifer McClellan (D-Va.-04), Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-Mich.-08), Morgan McGarvey (D-Ky.-03), Dave Min (D-Calif-47), Blake Moore (R-Utah-01), James Moylan (R-Va.-09), Kevin Mullin (D-Calif.-15), Richard Neal (D-Mass.-01), Dan Newhouse (R-Wash-04), Chris Pappas (D-N.H.-01), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.-03), Scott Peters (D-Calif.-50), Chellie Pingree (D-Maine-01), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.-07), Mike Quigley (D-Ill.05), Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen (R-American Samoa), John Rutherford (R-Fla.-05), Linda Sánchez (R-Calif.-38), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.-05), Kim Schrier (D-Wash.-08), Terri Sewell (D-Ala.-07), Thomas Suozzi (D-N.Y.-03), Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii-02), Norma Torres (D-Calif-35), David Valadao (R-Calif-22), Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.-07), Eugene Simon Vindman (D-Va.-07), Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.-24), and Robert Wittman (R-Va.-01).
The full letter is available by clicking here and follows below:
Dear Secretary Noem and Acting Administrator Richardson,
We are writing to urge the Administration to reinstate the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Grant (BRIC) program within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). BRIC funds are spurring communities across the country to strengthen their resilience to extreme weather, and forgoing these critical investments will only make it harder and more expensive for communities to recover from the next storm. We acknowledge that the BRIC program, like all grant funding programs, has room for improvement, and we urge you to couple the reinstatement of the program with an opportunity for Congress and FEMA to improve the application review and funding distribution process to more effectively reduce the costs disasters pose to our communities, economies, and livelihoods.
The BRIC program was established by Congress in the 2018 Disaster Recovery Reform Act and signed into law by President Trump with bipartisan support. In the years since, this program has catalyzed community investments in resilient infrastructure, saving federal funds by investing in community preparedness before a disaster strikes.
According to research, one dollar invested in disaster mitigation can save up to $18 in response and recovery expenditures. BRIC funds are making communities safer in the next storm through projects like upgrading and protecting wastewater and drinking water plants after the facilities suffered repeated flooding, or bridge upgrades and road drainage improvements to improve driver safety. Because of its benefits, the demand for BRIC grants continues to increase, and our states and communities benefit from the reliability of the funding cycles.
The BRIC program also plays an essential role in helping Tribal Nations and rural communities strengthen their defenses against natural disasters and safeguard critical infrastructure. Through BRIC, Tribes and rural communities can access dedicated funding to strengthen community resilience by investing in hazard mitigation projects—such as flood protection, fire prevention, and infrastructure hardening—that are otherwise difficult to finance in rural or remote settings. Importantly, FEMA supports Tribal sovereignty by allowing Tribes to apply directly for funding, reserving a dedicated Tribal set-aside, and providing direct technical assistance—ensuring Tribes can lead their own planning and mitigation efforts. These investments not only strengthen community resilience but also honor the federal trust responsibility to support the safety, self-determination, and well-being of Tribal Nations.
At the same time, we acknowledge that the BRIC program should be evaluated for opportunities to increase efficiency and reduce the complexities for recipients to access the critical resources. The benefits of the program should not be concentrated in or limited to jurisdictions with dedicated offices and the staff necessary to navigate the grant application requirements. Additionally, the program should be updated with a strategic approach that empowers states and local governments to address degraded and vulnerable infrastructure based on their localized priorities and understanding of risk.
We urge the Administration to take swift action to reinstate the BRIC program, and to work with Congress to identify and implement reforms to strengthen our nation’s resilience for decades to come.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) and the lead Democrat on SFRC’s Western Hemisphere panel, together with U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Alex Padilla (D-CA), announced that the full Senate will vote this afternoon on their privileged legislation to demand answers on the Trump Administration’s compliance with court orders applicable to U.S. citizens or residents wrongfully deported to El Salvador and regarding El Salvador’s horrific human rights record.
“If President Trump is going to cut secret deals to send people to foreign prisons without due process, every Senator—and the public—needs to understand the details about those deportations, including the human rights record of the nation putting American residents behind bars. This information is critical at a time when the Trump Administration has admitted to wrongfully deporting people to El Salvador, and after Trump has said he’s also looking for ways to deport American citizens to the same terrible prisons. Today, we will force a vote on our legislation to put all Senators on record on requiring some accountability from this lawless Administration.”
Full text of the senators’ legislation is available here.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Minnesota Amy Klobuchar
WASHINGTON – During National Police Week, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, announced that three of her bipartisan bills to bolster safety and resources for first responders and law enforcement officers passed out of the Judiciary Committee.
The Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act, which Klobuchar leads with Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), passed committee. This legislation would expand access to federal support for the families of firefighters and other first responders who pass away or become permanently disabled from service-related cancers. Currently, firefighters are only eligible for support under the Public Safety Officer Benefits (PSOB) program for physical injuries sustained in the line-of-duty, or for deaths from duty-related heart attacks, strokes, mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, and 9/11 related illnesses.
“First responders put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe. It’s unacceptable that first responders who succumb to cancer from work-related exposure or become permanently and totally disabled don’t receive the same treatment as others who die in the line of duty,” said Klobuchar. “That’s why I’m working with Senator Cramer to ensure that firefighters and other first responders get the support they deserve. Our bipartisan legislation will honor the memory and sacrifice of St. Paul Fire Department Captain Mike Paidar and so many others who risk their lives in service of their communities.”
“Our first responders epitomize courage and selfless sacrifice, confronting both the immediate perils of their duty and lingering health risks associated with their service,” said Cramer. “The exposure to dangerous carcinogens happens on our behalf. I applaud the Senate Judiciary Committee for passing the bill. It’s time to pass it on the Senate floor.”
Klobuchar and Senator Chuck Grassley’s (R-IA) bipartisan Retired Law Enforcement Officers Continuing Service Act also passed the committee. The bill will support law enforcement agencies in hiring retired law enforcement officers to perform civilian law enforcement tasks. This includes helping with carjacking investigations by reviewing camera footage, helping with crime scene analysis, as well as investigations into financial and cyber-crimes, and to train new law enforcement officers.
“Those in law enforcement have dedicated their careers to public service, and many want to continue serving their communities even after they have retired from the force,” said Klobuchar. “Our bipartisan bill will allow these law enforcement professionals to share the valuable skills they learned throughout their career by training the next generation of law enforcement and working on investigations for carjacking and other crimes.”
‘“Law enforcement in Iowa and across the nation are struggling with low recruitment and staffing shortages,” Grassley said. “Retired officers who are willing and able to continue serving their communities should have Congress’ support to do so. I’m glad to see this innovative and commonsense bill move forward.”
The bipartisan Protecting First Responders from Secondary Exposure Act, which Klobuchar leads with Grassley, would support state and local emergency services with additional training and containment tools to guard against accidental exposure to lethal narcotics like fentanyl also passed.
“As we continue fighting the fentanyl epidemic, we must also protect the health and safety of our first responders who are on the front lines responding to this crisis,” Klobuchar said. “Our bipartisan bill does this by giving first responders the resources necessary to prevent secondary exposures with lifesaving containment devices.”
“As law enforcement officers and first responders work tirelessly to protect our communities, the federal government must act to ensure these brave individuals are equally protected. I applaud the Senate Judiciary Committee for advancing our bipartisan bill to help safeguard officers and responders from lethal narcotics exposure while on the job,” Grassley said.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Seattle – A 37-year-old Seattle man appeared for arraignment this morning on an indictment charging him with sex trafficking through force, fraud, and coercion and transporting an adult to engage in prostitution, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Shante Broady pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the indictment. He remains detained at the Federal Detention Center (FDC) at SeaTac pending a trial currently scheduled for July 14, 2025, in front of U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour.
According to records filed in the case, Broady has been on law enforcement’s radar since March 2023, when they received a report that Broady had been sex trafficking a victim in Portland, Oregon. And in November 2024, a former girlfriend reported being assaulted by Broady.
In April 2025, two women in Seattle contacted the FBI regarding Broady’s sex trafficking and threats of violence. One woman said Broady was ultimately unsuccessful in his attempt to force her into prostitution. The other reported that in March 2025, Broady had lured her from Canada, paying for her plane ticket. He then forced her into prostitution with threats and violence, and brandishing a firearm when angered. Text messages allegedly document the threats. The victims got a civil restraining order to try to keep him away from them. The woman from Canada was ultimately able to return home.
The criminal complaint also details Broady’s involvement in transporting and harboring a juvenile who had run away from a boarding school in another state. The juvenile was encountered on North Aurora Avenue and taken into custody by law enforcement. She was ultimately safely returned to family members. The trafficking of the juvenile remains under investigation.
Sex trafficking through force, fraud and coercion is punishable by a mandatory minimum 15 years in prison and up to life in prison. Transportation of an adult for purposes of prostitution is punishable by up to ten years in prison.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the FBI.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kate Crisham. Ms. Crisham leads the Anti-Trafficking prosecutions in the Western District of Washington.