NewzIntel.com

Category: Health

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Public Health Warning: Nitazenes found in counterfeit oxycodone tablets in NSW

    Source: Australian Green Party

    NSW Health is warning the community about the dangers of nitazenes following the detection of nitazenes in fake oxycodone tablets in NSW.
    The fake oxycodone tablets were found to contain N-desethyl isotonitazene, and have been described as green round tablets, marked ‘OC’ on the front and ‘80’ on the reverse, and lack a film coating.  
    Pharmacy-dispensed oxycodone, sold as the brand name Oxycontin, is now marked ‘ON’ instead of ‘OC’ and has a film coating.
    Nitazenes are extremely potent synthetic opioids which are more likely to suppress or stop breathing compared with other opioids.
    NSW Poisons Information Centre Medical Director Dr Darren Roberts said these drugs are extremely dangerous, as they can be hundreds of times more potent than oxycodone and can cause severe overdose or death.
    “Nitazenes are extremely potent and can vary widely in their strength,” Dr Darren Roberts said.
    “As they are illicit and unregulated, there is no way of knowing what type of nitazene is present or what dosage is being taken. The strength and contents can vary widely, even within the same batch.
    “It is extremely important that people recognise the signs of an opioid overdose, signs to look for include pin-point pupils, drowsiness, loss of consciousness, slowed breathing/snoring, and skin turning blue/grey.
    “It’s strongly recommended that anyone who uses illicit drugs carry naloxone,” Dr Roberts said.
    Nitazenes have been detected in fake tablets, such as oxycodone and benzodiazepines, and in drugs thought to be heroin or MDMA.
    Take home naloxone is a life-saving treatment which can temporarily reverse an opioid overdose, including with nitazenes.
    Nitazenes can last longer in the body than oxycodone, heroin and naloxone. Higher and repeated doses of naloxone may be required as well as hospital treatment.
    Anyone who uses naloxone should call Triple Zero (000) for an Ambulance immediately after use for follow up care. You won’t get into trouble for seeking medical care. If you feel unwell, or if your friend feels unwell, do something about it.
    Take home naloxone is available as an easy-to-use nasal spray or injection from some pharmacies and other health services. For more information on the take-home naloxone program visit: Your Room – Naloxone.
    Naloxone is available from NUAA via mail in a discreet package. Order via their online shop or call (02) 9171 6650.
    Anyone who has concerns about adverse effects from drugs should contact the NSW Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26, at any time 24/7.
    For support and information on drug and alcohol problems, contact the Alcohol and Drug Information Service on 1800 250 015. This is a 24/7 service offering confidential and anonymous telephone counselling and information.
    NSW public drug warnings are available at Public drug warnings.
    ​

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Scott to Host 2nd Annual Jobs Fair

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David Scott (GA-13)

    Congressman David Scott is proud to host the Second Annual Thirteenth District Jobs Fair in conjunction with Comcast Cable, UPN Atlanta, and CBS 46. The fair will bring together Georgia’s top employers from the public and private sector. This event will take place at the Georgia International Convention Center in College Park right off the I-85 and I-285 Camp Creek Parkway exits near the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Please remember to dress for success and bring copies of your resume because job candidates will have the opportunity to be matched up for interviews right on the spot! Also, remember to bring $1 for parking or take MARTA to the COLLEGE PARK station and catch the #182 bus shuttle. Military officials will be on hand to provide special assistance for veterans who’ve separated from active service within the past 180 days. With proper ID, qualified veterans are eligible for special entry to Congressman Scott’s Jobs Fair.

    WHEN: Friday, May 12, 2006 WHERE: Georgia International Convention Center Exhibit Halls C & D 2000 Convention Center Concourse College Park, GA 30337 (770) 997-3566 TIME: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm CONFIRMED EMPLOYERS: A Perfect Resume Abundant Healing AEI International Affiliated Insurance Group AFLAC AFLAC- Global Market AGL Resources AIG AIG/American General AirTran Airways All (n) 1 Security Services AltaTelecom Ambassador Personnel American General Life and Accident American Heart Association American Intercontinental University – Dunwoody Campus American Red Cross Ameriplan Aramark Aviation Services Atlanta and North Georgia Building and Construction Trades Council Atlanta Job Corps Atlanta Journal Constitution Atlanta Police Department Atlanta Technical College Atlanta Workforce Development Agency Atlantic Southeast Airlines Avon District 1186 Avon Products BB&T Bank Bellsouth Blue Water Security II, Inc. Bobby Dodd Institute Brian Center Nursing Care- Austell Buyers Credit Coach Care Entree’ Central Michigan University Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office Chick-fil-A, Inc. City of Douglasville City of Forest Park City of Hapeville City of Smyrna Clayton Career Resource Center Clayton County DOT Clayton County Government- Personnel Department Clayton County Public Schools Transportation Department Clayton County Water Authority Clayton State University CLP Resources Cobb County Board of Commissioners Cobb County Police Department Cobb County School System CobbWorks Coca-Cola College Park Police Department Comcast Cable Computer Mainstream Corporation Concessions/Paschals Country Hearth Suites Cyberwize.com Davita Jonesboro Dialysis Center Dekalb County Sheriff’s Office Department of Aviation Devry University Douglas County Board of Commissioners Douglasville Police Department DreamSan Inc Employment Seeker Enterprise Rent-A-Car Exel Logistics Fayette County Board of Commissioners Fayette County Board of Education, Administration Services Department Fayette County Board of Education, Food Services Department Fayette County Board of Education, Transportation Department Federal Aviation Administration Federal Bureau of Prisons FedEx Ground First Transit Franklin and Wilson Airport Concessions From Concepts to Reality, Inc Fulton County Sheriff Office GA Department of Labor Vocational Rehabilitation Program GAT Airline Ground Support Gate Gourmet GC Services L.P. Georgia Air National Guard Georgia Army National Guard Georgia Department of Corrections Georgia Department of Human Resources Georgia Institute of Technology Georgia Military College Georgia Power Georgia State University Goodwill Industries of North Georgia Grady Health System Greystone Power Company Griffin Technical College Griffin-Spalding County School System Gwinnett County Department of Corrections Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services Hands on Atlanta Happiness Habit Harbor Management, Inc Hartsfield Area TMA Hennesy Mazda Pontiac Buick GMC Henry County Fire Department Henry County Government Henry County School System Hertz Rent-A-Car InMotion Entertainment Installation Technology Design Systems Interactive College of Technology/ Interactive Learning Systems Internal Revenue Service JPacker Systems Kodak Dental Systems Kool Smiles Lockheed Martin Loomis, Fargo, and Co Lowe’s Home Improvement Mackey & Associates/ MMG Marketing Group MARTA MBC Concessions, Inc. Mechanical Contractors Association of Georgia Melaleuca MetroPCS HIS Modern Woodmen of Atlanta Morehouse School of Medicine National Lending Corporation National Youth Apprenticeship Collaboration Options Unlimited Personal Touch Tours Travel Agency Popeyes Chicken & Checker Hamburger Prepaid Legal Services Primerica Financial Services Professional Career Development Institute Red Lobster Revelation Consulting Riverdale Police Department Robertson Sanitation/ United Waste Rockdale County Public Schools Rollins, Inc/ Orkin Pest Control Roswell Nursing and Rehab Center Saint Josephs Hospital Securitas Security Services Self Image Success Sheraton Gateway Hotel Shorter College Smyrna Police Department Social Security Administration Southern Regional Medical Center Southside Seafood Company Spherion Staffing Strayer University SunTrust Bank Talent Tree Crystal, Inc The Tensar Corporation, LLC The Wellness Company U.S. Air Force Reserve U.S. Customs and Border Protection U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration U.S. Food and Drug Administration U.S. Marine Corps U.S. Navy U.S. Office of Personnel Management U.S. Postal Service U.S. Small Business Administration United Association, Plumbers and Pipe Fitters, Local Union No.72 of Atlanta, Georgia Universal Forest Products University of Georgia Verizon Wireless Waffle House Inc. Wal-mart, Inc. Warm Spirit Wellness Resources International, Inc. Wellstar Health System Wilsons Leather Work-tec WVFJ J93.3 Radio

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Danny K. Davis Denounces Harmful Budget Cuts Favoring the Wealthy at the Expense of Essential Services

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Danny K Davis (7th District of Illinois)

    Washington, D.C. – Congressman Danny K. Davis (D-IL) today strongly condemned the passage of the House Republican budget, which enacts substantial tax cuts favoring the affluent while imposing severe reductions on critical programs. The budget, narrowly approved by a 217-215 vote, proposes $4.5 trillion in tax cuts over the next decade, disproportionately benefiting high-income individuals. To offset these cuts, the budget mandates at least $2 trillion in spending reductions, adversely affecting vulnerable populations, particularly in Illinois’s 7th Congressional District. In addition, these cuts target programs that support low and middle-income families, effectively redistributing resources from the most vulnerable to the most affluent.

    Favoring the Wealthy at the Expense of the Many

    “Budgets are moral documents, and this one makes it painfully clear that working families, seniors, and the most vulnerable members of our society are not a priority,” stated Congressman Danny K. Davis. “This budget not only strips away necessary resources but also exacerbates social and economic inequities by directly attacking the social determinants of health—factors like healthcare access, education, economic stability, housing, and community support that determine well-being.”

    Severe Impact on the 7th District and the Nation

    The budget proposes $880 billion in Medicaid cuts over the next decade, endangering healthcare access for nearly 80 million Americans, including thousands in Illinois’s 7th District. These cuts disproportionately impact low-income families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities, worsening health disparities and increasing preventable hospitalizations.

    Additionally, the budget:

    • Jeopardizes Education and Workforce Development: The House Committee on Education and the Workforce is directed to identify $330 billion in cuts, potentially affecting federal funding for public education, Pell Grants, and job training programs. These reductions could lead to larger class sizes, decreased access to higher education for low-income students, and diminished support for workforce development initiatives, hindering economic mobility and widening income inequality in Chicago and beyond.
    • Jeopardizes Nutrition and Food Security: Mandating the House Committee on Agriculture to find at least $230 billion in cuts, largely from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the budget increases food insecurity, particularly among children and seniors. In Illinois, nearly 1.8 million residents rely on SNAP benefits to meet their nutritional needs.
    • Reduces Housing Security: The budget includes significant cuts to affordable housing programs, with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) facing potential staff reductions of up to 50%, affecting critical services such as rental assistance and homelessness support. These cuts threaten housing stability for low-income families, potentially increasing homelessness and housing insecurity in the 7th District.
    • Weakens Community Safety: The House Republican budget proposes eliminating the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program, which has provided $1.1 billion since 2016 to fund over 8,200 law enforcement positions. Additionally, the budget includes a $1.3 billion cut to the Department of Justice, potentially reducing federal agents, analysts, and prosecutors, weakening efforts to combat crime and national security threats. 
    • Undermines Public Health Efforts: Funding cuts to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) threaten critical programs addressing mental health and addiction crises, disproportionately impacting communities of color. The budget’s exact figures for these reductions are unspecified, but the anticipated decrease in funding could severely limit access to essential mental health services.
    • Reduces IRS Funding: The House Republican budget includes $20 billion in IRS cuts, reducing tax enforcement against wealthy evaders and leading to an estimated $44 billion revenue loss, increasing the deficit by $24 billion. It also results in 7,000 IRS layoffs, weakening tax compliance.
    • Small businesses: The budget cuts SBA funding by 5%, eliminating vital technical-assistance grants. Additionally, if the 2017 tax cuts expire, 6 million jobs could be lost. 

    A Call for a Just and Equitable Budget

    Congressman Danny K. Davis urges the U. S. Senate to reject this inequitable budget and instead pass legislation that invests in health, education, housing, and economic opportunity rather than providing disproportionate benefits to the wealthy at the expense of essential services. “We must adopt a budget that reflects our collective values—one that uplifts all Americans and fosters equitable growth. I remain committed to advocating for policies that ensure no one is left behind,”Davis concluded.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Davis, Chu, Moore, Evans, Gomez, and Thompson Champion Bill to Prevent Intentional Misuse of Cash Assistance Intended for Poor Children and Families

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Danny K Davis (7th District of Illinois)

    The bill would prevent and address intentional misuse of subgrant funds under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.

    WASHINGTON, DC— Representatives Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Judy Chu (D-CA), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), and Bennie Thompson (D-MS) introduced H.R. 2108, the TANF State Expenditure Integrity Act, which would give the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) the statutory authority it needs to prevent, monitor, and penalize the intentional misuse of federal funds by contractors and other subrecipient grantees of the $16.5 billion TANF block grant. 

    “Democrats are committed to increasing stability and reducing adversity for low-income children and families. When used correctly, cash assistance is a critical tool in lifting families out of poverty,” said Rep. Davis. “The TANF State Expenditure Integrity Act will prevent and address intentional misuse of federal cash assistance by contractors to ensure children and families – and not fraudsters – benefit from this critical federal investment.” 

    “Public TANF dollars are meant to support low-income families, not be funneled to wealthy individuals and their pet projects—exactly what NFL star Brett Favre did when he conspired with Mississippi officials to direct millions of TANF dollars to build a new volleyball stadium at his daughter’s college,” said Rep. Chu. “Rep. Davis and I are introducing the TANF State Expenditure Integrity Act to address what happened in Mississippi by finally giving the federal government the authority to oversee states’ use of non-cash assistance TANF funds, which is about 80% of all TANF spending. Our legislation would also require states to recover misused funds and reinvest them in low-income families. As our Republican colleagues regularly decry the fraud, waste, and abuse of public funds, I would think that joining us on this legislation would be a no-brainer.”

    “When designing TANF, Republicans neglected to include proper accountability measures to prevent states misuse of TANF funds. As a result, TANF is failing the vulnerable individuals it was supposedly meant to help.  When federal dollars are intentionally diverted from beneficiaries into the hands of bad actors, it hurts the women, children, and families who are struggling with poverty.  These new tools will help ensure that the federal government can take action against bad actor contractors or others who prey on TANF for their own benefit while increasing accountability for states,” said Rep. Moore.

    “I thank Ranking Member Davis for his leadership on this issue,” said Rep. Evans. “This bill would bring much-needed accountability to help ensure that these lifeline benefits reach those in need. Most TANF recipients are children. About half of the families receiving TANF income support include a child under age 5, and a quarter of TANF households include infants.”

    “Federal assistance should help working parents and kids who need it, not the ultra-wealthy who exploit the system for their own benefit,” said Rep. Jimmy Gomez (CA-34). “Our TANF State Expenditure Integrity Act will ensure these funds are used as intended—not wasted on luxury projects for the rich and famous.”

    “I have witnessed the ongoing mismanagement of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds in my home state of Mississippi, particularly by greedy ineligible individuals,” said Rep. Thompson. “H.R. 2108 is essential to correcting the misuse of federal resources meant to assist our families in need. It is time we put a stop to wealthy individuals benefiting from TANF funding meant to help needy families.”

    HHS is prohibited by law from issuing regulations to monitor TANF contractors and subgrant recipients and ensure that they are penalized, even for egregious misuse like what occurred recently in Mississippi.

    The TANF State Expenditure Integrity Act gives the HHS Secretary the ability to establish a formal system to closely monitor the use of TANF funds, ensures consistent data reporting to identify misuse, and creates a TANF Program Integrity Unit to carry out grantee monitoring. The bill would also impose a new penalty for intentional misuse of funds where the state must spend at least an equivalent amount of the misused funds in the form of cash assistance directly to families who are very low income. 

    A summary of the bill is available HERE; a section-by-section of the bill is available HERE.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pressley, Clarke, Van Hollen Lead Letter to the Administration Demanding Reinstatement of TPS for Haiti

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

    Text of the Letter (PDF)

    WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Congresswoman Yvette Clarke (NY-09), and Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) led 62 of their colleagues in the House and 23 of their colleagues in the Senate in a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem demanding the Trump Administration redesignate and extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti, which the administration recently canceled on questionable legal authority:

    In the letter, the lawmakers wrote, “The July 1, 2024 Federal Register notice extending Haiti’s TPS cited ‘grave insecurity, gang violence, socio-economic collapse, and environmental disasters’ as an ongoing crisis warranting protection. However, your February 2025 notice asserts that the 18-month period lacked justification. This decision ignores the overwhelming evidence that Haiti remains an unsafe place for anyone to return to. These conditions cited on the July 1, 2024 Federal Register Notice have worsened. Armed groups now control over 90% of Port-au-Prince, terrorizing civilians with widespread kidnappings, sexual violence, and indiscriminate killings. The UN reports that at least 5,601 people were killed in Haiti last year as a result of gang violence, over 1,000 more than the total killings for 2023. As of September 2024, nearly half the population of the country— 5.5 million Haitians—require urgent humanitarian aid, with 1.6 million facing ‘catastrophic’ food insecurity. Gang sieges and arson attacks have internally displaced over 1,041,000 people.”

    The CROWN Act passed the House of Representatives in 2019 and 2022 but was blocked in the Senate.

    The Members continued, “The decision to rescind Haiti’s TPS designation is not a thoughtful policy in the best interest of the United States. During his 2024 presidential campaign, Donald Trump explicitly singled out Haitian TPS recipients in rallies and interviews. This rhetoric mirrored his 2017 termination of Haiti’s TPS designation, which a federal court blocked for violating the Administrative Procedure Act and failing to consider country conditions. The administration’s current vacatur revives this legally dubious playbook, seeking to destabilize the lives of Haitian immigrants through shortened protections and heightened uncertainty.”

    “We request that you extend and redesignate Haiti for TPS for the statutory maximum of 18 months. Failure to extend and redesignate TPS would violate the INA’s requirement for data-driven decisions and abandon over 500,000 Haitians to a warzone the U.S. government has explicitly deemed unsafe. Congress intended TPS to be both a humanitarian tool and a pragmatic response to unstable conditions abroad. While DHS has discretion, that authority must be exercised with diligence, transparency, and fidelity to the law,” they wrote, before requesting responses to a series of questions regarding the legal basis and humanitarian and national interest considerations that led to the administration’s questionable decision to cancel Haiti’s TPS designation.

    House Signers (64): Pressley, Clarke, Adams, Amo, Beatty, Beyer, Carson, Casar, Castor, Cherfilus-McCormick, Chu, Clark, Davis (Danny), Frost, Garcia (Jesus), Garcia (Sylvia), Goldman, Hayes, Hernandez, Jackson (Jonathan), Jacobs, Jayapal, Jeffries, Johnson (Henry), Latimer, Lee, Lofgren, Lynch, Magaziner, McClellan, McGovern, McIver, Meeks, Meng, Mfume, Moulton, Norton, Ocasio-Cortez, Omar, Pallone, Pingree, Pocan, Quigley, Ramirez, Raskin, Scanlon, Schakowsky, Scott (Bobby), Sewell, Soto, Suozzi, Swalwell, Thanedar, Thompson (Bennie), Tlaib, Tonko, Trahan, Vargas, Veasey, Velazquez, Wasserman Schultz, Waters, Watson Coleman, Wilson (Frederica)

    Senate Signers (24): Van Hollen, Blumenthal, Booker, Coons, Cortez Masto, Duckworth, Durbin, Gillibrand, Heinrich, Hirono, Kaine, Kim (Andy), Klobuchar, Markey, Padilla, Reed, Sanders, Schumer, Shaheen, Warner, Warnock, Warren, Welch, Whitehouse

    This letter has been endorsed by more than 100 organizations, including: UndocuBlack Network, African Communities Together, Black Alliance for Just Immigration, Center for Gender & Refugee Studies, Church World Service, Communities United for Status & Protection (CUSP), FWD.us, Del Camino Jesuit Border Ministries, East Bay Sanctuary Covenant, Family Action Network Movement, Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project, Florida Immigrant Coalition, Haitian Bridge Alliance, Hispanics in Philanthropy, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef), Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, Immigrant Legal Resource Center, Muslim Advocates, National Employment Law Project, National Partnership for New Americans, Nigerian Center, Presente.org, Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada, Quixote Center, Refugees International, Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network (SIREN), The Advocates for Human Rights, The Border Network for Human Rights, United African Organization, Wind of the Spirit Immigrant Resource Center, Witness at the Border, Baker Interfaith Friends Refugees International, Louisiana Organization for Refugees and Immigrants, TPS-DED AAC, Haitian Support Center, Faith In Texas, Center for Law and Social Policy, Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP), Just Neighbors, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, Immigration Hub, New York Immigration Coalition, Human Rights First, Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti, Oasis Legal Services, Immigrants Rising, Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative, National Immigrant Justice Center, Borderlands Resource Initiative, Alianza Americas, Community Solutions, NH Conference, United Church of Christ Immigrant & Refugee Support Group, Immigrants Act Now, Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice, National Bar Association, Gainesville Interfaith Alliance for Immigrant Justice, Interfaith Alliance for Immigrant Justice, Cameroon Advocacy Network, Louisiana Organization for Refugees and Immigrants – LORI, Women Watch Afrika, International Refugee Assistance Project, Sanctuary for Families, Minnesota Freedom Fund, scaleLIT, Win Without War, Urban Mom Collective National Black Mom Coalition, We Are All America, Westside Justice Center, Freedom for Immigrants, Partners In Health, Service Employees International Union, SEIU, Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area (LSSNCA), Adhikaar for Human Rights and Social Justice, EqualHealth’s Campaign Against Racism,  Immigration Center for Women and Children, Advocates for Basic Legal Equality (ABLE), Refugee Advocacy Lab, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, CASA, Immigration Law & Justice Network, Immigrant ARC, National Immigration Project, The Sidewalk School, TPS-DED AAC, Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice, United African Organization, United We Dream, Urban Mom Collective National Black Mom Coalition, We Are All America, Westside Justice Center, Win Without War, Wind of the Spirit Immigrant Resource Center, Witness at the Border, Women Watch Afrika, Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights, Working Families United, Hope Border Institute, Washington Office on Latin America, La Raza Community Resource Center (SF), Mujeres Unidas y Activas, Center for Engagement and Advocacy in the Americas, Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network (SIREN), Alianza Americas, The Episcopal Church, MomsRising, Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County, Inc. (CAB), Asian Law Caucus, and the Central American Resource Center (CARECEN-LA).

    The text of the letter can be read here.

    As Representative for the Massachusetts 7th Congressional District, Congresswoman Pressley serves as Co-Chair for the House Haiti Caucus and represents one of the largest Haitian diaspora communities in the country, with approximately 46,000 Haitians and Haitian-Americans living across the state and over half in the Boston metropolitan area. Additionally, Massachusetts is home to more than 4,700 Haitians with Temporary Protected Status.

    • On February 20, 2025, Rep. Pressley and her Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs issued a statement condemning the Trump Administration’s decision to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti.
    • On November 14, 2024, Rep. Pressley and her Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs issued a statement condemning violence in Haiti and calling on the Biden Administration to halt all deportations to Haiti.
    • On September 25, 2024, Rep. Pressley and her Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs issued a statement condemning the false and dangerous lies about Haitian, Latino, and Asian immigrants.
    • On September 20, 2024, Rep. Pressley and her Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs joined colleagues and advocates at a press conference to stand in solidarity with Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio and across America, and to demand accountability for the harmful and false narratives perpetuated by Republicans.
    • On June 28, 2024, Rep. Pressley issued a statement applauding the Biden-Harris Administration’s extension and redesignation of Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). 
    • On April 23, 2024, Rep. Pressley, alongside Co-Chairs Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), led a group of 50 lawmakers urging the Biden Administration to redesignate Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), pause on deportations back to Haiti, extend humanitarian parole to any Haitians currently detained in Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s detention centers, end detention of Haitian migrants intercepted at sea, and provide additional humanitarian assistance for Haiti.
    • On April 18, 2024, Rep. Pressley and Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs led a letter to House Ways and Means Committee leadership emphasizing support for the early renewal of the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement (HOPE) and the Haiti Economic Lift Program (HELP) Acts, commonly known as HOPE/HELP. 
    • On April 12, 2024, Rep. Pressley joined Haitian-led activists, organizations, and a directly impacted person in Haiti for a press call urging federal action to address the worsening humanitarian crisis in Haiti.
    • On March 27, 2024, Rep. Pressley joined Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and her colleagues on the Massachusetts congressional delegation in urging the Biden Administration to expedite visa processing for Haitians, particularly  for relatives of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents.
    • On March 18, Rep. Pressley, Senator Markey, and the House Haiti Caucus led 67 lawmakers on a letter urging the Biden Administration to extend TPS for Haiti and halt deportations.
    • On March 12, 2024, Rep. Pressley and Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Cherfilus McCormick and Yvette Clarke issued a statement on the resignation of Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
    • On March 6, 2024, Rep. Pressley issued a statement on the recent jailbreak and State of Emergency in Haiti.
    • On December 8, 2023, Rep. Pressley and Congresswoman Yvette Clarke urged the U.S. Department of State to withdraw U.S. support for an armed foreign intervention in Haiti and encourage negotiations for a Haitian-led democratic political transition.
    • On December 6, 2022, Rep. Pressley issued a statement applauding the Biden Administration’s extension and re-designation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti.
    • On December 1, 2022, Rep. Pressley, Rep. Cori Bush, and Rep. Mondaire Jones led 14 of their colleagues on a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas urging the Department to extend and redesignate Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
    • In September 2022, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Velázquez led 54 of their colleagues on a letter calling on the Biden Administration to immediately halt deportations to Haiti and provide humanitarian parole protections for those seeking asylum. The lawmakers’ letter followed the Administration’s resumption of deportation flights to Haiti as thousands of Haitian migrants continue to await an opportunity to make an asylum claim at the border. 
    • In September 2022, Rep. Pressley joined her colleagues on the House Oversight Committee in demanding answers regarding the inhumane treatment of migrants in Del Rio, Texas, by Border Patrol agents on horseback and pushing to Biden Administration to end the ongoing use and weaponization of Title 42.
    • On August 17, 2022, Rep. Pressley, along with Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Val Demings, Yvette Clarke, and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), called on President Biden to appoint a new Special Envoy to Haiti, a position that has remained unfilled since September 2021.
    • On July 7, 2022, Rep. Pressley and Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Andy Levin (MI-09), Val Demings (FL-10) and Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) released a statement marking the one-year anniversary of the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse.
    • On May 31, 2022, Rep. Pressley and Reverend Dieufort Fleurissaint, chair of Haitian Americans United, published an op-ed in the Bay State Banner in which they called on the Biden administration to withdraw support for de facto ruler of Haiti, Ariel Henry, and instead support an inclusive, civil society-led process to restore stability and democracy on the island. 
    • In April 2022, she joined her colleagues at a press conference reaffirming her support for President Biden’s decision to end Title 42. Full video of her remarks at the press conference is available here. Rep. Pressley applauded the Biden Administration’s end of Title 42 in a statement in April 2022.
    • On May 26, 2022, Rep. Pressley, along with with Representatives Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Andy Levin (MI-09), Jim McGovern (MA-02), and Frederica Wilson (FL-24), led a letter to United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Power urging her to act to ensure food security in Haiti.
    • On March 16, 2022, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Mondaire Jones called on Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky to fully end Title 42, cease deportations of people to Haiti and affirm their legal and fundamental human right to seek asylum.
    • On February 16, 2022, Rep. Pressley joined Congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-01), Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), and 100 House and Senate colleagues in urging President Biden to reverse inhumane immigration policies – such as Title 42, originally introduced under the Trump Administration – that continue to disproportionately harm Black migrants.
    • On February 14, 2022, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), alongside Representatives Judy Chu (CA-27) and Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), led 33 other House Democrats on a letter to Rochelle Walensky, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, demanding answers about the agency’s justification for treating asylum seekers as a unique public health threat, how these expulsions are being coordinated, how asylum seekers being returned to dangerous situations are being cared for, and more.
    • On February 14, 2022, Reps. Pressley, Judy Chu (CA-27), and Nydia Velázquez (NY-07) led 33 other House Democrats on a letter to CDC Director Walensky demanding answers about the agency’s justification for treating asylum seekers as a unique public health threat, how these expulsions are being coordinated, how asylum seekers being returned to dangerous situations are being cared for, and more. Days later, Rep. Pressley once again called on the Biden Administration to reverse the Title 42 Order and other anti-Black immigration policies.
    • On January 12, 2022, Rep. Pressley and Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), Andy Levin (MI-09), and Val Demings (FL-10) released a statement on the 12-year anniversary of the catastrophic 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010.
    • On November 21, 2021, Rep. Pressley and Senator Elizabeth Warren led the Massachusetts congressional delegation on a letter to the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) calling on them to coordinate with the government agencies of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to assist newly arrived families from Haiti. 
    • On October 18, 2021, Rep. Pressley, and Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Val Demings (FL-10), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), and Andy Levin (MI-09) issued a statement following the kidnapping of American and Canadian missionaries in Haiti.
    • On October 18, 2021, Rep. Pressley issued a statement on the civil rights complaint filed by Haitian families demanding a federal investigation into the heinous actions perpetrated by federal officials at the border.
    • On October 22, 2021, Rep. Pressley, along with Oversight Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney, Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), and Reps. Rashida Tlaib (MI-13), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), sent a letter to Troy A. Miller, the Acting Administrator of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), demanding a briefing and answers regarding press reports of the inhumane treatment of migrants in Del Rio, Texas, by Border Patrol agents on horseback. 
    • On September 17, 2021, Rep. Pressley and Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07) led 52 of their colleagues calling on the Biden Administration to immediately halt deportations to Haiti and take urgent action to address the concerns of the Haitian Diaspora after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake devastated Haiti.
    • On August 14, 2021, Rep. Pressley Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Andy Levin (MI-09) and Val Demings (FL-10) and Mondaire Jones (NY-17) released a statement regarding the recent earthquake in Haiti.
    • On July 14, 2021, Rep. Pressley and Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Andy Levin (MI-09) and Val Demings (FL-10) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas calling on him to take a series of steps to support the Haitian diaspora amid ongoing political turmoil in Haiti.
    • In July 2021, the Reps. Pressley, Clarke, Demings and Levin issued a statement condemning the assassination of President Moïse and calling for swift and decisive action to bring political stability and peace to Haiti and the Haitian people.
    • In May 2021, on Haitian Flag Day, Reps. Pressley, Levin, Clarke and Demings announced the formation of the House Haiti Caucus, a Congressional caucus dedicated to pursuing a just foreign policy that puts the needs and aspirations of the Haitian people first.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pressley Leads Mass. Lawmakers Demanding Answers on Illegal DOGE Firings of Federal Workers in Massachusetts

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

    Pressley Has Led Efforts in Congress to Halt Terminations and Protect Federal Workers

    Massachusetts is Home to Over 46,000 Dedicated Federal Employees

    Text of Letter (PDF)

    BOSTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) led her colleagues in the Massachusetts congressional delegation in a letter to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) sharply criticizing and demanding answers about the impact of the Musk-Trump Administration’s mass firings of federal workers in Massachusetts. Congresswoman Pressley has led efforts in Congress to halt terminations and protect federal workers, and her letter comes as Elon Musk’s “DOGE” initiative continues its unjust and unlawful terminations of federal workers across the country, threatening the over 46,000 federal employees serving in Massachusetts.

    “Our Commonwealth is home to more than 46,000 federal employees who play an essential role in safeguarding the health, safety, and economic well-being of Massachusetts. These indiscriminate cuts threaten the core functioning of critical federal services and will harm our constituents,” the lawmakers wrote in their letter to Acting OPM Director Charles Ezell. “We request that you provide detailed and complete information regarding federal employees in Massachusetts who have been terminated, placed on leave, transferred, or subjected to a reduction in force (RIF) as part of this purge.”

    In their letter, the lawmakers outlined the harmful attacks on federal workers that the Administration has taken since January 20, 2025, including offering employees a so-called “deferred resignation,” indiscriminately terminating federal employees in their probationary period, and ordering mass layoffs across the federal government under the guise of “efficiency.” The lawmakers also noted that every Department of Education employee in the Boston regional office has been fired, while nearly 10,000 employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs in Massachusetts now face threats from downsizing efforts.

    “The Administration’s executive overreach undermines federal agencies, including in critical areas of disaster preparedness, public health, public safety, and national security,” the lawmakers continued. “These attacks on public servants and the communities they support are unacceptable, and our constituents deserve better.”

    The lawmakers requested OPM provide the following information by April 4, 2025:

    • The number of federal employees in Massachusetts since January 20, 2025, that have been terminated, placed on administrated leave, taken early retirement, or been subject to a RIF broken down by agency, county, congressional district, GS level, and average length of federal service;
    • The number of veterans who held positions with the federal government in Massachusetts since January 20, 2025, that have been terminated, placed on administrated leave, taken early retirement, or been subject to a RIF broken down by agency, county, congressional district, GS level, and average length of federal service;
    • The number of federal employees in Massachusetts that have accepted the Administration’s “deferred resignation” offer broken down by agency, county, congressional district, GS level, and average length of federal service; and
    • A detailed plan explaining how OPM will work with agencies and our state government to ensure that RIFs do not result in delays or disruptions to programs and benefits, including but not limited to Medicare, Social Security, and Medicaid.

    Joining Congresswoman Pressley in sending this letter are Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Edward J. Markey (D-MA), along with Representatives Richard E. Neal (MA-01), James P. McGovern (MA-02), Stephen F. Lynch (MA-08), William Keating (MA-09), Katherine Clark (MA-05), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Lori Trahan (MA-03), and Jake Auchincloss (MA-04).

    A copy of the letter is available here.

    Last month, Rep. Pressley led 85 lawmakers in writing to the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) urging OSC to ensure all unfairly fired civil servants are immediately rehired and protected from greater abuse, and she has applauded numerous court rulings mandating their reinstatement.

    Congresswoman Pressley was also proud to welcome Claire Bergstresser, an Everett constituent, dedicated public servant, AFGE union member, and terminated HUD worker as her guest to the presidential joint address to Congress.

    Congresswoman Pressley has been a leading voice in Congress speaking out against Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s unprecedented assault on our democracy and federal agencies, and she has been a steadfast advocate for protecting the essential services that federal workers and agencies provide.

    • On March 11, 2025, Rep. Pressley spoke out against the U.S. Department of Education’s mass layoffs of over 1,300 workers, which effectively guts the agency.
    • On March 11, 2025, Rep. Pressley voted against Republicans’ shameful government budget bill, which would harm vulnerable families and provide a blank check for Elon Musk and Donald Trump to continue their unprecedented assault on our democracy. She later issued a statement condemning its final passage in the Senate.
    • On March 11, 2025, Rep. Pressley joined 13 of her colleagues on a letter to the Department of Homeland Security demanding answers and the immediate release of Columbia student Mahmoud Khalil, whose illegal abduction is an attack on his constitutional right to free speech and due process.
    • On March 4, 2025, Rep. Pressley walked out of the House chamber in protest during Donald Trump’s presidential joint address to Congress.
    • On March 4, 2025, Rep. Pressley welcomed Claire Bergstresser, an Everett constituent, dedicated public servant, AFGE union member, and former HUD worker who was unjustly terminated as part of Musk and Trump’s assault on federal agencies as her guest to the presidential joint address to Congress.
    • On February 28, 2025, Rep. Pressley led 85 lawmakers in a letter urging the Office of Special Counsel to immediate reinstate and expand protections for all unfairly fired federal workers.
    • On February 28, 2025, Rep. Pressley joined over 200 Democrats in filing an amicus brief defending the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau before a U.S. District Court.
    • On February 26, 2025, in a House Oversight Committee hearing, Rep. Pressley discussed what true government efficiency looks like and denounced Elon Musk and Donald Trump for utilizing DOGE to gut the essential services that keep people safe, fed, and housed.
    • On February 25, 2025, in a House Oversight Committee hearing, Rep. Pressley condemned Elon Musk’s abuse of government efficiency through the fraudulent Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
    • On February 25, 2025, Rep. Pressley delivered a floor speech in which she railed against Republicans’ cruel budget resolution that would slash Medicaid by nearly $1 trillion.
    • On February 20, 2025, Rep. Pressley and her Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs issued a statement condemning the Trump Administration’s decision to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti.
    • On February 13, 2025, in a House Financial Services Committee hearing, Rep. Pressley emphasized the critical role of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in safeguarding consumers and sharply criticized Donald Trump and Elon Musk for halting the critical work of the agency.
    • On February 10, 2025, Rep. Pressley rallied with Senator Elizabeth Warren, Ranking Member Maxine Waters, and advocates to protest Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s unlawful takeover of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)
    • On February 11, 2025, in a House Financial Services Committee hearing, Rep. Pressley criticized the Trump-Musk administration for halting the critical work of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) with crypto scams on the rise.
    • On February 10, 2025, Rep. Pressley issued a statement slamming the Trump Administration’s harmful cuts to National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding to support hospitals, universities, and research institutions conducting lifesaving research.
    • On February 10, 2025, as Trump and Musk threaten to dismantle the essential work of the U.S. Department of Education, Rep.  Pressley delivered a powerful floor speech to affirm the role of public education in American democracy.
    • On February 6, 2025, in a House Oversight Committee hearing, Rep. Pressley delivered a powerful rebuke of Republicans’ efforts to gut diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and eliminate essential services for vulnerable communities.
    • On February 5, 2025, Rep. Pressley rallied outside the U.S. Department of Treasury to protest Elon Musk’s unlawful assault on federal agencies and our democracy.
    • On January 30, 2025, Rep. Pressley slammed Donald Trump for blaming the tragic plane crash at Reagan National Airport, which killed over 60 people, including some families from Massachusetts, on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
    • In January 2025, Rep. Pressley issued a statement slamming Trump’s illegal freeze on federal grants and loans and its harmful impact on vulnerable communities.
    • On January 23, 2025, Rep. Pressley delivered an impassioned floor speech condemning Republicans’ cruel anti-abortion bill that criminalizes providers and denies families care.
    • On January 23, 2025, Rep. Pressley joined her colleagues to reintroduce the Neighbors Not Enemies Act, a bill to repeal an outdated law that has been used to target innocent immigrants without due process rights.
    • On January 22, 2025, Rep. Pressley issued a statement condemning the Trump Administration’s harmful executive actions on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dr. Joyce Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Encourage Life-Saving Innovation

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Joyce (PA-13)

    Washington, D.C. –Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13) and Congressman Don Davis (NC-01) have introduced H.R. 946, the Optimizing Research Progress Hope And New (ORPHAN) Cures Act, legislation that would accelerate the development of new life-saving cures and provide hope to millions Americans affected by rare diseases.

    Under current federal law, a drug or treatment that receives approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat exclusively one rare disease – commonly known as an “orphan drug” – is eligible for certain incentives, including an exemption from Medicare’s drug negotiation program.  Unfortunately, those same incentives do not exist if an orphan drug receives FDA approval to treat two or more rare diseases.  This has the unintended effect of discouraging and disincentivizing American innovators from engaging in the expensive and time-intensive research necessary to determine if an orphan drug could cure or treat additional rare diseases.

    The ORPHAN Cures Act would remedy these harmful, unintended consequences by honoring the intent of the Orphan Drug Act of 1983 and restoring proven, time-tested incentives to encourage the discovery of new cures for the narrow patient populations affected by rare diseases.

    “Over 30 million Americans are affected by nearly 10,000 rare diseases– yet 95% of these rare diseases lack an FDA-approved treatment. We need to be doing more – not less – to bring new FDA-approved treatments to market for rare disease patients,” said Congressman John Joyce, M.D. “The ORPHAN Cures Act ensures that proven, critical R&D incentives are in place so the millions of Americans with rare diseases can continue to have hope for the future.”

    “We must empower our innovators to continue developing lifesaving rare disease treatments,” said Congressman Don Davis. “By cutting red tape for researchers and scientists, Congress can help lay the foundation for the next generation of cures.”

    “Life Sciences Pennsylvania applauds Congressman Joyce on the introduction of the ORPHAN CURES Act in the 119th Congress,” said Christopher P. Molineaux, President and CEO of Life Sciences Pennsylvania.  “Dr. Joyce understands that the process of taking a rare disease medicine from research through development and approval for patients has many unique challenges.  With small patient populations, the development of medicines for rare diseases is significantly more difficult, costly, and risky than typical drug research and development. The ORPHAN CURES Act creates hope for the millions of patients living with a rare disease.”

    “At Tigerlily Foundation, we stand firmly in support of the ORPHAN Cures Act, a vital step toward ensuring access to life-saving treatments for rare disease patients, including those needing care for rare diseases as results of their anti-cancer treatments. This legislation not only accelerates the development of innovative therapies but also addresses the unique challenges faced by patients who have long been overlooked. We believe every individual deserves the right to hope, healing, and health, and the ORPHAN Cures Act brings us closer to that vision. Together, we can create a future where no one is left behind in the fight for better care and cures,” said Maimah Karmo, President & CEO, Tigerlily Foundation

    “On behalf of our LGMD2I/R9 community, CureLGMD2i fully supports the Orphan Cures Act (OCA), which will maintain existing incentives and boost research into new treatments for the 30 million Americans currently suffering from rare diseases. LGMD2I/R9 is an ultra rare and progressive muscle wasting disease that currently has no approved treatment. The OCA provides hope to our patient community by protecting the incentives for drug developers to continue working on a potential treatment for rare diseases like the LGMDs,” saidKelly Brazzo, Co-Founder and CEO of CureLGMD2i Foundation

    “Rare disease medications are often brought to market as a second indication, because research is just too expensive for our small populations to do the initial expansive testing. Eliminating limiting the exemption to one rare disease, hope and treatment is unnecessarily taken away. This, and the removal of incentives for investing in rare disease research are devastating to the rare disease community. While we believe these were oversights in crafting the law, they must be corrected immediately. People’s lives are at stake. Eosinophilic & Rare Disease Cooperative strongly support the passage of the Orphan Cures Act. We are here to help in any way we can to move this legislation forward,” said Sarah Jones, Community Engagement, Eosinophilic & Rare Disease Cooperative

    “With the growing role of genetics and genomics in cancer and other diseases, we are seeing more rare patient communities of under 200,000 who may benefit from a targeted treatment. Passage of the ORPHAN Cures Act is essential to encourage therapeutic innovation for these patients. Without it, the incentives established under the Orphan Drug Act are undermined, and some of our most vulnerable patients will suffer,” said Lisa Schlager, Vice President, Public Policy, FORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered

    “The Save Rare Treatments Task Force thanks Congressmen Joyce and Davis for their bipartisan leadership in introducing the ORPHAN Cures Act. This vital legislation corrects an unintended consequence in law to ensure strong incentives for research and development of new medical treatments for rare disease,” said the Save Rare Treatments Task Force

    For more information, you can find a one-pager here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Democratic Physicians Announce Launch of Congressional Doctors Caucus

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raul Ruiz (36th District of California)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. –– Today, all six Democratic physicians serving in the U.S. House of Representatives formally announced the launch of the Congressional Doctors Caucus.

    The caucus is dedicated to promoting the health and well-being of Americans, advancing pragmatic health care policy and providing fellow Members with insights on critical health issues.

    Members of the caucus include:

    • Ami Bera, M.D. (CA-06) – Internal Medicine
    • Herb Conaway Jr., M.D. (NJ-03) – Internal Medicine
    • Maxine Dexter, M.D. (OR-03) – Pulmonary & Critical Care 
    • Kelly Morrison, M.D. (MN-03) – Obstetrics & Gynecology
    • Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-25) – Emergency Medicine 
    • Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) – Pediatrics

    “I am excited to launch the Doctors Caucus that will fight for quality, affordable health care for American families,” said Representative Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-25). “As doctors we understand the pain and suffering that people endure for not having access to care. We will work to ensure that every American has the health care they need.”

    “As physicians, we bring firsthand experience with the challenges facing patients and providers every day,” said Representative Ami Bera, M.D. (CA-06). “This caucus will harness our collective expertise to advance practical, evidence-based solutions that lower costs, expand access and strengthen care delivery. I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure every American has access to quality, affordable care.”

    “Medicine is not just a profession; it is a calling—a lifelong commitment to alleviating suffering, saving lives, and advocating for those who cannot advocate for themselves,” said Representative Herb Conaway Jr., M.D. (NJ-03). “By launching the Doctors Caucus, we are continuing that commitment. I’m proud to join my fellow Democratic doctors in creating this caucus, where we will fight for patients and providers. Considering the present political landscape, it is more important than ever that we stand together.”

    “At a time when Republicans are attacking science, slashing health care, and putting politics over patients, Democratic physicians must be organized to fight back,” said Congresswoman Maxine Dexter, M.D. (OR-03) “The Congressional Doctors Caucus will be vigilant and active to do all we can to ensure healthcare policy is patient-centered and science-based. We will push back against dangerous misinformation and stand up for every American’s right to have meaningful access to high-quality, affordable health care.” 

    “We are seeing health care, evidence-based science, and lifesaving research come under attack more than ever before by the Trump-Vance Administration and their Republican majority in Congress. As doctors, we will always stand up for the health and well-being of all Americans,” said Representative Kelly Morrison, M.D. (MN-03). “I am proud to join this group of Democratic doctors to fight every day to protect and expand access to the lifesaving care that Americans need and deserve.”

    “As Republicans in Congress slash Medicaid, condone the questioning of proven safety and efficacy of vaccinations, and endanger our public health by knee-capping key agencies and medical research, I’m proud to join my fellow Democratic Doctors in creating this Doc Caucus,” said Representative Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08). “Together, we will stand up for patients, providers, innovation, science, and common-sense improvements that enhance health care and bring down costs.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz announces Dr. Ida Obeso-Martinez, Cardiovascular Nurse Practitioner and Mayor Pro-Tempore for the City of Imperial in Imperial County, as his guest for President Trump’s Joint Address

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raul Ruiz (36th District of California)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz (CA-25) announced that Mayor Pro-Tempore for the City of Imperial and Cardiovascular Nurse Practitioner, Dr. Ida Obeso-Martinez, will be his guest for President Trump’s Joint Address to Congress.

    Dr. Ida Obeso-Martinez is a lifelong resident of the Imperial County and is a dedicated Cardiovascular Nurse Practitioner at the Imperial Cardiac Center. Dr. Ida Obeso-Martinez began her journey at Imperial High School, where she earned her high school diploma. She then pursued her passion for nursing, earning an Associate’s in Nursing from Imperial Valley College, a Bachelor’s in Nursing from the University of Phoenix, and ultimately a Doctorate in Nursing Practice from the University of Arizona. Committed to giving back, Dr. Obeso-Martinez returned to Imperial Valley dedicated to serving our communities.

    She dedicated her life’s work to health promotion and community education. On any given day, Dr. Obeso-Martinez cares for more than 35 patients, most of whom rely on Medicaid. She has seen firsthand, the need for these essential programs in underserved communities like Imperial County. 

    President Donald Trump and House Republicans have recently threatened to move forward with Medicaid cuts while handing big tax breaks to billionaires. This is a betrayal of hardworking American taxpayers, like the patients Dr. Obeso-Martinez cares for every day in the Imperial Valley. Medicaid provides health coverage to 10.4 million Californians, including 420,206 people or 42.1% of the constituents in California’s 25th Congressional District. This includes 177,096 children under the age of 19 and 41,000 seniors over 65 in our communities.

    “I am deeply honored and grateful to Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz for the opportunity to attend the Joint Session of Congress,” said Imperial Mayor Pro-Tempore Dr. Ida Obeso-Martinez. “His leadership and unwavering dedication have brought critical federal resources to support health care, infrastructure, and economic development in our communities. As a lifelong advocate for expanding health care access in the Imperial Valley, I am here to stand against Medicaid cuts that would limit the care our health facilities can provide to patients. I appreciate Congressman Ruiz’s continued advocacy and the privilege of experiencing this historic moment alongside him.”

    Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz (CA-25) expressed his enthusiasm for Dr. Obeso-Martinez’s attendance at the Joint Session, stating, “I am thrilled to welcome Dr. Ida Obeso-Martinez, Mayor Pro-Tempore and Cardiovascular Nurse Practitioner, to the Joint Address to Congress. As a lifelong Imperial Valley resident, she understands firsthand the vital role Medicaid plays in caring for her patients. Yet, President Trump and extreme House Republicans are pushing a budget that includes billions in Medicaid cuts, harming patients and constituents across the Imperial Valley, all while giving billionaires massive tax breaks. We must stand up and protect the care our communities and patients rely on.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Salinas, Balint, Smith Demand RFK Jr. Rescind Harmful Comments on Mental Illness, Anti-Depression Medications

    Source: US Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06)

    Lawmakers’ demand comes after the HHS Secretary directed the agency to assess the “threat” posed by SSRIs

    Washington, DC – On March 20, 2025, U.S. Representatives Andrea Salinas (OR-06) and Becca Balint (VT-AL), along with U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), led 23 of their colleagues in a bicameral letter demanding that U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. rescind his past statements that further stigmatize mental health treatment. His comments include misinformation such as falsely linking Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) to school shootings and stating that SSRIs are more addictive than heroin. Both claims have zero scientific evidence behind them and perpetuate harmful stereotypes. SSRIs such as Prozac, Zoloft, and Lexapro are some of the leading treatments for depression and anxiety and are used by nearly 32 million Americans each year.

    “Secretary Kennedy’s false statements about certain mental health medications aren’t just unhelpful, they’re dangerous,” said Rep. Salinas. “The stigma around seeking help is bad enough as it is, and we can’t afford more misinformation – much less coming from our federal government. Secretary Kennedy needs to retract these comments, stick to the science, and stop spreading his untrue and unqualified opinions about how to treat mental illness and addiction.”

    “Tens of millions of Americans struggle with mental health challenges. Prescription medication has long been one of the tools that medical providers use to treat illness. Mental health is no different,” said Rep. Balint. “To mischaracterize these medications as a “threat” is deeply dangerous and inflammatory. The Department of Health and Human Services should be a trusted source on all health issues – including mental health, especially as we face a growing mental health crisis in this country. I’m deeply disturbed that Secretary Kennedy continues to make reckless comments that could affect the health of millions of Americans. Medications for disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, and substance use can change lives. We should be able to work toward bipartisan mental health solutions rather than tearing down our fellow Americans.”   

    Secretary Kennedy has a long history of pushing harmful stereotypes around mental and behavioral health issues. 

    1. Most recently, he directed the Department of Health and Human Services to assess the “threat posed by the prescription of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, [and] stimulants.” While the focus of this portion of the Commission is making children healthy, the characterization that these medications pose a “threat” will have far-reaching implications for Americans of all ages seeking and accessing mental health treatment and only serves to further stigmatize mental illness.
       
    2. He has implied a link between antidepressants and school shootings and pushed for the issue to be researched, even though a comprehensive analysis of FBI data from 2000-2017 found that the majority of school shooters were not previously treated with psychotropic medications, and of those who were, no direct or causal association was found.
       
    3. He falsely stated that SSRIs are addictive, saying at time they are more difficult to wean off of than heroin. Mental health professionals have widely denounced that characterization, including Keith Humphreys, a Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford, characterized antidepressants and heroin as existing in “different universes” in terms of addiction risk. Of course, like any medication, the usage and stoppage of SSRIs should be a decision made between a patient and their provider with continued monitoring and consultation.

    Click here or see below to read the full text of the letter.

    March 20, 2025

    Honorable Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Secretary
    U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
    200 Independence Ave. SW
    Washington, D.C. 20201

    Dear Secretary Kennedy,

    We write to express our deep concerns regarding the Make America Healthy Again Commission’s troubling characterization of mental and behavioral health medication and your recent comments promoting disproven and outright false theories about these important treatments. These statements further stigmatize the mental and behavioral health challenges that one in five Americans live with, and can have a chilling effect on Americans seeking scientifically sound, medically necessary, and appropriate care.

    The Make America Healthy Again Commission, established by Executive Order 14212 on February 13, 2025 and which met for the first time on March 11, 2025, is directed to assess the “threat posed by the prescription of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, [and] stimulants.” While the focus of this portion of the Commission is making children healthy, the characterization that these medications pose a “threat” will have far reaching implications for Americans of all ages seeking and accessing mental health treatment. In other recent statements, you have doubled down on your belief in the link between school shooters and psychotropic drugs and in comments during your Senate confirmation hearing to the Department of Health and Human Services, you compared Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) to heroin.

    Taken together, this paints a troubling picture of your views on mental illness and treatment among children and adults. As Secretary of Health and Human Services, overseeing our nation’s health care system, you are in a position of great power to impact mental health interventions and treatments available to Americans. It is imperative that you follow the well-established and widely accepted scientific and medical consensus about the causes and treatments for mental and behavioral health issues.

    Mental illness is common in the United States and across the world. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) estimates that nearly 60 million U.S. adults live with a mental illness. In 2022, nineteen percent of adults who received mental health treatment received prescription medication from their provider. Thirteen percent of U.S. adults received counseling, and twenty three percent of adults received counseling and medication.

    An estimated 49.5 percent of adolescents have had a mental health disorder at some point in their lives, with the most common mental health disorders in adolescence relating to anxiety, depression, attention deficit-hyperactivity, and eating. From 2018 to 2019, the last year for which comprehensive data is available, the CDC reports that 43 percent of children between the ages of 3 and 17 took medication for an emotional, concentrational, or behavioral condition. Youth mental health needs have only increased in the past five years. Given the prevalence of mental illness among youth and adults in the United States, your accusations and inflammatory comments are deeply troubling.

    You have called for research into the possibility of a link between antidepressants and school shootings. In 2019, research analyzing FBI data on ‘educational shootings’ from 2000-2017 found that the majority of school shooters were not previously treated with psychotropic medications. Of those who were, no direct or causal association was found. Additionally, experts at the Columbia Center of Prevention and Evaluation in collaboration with experts from the New York State Psychiatric Institute compiled the world’s largest catalog of reported mass murder (more than three deaths) from 1900-2019. Their research concluded that the vast majority of mass shootings and mass murder are committed by people without mental illness, and certainly not psychotic illness. In fact, in the rare case that someone with a severe mental illness (SMI) commits a mass murder, they are less likely to use firearms.

    In addition to your harmful comment attempting to link psychotropic medications to mass shootings, you also said that SSRIs are addictive. To be precise, you stated during your confirmation hearing, “I know people, including members of my family, who’ve had a much worse time getting off of SSRIs than people have getting off of heroin.” In contrast, Keith Humphreys, a Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford, characterized antidepressants and heroin as existing in “different universes” in terms of addiction risk. Of course, like any medication, the usage and stoppage of SSRIs should be a decision made between a patient and their provider with continued monitoring and consultation. 

    These inflammatory statements do nothing to improve public health and safety or help increase access to care for those with mental health issues or with a mental illness. By falsely equating psychotropic drugs with school shootings and falsely comparing SSRIs to heroin, you are reinforcing harmful stereotypes and perpetuating negative stigma aimed at those with a mental health issue or mental illness, and your words are especially impactful as Secretary of Health and Human Services. 

    Fear of judgment and discrimination can cause those living with a mental health condition or illness to delay or avoid care, which will only increase suffering and may lead to deteriorating conditions and increasing symptoms. Negative stereotypes about medication may deter people from exploring treatment options that could help them.

    A mental health illness is exactly as the name says, an illness. Similar to a physical health condition or illness, sometimes medication is necessary for treatment. For individuals with mental illness, it is no different. In addition to therapy, medications may be necessary and appropriate. For individuals living with moderate or severe depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, or other conditions, medication can alleviate symptoms so they can function normally and have improved quality of life.

    We urge you to retract your harmful and false comments on mental illness and the usage of SSRIs. The American people want to see the federal government address the burden of mental and behavioral health challenges, for which there is much more bipartisan work to be done. But it is imperative that in doing so, we follow research and best practice guidance, and that harmful stereotypes and stigma are not reinforced.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Van Drew Slams Disturbing State Mandate Requiring Hospitals to Ask Parents About Newborn’s Sexuality and Gender Identity

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jeff Van Drew (NJ02)

    Congressman Van Drew Slams Disturbing State Mandate Requiring Hospitals to Ask Parents About Newborn’s Sexuality and Gender Identity

    Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Van Drew is demanding an immediate end to a state mandate that requires New Jersey hospitals to ask parents their newborn baby’s sexual orientation and gender identity just hours after birth.

    “This mandate is beyond outrageous,” said Congressman Van Drew. “We are talking about newborns who are just minutes old, and already, the state government is trying to push its radical narrative on them. Parents should be focused on bonding with their newborn, not filling out completely unnecessary forms about their baby’s gender and sexual orientation. I remember when my children were born, what a beautiful time it was being by my wife’s side, and if they had handed me this form, I would have laughed in their faces. It is inappropriate and wrong on every level. Instead of focusing on real issues, like improving healthcare or supporting struggling families, New Jersey is wasting time and resources on a policy that makes no sense. I will be introducing legislation to make sure that states that allow policies like this will face consequences. We need to get back to common sense. Let parents raise their children without the state inserting itself into every part of their lives. This has gone too far.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Nadler, Garamendi, and Castor Reintroduce Legislation to Codify the EPA Office of Children’s Health Protection

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jerrold Nadler (10th District of New York)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S House Representatives Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), John Garamendi (D-CA), and Kathy Castor (D-FL) reintroduced the Children’s Health Protection Act of 2025, legislation to codify into law the only office within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) dedicated to children’s health, the Office of Children’s Health Protection (OCHP). This office would be responsible for rulemaking, policy, enforcement actions, research and applications of science that focuses on prenatal and childhood vulnerabilities, safe chemicals management; and coordination of community-based programs to eliminate threats to children’s health where they live, learn and play. 

    Similarly, the legislation would also make the EPA Children’s Health Protection Advisory Committee a permanent advisory committee. This advisory committee will advise the EPA Administrator in regards to the activities of the Office of Children’s Health Protection, all relevant information regarding regulations, research, and communications related to children’s health, and continue to serve the EPA in protecting children from environmental harm. 
    The Children’s Health Protection Act of 2025 aims to ensure that no President will be able to remove these safeguards that help shield children from environmental harms to their health. 

    “Today, I am proud to reintroduce the Children’s Health Protection Act which confronts the urgent need to address the unique health risks children face from environmental factors,” said Congressman Jerry Nadler (D-NY). “By codifying the 1997 Executive Order that created the EPA Office of Children’s Health Protection—the only office within the EPA dedicated to protecting children’s health—this bill makes certain that the Office will remain a critical resource for our children, especially as the EPA’s critical functions are threatened.”

     “While the Trump Administration is stripping EPA regulations that protect children’s health, I’m thrilled that Congressman Nadler and Castor are leading the way to improve indoor air quality in our nation’s schools,” said Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA). “Our bill will ensure that the EPA prioritizes children’s health, allowing them to grow up and live happy, healthy lives. In 2018, the Trump Administration attempted to eliminate the EPA’s Office of Children’s Health Protection, which ensures that federal regulations for chemicals and other toxic substances account for children’s unique health needs. In 2025, Congressman Nadler, Castor and I are fighting to prevent the Trump Administration and any future administration from making such a reckless decision.” 

    “The physical and mental health of children in America is paramount.  Children face greater health risks from dirty air and water pollution, and are at greater risk of developing chronic health conditions like asthma and diabetes.  Young people also are vulnerable to stress and trauma from extreme events and climate-related disasters. This bill will ensure that the EPA’s critical work to protect children’s environmental health continues with strong congressional support,” said Congresswoman Kathy Castor. 

    In addition to Representatives Nadler, Garamendi, and Castor, the bill is also cosponsored by Representatives Carson, Chu, Cohen, Dexter, Evans, Hayes, Holmes Norton, Johnson (GA), Lee (PA), Magaziner, Ocasio Cortez, Sorenson, Thanedar, Tlaib, and Tokuda. 

    BACKGROUND:
     
    Since its creation in 1997 through Executive Order, the EPA’s OCHP has been crucial in protecting children, who are uniquely vulnerable, from environmental hazards. It has done so through policy, research focusing on their unique prenatal and childhood health vulnerabilities, safe chemicals management, and coordination of community-based programs to eliminate threats to children’s health.
     
    The OCHP also studies how natural disasters affect children’s health, not only through exposure to hazards like mold and water-borne pathogens but also by analyzing the mental toll of displacement and loss. 
     
    The Children’s Health Protection Act will ensure this vital work continues by strengthening and securing the OCHP and the EPA Children’s Health Protection Advisory Committee.
     
    The Children’s Health Protection Act of 2025 is endorsed by a wide range of health advocacy groups and environmental justice organizations, including: Allergy & Asthma Network, Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments, American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Lung Association, Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, California Brain Tumor Association, Children’s Environmental Health Network,  Climate Mental Health Network, Climate Psychiatry Alliance, Endocrine Society, Green & Healthy Homes Initiative, Health Care Without Harm, Healthy Schools Network, International Society for Environmental Epidemiology: North America Chapter, Medical Students for a Sustainable Future, Moms Clean Air Force, National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, National Center for Healthy Housing, National Environmental Health Association, Northeast Ohio Black Health Coalition, OneGreenThing, Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility,  Pediatric Endocrine Society, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Physicians for Social Responsibility Maine, Physicians for Social Responsibility of Pennsylvania, Physicians for Social Responsibility – Texas, Prevention Institute, Rachel Carson Council, Rachel’s Network, San Francisco Bay Physicians for Social Responsibility, Sears-Swetland Family Foundation, Society for Public Health Education, Toxics Information Project (TIP), and 350 Bay Area Action.

    WHAT THEY ARE SAYING:

    “Nearly 5 million children in the United States have asthma, and asthma causes more missed school days than any other chronic disease,” said Kenneth Mendez, President and CEO of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA). “Environmental factors such as poor indoor air quality and outdoor air pollution play a role in making asthma symptoms worse. That’s why we need the EPA’s Office of Children’s Health Protection – to focus attention on steps to reduce asthma triggers. We thank Representatives Nadler, Garamendi, Castor for introducing this legislation to make this office permanent and ensure the health concerns of children are at the forefront of the EPA’s work.”

    “Children are the brightest part of our future,” said Deb Brown, Chief Mission Officer of the American Lung Association. “That’s why it’s critical to do everything we can to protect them. With lungs and other organs that are still developing, children are more vulnerable to the health harms from air pollution. Ensuring there will continue to be an office and a team dedicated to protecting the health of children from environmental hazards is a small step that will reap large benefits for our future.”

    “There are big gaps in our understanding of the long-term health outcomes resulting from exposure to the great number of toxins we’ve dumped into the environment over the last 50+ years,” said Sydney R. Sewall, MD, MPH, Pediatrician and President of Physicians for Social Responsibility (Maine Chapter). “We do know that children are at greatest risk, and more EPA policies need to be directed at reducing this risk.”

    “Given the devastating environmental rollbacks we are witnessing each day, the time is now to formally protect the Office of Children’s Health Protection within EPA. We must continue to protect children from environmental harms like toxic air pollution, lead, tainted drinking water, and climate change. Rep. Nadler and Garmendi’s bill has never been more urgent,” said Heather White, OneGreenThing Founder & CEO

    “Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) commends Representative Nadler for safeguarding the health of children by introducing legislation to make the EPA Office of Children’s Health Protection and the EPA Children’s Health Protection Advisory Committee permanent fixtures,” said Paige Knappenberger, Director of Physicians for Social Responsibility’s Environment and Health Program. “As physicians, PSR members know that children have unique vulnerabilities to environmental harms like climate change and air pollution and deserve special protections from these harms so they can have safe places to grow, play and learn.”

    “The Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments enthusiastically endorses Rep. Nadler’s bill introduced this week, the “Children’s Health Protection Act of 2024”, said Katie Huffling, DNP, RN, CNM, FAAN, Executive Director of the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments. “This bill aims to make the EPA Office of Children’s Health Protection (OCHP) and the EPA Children’s Health Protection Advisory Committee permanent. Established in 1997, OCHP is the only office within EPA dedicated to the health of children and as such, it safeguards our children from potential environmental harms to their health. We strongly urge members of Congress to support this bill to avoid any possibility of future administrations dismantling of this crucial office.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kathy Hochul, Fresh Off Her Disastrous Handling of the Corrections Officers Strike, Bungles It Again With Home Care Chaos

    Source: US Congressman Mike Lawler (R, NY-17)

    Pearl River, N.Y. – 3/24/25… Today, Governor Kathy Hochul’s administration once again admits they stumbled into a self-made disaster, this time with the botched rollout of New York’s home healthcare overhaul. After weeks of insisting that everything was “going according to plan,” the Hochul team has now caved on its own deadline, delaying the transition following a whistleblower’s bombshell revelation that the process is a “s–t show.”

    The overhaul, a $9 billion endeavor meant to fold payroll services under Public Partnerships LLC (PPL) that has faced credible allegations of bid rigging, has spiraled into a mess of delays and dysfunction. Reports indicate PPL has been overwhelmed, drowning in phone calls, and unable to keep up with the demands of the transition. For the elderly and disabled New Yorkers who depend on home healthcare, this is a betrayal that threatens their daily lives.

    “Kathy Hochul’s encore to her mishandling of the corrections officers strike is a masterclass in chaos, and now the most vulnerable New Yorkers are paying the price,” said Congressman Mike Lawler. “All this change has done is create confusion and show incompetence, and the Governor  is putting the lives of over 280,000 vulnerable New Yorkers at risk while doing it.”

    PPL’s struggles have been compounded by decisions that weaken oversight, such as skipping consumer sign-offs on time cards and being understaffed to handle the influx of home healthcare aides attempting to register. For weeks, Hochul’s team brushed off concerns but is now backtracking one week before the overhaul goes into effect. This also follows Congressman Lawler and the NYGOP Congressional Delegation demanding that HHS step back as far as the summer of 2024 to prevent Hochul from wrecking home health care in New York State.

    “The Department of Health and Human Services must step in immediately to protect these essential services. At the same time, the Department of Justice needs to investigate the credible allegations of bid rigging in this broken contracting process. New Yorkers deserve answers,” concluded Congressman Lawler.

    Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and represents New York’s 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Strickland, Moore Fight for Abortion Doulas in State Medicaid

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, during World Doula Week, Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) and Representative Gwen Moore (WI-04) introduced the Abortion Data and Outreach to Unlock and Leverage Abortion Support Act, or the Abortion DOULAS Act. This bill would direct the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) to conduct a study on the benefits of abortion doula care and provide recommendations to states on incorporating this care into state Medicaid programs.

    “With women’s rights consistently under attack, it’s important that women have access to the physical and emotional support that they need,” said Strickland. “Abortion doulas provide uniquely valuable support to patients and ensure women have a voice in their reproductive care experience.”

    “Abortion doulas provide comfort and support to women after receiving abortion care. Prior to Congress, I proudly served as an abortion counselor and helped women through an often-emotional process. Their work is especially important now in our post-Roe America. I am partnering with Rep. Strickland on legislation to support research on abortion doulas, so we can better understand their impact and as a result, better serve those seeking abortion care,” said Moore.

    “Abortion doulas offer vital physical, social, and emotional support to those seeking abortion care in what continues to be a chaotic post-Dobbs landscape,” said Jocelyn Frye, president of the National Partnership for Women & Families. “The barriers to abortion access are even steeper for those living in under-resourced communities that often lack sufficient economic investments and health care infrastructure, making the expertise and care that abortion doulas offer even more valuable. Especially important are those abortion doulas who provide culturally competent care rooted in a deep understanding of the communities they serve. We thank Representatives Strickland and Moore for their leadership on this critical bill to improve patient access to quality health care experiences.”

    “While there has been a great deal of research into the benefits and incidence of doula care during the prenatal and postpartum period and during labor and delivery, there has been comparably less research into this topic for abortion doula care. Representative Strickland’s bill will help address this need by commissioning a comprehensive study on the benefits of abortion doula care and state coverage of abortion doula care, while also bringing to the topic the direct impact and experiences of abortion doulas and clients who have received abortion doula care. NHeLP has always been a supporter of doula care for all the ways in which a pregnancy can end, including doula care for abortion, and are proud to support this bill,” said Amy Chen, Senior Attorney at the National Health Law Program.

    Abortion doulas are trained, non-clinical professionals that provide emotional, physical, and informational support to patients before, during, and after seeking abortion care. Often times, abortion doulas act as patient advocates, help patients navigate the healthcare space, and possess culturally-relevant awareness that a medical professional may not consider.

    This bill is supported by the following organizations:

    • National Partnership for Women & Families
    • National Health Law Program
    • Surge Reproductive Justice
    • Physicians for Reproductive Health
    • National Network of Abortion Funds

    You can read the full bill text here.

    Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. She is Whip of the New Democrat Coalition, Secretary of the Congressional Black Caucus, and is one of the first Korean-American women elected to Congress.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Trump Endorses Malliotakis Push for Women’s History Museum

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11)

    (WASHINGTON, DC) – Yesterday, Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis joined female members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate at the White House to officially launch the Republican Women’s Caucus alongside President Donald Trump. At the event, President Trump backed Malliotakis’ push to build the museum he authorized in 2020 on the National Mall in Washington DC.

    Following historic gains among women voters in 2024, the bicameral group will rally behind legislation that advances key priorities for women in the 119th Congress, including legislation to strengthen families, protect women, economic empowerment, workforce development, healthcare, medical freedom, national security, and public safety.

    The Republican Women’s Caucus aims to elevate the role and voice of women nationally and to advance key legislative wins. The group also rallied for greater representation in leadership roles, and support Republican women at the national, state, and local levels.

    Some of the key legislation highlighted includes H.R. 633, the Take It Down Act introduced by Rep. Maria Salazar, which requires covered platforms to remove nonconsensual intimate visual depictions. Also highlighted was the Nest Act introduced by Rep. Kat Cammack, which creates tax-free savings accounts to help individuals and families save for a 20% down payment on their first home. Additionally, Rep. Cammack alongside Rep. Jodey Arrington introduced H.R. 842, The Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act, which seeks to expand Medicare coverage for early cancer detection through multi-cancer screening tests. Malliotakis is also cosponsoring the HOPE with Fertility Services Act, which would require private insurance to cover fertility treatments, and this bill is expected to be reintroduced soon.

    “I am pleased to join my colleagues at the White House and stand with President Trump to promote our legislation that advances key priorities for women this Congress,” said Rep. Malliotakis. “The Republican Party today is the party of opportunity, security, and freedom. It was Republican Susan B. Anthony who led the suffrage movement. It was a Republican Senator who sponsored the 19th Amendment to give women voting rights that was passed by a Republican-led Congress and ratified by a majority Republican states. It was a Republican President, Richard Nixon, who signed Title IX into law to eliminate sex discrimination in education and athletics. Our party is protecting females in sports, making cities safer for America’s women, empowering parents to shape their children’s education, and electing more Republican women to office than ever before.”

    Congresswoman Malliotakis is leading the effort to transfer the land on the National Mall to the Smithsonian Institution so the museum first authorized by President Trump in 2020 can be built. She is joined in this bipartisan effort by Reps. Judy Chu (D-CA), Monica De La Cruz (R-TX), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Emilia Sykes (D-OH), Mike Carey (R-OH), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA). The bill, H.R. 1329, has strong bipartisan support, with over 95 cosponsors.

    At yesterday’s event, President Trump expressed his strong support for building the Women’s Museum on the National Mall. In reference to Congresswoman Malliotakis’ bill, he called her a “driving force” behind the effort and said, “…we’re going to back it 100%.”

    Watch The President’s Remarks HERE.

    Earlier this month, Congresswoman Malliotakis hosted a Women’s History Month celebration at the U.S. Capitol alongside the House Bipartisan Women’s Caucus, where she serves as Vice Co-Chair. The House Bipartisan Women’s Caucus is led by Chairs Rep. Monica De La Cruz and Rep. Emilia Sykes, with Rep. Janelle Bynum also serving as Vice Co-Chair.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pfluger’s Bill Seeking to Lower Military Aviation Cancer Rates Included in Legislative Hearing

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

    Background:

    Military aviators and crewmembers have been found to have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer and melanoma, with possible links to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and testicular cancer. This is why Rep. Pfluger reintroduced the ACES Act earlier this year. If passed, this bill would direct the Secretary of the VA to study cancer incidence and mortality rates among aviators and aircrew who served in the Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps.

    This legislation is critical as it would improve our understanding of the link between military service and cancer risks among Veteran aviators. By better understanding the correlation between aviator service and cancer, we can better assist our military and provide more adequate care for our veterans.

    The ACES Act will help advance research on any correlation between aviator service and cancer rates to better assist veterans and active service members. The ACES Act was introduced in the House of Representatives in the 117thand 118thCongress.

    Rep. Pfluger’s Opening Remarks as Prepared for Delivery:

    Chairman Luttrell, Ranking Member McGarvey, esteemed colleagues on the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs, thank you for inviting me to speak on behalf of my bill, H.R. 530, the Aviator Cancers Examination Study, also known as the ACES Act.

    Military aviators and crewmembers are tragically being diagnosed with various forms of cancer at alarming rates – which is why I am proud to lead this legislation to address the critical gap in our care for military aviators. 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.

    This is critical because in 2021, an Air Force cancer incidence study revealed troubling findings about the health risks faced by fighter pilots and their crews. When compared to the general population, it showed aircrews had a 29% greater probability of testicular cancer, 24% higher for melanoma, and 23% higher for prostate cancer.

    Additionally, the Department of Defense’s Military Aviator Cancer Study also found elevated rates of cancer among military aviators and aviation ground personnel.

    I understand concerns about potential duplication with the DoD’s ongoing work. Let me clarify – the ACES Act is complementary, not duplicative. It leverages the National Academies’ expertise in meeting the VA’s evidentiary requirements for determining service connections and includes veterans who might not qualify under the PACT Act.

    Through more comprehensive and focused research on this issue than the aforementioned studies, the ACES Act will help us develop tailored interventions, improve screening protocols, and provide better care for aviators affected by cancer.

    This is not a partisan issue. Over 20 veterans, cancer, and medical professional organizations have rallied behind this bill because they’re tired of waiting year after year while aviators continue to suffer. They demand action now. Moving this legislation forward isn’t just about providing critical care—it’s about finally acknowledging the true cost of service these aviators have paid and continue to pay daily.

    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.

    That’s why I was honored to invite my dear friend Colonel Andy “Pablo” Shurtleff, who is currently fighting non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, to testify before this committee.

    You must not just hear the facts and figures but the voices of those living with the consequences of their service.

    The ACES Act is not just a bill—it’s a lifeline for those who have already given and continue to give and will give so much for our freedom. We owe it to them to act now.

    Thank you again, Mr. Chairman. I yield back.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Mental Health Australia welcomes Coalition commitment for youth mental health

    Source:

    The country’s peak mental health body Mental Health Australia welcomes the Coalition’s election commitment to increase youth mental health support and calls on all political parties and candidates to prioritise mental health in this Federal Election.

    See full media release at the PDF attached below. 

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Travelling overseas? You could be at risk of measles. Here’s how to ensure you’re protected

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Archana Koirala, Paediatrician and Infectious Diseases Specialist; Clinical Researcher, University of Sydney

    Julia Suhareva/Shutterstock

    On March 26 NSW Health issued an alert advising people to be vigilant for signs of measles after an infectious person visited Sydney Airport and two locations in western New South Wales.

    The person recently returned from Southeast Asia where there are active measles outbreaks in several countries including Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia.

    The NSW alert follows a string of similar alerts issued around Australia in recent days and weeks.

    If you’re travelling overseas soon, you could be at risk of measles. Here’s what to know to ensure you’re protected.

    First, what is measles?

    Measles is one of the most contagious viral illnesses. It spreads through the air when a person breathes, coughs or sneezes. On average, one person can infect 12 to 18 others who are not immune.

    Initial symptoms include fever, a runny nose, cough and conjunctivitis. Then a non-itchy rash usually starts around the hairline before spreading around the body.

    Measles is most common in children, and they’re also most vulnerable to getting very sick with the virus. Measles is severe in around one in ten children. Complications can include ear infection, diarrhoea and pneumonia, and, more rarely, encephalitis (brain swelling).

    However, adults can also catch and spread the disease, making up 10–20% of measles cases during outbreaks.

    Vaccination has saved millions of lives

    The first measles vaccine was licensed for public use in 1963, and it changed the trajectory of this disease. In the 21st century alone, measles vaccination is thought to have saved more than 60 million lives globally.

    The measles vaccine is free through Australia’s National Immunisation Program. It’s routinely given at 12 and 18 months of age. The first dose is combined with mumps and rubella (the MMR vaccine) and the second adds protection against chickenpox, or varicella (MMRV).

    False suggestions the measles vaccination is linked with disorders such as autism have been thoroughly disproven. The vaccine is very safe and highly effective.

    Measles is one of the most contagious viruses there is.
    fotohay/Shutterstock

    However, because the vaccine is made from a live virus, people with weakened immune systems (for example, those receiving chemotherapy for cancer or pregnant women) cannot have the vaccine even though they’re at higher risk of severe measles. Their safety depends on high community immunisation rates to reduce the spread of the virus.

    Because measles is so infectious, at least 95% of the population needs to be immune to prevent its spread.

    Immunity occurs from either two doses of measles vaccine or past infection. Measles vaccination was introduced in Australia in 1968. Most adults born before the mid-1960s would still be immune from a past infection. But vaccination is recommended for everyone else who is not immune.

    Immunity gaps are opening up

    Gaps in immunity to measles have opened up around the world due to challenges in delivering routine immunisations during the COVID pandemic, and, in some cases, reduced acceptance of vaccination.

    In 2023 only 83% of the world’s children received at least one dose of measles vaccine by their first birthday, down from 86% in 2019. This is not enough to halt spread.

    The withdrawal of US government funding from many global health programs, including a measles surveillance network that supports testing and outbreak responses, is throwing fuel on the fire.

    In Australia, small but progressive declines in the uptake of childhood vaccines over the past five years and immunity gaps in other age groups means our risk of outbreaks in increasing.

    Rates of childhood vaccination coverage have been declining slightly.
    Inna photographer/Shutterstock

    For example, coverage of the MMR vaccine at 24 months declined 0.4 percentage points between 2022 and 2023 (from 95.3% to 94.9% in Indigenous children and 95.1% to 94.7% in children overall).

    On-time vaccination rates – within 30 days of the recommended age – are also falling. The proportion of children who had their MMR vaccine on time dropped from 75.3% to 67.2% for non-Indigenous children and 64.7% to 56% for Indigenous children between 2020 and 2023.

    Measles outbreaks are increasing in Australia and across the world

    Measles cases are rapidly rising across the globe and more cases are arriving from overseas into Australia. So far in 2025, 37 cases have been reported compared to 57 in all of 2024, 26 in 2023 and seven in 2022. Most cases have been imported from overseas, but we’ve ascertained eight cases so far in 2025 were locally acquired.

    Many of the countries experiencing the largest measles outbreaks are popular travel destinations for Australians, including India, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam.

    But few countries are free of measles. The United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and various countries in Europe are all tackling outbreaks.

    As the incubation period – the gap between exposure and symptoms – is around seven to ten days, travellers may enter the country without knowing they’re about to become ill and potentially spread the virus to others.

    Protecting yourself and your family

    Although the usual age for the first measles dose is 12 months, the MMR vaccine can be given to babies as young as six months who are travelling to measles hotspots or during outbreaks.

    This early measles vaccine dose does not replace those given at 12 and 18 months, but will help protect the infant in the interim.

    It’s important all adults, particularly those planning overseas travel, know their vaccination or infection history. If you don’t, talk to your health-care provider about being vaccinated.

    Everyone who doesn’t have immunity from an infection should have two lifetime doses. Some adults, including those who have migrated from overseas, may have had none or only one dose when they were younger. If you’re unsure, there’s no harm in receiving a vaccine if you’ve had measles or have been fully vaccinated already.

    If you come back from overseas and need medical care, inform your health-care provider about your symptoms and recent travel before attending a clinic in person.

    Archana Koirala has worked on projects funded by the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care and NSW Health. She is the chair of Vaccination Special Interest Group and a committee member of Australian and New Zealand Paediatric Infectious Diseases Group of the Australasian Society of Infectious Diseases.

    Kristine Macartney is the Director of the Australian National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS). NCIRS receives funding from the Australian government Department of Health and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, NSW and other state and territory health departments, Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, the World Health Organization, the NHMRC, the MRFF and the Wellcome Trust.

    – ref. Travelling overseas? You could be at risk of measles. Here’s how to ensure you’re protected – https://theconversation.com/travelling-overseas-you-could-be-at-risk-of-measles-heres-how-to-ensure-youre-protected-252802

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s TB cure rate remains above 90%

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    China has maintained a national tuberculosis (TB) cure rate exceeding 90 percent since 2012, the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration announced on Thursday.
    Since 2012, China has seen a continuous decline in TB, a major infectious disease and global public health challenge, with both the incidence and mortality rates dropping by approximately 30 percent, the administration told a press conference.
    During the same period, the country’s annual reduction rate of TB cases is twice the global average, while the mortality rate remains at a relatively low level, according to the administration.
    Liu Qing, a senior official with the administration, noted that in recent years, China has implemented various measures and made remarkable progress in TB prevention and control.
    “Moving forward, the administration will improve inter-agency coordination, enhance proactive screening, and reduce the financial burden on patients through strengthened policy support,” Liu added.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed: Rhode Islanders Want Better Health Care Not Less Health Care

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC – Whether it’s food safety, preventing disease outbreaks, or ensuring medicine is effective, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is responsible for protecting Americans’ health and delivering essential health and social services.  Hollowing it out will not better protect Americans or deliver critical health care services.

    Today, after President Trump’s HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced plans to cut the size of the department by 20,000 employees, shrinking the public health workforce by nearly a quarter, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) called the move short-sighted and says it will needlessly jeopardize public health.

    “This an arbitrary, short-sighted plan that will make America sicker, less healthy, and more contagious.  Don’t be surprised in the weeks ahead when Congressional Republicans piggyback off of this and really go after Medicaid and Medicare.  They’re going to take the so-called ‘savings’ from these cuts to give a bigger tax windfall to billionaires at the expense of the health and safety of American patients and communities.  The average taxpayer is going to get fewer health services and public benefits and there will be a heavier tax burden and health burden on state and local communities,” said Senator Reed.  “I support efficiency and targeted efforts to improve the federal government, but that is not what’s happening here.  Instead, the Trump Administration is irrationally demolishing public health infrastructure.  We must wisely invest every dollar of health care spending, not just set arbitrary quotas that will lead to poorer health outcomes for many.”

    Trump’s health cuts will impact agencies like the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which responds to infectious disease outbreaks; the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which ensures the safety and effectiveness of medicines and approves new drugs; the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which conducts life-saving research into chronic diseases; and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which helps states combat the addiction and opioid crisis; as well as smaller agencies that help Americans with health insurance and work closely with communities nationwide to ensure child care, hospitals, and nursing homes are safe, strengthen rural health care, and more.

    Overall, the cuts will shrink HHS’s full-time health workforce from 82,000 to 62,000 when combined with its earlier layoffs. 

    These cuts come at the same time the Trump Administration abruptly cut off and clawed back billions in federal funding to state and local public health departments, and canceled critical research of infectious diseases.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: UniSA scientists secure $7 million for health and medical research

    Source:

    28 March 2025

    Identifying genetic links that predispose children to deadly brain cancers and neuroblastoma is the focus of a new Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) project led by University of South Australia researchers.

    The $976,292 project is one of five successful UniSA research projects, totalling more than $7 million, announced by the Federal Government today.

    Chief Investigator Associate Professor Quenten Schwarz from the Centre for Cancer Biology says he hopes the $976,292 stem cell project will improve treatment outcomes for the two diseases that have a very low survival rate.

    “Current treatment-induced side effects lead to long-term complications for children with these neuronal tumours, affecting their neurological and neurocognitive functions,” Assoc Prof Schwarz says.

    “If we can better identify the genetic links to these diseases, it will inform new targeted treatment options for these cancers that are less toxic.”

    Other UniSA chief investigators on the project include Professor Stuart Pitson, Dr Katherine Pillman, and Professor Natasha Harvey, along with researchers from SAHMRI, UNSW and the University of Western Australia.

    The other UniSA projects awarded MRFF funding include:

    Co-design models of care for youth with chronic pain ($2,604,235): MRFF EPCDRI & PHCR Multidisciplinary Models of Primary Care, Chief Investigators: UniSA’s Dr Carolyn Berryman, Prof Lorimer Moseley, Dr Hayley Leake, Prof Ian Gwilt, Dr Sarah Wallwork, Abby Jennings, and Prof Adrian Esterman.

    This project will develop an improved model of care for the 20% of youths in South Australia who experience chronic pain. This is a serious unmet need in Australia due to affected youths not being believed, leading to delayed diagnosis.

    Cost-effectiveness of a new treatment to reduce the risk of chronic post-surgical pain after total knee replacement surgery ($1,998,433): MRFF Preventive and Public Health Research Initiative, Chief Investigators: UniSA’s Assoc Prof Natasha Stanton, Prof Lorimer Moseley, Dr Daniel Harvie, Dr Felicity Braithwaite, Peter Ninnes, Dr Tyman Stanford).

    Total knee replacement surgery (TKR) is the gold standard care for knee osteoarthritis, with approximately 70,000 TKR surgeries performed each year. However, TKR causes long lasting severe pain for up to 15% of people undergoing surgery. This project will investigate a new lifestyle treatment approach so that people can rehabilitate with better outcomes.

    Medication safety rounds in aged care to prevent medication induced harm ($990,645): MRFF Dementia, Ageing and Aged Care Mission, Chief Investigators: UniSA’s Assoc Prof Janet Sluggett, Dr Sara Javanparast, Prof Marion Eckert, Prof Debra Rowett, Prof Ian Gwilt, Aaron Davis, Dr Daria Gutteridge.

    This study will equip pharmacists, nurses, and aged care workers with the tools to identify medication issues early and develop safe action plans for aged care residents. New medication safety rounds will help address medication harm and management, which is the most common complaint reported to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.

    Tailored hydrogels to improve wound healing therapy ($588,922): MRFF Stem Cells Therapies Mission, Chief Investigators: UniSA’s Prof Allison Cowin and Prof Ferry Melchels.

    Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a genetic skin condition affecting children and characterised by fragile skin, chronic blistering, open wounds, fibrosis, constant pain and early death. This project will develop an easy-to-apply stem-cell based WoundGel that stimulates healing without scarring and fibrosis.

    The Medical Research Future Fund is a $22 billion long-term investment supporting Australian health and medical research. The MRFF aims to transform health and medical research and innovation to improve lives, build the economy and contribute to health system sustainability.

    …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

    Media contact: Candy Gibson M: +61 434 605 142 E: candy.gibson@unisa.edu.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst Calls on Congress to Pass Her Bill to Defund Planned Parenthood

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)

    Published: March 27, 2025

    WASHINGTON – Following the Trump administration’s plan to temporarily freeze and review any federal funding for Planned Parenthood and its affiliates, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) renewed her push for the Protect Funding for Women’s Health Care Act to permanently prohibit federal tax dollars from funding Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) or its affiliates, subsidiaries, successors, or clinics.
    “As a mother and grandmother, the fight for life is incredibly important to me, and I am committed to defending the most vulnerable among us,” said Ernst. “That’s why I will always stand up to protect taxpayer dollars from funding any organization taking the life of an unborn child. I’m glad the Trump administration is working to end to the left’s radical abortion-on-demand agenda. Now, Congress should build on this momentum and permanently end funding for Planned Parenthood by passing my Protect Funding for Women’s Health Care Act.” 
    Senator Ernst’s unwavering commitment to protecting the rights of the unborn recently earned her an “A+” on the Susan B. Anthony List National Pro-Life Scorecard.
    Background:
    Earlier this month, Ernst pushed the Small Business Administration (SBA) to examine how, under the Biden administration, PPFA unlawfully received millions of dollars in funding from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and had 34 loans forgiven. 
    Ernst is also leading the Ensuring Accurate and Complete Abortion Data Reporting Act to require all fifty states to report the numbers of abortions performed to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This transparency will help ensure that no federal funds are going to Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: What is Australian bat lyssavirus? Can I catch it from bat poo? What if bats roost near me?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hamish McCallum, Emeritus Professor, infectious disease ecology, Griffith University

    Ken Griffiths/Shutterstock

    Last week, Queensland Health alerted the public about the risk of Australian bat lyssavirus, after a bat found near a school just north of Brisbane was given to a wildlife carer group.

    The bat later died, but it was not confirmed whether it carried the virus.

    This is not unusual. Volunteer wildlife carers respond to thousands of calls from the public every year after encountering sick, injured and orphaned bats. And testing them all routinely for the virus is not warranted or feasible.

    Here’s what you need to know about the risk of catching Australian bat lyssavirus and how it can be treated.

    What is bat lyssavirus?

    Australian bat lyssavirus belongs to the same group of viruses that includes rabies – one of the most notorious diseases humans can catch from animals. Rabies causes about 59,000 deaths worldwide a year, mainly after dog bites. It is almost always fatal once symptoms appear.

    Australian bat lyssavirus was discovered in 1996. There have been only three confirmed cases of the virus in humans in Australia, the most recent in 2013. All three were fatal.

    Fortunately, because Australian bat lyssavirus and rabies are so closely related, the preventative measures that have been developed internationally against rabies can also protect humans from the effects of Australian bat lyssavirus.

    Australian bat lyssavirus and rabies have a long incubation period (the period between exposure to infection and appearance of symptoms). If preventative treatments are given during the incubation period, they are highly effective in preventing disease and saving lives.

    Such treatment reduces what is already a very low risk of illness and death to effectively zero.

    Australian bat lyssavirus and rabies (pictured here) are closely related.
    nobeastsofierce/Shutterstock

    How could I be exposed to the virus?

    The virus is present in the saliva of some Australian bats, including the large flying foxes (fruit-eating bats) and some smaller bats that eat insects. But the proportion of bats infected by the virus is normally very low – less than 0.5%.

    Infected bats may become sick and die, but some may appear unaffected. In other words, you can’t always tell just by looking at a bat whether it’s infected or not. However, there is evidence the virus is present at a higher level in sick bats than in healthy ones.

    You cannot be exposed to the virus by being under a flying fox roost, even if the bats poo on you. You cannot be exposed by having bats in your roof or in a shed.

    No, you can’t catch Australian bat lyssavirus from bat poo.
    Anna Evangeli

    But the virus can be transferred to a human via either a scratch or bite. That’s if an infected bat scratches or bites you, or if their saliva is transmitted to an existing wound.

    So you do need to be careful if you come across a sick or injured bat, or you find a child playing with a bat.

    There is no evidence the virus regularly infects dogs and cats, although rabies does.

    Nevertheless, given that Australian bat lyssavirus is a close relative of rabies and that rabies will infect most mammals, the possibility that it may sometimes spill over to mammals other than humans cannot be eliminated.

    For example, in 2013 two horses in the same paddock became infected and had to be euthanised. The source of infection was not identified.

    So you should also seek advice if you see an animal such as a dog or cat play with a dead or injured bat. Contact a wildlife care group for advice about the bat and a vet to discuss post-exposure treatment for your pet.

    If your dog plays with a dead or injured bat, seek advice from your veterinarian to be on the safe side.
    Lazy_Bear/Shutterstock

    How great is the risk?

    It is important to put the risk posed by Australian bat lyssavirus into perspective.

    Although each of the three deaths known to have been caused by the virus since 1996 is tragic, in 2017-2018 alone, 12 people in Australia died from
    bee or wasp stings.

    Bats play an important role in our ecosystems. Without the pollination and pest control services bats provide, our increasingly fragmented native forests would struggle to recover after fires, and we’d need to use more pesticides on our crops. There is also no evidence bat lyssaviruses are increasing in Australian bat populations.

    Is the risk to humans changing?

    However, as we encroach upon natural habitats via land clearing we are likely to have increased contact with wildlife, including bats.

    Mass mortality events in bats in Australia – such as those in recent years caused by extreme heat or bat paralysis syndrome (thought to be caused by bats ingesting an environmental toxin) – are likely to lead to increased contact between people, their pets and vulnerable bats.

    The risk to human health is therefore likely increasing, albeit from a very low level.

    What should I do?

    First, don’t panic. Infection is extraordinarily rare and will continue to be so.

    Second, don’t interfere with bat populations. Do not pick up sick or injured bats and do not allow your children or pets to play with them. Keep your pets inside at night to minimise potential contact with bats.

    Third, if you or a member of your family is bitten or scratched by a bat, or suspect you have been, seek medical attention, including post-exposure treatment. People who regularly handle bats, such as wildlife carers or researchers, should be vaccinated in advance. They are also trained to handle bats safely and use appropriate personal protection equipment.

    If you find a sick or injured bat, contact your local wildlife rehabilitation group or veterinarian.

    Hamish McCallum receives funding from the US NSF and fron the EU Horizons program. His work on bat virus disease ecology has previously been funded by the US NSF and DARPA

    Alison Peel receives funding from the US NIH. Her work on bat virus disease ecology has previously been funded by the ARC, US NSF and DARPA

    Cinthia is a volunteer wildlife carer for a not-for-profit organisation based in Southeast Queensland that works with bats.

    – ref. What is Australian bat lyssavirus? Can I catch it from bat poo? What if bats roost near me? – https://theconversation.com/what-is-australian-bat-lyssavirus-can-i-catch-it-from-bat-poo-what-if-bats-roost-near-me-252632

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    class=”has-text-align-left”>By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including sections 7103(b)(1) of title 5 and 4103(b) of title 22, United States Code, to enhance the national security of the United States, it is hereby ordered:
    Section 1.  Determinations.  (a)  The agencies and agency subdivisions set forth in section 2 of this order are hereby determined to have as a primary function intelligence, counterintelligence, investigative, or national security work.  It is also hereby determined that Chapter 71 of title 5, United States Code, cannot be applied to these agencies and agency subdivisions in a manner consistent with national security requirements and considerations.
    (b)  The agency subdivisions set forth in section 3 of this order are hereby determined to have as a primary function intelligence, counterintelligence, investigative, or national security work.  It is also hereby determined that Subchapter X of Chapter 52 of title 22, United States Code, cannot be applied to these subdivisions in a manner consistent with national security requirements and considerations.
    Sec. 2.  Additional National Security Exclusions.  Executive Order 12171 of November 19, 1979, as amended, is further amended by:
    (a)  In section 1-101, adding “and Section 1-4” after “Section 1-2” in both places that term appears.
    (b)  Adding after section 1-3 a new section 1-4 that reads:
    “1-4.  Additional Exclusions.
    1-401.  The Department of State.
    1-402.  The Department of Defense, except for any subdivisions excluded pursuant to section 4 of the Executive Order of March 27, 2025, entitled ‘Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs.’
    1-403.  The Department of the Treasury, except the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.
    1-404.  The Department of Veterans Affairs.
    1-405.  The Department of Justice.
    1-406.  Agencies or subdivisions of the Department of Health and Human Services:
    (a)  Office of the Secretary.
    (b)  Food and Drug Administration.
    (c)  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
    (d)  Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response.
    (e)  Office of the General Counsel.
    (f)  Office of Refugee Resettlement, Administration for Children and Families.
    (g) National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health.
    1-407.  Agencies or subdivisions of the Department of Homeland Security:
    (a)  Office of the Secretary.
    (b)  Office of the General Counsel.
    (c)  Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans.
    (d)  Management Directorate.
    (e)  Science and Technology Directorate.
    (f)  Office of Health Security.
    (g)  Office of Homeland Security Situational Awareness.
    (h)  U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
    (i)  United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
    (j)  United States Coast Guard.
    (k)  Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
    (l)  Federal Emergency Management Agency.
    1-408.  Agencies or subdivisions of the Department of the Interior:
    (a)  Office of the Secretary.
    (b)  Bureau of Land Management.
    (c)  Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement.
    (d)  Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
    1-409.  The Department of Energy, except for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
    1-410.  The following agencies or subdivisions of the Department of Agriculture:
    (a)  Food Safety and Inspection Service.
    (b)  Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
    1-411.  The International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.   
    1-412.  The Environmental Protection Agency.
    1-413.  The United States Agency for International Development.
    1-414.  The Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
    1-415.  The National Science Foundation.
    1-416.  The United States International Trade Commission.
    1-417.  The Federal Communications Commission.
    1-418.  The General Services Administration.
    1-419.  The following agencies or subdivisions of each Executive department listed in section 101 of title 5, United States Code, the Social Security Administration, and the Office of Personnel Management:
    (a)  Office of the Chief Information Officer.
    (b)  any other agency or subdivision that has information resources management duties as the agency or subdivision’s primary duty.
    1-499.  Notwithstanding the forgoing, nothing in this section shall exempt from the coverage of Chapter 71 of title 5, United States Code:
    (a)  the immediate, local employing offices of any agency police officers, security guards, or firefighters, provided that this exclusion does not apply to the Bureau of Prisons;
    (b)  subdivisions of the United States Marshals Service not listed in section 1-209 of this order; or
    (c)  any subdivisions of the Departments of Defense or Veterans Affairs for which the applicable Secretary has issued an order suspending the application of this section pursuant to section 4 of the Executive Order of March 27, 2025, entitled ‘Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs.’”
    Sec. 3.  Foreign Service Exclusions.  Executive Order 12171, as amended, is further amended by:
    (a)  In the first paragraph:
    (i)   adding “and Section 4103(b) of Title 22,” after “Title 5”; and
    (ii)  adding “and Subchapter X of Chapter 52 of Title 22” after “Relations Program.”.
    (b)  Adding after section 1-102 a new section 1-103 that reads:
    “1-103.  The Department subdivisions set forth in section 1-5 of this order are hereby determined to have as a primary function intelligence, counterintelligence, investigative, or national security work.  It is also hereby determined that Subchapter X of Chapter 52 of title 22, United States Code, cannot be applied to those subdivisions in a manner consistent with national security requirements and considerations.  The subdivisions set forth in section 1-5 of this order are hereby excluded from coverage under Subchapter X of Chapter 52 of title 22, United States Code.”
    (c)  Adding after the new section 1-4 added by section 2(b) of this order a new section 1-5 that reads:
    “1-5.  Subdivisions of Departments Employing Foreign Service Officers.
    1-501.  Subdivisions of the Department of State:
    (a)  Each subdivision reporting directly to the Secretary of State.
    (b)  Each subdivision reporting to the Deputy Secretary of State.
    (c)  Each subdivision reporting to the Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources.
    (d)  Each subdivision reporting to the Under Secretary for Management.
    (e)  Each subdivision reporting to the Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security.
    (f)  Each subdivision reporting to the Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights.
    (g)  Each subdivision reporting to the Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and Environment.
    (h)  Each subdivision reporting to the Under Secretary for Political Affairs.
    (i)  Each subdivision reporting to the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy.
    (j)  Each United States embassy, consulate, diplomatic mission, or office providing consular services.
    1-502.  Subdivisions of the United States Agency for International Development:
    (a)  All Overseas Missions and Field Offices.
    (b)  Each subdivision reporting directly to the Administrator.
    (c)  Each subdivision reporting to the Deputy Administrator for Policy and Programming.
    (d)  Each subdivision reporting to the Deputy Administrator for Management and Resources.”.
    Sec. 4.  Delegation of Authority to the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs.  (a)  Subject to the requirements of subsection (b) of this section, the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs are delegated authority under 5 U.S.C. 7103(b)(1) to issue orders suspending the application of section 1-402 or 1-404 of Executive Order 12171, as amended, to any subdivisions of the departments they supervise, thereby bringing such subdivisions under the coverage of the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute.
    (b)  An order described in subsection (a) of this section shall only be effective if:
    (i)   the applicable Secretary certifies to the President that the provisions of the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute can be applied to such subdivision in a manner consistent with national security requirements and considerations; and
    (ii)  such certification is submitted for publication in the Federal Register within 15 days of the date of this order.
    Sec. 5.  Delegation of Authority to the Secretary of Transportation.  (a)  The national security interests of the United States in ensuring the safety and integrity of the national transportation system require that the Secretary of Transportation have maximum flexibility to cultivate an efficient workforce at the Department of Transportation that is adaptive to new technologies and innovation.  Where collective bargaining is incompatible with that mission, the Department of Transportation should not be forced to seek relief through grievances, arbitrations, or administrative proceedings.
    (b)  The Secretary of Transportation is therefore delegated authority under section 7103(b) of title 5, United States Code, to issue orders excluding any subdivision of the Department of Transportation, including the Federal Aviation Administration, from Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute coverage or suspending any provision of that law with respect to any Department of Transportation installation or activity located outside the 50 States and the District of Columbia.  This authority may not be further delegated.  When making the determination required by 5 U.S.C. 7103(b)(1) or 7103(b)(2), the Secretary of Transportation shall publish his determination in the Federal Register.
    Sec. 6.  Implementation.  With respect to employees in agencies or subdivisions thereof that were previously part of a bargaining unit but have been excepted under this order, each applicable agency head shall, upon termination of the applicable collective bargaining agreement:
    (a)  reassign any such employees who performed non-agency business pursuant to section 7131 of title 5 or section 4116 of title 22, United States Code, to performing solely agency business; and
    (b)  terminate agency participation in any pending grievance proceedings under section 7121 of title 5, United States Code, exceptions to arbitral awards under section 7122 of title 5, United States Code, or unfair labor practice proceedings under section 7118 of title 5 or section 4116 of title 22, United States Code, that involve such employees.
    Sec. 7.  Additional Review.  Within 30 days of the date of this order, the head of each agency with employees covered by Chapter 71 of title 5, United States Code, shall submit a report to the President that identifies any agency subdivisions not covered by Executive Order 12171, as amended:
    (a) that have as a primary function intelligence, counterintelligence, investigative, or national security work, applying the definition of “national security” set forth by the Federal Labor Relations Authority in Department of Energy, Oak Ridge Operations, and National Association of Government Employees Local R5-181, 4 FLRA 644 (1980); and
    (b)  for which the agency head believes the provisions of Chapter 71 of title 5, United States Code, cannot be applied to such subdivision in a manner consistent with national security requirements and considerations, and the reasons therefore.
    Sec. 8.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
    (i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
    (ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
    (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
    (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
                                   DONALD J. TRUMP
    THE WHITE HOUSE,
        March 27, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: At Hearing on Antisemitism on Campuses, Senator Murray Details How Trump and Musk Gutting Office for Civil Rights Worsens the Problem

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Senator Murray: “If you want to fight antisemitism, you should support OCR. It is as straight forward as it gets. It’s like saying if you want to fight fires—you should support the fire department. Well, I hate to tell you all: Trump is axing the fire department. He has fired nearly half of OCR staff, and shuttered more than half of OCR offices. So, I don’t know how anyone can actually say they are serious about stopping antisemitism on campus without also saying that they are concerned by this movement to gut the agency on the frontline of stopping antisemitism.”

    ICYMI: Senator Murray Statement on Trump Executive Order Seeking to Abolish the Department of Education

    *** VIDEO of Senator Murray’s Remarks and Questioning HERE***

    Washington, D.C. — Today—at a hearing on antisemitism on college campuses—U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member and former Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, underscored how President Trump and Elon Musk are gutting the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the Department of Education (ED) and seriously impeding ongoing investigations into antisemitism—and other critical investigations to ensure students’ rights are protected on campuses nationwide. OCR is the federal agency tasked with enforcing federal civil rights laws in schools and other recipients of ED funding—but he has fired nearly half its staff.

    Senator Murray began by underscoring that every student should feel safe at school, and not live in fear of harassment—or government retaliation for exercising their first amendment rights: “Everyone in this country should be able to use their voice and exercise their first amendment rights—peacefully—without fear of government retaliation. And at the very same time, no one should ever fear for their safety on campus. No one should ever be forced to tolerate bigotry. That’s a simple principle, and I think it’s one that the vast majority of Americans agree with. In fact, here in Congress, we agree with it so much we have an Office at the Department of Education dedicated to upholding that principle—the Office for Civil Rights, that the Senator from Maine just referenced. And that is why I have fought for years to secure more resources and funding for OCR. It does important work to make sure every student is safe on campus, and it makes sure schools are living up to their obligations under our civil rights laws. When hatred and bigotry are on the march—from recent spikes in antisemitism, and islamophobia, or to the wave of anti-Asian hate during COVID. When student safety is at stake—whether that means addressing hate crimes and hostile environments or actually addressing sexual assault on college campuses. OCR is really our frontline.”

    “So, if you want to fight antisemitism, you should support OCR. It is as straight forward as it gets! It’s like saying if you want to fight fires—you should support the fire department,” Senator Murray continued, noting that Trump and Musk are actually decimating the agency. “Well, I hate to tell you all: Trump is axing the fire department. He has fired nearly half of OCR staff, and shuttered more than half of OCR offices. So, I don’t know how anyone can actually say they are serious about stopping antisemitism on campus–without also saying that they are concerned by this movement to gut the agency on the frontline of stopping antisemitism. Because you can’t upend that entire office–as Trump wants to do–without upending the work. You can’t pause investigations—which Trump already did—without creating a huge backlog that means students will not get the justice that they deserve.”

    “You can’t just cut an agency in half and pretend everything is fine. Closing these offices means throwing 6,000 cases into limbo, leaving students in 28 states without the critical tools to fight back. Firing those workers means doubling the case load for the remaining investigators—who are already stretched thin. I think it’s clear that if we are serious about fighting antisemitism, we need to get serious about fighting this administration’s decimation not only of OCR, but the entire Department.”

    Senator Murray then asked Rabbi David Saperstein, Director Emeritus at Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, “Does drastically eliminating OCR’s capacity help protect students, including Jewish students?”

    Rabbi Saperstein responded, “It harms it in so many ways, Senator. You already talked about how overloaded they were before any of these cuts. Each one of the investigators averaged from 46 cases that they had to deal with, now it’s 86 cases that they’re going to have to deal with, with the staff after the cuts were made. They shut 7 of the 12 regional offices. They’re talking about moving this kind of work, integrating it into the Justice Department. The Justice Department is not an administrative enforcement agency; it doesn’t look at it in a holistic kind of manner. This is really something extraordinary. ProPublica did a deep dive before the cuts happened and in the first few weeks, 20 new cases were opened in the beginning of this administration. In the beginning of the Biden administration in the same period of time, 110 cases. In the last year of the Biden administration 240 cases. Now it was down to 20, they’re grinding it to a halt, and it is the students of America, of all kinds, who are facing discriminations that are going to suffer.”

    Murray concluded by asking the same question of Kenneth Stern, Director of The Bard Center for Study of Hate. Mr. Stern replied, “I had the experience of working with OCR. There were Jewish students outside of Binghamton, NY. There was a ‘kick a Jew day.’ The school district did nothing. I can tell you OCR worked magic—it helped the students. It helped the district do something that was educationally important. Also, there were other students that didn’t want to be part of the complaint because they were worried about the retribution to them. This gave an opportunity to go work with them behind the scenes to make sure their voices were heard too. I agree with Rabbi Saperstein, if this becomes a Department of Justice issue, I think back to that case, I don’t know that there would have been a complainant, I don’t know that the students would have come forward.”

    A senior member and former chair of the HELP Committee, Senator Murray has championed students and families at every stage of her career—fighting to help ensure every child in America can get a high-quality public education. Among other things, Senator Murray negotiated the bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), landmark legislation that she got signed into law, replacing the broken No Child Left Behind Act. As a longtime appropriator, she has successfully fought to boost funding to support students and invest in our nation’s K-12 schools, and she has secured significant increases to the Pell Grant so that it goes further for students pursuing a higher education. Senator Murray also successfully negotiated the FAFSA Simplification Act, bipartisan legislation to reform the financial aid application process, simplify the FAFSA form for students and parents, and significantly expand eligibility for federal aid.

    Senator Murray spoke out on the Senate floor against Secretary Linda McMahon’s nomination and sounded the alarm over President Trump and Elon Musk’s plans to dismantle the Department of Education.

    Earlier this month, Senator Murray led a letter demanding detailed answers from the Department of Education about the Trump administration’s mass firings and other detrimental actions, which risk major reductions in support for and oversight of federal investments in our nation’s K-12 schools and institutions of higher education and which threaten vital support for students with disabilities, access to Pell Grants and other financial aid, oversight of student loan servicers, scrutiny of for-profit colleges, and more. The letter follows an earlier letter Senator Murray sent alongside colleagues demanding answers about the chaotic, harmful actions taken by ED since January—which the Department has yet to respond to.

    A fact sheet outlining how the Department of Education supports students in Washington state is HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Scott, Rep. Lawler Move to Tackle Antisemitism on College Campuses and Universities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) introduced the Stop Antisemitism on College Campuses Act, which would rescind federal funding from colleges and universities that encourage antisemitism or facilitate antisemitic events on campus. Congressman Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) led the companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

    “The intention of taxpayer dollars for universities is to educate students, not promote and foster hate. We’ve witnessed campuses across our nation turn into cesspools for anti-Jewish, anti-Israel activists,” said Senator Scott. “Let’s make one thing clear: federal funding is a privilege and not a right. Rooting out hate wherever it rears its ugly head will always be in fashion. I remain dedicated to defending the rights of Jewish students to attend class peacefully.”

    “As Chair of the MENA Subcommittee and a strong supporter of Israel and the Jewish community, I’m committed to ensuring our universities take antisemitism seriously – holding offenders accountable and preventing incidents before they occur. That’s why I’m reintroducing the Stop Antisemitism on College Campuses Act, which will stop universities from allowing antisemitism events on campus in the first place. I am proud to work alongside Senator Scott on this legislation as well as the Antisemitism Awareness Act. Antisemitism has no place on our campuses or in civilized society,” said Congressman Lawler.

    Recently, the Department of Justice the Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Education (ED), and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced the cancellation of about $400 million in federal grants and contracts to Columbia University due to the school’s continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students. 

    Senator Scott was joined in introducing this legislation by Senators Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), and James Lankford (R-Okla.) and Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Abraham Hamadeh (R-Ill.), Stephanie Bice (R-Okla.), Don Bacon (R-Neb.), Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.), Tom Kean (R-N.J.), Nick LaLota (R-N.Y.), Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.), Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.), Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), and Burgess Owens (R-Utah).

    Read the bill text in full here.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Scott’s Antisemitism Awareness Act Praised During Committee Hearing on Antisemitic Disruptions on College Campuses

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott

    WASHINGTON — Today, at the hearing for the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.)’s Antisemitism Awareness Actreceived praise from hearing witnesses who called on Congress to pass his bill to help protect Jewish students. Additionally, one witness debunked several myths surrounding the legislation. Senator Scott made the following statement on the reception of his legislation:

    Click here to watch the witness’s remarks

    “Now more than ever, we should be standing with our Jewish friends at home and abroad. Over the last three years, Jewish students have been harassed and intimidated; their rights and safety threatened. This is why I have championed this legislation since 2016 and will continue to do so until it is signed into law,” said Senator Scott. “It is time to formally codify the IHRA’s definition of antisemitism for purposes of Title VI. Doing so will provide the Department of Education with a tool and a clear definition of what antisemitism is. It is ghoulish nonsense to oppose this legislation. I remain encouraged by the growing support of the ‘triple A.’ Thank you to Dr. Cassidy for holding today’s hearing and to the supporters of this critical and timely legislation.”

    Background:

    In addition to introducing the Antisemitism Awareness Act during the 119th Congress, Senator Scott has worked relentlessly to push back on the alarming rise of blatant and vile antisemitism on college campuses by:

    • Introducing the Stop Antisemitism on College Campuses Act to defund colleges and universities that enable violent antisemitism on their campuses;
      In 2024, calling on the president of Columbia University to resign over rampant antisemitism on campus;
    • In the 118th Congress, leading a resolution to condemn the explosion of antisemitism on U.S. college campuses, call out university presidents who have enabled and refused to take action against this antisemitism, and urge the Biden Department of Education to take necessary actions to ensure that colleges and universities are complying with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act to protect Jewish students.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Exempts Agencies with National Security Missions from Federal Collective Bargaining Requirements

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    PROTECTING OUR NATIONAL SECURITY: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order using authority granted by the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (CSRA) to end collective bargaining with Federal unions in the following agencies with national security missions:
    National Defense. Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and Coast Guard.
    VA serves as the backstop healthcare provider for wounded troops in wartime.
    NSF-funded research supports military and cybersecurity breakthroughs. 

    Border Security. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) leadership components, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Executive Office of Immigration Review, and the Office of Refugee Resettlement within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
    Foreign Relations. Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development, Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration, and U.S. International Trade Commission.
    President Trump has demonstrated how trade policy is a national security tool.

    Energy Security. Department of Energy, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Environmental Protection Agency, and Department of Interior units that govern domestic energy production.
    The same Congress that passed the CSRA declared that energy insecurity threatens national security.

    Pandemic Preparedness, Prevention, and Response. Within HHS, the Secretary’s Office, Office of General Counsel, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, Food and Drug Administration, and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. In the Department of Agriculture, the Office of General Counsel, Food Safety and Inspection Service, and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
    COVID-19 and the recent bird flu have demonstrated how foreign pandemics affect national security.
    VA is also a backstop healthcare provider during national emergencies, and served this role during COVID-19.

    Cybersecurity. The Office of the Chief Information Officer in each cabinet-level department, as well as DHS’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and the General Services Administration (GSA).
    The FCC protects the reliability and security of America’s telecommunications networks.
    GSA provides cybersecurity related services to agencies and ensures they do not use compromised telecommunications products.

    Economic Defense. Department of Treasury.
    The Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) defines national security to include protecting America’s economic and productive strength. The Treasury Department collects the taxes that fund the government and ensures the stable operations of the financial system.

    Public Safety. Most components of the Department of Justice as well as the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
    Law Enforcement Unaffected. Police and firefighters will continue to collectively bargain.
    ENSURING THAT AGENCIES OPERATE EFFECTIVELY: The CSRA enables hostile Federal unions to obstruct agency management. This is dangerous in agencies with national security responsibilities:
    Agencies cannot modify policies in collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) until they expire.
    The outgoing Biden Administration renegotiated many agencies’ CBAs to last through President Trump’s second term.

    Agencies cannot make most contractually permissible changes until after finishing “midterm” union bargaining.
    For example, the FLRA ruled that ICE could not modify cybersecurity policies without giving its union an opportunity to negotiate, and then completing midterm bargaining.

    Unions used these powers to block the implementation of the VA Accountability Act; the Biden Administration had to offer reinstatement and backpay to over 4,000 unionized employees that the VA had removed for poor performance or misconduct.
    SAFEGUARDING AMERICAN INTERESTS: President Trump is taking action to ensure that agencies vital to national security can execute their missions without delay and protect the American people. The President needs a responsive and accountable civil service to protect our national security.
    Certain Federal unions have declared war on President Trump’s agenda.
    The largest Federal union describes itself as “fighting back” against Trump. It is widely filing grievances to block Trump policies.
    For example, VA’s unions have filed 70 national and local grievances over President Trump’s policies since the inauguration—an average of over one a day.

    Protecting America’s national security is a core constitutional duty, and President Trump refuses to let union obstruction interfere with his efforts to protect Americans and our national interests.
    President Trump supports constructive partnerships with unions who work with him; he will not tolerate mass obstruction that jeopardizes his ability to manage agencies with vital national security missions.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaine Statement on Mass Firing of Federal Workers from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement regarding the Trump Administration’s decision to fire an additional 10,000 full-time federal workers from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which administers critical programs like Medicare and Medicaid:

    “President Trump is so dead-set on funding tax giveaways for billionaires that he’s scrambling to cut corners within the federal government—even if that means risking the health and well-being of Americans that rely on Medicare, Medicaid, and critical research initiatives by slashing HHS. That’s despicable, and the American people see right through it.”

    In addition to health insurance programs like Medicare and Medicaid, HHS oversees critical public health research, public health emergency preparedness, prescription drug approvals, and more.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Collins, Merkley Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Wastewater Systems from Non-Flushable Products

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) introduced the bipartisan Wastewater Infrastructure Pollution Prevention and Environmental Safety (WIPPES) Act, a bill to address health, ecosystem, and wastewater infrastructure concerns caused by the flushing of non-flushable wet wipes.

    “Many consumers who use wet wipes are unaware that flushing these products creates significant problems for plumbing, wastewater treatment equipment, and septic systems,” said Senator Collins. “This bipartisan legislation would require manufacturers to label non-flushable wet wipes, providing consumers with the information they need to safely dispose of them, and helping prevent homeowners and taxpayers from having to pay for expensive repairs.”

    “When non-flushable wipes are sent through our sewage systems, they plug the pipes. The resulting backups of sewage are not a pretty picture,” said Senator Merkley. “Accurately labelling wipes and other products as ‘non-flushable’ is a necessary step to ensure consumers appropriately dispose of their waste. Doing so will keep our water clean and our wastewater infrastructure safe and efficient.” 

    The WIPPES Act addresses the pervasive, but ultimately preventable, problem of the flushing of non-flushable wet wipes by establishing “Do Not Flush” labeling requirements for products such as baby wipes, household wipes, disinfecting wipes, and personal care wipes. Many of these wipes are composed of manufactured plastic fibers or other strong fibers, and while these products are not marketed as flushable, consumers frequently flush them into sewer systems as a means of disposal. Due to strong fibers, these types of wipes do not break down as they travel through the sewer systems. Instead, the wipes become magnets attracting fats, oils, and grease that become obstructions in sewerage systems pipes. These masses clog pumps, block sewer collection systems, and jam motors, leading to sewage backups and treatment equipment failures.

    The WIPPES Act is endorsed by the American Public Works Association, American Rivers, the Association of Nonwoven Fabrics Industry (INDA), the Center for Baby and Adult Hygiene Products, Consumer Healthcare Products Association, ISSA (the Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association), National Association of Clean Water Agencies, National Rural Water Association, National Stewardship Action Council, the Coalition for Clean Water, and the Water Environment Federation.

    “American Rivers Action Fund endorses the Wastewater Infrastructure Pollution Prevention and Environmental Safety (WIPPES) Act to address the serious threat that wipes pose to our wastewater systems. Unlike ordinary trash, wipes clog treatment plants, leading to costly shutdowns and increasing the overall expense of water treatment. Each year, millions of tons of debris end up in our waterways—jeopardizing water quality and impacting recreation in our communities. We urge Congress to support this bipartisan bill to tackle this growing infrastructure crisis,” said Tom Kiernan, President and CEO of the American Rivers Action Fund.

    “INDA is proud to continue its support for the WIPPES Act, which was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives by an overwhelming bipartisan margin in 2024. The industry is committed to responsibly managing wipe products that are not designed to be flushable, protecting public infrastructure and the environment,” said INDA President Tony Fragnito. “The passage of this important legislation will have positive impacts on the environment, wastewater agencies, consumers, and manufacturers by mandating uniform ‘Do Not Flush’ labeling for covered products. This clear visual symbol, coupled with robust consumer education programs, are raising awareness about the proper disposal of these products. INDA applauds the sponsor’s vision to address this issue in a comprehensive and meaningful way. We look forward to our continued collaboration with the wastewater sector and other stakeholders to support this bill’s swift passage in Congress.”

    “We are thrilled to have bi-partisan support to make this “truth in labeling” law the standard nationally.  When labels say “flushable” people believe it, they flush them, then have expensive clogs and added stress in their lives that is totally avoidable with standardized truthful labeling,” said Heidi Sanborn, Executive Director of the National Stewardship Action Council.

    The full text of the bill can be read here.

    MIL OSI USA News –