NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI USA: 27 Colorado Schools Received State’s First Purple Star School Designation

    Source: US State of Colorado

    DENVER – In a special ceremony on Thursday, Colorado Education Commissioner Susana Córdova and Governor Jared Polis awarded the state’s first-ever Purple Star School designation to 27 schools from eight school districts and the Charter School Institute. The Purple Star School designation recognizes school communities for their work to support military-connected students and their families. 

    “Colorado is the proud home to a strong military and veteran community, and it’s only appropriate that our schools are recognized for the work they do to support military families and their children. I’m excited to celebrate the schools who are leading this work and setting an example for the rest of the state,” said Governor Jared Polis. 

    Commissioner Córdova and Gov. Polis were joined by members of the State Board of Education, representatives from the Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission, and military school liaisons from the United States Army, Air Force, and Space Force. 

    “Military families and their children make extraordinary sacrifices in service to our country. For military-connected students, frequent moves and long separations from loved ones can present unique challenges. Our Purple Star Schools go above and beyond to create welcoming, supportive environments where every student feels seen, supported, and a true sense of belonging—no matter where their family is stationed,” said Cordova. 

    Last spring, Gov. Polis signed into law House Bill 24-1076 – sponsored by Reps. Bob Marshall (D-Douglas County) and Mike Weissman (D-Adams/Araphaoe) and Sens. Rhonda Fields (D-Adams/Arapahoe) and Bob Gardner (R-El Paso/Teller) – creating the Purple Star Program to recognize schools that help military-connected students navigate the academic and social-emotional challenges that come with frequent relocations, parental deployments, and adjusting to new school communities. 

    Purple Star Schools must meet specific criteria, including offering dedicated programs and resources for military-connected students and their families. More information about the Purple Star Program is available on the Colorado Department of Education’s website. 

    The following schools received the Purple Star designation: 

    Academy School District 20 

    • Douglass Valley Elementary School
    • Eagleview Middle School
    • Ranch Creek Elementary School 

    Aurora Public Schools 

    • Edna and John Mosley P-8 School 

    Colorado Springs School District 11

    • Jenkins Middle School James
    • Irwin Elementary School – Howard
    • McAuliffe Elementary School 

    Charter School Institute 

    • Colorado Military Academy 

    District 49 

    • Bennett Ranch Elementary School
    • Falcon Middle School 

    Ellicott School District 22 

    • Ellicott Elementary School 

    Fountain-Fort Carson School District 8 

    • Abrams Elementary School
    • Aragon Elementary School
    • Eagleside Elementary School
    • Jordahl Elementary School
    • Mesa Elementary School
    • Mountainside Elementary School
    • Patriot Elementary School
    • Weikel Elementary School
    • Welte Education Center
    • Carson Middle School
    • Fountain Middle School
    • Fountain-Fort Carson High School 

    Harrison School District 2 

    • James Irwin Charter Middle School
    • James Irwin Elementary School–Astrozon 

    Widefield School District 3 

    • Grand Mountain School
    • Widefield High School 

    The Colorado Department of Education’s vision is to create equitable educational environments where all students and staff in Colorado thrive. Our role is to improve student outcomes and ensure students and families across Colorado have access to high-quality schools by serving, guiding, and elevating our state’s 178 school districts and BOCES. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Alerts Californians to Job Recruitment Scams

    Source: US State of California

    Thursday, April 10, 2025

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

    OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued a consumer alert asking Californians to be aware of job recruitment scams. Job recruitment scams occur when bad actors trick job seekers into providing money or personal information by posing as employers, recruiters, or job placement agencies. These scams often promise high-paying jobs with urgent hiring, little qualifications, or the opportunity to work from home — and can sometimes be a front to recruit job seekers to assist with criminal activity. Scams can occur through various forms of communication including text messages, phone calls, and postings on online job sites. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), job and fake employment agency scams are one of the top forms of fraud. Losses from these scams have nearly tripled from 2020 to 2024, with consumers losing $501 million in 2024. 

    “As job recruiting scams become more popular, I urge Californians to exercise caution and be wary of offers that sound too good to be true,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Remember if a stranger offers you a job you didn’t apply for, it’s most likely a scam.”

    Learn the Warning Signs

    There are many potential signs of a job scam. Be wary if the job posting or email exhibits any of these signs:

    • Asks for money.
    • Asks for you to make purchases on their behalf — such as gift cards.
    • Asks you to share your credit card number or bank details.
    • Asks you to receive or send money or packages for people you don’t know or haven’t met in person.
    • Promises easy money – especially if it involves sending or receiving money or packages.
    • Asks you to open a bank account or cryptocurrency account at someone else’s direction.
    • Claims to offer a “secret” list of government jobs or a chance to get on an inside track for government employment for a fee. Government job listings are always free —find them at jobs.ca.gov, usajobs.gov, or about.usps.com/careers.
    • Lists a company without an established physical office. 
    • Gives a short timeline or puts pressure on you to urgently respond.  

    Spot the Scam: What are Money Mules?

    Job recruitment scams can also be used to recruit unsuspecting job-seekers, sometimes called money mules, to assist with criminal activity. If someone you don’t know sends you money and asks you to forward or transfer the money, you could be fueling fraud. Transferring money on behalf of others not only furthers criminal activity, but it could also lead to consequences for consumers, like losing money or serving jail time. 

    Protect Yourself from Job Scams

    If you receive a possible scam message: 

    • DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINK. If you think a text or message could be legitimate, contact the company using a website or phone number you know is real — not the information in the text.
    • Do some research. Search online for the name of the company and words like “review,” “scam,” or “complaint.” If you can’t find the company online, steer clear.
    • File a complaint. File a complaint with the FBI, the Federal Trade Commission, and our office. Be sure to include the phone number from where the text originated, and the website listed within the text.
    • Delete any scam texts or messages received. 

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kansas Realtor Indicted for Tax Evasion and COVID-19 Loan Program Fraud

    Source: US State of Vermont

    A federal grand jury in Kansas City returned an indictment yesterday charging a Kansas woman with tax evasion and wire fraud.

    The indictment alleges that Michelle O’Connor, of Louisburg, owned and operated a realty company based in the Kansas City metro area. For tax years 2008 through 2015, O’Connor filed federal income tax returns, self-reporting that she owed approximately $300,000 in taxes. Despite acknowledging she owed the taxes, O’Connor did not pay them. In 2011, the IRS audited her 2008 and 2009 tax returns and concluded that O’Connor had improperly claimed tens of thousands of dollars in personal expenses as charitable deductions to the “Church of Revelation and Love,” a purported church she and her husband created and were, along with her family, its primary members. Based on that audit, the IRS assessed over $40,000 in additional taxes against O’Connor.  

    Starting in 2011, the IRS began trying to collect the outstanding taxes from O’Connor, sending her over 50 notices regarding them. From 2011 through 2023, however, Michelle O’Connor tried to stymy the IRS’s collections efforts by, among other things, filing three separate false and frivolous bankruptcy petitions, purchasing approximately $250,000 of cashier’s checks to reduce her bank account balances, and closing her personal bank accounts and using her business’ bank accounts to pay personal expenses.

    By 2020, O’Connor owed the IRS nearly $500,000 in taxes, penalties, and interest.

    In 2020, O’Connor submitted 34 fraudulent COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applications on behalf of her real estate business and seven other corporate entities she created for the purpose of maximizing potential EIDL credits. Under the EIDL program, a small business could receive a loan of up to $150,000 from the Small Business Administration to cover six months of working capital. In total, O’Connor received nearly $300,000 from her fraudulent EIDLs, which she used for personal purposes, including $115,000 to purchase cryptocurrency.

    If convicted, O’Connor faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for tax evasion and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

    Trial Attorneys Dominick Giovanniello and Robert Kemins of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Guatemalan National Arrested For Illegally Possessing Firearm After Shots Fired From Vehicle

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the arrest of Elmer Gustabo Vasquez-Lopez (19, Guatemala) on a criminal complaint charging him with possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. If convicted, Vasquez-Lopez faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison.

    According to the complaint, on March 30, 2025, the Palmetto Police Department responded to a call for service regarding shots fired on 14th Street in Palmetto. An officer from the Palmetto Police witnessed gunshots from a vehicle, and officers arrested the vehicle’s occupants, including Vasquez-Lopez. The occupants were arrested on state charges and two firearms were seized from the vehicle. The next day, Vasquez-Lopez admitted to agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that he had shot one of the firearms recovered from the vehicle and that he was a Guatemalan national. A review of Vasquez-Lopez’s immigration history showed that the U.S. Border Patrol previously arrested Vasquez-Lopez as an inadmissible alien and that he is in removal proceedings.

    A complaint is merely a formal allegation that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Palmetto Police Department, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam W. McCall.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Houston removes foreign fugitive wanted for aggravated homicide

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    HOUSTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement removed Hedilberto Nunez Garay, a 41-year-old illegal alien, to his home country of Mexico, April 9. Nunez is wanted in Durango, Mexico, for aggravated homicide for allegedly murdering Eladio Carrasco Corral, a 63-year-old Mexican national, Sept. 3, 2020.

    ICE transported Nunez from the Montgomery Processing Center in Conroe, Texas, to the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge Port of Entry in Laredo, Texas, where he was turned over to Mexican authorities.

    “For far too long, dangerous foreign fugitives like this alleged murderer have been able to illegally enter the U.S. and hide out in our local communities to evade prosecution abroad for violent crime,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston Field Office Director Bret Bradford. “Those days are over as the law enforcement community in Texas has banded together to aggressively track down foreign fugitives, transnational gang members and other criminal aliens illegally residing in the country and remove them to their country of origin to face justice for their alleged crimes.”

    Nunez illegally entered the U.S. on an unknown date and at an unknown location. The Kendall County Sheriff’s Office arrested Nunez Nov. 12, 2007, in Yorkville, Illinois, for driving without a license. Following his arrest, Nunez departed the U.S. on an unknown date. He illegally reentered the U.S. April 29, 2022, and was apprehended by the U.S. Border Patrol near Eagle Pass, Texas, and expelled to Mexico under Title 42. Nunez illegally entered the U.S. for a third time on an unknown date and at an unknown location. After receiving a tip from the National Criminal Analysis and Targeting Center, ICE fugitive operations officers quickly located Nunez, with assistance from the Waco Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety, and he was safely taken into custody June 4, 2024. An immigration judge with the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review ordered Nunez removed to Mexico Oct. 30, 2024. The Board of Immigration Appeals dismissed a subsequent appeal of that decision March 20.

    Members of the public who have information about foreign fugitives are urged to contact ICE by calling the ICE Tip Line at 1 (866) 347-2423 or internationally at 001-1802-872-6199. They can also file a tip online by completing ICE’s online tip form.

    For more news and information on ICE’s efforts to enforce our nation’s immigration laws in Texas follow us on X at @EROHouston.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Aguilar: Trump’s extreme agenda is hurting veterans

    Source: US House of Representatives – Democratic Caucus

    The following text contains opinion that is not, or not necessarily, that of MIL-OSI –

    April 10, 2025

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar joined Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee and Members of the House Democratic Caucus for a hearing on the Trump Administration’s attacks on veterans, their health care and their earned benefits.

    CHAIRMAN AGUILAR: Thank you so much. I want to thank our witnesses, our guests. Thank you for your service and your commitment to our country. To my colleagues who have served in uniform and served to protect our country, thank you so much for your continued service to Congress and for your service to our country.

    America’s veterans have taken an oath to defend our country and put their lives on the line. The very least we can do is look out for our nation’s veterans when they finish their service. But right now, Donald Trump is crashing our economy. Out of thin air, he’s created an economic disaster. And while reckless tariffs could drive us toward another Republican recession, his plan to take benefits away from hardworking Americans will add to the pain and create more hardship.  

    In fewer than 100 days of Donald Trump’s presidency, we have seen drastic cuts to the VA and veterans’ benefits. Democrats worked hard to pass the PACT Act and to provide the largest expansion of veterans’ benefits in generations. But there is a concerted effort by Donald Trump to roll back the progress we have made to honor our commitment to veterans. And that is why today’s hearing was so important — shedding a light on the President’s extreme agenda to hurt veterans and their families. It’s an agenda that has laid off more than 6,000 veterans, is making it harder for them to access benefits and care and is undermining the health care system that they rely on. It’s an agenda that is un-American and just plain wrong.

    But make no mistake: We are not going to sit by and let Donald Trump get away with these reckless attacks on the VA and the Americans that they serve. We are demanding better. And we are prepared to use every tool at our disposal to fight for veterans who we have earned these benefits today and the millions more veterans across this country who rely on this care. Thank you so much for being here and for your service to our country. 

    Video of the full hearing can be viewed here.

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    Previous Article

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 4 Men Charged with Offenses Related to the Sex Trafficking of Minors in Danbury

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Anish Shukla, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Danbury Police Chief Patrick Ridenhour today announced that the following four individuals have been charged by federal criminal complaint with offenses related to the sex trafficking of minors:

    • OSWALDO ORDONEZ-ORTEGA, 39, of Danbury
    • MARCO ROBLES, 40, a citizen of Ecuador residing in Brookfield
    • EDWIN QUILLI-TACURI, 40, a citizen of Ecuador residing in Danbury
    • BRYAN ISMAEL VASQUEZ-SALINAS, 23, a citizen of Ecuador residing in Danbury

    As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in February 2025, the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force and Danbury Police began investigating a Danbury-based organization believed to be involved in the sex trafficking of minors.  On March 11, 2025, after seeing a communication on a WhatsApp messaging account advertising the sale of two 15-year-old females for sexual encounters, investigators executed a state warrant at a residence in Danbury, found a 15-year-old female victim and a 16-year-old female victim, and arrested Ordonez-Ortega, Robles, Quilli-Tacuri, Vasquez-Salinas, and a fifth individual.  Quilli-Tacuri was located in a locked bedroom with the 15-year-old victim, and the fifth individual was found in a locked bedroom with the 16-year-old victim.  Ordonez-Ortega and Vasquez-Salinas were found together in the kitchen, and Robles was stopped after attempting to leave the area in his vehicle.

    It is alleged that the minor victims were briefly interviewed by law enforcement and Connecticut Department of Children and Families investigators before being transported to a local hospital for medical care and evaluation.  The investigation, which has also included analysis of cell phones seized at the time of the defendants’ arrests, revealed that Ordonez-Ortega coordinated the transportation of the minor victims to Danbury, made appointments with Robles, Quilli-Tacuri, Vasquez-Salinas, and others to engage in sexual activity with the minors, and received payment from the men, a portion of which he returned to the minors.  Ordonez-Ortega scheduled 13 men to engage in sexual activity with the 15-year-old victim, and 11 men to engage in sexual activity with the 16-year-old victim, on March 10 and 11, 2025, in Danbury.

    It is further alleged that Robles caused physical injury to the 15-year-old victim during his sexual encounter on March 11.

    Each of the four defendants is charged with sex trafficking of children, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.

    In addition, Ordonez-Ortega and Vasquez-Salinas are charged with attempted sex trafficking of children and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of children.  Ordonez-Ortega is also charged with coercion and enticement of minors to engage in sexual activity, and with transportation of minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

    Robles and Quilli-Tacuri were arrested on the federal charges yesterday.  They appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport and currently are detained.  Ordonez-Ortega, who is in state custody, and Vasquez-Salinas, who is in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody, will be presented in federal court at a later date.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    This matter is being investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force and the Danbury Police Department, with the assistance of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Brookfield Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel E. Cummings and Mary G. Vitale.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman thanked the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of Danbury for its close cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Abaxx Announces Closing of C$10,065,000 Second Tranche of C$32,915,000 Convertible Debenture Offering

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

    TORONTO, April 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Abaxx Technologies Inc. (CBOE:ABXX)(OTCQX:ABXXF) (“Abaxx” or the “Company”), a financial software and market infrastructure company, indirect majority shareholder of Abaxx Singapore Pte Ltd. , the owner of Abaxx Commodity Exchange and Clearinghouse (individually, “Abaxx Exchange” and “Abaxx Clearing”), and producer of the SmarterMarkets™ Podcast, today announces that it has closed the second and final tranche (the “Second Tranche”) of its previously announced non-brokered private placement (the “Offering”) of secured convertible debentures (the “Debentures”) for aggregate gross proceeds of C$10,065,000.

    The outstanding principal amount of the Debentures, together with any accrued and unpaid interest, will become due and payable in full on March 26, 2028 (the “Maturity Date”) and will be payable in cash. Each Debenture consists of C$1,000 principal amount of secured convertible debentures of the Company and is convertible into common shares of the Company (each, a “Debenture Share”) at the option of the holder thereof prior to the Maturity Date at a conversion price equal to $13.00 per Debenture Share (the “Conversion Price”).

    The Company has the right to redeem the Debentures at redemption price equal to 105% of the principal amount of the outstanding Debentures plus any accrued and unpaid interest to the date prior to the date of redemption: (a) at any time, should the VWAP of the Company’s common shares exceed 130% of the Conversion Price for no fewer than 20 out of 30 consecutive trading days, or (b) after March 26, 2027.

    The Debentures were issued at an original issue discount equal to 2.5% of the aggregate principal amount of the Debentures and bear interest at a rate of 7.0% per annum from the date of issue, payable semi-annually in arrears in cash on June 30 and December 31 of each year following the first interest payment date of September 30, 2026. The Debentures are secured against certain publicly-traded securities owned by the Company.

    The Offering is subject to the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, including the final approval of Cboe Canada. The net proceeds of the Second Tranche are expected to be used for general corporate and working capital purposes. The Debentures and Debenture Shares issuable pursuant to the Second Tranche are subject to statutory hold periods of four months and one day from the date of issuance. No finder fees were issued in connection with the Second Tranche.

    In connection with the Offering, so long as the Debentures remain outstanding, the Company has agreed to not assume any additional indebtedness without the consent of a majority of the holders of Debentures as may be outstanding from time to time, other than: (a) certain permitted debt arrangements of up to C$10,000,000 for working capital or regulatory capital requirements in the normal course of business, and (b) trade indebtedness in the normal course of its business.

    The securities offered in the Offering have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act”) or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, United States persons, absent registration or any applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of any offer to buy securities in the United States, nor in any other jurisdiction.

    About Abaxx Technologies
    Abaxx is building Smarter Markets — markets empowered by better financial technology and market infrastructure to address our biggest challenges, including the energy transition. In addition to developing and deploying financial technologies that make communication, trade, and transactions easier and more secure, Abaxx is an indirect majority-owner of subsidiaries Abaxx Exchange and Abaxx Clearing, recognized by MAS as a “recognised market operator” (RMO) and “approved clearing house” (ACH), respectively.

    Abaxx Exchange and Abaxx Clearing are a Singapore-based commodity futures exchange and clearinghouse, introducing centrally cleared, physically deliverable commodities futures and derivatives to provide better price discovery and risk management tools for the commodities critical to our transition to a lower-carbon economy.

    For more information please visit abaxx.tech, abaxx.exchange and smartermarkets.media.

    For more information about this press release, please contact:

    Steve Fray, CFO
    Tel: +1 647-490-1590

    Media and investor inquiries:

    Abaxx Technologies Inc.
    Investor Relations Team
    Tel: +1 246 271 0082
    E-mail: ir@abaxx.tech

    Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

    This press release includes certain “forward-looking statements” which do not consist of historical facts. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe Abaxx’s future plans, objectives, or goals, including words to the effect that Abaxx expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as “seeking”, “should”, “intend”, “predict”, “potential”, “believes”, “anticipates”, “expects”, “estimates”, “may”, “could”, “would”, “will”, “continue”, “plan” or the negative of these terms and similar expressions. Since forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on information currently available to Abaxx, Abaxx does not provide any assurance that actual results will meet respective management expectations. Risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors involved with forward-looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward-looking information related to Abaxx in this press release includes, but is not limited to: matters related to the Offering and the conversion of the Debentures,regulatory approvals, the agreement to not assume additional indebtedness except certain permitted indebtedness, and the inability of Abaxx to apply the use of proceeds from the Offering as anticipated. Such factors impacting forward-looking information include, among others: the inability to obtain required approvals for the Offering, risks relating to the global economic climate; dilution; Abaxx’s limited operating history; future capital needs and uncertainty of additional financing; the competitive nature of the industry; currency exchange risks; the need for Abaxx to manage its planned growth and expansion; the effects of product development and need for continued technology change; protection of proprietary rights; the effect of government regulation and compliance on Abaxx and the industry; acquiring and maintaining regulatory approvals for Abaxx’s products and operations; the ability to list Abaxx’s securities on stock exchanges in a timely fashion or at all; network security risks; the ability of Abaxx to maintain properly working systems; reliance on key personnel; global economic and financial market deterioration impeding access to capital or increasing the cost of capital; and volatile securities markets impacting security pricing unrelated to operating performance. In addition, particular factors which could impact future results of the business of Abaxx include but are not limited to: operations in foreign jurisdictions, protection of intellectual property rights, contractual risk, third-party risk; clearinghouse risk, malicious actor risks, third-party software license risk, system failure risk, risk of technological change; dependence of technical infrastructure; and changes in the price of commodities, capital market conditions, restriction on labor and international travel and supply chains, and the risk factors identified in the Company’s most recent management’s discussion & analysis filed on SEDAR+. Abaxx has also assumed that no significant events occur outside of Abaxx’s normal course of business.

    Abaxx cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. In addition, although Abaxx has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, or intended. When relying on forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. Abaxx has assumed that the material factors referred to in the previous paragraphs will not cause such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this press release represents the expectations of Abaxx as of the date of this press release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. Abaxx undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements and information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements and information. Cboe Canada does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Secretary Rubio meets with Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen

    Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)

    Secretary of State Marco A. Rubio meets with Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen at the Department of State, on April 10, 2025.

    ———-
    Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.

    The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.

    Get updates from the U.S. Department of State at www.state.gov and on social media!
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/statedept
    X: https://x.com/StateDept
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/statedept
    Flickr: https://flickr.com/photos/statephotos/

    Subscribe to the State Department Blog: https://www.state.gov/blogs
    Watch on-demand State Department videos: https://video.state.gov/
    Subscribe to The Week at State e-newsletter: http://ow.ly/diiN30ro7Cw

    State Department website: https://www.state.gov/
    Careers website: https://careers.state.gov/
    White House website: https://www.whitehouse.gov/
    Terms of Use: https://state.gov/tou

    #StateDepartment #DepartmentofState #Diplomacy

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4c3pTEXaUE

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Scholten Fights Back Against DOGE and Wins Big for West Michigan

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Hillary Scholten – Michigan

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Congresswoman Hillary Scholten (MI03) announced a major win for West Michigan, successfully securing the release of more than $16 million in federal infrastructure funding from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for the Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR) after it was frozen by a Trump Administration executive order. This victory not only greenlights a critical security upgrade project, but it also protects over 50 construction jobs that were at risk of being cut.

    “This was a clear case of Trump and Musk putting political ideology over common sense. TSA’s own infrastructure funds, already appropriated by Congress, were held hostage. That’s not efficiency—it’s dysfunction, and I wasn’t going to let our community pay the price,” said Rep. Scholten. “At a time when DOGE is pulling funding, delaying critical projects, and hurting American workers, we fought back and won. We got this money moving to protect jobs and security at GRR and to prove that West Michigan won’t be sidelined by Musk’s chaos. This is exactly what I am fighting for every day in Congress.”

    GRR’s terminal enhancement project, designed to expand the airport’s capacity for checked baggage screening at the request of the TSA, was nearly derailed by DOGE and Trump’s executive order, which placed an indefinite hold on key infrastructure agreements under the guise of “cost efficiency.” In reality, the delay threatened to cost the airport an additional $125,000 every month, plus up to $500,000 in added mobilization and logistical expenses.

    In March, GRR reached out for help and the office sprang into action, pressing TSA and the Trump Administration to exempt this vital project from the funding freeze. Thanks to those efforts, an exemption was approved, and the project is back on track. Without action, more than 50 construction workers in West Michigan would have lost their jobs, and a major airport security project would have stalled. But with the funding now released, the airport can proceed with its plans—avoiding costly delays and keeping local workers on the job.

    The funds come through an agreement between TSA and the airport—a funding mechanism that is already included in the TSA’s congressional budget. Scholten’s advocacy ensured that DOGE’s erratic cuts did not get in the way of common-sense investments in local infrastructure and national security.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Deluzio Votes No on Extreme Anti-Voter Republican Bill to Strip Voter Registration Rights from Millions of Americans

    Source: US Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA)

    If passed into law, this bill would especially impact the tens of millions of married women, seniors, and U.S. Military servicemembers

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Former voting rights attorney Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17) voted no on the Republican anti-voter bill up for a vote in the House of Representatives today. If passed into law, the Republican SAVE Act could disenfranchise millions of eligible American citizens and create unnecessary administrative burdens at the state and local levels. The measure’s restrictions threaten to strip away the right to vote from tens of millions of eligible American voters, including nearly 70 million married women who changed their last name from their birth certificate and our troops who rely on their military ID or are deployed far from home. 

    “This dangerous bill could block millions of American citizens—especially military servicemembers and married women—from voting in our country’s elections. Patriotic Americans should be outraged,” said Congressman Deluzio. “If House Republicans were serious about securing our elections, they could have accepted my amendment that would have provided free photo identification to all eligible American voters—but House Republicans didn’t even consider it. The Senate should reject this bill, and Congress should focus on the urgent work of fighting corruption and strengthening our democracy.” 

    Congressman Deluzio’s amendment was rejected without a vote by the Republican-controlled House Rules Committee. The text of the amendment is here.  

    Pennsylvania’s Republican Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt, who is the chief elections official for Pennsylvania, wrote a letter to Congressman Deluzio opposing the SAVE Act. In it, he writes that, “The right to vote is sacred, and making that right contingent on having access to paperwork a voter does not have in their possession, or which may include a name that the voter has long since changed, overly burdens this important right of citizenship, and will disenfranchise Americans seeking to make their voices heard at the ballot box.” 

    Under the Republican SAVE Act, millions of American citizens could be blocked from voting. This bill requires that voters provide a passport, birth certificate with their current legal name, or military service papers in order to register, change their political party, or update their current address. It is unclear if these requirements would also apply to existing registered voters. Here are just some of the real-life impacts of this proposal: 

    • More than 146 million Americans do not have a passport and would need to obtain one. U.S. passports typically cost around $130, require substantial time and effort to obtain, and take weeks to process and arrive. 
    • Nearly 70 million women do not have a birth certificate that matches their current legal name. This means that married women without a U.S. passport would be unable to cast their ballot.
    • In order to vote in the country they serve, servicemembers would be required to provide military service papers, often with sensitive information, alongside their military ID card, which is insufficient under the Republican bill
    • This bill would remove the ability for Americans to register to vote by mail or online, even if the only reason is to update one’s party registration or address. This would require American citizens who want to register to vote to present their documents in person to an elections official. 
    • This legislation would also subject state and local election officials to hefty criminal fines and up to five years in federal prison. These criminal penalties would apply even if the election official registers an eligible American citizen. 

    More details on the bill’s impact on people in Pennsylvania is available from the House Committee on Administration. 

    The bill passed the House of Representatives this morning on a vote of 220-208 and now advances for consideration in the Senate. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ciscomani Applauds Bipartisan Passage of his Bill to Ensure Families of Fallen Veterans Receive Promised Benefits 

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

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani, a member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, celebrated the bipartisan House passage of his bill, the Prioritizing Veterans’ Survivors Act (H.R. 1288), to ensure that spouses and families of veterans receive the benefits they deserve, even after their loved one has passed away.  

    “Behind every brave man and woman in uniform are spouses, children, and families who face their own set of challenges during their loved one’s time in service,” said Ciscomani. “In the case one of our servicemembers or veterans passes away, their surviving family members deserve to have their needs prioritized, especially when it comes to accessing the benefits and support they need. My bill makes great strides to deliver on our promise to take care of our veterans and their families, and I am glad to see it pass out of the House once again with unanimous support.” 

    In 2021, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) moved the Office of Survivors Assistance (OSA) from the Office of the VA Secretary into the middle of the sprawling bureaucracy of the Veterans Benefit Administration (VBA). As a result, OSA has operated under layers of red tape and no longer has direct access to the VA secretary to fix policy issues or address problems that arise with this program.  

    Ciscomani’s legislation will move the OSA back within the Office of the VA Secretary to ensure that surviving families of veterans receive the benefits and support they were promised and provide a direct line to the Secretary so their needs and concerns are prioritized program wide at the very top of the VA. 

    “I want to thank my friend and colleague, Rep. Ciscomani, for his leadership over the last year on working to get the Prioritizing Veterans’ Survivors Act passed out of the House,” said House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Mike Bost. “This is a commonsense bill to ensure that the surviving families of our service men and women always have a seat at the VA table by reversing actions taken by the Biden administration that wrongfully moved the VA Office of Survivor Assistance out of the Office of the Secretary. In 2024, over 600,000 veterans’ survivors received benefits from VA. Rep. Ciscomani’s bill will ensure that the VA Secretary receives the advice they need to improve VA’s delivery of benefits for all survivors, including those who are not currently in receipt of such care, services, and benefits.” 

    This legislation passed the House of Representatives on April 9, 2025 with unanimous support by a vote of 424-0. The full text of the bill can be found here. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: WHO warns of severe disruptions to health services amid funding cuts

    Source: United Nations 2

    Health

    Recent funding cuts have caused “severe disruptions” to health services in almost three-quarters of all countries, according to the head of the UN World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

    Speaking on Thursday at a press conference in Geneva, Tedros said that in around 25 per cent of countries, some health facilities have had to close completely due to cuts, according to figures from more than 100 countries compiled by WHO.

    Severe disruptions

    Out-of-pocket payments for health services have led to disruptions to the supply of medicines and other health products, as well as rising job losses in the healthcare sector.

    As a result, “countries are revising budgets, cutting costs and strengthening fundraising and partnerships,” said the UN health agency chief.

    From aid dependency to self-reliance

    Having to revise budgets, cut costs and strengthen partnerships and fundraising, some countries are relying on WHO’s support to transition away from aid dependency towards sustainable self-reliance.

    “We are now supporting countries to accelerate that transition,” said Tedros, citing examples of countries such as South Africa and Kenya, who are successfully working towards averting the health impacts of sudden and unplanned cuts.

    WHO recommendations

    Tedros provided countries with several recommendations on ways to mitigate funding cuts:

    • The world’s poorest populations need prioritising by limiting their exposure to out-of-pocket spending
    • Resist reductions in public health spending and protect health budgets
    • Channel donor funds through national budgets, rather than parallel donation systems
    • Avoid cutting services or closing facilities, and absorb as much of the impact as possible through efficiency gains in health system

    New revenue sources

    Through short and long-term tools, WHO also encourages countries to generate new sources of revenues.

    Immediate measures such as introducing or increasing taxes on products that harm public health is another effective tool to maintain spending on health, he added.

    Countries such Colombia and the Gambia, who in recent years have introduced such taxes, have seen revenues increase and consumption fall, said Tedros.

    In the longer term, WHO is advocating for social and community-based health insurance policies, where individuals or families can contribute a small amount to a fund which boosts health service financing.

    Although not all measures will be right for every country, WHO is “working with affected countries to identify which measures are best for them, and to tailor those measures accordingly.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaptur and Mann Lead Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation Fighting for Farmers with Biofuel Tax Credit

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

    Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), and Tracey Mann (KS-01) reintroduced the bipartisan and bicameral Farmer First Fuel Incentives Act, which would protect American farmers by restricting the eligibility of the 45Z Tax Credit to renewable fuels made only from domestically sourced feedstocks. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Roger Marshall, MD (R-KS) have introduced an identical companion bill in the United States Senate.

    “Today, I joined my colleagues in this important bicameral and bipartisan effort because helping American farmers, producers, and growers goes beyond state and party lines, and is more important now than ever,” said Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09).“We must ensure the Clean Fuel Production tax credit is structured in a way that benefits domestic producers, and not one that advantages foreign-produced feedstocks from China or Brazil. Our legislation extends this credit through 2034 and will bolster American energy independence by prioritizing American producers and the production of domestic biofuels.”

    “American tax incentives should benefit American-grown products and American farmers, not foreign producers,” said Congressman Tracey Mann (KS-01). “Foreign feedstocks can play a significant role in producing domestically manufactured ethanol, biodiesel, renewable diesel, and sustainable aviation fuel, but we cannot allow them to displace harvest grown right in our backyard. Our tax code should reward their grit and tenacity, not prop up feedstocks grown overseas.”

    This legislation would extend the 45Z tax credit and give the ethanol industry the time and financial incentive to build up the infrastructure needed for the US to be less reliant on foreign fuel, open new markets for farmers, and increase ethanol production across the Midwest. Additionally, this bill fixes the glaring flaw in 45Z that negatively impacts farmers wanting to sell feedstocks to the biodiesel and renewable diesel industry. If 45Z continues as-is, taxpayers are at risk of further subsidizing Chinese-used cooking oil and undermining the use of soy, canola, sorghum, and corn oil in renewable fuels.

    “Domestically produced biofuel strengthens our energy independence, supports our farmers, and boosts rural economies,” said Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). “The introduction of the Farmers First Fuel Incentives Act is an important step as we work to maximize the potential of the 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit and clean fuel investments across rural America. By extending the credit for another ten years, this legislation gives farmers and biofuel producers the certainty they need to provide consumers with affordable, lower-carbon fuel options.”

    “The Farmer First Fuel Incentives Act is commonsense legislation that stops sending American taxpayer dollars to China, expands robust domestic markets for agriculture producers, and increases certainty for the biofuels industry,” said Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS). “With President Trump in the White House and Republicans leading both the Senate and House, we are finally putting American farmers first and supporting biofuels made in the USA It’s time our energy and agricultural policies reflect that.”

    The Senate companion legislation is cosponsored by US Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Pete Ricketts (R-NE). 

    The legislation is supported by Growth Energy, American Soybean Association, National Oilseed Processors Association (NOPA), National Corn Growers Association, National Sorghum Producers, US Canola Association, and Renewable Fuels Association.

    “Farmers and businesses need to know this tax credit is here to stay before they can invest in dozens of new energy projects across rural America. With this bill they’ll have the certainty they need to accelerate innovation, create thousands of new jobs, and secure new markets for farmers and biofuel producers,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. “We applaud this leadership and thank all our rural champions for working to put American renewable fuel producers and farmers in the best possible position to succeed in next generation fuel markets.”

    “ASA thanks Senators Marshall and Klobuchar for their leadership to ensure the 45Z tax credit supports domestic biofuel producers and domestic biofuel feedstock suppliers like soybean farmers,” said American Soybean Association President Caleb Ragland. “The updated Farmers First Fuel Incentives Act includes one of our top priorities: removing arbitrary indirect land use change calculations, which put soy and all of US agriculture at a disadvantage to imported waste feedstocks of dubious origin. This legislation provides a roadmap for how the 45Z tax credit can be improved to support farmers, and we are glad to support its introduction.”

    “American tax incentives should support American farmers — not put them at a disadvantage. Ensuring that only domestic feedstocks such as U.S.-grown soybeans qualify for U.S. tax credits is a straightforward way to strengthen our domestic supply chain and rural economy,” said National Oilseed Processors Association (NOPA) President and CEO Devin Mogler. “At the same time, eliminating the outdated and flawed Indirect Land Use Change (ILUC) penalty removes an arbitrary barrier that unfairly punishes US producers while benefiting foreign competitors. We appreciate Congresswoman Kaptur, Congressman Mann, and Senators Marshall and Klobuchar for their leadership to ensure the Clean Fuel Production Credit works as intended — to support American agriculture and American energy.”

    “We are deeply appreciative of these leaders for introducing legislation that establishes requirements for a tax credit that will level the playing field for America’s corn growers,” said National Corn Growers Association President Kenneth Hartman Jr. “This bill brings American farmers a step closer to unlocking an exciting new market with global reach.”

    “We appreciate the focus on “farmers first” legislation and the support of 45Z and domestic feedstocks like sorghum,” said Amy France, Chair of the National Sorghum Producers. “Domestic biofuel production remains critical to our farm and our country’s success.”

    “The US Canola Association strongly supports the removal of arbitrary and uncertain indirect land use change (ILUC) assumptions from the calculation of federal clean fuel production tax credits,” said Tim Mickelson, President of the US Canola Association. “We applaud the sponsors and co-sponsors for their efforts to improve and extend the tax credit for biofuels. The flawed assumptions used to calculate indirect emissions have resulted in canola being excluded despite being a proven feedstock that the US EPA’s analysis conservatively shows reduces emissions up to 78%.  We urge Congress to enact these important changes to provide certainty, stability, and market opportunity for canola growers and our biofuels industry partners.” 

    You can find the full House bill text by clicking here.

    Background:

    • In 2024, Congresswoman Kaptur also led multiple bipartisan letters calling for the US Department of the Treasury to restrict the eligibility of the 45Z Tax Credit to renewable fuels made only from domestically sourced feedstocks, like Kansas soybean oil and corn oil.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: LEADER JEFFRIES: “THE BUDGET RESOLUTION WILL SET IN MOTION SOME OF THE MOST EXTREME CUTS TO HEALTHCARE AND NUTRITIONAL ASSISTANCE”

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

    Washington, DC – Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries held a press conference where he emphasized that while Donald Trump and Republicans are crashing the economy and passing their reckless budget scheme meant to destroy the American way of life, House Democrats will continue to work to lower the cost of living and build an economy that works for everyday Americans.

    LEADER JEFFRIES: Good morning. Here in the Capitol, the battle lines with respect to Democratic values and Republican values have once again been clearly drawn. House and Senate Democrats are standing on the side of the American people, and we continue to be committed to building an economy that’s affordable and that works for everyday Americans and drives down the high cost of living while protecting healthcare, nutritional assistance and the Social Security of the American people. 

    Donald Trump and extreme MAGA Republicans are doing everything they can to tank our economy, drive us toward a recession and gut the healthcare of the American people by visiting upon them the largest Medicaid cut in history, along with the largest cut to nutritional assistance in American history, all in service of enacting massive tax breaks for their billionaire donors like Elon Musk. It’s a toxic scheme that they cannot hide from because it continues to be on full display on the House Floor and on the Senate Floor for the American people.

    The budget resolution that passed the House today will set in motion some of the most extreme cuts to healthcare, nutritional assistance and the things that matter to everyday Americans in our nation’s nearly 250-year history. It’s a disgrace. This is just the beginning. And House Democrats are going to aggressively push back every day, every week, every month until we bury this reckless Republican budget resolution in the ground, never to rise again.

    Full press conference can be watched here. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DelBene, DeLauro, Torres Introduce Legislation to Bring Back Monthly Child Tax Credit Payments

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (1st District of Washington)

    Today, U.S. Representatives Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), and Ritchie Torres (NY-15) reintroduced the American Family Act, legislation that would make permanent the expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC), which provided families with monthly payments of up to $300 per child.

    The expanded, monthly Child Tax Credit is proven to help rebuild the middle class and lift millions of children out of poverty. The 2021 expansion of the credit in the American Rescue Plan Act was based on the American Family Act. It led to a historic reduction in poverty in the United States, particularly for children. Research showed that child poverty fell by nearly half to 5.2%, its lowest level on record.

    President Trump campaigned on lowering costs for American families and Vice President JD Vance voiced support for bolstering the Child Tax Credit on the campaign trail. As Republicans work on a forthcoming tax package, they must include the fully expanded Child Tax Credit – a commonsense, tested policy that delivers for American workers and families.

     “I consistently hear from families in my district and across the country about the challenges they face getting by. The costs of housing, food, and child care can be overwhelming. Democrats have a proven solution to help families in the expanded Child Tax Credit. We know that it works because we have seen it before, and it is supported by considerable data and countless stories from families,” said DelBene. “Republicans let the expanded Child Tax Credit expire at the end of 2021 and since then child poverty has more than doubled. Lifting kids out of poverty should not be a partisan issue. Yet, Republicans continue to prioritize the wealthy and well-connected and refuse to work to create bipartisan tax policy that supports working families. If we truly want to make America a place where families and the middle class can thrive, we need to pass the American Family Act.”

    “Families are living paycheck to paycheck,” said DeLauro. “They need help dealing with high costs and the Child Tax Credit is one of our most powerful and proven solutions – an antidote to inflation. It provides middle and working-class families with unprecedented economic security and lifts millions of children out of poverty. I am proud to join my colleagues in reintroducing this legislation. We need the Child Tax Credit now.”

    “The American Family Act would be a lifeline for millions of families who have been left behind for far too long. By expanding and fully refunding the Child Tax Credit, we would make a crucial investment in the future of our children — lifting millions out of poverty, putting money directly into the pockets of working families, and ensuring that every child, no matter their background, has a fair shot at success,” said Torres. “The evidence is clear: the expanded CTC worked at exponentially reducing childhood poverty, and it is time to make it permanent. This is not just economic policy: it is a moral imperative.”

    Senators Michael Bennet (CO), Cory Booker (NJ), and Raphael Warnock (GA) introduced identical legislation in the Senate.

    The American Family Act would:

    • Increase the value of the CTC from the current level of $2,000 per child to $6,360 for newborns, $4,320 for children ages one through six, and $3,600 for children age six through 17.
    • Make the credit fully refundable, ensuring that the families of 17 million low-income children left out of the CTC under current law will receive the full credit.
    • Provide for monthly delivery of the credit so families have access to the credit as bills arrive.
    • Index the CTC for inflation to preserve the value of the credit moving forward.

    A copy of the bill text can be found here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: CONGRESSWOMAN EXPRESSES CONCERN AND EXTENDS CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILIES OF THOSE IMPACTED BY THE NIGHCLUB ROOF COLLAPSE IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (USVI)

    For Immediate Release                                          Contact: Tionee Scotland
    April 10, 2025                                                           202-808-6129

    PRESS RELEASE

    CONGRESSWOMAN  EXPRESSES CONCERN AND EXTENDS CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILIES OF THOSE IMPACTED BY THE NIGHCLUB ROOF COLLAPSE IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

    Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett shared the following statement on the roof collapse incident that took place earlier this week in the Dominican Republic:

    “I was deeply saddened to hear of the tragic roof collapse incident that took place at a popular nightclub in the Dominican Republic a few days ago. More than 180 individuals died and another 150 plus have been hospitalized. This is a devastating time for numerous families across the Dominican Republic and within the Dominican diaspora in the US and the broader Caribbean.

    “My heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who were lost and with those who are now in recovery. I pray God’s grace and strength surround you all during this difficult time.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Rep. Jimmy Gomez Grills Trump Trade Chief Over $4,600 “Tariff Tax” on Families as Trump Caves on $6 Trillion Trade Agenda

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

    Gomez: “You imposed tariffs on an island inhabited by penguins. Consumer confidence is plummeting—and you’re saying, ‘Trust us?’”

    **VIDEO AVAILABLE**

    Watch his full remarks HERE.

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — At a House Ways and Means Committee hearing on the Trump Administration’s 2025 Trade Policy Agenda with U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Ambassador Jamieson Greer, Rep. Jimmy Gomez (CA-34) delivered a powerful rebuke of the Trump administration’s reckless tariff policy, calling out its devastating impact on working families and exposing the out-of-touch economic priorities driving it. In a pointed exchange with Trump’s top trade official, Gomez demanded answers, accountability, and clarity for everyday Americans feeling the squeeze.

    During his five-minutes of questioning, Rep. Gomez:

    • Confronted Greer on the skyrocketing costs of Trump’s tariffs and their impact on food, clothes, cars, and basic household goods
    • Blasted the administration’s misleading claims of “short-term pain,” equating it to economic gaslighting
    • Exposed Greer’s multiple overlapping roles — including USTR, acting ethics chief, and whistleblower overseer — and questioned who’s really running the trade agenda
    • Mocked the administration’s incompetence, citing reports of tariffs on an island inhabited only by penguins

    KEY MOMENTS FROM THE HEARING:

    On tariffs as a hidden tax on working people: “Do you agree that tariffs are a tax—yes or no? …Economists say that 98 to 99% of that tax is passed on to the American consumer in higher prices… and it’s going to fall disproportionately, especially on working Americans.”

    On the real cost of Trump’s trade war: “Yesterday, it was said there’d be a $3,800-a-year increase for working families. Today it’s $4,600. What’s the increase going to be tomorrow—$5,200?”

    On the disconnect between Trump’s advisors and American families: “My constituents don’t make $1.5 million a year like you did at King & Spalding. We check our budgets every month to decide what we have to cut back on. That’s the reality for working families.”

    On hypocrisy at the top: “You also have a Cabinet of billionaires. Lucknick, Bescent, Elon Musk—I mean Donald Trump himself. For them, $4,600 doesn’t mean anything. But for the average worker, it does.”

    On lack of credibility and leadership in the trade agenda: “You’re the USTR, the acting ethics chief, the chief whistleblower, and the lead trade negotiator—so who’s actually running the show? Even Donald Trump said it was the Commerce Secretary.”

    On the administration’s failure to level with the American people: “You’re saying, ‘Trust us, trust us—there’ll be short-term pain.’ But we see a plan that doesn’t make sense, a flawed formula, the stock market crashing, and red lights blinking on a recession.”

    On calling out absurdity and demanding accountability: “You imposed tariffs on an island inhabited by penguins. Consumer confidence is plummeting—and you’re saying, ‘Trust us’? That doesn’t pass the smell test.”

    Rep. Gomez concluded: “We’ve worked on other issues before, and I hope we can work on others moving forward—but you need to be straight about who’s running the show, because this is going to fall and hurt the American worker.”

    You can read the full transcript HERE.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Democratic Lawmakers Call for Transparency on Member Stock Trading During Trump’s Economic Chaos, Demand Ban be Considered by House

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Levin (CA-49)

    April 10, 2025

    Washington, D.C. — Today, Democratic Representatives Mike Levin (CA-49), Joe Neguse (CO-02), Seth Magaziner (RI-02), Steven Horsford (NV-04), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) and David Min (CA-47) penned a letter to Speaker Mike Johnson requesting that he call on every member of the House of Representatives to immediately file and release their Periodic Trading Reports (PTR) for any transactions conducted between April 2, 2025 and April 9, 2025 – the window in which President Donald Trump and his administration plunged the United States into a reckless trade war, issuing on-again, off-again tariffs on nearly 90 countries, and immediately schedule for a vote legislation to ban stock trading by representatives. 

    The lawmakers’ correspondence called to attention that Members closest to the President, including many of whom met or were in his presence throughout the course of the whiplash on Wall Street, were in position to profit from the unstable changes in policy. 

    “It would be unconscionable for any Member of Congress to use their personal position to benefit financially, especially in a time where Americans across the country are experiencing financial chaos,” wrote Reps. Levin, Neguse, Magaziner, Horsford, Ocasio-Cortez, and Min. “Therefore, we respectfully request that you join us in requesting that Members of Congress immediately release their PTRs, rather than the customary 45-day deadline. The American people deserve to know if any representatives took advantage of their positions for personal gain.” 

    The lawmakers’ request is the latest in a series of commonsense efforts to ensure Members of Congress are effectively representing the interests of the American people, not their own stock portfolios. Neguse and his fellow co-signers have also championed a number of legislative and oversight measures that would require both representatives and their families to place investments, like individual stocks, in a blind trust during their tenure in Congress – effectively banning Members of Congress from trading individual stocks. 

    The full text of the letter is available HERE and below: 

    Dear Speaker Johnson, 

    We write to urge that you join us in requesting every Member of the House of Representatives immediately file and release their Periodic Trading Reports (PTR) for any transactions conducted between April 2, 2025, and April 9, 2025. The public has the right to know whether anyone in the Congress profited from the considerable market instability and economic chaos caused by President Trump and his administration over the past week. 

    As you are well aware, President Trump’s widespread imposition of tariffs across the world sent the market into a tailspin and placed the country’s economic stability at risk. In response to the outcry from Americans and our allies, President Trump paused some of these tariffs, opening a ripe opportunity for Members — particularly those close to the President — to personally profit from the change in policy. Over the past week, House Republicans met with President Trump at the White House, attended the National Republican Congressional Committee dinner (mere hours before pausing the tariffs), and were in regular communication with the President ahead of the vote on the budget reconciliation resolution. 

    It would be unconscionable for any Member of Congress to use their personal position to benefit financially, especially in a time where Americans across the country are experiencing financial chaos. Therefore, we urge you to join us in requesting that Members of Congress immediately release their PTRs, rather than the customary 45-day deadline. The American people deserve to know if any representatives took advantage of their positions for personal gain. Further, it is with that in mind that we reiterate our request for immediate consideration of legislation to ban members of Congress from trading stocks.

    We look forward to your prompt attention and action on this matter. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: H.R. 1716, Taiwan Conflict Deterrence Act of 2025

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    H.R. 1716 would require the Department of the Treasury to publish a report listing estimated total funds held by certain Chinese leaders and the financial institutions where significant portions of the funds are held. The report would be due within 90 days of the Congress receiving a notice from the President concerning a threat to Taiwan by China. That list would be updated every three years unless the threat is deemed no longer present. The bill also would direct the department to prohibit the listed Chinese leaders or their families from using any U.S. financial services. That requirement would terminate either 30 days after the President deems that Taiwan is no longer under threat or 25 years after the department submits a final report.

    The 1979 Taiwan Relations Act directs the President to promptly inform the Congress of any threat to the security or the social or economic systems of the people of Taiwan and of any danger to the interests of the United States that arises from that threat. CBO cannot determine when actions by China could result in the President providing such notice and thus invoking the bill’s reporting requirements. In the event of such a notice, CBO estimates that the required report and other actions would cost less than $500,000 over the 2025-2030 period; any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

    The Department of the Treasury would need information from the federal financial regulatory agencies, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, among others, to carry out the bill’s requirements. H.R. 1716 could affect direct spending by those agencies, some of which are allowed to use fees to cover their operating costs. CBO estimates that the net change in direct spending by federal financial regulatory agencies would be less than $500,000 over the 2025-2035 period.

    Administrative costs incurred by the Federal Reserve, another federal financial regulatory agency, would reduce remittances to the Treasury; such remittances are recorded in the budget as revenues. CBO estimates that the cost to the Federal Reserve would be insignificant.

    The bill also would establish civil and criminal penalties for failure to comply with the new authorities. Civil fines are recorded in the budget as revenues. Criminal fines are recorded as revenues, deposited in the Crime Victims Fund, and subsequently spent without further appropriation. CBO estimates that any additional collections and associated spending would be insignificant because of the relatively small number of additional cases likely to occur over the 2025-2035 period.

    H.R. 1716 would impose a private-sector mandate as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) on U.S. financial institutions if the Treasury prohibits transactions between them and certain Chinese leaders or their families. The cost of the mandate would include the forgone revenue that would be attributable to those transactions. Because the restriction would apply only in a small number of cases, CBO estimates that the cost of the mandate would not exceed the private-sector threshold established in UMRA ($206 million in 2025, adjusted annually for inflation).

    The bill would not impose intergovernmental mandates.

    The CBO staff contacts for this estimate are Matthew Pickford (for federal costs), Nathaniel Frentz (for the Federal Reserve), and Andrew Laughlin (for mandates). The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.

    Phillip L. Swagel

    Director, Congressional Budget Office

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FDA Announces Plan to Phase Out Animal Testing Requirement for Monoclonal Antibodies and Other Drugs

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

    For Immediate Release:
    April 10, 2025

    Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is taking a groundbreaking step to advance public health by replacing animal testing in the development of monoclonal antibody therapies and other drugs with more effective, human-relevant methods. The new approach is designed to improve drug safety and accelerate the evaluation process, while reducing animal experimentation, lowering research and development (R&D) costs, and ultimately, drug prices.
    The FDA’s animal testing requirement will be reduced, refined, or potentially replaced using a range of approaches, including AI-based computational models of toxicity and cell lines and organoid toxicity testing in a laboratory setting (so-called New Approach Methodologies or NAMs data). Implementation of the regimen will begin immediately for investigational new drug (IND) applications, where inclusion of NAMs data is encouraged, and is outlined in a roadmap also being released today. To make determinations of efficacy, the agency will also begin use pre-existing, real-world safety data from other countries, with comparable regulatory standards, where the drug has already been studied in humans.
    “For too long, drug manufacturers have performed additional animal testing of drugs that have data in broad human use internationally. This initiative marks a paradigm shift in drug evaluation and holds promise to accelerate cures and meaningful treatments for Americans while reducing animal use,” said FDA Commissioner Martin A. Makary, M.D., M.P.H. “By leveraging AI-based computational modeling, human organ model-based lab testing, and real-world human data, we can get safer treatments to patients faster and more reliably, while also reducing R&D costs and drug prices. It is a win-win for public health and ethics.”
    Key Benefits of Replacing Animal Testing in Monoclonal Antibody Safety Evaluation:

    Advanced Computer Simulations: The roadmap encourages developers to leverage computer modeling and artificial intelligence to predict a drug’s behavior. For example, software models could simulate how a monoclonal antibody distributes through the human body and reliably predict side effects based on this distribution as well as the drug’s molecular composition. We believe this will drastically reduce the need for animal trials.
    Human-Based Lab Models: The FDA will promote the use of lab-grown human “organoids” and organ-on-a-chip systems that mimic human organs – such as liver, heart, and immune organs – to test drug safety. These experiments can reveal toxic effects that could easily go undetected in animals, providing a more direct window into human responses.
    Regulatory Incentives: The agency will work to update its guidelines to allow consideration of data from these new methods. Companies that submit strong safety data from non-animal tests may receive streamlined review, as the need for certain animal studies is eliminated, which would incentivize investment in modernized testing platforms.
    Faster Drug Development: The use of these modern techniques should help speed up the drug development process, enabling monoclonal antibody therapies to reach patients more quickly without compromising safety.
    Global Leadership in Regulatory Science: With this move, the FDA reaffirms its role as a global leader in modern regulatory science, setting new standards for the industry and encouraging the adoption of innovative, humane testing methods. In recent years, Congress and the scientific community have pressed for more human-relevant testing methods. Today’s announcement is a step by the FDA towards its commitment to modernize regulatory science as technology advances.

    Working in close partnership with federal agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, the National Toxicology Program and the Department of Veterans Affairs, the FDA aims to accelerate the validation and adoption of these innovative methods through the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM). The FDA and federal partners will host a public workshop later this year to discuss the roadmap and gather stakeholder input on its implementation. Over the coming year, the FDA aims to launch a pilot program allowing select monoclonal antibody developers to use a primarily non-animal-based testing strategy, under close FDA consultation. Findings from an accompanying pilot study will inform broader policy changes and guidance updates expected to roll out in phases.
    Commissioner Makary noted the far-reaching significance of this proposal. “For patients, it means a more efficient pipeline for novel treatments. It also means an added margin of safety, since human-based test systems may better predict real-world outcomes. For animal welfare, it represents a major step toward ending the use of laboratory animals in drug testing. Thousands of animals, including dogs and primates, could eventually be spared each year as these new methods take root.”
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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker Introduces Legislation to End Pushout of Students of Color

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced legislation to end the pushout of students, especially girls of color, from schools. The Ending PUSHOUT Act invests in safe and nurturing school environments for all students to put an end to the harmful way students are overcriminalized and policed at school. U.S. Representatives Ayanna Pressley (D-MA-07), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ-12), and Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) reintroduced companion legislation in the House.

    “Research shows that students of color, particularly girls, are often subjected to harsher and more frequent disciplinary action,” said Senator Booker. “The Ending PUSHOUT Act is critical legislation that would invest federal dollars into implementing evidence-based alternatives to suspension and expulsion while also creating a safer academic environment for all students to thrive.”

    “Classrooms should be a place for students to learn, grow, and thrive – not be overpoliced and criminalized. With Republicans gutting public education and attacking vulnerable students, our bill would help stop the pushout of Black and brown girls from schools, and invest in safe, nurturing learning environments for all students,” said Congresswoman Pressley. “I’m grateful to Senator Booker for his ongoing partnership and for the coalition of individuals and organizations from across the country who joined us in support of the Ending PUSHOUT Act. We must affirm the right for every student to learn in a setting free from fear.”

    The Ending PUSHOUT Act would aim to create a safe academic environment for all students, especially girls of color, by:

    1. Establishing new federal grants to support local educational agencies and nonprofit organizations to:
      1. Evaluate the current discipline policies of schools under the eligible entity in partnership with students, family members of students, and the local community; 
      2. Provide training and professional development for school officials to avoid or address the overuse of discriminatory and exclusionary discipline practices;
      3. Implement and evaluate evidence-based alternatives to suspension or expulsion.
    2. Grantees would be required to ban:
      1. Out-of-school suspension or expulsion for students in preschool through grade 5 for non-violent offenses and all students in preschool through grade 12 for infractions such as insubordination, willful defiance, vulgarity, truancy, tardiness, chronic absenteeism, or violations of grooming or appearance policies; and
      2. The use of corporal punishment, seclusion, mechanical or chemical restraints, and any form of physical restraint or escort.
    3. Protecting the Civil Rights Data Collection and strengthening the Department of Education’s (ED) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) by:
      1. Requiring the Department of Education to collect civil rights data annually to ensure all students have equal access to a high-quality education and a safe and nurturing school environment.
      2. Requiring additional reporting on the school pushout crisis to spot harmful trends in real time and help hold schools accountable for discriminating against students.
      3. Making data about pushouts and other harmful discipline practices publicly available while protecting student privacy.
      4. Investing $500 million annually for OCR to build additional capacity for monitoring and enforcing civil rights laws.
    4. Establishing a federal interagency taskforce to end school pushout and examine its disproportionate impact on girls of color

    To read the full text of the bill, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Blumenthal, Bonamici, Lee Urge ED, OCR to Rescind Guidance on Inclusive Classrooms

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), along with U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01) and Summer Lee (D-PA-12), led colleagues in writing a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor calling for the Department of Education (ED) to immediately rescind their guidance on inclusive classrooms.

    “In February, OCR’s DCL threatened to rescind federal funding from any school, district, or state that seeks to create inclusive classrooms. Although ED published the March FAQ ostensibly to clarify this guidance, the FAQ document spreads misinformation by falsely suggesting, without evidence, that social and emotional learning (SEL) and culturally responsive teaching are discriminatory,” the lawmakers wrote. 

    SEL and culturally responsive teaching are both evidence-based educational practices that create supportive environments, help students build social and emotional skills, and promote student engagement and academic achievement in the classroom.

    “Although we have numerous significant concerns with the substance and content of OCR’s recent guidance, we write specifically to express our opposition to the guidance provided in Question 8 of the FAQ, which falsely claims that “schools have sought to veil discriminatory policies with terms like ‘social-emotional learning’ or ‘culturally responsive’ teaching,” and suggests such curricula are discriminatory under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. This erroneous guidance contradicts scientific evidence, prior OCR guidance, and long-standing state and local laws and practices,” the lawmakers continued. 

    The Department of Education’s guidance seeks to override state and district leadership over curriculum despite Congress and numerous federal laws specifically prohibiting federal involvement in curriculum decisions.

    “Because of the strong, established evidence that supports schools’ use of SEL and culturally responsive teaching, we strongly urge OCR to immediately rescind the February 14th Dear Colleague Letter and March 1st FAQ, both of which undermine OCR’s long-standing guidance and threaten critical funding that supports students nationwide,” the lawmakers concluded

    The letter is endorsed by the following organizations: CASEL, National Association for College Admission Counseling, National Science Teaching Association, Educators for Excellence, International Literacy Association, National Parents Union, National Association of School Psychologists, American Federation of School Administrators, and Social Emotional Learning Alliance for the United States.

    The letter is cosigned by U.S. Senators Andy Kim (D-NJ), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Alex Padilla (D-CA), and U.S. Representatives Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03), Betty McCollum (D-MN-04), Andrea Salinas (D-OR-06), Danny Davis (D-IL-07), Terri Sewell (D-AL-07), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL-01), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA-04), Bennie Thompson (D-MS-02), Nydia Velazquez (D-NY-07), Dwight Evans (D-PA-03), Chellie Pingree (D-ME-03), Shri Thanedar (D-MI-13), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), and  Joyce Beatty (D-OH-03). 

    To read the full text of the letter, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Leads Bipartisan Legislation to Repeal Trump’s Ruinous Global Tariffs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, led Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) in introducing bipartisan legislation to repeal Donald Trump’s global tariffs and reassert Congress’s trade authorities. The Senators’ resolution would terminate the emergency that Trump declared in order to apply tariffs of up to 49% on products Americans buy from other countries. In the wake of Trump’s tariff declaration, markets have cratered, manufacturers have laid off thousands of workers and foreign countries have retaliated by imposing their own tariffs on U.S. agricultural and manufactured goods. 
    “The President’s reckless global trade war has already gone far beyond everyone’s worst predictions. In just a matter of days, President Trump has thrown the economy into chaos and wiped out Vermonters’ retirement funds–all in an apparent attempt to achieve deeply misguided foreign policy goals,” said Senator Welch. “Congress must stand up and reassert our constitutional role in setting trade policy before Trump’s tariffs ruin more lives and livelihoods.” 
    “Trump’s trade chaos has put our entire economy at the mercy of one man’s social media account – that’s not how America is supposed to work,” said Senator Wyden. “Congress can’t sit on its hands while he slaps a new 10 percent tax on everything families buy, and leaves businesses and seniors in limbo until the next tariff flip flop. Congress needs to pass our bipartisan bill, end the tariff rollercoaster, and restore Congress’ Constitutional authority over trade.” 
    “Tariffs are taxes, and the power to tax belongs to Congress—not the president. Our Founders were clear: tax policy should never rest in the hands of one person,” said Senator Paul. “Abusing emergency powers to impose blanket tariffs not only drives up costs for American families but also tramples on the Constitution. It’s time Congress reasserts its authority and restores the balance of power.” 
    “Make no mistake – the president’s ill-conceived and chaotic trade war is nothing but a tax on American families,” said Senator Schumer. “Trump is leading America headfirst into a recession, with no plans on how to right the cratering economy. The Senate has the power and authority to stop this madness and we have a duty to act in a bipartisan way to repeal these tariffs, which is why I am proud to co-sponsor this legislation. It’s time for Republicans to stand up for American families, lower costs, save seniors’ retirement funds, and prevent a global economic crisis.” 
    “No President has the authority to unilaterally impose such sweeping across-the-board tariffs without congressional approval,” said Senator Kaine. “President Trump’s tariff strategy is raising costs on American families, threatening alliances our national security depends on, and creating opportunity for China and other adversaries to take advantage of global instability. The time is now for Congress to reassert its authority in matters of international trade, and I hope my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will join us.” 
    “The administration’s ill-considered, short-sighted tariffs are a historic tax hike on American families – jacking up the price of gas, fruit, coffee and other groceries, electronics, cars and everything in between,” said Senator Shaheen. “President Trump’s chaotic trade war targets close allies like Canada and Europe even while sparing adversaries like Russia — leaving America weaker, more isolated and distrusted around the globe. I’m proud to help introduce this resolution to force the administration to end these taxes before it does irreparable harm to American families and our international leadership role.” 
    “Donald Trump’s reckless agenda will hurt American families, small businesses, and manufacturers,” said Senator Warren. “The Trump tariffs are economic sabotage, and Congress has the power to stop them. Republicans can join Democrats and end this today.” 
    Under Senate rules, the measure will receive a vote on the Senate floor shortly after the Senate returns from a state work period later this month. If enacted, the resolution would terminate the emergency that Trump declared, reverse Trump’s new taxes of 10% on all imported goods and end his threat of additional tariffs up to 49% on products Americans buy from other countries. In the wake of Trump’s tariff standoff, manufacturers have laid off thousands of workers, and foreign countries have retaliated by slapping their own tariffs on U.S. agricultural and manufactured goods.  
    Read and download the full text of the resolution. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sens. Johnson, Grassley Demand Key Communications and Records Relating to FBI’s Handling of Hunter Biden’s Laptop

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson

    WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Chairman of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), and U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, sent a letter to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel demanding that the FBI provide internal communications and records relating to its handling of Hunter Biden’s laptop since the day they first possessed it on December 9, 2019.

    “On April 1, 2025, Catherine Herridge and Michael Shellenberger published a report and released FBI ‘chat messages’ from October 2020, which revealed that FBI officials were ‘actively shutting down discussion of the [Hunter Biden] laptop’s credibility before the 2020 presidential election,’” the senators wrote. 

    “While your predecessor opted to stonewall and ignore our multiple requests for information on the matter, we expect that under your leadership the FBI will be transparent with Congress. The American people deserve to see every document, along with a detailed explanation of how the FBI handled the laptop since the day they first possessed it on December 9, 2019,” the senators noted to Director Patel.

    Sens. Johnson and Grassley have requested the following information:

    1. All “chat messages” referenced in Catherine Herridge and Michael Shellenberger’s report, including but not limited to all messages provided to any office or committee of the U.S. House of Representatives referring or relating to the Hunter Biden laptop.

    2. All text messages, instant messages, team chats, and all other “chat messages” referring or relating to the Hunter Biden laptop, sent between and among the following individuals:

      1. Elvis Chan;
      2. Laura Dehmlow;
      3. Bradley Benavides;
      4. James Dennehy; and
      5. Any other FBI employee or detailee involved in the receipt, review, or assessment of the Hunter Biden laptop.

    3. All FBI records from December 1, 2019 to the present related to Hunter Biden and his electronic devices. 

    See Catherine Herridge’s post about the letter here.

    Full text of the letter can be found here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Plastics Dialogue midpoint review charts path towards MC14

    Source: World Trade Organization

    Guatemala expressed appreciation for the Dialogue’s progress on the workplan and signalled its readiness to contribute its domestic perspectives.

    Opening remarks were delivered by Ambassador Omar Zniber, from Morocco. Stressing trade’s role as a force for good in combating pollution, he emphasized the significant progress made since last summer and reiterated the goal of achieving “concrete, pragmatic, and effective outcomes” as mandated by ministers at MC13. He said that the stocktaking meeting provided an opportunity to consolidate members’ views and chart the course ahead in the remaining time before MC14.

    Morocco highlighted the success of the regional workshop for Africa held on 8 April, which brought together representatives from African member governments, businesses and international organizations. The workshop aimed to facilitate DPP discussions ahead of MC14 in Cameroon by addressing Africa-specific challenges and solutions.

    The workshop revealed that, despite accounting for just 4 per cent of global plastics production, Africa suffers disproportionately from the environmental, social and economic impacts of plastic pollution. Key challenges identified included high costs for plastics alternatives, limited access to technologies, and competition from low-cost plastics. Opportunities included reducing tariffs on eco-friendly products, promoting local innovation, and improving technology transfer for waste management and alternatives.

    Participants at the workshop also underscored the importance of regional and multilateral cooperation, with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) highlighted as a platform for regulatory alignment. Calls were made for harmonized standards, capacity building and tailored technical assistance — especially for least developed countries (LDCs).

    Morocco and Australia provided a recap of discussions on the eight focus areas, on behalf of the coordinators, which also include Barbados, China, Ecuador and Fiji. With regard to engagement in the UN-led negotiation process (Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee, or INC ) to develop a global plastics treaty, members acknowledged its expected impact on the DPP’s future work and highlighted the Dialogue’s potential role in supporting implementation.

    On transparency of plastics trade flows, strong support was expressed for leveraging existing tools such as those provided by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). In the area of technical assistance and capacity building, members welcomed continued experience-sharing, with some proposing a more structured matchmaking mechanism. On the transparency of trade-related plastics measures (TrPMs), delegates expressed support for enhancing existing data tools, such as the WTO’s Environmental Database (wto.org/EDB).

    On best practices for TrPMs, members demonstrated some support for compiling guidance aligned with WTO rules and adaptable to local contexts. Regarding harmonization and interoperability, many backed regional cooperation on single-use plastics, while emphasizing the need to tailor approaches to domestic waste management capacities.

    Discussions on access to technologies and services underscored the role of trade in enabling technology diffusion for sound waste management. On non-plastic substitutes, members suggested identifying gaps in international standards and conducting practical mapping exercises to facilitate sustainable alternatives.

    Participants then engaged in an open discussion guided by questions related to the three overarching workstreams — cross-cutting issues, plastics reduction, and sustainable plastics trade — which encompass the eight focus areas. These discussions aimed to generate suggestions on the future direction of work and next steps.

    Many co-sponsors emphasized the importance of aligning DPP activities with the anticipated outcomes of the ongoing INC negotiations. While data tools provided by the UNITAR and UNEP were appreciated, some participants proposed referencing additional data sources. Various proposals were made on the way forward, including continued thematic discussions and the organization of a dedicated matchmaking event to support enhanced technology transfer.

    Delegates also explored work on standards at both regional and global levels. There was strong interest in addressing both upstream and downstream aspects of plastics production, as well as services within the environmental trade sector. The importance of technology transfer and capacity building — particularly for developing members — was widely reaffirmed.

    Co-sponsors welcomed the Africa-themed workshop as a valuable platform for focused dialogue on regional perspectives. They expressed support for organizing more regional workshops to further deepen cooperation and shared understanding. Participants also highlighted the need to maintain balance across the three DPP workstreams. Some called for sufficient time to assess progress before determining possible outcomes for MC14. Stakeholders from other organizations also contributed suggestions during the session.

    In conclusion, Australia and Ecuador noted that they would reflect on members’ input when developing the agenda for the next three meetings, scheduled for 19 May, 22 July and 30 September. These meetings will be critical to laying the groundwork for the November meeting, where members could shape a clearer vision for outcomes at MC14. Additional regional workshops will also be organized alongside these upcoming meetings.

    Launched in November 2020 by a group of WTO members, the Dialogue on Plastics Pollution currently consists of 83 co-sponsors, representing almost 90 per cent of global trade in plastics.

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    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Marking 30th anniversary, the WTO reflects on historic achievements and future challenges

    Source: World Trade Organization

    The Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization was signed by 123 countries on 15 April 1994, leading to the birth of the WTO on 1 January 1995. Over the past 30 years, the WTO has helped to bring about a major expansion in global trade, with the objective of raising living standards, increasing employment and promoting sustainable development.

    General Council Chair, Ambassador Saqer Al Moqbel of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, opened the event highlighting the WTO’s role over the last three decades in raising living standards through trade, fostering cooperation, and maintaining a rules-based trading system. He underlined the importance of the multilateral trading system as a platform for co-operation and the place where members can build a better world through trade. “Let us not lose sight of that, particularly in the light of recent developments in global trade and the overall economic situation,” he said.

    Director-General Okonjo-Iweala stressed the importance of marking this anniversary, particularly in the light of recent tariff-related developments and the speed at which events are unfolding, adding uncertainty and instability to world trade and the world economy.

    “The uncertainty around global trade has reminded many members why they value the WTO as a bedrock of predictability in the global economy — and as a platform for dialogue and cooperation on trade,” DG Okonjo-Iweala said. She also noted that the understandable and legitimate concerns about the WTO and the multilateral trading system expressed by several members in recent times should be seen as an opportunity to “change the system for the better.”

    She noted that “a far-reaching reform agenda” for the organization should be seen as an important opportunity to improve what does not work and position the WTO for the future. She also pointed out the suggestions brought forward by many members for forward-looking corrective action and reforms to monitoring and transparency, negotiations, and dispute settlement.

    “We need to formulate the right questions to be answered to reform us, and put in place a member-owned process to drive it.” That work should start in Geneva and culminate with a ministerial debate and endorsement of a way forward at the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC14) to be held in Yaoundé, Cameroon, on 26-29 March 2026.

    Highlighting the “incalculable value for money” of an organization with an annual budget of CHF 205 million that ensures that trillions of dollars’ worth of global trade are based on rules and trust, DG Okonjo-Iweala recalled that the WTO is much more than tariffs and emphasized that the organization is functioning and providing many of the benefits it was set up to provide.

    “I remain convinced — I am the ever optimistic — that a bright future awaits global trade and the WTO if we do the right thing. Let us do the right thing and bring this organization to where it should be,” she added. Her full statement is here.

    The keynote address of the event was delivered by the former Prime Minister of Portugal and President of the European Commission José Manuel Durão Barroso, who highlighted the WTO’s role in lifting 1.5 billion people out of extreme poverty since 1995. Mr Barroso emphasized the need for the WTO in a complex global economy, noting its historic successes like lowering tariffs and increasing global trade to over U$ 30 trillion in 2023.

    Advocating for cooperation, dialogue and pragmatism, Mr Barroso stressed the importance of open trade for global prosperity and peace, as exemplified by multilateral organizations and regional integration processes like the European Union in the post-World War II era.

    The former EC President noted that the WTO “is going through what my kids would call a quarter life crisis — it has had big successes, but faces big existential challenges, and also needs to change to meet the demands of a changing world.” At the same time, he stressed the WTO is probably even more necessary today than it was when it was established in 1995.

    He recalled that 30 years ago, the United States, Europe and Japan dominated the global economy and that today global economic power is much more widely distributed. “The world is much more complex today than it was at that time. Sidelining the WTO or allowing it to slide into irrelevance through inaction or deadlock would be a costly error, one that history will not look upon kindly,” he added.

    The keynote address was followed by a plenary session on “Looking back” that brought together former Directors-General and former General Council Chairs to reflect on the work of the last 30 years and how the WTO has contributed to lifting over a billion people out of extreme poverty. The panel featured former Directors-General Supachai Panitchpakdi (2002-2005) and Roberto Azevêdo (2103-2020) as well as former General Council Chairs Ambassador Athaliah Lesiba Molokomme of Botswana and Ambassador David Walker of New Zealand.

    A second session on “Looking forward” provided the opportunity for trade ministers, business and civil society leaders from around the world to reflect on the key emerging areas that will shape the WTO’s work over the next 30 years. Speakers included the Minister of Trade of Cameroon Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, the former Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development of Canada Mary Ng, the former Nestlé CEO Mark Schneider, the Secretary-General of the International Organization for Standardization Mario Mujica, and the Executive Director of the South Centre Carlos Correa.

    To close the event, the group of “Friends of the System” issued a statement in support of the rules-based multilateral trading system on the occasion of the 30th anniversary. The communication, supported by 39 members, recognizes the value and achievements of the WTO since 1995. It also reaffirms the central and indispensable role of the organization at the core of the rules-based multilateral trading system, which provides a predictable, transparent, non-discriminatory and open global trading system.

    As the WTO charts a path forward, the group called for a recommitment to pursuing reforms so that the organization will continue to respond to the needs of its diverse membership, reinforce its relevance by responding to the challenges it faces and facilitate free and fair trade. It also emphasized the need to uphold the principles of inclusivity and cooperation, including by enhancing trade capacities.

    The event was closed with a statement from State Councillor Anne Hiltpold on behalf of the Republic and Canton of Geneva.

    This portal highlights some of the WTO’s achievements over the last three decades and the events planned to mark its 30th anniversary.

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    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Marshall and Klobuchar Lead Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation Fighting for Farmers with Biofuel Tax Credit 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall
    Washington – U.S. Senators Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) today reintroduced the bipartisan and bicameral Farmer First Fuel Incentives Act, which would protect American farmers by restricting the eligibility of the 45Z Tax Credit to renewable fuels made only from domestically sourced feedstocks. U.S. Representatives Tracey Mann (R-Kansas-01) and Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio-09) have introduced an identical bill in the House of Representatives.
    This bill would extend the 45Z tax credit and give the ethanol industry the time and financial incentive to build up the infrastructure needed for the U.S. to be less reliant on foreign fuel, open new markets for farmers, and increase ethanol production across the Midwest. Additionally, this bill fixes the glaring flaw in 45Z that negatively impacts farmers wanting to sell feedstocks to the biodiesel and renewable diesel industry. If 45Z continues as-is, taxpayers are at risk of further subsidizing Chinese-used cooking oil and undermining the use of soy, canola, sorghum, and corn oil in renewable fuels.
    “The Farmer First Fuel Incentives Act is commonsense legislation that stops sending American taxpayer dollars to China, expands robust domestic markets for agriculture producers, and increases certainty for the biofuels industry,” said Senator Marshall. “With President Trump in the White House and Republicans leading both the Senate and House, we are finally putting American farmers first and supporting biofuels made in the U.S.A. It’s time our energy and agricultural policies reflect that.”
    “Domestically produced biofuel strengthens our energy independence, supports our farmers, and boosts rural economies,” said Senator Klobuchar. “The introduction of the Farmers First Fuel Incentives Act is an important step as we work to maximize the potential of the 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit and clean fuel investments across rural America. By extending the credit for another ten years, this legislation gives farmers and biofuel producers the certainty they need to provide consumers with affordable, lower-carbon fuel options.” 
    “American tax incentives should benefit American-grown products and American farmers, not foreign producers,” said Representative Mann. “Foreign feedstocks can play a significant role in producing domestically manufactured ethanol, biodiesel, renewable diesel, and sustainable aviation fuel, but we cannot allow them to displace harvest grown right in our backyard. Our tax code should reward their grit and tenacity, not prop up feedstocks grown overseas.”
    “Today, I joined my colleagues in this important bicameral and bipartisan effort because helping American farmers, producers, and growers goes beyond state and party lines, and is more important now than ever,” said Representative Kaptur. “We must ensure the Clean Fuel Production tax credit is structured in a way that benefits domestic producers, and not one that advantages foreign-produced feedstocks from China or Brazil. Our legislation extends this credit through 2034 and will bolster American energy independence by prioritizing American producers and the production of domestic biofuels.”
    This legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Elissa Slotkin (D-Michigan), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin), and Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska).  
    “Throughout my time in Congress, I’ve led the charge to build certainty and clarity into biofuel policies and put Iowa farmers at the forefront of delivering better, more affordable options at the gas pump,” said Senator Ernst. “The Farmer First Fuel Incentives Act does just that by giving producers the long-term certainty they need to go all-in on increasing production of domestic biofuels. It’s critical that we fully leverage homegrown, American biofuels and ensure not a cent of taxpayer dollars fund fuel produced with foreign crops.”
    “America’s biofuel producers are a key piece in helping to secure U.S. energy independence,” said Senator Fischer. “That’s why Americans’ hard-earned tax dollars should support home-grown feedstocks—not incentivize foreign competitors. Our bipartisan legislation ensures that renewable fuel tax incentives support American producers—not overseas interests.” 
    “American tax credits should support American farmers. The Farmer First Fuel Incentives Act provides long-term certainty for Nebraskan producers through tax policy that makes sense,” said Senator Ricketts. “By bolstering the development of a domestic fuel supply chain, this bipartisan bill puts American farmers first.”
    The legislation is supported by Growth Energy, American Soybean Association, National Oilseed Processors Association (NOPA), National Corn Growers Association, National Sorghum Producers, U.S. Canola Association, and Renewable Fuels Association.
    “Farmers and businesses need to know this tax credit is here to stay before they can invest in dozens of new energy projects across rural America. With this bill they’ll have the certainty they need to accelerate innovation, create thousands of new jobs, and secure new markets for farmers and biofuel producers,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. “We applaud Sen. Marshall and Sen. Klobuchar for their leadership and thank all our rural champions for working to put American renewable fuel producers and farmers in the best possible position to succeed in next generation fuel markets.”
    “ASA thanks Senators Marshall and Klobuchar for their leadership to ensure the 45Z tax credit supports domestic biofuel producers and domestic biofuel feedstock suppliers like soybean farmers,” said American Soybean Association President Caleb Ragland. “The updated Farmers First Fuel Incentives Act includes one of our top priorities: removing arbitrary indirect land use change calculations, which put soy and all of U.S. agriculture at a disadvantage to imported waste feedstocks of dubious origin. This legislation provides a roadmap for how the 45Z tax credit can be improved to support farmers, and we are glad to support its introduction.”
    “American tax incentives should support American farmers — not put them at a disadvantage. Ensuring that only domestic feedstocks such as U.S.-grown soybeans qualify for U.S. tax credits is a straightforward way to strengthen our domestic supply chain and rural economy,” said National Oilseed Processors Association (NOPA) President and CEO Devin Mogler. “At the same time, eliminating the outdated and flawed Indirect Land Use Change (ILUC) penalty removes an arbitrary barrier that unfairly punishes U.S. producers while benefiting foreign competitors. We appreciate Senators Marshall and Klobuchar for their leadership to ensure the Clean Fuel Production Credit works as intended — to support American agriculture and American energy.”
    “We are deeply appreciative of these leaders for introducing legislation that establishes requirements for a tax credit that will level the playing field for America’s corn growers,” said National Corn Growers Association President Kenneth Hartman Jr. “This bill brings American farmers a step closer to unlocking an exciting new market with global reach.”
    “We appreciate the focus on “farmers first” legislation and the support of 45Z and domestic feedstocks like sorghum,” said Amy France, Chair of the National Sorghum Producers. “Domestic biofuel production remains critical to our farm and our country’s success.”
    “The U.S. Canola Association strongly supports the removal of arbitrary and uncertain indirect land use change (ILUC) assumptions from the calculation of federal clean fuel production tax credits,” said Tim Mickelson, President of the U.S. Canola Association. “We applaud Senator Marshall, Senator Klobuchar and the co-sponsors for their efforts to improve and extend the tax credit for biofuels. The flawed assumptions used to calculate indirect emissions have resulted in canola being excluded despite being a proven feedstock that the U.S. EPA’s analysis conservatively shows reduces emissions up to 78%.  We urge Congress to enact these important changes to provide certainty, stability, and market opportunity for canola growers and our biofuels industry partners.” 
    Click HERE to read the full bill text.
    Background:
    Senator Marshall initially introduced this legislation in 2024.
    In 2024, Senator Marshall also led a bipartisan letter calling for the U.S. Department of the Treasury to restrict the eligibility of the 45Z Tax Credit to renewable fuels made only from domestically sourced feedstocks, like Kansas soybean oil and corn oil.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bean Votes to Rein in Federal Judges

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Aaron Bean Florida (4th District)

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Congressman Aaron Bean (FL-04) released the following statement after voting in favor of H.R. 1526, the No Rogue Rulings (NORRA) Act, a bill to prevent the weaponization of the judiciary. 

    “The Constitution’s separation of powers isn’t a suggestion—it’s the foundation of our Republic. Yet practically every week, judges try to usurp President Trump’s executive authority simply because they don’t like his America First policies. 

    NORRA stops judges from issuing nationwide injunctions, instead ensuring their ruling only applies to specific parties in a case. House Republicans are sending a clear message: we are restoring the checks and balances in our democracy and ending legislating from the bench.”

    BACKGROUND

    President Trump has faced more than 15 nationwide injunctions since taking office, targeting a wide range of policies including birthright citizenship, border security, and protecting children from life-altering medical procedures. 

    Prior to 1973, there was no established historical authority for federal judges to issue nationwide injunctions. While federal courts could issue injunctions, these were typically directed at specific parties and did not have a nationwide scope. This bill will return courts to the limited scope of judicial injunctions. 

    The No Rogue Rulings Act:

    • Limits the power of district judges in issuing nationwide injunctions.
    • Addresses growing concerns over judicial overreach, particularly instances where individual district judges halt executive policies.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Cherfilus-McCormick, Bell Introduce CAST Act to Curb U.S.-Caribbean Firearms Trafficking

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Florida 20th district))

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representatives Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) and Wesley Bell (D-MO) introduced the Caribbean Anti-Smuggling of Trafficked Arms (CAST) Act , legislation that would help curb illicit arms trafficking from the United States to the Caribbean by requiring the Department of Defense (DOD) to report on expanding the mandate of Joint Interagency Taskforce South (JIATF-South) to include combatting illicit firearms trafficking. 

    “Weapons trafficking by way of the United States is a major contributor to crime in the Caribbean and Haiti’s growing gang crisis, driving the ongoing instability that plagues the country,” said Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL). “All potential options must be on the table to effectively curtail the flow of arms. Our nation’s national security depends on it.” 

    “As a former prosecutor, I’ve seen how illegal guns can devastate neighborhoods and fuel violence,” said Rep. Wesley Bell (D-MO). “Too many of those weapons are being trafficked out of the U.S. and into the hands of gangs in the Caribbean. This bill strengthens our ability to stop that flow at the source—so fewer families, whether in St. Louis or Port-au-Prince, have to live in fear.”

    JIATF-South’s mandate is to conduct detection and monitoring (D&M) operations to curtail drug trafficking and dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) in the Caribbean region. The CAST Act will require the Department of Defense to evaluate the potential expansion of JIATF-South’s mission to include combating the illegal trafficking of firearms from the United States to the Caribbean.

    Illicit arms trafficking from the United States to the Caribbean is a regional and national security threat. While Caribbean countries do not manufacture firearms or ammunition, nor do they import either on a large scale, they account for half of the world’s top ten highest national murder rates. 

    Last Congress, Congresswoman Cherfilus-McCormick led the release of a new report from the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) that examines the role of U.S. firearms in Caribbean arms trafficking. The report found that nearly three-quarters of firearms recovered from the Caribbean and traced by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) could be sourced back to the United States, with many originating from U.S. retail sales. 

    The full text of the bill can be found here. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –