Five individuals have been arrested following an Alert Ready that was issued for the Moncton and Shediac areas, in N.B., while police were searching for an armed individual.
At approximately 1 p.m., on September 20, 2024, the Codiac Regional RCMP was dispatched to a report of an individual brandishing a firearm near Moncton High School, in Moncton. When police arrived, they were able to quickly identify a 15-year-old suspect.
Upon further investigation, and in the interest of public and student safety, the New Brunswick RCMP issued an Alert Ready message at 2:48 p.m. Police were searching for a person travelling in a grey Dodge Caravan in the Moncton area, after last being seen near Moncton High School. Police provided a photo and of the suspect and vehicle. The public was asked to not approach and to call 911 immediately if they saw the vehicle or an individual associated with the vehicle.
At approximately 3:45 p.m., five individuals were located and arrested, including the 15-year-old suspect in the Long Creek area, near Codys. The Dodge Caravan that was involved in the incident, was seized and will be towed to a secure location. The New Brunswick RCMP ended the Alert Ready a short time after the arrests.
The public can expect an increased police presence in the Long Creek and Codys areas as part of the ongoing RCMP investigation.
Members of the New Brunswick RCMP’s Air Services, Emergency Response Team, Police Dog Services, Caledonia Region and Codiac Regional general duty members all played significant roles arresting these individuals.
If you have information regarding this incident that could help further the investigation, please contact the Codiac Regional RCMP at 1-506-857-2400. Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), by downloading the secure P3 Mobile App, or by Secure Web Tips atwww.crimenb.ca.
The New Brunswick RCMP would like to thank the public for their support, assistance and cooperation during this incident.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
A federal jury convicted Ruben Oseguera-Gonzalez, also known as El Menchito, today of conspiring to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine while knowing and intending that they would be imported into the United States, and using, carrying, and brandishing firearms, including destructive devices, in furtherance of the drug trafficking conspiracy, following a two-week jury trial in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, between 2007 and 2017, Oseguera-Gonzalez, 34, led an international drug trafficking organization responsible for importing large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine from Mexico into the United States. Oseguera-Gonzalez was the second in command of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), which is based in the State of Jalisco in Mexico. The CJNG is one of the most dangerous drug cartels in Mexico. Oseguera-Gonzalez personally used firearms, destructive devices, murder, and kidnapping to control the drug trafficking organization. Oseguera-Gonzalez also ordered his subordinates to shoot down a Mexican military helicopter so that he could escape capture by Mexican law enforcement.
“El Menchito led the Jalisco Cartel’s efforts to use murder, kidnapping, and torture to build the Cartel into a self-described ‘empire’ by manufacturing fentanyl and flooding the United States with massive quantities of lethal drugs. Today, fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat the United States has ever faced,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “El Menchito now joins the growing list of high-ranking Cartel leaders that the Justice Department has convicted in an American courtroom. We are grateful to our Mexican law enforcement partners for their extensive cooperation and sacrifice in holding accountable leaders of the Jalisco Cartel.”
“Ruben Oseguera-Gonzalez pioneered the manufacturing of fentanyl in Mexico to help build his father’s Jalisco Cartel into one of the world’s most powerful drug syndicates. His crimes caused horrific violence and death in the United States, Mexico, and around the globe,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Today’s guilty verdict demonstrates that our prosecutors and agents, working with our Mexican law enforcement partners, will relentlessly pursue justice against the leaders of the drug trafficking organizations who destroy lives and poison our communities.”
“As second-in-command of CJNG, Ruben Oseguera-Gonzalez used extreme violence to traffic massive amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine into the United States,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “His conviction underscores the Criminal Division’s commitment to disrupting and dismantling organizations that manufacture and distribute deadly drugs into our communities. Today’s verdict also sends a powerful message to the cartel leadership: we will work with our domestic and international law enforcement partners to find you and bring you to justice. We are especially grateful to the Mexican authorities for their substantial assistance in this case.”
“Today’s guilty verdict sends a clear message that the DEA will stop at nothing to investigate and dismantle criminal drug networks that threaten the safety and health of the American people,” said Administrator Anne Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “As one of the highest-ranking members of the Jalisco Cartel, Oseguera-Gonzalez was responsible for pushing vast quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into the United States while engaging in violence, kidnapping, and bribery to build and protect the Jalisco Cartel. I commend the men and women of the DEA Los Angeles Field Division for their outstanding work on this case.”
According to the evidence presented at trial, from 2012 to 2015, Oseguera-Gonzalez oversaw the manufacture of more than three million pounds of methamphetamine in one area of Mexico. In April 2015, Oseguera-Gonzalez personally directed the distribution of over 55,000 pounds of cocaine. According to trial testimony, in October 2013, Oseguera-Gonzalez made plans to “do it big” with counterfeit oxycontin pills—just before the fentanyl epidemic began in the United States. According to witness testimony, the defendant said in 2015 that he was “building an empire with . . . fentanyl.” Oseguera-Gonzalez was arrested by Mexican authorities on local charges in June 2015. He remained detained in Mexico until his extradition to the United States in February 2020. While in prison in Mexico, Oseguera-Gonzalez continued to control the CJNG, negotiating drug transactions and approving the purchase of firearms and destructive devices, including .50 caliber firearms and 40 mm grenades.
Oseguera-Gonzalez personally used extreme violence to grow and control the cartel. For example, when five men owed Oseguera-Gonzalez money for drugs in the United States, Oseguera-Gonzalez violently killed all five men. On another occasion, the defendant shot one of his drivers in the head a close range. In an intercepted message, Oseguera-Gonzalez also described having 13 people tied up—one of whom he decided to release only after the man agreed to make fentanyl pills for Oseguera-Gonzalez.
Oseguera-Gonzalez also amassed an arsenal of weapons. His hitmen, which he called the Special Forces of the High Command, used the weapons to protect him and help him escape capture by Mexican authorities. For example, on May 1, 2015, the defendant’s hitmen—acting on Oseguera-Gonzalez’s personal orders—shot down a Mexican armed forces helicopter while 18 soldiers and police were on board. At least nine people on board the helicopter died as a result of Oseguera-Gonzalez’s order. Oseguera-Gonzalez’s men used an Iranian-made rocket-propelled grenade and a .50 caliber belt-fed firearm to shoot down the helicopter. Both weapons were painted with “CJNG” and a pixel camouflage pattern unique to Oseguera-Gonzalez’s hitmen.
Less than two months after escaping capture, Oseguera-Gonzalez was arrested in Jalisco, Mexico. When he was surrounded by soldiers and police, he brandished an assault weapon and grenade launcher, demanding to be released because he was a member of the CJNG. The weapon Oseguera-Gonzalez used to threaten police bore the same pixel camouflage pattern and was emblazoned with CJNG and Oseguera-Gonzalez’s nicknames: Menchito, 02, and Jr.
Oseguera-Gonzalez faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 40 years in prison and a statutory maximum penalty of life plus 30 years in prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Jan. 10, 2025. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The DEA Los Angeles Field Division investigated the case with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided critical assistance in securing the extradition of Oseguera-Gonzalez and in obtaining important evidence for the trial. The Criminal Division’s Office of Enforcement Operations provided significant assistance. The Justice Department thanks Mexican authorities for their assistance in securing the extradition of Oseguera-Gonzalez and in securing evidence and testimony presented in court.
Acting Deputy Chief Kaitlin Sahni and Trial Attorneys Kate Naseef, Jonathan R. Hornok, and Lernik Begian of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The mission will encourage travel-trade operators to feature Alberta itineraries, build relationships with industry partners, and secure valuable coverage in top-tier media publications. Meetings with New York-based sport associations will build relationships with key contacts and enable strategic conversations about Alberta’s potential to host upcoming major sporting events.
“No matter where you’re from or what your interests are, Alberta has something for you—whether you come to explore our majestic natural landscapes, discover our vibrant cities or to watch the world’s best athletes compete in major sporting competitions. I’m looking forward to showing the United States what Alberta has to offer.”
The U.S. is Alberta’s largest international market. In 2023, more than 1.2 million visitors from the U.S. came to Alberta. Through meetings with media partners and sport associations, the mission aims to encourage more American travellers to choose Alberta, and to spend more, stay longer and explore more parts of the province when they visit.
Sport tourism is a fast-growing market, with many visitors coming to Alberta to watch or participate in major sporting events. Strengthening sport tourism in the province will help advance Alberta’s goal of reaching $25 billion in annual visitor expenditures by 2035.
Minister Schow will be joined by one staff member. Mission expenses will be posted on the travel and expense disclosure page. Travel Alberta officials will also join Minister Schow, covering their own expenses.
Alberta’s government is committed to working with its national and international partners to advance shared interests that can lead to new opportunities for people and businesses in Alberta and around the world.
OTTAWA — Terry Sheehan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Labour and Seniors, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, and Geoff Stewart, President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), will make an announcement for sustainable affordable housing in Northwestern Ontario.
OTTAWA— Terry Sheehan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Labour and Seniors, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, and Geoff Stewart, President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), will make an announcement for sustainable affordable housing in Northwestern Ontario.
Date: Monday, September 23, 2024
Time: 1:15 p.m. ET
Location: This virtual event will be held using the Webex platform. Accredited media are asked to pre-register by emailing media@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca to obtain the announcement link.
Note: To help ensure optimal sound quality, journalists are encouraged to use a microphone (headphones/headset) or a landline and to avoid using speaker mode if queuing up for questions.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV)
Washington D.C. – Yesterday, Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV) spoke on floor of the House of Representatives to honor her Deputy District Director, Kim McMillion, for her 25 years of service in the House of Representatives.
Remarks as prepared are below.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mrs. Kim McMillion, who serves as my Deputy District Director over my Beckley, West Virginia office. Kim recently celebrated her 25th year working for the House of Representatives.
Throughout her career spanning three different Members, Kim has served the people of West Virginia with a grateful heart, always working to find solutions when issues arise between federal agencies and our constituents.
She is well-known throughout the district for her work in assisting with identifying federal grant opportunities, acquiring medals and purple hearts for veterans in the community, and her expertise in handling complex issues of immigration and social security affecting our constituents.
She is truly a wealth of knowledge and an invaluable member of my staff.
Outside of work, Kim’s greatest joy is her family. She is a wonderful wife to her husband, Frankie, mother to Tyler and her late son, Derrick, and grandmother to Jonathan, Charlee, and Abigail.
I am delighted to commend her here on the House Floor for her 25 years of service to the United States Congress and to our great state of West Virginia and invite my colleagues to join with me in congratulating her on this achievement.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Terri Sewell (AL-07)
Birmingham, AL – Today, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) announced $1.2 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to expand mental health and substance use services in Jefferson County and the Black Belt. Alabama Regional Medical Services (ARMS) in Birmingham and Rural Health Medical Program in Selma were each awarded $600,000 to expand access to needed care and combat the mental health and opioid crises. The awards are part of a $240 million investment by the Biden-Harris Administration to launch and expand behavioral health care services in Community Health Centers across America.
“When our most vulnerable Alabamians are in need of care, it is the amazing health care professionals at our Community Health Centers who stand in the gap,” said Rep. Sewell. “I am thrilled that the Biden-Harris Administration is working to expand mental health and substance use treatments for the patients that these facilities serve. These awards represent a critical step forward in our fight against the mental health and opioid crises.”
“Alabama Regional Medical Services is deeply honored to receive this significant funding from HRSA to expand and integrate behavioral health services into primary care,” said Alabama Regional Medical Services (ARMS) CEO, Dr. Thomas Greer, Jr. “Our communities are increasingly facing mental health and substance use disorders challenges, and this award will allow us to better serve our patients. With this investment, ARMS will be better positioned to help address these challenges and achieve improved mental health and wellness outcomes in Birmingham, Alabama and the surrounding areas. We thank HRSA for this award and for recognizing the need in the City of Birmingham and for their continued partnership with ARMS in providing quality health care to children, youth and families in our community.”
“I want to thank the Health and Human Services 330 Grant Branch for allowing us the opportunity to receive this funding,” said Rural Health Medical Program CEO Keshee Dozier-Smith. “I also want to thank Congresswoman Terri Sewell for continuing to support our efforts within her district. We know she fights every day for health equity and other needed resources in our community and we know through her support and others who represent the State of Alabama this funding was made available for us to expand these services.”
Health centers are trusted community providers and a primary source of care for individuals across the country who are uninsured, underinsured, or enrolled in Medicaid—making them well-positioned to respond to the urgent need for behavioral health services that are high quality, stigma-free, culturally competent and readily accessible.
A full list of Alabama Community Health Centers receiving funding is available here. More information on the announcement can be found here.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Doug Lamborn (5th District of Colorado)
Washington, D.C. –Today, Congressman Doug Lamborn attended the Hudson Institute and the Space Foundation workshop with congressional, government, and industry officials to discuss the future of the American hypersonic missile program. Space Foundation CEO, Maj. Gen. (Ret) Heather Pringle and Rebeccah Heinrichs, Senior Fellow and Director, Keystone Defense Initiative at the Hudson Institute gave introductory remarks. Congressman Lamborn delivered a keynote address as well as a Q & A directly following the keynote. Congressman Lamborn was joined by several members of Congress, including Reps. Bacon, Norcross, and Fong.
“My position as Chairman of the House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee has allowed me to gain unique insight into some of the nation’s most pressing threats and the development of technological sectors across the defense landscape. I have fought hard to ensure the United States stays at the forefront of advancements in warfare, and I have sounded the alarm in areas where we are falling behind. We must correct this downward trajectory now. My future hope is that events like today’s will continue and that we will one day be the leaders in hypersonics,”said Congressman Doug Lamborn.
“When applied to space, hypersonics are a critical leadership element for our defense and for driving further technology innovation. From a defense perspective, hypersonic technology could enhance our ability to deter adversaries in space which is without a doubt a contested environment. Moreover, the dual use aspect of hypersonics contributes to technological leadership, innovation and collaborative space missions with our allies,”said Maj. Gen. (Ret) Heather Pringle, Space Foundation CEO.
“I am grateful for the leadership of Chairman Lamborn and the Hudson Institute for organizing this very timely assessment of the state of U.S. hypersonic weapons programs,”said Congressman Don Bacon, Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Cyber, Information Technology and Innovation and member of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee. “We’ve made significant progress in technology development, but more must be done to advance hypersonic weapons technology, especially in fielding defensive capabilities for hypersonic weapons and developing our industrial base and test infrastructure. Today’s event generated useful insights that will inform Congress’ oversight of these vital national security programs,”said Congressman Don Bacon.
“As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I’ve witnessed both the potential for U.S. hypersonic capabilities and potential threats from adversaries. We must bolster our supply chain and industrial base to handle the complexity and durability needed for hypersonic missiles and other critical technologies. I’m glad I was able to join my Republican colleagues for a bipartisan discussion on this topic as we explore how to ensure safety and security for all Americans,”said Congressman Donald Norcross.
“Today’s event was a great opportunity to promote the commercial hypersonic industry and talk about the continuing work that must be done,” said Rep. Vince Fong (CA-20). “Getting to speak about the innovative developments being done in this industry in my district by the NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center, Edwards Air Force Base, and NAWS China Lake and my proposal, the MACH Act, to the NASA Reauthorization bill, was an important part of demonstrating the innovative technologies that are advancing the space market and all the prospect in an effort in advancing commercial hypersonic. As a nation, we must build off the legacies to continue to be on the cutting-edge,“said Congressman Vince Fong.
“As China and Russia continue to expand their hypersonic capabilities, it is crucial that our nation updates its defense systems to combat and deter these modern threats. In order to maintain strategic stability as well as competitive advantage, we must focus on developing our offensive hypersonic capabilities as well as investing in defensive counter-hypersonic systems. In order to accomplish this, adequate testing facilities are necessary to replicate the conditions which are unique to hypersonic flight,”said Congressman Pat Fallon.
Click hereto watch the Congressman Lamborn’s keynote address
India Achieves Tier 1 Status in Global Cybersecurity Index 2024 The stellar achievement reflects our unwavering commitment to global cybersecurity: Minister of Communications Shri Jyotiraditya M Scindia
With a remarkable score of 98.49 out of 100, India joins the ranks of ‘role-modelling’ countries
Posted On: 20 SEP 2024 4:50PM by PIB Delhi
India has marked a significant milestone in its cybersecurity efforts by achieving top Tier i.e. Tier 1 status in the Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) 2024, published by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). With a remarkable score of 98.49 out of 100, India joins the ranks of ‘role-modelling’ countries, demonstrating a strong commitment to cybersecurity practices across the globe.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) played a pivotal role as the nodal agency representing India in the Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) 2024. Shri Jyotiraditya M Scindia, Hon’ble Minister of Communications, hailed the accomplishment as a Proud Moment for Bharat. He said, “This stellar achievement reflects our unwavering commitment to cybersecurity and highlights the remarkable growth of India’s telecom sector.”
The GCI 2024 assessed national efforts based on five pillars: legal, technical, organizational, capacity development, and cooperation. The comprehensive questionnaire includes 83 questions, covering 20 indicators, 64 sub-indicators, and 28 micro-indicators, ensuring a thorough evaluation of each country’s cybersecurity landscape.
India’s strong performance in cybersecurity is driven by a series of initiatives and measures undertaken by the Government of India to enhance cyber resilience and establish robust frameworks for cybercrime laws and cybersecurity standards. The country’s legal institutions are well-prepared to address cybersecurity challenges and combat cybercrime, ensuring the protection of its digital infrastructure. Additionally, Sectoral Computer Incident Response Teams (CSIRTs) provide sector-specific technical support and incident reporting, further strengthening India’s cybersecurity capabilities.
Education and awareness have been central to India’s cybersecurity strategy. Targeted campaigns and educational initiatives have promoted secure online practices across sectors, including private industry, public institutions, civil society, and academia. The integration of cybersecurity into primary and secondary education curricula further underscores the country’s dedication to cultivating a knowledgeable and well-prepared digital citizenry.
In addition, incentives and grants have driven skill development and promoted research and innovation within India’s cybersecurity industry. International collaborations, along with bilateral and multilateral agreements, have further strengthened India’s capacity-building and information-sharing efforts, solidifying its role as a global leader in cybersecurity.
India’s leap to Tier 1 in the GCI 2024 is a clear indicator of the nation’s elevated cybersecurity commitments. This achievement not only reflects Government of India’s dedication to securing its digital domain but also sets a benchmark for other nations. DoT continues to spearhead India’s efforts in securing its digital infrastructure on the global stage.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV)
Washington D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV) spoke at a Ways and Means digital trade hearing focused on protecting American innovation by establishing and enforcing strong digital trade rules.
Congresswoman Miller began her remarks by explaining how specific Korean digital policies, if passed, will end up harming U.S. businesses and threaten our national security in the Indo-Pacific.
“Korea may soon pass online platform laws and regulations that would make it difficult for U.S. companies to operate in their country. I am very concerned that such an important, strategic ally like the Republic of Korea is pursuing economic policies that target and discriminate against U.S. technology companies while welcoming state-owned Chinese companies with open arms. Chinese firms are the fastest growing tech companies in Korea, with many leveraging strategic partnerships with Korean monopolies who have a strong influence in Korea’s legislature. I am very concerned about the national security implications of Korea’s ill-advised economic discrimination and would urge them not to go down this path, and instead, continue our important technology partnership and the goals established in our free trade agreement. Our trade agreement with Korea is the second largest Free Trade Agreement (FTA) by trade flows, second only to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). It is extremely concerning to me that our two biggest FTAs are both facing obstacles in the world of digital trade,” said Congresswoman Miller.
Congresswoman Miller asked the President of Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), Robert D. Atkinson, how China will benefit from the Korean digital policies and how this will affect the United States regarding the economy and national security.
“Can you explain how China wins if Korea pursues economic discrimination policies against the United States and why are Chinese firms seeking to drastically increase their Korean userbase? Do you believe that Korea is assisting them in their growth?” asked Congresswoman Miller.
“Last time I was there [in Korea], I tried to use google maps to figure out where to go and I couldn’t. I could use a Korean app company and they say it’s national security. It has nothing to do with national security. It’s the fact that they wanted to favor their own domestic map companies, their own domestic players. That’s what they’re doing now by copying the European Digital Markets Act (DMA) and what they want to do is they want to be able to pass a law that would require American companies to turn over data to be interoperable to do other kinds of things that would benefit Korean companies. But they can’t write the law so blatantly that it admits that, so it would benefit Korean companies, but it would also benefit Chinese companies. They’re willing to make that trade-off because they think it’s going to benefit their companies more, and it’ll hurt our companies. This will benefit Chinese companies and make them stronger. I would put Korea again in the same categories as I’d put Canada. They need us a lot more than we need them. They’re dependent upon us not just for military, but they’re so focused right now on building technology partnerships. They want technology partnerships with us and we’re going ahead and saying “yes,” but I think there must be a quid pro quo with that. Yeah, we want technology partnerships with you so we can both be stronger against the Chinese, but we’re not going to do partnerships with you if you do these kinds of discriminatory things,” responded Dr. Atkinson.
“What are the national security concerns related to U.S. foreign policy in the Indo-Pacific should the U.S. be less economically tied to our strategic ally as they grow closer to China?” asked Congresswoman Miller.
“So, the fundamental question I think in, in the Indo-Pacific is, are these countries going to gradually move over into the China orbit or are they going to stay in the Western democratic market orbit? The Koreans don’t want to pick. They want to have really close relationship with the Chinese because they know Chinese are predatory and retaliatory. They will hurt the Korean companies. They’ve done that before, but we need to let them know that they can’t have it both ways. They have to pick. We’re their defender. They need to be on the side of the allies and democracy, so I think it’s a critical, critical issue that we make them choose and choose us,” responded Dr. Atkinson.
To take on the Government of India Vision of Swachh Bharat, Department of Scientific & Industrial Research (DSIR) along with Autonomous Body, Council for Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) and two PSUs i.e. National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) & Central Electronics Ltd. (CEL) has launched the Swachhata Hi Seva Campaign 2024 starting from 17th Sept to 2nd Oct., 2024 with a series of activities focusing on collective cleanliness efforts and community engagement.
Swachhata Hi Seva campaign rolled out with collective Swachhata Pledge and plantation by senior officers under ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’programme.
Special initiatives have been taken by the Department duringSwachhata Hi Seva Campaign 2024 whichinclude the Plantation drives,Trainings & Workshop and Shramdaan activity around the office of DSIR and its organizations i.e. CSIR, CEL and NRDC.
Union Health Minister Shri J P Nadda lists out achievements of the Union Health Ministry in the First 100 Days of the New Government Ayushman Bharat is the world’s largest publicly funded health coverage program: Shri JP Nadda
“The U-WIN portal has been developed for full digitization of vaccination services for complete vaccination record of pregnant women and children from birth to 17 years under the Universal Immunization Programme”
“There has been 98% increase in medical colleges from 387 in 2013-14 to 766 in 2024-25”
“MBBS Seats increased by 64,464 (i.e., 125%) from 2013-14 (51,348 seats) to 2024-25 (11,5812 seats) while the number of PG seats increased by 39,460 (i.e., 127%) from 2013-14 (31,185 seats) to 2024-25 (73,111 seats)”
“In the first phase, BHISHM Cubes are being placed in 25 AIIMS and Institutes of National Importance for rapid deployment in the respective region in case of disaster / health emergencies”
“Union Health Ministry in consultation with the States/UTs is preparing a detailed rollout plan for logistics and training of health professionals for the introduction of the new TB treatment regimen early next year”
Posted On: 20 SEP 2024 4:48PM by PIB Delhi
Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda highlighted the key achievements of the Union Health Ministry in the first 100 days of the government at a press conference, here today. Union Ministers of State for Health and Family Welfare, Shri Prataprao Ganpatrao Jadhav and Smt. Anupriya Singh Patel were also present.
The Union Health Minister noted that around Rs.15 lakh crores of investment have been made in the last 100 days with speed and scale across different ministries. He noted that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched several key initiatives aimed at enhancing healthcare delivery and access in India. The following are some of the achievements made in the last 100 days across different health schemes:
Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY:
Shri Nadda said that the recent announcement of expansion of the Ayushman Bharat PMJAY scheme to include all senior citizens, irrespective of income group, aged 70 years and above will potentially benefit around 6 crore individuals across 4.5 crore families. Highlighting that Ayushman Bharat is the world’s largest publicly funded health coverage program, Shri Nadda informed that the expanded scheme will be implemented from October this year.
U-WIN Portal:
Another significant advancement is the U-WIN Portal which has been developed for full digitization of vaccination services for complete vaccination record of pregnant women and children from birth to 17 years under the Universal Immunization Programme. The citizen-centric services of the digital platform include ‘Anytime Access’ and ‘Anywhere’ vaccination services, Self-Registration by citizens using the U-WIN web-portal or the U-WIN citizen mobile application, automated SMS alerts, universal QR-based eVaccination Certificate and utility to create their Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) ID for themselves and Child ABHA ID for their children. The portal is in 11 regional languages including Hindi.
Stating that “the U-WIN portal has been developed for full digitization of vaccination services for complete vaccination record of pregnant women and children from birth to 17 years under the Universal Immunization Programme”, he informed that the portal is already operational on pilot basis. As on 16th September 2024, 6.46 crore beneficiaries have been registered, 1.04 crore vaccination sessions have been held and 23.06 crore administered vaccine doses have been recorded on the portal.
New TB Treatment Regimen & Made-in-India TB Diagnostics:
A shorter and more efficacious treatment regimen is now available for use under the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) which would help in reducing the treatment duration from 9-12 months to 6 months. It has been validated along with Health Technology Assessment (HTA) by ICMR. Shri Nadda informed that the Union Health Ministry in consultation with the State/UT governments is preparing a detailed rollout plan for logistics and training of health professionals for the introduction of this new regimen early next year. He also highlighted the expected reduction in duration of the treatment regimen in approximately 75,000 DRTB cases across the country.
In order to ensure country wide coverage for TB and Drug Resistance diagnosis by ‘state of the art’ molecular methods, a new indigenous diagnostic system (Patho detect) has been validated by ICMR, along with field feasibility. Shri Nadda stated that it would lead to reduction in turn-around times for test results, thereby reducing morbidity and mortality of TB patients.
Deployment of BHISM Cubes:
BHISHM Cubes are portable and rapidly deployable modular medical facility intended to provide emergency lifesaving clinical care in event of disaster/public health emergencies. Union Health Minister stated that BHISM cubes have the capacity to handle about 200 cases of diverse nature in emergency situations such as trauma, bleeding, burns, fractures, etc. In the 1st Phase, BHISHM Cubes will be placed in 25 AIIMS and Institutes of National Importance (INIs) for rapid deployment in the respective region in case of disaster / health emergencies. States may also deploy at strategic locations subsequently. India has gifted four BHISHM Cubes to Ukraine during the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s visit to the country recently.
Use of Drone Services:
Drones service aid in rapid, cost-effective and safe delivery of medical supplies and samples in hard-to-reach and tough terrains. Fifteen (15) AIIMS/INIs/NE institutions have been identified for Drone Services. Drone trials and trainings have been completed in 12 institutes. Shri Nadda said that drones provide safe, accurate reliable pickup & delivery of medicines, vaccines, blood, diagnostic specimens & other life-saving items to difficult-to-reach facilities.
Medical Education:
Increase in Medical Colleges:
The Union Health Minister said that the increase in medical colleges and MBBS and PG seats would lead to increase in the availability of doctors in the healthcare system.
There is an increase of 8.07% in Medical Colleges from 706 in 2023-24 to 766 in 2024-25. There has been 98% increase in medical colleges from 387 in 2013-14 to 766 in 2024-25. During the same period, 379 new medical colleges have been established and, presently there are 766 (Govt: 423, Pvt: 343) medical colleges in the Country.
Increase in MBBS seats:
There is an increase of 6.30 % in MBBS seats from 1,08,940 in 2023-24 to 1,15,812 in 2024-25. MBBS Seats increased by 64,464 (i.e., 125%) from 2013-14 (51,348 seats) to 2024-25 (11,5812 seats).
Increase in PG seats:
There is an increase of 5.92% in PG seats from 69,024 in 2023-24 to 73,111 in 2024-25. During the last ten years, the number of PG seats increased by 39,460 (i.e., 127%) from 2013-14 (31,185 seats) to 2024-25 (73,111 seats).
Operationalization of National Medical Register:
National Medical Register (NMR) is a comprehensive dynamic database for all allopathic (MBBS) registered doctors in India. NMR is linked with Aadhaar ID of the doctors that ensures the individual’s authenticity.
Shri Nadda said that NMR being a key component of the country’s Ayushman Bharat digital mission, it would be part of Healthcare Professional Registry (HPR). He further said that NMR will ensure provision of data covering details of around 13 lakh doctors in the country – State-wise, those who have left the country, those who have lost their license to practice, or details of doctors who have lost their lives.
National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS):
Virtual National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS) Assessment of Ayushman Arogya Mandir -Sub Centre:
NQAS are set of standards designed to ensure and improve the quality of healthcare services in District Hospitals, Community Health Centres, Ayushman Arogya Mandir – Primary Health Centre, Ayushman Arogya Mandir – Urban Primary Health Centre and Ayushman Arogya Mandir – Sub Health Centre.
Shri Nadda said that as on 31st August 2024, 13,782 Public Health Facilities are NQAS Certified. A total of 5,784 Public Health Facilities have been NQAS Certified from 1st April 2024 till date, in which 3,134 facilities (including 2,734 Ayushman Arogya Mandir – Sub Centers) have been NQAS certified at all levels in the first 100 days.
The virtual National Quality Assurance Standards assessments for Ayushman Arogya Mandir-Sub Centres commenced on August 1st after requisite trainings. 58 assessments have been done, with 104 more assessments scheduled to take place by end of September, 2024. “This will give an impetus to ensuring Quality standards for all levels of public health care facilities improving comprehensive primary healthcare of citizens” Shri Nadda said.
National Quality Assurance Standards for Integrated Public Health Laboratories:
Release of NQAS for IPHLs spread across district level health facilities is aimed at improving the quality and competence of management and testing systems in IPHLs. This will positively impact the reliability of test results and enhance the quality of diagnostics & patient care.
Establishment of AIIMS in Darbhanga:
Union Cabinet has approved setting up of new AIIMS at Darbhanga on 15.09.2020 at an estimated cost of Rs. 1264 Crore. Shri Nadda stated that the issue of allotment of land for AIIMS Darbhanga, which was pending for over 3 years has been finally settled and the Government of Bihar has allotted and since handed over 150.13 acres of land on 12.8.2024 required for AIIMS Darbhanga. He further noted that AIIMS institutions would serve to fill the gap in affordable tertiary healthcare services and reduce out of pocket expenditure.
Completion of Super Specialty Blocks:
Completion of construction works of Super Specialty Blocks (SSB) has been taken up as upgradation projects of existing Government Medical Colleges under PMSSY of four Government Medical Colleges in Bihar, these include:
a) Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Bhagalpur
b) Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College, Gaya
c) Sri Krishna Medical College, Muzaffarpur
d) Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital.
The launch of Super Specialty Blocks in Government Medical Colleges (Bihar) would serve to fill the gap in affordable tertiary healthcare services and reduce out of pocket expenditure, Shri Nadda highlighted.
Launch of Food Import Rejection Alerts:
The Union Minister also highlighted the introduction of the Food Import Rejection Alerts (FIRA), an online portal designed to notify the public and relevant food safety authorities about food import rejections at Indian borders and training of food street vendors by the FSSAI. The portal has been launched today at the second edition of the Global Food Regulators Summit 2024 hosted by FSSAI at Bharat Mandapam.
Shri Apurva Chandra, Union Health Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare; Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava, Officer on Special Duty, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare; Smt. LS Changsan, Addl. Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare; Shri Dhirendra Ojha, Principal DG, PIB, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and senior officials of the Union Health Ministry were present on the occasion.
Department of Posts played a pioneering role in distributing toolkits to beneficiaries under the PM Vishwakarma Scheme, first in Mahesana district of Gujarat Postmaster General Shri Krishna Kumar Yadav reviews Progress of Postal Services in Mahesana Division, Emphasised achievement of targets
Not Just Letters and Parcels, the Department of Posts is Connecting People with Various Government Welfare Schemes at door step – Postmaster General Shri Krishna Kumar Yadav
Department of Posts Plays a Key Role in Delivering Toolkits to Artisans/Beneficiaries under the PM Vishwakarma Scheme – Postmaster General Krishna Kumar Yadav
Posted On: 20 SEP 2024 3:56PM by PIB Ahmedabad
In addition to delivering letters and parcels, Department of Posts is now ensuring that various government welfare schemes and their benefits reach to all citizens. Department of Posts has access to last mile of the country and is equally involved in the joys and sorrows of the people. Postmaster General, North Gujarat Region, Shri Krishna Kumar Yadav, expressed these views during his visit to the Mahesana Head Post Office on 20th sepetember 2024. Under the campaign ‘Ek Ped Maa ke Naam’, tree plantation was conducted at the Mahesana Head Post Office to spread the message of environmental protection. Superintendent of Post Offices, Mahesana Division Shri H.C. Parmar welcomed the Postmaster General and provided detailed information about the progress of postal services in Mahesana.”
Postmaster General Shri Krishna Kumar Yadav delivered a cheque for ₹10 lakh as a claim payment to the family of Shri Babubhai Rabari from Mahesana, who had taken the Tata Group’s accident insurance policy for just ₹399 through India Post Payments Bank, after his untimely death.
Postmaster General Shri Krishna Kumar Yadav added that the Department of Posts is also playing a vital role in the PM Vishwakarma Scheme. Under this scheme, toolkits are being provided to artisans/beneficiaries through the Department of Posts. Department of Posts led by distributing the first toolkit in the country to Shri Rameshbhai Babubhai Senma, a resident of Jagannathpura village in the Mahesana Postal Division, North Gujarat Region.
Shri Krishna Kumar Yadav told that the PM Vishwakarma Scheme has been launched by the Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (M/o MSME) for the upliftment of traditional artisans and craftsmen engaged in various trades like blacksmithing, goldsmithing, pottery, carpentry, and sculpting, among others. The aim is to preserve cultural heritage and integrate these artisans into the formal economy and global value chains. The scheme is being implemented through the National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC). Toolkits for 18 identified trades under this scheme will be distributed to artisans/beneficiaries through post offices. The Department of Posts is the logistics partner for the Ministry of MSME in this scheme and will ensure the smooth transportation and delivery of toolkits to beneficiaries across the country.
Postmaster General Shri Krishna Kumar Yadav conducted a detailed review of the progress of postal services in the Mahesana Division. Currently, there are a total of 6.77 lakhs savings accounts, 79,000 IPPB accounts, 66,000 Sukanya Samriddhi accounts, and 4,000 Mahila Samman Savings Certificates opened in Mahesana Division. Additionally, 61 villages have been covered as ‘Sampoorna Sukanya Samriddhi Grams,’ 100 villages covered as Sampoorna Bima Grams,’ and 5 villages designated as Five-Star Villages. Through the Passport Seva Kendra at the Mahesana Head Post Office, more than 7,015 people have obtained passports in this financial year. 14,000 people have enrolled or updated their Aadhaar through the post office, while 70,000 people have benefited from CELC through India Post Payments Bank. More than 69,000 individuals received payments totaling ₹22.4 crore through the Aadhaar Enabled Payment System at door step.
During his visit to the Mahesana Head Post Office, Shri Krishna Kumar Yadav emphasized the importance of good behavior towards customers. Postmaster General emphasized the importance of conducting extensive campaigns and Dak Chaupals in the remaining days of the financial year to achieve the allocated targets for various services. He also highlighted the need to connect the citizens with these services, ensure prompt resolution of public grievances, and responsiveness towards customers.
During this visit, Superintendent of Post Offices Shri H.C. Parmar, Assistant Superintendent Shri R.M. Rabari, Shri N.K. Parmar, Shri Vishal Brahmbhatt, IPPB Branch manager Shri J. Rohit and Postmaster, Mahesana HO Shri D G Patel were present.
White Oak River, North Carolina: Wetlands like these are useful for preventing floods, reducing erosion, and preserving biodiversity. But every wetland is unique, and it is important to understand the impacts of climate on a local level.
Credit: Norm Lane/Shutterstock
GAITHERSBURG, Md. — The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has entered into a cooperative agreement with the University of Vermont (UVM) to establish a Climate Measurements Center of Excellence. The agreement includes an award of $2.7 million appropriated by Congress for this purpose and was made following a competitive process announced earlier this year.
“Our goal is to advance trust in measurements and technology in service to the nation. Effective measurements are key to understanding the dynamics of complex climate systems, and this center of excellence can amplify our impact and enable the development of equitable climate adaptation plans,” said Chuck Romine, the associate director for laboratory programs at NIST.
Climate impacts are felt differently from one region of the U.S. to another, and for communities to develop adaptation plans, they need more granular information than is currently available. The Climate Measurements Center of Excellence will support communities by providing standards frameworks, regional data, and the tools communities need to make decisions.
Climate impacts at the community level are expected to be diverse, complex and interrelated. Examples of possible impacts include diminished agricultural productivity, poor air quality, increased food costs, supply chain and commercial logistics disruptions, and public health issues. Preparing for and mitigating these impacts could be challenging for any one community alone. Therefore, the center will bring local climate researchers together to share resources and ideas and will serve as a hub for stakeholders including government climate offices, universities, nonprofits, industry and NIST.
The new center of excellence will establish and coordinate research teams that combine resources from the physical, biological and social sciences. It will also support the development of national standards and measurements for tracking hazards and risks associated with climate impacts. Throughout the three-year funding period, NIST will support the center through leadership, collaboration and community coordination.
DFS drives expansion of digital payments in India and abroad Digital payment transactions volume grew to 18,737 crore in FY 2023-24 from 2,071 crore in FY 2017-18 at Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 44%; with value of transactions at ₹3,659 lakh crore in FY23-24 from ₹1,962 lakh crore in FY17-18 at CAGR of 11%
UPI transactions volume grew to 13,116 crore in FY 2023-24 from 92 crore in FY 2017-18 at CAGR of 129%; with value of UPI transactions reaching ₹200 lakh crore trillion in FY23-24 from ₹1 lakh crore in FY17-18 at CAGR of 138%
UPI now seamlessly facilitates live transactions in 7 countries, including key markets such as UAE, Singapore, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, France, and Mauritius
Posted On: 20 SEP 2024 3:31PM by PIB Delhi
The Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Finance, plays a critical role in driving the promotion of digital payments in the country.
Efforts to accelerate the adoption of fast payment system like the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has revolutionised the way financial transactions are conducted, enabling real-time, secure, and seamless payments for millions.
This initiative aligns with the Government’s vision of a cashless and inclusive economy, empowering every citizen in their financial decision.
In comparison with previous fiscal years, the digital payments landscape has demonstrated remarkable expansion in Financial Year (FY) 2023-24. Key insights include:
Growth in Digital Payment Transactions:
Digital payments in India have witnessed significant growth, with the total number of digital payment transactions volume increased from 2,071 crore in FY 2017-18 to 18,737 crore in FY 2023-24 at Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 44%. Furthermore, during the last 5 months (April-August) of the current financial year 2024-25, the transaction volume has reached to 8,659 crore.
Source: RBI, NPCI & Banks
The value of transactions has grown from ₹1,962 lakh crore to ₹3,659 lakh crore at CAGR of 11%. Additionally, in the last 5 months (April-August) of the current financial year 2024-25, the total transaction value has surged to an impressive ₹1,669 lakh crore.
Source: RBI, NPCI & Banks
UPI’s Continued Success:
UPI remains the cornerstone of India’s digital payment ecosystem. UPI has revolutionised digital payments in the country, UPI transactions have grown from 92 crore in FY 2017-18 to 13,116 crore in FY 2023-24 at CAGR of 129%. Furthermore, during the last 5 months (April-August) of the current Financial Year 2024-25, the transaction volume has reached 7,062 crore.
The ease of use facilitated by growing network of participating banks and fintech platforms, has made UPI the most preferred mode of real-time payments for millions of users across the country.
Source: NPCI
The value of UPI transactions has grown from ₹1 lakh crore to ₹200 lakh crore at CAGR of 138%. Additionally, in the last 5 months (April-August FY2024-25), the total transaction value has surged to an impressive ₹101 lakh crore.
Source: NPCI
UPI: P2M and P2P Transactions (by Volume in crore) for Aug 2024
The contribution of P2M transactions reached 62.40% in Aug’ 2024, where 85% of these transactions are up to a value of ₹500. This indicates the trust that UPI enjoys among citizens for making low value payments.
UPI and RuPay Global Expansion:
India’s digital payments revolution is extending beyond its borders. Both UPI and RuPay are rapidly expanding globally, enabling seamless cross-border transactions for Indians living and traveling abroad. Presently, UPI is live in 7 countries, including key markets such as UAE, Singapore, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, France, Mauritius, allowing Indian consumers and businesses to make and receive payments internationally. This expansion will further bolster remittance flows, improve financial inclusion, and elevate India’s stature in the global financial landscape. As per ACI Worldwide Report 2024, in 2023 around 49% of the global real-time payment transactions is happening in India.
India is rapidly emerging as a global leader in digital payments. With UPI’s global expansion and the continued rise of digital transactions, India is setting new benchmarks for financial inclusion and economic empowerment of common citizen.
Department of Financial Services remains committed to advancing digital payment solutions that are secure, scalable, and inclusive, while also exploring new avenues to strengthen India’s position in the global financial ecosystem.
WASHINGTON — On Friday, six public-interest, media-reform, media-justice, and labor organizations joined to file an amicus curiae brief defending the Federal Communications Commission’s broadcast ownership rules against an industry challenge in the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.
The six groups are Common Cause, the Communications Workers of America-National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians, Free Press, the Future of Music Coalition, the musicFIRST Coalition, and the United Church of Christ Office of Communication, Inc. (“UCC Media Justice”). All of these entities have long participated in FCC proceedings and court cases on this issue. Attorneys Cheryl Leanza and Rachel Stillwell authored and filed the brief on the groups’ behalf.
The FCC’s media-ownership rules are designed to promote competition, viewpoint diversity, ownership diversity, and the delivery of local content by broadcast stations licensed to serve communities all across the United States. A series of deregulatory decisions the agency has made over the last two decades has significantly pared back these rules. The FCC undergoes a congressionally mandated review of these regulations every four years.
Prior legal challenges from both industry groups and public-interest organizations have played out in the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. This time, the broadcast industry brought its suit in a different circuit. Broadcasting conglomerates and the trade groups representing them argue that the Biden FCC should eliminate more of the few ownership limits that remain on the books.
As today’s amicus brief explains, broadcast lobbyists suggest that their businesses should no longer be regulated because people already have access to the same kinds of content on the internet. The broadcasters’ assertion, the brief says, would “leave out of the picture the many Americans who do not fit their vision of a life lived completely online, consuming only national news and culture.” As the filing notes, millions of people in the United States still need to or choose to rely primarily on free broadcasting services for local news, cultural content, and emergency information that broadcast outlets distribute more reliably than internet sources.
Free Press Vice President of Policy and General Counsel Matt Wood said:
“As always, the broadcast industry wants to have its cake and eat it too. Lawyers for giant media conglomerates argue that free and over-the-air local broadcasting remains a unique and special service, yet also insist that their industry should be completely unfettered from any common-sense ownership limits because of competition from internet sources. They can’t have it both ways. For broadcasting to remain a source of diverse and truly local content—serving populations that national and homogenized news sources so often ignore—the Federal Communications Commission must retain its rules preventing a single company from dominating the airwaves or owning quite literally every broadcast outlet in the same city.”
United Church of Christ Media Justice Ministry Policy Advisor Cheryl Leanza said:
“Broadcast media is unique: Local television engenders more trust, more local news, and thus more local engagement on everything from elections to community needs. Local radio is an important means to preserve and enliven local culture. Previous FCC decisions permitting vast consolidation have been disastrous—for the court to reverse the most recent FCC decision to keep the remaining rules and close loopholes would be even more so. In line with multiple other federal court decisions, the Eighth Circuit should reject any hint that each iteration of the quadrennial-review process mandates further consolidation.”
Common Cause Director for Media and Democracy Ishan Mehta said:
“In this era of media consolidation, we need local television and radio stations to provide a much-needed avenue for the public to hear diverse voices as they seek to make informed decisions at the ballot box. When media outlets are owned by a small number of corporations, it narrows the available perspectives and stifles the investigative journalism that our democracy depends on. We ask the court to preserve the FCC’s role in protecting diversity and furthering competition to ensure a healthy media ecosystem for all Americans.”
NABET-CWA President Charlie Braico said:
“Locally owned broadcast television and radio stations and the jobs they create are critical to the well-being of our communities. Consolidation in the media industry and Wall Street’s downsizing and stripping of local news operations for profits, along with the ‘narrowcasting” of information on the internet, has left Americans more isolated and divided than ever. The FCC’s ability to enforce local broadcast ownership rules is critical to preventing further harm.”
Future of Music Coalition Director Kevin Erickson said:
“Radio is a medium uniquely equipped to uplift the voices of diverse local communities expressed through diverse American musical traditions. Sadly, as we’ve seen over the years, ownership consolidation has empowered large companies and private equity firms to move away from the live and local emphasis that makes AM/FM radio special, replacing regional character with narrow formats and repetitive playlists presented by robots. We’re proud to join with a diverse array of groups in defending the FCC’s important role in protecting ownership diversity and healthy competition.”
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About CWA: The Communications Workers of America represents working people in telecommunications, customer service, media, airlines, health care, public service and education, manufacturing, tech, and other fields.
The 2024 Enabling Native Researchers and Other Minorities Through Graduate Engineering (ENRGE) internship cohort. From left, Javier Moscoso, Chelsea Neely, Success Oluwole, Adrian Gomez, Zain ulAbdeen, and Danish Saleem. Photo by Josh Bauer, NREL
Internships offer students the opportunity to gain valuable experience in their field before joining the workforce—but for interns at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), they have the added motivation of contributing to meaningful work in energy efficiency and renewable energy. For interns in the Enabling Native Researchers and Other Minorities Through Graduate Engineering (ENRGE) program, undergraduate and graduate students at minority-serving institutions gain valuable experience in power, energy, and cybersecurity. It is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration’s Minority Serving Institution Partnership Program, which aims to create and support a sustainable career pathway that prepares a diverse workforce of talented students to make immediate and significant contributions in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.
ENRGE brings undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at minority-serving institutions with underrepresented backgrounds—such as Native, Black, Asian, Hispanic, and Latino Americans—to NREL for hands-on summer internships. The interns work on research projects that look at how human or natural threats may disrupt the U.S. electrical grid, assess the cybersecurity of distributed energy systems, or research pathways to strengthen the U.S. electrical grid.
“Many companies and teams look forward to new pools of student interns, as they’ll bring with them fresh ideas, new perspectives, and creative approaches to the projects or processes,” said NREL’s Danish Saleem, senior engineer and ENRGE program leader.
This past summer, JavierMoscoso, Adrian Gomez, ZainulAbdeen, and Success Oluwole participated in NREL’s second ENRGE summer internship program.
“We were fortunate to have Javier, Zain, Adrian, and Success this year at NREL,” Saleem said. “Their exceptional work, dedication, and contributions toward NREL’s clean energy goals was invaluable.”
Making the Personal Universal
Javier Moscoso. Photo by Josh Bauer, NREL
For Javier Moscoso, energy and climate issues hit home—that is, they affect him and all the people of Puerto Rico. “It’s a personal mission,” Moscoso said.
Hurricanes Maria and Fiona wreaked havoc on Puerto Rico in 2017 and 2022. Fiona knocked out power for 80% of the island’s customers who depended on an already fragile power system. Moscoso has witnessed the damage the hurricanes—and the loss of power—cause. He spoke with a woman using an oxygen tank earlier in 2024 about issues she faced when power goes away. She died following a power outage this summer. “I’m talking because I live this,” he said.
The ENRGE internship allows Moscoso to work on important cybersecurity projects, but it also allows him to talk with NREL people—like Laboratory Director Martin Keller, who Moscoso met with earlier this summer—about the issues Puerto Rico faces. “Not having a strong cybersecurity background before coming here, I have felt comfortable with my team, and I was always eager to learn more and get out of my comfort zone,” Moscoso said. “It gives me the opportunity to test out what I like and see new things that I maybe didn’t think I would ever like or work with. I have come to familiarize myself with cybersecurity and how crucial it is in power systems today. If I’m honest, I have come to appreciate how impactful this experience will be for my future. I think there is no better place than NREL to be exposing myself to this through many readings, workshops, and conversations with mentors. I look forward to continue learning and contributing in the best way I can.”
Moscoso’s work at NREL involves looking at the cybersecurity of utility-scale batteries and distributed energy resources (DER) deployment for underserved communities on separate projects. He completed a literature review on the cybersecurity of DERs, and his background informed the case studies he wrote on Puerto Rico. “It’s my opportunity to give visibility to Puerto Rican communities,” he said.
Moscoso said that there is intention to everything he does, which is why the ENRGE internship was enticing. It allowed him to bring his personal story and experience to NREL, which he will then take back to Puerto Rico. Encouraged by his time at NREL and with ENRGE, he will begin graduate school in Puerto Rico, where part of his time will be spent continuing a renewable energy project he began before coming to NREL.
Prior to arriving at NREL, Moscoso engaged other students on the design and architecture of a solar gazebo to be constructed at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez. The gazebo will provide power on campus for students in the event of an outage. Moscoso has presented on this project at NREL and to many national outlets. The project includes an educational component where talks will be given on renewable energy and energy consumption.
What started as a napkin drawing is morphing into a reality that will benefit other Puerto Ricans, and Moscoso hopes that this first gazebo can be replicated across the island.
“Javier serves as an excellent example of someone who took full advantage of the networking and professional development opportunities that NREL and the ENRGE internship offered,” said NREL’s Chelsea Neely, cybersecurity researcher and ENRGE program coordinator. “Almost every week, he came to me to tell me who he met at NREL and what research and development opportunities he was excited about. We are so proud of the impact he has made here at NREL and can’t wait to see him continue his mission towards clean energy transformation.”
Exploring a New Career Pathway
Adrian Gomez. Photo by Josh Bauer, NREL
The path to NREL was not a straight line for Adrian Gomez. From the U.S. Army to education in criminal justice, his background was outside of energy. When Gomez decided that the criminal justice route was not what he wanted, he enrolled in the Ecotech Institute to learn about sustainable technologies.
Then the school closed permanently.
Gomez returned to criminal justice briefly before he learned about ENRGE. When he found the ENRGE internship opportunity at NREL, it felt like a fit. “It’s the right choice,” he said. “Everything led up to this. This is something I can do.”
At NREL, Gomez brings a cybersecurity background to the Clean Energy Cybersecurity Accelerator—which aims to expedite the deployment of novel or emerging operational technology security solutions—and learned from researchers involved in the cybersecurity situational awareness tool designed for renewable energy systems. For the Clean Energy Cybersecurity Accelerator, Gomez researched cyberattack scenarios involving solar panels and what types of attacks might cause disruptions.
“It’s interesting to see how everything is interconnected—how everything in a system affects everything else,” Gomez said. Researching cybersecurity has made Gomez hyperaware of cybersecurity concerns. He is paying attention to what is happening in the world in that regard. “I’m vigilant about those interconnections and how my role in cybersecurity is involved in that sphere.”
Following the ENRGE internship, Gomez will return to school to pursue a master’s degree in cybersecurity.
“For someone new to research, Adrian embraced the uncomfortable, often nonlinear path his research took him down this summer,” Neely said. “I was impressed with his ability to take on new concepts and come away from this experience with research he felt proud of. With the encouragement of researchers at NREL, we’re thrilled to hear he’s decided to pursue an advanced degree in cybersecurity. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for him as he builds on the skills he has learned here at NREL.”
Meeting the Challenges of Cybersecurity Through Computational Science
Zain ul Abdeen. Photo by Josh Bauer, NREL
Zain ul Abdeen came to NREL with a background in machine learning and artificial intelligence through a previous internship in NREL’s Computational Science Center, which comes in handy when asked to anticipate and respond to cyberattacks on power systems. Zain had worked as a computational scientist prior to arriving at NREL, and his computational skills were put to good use on cybersecurity projects.
Zain helped to test the performance of power system algorithms during adversarial attacks and built a model to detect anomalies in the system. With both, Zain was able to apply computational knowledge to specific challenges in cybersecurity. “We considered various kinds of attacks on the grid and how the algorithm was affected and how another model performed at detecting the attack,” he said.
A key component of Zain’s work is training models well enough that they are trustworthy when it comes to detecting and responding to attacks. That means designing robust systems that are well trained on possible scenarios and attacks.
“ENRGE is so well structured, and the mentors are very helpful,” he said. “They’re always there to help you solve a problem in your research. They listen, provide guidelines, and guide you in the right direction.”
“Zain’s final presentation of his projects this summer were incredibly impressive,” Neely said. “He made a big impact on his projects in such a short period of time. His successes clearly reflect the strong relationships he built with his mentors, Dr. Shuva Paul and Dr. Vivek Singh. We were very lucky to have his talents in the cybersecurity center this summer, and I can’t wait to read his next publications!”
Seizing an Unexpected Opportunity
Success Oluwole. Photo by Josh Bauer, NREL
When Success Oluwole went to her mentor and mechanical engineering department chair at Alabama Agriculture and Mechanical University, she asked him to keep his ears open for relevant opportunities. He called her up one day and directed Oluwole to an opportunity in the ENRGE program.
“I noticed it was a cybersecurity position and I’m quite in the mechanical engineering field,” she said. “So, I remember saying, ‘I’m not sure if this is the right fit for me.’”
The chair told Oluwole that she should not think like that—that she should be open to opportunities, even if the fit is not a direct match for her experience.
She applied to the ENRGE program. “I have always wanted to work at a national lab because I have research experience and working at the lab will give me more opportunities to do research full time,” she said.
When she interviewed for the role, it was the first time Oluwole had been interviewed by a panel, and she was nervous but optimistic, she said. When the offer came, Oluwole jumped at it. “The program gives people from minority communities the opportunity to work at a national lab. I’m Nigerian, and not many international students like me who come to this country have this opportunity. I knew working at NREL would be a great stepping stone for my career.”
Oluwole quickly realized that there was overlap between cybersecurity and mechanical engineering. She said she had the notion that there would be a lot of coding, but the actuality of the cybersecurity projects she worked on allowed her to use skills she brought with her to NREL.
She was able to deploy project management experience—data collection and budgeting—to help coordinate Liberty Eclipse, an annual full-scale cybersecurity preparedness exercise run by the U.S. Department of Energy. Oluwole also worked on a project involving cyber-informed engineering (CIE), which provides engineers a framework to integrate cybersecurity into the early design stages and throughout the life cycle of engineered systems. “I’ve been trying to apply the principles of CIE to the design, development, and operations of the wind turbines in the United States. I’ve been trying to apply the 12 principles of CIE to basically each level of a wind turbine,” she said.
“Success truly blossomed during her 10 weeks here at NREL,” Neely said. “She did a fantastic job collaborating with her mentor and I could tell she was really open trying things outside of her comfort zone. The fact that she left her experience better able to understand how cybersecurity affects her work as a mechanical engineer is a huge win for all of us. I feel so privileged to witness her growth and can’t wait to see what the future has in store for such a promising young researcher.”
Oluwole values the experiences she is gaining in the ENRGE program.
“Every single day since I started my internship here, I have been grateful, because this has been a blessing,” she said. “This program has been transformative. I’ve met great people. I’ve been able to apply my academic knowledge. I hope the program grows so that other people from minority communities can have the opportunities to learn like I have this summer.”
Before joining NREL, Oluwole did not have cybersecurity as a potential career path, but she is glad she has been able to gain this experience in an unexpected field.
ENRGE began with one intern in 2023 and has grown to four interns, two of whom have decided to pursue higher education as a result of their time in the program.
“Coming from diverse engineering and technical backgrounds, ENRGE interns learned to appreciate the importance of taking an interdisciplinary approach to the cybersecurity of energy systems,” Neely said. “Each of them has a very bright future as leaders in this important field. I hope their experience at NREL influences how they design and build critical cyber-physical systems of the future.”
Learn more about NREL’s ENRGE program and about NREL’s internship opportunities.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. (LA-02)
WASHINGTON, D.C.– Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-La.) announced $292,714,591 in Battery Materials Processing Grants from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for Element 25 (Louisiana) LLC and Honeywell International Inc.These awards were made possible through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Congressman Carter helped craft and voted for.
“I’m excited to celebrate this significant step in our nation’s pursuit of sustainable energy and innovation,” said Rep. Carter. “This funding strengthens the battery materials industry and keeps the U.S. at the forefront of advanced technology manufacturing. With projects from Honeywell and Element 25, Louisiana is leading the nation’s clean energy transition, equipping our workforce with high-tech skills, and driving lasting economic growth. These investments not only boost our economic competitiveness but also lay the foundation for a cleaner, more sustainable future. I’m proud to see Louisiana shaping a self-sufficient energy future for America.”
Element 25 (Louisiana) LLC was awarded $166,128,094 to launch “Project Laver,” a state-of-the-art refining facility in the Baton Rouge area to produce high purity manganese sulphate monohydrate (HPMSM), a critical component in lithium-ion batteries. This facility will be the first of its kind in the United States. Once operational, this plant will create over 140 permanent jobs for Louisiana workers, including those transitioning from the oil and gas industry, as well as 400 construction jobs. The project will also foster long-term community success by creating apprenticeships for 5% of its workforce, providing on-the-job training and opportunities for career growth.
Honeywell International Inc. was awarded $126,586,497 to build a groundbreaking facility in Geismar, Louisiana, to produce Lithium (bis)FluoroSulfonyl Imide (LiFSI), a critical electrolyte salt for lithium batteries used in electric vehicles and energy storage. This new facility will be the first of its kind in the United States. This project will create approximately 100 construction jobs and 70 full-time, high-paying, permanent, high-tech positions available once the plant is operational.
Background
The Battery Materials Processing Grants Program is designed to provide grants for battery materials processing to ensure that the United States has a viable battery materials processing industry. Funds can also be used to expand our domestic capabilities in battery manufacturing and enhance processing capacity.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. (LA-02)
NEW ORLEANS, LA – Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA) released the following statement congratulating New Orleans native Ava Dejoie Cates on her appointment as Regional Administrator of Region 6 for the Small Business Administration (SBA):
“I am proud to have recommended Ava Dejoie Cates, an incredibly talented leader, for the role of SBA Region 6 Regional Administrator. This is an outstanding achievement and a well-deserved recognition of her extensive experience and commitment to workforce and business development. Ava’s leadership has already transformed Louisiana’s workforce landscape, and her vision for empowering small businesses will undoubtedly bring transformative growth across the region.
“With over 25 years of public service and a deep-rooted passion for supporting entrepreneurs, Ava brings heart and expertise to this role. Her work ethic will serve her well as she fosters economic resilience and opportunity. I look forward to seeing the positive impact of her leadership as she helps small businesses thrive and continues driving economic progress.
“Ava, your commitment to innovation, collaboration, and economic development will surely benefit communities and entrepreneurs. Congratulations!”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. (LA-02)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. (D-LA) praised eight bills that he either introduced or cosponsored that passed in the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure this week.
Congressman Carter is the lead sponsor of H.R. 9037, the Federal Emergency Mobilization Accountability (FEMA) Workforce Planning Act, bipartisan legislationthat requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to submit a plan to Congress every three years that includes specific retention, recruitment, and deployment goals for its workforce.
“In Louisiana, we’ve seen how storms are increasingly more dangerous and unpredictable. My FEMA Workforce Planning Act is a critical step toward ensuring FEMA is better equipped to respond to disasters by creating clear goals for employee recruitment, retention, and training,” said Rep. Carter. “By requiring regular updates and audits, the bill promotes accountability and ensures that FEMA’s staffing plans are aligned with the evolving needs of disaster response. This bipartisan legislation is a smart move toward filling gaps in FEMA’s workforce, which in turn will help communities receive the support they need in times of crisis.”
In 2023, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report called “FEMA Disaster Workforce: Actions Needed to Improve Hiring Data and Address Staffing Gaps.” The report said that FEMA faced challenges deploying staff with the right skills and training to meet the needs of communities impacted by federally declared disasters. It also said that FEMA is short 6,200 workers, which means the agency is 35% short of the staff it needs. At the height of FEMA workforce deployments in October 2017, GAO found that 54 percent of staff were serving in a capacity in which they were not formally certified according to FEMA’s qualification system standards.
Congressman Carter is also a cosponsor on several bills that will strengthen benefits for disaster victims and communities working to recover:
H.R.6083, the Duplications of Benefits Victims Relief Act, clarifies that a post-disaster loan from the Small Business Administration (SBA) is not considered disqualifying for receiving other federal recovery funding. During past disasters in Louisiana, most notably the floods of 2016, recovery funds promised to victims were reduced or eliminated if a homeowner had qualified for a federal disaster recovery loan from the SBA. Because the homeowner was already approved for federal relief, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) stated it would be a “duplication of benefits” for them also to receive a federal recovery grant from the Community Development Block Grant—Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program. While SBA loans are required to be repaid to the federal government, CDBG-DR grants are one-time payments to victims and do not require repayment.
H.R. 5623, the Addressing Addiction After Disasters Act, improves the federal Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program by allowing FEMA to provide services for substance use disorder and alcohol use disorder. Studies show that after Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast in 2005, alcohol consumption increased by about 185% from before the storm, and the annual hospitalization rate for substance use disorders increased by approximately 30%.
H.R. 2672, the FEMA Loan Interest Payment Relief Act amends the Stafford Act to reimburse local governments and electric cooperatives for the interest on loans used for disaster recovery efforts. Many of these entities, particularly smaller and rural municipalities, need immediate funds for recovery and infrastructure repairs, but FEMA reimbursements often take time, leaving them with high-interest loan payments. This bill relieves them of that financial burden, allowing them to focus on recovery rather than loan costs.
Background
In total, Congressman Carter is a cosponsor of or introduced the following bills that passed in the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure today:
H.R. 9037, the Federal Emergency Mobilization Accountability (FEMA) Workforce Planning Act (Introduced)
H.R. 2672, the FEMA Loan Interest Payment Relief Act
H.R. 8530, the Improving Federal Building Security Act of 2024
ANS to H.R. 9135, the Ensuring Airline Resiliency to Reduce Delays and Cancellations Act
ANS to H.R. 8505, the Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection Act
H.R. 6083, the Duplications of Benefits Victims Relief Act
ANS to H.R. 5623, the Addressing Addiction After Disasters Act
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. (LA-02)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA) released the following statement after the announcement that H.R. 82, the Social Security Fairness Act of 2023 will receive a vote on the House floor. Congressman Carter is a cosponsor of this legislation:
“WEP and GPO are harmful provisions that slash public servant’s Social Security benefits. I signed the discharge petition to bring the Social Security Fairness Act to the floor and I’m proud we’re acting NOW. Our teachers, firefighters, police officers, and other federal employees should NOT be penalized when it comes to collecting their pension. We must change this antiquated law and give people the benefits they’ve earned!”
Background
Last December, Congressman Carter was the Ranking Member for a Ways and Means Committee field hearing in Baton Rouge, LA focused on the effects of the Windfall Elimination Penalty (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) on everyday Americans, where he heard from Louisianians struggling to make ends meet due to these harmful provisions.
The WEP and GPO prevent federal retirees like police, teachers, firefighters, state workers and their spouses who earned pensions from those careers from collecting their full Social Security benefits earned while working outside of government, affecting over two million Americans, including thousands in Louisiana.
WEP dates to 1983 and reduces Social Security benefits for workers who paid into both a civil service pension from their time in government employment and Social Security, in a Social Security covered job outside of government.
GPO dates to 1977 and reduces by two-thirds the retirement or disability pension from a federal, state, or local government for spouses and widows or widowers if the spouse or widow did not pay in themselves.
The Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 82) would repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and has bipartisan, bicameral support.
A federal jury convicted Ruben Oseguera-Gonzalez, also known as El Menchito, today of conspiring to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine while knowing and intending that they would be imported into the United States, and using, carrying, and brandishing firearms, including destructive devices, in furtherance of the drug trafficking conspiracy, following a two-week jury trial in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, between 2007 and 2017, Oseguera-Gonzalez, 34, led an international drug trafficking organization responsible for importing large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine from Mexico into the United States. Oseguera-Gonzalez was the second in command of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), which is based in the State of Jalisco in Mexico. The CJNG is one of the most dangerous drug cartels in Mexico. Oseguera-Gonzalez personally used firearms, destructive devices, murder, and kidnapping to control the drug trafficking organization. Oseguera-Gonzalez also ordered his subordinates to shoot down a Mexican military helicopter so that he could escape capture by Mexican law enforcement.
“El Menchito led the Jalisco Cartel’s efforts to use murder, kidnapping, and torture to build the Cartel into a self-described ‘empire’ by manufacturing fentanyl and flooding the United States with massive quantities of lethal drugs. Today, fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat the United States has ever faced,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “El Menchito now joins the growing list of high-ranking Cartel leaders that the Justice Department has convicted in an American courtroom. We are grateful to our Mexican law enforcement partners for their extensive cooperation and sacrifice in holding accountable leaders of the Jalisco Cartel.”
“Ruben Oseguera-Gonzalez pioneered the manufacturing of fentanyl in Mexico to help build his father’s Jalisco Cartel into one of the world’s most powerful drug syndicates. His crimes caused horrific violence and death in the United States, Mexico, and around the globe,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Today’s guilty verdict demonstrates that our prosecutors and agents, working with our Mexican law enforcement partners, will relentlessly pursue justice against the leaders of the drug trafficking organizations who destroy lives and poison our communities.”
“As second-in-command of CJNG, Ruben Oseguera-Gonzalez used extreme violence to traffic massive amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine into the United States,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “His conviction underscores the Criminal Division’s commitment to disrupting and dismantling organizations that manufacture and distribute deadly drugs into our communities. Today’s verdict also sends a powerful message to the cartel leadership: we will work with our domestic and international law enforcement partners to find you and bring you to justice. We are especially grateful to the Mexican authorities for their substantial assistance in this case.”
“Today’s guilty verdict sends a clear message that the DEA will stop at nothing to investigate and dismantle criminal drug networks that threaten the safety and health of the American people,” said Administrator Anne Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “As one of the highest-ranking members of the Jalisco Cartel, Oseguera-Gonzalez was responsible for pushing vast quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into the United States while engaging in violence, kidnapping, and bribery to build and protect the Jalisco Cartel. I commend the men and women of the DEA Los Angeles Field Division for their outstanding work on this case.”
According to the evidence presented at trial, from 2012 to 2015, Oseguera-Gonzalez oversaw the manufacture of more than three million pounds of methamphetamine in one area of Mexico. In April 2015, Oseguera-Gonzalez personally directed the distribution of over 55,000 pounds of cocaine. According to trial testimony, in October 2013, Oseguera-Gonzalez made plans to “do it big” with counterfeit oxycontin pills—just before the fentanyl epidemic began in the United States. According to witness testimony, the defendant said in 2015 that he was “building an empire with . . . fentanyl.” Oseguera-Gonzalez was arrested by Mexican authorities on local charges in June 2015. He remained detained in Mexico until his extradition to the United States in February 2020. While in prison in Mexico, Oseguera-Gonzalez continued to control the CJNG, negotiating drug transactions and approving the purchase of firearms and destructive devices, including .50 caliber firearms and 40 mm grenades.
Oseguera-Gonzalez personally used extreme violence to grow and control the cartel. For example, when five men owed Oseguera-Gonzalez money for drugs in the United States, Oseguera-Gonzalez violently killed all five men. On another occasion, the defendant shot one of his drivers in the head a close range. In an intercepted message, Oseguera-Gonzalez also described having 13 people tied up—one of whom he decided to release only after the man agreed to make fentanyl pills for Oseguera-Gonzalez.
Oseguera-Gonzalez also amassed an arsenal of weapons. His hitmen, which he called the Special Forces of the High Command, used the weapons to protect him and help him escape capture by Mexican authorities. For example, on May 1, 2015, the defendant’s hitmen—acting on Oseguera-Gonzalez’s personal orders—shot down a Mexican armed forces helicopter while 18 soldiers and police were on board. At least nine people on board the helicopter died as a result of Oseguera-Gonzalez’s order. Oseguera-Gonzalez’s men used an Iranian-made rocket-propelled grenade and a .50 caliber belt-fed firearm to shoot down the helicopter. Both weapons were painted with “CJNG” and a pixel camouflage pattern unique to Oseguera-Gonzalez’s hitmen.
Less than two months after escaping capture, Oseguera-Gonzalez was arrested in Jalisco, Mexico. When he was surrounded by soldiers and police, he brandished an assault weapon and grenade launcher, demanding to be released because he was a member of the CJNG. The weapon Oseguera-Gonzalez used to threaten police bore the same pixel camouflage pattern and was emblazoned with CJNG and Oseguera-Gonzalez’s nicknames: Menchito, 02, and Jr.
Oseguera-Gonzalez faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 40 years in prison and a statutory maximum penalty of life plus 30 years in prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Jan. 10, 2025. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The DEA Los Angeles Field Division investigated the case with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided critical assistance in securing the extradition of Oseguera-Gonzalez and in obtaining important evidence for the trial. The Criminal Division’s Office of Enforcement Operations provided significant assistance. The Justice Department thanks Mexican authorities for their assistance in securing the extradition of Oseguera-Gonzalez and in securing evidence and testimony presented in court.
Acting Deputy Chief Kaitlin Sahni and Trial Attorneys Kate Naseef, Jonathan R. Hornok, and Lernik Begian of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. (LA-02)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA) commended the passage of his bill H.R. 4403, theSecuring the Cities Improvement Actin the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs this week. This legislation would ensure stability within the Securing the Cities (STC) program and partnerships with at-risk cities.
“My bill will help cities build and maintain their security capabilities against nuclear, radiological, chemical, and biological threats, offering a more targeted and effective approach to national security preparedness and response,” said Rep. Carter. “This legislation is critical for sustaining our preparedness and ensuring the safety of our nation against terrorism, showing that we’re serious about protecting our communities, including New Orleans and surrounding areas, which are vital to our nation’s energy and economic security.”
The Securing the Cities Improvement Act would allow the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD) to determine which cities to partner with for the STC program based on the jurisdiction’s capability and capacity to prepare for and respond to threats or vulnerabilities against a terrorist attack and other high-consequence events utilizing nuclear or other radiological materials. It would also establish performance metrics and milestones for the STC program and monitor expenditures for the program. Furthermore, this legislation would require DHS to provide a report to Congress regarding participation in the STC program, the establishment of metrics and milestones for the program, and plans for any changes to the program.
Background
The STC Initiative was launched by the Department of Homeland Security in Fiscal Year 2007 as a pilot program to support New York City, Jersey City, and Newark in detecting and preventing nuclear or radiological threats. The STC program has now grown and provides 14 local governments with detection equipment, training, exercise support, operational and technical subject matter expertise, and programmatic support. However, the program is limited to “high-risk urban areas” designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency under the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) program. This linkage between STC and UASI can create uncertainty for local governments participating in the program, as the composition of jurisdictions in the UASI program can vary considerably from one year to the next.
TheSecuring the Cities Improvement Act is cosponsored by Reps. Bennie G. Thompson (D-M.S.), Ranking Member of the House Homeland Security Committee, and Clay Higgins (R-L.A.).
OTTAWA — Terry Sheehan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Labour and Seniors, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, and Geoff Stewart, President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), will make an announcement regarding sustainable affordable housing in Northwestern Ontario.
OTTAWA— Terry Sheehan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Labour and Seniors, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, and Geoff Stewart, President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), will make an announcement for sustainable affordable housing in Northwestern Ontario.
Date: Monday, September 23, 2024
Time: 1:15 p.m. (ET)
Location: This virtual event will be held via the Webex platform. Accredited journalists wishing to attend are requested to register in advance by email at media@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca to get the link to the ad.
Note: To ensure optimal sound quality, we encourage journalists to use a microphone (headset) or landline and to avoid using speakerphone mode when on hold to ask a question.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Michelle Steel (CA-48)
WASHINGTON, D.C.– With recent reports indicating that General Secretary for the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam plans to meet with Meta and Google while in the United States next week, Rep. Michelle Steel is calling on both companies to refuse their meetings and clarify whether they support Vietnam’s persecution of those utilizing their platforms.
In letters to both Meta and Google, Steel notes that under To Lam’s leadership, Vietnam has doubled down on the repression of human rights, with over 170 prisoners of conscience currently detained. Such abuses largely occur due to the communist regime’s vast surveillance of online discourse, including on Meta and Google’s very platforms.
“To Lam is a dangerous authoritarian who has stifled free expression and taken many prisoners of conscience in Vietnam. Corporations like Google and Meta – who allegedly facilitate open communication – must reverse course and refuse to grant legitimacy to someone who jails his own citizens simply for speaking their mind,” said Rep. Michelle Steel, who represents a large population of Vietnamese Americans in Orange County, CA. “If these big tech companies choose to give To Lam a platform, the Vietnamese people and Vietnamese Americans should assume that Meta and Google support Communist Vietnam’s persecution of users on their very own platforms.”
To Lam, who recently took over as Vietnam’s head of state after a stint as Vietnam’s Minister of Public Security, will be in New York for a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly. Even prior to his current human rights abuses, To Lam has a documented history of stifling free speech.
Rep. Steel represents parts of Los Angeles County and Orange County, including the Little Saigon community, which has the largest population of Vietnamese anywhere outside of Vietnam.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) joined Senate colleagues in filing an amicus brief supporting the federal law they helped pass to give Medicare the power to negotiate for lower prescription drug prices. The brief, which was filed in AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals v. Becerra; Bristol Myers Squibb Co. v. Becerra; and Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. v. Becerra, urges the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit to uphold the constitutionality of Congress allowing Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices for consumers. The brief argues that the Constitution empowers Congress to enact policy reforms and improve federal programs.
“Appellants now attempt to accomplish through judicial action what they could not through the legislative process. Appellants’ position in this litigation boils down to the argument that the United States Constitution prohibits the federal government from negotiating the prices of the products it purchases,” wrote the Senators. “Appellants seek to prevent reform of a purchasing process that Congress itself made. They argue that Congress, having created this process, now cannot unmake the process or even amend it for the benefit of the American public and the American taxpayer.”
“As the Appellees’ brief ably explains, the Appellants’ position is wrong as a matter of constitutional law. Congress improves laws all the time. Congress has the right and indeed the duty to do so,” they continued. “The Program takes nothing from the pharmaceutical industry—not its drugs and not its patents. The Program does not coerce industry participants to do or say anything. Like every other market participant, manufacturers may sell their products at prices buyers think is fair (or not fair) and buyers may make market choices in turn.”
The Senators conclude by asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit to affirm that there has been no constitutional violation in allowing Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices for consumers.
The lawmakers’ amicus brief to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit can be read in full HERE.
Senator Rosen has been leading the fight to lower prescription drug costs. Earlier this year, she introduced bipartisan legislation to lower out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for seniors. Senator Rosen also announced that starting this year, Nevada seniors will have their annual out-of-pocket costs for brand-name prescription drugs effectively capped at $3,300 a year as a result of the legislation she helped pass. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, Senator Rosen helped lower prescription drug costs for seniors, lower health care premiums, and cap the insulin costs for those on Medicare Part D at $35/month per prescription.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Langworthy (NY-23) announced $2.2 million in federal funding for Hilbert College through the U.S. Department of Education’s Strengthening Institutions Program. This five-year grant will establish and staff an Academic Services Center (ASC) at Hilbert College, which will provide essential support services to help students succeed.
“This significant federal investment in Hilbert College is an essential step toward ensuring that every student, regardless of background, has the resources they need to thrive,” said Congressman Langworthy. “By enhancing academic support services and focusing on retention, the new Academic Services Center will create more opportunities for students to achieve their degrees and contribute to the future of Western New York and the greater region. I’m proud to advocate for Hilbert College’s important work, and I look forward to seeing the lasting impact this investment will have on both the students and the community as a whole.”
“Building upon our emphasis on first-year initiatives, this transformational grant will give us the critical resources to support our students with professional and program development throughout their time at Hilbert,” said Hilbert College President Dr. Michael S. Brophy. “In keeping with our mission and vision, the college has traditionally enrolled a large number of underserved and first-generation students, and this grant will help us reinforce and expand our efforts to maximize their retention and success.”
Through this grant, Hilbert will be able to provide coordinated academic planning and support for students through all four years of a traditional undergraduate degree. The launch of the Academic Services Center will build on Hilbert’s recent investments and progress in increasing student participation in Learning Communities and Service Learning, which also will benefit from additional resources through the five-year grant.
Source: United States Senator for Ohio Sherrod Brown
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) welcomed $1,316,951 to Central State University for innovations in semiconductor manufacturing and development, and to enhance the infrastructure and educational communities across seven partner Historically Black Colleges and Universities to develop a technical workforce that is ready to fill high-demand jobs in the industry.
“Harnessing the talents of students at our Historically Black Colleges and Universities like Central State University will help ensure that Ohio continues to be at the center of semiconductor innovation,” Brown said. “This research investment at Central State University will give Ohio HBCU students the opportunity to contribute to our state’s leadership creating and manufacturing the technologies of the future.”
Brown has been a leader in bringing new manufacturing opportunities to Ohio. The CHIPS and Science Act authorizes a historic $829 million investment in the Manufacturing USA program over five years, the largest increase in funding for the program since its inception. The CHIPS Act will support and grow domestic supply chains, invest in Ohio manufacturing jobs, and reduce costs for Americans by investing in American manufacturing. Currently, 90 percent of chip manufacturing capacity is overseas, but with investments in domestic manufacturing – like Intel’s $20 billion investment in a semiconductor plant in New Albany – chips will become a major American export out of Ohio. Brown also introduced the Building Chips in America Act to streamline federal reviews for microchip manufacturing facilities.
Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and U.S. Representative Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ-07) introduced the Tribal Heritage and American Bison, Grizzly Bear, and Wolf Restoration and Coexistence Act, legislation to establish permanent federal protections for these three species and expand recovery efforts and coexistence measures. Additionally, the bill would enhance existing tribal management authorities over these species by creating oversight committees that work in unison with Indian Tribes to identify tribal lands suitable for possible reintroduction efforts.
“American bison, grizzly bears, and gray wolves are iconic American species and are timeless symbols of our nation’s heritage, yet these animals were driven to the brink of extinction,” said Senator Booker. “Building on the success of past conservation legislation like the American Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act, I am proud to introduce legislation that directs the Secretary of the Interior to works closely with Indigenous communities to ensure permanent protection for these animals.”
“Bison, grizzly bears, and wolves hold significant spiritual, cultural, and ecological value to many tribal communities and our nation,” said House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva. “I’m proud to introduce this legislation with Senator Booker to enshrine protections for these species and ensure that conservation and management are conducted in close consultation with Tribal Nations. For centuries, the United States’ policies have systematically failed to honor our treaties, harming Tribal Nations and resulting in significant cultural losses and ecological damage. Congress has a trust responsibility to move forward from past injustices and craft policies for the future that are based on respect and recognition of Tribal Nations’ leadership in recovering these iconic species and their habitats.”
American bison, grizzly bears, and gray wolves hold important cultural significance to the Indigenous peoples of North America. Despite their important ecological roles and cultural symbolism, during the 19th and 20th century each of these species were hunted to the point of eradication from most of their historic range throughout the continental United States. The elimination of these animals from their traditional ranges has dramatically compromised the integrity of their former ecosystems. Continuing to reestablish their presence – and prohibiting future eradication efforts – will restore the health of these ecosystems.
As seen with the 1995 reintroduction of gray wolves in Yellowstone National Park, reestablishing keystone species in their former ranges can have significant benefits to the ecosystem. The 1995 introduction rebalanced elk and deer populations, allowing vegetation to flourish in response to reduced herbivore grazing pressure. This landmark conservation effort helped re-stabilize the Yellowstone ecosystem, while creating an immense boom in ecotourism revenue that now generates an annual average of over $80 million for local economies in the Greater Yellowstone region. Grizzly bears play a similar role by regulating prey populations and preventing overgrazing, while bison grazing and foraging aid in plant growth and increase biodiversity by aerating soil and dispersing native seeds. These are just a few examples that demonstrate the positive impacts that bison, grizzly bears, and wolves have on North American ecosystems.
Specifically, the Tribal Heritage and American Bison, Grizzly Bear, and Wolf Restoration and Coexistence Act would:
1. Prohibit the take, possession, purchase, sale, or transport of American bison, grizzly bears, and wolves, exclusive of captive-bred bison intended for human consumption, with targeted exceptions authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to issue permits for scientific or conservation purposes and for protection of agricultural interests and public safety.
2. Exempt religious, cultural or treaty-reserved purposes of Federally recognized Indian Tribes.
3. Provide for civil and criminal penalties for violations.
4. Require consultation with federally recognized Indian Tribes before a take permit is issued under this Act or before any activity is carried out on the Tribal land of a federally recognized Indian Tribe that may negatively impact habitat or increase mortality of bison, grizzly bears or wolves.
5. Authorize federally recognized Indian Tribes, in consultation with the Secretary, to manage bison, grizzly bears and wolves reintroduced on Tribal land.
“In the gulf coast of Texas remains a species of wolf called “The Ghost” wolf for its elusive nature and ability to ‘come back from the dead’. After generations of persecution, encroachment, and habitat loss, the Red Wolf was thought to be extinct, but that wasn’t the case. This story is much like the story of my people, the Karankawa. By hiding in plain sight, mixing and adapting to our ever-changing environment, both of us are still here. If only there had been a system in place like this legislation proposes today; that defends and protects, under the wings of their original stewards, our relatives who defend biodiversity, health, culture, and the climate,” said Chiara Beaumont, Karankawa.
“Indigenous peoples, like our relatives the Buffalo, Grizzly and Wolves have distinct cosmology with our natural world. We have inhabited our natural world prior to colonization, dating back to our creation stories. “Comes Holy” a white buffalo was born June 4, 2024 and fulfills a prophecy that teaches our human relatives that spiritual unity is of essence to our survival. Indigenous people speak on behalf of those who cannot – the Buffalo, Grizzlies and Wolves,” said Vivian Delgado, Yaqui.
“We must protect and speak for our sacred relatives because they can’t speak for themselves. For they maintain an ecological balance that is imperative for our survival, knowledge and growth. Just like we seek guidance from our elders, we are also guided by our relatives of the Wolf Nation. By protecting and restoring our bond with our relatives we receive their teachings and many blessings. Through this we can begin to heal our relationship with ourselves, others and Mother Earth,” said Osvaldo Cabral, Huichol.
“This legislation reverses the current doom narrative, instead asks, “What do we stand to gain and how fast.” This fresh novel inquiry is the best approach to wildlife coexistence, reversing climate warming, stemming biodiversity loss and move humans to right relationship with the natural world. This legislative framework utilizes, to the fullest, traditional ecological knowledge together with western science in tribal Co-stewardship decision-making collaboratives for conservation, restoration and protection of our 4-leg relatives, their habitat and their natural active role in maintaining overall ecological health,” said Dallas Gudgell, Yankton Dakota.
“Our relatives within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and the nation, from all walks of life, whether they are keystone species, like buffalo or an apex predator, deserve to be protected from corporate interests and settler-colonial practices that put private interests above the American public and the original occupants of the land,”said Devin Oldman, Arapaho.
“All these species are important and it is that, also, we need their “spirit” in our world to live as the Creator wants us to,” said Allen Pinkham, Nez Perce.
“In 2021 President Joe Biden issued an executive order that elevated Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge and ancestral wisdom into federal policy decisions. “Indigenous Knowledge cannot be separated from the people inextricably connected to that knowledge,” the order states. “It applies to phenomena across biological, physical, social, cultural, and spiritual systems.” Indigenous Peoples worldwide “manage over 24% of land, which contains about 40% of all ecologically intact landscapes and protected areas left on the planet, and a staggering 80% of the world’s biodiversity.” Now is the time for Native people to share stories about the wolves, bison and Grizzley bears that would receive lasting protections under this senate bill, which began in 2019 with House Bill 2532, originally co-sponsored by Representative Deb Haaland, who is now by the first Native director of the Department of the Interior,” said Tony Evans, Mohawk.
“The relationship between Indigenous peoples and animals like wolves, grizzly bears, and buffalo is deeply rooted in spiritual, cultural, and ecological significance. These animals are not just seen as wildlife but as relatives and integral parts of the natural world, embodying lessons, symbols, and connections that are vital to the balance of life. The protection of wolves, grizzly bears, and buffalo is not only about preserving species but also about maintaining the natural order and the sacred bonds that sustain life. In this way, the relationship with these animals is a profound reminder of the responsibilities humans have to the Earth and all living beings. The respect and reverence for these animals are central to Indigenous teachings, which stress that all life is interconnected, and the well-being of one species affects the well-being of all.”said Red Fawn Janis, Iglala Lakota.
“The wolf, who is named Ma’iingan by the Anishinaabe people of the Great Lakes, carries core cultural teachings that are necessary for us to understand how to live in accordance with our instructions as responsible and moral beings. The unanimous rejection of a recreational wolf hunt by every Federally recognized tribe in Michigan underscores how integral the living presence of Ma’iingan is to our continued existence as Anishinaabek. From the beginning, our fates have run parallel, and it is deeply necessary that we continue to reside on these lands together with Ma’iingan. Kchi miigwech, much gratitude, to Senator Booker for his leadership and rational insistence that our relationship with the natural world is foundationally important,” said Dr. Nichole Keway Biber, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians.
To read the full text of the bill, click here.
To read the section by section summary, click here.
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
Padilla, Van Hollen Introduce Legislation to Expand Student Debt Relief for Parent Borrowers
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), along with U.S. Representative Alma Adams (D-N.C.-12), introduced the Parent PLUS Parity Act, bicameral legislation to ease the burden of student loan debt for parent borrowers who helped their children pay for higher education.
Nationwide, approximately 3.9 million borrowers have outstanding Parent PLUS loan balances totaling $112 billion. While these loans allow parents of dependent undergraduate students to borrow money to pay costs not already covered by the student’s financial aid package, current law excludes borrowers from the Parent PLUS and Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) programs from most income-based repayment plans.
Among other provisions, the Parent PLUS Parity Act makes parent borrowers eligible for repayment plans created by the U.S. Department of Education under the Biden-Harris Administration. This legislation comes after Padilla joined Van Hollen and several of his Senate colleagues in urging the Biden-Harris Administration to provide financial relief to parent borrowers.
“Parents taking out loans to help their kids pay for higher education deserve the same loan forgiveness and relief options as other borrowers,” said Senator Padilla. “More and more low-income families, especially Black and Latino parents, rely on the Parent PLUS program every year but have limited loan repayment options. By expanding parents’ access to the same repayment benefits their kids would receive, we can help close the racial wealth gap and expand debt relief for underserved families.”
“Millions of parents who struggled to help their kids pay for college are now trapped in unsustainable debt – and it’s not just hurting them, it’s holding back our entire economy. While the Biden-Harris Administration has taken important steps to expand income-based repayment options so students can pay off their loans, parent borrowers have been excluded from these programs, offering them little to no recourse. Our legislation will help those families chart a path to clear their debt and regain their financial footing,” said Senator Van Hollen.
“The student debt crisis is an intergenerational crisis preventing Americans young and old from unlocking the social and economic mobility promised by a higher education. Parent PLUS borrowers uniquely struggle under the weight of student debt but have been excluded from many of the most impactful efforts to make student loan payments affordable. The Parent PLUS Parity Act will help change that and ensure that these borrowers have access to the same affordable repayment options available to all other borrowers and have access to critical pathways to relief. We applaud Senator Padilla, Senator Van Hollen, Congresswoman Adams and their colleagues for introducing this critical piece of legislation,” said Aissa Canchola Bañez, Policy Director, Student Borrower Protection Center.
“At the Student Debt Crisis Center, we are proud to endorse the Parent PLUS Parity Act which will expand access to Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) plans and IDR forgiveness to all borrowers, including parents with parent PLUS loans. This bill will help millions of parents who took out student loans to support their children in college and who now find themselves struggling to meet their monthly payments. This is one step towards a more fair and just student loan system, and brings us one step closer to achieving our goal of ending the student debt crisis,” said Natalia Abrams, President & Founder, Student Debt Crisis Center.
Established in 1980, Parent PLUS loans were initially intended to assist higher-asset families, but as tuition has skyrocketed and the purchasing power of the Pell Grant has fallen, families with limited resources, particularly families of color, have increasingly turned to Parent PLUS loans to make up the shortfall. The consequences of this have been enormous, trapping thousands of low-income American families under a crushing financial burden.
Between 1996 and 2018, the number of Parent PLUS recipients under the federal poverty line rose by an astonishing 350 percent. In 2020, the average Parent PLUS loan debt held was $37,970, a 40 percent increase from 2000. In 2015, 40,000 disabled or retired Parent PLUS borrowers had their Social Security benefits garnished after defaulting on their loans.
Black parents are struggling disproportionately: the share of Black Parent PLUS borrowers with incomes below $30,000 nearly tripled from 2008 to 2018. In 2018, 44 percent of Black Parent PLUS borrowers had an annual income below $30,000 compared to only 10 percent of White Parent PLUS borrowers.
Currently, Parent PLUS borrowers are excluded from most income-based repayment plans, including the SAVE Plan, the PAYE Repayment Plan, and the IBR Plan. Parent PLUS borrowers are also not eligible to discharge their loans in cases where their child becomes disabled and face additional barriers to obtaining Public Student Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). In their letters to Secretary Cardona, Padilla and Van Hollen urged the Education Department to use the extent of its authorities to provide relief for Parent PLUS borrowers. As a result of these efforts, the Department included Parent PLUS borrowers in its new hardship discharge program in the proposed student loan relief regulations announced in April 2024.
The Parent PLUS Parity Act makes necessary statutory changes to ensure Parent PLUS borrowers can pursue additional avenues for debt relief and to protect these borrowers against Republican attacks on the Department of Education’s student debt relief programs.
This legislation will help families tackle intergenerational debt, ensure equal access to programs available to other borrowers, and provide urgently-needed assistance to millions of forgotten Parent PLUS borrowers by:
Expanding the income-driven repayment plan options for Parent PLUS and all FFEL borrowers to all income-driven repayment plans and any forthcoming plans issued by the Department of Education, including the new SAVE program, PAYE, and IBR.
Making Parent PLUS borrowers eligible for discharge if their child on whose behalf they’ve taken out loans becomes eligible for Total and Permanent Disability discharge.
Making Parent PLUS borrowers eligible for automatic discharge if their child on whose behalf they’ve taken out loans has their own loans discharged under Borrower Defense.
Making Parent PLUS borrowers eligible for PSLF if their child on whose behalf they’ve taken out loans serves the standard amount of time (120 months) in qualifying public service employment.
Directing the Secretary of Education to create a new hardship category program that will permit Parent PLUS borrowers to apply for loan discharge if they meet certain requirements based on income, borrower age, and other factors.
The Parent PLUS Parity Act is cosponsored by Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.).
The legislation is endorsed by NAACP, National Education Association, Student Borrower Protection Center, The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS), Student Debt Crisis Center, Project on Predatory Student Lending, Education Trust, Justice in Aging, and the Century Foundation Higher Education Team.
Senator Padilla has consistently advocated on behalf of students and their families to increase access to higher education. He has led numerous calls urging President Biden to provide meaningful student debt cancellation, along with multiple letters urging U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to leverage his authority under the Higher Education Act to provide expanded student debt relief to working and middle-class borrowers.
Padilla previously cosponsored the College for All Act to make college tuition-free and debt-free for working families. He also cosponsored the Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act, bicameral legislation that would nearly double the Pell Grant maximum award, index the maximum award for inflation, and expand the program to include Dreamers.
Source: United States Senator for Maryland Ben Cardin
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, and Congressmen Steny Hoyer, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume and Jamie Raskin(all D-Md.) welcomed Maryland Legislative Black Caucus Chair Delegate Jheanelle Wilkins, the Maryland Black Caucus Foundationand members of the Maryland Legislative Black Caucus to the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday to discuss federal priorities for the state.The meeting covered vital issues such as education equity; Black maternal health; Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs; federal funding for the Francis Scott Key Bridge and more. The meeting was the group’s first Congressional Delegation meeting on Capitol Hill and followed last week’s Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference in D.C. Maryland has the largest Black caucus of all state legislatures in the country.
“Any opportunity to discuss priorities with Maryland’s Legislative Black Caucus is a welcome opportunity. Maryland’s HBCUs are leading the state in entrepreneurship, our minority business community is an engine of economic growth, and we are one of the most diverse states in the country. We celebrate and embrace that diversity,” said Senator Cardin. “The issues that uniquely impact Black and minority communities affect our entire state and nation, and we continue to support federal policies that create more equitable pathways to success for these communities.”
“One of the keys to our Congressional delegation’s success is our close collaboration with our counterparts in Annapolis. It was a privilege to welcome the formidable Maryland Legislative Black Caucus to the Hill to discuss our efforts on important issues like improving Black maternal health, supporting HBCUs, investing in minority-owned businesses, providing universal early education, and helping communities across the state thrive. Together, we will keep working to deliver on these priorities for our mutual constituents,” said Senator Van Hollen.
“Maryland’s Legislative Black Caucus has invaluable insights into the challenges and opportunities facing Black Marylanders across our state today,” said Congressman Hoyer. “I was pleased to have the chance to meet with our partners in the Maryland General Assembly to discuss how we can help Maryland’s Black community get ahead in the months and years ahead. From improving Black maternal health to supporting our HBCUs to rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge, Team Maryland will continue our work in both Congress and the General Assembly to promote equity and opportunity in our state and beyond.”
“The issues highlighted by Maryland’s Legislative Black Caucus are critical to our Maryland communities and to Americans across the country. I am proud of the diversity of leadership in our state, and we are stronger because of it. Team Maryland remains committed to advancing policies at the federal level that build a more just, inclusive and equitable future for all,” said Congressman Sarbanes.
“It was powerful to welcome Chair Wilkins and the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland to Capitol Hill for the first of what we anticipate will be a series of compelling discussions with my colleagues and me,” said Congressman Kweisi Mfume. “There is a strong activist legacy inherited by any member of a Black Caucus. As a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, we must continue to work alongside one another and advance the work of Black legislators who have come before us,” he concluded.
“On Team Maryland, close partnerships among federal, local and state officials help us deliver for communities across our state,” said Congressman Raskin. “That’s why I was delighted to join my fellow delegation members in welcoming Maryland’s Legislative Black Caucus, led by MoCo’s own Delegate Jheanelle Wilkins, to the Capitol for a conversation about education equity and civil rights, Black maternal health, federal funding opportunities and more. Marylanders depend on our continued collaboration, with leaders in Washington, Annapolis, and across the state working together to ensure our people have access to the resources, programs and opportunities to achieve their dreams.”
“It was a historic day for the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland. We had a productive meeting with our Congressional Delegation where we discussed issues of critical importance to the state. We’re excited about future opportunities to come together and collaborate, moving forward, to ensure that Maryland’s residents are being served at every level of government,” said Delegate Wilkins.