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Category: DJF

  • MIL-OSI USA: RELEASE: Senator Mullin Accepts Patient Advocate of the Year Award

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator MarkWayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma)

    Washington, D.C. – Last week, Patients Rising recognized U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) as the Patient Advocate of the Year for his leadership on legislation to reauthorize the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Priority Review Voucher Program through the Give Kids a Chance Act. The voucher program incentivizes pharmaceutical companies to develop treatments for rare pediatric diseases by allowing them to expedite FDA review of more innovative drugs. 

    “It’s an honor to be in the U.S. Senate fighting for Oklahomans each and every day. I’m grateful to those that put their trust in me and will continue to work tirelessly for them and the issues they hold most dear.” said Senator Mullin. 

    Patients Rising CEO, Terry Wilcox, presented the award to Senator Mullin at his Washington, D.C. office.

    Background:

    • On March 26, 2025, Senator Mullin introduced the Give Kids a Chance Act.
    • The We the Patients Fly-In was attended by 120+ rare and chronic disease patient advocates from all over the country.
    • Formed in 2015, Patients Rising works with patients to advocate on behalf of the 144 million Americans with chronic illnesses for access to the treatments, innovations, and care they need. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA News: The President signed into law S.J. Res. 13 and S.J. Res 31

    Source: US Whitehouse

    On Friday, June 20, 2025, the President signed into law:

    S.J. Res. 13, which provides congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency of the Department of the Treasury relating to the review of applications under the Bank Merger Act.

    S.J. Res. 31, which provides congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to “Review of Final Rule Reclassification of Major Sources as Area Sources Under Section 112 of the Clean Air Act”.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Canada: B.C. helps people keep full federal Canada Disability Benefit

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    People receiving provincial income assistance in British Columbia who are also eligible to receive the new federal Canada Disability Benefit will keep the entire benefit, thanks to a B.C. exemption.

    The first Canada Disability Benefit payments from the Government of Canada will begin in July 2025. The exemption applies to all recipients of income, disability and hardship assistance under the B.C. Employment and Assistance program. This exemption is part of the Province’s ongoing work to reduce poverty and improve the lives of people with disabilities. The Canada Disability Benefit is a federal initiative aimed at reducing poverty and supporting the financial security of Canadians with disabilities.

    “With the cost of living so high, it’s more important than ever to ensure people with disabilities have access to the supports they need,” said Sheila Malcolmson, Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. “With this exemption, people receiving provincial assistance can keep the full support they receive from the federal Canada Disability Benefit.”

    Eligible people can receive up to $200 per month, or $2,400 per year in additional income from the federal Canada Disability Benefit. With this B.C. exemption, any Canada Disability Benefit payment received from the federal government will not affect provincial income assistance payments. This formalizes a commitment the B.C. government first made in September 2024. Ensuring people can keep all of the Canada Disability Benefit is also one of the commitments under the four-year agreement between the B.C. NDP and the B.C. Green Party signed in December 2024.

    “People with disabilities disproportionately live below the poverty line in B.C., often forced to choose between food and shelter,” said Rob Botterell, MLA for Saanich North and the Islands. “The B.C. Greens pushed for this vital step in our agreement with the government, so now people with disabilities in B.C. can access the full range of supports available across Canada.”

    Applications for the federal Canada Disability Benefit open June 20, 2025, and can be submitted to the Government of Canada online, by phone or in person at a Service Canada centre. To support individuals with the application process, three B.C.-based organizations, Disability Alliance BC, British Columbia Aboriginal Network on Disability Society and Plan Institute, will provide accessible, individualized navigation services to disability programs and benefits, including the federal Disability Tax Credit and Canada Disability Benefit.

    “Ensuring that federal Canada Disability Benefit payments will be exempted from any clawbacks will surely increase the dignity and financial security of British Columbians on income, disability and hardship assistance,” said Helaine Boyd, executive director, Disability Alliance B.C. “Disability Alliance B.C. is here to support the disability community in getting access to the federal Disability Tax Credit and the Canada Disability Benefit.”

    Applicants can also use the newly launched benefit estimator tool, which can be found on the federal government’s Canada Disability Benefit page, to find out how much they may qualify to receive each month. To access the tool, visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/disability/canada-disability-benefit.html.

    The federal Canada Disability Benefit is estimated to benefit approximately 85,000 people throughout B.C.

    Learn More:

    To learn more about the federal Canada Disability Benefit, visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/disability/canada-disability-benefit.html

    To find the B.C.-based organizations supporting people with the application, visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/social-development-partnerships/disabilities/organizations-benefits.html

    For the federal government’s news release, visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/news/2025/06/canadians-can-apply-for-the-canada-disability-benefit-on-june-20.html

    To access the benefit estimator tool, visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/disability/canada-disability-benefit/amount.html

    For more information about the federal Disability Tax Credit, visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/individuals/segments/tax-credits-deductions-persons-disabilities/disability-tax-credit.html

    To learn more about the agreement between the B.C. government and the B.C. Green Party, visit: https://bcgreens.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Agreement-in-Principle.pdf

    A backgrounder follows.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    June 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Texas Man Charged with Conspiracy to Defraud the United States and Related Offenses in Connection with Alleged Operation of Trucking Companies

    Source: US State of California

    WASHINGTON – An indictment was unsealed on Wednesday in Houston charging a Texas man with offenses related to the alleged operation of illegal and unsafe trucking companies.

    According to court documents, Shaquan Jelks, 48, of Houston, managed and controlled multiple commercial trucking companies after being ordered not to do so by a federal court and by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (“FMCSA”), the regulatory agency responsible for ensuring that commercial trucks and their drivers are equipped to operate safely on public roads and highways. The indictment against Jelks alleges that he repeatedly lied to and obstructed the FMCSA, including after a driver for his companies was killed in a single-vehicle crash in February 2022. The indictment also alleges that Jelks relied on fraud to finance his illegal trucking companies, including by diverting to his trucking companies money fraudulently obtained from the Paycheck Protection Program.

    “Individuals who impair, impede, or obstruct the lawful functions of the FMCSA make our roads and highways less safe,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department will continue to work closely with the Department of Transportation and our law enforcement partners to protect drivers on our roads and highways.”

    “Motorists have a right to expect that the commercial trucks on their roadways—which weigh tens of thousands of pounds or more—are safely maintained and operated,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas. “By prosecuting those that undermine this expectation of safety, DOJ and DOT are simultaneously keeping our roadways safe and maintaining public confidence.”

    “Keeping our highways safe is essential to protecting our families, our economy, and our way of life,” said Joseph Harris, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General’s Southern Region. “People have every right to expect that trucking companies follow the highest safety standards when using our public roads. Today’s announcement shows our continued commitment to holding commercial operators accountable—especially those who put profits ahead of public safety by disregarding key DOT regulations.”

    The Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case.

    Trial Attorneys Ethan Carroll and Lindsey Marcus of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Day of the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Files Statement of Interest in Alabama Redistricting Case Opposing Request for Preclearance under the Voting Rights Act

    Source: United States Attorneys General 7

    The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a Statement of Interest in the Alabama redistricting case, Milligan v. Allen, 2:21-cv-1530 (N.D. Ala.), opposing Plaintiffs’ request to have Alabama submit its future redistricting plans for preclearance by the U.S. Attorney General under Section 3(c) of the Voting Rights Act.

    Three sets of plaintiffs filed lawsuits arguing that two Congressional Districts in Alabama should be majority Black. The Court found that Alabama’s attempt to create a second majority-Black district was insufficient.  Alabama has agreed to use the Special Master’s Remedial Map going forward and has explained to the Court that it will not seek to redistrict again until after the 2030 Census.  One plaintiff argues that it is insufficient and seeks Section 3(c) relief.

    In its Statement of Interest, the Justice Department explains that it would not be appropriate to require Alabama to submit future redistricting plans for preapproval by the Court or the federal government. “Section 3(c) preclearance is a drastic departure from basic principles of federalism, and nothing presented to the court justifies the extraordinary requirement of forcing Alabama to have redistricting plans pre-approved by the federal government,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Michael E. Gates of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

    “The issues raised by the plaintiffs in this case have been remedied by the State of Alabama’s agreement to use the Remedial Map and pledge to not seek to redistrict again until after the next Census—over five years from now,” said United States Attorney Prim Escalona for the Northern District of Alabama. “The plaintiffs’ request to impose preclearance would unnecessarily tax principles of equal sovereignty that afford Alabama the Constitutional right to manage its own elections.”

    The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces federal statutes that protect the integrity of the vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, and the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act.

    More information about voting and elections is available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/voting. Complaints about possible violations of federal voting rights laws can be submitted through the Civil Rights Division’s website at civilrights.justice.gov or by telephone at 1-800-253-3931.

    MIL Security OSI –

    June 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Sentenced to Six Years for Coordinating Drug Shipments Into U.S.

    Source: US FBI

    BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 55-year-old Mexican national illegally residing in Raymondville has been ordered to prison for trafficking methamphetamine and heroin, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Reynaldo Galvan-Rico pleaded guilty April 4, 2024.

    U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera has now ordered him to serve 72 months in federal prison. Galvan-Rico is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.

    Beginning in March 2019, authorities identified Galvan-Rico as a coordinator in Mexico. The investigation revealed he acted as the point of contact for the drug supplier in Mexico and the drivers transporting narcotics in the United States.

    Galvan-Rico was allowed to remain on bond and surrender at a later date.

    “A major component of Operation Take Back America is the pursuit and punishment of drug traffickers,” said Ganjei. “Those that seek a quick buck by poisoning our communities through the drug trade should be looking over their shoulder because we are coming for them.”

    Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration and FBI conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection.

    OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Lance Watt prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

    June 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Security: Texas Man Charged with Conspiracy to Defraud the United States and Related Offenses in Connection with Alleged Operation of Trucking Companies

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    WASHINGTON – An indictment was unsealed on Wednesday in Houston charging a Texas man with offenses related to the alleged operation of illegal and unsafe trucking companies.

    According to court documents, Shaquan Jelks, 48, of Houston, managed and controlled multiple commercial trucking companies after being ordered not to do so by a federal court and by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (“FMCSA”), the regulatory agency responsible for ensuring that commercial trucks and their drivers are equipped to operate safely on public roads and highways. The indictment against Jelks alleges that he repeatedly lied to and obstructed the FMCSA, including after a driver for his companies was killed in a single-vehicle crash in February 2022. The indictment also alleges that Jelks relied on fraud to finance his illegal trucking companies, including by diverting to his trucking companies money fraudulently obtained from the Paycheck Protection Program.

    “Individuals who impair, impede, or obstruct the lawful functions of the FMCSA make our roads and highways less safe,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department will continue to work closely with the Department of Transportation and our law enforcement partners to protect drivers on our roads and highways.”

    “Motorists have a right to expect that the commercial trucks on their roadways—which weigh tens of thousands of pounds or more—are safely maintained and operated,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas. “By prosecuting those that undermine this expectation of safety, DOJ and DOT are simultaneously keeping our roadways safe and maintaining public confidence.”

    “Keeping our highways safe is essential to protecting our families, our economy, and our way of life,” said Joseph Harris, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General’s Southern Region. “People have every right to expect that trucking companies follow the highest safety standards when using our public roads. Today’s announcement shows our continued commitment to holding commercial operators accountable—especially those who put profits ahead of public safety by disregarding key DOT regulations.”

    The Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case.

    Trial Attorneys Ethan Carroll and Lindsey Marcus of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Day of the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

    June 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Gabe Vasquez Wraps Tour Highlighting Medicaid and SNAP Cuts, Rural Health Access, and Constituent Services Wins Across New Mexico

    Source: US Representative Gabe Vasquez’s (NM-02)

    ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – On June 18, 2025, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) completed a multi-day tour across New Mexico’s second district, spotlighting the harmful impacts the Republican reconciliation bill would have on health care, food assistance, rural communities and hardworking New Mexicans who utilize vital federal programs to survive and support their families.

    “The proposed cuts to Medicaid and SNAP would devastate New Mexico,” said Vasquez. “The One Big Ugly Bill would take health care away from expectant mothers in Socorro, take food off the table for families in Albuquerque, and shutter the doors of rural hospitals. It is shameful that this administration is playing politics with our lives. I’m in this fight to protect the people I serve, and I’m going to continue my work to stop this disastrous bill.”

    On Tuesday, June 17th, Vasquez visited Socorro General Hospital, which serves rural communities across central New Mexico, to hear from medical providers and hospital staff about the critical role Medicaid plays in delivering maternity care and youth medical services. With Medicaid covering more than half of all births in New Mexico, the Congressman made clear that cuts to Medicaid and onerous paperwork requirements are a direct threat to maternal health and care for kids across the state.

    On Wednesday, June 18, Vasquez hosted a roundtable and press conference in Albuquerque with healthcare providers, state officials, patient advocates, and Medicaid recipients. Together, they called attention to the nearly $800 billion in proposed Medicaid cuts that would disproportionately harm communities across New Mexico.

    “In our district alone, more than 38,000 people would lose Medicaid coverage,” said Vasquez. “That’s mothers in Hatch, farmworkers in Deming, and patients in Lordsburg who won’t be able to fill their prescriptions. This is not fiscal responsibility—it’s cruelty.”

    Leaders who joined Vasquez included:

    • Alanna Dancis, Chief Medical Officer, NM Health Care Authority
       
    • Dr. Steve McLaughlin, Chief Medical Officer, UNM Hospitals
       
    • Brent Earnest, COO, BeWell NM
       
    • Dee Gipson, Administrator, South Valley Care Center
       
    • Ash Green, Advocate, National MS Society

    They were joined by representatives from NM Voices for Children, Health Action NM, the NM Primary Care Association, Disability Rights NM, the ARC of New Mexico, and more.

    WATCH: VASQUEZ DELIVERS REMARKS AT MEDICAID CUTS PRESS CONFERENCE

    Later in the morning, Vasquez visited S.R. Marmon Elementary School to observe the Albuquerque Public Schools Summer Meal Program in action. The program provides free meals to students, many of whom face food insecurity year-round. Vasquez highlighted the critical role these school-based nutrition programs play as proposed SNAP cuts threaten to reduce access to food at home, leaving children increasingly dependent on school meals as their primary source of nutrition.

    Vasquez ended the day by meeting with constituents who received assistance from his office in navigating complex federal issues from securing VA healthcare benefits for veterans to resolving erroneous Social Security claims. He highlighted these cases as clear examples of how government can deliver when it remains accessible and accountable. Among them was Terry, a veteran who struggled for months to get a response on his retirement until he contacted Vasquez’s office.

    “No one was getting back to me, so I reached out to Congressman Vasquez’s office and asked for help. I had tried everything to submit my records the way the VA asked, but nothing was working. Then Mr. Drew Hill from the Congressman’s team stepped in. Within days, my caseworker called to say my retirement had been approved. That’s the kind of work Congressman Vasquez and his staff do — they perform miracles,” said Terry. 

    Rep. Vasquez’s two-day visit underscores his commitment to protecting Medicaid, SNAP, and essential services that help New Mexicans stay healthy, put food on the table, and build more secure lives, no matter their income or zip code.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Gabe Vasquez Champions Food Security, LGBTQ+ Rights, and Education Pathways in Las Cruces

    Source: US Representative Gabe Vasquez’s (NM-02)

    LAS CRUCES, N.M. – On June 16, 2025, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) engaged with communities across Las Cruces and the surrounding areas to address urgent issues facing rural New Mexico, including food insecurity amid SNAP cuts, challenges impacting LGBTQ+ residents, and expanding college access for first-generation students.

    “Families in Hatch shouldn’t have to wonder where their next meal is coming from. LGBTQ+ communities deserve to live with dignity and without fear, and every student — no matter their zip code — should have a real pathway to higher education,” said Vasquez. “At a time when federal investments in New Mexico are on the chopping block, I’m not sitting on the sidelines. I’m showing up, listening closely, and fighting for the resources, respect, and opportunities our communities deserve.”

    Rep. Vasquez began the day by visiting Slim’s Food Pantry, which received FY2024 Community Project Funding to build a permanent facility in rural Doña Ana County. As proposed SNAP cuts threaten to worsen the food insecurity crisis across southern New Mexico, Vasquez underscored the urgency of protecting food access for working families and reaffirmed his commitment to defending federal nutrition programs and delivering resources that directly support local communities.

    Vasquez also visited the 2025 Summer Aggie Academy, part of New Mexico State University’s TRiO Upward Bound Program, which supports nearly 100 first-generation and low-income students from school districts like Alamogordo, Gadsden, Las Cruces, and Hatch Valley. Speaking directly with students, Vasquez shared his journey as a first-generation Mexican-American college student and emphasized the importance of education, showing young New Mexicans that their dreams are important and within reach. Vasquez has championed the TRIO program through the Appropriations process for the last two years. With the administration threatening to end funding for TRIO, Vasquez reiterated that he will continue to champion this critical program.

    Lastly, Vasquez convened an LGBTQ+ advocacy roundtable to hear firsthand from local leaders and activists about increasing threats and attacks targeting the LGBTQ+ community, including rolling back civil rights protections as well as cuts to gender affirming care, HIV programs, and reproductive health services. In a powerful dialogue, advocates shared stories of resilience and called for stronger protections. Vasquez reiterated his solidarity and pledged to continue pushing back against discrimination and standing up for the dignity and safety of all New Mexicans.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Gabe Vasquez Rallies Outdoor Advocates to Defend Public Lands at OMDP Hike and Press Conference

    Source: US Representative Gabe Vasquez’s (NM-02)

    LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Today, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) joined conservation advocates, local leaders, and community members at the Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks National Monument (OMDP) to rally against renewed efforts to sell off federal public lands. The event featured a press conference and community hike, highlighting the cultural, economic, and environmental importance of public lands to southern New Mexico.

    The event comes amidst a revived push by Senate Republicans to advance one of the most extreme public land sell-off proposals in recent history of over 3.3 million acres. While these provisions were blocked in the House thanks to Rep. Vasquez’s leadership in the bipartisan Public Lands Caucus, they have resurfaced in the Senate’s version of the budget reconciliation bill, reigniting concern across the West.

    WATCH: REP. VASQUEZ DELIVERS REMARKS AT PROTECT PUBLIC LANDS PRESS CONFERENCE

    “Standing here at Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks, I’m reminded that what’s at stake isn’t just this monument—it’s the future of millions of acres of public lands across New Mexico and the West that could be sold off because of Republican proposals in Congress,” said Vasquez. “These lands are part of our identity. They support local jobs, protect sacred Tribal sites, and give our kids a chance to connect with the outdoors. Our public lands are not for sale. Period.”

    “There are a number of reasons why keeping OMDP intact and untouched is so important. Not only are conservation and preservation instrumental in this argument, but in Las Cruces, our community has embraced this monument because of the hiking and camping, the outdoor recreation opportunities, and so much more,” said Carrie Hamblen, CEO and President of the Las Cruces Green Chamber of Commerce and New Mexico State Senator. “Our local businesses rely on the tourism that brings visitors into our stores and restaurants and creates a memorable experience for all to enjoy. Our monument isn’t for sale, and our community has proven to this administration that it should be left alone.”

    “Our community in Southern New Mexico understands that our landscape brings us together. These lands hold so much more than what can be extracted or profited from them. They hold our stories, they are homes to essential wildlife, they improve the health of our communities,” said Patrick Nolan, Executive Director of Friends of Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks. “The value of our lands cannot be summed up by what can be extracted from them. We hope Congress, with the help of Representative Vasquez, understands that the value of our lands cannot be summed up by what can be extracted from them. That these lands hold value as they are protected and conserved for generations to come.” 

    “New Mexico Wild and our thousands of members object in the strongest possible terms to any attempts to shrink, eliminate, or remove protections for Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks or any other national monument. These monuments were created as a result of local communities working for years to protect these one of a kind places,” said Mark Allison, Executive Director of New Mexico Wild. “Nearly 90% of New Mexicans — people of all political persuasions — support keeping our monuments intact. They are not merely lines on a map but critical ecological havens, sacred cultural sites, and irreplaceable natural treasures that help define our identity. Public lands are the backdrop to our state’s outdoor heritage and way of life.  Plans to sell off our children’s inheritance to benefit connected billionaires is a theft of historic proportions and should make all Americans ashamed and outraged.”

    “To New Mexicans public lands aren’t some line item on a budget spreadsheet. Public lands are our lifeblood. Wild, public places and the wild things that inhabit those places are integral to the culture, traditions and lifestyle of countless people across the West,” said Jesse Duebel, Executive Director of the New Mexico Wildlife Federation. “Public lands are not just about outdoor recreation and all the health and economic benefits associated with that. These places house our identity. It’s where we go to obtain our food, the firewood to heat our homes, and the solace we need to overcome the challenges of modern society. Public lands are our gym, our church and our grocery store. In short, our public lands are not for sale, they are in our DNA.”

    “The broad scheme to sell off our public lands, national heritage, and outdoor access to the wealthy and well-connected will block access to regular Americans for hiking, camping, hunting, and fishing. It also willfully ignores or disrespects the Indigenous, Hispano, and local communities who rely on these lands for cultural, spiritual, economic, and recreational reasons, said Romir Lahiri, Associate Program Director for Conservation Lands Foundation. “These lands are part of what makes New Mexico so special. New Mexico’s national monuments, including Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks and Río Grande del Norte, exist because the people demanded it. From local business owners and family campers to mountain guides and outdoor adventurers, the majority—regardless of political affiliation—want these treasured natural places protected and accessible for generations to come.”

    “Our public lands are living landscapes. Any effort to weaken their protections threaten the health, heritage, and well-being of their connected communities and stand in direct opposition to the voices of New Mexicans. Despite overwhelming support for our public lands, the Trump Administration is systematically degrading the laws and agencies that manage these irreplaceable places and jeopardizing the legal duty to engage meaningfully with Tribal leadership,” said Maude Dinan, New Mexico Program Manager for the National Parks Conservation Association.“Prioritizing oil and gas drilling or mining, erasing national monuments, or transferring public lands to states is short-sighted and will cause irrevocable harm to our landscapes and people.”

    Earlier this year, Vasquez launched the bipartisan Public Lands Caucus alongside Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-MT-01) to bring together lawmakers from both parties who support the protection of public lands. The caucus has quickly become a driving force behind efforts to conserve our public lands and fight for the outdoor recreation economy.

    In addition to fighting against this latest effort to sell public lands in order to pay for tax breaks for billionaires, Vasquez also joined a letter earlier this year to the administration urging the Department of Interior to leave OMDP intact, highlighting its significant landscapes, cultural resources and economic impact.

    As the reconciliation package and other efforts to sell off public lands move forward, Vasquez pledged to continue building bipartisan support for protecting public lands for future generations.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Kean Announces June Telephone Town Hall for NJ-07 Constituents

    Source: US Representative Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07)

    Contact: Riley Pingree 

    (June 20, 2025) LEBANON BOROUGH, N.J. – Today, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) announced that he will host his next town hall on June 28, 2025, at 10:30AM. This is the second town hall Congressman Kean will host in the 119th Congress.  

    In the 118th Congress (2023-2024), Congressman Kean hosted ten telephone town halls that reached over 100,000 residents and dozens of in-person sessions for students, seniors, and community organizations. 

    Congressman Kean remains committed to open communication with his constituents, hosting quarterly telephone town halls and specialized in-person sessions for groups such as schools and senior centers. Since taking office in 2023, he has responded directly to over 100,000 constituent letters and dedicates time each week to calling residents, ensuring their voices are heard on the issues that matter most.  

    “Hearing directly from the people I represent is essential to how I serve you in Congress,” said Congressman Kean. This upcoming telephone town hall is an opportunity for me to share updates on my recent work in Washington and, more importantly, to listen to hardworking taxpayers across New Jersey’s Seventh District. Your input helps guide my work on the issues that matter most to our communities. I encourage you to invite your neighbors, friends, and anyone else in NJ-07 who wants to be part of the conversation.”

    Congressman Kean is inviting your questions and input ahead of his June Telephone Town Hall. If you would like to participate and submit a question for him to address during the call, please click HERE. 

    ### 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Russian attacks on civilians are intensifying: UK statement at the UN Security Council

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Speech

    Russian attacks on civilians are intensifying: UK statement at the UN Security Council

    Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine.

    Colleagues, we are convened here again in response to Russia’s continuing and intensifying attacks against Ukraine.

    On 11 June, Russia struck a power station in Kherson, plunging the city into rolling blackouts and disrupting access to clean water.

    On 15 June, Russia reportedly damaged energy facilities in Poltava Oblast.

    And then, on the night of 16-17 June, Russia conducted a devastating assault on the city of Kyiv, the third largest nationwide strike of the war, raining hundreds of drones down on densely populated residential areas.

    The civilian death toll is at least 28, with hundreds injured.

    Attacks and civilian deaths have only continued in the nights following. These attacks are not decreasing and they’re not random. They are a part of a deliberate and intensifying campaign of violence, calculated to deepen the suffering of Ukraine’s people.

    On top of this, Russia continues to peddle false narratives, seeking to justify their full-scale invasion of Ukraine. But there can be no justification for what they have done.

    It has been 101 days since Ukraine agreed to an unconditional ceasefire. And it is now reported that Russian military casualties have reached 1 million. 

    These dreadful milestones keep piling up and yet Russia shows no sign of stopping. While Ukraine has actively engaged in genuine steps towards peace, Russia has engaged in destruction.

    Meanwhile, President Putin poses as a mediator of peace in the Middle East.

    We don’t need more false promises. 

    We need genuine peace.

    So again, we call on Russia to comply with international law, including the UN Charter.

    We call on Russia to agree to an unconditional ceasefire.

    Russia initiated this war; we call on Russia to end it.

    Updates to this page

    Published 20 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    June 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Canada: Tomorrow, on the Plains: the Edwin-Bélanger Bandstand kicks off a summer of free music!

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    Quebec City, Friday, June 20, 2025 – Beginning tomorrow, the stage of the Edwin-Bélanger Bandstand (EBB) will come alive with the launch of its summer program! From now to August 23, 2025, on Thursdays and Saturdays, Quebec City’s residents and visitors are invited to enjoy free musical and cultural events against the enchanting backdrop of the Plains of Abraham.

    Tennessee Whiskey to start off the season
    This series of shows will begin this Saturday, starting at 7 p.m. The six artists of the group Tennessee Whiskey will be on stage for a faithful recreation of Chris Stapleton’s country music. Backed by six talented musicians, the show promises powerful harmonies and heartfelt guitar solos that brilliantly capture iconic Stapleton songs like Broken Halos and Tennessee Whiskey.

    Next week: Chico Band, and Duo Christian Marc Gendron & Manon Séguin
    To continue this live music series, two vibrant evenings are on the program. On Thursday, June 26 at 7 p.m., the best of Latin music takes over the EBB stage with the Chico Band. Audiences will be transported from Cuba to Brazil, with stops in Colombia and Puerto Rico, to the rhythm of salsa, merengue, reggaeton, cumbia, and more.

    On Saturday, June 28 at the same time, an intimate musical moment will take place with pianist and singer Christian Marc Gendron. In this unique concert, he performs the greatest songs of his career with humor and generosity, joined by his longtime partner, Manon Séguin.

    Please note that the EBB will take a break during the Festival d’été de Québec, from July 3 to 13. Free shows will resume on July 17.

    Something for everyone all summer long
    Every Thursday and Saturday, the EBB will be presenting shows at 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. The stage will pulsate to a diverse range of beats: country music, Latin music, rock, pop, Québécois, jazz, and folk, plus an encounter between the musical traditions of the West and those of the Indigenous peoples. There will be something for all tastes!

    Among the scheduled artists are Tom Folly, Andréanne A. Malette, Sabor 19, Duo Phoenix, Guylaine Tanguay, Yvan Pedneault, Génération Crooner, LBA Band, Coco Country Band, New World Men, Mike DeWay, Kawandak, Gabrielle Destroismaisons, and Patrick Norman & Nathalie Lord.

    The EBB will also offer family-oriented shows on four Saturday mornings: July 19 and 26 and August 9 and 16 at 11 a.m. Arthur L’aventurier, Le Gentil Géant, and other colourful characters will take the stage to entertain the kids.

    New! Two evenings added to the program
    In addition to the musical events already announced, two cultural evenings are now on the program. On Wednesday, July 23, there will be a public lecture, in French, about the American attack on Quebec City in 1775:  Québec 1775-1776 – Le dernier siège. On Friday, August 22, the Royal 22e Régiment will offer a special performance on the EBB stage.

    To learn more about the program: www.plainsofabraham.ca

    Extended business hours for Smith Café at the Central Pavilion
    Smith Café has been on the Plains of Abraham for nearly a year and will again be enhancing the EBB experience with its selection of beverages and food. An aperitif on the Central Pavilion terrace, a picnic on the Plains with a packed lunch, or a savoury coffee in your hand—everything is provided to make your summer enjoyable! This branch of Smith Cafe will offer extended business hours during the shows.

    About the National Battlefields Commission
    The Battlefields Park is Canada’s first national historic park and notably includes the Plains of Abraham and Des Braves Park. Since 1908, the National Battlefields Commission, an agency of the Canadian government, has been striving to preserve and develop this site that brings so many people together. Throughout the year, it offers a variety of activities for those who wish to explore the park and its history. www.plainsofabraham.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    June 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: 2025 Marketplace Integrity and Affordability Final Rule

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services

    Introduction

    Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Marketplace Integrity and Affordability Final Rule,” setting standards for the Health Insurance Marketplaces, which connect millions of consumers to Affordable Care Act (ACA) coverage. The rule finalizes additional safeguards to protect consumers from improper enrollments and changes to their health care coverage, as well as establishes standards to ensure the integrity of the ACA Exchanges. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Commissioner Kristin N. Johnson’s Keynote Remarks at the CCP AGM 2025

    Source: US Commodity Futures Trading Commission

    It is a pleasure to join CCP Global for your Annual General Meeting. Joining you today marks the third time that I have had the opportunity to address this important group at the center of the global derivatives markets. Addressing this body in Madrid, Spain in June of 2022 marked one of the earliest keynote addresses that I delivered during my time in service as a Commissioner only months after I joined the Commission.[1] 
    During my speech in Madrid, I reflected on then-recent market stress resulting from geopolitical events and a global pandemic. In February and March of 2020, our markets faced concerning shocks from the rise of a global pandemic[2] and regulatory responses to contain it.[3] Markets witnessed unprecedented volatility coupled with extreme volumes of trading and at times tight liquidity, placing extraordinary pressure on market infrastructures. Responding to these events, central counterparties CCPs carefully assessed initial and variation margin requirements and ultimately increased initial margin requirements (particularly for equity products) as an integral part of their market risk mitigating solutions.
    Facing these challenges, CCPs navigated the risks presented, deploying the carefully developed tools at hand with deep and continuous engagement with global regulators. As a result of effective reforms adopted almost a decade before the pressures of recent geopolitical events and a global pandemic at the start of this decade, our financial system demonstrated remarkable resilience.  As noted by the Financial Stability Board (FSB) – “Banks and FMIs, particularly CCPs, held up well and were largely able to absorb rather than amplify the shock.”[4]
    In many ways, market conditions during these events stress tested CCP resilience reforms implemented pursuant to the 2009 G20 Pittsburg Summit and the Principles for Financial Market Infrastructure (PFMI) codified under local laws such as the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and European Market Infrastructure Regulation.[5]
    Turning back to the present, it is fitting that we gather here today in a building that has served as a gathering place for government and industry for hundreds of years. My understanding is that the building began as a convent in 1411, but later, in the 17th Century became the meeting place for the administrative board for the Admiralty of Amsterdam. And, in the mid-1600s, became known as a City Hall and served as the seat of Amsterdam’s government. 
    In the spirit of reflecting on the significant contributions of the CCP Global community and the issues that you will discuss and explore during your general meeting, I hope to highlight the work of the advisory committees of the CFTC. Over the last few years, your members have supported and served on a number of the CFTC advisory committees. Having a full complement of five Commissioners for the last three and a half-years means that we put lots of you to work. As the current remaining Commissioners, Acting Chair Pham and I are continuing our commitment to advance important multi-stakeholder dialogues through our role as advisory committee sponsors. I am hopeful that we may even find a path to collaborate with joint sessions hosted by the two advisory committees that we sponsor.   
    Today, please allow me to focus my remarks on the importance of our Commission’s advisory committees and highlight some of the suggestions put forth by the Market Risk Advisory Committee (MRAC) following deep engagement on these issues, especially those focused on operational resiliency and derivatives clearing organizations (DCOs) system safeguards, and DCO wind down and recovery plans.
    I know that many of you are familiar with the MRAC and other CFTC advisory committees from your service and support as members of their Committees and Subcommittees. The MRAC was established on May 6, 2014 in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) after the Commission determined that MRAC was necessary and in the public’s interest.[6] MRAC’s purpose is to support the Commission in “promoting [] integrity, resilience, and vibrancy of the U.S. derivatives markets through sound regulation, as well as the monitoring and management of systemic risk.”[7] Since MRAC’s inception, each sponsoring Commissioner has recognized the vital role this advisory committee plays in the development of Commission rules and regulations and utilized MRAC to put forth important reports and recommendations.[8] 
    The MRAC has a diverse membership with deep experience across all corners of the derivatives space, including representatives of clearinghouses, exchanges, intermediaries, market makers, end-users, academia, public interest advocates, and regulators. Diversity of membership in our advisory committees is critically important to their success and will be vital as we address jurisdiction over emerging markets and novel asset classes as well as the continuous evolution of complex liquidity and market risk issues. Without perspectives from every side of the integral issues that these committees address, we run the risk of limiting our supervision and oversight and missing out on the opportunity to effectively address emerging risks to market stability and integrity.
    The benefits of multi-stakeholder gatherings to address emerging market risks cannot be overstated. Sharing a wide variety of perspectives across our markets to engage in deep, thoughtful, and actionable solutions enables regulators and market participants to be prepared to navigate risks with minimal disruptions and maximum resiliency for strong and vibrant derivatives markets in the U.S. and across the world. 
    This, in essence, is why I believe you all meet here on an annual basis as well – because you recognize the value of deliberative engagement. Allow me to share briefly on two issues that are top of mind for me and that the MRAC has made significant progress addressing– operational resilience of our derivatives markets and orderly wind down and recovery for DCOs.
    Navigating the Cyber Landscape for CCPs
    Cybersecurity risks are growing in our markets and must be proactively managed and addressed. In its 2024 Systemic Risk Barometer Survey, the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation (DTCC) noted that cyber risk was a top five systemic risk to the global economy.[9] Similarly, in May 2024, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) stated that in the past 20 years, the financial sector has suffered over 20,000 cyber-attacks resulting in $12 billion in losses, and noted that there is a growing inequality between cyber resilient organizations and those that lack the resilience to withstand and prevent attacks.[10] Recent events demonstrate the chaos that cybersecurity events can cause for our markets, resulting in billions in losses.
    As many of you are aware, in January of 2023, ION Cleared Derivatives (ION) experienced a significant cyberattack. ION provides important back-office services for many global futures commission merchants (FCMs) and other market participants. ION’s effective operations and successful provision of these critical services enable many market participants to clear and settle a significant volume of global transactions on a daily basis. The cyberattack on ION triggered a series of disruptions across markets. Those who rely on ION to perform critical functions were taken offline and many had to rely on manual trade processing. The outage similarly delayed the Commission’s ability to deliver timely the Commitments to Traders reports.
    Two years later, in a very different corner of markets, on February 21, 2025, Bybit, a popular cryptocurrency exchange, lost nearly $1.5 billion in losses in mostly Ether from a hacking incident.[11] The Bybit hack represented one of the single largest losses by any cryptocurrency exchange since the first Bitcoin was mined. 
    The hackers identified a vulnerability in Bybit’s transaction approval process hosted through smart contract logic in off chain infrastructure. What appeared to be a routine transfer from Bybit’s Ethereum cold wallet ended up being a rerouting of the transaction to the hacker’s wallets. What kinds of vulnerabilities have enabled hackers to capture hundreds of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency? Commonly deployed tactics include phishing, supply chain compromises, and private key thefts. 
    In the context of the Bybit hack, reports indicate that the hackers accessed critical Bybit systems through a third party provided critical infrastructure system and used this access point to inject malicious software that detected and modified outgoing transactions in real time.[12] Hackers appear to have gained access to an off chain Safe user interface provided by a third-party service provider.[13]
    To provide guardrails for these types of issues, in December 2023, the Commission unanimously approved a proposed rule that would create an operational resilience framework for FCMs, swap dealers (SDs) and major swap participants (MSPs) to “identify, monitor, manage, and assess risks relating to information and technology security, third-party relationships, and emergencies or other significant disruptions to normal business operations”.[14] The proposed rule included three components: (1) an information and technology security program; (2) a third-party relationship program; and (3) a business continuity and disaster recovery plan. Each of these components was designed to deliver frameworks to establish protections to FCMs, SDs, and MSPs and, in an event like the ION Derivatives cyberattack, a plan to continue business as normal while post-mortem checks are completed.
    I want to highlight one of the risks that the proposed ORF seeks to address – concentration risks associated with critical third-party service providers. As early back as 2019, the FSB released a report on third-party dependencies in cloud services and considerations on financial stability implications, including implications of market concentration on competition.[15] These risks can be heightened for smaller or medium sized firms, who may lack both the resources to develop technology in house as well as the bargaining power to negotiate with limited service providers in many cases. 
    Evidence, as well as our experience in working towards the operational resilience framework, indicates that this may be more pronounced in the markets we regulate where there may be even more limited vendors that can provide the sophisticated technologies often used in the derivatives industry. This is not only a potential issue for compliance with regulations and risk management, but also a business risk for market participants.
    The Central Counterparty (CCP) Risk & Governance Subcommittee of MRAC recognized the need for a rule like ORF to create a regulatory framework for cybersecurity preparedness and business continuity for cyberattacks and built out a proposal to expand the scope to include DCOs and bolster system safeguards for critical third-party service providers.[16]
    MRAC’s Recommendation on DCO System Safeguards for Critical Third-Party Service Providers
    The DCO System Safeguards recommendations are an example of MRAC’s proactive response to a potential risk identified. The recommendations also highlight the value of the CFTC advisory committees and the potential for diverse stakeholders who may have divergent perspectives to work together to make real progress towards making our markets more resilient. 
    A technology and operations workstream of the CCP Risk & Governance Subcommittee began evaluating issues related to cybersecurity and third-party risk management in early 2023. In March of that year, MRAC held a “first-of-its-kind” public meeting to discuss the cybersecurity event at ION Cleared Derivatives that led to a ripple effect across our markets. This was the first chance for experts across our industry to come together following the ION cyberattack to evaluate the event and begin to map out next steps to ensure cyber preparedness among market participants, service providers, and other sources that have the potential to impact our markets. 
    At the meeting, Futures Industry Association (FIA) President and CEO Walt Lukken announced the creation of a new Cyber Risk Taskforce, the National Futures Association (NFA) President and CEO Tom Sexton discussed NFA’s role in standard setting to mitigate cyberthreats, and we heard from other experts including those from the White House’s Office of the National Cyber Director, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), and of course, the CFTC, on strategies to enhance the security and resilience of financial markets in the face of new and evolving cyber threats. 
    Later the same year, the FIA Cyber Risk Taskforce issued an After Action Report outlining the challenges facing our markets.[17] Key findings in the report include a lack of communication amongst market participants in the wake of a cyber incident and the need to connect our market with the broader financial sector to learn from and share the best operational resilience strategies for cyber events. The After Action Report made six recommendations based on their findings: (1) the creation of an “Industry Resilience Committee” to help develop information channels with respect to operational and cyber resilience; (2) connecting our industry with sector-wide specialist groups who focus on operational resilience across our markets; (3) a self-reflective review of our market participant’s policies and procedures for cyber incidents; (4) the establishment of procedures for sharing critical data and information during cyber incidents; (5) identification of ways to assess risk to create more robust operational resilience frameworks; and (6) participation in regularly held cyber preparedness exercises.[18]
    The CCP Risk & Governance Committee recognized that there may have been some important gaps in operational resilience and took up the mantle to continue to examine areas not fully addressed by the Commission. The Subcommittee’s recommendations highlight the importance of cyber resilience in DCOs and the need for a more robust regulatory framework. These recommendations, which the MRAC voted to advance to the Commission, would improve upon the existing framework and require that DCOs establish, implement, and maintain a third-party relationship management program. 
    The CCP Risk & Governance Committee’s report focuses on CFTC Rule 39.18, which establishes system safeguard standards for DCOs and addresses outsourcing but does not expressly discuss third-party relationships. The CCP Risk and Governance recommendations build upon the framework of Rule 39.18 by adding a third-party risk management program to (b)(2). The proposal suggests that a robust third party relationship management program that identifies, assesses, mitigates, and monitors the full risks that are associated with using third party arrangements for critical services should include robust risk management frameworks like policies and procedures that cover the lifecycle of the relationship, personnel assigned to onboarding and diligence of the third party relationships, risk-based monitoring, and more. 
    The recommendations build upon the philosophy of the DCO Core Principles, lessons learned and best practices from voices across the industry, and international standard setting bodies. As noted in the report,

    These principles are intended to reflect lessons learned from industry efforts and best practices in derivatives, the guidance notes in Form DCO, the NFA interpretive guidance, lessons learned from the wider context of third-party relationship management, as well as the principles enunciated in the PFMIs. Incorporating these principles in Commission regulations would enable the Commission to update its regulatory framework with respect to critical third party service providers and to bring its regulations in line with internationally accepted standards, while maintaining a principles based approach to regulation.[19]

    Operational resilience, and especially third-party risk management, is a key issue for me, which I continue to track closely and to discuss frequently with my colleagues at the CFTC and at other agencies, as well as with market participants that we regulate, and at events like these. I frequently request that we take these issues seriously and continue to consider actionable steps to address them. As I’ve noted previously, “effectively combatting cyber threats will require a coordinated effort among regulators and industry,” and I am committed to continuing to foster conversations about how we can work together to make our markets safer and more resilient.[20]
    I expect that MRAC will continue to consider issues related to cyber resilience and third-party risk management, including as the risks continue to evolve and AI-enhanced cybersecurity creates new or heightened risks.
    DCO Recovery and Wind Down: Parallelism with International Standards
    Similarly, the CCP Risk and Governance Subcommittee has outlined supplemental reforms that complement Commission staff work that aims to ensure recovery and orderly wind-down of DCOs as part of the post-crisis reforms and important robust preventative resilience framework. Since reforms adopted in the U.S. under the Dodd-Frank Act, international standard-setting bodies have adopted principles, guidance, and standards to support and inform national policymakers on CCP regulation.[21] The Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures (CPMI) and the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO and together with CPMI, CPMI-IOSCO) and the FSB have published numerous reports on these issues on resilience, recovery, and resolution.[22] In 2012, CPMI-IOSCO published a report setting forth 24 principles that financial market infrastructures, like CCPs, should apply, with the goal of enhancing safety and efficiency.[23] The principles, called the Principles for Financial Market Infrastructures (or PFMI), set forth four foundational pillars for managing financial risk associated with CCPs: governance arrangements of CCPs, comprehensive risk management frameworks, financial resources allocated to loss absorption, and stress testing for both credit and liquidity exposures. 
    The FSB issued guidelines[24] as well and worked together with CPMI-IOSCO to assess CCP financial resources in connection with recovery and resolution.[25] In the following years, the Commission took up a similar path, issuing a proposed rule that would apply guidelines and requirements for recovery and orderly wind down plans that are already required for systemically important DCOs (SIDCOs) and Subpart C DCOs to all DCOs.[26] 
    The Proposed DCO Recovery and Wind-Down Rule is robust and important to the Commission and its market participants. Again, MRAC and the CCP Risk & Governance Subcommittee identified four main areas to recommend enhancements: supervisory stress testing of recovery and wind-down plans; conducting recovery scenarios and analysis; inclusion of non-default loss (NDL) in recovery and wind-down plans; and porting of customer positions and collateral during a CCP resolution and clearing member default.[27]
    The MRAC’s Recommendations on DCO Recovery and Orderly Wind-Down Plans; Information for Resolution Planning
    At its April 2024 meeting, the MRAC approved another set of recommendations from the CCP Risk & Governance Subcommittee on DCO recovery and orderly wind-down plans and advanced them to the Commission. The recovery and resolution workstream worked on these recommendations in parallel with the Commission developing the Proposed DCO Recovery and Wind-Down Rule and aimed to support the staff in its drafting and the Commission in its consideration of such a rule. 
    The report included background about the importance of DCOs and CCPs in derivatives markets and actions taken both domestically and internationally to strengthen their resilience, some of which I have shared with you here today. The recommendations in the report demonstrate the depth of expertise available to the Commission through advisory committees and the inclusive nature of all participating viewpoints. For example, the recommendation to implement supervisory stress tests came with a caveat – while subcommittee members representing end-users, FCMs, and academia believed that stress tests should be required to take place annually, subcommittee members representing DCOs did not believe that the frequency of reverse stress tests should be annual but should be determined by Commission staff.[28] This is a prime example of why continued participation and robust discussion amongst all viewpoints is a necessity when evaluating the complex issues that face our markets. Although the Commission has yet to complete a final rulemaking on this topic, I hope that the recommendations made by MRAC in this report can provide a roadmap for future engagement.
    The Work Continues
    I will not have sufficient time today to share all of the details about all of the reports or recommendations that that MRAC has advanced during my time at the Commission, but if you will indulge me, I would like to say a word about some of the other projects that have been completed over the past two years. 
    The Market Structure Subcommittee developed a report and recommendations on the Treasury cash-futures basis trade and effective risk management practices, which the MRAC voted to advance to the Commission. The report takes a thoughtful and comprehensive look at the basis trade, including its mechanics and parties involved, the disruptions experienced in March 2020 during broader COVID-19-related market turmoil, and its impacts on the broader economy), and identifies both benefits and risks before the recommending effective risk management practices associated with the cash-futures basis trade.[29] 
    At the most recent MRAC meeting, Josh Frost, then-Assistant Secretary for Financial Markets at the Treasury Department, and members of the Treasury Borrowing Advisory Committee spoke about the importance of Treasury markets and their role in price discovery and liquidity across the financial system, drawing on perspectives from a number of participants in the ecosystem, including both asset managers and hedge funds that participate in the basis trade. This discussion was a good example of the importance of the work of the MRAC on topics that have real implications for our market ecosystem, and the value of bringing together different voices to achieve a deeper, more informed understanding of important issues and how best we can address them.
    To take one more example, earlier last year, the MRAC Market Structure Subcommittee issued a report sharing results from a survey of data on FCMs spanning 2003-2023,[30] which showed some interesting trends in capacity and concentration. At a recent trade association meeting, FIA Boca, I described issues that I believe are critical for the Commission to consider as we begin to explore clearing U.S. Treasuries. 
    The data collected in the MRAC Market Structure Subcommittee report outlines industry concentration in the market for FCM services despite the growth of the industry. For example, the survey showed a disproportionate amount of increase in bank-affiliated FCMs and increased concentration of broker-dealer-FCMs that are dully registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All of the top ten industry positions in terms of holdings of customer funds were associated with banks or broker-dealers, and they accounted for more than 80% of all customer funds.
    Conclusion
    We must continue to support our advisory committees and robust multi-stakeholder engagement. Each significantly benefit the stability and integrity of our markets. 
    Before closing, I would like to personally thank everyone that has supported the MRAC in any way, through service as an MRAC member, participation on a workstream to advance a set of recommendations to the Commission, by serving as an expert presenter at a meeting, or just tuning into the CFTC YouTube page to watch a meeting – thank you for dedicating your time. If you have not served on an advisory committee, I encourage you to consider service and the potential to contribute to the important engagement that service offers. 
    The broader CFTC community is part of what makes this agency so special and enables us to punch above our weight. It has been an honor to work with and learn from all of you, and I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish together next. 

    [1] Commissioner Johnson to Deliver Keynote Address at the 2022 CCP12 Annual General Meeting in Madrid (June 22, 2022), https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/Events/opaeventjohnson062222; Commissioner Johnson to Provide a Keynote Speech and Participate in a Fireside Chat at the CCP-12 Annual General Meeting (June 14, 2023), https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/Events/opaeventjohnson061523. As in my previous speeches, the views I express today are my own and not the views of the Commission, my fellow Commissioners or the staff of the CFTC.
    [2] Opening Remarks of Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, at the WHO Media Briefing on COVID-19 (March 11, 2020), https://www.who.int/director-general/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19—11-march-2020.
    [3] Sir Jon Cunliffe, Keynote Address at the FIA & SIFMA Asset Management Derivatives Forum 2022 (Feb. 9, 2022), https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/speech/2022/february/jon-cunliffe-keynote-address-fia-sifma-asset-management-derivatives-forum.
    [4] FSB Interim Report, Lessons Learnt from the COVID-19 Pandemic from a Financial Stability Perspective (July 13, 2021), https://www.fsb.org/uploads/P281021-2.pdf.
    [5] See CFTC Regulation 39.13, applying a principles-based approach to managing procyclicality, and Article 41 of EMIR and Article 28 of the Regulatory Technical Standards, requiring CCPs to implement specific margin procyclicality mitigants.
    [6] Market Risk Advisory Committee, 79 Fed. Reg. 25844 (May 6, 2014), https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2014/05/06/2014-10325/market-risk-advisory-committee.
    [7] CFTC, Renewal Chart of the Market Risk Advisory Committee (Apr. 16, 2024) (accessible at https://www.cftc.gov/About/AdvisoryCommittees/MRAC).
    [8] See, e.g.,  Opening Statement of Acting Chairman Rostin Behnam before the Market Risk Advisory Committee (Feb. 23, 2021), https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/SpeechesTestimony/behnamstatement022321 (“Advisory committees like MRAC are vehicles for change, challenge, and perhaps most importantly, debate and consensus.”); Statement of Commissioner Sharon Bowen before the Market Risk Advisory Committee (Apr. 2, 2025), https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/SpeechesTestimony/bowenstatement040215 (“The information and recommendations from this Committee will be invaluable”). For a list of reports and recommendations set forth by the MRAC, see Market Risk Advisory Committee, CFTC, https://www.cftc.gov/About/AdvisoryCommittees/MRAC.  
    [9] DTCC, Systemic Risk Barometer Survey, 2024 Risk Forecast (2024), https://www.dtcc.com/-/media/downloads/Systemic-Risk/29873-Systemic_Risk-2024.
    [10] World Economic Forum, Global financial stability at risk due to cyber threats, IMF warns. Here’s what to know (May 15, 2024), https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2024/05/financial-sector-cyber-attack-threat-imf-cybersecurity/; see also World Economic Forum, Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2024 (January 11, 2024), https://www.weforum.org/publications/global-cybersecurity-outlook-2024/. 
    [11] Vicky Ge Huang and Robert McMillan, How the Biggest Crypto Hack Ever Nearly Destroyed the World’s No. 2 Exchange, WSJ (Mar. 6, 2025), https://www.wsj.com/finance/currencies/how-the-biggest-crypto-hack-ever-nearly-destroyed-the-worlds-no-2-exchange-ee273a3a?msockid=26f265067f5965a63f6273047e1464d0.  
    [12] Alexandra Andhov, Inside The Bybit Hacking Incident: Lessons From The Breach, Forbes (Apr. 1, 2025), https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2025/04/01/inside-the-bybit-hacking-incident-lessons-from-the-breach/; see also Sandy Carter, Latest On The Bybit Record Breaking 1.4 Billion Dollar Crypto Hack, Forbes (Feb. 21, 2025), https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2025/02/21/latest-on-the-bybit-record-breaking-14-billion-dollar-crypto-hack/.  
    [13] Taylar Rajic, The ByBit Heist and the Future of U.S. Crypto Regulation, CSIS (Mar. 18, 2025), https://www.csis.org/analysis/bybit-heist-and-future-us-crypto-regulation.
    [14] CFTC, Operational Resilience Framework for Futures Commission Merchants, Swap Dealers, and Major Swap Participants, 89 Fed. Reg. 4706 (proposed Jan. 24, 2024). 
    [15] Third-party dependencies in cloud services, Considerations on financial stability implications, FSB (Dec. 9, 2019), https://www.fsb.org/uploads/P091219-2.pdf. 
    [16] Recommendations on DCO System Safeguards Standards for Third Party Service Providers, Central Counterparty Risk and Governance (CCP) Subcommittee, Market Risk Advisory Committee of the U.S. CFTC (Dec. 2024) (available at https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/Events/opaeventmrac121024). 
    [17] FIA Taskforce On Cyber Risk After Action Report and Findings, FIA (Sept. 2023), https://www.fia.org/sites/default/files/2023-09/FIA_Taskforce%20on%20Cyber%20Risk_Recommendations_SEPT2023_Final2.pdf.
    [18] Id.
    [19] Recommendations on DCO System Safeguards Standards for Third Party Service Providers, Central Counterparty (CCP) Risk and Governance Subcommittee, MRAC (Dec. 2024) (available at https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/Events/opaeventmrac040924).
    [20] Keynote Remarks of Commissioner Kristin Johnson at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas (May 29, 2025), https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/SpeechesTestimony/opajohnson19.
    [21] Recommendations on Derivatives Clearing Organizations Recovery and Orderly Wind-Down Plans; Information for Resolution Planning, CCP Risk and Governance Subcommittee, MRAC (Aug. 2024) (available at https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/Events/opaeventmrac040924).
    [22] Id. 
    [23] CPMI-IOSCO, Principles for Financial Market Infrastructures (April 16, 2012), https://www.bis.org/cpmi/publ/d101.htm; see also CPMI-IOSCO, Resilience and Recovery of Central Counterparties (CCPs): Further Guidance on the PFMI – Consultative Report (August 16, 2016), https://www.bis.org/cpmi/publ/d149.htm; CPMI-IOSCO, Implementation Monitoring of PFMI: Level 3 Assessment – Report on the Financial Risk Management and Recovery Practices of 10 Derivatives CCPs (August 16, 2016), https://www.bis.org/cpmi/publ/d148.htm.
    [24] FSB, Guidance on Central Counterparty Resolution and Resolution Planning (July 5, 2017) https://www.fsb.org/2017/07/guidance-on-central-counterparty-resolution-and-resolution-planning-2/; FSB, Guidance on Financial Resources to Support CCP Resolution and on the Treatment of CCP Equity in Resolution (November 16, 2020), https://www.fsb.org/2020/11/guidance-on-financial-resources-to-support-ccp-resolution-and-on-the-treatment-of-ccp-equity-in-resolution/.
    [25] FSB, Central Counterparty Financial Resources for Recovery and Resolution (March 10, 2022), https://www.fsb.org/2022/03/central-counterparty-financial-resources-for-recovery-and-resolution/.
    [26] CFTC, Derivatives Clearing Organizations Recovery and Orderly Wind-Down Plans; Information for Resolution Planning, 88 Fed. Reg. 48968 (proposed July 28, 2023) (Proposed DCO Recovery and Wind-Down Rule).
    [27] Recommendations on Derivatives Clearing Organizations Recovery and Orderly Wind-Down Plans; Information for Resolution Planning, CCP Risk and Governance Subcommittee, MRAC (Aug. 2024) (available at https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/Events/opaeventmrac040924).
    [28] Id.
    [29] The Treasury Cash-Futures Basis Trade and Effective Risk Management Practices, MRAC (Dec. 2024) (available at https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/Events/opaeventmrac121024).
    [30] Market Structure Subcommittee Data and Analysis Regarding FCM Capacity, MRAC (Apr. 2024) (available at https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/Events/opaeventmrac040924).

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Secures Denaturalization of Convicted Distributor of Child Sexual Abuse Material Who Fraudulently Obtained U.S. Citizenship

    Source: US State Government of Utah

    On June 13, 2025, the Justice Department secured the denaturalization of a convicted collector and distributor of child sexual abuse material.

    While still a citizen of the United Kingdom, Elliott Duke enlisted in the U.S. Army. In 2012, while serving in Germany, Duke began receiving and distributing child sexual abuse material via email and the internet.

    In November 13, 2012, Duke applied for citizenship under a provision that permits U.S. servicemembers to obtain U.S. citizenship. When asked on his naturalization application if he had “ever committed a crime or offense for which you were not arrested,” Duke listed only a speeding ticket. On January 18, 2013, a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officer interviewed Duke, and Duke, once more, orally testified that he had never committed a crime or offense for which he had not been arrested. On January 18, 2013, Duke took the Oath of Allegiance and was granted U.S. citizenship.

    On May 14, 2013, police officers in Louisiana arrested Duke and charged him with receipt and distribution of child pornography. During a police interview and in his plea agreement, Duke confessed to downloading, possessing, and distributing child pornography via his email account and the internet on dates both before and after his naturalization. Law enforcement officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) later found 168 videos and 187 still images on Duke’s computer depicting minor boys and girls engaged in the lascivious display of sexual activity and bestiality. On January 23, 2014, Duke was convicted of receipt and possession of child pornography.

    On February 19, 2025, the Justice Department filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana seeking Duke’s denaturalization based on his crimes and his failure to disclose them during his naturalization process. On June 13, 2025, the Honorable James D. Cain, Jr, United States District Judge, entered an order revoking Duke’s U.S. citizenship.

    “The laws intended to facilitate citizenship for brave men and women who join our nation’s armed forces will not shield individuals who have fraudulently obtained U.S. citizenship by concealing their crimes,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate. “If you commit serious crimes before you become a U.S. citizen and then lie about them during your naturalization process, the Justice Department will discover the truth and come after you.”

    The case was investigated as part of Operation Prison Lookout, an ongoing national initiative involving the Justice Department and ICE to identify and prosecute sex offenders who have fraudulently obtained United States citizenship. This case was prosecuted by Deputy Chief Hans H. Chen of the Justice Department’s Office of Immigration Litigation, General Litigation and Appeals Section, Affirmative Litigation Unit, with assistance from HSI, ICE’s Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon Smitherman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Files Statement of Interest in Alabama Redistricting Case Opposing Request for Preclearance under the Voting Rights Act

    Source: US State of California

    The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a Statement of Interest in the Alabama redistricting case, Milligan v. Allen, 2:21-cv-1530 (N.D. Ala.), opposing Plaintiffs’ request to have Alabama submit its future redistricting plans for preclearance by the U.S. Attorney General under Section 3(c) of the Voting Rights Act.

    Three sets of plaintiffs filed lawsuits arguing that two Congressional Districts in Alabama should be majority Black. The Court found that Alabama’s attempt to create a second majority-Black district was insufficient.  Alabama has agreed to use the Special Master’s Remedial Map going forward and has explained to the Court that it will not seek to redistrict again until after the 2030 Census.  One plaintiff argues that it is insufficient and seeks Section 3(c) relief.

    In its Statement of Interest, the Justice Department explains that it would not be appropriate to require Alabama to submit future redistricting plans for preapproval by the Court or the federal government. “Section 3(c) preclearance is a drastic departure from basic principles of federalism, and nothing presented to the court justifies the extraordinary requirement of forcing Alabama to have redistricting plans pre-approved by the federal government,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Michael E. Gates of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

    “The issues raised by the plaintiffs in this case have been remedied by the State of Alabama’s agreement to use the Remedial Map and pledge to not seek to redistrict again until after the next Census—over five years from now,” said United States Attorney Prim Escalona for the Northern District of Alabama. “The plaintiffs’ request to impose preclearance would unnecessarily tax principles of equal sovereignty that afford Alabama the Constitutional right to manage its own elections.”

    The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces federal statutes that protect the integrity of the vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, and the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act.

    More information about voting and elections is available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/voting. Complaints about possible violations of federal voting rights laws can be submitted through the Civil Rights Division’s website at civilrights.justice.gov or by telephone at 1-800-253-3931.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Australia: Call for witnesses – Indecent assault – Alice Springs

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The Northern Territory Police Force is calling for information in relation to an indecent assault on female that occurred along the Todd River while she was on a run yesterday afternoon.

    About 3:45pm, police received reports of an indecent assault on a female by a male travelling on a bike. 

    It is alleged the female was on an afternoon run along the Todd River before she was indecently assaulted nearby the Stott Terrace Bridge by a male youth on a black bike described as of tanned skin, tall and wearing a black shirt with the white numbers ‘2000’ on the back. 

    Anyone who witnessed the incident or captured dash cam footage of the male described nearby is urged to contact police on 131 444 and reference job number NTP2500062998. You can also anonymously report crime via Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

    MIL OSI News –

    June 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Fulton County Deputy Sheriff Charged with Excessively Tasing Three Detainees and Obstructing Justice

    Source: US FBI

    ATLANTA – Khadijah Solomon, a former deputy with the Fulton County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office, was arraigned today on charges of using unreasonable force by repeatedly tasing three detainees without legal justification and obstructing of justice by lying in official reports to cover up her unlawful conduct.

    “Law enforcement officers in this district perform their duties professionally and honorably, but those who abuse their power will be held accountable for their unlawful conduct,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “On three occasions, Khadijah Solomon allegedly tased Fulton County Jail detainees without a legitimate purpose, causing each of them pain and injury. Abuses of power of this kind are unconstitutional, erode our community’s trust, and will be prosecuted.”

    “The Civil Rights Division has zero tolerance for law enforcement officers who abuse public trust through excessive force and concealing their misconduct,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We will vigorously safeguard the constitutional rights of all individuals, including those in custody, and ensure accountability in this case.”

    “The FBI is committed to protecting the civil rights of all individuals, including those in custody,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “When a law enforcement officer betrays the badge by using unlawful force and attempting to cover it up, it not only harms the victim—it undermines the integrity of our entire justice system. We will continue to work with our partners to investigate and hold accountable those who abuse their authority.”

    According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the indictment, information provided in court, and other publicly available information: The use-of-force policy implemented by the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) directs officers to use force that is objectively reasonable. To determine whether force is objectively reasonable, officers are required to consider the severity of the crime, the immediate threat posed by the subject, and whether the subject is actively resisting. Consistent with the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, the FCSO’s policy forbids deploying a taser as a form of punishment. 

    In violation of this policy, Solomon, a former jail supervisor with the FCSO, allegedly fired her county-issued Taser to repeatedly shock and stun three male detainees without legal justification. Each incident was recorded by Solomon’s body worn camera. The evidence showed that each of the detainees, one of whom was handcuffed at the time, was compliant and non-threatening when Solomon repeatedly tased him. Following each incident, Solomon prepared reports about the incidents that allegedly contained materially false information about the detainee’s conduct and lies about her use of force.

    Khadijah Solomon, 47, of Fairburn, Georgia, was arraigned today before Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Russell G. Vineyard. She was indicted by a federal grand jury seated in the Northern District of Georgia on June 10, 2025.

    Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

    This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Brent Alan Gray and Bret R. Hobson and Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Briana M. Clark are prosecuting the case.

    For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

    MIL Security OSI –

    June 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Fulton County Deputy Sheriff Charged with Excessively Tasing Three Detainees and Obstructing Justice

    Source: US FBI

    ATLANTA – Khadijah Solomon, a former deputy with the Fulton County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office, was arraigned today on charges of using unreasonable force by repeatedly tasing three detainees without legal justification and obstructing of justice by lying in official reports to cover up her unlawful conduct.

    “Law enforcement officers in this district perform their duties professionally and honorably, but those who abuse their power will be held accountable for their unlawful conduct,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “On three occasions, Khadijah Solomon allegedly tased Fulton County Jail detainees without a legitimate purpose, causing each of them pain and injury. Abuses of power of this kind are unconstitutional, erode our community’s trust, and will be prosecuted.”

    “The Civil Rights Division has zero tolerance for law enforcement officers who abuse public trust through excessive force and concealing their misconduct,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We will vigorously safeguard the constitutional rights of all individuals, including those in custody, and ensure accountability in this case.”

    “The FBI is committed to protecting the civil rights of all individuals, including those in custody,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “When a law enforcement officer betrays the badge by using unlawful force and attempting to cover it up, it not only harms the victim—it undermines the integrity of our entire justice system. We will continue to work with our partners to investigate and hold accountable those who abuse their authority.”

    According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the indictment, information provided in court, and other publicly available information: The use-of-force policy implemented by the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) directs officers to use force that is objectively reasonable. To determine whether force is objectively reasonable, officers are required to consider the severity of the crime, the immediate threat posed by the subject, and whether the subject is actively resisting. Consistent with the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, the FCSO’s policy forbids deploying a taser as a form of punishment. 

    In violation of this policy, Solomon, a former jail supervisor with the FCSO, allegedly fired her county-issued Taser to repeatedly shock and stun three male detainees without legal justification. Each incident was recorded by Solomon’s body worn camera. The evidence showed that each of the detainees, one of whom was handcuffed at the time, was compliant and non-threatening when Solomon repeatedly tased him. Following each incident, Solomon prepared reports about the incidents that allegedly contained materially false information about the detainee’s conduct and lies about her use of force.

    Khadijah Solomon, 47, of Fairburn, Georgia, was arraigned today before Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Russell G. Vineyard. She was indicted by a federal grand jury seated in the Northern District of Georgia on June 10, 2025.

    Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

    This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Brent Alan Gray and Bret R. Hobson and Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Briana M. Clark are prosecuting the case.

    For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

    MIL Security OSI –

    June 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Secures Denaturalization of Convicted Distributor of Child Sexual Abuse Material Who Fraudulently Obtained U.S. Citizenship

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    On June 13, 2025, the Justice Department secured the denaturalization of a convicted collector and distributor of child sexual abuse material.

    While still a citizen of the United Kingdom, Elliott Duke enlisted in the U.S. Army. In 2012, while serving in Germany, Duke began receiving and distributing child sexual abuse material via email and the internet.

    In November 13, 2012, Duke applied for citizenship under a provision that permits U.S. servicemembers to obtain U.S. citizenship. When asked on his naturalization application if he had “ever committed a crime or offense for which you were not arrested,” Duke listed only a speeding ticket. On January 18, 2013, a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officer interviewed Duke, and Duke, once more, orally testified that he had never committed a crime or offense for which he had not been arrested. On January 18, 2013, Duke took the Oath of Allegiance and was granted U.S. citizenship.

    On May 14, 2013, police officers in Louisiana arrested Duke and charged him with receipt and distribution of child pornography. During a police interview and in his plea agreement, Duke confessed to downloading, possessing, and distributing child pornography via his email account and the internet on dates both before and after his naturalization. Law enforcement officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) later found 168 videos and 187 still images on Duke’s computer depicting minor boys and girls engaged in the lascivious display of sexual activity and bestiality. On January 23, 2014, Duke was convicted of receipt and possession of child pornography.

    On February 19, 2025, the Justice Department filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana seeking Duke’s denaturalization based on his crimes and his failure to disclose them during his naturalization process. On June 13, 2025, the Honorable James D. Cain, Jr, United States District Judge, entered an order revoking Duke’s U.S. citizenship.

    “The laws intended to facilitate citizenship for brave men and women who join our nation’s armed forces will not shield individuals who have fraudulently obtained U.S. citizenship by concealing their crimes,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate. “If you commit serious crimes before you become a U.S. citizen and then lie about them during your naturalization process, the Justice Department will discover the truth and come after you.”

    The case was investigated as part of Operation Prison Lookout, an ongoing national initiative involving the Justice Department and ICE to identify and prosecute sex offenders who have fraudulently obtained United States citizenship. This case was prosecuted by Deputy Chief Hans H. Chen of the Justice Department’s Office of Immigration Litigation, General Litigation and Appeals Section, Affirmative Litigation Unit, with assistance from HSI, ICE’s Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon Smitherman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana. 

    MIL Security OSI –

    June 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Secures Denaturalization of Convicted Distributor of Child Sexual Abuse Material Who Fraudulently Obtained U.S. Citizenship

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    On June 13, 2025, the Justice Department secured the denaturalization of a convicted collector and distributor of child sexual abuse material.

    While still a citizen of the United Kingdom, Elliott Duke enlisted in the U.S. Army. In 2012, while serving in Germany, Duke began receiving and distributing child sexual abuse material via email and the internet.

    In November 13, 2012, Duke applied for citizenship under a provision that permits U.S. servicemembers to obtain U.S. citizenship. When asked on his naturalization application if he had “ever committed a crime or offense for which you were not arrested,” Duke listed only a speeding ticket. On January 18, 2013, a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officer interviewed Duke, and Duke, once more, orally testified that he had never committed a crime or offense for which he had not been arrested. On January 18, 2013, Duke took the Oath of Allegiance and was granted U.S. citizenship.

    On May 14, 2013, police officers in Louisiana arrested Duke and charged him with receipt and distribution of child pornography. During a police interview and in his plea agreement, Duke confessed to downloading, possessing, and distributing child pornography via his email account and the internet on dates both before and after his naturalization. Law enforcement officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) later found 168 videos and 187 still images on Duke’s computer depicting minor boys and girls engaged in the lascivious display of sexual activity and bestiality. On January 23, 2014, Duke was convicted of receipt and possession of child pornography.

    On February 19, 2025, the Justice Department filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana seeking Duke’s denaturalization based on his crimes and his failure to disclose them during his naturalization process. On June 13, 2025, the Honorable James D. Cain, Jr, United States District Judge, entered an order revoking Duke’s U.S. citizenship.

    “The laws intended to facilitate citizenship for brave men and women who join our nation’s armed forces will not shield individuals who have fraudulently obtained U.S. citizenship by concealing their crimes,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate. “If you commit serious crimes before you become a U.S. citizen and then lie about them during your naturalization process, the Justice Department will discover the truth and come after you.”

    The case was investigated as part of Operation Prison Lookout, an ongoing national initiative involving the Justice Department and ICE to identify and prosecute sex offenders who have fraudulently obtained United States citizenship. This case was prosecuted by Deputy Chief Hans H. Chen of the Justice Department’s Office of Immigration Litigation, General Litigation and Appeals Section, Affirmative Litigation Unit, with assistance from HSI, ICE’s Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon Smitherman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana. 

    MIL Security OSI –

    June 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Wicker Announces over $21 Million in Airports Grants

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Mississippi Roger Wicker

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., released the following statement after the Federal Aviation Administration awarded Mississippi with a total of $21.48 million in 52 grants. These funds will support critical improvements such as runway construction, lighting, signage, and terminal improvements to ensure the continued efficiency and safety of the national airspace system.

    “Upgrading local air travel is an investment in the future of Mississippi. This funding will bring necessary advancements to our airport systems and provide more business opportunities for Mississippians. I look forward to these improvements being made to spur economic development in our great state,” said Senator Wicker.

    List of FY25 Airport Improvement Program Funding totaling to $11,582,235:

    1. City of Hattiesburg – $233,510
    2. City of Columbus – $150,000
    3. City of Carthage and County of Leake – $404,519
    4. Cities of Drew & Ruleville & Sunflower County – $506,988
    5. City of Grenada – $595,646
    6. City of Madison – $185,725
    7. Clarksdale-Coahoma County Airport Board – $150,000
    8. City of Prentiss – $600,000
    9. City of Houston – $300,000
    10. County of Calhoun – $412,290
    11. City of Lexington – $106,099
    12. City of Indianola – $97,800
    13. County of Columbia & Marion – $809,984
    14. City of Magee – $544,091
    15. City of Greenville – $186,000
    16. University of Mississippi – $150,000
    17. Jackson Municipal Airport Authority and City of Jackson – $3,208,417
    18. Jackson Municipal Airport Authority and City of Jackson – $122,400
    19. County of Prentiss – $250,000
    20. County of Pontotoc – $583,469
    21. Holly Springs-Marshall County Airport Board – $419,577
    22. County of Tishomingo – $53,675
    23. Gulfport Biloxi Regional Airport Authority – $89,775
    24. Jackson Municipal Airport Authority and City of Jackson – $158,334
    25. County of Jackson – $330,653
    26. Hinds Community College – $450,000
    27. Gulfport Biloxi Regional Airport Authority – $142,253
    28. Tishomingo Districts 1, 2, 3 – $159,000

    List of FY25 Airport Infrastructure Grant Funding totaling to $9,895,282:

    1. County of Calhoun – $215,000
    2. Jackson Municipal Airport Authority and City of Jackson – $749,000
    3. Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport Authority – $941,918
    4. City of Kosciusko – $247,928
    5. City of Carthage and County of Leake – $536,000
    6. County of Prentiss – $333,788
    7. County of Walthall – $100,000
    8. Clarke County Board of Supervisors – $260,263
    9. Clarksdale-Coahoma County Airport Board – $95,000
    10. City of Grenada – $300,000
    11. City of Houston – $228,939
    12. City of New Albany and County of Union – $99,370
    13. City of Magee – $380,550
    14. Holly Springs-Marshall County Airport Board – $110,000
    15. University of Mississippi – $182,500
    16. City of Corinth / County of Alcorn – $313,263
    17. County of Pontotoc – $204,369
    18. City of Prentiss – $110,000
    19. City of Winona and County of Montgomery – $281,000
    20. City of Olive Branch – $546,374
    21. Tupelo Airport Authority – $977,770
    22. County of Tunica & Tunica County Airport Commission – $475,603
    23. County of Tishomingo – $120,936
    24. Cities of Drew & Ruleville & Sunflower County – $444,000

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Wicker, Cantwell Introduce the Reauthorization of Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Mississippi Roger Wicker

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., introduced the Reauthorization of Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act. The bill would reauthorize the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) for the next five years, maintaining its current funding level at $56 million annually. Additionally, the bill would bring continued support for ocean monitoring efforts that improve coastal communities, fisheries, and maritime industries.

    “IOOS is critical to keeping the Gulf Coast a great place to live, work, and raise a family. Reauthorizing this funding would continue the necessary ocean monitoring resources and improve our understanding of needs along the coast. This legislation would help secure U.S. leadership in ocean science and increase economic development. I look forward to seeing the continued success of this program and how it benefits our growing and vibrant maritime economy,” said Senator Wicker.

    “Everyone from ship captains to shellfish farmers rely on the weather forecasts, navigational safety alerts, and ocean acidification monitoring provided by the Integrated Ocean Observing System. Our bill would reauthorize the program so it can keep supplying life-saving information that coastal communities need,” said Senator Cantwell.

     

    “?Observations from our oceans and Great Lakes are vital to supporting a strong maritime economy, ensuring public safety, and safeguarding national security. The authorization of the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) affirms the critical need for ocean data to improve weather forecasting, enhance navigational safety, strengthen coastal resilience, and much more. IOOS establishes a strong public-private partnership that efficiently serves a wide range of users—across sectors, applications, and regions—by delivering the reliable, actionable information they depend on.” said Kristen Yarincik, IOOS Association Executive Director.

     

    “The Gulf Coast—home to nearly 15 million people—anchors a robust maritime economy where commercial activity and offshore energy development intersect with naval operations and tourism. This dynamic region, however, is also highly vulnerable to hurricanes, flooding, and harmful algal blooms, all of which pose serious threats to both economic resilience and the well-being of coastal communities. The Gulf of America Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS), along with the ten other regional systems that make up the national Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), plays a critical role in enhancing disaster forecasting and preparedness, supporting safe navigation, aiding U.S. Coast Guard search and rescue missions, and informing daily decisions that keep our coasts safe and economically vibrant. The importance of this bill cannot be overstated—for the Gulf region and for the nation as a whole,” said Jorge Brenner, Executive Director of the Gulf of America Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS).

     

    “For twenty years, NANOOS has provided reliable data, tools, and forecasts to support the safety and livelihoods of residents in Washington and Oregon. NANOOS delivers actionable information tailored to local needs, whether that is helping ship operators navigate safely, enabling shellfish growers to remain competitive, identifying safe tsunami evacuation routes for communities, or assisting state and tribal managers in protecting public health from harmful algal blooms without disrupting coastal economies. This trusted relationship is possible because the U.S. supports the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), which sustains cost-effective, federally certified regional partnerships like NANOOS across the country,” said Jan Newton, Executive Director of the Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing System (NANOOS).

    Full text of the resolution can be found here.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Russia: Iranian FM condemns Israeli strikes at UNHRC meeting

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    GENEVA, June 20 (Xinhua) — Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned Israel’s strikes on his country in Geneva on Friday.

    Speaking at the 59th session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), A. Araghchi said that the Jewish state had launched “unprovoked aggression” against Iran.

    A. Araghchi arrived in Geneva for a meeting with the Foreign Ministers of Great Britain, France and Germany, which was also attended by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

    In his speech at the UN Human Rights Council meeting, A. Araghchi noted that Israel is committing “a terrible genocide in Palestine,” and is now carrying out aggression against Iran.

    The Jewish state is committing war crimes and crimes against humanity, the head of the Iranian Foreign Ministry said.

    He recalled that Iran’s nuclear facilities were also attacked, despite the fact that they are under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

    Such strikes not only violate international law, but could also trigger serious radioactive leaks with catastrophic consequences for the environment and public health, he added.

    A. Araghchi also recalled that on June 15, Iran was supposed to hold a meeting with the United States dedicated to a peaceful solution to the Iranian nuclear problem. The Israeli shelling, according to him, is a betrayal of diplomacy and a blow to the UN system. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    June 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Canada: Prime Minister Carney announces changes in the senior ranks of the public service

    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    Canada’s new government has a mandate for change. A stronger Canada depends on a strong and effective public service – one that is focused on execution, delivery, and impact.

    Today, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, announced the following changes in the senior ranks of the public service:

    Jean-François Tremblay, currently Deputy Minister of Environment and Climate Change, becomes Senior Official at the Privy Council Office, effective June 30, 2025, while he prepares for his upcoming role as Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

    Mollie Johnson, currently Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Plans and Consultations) and, concurrently, Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Clean Growth), Privy Council Office, becomes Deputy Minister of Environment and Climate Change, effective June 30, 2025.

    Nancy Hamzawi, currently Executive Vice-President of the Public Health Agency of Canada, becomes President of the Public Health Agency of Canada, effective June 20, 2025.

    Alison O’Leary, currently Assistant Deputy Minister, Federal-Provincial Relations and Social Policy, Department of Finance Canada, becomes Associate Deputy Minister of Finance, effective June 30, 2025.

    The Prime Minister also announced that Kaili Levesque, Associate Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, will provide direct support to the Secretary of State (Nature), and that Mark Schaan, Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Artificial Intelligence), Privy Council Office, will provide direct support to the Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation.

    The Prime Minister took the opportunity to congratulate Heather Jeffrey, former President of the Public Health Agency of Canada, on her recent retirement from the public service. He thanked her and Suzy McDonald, Associate Deputy Minister of Finance, for their dedication and service to Canadians throughout their careers and wished them all the best in the future.

    Biographical Notes

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    June 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Canada: Minister Guilbeault defends Canada’s cultural sovereignty in the digital age and calls for international cooperation during UNESCO conference

    Source: Government of Canada News

    PARIS, June 20, 2025

    The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages, made the following statement at the 10th session of the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris from June 18 to 20, 2025:

    “We are proud to mark the 20th anniversary of the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. Canada is deeply attached to the values of this Convention and is proud to be one of its founding countries. For 20 years, it has guided us in the development of innovative cultural policies that serve our artists and creative sectors.

    The world has changed a great deal since 2005. We are facing new challenges everywhere, but also new opportunities as the digital shift—particularly the phenomenal rise of artificial intelligence—revolutionizes our societies, including our cultural and media sectors.

    Canada will always strongly defend the right of states to protect their culture. Today we are making a call to strengthen international cooperation to ensure digital governance in accordance with the principles of the 2005 Convention. In the past few days, we have worked with a number of countries in order to move forward collectively in a context where the urgency to act is clear: the digital world must evolve in a way that fully supports our cultural diversity.

    Canada has already taken several steps to ensure that our laws and cultural programs reflect digital reality. We have acted to promote local content, while requiring Web giants to contribute fairly and support our artists, creative professionals and media—because we firmly believe that strong cultural and media sectors are essential for a strong Canada.

    In light of the discussions that took place during this conference, we hear the plea of Canadian civil society and of our partner of choice at UNESCO, the Government of Quebec. We are continuing our close collaboration with Quebec, civil society and several Parties to the Convention to implement the recommendations to protect cultural diversity in the digital environment that were presented to UNESCO in February 2025 by a group of international experts.

    Canada supports the decisions made during the Conference today by the 160 signatory countries, which will support the ongoing implementation of the Convention in the digital age. The updating of digital operational guidelines and ongoing reflection on an additional protocol to the Convention will make it possible to take action now while considering other long-term solutions.

    This is why I applaud the ongoing, important work of the countries signatory to the Convention, the Government of Quebec, other provinces and territories, Indigenous communities and civil society.

    Canada will continue to be a strong voice at the international level to protect and promote creative and cultural industries, both at home and abroad, so that they can take full advantage of the opportunities offered by the digital shift.”

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    June 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Weber Joins Push to Bring the Discovery Space Shuttle to Houston

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Randy Weber (14th District of Texas)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Randy Weber (TX-14) joined Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) to bring the Space Shuttle Discovery home to Texas. Together, they are calling for the shuttle to be relocated from its current location in Virginia to NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, the rightful home of human spaceflight. This morning, Rep. Weber and Sen. Cornyn met with a former space shuttle astronaut, key figures in the aerospace industry, and the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership at Space Center Houston. Following the meeting, Rep. Weber announced he is introducing the House companion of Sen. Cornyn’s Bring the Shuttle Home Act.

    “Our community has always been proud to stand at the forefront of space exploration and innovation. Now, we’re fighting to bring the Space Shuttle Discovery back to Houston, where it truly belongs,” said Rep. Weber. “Those of us who’ve been in this battle from the beginning still remember the sting of the Obama administration’s misguided decision to snub Houston, the home of Mission Control and the beating heart of America’s space program, in favor of locations with far less connection to NASA’s legacy. That’s why I’m proud to introduce the Bring the Shuttle Home Act. It’s time to correct the record and return Discovery to its rightful home at Johnson Space Center, where it can continue to inspire generations of future astronauts, engineers, and explorers.”

    Background:

    More than a decade ago, Houston, America’s hub for human spaceflight, was unjustly passed over for one of the retiring space shuttle orbiters due to a politically motivated decision by the Obama Administration. Despite Houston’s central role in our nation’s space legacy, the shuttles were sent elsewhere. Discovery remains the only shuttle still owned by the federal government and eligible for transfer. Bringing it to Houston will not only honor our city’s unmatched contributions to space exploration, it will also serve to educate and inspire the next generation of astronauts, scientists, and pioneers.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Carbajal, Bacon Introduce Bipartisan Bill Package to Improve Public Safety

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Salud Carbajal (CA-24)

    U.S. Representatives Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) and Don Bacon (R-NE-02) introduced a pair of bipartisan bills, the H.R. 4024, Filling Public Safety Vacancies Act and H.R. 4022, Increasing Behavioral Health Treatment Act, to improve public safety nationwide. This package aims to address the staffing shortages at local law enforcement departments and removes the limitations on the provision of Medicaid funding for patients in an institution for mental disease (IMD) in order to improve behavioral health.

    “The Filling Public Safety Vacancies Act and Increasing Behavioral Health Treatment Act are bipartisan commitments to strengthening our communities by addressing critical law enforcement staffing shortages and expanding access to behavioral health care,” said Rep. Carbajal. “By investing in these essential resources, we are ensuring that local communities have the support they need to safeguard people’s both physical safety and mental well-being.” 

    “Law enforcement staffing shortages and lack of access to behavioral healthcare are negatively impacting our communities and these two bipartisan bills will help address those gaps,” said Rep. Bacon. “We can provide peace of mind to communities by supporting these resources.”

    The Filling Public Safety Vacancies Act aims to help local police departments mitigate staffing shortages. The legislation also provides an emergency boost to the federal grant program that provides funding to departments for recruitment and hiring. The bipartisan bill has a Senate companion led by Senators Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN).

    With an infusion of an additional $162 million for the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program, the bill would double the amount of federal grant funding available for local departments this fiscal year.

    The bipartisan bill also establishes a new vetting requirement for officers hired using the supplemental funding provided in the bill, creating the first-ever statutory requirement for background checks and mental health evaluations. Currently, federal law does not require agencies to perform background checks on new recruits through the COPS Hiring Program.

    The Filling Public Safety Vacancies Act has the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police, Major County Sheriffs of America, and the Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC), California’s largest law enforcement organization.

    “Policing staff shortages are a nationwide problem and law enforcement agencies are struggling to retain good veteran officers and to find the best and brightest candidates to protect their communities.  This legislation provides a needed one-time boost of $162 million for the hiring program administered by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). The additional funds can be used to hire or rehire law enforcement officers as well as pay for the required background checks and psychological examinations.  We are grateful to have Representatives Carbajal and Bacon lead this important effort,” said Patrick Yoes, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police.

    “The City of Santa Barbara appreciates our Congressman’s deep understanding of the behavioral health system and how to increase access to critical treatment and services while ensuring that the approach to such services are holistic and community-centered. As a City that has made significant investments in coordinated community crisis response through our Police Department’s Co-Response Team as well as accessibility to mental health services through our downtown daytime navigation center, we feel strongly that this legislation will create more pathways for positive client outcomes and increase overall public health, safety and well-being,” said Kelly Gordon, City of Santa Barbara Police Chief.

    The Increasing Behavioral Health Treatment Act would remove the Medicaid Institutions for Mental Disease (IMD) payment prohibition for states that have submitted a plan to: increase access to outpatient and community-based behavioral health care; increase availability of crisis stabilization services; and improve data sharing and coordination between physical health, mental health and addiction treatment providers, and first-responders.

    Increasing Behavioral Health Treatment Act is endorsed by County of Ventura, County of Santa Barbara, Ventura County District Attorney, Ventura County Sheriff, Santa Barbara County Sheriff, Santa Barbara Police Department, Behavioral Health and Wellness, California State Association of Counties, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), National Association of Counties (NACo), National Association of County Behavioral Health and Developmental Disability Directors, Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC), and Major County Sheriffs of America.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Relief for grieving Kiwis recommended by Regulation Ministry

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says that red tape is giving Kiwis serious headaches, and the Red Tape Tipline has received over 750 submissions. 
    “A submitter to the Ministry for Regulation’s Red Tape Tipline has complained that the threshold for probate has not kept up with inflation. This means that more Kiwis have to go through the tedious legal process that is probate, while they are mourning,” Mr Seymour says.  
    “The maximum value for distributing an estate without probate is $15,000. This has not changed in over 15 years. In that time, inflation has increased 48 per cent, New Zealand made same sex marriage legal, and the All Blacks have won two Rugby World Cup titles.
    The Ministry for Regulation found that if the probate threshold were inflation adjusted it would be about $22,000. 
    “The submitter said that the most frustrating part of the probate process was that he had to apply to the High Court to administer his estate. This clogs up the courts and means probate takes much longer than necessary, for estates which are of a value lower than the value intended to require probate. In the submitters case the whole process took over six months,” Mr Seymour says. 
    “The Ministry for Regulation’s investigation found that this is an easy fix. The Administration (Prescribed Amounts) Regulations 2009 set the probate threshold. The responsible Minister can amend the regulations with Cabinet’s approval. 
    “I have written to the Minister of Justice, Hon Paul Goldsmith with the Ministry for Regulation’s findings. He is responsible for the regulation.”
    The probate threshold is the amount at which those executing a will are forced to go through a more formal legal process requiring court approval. Below the threshold there is no court approval needed to disburse estates, saving time and money.
    The Ministry for Regulation have published a case study on the issue which can be found here: Relief for grieving families | Ministry for Regulation
     

     
     

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    June 21, 2025
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