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Category: Health

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Marshall & Shaheen Reintroduce Bill to Crack Down on Illegal Drug Activity on Social Media

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington – On Thursday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), joined by Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-New Hampshire), reintroduced the Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act, which would require social media companies and other communication service providers to take on a more active role in working with federal agencies to combat the illegal sale and distribution of drugs on their platforms. This critical data will also empower state and local law enforcement to combat fake fentanyl-laced pills and prosecute those who prey on America’s youth.
    “For four years, Joe Biden’s reckless open borders allowed fentanyl to flood our communities, creating a crisis in every state. We still lose a Kansan a day to fentanyl poisoning,” said Senator Marshall. “Cooper Davis was a bright young man from Johnson County who tragically died from a pill laced with fentanyl purchased on the social media platform: Snapchat. The Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act requires social media platforms to report any drug activity on their platform to law enforcement. We will not rest in our fight until no Kansan loses their life to fentanyl poisoning.”
    “In recent years, we’ve seen the startling role that social media has played in fueling the substance use disorder crisis impacting New Hampshire by making it easier for young people to get their hands on these dangerous drugs. It’s past time that Congress step in to put a stop to it,” said Senator Shaheen. “Our bipartisan bill would hold social media companies accountable in keeping our kids safe by requiring that they report certain illicit drug activity on their platforms and work with law enforcement to stop it. Families and communities across this country have dealt with enough heartbreak – as the substance use epidemic evolves, so must our response.” 
    The Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act is named after two young men who both tragically lost their lives to fentanyl poisoning after purchasing a pill from social media.
    Cooper Davis from Johnson County, KS, tragically lost his life to fentanyl poisoning in the summer of 2021. Cooper died after taking half a fake pill that contained a lethal dose of fentanyl, which was believed to be purchased from a Missouri drug dealer through the social media platform Snapchat. Following his passing, Cooper’s family launched the non-profit ‘Keepin’ Clean for Coop’ to keep his memory alive to save lives, raise awareness, and educate students and families.
    Devin Norring was a 19-year-old from Hastings, Minnesota, who unexpectedly died from fentanyl poisoning in 2020. In his honor, his family started the Devin J. Norring Foundation to raise awareness about the dangers of dealers selling fake pills and other illicit substances online.
    The bill is cosponsored by Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Dick Durbin (D-Illinois), Todd Young (R-Indiana), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota).
    “Fentanyl overdoses claim the lives of tens-of-thousands of Americans each year, many of whom suffered accidental poisonings after taking deadly pills marketed on social media platforms,” said Senator Grassley. “After successfully passing the HALT Fentanyl Act into law, Senate Republicans are continuing to advance legislation to combat America’s fentanyl crisis and save lives. Congress must hold Big Tech accountable for its ongoing role in the illicit drug trade.” 
    “Today, it is all too easy for drug dealers to target kids through social media platforms while Big Tech stands idly by. Devastation caused by fentanyl-laced pills is both tragic and preventable. We need an all-hands-on-deck approach to hold Big Tech accountable for the unlawful drug activity that takes place online,” said Senator Durbin. “By requiring social media companies to report illicit fentanyl trafficking occurring on their platforms, the bipartisan Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act will equip law enforcement with the information they need to actively fight fentanyl and protect the most vulnerable Americans, our kids.”
    “Fentanyl is devastating communities in Indiana and across our nation, and we need to do more to address the flow of these drugs, including distribution via social media, that are poisoning young Americans,” said Senator Young. “The Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act will give law enforcement officials more tools to combat the illegal sale and distribution of drugs.” 
    The legislation is supported by the families of Cooper Davis and Devin Norring, as well as National HIDTA Directors Association, Snapchat, Partnership for Safe Medicine, the U.S. Deputy Sherriff’s Association, The Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies, Mothers Against Prescription Drug Abuse, the Community Anti-Drug Coalition Association, the Alexander Neville Foundation, the National FOP, and the Kansas Sheriffs Association.
    “Our family continues to be extremely grateful for Senator Marshall and his colleague’s dedication to this legislation. We are both honored and saddened to have another name, Devin Norring, added to this bill,” said Libby Davis, Mother of Cooper Davis. “However, the harsh reality is that there are thousands of other teenagers’ names that could be added to this bill because they too lost their lives in this same tragic way. Each with a story demonstrating that this can happen to ANY FAMILY. We, as parents and grandparents, do so many things to keep our kids safe, from baby gates, car seats, and seatbelts, to bike helmets, sunscreen, and vaccinations. This is no different. We need our legislators to come together and get this bipartisan bill across the finish line so that countless children can be saved, theirs being no exception.”
    “Our family & the Devin J. Norring Foundation wholeheartedly support the Cooper Davis & Devin Norring Act – legislation that serves as a critical step toward protecting families from the deadly threat of fentanyl sold through social media,” said The Family of Devin J. Norring & the Devin J. Norring Foundation. “This bill honors the lives of Cooper and Devin by holding tech companies accountable and giving law enforcement the tools they need to respond to this crisis. No parent should have to search for answers in a system that shields predators. It’s time for truth, transparency, and action.” 
    Click here to read the full bill text.
    Background:

    In recent years, organized drug cartels have dominated fentanyl trafficking in the country, and they have set up large, sophisticated distribution networks online via social media.
    In investigating fentanyl-related poisoning and deaths in teenagers and young adults, law enforcement agencies have found an alarming rate of these deadly pills acquired through platforms like TikTok and Snapchat. Unfortunately, federal agencies do not have the data to intervene and prevent these illegal activities.
    The Cooper Davis Act would require social media companies and other communication service providers to take on a more active role in working with federal agencies to combat the illegal sale and distribution of drugs on their platforms. This critical data will also empower state and local law enforcement to combat fake fentanyl-laced pills and prosecute those who prey on America’s youth.
    Fentanyl remains the most dangerous drug threat facing Americans, and fatal poisonings are the fastest-growing among adolescents, teenagers, and young adults.
    After a decrease of deaths involving opioids from an estimated 83,140 in 2023 to 54,743 in 2024, drug-related deaths are rising across the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Co-Leads Lawsuit Challenging Trump Administration Rule That Would Make It Harder for Americans to Obtain Health Coverage Under the ACA

    Source: US State of California

    By the Trump Administration’s own estimates, the rule will cause up to 1.8 million people to lose their health insurance

    OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today co-led with the attorneys general of Massachusetts and New Jersey, a multistate coalition in filing a lawsuit challenging an unlawful final rule promulgated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that would create significant barriers to obtaining healthcare under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The Trump Administration’s final rule would make numerous amendments to rules governing federal and state health insurance marketplaces which the administration estimates will cause up to 1.8 million people to lose their health insurance, while causing millions more to pay increased insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs like copays and deductibles. The final rule also excludes coverage of gender-affirming care as an essential health benefit (EHB) under the ACA. In the lawsuit, the attorneys general argue that the HHS and CMS rule is arbitrary and capricious, contrary to law, and violates the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). The coalition is also seeking preliminary relief, and a stay, to prevent the challenged portions of the final rule from taking effect in the Plaintiff States before the August 25 effective date.

    “Far from delivering on their promises to drive down costs and ‘make America healthier’ the Trump Administration’s HHS and CMS are doing their best to make it harder and more expensive for Americans to obtain health insurance and access care,” said Attorney General Bonta. “These sweeping changes would impose onerous verification requirements, junk health insurance premiums for some consumers, shorten enrollment periods in federal and state healthcare exchanges like Covered California, deprive up to 1.8 million Americans of health insurance, drive up out-of-pocket healthcare costs and so much more. It’s unlawful and it’s wrong – we’re meeting the Trump Administration in court to defend Americans’ healthcare coverage.”

    Congress enacted the ACA in 2010 to increase the number of Americans with health insurance and decrease the cost of healthcare. Fifteen years later, the Act continues to meet its goals, with annual enrollment on the ACA marketplace doubling over the past five years, resulting in over 24 million people signing up for health insurance coverage in plan year 2025 on the ACA exchanges and receiving subsidies to make such coverage affordable, including millions of people in the Plaintiff States. Now, with less than four months until open enrollment for plan year 2026 begins, the Trump Administration’s final rule would abruptly reverse that trend, erecting a series of new barriers to enrollment that will deprive up to 1.8 million people of insurance coverage by the Administration’s own estimates, and significantly drive up the costs incurred by Plaintiff States in providing healthcare, including increasing state expenditures on Medicaid, uncompensated emergency care, and funding other services provided to newly uninsured residents.

    California has approximately two million ACA plan enrollees, the third highest of any state. The final rule by HHS would make substantial changes to the operation of the ACA marketplaces, including adding new bureaucratic barriers, imposing an automatic monthly charge on all automatically reenrolled consumers who qualify for $0 premiums, shortening the open enrollment period for signing up for health coverage, and making other changes which will make coverage less affordable for millions of individuals nationwide. The final rule would also exclude gender-affirming care as an EHB on federal exchange plans, leaving states responsible for paying for the portion of insurance premiums attributable to any such coverage (but the availability of such care in California would not be impacted).  

    In the lawsuit, the attorneys general argue that the HHS and CMS rule is unlawful, arbitrary and capricious, and would cause significant harm to states and their residents. All of the challenged marketplace changes implemented by the final rule will be harmful to individual consumers and state and local governments. The final rule imposes burdensome and costly paperwork requirements, limits the opportunities to sign up for health coverage, substantially increases cost-sharing limits, and forces exchanges and consumers to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to prove eligibility for coverage and subsidies. These changes will result in direct and immediate costs to States as well as harms tied to decreased enrollment.

    In filing the lawsuit, California Attorney General Bonta, Massachusetts Attorney General Campbell, and New Jersey Attorney General Platkin are joined by the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin, as well as Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. 

    A copy of the complaint and motion for preliminary injunction will be made available here and here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: CMS Reinforces Medicaid and CHIP Integrity by Strengthening Eligibility Oversight and Limiting Certain Demonstration Authorities

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services

    The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is taking steps to restore accountability and safeguard the long-term integrity of Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Through newly issued letters to states, CMS is emphasizing a clear shift away from policies that extend beyond statutory limits, specifically policies on continuous eligibility and workforce initiatives. This shift in approach reflects the agency’s commitment to preserving these vital programs for the most vulnerable Americans and using taxpayer dollars carefully. These initiatives require large investments of federal funds, estimated at more than a billion dollars. Specifically:

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Incels, misogyny, role models: what England’s new relationships and sex education lessons will cover – and how young people will benefit

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sophie King-Hill, Associate Professor at the Health Services Management Centre, University of Birmingham

    Daniel Hoz/Shutterstock

    Sex and relationships education for children at primary and secondary state-funded schools in England will see significant changes following the release of new statutory guidance from the government. There are some stark differences between this and the draft guidance issued by the previous Conservative government in May 2024.

    The new guidance also looks different in many ways to the last statutory guidance, released in 2019. It includes many new and valuable topics such as the law around strangulation, sextortion, upskirting, deepfakes, suicide prevention and bereavement. Schools are also required to challenge misogynistic ideas, cover misogynistic influencers and online content, and explore prejudice and pornography.

    As a researcher working on sex education and masculinity, I see many positives in how these issues are approached in the government’s new guidance. The new topics are a move in the right direction, meeting the needs of the pupils being taught.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    Another key change is the removal of the proposal to put age restrictions on the teaching of certain topics. This is welcome news: it aligns with evidence and allows teachers to design sex education that takes context into account. It means they can teach their pupils what they need to know in a proactive and responsive way.

    The guidance also explicitly mentions giving pupils the opportunity to discuss incels. Incel, an abbreviation of “involuntary celibate”, refers to those who identify as wanting romantic and sexual partners but find it difficult to achieve this.

    Online incel communities are underpinned by hostility towards women, resentment, misogyny and the support of extreme violence against women. They may espouse an ideological position that claims societal structures are set up to unfairly disadvantage them.

    Keeping boys in the conversation

    One aspect included in the guidance is that it is important for pupils to understand that “most boys and young men are respectful to girls and young women and each other”. It also states that “teachers should avoid language which stigmatises boys, or suggests that boys or men are always perpetrators or that girls or women are always victims”.

    These are really important points that need to underpin the teaching of misogyny and online incel culture. A risk is that such teaching may otherwise portray boys, as a group, as perpetrators. This can create a culture of blame that may alienate boys and young men. Instead, seeing boys as valuable contributors to these conversations around misogyny can foster educational progress.

    Boys and girls need opportunities to discuss these issues.
    Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock

    Another important reference in the guidance is that children and young people should have opportunities to develop “positive conceptions of masculinity and femininity”, and how to “identify and learn from positive male role models”.

    This focus on positive examples of masculinity is a welcome way to support boys and young men in developing healthy identities – not only considering gender but other intersecting aspects of their identity, such as class, ethnicity, culture and values.

    Good relationships and sex education needs dialogue and understanding between pupils, teachers and parents. For adults, this means knowing the landscape first. Familiarisation with why young people may be attracted to problematic online spaces will be useful.

    These online spaces often offer a skewed sense of belonging, and offer simplistic answers to complex emotions and questions. Young people’s thoughts and opinions of misogynist online influencers may be contradictory, rather than simple approval or disapproval. This requires thoughtful unpicking of concepts and ideals, and open conversation rather than blame. It is also important to recognise that teaching these topics is not easy, and that teachers may need support too.

    New content

    While much of the new guidance is welcome, it’s important that teacher training and professional development keeps pace with these changes. Teachers may not feel confident addressing such a broad range of often-sensitive topics without support.

    The guidance also falls short of making relationships and sex education statutory for those aged 16-18 in sixth-form colleges, 16-19 academies or further education colleges, despite evidence that it is very much needed for this age group.

    The rights of transgender people and the issues affecting them are dealt with in a limited way, which could affect teachers’ ability to have supportive conversations with trans and non-binary pupils. There is also limited detail for those working in special education for pupils with complex needs.

    One of the most important aspects of teaching on sex and relationships is to create a safe space for open discussion.

    Young people should be encouraged to provide their own input into how relationships and sex education is taught, and to give their ideas on what they feel they need to learn about – and what they already know. While this approach is often overlooked, meaningful engagement with pupils is highlighted as a key guiding principle in the new guidance.

    Young people are the experts on the world they inhabit. It is essential they are listened to to ensure that lessons are relevant and effective.

    Sophie King-Hill receives funding from the ESRC.

    – ref. Incels, misogyny, role models: what England’s new relationships and sex education lessons will cover – and how young people will benefit – https://theconversation.com/incels-misogyny-role-models-what-englands-new-relationships-and-sex-education-lessons-will-cover-and-how-young-people-will-benefit-261217

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: The beauty of coral reefs is key to their survival – so we came up with a way to measure it

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Tim Lamont, Research Fellow, Marine Biology, Lancaster University

    Why do people care about coral reefs? Why does their damage cause such concern and outrage? What drives people to go to great lengths to protect and restore them?

    Of course, it’s partly because of their ecological importance and economic value – but it’s also because they are beautiful. Healthy coral reefs are among the most visually spectacular ecosystems on the planet – and this beauty is far from superficial. It underpins cultural heritage value, supports tourism industries, encourages ocean stewardship and deepens people’s emotional connections to the sea.

    But how can such beauty be measured? And when it is destroyed, can it be rebuilt?

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    Traditionally, many coral reef monitoring and restoration programmes overlook their beauty, considering it too subjective to measure. And as a team of scientists, that frustrated us. We knew that to most effectively draw on this key motivator for coral conservation, we had to be able to measure beauty.

    In some ways, it’s an impossible task. But our new study grapples with this challenge, delivering a way of quantifying the aesthetic value of a coral reef, as well as measuring its recovery when previously damaged reefs are restored.

    Our international team of marine scientists has been working at the Mars coral restoration programme (the largest project of its kind) in central Indonesia. Here, local communities and international businesses have collaborated for over a decade, rebuilding reefs that were once decimated by dynamite fishing. This illegal fishing method uses explosives to stun and kill fish for easy collection, while shattering coral reefs into rubble – wiping out entire reef communities in seconds.

    This Indonesian project has already successfully regrown coral reefs. But we wanted to explore whether this programme had been able to recreate the visual appeal of a natural reef ecosystem.

    We took standardised seabed photos using settings that automatically adjust white balance and colour to compensate for underwater light conditions. This enabled us to capture accurate colours under consistent shallow-water conditions across healthy, degraded and restored reef sites.

    Then we conducted online surveys with more than 3,000 participants, asking them to compare pairs of photographs and choose which they found more beautiful – enabling us to derive a rating for each photograph. Our results showed that people from very different backgrounds consistently shared similar opinions on which reefs were beautiful.

    Whether respondents were young or old, from countries with coral reefs or without, or had different levels of education and familiarity with the ocean, they tended to favour images with high coral cover, vibrant colours and complex coral structures. This suggests there is a shared human appreciation for the beauty of thriving reefs.

    We also used these ratings to train a machine-learning algorithm based on AI to reliably predict people’s visual preferences for photographs of different coral habitats.

    The results of people’s survey responses and the machine learning algorithm were the same. Images of restored reefs were consistently rated just as beautiful as those of healthy reefs, and far more aesthetically pleasing than degraded reefs. This is encouraging, and important. It shows that efforts to rebuild these charismatic ecosystems can recreate the beauty that makes them so highly valued.

    Tracking recovery

    We found that beauty was strongly linked to the number of colours present in the picture, the proportion of the image taken up by living coral, and the complexity of shapes exhibited by the corals. Meanwhile, images showing grey rubble fields of dead corals with little life were consistently rated lowest.

    Our results suggest that promoting a range of different coral colours and shapes will not only help marine life, but also restore the visual, cultural and tourism value of thriving coral reefs. Reef restoration experts can achieve this by choosing donor corals – healthy corals transplanted to degraded sites to aid recovery – to add colour and variety to the reefs they plant.

    This also means that coral reef recovery can be tracked using simple photo-based monitoring, like that used in our study.

    Coral reefs need long-term care to help them survive, thrive and maintain their beauty and ecological function. To ensure that initial restoration gains are not quickly lost, such efforts need to be paired with ongoing monitoring and maintenance. Any tourism development around restored reefs also needs to be managed carefully and sustainably.

    Restoration and sustainable tourism practices can help protect and sustain the ecological and social benefits of beautiful, healthy reefs. Ultimately, restoring beautiful reefs will be crucial for communities that rely on marine tourism, and for inspiring people to care for the ocean.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

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    Tim Lamont receives funding from the Royal Commission of 1851 and the Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

    Gita Alisa receives funding from Friends of Lancaster University in America and Sheba Hope Advocate Program.

    Tries Blandine Razak receives funding from the Pew Charitable Trust and the Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

    – ref. The beauty of coral reefs is key to their survival – so we came up with a way to measure it – https://theconversation.com/the-beauty-of-coral-reefs-is-key-to-their-survival-so-we-came-up-with-a-way-to-measure-it-261013

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Egypt: Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation inspects the Prosthetics Center in Matrouh and witnesses the delivery and maintenance of 100 prosthetic limbs for mine victims and affected people

    Source: APO


    .

    In continuation of implementing the directives of H.E. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to localize the prosthetics and assistive devices industry and support mine victims in Matrouh Governorate, H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, visited the Prosthetics Center in Matrouh to follow up on its efforts to support the injured and mine victims in the governorate, in cooperation with the Armed Forces Center for Physical Medicine, Rehabilitation, and Rheumatology, and witnessed the delivery and maintenance of 100 prosthetic limbs for the injured people of the governorate who were affected by the mines.

    During the visit, H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat listened to the people of Matrouh who were affected by mines and held a dialogue about the mechanism for applying for a prosthetic limb, the manufacturing timeline, and obtaining it, reaffirming the government’s keenness to provide prosthetic devices with the highest levels and standards of efficiency, enabling the injured to reintegrate into society. She also emphasized the government’s interest in supporting development efforts in border governorates, whether through the investment plan or the presidential initiative “Decent Life.”

    The Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation also inspected the process of manufacturing and fitting prosthetic devices at the Prosthetics Center by the center’s officials, stressing the need to adhere to the highest standards of efficiency and ensure continuous maintenance of prosthetic devices for the people of Matrouh.

    Furthermore, H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat emphasized the keenness to maximizing the efforts exerted by the Prosthetics Center in Matrouh, in coordination with the relevant entities, especially the Armed Forces Center for Physical Medicine, Rehabilitation, and Rheumatology, to provide all aspects of support to the people affected by mines in Matrouh Governorate, by enabling them to reintegrate into society and overcome challenges that prevent their effective participation in various aspects of life.

    H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat added that the ministry, in cooperation with the relevant national entities and in implementation of the directives of H.E. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, is working on developing the Prosthetics Center in Matrouh in collaboration with the German side, in a way that contributes to enhancing its efficiency and strengthening its role in localizing the prosthetics industry in Egypt.

    Last week, H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat signed the reciprocal letters for the feasibility study grant for the National Prosthetic System Development Project, amounting to 1.52 million Chinese yuan, which aims to position Egypt as a regional hub in the Middle East and Africa for providing prosthetic limbs and assistive devices for people with disabilities, as well as acquiring manufacturing capability according to internationally approved standards.

    It is worth noting that in 2007, the Executive Secretariat for Mine Clearance was established at the ministry under Ministerial Decree No. (125) to act as a national coordination and contact point among all entities concerned with mine clearance and the development of the North West Coast, whether governmental, private sector, or civil society, and to mobilize the financial resources necessary to implement its activities. Its current geographical scope of work covers the NorthWest Coast and its desert hinterland, from El-Hammam in the east to El-Salloum in the west and Siwa to the south.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation – Egypt.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Stein Announces More Than $11 Million for Great Trails State Program Projects in Western North Carolina

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Stein Announces More Than $11 Million for Great Trails State Program Projects in Western North Carolina

    Governor Stein Announces More Than $11 Million for Great Trails State Program Projects in Western North Carolina
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    Today, Governor Josh Stein announced that the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources has awarded more than $11 million authorized by the General Assembly in grants to communities and nonprofits in western North Carolina from Great Trails State Program funding. This announcement comes during Governor and First Lady Stein’s week exploring the unforgettable mountains of western North Carolina, supporting small businesses, and showcasing all that the region has to offer travelers.

    “From the barrier islands to the Blue Ridge Mountains, North Carolina is home to amazing opportunities for outdoor recreation,” said Governor Josh Stein. “As western North Carolina continues to recover from Hurricane Helene, this funding for trails will help local communities increase tourism, promote healthy living, and improve quality of life for all North Carolinians.”

    “Trails bring incredible benefits to both urban and rural communities, boosting tourism and economic development,” said Pamela B. Cashwell, secretary of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. “This generous funding made possible by the N.C. General Assembly will help transform the state trails system in the Great Trails State.”

    The Great Trails State Program legislation was established through the General Assembly in 2023, representing a historic investment of $25 million in North Carolina trails. The program offers matching grants to North Carolina local governments, public authorities, regional council of governments, and nonprofit organizations.

    These awards encompass more than 70 local trail projects throughout the state, helping to solidify North Carolina as the Great Trails State. In western North Carolina, 37 local trail projects will benefit from $11,162,342 in Great Trails State Program funding, including designing the first greenway in Alleghany County, expanding the New River Paddle Trail, and enhancing and expanding trails throughout the region.

    “The 125 member organizations of the Great Trails State Coalition thank the North Carolina General Assembly for creating and funding the Great Trails State Program,” said Palmer McIntyre, director N.C. Great Trails State Coalition. “This visionary investment in all types of trails across the state will deliver transformative economic, health, and quality-of-life benefits for communities of all sizes. The Coalition will continue to work alongside N.C. State Parks to support this program.”

    Local communities applied for the grants to fund new trail development and extension of existing trails. This includes paved trails or greenways, natural surface trails, biking trails, equestrian trails, and any other type of trail recognized by the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. Projects could include planning and feasibility studies, design and engineering, acquisition of lands for trail development, trail construction, and maintenance of existing trails. Applicants were required to provide matching funds, based on their county tier designation. The N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation received 89 applications requesting $28 million, and 79 projects were selected with more than $44.5 million provided in matching funds for a total trail investment exceeding $69.3 million.

    This summer, Governor Stein and VisitNC have teamed up to encourage people “Rediscover the Unforgettable” in western North Carolina as the region recovers from Hurricane Helene. Governor Stein announced the initiative at the reopening of Chimney Rock State Park, which is now open to the public with limited hours. The initiative seeks to bring people from all over the world to western North Carolina to boost tourism, support local businesses, and highlight outdoor recreation opportunities like walking and hiking trails. 

    Western North Carolina grant recipients and amounts are as follows: 

    • Alleghany County: AppHealthCare, $150,000 for Pathways to a Greener Future: Designing the First Greenway in Alleghany County.
    • Ashe County: Blue Ridge Conservatory, $150,000 for NPST – Three Top Mountain Section.
    • Ashe County: Blue Ridge Conservatory, $312,000 for Lansing Creeper Trail Park Expansion.
    • Ashe County: New River Conservancy, $130,666 for New River Paddle Trail Expansion.
    • Buncombe County: Friends and Neighbors of Swannanoa, $100,000 for Swannanoa Greenway Feasibility Study Update.
    • Buncombe County: Town of Woodfin, $500,000 for Riverside Park Expansion & Improvement.
    • Burke County: City of Morganton, $374,000 for Morganton Greenway and Mountain Bike Extension.
    • Burke County: Burke County, $399,819 for Burke County FFST & OVST Construction- Paddy Creek.
    • Burke County: Burke County, $363,067 for Burke County FFST & OVST Repairs and Construction.
    • Burke, Caldwell, and McDowell Counties: Camp Grier, $499,197 for Grandfather Ranger District Trail Expansion.
    • Burke and Catawba Counties: Western Piedmont Council of Governments, $100,000 for Burke – Catawba Blueway Planning and Feasibility Study.
    • Catawba County: City of Hickory, $500,000 for Reconstruct the Elevated Boardwalk at Glenn C. Hilton, Jr. Memorial Park.
    • Cherokee County: Town of Murphy, $500,000 for Murphy Riverwalk Primitive Loop Improvements.
    • Clay, Graham, Haywood, and Macon Counties: Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards, $253,731 for Urgent Wilderness Restoration: Trail Stewardship and Recovery After the Storm.
    • Cleveland County: City of Shelby, $500,000 for Shelby R.A.I.L. – Regional Access Improvement Line.
    • Cleveland County: Cleveland County Water, $500,000 for Stagecoach Greenway – Narrows Segment.
    • Gaston County: Town of Cramerton, $500,000 for Riverlink Greenway Trail Extension.
    • Gaston County: Catawba Lands Conservancy & Carolina Thread Trail, $500,000 for Spencer Mountain Trail Construction.
    • Graham County: Graham Revitalization Economic Action Team (GREAT), $285,600 for Robbinsville Greenway Project.
    • Henderson County: Town of Fletcher, $293,441 for Expanding and Improving the Cane Creek Greenway System.
    • Jackson County: Friends of Panthertown ,$86,667 for Panthertown Valley Trail & Bog Bridge Project.
    • Jackson County: The Village Green of Cashiers, INC, $233,673 for Resurfacing, enhancing, and maintaining trails in The Village Green.
    • McDowell County: McDowell County, $500,000 for Curtis Creek Bridge – Old Fort Fonta Flora Complex, Phase III.
    • McDowell County: McDowell County, $500,000 for Joseph McDowell Historical Catawba Greenway – Phase III (STIP Project No. EB-5916).
    • Rutherford County: Carolina Climbers Coalition, $341,060 for Lower Ghost Town Land Acquisition and Trail Expansion.
    • Rutherford, McDowell County: Foothills Regional Commission, $100,000 for Peavine to Thermal Belt Rail-Trail Connector Planning.
    • Transylvania County: City of Brevard, $112,333 for Filling the Gaps: Engineering the Final Sections of Brevard’s Estatoe Trail Greenway.
    • Watauga County: Blue Ridge Conservancy, $500,000 for Angler Park on the Middle Fork Greenway.
    • Watauga County: Town of Blowing Rock, $500,000 for Glen Burney Trail Improvements.
    • Wilkes County: Town of Wilkesboro, $499,100 for Bridge Between the Boros.
    • Wilkes County: Town of Elkin, $377,988 for Elkin Creek Headwaters Trail Phase 1.
    • Wilkes County: Elkin Valley Trails Association, $500,000 for Bridge of Dreams. 
    Jul 17, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a big threat to women’s health, but it’s still under-recognized, under-diagnosed and under-treated

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Jamie Benham, Endocrinologist & Assistant Professor, Departments of Medicine and Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary

    Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal imbalance that affects ovaries, periods and fertility in about one in 10 Canadian women. Different from ovarian cysts, PCOS is associated with infertility, pregnancy complications, heart disease and a general decreased quality of life, and yet fewer than half of those affected even know they have it.

    This under-recognition and under-diagnosis is a significant problem, because a recent Canadian study suggests these women are 20 to 40 per cent more likely to experience negative health outcomes during their lifetime than the general population, including hypertension (high blood pressure), kidney disease, gastrointestinal disease, eating disorders, depression and anxiety.

    Heart disease risk

    The Canadian researchers also found obesity, dyslipidemia (abnormal levels of fat in your blood) and Type 2 diabetes to be two to three times more common for women with PCOS. And most importantly, cardiovascular disease, which causes heart failure and stroke, was not only 30 to 50 per cent more likely, but occurred three to four years earlier than average in women with PCOS.

    Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, so when PCOS symptoms are missed and untreated, women’s health is at risk.

    Women with PCOS are more likely to experience negative health outcomes.
    (Photo: Colourbox.com)

    High cost

    There is undoubtedly a personal cost to individual women, both physically and mentally, and living with PCOS can be a significant financial, health-care and work-life burden for many women, too, which may disproportionately affect those in lower socioeconomic groups.

    These experiences are further compounded by a system failure to properly diagnose and manage their symptoms. Women report doctors ignoring or dismissing their concerns, not believing them and struggling to make a diagnosis. In fact, a large international survey reported it can take several months, and even several years, before women are diagnosed.

    Common PCOS symptoms

    PCOS symptoms can vary between different women, but it is important to discuss the possibility of PCOS with your doctor, because careful management and/or treatment can help protect against developing more serious related health issues. Common symptoms include:

    • Irregular periods
    • Excess body hair, called hirsutism (usually darker hair on the face, arms, chest or abdomen)
    • Thinning or loss of hair (like excess body hair, this is caused by high levels of male hormones, or androgens)
    • Acne and/or oily skin
    • Weight gain

    Managing and treating PCOS

    Despite PCOS first being diagnosed almost a century ago, there is no single test to confirm whether a woman has it, and there is no cure. If your doctor suspects you may have PCOS, they may order blood work to check your hormone levels and an ultrasound to check your ovaries.

    Unlike ovarian cysts, which are fluid-filled sacs that develop on or inside an ovary and can be painful, polycystic ovaries are enlarged, with multiple follicles that can be seen on ultrasound.

    PCOS is a chronic condition that needs lifelong management.
    (Photo: Colourbox.com)

    If PCOS is diagnosed, further testing for cholesterol and glucose levels is likely in order to manage heart disease and diabetes risk.

    Researchers also suggest ways women with PCOS can help manage their condition, which include:

    PCOS research underway

    Despite the current problems, improvement is possible, and there have been sustained efforts in recent years — all over the world — to advocate for women with this condition and invest in PCOS research.

    In 2023, an International PCOS Guideline, led from Australia, was published. It recommends an individualized approach to PCOS treatment, including lifestyle modifications (for example, healthy eating and exercising), medical management to treat symptoms and regular checkups to provide support and screen for related complications.

    In Canada, the province of Alberta recently launched a much-needed clinical pathway to recognize, treat and advocate for PCOS that could be adopted more widely.

    At the University of Calgary, Dr. Jamie Benham, one of the authors of this story, leads EMBRACE (Endocrine, Metabolic and Reproductive Advancements), a new women’s health research lab where a team of clinical researchers is focusing on reproductive disorders across the whole of a woman’s life system, including PCOS and gestational diabetes.

    This work, supporting patients’ PCOS care, includes a current online needs-assessment survey, and focus groups beginning later this year, to inform the development of a co-designed patient tool to support PCOS management.

    Patient engagement

    With such a huge demand for answers, the EMBRACE team works closely with a PCOS Patient Advisory Council, chaired by Robyn Vettese, another author of this story, to uncover complex connections between hormones and health, promote screening, find solutions and provide answers. Importantly, the lab’s research questions come directly from clinic patients, and the answers the lab finds go back to those patients and are then shared more widely.

    Other recent PCOS advocacy events include Dr. Benham’s presentation at the inaugural Sex, Gender and Women’s Health Research Hub’s Women’s Health Symposium event in Calgary, and her interview with the Libin Cardiovascular Institute.

    PCOS awareness

    Another exciting research program in Alberta is PCOS Together. Researchers with this group are working to establish methods that will detect early disease risk in all women with PCOS, as well as clinical interventions that will help prevent disease in high-risk women.

    Similar organizations exist in the United Kingdom and Australia, including Verity PCOS, a volunteer-based charity, and Ask PCOS, a researcher- and clinician-led organization. Both organizations provide a wealth of information online.

    This is a critical (albeit often overlooked) area of women’s health that needs greater awareness and attention so that we can improve and save women’s lives.

    Jamie Benham receives funding from the M.S.I. Foundation, Diabetes Canada, and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

    Robyn Vettese receives funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

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

    – ref. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a big threat to women’s health, but it’s still under-recognized, under-diagnosed and under-treated – https://theconversation.com/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos-is-a-big-threat-to-womens-health-but-its-still-under-recognized-under-diagnosed-and-under-treated-259602

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Miller-Meeks Leads Bipartisan Bill to Stop Fentanyl Sales on Social Media

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks’ (IA-02)

    Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) today announced the reintroduction of the bipartisan Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act, legislation aimed at cracking down on the sale of deadly fentanyl on social media platforms and giving law enforcement the tools to combat this growing threat.

    The bipartisan bill, led by Miller-Meeks and Congresswoman Angie Craig (D-MN), requires social media companies and other communication service providers to alert federal law enforcement when illicit drug activity, including fentanyl trafficking, is detected on their platforms.

    “Fentanyl is tearing apart families and devastating communities across America,” said Miller-Meeks. “The Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act gives law enforcement the tools they need to stop the online sale of deadly fentanyl and hold those targeting our kids accountable. By requiring social media and communication platforms to report fentanyl activity, we can save lives and shut down this growing threat. I’m proud to lead this bipartisan, bicameral effort to protect our youth and strengthen our national response to the fentanyl crisis.”

    “Fentanyl has wreaked havoc on Minnesota communities, and we know that too many fentanyl overdoses have been caused by drugs that were sold through social media,” said Rep. Craig. “We can and should hold social media companies accountable for drug trafficking on their platforms. That’s why I’m proud to be working across the aisle to pass this common-sense legislation that will force social media companies to report drug trafficking to the authorities, help law enforcement curb the sale of illicit drugs and keep Minnesotans safe online.”

    Background:

    The bill is named for two teenagers: Cooper Davis of Kansas and Devin Norring of Minnesota, who died after unknowingly taking counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl purchased through Snapchat. The National Crime Prevention Council estimates that eight in ten teen and young adult fentanyl overdose deaths are associated with social media contact.

    “Our family and the Devin J. Norring Foundation wholeheartedly support the Cooper Davis & Devin Norring Act – legislation that serves as a critical step toward protecting families from the deadly threat of fentanyl sold through social media,” said the family of Devin J. Norring and the Devin J. Norring Foundation. “This bill honors the lives of Cooper and Devin by holding tech companies accountable and giving law enforcement the tools they need to respond to this crisis. No parent should have to search for answers in a system that shields predators. It’s time for truth, transparency, and action.”

    “Our family continues to be extremely grateful for Senator Marshall and his colleagues’ dedication to this legislation,” said Libby Davis, mother of Cooper Davis. “We are both honored and saddened to have another name, Devin Norring, added to this bill. However, the harsh reality is that there are thousands of other teenagers’ names that could be added to this bill because they too lost their lives in this same tragic way. Each with a story demonstrating that this can happen to any family. We, as parents and grandparents, do so many things to keep our kids safe, from baby gates, car seats, and seatbelts, to bike helmets, sunscreen, and vaccinations. This is no different. We need our legislators to come together and get this bipartisan bill across the finish line so that countless children can be saved, theirs being no exception.”

    This reintroduction builds on Miller-Meeks’ leadership on fentanyl policy. Just yesterday, President Trump signed the HALT Fentanyl Act into law, a bill Miller-Meeks helped introduce and champion in the House as an original cosponsor. The new law permanently criminalizes fentanyl-related substances and gives law enforcement the authority they need to get synthetic opioids off the streets.

    The Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act is endorsed by the Alexander Neville Foundation, the Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies, the American College of Emergency Physicians, Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, the Community Anti-Drug Coalition, the Cooper Davis Memorial Foundation, the Devin J. Norring Foundation, Houston HIDTA, Mothers Against Prescription Drug Abuse, the National Association of Counties, the National District Attorneys Association, the National HIDTA Directors Association, the Partnership for Safe Medicines and Snap, Inc..

    Representatives Kim Schrier (D-WA), Dan Crenshaw (R-TX), Don Davis (D-NC), Addison McDowell (R-NC), Thomas Suozzi (D-NY), Derek Schmidt (R-KS) and Jefferson Van Drew (R-NJ) are original co-sponsors of the legislation in the House. 

    It is sponsored in the Senate by Roger Marshall (R-KS), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Todd Young (R-IN).

    Read the bill text HERE.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Canada’s proposed Strong Borders Act further threatens the legal rights of migrants

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Shiva S. Mohan, Research Fellow, Canada Excellence Research Chair in Migration & Integration program, Toronto Metropolitan University

    Canada’s federal government recently introduced the Strong Borders Act, also known as Bill C-2, that proposes Canada tighten migration controls and modernize border enforcement between Canada and the United States.

    Critics have warned the bill “could pave the way for mass deportations” as well as increase precarity for legal migrants.



    Read more:
    Why Canada’s Strong Borders Act is as troublesome as Donald Trump’s travel bans

    Even now, under existing laws, a migrant could be “legal” and still be denied health care, lose their job or effectively be unable to leave Canada for fear of being denied re-entry.

    Bill C-2’s expanded enforcement powers and increased risk of status revocation could make these precarities much worse.

    This is already the quiet reality for thousands of migrants in Canada under their “maintained status”, formerly “implied status.” This status is a legal provision designed to protect continuity for temporary residents who apply to extend their permits.

    Maintained status itself is not the problem. On paper, it offers legal protection.

    But in practice, it often collapses because of the ecosystem in which it operates: fragmented institutions, absent co-ordination and lack of transparency.

    Maintained status has been narrowed

    In May 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) quietly narrowed the scope of maintained status.

    Under the new rules, if a person’s first application is refused while they are on maintained status, any second application submitted during that period is now automatically refused.

    This effectively strips applicants of legal status, including protections under maintained status, to remain in Canada. The change shows how even compliant migrants can lose status abruptly, further heightening the insecurity built into the system.

    This is a clear expression of complex precarity: a condition in which migrants face legal, economic and social insecurity, even when they follow all the rules.

    Maintained status is just one example of this larger phenomenon of Canadian policy generating hidden forms of exclusion.

    Legal, but not recognized?

    Migrants on maintained status are legally allowed to stay in Canada and continue working or studying under the same conditions as their expired permit. Yet no new permit is issued to confirm this status.

    Proof of this legal standing varies depending on how a person applies. Those who apply online may receive a WP-EXT letter confirming their right to continue working. However, this isn’t issued to post-graduation work-permit holders, and expires after 365 days.

    Paper-based applicants are advised that no such letter will be provided. Instead, they must rely on a copy of their application, a fee payment receipt or courier tracking information to demonstrate continued legal status.

    If no letter is available, or once it expires, IRCC advises applicants to direct employers to the Help Centre web page as proof of their right to remain and work.

    These workarounds are legally valid but fall short of what many employers, landlords and service providers consider adequate proof of status.



    Read more:
    Canada’s new immigration policy favours construction workers but leaves the rest behind

    The limits of informal proof

    My current ongoing research points to how employers following rigid HR protocols often reject informal documentation. Some migrants even obtain letters from immigration lawyers to explain their legal right to remain and work.

    IRCC does not publish public data on the number of people on maintained status or how long they remain in that condition. Some front-line organizations have adjusted their services in response to this gap.

    MOSAIC, for example, a major settlement agency in British Columbia, explicitly lists “migrant workers on maintained status” as eligible for support. This signals institutional recognition of the category.

    The broader situation, however, reflects a disconnect between legal recognition by the state and practical verifiability in everyday life.

    The risk of travel

    Travel while on maintained status is legally permitted only under narrow conditions, such as holding a valid Temporary Resident Visa, being visa-exempt or returning from the U.S. under specific circumstances.

    But even in these cases, leaving Canada terminates maintained status.

    Migrants may be allowed to re-enter as visitors, but they cannot resume work or study until a new permit is issued. This introduces major uncertainties for people who may need to travel for family, emergencies or professional obligations.

    Disparities in provincial health access

    Access to public health insurance during maintained status varies widely across provinces.

    In Ontario, OHIP (Ontario Health Insurance Plan) cards are directly tied to the expiration of work permits. Unless migrants know to proactively request extended coverage and can meet specific document requirements, they risk losing health insurance entirely. Even when eligible, coverage is not automatic and may require out-of-pocket payment pending reimbursement.

    In Québec, RAMQ (Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec) treats migrants on maintained status like new arrivals. They must reregister for coverage and face a three-month waiting period from the time of renewal, regardless of continuous legal presence.

    In British Columbia, by contrast, the MSP (Medical Services Plan) offers temporary coverage for up to six months (extendable) to individuals on maintained status, provided they previously held MSP and submit IRCC receipt proof.

    This more inclusive approach highlights how uneven provincial co-ordination amplifies the precarity of federal policy.

    Infrastructure is needed immediately

    Migrants face great risks on maintained status.

    Despite investments in automation and digital infrastructure, IRCC continues to experience chronic processing delays, leaving migrants in prolonged uncertainty: legally present, but practically unrecognized.

    To address this, Canada needs systems and resources designed to uphold legal recognition in daily life. It needs to:

    • Create a secure centralized portal that allows migrants to control who can verify their legal status in real time. The U.K.’s share code platform and the American myE‑Verify system provide clear examples of how this can work, reducing confusion for employers, landlords, and service providers.

    • Issue co-ordinated provincial guidance, particularly regarding access to essential services such as health care, so that front-line staff have clarity on migrants’ rights under maintained status.

    • Protect continuity of status after international travel, ensuring that those who leave Canada while on maintained status do not lose the ability to return and resume work or study.

    As Canada advances legislation like Bill C‑2, we must not ignore the country’s quiet erosion of its existing legal architecture for migrants.

    Migrants on maintained status have followed the rules.

    If we are serious about building trust in immigration systems, we must commit to infrastructure that is workable, visible and fair.

    Shiva S. Mohan receives funding from the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Migration and Integration Program at Toronto Metropolitan University. He has no other affiliations or financial interests that would benefit from this article.

    – ref. Canada’s proposed Strong Borders Act further threatens the legal rights of migrants – https://theconversation.com/canadas-proposed-strong-borders-act-further-threatens-the-legal-rights-of-migrants-259349

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Obernolte, DeGette, Carter, and Peters introduce bill to improve Congressional Budget Office scoring of preventative health savings

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jay Obernolte (R-Hesperia)

    Washington, DC – This week, Representatives Jay Obernolte (R-CA), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA), and Scott Peters (D-CA) introduced bipartisan legislation to modernize how Congress evaluates the fiscal impact of preventive health care policies. 

    The Preventative Health Savings Act would establish a mechanism within existing law for the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to assess long-term budgetary savings from preventive health care legislation over a 30-year window. Under current rules, the CBO primarily scores legislation within a 10-year budget window—an approach that often overlooks the full financial benefits of policies aimed at improving long-term health outcomes. 

    “Our budget process should reward forward planning, not penalize it. By enabling the CBO to account for long-term savings from preventive healthcare, this legislation brings much-needed precision and responsibility to how Congress evaluates public health investments,” said Rep. Obernolte. “It’s a commonsense reform that enables smarter federal health investments to strengthen both our healthcare system and the long-term fiscal health of our country.” 

    “The Preventive Health Savings Act will save our country money and significantly improve how Congress considers preventive health policy,” said Rep. DeGette. “With better assessments from CBO, there will be more informed decisions on the long-term costs of illness and care. I’m proud to work on this important, bipartisan bill with Rep. Obernolte to bolster our public health and fiscal standing.”  

    “CBO does not currently have the tools it needs to effectively score health care legislation. By providing it with assessment tools that weigh the value of preventative care, including treatment, prevention, and screening, we will have a more complete understanding of how taxpayer dollars are being used and will deliver better health care policies for patients,” said Rep. Carter. 

    “Our current budgeting system gives no incentive for Congress to make investments today that will save patient lives and billions of dollars in unnecessary health care costs in the future. That’s because Congress only budgets in today’s money, we can’t account for the financial savings that curing a patient today generates fifteen or twenty years from now,” said Rep. Peters. “The Preventive Health Savings Act is not a silver bullet to fix the way we budget, but it will give Congress better data on how our decisions today impact patients and reduce health care costs in the future.” 

    By allowing for long-range budget estimates, the bill aims to support evidence-based investments in public health and promote policies that both improve healthcare outcomes and reduce long-term federal health expenditures. 

     

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Democratic Women’s Caucus Co-Chairs Kamlager-Dove and Ross Unveil Policy Agenda to Demand a Better Future for Women; Defend Women and Families

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager California (37th District)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Thursday, July 17, the Democratic Women’s Caucus (DWC), led by Policy Task Force Co-Chairs Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37) and Deborah Ross (NC-02), released its Better Future policy agenda, focused on economic security, affordable and equitable health care, and the safety of all women and girls. 

    This agenda comes at a time when women and families are under constant attack from the Trump administration and Republicans. From gutting reproductive health care access and cutting Medicaid to slashing food assistance and taking away critical resources for survivors of domestic violence, the Trump Administration and Republicans have launched a full-scale assault on women.

    In the face of these relentless attacks from Trump and Republicans, the Democratic Women’s Caucus is not only dedicated to pushing back and defending women, but also paving a path for a better future for all women and girls.

    That’s why the Better Future policy agenda calls for clear priorities that will actually help women and families across three pillars:

    • Economic Security: Lowering costs, raising salaries, expanding paid leave, protecting Social Security, and investing in care work and women-owned businesses.
    • Health Care: Defending reproductive freedom, expanding access to health care including Medicaid and Medicare, and improving maternal health.
    • Rights & Safety: Ending gender-based violence, protecting voting rights, and confronting discrimination.

    As the Caucus continues to fight back against Trump and Republicans’ attacks on women and families, the Democratic Women’s Caucus is keenly focused on continuing to push for proactive policies that will help women and families achieve a better future.

    Read the full agenda here.

    Para leer la agenda en español, haga clic aquí.

    Democratic Women’s Caucus Executive Steering Committee Members support for the agenda:

    “At 96 women strong, the Democratic Women’s Caucus is fighting every single day for the economic security, health, and safety of all women and girls,” said DWC Chair Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03). “Yes, in this moment we must defend women from Trump’s relentless attacks on our safety, rights, and equal opportunities. But we are also demanding a better future for women and will fight to build a good life for all women. We will never stop pushing for the policies that make life better for women and for all hardworking American families.”

    “As the Trump Administration and Republicans in Congress continue to attack women and families, the Democratic Women’s Caucus is stepping up to demand a better future for women,” said DWC Policy Task Force Co-Chair Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37). “In the wake of record cuts to health care and food assistance, ongoing assaults on our reproductive freedoms, and the largest transfer of wealth in our nation’s history, we must defend our rights and livelihoods while striving for a brighter tomorrow for our daughters, granddaughters, nieces, and beyond. American women can trust that the Democratic Women’s Caucus is fighting for them through the policies outlined in this agenda.”

    “At a time when the rights of women and families are under continuous assault by Donald Trump and his allies, the DWC Policy Agenda meets the moment,” said DWC Policy Task Force Co-Chair Deborah Ross (NC-02). “We are laying out clear steps to lower costs, expand health care, and protect women’s reproductive freedom in the face of Republicans’ extreme attempts to roll back our rights. As Co-Chair of the DWC Policy Task Force, I am proud to unveil this agenda and will keep working toward a future where women and girls have the freedom and opportunity to thrive.”

    “The Democratic Women’s Caucus is dedicated to building a future where every woman can live, work, and raise a family with dignity and security,” said DWC Vice Chair Emilia Sykes (OH-13). “Whether we are working to expand access to reproductive and maternal health care, lower costs for families, protect Social Security, or improve economic opportunity for women, I’m proud to lead these efforts with a coalition committed to putting women and families first.”

    “In West Michigan and across the country, women are calling for real solutions—not political stunts. The Democratic Women’s Caucus is answering that call with a bold, unflinching agenda that demands a better future by defending the rights, health, and safety of women and families,” said DWC Vice Chair Hillary Scholten (MI-03). “From the grocery store to the doctor’s office to the ballot box, women are feeling the weight of Trump and Republicans’ relentless attacks. We are fighting back with policies that lower costs, expand reproductive freedoms, protect care workers, and ensure every woman has the chance to thrive.”

    “I am proud to join my Democratic Women’s Caucus in demanding a better future for women and families. As the Trump administration continues to assault our rights, our health care, and our economic security, we are charting a new path forward. Our agenda is bold and focused on what women need: affordable health care, an economy that works for them, reproductive freedom, and safer communities,” said DWC Communications Task Force Co-Chair Shontel Brown (OH-11).

    “When women and families thrive, our communities thrive. But right now, our freedoms, our healthcare, and our economic security are under attack. I’m proud to serve in a leadership position on Democratic Women’s Caucus and to promote this policy agenda demanding a better future for women, children, and everyone across the country to have the freedom, rights and opportunities we all deserve,” said DWC Member Services Task Force Co-Chair Melanie Stansbury (NM-01).

    “Women and families deserve more—and we won’t wait for it to be handed to us, we are working for it now,” said DWC New Member Liaison LaMonica McIver (NJ-10). “The DWC’s agenda is a demand for a future built for women where costs come down, care is expanded, and everyone has an opportunity to thrive. We are standing together to create that future, and standing against the extremism of the Trump administration and Republicans who are trying to set back the clock.”

    “As a proud member of the Democratic Women’s Caucus, I’m committed to demanding a future where the needs of military families, especially women and children, are prioritized.  That means improving access to safe, affordable, and high-quality child care and addressing the ongoing health care needs of our service members and their families, including their faster access to obstetric and gynecological care, and adequate medical staffing.  These priorities are not just policy, they are essential to the success, readiness, and well-being of the families who serve, support, and sustain our armed forces,” said DWC Servicewomen, Women Veterans, & Military Families Task Force Chair Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06).

    “Right now, women and families are under attack by Trump and Republicans in Congress — from our pregnancies to our paychecks — our autonomy is being eliminated. The Democratic Women’s Caucus is drawing a line in the sand: we demand an economy that works for women, health care that protects us, and communities where our rights and safety come first. This agenda represents our commitment to building a future where every woman and family can thrive with dignity and security,” said DWC Equality Caucus Liaison Julie Johnson (TX-32).

    “As a proud Executive Steering Committee member of the Democratic Women’s Caucus, I’m fighting for women, for families, and for the future we all deserve,” said National Leaders & Advocacy Organizations Liaison Joyce Beatty (OH-03). “Donald Trump and extreme Republicans love to call themselves ‘pro-family’—but ripping away healthcare and food assistance from children and moms, and attacking women’s freedoms, is anything but. You can’t be ‘pro-family’ while pushing policies that hurt moms, kids, and caregivers. Our DWC Agenda delivers what real families need: affordable childcare and healthcare, economic opportunity, reproductive freedom, and safe communities. These are common-sense solutions—and exactly what the majority of Americans support. Because when women rise, America rises.”

    “I have always prioritized giving all women—including Latinas—the tools they need to thrive. But with President Trump’s dangerous policies targeting women and families, it’s more important than ever that we defend the progress we’ve made and find real solutions to support women”, said Congressional Hispanic Caucus Liaison Andrea Salinas (OR-06). “As a Caucus, we demand an economy that works for women and families, better health care, safer communities, and fair pay. Upholding these rights will strengthen our communities for everyone, and I am ready to work alongside my colleagues to ensure that every woman can live without worry or fear.”

    “With Trump and Republicans’ leading a full-scale assault on our fundamental rights, this moment demands a better future for women everywhere,” said DWC Reproductive Health Care Task Force Co-Chair and Liaison Ayanna Pressley (MA-07). “The Democratic Women’s Caucus’ policy agenda lays out how we will continue to fight to support and defend women and families – whether that be by building an inclusive care economy, protecting and expanding reproductive health care, ending gender-based violence, or making gender equality the law of the land. I am proud to work alongside my DWC colleagues as we push back against this hostile Administration and continue to build the more just America that women and families demand and deserve.”

    “Every woman deserves the freedom to care for a loved one without risking her job or paycheck,” said DWC Whip Sarah McBride (DE). “Paid family and medical leave isn’t a luxury — it’s a necessity for working families. As Trump tries to strip away our rights and economic security, the Democratic Women’s Caucus is fighting back with a clear, compassionate agenda that focuses on the needs of women and their families. I’m proud to stand with my colleagues to demand the dignity, fairness, and care that every working family deserves.”

    “As a mom and a Member of Congress, I know the challenges women and families face every day—whether it’s finding housing you can afford, accessing healthcare no matter where you live, putting food on the table, or securing a good job and quality education for your kids. These are the kitchen table issues I fight for in Congress and back home in Hawaii,” said DWC Progressive Caucus Liaison Jill Tokuda (HI-02). “That’s why I’m proud to support the Democratic Women’s Caucus’ new policy agenda. It recognizes the essential role women play in building strong families, strong economies, and strong communities, and it defends our rights and the resources we need to thrive.”

    “Women and families deserve an economy that works for them—not one that works for billionaires. The instability and rising costs created by Donald Trump and Republicans have made it harder for women to care for their families and build a secure future. We are fighting for an economy that prioritizes financial security, dignity, and opportunity,” said DWC Chief Whip Nikema Williams (GA-05). “That means lowering everyday costs, ensuring fair taxes, and protecting the basic programs women rely on. It means addressing workplace inequities like wage gaps and the lack of paid leave. It means expanding access to affordable childcare and long-term care, improving conditions for domestic and care workers, and supporting women small business owners.”

    “As a member of DWC’s Executive Steering Committee, I stand united with our 96 members to demand a future where women and families are valued, protected, and empowered. We do not accept the recent attacks on healthcare and food assistance and remain focused on building towards an America that works for everyone, not just the few. Our fight is for fair wages, accessible healthcare, and affordable childcare and long-term care. A country where those who work their entire lives can retire with dignity, where parents feel safe to send their kids to school, and care workers feel valued. I’m proud to join my DWC family in this fight,” said DWC Senate Liaison Debbie Dingell (MI-06).

    “At a time when women’s rights and freedoms are under unprecedented attack, I am proud to stand with the Democratic Women’s Caucus to say loud and clear: we will not go back. Our agenda is a bold commitment to securing economic justice, protecting access to health care and reproductive freedom, and ensuring that every woman can live in safety and dignity regardless of her income or zip code. While Trump and MAGA Republicans work to rip away reproductive health care, gut women’s health research, and more, we are fighting back. And we won’t stop until every woman has the freedoms and resources to thrive,” said DWC Reproductive Health Care Task Force Co-Chair and Liaison Judy Chu (CA-28).

    “Since I was a kid, I’ve watched the women in my life fight every day to be seen, heard, and valued—for their work, their caregiving, their ideas, and their leadership. I’ve seen moms doing everything they can to provide for their families while being overwhelmed and under-supported. I’ve seen women on job sites doing the same work as men but paid less. Women have been clear about what they need: affordable childcare, access to health care, equal pay, and a cost of living that doesn’t force impossible choices. These aren’t new tasks, they’re long-overdue promises. That’s why I’m proud to stand with the Democratic Women’s Caucus to build a safer, more affordable, and equitable future for every woman and girl,” said DWC Whip Emily Randall (WA-06).

    “As an OBGYN who has spent my career caring for women, I’m horrified by how women’s health is under attack in every direction from President Trump and his Republican majority in Congress. With attacks on everything from access to reproductive health care, to contraception, to perpetuating our maternal health care crisis, President Trump and Congressional Republicans are rolling back women’s ability to get the basic, essential care they need. I am proud to stand with the Democratic Women’s Caucus as we not only fight to defend women’s health – but put forward our vision for how we will ensure every woman can get the care she needs to be healthy and thrive,” said DWC Reproductive Health Care Task Force Co-Chair and Liaison Kelly Morrison (MN-03).

    Advocate and ally support for the agenda:

    “Women – and especially women of color – are under attack,” said Jocelyn C. Frye, President of the National Partnership for Women & Families Action Fund. “Women working full-time, year-round are still paid just 83 cents for every dollar paid to men; millions of workers lack access to paid family and medical leave and other caregiving supports; Black women face a maternal mortality crisis; and people across the country confront threats of criminalization for seeking abortion and reproductive health care. But instead of working on solutions to improve women’s health and economic security, President Trump and Republicans in Congress have attacked diversity, equity and inclusion programs, gutted federal agencies charged with protecting women and people of color and passed a tax bill that will threaten the physical health and financial security of millions of people. The National Partnership for Women & Families Action Fund is thrilled to endorse an alternative and affirmative agenda from the Democratic Women’s Caucus that centers women and women of color and champions the policies needed to advance women’s economic security, health and safety.”

    “GIFFORDS is glad to see public safety as a top priority for the Democratic Women’s Caucus. Under the Trump Administration, women are being put at greater risk every day for gun violence. This dangerous administration has rearmed domestic abusers, made it easier for bad gun dealers to stay in business, and loosened restrictions on weapons like gun silencers and short-barreled rifles. Already, we know that abusive partner’s access to a firearm is a serious threat to victims of domestic violence, making it five times more likely that a woman will be killed. We must put a stop to this epidemic and I look forward to working with the DWC to advance their public safety agenda,” said Emma Brown, GIFFORDS Executive Director.

    “Gen Z needs our elected leaders to step up and fight for our futures. The Democratic Women’s Caucus is showing us how they plan to fight for us with their Policy Agenda, and Voters of Tomorrow is proud to endorse this platform. We look forward to working with the Democratic Women’s Caucus, their members, and our allies on and off Capitol Hill to advocate for an Agenda that protects and empowers women and girls amidst ongoing attacks on our freedoms,” Grace Friedman, Policy Director at Voters of Tomorrow.

    “As an organization focused on advancing public policies that address gender, racial, economic, and social justice, CLASP strongly endorses the Democratic Women’s Caucus Executive Action Agenda. To our collective detriment, our nation’s policies have neglected—and often ignored—the needs of women and their families. The Caucus’s agenda boldly promotes what women need to thrive in today’s unpredictable economy— child care, long-term care, paid leave, just wages, workplace protections, health care, retirement security, and more. CLASP supports this ambitious and necessary set of policies. The success of our nation and economy depends on it,” said Wendy Chun-Hoon, President and Executive Director, Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP).

    The agenda is endorsed by:

    • Planned Parenthood Federation of America
    • National Partnership for Women & Families
    • National Women’s Law Center
    • Family Values @ Work
    • The Black Maternal Health Federal Policy Collective
    • National Health Law Program
    • National Council of Jewish Women
    • Equal Rights Advocates
    • GIFFORDS
    • Reproductive Freedom for All
    • MomsRising
    • Sexual Violence Prevention Organization
    • Voters of Tomorrow
    • Center for Law and Social Policy
    • Sexual Violence Prevention Association
    • Justice in Aging
    • Paid Leave for All

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: $HAREHOLDER ALERT: The M&A Class Action Firm Announces An Investigation of Longevity Health Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: XAGE)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, July 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Class Action Attorney Juan Monteverde with Monteverde & Associates PC (the “M&A Class Action Firm”), has recovered millions of dollars for shareholders and is recognized as a Top 50 Firm in the 2024 ISS Securities Class Action Services Report. The firm is headquartered at the Empire State Building in New York City and is investigating Longevity Health Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: XAGE) related to its merger with 20/20 BioLabs, Inc. Upon completion of the proposed transaction, Longevity shareholders are expected to own approximately 49.9% of the combined company. Is it a fair deal?

    Click here for more info https://monteverdelaw.com/case/longevity-health-holdings-inc/. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.

    NOT ALL LAW FIRMS ARE EQUAL. Before you hire a law firm, you should talk to a lawyer and ask:

    1. Do you file class actions and go to Court?
    2. When was the last time you recovered money for shareholders?
    3. What cases did you recover money in and how much?

    About Monteverde & Associates PC

    Our firm litigates and has recovered money for shareholders…and we do it from our offices in the Empire State Building. We are a national class action securities firm with a successful track record in trial and appellate courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. 

    No one is above the law. If you own common stock in the above listed company and have concerns or wish to obtain additional information free of charge, please visit our website or contact Juan Monteverde, Esq. either via e-mail at jmonteverde@monteverdelaw.com or by telephone at (212) 971-1341.

    Contact:
    Juan Monteverde, Esq.
    MONTEVERDE & ASSOCIATES PC
    The Empire State Building
    350 Fifth Ave. Suite 4740
    New York, NY 10118
    United States of America
    jmonteverde@monteverdelaw.com
    Tel: (212) 971-1341

    Attorney Advertising. (C) 2025 Monteverde & Associates PC. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Monteverde & Associates PC (www.monteverdelaw.com).  Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Community Resilience Centre Announced for Denare Beach

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on July 17, 2025

    A Community Resilience Centre located in Denare Beach, Saskatchewan, is now open to provide support to residents who experienced loss from the WOLF fire. 

    The centre will open today at the Denareplex, 1700 Wigwam Drive, and will run from noon to 9 p.m. It will open again on July 18, 2025 from 9 a.m. to noon. 

    “The establishment of a Resilience Centre for Denare Beach is an important step in helping the community start the recovery process,” Denare Beach Mayor Carl Lentowicz said. “We are appreciative of the support being provided by the Government of Saskatchewan and the Recovery Task Team and look forward to working with them to increase the resiliency of our community.”

    “The Government of Saskatchewan is proud to partner with the community of Denare Beach to help quickly begin the recovery process,” Corrections, Policing and Public Safety Minister Tim McLeod said. “I thank the local community leaders and the Recovery Task Team who continue to collaborate and to start the recovery process together.”

    The Community Resilience Centre provides a safe and supportive space for residents and business owners to share their questions, describe their needs, provide information and updates, receive case management supports and receive services to help them through recovery and rebuilding efforts. Case management support and services will include financial support, navigation assistance, help with applications and individual counselling services. 

    Residents will be able to access program information from a wide variety of organizations and agencies, ranging from the Saskatchewan Provincial Disaster Assistance Program, Saskatchewan Government Insurance, the Ministry of Social Services, the Saskatchewan Health Authority Mental Health Services and the Canadian Red Cross.

    The Community Resilience Centre is expected to be open two-days per week for the following weeks. Residents can reach out to their leadership for further information. 

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Iowa Nurse Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug Diversion, Illegal Firearms Possession, and Bank Fraud

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    A former Iowa nurse from western Iowa, who stole pain medication from nursing home residents, burglarized multiple residences, possessed a firearm as a felon, and committed a bank fraud, was sentenced on July 16, 2025, to more than three years in federal prison.  Sarah Ann Haptonstall, age 47, from Onawa, Iowa, received the prison term after she pled guilty on February 24, 2025, to one count of acquiring and attempting to acquire a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, deception, or subterfuge, one count of possession of a firearm by a felon, and one count of bank fraud.

    In a plea agreement, and at her plea and sentencing hearings, Haptonstall admitted that, in March 2023, she burglarized an Onawa couple’s home on multiple occasions in order to steal narcotic pain medication.  One the residents needed the medication for constant nerve pain.  Haptonstall knew this, because when she was a nurse in 2021, she had delivered narcotics to the Onawa couple’s residence.  When law enforcement officers arrested Haptonstall on March 10, 2023, after she re-burglarized the Onawa couple’s residence a final time, Haptonstall possessed a 9mm Luger pistol in her truck.  Haptonstall was a felon and drug user at the time, and so it was illegal for her to possess firearms.  Haptonstall had purchased two 9mm Luger pistols in February 2020, after falsely stating that she was not an unlawful user of, or addicted to, a controlled substance.

    The burglaries of the Onawa couple’s home were but one part of a larger drug diversion scheme that Haptonstall was perpetrating in western Iowa.  In February and March 2023, Haptonstall was entering multiple apartments in Onawa and stealing the residents’ pain medications.  Further, between April and October 2022, while working as a licensed Iowa nurse, defendant stole hydrocodone pills from four elderly residents of an Onawa nursing home and a Sergeant Bluff nursing home.  One of the victims was over 90 years old.  Haptonstall removed the narcotics from pill cards and replaced them with Tylenol.  One of the nursing home residents suffered from severe pain as she died because defendant had swapped out the victim’s narcotic pills for Tylenol and made a false entry in her medical record.  Another resident was in hospice when defendant stole her narcotics.  Haptonstall was first licensed as a nurse in 2006, and her license was renewed at least five times (in 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018, and 2021).  Haptonstall ultimately surrendered her nursing license.

    Haptonstall also admitted that, in early 2023, she committed a bank fraud against a small family-owned business in Onawa.  Haptonstall was the business’s bookkeeper and abused her position of trust to embezzle over $8,000 from the company.  Specifically, Haptonstall created fraudulent checks payable to herself, drawn on the small business’s account, and bearing one of its proprietor’s signatures.  Haptonstall disguised the fraudulent checks by making false and fictitious entries in the small business’s electronic bookkeeping system.

    Haptonstall has an extensive criminal history, beginning with six theft convictions in the late 1990s and 2000s.  Between 1997 and 2013, a state court dismissed more than 30 additional theft charges against Haptonstall after she agreed to pay restitution to the victims in those cases.  Haptonstall’s felony record started in 2006, when she pled guilty to forgery after she forged signatures on checks.  In 2014, Haptonstall was convicted of a felony controlled substance violation after making a material misrepresentation to obtain hydrocodone from a grocery store.  In February 2023, while she was committing bank fraud, and about a month before burglarizing residences in Onawa, Haptonstall received a ten-year, fully suspended prison sentence in state court for felony drug diversion after she admitted she had swapped patients’ hydrocodone for Tylenol pills while working as a delivery driver for a local pharmacy. 

    Haptonstall was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Haptonstall was sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment.  She was also ordered to make over $8,000 in restitution to her former employer and to repay $5,000 in court-appointed attorney fees.  Haptonstall must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

    Haptonstall was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and investigated by the Iowa Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General.  The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Monona County Sheriff’s Office assisted the investigation.

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

    The case file numbers are 24-CR-4016 and 25-CR-4007.  

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Carter, Bera Introduce Bill to Strengthen Palliative and Hospice Care Workforce

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Earl L Buddy Carter (GA-01)

    Headline: Carter, Bera Introduce Bill to Strengthen Palliative and Hospice Care Workforce

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Reps. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) and Ami Bera, M.D. (D-CA) today introduced the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act (PCHETA), bipartisan legislation to invest in training, education, and research for the palliative care and hospice workforce, allowing more practitioners to enter these in-demand fields. 

    Palliative and hospice care focus on providing comfort and quality of life improvements for those seriously ill, extending quality of life and reducing the length of hospital stays for many patients.

    “Caring for someone living with serious illness or at the end of their life is one of the most compassionate, selfless things one can do, and we must ensure that these heroes have the assistance, training, education, and tools available to provide the highest quality care possible. As a pharmacist, I understand the toll burnout takes on the health care industry, and I am committed to bolstering the workforce so nurses, doctors, and all health care workers can continue to pursue their passion for helping others,” said Rep. Carter.

    “As a doctor, I know how important it is to provide patients with comfort, clarity, and support when they’re facing serious illness,” said Rep. Bera. “The Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act is a smart, bipartisan step to ensure more health care professionals are trained to deliver this kind of care. By expanding training programs and strengthening our health care workforce, we will make sure that patients and families have access to the care they need to manage pain, make informed decisions, and live with dignity.”

    In 2001, just 7% of U.S. hospitals with more than 50 beds had a palliative care program, compared with 72% in 2019. Those working in the field, 40% of whom are 56 years of age or older, report high rates of burnout, in response to the increasing number of patients requiring treatment. 

    Reps. Carter and Bera’s bill, which has a Senate companion led by Senators Baldwin and Capito, alleviates these strains through workforce training, education and awareness, and enhanced research.

    “As we face a critical shortage of health professionals with expert knowledge and skills in palliative care, AAHPM applauds Representatives Carter and Bera for their leadership in introducing the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act to ensure all patients facing serious illness or at the end of life can receive high-quality care,” said Kristina Newport, MD FAAHPM, HMDC, Chief Medical Officer of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. “We urge Congress to recognize the importance of a well-trained, interprofessional healthcare team to providing coordinated, person-centered serious illness care and to act now to build a healthcare workforce more closely aligned with America’s evolving healthcare needs. Advancing PCHETA will go a long way towards improving quality of care and quality of life for our nation’s sickest and most vulnerable patients, along with their families and caregivers.”

    “Palliative care treats the whole person, not just the disease. Ensuring health care providers can be trained in this specialized, coordinated form of care and providing funding for robust public education through the Palliative Care Education and Training Act can help increase access to palliative care for cancer patients and make their cancer journey less difficult,” said Lisa A. Lacasse, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. “We commend Reps. Carter and Bera for their leadership and steadfast commitment to palliative care and to improving quality of life for patients, including those impacted by cancer.”

    “Every person living with serious illness or facing the end of life deserves compassionate, expert care that honors their choices and helps them live comfortably on their own terms. The Alliance celebrates Representatives Carter and Bera’s leadership in introducing the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act, which will ensure families have access to the trained professionals they need during life’s most difficult moments. As our population ages, this critical investment in education and training will help us meet the growing demand for quality palliative and hospice care,” said Dr. Steve Landers, CEO for the National Alliance for Care at Home.

    Supporting Organizations Include: Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s Disease Resource Center, Alzheimer’s Impact Movement, American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Physician Associates, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American College of Surgeons, American Geriatrics Society, American Heart Association, American Psychological Association, American Psychosocial Oncology Society, The American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Association for Clinical Oncology, Association of Oncology Social Work, Association of Pediatric Hematology/ Oncology Nurses, Association of Professional Chaplains, The California State University Shiley Haynes Institute for Palliative Care, Cambia Health Solutions, Cancer Support Community, CaringKind, Catholic Health Association of the United States, Center to Advance Palliative Care, Children’s National Health System, Coalition for Compassionate Care of California, Colorectal Cancer Alliance, Courageous Parents Network, The George Washington Institute for Spirituality and Health, GO2 for Lung Cancer, The HAP Foundation, HealthCare Chaplaincy Network, Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association, LEAD Coalition, LeadingAge, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Motion Picture & Television Fund, National Alliance for Care at Home, National Alliance for Caregiving, National Brain Tumor Society, National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship, National Coalition for Hospice and Palliative Care, National Comprehensive Cancer Network, National Marrow Donor Program, National Palliative Care Research Center, National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation, National Patient Advocate Foundation, National POLST Paradigm, Oncology Nursing Society, Pediatric Palliative Care Coalition, PAs in Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Prevent Cancer Foundation, Second Wind Dreams, Social Work Hospice & Palliative Care Network, Society of Pain and Palliative Care Pharmacists, St. Baldrick’s Foundation, Supportive Care Matters, Susan G. Komen, Trinity Health, West Health Institute, The Alliance for the Advancement of End-of-Life Care, Alzheimer’s Los Angeles, Alzheimer’s Orange County, Arizona Association for Home Care, Arizona Hospice & Palliative Care Organization, Association for Home & Hospice Care of North Carolina, California Association for Health Services at Home, The Center for Optimal Aging at Marymount University, Children’s Hospice and Palliative Care Coalition, Delaware Association for Home & Community Care, Florida Hospice & Palliative Care Association, Georgia Association for Home Health Agencies, Georgia Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, Granite State Home Health & Hospice Association (NH), Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Home Care Association of Florida, Home Care Association of NYS, Home Care Association of Washington, Home Care and Hospice Association of Colorado, Homecare and Hospice Association of Utah, Hospice and Palliative Care Association of Iowa, Hospice and Palliative Care Association of New York, Hospice Care and Kentucky Home Care Association, Hospice Council of West Virginia, Hospice & Palliative Care Federation of Massachusetts, Idaho Health Care Association, Illinois Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, Indiana Association for Home, Kokua Mau, LeadingAge California, LeadingAge Georgia, LeadingAge New Jersey/Delaware, LeadingAge Ohio, LifeCircle-South Dakota’s Hospice and Palliative Care Network, Louisiana Mississippi Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, Maryland-National Capital Homecare Association, Michigan HomeCare and Hospice Association, Minnesota Network of Hospice and Palliative Care, Missouri Alliance for Home Care, Missouri Hospice & Palliative Care Association, Nebraska Association for Home Healthcare and Hospice, Nebraska Home Care Association, Ohio Council for Home Care & Hospice, Ohio Health Care Association, Oklahoma Association for Home Care and Hospice, South Carolina Home Care & Hospice Association, The Oregon Hospice & Palliative Care Association, Texas Association for Home Care & Hospice, Texas ~ New Mexico Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, Virginia Association for Home Care and Hospice, VNAs of Vermont, The Washington State Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, and West Virginia Council for Home Care and Hospice.

    Read full bill text here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: After Supreme Court Greenlights Mass Layoffs at ED, New Warren Report Reveals Impact of Trump Administration’s Attacks On Public Education

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    July 17, 2025
    11 national organizations warn of dangers from dismantling the Department of Education. 
    Warren: “If President Trump succeeds in completely eliminating the Department of Education, millions of students, teachers, and families will pay the price.”
    Text of Report (PDF)
    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released a new 23-page report, “Education At Risk: Frontline Impacts of Trump’s War on Students,” highlighting warnings from 11 major national education and civil rights organizations on the impact of the Trump administration’s dismantling of the Department of Education (ED), slashing support to millions of American students, primary and secondary school teachers, administrators, parents, and student loan borrowers. Since the Trump Administration took office, President Trump, Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and ED Secretary Linda McMahon have:
    Eliminated hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding for ED programs that serve America’s students, families, and educators. 
    Fired nearly half of the department’s employees, severely limiting its ability to support public education around the country.
    Attempted to further dismantle ED by illegally transferring core ED functions to other agencies. 
    In April 2025, Senator Warren asked leading national organizations representing teachers, parents, students, student loan borrowers, and administrators to collect firsthand accounts of the impacts of the administration’s policies. 
    Key findings of Senator Warren’s report include:
    Cuts to the Office of Federal Student Aid staff and student loan programs will limit college attendance and delay borrower access to loans and debt relief.
    According to the American Council on Education, “delayed funding, especially in the instances of student financial aid, can result in the inability of students to enroll for classes and persist through to completion in a timely fashion, causing them to take on more student loan debt to complete their degrees.”

    Dismantling the Office of Civil Rights will impede ED’s ability to ensure that students receive an education free from discrimination.
    According to the National Parents Union, this “leaves 46.413 million students in 27 states and territories without dedicated civil rights investigators in regional offices.”

    Cuts to the Institute of Education Sciences threaten the collection and dissemination of critical federal data.
    ED collects data that helps students and parents get a comprehensive evaluation of the quality and financial cost of colleges and secondary schools. Without this data, the Institute for Higher Education Policy says, “Families would be left without the only reliable federal resource to help them make informed choices about one of the most significant financial and personal decisions of their lives.”

    Plans to transfer responsibilities to other agencies are wasteful and will increase the cost and complexity of performing essential department functions that America’s students and families rely on.
    For example, the National Center for Youth Law notes that President Trump’s proposal to move special education services into the Department of Health and Human Services risks “stripping away decades of hard-won progress for students with disabilities, returning to an outdated medical model that treats disabilities as pathologies to be contained rather than differences to be accommodated.”

    The report reveals that this damage will continue to worsen if the Department of Education is further defunded and dismantled, harming over 62 million students across the country. 
    The organizations that were cited in this report include the American Council on Education (ACE), National Parents Union (NPU), National Education Association (NEA), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Student Borrower Protection Center (SBPC), Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA), National Center for Youth Law (NCYL), National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), National Women’s Law Center (NWLC), Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP), and the Association for Institutional Research (AIR).
    Senator Warren launched the Save Our Schools campaign in a coordinated effort to fight back against President Trump’s attempts to abolish the Department of Education:
    On July 15, 2025, Senators Warren and Sanders, along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, sent a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, urging her to reverse the interest hike on student loan borrowers in the SAVE forbearance. 
    On July 14, 2025, Senator Warren joined a letter to the director of the Office of Management and Budget, Russ Vought, and Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, demanding that the Department of Education stop blocking nearly $7 billion in funds for K-12 schools, including for afterschool programs.
    On July 3, 2025, Senator Warren led her colleagues in submitting an amicus brief for NAACP v. US, arguing to the United States District Court District of Maryland that President Trump’s attempts to dismantle the Department of Education violate separation of powers and lack constitutional authority.
    On June 10, 2025, Senator Warren met with Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and delivered over 1,000 letters to McMahon that the senator had received from people in all 50 states who were worried about the Secretary’s efforts to dismantle the Department of Education.
    On June 9, 2025, Senator Warren led her colleagues in pushing the Acting Inspector General of Department of Education to open an investigation into new information obtained by her office, revealing that DOGE may have gained access to two FSA internal systems, in addition to sensitive borrower data.
    On May 20, 2025, Senator Warren and 27 other senators pushed for full funding for the Office of Federal Student Aid.
    On May 14, 2025, Senator Warren led a Senate forum entitled “Stealing the American Dream: How Trump and Republicans Are Raising Education Costs for Families,” highlighting the consequences of Secretary Linda McMahon’s reckless dismantling of the Department of Education and President Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” for working- and middle-class students and borrowers.
    On May 13, 2025, Senator Warren agreed to meet with Education Secretary Linda McMahon and promised to bring questions and stories from Americans across the country to highlight how the Trump administration’s attacks on education are hurting American families.
    On May 6, 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren highlighted the consequences of President Trump and Secretary Linda McMahon’s reckless dismantling of the Department of Education for American families in a Senate forum.
    On April 24, 2025, Senator Warren launched a new investigation into the harms of President Trump’s attacks on the Department of Education, seeking information on the impact of the Trump administration’s actions from the members of twelve leading organizations representing schools, parents, teachers, students, borrowers, and researchers.
    On April 10, 2025, following a request led by Senator Warren, the Department of Education’s Acting Inspector General agreed to open an investigation into the Trump administration’s attempts to dismantle the Department of Education.
    On April 2, 2025, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Mazie Hirono, along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, sent a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon regarding the Department of Government Efficiency’s proposed plan to replace the Department of Education’s federal student aid call centers with generative artificial intelligence chatbots.
    On April 2, 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren launched the Save Our Schools campaign to fight back against the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle the Department of Education and highlight the consequences for every student and public school in America.
    On March 27, 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) led a letter to Acting Department of Education Inspector General René Rocque requesting they conduct an investigation of the Trump Administration’s attempts to dismantle the Department of Education.
    On March 20, 2025, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders led a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon regarding the Trump Administration’s decision to slash the capacity of Federal Student Aid to handle student aid complaints.
    On February 24, 2025, in a response to Senator Warren, Secretary McMahon gave her first public admission that she “wholeheartedly” agreed with Trump’s plans to abolish the Department of Education.
    On February 11, 2025, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Andy Kim sent Linda McMahon, Secretary-Designate for the U.S. Department of Education, a 12-page letter with 65 questions on McMahon’s policy views in advance of her nomination hearing.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEWS: Sanders Introduces Pensions for All Act to Guarantee Retirement Security for Every American

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders
    WASHINGTON, July 17 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), today introduced the Pensions for All Act, sweeping legislation that would provide comprehensive retirement coverage to the more than 56 million working-class Americans who currently have no retirement plan through their employer.  
    “We can no longer tolerate a rigged retirement system that allows the CEOs of large corporations to receive massive golden parachutes for themselves, while denying workers a pension after a lifetime of work,” Sanders said. “If we are serious about addressing the retirement crisis in America, corporations must be required to offer all of their workers a traditional pension plan that guarantees a monthly income in retirement. And if corporations refuse to offer a decent retirement plan, their workers must be allowed to receive the same type of pension that every member of Congress receives. If we can guarantee a defined benefit pension plan for members of Congress, we can and we must provide that same level of retirement security to every worker in America.” 
    In our country today, nearly half of older workers between the ages of 55 and 64 have no retirement savings at all and no idea how they will be able to retire with any shred of dignity or respect. 
    “If Congress can provide over $1 trillion in tax breaks for the top 1% and over $900 billion in tax breaks for large corporations, please do not tell me that we cannot afford to make sure that every worker in America can retire with the dignity and the respect they deserve,” Sanders continued.
    Today, more than 22.8% of seniors in the United States live in poverty — compared to just 5.1% in Denmark, 5.8% in France, 12.6% in Germany and 14.8% in Canada. Unacceptably, nearly 22% of seniors in America are trying to survive on less than $15,000 a year while half of our nation’s elderly population makes less than $30,000 a year. 
    The Pensions for All Act would reverse this trend by requiring corporations to either: 
    Provide a traditional pension plan for their workers that is at least equivalent to the plan provided to new members of Congress under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), or
    Pay into the federal retirement system at a level that ensures all of their workers receive the same amount of retirement benefits as Members of Congress.
    Importantly, this legislation would also offer reduced contribution requirements for self-employed workers and small businesses.  
    The bill builds on Sanders’ Social Security Expansion Act, which would increase Social Security benefits by $2,400 a year and fully fund the program for the next 75 years by applying the Social Security payroll tax on all income above $250,000. Together, these bills would finally ensure retirement security for all. 
    The legislation is endorsed by United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW); Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA); Alliance for Retired Americans; Just Solutions; Equal Rights Advocates; Popular Democracy in Action; and NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice.
    “Fifty years ago, nearly 50% of American workers had a pension. Today, less than 10% do, and nearly half of older workers have no retirement savings at all. That isn’t a flaw in the system—it’s the system working exactly as the wealthy designed it. We’ve gone from being a country that promised security and dignity in old age to being a country that forces people to work until they’re in the grave. After a lifetime of hard work, every American deserves the promise of a secure, dignified retirement—not a future filled with fear, uncertainty, and poverty. Pensions have long been the bedrock of retirement for working-class people, but corporate greed has eroded that foundation. The billionaire class gutted pensions in pursuit of profit, and Washington let it happen. CEOs walk away with golden parachutes while working people walk into retirement with nothing. Meanwhile, every Member of Congress has a guaranteed pension—for life. If it’s good enough for them, it’s good enough for the people who build this country. The retirement crisis is real, and it’s time for Congress to act. Thank you to Senator Bernie Sanders—a leader who knows which side he’s on—for standing up for the working-class,” said UAW President Shawn Fain. 
    Read the bill text here. 
    Read a summary of the bill here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: The CBSA gives tips for a smoother border crossing during the Quebec construction holidays

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    July 17, 2025         Montréal, Quebec                    Canada Border Services Agency

    The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) offers some tips to travellers who will be returning to Canada during the construction holidays in Quebec, which take place form July 20 to August 3. This is a period when higher traffic is observed at ports of entry.

    Every day, the CBSA works hard to protect Canadians, support the economy and ensure the safe and efficient movement of people and goods across the border. In 2024, we welcomed over 93.4 million travellers, stopped over 34,400 kg of illegal drugs from entering our communities and kept more than 17,200 weapons and 930 firearms off our streets.

    The CBSA plans and prepares for long weekends and summer travel. We monitor traveller volumes and prioritize efficient processing of travellers at land ports of entry and at international airports, without compromising safety and security. If you encounter wait times at the border, it is likely because we are working behind the scenes to conduct examinations, seize drugs, firearms or stolen vehicles, or prevent high-risk individuals from entering Canada.

    Here are some tips to help you plan for your trip:

    • Plan ahead, expect delays and check border wait times. Travellers crossing the border by land are encouraged to cross during non-peak hours such as early mornings. The Monday of a holiday long weekend tends to be the busiest, with longer border wait times.
    • Looking for a port of entry’s hours of operation? Always best to check the official CBSA Directory of Offices and Services. If you are using a GPS application (such as Google Maps, Apple Maps or Waze) to direct you to a port of entry, consider checking different navigation options (such as fastest and shortest routes) to determine the preferred route of travel. In many instances, there are alternative ports of entry within close proximity.
    • Have your travel documents handy. Whether travelling by land, air or water, you can help speed up processing times by always coming prepared with your travel documents.
    • Be prepared to declare. Declare everything you have with you upon entry into Canada. If you arrive by land, you are responsible for everything inside your vehicle.
      • Goods purchased abroad: If you are a resident of Canada, personal exemptions allow you to bring goods, including alcohol and tobacco up to a certain value, back to Canada without paying regular duty and taxes. Make sure you know the value of goods you are bringing back in Canadian dollars and have your receipts available for the officer.
      • Surtaxes on certain U.S. goods. If you’ve purchased goods in the U.S. and are bringing them into Canada, you may have to pay a 25% surtax in addition to regular duties and taxes. For residents of Canada, this surtax applies only to goods exceeding your personal exemptions limit. Consult the lists of products surtaxed: complete lists of goods subject to the surtax. Visit the CBSA website for more details on how these surtaxes apply at the border. 
    • Flying into Canada? Use Advance Declaration and make your customs declaration up to 72 hours in advance of your arrival into Canada at participating airports.
    • Entering Canada by boat? If you are planning to travel in or near Canadian waters, or enter Canada by boat, you should review Reporting requirements for private boat operators before making travel plans. All travellers entering Canada by boat must report to the CBSA without delay.
    • When travelling with children who are not your own or for whom you don’t have full legal custody, we recommend you have a consent letter from the parent or legal guardian authorizing you to travel with the child. We are always watching for missing children, and in the absence of the letter, officers may ask additional questions.
    • Cannabis: Don’t bring it in. Don’t take it out. Bringing cannabis across the border in any form, including oils containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or cannabidiol (CBD), without a permit or exemption authorized by Health Canada is a serious criminal offence subject to arrest and prosecution, despite the legalization of cannabis in Canada. A medical prescription from a doctor does not count as Health Canada authorization.
    • Declare any food, plants, or animals. Consult the Automated Import Reference System (AIRS) on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency website before bringing any food, plant, and animal products into Canada.
    • Travelling with medication? Make sure you understand your responsibilities.

    Not sure? Ask a CBSA officer. The best thing you can do to save time is to be open and honest with the CBSA officer. If you are not sure about what to declare, don’t hesitate to ask. Our officers are here to help and keep everyone safe.

    For more information, visit the CBSA Website or call us at 1-800-461-9999.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Weber Introduces BIRD Health Act to Strengthen U.S.-Israel Medical Innovation

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Randy Weber (14th District of Texas)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Reps. Randy Weber (TX-14) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) introduced the United States-Israel Bilateral Innovation for Research and Development in (BIRD) Health Act of 2025. The legislation directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to partner with the successful Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation to create a dedicated BIRD Health Program, modeled after existing collaborations in energy, cyber, and homeland security.

    The BIRD Health Act deepens U.S.-Israel collaboration in the development of next-generation health technologies, fortify domestic supply chains, and reduce our reliance on adversarial nations for critical medical products. By leveraging Israel’s world-class biotech ecosystem and America’s unmatched research infrastructure.

    “The United States and Israel share one of the strongest, most enduring alliances in the world, and it just makes sense to join forces in advancing life-saving health technologies that benefit both our nations,” said Rep. Weber. “The BIRD Health Act of 2025 builds on our shared strengths to support cutting-edge medical innovation, strengthen supply chains, and improve health outcomes for American families.”

    “U.S. and Israeli doctors, scientists, and researchers are leading the world in groundbreaking medical advancements, including regenerative medicine, disease prevention, and cancer research,” said Rep. Pappas. “The health technology and innovation program created through this bipartisan legislation will strengthen the bilateral partnership between the U.S. and Israel to address emerging health issues, develop innovative solutions, and save lives.”

    The bill supports:
    • Joint U.S.-Israel research and development in medical devices, digital health, diagnostics, vaccines, and biotechnology
    • Manufacturing partnerships to boost U.S.-based production of critical medicines
    • Innovation ecosystems that promote startups, clinical trials, and commercialization of new treatments
    • Data-sharing and cybersecurity protocols to protect patient privacy and medical infrastructure

    Read the bill here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two California Residents Plead Guilty in Connection with $16 Million Hospice Fraud Scheme and Money Laundering Scheme

    Source: US FBI

    Two California residents pleaded guilty yesterday in connection with their roles in defrauding Medicare of nearly $16 million through sham hospice companies and to laundering the proceeds of the fraud as part of a multi-year scheme.

    According to court documents, Karpis Srapyan, 35, of Winnetka, California, conspired with others, including co-defendants Petros Fichidzhyan and Juan Carlos Esparza, to bill Medicare for hospice services that were not medically necessary and never provided. To conduct their fraudulent scheme, they used a series of four sham hospice companies: one owned by Esparza and the other three owned by foreign nationals but controlled by the defendants. Srapyan and his co-defendants concealed the scheme by using foreign nationals’ personal identifying information to open bank accounts, submit information to Medicare, and sign property leases. They also misappropriated names and other identifying information of several doctors, two of whom were deceased, to fraudulently bill Medicare for purported hospice services. In total, Medicare paid the fake hospice companies nearly $16 million.

    Fichidzhyan, Esparza, and Srapyan worked with others to launder the fraudulent proceeds from their hospice scheme. Susanna Harutyunyan, 39, of Winnetka, was aware that her husband and co-defendant Mihran Panosyan was involved in illegal activity with Srapyan and Fichidzhyan. As part of the money laundering scheme, Harutyunyan and her co-defendants maintained fraudulent identification documents, bank documents, checkbooks, and credit and debit cards in the names of purported foreign owners in the residence where she and Panosyan lived and another residence that was owned in her name. Srapyan conducted dozens of financial transactions, totaling approximately $3.2 million, moving funds between accounts in the names of the sham hospice companies, accounts in the names of foreign nationals that were controlled by the defendants, and other accounts involved in the money laundering scheme. Harutyunyan knowingly spent fraudulent proceeds on personal expenses, including payments for a BMW automobile.

    Srapyan pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and money laundering and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 6. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Harutyunyan pleaded guilty to money laundering and is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 17; she faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine their sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Harutyunyan faces deportation.

    Co-defendant Petros Fichidzhyan previously pleaded guilty to health care fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering. In May, Fichidzhyan was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Co-defendant Mihran Panosyan pleaded guilty to money laundering in June and is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 8. Co-defendant Juan Carlos Esparza’s change of plea hearing is scheduled for July 14.

    The guilty pleas today are the most recent convictions in the Justice Department’s ongoing effort to combat hospice fraud in the greater Los Angeles area. Last year, a doctor was convicted at trial for his role in a scheme to bill Medicare for hospice services patients did not need, and two other defendants were sentenced for their roles in a hospice fraud scheme.  

    Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office, and Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.

    The FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case.

    Trial Attorneys Michael Bacharach, Sarah E. Edwards, and Allison L. McGuire of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara B. Vavere for the Central District of California is handling asset forfeiture.

    The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of 9 strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Alan Wilson announces Columbia woman charged with stealing more than $28,000 from vulnerable adultRead More

    Source: US State of South Carolina

    (COLUMBIA, S.C.) – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced that his office’s Vulnerable Adults and Medicaid Provider Fraud unit (VAMPF) has arrested Salym M. Williams, 32 years old, of Columbia, S.C., for Exploitation of a Vulnerable Adult {43-35-0085 (D)}, Obtaining Signature or Property under False Pretenses, value $10,000 or more {16-13-0240(2)}, and Financial Identity Fraud {16-13-0510(B)}. Williams was booked into the Lexington County Detention Center on July 15, 2025.

    A VAMPF investigation revealed that between April 25, 2022, and November 12, 2024, Williams allegedly misappropriated funds and assets from a vulnerable adult with fraudulent intent. Williams is accused of using the victim’s personal information to open a Cash App account in the victim’s name, which was then used for retail purchases and money transfers to others. Additionally, investigators claim Williams accessed the victim’s retirement accounts, long-term disability account, and bank account to conduct electronic transfers and ATM withdrawals. The alleged scheme defrauded the victim of $28,412.47. The victim, classified as a vulnerable adult under South Carolina law, was a resident of Opus Post Acute in West Columbia during the time of the alleged misconduct.

    Opus Post Acute referred this case to VAMPF and cooperated fully with investigators.  This case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office.

    Exploitation of a Vulnerable Adult is a felony and, upon conviction, has a penalty of up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $5,000, or both. Obtaining Signature or Property under False Pretenses, value $10,000 or more, is a felony and, upon conviction, has a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $500. Financial Identity Fraud is a felony and, upon conviction, has a penalty of up to 10 years in prison, a fine at the discretion of the court, or both.

    Pursuant to federal regulations, VAMPF has authority over Medicaid provider fraud; abuse and neglect of Medicaid beneficiaries in any setting; and the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of individuals residing in assisted living facilities or nursing homes. 

    Attorney General Wilson stressed all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.

    The South Carolina Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, dba VAMPF, receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $2,889,252 for federal fiscal year 2025. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $963,084 for FFY 2025, is funded by South Carolina.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Hitachi Energy Reduces Injuries by 95% with VelocityEHS Industrial Ergonomics Software

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO, July 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — VelocityEHS, the global leader in EHS solutions and pioneer in applying practical AI to workplace safety, announces that Hitachi Energy has achieved a 95% reduction in workplace injuries, including neck, shoulder and back, at its Jefferson City, Missouri, manufacturing facility using the VelocityEHS Industrial Ergonomics solution.

    Hitachi Energy is a major manufacturer in the power industry, producing electrical equipment and providing electrification solutions across the globe. Like many large-scale manufacturers, the company struggled to scale safety operations and ergonomics efforts to meet the needs of its expansive workforce and complex production processes.

    “We’re just one small team serving a 13-acre facility,” says Megan Sommerer, Health Integration Specialist and Registered Nurse.

    “We were just meeting the basic requirements and needed to focus. As a team, we decided to develop our ergonomics program further,” she added.

    In 2023, Hitachi Energy fully deployed the VelocityEHS Industrial Ergonomics solution to better analyze workplace safety incidents and pinpoint where ergonomic process changes could deliver the biggest impact.

    Leveraging motion-capture technology and data analytics, the software identified high-risk tasks and provided actionable recommendations. These insights enabled the team to implement targeted, low-cost changes—such as workstation redesigns and tool modifications—that led to significant reductions in musculoskeletal injuries.

    Data-Driven Collaboration

    Backed by data from VelocityEHS, Sommerer convened a cross-functional committee of engineers, operators and safety professionals to take action. Among the improvements:

    • Hydraulic Upgrade: Operators had been using a custom metal punch manually, placing strain on arms and backs. A $1,000 retrofit to hydraulic operation cut risk by 83.4%.
    • Workstation Redesign: Adjustments to lifts and tooling allowed operators to work closer to large components, reducing awkward postures and physical strain.

    These changes, guided by software insights and carried out with minimal investment, drove a 95% reduction in back and neck injuries and significantly lowered related costs within two years.

    Scaling Safety Across the Enterprise

    The success at Jefferson City prompted Hitachi Energy to expand its use of VelocityEHS software to seven additional North American facilities, with plans underway for broader global deployment across Europe and South America.

    “Hitachi Energy is a great example of how companies can scale ergonomics improvements using data, collaboration and practical innovation,” said Matt Airhart, CEO of VelocityEHS. “Their team achieved life-changing results for workers and set a global standard for what’s possible when you put the right tools in place.”

    Read the full case study on the VelocityEHS website.

    About VelocityEHS

    Relied on by more than 10 million users worldwide to drive operational excellence and achieve outstanding outcomes, VelocityEHS is the global leader in true SaaS enterprise EHS & ESG technology. The VelocityEHS Accelerate® Platform is the definitive gold standard, delivering best-in-class software solutions for managing Safety, Ergonomics, Chemical Management, and Operational Risk. In addition, Velocity offers world-class applications for Contractor Safety & Permit to Work, Environmental Compliance, and ESG.

    The VelocityEHS team includes unparalleled industry expertise, with more certified experts in health, safety, industrial hygiene, ergonomics, sustainability, the environment, AI, and machine learning than any other EHS software provider. Recognized by the EHS industry’s top independent analysts as a Leader in the Verdantix 2025 Green Quadrant Analysis, VelocityEHS is committed to industry thought leadership and to accelerating the pace of innovation through its software solutions and vision. Its privacy and security protocols, which include SOC2 Type II attestation, are among the most stringent in the industry.

    VelocityEHS is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with locations in Ann Arbor, Michigan; Tampa, Florida; Oakville, Ontario; London, England; Perth, Western Australia; and Cork, Ireland. For more information, visit www.EHS.com.
    To learn more, visit www.EHS.com.

    Media Contact
    Jennifer Sinkwitts
    jsinkwitts@ehs.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Eastern Cape government urges families to assist in search for flood victims

    Source: Government of South Africa

    The Eastern Cape Provincial Government has called on families who are still searching for missing loved ones in the areas affected by last month’s catastrophic floods, to come forward with information to assist ongoing recovery efforts.

    “Your information is vital to help rescue teams determine if any individuals are still unaccounted for and to continue their search efforts,” Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC, Zolile Williams, said during a media briefing on Wednesday.

    Giving an update on the provincial disaster management response and recovery, Williams reported that the total number of people who lost their lives remains at 103, with 100 of them being positively identified and laid to rest with dignity.

    “One child is still missing, and the rescue teams are still searching. Three bodies remain unclaimed, two of which have not been positively identified through the national population register.

    “The deceased include five government employees, one educator and two nurses, as well as two firefighters from the Department of Transport,” Williams said.

    Williams said the province has established a dedicated task team to assist bereaved families with the coordination of burial services support for all the deceased.

    “Government burial support was provided ranging from death registrations with Home Affairs, South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) and the Department of Education’s funeral support funding to families of deceased learners, distribution of groceries to needy families, [and] provision of burial services by AVBOB, as per need of the affected families,” Williams said.

    Relief was also extended to survivors and families of the deceased through coordinated Social Relief of Distress (SRD) measures.

    Over 1 300 displaced accommodated across centres 

    The MEC announced that more than 1 353 displaced individuals have been accommodated across Mass Care Centres, while 122 are in Temporary Emergency Accommodation (TEA), prioritising the most vulnerable groups, with full access to healthcare, food, sanitation, dignity packs, mattresses, blankets, and school uniforms.

    He said more than 6 869 households across the province were affected by the disaster, with 4 724 homes completely destroyed and 2 145 partially damaged.

    In response, the Departments of Social Development, Health, Education, and the African Social Security Agency (SASSA), along with non-governmental organisations, such as Al Imdaad and Gift of the Givers, provided emergency relief to the affected families and individuals.

    “Beneficiaries were issued SASSA food vouchers to alleviate immediate food insecurity. To date, more than 1 353 displaced individuals have been accommodated across Mass Care Centres and 122 in Temporary Emergency Accommodation, prioritising the most vulnerable groups, with full access to healthcare, food, sanitation, dignity packs, mattresses, blankets, and school uniforms.

    “Numbers at Mass Care Centres are decreasing as people either seek shelter with their relatives or go back to their houses as they become habitable. Additionally, over 2 900 beneficiaries have received psychosocial support and dignity services through mobile teams and social workers deployed across the hardest-hit areas,” the MEC said.

    The Department of Home Affairs has mobilised to assist disaster survivors in rebuilding their lives.

    A total of 1 197 ID card applications have been received and are being processed, while 103 birth certificate applications have been finalised, with 22 certificates already collected by applicants. One hundred deaths certificates have also been registered and issued.

    Recovery and resilience plan underway 

    Despite the challenges, the MEC confirmed that recovery plans are well underway. A key focus is on a multi-pronged approach to rebuilding and improving the province’s resilience.

    “Infrastructure reconstruction will be prioritised and aligned with risk reduction principles, ensuring greater resilience against future disasters. For the next two-three months, it is critical for government to have made strides in the implementation of infrastructure repair projects.

    “The provincial government is also intensifying climate resilience planning and strengthening institutional capacity, including the debriefing and support of frontline responders, to ensure readiness and sustainability in future disaster responses,” Williams said.

    The province is also in engagement with potential partners to build the much-needed capacity.

    “While we support the victims of this disaster to rebuild their lives, it is equally important that we continue debriefing of teams that are involved in our response and recovery project. We remain indebted to these teams for the work they are doing,” Williams said. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former U.S. Army Soldier Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Aggravated Child Neglect

    Source: US FBI

    NASHVILLE – Andrew J. Garasich, 29, of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for aggravated child neglect, announced Robert E. McGuire, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee.

    “The victim in this case was a two-month-old child who was horribly neglected by the Defendant and barely survived,” said Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire. “The child is now in a loving home but will face lifelong struggles because of the Defendant’s choices. This case shows that we will not hesitate to prosecute those who hurt children and, if they are convicted, we will seek long sentences in federal prison for them.”

    “This sentencing is a result of the unwavering commitment of the FBI and our justice system to protect the most vulnerable members of our community—our children,” said Special Agent in Charge Joe Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “There is no place in our community for those who harm children, and we will do everything we can to find and punish those who engage in this repugnant activity and seek justice for victims.”

    “This case highlights the strong partnership between Army CID, the FBI, and the Department of Justice,” said Special Agent in Charge John McCabe of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Midcentral Field Office. “This sentencing reflects our dedication to justice for this young victim and sends a clear message that child abuse will not be tolerated within our ranks or in our communities.”

    Garasich, a former sergeant (E-5) in the United States Army stationed on Fort Campbell, Kentucky, was a father of a two-month-old baby when, on December 30, 2022, Garasich severely burned his baby by bathing him in water so hot that the baby’s skin peeled off his body. The two-month-old baby did not receive medical treatment for five days after the bath.  When the baby was finally taken to Houston County Community Hospital for medical treatment, Garasich did not accompany the baby to the hospital. Medical personnel immediately arranged for the baby to be life flighted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center due to the severity of his injuries, and they contacted the Erin, Tennessee, Police Department, which dispatched officers to the hospital to speak with witnesses about how the baby was injured. When the baby was assessed at Vanderbilt, in addition to partial to full thickness burns on the baby’s buttocks, perineum, lower extremities, and left elbow, medical personnel also noted a left parietal skull fracture.

    Although Garasich does not have any prior criminal convictions, he has a prior case with the Department of Children’s Services involving another child in 2019.

    Following his term of imprisonment, Garasich will be on supervised release for 4 years.

    Garasich’s co-defendant, the child’s mother, will be sentenced on August 5, 2025.

    This case was investigated by the U.S. Army – Criminal Investigation Division and the FBI Nashville Field Office, Clarksville Resident Agency.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Morrison and Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire prosecuted the case.

    # # # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Sunderland answers the call for its community with sports kit donations

    Source: City of Sunderland

    “Now I can wear the right clothes when I go to my football sessions at The Beacon of Light,” says Dean, beneficiary of sports kit and active wear donation programme, Kit Out Sunderland.

    In just a matter of weeks, Kit Out Sunderland collected 224kg of sports kit, active wear and footwear to give away to local participants like Dean across the city.

    “Lack of kit and lack of suitable kit is a real barrier to children and young people taking part in sport and physical activity,” says Kathryn Foley, North East Regional Manager for Sported.

    “The point of the project is to gather in unwanted and unused kit that people have got lying around and then distribute it to the community groups that can really make best use of it.”

    One of those groups was Young Asian Voices, with their Executive Manager, Ram Kumareswaradas, adding: “Most of the young people that come into our group don’t have kits, so it stops them from participating.

    “By having these donated items, sports clothing and shoes and trainers, it opens up opportunities for young people and adults to take part in sports.” 

    In total, 13 public donations stations were set up at locations around the city and local area, as well as at Nissan’s manufacturing plant specifically for Nissan employees and their families.

    The kit collected has been swiftly given to local sports groups so that they can provide it to participants and people looking to get active but find having the right kit a barrier.

    Susan Kitchen, from another one of the recipient groups, Grace House, reflects: “For disabled young people and their families facing financial pressures, this kind of support can make a real difference. It’s not just about clothing—it’s about dignity, opportunity, and belonging.

    “Grace House are also proud to be part of a campaign that reduces waste and landfill by giving pre-loved sports clothes a second life.”

    Kit Out Sunderland is a partnership between Active Sunderland, Rise, Sported, StreetGames and Youth Sport Trust, funded by the North East Combined Authority.

    Louise Laws, Strategic Lead for Children and Young People’s Health and Wellbeing at Rise, says: “Not everyone has the kit, clothing or footwear they need to do what they want, so these generous donations will make a huge difference to break down barriers to participation and mean more children, young people and families can get active, get healthier and build friendships and confidence.

    “The environmental benefits the programme has also supported has made a huge impact, with less textile waste going to landfill.”

    Keep Active were also one of the groups to have received kit, and their Director, Colin Dagg, says: “Sport has always been expensive because you’ve got to buy things, but I think more so now, just in the times we’re living in, everybody’s money is so tight, and a lot of children miss out I think purely and simply because they haven’t got the money, parents can’t afford it.”

    Karen Nobel, CEO of Pallion Action Group, adds: “We were so pleased to be a recipient of Kit Out Sunderland. This would obviously have gone into landfill and now it’s not, it’s gone back into the community, it’s going to remove barriers for those young people and adults who want to get into physical activity but haven’t got the kit.”

    Anna Coulson, StreetGames Network Lead – North East, comments: “The Kit Out Sunderland sorting day was a huge success which involved a lot of stakeholders as well as volunteers from various Foundation of Light community programmes.

    “It was great to see all of the kit which had kindly been donated from the people of Sunderland and even better to see the community organisations receiving the much needed bags of really good sports kit, which will I’m sure be gratefully received by the young people and families they work to support.”

    Andrea Baldwin, Active Sunderland Project Lead, concludes: “Kit Out Sunderland has been a fantastic opportunity to work with some amazing local partners across the region to encourage participation for some of our most vulnerable residents.

    “By working with the community and businesses partners, we were able to reach out to the community to get people to donate their unwanted sports kit, to give it a new home. I hope we’ve made a huge difference.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Children living near oil and gas wells face higher risk of rare leukemia, studies show

    Source: The Conversation – USA (3) – By Lisa McKenzie, Associate Professor of Health, Department of Environmental & Occupational Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

    The U.S. has nearly 1 million oil and natural gas wells. Some, like the one here in Commerce City, Colo., are within a few thousand feet of schools and neighborhoods. RJ Sangosti/Getty Images

    Acute lymphocytic leukemia is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in children, although it is rare. It begins in the bone marrow and rapidly progresses.

    Long-term survival rates exceed 90%, but many survivors face lifelong health challenges. Those include heart conditions, mental health struggles and a greater chance of developing a second cancer.

    Overall cancer rates in the U.S. have declined since 2002, but childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia rates continue to rise. This trend underscores the need for prevention rather than focusing only on treatment for this disease.

    A growing body of literature suggests exposure to the types of chemicals emitted from oil and natural gas wells increases the risk of developing childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia.

    Heavy machinery injects water under the surface of the earth to push oil and natural gas out.
    NurPhoto/GettyImages

    We are environmental epidemiologists focused on understanding the health implications of living near oil and natural gas development operations in Colorado and Pennsylvania. Both states experienced a rapid increase in oil and natural gas development in residential areas beginning in the early 21st century. We’ve studied this issue in these states, using different datasets and some different approaches.

    2 studies, similar findings

    Both of our studies used a case-control design. This design compares children with cancer, known as cases, with children without cancer, known as controls. We used data from statewide birth and cancer registries.

    We also used specialized mapping techniques to estimate exposure to oil and natural gas development during sensitive time windows, such as pregnancy or early childhood.

    The Colorado study looked at children born between 1992 and 2019. The study included 451 children diagnosed with leukemia and 2,706 children with no cancer diagnosis. It considered how many oil and natural gas wells were near a child’s home and how intense the activity was at each well. Intensity of activity included the volume of oil and gas production and phase of well production.

    The Colorado study found that children ages 2-9 living in areas with the highest density and intensity wells within eight miles (13 kilometers) of their home were at least two times more likely to be diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia. Children with wells within three miles (five kilometers), of their home bore the greatest risk.

    The Pennsylvania study looked at 405 children diagnosed with leukemia between 2009 and 2017 and 2,080 children without any cancer diagnosis. This study found that children living within 1.2 miles (two kilometers) of oil and natural gas wells at birth were two to three times more likely to be diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia between ages 2 to 7 than those who lived farther than 1.2 miles away.

    The risk of developing leukemia was more pronounced in children who were exposed during their mother’s pregnancy.

    The results of our two studies are also supported by a previous study in Colorado published in 2017. That study found children diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia were four times more likely to live in areas with a high density of oil and natural gas wells than children diagnosed with other cancers.

    Policy implications

    To extract oil and natural gas from underground reserves, heavy drilling equipment injects water and chemicals into the earth under high pressure. Petroleum and contaminated wastewater are returned to the surface. It is well established that these activities can emit cancer-causing chemicals. Those include benzene, as well as other pollutants, to the air and water.

    The U.S. is the world’s largest producer of oil and natural gas. There are almost 1 million producing wells across the country, and many of these are located in or near residential areas. This puts millions of children at increased risk of exposure to cancer-causing chemicals.

    In the U.S., oil and natural gas development is generally regulated at the state level. Policies aimed at protecting public health include establishing minimum distances between a new well and existing homes, known as a setback distance. These policies also include requirements for emission control technologies on new and existing wells and restrictions on the construction of new wells.

    Setbacks offer a powerful solution to reduce noise, odors and other hazards experienced by communities near oil and gas wells. However, it is challenging to establish a universal setback that optimally addresses all hazards. That’s because noise, air pollutants and water contaminants dissipate at different rates depending on location and other factors.

    In addition, setbacks focus exclusively on where to place oil and natural gas wells but do not impose any restrictions on releases of air pollutants or greenhouse gases. Therefore, they do not address regional air quality issues or mitigate climate change.

    In many U.S. cities there are set distances that oil and gas wells are allowed to be from places such as schools and neighborhoods. In this Frederick, Colo., neighborhood the oil rig is very near houses.
    UGC/GettyImages

    Furthermore, current U.S. setback distances range from just 200 feet to 3,200 feet. Our results indicate that even the largest setback of 3,200 feet (one kilometer) is not sufficient to protect children from an increased leukemia risk.

    Our results support a more comprehensive policy approach that considers both larger setback distances and mandatory monitoring and control of hazardous emissions on both new and existing wells.

    Future research

    More research is needed in other states, such as Texas and California, that have oil and natural gas development in residential areas, as well as on other pediatric cancers.

    One such cancer is acute myeloid leukemia. This is another type of leukemia that starts in bone marrow and rapidly progresses. This cancer has exhibited a strong link to benzene exposure in adult workers in several industries, including the petroleum industry. Researchers have also documented a moderate cancer link for children exposed to vehicular benzene.

    It remains unclear whether benzene is the culprit or if another agent or combination of hazards is an underlying cause of acute myeloid leukemia.

    Even though questions remain, we believe the existing evidence coupled with the seriousness of childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia supports enacting further protective measures. We also believe policymakers should consider the cumulative effects from wells, other pollution sources and socioeconomic stressors on children and communities.

    Read more of our stories about Colorado and Pennsylvania.

    Lisa McKenzie receives funding from the American Cancer Society and the University of Colorado Cancer Center.

    Nicole Deziel receives funding from the American Cancer Society, the National Institutes of Health, and the Yale School of Public Health.

    – ref. Children living near oil and gas wells face higher risk of rare leukemia, studies show – https://theconversation.com/children-living-near-oil-and-gas-wells-face-higher-risk-of-rare-leukemia-studies-show-252994

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Data can show if government programs work or not, but the Trump administration is suppressing the necessary information

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Sarah James, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Gonzaga University

    Do government programs work? It’s impossible to find out with no data. Andranik Hakobyan/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    The U.S. has the highest rate of maternal mortality among developed nations. Since 1987, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has administered the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System to better understand when, where and why maternal deaths occur.

    In April 2025, the Trump administration put the department in charge of collecting and tracking this data on leave.

    It’s just one example of how the administration is deleting and disrupting American data of all kinds.

    The White House is also collecting less information about everything from how many Americans have health insurance to the number of students enrolled in public schools, and making government-curated data of all kinds off-limits to the public. President Donald Trump is also trying to get rid of entire agencies, like the Department of Education, that are responsible for collecting important data tied to poverty and inequality.

    His administration has also begun deleting websites and respositories that share government data with the public.

    Why data is essential for the safety net

    I study the role that data plays in political decision-making, including when and how government officials decide to collect it. Through years of research, I’ve found that good data is essential – not just for politicians, but for journalists, advocates and voters. Without it, it’s much harder to figure out when a policy is failing, and even more difficult to help people who aren’t politically well connected.

    Since Trump was sworn in for a second time, I have been keeping an eye on the disruption, removal and defunding of data on safety net programs such as food assistance and services for people with disabilities.

    I believe that disrupting data collection will make it harder to figure out who qualifies for these programs, or what happens when people lose their benefits. I also think that all this missing data will make it harder for supporters of safety net programs to rebuild them in the future.

    Why the government collects this data

    There’s no way to find out whether policies and programs are working without credible data collected over a long period of time.

    For example, without a system to accurately measure how many people need help putting food on their tables, it’s hard to figure out how much the country should spend on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistant Program, formerly known as food stamps, the federal supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and children, known as WIC, and related programs. Data on Medicaid eligibility and enrollment before and after the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010 offers another example. National data showed that millions of Americans gained health insurance coverage after the ACA was rolled out.

    Many institutions and organizations, such as universities, news organizations, think tanks, and nonprofits focused on particular issues like poverty and inequality or housing, collect data on the impact of safety net policies on low-income Americans.

    No doubt these nongovernmental data collection efforts will continue, and maybe even increase. However, it’s highly unlikely that these independent efforts can replace any of the government’s data collection programs – let alone all of them.

    The government, because it takes the lead in implementing official policies, is in a unique position to collect and store sensitive data collected over long periods of time. That’s why the disappearance of thousands of official websites can have very long-term consequences.

    What makes Trump’s approach stand out

    The Trump administration’s pausing, defunding and suppressing of government data marks a big departure from his predecessors.

    As early as the 1930s, U.S. social scientists and local policymakers realized the potential for data to show which policies were working and which were a waste of money. Since then, policymakers across the political spectrum have grown increasingly interested in using data to make government work better.

    This focus on data grew starting in 2001, when President George W. Bush made holding government accountable to measurable outcomes a top priority.

    He saw data as a powerful tool for reducing waste and assessing policy outcomes. His signature education reform, the No Child Left Behind Act, radically expanded the collection and reporting of student achievement data at K-12 public schools.

    President George W. Bush speaks about education in 2005 at a high school in Falls Church, Va., outlining his plans for the No Child Left Behind Act.
    Alex Wong/Getty Images)

    How this contrasts with the Obama and Biden administrations

    Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden emphasized the importance of data for evaluating the impact of their policies on low-income people, who have historically had little political clout.

    Obama initiated a working group to identify ways to collect, analyze and incorporate more useful data into safety net policies. Biden implemented several of the group’s suggestions.

    For example, he insisted on the collection of demographic data and its analysis when assessing the impacts of new safety net policies. This approach shaped how his administration handled changes in home loan practices, the expansion of broadband access and the establishment of outreach programs for enrolling people in Medicaid and Medicare.

    Why rebuilding will be hard

    It’s harder to make a case for safety net programs when you don’t have relevant data. For example, programs that help low-income people see a doctor, get fresh food and find housing can be more cost-effective than simply having them continue to live in poverty.

    Blocking data collection may also make restoring government funding after a program gets cut or shut down even more challenging. That’s because it will be more challenging for people who in the past benefited from these programs to persuade their fellow taxpayers that there is a need for investing in a expanding program or creating a new one.

    Without enough data, even well-intended policies in the future may worsen the very problems they’re meant to fix, long after the Trump administration has concluded.

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

    – ref. Data can show if government programs work or not, but the Trump administration is suppressing the necessary information – https://theconversation.com/data-can-show-if-government-programs-work-or-not-but-the-trump-administration-is-suppressing-the-necessary-information-259760

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Philly’s City Council turned down a new rental inspection program − studies show that might harm tenants’ health

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Gabriel L. Schwartz, Assistant Professor of Health Management and Policy, Drexel University

    Tenants who complain to landlords about housing conditions can risk eviction. Photo Jeff Fusco/The Conversation U.S., CC BY-NC-ND

    As Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker’s US$2 billion housing plan moves forward, heated debates continue about another set of municipal housing proposals that could transform Philadelphia tenants’ rights.

    In June 2025, Philadelphia’s City Council considered three housing bills, collectively known as the Safe Healthy Homes Act. The package was introduced by Nicolas O’Rourke, an at-large council member who belongs to the Working Families Party.

    One of the bills authorized the city to create a fund for tenants to relocate if their buildings are condemned by city inspectors. It was signed into law, though it remains unclear how the fund will be financed.

    The other two bills stalled. One was an ordinance that would broadly strengthen tenants’ rights, and the other – known as the Right to Repairs – would shift how Philadelphia ensures housing is safe for tenants, empowering the city to proactively inspect rentals for housing code violations.

    These bills deal with housing policy, but they’re also matters of public health.

    I know this because I am a researcher in Philadelphia who studies how housing affects our health outcomes. And in particular, recent research by myself and others suggests the fate of the Rights to Repairs legislation could have major implications for Philadelphians’ well-being.

    Housing protections today

    To understand this new evidence, it’s important to first understand the system of housing regulations Philadelphia has now, in the absence of the proposed Right to Repairs legislation.

    When a landlord rents an apartment, Pennsylvania law mandates that apartment must be habitable and free of hazards such as mold, cockroaches and dangerous dilapidation.

    This legal principle is known as the “implied warranty of habitability.”

    All 50 states except Arkansas have some kind of policy like this, though they vary in how much they hold landlords responsible for tenants’ safety.

    Under Pennsylvania’s warranty and related municipal law, if conditions deteriorate in a rental property, Philadelphia tenants are first supposed to alert their landlord, who has 30 days to fix the given violation – such as rodents or lead exposure.

    If landlords refuse, however, tenants are in a bind. They could file a complaint with the Department of Licenses and Inspections, which might come and issue a citation. Tenants could also file a lawsuit against their landlord, and they are entitled to withhold rent. But all of these options risk provoking your landlord – at potentially high cost.

    Invoking your warranty rights as a tenant can therefore be tricky. You have to know your rights, document repair requests in writing, and be willing to take your landlord to task legally.

    That’s challenging in a city like Philadelphia, where most renters – outside of a pilot program in some ZIP codes – aren’t guaranteed lawyers in housing court.

    Indeed, nationally, 9 in 10 landlords have lawyers in housing cases, while 9 in 10 tenants do not.

    The stakes are high for tenants. If they complain, they risk eviction – and that’s amid a shortage of affordable housing in Philadelphia and across the country.

    In 2018 alone, according to a local news investigation, Philadelphia landlords filed over 2,000 eviction cases soon after tenants raised habitability issues, despite such retaliatory evictions being illegal. More up-to-date estimates are hard to come by, as these illegal evictions are not systematically tracked.

    Tenants have little choice. Philadelphia does not require that an apartment pass an inspection before the city issues rental licenses or certificates of rental suitability. If housing violations arise, it’s on tenants to assert and defend their rights.

    Philadelphia City Council member Nicolas O’Rourke introduced a housing legislation package guided by three rights – the right to safety, the right to repairs and the right to relocation. Only the right to relocation bill was passed.
    Lisa Lake for MoveOn via Getty Images

    Do habitability laws work?

    Housing quality protections for tenants, in other words, largely boil down to implied warranties of habitability, plus associated fines the city can issue. But this works only if tenants are able to properly document violations, submit complaints and defend themselves from the blowback.

    Despite warranties forming the backbone of Philadelphia’s housing quality governance system – and concerns that these laws saddle tenants with unreasonable enforcement responsibilities – little is known about whether warranties are even effective. Do they keep tenants from getting sick due to poor housing conditions?

    To find out, fellow researchers and I examined what happened when nine states enacted implied warranty of habitability laws like the one in place in Pennsylvania today. We wanted to know whether renters’ health improved after warranty policies were enacted, compared with other states where such laws didn’t go into effect over the same period.

    We also used homeowners as a control group, comparing whether renters’ health uniquely improved when these laws were enacted. Homeowners are useful here because we wouldn’t expect homeowners’ health to be affected by these laws.

    Our findings were stark: We found no improvements for renters at all, across a slew of housing-related health outcomes, even 10 years after enactment.

    There were no effects on renters’ asthma, respiratory allergies, bronchitis, mental health, hospitalizations, or even less clinical outcomes such as self-rated health.

    To be clear, implied warranties of habitability are important laws and are surely helpful for individual tenants. Broadly speaking, however, our findings suggest that these policies simply don’t work.

    That is likely especially true in Pennsylvania, a state whose implied warranty of habitability was given an F- by researchers who evaluated the comprehensiveness of states’ policies for protecting tenants’ well-being.

    A 2014 study in neighboring New Jersey helps shed light on why these policies fall short.

    Researchers there examined 40,000 eviction cases, looking for whether tenants successfully raised implied warranty of habitability violations as a defense. Given how often landlords retaliate after violation complaints are made, one might expect thousands of tenants party to these lawsuits to have invoked their warranty rights.

    The result? Only 80 tenants did so – 80 out of 40,000.

    In practice, then, existing data paints a bleak picture: The vast majority of tenants lack the financial resources, legal knowledge, alternative housing options or freedom from fear necessary to protect themselves from unsafe conditions at home.

    Proactive rental inspections show more success

    What policies might work instead? Cities such as Rochester, New York, may provide an answer.

    In 2005, Rochester implemented a more proactive rental inspection program to combat their child lead-poisoning crisis – a problem Philadelphia shares.

    This meant that Rochester’s municipal inspectors began proactively inspecting rental units on a regular basis and issuing fines for any violations they found. Tenants did not have to file a complaint and therefore weren’t forced into adversarial disputes with their landlords.

    The results were dramatic. By 2012, childhood lead poisoning in Rochester had dropped by 85%. This decline was nearly 2.5 times faster than the rest of New York state.

    Further, scientists found that units that were inspected every three years had one-third of the rate of housing code violations as units inspected every six years.

    Whether the Right to Repair is good policy for Philadelphia is a question for city legislators. But research is increasingly clear: The city’s current housing policies do not protect tenants from unsafe housing, while proactive rental inspections show real promise for fighting persistent housing-related health problems.

    Read more of our stories about Philadelphia.

    Gabriel L. Schwartz’s research described in this article was funded through a pilot grant from the UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative. UCSF had no role in the design, completion, or reporting of that study. The views expressed in this article solely represent the scientific opinion of the author, and do not necessarily represent the opinion of either UCSF or his employer.

    – ref. Philly’s City Council turned down a new rental inspection program − studies show that might harm tenants’ health – https://theconversation.com/phillys-city-council-turned-down-a-new-rental-inspection-program-studies-show-that-might-harm-tenants-health-260266

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Early Alert: Microbore Extension Set Issue from B. Braun Medical Inc.

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

    This communication is part of the Communications Pilot to Enhance the Medical Device Recall Program. The FDA has become aware of a potentially high-risk issue. The FDA will keep the public informed and update this web page as significant new information becomes available. 
    Affected Product

    The FDA is aware that B. Braun Medical Inc. has issued a letter to affected customers recommending certain microbore extension sets be removed from where they are used or sold:

    Product Description
    Model Number
    UDI-DI
    Lot Numbers

    Microbore Extension Set
    V6215
    Case: 04046964189173Each: 04046964189166
    0061742452, 0061747379, 0061767411, 0061780914, 0061803499, 0061806173, 0061822333, 0061836578, 0061849109, 0061850836, 0061899902, 0061936368, 0061936119, 0061936369, 0061940584

    What to Do
    Identify and stop use of all affected product. Affected product should be quarantined and clearly labeled to prevent accidental use until it can be returned to B. Braun. Do not destroy affected product.

    On July 9, B. Braun Medical Inc. sent all affected customers a letter recommending the following actions:

    Review the Urgent Medical Device Recall Notification in its entirety and ensure that all users in your organization of the above-mentioned product, and any other concerned persons, are informed about this voluntary recall. If you are a distributor and have further distributed the product, please forward this notice to your consignees. The recall is to be extended to the hospital/healthcare facility level.
    Determine your current inventory of the affected items within inventory of your facility, cease use and quarantine product subject to recall. Do not destroy any affected product.
    Utilizing the “Urgent Medical Device Recall Acknowledgement Form”, record the total number of individual impacted units. If you have no inventory remaining, please enter zero (0) on the form.
    Return the completed “Urgent Medical Device Recall Acknowledgement Form” to the B. Braun Medical Inc. Postmarket Surveillance department. 
    Once we receive your Acknowledgement Form, a B. Braun Customer Support representative will contact you with instructions on how to return any impacted cases, including partial cases, in your possession and provide credit and/or replacement of the product based on your individual needs.

    Check this web page for updates. The FDA is currently reviewing information about this potentially high-risk device issue and will keep the public informed as significant new information becomes available.

    Reason for Alert
    The affected Microbore Extension Sets labels show incorrect information about the device’s filter. Specifically, the product label shows that the device contains an air eliminating filter. However, the filter used on this extension set does not feature an air vent, which is common to air eliminating filters, and is not indicated for the removal of air.
    If during use there is air within the line or filter itself, the air can occlude the filter. This could lead to a significant delay in therapy with significant impact on patient condition (e.g. with life sustaining drugs). It is possible for air to escape the filter and enter the patient where embolization could occur. This could lead to patient harm up to and including permanent organ damage or death.
    As of July 9, B. Braun Medical Inc. has not reported any serious injuries or deaths associated with this issue.
    Device Use
    B. Braun Extension Sets are single use, disposable, add-on devices used for direct injection, intermittent infusion, continuous infusion or aspiration of fluids, medications, blood and blood products.
    Contact Information
    Customers in the U.S. with adverse reactions, quality problems, or questions about this recall should contact B. Braun Medical Inc. at 1-833-425-1464.
    Unique Device Identifier (UDI)
    The unique device identifier (UDI) helps identify individual medical devices sold in the United States from distribution to use. The UDI allows for more accurate reporting, reviewing, and analyzing of adverse event reports so that devices can be identified more quickly, and as a result, problems potentially resolved more quickly.

    How do I report a problem?
    Health care professionals and consumers may report adverse reactions or quality problems they experienced using these devices to MedWatch: The FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program.

    Content current as of:
    07/17/2025

    MIL OSI USA News –