Category: Education

MIL-Evening Report: Thousands are feared dead in Myanmar’s quake. Trump’s USAID cuts will cause even more unnecessary deaths

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam Simpson, Senior Lecturer, International Studies, University of South Australia

In early 2021, after a decade of political and economic reforms, Myanmar looked like it was finally beginning to shake off the hangover of decades of military rule. Foreign investment was growing, and standards of living were gradually improving.

In February that year, however, the military again grabbed power after ousting Aung San Suu Kyi’s democratically elected government in a coup. This sent the country spiralling towards civil war and social and economic collapse.

In the latest addition to the daily misery of Myanmar’s long-suffering people, a huge 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit the centre of the country on Friday. Its epicentre was just outside Mandalay, the county’s second-largest city.

The Thai capital of Bangkok, more than 1,000 kilometres from the epicentre, experienced extensive damage too. Video images showed a collapsing building under construction and sloshing rooftop infinity pools causing waterfalls down high-rise condominiums.

Information on the extent of the damage in Myanmar was slower to emerge, given the junta has largely banned social media and communications apps, such as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Signal and X.

The death toll has now passed 1,000 at the time of writing. US Geological Survey modelling, however, suggests there could be more than 10,000 deaths and economic losses potentially exceeding the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

Unusually for the isolationist military juntas of Myanmar, its leader, Min Aung Hlaing, immediately issued a call for international assistance.

The junta, however, has full control of as little as 21% of the country in the ongoing civil war, with the rest contested or controlled by ethnic armed groups and resistance fighters. This indicates some hard-hit areas of the country may be inaccessible to international aid.

Compounding these difficulties, the Trump administration has decimated the US Agency for International Development (USAID) activities in the country. This will make it far more challenging to determine the areas most in need and distribute any aid on the ground.

Natural disasters in Myanmar

Along with its history of brutal and authoritarian military rule since gaining independence in 1948, Myanmar is also regularly afflicted by natural disasters.

At least 430 people are believed to have died in floods last September due to the remnants of Typhoon Yagi. In 2023, Cyclone Mocha reportedly killed about 460 of the Rohingya ethnic minority, who are largely confined to government camps in Rakhine state in inhuman conditions.

The worst natural disaster in living memory, however, was Cyclone Nargis in 2008, which left at least 140,000 dead. On that occasion, the military junta resisted international assistance, likely resulting in many unnecessary deaths.

At that time, there was no independent media in Myanmar and it was almost impossible to find out what was actually happening on the ground.

Fortunately, the proliferation of mobile phones in the last decade has allowed information to spread much more widely, even with the junta’s internet blocks and other methods of censorship currently in place.

When Cyclone Nargis occurred – the year after the iPhone was launched – only around 1% of the Myanmar’s population had mobile phones. By the time of the coup in 2021, Myanmar had a smartphone penetration rate of 114%. (This means the country has more smartphones than people.)

Foreign assistance has been compromised

While Min Aung Hlaing has gone farther than his predecessor in 2008 in asking for international help, US President Donald Trump’s actions have ensured that any aid will be far less effective than it would have been two months ago.

On Friday, the same day the earthquake hit, the Trump administration told Congress it would cut nearly all remaining jobs at USAID and shut the agency, closing all USAID missions worldwide.

Jeremy Konyndyk, the president of Refugees International and a former USAID official, called the move “a total abdication of decades of US leadership in the world”. He argued the firings would cut “the last remnants of the team that would have mobilised a USAID disaster response” to the earthquake.

In 2024, USAID spent US$240 million (A$380 million) in Myanmar, around one-third of all multilateral humanitarian assistance to the country.

However, since Trump’s inauguration in January, the number of USAID programs in Myanmar has shrunk from 18 to just three. Several NGOs and at least seven US-funded hospitals operating along Myanmar’s border with Thailand have been shut down.

Myanmar’s exiled independent media outlets, which shine a light on the military’s atrocities, have also seen their funding slashed by the Trump administration’s USAID cuts.

What happens now?

The day before the earthquake, Min Aung Hlaing addressed troops at the 80th anniversary of Armed Forces Day Parade. He announced national elections would go ahead in December – a vote that human rights groups are already calling a “sham”.

There is no conceivable way elections of any integrity can be held in the country under military rule or while the civil war continues to rage.

Military-backed parties have been overwhelmingly rejected by Myanmar’s electorate in every remotely free or fair election over the last four decades. This includes the most recent elections held in 2020, won by the National League of Democracy (NLD), led by Aung San Suu Kyi.

While the world should welcome – and urgently respond to – Min Aung Hlaing’s invitation for international assistance, this doesn’t mean the past is forgotten. Thousands of innocent lives have been lost as a result of the military’s unnecessary and destructive 2021 coup.

If the NLD had remained in government, the country would be infinitely more prepared to deal with consequences of this earthquake. Once again, the military’s brutal rule – and Trump’s draconian aid cuts – will no doubt cause more unnecessary suffering and deaths.

Adam Simpson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Thousands are feared dead in Myanmar’s quake. Trump’s USAID cuts will cause even more unnecessary deaths – https://theconversation.com/thousands-are-feared-dead-in-myanmars-quake-trumps-usaid-cuts-will-cause-even-more-unnecessary-deaths-253403

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Human rights progress in Xizang highlights effective governance

Source: China State Council Information Office 2

With social stability, economic prosperity, thriving cultures and religious harmony, today’s Xizang Autonomous Region in southwest China demonstrates unprecedented progress in human rights.
What has taken place in the region, especially since 2012, has highlighted China’s sound and effective governance in Xizang, and is also a solid rebuttal to the baseless Western narratives of “oppression.”
Yet the human rights situation in the plateau region is often distortedly embedded in international human rights discourse and weaponized by anti-China forces to achieve their geopolitical agendas.
A white paper titled “Human Rights in Xizang in the New Era,” published on Friday, highlighted the great development and progress of human rights in Xizang since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in November 2012.
Over the years, Xizang has experienced unprecedented development and changes, delivering more tangible benefits to local people.
Before its peaceful liberation in 1951, Xizang was one of the regions in the world with the worst human rights records. Serfs and slaves were afforded no human rights and treated as mere tools. Serf owners controlled their lives, deaths, marriages, and even traded them as private property.
After the peaceful liberation, the central government provided Xizang with substantial fiscal, material and human resource support that helped propel the region’s development. The landmark democratic reform in 1959 abolished theocratic feudal serfdom — a system of human rights oppression.
A new dawn broke in 1965 with the establishment of the Xizang Autonomous Region. The region began to exercise comprehensive regional ethnic autonomy, and many liberated serfs and slaves earned leading posts in agencies of state power at various levels of the region.
The reform and opening-up policy has not only helped elevate social productivity, but also injected strong momentum into the advancement of human rights in Xizang. The region, henceforth, embarked on a path of synchronous development with the rest of the country, with its human rights cause entering a fast track.
Since 2012, China has developed tailored governance guidelines for Xizang to accelerate modernization practices. A number of key construction projects have been implemented and special preferential policies enacted to benefit all ethnic groups in the region and support the all-round human rights development.
Fast-forward to today, people in Xizang enjoy extensive and genuine democratic rights in accordance with law under the system of regional ethnic autonomy. Of the 25 deputies of the Xizang delegation to the 14th National People’s Congress, the national legislature, 17 (or 68 percent) are from the Tibetan or other ethnic minority groups.
People’s economic and social rights here have been enhanced, with absolute poverty eradicated and living standards continuously improved. The average life expectancy in the region rose from 68.17 years in 2010 to 72.19 years in 2020. The medical and health service network has now achieved full coverage across the region.
Education in the region has evolved from a privilege for the elite in the dark age of cruel serfdom to a common right. With a 97.86-percent compulsory education enrollment rate, children in Xizang, including those from remote pastoral areas, have inspiring spaces to learn and grow.
Xizang attaches great importance to protecting, passing down and developing the fine traditional cultures of all ethnic groups. While the use of standard spoken and written Chinese language is generalized, the right to use the Tibetan language is guaranteed in schools as well as in publishing, media, and daily life. Notably, digital tools like Tibetan input systems are empowering the younger generation.
Smears regarding religious freedom in Xizang collapse under the weight of hard facts, as various religions now coexist harmoniously and numerous religious activities are held annually. Tibetan Buddhism traditions are celebrated and faithfully observed.
Environmental conservation is prioritized by laws, making Xizang one of the world’s best-preserved regions in terms of ecology.
It is noteworthy that Xizang’s great achievements have been made under the CPC’s leadership and with the support of the entire nation. The central authorities have regularly held special meetings, set development plans, and implemented preferential policies to boost Xizang’s economic and social progress.
The remarkable achievements are a testament to the effectiveness of the CPC’s governance guidelines on Xizang. Yet there remain some die-hard naysayers who continue to smear Xizang in disregard of the human rights progress in the region. They are either profoundly ignorant or harboring ulterior political motives.
The historic human rights achievements in Xizang will not be obscured by any falsehoods. On its course to modernization along with the rest of the nation, Xizang will surely continue to secure new feats in its human rights cause.

MIL OSI China News –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Markey, Advocates Slam Trump and DOGE Attempts to Gut Social Security

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
Watch: Senator Markey, Advocates Demand: No Cuts to Social Security
Boston (March 28, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), top Democrat on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee on Primary Health and Retirement Security, held a press conference today to discuss how the Trump administration’s ongoing attempts to gut Social Security impact Massachusetts residents. The press conference comes as the Trump administration, including the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), wages an all-out assault on the Social Security Administration (SSA), firing staff, closing SSA field offices, cutting customer experience systems and SSA phone service, and requiring in-person identity checks, among other drastic changes. Senator Markey was joined by Reverend Lorraine Anderson, Betsy Connell of the Massachusetts Councils on Aging, Rosa Bentley of the Massachusetts Senior Action Council, and Camillie Piñeiro and Rich Couture of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE).
“For the millions of seniors that rely almost entirely upon Social Security for their income, a missed check means missed meals, medications, or rent payments,” said Senator Markey. “By cutting staff, closing offices, and requiring people to wait in long lines for an in-person identity check, the Trump administration is forcing Social Security recipients to travel long distances and making it more difficult to receive the funds they are entitled to. We will not let Trump and DOGE pillage Americans’ rightfully earned benefits to pay for a tax break for billionaires without a fight.”
“My husband and I chose to live among the people we serve and during that time we were trusting the government to hold onto our money,” said Reverend Lorraine Andersen, Massachusetts resident and retired American Baptist Minister from International Community Church in Allston, Massachusetts. “We cannot afford to have our social security checks to be canceled, reduced or even delayed. If we lose those checks, we will have to go back to work in our eighties. I want to thank Senator Markey and others who are fighting to preserve and protect social security.”
“Today, tomorrow, and every day this year 11,400 people will turn 65, which means that the social security administration needs to be able to have the capacity to serve an additional 4.1 million older adults this year,” said Betsy Connell, Executive Director of Massachusetts Councils on Aging (MCOA). “We are talking about the people that built our homes, our communities, our local businesses, they are our neighbors, our parents, and our grandparents. With so many older adults facing these daily challenges with these hard economic times, rising costs for everything, making it more difficult for them to access their social security benefits is indefensible. Our older adults deserve better.”
“More than one million people in Massachusetts rely on social security with an average monthly income of $3,000 a month. Payment delays of social security quickly become a crisis of missed rent or no groceries,” said Rosa Bentley, Statewide President for Massachusetts Senior Action Council. “There is no widespread fraud in the social security system. The only fraud I see is from Donald Trump and his friends. We will not accept any cuts to our benefits. We will not accept cuts to social security. Together we demand hands off our social security.”
“Social Security is under attack by half hazard pointless new policies that produce only chaos and uncertainty. This new policy exposes seniors to greater threats from scammers that take advantage of their confusion. Social security is the line in the sand. Please help us hold the line and protect the benefits we all have paid for, from the first day of our first job,” said Camillie Piñeiro, President of AFGE Local 1164.
“Social security is a promise our country made to itself to support us at the end of our work lives or when we are unable to work, and that promise is under attack. Folks are waiting a long time to get through and waiting a long time to get any answers because offices are being closed and staff fired,” said Rich Couture, President of AFGE Council 215 and Spokesperson for the AFGE Social Security General Committee. “Every American has paid into this system and are entitled to the benefits promised. These are your benefits. You are entitled to these benefits, and they must be saved.”
In February, Senator Markey led his colleagues in a letter to Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-Wash.) urging them to provide no less than $15.402 billion for the Social Security Administration in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill, allowing for full and timely implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act, while improving customer service. Senator Markey is an original cosponsor of the Social Security Fairness Act, signed into law by President Biden in January 2025. The Social Security Fairness Act repealed the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset, which had reduced benefits for 3.2 million public servants. As a member of the House of Representatives in 1983, Markey was one of a handful of Democrats to vote against the Social Security Reform Act, which created WEP/GPO. Senator Markey is an original cosponsor of the Social Security Expansion Act to protect and expand Social Security benefits.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Murray, Nadler, Scott, Stansbury, and Leger Fernandez Condemn Unlawful Dismissal of EEOC Commissioners, Demand Immediate Reinstatement

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 Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, joined Representative Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Committee on Education & Workforce Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA), Representative Melanie Stansbury (D-NM), and Democratic Women’s Caucus Chair Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM) in leading 236 Senate and House colleagues in a letter to President Donald Trump in response to his unprecedented and unlawful dismissal of Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC) Commissioners Charlotte Burrows and Jocelyn Samuels.
“We write to express our outrage at your unprecedented dismissal of Commissioners Charlotte Burrows and Jocelyn Samuels of the bipartisan U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission,” the Members wrote. “This unlawful abuse of presidential power undermines the EEOC’s historic independence, harms U.S. workers, and unduly politicizes the Commission’s work. It also impedes the Commission’s ability to fully carry out its critical mission on behalf of the American people. We urge you to swiftly reinstate Commissioners Burrows and Samuels.”
The EEOC was established in 1964 with strong bipartisan support to serve as an independent, multi-member body tasked with preventing and addressing employment discrimination. It is the primary federal law enforcement agency responsible for ensuring that workers are protected against discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, disability, and genetic information. Workers rely on the EEOC to be a fair and independent body—not one subject to the shifting political whims of the executive branch.
Both Commissioner Burrows and Commissioner Samuels had been confirmed by bipartisan votes of the Senate prior to the start of their terms, with Commissioner Burrows’ term not set to expire until July 2028 and Commissioner Samuels term not set to expire until July 2026.
The Members highlighted the massive return on investment the EEOC delivers for the American people, writing: “From 2014-2024, the EEOC recovered $5.6 billion for workers who were discriminated against under these laws, significantly more than the agency’s appropriations during that time period. For FY 2024, the EEOC secured a record $700 million for workers who experienced discrimination. The EEOC’s role in enforcing these protections is essential to ensuring that all workers have a fair chance to obtain employment, provide for their families, and contribute to our economy.”
The Members made clear the illegal firing by President Trump is an intrusion into Congress’ constitutional authority, stating, “The Administration’s firing of Commissioner Burrows and Commissioner Samuels is unprecedented and an intrusion into Congress’ Article I constitutional authority. The appointment of EEOC Commissioners is governed by statute and is designed to ensure the agency’s independence from the executive. The President appoints Commissioners and the Senate confirms them. That is the beginning and end of the executive’s role in determining who can sit on the Commission and for how long. The law not only expressly requires the Commission to be bipartisan, but it also sets out five-year terms, a design that ensures that Commissioners’ terms run between presidential terms, another purposeful action by Congress to ensure the Commission’s independence.”
“Longstanding Supreme Court precedent also confirms that multi-member independent commissions such as the EEOC enjoy protection from ‘coercive influence’ of the executive. In Humphrey’s Executor v. United States, 295 U.S. 602 (1935), the Supreme Court made clear that members of independent commissions like the EEOC cannot be removed at will by the President. Prior Presidents have agreed; no Commissioner of the EEOC has ever been removed prior to the expiration of their term in the Commission’s 60-year history.”
“Workers deserve to earn a living free from discrimination and feel confident that when they are harmed, they can count on an independent EEOC, not a politicized body, to protect their rights,” the Members concluded. “We urge you to reinstate Commissioner Burrows and Commissioner Samuels, and we look forward to your urgent response.”
The full letter can be read HERE and the list of signatories is HERE.
The letter is endorsed by: A Better Balance, American Civil Liberties Union, the Human Rights Campaign, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, National Employment Law Project, National Partnership for Women & Families, and the National Women’s Law Center.
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING:
“Since its establishment 60 years ago as part of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964, the EEOC has protected the rights of workers to earn a living free from discrimination. President Trump’s illegal and unprecedented dismissal of Commissioners Charlotte Burrows and Jocelyn Samuels critically impairs the EEOC’s ability to ensure that individuals aren’t denied jobs and opportunities because of who they are. We condemn the administration’s flagrant politicization of an independent, nonpartisan civil rights agency and join members of Congress calling for the reinstatement of the commissioners without delay,” said Mike Zamore, National Director of Policy and Government Affairs of the American Civil Liberties Union.
“People rely on the EEOC to be an independent, fair body that will protect their right to be free from discrimination in their workplace,” said Gaylynn Burroughs, Vice President for Education and Workplace Justice at the National Women’s Law Center. “President Trump’s removal of EEOC Commissioners Burrows and Samuels is just another extension of his authoritarian power grab that will ultimately harm workers. His actions are a clear abuse of power intended to bend the Commission to his will, but the Commission works for all working people, not for President Trump. The EEOC was born out of the civil rights movement to help ensure equal employment opportunity for all workers. We will continue to fight to preserve the integrity of the Commission, for equal opportunity, and for the right of all workers to be free from discrimination.”
“We condemn the administration’s unlawful attempt to fire sitting EEOC commissioners. This reckless decision is already having devastating consequences for workers waiting for the agency to take legal action against employers engaged in discrimination and severe ramifications for the agency’s ability to function effectively and enforce labor and civil rights protections,” said Jocelyn C. Frye, President of the National Partnership for Women & Families. “Workers who are depending on the EEOC to do its job should not have to endure discrimination because of political stunts intended to undermine civil rights enforcement. By making it virtually impossible for the Commission to take important actions, because it lacks a quorum, the administration is effectively circumventing robust enforcement of statutory anti-discrimination protections that workers depend on every day. President Trump must reinstate the commissioners he fired to rectify this situation. We commend Congressman Jerry Nadler and Senator Patty Murray, and all the members of Congress who join us in this fight, for standing up to safeguard the rights and the freedoms of all workers so that they are treated fairly in workplaces that are free of discrimination.”
“The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s role in ensuring equitable workplaces and enforcing our nation’s laws against discrimination is vital. It is an outrage that the Trump Administration has gutted the agency by illegally firing key EEOC Commissioners who have tirelessly championed robust enforcement of important workplace laws like the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Title VII of the Civil Right Act. This is an overstep of the President’s authority that will hamstring the agency’s ability to carry out its mission. We thank Congressman Nadler, Senator Murray, Ranking Member Scott, Congresswoman Stansbury, and Congresswoman Leger Fernández for their leadership in defending the EEOC,” said Inimai Chettiar, President of A Better Balance.
“President Trump’s removal of Commissioners Burrows and Samuels was an outrageous attack on civil rights and the rule of law – one of many actions taken by the president in pursuit of his goal to further entrench inequality and occupational segregation. The EEOC’s independence and bipartisan structure was established by Congress in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and is essential to its mission to promote equal opportunity in the workplace. This lawlessness and disregard for our Constitution cannot stand,” said Josh Boxerman, Government Affairs Manager, National Employment Law Project.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK firm to land Europe’s first rover on Mars
Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

Press release

UK firm to land Europe’s first rover on Mars

A UK aerospace company is set to land the first European rover on the red planet, as it wins £150 million to complete the touchdown system delivering the rover safely to Mars.
Airbus wins contract to land Europe’s first rover on Mars.

Airbus UK wins European contract to engineer landing platform that will safely deliver rover on Mars.

First British-built rover will explore the red planet in 2030 for signs of present and past life on Mars.

Contract set to support around 200 high-skilled jobs and boost growth, supercharging Prime Minister’s Plan for Change.

The new contract, awarded by the European Space Agency and funded by the government through the UK Space Agency, will support a cutting-edge system that will land the Rosalind Franklin rover on the surface of Mars and support its deployment onto the planet. It will also sustain around 200 high-skilled jobs in the UK space sector and attract international investment, leading to wider growth in the UK economy as part of the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change.

The first UK-built rover’s mission is to explore the red planet and drill 2 metres down into the surface to hunt for signs of ancient life, such as fossilised microbes, in an effort to find out how our solar system came to be. Exploring Mars is crucial to further our knowledge in climate shifts and may help answer whether life exists beyond our home planet.

The mission is made possible by advanced UK robotics and autonomous navigation technologies, which can also be deployed in challenging environments on Earth, such as nuclear power plants and the deep ocean.

Named Rosalind Franklin after the British scientist whose work was central to the understanding of the molecular structures of DNA, the rover will be the first European made rover to land on Mars.

Britian’s growing space sector is helping to bring jobs and growth to communities and organisations across the UK, with 50,000 people already employed in the sector. It will be a top priority in the government’s Industrial Strategy, which has identified advanced manufacturing and digital and technologies as key growth-driving sectors.

Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said:

This inspiring example of world-class British science will bring us one step closer to answering long-asked questions on potential life on Mars.

Landing the first ever home-grown rover on Mars, Airbus will not only help Britain make history and lead the European space race but also bring hundreds of highly skilled jobs and investment as we secure Britain’s future through our Plan for Change.

The rover, entirely built in Stevenage by engineers from Airbus UK, is due to launch in 2028 with the support of NASA and land on Mars in 2030. It was ready to launch in 2022, until the European Space Agency (ESA) cancelled its cooperation with Russia following the illegal invasion of Ukraine.

The rover, entirely built in Stevenage by engineers from Airbus UK, is due to launch in 2028 with the support of NASA and land on Mars in 2030. It was ready to launch in 2022, until the European Space Agency cancelled its cooperation with Russia following the illegal invasion of Ukraine.

The UK Space Agency and international partners stepped up to replace Russian components in the mission, including the lander platform now under development in Stevenage and a key science instrument now led by Aberystwyth University.

Dame Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock DBE said:

The British built Rosalind Franklin rover will give us vital insight into the history of Mars. This type of information from other planets can give us a better understanding of our own place in space and our planetary evolution.

With its unique design that enables it to acquire samples at depth of up to 2 metres, we may get answers to some of the fundamental questions we ask about Mars. Drilling to this depth allow us to look for life away from the hostile Martian surface where radiation is likely to kill life as we know it.

Samples gathered by the Rosalind Franklin rover may help us answer the age old question “Are we alone in the Universe?

Paul Bate, CEO of the UK Space Agency, said:

This is humanity defining science, and the best opportunity to find if past life once existed on Mars.

We’re proud to have funded this world leading technology. The ripple effects of space exploration discoveries extend far beyond the realm of space exploration, driving progress and prosperity across multiple sectors in the UK, and inspiring technological advances to benefit us all.

Our journeys into space continue to improve our lives here on Earth.

Dr Louisa J Preston, a Co-Investigator on PanCam and Enfys who is based at UCL’s Mullard Space Science Laboratory, said:

The Rosalind Franklin Rover mission will be a unique ground-breaking mission; the first sent to drill 2 metres into the crust of Mars, collecting and analysing samples that are up to 4 billion years old, with the goal of discovering evidence of past or even present life hidden beneath the surface.

Rosalind is a truly international collaboration and the UK has taken a pivotal role in this through the development of the PanCam and Enfys instruments, building the rover, and now excitingly providing the landing platform. It is a privilege to be a part of this mission and we cannot wait to finally ‘open our eyes’ at Oxia Planum, the Martian plain where the rover will land, and begin this incredible adventure.

Under contract from aerospace company Thales Alenia Space (TAS), which is leading the overall ExoMars mission, Airbus teams in Stevenage will design the mechanical, thermal and propulsion systems necessary for the landing platform to ensure a safe touchdown for the rover in 2030.

This will include the landing structure, the large propulsion system used to provide the final braking thrust, and the landing gear to ensure the lander is stable on touchdown. The lander will feature 2 ramps that will be deployed on opposite sides to enable the rover to be driven onto the Martian surface using the least risky route.

Kata Escott, Managing Director Airbus Defence and Space UK said:

Getting the Rosalind Franklin rover onto the surface of Mars is a huge international challenge and the culmination of more than 20 years’ work. We are proud to have built the rover in our state-of-the-art Stevenage cleanroom and delighted now to develop the project to ensure its safe delivery to Mars. Rosalind Franklin will be the first Martian rover able to analyse samples from 2 metres below the surface in its search for past or present life. The mission will supercharge our space know-how in the UK, and will advance our collective understanding of our solar system.

The mission is a collaborative effort from science communities not just across Europe but also the UK, with a range of UK universities involved in the development and launch of the rover. For example, the panoramic camera (PanCam) system on the rover is led by scientists from University College London’s Mullard Space Science Laboratory working with the University of Aberystwyth, Birkbeck College and the University of Leicester. The University of Aberystwyth is also building an infrared spectrometer for the rover, which will identify the most promising rocks to drill and test for evidence of ancient biology.

The UK Space Agency also launched the National Space Innovation Programme’s Call 2 funding competition on 27 March. £17 million of grant funding will be made available, supporting businesses, universities, and other space organisations across the UK to develop and commercialise the technologies of the future that will deliver benefits to the UK economy and its citizens.

Notes to editors

The contract returns the £150 million invested by the UK into the European Space Agency Exploration Programme to enable the Rosalind Franklin programme to continue. European Space Agency contracts delivered to the UK Space Agency provide an average return of £9.80 for every £1 spent.

The US was the last nation to send a rover to Mars in 2021, when NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover collected samples on the red planet.

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Published 29 March 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy announces $8.6 million in Hurricanes Laura, Ida aid for south Louisiana
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)

MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $8,588,163 in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grants for Louisiana disaster aid.

“Hurricanes Laura and Ida devastated communities in south Louisiana. This $8.6 million will help Louisianians in Terrebonne Parish, Sulphur and Lake Charles recover from the heavy costs these storms caused,” said Kennedy.

The FEMA aid will fund the following:
- $2,871,224 to the Terrebonne Parish School Board for repairs to the Bourg Elementary, Mulberry Elementary and West Park Buildings resulting from Hurricane Ida damage.
- $2,466,920 to the Terrebonne General Medical Center for management costs resulting from Hurricane Ida.
- $1,734,597 to demolish and replace facilities at Center Circle Park in Sulphur, La. that Hurricane Laura damaged.
- $1,515,422 to the Lake Charles Harbor and Terminal District to repair Hurricane Laura damage.
MIL OSI USA News –
March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General Appoints James Swan of United States Special Representative, Head of United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia

Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of James Swan of the United States as his Special Representative for Somalia and Head of the United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS). The Secretary-General expresses his gratitude to Mr. Swan for acting as Special Representative for Somalia and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM)/UNTMIS since May 2024, and is pleased that Mr. Swan accepted to continue to lead the United Nations in Somalia during this critical period.

Mr. Swan is an experienced diplomat with a long career in African countries facing complex political transitions. Prior to serving as acting Special Representative for Somalia and Head of UNSOM/UNTMIS as well as Special Representative for Somalia and Head of UNSOM (2019-2022), he worked in the United States Government as Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2013-2016), Special Representative for Somalia (2011-2013) and Ambassador to Djibouti (2008-2011).

In his earlier career, Mr. Swan was Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs (2006-2008) and Director of African Analysis in the United States Department of State’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research (2005-2006). Before assuming these positions, Mr. Swan held various assignments in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Cameroon, Nicaragua and Haiti.

Mr. Swan holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, a Master of Arts degree from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies and a master’s degree in security studies from the National War College, all in the United States. He is fluent in English and French.

MIL OSI United Nations News –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Senator Hassan Recognizes Kenneth Chapman of Woodstock as March’s Granite Stater of the Month

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Maggie Hassan

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan recognized Kenneth Chapman as March’s Granite Stater of the Month. Kenneth retired this year after 50 years of service as Woodstock’s town moderator.

After Kenneth was asked to moderator a special town election in 1975, he realized his passion for upholding democracy and continued to serve as Woodstock’s town moderator for 50 years, including through the 2025 town meeting season. During his service, Kenneth helped Woodstock grow and adapt to new technology while ensuring that Woodstock voters are able to freely and civilly participate in elections and town meetings.

Kenneth’s half-century commitment to upholding the democratic process is an excellent reflection of New Hampshire’s commitment to safeguarding free and fair elections – the foundation of our democracy. His devotion to serving his community is why Senator Hassan named him March’s Granite Stater of the Month.

Senator Hassan launched the “Granite Stater of the Month” initiative in 2017 to recognize outstanding New Hampshire citizens who go above and beyond to help their neighbors and make their communities stronger. To nominate a New Hampshire citizen to be a “Granite Stater of the Month,” constituents can complete the nomination form here.

To read Senator Hassan’s statement for the Congressional Record, see below.

I am honored to recognize Kenneth Chapman of Woodstock as March’s Granite Stater of the Month. Kenneth recently retired after serving as Woodstock’s town moderator for 50 years.

Kenneth was raised to believe that service to his community and to others needed to be a priority. After settling in Woodstock as a young adult, Kenneth began attending school board meetings and joined different town committees. Kenneth enjoyed the ways in which the small town allowed him to directly feel the impact of his efforts to give back to his community. After being asked to moderate a special town election in 1975, Kenneth realized that he had a passion for upholding democracy and ran for the official role of town moderator. He continued to serve in this all-important role through this year’s town meeting season, marking fifty years in service to Woodstock.

During his half century of service, Kenneth has had a tangible impact on his community. He has seen the town grow and adapt to new technology, personally overseeing the switch to more modern voting machines, even as he has continued to ensure that Woodstock voters freely and civilly participated in countless elections and town meetings. Over the years, Kenneth also helped his community as a nationally registered paramedic, as an incorporator and trustee of the North Country Center for the Arts, as a member of the Western White Mountains Chamber, and as a member of the Lincoln-Woodstock Cooperative School Board.

Kenneth’s commitment to service as town moderator is an excellent reflection of New Hampshire’s commitment to safeguarding free and fair elections – the foundation of our democracy. And his devotion to serving the Woodstock community in countless other ways as well is a great example of the way Granite Staters take it upon themselves to work with their friends and neighbors to solve problems. I am proud to name Kenneth Chapman as March’s Granite Stater of the Month.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: DMV Senators Announce MERIT Act to Reinstate Recently Terminated Probationary Federal Employees

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner

WASHINGTON – Today, Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined Sens. Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) in introducing the of the Model Employee Reinstatement for Ill-advised Termination (MERIT) Act. This timely legislation would reinstate recently terminated probationary federal employees and provide them back pay.

“The Trump administration’s ongoing attacks on the federal workforce have hit Virginians especially hard. Not only have these senseless cuts and layoffs caused unnecessary pain for the federal workforce, but they are making us less safe in the process. Congress must act to undo this damage by reinstating federal employees who were unjustly fired and giving them the back pay they deserve,” said Sen. Warner.

“Trump and Musk’s illegal cuts to the nonpartisan civil service have disrupted government’s basic operation and disproportionately impacted veterans in Virginia and across the country,” said Sen. Kaine. “Reinstating these professional civil servants is critical for our economy and national security. That’s why I’m cosponsoring the MERIT Act, and will keep doing all that I can to fight for the patriotic Americans who have dedicated their lives to serving our communities through public service.”

“This bill protects and restores the meritorious civil servants shamefully attacked by Donald Trump and Elon Musk. If DOGE were serious about rooting out unqualified workers, they’d focus on their own disastrous cabinet nominees: be it a Secretary of Defense who is leaking classified war plans, or a Secretary of Labor who isn’t clear on collective bargaining agreement enforcement, or a Secretary of Health and Human Services who believes our race should determine our vaccine schedules. We have a duty to stand by the patriotic civil servants who work day and night on behalf of the American people. Our bill is an important step towards restoring the full suite of services that our federal employees provide to the American people,” said Sen. Alsobrooks.

“The Trump-Musk Administration’s illegal purge of federal employees is not only hurting our hard-working public servants — it is wreaking havoc on important services for all Americans. As we support efforts in the courts to reverse these dangerous attacks on federal employees and the work they do, we’re also fighting in Congress. This legislation will allow our federal workers to get back on the job so they can continue serving the American people,” said Sen. Van Hollen.

“NFFE is fully supportive of the MERIT Act to reinstate illegally terminated federal employees, allowing them to return to work and continue delivering critical services for the American people,” said NFFE National President Randy Erwin. “These are dedicated public servants who care for our veterans, maintain our military readiness, protect our communities from natural disasters, and so much more. Congress must reverse the President’s unlawful and dangerous attempts to dismantle the civil service. Thank you to Senator Alsobrooks for her commitment to federal workers.”

“Our union applauds Senator Alsobrooks for leading this bill to reinstate thousands of highly qualified federal employees who have been unjustly terminated as part of a Trump-Musk effort to dismantle federal agencies and public services. Not only were these mass firings a reckless misuse of taxpayer dollars and public resources, but these actions have been judged illegal by federal courts. So many of these talented federal workers are veterans, and experienced professionals who were recently promoted, but all of them were hired as federal civil servants due to their qualifications and their competency for the job,” said International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) President Matt Biggs.

“The MERIT ACT is greatly needed at a time when so many in our federal workforce have been unjustly fired, and when thousands more, including SEIU members, are doing their jobs in the hostile, chaotic environment created by this administration and DOGE. Federal workers who provide critical services to our communities from agencies such as Veterans Affairs, the Department of Education and the Environmental Protection Agency are navigating through massive job layoffs while scrambling to pay rent, keep the lights on, and feed their families. SEIU is proud to support this bill that will reinstate DOGE-fired workers and ensure that they have backpay they’re due, so they can continue to provide vital services in good and bad times.” said SEIU President April Verrett.

The MERIT Act would reinstate federal employees, including probationary workers who were recently promoted or hired, who were fired from federal agencies and departments as part of the ongoing mass layoffs. The bill would provide back pay, treat the employees as “involuntarily separated without cause,” and require the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to submit to Congress a report on the number of workers fired and other information about the layoffs.

The MERIT Act has been endorsed by:

American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE)

International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE)

National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE)

National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU)

Service Employees International Union (SEIU)

The American Federation of Labor (AFL)

MIL OSI USA News –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin Demands for USDA to Not Take Food Away from Food Banks and Hungry Families
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and a group of her colleagues are demanding answers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) about the cancellation of previously approved funding through The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) for food banks and other emergency food providers. This cancellation would take food away from hungry Wisconsinites already facing high grocery prices and further hurt Wisconsin farmers who are being squeezed by tariffs and other cuts to domestic markets.

“A cancellation of these funds could result in $500 million in lost food provisions to feed millions of Americans at a time when the need for food shelves is extremely high due to costly groceries and an uncertain economy,” wrote Baldwin and the lawmakers in a letter to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins.

“These cuts will deprive Americans of food assistance, emergency food providers of necessary support to carry out their work, and American farmers of vital domestic markets,” Baldwin and the Senators continued.

TEFAP provides Wisconsinites with three to five days of free food assistance, and in 2024 alone, Wisconsin distributed over 21 million pounds of food through the program, serving over 618,000 households across 353 distribution sites statewide. The loss of this program would impact Wisconsinites across the state, and particularly those in rural, tribal, and low-income communities who are facing food insecurity and rely on this critical funding.

The letter was led by Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and co-signed by 24 other Senate colleagues.

A full version of this letter is available here and below.

Dear Secretary Rollins:

We write regarding the reported cancellation of hundreds of millions of dollars in previously approved funding for food banks and other emergency food providers through The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). A cancellation of these funds could result in $500 million in lost food provisions to feed millions of Americans at a time when the need for food shelves is extremely high due to costly groceries and an uncertain economy. If true, this major shift in a program utilized by emergency food providers in every state in the nation will have a significant and damaging impact upon millions of people who depend upon this program for critical food assistance.

In addition, this program consists of purchases of U.S. commodities at a time when America’s growers and producers are struggling due to tariffs, proposed tariffs, animal disease and many other challenges.

According to recent statistics, nearly one in every seven Americans have faced food insecurity. Many of these households turn to community and emergency relief organizations such as food banks and food pantries to help them obtain sufficient nutrition. In 2023 alone, 50 million Americans turned to emergency food providers, according to a report from Feeding America, America’s largest network of food banks. While food banks rely on a variety of sources (including private) to obtain food for distribution through their networks, federally purchased commodities are a key part of how they provide nutritious meals to Americans.

Due to this reported change, a number of us have heard that trucks delivering American-grown foods may not arrive. These trucks represent hundreds of thousands of nutritious meals containing poultry, fruits, vegetables, and dairy. If confirmed, the cancellation of this previously announced funding also comes on top of the cancellation of Local Food for School Program and the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program funding, which also helps farmers deliver nutritious foods to schools and food banks. These cuts will deprive Americans of food assistance, emergency food providers of necessary support to carry out their work, and American farmers of vital domestic markets.

To help us understand USDA’s actions and their impact on communities around the country, we ask that you answer the following questions.
1. Has USDA cancelled previously approved purchases of food provided through TEFAP? If so, what level of funding has been cancelled thus far and when will state agencies be notified of any cancelled TEFAP purchases?
2. Does USDA plan to cancel additional purchases of food provided through TEFAP?
3. Has USDA paused any TEFAP food orders or purchases? If so, what is the current status of those orders or purchases? Does USDA intend to un-pause these funds?
4. Please provide information on what types of funding, by commodity, have been cancelled and the financial impact of those cancellations on producers such as pork, chicken, turkey and dairy farmers.
5. Is the funding announced on October 1, 2024 and detailed in the implementation memo that the Food and Nutrition Service sent to state agencies on December 2 rescinded?
6. Does USDA intend to use Commodity Credit Corporation funds in Fiscal Year 2025 for future purchases that will be distributed through TEFAP?
We ask for a prompt response to these questions by the end of the week.
MIL OSI USA News –
March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Governor Kehoe Announces Judicial Appointment

Source: US State of Missouri

MARCH 28, 2025

Jefferson City — Today, Governor Kehoe appointed a new Associate Circuit Judge to the 32^ndJudicial Circuit.

Amy Trueblood, of Cape Girardeau, was appointed as Associate Circuit Judge for Cape Girardeau County in the 32^nd Judicial Circuit.

Mrs. Trueblood earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law and holds a Bachelor of Arts in environmental science and public policy and economics from Harvard University. She is licensed to practice law in Virginia, Illinois, and Missouri. Mrs. Trueblood currently serves as a judicial law clerk to Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh for the United States District Court in Cape Girardeau. In addition to her legal career, she is an active member of the Federalist Society, Harvard Club of St. Louis, and the Cape Girardeau County Bar Association. Mrs. Trueblood also served on the Cape Girardeau Public Library Board of Trustees, including terms as President and Vice President.

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MIL OSI USA News –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Cedar Rapids Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Distribution Near School

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

A man who distributed fentanyl near a school pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.

D’quon Morrow, age 27, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of distribution of at least 40 grams of fentanyl near a protected location.

In a plea agreement, Morrow admitted that between February 2024 and July 2024, in Cedar Rapids, he agreed with others to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. In March 2024, he distributed 6.50 grams of fentanyl and fluorofentanyl to another person. In April 2024, he sold a firearm to another person. At the time, Morrow had a felony conviction for eluding. In May 2024, he distributed 20.75 grams of fentanyl to another person. In June 2024, he distributed 48.60 grams of fentanyl to another person near Madison Elementary School in Cedar Rapids. In July 2024, law enforcement searched Morrow’s residence and recovered two firearms, ammunition, and over 1,000 fentanyl pills.

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Morrow remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Morrow faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 80 years’ imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated as part of the Northern Iowa Heroin Initiative and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Iowa Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center.

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

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

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

The case file number is 25-CR-4.

Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

MIL Security OSI –

March 29, 2025

MIL-OSI USA: Pfluger Fly-By: March 28, 2025

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11)

Pfluger Fly-By: March 28, 2025

Washington, March 28, 2025

March 28, 2025

Friend,

Welcome back to the weekly Pfluger Fly-By, a collection of events and happenings to keep you updated on everything I am doing week by week to represent you in Congress.

This week, I was honored to have my good friend and fellow wingman, Colonel Shurtleff, testify on behalf of my legislation, the ACES Act, I joined Mornings with Maria on Fox Business to discuss a wide variety of topics, I chaired a Committee on Homeland Security’s Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence legislative markup that included two of my bills, I questioned the President and CEO of ERCOT on grid reliability in Texas, and much more!

I have included some photos and highlights from the week. You can also find information on how my office can help you with any federal problems you may be having. As always, please do not hesitate to contact my office if we can ever be of assistance.

Best,

Colonel Shurtleff Testifies Before Congress on the ACES Act

This week, I was honored to have my good friend and fellow wingman, Colonel Andy “Pablo” Shurtleff, testify before the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs on the need for my legislation, the ACES Act, which addresses cancer incidence in military aviators. Colonel Shurtleff is actively battling cancer as a result of his service in the cockpit.

When brave men and women volunteer for our nation, they shouldn’t face a second battle against cancer without proper government support. The ACES Act directs the VA to partner with the National Academies of Sciences to study cancer prevalence among military aviators and identify service-connected factors, ultimately saving lives through earlier detection, developing targeted screening protocols, and ensuring our veterans receive the specialized care they’ve earned.

As an Air Force fighter pilot with over 20 years of service, I’ve witnessed firsthand the incredible dedication, bravery, and resilience of our nation’s aviators. But I’ve also seen many of my brothers and sisters fight their toughest battles not in the air but in hospital rooms against cancer. I thank Colonel Shurtleff for his brave testimony before Congress on this crucial issue on behalf of military aviators. Please join me in praying for Colonel Shurtleff and his family as he continues his treatment.

Watch my full line of questioning with Colonel Shurtleff here or by clicking the image below.

Goodfellow Vietnam War Commemoration Ceremony

Today, I was delighted to be back in TX-11 where I had the honor of attending the United States of America 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War Commemoration Welcome Home and Pinning Ceremony at Goodfellow Air Force Base. This ceremony has taken place for over 10 years in San Angelo and is an incredible way to recognize and honor Vietnam War veterans with an official commemorative lapel pin.

This year’s ceremony coincided with the 50th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon and the end of the Vietnam War. Honoring our nation’s heroes is of the utmost importance to me. I’d like to thank the Goodfellow AFB Heritage Committee, the Heritage Chapter – Freedom Through Vigilance Association, the EC-47 History Site, and all of the Command Staff at Goodfellow AFB for putting together such a meaningful event. I was extremely honored to participate in this today and share a few remarks.

Counterterrorism Subcommittee Markup

As Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security’s Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, I led the subcommittee’s first legislative markup of the 119th Congress. The markup included ten critical pieces of legislation to counter terror threats and transnational repression in the United States, two of which were my bills, the Generative AI Terrorism Risk Assessment Act and the Countering Transnational Repression Act of 2025.

Transnational repression, the act of foreign governments or their proxies targeting individuals in another country using various coercive tactics, has become an increasingly concerning issue in the United States. Midlander Bob Fu is a victim of transnational repression. He has testified in the Homeland Security Committee about his experiences being targeted by the Chinese Communist Party.

The Countering Transnational Repression Act of 2025 would require the Department of Homeland Security to create a dedicated transnational repression office to ensure that the federal government takes steps to counter threats from foreign authoritarian regimes.

Watch my remarks in support of my legislation here or by clicking the image below.

Mornings with Maria on Fox Business

I joined Mornings with Maria on Fox Business to discuss the Republican Study Committee’s efforts to codify President Trump’s executive orders into law, President Trump signing my legislation to repeal the natural gas tax into law, President Trump and Secretary Hegseth’s announcement of the contract to build the next generation F-47 that will be the most lethal aircraft the U.S. Air Force has ever seen, and much more.

You can watch the full interview here or by clicking the image below.

Keeping the Lights On in Texas

As a member of the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, I joined my colleagues in questioning witnesses on energy grid reliability. Pablo Vegas, President and Chief Executive Officer for the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, Inc. (ERCOT), was among the witnesses called to testify.

I believe in the ‘best of the above’, not ‘all of the above’ approach to energy production. This is why, during the hearing, I questioned Mr. Vegas on the pressing need to invest in long-duration, dispatchable resources to support grid reliability in Texas. As the demand for electricity continues to rise, we must invest in secure and reliable resources to power the future.

You can watch my full line of questioning here or at the link below.

Meeting with Texas-11 in Washington

This week, I met with several community leaders and partners in Washington, which is always a pleasure. Thank you all for taking the time to discuss how we can implement smart, commonsense policies to strengthen Texas-11!

2025 Congressional Art Competition

My office is accepting submissions for the 2025 Congressional Art Competition. This competition gives high school students from across Texas-11 the opportunity to have their artwork displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building.

This year’s theme is ‘Texas to Me’ and students will have until April 21st to submit their artwork. Information on the Congressional Art Competition, including how to apply, can be found on the Congressman’s website by clicking here.

RULES

· Artwork must be two-dimensional and original in concept, design, and execution. Art must follow the theme of ‘Texas to Me.’

· The artwork’s dimensions can be no larger than 26 inches high, 26 inches wide, and 4 inches deep. Accepted mediums for the two-dimensional artwork are as follows:

· Paintings: oil, acrylics, watercolor, etc.

· Drawings: colored pencil, pencil, ink, marker, pastels, charcoal (It is recommended that charcoal and pastel drawings be fixed.)

· Collages: must be two-dimensional

· Prints: lithographs, silkscreen, block prints

· Mixed Media: use of more than two mediums such as pencil, ink, watercolor, etc.

· Computer-generated art

· Photographs

Students are highly encouraged to review the competition’s complete rules and regulations on our congressional website or contact Carol Cunningham in the Llano District Office at Carol.Cunningham@mail.house.gov with any questions.

REMINDER: If you are in need of assistance with a federal agency, my office is here to help. For more information, please visit our website HERE.

Thank you for reading. It is the honor of my lifetime to serve you in Congress. Please follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) for daily updates.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 29, 2025

MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Rep. Pfluger Joined Maria Bartiromo on Mornings with Maria

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11)

Today, Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) joined Maria Bartiromo on Mornings with Maria to discuss President Trump signing his legislation to repeal the natural gas tax into law, President Trump and Secretary Hegseth’s announcement of the F-47 fighter jet contract, the importance of reliable electricity sources to support American energy independence, and much more.

Read highlights of the conversation below, or click HERE to watch the full interview.

On Rep. Pfluger’s CRA to repeal former President Biden’s harmful natural gas tax being signed into law:

“Last week, I had the honor of being in the Oval Office with President Trump signing into law just the second piece of legislation that was signed into law, which repealed the methane tax, the natural gas tax that President Biden did to assault the industry, and that’s just the beginning. We’re going to keep going on this. What President Trump did on day one by enacting a national emergency for our energy security sector, was to unleash American energy to make sure that we could cut the red tape, that we could use the resources that we have right here underneath our feet, and that we could lower the cost of energy for every single American. So again, being in the Oval Office to sign into law, to codify into law, his executive orders last Friday to repeal the natural gas tax was a huge honor.”

On President Trump and Secretary Hegseth’s announcement of the F-47 fighter jet contract:

“This one is near and dear to my heart. I spent a tremendous amount of time in my professional career flying the F-22 and have advocated very vocally for this next-generation air dominance, called the sixth-generation platform, which allows us to move into the next phase where we have deterrence, where we can hold China at bay. Look at our Air Force right now. It’s no secret that we are the smallest. We’ve grown to the least capable that we’ve been in decades. So with President Trump, this is promises made, promises kept. He said he was going to recapitalize our military. He said he was going to bring our military back to prominence. That’s exactly what the F-47 represents. I’m so proud that he and Secretary Hegseth made this decision. It’s the right choice, and it will bring our military back into a position where we can deter actors, like the Chinese Communist Party, who have come a long way in their weapons systems and their technology. We know that they don’t just have a regional goal for hegemony. They actually have a worldwide goal. So the F-47 represents American power, and American ability to deter. It is near and dear to my heart, so I am very proud that they’ve made this decision.”

On the importance of reliable electricity sources to support American energy independence:

“We had a hearing on this this week in the Energy and Commerce Committee. It’s something that the Republican Study Committee is looking at as well. We know that what the Biden administration did by picking winners and losers in unreliable energy sources has led us to a deficiency of electricity, and we know that in the coming years, just in three to five years in fact, there may be a 50% to 100% increase in the demand for electricity. So every source that we have is going to have to play a role, but obviously, reliable sources like nuclear, like natural gas, are going to play an increasingly more important role. What President Trump is doing to bring businesses, manufacturing, and industry back to the United States is the right call, but it requires affordable, reliable electricity. That is something that this country has to get our arms around. You mentioned permitting reform – we’re going to have to do that as well to allow the transmission of electricity to businesses. And just look at Texas, where we have a tremendous amount of industry that has flocked to our pro-business state in the last four years.”

Background:

On the CRA: In the 119th Congress and alongside President Trump, Rep. Pfluger is committed to restoring American energy dominance and championing legislation that will directly benefit the incredible energy workers in the Permian Basin and across America. Earlier this month, President Trump signed Rep. Pfluger’s Congressional Review Act (CRA) to reverse Biden’s ill-conceived natural gas tax into law. This is just the beginning.

On the F-47: Rep. Pfluger is also the only fifth-generation fighter pilot in Congress with hundreds of hours of combat experience in the F-22. He founded the MACH-1 caucus which focuses on AirPower and maintaining our competitive advantage in air superiority.

On reliable electricity sources: Earlier this week, Rep. Pfluger participated in the House Energy and Commerce Committee Energy Subcommittee Hearing titled, “‘Keeping The Lights On’ Examining The State Of Regional Grid Reliability.” During his line of questioning, ERCOT’s President and CEO, Mr. Vegas, confirmed to Rep. Pfluger that there is a pressing need to invest in long-duration, dispatchable resources to support the Texas grid reliably.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Senators Elena Parent, RaShaun Kemp, Donzella James, Sonya Halpern and Freddie Powell Sims Condemn Committee Passage of DEI Legislation

Source: US State of Georgia

ATLANTA (March 28, 2025) — Yesterday, House Bill 127 passed out the Senate Committee on Education and Youth, prohibiting public schools, local education agencies and public postsecondary institutions from promoting or maintaining programs that advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion.

Senators Elena Parent (D–Atlanta), RaShaun Kemp (D–Atlanta), Donzella James (D–Atlanta), Sonya Halpern (D–Atlanta), and Freddie Powell Sims (D–Dawson) spoke against the committee passage of the legislation in a joint statement, stating, “Yesterday, Georgia Senate Republicans took yet another step backward by advancing HB 127 out of the Senate Committee on Education and Youth. This bill, which would initially have provided much-needed sick leave for our hardworking teachers, has been completely gutted and repurposed into a direct attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion in our schools and public universities.

Let’s be clear: diversity is a strength, not a weakness. Instead of supporting policies that uplift our students and educators, Republicans have chosen to target programs that guarantee every student, especially those from historically unrecognized communities, has the opportunity to succeed. Georgia’s students deserve an education that prepares them for the real world, one that values different perspectives and fosters an inclusive environment.

Instead, this bill sends a dangerous message that diversity and inclusion have no place in our schools. Many students will suffer the consequences of this short-sighted legislation, and our state’s ability to attract top talent and businesses will suffer.

We are also deeply disappointed by the lack of transparency in yesterday’s committee process. So many members of the public came forward to testify against this harmful bill, yet their voices were silenced. The people of Georgia deserve to be heard, not shut out of the democratic process.

We will continue to fight against HB 127 because our children, our teachers and our future depend on it. We urge our colleagues to reject this misguided legislation and support a more inclusive, forward-looking Georgia.”

# # # #

Sen. Elena Parent serves as Chairwoman of the Senate Democratic Caucus. She represents the 44^th Senate District which includes portions of DeKalb and Clayton County. She may be reached at her office at (404) 656-5109 or by email at elena.parent@senate.ga.gov.

Sen. RaShaun Kemp represents the 38^th Senate District, which includes a portion of Fulton County. He may be reached by phone at (404) 656-0105 or by email at rashaun.kemp@senate.ga.gov.

Sen. Donzella James serves as the Chair of the Senate Committee on Urban Affairs. She represents the 28^th Senate District, which includes portions of Douglas and Fulton counties. She may be reached by phone at 404.463.1379 or by email at donzella.james@senate.ga.gov

Sen. Sonya Halpern serves as Democratic Caucus Vice Chair. She represents the 39^th Senate District, which includes a portion of Fulton County. She may be reached at (494) 656-9644 or via email at sonya.halpern@senate.ga.gov

Sen. Freddie Powell Sims represents the 12^th Senate District which includes Baker, Calhoun, Clay, Dougherty, Early, Miller, Mitchell, Quitman, Randolph, Stewart, Sumter, Terrell and Webster County. She may be reached at (404) 463-5259 or by email at freddie.sims@senate.ga.gov.

For all media inquiries, please reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Jury Finds District Man Guilty of First-Degree Premeditated Murder for Revenge Killing

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

WASHINGTON – Deonte Patterson, 29, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury of first-degree premeditated murder while armed and other charges for the August 2021 shooting of 32-year-old Ali Jamil Al-Mahdi on 9th Street NW, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

Patterson also was found guilty of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and obstructing justice. The verdict was returned following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Michael Ryan scheduled sentencing for May 30, 2025. Patterson faces a maximum sentence of life in prison for the crimes.

According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 2:24 a.m., on August 23, 2021, members of the Third District Metropolitan Police Department were in the area of 9th and T Street, N.W., when they heard the sounds of multiple gunshots. Officers canvassed the area and located Mr. Ali Al-Mahdi in front of 1822 9th Street, N.W., unconscious and unresponsive, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. DC Fire and EMS personnel responded to the scene and transported Mr. Al-Mahdi to Howard University Hospital where all lifesaving efforts failed, and he was pronounced dead at 3:39 a.m. Surveillance video and witness testimony placed Patterson in the area of the shooting. Mr. Al-Mahdi was shot as he was trying to get to his car. Minutes after the shooting, there was a car crash at 9th Street and Massachusetts Ave N.W., where a car flipped over multiple times. Patterson and a gun flew out from the vehicle during the crash. DNA tied the gun that flew out of the car to the defendant. That gun was consistent with having fired the 40 caliber casings at the shooting crime scene. Other casings at the shooting scene came from an unknown firearm suspected to be return gunfire that hit the defendant’s fleeing vehicle. The defendant’s firearm was in a fanny pack in the backseat of his car. The decedent had previously shot the defendant in 2019, pled guilty, and served time.

An arrest warrant for Patterson was issued in January 2022 and he was on the run for a year until he was arrested on January 5, 2023. Since being held, the defendant communicated with his girlfriend in several jail calls instructing her not to say anything.

This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.

It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Galloway and Tamara Rubb.

MIL Security OSI –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Visiting Mars on the Way to the Outer Solar System

Source: NASA

Written by Roger Wiens, Principal Investigator, SuperCam instrument / Co-Investigator, SHERLOC instrument at Purdue University

Recently Mars has had a few Earthly visitors. On March 1, NASA’s Europa Clipper flew within 550 miles (884 kilometers) of the Red Planet’s surface on its way out to Jupiter. On March 12, the European Space Agency’s Hera spacecraft flew within about 3,100 miles (5,000 kilometers) of Mars, and only 300 kilometers from its moon, Deimos. Hera is on its way to study the binary asteroid Didymos and its moon Dimorphos. Next year, in May 2026, NASA’s Psyche mission is scheduled to buzz the Red Planet on its way to the metal-rich asteroid 16 Psyche, coming within a few thousand kilometers.
Why all these visits to Mars? You might at first think that they’re using Mars as an object of opportunity for their cameras, and you would be partially right. But Mars has more to give these missions than that. The main reason for these flybys is the extra speed that Mars’ velocity around the Sun can give them. The idea that visiting a planet can speed up a spacecraft is not all that obvious, because the same gravity that attracts the spacecraft on its way towards the planet will exert a backwards force as the spacecraft leaves the planet.
The key is in the direction that it approaches and leaves the planet. If the spacecraft leaves Mars heading in the direction that Mars is traveling around the Sun, it will gain speed in that direction, slingshotting it farther into the outer solar system. A spacecraft can typically gain several percent of its speed by performing such a slingshot flyby. The closer it gets to the planet, the bigger the effect. However, no mission wants to be slowed by the upper atmosphere, so several hundred kilometers is the closest that a mission should go. And the proximity to the planet is also affected by the exact direction the spacecraft needs to go when it leaves Mars.
Clipper’s Mars flyby was a slight exception, slowing down the craft — by about 1.2 miles per second (2 kilometers per second) — to steer it toward Earth for a second gravity assist in December 2026. That will push the spacecraft the rest of the way to Jupiter, for its 2030 arrival.
While observing Mars is not the main reason for their visits, many of the visiting spacecraft take the opportunity to use their cameras either to perform calibrations or to study the Red Planet and its moons.
During Clipper’s flyby over sols 1431-1432, Mastcam-Z was directed to watch the skies for signs of the interplanetary visitor. Clipper’s relatively large solar panels could have reflected enough sunlight for it to be seen in the Mars night sky, much as we can see satellites overhead from Earth. Unfortunately, the spacecraft entered the shadow of Mars just before it came into potential view above the horizon from Perseverance’s vantage point, so the sighting did not happen. But it was worth a try.
Meanwhile, back on the ground, Perseverance is performing something of a cliff-hanger. “Sally’s Cove” is a relatively steep rock outcrop in the outer portion of Jezero crater’s rim just north of “Broom Hill.” Perseverance made an approach during March 19-23, and has been exploring some dark-colored rocks along this outcrop, leaving the spherules behind for the moment. Who knows what Perseverance will find next?

MIL OSI USA News –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Lt. Gov. Luke – RELEASE: Promoting Hawaiʻi’s Agricultural Sector

Source: US State of Hawaii

Lt. Gov. Luke – RELEASE: Promoting Hawaiʻi’s Agricultural Sector

Posted on Mar 28, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

STATE OF HAWAIʻI
KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

SYLVIA LUKE
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
KE KEʻENA O KA HOPE KIAʻĀINA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 28, 2025

PROMOTING HAWAIʻI’S AGRICULTURAL SECTOR
Hawaiʻi Leaders Advocate for Agriculture Issues in Washington, D.C.

HONOLULU — A delegation of over 20 leaders in farming, ranching, and commerce returned after completing a successful visit with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in Washington, D.C. This marked the 2nd Annual Hawaiʻi-USDA Policy Summit, led by Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke, and focused on highlighting Hawaiʻi’s unique and essential agricultural sector at the federal level.

“Our first delegation visit with USDA gave participants an introduction to the vast support USDA offers all states and sparked the opportunity for greater partnership between USDA and Hawaiʻi,” said Lt. Gov. Luke. “We need to continuously strengthen local food production and support our agriculture community. Identifying key opportunities for collaboration with the USDA is crucial to ensure Hawaiʻi’s agricultural industry has the necessary resources to thrive.”

The delegation of state, non-profit, business, and community leaders marked the first state delegation to visit the USDA and meet with newly sworn-in U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins.

“Hawaiʻi’s agriculture feeds our nation and shapes its spirit,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. “I am excited to continue working to put our farmers first and working to lift burdensome regulatory barriers.”

In addition to meeting with Secretary Rollins, the delegation had meetings with multiple agencies within the USDA, including Agricultural Research Service, Agriculture Marketing Service, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Farm Service Agency, Food Safety Inspection Service, National Agricultural Statistics Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement, and Rural Development.

The delegation also met with national industry associations, including the American Farm Bureau Federation and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.

“The farmers and ranchers of Hawaiʻi are so grateful for Lieutenant Governor Luke’s foresight and creativity in putting this delegation together and the USDA’s quick response in providing this opportunity to us,” said Darren Strand, President of Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau. “Hawaiʻi agriculture has such unique obstacles and challenges, and these meetings help us align federal resources with our local, island needs. Strengthening the crucial relationship between Hawaiʻi and the USDA allows Hawaiʻi’s farmers and ranchers to thrive in uncertain times and evolving agricultural landscape.”

The visit provided local farmers, ranchers, and advocates the opportunity to express the critical role of Hawaiʻi agricultural production in communities statewide. Hawaiʻi’s agricultural imports and exports, truth in labeling, expanding biosecurity protections within the state, and supporting more production of local agriculture were key priorities of the policy summit.

“We have learned that when you show up, you show how serious you are about advocating for your needs,” said Nicole Galase, Managing Director of the Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council. “Bringing together such a wide representation of agriculture leaders shows a united voice for the State of Hawaiʻi — that we are an essential part of the US food system.”

2025 Hawaiʻi-USDA Policy Summit Attendees

Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke

Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture Chairperson Sharon Hurd

Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation Director Ed Sniffen

Hawaiʻi Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism Deputy Director Dane Wicker

Senator Tim Richards

Office of Senator Mike Gabbard

Agribusiness Development Corporation

Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council

University of Hawaiʻi College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources

Alaska Airlines

Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau

Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council

Hawaii Crop Improvement Association

Hawaii Macadamia Nut Association

Island Harvest

Synergistic Hawaii

Agricultural Council

Bayer Hawaiʻi

Mahi Pono

Maui Gold Pineapple

###

Media Contact:

Shari Nishijima

Communications Director

Office of the Lieutenant Governor

(808) 978-0867

MIL OSI USA News –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: PROMOTING HAWAIʻI’S AGRICULTURAL SECTOR

Source: US State of Hawaii

Hawaiʻi Leaders Advocate for Agriculture Issues in Washington, D.C.

HONOLULU — A delegation of over 20 leaders in farming, ranching, and commerce returned after completing a successful visit with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in Washington, D.C. This marked the 2nd Annual Hawaiʻi-USDA Policy Summit, led by Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke, and focused on highlighting Hawaiʻi’s unique and essential agricultural sector at the federal level.

“Our first delegation visit with USDA gave participants an introduction to the vast support USDA offers all states and sparked the opportunity for greater partnership between USDA and Hawaiʻi,” said Lt. Gov. Luke. “We need to continuously strengthen local food production and support our agriculture community. Identifying key opportunities for collaboration with the USDA is crucial to ensure Hawaiʻi’s agricultural industry has the necessary resources to thrive.”

The delegation of state, non-profit, business, and community leaders marked the first state delegation to visit the USDA and meet with newly sworn-in U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins.

“Hawaiʻi’s agriculture feeds our nation and shapes its spirit,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. “I am excited to continue working to put our farmers first and working to lift burdensome regulatory barriers.”

In addition to meeting with Secretary Rollins, the delegation had meetings with multiple agencies within the USDA, including Agricultural Research Service, Agriculture Marketing Service, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Farm Service Agency, Food Safety Inspection Service, National Agricultural Statistics Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement, and Rural Development.

The delegation also met with national industry associations, including the American Farm Bureau Federation and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.

“The farmers and ranchers of Hawaiʻi are so grateful for Lieutenant Governor Luke’s foresight and creativity in putting this delegation together and the USDA’s quick response in providing this opportunity to us,” said Darren Strand, President of Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau. “Hawaiʻi agriculture has such unique obstacles and challenges, and these meetings help us align federal resources with our local, island needs. Strengthening the crucial relationship between Hawaiʻi and the USDA allows Hawaiʻi’s farmers and ranchers to thrive in uncertain times and evolving agricultural landscape.”

The visit provided local farmers, ranchers, and advocates the opportunity to express the critical role of Hawaiʻi agricultural production in communities statewide. Hawaiʻi’s agricultural imports and exports, truth in labeling, expanding biosecurity protections within the state, and supporting more production of local agriculture were key priorities of the policy summit.

“We have learned that when you show up, you show how serious you are about advocating for your needs,” said Nicole Galase, Managing Director of the Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council. “Bringing together such a wide representation of agriculture leaders shows a united voice for the State of Hawaiʻi — that we are an essential part of the US food system.”

2025 Hawaiʻi-USDA Policy Summit Attendees

Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke

Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture Chairperson Sharon Hurd

Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation Director Ed Sniffen

Hawaiʻi Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism Deputy Director Dane Wicker

Senator Tim Richards

Office of Senator Mike Gabbard

Agribusiness Development Corporation

Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council

University of Hawaiʻi College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources

Alaska Airlines

Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau

Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council

Hawaii Crop Improvement Association

Hawaii Macadamia Nut Association

Island Harvest

Synergistic Hawaii

Agricultural Council

Bayer Hawaiʻi

Mahi Pono

Maui Gold Pineapple

MIL OSI USA News –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy Announces $8.6 Million for Louisiana in Hurricane Ida, Laura Relief

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) announced Louisiana will receive $8,588,163.29 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for Hurricanes Ida and Laura relief.
“This funding supports critical recovery efforts in South Louisiana—from restoring schools in Terrebonne Parish to rebuilding port infrastructure in Lake Charles,” said Dr. Cassidy. “These investments help communities come back stronger and better prepared for the next storm.”
Grant Awarded
Recipient
Project Description
$1,515,421.78
Lake Charles Harbor and Terminal District
This grant will provide federal funding for permanent repairs to the Bulk Terminal Ship Loader #2 as a direct result of Hurricane Laura.
$1,734,597.39
Community Center and Playground District Number 2 of Ward 4
This grant will provide federal funding for permanent repairs to Center Circle Park facilities as a direct result of Hurricane Laura.
$2,466,919.65
Terrebonne General Medical Center LHA
This grant will provide federal funding for management costs associated with eligible recovery projects as a result of Hurricane Ida.
$2,871,224.47
Terrebonne Parish School Board
This grant will provide federal funding for permanent repairs to facilities at Bourg Elementary, Mulberry Elementary, and West Park as a direct result of Hurricane Ida.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Sols 4493-4494: Just Looking Around

Source: NASA

Written by Alex Innanen, atmospheric scientist at York University
Earth planning date: Wednesday, March 26, 2025
It’s my second shift of the week as the Environmental theme lead and keeper of the plan (a bit of a mouthful we shorten to ESTLK) and today started out feeling eerily similar to Monday. Once again, Curiosity is posing like a geologist, which means that once again we can’t unstow the arm and will be skipping contact science. The silver lining is that this means we have extra time to have a good look around.
The plan also looks similar to Monday’s — targeted remote sensing on the first sol before driving away, and then untargeted remote sensing on the next. On sol 4493 we start our remote sensing, almost as remote as we can get, with a suprahorizon movie looking for clouds in the south. A dust-devil survey rounds out the sol’s environmental observations, and then the geology theme group can get down to the serious business of looking at rocks. For Mastcam this means observing a group of bedrock targets all called “Observatory Trail” (one of which you can see in the middle of the image above), pointing out some interesting veins in “Point Loma,” and casting their gaze out toward “Black Butte” (which I could not think of a fun pun for…). ChemCam has a LIBS observation of “Cholla,” as well as two long-distance observations of the Texoli Butte and the boxwork structures. Our second sol is a little more restrained, as untargeted sols tend to be. But Curiosity will still have plenty of energy after a good rest. We’re taking advantage of that with an extra-long dust-devil movie. Even though we’re in our cloudy season, we still sometimes see dust lifting, and having that extra time to look out for it increases our chances of catching a wind gust or a dust devil in action. Alongside that we also have a Mastcam tau observation to keep an eye on the amount of dust in the atmosphere, and wrap up with a ChemCam AEGIS activity to autonomously choose a LIBS target.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: NASA Employee Meets Success at NASA Stennis

Source: NASA

A career path can unfold in unexpected ways. Ask NASA’s Rebecca Mataya.
The journey to NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, was not planned but “meant to be,” she said.
While working for a local business, the Picayune, Mississippi, native frequently delivered items to NASA Stennis. While making a delivery, Mataya noticed a construction worker who needed directions while waiting to receive a NASA Stennis visitor’s badge.
“I stepped in by offering a map and highlighting the way,” Mataya said.
This small moment of initiative caught the attention of the receptionist, who mentioned an opening at NASA Stennis. She noted that Mataya’s approach to the situation displayed the NASA Stennis culture of hospitality and a can-do attitude.
“The rest is history,” she said. “Looking back, it was not just about finding a job – it was about NASA Stennis finding me, and me discovering a place where I would build a fulfilling career.”
Since the first day of work when Mataya walked into NASA Stennis “in complete awe,” she has felt like every day is a learning experience filled with “wow” moments, like seeing a test stand up close and meeting rocket engineers.
The Carriere, Mississippi, resident worked as a support contractor from 2008 to 2022, filling various roles from lead security support specialist to technical writer and program manager.
Her career path has progressed, where each role built upon the previous.
As a budget analyst in the NASA Stennis Office of the Chief Financial Officer since 2022, Mataya oversees the planning, programing, budgeting, and execution of funds for all Office of Strategic Infrastructure work within the NASA Stennis Center Operations Directorate. She also manages budgets for the NASA Stennis Construction of Facilities projects, and the congressionally approved Supplemental Funding portfolio.
“It is a role that requires adaptability, strategic thinking, and financial oversight,” she said. “I have cultivated these skills through years of experience, but more than that, it is a role that allows me to contribute something meaningful to the future of NASA and space exploration.”
Mataya will complete a master’s degree in Business Administration from Mississippi State University in May. She previously earned her bachelor’s degree from Mississippi State and an associate degree from Pearl River Community College.
“My career has been shaped by growth and achievement, but the greatest highlight has always been the incredible people I have had the privilege of working with,” she said. “Walking the halls of NASA, where top leaders recognize me by name, is a testament to the trust and relationships I have built over the years.”
Mataya said supervisors have consistently entrusted her with more complex projects, confident in her ability to rise to the challenge and deliver results. As a result, she has had opportunities to mentor interns and early-career professionals, guiding them as others once guided her.
“Seeing my colleagues succeed and knowing they have reached their goals, and championing their progress along the way, remains one of the most rewarding aspects of my career,” she said.
Mataya knows from experience that NASA Stennis offers opportunity and a supportive environment, not only for employees looking for career growth, but to customers seeking world-class testing facilities. “NASA Stennis is a place where collaboration thrives,” she said. “It is where NASA, tenants, and commercial partners come together as one cohesive community with a culture of mutual respect, support, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. As America’s largest rocket propulsion test site, NASA Stennis is evolving, and I look forward to seeing how our technological advancements attract new commercial partners and expand NASA’s capabilities.”

MIL OSI USA News –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Sanjay Virmani Named Special Agent in Charge of the San Francisco Field Office

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News (b)

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has named Sanjay Virmani as the special agent in charge of the San Francisco Field Office. He most recently served as the special agent in charge of the Washington Field Office over the Counterterrorism Division.

Mr. Virmani joined the FBI as a special agent in 2003 and was assigned to the San Francisco Field Office where he worked cyber and counterterrorism matters. In 2007, he was promoted to supervisory special agent in the Counterterrorism Division at FBI Headquarters.

In 2010, he was selected as the supervisory special agent to lead the San Francisco Field Office’s Joint Terrorism Task Force in the Oakland Resident Agency. Mr. Virmani was then selected to serve as director of the INTERPOL Digital Crime Center at the INTERPOL Global Complex for Innovation in Singapore in 2013.

In 2016, Mr. Virmani returned to FBI Headquarters as a unit chief, working cyberterrorism matters.

In 2018, he was promoted to assistant section chief of the Internet Operations Section of the Counterterrorism Division, where he worked to foster partnerships within the U.S. intelligence community and with international partners. He returned to the San Francisco Field Office as a supervisory special agent, then was promoted to assistant special agent in charge over the Cyber Branch in 2018 as well.

In 2021, Mr. Virmani returned to the Counterterrorism Division as section chief of the Strategic Partner Engagement Section, where he oversaw the FBI’s liaison efforts with the law enforcement community, U.S. interagency, and private sector partners on counterterrorism-related matters.

In 2022, he served as the acting special agent in charge of the Tampa Field Office. That same year, he was promoted to deputy assistant director of the Counterterrorism Division. In 2024, he was selected as the special agent in charge of the Washington Field Office over the Counterterrorism Division.

Mr. Virmani earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from California State Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo and received a master’s degree in business administration from the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, California.  

MIL Security OSI –

March 29, 2025

MIL-OSI: Ambow Education Announces Second Half and Full-Year 2024 Financial Results

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

CUPERTINO, Calif., March 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ambow Education Holding Ltd. (NYSE American: AMBO) (“Ambow” or the “Company”), an AI-driven educational technology company, today announced its financial and operating results for the 2024 second half¹ and full fiscal year,² ended December 31, 2024.

“In 2024, we achieved full-year profitability and reached key milestones that position us for sustained long-term growth, driven by our sharpened focus on HybriU adoption,” said Dr. Jin Huang, Ambow’s President, Chief Executive Officer, and acting Chief Financial Officer. “We increased revenue, improved margins and strengthened profitability throughout the year, highlighted by a $1.3 million HybriU licensing agreement in the fourth quarter—marking our continued expansion into international markets.”

HybriU is a cutting-edge, AI-powered phygital (physical + digital) innovation that transforms education, corporate conferencing and events by seamlessly integrating the physical and digital worlds for a smarter, more immersive experience. Designed to bridge the gap between in-person and remote interaction, HybriU delivers real-time AI automation, immersive engagement and intelligent collaboration across industries.

In the education sector, HybriU offers the only patented, plug-and-play solution that seamlessly integrates lecture capture, connectivity, AI, immersive technologies and big data analytics. This all-in-one platform simplifies deployment while delivering a rich, connected and data-informed phygital learning experience.

“Looking ahead to 2025, we will accelerate HybriU’s adoption across U.S. and international markets and further enhance our AI capabilities to deliver greater value to our partners. With a strong financial foundation, a lean operational structure, favorable AI tailwinds and a differentiated first-to-market solution, we are well-positioned to drive continued growth and increasing profitability,” Dr. Huang concluded.

Fourth Quarter 2024 Financial Highlights

Net revenues in the fourth quarter of 2024 were $3.5 million, compared with $2.4 million in the same period of 2023. The increase was primarily due to the launch of HybriU.
Gross profit in the fourth quarter of 2024 was $2.3 million, compared with $1.2 million in the same period of 2023. Gross profit margin was 65.7%, compared with 50.0% in the fourth quarter of 2023.
Operating expenses in the fourth quarter of 2024 decreased by 13.3% to $1.3 million from $1.5 million in the same period of 2023. The decrease was primarily due to reduction in shared center expenses.
Operating income in the fourth quarter of 2024 improved to $1.0 million, compared with an operating loss of $0.3 million in the same period of 2023.
Net income attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders was $1.3 million, or $0.02 per basic and diluted share for the fourth quarter of 2024 and 2023.

¹ Financial results for the second half of 2024 have not been audited or reviewed by the Company’s independent registered accounting firm.

² Financial results for the full fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 have been audited by the Company’s independent registered accounting firm.

Fiscal Year 2024 Financial Highlights

Net revenues in fiscal year 2024 increased by 2.2% to $9.4 million from $9.2 million in 2023. The increase was primarily driven by revenue growth from the launch of HybriU, while partially offset by the closure of Bay State College.
Gross profit in fiscal year 2024 was $5.0 million, increasing from $2.5 million in 2023. The increase was primarily attributable to an increase in net revenues from HybriU and a reduction in payroll expenses and teaching costs upon the closure of Bay State College.
Operating expenses in fiscal year 2024 decreased by 16.2% to $5.7 million from $6.8 million in 2023. The decrease was primarily driven by reduced payroll expenses following the closure of Bay State College.
Operating loss in fiscal year 2024 narrowed to $0.7 million, compared with a loss of $4.3 million in 2023.
Net income attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders in fiscal year 2024 was $0.3 million, or $0.005 per basic and diluted share, compared with a net loss of $3.2 million, or $0.06 per basic and diluted share in 2023.
As of December 31, 2024, Ambow maintained solid cash resources of $8.4 million, including cash and cash equivalents of $1.1 million and restricted cash of $7.3 million.

Contingencies

We are currently involved in two lawsuits concerning our leased property. Filed on July 15, 2024, by Art Block Investors, LLC et al., in the San Diego Superior Court (the “Court”), this unlawful detainer action seeks possession of premises occupied by NewSchool and recovery of $2,255,984.44 in past rent and common area maintenance (CAM) fees. Following trial, the Court issued a Proposed Statement of Decision awarding the plaintiffs possession and damages, with attorney’s fees and costs (estimated $80,000–$100,000) to be determined. NewSchool has objected, but judgment is expected within 30 days, followed by a motion for fees. In addition, filed on September 6, 2024, in the San Diego Superior Court, Art Block Investors, LLC et al. alleges breach of contract and guaranty against NewSchool and Ambow Education Holdings Ltd., seeking $4,466,247.80, potentially offset by amounts recovered in the first lawsuit. We, as defendants, have answered and are contesting the claims; no pretrial or trial dates have been set. The Company continues to evaluate these matters. A reasonable estimate of the amount of any possible loss or range of loss cannot be made as of December 31, 2024.

About Ambow

Ambow Education Holding Ltd. is a U.S.-based, AI-driven technology company offering phygital (physical + digital) solutions for education, corporate conferencing and live events. Through its flagship platform, HybriU, Ambow is shaping the future of learning, collaboration and communication—delivering immersive, intelligent and real-time experiences across industries. For more information, visit Ambow’s corporate website at https://www.ambow.com/.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains statements of a forward-looking nature. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these forward-looking statements by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “believes,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “estimates” and similar statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections about Ambow and the industry. All information provided in this press release is as of the date hereof, and Ambow undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although Ambow believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that its expectations will turn out to be correct, and investors are cautioned that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results.

For more information, please contact:
Ambow Education Holding Ltd.
E-mail: ir@ambow.com

Piacente Financial Communications
Tel: +1 212 481 2050
E-mail: ambow@tpg-ir.com


AMBOW EDUCATION HOLDING LTD. CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)

	As of December 31,			As of December 31,
	2023			2024
	As Revised
ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	274		$	1,123
Restricted cash		9,781			7,318
Accounts receivable, net		2,280			2,541
Prepaid and other current assets		178			659
Total current assets		12,513			11,641
Non-current assets:
Property and equipment, net		6			1,200
Intangible assets, net		522			512
Operating lease right-of-use asset		4,896			2,722
Other non-current assets, net		2,629			1,296
Total non-current assets		8,053			5,730

Total assets	$	20,566		$	17,371

LIABILITIES
Current liabilities:
Short-term borrowings		3,939			2,700
Accounts payable		1,386			749
Accrued and other liabilities		1,468			1,029
Income taxes payable, current		510			12
Operating lease liability, current		2,486			2,357
Total current liabilities		9,789			6,847
Non-current liabilities:
Operating lease liability, non-current		4,349			3,787
Total non-current liabilities		4,349			3,787

Total liabilities	$	14,138		$	10,634

EQUITY
Preferred shares
(US$ 0.003 par value; 1,666,667 shares authorized, nil issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2023 and 2024)		–			–
Class A Ordinary shares
(US$ 0.003 par value; 66,666,667 and 66,666,667 shares authorized; 52,419,109 and 52,419,109 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2023 and 2024, respectively)		146			146
Class C Ordinary shares
(US$ 0.003 par value; 8,333,333 and 8,333,333 shares authorized; 4,708,415 and 4,708,415 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2023 and 2024, respectively)		13			13
Additional paid-in capital		517,031			517,031
Accumulated deficit		(510,634	)		(510,325	)
Accumulated other comprehensive income		(128	)		(128	)
Total equity		6,428			6,737
Total liabilities and equity	$	20,566		$	17,371


AMBOW EDUCATION HOLDING LTD. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE (LOSS) INCOME (All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)

	For the three months ended September 30,						For the three months ended December 31,
	2023			2024			2023			2024
NET REVENUES
Educational program and services	$	671		$	1,168		$	2,395		$	1,527
HybriU licensing		–			–			–			1,924
Total net revenues		671			1,168			2,395			3,451
COST OF REVENUES
Educational program and services		(1,400	)		(1,004	)		(1,187	)		(1,193	)

GROSS (LOSS) PROFIT		(729	)		164			1,208			2,258
Operating expenses:
Selling and marketing		(330	)		(236	)		(296	)		(227	)
General and administrative		(903	)		(1,004	)		(912	)		(974	)
Research and development		(242	)		(144	)		(242	)		(144	)
Total operating expenses		(1,475	)		(1,384	)		(1,450	)		(1,345	)

OPERATING LOSS (INCOME)		(2,204	)		(1,220	)		(242	)		913

OTHER INCOME (EXPENSES)
Interest (expenses) income		(39	)		(114	)		15			(15	)
Foreign exchange gain (loss), net		21			–			(12	)		–
Other (expenses) income, net		(12	)		146			94			49
Gain on disposal of assets		–			–			1,400			–
Total other (expenses) income		(30	)		32			1,497			34
(LOSS) INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX AND NON-CONTROLLING INTEREST		(2,234	)		(1,188	)		1,255			947
Income tax (expenses) benefit		(1	)		–			–			334
NET (LOSS) INCOME	$	(2,235	)	$	(1,188	)	$	1,255		$	1,281
Less: Net (loss) income attributable to non-controlling interests		–			–			–			–
NET (LOSS) INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO ORDINARY SHAREHOLDERS		(2,235	)		(1,188	)		1,255			1,281

OTHER COMPREHENSIVE (LOSS) INCOME, NET OF TAX		–			–			–			–

TOTAL COMPREHENSIVE (LOSS) INCOME		(2,235	)		(1,188	)		1,255			1,281

Net (loss) income per share – basic and diluted	$	(0.04	)	$	(0.02	)	$	0.02		$	0.02
Net (loss) income per ADS – basic and diluted	$	(0.78	)	$	(0.42	)	$	0.44		$	0.45

Weighted average shares used in calculating basic and diluted net (loss) income per share		57,127,524			57,127,524			52,127,524			57,127,524


AMBOW EDUCATION HOLDING LTD. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS (All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)

	For the years ended December 31,
	2023			2024
NET REVENUES
Educational program and services	$	9,163		$	7,468
HybriU licensing		–			1,924
Total net revenues	$	9,163			9,392
COST OF REVENUES
Educational program and services		(6,669	)		(4,405	)

GROSS PROFIT		2,494			4,987
Operating expenses:
Selling and marketing		(1,051	)		(1,013	)
General and administrative		(5,264	)		(4,258	)
Research and development		(484	)		(438	)
Total operating expenses		(6,799	)		(5,709	)

OPERATING LOSS		(4,305	)		(722	)

OTHER INCOME (EXPENSES)
Interest expenses		(57	)		(63	)
Other (expenses) income, net		(199	)		255
Gain on disposal of assets		1,400			–
Total other income		1,144			192

LOSS BEFORE INCOME TAX AND NON-CONTROLLING INTEREST		(3,161	)		(530	)
Income tax (expenses) benefit		(14	)		839
NET (LOSS) INCOME	$	(3,175	)	$	309
Less: Net (loss) income attributable to non-controlling interests		–			–
NET (LOSS) INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO ORDINARY SHAREHOLDERS		(3,175	)		309

OTHER COMPREHENSIVE LOSS, NET OF TAX		–			–

TOTAL COMPREHENSIVE LOSS		(3,175	)		309

Net (loss) income per share – basic and diluted	$	(0.06	)	$	0.0054
Net (loss) income per ADS – basic and diluted	$	(1.20	)	$	0.1080

Weighted average shares used in calculating basic and diluted net (loss) income per share		56,333,003			57,127,524

The MIL Network –

March 29, 2025

MIL-OSI: Ambow Files Annual Report on Form 20-F for Fiscal Year 2024

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

CUPERTINO, California, March 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ambow Education Holding Ltd. (NYSE American: AMBO) (“Ambow” or the “Company”), an AI-driven educational technology company, today announced that it has filed its Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).

The Annual Report on Form 20-F can be accessed on the Company’s investor relations website at https://www.ambow.com and the SEC’s website at https://www.sec.gov. Shareholders and ADS holders may request a hard copy of the Annual Report containing its audited consolidated financial statements, free of charge, at ir@ambow.com or by mail at Ambow Education Holding Ltd., 10080 N. Wolfe RD, Suite SW3-200, Cupertino, CA 95014, USA.

About Ambow

Ambow Education Holding Ltd. is a U.S.-based, AI-driven technology company offering phygital (physical + digital) solutions for education, corporate conferencing and live events. Through its flagship platform, HybriU, Ambow is shaping the future of learning, collaboration and communication—delivering immersive, intelligent and real-time experiences across industries. For more information, visit Ambow’s corporate website at https://www.ambow.com/.

Follow us on X: @Ambow_Education
Follow us on LinkedIn: Ambow-education-group

For more information, please contact:

Ambow Education Holding Ltd.
E-mail: ir@ambow.com
or
Piacente Financial Communications
Tel: +1 212 481 2050
E-mail: ambow@tpg-ir.com

The MIL Network –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Senator Coons, colleagues press USDA to not take food away from food banks and hungry families

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and 24 of their colleagues demanded more information from the U.S. Department of Agriculture about the cancellation of previously approved emergency food assistance funding for food banks and other emergency food providers. The administration has canceled at least 900,000 meals for the Food Bank of Delaware, harming our hungry neighbors already facing high grocery prices and as well as American farmers who are being squeezed by tariffs and other cuts to domestic markets.
“We write regarding the reported cancellation of hundreds of millions of dollars in previously approved funding for food banks and other emergency food providers through The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP),” the senators wrote. “A cancellation of these funds could result in $500 million in lost food provisions to feed millions of Americans at a time when the need for food shelves is extremely high due to costly groceries and an uncertain economy.”
“If true, this major shift in a program utilized by emergency food providers in every state in the nation will have a significant and damaging impact upon millions of people who depend upon this program for critical food assistance,” the senators continued. “In addition, this program consists of purchases of U.S. commodities at a time when America’s growers and producers are struggling due to tariffs, proposed tariffs, animal disease and many other challenges.”
In addition to Senators Coons and Klobuchar, the letter was signed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Angus King (I-Maine), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), and Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.).
The full letter is available here and below.
Dear Secretary Rollins:
We write regarding the reported cancellation of hundreds of millions of dollars in previously approved funding for food banks and other emergency food providers through The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). A cancellation of these funds could result in $500 million in lost food provisions to feed millions of Americans at a time when the need for food shelves is extremely high due to costly groceries and an uncertain economy. If true, this major shift in a program utilized by emergency food providers in every state in the nation will have a significant and damaging impact upon millions of people who depend upon this program for critical food assistance.
In addition, this program consists of purchases of U.S. commodities at a time when America’s growers and producers are struggling due to tariffs, proposed tariffs, animal disease and many other challenges.
According to recent statistics, nearly one in every seven Americans have faced food insecurity. Many of these households turn to community and emergency relief organizations such as food banks and food pantries to help them obtain sufficient nutrition. In 2023 alone, 50 million Americans turned to emergency food providers, according to a report from Feeding America, America’s largest network of food banks. While food banks rely on a variety of sources (including private) to obtain food for distribution through their networks, federally purchased commodities are a key part of how they provide nutritious meals to Americans.
Due to this reported change, a number of us have heard that trucks delivering American-grown foods may not arrive. These trucks represent hundreds of thousands of nutritious meals containing poultry, fruits, vegetables, and dairy. If confirmed, the cancellation of this previously announced funding also comes on top of the cancellation of Local Food for School Program and the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program funding, which also helps farmers deliver nutritious foods to schools and food banks. These cuts will deprive Americans of food assistance, emergency food providers of necessary support to carry out their work, and American farmers of vital domestic markets.
To help us understand USDA’s actions and their impact on communities around the country, we ask that you answer the following questions.
1.            Has USDA cancelled previously approved purchases of food provided through TEFAP? If so, what level of funding has been cancelled thus far and when will state agencies be notified of any cancelled TEFAP purchases?
2.            Does USDA plan to cancel additional purchases of food provided through TEFAP?
3.            Has USDA paused any TEFAP food orders or purchases? If so, what is the current status of those orders or purchases? Does USDA intend to un-pause these funds?
4.            Please provide information on what types of funding, by commodity, have been cancelled and the financial impact of those cancellations on producers such as pork, chicken, turkey and dairy farmers.
5.            Is the funding announced on October 1, 2024, and detailed in the implementation memo that the Food and Nutrition Service sent to state agencies on December 2 rescinded?
6.            Does USDA intend to use Commodity Credit Corporation funds in Fiscal Year 2025 for future purchases that will be distributed through TEFAP?
The senators asked for a prompt response to these questions by the end of the week.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI USA News: WEEK TEN WINS: President Trump Fuels America’s Golden Age
Source: The White House
Ten weeks into his second term, President Donald J. Trump keeps delivering transformative wins for the American people — empowering our workers, securing our nation, and cementing our leadership as the envy of the world.

Here is a non-comprehensive list of wins in week ten:
- President Trump’s effort to secure the homeland continued in force.
  
  The Trump Administration directed the successful apprehension of a key MS-13 gang leader — an illegal immigrant living in Virginia and operating as one of the top three MS-13 leaders in the U.S.
  
  ICE arrested 370+ illegal immigrants as part of a major operation in Massachusetts — many of whom have serious criminal convictions and charges, including murder, child rape, fentanyl trafficking, and armed robbery.
- President Trump imposed a 25% tariff on imports of foreign automobiles and certain auto parts to end unfair trade practices and protect national security.
  
  United Auto Workers: “We applaud the Trump administration for stepping up to end the free trade disaster that has devastated working class communities for decades. Ending the race to the bottom in the auto industry starts with fixing our broken trade deals, and the Trump administration has made history with today’s actions.”
- President Trump imposed a 25% tariff on all goods from countries that import Venezuelan oil to sever the financial lifelines of the corrupt Maduro regime.
- President Trump’s unrelenting pursuit of American manufacturing dominance continued to deliver results.
  
  Hyundai announced a $20 billion investment in the U.S., which will create 14,000 new jobs. The investment includes $5.8 billion for a new steel plant in Louisiana, which will create nearly 1,500 jobs.
  
  Schneider Electric announced it will invest $700 million over the next four years in U.S. energy infrastructure.
  
  Rolls-Royce is expected to shift production to the U.S. and expand its domestic workforce.
  
  Vietnam announced it will cut duties on U.S. imports, including liquefied natural gas and automobiles.
- President Trump continued to pursue peace through strength around the world.
  
  U.S. airstrikes eliminated dozens of ISIS jihadis hiding within a cave complex in Somalia.
  
  Following U.S.-led negotiations, Russia and Ukraine agreed to a Black Sea ceasefire.
- President Trump’s economic agenda delivered more relief for Americans.
  
  Large egg prices have dropped nearly 60% since last month amid the Trump Administration’s efforts to combat the avian bird flu and repopulate the chicken supply.
  
  New data showed new home sales rose 5.1% over last year — with median home prices down 1.5% over last year and 3% over January.
- The President signed several key executive orders to improve our nation.
  
  President Trump signed an executive order aimed at making Washington, D.C., safe, beautiful, and the greatest capital city in the world.
  
  President Trump signed an executive order on election integrity, including requiring proof of citizenship in voter registration, setting standards for voting equipment, identifying election fraud, and banning foreign interference in elections.
  
  President Trump signed executive orders to protect America’s bank account against waste, fraud, and abuse and modernize payments.
  
  President Trump signed an executive order exempting agencies with national security missions from federal collective bargaining requirements in order to bolster border, national, and energy security.
  
  President Trump signed an executive order to remove anti-American propaganda from federal museums and national parks.
  
  President Trump ordered the immediate declassification of all FBI files related to the sham Crossfire Hurricane investigation.
- The Department of the Interior disbursed $350 million in energy revenues from the Gulf of America to oil-and-gas-producing states, including Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas.
- The Department of the Interior announced nearly $40 million in total receipts from its first oil and gas lease sales of the year.
- The Department of Commerce blacklisted more than 50 Chinese companies in a bid to reduce the Chinese Communist Party’s intellectual property theft.
- The Department of Housing and Urban Development canceled taxpayer-backed mortgages for illegal immigrants.
- The Department of Energy slashed unnecessary bureaucratic red tape that accounted for 60% of costs when building and purchasing new laboratories.
- The Department of Health and Human Services axed $300 million in grants to California related to radical gender ideology and DEI.
- The Department of Health and Human Services formally warned California for allowing graphic sex education, including about sex toys and “role-plays,” to be taught to children as young as ten years old.
- The Department of Education revoked waivers that allowed certain colleges to divert federal funds intended for low-income students and students with disabilities to illegal immigrants.
- The Department of Education launched an investigation into the California Department of Education for withholding information from parents about their child’s gender identity.
- The Department of Education launched an investigation into Portland Public Schools and the Oregon School Activities Association for allowing a male student athlete to compete in a girls’ track and field competition.
- The Department of Agriculture reinstated critical reports canceled by the Biden Administration, including the July Cattle Report and the County Estimates for Crops and Livestock — giving farmers the data needed to make important decisions for their operations.
- The Department of Agriculture announced an investigation into California for possible noncompliance with President Trump’s executive order on radical transgender ideology.
- The Department of the Treasury announced sanctions against additional Iranian intelligence officers involved in the probable death and cover-up of FBI Special Agent Bob Levinson.
- The Department of Labor canceled nearly $600 million in “America Last” grants, including millions for “gender equity in the Mexican workplace” and “assisting foreign migrant workers” in Malaysia.
- The Department of Justice seized hundreds of thousands of dollars of cryptocurrency intended to support Hamas and other terrorist organizations.
- The Environmental Protection Agency terminated a $2 billion Biden-era grant to a non-governmental organization linked to partisan politics.
- The Environmental Protection Agency announced it “successfully completed its mission assignment in Western North Carolina following Hurricane Helene.”
- The Office of Management and Budget cut a wasteful $3 billion Biden-era slush fund.
- The Small Business Administration announced actions to reverse Biden-era mismanagement of its Core 7(a) loan program.
- The U.S. Coast Guard awarded a $1 billion contract for dozens of heavy icebreaker ships — which play a critical role in the defense of American interests.
- The University of Michigan announced it will end its “diversity, equity, and inclusion”-related programming following President Trump’s executive order earlier this year.
- President Trump’s nominees continue to be confirmed at a rapid pace, with the Senate confirming Secretary of the Navy John Phelan, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Michael Kratsios, National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya, and Office of Management and Budget Deputy Director Dan Bishop.
- President Trump pardoned Devon Archer, a former business partner of Hunter Biden whose key testimony in the Biden corruption scandal made him a target for prosecution by the Biden Administration.
MIL OSI USA News –
March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: MP drafts bill to end race-based university policies

Source: ACT Party

ACT Tertiary Education spokesperson Dr Parmjeet Parmar has drafted a bill that would ensure universities do not allocate resources, benefits or opportunities based on race.

“This week I wrote to the Minister for Universities to raise concerns about allocation of resources toward students based on ethnicity. This includes special allowances, separate study spaces, scholarships, and course entrance pathways in fields like medicine,” says Dr Parmar.

“Last year, the Government issued a ‘need and value’ directive to public agencies instructing them to allocate support based on need, rather than ethnicity. But the directive didn’t apply to universities.

“Universities are independent but receive most of their funding from taxpayers, and they are protected from competition by legislation.

“I have drafted a bill that would effectively apply the need-not-race directive to the university sectors. ACT will continue to advocate for fair access to opportunities at university and I hope the Minister will consider my proposal.

“I also reiterated to the Minister concerns I have raised publicly about the University of Auckland’s new compulsory paper on the Treaty and indigenous knowledge. In ACT’s view, the compulsory nature of the course disrespects the time and financial investment made by students. Students deserve the chance to focus on areas relevant to their careers and personal interests. This is especially true for international students who are now forced to pay upwards of $5,000 for a course that will hold little value once they leave New Zealand.”

A copy of the draft Education and Training (Equal Treatment) Amendment Bill can be found here.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Robert Garcia Statement on Politically Motivated Arrests Toward Peaceful University Protestors

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Robert Garcia California (42nd District)

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Robert Garcia (CA-42) released the following statement after the arrest and detention of Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk and Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil, as well as other similar incidents across the nation.

“Donald Trump and Secretary Noem are trying to destroy basic freedoms of speech and first amendment rights,” said Congressman Garcia. “Using ICE agents to arrest students without evidence of any crime is unacceptable. These detentions without due process must be stopped. We must fight back to protect our civil liberties and ensure this administration isn’t unlawfully silencing those peacefully exercising their rights.”

“We should all be angered by the politically-motivated detentions and arrests of students like Rumeysa Ozturk – who was grabbed on the way to a Ramadan iftar dinner – and Mahmoud Khalil, without due process or evidence of any crimes. As an immigrant, I know the fear of deportation. Revoking legal status without due process is completely unacceptable. The administration must produce lawful justification for their actions or release both students immediately.”

Congressman Garcia has always been a fierce defender of our rights and the freedom of speech, standing strong against any efforts to undermine the core values of our democracy. At the first DOGE Subcommittee hearing in February, Congressman Garcia called out Elon Musk for leading a power grab against our democracy. When Washington D.C.’s Acting U.S. Attorney, a Trump appointee, sent a threatening letter in a clear attempt to silence him, Congressman Garcia refused to back down. Congressman Garcia will continue to fight against the growing influence of those who seek to undermine our democracy and our freedoms.

###

MIL OSI USA News –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Mann, Neguse Reintroduce Legislation to Address Health Care Shortage
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Tracey Mann (Kansas, 1)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representatives Tracey Mann (KS-01) and Joe Neguse (CO-02) led 11 of their colleagues in reintroducing legislation to address the nation’s health care workforce shortage. The States Handling Access to Reciprocity for Employment (SHARE) Act of 2025 would require the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) to provide criminal record history information to state agencies conducting a background check for the purposes of an interstate compact. This technical amendment would improve the current licensing process for health care providers and increase the number of licensed providers able to serve communities across state lines.

“We need flexibility in our health care systems to ensure rural communities like those in the Big First have access to good, quality care,” said Rep. Mann “As hospitals and care giving facilities across rural America navigate the challenges of recruiting and retaining health care providers, Congress should correct this technical error and remove processes that only make that challenge harder. Our bill expedites the licensure process for providers by allowing the FBI to share background checks across state lines and empower health care providers to serve rural communities where care is most needed without being handcuffed by where a state ends or begins. If we want to improve the health of those in the Big First, and in rural areas and communities around the country, we must expand employment opportunities for our rural health care providers.”

The SHARE Act would make a technical correction to modernize a vital component of the licensure process for health care providers by:
- Removing red tape and reducing administrative burden: This legislation authorizes the FBI to share criminal history record information between states for licensure purposes.
- Maintaining states’ rights to determine provider eligibility: This legislation allows cooperation between states while protecting each state’s authority to determine whether a provider is eligible to practice in the state.
- Addressing the workforce shortage: This legislation extends the reach of health care professionals, eliminating the time necessary for state-to-state checks, improving access to medical specialists, and leveraging the use of new medical technologies like telehealth.
Joining Reps. Mann and Neguse in introducing the SHARE Act are Reps. Don Davis (NC-01), Doug LaMalfa (CA-01), Dan Crenshaw (TX-02), Dan Meuser (PA-09), Sam Graves (MO-06), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Lauren Boebert (CO-04), Michael McCaul (TX-10), Stephanie Bice (OK-05), Tony Wied (WI-08), and Derek Schmidt (KS-02).

The SHARE Act is supported by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA), ACPE: The Standard for Spiritual Care & Education, Alliance for Connected Care, American Academy of Audiology, American Academy of Physician Associates, American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology, American Association for Respiratory Care, American Counseling Association, American Dental Association, American Healthcare Association, American Medical Association (AMA), American Occupational Therapy Association, American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), APTA Tennessee, American Psychological Association, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, American Telemedicine Association & ATA Action, Ascension, Association of Community Mental Health Centers of Kansas, Association of Dental Support Organizations, Association of Social Work Boards, Avera Health, Bellin+Gunderson Health System, BJC HealthCare, Bon Secours Mercy Health, Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care, Council of State Governments, Counseling Compact Commission, EMS Compact Commission, Essentia Health, Federation of Podiatric Medical Boards, Federation of State Medical Boards, Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy, Healthcare Leadership Council, Interstate Commission for EMS Personnel Practice, Interstate Commission of Nurse Licensure Compact Administrators, Interstate Healthcare Collaborative, Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Commission, Kansas Association of Nurse Anesthetists, Kansas Psychological Association, Marshfield Clinic Health System, Mercy, National Academies of Practice (NAP), National Association of School Psychologists, National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL), National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants, National Council of State Boards of Nursing, National Rural Health Association, Occupational Therapy Compact Commission, Physical Therapy Compact Commission, Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact Commission, Pyramid Healthcare, Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative, Sanford Health, School Social Work Association of America, SSM Health, Talkiatry, Trinity Health, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, UnityPoint Health, Vermont Board of Medical Practice, and Wyoming Medical Society.

“The EMS Compact strongly supports the SHARE Act as a critical measure to enhance public safety and strengthen the EMS workforce,” said Donnie Woodyard, MAML, NRP, Executive Director of the United States EMS Compact. “It is essential for public protection that state licensing officials have the ability to review criminal history records for all applicants. This fundamental safeguard ensures that only qualified and vetted EMS clinicians are entrusted with patient care, reinforcing the integrity and reliability of our nation’s emergency medical services.”

“The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) stands in strong support of the SHARE Act and looks forward to the 119^th Congress’s consideration of this important legislation,” said Phil Dickison, PhD, RN, Chief Executive Officer of NCSBN. “The SHARE Act represents a critical step forward in facilitating greater access to care for patients across the country. The legislation will ensure state boards of nursing can vet applicants for multistate licensure to promote safe cross-border practice.”

“The Occupational Therapy Compact Commission (OTCC) supports the SHARE Act because it is a crucial step toward ensuring public safety across states that participate in interstate occupational compacts,” said Amanda Perry, OTCC Executive Director. “This act fosters a more secure and trustworthy collaboration while strengthening the integrity of professional licensing, promoting accountability, and protecting citizens from potential harm. For the purposes of making informed licensing decisions, state licensing authorities should be afforded timely and relevant information regarding potential licensees’ criminal history that would affect safe practices within professions.”

“APTA-Tennessee endorses the SHARE Act, and we hope the 119^th Congress will approve this bipartisan legislation,” said Sarah Suddarth, APTA Tennessee President. “The SHARE Act will provide Tennesseans in medically underserved areas with greater access to physical therapy care by ensuring that PTs and other healthcare providers are quickly enabled to treat patients in multiple states.”

“The Council of State Governments has worked to develop professional licensure compacts in coordination with numerous state, federal, and professional partners,” said Dan Logsdon, Director, National Center for Interstate Compacts. “These combined efforts have contributed to states gaining greater access to qualified professionals across the nation and the essential services they provide. 52 states and territories have enacted at least one of these compacts with each state enacting at least 6, on average. CSG recognizes the importance of passage of the SHARE Act to ensure states can fully operationalize the licensure compacts they have enacted. The states clearly realize the need for improved licensure portability and increasing their healthcare workforce and as a result recognize the importance of the SHARE Act. CSG stands in support of the SHARE Act and the efforts across the nation to ensure its successful passage by Congress.”

“The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) strongly supports the SHARE Act,” said Katie Jordan, CEO of the American Occupational Therapy Association. “Occupational therapy practitioners are vital to helping individuals live independent, meaningful lives. The SHARE Act will allow practitioners to bring their expertise where it is needed most, ensuring timely access to care for patients and families. We applaud this legislation as a step toward a more flexible and modern healthcare system.”

“The American Academy of Physician Associates strongly supports the SHARE Act,” said AAPA CEO Lisa M. Gables, CPA. “By removing the red tape and administrative burdens on licensure compacts, this legislation will promote workforce development and strengthen the labor market. It will also improve consumer access to highly qualified practitioners and leverage the use of new medical technologies, such as telehealth. The SHARE act would have a major impact on increasing access to healthcare while allowing states to protect their authority to determine who is eligible to practice in the state.”

“The Interstate Commission of Nurse Licensure Compact Administrators (ICNLCA) encourages enactment of the SHARE Act,” said Pam Zickafoose, EdD, MSN, RN, Chair of ICNLCA. “The Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) enables nurses in compact states to hold a multistate license which authorizes practice in 43 jurisdictions currently. This model of licensure makes it possible for nurses to assist in other jurisdictions without any impediments or delays. Federal criminal background checks are the gold standard for public protection in occupational licensure and are a requirement for a nurse to obtain a multistate license. The SHARE Act will enable states to continue to implement and advance the NLC, therefore bringing vital nursing services to patients in need.”

“The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Commission (IMLCC) strongly supports the SHARE Act. The Act is needed so that the FBI will have clear guidance about how the information provided enhances public safety, while supporting the public protection mission of the IMLCC member boards. Our member boards depend on reliable access to the criminal background information, which at times in the past and currently for 4 of our member boards, that access has been denied. Our member boards have been maintaining and protecting the information they receive for over 7 years.”

“The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association thanks Representatives Mann and Neguse for reintroducing the SHARE Act, and Senators Blackburn and Welch for introducing companion legislation in the Senate for the first time,” said 2025 ASHA President Bernadette Mayfield-Clarke, PhD, CCC-SLP. “ASHA strongly supports the implementation of the Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact (ASLP-IC), which is currently adopted by 34 states and 1 territory to allow licensed audiologists and speech-language pathologists to obtain a privilege to practice across state lines in other ASLP-IC member states. As the ASLP-IC anticipates beginning to issue compact privileges to practice later this year, the SHARE Act is vital to ensuring that participating states can receive important information such as background check status and results so practice privileges can be issued. This will help increase access to care in underserved or geographically isolated populations through telepractice, as well as facilitate continuity of care when clients, patients, and/or students relocate or travel to another compact state. ASHA looks forward to working with the sponsors to pass the SHARE Act.”

###

MIL OSI USA News –
March 29, 2025

Category: Education

Natural disasters in Myanmar

Foreign assistance has been compromised

What happens now?

UK firm to land Europe’s first rover on Mars

Notes to editors

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Pfluger Fly-By: March 28, 2025

Lt. Gov. Luke – RELEASE: Promoting Hawaiʻi’s Agricultural Sector