NewzIntel.com

Category: DJF

  • MIL-OSI Security: Alleged Member of Mexican Drug Trafficking Organization Extradited to El Paso

    Source: US FBI

    EL PASO, Texas – A Mexican national charged with four counts in a 14-count indictment was extradited to the Western District of Texas following his arrest in Mexico last week.

    According to court documents, from January 2016 through August 2019, Hector Adrian Rojero Ramos aka Teto, 54, allegedly engaged in a conspiracy to import heroin and fentanyl from Mexico to destinations in Texas, Oklahoma, Illinois and elsewhere in the United States. Rojero Ramos was arrested in Mexico June 25 and made his initial appearance in a federal court in El Paso on June 27.

    Rojero Ramos is charged with one count of conspiracy to import a controlled substance, one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and two counts of aiding and abetting possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

    The Drug Enforcement Administration and FBI are investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose Luis Acosta is prosecuting the case.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

    An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News in Brief: Department of Navy Top Scientists, Engineers Recognized for Excellence

    Source: United States Navy

    WASHINGTON, DC – The Department of the Navy recognized the finest in Navy and Marine Corps science and engineering June 25 at the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition (ASN RD&A) Dr. Delores M. Etter Top Scientists and Engineers awards ceremony. Dr. Brett A. Seidle, Acting ASN(RD&A) and Mr. Peter C. Reddy, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, Test, and Engineering (DASN(RDT&E)), personally recognized top scientists and engineers from across the Department of the Navy (DON) and highlighted their incredible accomplishments.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate Passes ‘Regressive, Downright Cruel’ Tax Bill that will Significantly Harm Maine People

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the United States Senate passed the so-called ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ tax and budget legislation — a bill that was passed by the Republican majority with a single tie-breaking vote by Vice President JD Vance. Maine DHHS estimates that, because of this legislation, 31,000 Mainers would be disenrolled from MaineCare in the first year and estimates suggest that 4 rural Maine hospitals could close. In addition, it is estimated that 20,000 Mainers will lose their coverage under the Affordable Care Act.

    The bill now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration in the days ahead.

    U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) previously spoke on the Senate Floor to share remarks on the bill that he called “irresponsible, regressive, and downright cruel” and highlighted the inevitable harm it would do to Maine people — adding he found it “immoral” to take food from vulnerable children while giving larger tax breaks to well-off Americans.

    A statement from Senator King on final Senate passage of the bill is below:

    “We just voted on the so-called Budget Reconciliation, a bill which was passed by the Republican majority on a straight party-line vote. This bill will have catastrophic impacts on Maine people. In fact, I think this is the worst, most regressive and harmful piece of legislation I’ve ever seen. 

    “Here’s the way I can best explain the consequences of this disastrous bill: 

    1. It will have devastating impacts upon Maine itself, on our state and on our state budgets.

    2. It’s going to have devastating impacts on Maine people.

    3. It’s a gross transfer of wealth from lower income people to the very wealthy. 

    4. Even with these devastating cuts, the bill still explodes the federal deficit which will result in higher interest rates and a drag on business expansion in Maine and across the country.

    “I call this the Great Maine Robbery. First, it’s going to shift millions of dollars to state budgets —which means Maine taxpayers will be left footing the bill for essential services like healthcare and food assistance. It will also likely result in the closure of rural community health centers and hospitals — although the health fund in this bill will provide some limited relief to Maine hospitals, it do anything for the thousands who will lose their health care under the terms of this bill. This will leave Maine people traveling further and spending more money out of pocket than they would otherwise. Many Maine people will also likely lose their MaineCare and CoverME marketplace coverage entirely, and significant Medicare cuts from this bill will harm Maine’s older adults.

    “Essentially, this bill is a ‘shift and shaft’ to provide huge tax cuts for those making more than $400,000 per year in exchange for the elimination of critical programs that Maine people rely on for food, health and safety. This is not politics — this is the wellbeing of Maine people, and even though this bill is huge setback, I remain committed to fighting for them every single day.”

    According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the legislation would add $3.3 trillion dollars to the federal deficit over the next ten years, while also cutting $1.1 trillion from Medicaid over the same time, resulting in 11.8 million Americans losing healthcare. Maine DHHS estimates that, if passed as is, 31,000 Mainers would be disenrolled from MaineCare in the first year and estimates suggest that 4 rural Maine hospitals would close.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto Votes Against Republican Tax Scam That Will Raise Costs and Cut Health Care for Millions of Americans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) voted against the final passage of H.R. 1, the Republican tax scam which cuts Medicaid, clean energy tax credits, food assistance, and more in order to lower taxes for the wealthiest Americans. The bill now heads to the U.S. House of Representatives for a vote.

    “This morning, Senate Republicans voted to raise costs on working families, rip health care from Nevadans who need it, and kill good-paying jobs across our state to ensure their billionaire friends save on their taxes,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “Make no mistake: Republicans are responsible for the devastating impacts that will come from this bill. I will continue to put a spotlight on how these disastrous cuts are causing harm to Nevadans.”

    According to reports, the Republican tax bill would:

    • Add almost $4 trillion to the national debt
    • Cut more than $1.1 trillion in health care funding, including $930 billion from Medicaid
    • Kick 17 million Americans off health insurance, including 114,500 Nevadans
    • Threaten 21,000 clean-energy jobs in Nevada
    • Raise the cost of Nevadans’ energy bills by $400 per year
    • Slash food assistance programs that will raise grocery costs, threaten free school lunches, and make it harder for over 40 million Americans, including 16 million children, 8 million seniors, and 1.2 million veterans to put food on the table.
    • Gut BrandUSA, a long-standing bipartisan public-private partnership to support international tourists coming to Nevada
    • Further President Trump’s cruel mass deportation agenda instead of focusing on targeting criminals 
    • Provide a $118,630 tax boost for the top 0.1% of Americans while raising costs for working families

    Senator Cortez Masto has repeatedly called out President Trump and Congressional Republicans’ attempts to slash Medicaid and harm Nevada families to pay for tax cuts for billionaires. She has also continued to push the Trump Administration to address the impacts of Trump’s tariffs on working families, small businesses, and Nevada’s travel and tourism economy.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Deputy Secretary-General’s remarks at the High-level special event “Forging a Common Agenda to Achieve Debt Sustainability in Developing Countries” [as prepared for delivery]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    Prime Minister Sanchez,
    Excellencies,
    Dear friends,
    Ten years after countries adopted the SDGs, development faces formidable headwinds: slowing global growth, the threat of a trade war, and repeated global shocks from climate and conflict. 
    But the most unsettling challenge facing developing countries is the debt crisis. 
    Borrowing is critical for development. 
    It provides a means for governments to invest boldly in a better future for their people. 
    It is especially critical at a time when all countries are required to undertake one-off generational investments to green their economies and build 21st century digital infrastructure. 
    But today, borrowing is not working for development. 
    Over two-thirds of low-income countries are either in debt distress or at high risk of it. 
    3.4 billion people live in countries that spend more on interest payments than on health or education. 
    The debt crisis is a silent crisis in two respects. 
    First, the crisis doesn’t impact the lives or economies of those in advanced economies. 
    The immediate effects of the crisis are contained and do not threaten the stability of global financial markets.
    Second, among global policymakers, there is a striking reluctance to acknowledge the crisis for what it is, perhaps driven by the increasingly unlikely hope that the problem will solve itself if interest rates came down.
    However, I’m pleased to report that, thanks to many of you, this is now starting to change.
    Over the last several months, we’ve seen the launch of several bold initiatives – the African Leaders Debt Relief Initiative; the Expert Review on Debt, Climate and Nature; the Jubilee Commission; and the Secretary-General’s Expert Group on Debt – that are making crisis increasingly hard to ignore.
    And through the Seville conference and its outcome document, and the ongoing work of the South African G20, this crisis is finally being seen and heard.
    These efforts have laid bare the shortcomings of our debt architecture, and the harms they are causing in developing countries.
    They also identify actions that can arrest the debt crisis and enable debt to fulfil a supportive role in countries’ development success.
    Now that we are finally getting the attention of policymakers, we still face the challenge of compelling action.
    Let me propose three things we, as a community, must do moving forward.
    First, consolidate our message and asks.
    We have a rich set of analyses and recommendations but must find ways of bringing these together.
    This includes borrowing language and recommendations from the Seville outcome document and bringing it forward into the outcome documents of this year’s G20 and COP30.
    Second, everyone must do their part.
    For instance, Spain has shown outstanding leadership on promoting debt swaps and debt pauses.
    The UN stands ready to advance member states’ call for the creation of a platform for borrowers to share experience, build capacity and coordinate approaches and strengthen borrower countries’ voices.
    Third and finally, we must continue to expand our coalition.
    This includes winning the support of the leading board members at the IFIs.
    It also means mobilizing civil society, as envisaged by the Jubilee campaign.
    With these three steps, I believe we can break the cycle of debt together, and usher in a new era of debt sustainability for all countries.
    Thank you. 
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Multilateral development bank heads and private sector leaders map out deeper cooperation in Seville for development

    Source: European Investment Bank

    EIB

    The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group in partnership with the Financial Alliance for Net Zero convened a high-level exchange with leaders of multilateral development banks (MDBs) and private sector CEOs at the International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville to deepen cooperation and scale private sector investment in emerging markets and developing economies.

    Heads of the African Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, European Investment Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, Islamic Development Bank and the World Bank Group and leaders of private sector financial and corporate institutions convened for a high-level roundtable to accelerate joint action to mobilise private capital for sustainable development goals. 

    The participants identified opportunities around scaling up successful and existing public-private partnerships and financial instruments, MDBs providing local currency finance and hedging instruments – including through commercial banks – sharing risk statistics through the Global Emerging Markets Risk Database (GEMs), blending instruments, local capacity building and engaging with governments and regulators to create the right conditions for private investment to thrive.

    The roundtable in Seville followed the Heads of MDBs meeting, hosted by the CEB on Saturday in Paris, where in a Joint Statement the participants highlighted private capital mobilisation as a system-wide priority, in line with the Viewpoint Note from Washington in April 2024.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Regulatory obstacles to critical grid infrastructure in the face of recent crises – P-002370/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The Commission agrees that a sufficient supply of switchgear is essential for the electrical power system and the transition to a climate neutral Union.

    The prohibitions regarding switchgear in Regulation (EU) 2024/573 on fluorinated greenhouse gases[1] aim to prevent the use of high global warming potential F-gases and where possible replace them with alternatives with no or a global warming potential (GWP) of 1.

    The mechanism is designed to limit the risk of constraining the supply of switchgear, in those cases where there are less than two bids offering switchgear that meet the GWP requirements.

    To facilitate the implementation of this mechanism, the Commission has made available a document with frequently asked questions and answers[2].

    The Commission does not consider that a simplification is relevant in this case and will continue to support an effective implementation of this mechanism.

    The Commission will also monitor over time, without specific end-date, the progress in the implementation of the F-gas Regulation and the market developments in the switchgear sector, in close cooperation with the sector. The Commission will act, if it is deemed appropriate.

    • [1]  OJ L, 2024/573, 20.2.2024, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/573/oj.
    • [2] https://climate.ec.europa.eu/document/download/cfe52d31-9203-435d-b043-62f74900fd96_en?filename=policy_f-gases_stakeholders_switchgear_faq_en.pdf.
    Last updated: 1 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Far-left attacks threatening European infrastructure – E-001821/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The EU has strengthened the legislative framework regarding the protection of critical infrastructure, notably with the entry into application in October 2024 of the directive on the Resilience of Critical Entities[1], that enhances the resilience of critical entities that provide essential services for vital societal functions or economic activities.

    The directive addresses the resilience of critical entities in respect of all hazards, whether natural or man-made, accidental or intentional.

    The European Internal Security Strategy[2] stresses the importance of timely transposition and correct implementation of this directive.

    According to the directive on the Resilience of Critical Entities, Member States have to adopt a strategy on the resilience of critical entities and perform a risk assessment by 17 January 2026 and to identify critical entities in the 11 sectors covered by the directive by 17 July 2026.

    Identified critical entities in turn will have to perform a risk assessment and take appropriate and proportionate resilience enhancing measures within 10 months after having been notified of their identification as critical entity.

    The Commission will continue to support Member States in the implementation of the directive with implementing legislation, advice and guidelines, and facilitate the exchange of information and best practices among Member States.

    • [1] Directive (EU) 2022/2557 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 December 2022 on the resilience of critical entities and repealing Council Directive 2008/114/EC.
    • [2] Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on ProtectEU: a European Internal Security Strategy; COM(2025) 148 final.
    Last updated: 1 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – The case of Azerbaijani political prisoner Tofig Yagublu – E-001955/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    Human rights and the rule of law in Azerbaijan remain a priority for the EU and are at the core of the EU-Azerbaijan bilateral relations. The EU has repeatedly voiced concerns regarding the arrests of independent journalists, human rights defenders, and political activists[1].

    In this context, the EU has been following the case of Mr Tofiq Yagublu closely and was vocal about his detention and health condition on various occasions[2] .

    Mr Yagublu, as well as all other detainees, have the right to due process, a fair trial and access to proper healthcare. All persons detained for exercising their fundamental rights should be released.

    The EU continues to raise these issues with the authorities at all levels, including during the recent visit to Baku of the High Representative/Vice-President on 25 April 2025.

    Protection of human rights and respect for civil society are integral parts of the EU-Azerbaijan Partnership and Cooperation Agreement[3].

    The negotiations for a new agreement will continue to be based on Azerbaijan’s multilateral and bilateral commitments. The EU remains committed to continuing the dialogue and cooperation on human rights and the rule of law with Azerbaijan.

    • [1] https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/azerbaijan-statement-spokesperson-human-rights-situation_en; https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/CRE-10-2024-10-22-ITM-020_EN.html; https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/CRE-10-2024-12-18-ITM-019-03_EN.html.
    • [2] https://x.com/anouareuspox/status/1920563856499245180?s=46&t=iHq8dMv1wG10ZFDHNp0C3;
      https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/azerbaijan-statement-spokesperson-detention-journalists-and-political-activists_en;
      https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/azerbaijan-statement-spokesperson-detention-human-rights-defenders-and-political-activists_en;
      https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/azerbaijan-statement-spokesperson-sentencing-tofiq-yagublu_en.
    • [3] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A21999A0917%2801%29.
    Last updated: 1 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Criteria for harmonised legislation in the announced ‘28th legal regime’ – E-001614/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The Competitiveness Compass[1] announced the initiative on the 28th regime as one of the key measures to contribute to EU competitiveness and to make business easier and faster in Europe.

    The underlying problem is the fragmentation of legal frameworks across Member States, which leads to reduced business activity and forgone opportunities for companies in the Single Market to grow and expand.

    The recent Single Market Strategy[2] explained that the 28th regime will provide a single set of rules, potentially in a progressive and modular way.

    It would include an EU corporate legal framework, based on digital by default solutions, and will help companies overcome barriers when setting up and operating as well as attracting investment across the Single Market.

    The 28th regime will aim to simplify applicable rules, and it will also address specific aspects within relevant areas of law, including insolvency, labour and tax law, with the overall objective to enhance competitiveness and help companies, in particular innovative ones, start-ups and scale-ups .

    At the same time, the measures under the 28th regime must strike the right balance with other interests, such as those of employees, and ensure that the fight against tax evasion, tax avoidance and fraud is upheld.

    To achieve this, it will be carefully considered, also based on stakeholders’ views in the public consultation, what specific aspects should be addressed and how.

    • [1] COM(2025) 30 final.
    • [2] COM(2025) 500 final.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Missions – AFET ad-hoc delegation to Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates – 14-16 April 2025 – 14-04-2025 – Committee on Foreign Affairs

    Source: European Parliament

    AFET Ad-hoc delegation to Saudi Arabia and UAE – April 2025 © Image used under license from Adobe Stock

    A delegation from the Committee on Foreign Affairs, led by the Chair David McAllister (EPP, DE), visited the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 14-15 April and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from 15-16 April. The visit was a very timely opportunity to assess EU’s cooperation with both countries and with the GCC and to discuss about the risk of regional tensions by promoting trust building among the different actors.

    Among other issues, Members of the Committee on Foreign Affairs debated on the situation in Yemen and regional cooperation, including relations with Iran.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Changes in the tobacco market in the European Union – E-001976/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The Commission continues to work on revising the Tobacco Tax Directive.

    The upcoming revision is based on an impact assessment and public consultations in line with the principles of Better Regulation.

    The Commission is assessing a number of options in line with the Council conclusions of June 2020 on the structure and rates of excise duty applied to manufactured tobacco.

    Harmonisation of excise duties on tobacco products necessitates careful consideration of public health and fiscal objectives, while respecting national competences .

    The Commission is committed to supporting Member States in line with the objectives of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan[1].

    • [1] https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/promoting-our-european-way-life/european-health-union/cancer-plan-europe_en.
    Last updated: 1 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: In-Depth Analysis – Global currency dominance in the 21st century: where does the euro stand? – 01-07-2025

    Source: European Parliament

    The dollar has been the dominant global currency and the anchor of the international monetary system for over 80 years. The euro, once seen as a legitimate contender for this role, has largely stagnated in second place. This paper explains recent policy and other developments that have reinvigorated the debate about global currency dominance and discusses the viability of the dollar’s continued dominance. It then explores different possible scenarios and policy gaps that would need to be addressed for the euro to play a more prominent international role.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Article 17 reporting in the Habitats Directive – P-002047/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The Commission is aware of the instructions referred to in the question of the Honourable Members. However, the Commission notes that Sweden has not yet submitted its report at the time this answer is drafted.

    The European Environment Agency (EEA) and the Commission have provided guidance on assessing conservation status of habitat types and species including the setting of Favourable Reference Values (FRVs) under the Habitats Directive[1] (format[2] and guidance[3]).

    According to this guidance, FRVs should not, in principle, be lower than the values when the Habitats Directive came into force, as most habitats have been listed in the annexes because of their unfavourable status.

    Furthermore, FRVs should be set on the basis of ecological/biological considerations and by using the best available knowledge and scientific expertise.

    Reporting FRVs as ‘unknown’ when they are actually known or can be set would not be considered sound practice.

    The EEA and the Commission will continue to provide guidance on how to establish FRVs, assess carefully Member States’ reports, and provide feedback to Member States if necessary, also in the light of the implementation of the Nature Restoration Regulation[4].

    The EEA will carry out a public consultation before finalising the draft EU-biogeographical assessment of the data reported by national authorities.

    If national reports are not submitted in time, contain significant errors, display inaccuracies, involve falsification, or are only partially completed with much of the required information marked as ‘unknown,’ the Commission may initiate an infringement procedure.

    • [1] Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora, OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7-50.
    • [2] https://cdr.eionet.europa.eu/help/habitats_art17/Reporting2025/Art.17%20report%20format%202019-2024.pdf/.
    • [3] https://cdr.eionet.europa.eu/help/habitats_art17/Reporting2025/Final%20Guidelines%20Art.%2017_2019-2024.pdf/.
    • [4] Regulation (EU) 2024/1991 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2024 on nature restoration and amending Regulation (EU) 2022/869, OJ L, 2024/1991, 29.7.2024.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Western Balkans Leaders’ meeting in Skopje reaffirms commitment for swift delivery of the Growth Plan

    Source: European Commission

    European Commission Press release Brussels, 01 Jul 2025 Today, Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos and the leaders of the six Western Balkans partners (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia) gathered in Skopje for a high-level meeting dedicated to the EU-backed Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Development Banks committed $19.6 billion to water projects in 2024

    Source: European Investment Bank

    ©mrjn Photography/ Unsplash

    Ten multilateral development banks (MDBs) active in the water sector have approved global investments totalling $19.6 billion (€17 billion) in 2024. According to the inaugural Joint Annual MDB Water Security Financing Report, launched on the sidelines of the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville, nearly three-quarters of these funds were earmarked for low-, lower-middle-, and upper-middle-income countries.

    The report follows a joint commitment made in December 2024 at the One Water Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, by the African Development Bank Group, Asian Development Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, European Investment Bank, Inter-American Development Bank Group, Islamic Development Bank, New Development Bank, and World Bank Group. The MDBs pledged to significantly increase support for the water sector between 2025 and 2030 and to report jointly on their progress.

    This first edition of the annual Water Security Financing Report provides an overview of MDB investments in the global water sector, establishing a baseline for tracking future financing. It highlights the collective efforts of the ten members of the MDB Water Sector Coordination Group (the aforementioned banks plus the Council of Europe Development Bank) to foster collaboration, share expertise, and drive innovative solutions. It also shows that the EIB accounted for more than a quarter of total MDB financing to the sector in 2024. This strong engagement is in line with the EIB’s forthcoming Water Resilience Programme, which aims to increase the Group’s lending in the sector by 50% to €15 billion between 2025 and 2027, potentially catalysing up to €40 billion in global water investments over three years.

    “Creating sustainable water systems worldwide requires financing, but it also demands partnerships that bring together investment, technical assistance, and knowledge,” said EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle. “That is why the MDBs have made water a shared priority. The first Water Security Financing Report reflects our collective responsibility – and our ambition to achieve more, together.”

    Examples of EIB cooperation with other MDBs include a partnership with the African Development Bank, Islamic Development Bank, World Bank Group, and West African Development Bank to help protect Cotonou, Benin, from flooding by improving drainage infrastructure across 34 basins. In Mongolia, the EIB and the Asian Development Bank are working together to build wastewater treatment plants and improve rainwater drainage systems in several cities. The EIB has also enjoyed a 20-year collaboration with the Council of Europe Development Bank, co-financing the construction, expansion, and refurbishment of water and sewerage networks in all major municipalities across Cyprus.

    Background

    Half of the world’s population is estimated to live in areas facing water scarcity. Climate change is altering rainfall patterns and increasing the frequency of extreme weather events, threatening both the quantity and quality of water resources and damaging vital infrastructure. At the same time, cooperation to optimise water resource management and development is lacking, and fragmentation hampers water security. According to a World Bank study, the annual funding gap to achieve universal access to safe and affordable drinking water and sanitation is estimated at $138 billion (a mid-range estimate) between 2017 and 2030. On average, countries would need to nearly triple their annual spending to close this gap. The challenge is even greater in Sub-Saharan Africa, where spending would need to increase by up to 17 times, and in low-income or conflict-affected countries, where investment may need to rise by as much as 42 times.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Flight safety in the Nicosia FIR due to the illegal airport in occupied Tymbou and attempts at direct flights – E-002326/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002326/2025/rev.1
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Loucas Fourlas (PPE)

    The illegal airport in occupied Tymbou continues to operate outside the regulatory framework of the International Civil Aviation Organization and without recognition by international authorities. The failure to comply with international safety standards poses serious risks to the safety of flights in the Nicosia FIR, which is the only internationally recognised FIR of the Republic of Cyprus.

    At the same time, the occupying regime has intensified its efforts at getting the illegal airport recognised, as well as attempts to carry out direct flights from non-EU countries, in violation of international law and the relevant United Nations resolutions.

    In view of the above:

    • 1.How does the Commission assess the impact of the activities at the illegal airport in Tymbou, inside the Nicosia FIR, on the safety of European citizens and European flights?
    • 2.What measures could the Commission put in place to ensure that no direct flights from non-EU countries are operated to the illegal airport?

    Submitted: 10.6.2025

    Last updated: 1 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: REPORT on the future of the EU biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector: leveraging research, boosting innovation and enhancing competitiveness – A10-0123/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

    on the future of the EU biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector: leveraging research, boosting innovation and enhancing competitiveness

    (2025/2008(INI))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), in particular Articles 9, 151, 152, 153(1) and (2) thereof, as well as Articles 173 and 179 thereof, which concern EU industrial policy and research and refer to, among other things, the competitiveness of the Union’s industry and the strengthening of the Union’s scientific and technological bases,

    – having regard to the Treaty on European Union, in particular Article 5(3) thereof and Protocol No 2 thereto on the application of the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality,

    – having regard to the Commission communication of 20 March 2024 entitled ‘Building the future with nature: Boosting Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing in the EU’ (COM(2024)0137),

    – having regard to the report by Mario Draghi of 9 September 2024 entitled ‘The future of European competitiveness’,

    – having regard to the Commission communication of 29 January 2025 entitled ‘A Competitiveness Compass for the EU’ (COM(2025)0030),

    – having regard to the Commission communication of 26 February 2025 entitled ‘The Clean Industrial Deal: A joint roadmap for competitiveness and decarbonisation’ (COM(2025)0085),

    – having regard to the Commission communication of 11 December 2019 entitled ‘The European Green Deal’ (COM(2019)0640),

    – having regard to the report by Enrico Letta of 10 April 2024 entitled ‘Much more than a market’,

    – having regard to the Commission communication of 19 February 2025 entitled ‘A Vision for Agriculture and Food – Shaping together an attractive farming and agri-food sector for future generations’ (COM(2025)0075),

    – having regard to Rule 55 and Rule 148(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

    – having regard to the report of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (A10-0123/2025),

    A. whereas the EU biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector has been recognised as one of 10 strategic technology sectors for Europe’s competitiveness, economic security and sustainability; whereas the sector is characterised by very high productivity, growth and employment, and delivers globally competitive, cutting-edge solutions in healthcare, life sciences, industrial production and transformation, sustainable biomanufacturing, energy and food security; whereas biotechnology and biomanufacturing are important enablers of the bioeconomy at large; whereas biotechnology and biomanufacturing can help enhance the EU’s strategic autonomy, resilience and circularity by reducing industry’s dependency on fossil-based input and other external dependencies in various sectors; whereas the biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector still faces regulatory and financial obstacles and an incomplete internal market; whereas the Commission is expected to present an EU biotech act, an updated EU bioeconomy strategy, an EU life sciences strategy, an EU innovation act and an EU circular economy act;

    B. whereas according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), biotechnology is defined as the application of science and technology to living organisms, as well as parts, products and models thereof, to alter living or non-living materials for the production of knowledge, goods and services; whereas biomanufacturing is not clearly defined and the Commission should therefore propose such a definition; whereas a definition of biomanufacturing should be future-proof, open to scientific and technological developments, and technology neutral, so as to broadly encompass the use of biotechnology or other technologies for the production of bio-based material products and solutions including, but not limited to, chemical, mechanical or thermal processes;

    C. whereas the biotech and biomanufacturing industries have led the development and deployment of breakthrough innovations in healthcare, such as mRNA-based vaccines; whereas biotechnology processes can be used to manufacture active pharmaceutical ingredients and key manufacturing inputs for medicines;

    D. whereas the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of having robust raw material value chains and manufacturing capabilities within Europe, to ensure security of supply of critical products and to mitigate shortages, for example of essential medicines;

    E. whereas artificial intelligence (AI) can help drive biotechnology innovation – e.g. in personalised medicine and drug discovery – resulting in health and environmental benefits; whereas the use of AI in biotechnology can also present ethical challenges and risks, related to the protection of private data, which need to be addressed in order to maintain public trust and acceptance;

    F. whereas biotechnology is applied in various aspects of animal and plant-based agriculture and also indirectly, through its use in activities such as waste management;

    G. whereas biotechnology can strengthen the resilience of forests and, in the case of biomanufacturing, the forest sector can offer sustainably produced, renewable and recyclable raw materials that can be used in high-value innovative products, materials and applications;

    H. whereas the EU is a global leader in research and biomanufacturing capacity, yet its potential remains unexploited due to the lack of a sufficiently coordinated policy framework that enables the efficient scaling up of innovation, the attraction of investment and the commercialisation of new technologies; whereas the ‘one in, one out’ approach ensures that all burdens introduced by Commission initiatives are considered, and administrative burdens are offset by removing burdens of equivalent value in the same policy area at EU or Member State level; whereas Parliament has called for the EU’s research budget to be doubled; whereas EU private investment in research, development and innovation is lagging behind other major economies; whereas promoting investment in pioneering demo and commercial production plants can accelerate the commercialisation of EU innovation in the bio-based industries;

    I. whereas urgent, coherent and consistent action needs to be taken during the next few years to make the EU a world leader in biotechnology, biomanufacturing and life sciences effecting a bold level of change, in accordance with due process and supported by competitiveness checks and adequate funding;

    J. whereas lengthy and complex authorisation procedures, particularly concerning approval times, represent a competitive disadvantage for EU operators and drive project developers out of the EU, and hinder industrial deployment and growth;

    K. whereas current EU regulatory frameworks do not cater precisely to the specificities of bio-based products; whereas the existing regulatory authorisation processes for biotech products needs to be urgently addressed to ensure that the EU remains globally competitive; whereas an effective regulatory framework for conducting clinical research is essential for the competitiveness of the most innovation-intensive aspects of the EU’s pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors; whereas the Commission should take account of the regulatory frameworks of non-EU countries leading in the biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector, in the context of existing and future EU legislation covering the industry, to ensure compatibility without lowering existing EU safety and environmental standards;

    L. whereas the EU’s biotechnology and biomanufacturing investment and venture capital ecosystem remains fragmented; whereas high energy prices, regulatory burdens, barriers, and a lack of available key feedstock, raw materials and components are limiting the ability of start-ups and other small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to scale up, and limit large-scale deployment; whereas EU biomanufacturing capacity and supply chain resilience, including the availability of feedstock, are essential to reduce dependence on non-EU actors; whereas effective global supply chains – including strategic partnerships with reliable global actors – are also important to secure stable access to critical resources, avoid supply disruptions and foster continuous innovation in essential technologies;

    M. whereas bio-based feedstocks, such as sustainably sourced biomass, recycled waste and CO2 captured from biogenic sources, could be used as alternative feedstocks for the manufacturing of, for example, polymers, plastics, solvents, paints, detergents, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, thereby contributing to EU emission reduction, resource efficiency and strategic autonomy; whereas the EU could further incentivise market demand and market uptake for sustainable bio-based products and materials;

    N. whereas it is vital to increase the use of sustainable bio-based raw materials as part of the means of reaching the EU’s 2050 climate targets; whereas biotechnology has the potential to transform the refinery and chemical industry towards biomanufacturing, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions, in line with the EU’s climate objectives;

    O. whereas biotechnology and biomanufacturing are regulated across many different regulatory frameworks; whereas current EU regulatory frameworks for biotechnology and biomanufacturing are inconsistent across sectors, creating legal uncertainty and slowing market access for innovative solutions; whereas the lengthy authorisation processes, particularly concerning approval times, need to be urgently addressed and improved, while maintaining a risk- and science-based approach, to compete with corresponding time frames outside the EU; whereas the use of regulatory sandboxes should be expanded to ensure that emerging technologies have a clear development pathway; whereas new EU-wide regulation in the form of an EU biotech act should be duly justified based on examples of concrete gaps and shortcomings in current legislation and implementation, focusing on the specificities of the industry;

    P. whereas a coherent, robust and future-proof intellectual property (IP) framework is essential, ideally resulting in economic, environmental and societal benefits;

    Q. whereas public awareness in the EU of biotechnology and biomanufactured products should be further strengthened, in order to boost public acceptance; whereas the ethical aspects of biotechnology should be considered; whereas stakeholder consultation plays a crucial role in shaping responsible and ethical biotechnology policies; whereas civil society can play an essential role in ensuring public trust;

    R. whereas the engineering of DNA and organisms is increasingly carried out in automated biofoundries, which produce a wealth of data and improved designs and knowledge of biological functions;

    S. whereas the EU’s regulatory framework needs to adequately address evolving risks, opportunities and responsibilities associated with the handling, trade and synthesis of biological material, particularly in the context of synthetic biology; whereas existing biosecurity gaps need to be addressed by the EU and through international cooperation;

    Criteria for a comprehensive EU biotech act

    1. Emphasises the growth potential of the European biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector and the need for the EU to remain world-leading in this field; underlines the commitment to the principles of better regulation and lawmaking, simplification and administrative burden reduction; underlines that the simplification of EU legislation must not endanger any of the fundamental rights of citizens, workers and businesses or risk regulatory uncertainty; believes that any simplification proposal should not be rushed and proposed without proper consideration, consultation and impact assessments; therefore asks the Commission, if it proposes a new EU-wide regulation in the form of an EU biotech act, to address concrete gaps and shortcomings in current legislation and implementation, and to present legislation that can be revised, simplified, streamlined, repealed and which reduces bureaucratic burdens, focusing on the specificities of the industry and maintaining relevant safety and security standards; asks that an EU biotech act adopt a comprehensive cross-sectoral scope and that it be accompanied by an impact and cost assessment, competitiveness checks as well as a comprehensive assessment by the Regulatory Scrutiny Board, taking due consideration of the impact on SMEs, start-ups and scale-ups, as well as the interaction with other relevant legislative and non-legislative initiatives, including proposals currently undergoing the co-legislative procedure;

    2. Recalls that according to the OECD, biotechnology is defined as the application of science and technology to living organisms, as well as parts, products and models thereof, to alter living or non-living materials for the production of knowledge, goods and services; notes, however, that biomanufacturing is not clearly defined and calls on the Commission to propose such a definition;

    3. Recommends streamlining and harmonising existing and upcoming initiatives relating to biotechnology and biomanufacturing, with the objective of strengthening the biotechnology and biomanufacturing industry through clear industrial and research and development (R & D) competences;

    4. Urges the Commission to ensure coherence and consistency across all initiatives and legislative measures that may affect biotechnology and biomanufacturing innovations and companies, especially start-ups and scale-ups;

    5. Calls on the Commission to ensure that any future relevant legislative initiatives have a broad enough scope to capture the width of the biotechnology and biomanufacturing industry and its full range of applications; recommends facilitating a fast and efficient uptake of biotechnology and biomanufacturing through clear regulatory frameworks;

    6. Calls on the Commission to implement measures within its structures in order to ensure coordination, coherence and complementarity across its relevant directorates-general, and to enable more efficient scale-up and commercialisation of research, development and innovation results; highlights the importance of efforts to improve policy coherence and coordination at national level;

    7. Calls on the Commission to take account of regulatory frameworks of non-EU countries leading in the biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector, in the context of existing and future EU legislation covering the industry, to ensure compatibility, where possible and without compromising consumer safety, and a level playing field for EU biotech companies competing internationally, and to learn from best practices from outside the EU without lowering existing EU standards;

    8. Calls on the Commission to present a report on the implementation of current legislation in the field of biotechnology and biomanufacturing, including identifying potential gaps and regulatory barriers hampering the growth of the industries applying these technologies and manufacturing processes, including barriers to improving the EU’s self-sufficiency in key feedstocks, raw materials and components; recalls the precautionary principle laid down in Article 191 TFEU; urges the Commission to share with Parliament the preliminary findings of its study on regulatory burden, in this regard, and the potential need to review legislation related to biotechnology and biomanufacturing; calls for a simplification of current requirements for the sector across regulatory frameworks to enable faster approval procedures and market access, while maintaining a risk- and science-based approach and avoiding regulatory uncertainty;

    9. Welcomes the recently launched Biotech and Biomanufacturing Hub; requests that the Commission provide further guidance to EU biotechnology and biomanufacturing companies and the Member States with regard to the Net-Zero Industry Act[1] and the new Clean Industrial Deal in terms of permitting and financing, and to consider the creation of supporting hubs, in order to improve guidance and advice to companies navigating through the regulatory framework;

    10. Calls on the Commission to urgently streamline, simplify and shorten the time required for authorisation procedures, particularly approval time frames, for biotechnology materials and products throughout their manufacturing- and life-cycles, and to facilitate the market uptake of bio-based solutions, including the provision of pre-authorisation guidance, while maintaining a risk- and science-based approach, particularly in the context of its regular review of EU agencies such as the European Food Safety Authority, the European Medicines Agency and the European Chemicals Agency; calls on the Commission to ensure that the relevant EU agencies are adequately resourced, to enhance their capacity for conducting authorisation procedures in a timely manner;

    11. Calls on the Commission to consider the possibility of a simplified approvals procedure for biotechnology products that have already been approved by trusted regulatory bodies in like-minded countries with EU-equivalent standards;

    12. Calls on the Commission to consider simplifying labelling practices, such as the use of QR codes, and ensure fair market conditions between biotechnology and other products, such as marketing and advertising, without compromising consumer safety or access to relevant consumer information;

    13. Recalls that harmonised, predictable, future-proof and internationally competitive IP and data protection rules for biotechnology and biomanufacturing patents are essential for the development of the industry, resilient supply chains and sustainable economic growth; underlines the importance of improving IP protection rules by longer terms for patented technologies to strengthen the EU’s competitiveness, foster innovation and the EU’s strategic autonomy, protect cutting-edge technologies, reward long-term investments, and support high-risk research; considers that a coherent, robust and future-proof IP framework is essential; welcomes, in this regard, the EU’s recently established unitary patent system;

    14. Calls for a common clinical trials framework with streamlined approval procedures across the Member States to minimise administrative burdens and delays, and which allows for the use of real-world evidence for biotechnology therapies; asks the Commission to present the current situation in this regard, as well as potential improvements; calls for the swift implementation of the Clinical Trials Regulation[2] and the use of the EU’s Clinical Trials Information System;

    15. Underlines the strategic importance for the EU of a strong biotechnology ecosystem to support R & D, manufacturing, and patient access to innovative medicines; points out that biotechnology processes can be used to manufacture active pharmaceutical ingredients and key manufacturing inputs for both off-patent and innovative medicines;

    16. Recommends using the next generation of regulatory sandboxes to assess the specific impacts and possibilities of emerging biotechnology and biomanufacturing applications, ensuring that new technologies can be trialled in a controlled but flexible and future-proof regulatory environment; stresses the importance of ensuring that EU policy takes account of technological and scientific developments to safeguard the EU’s global competitiveness;

    17. Recommends developing a strategy to support biotechnology and biomanufacturing companies transitioning from the regulatory sandbox regime to full market access; requests that the strategy include, but not be limited to, support mechanisms, regulatory assistance and guidance on compliance with EU legislation;

    The need to promote the advantages and specificities of the biotechnology and biomanufacturing industry

    18. Underlines that effectively scaling up biotechnology and biomanufacturing in the EU hinges on a robust, competitive and circular bioeconomy; calls on the Commission to present an updated bioeconomy strategy, which takes account of current challenges and reinforces the bioeconomy’s industrial dimension and its links to biotechnology and biomanufacturing, incentivising the development and production of sustainable, innovative, high-value added bio-based materials, products and solutions, to contribute to EU competitiveness and strategic autonomy;

    19. Acknowledges the important role biomass plays in biomanufacturing; recalls, in this regard, the importance of adopting an approach open to different sustainable biomass technologies grounded in robust analysis, and with the aim of enhancing feedstock access and use, as well as harnessing international supply chains, while aiming to avoid unintended environmental externalities;

    20. Underlines the need to account for the specificities of biogenic carbon, bio-based products and processes, and to differentiate them from petrochemical and fossil-based products, in the context of EU and national chemical, materials and environmental legislation;

    21. Points out that essential components, such as enzymes, lactic acid bacteria and other microorganisms, run the risk of being prohibited or unduly disincentivised by EU regulations primarily designed for petrochemical and synthetic substances, such as the REACH Regulation[3];

    22. Is concerned that the European Investment Bank (EIB)’s interpretation of sustainability criteria under the EIB Group Paris alignment framework may result in access to funding for bio-based materials and projects being denied; asks the Commission to examine relevant definitions accordingly and encourage biotechnology- and biomanufacturing-friendly interpretations; calls on the EIB to propose de-risking instruments for biotechnology and biomanufacturing, in order to raise capital; calls, moreover, on the EIB to improve outreach, advisory support and information on financing instruments and opportunities for eligible biotechnology and biomanufacturing projects, in particular SMEs, start-ups and scale-ups;

    23. Underlines the benefit and contribution of bio-based products and processes to the EU’s CO2 reduction objectives, which, given the potential of these products to increase sustainability and lower the EU’s environmental footprint, need to be reflected in respective life cycle assessments, information for consumers and public procurement;

    24. Considers that, in order to accelerate the substitution of fossil-based feedstocks, the market demand and market uptake of sustainable bio-based products could be further incentivised in the EU; considers that bio-based feedstocks, such as sustainably sourced biomass, recycled waste and CO2 captured from biogenic sources, could be used as alternative feedstocks for the manufacturing of various products, contributing to the EU’s emissions reduction, resource efficiency and strategic autonomy; in this context, recalls the commitment in the EU’s Competitiveness Compass to develop policies to reward early movers; considers that coherent and adequate sustainability criteria should be ensured for biomass;

    25. Underlines the importance of upholding the EU’s high standards of food and consumer safety and the potential of biotechnology applications when assessing biotechnology applications in food and feed to protect consumer health, assess impact on circularity and sustainability, and to consider social, ethical, economic, environmental and cultural aspects of food innovation; calls on the Commission to identify smooth routes to market for safe applications of biotechnology in food products, while reiterating that such biotechnology applications need to be properly examined, prior to any future authorisation and subsequent placing on the EU market, including gathering toxicological information and clinical and pre-clinical studies where relevant, and ensuring traceability;

    26. Underlines that biosecurity risks, including bioethical considerations, must be addressed in conjunction with biotechnology and biomanufacturing innovation, ensuring responsible access to and use of synthetic biology tools, genetic editing technologies and biological materials; calls for the establishment of an EU biosecurity registry for synthetic DNA, benchtop synthesis equipment and genetic engineering tools, improving transparency and risk-assessment mechanisms, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, such as industry and civil society, and while ensuring sensitive data is adequately protected; stresses the importance of EU strategic autonomy in biotechnology supply chains, ensuring that critical biomanufacturing inputs and expertise remain within Europe; calls for stronger international cooperation on biosecurity standards, including mandatory international screening standards, ensuring that EU-based biotechnology and biomanufacturing companies benefit from global best practice while maintaining competitiveness;

    27. Urges the Commission to conduct a study on biological materials and to present an updated communication and an action plan on chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear risks, in particular regarding bioterrorism and bio-risks;

    Horizontal issues

    28. Underlines the importance for supply chain security of ensuring a sufficient, stable and competitive supply of feedstock, raw materials and essential components, such as sustainable biomass and enzymes for biotechnology and biomanufacturing companies; calls for potential risks, gaps and dependencies to be closely monitored while safeguarding company-sensitive data and the functioning of the internal market;

    29. Stresses the importance of developing EU raw material value chains and manufacturing, and enhancing self-sufficiency where possible, while also fostering strategic partnerships and cooperation with like-minded non-EU countries to secure resilient and diversified access to critical inputs of biotechnology and biomanufacturing industries in the EU;

    30. Stresses that, in an increasingly tense geopolitical context, biotechnology and biomanufacturing should be fully leveraged to strengthen the EU’s strategic autonomy, enhance food security and reduce dependence on non-EU countries; highlights the need to stimulate market demand and uptake of bio-based products to boost the growth, competitiveness and sustainability of the EU biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector;

    31. Notes that the scale-up and commercialisation of research results remains a major challenge in the EU, and stresses the need to improve knowledge and technology transfer between academia and industry to ensure that EU-funded biotechnology and biomanufacturing research leads to commercial applications and industrial deployment; highlights the importance of strengthening public-private collaboration and supporting universities and research institutions with high levels of technology transfer, spin-offs, and start-up creation, for example by applying the CERN model of building start-up studios within research institutions; calls for strategic investments in shared EU infrastructure – such as pilot facilities, biobanks or innovation accelerators – to support the scale-up of prototypes and the market uptake of innovative biotechnology and biomanufacturing solutions; underlines that innovation cannot solely take place for short-term economic benefit, and that biotechnology and biomanufacturing innovation should be driven through a bottom-up approach under a standalone and long-term framework programme; calls on the Commission to facilitate the creation of world-leading research hubs for biotechnology and biomanufacturing to drive innovation and collaboration between academia, industry and venture capital; emphasises the need for robust physical testing facilities in the biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector to drive innovation and facilitate the production and market access for SMEs and start-ups;

    32. Stresses the need to ensure access to affordable energy for biotechnology and biomanufacturing operators, given the high energy intensity of large-scale biological production processes; underlines the importance of facilitating the authorisation and validation of large industrial plants, such as bioreactors, which are essential for scale-up but also face significant construction and operating risks; welcomes the latest revision of the Renewable Energy Directive[4] and its provisions to simplify permitting procedures, and calls on the Member States to swiftly implement relevant measures to support the deployment of biotechnology and biomanufacturing infrastructure;

    33. Underlines the need for a skilled and diverse European workforce in the biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector and for the promotion of entrepreneurial skills, in close collaboration with industry and research institutions; calls for increased investment in biotechnology and biomanufacturing education and targeted professional training, including in but not limited to areas such as regulatory compliance, quality assurance and process engineering; supports the development of competence centres and public-private training initiatives across all Member States to enable upskilling, reskilling and lifelong learning to safeguard the attractiveness of the biotechnology and biomanufacturing industry; highlights the importance of adapting educational curricula to the evolving needs of the sector, and of promoting science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects, with a particular focus on attracting more girls and women into biotechnology and biomanufacturing careers; encourages more public awareness about career opportunities in the field to attract talent from non-EU countries and suggests exploring the potential for transatlantic cooperation; welcomes the recently launched Choose Europe for Science pilot scheme to attract top non-EU researchers, scientists and academics to Europe;

    34. Calls for the urgent completion of the capital markets union to attract institutional investors to the biotechnology and biomanufacturing industry, including venture capital, pension funds and private equity; underlines that the sector is characterised by high levels of risk and that reducing the cost of investment failure in the EU is necessary for attracting large-scale capital investment; calls for dedicated support to ensure that biotechnology and biomanufacturing SMEs, start-ups and scale-ups can access sufficient funding and compete globally; stresses that cross-border investment barriers must be reduced to facilitate investment in biotechnology and biomanufacturing scale-ups;

    35. Notes that public-private partnerships and mission-driven EU investment strategies, such as the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking, are essential for de-risking biotechnology and biomanufacturing innovation and for increasing the likelihood that IP and industrial capacity remain in Europe; urges EU investment instruments, such as the InvestEU programme, to be strengthened to support biotechnology and biomanufacturing projects considered as high-risk from an investment perspective; underlines that the sector is characterised by a high concentration of SMEs, which face disproportionate barriers in accessing capital despite being critical drivers of innovation; supports the exploration of a biotechnology Important Project of Common European Interest to facilitate industrial deployment and first-mover investments in bio-based chemicals, materials, and products and solutions;

    36. Notes that public awareness of biotechnology and biomanufactured products in the EU should be further strengthened to boost public acceptance; recommends engaging with citizens and civil society organisations to communicate the characteristics, benefits and implications of the growing presence of biotechnology-based products and services in the European market;

    Future-proof research and innovation

    37. Regrets that European private investment in research, development and innovation is lagging behind other major economies and that the scale-up and commercialisation of research results remain a major challenge in Europe; highlights the fact that European and national public systems for R & D funding remain complex and insufficiently coordinated, resulting in duplications and inefficiencies; calls for an EU-wide approach to coordinating public investment in R & D for biotechnology and biomanufacturing, with the dual objective of closing excellence and innovation gaps and accelerating commercialisation; underlines the importance of strengthening European collaboration, pooling knowledge and resources, and leveraging public funding with private investment; recalls the key role of framework programmes such as Horizon Europe in fostering scientific excellence, innovation and technical development and calls for targeted investment in strategic biotechnology and biomanufacturing subfields, such as industrial, environmental, marine, health and agri-food biotechnology;

    38. Reiterates the call to double the EU’s research budget and to reach the target of 3 % of EU gross domestic product being devoted to R & D by 2030;

    39. Notes the growing role of synthetic biology, bioinformatics, data and game-changing AI-driven biotechnology and biomanufacturing research; calls on the Commission to integrate biotechnology and biomanufacturing innovation into the EU digital and AI strategies, ensuring interoperability between biotechnology and biomanufacturing data infrastructure and AI-driven discovery platforms; notes that AI capabilities are dependent on the efficient use of data; considers that the creation of industrial data spaces for biotechnology and biomanufacturing is important for efficient data sharing;

    40. Acknowledges that, while AI systems and quantum computing can significantly speed up research and lead to new innovations, enabling better computational designs of biological systems, they can also increase the risk of biological threats; underlines, therefore, the need to apply a risk-based approach to the use of AI in scientific research and manufacturing;

    41. Considers that the ethical use of AI, bioinformatics and synthetic biology is crucial for building trust and for society at large to benefit from these technologies; underlines the need to safeguard data privacy, data security, transparency and human oversight of the use of AI systems in the health biotechnology sector;

    42. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: EU Justice Scoreboard 2025 highlights strengthened justice systems in the EU

    Source: European Commission

    European Commission Press release Brussels, 01 Jul 2025 Today, the European Commission has published the thirteenth edition of the EU Justice Scoreboard, an annual report providing comparative data on the efficiency, quality, and independence of the justice systems among EU Member States.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Explosive Colors: Unveiling the Mineral Magic Behind Fourth of July Fireworks

    Source: US Geological Survey

    Each hue is created by unique chemicals sourced from various minerals. These natural resources, which can be discovered on a journey across the country, enrich both your celebrations and daily life in often overlooked ways. Dive deeper to discover the fascinating elements responsible for these stunning displays and uncover the surprising roles these minerals play beyond lighting up our celebrations. 

    Discover Where the Minerals Lighting Up the Sky this 4th of July are Produced in the U.S.

    Infographic created by Eliza Malakoff, presidential management fellow

    Barium: The Green Enigma

    Barium, the mineral behind the green glow, is produced from barite in Nevada. Barium’s emerald hues in fireworks continue to enchant audiences while also playing a crucial role in the oil and gas industry. In drilling fluids, barium is used as barite to control well pressure, stabilize the wellbore, and carry cuttings to the surface. 

    Additionally, barite is used in ceramics, glass manufacturing, and as a filler in various industrial processes. Its properties make it valuable in corrosion-resistant coatings for vehicles and equipment. 

    Zinc: The Smoky Trailblazer

    Zinc creates mesmerizing smoke effects and is mined extensively in Alaska. As one of the world’s largest producers, the U.S. contributes to the supply of this versatile mineral, which not only adds drama to fireworks but also plays a pivotal role in galvanization, the process of applying a protective zinc coating to steel or iron. This process protects steel structures across the country from corrosion, extending the lifespan of bridges, buildings, and other critical infrastructure. Zinc is also mixed into brass and other metal alloys to make components used in cars, electronics and household fixtures. 

    Copper: The Blue Powerhouse

    Copper’s stunning blue hues are mined in abundance in Arizona. As one of the world’s largest producers, the U.S. leverages copper in electrical wiring and renewable energy technologies. Copper is integral to the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity, and its excellent conductivity makes it a cornerstone of our modern energy infrastructure. Copper is also used in construction, in roofing, gutters and siding. It is a key component of brass and bronze, which are used to make everything from industrial machinery to musical instruments.

    Titanium: The Spark of Innovation

    Titanium, responsible for bright white sparks, is mined primarily in Georgia and Florida. Titanium metal has a high strength-to-weight ratio and is crucial to the aerospace and medical devices industries, where its durability and resistance to corrosion ensure long-lasting performance of critical components. In fireworks, it’s the titanium that provides those breathtaking, brilliant white bursts. 

    Magnesium: The Brilliant White Light

    Magnesium’s intense white light is a staple in fireworks. It is sourced from brines in the Great Salt Lake in Utah. Magnesium is a key ingredient in strong, lightweight aluminum metal alloys that are used widely by the aerospace, automotive and electronics industries. Magnesium is also used in the production process of steel, iron, glass and cement. Its flammability also makes it a popular choice in fireworks and flares.

    Sodium: The Golden Glow

    Sodium, responsible for the golden yellows in fireworks, is predominantly sourced from trona ore in Wyoming in the U.S., with the Green River Basin holding one of the largest deposits in the world. The U.S. excels as a significant producer of soda ash derived from trona ore and is integral to both pyrotechnic displays and numerous industrial applications. Sodium compounds, derived from soda ash, are used in manufacturing glass, paper, detergents, and even in water treatment processes, showcasing the mineral’s versatility and importance.

    Independence Day fireworks are more than just an impressive array of colors and sounds; they highlight the minerals that fuel these dazzling displays. The radiant yellows and vibrant greens that illuminate the night sky, along with the practical uses that support our modern lifestyle, all stem from these important minerals. 

    By delving into the captivating origins of these minerals found throughout the U.S. and recognizing their significant impact, you can uncover the hidden forces behind each vibrant explosion of color.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 197 Months in Prison

    Source: US FBI

    FORT WAYNE –Derek L. Taylor, 47 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.

    Taylor was sentenced to 197 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release.

    According to documents in the case, in August and September 2023, Taylor distributed cocaine.  Search warrants resulted in the recovery of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and M30 pills containing fentanyl, along with three handguns, a stolen semi-automatic rifle, multiple digital scales, baggies, and a substantial amount of powder used in the distribution of narcotics.  Taylor was previously convicted twice of distributing drugs and was also previously convicted of felony battery, making him a career offender for purposes of federal sentencing.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Fort Wayne Safe Streets Gang Task Force, which includes the FBI, the Indiana State Police, the Allen County Police Department, and the Fort Wayne Police Department.  Also assisting this investigation was the Drug Enforcement Administration’s North Central Laboratory and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey R. Speith.

    This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Statement from FBI Minneapolis on the Location of Remains of Jordan Manny Collins Jr.

    Source: US FBI

    “The FBI Minneapolis Division is honored to have joined our law enforcement partners in the ongoing effort to recover Manny Collins,” said Alvin M. Winston Sr., special agent in charge of the FBI Minneapolis Field Office. “In response to a request for assistance from the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office, FBI Minneapolis deployed our highly trained Evidence Response Team, along with the FBI’s Laboratory Evidence Response Team Unit and the Technical Hazardous Response Unit from Quantico, VA. Both units are expertly trained in ensuring safety at complex crime scenes.

    “This collaborative effort underscores our deep commitment and unity in the mission to recover Manny Collins. The coordination and resource-sharing among all agencies and volunteers have been crucial to finding Manny.

    “The FBI extends its heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Manny Collins during this difficult time. We remain dedicated to pursuing justice and will continue to work closely with our partners to ensure that the truth is uncovered and that justice is served.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate Passes President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Advancing Agenda for a Strong, Prosperous America

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
    ***Click here for audio.***
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Senate voted today to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) by a vote of 51 to 50. This legislation permanently extends the 2017 Trump tax cuts, accelerates American energy dominance, supports the nation’s farmers and ranchers, reduces federal spending, invests in generational defense capabilities such as President Donald Trump’s Golden Dome missile-defense shield, and delivers the largest single border-security investment in U.S. history.
    Within 10 years, OBBBA will cut the total deficit nearly in half and primary deficits will become surpluses. It builds upon the 2017 Trump tax cuts with incentives for investing in America to create new jobs and revive domestic manufacturing. The pro-growth policies are reflected in the recent Congressional Budget Office score indicating the legislation will reduce the deficit by $507 billion. The Council of Economic Advisors estimates it will slash the deficit by over $2 trillion over the next decade and lead to higher worker wages and increased GDP.
    U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) issued the following statement after voting in favor of the legislation:
    “What we did with this vote today is took a decisive step toward implementing President Trump’s agenda and restoring some fiscal sanity to Washington, D.C. which has been missing for several decades. It delivers on our promise as Republicans to extend pro-growth tax policy permanently, not just another extension, but make it permanent, and it gives much-needed certainty to American families, and businesses, and investment of all types. We are really aligning federal spending with North Dakota pragmatism, quite honestly. We’re slashing Green New Deal gimmicks, boosting reliable energy sources, delivering unprecedented resources to the border, which we know is in high demand, and then bringing defense efforts like the Golden Dome and nuclear modernization to complete fruition. It’s really a win for every American who believes prosperity, security, and fiscal responsibility all go hand in hand.”
    Prevents a $4 Trillion Tax Increase
    ***Click here for audio on OBBBA tax provisions***
    This legislation permanently extends the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to provide relief for working Americans and job creators. Without this bill, Americans would receive a $4 trillion tax hike, the largest increase in American history. It supports families by expanding the standard deduction, which is utilized by more than 90% of taxpayers, and the Child Tax Credit, and making both improvements permanent.
    The OBBBA includes pro-growth provisions to support small businesses by preserving the small business deduction to support job creation and local economic growth. It also includes efforts to boost domestic production and investment, including full expensing for domestic research and development, and new capital investments. To support financing for domestic investments, the OBBBA reinstates a globally competitive interest deduction.
    Promotes Energy Dominance
    To promote American energy dominance, the legislation rapidly phases out tax credits for intermittent wind and solar projects while boosting reliable domestic energy sources like nuclear, geothermal, and hydropower. The OBBBA also improves the 45Q credit, a critical tool for North Dakota’s lignite coal and oil producers, by indexing the value of the credit to inflation and equalizing the rate for all users of the credit. It promotes oil and gas development by requiring the Bureau of Land Management to hold quarterly leases, reduces royalty rates to pre-Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) levels, ensures timely leasing of federal coal resources, pauses the IRA natural gas tax for a decade, and creates an opt-in program at the Council on Environmental Quality for expedited environmental reviews. Finally, the OBBBA repeals costly Biden-era green energy efforts including the electric vehicle tax credit, rescinds unobligated IRA funds, nixes the costly methane tax, and fully repeals the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.
    Delivers the Largest Border Security Package in American History
    In the few months since President Trump’s return to the White House, illegal border crossings have dropped precipitously. The OBBBA provisions support these efforts and include funding for over 2,300 miles of border walls and barriers while also giving U.S. Border Patrol and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) resources to carry out the mission of protecting the border. This funding will allow ICE to hire additional officers and agents to patrol the border. The bill invests $46.55 billion to complete the Trump Wall and upgrade its barriers and intrusion sensors alongside $4.1 billion for hiring and training agents, officers, pilots, and support staff, as well as incentives to retain top talent. It ends the previous administration’s catch-and-release policy, deploys artificial intelligence (AI)-powered non-intrusive inspection systems, drones, counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems radar, and a nationwide biometric entry-exit network to stop fentanyl at the border.
    Curbs Immigration Abuse & Makes the System Pay for Itself
    The legislation flips the “everything is free” asylum pipeline on its head, imposing an inflation-indexed minimum $100 asylum-application fee that is split evenly between immigration courts and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to attack the backlog without touching taxpayers. Aliens removed in absentia now face a $5,000 fee upon apprehension—half of which flows directly into ICE’s Detention & Removal Office Fee Account to fund beds and removals.
    Makes Long Overdue Improvements to the Farm Safety Net
    To address the absence of a new Farm Bill, the OBBBA supports farm country by raising reference prices for covered commodities under the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs. For crop year 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will pay farmers the larger of ARC or PLC, regardless of which program they enrolled in for the year. It boosts premium support for the individual-based crop insurance and the Supplemental Coverage Option. The bill increases marketing assistance loan rates, improves disaster and animal disease prevention programs for livestock, and funds a supplemental agricultural trade promotion program. The OBBBA also modifies work requirements for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program eligibility and sets in place reforms to improve efficiency and management of the program. 
    Implements Commonsense Medicaid Reforms
    The bill reduces waste, fraud, and abuse in the Medicaid program and puts Medicaid on a fiscally sustainable path. It establishes sensible work requirements for able-bodied adults and provides exemptions for individuals with dependent children or medical needs. It increases the frequency of eligibility verifications and limits the use of financing gimmicks such as provider taxes to ensure Medicaid remains available for the most vulnerable into the future. The bill also establishes a rural health transformation fund to support critical rural hospitals and clinics across the country. 
    Invests in Generational Defense Capabilities
    President Trump’s Golden Dome initiative, unmanned ships, drones, AI and other recent investments in new defense technology in North Dakota and across the country, are included in the OBBBA. The legislation allocates $25 billion for the Golden Dome missile defense system and $210 million for MH-139 helicopters. Additionally, it provides $15 billion to accelerate nuclear modernization programs specifying $2.5 billion for the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) program and $600 million for the Minuteman III ICBM, both of which are housed in North Dakota. It also includes $90 million for APEX Accelerators and significant improvements in quality of life for troops and their families. 
    Modernizes Commerce & Transportation Infrastructure
    The OBBBA injects more than $34 billion into the arteries of American commerce—keeping goods, data, and people moving safely and on time. It fully recapitalizes the Coast Guard with $24.593 billion for new Offshore, Fast-Response, Polar, and Arctic cutters, long-range UAVs, autonomous surface vessels, and critical shore-facility upgrades. Another $12.57 billion modernizes the Federal Aviation Administration’s radars, telecom backbone, runway-safety tech, and controller displays to cut delays and boost air-travel safety nationwide. The bill restores the Federal Communications Commission’s auction authority through 2034 and directs the auction of mid-band spectrum within two years—part of a plan which ultimately reallocates 500 MHz for 5G/6G—and gives National Telecommunications and Information Administration the resources to value and relocate Federal users.
    Click here for bill text. Click here for one-pagers.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell Statement on Senate Passage of the GOP’s Devastating Budget Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
    07.01.25
    Cantwell Statement on Senate Passage of the GOP’s Devastating Budget Bill
    Full final text of the disastrous bill wasn’t made available before final vote – the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office doesn’t even know the full cost to the American people; Cantwell was able to strip provision of bill that would have effectively banned states from enforcing AI consumer protection laws
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Just now, the United States Senate passed a budget bill 51 to 50 (with the Vice President repeatedly casting tie-breaking votes, on final passage of the bill and procedural votes). U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement:
    “Over the past several days, my Republican colleagues made it very clear what their mission is – to make the largest cuts in the social safety net in U.S. history in order to give away tax breaks to major corporations and billionaires.  No matter how loud the voices of our constituents, of our state and local leaders, and of our health care providers, they stuck to their script and adopted legislation that will slash about a trillion dollars from Medicaid and cut billions from SNAP,” Sen. Cantwell said. 
    “I voted against this bill that will strip health insurance from 17 million Americans. The bill that Republicans drafted in the dark of night will hit those that can least afford it the hardest.  The lowest 20% of earners will lose an average of $700 a year, far more than they will get from the tax cuts.
    “The House of Representatives should reject this disastrous legislation so Congress can come back later this month to craft a bipartisan fiscally responsible package that will support working families without adding $3 trillion to our unsustainable federal debt.”
    The finalized text of the bill passed by the Senate this morning wasn’t ever shown to Senators before Republican leadership pushed forward with the final vote. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, which is typically tasked with calculating the financial impact of any major piece of legislation, has not had time to give the bill a score. Prior to scheduling the vote, Senate Republicans refused to hold final meetings with the Senate Parliamentarian – tasked with ensuring that the language in bills follows certain rules and procedures that govern the Senate. Instead, the Parliamentarian had to make decisions on some provisions in a matter of minutes from the Senate floor.
    Sunday night, Sen. Cantwell delivered a speech on the Senate floor to highlight how various provisions included in the 940-page document ultimately sell out the American people. That speech can be watched in full HERE; a transcript is HERE.
    Hours before this morning’s final vote, shortly after 4 a.m., the Senate voted 99-1 in favor of an amendment co-sponsored by Sen. Cantwell and Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R–TN) to strip a ten-year moratorium on state AI regulations from the Republican budget reconciliation bill.  The Senate’s consideration of the bill, known as a votearama in the Senate, set records for the number of debate votes and the length of the debate, and the Senate stayed in session all night as Sen. Cantwell and her colleagues fought to improve the bill.
    “The Senate came together tonight to say that we can’t just run over good state consumer protection laws,” Sen. Cantwell said. “States can fight robocalls and deepfakes and provide safe autonomous vehicle laws. This also allows us to work together nationally to provide a new federal framework on Artificial Intelligence that accelerates U.S. leadership in AI while still protecting consumers.” 
    For weeks, Sen. Cantwell raised alarms over the provision which would have forced states to make an impossible choice between enforcing AI consumer protections or accepting federal BEAD funding to expand broadband access. Despite several revisions by its author and misleading assurances about its true impact, state officials from across the country, including 17 Republican Governors and 40 state Attorneys General, as well conservative and liberal organizations – from the Heritage Foundation to the Center for American Progress – rallied against the harmful proposal. On June 18, Sen. Cantwell hosted a virtual press conference alongside Sen. Blackburn to underscore the impacts to Americans across the country if Congress were to pass the moratorium on state AI legislation.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Capito Votes to Pass Republican Reconciliation Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), chairman of the Senate Republican Policy Committee (RPC), released the below statement following the passage of the Republican Reconciliation bill:
    “The Republican Reconciliation bill is a clear reflection of our priorities: securing our borders, rebuilding our military, preventing the largest tax increase in U.S. history, and unleashing American energy. I was proud to vote in favor of this commonsense legislation that not only delivers on the promises we’ve made to the American people, but will put West Virginia and our entire nation on a path to greater economic growth, national security, energy independence, and opportunity,” Senator Capito said.
    Senator Capito, who also chairs the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, led efforts to craft legislative text for the reconciliation bill within the EPW Committee’s jurisdiction. Click HERE for more details on this portion of the bill, including a one-pager, highlights, and a section-by-section.
    Additional West Virginia wins included in the legislation are below:
    Extends the Hydrogen Tax Credit (45V) until January 1, 2028, which will save Hydrogen Hubs across the country, including West Virginia’s ARCH2 project and the thousands of jobs that it will bring to West Virginia.
    Permanently restore 163j interest deductibility beginning after December 31, 2024, which will provide West Virginia’s small business owners the tools they need to compete, grow, and hire.
    Adds metallurgical coal as a critical mineral to 45x, which will have a significant impact on Southern West Virginia.
    Provides historic investments to strengthen America’s border security and immigration system, something that Senator Capito has long-championed during her time in the Senate, including during her many years as the top Republican on the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee.
    Supports law enforcement officers by providing funding for training and equipment, hiring, and critical grant programs.
    Provides resources to help curb the opioid crisis, particularly the fight against fentanyl, by increasing funding to the U.S. Department of Justice to support efforts to combat deadly drug trafficking.
    Provides funding to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the acquisition, construction, sustainment, and improvement of air traffic control (ATC) facilities and equipment.
    Sustains safety net programs like Medicaid and SNAP over the long-term. Specifically, the legislation puts Medicaid back on a more fiscally stable trajectory for those who need it.
    Invests significant funding in a rural health transformation program to improve access to care and stabilize critical hospitals and other providers.
    Creates a relief fund for rural hospitals, helping to support their critical services and those they serve in rural communities like the many throughout West Virginia.
    Establishes investment accounts for newborns to secure financial futures for every American child from birth.
    Provides $25 billion to replenish and increase stockpiles of critical munitions, including many that have key components manufactured at sites like Allegany Ballistics Laboratory in Mineral County, W.Va.
    Provides $500 million to support the readiness of National Guard units.
    Provides $100 million to accelerate production of the MQ-25 Stingray unmanned refueling drone, of which key components are manufactured in Harrison County, W.Va.
    Provides $1 billion for U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) support to border security missions and counterdrug enforcement to protect West Virginians from drug trafficking and fentanyl.
    Provides $9 billion to support service members and their families, including improvements to housing, healthcare, child care, and education benefits.
    Enhances the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC), a tax credit that helps working parents offset the cost of child care.
    Establishes workforce Pell, which will allow students across West Virginia to utilize the Pell Grant to obtain certificates and credentials through short term programs, something Senator Capito has long-advocated for.
    Improves the Employer-Provided Child Care Credit (45F), which supports businesses that want to help provide child care for their employees.
    Expands the Dependent Care Assistance Plans (DCAP), which are flexible spending accounts that allow working parents to set aside pre-tax dollars to pay for child care expenses.
    Invests in rural America by providing significant funding for competitive grants to assist in the construction, alteration, acquisition, modernization, renovation, or remodeling of agricultural research facilities under the Research Facilities Act—something that various institutions of higher education throughout West Virginia support.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Capito Supports Passage of Republican Reconciliation Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, issued the following statement after passage of the Republican reconciliation bill. With Chairman Capito’s support, the legislation passed and now heads to the U.S. House of Representatives.
    “Today, the Senate moved President Trump’s agenda forward and acted on the mandate given to Congress by the American people. Included in this bill are provisions I worked to craft through the EPW Committee that will lower energy costs for American families, return remaining taxpayer dollars spent recklessly by Democrats, and create more efficiency for infrastructure investments into our communities. Americans need reliable and affordable energy, wasteful spending needs to be cut, and our country needs to be able to build again. Together, we passed legislation to do that and more for American families and communities across our great nation,” Chairman Capito said. 
    EPW HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDED IN THIS LEGISLATION:
    Stops the Inflation Reduction Act’s (IRA) natural gas tax for 10 years, bringing certainty to American energy producers, preserving energy jobs, and incentivizing domestic production that will lead to lower costs for American consumers.
    Rescinds unspent dollars from the IRA in EPW’s jurisdiction that were put towards duplicative and wasteful initiatives with little oversight or accountability to the American taxpayer.
    Repeals the IRA’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and rescinds all of that program’s unobligated dollars.
    Creates an opt-in fee program at the Council on Environmental Quality for expedited environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act.The fee is set at 125 percent of the costs to prepare the environmental document or supervision and preparation of the environmental document when the project sponsor opts to prepare the document. Once the fee is paid, the provision sets a one-year timeline for completion of an Environmental Impact Statement and six-month timeline for an Environmental Assessment. 
    Click HERE to view a section-by-section on EPW’s portion of this legislation.
    Click HERE to view a one-pager on EPW’s portion of this legislation.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lankford Secures Major Wins for Oklahoma Families, Energy Producers, and Small Businesses in One Big Beautiful Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Oklahoma James Lankford
    WASHINGTON, DC — US Senator James Lankford (R-OK), a member of the Senate Finance and Homeland Security Committees, released the following statement after the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill, which delivers the largest tax cut in history for hardworking Americans, secures the border, strengthens Medicaid program integrity, and rebuilds the military, all while cutting out-of-control spending.
    “This is a big, beautiful win for Oklahoma families, workers, seniors, and small businesses,” said Lankford. “This bill halts the largest tax increase in history, secures the border, and contains the most significant entitlement reform in years. I fought to make sure Oklahoma values were reflected in this package – protecting charitable giving, supporting energy jobs, and making it easier for businesses to grow and hire American workers.”
    Lankford secured key wins in the One Big Beautiful Bill to support Oklahoma families, job creators, and charitable giving.
    He secured the charitable deduction for non-itemizers, allowing couples to deduct up to $2,000 in donations. This will help more Americans support local churches, charities, and non-profits.
    Lankford also led the repeal of the Biden administration’s tax penalty on oil and gas producers by restoring key investment deductions. This will allow energy producers to reinvest, create jobs, and keep energy prices stable.
    He also worked to make full, immediate expensing permanent so businesses can deduct the full cost of equipment and technology up front. This will drive expansion, innovation, and job creation across Oklahoma. 
    Background
    Lankford has been outspoken on what it would have meant for Oklahomans if the One Big Beautiful Bill hadn’t passed the Senate and if President Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts expire:
    A staggering 63,000 jobs were projected to be lost.
    The average Oklahoma family faced a $2,013 tax increase.
    Nearly 449,000 households would have seen their child tax credit reduced by 50%.
    Over 233,000 small business owners would have been hit with significant tax hikes.
    More than 1.5 million families would have had their standard deduction cut in half.
    To read more about how this bill helps families, seniors, the vulnerable and disabled, farmers and ranchers, small businesses, as well as strengthens our national defenses, unleashes American energy, and secures the border, see below: 
    How this bill helps families
    This bill delivers the largest tax cut in history, which will result in higher wages and higher take home pay. This is also the most substantial entitlement reform in years, which will help our safety net programs stay viable for those in need.
    The average family will save about $5,000 in additional taxes next year.
    There will be no tax on tips, an increased standard deduction for seniors, no tax on overtime, and a tax break for those who buy new cars made in America.
    This bill will also give families $2,200 per child up to 16 years old every year. It will also create a savings account for every child born between 2025 and the end of 2028 – each account would start with a $1,000 deposit that parents can invest for their kids, giving kids a financial boost from birth.
    In Oklahoma, the long-run wage increase is projected to go from $4,800 to $9,100 according to the Council of Economic Advisers.
    In Oklahoma, the take-home pay increase for a family of four is projected to go from $6,500 to $10,800 according to the Council of Economic Advisers.
    This bill also expands the adoption tax credit and indexes it for inflation. It also allows for tribal governments to decide when a child qualifies as having special needs to extra help under the credit. When adoption can cause as much as $60,000, this tax credit will make it easier for families to welcome a child in need into their lives and homes.
    Police officers, firefighters, truckers, linemen, and others who work overtime will take home an average of more than $1,300 a year because of the no tax on overtime in this bill.
    Those who buy a new American-made car will be able to write off some of the interest from their car loan, which will help families and American manufacturing.
    How this bill helps seniors
    Seniors who make less than $75,000 as an individual or a couple who makes less than $150,000 will see a $6,000 increase in their standard deduction regardless of whether they are receiving Social Security yet or not.
    How this bill helps vulnerable and disabled patients
    This bill is good news for vulnerable and disabled patients because it protects the aged, blind, and disabled from changes to Medicaid. It also blocks Biden’s nursing home staffing mandate that threatened rural care facilities, it boosts physician payments to offset cuts that the Biden administration had implemented, and it ensures continued access to care and incentivizes innovation, especially for those with rare diseases or who need access to telehealth options. It also prohibits tax dollars from going to Planned Parenthood through Medicaid.
    How this bill helps farmers and ranchers
    This bill delivers wins for rural America by expanding the farm safety net, strengthening crop insurance, and supporting agricultural trade. The bill also restores accountability in nutrition programs and ensures food assistance serves Americans in need, not illegal immigrants. 
    This bill would keep two million family farms safe from the death tax by making permanent death tax exemptions from the 2017 Trump Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
    How this bill incentivizes giving to charity
    Sen. Lankford was proud to lead on restoring a tax deduction for non-itemizers – up to $2,000 per couple – which will help more Americans support charities, houses of worship, and non-profits, especially those that serve the most vulnerable. 
    How this bill helps energy production
    Sen. Lankford also led a repeal of the Biden administration’s unfair tax penalty on oil and gas producers by restoring key investment deductions, which will allow domestic energy producers to reinvest, create jobs, and keep energy costs stable. 
    How this bill helps businesses
    Sen. Lankford worked to make full, immediate expensing permanent, so businesses can deduct investments like equipment and technology up front, which will help fuel job creation and business expansion.
    How this bill cracks down on illegal immigration
    This bill devotes $160 billion to hire more Border Patrol Agents, more ICE officers, and to finish the border wall and invest in technology to secure the border.
    How this bill helps our air traffic control system
    The bill invests $12.5 billion to modernize America’s air traffic control system, by replacing outdated equipment, upgrading safety infrastructure, and expanding controller training so we continue to have the safest skies in the world. 
    How this bill strengthens our national defense
    This bill provides $150 billion to strengthen our military, rebuild our defense industrial base, and support border security missions. It also funds the Golden Dome initiative, boosts efforts to counter China, improves the quality of life for our servicemembers, invests in the tools needed to improve Pentagon accountability and delivers a clean audit.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Statement on Senate Passage of President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) released the following statement after the Senate passed the One Big Beautiful Bill:
    “By passing the One Big Beautiful Bill, the Senate has delivered on President Trump’s hallmark legislative priority of his second term,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This bill puts Texans first by avoiding a massive tax increase on hardworking families, making historic investments to help secure our southern border, reducing financial barriers for Texans exercising their Second Amendment rights, and other priorities I have championed like reimbursing Texas for Operation Lone Star and allowing for the movement of the Space Shuttle Discovery to its rightful home in Houston. I was proud to cast my vote in strong support of this significant legislation, and I urge the House to swiftly send it to President Trump’s desk to become law so we can Make America Great Again.”
    Background:
    The One Big Beautiful Bill contains the following provisions championed by Sen. Cornyn:
    $13.5 billion to reimburse states like Texas for stepping up and trying to secure the southern border during the Biden-Harris administration;
    Language that would result in the consideration of movement of the Space Shuttle Discovery from Virginia to its rightful home near the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston;
    A modified version of his Small Business Investment Act, which would make it easier for small and start-up businesses to access the financing they need to grow and succeed;
    Provisions from his Feral Swine Eradication Act to provide $105 million to the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program;
    And the reduction of burdensome taxes on certain firearms and silencers to $0.
    It also includes the following tax provisions to benefit Texas families:
    Prevents a more-than $3,000 tax hike on the average Texas family;
    Protects more than half a million Texas jobs from being lost;
    Ensures more than 3.7 million Texas households’ child tax credit is not cut in half;
    Shields more than two million Texas small business owners from a massive tax hike;
    Makes sure more than 12 million Texas families’ standard deduction is not cut in half;
    Establishes work requirements for able-bodied adults who are choosing not to work and do not have dependent children or elderly parents in their care;
    And ensures no taxes on tips or overtime for millions of tipped and hourly workers.
    The bill also makes historic investments in border security through the following provisions:
    $46.5 billion for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to build the border wall and associated infrastructure like access roads, cameras, lights, and sensors;
    $4.1 billion for a border personnel surge;
    $45 billion for the detention of illegal migrants;
    $6.1 billion for improvements to surveillance at the border;
    Funding for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to increase staffing and enhance migrant screening and vetting processes;
    Resources for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to increase recruitment, onboarding, and retention of ICE staff;
    Funding for the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to hire more immigration judges and staff to address the yearslong backlog of immigration cases and to investigate and prosecute immigration matters;
    And additional resources for law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: General Assembly Endorses Nice Ocean Conference Declaration, Adopts $5.38 Billion Peacekeeping Budget

    Source: United Nations 4

    The General Assembly today endorsed the political declaration of the United Nations Ocean Conference, which establishes multilateral ocean governance.  It also adopted the $5.38 billion peacekeeping budget for the year starting 1 July. 

    Titled “Our Ocean, Our Future:  United for Urgent Action” (A/79/L.97), the declaration was adopted by acclamation at the close of the Conference held earlier this month in Nice, France.  However, today’s formal endorsement by the 193-member Assembly required a recorded vote, with 162 in favour to 1 against (United States), with no abstentions.  

    Several delegations objected to the vote, with the representative of France, co-host of the Conference along with Costa Rica, highlighting its strong political declaration and robust initiatives for the future as “a victory for the ocean”.  “The ocean doesn’t know borders” and neither should “our efforts to protect it”, said Costa Rica’s delegate, noting his country’s “steadfast” commitment to protecting the oceans.  He welcomed the momentum generated at the Conference for an early entry into force of the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement).  He also hailed promises to accede to the World Trade Organization (WTO) agreement to end subsidies for overfishing and decisive support for a plastic pollution convention as soon as possible.

    Brazil’s representative noted that the seas are “the planet’s main climate regulator” but “are running a fever”, while Australia’s delegate saw the adoption of this text as a testament to a collective commitment to address the urgency of climate change, biodiversity loss, and ocean pollution.  The United States’ delegate said the focus on implementing Sustainable Development Goal 14 is inconsistent with its position on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

    Iraq’s delegate, speaking for the Group of 77 and China, noted that implementing Goal 14 requires more ambitious financial action, fulfillment of commitments made through intergovernmental agreements, and increased resources for small island developing States (SIDS) and least developed countries. 

    For her part, Venezuela’s delegate noted she had joined the consensus, while reiterating that it was not a party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which is “not the only single legal and regulatory framework for oceans and seas” — a position echoed by representatives of Iran, Türkiye, and El Salvador.

    Meanwhile, Argentina’s representative disassociated his delegation from all paragraphs referring to the 2030 Agenda and the Pact for the Future, as well as all paragraphs contradicting the guiding principles of the protection of life, liberty, and private property. 

    The Russian Federation’s delegate disassociated from the consensus on paragraph 26 of the declaration, which emphasizes the importance of the early entry into force of the BBNJ Agreement.  The instrument would undermine the provisions of the Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Agreement on Straddling Fish Stocks, with its norms allowing for impingement on the mandates and competencies of fisheries organizations.

    Japan’s representative hailed the adoption as “not the end but just the beginning of our renewed commitment to achieving SDG 14”, while Singapore’s delegate stated that the Convention on the Law of the Sea remains the “constitution for the oceans”, calling on Member States to fully respect it. 

    $5.38 Billion Budget for Peacekeeping Operations

    Acting on the recommendations of its Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary), the Assembly also allocated a budget of $5.38 billion to 11 UN peacekeeping operations, the support account for these operations, the Regional Service Centre in Entebbe, and the Logistics Base in Brindisi.  These resolutions were adopted without a vote, with the exception of the resolution on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) (A/C.5/79/L.36/Rev.1), which was adopted by 147 votes in favour to 3 against (Argentina, Israel, United States), with 1 abstention (Paraguay), after an oral amendment proposed by Israel was rejected by 5 votes in favour (Argentina, Canada, Israel, Paraguay, United States) to 83 against, with 57 abstentions. 

    The Assembly further adopted a draft resolution on the “Comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping operations in all their aspects” (A/79/424/Add.1), which was approved and forwarded by its Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization).

    Tackling Illicit Trafficking in Wildlife

    The Assembly then adopted, by 157 votes in favour to 1 against (United States), with no abstentions, a draft resolution (A/79/L.96) submitted by the representative of Germany, by which the Assembly urges Member States to reinforce their efforts and adopt effective measures, as necessary, including by using special investigative techniques, consistent with article 20 of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, to prevent, investigate, prosecute and punish crimes that affect the environment, such as illicit trafficking in wildlife and wildlife products, which encompasses poaching and illegal harvesting of timber, including fauna and flora as protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

    Speaking in explanation of position, the United States delegate noted that the text contained matters that “should be discussed in Vienna-based anti-crime fora rather than in the General Assembly”. Further, he opposed the use of the term “gender mainstreaming,” insisting on the “biological reality of sex”. For his part, Argentina’s representative dissociated his delegation from all paragraphs concerning the 2030 Agenda and those that go against the protection of life and private property, including preambular paragraphs 1, 2, 18, 34 and operative paragraph 27.

    Promoting Interreligious, Intercultural Dialogue, Tolerance in Countering Hate Speech

    The Assembly also adopted a draft resolution (A/79/L.98) on combating hate speech, introduced by Morocco, by a recorded vote of 111 in favour to 1 against (United States), with 44 abstentions.  By the text, the Assembly called upon Member States to increase understanding about the spread and impact of hate speech, while continuing to adhere to relevant international human rights law obligations, as well as relevant United Nations instruments, in particular the Rabat Plan of Action.  Further, the Assembly called upon digital technology companies and developers to continue to develop solutions and publicly communicate actions to counter potential harms, including hate speech, bias and discrimination, from artificial intelligence-enabled content, including such measures as ensuring data integrity, incorporation of safeguards into artificial intelligence model training processes, identification of artificial-intelligence-generated material, authenticity certification for content and origins, labelling, watermarking and other techniques.

    Poland’s delegate, speaking for the European Union, whose members abstained from voting, emphasized that freedom of belief and religion applies to individuals, not objects or symbols, expressing reservations about preambular paragraph 14.

    The wording of that paragraph presents “serious concerns” in terms of freedom of expression and religious pluralism, noted the representative of Costa Rica, which further emphasized that combating hate speech cannot be achieved at the expense of freedom of expression.

    Hungary’s delegate indicated she could not support operative paragraph 23, which highlights one specific group, migrants, while the representative of the United Kingdom, who also abstained, refused to consider a text criticizing religion as incitement to hatred.

    Any restriction on freedom of expression must be circumscribed by law, necessary, and proportionate, argued Switzerland’s delegate, emphasizing that human rights protect individual beings, not religions or objects.  Furthermore, defamation of religions or religious defamation are not legal concepts recognized under international law.  For all these reasons, she voiced regret over the wording of preambular paragraph 14.

    For his part, Brazil’s delegate dissociated itself from paragraphs 11, 12, and 13, given that there is no agreed definition of hate speech and that this concept could be politicized.  Canada’s representative remained committed to the principle that everyone can exercise their freedom of belief and religion without fear of violence, also welcoming the attention paid to new technologies, while voicing concern over the wording of preambular paragraph 14 on acts directed against religious symbols and holy books.

    The Wiphala for Living Well in Harmony, Balance, Complementarity with Mother Earth

    The Assembly further adopted, by a recorded vote of 139 votes in favour to 2 against (United States, Israel), with 5 abstentions (Canada, Georgia, Paraguay, Peru, Türkiye), a draft resolution (A/79/L.95) introduced by Bolivia, who noted the Wiphala is “an age-old symbol born out of the deepest roots of Indigenous Peoples,” an expression of “the seven colors of the rainbow” and living in harmony with Mother Earth.  By the text, the Assembly called upon the international community to advance in the understanding, tolerance and solidarity among all peoples and cultures, and to strengthen efforts to eradicate manifestations of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, including against Indigenous Peoples, and promote respect for the diversity of their cultural manifestations, traditions, practices and knowledge systems.

    The United States representative, speaking before the vote, noted his delegation opposed the resolution’s focus on a single Indigenous community, further stating that the symbol remains controversial.  

    Mexico’s representative voiced regret that the Wiphala is limited to Bolivia and nearby regions, while Peru’s delegate pointed out that the text does not sufficiently detail the exact cultural origin of the symbol, and that the concept does not have a defined definition in a UN context. 

    While recognizing the cultural importance of the Wiphala for certain peoples of the Andean region, Canada’s delegate considered it inappropriate for the Assembly to designate a symbol specific to a geographical area as representing all Indigenous Peoples internationally.  This choice must be made by the Indigenous Peoples themselves, not by the UN, he said.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Deputy Secretary-General’s Remarks at the Opening of the Multi-stakeholder FFD4 Roundtables [as prepared for delivery]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    Excellencies,
    Dear friends,
    One overarching message has come out strongly from this morning’s opening segment:
    Sustainable development has slowed and the assumption of future progress can no longer be assured.
    Countries across the globe are struggling to fulfill their development aspirations, exacerbated by an increasingly challenging global environment.
     As many speakers have stressed, to overcome this crisis we need large-scale investments in sustainable development. That must be combined with the reset of systems and governance that puts countries in the driving seat to implement their national plans.
    Building on the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, the Seville Commitment sets out a renewed impetus for a financing framework to deliver on the SDGs.
    The multi-stakeholder roundtables, starting this afternoon, are an opportunity for leaders, ministers, and other stakeholders to propose how they plan to implement the Sevilla outcome, across six priority areas.
    Excellencies,
    First, we must explore how to strengthen the mobilization of domestic resources.
    This means all countries raising revenue ratios to at least 15 per cent, fighting illicit flows, and better aligning fiscal systems with sustainable development.  
    This will require domestic action combined with international support. I am excited to hear your perspectives in the upcoming session this afternoon.
    Second, we must consider how we can fully tap the potential of private sector investment and innovation for sustainable development.
    The Sevilla Commitment puts the focus of private capital mobilization on both quantity and quality. I look forward to hearing how public and private actors intend to work together – to mobilize private investment at scale and to achieve the greatest impact.
    Third, amid falling aid budgets, we need to work towards a revitalized and reformed development cooperation architecture.
    An architecture that facilitates a shift from development assistance to investing in development. That counters growing fragmentation.  And that incorporates all actors while placing developing countries at the center.
    Fourth, with the global trading system under threat, we must send a strong signal – that supports the role of trade as an engine for development.
    The Sevilla Commitment puts forward actions to leverage trade’s role, particularly for the most vulnerable countries, and including in strategic markets – such as critical minerals.
    Fifth, the Sevilla Commitment provides an ambitious set of actions to remake the debt architecture.
    As one of the most critical deliverables of this conference, I look forward to hearing how stakeholders will urgently take forward these actions, as a priority. 
    It is imperative that we take steps to ease the burden of debt service on struggling economies. That we expedite the restructuring process when debt crises occur. And that we prevent crises from unfolding in the first place.
    Last but not least, we must explore reform of the international financial architecture.
    We need an architecture that is both effective and inclusive, in which the voices of all countries are represented.
    The Seville Commitment builds on the Pact for the Future, agreed by Heads of State at the UN General Assembly last September, and makes strides toward a more equal and just system for all countries.
    Excellencies,
    I commend you for coming to share your perspectives on transforming these ambitious commitments into reality, including within your countries.
    And I look forward to the discussions to follow.
    Thank you.  
    ***

    MIL OSI United Nations News –