Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Diana DeGette (First District of Colorado)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Diana DeGette (CO–01) released the following statement after the House passed H.R. 4, Donald Trump’s $9.4 billion rescissions package to codify cuts made by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
“House Republicans handed Donald Trump and Elon Musk everything they wanted. They’re gutting foreign aid, zeroing out public broadcasting, and cutting off lifelines for the world’s most vulnerable —all programs that have been historically bipartisan.
“USAID’s life-saving humanitarian programs help mothers survive childbirth, prevent infectious disease outbreaks, and deliver critical HIV/AIDS treatment. Because of the $8.3 billion in cuts, millions of people across the world will die. It is estimated that cuts from DOGE have already led to the deaths of 300,000 people—most of them children.
“Here at home, the Republican majority is zeroing out federal support for PBS and NPR. Why? Because Trump doesn’t like their factual reporting. These cuts will cause millions of Americans to lose access to local news, essential emergency alerts, and educational programming.
“As the Senate considers deep cuts to other essential programs, like Medicaid, it is particularly outrageous that the House is voting to weaken American institutions here and abroad.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Foreign Affairs South and Central Asia Subcommittee Chairman Bill Huizenga delivered opening remarks at a subcommittee hearing titled, “Bureau of Industry and Security FY26 Budget: Export Controls and the AI Arms Race.”
Watch Here -Remarks-
Today’s hearing will examine the fiscal year 2026 budget request for the Bureau of Industry and Security, an agency whose mission is critical to ensuring America wins the AI arms race against the Communist Party of China.
We are at a historic inflection point. Technologies that will define the 21st century, such as AI, biotechnology, and quantum computing are achieving breakthroughs that increasingly sound more like science fiction, than the reality that we’re used to. These technologies have a potential to unlock tremendous economic prosperity, medical innovations, and human flourishing.
However, they are not just drivers of economic growth. They are instruments of military power and security as well. Advanced AI models could coordinate fleets of self-driving cars in Michigan. They could also direct autonomous drone swarms over the Taiwan Strait. The nation that leads in developing and deploying these technologies has an opportunity to gain geopolitical advantages for decades to come.
The CCP understands this. That’s why it’s trying to dominate these critical technologies by any means necessary through state subsidies, forced tech transfers, economic espionage, chip smuggling, and exploiting access to the West’s most innovative AI labs and universities.
AI dominance is central to the CCP’s goals. Its military modernization efforts, surveillance state, and human rights abuses are amplified by AI. Export controls play a crucial role in ensuring that US and allied technologies are not used to fuel the CCP’s pursuit of global dominance. Amongst its many important roles, BIS serves as a guardian of one of the world’s most valuable and powerful supply chains. The ecosystem of advanced chips, tools, components, and design software that underpins the development of cutting-edge artificial intelligence.
China’s leading AI companies have made it clear just how dependent their future is on US technology. In response to a question on what their biggest obstacle to AI development is Deepeek’s CEO put it bluntly, “bans on shipments of advanced chips are the problem.”
The CCP understands the importance of these AI choke points. That’s why it’s working around the clock to steal chips and exploit export control loopholes to internalize its production. That’s why this hearing today is so important.
BIS’ fiscal 26 budget request includes a 133% increase in enforcement funding. A bold and necessary step. As the deep CEO made evident, it’s not a lack of talent holding back China’s AI development. It’s the lack of access to US technology. That’s what this budget supports. It allows BIS to better disrupt covert efforts to funnel US innovation to the CCP’s military and surveillance state.
So, let’s be very clear, enforcement is not about punishing innovation. It’s about protecting it. It’s about making sure that the technologies that define the future are not weaponized against our values, our alliances or our own people.
We also recognize that BIS operates in a dynamic and challenging environment. The technologies we’re discussing are evolving rapid rapidly. BIS must become faster, more adaptive and uh and more technologically capable than ever before.
This subcommittee is committed to giving the bureau the tools and resources it needs to meet that challenge head on. The geopolitical struggle between America and China defines the technologies of our time. Global AI development shaped by democratic values or authoritarian control will depend on the decisions we make right now about licensing, enforcement, and strategic technology protection.
I’m pleased that we are joined by Undersecretary Jeffrey Kessler, who leads BIS during this decisive period in history. Mr. Kessler, thank you for your service and your appearance here at the subcommittee. The window for preserving America’s technology edge is narrow, but it does remain open. BIS with the support of Congress, must ensure America wins the AI arms race.
The following text contains opinion that is not, or not necessarily, that of MIL-OSI –
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Republican Governors Association Rapid Response Director Kollin Crompton released the following statement in response to Gov. Tim Walz (MN), Gov. Kathy Hochul (NY), and Gov. JB Pritzker (IL) testifying before the House Oversight Committee on their sanctuary city policies:
“Democrat governors have made their stance clear; they would rather protect dangerous illegal criminals over American citizens. Look no further than every single Democrat governor signing a letter siding with chaos and lawlessness in the streets over law and order. Governors Walz, Hochul, and Pritzker couldn’t give straight answers because they know they are completely out-of-touch with the American people. Republican governors will always stand with law enforcement and law-abiding citizens while protecting the safety of our country.”
As Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Treasurer Jim Chalmers turn their attention to improving productivity growth across the economy, it will be interesting to see what the business community brings to a planned summit in August.
Labour productivity (output per hour worked) has barely grown this decade.
Much of the focus in the current debate has been on the role of workers (labour) and industrial relations. Less discussed has been low business investment (capital).
Labour will be more productive if each worker can use more capital: machinery, equipment and technology. Over the medium term, providing workers with more capital – “capital deepening”, in the jargon – tends to be the main contributor to labour productivity growth.
But business investment as a share of gross domestic product (GDP) is currently at its lowest level since the mid-1990s.
Investment is low in both the mining and non-mining sectors. In the latest national accounts report for the March quarter, business investment in machinery and equipment fell 1.7%.
The average worker now uses less capital equipment – machines and computers – than a decade ago. Investment just hasn’t kept pace with growth in employment.
One possible reason was put forward by then Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe in 2023. He suggested that, during the COVID pandemic, firms concentrated on surviving. Seeking out more efficient ways to produce was a lower priority. But post-pandemic, firms seem to have been slow to pivot back to an efficiency focus.
Another reason may be that, until recently, wage growth has been slower than the growth in prices of goods and services produced. This may have reduced the incentives for firms to invest in the equipment needed to boost labour productivity.
A key driver of investment is profitability. Firms are more likely to fund investment from retained earnings than by borrowing or raising capital. But the share of corporate profits in the economy has been quite high in recent years. So this does not explain low investment.
The ‘animal spirits’ are lacking
Business confidence – what economist John Maynard Keynes famously called “animal spirits” – is another important driver.
Share prices, both in Australia and the rest of the world, have grown strongly in recent years. The S&P/ASX 200 index of Australian share prices is close to its all-time high. This would suggest financial markets are very optimistic about the prospects of Australian companies.
Direct surveys of Australian businesses from National Australia Bank suggest conditions (the current situation) and confidence (about the future) are around their long-term average level. So this also does not explain the low investment.
One contributor to low investment may be that firms are applying inappropriately high “hurdle rates”. These refer to the minimum return firms expect from an investment before they will undertake it.
Hurdle rates tend to be “sticky” over time, meaning they do not move much. Many companies still apply hurdle rates of over 12%. These were appropriate back when interest rates and inflation were much higher, but seem too high now as borrowing costs have fallen with interest rate cuts.
The Productivity Commission has suggested one contributor to low investment could be a higher risk premium. Since the global financial crisis in 2007-08, companies and investors may have become more cautious about taking on risk.
Another factor could be growing market power of Australian companies that dominate a sector, making them complacent rather than striving to improve their performance.
The high degree of uncertainty
The Reserve Bank recently compiled two measures of uncertainty. One is derived from stock markets. The other is based on the number of news articles about policy uncertainty.
Both show the current environment is as uncertain now as it was during the early stages of the global financial crisis in 2007–08 and the COVID pandemic.
Investment in machineray and equipment went backwards in the March quarter. Parilov/Shutterstock
A common response to uncertainty is to defer decisions on both investment and hiring new workers until the outlook is clearer. A study by the Reserve Bank found that greater uncertainty did indeed reduce investment. But the size of the impact was – you guessed it – uncertain.
What can be done?
Business lobbies often attribute low rates of investment (and anything else they think people may not like) to “excessively high” corporate tax rates. But at 30% for large companies and 25% for small, the company tax rate is low by historical standards.
Some multinational firms may be deterred from entering the Australian market as our company tax rate is above that in some other jurisdictions. It is hard to tell how important this effect is. Company tax is only one of many factors that affect the comparative risk and return of Australia as an investment destination.
The Productivity Commission is investigating whether the corporate taxation system could be made more efficient rather than just lowering rates.
In the meantime, however, firms may be encouraged to invest more by a more stable domestic economic outlook. Inflation is back within the central bank’s 2-3% target range. Employment is around an all-time high proportion of the working age population. The election has removed some political uncertainty with a government holding a clear majority.
Businesses should stop whingeing and start providing workers with the tools they need to become more productive.
This article is part of The Conversation’s series, The Productivity Puzzle. Read the previous article here.
John Hawkins was formerly a senior economist in the Reserve Bank and the Australian Treasury.
Donald Trump signs a proclamation expanding fishing rights in the Pacific Islands, April 17.Getty Images
Since 2018, the United States has worked, albeit often haltingly, to regain its footing with Pacific Island countries. It’s done this largely by reflecting a sentiment familiar in Pacific capitals: the region is not a geopolitical backwater, but a crucial strategic zone in the 21st century.
Spurred by China’s strategic expansion – security deals, port access, political influence – the first Trump presidency and then the Biden administration renewed the US focus on the Pacific.
Washington was also prodded by regional allies, including New Zealand. In 2018, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said: “We unashamedly ask for the United States to engage more and we think it is in your vital interests to do so. And time is of the essence.”
Building on the tentative steps of its predecessor, the Biden administration acted. It opened new embassies, invited Pacific leaders to the White House, unveiled a dedicated strategy for the Pacific Islands, and committed to recognising the Cook Islands and Niue.
It also negotiated more funding for the Compacts of Free Association with the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and Palau. Along with the 2022 Pacific Islands Summit, it all signalled Washington’s desire to be a better partner.
Crucially, the Biden administration recognised climate change and the economy, not great-power rivalry, as the region’s defining security concerns. Now, much of that progress is being eroded.
The second Trump administration has gutted key international development agencies, with the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Millennium Challenge Corporation shuttered.
More than mere symbols, these agencies were tools of statecraft, facilitating Washington’s capacity to compete with China’s “no questions asked” development model. Their removal leaves a vacuum, which Beijing will happily fill.
China pressing the advantage
Other signs of retreat are equally troubling. Congressional funding for the South Pacific Tuna Treaty – which pays for access for US fishing fleets and is the primary multiparty agreement the US has with the Pacific Islands – was tripled by Biden, but remains incomplete.
Trump recently signed an executive order opening the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument, a 1,282,534 square kilometre protected marine zone, to commercial fishing. This might be welcomed by the US tuna fleet, but it raises questions about Washington’s commitment to the tuna treaty.
Hoped-for expansion of US consular access, especially vital for Pacific Islanders who must travel long distances for basic services such as visa applications, is in limbo. The US embassy in Vanuatu, damaged by the earthquake in 2024, remains closed, leaving diplomats to work out of their hotel rooms.
China, by contrast, has not slowed down. Its security pact with Solomon Islands, its police training efforts in Samoa and Kiribati, and its growing intelligence presence across the region show a clear pattern of assertiveness.
Beijing has proven adept at offering timely, visible assistance. Its diplomats show up. Its companies build. Its promises, however opaque, are matched with resources.
The result has not necessarily meant Pacific nations have “chosen” China. Rather, most revert to the longstanding posture of “friend to all, enemy to none”.
In a region where non-alignment is both a survival strategy and a principle of sovereignty, the perception of US unreliability makes China’s attentions all the more welcome, or at least tolerable.
Not a binary contest
The US now appears to be abandoning efforts to break this cycle, and the Trump administration risks a genuine strategic error rather than a mere diplomatic misstep.
More than distant dots on a map, the Pacific Islands control vast stretches of ocean, including key shipping lanes and undersea cables. Their diplomatic weight matters in the United Nations.
And the region matters to Taiwan, which is recognised by 12 countries globally, three of which are in the Pacific.
Some argue the US should press Pacific nations to “choose” between Washington and Beijing. But that approach is shortsighted and counterproductive.
Most have no interest in being drawn into a binary contest. They seek concrete benefits – resilience funding, fair trade, visa access – not ideological alignment. Framing relationships as zero-sum contests misunderstands the region’s diplomatic logic.
Listening to Pacific leaders
To revive the relationship, the US will need to show up, follow through and demonstrate its partnership offers more than rhetoric.
This would involve restoring some elements of foreign assistance, fully funding the South Pacific Tuna Treaty obligations, opening and staffing embassies, and supporting Pacific regional organisations such as the Pacific Islands Forum with meaningful recognition and resources.
But the US review of Pacific foreign assistance (a small portion of US development aid formerly administered by USAID) has been delayed once again, and likely won’t emerge until mid-July.
More importantly, the US will have to listen to Pacific leaders, who have articulated their priorities clearly. They do not want to be sites of contest; they want to be agents of their own futures.
In short, the US will have to treat the Pacific Islands as sovereign equals.
When Trump returned to the White House, he found a workable policy architecture for the Pacific. Its core elements could still be rescued.
But continued neglect, mixed signals and cost-cutting risk hastening the outcome China seeks – a region that finds Washington unreliable. Winston Peters, now foreign minister in a new government, might want to update his 2018 call for US engagement in the Pacific – with the emphasis on reliability.
Alan Tidwell does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
For the first time in its 124-year history, Treasury will be led by a woman.
Jenny Wilkinson’s appointment is historic in its own right. Even more remarkable is the fact she joins Michele Bullock at the Reserve Bank and Danielle Wood at the Productivity Commission.
Australia’s three most powerful economic institutions are now led by women economists. In economics, this is not normal. But it certainly does matter.
Stubbornly male
Imagine if only 17% of economics professors were men. It would feel unusual; people would ask why the field was so heavily skewed. But the reality is the opposite: 83% of economics professors in Australia are male.
And yet, this imbalance is almost invisible. Women make up just about one-third of secondary pupils studying economics and 40% of students enrolled in economics courses at university.
In the private sector, women economists are roughly one in three.
So while the appointments of Wilkinson, Bullock and Wood feels groundbreaking, the profession as a whole remains stubbornly male. Still, the leadership story is worth celebrating. When young women see leaders who look like them, they’re more likely to imagine themselves in those roles too.
As women increasingly take the helm, the old stereotype of a suit-clad man with a briefcase gives way to a broader, more inclusive image of what an economist can be.
The public service is leading the charge. As of 2023, women held 53% of senior executive service positions in the Australian Public Service, up from 46% in 2019.
Merit and diversity
Thankfully, unlike other parts of the world, we live in a country where these appointments haven’t triggered claims of so-called “diversity hires”. To be clear: these female pioneers weren’t appointed because they are women.
Each has decades of experience, technical firepower, and deep policy credentials. Wilkinson has led the Department of Finance and the Parliamentary Budget Office. Bullock has held almost every senior role at the Reserve Bank. Wood has shaped public debates on intergenerational equity and tax reform with clarity and rigour.
The idea that diversity is somehow in tension with merit is a false binary. Diverse groups make better decisions and are more creative, especially in high-stakes settings.
Decades of economics and business research has shown that incorporating diverse perspectives into decision-making only strengthens the outcomes. Decisions made and executed by diverse teams delivered 60% better results than those by non-diverse teams.
Merit isn’t just what’s on paper, it’s shaped by how we judge it.
When men and women perform equally well, success is more often credited to skill for men and to luck for women. Swap a male name for a female one on a CV, teaching evaluation or reference letter, and perceptions of competence, leadership and hireability start to shift.
These unconscious biases don’t just affect who gets ahead; they shape how we define merit in the first place.
Will it make a difference?
Economics often prides itself on being objective and neutral. While the economic models may be technically gender-blind, the questions we ask and investigate rarely are.
This is where gender diversity matters – not just in who holds the top jobs, but in what gets researched and how decisions are made. There’s growing evidence male and female economists don’t just ask different questions, they also approach problems differently.
One study found female central bankers tend to act with greater independence and deliver lower inflation. A United States study and another in Europe showed striking gender differences in how economists think about a range of areas, including labour markets, taxation, health and the environment, and more broadly on public spending – everything from welfare to the military.
Having more diverse perspectives doesn’t dilute economics – it deepens it. It makes the discipline more responsive to the diversity of the real-world challenges it’s meant to address.
Economic policies impact the whole society. So does the composition of economists.
So, what’s next?
Of course, three women in top economic roles won’t create miracles overnight – they all operate within existing systems and structures.
So, what can we expect from Wilkinson’s leadership? Her time at the Department of Finance suggests a steady, pragmatic hand: consultative, strategic and deeply experienced.
Wilkinson brings bipartisan credibility, a sharp grasp of fiscal discipline, and the capacity to act decisively in a crisis, as we saw during COVID. She won’t remake Treasury overnight, but she’s well placed to lead it with rigour, integrity and a long-term view.
This moment matters for women in economics. It shows change is possible in the profession, and it could mark the start of economic policy that truly reflects the diversity of the people it serves.
Duygu Yengin is affiliated with the University of Adelaide, Women in Economics Network, and the Economic Society of Australia.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Derrick Van Orden (Wisconsin 3rd)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Derrick Van Orden (WI-03) voted to pass H.R. 4 – the Rescissions Act of 2025. This bill codifies a rescissions request from the White House to eliminate $9.4 billion in unobligated, wasteful federal spending. Following his vote, Rep. Van Orden stated:
“There is not a single scenario in the world where using Americans’ hard earned tax dollars to fund radical, left-wing social programs in other countries makes sense. Passage of today’s rescissions package is a prime example of what it means to cut waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government’s spending. The people I represent in Wisconsin’s Third District work too hard to have their money thrown away, and President Trump and I are both working to make sure it is not.”
Examples of past spending that resulted in the rescissions include:
$35 million to address ‘vasectomy messaging frameworks’ and ‘gender dynamics’ in Ethiopia
$6 million for “Net Zero Cities” in Mexico
$4 million for “sedentary migrants” in Colombia
$3 million for Iraqi Sesame Street
$3 million for circumcision, vasectomies, and condoms in Zambia
$800,000 for “transgender people, sex workers, and their clients and sexual networks” in Nepal
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (Virginia 4th District)
Lawmakers urge DOT and Army Inspectors General to investigate actions leading up to and after the tragic crash
Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (D-VA-04) joined U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) and U.S. Reps. Don Beyer (D-VA-08), Sarah Elfreth (D-MD-03), Glenn Ivey (D-MD-04), Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA-10), and Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) to write to the Inspectors General (IGs) of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the U.S. Army pushing for respective investigations into Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Army policies and procedures that may have contributed to the January 29, 2025 mid-air collision at Ronald Reagan National Airport that took 67 lives.
In their letters the lawmakers highlighted the need for a deeper investigation into potential organizational failures that may have contributed to the tragedy. To the Department of Transportation, the lawmakers wrote, “Any lapses in internal accountability, interagency coordination, and safety oversight must be uncovered and addressed swiftly for the families of those lost that day, for the safety of the flying public and residents of the National Capital Region, and for the integrity of the National Airspace System.”
In their letter to the DOT, the lawmakers requested an investigation into:
FAA training and operations in the National Capital Region;
The concurrent use of helicopter routes and runways at DCA;
Pre-January 29, 2025 safety incidents at DCA between airplanes and helicopters, and FAA risk pattern identification, escalation and sufficiency of policy responses;
Post-January 29, 2025 safety incidents at DCA between airplanes and helicopters, and FAA risk identification, escalation, and sufficiency of responses to those incidents and the January 29 crash;
FAA Air Traffic Controller staffing, training, and real-time responses at DCA, including on January 29; and
U.S. Army, federal law enforcement, and FAA interagency communication, including effectiveness of established working groups, and FAA follow-through.
To the U.S. Army, they wrote, “While the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the immediate actual and proximate causes of the January 29, 2025 DCA aviation incident, the Department of the Army Inspector General has the authority to uncover the deeper institutional failures that enabled this tragedy. Emerging evidence points to longstanding lapses in internal accountability, safety oversight, safety culture, and interagency coordination.”
Additionally, the lawmakers requested that the Army investigate the following:
TAAB training activities and operations in the National Capital Region, including whether training standards, operational planning decisions, risk identification, or compliance with routes or equipment contributed to operational risk;
Army and TAAB policy and practice on aircraft collision-avoidance systems, including the rationale for and coordination around the August 2024 ADS-B Out directive, and whether longstanding near-miss patterns were adequately identified, escalated, and addressed;
Army, federal law enforcement, and Federal Aviation Administration interagency communication; and
Army actions taken in response to the January 29, 2025 crash, including any policy changes, coordination efforts, transparency with oversight bodies, and measures to prevent further incidents. Sens. Warner and Kaine have been closely involved with the in the investigation of the January 29th collision,meeting with first respondersandoffering condolencesto the families and loved ones of the 67 lives lost immediately following the tragedy. Last week, Sens. Warner and Kaineintroducedcomprehensive aviation safety legislation in response to the tragic mid-air collision. The senators also saw throughpassage of a legislationto remember the victims of the crash. Sens. Warner and Kainealso requestedanswers from FAA on its plans to protect the flying public in the wake of the January 29 collision. In March of this year, the senatorsrespondedto the preliminary National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report on the crash. The senators have also sounded the alarm for years about the need for increased safety for the flying public, including fighting againstadditional flights out of DCAthat contribute to overcrowding. A copy of the letter to the DOT is availablehere. A copy of the letter to the Army is availablehere.
“As part of Donald Trump’s rescissions bill that House Republicans just rubber stamped, they voted to eliminate all federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, betraying their own constituents who rely on public media and educational and emergency resources provided by CPB.
“In voting to strip all funding from independent media, Republicans have once again caved to Donald Trump’s fragile ego and authoritarian attacks on the free press and the First Amendment.
“While Republicans can gaslight their voters by feigning outrage when objective facts shed a poor light on President Trump, local stations around the country — especially in rural America — provide communities with essential local news, emergency alerts, and children’s education that will now be eliminated.
“I know many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle recognize the importance of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and it is a shame that they have once again chosen to bend the knee to President Trump rather than stand up for their constituents.
“I hope Republican Senators can find the necessary spine to do the right thing and reject Donald Trump’s baseless assault on the First Amendment. An independent free press is the bedrock of any democracy, and it is up to every American, and every elected official, to uphold and protect it.”
Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced a resolution celebrating the contributions of Black Americans to the musical heritage of the United States and designating June as Black Music Appreciation Month. In addition, the resolution recognizes the lack of access to arts education and training for Black students and calls for greater access to music education. U.S. Representatives Shontel Brown (D-OH-11), Gregory Meeks (D-NY-05), and André Carson (D-IN-07) introduced a resolution in the House recognizing June as Black Music Month.
“America’s music history has long been defined by Black music, but Black singers, songwriters, and musicians rarely get the recognition they deserve for their contributions and art,” said Senator Booker. “This resolution honors Black musicians from Aretha Franklin to Kendrick Lamar, along with so many others who have made an invaluable impact on our cultural history. I’m pleased to stand alongside my colleagues to recognize these artists and also recommit ourselves to expanding access to music education for children across the nation.”
“Black music is the soul of American music, shaping our culture in indelible and immeasurable ways. Black Music sets the rhythm of Black life and has shared our story, our joys, and our struggle with the world. Black Music Month is an important opportunity to support music and arts education, including for diverse communities, and connect Black music to the wider story of Black history, including as we celebrate Juneteenth this month. I am proud to introduce our resolution in the House with Congressman Meeks and Congressman Carson and to join with Senator Booker in announcing our resolutions,” said Congresswoman Shontel Brown.
“To African American communities, music is more than just entertainment, it is a force of identity, healing, and resistance,” said Congressman Meeks. “I am honored to represent a district that has been home to musical legends such as Count Basie and Ella Fitzgerald. African American music is woven into the DNA of this nation—it tells our stories, preserves our struggles, and celebrates our triumphs. We must continue celebrating Black music and its cultural impact worldwide.”
“Black music has always been more than entertainment. It’s a pathway for truth, resistance, and cultural pride,” said Congressman André Carson. “From the rhythms carried by our ancestors to the beats of hip hop transcending through today’s movements, Black music has always told our story when words alone did not suffice. This Black Music Month, we honor the genres we birthed and the voices that continue to inspire justice, joy, and speak truth to power across the world.”
The resolution is endorsed by the following organizations: A Cuthbertson Consulting, Cold Narly Generation LLC, Conn Selmer, JazzSLAM, League of American Orchestras, Music Education Consultants, Inc., Music Travel Consultants, National Association for Music Education, National Association for the Study and Performance of African American Music, NAMM, National Concerts, Ohio Music Education Association, New Jersey Music Educators Association, Rhythm and Blues Preservation Society, and TeachRock.
“Regardless of our socio-economic backgrounds or geographic location within the US, the impact and contributions of Black music is woven into the fabric of our nation. Our music is not just important because of the uniqueness of the art form, but the nurturing provided by those who first introduced the melodies, rhythms, and phrases to us as young music learners in elementary schools, and with our local communities far and wide. The economic impact to small towns and big cities which embrace the expression of this music in houses of worship and entertainment venues contributes and builds local legacies enabling us to preserve, embrace, and expand these gifts for the next generation of music makers, consumers, and admirers. By supporting and exploring the contribution of Black Music making, we can provide a richer experience which recognizes and celebrates the vital contributions of all those who create and offer this art to our communities, enhancing everyone’s understanding and appreciation for cultural history through the arts,” said NAfME President-Elect Cecil Adderley, Chair of Berklee’s Music Education Department.
“The New Jersey Music Educators Association (NJMEA) proudly supports Senator Cory Booker’s resolution recognizing June 2025 as Black Music Month. Black musicians and composers have shaped every facet of America’s musical heritage. We recognize the urgent need for greater access to high-quality, culturally relevant music education for Black students, an issue highlighted in this important resolution. NJMEA remains committed to fostering inclusive music programs and expanding access to high-quality music education so that all students can see their identities, cultures, and experiences reflected in the music they study and perform,” said NJMEA President, David Westawski.
“June is Black Music Month, created by President Jimmy Carter in 1979 to honor the dynamic artistic narrative that chronicles the aspirations, achievements, innovations, and resilience of generations of Americans past and present, from the deep south field hollers that resonate from six score years ago to the electrifying blues, jazz, funk, soul, and hip-hop born in the crucible of today’s largest urban centers, with the voices and rhythms that will carry us into the future. It was in April of 1979 that WBGO signed on the air as Newark Public Radio, a fact that inextricably binds our story to the profound legacy of music created out of the richness of the African American experience. Black Music represents extraordinary value and significance in New Jersey’s artistic and cultural heritage, and it provides the foundation for our representation as the world’s foremost jazz media organization. It is, in fact, the impact that Black artists have had on the world of music that makes WBGO possible. Black music is not just a genre; it is a gift to the world. WBGO is proud to support Senator Cory Booker’s efforts to celebrate this monumental inheritance, not just for one month, but for every day of our existence,” said WBGO President and CEO, Steven A. Williams.
“The Rhythm and Blues Preservation Society is in full support of the Black Music Month Resolution by Senator Cory Booker. Preserving the culture of Black Music is very important because every genre of music has been influenced by Black Music. It’s more important today than ever before to educate the history of Black Music. The impact of Black Music Culture is not only in America, but all over the world,” said the Rhythm and Blues Preservation Society President and CEO, Perry Thompson.
The resolution is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Dick Durbin (D-IL).
To read the full text of the resolution, click here.
Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer
Today, President Donald Trump signed into law U.S. Senator Deb Fischer’s (R-Neb.)resolution of disapprovalto repeal California’s Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT). Fischer’s resolution nullifies California’s unrealistic and stringent emissions requirements for heavy-duty trucks and heavy-duty diesel engines, which would have dictated emission policies for the entire country. “I’ve been clear from the start—one state should not dictate emission policies for the entire country. California’s ACT regulation would have increased costs on American consumers and crippled the truck manufacturing industry nationwide by overloading companies and truckers with expensive, heavy-handed requirements. My commonsense resolution keeps government overreach at bay, protects consumers, and supports America’s free markets. I’m grateful President Trump signed it into law,”Fischer said. Background:
Fischer
introducedthe resolution of disapproval in April, and the U.S. Senatepassedthe resolution last month. Fischer alsospoke on the Senate Floorto highlight the necessity in overturning the waiver and stopping one state from dictating emission policies for the entire country.
California’s ACT would have required manufacturers of trucks, from class 2b to class 8, to meet zero-emission regulations by 2025. Under the regulation, manufacturers would have to sell an increasingly larger percentage of zero-emission vehicles between 2024 to 2035. Additionally, the ACT would require fleet owners with more than 50 vehicles to submit a one-time report on their existing operations.
Fischer’s now signed-into law resolution nullifies California’s ACT rule that requires manufacturers to increase the sales of zero-emission trucks. The rule was part of California and the Biden administration’s continued effort to ban gas-powered vehicles and mandate more expensive zero-emission vehicles.
Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters
WASHINGTON, DC – During a hearing in the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) secured a commitment from key U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) officials to prioritize the timely completion of the ongoing Soo Locks construction project. In his questioning, Peters emphasized the importance of this critical project for U.S. economic and national security.
“To put things into perspective, just a six-month unscheduled outage at the Soo would result in an estimated 11 million jobs lost and a $1.1 trillion hit to the economy. I think that’s a classic definition of critical infrastructure,” said Senator Peters during the hearing. “The bottom line is, we need a second Poe-sized lock to alleviate this risk, and I’ve been leading the charge with a lot of my colleagues for quite some time.”
In response, Mr. D. Lee Forsgren, Acting Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Army (Civil Works) said, “As you so articulately laid out, it is the backbone of the economy of this country, and we cannot afford as a nation to let that happen. I commit we will be looking at ways forward to enhance that system.”
To watch the full video of Senator Peters’ questioning, click here.
Peters also applauded the $264 million included in the 2025 Army Corps Work Plan and Budget Request, which he recently led the bipartisan Michigan delegation in advocating for. This funding would allow the USACE to award the final remaining contracts needed to finish the project at their current cost.
“It was great to see the funding in the work plan allowing us to hit those final three options,” said Lt. Gen. William H. Graham, Jr., Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. “We’re never going to get better prices than what we had locked in to finish those last three options up at the Soo. I’m heading up there in a few weeks to make sure that there are no surprises up there and that the team on the ground has everything they need to continue to deliver, and I think we’re on track for 2030, which is exciting.”
Peters has prioritized securing the funding necessary to build a new Poe-sized Lock at the Soo Locks. In 2024, he toured the ongoing construction project after helping to secure $257.4 million for the project in government funding legislation. In January 2022, Peters helped to secure $479 million for modernizing the Soo Locks through the bipartisan infrastructure law. In December 2022, he helped pass the bipartisan Water Resources and Development Actas part of the annual national defense bill, including needed funding flexibility for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to keep the New Lock at the Soo project on schedule.
Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that Eastport will receive a port visit during the city’s 2025 Fourth of July celebration. The U.S. Navy has committed to sending the guided missile destroyer USS Gravely (DDG-107), which has a crew complement of approximately 330 sailors.
USS Gravely is a battle-tested warship and recently saw action in the Red Sea.
“We are grateful to the U.S. Navy for honoring the State of Maine with this port visit during Eastport’s Fourth of July celebration,” said Senators Collins and King. “The arrival of the USS Gravely will give Mainers a special opportunity to meet the sailors bravely serving our country. It’s an honor to welcome these servicemembers to our state as we mark Independence Day, and we thank the Navy for making this visit possible.”
The Eastport Fourth of July parade and festival is the largest in the state and draws thousands of Maine people every year.
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
June 12, 2025
Warren calls on Republicans to join Democrats in demanding investigation into the incident
“If this is how federal agents treat a United States senator who peacefully asks questions of this administration, then we all have to ask: how far will they go? How violent will they get?”
Video of Floor Speech (YouTube)
Washington, D.C. — Following the violent assault on U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) spoke out on the Senate Floor.
“This is a horrifying moment in our nation’s history,” said Senator Warren.
During Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s press conference, Senator Padilla identified himself, saying, “I am Senator Padilla. I have questions for the Secretary.” In response, he was shoved to the ground and eventually pinned down and handcuffed.
Senator Warren called out ICE’s recent excessive use of force and aggressive detention tactics, saying “what happened to Senator Padilla, today, is happening every day all across this country, every day. DHS agents are throwing people to the ground and violently handcuffing them while they are not resisting, detaining them for exercising their First Amendment rights of free speech.”
“Every day Donald Trump is making this nation look more and more like a fascist state,” Senator Warren continued.
Senator Warren called for Republicans to join Democrats in demanding a bipartisan investigation into the incident.
Transcript: Floor Speech on Assault on Senator Alex Padilla U.S. Senate Floor June 12, 2025
As Delivered
Senator Elizabeth Warren: This a horrifying moment in our nation’s history. Today, United States Senator Alex Padilla was violently removed from a public briefing for asking questions on behalf of the people he represents. People in California who deserve answers about the brutal crackdown on protesters.
I’ve watched the video, as many of you have as well. Let me just describe what it shows.
Officers pushed Senator Padilla backwards out of the room as he said the words, “I am Senator Padilla. I have questions for the Secretary.” He was then shoved to the ground. When the Senator complied with the officers and went on his knees, he was forcibly pinned onto his stomach. He was ordered to put his hands behind his back. He can be heard on the video saying he is trying to comply with their orders. Officers then put handcuffs on the senator while he was lying on the ground. His staff was then told to stop recording the handcuffing.
He was put in handcuffs for asking a simple question.
He was put in handcuffs for doing his job as a United States Senator.
He was put in handcuffs for standing up for the Constitution of the United States.
He was put in handcuffs for representing the people of California.
Now, if you’re not yet convinced that President Trump and his administration are trying to suppress free speech, then just watch the video. Watch the video.
If you are not yet convinced that President Trump and his administration are trying to undermine the foundations of our democracy. Watch the video.
If you are not yet convinced that President Trump and his administration are hell bent on punishing people with differing opinions than those of the President, then watch the video.
And here is the really chilling part.
Make no mistake, what happened to Senator Padilla, today, is happening every day all across this country, every day.
DHS agents are throwing people to the ground and violently handcuffing them while they are not resisting, detaining them for exercising their First Amendment rights of free speech.
Every day Donald Trump is making this nation look more and more like a fascist state.
If this is how federal agents treat a United States senator who peacefully asks questions of this administration, then we all have to ask: How far will they go? How violent will they get?
I know my Republican colleagues can see what happened today was wrong. But will any Republican senator speak up for our democracy?
They know Senator Padilla’s character.
They know that Senator Padilla is a kind man. A man who is concerned for his children. A man who is concerned for his home. A man who has dedicated his life to public service. A man who is a patriot.
Where are our Republican colleagues?
Where is the Republican Senate?
Where are you? Stand up and speak out.
This is a continuation of what we’ve been seeing, intimidate every other check on presidential power in this country.
Fire the civil service.
Get rid of those people.
Threaten to imprison judges.
Criminally charge House members who try to visit an ICE facility.
Arrest senators who ask questions.
This is not a drill. This is an assault on our democracy.
I am calling on my Republican colleagues to join us in demanding a bipartisan investigation into this incident.
What happened at this press conference was disgraceful. It was un-American. And every member of the United States Senate should condemn it and condemn it now.
Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today grilled Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on the Trump Administration’s reckless trade policies, which are raising costs for Vermont businesses, manufacturers, farmers, and families. Senator Welch pressed Secretary Bessent on how President Trump’s unpredictable economic policies have wrought instability for Vermonters in every corner of the Green Mountain State.
Senator Welch asked Secretary Bessent: “Let me ask you this: predictability. The Trump tariff timelines—February 1: Executive Order, 10% on China, 25% on Mexico, and Canada. February 3: 30-day pause on 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada. February 10: 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum. March 4: an additional 10% on China, 25% on Mexico, and Canada. This goes on and on—22 different tariffs. And it looks like the President wakes up, kind of checks his mood, and changes the tariff regime.
“I’ve talked to manufacturers where they’ve had products coming to a port, and if they arrive Monday, they’re cool. If they arrive on Wednesday, it’s going to cost them another $75,000. Just in terms of implementation, 22 different tariffs over the course of a few months.”
Secretary Bessent responded: “I’m just saying, Senator, if you’re familiar with game theory, it’s called ‘strategic uncertainty,’ and it’s also called ‘negotiations.’ Thirteen days ago, on a Friday, President Trump threatened the E.U. with 50% tariffs. The E.U. was not negotiating in good faith. Within ten hours, we had calls from five European leaders and a call with Ursula Vanderlinden. So, you may call this a flip-flop, I call this a negotiating strategy, and this is the way negotiating strategies works.”
Senator Welch: “Vermonters call it pretty painful as a way to run their business.”
Watch the full exchange between Senator Welch and Secretary Bessent below:
Senator Welch opposed Secretary Bessent’s nomination. In his confirmation hearing, Senator Welch pushed Bessent to avoid protectionist trade policies. The Trump Administration has since imposed sweeping global tariffs and waged an all-out trade war with our closest trade allies, including Canada, Mexico, and the EU.
Senator Welch has been a leading voice in pushing back against the Trump Administration’s deeply misguided and disastrous economic policies. Senator Welch has blasted Trump’s tariffs and trade war and shared stories from constituents about how President Trump’s economic policies have impacted their businesses, farms, and communities. This week, Senator Welch welcomed Steve Wright, President and General Manager of Jay Peak Resort to the Senate for a forum on the impact of tariffs and President Trump’s trade war, highlighting the detrimental impact the Trump Administration’s rhetoric toward Canada has had on businesses in Vermont.
Senator Welch is a cosponsor of a bipartisan resolution to repeal the tariffs on Canada, a bipartisan bill to restore congressional tariff authority, a bill to restrict the Executive Branch’s authority to impose tariffs through the International Economic Emergency Powers Act, and a bill to exempt small businesses from the April 2nd global tariff Executive Order. Senator Welch also led a bipartisan resolution to end President Trump’s ruinous global tariffs.
Last month, Senator Welch joined a bipartisan delegation and traveled to Ottawa to meet with Canadian dignitaries, including Prime Minister Mark Carney, to discuss bipartisan support for a U.S.-Canada partnership and their commitment to a strong trading relationship between the United States and Canada. The Senator has hosted roundtables in Stowe, Newport, St. Albans, Manchester, and virtually to hear concerns and first-hand stories from Vermont and Canadian leaders impacted by the trade war.
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
On Russia Day, the Museum of Crimea and Novorossiya opened its updated permanent exhibition at the New Chersonesus museum and temple complex in Sevastopol. Before the opening, a flag parade took place, presenting the history of Russia through the evolution of its flags – from the banner of Dmitry Donskoy to the modern tricolor. Each flag reflected its era and its values.
“I congratulate everyone on Russia Day! All the flags that passed in the parade were in one way or another related to historical events that took place many centuries ago. But, of course, the most important event is the baptism of Rus, which predetermined the future of the statehood of our country and the unification of the Slavic peoples,” said Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko.
The Deputy Prime Minister, together with Metropolitan Tikhon of Simferopol and Crimea, the Governor of Sevastopol Mikhail Razvozhaev and the head of the Foundation for the Support of Humanities “My History” Ivan Yesin assessed the new exhibition.
Dmitry Chernyshenko added that the opening of the updated exhibition is a very important event for the further development of the spiritual and educational center “New Chersonesos”.
“We see a continuing interest in all the exhibits: over half a million people have visited the exhibition in six months. I am sure that after the opening of the updated exhibit, the number will increase even more. Memory is probably the most important thing we should preserve. And as our President says, while respecting our memory, we should be focused on the future, learning from the lessons of our history,” he said.
The updated exhibition has received a fundamentally new format. Each hall is an interactive “paragraph of a living history textbook” combining modern technologies and proven scientific material. Instead of traditional showcases, there are documentaries, historical reconstructions, archival photos and maps visualized with the help of artificial intelligence. The technological platform of the exhibition is based on new-generation multimedia solutions: artificial intelligence is used not only to visualize historical stories, but also to create reconstructions of urban landscapes, household items, architecture and images of people from different eras. All digital materials have been collected and verified by professional historians and employees of specialized museums.
The museum has become a space for historical immersion, where the past comes to life in meaningful halls: from the map of Prince Vladimir’s campaign to Korsun, which marked the beginning of Christian Rus’, to the manifesto of Catherine II on the annexation of Crimea. The exhibition takes the viewer through the drama of the collapse of the USSR and the difficult fate of Crimea and Novorossiya, the era of the all-Union health resort and the turning points of the Yalta Conference to the military valor of the peninsula during the Great Patriotic War and the history of the Black Sea Fleet. The route ends with halls dedicated to outstanding people who played a key role in the history of Crimea, and historical events that shaped its modern appearance.
“The museum and temple complex presented two grand projects today. The flag parade – a brilliant idea of Bishop Tikhon – demonstrated the course of history, the formation of Russian statehood. The new exhibition of the Museum of Crimea and Novorossiya is a truly exciting spectacle that will allow all Sevastopol residents and guests of our city to visually immerse themselves in the history of our country. And now we are all creating the future with our own hands. I am sure that it will be even greater. The progressive movement of our country will continue if we all put maximum effort into it,” said Sevastopol Governor Mikhail Razvozhaev.
The updated exhibition is oriented towards both independent visits and excursion formats.
The initiative to create a spiritual and educational center in Sevastopol was first expressed by the President of the Russian Federation during a visit to the Chersonesos Taurica Museum-Reserve in 2015.
Also in Sevastopol, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko and Governor Mikhail Razvozhaev laid flowers at the Eternal Flame at the Soldier and Sailor monument. Teenagers from the governor’s school labor teams also took part in the laying ceremony.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko and Metropolitan Tikhon of Simferopol and Crimea held a meeting with young people on Russia Day at the Tochka Opory center. Sevastopol Governor Mikhail Razvozhaev also took part in it.
Dmitry Chernyshenko congratulated everyone on Russia Day and noted that this time it is especially significant: “2025 is the year of the 80th anniversary of our Great Victory and the year declared by our President Vladimir Putin as the Year of the Defender of the Fatherland.”
He stressed the importance of preserving and transmitting traditional spiritual and moral values.
“An entire national project was launched – this is also a precedent, there is nothing like it anywhere in the world – “Youth and Children”. It has a large number of events, more than 160. And since you guys are active, leaders of the youth movement, you must navigate these events and understand how these events will work to strengthen the values that are enshrined in the presidential decree,” said the Deputy Prime Minister.
Dmitry Chernyshenko spoke about the measures of the national project “Youth and Children”.
Thus, within the framework of the national project, the competition “Region for the Young” is being held. A year ago, President Vladimir Putin opened 12 year-round youth educational centers. For example, in Crimea and Sevastopol, this is the Academy of Creative Industries “Meganom” and the youth historical and cultural center “Istoki”.
The key events in these centers will be the Rosmolodezh forums, of which there will be 27 this year with the participation of about 20 thousand people. Among them are the Territory of Meanings forum, the Tavrida.ART educational trips at the Meganom Academy, the Mashuk forum at the Mashuk knowledge center, the Shum media forum in the Kaliningrad region, etc.
“The national project includes many different subprojects: development of volunteerism, for example, the “Region of Good Deeds” competition, implementation of international programs and events based on 90 open friendship clubs or at the annual youth rally. By the way, this year it will be held in Nizhny Novgorod and will unite 2 thousand people from different countries. One cannot help but recall patriotic projects, including the “Orlyata Rossii” and “Zarnitsa 2.0″ programs,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.
During the meeting, Dmitry Chernyshenko answered questions from young people. For example, the coach of the International Volunteer Corps of the 80th Anniversary of Victory, Kristina Menshakova, asked how to understand that you are a patriot of your homeland. And the curator of the governor’s school labor teams, Sergei Sychev, asked about mentors: how the vice-premier understands the word “mentor” and whether he had any.
Answering questions, Dmitry Chernyshenko mentioned that he himself is a mentor to Hero of Russia Stepan Belov within the framework of the “Time of Heroes” program.
“It is here, in Sevastopol, that there is a special place of power for our country, and in all centuries our enemies have tried to lay claim to this place, to hatch various plans. We understand the significance of the baptism of Rus, which ensured our future statehood. In difficult moments of our Fatherland, the words of Admiral Kornilov “Defend Sevastopol!” came to mind. In the life of our and your generation, there is now a time when we must again defend both Sevastopol and our values. But I am sure: we will cope with everything,” said Governor Mikhail Razvozhaev.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
More than 1.1 million jobs in the manufacturing sector and nearly six million jobs overall will be lost if Congress fails to extend the Trump Tax Cuts in President Donald J. Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, according to a new report — negative effects on small businesses that are swift, severe, and completely avoidable.
Here are some key takeaways from the report:
“More than 96% of businesses in America are organized as pass-throughs, meaning that they pay tax at individual income tax rates. Tax reform created a 20% deduction to allow these small businesses to compete on a level playing field with their peers organized as corporations … The pass-through deduction will expire completely at the end of 2025. A recent NAM survey found that 93% of pass-through manufacturers reported that the loss of this deduction will harm their ability to grow, create jobs and invest in their business.”
“The combination of the reduction in the top rate and the 20% passthrough deduction resulted in significant tax savings for these small businesses—enabling them to invest in new equipment, machinery, facilities and job creation. More than 74% of manufacturers have fewer than 20 employees, so it is crucial to the sector that Congress preserve tax reform’s competitive tax rates for small businesses.”
“If Congress does not act, accelerated depreciation will be entirely absent from the U.S. tax code for the first time in decades—limiting manufacturers’ ability to invest in the equipment and machinery they need to drive economic growth and job creation and making it more costly for businesses to invest in the U.S.”
“More than 90% of businesses in America are family-owned. In the manufacturing industry, family-owned businesses are a critical part of the manufacturing supply chain and pillars of their local communities … The estate tax exemption threshold is scheduled to be reduced by half at the end of 2025, subjecting more family business assets to taxation and threatening the viability of these businesses when the owner passes away. Congress should protect family-owned manufacturers by preserving the increased exemption threshold.”
Representatives from Canada, Finland and the United States met to discuss the next steps in the collaboration to build Arctic and polar icebreakers
June 12, 2025 – Ottawa, Ontario
The National Coordinators of the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort (ICE Pact) and other officials from the governments of Canada, Finland and the United States (U.S.) have successfully concluded a 2-day meeting to discuss their shared commitment to strengthening Arctic presence and icebreaking capabilities through the ICE Pact.
During the discussions, delegates from Canada, Finland and the U.S. successfully advanced deliverables under the ICE Pact workplan by focusing on the 4 areas of work: technical expertise and information exchange, workforce development, relations with allies and industry, and research and development.
The 3 countries each presented their initial review and analysis of their Request for Information, which collected industry views and recommendations within their respective markets. This will help in engaging with interested shipyards and supply chains, and in laying the groundwork for future involvement with the private sector.
The delegates also participated in a panel discussion and roundtable with Canadian industry, academia and think tank representatives, hosted by the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. The event was an important forum to discuss the purpose and potential of the ICE Pact and identify opportunities for industrial collaboration. Participants shared valuable insights into the national perspectives on the ICE Pact and Arctic collaboration, promoting trilateral cooperation and strengthening stakeholder support for ICE Pact activities.
The 3 partner countries concluded a successful meeting with a strong commitment to continue the ICE Pact work. They agreed to meet again in-person in fall 2025. The U.S. will host the next meeting.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)
House Republicans Vote to End Washington D.C.’s Sanctuary City Status
Washington, June 12, 2025
WASHINGTON — Speaker Johnson released the following statement after the House passed H.R. 2056, legislation requiring the District of Columbia to comply with federal immigration laws and end its status as a sanctuary city:
“The inexcusable violence in Los Angeles is the latest example of what happens when cities put left-wing political agendas ahead of public safety. For years, D.C. leaders have followed the lead of sanctuary states like California and New York, choosing to shield illegal aliens from federal law instead of protecting American citizens.
“Today, House Republicans voted to end D.C.’s sanctuary status and restore the rule of law in our nation’s capital. While Democrats continue to make clear they are the party that supports violent illegal aliens, MS-13 gang members, and property-destroying protests, Republicans are proud to stand with the overwhelming majority of Americans who support safe communities.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)
WASHINGTON — Speaker Johnson released the following statement after House Republicans approved the Trump Administration’s rescissions request to cut $9.4 billion in wasteful spending identified by DOGE.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, your taxpayer dollars are no longer being wasted. Instead, they are being directed toward priorities that truly benefit the American people.
“Today’s House passage of this initial rescissions package marks a critical step toward a more responsible and transparent government that puts the interests of the American taxpayers first.
“Thanks to DOGE’s work, this package eliminates $9.4 billion in unnecessary and wasteful spending at the State Department, USAID, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funds politically biased media outlets like NPR and PBS. It is just one of the ways Republicans are codifying DOGE’s findings and putting taxpayer dollars to better use.
“We had hoped our Democrat colleagues would join us in this effort to ensure every dollar spent by the federal government is used efficiently and effectively. Rather than expressing concern over the misuse and misspending of funds, Democrats have instead chosen to oppose these reforms simply because Republicans are leading the charge. While they defend the failed, toxic status quo, Republicans will continue to deliver real accountability and restore fiscal discipline.”
Background:
The Trump Administration’s initial rescissions package totals $9.4 billion in wasteful and unnecessary spending identified by DOGE.
This package will codify DOGE cuts which include $8.3 billion in wasteful foreign aid spending and a $1.1 billion recission of federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which provides funds to NPR and PBS.
Process:
Under the Impoundment Control Act (ICA), the Administration may transmit a request to Congress to rescind previously appropriated funds through a rescissions package. Such a package only requires a simple majority vote in the Senate to be enacted.
Transmittal of a package triggers a 45-day clock, during which funds in accounts included in the rescissions package are withheld from obligation pending congressional action.
House Republicans voted to advance the rescissions package today and it has been sent to the Senate for consideration.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David Schweikert (AZ-06)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, Congressman David Schweikert (R-AZ) reintroduced the Forgotten Funds Act, H.R.3785, legislation to rescind the available unobligated discretionary balances in Executive Branch agencies.
The bill targets a persistent issue across federal agencies: billions in taxpayer dollars are appropriated each year but never obligated, meaning the funds were not committed by contract or other legally binding agreements. According to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), federal agencies as of April 2025 had $1.42 trillion in available, unobligated discretionary funds, nearly triple the amount on record in FY2011 when Rep. Schweikert first introduced the bill, $703 billion.
“We’re borrowing over $6 billion every day while over $1.4 trillion in borrowed federal funds sits idle. This is indefensible,”said Rep. David Schweikert. “The Forgotten Funds Act is about basic fiscal discipline. Untouched funding should be returned to the Treasury, not sitting in an account we’re paying interest on.”
The bill specifically targets funds: available as of the current period, including those accumulated from previous years; unobligated, which means they have not been committed for a specific purpose; and discretionary, which exclude mandatory trust fund balances among others. Each year, Congress increases program funding, even while agencies fail to spend what they’ve already been given—creating a pattern of excess, inefficiency, and debt accumulation.
“We’re on track to borrow $22 trillion over the next decade,”Rep. David Schweikertcontinued“Interest payments alone could consume 30% of all U.S. tax receipts within nine years. Every tenth of a percentage point increase in interest rates adds $300 billion in costs. If we don’t rein in reckless fiscal habits now, the bond markets will do it for us.”
The Forgotten Funds Act is part of Rep. Schweikert’s broader efforts to curb government excess, reform federal budgeting, and safeguard America’s fiscal future.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03)
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03), a former Division I volleyball player, delivered the following opening statement at the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s hearing on partisan legislation that would roll back the rights of college athletes and hand massive giveaways to the NCAA and powerful conferences. “The SCORE Act uses the approval of the House settlement as justification to slam the door on future progress for college athletes. Proponents claim the system is broken, but the fact that three separate antitrust cases are being settled proves otherwise. We have a system where the NCAA, conferences, and their member institutions set rules. Athletes can challenge them. And if the rules are unfair, courts can intervene, or a deal can be struck. This bill rewrites that process to guarantee the people in power always win, and the athletes who fuel this multibillion-dollar industry always lose,” Congresswoman Trahan said. CLICK HERE or the image below to watch Trahan’s opening statement. A transcript is embedded below.
—————————————- Congresswoman Lori Trahan Remarks as Delivered House Energy and Commerce Hearing on “Winning Off the Field: Legislative Proposal to Stabilize NIL and College Athletics” June 12, 2025 I’m deeply disappointed for the second year in a row, Republicans on this Committee are advancing a partisan college sports bill that protects the power brokers of college athletics at the expense of the athletes themselves. This legislation was crafted behind closed doors, with no input from Democratic members of the Energy and Commerce Committee, the Judiciary Committee, or the Education and Workforce Committee. In fact, we didn’t see a draft of the bill until late last week – not because our Republican colleagues shared it with us, but because lobbyists and members of the media got it first. I’m a former D1 athlete, and I’m deeply, I care deeply about the future of college sports. So that when I asked the Chairman about the rumored hearing today, he said he’d be happy to discuss the proposal with me beforehand. Sadly, that meeting never happened. What makes this all the more frustrating is that there is bipartisan agreement on serious problems in college sports that deserve congressional action. International athletes are being denied the same NIL rights as their teammates. Women are being left out of roster spots due to Title IX loopholes. We could be working together on solutions. Instead, the SCORE Act uses the approval of the House settlement as justification to slam the door on future progress for college athletes. Proponents claim the system is broken, but the fact that three separate antitrust cases are being settled proves otherwise. We have a system where the NCAA, conferences, and their member institutions set rules. Athletes can challenge them. And if the rules are unfair, courts can intervene, or a deal can be struck. This bill rewrites that process to guarantee the people in power always win, and the athletes who fuel this multibillion-dollar industry always lose. I oppose the legislation as written, and I look forward to hearing from our witnesses, and I yield to Congresswoman Clark. ###
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)
“Trump accounts fall drastically short of addressing the real hurdles Americans face.”
“In a just nation, everyone should have the economic power and financial opportunity to build wealth and live the productive life they choose. That’s what baby bonds offer: real solutions to wealth inequality and real investments that can transform the future for millions of children.”
WASHINGTON – In an op-ed published in the Washington Post, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) and economist Darrick Hamilton discussed the regressive, ineffective “Trump Accounts” provision of Republicans’ reconciliation bill, outlined how Trump Accounts fall short of what is needed to close the wealth gap in America, and urged Congress to embrace Baby Bonds to advance economic justice.
For over six years, Rep. Pressley and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), in partnership with Mr. Hamilton, have championed Baby Bonds, bicameral legislation to close the racial wealth gap, disrupt cycles of intergenerational poverty, and make economic opportunity a birthright for every child.
The full text of the op-ed is available below and can be read on the Washington Post website here.
Washington Post Op-Ed: ‘Trump accounts’ will save kids? Republicans can’t be serious. By Rep. Ayanna Pressley and Darrick Hamilton June 11, 2025
In the United States, the wealthiest nation in the world, a child born into poverty is unlikely to ever climb out of it. Wealth inequality in this country has reached historic highs, with the top 10 percent of households holding 67 percent of the nation’s wealth, while the bottom 50 percent holds just 2.5 percent. This means that millions of children grow up lacking basic economic security.
Now as much as ever, we need real investment in our children.
The Republican reconciliation bill that recently passed the House does nothing to address our glaring wealth inequality. Not only does it slash Medicaid, food assistance and other essential programs for the more than 30 percent of Americans who can’t put together $400 for an emergency expense, but also tucked into this harmful bill are provisions that claim Americans can build wealth through “Trump accounts.” Under the GOP proposal, every child born in the next four years would receive a one-time $1,000 government contribution into a tax-free investment account, to which families may contribute up to $5,000 annually.
But this is not a serious solution.
Trump accounts fall drastically short of addressing the real hurdles Americans face. These accounts are built on the presumption that individuals lack the incentive to save. In fact, what they lack is disposable income. Anyone can lawfully open a savings account for their child, such as a 529 account for college, but most are not positioned to take advantage of such accounts. A 2016 Federal Reserve Bank study found that just 2.5 percent of all families had a 529 savings account — and among households in the bottom half of the income distribution, that number dropped to only 0.3 percent. Most are not positioned to take advantage of new savings accounts. And by restricting eligibility to children born in the next four years, the proposal makes clear it was never intended to truly confront generational poverty and the wealth gap.
Trump accounts are structured to benefit primarily more affluent families — those who already have money to invest. For those struggling to put food on the table or afford a doctor’s visit, the choice isn’t between consumption and investment — it’s between groceries and medicine. Though many Americans could use real support — such as extra cash when a new baby arrives — the Republican bill moving through the Senate threatens to slash essential programs, leaving families worse off. And ironically, it contains no provision to protect low-income recipients from the “benefit cliff” — the asset limits that could disqualify them from essential services such as housing or income support once they reach adulthood.
Contrast this with the legislative vision we’ve championed for more than six years: baby bonds.
Known in Congress as the American Opportunity Accounts Act, the legislation to create baby bonds is rooted in the principle that every child, no matter their race, family income or birth circumstances, deserves a fair shot at building wealth and securing their future.
Here’s how it works: Every child receives $1,000 at birth. But unlike Trump accounts, baby bonds don’t stop there. Children would continueto receive additional deposits from the government every year, progressivelyscaled to family income. These funds would grow over time in safe, federally managed investment accounts. At age 18, young adults could access their accounts to pay for allowable expenses, including homeownership, higher education or starting a business — the kind of human and financial capital investments that change life trajectories. Building wealth from birth this way is cost-effective — supercharging dollars through years of interest — and also disrupts the cycle of intergenerational poverty.
Baby bonds also tackle the root problem of asset inequality — something the regressive tax structure of the Trump accounts does not fix. Rather than simply encouraging investment by those who already have the money, baby bonds seek to ensure that everyone has a meaningful stake in the economy and an opportunity to build financial stability and wealth.
Baby bonds wouldn’t replace private investment — they would complement it by providing every young person with a baseline of security. They would create a public foundation of capital while still allowing private investment and individual agency. In doing so, they don’t displace the market but expand the pool of those who can benefit from it.
There is also a deeper issue at play. Trump accounts amount to a government subsidy for asset managers — another tax-advantaged inflow into the financial services industry. In effect, they are a backdoor giveaway to Wall Street, wrapped in the rhetoric of economic populism.
Our country has a long history of wealth-building programs that expanded opportunity — from the Homestead Act to the GI Bill, which led to the greatest expansion of the middle class in U.S. history. But too often, those benefits were not accessible to all Americans, especially Black Americans and Native Americans, from whom much of the land seeded in the Homestead Act was taken, often violently. We now have the chance to design a 21st-century wealth-building initiative that is inclusive, equitable and grounded in sound economic theory and evidence.
We vehemently oppose the Republican budget reconciliation bill and urge the Senate to halt this attack on Medicaid, food assistance and more. In a just nation, everyone should have the economic power and financial opportunity to build wealth and live the productive life they choose. That’s what baby bonds offer: real solutions to wealth inequality and real investments that can transform the future for millions of children.
Darrick Hamilton is chief economist at the AFL-CIO and director of the Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy at the New School. Ayanna Pressley, a Democrat, represents Massachusetts’s 7th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
BOSTON — A Massachusetts man was sentenced June 2 in federal court in Boston after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigation into his role leading a large-scale drug trafficking organization found he distributed fentanyl sourced from Latin America.
Jonathan Melendez Decatro, aka “Jacha,” 32, of Braintree, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and five years of supervised release. In January 2025, Melendez Decatro pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Melendez Decatro was indicted in June 2023.
In 2019, Melendez Decatro was identified as the leader of a large-scale DTO operating in the Brockton area, who sourced narcotics directly from Colombia, Mexico and the Dominican Republic. On two dates in 2021, packages intended for Melendez Decatro were intercepted by law enforcement and each found to contain a kilogram of cocaine. Additionally, on several dates in the spring of 2023, Melendez Decatro conspired with an individual who resided in the Dominican Republic to distribute 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl to another individual in Braintree. It was later determined that the purity of the fentanyl ranged from 54% to 79% and also contained xylazine. During of search of Melendez Decatro’s residence, over $11,000 in drug proceeds and clothing worn during the fentanyl transactions were recovered.
The investigation was led by the ICE Homeland Security Investigations New England Strike Force with the Massachusetts State Police, the FBI Boston Division, and the DEA New England Field Division. Valuable assistance was provided by DEA Bogota, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Brockton Police.
NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that, LOREALL GORDEN (“GORDEN”), age 38, of New Orleans, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Sarah M. Vance on May 28, 2025, to two counts of distribution of fentanyl and heroin. Judge Vance scheduled sentencing for September 24, 2025. At sentencing, on both counts, GORDENfaces up to 20 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and at least three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, as well as a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court documents, on two occasions in August of 2023, a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigation revealed GORDEN worked with other individuals to distribute fentanyl and heroin from a residence in New Orleans. As a result of the investigation, 6.93 grams of fentanyl and a mixture of heroin and fentanyl weighing approximately 27.84 grams were recovered by ATF agents .
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — A federal jury convicted Vincent Ellis Wilson, 54, and Ervin Lee Smith, 50, both of Fort Pierce, Florida, of conspiring to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine and a quantity of crack cocaine after a two-day trial in Florence.
Evidence introduced at trial showed that during the evening hours of Feb. 25, 2021, Wilson and Smith checked in to an oceanfront hotel in Myrtle Beach. Wilson and Smith are both from Florida and they would later tell police that they were simply “passing through” Myrtle Beach when they had car trouble that required them to put their truck in a shop in Myrtle Beach. That night, however, they met with a local individual who agreed to serve as a middleman to help Wilson and Smith sell more than a half kilogram of cocaine and a small quantity of crack cocaine they had brought with them to South Carolina. The next morning, before the drug deal could be done, Wilson and Smith left their room to go to breakfast at a nearby restaurant. While they were gone, hotel staff, believing the room had been vacated, went in to clean the room and stumbled upon a grocery bag containing more than $30,000 worth of drugs in a dresser drawer. The hotel contacted Myrtle Beach Police who responded and collected the illicit substances. Later that morning, Wilson and Smith returned to the hotel to attempt to collect their belongs, including the drugs. Police interviewed them and they were released pending further investigation.
Through an ongoing partnership between the Myrtle Beach Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration, authorities were later able to connect this drug seizure to a much larger drug trafficking organization that was already under federal investigation. Once that connection was made, Wilson and Smith were charged by a federal grand jury with being suppliers to the drug trafficking organization. All the other defendants in the federal case pled guilty. Wilson and Smith denied their involvement, but were convicted after the jury heard the evidence of their involvement.
Court records show that Wilson has a prior state conviction for possession with intent to distribute narcotics in Maryland from 2003, and Smith has a prior federal conviction for possession with intent to distribute cocaine from 2004. U.S. District Judge Sherri A. Lydon presided over their trial and will sentence the two after reviewing a presentence report from the U.S. Probation Office. They each face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and may be sentenced up to the 40-year maximum.
“These defendants brought a significant quantity of cocaine and crack cocaine into South Carolina, intending to profit from its distribution,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “Thanks to the diligent work of the Myrtle Beach Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration, what started as a hotel cleaning led to the dismantling of a larger drug trafficking operation. This conviction underscores our unwavering commitment to prosecuting individuals who bring dangerous narcotics into our communities.”
“This case represents the continued commitment of the DEA to identify and hold accountable those who engage in the distribution of dangerous drugs,” said Jae W. Chung, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “Keeping our communities safe is our highest priority.”
“The Myrtle Beach Police Department is fortunate to work with partners and community members to assist us holding those accountable who bring poison into our community,” said Myrtle Beach Police Chief Amy Prock. “Our mission has not and will not change, the safety of our community will always be our priority.”
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Myrtle Beach Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Everett McMillian and Department of Justice Trial Attorney Jasmin Salehi Fashami prosecuted the case in close coordination with the 15th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.
BOSTON – A Lynn woman was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for sex trafficking.
Latasha Anderson, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 20 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In March 2025, Latasha Anderson pleaded guilty to one count of coercion and enticement. Latasha Anderson was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2023, along with her co-defendants Jermall Anderson and Jennifer Fortier.
From 2012 through 2016, Latasha Anderson, along with her co-conspirators and at the direction of Jermall Anderson, used threats and the giving and withholding of heroin and cocaine to force two different victims to prostitute on their behalf. Jermall Anderson’s wide-ranging sex trafficking operation targeted vulnerable victims, specifically those struggling with drug addiction, homelessness and lack of economic resources and coerced them into providing commercial sex for the defendants’ benefit. Latasha Anderson coerced and enticed these victims to engage in prostitution throughout New England, New York and New Jersey.
In March 2025, Jermall Anderson was sentenced to 15 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In March 2025, Fortier was sentenced to 58 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.
Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274 or contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the HSI Office in New Haven, Conn., the Lynn and Tewksbury Police Departments (Mass.) and the Hampden (Conn.) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Hassink of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
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Niger’s economy recorded robust growth in 2024, driven by large-scale oil exports. However, short-term sources of growth remain limited and exposed to downside risks, according to the World Bank’s latest economic update for Niger, published today.
The report analyzes the country’s economic, and poverty trends and provides a three-year outlook. A special chapter is dedicated to analyzing Niger’s agri-food system, offering recommendations for its effective transformation.
According to the report, Niger’s economy grew by 8.4% in 2024, up from 2% in 2023. This acceleration was primarily fueled by the start of large-scale oil exports and strong agricultural production, supported by favorable weather conditions. Despite high inflation, including rising food prices, sustained growth contributed to a reduction of extreme poverty. Government revenues fell in 2024 due to a decrease in tax revenues – particularly trade-related taxes – leading to a reduction in investment spending. The resulting deficit, combined with a rapid accumulation of debt, led the IMF and World Bank to jointly downgrade Niger’s debt sustainability risk rating from moderate to high.
“Economic growth is expected to remain relatively high in the short-term, but Niger’s sources of growth – oil and rain-fed agriculture – are limited and vulnerable to shocks and volatility,” said Han Fraeters, World Bank Country Manager for Niger. “Investing in an efficient and resilient agri-food system is crucial if Niger is to achieve long-term, sustainable, and inclusive growth.”
Economic growth is projected to slow down in 2025, due to a high base effect from 2024 but is expected to remain above 6%, supported by the continued expansion of the oil sector. Inflation is expected to ease, thanks to the strong 2024 harvest. The extreme poverty rate is project to decline in 2025-2027 if agricultural output remains robust. However, food insecurity will remain a challenge.
“If security risks are contained and efforts to expand irrigation are successful, growth could be higher,” said Danon Gnezale, Economist at the World Bank and co-author of the report. “Several options exist to strengthen the agri-food system, including strengthening value chains and producer organizations, investing in climate-smart agriculture technologies, adopting better regulations, and improving infrastructure.”
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
On June 6, the Chinese Embassy in Namibia donated a batch of mattresses to pediatric patients in Gobabis District Hospital. Namibian Officials including Hon. Pijoo Nganate, Governor of Omaheke Region, Hon. Ruth Masake, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, Ms. Tuyakula Haipinge, Executive Director of the Office of the Prime Minister attended the handover ceremony and gave speeches respectively. The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) covered the event on the scene.
In her speech on behalf of Namibian Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Dr. Elijah Ngurare, Ms. Haipinge expressed sincere gratitude to the Chinese government for its long-term strong support in the areas of health, education, agriculture to Namibia in achieving national objectives. Governor Nganate and Deputy Minister Masake said that the mattresses donated by the Chinese Embassy are very handy for child patients in the hospital to get through winter warmly.
On behalf of Ambassador Zhao Weiping, Minister Counselor Shen Jian delivered a speech saying that the sector of health has always been a priority for China’s development assistance cooperation with Namibia. During the FOCAC 2024 Beijing Summit, President Xi Jinping announced that China will work with Africa to take Ten Partnership Actions for Modernization, which included the partnership action for health. China is actively implementing relevant achievements and is ready to work with Namibia to strengthen cooperation in the field of health.
– on behalf of Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of Namibia.