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  • MIL-OSI USA: Schakowsky, Fletcher, Matsui, Pressley Introduce Safer Beauty Bill Package

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (9th District of Illinois)

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Ranking Member of the Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, on Wednesday reintroduced the Safer Beauty Bill Package with her colleagues, Reps. Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), Doris Matsui (CA-07), and Ayanna Pressley (MA-07). The bill package includes four separate bills that offer progressive updates to an increasingly outdated set of federal cosmetics laws. This package builds upon the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act (MoCRA), which passed under President Joe Biden and expanded FDA oversight to include the regulation of the cosmetics industry, including mandatory recall authority, adverse event reporting, and requiring facility registration, and more.

    “Safe, accessible beauty cannot wait. After more than 80 years of inaction, the United States finally updated its cosmetics laws in 2022. President Biden was able to sign into law the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act, which now gives authority to the Food and Drug Administration to recall beauty and personal care products that are harming human health. While this was an important first step, our work is not done,” said Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. “I am proud to reintroduce the Safer Beauty Bill Package with my colleagues, Reps. Lizzie Fletcher, Doris Matsui, and Ayanna Pressley, which would protect consumers from toxic chemicals linked to hormone disruption, cancer and other health problems; require full ingredient transparency for consumers and manufacturers; and protect the health of women of color and salon workers, who are among the most highly exposed to toxic chemicals because of the products marketed to them or commonly found in their workplaces. We must pass the Safer Beauty Bill Package now!”

    “Many people assume that the personal care and beauty items they use are safe, but with minimal oversight, many of the care, beauty, and salon products sold across the country actually contain toxic chemicals,” said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher.  “I am glad to partner with Congresswoman Schakowsky to reintroduce the Toxic-Free Beauty Act to protect the health and safety of people across the country by banning chemicals known to cause significant harm in beauty products.”

    “Americans deserve the comfort of knowing the products they use every day are safe and properly labeled,” said Congresswoman Doris Matsui. “That’s why I am proud to join Congresswoman Schakowsky in announcing the Cosmetic Hazardous Ingredient Right to Know Act, which will introduce much needed transparency and accountability to the cosmetics industry. This is a commonsense step toward protecting consumers and our public health. Whether it’s a parent buying shampoo for their child or a professional exposed to dozens of products daily, every person should have clear, honest information about what they’re putting on their bodies.” 

    “For decades, the beauty products marketed to Black women and girls and found in our salons have contained toxic, unregulated chemicals – leaving us to disproportionately suffer from increased incidences of cancer, respiratory issues, and adverse reproductive outcomes,” said Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley. “This isn’t a coincidence – this is exploitation. Black women, girls, and salon workers should be able to show up everyday as our beautiful, authentic selves, without fear for our health and safety. It’s past time that we regulate these hazardous products and affirm our right to safer alternatives, and I am proud to co-lead the Cosmetic Safety Protections for Communities of Color and Salon Workers Act and partner with my colleagues and dedicated advocates on the Safer Beauty Bill Package to do exactly that.”

    The four bills cover almost every aspect of personal care product safety. They are:  

    • H.R. 4433 – The Toxic-Free Beauty Act (Reps. Schakowsky and Fletcher): Bans 18 of the most toxic chemicals and two whole classes of chemicals (phthalates and formaldehyde releasing preservatives) that have been banned by the European Union and a number of states including California, Maryland, Oregon, Washington, and Vermont.
    • H.R. 4434 – Cosmetic Supply Chain Transparency Act (Rep. Schakowsky): Requires suppliers of raw materials, ingredients, and private label products to provide full ingredient disclosure and safety data to cosmetic companies so they can make safer products.
    • H.R. 4435 – Cosmetic Hazardous Ingredient Right to Know Act (Reps. Schakowsky and Matsui): Requires product label and website disclosure of secret, unlabeled, and often toxic chemicals in our personal care products. Last Congress, this bill only required transparency for fragrance and flavor ingredients and has been expanded to cover all ingredients that can pose a health risk to consumers.
    • H.R. 4436 – Cosmetic Safety Protections for Communities of Color and Salon Workers (Reps. Schakowsky and Pressley): Funds research, resource materials, education and outreach, and the development of safer chemicals to protect the health of women of color and salon workers, two vulnerable populations who are among the most highly exposed to toxic chemicals because of the cosmetic products marketed to them or commonly found in their workplaces. This bill also requires the FDA to regulate the safety of synthetic braids, which can contain toxic chemicals.

    The average American adult uses about 12 personal care products a day, resulting in exposure to an average of 168 unique chemicals. Children are also exposed to products containing risky chemicals during critical stages of childhood development. As these products range from toothpaste to makeup, it is easy for companies to conceal harmful chemicals that risk American livelihoods. Chemicals in beauty and personal care products have been linked to cancer, infertility, poor infant and maternal health outcomes, asthma, and many other serious health concerns. Women of color are disproportionately exposed to these harmful chemicals due to workplace conditions.

    Joining Reps. Schakowsky, Fletcher, Matsui, and Pressley as original cosponsors of the Safer Beauty Bill Package are Reps. Dingell, Khanna, Norton, and Tlaib. 

    The bill has been endorsed by a coalition of over 150 organizations and safe cosmetics companies. Find a full list of endorsements here.

    “Thank you, Rep. Schakowsky, for your steadfast advocacy on behalf of cosmetic safety and for introducing the 2025 Safer Beauty Bill Package which will protect everyone regardless of where they live, shop or work” said Janet Nudelman, Director of Breast Cancer Prevention Partner’s Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. “This important suite of bills will match the new high bar for ingredient safety set by laws recently enacted in CA, MD, OR, WA, VT, and NY; create long overdue protections for women of color and professional salon workers; and set a new industry standard for ingredient and supply chain transparency.”

    For over a decade, Congresswoman Schakowsky has fought tirelessly to pass a robust regulatory framework for cosmetics and personal care products. The efforts focus on closing major loopholes in federal law that allow companies to use nearly any ingredient in these products, even chemicals that are known to harm human health and the environment like coal tar dyes, formaldehyde, lead acetate, parabens, and phthalates.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Krishnamoorthi Slams Republican Rescissions Package as “Reckless Attack on Services Families Depend On”

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)

    WASHINGTON – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08) issued the following statement after House Republicans passed their latest rescissions package, which slashes funding for essential public services while handing out massive tax breaks to the wealthiest among us:

    “Last night, House Republicans chose to gut public health, emergency communications, and national security in order to appease Donald Trump. Slashing funding for public broadcasting in the middle of climate disasters and handing tax breaks to the wealthiest among us while ballooning the deficit and risking a government shutdown is not fiscal discipline—it’s a reckless attack on the services families depend on.”

    The rescissions package includes sweeping cuts to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, pandemic preparedness programs, and emergency response funding—all while preserving tax giveaways that overwhelmingly benefit billionaires.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Krishnamoorthi Denounces FDA Authorization of Juul E-Cigarettes as Step Backward in Fight Against Youth Nicotine Addiction

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)

    WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), a national leader in the fight to end youth vaping, condemned the Food and Drug Administration’s decision to authorize the sale of Juul e-cigarettes, including menthol-flavored products. As co-founder of the bipartisan Congressional Caucus to End the Youth Vaping Epidemic and the first Member of Congress to launch an investigation into Juul’s role in fueling youth nicotine addiction, Congressman Krishnamoorthi has long pushed for stricter enforcement and regulation of e-cigarette products that target children.

    “Juul helped ignite the youth vaping epidemic, and the FDA’s decision to reauthorize its products—including menthol-flavored vapes popular with kids—is a profound mistake,” said Congressman Krishnamoorthi. “This ruling is a clear win for Big Tobacco and undermines years of bipartisan work to get these addictive products off the market. The FDA must reverse course before more young people are hooked for life.”

    Congressman Krishnamoorthi has been at the forefront of efforts to protect children from harmful e-cigarette products. In 2019, he launched the first congressional investigation into youth vaping, exposing Juul’s marketing tactics and pushing legislation to ban flavored e-cigarettes and close the synthetic nicotine loophole. He has led bipartisan letters urging the FDA to crack down on illegal flavored vapes still widely sold online and in stores, and in April, he applauded the Supreme Court’s unanimous decision to uphold the FDA’s rejection of fruit- and dessert-flavored vaping products. In December, Congressman Krishnamoorthi, through his role as Ranking Member of the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), announced a new investigation into illicit vaping products from China with advertising targeted at children. Most recently, he partnered with Congresswoman Celeste Maloy (R-UT), his fellow co-chair of the bipartisan Caucus to End Youth Vaping, in calling on the FDA to strengthen enforcement as over 6,000 flavored products remain on the market, many of them designed to appeal directly to children.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Krishnamoorthi Leads 104 Colleagues in Letter to Protect 988 LGBTQI+ Youth Lifeline

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)

    WASHINGTON – On Thursday, U.S. Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), a national leader in bipartisan efforts to protect crisis services for vulnerable youth, led a letter with Reps. Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Sharice Davids (KS-03), Doris Matsui (CA-07), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Chris Pappas (NH-01), and Paul Tonko (NY-20), urging House Appropriations Committee leaders to preserve funding for the 988 LGBTQI+ Youth Lifeline. The letter—sent to Subcommittee Chair Robert Aderholt (AL-04) and Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (CT-03)—was co-signed by 104 Democratic Members of Congress.

    The letter comes as the Trump Administration moved to eliminate the 988 LGBTQI+ Youth Lifeline, a service that has received nearly 1.5 million contacts since its inception. It has served as a critical resource for LGBTQI+ youth nationwide, who are at significantly higher risk of suicide and mental health challenges.

    Dear Chair Aderholt and Ranking Member DeLauro:

    As you craft the Fiscal Year 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and related Agencies appropriations bill, the undersigned Members urge you to maintain funding for the 988 LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized Services within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Budget. 

    In 2022, SAMHSA launched the LGBTQ+ youth specialized services as a pilot program in coordination with the broader 988 lifeline. Since its launch, the line has received nearly 1.5 million contacts from LGBTQ+ youth through calls, texts, and online chats[1]. In 2024 alone the LGBTQ+ service served over 600,000 crisis contacts, demonstrating both its necessity and impact[2].

    Suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth aged 10 to 14, and LGBTQ+ young people are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their non-LGBTQ+ peers. It is estimated that one LGBTQ+ young person attempts suicide every 45 seconds[3]. 

    The LGBTQ+ Youth lifeline was designed to address this higher risk of suicide for this population. When an adolescent reaches out to the LGBTQ+ Youth lifeline, they can access specialized services from somebody who cares, who may have shared experience, understands where they are coming from, and is trained to address the unique situation LGBTQ+ youth may face[4].

    LGBTQ+ identifying youth can face distinct mental health issues rooted in rejection and social discrimination. In fact, of LGBTQ+ youth who reported they slept away from parents or were kicked out of the house, 40 percent were abandoned due to their identity and 28 percent of LGBTQ+ youth report experiencing homelessness or housing instability during their lives[5]. 

    Despite the need, a 2024 study demonstrated that 50 percent of LGBTQ+ youth who wanted mental health care in the previous year were unable to access i[6]t. More than 80 percent say it is important that crisis services include a specific focus on LGBTQ+ youth[7].

    In the midst of a youth mental health crisis, we cannot afford to eliminate a critical, life-saving resource for LGBTQ+ youth, who face both higher risks and greater barriers to care. These young people deserve to speak with professionals who are trained and equipped to meet their unique needs.

    Please maintain the lifesaving funding for the 988 LGBTQ+ youth specialized services so we can continue to serve LGBTQ+ young people across the country who are at an elevated risk of suicide and mental illness. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Krishnamoorthi Introduces BURDEN Act to Force Congress to Complete the Medicaid and SNAP Paperwork They Imposed on Millions

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)

    The bill requires Members of Congress to comply with the same bureaucratic red tape now mandated for Medicaid and SNAP recipients under the “Large Lousy Law.”

    WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08) introduced the Bringing Unfair Reporting Duties to Electeds Now (BURDEN) Act, a bill that would require Members of Congress to personally comply with the same burdensome work requirement paperwork they imposed on low-income Americans under President Trump’s so-called “Large Lousy Law” budget reconciliation package, which became law earlier this month.

    Under the BURDEN Act, Members of Congress would be barred from enrolling in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program unless they submit monthly proof of “community engagement,” the same bureaucratic reporting required of Medicaid recipients. Additionally, the bill requires Members to complete and submit the same paperwork now mandated for SNAP recipients to verify employment, income, and eligibility on a recurring basis.

    “President Trump’s reckless ‘Large Lousy Law’ forces millions of vulnerable Americans to jump through hoops just to keep food on the table or get the medical care they need,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. “If Congressional Republicans think these burdens are appropriate for struggling families, then Members of Congress should shoulder them too. The BURDEN Act simply says, if you want taxpayer-funded health coverage, prove you meet the same standards you’re imposing on the American people.”

    The “Large Lousy Law” slashes Medicaid by over $1 trillion, imposes sweeping work requirements, and adds layers of red tape that threaten access to health care and nutrition assistance for millions of Americans—including working parents, caregivers, and individuals with unstable or part-time employment. According to the Congressional Budget Office, more than 17 million Americans are projected to lose their health care under the new law.

    Key provisions of the BURDEN Act include:

    • Requiring Members of Congress to submit monthly certifications proving they meet Medicaid work requirement standards for “community engagement” — typically including documented employment, job training, or approved volunteer work.

    • Requiring Members to complete and submit recurring SNAP eligibility documentation, including income reporting, employment verification, and other required paperwork, on the same schedule as SNAP recipients.

    • Prohibiting enrollment in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program for Members who fail to comply with these requirements.

    By exposing the double standard in how burdensome requirements are applied, the BURDEN Act seeks to restore basic fairness and highlight the real-world consequences of Republican policies that target working families.

    The full copy of the bill is available here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Krishnamoorthi Condemns Vandalism of Little Village Community Centers as “Cowardly Acts of Hate”

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)

    CHICAGO– Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08) issued the following statement in response to the hateful vandalism of several buildings in the Little Village neighborhood, including swastikas and anti-immigrant graffiti:

    “These cowardly acts of hate are meant to intimidate and divide, but they will fail. I stand with the people of Little Village and the community organizations targeted in this vile attack. There is no place for anti-immigrant extremism or Nazi imagery in any of our neighborhoods. At a time when immigrant communities are under siege, we must stand shoulder to shoulder against xenophobia and all forms of hate.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Johnson’s Statement on Supreme Court’s Ruling on Dismantling of Department of Education

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Hank Johnson (GA-04)

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Norton Introduces Bill to Give D.C. Authority to Appoint All Members of Board that Deals Exclusively with Local D.C. Zoning

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (District of Columbia)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today introduced her bill to give the District of Columbia the authority to appoint all members of the D.C. Board of Zoning Adjustment (Board), except when the Board is performing functions regarding an application by a foreign mission with respect to a chancery. Under current law, in general, the Board consists of a representative of the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) and the D.C. Zoning Commission, each of whom may be a federal official, and three mayoral appointees, subject to D.C. Council approval. The Board has no authority over federal property and Norton’s bill would not alter the Board’s authority.

    “The District of Columbia should be free to set its own local land-use policies like every other jurisdiction in the United States,” Norton said. “We face local issues, such as a growing population and economic development, that require local solutions. Land use is a quintessentially local issue. The Board of Zoning Adjustment should be accountable to District residents and local elected officials.”

    When the Board is performing functions regarding an application by a foreign mission with respect to the location, expansion, or replacement of a chancery, the Board consists of the Executive Director of NCPC, the Director of the National Park Service (or, if the President so designates, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the Interior or the Administrator of General Services), and the three mayoral appointees. Norton’s bill would not change this composition.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Norton Calls D.C. Appropriations Bill Text “Unreasonable” and “Patronizing” to 700,000+ D.C. Residents

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (District of Columbia)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – The House Committee on Appropriations today released the text of its fiscal year 2026 (FY 26) Financial Services and General Government (FSSG) Appropriations bill, which Norton said includes an outrageous number of anti-home rule riders. Republicans try to attach the riders to the annual D.C. spending bill to exert control over local D.C. matters, despite their positions as federal officials who do not represent D.C. residents. Significantly, the bill would halve funding for DCTAG, a program established by a 1999 Norton bill. DCTAG makes up the difference for D.C. residents between in-state and out-of-state tuition up to $10,000 at public institutions of higher education in the U.S.

    “I am outraged at the number and scope of anti-D.C. home rule riders in the bill released today,” Norton said. “In my long career representing D.C. residents in Congress, I have rarely seen a bill as unreasonable and patronizing to the more than 700,000 people who live in the nation’s capital as this one. I will use every tool at my disposal to stop these riders from becoming law, and I commit to reminding my fellow lawmakers across the aisle that D.C. residents deserve the same consideration as their own constituents at every opportunity.” 

    The text released today:

    • Would permit anyone with a concealed carry permit from any state or territory to carry a concealed handgun in D.C. and on WMATA.
    • Would provide $20 million for the D.C. Tuition Assistance Grant Program (DCTAG), a 50% decrease from the current funding level.
    • Would prohibit D.C. from spending its own local funds on abortion services for low-income women.
    • Would prohibit D.C. from using local funds to carry out its Reproductive Health Non-Discrimination Amendment Act of 2014.
    • Would repeal D.C.’s Death with Dignity Act, and prohibits enacting any similar act.
    • Would require D.C. to submit a report on its enforcement of the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act.
    • Would prohibit D.C. from spending its own local funds to enforce its vehicle emission standards.
    • Would prohibit D.C. from using local funds to carry out its automated traffic enforcement law.
    • Would prohibit D.C. from using its local funds to enact or carry out any law which prohibits motorists from making right turns on red.
    • Would repeal the provision of D.C.’s Anti-Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation law, or Anti-SLAPP law, that exempts from that law any claim brought by the D.C. government.
    • Would prohibit D.C. from using local funds to implement its law allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections or on activities related to enrolling or registering noncitizens into voter rolls for local elections.
    • Would prohibit D.C. from using local funds to implement its Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022.
    • Would repeal parts of the Youth Rehabilitation Amendment Act of 2018 that allows courts to use sentencing alternatives for a person who was sentenced as an adult but was under the age of 24 at the time the person committed a crime, changing that age back to 22.
    • Would prohibit the use of funds to implement, administer, or enforce any COVID–19 mask or vaccine mandate.
    • Would prohibit the use of funds to commercialize recreational marijuana.
    • Would prohibit the use of funds to implement the Insurance Regulation Amendment Act of 2024, which relates to reproductive health care and gender-affirming care.
    • Would prohibit funds to implement or enforce provisions of the Consumer Protection Act against oil and gas companies for environmental claims.

    Among the anti-home rule riders are several victories secured by Norton, despite Republican control of the House.

    “Even among the long list of anti-home rule riders in the bill text released today, there are a number of victories for residents of the nation’s capital,” Norton said. “I was pleased to secure these wins for the District, including increasing the DCTAG yearly cap from $10,000 to $15,000 and lifetime award cap from $50,000 to $75,000, a change I have requested for years. Even in the face of funding for the overall program being cut by half, these increases are a positive for D.C. residents who are recipients of the program. I will continue to work to secure full funding for DCTAG.”

    The bill also maintains the provision to exempt the D.C. government from a federal government shutdown in FY 2026, a provision she has gotten enacted every year since FY 2015. It also approves D.C. to spend under its FY 26 local budget.

    Norton also secured the following victories in the bill:

    • Increasing the yearly cap on DCTAG to $15,000 from $10,000 and increasing the lifetime cap from $50,000 to $75,000.
    • Requiring ratably reducing the amount of tuition and fee payment of each eligible DCTAG student who receives more than $10,000 for the award year if there are insufficient funds.
    • Exempting D.C. from federal government shutdowns in FY 2026.
    • Providing $5.7 million for D.C. Water Clean Rivers Project.
    • Providing $70 million for the Emergency Planning and Security Fund. The fund pays for the unique public safety and security costs the District incurs as the nation’s capital, and is designed to cover the District’s costs upfront so D.C. does not need to expend local funds and then seek an appropriation to be reimbursed for such costs after the fact.
    • Providing $600,000 for the Major General David F. Wherley, Jr. District of Columbia National Guard Retention and College Access Program.
    • Providing $4 million to combat HIV/AIDS in D.C.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Norton, Raskin, Van Hollen Introduce Bill to Remove Name of Segregationist from Chevy Chase Circle

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (District of Columbia)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-MD), and Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) today introduced a bill which would remove the plaque and inscriptions bearing Francis Newlands’ name from Chevy Chase Circle a federal park located in both the District of Columbia and in Maryland’s 8th Congressional District, which Raskin represents. Newlands was a U.S. senator from Nevada, a conservationist and the founder of the Chevy Chase Land Company, which developed the Chevy Chase neighborhood. Newlands was also a segregationist and held racist views. The Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands held a hearing on the bill in 2022, where Norton testified that “Newlands does not deserve to be honored on federal land.”

    “I’ve long called for statues dedicated to Confederates and segregationists to be placed in museums, where they can be better contextualized, instead of being showcased in locations that connote honor,” CongresswomanNorton said. “However, there is no redeeming value in preserving an honorific to an avowed and unrepentant racist. The plaque and fountain in Chevy Chase Circle tell no story. They are meant only to honor Newlands, a segregationist who argued that voting rights won for African Americans as a result of the Civil War should be repealed. Newlands belongs in the dust bins of history, not preserved on a traffic circle that symbolizes the unity between the nation’s capital and the state of Maryland.”

    “Associating an avowed segregationist and white supremacist with Chevy Chase Circle is an affront to the people of Maryland and D.C.,” said Rep. Raskin. “I’m partnering with Congresswoman Norton and Senators Van Hollen and Alsobrooks on legislation to remove Francis Newlands’ name from the Circle’s fountain and reclaim this beautiful space at the intersection of the Free State and the Capital City—two proudly diverse and welcoming places—for the recreation and enjoyment of all our neighbors.”

    “Francis Newlands was a white supremacist who worked to make his developments, including Chevy Chase, inaccessible to Black, Jewish, and working class families. We should not be memorializing him and the bigoted policies he stood for – the legacies of which are still harmful to this day. Instead of glorifying those who promoted exclusion and division, we should be working together to build communities that support growth and economic inclusion for all,” said Senator Van Hollen.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Norton Says Anti-Home Rule Riders on Subcommittee-Passed D.C. Appropriations Bill are “Appalling” and “Unsurprising”

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (District of Columbia)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – The House Committee on Appropriations marked up and passed the fiscal year 2026 (FY 26) Financial Services and General Government (FSSG) Appropriations bill tonight, which Norton said includes an outrageous and irresponsible number of anti-home rule riders. Republicans try to attach the riders to the annual D.C. spending bill to exert control over local D.C. matters, despite their positions as federal officials who do not represent D.C. residents. Significantly, the bill would halve funding for DCTAG, a program established by a 1999 Norton bill. DCTAG makes up the difference for D.C. residents between in-state and out-of-state tuition up to $10,000 at public institutions of higher education in the U.S.

    “It is unsurprising that at a time when there are more frequent Republican attacks on D.C. home rule than any time since the 1990s, the D.C. appropriations bill reported out of a Republican-controlled subcommittee contains numerous and extensive riders that would overrule the expressed will of D.C. residents,” Norton said. “I am particularly appalled by the 50% cut in funding for DCTAG, a program created in 1999 by a bill I authored that simply helps pay for students who are D.C. residents to attend college.

    “I will use every tool at my disposal to stop these riders from becoming law, and I commit to reminding my fellow lawmakers across the aisle that D.C. residents deserve consideration equal to that given to as their own constituents.”

    As reported out of the subcommittee today, the bill:

    • Would provide $20 million for the D.C. Tuition Assistance Grant Program (DCTAG), a 50% decrease from the current funding level.
    • Would permit anyone with a concealed carry permit from any state or territory to carry a concealed handgun in D.C. and on WMATA.
    • Would prohibit D.C. from spending its own local funds on abortion services for low-income women.
    • Would prohibit D.C. from using local funds to carry out its Reproductive Health Non-Discrimination Amendment Act of 2014.
    • Would repeal D.C.’s Death with Dignity Act and prohibit enacting any similar act.
    • Would require D.C. to submit a report on its enforcement of the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act.
    • Would prohibit D.C. from spending its own local funds to enforce its vehicle emission standards.
    • Would prohibit D.C. from using local funds to carry out its automated traffic enforcement law.
    • Would prohibit D.C. from using its local funds to enact or carry out any law which prohibits motorists from making right turns on red.
    • Would repeal the provision of D.C.’s Anti-Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation law, or Anti-SLAPP law, that exempts from that law any claim brought by the D.C. government.
    • Would prohibit D.C. from using local funds to implement its law allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections or on activities related to enrolling or registering noncitizens into voter rolls for local elections.
    • Would prohibit D.C. from using local funds to implement its Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022.
    • Would repeal parts of the Youth Rehabilitation Amendment Act of 2018 that allows courts to use sentencing alternatives for a person who was sentenced as an adult but was under the age of 24 at the time the person committed a crime, changing that age back to 22.
    • Would prohibit the use of funds to implement, administer, or enforce any COVID–19 mask or vaccine mandate.
    • Would prohibit the use of funds to commercialize recreational marijuana.
    • Would prohibit the use of funds to implement the Insurance Regulation Amendment Act of 2024, which relates to reproductive health care and gender-affirming care.
    • Would prohibit funds to implement or enforce provisions of the Consumer Protection Act against oil and gas companies for environmental claims.

    Despite Republican control of the House, Norton secured several key victories for D.C., including the first increase in the annual and lifetime award caps for DCTAG recipients since the program was created in 1999.

    “I was pleased the bill that passed out of subcommittee tonight maintained several wins I secured for D.C., including increasing the DCTAG yearly cap from $10,000 to $15,000 and lifetime award cap from $50,000 to $75,000, a change I have requested for many years. Even in the face of funding for the overall program being cut by half, these increases are a positive for DCTAG recipients. I will continue to work to secure full funding for DCTAG.”

    The bill also maintains the provision to exempt the D.C. government from a federal government shutdown in FY 2027, a provision Norton has gotten enacted every year since FY 2015. It also approves D.C. to spend under its FY 26 local budget.

    Norton secured the following victories in the bill:

    • Increasing the yearly cap on DCTAG to $15,000 from $10,000 and increasing the lifetime cap from $50,000 to $75,000.
    • Requiring ratably reducing the amount of tuition and fee payment of each eligible DCTAG student who receives more than $10,000 for the award year if there are insufficient funds.
    • Exempting D.C. from federal government shutdowns in FY 2027.
    • Providing $5.7 million for D.C. Water Clean Rivers Project.
    • Providing $70 million for the Emergency Planning and Security Fund. The fund pays for the unique public safety and security costs the District incurs as the nation’s capital, and is designed to cover the District’s costs upfront so D.C. does not need to expend local funds and then seek an appropriation to be reimbursed for such costs after the fact.
    • Providing $600,000 for the Major General David F. Wherley, Jr. District of Columbia National Guard Retention and College Access Program.
    • Providing $4 million to combat HIV/AIDS in D.C.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Norton Introduces Bill to Give D.C. Control Over Operations of Local D.C. Courts

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (District of Columbia)

    WASHINGTON, D.C.–– Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced her District of Columbia Courts Home Rule Act today, which would give the D.C. Council authority over the jurisdiction and organization of the local D.C. courts. The D.C. Home Rule Act expressly prohibits D.C. from enacting any law with respect to any provision of the D.C. Code that relates to the jurisdiction and organization of the local D.C. courts. Congress can give D.C. this authority even before the District becomes the 51st state.

    “The District has never had authority over its local courts, even before 1997 when it was responsible for paying for the courts’ operations,” Norton said. “As the duly elected and accountable local legislature for the District, it is irresponsible for the D.C. Council to be left on the sidelines while Congress, which could not care less about the local D.C. courts, remains in charge of improving their operations. My bill would correct this wrong and increase democratic autonomy and self-government for the District.”

    Under the Home Rule Act, the D.C. Council has no authority to “enact any act, resolution, or rule with respect to any provision of title 11 of the District of Columbia Code (relating to organization and jurisdiction of the District of Columbia courts).”

    In 1997, under the National Capital Revitalization and Self-Government Improvement Act, the federal government assumed the costs for several state-level functions from D.C., including the local D.C. courts. This bill would not affect the authority of the President to nominate, or the Senate to confirm, local D.C. judges, which has been within their purview since the creation of the District’s modern local court system in 1970.

    Norton’s introductory statement follows.

    Statement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton

    on the Introduction of the District of Columbia Courts Home Rule Act

     

    July 21, 2025

    Today, I introduce the District of Columbia Courts Home Rule Act.  This bill would give the Council of the District of Columbia authority over the jurisdiction and organization of the local D.C. courts.  The D.C. Home Rule Act (HRA) prohibits the Council from enacting any law with respect to title 11 of the D.C. Code, which relates to the jurisdiction and organization of the local D.C. courts. 

    More than 50 years after passage of the HRA and notwithstanding the importance of the local D.C. courts to D.C., the Council, which is the legislative body accountable to D.C. residents, is left on the sidelines while Congress, which could not care less about the local D.C. courts, remains the only legislative body that can amend title 11 of the D.C. Code.

    Under the HRA, the Council has no authority to “enact any act, resolution, or rule with respect to any provision of title 11 of the District of Columbia Code (relating to organization and jurisdiction of the District of Columbia courts).”  Title 11 of the D.C. Code primarily relates to the rules of criminal and civil procedure, court administration, the branches of the courts, jury service and admission to the bar. 

    D.C. has never had authority over its local courts, even when it was responsible for paying for them.  Under the National Capital Revitalization and Self-Government Improvement Act of 1997, the federal government assumed from D.C. the costs for several state-level functions, including the courts.  This bill would not change the federal government’s responsibility for funding the local D.C. courts or the authority of the President to nominate, and the Senate to confirm, local D.C. judges.

    This bill is an important step to increase self-government for D.C.  I urge my colleagues to support it.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sánchez, colleagues to Trump administration: Restore immigrants’ wrongly invalidated SSNs

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Linda Sanchez (38th District of CA)

    WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Linda T. Sánchez and nine of her colleagues called on the Trump administration to restore Social Security numbers of more than 6,300 legally present immigrants that were listed as “unverified,” months after declaring them deceased. 

    “These people are our neighbors, our friends, and our community members,” the members wrote. “Invalidating their Social Security numbers will wreak havoc on their lives. SSA’s action could bar them from receiving federal benefits, working, or opening a bank account, and could even cut their citizen children off from survivor benefits in the event of their death. Using intimidation and manipulation to oust law-abiding, legally present individuals from our country is cruel and un-American.”

    In April, the SSA improperly classified these immigrants as deceased to encourage them to self-deport. Although the agency later reclassified them as “unverified,” their Social Security numbers remain flagged in systems used by federal agencies, employers and financial institutions.

    This misclassification reportedly stems from an enforcement policy implemented during the Trump administration targeting immigrants. As a result, thousands now face financial and legal uncertainty – many with U.S. citizen children who may now be denied essential survivor benefits.

    In addition to Sánchez, the letter was signed by Representatives Gwen Moore (D-Wis.), Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), Danny Davis (D-Ill.), Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Dwight Evans (D-Pa.), Judy Chu (D-Calif.), Paul D. Tonko (D-N.Y.) and Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.)

    Full text of the letter is available here and follows: 

    July 18, 2025

    The Honorable Frank Bisignano
    Commissioner
    Social Security Administration
    6401 Security Blvd.
    Baltimore, MD 21235

    Dear Commissioner Bisignano: 

    We write out of grave concern for the 6,300 immigrants who the Social Security Administration (SSA) first listed as dead, and who have now had their Social Security numbers rendered unverifiable. We are alarmed that SSA took this unprecedented action with the punitive intent of “terminating” immigrants’ financial lives to encourage them to self-deport, and we urge you to restore these individuals’ Social Security numbers as soon as possible.

    These 6,300 individuals have reportedly been targeted in a Trump Administration immigration enforcement effort focused on people who were legally present and eligible to work until the Administration abruptly terminated their lawful status.

    In April, SSA wrongfully classified these legally present, living immigrants as dead – a shocking and unprecedented action by SSA designed to throw people into financial limbo. Almost three months later, SSA has now reportedly reclassified these individuals: they are no longer “dead” but will instead be flagged as “unverified” by the systems used by other agencies, financial institutions, employers, and others to check Social Security numbers.

    These people are our neighbors, our friends, and our community members. Invalidating their Social Security numbers will wreak havoc on their lives. SSA’s action could bar them from receiving federal benefits, working, or opening a bank account, and could even cut their citizen children off from survivor benefits in the event of their death. Using intimidation and manipulation to oust law-abiding, legally present individuals from our country is cruel and un-American.

    We ask that within two weeks you provide answers to the following questions regarding SSA’s action to render the Social Security numbers of 6,300 immigrants unverifiable, these individuals’ status, and your future plans:

    1. Who requested that SSA take this action? Was the request made or supported by Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Kristi L. Noem or any employee of the White House?
       
    2. Who at SSA authorized this action? Please provide copies of all signed memoranda regarding this action, including any between the Department of Homeland Security and SSA.
       
    3. What flags or special indicators have SSA placed in agency systems for the Social Security numbers of these 6,300 individuals?
       
    4. When a third party such as another federal agency, an employer, or a financial institution uses one of SSA’s Social Security number verification systems or data exchanges, what response will be provided for the 6,300 individuals as a result of these flags?
       
    5. What is your assessment of how this action will affect the 6,300 individuals, including potential financial loss?
       
    6. Has SSA been asked to take similar action against additional immigrants, beyond the 6,300? If so, who has requested this action, how many additional individuals may be affected, and when?

    We urge you to restore these individuals’ Social Security numbers as soon as possible. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

    Sincerely,

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sánchez: Brazil trade investigation politically motivated, anti-democratic

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Linda Sanchez (38th District of CA)

    WASHINGTON – Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee Ranking Member Linda T. Sánchez released the following statement in response to the Trump administration announcing a Section 301 trade investigation of Brazil:

    “It is unacceptable that President Trump is weaponizing the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and Section 301 authority to subvert democracy, prop up his friends and target his foes. 

    “This investigation is clearly being driven by the president’s own political motives. You need to look no further than his letter to Brazil, citing grievances that range from Brazil’s treatment of his far-right ally Bolsonaro to the country’s efforts to crack down on hate speech. 

    “And it’s rich to focus on Brazil’s anti-corruption efforts when President Trump’s administration is refusing to enforce the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and is engaging in blatant self-dealing and grifting.

    “It’s completely anti-democratic and corrupt for American trade policies to benefit one individual’s personal interests. House Republicans must join Democrats in reclaiming our constitutional trade authority and stop enabling this president’s incessant abuses of power.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman DeSaulnier Statement on FDA Reversal of Ban on Dangerous Juul E-Cigarettes

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mark DeSaulnier Representing the 11th District of California

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) made the following statement about the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) reckless reversal of its ban on the sale of Juul e-cigarettes.

    “Juul is Big Tobacco with sleeker marketing. It is outrageous and dangerous that the FDA would approve Juul e-cigarettes for sale while in the same breath conceding that the reversal of the ban ‘does not mean these tobacco products are safe,’ especially when we know these products pose a particular threat to the health and safety of young people whom Juul has targeted with predatory marketing,” said Congressman DeSaulnier. “I have been at the forefront of trying to protect American consumers, particularly children, from greedy tobacco companies, including Juul, who care more about profits than public health. I will continue the fight in Congress to ban these products as long as they threaten the health of children and the general public.”

    Congressman DeSaulnier is a member of the Congressional Caucus to End the Youth Vaping Epidemic and has previously introduced legislation to immediately halt the sale of all e-cigarettes nationwide until the FDA conducts a pre-market review of these products. He has been a long-time advocate of policies to reduce the public health impacts of tobacco products, including as mayor of Concord, California where he helped enact one of the nation’s first efforts to curb secondhand smoke in public places.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Progressive Caucus Launches New Task Forces Aimed at Reclaiming a Democratic Majority in 2026

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mark DeSaulnier Representing the 11th District of California

    Washington, D.C. — Today, the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) announced four newly constituted Task Forces aimed at helping Democrats reclaim the House majority in 2026—with a sharp, populist, pro-working-class agenda that meets the moment.

    These four Task Forces—focused on lowering costs, ending corporate greed, fighting corruption, and securing better pay and benefits—are part of a broader effort by the CPC to define a Democratic governing agenda that is clear, popular, easy to understand, and quickly delivers material benefits to working people. Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) was named Vice Chair of the Task Force on Better Pay and Benefits.

    Among other work, the Task Forces will be focused on advancing a slate of policy proposals members have been working on internally for several months that are not only progressive, but also enjoy support from voters across the ideological and demographic spectrum—from suburban voters to non-college-educated to independents—and could be passed by a Democratic House after the midterms. New polling from Data for Progress finds these policies enjoy a supermajority and give a 9-point advantage for Democrats who lead with these themes compared to a generic Democratic message against a Republican opponent.

    The four new Task Forces are:

    • Lowering Costs

      Chair: Rep. Yassamin Ansari

    • Fighting Corruption

      Chair: Rep. Dave Min
      Vice Chair: Rep. Hank Johnson

    • Ending Corporate Greed

      Chair: Rep. Becca Balint

    • Better Pay and Benefits

      Chair: Rep. Emily Randall
      Vice Chair: Rep. Mark DeSaulnier

    “In a time of record-breaking income inequality and rampant corporate greed, it is more important than ever that we as Democrats reassert and reinforce our commitment to working people,” said Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10). “As both a former union member and small business owner, I have seen firsthand how American workers have for too long been taken advantage of by big corporations and greedy CEOs. I am proud to help lead the Task Force for Better Pay and Benefits as Vice Chair to restore power to working people, the engine of our economy, so they can continue to be the best, most productive labor force in the world while living with the respect and dignity they deserve.”

    “In my family and in my community, I’ve seen firsthand how good Union wages and pensions open doors to stability, to opportunity, to economic security. I’ve seen my grandparents, my teachers, my neighbors afford homes and vacations and childcare because they had good jobs. But over the years, affording a good life has gotten harder and harder,” said Rep. Emily Randall (WA-06). “Our neighbors deserve leaders who put people before profits and stand up for what’s right. They deserve leaders who understand that an economy that is centered on working people is a stronger economy for everyone. As Chair of the Better Pay and Benefits Task Force, I’m committed to fighting for fairer wages, stronger benefits, safer workplaces, and an economy that puts working people first – right at the center of our policies.”

    Video from the press conference available HERE.
     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Sichuan Ganzi: Lively cultural tourism festival draws big crowds

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

    On July 19, the 2025 Sichuan Ganzi Mountain Culture and Tourism Festival – G318 Outdoor Life Carnival kicked off at Tagong Grassland in Kangding City, Sichuan Province. Featuring the G318 Outdoor Life Series, Sky Market, a motorcycle parade, and an intangible heritage fashion show, this lively event, blending natural beauty with diverse cultures, set on a 3,730-meter-high grassland, is drawing big crowds.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Wetland scenery near Mapam Yumco Lake in China’s Xizang

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

    Wetland scenery near Mapam Yumco Lake in China’s Xizang

    Updated: July 23, 2025 09:23 Xinhua
    This aerial drone photo taken on July 22, 2025 shows the scenery of a wetland near Mapam Yumco Lake in Burang County of Ngari Prefecture, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]
    This aerial drone photo taken on July 22, 2025 shows a herd of yaks in a wetland near Mapam Yumco Lake in Burang County of Ngari Prefecture, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]
    This photo taken on July 22, 2025 shows a herd of yaks in a wetland near Mapam Yumco Lake in Burang County of Ngari Prefecture, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]
    This photo taken on July 22, 2025 shows a herd of yaks in a wetland near Mapam Yumco Lake in Burang County of Ngari Prefecture, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Call for information – Aggravated robberies – Katherine

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    NT Police are calling for information following two separate aggravated robberies that occurred in Katherine on Monday evening.

    Around 9:40pm, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre (JESCC) received reports of a stolen motor vehicle from a facility on Riverbank Drive.

    It is alleged that three male youths approached an employee at the facility and threatened him with a knife. They demanded their keys and subsequently stole the victim’s vehicle.  While attempting to exit the location, the offenders crashed into a fence, causing them to abandon the vehicle and flee the scene on foot.

    Police attended, and a crime scene was established. The alleged offenders remain outstanding, and investigations are ongoing.

    Later, in a separate incident, around 11:05pm, the JESCC received a report that a group of youths had entered another business premises in Katherine South.

    An employee working at the location was threatened with a knife for their vehicle keys. The employee was able to secure themselves in the staff room with the offenders banging on the door until they heard the victim called police.

    Before fleeing the scene, the group allegedly attempted to steal a vehicle that was parked outside but were unsuccessful.

    Police attended and a crime scene was established. The group remain outstanding, and investigations are ongoing.

    It is not known at this stage if the two incidents are linked.

    Police urge anyone with information pertaining to either incident to make contact on 131 444. Please quote reference number P25195157. Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via https://crimestoppersnt.com.au/.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI China: US exits UNESCO again, agency calls move ‘regrettable’ but ‘expected’

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

    The United States announced Tuesday its decision to pull out of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization two years after rejoining.

    According to a statement by the U.S. State Department, the withdrawal was due to what Washington saw as the UN cultural agency’s policy to “advance divisive social and cultural causes” over the Israel-Palestine conflicts.

    “UNESCO’s decision to admit the ‘State of Palestine’ as a member state is highly problematic, contrary to U.S. policy, and contributed to the proliferation of anti-Israel rhetoric within the organization,” the statement said.

    The U.S. exit will take effect at the end of December 2026.

    Meanwhile, UNESCO said Tuesday the U.S. exit was regrettable but came as no surprise.

    “However regrettable, this announcement was expected, and UNESCO has prepared for it,” UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay said in a statement.

    This will be the third time that Washington has left UNESCO, and the second time during the administration under Donald Trump. Since his second term in office started early this year, the Trump administration had announced its withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on climate change, the World Health Organization, and the United Nations Human Rights Council.

    Washington has long had a contentious relationship with UNESCO, repeatedly withdrawing over political grievances. In 1984, the Ronald Reagan administration pulled the United States out of the agency, citing what it called the UN body’s ideological tilt toward the former Soviet Union against the West, and the United States stayed away till 2003.

    In November 2011, the Barack Obama administration cut off funding for the UN cultural agency, after its member countries defied a U.S. warning and approved a Palestinian bid for full membership in the body. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: UN Security Council adopts resolution on peaceful settlement of disputes

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

    Representatives vote on a draft resolution during a UN Security Council meeting at the UN headquarters in New York, on July 22, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The UN Security Council (UNSC) on Tuesday adopted a resolution to strengthen mechanisms for the peaceful settlement of international disputes.

    Resolution 2788, adopted unanimously by the 15-member council, urges all UN member states to utilize effectively the mechanisms as outlined in Article 33 of the UN Charter, including negotiation, inquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, judicial settlement, resort to regional agencies or arrangements, or other peaceful means of their own choice.

    The resolution expresses the UNSC’s readiness to utilize the mechanism of investigation provided in Article 34 of the UN Charter, which gives it the power to investigate any dispute or any situation that might lead to international friction to determine whether the continuance of the dispute is likely to endanger the maintenance of international peace and security.

    Resolution 2788 reaffirms the UNSC’s role to recommend appropriate procedures or methods of adjustment for the peaceful settlement of disputes, and calls on member states to take necessary measures for the effective implementation of UNSC resolutions for the peaceful settlement of disputes.

    The settlement encourages the UN secretary-general to ensure that the United Nations can lead and support mediation and preventive diplomacy efforts, encourages the secretary-general to continue to use his good offices, and calls on member states to support and cooperate with the secretary-general in this regard.

    The decision urges regional and subregional organizations to enhance their efforts for the peaceful settlement of disputes, consistent with the UN Charter and relevant UNSC resolutions, and encourages member states to support the role of regional and subregional organizations in this regard. It calls for the strengthening of cooperation between these organizations and the United Nations.

    The resolution requests the secretary-general to provide, one year following its adoption, concrete recommendations for further strengthening the mechanisms for the peaceful settlement of disputes. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Trump announces trade deal after meeting Philippine president

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

    U.S. President Donald Trump (2nd L) welcomes Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. (2nd R) at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on July 22, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    U.S. President Donald Trump met his Philippine counterpart, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., on Tuesday at the White House over trade and bilateral relations.

    “We concluded our Trade Deal, whereby The Philippines is going OPEN MARKET with the United States, and ZERO Tariffs. The Philippines will pay a 19 percent Tariff,” said Trump in a post on Truth Social, his social media platform.

    In a recent letter to Marcos, Trump said the United States would raise tariffs on Philippine goods to 20 percent starting Aug. 1.

    The White House has not released more details about the trade deal with the Philippines.

    Marcos said their bilateral ties have “evolved into as important a relationship as is possible to have.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese envoy calls for multilateralism for sake of international peace, security

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

    Fu Cong, China’s permanent representative to the United Nations, on Tuesday called on the international community to revitalize multilateralism to maintain international peace and security.

    He made the appeal at a UN Security Council open debate on multilateralism and the peaceful settlement of disputes.

    “Countries must respect each other’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity, take seriously each other’s legitimate security concerns, resolve differences through mutual understanding and accommodation, and move toward greater consensus through dialogue and engagement,” Fu said.

    The international community, particularly major countries, should build bridges for dialogue and cooperation rather than stoke or fuel the flames and instigate confrontation, he added.

    Fu said that the UN Charter is the unshakable bedrock of the international order, and that it is not an a la carte menu. The international community must reject the law of the jungle, where more powerful nations bully weaker ones, he said. “We must adhere to the principles of the UN Charter, including sovereign equality, non-interference in internal affairs, and peaceful settlement of disputes,” he added.

    The Security Council shoulders the primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security. Council members should rise above self-interests, prioritize the common good, abandon geopolitical calculations, and seek unity and cooperation, said Fu.

    Security Council resolutions are legally binding and must be implemented in both letter and spirit, he said, adding that selective application and double standards must be rejected.

    Most countries of the Global South have suffered invasion, colonization and plunder, and thus deeply understand the value of peace, Fu said. They represent a stabilizing, constructive and progressive force amid the tectonic changes in the world, he said.

    Fu called for support for regional organizations like the African Union, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and the Arab League in deepening their partnerships with the UN and playing leading roles in resolving regional conflicts.

    China remains ready to work with the international community to uphold true multilateralism and build a community with a shared future for humanity, he said. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Innovation, solid supply chain attracting FDI

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

    This aerial photo taken on July 5, 2023 shows the Tianjin factory of Danfoss, a global refrigeration industry giant, in north China’s Tianjin. [Photo/Xinhua]

    China will remain a vital innovation hub and manufacturing base for foreign corporations despite global economic uncertainty, said government officials and business leaders.

    They noted that foreign firms are maintaining deep engagement with the Chinese market, capitalizing on their technological expertise alongside China’s well-developed industrial and supply chains — a synergy that enhances operational efficiency, fosters innovation and strengthens supply chain resilience.

    Foreign-invested companies in China saw their export and import value grow by 2.4 percent year-on-year to 6.32 trillion yuan ($881.2 billion) in the first half, marking growth for the fifth consecutive quarter, statistics from the General Administration of Customs showed.

    The number of foreign-invested businesses in the country with actual import and export activities amounted to 75,000 in the first six months, the highest level for the same period since 2021, said the administration.

    China’s evolving industrial ecosystem — combining cost, quality and speed with advanced infrastructure — is transforming into a collaborative innovation hub where multinationals co-develop and expand alongside local partners, said Mohamed Kande, global chairman of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Ltd, a London-based global accounting company.

    Reflecting on this shift, Lyu Daliang, director of the GAC’s department of statistics and analysis, said that among the major manufacturing categories involved in foreign company exports, industries such as specialized equipment, electrical machinery and electronic devices all posted robust growth between January and June.

    One such company — Global Electric Appliance (Nantong) Co Ltd, a manufacturer of household appliances in Nantong, Jiangsu province and a subsidiary of a Singapore-based industrial group — reported a 31.9 percent year-on-year increase in exports, reaching 343 million yuan in the first half, said Nanjing Customs.

    Chen Jinxin, head of the company’s foreign trade unit, said the company has shipped its products, including vacuum and steam cleaners, to over 90 overseas markets, backed by China’s innovative solutions and a highly integrated supply chain that enables rapid product development and efficient global distribution.

    Apart from investing 3 billion yuan in its Hangzhou plant in Zhejiang province over the past decade, Italian chocolate and confectionery maker Ferrero Group said that the factory now supplies 53 percent of its products to the Chinese market, with the remaining 47 percent exported to more than 20 countries and regions across the Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and North America.

    Yang Lianjun, general manager of Ferrero’s Hangzhou plant, said the Chinese market offers significant opportunities, and the company may introduce additional premium product categories in the future, such as ice cream.

    To bolster its local research and development capabilities, Ferrero established a food innovation center within its Hangzhou facility last year. The center focuses on developing chocolate, confectionery and bakery products tailored to regional preferences and shortening time-to-market cycles.

    The Ministry of Commerce said foreign direct investment in China’s manufacturing sector reached 109.06 billion yuan in the first half, while high-tech industries attracted 127.87 billion yuan. FDI inflows from Switzerland, Japan, the United Kingdom and Germany rose by 68.6 percent, 59.1 percent, 37.6 percent and 6.3 percent, respectively.

    Amid a turbulent and uncertain global trade landscape, the stability of China’s policy environment and the long-term orientation of its planning have grown increasingly valuable, said Li Xingqian, vice-chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.

    Neutrik Technology (Ningbo) Co Ltd, a Ningbo, Zhejiang province-based manufacturer of electronic connectors and a subsidiary of the European company Neutrik AG, reported a 19 percent year-on-year rise in first-half sales to 68.45 million yuan, covering both domestic sales and exports, said Ningbo Customs.

    Dong Lanju, the company’s president, said that China’s well-integrated industrial ecosystem and pro-business environment will continue to empower foreign manufacturers to expand production, boost operational efficiency and better capture opportunities in global markets.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China-made tonne-class eVTOL delivered

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

    The V2000CG CarryAll, a tonne-class electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, conducts a flight demonstration at a flight test base in Kunshan, east China’s Jiangsu Province, on July 22, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    A Chinese tech startup on Tuesday delivered a tonne-class electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, marking a breakthrough in the application of large eVTOLs.

    Developed by the Shanghai-based company AutoFlight, the V2000CG CarryAll boasts a maximum takeoff weight of 2 tonnes.

    Following the acquisition of the type certificate and production certificate last year, along with the airworthiness certificate acquired on Monday, the unmanned aircraft will be operated by a Guangzhou-based low-altitude transportation business.

    The all-electric V2000CG CarryAll has a payload capacity of up to 400 kg with a maximum cruising speed of 200 km per hour and a range of 200 km. It features vertical takeoff and landing capabilities and a fixed-wing cruising design, enabling its applications in low-altitude logistics, emergency response and other fields.

    Xie Jia, senior vice president of AutoFlight, said that the aircraft type has so far completed more than 40,000 km of safe flights over various terrains across China and other countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Japan, which help validate its performance and explore its potential application scenarios.

    The eVTOL’s delivery comes as China’s low-altitude economy is entering a stage of rapid growth. According to the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the market value of the sector will soar from 500 billion yuan (about 70 billion U.S. dollars) in 2023 to 1.5 trillion yuan in 2025, and that number could reach an astounding 3.5 trillion yuan by 2035.

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    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Hainan free trade port to allow overseas investment in financial products

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

    An aerial drone photo taken on May 27, 2025 shows a view of the Yangpu Free Trade Port Zone under the Yangpu Economic Development Zone in Danzhou, south China’s Hainan Province. [Photo/Xinhua]

    China’s Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) is set to launch a pilot program on August 21 this year, enabling overseas investors to access domestic financial products offered by local financial institutions.

    Eligible products will include wealth management products, private asset management products from securities, fund, and futures operators, publicly offered securities investment funds, and insurance asset management products.

    The program aims to diversify cross-border financial product offerings and explore new channels for overseas investors to access China’s domestic market, according to an official with the Hainan branch of the People’s Bank of China, one of the co-formulators of the rules.

    It is also expected to attract both domestic and international asset management institutions to operate in Hainan, supporting the development of the Hainan FTP, according to the official.

    As part of its broader economic strategy, China is transforming Hainan into a Free Trade Port. As the Hainan FTP is set to begin independent customs operations by the end of the year, the province is poised to become not only a tourist haven but also a pivotal gateway for China’s opening-up drive.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China to evaluate WTO ruling on standard essential patent disputes with EU

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

    China’s Ministry of Commerce on Tuesday said it will carefully evaluate the World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling on China’s standard essential patent disputes with the European Union (EU), and address the issue in accordance with WTO rules.

    A spokesperson for the ministry said that the arbitration panel had upheld the expert group’s ruling, affirming that China’s actions had not affected the protection of patent rights by other WTO members and were not considered measures for the enforcement of intellectual property regulations under WTO rules. China welcomed the decision.

    However, in the absence of basis, the panel wrongly concluded that WTO members should avoid affecting the ability of patent holders to exercise their rights in other members’ territories. China has expressed dissatisfaction with this over-extension of WTO member obligations, the spokesperson said.

    China recognizes the value of the Multi-Party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement (MPIA) in effectively resolving trade disputes through legal channels, and will continue to work with other MPIA participants to ensure its proper and effective implementation, jointly upholding the rule-based multilateral trading system, the spokesperson noted.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China claim team gold in artistic swimming at World Aquatics Championships

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

    Wearing golden headbands symbolizing the legendary Monkey King, China’s artistic swimmers brought the myth to life in a powerful Wukong-inspired routine to win gold in the team technical event at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships on Tuesday.

    Their performance, based on the popular Chinese video game Black Myth: Wukong, earned China 307.8001 points – edging out longtime rivals Russia, competing under the name Neutral Athletes B (NAB), who finished second with 300.6183 points. Spain took third with 294.8575.

    Team China perform during the team technical final of artistic swimming at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, July 22, 2025. (Photo by Then Chih Wey/Xinhua)

    “This is a very special day,” said head coach Zhang Xiaohuan. “It’s the first time the Chinese artistic swimming team has been able to directly compete against our biggest rivals on a stage like this. It’s a moment we’ve waited a long time for.”

    “This gold medal doesn’t feel any less important than the one we won at the Olympic Games in Paris,” she added. “Our swimmers performed very well today. They improved on the areas that needed work after the preliminary round, and with that, they earned this title.”

    China won both the duet and team titles at the 2024 Paris Games, where Russian athletes did not participate.

    “I think they are still a very admirable opponent,” Zhang said. “They give us strong motivation to keep improving. We only narrowly won this time. We still have a long way to go.”

    Defeating NAB also gave the Chinese team a significant confidence boost.

    “We’ve waited a long time to compete against a team we’ve always wanted to measure ourselves against,” said team captain Feng Yu. “That makes this result even more special. It’s only when you face tough competition that you learn and improve.”

    The Wukong routine has been successful since its debut at the Artistic Swimming World Cup Super Final in Xi’an this June, where China also delivered a dominant performance. The coaching staff increased the difficulty level for the World Championships.

    “We raised the difficulty by almost two points,” Zhang said. “Most of that came from the leg movements. However, we didn’t extend the athletes’ breath-holding time. Instead, we incorporated more challenging movements at a faster tempo.”

    The runners-up were pleased with their silver medal.

    “We are very happy to be here at such a high-level competition,” said Anastasiia Bakhtyreva of NAB. “This is our first time competing at this level, and we feel a tremendous amount of emotion. We are very excited.”

    Earlier in the day, China’s Xu Huiyan won silver in the women’s solo free event, finishing behind Spain’s Iris Tio Casas. Just hours later, she returned to the pool for the team technical final.

    Xu made history in Singapore by winning China’s first-ever women’s solo technical gold medal at the World Championships. The 19-year-old now holds 19 gold medals across the World Cup, World Championships and World Junior Championships.

    “As a young athlete, Huiyan has progressed remarkably in just one year – from winning bronze in Doha to achieving what she has here in Singapore,” said Zhang. “Our rival in the solo free delivered an outstanding routine today.”

    The team technical gold marks China’s third gold in artistic swimming at the 2025 World Championships. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Tears of triumph and disappointment: Casas wins solo free gold, Xu falls short

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

    Tears flowed for both Spain’s Iris Tio Casas and China’s Xu Huiyan after the women’s solo free final at the World Aquatics Championships on Tuesday – but for very different reasons.

    Casas stood atop the podium with tears of joy after clinching her first individual world title in artistic swimming with a score of 245.1913 points. Xu, who had led the preliminary round, settled for silver, 4.1888 points behind Casas, and she couldn’t hold back tears of disappointment.

    Xu Huiyan of China reacts during awarding ceremony for the women’s solo free of artistic swimming at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, July 22, 2025. (Xinhua/Luo Yuan)

    “I’m super happy,” Casas said. “I can’t believe it right now. I feel very emotional because my parents are here in the stands. When I was little, the dream of becoming a world champion was deep in my soul. I’m still in shock.”

    The 22-year-old Spaniard improved her degree of difficulty in the final, responding to Xu’s similar strategy. Entering the final ranked third, Casas executed with precision and passion to rise to the top – an achievement that left her surrounded by jubilant teammates after the result was announced.

    “I think it worked out,” she said, smiling through tears.

    Xu, just 19, had hoped to complete a golden solo double after winning the technical event three days earlier, where Casas took bronze. But after her final routine, Xu buried her face in hands, tears streaming down – not from regret, she said, but from emotion.

    “I’m not sad about the result,” she said. “Actually, I’ve improved a lot in the past few weeks. I just feel like I still have so much more to work on.”

    Despite the silver, Xu has already made history for China. She now holds 18 gold medals across the World Cup, World Championships and World Junior Championships. Her solo technical win in Singapore earned China its first-ever world gold in that discipline.

    “I anticipated today’s result,” she admitted. “Ever since I started competing in the solo free routine, I’ve known there are still areas I need to improve – especially in the free elements. We didn’t have much time to make big changes, and training time for solo routines was quite limited.”

    Xu isn’t dwelling on the disappointment for long. Just hours after the solo free final, she will be back for the team technical final. She has already led China to the team free title.

    “That’s not a problem,” she said. “I’ll do my best and won’t let my teammates down.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Leeds sign midfielder Anton Stach from Hoffenheim

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

    German international midfielder Anton Stach has joined newly promoted Leeds United from Hoffenheim in a deal worth around 17.5 million pounds (23.5 million U.S. dollars).

    Jeong Wooyeong (R) of VfB Stuttgart vies with Anton Stach of TSG 1899 Hoffenheim during the first division of Bundesliga 9th round match between VfB Stuttgart and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, in Stuttgart, Germany, Oct. 28, 2023. (Photo by Ulrich Hufnagel/Xinhua)

    Stach has signed a four-year contract and becomes Leeds’ sixth signing of the summer as the club aims to re-establish itself in the Premier League.

    The 26-year-old has played twice for the German national side and was a regular for Hoffenheim last season.

    “I am excited to join such a good team, such a good Premier League team, and I am looking forward to the next season,” said Stach in an interview on the club’s website, in which he was honest about Leeds’ aims for the coming season.

    “The biggest target is to stay in the league and personally just develop, adapt to the league, to the speed of course and then get many good experiences hopefully,” he added.

    “My style of play, I would say I am an aggressive player. I am good in duels. I am good at anticipating passes from the opponents and it would be good for the Premier League. Now we will see, I will try my best,” continued the midfielder. 

    MIL OSI China News –