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Category: DJF

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Greater Bendigo community thanked for shaping the proposed Council Plan 2025-2029 and Annual Budget

    Source: New South Wales Ministerial News

    Council extends its sincere thanks to the local community for their valuable input on two key milestone documents, the proposed Council Plan Mir wimbul  2025–2029 and the Budget 2025/2026.

    Shaped by community priorities through extensive public engagement, these documents will be considered for adoption at the next Council Meeting on Monday June 16, starting at 6pm.

    For the first time, the proposed Council Plan and Budget have been developed and planned together, ensuring a strong alignment between strategic goals and the resources required to achieve them.

    Mayor Cr Andrea Metcalf said this combined approach marked a significant step forward in addressing both current and future community needs.

    “Developing the proposed Council Plan and Budget at the same time has ensured that our strategic goals are directly supported by the projects and initiatives we’re funding,” Cr Metcalf said.

    “The proposed Council Plan sets our direction for the next four years and includes the Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan. We’re focused on creating a welcoming community and a healthy environment that supports people to thrive. It reinforces the City’s commitment to improving health outcomes in partnership with local health organisations.”

    The proposed Budget 2025/2026 outlines key priorities for the coming year, supported by an annual action plan to ensure efficient and sustainable delivery of services.

    Cr Metcalf acknowledged the extensive community engagement that helped to shape both documents.

    “These milestone plans would not have been possible without the input of hundreds of community members, partner organisations, and Traditional Owner organisations. Councillors sincerely thank everyone who contributed their time, ideas, and experiences.”

    The planning process included:

    • A wide number of community focus groups and meetings with Traditional Owner organisations, key partners, local groups, and businesses
    • Two community-wide surveys with over 500 responses
    • A 42-person deliberative community panel held over a weekend in March that was selected from over 200 registrants, representing diverse genders, abilities, and cultural backgrounds, including First Nations community members

    “The community deliberative panel met over three days to provide guidance to Councillors, helping shape ideas that reflect the community’s voice and the Council Plan’s vision. Based on this and earlier community feedback, people told us they want Greater Bendigo to be responsible, healthy, thriving and welcoming,” Cr Metcalf said.

    “Community members recognise that Greater Bendigo is experiencing both the benefits and challenges of growth. We’re working hard to advocate for more housing and better facilities to support our expanding population.

    “Top priorities identified through community engagement include roads, public and active transport, waste management, and parks and trails. The community understands the importance of creating healthy, liveable places and spaces.”

    In addition to the Council Plan and Budget, a proposed Rating and Revenue Plan 2025-2029 and proposed Financial Plan 2025-2035 will also be considered for adoption at the June 16 meeting.

    The Revenue and Rating Plan 2025/2029 explains how the City will raise funds to pay for services, facilities and infrastructure. This includes finding the most appropriate and affordable rates approach for Greater Bendigo’s residents and businesses. In response to the introduction of the Emergency Services Volunteer Fund in July, the City’s 2025/2026 Budget proposes to reduce the rate in the dollar for the farm rate and not increase waste charges for all ratepayers in the new financial year.

    The Financial Plan sets out how the City plans to fund the delivery of services to the community in an efficient and sustainable way. The City uses a financial model to forecast and monitor a 10-year financially sustainable projection of how it plans to fund the actions in the Council Plan. 

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Praises Pres. Trump’s Approval of International Bridge Project in Laredo

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
    Green Corridors’ Permit Approval Comes After Cornyn’s Letter
    U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) today praised President Trump’s approval of Green Corridors’ permit application to construct and operate the Green Corridors International Bridge facility, an intelligent transportation systems (ITS) commercial international crossing between Laredo, Texas, and Colombia, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, that will increase the freight capacity through the Port of Laredo:
    “I am glad President Trump has approved the construction of the Green Corridors International Bridge facility, which will enhance efficiency and security at the Port of Laredo, our nation’s top port of entry for international trade,” said Sen. Cornyn. “I look forward to seeing the improvements this project will help accomplish and thank the Trump administration for prioritizing this application, which I was proud to support.”
    Background:
    In April, Sen. Cornyn sent a letter to President Trump expressing his strong support for Green Corridors’ application for a presidential permit to construct and operate the Green Corridors International Bridge facility.
    The Senator’s letter can be found here. In addition, Sen. Cornyn continues to advocate for the expansion of the Colombia Solidarity International Bridge in Laredo.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Abbott, Texas Groups Endorse Cornyn-Led Push to Bring Space Shuttle Discovery to Houston

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
    Cornyn Announces Support for His Bring the Space Shuttle Home Act                                                                           
    U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX)’s Bring the Space Shuttle Home Act, which would move the Space Shuttle Discovery from Virginia to its rightful home near the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, has earned praise from Texas Governor Greg Abbott and space-related groups in the Houston area as the Senator works to include it in the Senate’s reconciliation legislation:
    “There is no better final home for Space Shuttle Discovery than JSC, where these explorers of tomorrow can learn from and be inspired by the incredible legacy of those who changed the history of the world in Houston, where giant leaps in human spaceflight started,” said Gov. Abbott. (Letter, 6/6/2025)
    “Exhibiting the Space Shuttle Discovery in Houston would significantly enhance educational opportunities and support the growth of our space economy, here in the home of human space flight. With 280 acres at Exploration Park dedicated to commercial space companies, the nearby Ellington Field Space Port, and the Texas Space Commission actively investing in the space economy, Discovery would play a crucial role in advancing our future prospects,” said Space Center Houston President & CEO William T. Harris. (Letter, 6/9/2025)
    “Despite its central role in the Shuttle program, Houston was not selected to receive an orbiter following retirement. Your bill offers an opportunity to correct that oversight and deliver a fitting and permanent home for the Shuttle in the place where so much of its story was written and where it will inspire the next generation of explorers,” said Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership President Brian Freedman. (Letter, 6/9/2025)
    Background:
    The Bring the Space Shuttle Home Act, introduced by Sen. Cornyn and cosponsored by Sen. Cruz in April, would move the Space Shuttle Discovery from Virginia to its rightful home near NASA’s JSC in Houston.
    Mission Control at NASA’s Johnson Space Center led all of the space shuttle flights throughout the program’s history, and the astronauts who flew aboard the shuttles lived and trained in the area Houston. Four space shuttles were retired from NASA in 2010, and one of them was expected to go on display in the Space City. Congress stated in the NASA Authorization Act of 2010 that the four space shuttles were to be given to states with a “historical relationship with either the launch, flight operations, or processing of the Space Shuttle orbiters or the retrieval of NASA-manned space vehicles, or significant contributions to human space flight.” Unfortunately, this directive was unlawfully ignored by the Obama administration, who played politics to keep Houston from getting one of the shuttles. Notably, the administration gave one of the four shuttles to New York City, which has not made any major contributions to the nation’s history of space exploration and is not home to a NASA center—unlike Houston. The Space Shuttle Discovery is the only shuttle still owned by the federal government and able to be transferred to Houston. This legislation would authorize the movement of the Space Shuttle Discovery from the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia to a nonprofit near the JSC in Houston.
    Last week, provisions led by Sen. Cornyn, including the Mission to Modernize Astronautic Resources (MARS) for Space Act, as well as funding for National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Artemis program and resources to support the International Space Station (ISS) were included in the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation’s legislative text to be included in the Senate version of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Sen. Cornyn continues to advocate for funding for NASA’s JSC and other space-related initiatives.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Demands FEMA Halt Biden-Era Flood Insurance Premiums

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and James Lankford (R-OK) today introduced the Stop Funding Genital Mutilation Act, which would prohibit federal funding from Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) from going towards gender transition procedures at any age:
    “Texas taxpayers should not be forced to foot the bill for dangerous and often debilitating ‘gender transition’ procedures that are driven by radical ideology masquerading as health care,” said Sen. Cornyn. “I’m proud to introduce this commonsense legislation to stop federal dollars from funding Democrats’ woke agenda and defend Texas values and Texas families.”
    “Before they can vote, drive, or get a tattoo, some children are pushed into irreversible gender-transition procedures with no proven long-term health benefit,” said Sen. Lankford. “These treatments can cause lasting harm, and taxpayers should not be forced to fund them.”
    Background:
     A recent U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) review of gender dysphoria medical interventions “highlights a growing body of evidence pointing to significant risks—including irreversible harms such as infertility—while finding very weak evidence of benefit.”
    Nearly 30 states have laws or policies that limit access to gender transition procedures for minors, including Texas. Texas prohibits health care providers from prescribing, administering or dispensing hormone or puberty blocking medications or providing gender transition surgeries to minors. Other countries have begun putting limits on these procedures over concerns about the long-term effects. In 2024, NHS England began limiting access to puberty blockers as “routine treatment” for children under 18. Finland, Sweden, and Denmark have also limited access to these procedures for minors.
    The Stop Funding Genital Mutilation Act would prohibit CHIP and Medicaid federal funds from being used to provide gender transition procedures at any age. It makes exceptions for those needing puberty blocking drugs or medical procedures for medically necessary reasons, including medically verifiable sex development disorders or injury from previous gender transition procedures.
    The legislation builds on President Trump’s Executive Order, signed on January 28, 2025, which called for cutting federal funding for gender transition procedures for minors and directs federally run insurance programs, including Medicaid, to stop covering these services.
    The legislation aligns with language included in the House’s version of Pres. Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, and Sen. Cornyn will fight to include this priority in the Senate’s version.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lummis Applauds EPA Moves Rolling Back Costly Biden Climate Rules

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wyoming Cynthia Lummis

    June 11, 2025

    Washington, D.C.— Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) today applauded moves by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rolling back costly, unrealistic Biden-era rules.

    “I’m pleased that President Trump and Administrator Zeldin are continuing to roll back unnecessary, expensive, and foolish Biden-era regulations. The Biden administration spent four years waging war on Wyoming energy and trying to undermine our reliable baseload energy sources. President Trump is making good on his promise to protect America’s electrical grid and cut costs for energy consumers. This is a victory for Wyoming and all Americans who reject the left’s climate cult.”

    Read more from the EPA here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Sudan – As a measles outbreak spreads in Darfur, children are in urgent need of immunisation – MSF

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF

    Port Sudan, Sudan, 12 June 2025 – For a year now, Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) teams in Darfur have been witnessing outbreaks of measles in the four Darfur states we currently work in. While massive vaccination campaigns are finally ongoing in several locations across the region, MSF insists on the need to increase efforts to catch up on the immunisation of children who have never been vaccinated.

    The first surge of measles cases observed and treated by MSF were in June 2024 in Rokero, a city in the north of the Jebel Marra Mountains in Central Darfur, where MSF teams have been running the local Ministry of Health (MoH) hospital without interruption since 2020. At the start of 2025, cases were also reported in East Jebel Marra, South Darfur and in Forbrenga, West Darfur. More recently, new surges are also being observed in Zalengei, Sortony and in Tine, East Chad – all places where MSF runs activities.

    From June 2024 until the end of May 2025, more than 9,950 patients were treated for measles in health facilities run or supported by MSF in the region. Around 2,700 were complicated cases requiring hospitalisation, and 35 deaths were recorded. To manage the influx of patients, we had to expand our paediatric beds capacity in three hospitals.  

    One of the root causes of this situation is the region’s already low immunisation coverage. “In Forbrenga, 30% of the measles patients we are receiving are above the age of five years and only 5% of them are vaccinated. This suggests that the lack of vaccination dates back further than the recent conflict,” explains Sue Bucknell, MSF’s Deputy Head of mission in West Darfur.

    “The ongoing conflict is also contributing to this outbreak, constraining the capacities of medical actors to both prevent and respond to outbreaks of contagious diseases,” adds Dr Cecilia Greco, MSF Medical coordinator for Central Darfur. “Mass population displacement has made the illness spread even faster across the region, further complicating the situation.”  

    Since the war broke out, constant administrative impediments and regular blockades of key supply roads have caused vaccine shortages throughout Darfur. This led to disruption in routine immunisation programmes in several locations, sometimes for months. In Sortony, for example, an internally displaced people (IDP) camp of North Darfur hosting more than 55,000 people, vaccination totally stopped from May 2024 to February 2025.

    These constraints and shortages have also limited the medical actors’ capacity to roll out proper response campaigns. Last year, MSF carried out several vaccination campaigns such as in November 2024 in North Jebel Marra where 9,600 children were vaccinated. However, due to limited vaccine supplies, MSF teams were forced to reduce the target and to exclude children over five, despite clear needs. This inevitably reduced the long-term impact of these campaigns. In North Jebel Marra, while the vaccination campaign initially slowed the outbreak, cases began to rise sharply again from February.

    Although mass vaccination campaigns are now happening in different parts of Darfur, negotiations and procedures have been lengthy. After MSF first raised the alarm about the multiple surges it was witnessing, it took months before the Federal MoH in Port Sudan and UNICEF released the needed vaccines from their stocks: finally enabling mass vaccination campaigns to be launched in different areas of Darfur. Last week, 55,800 children from nine months to 15 years old were therefore vaccinated in Forbrenga as part of a campaign led by the MoH and supported by MSF. 93,000 more children are set to receive the vaccine in North Jebel Marra and Sortony by the end of this week, in a similar campaign.

    “Even if they represent a certain achievement, these campaigns should have happened much sooner. Many measles cases and their consequences could have been prevented” says Dr Greco. “And as much as they are needed, such reactive campaigns are only a band-aid to an open wound unless massive efforts are put in place on immunisation and prevention across Darfur, including its most remote areas.”  

    Bucknell highlights the threat of further outbreaks of disease unless such efforts are initiated. “Measles is not the only contagious illness currently present in Darfur with the potential to turn into outbreaks. Over the last 10 days, about 200 suspected cholera cases were brought to MSF-supported health facilities in two different Darfur states. This follows a significant cholera outbreak in Khartoum state and other parts of Sudan,” she says.

    “It is essential that federal and local health authorities, UN agencies and all medical actors on the ground collaborate not only to catch up on the vaccination of all the children left behind by immunisation programmes over the years, but also to enhance their ability to respond quickly and efficiently should any other outbreaks, like cholera, start spreading over Darfur. This includes the capacity to supply vaccines in and across Sudan, without facing the same impediments anymore,” concludes Dr Greco.

    MSF is an international, medical, humanitarian organisation that delivers medical care to people in need, regardless of their origin, religion, or political affiliation. MSF has been working in Haiti for over 30 years, offering general healthcare, trauma care, burn wound care, maternity care, and care for survivors of sexual violence. MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. In 2022, more than 120 project staff from Australia and New Zealand worked with MSF on assignment overseas. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au  

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese mainland’s largest ship leasing center hits 1,000-vessel mark

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

    TIANJIN, June 11 — A signing ceremony was held Wednesday for the 1,000th vessel leased through the Dongjiang Free Trade Port Zone (DFTP) in the northern Chinese municipality of Tianjin.

    As the Chinese mainland’s largest center for ship financing and leasing, the DFTP has now officially joined the world’s 1,000-vessel leasing club.

    The landmark vessel is a floating liquefied natural gas facility built in Singapore, with a total investment of nearly 1.8 billion U.S. dollars, including approximately 1.2 billion U.S. dollars in leasing-based financing.

    According to DFTP official Shi Jinfeng, the deal is another milestone in Dongjiang’s offshore ship leasing and the largest cross-border syndicated leasing project on the Chinese mainland to date, in terms of both financing scale and number of participants.

    Specializing in the leasing industry, the DFTP handles over 90 percent of the mainland’s cross-border leasing of ships and offshore engineering equipment.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy in the Ouachita Citizen: It’s time to stop pouring taxpayer money into biased public broadcasting

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)
    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) penned this op-ed in the Ouachita Citizen arguing that Congress should defund the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and, in turn, National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).
    Key excerpts of the op-ed are below:
    “One would think that receiving billions of dollars from taxpayers would motivate NPR and PBS to publish fair reporting that the American people can use. Instead, these organizations have consistently promoted ideas that reflect their own personal political beliefs, without attempting to provide the other side. These organizations are using taxpayer money to advance their own political agendas.”
    . . .
    “Even if the content on NPR and PBS was fair, the American people no longer need public broadcasting to access the news of the day. With more than $37 trillion in federal debt, the idea of giving these organizations a single penny is bone-deep, down-to-the-marrow stupid.
    “That’s why President Trump has paused federal funding to NPR and PBS through an executive order. He also recently asked Congress to formally rescind its funding of these public broadcasting entities—and the Senate should jump on this opportunity to pass President Trump’s rescission request on all his planned spending cuts as soon as possible. This would allow the Trump administration to cut off any money that the last Democrat-controlled Congress already allocated to the CPB and, in turn, NPR and PBS, in 2025.
    “To make sure no new money is allocated to the CPB moving forward, I introduced the No Propaganda Act. This bill would permanently defund the CPB.
    “The federal government has no business funding media companies. It’s time to stop picking winners and losers and defund public broadcasting for good.” 
    Read Kennedy’s op-ed here.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy to HHS: Fight foreign shrimp imports that hurt Louisiana and threaten Americans’ health

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)
    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today sent a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. urging his department to work with its partners to prevent unsafe foreign shrimp from reaching American consumers.
    While U.S. shrimp manufacturers comply with bans on antibiotic use and numerous environmental regulations, not all shrimp producers in countries like India, Ecuador, Indonesia and Vietnam abide by the same standards. A recent decline in transparency among members of the foreign shrimp industry has raised further concerns.
    “I write to express my concern regarding the ongoing public health risk posed by the importation of farmed shrimp into the United States. In 2021, the United States imported approximately 1.9 billion pounds of shrimp, accounting for over 90% of the nation’s consumption,” Kennedy began the letter.
    “A growing body of academic research and investigative reporting indicate that imported shrimp frequently contain illicit antibiotics and harbor antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. One of the most prevalent risks associated with warm-water shrimp aquaculture is antibiotic use, which poses significant health threats related to potential parasitic infection along with disease outbreaks,” the senator explained.
    “Fortunately, President Trump is taking action. On April 17, 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order titled Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness, which strengthens the domestic seafood industry and addresses the need to eliminate unsafe imports, promote ethical seafood sourcing, and level the playing field for domestic seafood producers,” Kennedy added. 
    “In light of the President’s executive order and the ongoing health risks posed by imported seafood, I urge the Department of Health and Human Services to collaborate with the U.S. Trade Representative, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and other relevant agencies to strengthen inspection capabilities and stop this harmful seafood from being sold domestically,” he wrote.
    Background: 
    In Dec. 2023, Kennedy introduced a bill to bolster the Seafood Import Monitoring Program’s ability to audit foreign seafood imports that its producers misrepresent. Senate Democrats blocked Kennedy’s bill.
    In May 2024, Kennedy questioned then-Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo on safety risks associated with imported shrimp and crawfish, drawing attention to foreign countries that subsidize their seafood industries and engage in false advertising.
    The full letter is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tillis Op-Ed: The Senate’s One Big, Beautiful Opportunity

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) published an op-ed in The Hill outlining the Senate’s one big, beautiful opportunity to deliver tax relief and pass President Trump’s agenda. 
    Read the full op-ed HERE.
    Senator Tillis on Delivering President Trump’s Campaign Promises: 
    “President Trump ran — and won — on a bold promise: supercharge America’s economy and restore strength at home and abroad. Now the Senate is on the verge of helping him fulfill that commitment with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Getting the bill through the House was a Herculean effort in itself, given the Republicans’ thin majority. That required many compromises to be made. While there is a lot of good in the House version of the bill, some big improvements still need to be made. That is what the Senate is currently working on.”
    Senator Tillis on Democrats Opposition to the One Big, Beautiful Bill:
    “Don’t buy the spin of Democrats who oppose this bill and falsely give the impression that it’s just tax cuts for billionaires. Instead, look at the numbers. By voting against this bill, Democrats are voting to double the federal taxes on every married couple with two kids making $80,000 a year, from roughly $1,400 in taxes owed to more than $3,000. By voting against this bill, Democrats are voting to force single parents with two kids making $40,000 a year to go from getting a net tax credit to owing nearly $1,500 in taxes. By voting against this bill, Democrats are also betraying tens of millions of small businesses. They’ll be voting to triple the income tax bill for married small business owners with three kids and a net income of $180,000. They will also be voting against the most ambitious welfare reform in a generation.” 
    Senator Tillis on Improvements to the One, Big Beautiful Bill: 
    “Despite a lot of good, there are some big areas in need of improvement. First, the Senate needs to find additional spending cuts and savings. While the House version saves taxpayers $1.6 trillion in spending, we need to push further for fiscal restraint. This will be easier said than done, as the reconciliation process that allows Congress to pass major tax legislation with a simple majority vote has major restrictions on what and where the Senate can cut. A prime target is the House’s inexplicable decision to quadruple the state and local tax (SALT) deduction, which wealthy taxpayers in high-tax blue states utilize. While I understand why lawmakers from California and New York want to increase the SALT deduction, it’s not the responsibility of federal taxpayers to subsidize state tax bills.  The SALT increase overwhelmingly benefits the wealthiest of taxpayers and carries a significant price tag of $320 billion. The Senate needs to fix this and unlock additional cost savings to help working families, not coastal elites.” 
    Senator Tillis on the Senate’s Work Moving Forward: 
    “Moving forward, each Republican senator will have input, and each provision should be scrutinized. My simple request to all my Republican colleagues in both chambers is: do not let the perfect become the enemy of the good. We have narrow majorities in both the House and Senate and cannot waste the historic opportunity we have to deliver tax relief and pass Trump’s agenda. Whether it takes the next few weeks or the next few months, let’s do the hard work to find common ground, get the job done, and put the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on Trump’s desk.”  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoeven Makes Case To HHS Secretary RFK Jr. for Access to Crop Protection Tools, Flexibility in School Nutrition Standards

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven
    06.11.25
    Senator, Ag Committee Colleagues Secure Commitment to Include Extensive Ag & School Nutrition Consultation in MAHA Strategy
    WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven this week met with Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at the White House to discuss progress on the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Strategy and advance the priorities of U.S. agriculture producers and school nutrition professionals. At the meeting in the Roosevelt Room, Hoeven, Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee and a senior member of the Senate Agriculture Committee:
    Stressed that access to proven safe crop protection tools is critical to the ongoing success of family farmers, as well as the affordability and security of the U.S. food supply.
    Highlighted the importance of flexibility in dietary guidelines so school nutrition professionals can serve meals students will actually eat without breaking their budget.
    Secured a commitment from Secretary Kennedy to conduct extensive consultation with farm and school nutrition groups prior to issuing the final strategy.
    “Considering the growing prevalence and impact of chronic disease in the U.S., it makes sense to take a careful, comprehensive look at the factors that are contributing to this issue. However, as these policies are being formed, we need to make sure that relevant stakeholders are at the table and the very best science is being used in making such decisions,” said Hoeven. “Our farmers rely on a range of crop protection tools, with decades-worth of evidence showing they are safe, to provide the highest-quality, lowest-cost food supply in the world. At the same time, school nutritionists face real challenges in providing healthy, cost-effective meals that students will actually eat. Their concerns need to be addressed as the MAHA Strategy moves forward, and I appreciate Secretary Kennedy’s commitment to include our farmers and school nutrition professionals in these ongoing discussions.”
    Hoeven was joined by his Senate Agriculture Committee colleagues, including Chairman John Boozman and Senators Chuck Grassley, Cindy Hyde-Smith and Roger Marshall.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoeven: EPA Repeals Two Overreaching Biden-Era Regulations that Threatened Coal Industry, Grid Reliability

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven
    06.11.25
    Senator Worked to Block, Roll Back Clean Power Plan & MATS Rules, Supporting Access to Affordable Baseload Power
    WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today released the following statement after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued proposed rules repealing two overreaching Biden-era regulations that threatened the reliability of the electrical grid and sought to force the premature closure of the nation’s coal-fired power plants, including:
    The Clean Power Plan 2.0, burdensome regulations that would have forced states to change their fuel sources for electricity generation.
    The Biden administration advanced this overreaching rule despite a Supreme Court ruling in 2022, which found the EPA overstepped its authority in imposing such sector-wide regulation.
    Hoeven pressed the Biden EPA to act in accordance with the court’s decision and withdraw the rule.

    The Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) rule, which imposed costly and overly-stringent regulations on coal-fired electric power plants.
    When first advanced in 2012, this rule contributed to the closure of numerous power plants before being blocked by the Supreme Court in 2015.
    The regulations replaced the existing cost-effective standards, which had already been found to protect human health and safety.
    Accordingly, Hoeven, along with then-Congressman Kelly Armstrong, led bicameral legislation to block the EPA from implementing its new MATS rule.

    Earlier this year, Hoeven joined President Trump as he signed executive orders to initiate the process of repealing these and other harmful regulations imposed by the Biden administration. The senator also recently advanced these priorities with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin at a hearing of the Senate Interior Appropriations Committee.
    “Today’s action by the EPA is a win for U.S. energy dominance and supports continued access to the affordable and reliable baseload power provided by coal,” said Hoeven. “When imposing the Clean Power Plan 2.0 and MATS rules, the Biden administration acted in defiance of prior decisions from the Supreme Court, which outlined that such regulations fall far outside of the legal authority provided to the EPA by Congress. That’s why we continually pushed back on these federal overreaches, and we appreciate the Trump administration and EPA Administrator Zeldin for working with us to repeal these harmful rules.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: REMARKS: Ranking Member Coons calls out Secretary Hegseth for misplaced priorities, failure to submit budget in Defense Subcommittee hearing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, criticized Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for a series of failures in his management of the military ranging from focusing on culture war issues instead of military readiness, to straining relations with crucial allies, to discussing classified military operations over unsecured messaging apps, to a refusal to strategically fund the department.
    “It pains me to point out the obvious at this budget hearing: that in the face of these threats, the Department of Defense is more internally divided and beset by challenges of its own making than at any point in my memory,” said Ranking Member Coons. “We cannot win the fight for the future without allies, nor deter China and Russia without a functional Department of Defense, and we on this committee simply cannot do our job without an adequate budget submission.”
    Ranking Member Coons’ comments came at a hearing to review the president’s Defense Department budget request for fiscal year 2026. Despite the president’s budget being announced in a press release nearly one month ago, the current request for the Defense Department still only consists of a one-page table. The department’s own website still shows an error page instead of a full budget, as Ranking Member Coons pointed out in the hearing. 
    “It should go without saying that the People’s Republic of China does not operate under a continuing resolution. The fiscal year 2026 request is no better.  If you go to [the] DOD fiscal year 2026 page right now, this is what you’ll see. This is what is currently publicly available, and the budget request was not much better,” said Ranking Member Coons. “More than a month after OMB’s press release, we are still waiting for real budget details. This is officially the latest budget submission of the modern era.”
    The lack of an actual budget request is just one of Secretary Hegseth’s repeated failures to ensure our military has the funds it needs during his first months in office. Secretary Hegseth failed to speak out against a continuing resolution (CR) for fiscal year 2025, resulting in the first year-long CR for the Department of Defense in our nation’s history that has undermined military operations, procurement, and readiness. Secretary Hegseth is currently advocating for increasing military spending through the Republican tax bill, rather than the normal appropriations process. Not only does linking military spending to a controversial, party-line bill needlessly politicize the process, any increase through reconciliation will be a one-time increase, making it harder for Defense Department leaders to plan for the future.
    Secretary Hegseth’s brief tenure has been filled with errors far beyond his failure to put future military spending on a consistent footing. In March, Ranking Member Coons called for Secretary Hegseth to resign over revelations that he shared critical information about military operations over an unsecure messaging app that could have endangered U.S. servicemembers if compromised. His department has chosen to spend $134 million illegally deploying Marines to Los Angeles, and as much as $45 million on a military parade in Washington that President Trump requested for his birthday at a time when the defense budget is already stretched. He has also spent much of his time on culture war issues – including personally directing the Navy to rename ships named after Thurgood Marshall and Harvey Milk – instead of addressing military threats in Eastern Europe and the Indo Pacific.
    A full video of his remarks can be found here.
    Senator Coons: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you as well, Secretary Hegseth, Chairman Caine, Ms. McDonald, for joining us here today.
    We are confronting a world more dangerous today than at any time since the Cold War, and our nation needs and deserves a strong and coordinated response to deter the threats we face, to protect our freedoms, and keep our citizens safe. The last several administrations correctly prioritized China, the People’s Republic of China, as the pacing threat to our nation’s security. More recently, as the Chairman just said, and as I strongly agree, China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea are increasingly aligned in ways that are making each of them more threatening to our national security.
    This is happening right now in Ukraine. Russia’s aggression is buttressed by Iranian drones, North Korean soldiers and Chinese components, technology, and funding. Ukraine is, though, not just a preview of geopolitics, it’s also the future of warfare, and the pervasive electronic warfare and drone swarms we see on the front lines are lessons from which we must learn. We need to address the urgency of this moment, to unify our efforts, and focus our precious time and money on what’s important. Chairman McConnell and I are ready to do that with anyone interested in engaging in good faith, which is why it pains me to point out the obvious at this budget hearing: that in the face of these threats, the Department of Defense is more internally divided and beset by challenges of its own making than at any point in my memory.
    Let’s start with the budget. Our Department of Defense and our troops are currently operating under a full year continuing resolution for the very first time. The continuing resolution provides tens of billions of dollars less in purchasing power than under the previous administration. This does not deliver on ‘peace through strength.’ No one on this subcommittee wanted this outcome.  Mr. Secretary, we appealed to your office to timely and publicly oppose the CR as all previous secretaries had done, but you were silent. You never responded. That CR’s cuts are forcing DOD to halt training and shrink exercises, and it fundamentally undermines readiness. DOD has made the CR worse by paying for DHS border activities with DOD funds meant for military quality of life – money to repair buildings, to relocate military families, to keep the Navy’s fleet operationally ready. Shrinking budgets will not speed up our acquisition system, complete kill chains, or deepen our magazines. We are falling behind thanks to some poor choices. It should go without saying that the People’s Republic of China does not operate under a continuing resolution. The fiscal year 2026 request is no better. If you go to DOD fiscal year 2026 page right now, this is what you’ll see. [Holds up 404 Not Found Page.] This is what is currently publicly available, and the budget request was not much better.
    We were given this on Monday. [Holds up single page.] More than a month after OMB’s press release, we are still waiting for real budget details. This is officially the latest budget submission of the modern era. For anyone not versed in how this should go at this stage, we would have received at least this, if not reams more. [Holds up large stack of papers.] This committee – to do its job – wants to work with you on the details of exactly which programs and exactly which deployments and exactly which end strength you are requesting, so that in a timely way, we can complete our work and avoid another disastrous continuing resolution, but the department has been AWOL in the [FY] 26 debate, as it was in the [FY] 25 debate. Bills are already being written, and the department’s inability to explain its budget is slowly making it less relevant to what it receives in fiscal year 26 in our appropriations process.
    What’s clear is the base request is exactly the same funding level as the FY 25 CR that’s created problems. Mr. Secretary, you’re requesting an increase instead through budget reconciliation, a partisan gamble that I believe shows poor judgment about how to handle our nation’s security. DOD’s ability to take care of our warfighters should not be contingent on whether Congress can pass a bill that also explodes the national debt, gives billionaires tax cuts, cuts access to health care – in short, is controversial and uncertain. I think it sends a bad message to the U.S. defense industry about the uncertainty of appropriations for key systems at precisely the time we want certainty and we want more from them.  
    Who wins in all this? Not the American people; our adversaries.
    Mr. Secretary, I’m also concerned that far more of your time so far has been spent inside the building on culture wars, rather than outside the building deterring real ones. This administration began by firing a long list of qualified uniformed leaders without cause: The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, the Chief of Naval Operations, the Vice Chief of the Air Force, the head of the National Security Agency, the U.S. military representative to NATO, the director of the Defense Health Agency, the head of the Coast Guard, and all of the Service Judge Advocates General; continues to push out tens of thousands of civilians who should instead be repairing our ships, testing equipment, providing healthcare. It’s rooting out fully qualified, combat proven service members solely because they are transgender to satisfy a petty animus, and it’s censoring service academy libraries so that no future leader of our military can read Maya Angelou or Janet Jacobs’ book on the Holocaust, even Jackie Robinson’s World War II service photo is not safe from culture warriors. In January of this year, any patriotic American who met the qualifications could serve our nation and the Marines at 29 Palms were training for the Indo-Pacific, not the streets of Los Angeles. We worried then about our enemies, rather than each other, and we should return to that model.
    We also, frankly, need to get back to partnering with and supporting our allies. This administration has publicly and repeatedly threatened to seize the territory of NATO allies and retake the Panama Canal. The president paused aid to Ukraine – both intelligence partnership and military support – in the middle of their just war against one of our primary global enemies. And at times, rather than help and partner with our allies, we have levied massive tariffs against our partners. The department’s fiscal year 26 request compounds these mistakes by explicitly eliminating assistance to Ukraine and slashing security cooperation with allies around the world, sending exactly the wrong signal. Our global network of strong allies is our asymmetric advantage. The administration’s budget request may try to abandon our allies, but this Congress should not. I’ll also cite a predecessor in your role, Secretary Mattis, who testified to Congress that we need to complement strong investments in defense with comparable investments in diplomacy and development. In fact, I think he once said famously, if we don’t spend adequately on diplomacy and development, I will need more bullets because we will be in more wars; yet, DOGE has shredded our development work, shredding trust as well with partners and allies.
    Last, I’m troubled by the chaos and poor judgment that have been on full display from the Pentagon front office. Mr. Secretary, you should not have shared operational details of U.S. military strikes on Signal with other executive branch officials or personal acquaintances. Mishandling important and sensitive military information in the middle of an operation by a secretary is unthinkable. You’ve also fired several top aides, and you’ve been unable to hire a new chief of staff for months.
    Mr. Secretary, this cannot continue. Your responsibilities to our troops and our nation are far too important. We cannot win the fight for the future without allies nor deter China and Russia without a functional Department of Defense, and we on this committee simply cannot do our job without an adequate budget submission. I welcome partnership on these important priorities, and I look forward to discussing why we haven’t been able to achieve that so far and where to go from here.
    Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER SAYS: HANDS OFF UPSTATE NY’S JOB CORPS CENTERS; FOLLOWING TRUMP ORDER TO SHUT DOWN JOB CORPS, ELIMINATING 550+ UPSTATE NY JOBS & CUTTING JOB TRAINING FOR THOUSANDS OF NEW YORKERS, SENATOR…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
    Job Corps Provides Residential Workforce Training To Thousands of Students Across America & NY – Located In Albany, Sullivan, Orleans, Otsego & Chautauqua Counties – Helping Underserved Workers Get The Skills They Need To Start Careers In Healthcare, Construction, Tech, And Other Fields With Worker Shortages
    Schumer Says Rash, Potentially Illegal Move By Trump Admin Is Gut Punch To Upstate NY’s Worker-Starved Businesses From Albany To Western NY That Rely On Job Corps To Find Skilled Workers; Demands NY Republicans Stand Up To Trump And Join Him In Pushing To Reverse These Counterproductive Cuts That Hurt Small Businesses & Workers In Their Backyards
    Schumer: Eliminating Job Corps Hurts Workers, Businesses, And Upstate NY Economy
    With the Trump administration attempting to eliminate Job Corps, one of the nation’s largest workforce training programs with 5 centers across Upstate NY, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer demanded the Trump administration stop their cruel, potentially illegal, attempts to decimate Job Corps, eliminating over 550 jobs across Upstate NY and canceling training to help students across America, including thousands in New York, get the skills they need to enter in-demand careers. Schumer said Upstate NY’s Job Corps centers – in Albany, Sullivan, Orleans, Otsego, and Chautauqua Counties – are essential for local small businesses and other employers that rely on Job Corps for a pipeline of new skilled workers to fill jobs.
    Schumer said the Trump administration is not only attempting to shut down Job Corps centers by June 30th, but in the recently released Presidential “skinny” budget request, Trump said he wants to totally zero out funding for the program. Schumer is leading efforts in the Senate to oppose these destructive and potentially illegal actions like pausing existing funds for the Job Corps centers by the Trump Administration to end this valuable program to train Upstate NY workers, and is demanding the GOP, especially NY House Republicans, many of whom have districts that rely on Job Corps, to stand with their constituents in fighting to save Job Corps by pushing the Trump administration to reverse course on these damaging policies.  
    “Across Upstate NY the Trump administration’s cruel order to shut down Job Corps centers has caused students and teachers to scramble, and if this goes through, it will be our small businesses and local economies paying the price. Job Corps is one of the best bang for your buck programs we have, one of America’s largest workforce training programs with thousands upon thousands of success stories putting young people into good-paying careers and helping employers grow with new, skilled workers. Job Corps is where New Yorkers go to get the skills they need to start their career in healthcare, construction, and other in demand fields, but right now, Trump wants to close the doors and kick all these young workers out on the street,” said Senator Schumer. “It’s cruel, it’s outrageous, and potentially illegal to stop the flow of funding under existing contracts from a program that is authorized and funded by Congress. We must save Job Corps across Upstate NY. We want to help young people get jobs, to get the training they need for successful careers, and eliminating these centers will hurt those students as well as local employers like small businesses and hospitals in getting the skilled workers they need. The courts have already put a pause on Trump’s initial attempts to kill Job Corps, and I will vehemently oppose his attempts to defund this program in the Senate because the people are on our side in saving Job Corps.”
    Last month, Trump paused operations at Job Corps centers nationwide sparking widespread outcry. Schumer explained this would kick more than a thousand young New Yorkers out of training programs and potentially to the curb, create mass layoffs of hundreds of workers at Job Corps centers in every corner of the state and hurt local businesses and other employers in need of skilled workers. Since then, a federal judge has temporarily blocked the pause, but Job Corps employees and students are being left in the lurch and are being forced to scramble as they do not know what the future holds as a final ruling in the court case is pending and the Trump administration continues its attacks on the program. In addition, Trump’s FY2026 budget proposal would completely eliminate funding for Job Corps centers, effectively killing the program.
    The Trump administration’s destructive actions would close Job Corps centers in every corner of New York, which train thousands of young New Yorkers every year. Schumer specifically highlighted how:
    In the Capital Region, the Glenmont Job Corps Center provides training to hundreds of students every year in fields encompassing construction, solar, culinary, automotive, security, and healthcare. The center employs 125 workers in the local area and has an estimated local community impact of $24.6 million annually.
    In the Hudson Valley, the Delaware Job Corps Center provides training for hundreds of students in fields encompassing construction, security, healthcare, and culinary. The center employs 101 workers in the local area and has an estimated local community economic impact of $18.1 million annually. The center also provides construction for community-based projects throughout the region via work-based learning agreements.
    In the Rochester-Finger Lakes Region, the Iroquois Job Center provides training to over 200 students in fields such as brick masonry, carpentry, electrical work, commercial painting, and healthcare. The center employs approximately 104 staff and injects over $8.9 million in federal funding into the local economy every year.
    In the Southern Tier, the Oneonta Job Corps is currently providing training hundreds of students and employs approximately 130 staff dedicated to helping students succeed.  Attracting students from all across the country, the center prepares students for careers in auto trades, healthcare, and pre-apprenticeship union trades in electrical, tile, and cement masonry. Oneonta’s Smart Grid Advanced Training for Electrical program helps students develop the skills they need to work on overhead lines, underground residential distributions, and smart meter logic controllers. In partnership with Mohawk Valley Community College, the center is training the next generation of drone operators through their Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operator program.
    In Western New York, the Cassadaga Job Corps provides training in fields such as healthcare, carpentry, and plumbing. The center employs approximately 100 workers in the local area.
    Schumer added, “Many of NY GOP districts rely on workers trained at Upstate NY’s Job Corps centers. That is why I’m calling on NY House Republicans to immediately reverse the proposed cuts in Trump’s budget request and push the Trump administration to stop its destructive pause of current funding to Job Corps that would devastate communities in their backyard.”
    For more than 60 years, Job Corps centers have helped millions of young people ages 16 to 24 finish high school, learn technical skills, and get jobs in in-demand fields such as healthcare and construction. Low-income and at-risk young people have received stable housing and health care while developing the skills they need to get good-paying jobs after graduation. Schumer is fighting to keep these centers open to preserve this pipeline for thousands of New Yorkers.
    Schumer recently sent a letter with 39 of his colleagues in the Senate calling on U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer to protect Job Corps and demanding answers on these destructive efforts. A copy of the letter sent by Senator Schumer and his colleagues can be found HERE.
    “At Glenmont Job Corps, we see firsthand how powerful this program is. It gives young people the tools, support, and confidence they need to rewrite their stories and build a better future. These aren’t just students—they’re future workers, leaders, and contributors to our communities. If Job Corps is taken away, the loss won’t just be felt by the students—it’ll be felt in our neighborhoods, our workforce, and our local economy. We could see more young people left without direction, and that creates real challenges for everyone. This program works—and it’s worth fighting for. I’m incredibly grateful to Senator Schumer for standing with us and with every young person who deserves a chance to succeed,” said Tracy Battle, Center Director, Glenmont Job Corps.
    “For 60 years, the Iroquois Job Corps Center has trained hundreds of young adults annually to become the electricians, carpenters, medical assistants and more that our community needs,” said Lynne Johnson, Chairman of the Orleans County Legislature.  “The Center is also a vital employer, with 104 local workers, and has infused over 8.9 million-dollars in federal funding into our region’s economy. Stopping student enrollments and threatening to close the Iroquois Job Corps Center not only risks the futures of over 12,000 students but also the workforce that drives our region’s economic growth.  I’m proud to stand with Senator Schumer in calling for Job Corps student enrollments to resume immediately and keeping the Iroquois Job Corps Center open, so we can continue building a stronger, more prosperous community.”
    “I’ve worked at the Cassadaga Job Corps Center for 15 years. I’ve seen thousands of young people transform their lives here—earning diplomas, learning trades, and gaining real-world experience that benefits both them and our local community,” said Cassadaga Guardians of the Hill President Jake Brock. “Closing our center would take away critical opportunities from students and eliminate over 100 jobs in a rural area with few alternatives. We’re deeply grateful to Senator Schumer for his support in keeping Job Corps strong for future generations.”
    “The Delaware Valley Job Corps Center in Callicoon has been a valuable part of our community for nearly half a century, and any closure – even temporarily – will have devastating results in and around Sullivan County. Local young adults benefit from the skills training that the Center provides, and many of the over 100 employees live and shop in Sullivan County. We certainly will be harmed, economically and educationally, should that facility be shuttered,” said Sullivan County Manager Joshua A. Potosek.
    “The Delaware Valley Job Corps program has been a cornerstone of our community for nearly 50 years. By providing stable employment opportunities to local residents, it has made a meaningful contribution to the economic well-being of our region. Just as importantly, it has given our community the opportunity to positively impact the lives of thousands of young people, offering them the support, skills, and direction needed to build brighter futures. I am deeply concerned about the potential loss of these jobs and the far-reaching effects this would have on our local families and economy. The decision to shut down or scale back this program is short-sighted and overlooks the long-term value it provides—not only to the individuals it serves but to our entire community. I strongly urge that this decision be reversed and that full support be restored to the Delaware Valley Job Corps program,” said Sullivan County Legislator Catherine Scott.
    “The loss of the Oneonta Job Corps Academy would have a severe impact on our economy, our infrastructure, the capacity of our community services, and the quality of life in the City,” said Mark Drnek, Mayor of the City of Oneonta. “But beyond that, the closure of the Job Corps program, would be the retraction of a helping hand, and of the opportunity for hundreds of young men and women to pull themselves from poverty and place themselves on the very ladder of success that is the American Dream, in many cases providing precedent and role modeling to family, friends, and neighborhoods.”
    “Job corps gave me the opportunity to get my basic needs met (food, water, shelter and a stable environment), while giving me the opportunity to work on myself and the trajectory of my career. I would not be where I am today, without job corps,” said Cassadaga Job Corps Graduate Arlene Tariq.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER STATEMENT ON TRUMP’S FAA NOMINEE REFUSING TO PROTECT THE 1,500-HOUR RULE & AVIATION SAFETY LAWS CREATED BY THE FAMILIES OF FLIGHT 3407

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
    Washington, D.C. – A longtime advocate for airline safety, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer today released the following statement after Bryan Bedford, Trump’s nominee for the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, refused to commit to protecting the 1,500-hour rule and aviation safety reforms created by the Flight 3407 families at his Senate nomination hearing:
    “If safety is top priority, then it should be easy for Mr. Bedford to offer full-throated support for maintaining the 1500-hour rule, the gold standard of aviation safety created by the Flight 3407 families. Instead, he refused multiple times to commit to protect the 1,500 hour rule – enacted after the tragedy of Flight 3407 to prevent a similar tragedy from occurring ever again. Let me be clear: Reducing the number of hours pilots train in the air is dangerous and can cost lives,” said Senator Schumer. “When it comes to safety, I watch what FAA administrators do, not what they say. As an airline executive, Mr. Bedford has spent years attempting to undercut and circumvent the 1,500 hour rules, putting profit over safety. It is an insult to the memory of those we lost on Flight 3407 and the decades of work carried on by their families. Secretary Duffy must meet with the families immediately and commit clearly and unequivocally to the protection of the 1,500 hour rule and other air safety reforms the Flight 3407 families helped create. The safety of our skies depends on it.”
    Schumer has been a long-time, relentless advocate for air safety standards following the tragic crash of Colgan Air Flight 3407. In February 2009, the tragic crash of Flight 3407 near Buffalo, New York claimed 50 lives and alerted the nation to the shortfalls in our aviation safety system, particularly at the regional airline level. In the wake of the tragedy, Schumer worked with the families who lost loved ones in the crash, to pass the Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2010. This landmark aviation safety legislation addressed many of the factors contributing to the increasing safety gap between regional and mainline carriers by requiring the FAA to develop regulations to improve safety, including enhanced entry-level pilot training and qualification standards, pilot fatigue rules, airline pilot training and safety management programs, and the creation of an electronic Pilot Record Database.
    Notably, the legislation included a mandate that first officers – also known as co-pilots – hold an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate, which requires a pilot to log 1,500 hours of hand-on flying time in the air, and the advocacy of the families has led to many other laws including regulations to combat pilot fatigue, the establishment of the electronic Pilot Records Database, and more.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cramer Speaks at EPA Clean Power Plan, MATS Amendments Announcement

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)

    ***Click here for photos.***

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, joined U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin in announcing two proposals to achieve national energy dominance and ensure Americans have access to affordable and reliable energy. The orders reverse punitive policies unveiled during the Biden administration. These rules targeted North Dakota’s energy industries and spurred a critical legal response from the state and industry.

    Administrator Zeldin announced a proposed repeal of all greenhouse gas emission standards for the power sector under Section 111 of the Clean Air Act as well as the 2024 Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) amendments. The EPA previewed its intent to repeal these regulations on its Deregulation Day in March. Between the two proposed actions, the power sector could save more than $20 billion dollars over the next two decades, with the bulk of that savings—approximately $19 billion in savings, or $1.2 billion per year coming from the greenhouse gas rule. 

    “In North Dakota, we mine lignite coal and produce very reliable, long-term, steady electricity at a low cost,” said Cramer. “I’ve always resented that somebody in this building, at EPA, thought they cared more about the air, land, water, and economy than I did and my family did. Thank you to President Trump and Administrator Zeldin for recognizing American greatness, for giving this opportunity to both highlight it and change the rules in a more common sense and reasonable way.”

    [embedded content]

    Clean Power Plan

    Clean Power Plan greenhouse gas emission standards, first issued in 2015 by President Barack Obama, would have resulted in the closure of nearly half of North Dakota’s lignite power plants, as well as raising consumer prices to pay for its multi-billion-dollar price tag.

    After legal challenges from the state of North Dakota and industry, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Clean Power Plan in 2022, in West Virginia v. EPA. The Supreme Court ruled the Clean Power Plan was an illegal attempt at mandating fuel choices outside the legislative process. It also found the EPA had engaged in an unconstitutional power grab contrary to the major questions doctrine, which requires agencies to adhere to Congressional intent. Despite this clear rebuke, the Biden administration issued a similar rule which Cramer called for the EPA to withdraw from consideration in August 2023. 

    The EPA’s new Clean Air Act proposal states the agency is required to find that the specific emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants contribute to dangerous air pollution before it can regulate those emissions. EPA’s proposal acknowledges the greenhouse gas emissions targeted by the Clean Power Plan do not contribute significantly to dangerous air pollution. The proposal would also repeal carbon capture and sequestration requirements for new turbines and modified coal plants while also engaging in public comment on efficiency-based requirements for new natural gas power plants.

    MATS Amendments

    The EPA also proposed repealing 2024 amendments to MATS and reverting to standards set by the Obama administration in 2012. Despite the Biden administration’s own admission that the 2012 standard adequately protected public health, it issued new amendments requiring installation and adaptation of continuous monitoring technology originally used for the detection of particulate matter instead of mercury, as well as costly mitigation methods unproven at the scale required for North Dakota’s lignite plants. Cramer and then-Congressman Kelly Armstrong pointed out many of these concerns in a letter they sent asking for these amendments to be rescinded.

    Additionally, while the Biden administration ignored the EPA’s own data findings and reversed a key precedent which created a regulatory subcategory for lignite coal, this announcement restores it. Lignite coal generates more than half of all electricity in North Dakota. The subcategory was originally created by the EPA to align its regulatory approach with the physical and chemical characteristics of lignite coal to best protect public health. North Dakota’s aggressive defense of the lignite subcategory was based on decades of sound science and laid the foundation for its reimplementation by the Trump administration.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: Capito Questions NIH Director at Budget Request Hearing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    [embedded content]

    Click here or on the image above to watch Senator Capito’s questions.

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS), questioned National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Jay Bhattacharya, M.D., during a hearing to review the president’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget request.

    HIGHLIGHTS:

    ON PRIORITIZING ALZHIEMER’S RESEARCH:

    SENATOR CAPITO: “We very much want to see the innovation in detection, diagnosis, and treatment move forward. And I hope that as you’re setting the priorities and we set them with you, you know that this is a top priority for many of us who are here, and me in particular.”

    ON NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE DESIGNATION:

    SENATOR CAPITO: “If you have a designated cancer center or a National Cancer Institute in and around where you live, your ability to access treatments, your success rate and early interventions are so much better. Some states are called Emerging Cancer Institutes, one of those happens to be mine. There are 14 states that don’t have an NCI-designated cancer center. This is something that is amazingly important to rural parts of our country. How would you close that gap for underrepresentation in the cancer institutes?”

    ON FUNDING FOR OPIOID ADDICTION RESEARCH:

    SENATOR CAPITO: “The last question I have is on…the opioid addiction research. This is a growing issue. The statistics have come down, but I don’t think we should be taking that as a sign that this is not still a tremendous problem across the country. Dr. Rezai in our state is using low intensity focus ultrasound to restructure the way that the brain reacts to certain stimuli. How does your budget prioritize continuing to invest in addiction treatment?”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: Capito Questions Secretary of Defense, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at Budget Request Hearing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    [embedded content]

    Click here or on the image above to watch Senator Capito’s questions. 

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, questioned Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General John Caine at a hearing to review the president’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget request for the U.S. Department of Defense. 

    HIGHLIGHTS:

    ON STRONG MILITARY RECRUITMENT NUMBERS:  

    SENATOR CAPITO: “I’m very proud of this fact, that the recruiting goals that have been falling short – with the exception of the Marine Corps, I want to give them a shout out – you said that they are higher.” 

    SECRETARY HEGSETH: “There was plenty of pre-criticism that certain groups would not be interested in joining the military in this environment, and we’ve seen the exact opposite. Because for us, it’s not about women or men or black or white, it’s about we want the most qualified Americans possible in our ranks.” 

    SENATOR CAPITO: “When you’re talking to recruiters, what’s the difference?” 

    SECRETARY HEGSETH: “The difference is a Commander in Chief they believe in.” 

    ON MAINTAINING SPACE SUPERIORITY: 

    SENATOR CAPITO: “I think a powerful, destabilizing force would be if China were to get the superior hand in space. General Saltzman has said that he feels that we do not have what we need to fight on our terms…I would imagine in your National Defense Strategy, but also reflected in your budget…how does this match with the need for us to become space dominant?” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Capito Applauds Trump EPA Proposal to End Clean Power Plan 2.0

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, applauded the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposal to repeal the Biden administration’s unlawful power plant regulation. This rule, known as the Clean Power Plan 2.0, impacts both coal- and natural gas-fired power plants, and would decimate baseload energy production and eliminate jobs across West Virgina.

    “Finally, under President Trump’s leadership, we are taking a necessary step towards ending the Clean Power Plan 2.0 once and for all, eliminating the threat this rule poses to our way of life in communities throughout America. I have long opposed this rule and warned of the devastating economic impacts it would have in West Virginia, and the energy reliability concerns it would create across our country. I’m thrilled that EPA Administrator Zeldin is reversing Biden-era regulations that would turn off affordable coal and natural gas energy generation, and is prioritizing electric grid reliability and energy abundance,” Chairman Capito said.

    BACKGROUND ON CAPITO’S OPPOSITION TO THE CLEAN POWER PLAN 2.0:

    • In March 2025, Senator Capito applauded the Trump EPA for taking the initial steps towards deregulating Biden-era rules, including the Clean Power Plan 2.0, that harm American energy production and energy states like West Virginia.
    • In June 2024, Senator Capito led 43 of her Senate colleagues in introducing a formal challenge to the Biden administration’s Clean Power Plan 2.0 regulations intended to shut down American power plants through a Congressional Review Act (CRA) joint resolution of disapproval.
    • In December 2023, Senator Capito and U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) sent a letter to EPA Administrator Michael Regan to again outline significant concerns with the administration’s proposed Clean Power Plan 2.0.
      • Two days later, Senators Capito and Barrasso sent a letter to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) urging the commissioners to work with the EPA to improve the agency’s proposed Clean Power Plan 2.0 and fix the associated threats to electric reliability the plan presents, brought to light during a FERC technical conference on the Clean Power Plan 2.0 held in November 2023. Senators Capito and Barrasso also sent two other letters to FERC on this topic in June 2023 (requesting the technical conference) and November 2023 (recommending areas of focus for the conference).
    • In August 2023, Senator Capito led 38 other Republican senators in filing comments on the proposed Clean Power Plan 2.0, calling on the EPA to withdraw its plans to force the closure of coal and gas-fired power plants.
    • In June 2023, Senator Capito led 27 of her colleagues in urging EPA Administrator Michael Regan to extend the public comment period for the Clean Power Plan 2.0.
    • In May 2023, Senator Capito announced plans to lead efforts through the CRA to overturn President Biden’s Clean Power Plan 2.0 once it was finalized and published by the EPA.
    • In December 2021, Senator Capito led 47 senators and 44 House members on an amicus curiae brief filed in the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the petitioners, including the state of West Virginia, in the pending case West Virginia, et al. v. Environmental Protection Agency.
    • In 2015, Senator Capito and U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) successfully challenged then-President Obama’s original Clean Power Plan, which the Supreme Court later overturned, with CRA resolutions of disapproval on the administration’s rules targeting both existing and new power plants. The Senate approved both resolutions: S.J. Res 24 introduced by Senator Capito, and S.J. Res 23 introduced by Senator McConnell. The resolutions were vetoed by President Obama.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: New parent visa delivers on ACT commitment

    Source: ACT Party

    ACT Immigration spokesperson Dr Parmjeet Parmar is celebrating the delivery of an ACT coalition commitment in the form of the Parent Boost Visa.

    “The Parent Boost Visa aligns closely with the policy ACT campaigned on in 2023. I’m proud to see our commitment to a renewable, multi-year parent visa come to life, enabling migrants to spend meaningful time with their parents and grandparents.

    “The new visa means skilled migrants can come to New Zealand with confidence they can have their parents around when they welcome a new child, or when they need support during challenges or help with childcare.

    “Ultimately, this visa makes New Zealand a more attractive destination for the talent we need to drive economic growth. A skilled workforce means more productivity, stronger communities, and more prosperity for all New Zealanders.

    “ACT’s 2023 proposal differed slightly in that it would have included an annual fee to fund healthcare costs through a public health fund. The Parent Boost Visa’s alternative, a requirement for comprehensive private health insurance, serves a similar purpose in protecting New Zealand taxpayers.

    “ACT remains open to immigration reforms that attract the world’s brightest while protecting local taxpayers.”

    The Parent Boost Visa opens for applications on 29 September 2025.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: ACT responds to legislation to restrict farm-to-forest conversions

    Source: ACT Party

    Responding to the introduction of legislation to restrict farm-to-forest conversions, ACT Rural Communities spokesperson Mark Cameron says:

    “The Government is moving to address legitimate concerns in rural communities. Forestry is swallowing up productive farmland because the current system is rigged against those who feed the world,” says Mr Cameron.

    “Red tape and distorted incentives make it more profitable to plant pine trees than to run a farm.

    “There is more the Government could do to address the root of the problem. It could start by letting Kiwis offset their emissions overseas. There’s no reason we should be covering our own productive land in carbon farms when planting is cheaper and more efficient in other parts of the world.

    “It’s also time for a wider conversation about whether New Zealand’s Paris climate commitments are worth the cost.

    “Right now, our only options to meet these targets are blanketing the countryside in trees, or driving up costs on fuel, electricity and everyday goods. Neither of those is acceptable. We need to ask whether the pain is worth it.

    “Kiwi farmers are the best in the world at what they do – the freer they are to compete and grow, the better. ACT will keep backing farmers and rural communities.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: ACT MP welcomes changes to anti-stalking bill, calls for urgent action on newer forms of abuse

    Source: ACT Party

    ACT MP Laura McClure is welcoming changes made at select committee to strengthen the proposed anti-stalking law, but says more must be done to protect New Zealanders from modern forms of digital abuse, particularly sexually explicit deepfakes.

    “I’m pleased to see the Government respond to public concern about stalking with more robust and practical legislation,” says McClure.

    “Patterns of abusive behaviour deserve to be recognised by the law, and these changes will help victims seek justice.

    “But we can’t stop here. As technology evolves, so do the tools of harassment and abuse. Sexually explicit AI-generated deepfakes made without consent are a fast-growing threat, especially to young people and women.

    “I have a members’ bill in the ballot that would create a specific offence for the creation and distribution of non-consensual sexually explicit deepfake content. This should be adopted as a Government Bill.

    “Deepfakes are harming real people today, and the law is failing to keep up.

    “The same commitment to protecting stalking victims should extend to those targeted by synthetic sexual abuse. We need clear, targeted laws so police can act, courts can prosecute, and victims can get justice.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Climate activists dressed as lawyers would sacrifice farmers to the climate gods

    Source: ACT Party

    Responding to legal action from Lawyers for Climate Action NZ, ACT Rural Communities spokesperson Mark Cameron says:

    “This is a courtroom stunt by climate activists dressed as lawyers. They would sacrifice our rural lifeblood at the altar of climate ideology.

    “The clear goal of this challenge is to place more restrictions on Kiwi farmers. It’s the same tired approach we saw from Labour and the Greens.

    “Shutting farms down or burying them in regulation won’t save the climate. It will just shift food production offshore, cost us jobs, and make food more expensive.

    “New Zealand farmers are the most emissions-efficient food producers on the planet. We need to back them, which is what ACT is doing in government.

    “This government is right to back off from costly, unworkable policies that punish rural New Zealand. The idea that New Zealand – responsible for just 0.17% of global emissions – should wreck its economy to impress international activists is absurd.

    “ACT is committed to climate policies that are practical, not performative. We will back Kiwi innovation, not regulation for its own sake. We’ll support farmers, not sue them. We know that when farmers do well, all New Zealanders are better off.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Speech: Hon Andrew Hoggard to Federated Farmers at Fieldays

    Source: ACT Party

    ACT MP Hon Andrew Hoggard
    Federated Farmers Rural Advocacy Hub Speaking Engagement     
    Wednesday 11 June, 11:30 am 

    Good morning, everyone. 

    It’s great to be back, and thank you for the opportunity to speak here today. 

    I’d like to start by acknowledging the significant effort that’s gone into organising this year’s Fieldays Rural Advocacy Hub. These events don’t happen without a lot of hard work behind the scenes, and it shows. 

    I also want to acknowledge Federated Farmers and the many other farmer-led organisations who work tirelessly to support and advocate for the sector. 

    As a dairy farmer and a former President of Federated Farmers, I know firsthand how important your work is. Whether it’s in the regions or on the national stage, you give voice to rural communities, bring practical solutions to the table, and stand up for the interests of farmers and growers across New Zealand. 

    This Government is firmly committed to backing you—by reducing costs, cutting unnecessary red tape, and strengthening frontline support. 

    When I spoke at Fieldays last year, interest rates were a massive challenge for rural New Zealand. Make no mistake, that was Wellington’s fault. It was the hangover from a Labour-led pandemic response that pumped out easy money without a productivity boost to match.

    Now we’ve reined in waste, got inflation back to the target range, and farmers are finally seeing real interest rates relief. We need to do more to cut the waste in Wellington, because the less resource the Government sucks up, the more is left over for people like you out in the real world trying to grow things. 

    Over the past year, we’ve made real progress on red tape. We’ve started delivering on our promise to fix the resource management system and reduce the regulatory burden. 

    Amending intensive winter grazing and stock exclusion rules. Pausing the rollout of freshwater farm plans while we make them more practical and affordable, and halting the identification of new Significant Natural Areas. 

    Right now, we’re consulting on a package of proposals aimed at streamlining or removing regulations that are holding the primary sector back. 

    Most critically, we are consulting on changes to the NPS Freshwater 2020. There are several options being put forward. Now, if I remove my Minister hat and put on my ACT Party hat, we need to be bold. By that I mean Te Mana o te Wai needs to go. Worrying about the Paris Accord, whilst still a concern, is a sideshow compared to the hard calls we need to make with regards to RMA reform and the NPS Freshwater.

    Make no mistake, as a Party we have no interest in taxing the most carbon efficient farmers in the world, having methane targets far in excess of what is needed to play our part, sending billions offshore to be carbon neutral, or turning the lights off in homes or businesses through misguided energy policies.

    But if you ask me what area of policy scares me the most for the future of New Zealand farming, it is resource management and freshwater policy.

    Te Mana o te Wai has caused confusion amongst councils, and I see that if left in place its current trajectory will likely lead towards co-governance for regional councils, not just in policy but consenting as well, and policies that are based on vague spiritual concepts, not clear and simple water science balanced with societal needs.

    This debate will undoubtedly be noisy, but farming groups need to advocate strongly for clear unambiguous language in the NPS, individual farmers need to submit on what they are seeing and the stress this concept has caused many of them with regards to consenting.

    At the Treaty Principles Bill second reading debate many coalition party MPs stated that the Bill was too general, too broad-brushed, and that we should just focus on ensuring that we don’t have unclear language and vague concepts in future bills and policies. Well I would suggest that this NPS Freshwater is a good test for those statements. You will see plenty of MPs here for the next few days playing farmer dress up, make sure you let them know you expect them to keep their word.

    Now, while I’m being a staunch ACT MP I also want to give a shout out to the Regulatory Standards Bill, for many of you undoubtedly are thinking, why should I care about something that sounds that boring.

    Real simple. If this Bill had been in place during my Feds presidency it would have made the job so much easier, as it would have highlighted some of the more impractical and stupid regulations that were dreamed up. Even if it didn’t make the politicians think twice, at least the system would have shone a spotlight on the issues. We are so lucky that Bernadette Hunt got on the Hosking show and was able to show up some of the more daft parts of the winter grazing regs and they got changed within days, but they shouldn’t have got that far. That’s what the Regulatory Standards Bill will hopefully show up.

    But also, government doesn’t just take away your hard-earned dollars through its fiscal policies. It also can take away your property rights through its regulatory policies, so this Bill will ensure that if those property rights are taken away then compensation should be forthcoming. This whole concept has complete distaste from the Left, and some lukewarm reception from everyone else but ACT. So, if more protection for property rights is something you want to see, make sure you put your case forward for it.

    Okay, back to being a Minister, if I can just highlight some of the other Government work that is going on that is relevant for farming.

    In the health and safety space, we’ve got Brooke van Velden leading reforms to get rid of over compliance, reduce paperwork, and make WorkSafe helpful, not harmful. I’m especially pleased about her work to protect landowners from liability when they allow recreational activities like horse trekking, hunting, or hiking on their land. It’s about a shift from fear to freedom, opening up land for maximum enjoyment and enhancing the Kiwi way of life. 

    We’re also keen to empower farmers on the conservation front. I believe farmers are natural environmentalists. We live off the land, so we have every incentive to care for it. Many of us work to maintain stands of native bush or wetland on our land. For too long, the approach has been to punish this work, with councils looking at your land and saying, “that looks pretty, in fact that natural area looks ‘significant’ and you’re going to lose your property rights over that.” It’s all stick and no carrot. I think farmers deserve real credit for their contributions to biodiversity, and I’ll have more to say about that at the Beef + Lamb stall tomorrow.

    In this year’s Budget, we announced a 20% funding increase to tackle the spread of wilding pines—a major win for our landscapes and productive land. 

    Another important change in this year’s Budget is Investment Boost—a major new tax incentive to encourage business investment, support economic growth, and lift wages. 

    If you’re a farmer, tradie, manufacturer, or run any business, this matters to you. 

    When you invest in new equipment, machinery, tools, vehicles, or technology—you’ll now be able to deduct 20% of that cost immediately from your taxable income. 

    It’s a straightforward way to help reduce your tax bill and support decisions that lift productivity and grow your business. 

    To put it simply, we’re backing your success. 

    We want to see a thriving primary sector that’s not weighed down by complexity, but supported to innovate, grow, and lead. 

    I want to thank Federated Farmers, and many of you here, for the constructive role you’ve played in helping shape these changes. Your feedback is vital to making sure the final rules are workable, sensible, and fit for purpose. 

    Thank you again for the chance to be here, and for everything you do to keep this sector moving forward.

    All the best for a successful and enjoyable Fieldays. 

    Thank you.  

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Advocacy – Wellington hīkoi to parliament tomorrow against prison expansion

    Source: People Against Prisons Aotearoa (PAPA)

    On Friday, June 13, People Against Prisons Aotearoa (PAPA) is inviting concerned members of the community to a rally outside the Department of Corrections National Office in Pōneke (Wellington), to protest the Coalition Government’s expansion of Waikeria and Christchurch Men’s Prisons. After speeches, there will be a hīkoi to the lawn outside parliament.

    PAPA Wellington branch member Mallory Stevenson said “Adding more capacity to prisons will not address the injustices of our so-called justice system. We already know that the police and the courts lock up Māori extremely disproportionately. Expanding these systems just breaks apart more whānau, pushes Māori further into poverty. We need to meet people’s real needs, rather than just dumping billions of dollars into locking up the poor.”

    “The prison population is only growing because of totally reversible decisions this government has made. Despite evidence that longer sentences make it harder for people to reintegrate into society, they are choosing to lock more people up for longer.”

    An 810-bed expansion planned for Waikeria was announced in May of last year, and a 596-bed facility opened just a week ago. This year’s budget also announced a 292-bed expansion to Christchurch Men’s Prison. Paul Goldsmith’s recently passed Sentencing (Reform) Amendment Bill effectively provides a blanket increase to minimum sentences, interfering with the courts’ ability to make appropriate decisions.

    “If there’s an issue with prison overcrowding, it is an issue this government has created. We could be granting bail to the thousands of people on remand who haven’t been convicted of any crime and pursuing community-based solutions wherever possible. This government has taken every opportunity to defund services that actually help people and reduce crime. This government has defunded society so it can funnel cash to its billionaire supporters, and the prison crisis is the result. We deserve better.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Government Cuts – New Zealand’s ability to monitor geohazards weakened by science job cuts – PSA

    Source: PSA

    The centre providing 24/7 monitoring of geohazards will have to close at times as Government cuts force the centre workforce to be cut to the bone.
    The National GeoHazard Monitoring Centre, operated by GNS Science, provides round the clock monitoring of potential tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and landslides, and was set up after the Kaikoura Earthquake in 2016.
    Last year GNS Science announced plans to cut a quarter of the 20 strong team of Geohazard Analysts by attrition following funding cuts. Yesterday, with 18 of the team left, it called for voluntary redundancies and indicated that forced redundancies could follow if sufficient voluntary redundancies are not agreed.
    “Cutting the team to the bone means there is a high chance the centre will close at times when a team member falls sick or is unavailable for whatever reason – how is this keeping New Zealanders safe?” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association for Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
    Analysts work in teams of four, that is falling to three, but there must be at least two on each monitoring shift raising the risk of the centre closing due to staff absences.
    “The Government needs to explain to New Zealanders why it views that this service is not as important as it was two years ago, before its funding cuts.
    “Geohazard Analysts play a critical role in reviewing earthquake measurements to determine things like the magnitude and location of earthquakes and provide science advice to our emergency management services.
    “The Government’s decisions mean that this critical information may not be available to emergency management in times of need when lives are at risk. This is reckless for a country so vulnerable to geohazard risks like earthquakes and eruptions.
    “This government does not value the role of science as we have seen with more than 400 jobs cuts throughout the sector, and a restructure announced this year with no new funding.
    “The undermining of the National GeoHazard Monitoring Centre is yet another sad example of the Government’s short-sighted cuts that we have seen across the public sector with little regard to the impacts on New Zealanders.”
    Background
    In September last year GNS Science announced plans to axe 59 roles, 10% of its workforce following Government funding cuts. The cuts shocked the international science community – 85 scientists from seven countries wrote an open letter to the Government stating that the cuts risk ‘compromising essential geoscientific expertise and partnerships needed to address geohazards risks, which is critical for a country whose economy and community safety is so vulnerable to earthquakes, volcanoes, and climate change’.
    See PSA statement:
    The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: CFTC, SEC Further Extend Form PF Amendments Compliance Date

    Source: US Commodity Futures Trading Commission

    CFTC, SEC Further Extend Form PF Amendments Compliance Date | CFTC

    /PressRoom/PressReleases/9085-25
    Skip to main content

    June 11, 2025

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Commodity Futures Trading Commission, together with the Securities and Exchange Commission, extended the compliance date for the amendments to Form PF that were adopted February 8, 2024. The compliance date for these amendments, which was June 12, 2025, has been extended to October 1, 2025. The release provides that Form PF filers should continue to file the current version of Form PF until the date the release is published in the Federal Register.
    Form PF is the confidential reporting form for certain SEC-registered investment advisers to private funds, including those that also are registered with the CFTC as commodity pool operators or commodity trading advisers. This extension will provide more time for filers to program and test for compliance with these amendments.

    -CFTC-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Global Economic Barometers show signs of relief in June – KOF

    Source: KOF Economic Institute

    The Coincident and Leading Barometers rise slightly in June, breaking a sequence of three consecutive declines. However, the outlook for global economic growth remains lower in the first half of the year than expected at the beginning of the year.

    In June, the Global Economic Coincident Barometer rises by 1.4 points to 93.8 points, with increases across all three major analyzed regions. The Leading Barometer, in turn, rises modestly by 0.4 points to 96.5 points, driven only by an increase in the Western Hemisphere region, while the other regions move in the opposite direction.

    “In particular the Western Hemisphere – including the United States and its nearest trading partners – has this month shown clear signs of relief in the survey data underlying the two global economic barometers. The pause, and potentially the de-escalation, of the US-initiated trade war has led to improved assessments of both the current situation and outlook. However, given the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the international political landscape, it is unsurprising that these improvements do not indicate a clear recovery, let alone an upswing”, evaluates KOF Director Jan-Egbert Sturm.

    Coincident Barometer – regions and sectors

    The 1.4-point increase in the Coincident Barometer in June results from a positive contribution of 0.9 points from the Western Hemisphere indicator, followed by 0.4 points from Asia, Pacific & Africa and 0.4 points from Europe. With this result, the Western Hemisphere indicator

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Economy – US inflation cools again – but Fed won’t be rushed to cut rates: deVere CEO

    Source: deVere Group

    June 11 2025 – Markets are eyeing the Federal Reserve with fresh optimism after US inflation (CPI) data came in just below expectations for the fourth straight month – but investors should not expect a rate cut just yet, warns the CEO of one of the world’s largest independent financial advisory and asset management organizations.

    The May Consumer Price Index (CPI) showed annual inflation at 2.4%, matching forecasts but undershooting April’s 2.5%.

    Core inflation eased slightly to 2.8% year-on-year, versus the expected 2.9%. Both headline and core readings point to gradual disinflation – but the Fed is unlikely to move quickly, says deVere.

    Nigel Green, CEO of deVere Group, comments: “Inflation is cooling – but not decisively – and with tariffs now feeding back into prices while the real economy is slowing, the Fed finds itself boxed in.

    “We expect the central bank to stay on hold next week and likely through the summer. Even if markets begin pricing in cuts again, September remains uncertain.”

    The inflation data follows a resilient US jobs report last Friday, which showed continued tightness in the labour market despite signs of economic softening.

    “Wage growth is still strong. Consumer demand is still running. But at the same time, business investment is faltering and debt issuance is surging. It’s a precarious balance,” says the deVere chief executive.

    He notes that while markets may interpret the below-forecast inflation numbers as a green light for easing, it is premature.

    “Today’s data is helpful – but not decisive. The Fed wants to see a consistent, broad-based decline in inflation across services and goods before cutting. We’re not there yet.”

    In the meantime, tariffs are acting as a counterforce to disinflation, especially as a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that President Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs could stay in force while it considers whether the White House has the legal authority to impose the levies.

    “Tariffs are inflationary by design. They’re now pushing against the Fed’s disinflation goal at exactly the wrong moment – just as growth indicators begin to crack,” warns Nigel Green.

    Against this backdrop, the deVere CEO urges investors to reassess portfolios urgently.

    “Markets are walking a tightrope. Betting heavily on near-term rate cuts could be costly. Investors should remain positioned for policy stagnation, not relief.”

    He adds: “Sectors with real pricing power and cost flexibility – such as automation, energy, and selected infrastructure – remain attractive. At the same time, the debt-heavy, rate-sensitive parts of the market are at risk.”

    deVere also continues to flag concerns in the bond market. “With US debt issuance at record levels and foreign demand weakening, yields are likely to stay elevated. That has major implications for asset pricing and refinancing risk across the economy,” says Nigel Green.

    The firm advises clients not to stay in cash. “Opportunities exist, especially globally. But you have to be active. Sitting on the sidelines might feel safe, but inflation still erodes value, and the volatility is creating entry points.”

    Looking ahead to the second half of the year, deVere expects sentiment to oscillate between hopes for easing and fears of stagnation.

    “Markets want a story. Today’s CPI gave them a narrative of progress. But the Fed won’t cut on sentiment. It will wait for data – and that data remains mixed.”

    He concludes: “The inflation fight isn’t over. The economy is showing cracks. Tariffs are complicating everything. The Fed won’t be rushed, but the markets will keep guessing. Our message: don’t guess. Get positioned correctly, now.”

    deVere Group is one of the world’s largest independent advisors of specialist global financial solutions to international, local mass affluent, and high-net-worth clients.  It has a network of offices around the world, more than 80,000 clients, and $14bn under advisement.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WATCH: On House Floor, Pressley Condemns Trump’s ICE Raids, Calls for Solidarity with Immigrant Neighbors

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

    “From my home in the Massachusetts 7th… to Los Angeles, where Donald Trump sent the National Guard and Marines to descend on justice-seeking peaceful protestors – the hurt and harm of this hostile White House is felt by us all.”

    “We need solidarity and resistance and a rejection in this moment of these attacks on our immigrant communities. An attack on our immigrant communities is an attack on all of us.”

    Video (YouTube)

    WASHINGTON – Today, in a fiery floor speech, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) delivered a blistering condemnation of Donald Trump’s campaign of terror against immigrant communities, which have inflicted unspeakable trauma on families across the nation and done nothing to make our country safer.

    In her remarks, Congresswoman shared heartbreaking stories of families in the Massachusetts 7th impacted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) unlawful raids, condemned Trump’s deployment of the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles, and called for urgent solidarity with our immigrant neighbors.

    A full transcript of her remarks as delivered is available below, and the full video is available here.

    Transcript: On House Floor, Pressley Condemns Trump’s ICE Raids, Calls for Solidarity with Immigrant Neighbors

    House of Representatives

    June 11, 2025

    Mr. Chair,

    I rise today on behalf of our neighbors and community members, immigrants, our immigrant brothers and sisters who are being targeted and abducted, taken from their homes, torn away from their babies, disappeared on their way to church, work, and to school.

    Children crying in their teachers’ arms, families separated, communities traumatized. If they’ve not already been kidnapped, fearful that they will be.

    Children crying in their teachers’ arms afraid that they’re going to come home and their parents will be gone.

    Elders carrying all of their medications with them in their comings and goings for fear of being abducted and sent somewhere without access to necessary healthcare.

    We see a spike in no-shows and cancellations in health clinics as patients would rather miss critical care than risk detainment.

    We see young parents and grandparents alike attending their immigration court hearings, eager to officially call this country home, only to be met with handcuffs and shoved into cars by masked ICE individuals.

    This is Donald Trump’s America.

    But these are real people. Hardworking people whose labor and contributions make our communities a better place.

    Young people who show up every day in our schools as part of our learning communities.

    These are mothers and fathers working overtime to provide for their children.

    In my district, the Massachusetts 7th, my Chelsea constituent Kenia and her three children were driving to a Mother’s Day church service with her husband Daniel when ICE agents in unmarked vehicles ambushed them, broke the passenger’s side window, forcefully extracted Daniel from the car, and slammed his face on the sidewalk while their three watched on in horror.

    And in East Boston, my constituent Mercedes and her son are struggling after her husband Jose was arrested at work and detained for two days at an ICE facility in Burlington.

    Jose was living here legally with Temporary Protected Status but was told by the ICE agents who detained him that “only people born here have rights.”

    These are real people. Real people – children and adults alike – traumatized, whose lives have been disturbed, upended, and irreparably harmed.

    Donald Trump and ICE claim that they are committing this assault on our communities in the name of safety.

    Terror makes no one safe. It does the opposite. It sows chaos, it breeds fear, and it fosters unrest.

    From my home in the Massachusetts 7th – where mothers have wept on my shoulder, pleading for their husbands to come home, for their families to be reunited – to Los Angeles, where Donald Trump sent the National Guard and Marines to descend on justice-seeking peaceful protestors – the hurt and harm of this hostile White House is felt by us all.

    This has nothing to do with law and order. That is laughable coming from the most Godless, lawless Oval Office occupant in our history.

    This has everything to do with power and control.

    Deploying the National Guard without a governor’s approval, taking unwarranted and unprecedented action against peaceful justice-seekers and freedom fighters.

    We must see our neighbor’s humanity in this moment.

    Yet across the country, occupant Trump is working overtime to be a fascist dictator, to weaponize our government against its own people, to sow fear and chaos, to silence dissenting voices in our communities, at our colleges, in the courts and in fact, even in Congress.

    These actions are lawless – a complete violation of our constitutional rights to due process – void of common sense and compassion.

    Know this, for those of you watching at home, who might be tempted to think that this is not your problem:

    An extremist march towards fascism is everyone’s problem. Trust me, if you’re not already suffering, you will be.

    And we need solidarity and resistance and a rejection in this moment of these attacks on our immigrant communities.

    An attack on our immigrant communities is an attack on all of us.

    As a woman of faith, my God tells me to welcome the stranger. Do not be indifferent to the suffering of your neighbors.

    Immigrants make our country a better place. Immigrants make America great. And our immigrant brothers and sisters deserve to call this country home.

    I yield back.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –