NewzIntel.com

Category: DJF

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kelly votes to codify $9.4 billion in cuts, reduce federal spending

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) voted in favor of a recissions package to codify $9.4 billion in wasteful spending identified by President Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency.

    This includes a rescission of $8.3 billion in wasteful foreign aid spending and a $1.1 billion recission of federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).

    “House Republicans are committed to right-sizing government, and it starts with commonsense reforms like these,” said Rep. Kelly. “The American people have made it clear: they want Congress to get federal spending back on track. This just the first step toward getting Washington’s fiscal house in order.”

    Examples of waste, fraud, and abuse that will be cut through this recissions package:

    Corporation for Public Broadcasting

    • NPR’s CEO, Katherine Maher, called President Trump a “fascist” and “deranged racist”
    • PBS programming includes “Real Boy,” a program about a trans teen, and “Our League” about a trans woman returning to her hometown
    • NPR requested and received a $1.9 million grant commitment from CPB to hire more “moderate” editors and journalists, as they recognized their complete leftist bias

    Woke & Weaponized Foreign Aid

    • $167,000 for free education and healthcare to Ecuadorian and Venezuelan migrants
    • $889,000 for electoral reforms and voter education in Kenya
    • $1 million for voter ID in Haiti
    • $33,000 for “Being LGBTI in the Caribbean”
    • $643,000 for LGBTQI+ programs in the Western Balkans
    • $567,000 for LBGTQI+ programs in Uganda
    • $8,000 for promoting vegan food in Zambia
    • $500,000 for electric busses in Rwanda
    • $4 million for legume systems research
    • $67,000 for feeding insect powder to children in Madagascar
    • $6 million for “Net Zero Cities” in Mexico
    • $3 million for Iraqi Sesame Street
    • $4 million for “sedentary migrants” in Colombia
    • $1 million for programs to strengthen the resilience of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer global movements
    • $6 million for supporting media organizations and civic life of Palestinians
    • $2.5 million for teaching young children how to make environmentally friendly “reproductive health” decisions
    • $3 million for sexual reproductive health in Venezuela
    • $2.1 million for climate resilience in Southeast Asia, Latin America, and East Africa
    • Programs that prop up woke climate change programs for U.S. universities
    • $614,700 for climate adaptation, including to grow coral reefs in the Caribbean
    • $135 million in contributions to the World Health Organization (WHO)
    • $8 million for the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC)
    • $158 million from the Lebanon Peacekeeping Mission (UNIFIL), which has been fraught with waste and abuse, as evidenced by its abject failure to contain Hezbollah
    • $142 million from the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
    • $83 million from the UN Development Program (UNDP)
    • $33 million from the UN Population Fund (UNFPA)
    • $130 million from other IOP programs, which includes programs like UN Women, UN Panel on Climate Change, Int’l Conservation Programs, etc.

    PEPFAR Recissions:
     

    • $3 million for circumcision, vasectomies, and condoms in Zambia
    • $5.1 million to strengthen the “resilience of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer global movements”
    • $833,000 for services for “transgender people, sex workers and their clients and sexual networks” in Nepal

    The United States Institute of Peace

    • The President’s Executive Order (14217) eliminated the USIP.
    • $1.2 million for the “Afrobarometer public opinion survey.”
    • $100,000 for Harvard to conduct research models for peace
    • $77,000 for University of Denver for “Escaping the Ethnic Trap in Deeply Divided Societies.”

    United States African Development Foundation

    • The President’s Executive Order (14217) eliminated the USADF
    • Programs such as graphic design training in Nigeria
    • “African Hive Camping and Tours” to create adventure trips for backpackers

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: LEADER JEFFRIES STATEMENT ON HOUSE STEPS ON THE ASSAULT OF SENATOR PADILLA

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

    Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries joined colleagues on the House Steps and delivered the following remarks:

    LEADER JEFFRIES: The Trump administration is a disgrace. Secretary Noem is a disgrace. The manhandling of Senator Alex Padilla was a complete and total disgrace. Senator Padilla is a good man, a decent man, a patriotic man and a hardworking man. He’s the very embodiment of what a United States Senator should represent in this great country of ours, anchored in the principle of self-government.

    He was at that press conference doing his job, asking questions about what is taking place in California, the state that he represents, and on behalf of the American people. And he was recklessly and aggressively manhandled.

    That was unacceptable. It was unconscionable. It was unpatriotic. It’s un-American. And every single person who was involved in manhandling Senator Padilla should be held accountable to the full extent of the law. So this is not going to end until there is accountability and until the Trump administration changes its behavior.

    This administration is not about law and order. It’s about lawlessness and disorder. And that’s what we’ve seen from day one of the Trump administration when Donald Trump pardoned hundreds of violent felons who brutally assaulted the Capitol right behind us. Day one, this administration has been about lawlessness and disorder, and we see a continuing escalation of it.

    And we’re going to make sure that we push back aggressively in every way possible to hold those individuals accountable who, without justification, manhandled Senator Alex Padilla.

    I’m here today as House Democratic Leader to make it clear we stand with Senator Padilla. We stand with the California delegation. We stand with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. And we stand with the American people.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Amodei Statement Following Vote on Rescissions Package

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mark Amodei (NV-02)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Rep. Mark Amodei issued the following statement after voting against the $9.4 billion rescissions request sent to Congress by the Trump Administration: 

    “If we do not have time to think about it, we sure as hell have time to talk about it before October 1st when the impacts of these rescinded funds would start to be felt,” said Rep. Mark Amodei. “This is forward funding. So, before we trigger major consequences for our local public broadcasting stations throughout the West and other rural areas, we need more discussion—rather than railroading folks over the East Coast’s editorials and indiscretions. 

    “I agree we must make meaningful cuts to shrink our federal deficit; however, I would be doing a disservice to the thousands of rural constituents in my district if I did not fight to keep their access to the rest of the world and news on the air.  

    “Having the ability to discuss real impacts, beyond just the global perspective, is a healthy and necessary step. I’m sure we will be voting on this again before the cake is fully baked, so I look forward to working with my colleagues to improve and protect this infrastructure our rural communities rely on.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Moore Votes “Yes” on White House Rescissions Package

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Riley Moore (WV-02)

    Washington, D.C. – Earlier today, the House of Representatives passed H. 4 – the Rescissions Act of 2025. This legislation eliminates $9.4 billion in wasteful spending on partisan media organizations and U.S. foreign aid.

    Congressman Riley M. Moore proudly voted in favor of the legislation, having recently been selected to lead the Republican Study Committee’s new Rescissions Task Force. The Congressman also spoke in favor of the legislation on the House floor shortly before the vote. Watch those remarks below:

    Congressman Moore issued the following statement:

    “I’m proud to have supported this bill to codify President Trump’s DOGE cuts, which finally ensures tax dollars aren’t used to weaponize media against the American people and puts a stop to the Democrats radical lgbtq agenda in foreign aid.

    “The American people know waste, fraud, and abuse when they see it – and as the leader of the Republican Study Committee’s Task Force on Rescissions, I’ll continue to work to expose it. This is only the first step – more cuts are coming.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Griffith Statement on Congress Sending HALT Fentanyl Act to President Trump

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA)

    The U.S. House voted and passed S. 331, the Halt All Lethal Trafficking of (HALT) Fentanyl Act today. The bill is the companion bill to Rep. Griffith’s and Rep. Latta’s HALT Fentanyl bill, H.R. 27, which passed the House earlier this year. The bill now heads to President Trump for his executive approval.

    On passage, U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement:

    “American communities continue to feel the impact of the fentanyl crisis, fueled in part by lethal fentanyl-related substances. Congressional action passing the HALT Fentanyl Act is a great step to help combat the crisis and save lives. We now deliver this critical bill to President Trump to aid the Administration in their push to fight the fentanyl crisis.”

    BACKGROUND

    The U.S. House of Representatives passed Rep. Griffith’s and Rep. Latta’s H.R. 27 on February 6, 2025. Their statement is available here.

    In February, the Trump Administration issued a statement of Administration policy signaling their support of the HALT Fentanyl Act.

    The Senate version, S. 331, passed the Senate on March 14, 2025.

    This week, Congressman Griffith managed floor debate on the HALT Fentanyl Act. His remarks can be seen here.

    The HALT Fentanyl Act would permanently classify lethal fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I substances, closing a dangerous loophole traffickers are exploiting. The new temporary Schedule I designation is set to expire in September 2025.

    The bill also enables a streamlined registration process for medical research into fentanyl-related substances. 

     

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Loudermilk on Passage of the Recissions Act of 2025 – U.S. Representative Barry Loudermilk

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Barry Loudermilk (R-GA)

    Washington, D.C. (June 12, 2025) | Rep. Barry Loudermilk (GA-11) issued the following statement after of H.R. 4: Recissions Act of 2025:

    “This week, my colleagues and I passed the first of possibly several rescission bills, which eliminate wasteful government spending. This level of reckless and wasteful spending has been going on for years behind the backs of the American people and Congress. Fortunately, the Trump administration is shining light on the waste of taxpayer dollars, and Congress is now acting to make these cuts permanent.

    “President Trump and congressional Republicans are clear that we are committed to putting America first and rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse in our federal government. This vote marks a critical step toward restoring fiscal responsibility and refocusing our government on policies that serve the American people, not political agendas. I will continue working alongside my colleagues and President Trump to ensure that every dollar spent reflects the values and priorities of the voters who demanded a change.”

    Funds to be rescinded include:

    – $833K for trans sex workers in Nepal
    – $1.2 million for LGBTQI+ programs in Uganda and the Western Balkans

    -$3 million for Iraqi Sesame Street
    – $500 million for Left-wing news agencies
    – $2.5 million to teach kids eco-friendly reproductive health
    – $500K for electric buses in Rwanda
    – $6 million for “net zero cities” in Mexico
    – $1 million to promote voter ID in Haiti
    – $5.1 million to strengthen the global queer movement
    – $3 million for condoms and productive procedures in Zambia

    Click here to read full bill text

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Carter Applauds Passage of Rescissions out of House of Representatives

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Earl L Buddy Carter (GA-01)

    Headline: Carter Applauds Passage of Rescissions out of House of Representatives

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) today released the following statement after House Republicans passed the rescissions package sent over by President Trump, codifying $9.4 billion worth of savings identified by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE):

    “House Republicans were sent to Washington, D.C. with a trifecta and a mandate to restore sanity to the federal government and stand by President Trump, which is exactly what we did today by passing this rescissions package. The Senate must act quickly to save valuable taxpayer dollars so we can begin putting these funds towards America First policies and deficit reduction, not woke, fiscally irresponsible nonsense.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: USAID Official and Three Corporate Executives Plead Guilty to Decade-Long Bribery Scheme Involving Over $550 Million in Contracts; Two Companies Admit Criminal Liability for Bribery Scheme and Securities Fraud

    Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division

    Headline: USAID Official and Three Corporate Executives Plead Guilty to Decade-Long Bribery Scheme Involving Over $550 Million in Contracts; Two Companies Admit Criminal Liability for Bribery Scheme and Securities Fraud

    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. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: AG Labrador Backs Federal Response to the Violence in California

    Source: US State of Idaho

    Home Newsroom AG Labrador Backs Federal Response to the Violence in California

    BOISE — Attorney General Raúl Labrador and 24 other Republican Attorneys General issued a joint statement supporting President Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard in response to violent rioting in California.
    “We will always defend the right to peacefully protest, but there’s nothing peaceful about arson, assault, and anarchy. If you set police cars on fire, throw Molotov cocktails at law enforcement, and loo businesses, you must be held accountable.
    “In California, we’re seeing the results of leadership that excuses lawlessness and undermines law enforcement. When local and state officials won’t act, the federal government must.
    “We stand with law enforcement, we support President Trump’s action, and we will not let chaos take hold in our states.”
    Republican Attorneys General across the country stand united in condemning:

    Violent attacks on law enforcement
    The normalization of mob violence as ‘activism’
    Any attempt to delegitimize efforts to restore order
    Leaders who put politics above public safety

    Attorney General Labrador joined the coalition which includes the Attorneys General of Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia.
    Read the letter here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Essex County Convicted Felon Sentenced to 73 Months in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Possession of Firearms, including Two Assault Rifles

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced on June 10, 2025, for his role in distributing cocaine, possessing with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin, and possessing three firearms, including two assault rifles with high-capacity magazines, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.

    Azmar Carter, a/k/a “Bizzy,” 32, of East Orange, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo to a superseding information charging him with two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon, and possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine.

    According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

    In 2021, law enforcement began investigating a drug trafficking organization that operates primarily in and around Orange, New Jersey and distributes narcotics throughout Essex County. During the investigation, Carter distributed cocaine to law enforcement in May 2021 and in July 2021. Subsequently, on August 18, 2021, law enforcement searched Carter’s residence and car in East Orange, New Jersey and recovered the following items: one Draco AK 47 rifle; one Smith and Wesson AR rifle; one .40 caliber pistol; ninety-four rounds of associated ammunition; a distribution quantity of heroin and cocaine; and approximately $7,177.00.

    In addition to the prison term, Judge Arleo sentenced Carter to three years of supervised release.

    U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents and members of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr.; members of the Orange Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Todd Warren, Chief Vincent Vitiello and Captain Brian Mooney; members of the Elizabeth Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Giacomo Sacca and Police Director Earl J. Graves; members of the East Orange Police Department, under the direction of Chief Phyllis Bindi; member of the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda and Chief of Police Sharonda Morris; and the Belleville Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mark Minichini, with the investigation leading to the charges and arrests.

    This case is part of Operation Orange, which is a part of the Newark Violent Crime Initiative (VCI), which was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the DEA, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, N.J. State Parole, Union County Jail, N.J. State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, N.J. Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, the Orange Police Department and the Irvington Police Department.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Levin, Chief of the OCDETF/Narcotics Unit in Newark.

                                                                                                             ###

    Defense counsel: Christopher D. Adams, Esq.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Illegal Alien from Dominican Republic Sentenced for Impersonating U.S. Citizen to Vote in Federal Election

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    MIAMI – Carlos Abreu, 36, has been sentenced to 65 months in prison followed by three years supervised release, after pleading guilty in two consolidated federal cases (24cr60155 and 25cr60015) to the following charges: (1) falsely claiming United States citizenship to register to vote; (2) using a United States citizen’s name to vote; (3) possessing firearms as an alien without lawful status; (4) making false statements in support of a passport application; and (5) aggravated identity theft. As a condition of his supervised release, he was also ordered to turn himself into immigration authorities for removal proceedings.

    According to the two factual proffers, Abreu entered the United States without inspection and, in 2007, assumed the identity of the victim, “C.R.V.” Between 2007 and his August 2024 arrest, Abreu held himself out as “C.R.V.” to Federal, state, and local government agencies. The victim, “C.R.V.,” is a United States citizen living in Puerto Rico who did not know Abreu.

    Abreu obtained a Florida driver’s license in 2007.  He registered to vote under the name “C.R.V.” in 2016, and renewed his registration in 2020. He admitted to voting in federal elections in 2016 and 2022. Abreu also admitted to obtaining a Florida concealed carry permit in “C.R.V.’s” name and purchasing four firearms. Abreu also conceded that, in 2021, he had attempted to obtain U.S. passports for his two minor daughters as well as himself, using “C.R.V.’s” name and personal identifying information, all without lawful authorization.

    United States Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Conklin of the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Miami Field Office made the announcement.

    DSS’ Miami Field Office investigated the case.  The DSS San Juan Resident Office in Puerto Rico and ATF Miami provided invaluable assistance.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brianna Coakley and Daniel Rosenfeld are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nadya Z. Cheatham is handling asset forfeiture.

    You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case numbers 24-cr-60155 and 25-cr-60015.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: US Army’s image of power and flag-waving rings false to Gen Z weary of gun violence − and long-term recruitment numbers show it

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jacob Ware, Adjunct Professor of Domestic Terrorism, Georgetown University

    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.

    “It’s going to be incredible,” President Donald Trump recently said. Trump’s 79th birthday also occurs on June 14.

    Despite the festivities, however, the parade will occur amid bleak times for the U.S. military, as it experiences a multiyear decline in recruitment numbers. In the face of a pandemic and a strong civilian job market, the Army, Air Force and Navy all missed their recruitment goals in 2022 and 2023. In 2022, the Army missed its quota by 25%.

    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.

    Almost 47,000 Americans died from gun-related injuries in 2023. In 2022, there were 51 school shootings in which students were injured or killed by guns. And gun injuries are the leading cause of death for Americans between ages 1 and 19.

    Data about the perceptions of gun violence is equally staggering, especially among American youth between ages 14 and 30.

    Four out of five American youth believe gun violence to be a problem, and 25% have endured real active-shooter lockdowns, according to data compiled by Everytown for Gun Safety, where I serve as a survivor fellow, the Southern Poverty Law Center and American University’s Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab.

    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, polls taken 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.

    A fear of violence

    Gun violence destroys youth tolerance for the violence that defines a career in the U.S. military.

    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.

    – ref. US Army’s image of power and flag-waving rings false to Gen Z weary of gun violence − and long-term recruitment numbers show it – https://theconversation.com/us-armys-image-of-power-and-flag-waving-rings-false-to-gen-z-weary-of-gun-violence-and-long-term-recruitment-numbers-show-it-257090

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Blumenthal Fight Back Against Trump’s Hateful Anti-LGBTQ+ Policies

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    June 12, 2025

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) today joined a new effort to push back against the Trump Administration’s assault on the rights and freedoms of LGBTQ+ Americans nationwide.
    The No Place for LGBTQ+ Hate Act would ensure that President Trump’s hateful executive orders targeting LGBTQ+ Americans have no force or effect and would ensure that no federal funds are used to implement, administer, enforce, or carry out those executive orders. With anti-LGBTQ+ hate on the rise across the United States, this bill fights back against these harmful federal policies, expands freedom, and opens the doors of opportunity for all Americans.
    “Trump repeatedly bullies gay and transgender people in schools, sports, and the military just because of who they are. That’s wrong, and this legislation makes it clear that everyone deserves safety and equality under the law,” said Murphy.
    “Trump’s executive orders cruelly attack the LGBTQ+ community – denying them anti-discrimination protections and health care access,” said Blumenthal. “This legislation shields the community from the dangerous impact of these new federal policies. I’m proud to join the fight against Trump’s spiteful assault on LGBTQ+ Americans.”
    The No Place for LGBTQ+ Hate Act takes aim at the Trump Administration’s anti-LGBTQ+ executive orders, including:
    The Day One executive order to mandate discrimination against transgender, non-binary, intersex, and gender non-conforming individuals.
    An executive order to reinstate and expand the transgender military ban.
    An executive order to prevent medically necessary health care from being provided to transgender youth.
    An executive order to prohibit transgender students from participating in school sports.
    An executive order requiring schools to deny the existence of transgender people.
    U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) also cosponsored the bill.
    U.S. Representatives Becca Balint (D-VT.-AL), Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.-03), Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.-05), Jasmine Crockett (D-Tex.-30), Maxine Dexter (D-Ore.-03), Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.-10), Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.-51), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.-04), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.-08), Sarah McBride (D-Del.-AL), LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.-10), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.-06), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.-AL), Scott Peters (D-Calif.-50), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.-08), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.-09), Mark Takano (D-Calif.-39), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.-12), Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.-07), and Nikema Williams (D-Ga.-05) cosponsored the bill in the House of Representatives.
    The bicameral bill is endorsed by the Human Rights Campaign, Advocates for Trans Equality, ACLU, National Women’s Law Center Action Fund, Reproductive Freedom for All, and Planned Parenthood. 
    Full text of the legislation is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Young Reintroduce Legislation to Protect American Workers, Limit Non-Compete Clauses

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    June 12, 2025

    WASHINGTON–U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) on Wednesday reintroduced the Workforce Mobility Act, bipartisan legislation to limit the use of non-compete clauses that negatively impact American workers. U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) co-sponsored the legislation.

    About one in five American workers – 30 million people – are constrained by a non-compete clause, which blocks workers from working for a competing employer or starting a competing business. Research indicates that workers trapped by non-competes have lower wages, and their restricted mobility makes it more difficult for businesses to recruit talent. In states where non-competes are enforced, young firms are more likely to die in their first three years compared to states where they are not enforced.

    “Millions of fast-food workers, security guards, janitors, and health care workers can’t leave their current job for a better one because they’re locked in non-competes. That crushes worker power, reduces wages, and stifles new businesses. The FTC should continue defending its rule to ban non-competes, but Congress should make the policy permanent and pass our legislation to protect workers and support entrepreneurs,” said Murphy. 

    “Non-compete agreements stifle growth, career advancement, innovation, and human freedom. Our bill aims to remove these barriers and create opportunities that help, not hinder, Hoosier workers,” said Young. “The reforms in our legislation will assist workers and entrepreneurs so they can freely apply their talents where their skills are in greatest demand.” 

    “Non-compete agreements make it harder for businesses to recruit and hire talent and stifle wage growth for workers,” said Kaine. “I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this bipartisan legislation to promote innovation and support American workers.”

    “Non-compete agreements stifle innovation and job mobility,” said Cramer. “I am glad North Dakota is a national leader in blocking these inhibitive practices. Our bipartisan bill makes non-competes virtually illegal and puts more power back into the hands of the American worker.”

    The Workforce Mobility Act would:

    • Narrow the use of non-compete agreements to include only necessary instances of a dissolution of a partnership or the sale of a business;
    • Charge the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Labor with enforcement, as well as making explicit a private right of action in federal court;
    • Require employers to make their employees aware of the limitation on non-competes, as studies have found that non-competes are often used even when they are illegal or unenforceable. The Department of Labor would also be given the authority to make the public aware of the limitation; and
    • Require the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Labor to submit a report to Congress on any enforcement actions taken.

    A one-pager is available HERE

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy Statement on Baseless Republican Attacks on NGOs Providing Contracted Services

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    June 12, 2025

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, on Thursday released a statement on the targeting of non-profit organizations by House Republicans. Earlier this week, Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.-07), Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-Okla.-02), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Accountability, sent letters to more than 200 non-governmental organizations baselessly accusing them of “incentivizing and facilitating illegal immigration” and “encouraging unprecedented levels of human trafficking and smuggling.”

    “It is outrageous, but completely predictable, that House Republicans are targeting non-profit and faith-based organizations Congress contracted to support communities in border states and across our country. Instead of using their authority to bully small non-profits, these members should have read the bills they voted on, which included the authorizing and appropriating language for the very contracts and programs they are targeting in this letter. Talk to any federal law enforcement officer or local leader in a border town, and they’ll tell you these services help make our immigration and asylum system safer and more orderly, while also reducing the burden on local communities. These intimidation tactics will undoubtedly have a chilling effect on NGOs’ willingness to do business with the federal government, and I urge my colleagues to abandon this baseless attack on these organizations and work with Democrats to solve the real challenges we face,” Murphy said.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Thompson Announces National Science Foundation Award to Jackson State University

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Bennie G Thompson (D-MS)

    June 12, 2025

    BOLTON, MS – Today, Congressman Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) announced that Jackson State University has been awarded a $199,755 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support cutting-edge research in traffic signal control systems. The project, entitled “ERI: Advancement of Max Pressure Traffic Signal Control in Partially Connected and Automated Transportation Systems,” is under the direction of Dr. Hao Liu and will begin on August 1, 2025.

    This award, made through NSF’s Engineering Research Initiation (ERI) program, supports research that aims to enhance traffic network efficiency during the transition from human-driven vehicles (HDVs) to connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs). Research will focus on redefining Max Pressure (MP)-based traffic control systems to address the unique challenges and opportunities presented by this evolving transportation environment.

    The project will support the formation of a sustainable research group at JSU and provide valuable training for students pursuing careers in transportation engineering. Findings from this study are expected to contribute to national progress in transportation science and operational efficiency.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Prime Minister to visit China and Europe

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will travel to China and Europe next week. He will be joined in Shanghai and Beijing with a delegation of senior New Zealand business leaders.

    “China is New Zealand’s largest trading partner and a vital part of our economic story,” Mr Luxon says.

    The visit will focus on growing trade, which was worth over $38 billion last year, as well as also look to strengthen education and tourism links and to maximise opportunities for New Zealand businesses.

    “New Zealand is a trusted supplier of safe, high-quality food and beverage products to Chinese consumers. It is an important market, and I look forward to doing what I can to support Kiwi businesses to thrive,” Mr Luxon says.

    China is New Zealand’s largest source of international students and is our third-largest tourism market. 

    “This visit is about backing the recovery of international education and tourism and putting New Zealand front and centre as a world-class destination for travel, study, and long-term connection,” Mr Luxon says.

    The Prime Minister will meet China’s top leadership, including President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, to discuss the comprehensive bilateral relationship and key regional and global issues.

    “The challenging global outlook makes it vital that we are sharing perspectives and engaging China on issues that matter to New Zealand.”

    The Prime Minister will be accompanied by the 2025 Te Matatini champions, Te Kapa Haka o Ngatī Whakaue.

    The Prime Minister and his delegation will be in China from 17 to 20 June.

    Europe

    Mr Luxon will then travel on to Europe to undertake bilateral visits in Brussels and the Hague. He will meet with leaders, including from the European Union, to discuss trade, security, and the shifting geopolitical landscape.  

    “We have a high-quality trade relationship with the European Union, and the Netherlands and Belgium are gateways for New Zealand’s growing exports to Europe,” Mr Luxon says. 

    “Since the early entry into force of the New Zealand-European Union Free Trade Agreement, Kiwi goods exports have grown by over 25 per cent, which is a more than NZ$1 billion increase.” 

    In the Netherlands, the Prime Minister will participate in the NATO Summit and hold one-on-one talks with a number of NATO leaders. 

    “Prosperity is only possible with security, and our discussions will focus on connections between the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific security environments,” Mr Luxon says. 

    New Zealand has been invited to the NATO Summit alongside other members of the Indo-Pacific Four – Australia, Japan and Korea. 

    “I look forward to building our positive relationship with our European friends, and to forging stronger links with businesses and investors as part of our wider plan to rebuild New Zealand’s economy.” 

    The Prime Minister is in Europe from 21 to 25 June

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: DOC and partners tackle damaging sea urchins at Poor Knights Marine Reserve

    Source: NZ Department of Conservation

    Date:  13 June 2025

    DOC, working alongside Te Whānau o Rangiwhakaahu, the University of Auckland, and Northland Regional Council, undertook the trial over 2 weeks in May 2025. Dive teams spent nearly 290 hours underwater during 440 dives, covering five sites across six hectares, to halt the spread of urchin barrens – barren reefs stripped of life by increasing populations of the native long-spined sea urchin.

    Despite being native, the long-spined sea urchin has seen a dramatic population boom – increasing more than elevenfold in the past 25 years. Warmer waters and fewer predators are thought to be key factors, and even in the fully protected marine reserve, where their numbers are now estimated to exceed 1.5 million.

    Unlike kina, which have shown signs of natural decline under marine protection, long-spined sea urchins have continued to expand. They graze not just on kelp but on a wide range of marine life, threatening the rich biodiversity and the colourful communities of fixed marine animals – like sponges, corals, and anemones – that cover the vertical reef walls and make the Poor Knights internationally renowned.

    “This is the first coordinated removal effort specifically targeting long-spined sea urchins in a New Zealand marine reserve,” says DOC Marine Technical Advisor Dr Monique Ladds.

    “The goal is to slow the spread of urchin barrens in the Poor Knights while we continue to investigate long-term solutions. Follow-up surveys in July will help assess the effectiveness of the removal and guide future management decisions.”

    The removal work follows successful but smaller trials in 2023 which showed rapid recovery of the kelp and wall communities.

    “This is not a long-term fix,” says Monique. “Although removals may help buy time in some areas, we know they are not a sustainable strategy for managing the scale of the problem. We’re continuing to work with iwi, scientists, and partners to explore future options for protecting these ecosystems at the Poor Knights and elsewhere. This trial is one way we’re testing what’s possible. When we take action, nature can bounce back.”

    Marine reserves managed by DOC are protected areas, and removing or harming marine life without a permit is illegal.

    Contact

    For media enquiries contact:

    Email: media@doc.govt.nz

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Simpson Votes to Combat Illegal Fentanyl

    Source: US State of Idaho

    Rep. Simpson Votes to Combat Illegal Fentanyl

    Washington, June 12, 2025

    WASHINGTON— Today, Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson voted in favor of S. 331 – the Halt All Lethal Trafficking of (HALT) Fentanyl Act. This legislation permanently extends President Trump’s 2018 Schedule I classification of fentanyl-related substances and gives law enforcement the tools they need to keep Americans safe from dangerous illicit drugs.
    “We cannot afford to waste any time in the fight against the fentanyl crisis, which is devastating families and communities across the country,” said Rep. Simpson. “As President Trump takes decisive action to halt the flood of this deadly drug pouring across our southern border, Congress is also working to combat this epidemic, remove fentanyl from our streets, and give our brave law enforcement officers the tools they need to save American lives. This is an important step in combatting this crisis, and I am pleased to see this bill head to President Trump’s desk.”
    The HALT Fentanyl Act passed with a vote of 321-104.
    Earlier this year, the House passed similar legislation by a 312-108 vote. The Senate passed S. 331 by an 84-16 vote. This legislation will now head to President Trump’s desk to be signed into law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ARMSTRONG COUNTY – Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, Second Lady Blayre Holmes Davis to Highlight 2025-26 Proposed Budget Investments in Child Care Workforce

    Source: US State of Pennsylvania

    June 13, 2025 – Apollo, PA

    ADVISORY – ARMSTRONG COUNTY – Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, Second Lady Blayre Holmes Davis to Highlight 2025-26 Proposed Budget Investments in Child Care Workforce

    Lt. Gov. Austin Davis and Second Lady Blayre Holmes Davis will host a roundtable conversation to discuss the Shapiro-Davis Administration’s proposed 2025-26 budget and its plan to invest in and expand Pennsylvania’s child care workforce Friday, June 13, at 10 a.m. at Grandma’s House, 616 First St. Ext., Apollo.

    The 2025-26 proposal builds on the Administration’s first two budgets with a $55 million investment in retention and recruitment bonuses to increase child care availability, ensuring parents are able to work and children have quality care. These grants to licensed child care centers in Pennsylvania’s Child Care Works (CCW) Program would provide up to $1,000 per employee.

    During their first two years in office, Gov. Josh Shapiro and Lt. Gov. Davis have expanded the state’s Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit and created a new tax credit for businesses that want to contribute to their employees’ child care costs.

    WHO:
    Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, Second Lady Blayre Holmes Davis, Alle Kiski Strong Chamber Executive Director Lynda Pozzuto, Trying Together Director of Public Policy Emily Neff, representatives from the Early Learning Investment Commission, Governor’s Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs and Advisory Commission on Women, child care providers, teachers and parents

    WHAT:
    Roundtable conversation about child care in Pennsylvania and investments in the Shapiro-Davis 2025-26 proposed budget

    WHEN:
    Friday, June 13, at 10 a.m.

    WHERE:
    Grandma’s House
    616 First St. Ext., Apollo

    RSVP:
    Members of the news media who are interested in attending must RSVP to Kirstin Alvanitakis at kirstinalv@pa.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Secretary Pete Hegseth: “What’s an AST?”

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

    Vasquez Exposes Secretary Hegseth’s Shocking Ignorance on Border Issues in House Armed Services Hearing

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – During a House Armed Services Committee hearing today, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) confronted Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth for his blatant lack of knowledge about the U.S.-Mexico border, despite the Department of Defense’s growing involvement and massive spending in the region.

    WATCH: VASQUEZ PRESSES SECRETARY HEGSETH IN HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE

    Vasquez’s district includes 180 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border, a fact that Hegseth was unaware of. It also includes some of the country’s most remote, rugged borderlands, and Vasquez pressed Hegseth on basic geography, local conditions, and defense department spending. The result was clear: the Secretary of Defense is dangerously unprepared for the role he’s been entrusted with.

    “Pete Hegseth couldn’t name how many miles of border exist in New Mexico. He couldn’t point to where the wall starts or ends. He couldn’t say whether there are roads in critical terrain. And he had no meaningful answer when I asked about surveillance technologies despite their clear value as modern, cost-effective alternatives to a border wall,” said Vasquez. “This is not just concerning—it’s disqualifying. The military doesn’t belong on our border.”

    Vasquez repeatedly highlighted the disconnect between the Department of Defense’s policies and the realities of life on the border, challenging Hegseth’s cookie-cutter rhetoric and false claims about the effectiveness of the administration’s strategy.

    “I have serious concerns with your fundamental lack of knowledge about the U.S.-Mexico border, considering the billions of dollars that DOD is slated to spend on this mission,” said Vasquez. “I would encourage you to do some homework on my region and learn what will actually make our border more secure and safer.”

    Hegseth had no response when asked about the Bootheel, a highly remote and strategically significant stretch of southern New Mexico. When pressed on terrain features like the Animas Mountains or local infrastructure, he dodged. When confronted with data showing the DOD diverted over $1 billion from troop housing and modernization to border deployments, he deflected.

    Hegseth notably admitted that a border wall is not always the most effective border security tool despite the administration’s stance on the issue, “I’m aware that there are places where walls are not as much as effective as other places, and I get that.”

    Vasquez continues to advocate for modern surveillance infrastructure, expanded port-of-entry capacity, and smarter, humane approaches to immigration. He has introduced bipartisan legislation to realign border security investments with what works on the ground, not what plays best on cable news.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Moran, House Republicans Codify $9.4 Billion in DOGE Spending Cuts

    Source: Congressman Nathaniel Moran (R-TX-01)

    Congressman Nathaniel Moran (R-TX-01) released the following statement after House Republicans voted to pass $9.4 billion in spending cuts targeting waste, fraud, and abuse identified by President Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE):

    Washington, D.C. — Congressman Nathaniel Moran (R-TX-01) released the following statement after House Republicans voted to pass $9.4 billion in spending cuts targeting waste, fraud, and abuse identified by President Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE):

    “As a fiscal conservative and budget hawk, I believe Congress must prioritize rooting out radical and reckless spending, and use those savings to reduce our national debt,” said Congressman Moran. “By passing this rescissions package, we can cut government spending without harming active programs or services. This is a strong step forward in restoring fiscal responsibility and complements our broader efforts through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. But this must only be the beginning—Congress must continue identifying and eliminating wasteful spending wherever it exists.”

    Background:

    Rescission packages allow the President and Congress to eliminate unnecessary federal spending. Under the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974, rescissions must be initiated by the White House and apply only to funds previously appropriated. The White House officially sends a request to Congress which has the opportunity to approve, disapprove, or amend the request. Once passed by the House, the measure becomes privileged in the Senate—allowing it to bypass the 60-vote threshold and pass with a simple majority. The Rescissions Act of 2025 fulfills President Trump’s request to cut $9.4 billion in unobligated spending, targeting wasteful programs and bloated accounts while preserving essential services for the American people.

    Yet every single Democrat in the House voted against it, choosing to protect wasteful spending on drag queen programming for children and films celebrating child gender transitions, rather than stand up for American taxpayers.

    The package passed the House on a vote of 214–212 and now moves to the Senate for consideration.

    Examples of waste, fraud, and abuse eliminated in the package include:

    • PBS-produced documentary arguing the case for reparations.
    • PBS-aired children’s program featuring drag queens.
    • PBS-produced film celebrating the sex change of a child.
    • NPR feature on “queer animals.”
    • NPR coverage arguing that “fat-phobia” is racist.
    • NPR piece lamenting that animals require pronouns.

    Questionable foreign aid and international programs:

    • $158 million from the UN Peacekeeping Mission.
    • $83 million from the UN Development Program.
    • $33 million from the UN Population Fund.
    • $8 million for the UN Human Rights Council.
    • $3 million for Iraqi Sesame Street.
    • $6 million for “Net Zero Cities” in Mexico.
    • $6 million to support media organizations and civic life of Palestinians.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Tenney Leads Legislation Reaffirming Her Commitment to Protecting Social Security

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-22)

    Washington, DC – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today reintroduced the Social Security Protection Act, reaffirming her unwavering commitment to safeguarding Social Security for current beneficiaries and future generations.

    Additional cosponsors of this legislation include Representatives Rob Wittman (VA-01), Mike Flood (NE-01), Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06), Mike Kelly (PA-16), Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11), Clay Higgins (LA-03), and Abraham Hamadeh (AZ-08). 

    This resolution underscores the importance of maintaining the integrity of Social Security, a vital program that millions of Americans rely on for their retirement and financial security. As a member of the Ways and Means Committee, Congresswoman Tenney is dedicated to ensuring that Social Security remains a stable and reliable program for those who have contributed to it throughout their working lives.

     “Social Security is a lifeline for many hardworking families and seniors in New York’s 24th District. By reintroducing this legislation today, it highlights my advocacy and continued focus on safeguarding, preserving, and strengthening Social Security benefits for our seniors, retirees, and future generations. I am committed to protecting this program and ensuring it remains a dependable source of income for those who have earned it,” said Congresswoman Tenney.  

    ###

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Tenney Stands with President Trump to Defund NPR, PBS, and Wasteful Foreign Aid

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-22)

    Washington, DC – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today voted in favor of H.R. 4, the Rescissions Act of 2025, which will eliminate $9.4 billion in wasteful foreign aid spending and funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which finances NPR and PBS.

    This legislation passed the House by a vote of 214-212. 

    “H.R. 4, the Rescissions Act, is a bold step toward restoring fiscal sanity in Washington. By slashing billions in wasteful and woke spending, including $1.1 billion for left-wing propaganda outlets like NPR and PBS, $3 million for Iraqi Sesame Street, and $6 million for so-called ‘Net Zero Cities’ in Mexico, we are cutting waste, fraud, and abuse to build a more efficient federal government. With our national debt soaring to nearly $37 trillion, we must get our fiscal house in order and ensure taxpayer dollars are spent in the best interest of the American people, not foreign pet projects or left-wing activism. By passing this legislation, House Republicans are delivering on President Trump’s America First mandate and returning hard-earned taxpayer dollars back to the American people,” said Congresswoman Tenney.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Slams HUD Secretary Turner on Trump Administration’s Unprecedented Attacks on Affordable Housing & Homelessness Prevention 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Trump budget proposes halving HUD’s budget as key staff are let go in droves & funds signed into law are illegally frozen

    ICYMI: In Everett, Murray Holds Roundtable on Trump Putting $16.7 Million for Snohomish County Homelessness Prevention at Risk, Hears from Affected Organizations—Vows to Fight Housing Budget Cuts

    ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s exchange with Secretary Turner*** 

    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, questioned Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner at a Senate Appropriations Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing on the president’s fiscal year 2026 budget request for HUD and its sweeping staff losses and funding freezes that are already hurting communities across the country. Senator Murray pressed Secretary Turner on the Trump administration’s unprecedented and illegal freezing of funding for critical HUD programs and attacks on the Continuum of Care program that is vital to homelessness prevention in Snohomish County, King County, Pierce County, and other areas across Washington state. Murray also questioned Secretary Turner about the Trump administration blocking funding provided for HUD’s Green and Resilient Retrofit Program, and his refusal to answer basic Congressional oversight questions on this program.

    In her opening comments, Vice Chair Murray said:

    “The entire point of your Department is to help Americans keep a roof over their head. I am really afraid pretty much everything that you and President Trump have done to date appears kind of in direct opposition to that goal.

    “First off, the President’s illegal funding freezes are causing chaos across the country. I was in Everett, in my home state of Washington, a few weeks ago, I was talking to organizations that help people find housing. And if they can’t get their already-awarded funding, they will be forced to start evicting people this summer and may even have to shut down their services altogether.

    “And on top of that, you’re pushing out 2,300 staff—who are dedicated public servants with decades of experience. I just don’t see how you can tell us with a straight face that forcing out over a quarter of your workforce is going to have no effect on your Department’s ability to meet its statutory responsibilities under law.

    “And now, after all the damage that’s been done, you are here today requesting that Congress slash funding for your Department nearly in half! Nearly in half! That would force millions of Americans out of their homes.


    “Your request would force states to make up for your draconian cuts and abdication of responsibility. I don’t know what state can afford to do that, especially when this administration is simultaneously working to shift even more costs to states for things like SNAP and health care.

    “It is kind of absurd to claim that we cannot afford basic programs that keep people off the streets, but we can hand trillions of dollars in new tax cuts to billionaires and big corporations.

    “Housing affordability and homelessness is a crisis in Washington state and in many places across the country, you know that—but this administration just appears to me to be trying to make it all worse.

    “And I’ll tell you right now: looking at your budget request, as far as I’m concerned as Vice Chair of this committee, it’s not going anywhere.”

    [ILLEGAL FUNDING FREEZES]

    Senator Murray began her questioning by asking about the administration’s illegal funding freezes and attacks on critical housing and homeless prevention programs, including the Continuum of Care program: “I want to start with the funding that you are illegally freezing. The Continuum of Care program is essential to addressing homelessness in my home state of Washington. In March, HUD began issuing grant agreements with a host of new conditions that are deeply concerning and completely unrelated to HUD’s mission. HUD did that without notice, and without any explanation of what the vaguely worded conditions mean or what a grantee would be required to do. As I said earlier, organizations I have talked to in my state say that without these funds, they are going to evict people this summer. The courts, as you know, are sorting this out, I’m glad to see they’ve extended the preliminary injunction to stop HUD from enforcing these new and extreme requirements. Mr. Secretary, I want to ask you, are you going to, and I quote from the court order, ‘take every step necessary to effectuate this order, including clearing any administrative, operational, or technical hurdles to implementation’?”

    Secretary Turner replied, “As you have said this is under active litigation. And so we will leave it there. Once this is through litigation, I look forward to having a conversation, but right now I won’t comment on it.”

    “Not even to tell us if you’re following the court order?” pressed Senator Murray.

    Secretary Turner said, “I will follow the law—”

    Senator Murray reiterated her question, “Are you following the court order?”

    “Our team follows the law and the court order,” answered Secretary Turner.

    “Are you in full compliance with the court order?” followed up Senator Murray.

    “I’m not going to speak any more on it because it’s under active litigation,” said Secretary Turner, avoiding the question.

    Senator Murray continued to try and get clarification on where the funds stood with HUD, “Let me just follow up on this. When will you be in full compliance with the court order? Are funds being withheld today?”

    “We will be with you as soon as we can, once it’s done with active litigation,” Secretary Turner yet again dodged.

    “Are funds being withheld right now even though the court order is in place?” Senator Murray asked again.

    Secretary Turner tried to change the topic, “You know you talked about the 2,300 people—”

    “I just want you to know that I am talking about this Continuum of Care because I am hearing from providers in my state that funds are being withheld, meaning you are not in compliance. Are you aware of that?” Senator Murray further specified.

    Secretary Turner repeated his same talking point, “I am aware of the litigation. It’s in active litigation.”

    Senator Murray further explained to Secretary Turner that he was in violation of the court order and that is why she was asking, “I am hearing funds are still being withheld despite the court order. I need to know if you know that and if you’re going to make sure the funds are released.”

    “I’m the Secretary, so things that go on at HUD I’m well aware of. But I also know with this active litigation, that I am not going to say very much in our hearing today but happy to talk to you as time goes on as I’m able to. I’ll commit to that,” said Secretary Turner.

    Senator Murray made it clear, “Well, we are running out of time. They are going to start evicting people and they need those funds.”

    Secretary Turner again tried to change the subject, “Just to clarify, the 2,300 people that left HUD, it was voluntary, they were not forced out.”

    Senator Murray said, “I know, I have been hearing that from every secretary that comes before us.”

    Secretary Turner interjected, “This is just me from HUD, and I’m just telling you it was 2,300 that took the DRP—”

    “2,300 that were told if you don’t get out now you will be sorry in the future, so it is people that we need there,” Senator Murray pushed back.

    Senator Murray then pressed Secretary Turner on the funding held up for the Green and Resilient Retrofit program: “Let me move on to another example. Your Green and Resilient Retrofit Program, that was created to help make properties more resilient to disasters and less expensive to heat and cool. On day one, you and the President deemed this commonsense program ‘woke’ somehow and have illegally attempted to terminate it. The courts have now directed HUD to process and disburse those funds, but I want you know that we are hearing from owners that HUD is doing nothing to restore the administrative contract that DOGE cancelled—which is holding up this deal from moving forward. This Committee has now asked five times for HUD to brief my staff on this, yet they’ve refused to speak to us about basic legal requirements. So let me just ask you here today, why are you preventing HUD-assisted property owners from making often overdue upgrades to low-income and senior housing?”

    Secretary Turner again avoided the question he was capable of answering, “This also is under active litigation, as you know. And so, my comments on this will be zero to limited. It’s under active litigation, as soon as we get done with that I’m happy to speak with you.”

    “Well, there are people waiting. And this fund [is] critical and there are court orders, and I expect them to be followed. And I am just going to say for the record, there’s nothing objectionable about this funding. It is stunning to me that we are under a court order, and you’re not giving the money out. It’s for things like replacing windows and outdated HVAC systems, and installing fire-resistant roofs. These are things badly needed for people in this country,” concluded Senator Murray.

    ___________________________________

    President Trump’s budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2026 would slash funding for HUD by almost 50 percent—a staggering cut that would decimate the HUD housing assistance programs, kicking families out of their homes and making millions of Americans vulnerable to homelessness. Trump’s budget proposes to convert all rental assistance programs into a formula-based “State Rental Assistance Block Grant” and reduce total funding by $26.7 billion, or a 42 percent cut. His budget also proposes to consolidate the Continuum of Care (CoC) Program with the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program within the formula-based Emergency Solutions Grant and to time-limit assistance to two years, all while reducing overall funding by $532 million, or 12 percent. In addition, President Trump’s budget proposes to eliminate or reduce nearly all HUD programs, including eliminating major formula programs communities rely upon to develop new affordable housing and for community development activities. On May 29th, Senator Murray held a roundtable in Everett to hear from local housing and homelessness prevention organizations affected by the Trump administration’s senseless decision to jeopardize CoC grant funding by placing new, potentially unlawful conditions on the grant funding.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray, Former ACIP Member from WA State Raise Alarm Over Purge of Entire CDC Vaccine Advisory Committee

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    NEW: Kennedy’s new CDC panel includes members who have criticized vaccines and spread misinformation

    ***WATCH FULL PRESS CONFERENCE HERE; DOWNLOAD HERE***

    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, held a virtual press conference on U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s unprecedented decision on Monday to fire every single member of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). Dr. Helen Chu joined Senator Murray for the press conference, a professor of Medicine and Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the University of Washington School of Medicine, who was a member of ACIP until Monday—when she was fired by Secretary Kennedy alongside the entire panel of experts. Senator Murray and Dr. Chu laid out just how unprecedented and unthinkably dangerous this move is, and what it means for the future of vaccine policy and public health.

    On Wednesday, RFK Jr. announced eight new appointees to ACIP, including Dr. Robert Malone, a close adviser to RFK Jr. who downplayed the deaths related to one of the largest measles outbreaks in the U.S. in years, and Vicky Pebsworth, who is listed as a board member and volunteer director for the National Vaccine Information Center, a group that is notorious for spreading vaccine misinformation.  

    “RFK Jr. took a dangerous, practically unthinkable step to undermine public health and vaccine confidence—he fired every single member of CDC’s vaccine advisory panel,” said Senator Murray on today’s press call. “And he is already packing the panel with people who advocated letting COVID rip through communities, who serve as board members of vaccine disinformation groups, who promoted conspiracies and quack treatments for COVID and measles—and he is just getting started! It is really just about impossible to underscore how reckless and unprecedented this is. I mean, even some Republicans who voted for him—only did so after he convinced them he wouldn’t go this far. Of course they should have known better—I even warned them! You can’t trust this guy, he has a long history of attacking science and vaccines at every turn, he’s not going to give up that crusade when you give him tremendous power to wage it. But they ignored the obvious warnings—and now here we are. Let’s be clear, RFK Jr. is not just crossing a red line for public health, he is sprinting into dangerous, uncharted territory in support of totally deranged conspiracies, and he is dragging us all along with him. He is putting our communities—and our families—in harm’s way.”

    “The means by which vaccines are recommended for use in the United States is a careful, deliberate and rigorous process that has been in place for over 60 years. ACIP is widely regarded as the international gold standard for vaccine decision-making. Other countries have, in the past, considered the United States as a model to guide their own vaccine policies because they could be sure decisions were unbiased and based on evidence. But that may no longer be the case,” said Dr. Helen Chu, a professor of Medicine and Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Until Monday, Dr. Chu was also a member of ACIP until Secretary Kennedy abruptly dismissed the entire Committee this Monday. “We cannot dismantle a system that has allowed for open, evidence-based dialogue among experts, that has supported transparent, clear decision-making.  We cannot replace it with a process driven by one person’s beliefs. In the absence of an independent unbiased ACIP, we can no longer trust that safe and effective vaccines will be available to us and the people around us. I worry about the health and safety of people in our country—and the future of our public health infrastructure.”

    Senator Murray forcefully opposed the nomination of notorious anti-vaccine activist RFK Jr. to be Secretary of HHS, and she has long worked to combat vaccine skepticism and highlight the importance of scientific research and vaccines. Murray was also a leading voice against the nomination of Dr. Dave Weldon to lead CDC, repeatedly speaking up about her serious concerns with the nominee immediately after their meeting. In 2019, Senator Murray co-led a bipartisan hearing in the HELP Committee on vaccine hesitancy and spoke about the importance of addressing vaccine skepticism and getting people the facts they need to keep their families and communities safe and healthy. Ahead of the 2019 hearing, as multiple states were facing measles outbreaks in under-vaccinated areas, Murray sent a bipartisan letter with former HELP Committee Chair Lamar Alexander pressing Trump’s CDC Director and HHS Assistant Secretary for Health on their efforts to promote vaccination and vaccine confidence.

    Senator Murray has been a leading voice in Congress against RFK Jr.’s dismantling of HHS and attacks on America’s public health infrastructure, raising the alarm over HHS’ unilateral reorganization plan and slamming the closure of the HHS Region 10 office in Seattle and the CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Spokane Research Laboratory. Senator Murray has sent oversight letters and hosted numerous press conferences and events to lay out how the administration’s reckless gutting of HHS is risking Americans’ health and safety and will set our country back decades, and lifting up the voices of HHS employees who were fired for no reason and through no fault of their own.

    In particular, Senator Murray has been leading the charge against the Trump administration’s efforts to gut lifesaving research at NIH and pushed out nearly 5,000 NIH skilled scientists, grants administrators, and other employees at the agency. When the Trump administration attempted to illegally cap indirect cost rates at 15 percent, Senator Murray immediately and forcefully condemned the move, led the entire Senate Democratic caucus in a letter decrying the proposed change, and introduced amendments to Senate Republicans’ budget resolution to reverse it, which Republicans blocked. Murray has led Congressional efforts to boost biomedical research. Previously, over her years as Chair of the Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Murray secured billions of dollars in increases for biomedical research at NIH, and during her time as Chair of the HELP Committee she established the new ARPA-H research agency as part of her PREVENT Pandemics Act to advance some of the most cutting-edge research in the field. Senator Murray was also the lead Democratic negotiator of the bipartisan 21st Century Cures Act, which delivered a major federal investment to boost NIH research, among many other investments. 

    Senator Murray’s full remarks, as delivered, are below and video is HERE:

    “I am here today to sound the alarm for public health, and to sound it as loud as I possibly can. Because this week, RFK Jr. took a dangerous, practically unthinkable step to undermine public health and vaccine confidence. He fired every single member of CDC’s vaccine advisory panel. Every. Single. One.

    “And he is already packing the panel with people who advocated letting COVID rip through communities, who serve as board members of vaccine disinformation groups, who promoted conspiracies and quack treatments for COVID and measles—and he is just getting started! It is really just about impossible to underscore how reckless and unprecedented this is.

    “I mean—even some Republicans who voted for him—only did so after he convinced them he wouldn’t go this far. Of course, they should have known better—I even warned them! You can’t trust this guy. He has a long history of attacking science and vaccines at every turn—he’s not going to give up that crusade when you give him tremendous power to wage it. But they ignored the obvious warnings. And now here we are.

    “Let’s be clear, RFK Jr. is not just crossing a red line for public health, he is sprinting into dangerous, uncharted territory in support of totally deranged conspiracies, and he is dragging us all along with him! He is putting our communities and our families in harm’s way.

    “Here’s what everyone needs to know. The CDC’s vaccine advisory panel has a simple, important job. Look at the data. Look at the science. And make recommendations on the vaccines FDA has approved as safe and effective.

    “That work has serious repercussions. These recommendations impact public confidence and trust in our vaccines. These recommendations are trusted by health care providers as they talk to patients and discuss their personal health decisions.

    “And these recommendations affect whether health plans—including Medicare and Medicaid—are required to cover vaccines at zero cost to patients or insurance companies can force Americans to foot the bill for vaccines that keep them safe or parents get guidance about which vaccines their children should receive and when.

    “Guess what happens when vaccines become more expensive for patients? Guess what happens when Trump’s highest-ranking health official ignores the facts and tells people our vaccine experts can’t be trusted? Guess what happens when RFK Jr. packs the CDC advisory committee wall-to-wall with his favorite anti-science grifters and conspiracy pushers?

    “Fewer people are going to get vaccinated. This is not rocket science.

    “Maybe they think—because of RFK’s Jr.’s disinformation—that measles isn’t a big deal. Maybe they think—incorrectly—that it’s safer to get whooping cough than the vaccine. Maybe they just can’t afford it anymore—because the vaccine they wanted to protect their family is no longer covered by insurance.

    “Whatever the reason, the result is going to be the same. Diseases we can fight—diseases we can prevent—spreading like wildfire through our communities, through our schools, through our nursing homes. Kids are going to be hospitalized, even killed, all because one conspiracy theorist thinks he knows better than qualified medical experts, and centuries of research.

    “We’ve already seen an historic measles outbreak on RFK Jr.’s watch. His response to it has been a complete disaster, promoting quack cures and spreading lies about vaccines, as cases skyrocket.

    “And, if RFK Jr.’s flood of disinformation is allowed to drown out real science, it’s not just going to be measles—we are going to see a full parade of horrors come raging back.

    “We have to speak up. And we have to make sure we are countering nonsense with reality with facts. We have to make sure parents get the message: that vaccines are safe, effective, and lifesaving.

    “And so, I am using my megaphone today, to not just raise the alarm, but to raise up the voice of an expert who knows the science of vaccines and who knows the stakes of this moment.

    “I’m pleased to be joined by one of the CDC advisory members RFK Jr. is trying to silence through firing: UW’s own Dr. Helen Chu. Thank you all for joining this call today.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Statement on Protests in Response to Immigration Arrests in Spokane

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement on the immigration protests in Spokane last night, sparked by the detention of two immigrants seeking asylum whose work visas were abruptly revoked on Friday:

    “It’s totally wrong to abruptly detain legal asylum seekers at their check-in appointments without any justification—we’re talking about people who were following the legal process, contributing to their communities, and pose no threat to public safety. As I’ve said time and again, diverting law enforcement resources away from fighting violent crime to round up immigrants who are working and going through the legal process is nothing but a cruel waste of taxpayer dollars that makes all of us less safe.

    “The Trump administration is intentionally provoking chaos, terror, and disorder in our communities by bringing in federal agents to grab people off the streets. I stand with the citizens of Spokane who are peacefully speaking out against these egregious abuses of our immigration laws, and those who are mounting challenges in the courts.

    “I will always support people exercising their First Amendment right to peaceful protest and I urge anyone taking part in protest activities to remain calm and never resort to violence, which only plays into the Trump administration’s hands.

    “The Trump administration needs to let local law enforcement do their job—federal troops should never be deployed over the request of state and local officials to escalate situations that local police are already effectively managing.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: In Forceful Senate Floor Speech, Senator Murray Slams Trump Administration for Aggressively Detaining Senator Padilla at Public Press Conference

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    ***WATCH SENATOR MURRAY’S REMARKS HERE***

    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, took to the Senate floor to respond to U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) being tackled, handcuffed, and violently removed from a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) press conference this afternoon.  

    Senator Murray’s full remarks on the Senate floor, as delivered are below:

    “Mr. President, I come to the floor this afternoon, to the United States Senate, a place where people are elected by their constituents to come here to be their voice, every one of us. Republican, Democrat, elected by the people who we represent, to come here and be their voice and to do the job.

    “What is that job? To make sure that we are being their voice and speaking out for them, and part of that has to be asking questions. Part of that has to be demanding accountability. That has to be getting information so we can do the best job possible.

    “It is unacceptable that a United States Senator, in his own home state, elected by millions of people, went to ask a question for his constituents, to get an answer, and was brutally thrown to the ground and handcuffed.

    “That is wrong, and I cannot believe that we don’t have Senators on both sides of the aisle calling this out as outrageous.

    “This is what a democracy is about, Mr. President. Mr. President, it is about us coming to the United States Senate, speaking out, asking questions, getting information, so we can be their voice.

    “What happens when that voice is stifled? What happens when that voice is thrown to the floor and handcuffed? Our democracy is lost.

    “Mr. President, I have been here more than 32 years. I have come to this floor often to speak out, to be angry, to be a voice for my people. I have never come this close to having tears in my eyes, as I speak to both sides of this aisle, about this horrendous incident that occurred.

    “We are a democracy, but we can lose that democracy. It can be gone, unless all of us speak out and forcibly reject what happened to a United States Senator.

    “And to send the message that in this democracy it is just, it is right, it is part of our responsibility to speak up, to ask questions, and to be able to have the knowledge we need to represent the people that we come here for.

    “We use our voices, Mr. President. We use our votes, Mr. President, to be a part of this democracy. Not violence.

    “When violence is done by someone representing this administration, in a forceful way, against a United States Senator, how does any one of us go home and tell our constituents that they can be part of a democracy, speak out about what they believe in?

    “This is so wrong. This is so wrong.

    “Mr. President, I hope others speak up and speak out, and as a voice we say we want our democracy to succeed, and in order to succeed we need to be able to use our voices and to use our votes and to ask questions without being forcibly thrown to the ground, without being arrested by speaking up.

    “I say to the entire country, we have a democracy. We will lose it if we can’t use our voices. We will lose this democracy. None of us should be silent. None of us.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall: We Are Going to Prevent the Largest Tax Increase in American History

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Senator Marshall Joins RFD-TV to Discuss the Reconciliation Benefits for Farmers and Ranchers
    Washington – On Thursday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), joined Suzanne Alexander on RFD-TV to discuss President Trump’s ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill,’ and how it will help farmers and ranchers by preventing the largest tax increase in American history and allocate $100 billion to crop insurance and Title One funding.

    Click HERE or on the image above to watch the full interview.
    On how the OBBB presents the largest tax increase in American history:
    “… This bill is going to prevent the largest tax increase in American history. This is going to mean $1,000 a month of Americans getting to keep their own hard-earned money. Look, it is tense up here in its own world, but I just never seen the Republican caucus so together, and this is a Republicans only exercise right now. The Democrats will not support these tax cuts.”
    On what the OBBB will do for farmers and ranchers:
    “I’m just so, so proud of what we’ve done on the agriculture portion of this, first of all, $50 billion for crop insurance, $50 billion for the Title One programs, the ARC and the PLC, and that’s mandatory spending … over the next 10 years, you put those together, there’s $100 billion that we’re going to help with crop insurance and the Title One funding.
    “But you know, first and foremost, farmers are businessmen and women, right? So, making these Trump tax cuts permanent, and I’m talking about bonus depreciation, and 199A – your listeners know exactly what I’m talking about – Those are very important.
    “There’s also a tax credit called 45Z, which is vitally important to rural America. This is how we’re going to take soybeans or corn and turn it into jet fuel. But we need a tax credit to get that, to get that industry up and going as well. So those are just a few examples of how this is going to help American farmers and rural America.”
    On protecting Medicaid and Medicare for rural Americans:
    “Well, look, we’re going to protect Medicaid. We’re going to make it better. We want to strengthen it for those who need it the most. And like you said, I know as much about a rural hospital as anybody does up here. They’re actually much more dependent upon Medicare, but Medicaid has a little bit of influence, so we’re going to do our best to make sure there’s a carve-out to protect those rural hospitals. There aren’t that many of them; the critical access hospital system is much different; they’re guaranteed a Medicare Plus rate as well. So, we’ll do our very best.
    “But the very best thing we could do for those hospitals is give them a strong agricultural economy. Hospitals are a reflection of the economy. They don’t drive the economy. So anything we can do to help the American farmer is going to help those hospitals as well.”
    On strengthening SNAP and making it better for those who need it most:
    “Look, we’ll probably not go quite as deep with this as maybe the House did, but 80, at least 70% of Americans want some type of work requirements. And that’s what our focus will be is a work requirement. We have 7 million healthy American men out there, working age, who are not working. 7 million of them. And they’re on Medicaid and they’re on food stamps – let’s help those people find a job. I hear there are a lot of jobs in rural America, so if you don’t have a job, we’ll train you up. We’ll get you out there working on the pipeline or the oil field or out there on some of these farms as well.”
    “… I don’t want anyone to go to bed hungry – we’re not going to let that happen. But on the other hand, it would be good for the health of these people who can work, to get them back and work. And again, I think 70% of Americans generally support these, some type of work requirements if you’re on government aid.”
    On the next steps for the OBBB:
    “Look, we’re still in the seventh inning here. It’s the seventh inning stretch when we get pen to paper by this weekend, I think the real debates will start next week, as we start trying to move, you know, a million dollars here and a million dollars there. But I just want everyone to rest assured, I’m going to be out there speaking for rural America – speaking for agriculture, protecting 45Z, protecting crop insurance, protecting these reference prices, [and] trying to grow the rural American economy as well.
    “So, I just can’t emphasize enough, I was just with the President, I think it was last Thursday, I was at the White House again yesterday, that this President has the back of farmers and ranchers, and we’re going to do everything we can to make them successful as well.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall Calls for Full Funding of Federal Programs to Prevent Kansas Water Shortages

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) urged the Senate Appropriations Committee to fully fund a suite of federal programs that help Kansas communities tackle water shortages, improve water quality, and ensure long-term drought resilience. 
    “Every Kansan deserves access to clean, safe drinking water,” said Senator Marshall. “I have spoken with community leaders across Kansas who are dealing with aging water and wastewater infrastructure. Federal resources are essential to help these communities modernize their water systems, ensuring they can reliably serve residents and businesses now and into the future.” 
    “The State Revolving Loan Fund Program is an essential tool in helping Kansas communities maintain and repair aging infrastructure in their drinking water and wastewater treatment systems,” said Leo Henning, Deputy Secretary and Director of Environment for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. “This critical funding is not a federal handout, as it provides reliable assistance through low-interest loans that are repaid. Funding is then redeployed to new communities for new projects, but without continued federal funding, Kansas could not maintain these programs or meet Kansas’s increasing infrastructure needs in the face of rising construction costs.  This funding must be continued to provide this vital lending hand to Kansas communities.” 
    “In a nation characterized by its vast geographic diversity, rural areas often confront unique challenges that hinder their economic growth and development,” said Carey Spoon, Executive Director of the Southeast Kansas Regional Planning Commission. “Continued federal funding is paramount for improving local infrastructure in these economically depressed regions. Such support is not merely an investment in bricks and mortar; it is a commitment to the empowerment and upliftment of communities that have faced ongoing socio-economic difficulties. The importance of continued federal funding for local infrastructure improvements in rural, economically depressed regions cannot be overstated. Such initiatives not only address immediate infrastructural deficiencies but also lay the groundwork for sustainable economic development and enhanced quality of life for residents. It is imperative that we prioritize these investments, recognizing their potential to transform lives and communities for the better.” 
    “The SRF program through KDHE provides low interest revolving loans for water and wastewater infrastructure capital projects,” said Brad Mears, Executive Director of Kansas Municipal Utilities. “Both water and wastewater are capital intensive services which provide and protect quality of water in Kansas.  With aging infrastructure, the need for this low interest loan program is great.  This funding program allows for the maintenance of reasonable rates for water and wastewater programs.” 
    Background:

    Senator Marshall’s FY2026 Appropriations Requests for Water Infrastructure in Kansas include:

    A Language Submission on Water Challenges and Rescue Projects to the Senate Appropriations Committee, acknowledging the persistent water supply challenges facing central and western Kansas and emphasizing the critical role that water reuse projects play in supporting drought-affected regions.

    This request reinforces that addressing water shortages is a top priority for Kansas communities, strengthens the case for federal investment, and builds the legislative record for future policy efforts 

    Full funding for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s WaterSMART Grant Program, which provides financial and technical assistance to local governments, water districts, tribes, and irrigation authorities for the planning, design, and construction of water recycling and reuse projects in Kansas. 

    Robust funding for numerous programs, including:

    Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), which helps Kansas communities finance upgrades to public water systems, ensuring safe and compliant drinking water for residents. 

    Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF), which provides low-interest loans to Kansas communities for wastewater infrastructure projects that protect and improve surface water quality. 

    Rural Community Assistance Partnerships (RCAPs), which deliver technical assistance, training, and capacity-building support to rural Kansas communities to help them plan, finance, operate, and maintain safe drinking water, wastewater, and solid waste systems. 

    The USDA Rural Development Water & Waste Disposal Program, which offers long-term, low-interest loans and grants to rural communities for the acquisition, construction, or improvement of drinking water systems, sanitary sewage, solid waste disposal, and stormwater draining infrastructure 

    MIL OSI USA News –