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Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI USA: Speaker Johnson Hosts Awards Ceremony Honoring 2025 Congressional Art Competition Winners and Community Leaders

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

    Speaker Johnson Hosts Awards Ceremony Honoring 2025 Congressional Art Competition Winners and Community Leaders

    Washington, April 24, 2025

    WASHINGTON — Today, Speaker Johnson honored winners of the 2025 Congressional Art Competition and Congressional Commendation recipients at the 2025 Community Awards Ceremony for Louisiana’s Fourth Congressional District. 

    “We just had an extraordinary event – we love to do this annually. We give out awards for people who really represent our communities well and do a lot of extraordinary work in all of our 20 parishes around the 4th Congressional District, which is the greatest district in America. There is of honor to give, and it is due,” Speaker Johnson said. “It was a great day, and we love to do this event.” 

    The Congressional Art Competition is a nationwide, visual art contest for high school students, in which one piece of artwork from each congressional district is chosen by a panel of judges to be displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building for one year. The second, third, and fourth place selections will be proudly displayed in Speaker Johnson’s congressional offices. 

    Congressional Commendation recipients were submitted for consideration by constituents of Louisiana’s Fourth Congressional District and chosen for their efforts to better their communities.

    2025 Congressional Art Competition Winners:

    • 1st Place: “Craw-Fever” by Grace Rougeau, Faith Training Christian Academy2nd Place: “Glow of the Magnolia” by Ava Agee, Airline High School
    • 3rd Place: “Serene” by Samirah Etienna, South Beauregard High School
    • 4th Place: “Bayou’s Serenity” by EMantyi Mosby, Airline High School 
    • Staff Pick: “Beauty of the Swamp” by Jarei’Yuana Adams, Homer High School
    • Staff Pick: “In Loving Memory” by Angela Smith, Simsboro High School

    2025 Congressional Commendation Recipients:

    Allen:

    • Patsy Cavenah, Founder and Director of Lighthouse Ministries

    Beauregard:

    • Kenneth Harlow, DeRidder Fire Chief (30 years of service)

    Bossier:

    • Natalie Davis, Haughton High School student, worked to get girls’ wrestling sanctioned in Louisiana
    • Brad Zagone, Bossier City Fire Chief (30 years of service)
    • James “Trey” Morriss, Mission Operation Secret Squirrel, Director of Staff, Eighth Air Force & Joint-Global Strike Operations Center
    • Warren Ward, Mission Operation Secret Squirrel, Executive Director, Louisiana Tech Research Institute
    • Lane Calloway, Barksdale Air Force Base Historian

    Caddo:

    • Laurie Boswell, CEO of Holy Angels 
    • Jacob Schneider, Caddo Magnet High School student, Eagle Scout, led a team from Shreveport to Tumutumu, Kenya to train 72 students in livestock management, farming skills needed to increase the yield of their family farms by 60%, and financial skills to market their produce and manage their money.

    Bienville:

    • Deanna Curtis, Bienville Court Appointed Special Advocate, Chamber President, Victims for Youth Justice Board Member, and DART volunteer

    Claiborne:

    • Pat Abshire, Claiborne Chamber President

    Grant:

    • Bonita Armour, created an after-school program for Grant Parish youth

    Jackson: 

    • Wilda Smith, Secretary and Treasurer for the Jackson Parish Museum Board, Jackson Parish Tourism, Jackson Parish Cancer Board, Jonesboro Hodge Lions Club Board, Secretary Jackson Parish Industrial District Board, and the Treasurer Jackson Parish Study Guild

    Lincoln:

    • Sam Mattox, Oldest-living WWII veteran in Louisiana, turning 106 this year

    Ouachita:

    • Roy Heatherly, Ouachita Chamber President

    Sabine:

    • Crystal Hable, dedicated to service and organization of events in community 
    • Blake Byles, organizes hunting trips for disabled children and veterans

    Union:

    • Axton Nolan, 2025 U.S. Service Academy Appointee, United States Air Force Academy

    Vernon:

    • Melinda Granger, School teacher of 36 years at Rosepine High School 

    Webster:

    • Jerry Madden, Minden Lion, veteran, past Minden Man of the Year

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Remarks by Vice President Vance on the U.S. and India’s Shared Economic Priorities

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    class=”has-text-align-center”>Rajasthan International CenterJaipur, India
      3:17 P.M. IST
         THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Hello.  Good to see everybody.  How we doing? 
    AUDIENCE:  Good. 
         THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Good.  Good. 
         Well, it’s an amazing privilege to be here in Jaipur.  I’m thrilled to address the Ananta Centre’s India-U.S. Forum, and I’m thrilled to have you all here with me.  Thanks to all of you, the business leaders, decision-makers, and, of course, the students for being here.  And thanks to our great team at the U.S. embassy for everything that you guys do for our country.
         In the United States, we’re proud of the deep connection between our nations — between India and the United States.  Prime Minister Modi, as most of you probably know, was one of the first visitors welcomed into the Oval Office during President Trump’s second term.  And like President Trump, the prime minister inspires remarkable loyalty because of the strength of his belief in his people and in his country. 
         Now, we’re so grateful for Prime Minister Modi’s hospitality, as well as the reception that he and everyone else in this country have given us on this first trip for me to India.  This is my first time visiting the birthplace of my wife’s parents, and she’s, of course, in the front row there.  There you are, Usha.  (Applause.) 
         You — she’s a bit of a celebrity, it turns out, in India.  I think more so than her husband.  But I haven’t been here long, but already I’ve been fortunate enough to visit the Akshardham Temple — did I pronounce that right, honey? — I did okay? — all right — with my family this morning, as a matter of fact.  And last night, Prime Minister Modi welcomed me, Usha, and our three small children at his beautiful home. 
         I’ve been amazed by the ancient beauty of the architecture of India, by the richness of India’s history and traditions, but also by India’s laser-like focus on the future.  And those things, I think — this appreciation for history and tradition, and this focus on the future — is very much something that I think animates this country in 2025.
         Now, in other countries I visited, it sometimes feels like there’s a flatness, a sameness, a desire to just be like everyone else in the world.  But it’s different here.  There’s a vitality to India, a sense of infinite possibility, of new homes to be built, new skylines to be raised, and lives to be enriched.  And there’s a pride in being Indian, a feeling of excitement about the days that lie ahead. 
         Now, it’s a striking contrast with too many in the West, where some in our leadership class seem stricken by self-doubt and even fear of the future.  To them, humanity is always one bad decision away from catastrophe.  The world will soon end, they tell us, because we’re burning too much fuel or making too many things or having too many children.  And so, rather than invest in the future, they too often retreat from it. 
         Some of them pass laws that force their nations to use less power.  They cancel nuclear and other energy generation facilities, even as their choices — the choices of these leaders — lead to more dependence on foreign adversaries.  Meanwhile, their message to their friends, to countries like India, is to tell them that they are not allowed to grow. 
         Well, President Trump rejects these failed ideas.  He wants America to grow.  He wants India to grow, and he wants to build the future with our partners all over the globe.  (Applause.)
         And when I look at this audience or when I visit this incredible country over these last couple of days, I see a people that will not be held back. 
         Now, the most profound responsibility I believe that all of us have is not to ourselves but to the next generation, to make sure we leave them with a better society than the one that our parents and our grandparents gave us.  And this is the world that America seeks to create with you. 
         We want to build a bright new world, one that’s constantly innovating, one that’s helping people to form families, making it easier to build, invest, and trade together in pursuit of common goals. 
         Now, I believe that our nations have much to offer one another, and that’s why we come to you as partners looking to strengthen our relationship. 
         Now, we’re not here to preach that you do things any one particular way.  Too often, in the past, Washington approached Prime Minister Modi with an attitude of preachiness or even one of condescension.  Prior administrations saw India as a source of low-cost labor on the one hand, even as they criticized the prime minister’s government — arguably the most popular in the democratic world.  And as I told Prime Minister Modi last night, he’s got approval ratings that would make me jealous.  (Laughter and applause.) 
         But it wasn’t just India.  This attitude captured too much of our economic relationship with the rest of the world, so we shipped countless jobs overseas and, with them, our capacity to make things — from furniture, appliances, and even weapons of war.  We traded hard power for soft power, because with economic integration, we were told, would also come peace through sameness.  Over time, we’d all assume the same sort of bland, secular, universal values no matter where you lived.  The world was flat after all.  That was the thesis, and that was what they told us. 
         And when that thesis proved false or at least incomplete, leaders in the West took it upon themselves to flatten it by any means necessary.  But many people across the world — and I think your country counts among them — they did not want to be flattened.  Many were proud of where they came from: their way of life, the kind of jobs they worked, and the kind of jobs their parents worked before them.  And that very much includes people in my own country, the United States of America. 
         Now, some of you are aware of my own background.  I actually didn’t plan to talk about my background at all until last night at dinner, while my children mostly behaved — we gave them A-minus for behavior with the prime minister — the prime minister said, “I have one request.  I want you to talk a little bit about your background.”  And so, I wanted to do that — for those of you who don’t know anything about me, I wanted to talk about it. 
         I come from — and I’m biased — the greatest state in the Union, the state of Ohio: a longtime manufacturing powerhouse in the United States of America.  My home, specifically, is a place called Middletown.  Now, it’s not a massive city by any means — it’s not Jaipur — but it’s a decent-sized town and a place where people make things, which has been a point of pride in Middletown for generations. 
    It’s filled with families like my own, some of whom called us “hillbillies” — Americans who came down from the surrounding hills and mountains of West Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky to cities like Middletown in pursuit of the manufacturing jobs that were creating widespread prosperity for families all across America.  They came to Middletown in search of what we call back home “the American dream.”
         In Middletown, my parents raised me, my grandparents raised me.  They taught us to work hard.  They taught me to study hard, and they taught me to love God and my country and always be good to your own. 
         My granddad, who I called “Papaw” growing up, he typified that.  Late into life, he worked as a steelmaker at the local mill, and I know India has a lot of those.  Papaw’s job gave him a good wage, stable hours, and a generous pension.  All that allowed him to support not just him and my grandmother but his own daughter and grandkids with him.  Now, by the time I came around, money was awfully tight, but he worked hard to make a good living for all of us. 
         Now, I know Papaw and Mamaw were grateful for the way of life their country made possible.  Their generation bore witness to the formation of America’s great middle class, and by creating an economy centered around production, around workers who build things, and around the value of their labor, our nation’s leaders then transformed their country and made thousands of little Middletowns possible. 
         The government supported its labor force.  We created incentives for productive industries to take root and struck good deals with international partners to sell the goods made in the United States of America. 
         But as America settled in to world historic prosperity it generated, our leaders began to take that very prosperity and what created it for granted.  They forgot the importance of building, of supporting productive industry, of striking fair deals, and of supporting our workers and their families. 
    And as time went on, we saw the consequences.  In my hometown, factories left, jobs evaporated.  America’s Middletowns ceased to be the lifeblood of our nation’s economy.  And the United States — as it became transformed, those very people — the working class, the background of the United States of America — were dismissed as backwards for holding on to the values their people had held dear for generations. 
    Now, Middletown’s story is my story, but it’s hardly unusual in the United States of America.  There are tens of millions of Americans who, over the last 20 or so years, have woken up to what’s happening in our nation.  But I believe they woke up well before it’s too late. 
    Now, like you, we want to appreciate our history, our culture, our religion.  We want to do commerce and strike good deals with our friends.  We want to found our vision of the future upon the proud recognition of our heritage, rather than self-loathing and fear. 
    I work for a president who has long understood all of this.  Whether through fighting those who seek to erase American history or in support of fairer trade deals abroad, he has been consistent on these issues for decades.  And as a result, under the Trump Administration, America now has a government that has learned from the mistakes of the past. 
    It’s why President Trump cares so deeply about protecting the manufacturing economy that is the lifeblood of American prosperity and making sure America’s workers have opportunities for good jobs.
    As we saw earlier this month, he will go to extraordinary lengths to protect and expand those opportunities for all Americans. 
    And so, today, I come here with a simple message: Our administration seeks trade partners on the basis of fairness and of shared national interests. 
    We want to build relationships with our foreign partners who respect their workers, who don’t suppress their wages to boost exports but respect the value of their labor. 
    We want partners that are committed to working with America to build things, not just allowing themselves to become a conduit for transshipping others goods. 
    And finally, we want to partner with people and countries who recognize the historic nature of the moment we’re in, of the need to come together and build something truly new — a system of global trade that is balanced, one that is open, and one that is stable and fair. 
    Now, I want to be clear: America’s partners need not look exactly like America, nor must our governments do everything exactly the same way, but we should have some common goals.  And I believe, here in India, we do in both o- — economics and in national security. 
    And that’s why we’re so excited.  That’s why I’m so excited to be here today.  In India, America has a friend, and we seek to strengthen the warm bonds our great nations already share. 
    Now, critics have attacked my president, President Trump, for starting a trade war in an effort to bring back the jobs of the past, but nothing could be further from the truth.  He seeks to rebalance global trade so that America, with friends like India, can build a future worth having for all of our people together. 
    And when President Trump and Prime Minister Modi announced in February that our countries aim to more than double our bilateral trade to $500 billion by the end of the decade, I know that both of them meant it, and I’m encouraged by everything our nations are doing to get us there. 
    As many of you are aware, both of our governments are hard at work on a trade agreement built on shared priorities, like creating new jobs, building durable supply chains, and achieving prosperity for our workers.
    In our meeting yesterday, Prime Minister Modi and I made very good progress on all of those points, and we are especially excited to formally announce that America and India have officially finalized the terms of reference for the trade negotiation.  I think this is a vital step.  (Applause.)  Thank you.  I believe this is a vital step toward realizing President Trump’s and Prime Minister Modi’s vision because it sets a roadmap toward a final deal between our nations. 
    I believe there is much that America and India can accomplish together.  And on that note, I want to talk about a few areas of collaboration today, how India and the United States can work together: first, perhaps most importantly, to protect our nations; second, to build great things; and finally, to innovate the cutting-edge technologies both our countries will need in the years to come. 
    Now, on defense, our countries already enjoy a close relationship — one of the closest relationships in the world.  America does more military exercises with India than we do with any other nation on Earth. 
    The U.S.-India COMPACT that President Trump and Prime Minister Modi announced in February will lay the foundation for even closer collaboration between our countries.  From Javelins to Stryker combat vehicles, our nations will coproduce many of the munitions and equipment that we’ll need to deter foreign aggressors — not because we seek war, but because we seek peace, and we believe the best path to peace is through mutual strength.  And the — launching the joint Autonomous Systems Industry Alliance will enable America and India to develop the most state-of-the-art maritime systems needed for victory. 
    It’s fitting that India, this year, is hosting the Quad Leaders’ Summit this fall.  Our interests in a free, open, peaceful, and prosperous Indo-Pacific are in full alignment.  Both of us know that the region must remain safe from any hostile powers that seek to dominate it. 
    Growing relations between our countries over the last decade are part of what led America to designate India a Major Defense Partner — the first of that class.  This designation means that India now shares, with the UAE, a defense and technology infrastructure and partnership with the United States on par with America’s closest allies and friends.
    But we actually feel that Indir- — India has much more to gain from its continued defense partnership with the United States, and let me sketch that out a little bit. 
    We, of course, want to collaborate more.  We want to work together more.  And we want your nation to buy more of our military equipment, which, of course, we believe is the best in class. 
    American fifth-generation F-35s, for example, would give the Indian Air Force the ability to defend your air space and protect your people like never before.  And I’ve met a lot of great people from the Indian Air Force just in the last couple of days. 
    India, like America, wants to build, and that will mean that we have to produce more energy.  That’s more energy production and more energy consumption.  And it’s one of the many reasons why I think our nations have so much to gain by strengthening our energy ties. 
    As President Trump is fond of saying, America has once again begun to “drill, baby drill.”  And we think that will inure to the benefit of Americans but it will also benefit India as well.
    Past administrations in the United States of America, I — I think motifated [motivated] by a fear of the future, have tied our hands and restricted American investments in oil and natural gas production.  This administration recognizes that cheap, dependable energy en- — is an essential part of making things and is an essential part of economic independence for both of our nations. 
    Of course, America is blessed with vast natural resources and an unusual capacity to generate energy, so much that we want to be able to sell it to our friends, like India.  Well, we believe your nation will benefit from American energy exports and expanding those exports.  You’ll be able to build more, make more, and grow more, but at much lower energy costs. 
    We also want to help India explore its own considerable natural resources, including its offshore natural gas reserves and critical mineral supplies.  We have the capacity and we have the desire to help.  Moreover, we think energy coproduction will help beat unfair competitors in other foreign markets. 
    But India, we believe, can go a long way to enhance energy ties between our nations.  And one suggestion I have is maybe consider dropping some of the nontariff barriers for American access to the Indian market.
         Now, I’ve talked about this, of course, with Prime Minister Modi.  And, look, President Trump and I know that Prime Minister Modi is a tough negotiator.  He drives a hard bargain.  It’s one of the reasons why we respect him.  (Applause.) 
         And — and we don’t blame Prime Minister Modi for fighting for India’s industry, but we do blame American leaders of the past for failing to do the same for our workers, and we believe that we can fix that to the mutual benefit of both the United States and India.
         Let me give an example.  American ethanol, we believe, made from the finest corn in the world, can play a tremendous role in enhancing our partnership.  And I know our farmers would be delighted to support India’s energy security ambitions.
         We welcome the Modi government’s budget announcement to amend India’s civil nuclear liability laws, which currently prevent U.S. producers from exporting small modular reactors and building larger U.S.-designed reactors in India.
         There’s much that we can create, much that we can do together.
         We believe that American energy can help realize India’s nuclear power production goals — and this is very important — as well as its AI ambitions.  Because, as the United States knows well and I know that India knows well, there is no AI future without energy security and energy dominance.
         And that brings me to my final point of collaboration.  I believe that the technological collaboration between our countries is going to extend well beyond defense and energy.
         The U.S.-India TRUST initiative that President Trump and Prime Minister Modi have launched will be a cornerstone of the partnership in the future.  It’ll build on billions of dollars of planned investments that American companies have already announced across India.
         In the years to come, we’re going to see data centers, pharmaceuticals, undersea cables, and countless other critical goods being developed and being built because of the American and Indian economic partnership.
         And I’ll say it again, I think that our nations have so much to gain by investing in one another: America investing in India and, of course, India investing in the United States of America.
         And I know that Americans, our people are excited about that prospect and that President Trump and I are looking forward to stronger ties. 
         Americans want further access to Indian markets.  This is a great place to do business, and we want to give our people more access to this country.  And Indians, we believe, will thrive from greater commerce from the United States.  This is very much a win-win partnership and certainly will be far into the future.
         And as I know this audience knows better than most, neither Americans nor Indians are alone in looking to scale up their manufacturing capacity.  The competition extends well beyond cheap consumer goods and into munitions, energy infrastructure, and all sorts of other cutting-edge technologies.  I believe that if our nations fail to keep pace, the consequences for the Indo-Pacific, but really the consequences for the entire world, will be quite dire.
         And this, again, is where India and the United States have so much to offer one another.  We’ve got great hardware — the leading artificial intelligence hardware in the world.  You have one of the most exciting start-up technology infrastructures anywhere in the world.
         There’s a lot to be gained by working together, and this is why President Trump and I both welcome India’s leadership in a number of diplomatic organizations, but, of course, in the Quad.
         We believe a stronger India means greater economic prosperity but also greater stability across the Indo-Pacific, which is, of course, a shared goal for all of us in this room and is a shared goal for both of our countries.
         I want to close with — with one last story, or maybe a couple of stories.  So, you know, my — my son Ewan is seven years old.  He’s our firstborn son.  And yesterday, after we — we had dinner at the prime minister’s house, the food was so good and the prime minister was so kind to our three children that Ewan came up to me afterwards, and he said, “Dad, you know, I think maybe I could live in India.”  (Laughter and applause.) 
         And — but I think after about 90 minutes in the Jaipur sun today at the great palace — (laughter) — he suggested that maybe we should move to England.  (Laughter.)  So, you take the — the good with the bad here.
         But I — I want to talk about Prime Minister Modi because I think he’s a special person.  I first met Prime Minister Modi at the AI Action Summit in February, and we had a lot of important discussions on AI and other policies to prepare for. 
         The prime minister also managed to figure out that my son Vivek was actually turning five years old on the trip.  This was in Paris just a couple of months ago.
         So, think about this.  Amid a huge international policy conference, he took the time to stop by where I was staying; wish our second son, Vivek, a happy birthday; and even bring him a gift.  Usha and I were both genuinely touched by his graciousness, and we have been even more impressed by his warmth since we arrived in India.
         Now, it’s interesting.  Some of you may know that when you’re a politician, your kids spend almost as much time in the limelight as you do.  And the — the great things about kids is they are brutally honest.  They’re brutally honest with everybody, whether you want them to be or not. 
         And our seven-year-old, our five-year-old, and then our — our three-year-old baby girl, Mirabel — it’s interesting.  They have only really been — they’ve only really attached themselves to; they’ve only really liked, I should say; they’ve only really built a rapport with — with two world leaders. 
         The fors- — first, of course, is President Trump.  He just has a certain energy about them — about him.  But Prime Minister Modi, it’s the exact same thing. Our kids just like him.  And I think that because kids are such good strong [judge] of characters, I just like Prime Minister Modi too, and I think it’s a great foundation for the future of our relationship.  (Applause.)
         I could tell then — I could tell when Prime Minister Modi came over a couple of months ago and I believe today that he is a serious leader who has thought deeply about India’s future prosperity and security, not just for the rest of his time in office but over the next century.
         And I want to end by making a simple overarching point.  We are now officially one quarter into the 21st century — 25 years in, 75 years to go.  And I really believe that the future of the 21st century is going to be determined by the strength of the United States-India partnership.  I believe — (applause) — thank you.
         I believe that if India and the United States work together successfully, we are going to see a 21st century that is prosperous and peaceful.  But I also believe that if we fail to work together successfully, the 21st century could be a very dark time for all of humanity. 
         So, I want to say, it’s — it’s clear to me, as it is to most observers, that President Trump, of course, intends to rebalance America’s economic relationship with the rest of the world.  That’s going to cause — fundamentally will cause profound changes within our borders in the United States, but, of course, with other countries as well.
         But I believe that this rebalancing is going to produce great benefits for American workers, it’s going to produce great benefits for the people of India, and because our partnership is so important to the future of the world, I believe President Trump’s efforts, joined, of course, by the whole country of India and Prime Minister Modi, will make the 21st century the best century in human history.  Let’s do it together.
         God bless you.  And thank you for having me.  (Applause.)
                                 END                3:42 P.M. IST

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst, Gonzales Codify Trump Efforts to Protect Americans from Criminal Illegal Aliens

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
    WASHINGTON – During Sexual Assault Awareness Month, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Congressman Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) are codifying key parts of President Trump’s zero-tolerance border crackdown by introducing new legislation to deport illegal immigrants convicted of sex crimes.
    The Better Enforcement of Grievous Offenses by unNaturalized Emigrants (BE GONE) Act, which amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to include sexual assault and aggravated sexual violence as crimes that are defined as “aggravated felonies,” comes after a report last year found 16,320 illegal immigrants with sexual assault convictions were in the country.
    “President Trump and his team have hit the ground running reversing the damage from the last four years, but we must ensure that every last sexual predator let in by Joe Biden is deported,” said Ernst. “The health and safety of our citizens must always come first, and I am proud to continue working with President Trump to protect the American people. These violent, criminal illegal aliens need to BE GONE!”
    “I represent the largest border district in the House of Representatives—Eagle Pass, Del Rio, and El Paso are all in my district. We witnessed firsthand the consequences of the Biden administration tying the hands of our Border Patrol Agents and ignoring warnings from law enforcement that illegal aliens with violent criminal charges were entering our country. Thousands of these criminal illegal aliens had a sexual violence charge on their record. If someone is here illegally, especially with a criminal conviction and a history of sexual violence, they must be deported immediately,” said Gonzales. “The BE GONE Act will give ICE agents and CBP personnel more tools to identify and deport illegal immigrants with sexual violence charges. I look forward to joining forces with my colleagues in the House and Senator Joni Ernst to move this critical legislation across the finish line.”
    “Under the Biden administration’s policies, tens of thousands of criminal aliens were apprehended attempting to enter illegally, with shocking data last year showing that there were at least 16,320 aliens in the U.S. convicted of sexual assault,” said Federation for American Immigration Reform Director of Government Relations Joe Chatham. “Congress must work to ensure that these criminal aliens are quickly removed from our country and this bill will help to accomplish exactly that. FAIR is proud to support the BE GONE Act and protecting American communities from illegal alien crime.”
    “We are grateful to Senator Ernst and Congressman Gonzales for reintroducing the BE GONE Act which will deport immigrants who have committed heinous acts,” said NumbersUSA Director of Federal Affairs Michael Hough. “This is common sense legislation, following up on the Laken Riley Act, that Congress passed this year to protect Americans from criminal illegal aliens.”
    Click here to view the bill.
    Background:
    Senator Ernst has fought tirelessly to protect the American people from violent, criminal illegal aliens.
    After Iowan Sarah Root was killed in 2016 by an illegal immigrant who escaped justice, Ernst fought for nine years to bring her killer to justice alongside Sarah’s parents, Michelle and Scott Root.
    This year, President Trump made Ernst’s Sarah’s Law the law of the land to help ensure this never happens to another family by requiring illegal immigrants who have committed violent crimes against Americans to be detained.
    Ernst’s tireless advocacy helped bring closure to the Root family last month when Sarah’s killer was delivered into U.S. custody to face justice.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE removes illegal alien wanted for murder in Jamaica

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    PHILADELPHIA — Immigration and Customs Enforcement Philadelphia removed Jeovann Anthony Forde, a citizen of Jamaica with a final order of removal, to his home country on March 27.

    Forde is a foreign fugitive wanted by law enforcement authorities in Jamaica for murder.

    “Forde’s removal demonstrates ICE Philadelphia’s unyielding dedication to protecting public safety by addressing significant threats within our communities. This operation highlights the expertise and persistence of our officers in locating and apprehending individuals wanted for serious crimes, ensuring accountability and preventing further harm,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations acting Field Office Director Brian McShane.

    Authorities in Jamaica issued an arrest warrant for Forde Feb. 22, 2022, for murder.

    The U.S. Border Patrol arrested Forde near San Ysidro, California, on July 18, 2022, for entering the United States without inspection or parole by an immigration official. The next day the Border Patrol served Forde a notice to appear, charging inadmissibility pursuant to Section 212 of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

    USBP transferred Forde to ICE San Diego on July 20, 2022. On the same date, ICE San Diego enrolled him in the Alternatives to Detention Program and released him on an Order of Recognizance.

    ICE Philadelphia terminated Forde from ATD as a pre-order absconder on June 27, 2023.

    On July 24, 2023, an immigration judge in Philadelphia, PA ordered Forde removed from the United States to Jamaica in absentia.

    The Montgomery County, Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas convicted Forde of retail theft on Dec. 17, 2024, and sentenced him to pay fines. On the same date, ICE Philadelphia arrested Forde in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during a targeted enforcement action and transferred him to the Moshannon Valley Processing Center in Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, where he remained pending removal to his home country.

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

    Learn more about ICE Philadelphia’s mission to increase public safety in our Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia communities on X: @EROPhiladelphia.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Trespass Regulations Amended to Improve Public Safety, Protect Communities

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on April 24, 2025

    The Government of Saskatchewan has passed new regulations to empower police to enforce trespass laws in businesses and public spaces such as libraries and parks. These changes are part of the province’s ongoing work to protect communities from the impact of illicit fentanyl and methamphetamine production, transportation, trafficking and street use. 

    Under The Trespass to Property Amendment Regulations, 2025, activities such as public intoxication and drug use will now be automatically considered trespassing in public spaces or businesses. This will allow police to immediately enforce the Act against individuals who are causing public disturbance or threatening public safety without seeking further information from owners and occupants of the premises.

    ” We continue to explore avenues that will provide police with additional legal tools to address harmful items and activities in public spaces, creating safer communities across the province,” Justice Minister and Attorney General Tim McLeod said. “These regulations will ensure that police can act quickly to remove individuals who pose a threat to themselves and others, ensuring our public spaces and businesses remain safe and accessible.”

    Under the new Regulations, police will be able to remove someone and, if necessary, charge them with an offence under The Trespass to Property Act if they are engaged in the following activities:

    • public intoxication;
    • use of a controlled substance;
    • threatening to cause harm to persons and property through verbal, physical or other means;
    • public urination or defecation;
    • causing damage to premises or personal property located on the premises; and
    • any other activity that constitutes an offence pursuant to the Criminal Code.

    Fentanyl and methamphetamine are increasingly the cause of overdose deaths, violent crime and community instability. These new regulatory changes represent another step in Saskatchewan’s ongoing work to address the negative impact of addictions, and protect businesses and public spaces from illicit drug use and other dangerous activities. 

    For more information on Saskatchewan’s ongoing work to address drug use and improve public safety, visit:

    https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/news-and-media/2025/april/15/government-expands-legislation-to-target-street-weapons-and-illicit-drugs.

    https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/news-and-media/2025/february/25/saskatchewan-announces-measures-to-protect-communities-against-fentanyl-and-methamphetamine.

    https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/news-and-media/2024/june/10/government-of-saskatchewan-makes-major-investments-in-public-safety.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Support helps B.C. tree-fruit growers protect orchards, businesses

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    B.C.’s tree-fruit growers are working on new projects to help protect their harvests from extreme weather and ensure there is a sustainable supply of local cherries, peaches, apples and other tree fruits this year and in future years.

    “Earlier this spring, I visited the Okanagan to meet with growers. Many of them spoke about the challenge of a changing climate that has impacted their livelihoods and affected local food security,” said Lana Popham, Minister of Agriculture and Food. “Extreme weather events are a major concern, and this investment will help farmers install much-needed equipment to protect their orchards and the delicious, quality fruit British Columbians rely on and enjoy.” 

    The $5-million Tree Fruit Climate Resiliency program is supporting 67 projects in the Okanagan and the Kootenay regions. Tree-fruit growers are using the funding to buy equipment such as wind machines, energy-efficient heaters and cooling systems to protect orchards from extreme cold and heat. One grower is purchasing hail netting to keep fruit trees and crops safe from damage.

    “Working together with the B.C. Fruit Growers’ Association and the B.C. Cherry Association has been crucial in developing a robust response to support our province’s dedicated tree-fruit growers. They have faced numerous challenges over the past few years,” said Harwinder Sandhu, parliamentary secretary for agriculture and MLA for Vernon-Lumby. “I know from my visits to orchards and meetings with growers how much these projects can help, and I am excited to see growers using this technology to protect their crops and increase production of the renowned Okanagan fruit that B.C. takes pride in.”

    These projects will protect nearly 360 hectares (887 acres) of orchards in B.C., helping mitigate extreme weather effects on the tree-fruit sector. The projects will be complete by March 2027.

    “The B.C. Cherry Association was very pleased to see the high uptake by industry in this program. After five consecutive years of extreme climate events, we needed to take a proactive approach,” said Sukhpaul Bal, president, B.C. Cherry Association. “The Tree Fruit Climate Resiliency program allows growers to make investments in their farms to better protect against future events, and we look forward to building on the success of the program to ensure the long-term sustainability of the cherry sector.”

    The Tree Fruit Climate Resiliency program was developed with input from the B.C. Fruit Growers’ Association and the B.C. Cherry Association as part of government’s efforts to help tree-fruit growers through challenges.

    “We are grateful to the government for their support through this program. The overwhelming response, with the program being oversubscribed within just 20 hours, clearly demonstrates the significant need within our industry,” said Deep Brar, vice-president, B.C. Fruit Growers’ Association, and a tree-fruit grower. “We sincerely appreciate the efforts in supporting the tree-fruit industry, and as we move forward, we hope for even more support to continue addressing the challenges we face and to ensure the sustainability and growth of our sector.”

    Learn More:

    To learn more about the opening of the Tree Fruit Climate Resiliency program, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2025AF0002-000049

    A backgrounder follows.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Investor Alert: Crudite International, Grayscale Group, Swift Investments Also Known As Swifti, and WildBearUnion Group Are Not Registered

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on April 24, 2025

    The Financial and Consumer Affairs Authority of Saskatchewan (FCAA) warns investors of the online entities Crudite International, Grayscale Group, Swift Investments also known as Swifti and WildBearUnion.

    “We encourage Saskatchewan residents to verify that entities selling investment opportunities are registered at aretheyregistered.ca before considering investing,” FCAA Securities Division Executive Director Dean Murrison said. “A quick search of the registration status can tell you if who you want to invest with are reputable.”

    Crudite International, Grayscale Group, Swift Investments also known as Swifti and WildBearUnion claim to offer Saskatchewan residents trading opportunities, including forex, stocks, cryptocurrencies and commodities. Grayscale Group also claims to offer currency pairs, indices and exchange traded funds (ETFs). Swift Investments claims to additionally offer indices and contracts for difference (CFDs). 

    These entities claim to offer Saskatchewan residents an opportunity to invest in a variety of products through the online websites “crutideinternational com”, “grayscale-group com”, “grayscale-group net”, “system.grayscale-group online”, “grayscaletech ca”, “swift-investment io”, and “wildbearunion net”. These URLs have been manually altered so as not to be interactive.

    Crudite International, Grayscale Group, Swift Investments also known as Swifti and WildBearUnion are not registered to trade or sell securities or derivatives in Saskatchewan. The FCAA cautions investors and consumers not to send money to companies that are not registered in Saskatchewan, as they may not be legitimate businesses. 

    If you have invested with Crudite International, Grayscale Group, Swift Investments also known as Swifti and WildBearUnion or anyone claiming to be acting on their behalf, contact the FCAA’s Securities Division at 306-787-5936.

    In Saskatchewan, individuals or companies need to be registered with the FCAA to trade or sell securities or derivatives. The registration provisions of The Securities Act, 1988, and accompanying regulations are intended to ensure that only honest and knowledgeable people are registered to sell securities and derivatives and that their businesses are financially stable.

    Tips to protect yourself:

    • Always verify that the person or company is registered in Saskatchewan to sell or advise about securities or derivatives. To check registration, visit The Canadian Securities Administrators’ National Registration Search at aretheyregistered.ca.
    • Know exactly what you are investing in. Make sure you understand how the investment, product, or service works.
    • Get a second opinion and seek professional advice about the investment.
    • Do not allow unknown or unverified individuals to remotely access your computer.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI: Federal Home Loan Bank of New York Announces First Quarter 2025 Operating Highlights

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, April 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Federal Home Loan Bank of New York (“FHLBNY”) today released its unaudited financial highlights for the quarter ended March 31, 2025.   

    “The Federal Home Loan Bank of New York continued to perform well in the first quarter of 2025, meeting the funding needs of our members and delivering liquidity in support of local economic growth,” said Randolph C. Snook, president and CEO of the FHLBNY. “Our sustained focus on executing on our foundational liquidity mission in a safe and sound manner drives our performance and positions the FHLBNY as a stable and reliable partner to our members and the communities we serve.”

    Highlights from the first quarter of 2025 include:

    • Net income for the quarter was $155.7 million, a decrease of $64.8 million, or 29.4%, from net income of $220.5 million for the first quarter of 2024.  Net interest income for the quarter was $215.0 million, a decrease of $50.0 million, or 18.9%, from net interest income of $265.0 million in the first quarter last year.  This decrease in net interest income was driven by a decrease in average interest earning assets of $8.3 billion, from $169.4 billion in the prior year period to $161.1 billion for the first quarter of 2025. Non-interest income declined by $15.2 million, or 42.3%, to $20.7 million from the first quarter of 2024 due to net unrealized fair value losses on derivatives and hedged items including trading securities held for liquidity purposes. Non-interest expense increased $6.3 million, or 11.2%, to $62.6 million due to increases in voluntary contributions to housing and community development programs, and personnel- and technology-related expenses.
    • Return on average equity (“ROE”) for the quarter was 7.16% (annualized), compared to ROE of 10.58% for the first quarter of 2024, as a result of the decrease in net income.  
    • As of March 31, 2025, total assets were $157.2 billion, a decrease of $3.1 billion, or 1.9%, from total assets of $160.3 billion at December 31, 2024. As of March 31, 2025, advances (par amount) were $97.9 billion, a decrease of $8.6 billion, or 8.1 %, from $106.5 billion at December 31, 2024.
    • As of March 31, 2025, total capital was $8.1 billion, a decrease of $0.3 billion from total capital of $8.4 billion at December 31, 2024, due to declines in capital stock aligned with smaller advances balances offset by an increase in retained earnings.  The FHLBNY’s retained earnings were $2.5 billion as of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024; $1.3 billion of the retained earnings were unrestricted and $1.2 billion were restricted. At March 31, 2025, the FHLBNY was in compliance with its regulatory capital ratios and liquidity requirements.
    • The FHLBNY allocated $17.3 million from its first quarter 2025 earnings for its Affordable Housing Program.

    The FHLBNY currently expects to file its Form 10-Q for the first quarter of 2025 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on or about May 8, 2025.

     
    Selected Balance Sheet Items (dollars in millions)
      March 31,     December 31,        
      2025     2024     Change  
                     
    Advances $ 97,523     $ 105,838     $ (8,315 )
    Mortgage loans held for portfolio 2,380     2,345     35  
    Mortgage-backed securities 19,480     19,397     83  
    Liquidity assets 35,566     30,344     5,222  
    Total assets $ 157,224     $ 160,300     $ (3,076 )
                     
    Consolidated obligations $ 145,396     $ 148,411     $ (3,015 )
    Capital stock 5,631     6,014     (383 )
    Unrestricted retained earnings 1,272     1,286     (14 )
    Restricted retained earnings 1,240     1,209     31  
    Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (66 )   (100 )   34  
    Total capital $ 8,077     $ 8,410     $ (333 )
                     
    Capital-to-assets ratio (GAAP) 5.14 %   5.25 %      
    Capital-to-assets ratio (Regulatory) 5.18 %   5.31 %      
                     
         
    Operating Results (dollars in millions)
      Quarter Ended March 31,
    		      
      2025     2024   Change  
                     
    Total interest income $ 1,821.5     $ 2,316.0     $ (494.5 )
    Total interest expense 1,606.5     2,051.0     (444.5 )
    Net interest income 215.0     265.0     (50.0 )
    Provision (Reversal) for credit losses 0.1     (0.4 )   0.5  
    Net interest income after provision for credit losses 214.9     265.4     (50.5 )
    Non-interest income (loss) 20.7     35.9     (15.2 )
    Non-interest expense 62.6     56.3     6.3  
    Affordable Housing Program assessments 17.3     24.5     (7.2 )
    Net income $ 155.7     $ 220.5     $ (64.8 )
                     
    Return on average equity 7.16 %   10.58 %      
    Return on average assets 0.39 %   0.52 %      
    Net interest margin 0.54 %   0.63 %      
                     

    About the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York
    The Federal Home Loan Bank of New York is a Congressionally chartered, wholesale Bank. It is part of the Federal Home Loan Bank System, a national wholesale banking network of 11 regional, stockholder-owned banks. As of March 31, 2025, the FHLBNY serves 338 member institutions in New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The FHLBNY’s mission is to provide members with reliable liquidity in support of housing and local community development.

    Safe Harbor Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
    This report may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon our current expectations and speak only as of the date hereof. These statements may use forward-looking terms, such as “projected,” “expects,” “may,” or their negatives or other variations on these terms. The Bank cautions that, by their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk or uncertainty and that actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied in these forward-looking statements or could affect the extent to which a particular objective, projection, estimate, or prediction is realized. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, the Risk Factors set forth in our Annual Reports on Form 10-K and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC, as well as regulatory and accounting rule adjustments or requirements, changes in interest rates, changes in projected business volumes, changes in prepayment speeds on mortgage assets, the cost of our funding, changes in our membership profile, the withdrawal of one or more large members, competitive pressures, shifts in demand for our products, and general economic conditions. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we undertake no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: IAM Local 822 Brings Easter Joy to Illinois Families

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    IAM Local 822 (District 9) in Quincy, Ill., recently hosted its annual Easter Egg hunt to connect with local union members and celebrate the holiday together. 

    “To say we had perfect weather, and an excellent turnout is an understatement! 2025 brought IAM Local 822 a record-breaking turn out of kids with 81 coming out to hunt eggs,” said IAM Local 822 Secretary-Treasurer Andy Gallaher. “Kids enjoyed getting a bunch of union gear and goodie bags with candy and gift cards to local businesses that support Local 822.”

    IAM Local 822 families, as well as other local unions in the community, brought their children to participate in the hunt, which was broken up into age groups.

    Local businesses donated gift cards and union locals and districts donated checks that were used to purchase gift cards that matched the donations from the businesses.  

    “We want to give a huge ‘thank you’ to our sponsors and everyone who came and enjoyed the day with us,” said Gallaher.

    IAM Local 822 President Rick Houston made an appearance for the children as the Easter Bunny.

    “That was the first time we’ve had the Easter Bunny in years and it was so worth it,” said Gallaher. “The kids really, really enjoyed it. They were chasing him, running all around him.”

    IAM International contributed T-shirts, activity books, rulers, playing cards, and some pet bandanas to the giveaway bags.

    “Local 822 is constantly making the Midwest Territory proud with their focus on building a strong, connected community,” said IAM Midwest Territory General Vice President Sam Cicinelli. “They do a wonderful job upholding one of the IAM’s founding values: ‘service to the community.’ We are happy to hear everyone enjoyed sunny weather and a great day together. Thank you to everyone who made this happen.”

    Share and Follow:

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WSDOT Aviation accepting airport grant applications

    Source: Washington State News 2

    OLYMPIA – The Washington State Department of Transportation Aviation Division is currently accepting applications for the first round of the 2025-2027 Airport Aid Grant Program. WSDOT anticipates awarding approximately $1.4 million in funding.

    Airports only can apply for projects previously submitted through the Statewide Capital Improvement Program (SCIP). The SCIP is an unconstrained, prioritized list of projects entered by Washington’s 134 public-use airports that captures project requirements for airports to address individual airport needs.

    To apply, airports can fill out the online application (PDF 1.4MB) and airport aid application checklist (PDF 527KB). WSDOT requires airport aid grant assurances (PDF 96KB) be submitted with the application package. Please note “Microsoft Edge” is the recommended browser to be used when completing forms.

    Applications are due no later than 5 p.m. Friday, May 30. Qualifying projects should be targeted for completion by June 30, 2026. Eligible projects may include work beginning after July 1, 2025.

    WSDOT will prioritize applications based on the SCIP project scores. Guidance and information regarding scoring is provided online in the WSDOT Airport Aid Grant Procedures Manual (PDF 935KB).

    WSDOT will start announcing grant award decisions after July 1, 2025.

    The next grant cycle begins May 2026.

    For more information, visit WSDOT Aviation’s SCIP or Airport Aid Grant Program website.

    For further questions, contact Garth Cumberbatch, WSDOT Aviation Airport Grants Coordinator, at garth.cumberbatch@wsdot.wa.gov or 564-250-1812.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Communities Prepared for Disasters: Older Adults webinar series

    Source: US State of Oregon

    em>Salem, OR — Please join the Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM), in partnership with the Oregon Advocacy Commissions Office, AARP, Oregon Association of Area Agencies on Aging and Disabilities, and the Oregon State University Extension Service for a two-part virtual educational series on how to help older adults prepare for the disasters we face every year in Oregon such as ice storms, wildfires, and extreme heat. This series is intended for organizations, community groups, faith-based organizations serving older adults, emergency management professionals, and anyone else interested in this topic.

    Older adults often face unique challenges when it comes to disaster preparedness—such as living on fixed incomes, relying on mobility devices, or experiencing social isolation. This educational series will offer practical guidance for individuals and organizations working with older adults to strengthen emergency readiness across the state.

    Part 1: April 23, 2025 | 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. PST
    Topics include:

    • Building partnerships between emergency managers and aging service providers
    • Planning for evacuation, sheltering, and medical equipment needs
    • Signing up for emergency alert systems

    Part 2: May 21, 2025 | 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. PST
    Topics include:

    • Managing medications during disasters
    • Avoiding scams and misinformation post-disaster
    • Supporting mental health and reducing social isolation

    Who Should Attend:
    Organizations, faith groups, and individuals who support older adults, along with emergency management professionals and community preparedness advocates.

    Access & Registration:
    The series is free and open to the public. Sessions will be offered in English with interpretation in Spanish, Vietnamese, Russian, Chinese, and American Sign Language (ASL). Recordings will be available on OEM’s YouTube channel.

    Register here: Virtual Event Registration

    For questions or accommodation requests, contact:
    community.preparedness@oem.oregon.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren Launches Investigation Into Harms of Trump Attacks on Department of Education for Students, Families, and Teachers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    April 24, 2025
    Sends letters requesting information on harms to members of 12 leading education, civil rights organizations
    New, comprehensive initiative is latest from Senator’s Save Our Schools campaign
    Text of Letters (PDF)
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) launched a new investigation into the harms of President Trump’s attacks on the Department of Education (ED) for students, families, and teachers. The initiative is the latest in her Save Our Schools campaign.
    Senator Warren wrote letters seeking information on the impact of the Trump administration’s actions for the members of twelve leading organizations representing schools, parents, teachers, students, borrowers, and researchers: the American Council on Education (ACE), National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), National Parents Union (NPU), National Education Association (NEA), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Student Borrower Protection Center (SBPC), Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA), National Center for Youth Law (NCYL), National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), National Women’s Law Center (NWLC), Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP), and the Association for Institutional Research (AIR).
    “Americans rely on [the Department of Education] to fund a range of critical services such as financial aid to pay for college, special education, afterschool programs, and more. The Department is also responsible for protecting students from civil rights violations, fraudulent for-profit colleges, and predatory student loan servicers,” wrote Senator Warren. “Accordingly, I request your assistance in understanding whether the Trump Administration’s efforts to dismantle the Department will jeopardize students’ access to affordable, accessible, and high-quality public education.”
    President Trump and Education Secretary McMahon have already begun to dismantle the Department and its core functions by firing nearly half of ED’s employees. Even before the firings, ED was significantly understaffed, had fewer employees than any other cabinet department, and was struggling to work through long backlogs of civil rights investigations, college audits, and student debt relief claims from defrauded borrowers. Nonetheless, the Trump Administration has doubled down on their efforts to gut the Department, issuing an executive order to abolish the agency and announcing the transfer of key ED functions to other agencies.
    “These actions risk major interruptions and delays in key services that students and families rely on,” wrote Senator Warren.
    Senator Warren asked the organizations to share how the Trump Administration’s attacks on public education affect their members, including students, families, and teachers, by May 22, 2025.
    The letters are the latest action from Senator Warren’s Save Our Schools campaign, a coordinated effort to fight back against Trump’s attempts to abolish the Department of Education. The campaign has already notched wins, including a new investigation from the Department of Education’s Acting Inspector General following a request from Senator Warren, and Secretary McMahon’s first public admission that she “wholeheartedly” agreed with Trump’s plans to abolish the Department of Education, which is now being used by Somerville Public Schools, Easthampton Public Schools, AFT Massachusetts, and AFT National in their lawsuit against Trump’s executive order to abolish ED. 
    More information on the Save Our Schools campaign can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Warren Presses Apple CEO Tim Cook on Tariff Special Favors

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    April 24, 2025
    Cook reportedly engaged with Trump administration following announcement of Trump’s China tariffs , resulting in massive tariff exemption for Apple products
    Text of Letter (PDF)
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) wrote to Apple CEO Tim Cook about a special tariff exemption for Apple and other tech firms following Cook’s conversation with Trump administration officials. A new report revealed that Tim Cook “went to work behind the scenes,” using his “very good relationship” with President Trump and his administration to win an exemption to Trump’s China tariffs, worth billions of dollars for Apple.
    “I have already raised concerns that President Trump’s ‘trade policy is becoming a corrupt scheme to enrich administration officials and those loyal to them,’ and the circumstances surrounding Apple’s exemptions raise fresh concerns about influence-peddling by huge, well-connected corporations, and their ability to gain special favors from President Trump,” wrote Senator Warren.
    On April 8, 2025, Trump announced additional tariffs on Chinese imports, which would have significantly raised the prices of Apple products. Following the announcement, Apple stock dropped by 7.65% — in addition to its over 15% plummet since Trump’s tariff “Liberation Day.”
    President Trump had stated publicly that there would be no tariff exemptions. But a Washington Post report revealed that Cook almost immediately began engaging with the Trump administration following the tariff announcement, ultimately obtaining massive tariff carve-outs which even Trump himself said “helped Tim Cook…and that whole business.”
    On April 12, the Trump administration announced exemptions for numerous electronic products from the roughly 145% tariff rate on goods produced in China. The exemption applied to a number of Apple products manufactured in China, including iPhones. Reports found that “Apple appears to be the only company that benefits from virtually all of [the exemptions].” Apple’s stock subsequently regained a significant portion of the value it initially lost following Trump’s “reciprocal tariffs” announcement.
    “Even before the tariff announcement, Apple appeared to have invested heavily in influencing the Trump Administration, making a million-dollar contribution to President Trump’s inaugural Committee,” wrote Senator Warren.  “You personally journeyed to Washington, D.C. to sit with the president’s family and cabinet nominees on the dais at his inauguration. And new reports indicate the extent to which you and Apple ‘went to work’ to receive special carve-outs.”
    Last week, Senator Warren led over 45 lawmakers in writing to Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, and U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer with concerns over the potential for corruption in the implementation of the administration’s chaotic tariffs.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ciscomani Reiterates Support for Medicaid at Arizona Chamber Event

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Juan Ciscomani (Arizona)

    Phoenix, AZ – U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to preserving Medicaid benefits for those who rely on it, like single mothers, the working poor, individuals with disabilities, and the elderly. 

    “We’ve got to make sure that we protect Medicaid for people the program was intended to serve,” said Ciscomani at the Arizona Chamber of Commerce’s annual Update from Capitol Hill Lunch. 

    Earlier this month, Ciscomani and twelve Republican colleagues sent a letter to House Republican Leadership and Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Brett Guthrie reiterating their support on Medicaid and making clear the lawmakers would not vote for legislation that reduces Medicaid coverage for vulnerable populations.  
    The Congressman also told the audience that there is no question that the federal government can, and must, do more to reduce waste and safeguard the long-term financial viability of Medicaid. You can watch Ciscomani’s remarks here. 

    “As the federal government has grown, so have inefficiencies and unnecessary bureaucracies,” said Ciscomani. “I have been crystal clear that I do not support reducing Medicaid coverage for those the program was intended to serve. What I do support are targeted reforms, such as implementing work requirements for able-bodied adults with no dependents and strengthening eligibility verification to ensure that every dollar is maximized and spent on vulnerable individuals who rely on Medicaid.” 

    The Congressman also told audiences that while we have made great strides to secure the southern border, Mexican drug cartels are regrouping as border security has ramped up under the Trump administration.  

    “The threat is still real, Mexican drug cartels aren’t going to surrender their multi-billion dollar businesses easily,” he said. “The fight is not over and there is still a lot of work that needs to be done to codify the administration’s border security efforts into law.” 

    In March, Ciscomani, who serves as Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee, hosted nine freshman Republican lawmakers on a tour of the Arizona – Mexico border. Here, they learned about the cartel’s effort to use unmanned aerial drones to carry out their illicit operations and threaten our national security. As a result, Ciscomani and Rep. John McGuire (VA-05) penned a letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, and Federal Aviation Administrator Chris Rocheleau about countering drones at the southern border. You can watch NewsNation’s coverage here. 

    ### 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: American Public Submits Over 10,000 Comments on White House’s AI Action Plan

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) published over 10,000 public comments submitted in response to the Request for Information (RFI) on the development of the AI Action Plan.  As directed by President Trump’s Executive Order on Removing Barriers to American Leadership in AI, the RFI sought input on AI policy priorities from interested public parties, including academia, industry groups, private sector organizations, and state, local, and tribal governments. 
    “America is, and must remain, the global leader in AI technology. The huge volume of public comments we received reflects the deep interest Americans have in the future of AI and highlights the critical importance of the Trump Administration’s AI Action Plan for advancing this generation’s defining emerging technology,” said Assistant to the President and Director of OSTP, Michael Kratsios.
    Comments were submitted over a seven-week span and closed on March 15th, ranging in topics from chip manufacturing and supply chain resilience to AI model development, workforce training, and scientific research.
    The full catalog of public comments is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaptur Response To Vance And Rubio Statements On United States Abandoning Peace Talks Unless Ukraine Capitulates

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09)

    Toledo, Ohio —  Today, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus released the following statement in response to public statements by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance that the United States of America should abandon being part of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine unless Ukraine agrees to surrender portions of its sovereign territory which were illegally annexed by Russia.

    “Please let me remind the US Vice President and Secretary of State — Freedom means never Surrender, and Liberty must never capitulate to Dictatorship.  America does not live alone on this Earth. Our nation lives in a Free World alliance that is tested every day.

    “Our leaders cannot turn America’s back to the murderous forces from Russia illegally bearing down on Ukraine. History is clear: Russian dictators if given an inch have always invaded further into territory that is not theirs. The facts speak for themselves — just ask Georgia, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.  Russia now taunts our nation’s closest military Allies on the European continent. We honor them and our collective memory of the historic sacrifice and bloodshed that built the Free World bequeathed to us.

    “The Trump Administration proposes that the US abandon our European Allies. With them, our nation intergenerationally has painstakingly built NATO — a global fortress of democratic nations. Across Europe from the ruins of World Wars I and II lie the precious graves of 411,516 American soldiers. These heroes and heroines fought for the cause of Liberty and a world order that enshrines it, and our joint commitment to defend it above all else. This moment for Ukraine is a crucial test of our common purpose — freedom or subjugation?

    “No succor can be allowed to a murderous dictatorship. No matter how many of Russia’s rich oligarchs seek to plunder and steal from the sacred soils and minerals of Ukraine, the Free West must stand united and say ‘No!’ Freedom lovers must not ignore history and allow Putin’s illegal invasion of Crimea and other stolen territories in Ukraine.

    “No stolen territory should be ceded to Putin. Spanning 11 time zones, Russia holds enough territory. Putin has no need for Ukraine, which is among the poorest nations in Europe. His plunder seeks to reconstitute the vanquished Soviet dictatorship as he longs for more that is not his. Putin now issues an ultimatum: unless Ukraine agrees to surrender territory Russia ruthlessly and illegally invaded and seized there will be no peace deal. 

    “The United States as leader of the Free world must never ever genuflect to tyrants. Aggressor Putin wants the United States to walk away from the negotiating table according to the terms the U.S. Vice President and Secretary of State laid out today. Those terms include ceding Ukraine’s territory to Russia. 

    “Russia is losing the war it started without provocation in 2014. It is losing a war that Putin started and escalated in bloody fashion when he initiated a full-scale invasion in 2022. Sadly, at every step of the way, the Trump Administration has conceded to Putin’s demands without Ukraine‘s consent.  Russia does not recognize international agreements. It never has. 

    “During World War II, it reneged on the Ribbentrop-Molotov agreement. Following World War II, Russia broke its commitments, made at the Yalta conference with its conquest of Poland. Russia signed the Budapest Memorandum to guarantee Ukrainian security and yet it invaded Ukraine. Putin even violated the cease-fire on targeting energy and civilian infrastructure targets negotiated by the Trump administration just weeks ago. Vladimir Putin and Russia, simply cannot be trusted.

    “Why would the Vice President, Secretary of State or any world leader believe that communist dictator Vladimir Putin and the Russian regime will hold to a peace agreement?  They never have. 

    “The only way to force Russia to abide by such agreement is to include strong security guarantees for Ukraine, to ensure Russia will remain in its own borders or face, serious, global sanctions, and consequence so severe they would collapse the Russian economy. Short of that, with the Vice President’s and Secretary of State’s abdication, Ukraine has everything to lose and Russia has everything to gain.  The White House isn’t leading a legitimate peace process. It is enabling the globally aggressive reach of the most lethal Dictatorship in Europe.”

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Pillen Declares Emergency, Mobilizes Nebraska National Guard and Issues Statewide Burn Ban Following Fire in Brown County

    Source: US State of Nebraska

    .j.hynes.civ@army.mil”>kevin.j.hynes.civ@army.mil 

    Katrina Cerveny, NEMA, (402) 326-3179, katrina.cerveny@nebraska.gov

     

    Governor Pillen Declares Emergency, Mobilizes Nebraska National Guard and Issues Statewide Burn Ban Following Fire in Brown County

    LINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen has authorized the Nebraska National Guard to mobilize 29 soldiers and airmen to assist local volunteer fire departments, which are currently battling the Plum Creek Fire near Johnstown, Nebraska, in Brown County. Nebraska Army National Guard aerial resources have also been authorized to support the firefighting mission.

    The assignment of state resources is in response to a request received Tuesday evening through the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to assist local volunteer firefighters who have been fighting the fire since Monday. The Plum Creek Fire is now estimated to have burned 6,600 acres. Forty-five cattle have died, and a cabin has been destroyed. Other structures have been threatened and were boxed in with heavy equipment to provide protection. The cause of the fire has been attributed to a permitted burn that got out of control.

    Gov. Pillen issued a statewide burn ban during a news conference at the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency today, alongside other state officials. He emphasized the persistent dry conditions that have continued to plague the state. In February, the Governor issued an emergency declaration for wildfires in Custer and Dawes counties that were also fueled by dry conditions, high winds and a lake of humidity.

    “It’s way too dry in Nebraska right now, and it only takes one burn, one mistake and then you have a situation like we have in Plum Creek. The risks are too significant,” said Gov. Pillen.  

    Department of Agriculture Director Sherry Vinton touched on the rough and dangerous terrain where the fire is burning, and the extreme difficulty that it posed for fire crews and others who were trying to control flames.

    “As the director of agriculture, and a rancher myself, I support the statewide burn ban.  While fire is a tool that we use in our agricultural operations and for conservation, right now our current conditions make it just too dangerous,” stressed Dir. Vinton. “Protecting our land, our livestock, wildlife, and most importantly, people in our neighborhoods and our communities from the potential of wildfire damage, is of the utmost importance right now.”

    Currently, more than 60 local, state and federal partners are responding to the Plum Creek Fire.

    “I applaud the governor for taking this action to save lives and protect property,” NEMA Assistant Director Erv Portis said. “Safety is our number one priority.”

    The Nebraska Army National Guard is providing two UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters and a ground crew of 16 to assist with fire suppression. The helicopters departed on their mission this morning and made 70 water drops throughout the day.

    “We appreciate the willingness of our soldiers and airmen, as well as their families and employers, to support these local volunteer firefighters as they work tirelessly to control this wildfire,” said Col. Shane Varejcka, Nebraska National Guard chief of the joint staff.  

    The Governor signed three documents – a proclamation providing state assistance to the Plum Creek Fire, a proclamation providing for state resources to be utilized in response to drought conditions and an executive order establishing the statewide burning ban in all areas of the state through April 30.

    Those documents are included with this release.

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General James Calls on Congress to Support Critical Legal Services for Vulnerable Americans

    Source: US State of New York

    EW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today joined a bipartisan coalition of 39 other attorneys general in sending letters to leaders in the United States House and Senate urging them to keep in place critical funding for the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) in upcoming appropriations bills. For over 50 years, LSC has provided grants to organizations in every state and territory that ensure those in need can get assistance for civil cases of all types. As Attorney General James and the coalition assert in the letter, LSC funds provide vital legal assistance to people in rural communities, veterans and military families, domestic violence survivors, older adults victimized by scams and fraud, and others who struggle to afford an attorney.

    “Funding for the Legal Services Corporation helps ensure that everyone – no matter where they live or how much money they make – has access to justice,” said Attorney General James. “LSC supports organizations that protect the rights of the most vulnerable in our communities, from tenants facing eviction to families recovering from natural disasters. As New York’s attorney general, I work every day to protect the rights of all New Yorkers, and I urge Congress to support the fight for equal access to justice by investing in LSC.”

    LSC operates a network of 130 independent legal aid organizations in over 900 offices in 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. These organizations assist millions of Americans with legal needs such as securing veterans’ benefits, support with natural disasters, and providing access to legal services for people in rural areas. In 2023, LSC funds helped serve over 100,000 New Yorkers, including over 1,800 veterans, and supported over 12,000 cases involving domestic violence.

    LSC is at the front line of protecting access to justice throughout the country. As Attorney General James and the coalition argue in the letter, without investment in LSC, many hardworking rural families would have no access to legal assistance when facing life-altering legal problems. The letter also notes LSC distributes 95 percent of its funding directly to the legal aid organizations providing services to Americans.

    Joining Attorney General James in sending the letters are the attorneys general of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, American Samoa, the District of Columbia, Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General James and Governor Hochul Announce Lawsuit Against Trump Administration for Imposing Illegal Tariffs 

    Source: US State of New York

    EW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James and Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that New York and a coalition of 11 other states are suing the Trump administration for illegally imposing unprecedented tax hikes on Americans in the form of tariffs issued under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The Trump administration’s IEEPA tariffs raise taxes on imports from nearly every country on Earth, including America’s closest allies and trading partners, and they have already caused severe economic damage. The lawsuit, filed by Attorney General James and a coalition of attorneys general, argues that Congress has not granted the president the authority to impose these tariffs and therefore the administration violated the law by imposing them through executive orders, social media posts, and agency orders. The coalition seeks a court order halting these IEEPA tariffs, including the worldwide tariffs that were paused on April 9, and preventing the Trump administration from enforcing or implementing them.  

    “The president does not have the power to raise taxes on a whim, but that’s exactly what President Trump has been doing with these tariffs,” said Attorney General James. “Donald Trump promised that he would lower prices and ease the cost of living, but these illegal tariffs will have the exact opposite effect on American families. His tariffs are unlawful and if not stopped, they will lead to more inflation, unemployment, and economic damage.”  

    “President Trump’s reckless tariffs have skyrocketed costs for consumers and unleashed economic chaos across the country. New York is standing up to fight back against the largest federal tax hike in American history,” said Governor Kathy Hochul. “Attorney General James and I are partnering on this litigation on behalf of New York consumers, because we can’t let President Trump push our country into a recession.”

    At most, the IEEPA allows the president to impose tariffs in response to extraordinary threats or a specific emergency. However, since February, President Trump has been unilaterally imposing sweeping tariffs against America’s closest trading partners. These tariffs expanded in a series of announcements in April to now cover nearly every country worldwide, including places that are not involved in international trade, such as the Heard and McDonald Islands, which have no known human inhabitants.  

    In addition to the severe economic damage that President Trump’s tariffs have already caused, the coalition warns they could cause even more destruction if allowed to continue. The lawsuit argues the IEEPA tariffs will increase unemployment, raise inflation, and threaten Americans’ wages by slowing economic growth. The president’s tariffs will harm the states and their residents by making important goods ranging from electronics to building materials more expensive and scarce.

    These costs will severely impact New Yorkers. Economists estimate the increased tariffs will cost the average family thousands of dollars per year, and a report from the New York City Comptroller estimated that even a mild recession caused by the tariffs would lead to over 35,000 lost jobs in New York City alone. New York state agencies could end up paying over $100 million in extra costs due to tariffs increasing prices. Retaliatory tariffs imposed by Canada on the hundreds of millions of dollars in electricity that New York imports every year would cause New Yorkers’ energy bills to spike. Across the state, small businesses that rely on imports are already reeling from the threat of higher prices and uncertainty caused by the administration’s policies. In Central New York, the Cortland Standard, one of the oldest family-owned newspapers in the country, announced it would cease publication in part due to an expected tariff on newsprint.

    The lawsuit, filed in the United States Court of International Trade, asserts that President Trump has no authority to impose tariffs as he has. While the president has declared emergencies and invoked IEEPA to justify these tariffs, not once has any other president used IEEPA to impose tariffs like this in the five decades since it became law. As the coalition argues in the lawsuit, the law was not designed to allow the president to unilaterally impose worldwide tariffs indiscriminately. In addition, the coalition argues that the Trump administration has overstepped its authority and violated the Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Act by imposing these tariffs.  

    With this lawsuit, the coalition is seeking a court order declaring the Trump administration’s IEEPA tariff orders to be in violation of the law and ordering the administration to stop implementing or enforcing these tariffs.  

    Joining Attorney General James in filing this lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, and Vermont.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Jane Fonda stands with Greenpeace to defend the oceans at United Nations global oceans talks

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    Jane Fonda talks with reporters in the Millennium Hotel outside the United Nations on the United States no-show at major multilateral negotiations to protect the environment. This comes amidst the ongoing lawsuit against Greenpeace US. © Stephanie Keiith / Greenpeace

    New York, United States, 24 April 2025 – Actor and activist Jane Fonda joined Greenpeace’s delegation to the United Nations for a crucial Global Ocean Treaty meeting yesterday. She delivered a rousing address to country delegates, thanking them for their work to protect the global oceans. 

    Agreement on the Global Ocean Treaty is one of the few multilateral processes on protecting nature that has made significant progress in recent years. This progress has continued at the United Nations in recent weeks, despite the United States not sending a delegation for the first time. 

    Jane Fonda said in her address to delegates at the United Nations: “The Global Ocean Treaty is a beacon of hope in these turbulent times. It shows that when we focus on our common humanity and our dependence on a healthy planet, we can push back against the tide of extraction and corporate greed.”

    Delegates have made strong progress in the last two weeks on setting up the first Ocean Conference of Parties (COP), which will be the UN body that brings the Global Ocean Treaty to life at sea. [1]

    In a separate press event, outside the UN, Jane Fonda also highlighted attempts by the current US administration to undermine multilateralism from outside the United Nations: “Hope for the future of our planet is still possible even as President Trump is trying to tear down multilateralism, undermine international processes to protect nature and stop environmental groups like Greenpeace from working to protect our planet.”

    “Trump’s administration is trying to silence this movement — and the truth. They know protest works — that’s why they’re trying to make the stakes so high no one will be willing to take the risk. That’s why Greenpeace in the US and Greenpeace International have been sued by Big Oil company Energy Transfer for hundreds of millions of dollars.” [2]

    Arlo Hemphill, Greenpeace USA’s Oceans Are Life campaign lead, said: “While the Trump Administration has retreated from global efforts to protect life on our planet, such as the climate COP, and has waged a desperately short-sighted war on the environment that only benefits a few billionaires, these two weeks have been a glimmer of hope. Other nations have risen to the occasion, demonstrating the leadership needed to ensure we’re making significant headway on protecting our oceans. There is still much to accomplish to bring the Treaty into effect, and we encourage these countries to maintain their momentum towards building something that will last long beyond the turmoil of this moment, beyond a single administration, something that will last for generations. We must use this Treaty to protect at least 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030, and to keep this target alive, governments must ratify it as soon as possible in 2025.”

    The Trump administration recently issued an Executive Order that opens vast swaths of protected ocean to commercial exploitation, including areas within the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument. It allows commercial fishing in areas long considered off-limits due to their ecological significance—despite overwhelming scientific consensus that marine sanctuaries are essential for rebuilding fish stocks and maintaining ocean health. These actions threaten some of the most sensitive and pristine marine ecosystems in the world.

    Greenpeace USA activists displayed a vast banner earlier this week, outside the United Nations headquarters, reading “Protect the Oceans.” The team also wore t-shirts with the message “We Will Not Be Silenced,” reiterating the organization’s commitment to continue advocating for environmental protection in the wake of the recent $660M jury verdict against Greenpeace entities in a lawsuit brought by pipeline company Energy Transfer.

    Photos and videos are available in the Greenpeace Media Library.

    Notes

    -Full transcripts of Jane Fonda’s speeches are available on request.

    -Jane Fonda is a longtime Greenpeace supporter. She was at the UN during the final negotiations on the global Ocean treaty in February 2023 to meet with delegates and hand over more than 5.5 million signatures petition to the President of the negotiations Rena Lee  

    [1] The Global Ocean Treaty will only enter into force 120 days after 60 countries have ratified. The UN Secretary-General is required to convene the first meeting of the ocean COP to the Agreement no later than one year after its entry into force.

    [2] https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/energy-transfer-lawsuit-verdict/ 

    Contacts in New York:

    Other contacts:

    • Greenpeace International Press Desk: [email protected] +31 (0) 20 718 2470 (available 24 hours)
    • Tanya Brooks, Senior Communications Specialist at Greenpeace USA, [email protected]  

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI: Best Online Casinos Canada: 7Bit Casino Voted Top Casino Site for Canadian Players in 2025 (4.9/5)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PORTLAND, Ore., April 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — With the rising number of Canadian players turning to online gaming platforms, the online casino market in Canada has seen an influx of sites offering real-money gambling. This surge in options has made it increasingly difficult for Canadian players to choose a reliable, high-quality platform that delivers both excitement and value.

    To help simplify your search, our team conducted in-depth research on the best online casinos in Canada, examining dozens of platforms. After thorough testing and comparison, 7Bit Casino emerged as a clear standout. With its strong focus on essential features like game variety, crypto-friendly payments, fast withdrawals, and rewarding bonuses, 7Bit Casino has rightfully earned its title as the best online casino for Canadian players in 2025.


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    In this review, we’ll break down exactly why 7Bit Casino is our top pick for Canadian players. We’ll cover what makes it our favourite real-money platform, its pros and cons, how to join, why it ranked number one, the types of games you can play, and the supported payment methods available.

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: IAM’s National Public Housing Museum Workers Celebrate First Contract, Opening of Historic New Chicago Facility

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    IAM members at the National Public Housing Museum in Chicago have ratified their first contract just days before the grand opening of the National Public Housing Museum on Chicago’s westside. 

    The first contract secures not only a quality threshold for current staff in compensation, benefits, work-life balance, and growth within the institution. It also sets up a fair entry point for future members.

    “The unanimous ratification of this first contract—finalized just days before the museum’s grand opening—is a powerful and symbolic achievement,” said IAM District 8 Directing Business Representative Ryan Kelly. “These workers stood together to ensure that the museum’s mission to promote housing justice is reflected in their own workplace. By securing fair wages, benefits, and protections, they’ve laid a strong foundation not only for themselves, but for future staff and the broader labor movement in Chicago’s cultural institutions.”

    The museum opened in early April in the last remaining building of the Jane Addams Homes, a Work Progress Administration (WPA) public housing complex that opened in 1938. The complex originally held 32 buildings with 1,000 apartments and 50 row homes, named in honor of Chicago social activist Jane Addams, the first American woman to be awarded a Nobel Peace prize.

    View a photo gallery here.

    “On behalf of all of the members of the National Public Housing Museum Workers United, we are beyond thrilled to announce the recent ratification of our first contract,” said museum worker Mark Jaeschke. “In a unanimous vote, the 14 members of our unit came together to secure a strong first contract, just days before the grand opening of our museum.”

    The effort to restore the last building into the museum has been an 18-year, $18 million effort. The centerpiece, a restored apartment, honors the Turovitz family who fled Jewish oppression in Europe during that time.  The apartment is frozen in time from that era with the look and feel that a guest would experience when visiting the Turovitz’s home. 

    “We first began our unionizing process in October 2022 in order to secure a workplace that aligned with the museum’s mission: to promote, preserve, and propel the right of all people to a place to live, prosper, and call home,” continued Jaeschke. “We organize from the conviction that all workers deserve the same rights to work and prosper. We look forward to creating even stronger contracts in the future, and are thankful to all of the IAM team and their partners, including Ryan Kelly, George Luscombe, Chris Tucker, Geny Ulloa, and the rest of their incredible team. We are proud to join the tradition of strong Chicago unions working for the betterment of everyday people.”

    “We are proud of our new members and their first contract. It has been a tremendous effort by a team of Midwest Territory professionals to set this standard for what can be for these workers now, and into the future,” said IAM Midwest Territory General Vice President Sam Cicinelli. “Americans won’t know their history if we do not have dedicated historians, like our members at National Public Housing Museum Workers United, to teach and protect this rich history of America’s stories of how we can uplift the working class with unions.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Important Update: Community Conversations with Congressman Frank J. Mrvan

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank J. Mrvan (IN)

    Merrillville, IN – We regret to announce that, due to an unexpected health issue, Congressman Mrvan will be unable to participate in today’s scheduled Community Conversations events.

    We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.  However, staff members from the Congressman’s office will be present at the scheduled locations to assist with casework inquiries and collect any messages or concerns that constituents wish to share.  Congressman Mrvan will review all messages and respond in writing.

    The Congressman is expected to make a full and speedy recovery, and we will work to reschedule these events as soon as possible.

    Thank you for your understanding and continued support.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. Chamber, Quad Cities Chamber Host Miller-Meeks for Roundtable on Tax Reform

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks’ (IA-02)

    DAVENPORT – Today, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce hosted Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) for a roundtable discussion in Davenport, Iowa with local business leaders on the need to extend pro-growth business tax provisions before portions of President Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) expire at the end of the year. Doing so will create new opportunities for American workers and businesses to thrive.

    Absent Congressional action, the country will see the largest automatic tax increase in American history. Miller-Meeks is on the frontlines, working to ensure that the constituents of the 1st District of Iowa will not face this massive tax increase at the end of 2025.

    “I was delighted to be with local business owners as we advocate together for an extension of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,” said Miller-Meeks. “Starting in 2026, failure to extend these tax cuts would be a devastating 25% average tax hike on Iowa families, farmers, and small businesses, the backbone of our economy and community. Thank you to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for being an advocate for our small businesses. Together, we will continue to champion policies that foster growth, and help southeast Iowa thrive!”

    “With congress passing budget language earlier this month, the hard work of developing a tax package that avoids a historic tax hike on small business is underway”, said Peter Tokar III, President and CEO of the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce. “We are proud to work with Congresswoman Miller-Meeks and are thankful for her support of common-sense pro-growth, pro-business tax policy that ensures small businesses can do what they do best, run their business and invest in their employees.” 

    The U.S. Chamber’s tax roundtables and business tour are the latest effort in its Growing America’s Future campaign, an education and advocacy blitz in support of maintaining a pro-growth tax code to foster a robust U.S. economy that benefits all Americans. These events will continue over the coming months in communities across the country.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Golden State is Recognized as One of USA Today’s Best Financial Advisory Firms for the Third Consecutive Year

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SOUTH COAST METRO, Calif., April 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Golden State is proud to announce that it has once again been recognized by USA Today as one of America’s Best Financial Advisory Firms for 2025—marking the third year in a row the firm has received this prestigious distinction.

    The USA Today ranking, developed in partnership with Statista, honors the top registered investment advisory firms across the country based on client satisfaction, peer recommendations, and assets under management. Golden State’s continued presence on this list is a testament to its unwavering commitment to serving financial advisors and their clients with excellence, integrity, and innovation.

    “We are incredibly honored to be recognized by USA Today for the third consecutive year,” said John Nahas, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Golden State. “This award reflects the hard work of our team, the trust of our advisors, and the strength of the platform we’ve built. Our goal remains the same—to deliver meaningful value, personalized support, and scalable solutions that help our advisors thrive.”

    With over a decade of experience supporting independent advisors, Golden State provides a full suite of services including compliance oversight, marketing and technology support, an internal asset management program, and transition resources to ensure success at every stage of an advisor’s business.

    About Golden State
    Golden State is a multi-custodial registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that is headquartered in South Coast Metro, California, with offices across the country. Through its affiliated companies—Golden State Wealth Management, Golden State Equity Partners, and Golden State Asset Management—the firm empowers independent financial professionals with the tools, technology, and support they need to grow and manage successful practices. Serving over $4 billion in Assets Under Care1, Golden State is committed to creating an atmosphere that benefits both advisors and their investors. For more information, visit www.teamgoldenstate.com.

    1. SEC filing as of March 31, 2025; Golden State.

    Media Inquiries:
    Jennifer Nahas
    jennifer.nahas@teamgoldenstate.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The hidden history of Philadelphia’s window-box gardens and their role in urban reform

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Sonja Dümpelmann, Professor of Environmental Humanities, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich

    Window-box gardening has been a Philly tradition since the 1800s. Sonja Dümpelmann, CC BY-SA

    It’s that time of year when Philadelphia row home owners with a green thumb fastidiously attend to their window boxes – selecting new plants to design an artful blend of colors, shapes and textures.

    Sonja Dümpelmann is a historian of landscapes and the built environment who lived in Philly from 2019 to 2023. During this time, she researched how female reformers and activists in Philadelphia in the 19th and 20th centuries tended to window-box gardens both for charity and to spur urban renewal in rundown neighborhoods.

    Dümpelmann recently published an article on this history in the architectural journal Buildings & Landscapes. She spoke with The Conversation U.S. about what she learned.

    Some homeowners change out their plants throughout the year.
    Sonja Dümpelmann, CC BY-SA

    How did you become interested in window boxes?

    When I first moved to Philadelphia from Cambridge, Massachusetts, in August 2019, I was immediately struck by the window boxes. The lushness and freshness of the plants in many of the boxes, and sometimes in sidewalk planters, made walking more pleasant and interesting. This was especially the case in the hot summer months when I would often see plants from subtropical and tropical climates in the Rittenhouse Square, Fitler Square and Graduate Hospital neighborhoods.

    I noticed that there were three categories of window boxes. Many were visibly cared for, often freshly planted and decorated several times a year in accordance with the changing seasons. Some were derelict and had spontaneous growth of saplings and different grasses. And a third category were boxes outfitted with plastic plants, perhaps signaling absentee owners or landlords who seek to simulate care.

    What makes them landscape architecture?

    Window boxes – especially the planted boxes, but also painted boxes that are empty – change outdoor space and building exteriors. They make them more colorful and interesting, and they break up plain vertical walls by protruding from the facade.

    You could say that the window boxes “greet” passersby. They connect private indoor space with the public realm of the street. As one early window-box promoter observed in 1903, “The man in the street gets as much enjoyment out of them as its owner.”

    “Gardens in a box,” as they were also referred to by early promoters, can make homes and entire neighborhoods look and feel different. They forge distinct identities with their plant selection and the style and color of the boxes.

    Window gardens are a way to greet passersby on the street.
    Sonja Dümpelmann, CC BY-SA

    How did window gardening begin?

    Window gardening became popular in Victorian England and continental Europe in the 19th century. It began as an indoor activity and was practiced especially by women, but it soon also moved outdoors. There it became part of what American women in the late 19th century called “municipal housekeeping.” It extended their conventional female roles as housekeepers and mothers into the larger “household” of the community.

    Window gardening became a means of female social reform during the Progressive Era. During this period in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when industries and cities were growing fast, women sought to improve education, public health and living conditions, especially for poor and immigrant communities. By offering plants, flowers and entire window boxes, the women supported homemakers of lesser means.

    However, these boxes were also a way to make sure that order in and outside of homes was maintained. Window gardens became cultural symbols of cleanliness and good housekeeping. Furthermore, reformers considered window gardening as a practice that could help immigrants assimilate into American society.

    When did they become political?

    In Philadelphia there were two big window-gardening movements. The first occurred in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and I describe it as window-box charity. The second, which I call window-box activism, began in the 1950s.

    Window-box charity was carried out primarily by white philanthropists and social workers who would distribute plants and goods sent from outside the city to the urban poor and sick, especially immigrants and Black Americans. Sometimes the window boxes were ready to be installed outside the windows. Other times recipients built and planted boxes themselves.

    The Neighborhood Garden Association, the organization that pioneered window-box activism, at work near the now-closed Alexander Wilson School in West Philadelphia in 1955.
    Courtesy of the McLean Library and Archives, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

    Several decades later, in the mid-20th-century, plants became a vehicle for white suburban garden club ladies and Black inner-city residents to counter urban decay resulting from racism and public disinvestment. On annual planting days, the garden club ladies brought plants into the city and joined residents in planting and installing window boxes to brighten up their neighborhood blocks.

    Plants were key in both window-box charity and window-box activism. People came together to care for plants, creating friendships among neighbors and ties between low-income and wealthy neighborhoods. The women used plants and window boxes to protect private space and increase the safety of public space. In the 1960s, the Philadelphia police reported less crime on streets with window boxes.

    Of course, window boxes and plants alone could not solve larger urban social problems such as poor housing conditions and racial discrimination. So while they could be catalysts of neighborhood change, they also helped to camouflage and quite literally naturalize larger social problems that required political responses.

    Are they still linked to urban renewal?

    Like a smaller version of public parks, community gardens and street trees, window gardens can contribute to green gentrification. This occurs when the construction of parks or the planting of trees contributes to an increase in property values that leads to the displacement of long-term residents in low-income neighborhoods.

    Window gardening did help save some of Philly’s old row house neighborhoods from demolition during urban renewal beginning in the 1950s. However, quite a few of these neighborhoods – such as Washington Square West and Graduate Hospital – have since been gentrified, and families who once window gardened to turn their neighborhoods into more beautiful and safer places could no longer afford to live there.

    The 20th century window-box activism drew the attention of sociologists and other national and international observers, especially because it brought white and Black residents together during the tensions of the Civil Rights Movement. It also raised public awareness about unequal access to urban green spaces.

    Window boxes on Delancey Street in Philadelphia.
    Photo by R. Kennedy for Visit Philadelphia, CC BY-SA

    Yet despite the movement’s good intentions and positive effects, racial segregation remains a persistent problem in Philadelphia.

    In gentrified parts of Center City today, new and restored row houses often include fixtures and built-in irrigation pipes for window boxes. Many owners outsource window-box planting and maintenance to paid service providers.

    But for lower-income residents, the costs in both time and money to install and maintain window gardens can be prohibitive.

    Sonja Dümpelmann does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. The hidden history of Philadelphia’s window-box gardens and their role in urban reform – https://theconversation.com/the-hidden-history-of-philadelphias-window-box-gardens-and-their-role-in-urban-reform-254361

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How do children learn to read? This literacy expert says ‘there are as many ways as there are students’

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By K. Dara Hill, Professor of Reading and Language Arts, University of Michigan-Dearborn

    Not all children learn to read in the same way, but schools tend to adopt a single approach to literacy. luckyvector/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    Five years after the pandemic forced children into remote instruction, two-thirds of U.S. fourth graders still cannot read at grade level. Reading scores lag 2 percentage points below 2022 levels and 4 percentage points below 2019 levels.

    This data from the 2024 report of National Assessment of Educational Progress, a state-based ranking sometimes called “America’s report card,” has concerned educators scrambling to boost reading skills.

    Many school districts have adopted an evidence-based literacy curriculum called the “science of reading” that features phonics as a critical component.

    Phonics strategies begin by teaching children to recognize letters and make their corresponding sounds. Then they advance to manipulating and blending first-letter sounds to read and write simple, consonant-vowel-consonant words – such as combining “b” or “c” with “-at” to make “bat” and “cat.” Eventually, students learn to merge more complex word families and to read them in short stories to improve fluency and comprehension.

    Proponents of the curriculum celebrate its grounding in brain science, and the science of reading has been credited with helping Louisiana students outperform their pre-pandemic reading scores last year.

    In practice, Louisiana used a variety of science of reading approaches beyond phonics. That’s because different students have different learning needs, for a variety of reasons.

    Yet as a scholar of reading and language who has studied literacy in diverse student populations, I see many schools across the U.S. placing a heavy emphasis on the phonics components of the science of reading.

    If schools want across-the-board gains in reading achievement, using one reading curriculum to teach every child isn’t the best way. Teachers need the flexibility and autonomy to use various, developmentally appropriate literacy strategies as needed.

    Phonics fails some students

    Phonics programs often require memorizing word families in word lists. This works well for some children: Research shows that “decoding” strategies such as phonics can support low-achieving readers and learners with dyslexia.

    However, some students may struggle with explicit phonics instruction, particularly the growing population of neurodivergent learners with autism spectrum disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. These students learn and interact differently than their mainstream peers in school and in society. And they tend to have different strengths and challenges when it comes to word recognition, reading fluency and comprehension.

    This was the case with my own child. He had been a proficient reader from an early age, but struggles emerged when his school adopted a phonics program to balance out its regular curriculum, a flexible literature-based curriculum called Daily 5 that prioritizes reading fluency and comprehension.

    I worked with his first grade teacher to mitigate these challenges. But I realized that his real reading proficiency would likely not have been detected if the school had taught almost exclusively phonics-based reading lessons.

    Another weakness of phonics, in my experience, is that it teaches reading in a way that is disconnected from authentic reading experiences. Phonics often directs children to identify short vowel sounds in word lists, rather than encounter them in colorful stories. Evidence shows that exposing children to fun, interesting literature promotes deep comprehension.

    Balanced literacy

    To support different learning styles, educators can teach reading in multiple ways. This is called balanced literacy, and for decades it was a mainstay in teacher preparation and in classrooms.

    Balanced literacy prompts children to learn words encountered in authentic literature during guided, teacher-led read-alouds – versus learning how to decode words in word lists. Teachers use multiple strategies to promote reading acquisition, such as blending the letter sounds in words to support “decoding” while reading.

    Another balanced literacy strategy that teachers can apply in phonics-based strategies while reading aloud is called “rhyming word recognition.” The rhyming word strategy is especially effective with stories whose rhymes contribute to the deeper meaning of the story, such as Marc Brown’s “Arthur in a Pickle.”

    The rhyming structure of ‘Arthur in a Pickle’ helps children learn to read entire words, versus word parts.

    After reading, teachers may have learners arrange letter cards to form words, then tap the letter cards while saying and blending each sound to form the word. Similar phonics strategies include tracing and writing letters to form words that were encountered during reading.

    There is no one right way to teach literacy in a developmentally appropriate, balanced literacy framework. There are as many ways as there are students.

    What a truly balanced curriculum looks like

    The push for the phonics-based component of the science of reading is a response to the discrediting of the Lucy Calkins Reading Project, a balanced literacy approach that uses what’s called “cueing” to teach young readers. Teachers “cue” students to recognize words with corresponding pictures and promote guessing unfamiliar words while reading based on context clues.

    A 2024 class action lawsuit filed by Massachusetts families claimed that this faulty curriculum and another cueing-based approach called Fountas & Pinnell had failed readers for four decades, in part because they neglect scientifically backed phonics instruction.

    But this allegation overlooks evidence that the Calkins curriculum worked for children who were taught basic reading skills at home. And a 2021 study in Georgia found modest student achievement gains of 2% in English Language Arts test scores among fourth graders taught with the Lucy Calkins method.

    Nor is the method unscientific. Using picture cues with corresponding words is supported by the predictable language theory of literacy.

    This approach is evident in Eric Carle’s popular children’s books. Stories such as the “Very Hungry Caterpillar” and “Brown Bear, Brown Bear What do you See?” have vibrant illustrations of animals and colors that correspond with the text. The pictures support children in learning whole words and repetitive phrases, suchg as, “But he was still hungry.”

    Teacher-led read-alouds have been a mainstay learn-to-read activity in U.S. classrooms for decades.
    H. Armstrong Roberts/ClassicStock/Getty Images

    The intention here is for learners to acquire words in the context of engaging literature. But critics of Calkins contend that “cueing” during reading is a guessing game. They say readers are not learning the fundamentals necessary to identify sounds and word families on their way to decoding entire words and sentences.

    As a result, schools across the country are replacing traditional learn-to-read activities tied to balanced literacy approaches with the science of reading. Since its inception in 2013, the phonics-based curriculum has been adopted by 40 states and the Disctrict of Columbia.

    Recommendations for parents, educators and policymakers

    The most scientific way to teach reading, in my opinion, is by not applying the same rigid rules to every child. The best instruction meets students where they are, not where they should be.

    Here are five evidence-based tips to promote reading for all readers that combine phonics, balanced literacy and other methods.

    1. Maintain the home-school connection. When schools send kids home with developmentally appropriate books and strategies, it encourages parents to practice reading at home with their kids and develop their oral reading fluency. Ideally, reading materials include features that support a diversity of learning strategies, including text, pictures with corresponding words and predictable language.

    2. Embrace all reading. Academic texts aren’t the only kind of reading parents and teachers should encourage. Children who see menus, magazines and other print materials at home also acquire new literacy skills.

    3. Make phonics fun. Phonics instruction can teach kids to decode words, but the content is not particularly memorable. I encourage teachers to teach phonics on words that are embedded in stories and texts that children absolutely love.

    4. Pick a series. High-quality children’s literature promotes early literacy achievement. Texts that become increasingly more complex as readers advance, such as the “Arthur” step-into-reading series, are especially helpful in developing reading comprehension. As readers progress through more complex picture books, caregivers and teachers should read aloud the “Arthur” novels until children can read them independently. Additional popular series that grow with readers include “Otis,” “Olivia,” “Fancy Nancy” and “Berenstain Bears.”

    5. Tutoring works. Some readers will struggle despite teachers’ and parents’ best efforts. In these cases, intensive, high-impact tutoring can help. Sending students to one session a week of at least 30 minutes is well documented to help readers who’ve fallen behind catch up to their peers. Many nonprofit organizations, community centers and colleges offer high-impact tutoring.

    K. Dara Hill does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. How do children learn to read? This literacy expert says ‘there are as many ways as there are students’ – https://theconversation.com/how-do-children-learn-to-read-this-literacy-expert-says-there-are-as-many-ways-as-there-are-students-246468

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: US colleges and universities have billions stashed away in endowments − a higher ed finance expert explains what they are

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Todd L. Ely, Associate Professor of Public Administration; Director, Center for Local Government, University of Colorado Denver

    Prospective students tour Georgetown University’s campus in Washington in 2013. AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

    With the Trump administration seeking to cut federal funding for colleges and universities, you might be wondering whether the endowments of these institutions of higher education might be able to fill those gaps. Todd L. Ely, a professor of public administration at the University of Colorado Denver, explains what endowments are and the constraints placed on them.

    What’s an endowment?

    Endowments are pools of financial investments that belong to a nonprofit. These assets produce a revenue stream, typically from dividends, interest and realized capital gains. The funds endowments hold usually originate as charitable donations made to support an institution’s mission.

    In most cases with higher education endowments, this wealth, which helps buoy a nonprofit’s budget, is supposed to last forever.

    Contributions to endowments are tax-deductible for donors who itemize their tax returns. Once these funds are invested, they grow generally tax-free. But beginning in 2018, the federal government imposed a 1.4% excise tax on dozens of higher education institutions with relatively large endowments.

    Few colleges or universities have a single endowment fund.

    That’s because the donors who provide gifts large and small to the school over the years direct their donations to different funds reserved for specific purposes.

    Harvard University’s endowment, worth $53.2 billion at the end of its 2024 fiscal year, for example, consists of roughly 14,600 distinct funds.

    All told, money distributed from endowments covered more than 15%, on average, of college and university operating expenses in 2024. Some of America’s institutions of higher education, however, lean much more heavily than that on their endowments to pay their bills.

    People pose for photos in front of the iconic Tommy Trojan statue on the campus of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles in 2019.
    AP Photo/Reed Saxon

    How do endowments influence higher education?

    Endowments can serve multiple purposes.

    In 2024, nearly half of all higher education spending paid for with endowment revenue funded scholarships and other kinds of aid for students, while almost 18% supported academic programs. Just under 11% paid for professors’ compensation, and almost 7% helped pay for running and maintaining campus facilities.

    More broadly, endowments can help shield schools from financial hardships and maintain their long-term reputations.

    When they’re set up to carry on in perpetuity, endowments must benefit both current and future generations. So when donors give to an endowment, they are arguably investing in the long-term viability of the institution.

    This long-term focus suggests that endowments aren’t just rainy-day funds or financial reserves.

    Why can’t endowment funds be spent freely?

    At the end of the 2023 fiscal year, U.S. higher education endowments held a total of more than $907 billion. That is a lot of money, but it’s still less than the combined wealth of America’s five richest people.

    Like individual wealth, endowment assets are heavily concentrated in the U.S.

    Many colleges and universities have small or no endowments. Nearly 60% of them total less than $50 million. The top 25, which includes several public universities in states such as Michigan and Texas, account for more than half of all endowment assets.

    And even when schools have large endowments, the individual funds that compose them are bound by a wide array of restrictions. Some of that money can be spent however the school would like. Other funds are dedicated to a clearly defined purpose.

    When endowment funds are restricted, the school gets little discretion in how to spend them.

    At Harvard, for example, there’s a Hollis Professorship of Divinity at Harvard University. It was established in 1721 through a gift from a London merchant. Based on the terms of that long-ago donation, the earnings and growth of the donated funds continue to honor the donor’s intent by supporting the position, regardless of what the university needs.

    Alternatively, endowments may receive donations that are temporarily restricted. Known as “term” endowments, the assets they hold can be used once donor-imposed conditions are fulfilled.

    Institutions frequently designate some of their unrestricted funds as “quasi” endowments, usually earmarked for specific strategic purposes. This board-designated quasi-endowment does not carry legal restrictions and can be spent more freely.

    About 40% of higher education endowment assets are subject to permanent restrictions, 30% are temporarily restricted, and 29% are reserved for quasi-endowment use.

    People walk past the Ray and Maria Stata Center on the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2019.
    AP Photo/Steven Senne

    How are decisions over endowment funds made?

    The decision-making authority over endowments typically rests with a college or university’s governing board. Those boards establish endowment payout policies that guide how much of the endowment and its earnings can be spent each year, while attempting to preserve the purchasing power of the investments over the long term.

    The policies take expectations regarding investment earnings and inflation into account, while smoothing annual payouts by using a percentage of the value of the endowment over multiple years as opposed to a single point in time. This payout tends to amount to about 5% of all assets. That share averaged 4.8% in 2024.

    U.S. institutions of higher education spent nearly $35.5 billion derived from their endowments in the 2023 fiscal year.

    Colleges and universities that depend more heavily on their endowment funds to cover their current obligations may choose to invest more conservatively. In recent years, many higher education endowments have obtained more complex investments, such as private equity, real assets and stakes in hedge funds.

    Endowments of nonprofit colleges and universities are also governed in most states by a state law known as the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act. This law encourages cautious investments and restrained spending.

    These restrictions mean that annual payouts are generally modest. That leaves endowments ill-equipped to respond to abrupt and large shifts in their funding needs.

    The John F. Kennedy School of Government, commonly referred to as Harvard Kennedy School, is a member of The Conversation U.S.

    Todd Ely works for a university that has an endowment and receives federal research funding.

    – ref. US colleges and universities have billions stashed away in endowments − a higher ed finance expert explains what they are – https://theconversation.com/us-colleges-and-universities-have-billions-stashed-away-in-endowments-a-higher-ed-finance-expert-explains-what-they-are-254872

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Alaska, rich in petroleum, faces an energy shortage

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Brett Watson, Assistant Professor of Applied and Natural Resource Economics, University of Alaska Anchorage

    The Trans-Alaska Pipeline crosses underneath the Dalton Highway, carrying crude oil from the North Slope to a port in Valdez. Lance King/Getty Images

    In the state with the fourth-largest proven reserves of oil and gas in the U.S., there is a looming energy shortage.

    Above the Arctic Circle, oil producers on Alaska’s North Slope send an average of 465,000 barrels of crude oil south each day for shipping to refineries and users around the country and the world.

    But in south-central Alaska – Anchorage and the surrounding region, home to 63% of the state’s population – utility companies are warning they may not have enough natural gas from current sources to keep the power and heat on without interruption.

    As a professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage who studies the economics of natural resources, I can see this apparent contradiction has a straightforward cause but no simple solution.

    Oil facilities in Prudhoe Bay on the North Slope, photographed March 28, 2002.
    Simon Bruty/Anychance/Getty Images

    Declining oil production

    The North Slope region once produced nearly 2 million barrels of oil per day at its peak in the 1980s. Every barrel is transported via the 800-mile Trans-Alaska Pipeline System to the port of Valdez, where it is loaded onto tanker ships.

    The state government collects significant taxes and royalties on oil production. For decades, oil revenue allowed the state to fund all government spending without imposing broad-based income, sales or property taxes. At the height of the oil boom, there was so much money that Alaska established a wealth fund, now valued at over US$80 billion, and began distributing dividends to every resident.

    But the Trans-Alaska Pipeline is designed to carry oil, not natural gas. A state law prevents producers from burning off excess gas, or flaring, as happens in many fields. With nowhere to send it, gas extracted from Alaska’s oil fields is reinjected into the ground to boost well pressure and push more oil out.

    Significant natural gas potential

    Alaska’s gas reserves are significant. State estimates suggest the North Slope has about 35 trillion cubic feet of proven reserves. That’s almost as much natural gas as the U.S. as a whole produced in 2023.

    But that is just the beginning: The North Slope also has the potential for another 200 trillion cubic feet that remains undiscovered. And improving technologies and techniques may be able to extract another 590 trillion cubic feet, according to the Alaska Gasline Development Corp., a company owned by the state of Alaska that is trying develop a project to extract and sell the state’s natural gas.

    As oil production declines and prices remain uncertain, selling gas could provide a different stream of revenue for the state, potentially providing billions of dollars.

    The 800-mile problem

    For decades, there have been numerous proposals to develop Alaska’s gas. State agencies and the petroleum industry have collectively spent hundreds of millions of dollars on this effort.

    The concept that’s closest to reality is Alaska Gasline Development Corp.’s proposal to build a plant on the North Slope to remove gas impurities, a liquefaction plant near Anchorage that could export 20 million tons of liquefied gas each year – around a trillion cubic feet – and an 807-mile pipeline to connect the two.

    The cost is expected to be significant: The corporation’s own estimate is that it would cost $44 billion. But that number was developed before the construction sector saw significant inflation in 2022. An engineering study due for release in late 2025 will provide a more updated figure. Alaskans remember that the Trans-Alaska Pipeline ended up costing 25% more than projected.

    Since his first day in office, President Donald Trump has touted this pipeline as part of efforts to expand the nation’s production of fossil fuels. He told a joint session of Congress it was a near-ready project, with Japan and South Korea ready to invest “trillions of dollars each.” In February 2025, he stood alongside Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to announce a “joint venture” to develop the pipeline project, but no specific details have been announced.

    Winter in Alaska means deep cold and lots of snow.
    AP Photo/Mark Thiessen

    2 expensive options

    There is a growing need to address Alaska’s domestic energy shortfall.

    South-central Alaska relies on natural gas for more than 70% of its electric and heating needs. But the gas reserves closest to Anchorage, in the Cook Inlet, which have provided energy to the area since the 1960s, are dwindling, and prices are rising. In 2005, wholesale gas prices were $3.75 per 1,000 cubic feet of natural gas. By 2024, the price had more than doubled, to $8.75. By contrast, the rest of the U.S. has seen natural gas prices cut in half over that period, thanks in part to horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking.

    In 2022, Hilcorp, the company responsible for roughly 85% of the Cook Inlet gas production, reported that by 2027 it might not be able to supply enough gas for utilities that serve the region.

    Solutions other than the pipeline are also slow and expensive. Local utilities estimate that improving energy efficiency and developing renewable power could reduce gas demand by around 10% over the next several years and by as much as 15% after a decade. But retrofitting the area’s aging and energy-inefficient homes will not be fast or cheap.

    More than just economics

    What remains for Alaska are two main options: get gas from the North Slope to Anchorage, or import liquefied gas from the global market.

    Building the pipeline could both meet the needs of Alaska’s people and bring in money from global sales – though how much revenue depends on how global gas markets change over time and how competitive Alaska gas prices would be relative to other suppliers.

    Any delays from financial, legal, technical or environmental challenges would balloon costs. But if it succeeded, Anchorage-area customers could see prices drop as low as $2.23 per 1,000 cubic feet – a 75% drop from current prices and 40% lower than in 2005. The savings could significantly bolster the region’s economy.

    Importing is a costly option. A study commissioned by the Alaska Legislature found that imported gas would cost $13.72 per 1,000 cubic feet. That’s 60% more than current prices and especially burdensome for Alaska families and businesses, which already pay far higher energy bills than typical American customers.

    Beyond the economic questions, there’s something symbolic at stake: the state’s identity. Could a state synonymous with energy production become an energy importer? Many Alaskans see the prospect as an embarrassing paradox – akin to Hawaii importing pineapples or New Mexico importing green chiles.

    Independence and globalization

    Alaska is not alone in grappling with the tension between energy self-sufficiency and economic efficiency.

    Across the U.S., states rich in resources have wrestled with the question of whether to prioritize local production or integrate into global markets. Texas produces more oil than any other state, yet it continues to import crude oil due to mismatches between its production and refining capacity.

    Shaped by globalization, few regions can truly isolate themselves from market forces. Energy production and consumption are increasingly interconnected, meaning pursuit of local self-sufficiency comes at a steep economic cost. That’s the question facing Alaska: whether to invest in domestic infrastructure to maintain energy independence, or embrace the flexibility – and potentially lower cost – of global markets.

    Brett Watson receives funding from First National Bank Alaska to conduct research on the Alaska economy, including energy issues. He has previously received funding from Power the Future for work on Alaska mineral issues.

    – ref. Alaska, rich in petroleum, faces an energy shortage – https://theconversation.com/alaska-rich-in-petroleum-faces-an-energy-shortage-254903

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Pope Francis’ death right after Easter sounds miraculous – but patients and caregivers often work together to delay dying

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Michelle Riba, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, University of Michigan

    Pope Francis died after celebrating Easter with his congregants. AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia

    On the morning of Easter Monday, after his final public address the day prior, Pope Francis died at age 88, closing 12 years of leading the Catholic Church. He joins the phenomena of people “holding on” until after an anticipated date or event, such as the holidays or a birthday, before dying.

    It sometimes seems like some patients are able to stay alive out of sheer willpower. But for many people, behind the scenes are a village of people and an ongoing series of conversations that help patients be able to celebrate their child’s graduation or travel to a place they’ve always wanted to go.

    We asked Dr. Michelle Riba, director of the psycho-oncology program at the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, to explain how meaning matters just as much as medicine at the end of life.

    What factors come into play at the end of life?

    Psychosocial factors that affect a person’s mental health and well-being – such as stress, social support, depression and anxiety, and socioeconomic status – play an important part of all parts of life, but especially at the end of life. End of life refers to the days, weeks or months after somebody is told that they have a disease that can be fatal.

    Questions about meaning and what’s important to a patient and their family are important at all times. But when somebody is diagnosed with a grave illness, these questions become particularly important to acknowledge in medical conversations. As many doctors like to say, patients aren’t the disease, they have a disease.

    We want to give patients control about how they want to live their lives in the most meaningful way, especially at the end. And this includes how they want to use their time, energy and resources, who they want to spend their time with and where they want to be.

    How does the ‘will to live’ affect treatment and survival?

    There was a new movement starting in the 1960s to 1970s that believed a person’s attitude and outlook on life could affect their health and longevity. People like minister Norman Vincent Peale promoted the idea that a positive mindset could help improve outcomes. Psychologist Martin Seligman developed the field of positive psychology that focused on subjective well-being by promoting resilience and human flourishing. The idea that you could do better if you were optimistic resonated with many people, including physicians.

    Then surgeon Bernie Siegel proposed the specific idea that staying positive after a cancer diagnosis could extend your life, and that became a major focus of the movement. However, there was little to no data to support his claims. The studies researchers conducted to figure out whether it was true that people who were more positive lived longer or had a lower prevalence of cancer than those who did not were either flawed or did not consistently show this effect.

    Eventually Siegel’s ideas were disproved. But for a long time, they affected how patients felt about themselves and how their families addressed illness. My own patients would tell me, “How can I be positive? I can’t eat, I’m in pain and I’m sick.” They felt guilty that they couldn’t feel positive and optimistic, and that caused extra stress and reduced their quality of life.

    Learning about what matters most to a patient requires asking them.
    FG Trade/E+ via Getty Images

    Additionally, the social determinants of health – such as a patient’s environment, race, education and wealth – are also very important to their health and longevity. Having a good social life, money and not being discriminated against makes it easier to stay positive and do better in life. During the COVID-19 pandemic, people were less likely to do well if you didn’t have money, or if you were a certain race.

    Research shows that patients who have severe mental illness such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder often live about 20 years less than somebody who doesn’t. And it’s not just because of the disease. Having a severe mental illness means that you probably can’t work, you probably don’t have financial means, and you may not have family support.

    How can doctors help patients feel like they have more control?

    In studying how patients could feel more confident, physicians like me realized that having control over their destiny, if you will, didn’t necessarily mean patients had to stay positive. Rather, it meant understanding the things that gave them joy and meaning before their diagnosis, and how clinicians could help them continue to do these things.

    For example, a patient who could no longer work because of their cancer or their treatments might miss their sense of routine. Working with them to make a schedule of all their medical appointments and enjoyable activities might help them take control over their days. The structure may provide meaning and help them cope better.

    A marathon runner who loses their ability to balance due to a brain tumor is another example. If this patient found meaning and pleasure in running but could no longer run, what could we do to help them regain some of this joy? This might look like starting physical therapy and rehab, or finding alternative activities they can do.

    If going to their place of worship is important to a patient but they’re no longer able to, we could see if their rabbi, imam or minister could see them at their home.

    Additionally, helping patients continue doing what’s meaningful for them also gives them hope. It helps them know that their physicians feel they’re worth doing that for, and that there’s a life beyond cancer treatment.

    How do a patient’s goals factor into their treatment plan?

    When doctors give patients hope, patients tend to have better outcomes. That doesn’t mean we’re telling patients something false, or that they’re going to live a longer time. Rather, doctors can help patients improve or maintain their quality of life and achieve certain goals.

    For example, a patient may be thinking of attending their child’s graduation two months from now. Their care team can talk to them about how they might be able to do this, or think of other ways they can celebrate.

    Feeling supported during a serious illness can make a big difference.
    Joshua Hoehne/Unsplash, CC BY-SA

    My mother passed away from cancer a month after I graduated high school. I remember she couldn’t participate in a lot of senior prom activities, like helping me get a dress or do my hair. But my date and I and another couple were allowed to go to her hospital room just before the prom so she could see us all dressed up. And it was one of the most meaningful moments of my life. Though she couldn’t be there for graduation or all the other preparations and celebrations, it mattered to my mother and me that she was able to see my friends and me before prom. Also, very meaningfully, my friends were so kind and thoughtful to make that effort on our behalf.

    There have been observations that some patients with terminal illness manage to hold on until after a certain holiday or date. A 1988 study found that the number of Jewish people who died before Passover was lower than expected, and the number of deaths after Passover was higher than expected. While this study had flaws and limitations, other researchers have made similar observations for deaths for specific groups after holidays like Christmas, the Mid-Autumn Festival and birthdays.

    But these studies don’t address whether those specific holidays were actually what these patients really cared about. It may be that people made it through something else important to them. It may be that they were able to be with the people they loved at the end. It may be something else entirely. We don’t really know what’s important for someone unless we ask.

    Allowing patients and their families to think about what matters most to them and how we can help them achieve their goals is part of our job as physicians.

    How do you balance a patient’s medical care with their goals?

    Being diagnosed with a terminal illness can be a traumatic event. Patients often can remember where and when they heard the news about a certain illness or scan or problem. How to help people process, understand and live with this to the best of their ability is really the key to having the best quality of life. This means giving them choices and helping them see some ways to address it for themselves and their families.

    Sometimes that can be really hard. For patients who really want to travel somewhere, we might figure out a way to defer specific treatments or procedures, or set up appointments for them to be done at the local hospital or clinic. But there’s not much we can do for a patient who wants to attend their young child’s wedding when that won’t be for decades in the future. The medical team does everything it can within reason, and it tries to make sure the patients and their loved ones understand the risks and benefits.

    Receiving bad news can be a traumatic event.
    Maskot/DigitalVision via Getty Images

    Doctors and patients may also have different goals that can be difficult to meet at the same time. Figuring out how to juggle these agendas and listening to each other during these conversations can be challenging but important.

    Everybody is trying to do what they think is right and best for the patient. This means taking care of the whole person, not just the disease. Whether that means reaching a certain holiday or special event, or just gathering together with the people they love, taking the time and effort to understand what is important for the patient and their family is key to good care.

    Michelle Riba chairs the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Distress Guidelines.

    – ref. Pope Francis’ death right after Easter sounds miraculous – but patients and caregivers often work together to delay dying – https://theconversation.com/pope-francis-death-right-after-easter-sounds-miraculous-but-patients-and-caregivers-often-work-together-to-delay-dying-254970

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –