The following text contains opinion that is not, or not necessarily, that of MIL-OSI –
Chairwoman McClain’s Statement on President Trump Signing into Law Legislation That Repeals Burdensome Biden Emissions Rules
Washington, June 12, 2025
WASHINGTON—Today, House Republican Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) praised President Trump’s signing of three Congressional Review Act resolutions that repeal emissions regulations implemented under the Biden administration, granting California biased waivers. The regulations sought to force a nationwide shift to electric vehicles—posing a direct threat to Michigan’s auto industry, its workers, and the future of American manufacturing.
“These resolutions represent a major victory for American workers, consumers, and small businesses,” Chairwoman McClain said. “The emissions rules were rushed, unworkable, and out of touch with our nation’s economic realities. Signing them into law means restoring Congressional oversight and protecting industries that drive innovation and opportunity nationwide.”
The following text contains opinion that is not, or not necessarily, that of MIL-OSI –
WASHINGTON — Today, House Republicans passed H.R. 4, the Rescissions Act of 2025, to rescind $9.4 billion of wasteful spending identified by President Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
House Republican Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) managed floor debate and issued the following statement:
“Today’s vote sends a clear message: House Republicans are putting American taxpayers first. This $9.4 billion is just the beginning,” Chairwoman McClain said. “Americans didn’t send us here to fund insect powder in Madagascar or electric buses in Rwanda. We’re going line by line, rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse, and keeping our promises to the American people.”
H.R. 4 cuts $9.4 billion in wasteful spending, such as:
$8,000 for promoting vegan food in Zambia.
$500,000 for electric buses in Rwanda.
$3 million for an Iraqi version of Sesame Street.
$67,000 for feeding insect powder to children in Madagascar.
The bill complements Republicans’ broader fiscal reforms in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and the Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations process, codifies DOGE cuts, and delivers on President Trump and House Republicans’ promises to root out waste, fraud, and abuse.
The following is a statement from CWA President Claude Cummings Jr.
Today’s assault on Sen. Alex Padilla is an escalation of the Trump administration’s attempts to forcibly silence anyone who questions their actions. We all have a right and an obligation to speak up if something is wrong.
Source: United States Small Business Administration
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the availability of low interest federal disaster loans to small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Kansas to offset economic losses caused by drought beginning March 18.
The disaster declaration covers the Kansas counties of Clark, Comanche, Ford, Gray, Haskell, Kiowa, Meade and Seward as well as the Oklahoma counties of Beaver and Harper.
Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.
EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills not paid due to the disaster.
“Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”
The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.62% for PNPs with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months after the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.
To apply online, visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
Submit completed loan applications to SBA no later than Feb. 2, 2026.
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About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.
SEATTLE – Attorney General Nick Brown today joined coalition of 11 attorneys general in challenging the federal government’s unprecedented and unlawful use of the Congressional Review Act to disapprove California’s waivers for its various clean vehicle standards, which Washington subsequently adopted.
Waivers have never been subject to the Congressional Review Act nor have any other agency orders that adjudicate requests for permission —such as oil and gas leases or mining permits. The actions taken here contradict the non-partisan Government Accountability Office and Senate parliamentarian, who both determined that the law’s process to disapprove federal regulations does not apply to these waivers.
“Transportation is the single greatest contributor to greenhouse gas pollution in Washington, and our residents understand the transition to zero-emission vehicles is critical in the fight against climate change,” Brown said. “This is the Trump administration’s latest unlawful attempt to derail Washington’s and the nation’s transition to a clean future.”
Motor vehicle emissions contribute to the formation of smog, as well as fine particle pollution and toxic air pollution, all of which are linked to premature death, respiratory illness, cardiovascular problems, and cancer, among other serious health impacts. Transportation is also the leading source of greenhouse gas emissions in the country, and cars and trucks account for 80% of those transportation emissions.
The Clean Air Act requires the EPA to set federal emission standards for air pollutants from new motor vehicles or new motor vehicle engines that cause or contribute to air pollution that endangers public health or welfare. The Clean Air Act allows only California to adopt more stringent emission requirements independent from EPA’s regulations, because only California had vehicle emissions standards before the passage of the federal Clean Air Act. California can enforce these standards with an EPA preemption waiver. The act requires EPA to approve waivers for California’s rules absent certain, limited circumstances not present here.
Once EPA grants California a waiver, Washington may adopt California’s standards and does not need a waiver of its own. Since 2023, the EPA granted California three waivers, allowing it to enforce the most recent standards for passenger vehicles, Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II), as well as standards for heavier duty vehicles under the Omnibus and Advanced Clean Truck (ACT) standards. Historically, EPA, under both Democratic and Republican administrations, has granted California more than seventy-five preemption waivers for updates to the State’s new motor vehicle emissions control program. As Congress intended, these waivers have allowed California, and those states that adopted California’s standards, to improve on their vehicle emissions programs.
Under ACCII, which Washington adopted in 2022, automakers must continue to sell an increasing number of zero-emission vehicles—as they have been for decades. By model year 2035, 80% of the passenger vehicles sold in Washington must be zero-emission, while the remaining 20% may be plug-in hybrids. The Advanced Clean Truck regulations aim to accelerate the widespread adoption of zero emission vehicles in the medium and heavy-duty truck sector, and are similarly critical for Washington’s efforts to meet air quality standards and protect public health.The Omnibus regulation requires internal combustion heavy-duty trucks sold in Washington to meet strict standards for oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions, which are major contributors to smog formation.
Under the direction of President Trump, the EPA transmitted these California waivers to Congress as “rules” in an attempt to invoke CRA procedures, even though all three waivers state EPA’s consistent and longstanding position, under both Republican and Democratic administrations, that waiver decisions are not “rules.” The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate illegally used the CRA to target California’s Clean Air Act waivers.
The complaint filed today alleges that the attempt to invalidate California’s waivers violated constitutional principles of federalism and separation of powers, the Take Care Clause, and multiple federal statutes including the Congressional Review Act and Administrative Procedure Act. The complaint asks the court to declare the resolutions to be unlawful and to require the Administration to implement the Clean Air Act consistent with the granted waivers.
Attorney General Brown joins California Attorney General Bonta and the attorneys general of Colorado, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont in filing the lawsuit.
A copy of the complaint is available here.
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(COLUMBIA, S.C.) – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced that his office’s Vulnerable Adults and Medicaid Provider Fraud unit (VAMPF) has arrested Mikalia S. Mitchell, 32 years old, of Pacolet, SC, on two counts of Forgery, value less than $10,000 {16-13-0010(A)}, and one count of Medical Assistance Provider Fraud {43-07-0060}. Mitchell was booked into the Spartanburg County Detention Center on June 12, 2025.
An investigation by VAMPF revealed that, between August 1, 2024, and January 25, 2025, Mitchell is alleged to have knowingly and willfully caused false claims for payments to the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, the agency that administers the State’s Medicaid program. As a personal care attendant, Mitchell is accused of forging signatures on timesheets and submitting falsified records, claiming she provided services to two Medicaid beneficiaries when she did not.
This case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office.
Forgery, value less than $10,000, is a felony and, upon conviction, has a penalty of up to five years in prison, a fine at the discretion of the court, or both. Medical Assistance Provider Fraud is a class A misdemeanor and, upon conviction, has a penalty of up to three years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000.
Pursuant to federal regulations, VAMPF has authority over Medicaid provider fraud; abuse and neglect of Medicaid beneficiaries in any setting; and the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of individuals residing in assisted living facilities or nursing homes.
Attorney General Wilson stressed all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.
The South Carolina Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, dba VAMPF, receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $2,889,252 for federal fiscal year 2025. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $963,084 for FFY 2025, is funded by South Carolina.
Four men, including a government contracting officer for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and three owners and presidents of companies, have pleaded guilty for their roles in a decade-long bribery scheme involving at least 14 prime contracts worth over $550 million in U.S. taxpayer dollars.
Roderick Watson, 57, of Woodstock, Maryland, who worked as a USAID contracting officer, pleaded guilty to bribery of a public official;
Walter Barnes, 46, of Potomac, Maryland, the owner and president of PM Consulting Group LLC doing business as Vistant (Vistant), a certified small business under the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) 8(a) contracting program, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery of a public official and securities fraud;
Darryl Britt, 64, of Myakka City, Florida, the owner and president of Apprio, Inc. (Apprio), a certified small business under the SBA 8(a) contracting program, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery of a public official; and
Paul Young, 62, of Columbia, Maryland, the president of a subcontractor to Vistant and Apprio, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery of a public official.
In addition, Apprio and Vistant, both of which contracted with USAID, have agreed to admit criminal liability and enter into three-year deferred prosecution agreements (DPAs) in connection with criminal informations filed today in the District of Maryland. As part of these resolutions, both Apprio and Vistant admitted to engaging in a conspiracy to commit bribery of a public official and securities fraud. The DPAs entered into with Apprio and Vistant require each company to, among other obligations, provide ongoing cooperation with and disclosures to the Justice Department, implement a compliance and ethics program, and report to Justice Department regarding remediation and implementation of these compliance measures.
“The defendants sought to enrich themselves at the expense of American taxpayers through bribery and fraud,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Their scheme violated the public trust by corrupting the federal government’s procurement process. Anybody who cares about good and effective government should be concerned about the waste, fraud, and abuse in government agencies, including USAID. Those who engage in bribery schemes to exploit the U.S. Small Business Administration’s vital economic programs for small businesses — whether individuals or corporations acting through them — will be held to account.”
“Watson was entrusted to serve the interests of the American people — not his own — and his criminal actions for his own personal gain undermine the integrity of our public institutions,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “Public trust is a hallmark of our nation’s values, so corruption within a federal government agency is intolerable. This office, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to pursue and prosecute corruption at every level to ensure accountability and protect public trust.”
“The guilty pleas reflect the FBI’s unwavering commitment to holding accountable all those who abuse the authority and responsibility of public service,” said FBI Criminal Investigative Division Acting Assistant Director Darren Cox. “The actions of the defendants in this scheme serve to erode public trust. The FBI is focused on rebuilding this trust and protecting American taxpayers from corruption through investigations such as these.”
“Corruption in government programs will not be tolerated. Watson abused his position of trust for personal gain while federal contractors engaged in a pay-to-play scheme,” said Acting Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Sean Bottary of the USAID Office of Inspector General (USAID-OIG). “USAID-OIG is firmly committed to rooting out fraud and corruption within U.S. foreign assistance programs. Today’s announcement underscores our unwavering focus on exposing criminal activity, including bribery schemes by those entrusted to faithfully award government contracts. We appreciate our longstanding partnership with the Department of Justice in holding accountable those who defraud American taxpayers.”
“Watson exploited his position at USAID to line his pockets with bribes in exchange for more than $550 million in contracts. While he helped three company owners and presidents bypass the fair bidding process, he was showered with cash and lavish gifts,” said Chief Guy Ficco of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). “Through its financial crime investigations, IRS-CI works to protect taxpayer dollars and ensure government funds are awarded based on merit — not corruption. In close coordination with our law enforcement partners, IRS-CI helped put an end to their greed and criminal conduct. Now, Watson and his co-conspirators will face justice.”
Overview of Bribery Scheme
According to court documents, beginning in 2013, Watson, while a USAID contracting officer, agreed with Britt to receive bribes in exchange for using Watson’s influence to award contracts to Apprio. As a certified small business under the SBA 8(a) contracting program, which helps socially and economically disadvantaged businesses, Apprio could access lucrative federal contracting opportunities through set-asides and sole-source contracts exclusively available to eligible contractors without a competitive bid process.
Vistant was a subcontractor to Apprio on one of the contracts awarded through Watson’s influence. After Apprio graduated from the SBA 8(a) program and it was no longer eligible to be a prime contractor for new contracts with USAID under this program, the scheme shifted so that Vistant became the prime contractor and Apprio became the subcontractor on USAID contracts awarded through Watson’s influence between 2018 and 2022.
During the scheme, Britt and Barnes paid bribes to Watson that were often concealed by passing them through Young, who was the president of another subcontractor to Apprio and Vistant. Britt and Barnes also regularly funneled bribes to Watson, including cash, laptops, thousands of dollars in tickets to a suite at an NBA game, a country club wedding, downpayments on two residential mortgages, cellular phones, and jobs for relatives. The bribes were also often concealed through electronic bank transfers falsely listing Watson on payroll, incorporated shell companies, and false invoices. Watson is alleged to have received bribes valued at more than approximately $1 million as part of the scheme.
In exchange for the bribe payments, Watson influenced the award of contracts to Apprio and Vistant by manipulating the procurement process at USAID through various means, including recommending their companies to other USAID decisionmakers for non-competitive contract awards, disclosing sensitive procurement information during the competitive bidding process, providing positive performance evaluations to a government agency, and approving decisions on the contracts, such as increased funding and a security clearance.
Apprio and Vistant also agreed to resolve concurrently with the Justice Department in its separate Civil False Claims Act investigations relating to the bribery scheme.
Overview of Vistant Securities Fraud Scheme
According to court documents, in 2022, Barnes and Watson defrauded a licensed small business investment company (SBIC), in furtherance of the bribery scheme, by inducing it into executing a credit agreement with Vistant. Through the credit agreement, Barnes caused Vistant to issue stock warrants that, if exercised, would result in the SBIC having a 40% equity stake in Vistant. The credit agreement also provided for a $14 million loan to Vistant from which Barnes could pay himself a $10 million dividend. Prior to executing the credit agreement, Watson agreed at Barnes’s request to speak with the SBIC about Vistant’s performance as a government contractor on USAID contracts. When speaking with the SBIC, Watson omitted that Barnes had bribed Watson to obtain USAID contracts for years. Watson’s endorsement of Vistant thereafter induced the SBIC to enter into the credit agreement with Barnes.
Overview of Apprio Securities Fraud Scheme
According to court documents, in 2023, Apprio, acting through Britt, engaged in a scheme in which Apprio fraudulently induced a private equity firm, which had an investment pool that was licensed as a SBIC, to purchase from Apprio’s parent company a 20% equity stake in the company for $4 million and simultaneously extend it a $4 million loan secured by shares of Apprio stock. In addition to making false material representations in the stock purchase and loan agreements, Britt intentionally omitted during his negotiations the material fact that he had bribed Watson for years, which was intended to deceive and induce the private equity company into executing the agreements.
Deferred Prosecution Agreements with Apprio and Vistant
The Justice Department reached its resolution with Apprio based on several factors, including Apprio’s credit for clearly accepting responsibility for its criminal conduct, fully cooperating in the investigation and engaging in timely remedial measures. Based on these factors, the criminal penalty calculated under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines reflects a 10% reduction off the bottom of the applicable Guidelines fine range pursuant to the Criminal Division Corporate Enforcement and Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy (CEP). According to court documents, Apprio agreed that the appropriate criminal penalty based on the law and facts in its case is $51,673,185; however, Apprio also met its burden of establishing an inability to pay the criminal penalty sought. Based on the Justice Department’s independent analysis, it determined that paying a criminal penalty and civil settlement greater than $500,000 would substantially threaten the continued viability of Apprio. Accordingly, the Justice Department determined that the appropriate resolution of this case is a DPA and a payment of $500,000 in a civil settlement.
Similarly, the Justice Department reached its resolution with Vistant based on a number of factors, including Vistant’s credit for clearly accepting responsibility for its criminal conduct and cooperating with the investigation. Although Vistant’s cooperation was initially delayed and limited, Vistant began to fully cooperate thereafter. Vistant also received credit for engaging in timely remedial measures. Based on these factors, the penalty calculated under the Guidelines reflects a 5% reduction off the bottom of the applicable Guidelines fine range pursuant to the CEP. Vistant agreed that the appropriate criminal penalty based on the law and facts in its case is $86,407,740; however, Vistant also met its burden of establishing an inability to pay the criminal penalty sought. Based on the Justice Department’s independent analysis, it determined that paying a criminal penalty and civil settlement greater than $100,000 would substantially threaten the continued viability of Vistant. Accordingly, the Justice Department determined that the appropriate resolution of this case is a DPA and a payment of $100,000 in a civil settlement.
Watson is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 6, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. Young is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 3 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Britt is scheduled to be sentenced on July 28 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Barnes is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 14 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
The FBI, USAID-OIG, and IRS-CI are investigating the cases.
Trial Attorneys Matt Kahn and Brandon Burkart of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Kibbe for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the cases.
GREAT FALLS – A Honduran man who entered the U.S. illegally after two prior removals and corresponding convictions was sentenced today to 99 days in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Carlos Alexis Ponce-Lopez, 33, pleaded guilty in April 2025 to one of illegal reentry.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Ponce-Lopez was originally ordered removed by an Immigration Judge on November 11, 2011, in San Antonio, Texas and was removed on December 23, 2011. Ponce-Lopez illegally entered again on March 31, 2014. Ponce-Lopez’s original order of removal was reinstated and he was removed on August 18, 2014. On each of those occasions, Ponce-Lopez was also convicted in federal court for illegal entry prior to being removed.
On February 21, 2025, the Montana Highway Patrol conducted a traffic stop on I-90 near Billings, Montana. Ponce-Lopez was a passenger in the vehicle. The driver was cited and all three subjects were released, including Ponce-Lopez.
On March 4, 2025, U.S. Border Patrol agents found Ponce-Lopez at a house in Shelby, Montana. As they walked towards the home, Ponce-Lopez walked outside. One of the agents called out to Ponce-Lopez, “Carlos Ponce?” Ponce-Lopez responded in Spanish, “Si, es mi (Yes, that’s me).” The agents then conducted an immigration inspection. Ponce-Lopez said he was removed before and reentered illegally. He admitted he had no documents to enter, live, or stay in the United States legally and was not pending any immigration hearings. He was arrested and transported to the Sweetgrass Border Patrol Station for further processing.
There are no records within the Department of Homeland Security that Ponce-Lopez ever applied for readmission into the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Border Patrol, Montana Highway Patrol, and Toole County Sheriff’s Office.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, today announced that a federal grand jury in Bridgeport has returned an indictment charging TIMEEK HEATH, 41, of Waterbury, with drug and firearm offenses.
The indictment was returned on June 4, 2025. Heath appeared today in Hartford federal court, pleaded not guilty to the charges, and was ordered detained pending a detention hearing that is scheduled for June 17.
As alleged in the indictment, on two occasions in August and September 2024, Heath distributed fentanyl. Also, on September 5, 2024, Heath sold a Glock, Model 23, .40 caliber pistol to an individual he knew was a convicted felon.
It is further alleged that Heath’s criminal history includes felony convictions for manslaughter and larceny offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
The indictment charges Heath with two counts of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of fentanyl, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count; one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years; one count of sale of a firearm by a prohibited person, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years; and one count of firearms trafficking, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel J. Gentile.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A recruit participates in the Army’s future soldier prep course at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C., on Sept. 25, 2024. AP Photo/Chris Carlson
The U.S. Army will celebrate its 250th birthday on Saturday, June 14, 2025, with a parade in Washington, D.C., in which about 6,600 soldiers and heavy pieces of military equipment will roll through the streets. The parade aims to display the Army’s history and power.
In 2024, the U.S. military met its recruitment target, which supports the argument that the bump is not due to Trump, as recruitment levels began to rise again before his reelection. But in some cases, the U.S. military has met its recruitment goals by lowering target numbers.
And as a scholar of terrorism and targeted violence, I believe a close reading of available data on military recruitment suggests U.S. gun violence may be largely to blame for the lack of interest in joining the military.
Gun violence data
Regardless of one’s personal politics, the data on U.S. gun violence makes for painful reading.
Moreover, these perceptions have considerable impacts on youth mental health and their sense of safety. Studies have linked concern over school shootings among adolescents with higher rates of anxiety and trauma-related disorders.
As Arne Duncan, who served as President Barack Obama’s secretary of education during the Sandy Hook tragedy, said in 2023: “Unfortunately, what’s now binding young people across the country together is not joy of music, or sports, or whatever, it’s really the shared pain of gun violence – and it cuts through race and class and geography and economics.”
National security threat
In the past couple of years, pollstaken of Generation Z youth, born between 1997 and 2012, suggest mental health and mass shootings are among the most important political issues motivating this band of voters.
Gun violence, in other words, is a national security emergency, undermining the U.S. government’s ability to protect its citizens in their schools, places of worship and communities.
As former Marine Gen. John Allen wrote in 2019: “Americans today are more likely to experience gun violence at home than they might in many of the places to which I deployed in the name of defending our nation.”
U.S. Army National Guard members stand outside the Army National Guard office during training on April 21, 2022, in Washington. AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib, File
Rewriting American culture
Accordingly, gun violence has undercut American patriotism, corroding the U.S. government’s soft power within its own borders. Generation Z, termed by some as the “lockdown generation,” is often derided as less patriotic than its predecessors.
Surprising Gen Z Research.
Also, the belief in American exceptionalism is dropping among millennials, born between 1981 and 1996. That perception is combined with less confidence in U.S. global engagement and the efficacy of military solutions.
American culture has long inspired military service, with recruits seduced by action movies and promises of heroic returns to the U.S. But American culture today is being rewired into one of suffering, pain and victimhood.
Internal U.S. military surveys of young Americans show that “the top three reasons young people cite for rejecting military enlistment are the same across all the services: fear of death, worries about post-traumatic stress disorder and leaving friends and family — in that order.”
Generations already suffering a shattered sense of safety and place do not see the military as a viable option.
The explanations the U.S. Defense Department gives for dismal recruitment levels focus on the younger generation’s supposed lack of backbone or hatred of America.
D’elbrah Assamoi, from Cote d’Ivoire, signs her U.S. certificate of citizenship after a military training ceremony at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, in San Antonio, Texas, in April 2023. Vanessa R. Adame/U.S. Air Force via AP
Republicans, including Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, have blamed alleged “wokeness” for low recruitment levels.
And the Trump administration’s statements about improving recruitment numbers over the past several months overlook both a late Biden-era surge after a pandemic slump as well as the reality that numbers remain depressed due to military services repeatedly lowering their recruitment goals.
Very rarely are introspective questions publicly debated today about the objective attractiveness of military service or the appetite for violence among young people. The problem, I believe, is not that young people are insufficiently patriotic – it’s that they have already been fighting a war, daily, for their entire lives.
In reversing the slide in recruitment, then, the military could improve its sensitivity to these important concerns.
Highlighting the range of careers within the services that do not involve front-line combat and physical danger could encourage more reluctant would-be recruits to volunteer.
Mental health support also could be made an essential element of military training and lifestyle − not a resource only for those bearing the hidden side-effects of life in the ranks. Encouraging those suffering from treatable mental health issues to seek meaning in service could also boost recruitment numbers.
Jacob Ware is a gun violence survivor and serves as a Survivor Fellow at Everytown for Gun Safety.
Washington, D.C. – 6/12/25… Today, Reps. Mike Lawler (NY-17) and Josh Riley (NY-19) introduced the Leveraging Efficiency Awareness for Pumping Systems (LEAPS) Act, a commonsense, bipartisan bill to help farmers, ranchers, and aquaculture producers save money on energy costs, conserve water, and reduce carbon emissions by modernizing irrigation and water management systems.
The legislation directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide clear, accessible information and tools to farmers on the benefits of upgrading to energy-efficient pumping systems. These systems are essential to agricultural irrigation, livestock watering, aquaculture, and waste management operations across the country.
The LEAPS Act requires USDA to:
Publish user-friendly educational materials on cost and energy savings, water conservation, and emissions reductions achievable through energy-efficient pumping systems.
Develop an online pre-assessment tool to help farmers estimate potential energy and cost savings from upgrades.
Provide targeted training for USDA energy auditors on pumping system efficiency.
Expand USDA’s Conservation Stewardship Program to explicitly include energy-efficient pumping systems.
According to the bill’s findings, over 600,000 irrigation pumping systems are currently in use across the United States, many of which still rely on outdated and inefficient equipment. Upgrading these systems could save farmers over $1.8 billion annually in energy costs and eliminate more than 8 million metric tons of carbon emissions each year.
“In today’s economy, farmers are already grappling with rising input costs and increasing weather challenges,” said Congressman Lawler. “This is about using smarter tools to support the people who feed our country. By equipping farmers with the right resources, we can boost productivity, cut waste, and strengthen rural economies—all while protecting our environment.”
“Farmers know it when their systems are outdated, but figuring out what to upgrade, how much it costs, and where to start is harder than it should be,” said Congressman Riley. “This bill gives farmers the tools they need to make smart decisions—and when they upgrade, it creates work for manufacturers right here in Upstate New York. It’s a win for our farmers, our factories, and anyone who wants Washington to actually get something done.”
Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and represents New York’s 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties. He was rated the most effective freshman lawmaker in the 118th Congress, 8th overall, surpassing dozens of committee chairs.
Headline: Powering the future of telecom: Microsoft brings agentic AI to life at TM Forum DTW
Telecommunications has always advanced in waves—analog to digital, 3G to 5G, copper to cloud. Today, a new swell is forming at the intersection of TM Forum’s Open Digital Architecture (ODA) and agentic AI. TM Forum’s ODA gives operators a modular, standards-based foundation; agentic AI layers on the autonomous decision support that transform those modules into living, self-optimizing systems. Together, they move the industry from reactive operations to proactive, closed-loop experiences.
Over the past year, Microsoft engineers have road-tested that combination with executives, technicians, customer support representatives, and developers. Regardless of geography or market, operators voiced three universal priorities: break down operational silos, unlock data’s latent value, increase efficiency, and accelerate innovation without eroding trust. At TM Forum DTW Ignite 2025 in Copenhagen, Microsoft is demonstrating how the complementary relationship between ODA and agentic AI converts those ambitions into measurable business outcomes.
Explore solutions with Microsoft for telecommunications
Microsoft’s next chapter with the Open Digital Architecture
Microsoft has been a hands-on contributor to TM Forum initiatives for well over two decades, coauthoring Open APIs, chairing working groups, and donating production hardened code that turns standards into deployable solutions. The ODA has become a focal point of that collaboration. By aligning Microsoft Azure cloud-native foundations with ODA’s composable blueprint, Microsoft helps operators assemble best-of-breed solutions without the drag of proprietary silos.
Engineering teams from Microsoft work with communications service providers (CSPs) and industry suppliers to validate specifications, publish reference implementations, and channel field experience back into the standard. The result for operators is faster interoperability, reduced integration cost, and quicker time-to-value for new digital services.
Yet a common obstacle remains: fragmented observability. Every vendor captures telemetry differently, leaving operations teams to deploy ad hoc log aggregators and parsers that inflate costs and slow incident response. Microsoft’s latest ODA contribution addresses this head-on.
ODA Observability Operator (open source on GitHub) The operator prescribes a common logging contract, integrates with Azure Monitor, and exposes health data through TM Forum nonfunctional APIs. In early trials, carriers shrank the meantime to detect billing anomalies significantly, freeing teams to focus on proactive optimization rather than forensic log diving.
ODA Landing Zone for Azure Guidance and a best practice guide on infrastructure-as-code templates that hydrate into an ODA compliant environment—policy, security, and monitoring.
The “Growing B2B with autonomous agents” catalyst project, involving players like Microsoft, Vodafone, and various industry partners, leverages the ODA Accelerator to transform B2B sales for mid-tier enterprise customers by enabling flexible quoting and commerce through generative AI. It enables flexible quoting and commerce, allowing customers to find relevant products using semantic search and create customized solutions that meet their specific business requirements, budgets, and timelines.
These assets illustrate a simple truth: standards only matter when they migrate from documentation into running code. By operationalizing TM Forum guidance, Microsoft accelerates engineering productivity, slashes integration costs, and strengthens the capabilities of telecoms, as well as providing a feedback loop for continual improvement.
Empowering network monetization through network APIs
Through our engagement with CAMARA and GSMA Open Gateway, Microsoft has played a pivotal role in helping operators monetize their networks via a robust partner ecosystem. This ecosystem supports the provisioning, aggregation, and routing of network API requests, enabling seamless integration and enhanced functionality. Our collaboration with industry leaders such as Aduna, Infobip, and Vonage brings aggregated network APIs directly to the Azure Marketplace. This integration grants Microsoft’s global community of developers and enterprises effortless access to essential network functions, including SIM swap detection, phone number verification, real-time device location, and on-demand quality-of-service controls. Standardized through the CAMARA open-source project—co-led by GSMA and the Linux Foundation—these APIs are designed for seamless integration, ensuring that operators can efficiently use network capabilities to drive innovation and growth.
Giving the network a trusted Copilot
Anyone who has joined a major incident conference bridge understands the sense of urgency—and the expense. Multiple teams chase clues, minutes feel like hours, and every second of downtime erodes customer experience and brand equity. Network Operations Agents built with Azure AI Foundry offer another path to successful resolutions. As Cristina Moura Rebelo, Head of AI Community and Ecosystem Engagement at MEO, describes it:
“MEO is transforming into an AI-powered techco, infusing AI into key domain areas and leveraging innovation and technology to create a competitive advantage, business growth, and operational excellency. The first steps made with Azure AI Foundry were key in unlocking the potential of use cases to streamline operations with ChatGOC and the HekaBot, in a scalable, iterative, and agile way, within a very short period of time, delivering outcomes and scaled efficiency to the teams. This is our path to becoming an AI-powered techco.”
—Cristina Moura Rebelo, Head of AI Community and Ecosystem Engagement, MEO
These AI companions ingest real-time telemetry, topology graphs, historical tickets, and vendor manuals; reason over anomalies; then recommend—or even execute—remediation steps under strict guardrails. Every action is logged, policy checked, and auditable so that safety and compliance are part of the operational flow.
Network Operations Agent Framework: Blueprint for building and deploying NetOps AI agents.
At TM Forum DTW Ignite 2025, Microsoft will be presenting on how we are transforming telecom operations with agentic AI, and unveiling the Network Operations Agent Framework, a reference architecture and working pilot environment that operators can explore hands-on. The package includes infrastructure-as-code templates, sample knowledgebase content, and step-by-step guidance for integrating Azure AI Foundry with existing telemetry pipelines. With these assets, communications service providers can progress from proof of concept to production in a matter of weeks—and do so with the assurance that every remediation action remains within corporate risk tolerance.
Unifying data with the Telco Analytics POC Accelerator
Data is the fuel for agentic AI, yet it often sits stranded across disparate clusters, data marts, and line-of-business applications. The Telco Analytics POC Accelerator removes that friction, deploying a domain specific data estate on Microsoft Fabric complete with service assurance, revenue management, and subscriber 360 schemas; lineage policies aligned to data mesh principles; and guidance to connect your backend data sources.
Beyond core ingestion pipelines, the accelerator provides predefined tables for service assurance, revenue management, and subscriber 360, alongside sample queries and dashboards that surface quick wins. Built-in sample data allows developers to prototype AI workloads safely—accelerating experimentation while protecting customer privacy.
Reference architecture for the Telco Analytics POC Accelerator.
When operators gain control of their data estate, they monetize faster, govern better, and feed AI models richer context. Microsoft provides the launch pad.
“Fabric let us build on the familiarity, security, and scalability of Azure. It unites data flows, storage, analytics, and machine learning in a single experience.”
—Jerod Ridge, Director of Data Engineering, Lumen
This unified approach empowers operators to achieve real-time insights and smarter decisions, driving business growth and innovation.
Reimagining business support systems for an agentic world
Business support systems (BSS) are the commercial nerve center of a telco, yet many still feel like 1990s ERP software: dense menus, arcane codes, and labor-intensive workflows. Microsoft’s agentic BSS proof of concept charts a different course.
At its heart is Microsoft Copilot Studio, which leverages TM Forum Open APIs, the Model Context Protocol, and secure tool registration to let AI agents act on behalf of customer care reps. Consider an agent who says, “Upgrade Alessia’s plan to unlimited data and add a family hotspot.” The AI agent validates entitlements, calculates prorated charges, and triggers fulfilment—no swivel chair required. Subscribers upgrade in the time it takes to sip coffee.
Microsoft is equally optimistic about the potential of an Order Fallout Agent. Up to 3% of orders stall in fragmented fulfilment chains. The agent monitors the queue, diagnoses failure patterns, and either self heals or curates a guided fix. In short, the Order Fallout Agent turns a perennial pain point into an autonomous, closed loop process—freeing care agents to focus on higher value conversations and giving customers the seamless experience they expect.
KPN has extended the use of AI companions to their sales operations with Microsoft 365 Copilot. KPN used Microsoft 365 Copilot to enhance their sales operations, streamlining processes, improving customer engagement, and driving business outcomes.
“From the moment a customer contact becomes an opportunity, we link to that information in Microsoft 365 Copilot for Sales, so we can see all relevant data to prepare for a conversation with the customer,”
—Pierrette de Leeuw-Koumans, Lead Generation Team, KPN
Copilot provides real-time data analysis, predictive insights, and automated workflows, enabling the sales team to focus on strategic activities and deliver personalized experiences.
These demonstrations illustrate how BSS complexity can melt away, replaced by conversational experiences powered by open APIs and trustworthy automation. The journey is incremental—operators can start with a single fallout queue or upgrade flow and expand outward.
Momentum stretching from lab to live network
Innovation without adoption is theatre. Microsoft’s ecosystem partners are translating blueprints into operational gains:
Microsoft and leading BSS suppliers are exploring joint proof of concepts that integrate the Telco Analytics POC Accelerator and Observability Operator into next generation revenue assurance workflows.
PLDT has implemented the Amdocs Customer Engagement Platform, a robust, telco-grade solution jointly engineered by Amdocs and Microsoft elevate customer experience management. “By combining the AI, generative AI, cloud, and deep telecom expertise of Amdocs and Microsoft, PLDT an end-to-end solution that will drive higher agent productivity, operational efficiency, and significantly improve customer loyalty,” said Anthony Goonetilleke, Group President of Technology and Head of Strategy at Amdocs.
Nokia’s NetGuard Cybersecurity Dome is providing comprehensive security for 5G networks, leveraging AI and automation to detect, manage, and respond to threats in real-time.
Accenture, Tech Mahindra, and other global SIs are collaborating with Microsoft on service offerings that accelerate deployment of AI-ready data estates—combining migration expertise, reference architectures, and operator specific best practices.
The breadth of deployments demonstrates that Microsoft’s approach scales across geographies, regulatory regimes, and network generations.
Charting the first step
Building toward autonomous operations seldom begins with a blank slate. The most effective starting point is a business moment that already matters—whether it’s easing congestion at a busy urban cell site or clearing a stubborn order backlog. Instrument that scenario end to end, unify the supporting data, introduce a focused agent, and track the results with discipline. Momentum builds quickly when measurable wins are visible to both engineers and executives.
Microsoft and its partners stand ready to help, whether through co-innovation blueprints, rapid pilots leveraging the ODA Accelerator for Azure, or structured engagements that blend domain expertise with change management.
Telecommunications remains, at its core, a human endeavor: engineers who safeguard critical infrastructure, customer care teams who build loyalty, strategists who spot the next market opportunity. Agentic AI amplifies that expertise—it automates repetitive analysis, highlights hidden insights, and executes well understood actions—while judgment, creativity, and empathy stay firmly in human hands. By pairing people with autonomous assistance, operators can scale excellence without sacrificing the personalized touch that defines great service. Microsoft invites the industry to explore that partnership at TM Forum DTW Ignite 2025 and beyond.
Join the journey
Learn more by visiting the Microsoft Telecommunications Industry hub, where solution briefs, customer stories, and partner offers provide actionable next steps. Together, the industry can turn aspiration into action and chart the next great wave of telecom innovation.
Microsoft for telecommunications
Accelerate telecom transformation in the era of AI
Rick Lievano
CTO Telecom, WW Media & Communications
Rick Lievano, Microsoft’s WW CTO for Telecommunications, develops solutions and architectures for service providers. An active industry speaker and advocate for open standards, he is a member of the TM Forum Collaboration Sub-Committee and leads AI initiatives to help operators achieve more.
STOPPING RADICAL ENVIRONMENTALISM: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum revoking an executive action issued by the prior administration that called for “equitable treatment for fish.”
Today’s Memorandum revokes the Biden Administration’s “Restoring Healthy and Abundant Salmon, Steelhead, and Other Native Fish Populations in the Columbia River Basin” Memorandum, which placed concerns about climate change above the Nation’s interests in reliable energy resources.
This Memorandum directs the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Commerce, and the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works to withdraw from agreements stemming from Biden’s misguided executive action, including the December 14, 2023 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) filed in connection with related litigation.
The specified agencies will coordinate with the Council on Environmental Quality to review and revise environmental review processes related to the matters in the MOU, save Federal funds, and withdraw from the MOU.
RESTORING AMERICAN ENERGY DOMINANCE AND SECURING AMERICAN PROSPERITY: President Trump continues to prioritize our Nation’s energy infrastructure and use of natural resources to lower the cost of living for all Americans over speculative climate change concerns.
President Trump recognizes the importance of ensuring the future of wildlife populations in the Columbia River Basin, while also advancing the country’s energy creation to benefit the American public.
The MOU required the Federal government to spend millions of dollars and comply with 36 pages of onerous commitments to dam operations on the Lower Snake River.
Dam breaching would have resulted in reduced water supply to farmers, eliminated several shipping channels, had devastating impacts to agriculture, increased energy costs, and eliminated recreational opportunities throughout the region.
The dam breaches would have eliminated over 3,000 megawatts of secure and reliable hydroelectric generating capacity—which is enough generation to power 2.5 million American homes.
PUTTING AMERICA FIRST: President Trump continues to deliver on his promise to end the previous administration’s misplaced priorities and protect the livelihoods of the American people. Unlike the previous administration, the Trump Administration understands that policies that promote environmental quality and economic growth are not mutually exclusive.
President Trump champions the needs of the American people and prioritizes U.S. interests in reliable, affordable energy resources.
President Trump signed an Executive Order reinvigorating America’s beautiful clean coal industry to support grid stability and hundreds of thousands of U.S. jobs.
President Trump is committed to unleashing American energy dominance, reversing all executive actions that impose undue burdens on energy production and use.
On Day One, President Trump declared a National Energy Emergency to unlock domestic energy production and bring down costs for everyday Americans.
President Trump’s commonsense approach to environmental conservation empowers the American people to take full advantage of our nation’s vast and great natural resources.
President Trump reversed the burdensome regulations that impeded Alaska’s ability to develop its vast natural resources, unleashing the state’s potential to create a safe and prosperous future for the entire Nation.
STRENGTHENING WILDFIRE PREVENTION AND RESPONSE: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order returning common sense to wildfire prevention and response.
The Order directs the Secretary of the Interior and Secretary of Agriculture to consolidate their wildland fire programs.
The Order supports local wildfire preparedness and response by improving Federal partnerships, as well as driving responsible land management and prevention at the State and local level.
The Order directs the use of available technology, including AI, data sharing, innovative mapping, and weather forecasting, to enhance State and local wildfire identification and response capabilities.
The Order directs Federal agencies to modify rules to facilitate preventive prescribed fires and appropriate fire-retardant use, promote innovative use of woody biomass and other forest products to reduce fuel loads that strengthen fires, and minimize wildfire ignition risks from the bulk-power system.
The Order modernizes wildfire prevention and response by instructing Federal agencies to declassify historical satellite data to improve wildfire prediction and revise or eliminate rules that impede wildfire detection, prevention, and response.
The Order directs the Secretary of Defense to prioritize the sale of excess aircraft and aircraft parts to support wildfire mitigation and response.
EMPOWERING STATE AND LOCAL LEADERS: President Trump is empowering State and local leaders to combat wildfires effectively.
For too long, State and local wildfire responses have been slow and inadequate due to reckless mismanagement and lack of preparedness.
Wildfires threaten every region, yet many local government entities continue to disregard commonsense preventative measures.
Firefighters are forced to rely on outdated technology and face challenges in quickly responding to wildfires because of unnecessary regulation and bureaucracy.
Immediate action is essential to ensure the devastation of the Los Angeles wildfires never occurs again.
By streamlining Federal wildfire capabilities, States can leverage an efficient and straightforward approach concerning wildfire response and mitigation.
RESTORING COMMON SENSE TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT: President Trump has consistently demonstrated a commonsense approach to safeguard and protect the environment and American communities.
On Day One, President Trump signed a Memorandum to prioritize routing water to Southern California in the wake of the destructive wildfires.
In President Trump’s first week back in office, he and First Lady Melania Trump visited Los Angeles to inspect wildfire damage, promising immediate Federal support and relief.
Upon visiting Los Angeles, President Trump immediately issued measures to provide increased water resources in California and promote expedited recovery procedures for Californians after their State government’s disastrous mishandling and misuse of resources and lack of preparation for the January 2025 wildfires.
In March 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order to enhance forest management, promoting responsible use of American timber to reduce wildfire risks.
class=”has-text-align-left”>By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered: Section1. Purpose. The devastation of the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires shocked the American people and highlighted the catastrophic consequences when State and local governments are unable to quickly respond to such disasters. In too many cases, including in California, a slow and inadequate response to wildfires is a direct result of reckless mismanagement and lack of preparedness. Wildfires threaten every region, yet many local government entities continue to disregard commonsense preventative measures. Firefighters across the country are forced to rely on outdated technology and face challenges in quickly responding to wildfires because of unnecessary regulation and bureaucracy. The Federal Government can empower State and local leaders by streamlining Federal wildfire capabilities to improve their effectiveness and promoting commonsense, technology-enabled local strategies for land management and wildfire response and mitigation.
Sec. 2. Streamlining Federal Wildland Fire Governance. Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture shall, to the maximum degree practicable and consistent with applicable law, consolidate their wildland fire programs to achieve the most efficient and effective use of wildland fire offices, coordinating bodies, programs, budgets, procurement processes, and research and, as necessary, recommend additional measures to advance this objective.
Sec. 3. Encouraging Local Wildfire Preparedness and Response. (a) Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall: (i) expand and strengthen the use of partnerships, agreements, compacts, and mutual aid capabilities that empower Federal, State, local, tribal, and community-driven land management that reduces wildfire risk and improves wildfire response, including on public lands; and (ii) develop and expand the use of other measures to incentivize responsible land management and wildfire prevention, mitigation, and response measures at the State and local levels. (b) Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce and the heads of executive departments and agencies (agencies) represented at the National Interagency Fire Center, shall: (i) develop a comprehensive technology roadmap, in consultation with the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), to increase wildfire firefighting capabilities at the State and local levels, including through artificial intelligence, data sharing, innovative modeling and mapping capabilities, and technology to identify wildland fire ignitions and weather forecasts to inform response and evacuation; and (ii) promote the use of a risk-informed approach, as consistent with Executive Order 14239 of March 18, 2025 (Achieving Efficiency Through State and Local Preparedness), to develop new policies that remove barriers to preventing and responding to wildfires, including through year-round response readiness, better forest health, and activities outlined in Executive Order 14225 of March 1, 2025 (Immediate Expansion of American Timber Production).
Sec. 4. Strengthening Wildfire Mitigation. Within 90 days of the date of this order: (a) The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall consider modifying or rescinding, as consistent with applicable law, Federal rules or policies that impede the use of appropriate, preventative prescribed fires. (b) The Secretary of Agriculture and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior, shall consider modifying or rescinding, as consistent with applicable law, Federal rules or policies hindering the appropriate use of fire retardant to fight wildfires. (c) The Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior, shall consider promoting, assisting, and facilitating, as consistent with applicable law, innovative uses of woody biomass and forest products to reduce fuel loads in areas at risk of wildfires. (d) The Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Energy, and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission shall consider initiating rulemaking proceedings to establish, as consistent with applicable law, best practices to reduce the risk of wildfire ignition from the bulk-power system without increasing costs for electric-power end users, including through methods such as vegetation management, the removal of forest-hazardous fuels along transmission lines, improved engineering approaches, and safer operational practices. (e) The Attorney General, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior, shall review pending and proposed wildfire-related litigation involving electrical utility companies to ensure the Department’s positions and proposed resolutions in such matters advance the wildfire prevention and mitigation efforts identified in this order.
Sec. 5. Modernizing Wildfire Prevention and Response. (a) Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Director of OSTP, the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, and the heads of relevant agencies, shall, as appropriate, identify, declassify, and make publicly available historical satellite datasets that will advance wildfire prevention and response and improve wildfire prediction and evaluation models. (b) Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce and the heads of agencies represented at the National Interagency Fire Center, shall: (i) Identify rules that impede wildfire prevention, detection, or response and consider eliminating or revising those rules, as consistent with applicable law. This consideration and any resulting rulemaking proceedings shall be reflected in the Fall 2025 Unified Regulatory Agenda. (ii) Develop performance metrics for wildfire response, including metrics related to average response times, annual fuels treatments, safety and cost effectiveness, and other subjects, as appropriate for inclusion in strategic and annual performance plans. (c) Within 210 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense shall evaluate and, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, prioritize the sale of excess aircraft and aircraft parts to support wildfire mitigation and response.
Sec. 6. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect: (i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or (ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. (c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. (d) The costs for publication of this order shall be borne by the Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior in equal shares.
As of 11:00 hours on Thursday, June 12, there are 23 active wildfires in Saskatchewan. Of those active fires, three are categorized as contained, six are not contained, 12 are ongoing assessment and two are listed as protecting values.
This year, Saskatchewan has had 258 wildfires, which is well above the five-year average of 147 to date.
Of these fires, approximately 44 have been caused by lightning. The remaining fires are human caused and can be categorized by the following:
Recreation: a wildfire caused by people or equipment engaged in recreational activities such as fishing, picnicking, hiking or quadding.
Resident: a wildfire resulting from activities performed by people or machines for agriculture or an accidental fire caused by activity associated with normal living in a forested area.
Industry: a wildfire that is caused by an industrial activity such as land clearing, harvesting or power distribution.
Incendiary: a device used to cause a wildfire for the purpose of mischief, also called arson.
Most human-caused fires are accidental. At this time, the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) believes approximately 30 fires have been intentionally set. People are encouraged to call Crimestoppers or the SPSA at 1-855-559-5502 to report individuals who intentionally started a fire.
The SPSA can confirm more than 290 values have been lost in the wildfires. This number could increase to over 400 as damage continues to be assessed by verification activities.
The provincial fire ban remains in effect for the area north of the provincial forest boundary up to the Churchill River. This includes provincial parks, provincial recreation sites within the boundary and the Northern Saskatchewan Administration District. The fire ban continues to prohibit the use of All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) and Utility Terrain Vehicles (UTVs), any open fires, controlled burns and fireworks.
Repatriation efforts remain underway as 34 communities have repatriated or are in the process or repatriating. A full list of communities actively repatriating can be found on saskpublicsafety.ca.
Support for wildfire evacuees is provided by the SPSA, the Canadian Red Cross, or the community from which residents have evacuated.
If a resident’s community is supported by the Canadian Red Cross, they can call 1-800-863-6582 from 8 a.m to 10 p.m. daily to be connected to supports.
If their community is supported by SPSA’s Emergency and Community Support (ECS) program, they can register through the Sask Evac App then call 1-855-559-5502 for assistance. Once a person has registered and called 1-855-559-5502, the SPSA will contact them with details about support depending on your family situation.
Anyone who spots a wildfire can call 1-800-667-9660, dial 9-1-1 or contact their closest SPSA Forest Protection Area office.
People can find the latest information, an interactive fire ban map, frequently asked questions, fire risk maps and fire prevention tips at saskpublicsafety.ca.
A list of fire restrictions in provincial parks and recreation sites can be found here.
Established in 2017, the SPSA is a treasury board Crown corporation responsible for wildfire management, emergency management, Sask911, SaskAlert, the Civic Addressing Registry, the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program and fire safety.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)
WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) released the following statement on the House passage of the HALT Fentanyl Act:
“The United States has made tremendous progress in the fight to protect our communities from fentanyl, and while there is still much more to be done, the HALT Fentanyl Act is far too broad and ignores all medical uses of ‘fentanyl-related substances.’ These substances need to be controlled — but when prescribed and used as directed, many of them serve as critical pain management tools for countless Americans.
“This legislation is just another performative overreach by Republicans to say that they know better than doctors about what is best for their patients. We don’t need to criminalize care and expand harsh mandatory minimum sentencing requirements. We need well-thought-out and meaningful solutions that address the root causes of addiction, expand resources to help those struggling, and work with medical professionals.
“But that’s not what President Trump and Republicans are doing. Instead of expanding funding for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) — which supports naloxone programs, treatment programs, and prevention efforts — President Trump has essentially dissolved the agency, firing more than a third of its staff and proposing a budget that cuts $1 billion of its funding. Republicans are also working to cut at least $600 billion from Medicaid, which will seriously undermine our ability to address the opioid epidemic. If President Trump and Republicans were serious about addressing these issues, there are proven solutions we can act upon to save lives — but the HALT Fentanyl Act is not one of them.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)
WASHINGTON — U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) released the following statement regarding the Republican rescissions package, which passed the House of Representatives 214-212.
“A rescission package means going back on your word. Let me be clear: Congress and Congress alone has the power to appropriate funding. What is happening here is that Donald Trump and Elon Musk took illegal actions to cut Congressionally appropriated funding, so now Trump’s minions in Congress are going back and cleaning up for him. This is a thinly veiled attempt to sidestep court orders that have demanded the Trump Administration reinstate illegally gutted funding.
“The cuts to USAID have already killed an estimated 300,000 people around the world and are undermining the United States’ global leadership. This is funding for food and medicine for children, maternal health care programs, and for clinics that treat survivors of gender-based violence. It accounts for less than one percent of our federal spending and stops diseases before they reach our border, and helps to stabilize countries, preventing conflict before it starts.
“And the cuts to public broadcasting are a direct attack on free press in this country. In many rural communities, these stations are the only reliable sources of local news, critical weather alerts, and educational programming for kids. These stations not only keep people informed but also employ thousands of people in communities across the country.
“These cuts are not only bad for the American people but further erode our checks and balances in this country and the powers of Congress defined in the Constitution. Trump’s yes-men are rubber stamping his agenda and cutting away at the fabric of our democracy in doing so.”
Issues: Arts & Education, Foreign Affairs & National Security
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-21)
Washington, DC – Today, Representative Lois Frankel (D-FL), Ranking Member of the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on National Security, Department of State and Related Programsjoined U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Brian Schatz (D-HI), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs, and Representative Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY), Ranking Member of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, in issuing the following statement concerning the recissions package sent to Congress by the Trump administration, which would cut $8.3 billion in foreign assistance, including $900 million in cuts to global health programs, as well as cuts to democracy assistance, economic and development assistance, and economic and energy support for Ukraine and other states affected by Russia’s illegal invasion:
“The cuts to U.S. foreign assistance in the White House’s recissions package undercut key American national security interests and risk our country’s safety and prosperity. Our soft power toolkit helps prevent conflict and promote democracy and stability. The draconian DOGE cuts that President Trump and Elon Musk have put in place have been justified through misleading claims that ignore the harm to America and global death toll that have resulted from their actions. Their claims about fiscal responsibility are laughable in the context of President Trump’s push at all costs to pass a budget that adds $2.4 trillion in deficits while stripping millions of Americans of their health care,” said the Members.
“When America retreats from the world, China and Russia advance. And when our adversaries take our place, America is weaker and more vulnerable. Our manufacturers and workers get boxed out of export markets by unfair economic competition from China. And vulnerable populations around the world, suffer from severely restricting access to HIV treatment and prevention services to forcing food ration cuts in refugee camps.
“That is the legacy of DOGE’s impact on America’s foreign policy infrastructure and soft power. Our country in retreat in the face of great power adversaries. Our global influence diminished. And the poorest of the poor globally being left to die because of slipshod cuts by tech dilettantes.”
A Judicial Conduct Panel will inquire into and report on the alleged conduct of acting District Court Judge Ema Aitken, Acting Attorney-General Paul Goldsmith says.
“Judge Aitken’s alleged conduct at the Northern Club on 22 November 2024 was the subject of a preliminary examination by the Judicial Conduct Commissioner.
“The Commissioner recommended a Panel be set up to inquire into what happened. I have accepted that recommendation.
“Following an inquiry, the Panel will provide me with a report, including its opinion as to whether consideration of Judge Aitken’s removal is justified.
“Members of the Panel will be appointed following consultation with the Chief Justice.
“I won’t be making any further comment until then.”
A nocturnal thief has lost his crust after Police busted his alleged nighttime crime spree.
Beginning in early April the alleged offender has targeted a range of different South Auckland locations in the early hours of the morning.
“Police will allege the man carried out a spree of opportunistic thefts,” Counties Manukau West Area Prevention Manager Inspector Mohammed Atiq says.
“Some of this offending including taking items left outside or allegedly breaking in.
“He has acquired a large haul including multiple 20 litre cans of soyabean oils, dozens of water slabs, 150 loaves of bread, and even a wallet and phone from a car parked at a residential property.”
After piecing together reports and identifying a vehicle of interest in all the thefts, Ōtāhuhu Tactical Crime Unit set about identifying the offender.
Soon after enquiries began, the vehicle was seen travelling on Roscommon Road, Manurewa and was signalled to stop.
Inspector Atiq says the vehicle tried to evade Police before returning to an address of interest nearby.
Ōtāhuhu TCU arrived at the address and could clearly see loaves of bread, and the crate they were delivered on, in the back of the vehicle.
The alleged offender was taken into custody.
“We are always pleased to apprehend those who think this kind of brazen offending is acceptable,” Inspector Atiq says.
A 53-year-old male appeared in the Manukau District Court charged with burglary. He was remanded in custody to reappear on 25 June.
Montpelier, Vt. – Governor Phil Scott announced action on the following bills, passed by the General Assembly.
On June 12, Governor Scott signed bills of the following titles:
S.12,An act relating to sealing criminal history records
S.45,An act relating to protection from nuisance suits for agricultural activities
S.63,An act relating to modifying the regulatory duties of the Green Mountain Care Board
S.69,An act relating to an age-appropriate design code
S.109,An act relating to miscellaneous judiciary procedures
S.122,An act relating to economic and workforce development
S.123,An act relating to miscellaneous changes to laws related to motor vehicles
S.124,An act relating to miscellaneous agricultural subjects
S.126,An act relating to health care payment and delivery system reform
S.127,An act relating to housing and housing development
When signingS.69,An act relating to an age-appropriate design code,Governor Scott issued the following statement:
“As we see more and more kids using technology, I believe most would agree we need to take steps to protect them in a reasonable and responsible way when they’re online. With ongoing lawsuits in other states, I recognize this new law will likely face a legal challenge. But I’m hopeful with the enactment of this law delayed until January 1, 2027, it will allow enough time to provide clarity and change the law if necessary.”
To view a complete list of action on bills passed during the 2025 legislative session,click here.
A wood heater fire that tore through the home of a Tatura family has Victoria’s fire services calling for vigilance when warming homes this winter.
With the cooler weather arriving with force in recent weeks, one Tatura household had a lucky escape when bedlinen drying in front of a wood heater quickly became engulfed in flames.
The fire burned through blankets before hitting the floor and spreading into the living room.
Thankfully, the family was alerted to a fire in their home thanks to their newly installed smoke alarms.
Tatura Fire Brigade Captain and Incident Controller Peter Bevan hoped this common incident reminds residents to keep items drying at least one metre away from all heating sources.
“The family had only headed outside to the back shed for an hour before they heard the smoke alarms going off,” Peter said.
“They couldn’t see any smoke or flames until it started coming through the air conditioning swamp cooler on the roof, which is initially what they had thought caught fire.
“Once the clothes horse had fallen on the floor, the flames travelled right across the room into a cupboard where the switchboard was and then made its way up into the ceiling.
“There is extensive damage to the living area, and the curtains and carpets are all destroyed. The smoke managed to affect 80 per cent of the house.
“To set the scene more clearly for people, the radiant heat alone was so strong, it blew out a couple of the glass windows in the kitchen.”
Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) and CFA responded to more than 150 heater fires through May 2024 to March 2025, with sleeping and living areas the most common room of fire ignition for incidents that result in serious injuries or death.
CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan said this is just one example of how leaving portable heaters and fireplaces unattended can have distressing impacts in a matter of moments.
“We are so pleased the family had just installed working smoke alarms to alert them to safety. It is really important all households have them in every bedroom, hallway and living area to ensure you have enough time to safely evacuate,” Jason said.
“It goes without saying, but please reconsider where you place your washing to dry. It’s a popular set up to place them near our heaters and wood fires, but a mistake that can be easily avoided.”
FRV Deputy Commissioner, Community Safety, Joshua Fischer said now that we are spending more time indoors, heaters should be turned off before you leave the house.
“Taking a few moments to check your heaters and fireplace before you head out the door could make all the difference to the safety of your family,” Joshua said.
“We really encourage residents to have their gas heaters inspected and serviced every two years to make sure they are free of faults before they get a good run over winter.”
When it comes to home heating, CFA and FRV recommend:
Drying clothes and other items that can burn must be kept at least one metre away from all heat sources.
Always use a fire screen in front of an open fire.
Children must be supervised near all types of heating. Maintain a safe distance between children and heating.
Never leave portable heaters and fireplaces unattended; turn off heaters and make sure fireplace embers are extinguished before leaving the room or going to sleep.
Residents should have their gas heaters inspected and serviced every two years to ensure the safety of loved ones from carbon monoxide poisoning or fire.
If you suspect a fault in a heater, have it serviced or replaced immediately. Replace old portable heaters with models that incorporate automatic cut-out, thermostat control and anti-roll features.
Ensure home heating, including flues and chimneys, are regularly cleaned and serviced by a certified technician.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Julia Letlow (LA-05)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Julia Letlow released the following statement on her vote in favor of cutting $9.4 billion in federal spending, implementing certain cuts identified by President Trump.
“Americans are rightly concerned with how their hard-earned tax dollars are being spent. Just like every Louisiana family has to do, Congress must confront rising debt by cutting back on spending we can’t afford. As an appropriator, I will always fight for Louisiana’s priorities and for a more efficient federal government. Tightening our belt will save taxpayer money and better serve the people I represent.”
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) led a group of 19 Senate colleagues in condemning U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s decision to gut the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and appoint several members to the committee with a documented history of anti-vaccine ideology and peddling misinformation. In the letter, the lawmakers raise the alarm on the dangers of gutting the ACIP and urge Secretary Kennedy to immediately reappoint the members of the committee he fired.
“We are deeply concerned by your decision to fire every member of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). This unprecedented action will strip Americans of the ability to make informed decisions about the benefits and risks of vaccinations — the complete opposite of ‘radical transparency’ and ‘good science,’” wrote the senators.
The senators raised the alarm on the recent appointment of several members to the committee, “We are troubled by your recent announcement to appoint several members to the committee who have a documented history of anti-vaccine ideology and peddling misinformation. We urge you to restore legitimacy to this historically non-partisan, science-based, and data-driven committee and immediately reinstate the members of ACIP you have baselessly fired.”
“ACIP is a longstanding, trusted national source of science- and data-backed advice and guidance on the use of vaccines to prevent and control disease. Members that serve on this committee must undergo extensive vetting and disclose any conflicts of interest. Firing every member of the committee just before their next meeting scheduled for June 25-27 eliminates the advisory board’s ability to debate and make well-informed recommendations, putting American lives at risk,” continued the senators.
“We urge you to immediately reappoint the members of the committee that you fired and remove those that you have recently appointed that have a documented history of peddling misinformation or undermining vaccine confidence,” the senators concluded.
In addition to Senators Luján, Warnock, and Blunt Rochester, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.).
Read the full letter here or below:
Dear Secretary Kennedy,
We are deeply concerned by your decision to fire every member of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). This unprecedented action will strip Americans of the ability to make informed decisions about the benefits and risks of vaccinations — the complete opposite of “radical transparency” and “good science”. We are troubled by your recent announcement to appoint several members to the committeewho have a documented history of anti-vaccine ideology and peddling misinformation. We urge you to restore legitimacy to this historically non-partisan, science-based, and data-driven committee and immediately reinstate the members of ACIP you have baselessly fired.
ACIP is a longstanding, trusted national source of science- and data-backed advice and guidance on the use of vaccines to prevent and control disease. Members that serve on this committee must undergo extensive vetting and disclose any conflicts of interest. Firing every member of the committee just before their next meeting scheduled for June 25-27 eliminates the advisory board’s ability to debate and make well-informed recommendations, putting American lives at risk. This reckless move is also happening as our nation faces the largest measles outbreak in over 30 years.
This decision appears to be a deliberate effort to repopulate the committee with anti-vaccine demagogues and continue pushing vaccine misinformation to the American people. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, over 80 percent of parents with children under age 18 report that their children receive routine immunizations; however, a divide based on political ideology is growing. The reality is that most Americans trust the science behind vaccines — but through inaccurate information and politicization, you are eroding the trust in vaccines.
This is just one action of many that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has recently taken to undermine vaccine confidence in the United States. Just over two weeks ago, HHS reversed the CDC recommendations on COVID-19 vaccination. This decision was made without the consultation of ACIP or CDC, narrowing recommendations to exclude healthy pregnant people despite pregnancy increasing the risk for severe infection. Just a day later, HHS announced the termination of a contract with Moderna to develop a bird flu vaccine despite warnings of a future pandemic from infectious disease doctors and public health professionals. These deliberate efforts to sow doubt in the safety and efficacy of vaccines have real consequences — people will die.
In addition to advising everyday Americans on their health decisions, ACIP recommendations also influence whether insurance will cover certain vaccines, making them accessible to insured Americans. Furthermore, ACIP determines the vaccine recommendations for the Vaccines for
Children program, which ensures underinsured and uninsured children across the nation can access vaccines at no cost. Without these recommendations, vaccines will become out of reach for far too many Americans. These actions contradict your written responses to questions for the record from the Senate Finance Committee, in which you said “yes” in response to a question about your commitment to ensure there are no financial barriers to accessing safe and effective vaccines.
Vaccines are safe and effective and have significantly reduced, and in some cases entirely eliminated, disease. With recent scientific advances in mRNA technology, vaccines are becoming easier and faster to produce in addressing today’s public health crises. It is critical that ACIP maintains its ability to develop science- and data-driven recommendations on vaccination without interference from anti-vaccine ideology.
Patient safety and transparency is at the heart of ACIP — Americans deserve the ability to make informed decisions about their health. You are stripping Americans of the freedom to choose by your recent appointments to the committee by centering anti-vaccine ideology. Therefore, we demand that you recuse your personal views on vaccines and restore the ACIP. We urge you to immediately reappoint the members of the committee that you fired and remove those that you have recently appointed that have a documented history of peddling misinformation or undermining vaccine confidence.
The UK voted in favour in line with our unwavering determination to end the suffering in Gaza, bring the hostages home and move towards lasting peace: UK Statement at the UN General Assembly
Explanation of vote by Ambassador Barbara Woodward, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, after the adoption of UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/ES-10/27 on the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
The UK voted in favour of this resolution in line with our unwavering determination to end the suffering in Gaza, bring the hostages home and move towards lasting peace in the region.
Let me start by repeating our unequivocal condemnation of Hamas and their despicable actions on and since 7 October. They must be held accountable and can play no role in the future governance of Gaza. The UK’s commitment to Israel’s security is resolute.
President, the text of the resolution is clear that both Israel and Hamas need to agree to an immediate and unconditional ceasefire; that Hamas must immediately and unconditionally release the hostages; and that Israel, as the occupying power, must end its blocks on aid and ensure unhindered humanitarian access.
And crucially, there must be an end to any actions that stand in the way of a two-state solution and the best chance for peace for the Israeli and Palestinian people.
That is why this week, the UK, along with Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Norway, sanctioned Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir. These two men are responsible for inciting settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank with their extremist rhetoric. Attacks by violent settlers have led to the deaths of Palestinian civilians and the displacement of whole communities.
We will not stand by while Israeli actions attempt to entrench a one-state reality.
The UK is deeply concerned by ongoing Israeli operations in the West Bank, including incidents where children have been killed. This is appalling and unacceptable.
President, there can be no military solution to this conflict.
Over 55,000 Palestinians have been killed and the IPC have been clear that half a million people are facing starvation.
Israeli Government policies which have completely blocked or severely restricted humanitarian aid are unacceptable. That civilians have been killed whilst desperately trying to feed their families is inhumane. And the UK rejects any attempts at demographic or territorial change in the Gaza strip.
While the UK voted in favour of this resolution, we wish to clarify that our long-standing position remains that Common Article 1 of the Geneva Conventions does not impose a legal obligation on states to ensure respect for international law by third parties.
President, a two-state solution remains the only viable framework for a just and lasting peace. This is the fundamental principle that we must continue to strive for, to end the cycle of violence and give Palestinians and Israelis alike a better future.
We welcome the leadership of France and Saudi Arabia in convening next week’s Conference in pursuit of this.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (3rd District of Ohio)
Washington D.C.– Today, Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (D-OH-03), Congressman Greg Landsman (D-OH-01), Congressman Mike Lawler (R-NY-17), Congressman Don Bacon (R-NE-02), and Congressman Zach Nunn (R-IA-03) reintroduced bipartisan legislation to help vulnerable students pay for college campus housing.
Congresswoman Beatty, Congressman Landsman, Congressman Lawler, Congressman Bacon, and Congressman Nunn have reintroduced the Campus Housing Affordability for Foster Youth Act– bipartisan legislation that would allow eligible students in, or formerly in, foster care as well as emancipated youth, to use the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Housing Choice Voice Program – known as Section 8 vouchers – to pay for college campus housing.
Currently, the HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher Program cannot be used by college students, whether they live on or off campus. The Campus Housing Affordability for Foster Youth Actwould allow the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to waive requirements and provisions in the program, allowing foster care and emancipated youth to use Section 8 vouchers for college housing on college campuses.
The Campus Housing Affordability for Foster Youth Acthas been endorsed by the National Center for Housing and Child Welfare, National Foster Youth Institute, and the Foster Care Alumni of America.
Congresswoman Beatty:
“Every student deserves a safe place to call home and a fair shot at pursuing higher education. That’s why I’m proud to reintroduce this bipartisan legislation alongside Reps. Greg Landsman, Don Bacon, Mike Lawler, and Zach Nunn to ensure that students who are emancipated or in foster care have access to stable campus housing,” said Congresswoman Beatty. “Young Americans must overcome significant barriers to achieve the dream of higher education and economic success, and this bill helps address one of those major hurdles, giving low-income students the boost they need to thrive academically and propel their lives forward.”
Congressman Landsman:
“We have a real opportunity to change lives with this bipartisan bill. By covering housing, it removes so many barriers for these vulnerable students. They can live in a dorm, with their peers instead of feeling isolated off-campus, which can lead to better academic performance and greater success.”
Congressman Lawler:
“In New York, where the cost of housing is some of the highest in the country, too many students, especially those coming out of foster care and emancipated youth, are being forced to reconsider pursuing a college degree due to financial burden. This bipartisan bill helps students stay housed and in school by expanding access to HUD support. It’s a practical step that opens doors for young people who deserve a real opportunity to succeed.”
Congressman Don Bacon:
“As a foster care parent, I understand it can be challenging for foster youth students to attend college,” said Bacon. “This legislation removes restraints on college students from receiving housing assistance. With a high rate of homelessness prevalent amongst foster youth amongst youth transitioning out of foster care, this bill will help remove a barrier and ensure more foster youth can complete college. I am happy to join Rep. Landsman again on this bipartisan legislation to help foster youth.”
Congressman Zach Nunn:
“As a father and former foster parent to two wonderful girls my wife Kelly and I adopted, I’ve seen firsthand the challenges kids face aging out of the system. This bipartisan bill ensures foster youth aren’t forced to choose between safe housing and getting an education. It’s a commonsense, compassionate solution that puts our most vulnerable students on a path to success.”
Rebecca Louve Yao – CEO, National Foster Youth Institute:
“Young people with lived experience in foster care have been calling for housing solutions that reflect the realities of their lives and Representative Landsman listened. This bill is a direct response to what National Foster Youth Institute program participants and other youth across the country have shared: that the lack of safe, stable housing can derail their entire educational journey. We’re proud to see their voices reflected in this legislation and grateful for leaders in Congress who are turning those voices into action.”
April M. Curtis – Board Chair, Foster Care Alumni of America:
“At Foster Care Alumni of America, we know first-hand how unstable housing can derail college dreams. I was homeless in college in between semesters. TheCampus Housing Affordability for Foster Youth Actwill finally give students who’ve experienced foster care the year-round, affordable on-campus housing they need to stay enrolled, graduate, and build thriving futures.”
The full text of the Campus Housing Affordability for Foster Youth Actcan be found here.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Paul Tonko (Capital Region New York)
Tonko Condemns Trump Recissions Package Gutting Funding for NPR, PBS, and USAID
Calls out President’s cruel, petty attempts to eliminate public broadcasting & life-saving international aid
Washington, June 12, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Paul D. Tonko released a statement following the House vote on President Trump’s recissions package, which seeks to claw back $9.4 billion in funding for public broadcasting and foreign aid, including AIDS prevention efforts such as PEPFAR.
Instead of addressing the rising cost of living or making life better for working Americans, Trump is using his power to go after Elmo and Big Bird.
Public, independent broadcasting is essential to any democracy, providing educational programming as well as news updates and emergency alerts. International aid has saved tens of millions of lives by driving AIDS prevention efforts and addressing global health crises. Yet, the President wants to claw back billions in funding for NPR, PBS, and USAID.
I’ve heard from thousands of constituents — hardworking American taxpayers — calling to demand these essential programs keep their funding.
While House Republicans once again kowtowed to the President’s demands, I won’t stop working to defend and uphold these programs that serve my constituents, our nation, and our planet.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green Ohio)
House Passes the HALT Fentanyl Act
Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation Authored by Reps. Latta and Griffith
Washington, June 12, 2025
Today, the House of Representatives passed the HALT Fentanyl Act, a bipartisan, bicameral bill that would make the temporary class-wide scheduling order for fentanyl-related substances (FRS) permanent. Congressman Bob Latta (OH-5) and Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-9) led the House version of this bill.
“The HALT Fentanyl Act helps protect American communities by tackling deadly fentanyl-related substances and saving lives. We are grateful to our Republican colleagues, led by Speaker Johnson, Leader Scalise, Whip Emmer and Chairwoman McClain, for their critical support of our bill and its Senate companion. House Republicans will continue to advance policies that fight the opioid epidemic and make American communities safer,”said Congressmen Latta and Griffith.
Congressman Latta spoke on the House floor in support of the HALT Fentanyl Act, watch here.
