NewzIntel.com

Category: DJF

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Presses US Forest Service Chief on Wildfire Preparedness Amid Mass Layoffs & Funding Freezes at Hearing on Forest Service Budget

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    ICYMI: Murray, Schrier, Larsen, WA Colleagues Urge U.S. Forest Service to Reinstate Fired Employees Critical to Wildfire Response, Timber Harvest

    ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s exchange with Schultz***

    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, questioned Chief of the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Tom Schultz, at a Senate Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing on the president’s fiscal year 2026 budget request for the Forest Service. During her questioning, Senator Murray highlighted the critical importance of Forest Service workers, and how the firing of these employees puts wildfire preparedness in jeopardy. Senator Murray also questioned how it is remotely realistic for the Forest Service to meet the demands of President Trump’s Executive Order aiming to increase timber output from federal lands by 25 percent while the Trump administration is right now cutting budgets, delaying funding, freezing hiring, and reducing staff across the agency.  

    In her opening comments, Vice Chair Murray said:

    “As everyone knows, we’re approaching wildfire season. In my home state of Washington, wildfires are a constant threat as you well know—and when we invest in fire prevention, we save lives, we save entire communities. One of the most important investments we make is in the people who do that work.

    “But President Trump is throwing all of that work into jeopardy right now. He’s pushed out nearly 7,500 skilled employees across the Forest Service, either by firing them outright or pressuring them to leave under threat of losing their job later down the line. That includes at least 500 Forest Service employees in the Pacific Northwest. But we hardly know the full scope of the damage because the administration won’t share critical information with us.

    “I have spoken with countless Forest Service workers from Washington state who loved their job, they played an important role fighting those fires and are gone now—thanks to Trump.

    “Setting aside the proposal for a consolidated firefighting agency, this Budget proposes a $1.4 billion cut, that is 40 percent, to the Forest Service’s non-fire programs at a time when our nation’s trees, from our backyards to backcountry, are under stress and we need to step up the pace of forest health and resiliency to withstand these catastrophic wildfires.

    “On top of all that, the Forest Service has illegally withheld federal funds to help reduce wildfire risk and is currently not distributing $97 million to support state, rural, and volunteer fire departments.

    “That is a huge threat to our communities I represent in Washington state who have told me personally: this administration is putting them in danger by gutting our ability to respond to wildfires.

    “So, Chief Schultz, I do appreciate your service to our country.

    “I realize you are not making all the decisions here, but I have a number of important questions today, and I hope you can provide this committee with the information we do need.”

    [MASS FIRING OF FOREST SERVICE EMPLOYEES]

    Senator Murray began by highlighting the importance of Forest Service employees, from combatting wildfires to maintaining trails, and questioned Chief Schultz on the reasoning behind these mass firings: “Now, as I mentioned—I am profoundly concerned about this administration’s reckless decision to mass fire and push out essential Forest Service employees across the country. The Administration claimed that no firefighters have been fired, but the reality is on the ground, we have lost workers whose jobs are absolutely essential. Nearly every single Forest Service worker supports fire operations in some capacity. Trail maintenance crews, for instance, ensure access to routes remain clear for firefighting personnel and equipment. Biologists conduct essential environmental assessments that inform prescribed burns and fuel reduction strategies. Other support staff—ecologists, engineers, maintenance workers, camp managers—receive firefighting training and they are actually mobilized during peak fire season to bolster our frontline firefighting crews.”

    “So, Chief Schultz, was there any formal analysis conducted to determine the potential effect of the mass firings for wildfire preparedness?” asked Senator Murray.

    “So, I’ll try to just clarify a few things. So, in terms of a mass firing, we did not have a mass firing,” Chief Schultz replied.

    Senator Murray pressed, “I’m talking about across the board, pushing people out, early retirement, among other things.”

    Chief Schulz said, “Right, I just want to clarify. So, we did have two rounds of that deferred resignation program, and that was about 4,200 people that left voluntarily.”

    “Because they didn’t know what was coming, right?” Senator Murray followed up.

    “Right…I don’t disagree with you. And we had another 600 that took voluntary early retirement. So, there were incentives for people to leave. Now in terms of—we did not know who was going to leave obviously, it was a voluntary process. So, what we’ve done is, when they did leave, we’ve been moving people to—we call that lateral movement—we’ve been doing that across the agency. We’ve moved probably close to six- or seven-hundred people to fill those critical vacancies. When it comes to the fire piece, specifically, we have, I think I mentioned earlier, about 1,400 people that have fire quals that did leave. And we have reached out to those folks to secure their services this fire season, to see if they want to come back on a voluntary basis, to function on their…” Chief Schultz replied.

    Senator Murray called back to her initial question, “It just seems really ridiculous that it was done this way. Which was my question, actually. Was there an analysis done before this was all done, to realize the impacts of these people that you’re now trying to find and bring back?”

    “Well Senator, so we couldn’t do the analysis. So, we didn’t know who was going to leave, because it was voluntary, right? We didn’t go handpick who was going to leave,” Chief Schultz dodged.

     
    “Well, I want to get on. But the stakes are life and death here, and this really raises serious alarms about this agency being ready for this critical fire season,”     Senator Murray said.

    [UNPREPARDENESS FOR WILDFIRE SEASON]

    Senator Murray continued by emphasizing the consequences of these mass firings on wildfire preparedness across the country: “Interior Secretary Burgum recently told this Committee that on-the-ground wildfire operations would not be affected by the administration’s staffing cuts across various agencies. But we know that’s not true. In the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, one firefighter barracks recently and abruptly lost power. And it stayed without power not for a few hours or a day—but for weeks. Why? Because the maintenance workers in that Forest had been pushed out the door. There was no ability to put even a small purchase on a credit card because the card limit was drastically decreased. And there was no one left to process a basic contract to get that repair done. This is what happens when administrative staff disappear. It’s not just an inconvenience—it directly affects whether firefighters have a safe place to sleep, whether they have power, whether they can be deployed effectively. Maybe Elon didn’t care about the maintenance crew but turns out they’re pretty important. And this is not an isolated incident. I’ve heard so many stories: administrative staff responsible for coordinating travel for crews when a fire breaks out—gone. People who made sure fire response teams had their fuel and supplies ready—they’re gone. And all of this is happening as we now head straight into what is going to be a dangerous fire season in Washington state.”

    “So, Chief Schultz, tell us: do you believe the Forest Service is ready for wildfire season, given this absence of critical administrative and support staff, do you believe they are ready?” Senator Murray asked.

    “Yes, I do believe they’re ready. And then some of the credit card issues you’re talking about, we have adjusted those. We’ve had increases in cards, and we’ve—again we’ve been moving people into lateral positions to ensure critical vacancies that we can clear them to fill those,” replied Chief Schultz.

    “Well, I can just tell you from the ground, it feels like we are not prepared for this wildfire season. You just said we were. We’ll see what happens. But I fear I’m going to be right,” stated Senator Murray.

    [RESOURCES STRIPPED FROM TIMBER]

    Senator Murray moved on to the sale of timber, President Trump vows to increase output while reneging funding and resources, effectively crippling the ability of the Forest Service to produce timber at all: “The President supposedly wants to increase timber output from federal lands by 25 percent. Here’s the problem. This same Administration is simultaneously cutting budgets, delaying funding, freezing hiring, and reducing staff at the Forest Service—the very agency that is responsible for that work. So how exactly is that going to work? Who’s going to consult with tribes, who’s going to lay out the sale plans, who’s going to mark the timber, who’s going to manage compliance, and issue contracts when field offices have already been literally decimated? Is the expectation Chief Schultz—is it really the expectation that these fewer people, with fewer resources, less support, can somehow deliver work, at a faster pace and with greater complexity? How is that realistic?”

    Chief Schultz responded, “I think it’s an iterative process. We don’t have all the answers today, but in terms of how we’re going to get there, we’re going to, again, fill critical vacancies. We’re also going to have to lean on partners differently. So, the states in Washington, they have a very aggressive Good Neighbor program.”

    “The states are being relied on for just about, virtually everything. And I got to tell you, firefighters don’t sit—as my partner from Oregon knows—they do not sit in one state,” stated Senator Murray.

    “That’s right. But to your point though, we are going to be working with partners in a different way. We’re going to have different kind of contracting terms that we’re going to have looking at longer term contracts,” replied Chief Schultz.

    Senator Murray pressed, “Well, that begs the question, so do you have some kind of plan for this? It’s going to be executed over the next year? Because the wildfire season is here right now, and critical employees are not in place.”  

    “So, when it comes to the wildfire season, yes, ma’am, we do have the critical folks in place. When it comes to administering the timber program that you’re talking about, we’re building that right now. So that’s part of what we’re doing. Is we’re building that, that process, those interim operating plans, we’re working on that right now,” said Chief Schultz.

    “When will we see that?” followed up Senator Murray.

    “You know, I would suspect in the next couple months we’ll have that whole plan figured out how we’re going to execute that for the next four years. That’s what we’re working on right now,” Chief Schultz responded.

    Senator Murray said, “Okay, thank you.” 

    ___________________________________

    Senator Murray is a leading voice pushing back against the Trump administration’s attacks on federal agencies, including NOAA and the U.S. Forest Service, that support disaster preparedness and response in Washington state and across the country. Last month, Senator Murray held a press conference with Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and wildfire officials in Washington state and Oregon to sound the alarm on how the Trump administration’s funding freezes and punishing cuts to the workforce at the U.S. Forest Service and other key agencies are seriously undermining wildfire preparedness and response in Washington state and Oregon and putting communities at risk. Senator Murray is working to secure critical investments in wildfire suppression and mitigation—and in our firefighters. Last year, as Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, she secured nearly $22 million in funding for wildfire risk reduction projects across Washington state as part of the USFS Wildfire Crisis Strategy. In the Interior and Environment appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2024, she worked to include essential investments in wildfire preparedness and suppression. And in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, she secured $25 million in funding for wildfire mitigation projects across Washington state.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy on Senate Floor: Reestablishing American Energy Dominance Starts in Louisiana

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

    [embedded content]

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) delivered a speech on the U.S. Senate floor highlighting Louisiana’s energy abundance and detailing how unleashing American energy will benefit American families, the economy, and our national security.
    “The benefits of unleashing American energy go beyond our borders. President Trump’s America First policies are good for the U.S., good for Louisiana, and good for the world,” said Dr. Cassidy. 
    “America has the resources. We have an abundance. Let’s put it to use,” concluded Dr. Cassidy. 
    Background
    In January, Cassidy released a statement applauding President Trump’s executive order to lift the Biden administration’s harmful pause on liquefied natural gas (LNG) export permitting. In March, Cassidy was joined by U.S. Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) in reiterating support for President Trump’s approach to American energy. 
    Last year, immediately following the Biden administration’s announcement that they would freeze pending applications for LNG export permits, Cassidy led 25 of his Republican colleagues in condemning the decision. Cassidy later delivered a speech on the U.S. Senate floor blasting the decision. In February 2024, Cassidy penned an op-ed with U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) in the Houston Chronicle underscoring the devastating economic, environmental, and national security impacts of the LNG export freeze.
    Cassidy also introduced the LNG Security Act to reverse President Biden’s LNG export ban and require the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to approve LNG exports to all countries that have imported, currently import, or are capable of importing Russian or Iranian natural gas. Additionally, he introduced the Unlocking Domestic LNG Potential Act, which depoliticizes the export of American LNG. It eliminates the requirement for the DOE to authorize exports and instead gives the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) sole authority over the approval process. 
    Cassidy’s remarks as prepared for delivery are below:
    Louisiana fuels the world.
    That is what we say in my state. And that is true.
    Louisiana accounted for more than 60% of U.S. energy exports last year. The United States is the world’s largest LNG exporter—Louisiana has some of the largest export terminals in the world.
    And it’s a whole-of-state initiative! A lot of the gas that we export is produced in the Haynesville shale, which is in Northwest Louisiana.
    And that gas comes down to Cameron LNG in Hackberry, Louisiana. That one is capable of exporting 12 million metric tons of LNG per year.
    Cheniere Energy in Cameron Parish. 30 million metric tons of LNG per year.
    Venture Global in Plaquemines Parish. 27 million metric tons of LNG per year, and it is growing.
    President Trump wants to reestablish American energy dominance. That dominance starts in Louisiana.
    Louisiana has the infrastructure, the strategic location, and most importantly the workers to put America back on top.
    Louisiana’s ports, railroads, highways, and pipelines provide an outlet for gas and oil from landlocked states to export through our ports.
    Some oil is transported by rail. And the only place in the United States of America where six major freight railway carriers converge is in—you guessed it—Louisiana. 
    Our fully integrated, 50,000-mile pipeline network and 11,000 miles of state highways make Louisiana an obvious choice when considering which states can best transport these goods.
    We’re positioned where the Mississippi River drains into the Gulf of America.
    Besides our LNG export terminals, we have six combined deep draft ports.
    Louisiana moves oil and gas, and we also move the refined products of that oil and gas, which is part of fueling the world.
    Louisiana is critical to production and distribution of fuel and fuel products.
    I’m making these points because reestablishing American energy dominance is about creating better jobs—higher-paying jobs—changing the trajectory of a family in my state and across the nation. 
    By the end of President Biden’s term, after four years of attacks against American energy production, the Department of Energy reported tens of thousands of jobs lost.
    But tens of thousands of jobs is a statistic! **These are real people, real families we’re talking about!
    Think of the young couple with children who have lost their job!
    The wife immediately wonders how they’re going to pay the house note.
    The husband feels as if he’s letting his family down.
    The kids see conflict that was never there before between the parents.
    Those are human stories and those stories are relived over and over when those jobs are killed. Not because the fuel is not needed, but because the last administration decided they didn’t like it. 
    That was the case for tens of thousands of Americans under President Biden. His war on American energy was a war on American jobs, which is a war on American families.
    That war on the American family is over. I recognize, President Trump recognizes, that American energy dominance fueling our state, our country, and the world—and along with it, giving enough product for the manufacturing of the refined products that we all need—creates with it the high-paying jobs for the Americans who should never have been out of work in the first place. 
    Woodside Energy recently announced the largest single foreign direct investment in Louisiana history: a $17.5 billion investment in Calcasieu Parish for a new LNG export facility.
    It will support 15,000 jobs during construction and, once operational, thousands more after it’s built.
    By the way, there are other things we do with this plentiful, abundant energy! There are wonderful spin-offs!
    Last month, Hyundai Steel announced a $5.8 billion investment to build a new, next-generation steel production facility in Ascension Parish. The facility is expected to generate $4.1 billion in annual revenue and will bring nearly 1,500 direct jobs to the state, plus thousands of indirect jobs.
    That’s low-cost energy paving the way for more opportunity!
    By the way, this benefits my state, our nation, but guess who else it benefits? Our allies!
    Europe imports 45% of its LNG from the United States. Now they still get 20 from Russia, and the rest from Qatar and other countries.
    But WE send them 45% of their LNG. Before the Russia-Ukraine war, it was only 27%!
    We have a bill before Congress now to put even stricter sanctions upon Russia. If the Europeans buy even less gas from Russia, they’ll need more gas from us.
    We can make up that difference.
    With our LNG export facilities and with our gas, I want to send MORE natural gas from the Haynesville shale, through those LNG export facilities, across the Atlantic Ocean, creating tax revenue for my parish governments and wealth for my workers—to help their national security, to help our economy, to help my working families.
    The European Union using more U.S. LNG hurts Vladimir Putin’s war machine.
    Last year, the EU paid 22 billion euros for Russian natural gas, and Putin used that for his war machine.
    Next year, if the Europeans buy that much U.S. natural gas, that’s $25 billion coming to OUR economy!
    After Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine in 2022, America stood up against Putin. Europe did too. Let’s help them do it even more so.
    We can help them by saying, “Don’t buy Putin’s gas to fuel his war, buy OUR gas.”
    Louisiana is ready to help.
    America has the resources. We have an abundance. Let’s put it to use.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Five killed in gas explosion in apartment building in Armenia

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    YEREVAN, June 11 (Xinhua) — Five people were killed and 11 hospitalized in a gas explosion that occurred in an apartment building in the eastern Armenian city of Chambarak on Wednesday, according to preliminary data, the rescue service of the country’s Interior Ministry said.

    It is noted that the explosion occurred due to a gas leak in one of the apartments on the third floor of the building. As a result of the explosion, apartments on the second, third and fourth floors collapsed. In addition, apartments in the neighboring entrance were partially damaged.

    Three of the injured were taken to medical facilities in Yerevan. The condition of the others is assessed as moderate.

    A working group has been created at the local mayor’s office to eliminate the consequences of the incident. A criminal case has been opened and an investigation is underway. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The final of the national stage of the “Chinese Language is a Bridge” competition was held in Armenia

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    Yerevan, June 11 (Xinhua) — The final of the national stage of the World Chinese Language Proficiency Contest among students and secondary school pupils “Chinese is a Bridge” was held in the capital of Armenia on Wednesday. It was jointly organized by the Chinese Embassy in Armenia and the Confucius Institute of the Yerevan State University of Foreign Languages named after Valery Bryusov.

    Five students from the country’s leading universities and 10 schoolchildren from different grades from three cities took part in the competition. They delivered welcoming speeches, recited poems, sang songs and performed short stage productions in Chinese.

    Welcoming the participants, Chinese Ambassador to Armenia Li Xinwei noted that even the simplest communication clearly highlights the important role of language as an intercultural bridge and reflects the sincere friendship between the peoples of China and Armenia.

    “Learning Chinese helps people gain a deeper understanding of the rich Chinese culture, penetrate the spiritual world of the Chinese people, and become ambassadors of people-to-people exchanges between our countries. It also creates a solid foundation for cultural exchanges and mutual learning between China and Armenia,” Li Xinwei said.

    Rector of Yerevan State University of Foreign Languages named after V. Bryusov David Gyurjinyan admitted that he was impressed by the results of the competition.

    The winners of the competition were Yerevan State University student Laura Arakelyan, Gyumri Academic College student Sos Vardanyan and Nor Hachin school student Robert Zakharyan. They will travel to China to participate in the global stage of the “Chinese Language is a Bridge” competition. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Number of Chinese tourists in Belarus is growing due to increase in flights from China — Ministry of Sports and Tourism

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    MINSK, June 11 /Xinhua/ – The number of Chinese travelers to Belarus is actively growing, which is facilitated by the increase in flights from China, Deputy Director of the Tourism Department of the Ministry of Sports and Tourism of Belarus Ekaterina Goncharenok said on Wednesday. The relevant information was published by BELTA.

    “The main flow of tourists to Belarus are Russians. They make up about 80 percent of all arrivals. The number of tourists from China is also growing very actively, which is facilitated by the increase in flights from China. Flights have been opened not only to Urumqi, but also to Xi’an,” noted E. Goncharenok.

    The head of the information department of the Belarusian state institution “National Tourism Agency” Ekaterina Alekseyeva added that familiarization tours are also organized in Belarus for foreigners, including citizens of China. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: LEADER JEFFRIES: “HOUSE REPUBLICANS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO STOP THE GOP TAX SCAM”

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

    Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries held a press conference with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer where they urged House Republicans to use their second chance to do the right thing and stop the GOP Tax Scam.  

    LEADER JEFFRIES: It’s an honor and a privilege to be joined today by Leader Chuck Schumer. We’ve been working closely with Leader Schumer and Senate Democrats in a unified way to stop the Republican One Big, Ugly Bill from ever becoming law. Later on today on the House Floor, Republicans will have an opportunity to stop the GOP Tax Scam and address the concerns that have been raised by dozens of House Republicans with respect to the damage that the One Big, Ugly Bill will do to everyday Americans. The GOP Tax Scam represents the largest assault on healthcare in American history. More than 16 million Americans will lose access to healthcare in the United States of America as a result of the One Big, Ugly Bill. Hospitals will close, nursing homes will shut down and people will die because they’ll lose access to the medical care that they need. Tens of millions of additional Americans will pay higher premiums, co-pays and deductibles.

    There are more than a dozen House Republicans who have indicated that they don’t support cutting Medicaid for the people that they represent. Those House Republicans have a chance to stop this bill from even being sent over to the United States Senate by voting no on the rule today. Other House Republicans have indicated that they don’t support the cuts to the clean energy tax credits that have generated jobs and economic opportunity in their communities. Yet somehow, mysteriously, they voted for the One Big, Ugly Bill a few weeks ago. But now, these House Republicans have the ability to stop the GOP Tax Scam from being sent over to the United States Senate.

    It’s strange to me that you have Republicans who voted for a bill that they apparently disliked, and then publicly sent a letter to their Senate Republican colleagues to say, stop these provisions from ever becoming law. I mean, that’s the height of irresponsibility. Vote yes and then hope for the best. No, you have a job to do in the House of Representatives, and now you have a second chance to actually stop this One Big, Ugly Bill and the provisions that you disagree with, whether that’s the cuts to Medicaid or the cuts to clean energy tax credits, or the prohibition against regulating artificial intelligence across all 50 states or the aggressive overreach that many Republicans have complained about in terms of trying to strip away the ability of federal courts to issue contempt orders against an out-of-control executive branch. Every single one of those Republicans, dozens of them, now have an opportunity to actually act responsibly. Vote no against the rule that will be on the Floor of the House and stop the GOP Tax Scam from even going over to the United States Senate. I’m thankful again for the leadership and presence of Chuck Schumer. It’s now my honor to yield to him.

    Full press conference can be watched here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Aguilar Announces Over $5 million to Improve and Expand HIV Prevention and Treatment Services in San Bernardino

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Pete Aguilar (31 CD Ca)

    Today, Rep. Pete Aguilar announced $5,306,794 in grant funding for the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health to expand access to and improve HIV prevention, early intervention and treatment services for underserved communities in San Bernardino County. 
    “Everyone in our community deserves access to quality health care and treatment options to prevent the devastating effects of HIV,” said Rep. Pete Aguilar. “This grant funding represents a significant step forward in expanding early intervention and treatment services across San Bernardino County, bringing us closer to ending this disease and ensuring no one is left behind.”
    “Securing funding through the HIV Emergency Relief Project Grants and the Ending the HIV Epidemic Program represents a major advancement in San Bernardino County’s efforts to address HIV prevention, care, and treatment. These funds will enable the Department of Public Health and community partners to expand access to critical medical and support services, enhance testing and prevention efforts, and ensure individuals living with or at risk of HIV receive the comprehensive care they need. We are deeply committed to improving health access, strengthening our public health infrastructure, and making measurable progress in ending the HIV epidemic within our communities,” said Josh Dugas, Director of the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health.
    The funding comes as part of four grant awards secured under the Biden-Harris Administration from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources & Services Administration. Included in the funding is $2,444,965 from the FY25 HIV Emergency Relief Project Grant Program, $1,076,917 from the FY25 Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, $122,744 from the FY25 Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part C Early Intervention Services (EIS) Grant Program and $1,662,168 from the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part A HIV Emergency Relief Grant Program.  Rep. Aguilar serves as Chair of the House Democratic Caucus and as a member of the House Committee on Appropriations.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Statement at Open Meeting on Further Extension of the Form PF Compliance Date

    Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

    Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for being here. This is an open meeting on the 11th of June 2025 of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission under the Government in the Sunshine Act. Commissioners Hester Peirce, Caroline Crenshaw, and Mark Uyeda are also present.

    Today the Commission will vote on extending the compliance date for the most recent amendments to Form PF. Currently, the compliance date for these amendments is tomorrow, June 12, 2025, but I support extending the compliance date to October 1, 2025. The initial compliance date for these amendments was March 12, 2025. In January, the SEC and CFTC jointly extended the compliance date to June 12, 2025. Notwithstanding the prior three-month compliance extension, we have received credible commentary that the current timeline simply does not provide private fund advisers with sufficient opportunity to interpret, implement, and test their systems to ensure accurate and consistent reporting. From my experience with complex technology projects, I sympathize with those points. It is evident to me that additional time is required for dialogue with filers, review of the reasonableness of the data demands, and review of the actual utility of the information collected.

    The most-recent changes to Form PF will necessitate costly upgrades to internal infrastructure, increased coordination across business units, and integration with third-party vendors. These tasks are inherently complex and require extensive testing to ensure accuracy. Rushing this process increases the likelihood of data errors, which defeats the entire stated purpose of the form—to enhance systemic risk monitoring.

    Form PF was first introduced in 2011 and has subsequently been amended three times, most recently in February 2024. Each time the form has been amended, it has required advisers to provide additional information and more granular data. As a result, even without the most recent amendments, Form PF imposes significant compliance burdens on the private fund industry. The complexity of the form, in addition to the ever-evolving nature of its demands has required advisers to seek costly legal and compliance support to complete it accurately. These costs divert resources away from advisers’ core investment functions.

    Therefore, in addition to our action today, I have directed the staff to undertake a comprehensive review of Form PF. I have serious concerns whether the government’s use of this data justifies the massive burdens it imposes. We should work hard to keep our information requests to a minimum, requesting only what is needed and no more. As the saying goes, “Measure twice, cut once.” While this important work is being done, private fund advisers will continue to provide a wealth of information on the prior version of Form PF.

    I’d like to thank the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the CFTC for their agility in responding to these concerns.

    Now, I’ll turn the meeting over to Natasha Greiner, Director of the Division of Investment Management, for the staff’s recommendation.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Files Amicus Brief Supporting Challenge to the Trump Administration’s Unlawful Freeze to Federal Research Funding for Harvard

    Source: US State of California

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta this week, as part of a coalition of 21 attorneys general, filed an amicus brief in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts in support of Harvard University’s motion for summary judgment in President and Fellows of Harvard College v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Service, a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s freeze of federal funding for research grants at Harvard University. In their brief, the attorneys general argue that the freezing and termination of Harvard’s research grants would pose an existential threat to universities, disrupt state’s economies, public health efforts, and the pipeline for the next generation of researchers. 

    “The Trump Administration is going after Harvard because it refused to bend to its unprecedented – and blatantly unlawful – demands,” said Attorney General Bonta. “In California, we remain committed to upholding and protecting the constitutional and civil rights of our educational institutions and their students. I’m proud to stand with Harvard in ensuring that we continue to protect our students, their wellbeing, and their freedom of speech.”

    In April 2025, Harvard filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts arguing that the Trump Administration exceeded its statutory and constitutional authority and violated the First Amendment in freezing, terminating, and refusing to issue or continue research and other grants in retaliation for Harvard’s refusal to restructure its internal governance, change its hiring and admissions practices, and modify what it teaches its students to align with the government’s views.

    In the amicus brief, the coalition urges the court to grant Harvard’s motion for summary judgment, arguing that the Trump Administration’s unlawful freeze of federal funding poses an existential threat to the university which will (1) impact the state’s economy, (2) threaten current jobs and businesses, (3) halt career development for promising new scientists debilitating the pipeline for future innovators, and (4) prevent research for lifesaving medicines and transformative technologies with the potential to improve the health and lives of residents.

    Harvard’s contributions to Massachusetts are a prime example of the significant impact research universities can have. Since its founding in 1636, Harvard has been critical to Massachusetts’s flourishing, directing billions of dollars to the state’s businesses and organizations and driving countless of innovations in medicine and technology. In addition, Harvard is one of Massachusetts’s largest employers and frequently collaborates with state and local partners on initiatives that support the local economy.

    In filing the amicus brief, Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys generals of Massachusetts, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.

    A copy of the amicus brief can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen receives new commanding officer in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico

    Source: United States Coast Guard

     

    06/11/2025 04:06 PM EDT

    Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen celebrated their change of command at the Base Borinquen aircraft hangar in Aguadilla, Wednesday. In the ceremony, Capt. Jeffrey P. Owens relieved Capt. Lawrence D. Gaillard as Air Station Borinquen’s commanding officer before unit members, aviators, shipmates, partner agency representatives, family and friends, who witnessed the formal transfer of command authority from one commanding officer to the next. Capt. Willie L. Carmichael, Seventh Coast Guard District chief of staff, presided over the ceremony in which he presented Gaillard with the Coast Guard Meritorious Service Medal (gold star in lieu of a third award) recognizing his achievements during the three-year tour. Under Gaillard’s leadership, Air Station Borinquen achieved extraordinary success in executing 5,400 flight hours, encompassing 423 Search and Rescue missions with 1,088 lives saved, or assisted. His decisive leadership enabled the successful completion of 49 law enforcement cases, resulting in the interdiction of 729 undocumented aliens and the seizure of 51 million dollars in illegal narcotics.

    For more breaking news follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: President Trump Signs Executive Orders on Drones, Flying Cars, and Supersonics

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Whitehouse
    WASHINGTON, DC – President Trump has signed three executive orders that will accelerate domestic drone production, secure our airspace, and position America to once again lead the world in supersonic technology.
    “Decades of regulatory gridlock have grounded advancements in drones, flying cars, and supersonic flight in the U.S. With today’s EOs, the Trump Administration is giving America’s innovators greater ability to test, develop, and commercialize these cutting-edge aircrafts that will reshape aviation,” said White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Michael Kratsios. “President Trump’s actions will unleash a new era of American aviation dominance, fostering innovation, driving economic growth, and protecting our national security.
    Burdensome red tape has hindered homegrown drone innovation and grounded progress in supersonic flight for generations. Today’s executive orders accelerate domestic drone innovation, secure supply chains, reduce reliance on adversarial nations, repeal regulations that stalled supersonic flight, and assert U.S. leadership in emerging aviation sectors. They also enable routine beyond line-of-sight operations, which will empower our domestic drone economy to assist with critical infrastructure, emergency response, and long-distance cargo and medical delivery.
    The executive orders also create a pilot program testing flying cars, also known as electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, for EMS, air taxis, cargo, and defense logistics. The eVTOL pilot program builds on the successes of President Trump’s 2017 drone pilot program, highlighting how President Trump’s actions continue to put America in a position to lead.
    Additionally, these orders address the growing threats from criminal, terrorist, and foreign misuse of drones inside U.S. airspace. This administration is securing our borders against aerial threats by cracking down on unlawful drone activity and prioritizing real-time detection and identification of drones to safeguard national security. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: The One Big Beautiful Bill Will Supercharge Our Economy

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Whitehouse
    Today’s inflation report brought more welcome news that prices are down and wages are up — and that progress will be supercharged with President Donald J. Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill.
    Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent told Congress how the One Big Beautiful Bill — the largest tax cut in history — will boost that progress for middle-class Americans and the private sector without fueling inflation:
    “The One Big Beautiful Bill will raise take-home pay between $7,800 and $13,300 for the average family of four. It will increase wages between $6,100 to $11,600 for the average worker.” (Watch)
    “Not only does the One Big Beautiful Bill add $500 to the Child Tax Credit, it makes it permanent.” (Watch)
    “It will cement No Tax on Tips, No Tax on Overtime, and tax cuts for seniors.” (Watch)
    “The One Big Beautiful Bill will make the 2017 tax cuts permanent. This will provide individuals and businesses with certainty and build economic momentum.” (Watch)
    “The legislation will provide 100% expensing for new factories, as well as existing factories that expand operations and support Made in America.” (Watch)
    “The legislation will provide … the ability to buy a new American-made car and deduct the interest.” (Watch)
    “This bill will allow us to prevent our corporate revenues from being drained into foreign treasuries — and that is in the hundreds of billions of dollars.” (Watch)
    If the One Big Beautiful Bill doesn’t pass, “it would be cataclysmic. It would be the largest tax hike in history. It would be a disaster for businesses, for working Americans, and for our status in the world … We would see increases in taxes of thousands of dollars on working Americans, we would see businesses contract and we would see a substantial increase in the unemployment rate.” (Watch)

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM call with Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sánchez

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    PM call with Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sánchez

    The Prime Minister spoke to the Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sánchez this evening, following today’s historic agreement to secure the future of Gibraltar.

    The Prime Minister spoke to the Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sánchez this evening, following today’s historic agreement to secure the future of Gibraltar. 

    Prime Minister Sánchez congratulated the Prime Minister on his leadership, adding that his government had succeeded where others had failed. 

    Both leaders also agreed that this development unlocks huge opportunity to advance the bilateral relationship between the UK and Spain, on behalf of the British and Spanish people.

    They looked forward to meeting in person soon.

    Updates to this page

    Published 11 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM call with Chief Minister of Gibraltar Fabian Picardo: 11 June

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    PM call with Chief Minister of Gibraltar Fabian Picardo: 11 June

    The Prime Minister spoke to the Chief Minister of Gibraltar Fabian Picardo this evening, to congratulate him on today’s historic agreement to secure the future of Gibraltar. 

    The Prime Minister spoke to the Chief Minister of Gibraltar Fabian Picardo this evening, to congratulate him on today’s historic agreement to secure the future of Gibraltar. 

    He thanked him for his years of hard work, commitment, and leadership to reach an agreement – adding that it was fantastic to see that it had been profusely welcomed by all sides. 

    Both agreed that this would unlock a secure future for the people and businesses of Gibraltar, allowing them plan for the long-term while protecting British sovereignty.

    Updates to this page

    Published 11 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Dmitry Grigorenko told young civil servants and students about the digital model of managing state projects

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    On the eve of Russia Day, Deputy Prime Minister – Chief of the Government Staff Dmitry Grigorenko told students and young civil servants about the model for managing key government projects. The event was held at the Government Coordination Center as part of the educational project of the Knowledge Society.

    In his speech, the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that digitalization has become the main tool for implementing large-scale government initiatives. Thus, the Government uses a digital management model to control more than 10 thousand events under Russia’s national projects. This allows real-time monitoring of the construction of schools and hospitals, the modernization of the urban environment, the development of electric transport and other areas.

    During a visit to the Government Coordination Centre, the event participants saw practical examples of how data is collected and analysed to make management decisions.

    “Digitalization is not just a trend, but a powerful management tool. Today, modern technologies, including big data, are the most effective way to control and implement both local and large-scale projects. For example, we actively use the digital management model in the implementation of national projects, state programs and other strategic initiatives. It is important for us to share experience so that the new generation can learn from real cases, adopt best practices and avoid repeating mistakes,” Dmitry Grigorenko emphasized.

    At the end of the meeting, students and young civil servants asked the Deputy Prime Minister questions of interest to them, including about the digitalization of the legislative process. As Dmitry Grigorenko noted, in the near future, routine procedures can be automated using artificial intelligence, but the substantive work – analysis and decision-making – will remain with people.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Coalition of 18 Attorneys General Issue Statement in Support of California’s Lawsuit Challenging Unlawful, Undemocratic Federalization of State National Guard

    Source: US State of California

    Wednesday, June 11, 2025

    Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

    OAKLAND – Today, a coalition of 18 attorneys general issued a statement condemning the Trump Administration’s unlawful federalization of the California National Guard and supporting California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s lawsuit against President Donald Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and the U.S. Department of Defense:

    “The president’s decision to federalize and deploy California’s National Guard without the consent of California state leaders is unlawful, unconstitutional, and undemocratic.

    “The federal administration should be working with local leaders to keep everyone safe, not mobilizing the military against the American people.

    “As the chief law enforcement officers of our states, we are proud to protect our communities and oppose violence in any form. We support Attorney General Bonta in his challenge to the Trump administration’s illegal conduct.

    “We oppose any action from this administration that will sow chaos, inflame tensions, and put people’s lives at risk – including those of our law enforcement officers.”

    The statement was jointly issued by the attorneys general of New York, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, and Vermont.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Public can share opinions at open house on two projects coming to SR 155 in Omak

    Source: Washington State News 2

    OMAK – It is once again time for voices to be heard, a road to be paved and a bridge to be built.

    Omak residents will have a chance to give feedback on projects planned for two locations on State Route 155 during an open house at Omak City Hall Monday, June 16.

    During the projects, contractor crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation will replace a bridge on SR 155 Spur over the Okanogan River. As part of a Complete Streets and paving project near East Omak Elementary, crews will also pave sections of the highway and improve bicycle and pedestrian facilities within city limits.

    These projects are scheduled for construction in 2026 and 2028.

    At the open house, WSDOT project staff will be available to share details of the project and receive feedback. Those unable to attend the in-person meeting can participate through an online open house. 

    SR 155 and SR 155 Spur projects open house

    When:  5–7 p.m. Monday, June 16

    Where:  Omak City Hall, 2 Ash St. N.

    Details:  Project team members will be available to explain the project, answer questions and take comments. A translator fluent in Spanish will be present. There is no formal presentation. Attendees are welcome to drop by anytime during the two-hour event. 

    Free internet access
    Free, temporary internet access is available to those who do not have broadband service in locations throughout in the area, including: 

    • Omak Community Library, 30 Ash St. N.
    • Wenatchee Valley College – Omak, 116 Apple Ave. W.
    • Omak School District, 619 W. Bartlett Ave.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: COLUMN: Walker: Your Money, Your Future: Delivering Real Tax Relief

    Source: US State of Georgia

    By: Sen. Larry Walker, III (R–Perry)

    Across Middle Georgia, folks are working hard to provide for their families, and every dollar matters. Whether you’re filling up your gas tank, checking out at the grocery store, or trying to cover your utility bill, the cost of living has gone up. I’ve heard it from farmers in Pulaski County, parents in Houston County, and retirees in Laurens and Dooly…Georgians are stretched thin.

    This year, we delivered real relief. I’m proud to report that the General Assembly passed two crucial measures, House Bills 111 and 112, to put more money back in your pocket and help ease the strain on household budgets.

    HB 111 reduces Georgia’s personal income tax rate from 5.39 percent to 5.19 percent, with a plan to reduce it even further to 4.99 percent in the coming years. While that may sound like a small number, it adds up in a big way for working families. Those savings will show up in take-home pay across our state, giving folks more flexibility to cover everyday costs.

    We know that when government takes in more than it needs, it should return the surplus to the people who earned it, not spend it on bureaucracy or pet projects. That’s why we also passed HB 112, which sends a one-time refund to Georgia taxpayers. The Department of Revenue is now issuing these checks. If you filed both your 2023 and 2024 tax returns on time and have no outstanding debt to the state, you can expect to receive a refund of $250 if you filed as a single taxpayer, $375 if you filed as head of household or $500 if you filed jointly as a married couple. It’s a direct result of responsible, conservative budgeting and the third year in a row we’ve been able to return excess revenue to Georgia families.

    We’re doing all this while still fully funding critical priorities. Our budget includes investments in school safety, teacher pay raises, mental health services, and rural healthcare infrastructure. We’ve supported hurricane recovery efforts and made sure our rural communities aren’t left behind. In fact, our state’s economy remains strong. Georgia’s net tax collections for May were up more than nine percent from last year, thanks in part to strong individual and corporate income tax returns. That’s not just good news for the state, it’s proof that our conservative approach is working.

    To my constituents in the 20th District, these policies were written with you in mind. Whether you’re running a small business in Eastman, tending a family farm in Cochran or living on a fixed income in Hawkinsville, this tax relief matters. It means fewer hard choices at the end of the month. It means peace of mind when planning for the future.

    I’ve always believed that Georgians know how to spend their money better than the government does. As Chairman of the Senate Insurance and Labor Committee and a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I take that belief seriously. It’s my job to protect your hard-earned income and ensure the state lives within its means.

    Georgia didn’t become the best state to do business by accident. We got here through discipline, smart policy and a deep respect for the taxpayer. This year’s tax relief package is just the latest chapter in that story, and I’ll keep fighting to make sure it’s not the last.

    If you have questions about your rebate or how these changes might affect your family or your business, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office. It’s an honor to serve you, and I remain committed to building a stronger, more affordable Georgia—one that works for every family in our part of the state.

    # # # #

    Sen. Larry Walker serves as Secretary of the Majority Caucus and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Insurance and Labor. He represents the 20th Senate District, which includes Bleckley, Dodge, Dooly, Laurens, Treutlen, Pulaski and Wilcox counties, as well as portions of Houston County.  He may be reached by phone at (404) 656-0095 or by email at Larry.Walker@senate.ga.gov.

    For all media inquiries, please reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Stein Urges Senate Leaders to Support NC Economy By Protecting IRA Tax Credits

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Stein Urges Senate Leaders to Support NC Economy By Protecting IRA Tax Credits

    Governor Stein Urges Senate Leaders to Support NC Economy By Protecting IRA Tax Credits
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    Today Governor Stein urged Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Senate Finance Committe Chair Mike Crapo, and North Carolina Senators Ted Budd and Thom Tillis to reconsider the U.S. House of Representative’s efforts to end the energy and manufacturing tax credits that the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 created. These tax credits have helped North Carolina emerge as a top state for clean energy business investment.

    “Our state’s clean energy economy is booming, and companies’ decisions to locate their clean energy advanced manufacturing facilities in North Carolina have brought jobs and opportunities to our state,” said Governor Josh Stein. “H.R. 1’s abrupt changes to these credits would jeopardize much of this investment, stifle the demand that many companies were counting on, and conflict with the goals of reshoring manufacturing that the Trump Administration has championed. H.R. 1 would weaken our economy, raise utility prices on consumers, and undermine our national security.”

    Since the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 passed, more than $24 billion in clean energy technology investments have been announced across North Carolina. These announcements include batteries for storage and vehicle applications, solar panels, cells, and wafers, electric vehicle charging stations, transformers, critical minerals, and a wide variety of grid-enhancing products. These businesses already or will soon employ tens of thousands of people, in addition to the more than 100,000 people already employed in North Carolina’s clean energy sector. The U.S. House budget resolution’s repeal of these tax credits would threaten jobs in North Carolina and put billions of dollars in investments at risk. 

    Moreover, H.R. 1 could cause a significant cost in electricity prices for North Carolinians – a more than 13 percent increase for households and a more than 20 percent increase for businesses. In total, if these tax credits were repealed, an average North Carolina family could expect to pay $200 more per year to power their homes. 

    Read Governor Stein’s letter calling for the US Senate to protect IRA tax credits here.  

    Jun 11, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 148 Democrats back noncitizen voting in DC as GOP raises alarm about foreign agents

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11)

    Originally Published in Fox News on June 10, 2025.

    The majority of House Democrats voted in favor of allowing non-citizens to participate in Washington, D.C. elections on Tuesday.

    The House of Representatives passed a bill led by Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, to prohibit non-U.S. citizens from voting in elections in the nation’s capital.

    It passed 266 to 148, with 56 Democrats joining Republicans in passing the measure. One Democrat voted “present,” while 148 voted against the bill.

    “I believe strongly in not having federal overreach, but we have jurisdiction, Congress has jurisdiction over Washington, District of Columbia…and we don’t like to utilize our jurisdiction and our authority, but in this case, they’ve gone too far,” Pfluger told Fox News Digital in an interview before the vote.

    D.C.’s progressive city council passed the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act in 2022, granting non-U.S. citizens the ability to vote in local elections if they’ve lived in the district for at least 30 days.

    Noncitizens can also hold local elected office in the D.C. government.

    The local measure has been a frequent target of GOP attacks, with Republican national security hawks raising alarms about the possibility of hostile foreign agents participating in D.C. elections.

    But progressive Democrats like Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., who spoke out against the bill on Tuesday afternoon, have dismissed that as an implausible scenario. 

    “Republicans claim that Congress has a constitutional duty to legislate on local D.C. matters, but this is historically and legally incorrect. Republicans legislate on local D.C. matters only when they think they can score political points, such as by demonizing immigrants,” Frost said during debate on the House floor.

    “They only bring it up to the floor when they think they can score political points, taking away the democratic rights of people here in D.C. and home rule.”

    Frost also argued that it was “highly unlikely” foreign officials would vote in those elections, claiming they would have to “renounce their right to vote in their home country” and because “D.C. has no authority in federal matters.”

    But Pfluger, who spoke with Fox News Digital before the vote, was optimistic that it would get at least some Democratic support.

    He noted that 52 Democrats voted for the bill when it passed the House in the previous Congress. It was never taken up in the formerly Democrat-controlled Senate, however.

    “It’s hard to go back to your district as a Democrat and say, yeah, I want foreign agents to be able to vote in our elections – ‘Oh yeah, it’s not federal elections,’ some may say. But it has an impact on the way the city is run,” Pfluger said.

    “This could be Russian embassy personnel, they could be Chinese embassy personnel – a number of folks. It’s just wrong. It goes against the fabric of our society,” he added.

    Another bill receiving a vote on Tuesday is legislation that would grant D.C. police the ability to negotiate punishments via collective bargaining, and would help shield the capital’s police force from at least some liability by installing a statute of limitations against the Metropolitan Police Department. 

    That legislation was introduced by New York Republican Rep. Andrew Garbarino.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: GOP bill seeks to ban and deport visa holders who support Hamas amid wave of antisemitic violence in America

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11)

    Originally Published in Fox News on June 11, 2025.

    FIRST ON FOX: New legislation would broadly ban any visa holders who support Hamas or other designated terror groups from remaining in the U.S. 

    The Terrorist Inadmissibility Codification Act, led by Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, expands current law under the Immigration and Nationality Act to ban any members of Hamas, Hezbollah, al Qaeda, ISIS and Palestine Islamic Jihad from entering or remaining in the U.S. – in addition to anyone who endorses or espouses the activity of these groups. 

    “There is no place in America for foreign adversaries or terrorist sympathizers. As our nation faces a disturbing rise in antisemitic and illegal alien terror attacks, along with increasing pro-Hamas sentiment on our college campuses,” Pfluger said in a statement. “We must take action to ensure our borders are secure from those wishing harm against Americans.”

    The bill comes after a wave of antisemitic attacks in light of Israel’s offensive campaign in Gaza that followed Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks. 

    The Trump administration has started revoking student visas of those who engage in pro-Gaza protest activity. The State Department paused new student visa interviews late last month while it restructures the vetting process. 

    The Immigration and Nationality Act already bars individuals who engage in terrorist activity, are members of designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations or who provide material support to such groups. However, much of this is interpreted on a case-by-case basis, often requiring evidentiary thresholds such as proof of direct involvement or financial or material aid. It is subject to the whims of administrative designations. 

    The Terrorist Inadmissibility Codification Act seeks to broaden these standards by codifying that mere endorsement or espousal of terrorist groups’ ideology could be grounds for inadmissibility or deportation. 

    This could signal a shift from conduct-based immigration enforcement to speech- or association-based scrutiny: even those who are not formal members of foreign terrorist organizations could have their speech scrutinized for support of such groups. 

    An attack in Boulder, Colorado, on June 1 on a group gathered to raise awareness about hostages gathered in Gaza was the latest in a string of violence believed to be antisemitic in nature. 

    The suspect, Mohammed Sabry Soliman, told police he wanted to “kill all Zionist people” and is accused of throwing Molotov cocktails at demonstrators. 

    In May, a young Washington, D.C., couple was killed outside the Capital Jewish Museum by a suspect who shouted “free Palestine” following the shooting.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn, Lankford Introduce Bill to Stop Funding ‘Gender Transition’ Procedures

    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: Boozman Touts Arkansas National Security Contributions, Cites Military Installation Vulnerability to Drone Threat

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas – John Boozman

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) secured public support from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General John Caine for several Natural State military missions and support capacities during a Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee hearing. He also expressed concerns about the potential for drone attacks on domestic military assets in light of the latest Ukrainian operation against Russia’s air force.

    Boozman highlighted the recent graduation of two Polish pilots at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith, the first to complete the F-35 Foreign Military Sales pilot training, and emphasized the program’s importance.

    “[This is] an accomplishment we’re very excited to see repeated,” Boozman said before inviting Hegseth to explain “the importance of training our partners and allies on American systems and how that enables mission readiness and deterrence around the world.” 

    “Our ability to project power by, with and through allies is one of the most important force multipliers that we have. The training of their people, and military-to-military training, creates enduring bonds over generations that we’re then able to leverage for future capability. I’m encouraged to hear about those two graduations. I know it keeps our defense industrial base robust and also projects capabilities to allies and partners,” Hegseth responded. 

    The senator then addressed the depletion of munitions amid conflicts in Ukraine and Israel while raising the need to adequately re-stockpile this capability through our organic industrial base as well as through private industry efforts, including in south Arkansas.

    “I had the opportunity of taking your predecessor to Camden, Arkansas, to see the great work our industry partners are doing to help solve the problem, however, the Department’s organic industrial base also fills important capability gaps,” Boozman said. “Where can we invest more to fix that?” he continued. 

    “One of my jobs as Chairman is to make sure the youngsters have the combat capability they need, at scale, before they need it. My hope is that we can raise everybody’s capacity through changing the culture not only in munitions production but across the entire national and defense industrial base, encourage competition to keep the prices down, write better contracts and increase the overall capacity,”Caine answered.

    Boozman has repeatedly championed investments in Camden and the industries that produce some of the world’s most effective weapon systems and munitions, including recent expansions by RTX, General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin and Aerojet Rocketdyne – an L3Harris Technologies company. 

    The senator, who chairs the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee, also took the opportunity to underscore how vulnerable U.S. installations remain to potential attacks and asked Hegseth how Ukraine’s successful Operation Spider’s Web has changed the way we defend military infrastructure and installations from emerging threats like armed drones. 

    “Even before that operation, it’s something we put on the forefront of our planning. Cheaper, commercially available drones with small explosives represent a new threat. That day, we met to evaluate that we’re doing enough. It’s a critical reality of the modern battlefield that we have a responsibility to address,” Hegseth explained.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: RELEASE: Senators Mullin and Coons Introduce World Franchise Day Resolution to Celebrate Entrepreneurs Across the Country

    US Senate News:

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

    RELEASE: Senators Mullin and Coons Introduce World Franchise Day Resolution to Celebrate Entrepreneurs Across the Country

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) and Chris Coons (D-DE) introduced a resolution to commemorate June 11th, 2025, as World Franchise Day. This resolution highlights the importance of franchising for entrepreneurship, job creation, and community and economic development.

    The franchise model promotes entrepreneurship by offering individuals an opportunity to pursue the American Dream and own their own business. Franchising is a proven business model that offers the benefits of brand awareness, and ongoing support, which are critical for success.

    “I am proud to recognize today as World Franchise Day in honor of the thousands of franchised businesses across Oklahoma, this country, and the world, that support their communities,” said Senator Mullin. “We celebrate the global community of franchising for their contributions and innovation within the business landscape.”

    “Everyone in America deserves the chance to pursue their American dream,” said Senator Coons. “For many families, franchises are a way to become entrepreneurs and build the life they want while supporting their community. I’m excited to be able to shine a light on this engine of opportunity with Senator Mullin, because Congress should recognize all the tools our constituents have at their disposal to unleash their entrepreneurial spirit.”

    Background:

    • Franchising is used in over 200 industries – childhood education centers, action parks, spas, hardware stores, health care laboratories, home remodeling and repair services, salons, campgrounds, hotels, fitness clubs, auto shops, pet stores, tax preparation offices, restaurants, and more.
    • 830,876 franchise businesses across America.
    • 8.8 million direct jobs supported by franchise establishments.
    • $896.9 billion in economic output for the economy.

    Full text of the World Franchise Day Resolution can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Mullin Calls out Gavin Newsom on Hannity: “The guy should be thanking President Trump”

    US Senate News:

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

    ICYMI: Mullin Calls out Gavin Newsom on Hannity: “The guy should be thanking President Trump”

    “President Trump isn’t having it. He’s going to stand up for people, period.”

    Washington, D.C. – On Tuesday, U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) joined Fox News’s Sean Hannity on Hannity to react to Governor Gavin Newsom’s (D-CA) abysmal handling of the violent riots taking place in Los Angeles. The senator noted that if Governor Newsom doesn’t protect his constituents, President Trump will, and that liberal leadership—Kamala Harris, Eric “Mr. Fang Fang” Swalwell, Adam Schiff, Nancy Pelosi, Gavin Newsom, and Maxine Waters—have ruined a once, beautiful state. Highlights below.

    Sen. Mullin’s full interview can be found here.

    On what California has become under Newsom’s rule:

    “Well, here’s a guy [Governor Newsom] that has a state that underneath his reign as governor has lost 3 million people leaving the state. They rank number one in murders in the nation. They have number one cost of living, a high cost of living. They have the number one highest prices in the nation…

    “The guy absolutely should be thanking President Trump right now for trying to restore law and order because the only thing Governor Newsom is good at right now is sucking…

    “The guy has literally ran California into the ground. I mean, here California is a beautiful state, but at the same time, they have poor leadership. Look, they gave us Kamala Harris. They gave us Mr. Fang Fang himself, Eric Swalwell, Maxine Waters, Nancy Pelosi, Adam Schiff, and you’re thinking, ‘what type of leadership do they have there on the West Coast of California?’ Because things are going completely backwards. I mean why isn’t California thriving like the rest of the country?”

    On how President Trump—whether the left likes it or not—will protect them:

    “They’ve gotten so far to the left that they can’t come back to the center. Even when President Trump is trying to support them at restoring law and order, they have to be anti-Trump because that’s where the Democrat base is at. It’s anti-anything that Trump supports, no matter how right or how good it is for even their state…

    “Let’s look at what’s happening right now in California. People’s civil rights are being destroyed because San Francisco, LA, and California want to become a sanctuary city and state and allow illegals to do just what they’re doing right here. And President Trump isn’t having it. He’s going to stand up for people, period.”

    On how Newsom needs to be fired by California:

    “I’ve never fired anyone for making a mistake. I’ve fired a lot of people for not admitting they made a mistake. Gavin Newsom needs to be fired as governor. There is no way this guy should be running that state…

    “He can’t admit he made a mistake. That’s why he needs to be fired. Let’s unpack a few things that he said there, right? Like he said that President Trump just wanted to escalate it. He forgets to remember that the chief, LA police chief, literally said that he was overwhelmed, and he needed help…

    “He’s such a liar that you can’t believe anything coming out of his mouth. And can you believe this guy actually thinks he can be president of the United States? He may actually be worse than Joe Biden if he were to get elected President of the United States.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: RELEASE: Senators Mullin and Booker Reintroduce the Prescription Information Modernization Act

    US Senate News:

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

    RELEASE: Senators Mullin and Booker Reintroduce the Prescription Information Modernization Act

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) reintroduced the “Prescription Information Modernization Act of 2025”. This bill will enable the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to implement a rule that allows drug manufacturers to share prescribing information electronically in order to reduce waste, improve efficiency, and ensure that healthcare professionals have access to the latest drug information.

    Prescribing information is crucial for healthcare professionals to make informed decisions about prescriptions. Unfortunately, under current regulations, this information is required to be printed which leads to excessive paper use and the distribution of outdated materials.

    “This common-sense legislation is long overdue and will have an immense impact on both our healthcare professionals and patients,” said Senator Mullin. “Electronic prescriptions will simplify how providers access and manage data, improving efficiency without compromising quality.”

    “Our health care system should adapt to the latest technological advances so that people can receive efficient, quick, and effective care like never before,” said Senator Booker. “Right now, drug manufacturers and health care providers are still forced to rely on printed materials to access and manage prescription materials. This bipartisan legislation will pave the way for electronic prescriptions and modernize our health care practices.”

    The legislation is supported by the following organizations: The Alliance to Modernize Prescribing Information, Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP), Allergy & Asthma Network, American Pharmacists Association, AmGen, Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, Association for Accessible Medicines, Beyond Type 1, Biotechnology Innovation Organization, BioNJ, BioUtah, Boomer Esiason Foundation, Environmental Paper Network, Georgia Bio, Healthcare Distribution Alliance, HealthCare Institute of New Jersey, LUNGevity Foundation, Lupin, Maryland Tech Council, MassBio, McKesson, National Association of Chain Drug Stores, National Consumers League, National Grange, NewYorkBIO, North Carolina Biosciences Organization, Texas Healthcare and Biosciences Institute, and Zero Cancer.

    Full text of the ‘‘Prescription Information Modernization Act of 2025’’ can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: The leading risk factor for cancer isn’t what you think

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Kristen Haase, Associate Professor, Nursing, University of British Columbia

    International guidelines say that all older adults should have a geriatric assessment prior to making a decision about their cancer treatment. (Shutterstock)

    If you were to ask most people what causes cancer, the answer would probably be smoking, alcohol, the sun, hair dye or some other avoidable element. But the most important risk factor for cancer is something else: aging. That’s right, the factor most associated with cancer is unavoidable — and a condition that we will all experience.

    Why is this important? Older adults are the fastest growing population in Canada and globally. By 2068, approximately 29 per cent of Canadians will be over age 65. With cancer being one of the most common diseases in older adults and one of the most common diseases in Canada, it means we need to think about how to provide the best cancer care for older adults.

    Demographic shift

    So how are we doing so far? The answer is: not great. This may be surprising, but we also have a great opportunity to innovate and prepare for this demographic shift in cancer care.

    International guidelines — including those from the American Society of Clinical Oncology — say that all older adults should have a geriatric assessment prior to making a decision about their cancer treatment. The most widely used models of geriatric assessment involve a geriatrician.

    With cancer being one of the most common diseases in older adults and one of the most common diseases in Canada, it means we need to think about how to provide the best cancer care for older adults.
    (Shutterstock)

    Consultation with a geriatrician for an older adult allows the oncologist and older adult to engage in a conversation about cancer treatment armed with information. Things like how treatment might affect their cognition, their function, their existing illnesses (which most older adults have when they are diagnosed with cancer), and the years of remaining life.

    Importantly, geriatricians centre their assessment on what matters most to patients. This approach anchors any decision about cancer around the wishes of older adults and their support system. When diagnosed with cancer, older adults undergo many tests and measures of function, but the evidence supports that these are not as accurate as geriatric assessment for identifying problems that may be below the surface.

    Care in Canada

    In Canada, there are currently only a handful of specialized geriatric oncology clinics. The oldest clinic is in Montréal at the Jewish General Hospital, followed closely by the Older Adult with Cancer Clinic at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto, led by Shabbir Alibhai, one of the authors of this story. As researchers, we are in touch with clinics in Ontario and Alberta that have told us they have geriatric oncology services under development, so we hope to see new programs soon.

    These clinics aren’t just good for patients. In fact, a study led by Shabbir Alibhai demonstrated a cost savings of approximately $7,000 per older adult seen in these clinics. If we map this onto the number of older adults diagnosed with cancer in Canada every year, this represents a huge cost savings for our public health system. Despite this overwhelming evidence, this is still not routine care.

    In Canada, there are currently only a handful of specialized geriatric oncology clinics.
    (Shutterstock)

    In British Columbia, there are currently no specialized services for older adults with cancer. Over the last five years, Kristen Haase — also an author of this story — has been working with colleagues to understand whether these services are needed and how they could help older adults with cancer in B.C.

    This work involved conversations with more than 100 members of the cancer community. The research team spoke with older adults undergoing cancer treatment, who sometimes had to relocate for cancer treatment. Other participants included caregivers who cared for elderly family members during their cancer treatment and described numerous challenges they faced, and volunteers who ran a free transportation service — a service also mostly staffed by older adult volunteers.

    The research team also heard from health-care professionals: oncologists, nurses, physiotherapists and social workers. The latter group coalesced around the need for additional supports within the cancer care system so they could do their job well, and best support older adults.

    The results indicate that both those working in the system and those using the system want and need better support.

    Barriers to care

    So where are we now and why don’t we have these services across Canada?

    Cost is obviously a barrier to any health-care service. But with evidence that any costs will be offset by demonstrated cost savings, this is a non-starter.

    Health human resources are one huge restriction. Geriatricians are in high demand and there is low supply. However, nurse-led models have also been shown to be successful. With the expanding role of nurse practitioners across Canada, this option has huge potential to innovate care, and at a lower cost.

    There is an opportunity to innovate models of care that are targeted to those who need services the most: those who are most frail, are most likely to benefit from tailored care, and will reap the most benefit in terms of quality of life.
    (Shutterstock)

    Another reason is good old inertia. Our clinical care model in oncology has remained mostly intact for over three decades. It is primarily a single physician-driven model. Although modern therapies for cancer have emerged at a breathtaking pace and have been introduced into clinical practice, it is much harder to change the model of care, particularly for strategies such as geriatric assessment that are harder to implement than a new drug or surgical/radiation technique.

    The last, and perhaps the most difficult to pin down of all potential reasons for the absence of specialized cancer services for older adults, is agism. Agism is discrimination based on age. It is one of the most common forms of discrimination and it is deeply embedded in many of our systems. Imagine a scenario where children diagnosed with cancer couldn’t access a pediatrician. We would collectively be outraged. Yet somehow, we accept this for older adults.

    Due to the overwhelming number of older adults who are and will be diagnosed with cancer in the coming years, it will never be possible for all of them to receive specialized geriatric services. But there is an opportunity to innovate models of care that are targeted to those who need services the most: those who are most frail, are most likely to benefit from tailored care, and will reap the most benefit in terms of quality of life.

    Stratifying these programs around those who need them the most will also have the greatest financial impact. And if personal stories of improving quality of life for older adults with cancer or international guidelines don’t move decision-makers, hopefully cost savings will.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. The leading risk factor for cancer isn’t what you think – https://theconversation.com/the-leading-risk-factor-for-cancer-isnt-what-you-think-253834

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Sanctuary cities can’t protect people from ICE immigration raids − but they don’t actually violate federal law

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Benjamin Gonzalez O’Brien, Professor of Political Science, San Diego State University

    While sanctuary policies for immigrants have grown in the U.S. since the 1980s, the Trump administration is the first to challenge them. Marcos Silva/iStock/Getty Images Plus

    The Trump administration plans to send special response teams of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to conduct immigration raids in four cities run by Democratic mayors, NBC news reported on June 11, 2025, citing two unnamed sources familiar with the planning process.

    NBC reports that New York City, Philadelphia, Chicago and Seattle are four of the five places that would be affected by this deployment, as well as northern Virginia. These cities are also among the other major metropolitan hubs – as well as more than 200 small towns and counties and a dozen states – that over the past 40 years have adopted what are often known as sanctuary policies.

    Special response teams are tactical units under ICE that are trained to respond to extreme situations such as drug and arms smugglers. These units have been used to respond to recent immigration protests in Los Angeles in response to ICE raids. President Donald Trump has also deployed 4,000 National Guard troops, as well as about 700 Marines, to quell protests in that city. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California Gov. Gavin Newsom have said the presence of troops is exacerbating the situation and are challenging the legality of these deployments in court.

    While sanctuary policies often prohibit local participation in immigration enforcement or cooperation with ICE, if large-scale raids take place in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago and Seattle, their designation as sanctuary cities offers little protection to immigrants living without legal authorization from deportation.

    There is not a single definition of a sanctuary policy. But it often involves local authorities not asking about a resident’s immigration status, or not sharing that personal information with federal immigration authorities.

    So when a San Francisco police officer pulls someone over for a traffic violation, the officer will not ask if the person is living in the country legally.

    American presidents, from Ronald Reagan to Joe Biden, have chosen to leave sanctuary policies largely unchallenged since different places first adopted them in the 1970s. This changed in 2017, when President Donald Trump first tried to cut federal funding to sanctuary places, claiming that their policies “willfully violate Federal law.” Legal challenges during his first term stopped him from actually withholding the money.

    At the start of his second term, Trump signed two executive orders in January and April 2025 which again state that his administration will withhold federal money from areas with sanctuary policies.

    “Working on papers to withhold all Federal Funding for any City or State that allows these Death Traps to exist!!!” Trump said, according to an April White House statement. This statement was immediately followed by his April executive order.

    These two executive orders task the attorney general and secretary of homeland security with publishing a list of all sanctuary places and notifying local and state officials of “non-compliance, providing an opportunity to correct it.” Those that do not comply with federal law, according to the orders, may lose federal funding.

    San Francisco and 14 other sanctuary cities, including New Haven, Connecticut, and Portland, Oregon, sued the Trump administration in February on the grounds that it was illegally trying to coerce cities to comply with its policies. A U.S. district court judge in California issued an injunction on April 24 preventing the administration – at least for the time being – from cutting funding from places with sanctuary policies.

    However, as researchers who have studied sanctuary policies for over a decade, we know that Trump’s claim that sanctuary policies violate federal immigration law is not correct.

    It’s true that the federal government has exclusive jurisdiction over immigration. Yet there is no federal requirement that state or local governments participate or cooperate in federal immigration enforcement, which would require an act of Congress.

    A sign is seen at the Nogales, Ariz., and Mariposa, Mexico, border crossing.
    Jan Sonnenmair/Getty Images

    What’s behind sanctuary policies

    In 1979, the Los Angeles Police Department was the first to announce a prohibition on local officials asking about a resident’s immigration status.

    However, it was not until the 1980s that the sanctuary movement took off, when hundreds of thousands of Salvadorans, Guatemalans and Nicaraguans fled civil war and violence in their home countries and migrated to the U.S. This prompted a number of cities to declare solidarity with the faith-based sanctuary movement that offered refuge to Salvadoran, Guatemalan and Nicaraguan asylum seekers facing deportation.

    In 1985, Berkeley, Calif., and San Francisco pledged that city officials, including police officers, would not report Central Americans to immigration authorities as long as they were law abiding.

    Berkeley also banned officials from using local money to work with federal immigration authorities.

    “We are not asking anyone to do anything illegal,” Nancy Walker, a supervisor for San Francisco, said in 1985, according to The New York Times. “We have got to extend our hand to these people. If these people go home, they die. They are asking us to let them stay.”

    Today, there are hundreds of sanctuary cities, towns, counties and states across the country that all have a variation of policies that limit their cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

    Sometimes – but not always – places with sanctuary policies bar local law enforcement agencies from working with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the country’s main immigration enforcement agency.

    A large part of ICE’s work is identifying, arresting and deporting immigrants living in the U.S. illegally. In order to carry out this work, ICE issues what is known as “detainer requests” to local law enforcement authorities. A detainer request asks local law enforcement to hold a specific arrested person already being held by police until that person can be transferred to ICE, which can then take steps to deport them.

    While places without sanctuary policies tend to comply with these requests, some sanctuary jurisdictions, like the state of California, only do so in the cases of particular violent criminal offenses.

    Yet local officials in sanctuary places cannot legally block ICE from arresting local residents who are living in the country illegally, or from carrying out any other parts of its work.

    Can Trump withhold federal funding?

    Trump claimed in 2017 that sanctuary policies violated federal law, and he issued an executive order that tried to rescind federal grants that these jurisdictions received.

    However, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in a 2018 case involving San Francisco and Santa Clara County, California, that the president could not refuse to “disperse the federal grants in question without congressional authorization.”

    Federal courts, meanwhile, split over whether Trump could freeze funding attached to a specific federal program called the Edward Byrne Memorial Assistance Grant Program, which provides about US$250 million in annual funding to state and local law enforcement.

    These cases were in the process of being appealed to the Supreme Court when the Department of Justice, under Biden, asked that they be dismissed.

    Other Supreme Court rulings also suggest that the Trump administration’s claim that it can withhold federal funding from sanctuary places rests on shaky legal ground.

    The Supreme Court ruled in 1992 and again in 1997 that the federal government could not coerce state or local governments to use their resources to enforce a federal regulatory program, or compel them to enact or administer a federal regulatory program.

    Under pressure

    The first Trump administration was not generally successful, with the exception of the split over the Edward Byrne Memorial Assistance Grant Program, at stripping funding from sanctuary places. But cutting federal funding – even if it happens temporarily – can be economically damaging to cities and counties while they challenge the decision in court.

    Local officials also face other kinds of political pressure to comply with the Trump administration’s demands.

    A legal group founded by Stephen Miller, deputy chief of staff in the Trump administration, for example, sent letters to dozens of local officials in January threatening criminal prosecution for their sanctuary policies.

    Michelle Wu, the mayor of Boston, a sanctuary city, testifies during a House committee hearing on sanctuary city mayors on March 5, 2025, in Washington.
    Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images

    The real effects of sanctuary policies

    One part of Trump’s argument against sanctuary policies is that places with these policies have more crime than those that do not.

    But there is no established relationship between sanctuary status and crime rates.

    There is, however, evidence that when local law enforcement and ICE work together, it reduces the likelihood of immigrant and Latino communities to report crimes, likely for fear of being arrested by federal immigration authorities.

    Sanctuary policies are certainly worthy of debate, but this requires an accurate representation of what they are, what they do, and the effects they have.

    This is an updated version of a story originally published on May 28, 2025.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Sanctuary cities can’t protect people from ICE immigration raids − but they don’t actually violate federal law – https://theconversation.com/sanctuary-cities-cant-protect-people-from-ice-immigration-raids-but-they-dont-actually-violate-federal-law-255831

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Marat Khusnullin: More than 2 thousand km of roads leading to medical institutions will be updated under the national project “Infrastructure for Life” this year

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The road to Novokuznetsk Infectious Diseases Hospital No. 8.

    Thanks to the national project “Infrastructure for Life”, 520 sections of regional and local roads with a total length of about 2.3 thousand km leading to medical institutions will be brought into compliance with the current road construction season. This was reported by Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin.

    “Large-scale projects are being implemented in Russia to build and modernize multidisciplinary hospitals, renovate outpatient clinics, and build feldsher-midwife stations. Particular attention is paid here to ensuring convenient and safe transport accessibility of such facilities. This is very important for the timely provision of medical care. In 2025, under the national project “Infrastructure for Life” alone, we plan to repair, including major repairs, build and reconstruct more than 520 roads leading to medical institutions. Their total length will be about 2.3 thousand km,” said Marat Khusnullin.

    The quality of roads leading to medical facilities directly affects the efficiency of the healthcare system.

    “The development of the road network leading to healthcare facilities not only improves the transport infrastructure, but also forms new standards of quality of life in the regions. Reliable roads ensure uninterrupted access to healthcare facilities, as well as timely supply of the necessary resources and equipment. Over the six years of implementing the national project “Safe High-Quality Roads”, more than 3.1 thousand facilities leading to healthcare facilities have been brought into compliance. This has significantly improved the quality of transport services for healthcare facilities throughout the country,” said Transport Minister Roman Starovoit.

    When carrying out road works in such areas, an integrated approach is used.

    “The main goal of the national project is to improve the quality of life of Russians. That is why roads leading to hospitals, clinics, and medical centers are included in road repair programs as a priority. At the same time, we continue to adhere to the principle of an integrated approach: as a rule, sections are equipped with safety elements, as well as an accessible environment for people with disabilities,” emphasized Igor Kostyuchenko, Deputy Head of the Federal Road Agency.

    Thus, in Astrakhan, they are repairing Tatishchev Street, which leads to medical facilities, in particular to the Aleksandro-Mariinsky Regional Clinical Hospital.

    In the city of Venev in the Tula region, the road surface on Sovetskaya Street leading to the city hospital No. 11 of Tula (Venev division) is being renewed. The road facility is currently 48% complete.

    One of the largest objects of the national project in Kirov this year was Sovetskaya Street in the Novvyatsky District. The route to the Kirov City Hospital No. 2 passes through here, where the anesthesiology and resuscitation departments, pediatric and maternity departments, and the pulmonology department are located. The length of the repair section is 2.7 km. As of today, the road works have been completed, the object is being prepared for acceptance. In total, five sections of the street and road network will be repaired in Kirov this season, next to which medical institutions are located.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Texas Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison and Ordered to Pay $2M Fine for Conspiring to Monopolize International Transit Industry, Fix Prices, Extort $9.5M, and Launder Money

    Source: US State of Vermont

    Carlos Martinez, 39, of Mission, Texas, was sentenced today to 11 years in prison and a fine of $2 million for his conduct in a long-running and violent conspiracy to monopolize the transmigrante forwarding agency (TFA) industry in the Los Indios, Texas, border region. Martinez and his co-defendants controlled the TFA industry through monopolization and extortion of competitors.

    Transmigrantes transport used vehicles and other goods from the United States through Mexico for resale across Central America. There are only a few locations where transmigrantes are permitted to cross from the United States into Mexico, one of those being the Los Indios Bridge in Texas. TFAs are U.S.-based businesses that provide services to transmigrante clients, including helping clients complete the customs paperwork required to export vehicles into Mexico. According to court documents and statements made in court, Martinez and his co-defendants fixed prices for TFA services and created a centralized entity known as “The Pool” to collect and divide revenues among the conspirators, limit competition from other agencies, and increase prices for their services.

    “The defendants exploited hardworking professionals in the freight forwarding business using extortion and illegal price-fixing schemes to manipulate the market and inflate the cost of moving goods,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The lead defendant’s 11-year prison sentence reflects the serious economic harm inflicted on the business community along the southern border. The Criminal Division will continue to pursue and prosecute those who threaten fair competition and the integrity of our markets.”

    “Today’s sentence reflects the significant danger and harm the American people face from violent and extortive actions aimed at fixing prices and monopolizing the market for essential services in the Texas border region,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Antitrust Division will continue to aggressively pursue violent criminals who aim to corrupt America’s free markets and advocate for their incarceration.”

    “Price fixing is not a victimless crime; it harms customers in the form of artificially high prices. Consumers need to have faith that the prices they pay are fairly determined by the market, rather than the product of illegal collusion,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas. “The 11-year sentence Mr. Martinez received reflects the size and scope of his criminal operation, as well as his leadership role in organizing and facilitating the unlawful scheme.”  

    “All of these defendants used their positions with the TFA to extort hardworking individuals who relied on these services to support their families and livelihood,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI is committed to dismantling criminal enterprises that prey on vulnerable communities, and today’s sentencing sends a clear message that those who abuse systems will be found, stopped and brought to justice.”

    “This case underscores the serious threat posed by transnational criminal networks operating at our borders,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Antonio. “Carlos Martinez and his co-conspirators orchestrated a violent scheme that extorted small businesses, fixed prices, and laundered millions of dollars — all while threatening the safety and integrity of lawful commerce. HSI will continue to aggressively pursue those who exploit legitimate industries through corruption and intimidation, and we remain steadfast in our mission to protect our communities and our economy.”

    Individuals in the industry who were not part of the conspiracy were forced to join and pay into The Pool or face financial and violent consequences. Martinez and other members enforced the rules by monitoring whether forwarding agencies were charging the agreed-upon prices and whether the forwarder was making payments to The Pool.  

    Martinez and some of his co-defendants also conspired to force forwarding agencies to pay other extortion fees, including a “piso” for every transaction processed as well as a “fine” for operating in the market outside of Pool rules. Martinez and his co-defendants intimidated, coerced, and used threats and acts of violence in furtherance of the antitrust and extortion conspiracies.

    Martinez was responsible for collecting at least $9.5M in extortion payments. Cash obtained from the extortions was laundered through bank accounts controlled by Martinez and his family, with the cash deposits disguised to hide the nature, source, ownership, and control of the dirty money.

    Martinez is the son-in-law of the former leader of the Gulf Cartel in Mexico, a violent criminal syndicate that operates at the U.S.-Mexico border and elsewhere. Martinez took control of  Los Indios Bridge and employed individuals who worked to track TFA transactions to calculate the piso owed by each forwarding agency. Pool and piso payments were made in cash to the individuals working for Martinez. Martinez ordered disciplinary actions against those operating in the transmigrante market without permission, those who violated Pool rules, those who did not charge the fixed prices, and those who did not pay the piso. Disciplinary actions could include clients not being allowed to cross Los Indios Bridge, cars being stolen, or more serious repercussions such as kidnappings, beatings, firebombings, shootings, and murder.

    Carlos Martinez pleaded guilty in February  to conspiracy to illegally fix prices and allocate the market for TFA services, conspiracy to monopolize the transmigrante market, conspiracy to interfere with commerce by extortion, interference with commerce by extortion, and money laundering conspiracy. The government will also seek forfeiture of at least one house, luxury vehicles, a boat, and expensive watches.

    Prior to Martinez’s sentencing, his co-defendants were sentenced as follows:

    Carlos Yzaguirre, 66, of McAllen, Texas, was sentenced to two years in prison, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by extortion.

    Sandra Guerra Medina, 70, of Rancho Viejo, Texas, was sentenced to eight months of home detention, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to illegally fix prices and allocate the market for TFA services and conspiracy to monopolize the transmigrante market.

    Juan Hector Ramirez Avila, 59, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced to time served, after pleading guilty to one count of structuring a financial transaction to evade reporting requirements.

    Jose Tapia, Mireya Miranda, Pedro Calvillo and Roberto Garcia Villarreal pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Three other defendants, Rigoberto Brown, Miguel Hipolito Caballero Aupart, and Diego Ceballos-Soto, were also charged in the superseding indictment and remain fugitives.

    The Court will determine the final restitution amount owed to victims of the conspiracies at a hearing set for Sept. 3, 2025. 

    Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI investigated the case.

    Trial Attorney Christina Taylor of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section; Senior Litigation Attorney John Davis and Trial Attorneys Brittany E. McClure, Anne Veldhuis, and Michael G. Lepage of the of the Antitrust Division; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander L. Alum for the Southern District of Texas prosecuted the case.

    Anyone with information in connection with this investigation should contact the HSI Tip Line at 866-347-2423; the FBI Tipline at tips.fbi.gov, or by contacting the FBI San Antonio Field Office at 210-225-6741; or the Antitrust Division’s Complaint Center at 888-647-3258, or visit http://www.justice.gov/atr/report-violations.

    MIL OSI USA News –