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 the Senate passed her joint resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to repeal California’s EV mandate through their “Advanced Clean Cars II” regulation that prohibits the sale of new gas-powered light-duty vehicles by 2035. Chairman Capito introduced the CRA last month, and pledged to end the EV mandate in December 2024.
“Today, the Senate voted to end California’s EV mandate and send my joint resolution of disapproval under the CRA to President Trump’s desk. The Biden administration and Congressional Democrats tried to block the will of the American people from this attempt by extreme unelected California and Biden EPA bureaucrats to ban gas-powered cars throughout the country, but Congress has now spoken and soundly rejected this rule. The impact of the California’s waiver would have been felt across the country, harming multiple sectors of our economy and costing hundreds of thousands of jobs in the process. I’m proud to have led this effort to protect American workers and consumers from this radical and drastic policy,” Chairman Capito said.
Yesterday, Chairman Capito spoke on the Senate floor outlining the importance of ending California’s EV mandate, and the Congressional Review Act process she led to repeal California’s waiver. The Chairman’s full floor speech is available here.
TIMELINE OF SENATOR CAPITO’S EFFORTS:
February 28, 2024: Senator Capito joined Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.-05), Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), and Rep. John Joyce (R-Pa.-13), in a bicameral letter to EPA Administrator Michael Regan warning of the legal and economic consequences of granting a Clean Air Act waiver request from the state of California, which would enable the state to require 35 percent of automobile sales to be zero-emission vehicles in model year 2026, and finally, 100 percent of them by 2035.
December 18, 2024: Senator Capito pledged to work to reverse the Biden administration’s lame duck action of approving California’s waiver to implement its “Advanced Clean Cars II” regulation.
April 4, 2025: Senator Capito joined Senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), and Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) to introduce joint resolutions of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act to repeal California’s EV waivers that prohibit the sale of new gas-powered light-duty vehicles by 2035 and set unrealistic and stringent requirements for heavy-duty trucks and heavy-duty diesel engines.
May 1, 2025: Senator Capito applauded the House of Representatives’ passage of joint resolutions of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act to repeal California’s EV waivers.
May 21, 2025: Senator Capito spoke on the Senate floor outlining the importance of ending California’s EV mandate, and the Congressional Review Act process she led to repeal California’s waiver.
Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito
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Click here or on the image above to watch Chairman Capito’s opening remarks from the hearing.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS), chaired a hearing with U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer to consider the president’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget request.
Below is the opening statement of Chairman Capito as prepared for delivery:
“Good morning. Secretary Chavez-DeRemer, thank you for being here today to testify to the President’s fiscal year 2026 budget request for the Department of Labor.
“I am pleased to be joined by Senator Baldwin, the ranking member of the subcommittee. I am also happy to have the chair of the full committee, Senator Susan Collins, with us today. Thank you, Senator Collins, for your strong leadership and your tireless efforts to get us back to regular order.
“Following four years of reckless spending under the Biden administration, President Trump is taking steps to rein in our bloated bureaucracy and ensure that taxpayer dollars are being well spent.
“The department’s request proposes to reduce funding for the agency by $4.6 billion, a decrease of nearly 35%. We look forward to hearing your testimony and discussing in greater detail your priorities, new proposals, and programs you think we should consider scaling back.
“This month, we continued to receive good news about the strength of the American economy. Our economy has added jobs every month since President Trump took office and the unemployment rate remained steady this past month at 4.2%. However, millions of Americans are still underemployed or have stopped looking for work altogether.
“We need to make sure that Americans have access to training programs – especially those that provide on-the-job training and those focused on in-demand jobs, which in West Virginia includes important industries like coal mining and healthcare. I’d like to see the department take innovative approaches to expand apprenticeship opportunities to new programs and fields as a lot of worthy apprenticeship opportunities don’t fit the current registered apprenticeship model. I’m interested in hearing more about how the Make America Skilled Again grant program will increase flexibility and improve outcomes for workers looking to upskill and advance in their careers.
“I’ve also been a long-time champion of expanding and strengthening the early childhood education workforce through apprenticeships. Giving our educators a clear pathway to successful careers opens the door to higher quality and better coverage of care, helping both families and childcare workers in West Virginia.
“Having a highly-skilled workforce is critical, but it is only half of the equation. We must also continue advancing common-sense solutions to create an economic environment where businesses can thrive and create good, well-paying jobs. I have been pleased to see this administration take steps to rein in unnecessary regulatory burdens that make it harder for businesses to create jobs.
“Earlier this month, the Department of Labor announced it will no longer enforce the Biden administration’s misguided independent contractor rule, which jeopardized the ability of as many as 70 million freelancers, rideshare drivers, and other independent workers to earn a living in a way that best fits their needs and schedules.
“This rule would take away the freedom for West Virginia real estate agents, truck drivers, freelance writers, and other self-employed workers to choose their own hours and work around other life priorities — like going back to school or raising children.
“I hope to see this administration continue to remove bureaucratic red tape to allow companies to expand their workforce, grow their businesses, and show their employees how much they’re valued in a growing economy.
“However, to be clear, not all regulations are bad. It is important to have appropriate protections in place to keep hard-working West Virginians, including our miners, safe. West Virginia is the second largest producer of coal in the country. For generations, coal miners in West Virginia have helped keep the lights on across the country. But doing so has sometimes come at a great price. In the last couple decades, West Virginia has experienced major mining tragedies at the Upper Big Branch Mine and Sago Mine, which claimed 29 and 12 lives, respectively.
“I hope to hear more about the administration’s plans to ensure our workplaces are safe so that our workers are able to return home to their loved ones at the end of each day.
“Secretary Chavez-DeRemer, as the Fiscal Year 26 appropriations process moves forward, I know we will continue to work together to identify priorities and find common ground on how best to responsibly allocate taxpayers’ resources. Thank you again for being here today.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE)
Washington, DC —Today Congressional Biofuels Caucus Co-chairs Adrian Smith (R-NE), Angie Craig (D-MN), Ashley Hinson (R-IA), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Julie Fedorchak (R-ND), and Nikki Budzinski (D-IL) released the following statements celebrating the launch of the caucus for the 119th Congress and welcoming new Co-chairs Hinson, Fedorchak, and Budzinski.
“American biofuel producers have an untapped ability to power the future of liquid fuels, whether ethanol blends, biodiesel, or sustainable aviation fuel,” said Co-chair Smith. “Advancing sound policy can unlock billions of dollars in savings at the pump and hundreds of thousands of added jobs for the American people. I thank Co-chairs Craig and Pocan and congratulate Co-chairs Hinson, Fedorchak, and Budzinski for joining me to strengthen this bipartisan caucus and continue working to inform our colleagues in the House of the value of biofuels for American energy abundance.”
“Increasing the production and availability of homegrown biofuels is a critical piece of the puzzle when it comes to the all-of-the-above energy policy we need to stay ahead,” said Co-chair Craig. “I’m proud to be relaunching the Biofuels Caucus alongside my bipartisan colleagues this Congress so we can continue our work to lower prices at the pump, create opportunities for local producers and strengthen our energy security.”
“Biofuels are key to Iowa’s economy and key to American energy dominance,” said Co-chair Hinson. “Since coming to Congress, I have worked tirelessly to expand access to Iowa biofuels and support Iowa’s biofuels producers by fighting to secure permanent year-round E15, increase biofuels blending targets, and replace foreign energy with homegrown biofuels. I’m honored to co-lead the biofuels caucus and will continue working with President Trump and other caucus members to increase domestic energy production and support Iowa agriculture.”
“I am glad to join my colleagues in the Congressional Biofuels Caucus,” said Co-chair Pocan. “Corn growers in Wisconsin deserve to have an even playing field in the market dominated by the oil and gas industry. This Caucus will showcase how biofuels can help us reach our emissions reduction goals while investing in rural jobs and infrastructure.”
“Biofuels are a growing part of America’s energy strategy and another way North Dakota is helping fuel the world,” said Co-chair Fedorchak. “It’s an honor to serve as a co-chair of this bipartisan caucus to advance policies that will help expand domestic energy production, empower rural America, and deliver practical solutions for North Dakotans.”
“I came to Congress to be a strong voice for the people of Central and Southern Illinois—especially our hardworking farmers. Few issues are more critical to their success than strengthening the biofuels industry and expanding market opportunities,” said Co-chair Budzinski. “That’s why promoting the use of homegrown, sustainable biofuels has been a central focus of my work in Congress, and I’m looking forward to continuing that commitment as co-chair of this bipartisan caucus.
The Congressional Biofuels Caucus advocates for policies which reflect the capacity of American biofuels producers to meet the demand for reliable and affordable liquid fuels while growing rural economies, high-paying jobs, and value-added markets for agricultural commodities. The caucus recognizes biofuels are key to American energy independence and responsible stewardship of our resources.
Additional members of the caucus include: Reps. Dusty Johnson (R-SD), Darin LaHood (R-IL), Jim Baird (R-IN), Scott Peters (D-CA), Tom Emmer (R-MN), Andre Carson (D-IN), Ann Wagner (R-MO), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), James Comer (R-KY), Brett Guthrie (R-KY), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Sam Graves (R-MO), Don Bacon (R-NE), Mike Bost (R-IL), Pete Stauber (R-MN), Michelle Fischbach (R-MN), Randy Feenstra (R-IA), Marianette Miller Meeks (R-IA), Zach Nunn (R-IA), Mike Flood (R-NE), Eric Sorensen (D-IL), Brad Finstad (R-MN), Tracey Mann (R-KS), Derrick Van Orden (R-WI), Mark Alford (R-MO), Sharice Davids (D-KS), Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-MI), Brian Jack (R-GA), and Mark Messmer (R-IN).
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (USVI)
PLASKETT RELEASES STATEMENT ON HOUSE PASSAGE OF RECONCILIATION BILL
Washington, D.C., May 22, 2025
For Immediate Release Contact: Tionee Scotland
May 22, 2025 202-808-6129
PRESS RELEASE
PLASKETT RELEASES STATEMENT ON HOUSE PASSAGE OF RECONCILIATION BILL
Washington, DC – Early this morning, the House of Representatives passed the Republican reconciliation package (H.R. 1) with a vote of 215-214-1. Every Democrat in the House voted no.
The 2 Republicans who voted against the bill, Congressman Thomas Massie (KY-4) and Congressman Warren Davidson (OH-8), opposed the legislation as they wanted to see further federal funding cuts. They held out hoping for full dismantlement.
This bill includes the largest cuts to healthcare in American history. This loss of funding – nearly one trillion dollars – will eliminate healthcare coverage for at least 13.7 million Americans and make it harder for people to access vital medical services. In Medicaid alone, funding is cut by more than $730 billion, which will leave 7.6 million people uninsured. The Virgin Islands presently has 21,000 Medicaid enrollees presently, many of whom will be impacted through loss of service or disenrollment.
Medicare funding was cut by more than $500 billion and vital programs, including the Social Services Block Grant – which provides more than $4.2 million to the Virgin Islands – are eliminated until 2034. With 20,000 Medicare enrollees in the U.S. Virgin Islands, services are sure to be impacted. Federal funding for the Virgin Islands’ Meals on Wheels Program and the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) has also been eliminated until 2034.
Republicans’ reconciliation bill will make everyday life more expensive for Americans and removes programs which gave opportunities and support for a better life. It is estimated that more than 4 million students will see a reduction, or elimination, of their Pell Grants. The requirements for ‘full-time’ students are increased from 12 to 15 credits, which will decrease the maximum award for any student taking 12 credits by $1,479. In addition, students that are enrolled less than half-time will no longer receive Pell aid.
This bill harms efforts to lower energy costs, increase clean energy manufacturing and jobs, and eliminate economic assistance for communities on the frontline of the climate crisis. Unobligated funds will be rescinded from Inflation Reduction Act programs including Environmental Justice Block Grants, State-Based Home Energy Efficiency Contractor Training Grants, and the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. One of these programs already in place in the Virgin Islands is the Solar for All Program, which provided $62.5 million for homes and businesses.
Republicans voted to cut $35 billion in funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which includes children, working families, seniors, veterans and people with disabilities. This includes a $1 million cut to the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT program), which gives food assistance to children when they cannot rely on school lunches. This will impact the more than 15,000 Virgin Islands residents who rely upon SNAP for access to nutritious food for their wellbeing. The $35 billion cut includes a $1 billion decrease in funding for the Nutrition Assistance Program in Puerto Rico despite tremendous efforts and advocacy from their lobbyists, led by Republican Governor, Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon and Congressman Pablo Hernandez.
The reconciliation bill does not provide the increased rum cover over rate. Rum cover over is the rebate of federal excise taxes on distilled spirits produced in or imported into the rest of the United States from the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Despite Congresswoman Plaskett’s success in securing a Republican lead for the rum cover over legislation (H.R. 1378), Congressman Ron Estes (KS-4), and the support of 24 of her colleagues – 16 Republicans and 8 Democrats – the extension for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands was not included in the bill.
It is unfortunate that at the last minute while trying to find additional funds, the Republicans attempted to remove duty drawback – an export-promotion program that American alcohol and tobacco companies rely upon for a refund of duties paid at the time of import when similar goods are exported. That program saves the alcohol industry alone approximately $30 billion. Because of that concern, the full push of the rum industry was not present for rum cover over as the industry prioritized its efforts on safeguarding duty drawback which represented direct dollars to their industry. It’s also important to recognize that many discretionary provisions that made it into the bill were included to secure the necessary votes to advance the legislation – which ultimately was not the case with the provision for an increased rum cover over rate.
During the 18-hour markup in the Ways and Means Committee for the tax provisions of the reconciliation bill, Congresswoman Plaskett offered an amendment to increase the rate of the rum cover offer, to publicly demonstrate the bipartisan support for this provision. Both Democrats and Republicans emphasize the importance of the increased rum cover over rate. The Ways and Means Chairman, Jason Smith, publicly stated that he would work to advance this, and the Committee is expected to craft a bipartisan tax bill this summer. “I will continue to work with my colleagues, Democrats and Republicans, to secure the increased rum cover over rate of $13.25, both retroactively and with an extension, for the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.”
While Congresswoman Plaskett cannot support the bill in its entirety, Plaskett’s legislation, the Restore Economic Vitality and Investment in the Virgin Islands (REVIVE VI) Act is included in the Republicans’ bill – one of only four Democrat Ways and Means provisions. REVIVE VI fixes an unintentional consequence of the Global Intangible Low Tax Income (GILTI) regime which, as a practical matter, inadvertently overrode the U.S. Virgin Islands’ economic development program that was previously authorized by Congress. This provision restores the Virgin Islands’ right to have an economic development program which will benefit our economy and workforce.
The U.S. Senate is anticipated to draft an entirely different bill that proposes fewer cuts to critical programs. Then, the Senate bill and House bill will likely be negotiated on a version that can be passed in both chambers of Congress and then be signed by the President.
Congresswoman Plaskett shared, “This bill is a wholesale betrayal of the working class and the future of America. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found that the bottom 10%–working- and middle-class Americans will be 4% poorer in household wealth under this bill, with most of the benefits going to the top 10% of Americans. Not only does the bill make the largest healthcare cut in our nation’s history, it also makes the largest cuts to food assistance, energy projects and Pell grants. All to give additional money to the wealthiest Americans – an average of $278,000 per year, $762 per day, to the top 0.1% of Americans. This bill is cruel, shameful, unfair and unamerican.”
New York, New York, May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Univest Securities, LLC (“Univest”), a member of FINRA and SIPC, and a full-service investment bank and securities broker-dealer firm based in New York, today announced the closing of registered offering (the “Offering”) for its client WORK Medical Technology Group LTD (Nasdaq: WOK) (the “Company”), a supplier of medical devices in China, through its subsidiary, Work (Hangzhou) Medical Treatment Equipment Co., Ltd. and its subsidiaries in China.
Under the terms of the securities purchase agreement, the Company has agreed to sell to several investors for the purchase and sale of an aggregate of 10,000,000 ordinary units (the “Ordinary Units”) at an offering price of $0.50 per Ordinary Unit.
Each Ordinary Unit consists of one Class A ordinary share, par value $0.0005 (a “Class A Ordinary Share”), one Series A warrant to purchase one Class A Ordinary Share at an exercise price of $1.00 (a “Series A Warrant”), and one Series B warrant to purchase one Class A Ordinary Share at an exercise price of $1.00 (a “Series B Warrant”). The Series A Warrants and Series B Warrants are immediately exercisable upon issuance, with the Series A Warrants expiring in 12 months, and Series B Warrants expiring in 3 months.
The aggregate gross proceeds to the Company were approximately $5 million.
Univest Securities, LLC acted as the sole book-running manager.
The registered offering was made pursuant to a registration statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-284006) previously filed by the Company and declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). A final prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus describing the terms of the proposed offering were filed with the SEC and are available on the SEC’s website located at http://www.sec.gov. Electronic copies of the final prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may be obtained, by contacting Univest Securities, LLC at info@univest.us, or by calling +1 (212) 343-8888.
This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.
About Univest Securities, LLC
Registered with FINRA since 1994, Univest Securities, LLC provides a wide variety of financial services to its institutional and retail clients globally including brokerage and execution services, sales and trading, market making, investment banking and advisory, wealth management. It strives to provide clients with value-add service and focuses on building long-term relationship with its clients. For more information, please visit: www.univest.us.
About WORK Medical Technology Group LTD
WORK Medical Technology Group LTD, through its subsidiary, Work (Hangzhou) Medical Treatment Equipment Co., Ltd. and its subsidiaries in China, is a supplier of medical devices that develops and manufactures Class I and II medical devices and sells Class I and II disposable medical devices through operating subsidiaries in China. The Company has a diverse product portfolio comprising 21 products, including customized and multifunctional masks and other medical consumables. All the products have been sold in 34 provincial-level administrative regions in China, with 15 of them sold in more than 30 countries worldwide. The Company has received a number of quality-related manufacturing designations and has registered 17 products with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration allowing their products to enter the U.S. market. For more information, please visit the Company’s website: https://www.workmedtech.com/corporate.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements that are other than statements of historical facts. When the Company uses words such as “may, “will, “intend,” “should,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “project,” “estimate” or similar expressions that do not relate solely to historical matters, it is making forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results to differ materially from the Company’s expectations discussed in the forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks including, but not limited to, the uncertainties related to market conditions and the completion of the initial public offering on the anticipated terms or at all, and other factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of the registration statement filed with the SEC. For these reasons, among others, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements in this press release. Additional factors are discussed in the Company’s filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov. Univest Securities LLC and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof.
For more information, please contact:
Univest Securities, LLC Edric Guo Chief Executive Officer 75 Rockefeller Plaza, Suite 18C New York, NY 10019 Phone: (212) 343-8888 Email: info@univest.us
WASHINGTON, DC (May 22, 2025) – In response to PepsiCo’sannouncementthat it will abandon its goal to deliver 20% of its beverages in reusable containers by 2030, Greenpeace USA Senior Oceans Campaigner Lisa Ramsden, said:“PepsiCo is the latest corporate polluter to abandon its reuse targets, a move that will undoubtedly force more plastic pollution into our environment and burden our bodies with more toxic microplastics. We clearly can’t trust corporations like PepsiCo to do what’s best for people and the planet, and this exemplifies why voluntary commitments by corporations have never been enough. We need a strong and binding Global Plastics Treaty that caps plastic production and ends single-use plastics.”
Plastics are not just a pollution problem; they are a public health crisis. Over 3,200 chemicals in plastics have been linked to a host of serious health conditions, including cancer, hormone disruption, reproductive problems, metabolic changes, obesity, premature births, neurological disorders, and learning disabilities. Toxic chemicals in plastic already cost Americans nearly $250 billion in healthcare expenses each year.
PepsiCo’s announcement comes as the ‘Make America Healthy Again’ report, released today, finds that Americans are exposed to these chemicals through many routes, including food and beverage packaging. Microplastics have been found in human breast milk, brain, lung, and heart tissue.
Contact: Tanya Brooks, Senior Communications Specialist at Greenpeace USA , [email protected]
Greenpeace USA is part of a global network of independent campaigning organizations that use peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future. Greenpeace USA is committed to transforming the country’s unjust social, environmental, and economic systems from the ground up to address the climate crisis, advance racial justice, and build an economy that puts people first. Learn more at www.greenpeace.org/usa.
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
“We Will Not Forget:” Padilla Sends Strong Warning as Republicans Go Nuclear to Revoke California Clean Air Waivers
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, blasted Republicans for their shortsighted revocation of California’s clean air waivers by overruling the nonpartisan Senate Parliamentarian’s decision and going nuclear on the Senate rulebook. Republicans defied their own promises and broke 30 years of precedent by moving forward with their cynical repeal of California’s Clean Air Act waivers with a 50-vote threshold under the Congressional Review Act (CRA), bypassing the filibuster and its 60-vote requirement by overruling the Senate Parliamentarian.
Over the last few weeks, Padilla has spoken on the Senate floor repeatedly to sound the alarm on Senate Republicans’ revocations of these critical waivers.
“Over the last 24 hours, Trump and radical Republicans have gone nuclear on the Senate rulebook, stopping at nothing to attack California for protecting the health of my constituents, for having the audacity to lead the clean energy economy. California became the fourth-largest economy in the world by leaning in to the clean energy transition, and we’ve proved that what’s good for the planet and our air is good for business. By denying California the ability to control our own toxic air and greenhouse gas emissions, Republicans are threatening the public health, environment, and economy for millions of my constituents and people around the country. And let me be clear: California has not and cannot force our emission standards on any other state in the nation.
“It’s not just why Republicans are undermining California’s climate leadership. It’s how they did it. Republicans are effectively saying that whenever the Parliamentarian rules against them, they can simply disregard her to bypass the filibuster and pass legislation on a simple majority vote. So no, this isn’t some one-off change to the rules — this is throwing out the rulebook entirely — all to please Donald Trump and the Big Oil lobby. If they can ignore the Parliamentarian here, then why not on an upcoming tax bill, or to gut health care, or to revoke lifesaving vaccine approvals?
“Republicans have crossed the red line and gone nuclear. As the saying goes, ‘what goes around comes around.’ And it won’t be long before Democrats are back in the driver’s seat again. When that happens, all bets will be off. Every agency action that Democrats don’t like — whether it’s a rule or not — will be fair game, from mining permits and fossil fuel projects to foreign affairs and tax policies.
“We will not forget what happened here. History won’t forget. And California will not forget.”
Senator Padilla has been a leading voice in pushing back against Republican attacks on California’s Clean Air Act waivers. Earlier this week, Padilla placed a hold on the four pending Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) nominees until Republicans stop their reckless attempts to overturn California’s clean air waivers. Padilla, along with Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) also led Democratic Ranking Members in strongly warning Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) of the dangerous and irreparable consequences if Senate Republicans overrule the Senate Parliamentarian’s decision on California’s waivers.
Last month, Padilla, Whitehouse, and Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) welcomed the Senate Parliamentarian’s decision that the waivers are not subject to the CRA. Padilla also joined Whitehouse and Schiff in blasting Trump and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin’s weaponization of the EPA after the Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) similar finding. Padilla and Schiff previously slammed the Trump Administration’s intent to roll back dozens of the EPA’s regulations that protect California’s air and water.
Throughout the past several weeks, Padilla has made clear that these reckless revocations of California’s clean air waivers will lead to disastrous public health, environmental, and economic impacts for millions of Californians and people across the country. Inaction against the climate crisis costs Americans an average of $2,500 a year in medical bills and over $820 billion in total, according to estimates by the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Padilla has consistently stressed the extreme consequences of Republicans ignoring the Parliamentarian, effectively blowing up the filibuster. While he and other Democrats supported lowering the threshold to pass a bill in 2022, Republicans defended the filibuster relentlessly — a dramatic contrast from their revocation of California’s waivers under a simple majority vote.
Now that they’ve taken the nuclear option, the Trump Administration could make a series of dangerous moves in bogging down Congress with reviews from the past 30 years on items including vaccine approvals, broadcast licenses, merger approvals, and more, enabling President Trump’s political retribution. Padilla has warned multiple times that a future Democratic administration could come after Republican oil and gas priorities, including mining permits, fossil fuel projects, foreign policy, tax policies, and Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) disruptions.
In case you missed it, Senators Schumer, Whitehouse, Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Schiff, and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) also all came out strongly against Republicans’ reckless effort and warned of the consequences of setting this new precedent.
SAN JOSE, Calif., May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Heritage Commerce Corp (NASDAQ: HTBK) (“Heritage” or “Company”), parent company of Heritage Bank of Commerce (the “Bank”), a premier community business bank, today announces the appointment of Julianne Biagini-Komas as Chair of the Board of Directors (the “Board”), replacing Chairman Jack W. Conner who has assumed the role of Chair Emeritus and has indicated he intends to remain on the Board to provide a smooth and orderly transition through October 2025. Ms. Biagini-Komas, a Certified Public Accountant, has served as Vice Chair of the Board since October 2024, as a director since 2014 and as the Chair of the Audit Committee since 2020.
“The Board and I are delighted to announce Julie’s key role in the Company’s leadership succession plans,” stated Mr. Conner, “Having worked with Julie for many years, I can think of no one better suited to guide the Board and our management team into the future. I am proud of what we have accomplished together, and I look forward to watching Heritage continue to thrive in the years ahead.”
Ms. Biagini-Komas said, “The entire Board and executive team are immensely grateful for Jack’s experience and leadership for over 20 years. He has led us through tremendous growth, both organically and by acquisition, and through many business cycles. We are confident that he has positioned us well to take advantage of the broad skills and talents of our executives and directors, and I am personally thankful for his willingness to continue in a transitional role.”
The Company also announced the retirement of Laura Roden from the Board at the conclusion of the Company’s Annual Meeting of the Shareholders this year.
Of Ms. Roden, Robertson “Clay” Jones, President & CEO stated, “We are grateful for Laura’s 13 years of service as a director, and we congratulate her on a well-deserved retirement.” Ms. Roden expressed her continuing support and appreciation for the Board and the management team, stating, “It has been a privilege to serve with the outstanding team of astute and dedicated individuals on the Heritage Board. As a shareholder I look forward to applauding the Bank’s future successes.”
Heritage Commerce Corp, a bank holding company established in October 1997, is the parent company of Heritage Bank of Commerce, established in 1994 and headquartered in San Jose, CA with full-service branches in Danville, Fremont, Gilroy, Hollister, Livermore, Los Altos, Los Gatos, Morgan Hill, Oakland, Palo Alto, Pleasanton, Redwood City, San Francisco, San Jose, San Mateo, San Rafael, and Walnut Creek. Heritage Bank of Commerce is an SBA Preferred Lender. Bay View Funding, a subsidiary of Heritage Bank of Commerce, is based in San Jose, CA and provides business-essential working capital factoring financing to various industries throughout the United States. For more information, please visit www.heritagecommercecorp.com. Statements and information presented on our website are not incorporated into and do not form a part of this press release or of any of our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Certain matters set forth herein constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Among these are statements about the Company’s current intentions and expectations relating to our succession plans for the Board of Directors. These statements reflect the Board’s current intentions and expectations based on currently available information and, as such, are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in this release. These risks and uncertainties, some of which are beyond our control, include, but are not limited to, factors that affect the timing and effectiveness of the changes in leadership positions described in this release, such as our ability to attract, appropriately evaluate and retain directors having the desired qualifications and experience; our ability to manage the integration of new directors; our ability to address adequately the loss of the talents and experience of the retiring directors; the plans, intentions and decisions of our individual directors with respect to their continuing willingness and availability to serve; and our ability accurately to assess the financial impacts of the recruitment and retention process. Our forward-looking statements are not assurances that we will not deviate from the stated plans and expectations, particularly if changes occur in the economy or the banking environment in general, or in factors that are specific to one or more of our markets. A more comprehensive list of the factors that affect our business can be under Item 1A. “Risk Factors,” of our latest Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, and in our other subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Readers should consider those factors carefully in making investment decisions about our common stock.
Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo
Washington, D.C.–The United States and Canada share three oceans and the world’s longest border. About 400,000 people and more than $2.5 billion worth of goods and services move across the U.S.-Canada border each day. The relationship between the two countries fosters one of the most significant bilateral trading relationships in the world.
U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) joined U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota) and Angus King (I-Maine) in introducing a resolution to recognize the U.S.-Canada partnership and its shared interests in economics, energy, critical minerals and national security.
“Canada is America’s top trading partner and one of our strongest allies,” said Crapo. “The almost $1 trillion exchanged in trade between the U.S. and Canada in 2023 powers 8 million U.S. jobs and 2.4 million Canadian workers. Our two nations are inextricably linked economically and strategically–sharing deep historical and cultural ties. This resolution reiterates our firm commitment to bolster the long-term, mutual relationship with our Canadian neighbors far into the future.”
Idaho exports more products to Canada than any other country. According to the Idaho Department of Commerce, in 2023, Idaho exported $1.5 billion in goods to Canada—more than a quarter of which were food and agricultural products. Additionally, Idaho imported $360 million worth of Canadian food and agriculture goods. Idaho’s largest import/export industries include:
Agriculture and food;
Wood, paper, pulp and printing;
Electrical equipment and machinery;
Mineral products; and
Chemicals, cosmetics and fertilizers.
Cramer and King serve as co-chairmen of the bipartisan, bicameral American Canadian Economy and Security (ACES) Caucus, and Senator Crapo is a member.
“Representing a Northern border state, I recognize the importance of the unique partnership between the United States and Canada,” said Cramer. “Not only are our neighbors to the north crucial economic and national security partners, but they are literally our closest ally. This resolution celebrates our closeness and is a testament to the enduring strength, friendship and importance of the U.S.-Canada alliance across the country and the globe.”
“The United States and Canada have always been closely tied; we share our economies, cultures, military interests and more. In fact, in Maine, even our next door neighbor lives right across the border,” said King. “I continue to be proud of the work we have achieved under the American-Canadian Economy and Security (ACES) Caucus alongside my Senate Co-Chair Kevin Cramer, but know that the current situation presents many unfortunate challenges. While I am excited to reintroduce this resolution to reaffirm our two nations’ commitment to one another, we must acknowledge the close ties between our countries to resolve and mitigate any potential disruptions to our intertwined interests. As close trade partners and allies, I look forward to strengthening this close alliance to tackle these shared challenges and seize new opportunities.”
Among other provisions, the resolution recognizes the relationship between the United States and Canada is critical to promoting peace, expanding global economic opportunity and being prepared to respond to unforeseen events. It also reaffirms the bilateral and international alliance between the two nations, which allows both countries to face common threats together and uphold common values, including democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
Additionally, the resolution emphasizes the shared defense and security commitments between the two nations, including the modernization of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), joint border security initiatives, and cooperation in combating transnational threats such as illegal migration and fentanyl trafficking.
The resolution is also co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Maggie Hassan (D-New Hampshire), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota) and Peter Welch (D-Vermont). A similar resolution was introduced in the House by U.S. Representative Mark Amodei (R-Nevada).
Click here for bill text.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for filing a false claim as part of a scheme to fraudulently receive approximately $62,811.75 in COVID-19 relief funds from the government.
Robin Brooks, 55, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to 15 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $62,811.75 in restitution to the Small Business Administration (SBA) and to Jackson County, Missouri.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was a federal law enacted in or around March 2020 and designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a part of the CARES Act, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was created to provided forgivable loans to small businesses that were administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA) through corresponding financial institutions. The purpose of PPP was to provide support to small businesses and assist their payroll to their employees during the coronavirus pandemic.
In her guilty plea, Brooks admitted that, in 2021, she two submitted fraudulent applications to the Small Business Administration for the loans using fake businesses. In fact, Brooks’ business never actually existed and did not have any employees. In a related scheme, Brooks submitted approximately $30,345 in false invoices to Jackson County, Missouri, to receive CARES Act Funds for a non-profit organization she created to provide food to people negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Based on these false claims, the SBA issued payments totaling $32,466 to Brooks and Jackson County issued payments totaling $30,345.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Venneman. It was investigated by United States Secret Service.
Source: United States Department of Justice (National Center for Disaster Fraud)
CLEVELAND – The Justice Department has announced that Cosmax USA, a corporation having previously done business as two separate entities, Cosmax USA and Nu-World Corporation, has agreed to pay $6 million, of which $3 million is restitution, to resolve allegations under the False Claims Act (FCA) that they knowingly provided false information to obtain Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and loan forgiveness. The companies are part of a global conglomerate that supplies cosmetics and nutritional supplements. Nu-World was merged into Cosmax USA in 2023.
Cosmax USA operated a manufacturing facility in Solon, Ohio up until 2023. This settlement resolves a lawsuit filed by a former employee who worked at that location. Under the whistleblower provisions of the FCA, an individual, known in legal terms as the “relator,” may file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The relator in this case, Alexander Novik, served as Cosmax USA’s controller and also in its human resources department.
The PPP was launched through the Small Business Administration (SBA), with the enactment of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act in 2020. The program provided eligible companies with financial support as businesses faced unprecedented challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. This resolution addresses two alleged violations in which the United States contended that Cosmax USA and Nu-World submitted false information to be eligible to receive PPP funds.
First, the resolution addresses allegations that Nu-World submitted an application in April 2020 for a First-Draw PPP loan, and an application for forgiveness of that loan in 2021, based on a calculated loan amount that was partially based on payments to temporary employees who were not employees of Nu-World.
Second, the resolution addresses allegations that Cosmax USA falsely certified that it was a small business with fewer than 300 employees (including employees at affiliated companies) when it submitted its Second-Draw PPP loan application. In reality, the number of Cosmax USA’s employees, when combined with the number of employees working at its affiliate Nu-World, exceeded the PPP program’s 300-employee limit.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel (SBA-OGC) and Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG).
Trial Attorney Graham D. Welch of the Justice Department’s Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Jackson Froliklong for the Northern District of Ohio handled the matter, with assistance from Thomas W. Rigby and Arlene P. Messinger Lerner of the SBA.
Anyone with information about allegations of CARES Act fraud may submit a report with the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or online at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
More Teachers to benefit from flexible working
Government extend successful programme that supports teachers to plan lessons from home, job-share or work flexible hours.
More teachers are expected to benefit from flexible working thanks to a successful initiative that will help improve teacher retention and deliver high standards for pupils.
The Government’s Flexible Working Ambassadors Programme has been extended for a further year to support more schools across the country, enabling teachers to plan lessons from home, job-share or work flexible hours – so they have the time and energy to be at the front of the classroom, delivering high and rising standards for children.
As part of its Plan for Change, the Government is committed to recruiting an additional 6,500 expert teachers over the course of this Parliament, so every young person has access to an excellent education. The quality of teaching is the single biggest driver of higher standards in schools.
Hundreds of millions of pounds are also being invested by Government to offer tax free financial incentives and professional development to attract and keep the best and brightest teachers across the country, alongside targeted action to improve teachers’ workload and wellbeing.
This action is working, with two thousand more secondary school teachers training this year than last, a 25% increase in the number of people accepting teacher training places in STEM subjects, and more teachers forecasted to stay in the profession.
The announcement today follows the Government accepting the schoolteachers’ pay body recommendation which will give teachers a pay boost of 4% from this September, taking a major step towards re-establish teaching as an attractive, expert profession.
This builds on the work already underway to drive high and rising standards for all schools, including a stronger accountability system through reforms to Ofsted inspection, new regional improvement teams to tackle poorly performing schools, and a new, rich and broad curriculum so pupils are set up for life, work and the future.
Schools Minister, Catherine McKinnell said:
My number one priority is making sure every child has an expert teacher at the front of their classroom, as we know high-quality teaching makes the biggest difference to education outcomes.
We highly value our brilliant teachers, and they deserve working conditions that recognise their professionalism and support their wellbeing.
I’ve seen first-hand how working flexibly can transform teachers’ lives for the better and drive high and rising high standards for their pupils. Our Flexible Working Ambassadors Programme will help make sure we deliver on our pledge to recruit and retain more teachers.
The latest figures show that 46 per cent of teachers had a flexible working arrangement in place in 2024, up by 6 percentage points since 2022. But with 47 per cent of teaching staff who said they were considered leaving state education citing a lack of flexible working opportunities as one of the reasons, the Government is going further and faster to ensure every school supports their staff’s working lives in modern, practical ways – delivering the best possible education for children and young people.
Evidence shows a high-quality teacher can make around half a GCSE grade difference per pupil per subject, showing the importance of allowing teachers to work flexibly, to retain the best teachers and help children achieve and thrive.
Research also found 82 per cent of school leaders offering flexible working agreed that it had helped to retain teachers who might otherwise leave. 62 per cent of parents said children being taught by two teachers in a job-share arrangement had no impact, or a positive impact, on their child
CEO of Reach Schools, Rebecca Cramer said:
Flexible Working is imperative to keep great teachers in the classroom. Through the FWAMS programme we have supported schools to employ a culture of openness and communication around how teachers work.
Schools that think innovatively and embrace change around teachers’ work arrangements enhance teacher well-being and productivity and ultimately have a positive impact on the young people in our classrooms.
Director of Humanities and Social Sciences at Reach Academy Feltham, Sarah Corrigan said:
Flexible working has allowed me to stay in the classroom doing something that I love. Without the option of part-time work and some full-time flex, I would have struggled with my work life balance and would have left the teaching profession.
Reach has supported me to return from maternity leave on a part-time basis. Also, like all other teachers in our school, I have been encouraged to take advantage of flex to ensure that I don’t miss the big events in my and my family’s lives by using term time annual leave and compressed hours.
The programme is free to all schools and helps to drive the culture change needed, by offering a range of practical support and resources for schools and teachers.
The extension means more schools can get involved in every region of the country, with a focus on supporting schools in disadvantaged areas, as well as special and alternative provision schools where there can be additional challenges.
The Government is also leading the way in modernising the education sector by harnessing the power of AI to free up teachers’ time and unlock more pupil interactions.
Using AI can reduce time spent on admin by several hours a week which is critical to retaining good teachers and bringing more people into the profession – so that teaching can once again be a profession that sparks joy, not burnout.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Thousands of young people set to benefit from new support into work and training
Thousands of young people across England will receive targeted support into work, under a new £45 million scheme launched by the Work and Pensions Secretary.
Landmark programme to support thousands of 18 to 21 year olds into education, work and training officially launches in Liverpool.
Marks major win in the Government’s Youth Guarantee to ensure all young people have the chance to upskill, earn or learn.
Comes as part of the Government’s Plan for Change to drive growth and break down barriers to opportunity by helping people into work.
Thousands of young people across England will receive targeted support into work, under a new £45 million scheme launched by the Work and Pensions Secretary.
The Youth Guarantee trailblazers will match young people to job or training opportunities and will provide all-important foundations for the national roll-out of the programme, ensuring all 18 to 21 year olds in England can access help to find work – breaking down barriers to opportunity as part of the Plan for Change.
The trailblazers will play a key role in helping the government understand which local structures are most effective and in identifying the organisations best placed to deliver targeted support.
They will also develop innovative ways to identify, engage and sustain contact with young people most at risk of falling out of education, employment or training.
It comes as new ONS figures published today (Friday 23 May 2025) will reveal the number of young people not in education, employment or training, with the current figure standing at 987,000.
Liverpool City Region is one of eight areas across England set to receive a £5 million investment into work with 18 to 21 year olds most at risk of falling out of education or employment.
In its first year, the City Region aims to support tens of thousands of young people. Within this, the trailblazer will focus on vulnerable young people often facing the most complex barriers, including care leavers, nearly 40% of whom are not in employment, education or training.
They will receive a range of support including work and training opportunities, free travel passes, mental health support and money advice.
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said:
Young people are our future – and yet for too long they have been denied access to the opportunities and support they need.
At Liverpool FC, the home of champions, we are championing young people to get the skills, education and jobs they require to achieve their ambitions.
We are investing £45 million – including almost £5m here in Liverpool – to deliver our Youth Guarantee, so every young person across England gets the chance to earn or learn, as we boost living standards and get Britain working under the Plan for Change.
Further to this, Liverpool will work with over 600 employers to develop tailored roles and placements, and through the region’s BeMore portal which brings career and skills advice straight into your pocket. A panel made up of young people to ensure they are at the heart of decision making will also be set up.
The city has already had success in tailoring support to meet the needs of young people, including:
Ethan who has cerebral palsy and had just finished university with no work experience. With the help of Liverpool, including support with housing, mental health and navigating familial challenges, Ethan gained part-time experience as a youth support worker and has since been offered a job with the Civil Service.
Luke who felt he was in a black hole searching for jobs but not being successful. He has since received an apprenticeship levy from Liverpool which meant he was able to do his Level 4 Marketing apprenticeship and now works in Product & Operations Market at Liverpool Football Club.
Ellie who decided to explore new career paths following mental health challenges. Through engaging with Liverpool, she was provided with a laptop in order to join the Movement to Work programme and has since been offered a job at the DWP.
Mayor of the Liverpool City Region Steve Rotheram said:
When I travel across our region, I feel fortunate to meet some of the best and brightest young people in the country. But for too long, too many of them have been held back from getting on in life, not because of a lack of talent, but by a lack of opportunity – and I have made it my mission to put that right.
It’s because of the investments we’ve made, through initiatives like my Young Person’s Guarantee and BeMore, that we’ve been able to connect tens of thousands of people in our area with jobs and training opportunities. Now, backed by the government’s Plan for Change, we can go even further, giving even more young people the best possible start in life.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:
Through our Plan for Change we are breaking down barriers to opportunity so every young person can get on in life, regardless of their background.
The Youth Guarantee is a genuine game changer for young people in England. I’m delighted Liverpool is leading the way as one of our trailblazers – ensuring every young person has support to develop essential skills for work and life at the critical early stage of their careers.
Every young person deserves the best life chances — and we won’t stop until everyone has a level playing field to succeed.
Liz Kendall and Mayor Steve Rotheram unveiled the landmark programme at a careers fair in partnership with key Youth Guarantee partner, the Premier League.
Hosted at the iconic Anfield Stadium, three days before the champions lift the Premier League Trophy, around one thousand 18 to 21 year olds attended with opportunities on offer from around 40 employers – including Liverpool FC Foundation, Everton in the Community, John Lewis, and Google.
Clare Sumner, Chief Policy and Social Impact Officer at the Premier League, said:
The Premier League and our clubs continue to support young people across the country with a range of positive opportunities that help them build self-confidence and fulfil their potential.
The jobs fair at Anfield is the latest initiative supporting those who need it most in clubs’ local communities, and we will continue to work with Government to deliver similar events as part of the Youth Guarantee.
The programme comes alongside an unprecedented £1 billion investment to support disabled people and those with long-term health conditions back into work, as well as major reforms to Jobcentres to better align their services with the needs of employers.
Two youth trailblazers have already launched in London with more beginning to start work in the West of England, Tees Valley, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, West Midlands, and East Midlands
As well as this, nine inactivity trailblazers backed by £125 million have been rolled out across England and Wales. These programmes will help areas with the highest levels of economic inactivity by connecting work, health and skills offers.
Richard Rigby, Head of UK Government Affairs at The King’s Trust said:
With almost one million young people across the UK waking up today with no job, no training, and no education to go to, the prominence being given to developing a Youth Guarantee is not only very welcome, but absolutely vital.
Young people’s futures are worth fighting for. By getting behind them, we can all help to make the UK a healthier, wealthier, more positive, more cohesive place. The King’s Trust looks forward to working with local areas, including Liverpool City Region, to understand how we can help to deliver the Guarantee.
Laura-Jane Rawlings MBE, Founder and CEO of Youth Employment UK, said:
It is great to see the Youth Guarantee launch in Liverpool. The focus on providing young people with the tools that they need to transition into education, employment or training is critical.
Young people, particularly those who are care experienced or care leavers face multiple barriers to accessing employment so I am pleased to see those barriers be recognised and tailored support put in place.
Young people when in good quality employment not only add huge value to an employer but they are also much more like to feel fulfilled and happier.
Susannah Hardyman MBE, CEO of Impetus, said:
The Youth Guarantee Trailblazers are a vital step toward ensuring every young person – regardless of background – has the opportunity to thrive in employment. Targeted interventions are critical to reaching the young people furthest from the labour market.
Our research shows that factors like socioeconomic disadvantage, lower educational qualifications, and geographic location can combine to make a young person nearly three times more likely to be not in education, employment, or training than average – but this is not inevitable.
By connecting these young people with the right support and resources, we can spur economic growth, deliver on the Government’s opportunity mission, and transform lives.
Sarah Yong, Director of Policy and External Affairs at the Youth Futures Foundation said:
The launch of the eight trailblazers represents a positive first step in Government’s plans for its Youth Guarantee; we will await the learnings from these place-based approaches from this pilot year with interest.
The voices and experiences of young people alongside high-quality evidence of what works will be crucial for the Government in further developing the Guarantee for national rollout.
This comes as the government has, for the first time, linked immigration policy to our plan to deliver a higher skilled economy that backs British workers.
Alongside boosting the National Living Wage, we are also creating more secure jobs through the Employment Rights Bill and overhauling Jobcentres as we Get Britain Working as part of the Plan for Change.
Additional information:
The latest ONS young people not in education, employment or training statistics will be published on Friday 23 May at 9.30 here: Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET), UK: May 2025 – Office for National Statistics
The eight youth trailblazers will be in: Liverpool, West Midlands, Tees Valley, East Midlands, West of England, and Cambridgeshire & Peterborough and two in London
Employment support measures are fully transferred to Northern Ireland. Jobcentre Plus services is reserved in both Scotland and Wales, but the Scottish Government and the Welsh Government also deliver other forms of employment support. The funding announced in the Pathways to Work Green Paper is UK wide, the share of funding for devolved Governments will be calculated in the usual way.
The Youth Guarantee is an England only initiative, and trailblazer locations will reflect this since Skills, Education and Employment support are devolved in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
We will work closely with the devolved governments to share experiences and lessons learned.
Additionally, Wales have developed their own Young Persons Guarantee and Scotland also had one until recently (now a comprehensive offer for all age-groups)
The UK Government also plans to establish new governance arrangements with the Scottish and Welsh Governments to help frame discussions around the reform of Jobcentres and agree how best to work in partnership on shared employment ambition across devolved and reserved provision.
Movement to Work is a voluntary collaboration of leading employers in the UK, including the Department for Work and Pensions to help support young people into employment by providing vocational employment and work placement opportunities.
eBay’s first union, TCGunion-CWA Local 1123, condemns the company for illegal action to avoid union contract bargaining; CWA files unfair labor practice charge in response to abrupt closure
Syracuse, N.Y. – This morning, eBay subsidiary TCGplayer abruptly announced plans to shut down its authentication center in Syracuse, N.Y., eliminating the jobs of hundreds of union workers who have been bargaining their first contract with the company. In response, the Communications Workers of America (CWA) has filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) alleging that the company has terminated its union employees to evade its bargaining obligations and to keep the company union-free.
“We are outraged. Since we launched our union, eBay has waged a relentless campaign to silence us and stop our efforts to make TCGplayer better for everyone, including card enthusiasts and sellers,” said Eric Tillotson, a member of TCGunion-CWA Local 1123. “Like other tech giants and oligarchs, eBay and TCGplayer think that they can disregard workers’ rights under the current administration by deploying illegal tactics to silence us and put an end to contract negotiations. They should realize by now that we will never stop fighting.”
TCGplayer CEO Rob Bigler called a meeting to announce the news at 8:30 a.m. ET this morning, and workers were then ordered by security to vacate the building until Saturday. Bigler did not take any questions.
The news comes just days after eBay and TCGplayer cancelled this week’s meeting with members of the bargaining committee to finalize a fair, first contract. The collective bargaining agreement would cover authentication center workers who are responsible for ensuring that every shipment in and out of TCGplayer matches quality standards. The workers, who are the first group from eBay to form a union, have been fighting for a contract for over 600 days.
“Many of us decided to organize because we wanted to do something about the unlivable wages and economic hardship we’ve experienced while working at TCGplayer. Now, in just a few months, we will be without jobs and will have to scramble to find employment,” said
Matthew Schlicht, a member of TCGunion-CWA Local 1123. “I love working at TCGplayer. Instead of respecting our union efforts, TCGplayer is upending our livelihoods.”
Last year, TCGunion-CWA Local 1123 released a “Tapped Out at TCGplayer” report, providing shocking evidence that eBay workers are struggling to make ends meet financially. The majority of authentication center workers earn less than a living wage in Syracuse, and a majority of survey respondents have to rely on friends, family, and the government to make ends meet. TCGplayer is one of the largest online marketplaces for verification services, card games, and collectible trading cards.
“This decision is blatant retaliation against the union organizing and a slap in the face to those who built TCGplayer from the ground up,” said Douglas Johnson, former TCGplayer seller and owner ofCardgarden. “It’s clear that they value profits over people. Sellers should think hard about whether or not they should continue using TCGplayer’s services.”
According to eBay’s most recent proxy statement, eBay CEO Jamie Iannone’s total compensation was $21 million in 2024, which is 536 times the median annual wage for a TCGunion-CWA member in Syracuse earning $18.25 an hour. Iannone’s compensation has also increased 48% since 2022, the year that TCGplayer workers formed their union. The growing disparity between the backbone of the workplace and the oligarchs who take advantage of their labor was further emphasized in a recent Economic Policy Institute report showing that Americans’ sentiment toward unions continues to become more positive, while sympathy for large corporations is at a record low.
“For a company that makes billions of dollars off the backs of hard-working employees, it is a shame that eBay has decided to close the sole authentication center in Syracuse. This extreme action is the result of the company’s single-minded obsession with preventing workers from having a voice on the job,” said CWA Local 1123 President James A. Leone Jr. “I am proud of the Local 1123 members at TCGplayer who are continuing to fight for a seat at the table. They deserve a voice at work and in their future.”
“eBay and TCGplayer have spent years resisting our members’ good faith efforts to reach an agreement on a fair contract. Rather than engaging in a transparent process to find solutions that meet the needs of their employees and customers, eBay’s leaders gathered behind closed doors and decided to fire their entire workforce in Syracuse. It’s abominable,” said CWA District 1 Vice President Dennis Trainor.
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About CODE-CWA
The Campaign to Organize Digital Employees (CODE-CWA) is a network of worker-organizers and their staff working every single day to build the voice and power necessary to ensure the future of the tech, game, and digital industries in the United States and Canada. CODE-CWA is a project of the Communications Workers of America, which represents hundreds of thousands of workers throughout tech, media, telecom, and other industries who stand together to fight for justice on the job and in our communities.
About CWA: The Communications Workers of America represents working people in telecommunications, customer service, media, airlines, health care, public service and education, manufacturing, tech, and other fields.
Headline: Governor Stein Announces Industrial Manufacturer Will Create More Than 325 Jobs in Charlotte
Governor Stein Announces Industrial Manufacturer Will Create More Than 325 Jobs in Charlotte lsaito
Raleigh, NC
Today Governor Josh Stein announced that AVL Manufacturing (AVL USA, Inc.) will establish a new production facility in Charlotte to build enclosures for industrial power generators, creating more than 325 jobs. The company will invest $56 million in Mecklenburg County.
“North Carolina’s reputation for advanced manufacturing continues to attract great companies like AVL Manufacturing to our state,” said Governor Josh Stein. “With the largest manufacturing workforce in the southeast and excellent community colleges, North Carolina is home to the resources that world-class companies depend on.”
AVL USA, Inc. is a new company established by AVL Manufacturing, a Canadian company with headquarters in Hamilton, Ontario. AVL specializes in the manufacture of custom industrial enclosures for large format standby power generators. The company’s products find use in a wide variety of applications, such as supplying backup power to large and hyper-scale data centers. The company’s project in Charlotte will establish a manufacturing operation in the United States to produce and assemble generator enclosures for power redundancy. The large metal casings include electric inputs, switchgear, and enclosures required for data center servers and equipment. In addition to data center power generation, AVL’s products find use in several other industries, such as the automotive, automation, construction, and emergency management sectors.
“After considering many markets, we are thrilled that AVL’s entrance into the U.S. market is in Charlotte, a vibrant, tech-forward city perfect for us to lay down roots,” said Vince Dicristofaro, president, AVL. “We didn’t just choose a location; we chose a community. Charlotte’s spirit of collaboration and its talented workforce made it the clear choice for our American-based home. We are excited to tap into this talent pool as we establish our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility and create meaningful careers for the residents of this city and deliver unparalleled products to our customers.”
“Investments from international companies are an important part of the state’s economy,” said Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. “It’s great to see the confidence AVL and its parent company have placed in North Carolina by establishing their first U.S.-based location in Charlotte. Our team will work hard to help them succeed in our state.”
A performance-based grant of $100,000 from the One North Carolina Fund to AVL USA, Inc. will help facilitate the company’s project into Mecklenburg County, based on the creation of 122 jobs tied to the grant. The OneNC Fund provides financial assistance to local governments to help attract economic investment and to create jobs. Companies receive no money upfront and must meet job creation and capital investment targets to qualify for payment. All OneNC grants require a matching grant from local governments, and any award is contingent upon that condition being met.
Although wages for the 122 grant-tied jobs will vary depending on the position, the average salary for those new jobs will be $90,088. The current average wage in Mecklenburg County is $86,830.
“We welcome AVL to Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, where they will join a growing list of businesses moving to the area that have found the key ingredients to reach the next level of growth and success for their companies,” said Representative Terry Brown, Jr. “These new jobs and the company’s capital investment will also bring greater economic success to our community. AVL’s decision only highlights the fact that Steele Creek is becoming the economic engine for our region.”
“Economic development takes a collaborative effort from state, regional, and local partners,” said Senator DeAndrea Salvador. “I applaud the behind-the-scenes work from the many groups that supported AVL during its search for a U.S. location. Companies recognize and reward North Carolina’s collaborative approach, as today’s news demonstrates.”
Partnering with the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina on this project were the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Community College System, the Commerce Department’s Division of Workforce Solutions, Mecklenburg County, and the City of Charlotte.
Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development
The National Anti-Scam Centre’s Job Scam Fusion Cell removed more than 29,000 scam social media accounts and 1850 fake job advertisements in a crackdown on employment scams targeting vulnerable Australians looking to ease cost of living pressures.
The fusion cell, which ran from September 2024 to March 2025, has published its report highlighting the combined efforts of government, law enforcement, academics, and the private sector in a coordinated effort to tackle the sharp rise in job and employment scams.
From 2022 to 2023, financial losses due to job scams increased by 151 per cent. In 2024, Scamwatch received more than 3000 reports of job scams, with reported losses totalling $13.7 million. Average losses to these scams were 5.1 per cent higher than the average for all other scam types.
“Job scams have been one of the fastest growing scam types, as scammers are increasingly preying on people seeking relief from cost-of-living pressures,” ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe said.
“These scams disproportionately impact people on low incomes, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, international students, non-resident visa holders, people with caring responsibilities, and others with limited employment options.”
“Job scams result in significant financial losses and put people at risk of identity theft through loss of personal information. That’s why we’ve worked collaboratively to disrupt these scams through intelligence-sharing, awareness campaigns, and targeted interventions,” Ms Lowe said.
Key initiatives undertaken and implemented by the Job Scam Fusion Cell include:
Working with Meta to remove 29,000 accounts sharing job scam content
Referring 836 scammer cryptocurrency wallets to digital currency exchanges for analysis and investigation, leading to blocking and blacklisting of wallets
Referring 1850 scam enablers such as websites and scam job advertisements for removal
Disrupting scammers’ impersonation of Australian Government entities, such as the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Department of Home Affairs, and APSJobs
Holding awareness and prevention forums with organisations across the tertiary education sector to enable them to deliver scams awareness messaging
Coordinating a social media campaign, tailored for at-risk groups
Creating guides for businesses, including about how to protect themselves and the community from impersonation of their business and regarding identification and disruption of Job Scam Payments
Establishing data sharing arrangements with cryptocurrency platforms
The fusion cell identified key risks with the impersonation of healthcare providers in scam job advertisements being used to harvest personal information and extract money from job seekers.
The National Anti-Scam Centre provided tailored advice to more than 40 organisations in the sector, including major state and territory hospitals, and small healthcare services, to help better protect job seekers. These efforts contributed to a near elimination of Scamwatch reports involving impersonation of healthcare organisations by March 2025.
In addition to these specific initiatives, the fusion cell provides a great sandbox environment – participants can move beyond saying to doing, to try different techniques and see what works. A number of Job Scam Fusion Cell initiatives are now being examined for their application to other scam types. Others have become part of business-as-usual activity past the life of the fusion cell.
“The work of the job scam fusion cell has been strategically targeted, drawing on data from victims’ experiences, Scamwatch and ReportCyber reports, stakeholder insights, and intelligence from participants. This approach has helped prevent and disrupt scams and has achieved significant and encouraging results,” Ms Lowe said.
The National Anti-Scam Centre continues to work with partners across sectors to analyse emerging threats, raise awareness, and implement targeted interventions that disrupt scams before they reach consumers.
Job and employment scams
Scammers advertise job opportunities so they can steal money and personal information. Stop and check any job ad that requires payment of money to make money. It could be a scam.
Scammers offer jobs that claim to pay well with low effort. But it’s only the scammer that will make money in the end. Often the job doesn’t exist at all.
Scammers pretend to be hiring on behalf of high-profile companies and online shopping platforms. They also impersonate well-known recruitment agencies.
Scammers may make contact unexpectedly through text message or encrypted message platforms like WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram.
Scammers often ask for payment claiming it is required so you can start the role and get the income they’ve promised. Don’t enter any arrangement that asks for up-front payment via bank transfer, PayID or cryptocurrency, like Bitcoin or USDT. It’s rare to get money back that is sent this way.
Don’t trust a job ad is real just because it appears on a trusted platform or website – scammers post fake ads too. If you come across a scammer, report it to the platform or agency and to scamwatch.gov.au.
Never send passport, identity documents, or bank account details to an employer or recruitment firm unless certain they are genuine.
How to spot and avoid scams
STOP – Don’t give money or personal information to anyone if you’re unsure. Scammers will create a sense of urgency. Don’t rush to act. Say ‘no’, hang up, delete.
CHECK – Ask yourself could the call or text be fake? Scammers pretend to be from organisations you know and trust. Contact the organisation using information you source independently, so that you can verify if the call is real or not.
PROTECT – Act quickly if something feels wrong. Contact your bank immediately if you lose money. If you have provided personal information call IDCARE on 1800 595 160. The more we talk the less power they have. Report scams to the National Anti-Scam Centre’s Scamwatch service at scamwatch.gov.au when you see them. If you’re contacted on a messaging platform like WhatsApp or iMessage, please also report the scam in the app.
Background
Fusion cells are time-limited taskforces designed to bring together expertise from government and the private sector to take timely action to address specific, urgent scam issues. The National Anti-Scam Centre is coordinating a series of fusion cells with different participants to address significant scam issues.
The second fusion cell was announced in July 2024, following the first fusion cell on combatting investment scams.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
MINSK, May 22 — The China-Belarus all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership has seen high-level development and fruitful cooperation in various fields, said Chinese Vice Premier Liu Guozhong.
Liu, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks while visiting Belarus from Wednesday to Thursday.
During the visit, Liu met Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, held talks with First Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Nikolai Snopkov, and co-chaired the sixth meeting of the Chinese-Belarusian Intergovernmental Committee on Cooperation.
Conveying Chinese President Xi Jinping’s warm greetings to Lukashenko, Liu said that under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, the all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Belarus has maintained high-level development and yielded abundant fruits of cooperation in various fields.
China stands ready to work with Belarus to implement the important consensus reached by the heads of state, firmly support each other on issues concerning core interests, promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and deliver greater benefits to the peoples of both countries, Liu said.
Lukashenko asked Liu to extend his sincere greetings to Xi and praised the Belarus-China relationship as a model of mutually beneficial cooperation.
Belarus firmly upholds the one-China principle, opposes the political maneuvering of the COVID-19 origin tracing, looks to work with China to implement major Belt and Road projects, develop new quality productive forces, and support each other’s development and revitalization, Lukashenko said.
The two sides reaffirmed their commitments to firmly safeguarding the outcomes of World War II and international fairness and justice, opposing hegemonic bullying and unilateral sanctions, jointly implementing the three global initiatives, and promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
China and Belarus held the sixth meeting of the Chinese-Belarusian Intergovernmental Committee on Cooperation on Wednesday to exchange views and make arrangements for cooperation in key areas such as economy and trade, science and technology, security, education, culture, customs inspection and quarantine, and industry.
The two sides signed a memorandum of the meeting and cooperation documents on the digital economy and science and technology, and agreed to establish a subcommittee on industrial cooperation.
Liu also inspected bilateral cooperation projects, including the China-Belarus Industrial Park.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Chinese State Councilor Shen Yiqin attends the opening ceremony of the fourth China-CEEC Expo & International Consumer Goods Fair and delivers a speech in Ningbo, east China’s Zhejiang Province, May 22, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
NINGBO, May 22 — Chinese State Councilor Shen Yiqin on Thursday said China will continue to enhance mutually beneficial cooperation with Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs), hailing China-CEEC cooperation as a model of trans-regional multilateral cooperation.
China will continue to increase its imports from CEECs, expand bilateral trade, and strive to achieve more cooperation outcomes in such fields as the high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road, Shen said when addressing the opening ceremony of the fourth China-CEEC Expo & International Consumer Goods Fair in Ningbo, east China’s Zhejiang Province.
Mutually beneficial cooperation between China and CEECs has become a model of trans-regional multilateral cooperation, as bilateral trade, investment and interconnectivity are ever-growing, according to Shen.
Shen said that China — dedicated to building an open global economy — is willing to work with all countries around the world, including CEECs, to uphold the multilateral trading system, maintain the stability of global industrial and supply chains, and safeguard the international environment to enable open cooperation.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Hong Kong Night held in Niigata to promote closer regional Asian economic and trade ties The Chairman of the Airport Authority Hong Kong, Mr Fred Lam, was invited as the keynote speaker to share with the guests how Hong Kong International Airport connects Hong Kong and the world, enhancing Hong Kong’s competitiveness by leveraging various strengths of Hong Kong as a resilient business and innovation hub.
In his keynote speech, Mr Lam recapped that Hong Kong has evolved from a manufacturing centre to a premium business and trading hub over the years with key advantages such as its free port status and low and simple tax system. He highlighted the city’s internationally recognised position as the world’s freest economy and related rankings.
“Hong Kong is a leading business and trading hub. At Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), we aim to support the city in meeting the next wave of competition by providing more value to businesses around the world and attracting more companies to invest and operate in Hong Kong. Our airport therefore must offer the highest standard of convenience and efficiency, through further extending air connectivity and leveraging technology. Our Airport City development strategy sets its sights on transforming the airport into a destination in its own right, attracting more passengers to visit or transfer at Hong Kong,” he said.
Mr Lam also updated the guests on the areas where HKIA can contribute to enhancing Hong Kong’s trading hub status, including capturing the tremendous opportunities of e-commerce, streamlining the logistics operations within the region with intermodal connections, and handling new asset classes such as art storage and gold storage.
The Principal Hong Kong Economic and Trade Representative (Tokyo), Miss Winsome Au, said that the Federation of Hong Kong Business Associations Worldwide is network of partners who bear testimony of how different regions of the world have been connected through doing business with Hong Kong over the years. To further enhance these connections and contribute even more significantly to regional prosperity, Hong Kong is actively seeking early accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and has sought valuable support for this from various member associations of the Federation of Hong Kong Business Associations Worldwide.
The Federation of Hong Kong Business Associations Worldwide is a network of 49 Hong Kong Business Associations in 38 countries and regions. The member associations have strong business links to Hong Kong in their respective countries.
The Asia Forum is a regional platform for the members of Hong Kong Business Associations to network, share experiences, and build contacts as well as business interests. Issued at HKT 7:23
I am pleased to send my warm greetings to the 2025 Pacific Regional Seminar of the Special Committee on Decolonization.
My thanks to the Government and people of Timor-Leste for hosting this meeting.
Your country’s journey to independence is a beacon of hope for all.
Through the years, the United Nations has been proud to accompany many Territories on their journey to decolonization – and we pledge to continue that vital work.
Your focus this year is on “Pathways to a Sustainable Future” – recognizing that circumstances and needs vary from Territory to Territory – and that you also face common challenges.
Non-Self-Governing Territories are on the frontlines of the climate crisis – facing rising seas and extreme weather. The world must step up to ensure you have the climate finance and adaptation support you need.
Economic vulnerability also remains a significant challenge – including reliance on a single sector such as tourism or a heavy dependence on imports. We must keep supporting efforts for economic diversification.
Digital connectivity, education, and access to innovation must also be expanded to empower communities and unlock opportunities – with a special focus on women, young people and Indigenous peoples.
On all these fronts and more, it is crucial to continue to leave no person or Territory behind.
Let’s commit to accelerate decolonization and end colonialism in all its forms.
iodiversity is the bedrock of life and a cornerstone of sustainable development.
Yet humanity is destroying biodiversity at lightening pace – the result of pollution, climate crisis, ecosystem destruction, and – ultimately – short-term interests fuelling the unsustainable use of our natural world.
Biodiversity loss is a global challenge. No one country, however rich or powerful, can address it alone. Nor can they live without the rich biodiversity that defines our planet.
As we pursue sustainable development, we must transform how we produce and consume, and how we value nature, and deliver on the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework – the world’s blueprint to halt and reverse biodiversity loss. We need policies, regulations, and other incentives to support sustainable livelihoods and build strong, green economies.
That means governments building on progress made at CBD COP16, including by delivering domestic and international finance, and shifting public subsidies and other financial flows away from activities that harm nature. And it means countries delivering National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans that put the Framework into effect, address inequality, advance sustainable development, respect traditional knowledge, and empower women, girls, Indigenous People and more.
As the theme of this year’s International Day reminds us, living in “harmony with nature and sustainable development” is humanity’s path to a better world for us all. Together, let’s take it.
***
La diversité biologique est au fondement de la vie et l’une des pierres angulaires du développement durable.
Pourtant, l’humanité est en train de l’anéantir à une vitesse fulgurante du fait à la fois de la pollution, de la crise climatique, de la destruction des écosystèmes et, in fine, de la poursuite de l’intérêt à court terme qui favorise une exploitation non durable de l’environnement naturel.
La perte de biodiversité est un problème mondial. Aucun pays, aussi riche ou puissant soit-il, ne peut y remédier seul. Aucun ne peut non plus se passer de cette biodiversité dont la richesse caractérise notre planète.
Tandis que nous avançons sur la voie du développement durable, nous devons transformer nos façons de produire, de consommer et de valoriser la nature et appliquer le Cadre mondial de la biodiversité de Kunming-Montréal, à savoir le plan d’action mondial visant à enrayer et à inverser la perte de biodiversité. Nous avons besoin de politiques, de réglementations et d’autres mesures incitatives qui favorisent des modes de subsistance durables et consolident les économies vertes.
À cette fin, les États doivent mettre à profit les avancées obtenues à la seizième session de la Conférence des Parties à la Convention sur la diversité biologique, notamment en procédant à des investissements aux niveaux national et international et en ne subventionnant plus et en ne finançant plus les activités qui nuisent à la nature. Il faut également que les pays élaborent des stratégies et des plans d’action nationaux en faveur de la biodiversité qui viennent appliquer le Cadre, remédier aux inégalités, favoriser le développement durable, respecter les connaissances traditionnelles et donner des moyens d’action aux femmes, aux filles, aux peuples autochtones et à d’autres encore.
Comme nous le rappelle le thème de la Journée internationale de cette année, vivre « en harmonie avec la nature et le développement durable » est la voie qui permettra à l’humanité de créer un monde meilleur pour tous et toutes. Empruntons-la ensemble !
Source: The White House
class=”has-text-align-center”>BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION
More than 200 years ago, the American steamship S.S. Savannah set sail across the Atlantic, becoming the first vessel of its kind to complete the journey. That daring voyage marked the start of American maritime excellence. From that first crossing to the increasingly important shipping lanes of today, America’s strength at sea has always been driven by the United States Merchant Marine and the skilled merchant mariners who support our economy and readiness in times of peace, crisis, and war.
Merchant mariners play a vital role in our national defense, standing ready to support military operations whenever they are needed. As civilian seafarers, they deliver troops, weapons, and supplies through dangerous conditions to sustain our Armed Forces in times of conflict. During World War II, more than 243,000 merchant mariners risked their lives to aid the war effort and help secure victory and freedom. Their service came at a price as these merchant mariners suffered a higher casualty rate than all branches of the United States military during the war. Their courage and heroism reflect a deep commitment to the Nation that we hold in the highest honor and shall never forget.
Beyond their role in national defense, merchant mariners help drive American economic strength. They operate the vessels that transport goods, energy, and raw materials to and from our shores, supporting global trade and connecting United States producers with international markets. Their work supports key industries across the American economy, including shipping, shipbuilding, logistics, and energy.
The United States is a proud maritime nation, and as President, I am bringing a renewed focus to reestablishing our dominance at sea. Last month, I signed an Executive Order on Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance to spur investment in American shipbuilding, eliminate outdated regulations, and expand merchant mariner training and education. These reforms are critical to securing supply chains, protecting key trade routes, and countering growing threats from foreign adversaries.
Today, we celebrate the men and women of the United States Merchant Marine and all those who support our maritime industry. Their dedication upholds our national defense, fuels our economy, and continues a proud tradition that has shaped our Nation since its earliest days.
The Congress, by a joint resolution approved May 20, 1933, has designated May 22 of each year as “National Maritime Day,” to commemorate the first transoceanic voyage by a steamship, in 1819 by the S.S. Savannah. By this resolution, the Congress has authorized and requested the President to issue annually a proclamation calling for its appropriate observance.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim May 22, 2025, as National Maritime Day. I call upon the people of the United States to mark this observance and to display the flag of the United States at their homes and in their communities. I also request that all ships sailing under the American flag dress ship on that day.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand thistwenty-second day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth. DONALD J. TRUMP
Source: The White House
President Donald J. Trump’s One, Big, Beautiful Bill — a once-in-a-generation opportunity to cement an America First agenda of prosperity, opportunity, and security into law — is one step closer to the finish line following its passage by the House of Representatives.
Here’s what they’re saying about the One, Big, Beautiful Bill:
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall: “Farm Bureau applauds the House passage of H.R.1, which modernizes farm bill programs and extends and improves critical tax provisions that benefit America’s small farmers and ranchers. Updated reference prices will provide more certainty for farmers struggling through tough economic times. Making business tax deductions permanent and continuing current estate tax exemptions will ensure thousands of families will be able to pass their farms to the next generation. We urge the Senate to work together and swiftly pass legislation to deliver much-needed relief to America’s farm and ranch families.”
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President Neil Bradley: “The House sent a clear message today—American workers and businesses want and need permanent tax relief. A competitive, pro-growth tax code doesn’t just grow the overall U.S. economy, it raises wages for workers and improves the lives of Americans. The legislation passed out of the House this morning contains critical measures that support main street businesses, enhance America’s global competitiveness, and bolster sustained economic growth. The Chamber commends Speaker Johnson for his leadership and commitment to ensuring the permanence of President Trump’s pro-growth tax reforms, and applauds the lawmakers involved in driving this effort forward. We encourage the Senate to continue to move the legislative process forward to deliver lasting benefits for American workers and businesses.”
Airlines for America: “A4A commends the House for passing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act which includes a critical investment of $12.5 billion for modernizing the Federal Aviation Administration’s air traffic facilities, systems and infrastructure. ATC staffing shortages and antiquated equipment, such as copper wires, floppy disks and paper strips, have been a serious concern for years—we are past time to make meaningful change and ensure that the United States has a world-class aviation system. This funding is a vital down payment on updating the system that guides 27,000 flights, 2.7 million passengers and 61,000 tons of cargo every day. The legislation also makes smart, strategic investments in Customs and Border Protection personnel and training for the aviation workforce of tomorrow while supporting American energy dominance in aviation fuel production. We encourage the Senate to move swiftly to pass this bill and send it to the President.”
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association President Buck Wehrbein: “Cattle farmers and ranchers need Congress to invest in cattle health, strengthen our resources against foreign animal disease, support producers recovering from disasters or depredation, and pass tax relief that protects family farms and ranches for future generations. Thankfully, this reconciliation bill includes all these key priorities. NCBA was proud to help pass this bill in the House and we will continue pushing for these key policies until the bill is signed into law.”
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi: “Big news from DC—the House just passed President Trump’s tax bill, bringing No Tax On Tips one step closer to the finish line. While it still needs to clear the Senate, this is a big win for hardworking @Uber drivers and couriers across the country 👏”
Job Creators Network CEO Alfredo Ortiz: “Congratulations to President Trump and Speaker Johnson for passing their reconciliation bill in the House. This bill offers historic tax cuts for small businesses and ordinary Americans. By making the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent and expanding key provisions, such as the small business tax deduction, which Job Creators Network was the loudest voice for, this bill offers significant tax relief for decades to come. It will allow small businesses, the backbone of the American economy, to expand, hire, raise wages, and reinvest in their communities, ushering in a new economic Golden Age. On behalf of all small businesses, JCN thanks President Trump and Speaker Johnson for their leadership in passing this bill, which the media said couldn’t be done on this aggressive timeline. Now it’s time for the Senate to follow suit and pass similar legislation, which includes the House’s key small business tax cuts, as soon as possible.”
Click here to see how the One, Big, Beautiful Bill helps small businessesNational Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons: “Today’s House passage of this historic legislation marks a major victory for manufacturers across America. This pro-growth legislation preserves crucial tax policies that will enable manufacturers to create jobs, invest in their communities, grow here at home and compete globally. In short, this is a manufacturers’ bill … This is a pivotal moment. It’s time to double down on policies that encourage manufacturers to invest and create jobs in America and keep our industry strong and our nation competitive on the world stage—because when manufacturing wins, America wins.”
Business Roundtable President and COO Kristen Silverberg: “Under Speaker Johnson’s leadership, the House has achieved a major milestone toward extending and strengthening President Trump’s historic tax reform. Business Roundtable commends the House on taking a giant step forward to protect and boost the economic benefits that tax reform delivered for American businesses, workers and families. By maintaining a competitive corporate tax rate and enhancing essential domestic and international tax provisions, the House budget reconciliation bill will help fuel U.S. investment, innovation and economic growth. As the Senate prepares to act, we stand ready to continue working with Congress and the Administration to pass the most competitive, pro-growth tax package possible.”
American Petroleum Institute President and CEO Mike Sommers: “We applaud the House of Representatives for passing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to help restore American energy dominance. By preserving competitive tax policies, beginning to reverse the ‘methane fee,’ opening lease sales and advancing important progress on permitting, this historic legislation is a win for our nation’s energy future. We look forward to working with the Senate to strengthen pro-investment provisions and keep America at the forefront of energy innovation.”
National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors CEO Eric Hoplin: “We applaud the House of Representatives for passing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and extend our sincere thanks to Speaker Mike Johnson, Chairman Jason Smith, the Ways and Means Committee, and House leadership for championing this pro-business, pro-worker legislation. This is a win for the people who roll up their sleeves every day to power our economy, entrepreneurs who build businesses from the ground up, and the workers who keep them running. We urge the Senate to act swiftly and send this bill to the President’s desk so America’s job creators and workers can keep driving our economy forward. The bill makes the 199A deduction permanent and expands it to 23%, helping millions of small businesses, including most wholesaler-distributors. It raises the death tax exemption, protecting family-owned businesses, and restores vital incentives that encourage investment, innovation, and long-term economic growth.”
Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council President and CEO Karen Kerrigan: “H.R. 1 delivers a big, beautiful boost to U.S. entrepreneurship and small businesses. SBE Council applauds U.S. House passage of this critically important legislation. In addition to permanent tax relief and incentives that will help entrepreneurs and small business owners grow their firms, level up their businesses, and support their employees, various measures in the legislation correctly right-fit various federal programs and functions that have gone awry and consequently have undermined fiscal accountability and the private sector. Time is of the essence in getting the One Big Beautiful Bill to President Trump’s desk, and we urge the U.S. Senate to move post haste on the work that must be done to deliver the big benefits of the package to small business owners, all taxpayers, and the U.S. economy.”
National Business Aviation Association President and CEO Ed Bolen: “We commend the House for recognizing the importance of improving ATC infrastructure and strengthening the controller workforce to enhance safety and efficiency in the National Airspace System. Business aviation’s ability to serve citizens, companies and communities is only possible because the U.S. leads the world in aviation … As the House reconciliation bill moves to the Senate for consideration, we look forward to working with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to advance these forward-looking provisions that bolster an essential industry, support countless workers and promote American competitiveness.”
America’s Credit Unions President and CEO Jim Nussle: “Thank you to the U.S. House of Representatives for securing credit unions’ not-for-profit tax status as part of H.R. 1 and recognizing the industry’s importance to strong Main Streets across the country. More than 142 million Americans trust and rely on credit unions to achieve their American Dream, and this bill allows them to continue on their path of financial freedom. We will continue to advocate for policies that create more opportunities for credit unions to bolster our nation’s economic prosperity. We call on the U.S. Senate to continue to protect the credit union tax status as they consider this legislation.”
National Taxpayers Union Executive Vice President Brandon Arnold: “The bill passed by the House contains growth-focused tax relief and some important first steps toward long-needed spending restraint. The Senate now has a strong package that it can build upon and further improve.”
National Association of REALTORS Executive Vice President Shannon McGahn: “We appreciate House leaders for taking this important step with this tax reform bill, which supports hardworking families and strengthens the real estate economy. With lower tax rates, SALT relief, and new incentives for small businesses and community development, this proposal brings real benefits to everyday Americans.”
National Electrical Contractors Association CEO David Long: “These provisions recognize the real-world needs of the electrical construction industry. Whether it’s power generation, grid modernization, cutting-edge data center projects, or clean energy installations, electrical contractors are at the forefront of America’s infrastructure evolution. This legislation gives our contractors the certainty they need to plan, invest, and grow.”
American Hotel & Lodging Association President and CEO Rosanna Maietta: “This is a win for Main Street businesses. We commend lawmakers for including critical tax provisions in the budget reconciliation bill that will prevent a tax increase on American workers and the small businesses that are the backbone of America’s hotel and lodging industry. This is a critical step to stave off the expiration of important tax provisions that will provide our members, the majority of whom are small business owners, the level of certainty they need to effectively operate their businesses. We urge the U.S. Senate to swiftly pass this legislation and send it to President Trump’s desk.”
National Pork Producers Council President Duane Stateler: “America’s pork producers are one step closer to more certainty with the House’s reconciliation bill passage, which includes necessary legislation to keep farms afloat during uncertain times.”
Associated Equipment Distributors President and CEO Brian P. McGuire: “AED commends House Speaker Mike Johnson and his leadership team for securing House passage of the budget reconciliation bill. This legislation delivers pro-growth tax policies, streamlines energy project approvals and strengthens surface transportation infrastructure investments. We look forward to working with the Senate to ensure final passage of this comprehensive package.”
American Federation for Children CEO Tommy Schultz: “We are grateful for the efforts of Speaker Johnson and Congressional leaders in both chambers who have stood up so far to ensure that President Trump’s goal of school choice for every family in every state becomes a reality. American parents deserve nothing less, and we will continue working to get school choice across the finish line as the Senate can deliver on a historic national school choice tax credit. Bringing school choice to every state will be a legacy item for the lawmakers who stand boldly behind parents. We will continue to stand with them to achieve this goal.”
National Federation of Independent Business SVP for Advocacy Adam Temple: “The One Big Beautiful Bill Act includes the most important thing Congress can do to help small businesses and their workers – increasing and making the Small Business Deduction permanent. The bill also provides a tax cut for small business owners through lower individual rates, encourages new capital investments, and helps small business owners provide greater health care benefits to their employees. Members of Congress have a historic opportunity to provide over 33 million small business owners with permanent tax relief and NFIB strongly encourages them to do so.”
Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor: “We’re grateful to our champions on Capitol Hill who have worked hard to preserve and extend rural priorities, like the 45Z clean fuel production tax credit. This budget reconciliation package would give farmers and ethanol producers the freedom and flexibility to deliver for the American people. It ultimately delivers on the President’s agenda—it’s good for rural communities, good for innovation, good for investment, and good for American energy dominance.”
Americans for Prosperity Chief Government Affairs Officer Brent Gardner: “On behalf of our network of grassroots activists and small business owners nationwide, AFP congratulates Speaker Johnson, Majority Leader Scalise, Whip Emmer, and all the committee chairs for shepherding this legislation through the U.S. House of Representatives. Thanks to the efforts of policy champions across the House GOP conference, we are one step closer to giving Americans the pro-growth tax policy they voted for in November. Beyond cementing the foundation for a post-Biden economic recovery, we are poised to embrace an all-of-the-above approach to U.S. energy production, and finally secure our southern border.”
National Foreign Trade Council Vice President for International Tax Policy Anne Gordon: “We would like to once again thank Chairman Smith and the Ways & Means Committee and staff for their tireless work on this bill and Speaker Johnson and the leadership team for their efforts to bring critical U.S. tax legislation one step closer to becoming a reality. We congratulate the House on passing the One, Big, Beautiful Bill and urge the Senate to take up work on it as quickly as possible.”
American Land Title Association CEO Diane Tomb: “We commend the House for passing legislation that recognizes the needs of American small businesses, including the thousands of title and settlement companies ALTA represents. The expanded deduction under Section 199A is a welcome step that supports the long-term health of our small business members and the communities they serve. ALTA is especially pleased to see the preservation of Section 1031 like-kind exchanges, which play a vital role in fueling real estate investment, promoting property improvements and driving local economic growth. Provisions supporting homeownership, including those related to mortgage interest and capital gains exclusions, help provide certainty for buyers, sellers and lenders alike—strengthening the entire housing ecosystem. We urge the Senate to build on this momentum and protect the real estate and housing incentives that help Americans build wealth, promote generational stability and drive our economy forward.”
NRA Institute for Legislative Action Executive Director John Commerford: “This morning, the U.S. House of Representatives passed President Trump’s One, Big, Beautiful Bill, which includes the complete removal of suppressors from the National Firearms Act (NFA). This represents a monumental victory for Second Amendment rights, eliminating burdensome regulations on the purchase of critical hearing protection devices. The NRA thanks the House members who supported this bill and urges its swift passage in the U.S. Senate.”
RATE Coalition Executive Director Dan Combs: “Today’s vote is an historic step toward securing a tax code that rewards investment, supports job growth, and puts American workers first. This legislation builds on the success of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, preserving the policies that have helped drive wages up, unemployment down, and investment back into the U.S. economy. The House has done its part to move this forward. Now it’s time to keep that momentum going and get this across the finish line.”
Independent Women’s Center for Economic Opportunity Director Patrice Onwuka: “BOOM. Tax cuts, welfare reforms, green spending cuts, and border strengthening. Major credit is due to @SpeakerJohnson for getting @potus @realDonaldTrump #OneBigBeautifulBill through the House. He has proven to be a quiet force for conservatives. Now onto the Senate.”
Border Czar Tom Homan: “Thank you to the House and the leadership of President Trump in passing the Big Beautiful Bill. This Bill will add infrastructure and technology to make our gains on the borders permanent. It puts more boots on the ground to target cartel activity, alien smuggling, child trafficking and drug smuggling. It will provide the needed funds and manpower to increase the great work of ICE on our deportation operations nationwide. We have many more public safety and national security threats to remove. This funding will allow ICE to vastly increase these efforts and keep the promise to America that we will enforce immigration law against those that are in this country illegally. Now the Senate needs to step up. Border Security and National Security should not be a partisan issue. Let’s get this done!”
Ahead of UK summit, FM says Winter Fuel Payment must be restored.
The UK needs a national mission to raise living standards and provide people with hope that things will get easier, starting with the restoration of a Winter Fuel Payment to all pensioner households, First Minister John Swinney has said.
Speaking ahead of talks with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in London, the First Minister said he will press for action to help people struggling with the ongoing cost of living crisis, amid increasing inflation and international economic instability.
Mr Swinney said the first action of the UK Government must be to accept the cut to the Winter Fuel Payment was wrong and announce a restoration so all pensioners get a payment.
The First Minster said people need to believe things can get easier and that he plans to raise specific concerns relating to Scotland’s economy with the Prime Minister which could help accelerate economic growth. This includes the impact on Scotland of the recently announced UK-US trade deal, the agreement reached with the European Union, Carbon Capture and the case for a bespoke migration policy for Scotland.
Mr Swinney will be in London for a programme of meetings, including a bilateral with the Prime Minister, a multilateral with the First Minister of Wales, First Minister and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, and a plenary session of the Council of Nations and Regions.
First Minister John Swinney said:
“People across the UK are living through a period of huge uncertainty and for some, that is undermining the trust they have in government.
“Cutting the winter fuel payment saw the UK Government breaking promises and removing vital financial support for some of the most vulnerable in our society. Having effectively conceded the argument by announcing a partial U-turn, the Prime Minister should accept the cut was wrong and restore a universal winter fuel payment.
“In Scotland, we are introducing universal winter heating payments through our Cost of Living Guarantee. This will see payment made to all pensioner households, with the poorest receiving the most support which is fair amid ongoing pressures.
“If the UK government want to provide people with hope that things will get easier, the Prime Minister should restore the winter fuel payment as part of a new national mission to raise living standards.
“I will raise this issue with him alongside other critical issues, including our proposal for a Scottish Graduate Visa, Carbon Capture and what impacts recent trade deals will have on Scottish producers and businesses.
“We are willing to work with him and the UK Government, but the question is whether he is willing to work with Scotland and give people hope that a better future is possible.”
ENDS
The First Minister will hold bilateral talks with the Prime Minister in London on Friday 23 May.
The First Minister is then due to join the First Minister of Wales, the First Minister and Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland for further talks, before joining a meeting of the UK Government’s Council of Nations and Regions.
Pay equity protest outside parliament on budget day, May 22 2025.Getty Images
In 1936, when the National Party was created through a merger of the United and Reform parties, there was a recognition among the power brokers that attracting women’s votes was crucial.
National’s women’s organisations were integral to mobilising support. Throughout the 1940s, the party’s publicity material promised the women of New Zealand a happy family life. This was a consistent approach over the next 20 years, and National was rewarded with the women’s vote.
Intermittent research on gender differences in vote choice between 1963 and 1993 indicate women made up between 45% and 51% of National’s support compared to 36% and 43% of Labour’s support.
After 1996, this trend became less consistent. The New Zealand Election Study indicates a decreasing share of the women’s vote going to National, and fluctuations in vote choice among both women and men.
Given the advent of proportional representation, some volatility may be expected. But there are also some constants. There is evidence women are more likely than men to support government spending on social policy, and they are significantly less likely than men to vote for National’s coalition partners NZ First and ACT.
Now, with Budget 2025 – in particular its reliance on funds that would otherwise have gone towards settling pay equity claims – National’s historical success at attracting the women’s vote may be under threat.
Growth before pay equity
The budget represents a ruthless determination to deliver economic growth, including through its centrepiece “Investment Boost” tax breaks for businesses investing in productive assets.
There is additional funding for health, defence, education and disability services, and the establishment of a social investment fund, and the budget left national superannuation untouched (for the remainder of this coalition government’s term, at least).
It focused instead on KiwiSaver. Contributions from employers and employees will increase from 3% to 4%, while the government contribution will be halved for those earning under NZ$180,000 and cancelled for those earning over this amount.
In summary, the new operational spend comes to $6.7 billion while savings, reprioritised spending and revenue-raising initiatives totalled $5.3 billion. As a result, the government has produced the lowest operational allowance in a decade ($1.3 billion) and promised $4 billion in new capital expenditure.
But it was the radical restructuring and cancellation of pay equity for a range of undervalued female-dominated occupations that funded this budget. Almost half of the $12 billion recouped will be spent on the business tax incentives.
The government expects the initiative will increase GDP and wages by 1% to 1.5% over the next 20 years. But given the gender-segregated structure of New Zealand’s labour market, it may take some time for women to benefit from the Investment Boost.
Pay equity peril: Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers the budget while Prime Minister Christopher Luxon looks on. Getty Images
The gender gap and economic growth
Applying a systematic and evidence-based gender analysis as part of the budget preparation process would have revealed more inclusive ways of delivering economic growth.
Closing these gaps could potentially add a 0.1 percentage point of additional economic growth per year, culminating in a 3.9% boost to GDP in the next 35 years.
Moreover, increasing women’s labour force participation may be a valuable mechanism to limit declines in the size of the labour force, given the rapidly ageing population.
Such an outcome would require increased government investment in childcare and early childhood education for under twos, ideally for more than 20 hours per week.
This would be a significant investment, given OECD data shows the net cost of childcare in New Zealand is as much as 38% of a two-earner couple’s average earnings (after accounting for government subsidies or benefits). This is considerably more expensive than most OECD member states.
Potential cost to National
Income and spending averages often mask more extreme impacts for different groups of women and men. For example, traditional economic models value labour used in the production of goods and services in the “market economy” but exclude the production of goods and services for their own use.
For wāhine Māori, non-market work includes care for whānau, community and land, as well as upholding the mana of the marae, and the intergenerational transfer of knowledge.
Finally, implementing pay equity, recognising the economic value of the unpaid care economy, and providing increased financial support for childcare, would also contribute to closing the gender pension gap.
Westpac data shows men have an average KiwiSaver balance 16% higher than women’s, most likely attributable to gender wage gaps and parenting career breaks.
Therefore the reduction in government contributions to KiwiSaver, and National’s desire to lift the retirement age, matter more to women because statistically they have a longer retirement to fund.
Budget 2025 came at a cost to many women in New Zealand, and it may yet come at a cost for National.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Have your say on the Financial Markets (Conduct of Institutions) Amendment (Duty to Provide Financial Services) Amendment Bill The Chairperson of the Finance and Expenditure Committee is calling for submissions on the Financial Markets (Conduct of Institutions) Amendment (Duty to Provide Financial Services) Amendment Bill. The closing date for submissions is 11.59pm on Friday, 4 July 2025.
The bill is a member’s bill in the name of Andy Foster. The bill would amend the Financial Markets (Conduct of Institutions) Amendment Act 2022 to place a new duty on financial institutions to provide financial services to customers except in situations based on law or for valid and verifiable commercial grounds.
Tell the Finance and Expenditure Committee what you think:
Make a submissionon the bill by 11.59pm on Friday, 4 July 2025.
The Retirement Commissioner welcomes news the Government is making changes to KiwiSaver which early estimates suggest will leave more New Zealanders with more money saved for their retirement.
Announced in the Budget 2025, employee and employer contributions to KiwiSaver will move to 3.5% from 1 April 2026 and then to 4% from 1 April 2028. Alongside these changes, the government contribution is decreasing to 25% (i.e 25 cents for every $1 contributed to a maximum of $260.72) and removed entirely for those earning over $180,000, effective from 1 July.
The Sorted KiwiSaver Calculator is currently the only tool in the country which reflects the Budget 2025 announcements, giving New Zealanders the chance to see how the changes will impact them and what their retirement savings would have looked like without them. (ref. https://sorted.org.nz/tools/kiwisaver-calculator/ )
There are approximately 3.4 million KiwiSaver members, and 2.2 million received an employer and a government contribution or only a government contribution in 2024.
Retirement Commissioner Jane Wrightson says, “we’re pleased to see the Government take on board some of the key recommendations we made in 2024, including introducing a higher default contribution rate of 4% for employees and matched by their employers, and extending employer contributions to those aged 16 and 17. We’d also recommended employer contributions for those over 65 but unfortunately the latter has been excluded from these latest changes.
“While increasing contribution rates is generally beneficial for salary and wage earners who qualify for an employer contribution, not everyone benefits from these changes. The reduction in the government contribution will hit low-income earners, Māori, women, and the self-employed the hardest.”
In March, the Retirement Commission released its annual analysis of KiwiSaver balances data which revealed the gender retirement savings gap shows men having on average 25% higher KiwiSaver balances compared to women.
“It’s a shame there are so few government incentives for a scheme that underpins private saving for retirement. I would at least have liked to see some of the savings from reducing government contributions be applied to serving those groups where we see the widest retirement savings gaps,” says the Retirement Commissioner.
“We also hope employers respect the spirit of the changes and understand why they were necessary, passing the savings onto their staff rather than including them as part of total remuneration – which should be banned.”
The Retirement Commission will continue to explore the impacts of these changes as part of the 2025 Review of Retirement Income Policies (RRIP) with a focus on how the Government could most effectively reduce gaps in retirement income outcomes. Summary of the Budget 2025 changes
Employee and employer contributions move to 3.5% from 1 April 2026 and then to 4% from 1 April 2028.
A new temporary savings reduction will be introduced, modelled on the existing temporary savings suspension, allowing members to opt to reduce their contribution rate to 3% for a period of up to 12 months. Members can take multiple temporary reductions. If a member takes a savings reduction their employer can match them at that rate.
The government contribution matching rate is reduced to 25% (i.e. 25 cents for every $1 contributed up to a maximum government contribution of $260.72) from 1 July 2025.
Members with an annual income of more than $180,000 will no longer be eligible for the government contribution from 1 July 2025.
16- and 17-year-olds become eligible for employer contributions from 1 April 2026 (note they will not be auto-enrolled. The age for auto-enrolment remains at 18, but if they join, or have already joined, and contribute, they will be eligible for the matching employer contribution).
16- and 17-year-olds become eligible for the government contribution, if they contribute, from 1 July 2025.
Notes: The 2025 Review of Retirement Income Policies (RRIP) Every three years the Retirement Commission is asked to undertake a comprehensive review of retirement income policies based on terms of reference set by the Government. The 2025 RRIP includes focus on research relating to KiwiSaver and other savings, emerging trends and how these will play out over the next 25 years, the experiences of women and the self-employed in retirement, spending down retirement savings and how New Zealand’s retirement policies compare globally. It will support the development of recommendations to ensure New Zealand’s retirement income system remains fit for purpose. The final report will be completed by December 2025.
More info: 2025 Review of Retirement Income Policies | Retirement Commission Te Ara Ahunga Ora
Sorted’s a free service run by Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission, the government-funded, independent agency dedicated to helping New Zealanders get ahead financially. As New Zealand’s trusted personal finance site, Sorted has the tools and information needed to tackle debt, plan and budget, save and invest, dial up KiwiSaver, plan for retirement, protect what’s important and manage a mortgage. No matter where people are at when it comes to money – just starting a first job or wrapping up a successful career – Sorted lets helps New Zealanders to fine-tune your finances and get ahead money-wise. Sorted KiwiSaver Calculator – has been updated to reflect the latest changes announced in the Budget. The calculator demonstrates the effect of KiwiSaver contributions on a first home deposit or retirement savings. It takes someone’s information on age, income, current KiwiSaver balance and fund type to project their future balance.
GOLDEN/WHEAT RIDGE/DENVER – Today, Governor Polis signed bills into law to ensure workers are paid the wages they have earned, protecting workers and supporting Colorado’s workforce.
Governor Polis signed HB25-1001 – Enforcement Wage Hour Laws, sponsored by Representatives Duran and Froelich, and Senators Danielson and Kolker.
“This new law will help ensure that every Coloradan is paid fairly. I am proud to sign this bill into law today to strengthen our protections for workers and want to thank the sponsors for their work on this new law,” said Governor Polis.
Governor Polis also signed SB25-053 – Protect Wild Bison, sponsored by Senator Jessie Danielson, and Representatives Junie Joseph and Elizabeth Velasco and HB25-1283 – Wild Horse Project Management & Immunocontraception, sponsored by Representatives Monica Duran and Ty Winter, and Senators Janice Marchman and Larry Liston.
“Wild bison and horses are important parts of Colorado’s wildlife, culture, and history. These new laws will provide us better tools to protect these iconic Colorado animals. Let’s ensure that wild horses and bison will remain symbols of Colorado’s strong, healthy, and wild future, not just our past,” said Governor Polis.
“Colorado is a State rich with natural wonders, a place where we understand the value of protecting what is wild and being a part of nature. That is our ethos, and wild horses and bison are its embodiment. With these important new laws, Colorado continues to lead the way in advocating for the care and dignity of the majestic wild horses and bison with whom we share the land and I want to thank all the sponsors and strong advocates who worked so hard on these bills,” said First Gentleman Marlon Reis.
Governor Polis also signed HB25-1207 – Pet Ownership Residential Housing Structures, sponsored by Representatives Javier Mabrey and Monica Duran, and Senators Faith Winter and Tony Exum.
“We are laser-focused on saving Coloradans money on housing, and this new law ensures that families will not be forced to decide between beloved furry family members and housing. This bill strikes the right balance on making sure Colorado can continue to promote more housing now and keep families together with their pets,” said Governor Polis.
“Our pets are more than just indoor animals. They are family. This new law honors that bond by keeping Colorado families together with their beloved pets when they search for housing,” said First Gentleman Marlon Reis.
To make Colorado the best state for four-legged and furry family members and friends, Governor Polis also signed HB25-1180 – Prohibiting Pet Animal Sales in Public Spaces, sponsored by Representatives Monica Duran and Ryan Armagost, and Senators Scott Bright and Dylan Roberts and HB25-1299 – Animal Protection Fund Voluntary Contribution, sponsored by Representatives Monica Duran and Ryan Armagost, and Senators Dylan Roberts and Rod Pelton.
“We want Colorado to be the best state in the country for Coloradans and pets to live and thrive. These bills will help animal shelters and rescues and increase support for enforcing high animal welfare standards across the state. Coloradans love our animals, and through the new income tax check-off, anyone can donate while filing taxes to protect pets and farm animals from cruelty, neglect, and during emergencies like fires and floods,” said Governor Polis.
“The work of protecting animals is, by nature, teamwork. It happens at the community level. It means standing up and speaking out for animals when they’re in trouble and can’t defend themselves. It means looking at every possible avenue by which we can support and uplift animals – and that’s exactly what these bills do,” said First Gentleman Marlon Reis.
Governor Polis also signed HB25-1168 – Housing Protections for Victim-Survivors, sponsored by Representatives Mandy Lindsay and Cecelia Espenoza, and Senator Mike Weissman.
“I am committed to making Colorado one of the top ten safest states, and this includes providing the necessary support for victims of crime. Victims of domestic violence can often feel forced to stay in an unsafe situation because of a lack of other housing options, and this new law will expand financial and physical protections to help victims stay safe, get back on their feet, and live in a healthy and safe community,” said Governor Polis.
Finally, Governor Polis signed the following bills to help create a Colorado For All:
HB25-1239 – Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act, sponsored by Representatives Yara Zokaie and Andrew Boesenecker, and Senators Lindsey Daugherty and Mike Weissman
HB25-1017 – Community Integration Plan, sponsored by Representatives Chad Clifford and Meg Froelich, and Senators Dafna Michaelson Jenet and Judy Amabile
HB25-1154 – Communication Services People with Disabilities Enterprise, sponsored by Representatives Kyle Brown and Meg Froelich, and Senators Iman Jodeh and Judy Amabile
“In our Colorado For All, everyone, no matter who you are, can live, work, and thrive. I am proud to continue this effort today by signing laws to protect Coloradans from discrimination, ensure access to the community-based, long-term care that Coloradans with disabilities need, fund initiatives that support deaf, hard-of-hearing, and deafblind Coloradans, and save Coloradans with disabilities money when they plan ahead for future needs,” said Governor Polis.
“Colorado is proud to be the best home for individuals with disabilities and these bills will continue to advance these efforts,” said Lt. Governor and Director of the Office of Saving People Money on Health Care, Dianne Primavera. “They reflect our shared belief that every person, of every ability, deserves to live with dignity, access, and opportunity. I’m proud that Colorado is choosing to move forward, not backward, in building a state where everyone is seen, supported, and empowered to thrive.”
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Iain Boyd, Director of the Center for National Security Initiatives and Professor of Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder
Posters that President Donald Trump used to announce Golden Dome depict missile defense as a shield.AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein
President Donald Trump announced a plan to build a missile defense system, called the Golden Dome, on May 20, 2025. The system is intended to protect the United States from ballistic, cruise and hypersonic missiles, and missiles launched from space.
Trump is calling for the current budget to allocate US$25 billion to launch the initiative, which the government projected will cost $175 billion. He said Golden Dome will be fully operational before the end of his term in three years and will provide close to 100% protection.
The Conversation U.S. asked Iain Boyd, an aerospace engineer and director of the Center for National Security Initiatives at the University of Colorado Boulder, about the Golden Dome plan and the feasibility of Trump’s claims. Boyd receives funding for research unrelated to Golden Dome from defense contractor Lockheed Martin.
Why does the United States need a missile shield?
Several countries, including China, Russia, North Korea and Iran, have been developing missiles over the past few years that challenge the United States’ current missile defense systems.
These weapons include updated ballistic missiles and cruise missiles, and new hypersonic missiles. They have been specifically developed to counter America’s highly advanced missile defense systems such as the Patriot and the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System.
For example, the new hypersonic missiles are very high speed, operate in a region of the atmosphere where nothing else flies and are maneuverable. All of these aspects combined create a new challenge that requires a new, updated defensive approach.
So it’s reasonable to think that, to ensure the protection of its homeland and to aid its allies, the U.S. may need a new missile defense capability.
Ukrainian forces are using the U.S.-made Patriot missile defense system against Russian ballistic missiles.
What are the components of a national missile defense system?
Such a defense system requires a global array of geographically distributed sensors that cover all phases of all missile trajectories.
First, it is essential for the system to detect the missile threats as early as possible after launch, so some of the sensors must be located close to regions where adversaries may fire them, such as by China, Russia, North Korea and Iran. Then, it has to track the missiles along their trajectories as they travel hundreds or thousands of miles.
These requirements are met by deploying a variety of sensors on a number of different platforms on the ground, at sea, in the air and in space. Interceptors are placed in locations that protect vital U.S. assets and usually aim to engage threats during the middle portion of the trajectory between launch and the terminal dive.
The U.S. already has a broad array of sensors and interceptors in place around the world and in space primarily to protect the U.S. and its allies from ballistic missiles. The sensors would need to be expanded, including with more space-based sensors, to detect new missiles such as hypersonic missiles. The interceptors would need to be enhanced to enable them to address hypersonic weapons and other missiles and warheads that can maneuver.
Does this technology exist?
Intercepting hypersonic missiles specifically involves several steps.
First, as explained above, a hostile missile must be detected and identified as a threat. Second, the threat must be tracked along all of its trajectory due to the ability of hypersonic missiles to maneuver. Third, an interceptor missile must be able to follow the threat and get close enough to it to disable or destroy it.
The main new challenge here is the ability to track the hypersonic missile continuously. This requires new types of sensors to detect hypersonic vehicles and new sensor platforms that are able to provide a complete picture of the hypersonic trajectory. As described, Golden Dome would use the sensors in a layered approach in which they are installed on a variety of platforms in multiple domains, including ground, sea, air and space.
These various platforms would need to have different types of sensors that are specifically designed to track hypersonic threats in different phases of their flight paths. These defensive systems will also be designed to address weapons fired from space. Much of the infrastructure will be multipurpose and able to defend against a variety of missile types.
In terms of time frame for deployment, it is important to note that Golden Dome will build from the long legacy of existing U.S. missile defense systems. Another important aspect of Golden Dome is that some of the new capabilities have been under active development for years. In some ways, Golden Dome represents the commitment to actually deploy systems for which considerable progress has already been made.
Is near 100% protection a realistic claim?
Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system has been described as the most effective system of its kind anywhere in the world.
But even Iron Dome is not 100% effective, and it has also been overwhelmed on occasion by Hamas and others who fire very large numbers of inexpensive missiles and rockets at it. So it is unlikely that any missile defense system will ever provide 100% protection.
The more important goal here is to achieve deterrence, similar to the stalemate in the Cold War with the Soviet Union that was based on nuclear weapons. All of the new weapons that Golden Dome will defend against are very expensive. The U.S. is trying to change the calculus in an opponent’s thinking to the point where they will consider it not worth shooting their precious high-value missiles at the U.S. when they know there is a high probability of them not reaching their targets.
CBS News covered President Donald Trump’s announcement.
Is three years a feasible time frame?
That seems to me like a very aggressive timeline, but with multiple countries now operating hypersonic missiles, there is a real sense of urgency.
Existing missile defense systems on the ground, at sea and in the air can be expanded to include new, more capable sensors. Satellite systems are beginning to be put in place for the space layer. Sensors have been developed to track the new missile threats.
Putting all of this highly complex system together, however, is likely to take more than three years. At the same time, if the U.S. fully commits to Golden Dome, a significant amount of progress can be made in this time.
What does the president’s funding request tell you?
President Trump is requesting a total budget for all defense spending of about $1 trillion in 2026. So, $25 billion to launch Golden Dome would represent only 2.5% of the total requested defense budget.
Of course, that is still a lot of money, and a lot of other programs will need to be terminated to make it possible. But it is certainly financially achievable.
How will Golden Dome differ from Iron Dome?
Similar to Iron Dome, Golden Dome will consist of sensors and interceptor missiles but will be deployed over a much wider geographical region and for defense against a broader variety of threats in comparison with Iron Dome.
A second-generation Golden Dome system in the future would likely use directed energy weapons such as high-energy lasers and high-power microwaves to destroy missiles. This approach would significantly increase the number of shots that defenders can take against ballistic, cruise and hypersonic missiles.
Iain Boyd receives funding from the U.S. Department of Defense and Lockheed-Martin Corporation, a defense contractor that sells missile defense systems and could potentially benefit from the implementation of Golden Dome.
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
Senator Markey joined by Democratic Leader Schumer, Ranking Member Wyden, and climate advocates
Washington (May 22, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), co-chair of the Senate Climate Change Task Force, Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, joined by climate advocacy groups, today hosted a press conference to blast Republicans’ all-out assault on efforts to combat the climate crisis, including unprecedented actions to revoke the California Clean Air Act waivers and repeal clean energy tax credits included in the Inflation Reduction Act.
“The Trump administration has made one thing painfully clear: They are putting Oil Above All—above the law, above the economy, and above the health and wallets of working families. The repeal of the Clean Air Act waivers is yet another historic example of the lawlessness of today’s Republican party; no rule, no norm, no standard is safe if it stands between them and what their Big Oil donors want. They’re breaking precedent, breaking Senate process, and breaking public trust. As a result, we will see more asthma. More heart disease. More early deaths. More cancer. That will be the Trump and Republican legacy,” said Senator Markey. “By repealing clean energy and environmental protection funding from the Inflation Reduction Act, Republicans are attacking clean air and clean energy with their tax bill. Republicans are seeking to destroy the tools and programs which are creating hundreds of thousands of jobs, easing costs for working families, and addressing air pollution in our communities. These attacks are dangerous and have far-reaching consequences for all.”
“When it comes to clean energy and the Republican agenda, I don’t believe we’ve seen this kind of economic self-sabotage in modern American times. Republicans are raising Americans’ electrical bills, destroying thousands of good-paying jobs, and sacrificing our energy security all to pay for handouts to big corporations and ultra-wealthy Trump donors. Back in the campaign, Trump told a room full of oil and gas executives that he’d let them control the agenda if they helped put him back in the White House, and clearly, he’s delivering on that horribly corrupt promise,” said Ranking Member Wyden.
“Congressional Republicans led a Big Oil-backed effort to circumvent their own rules in order to block California, and other states, from having stronger clean air standards for cars and trucks. This should not be a political or partisan issue, it’s about states’ ability to set standards – like the original tailpipe pollution limits set by Ronald Reagan – that deliver cleaner air for their citizens, said League of Conservation Voters’ Vice President of Federal Policy Matthew Davis. “At the same time, House Republicans have just passed their billionaire tax scam, the most anti-environmental bill in our nation’s history that will drive up families’ energy costs by hundreds of dollars per year. Right now, the Senate must stand up against the anti-environmental billionaire tax scam to protect our clean air and water, and cost-saving, jobs-creating clean energy.”
“Today Congress has decided to fundamentally deny states their rights to reduce pollution and protect public health. In environmental justice communities, people of color and lower income face the greatest rates of asthma and cancer. This action enables a continued unjust assault on overburdened communities choking on diesel fumes. A clean transportation sector benefits us all and we will continue to fight for one that’s healthier, cheaper, and accessible to everyone,” said Yosef Robele, Federal Policy Manager, WE ACT for Environmental Justice.