Category: housing

MIL-OSI USA: Alford Celebrates Passage of the One Big, Beautiful Bill
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mark Alford (Missouri 4th District)

Alford Celebrates Passage of the One Big, Beautiful Bill

H.R. 1 now heads to President Trump’s desk to be signed into law.

Washington, July 3, 2025
Today, Congressman Mark Alford (MO-04) issued the following statement after House Republicans passed H.R. 1, the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act. The legislation now goes to President Trump to be signed into law.
Watch Congressman Alford’s remarks on the House floor here or by clicking the image above.

“In a watershed moment for the American people, Republicans’ One Big, Beautiful Bill is headed to President Trump’s desk,” said Congressman Alford. “This critical legislation delivers on our mandate from the by enacting the America First agenda. H.R. 1 includes the largest tax cut for middle- and working-class Americans in history, an historic investment in border security, and provisions to unleash domestic oil, natural gas, and nuclear energy production. In a strong step toward restoring fiscal sanity, we’re cutting almost $2 trillion in federal spending, rescinding billions in Green New Scam funding, and eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse from numerous federal programs. I was proud to support this legislation on the House floor.”

Background:

H.R. 1, the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act:

Will lead to a $5,200-9,900 wage increase for the average Missouri worker and a $6,900-11,600 increase in take home pay for average family of four in Missouri.

Stops the largest tax increase in American history, while providing the largest tax cut for working and middle-class families ever with no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, and tax breaks for seniors.

Includes and average 15% tax cut for Americans earning $15,000-$80,000 annually.

Protects the 87,000 Missouri farms and countless family-owned small businesses by expanding the death tax exemption.

Keeps American small businesses competitive by boosting the 199A small business deduction and making it permanent.

Reverses four years of Biden’s open border policies with a generational investment in border security, including funding to complete phase two of the border wall.

Modernizes our armed forces for 21st-century threats by properly preparing our military and funding the Golden Dome.

Ends the progressive left’s war on American energy by unleashing domestic oil, natural gas, and nuclear energy production—lowering energy costs, ensuring reliable and stable energy sources, and renewing energy dominance.

Restores fiscal sanity by cutting almost 2 trillion in federal spending, rescinding billions in Green New Scam funding, and eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse from numerous federal programs.

Strengthens Medicaid with work requirements for able bodied adults with no dependents, strengthened protections against illegal immigrants receiving benefits—preserving the program for those it was created to help.

Reforms SNAP to reinforce work requirements, restore program integrity, and institute long-overdue accountability incentives to control costs and end administrative overreach.

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MIL OSI USA News –
July 4, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Becca Balint on Passage of Devastating Republican Tax and Spending Bill
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Becca Balint (VT-AL)

Washington, D.C. – Rep. Becca Balint (VT-AL) released the following statement on the passage of the Republican tax and spending bill that guts Medicaid, food assistance and other critical programs that Americans rely on. The Republican budget includes over $800 billion in cuts that will decimate Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. These cuts put rural hospitals at risk of immediate closure. It will kick nearly 17 million Americans off their health insurance and throw at least 4 million people off food assistance, all to bankroll tax breaks for billionaires and massive corporations. All Democrats voted no.

“This Republican budget is far and away the cruelest piece of legislation I’ve seen in my career. It’s an utter moral failure,” saidRep. Becca Balint. “This bill will leave people without food, without healthcare, without options to keep their families afloat. That’s the painful reality of this bill. It comes after the poorest among us to give to the richest, while Americans are already struggling to put food on the table, afford medications, and pay rent in an economy rigged against working people.”

“I’m horrified to see the Republican party almost unanimously support propping up billionaires at the expense of their own communities. It’s sickening and speaks to their vision for America. But I’m not giving up hope. It’s going to take all of us fighting together to work to reverse some of the worst policies passed today.”

Republicans’ reckless tax and spending bill will:
- Add over $3.9 trillion to the national debt, a $1 trillion increase over the House-passed bill.
- Kick nearly 20 million people off their health insurance and increase health care insurance costs for everyone.
  - Medicaid is the largest single-payer of maternity care in the United States, covering an estimated 40% of births. One in five women, and nearly half the country’s children, are covered by Medicaid.
- Defund Planned Parenthood. The bill prohibits health clinics from accepting Medicaid funds for family planning and reproductive health care services if they provide abortions. The destruction of Planned Parenthood’s critical family planning and reproductive health care clinics will cost taxpayers $52 million, according to the Congressional Budget Office, and close 200 clinics.
- Cut to nutritional assistance jeopardizing SNAP for 40 million people including 16 million children, 8 million seniors, 4 million people with disabilities and 1.2 million veterans.
  - Block future increases to the Thrifty Food Plan, which determines SNAP benefits.
- Increases household energy costs by an average of $400 and will lead to millions of jobs lost and $197 billion in lost wages.
- Cut clean energy incentives and add a tax to wind and solar energy.
- Spend more than $150 billion in funding for Trump’s cruel immigration enforcement agenda which breaks down our legal immigration system, deports people without due process and has turned its back on asylum seekers and refugees.
Rep. Becca Balint is a member of the House Budget Committee. Throughout the budget process, Rep. Balint has offered amendments to protect Social Security and reduce health insurance costs. Her amendments to prevent the House of Representatives from considering legislation that would cut Social Security benefits, increase the retirement age, or privatize Social Security were all rejected by Republicans in the House Budget and Rules Committees. This week, Rep. Balint filed amendments to:
- Prohibit funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain individuals on the basis of their protected speech,
- Stop cuts to Medicaid funding that would close rural hospitals and community health centers,
- Increase funding for the Rural Hospital Transformation Program to $100 billion to keep hospital doors open,
- Remove red tape and protect access to care for individuals seeking substance use treatment or mental health care.
MIL OSI USA News –
July 4, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Sara Jacobs Votes Against Trump’s Budget that Strips Health Care, Food Assistance Away From Millions of People

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (D-CA-53)

July 03, 2025

Rep. Sara Jacobs (CA-51) voted against Republicans’ budget that cuts health care, food assistance, education, and consumer protection in order to pay for tax breaks for the ultra-rich and corporations. The bill now heads to President Trump’s desk for his signature.

Rep. Sara Jacobs said: “The consequences of this bill will reverberate for generations, widening the chasm between our country’s two social classes: the rich and powerful, and everyone else. It will kick 17 million people off their health insurance and close rural hospitals, nursing homes, and health clinics. It will take away health care from 5-year-old Delilah and 2-year-old Cesar, whom I met earlier this year and who rely on Medi-cal to navigate and pay for their many health conditions. This bill will force the biggest cut ever to SNAP – our country’s biggest and best program to address food insecurity – when the San Diego Food Bank already serves 400,000 San Diegans every single month. And it would leave four million children without access to nutrition assistance and 18 million kids at risk of losing their free and reduced-price school lunches. Meanwhile, this bill would explode our deficit and reward the richest Americans and the biggest corporations that don’t need any government help.

“I fundamentally believe that government can be a force for good and make people’s lives better, but this bill represents government at its worst. It cements inequality by eliminating the few levers that people have to escape and stay out of poverty. It saddles future generations with enormous debt and a sicker and hungrier workforce. And it further erodes the American people’s trust in government, paving the way for further authoritarian power-grabs. I know that people are feeling lost and demoralized right now, but there are still people in Congress – including me – fighting for you.”

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MIL OSI USA News –

July 4, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Fitzgerald Statement on the Passage of the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1 – One Big Beautiful Bill Act

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05)

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05) issued the following statement in response to the passage of the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1 – One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

“Just in time for the Fourth of July, we’re sending the final version of the One Big Beautiful Bill to President Trump’s desk and delivering on the conservative agenda we promised the American people.

“This bill is a major win for working families. It delivers historic tax relief by boosting take-home pay, making the Trump Tax Cuts permanent, giving seniors eligible for Social Security tax relief, increasing the child tax credit, and protecting family farms from the death tax. By eliminating taxes on tips and overtime, it also ensures workers keep more of what they earn.

“It also restores integrity to Medicaid by ending fraud and abuse—protecting benefits for the most vulnerable. It also fully funds President Trump’s border wall and increases staffing for ICE and Border Patrol. This helps restore law and order at our southern border and keeps our communities safe.

“From putting more money in the pockets of hard-working Americans to making our national security a top priority, this legislation puts the needs of Americans first. I’m proud to have supported it from the start and look forward to President Trump signing it into law.”

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MIL OSI USA News –

July 4, 2025
Aadhaar authentication hits 230 crore in June, face scans surge to all-time high

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

Aadhaar authentication transactions surged to nearly 230 crore in June 2025, marking a 7.8 percent year-on-year increase, according to data released by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).

A total of 229.33 crore transactions were recorded during the month, surpassing both May 2025 and June 2024, highlighting the expanding footprint of Aadhaar in India’s digital ecosystem.

With this, the cumulative Aadhaar authentication transactions since inception have crossed 15,452 crore, underscoring its central role in welfare delivery and access to services across sectors.

The AI/ML-powered Face Authentication solution, developed in-house by UIDAI, also hit a record 15.87 crore transactions in June — a more than threefold jump from 4.61 crore a year ago. Since its launch, the face authentication modality has been used nearly 175 crore times.

UIDAI said the face authentication tool, compatible with both Android and iOS devices, is being adopted by over 100 government and private entities — including ministries, financial institutions, oil marketing companies, and telecom operators — for seamless identity verification and service delivery.

The month also saw over 39.47 crore Aadhaar e-KYC transactions, reaffirming its importance in streamlining customer onboarding and enhancing the ease of doing business, particularly in the banking and NBFC sectors.

July 4, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Nadler Statement on Opposing Trump’s “Big Ugly Bill” and Its Cruel Betrayal of New Yorkers

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

WASHINGTON, DC — This afternoon, after Republicans tried to hide the cruelty of their agenda by debating the bill in the dead of night, I proudly cast my vote against Donald Trump’s Big Ugly Bill—because no one should be forced to lose health care, go hungry, or see their child priced out of college in order to fund permanent tax cuts for Republican donors and the ultra-wealthy.

This bill is a historic betrayal of working Americans. It delivers the largest transfer of wealth from low-income families to the ultra-rich in our nation’s history, slashing incomes for the bottom sixty percent of earners while adding $4 trillion to the deficit, the largest increase ever passed by Congress. Republicans claim this was their only chance to extend tax cuts for the middle class. That’s false. They could have done it without gutting health care and food aid, and without adding to the deficit, if they had the courage to ask billionaires to pay their fair share.

It strips health care from over 17 million people, including 1.5 million New Yorkers, as part of $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts nationwide. In New York alone, hospitals are projected to lose over $8 billion in funding, forcing closures, service reductions, and the elimination of programs for children, seniors, and people with chronic illnesses. Nursing homes and community health centers face similar threats. The bill also attacks reproductive freedom by blocking Medicaid patients from accessing care at Planned Parenthood health centers, cutting off cancer screenings, contraception, STI testing, and preventive care for millions who have nowhere else to turn. It also functions as a backdoor abortion ban, threatening to shut down one in four abortion providers nationwide. By some estimates, it could also result in more than $500 billion in cuts to Medicare.

It slashes $2.1 billion a year from New York State and local governments by shifting SNAP costs onto them, gutting food aid for 300,000 households across our state. Families already struggling to afford groceries will see their benefits cut by an average of $220 per month, slashing support to less than $5 per day. One in seven New Yorkers relies on SNAP. And by stripping that funding, the bill threatens access to free and reduced-price school meals, forcing more children to learn on an empty stomach.

It doesn’t stop there. The bill ends Pell Grants for 1.4 million students, eliminates income-driven repayment, and caps student borrowing, effectively slamming the door on higher education for students who can’t pay upfront. Medicaid cuts will also force states to raid education budgets just to keep health systems afloat. Campuses will close. Students will drop out. Our country needs more nurses, teachers, and engineers, not fewer. But this bill will shrink our skilled workforce and leave the U.S. less competitive in the global economy.

It also decimates our clean energy economy, tearing up solar and wind projects, repealing tax credits, and eliminating key climate protections. It hands public lands back to Big Oil and halts progress toward energy independence. Experts warn it could cost 840,000 clean energy jobs in just five years. And families will pay the price. In New York alone, household energy bills will rise by $1.3 billion annually by 2030, $2.5 billion by 2035, and $12 billion over the life of the bill.

Meanwhile, Republicans are spending $170 billion to ramp up family detention, mass deportations, and border militarization, giving ICE a bigger budget than the entire Canadian military. It’s unconscionable to spend billions expanding ICE’s surveillance and detention machine while slashing school lunches for children and ripping Medicaid away from cancer patients.

Even the few crumbs Republicans offered to working families, like temporary SALT relief and short-term tax breaks on tips and overtime, expire after just four years. Yet the tax cuts for billionaires are permanent. Republicans continue to tout these short-term provisions as evidence they’re helping the middle class, but every so-called benefit for working Americans disappears quickly, while every giveaway to the ultra-wealthy is forever. And here’s the kicker: if Republicans had done nothing at all, the SALT cap would have expired this December. Instead, they passed a bill that leaves New Yorkers worse off.

For months, I’ve been fighting this bill and listening to New Yorkers and people across the country who will suffer because of it. And behind these numbers are real lives. Patricia, 83 years old, lives in poverty in New York and relies on Medicaid just to get to her doctor. She told me, “I have no transportation other than help from Medicaid. I also live on only my Social Security and SNAP. If I lose this precious help, I will be homeless and surely die.” That’s the real cost of these cuts. I think of the father who told me he may have to sell his house to afford chemo for his child. I think of the senior who rationed insulin last winter to keep the heat on. This awful bill makes the rich richer and leaves everyone else behind.

And to my Republican colleagues: come November 2026, you’ll have to answer for this vote. You’ll have to explain to the families who lost their health care, to the parents who lost child care, and to the students who lost their futures why you turned your backs when they needed you most. Because when hospitals close, when grocery bills spike, when classrooms empty and jobs disappear, your constituents will remember exactly who was responsible.

I voted no because I came to Congress to fight for the people I serve, not to sell them out to further enrich the ultra-wealthy. And I will do everything in my power to shield New Yorkers from the harm this bill threatens to unleash, from pushing back against these cuts to working with local leaders to protect access to health care, food, education, and opportunity. New Yorkers deserve better. The American people deserve better. And I will never stop fighting to deliver for them.

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MIL OSI USA News –

July 4, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Republican Megabill Betrays American Families
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (1st District of Washington)

Republican Megabill Betrays American Families

Bill raises health care, food, energy costs while increasing debt by $4 trillion

Washington, D.C., July 3, 2025
Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) released the following statement after voting against the Republican budget legislation.

“Republicans made one fundamental promise to Americans – they would lower costs, and this big, ugly bill is the ultimate betrayal of that promise. It will make America more expensive by taking away health coverage, increasing hunger, and raising energy bills for millions of households. Lives and livelihoods will be put at risk because of the dangerous health care cuts in this legislation. The most outrageous and immoral part is that this is all so billionaires and large corporations can get yet another massive tax break.

“It is clear who Republicans stand with, and it is not working families. Republicans know full well the consequences of this bill, but at every opportunity to show courage and stand up for their constituents, they always fall in line behind Donald Trump.”

Impacts of Legislation
- Medicaid and ACA Coverage: Nearly 17 million Americans would lose Medicaid and Affordable Care Act marketplace health coverage, including nearly 330,000 Washingtonians.
- Medicare: Triggers over $500 billion in automatic Medicare cuts due to the huge cost of the bill.
- Abortion: Prohibits funding for plans that cover abortion services on ACA health marketplaces, including state-based exchanges like the Washington Health Benefits Exchange. The bill also prohibits Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid funding, further limiting access to health services like cancer screenings and annual physicals.
- Food Assistance: $300 billion would be cut from food assistance programs, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which covers over 880,000 Washingtonians.
- Energy Bills: Increases energy bills by more than $110 per year on average by repealing cost-saving clean energy tax credits.
- Child Tax Credit: 22 million children would be left out of receiving the full Child Tax Credit because of Republican income requirements, including over 400,000 kids in Washington, while wealthier families receive the full benefit.
- Cost: Estimated to add over $4 trillion to the national debt.
The bill now goes to President Trump to sign.
MIL OSI USA News –
July 4, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Castro Statement on House Passage of The Big Ugly Bill

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Joaquin Castro (20th District of Texas)

July 03, 2025

WASHINGTON, D.C — Today, Congressman Castro (TX-20) released the following statement on the House Passage of The Big Ugly Bill:

“This Republican bill represents the biggest wealth transfer from the working class to the wealthiest among us in our nation’s history—and it will set up hard working families to suffer now and for generations to come. It is cruel and immoral.

“In my state alone, this bill will strip healthcare from 1.6 million Texans. Countless families will be forced to choose between getting medical care and falling into poverty. Lives will be lost. More of our neighbors will go to bed hungry, including veterans, parents, grandparents, and children. Many students will lose the financial aid they counted on to finish college. As the deficit explodes, families will pay more for groceries, energy bills, and housing. And so much more.

“It is a dark day for America. But we will fight back. People have raised the alarm—speaking out to family, friends, and elected officials. Their efforts have not been in vain, rather they have changed the conversation in this country and demonstrated what democracy looks like.”

MIL OSI USA News –

July 4, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Jayapal Statement on the Big Bad Budget Betrayal

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), a Member of the House Budget Committee, released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed the Big Bad Betrayal Bill 218-214:

“This is a cruel, horrific betrayal that will leave Americans poorer and sicker. It will throw 17 million Americans off health care and increase health care costs for everyone. It will shutter over 300 rural hospitals, close over 500 nursing homes, and defund Planned Parenthood clinics that provide cancer screenings and basic reproductive care. It will slash food assistance for millions of hungry families, the largest cut in the history of the SNAP nutrition program. It will make electric bills more expensive in every single state, make it harder to pay for college, and substantially weaken our public schools. It will kill over a million good-paying jobs and destroy our planet for future generations. It will supercharge ICE’s kidnapping and disappearing of people of all legal statuses, giving $45 billion more to ICE to pad the pockets of the for-profit industrial prison complex that is detaining immigrants without due process. It will explode the deficit by trillions of dollars—all so that Republicans can give $5 trillion in tax breaks to the wealthiest millionaires and billionaires.

“The Big Bad Betrayal Bill is the largest ever transfer of wealth from poor and working people to the richest, and every single district and state—red, blue, and purple—will feel the effects. Under this legislation, the poorest Americans are dealt the biggest blow. Policies that are supposedly going to help working people—labeled “no tax on tips or overtime”—are instead another betrayal, structured to give very little help to very few people and set to expire in two years. When you add in the massive Medicaid and SNAP cuts, poor and middle class Americans will go backwards, not forward.

“Everything in this bill is structured to lift up the wealthiest millionaires, billionaires, and giant corporations. Those tax cuts are permanent, not temporary, and they amount to gold bars while poor and working Americans get breadcrumbs. Every Republican who voted for this bill in the House and the Senate sold out their constituents to make their billionaire donors richer and to bend the knee to Donald Trump. Thanks to Trump, Republicans, and this bill, people will die.

“The role of government should be to even the playing field for ALL Americans, to help Americans thrive, not just survive, and to create genuine opportunity for poor and working people. This bill does the exact opposite. I voted HELL NO and will never give up the fight to stand up for my constituents who deserve so much better.”

Jayapal voted no on the legislation when it first passed the House in May.

MIL OSI USA News –

July 4, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Scott Peters Votes NO on Disastrous Republican Tax Plan
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Peters (52nd District of California)

Washington, D.C – Today, Representative Scott Peters (CA-50) voted against the Republican tax plan to cut healthcare and food assistance for millions of vulnerable Americans to pay for tax cuts for wealthy individuals and corporations that don’t need them. The Republican plan would kick 17 million people off their Medicaid and Affordable Care Act health plans, according to an analysis by the independent Congressional Budget Office. The bill also cuts short programs that encourage clean energy development that would produce enough energy to power 227 million homes. This will increase electricity bills by up to 29% and cost millions of construction jobs. And the non-partisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget has found that the bill could add more than $4 trillion to the national debt over the next 10 years.

After the House voted 218-214 to pass the measure, Representative Peters released the following statement:

“Today, Congressional Republicans put President Trump’s cruel, reckless agenda above the good of the American people. They will have to answer to the people they represent on how forcing millions off their health coverage will make America healthy again, how higher energy prices, fewer jobs, and more pollution will help our communities, and how they can support the biggest ever addition to the national debt.

“All of this is to pay for tax cuts for people and corporations that don’t need them. We can all agree that to get our fiscal house in order, there should be compromise and shared sacrifice. But this partisan bill asks only those with the least to sacrifice while giving tax breaks to those with the most. It is obscene.

“The fight for more affordable and accessible healthcare, a cleaner environment, and responsible fiscal policy is not over. I will continue to work to minimize the harm of this disastrous bill on San Diegans.”

Read more about Rep. Peters’ opposition to the bill here.

CA-50 Medicaid Facts:
- 156,100 people in the district rely on Medicaid for health coverage—that’s 20 percent of all district residents.
- At least five hospitals in the district had negative operating margins in 2022. These hospitals would be especially hard-hit by cuts to Medicaid. For example:
- There are 54 health center delivery sites in the district that serve 529,944 patients.
- Those health centers and patients rely on Medicaid—statewide, 69 percent of health center patients rely on Medicaid for coverage.
- Health centers will not be able to stay open and provide the same care that they do today, with more uninsured and underinsured patients. They are already operating on thin margins—in 2023, nationally, nearly half of health centers had negative operating margins.
- Medicaid cuts put health centers at risk, including:
Representative Peters is the co-author of the Fiscal Commission Act, legislation to create a bicameral and open-door commission to tackle our nation’s long-term debt, help us avoid automatic and across-the-board cuts to Social Security and Medicare, and secure a more prosperous future for our children.

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MIL OSI USA News –
July 4, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Brownley Statement on Final Passage of Republican Tax Scam

Source: United States House of Representatives – Julia Brownley (D-CA)

Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) issued the following statement following final passage of H.R. 1, Republicans’ sweeping tax reconciliation bill, which enacts the largest cuts to Medicaid and food assistance in American history.

“Today, Republicans in Congress turned their backs on the people they were elected to serve, ramming through a reckless budget package that will leave America hungrier, sicker, and poorer. This wasn’t about policy or the public good. It was about appeasing Donald Trump and checking a political box, no matter the human cost.

“Instead of course-correcting after the Senate returned an even more extreme version of the bill, House Republicans caved without remorse. They pushed through the largest cuts to Medicaid in our nation’s history, ripping away health care coverage from more than 17 million Americans, with millions more having to pay higher premiums, co-pays, and deductibles. They gutted food assistance with the largest cuts in American history, jeopardizing SNAP for 40 million people, including 16 million children, 8 million seniors, 4 million people with disabilities, and 1.2 million veterans. They increased the national debt by $3.4 trillion over ten years, all to deliver a massive unearned tax cut to billionaires.

“Now, after gutting the social safety net and mortgaging our children’s future, they’re heading home to celebrate the Fourth of July. Meanwhile, working families are left to suffer the consequences.

“By passing this egregious and outright awful bill, Republicans made one thing unmistakably clear: their loyalty lies with Donald Trump, not the American people. They have abandoned their duty to govern. They chose blind allegiance over responsibility, compassion, and common sense.

“Every single House Democrat voted no on this cruel and despicable bill because the American people deserve better. This bill may be headed to Donald Trump’s desk, but our fight is far from over. I will keep fighting tooth and nail to push back against the cruelty, extremism, and misplaced priorities of Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress, and to fight for a future where every family has a fair shot.”

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Issues: 119th Congress, Budget

MIL OSI USA News –

July 4, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Carbajal Slams Republican Passage of Trump’s Extreme Budget Bill

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Salud Carbajal (CA-24)

U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) released the statement below following the final passage of the Republican reconciliation bill. Carbajal voted against the bill because it contains extreme and unprecedented cuts to essential programs like Medicaid and food assistance. The bill now heads to the President’s desk.

“Republicans in Congress passed Donald Trump’s disastrous budget bill that puts billionaires first and working families last,” said Rep. Carbajal. “This bill is a betrayal of the millions of children, seniors, and veterans who will lose their health care and food assistance. It’s a betrayal of the young people who will now shoulder the massive national debt burden this bill creates. It’s a betrayal of rural communities who will face unprecedented funding cuts to their hospitals and nursing homes. Donald Trump and congressional Republicans promised to lower the cost of living and make life easier, but this bill will do the exact opposite. Their agenda is shameful, and I’ll continue to fight back.”

In California’s 24th Congressional District, 119,000 residents benefit from food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Over 236,000 people rely on Medicaid (also known in California as Medi-Cal).

While Republican leaders claim their bill won’t cut Medicaid benefits, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office confirmed that the Republican budget would result in the largest Medicaid cuts in U.S. history (see fact sheet here). The Republican bill slashes $900 billion from Medicaid, a critical program that provides essential health care to nearly one in three Americans.

The Republican bill also makes unprecedented cuts to SNAP, which helps over 42 million Americans afford groceries.

MIL OSI USA News –

July 4, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Pressley Condemns Passage of Republicans’ Big, Ugly Bill: “This is Unforgivable”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

Pressley Implored Colleagues to Reject Cruel Legislation and Helped Stall a Vote on the House Floor

Press Conference Video (YouTube)

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) issued the following statement on the final passage of Republicans’ Big, Ugly Bill that will rip healthcare and food assistance away from millions of people, including in Massachusetts, push reproductive healthcare further out of reach nationwide, and fuel Trump’s unlawful mass deportation agenda.

Yesterday, Rep. Pressley joined colleagues at a press conference imploring the House to reject this cruel, harmful legislation, and the Congresswoman also joined the Congressional Black Caucus and over 100 colleagues in stalling a vote on the House floor. Rep. Pressley also filed an amendment to the bill this week with Rep. Diana DeGette to protect and expand reproductive healthcare.

“Republicans have passed a bill that will be a death sentence—denying millions medical care, denying children food, and violently deporting immigrant families to destabilized countries,” said Congresswoman Pressley. “This is unforgivable. I remain yours in service to every family who calls the Massachusetts 7th home, and I will never stop fighting for you.”

In Massachusetts, this bill is estimated to cause:
- Over 320,000 people to lose health insurance
- At least 103,000 to lose food assistance
- 63,334 students to lose their Pell grants
- 11,000 manufacturing and energy jobs to be cut
- $1,400 in yearly premium increases for people covered by the ACA in the MA-07
- $290 more per year in increased energy bills
Congresswoman Pressley has been an outspoken critic of this harmful legislation since its inception.
- Rep. Pressley joined colleagues at a press conference imploring the House to reject the cruel and harmful legislation.
- Rep. Pressley joined the Congressional Black Caucus and over 100 colleagues in stalling a vote on the Big, Ugly Bill.
- Rep. Pressley and Rep. Diana DeGette, Co-Chairs of the Reproductive Freedom Caucus, filed an amendment to the bill to protect and expand reproductive healthcare.
- Rep. Pressley issued a statement condemning the Senate’s passage of the Big, Ugly Bill and vowing to continue fighting it using every tool available.
- Ahead of the third anniversary if the Dobbs decision, Rep. Pressley and her colleagues stood in solidarity with Planned Parenthood and condemned the proposed cuts to reproductive healthcare under Republicans’ Big, Ugly Bill.
- Rep. Pressley and author Darrick Hamilton authored a Washington Post op-ed in which they discussed the regressive, ineffective “Trump Accounts” provision of Republicans’ reconciliation bill and urged Congress to instead embrace Baby Bonds to advance economic justice.
- Rep. Pressley rallied with advocates from Caring Across Generations, Care Can’t Wait, and partner organizations to protest Trump’s and Republicans’ Big Ugly Bill that proposes disastrous cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and other essential programs and would leave communities sicker, poorer, and more vulnerable.
- Ahead of the House’s vote on the bill, Rep. Pressley delivered an impassioned speech on the House floor in which she made a direct appeal to her Republican colleagues to oppose this cruel and harmful bill.
- Rep. Pressley delivered a floor speech in which she slammed the bill’s proposed Medicaid cuts, which would decimate reproductive healthcare in America and worsen maternal health outcomes.
- Rep. Pressley co-hosted a press conference with Color of Change to oppose the Republicans’ cruel and harmful budget reconciliation package, which would gut critical programs like Medicaid and SNAP.
- Rep. Pressley rallied with caregivers, advocates, and fellow lawmakers at a 24-hour vigil to protect Medicaid from Republicans’ cruel budget cuts that would devastate communities across this country.
- In the House Oversight Committee’s markup of the Republican reconciliation bill, Rep. Pressley demanded Republicans answer to the families who would go hungry by way of this reconciliation bill – and she was met with silence.
- In the House Financial Services Committee’s markup of the Republican reconciliation bill, Rep. Pressley condemned the bill’s proposed cuts to Medicaid and shared the story of Mary Marinelli, a 70-year-old hospice nurse from a Republican district in Michigan whose family depends on Medicaid to care for their autistic son.
- In an impassioned speech on the House floor, Rep. Pressley slammed Republicans’ cruel and callous budget resolution that would slash Medicaid and other critical government services to pay for trillions of dollars in tax giveaways for Donald Trump’s billionaire donors.
###

MIL OSI USA News –
July 4, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Mauna Loa Observatory captured the reality of climate change. The US plans to shut it down

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alex Sen Gupta, Associate Professor in Climate Science, UNSW Sydney

Izabela23/Shutterstock

The greenhouse effect was discovered more than 150 years ago and the first scientific paper linking carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere with climate change was published in 1896.

But it wasn’t until the 1950s that scientists could definitively detect the effect of human activities on the Earth’s atmosphere.

In 1956, United States scientist Charles Keeling chose Hawaii’s Mauna Loa volcano for the site of a new atmospheric measuring station. It was ideal, located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and at high altitude away from the confounding influence of population centres.

Data collected by Mauna Loa from 1958 onward let us clearly see the evidence of climate change for the first time. The station samples the air and measures global CO₂ levels. Charles Keeling and his successors used this data to produce the famous Keeling curve – a graph showing carbon dioxide levels increasing year after year.

But this precious record is in peril. US President Donald Trump has decided to defund the observatory recording the data, as well as the widespread US greenhouse gas monitoring network and other climate measuring sites.

We can’t solve the existential problem of climate change if we can’t track the changes. Losing Mauna Loa would be a huge loss to climate science. If it shuts, other observatories such as Australia’s Kennaook/Cape Grim will become even more vital.

The Keeling Curve tracking steadily rising carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere came from data gathered at Mauna Loa.
Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, CC BY-NC-ND

What did Mauna Loa show us?

The first year of measurements at Mauna Loa revealed something incredible. For the first time, the clear annual cycle in atmospheric CO₂ was visible. As plants grow in summer, they absorb CO₂ and draw it out of the atmosphere. As they die and decay in winter, the CO₂ returns to the atmosphere. It’s like Earth is breathing.

Most land on Earth is in the Northern Hemisphere, which means this cycle is largely influenced by the northern summer and winter.

The annual cycle of carbon dioxide is largely due to plant growth and decay in the northern hemisphere.

It only took a few years of measurements before an even more profound pattern emerged.

Year on year, CO₂ levels in the atmosphere were relentlessly rising. The natural in-out cycle continued, but against a steady increase.

Scientists would later figure out that the ocean and land together were absorbing almost half of the CO₂ produced by humans. But the rest was building up in the atmosphere.

Crucially, isotopic measurements meant scientists could be crystal clear about the origin of the extra carbon dioxide. It was coming from humans, largely through burning fossil fuels.

Mauna Loa has now been collecting data for more than 65 years. The resulting Keeling curve graph is the most iconic demonstration of how human activities are collectively affecting the planet.

When the last of the Baby Boomer generation were being born in the 1960s, CO₂ levels were around 320 parts per million. Now they’re over 420 ppm. That’s a level unseen for at least three million years. The rate of increase far exceeds any natural change in the past 50 million years.

The reason carbon dioxide is so important is that this molecule has special properties. Its ability to trap heat alongside other greenhouse gases means Earth isn’t a frozen rock. If there were no greenhouse gases, Earth would have an average temperature of -18°C, rather than the balmy 14°C under which human civilisation emerged.

The greenhouse effect is essential to life. But if there are too many gases, the planet becomes dangerously hot. That’s what’s happening now – a very sharp increase in gases exceptionally good at trapping heat even at low concentrations.

Greenhouse gases are the reason Earth isn’t an icebox. But the rate humans are emitting them is leading to very rapid changes.
Reid Wiseman/NASA, CC BY-NC-ND

Keeping our eyes open

It’s not enough to know CO₂ is climbing. Monitoring is essential. That’s because as the planet warms, both the ocean and the land are expected to take up less and less of humanity’s emissions, letting still more carbon accumulate in the air.

Continuous, high-precision monitoring is the only way to spot if and when that happens.

This monitoring provides the vital means to verify whether new climate policies are genuinely influencing the atmospheric CO₂ curve rather than just being touted as effective. Monitoring will also be vital to capture the moment many have been working towards when government policies and new technologies finally slow and eventually stop the increase in CO₂.

The US administration’s plans to defund key climate monitoring systems and roll back green energy initiatives presents a global challenge.

Without these systems, it will be harder to forecast the weather and give seasonal updates. It will also be harder to forecast dangerous extreme weather events.

Scientists in the US and globally have sounded the alarm about what the closure would do to science. This is understandable. Stopping data climate collection is like breaking a thermometer because you don’t like knowing you’ve got a fever.

If the US follows through, other countries will need to carefully reconsider their commitments to gathering and sharing climate data.

Australia has a long record of direct atmospheric CO₂ measurement, which began in 1976 at the Kennaook/Cape Grim Baseline Air Pollution Station in north-west Tasmania. This and other climate observations will only become more valuable if Mauna Loa is lost.

It remains to be seen how Australia’s leaders respond to the US retreat from climate monitoring. Ideally, Australia would not only maintain but strategically expand its monitoring systems of atmosphere, land and oceans.

Alex Sen Gupta receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

Katrin Meissner receives funding from the Minderoo Foundation and has received funding from the Australian Research Council in the past.

Timothy Raupach receives funding from QBE Insurance, Guy Carpenter, and the Australian Research Council.

– ref. Mauna Loa Observatory captured the reality of climate change. The US plans to shut it down – https://theconversation.com/mauna-loa-observatory-captured-the-reality-of-climate-change-the-us-plans-to-shut-it-down-260403

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

July 4, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Mauna Loa Observatory captured the reality of climate change. The US plans to shut it down

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alex Sen Gupta, Associate Professor in Climate Science, UNSW Sydney

Izabela23/Shutterstock

The greenhouse effect was discovered more than 150 years ago and the first scientific paper linking carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere with climate change was published in 1896.

But it wasn’t until the 1950s that scientists could definitively detect the effect of human activities on the Earth’s atmosphere.

In 1956, United States scientist Charles Keeling chose Hawaii’s Mauna Loa volcano for the site of a new atmospheric measuring station. It was ideal, located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and at high altitude away from the confounding influence of population centres.

Data collected by Mauna Loa from 1958 onward let us clearly see the evidence of climate change for the first time. The station samples the air and measures global CO₂ levels. Charles Keeling and his successors used this data to produce the famous Keeling curve – a graph showing carbon dioxide levels increasing year after year.

But this precious record is in peril. US President Donald Trump has decided to defund the observatory recording the data, as well as the widespread US greenhouse gas monitoring network and other climate measuring sites.

We can’t solve the existential problem of climate change if we can’t track the changes. Losing Mauna Loa would be a huge loss to climate science. If it shuts, other observatories such as Australia’s Kennaook/Cape Grim will become even more vital.

The Keeling Curve tracking steadily rising carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere came from data gathered at Mauna Loa.
Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, CC BY-NC-ND

What did Mauna Loa show us?

The first year of measurements at Mauna Loa revealed something incredible. For the first time, the clear annual cycle in atmospheric CO₂ was visible. As plants grow in summer, they absorb CO₂ and draw it out of the atmosphere. As they die and decay in winter, the CO₂ returns to the atmosphere. It’s like Earth is breathing.

Most land on Earth is in the Northern Hemisphere, which means this cycle is largely influenced by the northern summer and winter.

The annual cycle of carbon dioxide is largely due to plant growth and decay in the northern hemisphere.

It only took a few years of measurements before an even more profound pattern emerged.

Year on year, CO₂ levels in the atmosphere were relentlessly rising. The natural in-out cycle continued, but against a steady increase.

Scientists would later figure out that the ocean and land together were absorbing almost half of the CO₂ produced by humans. But the rest was building up in the atmosphere.

Crucially, isotopic measurements meant scientists could be crystal clear about the origin of the extra carbon dioxide. It was coming from humans, largely through burning fossil fuels.

Mauna Loa has now been collecting data for more than 65 years. The resulting Keeling curve graph is the most iconic demonstration of how human activities are collectively affecting the planet.

When the last of the Baby Boomer generation were being born in the 1960s, CO₂ levels were around 320 parts per million. Now they’re over 420 ppm. That’s a level unseen for at least three million years. The rate of increase far exceeds any natural change in the past 50 million years.

The reason carbon dioxide is so important is that this molecule has special properties. Its ability to trap heat alongside other greenhouse gases means Earth isn’t a frozen rock. If there were no greenhouse gases, Earth would have an average temperature of -18°C, rather than the balmy 14°C under which human civilisation emerged.

The greenhouse effect is essential to life. But if there are too many gases, the planet becomes dangerously hot. That’s what’s happening now – a very sharp increase in gases exceptionally good at trapping heat even at low concentrations.

Greenhouse gases are the reason Earth isn’t an icebox. But the rate humans are emitting them is leading to very rapid changes.
Reid Wiseman/NASA, CC BY-NC-ND

Keeping our eyes open

It’s not enough to know CO₂ is climbing. Monitoring is essential. That’s because as the planet warms, both the ocean and the land are expected to take up less and less of humanity’s emissions, letting still more carbon accumulate in the air.

Continuous, high-precision monitoring is the only way to spot if and when that happens.

This monitoring provides the vital means to verify whether new climate policies are genuinely influencing the atmospheric CO₂ curve rather than just being touted as effective. Monitoring will also be vital to capture the moment many have been working towards when government policies and new technologies finally slow and eventually stop the increase in CO₂.

The US administration’s plans to defund key climate monitoring systems and roll back green energy initiatives presents a global challenge.

Without these systems, it will be harder to forecast the weather and give seasonal updates. It will also be harder to forecast dangerous extreme weather events.

Scientists in the US and globally have sounded the alarm about what the closure would do to science. This is understandable. Stopping data climate collection is like breaking a thermometer because you don’t like knowing you’ve got a fever.

If the US follows through, other countries will need to carefully reconsider their commitments to gathering and sharing climate data.

Australia has a long record of direct atmospheric CO₂ measurement, which began in 1976 at the Kennaook/Cape Grim Baseline Air Pollution Station in north-west Tasmania. This and other climate observations will only become more valuable if Mauna Loa is lost.

It remains to be seen how Australia’s leaders respond to the US retreat from climate monitoring. Ideally, Australia would not only maintain but strategically expand its monitoring systems of atmosphere, land and oceans.

Alex Sen Gupta receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

Katrin Meissner receives funding from the Minderoo Foundation and has received funding from the Australian Research Council in the past.

Timothy Raupach receives funding from QBE Insurance, Guy Carpenter, and the Australian Research Council.

– ref. Mauna Loa Observatory captured the reality of climate change. The US plans to shut it down – https://theconversation.com/mauna-loa-observatory-captured-the-reality-of-climate-change-the-us-plans-to-shut-it-down-260403

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

July 4, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: NZ will soon have no real interisland rail-ferry link – why are we so bad at infrastructure planning?

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Welch, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

Another week, another Cook Strait ferry breakdown. As the winter maintenance season approaches and the Aratere prepares for its final months of service, New Zealand faces a self-imposed crisis.

The government has spent NZ$507.3 million on cancelled iReX ferry plans, the country’s fleet has an average age of 28 years, and the earliest New Zealanders can hope for promised replacements is 2029.

The Marlborough Chamber of Commerce warns unreliable ferries already shake tourist confidence. Several more years of duct-tape solutions won’t help.

The recent pattern of breakdowns and cancellations has become so routine that New Zealand risks normalising what should be viewed as a national crisis: a serious infrastructure failure.

It is also a textbook example of how short-term political cycles, coupled with chronic under-investment, create far more expensive problems than the ones they promise to solve.

Cost blowouts

While ministers claim to have spared taxpayers a $4 billion blowout on new ferries, Treasury papers show almost 80% of the cost escalation lay in seismic upgrades for wharves, not in the vessels themselves. Those land-side works will be required no matter what ferries the country eventually orders.

Justifying the original contract cancellation, Finance Minister Nicola Willis quipped that iReX was a Ferrari when a Toyota Corolla would do. But the cost of finding a suitable Corolla is adding up fast.

Annual maintenance costs are projected to nearly double to $65 million, just to keep the existing ageing ferries running. Additionally, $300 million had to be earmarked to cover fees for breaking the original ferry replacement contract.

By retiring the Aratere this year – New Zealand’s only rail-capable ferry – the government is also severing the interisland rail link for almost five years.

KiwiRail will “road-bridge” rail freight, an expensive workaround that involves loading train cars onto trucks, putting those trucks on ferries, then reversing the process at the other end. This will increase truck traffic, produce more emissions and add more wear to already strained infrastructure.

Forcing more than $14 billion worth of annual freight from rail to road could also negatively affect New Zealand’s climate change commitments. Freight moved by rail generates only about 25% of the CO₂ per tonne-kilometre of the same load produced when hauled by truck.

The cancelled hybrid ferries would have also cut emissions by 40%. Instead, New Zealand is locking in higher emissions for another half decade or longer.

Unrealistic timelines

The ferry saga reflects New Zealand’s infrastructure problem in a nutshell. The country tends to underestimate costs, create unfeasible timelines, then shows dismay when projects blow up or limp home at double the price.

Auckland exemplifies the pattern. The city has seen decades of cancelled harbour crossing proposals and a scrapped light rail project, with nothing to show but consultancy fees.

When New Zealand does build –Transmission Gully, for example – the final bill bears little resemblance to initial quotes. The 27 kilometre motorway north of Wellington was nearly 50% over budget and took eight years to build – two years longer than promised.

The systematic underestimation of costs reflects a flawed approach to infrastructure planning. Politicians need quick wins within three-year electoral cycles, while infrastructure projects take decades to deliver.

Projects are approved based on lowball estimates, with the outcome inherited by another administration. This has crossed party lines and created a system that rewards short-term thinking and punishes long-term planning.

Just consider the second crossing for Auckland Harbour. For 35 years, the government has commissioned study after study – from the 1988 tunnel plans to the 2010 business cases – each time backing away when the price tag appeared, or the government changed.

The iReX cancellation marks the first time the government has actually signed contracts and then walked away. As with the second Auckland Harbour crossing, each delay has only made the inevitable solution more expensive.

Other countries have, to a degree, addressed this problem. Infrastructure Australia, for example, provides independent cost assessments and long-term planning that transcends political cycles. New Zealand’s Infrastructure Commission, established in 2019, lacks similar teeth and independence.

Ultimately this isn’t really about ferries. It’s about how New Zealand consistently fails to deliver, on time and at cost, the infrastructure that keeps its economy moving.

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

– ref. NZ will soon have no real interisland rail-ferry link – why are we so bad at infrastructure planning? – https://theconversation.com/nz-will-soon-have-no-real-interisland-rail-ferry-link-why-are-we-so-bad-at-infrastructure-planning-260279

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

July 4, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: NZ will soon have no real interisland rail-ferry link – why are we so bad at infrastructure planning?

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Welch, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

Another week, another Cook Strait ferry breakdown. As the winter maintenance season approaches and the Aratere prepares for its final months of service, New Zealand faces a self-imposed crisis.

The government has spent NZ$507.3 million on cancelled iReX ferry plans, the country’s fleet has an average age of 28 years, and the earliest New Zealanders can hope for promised replacements is 2029.

The Marlborough Chamber of Commerce warns unreliable ferries already shake tourist confidence. Several more years of duct-tape solutions won’t help.

The recent pattern of breakdowns and cancellations has become so routine that New Zealand risks normalising what should be viewed as a national crisis: a serious infrastructure failure.

It is also a textbook example of how short-term political cycles, coupled with chronic under-investment, create far more expensive problems than the ones they promise to solve.

Cost blowouts

While ministers claim to have spared taxpayers a $4 billion blowout on new ferries, Treasury papers show almost 80% of the cost escalation lay in seismic upgrades for wharves, not in the vessels themselves. Those land-side works will be required no matter what ferries the country eventually orders.

Justifying the original contract cancellation, Finance Minister Nicola Willis quipped that iReX was a Ferrari when a Toyota Corolla would do. But the cost of finding a suitable Corolla is adding up fast.

Annual maintenance costs are projected to nearly double to $65 million, just to keep the existing ageing ferries running. Additionally, $300 million had to be earmarked to cover fees for breaking the original ferry replacement contract.

By retiring the Aratere this year – New Zealand’s only rail-capable ferry – the government is also severing the interisland rail link for almost five years.

KiwiRail will “road-bridge” rail freight, an expensive workaround that involves loading train cars onto trucks, putting those trucks on ferries, then reversing the process at the other end. This will increase truck traffic, produce more emissions and add more wear to already strained infrastructure.

Forcing more than $14 billion worth of annual freight from rail to road could also negatively affect New Zealand’s climate change commitments. Freight moved by rail generates only about 25% of the CO₂ per tonne-kilometre of the same load produced when hauled by truck.

The cancelled hybrid ferries would have also cut emissions by 40%. Instead, New Zealand is locking in higher emissions for another half decade or longer.

Unrealistic timelines

The ferry saga reflects New Zealand’s infrastructure problem in a nutshell. The country tends to underestimate costs, create unfeasible timelines, then shows dismay when projects blow up or limp home at double the price.

Auckland exemplifies the pattern. The city has seen decades of cancelled harbour crossing proposals and a scrapped light rail project, with nothing to show but consultancy fees.

When New Zealand does build –Transmission Gully, for example – the final bill bears little resemblance to initial quotes. The 27 kilometre motorway north of Wellington was nearly 50% over budget and took eight years to build – two years longer than promised.

The systematic underestimation of costs reflects a flawed approach to infrastructure planning. Politicians need quick wins within three-year electoral cycles, while infrastructure projects take decades to deliver.

Projects are approved based on lowball estimates, with the outcome inherited by another administration. This has crossed party lines and created a system that rewards short-term thinking and punishes long-term planning.

Just consider the second crossing for Auckland Harbour. For 35 years, the government has commissioned study after study – from the 1988 tunnel plans to the 2010 business cases – each time backing away when the price tag appeared, or the government changed.

The iReX cancellation marks the first time the government has actually signed contracts and then walked away. As with the second Auckland Harbour crossing, each delay has only made the inevitable solution more expensive.

Other countries have, to a degree, addressed this problem. Infrastructure Australia, for example, provides independent cost assessments and long-term planning that transcends political cycles. New Zealand’s Infrastructure Commission, established in 2019, lacks similar teeth and independence.

Ultimately this isn’t really about ferries. It’s about how New Zealand consistently fails to deliver, on time and at cost, the infrastructure that keeps its economy moving.

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

– ref. NZ will soon have no real interisland rail-ferry link – why are we so bad at infrastructure planning? – https://theconversation.com/nz-will-soon-have-no-real-interisland-rail-ferry-link-why-are-we-so-bad-at-infrastructure-planning-260279

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

July 4, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Statement from acting ICE Director Todd M. Lyons on Rep. Jamila Prayapal calling ICE a ‘terrorist force’

Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

July 3, 2025Washington, DC, United StatesStatement

WASHINGTON — On July 2, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) called U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement a “terrorist force.”

Acting ICE Director Todd M. Lyons’ response to the congresswoman:

“An actual Antifa terrorist tried to blow up ICE’s Northwest Processing Center in Rep. Jayapal’s home state of Washington in 2019. At the time, she tried to blame the violent attack on rhetoric from the right, in defense of an actual terrorist who tried to murder detainees and employees alike!

Now, she labels ICE officers enforcing immigration law set by Congress ‘terrorists.’ This, at a time when officers are facing a nearly 700% increase in assaults, in part due to the type of rhetoric she spews. Never in a million years did I think I would witness a sitting member of Congress prioritize regard for violent criminals over the law enforcement officers protecting her community from actual public safety threats. The only apology needed is from the congresswoman to the people who voted for her.”

MIL OSI USA News –

July 4, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Statement from acting ICE Director Todd M. Lyons on Rep. Pramila Jayapal calling ICE a ‘terrorist force’

Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

July 3, 2025Washington, DC, United StatesStatement

WASHINGTON — On July 2, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) called U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement a “terrorist force.”

Acting ICE Director Todd M. Lyons’ response to the congresswoman:

“An actual Antifa terrorist tried to blow up ICE’s Northwest Processing Center in Rep. Jayapal’s home state of Washington in 2019. At the time, she tried to blame the violent attack on rhetoric from the right, in defense of an actual terrorist who tried to murder detainees and employees alike!

Now, she labels ICE officers enforcing immigration law set by Congress ‘terrorists.’ This, at a time when officers are facing a nearly 700% increase in assaults, in part due to the type of rhetoric she spews. Never in a million years did I think I would witness a sitting member of Congress prioritize regard for violent criminals over the law enforcement officers protecting her community from actual public safety threats. The only apology needed is from the congresswoman to the people who voted for her.”

MIL OSI USA News –

July 4, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Opposes Trump Administration Effort to Roll Back Fair Housing Protections
Source: US State of California

Regulations developed to prevent discriminatory housing practices, racially segregated neighborhoods

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today co-led a coalition of 21 attorneys general in sending a letter to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) opposing a proposed rule that would rollback critical fair housing regulations that prohibit discrimination in the marketing of affordable housing. The Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing (AFHM) regulations require owners of federally assisted housing to target advertising and outreach regarding their properties to communities that otherwise might not have learned about the opportunity to live there. The proposed rule would repeal these regulations, which are designed to ensure that federally assisted housing providers do not market available housing to only certain groups as had been done in the past to maintain racially segregated neighborhoods.

“The Trump Administration is working to roll back critical fair housing regulations that prohibit discrimination — protections put in place in the 70’s to combat the insidious persistence of segregated neighborhoods — protections that are essential today to ensure that housing opportunities for underserved communities remain accessible,” said Attorney General Bonta. “The national housing crisis is driven by a shortage of housing supply and unaffordability that disproportionately affects communities of color. Today I urge the Administration to look closely at the mandate they inherited in the Fair Housing Act and understand that letting a broader range of buyers know about affordable housing opportunities that are available to them is necessary to ensure that these opportunities remain accessible for all Americans.”

Historically, government at all levels throughout the United States, along with private developers and mortgage lending institutions, played an active role in creating segregated living patterns, which perpetuated inequalities in access to opportunity. The Fair Housing Act, through AFHM regulations, requires HUD and recipients of federal funds from HUD to administer their programs in a manner to affirmatively further fair housing by ensuring that the agency and its program participants take meaningful actions to overcome patterns of segregation, promote fair housing choice, eliminate disparities in opportunities, and foster inclusive communities. The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including gender and sexual orientation), familial status, and disability.

AFHM requirements require that owners and developers of HUD-subsidized housing have marketing programs in place to reach groups that are protected from discrimination by the Fair Housing Act and are not as likely to apply for such housing. Housing providers must then select methods of outreach and advertising, that are designed to reach those communities. Too often, the populations that are the least likely to apply are those that are underrepresented in the area where the property is located, especially affordable properties in high opportunity areas — areas that offer residents enhanced access to economic mobility and improved living conditions. The AFHM regulations do not dictate which tenants an owner must select for a unit, and nothing prohibits landlords from advertising through other media that reach different populations as well.

In the letter, the attorneys general argue that the proposed repeal of these longstanding regulations is in direct contradiction with the mandate of the Fair Housing Act — to affirmatively further fair housing through ensuring non-discriminatory marketing practices — especially so given the lack of:
- a replacement rule;
- an explanation of how HUD will affirmatively ensure that covered program participants are not engaging in discriminatory and unlawful housing marketing practices in violation of federal law; and
- legally sufficient or evidence-based justifications for this total reversal of over 50 years of federal housing policy and law.
The attorneys general hold a vested interest in ensuring equal access to housing and eradicating discrimination in communities nationwide. The national housing crisis is driven by a shortage of housing supply and skyrocketing unaffordability that disproportionately affects communities of color. The highest disparities are experienced by Black households — a byproduct of systemic racism and policies that targeted Black people and neighborhoods home to primarily Black people. Data on fair housing complaints confirm that proactive fair housing measures, including in advertising, are as vital as ever. In 2023, record high levels of fair housing complaints were submitted to HUD, the U.S. Department of Justice, and other fair housing organizations; the annual number of complaints has consistently risen.

In sending today’s letter Attorney General Bonta and the attorneys general from Maryland and New York lead the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia.

A copy of the letter can be found here.

MIL OSI USA News –
July 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: HMCS William Hall returns to Halifax following successful Operation CARIBBE deployment

Source: Government of Canada News

July 3, 2025 – Ottawa, ON – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces

His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) William Hall returns to its home port of Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Halifax today, concluding a successful deployment on Operation CARIBBE, Canada’s contribution to United States-led enhanced counter-narcotics operations under Joint Interagency Task Force South.

During its deployment, HMCS William Hall played a key role in the interdiction and seizure of more than 1,545 kilograms of cocaine, significantly disrupting drug trafficking in international waters.

The deployment included multiple maritime patrols and interdictions, during which HMCS William Hall worked in close coordination with an embarked United States Coast Guard (USCG) Law Enforcement Detachment. This collaboration highlights the strong operational partnership between the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and the USCG, and the importance of binational and international cooperation in addressing shared maritime security challenges.

Operation CARIBBE is part of Canada’s ongoing support to Operation MARTILLO, a broader multinational effort led by the United States to combat illicit trafficking in the Caribbean Basin, Gulf of Mexico, and Eastern Pacific.

The RCN remains committed to working alongside the USCG and regional partners to promote maritime security and stability in the Western Hemisphere. The success of HMCS William Hall’s deployment reflects the professionalism of its crew and the strength of Canada’s international partnerships in combating organized crime at sea.

MIL OSI Canada News –

July 4, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: RIDOH and DEM Recommend Avoiding Contact with a Section of Wenscott Reservoir

Source: US State of Rhode Island

The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) and Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) are advising people to avoid contact with a section of Wenscott Reservoir in North Providence (western basin, south of Douglas Avenue) due to harmful algae blooms (HABs). All recreation, including swimming, fishing, boating and kayaking, is high risk to health and recommended to be avoided at this location. This HAB is caused by blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, which are naturally present in bodies of water. HABs can produce toxins which can be harmful to humans and animals. Toxins and/or high cell counts have been detected by the RIDOH State Health Laboratory from water samples collected by DEM at this location.

This HAB has not been detected at the Governor Notte Park, but use caution in all areas of Wenscott Reservoir, particularly the western basin as HABs can move locations in ponds and lakes. People should not drink untreated water or eat fish from affected waterbodies. Pet owners should not allow pets to drink or swim in this water. This advisory recommendation remains in effect until further notice.

Skin contact with water containing blue-green algae can cause irritation of the skin, nose, eyes, and throat. Symptoms from ingestion of water can include stomachache, diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea. Less common symptoms can include dizziness, headache, fever, liver damage, and nervous system damage. Young children and pets are at higher risk for health effects associated with HABs because they are more likely to swallow water when they are in or around bodies of water. People who have had contact with these ponds and experience those symptoms should contact their healthcare provider.

If you or your pet come into contact with an algal bloom (HAB): — Rinse your skin with clean water right away. — Shower and wash your cloths when you get home. — If your pet was exposed, wash it with clean water immediately and don’t let it lick algae from its fur. — Call a vet if your pet shows signs of illness like tiredness, no eating, vomiting, diarrhea or other symptoms within a day. — If you feel sick after contact, call a healthcare provider.

Affected waters might look bright to dark green, with thick algae floating on the surface. It may resemble green paint, pea soup, or green cottage cheese. If you see water like this, people and pets should avoid contact with the water.

To report suspected blue-green algae blooms, contact DEM’s Office of Water Resources at 401-222-4700 Press 6 or DEM.OWRCyano@dem.ri.gov and if possible, send a photograph of the reported algae bloom. For more information and the Cyanobacteria Tracker Dashboard that lists current advisories and data, visit: www.dem.ri.gov/bluegreen

###

MIL OSI USA News –

July 4, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Welch Meets with Vermonters in Killington, Ludlow, and Weston to Discuss His New Bill to Reform FEMA

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
KILLINGTON, VT — This week in Killington, Ludlow, and Weston, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) unveiled his new bill, the Disaster Assistance Improvement and Decentralization (AID) Act, and met with flood-impacted Vermonters and community members to discuss the importance of reforming FEMA’s long-term recovery process, supporting hazard mitigation, and protecting recovery funding.
“The Disaster AID Act was inspired by towns and cities in Vermont that are still recovering from the 2023 and 2024 floods. These folks know firsthand the strengths and weaknesses of FEMA. I’m determined to help improve the long-term recovery process—both for Vermonters, and for communities across America hurt by climate disasters,” said Senator Peter Welch. “I am always thankful to hear how Washington can work better for Vermont, and I use these stories and experiences to shape the legislation I introduce.”
The Disaster AID Act will cut red tape and empower state and local governments, make the delivery of disaster aid more efficient and effective, provide assistance to small towns and communities impacted by natural disasters, and block the White House from withholding funding for disaster recovery. Senator Welch will officially introduce the Disaster AID Act next week, coinciding with the anniversary of the floods.
Killington: In Killington, Senator Welch joined town officials to tour view East Mountain Road, which was heavily damaged in July 2023 and has since been rebuilt. The Senator also held a Listening Session with flood-impacted Vermonters and community leaders to discuss the state’s long-term recovery from the July 2023 and July 2024 floods, and ways the Disaster AID Act will small and rural communities across the state.
Photo Caption: Abbie Sherman, Public Works Director for Killington (middle) and Will Austin, Assistant Town Planner for Killington (right) show Senator Peter Welch (left) a map with flood damage in Killington.
Photo Caption: Senator Peter Welch views a photo of the flood damage on East Mountain Road. Left to right: Senator Peter Welch; Rebecca Ellis, State Director for Senator Peter Welch; Will Austin, Assistant Town Planner for Killington; Abbie Sherman, Public Works Director for Killington.
Photo Caption: Senator Peter Welch discusses flood recovery and other issues with Vermonters at the Killington Welcome Center.
Photo Caption: Senator Peter Welch discusses flood recovery with Joseph Gaudiana, Brendan McNamara, and Justin Hyjek at Ludlow’s wastewater treatment facility, which is located near the Black River.
Ludlow: Senator Welch joined Ludlow town officials to view flooding damage to the village wastewater treatment facility, located on the Black River, and discuss progress on relocating the facility out of the flood plain. The Senator highlighted how the Disaster AID Act would help to simplify and expedite the relocation of critical infrastructure out of flood-prone areas.
Photo Caption: Senator Peter Welch discusses flood recovery and other issues with Vermonters in Weston.
Weston: In Weston, Senator Welch joined community leaders to view and discuss the Weston Mill Dam removal project, which will substantially lower the flood elevation level in the village. Senator Welch nominated for the project for Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS). Senator Welch also met with town officials to discuss the importance and need for municipal technical assistance in flood recovery and mitigation planning. He was joined by members of the Weston Playhouse on the Green, which still requires major repairs following the floods.
Senator Welch has been outspoken in opposing any attempt by the Trump Administration to dismantle FEMA. Earlier this year, Senator Welch published a guest essay in The New York Times entitled: “Don’t Kill FEMA. Fix It.” In his piece, Senator Welch outlined why President Trump’s actions to undermine and potentially dissolve FEMA are misguided—but also committed to working with the President on good faith efforts to reform the agency’s long-term recovery process. 
In December 2024, Senator Welch helped shape and pass a comprehensive disaster aid package, which delivered more than $100.4 billion of relief for states like Vermont recovering from climate disasters. The disaster aid package contained many of Senator Welch’s top priorities for the State: dedicated help for Vermont’s flood-impacted farmers, flexible spending through the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Relief fund, money for FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund, and support for businesses, among many other important provisions.

MIL OSI USA News –

July 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Western District of Texas U.S Attorney’s Office Adds 208 Immigration Cases in 6 Days Going into July

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

SAN ANTONIO – United States Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 208 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from June 27 through July 2.

Among the new cases, Mexican national Erik Garcia-Rodriguez aka Eduardo Soto-Garcia aka Gerardo Reyes, was encountered by Texas Department of Public Safety in San Antonio on June 26. According to a criminal complaint, TX DPS requested immigration determination assistance from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) officer, who determined Garcia-Rodriguez to be an alien illegally present within the United States who had previously been removed from the United States, and who was residing at an address in San Antonio. On May 26, 2011, Garcia-Rodriguez was convicted for trafficking cocaine and heroin in Dallas County. He was removed from the U.S. on Dec. 7, 2011.

Mexican national Ismael Nieto Balverde was charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin in Austin. A criminal complaint affidavit alleges that a Drug Enforcement Administration investigation led to two controlled purchases of heroin from Balverde, totaling approximately 2,034 grams of the narcotic.

In Ector County, Roberto Adan Gandara-Ramirez, a Mexican national, was arrested on a warrant for alleged sexual assault of a child, according to a criminal complaint, and was released to ICE/ERO custody by Ector County Sherriff’s Department deputies. Gandara-Ramirez was previously removed from the U.S. through Del Rio in 2015.

Daniel Hernandez, of Asherton, was arrested near Carrizo Springs on June 29 for conspiring to transport an illegal alien further into the United States. Hernandez was stopped by the Dimmit County Sheriff’s Office, who requested U.S. Border Patrol assistance. USBP agents conducted an immigration inspection and allegedly discovered that the vehicle contained two U.S. citizens and one Mexican national without proper documentation to enter or remain in the U.S. Hernandez allegedly stated that he was in contact with a facilitator who had instructed him to pick up the illegal alien and take the alien to Asherton. In 2014, Hernandez was convicted for bringing in and harboring aliens in Del Rio, for which he was sentenced to 27 months confinement.

A convicted felon on U.S. probation was arrested and charged with illegal re-entry after he was found approximately a mile east of the Fort Hancock Port of Entry. Mexican national Eduardo Lopez-Castillo has been removed from the U.S. to Mexico three times, the last one being May 28, 2024. In April 2024, he was convicted of illegal re-entry and in 2021, Lopez-Castillo was convicted of assault causing bodily injury to a family member.

Alfonso Lopez-Castro, a Mexican national, attempted to gain entry into the U.S. at the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry by presenting a New Mexico driver’s license that allegedly contained the name, date of birth, and photograph of another individual. Lopez-Castro allegedly told the Customs and Border Protection officer that he was a U.S. citizen and that he was going home to New Mexico. He allegedly admitted later that the driver’s license was not his and was given to him by a coworker. Lopez-Castro has been previously removed from the U.S. six times, five of which were between August and November 2014. He is charged with one count of knowingly personating another and attempting to evade immigration laws by appearing under an assumed or fictitious name when applying for admission to the United States.

An alleged foot guide was arrested in El Paso and charged with bringing illegal aliens into the United States. Mexican national Isaac Nolasco-Ramirez allegedly crossed into the U.S. and attempted to conceal himself with three other illegal aliens inside a canal and under some brush approximately six miles east of the Tornillo Port of Entry. A criminal complaint alleges that Nolasco-Ramirez stated his friend used a rope ladder to get the group over the fence and that he was told to take the aliens to be picked up along the railroad tracks.

Two U.S. citizens were also arrested for bringing in illegal aliens after two aliens were observed scaling over the International Border Fence. The aliens were apprehended north of the Rio Grande River and consented that U.S. Border Patrol agents could view and search the contents of their phone. An agent, posing as one of the aliens, allegedly replied to a WhatsApp message with his location and was advised that two Jeeps would soon arrive to pick him up. When the Jeeps arrived, one driver, identified as Diego Mota, was arrested. The other vehicle departed at a high rate of speed before the driver stopped and led an Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo Tribal Police Officer on a foot chase. That driver, Isaac Steven Hernandez, was soon apprehended and allegedly admitted that he had been involved in alien smuggling schemes approximately eight times.

A Salvadoran national, Hector Antonio Ostorga Hernandez, was arrested in Eagle Pass and charged with illegal re-entry. Ostorga Hernandez has been previously deported twice, the last time being to El Salvador on Dec. 20, 2024, through Alexandria, Louisiana. That removal occurred two months after he was convicted in Houston for assault causing bodily harm injuring a family member and was sentenced to 179 days confinement.

Jose Ignacio Lopez-Ortiz, a Mexican national, was also arrested in Eagle Pass and charged with illegal re-entry. Lopez-Ortiz was last removed to Mexico in January 2013 through Laredo and has since been twice-convicted for driving while intoxicated in April 2023 and April 2025.

Mexican national Juan Enrique Landeros-Gonzalez was arrested in Del Rio on June 30 for being illegally present in the U.S. after being removed for the sixth time on June 13. Landeros-Gonzalez is a felon with multiple convictions including criminal mischief and probation revocation, illegal re-entry, and unauthorized use of a vehicle.

U.S. Border Patrol in Eagle Pass also arrested Mexican national Joel Escobar-Chavez, who has six prior removals, the last being on March 7, and Donaldo Robles-Zarate, who also has been removed six times, the last one being July 12, 2019. Guatemalan national Byron Antonio Almazan has been removed from the U.S. five times, the last being on Jan. 27 through Alexandria, Louisiana. He was convicted for an illegal re-entry felony in December 2024 and sentenced to 189 days confinement.

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

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.

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

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

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MIL Security OSI –

July 4, 2025
MIL-OSI NGOs: Pride Month event discusses disinformation, democracy and minority rights

Source: Chatham House –

Pride Month event discusses disinformation, democracy and minority rights
News release
krousseau.drupal
3 July 2025

The event discussed online harms faced by LGBTIQ+ communities and what they mean for democracies worldwide.

Chatham House’s EDI Working Group arranged a public panel at Chatham House on 26 June 2025 to map the state of LGBTIQ+ rights online and explore where better policies are possible.

Chaired by Isabella Wilkinson (Research Fellow, Digital Society Programme and LGBTIQ+ Co-Chair, EDI Working Group), the event spotlighted global trends in disinformation messaging, targeting and impacts, painting a sobering picture of democratic backsliding and barriers to public participation.

Speaking at the event were Peter Tatchell, a renowned human rights activist; Lucy Middleton, the Thomson Reuters Foundation’s LGBTQ+ correspondent; and Francesca Gentile, an open-source researcher from the Centre for Information Resilience.

Drawing on speakers’ expertise, the conversation also highlighted how online threats have offline consequences, with disproportionate harms faced by parts of the LGBTIQ+ communities, such as trans people.

Rheea Saggar, Marketing and Communications Manager and LGBTIQ+ Co-Chair, EDI Working Group, said:

‘The event highlighted why protecting minority rights online is a matter of democratic resilience and demands intersectional approaches: there is no one-size-fits-all solution.’

Joseph Osayande, Deputy Head of Individual Memberships and chair of Chatham House’s EDI Working Group, said:

‘We are grateful to our speakers and lively audience and look forward to hosting other timely discussions on issues of EDI in international affairs.’

Chatham House’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Working Group coordinates, consults on and supports the delivery of EDI-related events and activities across the institute. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact us.

MIL OSI NGO –

July 4, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Capito Wishes West Virginians a Happy Independence Day

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) today issued the following statement wishing West Virginians a happy Independence Day ahead of July 4th.
“As you gather over barbecues and at parades to celebrate our great nation, I encourage you to take a moment to remember how blessed we are to call the United States of America home. We live in the most free and prosperous country in history, and I am so grateful to the brave men and women who have fought to preserve and protect the freedoms we hold dear. I hope you all enjoy a wonderful celebration surrounded by friends and family. May God continue to bless America,” Senator Capito said.

MIL OSI USA News –

July 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Helping manufacturers thrive in Alberta
Alberta’s government is focused on growing the economy by creating a business-friendly climate where companies want to invest. This focus has led to more jobs and economic prosperity, making Alberta the best place in Canada to do business. Alberta is already home to one of Canada’s largest manufacturing industries, and with low corporate taxes and regulatory burden, Alberta’s government is helping more businesses succeed.

In collaboration with Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, Alberta’s government is investing more than $4 million to support small- and medium-sized manufacturing businesses through the Alberta Manufacturing Productivity Grant. This two-year pilot program offers businesses access to advice, expertise and up to $30,000 in matching funding for technology upgrades along with new machinery and equipment. The pilot program is expected to support approximately 130 small- and medium-sized businesses.

“Alberta’s government is committed to making sure small- and medium-sized businesses have the resources they need to grow. The Alberta Manufacturing Productivity Grant is empowering local business owners to invest in new technologies, machinery and equipment that will allow them to take their business to the next level – while also driving job creation and growth in Alberta’s manufacturing sector.”

Joseph Schow, Minister of Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration

Manufacturing companies from any sector are eligible to apply to the pilot program if they have a physical location in Alberta which makes, refines, refurbishes or processes a product or material, uses the equipment or technology from the grant in Alberta and employs between five and 750 employees.

“As a measure we’ve strongly advocated for, Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters applauds the Government of Alberta for this measure that will help derisk investment for small- and medium-sized manufacturers during uncertain economic times. This program will be pivotal in supporting Alberta manufacturers to make investments that will help them grow.”

Dennis Darby, president and chief executive officer, Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters

Manufacturing plays a vital role in driving Alberta’s economic strength and supporting its diverse industries. As of May 2025, the sector employed 144,800 people – 5.6 per cent of the province’s total workforce. In 2024, Alberta’s manufacturing GDP reached $25 billion, and investment in the sector totalled $4.8 billion, marking a 41.9 per cent increase over 2023. The manufacturing sector has impacts across the economy, in areas including wood product manufacturing, machinery and equipment manufacturing, food processing, chemical production and fabricated metal production.

“Manufacturing is a critical link in Canada’s energy supply chain – from precision components to large-scale equipment, every piece matters. This support for technology and equipment upgrades will directly enhance the productivity and competitiveness of Alberta’s energy manufacturers, who are essential to meeting growing energy demands at this pivotal moment for the Canadian economy.”

Gurpreet Lail, president and chief executive officer, Enserva

“Technology drives innovation, sustainability and global competitiveness in the chemistry and plastics sector. Support for investment in advanced technologies will help companies decarbonize, reduce waste and deliver the next generation of low-carbon, high-performance materials. This is why the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada is proud to support the Alberta Manufacturing Productivity Grant, which is providing over $4 million to help small- and medium-sized enterprises across the province – of particular importance to the plastics industry – modernize their equipment, enhance operational efficiency and advance sustainability.”

Christa Seaman, vice-president, plastics division, Chemistry Industry Association of Canada

“The Alberta Manufacturing Productivity Grant is a strategic investment in the future of Alberta’s economy. By helping manufacturers upgrade technology and equipment, this initiative empowers businesses to enhance productivity, drive innovation and remain competitive in a rapidly evolving global market.”

Shauna Feth, president and chief executive officer, Alberta Chambers of Commerce

Amid ongoing economic uncertainty around the world, investments aimed at improving productivity have never been more important. The Alberta Manufacturing Productivity Grant will help build manufacturing capacity and efficiency, enhancing the province’s manufacturing competitiveness while also making Alberta’s manufacturing sector more resilient to future external shocks.

Quick facts
- The manufacturing sector spans different industries, including the production of chemical, food, beverage, wood, machinery and petroleum products.
  - In 2024, the top six manufacturing subsectors (chemical manufacturing, petroleum and coal product manufacturing, food manufacturing, machinery manufacturing, fabricated metal product manufacturing and wood product manufacturing) made up about four-fifths of Alberta’s manufacturing GDP.
- Manufacturing is an integral part of Alberta’s economic prosperity.
  - In 2024, manufacturing contributed seven per cent to Alberta’s GDP, the fourth-largest sector contribution.
  - In 2024, manufacturing accounted for 24 per cent of Alberta’s exports, at $43 billion.
  - In May 2025, manufacturing employed 144,800 people in Alberta, representing 5.6 per cent of total Alberta employment.
    
    Three subsectors (food manufacturing, fabricated metal product manufacturing and machinery manufacturing) account for roughly half of Alberta’s manufacturing jobs.
- Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters (CME) represents more than 10,000 companies nationwide and works closely with various governments to promote growth within Canada’s manufacturing sector. CME also provides industry intelligence on the opportunities and challenges faced by manufacturers in Alberta and across Canada.
Related information

MIL OSI Canada News –
July 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Province Invests in Capital Upgrades at Yorkton Health Facilities

Source: Government of Canada regional news

Released on July 3, 2025

Rural and Remote Health Minister Lori Carr is visiting the City of Yorkton today, with stops at Yorkton Regional Health Centre (YRHC) and the Yorkton & District Nursing Home.

“Our government’s commitment to health care in Saskatchewan includes ensuring residents have timely access to high quality care in safe and suitable facilities,” Carr said. “Meeting with local health care professionals is important to understand their perspectives from the front line. I want to acknowledge their dedication to patient care and commitment in their demanding roles.”

As part of government’s capital funding plan, more than $4 million has been invested in Yorkton health facilities over the past three years. In addition to the intensive care unit (ICU) expansion from six to seven beds, infrastructure improvements to the Yorkton Regional Health Centre included new roofing, two new chillers, new sewer and exhaust systems, new flooring and the initiation of upgraded Wi-Fi service for patients and their families to be completed by early 2026. New boilers, an air conditioning compressor, roofing on two wings, flooring, sidewalks and a new nurse call system were installed at the nursing home. Yorkton Public Health received a new sidewalk, windows and security system. An additional $680,000 in government funding is planned this year for further roofing repairs at the health centre.

Last year, the Health Foundation of East Central Saskatchewan provided funding for advanced equipment at YRHC including a chemistry analyzer with interface for lab testing, a specialized Cardiac ECHO ultrasound and a general ultrasound machine for a total cost of $432,000.

“I want to thank the foundation for their generosity in providing this important equipment that will help with more timely assessment and treatment of patients,” Carr said. “Our mission to improve health care services for the residents of Saskatchewan would not be possible without the immense efforts of the health foundations across the province and their support is appreciated.”

The Yorkton Regional Health Centre project is moving to the business case phase with $1 million earmarked in the 2025-26 Budget to advance this work.

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For more information, contact:

MIL OSI Canada News –

July 4, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: World Refugee Day 2025: Joint Statement to the OSCE

Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Speech

World Refugee Day 2025: Joint Statement to the OSCE

Canada delivers a joint statement on behalf of the UK and other OSCE participating States to mark World Refugee Day.

Madame Chair, I am delivering this statement on behalf of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, the United Kingdom and my own country, Canada.

In marking World Refugee Day, we stand in solidarity with millions of refugees and renew our commitment to addressing their humanitarian needs, addressing the root causes of forced displacement and finding lasting solutions.

According to UNHCR’s Global Trends report, global displacement has nearly doubled over the past decade. Persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations, and natural disasters have forcibly displaced more than 123 million people. Within the OSCE region alone, nearly 25 million people are either forcibly displaced or stateless.

The Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine remains the main driver of mass displacement in the OSCE region, resulting in the largest cross-border movement of people in Europe since the Second World War. UNHCR’s May report notes that nearly 5.6 million individuals have fled Ukraine, with over 3.7 million internally displaced. Continued large-scale attacks, including strikes on energy infrastructure and continued aerial assaults on residential areas are fuelling urgent humanitarian needs and preventing Ukrainians from returning to their homes and families. Women and children make up the majority of the refugee population who have fled the conflict, with 63 per cent being women and girls, and 33 per cent being children. This demographic profile raises specific protection concerns, particularly around gender-based violence, trafficking, and exploitation.

In the 1999 Istanbul Document, participating States reaffirmed our commitment to respect the right to seek asylum and to ensure the international protection of refugees as set out in the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol, as well as to facilitate the voluntary return of refugees and internally displaced persons in dignity and safety.

In times of uncertainty, we must continue to uphold these commitments.

In addressing forcible displacement, we must strive to reach the most in need and the most vulnerable, including women and girls, LGBTQI+ people, religious minorities and others directly affected by conflict or displacement. We must also confront parallel risks and challenges, including trafficking, exploitation, discrimination, and intolerance.

We must also remember that inclusive societies are secure societies and recognize the positive impact that newcomers have on our societies and economies.

As we mark World Refugee Day, we honour the strength and resilience of refugees and we recognize their valuable contributions to the communities that welcome them.

Updates to this page

Published 3 July 2025

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

July 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Sobyanin opened an exhibition about Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich at the Museum of Moscow

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

Sergei Sobyanin opened the exhibition “The August Master of Moscow”. It is dedicated to Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich (1857-1905) – the first and only representative of the imperial house of Romanov, who headed the First Throne (from 1891 to 1905).

“The current exhibition at the Museum of Moscow, of course, cannot fail to attract attention and touch the hearts of Muscovites. Because the period when Sergei Alexandrovich was the Governor-General of Moscow is one of the best periods of the city’s development. I would call it a revolutionary period in general, because it was during his time that such an impetus was given to the development of Moscow, when it began to transform from a provincial, to put it mildly, not very comfortable and clean city into one of the best European cities. During this period, something was done that had not been done for a whole century before,” said Sergei Sobyanin.

The exhibition at the Museum of Moscow (Zubovsky Boulevard, Building 2, Block 3) was prepared by the Elisabeth-Sergius Educational Society Foundation with the support of the Moscow Government for the 120th anniversary of the death of the Grand Duke. More than 30 leading museums, archives, libraries, and private collectors are participating in the exhibition.

Statesman, military leader, manager

Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich was one of the outstanding statesmen of the Russian Empire. He was a skilled military leader and a talented manager.

While holding the post of Moscow Governor-General, Sergei Alexandrovich made a huge contribution to the development of all spheres of the city economy. Under his rule, water supply and sewerage systems were modernized, street lighting was carried out, the transport network was improved, and new buildings and structures were erected. In addition, the first stage of the city power plant was opened, and electric tram lines were built.

With the direct participation of Sergei Alexandrovich, the project was developed and construction of the Small Ring of the Moscow Railway began.

“Thanks to the active development of those times, the historical center of the city was significantly transformed,” wrote Sergei Sobyanin in

on your telegram channel.

Source: Sergei Sobyanin’s Telegram channel @mos_sobyanin.

The Grand Duke headed many scientific societies and institutions, patronized cultural and artistic figures, and supported creative educational institutions. With his personal assistance, a new building for the Moscow Conservatory was built and the Bolshoi Theater was restored. He also took care of students. For example, in 1899, a dormitory for Moscow University was built.

The Grand Duke, who created for the benefit of the people, was killed by terrorists in the very heart of Russia – at the Nikolsky Gate of the Moscow Kremlin.

What the exhibition will tell about

Based on documents and materials from the state archives of Russia, and on numerous studies, the authors of the exhibition tell about the bright personality of the Grand Duke, his devoted service to the Fatherland and fruitful work as the Moscow Governor-General and commander of the troops of the Moscow Military District.

The exhibition presents over 500 items, documents, photographs and other artifacts dedicated to the life, state, military and public service of the august master of Moscow. These are books from his library, letters, photographs, portraits of members of the imperial family and personal belongings, awards of charitable institutions and societies. In addition, rare archival documents on the activities of the Grand Duke as Governor-General and Commander of the Moscow Military District, his correspondence with family members and statesmen, military uniform, weapon models and much more are on display.

Visitors to the exhibition will also learn about the charitable service of Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich and his wife, Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna. They supervised over 100 charitable societies and associations that helped those in need in Moscow and other cities of the empire. The exhibition tells about the activities of the Moscow branch of the Russian Red Cross Society, the Elizabethan Charity Society, and many other areas of charitable work. One of the sections is dedicated to the history of the development of Russian Palestine — the activities of the Grand Duke as the first chairman of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society.

The authors of the project recreated a fragment of the furnishings of Sergei Alexandrovich’s living room in the Governor-General’s house on Tverskaya Street (house 13), where the grand ducal couple lived from 1892.

“It’s great that we were able to show all the main areas of activity of Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich on this platform. Not only to highlight his work as Governor-General of Moscow and Commander-in-Chief of the Moscow Military District, but also to tell a little about his and Elizaveta Feodorovna’s personalities and spiritual appearance. And it seems to me that this Christian image of people who truly lived according to the Gospel, it inspires our contemporaries,” said Anna Gromova, PhD in History, leading researcher at the Institute of General History of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

In the cinema hall, guests will be able to watch a documentary about Sergei Alexandrovich and the history of the Chudov Monastery. It was there in 1905 that the Grand Duke was laid to rest by decision of his wife, Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna.

In addition, the exhibition tells about the legacy of the Grand Duke, the work of the Elisabeth-Sergius Educational Society Foundation to restore the memorial cross in the Kremlin at the site of the murder of the august martyr, and the revival of the Moscow region residence of the Moscow Governor-General — the imperial estate of Ilyinskoye-Usovo. In addition, visitors to the exhibition will learn about the creation of museums by the foundation in the historic buildings of the estate, the installation of a monument to the Grand Duke’s couple in Klimentovsky Lane in Moscow, and educational work to preserve the memory of them in different regions of Russia.

The exhibition will also feature an educational program with lectures, overview and author’s excursions. The exhibition will run until September 21, 2025.

Museum association “Moscow Museum”

The Museum of Moscow was founded in 1896. It is one of the oldest museums in the capital and one of the largest in Russia. Its collection numbers 891,558 items, including a rich collection of archaeological artefacts.

The Museum of Moscow is located on the territory and in the premises of the federal cultural heritage site “Provision Stores” (1832–1835, architect V.P. Stasov) on Zubovsky Boulevard (building 2).

In addition, the museum association includes seven structural divisions, including the Moscow Archaeology Museum, the Lefortovo History Museum, the V.A. Gilyarovsky Center, the Garden Ring Museum, the Zelenograd Museum, the N.A. Dobrolyubov Library, and the Heraldic Hall of the City of Moscow.

The total area of the territory is 1.76 hectares, and the premises are 31,335 square meters, of which 8,127 square meters are exhibition areas.

Every year, the Museum of Moscow hosts dozens of exhibitions and events, festivals, seasonal and book fairs, theatrical and musical events. A children’s center, a lecture hall, a school of tour guides “Moskvagid” and a city excursion bureau, as well as a cinema for special screenings, are open on a permanent basis.

In the first half of 2025, the Museum of Moscow was visited by 600 thousand residents and guests of the capital.

Moscow Museums to Host International and National Projects — Sobyanin By 2026, all collections of Moscow museums will be digitized — Moscow Mayor

Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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https: //vv.mos.ru/mayor/tkhemes/1302505/

MIL OSI Russia News –

July 4, 2025