NewzIntel.com

Category: DJF

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Pharmac continues to engage with consumers

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour welcomes the establishment of Pharmac’s new consumer working group to help Pharmac help reset how it works with health consumers.

    “For many New Zealanders, funding for pharmaceuticals is life or death, or the difference between a life of pain and suffering or living freely,” Mr Seymour says.  

    “My expectation is that Pharmac should have good processes to ensure that people with an illness, their carers and family, can provide input to decision-making processes. This is part of the ACT-National Coalition Agreement. 

    “Pharmac hosted a Consumer Engagement Workshop in March. Patients and advocates voiced their hopes at resetting the patient – Pharmac relationship. Pharmac published a report on the findings from the workshop. 

    “The report recommended that the Board invite workshop participants, in association with the wider consumer-patient representative community, to select a working group. The group would work with Pharmac’s Board and management to reset the relationship between Pharmac and the consumer/representative community. 

    “The patient advocacy community selected Dr Malcolm Mulholland to lead the consumer working group. He has worked with consumers to select the other members of the working group. These members represent patients with a wide range of health conditions. They are named at the end of this release.”

    “We’ve waited a long time for this opportunity. The work that Pharmac does is vitally important for the health of patients and their families, and this is why getting Pharmac to work as well as it can, will be the focus of the working group,” Dr Mulholland says.

    “The consumer working group met for the first time yesterday to confirm the approach for the reset programme and agree the first set of actions. I look forward to hearing about their progress,” Mr Seymour says. 

    “I’m pleased to see the Board take the opportunity to continue to prioritise expanding opportunities and access for patients and their families by expanding access to more medicines for more groups. 

    “The working group reflects our commitment to a more adaptable and patient-centred approach. It follows my letters of expectations, the consumer engagement workshop, last year’s Medicines Summit, and the acceptance of Patient Voice Aotearoa’s White Paper as actions to achieve this. 

    “The Government is doing its part. Last year we allocated Pharmac its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, and a $604 million uplift to give Pharmac the financial support it needs to carry out its functions – negotiating the best deals for medicine for New Zealanders.” 

    The consumer working group members are:

    1. Dr Malcolm Mulholland MNZM – Patient Voice Aotearoa
    2. Libby Burgess MNZM – Breast Cancer Aotearoa Coalition
    3. Tim Edmonds – Leukaemia and Blood Cancer NZ
    4. Chris Higgins – Rare Disorders NZ
    5. Francesca Holloway – Arthritis NZ
    6. Trent Lash – Heartbeats Charitable Trust
    7. Gerard Rushton – The Meningitis Foundation
    8. Rachel Smalley MNZM – The Medicine Gap
    9. Tracy Tierney – Epilepsy NZ
    10. Deon York – Haemophilia NZ

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Press Release: Federal Bank Regulatory Agencies Seek Further Comment on Interagency Effort to Reduce Regulatory Burden

    Source: US Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation FDIC

    CategoriesBusiness, Commerce, MIL-OSI, United States Federal Government, United States Government, United States of America, US Commerce, US Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation FDIC, US Federal Government, US Insurance Sector, USA

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Buffalo removes several violent criminal aliens from US

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    July 21, 2025Buffalo, NY, United StatesEnforcement and Removal

    BUFFALO, N.Y. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Buffalo officers are on the streets every day, bravely executing the agency’s mission to locate, arrest and remove egregious criminal aliens from the United States in line with the president’s policy of “worst first.”

    “I’m extraordinarily proud of our officers who, despite a record increase in assaults against them, continue to selflessly dedicate themselves to protecting public safety and national security,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Buffalo acting Deputy Field Office Director James T. Bausch. “These violent criminals can no longer pose a threat to anyone in our country.”

    Between July 11 and July 17, ICE Buffalo removed the following criminal aliens with felony convictions and pending charges: 

    • Jesus Flores-Flores, a 49-year-old citizen of Mexico convicted of manslaughter, assault and criminal mischief.
    • Gerber Rosil-Galdamez, a 41-year-old citizen of Guatemala convicted of rape and sexual abuse.  
    • Ivan Fidencio Juarez-Rivera, a 42-year-old citizen of Mexico with convictions for domestic violence, assault, burglary, driving while intoxicated and illegal reentry.
    • Cristian Josue Pena-Contreras, a 21-year-old citizen of Honduras whose criminal history includes 13 convictions for receiving stolen property, larceny and larceny of a motor vehicle.
    • Jostin Javier Cabrera-Ruiz, an 18-year-old citizen of Ecuador whose criminal history includes pending charges for robbery, criminal mischief, criminal possession stolen property, possession of credit card, grand larceny, menacing, criminal possession of weapon and petit larceny.
    • Marlon Ganesh Beerbhajan, a 48-year-old citizen of Guyana pending charges for unlawful imprisonment and forcible touching.

    Learn more about ERO Buffalo’s mission to preserve public safety on X at @EROBuffalo.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News in Brief: 510th Buzzards, a history of excellence

    Source: United States Airforce

    AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy (AFNS) —  

    Nine pilots from the 510th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron at Aviano Air Base earned Single-Event Air Medals, and two were simultaneously awarded the Distinguished Flying cross, after returning from a deployment to the Central Command area of responsibility. During the deployment, they flew various defensive counter air sorties to protect U.S. Naval assets traveling through the Bab el Mandeb Strait, breaking records along the way.

    “As the new Buzzard Commander, I am honored and humbled to lead such an accomplished team,” said Lt. Col. Brent Smith, the newly appointed commander of the 510th EFS. “The legacy of excellence, dedication and professionalism is inspiring and motivating. It’s a privilege to step into this role and work alongside some of the most talented and mission-focused individuals in the Air Force.”

    During the deployment, the Buzzards flew 8,800 hours and 1,400 total sorties.

    “The Buzzards supported a variety of missions, including Inherent Resolve’s fight against ISIS, Operation Prosperity Guardian’s protection of coalition partners and civilian vessels in the Red Sea, Operation Spartan Shield’s defense of US interests in the Arabian Gulf, and many other force protection and deterrence missions,” Smith said.

    The 510th EFS has a long history of excellence, beginning in 1943 as the 625th Bombardment Squadron until being re-designated the 510th Fighter-Bomber Squadron later that same year.

    After being stationed at various locations across the globe and experiencing multiple periods of activation and inactivation, the 510th EFS was permanently reactivated in 1994, establishing its current home at Aviano AB, Italy.

    The 510th EFS has been the highest flown PSAB fighter unit since 2019, highest flown Aviano deployed unit since 2010, and the highest flown rotation fighter unit in the area of responsibility.

    The Buzzards have flown combat missions during World War II, the Vietnam War, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Provide Comfort, Operation Deny Flight and many more. During their most recent deployment to support Operation Prosperity Guardian, the squadron exuded excellence while protecting American assets overseas.

    “Each decoration represents not only a specific event, but also the precision, teamwork and unwavering commitment to the mission required to successfully execute in combat,” Smith said. “They represent countless hours of preparation, sacrifice and high intensity training by the whole Buzzard operations and maintenance team. They are proof of a culture that demands and delivers high performance every single day.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News in Brief: F-35 international interfly at Talisman Sabre 25 – A first for the USAF

    Source: United States Airforce

    Two U.S. Air Force pilots successfully flew Royal Australian Air Force F-35A Lightning II aircraft during an international interfly training mission during exercise Talisman Sabre 25, in Northern Territory, Australia, July 16.

    This display of interoperability signified the first time USAF pilots flew 5th Generation aircraft belonging to a partnered or allied nation.

    The U.S. Air Force pilots achieving this first-ever feat were Air Force Reserve Maj. Justin Lennon, 48th Fighter Wing, U.S. Air Forces in Europe-U.S. Air Forces Africa F-35A evaluator pilot, and Maj. Colby Kluesner, 388th Fighter Wing F-35A evaluator pilot.

    “In the short term, Interfly events like this allow us to exchange information and best practices,” Lennon explained. “In the long term, as a coalition, normalizing Interfly gives commanders additional options for agility and versatility in a future conflict. In a prolonged conflict, airplanes are capable of flying more hours a day than a pilot. Having the added flexibility to put any pilot in any F-35 and generate combat airpower anywhere in the world adds to the F-35 coalition’s lethality.”

    The RAAF has also increased its efforts in normalizing F-35 Interfly training among allies by the creation of its Lighting-X program: a 2023 initiative developed to take advantage of the mutual benefits provided to F-35 communities that Interfly concepts provide.

    “[The Lightning-X program] allows RAAF commanders to treat our coalition counterparts as RAAF aircrew when we consider things like medical, dental, physiological issues, egress systems and human factors,” said RAAF Squadron Leader Nicholas Reynolds, No. 77 Squadron executive officer. “It is a big win to be able to seamlessly integrate here at Talisman Sabre 25 with 77 Squadron.”

    In addition to the two USAF pilots, the RAAF also invited Royal Air Force Squadron Leader Daniel Goff, and U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Johnny Rose, both F-35B instructor pilots, to participate in the international Interfly.

    The USAF, USMC, and RAF pilots embedded with two of RAAF’s F-35 squadrons, No. 77 Squadron and No. 75 Squadron.

    After a day of simulator training and academic courses, the four F-35 pilots were approved to conduct training exercises during Talisman Sabre 25 using RAAF’s F-35 aircraft.

    “The crew are treated no differently than any other RAAF F-35 pilot during Talisman Sabre 25,” Lennon said. “The only way anyone might know it’s not an Australian in the RAAF F-35 is the accent on the radio.”

    Lennon also added that familiar training and equipment usage in the F-35 makes adapting to another nation’s aircraft easier than one might think.

    “Thanks to the commonality of F-35 variants, aligned training and operational practices between F-35 users, the flying portion is the easiest part,” Lennon explained. “Our visiting USAF pilots are able to execute and fly a RAAF F-35 no different from their Australian wingmen.”

    This recent effort in pilot interchangeability by multiple branches and nations in the F-35 community is aimed at preparing the U.S. and its allies for future conflicts long into the future.

    “Interfly has allowed the USAF to train partner nations on weapons systems they have purchased, as well as conduct exchange assignments,” Lennon said. “However, until now the USAF has never performed international interfly on an ad-hoc basis. This effort is part of a larger plan to normalize F-35 Interfly training with our allies.”

    Talisman Sabre 25 is a large-scale, bilateral military exercise between Australia and the U.S. which advances a free and open Indo-Pacific by strengthening relationships and interoperability among key allies and enhances our collective capabilities to respond to a wide array of potential security concerns. This year marks the eleventh iteration of the exercise.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News in Brief: RIAT 2025 highlights global readiness, cooperation

    Source: United States Airforce

    During the Royal International Air Tattoo, the U.S. Air Force, alongside NATO allies and partners from around the globe, showcased what the strength of multinational relationships can achieve.

    ROYAL AIR FORCE FAIRFORD, United Kingdom (AFNS) —  The weather was calm and the sky was blue, yet thunder forced itself to be heard. From July 18-20, thousands of onlookers in the crowd gleefully braced themselves for a procession of roaring aerial acrobatics, helicopter rescue demonstrations, and raw airpower flooding the cloudy air above Royal Air Force Fairford.

    The Royal International Air Tattoo is not only the largest air show in the world – it is a convention of lethality, ingenuity, and partnership. The U.S. Air Force, alongside NATO allies and partners from around the globe, showcased what the strength of multinational relationships can achieve.

    “America’s international partners are one of its greatest strengths,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Mercer Martin, 99th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron U-2S pilot. “Spending our time meeting our partners in person while forging bonds and friendships is an extremely important addition to the relationships we have with our allied nations around the world.”

    U.S. Air Force Gen. David Allvin, USAF Chief of Staff, speaks with Airmen assigned to the 95th Reconnaissance Squadron during the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford, England, July 19, 2025. The interaction and exchanges we have with allies and partners at events like RIAT allows us to learn from and leverage the strengths and capabilities our allies and partners bring to the table. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Cody J. A. Mott)
    U.S. Air Force Capt. “Yeti” Martin, 99th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron U-2S pilot, explains the capabilities of the U-2S Dragon Lady to Royal Air Force cadets during the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford, England, July 18, 2025. One of the many benefits of RIAT is exposing allies, partner nations and the general public to our aircraft and the aircrews who operate them. These aircraft demonstrate our vast capabilities and ability to rapidly respond to threats and assure allies and partners. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Cody J. A. Mott)
    RAF Red Arrow aerobatic team member Graeme Muscat, announces the pilot’s aerial demonstrations during the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford, England, July 20, 2025. Through high-impact aerial displays and multinational participation, RIAT highlights the strategic reach and operational readiness of allied and partner air forces. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Cody J. A. Mott)

    Exposing both the U.S. and partner-nation personnel to diverse strategies and training methods strengthens the goal of a cohesive, interoperable force. These relationships play a key part in times of peace as much as they do in the theater of war.

    “I enjoy flying an aircraft that’s so close in league with our American colleagues. It’s a real change of pace,” said an RAF Rivet Joint pilot. “Your training systems and operational focus into different deployable locations make it so U.S. Airmen are more versed on how it all works in different areas of the world. It’s nice to be exposed to that and fly more often with pilots who have different techniques.”

    As in years past, one of RIAT’s greatest strengths this year was the access it provided allies, partner nations and the public to U.S. aircraft, aircrew, and the stories behind them. It was a rare chance for global audiences to witness both the capabilities and the humanity behind modern airpower. This visibility builds confidence, strengthens support, and reinforces the value of continued collaboration.

    “As aircrew stationed in the United Kingdom, I’m flying tanker missions and working with NATO allies while refueling them in the air,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Tobin Nelson, 100th Air Refueling Wing pilot. “Being on the ground and meeting them face-to-face at RIAT is amazing. Knowing I’ve worked with their people gives me the ability to network, plan new training missions, and forge new bonds through flying.”

    RIAT 2025 served as a powerful reminder that diplomacy and military strength go hand in hand. By bringing together allies and partners in a shared celebration of innovation and skill, the air show fostered trust, mutual understanding, and camaraderie that extended far beyond the runway. The relationships built not only enhance all nations’ operational readiness but also promote a culture of cooperation and respect that is vital in today’s complex environments.

    RIAT’s ability to inspire generations also underscores the profound impact of bringing military aviation into the public eye. For many attendees, witnessing these aircraft in action and hearing firsthand accounts from dedicated personnel sparks a passion for service and a belief in the importance of teamwork.

    “When you come here and see participants and children from every walk of life with a sparkle in their eye, you don’t ever want to stifle those dreams,” said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. John Stortecky, 337th Airlift Squadron flight engineer. “Hopefully one day someone will say, ‘I had that tour through the aircraft and I saw them fly – and it inspired me to become who I am today.’”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: In Letter to Trump, Cantwell Unveils 5-Point Plan to Improve Nation’s Weather Readiness in the Face of NOAA Cuts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    07.21.25

    In Letter to Trump, Cantwell Unveils 5-Point Plan to Improve Nation’s Weather Readiness in the Face of NOAA Cuts

    Cantwell to Trump: “We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create the world’s best weather forecasting system…”

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation – the committee that oversees the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Weather Service (NWS) – today sent a letter to President Donald Trump outlining her five-point plan to bolster the United States’ weather readiness.

    “Communities across the United States are experiencing more frequent, intense, and costly flash floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, atmospheric rivers, landslides, heatwaves, and wildfires,” Sen. Cantwell wrote. “The lessons from Kerrville, Palisades, Asheville, Lahaina, and too many other natural disasters are that providing Americans with more timely and accurate weather information can avoid billions in property losses and save lives. We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create the world’s best weather forecasting system that would provide Americans with much more detailed and customized alerts days instead of minutes ahead of a looming extreme weather event.”

    Sen. Cantwell’s five recommendations for President Trump are:

    1. Modernize Weather Data Collection: The United States needs to collect and compile more data by land, air, space, and sea by modernizing our weather data infrastructure and other tools, including better radars, hurricane hunters, weather satellites, and ocean buoys.
    • Radar: Upgrading the nation’s aging Doppler radar network will enable meteorologists to deliver more accurate forecasts and provide longer warning lead times. Higher resolution data from new technology called phased array radar can “see” into the storm in ways not visible on current radar. It can zoom in on the most dangerous features of extreme weather and scan the atmosphere in under a minute, six times faster than current radar, to detect rapid changes like tornado formation or microbursts. NOAA is planning to replace the current outdated Doppler network but lacks the resources necessary to develop the best radar technology and infrastructure at the pace we need them to.
    • Hurricane Hunters: NOAA studies have found that including data collected by the Hurricane Hunters improved forecast accuracy by at least 10 to 15 percent. NOAA needs to rebuild its Hurricane Hunter aircraft fleet by replacing the current WP-3D Hurricane Hunter aircraft that have been in service since the 1970s and will be decommissioned by 2030. NOAA’s 2022 Aircraft Plan calls for four new C-130 aircraft to meet this mission, and the bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (P.L. 117-263, § 11708(b)) included authorization for up to six new aircraft.
    • Weather Satellites: NOAA’s satellites are its “eyes in the sky” that stay locked in place above the United States and give scientists continuous data on storms as they develop. NOAA needs to expand these capabilities with the next generation of weather satellites like the Geostationary Extended Observations (GeoXO) satellite system. Updated satellites will be able to track lightning strikes that start wildfires and smoke which impacts air quality and human health.
    • Buoys and Ocean Data: NOAA’s Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) is a network of buoys, gliders, high frequency radar arrays, and other instruments that gather ocean data critical for weather forecasting, search and rescue, and navigation. we need to modernize and recapitalize aging infrastructure and better integrate ocean data into our weather forecasting models. Enacting the Integrated Ocean Observation System Reauthorization Act of 2025 (S.2126), bipartisan legislation sponsored by Senators Roger Wicker and Cantwell, will help maintain and resource IOOS infrastructure and networks.
    1. World Leading Analytics: We need to catch up with and surpass European weather forecasting capabilities, which will require more supercomputing and improvements in data analytics including assimilation.
    • We want the best forecasts in the world, but the U.S. models are often outperformed by the European model.
    • NOAA needs to increase its focus and investment in supercomputing, data analytics, and data assimilation, a key technique in weather forecasting that combines real-world observations with a numerical weather model.
    • Better forecasts are in reach, we just need to invest in the people and the computing power to be competitive.
    1. Cutting Edge Research: As our communities experience more frequent and extreme weather, now is the time to invest in additional cutting-edge basic and applied research.
    • For decades, NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) has supported next-generation science and technology that enables increasingly adept forecasting products and services that save lives from extreme weather events.
    • While NOAA’s OAR only accounts for about 10 percent of the agency’s funding, its work has far-reaching impacts including better flash flood and precipitation prediction, developing next generation hurricane models, and improving extreme heat planning scenarios.
    • The office also focuses on ways to better communicate extreme weather threats to the public. For example, NOAA’s National Severe Storm Laboratory in Oklahoma is testing a new tornado and extreme weather early warning system. Even though it’s still in the testing phase, in March the system provided Missouri communities two hours of lead time, allowing 120 people to seek shelter before a dangerous EF-3 tornado touched down. Current tornado warnings only give communities 13 minutes of warning on average.
    1. Modernizing Alert Systems: We must strengthen and expand weather emergency communication channels to keep the public informed and help first responders prepare and react to natural disasters.
    • Americans need more timely, relevant, and actionable information so they know when to get out of harm’s way. Investments like upgrading NOAA’s weather radio technology from obsolete copper technologies to Internet or satellite-based systems are vital to providing reliable and continuous weather and emergency alerts.
    • Expanding NOAA’s VHF broadcasts to reach rural areas that other systems do not reliably cover will provide irreplaceable hazard alerts for campers, tourists, hunters, and tribal members, as well as mining, forestry, and agriculture workers living in remote areas.
    • However, no single alert technology should be considered sufficient in an emergency. We should augment both public and private alert communications and embrace multi-channel delivery systems to ensure messages reach users via their preferred platforms, whether that is through FM and AM radio, apps, websites, SMS, push notifications, television, or social media. The private sector can provide value-added information including more customized alerts and warnings and giving people additional ways to access critical and timely information.
    • Expanding current FEMA programs to build out local sirens and provide first responders with crucial flood maps and satellite images will also significantly enhance local disaster response capabilities.
    1. Advance Bipartisan Legislation: The bipartisan Weather Act Reauthorization Act of 2024 would strengthen weather research and forecasting and expand commercial data partnerships.
    • A bipartisan bill Chairman Ted Cruz and I introduced last year, the Weather Act Reauthorization Act of 2024 (S. 5601), would modernize the essential research programs you signed into law in the 2017 Weather Act and establish new programs to advance forecasting, strengthen emergency preparedness, and support farmers and resource managers with better tools for agriculture and water management.
    • The legislation would take the critical first steps in addressing NOAA’s aging radar network by directing the agency to design and deploy the next generation of weather radar technology. It also expands and codifies public-private partnerships to acquire and utilize innovative data sources, supporting efforts like the Commercial Data Program. Former House Science Chairman Frank Lucas and Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren introduced a bipartisan companion bill in the House (H.R. 3816) last month, which will be marked up by the full Committee this Wednesday.

    This morning, Sen. Cantwell joined CNN’s Pamela Brown to discuss her plan to improve the nation’s weather readiness. The interview is HERE.

    On Sunday, July 13, Sen. Cantwell joined CBS’s Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan to discuss the importance of funding and staffing for NOAA and the NWS.

    “The more you can move people and resources out of the way of a storm, the more you can predict what might happen, the better prepared we’re going to be. And that’s going to help us save lives, and certainly save dollars,” Sen. Cantwell told Brennan. Video of her segment is HERE and HERE; a transcript is HERE.

    NOAA’s cutting-edge science informs NWS weather forecasts, which help local communities prepare for and respond to events like the recent deadly floods in Central Texas. President Trump’s proposed budget would slash NOAA’s funding by $2.2 billion – a 27% cut – and his DOGE team has caused over 2,000 job losses at the agency since January.

    Earlier this month, Sen. Cantwell questioned Dr. Neil Jacobs, President Donald Trump’s nominee to head NOAA, about his plans to preserve the agency’s mission as the administration continues to hack away at NOAA’s budget, workforce, and programs.

    Last month, Sen. Cantwell joined renowned meteorologists from across the country for a virtual presser to sound the alarm on the NWS cuts, and called on the Trump Administration to restore the agency to full capacity.

    The full text of the letter to President Trump is below:

    July 21, 2025

    The Honorable Donald J. Trump

    The White House

    1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

    Washington, DC 20500

    Dear Mr. President,

    Communities across the United States are experiencing more frequent, intense, and costly flash floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, atmospheric rivers, landslides, heatwaves, and wildfires. The lessons from Kerrville, Palisades, Asheville, Lahaina, and too many other natural disasters are that providing Americans with more timely and accurate weather information can avoid billions in property losses and save lives. We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create the world’s best weather forecasting system that would provide Americans with much more detailed and customized alerts days instead of minutes ahead of a looming extreme weather event.

    There is strong support for making the generational investments necessary to become a weather ready nation that will empower Americans to get out of harm’s way. It will take better weather data collection, world leading analytics, cutting edge research, modernizing alert systems, and a partnership between your Administration and Congress to pass enabling legislation. To that end, I offer the following five recommendations that if pursued on a bipartisan basis would make America the world leader in weather forecasting:

    1) Modernizing Weather Data Collection

    We need to compile more data by land, air, space, and sea by modernizing our weather data collection tools, including better radar, hurricane hunters, weather satellites, and ocean buoys

    Radar: Upgrading the nation’s aging Doppler radar network will enable meteorologists to deliver more accurate forecasts and provide longer warning lead times. It does this with higher resolution data from phased array radar (PAR) to “see” into the storm in ways not visible on current radar. PAR can detect rapid changes in storms like tornado formation or microbursts, improve tracking of hazards like hail, and zoom in on the most dangerous features of extreme weather. These systems can also scan the atmosphere in under a minute, six times faster than current radar, detecting rapid changes in the storm for increased warning lead times and fewer false alarms.

    This new technology should replace the current analog Doppler radar systems from the 1980s, which are increasingly costly to maintain and risks failure every day. NOAA is planning to replace the current outdated Doppler network but lacks the resources necessary to develop the best radar technology and infrastructure at the pace we need them to.

    Hurricane Hunter Aircraft: NOAA studies have found that including data collected by the Hurricane Hunters improved forecast accuracy by at least 10 to 15 percent. However, NOAA needs to rebuild its Hurricane Hunter aircraft fleet by replacing the current WP-3D Hurricane Hunter aircraft that have been in service since the 1970s and will be decommissioned by 2030. New C-130 Hurricane Hunter aircraft are more capable than the half-century old WP-3D aircraft, with the ability to deploy more drones and uncrewed systems, conduct higher resolution scans from more advanced radar, and provide highly accurate wind, temperature, pressure, and humidity measurements from additional sensors.

    NOAA’s 2022 Aircraft Plan calls for four new C-130 aircraft to meet this mission, and the bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (P.L. 117-263, § 11708(b)) included authorization for up to six new aircraft. While two C-130 aircraft are funded, completing the fleet modernization in fiscal year 2026 will ensure forecasters can utilize this irreplaceable data source to better predict the path and intensity of hurricanes headed toward the United States, which is crucial for first responders to inform evacuations and pre-position emergency resources.

    Weather Satellites: NOAA’s satellites are its “eyes in the sky” that stay locked in place above the United States and give scientists continuous data on storms as they develop. NOAA needs to expand these capabilities with the next generation of weather satellites, the Geostationary Extended Observations (GeoXO) satellite system. Once launched, GeoXO can track lightning strikes that start wildfires, wildfire smoke, red tides that poison fisheries, and generally provide better extreme weather early warning capabilities. For example, if GeoXO had been deployed during the 2023 Canadian wildfire smoke event that blanketed much of the eastern United States, its instruments could have provided hourly, high-resolution maps of smoke pollution, enabling more accurate health advisories and allowing schools, airlines, and outdoor workers to make safer decisions. This year, smoke from massive Canadian wildfires is again posing health risks to Americans across the country. This is new technology that does not exist in today’s satellite system.

    To get these next generation satellites built, NOAA must proceed with the recommendations laid out under your first Administration and build the planned network of six satellites, five instruments, and supporting ground systems. The data from the Lightning Mapper (LMX), Sounder (GXS), Atmospheric Composition (ACX), Imager (GXI), and Ocean Color (OCX) instruments are key and necessary inputs for any world leading forecasting model.

    Buoys and Ocean Data: NOAA’s Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) is a network of buoys, gliders, high frequency radar arrays, and other instruments that gather ocean data critical for weather forecasting, search and rescue, and navigation. The IOOS network provides real-time surface and subsurface ocean temperature measurements that feed into NOAA’s hurricane forecast model to detect rapid intensification of hurricanes and other extreme storms. For example, the above average warm water in the Gulf contributed to the recent flash flooding in Central Texas, while changes to tropical weather patterns and ocean temperatures have contributed to flooding across the country, from the Southwest through the Mid-Atlantic and into the Northeast. Just halfway through the summer, according to the National Weather Service, the country has already experienced twice as many floods in July as usual.

    To preserve and expand the critical real-time data these buoys provide, we need to modernize and recapitalize aging infrastructure and better integrate ocean data into our weather forecasting models. Enacting the Integrated Ocean Observation System Reauthorization Act of 2025 (S.2126), bipartisan legislation Senator Roger Wicker and I introduced, will help maintain and resource IOOS infrastructure and networks.

    2) World Leading Analytics

    Catching up with and surpassing European weather forecasting capabilities will require more supercomputing and improvements in data analytics

    NOAA has long aimed to close the performance gap between its Global Forecast System (GFS) and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, which often outperforms U.S. forecasts. For example, in October 2012, the European model correctly predicted Hurricane Sandy would turn toward the U.S. East Coast seven to eight days in advance, while the U.S. model initially forecast it would head out to sea, missing the U.S. entirely. Of course, Sandy did hit the U.S., with devastating effects for the entire Mid-Atlantic region, killing 254 people and causing nearly $70 billion in damages. Conversely, in 2015, the European model predicted Hurricane Joaquin would stay offshore, which it did, while the U.S. model forecast a direct hit on the East Coast, prompting costly emergency preparations that were ultimately unnecessary. And in February 2021, when a historic Arctic outbreak plunged Texas and much of the South into record cold with heavy snow and ice, and the European model provided more accurate early guidance on the extent and longevity of the cold air mass. According to NOAA and the Texas Department of State Health Services, at its peak, the power outages that resulted left nearly 10 million people in the cold and dark, unable to cook food, and resulted in more than 200 deaths.

    In order to catch up to Europe’s highly advanced weather modeling, NOAA needs to increase its focus and investment in supercomputing, data analytics, and data assimilation, a key technique in weather forecasting that combines real-world observations with a numerical weather model. We need to take steps to expand the GFS ensemble system with higher resolution and better physics, refine the Unified Forecast System, and streamline the path from research to operations with projects like the Earth Prediction Innovation Center (EPIC) to improve collaboration with external scientists and the private sector. All of this will require Congress to provide NOAA with more supercomputing resources if we are to lead the world in weather forecasting.

    3) Cutting Edge Research

    As our communities experience more frequent and extreme weather, now is the time to invest in additional cutting-edge basic and applied research

    For decades, NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research has supported next-generation science and technology that enables increasingly adept forecasting products and services that save lives from extreme weather events. While NOAA research only accounts for about 10 percent of the agency’s funding, its work has far-reaching impacts including better flash flood and precipitation prediction, developing next generation hurricane models, and improving extreme heat planning scenarios. The research arm also operates testbeds where new technologies and models are rigorously evaluated before they are transitioned to NOAA operations or private sector applications.

    The office also focuses on ways to better communicate extreme weather threats to the public. For example, NOAA’s National Severe Storm Laboratory in Oklahoma is testing a new tornado and extreme weather early warning system. Even though it’s still in the testing phase, in March the system provided Missouri communities two hours of lead time, allowing 120 people to seek shelter before a dangerous EF-3 tornado touched down. Current tornado warnings only give communities 13 minutes of warning on average.

    4) Modernizing Alert Systems

    We must strengthen and expand weather emergency communication channels to keep the public informed and help first responders prepare and react to natural disasters

    Americans need more timely, relevant, and actionable information so they know when to get out of harm’s way. Investments like upgrading NOAA’s weather radio technology from obsolete copper technologies to Internet or satellite-based systems are vital to providing reliable and continuous weather and emergency alerts. Expanding NOAA’s VHF broadcasts to reach rural areas that other systems do not reliably cover will provide irreplaceable hazard alerts for campers, tourists, hunters, and tribal members, as well as mining, forestry, and agriculture workers living in remote areas. Expanding current FEMA programs to build out local sirens and provide first responders with crucial flood maps and satellite images will also significantly enhance local disaster response capabilities.

    However, no single alert technology should be considered sufficient in an emergency. We should augment both public and private alert communications and embrace multi-channel delivery systems to ensure messages reach users via their preferred platforms, whether that is through FM and AM radio, apps, websites, SMS, push notifications, television, or social media. The private sector can provide value-added information including more customized alerts and warnings, giving people additional ways to access critical and timely information.

    5) Advancing Bipartisan Legislation

    The bipartisan Weather Act Reauthorization Act of 2024 would strengthen weather research and forecasting and expand commercial data partnerships

    A bipartisan bill Chairman Ted Cruz and I introduced last year, the Weather Act Reauthorization Act of 2024 (S. 5601) would modernize the essential research programs you signed into law in the 2017 Weather Act and establish new programs to advance forecasting, strengthen emergency preparedness, and support farmers and resource managers with better tools for agriculture and water management. The legislation also expands and codifies public-private partnerships to acquire and utilize innovative data sources, supporting efforts like the Commercial Data Program. Former House Science Chairman Frank Lucas and Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren introduced a bipartisan companion bill in the House (H.R. 3816) last month.

    Now is the time to take the tough lessons learned in the wake of the recent natural disasters and human tragedies in places like Texas, North Carolina, and New Mexico and create the world’s best weather prediction system. We must meet the moment or the situation is only going to get worse. The United States used to experience an average of nine extreme weather events every year that cost over $1 billion each, but in the last five years the number of disasters has spiked to an average of 23 per year, and last year it was 27 events. A recent comprehensive government study predicted that extreme weather will cost Americans $1.5 trillion over the next decade, not including loss of life or health-related costs. That’s why the costs of making the once-in-a-lifetime smart investments described above are minuscule compared to savings that better weather forecasting will provide every American.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Cosponsors Bill to Label Muslim Brotherhood a Foreign Terrorist Organization

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) cosponsored the Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act, which would direct the U.S. Secretary of State to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist group:

    “Hamas – who is responsible for the mass murder of more than 1,200 civilians in the brutal attack against Israel on October 7 – openly identifies as a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This bill rightfully directs the Secretary of State to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization and imposes strict sanctions against them and their proxies who chant ‘death to America,’ sending a clear message that their anti-western agenda and threats to the American people and our allies will not be tolerated.”

    Background:

    The Muslim Brotherhood is a transnational Islamist organization that supports a wide array of regional affiliates, including groups actively engaged in terrorism. Hamas, already designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) by the United States, openly identifies as a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. Other branches, such as HASM and Liwa al-Thawra, have been linked to the Muslim Brotherhood by the U.S. Department of State and designated as Specially Designated Global Terrorists. Muslim Brotherhood branches have also been implicated in planning or supporting attacks in Jordan and are outlawed as terrorist groups by Austria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Several European countries are evaluating similar measures.

    The bill modernizes previous efforts by shifting to a bottom-up approach, requiring the U.S. Secretary of State to record and evaluate individual Muslim Brotherhood branches annually, designate those that meet terrorism criteria, and impose sanctions accordingly. This is modeled after the successful approach taken to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in 2017.

    The Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act would:

    • Designate the Muslim Brotherhood under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1987;
    • Require the U.S. Secretary of State to report annually on Muslim Brotherhood branches and assess their designation eligibility under FTO or SDGT authorities;
    • Mandate sanctions against the global Muslim Brotherhood and any branch found to meet terrorism criteria; and
    • Impose visa restrictions and immigration ineligibility on identified members.

    The Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act, led by Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), was cosponsored by Sens. Tom Cotton (R-AR), John Boozman (R-AR.), Rick Scott (R-FL), Ashley Moody (R-FL), and Dave McCormick (R-PA).

    The legislation is endorsed by FDD Action, Christians United for Israel Action Fund, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), and the Republican Jewish Coalition.

    Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-26).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Readout of the Secretary-General’s meeting with H.E. Mr. Petteri Orpo, Prime Minister of the Republic of Finland

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The Secretary-General met with H.E. Mr. Petteri Orpo, Prime Minister of the Republic of Finland. The Secretary-General and the Prime Minister discussed the global geopolitical situation, including Ukraine and the Middle East, along with the role of the United Nations.

    The 2030 Agenda and the UN80 initiative were also discussed. The Secretary-General commended Finland’s leadership in advancing multilateralism, and its steadfast contributions to the UN system.
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Prime Minister Carney meets with His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan

    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    Today, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, met with His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan during His Majesty’s visit to Canada. This was their first in-person meeting since the Prime Minister took office.

    Prime Minister Carney welcomed His Majesty King Abdullah II to Ottawa. The leaders underscored the long-standing partnership between Canada and Jordan, including in trade, defence, and security. They discussed opportunities to strengthen bilateral commerce and investment as Canada diversifies its trade partners and builds a stronger economy.

    To that end, Prime Minister Carney announced that Canada will allocate $28.4 million to support border security and development efforts in Jordan. This includes helping Jordanian security forces protect against terrorism and transnational crime, using Canadian steel to repair border infrastructure, and reducing global pressures by assisting with education, health, and job creation for refugees.

    The Prime Minister and His Majesty also discussed the situation in the Middle East, including the imperative of a ceasefire in Gaza, called for urgent, life-saving humanitarian aid to reach civilians, and the imperative for stability in Syria.

    His Majesty King Abdullah II thanked Prime Minister Carney for his hospitality, and the leaders looked forward to remaining in close contact.

    Associated links

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Tribunal Terminates Inquiry—Corrosion-resistant Steel Sheet from Türkiye

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Ottawa, Ontario, July 21, 2025—The Canadian International Trade Tribunal today terminated its final injury inquiry to determine whether the dumping of corrosion-resistant steel sheet, originating in or exported from the Republic of Türkiye, by Borçelik Çelik Sanayi Ticaret, has injured Canadian producers. The Tribunal’s inquiry was required by law as a result of the initiation of a dumping investigation by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).

    On July 16, 2025, the CBSA determined that there had been no dumping and terminated its dumping investigation. Therefore, the Tribunal will not continue its final injury inquiry.

    The Tribunal is an independent quasi-judicial body that reports to Parliament through the Minister of Finance. It hears cases on dumped and subsidized imports, safeguard complaints, complaints about federal government procurement and appeals of customs and excise tax rulings. When requested by the federal government, the Tribunal also provides advice on other economic, trade and tariff matters.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICMYI: Estes Joins Washington Watch with Tony Perkins

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas)

    U.S. Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas) joined Washington Watch with Tony Perkins with guest host Jody Hice to discuss the rescissions package, federal spending and provisions within the One Big, Beautiful Bill that will help Kansans and Americans, and more. Watch the interview on YouTube.

    On the rescissions package:

    “Obviously there’s a lot of work we need to do. One out of five dollars that the government spends is borrowed, so we’ve got a lot of things we need to look at. As you said, the rescissions package here was the first time in decades that a president has requested that discretionary spending be pulled back. That, ‘Hey, we don’t need to spend everything that was appropriated a year or longer ago, and focus on specific areas.’

    “If you look through what’s in that rescissions package, the things that we were particularly pulling out, things like funding for NPR. They wanted to fund drag queen programs for children and programs talking about animals need to have their own pronouns … PBS had programs talking about white privilege. 

    “We all heard earlier this year all of the horror stories coming out of USAID in terms of the money that was being wasted around the world. Things like $3 million for electric vehicles in Vietnam and $70,000 for a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion musical in Ireland. I don’t know why Ireland would want to have a DEI musical, but, if they do, the Irish taxpayers ought to pay for it and not American taxpayers. 

    “It’s great to do this rescissions package. [I was] glad to hear Speaker Johnson reiterate today that we need to be doing more of this as we look at all of the discretionary spending that comes out of the federal government, and what do we do going forward. We’ve got a lot of work to do, not just on a discretionary side with rescissions, but obviously some of those automatic spending programs as well.”

    On other areas of the federal government that may be right for rescissions:

    “When we look across the discretionary course, the spending has grown so great since before Covid. If you look at going back to I believe 2019, our tax revenue has gone up. It’s gone up 46% or so, so we’ve got a lot more tax revenue coming in after we passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in 2017. 

    “What we’ve seen is spending’s gone up 70%. Some of that was temporary spending, or should have been temporary spending in Covid, but now it’s gotten baked in and it’s continued on grant programs and other areas across multiple programs. We’ve got so many programs at the federal level that are redundant. You may have four or five different programs in two or three different agencies that are designed to target the same issue. So we’ve got lots of areas to look at that. 

    “DOGE did a great effort earlier this year in identifying some of those areas, but we need to have a constant look at that in terms of where do we spend money, where should we be spending money, and does it make sense to spend dollars at this point, particularly when we’re borrowing one out of five dollars that’s being spent.”

    On the tone of Democrats’ messaging to their voter base:

    “[Democrats] really are [tone deaf.] They don’t have a positive message. They don’t have something that they want America to be for. Basically the Democrat party has become a party of socialists. They’re looking at, ‘How can they make the government spend and dictate what other people do?’ 

    “For example, we look at the One Big, Beautiful Bill, I could talk about so many great provisions there. But their message out of the One Big, Beautiful Bill, that they oppose, is because they wanted to make sure that illegal immigrants got Medicaid. They wanted to make sure that people didn’t have to work at all for the Medicaid dollars that would be given to them to provide for their healthcare, [for] even as little as 20 hours a week, working in a job or getting an education or even in a volunteer role. And so, as they get more strident trying to talk against commonsense things, the American public is turning against them. 

    “When you look at the polling data that’s out there right now, of all Americans, [there is] 72% opposition to Democrats and the positions they’re taking in Congress. Even among Democrats, there’s a majority, 52% of Democrats are not happy that Democrats in Congress are not doing what should be done for America.”

    On Congressman Estes’ op-ed on the One Big, Beautiful Bill:

    “We talk a lot about the One Big, Beautiful Bill. There’s just so much positive things in there. A lot of it was centered around the tax provisions that we needed to extend after 2017, that were going to expire this year, and the results of provisions around border security and defense. But if you really peel some of the layers back and look at some of the details, there’s a whole lot of pro-family and pro-life provisions in there. 

    “What we really wanted to do is make sure that, for example, Medicaid funding was used not by Planned Parenthood to provide abortions. I mean we should have Medicaid to actually help people preserve and protect life and not end it. We wanted to make sure that families could raise their children … So we focused on increasing the Child Tax Credit for families and indexing it for inflation. We increased a tax credit for adoption for people to adopt families. That’s so important now when we see the birth rate dropping down to 11.7% per thousand. We need to have a continual growth in population to make sure that America continues to grow. 

    “You look at provisions like employer-funded childcare provisions. We wanted to make sure those were available. Permanent family and medical leave to help people who maybe have a temporary illness or an issue with their family. We wanted to make sure after these disastrous years of Bidenflation that people were able to raise their families and have the income to provide for their family.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: House Passes Bilirakis-Soto Bill to Study Causes of Sinkhole Formation, Provide Public Information on Risk Zones

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Gus Bilirakis (FL-12)

    The Sinkhole Mapping Act directs the USGS to conduct studies on mechanisms that potentially contribute to the triggering of sinkholes, as well as open a public website that displays maps depicting zones at greater risk of sinkhole formation-

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. House of Representatives has passed HR 900, the Sinkhole Mapping Act, introduced by Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL-12) and Darren Soto (D-FL-09). This bipartisan legislation directs the U.S. Geological Survey to conduct studies on the short- and long-term mechanisms that potentially contribute to the triggering of sinkholes, including extreme storm events, prolonged droughts leading to shifts in water management practices, as well as ongoing aquifer depletion, and other major changes in water use.

    “In recent years, we have seen throughout Tampa Bay how dangerous sinkholes can be for neighborhoods. To improve public safety and consumer protection, we need to study the causes and remedies of sinkholes while developing geological maps to delineate the highest risk areas for sinkholes to occur,” said Rep. Bilirakis.

    Rep. Soto delivered the following remarks on the House Floor: “I rise in strong support of H.R. 900, the Sinkhole Mapping Act—a bipartisan piece of legislation with my fellow Floridian, Gus Bilirakis.  You know, Mr. Speaker, sinkholes pose a huge problem for Florida and many states, yet we don’t have a comprehensive mapping system to help first responders and community planners as was mentioned by our Chairman, Chairman Westerman.  And thank you for agending this bill today, sir.  It costs over $300 million a year.We see in Florida, homes, and community centers, and businesses be affected by this.  And so, having a database that displays potential sinkholes in our Sunshine State and across the nation would absolutely be critical.And that’s what this bill does—directs the U.S. Geological Survey to study the short and long-term mechanisms that trigger sinkholes. This includes extreme storms, prolonged droughts, shifts in water management practices, ongoing aquifer depletion, other major water uses.And it’s all about having a public website displaying maps depicting zones at greater risk of sinkhole formation, helping with communities, helping save lives, and getting us to have more resilient communities.”

    Currently, there is no database displaying all sinkholes in Florida. This presents challenges not just for land developers and residents but also for community planners and first responders. The Sinkhole Mapping Act also directs the USGS Director to open a public website that displays maps depicting zones at greater risk of sinkhole formation, giving community planners and first responders access to critical information.  The Sinkhole Mapping Act now awaits a vote in the Senate.  In addition to Reps. Soto and Bilirakis, the bill was co-sponsored by Florida Reps. Kathy Castor (D-FL-14), Maxwell Frost (D-FL-10), and Frederica Wilson (D-FL-24), as well as Reps. Wesley Bell (D-MO-01), Jim Costa (D-CA-21), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01), and Josh Harder (D-CA-09).

     

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Huffman Demands Answers from President Trump Over Mishandling of Grand Canyon Wildfire

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California

    Huffman also calls for independent investigation, accountability over catastrophic wildfire response

    July 21, 2025

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Natural Resources Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) wrote to President Trump demanding answers on the catastrophic federal response to the Dragon Bravo Fire, which has torn through the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. 

    The blaze, which ignited on July 4, was allowed to burn under “managed fire” protocols for days despite record-high heat, extreme drought, and volatile conditions — ultimately destroying the historic Grand Canyon Lodge and other irreplaceable park infrastructure. 

    In a letter sent to President Trump today, Huffman made clear that the consequences of this failure fall squarely on the President and his top officials.

    “As you have insisted in many, many other cases, the ultimate responsibility for policy decisions lies with you and your appointees, not with career civil servants,” Huffman wrote. “Yet incredibly, we have not heard anything from you, or from Secretaries Burgum and Rollins about this massive fire and the destruction it has wrought [on] one of America’s most iconic national parks.”

    Huffman pointed to the administration’s top-down proposal to consolidate all federal wildfire response under the Department of the Interior as a cause for alarm.

    He wrote: “While managed fire practices are a necessary tool in many circumstances… it appears they were clearly the wrong approach in this case given the exceptionally hot, dry, and volatile conditions on the ground.”

    In the letter, Huffman calls for detailed documentation and internal communications related to the fire, as well as answers to five key questions about when federal leadership was notified, how frequently they were updated, and whether firefighting resources were requested or withheld.

    “Rebuilding infrastructure at the North Rim will take years and cost hundreds of millions of dollars. There is a clear need to examine the decision-making process to understand how this was allowed to happen.”

    Huffman also sent a letter to the Office of Inspector General of the Interior and Agriculture Departments urging an independent investigation into the administration’s failure. He raised concerns about political interference and called for a full accounting of who knew what, when — and why the fire was allowed to burn in such a high-risk environment.

    Ranking Member Huffman requested a full response from the administration by Monday, August 4, 2025.

    Read the full letter to the President here.

    Read the full letter to the OIG here.

    ###

    Previous Article

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Rio Grande Valley investigation results in the sentencing of convicted human smuggler for possessing images of sexual assaults of young children

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    McALLEN, Texas — A south Texas man was sentenced to 20 years for possessing images of sexual assaults of prepubescent children following an investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations Rio Grande Valley Child Exploitation Task Force with assistance from U.S. Border Patrol, Raymondville Police Department and Willacy County Sheriff’s Office.

    Jose Rodriguez Jr, 44, from Lyford, Texas, was sentenced July 16 by U.S. District Judge Drew Tipton to 240 months. At the hearing, the court heard additional information detailing Rodriguez’s prior conviction of aggravated sexual assault of a child. In handing down the prison term, the court noted Rodriguez’s conduct in that case, which involved tying up his 9-year-old victim before attempting to sexually assault her and tying up an 8-year-old witness, was a consideration for an upward departure. The court also heard Rodriguez downloaded child pornography files on 20 separate occasions, beginning only six months after he was released from his 13-year sentence for the aggravated sexual assault of a child conviction. The court noted the need to protect the public from Rodriguez’s crimes and highlighted that Rodriguez had a complete lack of remorse for his actions.

    “Homeland Security Investigations remains unwavering in its mission to protect children from exploitation. This 240-month sentence demonstrates the severe consequences for those who engage in child pornography crimes. HSI will continue to work with our partners to ensure offenders are brought to justice and vulnerable victims are safeguarded,” said ICE HSI Rio Grande Valley Deputy Special Agent in Charge Mark Lippa.

    “Those who sexually assault children, possess child sexual abuse material, or smuggle human beings like some sort of commodity, are all imbued with a common trait:  total disdain for the inherent value and dignity of a human being. The defendant here had a history of doing all three,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “Fortunately, SDTX prosecutors were successful in advocating for the maximum possible sentence in this case, that of 20 years, so Mr. Rodriguez will now have two decades to reflect on his conduct. I thank the jury for their time and attention in this important case.”

    The jury deliberated for approximately 15 minutes before finding Jose Rodriguez Jr. guilty after a one-day trial April 15.

    According to court documents, Rodriguez was further ordered to pay restitution to known victims and will serve the rest of his life on supervised release following the completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Rodriguez will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.

    Law enforcement originally arrested Rodriguez Aug. 12, 2024, in connection with an alien transportation event. At that time, they seized his phone and discovered over 150 images and videos of child sexual abuse material.

    During the trial, the jury heard testimony and evidence regarding the multiple images and videos of child sexual abuse material downloaded and stored on Rodriguez’s phone over multiple months. The evidence included numerous files depicting the sexual assaults of prepubescent children.

    The defense attempted to convince the jury that a virus downloaded the child sexual abuse material onto his phone. However, evidence showed that Rodriguez had over 100 user accounts on the phone linked to him and that the child sexual abuse material was downloaded on 20 separate occasions from April through August of 2024.

    The jury also heard from a computer forensic expert who rendered an opinion that the pattern of activity indicated intentional downloading.

    Rodriguez was charged in a separate case for the human smuggling event and later pleaded guilty. He was sentenced to 16 months in prison and two years of supervised release in that case.  

    He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Devin Walker and Jose Garcia from the Southern District of Texas prosecuted the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: HARRISBURG – Shapiro Administration Highlights Summer Food Program to Help Feed Kids During Summer Months

    Source: US State of Pennsylvania

    July 22, 2025 – Harrisburg, PA

    ADVISORY – HARRISBURG – Shapiro Administration Highlights Summer Food Program to Help Feed Kids During Summer Months

    Department of Education (PDE) Acting Secretary Dr. Carrie Rowe and Department of Human Services (DHS) Special Assistant to the Secretary Catherine Stetler will highlight how summer food programs like SUN Bucks are keeping young Pennsylvanians fed during the summer months when many aren’t able to access meals at school. As part of the event, DHS and PDE will join partners from Feeding Pennsylvania and the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank to help serve lunch at a Susquehanna Township Summer Food Service location where children can receive meals while school is on summer break.

    SUN Bucks is a federally-funded summer food program that issues households a one-time $120 benefit per eligible children that can be used to purchase fresh food and groceries at retailers across Pennsylvania.

    Now in its second year, SUN Bucks provides households with a SNAP-like benefit to purchase food during the summer months when school is not in session. Most eligible children will receive the benefit automatically and do not need to apply. For those not automatically eligible, SUN Bucks applications are open through August 31st for summer 2025 benefits. Families can use the SUN Bucks Eligibility Navigator to see if they need to complete a paper or online application.

    WHO:
    PDE Acting Secretary, Dr. Carrie Rowe
    DHS Special Assistant to the Secretary Catherine Stetler
    Central PA Food Bank President, Shila Ulrich
    Feeding PA CEO Chief Executive Officer, Julie Bancroft

    WHEN:
    Tuesday, July 22, 2025,11:00 AM

    WHERE:
    Veteran’s Park Pavilion,1955 Elmerton Ave, Harrisburg, PA 17109

    MEDIA RSVP:
    Press interested in attending must RSVP with the name of photographer/reporter to ra-pwdhspressoffice@pa.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: YORK COUNTY – Shapiro Administration and PUC to Announce 2 Gigawatts of Solar Power Generation Installed in Pennsylvania

    Source: US State of Pennsylvania

    July 22, 2025 – Lewisberry, PA

    ADVISORY – YORK COUNTY – Shapiro Administration and PUC to Announce 2 Gigawatts of Solar Power Generation Installed in Pennsylvania

    The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Pennsylvania Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DCNR), and the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission (PUC), will converge on Gifford Pinchot State Park, in the Quaker Race Day Use Area, on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, to announce the installation of two gigawatts of solar power energy generation in Pennsylvania.

    The current two gigawatts (2,000,000,000 watts) of installed solar generation in Pennsylvania is enough to power nearly 350,000 homes.

    WHAT: DEP Secretary Jessica Shirley, DCNR Deputy Secretary Mike Walsh, and PUC Commissioner Stephen DeFrank will hold a press conference to announce two gigawatts of solar power generation in Pennsylvania.

    WHEN:
    Tuesday, July 22, 2025: 1:30 PM

    WHERE:
    Gifford Pinchot State Park
    Quaker Race Day Use Area
    Lewisberry, PA 17339

    MEDIA CONTACT: Tom Decker, thomadecke@pa.gov// 814-332-6615

    For more information, visit the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s website, or follow DEP on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), or LinkedIn.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Operation targeting human trafficking and money laundering: 13 arrests in Romania and Netherlands

    Source: Eurojust

    Starting in 2020, the group, led by two family members, used ‘loverboy’ techniques to target vulnerable Romanian women, who were coerced into prostitution in the Netherlands under direct supervision of the criminal group.

    To maintain total control over the lives of their victims, the suspects lived with them. In some cases, members of the group used physical and psychological force against the women to prevent them from escaping the situation.

    © DIICOT Poliția Românăas

    The sexual exploitation generated significant illegal proceeds for the criminal group, which were laundered through relatives and close friends. These individuals either transported large sums of cash or moved the money through financial institutions.

    Eurojust coordinated the international investigation. After the Romanian authorities approached Eurojust for support in early 2024, several meetings were organised with the Dutch authorities. During these meetings, information about the criminal group was exchanged. To enable the authorities to work together effectively and exchange information and evidence in real time, Eurojust set up a joint investigation team in January 2025.

    Together with Eurojust, the authorities organised an action day early this month to detain the suspects and gather more evidence through house searches. In the Netherlands, six suspects were arrested and four houses were searched. During actions in Romania, four suspects were arrested based on European Arrest Warrants from the Netherlands and three suspects were put under judicial control. Additionally, 18 houses were searched and a car, weapons and cash were seized.

    Eight of the arrested suspects remain in pre-trial detention.

    The following authorities carried out the operation:

    • Romania: Prosecution Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice- Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism –Ploiesti Territorial Service; Police Inspectorate Prahova-Criminal Investigation Service; Brigade for Combating Organised Crime Ploiesti
    • Netherlands: Public Prosecutor’s Office Amsterdam

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Alleged perpetrator of sending thousands of threatening emails to schools in Czech Republic, Slovakia and Latvia apprehended

    Source: Eurojust

    Eurojust has assisted the authorities in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Latvia with the apprehension of the alleged perpetrator who was responsible for sending thousands of emails in September last year threatening schools with explosions. The mass threats, which were also sent to other educational institutions and leisure centres, caused major public concern and led to the suspension of classes at the beginning of the school year.

    Eurojust supported the national authorities involved by setting up a joint investigation team (JIT) dedicated to the case, as well as providing additional cross-border judicial support.

    The alleged perpetrator also used the social network Telegram to spread his threats. He was apprehended in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro last week but was released pending potential further steps to be taken by the authorities.

    © Dnipropetrovsk Regional Prosecutor’s Office

    Given the mass scale of the threats at the same time across three countries, the police authorities involved coordinated their investigations, assisted by the setting up of the JIT. The joint investigative efforts, using the cybercrime expertise of the police, led to the identification of an alleged perpetrator, operating from the Ukrainian city of Dnipro.

    With the participation of Czech and Slovak police officers, a joint action took place in Dnipro last week, during which the alleged perpetrator was apprehended and one individual was questioned. Furthermore, two locations were searched, which led to the seizure of computer equipment.

    Thanks to the good and close cooperation of all the authorities concerned, the operation was successfully carried out under extremely difficult circumstances, very close to the frontline of the war in Ukraine, with Ukrainian, Czech and Slovak officers exposed to heavy risks.

    Eurojust offered support not only through the establishment of the JIT but also by organising a coordination meeting to prepare for the joint action day in Ukraine. The operation was carried out at the request of and by the following authorities:

    • Czech Republic: High Public Prosecutor’s Office in Prague; National Counterterrorism, Extremism and Cybercrime Agency (NCTEKK)
    • Latvia: Rīga Pārdaugava Prosecution Office; 1st Unit of Cybercrime Enforcement Department of the Central Criminal Police Department of the State Police
    • Slovakia: General Prosecutor´s Office of the Slovak Republic; Police Department West, Anti-Crime Unit, Bureau for Combating Organized Crime of the Presidium of the Police Corps (Police ACU); Counter Terrorism Centre, Presidium of the Police Corps
    • Ukraine: Dnipropetrovsk regional Prosecutor’s Office; Main Department of National Police in Dnipropetrovsk region; Division for Combating Cybercrime in Dnipropetrovsk region of the Cyber Police Department of National Police of Ukraine

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: De La Cruz and Miller Deliver Aid to South Texas

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Monica De La Cruz (TX-15)

    ICYMI: Washington, DC – Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz (TX-15) and Texas Department of Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller held a joint press conference in Mission, Texas, to announce the delivery of drought relief funding through the 1944 Water Treaty Agricultural Assistance Program. 

    Watch Congresswoman De La Cruz’s full remarks here.

    “The $280 million in funding is critical for Texas farmers and ranchers after suffering severe losses due to the Government of Mexico’s refusal to comply with the 1944 Water Treaty. I am proud to have secured these funds and deliver solutions for the families, businesses, and communities that rely on Texas agriculture to thrive.” – Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz

    “This $280 million is a lifeline, and I am proud to partner with Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz to help agriculture producers along the Rio Grande stay in business, pay their bills, and keep putting food on our tables. Congresswoman De La Cruz, her staff, and my agency have worked tirelessly to deliver this much-needed relief, and we are thrilled to announce that it’s finally here.” – Texas Department of Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller

    “The delivery of $280 million in drought assistance to South Texas will provide much-needed relief to farmers and ranchers in the Valley who have suffered from Mexico’s repeated refusal to provide the water it owes under the Water Treaty. I was proud to work alongside Secretary Rollins and lead several of my colleagues from Texas in the mission to secure this funding, and I look forward to continuing to partner with the Trump administration and state leaders to provide every resource necessary for our agriculture community.” – Senator John Cornyn

    Background: 

    The Texas Department of Agriculture’s 1944 Water Treaty Agricultural Assistance Program provides $280 million in essential aid to farmers and ranchers in the Rio Grande Valley affected by Mexico’s continued failure to supply water as mandated by the 1944 Water Treaty.

    The funds are part of a $280 million grant agreement between the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), secured through legislation De La Cruz included in the American Relief Act. This legislation authorized USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins to allocate emergency aid to South Texas producers who have suffered severe financial losses due to the Mexican government’s failure to meet water delivery obligations.

    The funds are expected to be delivered this week.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kamlager-Dove, Los Angeles Leaders Sound the Alarm: Defunding Planned Parenthood Would Lead to a Public Health Crisis

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager California (37th District)

    LOS ANGELES, CA – Today, Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Board Co-Chair of Planned Parenthood L.A., led leaders from across Los Angeles County, including L.A. County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell and Director of L.A. County Public Health, Dr. Barbara Ferrer, in sounding the alarm on the looming public health crisis that would be triggered by federal defunding of Planned Parenthood. A livestream of the press conference is available here.

    Earlier this month, President Trump signed a budget reconciliation bill that includes a provision to “defund” Planned Parenthood health centers nationwide. Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) filed a lawsuit challenging the law and its unconstitutional, politically motivated attack on local health centers’ ability to provide care. A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order that is set to expire today.

    “We refuse to stand by while the Trump Administration dismantles our health care system and further erodes our reproductive rights,” said Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Planned Parenthood Los Angles Board Co-Chair. “Because they couldn’t eradicate abortion through Dobbs, they snuck a backdoor abortion ban into their Big Ugly Bill to target providers and threaten their ability to offer care. Make no mistake, California will remain a beacon of reproductive freedom. We will not be intimidated, we will not be silenced, and we will continue to fight—for Planned Parenthood, for providers, and for every patient who depends on them.”

    “Stripping Medicaid funding from Planned Parenthood doesn’t just threaten clinics, it threatens people. Forcing clinics to shut down is a direct assault on the health and well-being of Black and Brown communities, low-income families, and others for whom Planned Parenthood is their only source of health care,” said L.A. County Supervisor, Holly Mitchell.
     
    “Planned Parenthood plays a vital role in advancing health equity across Los Angeles County. With 24 health centers serving over 260,000 patient visits each year, many in communities that have long been medically underserved, Planned Parenthood serves as a trusted, valued, and essential health care provider,” said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, Director of Los Angeles County’s Department of Public Health.  “By singling out Planned Parenthood, the federal government is disrupting the delivery of high-quality medicine and the primacy of the provider-patient relationship for thousands of people across Los Angeles. Sadly, this short-sited politically motivated move by the federal government will deepen longstanding health inequities and threaten the well-being of so many.”
     
    “Losing access to Planned Parenthood health centers would be not just be a disaster for public health, but also for the young people, women and families who rely on our services to determine the course of their own futures. My message to every Planned Parenthood Los Angeles patient is this: Our doors stay open, and care continues. We’ve been honored to serve this community for 60 years – and we have no intention of going anywhere,” said Sue Dunlap, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Los Angeles.

    Like any other health care provider, Planned Parenthood is reimbursed for services provided to patients. Defunding means that Planned Parenthood health centers will not receive federal reimbursement for care provided to patients who use Medicaid for their health coverage. More than 80% of Planned Parenthood’s patients in California rely on Medi-Cal, the state Medicaid program, to access birth control, cancer screenings, STI testing and treatment, and more.

    Sadly, we already know where federal defunding of Planned Parenthood will lead. Cancers will go undetected, the STI crisis will worsen, wellness exams and preventative care will substantially decline, and it will be harder than ever for people to access birth control.

    Moreover, people will forgo essential health care and instead turn to already overcrowded emergency rooms for what could have been routine appointments. These are real concerns in Los Angeles, where stark health inequities and stubborn gaps in reproductive health access persist.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Cammack, Torres Launch NextGen 911 Caucus

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Kat Cammack (R-FL-03)

    Washington, DC — Today, Representatives Kat Cammack (R-FL-03) and Norma Torres (D-CA-35) officially launched the Congressional NextGen 911 Caucus for the 119th Congress with a visit to the District of Columbia’s Office of Unified Communications to meet with public safety telecommunicators.

    As the only bipartisan, bicameral organization in Congress focused exclusively on 911 emergency communications, the NextGen 911 Caucus plays a critical role in educating lawmakers, constituents, and communities on the importance of modern, reliable, and responsive emergency response systems.

    “When you call 911, it’s often one of the worst moments of your life. That’s why it’s critical that our response system is fast, reliable, and built for the 21st century. The ability to text 911, send video, and deliver critical information to first responders before they arrive saves lives,” said Congresswoman Cammack. “As Co-Chair of the NextGen 911 Caucus, I’m committed to ensuring that all Americans—whether they live in a rural town or a major city—have access to a modern, responsive system.”

    “Public safety telecommunicators are the unsung heroes on the frontlines of every emergency,” said Congresswoman Norma Torres. “As a former 911 Dispatcher for 17 years, I know there is a lot of work needed to highlight and strengthen our 911 systems nationwide. That’s why I am proud to be the co-chair of the NextGen 911 Caucus. As we work to modernize our emergency response systems, it’s imperative that we give these professionals and the systems they rely on the support they deserve.”

    Background:
    Public safety telecommunicators (PSTs) serve in more than 6,000 call centers nationwide. They are often the first voice a person hears in an emergency—coordinating responses from law enforcement, fire departments, and emergency medical services. Beyond their daily lifesaving efforts, they often serve as critical witnesses in court proceedings and high-profile investigations.

    However, America’s 911 systems are facing unprecedented challenges: from outdated technology and staffing shortages to increasing call volumes and evolving threats. The NextGen 911 Caucus is committed to ensuring federal support keeps pace with these demands by promoting advanced communication technologies, including text-to-911, real-time data sharing, and improved interoperability between agencies.

    Members of the caucus include: Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Richard Hudson (R-NC), Doris Matsui (D-CA), Robert Aderholt (R-AL), Vern Buchanan (R-FL), Brandon Gill (R-TX), James Comer (R-KY), Joe Courtney (D-CT), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Brett Guthrie (R-KY), Jim Himes (D-CT), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Glenn Ivey (D-MD), Rick Larsen (D-WA), John B. Larson (D-CT), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Jim McGovern (D-MA), Kweisi Mfume (D-MD), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Brittany Pettersen (D-CO), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Mike Rogers (R-AL), John Rutherford (R-FL), Mike Simpson (R-ID), Mike Thompson (D-CA), Marc Veasey (D-TX), Tim Walberg (R-MI), Frederica Wilson (D-FL), and Joe Wilson (R-SC).

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News in Brief: Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group and ESPS Canarias (F86) Transit Strait of Gibraltar

    Source: United States Navy

    MEDITERRANEAN SEA – The United States’ newest and world’s largest aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81) and USS Bainbridge (DDG 96), all assigned to Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group (GRFCSG), transited the Strait of Gibraltar with Spanish Navy Santa Maria-class ESPS Canarias (F86), and fast combat support ship USNS Supply (T-AOE-6), July 19, 2025.

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  • MIL-OSI Canada: Minister Dabrusin to make an announcement in Vancouver to highlight the importance of empowering young Canadians to address climate change and support a healthy environment

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Yellowknife, Northwest Territories – July 21, 2025 – Media representatives are advised that the Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, will make an announcement in Vancouver to highlight the importance of empowering young Canadians to address climate change and support a healthy environment. She will be joined by Ross Beaty, Board Chair of BC Parks Foundation.

    Event: Announcement and media availability
    Date: Tuesday, July 22, 2025
    Time: 9:00 a.m. (PDT)
    Location: General Wolf Elementary School
    4251 Ontario Street
    Vancouver, British Columbia

    To be made aware of any changes, media representatives are encouraged to register for this in-person event by contacting Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Media Relations at media@ec.gc.ca.

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  • MIL-OSI Canada: Regrowing Alberta’s Forests

    Source: Government of Canada News

    July 21, 2025
    Calgary, Alberta
    Natural Resources Canada

    The Government of Canada, together with Indigenous communities, private and non-profit sector leaders, and provincial partners, is taking action to regenerate Alberta’s forests — protecting clean air and preserving the province’s vast natural landscapes for generations to come.

    Today, Corey Hogan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Honourable Tim Hodgson, Canada’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced, in collaboration with Project Forest, The Carbon Farmer and FIND Biomass Inc, a joint investment of over $125 million for four projects that will plant 12 million trees and restore critical habitat for species at risk throughout Alberta, such as caribou.

    Investments will help to create and restore biodiverse forests and wildlife habitat and sequester carbon while creating seasonal and full-time jobs for surrounding communities in Alberta. We are not just planting trees — we are building a stronger, healthier and more-resilient Canada.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Backgrounder: Regrowing Alberta’s Forests

    Source: Government of Canada News

    On July 21 2025, Corey Hogan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Honourable Tim Hodgson, Canada’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced a joint investment of over $125 million for four projects that will plant 12 million trees and restore critical habitats for species at risk throughout Alberta.

    Under Canada’s 2 Billion Trees (2BT) Program, the following projects are receiving funding:

    Project name: Alberta Afforestation
    Recipient: The Carbon Farmer
    Location: Peace Country, Alberta
    Funding amount: $13,797,079
    Description: The Carbon Farmer is spearheading a new initiative — Alberta Afforestation — to plant trees across Alberta’s Peace Country, transforming previously cleared agricultural lands into thriving forests on private properties. Working with local farmers and surrounding forest communities, this project will plant over six million trees, create numerous seasonal and full-time jobs for farmers and local professionals, increase wildlife habitat and sequester carbon.

    Project name: Rewilding Canada: Planting Diverse Forests in Partnership with First Nations, Conservation Groups and Research Institutions
    Recipient: Project Forest
    Location: various sites, Alberta
    Funding amount: $2,933,621
    Description: This project aims to transform former agricultural lands into biodiverse forests. By restoring these landscapes, the initiative will deliver a wide range of benefits to Indigenous communities, including:

    • one million new trees planted on various sites across Alberta, including the Siksika Nation reserve;
    • improved soil health, increased biodiversity and restoration of wildlife habitats, including Elk habitats; 
    • support for Indigenous land stewardship, reclamation of cultural heritage and preservation of Indigenous Knowledge; 
    • 10–15 jobs annually in remote communities; and 
    • training opportunities for youth through a partnership with the University of Alberta.

    Project name: High Yield Afforestation
    Recipient: First Indigenous Biomass Future Inc.
    Location: Cardiff, Alberta
    Funding amount: $558,968
    Description:  First Indigenous Biomass Inc., an Indigenous-owned company, is driving forward its project, which is set to plant over 100,000 trees across 65 hectares near Cardiff, revitalizing the land and contributing to long-term environmental and community resilience. The project will:

    • establish a new forest;
    • create jobs for Indigenous women and youth; and
    •  sequester carbon.

    Project name: Caribou Habitat Recovery Program
    Recipient: Government of Alberta
    Location: various sites, Alberta
    Funding amount: $83,718,501
    Description: Through a new agreement between Canada and Alberta, the province is expanding its Caribou Habitat Recovery Program — taking action to reduce habitat fragmentation and support the long-term recovery of caribou populations across Alberta. This expansion will: 

    • plant nearly five million new trees by 2030; 
    • restore vegetation within the 15 caribou ranges in the province; 
    • increase forest resiliency and wildlife diversity and protect species at risk; 
    • create jobs and training opportunities for rural and Indigenous communities; and 
    • support local cultural and spiritual activities, including food collection.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Norcross Hosts More Than 100 Federal, State, and Local Services at 8th Annual Constituent Services Fair

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Donald Norcross (1st District of New Jersey)

    CHERRY HILL, NJ — Today, Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01) hosted representatives from more than 100 federal, state, and local agencies and nonprofits at Camden County College for his 8th Annual Constituent Services Fair. Hundreds of constituents who need assistance on issues ranging from federal programs like Medicare to local rent relief attended. 

    “My annual Constituent Services Fair acts as a one stop shop for South Jerseyans who are in need of assistance. The Constituent Services Fair serves as a reminder that my office is available all year round for help with a wide array of issues ranging from passport renewals to VA benefits,” said Congressman Donald Norcross. “With our breakout sessions on Medicare, Social Security, and homebuying, we connect people directly with resources to help them access basic needs like healthcare, housing assistance, and so much more. If you or someone you know is in need of help, don’t hesitate to contact our office at (856) 427-7000. I’m honored to serve you.” 

    During the fair, Congressman Norcross and his staff hosted breakout sessions on Medicare, Social Security, and Homebuyer Assistance, and answered questions from constituents about these programs. Representatives from Medicare and Medicaid Services, Philadelphia Passport Agency, U.S. Small Business Administration, Camden County Office of Economic Opportunity, New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, Camden and Gloucester County Health Departments, and South Jersey Legal Services were also in attendance.  

    Congressman Donald Norcross and his staff are available to help constituents with issues related to veterans benefits, housing assistance, Medicare and healthcare services, immigration, the Small Business Administration, Social Security, IRS, and senior services. If you have a question or are in need of help with a problem related to these agencies, please contact our office at (856) 427-7000 or visit our website at norcross.house.gov.  

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  • MIL-OSI USA: House Appropriations Approves Bill Including Cline Funding For I-81 Improvements

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ben Cline (VA-06)

    House Appropriations Approves Bill Including Cline Funding For I-81 Improvements

    Washington, D.C. – Congressman Ben Cline (R-VA) announced today that the Fiscal Year 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) bill passed by the House Appropriations Committee includes $17 million for improvements to Interstate 81. This funding, which Cline requested and supported as a member of the Appropriations Committee, will support key upgrades and potential widening along the corridor, which runs directly through Virginia’s Sixth District and is one of the most heavily traveled highways in the region.

    The I-81 Corridor handles an enormous volume of freight and passenger traffic. Each year, more than 12 million commercial trucks travel along the interstate, moving over $300 billion in goods. As traffic increases, so does the need to modernize the highway to support on-time delivery and reduce disruptions that hurt both local businesses and national commerce.

    “I hear from constituents daily about the dangerous conditions on I-81,” said Congressman Cline. “This funding will help reduce congestion, improve safety, and make the highway more efficient for the millions who rely on it. I’m proud to deliver these federal dollars for our communities, along the 1-81 corridor.”

    Originally built over 50 years ago, I-81 has not kept up with growing traffic and freight demands. A 2018 state report identified urgent needs along the corridor, and while Virginia has taken important steps to address them, additional federal investment is necessary.

    Travel delays are becoming more frequent and unpredictable, impacting both freight movement and personal travel. To help fix this, Virginia’s Interstate 81 Corridor Improvement Program (CIP) includes plans to widen the road from two to three lanes in critical sections. These upgrades will reduce congestion, create more room for emergency response vehicles, and lower the risk of crashes by allowing more space for vehicles to maneuver.

    “I-81 is essential to our region’s economy,” Cline continued. “Whether it’s commuters, families, or truck drivers moving goods through the Valley, Virginians deserve a safer and more reliable interstate. I’ll keep working toward real solutions to make that happen.”

    Congressman Ben Cline represents the Sixth Congressional District of Virginia. He previously was an attorney in private practice and served both as an assistant prosecutor and a Member of the Virginia House of Delegates. Cline and his wife, Elizabeth, live in Botetourt County with their two children.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: The Day Earth Smiled

    Source: NASA

    On July 19, 2013, NASA’s Cassini spacecraft had a rare opportunity to image Saturn and, far in the background, Earth. This image spans about 404,880 miles (651,591 kilometers) across.
    With the Sun’s powerful and potentially damaging rays eclipsed by Saturn itself, Cassini’s onboard cameras were able to take advantage of this unique viewing geometry. They acquired a panoramic mosaic of the Saturn system that allows scientists to see details in the rings and throughout the system as they are backlit by the sun. This mosaic is special as it marks the third time our home planet was imaged from the outer solar system; the second time it was imaged by Cassini from Saturn’s orbit; and the first time ever that inhabitants of Earth were made aware in advance that their photo would be taken from such a great distance.
    Before the mission ended in 2017, Cassini was already a powerful influence on future exploration. Lessons learned during Cassini’s mission are being applied in NASA’s Europa Clipper mission. The mission uses an orbital tour design derived from the way Cassini explored Saturn. Launched in 2024, Europa Clipper will reach Jupiter in April 2030 and make dozens of flybys of the planet’s icy moon to determine whether there are places below the surface that could support life.
    Learn more about this unique image.
    Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSI

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  • MIL-OSI USA: 5 Things to Know About Powerful New U.S.-India Satellite, NISAR

    Source: NASA

    Data from NISAR will map changes to Earth’s surface, helping improve crop management, natural hazard monitoring, and tracking of sea ice and glaciers.
    A new U.S.-India satellite called NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) will provide high-resolution data enabling scientists to comprehensively monitor the planet’s land and ice surfaces like never before, building a detailed record of how they shift over time. Hailed as a critical part of a pioneering year for U.S.-India civil space cooperation by President Trump and Prime Minister Modi during their visit in Washington in February, the NISAR launch will advance U.S.-India cooperation and benefit the U.S. in the areas of disaster response and agriculture.
    As the first joint satellite mission between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), NISAR marks a new chapter in the growing collaboration between the two space agencies. Years in the making, the launch of NISAR builds on a strong heritage of successful programs, including Chandrayaan-1 and the recent Axiom Mission 4, which saw ISRO and NASA astronauts living and working together aboard the International Space Station for the first time.
    The information NISAR provides will help decision-makers, communities, and scientists monitor agricultural fields, refine understanding of natural hazards such as landslides and earthquakes, and help teams prepare for and respond to disasters like hurricanes, floods, and volcanic eruptions. The satellite will also provide key global observations of changes to ice sheets, glaciers, and permafrost, as well as forests and wetlands.
    The NISAR mission is slated to launch no earlier than July 30 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre on India’s southeastern coast aboard an ISRO Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle.
    Here are five things to know about NISAR:
    1. The NISAR satellite will provide a 3D view of Earth’s land and ice.
    Two synthetic aperture radars (SARs) aboard NISAR will detect changes in the planet’s surface down to fractions of an inch. The spacecraft will bounce microwave signals off Earth’s surface and receive the return signals on a radar antenna reflector measuring 39 feet (12 meters) across. The satellite’s ability to “see” through clouds and light rain, day and night, will enable data users to continuously monitor earthquake- and landslide-prone areas and determine how quickly glaciers and ice sheets are changing. It also will offer unprecedented coverage of Antarctica, information that will help with studying how the continent’s ice sheet changes over time.
    2. Data from NISAR will provide critical insights to help governments and decision-makers plan for natural and human-caused hazards.
    Earthquakes, volcanoes, and aging infrastructure can pose risks to lives and property. Able to see subtle changes in Earth’s surface, NISAR can help with hazard-monitoring efforts and potentially give decision-makers more time to prepare for a possible disaster. For earthquakes, NISAR will provide insights into which parts of a fault slowly move without producing quakes and which are locked together and could potentially slip. The satellite will be able to monitor the area around thousands of volcanoes, detecting land movement that could be a precursor to an eruption. When it comes to infrastructure such as levees, aqueducts, and dams, NISAR data collected over time can help managers detect if nearby land motion could jeopardize key structures, and then assess the integrity of those facilities.
    3. The most advanced radar system ever launched as part of a NASA or ISRO mission, NISAR will generate more data on a daily basis than any previous Earth satellite from either agency.
    About the length of a pickup truck, NISAR’s main body contains a dual-radar payload — an L-band system with a 10-inch (25-centimeter) wavelength and an S-band system with a 4-inch (10-centimeter) wavelength. Each system is sensitive to land and ice features of different sizes and specializes in detecting certain attributes, such as moisture content, surface roughness, and motion. By including both radars on one spacecraft — a first — NISAR will be more capable than previous SAR missions. These two radars, one from NASA and one from ISRO, and the data they will produce, exemplify how collaboration between spacefaring allies can achieve more than either would alone.

    The radars will generate about 80 terabytes of data products per day over the course of NISAR’s prime mission. That’s roughly enough data to fill about 150 512-gigabyte hard drives each day. The information will be processed, stored, and distributed via the cloud — and accessible to all.

    4. The NISAR mission will help monitor ecosystems around the world.
    The mission’s two radars will monitor Earth’s land and ice-covered surfaces twice every 12 days. Their near-comprehensive coverage will include areas not previously covered by other Earth-observing radar satellites with such frequency. The NISAR satellite’s L-band radar penetrates deep into forest canopies, providing insights into forest structure, while the S-band radar is ideal for monitoring crops. The NISAR data will help researchers assess how forests, wetlands, agricultural areas, and permafrost change over time.
    5. The NISAR mission marks the first collaboration between NASA and ISRO on a project of this scale and marks the next step in a long line of Earth-observing SAR missions.
    The NISAR satellite features components developed on opposite sides of the planet by engineers from ISRO and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory working together. The S-band radar was built at ISRO’s Space Applications Centre in Ahmedabad, while JPL built the L-band radar in Southern California. After engineers from JPL and ISRO integrated NISAR’s instruments with a modified ISRO I3K spacecraft bus and tested the satellite, ISRO transported NISAR to Satish Dhawan Space Centre in May 2025 to prepare it for launch.
    The SAR technique was invented in the U.S. in 1952 and now countries around the globe have SAR satellites for a variety of missions. NASA first used the technique with a space-based satellite in 1978 on the ocean-observing Seasat, which included the first spaceborne SAR instrument for scientific observations. In 2012, ISRO began launching SAR missions starting with Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT-1), followed by RISAT-1A in 2022, to support a wide range of applications in India.
    More About NISAR
    Managed by Caltech in Pasadena, JPL leads the U.S. component of the project and provided the L-band SAR. JPL also provided the radar reflector antenna, the deployable boom, a high-rate communication subsystem for science data, GPS receivers, a solid-state recorder, and payload data subsystem. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center manages the Near Space Network, which will receive NISAR’s L-band data.
    The ISRO Space Applications Centre is providing the mission’s S-band SAR. The U R Rao Satellite Centre is providing the spacecraft bus. The rocket is from Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, launch services are through Satish Dhawan Space Centre, and satellite mission operations are by the ISRO Telemetry Tracking and Command Network. The National Remote Sensing Centre is responsible for S-band data reception, operational products generation, and dissemination.
    To learn more about NISAR, visit:
    https://nisar.jpl.nasa.gov/

    News Media Contacts
    Andrew Wang / Jane J. LeeJet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.626-379-6874 / 626-491-1943andrew.wang@jpl.nasa.gov / jane.j.lee@jpl.nasa.gov
    2025-090

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