NewzIntel.com

Category: Economy

  • MIL-OSI China: What to expect from 2025 consumer products expo in China’s Hainan?

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

    HAIKOU, April 12 — The 5th China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) will be held in south China’s island province of Hainan from April 13 to 18.

    As China’s only national-level exhibition focused on consumer goods, this year’s edition emphasizes innovation and global collaboration.

    One of the most noticeable highlights of the expo is its global participation and record scale. An estimated 71 countries and regions are set to participate, showcasing over 4,100 brands, including 65 Fortune Global 500 companies and industry leaders.

    Slovakia will make its debut with a national pavilion, while Brazil’s Sao Paulo State, along with several others, will launch regional pavilions for the first time.

    Britain, this year’s guest country of honor, will occupy over 1,300 square meters to display 53 brands spanning fashion, beauty, and home goods. Beijing, participating as a guest city for the first time, will feature a 400-square-meter themed exhibition zone.

    Some exhibition zones spotlighting cutting-edge technologies and emerging trends are set to become another major highlight of the expo.

    The tech innovation zone in Hall No. 1 features artificial intelligence (AI), smart homes, and low-altitude economy applications. Brands like Huawei, Tesla, and Unitree will demonstrate products such as their latest smartphones, humanoid robots, and AR glasses.

    Live displays of low-altitude tech, such as Xpeng AeroHT’s “flying car” and EHang’s drones for cross-sea transport and tourism, will take center stage.

    In the global lifestyle zone in Hall No. 4, luxury watches, cosmetics, and premium foods will offer visitors an immersive cross-border shopping experience.

    This year’s CICPE will also offer visitors tech-driven experiences, with debut showcases of brain-computer interfaces, exoskeletons, and sleep assistance tech designed for elderly care.

    Chinese provinces and municipalities will showcase their unique cultural heritage through innovative products. Meanwhile, international brands and Chinese time-honored names will unveil flagship products and heritage collections.

    China’s Ministry of Commerce, one of the organizers of the expo, will launch the “Shop in China” campaign, a nationwide initiative promoting shopping, dining, and tourism.

    The eco-friendly theme of the expo will be prominently featured throughout the event. The mascots, “Yuanyuan” and “Xiaoxiao,” inspired by Hainan gibbons, symbolize rainforest conservation. Expo branding seamlessly blends tropical elements with green concepts.

    The “message-in-a-bottle” sculpture at Haikou’s iconic Cloudscape library symbolizes global cultural exchange. Similarly, the 2025 CICPE aims to become Asia-Pacific’s largest consumer goods expo, bridging global brands with China’s market and highlighting Hainan’s role as a key free trade hub.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: SCHNEIDER JOINS DADS CAUCUS TO CALL OUT IMPACT OF TRUMP TARIFFS ON WORKING FAMILIES

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL)

    Rep. Schneider’s full remarks can be watched here.

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Brad Schneider (IL-10) joined Congressional Dads Caucus Chair Jimmy Gomez (CA-34) and fellow Dads Caucus Members Reps. Steven Horsford (NV-04), Shomari C. Figures (AL-07), Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10), and Derek Tran (CA-45) to call out how Donald Trump’s tariffs will raise prices on working families across the country, especially working parents who are already stretching every dollar. 

    The Dads Caucus underscored how these tariffs will make it harder for people to afford basic needs — from groceries, clothes, and shoes to cars and construction materials — while doing nothing to help American workers.

    “For families, Trump’s trade war and tariff tax are a five-alarm fire. Parents are already facing huge costs as they raise their kids with the crazy price of childcare and expensive groceries,” said Rep. Brad Schneider (IL-10). “Instead of looking seriously at solutions that can help hardworking families not just get by but get ahead, Trump is hitting them with a massive tax. Our Republican colleagues here in the House could put a stop to this today. They could stand up and stop President Trump from unilaterally setting fire to our economy and creating an entirely self-inflicted recession. Speaker Johnson must bring legislation to the floor that restores Congress’s trade authority and puts the people back in the driver’s seat.”

    “Families are waking up with less money in their retirement savings, higher prices at the grocery store, and less confidence in the economy because of Trump. And Congressional Republicans are supporting his catastrophic economic agenda,” said Dads Caucus Chair Rep. Jimmy Gomez (CA-34). “Trump’s tariffs are an added sales tax on working parents, and they’re driving up the cost of everyday essentials and making life harder for families. That’s why my fellow Dads Caucus members and I are calling on Congressional Republicans to do their jobs and join us in reining in Trump’s dumb tariffs.”

    “A tariff is a tax, and Donald Trump owns these erratic taxes,” said Rep. Steven Horsford (NV-04). “In Las Vegas, we’re already grappling with high prices and a housing crisis. We desperately need more houses, but tariffs on steel and aluminum – both of which come from Mexico and Canada – are working against us. I’m proud to stand with my Dads Caucus colleagues to oppose Trump’s blanket tariffs because every dad – and every parent – deserves better when it comes to the country we leave our children.”

    “President Trump’s tariffs will continue to devastate small local businesses and raise prices on families that are already reeling from the high costs of groceries, household goods, and prescription drugs,” said Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10). “These tariffs will be a self-imposed recession and a blow to the budgets of American families everywhere. I ask my Republican colleagues to stand with working families and reject the President’s actions.”

    “President Trump’s tariffs are just another example of the fact that this administration seems to have only one tool in its toolbox – a sledge hammer. Instead of fixing our schools, they dismantle the Department of Education. Instead of delivering better health care, they cut funding for Medicaid. And now – instead of investing in American industry, they impose reckless tariffs that will slow production and raise prices. The facts are very clear. These reckless tariffs mean that Americans will face higher prices, fewer jobs, and a world that is less safe,” said Rep. Derek Tran (CA-45).

    The Congressional Dads Caucus was founded after the 118th Congress Speaker vote to provide a forum for members of Congress to push legislation that supports working families. Since then, the caucus has gained momentum as a leading voice for policy solutions that help families thrive and make America more affordable—including creating a national paid leave program, increasing access to affordable child care, expanding the Child Tax Credit, and ensuring working parents have the resources they need to provide for their families.

    Learn more about the Dads Caucus here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: SCHNEIDER PRESSES TRUMP TRADE ADVISOR ON TRADE WAR

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL)

    Rep. Schneider: Did you expect the so-called Liberation Day to become Liquidation Week?

     

    Click to watch

    WASHINGTON – Rep. Brad Schneider (IL-10), a member of the House Ways & Means Committee, grilled U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer at a Ways & Means Committee hearing on the Trump Administration’s 2025 trade policy agenda.

    “Amb. Greer, yes or no: didn’t Israel zero out all tariffs on US products before President Trump announced his across the board tariffs on April 2nd? [Greer Responds]

    Yet the President still imposed 17% tariffs on Israel. 

    Amb. Greer, what’s our trade balance with the elephant and fur seals, petrels, albatrosses and penguins living on Heard and McDonald Islands?[Greer Responds]

    Yet the president has imposed specific tariffs on the Heard and McDonald Islands, while not taking any action against Russia, Belarus, North Korea or Cuba.

    I don’t want to disappoint my mom and my wife and have them yell and me but Mr. Greer, I am going to say what I think almost everyone is thinking…WTF?

    What’s the president thinking?

    What did he, and you, think was going to happen after unilaterally declaring a global trade war?

    Did you expect the so called “Liberation Day” to become “Liquidation Week,” destroying more than $10 trillion of value and moving us from an extended Bull Market to a self-induced Bear?

    Did you intentionally plan to decimate Americans’ retirement accounts and 529 accounts for their kids’ education? 

    Did you and the President anticipate raising prices for American families already struggling to make ends meet?

    Did you mean to make American businesses less, not more competitive in global markets?

    Was the intention, with the largest tax increase in U.S. history, to put the United States, and maybe the entire global economy into a recession because of what the Wall Street Journal editorial board, let me repeat that, the Wall Street Journal editorial board, said is “the dumbest trade war in history.”

    Already Diane Swonk, the chief economist of KPMG, is saying that her baseline forecast is a recession starting this quarter.

    Jamie Dimon and JP Morgan, raised their probability of recession to 79%

    WSJ reports that betting markets have it a 70%

    Goldman Sachs recently raised their likelihood the second increase since last Wednesday to 45%. Expect them to raise it again. 

    Indeed, by the time you finish talking today we may already be in a recession.

    Less than a week after President Trump’s declaration of the largest sales tax in U.S. history, global markets continue roil as a result of tariff-based recession fears. The President’s newly imposed tariffs have real world impacts for every one of my constituents, who will see higher prices at the grocery store, shortages of critical products, and less money in their retirement accounts and their accounts for their kids’ education. 

    American families deserve relief. But instead, thanks to President Trump, they’re heading to the store to panic-buy essentials before retailers raise prices.

    I’ve heard from literally thousands of constituents about the pain that President Trump has said the country will suffer as a result of these tariffs. 

    They have written to me sharing that they have lost as much as 20% of their 401K and 529 accounts in the last week alone due to market fluctuations that are responding in real time, to the President’s announcement of arbitrary and capricious tariffs.

    Seniors who recently retired are worried about having to return to work to make sure they can make ends meet and today and wonder if they will now outlive their retirement savings.

    Small business owners in my district are anticipating having to lay off employees. Large companies in my district who are preparing their next earnings reports for investors are telling me that the impacts of these tariffs are “material.” That’s business speak for the tariffs are going to have a real, adverse effect on their operations and likely adverse affect their cash flows. 

    Make no mistake — President Trump’s trade agenda is slowing economic growth and job creation, weakening U.S. global leadership, and increasing the cost of doing business in the United States. These tariffs make life for Americans more expensive, make us our nation less secure, and our citizens less prosperous.  

    Congress must take back its constitutional authority to stop the chaos and the pain President Trump is inflicting on American families and dig us out of what could be a self-inflicted recession.” 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Access Canberra team guide PhD student in local business venture

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Savannah McGuirk is using her PhD learnings to solve real-word problems through her start-up.

    In brief:

    • Savannah McGuirk takes PhD learnings to solve real word problems with a start-up.
    • She seeks advice to make sure her business is compliant.
    • Advice from the Access Canberra Business Assist Team confirms she’s on track.

    While completing her PhD, Savannah McGuirk discovered an industry problem that was yet to be solved.

    With her research pointing the way, Savannah launched her business, Remote Water Analytics.

    From research to start-up

    “Research is funny like that,” Savannah said. “You never know where you going to end up.”

    “I started out my PhD looking at carbon levels in soil, but soon discovered that soil moisture was impacting remote sensing satellite and drone data for carbon monitoring. What I also found, was there is no consistency in methods for monitoring soil moisture levels with optical satellite data.”

    That’s when things shifted for Savanah. She saw the application of her scientific research for the purpose of solving real world industry problems.

    Remote Water Analytics is in its infancy as Savannah finalises her PhD, but she’s already working with some clients. She’s using state-of-the-art remote sensing technologies, like satellites and drones alongside advanced data science, AI and machine learning to pull comprehensive insights into soil and water conditions.

    “We can do soil moisture mapping as well as long and short-term soil monitoring. We can also provide geospatial data visualisation. Satellite data gives us near real-time access to accurate and actionable information,” she said.

    Savannah said they can help small scale farmers or large agricultural operations to adopt more sustainable practices.

    “To be honest, I was surprised there wasn’t already a product in market that could affordably, reliably and efficiently test soil moisture remotely.

    “Soil sampling and testing is an expensive and labour-intensive endeavour, particularly over large areas when we’re dealing with large agricultural holdings.”

    But it’s not just agricultural applications that Remote Water Analytics can deal with. Savannah is currently working with a local Canberra civil construction company who are developing a new Canberra suburb.

    “Construction companies can’t work when it’s wet without damaging the surfaces which they have already carefully prepared. By accurately monitoring soil moisture levels, we can get them back on site as quickly and safely as possible after rain, ultimately helping them get their job done faster and realise real financial savings.”

    ACT Government business support

    Earlier this year, Savannah attended the ACT Government’s first CBR Small Business Expo. Curious to see what was on offer, she came across the Access Canberra Business Assist Team.

    “I overheard them speaking to someone else, and they sounded helpful,” she said.

    “It got me thinking about whether there were any permits or licences I need to operate a soil and water management business.”

    Like a true Canberran, and scientist, Savannah was keen to know that she was following all the correct processes and had all the right licences and permits.

    After hearing Savannah’s story, the Business Assist Team got to work on her behalf, seeking advice across government, including from the ACT Environmental Protection Authority.

    Kim from the Access Canberra Business Assist Team said they were glad to provide advice to Savannah.

    “Savannah’s business is a bit niche, and we were able to give her peace of mind that she was compliant with necessary regulations,” said Kim.

    Savannah agreed.

    “It was reassuring to be able to access the team by email and get confirmation that I had done the right things and was compliant in running my business,” she said.

    As for what’s next for Savannah, her business is one of 24 across Australia participating in a business accelerator program run by the Commonwealth Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

    “It’s a three-month accelerator program to support drought-resilience in Australian agriculture.

    “I’m a scientist, so I’m looking forward to learning many of the skill sets I need to run and operate a successful start-up,” she said.

    To find out more about the Access Canberra Business Assist Team that helped Savannah, contact the team.

    Get ACT news and events delivered straight to your inbox, sign up to our email newsletter:


    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: FOGO pilot is a go-go for Tuggeranong and Belconnen

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    More Canberrans will have access to weekly collection of food scraps and garden waste.

    In brief:

    • The Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) collection pilot provides a weekly collection of food scraps and garden waste.
    • The pilot is being expanded to include more than 1,150 households in multi-unit developments in Tuggeranong and Belconnen.
    • Participating households will be formally notified of their involvement in the coming weeks.

    The ACT Government is expanding the Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) collection pilot. From September, the pilot will include more than 1,150 households in multi-unit developments in Belconnen and Tuggeranong.

    The FOGO pilot began in November 2021. Each week food scraps and garden waste are collected from about 5,300 households in:

    • Belconnen
    • Bruce
    • Cook
    • Macquarie.

    From September, the collection pilot will service more Canberrans, including:

    • 772 households in Belconnen
    • 400 households in Tuggeranong.

    These homes will be in multi-development units.

    About one-third of items put into household rubbish bins in the ACT is food. This is equal to around 26,000 tonnes of food waste going to landfill each year.

    Since the pilot began, it has diverted more than 3,475 tonnes of food and garden waste from landfill. This material has been turned into valuable compost. This supports a circular economy within the ACT and reduces the amount of harmful greenhouse gas emissions that come from our landfill.

    The Belconnen and Tuggeranong households added to the pilot will continue to provide information. This data will inform a future Canberra-wide rollout of FOGO. It will also provide insights to help improve waste management practices for multi-unit developments.

    Participating households will receive a letter to announce their involvement. There will also be information sessions over the coming weeks. Details will be provided to residents and building managers on the correct use of FOGO in their buildings.

    Those households will get an easy-to-use kitchen caddy with compostable liner bags for food scraps. They will also get access to a light green lidded FOGO bin within their shared waste enclosures. There will be no changes to regular bin collections within the expansion areas. ­

    For more information on the FOGO pilot, visit: www.cityservices.act.gov.au.

    Get ACT news and events delivered straight to your inbox, sign up to our email newsletter:


    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pappas Continues to Stand Against Republican Budget Proposal to Slash Health Care and Food Programs, Cut Taxes for Billionaires

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)

    The Senate amended resolution paves the way for the GOP to add $14 trillion to the national debt, while ripping away health care from over 200,000 Granite Staters and ending Medicaid expansion in NH

    Today Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) released the following statement after once again voting against the Republicans’ budget proposal: 

    “I am a strong no on this bill and will continue to stand with my constituents against this legislation, which would gut Medicaid, kick people off their health insurance, cut food assistance, and hurt our economy. Medicaid and Medicaid expansion are essential to so many Granite Staters, helping them access preventative care, medical treatment, substance abuse treatment, and so much more. A constituent of mine who lives with Down Syndrome, Nate, shared with me earlier this week how New Hampshire’s Medicaid expansion helps him access the care he needs to work and live. When asked how he would respond to the officials who want to cut Medicaid funding, he said he would ask them: ‘Why do you hate me?’ That is how it feels to be someone who relies on Medicaid right now and knows the cuts that will come as a result of the passage of this legislation, all so Republicans in Washington can reward the wealthiest Americans and biggest corporations with even bigger tax breaks. I hope my colleagues will stand up against this betrayal of working families and instead focus on how we can work together to make life more affordable for Americans.”

    Background: 

    Republicans’ amended H. Con. Res. 14 establishes budget toplines that would force deep cuts to health care and food programs for working families to cover the cost of $7 trillion in tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy. Pappas also voted against the original resolution when it first came to the floor. 

    This legislation would harm our health care system and the well-being of families, children, and seniors by placing the burden of $880 billion in cuts directly on the committee that oversees Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), in addition to cuts on other committees that will gut other programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

    In February, Pappas held a roundtable with New Hampshire health care advocates and community leaders to highlight the devastating impact the Republican budget would have on New Hampshire residents’ access to health care and local community health centers’ ability to serve their patients. In April, he held another discussion to highlight the negative impact the legislation would have on people who access care through the Medicaid program and New Hampshire’s Medicaid Expansion.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pappas Denounces VA Decision to End Program Helping Veterans Stay in Their Homes

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)

    Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, joined House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Mark Takano (D-CA), Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Development Committee Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) to press Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins to immediately reverse his decision to abruptly end the Veterans Affairs Servicing Purchase Program (VASP)—a VA program that helped veterans experiencing severe financial hardship avoid foreclosure and stay in their homes. 

    “On April 3, 2025, you abruptly announced the closure of the Veterans Affairs Servicing Purchase Program (VASP), leaving tens of thousands of veterans at risk for foreclosure…We write today to urge you to immediately reverse this decision, and avoid foreclosing on veterans who simply wish to keep paying their mortgage and keep their home,” wrote the lawmakers in a letter to VA Secretary Collins. “…VA is taking a misstep that will push thousands of veterans into foreclosure. This is cruel, wrong, and runs counter to the benefits earned by veterans as led by the VA Loan Guaranty office – which always seeks to use foreclosure as an absolute last resort.”

    Earlier this week, Pappas spoke out forcefully against the end of the VASP program during a House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity markup. 

    The VASP program was created as a “last-resort” option for VA to use for eligible veterans and their family members following the expiration of pandemic programs coupled with rising interest rates, which increased the risk of default for thousands of veterans. Currently, VASP is the only program of last-resort that exists for veterans facing immediate foreclosure, which has helped over 17,000 veterans since the program launched in 2024. By not accepting any new veterans into the program after May 1, 2025, VA risks putting 80,000 veterans onto the streets and out of their homes.

    The lawmakers continued, “Furthermore, with the rising costs of housing and overall inflation, VA must ask itself: Is it more cost effective to allow veterans to lose their homes or help them? VA leaders, veterans service organizations, and housing organizations have all recently shared with Congress their concerns about ending VASP too soon…While past policies have assumed that veterans have been financially irresponsible for assuming mortgages they can’t afford, today’s financial and housing market puts veterans at risk of losing their homes in a much more vulnerable situation.”

    The lawmakers concluded: “Until better policy solutions are in place that provide for stronger underwriting, ending the VASP program abruptly will only harm veterans and their families. Congress, VA, and other stakeholders must work together and offer practical, cost-effective solutions that better serve veterans. Our veterans earned their home loan guarantee benefit, and they deserve a viable option to get back on track with payments and keep their homes.”

    Read the full letter here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Miller, Schneider Introduce the RESILIENCE Act of 2025

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV) and Congressman Brad Schneider (D-IL) introduced the Repair Expenditures Support Infrastructure, Labor Investment, Energy Needs, and Creates Equity Act of 2025 (RESILIENCE Act of 2025). This bipartisan legislation will allow utilities to deduct repair costs from the Corporate Alternative Minimum Tax and will ensure that these companies are treated fairly.

     

    Click here for bill text.

     

    “The Inflation Reduction Act picked winners and losers in energy production, and hard-working Americans suffered the most by having to pay more for everything, including utilities. The Resilience Act of 2025 would fix the unfair tax treatment of utilities under the Corporate Alternative Minimum Tax by allowing regulated utilities to fully deduct repair expenditures. This bill would increase energy affordability for consumers and ensures tax fairness, ultimately creating a more resilient and reliable energy grid,” said Congresswoman Miller. 

     

    “EEI’s member electric companies make significant investments each year to maintain the energy grid and to make it stronger and more secure,” said EEI Interim President and CEO Pat Vincent-Collawn. “The current process for taxing these critical investments under the Corporate Alternative Minimum Tax needlessly raises costs for electricity customers, threatens job creation, and undermines ongoing efforts to strengthen America’s energy security. We greatly appreciate Representatives Miller and Schneider’s leadership in developing this common-sense solution, which will help keep customer costs as low as possible while enhancing the reliability and resilience of the grid.”

     

    “America’s natural gas utilities invest $37 billion each year in enhancing the safety and efficiency of natural gas distribution and transmission systems – these investments help us to deliver affordable, reliable, safe and cleaner natural gas and have lowered emissions from the natural gas distribution system by 70% since 1990. This bill from Reps. Miller and Schneider will help to remove an important barrier for this type of strategic investment in America’s energy future and will help our industry to maintain affordability for American families and businesses while fueling innovation and growth for a stronger future,”said George Lowe, AGA Vice President of Governmental Affairs and Public Policy. 

     

    “Storms can wreak havoc on our facilities and repairs are necessary to ensure reliable service. AEP spends hundreds of millions of dollars each year on storm repairs and maintenance activities. Allowing these critical expenditures to be deducted from the minimum tax lowers rates for customers and frees up capital that we can invest in other areas of our operations,” said American Electric Power.

     

    “We commend Representatives Miller and Schneider for introducing bipartisan legislation that will lower energy costs and create jobs for customers and communities nationwide, in addition to supporting grid upgrades to address growing energy demand for generations to come, putting regulated utilities on equal footing with non-regulated businesses. We look forward to engaging with Congress as this bill advances through the legislative process,” said Exelon.

     

    “At FirstEnergy, we are committed to providing reliable electric service at the lowest price possible for the six million customers across our footprint, including 556,000 in West Virginia. Repair and maintenance are critical investments that ensure a reliable and resilient grid. We applaud U.S. Reps. Carol Miller and Brad Schneider’s bipartisan efforts to create a practical solution that allows electric companies to account for these expenses more efficiently, reducing base rates and strengthening our energy infrastructure,” said FirstEnergy. 

    “Nearly 250,000 IBEW members work for regulated utilities, and a repair adjustment protects their jobs and allows them to help build a strong economy. Without the inclusion of a repair’s adjustment, IBEW members who currently perform repairs and maintenance work at our nation’s utilities could be in real danger of losing their mission-critical jobs,” said IBEW International President Kenneth W. Cooper.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scalise Touts Budget Resolution Passage

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) spoke to reporters after the passage of the Budget Resolution. Leader Scalise discussed how today’s vote unlocks the reconciliation process which will allow Republicans to fulfill the mandate voters gave us to cut spending through rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse, prevent tax hikes, unleash American energy independence, and secure the border.On House Republicans unifying around the Budget Resolution:“Everybody has been in the room at different stages. Some members had more questions than others. Every member knows, and I’ve been very candid, there’s still a lot of work left to do, but we are including all of our members, from the most conservatives to those in the most swing districts in all of these conversations, because it’s going to take all of us to get it done.“None of these votes are easy, and then the next votes won’t be easy, but they’re all significantly important for the American people. I think if you just keep sight of what the goal is, our goal from the very beginning is to provide relief to families who have been struggling and to get our economy back on track, and deliver on the promises that President Trump and House and Senate Republicans ran on during the campaign, and we’re elected and given a mandate to deliver. We’re now working on those next steps, and we’re going to get this passed because failure is not an option.”On generating savings by rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse:“The beauty is that the committees get to go deal with that. You can find $1.5 trillion and more. Obviously, you saw the press conference this morning. Well, first of all, if you look at just waste, fraud, and abuse in all federal programs, that’s on the table. I think most Americans would tell you, please go root out waste, fraud, and abuse. If any program is stealing money from taxpayers in a way that’s not intended, not even talking about changing eligibility. All of those things are going to be looked at to make the programs work better. Some of these programs do not work well for the people on it. I’ll give you an example, because a lot of lies have been told about disabled people. Medicaid does not work well enough for disabled people. We can make it work better. And part of that is by taking away some of the siphoning off of the program by people that shouldn’t be on it. There are illegals in the hundreds of thousands, at a minimum on Medicaid, taking billions of dollars out of that program, hurting disabled people. So we need to strengthen those programs, and we’re going to be working on that, too.“If you look at some of the other things, Spectrum sales, nobody talks about that. Everybody talks about $880 billion in energy and commerce as if it’s all health care. There’s probably $200 billion in non-health care-related programs before you even start talking about more savings and reforms, things like Spectrum sales. How do you go from 5G networks to 6G? It’s not just some clouds in the sky that you’re dealing with. It’s Spectrum, which is a federal asset that we auction off every few years. Well, it’s been too long. Any of these companies that spend billions of dollars building out networks will tell you we need more Spectrum made available, which means the federal government owns all of that, and we offer it up for sale every few years. We generate tens of billions, if not close to $100 billion for the taxpayers.”On stabilizing the tax code to allow for private investment in the US:“That yields, by the way, billions more private investment. It’s why you get economic growth when you lock in tax rates and make a more sane, common-sense regulatory structure because then you see private investment. I’ve heard these numbers, and you can talk to people in any walk of life in the private sector, in any industry. They will tell you there’s trillions, four, five trillion dollars of money sitting on the sideline not being invested in America now until they see what the tax code looks like. Everybody’s talking about tariffs right now. Most businesses are waiting to see what the tax code will look like before they make major investments. And they will tell you, if we just prevent a tax hike, which, by the way, every Democrat voted today to raise taxes, and they’ve said they wanted the tax rates to go up, we do not. And if we flatline and say no tax increases on American families, that alone will spur trillions of dollars more investment in our economy. You could see 3% GDP growth with the economy, more money in your pockets when you go to the grocery store, when you go to the gas station. But it also gives us, the federal treasury, more money coming in to lower the deficit. “The timeline to get this done is as quick as we can get it done. We’ve said by the end of May.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Davids Fights to Restore Manufacturing Support Slashed by Trump Administration

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-3)

    In case you missed it, the Kansas City Star reported on Representative Sharice Davids’ new legislation to reverse devastating cuts made by the Trump administration to Kansas Manufacturing Solutions (KMS), a nonprofit that supports hundreds of Kansas manufacturers, including more than 500 in Kansas’ Third District alone.

    The decision to cut the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) contract — despite bipartisan support for bolstering domestic manufacturing — has already forced KMS to lay off over half its staff and threatens Kansas’ manufacturing ecosystem at a time of rising economic uncertainty and global supply chain challenges. 

    Davids’ bill, the Defend American Manufacturing Act, would ensure future MEP contracts are renewed and shield the program from politically motivated cuts, helping small and medium-sized manufacturers access the support they need to expand, improve operations, and create good-paying jobs.

    Read more in the Kansas City Star: Trump cut help for Kansas manufacturers. Sharice Davids wants to restore funds

    “KMS had been a part of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, a nationwide federal program run by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The institute, housed in the U.S. Department of Commerce, chose not to renew MEP contracts in Kansas and nine other states with program agreements that ended on March 31. 

    The non-renewals come even as Trump and his allies publicly emphasize the importance of American manufacturing and luring manufacturers into the country from overseas.

    […]

    ‘It was really a gut punch,’ Stovall said in an interview, adding later that tariffs don’t work without a strong manufacturing base to meet demand. ‘Cutting MEP now is like building a runway and then grounding the plane.’ 

    Rep. Sharice Davids, a Democrat who represents the Kansas 3rd Congressional District, will introduce legislation on Thursday to effectively reverse the cuts.

    […]

    Davids, who represents southern Wyandotte County, Johnson County and rural areas southwest of the Kansas City metro, said the measure, called the Defend American Manufacturing Act, would free the program’s funding from politically-motivated decision making. 

    ‘I’m very frustrated right now, actually, about this because we’re at this time where people are dealing with supply chain issues. By the hour, the economic uncertainty seems to grow,’ Davids told The Star in an interview on Tuesday. 

    ‘And I will say that having a president literally say he’s focused on bringing more manufacturing home to the United States, while nearly simultaneously imposing these tariffs, announcing these tariffs – this is an example of a politician saying one thing and doing another.’ 

    […]

    Roughly 4,400 manufacturers operate in Kansas, and 84% are owned by small and medium-sized enterprises, according to KMS’ 2024 annual report. Those small and medium-sized businesses represent the nonprofit’s target client – businesses who want assistance but aren’t large enough to afford high-end consulting. Kansas manufacturers employ some 173,000 people statewide, including over 30,000 in the 3rd District. 

    […]

    ‘Nationally, part of the point of the tariffs is to, in fact, drive more manufacturing back into the U.S.,’ Kindle said. ‘But if we tear down the structures that help make that happen, then it’s not helpful. We’re not going to have the result we anticipated if we aren’t ready when those companies come knocking.’ 

    […]

    The Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, in a 2023 report, recommended privatizing the Manufacturing Extension Partnership. While Trump sought to distance himself from Project 2025 during his most recent campaign, his administration has taken steps to implement a number of its recommendations. 

    […]

    Davids said KMS acts as ‘boots on the ground’ patterns for small and medium-sized manufacturers. The businesses were already dealing with economic uncertainty. But the federal decision to cut the Manufacturing Extension Partnership was ‘absolutely the rug being pulled out from under them.’ 

    Davids’ legislation faces an uncertain future in the Republican-controlled U.S. House. Davids said she plans to seek Republican support, adding that many lawmakers may not yet be aware of the cuts to the MEP program. 

    At a time when cuts to Medicaid are on the table in Congress and significant job losses are possible at the Social Security Administration and other federal agencies, Davids said, “we shouldn’t have to worry about whether Donald Trump is going to continue to support our ability to have a strong economy.’” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Craig Blasts Administration for Using Trade Policy to Enrich Inner Circle

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Angie Craig (MN-02)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Angie Craig joined her colleagues in expressing serious concerns that the Administration may be using trade policy to enrich the President’s inner circle.

    In a letter to President Trump and top cabinet officials, the Members of Congress noted that Cabinet Members and top officials connected with the Administration are in positions to directly benefit from stock market volatility, while everyday Americans stand to suffer financially. 

    “Our concern stems from the fact that Cabinet Members and top officials connected with the Administration—including members of the President’s family—are in positions to directly benefit from any manipulation of the stock market, while its volatility puts the financial security of everyday Americans at risk,” the Members wrote. “The volatility in the stock market has devastated the financial security of Americans… These are real losses from retirement accounts, 529 college savings plans, and Health Savings Accounts that families depend on for essential expenses.”

    They also raised questions about the President’s choice to post on social media encouraging his followers to buy stocks only hours before reversing his decision to impose sweeping tariffs on America’s trading partners.

    “This sequence of events raises serious concerns about the timing of public communications by the President and the use of executive authority in trade matters,” the Members continued. “The lack of transparency in decision-making—especially when so closely tied to significant market movements—undermines public trust and raises red flags about potential manipulation or self-dealing.”

    The Members also requested information to better understand the role of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) in overseeing trade policy decisions. 

    “The appearance that trade announcements or reversals may be timed in coordination with statements that influence markets—even implicitly—warrants immediate and thorough scrutiny,” the Members wrote. “If individuals within the Administration had advanced knowledge of trade actions or reversals and used that information for personal or political gain, such conduct would be deeply troubling —and potentially unlawful.”

    Representative Craig has led the charge to clean up Washington and prohibit Members of Congress from profiting off their service. She recently re-introduced her Halt Unchecked Member Benefits with Lobbying Elimination (HUMBLE) Act, which would ban Members of Congress from owning or trading individual stocks, prohibit the use of taxpayer funds for first-class airline tickets, prevent Members from serving on corporate boards while they are in Congress and eliminate access to Members-only perks for former Members. The bill also includes a new provision to eliminate automatic pay raises for Members of Congress.  

    You can read the full letter here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Cleaver Votes Against Budget Resolution that Opens Door to Slashing Medicaid and SNAP, Exploding Deficit to Provide Another Handout to Wealthy

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)

    (Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) voted against the Republican Budget Resolution that would open the door to slashing essential programs like Medicaid, SNAP, and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) while exploding the federal deficit to finance another round of tax cuts that overwhelmingly benefit the wealthiest Americans. 

    “As Missouri families continue to struggle with the cost of living, as well as the economic chaos created by the president’s reckless tariff policies, my Republican colleagues are laser-focused on passing another round of tax cuts that overwhelmingly benefit the wealthiest Americans—paid for by slashing essential programs that working class Americans depend on like Medicaid, SNAP, CHIP, and more,” said Congressman Cleaver. “This isn’t just fiscally irresponsible, it’s a dangerous proposal that will drive up the cost of everything from healthcare and housing to groceries and energy, all while exploding the federal deficit.”

    According to estimates, the resolution would increase inflation, with the average American household’s purchasing power over the next five years falling by $300-$1,250. That does not include the average loss of $3,800 for the average American due to the president’s previously announced costly tariff plans.

    The Treasury Department found that the extension of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act would give an average annual tax cut of $32,118 for those in the top 1 percent and an average annual tax cut of $314,266 for those in the top 0.1 percent. Nearly half the net benefit of extending the law would go to the top 5 percent of households, or those making more than $450,000 per year.

    Meanwhile, working families will only receive a few hundred dollars in tax cuts a year while losing access to programs like Medicaid, SNAP, school meals, and more, as well as facing higher costs due to inflationary effects. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the Republican budget previously passed by House Republicans would result in the largest Medicaid cuts in American history—which would be particularly devastating to Missouri.

    In addition to the $880 billion in cuts to programs like Medicaid and CHIP, other devastating cuts to federal programs from the Republican budget include at least:

    • $330 billion in cuts targeting student loan programs, income driven repayment, Pell grants, and school meals;
    • $230 billion in cuts threatening nutrition assistance programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP);
    • $50 billion in cuts that endanger government employee retirement benefits and the federal workforce;
    • $10 billion in cuts to investments in local infrastructure made through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law;
    • $1 billion in cuts that jeopardize the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and federal financial regulators;
    • $1 billion in cuts to clean energy investments made under the Inflation Reduction Act.

    “Rather than pushing an extreme, partisan budget resolution that will take from the most vulnerable in our community and give to those in the top five percent, Congress should be focused on expanding tax cuts for working and middle class families, investing in healthcare and housing programs that will lower costs for Missourians, and ensuring the wealthiest among us pay their fair share,” said Congressman Cleaver. “As Republicans continue to pursue more reckless trickle-down economics, I will do everything in my power to put a stop to these reverse Robin Hood policies.”

    Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Meeks, Frankel, Shaheen, Schatz Send Letter Objecting to Trump Administration’s Proposed Reorganization of USAID

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)

    Washington, DC – Today, Representatives Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY), Ranking Member of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Lois Frankel (D-FL), Ranking Member of the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on National Security, Department of State and Related Programs, and U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Brian Schatz (D-HI), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs, sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio objecting to the Trump Administration’s proposed reorganization of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The lawmakers expressed a willingness to work with the Secretary on reforms but stated concern that the current plan violates federal law, further endangers lifesaving global health and humanitarian programs, overburdens the State Department, and damages U.S. credibility. They urged Secretary Rubio to testify before Congress and commit to a lawful and transparent reform process. 

    “It is critical that the Department of State and USAID undertake any reform or realignment in a transparent manner that adheres to applicable laws so that implementation is effective and sustainable. Unfortunately, that is not how you have pursued reforms and realignment to date, including through this CN. Not only has the process that produced the CN been unlawful, but its implementation would render it impossible for the Administration to lawfully comply with authorizing laws and spending directives enacted in recent appropriations bills and meet other statutory requirements,” wrote the lawmakers. 

    “In addition, we have serious concerns about the legal, financial, and national security risks the proposal will create.  The CN also does not address the proposed process for consolidating USAID operations into the State Department, including the requisite staffing, contracting, vetting, and oversight that would be required to maintain critical USAID programs, including lifesaving humanitarian and global health programs, without interruption.  The concurrent plan to fire all USAID staff — and therefore all expertise — raises further concern about disruptions to lifesaving programs and other critical harm to American workers, businesses, and implementing partners and increases the risk of waste, fraud, and abuse,” continued the lawmakers. 

    “The fundamental goal of any reform effort should be to strengthen the effectiveness of U.S. foreign policy, including by enhancing our capabilities. As proposed, this plan will overburden the State Department, jeopardize the continuity of programs that save lives and keep Americans safe at home, and further undermine U.S. credibility and reliability. We remain open to working with you on reforms, including reorganization proposals, pending your testimony before our committees on the foreign assistance review and related reorganization, responses to the questions and requests we have sent in prior letters regarding these matters and a demonstrated commitment to a transparent process that protects and advances U.S. national security interests,” concluded the lawmakers. 

    Full text of the letter is provided below. 

    Dear Secretary Rubio:  

    We write to object to the Congressional Notification (CN) submitted to the Appropriations Committees, Senate Foreign Relations Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee on March 28, 2025, notifying your intent to undertake a reorganization that would realign or discontinue all functions of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).  

    We do not believe that the State Department, USAID or the broader foreign assistance enterprise should be immune from reform. In fact, we have supported many reform initiatives designed to maximize impact and ensure we have the best diplomatic and development agencies in the world. These efforts have included increasing burden sharing, expanding the implementing partner base, better leveraging the private sector and holding partners more accountable for delivering results and controlling costs, among others.  

    We also recognize that the Trump Administration will have different foreign policy priorities than prior Administrations.  

    However, it is critical that the Department of State and USAID undertake any reform or realignment in a transparent manner that adheres to applicable laws so that implementation is effective and sustainable. Unfortunately, that is not how you have pursued reforms and realignment to date, including through this CN. Not only has the process that produced the CN been unlawful, its implementation would render it impossible for the Administration to comply with authorizing laws and spending directives enacted in recent appropriations bills and meet other statutory requirements.  

    In addition, we have serious concerns about the legal, financial and national security risks the proposal will create. The CN also does not address the proposed process for consolidating USAID operations into the State Department, including the requisite staffing, contracting, vetting and oversight that would be required to maintain critical USAID programs, including lifesaving humanitarian and global health programs, without interruption. The concurrent plan to fire virtually all USAID staff — and therefore lose all expertise — raises further concern about disruptions to lifesaving programs and other critical harm to American workers, businesses and implementing partners and increases the risk of waste, fraud and abuse.  

    The fundamental goal of any reform effort should be to strengthen the effectiveness of U.S. foreign policy, including by enhancing our capabilities. As proposed, this plan will overburden the State Department, jeopardize the continuity of programs that save lives and keep Americans safe at home and further undermine U.S. credibility and reliability.  

    That is why we object to any implementation of your proposal at this time. 

    We remain open to working with you on reforms, including reorganization proposals, pending your testimony before our committees on the foreign assistance review and related reorganization, responses to the questions and requests we have sent in prior letters regarding these matters and a demonstrated commitment to a transparent process that protects and advances U.S. national security interests.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Kustoff Introduces the Winter Canola Study Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative David Kustoff (TN-08)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Reps. David Kustoff (R-TN), Dale W. Strong (R-AL) and Tracey Mann (R-KS) introduced the Winter Canola Study Act in the House of Representatives. This legislation would request that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) conduct a study investigating the gap in crop insurance coverage for double crop grown winter oilseeds, such as canola. Additionally, the bill recognizes the economic and environmental benefits of rotationally and double crop grown canola and emphasizes the importance of investing in lower carbon-intensity renewable fuels to enhance rural communities, create jobs, and bolster energy security.

    “America’s farmers keep our economy going by putting food on the shelves and fuel in our tanks,” said Congressman Kustoff. “By allowing our farmers to plant winter canola in the off season, the Winter Canola Study Act will expand opportunities for growers and producers across the nation.”

    “The Winter Canola Study Act would give North Alabama farmers crucial new information and broaden the opportunity to plant winter canola as an alternative double crop option,” said Congressman Strong. “I am proud to work on behalf of farmers by joining Representative Kustoff and my colleagues in introducing this legislation. This research would help create a more competitive market for farmers while supporting the hard work they do to provide our food, fiber, and fuel.”

    “Harnessing the potential of American-grown commodities like winter oilseed supports the entire agriculture and energy supply from grower to consumer,” said Congressman Mann. “I am proud to join my colleagues in introducing this legislation to help facilitate the growth of energy-abundant and sustainable fuel feedstocks by supporting access to risk management tools, research into yield improvements, and the environmental benefits of new crop rotations.”
     

    Click here for the full text of the bill.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Kelly Condemns Budget that Slashes Medicaid

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Robin Kelly IL

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (IL-02) released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed budget reconciliation instructions by 216-214. The budget directs the Energy and Commerce Committee, on which Rep. Kelly sits, to cut Medicaid by $880 billion.

    “The Republican budget betrays the American people. Republicans voted to slash Medicaid by $880 billion — the largest cut in history — which jeopardizes over 300,000 of my constituents’ healthcare. That’s almost half of the people living in the Second District. As grocery prices skyrocket, Republicans voted to cut food assistance by $230 billion, which would leave almost 190,000 of my constituents without reliable meals.

    “Even more atrocious, Republicans passed this budget to make way for a $4.5 trillion tax cut for their billionaire friends. The top 0.1% would receive an average annual tax cut of $314,266 — compared to a few hundred dollars for working families. Even hardline conservatives who claim to care about the deficit bowed to President Trump and are paving the way for a $5 trillion debt limit increase. Republicans voted to enrich themselves, decimate our economy, and steal from hardworking Americans.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Crow Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Limit Foreign Interference in U.S. Elections

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jason Crow (CO-06)

    WASHINGTON — Congressman Jason Crow (D-CO-06) has introduced new bipartisan legislation to crack down on corruption and limit the influence of foreign money in U.S. elections. 

    While campaign finance law limits foreign nations from contributing to campaigns or engaging in most political activity, there are currently few restrictions in place to prevent a foreign national or government from creating shell companies to covertly funnel money into American elections.

    Congressman Crow’s Shell Company Abuse Act would close this longstanding loophole by making it a felony to establish or use a corporation, company, or business entity to conceal illegal political activity by a foreign national. The legislation was also introduced by Representatives Wesley Bell (D-MO-01), Don Bacon (R-NE-02) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01).

    “American elections should be decided by American voters, not foreign citizens or governments,” said Congressman Crow. “I’ve long fought against corruption and special interests, and that’s why today I’m introducing bipartisan legislation to prevent foreign nationals and governments from covertly funneling money into our elections.”

    “Allowing foreign money to flow into our elections through anonymous shell companies is a threat to everything our democracy stands for,” said Congressman Bell. “Americans have the right to choose their leaders without interference from hidden foreign interests. This bill is about drawing a clear line — our elections belong to the people, and no one else.”

    “Foreign nationals are already prohibited from donating to federal elections, but some individuals have attempted to skirt this law by creating shell companies to conceal these illegal activities,” said Congressman Bacon. “I’m pleased to join Rep. Bell on this legislation to keep integrity in our political process.”

    Congressman Crow is a leading voice in the fight to end corruption. Recently, he introduced the End Dark Money Act, critical legislation to crack down on corruption and end dark money influencing U.S. elections. He previously served as the co-chair of the End Corruption Caucus, and has introduced several other pieces of legislation, including the SHINE Act, DISCLOSE Act, and TRUST in Congress, to end the influence of special interests in elections.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dexter, Bonamici Lead Fight Against Republican Cuts to Medicaid

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Suzanne Bonamici (1st District Oregon)

    Representatives offered an amendment to sweeping GOP budget blueprint to protect Medicaid from being used to finance tax cuts for the ultrawealthy

    WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today Congresswomen Maxine Dexter, M.D. (OR-03) and Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) introduced an amendment to prevent cuts to Medicaid from financing tax cuts for the ultrawealthy. It was blocked by Republicans. Senator Wyden introduced an identical amendment in the Senate. 

    “Medicaid saves lives and improves the health of millions of Oregonians and Americans,” said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. “It is cruel and dangerous to make massive cuts to Medicaid to pay for tax cuts for wealthy individuals and corporations. I’m grateful to join Rep. Dexter in standing against this effort to take health care away from the American people.” 

    “I offered a simple amendment to this budget plan to ensure cuts to Medicaid are not used to finance tax cuts for billionaires or big corporations. Republicans blocked it. Let me repeat that: at the same time Republicans are saying they won’t cut Medicaid, they blocked my amendment that would protect it,” said Congresswoman Dexter. “This fight isn’t over—far from it. At every juncture in this process, I will stand shoulder to shoulder with champions like Congresswoman Bonamici and Senator Wyden in firm opposition to any cuts to Medicaid and the critical programs Oregonians rely on.”

    Read a fact sheet of the GOP budget blueprint here. 

    ### 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Congressman Krishnamoorthi Denounces Republican Budget Plan That Will Gut Medicaid to Fund Tax Breaks for Billionaires

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

    SCHAUMBURG – Yesterday, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) joined WGN Chicago and Fox32 Chicago to discuss the passage of a House Republican budget plan that calls for drastic spending cuts to offset tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) have called for total spending cuts up to $1.5 trillion, the majority of which would come from essential programs including Medicaid and SNAP that millions of Illinoisans depend on for access to health care and food.

    “The House Republicans’ budget plan is a direct assault on Illinois families. Slashing Medicaid to fund tax breaks for billionaires would strip health care from over 850,000 Illinois residents, including two out of every five infants and two-thirds of nursing home residents who rely on this vital program. This reckless plan endangers lives and threatens the stability of our health care providers — harming the health and well-being of every single Illinoisan. Furthermore, this horrendous plan protects Trump’s irresponsible blanket tariffs that are already driving up costs and pushing our country toward recession. I will continue to fight this draconian GOP plan and do anything I can to protect Illinoisans from Donald Trump’s havoc.” 

    What They’re Watching:

    WGN Chicago:

    “It would end up as a tax cut of almost 7 trillion dollars financed by trillions of dollars of cuts to our social safety net, including to Medicaid, including to SNAP, once known as food stamps, and it’s going to hurt millions of families.”

    Fox32 Chicago:

    “We estimate that it will basically slash $880 billion from Medicaid, $230 billion from food stamps, now known as SNAP, and then a host of other cuts that are unspecified that total $1.5 trillion in cuts.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FACT SHEET: Republican Middle Class Betrayal in San Francisco

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi Representing the 12th District of California

    From the Speaker Emerita’s Press Office:

    Today, House Republicans passed a budget that betrays the middle class with the largest cuts to Medicaid and SNAP in American history.  

    Republicans are taking away health care, increasing the cost of essentials like food and housing, and decimating services working families count on – all to pay for $7 trillion giveaways to Donald Trump’s billionaire donors, big corporations and the ultra-rich.

    Below is a fact sheet prepared by the Office of Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (CA-11) and the Democratic Staff of the House Committee on the Budget:

    This is what Republican budget plans would mean for San Francisco:

    • $7 trillion in giveaways to billionaires and big corporations
    • $314,266 in average annual tax cuts for the richest 0.1 percent

    Meanwhile, middle class families would be left holding the bag.

    Ripping Away Health Care

    The Affordable Care Act

    Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, tens of millions of Americans can afford high-quality health care. House Democrats built on the Affordable Care Act, delivering lower prices and expanding coverage.

    Under the Republican budget plan, the 32,000 people who receive coverage under the Affordable Care Act in San Francisco would see their average premium go up by $3,070 per year — a 112% increase.

    Many families would face even steeper consequences. A 60-year-old couple with a household income of $85,000 in San Francisco would see their health insurance costs increase by $22,193 per year — a 307% increase in premiums.

    Medicaid

    Nearly 80 million Americans receive health care through Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which provide critical care throughout all stages of life. Medicaid covers everything from childbirth to nursing home care and everything in between.

    In San Francisco, the 162,583 people on Medicaid (also known in California as Medi-Cal) are at risk of losing their health care under Republican budget plans.

    This includes 33,336 children under the age of 19 and 44,000 seniors over 65 in San Francisco.

    Raising the Cost of Living

    Food Assistance

    With many American families struggling to put food on the table, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program provides critical support for over 40 million Americans including children, seniors, veterans, and working parents.

    Extreme Republican budget plans threaten the 211,000 people in San Francisco who count on SNAP to put food on the table.

    School Lunches

    Every year, more than 23 million children receive healthy school meals thanks to the Community Eligibility Provision.

    Across California, the Republican budget threatens 2,452,931 children who rely on free school lunches.

    If Republicans are successful, their extreme budget will make it even harder for these children to get the meals they need to grow and learn.

    Pell Grants

    About one in three undergraduate students receive Pell grants, which have helped millions of students afford the cost of a college education. These investments in future generations help grow our economy and our middle class.

    The Republican budget would jeopardize the futures of 19,382 students in San Francisco who use Pell grants to help afford their education.

    And that’s only the beginning. Republicans are targeting even more critical services to fund their tax cuts for billionaires and big corporations.

    The Trump Administration is already undermining our nation’s economy by threatening essential public servants with reckless layoffs. In San Francisco alone, the federal government employs 7,602 people.

    Learn more about how the Republican budget betrays the middle class here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pelosi Joins House Democrats in Introducing Bill to Raise the Minimum Wage

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi Representing the 12th District of California

    Washington, D.C. — This week, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi joined House Democrats in introducing the Raise the Wage Act of 2025.  The Raise the Wage Act, led by House Committee on Education and the Workforce Ranking Member Bobby Scott, would gradually raise the minimum wage to $17 by 2030 and give roughly 22 million Americans a long-overdue raise.

    After more than fifteen years with no increase in the federal minimum wage—the longest period in U.S. history—millions of our nation’s workers are working full-time jobs but are still struggling to make ends meet.  The Raise the Wage Act is good for workers, good for business and good for the economy.  When we put money in the pockets of workers, they will spend that money at local businesses.

    “With the introduction of the Raise the Wage Act, Democrats honor the bedrock promise that, in America, hard work deserves fair pay,” Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi said.  “Raising the federal minimum wage would make a meaningful difference in the lives of millions of Americans — bringing us one step closer to ensuring every worker’s dignity and contributions are honored with a fair paycheck.”

    San Francisco proudly leads the nation with a higher local minimum wage — proof that raising wages strengthens communities without slowing economic growth.

    “The last time a minimum wage increase was passed by both chambers and signed into law was under my initial tenure as Speaker of the House,” Speaker Emerita Pelosi said. “We’ve fought for this before, and we’ll keep fighting until fair pay is the law of the land.”

    As Speaker, Pelosi led House Democrats in passing legislation to raise the minimum wage to $15/hour in the 116th and 117th Congresses but Senate Republicans blocked the bill both times.

    The Raise the Wage Act of 2025 would:

    • Gradually raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $17 by 2030.
    • Index future increases in the federal minimum wage to median wage growth to ensure the value of minimum wage does not once again erode over time.
    • Guarantee tipped workers are paid at least the full federal minimum wage by phasing out the subminimum wage for tipped workers, which will ensure decent, consistent pay without eliminating tips.
    • Guarantee teen workers are paid at least the full federal minimum wage by phasing out the rarely used subminimum wage for youth workers.
    • End subminimum wage certificates for workers with disabilities to provide opportunities for workers with disabilities to be competitively employed and participate more fully in their communities.

    To read the bill text for the Raise the Wage Act of 2025, click here. 

    To read the fact sheet on the Raise the Wage Act of 2025, click here.

    To read the section-by-section Raise the Wage Act of 2025, click here.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Pillen Joins Republican Governors Advocating EPA Increase the Renewable Volume Obligation for Biofuels

    Source: US State of Nebraska

    .S. EPA to bump up the Renewable Volume Obligation (RVO), to help meet the nation’s energy goals and promote growth in the agriculture and biofuels industries.

     

    “Because of renewable fuels policy, we now have 24 ethanol plants. We have the infrastructure that allows Nebraska to be the epicenter of the new bioeconomy. Increasing RVO levels will benefit our state’s biofuels producers and is key to rural economic revitalization.”

     

    The joint letter, addressed to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, says in part:

     

    “Over the past several years, the biofuels industry has made significant investments to expand domestic production capacity and strengthen feedstock supply. Unfortunately, the Renewable Volume Obligation (RVO) levels set by the previous Administration failed to reflect this growth. As a result, an increasing number of biofuel producers, including ethanol and biodiesel facilities, have been forced to slow or cease operations, costing rural communities jobs and weakening key markets for American farmers.”

     

    The Governors are asking the EPA to establish a 2016 RVO of no less than 15 billion gallons for conventional ethanol and 5.25 billion gallons for biomass-based diesel.

     

    Including Gov. Pillen, other governors who signed the letter include: Gov. Kim Reynolds (IA), Gov. Gov. Mike Kehoe (MO), and Gov. Larry Rhoden (SD).

     

    A copy of the letter is included with this release.

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese, Spanish leaders pledge to enhance ties, safeguard free trade

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, capital of China, April 11, 2025. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

    Chinese President Xi Jinping and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez met in Beijing on Friday, pledging to build stronger ties and calling for safeguarding the international trade order.

    MUTUAL SUPPORT, TRUST, RESPECT

    China stands ready to work with Spain to build a more strategically resilient and dynamic comprehensive strategic partnership, Xi told Sanchez.

    Noting that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Spain, Xi said China will work with Spain to enhance the well-being of the two peoples, inject impetus into China-EU relations, and make greater contributions to promoting world peace, stability and development.

    He called on the two sides to continue to consolidate the political foundation of mutual support, trust and respect each other, and support each other on issues concerning their respective core interests and major concerns, especially in safeguarding sovereignty and territorial integrity.

    Xi said China’s consumption upgrade for 1.4 billion people and industrial transformation potential will provide strong momentum for the world economy, adding that China is willing to make good use of the mutually beneficial and complementary cooperation advantages with Spain, give full play to the roles of economic, trade, and sci-tech cooperation mechanisms, and tap the potential of cooperation in new energy, high-tech manufacturing, smart cities and other fields, so as to achieve more mutually beneficial cooperation outcomes.

    The two countries should continue their traditional friendship, and expand student exchanges to engage more young people in carrying forward the friendship, he added.

    Noting that both China and Spain are positive forces supporting multilateralism, openness and cooperation, Xi said the two countries should promote the building of a fair and equitable global governance system, safeguard world peace and security, and promote common development and prosperity.

    Sanchez said that over the past 20 years since establishing a comprehensive strategic partnership, Spain and China have maintained mutual respect and friendly cooperation, and bilateral relations have developed steadily.

    Spain attaches great importance to its relations with China, unswervingly adheres to the one-China policy, and is willing to maintain high-level exchanges with China and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and exchanges in various fields to push bilateral relations to a new level, Sanchez said.

    Xi said China always views the EU as a vital pole in a multipolar world and explicitly supports the EU’s unity, development and growth, calling on both sides to adhere to partnership, openness and cooperation.

    China is ready to work with the EU to jointly celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations, and advance the China-EU relationship toward strategic stability and mutual success to better benefit the two peoples and the international community, Xi said.

    Noting that China is an important partner of the EU, Sanchez said Spain always supports the stable development of EU-China relations.

    NO WINNER IN TARIFF WAR

    “There is no winner in a tariff war, and going against the world will only result in self-isolation,” Xi said.

    Xi said China’s development over the past seven decades is a result of self-reliance and hard work, not favors from others. China does not flinch from any unjust suppression.

    He added that no matter how the external world changes, China will remain confident and focused on running its own affairs well.

    Noting that China and the EU are both major economies in the world and firm supporters of economic globalization and free trade, Xi said the two sides have formed a close relationship of economic symbiosis, with their combined economic output exceeding one-third of the world’s total.

    He called on China and the EU to fulfill their international responsibilities, work together to safeguard economic globalization and the international trade environment, and jointly reject unilateral and bullying actions.

    By doing so, they will not only safeguard their own legitimate rights and interests, but also help maintain fairness and justice within the international community and uphold international rules and order, Xi said.

    Noting the EU is committed to open and free trade, upholds multilateralism and opposes unilateral tariff hikes, Sanchez said there is no winner in a trade war.

    Facing the complex and challenging international situation, Spain and the EU are willing to strengthen communication and coordination with China to maintain the international trade order, cope with challenges including climate change and poverty, and safeguard the common interests of the international community, he said.

    The two sides also exchanged views over the Ukraine crisis.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Furry companions ride high-speed rails as China expands pet travel options

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

    This photo taken on April 10, 2025 shows pet transport cases with air circulation, noise reduction and deodorization functions as well as oxygen, temperature and moisture sensors in Beijing, capital of China. [Photo/Xinhua]

    BEIJING, April 11 — Liu Yifan, who often takes her three-year-old corgi on weekend adventures by car or taxi, is now embracing a new travel option — high-speed rail — opening the door to longer, farther journeys with her furry companion.

    Starting Tuesday, 10 designated trains running between five stations in the cities of Beijing, Jinan, Nanjing, Shanghai and Hangzhou along the Beijing-Shanghai High-speed Railway launched a pilot pet consignment service, allowing qualified domesticated cats and dogs to board with their owners and receive special care during the trip.

    Passengers can book the service at least two days in advance through 12306, the China Railway booking platform. Each traveler is allowed to bring one healthy pet weighing no more than 15 kilograms and standing no taller than 40 centimeters at the shoulder, accompanied by a valid quarantine certificate, according to China State Railway Group Co., Ltd.

    Liu, a resident of Hangzhou, capital of east China’s Zhejiang Province, was among the first to try the new service, spending around 500 yuan (about 69 U.S. dollars) to book tickets for herself and her pet on the inaugural day. On Thursday, they enjoyed a one-hour journey to Nanjing, capital of eastern Jiangsu Province.

    “I started with a short trip to see if my dog could adapt,” said Liu, 24. “I was pleasantly surprised by the professional pet transport case, which features real-time video monitoring and an air circulation system.”

    According to Wang Lin, a manager of China Railway Express’s Hangzhou branch, the Beijing-Shanghai line has the country’s highest passenger volume and train frequency, making it a valuable testing ground for broader pet-friendly service expansion.

    The rollout of the high-speed railway pet consignment service reflects a surge in China’s pet population and the growing influence of the pet economy, said Wu Yi, an associate professor at the College of Animal Science and Technology at China Agricultural University. “The demand has prompted the transport sector to facilitate pet-friendly trips, including the development of specialized travel equipment.”

    According to an industry white paper, the value of China’s urban pet (dog and cat) sector reached 300.2 billion yuan in 2024, up 7.5 percent year on year, with the pet population nationwide exceeding 120 million.

    Driven by the growing pet-owning community, China has continued to expand travel options for pets. The aviation industry, for instance, has introduced pet-in-cabin services.

    A Ragdoll cat owner Li Wei (pseudonym) recalled flying with her feline on Hainan Airlines during the Spring Festival holiday. “It was a pleasant experience. The pet security check was fast and could be done through either an X-ray or manual inspection in a private room. During the flight, a stewardess kindly checked in on us several times,” she said.

    Hainan Airlines has been a pioneer in pet-in-cabin services since 2018. By November 2024, the carrier had transported more than 10,000 pets in-cabin across trips involving 27 major cities, including Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen. Its subsidiary, Lucky Air, and other carriers such as Juneyao Air and China Southern Airlines introduced similar services last year.

    Meanwhile, Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport opened China’s first dedicated pet lounge in 2024, a spacious facility equipped with air quality monitors, species-specific zones and play areas.

    “For many pet owners, pets are already considered part of the family and deserve better care and services. This is a market worth exploring,” said a staff member at the airport.

    Short-distance travel providers are also stepping up. Last year, a pet-friendly bus began trial operations in Shenzhen, while popular ride-hailing platforms such as Didi Chuxing have launched “pet express” services.

    According to Didi Chuxing, pet-designated vehicles are equipped with pet-friendly seat pads, safety belts, and cleaning tools. Drivers receive professional training in pet behavior and emergency handling, and are responsible for providing food and water for pets as needed.

    According to Wu, expanding and optimizing pet-friendly public transport not only meets pet owners’ emotional needs but also reflects the growing emphasis on animal welfare in Chinese society. “This supports the development of a pet-friendly culture while stimulating related industries and contributing to economic growth,” she said.

    Wu also stressed the need to ensure safety and hygiene, adding that regulations on pet transport should be established, pet owners should focus on training their pets for behavior in public spaces, and transportation staff must be well-equipped to handle any unexpected situations.

    This photo taken on April 10, 2025 shows a pet transport case with air circulation, noise reduction and deodorization functions as well as oxygen, temperature and moisture sensors in Beijing, capital of China. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A staff member puts a pet dog into a pet transport case at Beijing South railway station in Beijing, capital of China, on April 10, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A pet cat awaits its consignment in a pet transport case on train G134 travelling from Hongqiao Railway Station in east China’s Shanghai, to Nanjing South Railway Station in Nanjing, east China’s Jiangsu Province, on April 10, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A manager with China Railway Express’ Shanghai branch displays a pet transport case at Hongqiao Railway Station in east China’s Shanghai, April 10, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto Unveils Plan to Reform Federal Home Loan Bank System, Increase the Supply of Homes

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) unveiled the Federal Home Loan Banks’ Mission Activities Act, her plan to reform the Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLBanks). This legislation would help ensure the FHLBanks are re-focused on their mission “to support housing finance and community development.”
    “When Congress created the Federal Home Loan Banks in 1932, the mission was simple: help families across the United States afford a home,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “However, in the more than ninety years since, the Federal Home Loan Banks have strayed from their mission. I’ve spent years pushing them to do more to support affordable housing in our communities, and I’m proud to present this next step to make them work for every American.”
    The 11 regional FHLBanks provide financing for more than 6,000 credit unions, banks, community development financial institutions, insurance companies and state housing finance agencies. These funds are meant to allow these organizations to invest more to meet the needs of their communities.
    The Federal Home Loan Banks’ Mission Activities Act would re-focus the FHLBanks on their mission requirements by:
    Requiring the FHLBank system to contribute 30 percent or a minimum of $200 million of its net earnings to its Affordable Home Program and other voluntary programs that meet community needs.
    Enabling small credit unions and community development financial institutions to pledge non-housing loans as collateral and join a Federal Home Loan Bank if they only provide small business, agricultural or community economic development loans.
    Tying FHLBanks Presidents’ compensation to how well the Banks are meeting their mission of supporting affordable housing and community development.
    Read the full bill text here.
    Throughout her time representing Nevada, Senator Cortez Masto has made reforming the Federal Home Loan Banks a cornerstone of her work. In 2021, Cortez Masto introduced the Federal Home Loan Banks’ Mission Implementation Act, which included elements of this proposal. In Congress, Senator Cortez Masto has also highlighted the fact that Nevada has been treated unfairly by the system, and she has sought additional investment in Nevada by the FHLBank of San Francisco resulting in the first-in-the nation targeted Affordable Housing Program for the state.
    Following a 2022 letter Senator Cortez Masto sent to FHFA Director Sandra Thompson, the FHFA announced a review of the Federal Home Loan Bank system. In her letter, the Senator called for a review of the FHLBanks and requested that that review consult stakeholders and outside experts to ensure the FHLBanks responsibly used their federal funding. She also asked that the review consider how FHLBanks can better support affordable housing, rural and tribal communities, income inequality, infrastructure investments, and climate resilience. In late 2023, the FHFA released a comprehensive report calling for mission-focused reform of the FHLBanks.
    Last year, Cortez Masto – alongside Senators Warren (D-Mass.), Wyden (D-Ore.), Smith (D-Minn.), Baldwin (D-Wis.), Sanders (I-Vt.) and Fetterman (D-Pa.) – sent letters to each of the 11 Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLBanks) urging them to contribute at least 20% of their net income to affordable housing and other critical community grant programs. Earlier this year, the Senator secured a $10 million investment from the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco into the Nevada Housing Division’s (NHD) single-family bond program.
    Senator Cortez Masto is the Ranking Member of the Financial Institutions and Consumer Protection Subcommittee.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Q&A: First 100 Days

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    Q: What was on the front burner during the first 100 days of the 119th Congress?

    A:  Congress hit the ground running on January 3 when it opened for business. After committee assignments were adopted, I resumed the helm of the Senate Judiciary Committee and leadership position as Senate President pro tempore. The to-do list on the Senate agenda was shaped by the mandate of the November presidential election. Americans voted for border security, safer streets, lower cost of living and a stronger economy. Processing the nominees to serve on the president’s cabinet was among the top priorities of the first 100 days in Congress. The Senate has the constitutional authority of “advise and consent” in our system of checks and balances. Nominees for the federal judiciary and senior-level positions throughout the executive branch undergo a rigorous background check and vetting process to examine their credentials and qualifications to uphold the public trust. I chaired confirmation hearings for Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel, as well as other top leaders for the Department of Justice. During the previous administration, I exposed the weaponization of our government  that created a two-tiered system of justice. I’m committed to help restore public trust in our institutions of government and that includes robust oversight to hold government and wrongdoers accountable.

    The pace by which the Senate processed cabinet nominations underscores the commitment to get the election mandate in motion. In 18 days, the Senate confirmed 13 cabinet officials, reflecting support to get the president’s team in place to implement his agenda. At the top of the list was border security. Since day one of the 47th president’s second term in office, the Trump administration has kept its promise to enforce our nation’s immigration laws and restore U.S. sovereignty at our borders. Compared to the Biden administration, nationwide border encounters dropped drastically. As the president said at his joint address to Congress in March, “all we really needed was a new president.” What’s more, the first piece of legislation Congress sent to the president’s desk was the Laken Riley Act, a bipartisan bill that included Sarah’s Law, named after an Iowan killed by an illegal immigrant driving drunk. I’m also pleased the Senate approved my bipartisan bill called the HALT Fentanyl Act that would permanently schedule deadly fentanyl-related substances created by the cartels to skirt U.S. law. This bill would give law enforcement the tools it needs to keep deadly fentanyl off our streets. Republicans have swiftly delivered on our promise to restore law and order and make America’s streets safer.

    Q: What else does Congress have to show for its work in the first 100 days?

    A:  For starters, I’m glad the Senate has resumed a five-day work schedule, after a long hiatus in recent years, and continued in legislative session for 10 consecutive weeks starting in January. That’s what Iowans expect elected representatives to be doing. That’s how the schedule operated when I first came to the Senate. Many times, I urged then-Senate Majority Leader Schumer to keep the Senate in session five days a week, instead of the sleepy schedule he led during the Biden administration. That light work schedule was a disservice to the American people and contributed to year-end, massive spending packages. Congress must return to regular order and legislate 12 annual appropriations bills in their respective committees. This allows members of Congress to more closely scrutinize every line of spending and offer amendments. Americans deserve better than crisis-to-crisis legislating. As a taxpayer watchdog, I’ve continued to lead efforts to root out Pentagon mismanagement and wasteful spending across the federal government, such as tackling improper Supplemental Security Income payments, continuing my oversight of the EPA, and demanding answers about alleged fraudulent Medicare billing practices.  I also published a committee report of my investigative findings shining light on the full scope of the Obama-Biden State Department’s pervasive obstruction of FBI law enforcement efforts before, during and after the Iran Nuclear Deal negotiations. 

    In addition, the Senate Judiciary Committee has convened 15 hearings in the first 100 days. Among the policies we’ve examined include the Freedom of Information Act; children’s safety in the digital era; legislative solutions to fix universal injunctions; and, the rise in antisemitism in America. I also steered six bipartisan bills through the committee to rein in anticompetitive practices in the pharmaceutical industry to help lower drug prices. When the Senate’s not in session, I return home to Iowa every chance I get to keep in touch with my constituents. In March, I kicked off my 45th annual 99 county meetings, holding a dozen question-and-answer sessions with Iowans. Looking ahead, Congress has a full plate of unfinished business to digest in the coming months, including passing a five-year farm bill,  extending rural hospital support programs and telehealth, preventing the largest tax hike in U.S. history and funding the government through a timely and transparent process. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen, Colleagues Call on Small Business Administration to Mitigate Damage from Trump Tariffs to Small Businesses

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV), a member of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, joined colleagues in a letter demanding that U.S. Small Business Administrator Kelly Loeffler take immediate action to address the impacts of Trump’s reckless tariff policies on small businesses. In Nevada, 99 percent of all businesses are small businesses, and tariffs are threatening their ability to stay afloat.
    “The situation is dire. From mom-and-pop restaurants unable to afford basic supplies like cooking oil to small manufacturers and high-tech startups struggling to afford the raw materials needed for innovation, small businesses across all sectors are facing the same crippling reality,” wrote the Senators. “As these costs rise, consumer confidence continues to plummet, and the economy stagnates. A survey by Small Business for America’s Future found that 71 percent of small businesses will need to increase prices to survive, but with consumer confidence at its lowest since the pandemic, many owners know their customers cannot afford higher prices. The tariffs, therefore, are not only increasing costs, but also are undermining the very demand from customers that small businesses rely on.”
    “Failure to act will not only jeopardize the livelihoods of small business owners but may also lead to long-term financial hardship for the 60 million workers employed by small business – especially those working paycheck to paycheck who cannot afford to be laid off or have jobs delayed or denied,” the Senators’ letter continued. “We urge you to take swift action to ameliorate the damage being inflicted on small businesses by the President’s tariff policies, combined with the chaos of cuts to federal services and investments that small businesses rely on. As a representative of millions of entrepreneurs who are on the brink of disaster and the voice of small businesses in the administration, you have an obligation to fight for their survival… America’s small businesses—and the workers they employ—are counting on you to take action before it is too late.”
    The full letter can be found HERE.
    Senator Rosen has been fighting back against President Trump’s reckless tariffs and the destructive impacts they’re having on Nevada’s economy. Earlier this week, Rosen led a letter demanding that Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and President Donald Trump immediately reverse course on the sweeping tariffs that are devastating small businesses in Nevada and across the nation. Senator Rosen also recently took to the Senate floor to oppose President Trump’s tariffs and highlight a letter she received from a small business owner in Reno outlining the devastating impact these tariffs will have on his business. Senator Rosen also helped pass a Congressional resolution to reverse President Trump’s devastating tariffs on virtually all Canadian goods that have raised prices for families and hurt Nevada’s businesses and economy. Senator Rosen also sent a letter urging the Trump Administration to reverse course on imposing tariffs on Canada and Mexico to prevent housing prices from rising even further.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner, Kaine, Colleagues Reintroduce Legislation to Establish Chesapeake National Recreation Area

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA), alongside their Maryland colleagues Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks (both D-MD), renewed their efforts to create a unified Chesapeake National Recreation Area (CNRA). The CNRA Act proposes to unite a series of voluntarily contributed park areas and iconic Bay properties under the operation of the National Park Service (NPS) in order to spur more federal resources for environmental conservation, celebrate the Chesapeake’s diverse cultural and economic history, foster sustainable and equitable access to the Bay, and support responsible economic growth in the region.

    The legislation was first introduced in July 2023. An amended version of this legislation was approved in a bipartisan, unanimous vote by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in November 2024, followed the next month by its unanimous passage on the Senate Floor. As there was insufficient time to advance the legislation in the House of Representatives before the end of the previous Congress, the senators have reintroduced the legislation to establish the CNRA in the 119th Congress.

    “The Chesapeake Bay is at the cultural heart of so many Virginia communities, and serves as an economic driver for the Commonwealth as a whole. The creation of the Chesapeake National Recreation Area will not only help to preserve the rich history of the bay, but will ensure that it can be restored and protected for years to come,” said Warner.

    “The Chesapeake Bay is deeply embedded in the history, ecology, and economy of Virginia and the entire region,” said Kaine. “Creating the Chesapeake National Recreation Area will help ensure that people can cherish the beauty of the Bay for generations to come.”

    “The Chesapeake Bay is a natural and national treasure. Creating a unified CNRA will unlock more resources for its restoration, generate more prosperity for those whose livelihoods depend on it, and spotlight its unique story – encouraging greater public access to and enjoyment of everything the Bay has to offer. We built great momentum for the CNRA over the past two years, securing unanimous bipartisan approval by a key Committee and passing it on the Floor of the U.S. Senate. We will continue to build on this progress toward our goal of making our vision for the CNRA a reality, and bringing greater national recognition to the Bay we all cherish,” said Senator Van Hollen.

    “It is past time that we officially establish the Chesapeake National Recreation Area. We know the Chesapeake Bay is the heart of Maryland but it is so much more — rich with history and wildlife, an economic driver for our state, and the home to our beloved blue crab. We must ensure the Chesapeake Bay receives the recognition and resources it needs so that we can enjoy this national treasure for years to come. Passing this legislation is a step forward,” said Senator Alsobrooks.

    The CNRA will increase responsible public access to the Chesapeake Bay and strengthen the culture of stewardship across the region. Additionally, the CNRA will highlight the stories that often go untold – those of Indigenous peoples; free and enslaved Blacks; the role the Bay played in the earliest days of the Virginia and Maryland Colonies; its importance to the region’s economy; and the story of watermen and -women who are essential to the economic success and health of the Bay region.

    The first historic sites of regional importance proposed to be in the CNRA network include the North Beach of Fort Monroe in Hampton, Virginia and the Burtis House, Whitehall, and Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse in Annapolis, Maryland. The CNRA will also utilize a collection of partnerships with states, localities, nonprofit organizations, and private entities to support public access to and restoration of nationally significant historic, cultural, or recreational Bay resources.

    This designation will not impose any additional regulations on recreation, fishing, or other business activities in Chesapeake Bay waters, and the National Park Service’s authority will not supersede state authority on these matters.

    Text of the legislation can be viewed here.

    More details about this initiative can be viewed here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Water pumped from River Mersey could heat thousands of Liverpool homes

    Source: City of Liverpool

    Water pumped from the River Mersey could one day be heating thousands of homes and business in Liverpool, thanks to new energy plans drawn up by the City Council.

    Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet will decide at a meeting on Tuesday 15 April whether to approve plans for the Advanced Zoning programme (AZP) which could see less reliance on gas to heat property helping to drive down costs and carbon emissions. 

    If the AZP is fully built it has the potential to help Liverpool in its net zero ambitions by generating savings of up to 72,000 tonnes of CO2 every year. This is the equivalent to the annual emissions of around 21,000 homes.

    Heat networks, also known as district heating, provide heat from a central source to multiple buildings through a network of underground pipes. The heat sources identified in Liverpool include not only the river but also the wastewater treatment plant at Sandon Dock next to Everton Football Club’s new stadium.

    This technology has the potential to significantly reduce carbon emissions, improve energy efficiency, and lower heating costs for residents and businesses.

    The City Council report identifies key areas in Liverpool where heat network deployment could be most effective, taking into account factors such as building density, heat demand, and potential heat sources.

    The largest zone that could be built is in Liverpool City Centre. It encompasses a large area of heat demand, from the retail hub in the centre to the Knowledge Quarter and towards Anfield. This heating zone alone would include about 340 buildings in the city.

    The Speke and Garston areas could also benefit from the creation of their own heat network, using heat generated from Garston docks and industrial centre in Halewood, such as Jaguar Land Rover.

    These plans pave the way for further investment and development of sustainable heating infrastructure in the city.

    The publication of this report is a crucial step in the Liverpool City Council’s broader strategy to decarbonize heat, which currently accounts for a substantial portion of the city’s carbon emissions.

    Liverpool City Council will now be encouraging developers and investors to build heat network projects in Liverpool.

    The Council is aiming to accelerate the delivery and construction of heat network zones, develop best practice guidance and provide project development support services.

    Earlier this year Liverpool City Council announced a plan to connect its head office at the Cunard Building at the Pier Head to the Mersey Heat District Heat Network, a system by Peel NRE who are part of the Peel Group.

    Liverpool City Region Combined Authority are also looking at harnessing the power of the River Mersey to generate electricity. With its huge tidal range, a tidal power scheme on the Mersey could produce enough clean, green electricity to power every home in the city region for more than a hundred years, while also creating thousands of jobs.

    Cllr Councillor Liam Robinson, Leader of Liverpool City Council, said: “The River Mersey made Liverpool, it has been the source of our success for centuries. It has helped shape who we are as a city, defining our identity and culture which in turn has had a unique global impact.

    “The history of the city and the river have always been intertwined, and so for it to be a resource that can shape our future is only fitting.

    “Now, in the 21st century the river could become a crucial element in how we source energy for our homes and businesses. From fuelling our economy, the river could be the answer for the energy challenge we need to reach net zero.

    “These plans confirm Liverpool’s potential to lead the way in adopting new heat network technology and reaching our net zero targets.

    “The AZP could also see a huge improvement in air quality in the city, improving the lives of thousands of residents who currently suffer respiratory ailments.

    “Not only could there be a massive reduction in carbon emissions, but it would make a huge contribution in reducing people’s energy costs. Increasing residents’ disposable income will help the Liverpool economy to thrive. And this would be a supply of heat that would not be affected by global politics.

    “Using our resources and technology more efficiently than the way homes and businesses are currently heated will benefit us economically and environmentally. This is a win-win.

    “By embracing these greener heating solutions, we can make significant strides towards our climate goals while also providing more affordable and reliable heat to our communities.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: California Restaurant Owner Sentenced for COVID-19 and Tax Fraud Schemes

    Source: US State of California

    A San Diego restaurant owner was sentenced today to 42 months in prison for schemes to defraud COVID-19 relief programs and filing false tax returns.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Leronce Suel was the majority owner of Rockstar Dough LLC and Chicken Feed LLC, both of which operated restaurants in the San Diego area, including Streetcar Merchants in the North Park neighborhood. He conspired with others to underreport over $1.7 million in gross receipts on Rockstar Dough’s 2020 corporate tax return and COVID-19 relief applications. Suel’s businesses fraudulently received $1,773,245 in COVID-related Paycheck Protection Program loans and Restaurant Revitalization Fund grants, two programs created to provide financial assistance to American suffering economic harm as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Suel and his co-conspirator misappropriated COVID-19 relief program funds by making substantial cash withdrawals from their business bank accounts, purchasing a home in Arkansas, and keeping more than $2.4 million in cash in Suel’s bedroom.

    Suel did not file timely tax returns for 2018 and 2019, despite being legally required to do so. On his 2020 through 2023 tax returns, Suel also did not report the income from his businesses including millions of dollars in cash he withdrew. Finally, in 2023, Suel filed false original and amended tax returns for multiple years, including personal tax returns for 2016 and 2017 that included false depreciable assets and business losses.

    In September 2024, Suel was convicted by a federal jury of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, tax evasion, conspiracy to defraud the United States, filing false tax returns, and failing to file tax returns. Following the convictions, Suel agreed to forfeit $1,466,918 in U.S. currency.

    In addition to this prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Ruth Bermudez Montenegro for the Southern District of California ordered Suel to pay approximately $1,773,245 in restitution to the Small Business Administration and forfeit $1,466,918. Restitution to IRS will be heard on June 6.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, and U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon for the Southern District of California made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

    Trial Attorney Julia Rugg of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Beeler for the Southern District of California prosecuted the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: California Restaurant Owner Sentenced for COVID-19 and Tax Fraud Schemes

    Source: United States Attorneys General 8

    A San Diego restaurant owner was sentenced today to 42 months in prison for schemes to defraud COVID-19 relief programs and filing false tax returns.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Leronce Suel was the majority owner of Rockstar Dough LLC and Chicken Feed LLC, both of which operated restaurants in the San Diego area, including Streetcar Merchants in the North Park neighborhood. He conspired with others to underreport over $1.7 million in gross receipts on Rockstar Dough’s 2020 corporate tax return and COVID-19 relief applications. Suel’s businesses fraudulently received $1,773,245 in COVID-related Paycheck Protection Program loans and Restaurant Revitalization Fund grants, two programs created to provide financial assistance to American suffering economic harm as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Suel and his co-conspirator misappropriated COVID-19 relief program funds by making substantial cash withdrawals from their business bank accounts, purchasing a home in Arkansas, and keeping more than $2.4 million in cash in Suel’s bedroom.

    Suel did not file timely tax returns for 2018 and 2019, despite being legally required to do so. On his 2020 through 2023 tax returns, Suel also did not report the income from his businesses including millions of dollars in cash he withdrew. Finally, in 2023, Suel filed false original and amended tax returns for multiple years, including personal tax returns for 2016 and 2017 that included false depreciable assets and business losses.

    In September 2024, Suel was convicted by a federal jury of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, tax evasion, conspiracy to defraud the United States, filing false tax returns, and failing to file tax returns. Following the convictions, Suel agreed to forfeit $1,466,918 in U.S. currency.

    In addition to this prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Ruth Bermudez Montenegro for the Southern District of California ordered Suel to pay approximately $1,773,245 in restitution to the Small Business Administration and forfeit $1,466,918. Restitution to IRS will be heard on June 6.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, and U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon for the Southern District of California made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

    Trial Attorney Julia Rugg of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Beeler for the Southern District of California prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –