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Category: Health

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gillibrand Announces Legislation To Lower The Cost Of Prescription Drugs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand

    High Drug Prices Can Force New Yorkers Who Rely On Prescription Drugs To Cut Pills In Half Or Skip Doses Entirely; Legislation Would Help Ensure Life-Saving Medication Is Affordable For All

    Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, ranking member of the Senate Aging Committee, held a virtual press conference announcing the Capping Prescription Costs Act, legislation that would cap the annual out-of-pocket cost of prescription drugs at $2,000 for individuals and $4,000 for families with private insurance.

    “As President Trump rolls back initiatives to make health care more affordable for working families, I am proud to be introducing this legislation to address the astronomical cost of prescription drugs,” said Senator Gillibrand. “No American should ever have to risk their health by skipping refills or rationing life-saving medication because they can’t afford it. This legislation is a commonsense measure that would be life-changing for older adults and the millions of Americans with chronic conditions and disabilities, and I am determined to get it passed.”

    Senators Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), John Fetterman (D-PA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Patty Murray (D-WA), and Peter Welch (D-VT) cosponsor this legislation.

    Throughout her time in Congress, Gillibrand has fought to lower the cost of prescription drugs. In 2022, she helped pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which capped Medicare patients’ out-of-pocket prescription drug costs at $2,000 per year; empowered Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices; and regulated price increases by drug companies. She is an original cosponsor of the Medicare for All Act, which would provide every American with prescription drug coverage. In 2023, she joined a bipartisan push to lower out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs by limiting the use of harmful “copay accumulators,” which prevent copay assistance from counting toward a patient’s deductible or out-of-pocket maximum and make it harder for patients to afford their medications.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to Make America Healthy Again

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wyoming John Barrasso
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Senate Majority Whip, today spoke on the Senate Floor as the Senate prepares to vote on the confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald J. Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services.
    Click HERE to watch Senator Barrasso’s remarks.
    Sen. Barrasso’s remarks as prepared:
    “The Senate will soon vote on the confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.
    “America needs to be healthier. I’m a doctor. I’ve worked with patients for over 20 years as a surgeon in Wyoming.
    “The problem is, our nation faces a chronic disease epidemic. Chronic diseases include diabetes, cancer, and obesity.
    “Chronic diseases are so widespread that managing them accounts for 90 percent of federal health care spending. And we spend a lot of our Gross National Product on health care.
    “Nearly 3 in 5 American adults and 1 in 4 American children are impacted by this. Our health care system tries to address this problem. Yet by incentivizing procedures over prevention, it often fails to address it effectively and economically.
    “As a result, Americans are becoming less healthy. We need to put America on a path to good health.
    “President Trump selected Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to do just that. Mr. Kennedy will bring a fresh set of eyes and ideas to important debates surrounding public health.
    “Mr. Kennedy will be a voice for the vast number of Americans who were failed by the previous administration.
    “The previous administration silenced reasoned debate. Mr. Kennedy will deliver accountability and transparency.
    “For Americans, that means more choices and better information. It means healthy foods and healthy competition for patients. It means lower costs and higher quality care. It means increased access to care. Access is so critical to my home state of Wyoming, with our many rural and frontier communities.
    “It means honest, unbiased, and trustworthy scientific research that is both innovative and accountable to the American people.
    “That is Mr. Kennedy’s bold vision to revitalize America’s bill of health.
    “Mr. Kennedy is clear about his mission. That mission is, as he told the Finance Committee, ‘to end the chronic disease epidemic and make America healthy again.’
    “Apparently, that’s not enough for Senate Democrats.
    “Senator Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada was dismissive. At our Finance Committee hearing, I heard her say to Mr. Kennedy: ‘So that’s the only reason why you’re at HHS? To address this one issue.’
    “Respectfully, addressing chronic disease is the key issue when you’re talking about healthcare.
    “Mr. Kennedy testified before two Senate Committees as part of his confirmation. He responded to rigorous questions from both Republicans and Democrats. He answered those questions with candor and clarity.
    “He told the Senate HELP Committee that his leadership approach will be collaborative. He pledged to ‘empower the scientists to do their jobs’ – not to impose ‘preordained opinions on anybody at HHS.’
    “Mr. Kennedy was also clear that he supports vaccines.
    “He told the Finance Committee, ‘I support the measles vaccine. I support the polio vaccine. I will do nothing as HHS secretary that makes it difficult or discourages people from taking either of those vaccines.’
    “The Senate has every reason to take him at his word.
    “Mr. Kennedy is a bold choice. He is pro-health, pro-vaccine, and pro transparency. He is the right choice to make America healthy again.
    “I look forward to confirming him.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen, Collins Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Tackle Nursing Shortage

    US Senate News:

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

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced the Train More Nurses Act to address the nursing shortage affecting communities across the nation. This bipartisan bill will direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Labor to conduct a review of nursing grant programs to find ways to increase faculty at nursing schools, especially those in underserved areas. It will also increase pathways for Licensed Practical Nurses to become Registered Nurses.
    Nevada is experiencing a dire shortage of medical professionals. A recent analysis found that Nevada is one of the states with the least amount of nurses per capita. According to the University of Nevada Reno’s Nevada Health Workforce Research Center, it would take over 3,000 additional registered nurses for the state to catch up to the national average.
    “As Nevada continues to face a shortage of nurses and doctors, it’s becoming more difficult for hardworking families to get the medical care they need,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m introducing this bipartisan bill to help increase the number of nurses in our state and improve Nevadans’ access to high-quality health care.”
    “In the midst of a growing demand for medical treatments and services, health care providers across Maine continue to face a significant shortage of nurses. One challenge in growing the nursing workforce to meet this demand is the limited supply of nursing faculty available to increase student enrollment and train the next generation of nurses,” said Senator Collins. “This bipartisan legislation would identify strategies to close the faculty gap and expand our nursing workforce, ultimately improving access to care.”
    “By investing in nursing education and creating clear pathways to employment, we can ensure that registered nurses are well-prepared to meet the demand, and that patients receive the high-quality care they deserve,” said Melodie Osborn, Chief Nursing Executive for Renown Health. “At Renown Health (Reno, NV), we’ve seen first-hand the positive impact of supporting nursing students through scholarships, apprenticeships, loan repayment, preceptorships, and advanced simulation education. Nurses are the backbone of the healthcare system. We are so grateful to Senators Rosen and Collins for moving forward this bill to invest in nursing education, which is crucial to be able to have more qualified and compassionate nursing care for you and your family.”
    Senator Rosen is working to address Nevada’s health care professional shortage and improve medical care access in the state. Senators Rosen and Collins’ bipartisan Maximizing Health Outcomes through Better Investments in Lifesaving Equipment for (MOBILE) Health Care Act was signed into law in 2022 to allow community health centers to use federal funds to establish new mobile health care units to increase access to health care services in rural and underserved communities. Last year, Senator Rosen pushed for more medical residency slots to be awarded to Nevada to help tackle the physician shortage. She also helped introduce the bipartisan Medical Student Education Authorization Act to address the doctor shortage by expanding the Medical Student Education Program and introduced a package of bipartisan bills aimed at addressing the shortage of doctors and dentists in Nevada and across the country.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: On Senate Floor, Rosen Announces Opposition to Confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services 

    US Senate News:

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

    Watch Senator Rosen’s Full Remarks HERE.
    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) took to the Senate floor to oppose the confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. In her remarks, Senator Rosen highlighted Mr. Kennedy’s lack of qualifications and history of spreading dangerous public health conspiracies.
    Below are excerpts of Senator Rosen’s floor remarks:
    Today, we’re here to discuss President Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 
    If confirmed, Mr. Kennedy would be in charge of a department with power to, well, regulate the food we eat, the medicines we take, and the vaccines we depend upon.
    He would oversee agencies that provide health care to almost 170 million Americans – including hundreds of thousands of Nevadans who are on Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
    I’m here today to oppose Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as our next Secretary of Health and Human Services. 
    Confirming him would have disastrous consequences for our public health, for seniors who rely on Medicare, for our families who get their health care through Medicaid.
    Well, let’s start out with his lack – his lack – of qualifications.
    Well, Mr. Kennedy – he’s never worked in health care or federal government. He’s probably best known for his skepticism of vaccines and spreading dangerous conspiracies and outright lies. 
    Mr. Kennedy’s history of promoting anti-vaccine misinformation – it’s well-documented and deeply troubling. 
    Vaccines have saved millions of lives throughout history, and they remain one of the most effective tools we have to protect public health. 
    Yet, Mr. Kennedy has spent years promoting debunked claims linking vaccines to autism, cancer, allergies, and autoimmune diseases. 
    He’s spread lies about vaccine safety, making people fearful and increasing rates of unvaccinated people, which put all of us – all of us – at risk.
    […]
    But his problematic views are just the start. During his confirmation hearing, Mr. Kennedy was also asked about his understanding of Medicare and Medicaid. Just asked if he knew about it.
    Well, he struggled – struggled I mind you – to remember which program covered older and disabled Americans, struggled to remember which program provided for low-income people. 
    This is Medicare and Medicaid, not something that’s so brand new that even Robert F. Kennedy Jr. shouldn’t know what it is. Because Medicare and Medicaid are not mere government programs. 
    They are a lifeline for millions of Americans, including our seniors, our parents, our grandparents, people with disabilities, families in need – including half of all children – and around forty percent of all babies born in this country.
    Why would we trust someone with the future of Medicare and Medicaid when he doesn’t even understand the basics of the system he would oversee? 
    […]
    You know, Mr. President, the role of Secretary of Health and Human Services – it is one of profound responsibility. 
    And Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has undermined the very foundations of our public health system.
    Mr. Kennedy’s vision for the future of our health care system, well, he wants to undermine Medicare and Medicaid, he wants to slash cancer research funding, he wants to push dangerous public health conspiracies. These are visions and these are things I cannot support. No one should support.
    We all want a healthier future for America — one that both prevents diseases and where we can think about curing diseases, where we can do preventative medicine, curative medicine, where we can have that hope for folks whose mother gets lung cancer in the future that she might live, or leukemia in the future, that their brother might live. 
    Mine didn’t, but I hope that they didn’t die in vain because research goes on and will help others. And I want us to be able to cure diseases for the ones that we love.
    And so that is why I cannot in good conscience support Mr. Kennedy’s nomination, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.
    The stakes couldn’t be higher. Our very lives — the lives of our loved ones — they may just depend on it.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: U.S. Foreign Aid Freeze Disrupts Lifesaving Health Care, Services for Survivors of Sexual Violence Midst Deadly Conflict in Democratic Republic of the Congo: PHR

    Source: Physicians for Human Rights (PHR)

    February 12, 2025 – The Trump administration’s executive order to freeze U.S. foreign aid for 90 days has halted the supply of lifesaving medical care to populations facing rising conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) including survivors of conflict-related sexual violence, said Physicians for Human Rights (PHR).

    The order was issued as the M23 militia moves deeper into eastern DRC after taking Goma, the largest city and the capital of North Kivu, in January, further destabilizing the region’s dire humanitarian crisis. More than 500,000 people in North and South Kivu have been displaced due to the escalation of violence by armed groups, while health facilities have been subjected to indiscriminate shooting and bombing. There is an acute risk of further violence as M23 advances south in DRC and the United Nations has expressed concern about the significant increase of sexual violence. A rapid assessment of health care facilities in and around Goma conducted by the WHO found 45 cases of rape and gender-based violence reported among the displaced and 21 survivors of multiple-perpetrator rape admitted to medical facilities in recent days. The actual number of cases is likely much higher in light of barriers to reporting.  

    “Health facilities in eastern DRC are struggling as they try to provide health care in unimaginable conditions,” said Payal Shah, JD, PHR director of research, legal, and advocacy. “The United States pulled funding right when besieged communities in DRC needed international support the most. Health workers are risking their lives to address the rise in injuries, deaths, displacements, and cases of sexual violence. Now, they must do so without the vital support of foreign aid from the United States, which accounted for nearly 70 percent of humanitarian funding to DRC last year.”  

    PHR partner medical facilities and humanitarian organizations in the region reported a massive influx of cases of survivors of sexual violence in 2024, including children, who require specialized support. These facilities were already overburdened by mass displacements and the outbreak of infectious diseases including mpox.  

    HEAL Africa, a center for medical, psychosocial, and legal support for survivors of sexual violence in North Kivu, has been forced to halt critical projects related to the care of adult and child survivors of sexual violence, including the treatment of fistulas, specialized psychosocial care, and protection for child survivors. In places like Bulengo, an internally displaced persons camp in North Kivu, services like child-friendly spaces for younger survivors of sexual violence are at risk of being abandoned due to forced closure, attacks on health care facilities, and staffing shortages due to the U.S. aid freeze.  

    The funding freeze has also significantly impacted access to essential health supplies and resources, including blood bank reserves and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) kits for HIV. These kits, which are expensive and can be difficult to procure, are a key tool in post-rape care as they typically include prophylaxis medication and a copy of a medicolegal forensic form used by providers to collect forensic evidence and support justice processes for survivors. Many facilities will run out of supplies within days if financial support does not resume. 

    “For survivors, the lack of health care is compounding the trauma of sexual violence and leading to grave risks of lifelong debilitating health conditions. Urgent and coordinated action is needed on the part of international actors and all parties to the ongoing conflict to respond to this conflict, including to prevent violence and ensure care for survivors of sexual violence,” said Shah. “The U.S. government must use its influence to ensure all parties abide by international humanitarian law and it must end the 90-day freeze on foreign funding support, which is indispensable to the development, security, and facilitation of humanitarian aid in DRC.”

    “All parties to the ongoing conflict in DRC must support safe access to resources via dedicated humanitarian corridors to enable the continued supply of essential medical supplies and services. Each day that goes by without funding for lifesaving health interventions as well as legal and psychosocial support is causing devastating, preventable harm for countless individuals in eastern DRC,” said Shah.

    Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) is a global advocacy organization that uses science and medicine to prevent mass atrocities and severe human rights violations. Learn more here: https://phr.org/about/

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Crapo Introduce Legislation to Ensure the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Indian Reservation Receive the $5 Million They’re Owed

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) reintroduced the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation Water Rights Settlement Act. This legislation will allow the Tribes to finally collect over $5 million in interest they are owed for their 2009 water rights settlement. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) are cosponsors of this legislation.
    “It is absurd that the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation have had to go nearly two decades without millions of dollars in interest they are owed,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “My commonsense, bipartisan legislation fixes this years-old oversight and secures funding that these Tribes deserve.”
    “This much-needed fix takes the next step in upholding the federal government’s full interest terms of the 2009 settlement with the Duck Valley reservation,” said Senator Crapo.  “The Senate unanimously advanced the measure in the last Congress and must do so again expeditiously.  The House should follow suit so we can correct this error as soon as possible.”
    “The Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation deserve the millions of dollars in interest they are owed,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m proud to help introduce this bipartisan legislation to ensure they finally receive this payment after a nearly twenty year delay.”
    “The Shoshone-Paiute Tribes’ water rights settlement mistakenly excluded interest payments, unjustly cutting these communities short,” said Senator Risch. “I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing legislation to correct this error and provide the Tribes the proper interest they are owed.”
    Senator Cortez Masto has long been a champion for Tribal communities. Last year, the Senate passed both her legislation to make it easier for Indian Health Services to recruit and retain doctors and her legislation to strengthen Tribal public safety. She repeatedly called on the Biden administration to do more to address the epidemic of violence against Native women and girls, including securing federal funding to protect Native communities, urging the administration to draft a plan to address this issue, and requesting the Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigate the federal response to this crisis.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: US funding cuts threaten global health response, WHO chief warns

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Health

    The World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed deep concern over the impact of US funding cuts on critical global health initiatives, warning they pose a direct threat to public health efforts worldwide.

    In a media briefing on Tuesday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus highlighted the consequences of funding suspensions, including disruptions to HIV treatment, setbacks in polio eradication and limited resources for responding to mpox epidemics in Africa.

    “The suspension of funding to PEPFAR, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, caused an immediate stop to HIV treatment, testing and prevention services in the 50 countries,” Tedros said.

    He noted that despite a waiver for life-saving services, prevention programmes for at-risk groups remain excluded, clinics have closed, and health workers have been put on leave.

    Tedros urged the US Government to reconsider its funding approach, at least until alternative solutions can be found to maintain essential health services.

    Ebola outbreak in Uganda

    Turning to Uganda, Tedros provided updates on the recently reported Ebola outbreak, with nine confirmed cases, including one death.

    WHO has deployed emergency teams to support surveillance, treatment and infection control measures.

    A vaccine trial, launched just four days after the outbreak was declared, is now underway, while approval for a therapeutics trial is pending.

    To sustain the response, WHO has allocated an additional $2 million from its Contingency Fund for Emergencies, supplementing the $1 million already provided.

    Conflict in DR Congo

    The humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is also straining health services, with more than 900 deaths and over 4,000 injuries reported amid escalating violence in the east.

    WHO Africa

    Health workers wearing protective clothing in Uganda.

    “At most, only one-third of people who need health services in North and South Kivu are able to receive them,” Tedros stated, emphasising the risks posed by infectious disease outbreaks such as mpox and cholera.

    Supplies, including medicines and fuel, are running critically low, further complicating WHO’s ability to respond.

    Advancing childhood cancer treatment

    On a more positive note and as UN News reported on Tuesday, WHO announced progress in expanding access to childhood cancer medicines in low and middle-income countries.

    “Yesterday, we began distributing childhood cancer medicines at no cost in the first two countries: Mongolia and Uzbekistan,” said Tedros, adding that shipments are planned for four more countries.

    The programme is facilitated through the Global Initiative on Childhood Cancer, launched in partnership with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

    The initiative aims to reach 120,000 children across 50 countries over the next five to seven years, addressing stark disparities in survival rates between high-income and low-income nations.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Pharmacists Convicted for Illegal Distribution of Oxycodone

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendants Conspired to Fill Fake Prescriptions for Oxycodone Pills Written by a Doctor’s Receptionist and Distributed to Street Drug Dealers for Cash

    Earlier today, a federal jury in Brooklyn returned guilty verdicts against licensed pharmacists Yousef Ennab and Mohamed Hassan on all counts of a superseding indictment charging them with conspiracies to dispense and distribute oxycodone, as well as distribution and possession with intent to distribute oxycodone.  The verdict followed a three-week trial before United States District Judge Ann M. Donnelly.  When sentenced, the defendants each face up to 60 years in prison.

    John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, New York Division (DEA); Naomi Gruchacz, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI); Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD); Jocelyn E. Strauber, Commissioner, New York City Department of Investigation (DOI); and Dr. James V. McDonald, Commissioner, New York State Department of Health, announced the verdicts.

    “The defendants abused their access to oxycodone and violated the trust placed in them as pharmacists by illegally agreeing to supply drug dealers with tens of thousands of pills to sell on the streets of our district with zero regard for the immense harm this dangerously addictive narcotic has caused,” stated United States Attorney Durham.  “Pharmacists have a responsibility to prevent the illegal flow of drugs from their businesses, but these defendants only cared about lining their pockets with cash. With today’s verdict they will soon learn there is a reckoning for their criminal conduct that has contributed to the opioid epidemic.”

    United States Attorney Durham expressed sincere thanks to his team of prosecutors and paralegals and all of the law enforcement partners whose tireless efforts contributed to the convictions of these defendants and their co-conspirators. They include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Office of the New York State Comptroller, the New York Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the New York National Guard.

    “Today’s verdict against Yousef Ennab and Mohamed Hassan sends a strong message to anyone in the medical profession willing to betray their patients’ trust,” stated DEA New York Special Agent in Charge Tarentino.  “Pharmacists who abuse their license, a license to help and promote the health and safety of others, will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.  This abuse is a breach of trust that not only undermines public confidence but also causes irreputable harm and erodes the foundation of integrity which the public relies on.  The DEA and our partners will continue to target those individuals who abuse their authority and profit from fueling the national opioid crisis.”  

    “The pharmacists convicted in this case chose to dispense illegally prescribed controlled substances to patients and accept cash kickbacks to do so, which is especially egregious given the ongoing opioid epidemic,” stated HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Gruchacz.  “HHS-OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure health care providers involved in schemes that threaten patient safety are held accountable.”

    “These two men used their positions as pharmacists to scheme and cheat the system, filling their pockets with the money of the vulnerable and addicted.  Yousef Ennab and Mohamed Hassan had little regard for the safety and well-being of their clients, and today a jury of their peers found them guilty of their criminal behavior.  This conviction was made possible with the collaborative efforts of our federal and local partners, and now both defendants will soon be faced with sentencing,” stated IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Chavis.

    “Whether illegal drug transactions occur on a street corner or in brick-and-mortar pharmacies masquerading as legitimate businesses, the pushers are fueling addiction,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch.  “The numbers here are staggering—over 1.2 million pills exchanged with a street value of approximately $24 million.  While the full extent of the harm is unquantifiable, the guilty verdicts send a clear message that wherever you illegally distribute drugs, your operation will be shut down and you will go to jail.  I thank the investigators in the NYPD, in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and across numerous law enforcement agencies for their joint effort to eradicate poison from our streets.”

    “The defendants’ criminal conduct, and that of their co-conspirators, flooded our city with 1.2 million pills of highly addictive oxycodone.  Their convictions make clear that DOI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, and all of our partner law enforcement agencies involved in this investigation are committed to bringing to justice those responsible for the distribution of dangerous drugs.” stated DOI Commissioner Strauber.

    “The Department takes professional and medical misconduct very seriously, with the health and safety of New Yorkers and our communities being of utmost concern,” stated New York State Department of Health Commissioner McDonald.  “The State Department of Health’s Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement will continue to remain vigilant and collaborate with law enforcement agencies to protect the public health by combatting diversion and safeguarding the legitimate use of controlled substances in health care.”

    As proven at trial, Hassan and Ennab were licensed pharmacists who participated in a large-scale scheme using illegal medical prescriptions to obtain oxycodone for distribution on the streets of New York City.  Hassan held ownership stakes in more than a dozen pharmacies, where were located in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island and did business under the names Nile RX, Nile Ridge, Nile City, Sunset Corner, Prospect Care, Downtown RX and Forest Care, among others.  Ennab was the supervising pharmacist at Forest Care, one of Hassan’s pharmacies in Staten Island.

    The scheme relied on filling illegally issued prescriptions for 30-day supplies of oxycodone 30 mg that were written out of a Brooklyn medical practice operating as a pill mill, often for patients that the resident doctor at the practice had never examined.  Oxycodone 30 pills are high in strength and are prescribed to cancer patients, for instance.  In some cases, the prescriptions were for individuals whose identities had been stolen and were not patients of the practice.  The prescriptions were then filled at pharmacies controlled by Hassan, including the pharmacy where Ennab worked.  Hassan and Ennab conspired with other drug dealers to effect the distribution of the illegally obtained oxycodone.  One of the drug dealers picked up the oxycodone from the pharmacies in exchange for cash payments to Hassan and Ennab.  Hassan and other pharmacist co-conspirators also billed insurance companies for the pills even though they had no legitimate medical purpose. The trial evidence included video footage of Ennab taking a cash payment from one of the drug dealers, Michael Kent, while handing over multiple prescriptions for oxycodone for sham patients. In total, the scheme resulted in the illegal distribution of more than 1.2 million pills of oxycodone worth more than $36 million in retail street value.

    Six co-defendants, including Dr. Somsri Ratanaprasatporn, her receptionist Leticia Smith and pharmacists Bassam Amin and Omar Elsayed, previously pleaded guilty based on their involvement in the scheme and are awaiting sentencing.  A seventh co-defendant, Michael Kent, previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to nine years’ incarceration.

    These convictions are part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    Assistant United States  Attorneys Laura Zuckerwise, Victor Zapana and Gilbert M. Rein are in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Rachel Friedman and Nadya Osman.  Assistant United States Attorney Claire Kedeshian is handing forfeiture matters.  

    The Defendants:

    YOUSEF ENNAB
    Age:  27
    Brooklyn, New York

    MOHAMED HASSAN
    Age:  34
    Brooklyn, New York

    Co-Defendants Who Pleaded Guilty:

    LETICIA SMITH
    Age:  54
    Brooklyn, New York

    BASSAM AMIN
    Age: 69
    Brooklyn, New York

    OMAR ELSAYED
    Age:  28
    Hackensack, New Jersey

    YOUSEF ENNAB
    Age:  25
    Brooklyn, New York

    MICHAEL KENT
    Age:  49
    Brooklyn, New York

    ANTHONY MATHIS
    Age:  55
    New Windsor, New York

    Dr. SOMSRI RATANAPRASATPORN
    Age:  75
    Staten Island, New York

    RAYMOND WALKER
    Age:  70
    Brooklyn, New York

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-464 (AMD)

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: QXO Proposes Full Slate of Independent Directors for Election at Beacon Roofing Supply’s 2025 Annual Meeting

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    GREENWICH, Conn., Feb. 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — QXO, Inc. (NYSE: QXO) announced today that it has informed Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc. (Nasdaq: BECN) that it will propose 10 independent director nominees at Beacon’s 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders to replace Beacon’s Board of Directors.

    The slate of independent nominees includes current and former senior executives and directors of leading global companies who were selected for their deep expertise with large-scale corporate transformations, extensive knowledge of the building products and distribution sectors, and track records of unlocking shareholder value.

    “We are proposing a slate of high-caliber, independent director nominees who are astute at delivering value to shareholders of large public companies,” said Brad Jacobs, chairman and chief executive officer of QXO. “If elected, our nominees would give Beacon’s shareholders a direct voice in advocating for an independent evaluation of QXO’s proposal.”  

    On January 27, 2025, QXO commenced a tender offer to purchase all outstanding shares of Beacon for $124.25 per share in cash for an aggregate enterprise value of approximately $11 billion, representing a 37% premium to Beacon’s 90-day unaffected volume-weighted average price per share as of November 15, 2024, when news of QXO’s offer was first brought to public attention. QXO’s offer price of $124.25 per share is higher than Beacon’s shares have ever traded. QXO’s tender offer will be outstanding until 12:00 midnight (New York City time) at the end of February 24, 2025. QXO has received antitrust clearance for the acquisition in both the U.S. and Canada and is prepared to complete it shortly after the offer expires, subject to the terms of the offer.

    QXO intends to solicit proxies from Beacon stockholders by filing a proxy statement and universal WHITE proxy voting card for Beacon’s 2025 Annual Meeting. Beacon stockholders can choose to replace Beacon’s current directors and elect the 10 new directors proposed by QXO by voting “FOR” on the universal WHITE proxy card. Stockholders can cast their vote prior to or at Beacon’s 2025 Annual Meeting, which is expected to be held in May.

    Nominees

    QXO’s independent nominees for Beacon’s Board of Directors are:

    Sheree Bargabos: Sheree Bargabos served as president, roofing and asphalt for over a decade with Owens Corning (NYSE: OC), a global manufacturer of building and composite material systems. During her 37-year tenure with the company, she held a variety of leadership roles, including vice president, customer experience, roofing. More recently, Ms. Bargabos was a non-executive director of the board and member of the governance committee of PGT Innovations, Inc. (formerly NYSE: PGTI), a manufacturer of high-performance windows and doors, until the company was acquired by MITER Brands in 2024. Since 2018, she has served on the board of Steel Dynamics, Inc. (Nasdaq: STLD), a leading steel producer in the U.S., where she sits on the audit and compensation committees.

    Paul Camuti: Paul Camuti is the former executive vice president and chief technology and sustainability officer of Trane Technologies plc (NYSE: TT), a global leader in HVAC and refrigeration solutions for residential, commercial, and industrial markets, which separated from Ingersoll Rand, Inc. (NYSE: IR) in 2020. Prior to that, Mr. Camuti served as chief technology officer, corporate sustainability, and senior vice president, innovation, at Ingersoll Rand for nine years. Earlier, he spent 13 years at Siemens AG (OTC: SIEGY), holding various divisional executive leadership roles. Mr. Camuti currently serves on the board of Garrett Motion, Inc. (Nasdaq: GTX) and previously served on the board of The ExOne Company (formerly Nasdaq: XONE).

    Karel Czanderna: Karel Czanderna is the former president, chief executive officer and a board director of Flexsteel Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq: FLXS), a global leader in the design and production of residential furniture. Prior to Flexsteel, she was group president of the building materials division of Owens Corning (NYSE: OC) and earlier held divisional executive leadership roles with Whirlpool Corp. (NYSE: WHR). Ms. Czanderna serves on the boards of Cibo Vita, Inc. and Soteria Flexibles, and previously served on the board of BlueLinx Holdings Inc. (NYSE: BXC), a wholesale distributor of building and industrial products.

    Jonathan Foster: Jonathan Foster is the founder and a managing director of Current Capital Partners, an independent advisory and merchant banking firm. His 35-year career in financial and investment services includes 10 years with Lazard, Inc. (NYSE: LAZ), where he rose to managing director. He has served on more than 40 corporate boards, including current roles on the boards of Berry Global Group, Inc. (NYSE: BERY), Five Point Holdings, LLC (NYSE: FPH), and Lear Corp. (NYSE: LEA). Previously, he was a director and the audit committee chair of door manufacturer Masonite International Corp. for 15 years and served on the special transaction committee during the company’s sale to Owens Corning (NYSE: OC).

    Mauro Gregorio: Mauro Gregorio is the former president of Performance Materials & Coatings at Dow Inc. (NYSE: DOW), a global leader in materials science. He previously served as chief executive officer of Dow Silicones Corp., formerly Dow Corning, and president of Dow Consumer Solutions. Mr. Gregorio serves on the board of Eagle Materials, Inc. (NYSE: EXP), a construction products manufacturer, and sits on the audit and corporate governance, nominating and sustainability committees. Mr. Gregorio also serves on the board of Radius Recycling, Inc. (Nasdaq: RDUS), formerly Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc., and sits on the audit and compensation and human resources committees.

    Michael Lenz: Michael Lenz is the former chief financial officer of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX), overseeing all financial functions within its portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and supply chain management services. He held a variety of senior roles during his 18-year tenure with FedEx, including senior vice president and treasurer. Prior to FedEx, he was with American Airlines Group, Inc. (NYSE: AAL) for 11 years in investor relations, international network, and strategic planning roles. Mr. Lenz serves on the board of Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare.

    Teresa May: Teresa May is the president and owner of H+G Advisory, LLC and an advisor for portfolio operations at private equity firm KPS Capital Partners. Her 25-year career as an international growth and strategic marketing executive includes prior positions as chief marketing officer for American Woodmark Corp. (Nasdaq: AMWD), head of global strategic marketing for Owens Corning (NYSE: OC), and president of healthcare and chief strategy officer of security solutions for Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. (NYSE: SWK). Ms. May is a member of the board of Fluidmaster, Inc., a global leader in water management, and previously served on the boards of American Woodmark and Transcendia, Inc.

    Stephen Newlin: Stephen Newlin is the former president, chief executive officer and chairman of the board of Univar Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: UNVR), a global chemicals distributor. Prior to Univar, he was president, chief executive officer and chairman of PolyOne Corp., now Avient Corp. (NYSE: AVNT), a specialty polymer manufacturer and distributor. Mr. Newlin is currently chairman of the board of Oshkosh Corp. (NYSE: OSK), a global equipment manufacturer, where he also sits on the audit, governance, and human resource committees. He previously served on the boards of The Chemours Company (NYSE: CC) and Valspar Corp (NYSE: VAL), prior to its acquisition by Sherwin Williams in 2017.

    Joseph Reitmeier: Joseph Reitmeier is the former chief financial officer of Lennox International, Inc. (NYSE: LII), a global manufacturer of residential and commercial climate control solutions and refrigeration systems. Since 2016, he has served on the board of Watts Water Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: WTS), a global leader of water quality solutions. Mr. Reitmeier currently sits on the board’s audit committee, the governance and sustainability committees, and previously served on the nominating and corporate governance committee.

    Wendy Whiteash: Wendy Whiteash is the former executive vice president, integration and strategic priorities, for US LBM Holdings, LLC, a leading distributor of roofing, siding, windows, doors, decking, and engineered components. Earlier, she served as US LBM’s chief human resources officer. Ms. Whiteash spent the first 17 years of her career with Ferguson Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE: FERG), the largest U.S. value-added distributor of plumbing, heating, ventilation, air conditioning and MRO solutions, where she held various roles in finance, operations and human resources.

    Advisors

    Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC is acting as lead financial advisor to QXO, and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is acting as legal counsel.

    About QXO

    QXO provides technology solutions, primarily to clients in the manufacturing, distribution and service sectors. The company provides consulting and professional services, including specialized programming, training and technical support, and develops proprietary software. As a value-added reseller of business application software, QXO offers solutions for accounting, financial reporting, enterprise resource planning, warehouse management systems, customer relationship management, business intelligence and other applications. QXO plans to become a tech-forward leader in the $800 billion building products distribution industry. The company is targeting tens of billions of dollars of annual revenue in the next decade through accretive acquisitions and organic growth. Visit www.qxo.com for more information.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This communication contains forward-looking statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about beliefs, expectations, targets, goals, regulatory approval timing and nominating directors are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on plans, estimates, expectations and/or goals at the time the statements are made, and readers should not place undue reliance on them. In some cases, readers can identify forward-looking statements by the use of forward-looking terms such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “opportunity,” “intend,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “target,” “goal,” or “continue,” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terms. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties and readers are cautioned that a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any such forward-looking statements. Such factors include but are not limited to: the ultimate outcome of any possible transaction between QXO, Inc. (“QXO”) and Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc. (“Beacon”), including the possibility that the parties will not agree to pursue a business combination transaction or that the terms of any definitive agreement will be materially different from those proposed; uncertainties as to whether Beacon will cooperate with QXO regarding the proposed transaction; the ultimate result should QXO commence a proxy contest for election of directors to Beacon’s Board of Directors; QXO’s ability to consummate the proposed transaction with Beacon; the conditions to the completion of the proposed transaction, including the receipt of any required shareholder approvals and any required regulatory approvals; QXO’s ability to finance the proposed transaction; the substantial indebtedness QXO expects to incur in connection with the proposed transaction and the need to generate sufficient cash flows to service and repay such debt; that operating costs, customer loss and business disruption (including, without limitation, difficulties in maintaining relationships with employees, customers or suppliers) may be greater than expected following the proposed transaction or the public announcement of the proposed transaction; QXO’s ability to retain certain key employees; and general economic conditions that are less favorable than expected. QXO cautions that forward-looking statements should not be relied on as predictions of future events, and these statements are not guarantees of performance or results. Forward-looking statements herein speak only as of the date each statement is made. QXO does not assume any obligation to update any of these statements in light of new information or future events, except to the extent required by applicable law.

    Important Additional Information and Where to Find It

    This communication is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a recommendation, an offer to purchase or a solicitation of an offer to sell Beacon securities. QXO and Queen MergerCo, Inc. (the “Purchaser”) filed a Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on January 27, 2025, and Beacon filed a Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9 with respect to the tender offer with the SEC on February 6, 2025. Investors and security holders are urged to carefully read the Tender Offer Statement (including the Offer to Purchase, the related Letter of Transmittal and certain other tender offer documents, as each may be amended or supplemented from time to time) and the Solicitation/Recommendation Statement as these materials contain important information that investors and security holders should consider before making any decision regarding tendering their common stock, including the terms and conditions of the tender offer. The Tender Offer Statement, Offer to Purchase, Solicitation/Recommendation Statement and related materials are filed with the SEC, and investors and security holders may obtain a free copy of these materials and other documents filed by QXO and Beacon with the SEC at the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. In addition, the Tender Offer Statement and other documents that QXO and the Purchaser file with the SEC will be made available to all investors and security holders of Beacon free of charge from the information agent for the tender offer: Innisfree M&A Incorporated, 501 Madison Avenue, 20th Floor, New York, NY 10022, toll-free telephone: +1 (888) 750-5834.

    QXO and the other participants intend to file a preliminary proxy statement and accompanying WHITE universal proxy card with the SEC to be used to solicit proxies for, among other matters, the election of its slate of director nominees at the 2025 Annual Meeting of stockholders of Beacon. QXO strongly advises all stockholders of Beacon to read the preliminary proxy statement, any amendments or supplements to such proxy statement, and other proxy materials filed by QXO with the SEC as they become available because they will contain important information. Such proxy materials will be available at no charge on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and at QXO’s website at investors.qxo.com. In addition, the participants in this proxy solicitation will provide copies of the proxy statement, and other relevant documents, without charge, when available, upon request. Requests for copies should be directed to the participants’ proxy solicitor.

    Certain Information Concerning the Participants

    The participants in the proxy solicitation are anticipated to be QXO, Brad Jacobs, Ihsan Essaid, Matt Fassler, Mark Manduca, Sheree Bargabos, Paul Camuti, Karel Czanderna, Jonathan Foster, Mauro Gregorio, Michael Lenz, Teresa May, Stephen Newlin, Joseph Reitmeier and Wendy Whiteash. As of the date of this communication, QXO owns 100 shares of common stock of Beacon in record name and Ms. Czanderna may be deemed to beneficially own 10 shares of common stock of Beacon held in a trust, for which Ms. Czanderna’s husband serves as trustee. As of the date of this communication, none of the other participants has any direct or indirect interest, by security holdings or otherwise, in Beacon.

    Media Contacts

    Joe Checkler
    joe.checkler@qxo.com
    203-609-9650

    Steve Lipin / Lauren Odell
    Gladstone Place Partners
    212-230-5930

    Investor Contacts

    Mark Manduca
    mark.manduca@qxo.com
    203-321-3889

    Scott Winter / Jonathan Salzberger
    Innisfree M&A Incorporated
    212-750-5833

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: New appointments to Agricultural Products Marketing Council

    The council is a public agency that oversees agricultural marketing boards and commissions to ensure they are implementing governance best practices, provides policy advice to the minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, and administers legislation for the agricultural industry and government.

    “This is an important board, whose membership includes people with excellent agricultural credentials and experience. It provides the government with advice to ensure our ag industry remains competitive and innovative, while attracting investment, creating jobs and putting food on the tables of Alberta families and families across the country and around the world.”

    RJ Sigurdson, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation

    Three appointees are returning for a second term, including the new council chair, John Buckley, and vice-chair, Henricus Bos. The new chair and vice-chair will assume their executive positions effective March 21, 2025. The third appointment for a second term is council member John Guelly.

    Susan Novak continues to serve as the government’s representative.

    “I am honoured to be appointed chair of the Marketing Council board. I’ve enjoyed the past three years on council, particularly helping amalgamate the former wheat and barley commissions and our continued focus on marketing board and commission bylaws. I look forward to working with my fellow council members, our boards and commissions and Minister Sigurdson to help ensure agriculture remains a strong and thriving sector in Alberta.”

    John Buckley, chair of the Alberta Agricultural Products Marketing Council

    Three other members are either completing their terms or have decided to resign due to other priorities. They will be replaced by three new council members, who will infuse new ideas and perspectives into the council. They are:

    • Ian Chitwood
    • Susan Schafers
    • David Moss

    The new council members will start their first term on March 21, 2025.

    The government appoints council members using an open and competitive application and members are chosen based on experience and credentials.

    Quick facts

    • The Alberta Agricultural Products Marketing Council is established under the Marketing of Agricultural Products Act. The council currently has seven members, including a Government of Alberta representative.
    • Council members can serve a maximum of two consecutive terms (one term is three years) and are appointed by an order-in-council.

    Related information – Biographies

    John Buckley: John and his wife operate a cow-calf operation southwest of Cochrane. John has 40 years of experience in the livestock industry. John has been active in his community and industry and continues to be involved with a number of organizations and groups. His passion for rangelands, specifically grasslands, fuels his desire to operate in such a way that leaves the land in a better state than when he started operating on it, creating opportunity for future generations.

    Henricus Bos: Hennie is a farmer, on-farm processor and industry leader. He has filled many leadership roles in the Alberta and Canadian dairy industry as director and chair of Alberta Milk, as well as commissioner at the Canadian Dairy Commission. Being involved provincially and nationally in the dairy industry, combined with Bles-Wold yogurt processing experience, Hennie knows the industry and supply management well. Hennie holds a bachelor of science in dairy science and has completed several governance and business courses.

    John Guelly: John is a third-generation grain and oilseed farmer from north-central Alberta. He, his wife and two children have been farming for more than 30 years. John was a regional director for Alberta Canola from 2015-2021 (chair from 2019-2021), and has served on numerous other local, provincial, and national boards and committees in the agricultural industry. John graduated from the University of Alberta with a B.Sc. in agricultural engineering and previously worked full-time in manufacturing, as well as consulting while operating the farm.

    Ian Chitwood: Ian is a farmer and a professor who works with students to advance agriculture. Ian has extensive board experience with Alberta Canola, Agsafe Alberta and Verb Theatre. Ian has a PhD in business from Athabasca University, a MBA, a M.A., and a B.Comm from the University of Alberta.

    Susan Schafers: Susan is a second-generation pullet and cattle farmer who is past chair for Egg Farmers of Alberta and current chair for Parkland County’s Agricultural Service Board. Susan has broad experience serving on local, provincial and national boards as well as various committees. She has strong governance training and experience in facilitation and consensus building. She holds a B.Sc. in agriculture and food business management from the University of Alberta.

    David Moss: David is the director of business development (Animal Agriculture) for TELUS Agriculture. Previously, he was the general manager of the Canadian Cattle Association where he led the animal health file and worked closely with the Government of Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency on numerous files, including co-chairing the working group responsible for Canada regaining negligible-risk status for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) by the World Organization for Animal Health. He was co-founder and vice-president of AgriClear LP, an enterprise level online agri-business marketplace joint venture with the TMX Group. He has also held executive roles at ITS Global and Livestock Identification Services. An entrepreneur by nature, David has been in the agriculture industry his entire career. He helped build ranch-to-retail alliances in the United States, Australia and South America and brings a focus on innovation, data technology, and international business knowledge and experience. David holds a master of arts in Leadership Studies from the University of Guelph, a bachelor of management from the University of Lethbridge, and a master’s certificate in project management from York University. He serves on numerous industry committees and is an active volunteer in his Okotoks community.

    Susan Novak: Susan has a wealth of experience in leading policy, programs and people. She received her PhD in animal science from the University of Alberta and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Laval University. Susan started her career at Agriculture and Irrigation as the provincial horse specialist, and now is the executive director of the animal health and assurance branch. She also has a wealth of experience delivering agriculture research funding programming to support a competitive and sustainable agriculture industry in Alberta.

    Frank Robinson: Frank has a PhD from the University of Guelph and has been a University of Alberta professor for 35 years. He has worked with broiler breeder chickens to improve reproductive fitness. He has taught introductory animal science classes to more than 1,000 students with a focus on experiential learning. Frank has served as vice-provost and dean of students at the University of Alberta. He has fulfilled leadership roles in several agricultural and academic boards and associations. He was inducted into the Alberta Agriculture Hall of Fame in 2006.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cotton Statement on RFK Jr. Nomination

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    Contact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353
    February 12, 2025

    Cotton Statement on RFK Jr. Nomination

    Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today released the following statement about the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to become Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services:

    “When I met with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., I was pleased that he made several commitments to advance President Trump’s pro-life, free-market, common-sense agenda. He pledged that he will cut programs that waste taxpayer dollars on illegal migrants, abortions, DEI, and ‘research’ aimed at infringing on the rights of gun owners, while prioritizing Medicaid work requirements and respecting the widely used and scientifically based practices of Arkansas farmers. I also appreciate that Mr. Kennedy repeated most of these pledges during his confirmation hearings. I believe Mr. Kennedy will faithfully implement President Trump’s agenda and I will therefore support his nomination. I look forward to working with him once confirmed.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Adams Reintroduce Bicameral Legislation To Promote Gender Equity In Sports

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    February 12, 2025

    WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, on Wednesday reintroduced legislation to promote gender equity in college and K-12 sports. The Fair Play for Women Act would promote fairness in participation opportunities and institutional support for women’s and girls’ sports programs, ensure transparency and public reporting of data by college and K-12 athletic programs, hold athletic programs and athletic associations more accountable for Title IX violations and discriminatory treatment, and improve education and awareness of Title IX rights among college and K-12 athletes as well as athletics staff. U.S. Representative Alma Adams (D-N.C.) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

    “For all the progress we’ve made since Title IX, women and girls still don’t get a fair shot when it comes to sports. Schools are spending less on recruiting, facilities, and scholarships for women’s teams, and too many have bent the rules to make their numbers look better than they really are. The Fair Play for Women Act would bring real accountability and transparency to college and K-12 sports so all athletes get the support they deserve,” said Murphy.

    “For too long, schools have found ways to bend the rules and shortchange women athletes—skewing the numbers, dodging accountability, and failing to meet the promise of equality. The Fair Play for Women Act strengthens Title IX enforcement, brings real transparency to college and K-12 athletics, and ensures every girl gets the same shot at success as her male peers,” said Adams.

    Specifically, the Fair Play for Women Act would:

    • Hold schools and athletic associations accountable for discriminatory treatment. The bill would codify that state and intercollegiate athletic associations, including the NCAA, cannot discriminate based on sex, along with asserting non-discrimination protections within all school-based athletics, including club and intramural sports. It would also provide a robust private right of action for all athletes in their discrimination claims, making it easier for athletes to push for change at their schools. The bill would authorize the Department of Education to levy civil penalties on schools that repeatedly discriminate against athletes and require schools to submit publicly available plans to remedy violations, providing more tools to compel compliance and resolve ongoing discrimination.
    • Expand reporting requirements for college and K-12 athletics data and make all information easily accessible to the public. The bill would establish a one-stop shop for key athletics data by expanding the scope and detail of reporting by colleges, extending these requirements to include athletics at elementary and secondary schools, and requiring the Secretary of Education to house all data on the same public website. The bill also requires that schools certify the data they submit and report how they are claiming Title IX compliance, it directs the Department of Education to publish an annual report on gender equity in school-based athletics. These provisions will help weed out reporting tricks by programs to skirt non-discrimination laws and make it easier for athletes and stakeholders to evaluate persisting gaps in athletic programs or use publicly available data in their claims against schools.
    • Improve education of Title IX rights among athletes, staff, and stakeholders. The bill would require Title IX trainings on an annual basis for all athletes, Title IX coordinators, and athletic department and athletic association staff. The bill would also establish a public database of all Title IX coordinators at colleges andK-12 schools, included in the one-stop shop for athletics data. These provisions will ensure all people involved with K-12 and college athletics understand what Title IX means and what students’ rights are under the law.

    U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) co-sponsored the legislation. U.S. Representatives Lori Trahan (D-Mass.) and Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.) co-sponsored legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

    “The Fair Play for Women Act really is about fairness—enabling women and girls to have equitable opportunities in sports and holding schools accountable when they don’t. The stark truth is that despite progress after Title IX, women and girls still face fewer opportunities than boys to participate in sports and insufficient resources for their teams. This necessary legislation will confront the continued lack of gender equity and fairness in sports,” said Blumenthal.

    “Despite decades of underinvestment and neglect, women’s sports have surged in popularity, proving what women athletes have always known—there is a massive, untapped audience eager to support them,” said Trahan. “The Fair Play for Women Act will build on that momentum by addressing the real barriers still holding women’s sports back: Title IX loopholes that deny thousands of women and girls every day the opportunity to compete and thrive in the sports they love.”

    “Since the passage of Title IX we’ve seen an increase in the number of female students participating in sports. Despite that increase, college women still have nearly 60,000 fewer athletics opportunities than men, and high school girls have about one million fewer opportunities to play sports than high school boys. I’m co-leading the Fair Play for Women Act to promote strong Title IX protections and compliance from K-12 schools and colleges,” said Bonamici.

    Athlete Ally,  Billie Jean King Foundation, Champion Women, Katie’s Save, National Organization for Women, National Women’s Political Caucus, The Drake Group, Voice in Sport Foundation, and Women’s Sports Foundation endorsed the legislation.

    “The Fair Play for Women Act is a step in the right direction to ensure student-athletes are able to play, compete and lead – in sports and beyond – without barriers,” said WSF CEO Danette Leighton. “For 50 years and counting, the Women’s Sports Foundation has championed a simple message: when girls play, they lead and we all win! That’s why we applaud the introduction of this bill, as it seeks to create a level playing field to allow girls and women to thrive through the transformative power of sports.”

    “The Drake Group applauds the Senator Murphy/Representative Adams team for stepping up to the plate to provide better Title IX compliance tools through the Fair Play for Women Act.  The legislation closes significant collegiate athletics reporting loopholes and establishes long overdue K-12 reporting and training obligations. As important, the Act provides for a private right of action and civil penalties as well as clearly holding athletics governance associations accountable for discriminatory treatment. This is good, common sense gender equity legislation deserving of widespread non-partisan support,” said Kassandra Ramsey, Esq., President, The Drake Group

    “The Fair Play for Women Act addresses the real issues that girls and women in sport face,” said Stef Strack, Founder & CEO of VOICEINSPORT & VOICEINSPORT Foundation. “The real issues are systemic discrimination, the institutions that violate Title IX without consequence, and the leaders who refuse to enforce the law in public schools across the US. The Fair Play for Women Act will strengthen Title IX by increasing education, ensuring there is an enforcement mechanism in place and ultimately providing transparency that everyone deserves.”

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: New Lions Gate Hospital tower opens next month

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    People on the North Shore and in neighbouring communities will soon have enhanced access to health care services in the new, modern acute care tower at Lions Gate Hospital, opening March 9, 2025.

    “I’m thrilled this new hospital tower is now complete, and families in North Vancouver and beyond will have better access to high-quality health-care services, closer to home,” said Bowinn Ma, Minister of Infrastructure. “Our government is making record investments to support growing communities, and we’re committed to delivering more hospitals, health-care centres, and other important infrastructure.”

    The new six-storey tower is named after local philanthropist and businessperson Paul Myers. It has eight state-of-the-art operating rooms with a new medical device reprocessing department, as well as a pre-operative and post-operative care area, including anesthesia intervention and isolation rooms. There will be 108 beds in private patient rooms, all with ensuite washrooms.

    Vancouver Coastal Health worked in collaboration with Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation) advisers on key aspects of the project to honour the host Nations and help create safer, welcoming and culturally appropriate spaces for Indigenous patients and families.

    “It’s terrific news for people living on the North Shore and area that the new patient care tower at Lions Gate Hospital is opening to meet the needs, comfort and well-being of people receiving care,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. “By investing in state-of-the-art facilities around B.C., including the new Paul Myers Tower, we are truly investing in better health outcomes for British Columbians. This is part of our commitment to strengthen B.C.’s public health-care system.”

    The acute tower was designed to provide patient- and family- centred care. It features a variety of spaces to support patients, family and staff well-being, including lounges, a House of Elders office, a sacred space, additional bike storage and a rooftop garden with a walking path. Further, innovative technologies and an upgraded nurse call system, improve patient experiences and enhance safety for patients and staff.

    Construction began on the project in fall 2021. The total capital cost of the project is approximately $325 million. Funding is shared between the Province, Vancouver Coastal Health and the Lions Gate Hospital Foundation. Myers donated $25 million to the foundation’s $100-million campaign.

    “We’re excited to care for patients in this new space,” said Jillian Morland, clinical nurse educator, Lions Gate Hospital at Vancouver Coastal Health. “The clinical spaces are larger and designed for flexibility and efficiency to better accommodate our teams. The technology upgrades, such as access to Vocera and Masimo, will enable us to deliver the highest quality care possible.”

    Lions Gate Hospital provides a full range of acute-care services and many specialized services. With the 108 beds and eight operating rooms in this new tower, the Lions Gate Hospital will have a total of 329 beds, 10 operating rooms, and a variety of diagnostic services and equipment. The hospital also offers emergency and critical care, maternity, pediatrics, psychiatric, chemotherapy, cardiac care, palliative care and rehabilitative services.

    This hospital will continue to serve patients from the Sea-to-Sky corridor, Sunshine Coast, Bella Bella and Bella Coola on the Central Coast, including the Heiltsuk, Kitasoo-Xai’xais, Lil’wat, N’Quatqua, Nuxalk, Samahquam, shíshálh, Skatin, Squamish, Tla’amin, Tsleil-Waututh, Wuikinuxv, and Xa’xtsa communities.

    Quotes:

    Chief Jen Thomas, səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation) –

    “It is heartening to know the Paul Myers Tower in North Vancouver will soon open its doors as it will provide improved culturally informed health care for our Tsleil-Waututh Nation members and all Indigenous patients. VCH has demonstrated they are walking the path of reconciliation by engaging with us as partners to advise on how our traditional lands and waters could be reflected in the tower’s design. I’m proud to know the building will tell the story of our culture, incorporate our hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ language, and hold space for Elders as they access important health services.”

    Sxwixwtn, Wilson Williams, spokesperson and council member, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw –

    “Through close collaboration with both the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, Vancouver Coastal Health was able to create a modern space that still reflects our values, traditions and cultures. From the façade resembling our Long Houses, to our stories and languages reflected throughout the interior and healing spaces, Paul Myers Tower is a thoughtful example of what can be accomplished when working meaningfully with First Nations to create a state-of-the-art medical facility that will benefit everyone across the North Shore community.”

    Susie Chant, MLA for North Vancouver-Seymour –

    “The completion of the Paul Myers Tower in North Vancouver will significantly improve health-care services for people on the North Shore. This new acute care tower will modernize community health services enabling faster, more accessible services closer to home.”   

    Dr. Penny Ballem, chair of the board, Vancouver Coastal Health –

    “The Paul Myers Tower’s patient-centred design will improve the care experience for patients and their families and will help both present and future needs of a growing and aging population. We are grateful for the collaboration with host Nations, patients and community organizations as well as our dedicated staff and medical staff in co-creating a site that will transform the future of health care in our region and beyond.”

    Judy Savage, president and CEO, Lions Gate Hospital Foundation –

    “The remarkable lead gift of $25 million from North Shore Philanthropist Paul Myers inspired people to give what they could to help bring this much-needed facility to the North Shore. From official foundation events, and multi-million-dollar contributions, to community fundraisers and the proceeds from lemonade stands, every donation was essential in helping us raise $100 million toward the cost of a new medical and surgical centre and an additional $20 million to support technology transformation for the Lions Gate Hospital campus.”

    Learn More:

    For a Vancouver Coastal Health backgrounder on the new Paul Myers Tower, visit:
    https://www.vch.ca/en/background-information-paul-myers-tower-lions-gate-hospital

    For more information about Lions Gate Hospital, visit: https://www.vch.ca/en/location/lions-gate-hospital

    For more information about health capital projects in B.C., visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/accessing-health-care/capital-projects

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER DEMANDS VA RE-OPEN CASTLE POINT VETS MEDICAL CENTER UNIT AFTER ABRUPT CLOSURE; SENATOR SAYS VA MUST IMMEDIATELY BEGIN WORK WITH LOCAL LEADERS TO INCREASE COMMUNICATION TO IMPACTED PATIENTS &…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
    Castle Point VA’s Acute Inpatient Care Unit Abruptly Closed Medical Unit Temporarily For Veterans Suffering From Substance Use Disorder This Month, Prompting Concern And Outrage From Vets Across The Hudson Valley Schumer Said Center Failed to Adequately Publicize Closing And Alternative Treatment Options For Vets And Must Promptly Re-Open With Adequate Staffing
    Senator Says We Cannot Risk Leaving Our Hudson Valley Vets Without Proper Access To The Care They Need And Is Demanding The VA Take Immediate Action To Re-Open The Unit, Increase Communication, And Ensure Vets Receive Care They Need
    Schumer: VA Must Quickly Reopen Castle Point VA’s Acute Inpatient Care Unit And Continue Vital Healthcare Services For Hudson Valley Veterans
    U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today slammed the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for, “Unacceptably poor communication with Hudson Valley vets regarding the sudden closure of the Castle Point VA acute inpatient care unit,” and called on the VA to immediately re-open the unit with adequate staffing, which abruptly closed earlier this month for an anticipated 120 days.
    The Castle Point VA Medical Center (VAMC), located in Dutchess County, plays a vital role in providing care for 7,000 Hudson Valley veterans. The acute inpatient care unit provides care to those who are dealing with substance use disorder. As part of the VA system, VAMC enhances patient outcomes by offering continuous care within the same system, resulting in more timely treatment compared to cases where patients are referred to non-VA facilities.
    “Earlier this month, without warning, the Castle Point VA Medical Center left Hudson Valley veterans without access to potentially life-saving medical care when the center shut down its acute inpatient care unit. The lack of communication with veterans who rely on the unit for substance use disorder services is tremendously concerning. The Department of Veterans Affairs needs to re-open this unit as soon as possible with adequate staffing – and do a much, much better job of communicating what it is doing to our Hudson Valley vets – or our New York veterans could be left in the lurch and in the dark without access to vital health care,” said Senator Schumer. “Our veterans deserve access to the highest quality of care at VA facilities, including Castle Point. I will fight tooth and nail against any efforts to permanently limit access to care to New York veterans. In the meantime, the center must ensure adequate communications with its patients to ensure they can continue to access medical care during this closure, and they need to reopen the Castle Point acute inpatient care unit ASAP. Hudson Valley’s veterans deserve nothing less.”
    “The closure of the E2 Unit at Castle Point VA Hospital is absolutely unacceptable.   Worse yet is the closure was done without even letting veterans know it was happening,” said Adam Roche, Director of Dutchess County Office of Veteran Affairs.   “I’ve witnessed firsthand the unbelievable care the nurses and doctors provide and how much they truly care about our veterans.  This unit serves as a lifeline for our veterans between Albany and the Bronx, and it is incredibly important for our Dutchess County veterans.   To yank away this lifeline is an injustice to those who have risked so much for our country.   This decision must be reversed.”
    “The inpatient ward at Castle Point provides an integral service to the Veterans of the Hudson Valley,” said Alyssa Carrion, Director of Veterans Programs at Mental Health America of Dutchess County. “When Veterans come to us at rock bottom ready for treatment, we immediately transport them to Castle Point and stay with them until they are admitted.  Then we have the ability to visit with the Veteran at E-2 until they are transferred to Montrose.  Closing E-2 has left us in a very difficult situation.  Where do we take a Veteran who is ready NOW for treatment when the detox ward is closed?  When there are no beds available at Montrose for them to go right to, the VA connection will be lost if we send them to the community.  While the VA states this was an under-utilized resource and is not needed, there are an average of 3-5 Veterans each month that this closure will affect care for – potentially resulting in gaps in care, increased suicide rates, and overdoses.  This ward provides an important service to our Veteran community, and should be reopened. “
    Schumer has a long history of fighting for Hudson Valley veterans and protecting services at the Castle Point VA. In March 2022,  after the VA released a preliminary proposed as a part of the Asset and Infrastructure Review (AIR) Commission process, which recommended closing the Castle Point VA Medical Center in Dutchess County. Schumer stood shoulder to shoulder with Hudson Valley veterans outside the facility to fight this proposal and prevent them from losing critical local care access. Later that year, after months of Schumer’s advocacy, the bipartisan Senate members announced their formal opposition to the VA AIR Commission Process, signifying the end of the AIR Commission, and thus preserving the Castle Point VA from full closure.
    Schumer’s letter to VA Secretary Collins below:
    Dear Secretary Collins:
    I am writing to express deep concerns surrounding the sudden announcement of the closure of the Castle Point VA Medical Center (VAMC) acute inpatient care unit. This closure will reduce access to substance use disorder services for the 7,000 veterans who receive care at the Castle Point VAMC for at least 120 days. We cannot risk the healthcare of our veterans and I strongly request you immediately take all steps to reopen this critical unit and ensure its services can continue on a permanent basis.
    In the interim, it is crucial that the Castle Point VAMC continuously inform veterans of alternative sites of care, ensure that non-VA care providers can administer the care provided by the VAMC, arrange transportation services for patients, and work to quickly reopen this unit with adequate staffing levels. Anything else would be an abdication of responsibility to those who have served our country most honorably.
    No veteran should have to travel farther than necessary for life-saving medical care. The closure of the acute inpatient care unit leaves Hudson Valley veterans without a vital resource that administers lifesaving care at necessary points in their lives. Local providers and veterans can attest to the importance of the acute inpatient care unit in the region, and are disturbed by the development of its closure. Our nation’s veterans experience a wide range of mental health disorders due to trauma experienced during their military service, all of which require accessible, continuous care. It is critical that existing inpatient care units remain functional and efforts are made to return to appropriate staffing levels.
    It is especially troubling that this closure, mainly caused by inadequate staffing levels, was announced during the federal agency hiring freeze ordered by President Trump on January 20, 2025. This reckless directive exacerbates challenges already experienced at VA facilities, and will prevent veterans from receiving continuous, adequate care all across the country. I strongly encourage the Castle Point VAMC to utilize any exemptions to this hiring freeze, explicitly listed out by the Department of Veterans Affairs, in order to bolster staff levels to ensure the Castle Point VAMC acute inpatient care unit can quickly reopen.
    There has been a tremendously concerning lack of communication with veterans who rely on health services at Castle Point VAMC. Due to the abrupt nature of this closure, Castle Point failed to notify veterans in advance that the unit was closing. This undermined veterans’ continuity of care and created the burden of extra measures, including travel coordination, to access care at other VA facilities or community hospitals. Therefore, it is imperative that the Castle Point VAMC notify veterans and caretakers of potential closures in advance of the expected closure date. Additionally, veterans should be notified of what steps the VAMC will take to ensure there is no disruption in care during this current closure, including how transportation services will be coordinated and which alternative sites of care patients will be able to access.
    Our nation’s veterans deserve access to the highest quality of care at VA facilities. I strongly oppose any efforts to permanently limit access to care to New York veterans, and urge the Castle Point VAMC to reopen its acute inpatient care unit as soon as possible with appropriate staffing levels. Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crapo Urges Senate Colleagues to Support RFK Jr. to be HHS Secretary

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo

    Washington, D.C.–U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) delivered remarks on the Senate Floor urging his Senate colleagues to support Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to serve as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

    Watch Chairman Crapo’s remarks here.

    As delivered:

    “Thank you, Mr. President.

    “In a moment, the Senate will proceed to a cloture vote on the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).  I rise to encourage my colleagues to support this motion.

    “As Secretary of HHS, Mr. Kennedy would oversee our nation’s expansive health care system, from sources of coverage to advancement of public health. 

    “Mr. Kennedy’s decades of experience and deep drive to advocate on behalf of consumers will set a patient-centered tone at the Department.

    “As he has demonstrated in both public and private settings, Mr. Kennedy is committed to reorienting our approach to health care and restoring faith in our institutions.

    “His passion for addressing America’s chronic disease epidemic will save lives, reduce costs and establish a foundation for a healthier, stronger country. 

    “His dedication to transparency will empower patients to make more informed decisions about their health care and form a responsive rapport with Congress.  As Mr. Kennedy stated during his hearing, ‘…if Congress asked me for information, you will get it immediately.’

    “Over the course of his vetting process, Mr. Kennedy met with dozens of Members on both sides of the aisle, spoke with bipartisan Senate Finance Committee staff, appeared before two committee hearings and answered over nine hundred questions for the record.  Not to mention, presenting thousands of pages of documents.

    “Mr. Kennedy has gone through the same Office of Government Ethics process as all nominees who come before the Finance Committee. 

    “Similar to all other nominees, we have a letter from director of the Office of Government Ethics stating: ‘Based thereon, we believe that this nominee is compliance with applicable laws and regulations governing conflicts of interest.’ 

    “He even amended his ethics agreement, going beyond what is required by the Office of Government Ethics, in response to a request from Finance Committee Members.

    “I urge my colleagues to join me in advancing his nomination so we can begin to make our country healthier.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Statement from NSW Health Secretary Susan Pearce AM

    Source: New South Wales Health – State Government

    This morning, I was made aware of an utterly disgusting video circulating on social media. NSW Health immediately launched an investigation and contacted NSW Police, who are also investigating.
    The appalling comments and hate speech from the individuals in this video do not represent, and never have, the views or values of NSW Health – this includes the 180,000 dedicated, caring and kind people who make up our workforce.
    NSW Health is committed to fostering an environment of respect and inclusivity. We are proud to provide safe, compassionate and high-quality care to all people across the diverse communities of NSW we serve. 
    We understand this disturbing video has caused distress. I can assure you we are treating this matter incredibly seriously.
    There is absolutely no place in NSW Health for these views or behaviour.
    NSW Health condemns the views expressed and behaviour demonstrated in this video and I assure everyone that every person in NSW receives safe, respectful care in our hospitals and health services.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Nashville Man Charged with being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm Following Robbery at the Mall at Green Hills

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NASHVILLE – Omari Rashad Moore, 30, of Nashville, has been charged by criminal complaint with being a felon in possession of a firearm as part of a shooting incident near the Green Hills mall, announced Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire for the Middle District of Tennessee.

    “Citizens in our community need to feel confident that they can go shopping at a mall without fearing gunfire,” said McGuire. “We are unwavering in our commitment to secure a safe city and hold those who would threaten that safety fully accountable for their actions.”

    According to the complaint, on February 4, 2025, officers with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (“MNPD”) responded to the Mall at Green Hills in Nashville, in response to a possible robbery and shots-fired complaint. As the officers responded, 911 dispatch also received a complaint about a shooting near the I– 65 South and I–440 Interstate interchange in Nashville, which is about five miles driving distance from the Mall.

    When MNPD officers arrived at the Mall, they found two .10 millimeter cartridge casings on the ground along with a high capacity magazine containing .10 millimeter ammunition near where the shooting and robbery had occurred. Officers could not locate a victim or suspect of the shooting at the Mall. About that time, MNPD officers arrived in the area of the I–65 South and I–440 Interstate interchange and saw a silver Tesla, which had been traveling away from the direction of the Mall, that had crashed into a tree. MNPD officers recovered two Louis Vuitton bags from inside the Tesla and located two men near the crash scene, who were later identified as Moore and SUBJECT 1. A bystander, who witnessed the aftermath of the crash, told MNPD officers that he/she had seen Moore approach a nearby guardrail on foot after the Tesla crashed. MNPD officers found a Glock Model: 29, Caliber: .10 millimeter pistol with the magazine missing near the guardrail.

    SUBJECT 1 had multiple gunshot wounds and was transported to Vanderbilt Hospital by emergency medical services, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

    MNPD Detectives reviewed security footage of the robbery and shooting at the Mall. It showed a man walking away from the mall carrying two shopping bags. As he approached his car, a silver Tesla drove up to and stopped near the man’s car. A man, later identified as Moore, got out of the Tesla with an object in his pocket that was consistent with the appearance of a handgun loaded with a high-capacity magazine. Moore approached the other man’s car, and they fought before the other man broke free and ran. Moore then leaned into the other man’s car, then ran back to the Tesla carrying the two shopping bags.

    Moore has multiple prior felony convictions in Henderson County and Davidson County, Tennessee.

    If convicted, Moore faces a maximum of 15 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.

    This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Hinkle is prosecuting the case.  

    A federal complaint is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

    # # # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville Introduces Legislation to Ensure Community Care Access for Veterans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) is continuing his efforts to make community care more accessible for veterans by reintroducing the Ensuring Continuity in Veterans Health Act. Senator Tuberville’s legislation would amend Title 38 of the United States Code to require the VA to consider continuity of healthcare when deciding whether seeing a provider in the community is in a veteran’s best medical interest.  
    Washington Examiner first reported on Senator Tuberville’s efforts earlier today.
    “Our veterans have sacrificed so much for our country, and deserve access to quick and quality care,” said Senator Tuberville. “Under the Biden-Harris VA, we witnessed an exasperation of bureaucratic red tape, which has put our veterans’ health at risk. Allowing veterans to see their local doctor alleviates wait and drive times, especially for those who do not live close to a VA facility. I’m proud to introduce the Ensuring Continuity in Veterans Health Act and will keep fighting to put our veterans first.”
    U.S. Representative Scott Franklin (R-FL-15) reintroduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
    “Those who bravely served our nation deserve a healthcare system that provides timely access to quality care,” saidCongressman Franklin. “Our veterans should be empowered to choose the care that works best for them, whether inside or outside the VA. I’m proud to reintroduce my bill, the Ensuring Continuity in Veterans Health Act, which builds upon President Trump’s MISSION Act.  It will eliminate red tape that disrupts VA benefits and remove any Biden Administration hurdles that forced veterans back into inconvenient healthcare options.  It will also make it easier for veterans to receive timely access to personalized treatment and services regardless of where they live. I thank Senator Tommy Tuberville for leading this effort in the Senate and for my colleagues’ support of this critical legislation.”
    Specifically, the legislation would:
    Allow veterans to continue accessing community care for services they already receive;
    Prevent disruptions for veterans receiving specialized treatments from community care providers, such as mental health care; and
    Provide veterans with the most convenient providers.
    BACKGROUND
    Senator Tuberville represents Alabama’s more than 400,000 veterans on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, where he’s worked to streamline the community care process for the men and women who’ve worn the military uniform. 
    He recently helped introduce the Veterans’ Assuring Critical Care Expansions to Support Servicemembers (ACCESS) Act of 2025, which would increase access to care for veterans through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) providers in the community.
    Last year, Senator Tuberville joined Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS) in sending a letter to former VA Secretary McDonough urging him to reassess actions taken by the Biden-Harris VA to cut referrals to community care. He also pressed Sec. McDonough about this and the rehiring of 4,000 VA employees who were dismissed under the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017 for their failure to provide swift and safe care to veterans. 
    MORE:
    Tuberville Continues Fight to Protect Veterans’ Access to Community Care
    Tuberville, Blackburn Reintroduce Bill to Improve Veterans’ Access to Health Care
    Tuberville, Blackburn Introduce Legislation to Improve Veterans’ Access to Free-Market Health Care
    Tuberville Pushes Legislation to Improve Quality, Access to Care for Veterans
    Tuberville Questions Collins, Wants to Restore VA to its Original Mission
    The VA is broken, and Doug Collins can fix it
    The Dangerous Biden-Harris Plan to Leave our Veterans Behind
    Tuberville, Colleagues Push Back Against Cuts to Prescription Reimbursements for TRICARE Members
    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville Gets Gavel for HELP Subcommittee on Education and the American Family

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) today announced he will serve as Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee on Education and the American Family. Last Congress, Sen. Tuberville served as Ranking Member of this Subcommittee, which was previously the Subcommittee on Children and Families. As Chairman, one of Senator Tuberville’s first actions was renaming the Subcommittee to reflect two things Alabamians hold dear: education and family values.
    As Chairman, Senator Tuberville will empower parents to make the best educational decisions for their children, fight to preserve Title IX protections for women and girls, end woke curriculum in schools, and invest in workforce development and job training programs to set our young people up for success.
    Senator Tuberville made the following statement about his appointment as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Education and the American Family:
    “As a former educator, coach, and mentor for more than 40 years, I know firsthand that education is the key to unlocking opportunity. Unfortunately, our education system has been failing our kids. As of the most recent data, we’re 26th in the world in math and 6th in reading. That’s unacceptable.
    As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Education and the American Family, I am laser-focused on creating more high-quality education options for students that fit their unique needs and unlock their God-given potential, rather than forcing everyone into a one-size-fits-all system. This is why I’ve consistently advocated for school choice during my time in the U.S. Senate.
    I will also continue fighting to protect women’s sports and ensure Title IX protections remain in place for women and girls everywhere. Title IX is one of the best pieces of legislation to ever come through Congress, however, it has been under attack. Thanks to President Trump’s Executive Order, women and girls’ sports are now protected, but Executive Orders can be reversed. I will keep fighting for the Senate to pass my bill, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, to make President Trump’s Executive Order permanent.
    We also need to get rid of woke gender ideology, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), and Critical Race Theory (CRT) curriculum that has infected our schools. Children should be able to go to school and learn to read, write, and think for themselves—not be indoctrinated by a left-wing agenda. President Trump made it clear on day one in office that there are two genders—male and female—and divisive, racist DEI ideology has no place in America.
    On the higher education side, our country needs to do a much better job of preparing students to enter the workforce. That starts by recognizing not everyone needs to attend a traditional four-year college, but everyone has the right to such an opportunity. Career and technical education programs like dual enrollment, apprenticeships, and short-term certifications should be recognized as the respectable paths for opportunity that they are, not treated as second-rate.”
    Subcommittee on Education and the American Family:
    The Senate Subcommittee on Education and the American Family is tasked with all issues involving children and families, including education, child care and support, foster care and adoption, youth mental health, workforce development and more.
    As Ranking Member on this subcommittee, Senator Tuberville will be well-positioned to work on these Alabama-specific issues:
    Empowering Alabama parents and families to make the best educational choices for their children.
    Fighting to preserve Title IX protections for women and girls everywhere.
    Getting rid of woke gender ideology, DEI, and anti-American CRT teaching in our schools.
    Investing in workforce education and job training to ensure students are prepared to enter the workforce.
    Senator Tuberville will also serve on the HELP Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety.
    Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety:
    The Senate Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety is tasked with workplace education and training, worker health and safety, wage and hour laws, and workplace flexibility.
    Senator Tuberville’s position on this subcommittee will enable him to work on these Alabama-specific issues:
    Empowering effective workforce development programs to grow Alabama’s workforce.
    Protecting Alabama’s economy from federal overreach that would undermine innovation and growth in the labor sector.
    Ensuring Alabama’s industries can partner with local education institutions to help build the workforce of the future.
    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, Aging, and HELP Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: The Risk of Adverse Events Associated with Mesh and Non-Mesh Repair of Groin Hernias: A literature review

    Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

    Summary

    In light of the pause on use of mesh in urogynaecology procedures in New Zealand in 2023, and the hernia mesh report in Australia (Health Issues Centre 2019), the Ministry of Health began a review of the literature on the use of mesh in inguinal (also known as groin) hernia repair. 

    This showed that use of mesh in groin hernia repair was associated with reduced rates of hernia recurrence, neurovascular injury and urinary retention (with no gender difference) and reduced or similar rates of post-operative pain, operative time, hospital stay length and time to return to usual activities compared to non-mesh groin hernia repair. Non-mesh repair was associated with a lower risk of seroma formation (fluid collection). Ongoing pain affecting activities of daily living was self-reported in a proportion of patients in whom mesh was used in groin hernia repair.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Unicoi County’s Ballad Health Hospital Awarded $9.8 Million to Rebuild After Helene Flooding

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Unicoi County’s Ballad Health Hospital Awarded $9.8 Million to Rebuild After Helene Flooding

    Unicoi County’s Ballad Health Hospital Awarded $9.8 Million to Rebuild After Helene Flooding

    The State of Tennessee and FEMA have approved $9.8 million to replace Ballad Health’s hospital in rural Erwin which was destroyed when Tropical Storm Helene swept across Eastern Tennessee in late September. The 10 in-patient bed hospital, which sits along the banks of the Nolichucky River in the southern Appalachian mountains, has been serving the local community and surrounding agricultural area since 1953. Over the years, it has expanded and modernized, offering bone density testing, echocardiography, the latest diagnostic imaging technology and a sleep medicine lab. The newest facility was completed in October 2018 at a cost of $30 million.Helene’s floodwaters encircled the Ballad Health hospital on Sept. 27, rising at least 8 feet inside the single-story building, racing through examining rooms, labs and patient rooms. Trained hospital and National Guard pilots used helicopters to airlift patients and staff to safety from the roof. Emergency workers also rescued dozens of people by boat to a nearby high school. Under FEMA’s Public Assistance program, FEMA’s share to rebuild the hospital is $7,389,240; the nonfederal share is $2,463,080. Work to be completed includes architectural and engineering design services that use modern best construction practices and applicable codes and standards.The cost estimate for replacing the hospital was generated using FEMA’s Rapid Assessment with Public Infrastructure Data, which uses geospatial and aerial imagery as well as available Federal Highway Administration and State Department of Transportation data. The scope of work will be updated when the surveys and assessments are completed. Because Public Assistance is a cost-sharing program, FEMA reimburses state applicants 75% of the eligible costs of repairs to existing structures. The federal share is paid directly to the state to disburse to agencies, local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations that incurred those costs. The remaining 25% represents nonfederal funds.The Public Assistance program is FEMA’s largest grant program, providing funding to help communities responding to and recovering from major presidentially declared disasters or emergencies. Helene swept across Tennessee Sept. 26-30 and the president approved a major disaster declaration on Oct. 2, allowing FEMA to pay for disaster-damaged infrastructure.
    kwei.nwaogu
    Wed, 02/12/2025 – 19:58

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: International Conference organised by Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine concludes today

    Source: Government of India (2)

    International Conference organised by Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine concludes today

    National and International experts and luminaries from the field of health sciences shared their knowledge and expertise

    Posted On: 12 FEB 2025 8:10PM by PIB Delhi

    The International Conference on “Innovations in Unani Medicine for Integrative Health Solutions – A way forward” organized by the Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM), Ministry of Ayush, Government of India in hybrid mode as part of Unani Day 2025 Celebration successfully concluded at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi today.

    The conference was inaugurated yesterday by Smt. Droupadi Murmu, President of India in the presence of Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Minister of State, Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy & Department of Space, Government of India, Shri PratapraoJadhav, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Ayush & Minister of State for Health Family welfare.

    The conference had a panel discussion and nine scientific sessions on the sub-themes, viz. “Harnessing Artificial Intelligence and Machine learning for Ayush/ Traditional Medicine: Prospects and Challenges”, “Unani Medicine for Globalized Health-Unlocking New Opportunities.”, “Moving towards Sustainable Development Goal -3: Good Health and Well Being. ”, “Integrating Traditional Medicine into Healthcare Systems”, “Unani Perspectives on Mental Health and Well-Being”, “Development of Unani Ahar (Diet): through Scientific Approach”, “Evidence based recent research trends in Unani Medicine”, “Advancements in Regimental therapies (Ilaj biltadbir)” and “Translational Research in Unani/traditional systems of medicine”.

    A number of national and international experts and luminaries from the field of health sciences shared their knowledge, experiences and expertise in the conference. Stakeholders from industry, academia and research organizations engaged in development of Unani Medicine and related health sciences attended the conference in large numbers physically as well as in online mode.

    The conference also witnessed the transfer of patented technology, developed by CCRUM. The technology was transferred by NRDC on behalf of CCRUM to industry. The technology for Unani toothpaste for dental care was transferred to Dehlvi Naturals while the technology for Unani Regimen for Vitiligo was transferred to Hamdard Laboratories. The valedictory session witnessed release of three books published by the CCRUM, together with three videos and Presentation of Appreciation Certificates to exhibitors.

    Valedictory session was graced by Ms. Monalisa Dash, Joint secretary, Ayush. In her address she extended her warm greetings on the occasion and emphasized that Unani medicine, with its rich heritage and holistic approach, has immense potential to address contemporary health challenges. Encouraging stakeholders to actively engage, she urged them to leverage this platform for knowledge exchange, interdisciplinary partnerships, and efforts to enhance the scientific validation and accessibility of Unani medicine. She added that “During the past two days we have seen exchange of ideas and experience. Opening vistas of opportunities to new students and researchers. The Ministry of Ayush is offering significant support to Unani and working on better acceptance. Our culture ethos of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam which depicts the world is one family and hence all should reap the benefits of Unani medicine.   The standard and quality control are vital areas and should be focused in every system for their global acceptance. NABL and NABH accreditation of CCRUM institutes  reflects the commitment of CCRUM in this area”. She encouraged the students to take the best of the deliberations by eminent scholars.

    Dr. N. Zaheer Ahmad, Director General, CCRUM, Ministry of Ayush, Government of India, expressed his gratitude to the dignitaries, academicians, researchers, industry leaders and CCRUM officials for their valuable contributions to the conference. He stated that the presence of Hon’ble President of India was totally overwhelming for all of us.He summed up the inaugural and the proceedings of the conference and expressed happiness over the launch of books, videos, barley based Unani Ahaar, and proudly shared that the transfer of technology was done for the first time in the history of CCRUM. He further stressed CCRUM’s pivotal role in pioneering advanced research, establishing state-of-the-art laboratories, and promoting evidence-based practices to elevate the global recognition of Unani medicine. By fostering innovation, upholding quality standards, and strengthening collaborations, Unani medicine can continue to thrive as a vital component of integrative healthcare, contributing to a healthier and more sustainable future.

    Professor Mohammad Afshar Alam, Vice Chancellor, Jamia Hamdard, stated that Unani medicine has been the cornerstone for healthcare systems. It is relatively safe and has the ability to address contemporary health issues. Recognizing the contributions of Hakim Ajmal Khan, he acknowledged the contribution of Hakim Abdul Hameed who was a pioneer in advancing Unani medicine. He stated that no single system can address all health issues and so we need better collaboration and integration. Integrating health solution is not only for treating disease but also for promotion and improvement of lifestyle. He reaffirmed that Jamia Hamdard is committed to advancing the rich legacy of traditional systems of medicine. He congratulate the Director General and his team and the dignitaries in making this conference a success

     

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi interacted with students during the 1st episode of Pariksha Pe Charcha 2025

    Source: Government of India

    Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi interacted with students during the 1st episode of Pariksha Pe Charcha 2025

    Deepika Padukone participates in 2nd episode of Pariksha Pe Charcha 2025

    Posted On: 12 FEB 2025 7:35PM by PIB Delhi

    On 10th February 2025, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi interacted with students at Sunder Nursery, New Delhi, during the first episode of the 8th edition of Pariksha Pe Charcha (PPC). In this informal yet insightful session, the Prime Minister engaged with students from across the country, discussing a variety of topics. The 36 students present learned from the Prime Minister valuable lessons on Nutrition and Wellness; Mastering Pressure; Challenging Oneself; The Art of Leadership; Beyond Books – 360º Growth; Finding Positives and more. This interactive session provided students with valuable insights and practical strategies to navigate academic challenges with confidence and a growth mind set.

    Today, renowned actor and mental health champion Deepika Padukone participated in the second episode of the 8th edition of Pariksha Pe Charcha. Around 60 students attended the interactive session.

     

    Deepika shared how addressing mental health challenges can be empowering and spoke about the valuable lessons she learned from her own struggles. Sharing her stress management strategies, she emphasized the importance of getting enough sleep, spending time outdoors in natural sunlight and fresh air, and maintaining a healthy daily routine to effectively reduce stress. She further emphasized that self-confidence and a positive mind set are key to success. Encouraging students to see failures as learning opportunities, she inspired them to keep moving forward with determination.

    Reiterating Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s message—”Express, Never Suppress”—Deepika stressed the importance of seeking help when needed. She engaged with students in an interactive activity, where they wrote down their strengths and pinned them on a board on the stage, reinforcing the significance of self-awareness and recognizing one’s strengths. She conducted a live grounding session through an activity called 54321, demonstrating a technique to improve concentration during exams.

    Students physically present at the program posed their queries, and Deepika responded by drawing from her personal experiences, offering valuable insights and practical advice. Additionally, a student from an international CBSE school also had the opportunity to ask a question, further enriching the discussion with a wider perspective.

    The 8th edition of PPC had set a new benchmark. With over 5 crore participation, this year’s program exemplifies its status as a Jan Andolan, inspiring collective celebration of learning. For the episode with the Prime Minister, 36 students from all State and UT were selected from State/UT Board Government schools, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Sainik School, Eklavya Model Residential School, CBSE and Navodaya Vidyalaya. Pariksha Pe Charcha 2025 will feature additional six insightful episodes, bringing together renowned personalities from diverse fields to guide students on essential aspects of life and learning. Each episode will address key themes:

    Link to watch the 1st episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5UhdwmEEls

    Link to watch the 2nd episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrW4c_ttmew

     

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell Introduces Coast Guard Reauthorization Bill, Secures Wins for WA Environment & Tribes

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
    02.12.25
    Cantwell Introduces Coast Guard Reauthorization Bill, Secures Wins for WA Environment & Tribes
    Bill would authorize USCG “Whale Desk” for additional 2 years to help ships steer clear of Puget Sound Orcas and other whales
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, introduced the bipartisan Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025 that would reauthorize $30.45 billion for the U.S. Coast Guard for Fiscal Years 2025 and 2026.
    “This legislation prioritizes the Coast Guard’s most important asset—the men and women of the Coast Guard, and their families,” said Sen. Cantwell. “The bill drives much needed reforms that will help prevent sexual assault and sexual harassment throughout the Coast Guard, including establishing confidential reporting, strengthening protective orders, expanding access to care for victims, and stronger accountability for leadership. Admiral Fagan made great progress during her term, and the next Commandant will need to continue to be a steady force that stands up for service members.
    “The bill also establishes a new Vice Admiral dedicated to improving recruitment, health care and child care for members. The bill also increases funding for core Coast Guard missions such as shipbuilding and cracking down on illegal fishing and drug smuggling.”
    Among many important provisions, the legislation includes historic protections for sexual assault and harassment, boosts workforce development programs and availability of affordable housing, increases funding to help U.S. Coast Guard deliver on critical priorities such as icebreakers and 52-foot heavy-weather lifeboats, raises penalties for abandoned and derelict vessels, and encourages more collaboration with Tribes.
    The legislation authorizes $14.93 billion for FY25 and $15.51 billion for FY26. The full bill text of the bipartisan U.S. Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025 is available HERE. 
    Sen. Cantwell secured language for programs critical to Washington state in the legislation. Among those provisions, her bipartisan legislation:
    Expands Affordable Housing Opportunities: Allows the Coast Guard to acquire housing that is available both on the market and in new housing construction programs. This is particularly important in coastal areas — like Cape Disappointment, Grays Harbor, and Port Angeles — where Coast Guard families face a difficult time accessing affordable, quality housing due to competition with seasonal rentals and other challenges associated with remote units. This bill also expands the Coast Guard’s ability to enter into long-term leases for medical facilities, child development centers, and training facilities to expand access to services for Coast Guard families while reducing administrative overhead expenses and allowing for additional improvements to these facilities.
    Increases Federal Funding to Deliver on Icebreakers and Heavy Weather Lifeboats: The legislation increases authorized funding by 30% compared to 2024 appropriated funding levels, which will help the Coast Guard deliver on critical priorities such as polar icebreakers, 52-foot heavy-weather lifeboats, and other priority acquisition programs.
    Seattle will be home for the Coast Guard’s fleet of 3 polar icebreakers.
    Sen. Cantwell recently toured U.S. Coast Guard Station Disappointment, where the future fleet of heavy-weather lifeboats will be homeported to support search and rescue missions, which is critical to safety of people working in the fishing and maritime sector in Pacific and Grays Harbor counties. In 2023, Sen. Cantwell secured a downpayment of $12 million to replace the heavy-weather boats in the 2023 Appropriations Act.
    Creates the First-Ever Tribal Advisor: Creates a new senior position within the Coast Guard to advise the Commandant and other Coast Guard leaders on how the Coast Guard can work more closely with Tribes. The new Special Advisor would also be charged with ensuring the Coast Guard upholds trust responsibilities to tribal governments, improving tribal engagement and consultation activities, and ensuring that Tribes have a voice on Coast Guard programs that impact tribes including oil spill preparedness and response, fisheries oversight, and the protection of natural resources.
    Boosts Local Tribal Partnerships to Improve Conservation: Provides the Coast Guard with new authorities to support habitat conservation and other resilience projects with state, local, and tribal governments. This important new authority would ensure tribes and other organizations can partner with the Coast Guard to protect treaty fishing rights and maintain access to cultural and natural resources.
    Reauthorizes the Whale Desk: Extends the Whale Desk at Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound by two years, through FY2028. Authored by Senator Cantwell in the Coast Guard Reauthorization Act of 2022, the “Whale Desk” at Sector Puget Sound gives vessel operators and mariners near real-time data about the location of whales to reduce encounters that disturb whales, including noise pollution and ship strikes. The pilot program also includes a “hotline” where callers can report whale sightings in real time. The data collected will be valuable for researchers who track whale migration patterns.
    According to the Coast Guard, 75 whale sightings have been reported to the Sector Puget Sound Whale Desk since its opening in December 2023.
    Sen. Cantwell helped celebrate the launch of the Whale Desk in February 2024. Photos and videos are available HERE and HERE.
    Supports the Commercial Fishing and Maritime Industries: Continues to authorize the use of a satellite tracking system to mark fishing gear locations, which ensures gear is not lost and avoids potential damage by derelict gear. It also supports fishing vessels engaging in temporary towing operations as part of salmon hatchery development in Alaska.  The bill also creates new training and credentialing opportunities for qualified mariners, veterans, and the general public seeking to become mariners. It also expedites processing times for merchant mariner licensing documents to help close this critical workforce gap.
    Maps Arctic Maritime Routes: The Bering Sea is expected to see increased fishing, commercial, and other vessel traffic over the coming decades. As a key international trade and maritime route, this bill requires an analysis of projected traffic in the Bering Strait, and the emergency response capabilities and infrastructure needed to support this increased vessel traffic and prevent oil spills in the Bering Sea and the Arctic.
    Boosts International Pacific Cooperation: Requires the Coast Guard to develop a plan to increase international training opportunities in the Pacific, including with the Taiwan Coast Guard. This coordination will strengthen American relations, combat illegal fishing, and boost international security in the Pacific.
    Cracks Down on Abandoned Vessels: Improves oversight of derelict and abandoned vessels by requiring the Coast Guard to develop and maintain an inventory list of these vessels to improve tracking, management, and coordination between federal, state, tribal, and other relevant entities. It authorizes a new federal penalty of $500 a day for abandoning vessels.
    Abandoned and derelict vessels pose unique and costly threats to coastal communities and ecosystems by leaking pollutants and imperiling marine traffic. According to the WA Department of Natural Resources, DNR removed 319 derelict and abandoned boats from Washington state waterways 2021-2023.
    Protects Personnel from Illicit Drug/Fentanyl Exposure: As the Coast Guard carries out important drug interdiction missions to stop the flow of illegal drugs, this bill requires all installations to maintain a supply of naloxone or similar medication to treat opioid or fentanyl overdoses or exposure by Coast Guard members and the public in search and rescue or response calls.
    Require Stronger Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment (SASH) Prevention and Response: The bill would establish or update numerous Coast Guard and Academy authorities and programs to improve reporting, oversight, prevention, and accountability related to sexual misconduct. These provisions were drafted in response to Operation Fouled Anchor, which revealed gross mishandling of sexual assault and sexual harassment cases of U.S. Coast Guard personnel.
    A full breakdown of these protections is available HERE.
    Supporting Coast Guard Families Stationed in Washington:
    Creates the First Vice Admiral of Personnel: To support the more than 40,000 active service members, the bill establishes a new Vice Admiral leadership position solely focused on supporting the needs of personnel and their families, from housing to health care, investments in childcare, and improving recruitment and training programs.
    Jump Starts Hiring of Health and Family Service Providers Across Entire Service: Provides direct hiring authority to swiftly fill more than a hundred vacancies, including behavioral and mental health professionals, medical specialists, childcare service providers, housing supervisors, criminal investigators, and other positions to protect the health and wellbeing of Coast Guard members and their families. It also adds two new telemedicine rooms at the Coast Guard Academy.
    Improves College-to-Service Career Pathways: Updates the College Student Pre-Commissioning Program to allow more colleges and universities to participate and to increase recruitment of students interested in commissioning into a Coast Guard career. 
    Prepares Tsunami Evacuation Plans: Requires the development of tsunami evacuation and preparedness plans for Coast Guard units in tsunami zones, including across the West Coast and Pacific Northwest. It also requires the Coast Guard to consider vertical evacuation as a lifesaving option for Coast Guard members.
    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
    Supports NOAA Corps Officers: To support the hundreds of NOAA’s commissioned officers, the bill makes improvements to personnel management, education assistance programs, pilot recruitment programs, and more. NOAA Corps members help manage maritime research, support disaster response, and monitor weather forecasting including hurricanes and atmospheric rivers, as well as performing other cutting-edge weather forecast and research needs.
    Modernizes NOAA Vessel Fleet: Authorizes replacement and modernization of the NOAA research vessel fleet and improves oversight of the fleet, which helps maintain our nation’s weather and scientific buoy network, conducts fisheries research, maps the ocean floor including in the Arctic, and supports other important oceanographic and conservation priorities.
    Removes Aging NOAA Vessels: Allows NOAA to use the proceeds of obsolete vessel sales to support the acquisition or repair of other NOAA vessels to help make the fleet more resilient in the future.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Improving the quality of life of people living with diabetes – E-002544/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    Research and innovation (R&I) on non-communicable diseases, including diabetes and its comorbidities, has been a longstanding priority of the Commission.

    Over EUR 274 million supported 108 diabetes-related projects in the previous Framework Programme for R&I Horizon 2020[1],[2]. In addition, the current programme, Horizon Europe[3], continues to invest in diabetes research. So far over EUR 109 million has supported 50 R&I projects on diabetes[4].

    The project portfolios on diabetes in Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe also include the Innovative Medicines Initiative and the Innovative Health Initiative[5] projects that have addressed detection, prevention and treatment of diabetes and its complications[6].

    With its broad call topics, Horizon Europe will further support excellent and impactful R&I on non-communicable diseases, including diabetes.

    The design of call topics is coordinated with the Programme Committee delegations of Member States and Associated Countries, which also convey priorities of scientific communities, civil societies and citizens (including patients). The funding opportunities under Horizon Europe are published on the EU Funding and Tenders Portal[7].

    Coordination of diabetes research is also ensured between EU programmes, including EU4Health[8] where policy research related to diabetes and its co-morbidities is developed and implemented through collaborative actions among Member States.

    While it takes good note of the importance of continuing to provide support to research on diabetes in different subpopulations of patients, at the current early stage of preparation of the next EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation the Commission cannot provide further details regarding this specific research area.

    • [1] Horizon 2020 ( (2014-2020) https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-2020_en
    • [2] For instance, the DIABFRAIL-LATAM project has focused on improving the quality of life of ageing populations with diabetes associated with comorbidities; https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/825546
    • [3]  Horizon Europe (2021-2027) https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe_en
    • [4] For instance, the project MELISSA aims to provide mobile artificial intelligence solution for diabetes adaptive care. https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101057730
    • [5] https://www.ihi.europa.eu/about-ihi/imi-ihi
    • [6] More on IMI/IHI project portfolios: https://www.ihi.europa.eu/projects-results/health-spotlights/impact-diabetes
    • [7] https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/home
    • [8] https://health.ec.europa.eu/funding/eu4health-programme-2021-2027-vision-healthier-european-union_en

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaine Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Provide Rural Hospitals with Financial Stability and Security

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, joined U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-VT) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) in introducing the bipartisan Rural Hospital Support Act, legislation to prevent rural hospital closures by extending and modernizing critical Medicare programs. The legislation would permanently extend the Medicare-Dependent Hospital (MDH) program to ensure eligible rural hospitals are reimbursed for their costs. The bill would also permanently extend the Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) program to level the playing field for rural hospitals whose operating costs often outpace their revenue.  
    According to the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association rural hospital report, in 2024, there were 28 rural hospitals providing care for Virginians across the Commonwealth—from Lee County to the Eastern Shore. These hospitals also serve as economic anchors for rural communities—employing over 9,000 Virginians and providing over $800 million in benefits.
    “Across Virginia, rural hospitals are lifelines to Virginians and their families, especially our seniors who often depend on Medicare for critical health care coverage,” said Kaine. “I’m proud to have worked with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to introduce the Rural Hospital Support Act to ensure our rural hospitals have the funding and support necessary to continue providing vital care to all in need.”
    The Rural Hospital Support Act does not change other rural hospital Medicare programs including critical access hospitals (CAH), rural referral centers (RRC), Rural Community Hospital Demonstration, or the new voluntary rural emergency hospitals (REH). Each of these rural programs offer unique flexibilities to ensure health care services are accessible in rural America. Additionally, the bill would also update the rebasing year for Sole Community Hospitals (SCH) and MDHs to allow hospitals to tie reimbursement estimates to more recent trends in costs.    
    In addition to Kaine, Welch, and Grassley, the bill is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Tina Smith (D-MN), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), John Fetterman (D-PA), John Boozman (R-AR), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Roger Marshall (R-KS), and Gary Peters (D-MI).  
    The Rural Hospital Support Act is endorsed by the Alliance for Rural Hospital Access, American Hospital Association, Iowa Hospital Association, MercyOne, National Rural Health Association, and UnityPoint Health. 
    The full text of the bill is available here. A one-pager is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEWS: Sanders Statement on New Study Highlighting Corporate Greed in the Health Care Industry

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders

    It is absolutely unacceptable that since 2001, the top health care companies in America spent 95% of their profits, $2.6 trillion, not to make Americans healthy, but to make their CEOs and stockholders obscenely rich.

    In America today, 85 million Americans are uninsured or under-insured. One out of four Americans cannot afford the medicine their doctors prescribe. Over half a million Americans go bankrupt each and every year due to medically related debt. 68,000 people in our country die each year because they cannot afford to go to a doctor when they get sick. How many of those Americans would be alive today if the top health care companies in our country spent $2.6 trillion on disease prevention and primary care, instead of stock buybacks and dividends?

    The function of a rational health care system is to guarantee quality health care to all, not huge payouts for stockholders and executives in the drug and insurance industries. None of this money was used to search for new treatments and cures, to lower prices, or to improve patient care. That has got to change.

    This study confirms that the greatest waste, fraud and abuse in this country is corporate greed. Unfortunately, instead of working with Congress on this real issue, Trump and Musk have launched an immoral and unconstitutional attack on the Department of Health and Human Services.

    Instead of taking on the greed of the pharmaceutical industry, Trump and Musk are taking away AIDS treatment from poor people.

    Instead of taking on the for-profit insurance industry, Trump and Musk are making it harder for working-class Americans to get the health care they need through Medicaid and community health centers.

    This absurdity must end. As the Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, I will do everything I can to take on the unprecedented level of corporate greed in our health care system.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Removing babies is still harming First Nations families, almost two decades after the apology to Stolen Generations

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sam Burrow, PhD candidate, School of Population and Global Health, The University of Western Australia

    Belinda Howell/Getty Images

    Today marks 17 years since the apology to Australia’s Indigenous peoples for the forced removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families between the mid-1800s and 1970s.

    Yet, communities and researchers are concerned that child protection systems are creating “another stolen generation” and a “crisis in infant removals”.

    Statistics tell us Indigenous children are 11 times more likely to be removed by child protection systems than non-Indigenous children. Indigenous babies aged under one are at greatest risk.

    But beyond the data, what do parents tell us about this experience?

    Our recent study reviewed all the studies available about child protection processes in the perinatal period (during pregnancy and the year following birth) in Australia and across the world.

    We looked at parents’ experiences across the board, with a special interest in whether First Nations families had been included in existing research.

    What we already knew

    Whistleblowers, including a former Aboriginal family support officer, have reported distressing child protection processes, including the removal of babies immediately following delivery.

    Families that interact with child protection systems often already face multiple and complex forms of adversity. This can include poverty, homelessness, racism, intergenerational trauma, family violence, disability, mental illness, substance use and incarceration.

    The perinatal period offers a unique window for early intervention and family support to reduce the risk of removal.

    This could involve greater help accessing suitable housing and addressing family violence, and enhancing access to health care that is culturally safe and trauma-informed, before and after birth.

    What we found

    Our systematic review examined 24 studies about child protection services becoming involved with families during pregnancy and the first year after birth. This included research from Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, New Zealand and Sweden.

    We looked at what parents told researchers about their experiences and found striking similarities, regardless of where they lived.

    Globally, there were comparatively few studies including First Nations families. But both Indigenous and non-Indigenous parents reported punitive processes that had an enduring impact on the health and wellbeing of the parent and family.

    They also agreed that early, transparent, compassionate and culturally appropriate support was required to address their needs. These included legal support to understand court processes, as well as being able to access health care without fear it could lead to removal.

    Four themes emerged from these lived experiences. Here, we’ve included the voices of Aboriginal mothers who participated in a 2023 Australian study to illustrate the importance of these issues to Indigenous families.

    1. A lack of support before and after removal

    Parents often found the birth of their babies life-changing. However many believed child protection services didn’t adequately understand their experience or inform and support them at this time.

    Mothers felt confused and overwhelmed, experiencing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and enduring grief following the removal of their babies.

    Bridget*, an Aboriginal mother, told researchers:

    There is no support… I think they should help towards improving family and helping family before taking a child away. It should be the absolute last option.

    Mothers were left confused and grieving after removals.
    Solstock/Getty Images

    2. Devastating impact on relationships and wellbeing

    Mothers often felt isolated and described negative interactions not only with child protection workers but also partners and families.

    Fear of removal also prevented mothers from seeking antenatal care or professional support services, further compromising health and wellbeing.

    Stacey said:

    You have to do what they want; they control everything… who you hang out with, what you do […] There is no fixing the family… What they say goes or they take your kids.

    3. Feeling powerless in the system

    Many mothers had been in care themselves. They felt unfairly punished, because it was assumed they would not be capable parents due to past and present trauma.

    First-time parents felt especially powerless to prove their parenting capacity.

    Stacey said removing a baby from a first-time mum causes

    a lot of stress and impact on everyone involved… It’s causing a lot of pain… give us the chance to be with our child to build that bond first.

    Parents described surveillance framed as support, a lack of professional transparency, and often unexpected and acutely painful removals.

    4. Harmful judgements and stereotypes

    Insufficient support for poverty and homelessness before removal made it impossible to meet child protection requirements.

    A mother who was homeless at the time her baby was removed said:

    We had got secure accommodation with family. […] We weren’t doing any drugs; we were on the methadone… we had a caseworker…

    They led us to believe we’re keeping her… [then] they handed me a piece of paper and said, “We’re taking your baby”. I was in shock… I felt like I was ambushed.

    Parents with complex health issues also felt judged according to negative stereotypes and traditional, white, middle-class standards.

    Some parents lost welfare entitlements and housing because babies had been removed, compounding their difficulties.

    Some mothers felt ambushed by the process.
    New Africa/Shutterstock

    Where to from here?

    In Australia, current Indigenous-led research and the work of Aboriginal state, territory, and national children’s commissioners is critical to guiding the development of support for families to stay together and thrive.

    Parents and researchers are united about the immediate need for child protection systems to:

    • provide early and sustained family-centred support during pregnancy and beyond
    • address families’ practical and material needs, including poverty and homelessness
    • train professionals to reduce power imbalances and build trusted relationships
    • offer trauma-informed and culturally matched support services
    • provide immediate and ongoing mental health support if babies are removed.

    Renna (a co-author on this article and also a proud Walbunja woman from the Yuin Nation, academic and social worker) reflects on the removal of her baby not long before the apology.

    Eighteen years later, I know we will never feel whole, left with empty arms, a life stolen, the shadow festers and grows.

    Special thanks to our review co-authors Melissa O’Donnell, Lisa Wood, Colleen Fisher and Renée Usher, our expert advisory group, the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation and the original participants and researchers whose primary studies made our review and this article possible.

    *Names have been changed for privacy.

    If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. 13YARN is a free and confidential 24/7 national crisis support line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty coping. Call 13 92 76.

    Sam Burrow receives a PhD scholarship from the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation.

    Renna Gayde is affiliated with SAFeST start coalition, a stream of the Replanting the Birthing Trees Project.

    – ref. Removing babies is still harming First Nations families, almost two decades after the apology to Stolen Generations – https://theconversation.com/removing-babies-is-still-harming-first-nations-families-almost-two-decades-after-the-apology-to-stolen-generations-249353

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Stein Announces Additional Team Members

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Stein Announces Additional Team Members

    Governor Stein Announces Additional Team Members
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    Today, Governor Stein announces additional staff as he continues to grow his team committed to building a safer, stronger North Carolina. 

    Adam Chandler, Policy Director 

    Adam Chandler is a native of Burlington, North Carolina, and a 12-year veteran of the U.S. Department of Justice, where he served most recently as Associate Deputy Attorney General and Chief of Staff to the Deputy Attorney General. Adam previously practiced at the Department as an appellate attorney, specializing in antitrust law, and served as a speechwriter for two attorneys general. He graduated from Yale Law School; the University of Oxford, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar; and Duke University.   

    Kindl Detar, Senior Policy Advisor 

    Kindl Detar previously served as a Special Deputy Attorney General and the Director of the Public Protection Section at the North Carolina Department of Justice. Prior to her state government service, she worked at Foundation For The Carolinas and Robinson Bradshaw. Kindl is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Pennsylvania School of Law. A native of Concord, she resides in Charlotte with her husband and three children.

    Sadie Weiner, Senior Advisor 

    Sadie Weiner has worked in state and federal government and campaigns for almost two decades. She served in the Office of Governor Roy Cooper first as Communications Director and most recently as Director of External Affairs. Previously, Weiner was the Communications Director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), supporting campaigns across the country and picking up two Senate seats. She was also the Communications Director for U.S. Senator Kay Hagan in both her Senate office and her re-election campaign. Weiner lives in Raleigh with her husband and two children. 

    Awo Eni, Digital Director 

    Awo Eni returns to North Carolina after working on Cheri Beasley’s campaign for Senate in 2022 as the Deputy Digital Director. She most recently served as Director of Digital Content on Senator Sherrod Brown’s campaign for re-election in Ohio. Awo is a proud British-born Nigerian-American immigrant who calls Texas home. She is a graduate of the University of North Texas. 

    Liz Doherty, Policy Advisor 

    Liz Doherty joins the Stein Administration as a policy advisor in the Governor’s office. Prior to this role, she served as a policy advisor to Governor Roy Cooper and held various campaign roles, including as Governor Cooper’s communications director in 2020. She also serves as a board member on the NC Council for Women and completed a Master’s of Public Policy from the Duke University Sanford School in 2023.  

    Rania Hassan, Policy Analyst 

    Rania Hassan is a policy analyst in the Office of Governor Josh Stein. She previously worked as policy assistant and analyst in the Office of Governor Roy Cooper. She graduated from NC State University with a B.S. in Environmental Science and a minor in Environmental Policy and Justice. 

    Madhu Vulimiri, Senior Advisor for Health & Families Policy  

    Madhu Vulimiri joins the Governor’s Office from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, where she served as the Deputy Director for the Division of Child and Family Well-Being overseeing nutrition programs that support children and families. Prior to that, she led cross-agency priority initiatives at NCDHHS, including in the COVID-19 response, in chief of staff and senior strategy roles to the Chief Deputy Secretary of NCDHHS and at NC Medicaid. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Public Health from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, where she was a Morehead-Cain Scholar, and her Master of Public Policy from Duke University, where she was a Margolis Scholar in Health Policy and Management. 

    Elena Ashburn, Senior Advisor for Education Policy 

    Elena Ashburn joins the policy team after serving as an area superintendent in the Wake County Public School System, where she led 17,000 students in 23 schools. She began her career in education as a Teach For America teacher and later served as a middle and high school principal. Elena earned a doctorate in educational leadership from UNC Chapel Hill and was named the North Carolina Wells Fargo Principal of the Year in 2021.  

    Jonathan Moch, Senior Advisor for Climate & Energy Policy 

    Jonathan Moch was most recently Science and Technology Policy Advisor for the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate and Office of Global Change in the U.S. Department of State, where he designed, negotiated, and implemented international climate and energy initiatives and agreements. Prior to the State Department, he was an interdisciplinary Postdoctoral Fellow with joint appointments in Harvard’s engineering, public health, and government schools. Jonathan holds a Ph.D. in Earth and Planetary Sciences with a secondary field in Science, Technology and Society, a master’s in Environmental Science and Engineering from Harvard University, and an undergraduate degree from Princeton University. 

    P.J. Connelly, Director of the Governor’s Eastern North Carolina Office 

    P.J. Connelly will serve as the Director of the Governor’s Eastern North Carolina Office. He served in this role for former Governor Roy Cooper from 2022 to 2024. Prior to that, Connelly served North Carolina’s rural communities through the Governor’s Hometown Strong Initiative. He also served as Assistant Director of Boards and Commissions in the Office of the Governor from 2017 to 2019. Connelly is from New Bern, North Carolina. 

    Feb 12, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: RIDOH Launches Rental Registry’s Public Database

    Source: US State of Rhode Island

    As part of work statewide to protect children and families from the hazards of lead exposure, the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) has launched its Rental Registry public database. (See link below.)

    With this dashboard, a resident can look up their rental property to see if the property’s landlord has secured a Certificate of Lead Conformance, or other lead certificate, for the property. These have been required by Rhode Island law for pre-1978 homes since 2005. They are issued by a licensed lead inspector and document that a property is in a lead-safe condition. The registry will also make the contact information of the property owner or manager available.

    “This new public database promotes transparency, safety, and accountability for people who rent their homes in Rhode Island,” said Director of Health Jerry Larkin, MD. “All children and families deserve to live in housing that is healthy and safe. By ensuring compliance with the requirement for landlords to provide lead-safe housing – which has been on the books for two decades – we are one step closer to that goal.”

    A requirement for landlords to register their rental properties by October 1, 2024 was laid out in the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (R.I. Gen. Laws � 34-18-58), which became law in Rhode Island in 2023. Through increased trainings and licensing professionals who were already license-holders in other states, RIDOH has significantly increased the number of licensed lead inspectors who are available to inspect properties for lead.

    In addition to allowing people who rent to search their properties, the new system also features a portal for landlords that makes it easier to register their rental properties. Landlords who have already registered their properties do not need to take any additional action right now. RIDOH will provide information to landlords about when re-registration is required. Landlords must re-register every year. (In the upcoming version of the Rental Registry, landlords will no longer need to upload their lead certificates. The new system will automatically recognize whether a property’s units are lead certificate compliant.)

    Most homes in Rhode Island were built before 1978 and likely have lead-based paint. (Lead paint was banned after 1978.) Lead paint and paint dust can harm young children’s health. Children younger than six years old are at greatest risk. Lead exposure can slow a child’s development and cause learning disabilities and behavior problems. The most effective way to prevent lead exposure is to properly maintain lead-painted surfaces or remove lead-based paints.

    RIDOH is continuing to focus its efforts on landlord education through broad social media and paid media campaigns right now. However, the failure to register and/or have a lead certificate can result in fines. RIDOH anticipates beginning to fine noncompliant landlords this summer. RIDOH will do additional, wide communication to landlords and the public before any fines are levied.

    The fine for failure to register is $50 per month, per unit. The fine for failure to obtain a valid lead certificate, where applicable, is $125 per month, per unit. A landlord who continues to fail to register or obtain a lead certificate is subject to additional, more significant penalties. Additionally, landlords cannot file for eviction for nonpayment of rent unless the property involved is registered in the Rhode Island Rental Registry.

    The rental registry includes rental properties that have been registered by landlords and properties that may be rental units that are still unregistered. (Potential rental properties were identified using tax assessor data and other public information.) As more properties are registered, the registry will become more complete. If tenants do not find their residence while searching the database, they can write to rentalregistry@health.ri.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –