NewzIntel.com

Category: Economy

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner, Kaine, and Murkowski Introduce Legislation to Support Virginia’s Seafood Industry

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark R. Warner (D-VA), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) introduced the bipartisan Save Our Seafood (SOS) Act, which would exempt fish processors—which are critical to Virginia’s economy—from the H-2B visa cap, which has made it difficult for local seafood processors to hire the seasonal workforce they need.
    “The seafood industry is a critical part of Virginia’s economy, especially in Hampton Roads and on the Eastern Shore,” said Kaine. “I often hear from Virginia’s seafood processors about how hard it is to find seasonal workers, so I’m glad to introduce this bipartisan legislation with my colleagues to make it easier for these businesses to hire the workers they need.” 
    “Virginia’s seafood industry relies on seasonal, H2-B workers to help meet demand during peak season,” said Warner. “Without this workforce, many of Virginia’s seafood processors would simply have to close up shop. I’m glad to introduce this legislation that will help Virginia’s businesses by ensuring they have the labor needed to keep their operations up and running.”
    “Alaska’s seafood industry is a delicate chain – and when processors don’t have the workforce to meet demand, the whole industry can fall apart,” said Murkowski. “Coastal communities, family-owned fishing boats, and Alaskans who work in the industry need to know that they have fully-functioning operations where they can deliver their catch. Through this legislation, I’m working to ensure that the industry has a dependable workforce that can process and deliver the highest-quality seafood in the world.”
    Seafood is a billion-dollar industry in Virginia, supporting over 7,000 jobs for Virginians and generating over $26 million in revenue annually. Many of Virginia’s seafood processors rely on workers from the H-2B visa program to harvest and process Virginia crabs and oysters in season, but processors annually struggle to get enough workers during the season when they are needed most. The SOS Act would permanently exempt seasonal, non-immigrant workers who work in seafood processing from the cap on H-2B visas, ensuring that processors have the workforce they need, when they need them to meet the increased demand at the start of the harvesting season.  
    “The Virginia seafood processing industry is grateful for Senators Kaine and Warner reintroducing the Save Our Seafood Act. We appreciate the bipartisan group of Senators committed to supporting working seafood businesses around the country. Virginia seafood has participated in the seasonal, temporary H-2B program since 1997,” said AJ Erskine, Board Member, Virginia Seafood Council. “We manufacture domestic, perishable seafood products that require an increased seasonal workforce. Our seasons are defined by state and federal regulations and the environmental conditions in which we work. Senators Kaine and Warner understand that this is not a partisan issue. The seafood industry is simply asking for a small modification of an existing cap exemption. We thank Senators Kaine and Warner for their vision and support of our seafood industry.”
    “Our 4th generation family crab processing facility in Hampton continues to struggle to keep our doors open! The H-2B program has been our lifeline the last 30 years and without congressional help we will perish,” said John Graham III, President, Graham & Rollins, Inc. “The current lottery system currently deployed by Homeland Security is not feasible to sustain any kind of business and frankly is a disaster!!”
    The senators have long supported the seafood industry. In 2023, Kaine and Warner introduced the Save Our Seafood Act, and Kaine met with heads of Virginia seafood companies in Lottsburg, VA to discuss the need to boost the seafood workforce. Earlier that year, the senators met with then-Labor Secretary Marty Walsh to discuss workforce challenges facing the Virginia seafood industry and urge the Department of Labor to consider reforms to the H-2B lottery to better meet seasonal labor needs. In 2022, Kaine and Warner also successfullypushed the Department of Homeland Security for the release of additional H-2B visas.  
    The legislation was cosponsored by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), John Kennedy (R-LA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).
    Full text of the legislation is available here.
     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: California aims to forge its own path in global trade amid US tariffs

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    California Governor Gavin Newsom announced a bold initiative on Friday to shield the state’s economy from the impacts of the U.S. tariff policies by pursuing independent trade relationships with international partners.

    “Donald Trump’s tariffs do not represent all Americans,” Newsom said in a video message. “California remains a stable trading partner,” he said, directing his administration to pursue new trade opportunities globally.

    The move came just two days after U.S. President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs, including a 10-percent “minimum baseline tariff” on all imports, with higher rates for certain trading partners, effective on April 5.

    The new tariffs have drawn backlash from economies around the world, with countermeasures already pledged by some. Newsom urged the state’s “long-standing trade partners” to exempt California-made products from any retaliatory measures.

    “California leads the nation as the #1 state for agriculture and manufacturing — and it’s our workers, families, and farmers who stand to lose the most from this Trump tax hike and trade war,” said the governor in a statement.

    “To our international partners: As the fifth largest economy in the world, the Golden State will remain a steady, reliable partner for generations to come, no matter the turbulence coming out of Washington. California is not Washington, D.C.”

    With a gross domestic product of 3.9 trillion U.S. dollars, California is the largest importer among all U.S. states, with more than 675 billion dollars in two-way trade supporting millions of jobs across the state. Its economy is 50 percent bigger than the GDP of the nation’s next largest state, Texas, according to the governor’s office.

    The initiative directed the state administration to identify collaborative opportunities with trading partners that protect California’s economic interests, including workers, manufacturers and businesses, as well as broader supply chains linked to the state’s economy.

    The tariffs announced by the Trump administration could result in a 2.3 percent increase in overall inflation in the United States this year, including a 2.8 percent increase in food prices and an 8.4 percent increase in automotive prices. The tariffs’ impact could cost the average household 3,800 dollars a year, according to analysis by the Budget Lab at Yale University.

    Newsom is particularly concerned about the state’s agricultural sector. California produces about 80 percent of the world’s almonds, generating an industry worth approximately 5.6 billion dollars and supporting more than 100,000 jobs.

    The almond industry alone contributes about 11 billion dollars in added value to California’s economy, according to industry data. About 70 percent of the state’s almond crop is exported to more than 100 economies worldwide.

    Beyond agriculture, Newsom’s administration was concerned about disruptions to the state’s manufacturing sector. Manufactured goods dominate both California’s exports (87 percent) and imports (89 percent), making the state particularly vulnerable to tariff impacts.

    The Port of Los Angeles, a major trade hub, anticipates a possible 10 percent decrease in cargo volume due to the tariffs, which could result in job losses in the port and related industries.

    The governor’s initiative also aimed to safeguard access to critical construction materials needed for recovery efforts following the recent Los Angeles wildfires. Officials noted that current tariffs on Canadian lumber of 14 percent could rise to nearly 27 percent, hampering rebuilding efforts.

    State officials also expressed concern about supply chains between California and Baja, Mexico. They argued that taxing component goods each time they cross the border will raise final product prices for Californians.

    Moreover, the Sacramento Bee reported Friday that Newsom faced another serious question: “How much of a problem will tariffs be for the state’s economy, which is heavily reliant upon high-income earners, many of whom draw their wealth from stocks.”

    The UCLA Anderson Forecast issued a recession watch last month, citing tariffs as one factor in a possible downturn. But there are others, notably Trump’s crackdown on undocumented immigrants, which the Forecast saw as having the potential for reducing the labor pool in the state.

    Though legal experts noted that individual states do not have the constitutional authority to independently negotiate global trading deals regarding tariffs, as this power is reserved for the federal government, California has been cultivating relationships with foreign governments and officials independent of the current federal administration.

    California has a history of active engagement in international trade through various agreements and initiatives. It has entered into 38 international agreements with 28 different foreign partners, according to the governor’s office.

    The state government has established the International Affairs and Trade Development Interagency Committee, which advises Newsom on international trade matters and coordinates related state activities, and California maintains trade and investment desks in key markets to further its international economic objectives. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Statement on Republicans’ Bill to Blow Up National Debt, Shower Billionaires With Tax Breaks, Slash Medicaid

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a senior member and former chair of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement regarding the ongoing debate and consideration of Senate Republicans’ modified budget resolution.

    “I take my votes on the Senate floor very seriously. While, tonight, I needed to be with my husband while he receives care at the hospital—I am in close touch with my colleagues and I am ready to return to the floor at a moment’s notice if any vote should hinge on my attendance. I strongly oppose Republicans’ pro-billionaire, anti-middle-class budget blueprint, and I will continue to fight this legislation every step of the way as Republicans draft a final bill for consideration.

    “Let me be clear about the path Republicans have chosen to go down: they are going to light more than $5 trillion on fire—not to protect Social Security or make child care more affordable, but to shower billionaires with tax cuts they don’t need, pushing our country into an unprecedented level of debt. And in a move that shows they truly must think the American people aren’t watching, Republicans are trying to use magic math to pretend trillions of dollars in tax cuts for billionaires cost nothing. Budgets aren’t magic—they’re math, and even my former preschool students would know the difference between zero and a trillion.

    “No billionaire left behind—that is the Republican agenda. The message Republicans are sending folks back home is that there is always more money for billionaires, but it’s tough times for everyone else—which means kicking kids off Medicaid and choking off cancer research.

    “No one is asking Congress to pass a bill that slashes Medicaid and closes hospitals just so Elon Musk can line his pockets with a big tax break; instead, we should be working together to reverse Trump’s tariff taxes on everyday goods.

    “Make no mistake, as Trump runs our economy into the ground, Republicans are handing money to billionaires hand over fist, while raising prices—raising taxes—on virtually every working American. Republicans are cheering Trump as he drives America towards a painful recession—but Democrats are fighting back to stop them. At every turn, I will keep fighting to protect Medicaid, Social Security, and the programs that help families and keep us all safe. I will keep fighting to bring economic sanity back to this country and make government work better for working people—and I will continue to strongly oppose Republicans’ pro-billionaire, pro-recession agenda.”

    The budget blueprint Senate Republicans unveiled this week sets Republicans up to dole out more than $5.3 trillion in new tax cuts that will disproportionately benefit billionaires, the ultra-rich, and largest corporations. But to help allow themselves to make the tax cuts permanent without making even more devastating cuts to, for example, Americans’ health care under the Senate’s strict budget reconciliation rules, Republicans want to use a gimmick known as “current policy baseline” to pretend that extending $3.8 trillion in tax cuts won’t cost the country a cent—and to try to make them permanent in clear violation of the longstanding Byrd rule that enforces reconciliation in the Senate. The budget resolution also sets Republicans up to make massive cuts to Medicaid, nutrition assistance, and other critical domestic programs.

    Today, budget experts from across the political spectrum wrote in part, “Using fabricated scorekeeping renders much of the Congressional Budget Act pointless and acts to evade responsibility for the resulting bottom line numbers. Congress cannot budget responsibly if it refuses to ever consider what policies actually cost. There is no point of budget enforcement if Congress gets to pick the score it wants.”

    The nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget issued a new report today that made plain Republicans’ budget resolution would enable unprecedented deficit increases. It would:

    • Equal more than all spending programs except for the Social Security retirement program, Medicare, Medicaid, and defense.
    • Add as much to deficits as the American Rescue Plan, Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, CARES Act, and bipartisan infrastructure law combined, including more than three times as much as the American Rescue Plan and over 14 times as much as the bipartisan infrastructure law.
    • Cost as much or more than a large social welfare program, specifically five times as much as all Affordable Care Act health insurance subsidies, 4.5 times as much as Medicare Part D, three times as much as the Social Security Disability Insurance program, and more than three-quarters of all federal Medicaid spending.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Travellers to benefit from joint airline agreement extension

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The British Airways and Qatar Airways joint business agreement has been extended for five more years by the Government, Acting Transport Minister James Meager announced today.

    “This continuation is great news for both New Zealand travellers and tourists visiting from overseas – people will continue to benefit from more convenient flight schedules, better coordination when booking and checking in, access to the loyalty programmes of both airlines, and the ability to combine different fare classes,” Mr Meager says.

    The reauthorised agreement now includes Iberia Airlines and will continue to provide connectivity and capacity between New Zealand and the UK, and other European destinations. 

    Mr Meager says that additionally, the new Civil Aviation Act, which came into force today, will benefit other future airline cooperation agreements, with the new law in part providing a clearer process for authorising them. 

    “This Government is committed to growing and strengthening our economy, and improving our air connections is a key part of this.

    “As well as enabling easier travel for Kiwis, it allows visitors to more easily reach New Zealand and experience what we have to offer. This boosts our economy through our second-largest export – tourism – and ultimately grows jobs and incomes for local New Zealanders.

    “Working to help people get where they wish or need more safely, more quickly, and more conveniently, is a key priority for me, and I’m pleased that these changes along with others will help better connect us to the world.”

    This joint business agreement, initially approved in May 2020, has been authorised for a further five years until 31 May 2030.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Consumers are boycotting US goods around the world. Should Trump be worried?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Bradshaw, Professor of Marketing, Royal Holloway University of London

    US alcohol has been removed from sale in the Canadian province of British Columbia. lenic/Shutterstock

    As politicians around the world scramble to respond to US “liberation day” tariffs, consumers have also begun flexing their muscles. “Boycott USA” messages and searches have been trending on social media and search engines, with users sharing advice on brands and products to avoid.

    Even before Donald Trump announced across-the-board tariffs, there had been protests and attacks on the president’s golf courses in Doonbeg in Ireland and Turnberry in Scotland in response to other policies. And in Canada, shoppers avoided US goods after Trump announced he could take over his northern neighbour.

    His close ally Elon Musk has seen protests at Tesla showrooms across Europe, Australia and New Zealand. New cars have been set on fire as part of the “Tesla take-down”, while Tesla sales have been on a deep downward trend. This has been especially noticeable in European countries where electric vehicles sales have been high, and in Australia.

    This targeting of Trump and Musk’s brands are part of wider boycotts of US goods as consumers look for ways to express their anger at the US administration.

    Denmark’s biggest retailer, Salling Group, has given the price label of all European products a black star, making it easy for customers to avoid US goods.

    Canadian shoppers are turning US products upside down in retail outlets so it’s easier for fellow shoppers to spot and avoid them. Canadian consumers can also download the Maple Scan app that checks barcodes to see if their grocery purchases are actually Canadian or have parent companies from the USA.

    Who owns what?

    The issue of ostensibly Canadian brands being owned by US capital illustrates the complexity of consumer boycotts – it can be difficult to identify which brands are American and which are not.

    In the UK, for example, many consumers would be surprised to learn how many famous British brands are actually American-owned – for example, Cadbury, Waterstones and Boots. So entwined are global economies that attempts by consumers to boycott US brands may also damage their local economies.

    This complexity is also present in Danish and Canadian Facebook groups that are dedicated to boycotting US goods. Consumers exchange tips on how to swap alternatives for American products.

    The fact that Facebook is a US-based company only demonstrates how deeply embedded consumer culture is in US technologies. European businesses often depend on American operating systems and cloud storage while consumers rely on US-owned social media platforms for communication.

    Even when consumers succeed in weeding out American products, if they pay using Visa, Mastercard or Apple Pay, a percentage of the price will nonetheless be rerouted to the US. If a touch payment is made with Worldpay, the percentage could be even greater.

    These American financial services show just how embedded US businesses are in retail in ways that consumers may not appreciate. In practice, an absolute boycott of US business is almost unimaginable.

    All-American brands

    But American branding is not always subtle. In addition to brands directly connected to the US administration – such as the Trump golf courses and Tesla – many other companies have always been flamboyantly American. Coca-Cola, Starbucks and Budweiser are just some examples where their American identities and proudly on show.

    As such, it’s possible that consumers will increasingly avoid blatantly American brands. They may be less concerned about the complexities and contradictions of a more comprehensive boycott.

    Consumer actions where the goal is political change are known as “proxy boycotts” because no particular company is the ultimate target. Rather, the brands and firms are targeted by consumers as a means to an end.

    Do boycotts work?

    A classic example of a proxy boycott took aim at French goods, particularly wine, in the mid-1990s. This was in response to president Jacques Chirac’s decision to conduct nuclear tests in the Pacific. The large-scale consumer boycotts contributed to France’s decision to abandon its nuclear tests in 1996.

    In Britain, for example, French wines in all categories lost market share as demand fell during the boycott. At the time, it cost the French wine sector £23 million (about £46 million today).

    These boycotts are a reminder that the interplay between corporations, brands and consumer culture are inevitably embedded in politics. The current political impasse demonstrates that consumers can participate in politics, not just with their votes, but also with their buying power.

    Trump clearly wants to demonstrate American strength. The “liberation day” tariffs, which were higher than most observers expected, bear this out. But many US corporations will now be worrying about how consumers in the US and around the world might respond. Trump could see a mass mobilisation of consumer power in ways that will give the president something to think about.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Consumers are boycotting US goods around the world. Should Trump be worried? – https://theconversation.com/consumers-are-boycotting-us-goods-around-the-world-should-trump-be-worried-253389

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin Leads Bipartisan Bill to Give Lifeline to Wisconsin Winter Businesses Impacted by Warm Weather

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) introduced her Winter Recreation Small Business Recovery Act, with Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Gary Peters (D-MI). This bipartisan legislation would ensure businesses that rely on winter weather can get disaster relief during mild winters that do not produce enough snow. Baldwin’s legislation comes as last winter was Wisconsin’s warmest winter on record, causing businesses across Wisconsin to suffer losses and to close or cut staff due to the lack of visitors that are usually drawn to the area for seasonal recreation. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) cosponsor the legislation.

    “Wisconsin’s cold winters are a key part of our identity and a major economic driver across our state. Folks travel from near and far to go snowmobiling or skiing, staying in our local hotels, shopping on Main Streets, and eating and drinking in our bars and restaurants,” said Senator Baldwin. “But, recent winters have been some of Wisconsin’s warmest-ever, and our local businesses and communities are feeling that impact. I’m fighting to give these businesses a lifeline so they can continue to support jobs in our communities and stay open for business for Wisconsinites and visitors alike.”

    “Snow droughts pose a significant threat to Maine’s winter businesses, whose financial stability are largely dependent on natural snowfall levels,” said Senator Collins. “This bipartisan bill would add snow droughts to the list of recognized disasters under the Small Business Act, providing winter businesses a new tool to manage these unpredictable and costly seasons.”

    The Winter Recreation Small Business Recovery Act would ensure that during winters with a snow drought, small businesses are eligible for disaster relief through the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Injury Disaster Loans. This existing loan program at SBA is designed to provide small businesses with the funds they need to operate while they recover from a natural or other disaster. Under current law, qualifying disasters include droughts and ice storms or blizzards, but do not account for winters without enough snow.

    Last winter, Senator Baldwin and Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers successfully pushed the SBA to ensure that Northern Wisconsin businesses hurt by last winter’s low snowfall could access disaster coverage. However, without Baldwin’s bill, low snowfall remains off the list of eligible natural or other disasters that businesses can use to apply for SBA relief.

    “The Vilas County Economic Development Corporation is grateful to Senator Baldwin for her continued leadership to support small businesses in Wisconsin’s Northwoods. As a result, we fully support Senator Baldwin’s proposed Winter Recreation Small Business Recovery Act. While we experienced more snow this year compared to 2023-2024, the lower than normal snow totals this year clearly impacted tourism which is a strong economic driver in Vilas County. This legislation would indeed provide a lifeline for businesses who need to access critical funds to operate while they recover,” said Kathy Schmitz, Executive Director, Vilas County Economic Development Corporation. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Unions, Retirees File Motion for Preliminary Injunction to Halt Unlawful DOGE Access to Social Security Data as New Facts Emerge

    Source: American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Union

    Filing Seeks to Restore Control Over SSA’s Data Systems and Suspend DOGE’s Unlawful Activity Until the Lawsuit is Resolved

    Baltimore, MD — Today, the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), and the Alliance for Retired Americans (ARA) filed a motion for a preliminary injunction in federal court to stop the ongoing, unlawful access to sensitive personal data by Elon Musk’s so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) at the Social Security Administration (SSA). DOGE’s intrusion has already put millions at risk of identity theft, financial fraud, and doxxing. 

    The filing follows a lawsuit brought by Democracy Forward on behalf of the organizations and an emergency motion for a temporary restraining order (TRO) filed last month. On March 20, a federal court ordered, for the first time since Trump took office, that DOGE return or destroy all private Social Security data it accessed, recognizing that stopping DOGE’s future access to the data was not enough to protect Americans. 

    Since then, new facts have further exposed the breadth and urgency of the harm to retirees, teachers, and everyday Americans who rely on the SSA and have entrusted it with highly sensitive personal and financial information.

    The plaintiffs seek relief while the case develops to block DOGE personnel’s access to SSA systems, which include bank account numbers, health records, immigration status, and wage histories of tens of millions of Americans. The preliminary injunction application argues that the access violates the Privacy Act, Social Security Act, and Internal Revenue Code, and Administrative Procedure Act and that DOGE is acting far beyond the legal authority of any executive agency.

    “Today, we take another step forward in our case to block Elon Musk’s DOGE from accessing Social Security Administration data,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “Working people and retirees deserve assurance that their sensitive information remains safe and not in the hands of Musk’s unvetted lackeys – some of whom were working with this data before their background checks were even final. Despite being continually asked by the court, this administration has still failed to answer why they need this information. This unelected billionaire and his cronies have no rightful claim to our critical data, and we are committed to proving that in court.” 

    “With every passing day, Americans’ personal and financial data is further jeopardized by Elon Musk’s actions,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten. “Absent immediate relief, working families are at risk of having their private information stolen and exploited, all because an unelected billionaire has decided to raid this sensitive data for his own ends. The promise of Social Security is that if you work hard and play by the rules, you can retire with dignity and grace. Elon Musk is breaking that basic bond of trust and must be stopped immediately before he lays waste to the savings working people have spent their lives building up.”

    “Older Americans are rightly alarmed about what is happening at the Social Security Administration and worried about whether their most sensitive information is safe,” said Richard Fiesta, executive director of the Alliance for Retired Americans. “We will continue to fight in court to make sure that our personal and financial data remains secure.”

    “Millions of people have shared their most sensitive information with the Social Security Administration because they trusted that it would be protected and used appropriately,” said Anne Swift, Senior Counsel at Democracy Forward. “That trust is now being broken. DOGE’s unlawful access to Social Security’s data systems put the American people at risk–not only of privacy violations but also of losing access to the benefits they depend on to support themselves and their families. The harm is already happening, and we are asking the court to step in to prevent it from escalating further.”

    Read the complaint here, the motion for temporary restraining order here, and the motion for preliminary injunction here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: SA unveils strategic economic diversification plan amid US tariffs

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    South Africa has unveiled a comprehensive strategy to mitigate the economic impact of new United States tariffs, focusing on export diversification, value-added production, and strengthening regional trade partnerships.

    This is after United States President, Donald Trump, announced global reciprocal tariffs on most imported goods, with South Africa facing a 31% tariff increase.

    “The new tariff regime arising from the decision by the United States of America, which have been directed not only to South Africa, but the entire world, necessitates strategic responses to maintain and grow our industrial base, as a crucial avenue to pursue inclusive growth,” the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, said on Friday. 

    Lamola was speaking during a joint media briefing with the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau. 

    He informed journalists that South Africa will continue to tackle the challenges and seize opportunities with resilience and innovation, as the country moves forward with ensuring economic growth, industrial development, and the well-being of its citizens.

    Lamola outlined plans to navigate the challenges posed by the 31% tariffs set to take effect from 9 April 2025.

    These include negotiating favourable trade agreements with the United States; leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to boost intra-African trade; and prioritising high-value manufacturing to reduce tariff exposure. 

    In addition, he said government remains committed to building economic resilience, exploring alternative market access through existing trade agreements and strategic partnerships with countries across various regions.

    “We will intensify efforts to diversify export destinations, targeting markets across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas,” the Minister stated. 

    According to Lamola, government aims to reduce dependence on single export markets and foster economic resilience.

    Meanwhile, he announced that the State will invest strategically in industries impacted by the tariffs, supporting economic growth through modernisation and targeted infrastructure development.

    The sweeping tariff measures will affect several sectors of South Africa’s economy, including automotive, industrial agriculture, processed food and beverage, chemical, metals, and other segments of manufacturing.

    According to Lamola, South Africa’s tariff and industrial strategy are designed to support industrial development, employment growth, and economic resilience. 

    “By aligning these policies with the national interest, South Africa will ensure that its economy emerges stronger, more diversified, and resilient in the face of global trade complexities,” he explained.

    This approach will also apply to the 7 February Executive Order, which led to the withdrawal from the Just Energy Transition (JET) partnership with South Africa.

    “South Africa’s average tariff is 7.6% and therefore South Africa needs clarity on the basis for the 31% to be implemented by the US.”

    Lamola clarified that products such as copper, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, lumber articles, certain critical minerals, and energy and energy products, have been exempted from the reciprocal tariffs.

    These reciprocal tariffs will also not apply to products already facing Section 232 tariffs of 25%, such as steel, aluminium, automobiles, and auto parts.

    Currently, the Minister said the United States represents 7.45% of South Africa’s total exports, while South Africa accounts for only 0.4% of the United States’ imports.

    “As such, South Africa does not constitute a threat to the US, and there is a trade imbalance in favour of South Africa. It is mainly on agricultural products, which are counter-cyclical, and on minerals, which are inputs in US industries.”

    Highlighting the potential impact, Lamola noted that the tariffs “effectively nullify the preference that Sub-Saharan African countries enjoy under the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).”

    However, despite the challenges, Lamola said government remains optimistic. 

    “The tariffs affirm the urgency to negotiate a new bilateral and mutually beneficial agreement with the US, that will establish more fair-trade relations with the US as an essential step to secure long-term trade certainty,” Lamola added. 

    Transparency in tariff calculations

    Meanwhile, Tau stressed the need for confirmation from the United States on how they arrived at the tariff number, referencing international norms and standards.

    He also highlighted the importance of transparency in tariff calculations, using World Trade Organisation (WTO) standards and the most favoured nations mechanism.

    “And that’s why we are advocating for a reform of the World Trade Organisation and ensuring that it’s able to adapt to current reality, but also ensuring that we’re able to reinforce a multilateral system of trade and transparency across the board. Otherwise, you’re going to have an environment where there are no global rules,” Tau added. – SAnews.gov.za
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: CassidyDelivers Floor Speech on the National Debt, Saving the American Dream

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) delivered a speech on the U.S. Senate floor urging Congress to address the United States’ crushing national debt ahead of the budget resolution vote. Cassidy stressed that Congress must balance the national budget to preserve the American Dream.     
    “President Trump recognizes the relationship between our national debt and the family’s ability to achieve the American Dream… Balancing the budget is a key part of preserving the American dream,” said Dr. Cassidy.
    “Given the commitment from leadership to pay for this bill by a variety of means, whether it is within the reconciliation vehicle or outside of that process, and the need to reestablish confidence among those making business decisions and creating jobs, I will vote for this budget resolution,” continued Dr. Cassidy.  
    “I want America to be great for all Americans. That we can all live to the limits of our God given gifts. Creating opportunity is part of this. I hope, my expectation is that through this process we will create more opportunity to express God-given gifts, to achieve the American Dream,” concluded Dr. Cassidy.
    Background
    Earlier this week, Cassidy joined CNBC’s Squawk Box to discuss the need to address our national debt. In March, Cassidy penned an op-ed in The Hill highlighting the need for Congress to address the national debt and put an end to runaway spending moving the American Dream further out of reach for many families.
    Cassidy’s remarks as prepared for delivery are below:
    Mr. President, 
    Our country has some pretty severe economic challenges. I’m not talking about the recent stock market losses, although those are quite important to someone with a 401k. 
    I’m talking about how real Americans, average Americans, feel as if the American Dream of homeownership, of buying a new car or truck, of affording a student loan is slipping out of their grasp. 
    We saw this fear during the Biden administration when inflation was so high that interest rates rose. As interest rates rose, so did consumer interest rates on all sorts of things that directly impact the ability of a family to realize the American Dream. 
    This speech is about how do we preserve the ability of American families to achieve that dream and how what we are doing today impacts that. 
    It may seem pretty distant to the people watching at home, but what we are discussing today does directly impact this. 
    How much money the federal government borrows and how much this budget resolution leads to increased indebtedness sounds abstract but has a real impact on the American Dream.
    Some of the process discussions that normally wouldn’t matter to you if you’re outside of Congress are actually very important to this discussion on how much we’re going to borrow and how achievable the American Dream is for folks in Louisiana–the folks I represent.
    Let me explain. As our country borrows more money, it begins to compete with businesses, individuals, and families for the money that is out there to borrow. The federal government will always get the first amount. This drives up interest rates, which means that you pay more for your mortgage, car note, student loan and everything else.
    The only way to stop this from happening is for the federal government to live within its means. I think the inflation of the last four years is one of the main reasons the American people voted for President Trump. The Biden administration did not live within their means. The people wanted change. 
    President Trump recognizes the relationship between our national debt and the family’s ability to achieve the American Dream. In his joint address to Congress last month, he spoke both of renewing this Dream and of his desire to balance the nation’s budget.  
    I agree with him. Balancing the budget is a key part of preserving the American dream.
    Why is this important now? Our country is $36 trillion in debt now. We are scheduled to add another $21 trillion over the next 10 years if we do nothing. But if we do some of what we are speaking of today, but don’t pay for it, we will add another $5 to $11 trillion on top of the $21 trillion I mentioned. I’m a doctor–I’m going to borrow a term from medicine, we’d call this Congressional malpractice.
    At some point, the problem begins to build upon itself. Currently a fifth of tax revenue is used to pay interest on the debt. That is more than we spend on the national defense. Let me say that again. Right now, we’re paying more paying back people who lent us money than we are spending to keep our country safe, including paying our troops.
    There is an historian, Niall Ferguson, who says that this is the mark of a country in decline. Paying more on interest than you are on defense.
    Just last summer when he was still in the private sector, Treasury Secretary Bessent made a similar point in a Fox News op-ed. 
    He wrote that “America’s next national security crisis is lurking in our pocketbooks.” 
    That “our escalating debt crisis hurts national security in three key takeaways: it diminishes our financial ‘surge capacity,’ it robs our private sector of capital for productive investment, and it imperils America’s preeminent role in international financial markets.”
    Secretary Bessent is right–this is a threat to our national security and to the economic security of the American family.
    And families planning their budget know this. That’s why they live within their means. We should learn from them.
    Let’s discuss the budget resolution before us. To be sure, this resolution only sets up the discussion on the reconciliation bill. The reconciliation bill is where we will actually establish how much is spent and where it is spent. Nonetheless, this points in a direction and establishes an approach.
    Let me address my colleagues here about the process that has led up to this point. There has been a lot of Washington debate about using current policy versus the current law as baseline in this budget resolution. Current policy has never been used as baseline involving this much money in a reconciliation bill.
    The practical consequences of this is that using current policy increases the cost of this bill by $3.8 trillion. That is the difference between the red dotted line and the solid red line on this chart. 
    I have discussed this extensively with my Senate colleagues. There is a commitment from the President Trump and the White House to work with senators to go through the budget line by line to see where there can be savings. 
    The White House and Congress will work together to decrease the regulatory hassle that keeps our economy from achieving its full potential. This will increase revenue. 
    The president is working extremely hard now to make government work more efficiently, which saves taxpayers money.
    I have been assured that there is a commitment in other ways to pay for an eventual reconciliation bill.
    I am not saying that I think it is better that we use current policy as baseline. It establishes a dangerous precedent. It might be within the rules to do so, but it doesn’t mean that it is wise to do so. And to be a conservative is to know that sometimes you don’t open Pandora’s box, even if you can.
    And using current policy as baseline should not suggest to us that the current tax code is perfect. Far from it. According to publicly available information, Jeff Bezos got a child tax credit several years ago. Tax credits are supposed to go to middle income and lower income Americans, not to the second richest man in the world. Certainly, we can address that.
    But this vote is not taking place in a vacuum. It is taking place when the stock market has had two successive days of greater than 1500 points decline. This creates uncertainty which makes companies less likely to invest, which makes it less likely that new jobs will be created. Creating new good paying jobs is an essential to achieving the American dream. Not passing this budget resolution could increase the uncertainty in the economy, and that is something I do not wish to do.
    Given the commitment from leadership to pay for this bill by a variety of means, whether it is within the reconciliation vehicle or outside of that process, and the need to reestablish confidence among those making business decisions and creating jobs, I will vote for this budget resolution.  
    As we move on from this budget resolution to the reconciliation bill, I will look to make sure that we are truly addressing the national debt. 
    I will also encourage the use of America’s abundance as a way to both increase the possibility of Americans achieve the American dream and as a way to potentially pay for the government we now have. I applaud President Trump for advocating greater exploration of oil and gas. This creates great paying jobs, a tax base for communities, and significant revenue for the federal government. This is just one example of using America’s abundance for the benefit of us all. 
    I proposed other solutions that can address our nations indebtedness without raising taxes are cutting benefits. I have spoken to these in the past and will continue to advocate for them in the future.
    I want America to be great for all Americans. That we can all live to the limits of our God given gifts. Creating opportunity is part of this. I hope, my expectation is that through this process we will create more opportunity to express God-given gifts, to achieve the American dream. 
    With that I yield.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pelosi Statement on President Trump’s Senseless Tariffs

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

    Philadelphia – Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi issued this statement on the Trump Administration’s global tariff policies:

    “The Trump Administration’s flagrant ineptitude is tanking our economy in a self-inflicted disaster that leaves hardworking American families bearing the brunt of the pain.

    “Make no mistake: President Trump’s senseless tariffs will drive prices higher, drain retirement savings and push us to the brink of recession.

    “In 1988, President Ronald Reagan said, ‘America’s most recent experiment with protectionism was a disaster for the working men and women of this country. When Congress passed the Smoot-Hawley tariff in 1930, we were told that it would protect America from foreign competition and save jobs in this country. The actual result was the Great Depression.’

    “He continued: ‘We should beware of the demagogs who are ready to declare a trade war against our friends – weakening our economy, our national security, and the entire free world – all while cynically waving the American flag.’

    “President Reagan’s words were true then and they’re true today. Hopefully Trump and our Republican colleagues will heed his wisdom.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján Blasts President Trump’s Reckless Tariffs, Disastrous Republican Budget That Will Gut Critical Programs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
    As President Trump’s Reckless Tariffs Jeopardize American Livelihoods, Senate Republicans are Ramming Through a Partisan Budget That Will Cut Programs for New Mexicans

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) delivered a floor speech and joined a press conference alongside Senate Democrats to call out President Trump’s reckless tariffs and Senate Republicans’ plans to advance a partisan budget that will gut funding for critical programs Americans rely on – all to fund the Trump Tax Scam 2.0. 
    During the floor speech and press conference, Senator Luján highlighted the staggering consequences of President Trump’s tariffs on working families, retirement funds, and small businesses. Senator Luján blasted Senate Republicans’ plan to advance a partisan budget that threatens New Mexicans’ access to Medicaid, Social Security, and SNAP benefits to give a tax handout to the wealthiest Americans and corporations.
    “I’m proud to join my Senate Democratic colleagues in pushing back against a Republican budget resolution that is wrong for the people, not just of New Mexico, but every corner of America. Today, Senate Democrats have uplifted the stories of Americans who are worried about the path that President Trump, Elon Musk, and Congressional Republicans are putting us on. Folks who feel the pain every time they go to the grocery store, moms and dads who don’t know how they’re going to afford food next week, grandmothers and grandfathers who are scared that their hard-earned benefits are going to be eliminated,” said Senator Luján in his floor remarks. 
    “My constituents can see the economy is slipping before their eyes. They feel it. And their paychecks are not going as far as they used to,” Senator Luján continued. “Now, President Trump is imposing sweeping, across-the-board tariffs that will increase prices for everyone back home. The tariffs are going to cost New Mexicans nearly $4,000 a year. $4,000 that a lot of folks don’t have.”
    Watch Senator Luján’s floor speech HERE.
    Watch Senator Luján’s press conference remarks HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: England’s non-woodland trees freely mapped for first time

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    England’s non-woodland trees freely mapped for first time

    England’s trees outside woodlands have been mapped by satellite and laser are freely available for first time revealing they make up 30% of nation’s tree cover.

    Street Trees. Credit: Forestry Commission

    • Some of the most iconic trees in our landscape highlighted in unique survey.
    • Mapping will help to accurately identify locations of nature depletion and allow for more targeted tree planting

    England’s non-woodland trees have been mapped for first time, revealing these trees make up nearly third of our nation’s tree cover.  

    Using one of the very latest methods of laser detection and satellite imagery, the country’s top tree scientists at the UK Government’s Forest Research agency built a comprehensive picture of non-woodland trees across England. 

    The innovative map goes live today (Saturday 5 April). 

    By providing a better national picture, the groundbreaking map will allow conservation groups and local authorities to target tree planting efforts more accurately. The map can pinpoint lone trees that could be connected to nearby wooded areas to create better habitat for wildlife in support of the Government’s manifesto commitment to expand nature-rich habitats and help achieve our legal target to increase England’s woodland canopy to 16.5%. 

    Forestry Minister Mary Creagh said:  

    Our precious street trees improve air quality, mark the changing seasons and provide us with peace, shade and joy. Their value simply cannot be overstated.

    “This groundbreaking new tree census will not only help us better understand our current tree canopy cover, but allow us to identify areas where we can create more nature rich habitats for wildlife and people to enjoy as part of our Plan for Change” 

    Sir William Worsley, Chair of Forestry Commission said: 

    “This has been a real endeavour by the team – the results are spectacular and will be invaluable to us as we strive to meet our legal target to increase tree planting cover. 

    “The map fills critical data gaps about our national tree assets, helping us understand this natural resource and the benefits it brings, including carbon storage. Many people – from citizens to governments – will use the map to make evidence-based decisions to improve management and protection of our trees.” 

    Freddie Hunter, Head of Remote Sensing at Forest Research, said:    

    Freddie Hunter, Head of Remote Sensing at Forest Research, said:    

    “This is an exciting moment. By using a combination of aerial and satellite technology, we have been able to locate and measure all trees outside of woodland (TOW) for the first time. By combining the National Forest Inventory woodland map and the TOW map we have a complete picture of tree canopy in England.  

    “We used laser technology mounted on planes and images of the Earth’s surface captured by satellites to identify tree canopy cover across the breadth of the country. This will be vital in informing future tree-planting and monitoring.”

    Trees outside woodlands are defined as single trees in urban and rural areas and are some of the most iconic trees in our landscape, ranging from sprawling tree-lined hedgerows to the much-loved trees on our streets and in our parks.  These trees play an important role in storing carbon, regulating temperatures, and mitigating against the impacts of climate change, such as flooding and over-heating of our towns and cities. They also have a huge role in improving health and wellbeing – not least by reducing the impacts of air pollution. 

    The project is funded by Defra’s Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment (NCEA) programme. The government is committed to turbocharging nature’s recovery and the launch of the new map is the latest step to improve nature and tree-planting across our communities as part of the Plan for Change.  This follows recent announcements on a new national forest, increasing timber in construction to boost forestry and  sustainable housebuilding , and the establishment of a dedicated tree-planting taskforce. The government has also recently announced up to £400 million for trees and peat, as part of the Nature for Climate Fund. 

    The map is fully automated thanks to its use of spatial datasets and can be updated regularly to capture changes in tree canopy cover. For more information, visit Trees Outside Woodland Map – Forest Research. The map can be viewed online on the NCEA ArcGIS Online web portal (Trees Outside Woodland), and is free to download from the Forestry Commission open data download website National Trees Outside Woodland Map.

    Additional Information: 

    • Forest Research is Great Britain’s principal organisation for forestry and tree-related research and is internationally renowned for the provision of evidence and scientific services in support of sustainable forestry.
    • The map is derived from LIDAR data from 2016 to 2022 and satellite data from 2021 to 2024. It is therefore not fully representative of trees in 2025.
    • The map is based on remote sensing, data analysis and algorithmic prediction combined with expert calibration, meaning an algorithm has predicted which of the features on the input data were trees. The feature detection accuracy of trees outside woodlands is 95%.
    • The data set was derived from the Vegetation Object Model (VOM) LIDAR Vegetation Object Model (VOM), The National Lidar Survey (National LIDAR Programme – data.gov.uk), and Sentinel-2 (Sentinel-2 – Sentinel Online) imagery using spatial algorithms.
    • The map will also be available via open web services from Defra’s Data Services Platform (DSP) later this month.

    Updates to this page

    Published 5 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Neonatal care leave and pay right for thousands of new parents

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Neonatal care leave and pay right for thousands of new parents

    New entitlement will give thousands of eligible new parents each year with children in neonatal care a right to additional leave and pay.

    • New right to neonatal care leave and pay enters into force this weekend.
    • Parents of babies in neonatal care are entitled to an additional 12 weeks of leave and pay if eligible, on top of parental leave, as of tomorrow (6 April)
    • The Government is supporting working families and protecting working people’s payslips, delivering on our Plan for Change.

    Thousands of new parents each year will gain a day one right to leave and pay, if eligible, if they have a child in neonatal care as of tomorrow [Sunday 6 April].  

    Our Plan for Change relies on families having security in work. By protecting payslips and providing them with the support at work they need through these measures, we’re putting more money into the pockets of working people, delivering national renewal and growing the economy. 

    These measures will change the dial from where it is now, where working families have been faced with the challenge of going to work whilst their newborn baby is sick in neonatal care. 

    They will allow eligible parents to take up to 12 weeks of leave (and, if eligible, pay) on top of any other leave they may be entitled to, including maternity and paternity leave.  

    In a meeting between Justin Madders, the Employment Rights Minister, and campaigners from the charities The Smallest Things, Bliss and Working Families,   

    Employment Rights Minister Justin Madders said:  

    The campaigners and parents who have had to experience their children in neonatal care are an inspiration to us all and show just how much this new leave and pay entitlement is needed for families up and down the UK.  

    We know that many employers already go above and beyond the statutory minimum, which is why as part of our Plan for Change we’re creating a level playing field that ensures parents, wherever they work, have the vital relief they need to switch off from work and focus on their newborn baby. 

    Women’s Health Minister Baroness Merron said:  

    No parent should have to choose between being with their vulnerable newborn or returning to work. Our action today will make all the difference to families going through an incredibly stressful time.  

    We are giving parents peace of mind so they can focus on their family. At the same time, we are reforming the NHS and maternity and neonatal services to ensure that everyone receives the personalised, compassionate care that they deserve. 

    The new Neonatal Care Leave will apply to parents of babies who are admitted into neonatal care up to 28 days old and who have a continuous stay in neonatal care of 7 full days or longer.  

    These measures will aim to relieve some of the pressure on working families, providing the support families need to allow them to be by their child’s side without having to work throughout or use up their existing leave.    

    The Government’s Employment Rights Bill, which is currently making its way through Parliament, was introduced to upgrade workers’ rights across the UK, tackle poor working conditions and benefit businesses and workers alike. This includes bringing forward employment reforms, such as establishing day one rights for paternity, parental and bereavement leave for millions of workers.  

    Other measures being introduced by this Government include support for employers through the menopause and strengthened protections against unfair dismissal for pregnant women and new mothers.  

     Catriona Ogilvy, founder of parent-led charity The Smallest Things said: 

    The Smallest Things is thrilled that Neonatal Care Leave and Pay will finally be available to families from tomorrow (6 April). 

    This new law is the result of a decade of tireless campaigning by those who truly understand – neonatal parents themselves.  

    They know the journey doesn’t end when babies come home from hospital. Neonatal Leave will give families back stolen time. Time to be with their baby without the worry of work or pay. Time to bond. And time to begin to recover – both physically and mentally. 

    Neonatal parents and carers needed more time. From tomorrow, they’ll get it.

    Bliss Chief Executive Caroline Lee-Davey said: 

    At Bliss we know just how important it is that babies born premature or sick have both parents at their side in neonatal care during their challenging first weeks and months of life, playing a hands-on role in their care. 

    That is why Bliss is so proud to have led campaigning for the introduction of the Neonatal Care (Leave & Pay) Act, which will provide thousands of employed parents every year with the assurance that they can take the time to be with their sick baby when they need it most.  

    We now look forward to working with the Government and employers to ensure that all parents who are eligible know about this new entitlement, as well as the wider information and support that they can access from Bliss throughout their neonatal journey.

    Jane van Zyl, Chief Executive, Working Families said: 

    We are delighted to see the introduction of this new entitlement after having worked with policymakers on its development. 

    Having additional leave and pay will mean parents can be by their baby’s side when they need them most. By giving families some breathing space and the ability to manage childcare for older siblings, this policy will help relieve some of the financial and emotional strain families are under. 

    We hope employers will build on this support by developing enhanced neonatal polices, as many compassionate employers have already, and consider flexible working, a little of which can go a long way in supporting families. 

    Nisha Marwaha, Director of DE&I at Virgin Media O2 said: 

    Introducing paid neonatal care leave as a day one right is a lifeline for parents whose babies require medical care shortly after birth. 

    At Virgin Media O2, we’re proud to have been one of the first UK businesses to introduce paid neonatal leave more than two years ahead of it becoming a legal requirement. We’ve seen first-hand the difference it has made to our employees, allowing them to focus on caring for their sick baby and take time away from work with our full support. 

    That’s why we welcome the introduction of the legislation that will benefit around 60,000 new parents each year so they can be there for their loved ones when it counts, without having to worry about work.

    Liz Jeffery, Vice President for People Experience at Sony Music, said: 

    When a baby is born prematurely or requires neonatal care after birth, it can be a very difficult time for parents.  

    Since 2018, Sony Music staff have been entitled to full pay during the period in which a baby is born before full term or spends time in neonatal care, ensuring they are financially supported until parental leave begins.  

    This policy has been a huge benefit for our employees over the past seven years and we are pleased to see that the law is changing to support other families going through these experiences.” 

    Jackie Henry, managing partner for people and purpose at Deloitte UK, said:  

    Family-friendly policies can have a profound impact in supporting people in the modern workplace.  

    That’s why at Deloitte UK, we provide 12 weeks’ paid neonatal care leave as part a wider package of policies and benefits, including six months’ paid family leave, and paid time off for caring responsibilities and fertility treatment.  

    Families come in all shapes and sizes, so policies like these allow our people to focus on what matters during some of the most important moments of their lives.

    Updates to this page

    Published 5 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 97 Border-Related Cases This Week

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 97 border-related cases this week, including charges of transportation of illegal aliens, bringing in aliens for financial gain, receipt of bribes by public official, reentering the U.S. after deportation, deported alien found in the United States, and importation of controlled substances.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).

    In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.

    A sample of border-related arrests this week, includes:

    • On March 24, Customs and Border Protection Officers Farlis Almonte and Ricardo Rodriguez were arrested and charged with Conspiracy to Bring in Aliens for Financial Gain, Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain and Receipt of Bribes by Public Official. According to court records, the officers allowed dozens of cars carrying undocumented immigrants to pass through their inspection lanes at the San Ysidro Port of Entry from August 2024 through January 2025, in exchange for cash.
    • On March 29, Osvaldo Parra Franco, a Mexican national, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Parra attempted to cross into the United States at the San Ysidro Port of Entry with methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl hidden in a spare tire and tailgate of his vehicle. He was intercepted by Customs and Border Protection officers after an alert from a narcotics detection canine.
    • On March 30, Jesus Eduardo Carrasco-Romero, a Mexican national, was arrested three miles east of the Otay Mesa Port of Entry and charged with illegally entering the U.S. after previously being deported on March 20 in El Paso, Texas.
    • On March 31, Francisco Anguiano Rios, a Mexican national, was arrested and charged with importation of a controlled substance after Customs and Border Protection officers found 209 packages containing 547 pounds of cocaine concealed in the fuel tank of the tractor trailer Rios was driving as it attempted to cross the border at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry.
    • On March 31, Miguel Angel Gonzalez Lujan and Jesus Miguel Gonzalez Garcia, Mexican nationals, were arrested in Campo near the U.S.-Mexico border and charged with Transportation of Illegal Aliens after Border Patrol agents used a spike strip to deflate the front tires of their fleeing vehicle. Four undocumented immigrants were inside.

    Federal law enforcement has focused immigration prosecutions on undocumented aliens who are engaged in criminal activity in the U.S., including those who commit drug and firearms crimes, who have serious criminal records, or who have active warrants for their arrest. Federal authorities have also been prioritizing investigations and prosecutions against drug, firearm, and human smugglers and those who endanger and threaten the safety of our communities and the law enforcement officers who protect the community.

    The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.

    Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Tallassee, Alabama Woman Sentenced to Nine and a Half Years in Prison for Federal Program Fraud

    Source: United States Department of Justice (National Center for Disaster Fraud)

                MONTGOMERY, Ala. – On April 2, 2025, a federal judge ordered that 34-year-old Michelle Denise McIntyre, a resident of Tallassee, Alabama, receive a sentence of 114 months in prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud and money laundering charges related to grants received through the Restaurant Revitalization Fund program, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson. Following her prison sentence, McIntyre will be on supervised release for three years. Federal inmates are not eligible for parole. 

               The Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF), which was directly administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA), was established in March 2021 by the American Rescue Plan Act.  The RRF was a financial assistance program designed to provide eligible restaurants with funding equal to their COVID-19 pandemic-related revenue losses. RRF recipients were not required to repay the funding as long as they used the funds for eligible expenses.

               According to her plea agreement, McIntyre admitted that, in May of 2021, she applied for RRF grants falsely claiming she began operating a catering business on December 16, 2019. In the application, McIntyre included false receipts and documents purporting to show food orders for the business. McIntyre’s false representations in her application and in supporting documents caused the SBA to award her grants totaling $131,478.76. Court documents indicate McIntyre did not use the funds for eligible expenses. Instead, McIntyre used the illegal proceeds to purchase a vehicle, among other unauthorized personal expenses.

                According to court records and statements made during her sentencing hearing, McIntyre was also responsible for fraudulently applying for Paycheck Protection Program Loans, Economic Injury Disaster Loans and Advances, and additional RRF money on behalf of herself and others. All of these funds were intended to help struggling small businesses amidst the COVID-19 disaster. McIntyre operated a business where she charged up-front fees to file pandemic relief applications on others’ behalf, regardless of their eligibility. If an application was successful, she required her clients to pay her a portion of the money they received. All told, McIntyre caused losses to the Small Business Administration exceeding $700,000; and if all of her false applications had been funded, the SBA would have suffered additional losses exceeding $14 million. Restitution will be determined at a later date.

                “Fraud committed against federal programs is fraud against the American taxpayer,” said Acting United States Attorney Davidson. “I commend the investigative agencies for their diligent work in this case. My office will continue to do its part in prosecuting those who seek easy profit at the expense of every hard-working United States citizen.”

                “Exploiting SBA’s Restaurant Revitalization Fund and COVID relief programs for personal gain is a serious offense that diverts critical resources away from legitimate small businesses in need,” said SBA OIG’s Eastern Region Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite. “I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice.”

                “Five years after the enactment of the CARES Act, individuals who defrauded the programs intended to help Americans are still being held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation special agents, law enforcement partners, and the U.S. Attorney’s office will continue their aggressive pursuit of those who defrauded the programs under the CARES Act.”

                The Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, U.S. Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and the FBI Mobile Field Office investigated this case, which Assistant United States Attorney Megan A. Kirkpatrick prosecuted. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaine Leads Colleagues in Calling on Trump Administration to Reinstate Temporary Protected Status for Venezuela

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, led 18 of his colleagues in urging Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem to reconsider the Trump Administration’s termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans who applied for TPS under its designation in 2023. The Administration’s decision has been temporarily put on hold by a court order, postponing the harm it will cause to approximately 350,000 people who remain at risk of losing TPS.
    “Contrary to your assertion that ‘there are notable improvements in several areas, such as the economy, public health, and crime that allow for these nationals to be safely returned,’ the country conditions in Venezuela have deteriorated significantly since 2023, as discussed in detail below,” the senators wrote. “There is no credible evidence demonstrating substantive improvements in the human rights or security situation at this time. Nicolas Maduro’s third term began in January 2025 and has thus far has been characterized by political violence, violent crime, and corruption. Indeed, he remained in power through violent repression surrounding his July 2024 election, which the United States and international observers deemed fraudulent. Numerous credible sources have documented how the regime uses waves of repression, including politically motivated arrests and forcible disappearances, to maintain power. According to the Congressional Research Service (CRS), the Maduro regime was holding over 1,000 political prisoners as of March 10, 2025.”
    “For the reasons discussed above, we ask that you reconsider your February 1, 2025 decision and instead extend TPS for Venezuelans in the United States for the maximum statutory period of 18 months. Congress intended TPS to be both a humanitarian tool and a pragmatic response to unstable conditions abroad,” they continued.
    Kaine has long advocated for TPS for vulnerable people from countries around the world, such as Cameroon, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Sudan, and Ukraine. Amid spiking violence in Haiti in 2024, Kaine also urged the Biden Administration to extend TPS for Haiti and urged the Trump Administration to reconsider the cancelation of this designation in 2025.
    In addition to Kaine, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Peter Welch (D-VT).
    Full text of the letter follows below and is available here.
    Dear Secretary Rubio and Secretary Noem:
    We ask that you reconsider your February 1, 2025 decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans who applied for TPS under the 2023 designation. While a court order has temporarily postponed the harms that will be caused by this decision, approximately 350,000 people remain at risk of losing TPS.
    Contrary to your assertion that “there are notable improvements in several areas, such as the economy, public health, and crime that allow for these nationals to be safely returned,” the country conditions in Venezuela have deteriorated significantly since 2023, as discussed in detail below.
    There is no credible evidence demonstrating substantive improvements in the human rights or security situation at this time. Nicolas Maduro’s third term began in January 2025 and has thus far has been characterized by political violence, violent crime, and corruption. Indeed, he remained in power through violent repression surrounding his July 2024 election, which the United States and international observers deemed fraudulent. Numerous credible sources have documented how the regime uses waves of repression, including politically motivated arrests and forcible disappearances, to maintain power. According to the Congressional Research Service (CRS), the Maduro regime was holding over 1,000 political prisoners as of March 10, 2025.
    Through draconian legal measures and organized violence, the Maduro regime is engaging in an active campaign to violate human rights and repress civil society. For example, the National Assembly passed an “anti-NGO law” that provides legal pretext for targeting human rights defenders, political opposition, and journalists. In this environment, organized crime and humanitarian crisis have grown.
    Governance in Venezuela has broken down, leaving the basic needs of its citizens unmet – sufficient food, clean water, and medicines are inaccessible for most. The United Nations World Food Program estimates that approximately 40 percent of the population is experiencing moderate to severe food insecurity, and that four million people require urgent food assistance. The Venezuelan government is unable or unwilling to provide justice or protection for its citizens. In fact, the government of Venezuela is frequently itself a perpetrator or beneficiary of human rights abuses.
    The current conditions in Venezuela described above clearly continue to meet the requirement of INA §244(b)(1)(C) that “there exist extraordinary and temporary conditions in the foreign state that prevent aliens who are nationals of the state from returning to the state in safety.” Insofar as you have found that “even assuming the relevant conditions in Venezuela remain both ‘extraordinary’ and ‘temporary,’ termination of the 2023 Venezuela TPS designation is required because it is contrary to the national interest,” the lack of notice and opportunity for stakeholders and the public to comment on the termination and the national interest before it went into effect makes your decision legally infirm and deeply flawed policy-wise.
    On March 31, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California ordered that the decision to vacate the extension of the 2023 designation and to terminate that designation be postponed pending further litigation. In a seventy-eight-page decision, the court relied on “[t]he lack of support for the vacatur – both legal and evidentiary” in postponing your decision.  
    For the reasons discussed above, we ask that you reconsider your February 1, 2025 decision and instead extend TPS for Venezuelans in the United States for the maximum statutory period of 18 months. Congress intended TPS to be both a humanitarian tool and a pragmatic response to unstable conditions abroad. While DHS has the authority to terminate TPS, that authority must be exercised with diligence, transparency, and fidelity to the law.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Video: Kaine Speaks on Senate Floor to Oppose ‘Economic Idiocy’ of Tariffs, Program Cuts to Pay for Billionaire Tax Breaks

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
    BROADCAST-QUALITY VIDEO IS AVAILABLE HERE.
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, spoke on the Senate floor to highlight his strong opposition to Republicans’ budget plan. President Donald Trump and Republicans are proposing using the revenue from tariffs and massive, across-the-board cuts to programs that Virginians rely on—including Medicaid—to pay for tax cuts for billionaires. Republicans are using a legislative process known as “reconciliation,” which allows certain legislation to be expedited and passed in the Senate by a simple majority, avoiding the 60-vote threshold needed for most other legislation.
    “President Trump deemed these tariffs as ‘reciprocal tariffs,’ but I got another phrase for them: They are economic idiocy,” said Kaine. “They will hurt our families, they will hurt our businesses, they will hurt our farmers, and all the economic signs suggest that President Trump is flipping the world’s strongest economy toward recession.”
    “President Trump started with the strongest economy in the world the day he was inaugurated—a strong stock market, strong consumer confidence, strong growth rates and growth projections, manufacturing up, infrastructure up, America building again,” Kaine continued. “In two months, his chaotic economic idiocy has turned it around… the American economy has nothing but red lights and question marks all over it.”
    “Trump says these are reciprocal tariffs—we are putting tariffs on nations who are treating us unfairly in trade. But he’s imposing tariffs even on nations that put no tariffs on U.S. products, that have no trade barriers on U.S. products,” Kaine continued. “He said he was imposing tariffs on nations where the U.S. has trade deficits … but guess what? We have trade surpluses with Brazil, Australia, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Singapore, and the U.K. So what did Donald Trump do? He put tariffs on them anyway.”
    “The tariffs are not designed to punish adversaries since we are hurting allies and treating them worse than adversaries in many ways. The tariffs are not designed to lower trade barriers since nations with no trade barriers are still getting socked. The tariffs are not designed to counter trade deficits since nations where we have trade surpluses are getting socked,” Kaine said. “So why do them at all? Why punish Americans with a national sales tax, which all the economists say is the largest peacetime tax ever imposed in U.S. history?”
    “It’s about raising money to fund a tax cut for the rich,” Kaine continued. “These tariffs will raise $6 trillion over the course of the next 10 years—about $600 billion all taken out of the pockets of everyday Americans who are paying more for groceries, who are paying more for building supplies when they do a home renovation, farmers who are paying more for fertilizer… the $6 trillion dollars that these tariffs will raise all come out of the pocketbooks of Americans who are working hard and who don’t want to pay more taxes.”
    “President Trump and my colleagues here are setting up a budget where they’ll take that $6 trillion and they’ll add to it all of these ‘slash-and-burn’ cuts,” Kaine said. “They’ll combine the tariff revenue with the savings from Medicaid cuts or cuts to school nutrition or cuts to the Pell Grant program, and then they will take all of that revenue and hand it over to the richest people in this country, many of whom are the richest people on the Planet Earth.”
    “That’s what we’re going to fight against in this budget, and in the same way that we succeeded by getting Republicans to vote with us against the Canadian tariffs a few days ago, it is my hope that when we get to the end of this process, we will have some Republican colleagues, in this house and the next, who will stand up against a President who thinks one man can shatter the economy and impose costs on everyday people to benefit himself and his friends,” Kaine concluded.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Elizabeth Warren questions SEC chair on meme coin guidance after Trumps’ tokens launch

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    March 21, 2025
    Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the ranking member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, is seeking information from the Securities and Exchange Commission over its decision to relax federal regulations around meme coins weeks after Trump and first lady Melania Trump released their own versions.
    The SEC defines a meme coin as a type of crypto asset inspired by internet memes, characters, current events, or trends. In a staff statement last month, the agency said because of its view that meme coins are typically purchased for entertainment and social interaction rather than financial value, owners of the asset do not have to abide by federal regulations.
    “Persons who participate in the offer and sale of meme coins do not need to register their transactions with the Commission under the Securities Act of 1933,” a February statement from the agency reads. “Accordingly, neither meme coin purchasers nor holders are protected by the federal securities laws.”
    …
    Read the full article here.
    By:  Nnamdi EgwuonwuSource: NBC News

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Reverend Warnock, Colleagues Demand POTUS Rescind Executive Order Requiring a Passport to Easily Register to Vote

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    Senator Reverend Warnock, Colleagues Demand POTUS Rescind Executive Order Requiring a Passport to Easily Register to Vote

    The Executive Order puts onerous requirements that restrict the ability of US citizens to access the ballot, requiring a passport to easily register to vote
    Less than half of Georgians have a current U.S. passport necessary for easily registering to vote under this new executive order
    Noncitizen voting is virtually nonexistent; 2024 audit by Georgia Secretary of State found only 9 instances of noncitizen voting out of 8,200,000 registered voters 
    Senator Reverend Warnock, lawmakers: “Requirements in this illegal order would likely disenfranchise millions of American voters […] places a variety of other process burdens on voters, especially married women, rural residents, and low-income voters, and communities of color”
    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) , and 14 of his Senate colleagues urged President Trump to revoke his illegal anti-voter executive order that would disenfranchise millions of Americans.
    Under this Executive Order, military IDs or driver’s licenses would not be sufficient in registering to vote in Georgia through the federal voter registration form. Following the announcement of the Executive Order, Senator Warnock issued a statement responding to the unlawful order.
    “This unlawful directive exceeds your authority over an independent agency and would likely disenfranchise millions of eligible American voters by creating barriers to voting, while also inviting chaos into state voter registration processes – including by inappropriately sharing Americans’ data with the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE),” wrote the Senators. “Under the Constitution and existing law, this Executive Order cannot be implemented. Sadly, we are not surprised at your continued efforts to undermine our free and fair elections. From welcoming foreign election interference in our elections, to supporting the January 6 insurrection, to promoting baseless election conspiracy theories, your dangerous rhetoric has undermined public confidence in our election system.”
    The proof of citizenship requirements in the executive order would restrict the right to vote for millions of Americans given the burden it creates to obtain these documents. Nearly half of all American citizens do not have valid passports, and millions more have a legal name that differs from other government-issued documents, including up to 69 million married women whose birth certificates no longer match their legal name.
    The Senators emphasized that the order runs counter to the constitutional foundation that elections are to be primarily administered by the states. They also sounded the alarm on the order’s attempt to empower the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to review state voter registration lists, other state records, and various federal databases, with the power of subpoena.
    “Voting by noncitizens is already a federal crime and, despite unsubstantiated claims to the contrary, is extremely rare. By interjecting DOGE into the process, this order would interfere with states’ maintenance of voter registration lists, compromising voters’ personal information,” continued the Senators.
    “The new federal voter registration requirements in this illegal order would likely disenfranchise millions of American voters. Millions of Americans do not have passports and many face challenges obtaining other documents that would be required by this order, if it was ever implemented,” concluded the Senators. “This order also places a variety of other process burdens on voters, especially married women, rural residents, and low-income voters, and communities of color.”
    Senator Warnock has a long history of supporting voting rights efforts and defending the sacred right to vote. Since coming to the Senate, Senator Warnock has championed the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act, two vital pieces of voting rights legislation that expand on the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and help secure voting rights for future generations.
    In addition to Senator Warnock, the letter was authored by Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) and is also signed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
    The letter can be viewed HERE and below:
    Dear President Trump,
    We write to demand that you immediately rescind your recent Executive Order “Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections.” This unlawful directive exceeds your authority over an independent agency and would likely disenfranchise millions of eligible American voters by creating barriers to voting, while also inviting chaos into state voter registration processes – including by inappropriately sharing Americans’ data with the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
    Under the Constitution and existing law, this Executive Order cannot be implemented. Sadly, we are not surprised at your continued efforts to undermine our free and fair elections. From welcoming foreign election interference in our elections, to supporting the January 6 insurrection, to promoting baseless election conspiracy theories, your dangerous rhetoric has undermined public confidence in our election system.
    This order runs counter to the constitutional foundation that elections are to be primarily administered by the states. The Federal role in elections is focused on helping states with the costs and technical challenges and ensuring that the right to vote is appropriately protected. This order places new mandates on the states and inserts new federal interference in state voter registration processes by federal agencies, including the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. We expect state and local election administrators of both parties to have significant legal and operational concerns about this order.
    One of the most disturbing aspects of this illegal order is Sec. 2(b)(iii), which attempts to empower DHS and the DOGE Administrator to review state voter registration lists, other state records and various federal databases, with the power of subpoena. Voting by noncitizens is already a federal crime and, despite unsubstantiated claims to the contrary, is extremely rare. By interjecting DOGE into the process, this order would interfere with states’ maintenance of voter registration lists, compromising voters’ personal information. This effort by DOGE is similar to your 2017 Executive Order that established the “Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity” that sought voter files from states and was rejected by 44 states and the District of Columbia. If this provision were implemented, it would allow Elon Musk and DOGE to recreate this effort to purge state voter databases, preventing the participation of eligible American voters.
    The Election Assistance Commission (EAC) was created as an independent, evenly balanced agency in the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), which was enacted on an overwhelming bipartisan basis. The EAC receives appropriations from Congress to support states with the growing financial and technical challenges of administering elections in thousands of jurisdictions across the nation on a nonpartisan basis. This order lacks the authority to place new conditions on Congressionally appropriated funding or order the EAC require documents that many eligible Americans do not have in order to register to vote in federal elections.
    The new federal voter registration requirements in this illegal order would likely disenfranchise millions of American voters. Millions of Americans do not have passports and many face challenges obtaining other documents that would be required by this order, if it was ever implemented. This order also places a variety of other process burdens on voters, especially married women, rural residents, and low-income voters, and communities of color.
    For these reasons, we must urge you to rescind this illegal order.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Schiff, Whitehouse Welcome Senate Parliamentarian’s Reaffirmation That California’s Clean Air Act Waivers Not Subject to Congressional Review Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla, Schiff, Whitehouse Welcome Senate Parliamentarian’s Reaffirmation That California’s Clean Air Act Waivers Not Subject to Congressional Review Act

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, welcomed the Senate parliamentarian’s decision that California’s Clean Air Act waivers are not subject to the Congressional Review Act (CRA). The decision reaffirms that President Trump and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin cannot weaponize the CRA to repeal these waivers as part of their assault on clean air and the environment.
    “In passing the Clean Air Act on an overwhelmingly bipartisan basis, Congress explicitly granted California the ability to set more stringent vehicle emissions standards to protect public health from California’s unique air quality challenges,” said Senator Padilla. “I am pleased that the Senate parliamentarian upheld decades of precedent and confirmed that California’s Clean Air Act waivers are not subject to the Congressional Review Act. This latest stunt from Trump’s EPA was a clearly bogus attempt to undercut California’s climate leadership, and it failed. I’ll keep fighting to defend California’s authority to protect our residents, safeguard clean air, and lower costs for consumers.”
    “Congress granted the California the power to regulate its own pollution and vehicle emissions standards and did so on a bipartisan basis almost 60 years ago. The result has been an important one and advanced clean air and water rules that have had a major impact on California and the rest of the country,” said Senator Schiff. “Today, another nonpartisan and independent voice has reaffirmed that California’s vehicle emissions standards are not subject to repeal under the expedited processes of the Congressional Review Act, upholding our state’s right to protect our air and the health of our 40 million residents. The Golden State has been the gold standard for fighting harmful air pollution, and today’s ruling allows that fight to continue. This is a victory for the power of the states that Congressional Republicans seem so eager to undermine now that they have returned to power in Washington. I will continue to work in the Senate to protect the health and wellness of every Californian whose lives have been improved by these standards for more than a generation.”
    “From slashing investments that lower household energy costs to rolling back protections for clean air and clean water, Trump and his polluter minions at EPA have endangered our nation’s public health, economy, and climate safety. Due to evil influence by the polluting industries that bankrolled Trump’s campaign, Americans will pay—with their health and with their wallets—for the Trump-Musk weaponization of the EPA in service to big polluters,” said Ranking Member Whitehouse. “Congress put California’s ability to set vehicle emissions standards in the Clean Air Act, which has already protected generations of Americans from fossil fuel emissions. These emissions heat up our planet, make it harder for many to breathe, and increase costs for families. We’re gratified that the Senate parliamentarian followed decades of precedent showing that California’s Clean Air Act waivers are not subject to the Congressional Review Act. The lie about ‘cooperative federalism’ as the model for EPA to follow is laid bare when environmental regulatory and enforcement authority of the states is stronger than federal requirements. Here, the Clean Air Act provides California the authority to set more stringent vehicle emission standards, and Administrator Zeldin pulled out all the stops to attack that authority despite decades of practice and precedent. His legally unfounded scheme was first cooked up by industry lawyers in the polluter-friendly op-ed pages of The Wall Street Journal. Never mind the hundreds of millions of Americans suffering from bad air quality, climate change-driven natural disasters, and climateflation in everything from insurance premiums to grocery prices, Zeldin again decided to take his marching orders from polluters. Tells you all you need to know.”
    Senators Padilla, Schiff, and Whitehouse previously blasted Trump and Zeldin’s weaponization of the EPA as the Government Accountability Office (GAO) also found that Clean Air Act waivers to California are not subject to the Congressional Review Act. Padilla and Schiff also slammed the Trump Administration’s intent to roll back dozens of the EPA’s regulations that protect California’s air and water.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla Cosponsors Legislation to Improve Access to Quality, Affordable Child Care for American Families

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla Cosponsors Legislation to Improve Access to Quality, Affordable Child Care for American Families

    Republican-proposed funding cuts to pay for tax breaks for billionaires would eliminate child care for 40,000 children, according to recent CLASP analysis
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) joined his colleagues in introducing bicameral legislation to help American families get access to the quality, affordable child care they need. The bill comes as Republicans are acting on their plan to eliminate child care for 40,000 children to pay for massive tax breaks for billionaires.
    The need to rebuild a stronger, more robust, and more equitable child care system is greater than ever as working families across America struggle to access affordable, quality child care. But in addition to cuts to child care, the Trump Administration is conducting mass layoffs at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), including the offices at the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) that administer child care and Head Start programs. These layoffs will make child care even less accessible, less affordable, and less safe.
    Earlier this week, Padilla and Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) led 25 Senators in condemning the Trump Administration’s mass firings of federal employees at the Office of Head Start (OHS) and the Office of Child Care (OCC) and demanding HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. immediately reinstate these employees to full work status.
    “As a father to three boys, I understand that having access to child care isn’t a luxury, it’s a critical necessity,” said Senator Padilla. “No parent should have to miss work because they don’t have access to child care, yet too many Californians either do not live near a caregiver or cannot afford it. As President Trump and his Administration wage a war on American families and intensify our child care crisis, we must fight to ensure every family, regardless of zip code, has access to reliable, high-quality child care.”
    “At a time when families are struggling to find affordable child care so they can work and pay their bills, Republicans in Congress are making their priorities clear with 40,000 kids about to lose their child care to pay for another handout to billionaires. Taken together with the absolute gutting of HHS and the offices responsible for Head Start and child care, America’s child care crisis is on track to only grow worse,” said Senator Wyden. “It doesn’t have to be this way. Our bill invests in working families by making sure more families can get child care and new child care centers can be built to increase slots, while also guaranteeing a living wage for the essential workers who staff them. That is where priorities should lie.”
    “Parents shouldn’t have to choose between breaking the budget, cutting back their work hours, or settling for lower-quality care to make sure their kids have child care,” said Senator Warren. “I am grateful for Senator Wyden’s partnership and commitment to investing in child care so working parents have a fighting chance in our economy.”
    The price of child care continues to place a major financial burden on American families, with costs ranging from $5,357 to $17,171 per year depending on location and type of care. Additionally, the cost of center-based care for two children is more than the average mortgage in 45 states and more than the average annual rent in all 50 states plus D.C. The Building Child Care for a Better Future Act would address the child care crisis by providing new, permanent funding so states, tribes, and territories have the critical resources they need to develop a child care infrastructure that better serves all families.
    The legislation would expand guaranteed child care funding by increasing annual funding for the Child Care Entitlement to States (CCES) to $20 billion per year (a $16.45 billion increase per year). It also would appropriate $5 billion to the CCES annually to provide new grants to improve child care workforce, supply, quality, and access in areas of particular need, including rural communities. Specifically, the funding can be used for Child Care and Development Block Grant purposes, including:
    Increasing child care slots in child care facilities and family child care homes;
    Establishing or expanding the operation of community or neighborhood-based family child care networks;
    Providing funding for construction and renovation of child care facilities and family child care homes;
    Providing start-up funding, technical assistance, support for improving business practices, and support navigating real estate financing and development processes;
    Providing guidance to child care providers on negotiating with landlords or applying for land or home ownership;
    Recruiting child care providers and staff;
    Supporting professional development and training for the child care workforce, including through apprenticeships, partnerships with labor unions or labor-management partnerships, and partnerships with public and nonprofit institutions of higher education;
    Contracting with an intermediary with experience securing private sources of capital financing for child care facilities or other low-income community development projects to provide technical support; and
    Maintaining an effective and diverse early care workforce by increasing total compensation, providing wage supplements or bonuses, or offering wage and retention rewards and ensuring adequate wages for staff of child care providers, including sole proprietors and independent contractors, that, at a minimum:
    Provide a living wage for all staff of such child care providers and
    Are adjusted on an annual basis or cost of living increases.

    U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) lead the legislation. In addition to Senator Padilla, the Building Child Care for a Better Future Act is cosponsored by Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.). U.S. Representative Danny Davis (D-Ill.-07) introduced companion legislation in the House.
    A one-page summary of the legislation is here.
    Ful text of the bill is available here.
    The Building Child Care for a Better Future Act is endorsed by: AFL-CIO, AFSCME, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Federation of Teachers, Caring Across Generations, Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), Child Care Aware of America, Child Care for Every Family Network, Community Change Action, Early Care & Education Consortium (ECEC), Family Values at Work, First Five Years Fund, First Focus Campaign for Children, KinderCare, MomsRising, National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC), National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), National Education Association, National Indian Child Care Association (NICCA), National Women’s Law Center, Save the Children, SEIU, Small Business Majority, ZERO TO THREE, Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy, Communications Workers of America (CWA), Family Forward Oregon, First Children’s Finance, Iowa Association for the Education of Young Children, Little Miracles Early Development Center, Massachusetts Association for the Education of Young Children (MAAEYC), Maine Association for the Education of Young Children, Maine People’s Alliance, Maryland Association for the Education of Young Children (MDAEYC), Montana Family Childcare Network, New Jersey Association for the Education of Young Children, NJ Communities United, Ohio Association for the Education of Young Children, Oregon Association for the Education of Young Children (ORAEYC), Our Children Oregon, Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children, Pennsylvania Child Care Association, Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, Prevent Child Abuse America, Rhode Island Association for the Education of Young Children, South Carolina Association for the Education of Young Children (SCAEYC), Southwest Ohio Association for the Education of Young Children, Trying Together, Virginia Association for the Education of Young Children, Virginia Organizing, and Wisconsin Early Childhood Association.
    “Right now, this country is facing a serious child care crisis–parents are struggling to find or afford child care, child care workers are making poverty wages, and child care providers are struggling to keep their doors open and make ends meet. Republicans’ only proposal is to make this crisis even worse by cutting child care funding and putting more wealth in the hands of billionaires over supporting our families,” said Andrea Paluso and Erica Gallegos, Executive Directors of the Child Care for Every Family Network. “But there is another way. Senator Wyden and Warren’s Building Child Care for a Better Future Act will boost child care funding, instead of taking a hatchet to it. We are proud to endorse this critical bill that will invest in our child care supply, support the child care workforce, and help make child care easier to find and afford. The contrast couldn’t be clearer: support for care or support for cuts. Instead of non-stop Republican threats to cut child care, Congress must pass the Building Child Care for a Better Future Act.”
    “Families across the country are sending us a clear message that child care prices are too high and they need help,” said Julie Kashen, Senior Fellow and Director of Women’s Economic Justice at the Century Foundation. “Instead of tax cuts for billionaires and big corporations, we should work towards child care solutions that give parents room to breathe, providers wages they deserve, and children the opportunity to grow and flourish. The Building Child Care for a Better Future Act would be a big step in the right direction walking the walk for families and workers, not just talking the talk.”
    “America’s moms support the Building Child Care for a Better Future Act, and applaud its sponsors, cosponsors and champions,” said Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, Executive Director and CEO of MomsRising Together. “Millions of young families simply can’t access quality, affordable child care in our country today. Without it, children miss opportunities to learn, moms are pushed out of the workforce, businesses go without the workers they need, families can’t contribute and make ends meet, and our economy suffers terribly. Moms want Congress to support this bill to stabilize the child care infrastructure and improve wages for educators – not give even more tax breaks to billionaires and wealthy corporations.” 
    “At a time when President Trump and congressional Republicans are proposing dramatic cuts to child care, the Building Child Care for A Better Future Act provides meaningful investments that would make a real dent in addressing the child care crisis,” said Fatima Goss Graves, President and CEO of the National Women’s Law Center. “With families at a breaking point with the soaring costs of child care, we need real, sustained investment to make care more affordable and to invest in the early learning workforce. If Congress is serious about lowering child care costs, they’ll pass this bill instead of pretending that small tax credits—which provide only a fraction of relief that families need—are a real solution.”
    “The Building Child Care for a Better Future Act will make child care more affordable for families and invest in the workforce that makes it all possible. By ensuring sustainable and reliable funding and bolstering the supply of child care, we can build a stronger, more equitable child care sector,” said Stephanie Schmit, Director of Child Care and Early Education at Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP). “This legislation is an essential step toward a much-needed child care system that meets the diverse needs of all children and families.”
    “Child care is essential for parents who are continuing to struggle with long waitlists and skyrocketing costs. Providers are barely scraping by due to the ever-rising costs of providing safe and quality care,” said Samantha Cadet, Legislative Director for ZERO TO THREE. “ZERO TO THREE is proud to support the Building Child Care for a Better Future Act, which addresses the root issue of chronic underinvestment by increasing mandatory funding for child care so that states, tribes, and territories have the resources they need to build a child care infrastructure that works for everyone.”
    “The Building Child Care for a Better Future Act is a powerful step forward in ensuring that Tribal Nations have meaningful access to the resources needed to strengthen child care in our communities. By increasing dedicated funding and continuing the flexibility in how those funds are used, this bill honors the sovereignty of Tribal Nations to lead the development of early care and education systems that reflect our unique cultures, needs, and priorities,” said Jennifer Rackliff, Executive Director of National Indian Child Care Association (Cherokee Nation — Anisahoni Clan). “We commend this legislation for recognizing that lasting solutions come from within the community—and for giving Tribes the tools to build the systems our children and families deserve.”
    “As a national coalition of child care providers, education service providers, and state child care associations, ECEC is pleased to endorse the Building Child Care for a Better Future Act. This legislation recognizes that the child care workforce is the workforce behind the workforce—without well-qualified and compensated child care educators and staff, many parents cannot go to work with the comfort that their children are being educated and cared for in safe and healthy environments. Furthermore, the legislation takes needed steps to help provide support to providers that serve communities that are most in need of high-quality early education,” said Radha Mohan, Executive Director of ECEC. “The long-term investments proposed in the Building Child Care for a Better Future Act will better equip our nation’s child care system to serve all who rely on it every day, and support the continued growth of the American economy.”
    “Virtually every segment of our population is struggling with access to childcare, and small businesses are no exception. In fact, Small Business Majority’s research found that most small business owners said a lack of access to quality, affordable childcare for their own children made it difficult to start and grow their business. These business owners also said childcare challenges are an ongoing problem that have forced many to take time away from work, miss out on opportunities or hire additional help,” said John Arensmeyer, Founder and CEO of Small Business Majority. “We support the Building Child Care for a Better Future Act because it will improve our nation’s childcare infrastructure to more effectively address the needs of America’s small businesses.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Beam Global to Release 2024 Operating Results, Conference Call Scheduled for April 11, 2025 at 4:30 p.m. ET

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN DIEGO, April 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Beam Global, (Nasdaq: BEEM), (the “Company”), a leading provider of innovative and sustainable infrastructure solutions for the electrification of transportation and energy security, today announced that it will report its 2024 operating results on Friday, April 11, 2025 after the market closes. Management will host a conference call on Friday, April 11, 2025 at 4:30 p.m. ET to review financial results and provide an update on corporate developments. Following management’s formal remarks, there will be a question-and-answer session.

    Conference call details:

    Date:   April 11, 2025
    Time: 4:30 p.m. Eastern / 1:30 p.m. Pacific
    Toll-Free Dial-In Number:   1-844-739-3880   
    International Dial-In Number:   1-412-317-5716

    Pre-register for the call through this link:  https://dpregister.com/sreg/10198405/fed880d536

    All callers should pre-register for the call through the link above. Please dial in approximately 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time and ask to be joined into the Beam Global call.

    A webcast archive will be available on our website (www.BeamForAll.com) following the call.

    About Beam Global
    Beam Global is a clean technology innovator which develops and manufactures sustainable infrastructure products and technologies. We operate at the nexus of clean energy and transportation with a focus on sustainable energy infrastructure, rapidly deployed and scalable EV charging solutions, safe energy storage and vital energy security. With operations in the U.S. and Europe, Beam Global develops, patents, designs, engineers and manufactures unique and advanced clean technology solutions that power transportation, provide secure sources of electricity, save time and money and protect the environment. Beam Global is headquartered in San Diego, CA with facilities in Chicago, IL and Belgrade and Kraljevo, Serbia. Beam Global is listed on Nasdaq under the symbol BEEM. For more information visit BeamForAll.com, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter).

    Investor Relations
    Luke Higgins
    +1-858-799-4583
    IR@BeamForAll.com

    Media Contact
    Andy Lovsted
    +1-858-335-8465
    Press@BeamForAll.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: First Federal Savings Bank Awards $27,500 in Funds to United Caring Services Through FHLBank Indianapolis Grant Program

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    EVANSVILLE, Ind., April 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — First Federal Savings Bank, a member bank of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis (FHLBank Indianapolis), awarded United Caring Services $27,500 in grant funds through the Community Multiplier – Member Match Program

    The $27,500 grant will support United Caring Services’ mission to help transition individuals out of homelessness and into permanent housing solutions.

    “We are proud to partner with United Caring Services in support of their vital mission to help individuals transition out of homelessness and into stable, permanent housing,” said Courtney Schmitt, VP, Marketing Manager at First Federal Savings Bank. “Through programs like Care Ride and essential assistance in obtaining Social Security, VA, and other benefits, United Caring Services provides a path forward for those in need. This partnership reflects our commitment to supporting long-term, sustainable solutions that strengthen lives and our community as a whole.”

    “This partnership with First Federal Savings Bank comes at a critical time when funds are needed to help get our guests to these vital services,” said Ryan Rigg, Executive Director of United Caring Services. “The majority of guests do not have transportation which is often a barrier to transition out of homelessness and this program will help us to overcome that barrier.”  

    The Community Multiplier – Member Match program is FHLBank Indianapolis’ newest program offering, designed to support targeted affordable housing initiatives that fall outside of FHLBank Indianapolis’ other grant programs.  Community Multiplier offers grants between $25,000 and $125,000 for non-profit organizations headquartered in Indiana or Michigan who partner with an FHLBank Indianapolis member financial institution on targeted affordable housing initiatives. With a 10% matching funds commitment from the member financial institution, FHLBank Indianapolis is providing grants between $25,000 and $125,000. The program opened March 27, 2025 with a $5 million allocation and is available until October 1, 2025, or until funds are exhausted.

    You’re Invited

    To celebrate this meaningful partnership, First Federal Savings Bank and United Caring Services will host a press conference and check presentation ceremony on Tuesday, April 8 at 2:00 PM CST at First Federal Savings Bank’s corporate headquarters located at 5001 Davis Lant Drive Evansville, IN 47715. We invite the members of the media, community partners, and the public to join us as we present a $27,500 contribution in support of United Caring Services’ mission to help individuals transition out of homelessness and into permanent housing solutions.

    About First Federal Savings Bank Member FDIC Equal Housing Lender

    First Federal Savings Bank was established on Evansville, Indiana’s Westside in 1904. A community bank offering eight locations in Posey, Vanderburgh, Warrick, and Henderson County. First Federal Savings Bank is also proud to offer Home Building Savings Bank locations in Daviess and Pike County.

    Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis: Building Partnerships. Serving Communities.

    FHLBank Indianapolis is a regional bank included in the Federal Home Loan Bank System. FHLBanks are government-sponsored enterprises created by Congress to ensure access to low-cost funding for their member financial institutions, with particular attention paid to providing solutions that support the housing and small business needs of members’ customers. FHLBanks are privately capitalized and funded and receive no Congressional appropriations. FHLBank Indianapolis is owned by its Indiana and Michigan financial institution members, including commercial banks, credit unions, insurance companies, savings institutions and community development financial institutions. For more information about FHLBank Indianapolis, visit www.fhlbi.com and follow the Bank on LinkedIn and X (formerly known as Twitter) at @FHLBankIndy.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Partners Value Split Corp. to Redeem Its Class AA Preferred Shares, Series 11

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, April 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Partners Value Split Corp. (the “Company”) announced today its intention to redeem all of its 6,000,000 outstanding Class AA Preferred Shares, Series 11 (“Preferred Shares, Series 11”) for cash on April 22, 2025 (the “Redemption Date”) in accordance with the terms of the Preferred Shares, Series 11.

    The redemption price per Preferred Share, Series 11 will be equal to C$25.00 per share plus accrued and unpaid dividends of C$0.17 per share to April 21, 2025, representing a total redemption price of C$25.17 per share (the “Redemption Price”).

    Notice has been delivered to holders of the Preferred Shares, Series 11 in accordance with the terms of the Preferred Shares, Series 11.

    From and after the Redemption Date, the Preferred Shares, Series 11 will cease to be entitled to dividends or any other participation in any distribution of the assets of the Company and the holders thereof shall not be entitled to exercise any of their rights as shareholders in respect thereof except to receive the Redemption Price (less any tax required to be deducted and withheld by the Company). After the redemption of the Preferred Shares, Series 11, the Company will consolidate the existing capital shares held by Partners Value Investments Inc. so that there are an equal number of preferred shares and capital shares outstanding.

    About Partners Value Split Corp.

    The Company owns a portfolio consisting of approximately 120 million Class A Limited Voting Shares of Brookfield Corporation and approximately 30 million Class A Limited Voting Shares of Brookfield Asset Management Ltd. (collectively, the “Brookfield Shares”) which are expected to yield quarterly dividends that are sufficient to fund quarterly fixed cumulative preferential dividends for the holders of the Company’s preferred shares and to enable the holders of the Company’s capital shares to participate in any capital appreciation of the Brookfield Shares.

    Brookfield Corporation is a leading global investment firm focused on building long-term wealth for institutions and individuals around the world. Brookfield Corporation has three core businesses: alternative asset management, wealth solutions, and its operating businesses which are in renewable power, infrastructure, business and industrial services, and real estate. Brookfield Corporation is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol BN.

    Brookfield Asset Management Ltd. is a leading global alternative asset manager, headquartered in New York, with approximately US$1 trillion of assets under management across renewable power & transition, infrastructure, private equity, real estate, and credit. Brookfield Asset Management Ltd.’s objective is to generate attractive, long-term risk-adjusted returns for the benefit of its clients and shareholders. Brookfield Asset Management Ltd. is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol BAM.

    For further information, contact Investor Relations at 416-643-7621.

    This news release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of Canadian provincial securities laws and regulations. The words “expected”, “will”, “agreed” and “enable” and other expressions are predictions of or indicate future events, trends or prospects and do not relate to historical matters or identify forward-looking information. Forward-looking information in this news release includes statements with regard to the redemption of Class AA Preferred Shares, Series 11.

    Although the Company believes that the anticipated future results or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information and statements are based upon reasonable assumptions and expectations, the reader should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking information and statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from anticipated future results, performance or achievement expressed or implied by such forward-looking information and statements.

    Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated or implied by forward‐looking statements and information include, but are not limited to: the financial performance of Brookfield Corporation and Brookfield Asset Management Ltd., the impact or unanticipated impact of general economic, political and market factors; the behavior of financial markets, including fluctuations in interest and foreign exchanges rates; limitations on the liquidity of our investments; global equity and capital markets and the availability of equity and debt financing and refinancing within these markets; strategic actions including dispositions; changes in accounting policies and methods used to report financial condition (including uncertainties associated with critical accounting assumptions and estimates); the effect of applying future accounting changes; business competition; operational and reputational risks; technological change; changes in government regulation and legislation; changes in tax laws; risks associated with the use of financial leverage; catastrophic events, such as earthquakes and hurricanes; the possible impact of international conflicts and other developments including terrorist acts; and other risks and factors detailed from time to time in the Company’s documents filed with the securities regulators in Canada.

    We caution that the foregoing list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. When relying on our forward-looking information to make decisions with respect to the Company, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. Except as may be required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information or statements, whether written or oral, that may be as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Reference should be made to the Company’s most recent Annual Information Form for a description of the major risk factors.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Briefing with industry stakeholders on Canada’s response to U.S. tariffs

    Source: Government of Canada News

    April 4, 2025 – Ottawa, Ontario – Department of Finance Canada

    Today, the Department of Finance hosted a recurring briefing with Canadian industry and labour stakeholders, as well as provincial and territorial representatives, on Canada-U.S. economic issues. Canada’s Embassy in the U.S. also joined the call.

    The discussion focused on the recent tariff actions by the U.S., including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act invoked on April 2 to apply “reciprocal tariffs” on goods from nearly all countries, not including Canada and Mexico, as well as new U.S. tariffs imposed on automobiles that entered into force on April 3.

    Officials highlighted Canada’s countermeasures response to U.S. auto tariffs, including yesterday’s announcement by the Prime Minister, and outlined the tariff support measures that have been introduced to support Canadian workers and businesses. This includes introducing temporary special measures to the EI Work-Sharing Program, providing up to $40 billion in liquidity to businesses by deferring corporate income tax payments and GST/HST remittances, and providing liquidity support through Canada’s financial Crown corporations.

    The government underscored its commitment to continue fighting against the unjustified tariffs imposed by the U.S. while protecting impacted workers and businesses and building Canada’s economy.

    Related links

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Schweikert Leads Legislation Targeting Fentanyl and Foreign Evasion

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David Schweikert (AZ-06)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman David Schweikert (R-AZ), alongside China Select Committee Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI), Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), and Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) introduced the Manifest Modernization Act— legislation that will help law enforcement track fentanyl precursors entering the U.S., identify major sanction evasions schemes meant to skirt American law, and will uncover Uyghur and forced labor in supply chains. Currently, only ocean vessels must publicly disclose manifest information. The bill would extend the public disclosure requirement to aircraft, truck, and rail manifests. 

    Millions of shipments entering the country each day face little scrutiny. Public disclosure of shipping manifests is critical for tracking imports of unsafe or illegal goods like fentanyl, goods made with forced labor, trade-based money laundering and illicit finance, sanctions evasion, and counterfeit goods.

    “Modern problems require modern solutions. Transparency and advanced data analytics can close the gap drug traffickers and bad actors exploit to smuggle illicit drugs and goods into the country,” said Rep. David Schweikert [AZ-01]. “The Manifest Modernization Act is like putting headlights on a car that was driving with one out—you’re not reinventing the system; you’re just completing it.”

    “The Manifest Modernization Act closes a critical loophole, ensuring air, truck, and rail shipments are held to the same standards as goods arriving by ship. By requiring public disclosure of this shipment data, we’ll improve enforcement against unsafe and illicit goods—effectively stopping fentanyl, counterfeits, and products made with forced labor. This legislation also targets PRC companies that transship through third countries to dodge President Trump’s tariffs, leveling the playing field for American workers,” said House Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar [MI-01].

    “The Manifest Modernization Act will strengthen and secure our supply chains by improving transparency and efficiency at our ports of entry. By modernizing outdated customs processes, this bipartisan bill will help prevent illicit goods, such as fentanyl, and products made with forced labor in the PRC from entering our country while ensuring lawful shipments can move swiftly and safely,” said Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi [IL-08].

    “We need to shine a light on the labor and supply chains responsible for unsafe shipments entering the United States by air, land, and rail. Hiding import data allows the abuse of human rights to flourish in the shadows,” said Rep. Lloyd Doggett [TX-37]. “Our legislation seeks to improve accountability while giving American consumers the confidence they are not purchasing products that contributed to environmental harm, forced labor or any other form of wrongdoing, or laced with fentanyl.”

    Background on the Manifest Modernization Act:

    • Under current law, when an import enters the U.S. via ocean carrier, vessel manifest information must be publicly disclosed while imports that arrive via aircraft, truck, or rail do not.
    • Ocean vessels have long been required to disclose manifest information to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), including the name and address of the shipper, general character of the cargo, number of packages and gross weight, name of vessel or carrier, port of exit, port of destination, and country of destination. 
    • In 1996, Congress expanded disclosure requirements to include aircraft manifests to help law enforcement and trademark holders track counterfeit goods.
    • However, due to a drafting error in a later bill, courts have ruled that aircraft manifests are not subject to public disclosure. Vehicles, including trucks and rail, have never been required to disclose manifest information.
    • Today, nearly half of the value of imports comes either by air or land. Ocean manifest data has aided investigations that have identified major Russia sanctions evasion schemes, uncovered Uyghur forced labor in supply chains, tracked tainted pharmaceutical products, and helped law enforcement find shipments linked to criminal activity, including drug smuggling.
    • Businesses also rely on data gleamed from ocean manifests to find and evaluate suppliers, identify new customers, research market trends, and protect their intellectual property.
    • The Manifest Modernization Act would simply require all imports to be publicly disclosed by CBP to the American public.
       

      You can read the full bill text here. 

    Back to News

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tillis, Cassidy Introduce Legislation to Deter Malicious Foreign Influence in Postsecondary Education

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) led the introduction of the Defending Education Transparency and Ending Rogue Regimes Engaging in Nefarious Transactions (DETERRENT) Act, legislation that brings much-needed transparency, accountability, and clarity to foreign gift reporting requirements for American colleges and universities. Joining Senators Tillis and Cassidy were Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), John Cornyn (R-TX), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Rick Scott (R-FL), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Jim Risch (R-ID), and Eric Schmitt (R-MO). 

    “America’s foreign adversaries, including the Chinese Communist Party, are targeting our nation’s students by stealing research, spewing anti-American propaganda, and censoring free speech by providing American academic institutions with lucrative funding opportunities,” said Senator Tillis. “Too often, schools fail to report these foreign gifts and funding, leaving our adversaries with an unchecked influence over U.S. academic institutions. The DETERRENT Act is essential to countering this threat and safeguarding our educational integrity. I applaud the House of Representatives for passing this important legislation and I urge the Senate to take swift action to take up and pass this legislation.” 

    “The DETERRENT Act brings important transparency and ensures our universities are not susceptible to foreign influence,” said Dr. Cassidy. “If America’s adversaries are using these gifts to infiltrate college campuses, we need to know about it.”

    Background:

    The DETERRENT Act:

    • Slashes the foreign gift reporting threshold for colleges and universities from $250,000 down to $50,000, with an even stricter $0 threshold for countries of concern.
    • Closes reporting loopholes and provides transparency to Congress, intelligence agencies, and the public.
    • Requires disclosure of foreign gifts to individual staff and faculty at research-heavy institutions to protect those targeted the most by our adversaries.
    • Holds our largest private institutions accountable for their financial partnerships by revealing concerning foreign investments in their endowments.
    • Implements a series of repercussions for colleges and universities that remain noncompliant in foreign gift reporting such as fines and the loss of Title IV funding.

    Currently, colleges and universities are legally required to report foreign funding under Section 117 of the Higher Education Act. However, a series of recent oversight efforts make alarmingly clear the law is vague, poorly enforced, and full of loopholes. Recent reports show billions in foreign money, often from adversarial regimes like the Chinese Communist Party, coming into U.S. campuses with little to no oversight or transparency. The single biggest enforcement tool to protect against the threats posed by foreign adversaries is in desperate need of reform.

    A Senate report from 2019 found that up to 70 percent of all institutions failed to comply with Section 117 of the Higher Education Act. Section 117’s loose legislative language, a lack of enforcement efforts, and institutions’ refusal to adhere to the law have resulted in billions of dollars in foreign funds infiltrating our country undetected.

    A one-pager of the legislation is available HERE. Full text of the legislation is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Latta, Matsui Reintroduce Bill to Reauthorize NTIA, Ensure Taxpayer Dollars are Responsibly Used to Increase Broadband Internet Connectivity

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green Ohio)

    Yesterday, Congressman Bob Latta (R-OH5) and Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA7) reintroduced the National Telecommunications Information Administration (NTIA) Reauthorization Act. This legislation will improve the management of spectrum and update the mission and functions of the agency.

    With Congress recently providing NTIA with $42.8 billion to address broadband deployment and digital equity and inclusion, Latta’s NTIA Reauthorization Act would give NTIA the tools to be successful in their mission and ensure American tax dollars are not wasted.

    “NTIA plays a role in closing the digital divide for Americans who lack basic broadband Internet access, and it is the responsibility of Congress to re-evaluate these duties and ensure the agency has the tools and guidance to appropriately carry them out,” Latta said. “As the former Chair of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee, I’m pleased to reintroduce this legislation to reauthorize the NTIA for the first time in 30 yers. This important, bipartisan legislation I’m leading with my colleague, Congresswoman Matsui, will help the agency carry out their mission to connect more Americans while ensuring taxpayer dollars are not wasted.”

    “Since NTIA was last reauthorized over three decades ago, the pace of technological innovation has accelerated exponentially,” Matsui said. “From spectrum governance to the digital economy, NTIA must be empowered to keep America the vanguard of global tech leadership. The bipartisan NTIA Reauthorization Act modernizes NTIA’s mission and provides new tools to ensure the agency can keep up with the pace of innovation.”

    Congressman Latta and Congresswoman Matsui introduced the NTIA Resolution in the last Congress, where it successfully passed the House of Representatives.

    Background on the NTIA:

    NTIA plays a significant role in closing the digital divide, managing our nation’s spectrum, and advocating the United States’ telecommunications position on the world stage. NTIA has not been reauthorized since 1992, causing it to fall behind in new tools and direction to carry out the mission of connecting all Americans and finally closing the digital divide.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Norma Torres Blasts Trump’s Tariffs for Harming California Families and Businesses

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Norma Torres (35th District of California)

    April 04, 2025

    Washington, DC – Congresswoman Norma Torres today condemned President Donald Trump’s newly announced tariffs, warning that they represent an existential threat to working families and businesses in California’s 35th Congressional District.

    “Donald Trump’s tariffs are a direct tax on working families, and we’re already paying the price. This is an economic nightmare that will force businesses to slash costs, which means layoffs, higher prices, and an impending recession,” said Congresswoman Torres. “The residents of my district—many of whom are already scraping by—cannot afford the chaos Trump is creating.”

    California’s Inland Empire, a key economic engine for the state, relies heavily on trade and manufacturing industries such as agriculture, logistics, and construction. These sectors will be obliterated by Trump’s tariffs. Businesses that depend on imported goods will face immediate cost hikes that could bankrupt them, resulting in widespread job losses and economic collapse. Union jobs, the lifeblood of working-class families, will be first on the chopping block as businesses struggle to survive.

    “He’s not just hurting businesses—he’s jeopardizing the futures of millions of seniors,” Torres continued. “Just look at the stock market today—retirement accounts are hemorrhaging, and for millions of Americans, their life savings are disappearing. These are people who’ve worked their entire lives, only to be told by Trump that they’ll never retire with dignity. For seniors on fixed incomes, like Social Security, the damage is immediate and irreversible. These price hikes will crush them—forcing them to choose between food, medicine, or basic necessities. And for those with their savings tied up in 401(k)s, retirement is slipping farther out of reach. This is financial ruin for the most vulnerable among us. This is economic malpractice, and I will fight it with everything I’ve got!”

    The ripple effect of Trump’s tariffs will be catastrophic. As people lose their retirement savings, they will cut back on spending, throwing local economies into a tailspin. Small businesses will close, and demand for goods and services will plummet. This isn’t just a downturn—it’s an economic meltdown. If Trump’s tariffs are allowed to stand, the damage will devastate California’s economy for years to come, increase inflation, and raise the cost of housing. This will hit hardest in the communities that can least afford it.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: SEACOR Marine Announces Securities Repurchase

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HOUSTON, April 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SEACOR Marine Holdings Inc. (NYSE: SMHI) (the “Company” or “SEACOR Marine”), a leading provider of marine and support transportation services to offshore energy facilities worldwide, today announced that it purchased from certain funds affiliated with Carlyle:

    • 1,355,761 of the Company’s common shares, at $4.90 per share, and
    • Warrants to purchase 1,280,195 shares of Common Stock at $4.89 per warrant, after deduction of an exercise price of $0.01 per warrant.

    Collectively, the shares and warrants represent approximately 9.1% of the outstanding shares of common stock of the Company, assuming the full exercise of the warrants. The aggregate purchase price was approximately $12.9 million, with the per share and warrant price negotiated based on a trailing volume weighted average price.

    John Gellert, SEACOR Marine’s Chief Executive Officer, commented: “This was a unique opportunity for the Company to buy back a significant amount of shares and warrants in a single block. This repurchase further simplifies our capital structure by eliminating all outstanding warrants. We funded this repurchase with a portion of the proceeds received from the sale of one 201 foot, DP-2 platform supply vessel built in 2014. I would like to again extend my gratitude to Carlyle, who has now exited their equity position following our repayment of their loans at par in late 2024. Carlyle has partnered with us since 2015 and we thank them for their support over the years.”

    SEACOR Marine provides global marine and support transportation services to offshore energy facilities worldwide. SEACOR Marine operates and manages a diverse fleet of offshore support vessels that deliver cargo and personnel to offshore installations, including offshore wind farms; assist offshore operations for production and storage facilities; provide construction, well work-over, offshore wind farm installation and decommissioning support; carry and launch equipment used underwater in drilling and well installation, maintenance, inspection and repair; and handle anchors and mooring equipment for offshore rigs and platforms. Additionally, SEACOR Marine’s vessels provide emergency response services and accommodations for technicians and specialists.

    Certain statements discussed in this release as well as in other reports, materials and oral statements that the Company releases from time to time to the public constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Generally, words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “intend,” “believe,” “plan,” “target,” “forecast” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements concern management’s expectations, strategic objectives, business prospects, anticipated economic performance and financial condition and other similar matters. Forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and subject to a variety of assumptions, risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or expected by the management of the Company. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual events or results may differ significantly from these statements. Actual events or results are subject to significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors, many of which are beyond the Company’s control and are described in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. It should be understood that it is not possible to predict or identify all such factors. Consequently, the preceding should not be considered to be a complete discussion of all potential risks or uncertainties. Given these risk factors, investors and analysts should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of the document in which they are made. The Company disclaims any obligation or undertaking to provide any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement to reflect any change in the Company’s expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which the forward-looking statement is based, except as required by law. It is advisable, however, to consult any further disclosures the Company makes on related subjects in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K (if any). These statements constitute the Company’s cautionary statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

    Please visit SEACOR Marine’s website at www.seacormarine.com for additional information.
    For all other requests, contact InvestorRelations@seacormarine.com

    The MIL Network –