NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI China: China, Brazil issue joint statement on Ukraine crisis

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

    China and Brazil issued a joint statement on the Ukraine crisis on Tuesday, welcoming Russian President Vladimir Putin’s proposal to open peace talks and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s positive response.

    The statement said that China and Brazil hope that Russia and Ukraine will begin a direct dialogue as soon as possible, which is the only way to end the conflict.

    It said that China and Brazil commend recent signals of willingness to engage in dialogue on the Ukraine crisis, and expect relevant parties to initiate fruitful negotiations, build a greater consensus to achieve a political settlement, and address the legitimate concerns of all parties. China and Brazil believe it is necessary to find a solution to the Ukraine crisis by examining its root cause, with the aim of reaching a fair, lasting and binding peace agreement.

    The statement said that to achieve that goal, China and Brazil in May 2024 called on all relevant parties to create the conditions for the resumption of dialogue, and launched the Group of Friends for Peace at the United Nations in September of the same year, with the aim of uniting the countries of the Global South.

    China and Brazil are willing to work with the rest of the Global South to continue making active efforts to resolve the crisis, the statement said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Canadian PM Carney unveils new cabinet

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

    Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney unveiled on Tuesday a new cabinet.

    The new cabinet, Carney’s second but his first since being elected, includes a core group of 28 ministers and 10 secretaries of state.

    Anita Anand replaced Mélanie Joly as Minister of Foreign Affairs. Joly became Industry Minister.

    Dominic LeBlanc’s new title is president of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, intergovernmental affairs and one Canadian economy.

    François-Philippe Champagne remains Finance Minister and took on the additional role of Revenue Minister.

    Carney’s Liberal Party won the parliamentary elections in Canada last month to form a minority government. The House of Commons’ sitting calendar currently has May 26 listed as the first sitting date for MPs. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Top players boost tennis culture in China, says Italian Open chief

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

    China now boasts many outstanding players whose performances have fueled a growing tennis culture in the country, and attracted increasing numbers of Chinese spectators to watch matches in Italy, said Italian Open tournament director Paolo Lorenzi in an interview with Xinhua.

    Zheng Qinwen returns a shot during the women’s singles round of 16 match between Zheng Qinwen of China and Bianca Andreescu of Canada at the WTA Italian Open in Rome, Italy, May 12, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

    The Italian Open is in full swing this May in Rome. Chinese tennis stars including Zheng Qinwen, Wang Xinyu and Bu Yunchaokete have showcased their skills on the clay courts, drawing enthusiastic support from Chinese fans.

    “I believe the atmosphere in Rome is truly unique. For us, it’s very important that players feel warmly welcomed when they come to compete here,” said Lorenzi, who enjoyed a professional tennis career spanning nearly two decades. After retiring, he took on the Italian Open tournament director role in 2024.

    Discussing this year’s tournament improvements, Lorenzi highlighted several upgrades, including a brand-new stadium and a renovated players’ lounge.

    Despite a packed schedule, Lorenzi still carves out time to watch matches and has spoken highly of Chinese players’ performances in recent years.

    “I believe that now there are many good players in China. Zheng Qinwen has won an Olympic gold medal and has been incredible here in Rome. You also have Shang Juncheng, who is very young and strong, though unfortunately he’s injured now. There are many excellent Chinese players, and this is really helping the whole movement,” Lorenzi noted.

    Recent figures show that China’s tennis-playing population has surpassed 25 million — an increase of over 5.5 million compared to that in 2021. Lorenzi said the rise of top professional players has inspired more people to pick up a racquet, while the return of international tournaments to China has also boosted the sport’s development.

    Lorenzi has also noticed a steady rise in Chinese fans at the Italian Open in recent years. “Rome itself is a city full of history, and we have many Chinese tourists visiting. It’s great that we can also give them the chance to watch world-class tennis while they’re here, I think it’s a fantastic combination,” he said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Ancelotti focused on finishing ‘spectacular adventure’ with Madrid

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

    Carlo Ancelotti insisted that he was fully committed to the club despite the news that he will start work as Brazil national team coach on May 26th.

    Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti reacts during the Spanish Copa del Rey quarterfinal match between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid in Madrid, Spain, Jan. 26, 2023. (Photo by Pablo Morano/Xinhua)

    The Brazilian Football Confederation confirmed on Monday that Ancelotti will be its first non-Brazilian coach, meaning the Italian won’t be in charge of the forthcoming Club World Cup in the United States.

    When asked about his decision, Ancelotti said that in the last two weeks of his stay at Real Madrid, he would be fully focused on his current job.

    “The days I have left here, and out of the great respect I have for this club, its fans, and its players, I am completely focused on what I have to do in this final stretch of this spectacular adventure,” he said in his press conference ahead of Wednesday’s match at home to Mallorca.

    He refused to comment on Real Madrid’s failure to confirm his departure although, Brazil has done so.

    “Real Madrid will issue the statement whenever it wants; there’s no problem. It will do it at the time it wants and considers appropriate; as the Brazilian Confederation did yesterday. Everyone acts as they see best,” he said.

    “I know exactly what these two weeks are going to be like, preparing for the three remaining matches with Real Madrid. And then, on the 26th, I have something else to do,” insisted Ancelotti. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Barcelona on brink of sealing La Liga title

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

    FC Barcelona could be crowned La Liga champion on Wednesday night without kicking a ball in the wake of Sunday’s 4-3 win at home to Real Madrid.

    The win left Barca seven points clear of Madrid at the top of the table with just three games left to play and nine points still available, meaning that if Madrid fails to win at home to Mallorca, Barca will be champion.

    Although a draw would leave Madrid six points behind Barcelona with two games to play, teams that are level on points are separated by head-to-head goal difference, which Barca has in its favor after winning both this season’s league matches against Madrid.

    Lamine Yamal (R) of FC Barcelona vies with Fran Garcia of Real Madrid during the Copa del Rey football match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, in La Cartuja Stadium, Seville, Spain, on April 26, 2025. (Photo by Pablo Morano/Xinhua)

    The match in the Bernabeu is likely to be played in a strange atmosphere after it was confirmed that Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti will leave the club at the end of the season to take charge of the Brazil national team, while Sunday’s fourth defeat of the season is also likely to affect the fans.

    Real Madrid’s injury list grew longer on Monday with confirmation that Vinicius Jr and Lucas Vazquez join Eder Militao, Eduardo Camavinga, Dani Carvajal, Ferland Mendy, Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba on the sidelines, while Aurelien Tchouameni is suspended for an accumulation of yellow cards.

    Ancelotti will have to improvise in defense and is likely to call on Madrid’s B-team for cover, and there is a chance that Jesus Vallejo could get a rare chance to play, given that Fran Garcia and Raul Asencio are the club’s only fit first-team defenders.

    A win for Mallorca would temporarily lift the club up to seventh in the table and strengthen its chances of playing in Europe next season.

    Valencia is also making a late charge for Europe and has a vital visit to Alaves, with the Basque side currently just one point above Leganes, who occupies the last relegation spot.

    Alaves lost 1-0 to Athletic Bilbao on Sunday, but will hope to have striker Kike Garcia available after a muscle strain prevented him from playing at the weekend.

    Leganes has a difficult match away to fifth-placed Villarreal, with the home side three points behind Athletic and three ahead of sixth-placed Real Betis, with five teams set to play next season’s Champions League.

    Villarreal has won its last three matches, but three draws and a win have dragged Leganes to the brink of survival, although it will be difficult to stop the home side’s free-flowing attack, which features Alex Baena, Ayoze Perez and Nicolas Pepe.

    FC Barcelona visits Espanyol on Saturday, and if Real Madrid does win on Wednesday, three points for Hansi Flick’s side away to their local rivals would ensure the title.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Finance Committee Advances CBP Commissioner Nomination

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo

    Washington, D.C.–The U.S. Senate Finance Committee today advanced the nomination of Rodney Scott to be U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner by a vote of 14-13.  Following the vote, Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) issued the statement below:
    “Mr. Scott’s decades of service and dedication to our nation’s security make him highly qualified to oversee CBP.  I look forward to his confirmation and working with him to ensure the agency is focused on border security, the flow of legitimate trade and enforcement of U.S. trade laws.”
    Executive session information can be found here.
    Read Chairman Crapo’s full statement at the nomination hearing here, and his statement at the executive session here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: House GOP Honors America’s Fallen Police Officers

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)

    WASHINGTON — In honor of National Police Week, Speaker Johnson hosted a candlelight vigil in the U.S. Capitol today to pay tribute to fallen police officers and commemorate their service to our nation. Speaker Johnson was joined by families of fallen officers and members of the House Republican Conference.

    “This year, the names of 345 fallen heroes will be etched into the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. They join more than 24,000 officers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty,” Speaker Johnson said. “These men and women are the first to run toward danger, to stand on the lines of justice, and to put themselves in harm’s way so the rest of us don’t have to. Most of us will never see the quiet heroism that defines this work. And though we owe these brave Americans an unpayable debt, we thank them from the bottom of our hearts for their service.”

    Watch Speaker Johnson’s remarks here.

    Read below for the transcript of Speaker Johnson’s remarks:

    There’s a lot of things going on on Capitol Hill today, but we certainly want to pause and give honor where honor is due. It’s a biblical admonition, and one we take very seriously. We gather this week, as we do every year to honor our nation’s law enforcement officers and all those who have fallen.

    I come from a first responder family and understand that sacrifice. My dad was a firefighter. When I was 12 years old, he was burned in the line of duty – 80% of his body – third degree burns and permanently disabled thereafter. And in that fire, his co-captain and his one of his dearest friends perished in the fire.

    First responders take on a risk that most people can’t imagine, and we know it well. But when it comes to law enforcement, there truly are fewer callings that could be imaginable and demand more courage and carry more risk than the people who pledge to serve and protect and defend everyone else. It is a noble calling. It’s a calling by God, and one that is often thankless and always demanding.

    People take for granted the risk that is taken on. And these men and women who are first to run towards danger, to stand on the lines of justice and to put themselves in harm’s way, they do that, so the rest of the public doesn’t have to.

    Most people will never see the quiet heroism that defines that work as our communities go about their lives under the shelter of the protection of our brave men and women in uniform. And we can sometimes take for granted that they too will just return home each night, that they’ll go home safe and sound to their families. But on some fateful days that does not happen, and that day changes everything, of course. And that day is why we are here.

    This year, the names of 345 fallen heroes will be etched into the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. They join more than 24,000 officers who have made the same ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.

    And for each of you, there are some of the families here. There is a name on that memorial that stands out, a father, a mother, a sister, a brother, a friend, a son, a daughter. That’s who we remember today; not just what they did, but who they were. And no amount of words or wreaths can heal the hole in each family member’s heart that’s left behind.

    But I do hope that these families find some comfort in knowing that millions of Americans grieve with them. We certainly do. And though we owe you an unpayable debt, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. You have our prayers, and you have our support, and we’ll have your back.

    To Ashley and Kelly and to you and the families here today, we’re humbled by your courage. We thank you for being here to share your story. And I want to introduce one of the House’s own staunchest advocates for law enforcement. He is a congressman, but I still call him the sheriff, and that’s Mr. John Rutherford.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: HAPPENING NOW: CASTOR DEFENDS HEALTH CARE FOR HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF TAMPA BAY NEIGHBORS

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Reprepsentative Kathy Castor (FL14)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14) is standing up for her neighbors against Congressional Republicans’ and President Trump’s cruel cuts, kicking people off their health coverage, hitting families’ wallets with higher electric bills and costlier health care and much more included in their big, bad budget bill.

    “Tony McLaurin is a spirited seven-year-old from Wesley Chapel, Florida – a part of the world that my colleagues Gus Bilirakis and Laurel Lee know very well – North of Tampa. He is an athletic kid. He loves to play and watch football with his father, Ronnie. Loves math and playing video games. He’s sweet and respectful. But last December, his mother noticed that Tony didn’t have the same energy, and on the morning of his football championship banquet, she took him to the emergency room, where, after several blood tests, he was diagnosed with leukemia.

    “Since then, Tony has been in and out of St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital for chemotherapy, where he will be undergoing treatment for the next two years. Pauline, his mom, is a fifth-grade teacher, and she had to quit her job when Tony was diagnosed.

    “Now, it is a real struggle for them to pay their bills on Dad, Ronnie’s, electrician salary. When Pauline was forced to quit her job to take care of Tony, the family lost their health insurance that was tied to his mother’s teaching employer. But thankfully, St. Joe’s helped them enroll in Medicaid, which covers the whole family and helps provide all the chemotherapy that they need. Pauline feels hopeless, scared, and uneasy about the prospect of losing Medicaid. She said, ‘It’s not like I have a second option. Medicaid is the second option.’

    “Medicaid insures one out of every three children diagnosed with cancer in the United States, and without consistent Medicaid coverage, some children with cancer likely will die. Even a gap in coverage or costly red tape requirements will cost lives. Studies have shown that children who experience interruptions to health coverage before or during their cancer diagnosis are less likely to survive.

    “There is a new worry, though, for Pauline and Tony and the family, because the priority of the President and Republicans in Congress is to give a massive tax giveaway to Elon Musk and billionaires that’s going to be paid for with Medicaid cuts. It’s outrageous, and at a time of so much uncertainty driven by what the President has done and Elon Musk’s heartless actions. When the cost of living is so high, when cancer research is under attack, the last thing a parent with a child diagnosed with cancer needs is to worry about affordable health care.

    “Musk already torpedoed a bipartisan piece of legislation at the end of the year that would have helped children diagnosed with cancer by speeding the development of new drugs and treatments. Do he and all his billionaire buddies really need more in their bank accounts, while kids and the vulnerable and families across this country must deal with them ripping coverage away? Let’s not be the Committee that makes it more difficult for our neighbors to get medical care for children battling cancer, forcing them to make an impossible choice between paying for treatment, food, utility bills or housing. The bill before us today is heartless, cruel, and costly, and I will not stand for it. Let’s be the Committee that supports Pauline, Tony, and their entire family—affordable, consistent health coverage is the least we can do for a family going through such an unthinkable hardship.”

    There are approximately 432,000 children who rely on Medicaid and CHIP in the Tampa Bay area – children with complex medical conditions like cancer, children who need school-based services, military-connected children, and children who just need to visit their pediatrician. Medicaid is their lifeline.

    Watch the Committee livestream here.

    Watch Castor’s opening remarks below:

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Valadao Celebrates Passage of Bill to Help Prevent Deadly Wildfires

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David G Valadao (CA-21)

    WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman David Valadao (CA-22) released the following statement upon passage of the bipartisan Fire Safe Electrical Corridors Act in the U.S. House of Representatives. Congressman Valadao joined Reps. Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Jim Costa (CA-21) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) to re-introduce this bill which would allow the U.S. Forest Service to approve the removal of hazardous trees near power lines on federal forest lands without requiring a timber sale. This eases a serious threat that has been a major cause of destructive wildfires in the past.

    “California is no stranger to destructive wildfires, and in the Central Valley, we live with the consequences,” said Congressman Valadao. “Far too often, bureaucratic red tape gets in the way of proper forest management, and it directly impacts air quality in the Valley. It shouldn’t be so hard to remove the dead trees we know make fires worse, and I’m glad to see this commonsense step toward reducing wildfire risk cross the finish line in the House.”

    “The Western United States continues to experience catastrophic wildfires, and we need common-sense solutions that balance sustainable forest management practices with reducing wildfire risks,” said Rep. Carbajal. “My bipartisan bill strives to find this balance and is a common sense solution to protect our communities.”

    “As our communities continue to recover from devastating wildfires, the House took the right step by passing the Fire Safe Electrical Corridors Act to help prevent future disasters,” said Rep. Costa. “This legislation will cut red tape, streamline the removal of hazardous vegetation near power lines, and strengthen our infrastructure to better protect homes and businesses.”

    “As Co-Chair of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, I’ve worked to advance practical, prevention-first solutions to reduce wildfire risks. The House’s bipartisan passage of the Fire Safe Electrical Corridors Act is a meaningful step forward—cutting through red tape to allow for the safe removal of hazardous vegetation near power lines on federal lands. This commonsense measure will help protect lives, support our firefighters, and make our communities more resilient in the face of growing wildfire threats,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick.

    Background:

    Currently, utility companies are required to keep trees and branches away from power lines on federal lands. But fallen or dead trees cannot be cleared currently without a timber sale, creating an administrative step that can slow clearing of hazardous fuel and potential wildfire triggers on federal lands.

    This bill was adopted as an amendment to the bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act. The Fire Safe Electrical Corridors Act was first introduced in 2023 by California Congressmen David Valadao (CA-22), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), and Jim Costa (CA-21) and was approved by the House Natural Resources Committee unanimously in September 2024.

    U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Steve Daines (R-MT) led the companion bill in the Senate.

    Read the full bill here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: REP. HILL’S BILL TO PRESERVE MORE OF ARKANSAS’S NATURAL BEAUTY PASSES THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman French Hill (AR-02)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. French Hill’s (AR-02) bill, H.R. 1612, the Flatside Wilderness Additions Act, to expand the Flatside Wilderness Area in central Arkansas by approximately 2,200 acres, passed the House of Representatives by a voice vote.

    Rep. Hill’s bill designates an additional 2,200 acres as part of the Flatside Wilderness Area, fulfilling the vision Arkansas leaders first set forth in the 1984 Arkansas Wilderness Act. It marks the culmination of Rep. Hill’s determined effort to complete the Flatside Wilderness footprint and reflects a decades-long, bipartisan commitment to conserving one of The Natural State’s most treasured landscapes for future generations.

    Rep. Hill said, “For over 40 years, Arkansas leaders have worked to secure the future of the Flatside Wilderness. My legislation completes that vision. It maintains what is best about The Natural State and conserves a place of cultural, ecological, and personal significance for Arkansans and visitors alike.”

    “My bill reflects a thoughtful approach that balances conservation with access and ensures this extraordinary landscape remains available for generations to come. I am proud to complete what former Sen. Dale Bumpers and my predecessor, Rep. Ed Bethune, started four decades ago, and I am grateful for the strong support from Governor Sanders and local leaders, as well as for Chairman Westerman’s help in getting this bill to the House Floor.” 

    Rep. Hill’s leadership in preserving the Flatside Wilderness Area reflects a decade-long effort to expand and protect one of Arkansas’s most scenic and ecologically significant landscapes. In 2019, he successfully passed legislation to add 640 acres to the Flatside Wilderness, which was signed into law by President Trump. That same year, Congress directed the U.S. Forest Service to study surrounding lands for potential inclusion. The recommendations from that study form the basis for today’s legislation.

    The Flatside Wilderness Area is part of the larger Ouachita National Forest, the oldest and largest national forest in the South, stretching across central Arkansas into eastern Oklahoma. Known for its rugged terrain and iconic views, the area is a popular destination for hikers, hunters, wildlife enthusiasts, and families across the region.

    The bill has received broad support from Arkansas leaders, including Governor Sarah Sanders, the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, and local officials and outdoor recreation advocates throughout the region.

    Governor Sanders said, “I am proud to support Rep. French Hill and his bill to expand and complete the Flatside Wilderness Area in our state. This legislation complements the Natural State Initiative my administration established to make Arkansas a leading destination for year-round outdoor adventure, growing our tourism industry, getting families off screens and outdoors, and preserving our world-class natural beauty.”

    Chris Racey, interim director for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, said, “There are twelve wilderness areas in Arkansas that Arkansas Game and Fish Commission partners to bring these unique natural areas to Arkansans for recreation. Thank you to Congressman Hill for his work to further expand the wild lands of Flatside Wilderness.”

    Anders Reynolds, federal legislative director for the Southern Environmental Law Center, said, “The Flatside Wilderness Additions Act would bolster an already strong outdoor recreation economy in The Natural State and preserve for future generations some of the Ouachita National Forest’s most rugged places. SELC applauds Representative Hill’s leadership on this bill, and joins countless hikers, hunters, campers, and paddlers in celebrating its passage through the House of Representatives today.”

    Barry Hyde, Pulaski County judge, said, “I fully support H.R. 1612, the Flatside Wilderness Additions Act. This legislation safeguards one of our region’s most treasured natural areas while providing meaningful benefits to the people of Pulaski County. Expanding the Flatside Wilderness will enhance access to outdoor recreation, attract tourism, and contribute to the well-being of our residents — all while preserving the scenic beauty and ecological integrity of the Ouachita Mountains. I commend Rep. French Hill and our congressional delegation for their leadership in protecting these irreplaceable public lands for future generations.”

    Larry Blackmon, Perry County judge, said, “The Flatside Wilderness Area is truly a treasure to the state of Arkansas and Perry County. Its natural beauty draws visitors from all over the United States. The citizens of Perry County are very appreciative of Congressman Hill’s efforts to expand the Flatside Wilderness Area and hope you will show your support for H.R. 1612 and allow the Flatside Wilderness Area to become an even greater beauty than it already is.”

    Brian Thompson, president of the Ozark Society, said, “These Flatside additions will make a good wilderness even better, by including Cedar Creek Watershed lands, and by securing long-term protection for spectacular views from Flatside Pinnacle.”

    Jill Gottesman, southeastern states director for The Wilderness Society, said, “TWS applauds the introduction of Congressman Hill’s Flatside Wilderness Additions Act to expand the existing Flatside Wilderness Area in the Ouachita National Forest. This expansion will improve the protection, restoration and manageability of the wilderness area. The bill supports Arkansas’ rich biodiversity, strengthens the growing outdoor recreation economy, and enhances rugged outdoor experiences for hikers, hunters, campers and other public land users.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cotton Introduces Bill to Repeal DEI Requirements within STEM Workforce

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    Contact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353
    May 13, 2025

    Cotton Introduces Bill to Repeal DEI Requirements within STEM Workforce

    Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today introduced the Dismantling Ideological Policies for Semiconductors and Science Act, legislation that would restore the original intention of the Chips and Science Act to supercharge the domestic semiconductor industry and STEM workforce development by repealing requirements related to DEI ideology. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) and Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska) are cosponsors of this legislation. 

    “The United States must work at breakneck speed to build up our STEM workforce. The focus must be on excellence and innovation, rather than burdensome, divisive DEI policies. My bill ensures that we provide equal opportunities to all STEM talent driven by merit and that every talented person is invited to contribute,” said Senator Cotton.

    Full text of the bill may be found here.

    The DIPSS bill would eliminate duplicative, burdensome, or discriminatory provisions in the Chips and Science Act that are related to DEI and other left-wing priorities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen, Collins, King Urge OPM to Process Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Civilian Hires to Address Shipyard Workforce Needs and Support U.S. National Security

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

    (Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) are urging the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to process nearly 150 personnel that have received initial job offers from Portsmouth Naval Shipyard for civilian positions that have been approved by U.S. Navy Secretary John Phelan. In their letter to OPM Acting Director Charles Ezell, the Senators note that individuals who are needed to fill critical national security roles cannot be fully onboarded at the Shipyard until OPM processes their job offers. The letter follows the Senators’ recent visit to the Shipyard with Navy Secretary Phelan.

    The Senators wrote, in part: “On April 17, we held a roundtable discussion at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard with the Secretary of the Navy and leaders from both the shipyard and the submarine industrial base. During that meeting, we were made aware that nearly 150 personnel have received initial job offers for civilian general schedule (GS) positions at the shipyard which have been approved by Secretary Phelan but have not been processed through the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). As a result, individuals who are needed to fill roles critical to our national security cannot been fully onboarded into their positions.”

    They concluded: “On March 18, 2025, Mr. Jules Hurst, Performing the Duties of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, issued guidance directing that “positions at depots, shipyards, arsenals, and maintenance facilities” would be exempt from the current civilian hiring freeze. In keeping with that directive and with Secretary Phelan’s approval for the hiring of these nearly 150 new shipyard workers, we request that you provide the following information no later than May 16, 2025: 1. What screening and/or processing of hiring decisions approved by Department of Defense leadership is conducted by OPM prior to final onboarding of new employees? 2. How long does OPM require to conduct its internal processing of new hires for the public shipyards? 3. How long does OPM anticipate that it will take to complete processing of the backlog of positions that have been approved by Secretary Phelan for employment at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard?”

    The full text of the letter can be found here.

    The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard is a key economic driver in the region, supporting thousands of jobs integral to America’s national security. After calls from Shaheen and Collins, and Shaheen and King, the U.S. Department of Defense exempted the shipyard workforce from the civilian hiring freeze. Last month, Shaheen, Collins and King visited the Shipyard with U.S. Secretary of the Navy John Phelan to highlight the Shipyard’s role in supporting U.S. national security and the need to bolster the Shipyard’s workforce to meet workload demand.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: On CNN News Central this Morning, Shaheen Discusses Trump’s Trip to the Middle East, Slams Plan to Accept Luxury Qatari Plane as Air Force One

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joined CNN News Central this morning to discuss President Trump’s trip to the Middle East this week and rebuke the President’s reported plans to accept a luxury Qatari jet to use as Air Force One, which raises clear ethical, Constitutional and national security implications. Click HERE to watch Senator Shaheen’s full interview. 

    Key quotes from Senator Shaheen: 

    • On President Trump’s trip to the Middle East, Shaheen said: “Unfortunately, while I think the economic agreement is a good thing, he seems to be missing the two biggest threats in the Middle East. One if from Iran and the terrorism that they continue to support, their effort to get a nuclear weapon. And the other is the war in Gaza – this is an opportunity to engage the other Arab nations in helping to see what the long-term future is to address Gaza and Israel.” 
    • On reports of President Trump’s plan to accept a luxury Qatari jet as Air Force One, Shaheen said: “With respect to Qatar and the plane, I think there are serious Constitutional questions about this, but there are also questions about national security. And sadly, the President doesn’t seem too concerned about national security. He’s been willing to allow his Secretary of Defense to engage in classified discussions over unclassified channels. He has, again, looking at accepting this plane without thinking about what the implications would be. […] But then there’s the other question of corruption, and I think that’s what the American people should also be concerned about. This is a President who has, between his crypto coin scheme, his investments in Qatar for a golf course, taking this plane – it all raises questions about who his commitment really belongs to. Does it belong to the American people and the United States? Or does it belong to himself and all of the dollars that he can bring in to himself and his family?” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Schatz, Coons Lead Group Of 27 Senators In Introducing Resolution To Condemn $400 Million Airplane Gift To Trump From Qatar

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Hawaii Brian Schatz

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and Chris Coons (D-Del.), members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today introduced a resolution in the Senate condemning a luxury airplane gift, valued at $400 million, President Donald Trump announced he will receive from the government of Qatar. According to reports, Trump intends to designate the plane as Air Force One while in office and then transfer it to a foundation for personal use following the end of his term. In addition to Schatz and Coons, the resolution is cosponsored by Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawai‘i), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), and Andy Kim (D-N.J.).

    “Air Force One is more than just a plane — it’s a symbol of the presidency and of the United States itself,” said Senator Schatz. “Any president who accepts this kind of gift, valued at $400 million, from a foreign government creates a clear conflict of interest, raises serious national security questions, invites foreign influence, and undermines public trust in our government. We are asking the Senate to vote to reiterate a basic principle: no president should use public service for personal gain through foreign gifts.”

    “President Trump’s penchant for corruption and grift has risen to a new level with the news his presidency is for sale – if you happen to have $400 million dollars,” said Leader Schumer. “This Qatari plane deal would be the largest Presidential bribe in modern history and it’s not just naked corruption, it’s a grave national security threat. Senate Republicans may bury their heads in the sand while Trump tries to enrich himself and his billionaire buddies, but Senate Democrats are going to stand up for the American people and say enough is enough – we condemn this attempt at corruption and gross violation of the Constitution.”

    “We wouldn’t trust another country to decorate the Oval Office, to set up our Situation Room, or to wire the White House briefing room, so why would we let another country build Air Force One for us, which is an airborne version of all three? This isn’t just a massive act of corruption, it’s a national security risk of the highest order,” said Senator Coons, Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. “If President Trump is so willing to put his own administration in danger for the sake of a $400 million gift, imagine how much danger he’s willing to put the American people in.”

    “While Republicans plot to gut vital services like Social Security and Medicaid and unleash economic uncertainty onto hardworking Americans, Donald Trump is planning to accept a luxury jet, valued at $400 million, from a foreign government,” said Senator Booker. “This not only creates a clear conflict of interest, raises serious national security concerns, and undermines public trust in our government, but is a slap in the face to the people across the country who are struggling to make ends meet. All Senators should be able to agree that no one should use public service for personal gain through foreign gifts. I hope my Republican colleagues will support this resolution.”

    “The president doesn’t get to trade U.S. foreign policy and national security for a private jet,” said Senator Murphy. “This resolution sends the message Trump won’t: the Oval Office is not for sale.”

    “No, Donald Trump cannot accept a $400 million flying palace from the royal family of Qatar. Not only is this farcically corrupt, it is blatantly unconstitutional,” said Senator Sanders. “Congress must not allow this over-the-top kleptocracy to proceed.”

    “President Trump wants to accept a $400 million private jet from a foreign government, have American taxpayers pay to retrofit it as Air Force One, and then keep it for himself to jet around the world as soon as he leaves office. It’s hard to imagine more brazen corruption or a clearer violation of our Constitution’s Emoluments Clause, and there’s no question this outlandish proposal puts our country’s national security at risk,” said Senator Murray. “Every member of Congress should support this simple resolution condemning violations of the Emoluments Clause and making clear Trump cannot accept a $400 million private jet from Qatar without explicit consent from Congress.”

    “If someone came to one of my town halls in Oregon and tried to argue that getting a $400 million jet from the government of Qatar wasn’t corruption, they would be laughed out of town,” said Senator Wyden. “Instead of securing new allies against adversaries like China or opening new markets for American products, Trump is using America’s clout to get a private jet. It’s corruption plain and simple that fritters away American influence and leaves us weaker.” 

    “While Republicans in Congress are working to gut Medicaid and Social Security, President Trump is brazenly accepting a luxury jumbo jet from Qatar — for his use during and after he leaves office,” said Senator Padilla. “Once again, Trump is showing us that he puts his own interests above those of the American people, benefiting himself and leaving working families behind. This foreign gift reeks of corruption, is blatantly against the law, threatens our national security, and will cost taxpayers tens of millions in retrofit costs and security upgrades.”

    “Donald Trump is accepting a multimillion dollar plane from a foreign government as a personal gift, while clearly ignoring the Constitution,” said Senator Rosen. “Trump gets richer off of his position while hardworking families suffer from his reckless actions. This is corruption plain and simple, and I’m supporting this resolution to make our strong opposition clear.”

    “This is corruption plain and simple. The President of the United States accepting a $400 million plane from a foreign government is unheard of, and would require direct consent from Congress,” said Senator Warner. “This is just the latest act by President Trump that shows his administration has no regard for the rule of law and is ripe to be exploited by foreign actors.”

     “Trump’s brazen willingness to accept a luxury jet from Qatar raises the dangerous prospect that the president can be bought and paid for by foreign powers — putting their interests over Americans’ and our national security. Every Senator should join us in rejecting it and blocking the sale of the presidency to the highest bidder,” said Senator Van Hollen.

    “Our founding fathers knew that we must protect ourselves from corruption and foreign influence, which is exactly why we have a constitutional provision prohibiting presidents from accepting lavish gifts from foreign governments—a super luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet, reportedly valued at $400 million, is no exception,” said Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Shaheen. “Congress and the American public have a right to know the details of any arrangement that calls into question whether the President is acting on behalf of American interests and American interests alone. Further, the security implications of taking a foreign-owned and managed plane and outfitting it with the most sensitive U.S. technology continues to demonstrate a lack of judgement in this administration when it comes to guarding U.S. intelligence.”

    “There’s no such thing as a $400 million “no-strings-attached” gift,” said Senator Duckworth. “This is the mother of all bribes. It puts our national security in jeopardy and erodes public trust—all for the President’s own personal gain. Donald Trump wants to sell our foreign policy and sell out our people.”

    “Donald Trump accepting a $400 million gift from a foreign country is corruption in plain sight,” said Senator Hirono. “Trump’s latest grift undermines our national security, flies in the face of the Constitution, and will cost American taxpayers hundreds of millions, if not billions, in retrofits.”

    “The mere notion that the President would cravenly accept a $400 million attempt to win favor from a foreign power is beyond the pale and reeks of corruption.  The White House and presidency are sacred trusts from the American people, not venues for Trump to enrich himself and his family with shady deals and influence buying,” said Senator Durbin. “Our resolution reaffirms what our Constitution makes clear – no President should receive gifts from a foreign power.”

    “While President Trump claims to target fraud and abuse, his actions continue to prove that his priorities are his own interests and those of his wealthy friends,” said Senator Bennet. “His plan to accept a $400 million luxury jet from the Qatari government for use as Air Force One is an act of blatant corruption and a violation of our Constitution that poses severe counterintelligence risks, needlessly undermining U.S. national security.”

    “This is corruption in plain sight. Under no circumstance should a sitting president be accepting luxury gifts from a foreign government, especially while negotiating an arms sale,” said Senator Blunt Rochester. “This is yet another example of President Trump focusing on enriching himself rather than improving the lives of everyday Americans. I’m joining with my colleagues on this resolution to protect national security, to stand up for our constituents, and to uphold the rule of law.”

    “If an ordinary government official accepted a gift even a fraction as valuable as this, there would be a full investigation, and potential firings due to concerns of foreign influence,” said Senator Slotkin. “Now the President is taking a $400 million foreign gift. Beyond the perception of corruption, the idea that a foreign country would have access to Air Force One, as the buyer, during production, leaves it incredibly vulnerable to bugs, tracking devices, and whatever else they or other countries may attempt to manipulate.”

    “This is corruption, plain and simple. The U.S. is not for sale, and we cannot allow the presidency to be bought by foreign interests,” said Senator Klobuchar.

    “Just when you think the Trump Administration can’t sink to a new low of ethical misconduct, he accepts a luxury jet from a foreign nation. Corruption on full display,” said Senator Merkley.

    “We’re beyond foreign interference at this point. We’re watching a President invite a foreign government to buy him off,” said Senator Alsobrooks. “American values are actively being flushed down the toiled by this corrupt President.”

    “The American public knows this is wrong—especially a gift of this size,” said Senator Kim. “It’s blatant corruption, and the President knows it. Air Force One isn’t just a plane—it’s a secure command center for national security decisions and classified communications and is hardened to ensure the President is protected. Taking a jet from a foreign government is a serious national security risk, and taxpayers will still foot the bill to make it flight ready. This is a dangerous abuse of power, plain and simple.”

    The full text of the resolution is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Schatz: No President Should Take $400 Million Gift From A Foreign Country

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Hawaii Brian Schatz

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today took to the Senate floor to condemn a luxury airplane gift, valued at $400 million, that President Donald Trump announced he will receive from the government of Qatar. According to reports, Trump intends to designate the plane as Air Force One while in office and then transfer it to a foundation for personal use following the end of his term. Schatz also announced he will be asking for a vote in the Senate to condemn this action.

    “I cannot believe I have to say this, but a president should not take a $400 million gift from a foreign country,” said Senator Schatz. “The Emoluments Clause. It’s a fancy phrase, but a simple idea: No foreign gifts.”

    “Air Force One is not just a random luxury airplane,” continued Senator Schatz. “It is a symbol of — and a projection of — American power… It represents not just the weight of the presidency, but America itself — generations of history and international leadership. But in one fell swoop, Donald Trump is selling out one of the most iconic symbols of American power that we have.”

    “This week, several of my colleagues and I will be asking the Senate to vote to condemn this action,” concluded Senator Schatz. “There should be 100 of us that agree on this fundamental principle: No president should take free stuff from a foreign government. And certainly nothing worth $400 million.”

    The full text of his remarks can be found below. Video is available here.

    I cannot believe I have to say this, but a president should not take a $400 million gift from a foreign country.

    It doesn’t matter which president, what party. It doesn’t matter which foreign country. It doesn’t matter if there is or is not a legal justification. No president should take a $400 million gift from a foreign country.

    I shouldn’t have to explain why — but it is a high principle literally enshrined in the Constitution because people who we have representing us should know, not think, but know, that their representatives are focused on them and this country only, that our loyalties not be divided, that our minds are not wandering elsewhere.

    The Emoluments Clause. It’s a fancy phrase, but a simple idea: No foreign gifts.

    If a foreign government offers you anything — but especially something close to half a billion dollars—the answer is, ‘No, thank you.’ End of story. Very simple. End of story. ‘I cannot take that.’

    First of all, because I cannot take that because I cannot have divided loyalties. I’m going into the region; I cannot take a $400 million gift before I begin negotiations with you. But it is explicitly prohibited by the United States Constitution. And the gift in is that the country of Qatar is going to literally provide a luxury aircraft — not just any luxury aircraft to the President of the United States, but Air Force One.

    And why does this matter? Air Force One is not just a random luxury airplane. It is a symbol of — and a projection of — American power. It has flown 15 different presidents. It carried President John F. Kennedy’s body after his assassination, and saw President Johnson be sworn in under unprecedented circumstances, it rushed President George W. Bush back to Washington after the Twin Towers were struck, and just two years ago, it flew President Joe Biden for a secret trip to Ukraine during the war.

    When people see Air Force One on TV, when they see it land in other countries— whether in London, or Tokyo, or Brazil — they immediately know that America has arrived. It represents not just the weight of the presidency, but America itself — generations of history and international leadership.

    But in one fell swoop, Donald Trump is selling out one of the most iconic symbols of American power that we have, and what people will now see is the most powerful man on Earth flying around in a plane paid for by a foreign government. It is disgusting. It is wildly corrupt. And just because they are doing the corruption in plain sight does not make it any less damning or sad or gross.

    This week, several of my colleagues and I will be asking the Senate to vote to condemn this action. There should be 100 of us that agree on this fundamental principle: No president should take free stuff from a foreign government. And certainly nothing worth $400 million.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate and House Republicans Make Strides to Repeal Over a Dozen Biden-Era Regulations to Advance Trump’s America First Agenda

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington – In a seismic victory for President Trump’s America First Agenda, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) today released the following statement on Senate and House Republicans’ efforts to reverse over a dozen of Joe Biden’s nonsensical regulations using the Congressional Review Act (CRA) – a legislative tool allowing Congress to strike down federal rules and regulations with a simple majority vote.
    “While the Biden-Harris administration tried to suffocate our nation’s businesses and families with nonsensical regulation after regulation, Senate and House Republicans are tearing down these barriers to unleash American prosperity,” said Senator Marshall. “I am committed to continue working with my colleagues to ensure these CRAs allow us to boldly deliver on President Trump’s promises.”
    Among the 13 burdensome Biden-Harris-era regulations that were targeted, Senate Republicans have slashed red tape to unleash American energy, end costly green new scam mandates, strengthen digital finance, and expand personal freedoms. These actions deliver on President Donald Trump’s America First agenda by reducing consumer costs, protecting privacy, and empowering businesses.
    Promise Made: Unleash American Energy
    Promise Kept:

    S.J.Res. 11 – Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling

    What It Does: This resolution overturns a Biden-era rule that prevented offshore oil and gas drilling because of the presence of “shipwrecks and cultural resources.” 
    Why It Matters: By overturning this regulation, we can unleash American energy through expanded production capacity off American shores.
    Status: Passed and became law on March 14, 2025.

    S.J.Res. 31 – Tailpipe Emissions and Area Pollution

    What It Does: This resolution overturns a Biden-era rule that requires sources of persistent and bioaccumulative hazardous air pollutants to comply with certain major source emission standards under the Clean Air Act.
    Why It Matters: By eliminating it, we’re lessening regulations and letting American industry flourish without the heavy and misguided hand of activist government bureaucrats holding it back.
    Status: Passed the Senate but has not yet passed the House.

    Promise Made: End the Green New Scam
    Promise Kept:

    H.J.Res. 24 – Walk-in Coolers and Freezers

    What It Does: This resolution overturns a Biden-era regulation that defines “walk-in coolers” and “walk-in freezers” as refrigerated spaces smaller than 3,000 square feet, which would have increased costs and regulations on manufacturers and restaurants.
    Status: Passed, but not yet signed by the President.

    H.J.Res. 42 –Appliance Energy Efficiency

    What It Does: This resolution overturns a Biden-era Department of Energy (DOE) rule that would have increased the cost of basic appliances.
    Status: Passed, but not yet signed by the President.

    H.J.Res. 75 –Energy Standards for Freezers and Refrigerators

    What It Does: This resolution overturns a Biden-era DOE rule that attempts to amend energy conservation standards for refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and freezers, that would have increased the cost of basic appliances. It would also have put financial constraints on any business that uses these appliances, such as restaurants, grocers, and more.
    Status: Passed, but not yet signed by the President.

    H.J.Res. 20 – Gas Powered Water Heaters

    What It Does: This resolution overturns a Biden-era rule that would have placed restrictions and regulations on gas-powered water heaters, which would have resulted in increased costs of tankless water heaters and reduced choice in the market.
    Status: Passed, but not yet signed by the President.

    H.J.Res. 35 – Waste Emissions Tax for Energy Producers

    What It Does: This resolution overturns a Biden-era Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule that implemented a Methane Tax on American energy producers, which would have resulted in higher costs passed onto consumers.
    Status: Passed and became law on March 14, 2025.

    H.J.Res. 61 – Rubber Tire Manufacturer Emissions

    What It Does: This resolution overturns a Biden-era EPA rule that attempted to add emissions standards to rubber tire manufacturing, including them in the hazardous air pollutant (HAP) regulation requirements, which would have resulted in higher costs passed onto consumers.
    Status: Passed, but not yet signed by the President.

    Why They Matter: By passing resolutions to overturn these six specific rules, we’re preventing increased costs from being invariably be passed onto consumers, removing burdensome regulations that could harm businesses large and small, and allowing American families to have more choice in the market and keep more of their hard-earned money.

    Promise Made: Strengthen U.S. Leadership in Digital Finance
    Promise Kept:

    S.J.Res. 3 / H.J.Res. 25 –Crypto IRS Reporting Requirements

    What It Does: This resolution overturns a Biden-era rule that mandates that brokers submit information returns and provide payee statements detailing the gross proceeds from digital asset transactions they carry out for their clients.
    Why It Matters: With the elimination of this rule, the private financial information of American citizens is further protected. 
    Status: Passed and became law on April 10, 2025.

    S.J.Res. 18 – Overdraft Fee Regulations

    What It Does: This resolution overturns an overreaching Biden-era Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) rule that limited overdraft fees.
    Why It Matters: Overturning this ensures that banks and financial institutions can negotiate their own relationships with customers with limited government interference. 
    Status: Passed and became law on April 10, 2025.

    S.J.Res. 28 – Digital Payment Providers

    What It Does: This resolution overturns a burdensome and overreaching Biden-era CFPB rule that would have threatened Americans’ privacy interests.
    Why It Matters: The rule, if left intact, could stifle innovation and impose undue burdens on digital payment providers like Venmo or PayPal. 
    Status: Passed, but not yet signed by the President.

    S.J.Res. 13 –Bank Merger Application Review

    What It Does: This resolution overturns a Biden-era rule from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) that would have made more stringent the government’s review of bank mergers.
    Why It Matters: Overturning this rule will allow American financial institutions to make decisions that work best for their customers. 
    Status: Passed the Senate but has not yet passed the House.

    Promise Made: Eliminate Burdensome Regulations
    Promise Kept:

    H.J.Res. 60 – Regulations for ATV Usage

    What It Does: This resolution will make minor changes to a Biden-era regulation that will result in improved management of motorized uses in the Orange Cliffs Special Management Unit, including:

    Prohibiting the use of ORVs and street-legal ATVs on an 8-mile segment of the Poison Spring Loop located on Route 633 proceeding north to Route 730.
    Eliminating the superintendent’s authority to potentially allow ORVs and street-legal ATVs on the upper portion of the Flint Trail.

    Why It Matters: By improving this regulation, we will give Americans greater freedom to traverse the great outdoors, without the government needlessly telling them how to do it. 
    Status: Passed, but not yet signed by the President.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall and Rep. Nehls Reintroduce Bill to Support Families of Victims Killed by Illegal Aliens

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) today reintroduced the Justice for Angel Families Act, legislation that would amend the Crime Victims Fund (CVF) to expand financial coverage for Angel Families – the immediate relatives of victims killed by illegal aliens, including in drunk driving accidents. This legislation would allow federal funds to cover medical expenses, lost wages, and funeral costs, easing the financial burden on grieving families.
    Additionally, the bill would codify the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) Office at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), originally established by President Trump in 2017 and recently reopened last month by the Trump Administration after the Biden Administration shuttered it. The VOICE Office provides critical services like grief counseling and case follow-ups for victims’ families. This bill would ensure the VOICE Office can never be shut down again.
    “President Trump is righting the catastrophic wrongs of the Biden-Harris Administration by restoring law and order, securing our borders, and putting an end to the lawlessness that plagued our nation for too long,” said Senator Marshall. “But for countless Angel Families, the damage is permanent – their loved ones were taken from them because of disastrous open-border policies. I urge my colleagues to join Congressman Nehls and me in delivering justice and ensuring these families receive the resources and support they deserve by passing the Justice for Angel Families Act.”
    U.S. Representative Troy Nehls (R-Texas-22) introduced the House companion version of this bill. Cosponsors in the House include Representatives Paul Gosar (R-Arizona-09), Don Bacon (R-Nebraska-02), Randy Weber (R-Texas-14), Lance Gooden (R-Texas-05), Barry Moore (R-Alabama-01), Tom Tiffany (R-Wisconsin-07), and Brian Babin (R-Texas-36). 
    “President Trump and his administration are restoring law and order and standing up for American citizens,” said Congressman Nehls. “Millions of illegal aliens flooded our country during the Biden Administration, and many of them took the lives of Americans, such as Jocelyn Nungaray, Laken Riley, and Rachel Morin. By codifying the VOICE Office, which was reopened last month by Secretary Noem, no future president can close the office again, ensuring that families that fall victim to illegal alien crimes are supported, not left behind.”
    The legislation is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), and Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana).
    “Under the Biden administration’s watch our country faced record levels of illegal immigration that resulted in innocent American lives lost,” said Senator Budd. “Our nation’s Angel Families have faced unimaginable tragedies because of Joe Biden’s senseless open-border policies. Now, we must stand with them – giving them the support and justice they deserve.”
    “Families of victims murdered by illegal immigrants are forced to face unimaginable grief,” said Senator Cramer. “This bicameral bill supports Angel Families by ensuring they have the help and resources they need.”
    The legislation is also supported by Advocates for Victims of Illegal Alien Crime, NumbersUSA, and National Immigration Center for Enforcement (NICE).
    “As a nation, we spend hundreds of billions of dollars supporting illegal aliens who have no right to be in our country. Yet the victims of crimes committed by illegal aliens are left to fend for themselves at the worst times in their lives,” said Don Rosenberg, President and Treasurer of Advocates for Victims of Illegal Alien Crime. “Financial compensation will never replace the loss of a loved one, but the “Justice for Angel Families Act” will at least reduce the financial burden faced by those families who have been betrayed by the failure of some in our government to uphold the rule of law.”
    “It’s a shame that our past open border policies have made it necessary and needed to pass legislation to aid Angel families who suffered loss at the hands of illegal immigrants,” said Michael Hough, Director of Federal Government Relations at NumbersUSA. “This legislation will rightfully help those families who have lost their loved ones.”
    “To support angel families – American citizens permanently separated from loved ones due to illegal alien crime – President Trump relaunched the Victims of Immigrant Crime Engagement (VOICE) office,” said RJ Hauman, President of the National Immigration Center for Enforcement (NICE). “Now fully operational again, VOICE is assisting thousands of angel families, connecting them to vital services like grief counseling, tracking their cases, and ensuring criminal aliens responsible for their suffering are arrested, detained, and removed. This stands in stark contrast to the previous administration, which dismantled VOICE, opened our borders, and neglected angel families while policies led to more tragic losses. With Republicans now leading Congress, angel families are no longer ignored. Congressman Nehls and Senator Marshall are championing the Justice for Angel Families Act, reaffirming that their highest duty is to American citizens. This bill honors angel families, ensures their loved ones’ deaths were not in vain, and strengthens our nation’s safety and security. NICE urges everyone to support the Justice for Angel Families Act and calls on Congress to pass it after ICE receives critical resources via reconciliation.”
    The full text of the legislation can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ahead of Sec. Kennedy Testifying Before The Senate, Gillibrand, Schumer Demand Answers On Chaos At The World Trade Center Health Program After Kennedy And President Trump Broke Promises, Fired Workers, And Gutted The Vital Health Care Of 9/11 First Responders

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand

    Ahead of Secretary Kennedy’s Testimony Before Senate HELP Committee, Senators Say 9/11 First Responders Deserve Clear Answers On Safety Of Their Health Care After Recurring Firings Of Medical Staff & Lack Of Transparency 

    Gillibrand, Schumer: “Secretary Kennedy Must Honor America’s Promise To Never Forget Our 9/11 Heroes”

    *** Watch The Full Press Conference HERE ***

    Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer held a press conference demanding answers from Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on ongoing chaos, recurring cuts, sudden reversals, and lack of transparency at the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP). They were joined by 9/11 advocate John Feal; President of Citizens for the Extension of the James Zadroga Act and President of Local 94 International Union of Operating Engineers Thomas Hart; President of the Uniformed Firefighters Association Local 94 IAFF AFL-CIO Andrew Ansbro; and 9/11 survivor and advocate Mariama James.

    The press conference comes ahead of Secretary Kennedy’s appearance in front of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), where he is expected to be asked about his plan to honor our promise to 9/11 first responders and survivors and ensure they get the health care they are owed.

    Since Trump has taken office, there has been constant upheaval at the WTCHP — including the firing of critical staff and release of inaccurate information about rehiring and program operation – which has disrupted continuity of care for 9/11 survivors and first responders with 9/11-related health issues, including cancer and lung ailments. In February 2025, the Trump administration slashed the workforce of the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) as part of DOGE’s senseless cuts to the federal health system. In response, Schumer and Gillibrand, together with a bipartisan group of House members, called on the administration to reverse the cuts. The Trump administration relented and re-hired WTCHP staff. Most recently, last month, nearly all staff at the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) including Dr. John Howard, the administrator of the WTCHP, were fired. On April 5th HHS and NY House Republicans said Dr. Howard was rehired, but it later came out that was not true and for nearly a month his position was stuck in limbo, delaying the treatment of care for 9/11 first responders.

    While some staff have been rehired, the disruptions have led to cancer treatment being denied; enrollments for as many as 800 9/11 responders and survivors halted; and processing of nearly 1,200 written treatment approvals stopped. Access to treatment has been hindered for those impacted by the toxic chemicals at Ground Zero, the Pentagon, and the Shanksville crash site.

    Senators Gillibrand and Schumer have reached out to Secretary Kennedy directly demanding clear answers on the status of operations at the WTCHP, including whether or not WTCHP Administrator John Howard is being reinstated; whether or not there was a month-long pause in enrolling new members; whether CDC and NIOSH staff that support the WTCHP will be reinstated; and whether the administration will support the senators’ legislation to address the WTCHP’s impending funding deficit. 

    “We are tremendously concerned about the conflicting reports that the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) has stopped providing services to injured and ill 9/11 responders and survivors. We have worked for years alongside first responders and community leaders to get Congress to recognize the health effects of toxic exposure and ensure that our nation’s heroes get the care they deserve,” wrote the senators in a letter to Secretary Kennedy.  “That is why we are truly dismayed at what staff at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the DOGE staffers have done in just one hundred days. We write to get clear information on what has happened with staff of the World Trade Center Health Program and the ability for survivors of 9/11 to get necessary care. To support the function of the World Trade Center Health Program, Dr. Howard must be fully restored to his position, including past June 2, and the WTCHP staff must be brought to full strength, permanently reinstating the medical, epidemiological, contract, grant, and support staff.  This needs to be done immediately. The CDC and NIOSH staff that support and work on behalf of 9/11 responders and survivors must be restored and HHS’ external “communications pause” must be lifted so Members of Congress are able to receive up to date information on WTCHP operations.”

    The full text of the senators’ letter to the WTCHP is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Brecheen and Congressman Roy Introduce Energy Freedom Act to End Biden’s Trillion-Dollar “Green New Deal” Tax Subsidies with Senator Mike Lee

    Source: US Congressman Josh Brecheen (2nd District)

    Congressman Brecheen and Congressman Roy Introduce Energy Freedom Act to End Biden’s Trillion-Dollar “Green New Deal” Tax Subsidies with Senator Mike Lee

    Washington, May 13, 2025

    Washington, D.C. – Congressman Josh Brecheen and Congressman Chip Roy introduced the Energy Freedom Act. This legislation would repeal the more than 20 green energy tax subsidies created or expanded by the Biden Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Senator Mike Lee is currently leading companion legislation in the Senate.

    Washington, D.C. – Congressman Josh Brecheen and Congressman Chip Roy introduced the Energy Freedom Act. This legislation would repeal the more than 20 green energy tax subsidies created or expanded by the Biden Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Senator Mike Lee is currently leading companion legislation in the Senate.

    “The Democrats’ so-called ‘Inflation Reduction Act’, signed into law in 2022, is nothing more than a massive, taxpayer-funded gift to green energy lobbyists and their leftist billionaire employers,” said Congressman Josh Brecheen. “Families in Oklahoma should not have to subsidize unreliable energy that makes their electricity bills more expensive and inflates other costs. By repealing these costly and reckless green energy subsidies, the Energy Freedom Act also brings us back to an energy policy that puts American workers first, and stops enriching battery and solar industries in China.”

    Background:

    Since its enactment in 2022, the IRA has enacted or expanded the Biden Administration’s green energy tax credits, projected to cost taxpayers between $825 billion (CBO) and over $1 trillion in the next decade (Goldman Sachs), and up to $4.7 trillion by 2050 (CATO). These subsidies entice utilities to overbuild unreliable sources of energy, driving up costs and undermining grid stability.

    The Energy Freedom Act would:

    • Eliminate more than 20 green energy tax credits created or expanded by the IRA for tax years beginning after December 31, 2025.

    • Save American taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars over the next decade.

    • Repeal the Inflation Reduction Act’s petroleum tax.

    • Protect grid reliability and lower consumer energy costs by creating a level playing field for all energy sources.

    • Close loopholes that allow entities to monetize green energy subsidies.

    What will happen if we don’t repeal these green energy subsidies?

    • Wind and solar will displace natural gas on the electric grid. In 2024 alone, solar represented 61% of all new electricity generation in our nation, with more expected this year according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

    • The stability and independence of our electric grid will be put in jeopardy. By the end of this year, wind generation in the U.S. is expected to increase 11% from 2023 because of these green energy subsidies.

    • American jobs and economic growth will be outsourced to China. As of mid-2023, China produced 97 percent of the world’s solar panel silicon wafers.

    • Estimates project the Inflation Reduction Act will cost between $825 billion—according to the Congressional Budget Office as of January 2025—and over $1 trillion, per analysts at Goldman Sachs, over the next decade.

    Representatives Harriet Hageman (R-WY), Scott Perry (R-PA), Warren Davidson (R-OH), Eli Crane (R-AZ), and Barry Moore (R-AL) are the original cosponsors.

    Daily Caller wrote an exclusive story on the bill, which you can read here.

    Read the full text of this legislation here.

    Press Inquiries: darren.dershem@mail.house.gov

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Feenstra Supports Resolution Thanking and Honoring Police and Law Enforcement Officers

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Randy Feenstra (IA-04)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, during National Police Week, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) voted for a congressional resolution recognizing the invaluable contributions that Iowa police and law enforcement officers make to our communities.

    “Our police and law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to protect our communities and keep our families safe. They dedicate their careers to public safety and make incredible sacrifices to keep our families safe. We cannot thank them enough for their service,” said Rep. Feenstra. “While we can never adequately show our appreciation, I voted for a congressional resolution to express my unwavering support for our men and women in law enforcement and recognize the invaluable contributions that these heroes make to our communities. I will always back the blue and support our fellow Iowans who answered the call to serve.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Nadler, Goldman, Lead New York Delegation Letter to HHS Secretary Kennedy Demanding Answers Regarding the Ongoing Instability at the World Trade Center Health Program

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jerrold Nadler (10th District of New York)

    Today, Representatives Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Dan Goldman (NY-10) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, regarding the ongoing instability at the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP).

    They were joined on the letter by Representatives Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Hakeem Jeffries (NY-08), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), John Mannion (NY-22), Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), Gregory Meeks (NY-05), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), George Latimer (NY-16), Tom Suozzi (NY-3), Pat Ryan (NY-18), Laura Gillen (NY-04), Timothy Kennedy (NY-26), Grace Meng (NY-6), Joseph Morelle (NY-25), and Josh Riley (NY-19). 

    The WTCHP provides essential medical monitoring and treatment to over 137,000 responders and survivors from the World Trade Center and lower Manhattan, the Pentagon, and the Shanksville crash site.

    In the letter, the Members write, “Since January, the Trump Administration has attempted to fire critical WTCHP staff at least three times. In each instance, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reversed course only after facing intense public backlash.”

    The Members continue, “We are deeply disturbed by reports that, beginning in April, the WTCHP was functionally paralyzed. The program reportedly halted new member enrollments—including more than 800 eligible 9/11 responders and survivors—and left over 1,200 condition certifications in limbo. This backlog prevented clinics from initiating critical cancer treatments and other essential care. The abrupt removal of Dr. John Howard and 16 key staff members, followed by misleading public statements from HHS denying those very terminations, has seriously undermined public trust in the agency’s stewardship of this lifesaving program… Our 9/11 first responders and survivors deserve honesty, stability, and respect—not chaos and deception.”

    The full text of the letter can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Representative Peters, Food Providers Urge Congress to Support USDA Funds that Feed Hungry Americans

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Peters (52nd District of California)

    San Diego, CA – Yesterday, Representative Scott Peters (CA-50) and local leaders opposed proposed cuts to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) food assistance programs, including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) and Local Food for Schools (LFS). They also shared the harm that funding cuts to these programs would have on hungry people in our community. San Diego food banks distributed over 900,000 pounds of food purchased from local farms through the USDA programs that Republicans will cut in their budget proposal. 

    “Nobody in America should be forced to go to bed with an empty stomach,” said Rep. Peters. “USDA food assistance programs help feed San Diegans in need, and they’re a win-win-win for our communities, food banks, and farmers. The Republican budget proposal would cut $230 billion from agricultural and nutritional programs. I will continue to do everything in my power to protect these critical programs and stop any effort to hurt our farmers and take food away from our children.”

    Rep. Peters brought together local farmers, school nutrition providers, food assistance program providers, and local elected officials to emphasize how proposals to cut food assistance funding would devastate our local schools, farmers, and families.

    “We need the help on the federal side to take the politics out of food insecurity,” said Bob Kamensky, CEO of Feeding San Diego. “With bipartisan support, we can demonstrate what Americans have always pulled together for, and that is compassion for people who are facing needs.”

    ‘Every day, our School Nutrition professionals at San Marcos Unified School District serve 15,000 breakfasts, lunches, and suppers,” said Naomi Shadwell, Executive Director of San Marcos Unified Child Nutrition Services. “For many students, these are the most nourishing, balanced meals they’ll eat all day. We’re calling on leaders at every level – local, state, and federal – to protect the links between programs like SNAP, Medicaid, and school nutrition.”

    “The Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA) has been pivotal in the economic growth of our small farms,” said Byron Nkhoma, Co-Founder of Hukama Produce. “We have been able to reinvest into infrastructure that has helped increase our production to meet the high demand for high quality locally grown food. The program is critical in the survival and developments of small farms.

    “These cuts are not just numbers on a federal spreadsheet—they would be devastating to real families here in San Diego County and especially in my city of Escondido,” said Deputy Mayor Consuelo Martinez. “A thriving and safe community depends on making sure our families are fed. Supporting farmers and those who feed us requires our investment and support.  We all eat; we need stronger support systems—not weaker ones.”

    Rep. Peters believes it is in America’s interest to ensure that every child and family has access to nutritional food. He has consistently voted to increase funding for SNAP and for legislation that supports local farmers. He has urged his Republican colleagues not to enact a budget that would increase inflation and balloon our deficit, while cutting programs Americans rely on to put food on the table just to pay for tax cuts for people and corporations who don’t need them. Rep. Peters will continue to hold Republicans accountable and ensure every American knows the true cost of their budget proposal.

    A livestreamed recording of the press conference can be found here.

    Additional photos from the event are available courtesy of Rep. Peters’ office here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese, Brazilian central banks sign MOU to enhance financial strategic cooperation

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

    Chinese, Brazilian central banks sign MOU to enhance financial strategic cooperation

    BEIJING, May 13 — The central banks of China and Brazil on Tuesday inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on financial strategic cooperation, according to the People’s Bank of China (PBOC).

    The PBOC said that the signature of the MOU will facilitate cooperation between China and Brazil in areas such as investment environments, financial technical exchange, financial infrastructure, local currencies and payments.

    The PBOC also renewed a bilateral currency swap agreement with the central bank of Brazil on the same day, with a total value of 190 billion yuan (about 26.39 billion dollars), or 157 billion reais. The agreement is valid for a period of five years and can be renewed upon mutual consent, it said.

    Another MOU was signed by the PBOC and Brazil’s ministry of finance to promote cooperation between the two sides in areas such as financial markets, financing, and international financial and monetary policy coordination.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Introducing House Roll Call Votes in the Congress.gov API

    Source: US Global Legal Monitor

    The following is a guest post from Andrew Reiter, a legislative data specialist in the Congressional Research Service (CRS) of the Library of Congress. Andrew previously blogged about an Update on the Congress.gov API, Modernizing Congressional Data – Treaty Documents on Congress.gov, Modernizing Congressional Data – Senate Legislation and Amendments on Congress.gov, and Modernizing Congressional Data – House Legislation and Amendments on Congress.gov.

    Today, in partnership with the Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives, we are thrilled to announce that beta House Roll Call Votes endpoints are now available from the Congress.gov API.

    In this first iteration, the beta House Roll Call Votes endpoints cover all votes associated with legislation dating from 2023 (118th Congress). Endpoints include a list-level and item-level, along with a member votes-level, which shows how each member of the House of Representatives voted on a particular piece of legislation.

    When calling the member votes-level endpoint, users will get information on how each member of the House of Representatives voted. This information includes the BioGuide ID number used across several legislative platforms, including the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress and Congress.gov.

    The next phase of the House Roll Call Votes beta API endpoints project will include making non-legislation-related votes available in the API, dating from 2023 (118th Congress). These include votes such as the election of the Speaker of the House of Representatives. As with all Congress.gov products, we have also worked to provide documentation about the API. In this case, there are documentation, user guides, a change log that details changes to the API, and opportunities for feedback. As a reminder, to use the API, you must first get an API key.

    The Congress.gov API covers all Congress.gov collections, including bills, amendments, summaries, congressional dates, members, the Congressional Record, committee materials, nominations, treaties, and House and Senate Communications.

    We are thrilled to share this exciting development with the Congress.gov user community. Be sure to join us for the next Congressional Data Task Force meeting on June 10, 2025, to learn more about the new beta House Roll Call Votes API endpoints.

    Subscribe to In Custodia Legis – it’s free! – to receive interesting posts drawn from the Law Library of Congress’s vast collections and our staff’s expertise in U.S., foreign, and international law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Continues to Challenge Tariffs on All Fronts: President Trump Lacks the Authority to Impose Tariffs

    Source: US State of California Department of Justice

    Files brief in support of states rocked by tariffs across the country 

    OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Governor Gavin Newsom today filed an amicus brief in Oregon v. Trump, a case challenging President Trump’s illegal imposition of so called “emergency” tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). Last month, Attorney General Bonta and Governor Newsom filed a lawsuit challenging President Trump’s unlawful use of power to levy tariffs via over a dozen executive orders under the IEEPA. In the brief filed today in the Court of International Trade, Attorney General Bonta argued that the Trump Administration’s interpretation of its authority under IEEPA is incorrect — the Act’s language does not provide the authority impose tariffs. 

    “President Trump’s illegal tariffs impact businesses, consumers, and states across the nation and it is our responsibility as state leaders to advocate and defend our people against harmful — and illegal — actions,” said Attorney General Bonta. “It’s simple, the statute that the President is using to impose his chaotic tariffs clearly does not include the authority to do so, any reading of it as such is wild, nonsensical, and irresponsible.”  

    BACKGROUND

    In the past few months, President Trump has issued over a dozen executive orders imposing, pausing, reimposing, and escalating tariffs on every U.S. trading partner, and claimed authority to do so under IEEPA. New tariffs are chaotically contemplated, announced, or delayed nearly every day. The uncertainty surrounding the tariffs is itself causing immediate harm to California by incapacitating its ability to budget and plan for the future and chilling the economy — as businesses and people pause decision-making and lose out on opportunities. 

    While difficult to calculate due to their frenzied nature, most estimates put the new average tariff rate at or above 25%. The current IEEPA tariff regime imposes a universal tariff of 10% on all U.S. trading partners, with tariff increases as high 50% on more than 50 specific trading partners set to go into effect on July 9, 2025. 

    Separately, Canada and Mexico are subject to IEEPA tariffs of up to 25%, which are currently in effect after being paused and then re-started. China is subject to an ever-changing combination of IEEPA tariffs that reached a staggering rate of 145%, and as of the publication of this press release, plummeted down to 30% under the 90-day pause. The claimed rationales for each of these tariffs is wide-ranging and difficult to follow from trade deficits and foreign trade practices to immigration, crime, and illicit drugs. In response to President Trump’s tariffs, major U.S. trading partners including China, Canada, and the European Union have imposed or announced retaliatory tariffs — China’s retaliatory tariffs alone reached 125%.

    The impact of President Trump’s unprecedented IEEPA tariffs is devastating and unprecedented. The near-daily threats to impose new tariffs have already inflicted and continue to inflict serious financial harms on California and states across the nation — with the largest burden expected to fall on the poorest Americans, who cannot absorb the loss of wages or the greater cost of goods. 

    President Trump’s tariff regime will:

    • Reduce Americans’ incomes and productivity: Tariffs are expected to reduce the labor supply by 546,000 full-time jobs. 
    • Cause higher prices and less availability of goods, leading to goods shortages and supply chain disruptions: The Port of Los Angeles saw a third of import volume disappear as of the first week of May, which will hit the availability of goods in stores in only a few weeks. 
    • Wreak havoc on our financial systems: The U.S. stock market suffered the largest two-day loss in its history in the two days following the announcement of President Trump’s most sweeping tariffs. 
    • Generate enormous economic damage to both the U.S. economy and the California economy: Tariffs, on net, reduce production, income, and efficiency. 
    • Raise the probability of a recession: Recessions are damaging to public finance and state budgets — budget pressures can also mean cessation of spending in areas of pressing need, such as public safety, education, and disaster preparedness.

    A copy of the brief is available here.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Peacekeeping Ministerial: Member States rally behind UN peacekeeping in a time of crisis

    Source: United Nations – Peacekeeping

    “Complex demands and diminishing resources are testing the limits of the current peacekeeping approaches,” warned Johan Wadephul, Germany’s Minister for Foreign Affairs at the 2025 Peacekeeping Ministerial in Berlin today. UN and Member State representatives met to discuss the future of peacekeeping, calling for reforms to strengthen its effectiveness and efficiency.

    The meeting comes as peacekeeping faces mounting challenges: Conflicts worldwide have reached their highest levels since World War II, becoming increasingly complex and dangerous. Member States responsible for setting peacekeeping mandates have become more divided.

    An investment in peace

    Despite the challenges, “every UN peacekeeping [mission] is a good investment,” said Minister Wadephul. “We want UN blue helmets to remain this instrument of peace protecting millions of civilians and monitoring ceasefires.

    Missions have proven effective in preventing violence before it starts, reducing it during conflicts, and preventing its recurrence once conflicts end. Their presence also directly reduces civilian casualties. Peacekeepers have helped many countries achieve durable peace, including Cambodia, Côte d’Ivoire, El Salvador, Liberia, Namibia, Mozambique, Sierra Leone and Timor-Leste.

    Bigger challenges, fewer resources

    Despite its track record, investment in peacekeeping is declining. Currently, just over 70,000 civilian, military and police peacekeepers are working to advance peace in 11 operations globally, serving countries including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lebanon, and Cyprus. In comparison, the city of Berlin alone has a police force of 26,000.

    Peacekeeping’s current US$5.6 billion budget is roughly half what it was a decade ago. It represents just 0.5% of global military spending.

    This funding comes from all UN Member States, with wealthier countries contributing larger shares. Even for the United States – peacekeeping’s largest donor – their assessed contribution of $1.5 billion makes up just 0.2% of their 2024 defence budget.

    Yet many Member States are behind on their payments, owing a total of $2.7 billion and worsening the funding crisis.

    “It is absolutely essential that all Member States meet their financial obligations by paying their contributions in full and on time,” António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations.

    Adapting to a new reality

    UN officials and Member States called for comprehensive reforms to adapt to these realities.

    Tailoring missions to local contexts, creating more focused mandates, increasing local ownership were suggested as ways peacekeeping missions could strengthen operations. Allowing for a more flexible use of resources was raised as critical to helping missions find efficiencies. There were also impassioned calls for stronger political backing for peacekeeping missions, including from the Security Council.

    “We have political divisions impacting everything we are trying to achieve as a team,” said General Birame Diop, Senegal’s Minister of Armed Forces.

    Making peacekeeping fit for the future

    Today, the message from UN Member States was clear: for the people peacekeepers serve, it is essential to use limited resources as effectively and efficiently as possible, ensuring missions continue their vital work.

    “The value of peacekeeping is undeniable… but there is always more to do,” said Catherine Pollard, UN Under-Secretary-General for management Strategy, Policy and Compliance.

    Discussions will continue tomorrow, with specialized sessions that will look at how these calls for reform can be concretely met.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst Works to Counter Chinese Aggression in Indo-Pacific

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
    Published: May 13, 2025
    WASHINGTON – To keep Americans safe from the threat of increased Chinese aggression, U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) introduced a bill to strengthen the United States’ strategic partnerships with Pacific Island nations.
    The bipartisan Pacific Partnership Act would help the U.S. establish a clear, comprehensive strategy to support diplomatic, security, and economic relationships in the Indo-Pacific region.
    “Strengthening America’s partnerships in the Indo-Pacific is critical to deterring Chinese aggression,” said Ernst. “This bipartisan legislation equips us to work with nations in the Pacific that serve as the first line of defense against the Chinese Communist Party and keep Americans safe at home.”
    “Supporting our allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific is essential to combatting the Chinese Communist Party’s influence and to our long-term national security,” said Cortez Masto. “This bipartisan bill is critical to strengthening our ties with our allies in the Pacific and ensuring they become enduring global relationships.”
    Click here to view the bill.
    Background:
    Ernst’s work to increase cooperation with Pacific Island Nations to counter China’s malign influence was also included in the final National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell Condemns GOP’s Cruel Proposal to Kick Millions Off Medicaid: ‘You’re Going to Make All Those People Go to An Emergency Room?’

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
    05.13.25
    Cantwell Condemns GOP’s Cruel Proposal to Kick Millions Off Medicaid: ‘You’re Going to Make All Those People Go to An Emergency Room?’
    GOP proposal would cancel health coverage and drive-up co-pays for hundreds of thousands of Washingtonians
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), senior member of the Senate Finance Committee and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, delivered a speech on the Senate floor condemning the House GOP’s ill-conceived proposal to cut health care by $715 billion to help pay for a tax break for the ultra-rich and corporations, forcing at least 13.7 million Americans off their health insurance.
    “House Republicans say that these cuts are about waste, fraud, and abuse — but the real fraud is telling the American people that by implementing these requirements, that somehow these policies are going to save money. The truth is, it’s just making it harder on Americans to stay on Medicaid,” Sen. Cantwell said.
    “In 2018 Arkansas tried the same thing that the House of Representatives are now suggesting. They became the first state to establish a work requirement for certain Medicaid enrollees. It took just four months, and the new requirement got 18,000 people kicked off Medicaid. Where do you think those people go? You think they don’t have any health care needs? You don’t think they go to the hospital and cost us all a bunch load more money?” she continued.
    “So I ask my colleagues to make sure that we are fighting these cuts to Medicaid. Our communities are demanding it. They are watching.”
    Video of her speech is available HERE and a full transcript is HERE.
    On Sunday, the Republican leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives released a draft proposal to cut $912 billion from the Energy and Commerce Committee budget — the committee that oversees Medicaid, the federal program that insures many low-income adults and children, pregnant people, seniors, and people with disabilities. Their proposal would institute new co-pays and onerous work requirements, ultimately blocking access to health care for the people who need it most.
    Medicaid, also known as Apple Health in Washington state, covers 1.9 million Washingtonians. On May 2, Sen. Cantwell released a snapshot report highlighting the impact that Medicaid cuts would have on Washington state’s highly-ranked long-term care system for seniors and people with disabilities. In February, she additionally released a snapshot report that demonstrated how cuts would harm health care access in Washington state, and followed up with a report in March that dove into impacts on the Puget Sound region.
    Highlights of those snapshot reports include:
    In Washington state, WA-04 (Central Washington) and WA-05 (Eastern Washington) have the highest proportions of adults and total population on Medicaid (Apple Health). In District 4, 70% of children are on Medicaid.
    In the Puget Sound, children in Seattle’s blue-collar strongholds would feel the deepest pain from Medicaid cuts. More than half of children in Burien, SeaTac, Kent, Federal Way, Auburn, Renton, and Rainier Valley depend on Medicaid.
    In an exclusive new survey of 68 WA nursing homes, 67 of 68 would cut services if Medicaid were cut by 5% or more, and 65% would consider closing.
    Over the past two months, Sen. Cantwell also took a tour around the state to hear from folks who would be directly impacted by cuts to Medicare. Doctors, patients, and health care providers in Seattle, Spokane, the Tri-Cities, and Wenatchee warned that such cuts would devastate Washington state’s health care system and limit access to lifesaving care.
    Last week, a coalition of Washington state hospital leaders and Republican elected officials sent a letter opposing any cuts to Medicaid. The group included the CEOs of Skyline Health and Klickitat Valley Hospital, as well as multiple Republican members of the Washington state legislature, leaders of Klickitat County, and councilmembers of White Salmon and Goldendale. The letter emphasized that hospitals in rural areas are especially reliant on Medicaid, and any funding reductions would result in loss of services or even hospital closures. The letter warned, “Any reduction in funding from any source will undoubtedly result in a reduction of services, reduction of access or worse – hospital closures,” and further that “Policy decisions that put a community’s access to healthcare in jeopardy are a sure way to hasten the demise of rural Washington State.”  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy On Trump’s Middle East Trip: This Isn’t America First. This Is Trump First. It’s A National Security Disaster And A Moral Abomination.

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy
    [embedded content]
    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Tuesday spoke on the U.S. Senate floor to deliver a blistering condemnation of President Trump’s foreign policy corruption, highlighting his use of the office to enrich himself while putting U.S. national security at risk. Murphy called out Trump’s brazen willingness to accept luxury gifts and bribes from foreign governments like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, blasting the president for openly prioritizing his own profits over the well-being of American families and calling for bipartisan action to confront these abuses of power.
    “Usually, public corruption happens in secret,” said Murphy. “The politicians that do it, they know it’s wrong to accept money in exchange for favorable government treatment, and so they hide it – until they’re found out.”
    He continued: “The key difference is that Donald Trump isn’t hiding it like other corrupt officials are. He’s not ashamed, he’s not doing it in secret. His corruption is wildly public, and his hope is that by doing it publicly, he can con the American people into thinking that it’s not corruption because he’s not hiding it. But what he’s doing, in reality, is no different than any other corrupt public official who does it in private, other than the fact that Trump’s corruption, his foreign policy corruption, is just so much bigger in scope and the impact that it has on the American people than anything a corrupt mayor or a corrupt governor may have done. Trump’s first major foreign trip–and he just landed–is to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE; not because these are our most important allies in the world; not because these are the most important countries in the world; not because he’s going there to talk about making the Middle East more safe and more secure. No, his first trip is to these three countries because these are the three countries that have agreed to pay Donald Trump money. Donald Trump is going to collect tribute, and it’s all just out in the open.”
    Murphy laid out the price of doing business with the Trump administration: “So let’s ask, what is the going rate right now for a Gulf country to buy access to Donald Trump? To get favorable treatment from the federal government? For Qatar, we recently found out, it’s a $400 million luxury plane. This plane has been opulently configured for royal use. It’s not a gift to the U.S. government – it’s a personal gift to the president. The terms of the arrangement apparently include a stipulation that after Trump leaves office, it will be transferred to Trump, to his presidential library – which means Trump gets the so-called ‘floating palace’ for himself…For Saudi Arabia, the price is also in the billions. Soon after leaving the White House, in Trump’s first term, his son-in-law Jared Kushner created a private equity firm and got a $2 billion investment from Saudi Arabia. The board of the Saudi sovereign wealth fund questioned such a large investment in an unproven fund, but the Saudi Crown Prince overruled the board, undoubtedly seeing the political advantage of investing directly with the Trump family…For the UAE, the price is somewhere north of $2 billion.”
    “Well, the most simple way to think about this is that if the guy that you elected to protect us and make our lives better is spending most of his time alternating between playing golf and cutting deals for himself, he’s not protecting you. He’s not spending any time trying to lower costs or defeat our enemies. Corruption, it can be a full-time job for Donald Trump, and that’s a pretty lousy deal for the American people,” Murphy added. “But more importantly, when our foreign policy is for sale, we are less safe. Let me give you an example relative to the trip that Donald Trump is on right now. These countries aren’t padding Donald Trump’s pockets because they like him. They are paying him in order to get things from the federal government, from the U.S. government, without having to make any actual policy concessions that would benefit the U.S. people. 
    Murphy called on Republicans and Democrats to unite, vowing to block arms sales linked to corrupt deals and push legislation to stop politicians from profiting off crypto: “We can look the other way, or we can join together, Republicans and Democrats, to stand up for this country and do something about it. I’ve joined with Senators Schatz and Coons and Booker to introduce a resolution condemning the acceptance of the plane. It’s a blatant violation of the Emoluments Clause. We could stand together as a Senate to vote for that resolution. I’ve introduced legislation to make it illegal for presidents or members of Congress and their family members to profit off of crypto coins while they hold federal office.  We could join together in that effort. I will personally seek to block any arms sale that is announced as part of this trip with a country that is personally investing in Donald Trump and his family. I will force a full Senate debate and a vote on these sales. Foreign leaders need to know there will be a price for participating in the corruption of the American presidency.”
    Murphy tore into Trump’s corruption, calling it a national security sellout and a slap in the face to working families: “This level of corruption is so gross that even Trump’s most hardened MAGA sycophants are turning against him. I didn’t think I’d see the day, but people like Ben Shapiro and Laura Loomer, who fawn over Trump, can’t believe he is so crass as to think that it’s ok to accept planes as a gift in exchange for U.S. national security concessions. This isn’t America First. This is not what he promised the American people. This is Trump First. He is willing to put our nation’s security at risk, take unconstitutional bribes, just so he can fly himself and his Mar-a-Lago golf buddies around the world in gold plated luxury planes gifted to him by foreign governments. All while at the same time, he tells Americans that they should be okay buying fewer school supplies for their kids, or fewer birthday presents for their grandchildren, because he is driving prices up for non-billionaires in this country. All while at the same time he is kicking 13 million people off of their health care. Trump lines his pockets, he corrupts our foreign policy to enrich himself, while driving up prices and stealing health care from average Americans. It’s a national security disaster and it’s a moral abomination.”
    A full transcript of his remarks can be found below:
    MURPHY: “Usually, public corruption happens in secret. The politicians that do it, they know it’s wrong to accept money in exchange for favorable government treatment, and so they hide it – until they’re found out.
    “A textbook example would be Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards, who in the 1990’s was quietly taking bribes from businessmen who wanted to get licenses for riverboat casinos. In the late 1990’s, Edwards was convicted for the crimes of extortion, racketeering, and money laundering. The way in which he was doing it was like out of a movie– in one instance, a businessman handed the Governor a suitcase full of $100 bills – totaling $400,000 – all in order to get a 6-0 commission ruling in favor of this casino. Eventually, as with most all corrupt officials who are taking money privately, Edwards was discovered. He was disgraced, and he went to jail.
    “As we speak, our president, Donald Trump, is going to the Middle East on a public corruption tour. He’s no less corrupt than Edwin Edwards of Louisiana. In fact, he’s way more corrupt. Edwin Edwards took $400,000, while in the Middle East, Donald Trump will cement deals totaling in the billions in exchange for favorable treatment by the U.S. federal government for these Gulf countries. 
    “The key difference is that Donald Trump isn’t hiding it like other corrupt officials are. He’s not ashamed, he’s not doing it in secret. His corruption is wildly public, and his hope is that by doing it publicly, he can con the American people into thinking that it’s not corruption because he’s not hiding it. But what he’s doing, in reality, is no different than any other corrupt public official who does it in private, other than the fact that Trump’s corruption, his foreign policy corruption, is just so much bigger in scope and the impact that it has on the American people than anything a corrupt mayor or a corrupt governor may have done. 
    “Trump’s first major foreign trip–and he just landed–is to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE; not because these are our most important allies in the world; not because these are the most important countries in the world; not because he’s going there to talk about making the Middle East more safe and more secure. No, his first trip is to these three countries because these are the three countries that have agreed to pay Donald Trump money. Donald Trump is going to collect tribute, and it’s all just out in the open.
    “Frankly, it’s pretty easy to see this coming. Recent former presidents – Republicans and Democrats – have always very seriously and studiously avoided even the appearance of a conflict of interest. President Bush placed his assets into a qualified blind trust, where investment decisions were made without his knowledge or input. Both Biden and Obama divested all of their assets except for cash and mutual funds. They did not enter into any new business ventures while in the White House. 
    “In contrast, Trump has refused to abide by these standard ethics rules. His family runs his business, but nobody honestly believes that the kids are really in charge. President Trump is still calling the shots. His interests are not in a blind trust. He’s made no pledge he won’t do new deals, even with foreign entities, while he’s in office. In fact, he is doing deals seemingly every single week. He is open for business, and every foreign government knows it. 
    “In fact, it appears that right now the Gulf states are trying to outdo each other to up the price of buying an American President. And because Trump is greedy and he’s insecure – he wants to fit in with the billionaire class – he is traveling to the region with his hat out for further solicitations.
    “So let’s ask, what is the going rate right now for a Gulf country to buy access to Donald Trump? To get favorable treatment from the federal government?
    “For Qatar, we recently found out, it’s a $400 million luxury plane. This plane has been opulently configured for royal use. It’s not a gift to the U.S. government – it’s a personal gift to the president. The terms of the arrangement apparently include a stipulation that after Trump leaves office, it will be transferred to Trump, to his presidential library – which means Trump gets the so-called ‘floating palace’ for himself. 
    “This is outrageous. We’ve never seen anything like this before in American history– a foreign government gifting a $400 million luxury plane to the President of the United States. This is spelled out as blatantly unconstitutional by our Founding Fathers. They wrote into the Constitution a specific clause, the emoluments clause, which prohibits federal officeholders from accepting gifts from any King, Prince, or foreign state without the consent of Congress. How much clearer could it be? It’s unconstitutional. It’s illegal. The Founding Father knew it was evil to have members of Congress or the President of the United States accepting expensive gifts from a foreign nation who in exchange want favors from the US government. Donald Trump’s acceptance of the luxury plane from a foreign monarch is basically THE corruption our Founding fathers were seeking to prevent.
    “That’s not all he’s getting from Qatar. The Trump Organization recently signed a $5.5 billion golf course and real estate deal with DarGlobal and Qatari Diar, a firm established by Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund. $5.5 billion. While Trump’s in office.
    “It would have been unthinkable for any previous president to enter into a $5.5 billion dollar business deal with anybody, nevermind a foreign government, while they were in office. And it still should be unthinkable. 
    “Now, Qatar is a U.S. ally It’s a very important ally. But they are a complicated country. They have their own interests, some of which do not overlap with ours. A foreign government like Qatar’s should not have a $5 billion chit hanging over the head of a sitting U.S. president, and they should not be gifting him a $400 million plane. That should kind of go without saying.
    “For Saudi Arabia, the price is also in the billions. Soon after leaving the White House, in Trump’s first term, his son-in-law Jared Kushner created a private equity firm and got a $2 billion investment from Saudi Arabia. The board of the Saudi sovereign wealth fund questioned such a large investment in an unproven fund, but the Saudi Crown Prince overruled the board, undoubtedly seeing the political advantage of investing directly with the Trump family.
    “But this was only the beginning. The Trump family has put things into overdrive during his second term. Within his first three weeks in office, Trump convened a meeting at the White House with the head of the Saudi sovereign wealth fund – not to discuss matters of state, but to negotiate a deal between the PGA and the Saudi-backed LIV golf tour. You want to know why? To try to bring PGA tournaments back to Trump golf courses. Convened a meeting in the White House with the Saudis in order to enrich himself.
    “In addition to the $5 billion Qatari real estate deal, the Trump Organization is also partnering with Saudi firm [Dar Global] on a $1 billion Trump-branded hotel and tower in Dubai. The property’s website–this is a Trump-financed property along with a Saudi investment fund offers free 10-year “golden visas,” to the United States, hinting at the opportunity for investors in Trump’s property to buy residency in the United States and a pathway to citizenship.
    “For the UAE, the price is somewhere north of $2 billion. Last week, Eric Trump and World Liberty Financial co-founder Zach Witkoff spoke at a conference in Dubai on crypto called Token 2049. 
    “As an aside here, it’s just so fantastic – and bone chilling – how transparent these guys are in their use of public positions to enrich themselves. I’m going to tell the story of Trump stablecoin and the corruption with the Emiratis, but let’s just pause for a second and consider the fact that the Trump family could have partnered with anybody in the world on their new crypto venture, World Liberty Financial. But of all the people in the world to partner with on this new crypto venture, they chose the son of Trump’s Middle East envoy. Trump’s Middle East envoy, the guy who’s making all the decisions on U.S. policy in the Middle East – just to make it crystal crystal clear to the Gulf countries that when they deal with World Liberty Financial, Trump’s crypto venture, they are dealing directly with the people responsible for making U.S. policy in the Middle East. It’s just stunning. Literally the sons of the president and the sons of the Middle East envoy running a crypto venture and then going directly into the Middle East in order to find their first investment. And guess what? Miracle– they found it.
    “MGX, an investment firm backed by the Emirati government at this conference, announced that they had looked at all the crypto companies in the world that they could partner with to invest $2 billion in the crypto exchange Binance and they selected, wait for it, drumroll… the company run by the sons of the President of the United States and the U.S. Middle East envoy. $2 billion. Now World Liberty’s role in this transaction is not that complicated–it’s similar to a bank: MGX, this Emitari firm, deposits $2 billion with the firm and, in return, receives the stablecoin to be used on these crypto exchanges. The firm holds on to these dollars, invests them, and keeps the profits for themselves. So the Trump-Witkoff company just gets basically a gift of capital. And if they just used that $2 billion to invest in Treasury bonds, it would profit around $85 million a year from these investments alone.
    “And the money goes directly to Trump. Just directly to Trump. It’s literally not complicated. Emirates. World Liberty Financial. Donald Trump. This isn’t 1990’s Louisiana. Nobody’s hiding it. On World Liberty’s website they say, “an entity affiliated with Donald J. Trump” owns 60% of the equity in the company. And because of this deal, Trump and Witkoff can further capitalize. Because Trump’s stablecoin just became the 5th most valuable stablecoin in the world because of the Emirati investment.
    “And if the plane and the real estate deals and the private equity fund investment and the stablecoin weren’t enough for you, Trump has found one last way for Gulf money to flow seamlessly into his pocket: it’s called the Trump meme coin.
    “What’s the business model here? Trump gets a huge payment whenever he releases a batch of these meme coins, which by the way have no underlying value other than just the demand that people have for Trump’s coin. And then each time a Trump coin is bought or sold, a small fee is routed directly to the company owned by Trump. According to one analysis, nearly $325 million in fees have been accrued since the coin was launched in January. Just four and half months, $325 million worth of fees. 
    “Trump hides the buyers of the coin. In this way, the meme coin is kind of a little bit like Louisiana corruption. But we know that the majority of the buyers aren’t Americans who want to help Trump make this nation great again. The majority of the buyers of Trump coin are super-rich foreigners – princes, oligarchs, authoritarians – who are buying the coin in order to get in good with Trump or to get something in exchange.
    “Now one great thing about buying the coin is that you get access to Trump and the White House. And again, they’re not hiding this. Two weeks ago, Trump announced that he would host a private dinner at the White House, with seats reserved exclusively for the top 220 Trump coin holders. In two days since the announcement, Trump’s company made $900,000 in fees, because everybody, mostly foreigners–many of them probably in the Gulf–were buying up the coin as quickly as they could in order to get one of these seats. 
    “If a mayor of a small town was selling meetings at city hall for a thousand bucks, he would be run out of town on a rail. But that’s exactly what Donald Trump is doing, in the Middle East and all over the world, as foreign buyers line up to buy the meme coin guaranteed [to provide] private access to Donald Trump at the White House. You cannot make this up. 
    “Now, the obvious question for the average American is, okay, what does this mean for me? Somebody living in New Britain, Connecticut, might think it’s kind of gross that Trump is lining his pockets as President, but they want to know, how does this actually affect me?
    “Well, the most simple way to think about this is that if the guy that you elected to protect us and make our lives better is spending most of his time alternating between playing golf and cutting deals for himself, he’s not protecting you. He’s not spending any time trying to lower costs or defeat our enemies. Corruption, it can be a full-time job for Donald Trump, and that’s a pretty lousy deal for the American people.
    “But more importantly, when our foreign policy is for sale, we are less safe. Let me give you an example relative to the trip that Donald Trump is on right now. These countries aren’t padding Donald Trump’s pockets because they like him. They are paying him in order to get things from the federal government, from the U.S. government, without having to make any actual policy concessions that would benefit the U.S. people. 
    “Before anybody could begin to process the brazen corruption of the UAE/Trump/Witkoff crypto deal, reports very quickly emerged that the Trump administration was considering changing regulations to make it easier for the country of UAE to purchase highly advanced semiconductors from U.S. manufacturers. This was a huge priority of the Emiratis, but the restrictions are on the UAE for a reason. The UAE has a very troubling and very close security relationship with China, and so the reason why we didn’t allow U.S. companies to sell semiconductors directly to the UAE is because we believed that it would very easily become a conduit to China getting their hands on these advanced semiconductors and being able to leapfrog the United States in the business of advanced AI.
    “But all of a sudden, once the cash payment to Trump through the crypto venture was announced, Trump signaled that he was willing to throw our security concerns out the window and transfer this sensitive technology to the UAE, even though it’s likely that China will get their hands on this technology, allowing China to put themselves in a position to leapfrog us in the race for advanced AI. That would be a disaster for the American people. But that’s what’s happening. We might hand AI leadership to China because that’s the price of Trump getting paid, and as long as he gets paid, he doesn’t seem to care about the impact on regular Americans. 
    “The White House is open for business and the Trump family is proudly advertising to the world where to send the check. They aren’t trying to hide it. A $400 million luxury plane gifted to the president of the United States right as he is going over to negotiate potentially sensitive security arrangements with the Gulf countries. Every American, every Republican, every supposed ‘national security advocate’ in the Senate should be outraged by this. 
    “We can look the other way, or we can join together, Republicans and Democrats, to stand up for this country and do something about it. I’ve joined with Senators Schatz and Coons and Booker to introduce a resolution condemning the acceptance of the plane. It’s a blatant violation of the Emoluments Clause. We could stand together as a Senate to vote for that resolution. I’ve introduced legislation to make it illegal for presidents or members of Congress and their family members to profit off of crypto coins while they hold federal office.  We could join together in that effort. I will personally seek to block any arms sale that is announced as part of this trip with a country that is personally investing in Donald Trump and his family. I will force a full Senate debate and a vote on these sales. Foreign leaders need to know there will be a price for participating in the corruption of the American presidency.
    “This level of corruption is so gross that even Trump’s most hardened MAGA sycophants are turning against him. I didn’t think I’d see the day, but people like Ben Shapiro and Laura Loomer, who fawn over Trump, can’t believe he is so crass as to think that it’s ok to accept planes as a gift in exchange for U.S. national security concessions.
    “This isn’t America First. This is not what he promised the American people. This is Trump First. He is willing to put our nation’s security at risk, take unconstitutional bribes, just so he can fly himself and his Mar-a-Lago golf buddies around the world in gold plated luxury planes gifted to him by foreign governments. All while at the same time, he tells Americans that they should be okay buying fewer school supplies for their kids, or fewer birthday presents for their grandchildren, because he is driving prices up for non-billionaires in this country. All while at the same time he is kicking 13 million people off of their health care. Trump lines his pockets, he corrupts our foreign policy to enrich himself, while driving up prices and stealing health care from average Americans. It’s a national security disaster and it’s a moral abomination.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: As US ramps up fossil fuels, communities will have to adapt to the consequences − yet climate adaptation funding is on the chopping block

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Bethany Bradley, Professor of Biogeography and Spatial Ecology, UMass Amherst

    Salt marshes protect shorelines, but they’re already struggling to survive sea-level rise. John Greim/LightRocket via Getty Images

    It’s no secret that warming temperatures, wildfires and flash floods are increasingly affecting lives across the United States. With the U.S. government now planning to ramp up fossil fuel use, the risks of these events are likely to become even more pronounced.

    That leaves a big question: Is the nation prepared to adapt to the consequences?

    For many years, federally funded scientists have been developing solutions to help reduce the harm climate change is causing in people’s lives and livelihoods. Yet, as with many other science programs, the White House is proposing to eliminate funding for climate adaptation science in the next federal budget, and reports suggest that the firing of federal climate adaptation scientists may be imminent.

    As researchers and directors of regional Climate Adaptation Science Centers, funded by the U.S. Geological Survey since 2011, we have seen firsthand the work these programs do to protect the nation’s natural resources and their successes in helping states and tribes build resilience to climate risks.

    Here are a few examples of the ways federally funded climate adaptation science conducted by university and federal researchers helps the nation weather the effects of climate change.

    Protecting communities against wildfire risk

    Wildfires have increasingly threatened communities and ecosystems across the U.S., exacerbated by worsening heat waves and drought.

    In the Southwest, researchers with the Climate Adaptation Science Centers are developing forecasting models to identify locations at greatest risk of wildfire at different times of year.

    Knowing where and when fire risks are highest allows communities to take steps to protect themselves, whether by carrying out controlled burns to remove dry vegetation, creating fire breaks to protect homes, managing invasive species that can leave forests more prone to devastating fires, or other measures.

    The solutions are created with forest and wildland managers to ensure projects are viable, effective and tailored to each area. The research is then integrated into best practices for managing wildfires. The researchers also help city planners find the most effective methods to reduce fire risks in wildlands near homes.

    Wildland firefighters and communities have limited resources. They need to know where the greatest risks exist to take preventive measures.
    Ethan Swope/Getty Images

    In Hawaii and the other Pacific islands, adaptation researchers have similarly worked to identify how drought, invasive species and land-use changes contribute to fire risk there. They use these results to create maps of high-risk fire zones to help communities take steps to reduce dry and dead undergrowth that could fuel fires and also plan for recovery after fires.

    Protecting shorelines and fisheries

    In the Northeast, salt marshes line large parts of the coast, providing natural buffers against storms by damping powerful ocean waves that would otherwise erode the shoreline. Their shallow, grassy waters also serve as important breeding grounds for valuable fish.

    However, these marshes are at risk of drowning as sea level rises faster than the sediment can build up.

    As greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels and from other human activities accumulate in the atmosphere, they trap extra heat near Earth’s surface and in the oceans, raising temperatures. The rising temperatures melt glaciers and also cause thermal expansion of the oceans. Together, those processes are raising global sea level by about 1.3 inches per decade.

    Adaptation researchers with the Climate Adaptation Science Centers have been developing local flood projections for the regions’ unique oceanographic and geophysical conditions to help protect them. Those projections are essential to help natural resource managers and municipalities plan effectively for the future.

    Researchers are also collaborating with local and regional organizations on salt marsh restoration, including assessing how sediment builds up each marsh and creating procedures for restoring and monitoring the marshes.

    Saving salmon in Alaska and the Northwest

    In the Northwest and Alaska, salmon are struggling as temperatures rise in the streams they return to for spawning each year. Warm water can make them sluggish, putting them at greater risk from predators. When temperatures get too high, they can’t survive. Even in large rivers such as the Columbia, salmon are becoming heat stressed more often.

    Adaptation researchers in both regions have been evaluating the effectiveness of fish rescues – temporarily moving salmon into captivity as seasonal streams overheat or dry up due to drought.

    In Alaska, adaptation scientists have built broad partnerships with tribes, nonprofit organizations and government agencies to improve temperature measurements of remote streams, creating an early warning system for fisheries so managers can take steps to help salmon survive.

    Managing invasive species

    Rising temperatures can also expand the range of invasive species, which cost the U.S. economy billions of dollars each year in crop and forest losses and threaten native plants and animals.

    Researchers in the Northeast and Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Centers have been working to identify and prioritize the risks from invasive species that are expanding their ranges. That helps state managers eradicate these emerging threats before they become a problem. These regional invasive species networks have become the go-to source of climate-related scientific information for thousands of invasive species managers.

    The rise in the number of invasive species projected by 2050 is substantial in the Northeast and upper Midwest. Federally funded scientists develop these risk maps and work with local communities to head off invasive species damage.
    Regional Invasive Species and Climate Change Network

    The Northeast is a hot spot for invasive species, particularly for plants that can outcompete native wetland and grassland species and host pathogens that can harm native species.

    Without proactive assessments, invasive species management becomes more difficult. Once the damage has begun, managing invasive species becomes more expensive and less effective.

    Losing the nation’s ability to adapt wisely

    A key part of these projects is the strong working relationships built between scientists and the natural resource managers in state, community, tribal and government agencies who can put this knowledge into practice.

    With climate extremes likely to increase in the coming years, losing adaptation science will leave the United States even more vulnerable to future climate hazards.

    Bethany Bradley receives funding from the US Geological Survey as the University Director of the Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center.

    Jia Hu has receives funding from the US Geological Survey as the University Director of the Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center.

    Meade Krosby receives funding from the US Geological Survey as the University Director of the Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center.

    – ref. As US ramps up fossil fuels, communities will have to adapt to the consequences − yet climate adaptation funding is on the chopping block – https://theconversation.com/as-us-ramps-up-fossil-fuels-communities-will-have-to-adapt-to-the-consequences-yet-climate-adaptation-funding-is-on-the-chopping-block-256307

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –