Category: housing

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Shaheen Forces Vote on Amendment to Keep Energy and Housing Costs from Skyrocketing; All But 2 Senate Republicans Reject Commonsense Proposal

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen
    (Washington, DC) – During the Senate “Vote-A-Rama” on Republicans’ “Big Beautiful Bill,” U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a senior member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, forced a vote on an amendment to preserve four longstanding bipartisan consumer energy efficiency and clean energy tax credits that lower energy costs for families, make housing more affordable, protect American jobs and help give businesses the certainty they need to thrive. All but two Senate Republicans—Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)—voted to block Shaheen’s amendment. Click here to watch Shaheen’s remarks on the Senate floor ahead of the vote. 
    “A vote for this amendment is a vote to make energy and housing more affordable and support American jobs and businesses,” said Senator Shaheen. “Last year, these credits helped build 350,000 new efficient homes that save families about $450 a year on energy. […] These credits create good jobs in a sector that is growing at twice the rate of jobs in the overall economy. If we vote to adopt this amendment, we can keep that job creation going.” 
    Shaheen’s amendment would have kept four bipartisan tax incentives—the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit, the Residential Clean Energy Credit, the New Energy Efficient Home Credit and the Energy Efficient Commercial Building Deduction—as they are in current law, preventing the Republican megabill from jacking up costs for middle-class families. 
    Shaheen leads legislative action in the U.S. Senate to support energy efficiency projects and initiatives. Last month, Shaheen pushed back on the Trump administration’s plans to scrap the Energy Star Program, which helps Americans save on energy costs. 
    Shaheen was a lead negotiator of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provided an approximately $6 billion investment in energy efficiency, including funding for residential, municipal, industrial and federal entities to implement efficiency upgrades based upon her longstanding bipartisan legislation with former U.S. Senator Rob Portman. 

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley Releases Bombshell Records Showing FBI Headquarters Interfered with Alleged Chinese Election Interference Probe to Shield Christopher Wray from Political Blowback

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today released internal Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) emails revealing the FBI suppressed intelligence of alleged Chinese interference in the 2020 election to insulate then-FBI Director Christopher Wray from criticism, after Wray provided inaccurate and contradictory testimony to Congress.
    The FBI declassified and provided the requested records to Grassley, along with an accompanying cover letter, after Grassley initially received some information from whistleblower disclosures. The FBI emails offer an inside look at the Bureau’s decision to recall and suppress an Intelligence Information Report (IIR) from the FBI’s Albany Field Office on September 25, 2020. The IIR contained information from an FBI Confidential Human Source (CHS) alleging the Chinese government was producing “tens of thousands” of fraudulent drivers’ licenses to manufacture mail-in votes for then-presidential candidate Joe Biden in the 2020 election. 
    According to the FBI, these allegations, despite showing initial signs of credibility, were allegedly never fully investigated due to the FBI’s sudden and “abnormal” decision to halt the investigation and bury the IIR’s existence, preventing any additional FBI field offices, as well as other Intelligence Community elements, from accessing or studying the document. The FBI’s stated reason for doing so was because “the reporting will contradict Director Wray’s testimony.” 
    “These records smack of political decision-making and prove the Wray-led FBI to be a deeply broken institution. Ahead of a high-stakes election happening amid an unprecedented global pandemic, the FBI turned its back on its national security mission,” Grassley said. “One way or the other, intelligence must be fully investigated to determine whether it’s true, or if it’s just smoke and mirrors. Chris Wray’s FBI wasn’t looking out for the American people – it was looking to save its own image. Now’s the time to rebuild the FBI’s trust. Director Patel’s willingness to work with me to establish renewed transparency and accountability is a critical part of that process, and I applaud him for his efforts.” 
    Political ReasoningFollowing the IIR’s recall, an FBI Albany intelligence analyst summarized the concerning series of events that led to the suppression:
    “Most concerning to me, is stating the reporting would contradict with Director Wray’s testimony. I found this troubling because it implied to me that one of the reasons we aren’t putting this out is for a political reason, which goes directly against our organization’s mission to remain apolitical and simply state what we know. Likewise, at the field operational level, I do not feel it is our job to assess whether or not our intelligence aligns with the Director…. My concern is that I think it gets dangerous if we cite potential political implications as reasons for not putting out our information.” 
    Source CredibilityAn FBI Albany official noted “the IIR was coordinated and disseminated in textbook fashion.” Further, a re-interview of the FBI CHS yielded additional context that supported the initial IIR’s findings. An FBI Albany official described the CHS as “competent” and “authentic in his/her reporting.” The CHS described the confidence in his/her sub-sourcing as a “9-10 range. [V]ery, very confident.”
    Decision for RecallAccording to an Assistant Section Chief in the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division, the IIR immediately generated “a lot of attention from all [Headquarter] divisions.” 
    Upon receiving the IIR, an FBI Albany official stated, “We have no reason to recall at this point.” Minutes later, the Albany Field Office was commanded to recall the IIR at the direct request of officials at FBI Headquarters, including Nikki Floris, then-Deputy Assistant Director (DAD) of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. Months before dismissing the IIR, Floris provided an unnecessary briefing to Grassley and Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) regarding their investigation into the Biden family. The briefing – though classified – was later leaked to the press in an effort to falsely smear the senators’ investigation as Russian disinformation.
    Following the IIR’s recall, FBI Headquarters informed field offices that “all raw reporting concerning the election will now require [Headquarters] coordination,” which had not been previously required. 
    Contradictory TestimonyDuring sworn testimony before the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee (HSGAC) on September 24, 2020, Wray stated: 
    “I think what I would say is this: We take all election-related threats seriously, whether it is voter fraud, voter suppression, whether it is in person, whether it is by mail. And our role is to investigate the threat actors. Now, we have not seen historically any kind of coordinated national voter fraud effort in a major election, whether it is by mail or otherwise… [B]ut people should make no mistake we are vigilant as to the threat and watching it carefully, because we are in uncharted new territory.” 
    Wray doubled down on his assertion in response to further questioning from HSGAC Ranking Member Gary Peters (D-Mich.).
    Peters: “Right, but your answer is clear. You have not seen any widespread fraud by mail. It is something the FBI watches continuously to make sure that that is not happening.” 
    Wray: “That is something that we would investigate seriously.” 
    Peters: “Absolutely.” 
    Wray: “And aggressively.” 
    FITF-China Prevents Further Follow-upOn October 8, 2020, an official with the FBI’s Foreign Influence Task Force (FITF)-China division confirmed FITF-China had still not approved a reissue of the IIR. Despite FITF-China offering to “discuss next steps” for the IIR, the FBI on June 27, 2025 confirmed to Grassley that they had “found no information to indicate that FITF-China aggressively investigated the reported information, despite corroborating intergovernmental reporting and logical investigative leads.” 
    Wray established FITF with the stated goal to “identify and counteract malign foreign influence operations targeting the United States.” Grassley called the Trump administration’s recent decision to close FITF “a positive step, given what the task force had been twisted into,” noting specifically its conduct against his and Senator Johnson’s Biden family investigation.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoeven: Senate Passes One Big Beautiful Bill, Providing Permanent Tax Relief for American Families and Small Businesses

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven

    07.01.25

    Legislation Will Grow Economy, Bolster Border Security, Rebuild Military, Empower Energy Dominance and Support Farmers and Ranchers

    WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today helped secure passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill, legislation to provide permanent tax relief for American families and small businesses, while delivering on key promises, including:

    • Securing the border. 
    • Rebuilding our military.
    • Supporting farmers and ranchers.
    • Unleashing American energy dominance.

    At the same time, the legislation finds savings of $1.6 trillion through common sense reforms and reducing waste, fraud and abuse, ultimately reducing the deficit by $507 billion.

    “The One Big Beautiful Bill will provide permanent tax relief, ensuring that Americans can keep more of their hard-earned dollars,” said Hoeven. “This legislation delivers on promises made by President Trump, including securing the border, investing in our military, empowering American energy dominance and supporting our farmers and ranchers. These are the priorities that will make our nation more prosperous and more secure.”

    Tax Relief for Families and Small Businesses

    The legislation permanently extends current individual tax rates and bracket changes of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, preserving $2.6 trillion in tax breaks for those earning under $400,000 per year, and preventing a $1,700 tax hike on the average family of four.

    The bill provides new and expanded tax deductions and credits for individuals, families and seniors, including:

    • No taxes on tips or overtime for millions of American workers.
    • Increasing and making permanent the enhanced child tax credit at $2,200, with $1,700 of that amount being refundable, adjusted for inflation.
    • Permanent relief from the death tax by setting the exemption to $15 million or $30 million for those married filing jointly, adjusted for inflation.
    • Savings accounts for newborns to help build financial security.
    • A new $6,000 tax deduction for millions of low- and middle-income seniors. Combined with other deductions, this will result in the average beneficiary paying zero taxes on Social Security

    The legislation helps small businesses, including agricultural producers and manufacturers invest in their operations by:

    • Permanently extending the Section 199A pass-through deduction for small businesses, farmers and ranchers.
      • Permanently extending the Section 199A(g) deduction used by agricultural cooperatives.
    • Increasing the Section 179 expensing amount to $2.5 million and increasing the phaseout for qualified property at $4 million.
    • Establishing a 100 percent accelerated depreciation for new industrial and manufacturing facilities that begin construction between 2025-2028.
    • Making permanent the 30 percent interest expense allowance.
    • Permanently extending the 100 percent domestic research and development deduction.
    • Making permanent 100 percent bonus depreciation.

    Support for Farmers and Ranchers

    The legislation provides strong support for the nation’s farmers and ranchers, and improves the farm-safety net to meet today’s markets and input costs by:

    • Increasing reference prices for ARC and PLC by 10% to 20% (specific increase varies by commodity).
    • Providing built-in future reference price increases with an inflation adjuster and improved price escalator formula to prevent reference prices from becoming outdated when market and input costs change.
    • New safety net begins right away – producers can receive the higher of the ARC or PLC payment for this crop year, 2025, with the new updated reference prices. North Dakota farmers will see tens of millions of dollars in relief in 2025 alone thanks to these updates.
    • Includes key provisions of Hoeven’s FARMER Act to strengthen and expand access to affordable crop insurance
      • Increases premium support for individual-based coverage across nearly all levels – starting at 55% — by an additional 3-5%.
      • Enhances the Supplemental Coverage Option by raising the coverage level from 86% to 90%, and boosts premium support from 65% to 80%.
    • Extends the sugar program through 2031, while increasing the sugar loan rate to meet current market conditions.
    • Improves livestock disaster programs
      • Sets Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) payments at 100% of market value for losses from federally protected predators and 75% for weather and disease losses.
      • Improves the Livestock Forage Program (LFP) to provide one monthly payment to eligible producers with grazing land in counties rated D2 (severe drought) for at least four consecutive weeks and two payments if D2 persists during any seven of eight consecutive weeks within the normal grazing period.

    Unleashing U.S. Energy Dominance

    The One Big Beautiful Bill will help restore American energy dominance by rolling back burdensome Green New Deal policies and empowering domestic energy production, including:

    • Increasing the value of the 45Q tax credit for captured carbon used in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and utilization to match that of sequestration.
    • Requiring the Interior Department to hold regular oil and gas lease sales across federal lands and waters.
    • Requiring the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to act timely on coal lease applications.
    • Reducing the royalty rate for oil, gas and coal produced on federal land to their levels prior to the Biden administration’s tax-and-spend legislation.
    • Stopping the Biden-era natural gas tax.
    • Investing in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
    • Providing regulatory relief for energy producers and repeals Biden-era Green New Deal policies and programs.

    Bolstering the Military

    • $25 billion to support the Golden Dome initiative, with investments in hypersonic testing, ground-based radars, and space-based sensors that support North Dakota-based missions and capabilities.
    • $15 billion to enhance nuclear deterrence, including the nuclear missions based at Minot Air Force Base:
      •  $2.5 billion for the new Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) program.
      • $500 million to sustain the existing Minuteman III ICBM.
      • $200 million for additional MH-1139 Grey Wolf helicopters.
    • Improves servicemembers’ quality of life through increased allowances and special pays, as well as improvements to housing, health care, childcare, and education.

    Securing the Border

    • Completes construction of the border wall, and upgrades barrier systems including access roads, cameras, lights, and sensors.
    • Improves border screening technology to help prevent drug trafficking and human smuggling.
    • Strong funding to hire and train more border security personnel.
    • Funds the Operation Stonegarden grant program to equip state and local law enforcements to cooperate with Border Patrol.
    • Invests in state and local capabilities to detect threats from unmanned aerial systems.

    Supporting Water Infrastructure

    • Provides $1 billion in funding for Bureau of Reclamation Water Conveyance Projects, including for eligible projects like the Eastern North Dakota Alternate Water Supply Project (ENDAWS).

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI: Timing Is Everything: DRML Miner Launches Scalable Cloud Mining and Opens the Smartest Way to Mine Bitcoin

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    London, UK, July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitcoin has once again proven it plays by its own rules. While traditional markets struggle under inflation and uncertainty, BTC keeps shattering resistance levels. Investors who waited on the sidelines now watch as prices climb, wishing they’d acted sooner. Those who took a chance when everyone else was cautious are now celebrating hefty returns.

    This breakout is not just luck — it’s a testament to Bitcoin’s growing global acceptance. The question now is simple: how can you capitalize on this new surge without the stress of running your own mining operation? The answer lies with a powerful ally in the crypto space — DRML Miner.

    Introducing DRML Miner: The Future of Effortless Cloud Mining

    DRML Miner is more than just another mining platform. It’s a complete ecosystem built to let you profit from the crypto boom without the massive costs of traditional mining. Their platform was designed for both newcomers and serious investors who want a seamless, secure, and scalable way to mine Bitcoin and altcoins.

    Here’s why DRML Miner is transforming cloud mining:

    Instant Start: No bulky rigs. No tech headaches. Register, choose a plan, and start mining immediately.

    Affordable Entry: Get started with as little as $100. Scale your investment as your earnings grow.

    Daily Payouts: Enjoy stable, daily returns directly to your account.

    Ironclad Security: Advanced encryption protects every transaction.

    24/7 Support: A dedicated team ready to guide you whenever you need.

    No Surprise Fees: What you see is exactly what you pay.

    Breaking Away from the Crowd: Why It Pays to Go Against the Trend

    Many investors still fear entering the crypto market, burned by past volatility or confused by its complexity. But history favors those who move while others freeze. By the time the masses pile in, the biggest gains are often already gone.

    Partnering with DRML Miner means you’re positioning yourself at the forefront of this new wave. As Bitcoin continues to break new ground, your mining profits stand to grow in parallel. Instead of worrying about buying hardware, managing power bills, or figuring out mining pools, DRML does all the heavy lifting.

    Advanced Technology Means More Profits for You

    Unlike many old-school operations, DRML Miner uses cutting-edge algorithms and smart mining systems. Their tech team constantly upgrades their infrastructure, ensuring mining stays efficient even as network difficulty rises. This approach maximizes hash power and minimizes wasted energy, translating to more consistent earnings for you.

    Their online dashboard is equally powerful. It gives you a transparent, real-time view of your mining activity, your returns, and your wallet balance. Withdraw your earnings anytime — your money, your control.

    Why Bitcoin’s Surge Makes Now the Perfect Time

    With Bitcoin breaking through long-held barriers, there’s never been a better moment to get involved. Traditional markets are plagued by rising interest rates and unpredictable swings. Meanwhile, Bitcoin continues attracting institutional investors, solidifying its reputation as digital gold.

    Cloud mining through DRML Miner lets you ride this momentum without the steep barriers of traditional mining. No need for warehouse space, no hardware troubleshooting, no noise, no heat. Just sign up, fund your plan, and watch your crypto grow.

    Multiple Plans for Every Investor

    Whether you’re a cautious beginner or a seasoned whale, DRML Miner offers flexible plans tailored to your goals. Start small to get comfortable, then upgrade as you see steady returns. This flexibility is crucial in a rapidly changing market.

    Their minimum plan starts at just $100, making it accessible to almost anyone serious about building crypto wealth. From there, the sky’s the limit.

    Security and Transparency at Every Step

    In crypto, trust is everything. DRML Miner backs this up with airtight security protocols and transparent operations. All transactions use high-grade encryption. Your account is protected by multi-layer verification. And with no hidden fees, your payouts are exactly what you expect.

    Plus, their friendly support team is available around the clock, ready to answer any questions or solve any concerns. That’s true peace of mind.

    Step Boldly Into the New Era of Mining

    Going against the trend is how real wealth is built. While others stay cautious or wait for “the perfect time,” savvy investors are already mining, already earning, already building their digital futures.

    By partnering with DRML Miner, you join a platform that combines smart technology, real security, and a proven record of daily payouts. It’s your chance to lead — not follow — in the new era of cloud mining.

    Ready to Get Started?

    Don’t watch from the sidelines as Bitcoin continues to surge. Take action now. Visit https://drmlminers.com/ today, explore their mining plans, and set your financial future in motion. The new era of crypto wealth is here. Will you seize it?

     

    Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release does not constitute an investment solicitation, nor does it constitute investment advice, financial advice, or trading recommendations. Cryptocurrency mining and staking involve risks and the possibility of losing funds. It is strongly recommended that you perform due diligence before investing or trading in cryptocurrencies and securities, including consulting a professional financial advisor.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-Evening Report: What did ancient Rome smell like? Honestly, often pretty rank

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Thomas J. Derrick, Gale Research Fellow in Ancient Glass and Material Culture, Macquarie University

    minoandriani/Getty Images

    The roar of the arena crowd, the bustle of the Roman forum, the grand temples, the Roman army in red with glistening shields and armour – when people imagine ancient Rome, they often think of its sights and sounds. We know less, however, about the scents of ancient Rome.

    We cannot, of course, go back and sniff to find out. But the literary texts, physical remains of structures, objects, and environmental evidence (such as plants and animals) can offer clues.

    So what might ancient Rome have smelled like?

    Honestly, often pretty rank

    In describing the smells of plants, author and naturalist Pliny the Elder uses words such as iucundus (agreeable), acutus (pungent), vis (strong), or dilutus (weak).

    None of that language is particularly evocative in its power to transport us back in time, unfortunately.

    But we can probably safely assume that, in many areas, Rome was likely pretty dirty and rank-smelling. Property owners did not commonly connect their toilets to the sewers in large Roman towns and cities – perhaps fearing rodent incursions or odours.

    Roman sewers were more like storm drains, and served to take standing water away from public areas.

    Professionals collected faeces for fertiliser and urine for cloth processing from domestic and public latrines and cesspits. Chamber pots were also used, which could later be dumped in cesspits.

    This waste disposal process was just for those who could afford to live in houses; many lived in small, non-domestic spaces, barely furnished apartments, or on the streets.

    A common whiff in the Roman city would have come from the animals and the waste they created. Roman bakeries frequently used large lava stone mills (or “querns”) turned by mules or donkeys. Then there was the smell of pack animals and livestock being brought into town for slaughter or sale.

    Animals were part of life in the Roman empire.
    Marco_Piunti/Getty Images

    The large “stepping-stones” still seen in the streets of Pompeii were likely so people could cross streets and avoid the assorted feculence that covered the paving stones.

    Disposal of corpses (animals and human) was not formulaic. Depending on the class of the person who had died, people might well have been left out in the open without cremation or burial.

    Bodies, potentially decaying, were a more common sight in ancient Rome than now.

    Suetonius, writing in the first century CE, famously wrote of a dog carrying a severed human hand to the dining table of the Emperor Vespasian.

    Deodorants and toothpastes

    In a world devoid of today’s modern scented products – and daily bathing by most of the population – ancient Roman settlements would have smelt of body odour.

    Classical literature has some recipes for toothpaste and even deodorants.

    However, many of the deodorants were to be used orally (chewed or swallowed) to stop one’s armpits smelling.

    One was made by boiling golden thistle root in fine wine to induce urination (which was thought to flush out odour).

    The Roman baths would likely not have been as hygienic as they may appear to tourists visiting today. A small tub in a public bath could hold between eight and 12 bathers.

    The Romans had soap, but it wasn’t commonly used for personal hygiene. Olive oil (including scented oil) was preferred. It was scraped off the skin with a strigil (a bronze curved tool).

    This oil and skin combination was then discarded (maybe even slung at a wall). Baths had drains – but as oil and water don’t mix, it was likely pretty grimy.

    Scented perfumes

    The Romans did have perfumes and incense.

    The invention of glassblowing in the late first century BCE (likely in Roman-controlled Jerusalem) made glass readily available, and glass perfume bottles are a common archaeological find.

    Animal and plant fats were infused with scents – such as rose, cinnamon, iris, frankincense and saffron – and were mixed with medicinal ingredients and pigments.

    The roses of Paestum in Campania (southern Italy) were particularly prized, and a perfume shop has even been excavated in the city’s Roman forum.

    The trading power of the vast Roman empire meant spices could be sourced from India and the surrounding regions.

    There were warehouses for storing spices such as pepper, cinnamon and myrrh in the centre of Rome.

    In a recent Oxford Journal of Archaeology article, researcher Cecilie Brøns writes that even ancient statues could be perfumed with scented oils.

    Sources frequently do not describe the smell of perfumes used to anoint the statues, but a predominantly rose-based perfume is specifically mentioned for this purpose in inscriptions from the Greek city of Delos (at which archaeologists have also identified perfume workshops). Beeswax was likely added to perfumes as a stabiliser.

    Enhancing the scent of statues (particularly those of gods and goddesses) with perfumes and garlands was important in their veneration and worship.

    An olfactory onslaught

    The ancient city would have smelt like human waste, wood smoke, rotting and decay, cremating flesh, cooking food, perfumes and incense, and many other things.

    It sounds awful to a modern person, but it seems the Romans did not complain about the smell of the ancient city that much.

    Perhaps, as historian Neville Morley has suggested, to them these were the smells of home or even of the height of civilisation.

    Thomas J. Derrick 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. What did ancient Rome smell like? Honestly, often pretty rank – https://theconversation.com/what-did-ancient-rome-smell-like-honestly-often-pretty-rank-257111

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-Evening Report: News laws to make it harder for large Australian and foreign companies to avoid paying tax

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kerrie Sadiq, Professor of Taxation, QUT Business School, and ARC Future Fellow, Queensland University of Technology

    The Conversation, CC BY

    The beginning of the financial year means for the first time in Australia the public will see previously unreleased tax reports produced by multinational taxpayers.

    These documents, known as country-by-country reports, or CbCR for short, contain information about the tax practices of large Australian businesses and foreign businesses operating in Australia. This information, previously only available to the taxpayer and the Australian Tax Office, will be made public.

    Country-by-country reports, announced in the October 2022-2023 budget, were introduced with other measures designed to improve corporate tax behaviour. The reports will be released from this week as part of corporate reporting practices. Multinationals have 12 months to comply.

    A fairer tax system

    Country-by-country reporting forms part of the government’s multinational tax integrity election commitment package. The aim is to ensure a fairer and more sustainable tax system. Large firms will be required to publish a statement on their global activities plus tax information for each jurisdiction in which they operate.

    Until now, large multinationals only had to prepare annual consolidated financial statements under international financial reporting standards. The traditional reports aggregate results and provide limited geographic reporting information.

    Traditional high-level reporting allows multinationals to conceal their country-level activities. This hides questionable tax practices.

    Country-by-country reporting allows us to better see where a multinational operates. More importantly, the amount of activity in each jurisdiction is reported. The information provides clues as to whether artificial profit shifting has occurred.

    Anyone interested can uncover details about how multinationals structure their global operations. Information may reveal a misalignment between the company’s real economic presence in a country, the profits they book and taxes they pay in that country.

    Bringing Australia into line with the EU

    Country-by-country reporting is not new. It is the requirement that the information be made public that has changed.

    Australian firms have been required to provide such reports to the Australian Tax Office since 2016. However, the information has been confidential.

    The new public disclosure law brings Australia in line with large firms operating in the European Union which brought in the change last year.

    How country-by-country reporting works

    A taxpayer with annual global income above A$1 billion and at least A$10 million of its turnover Australian-sourced will need to produce a report. The obligation to disclose rests with the parent entity no matter where they are located.

    Australia’s largest companies, including mining giants Rio Tinto and BHP, biotech firm CSL, and investment bank Macquarie Group, will be among those expected to report, as will foreign tech behemoths such as Apple, Amazon, Microsoft and Meta.

    These tech giants are the same US firms likely to be excluded from the global minimum tax rules under a G7 agreement reached last week. Under the agreement, US multinationals were exempted from paying more corporate tax overseas. Other G7 members gave in to protect their own companies from the US’s threat of retaliation.

    Under the law change in Australia, a parent entity will provide its name, the names of all members of the group, a description of their approach to tax, and information about operations in certain countries. Included on the list are countries that attract multinationals due to reduced tax obligations, such as Singapore, Switzerland, and the Bahamas.

    Everyone will be able to see where a multinational is operating. They will also see the types of business activities conducted, number of employees, assets, revenue, and taxes paid. Large profits in a country but little business activity and very few employees may raise questions, especially if a country has a low tax rate.

    Benefits of better transparency

    Access to the extra information will help investors assess the tax and reputational risk of a firm. A multinational that shifts profits to low tax countries may be audited and pay extra tax and penalties.

    Increased transparency allows greater scrutiny. In turn, it is hoped multinationals will reduce aggressive tax planning due to potential risk to their reputation.

    If multinationals shift less taxable profits out of Australia to low-tax or no-tax jurisdictions, this will lead to Australia receiving a greater share of much needed corporate tax revenue.

    Reducing profit shifting

    Recent academic research on public country-by-country reporting reveals it provides additional information to better identify tax haven activity. However, it does not result in a significant drop in corporate tax avoidance.

    Increased tax transparency helps investors and tax authorities to better understand a multinational’s economic and tax geographic footprint. It is also important when it seems that US giants will be excluded from the 15% global minimum tax rules. Transparency by itself, however, does not lead to multinationals paying more corporate taxes.

    By its very nature, tax avoidance is legal but pushes the boundaries by going against the spirit of the law. Indeed, many large multinationals argue tax is a legal obligation and is not voluntary. They maintain they pay the tax required of them according to the law.

    Undoubtedly, Australia’s new public country-by-country regime is a positive step for tax transparency. As a country initiative, it has been applauded as groundbreaking and world leading. However, it is not a panacea to corporate tax avoidance.

    To limit corporate tax avoidance and have multinationals pay more corporate taxes, we must get to the heart of the problem. We must change the law that dictates the way multinationals are taxed.

    Kerrie Sadiq currently receives funding from the Australian Research Council. She has previously received research grants from CPA Australia and CAANZ.

    Rodney Brown has previously received research grants from CPA Australia and CAANZ.

    ref. News laws to make it harder for large Australian and foreign companies to avoid paying tax – https://theconversation.com/news-laws-to-make-it-harder-for-large-australian-and-foreign-companies-to-avoid-paying-tax-260004

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-Evening Report: News laws to make it harder for large Australian and foreign companies to avoid paying tax

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kerrie Sadiq, Professor of Taxation, QUT Business School, and ARC Future Fellow, Queensland University of Technology

    The Conversation, CC BY

    The beginning of the financial year means for the first time in Australia the public will see previously unreleased tax reports produced by multinational taxpayers.

    These documents, known as country-by-country reports, or CbCR for short, contain information about the tax practices of large Australian businesses and foreign businesses operating in Australia. This information, previously only available to the taxpayer and the Australian Tax Office, will be made public.

    Country-by-country reports, announced in the October 2022-2023 budget, were introduced with other measures designed to improve corporate tax behaviour. The reports will be released from this week as part of corporate reporting practices. Multinationals have 12 months to comply.

    A fairer tax system

    Country-by-country reporting forms part of the government’s multinational tax integrity election commitment package. The aim is to ensure a fairer and more sustainable tax system. Large firms will be required to publish a statement on their global activities plus tax information for each jurisdiction in which they operate.

    Until now, large multinationals only had to prepare annual consolidated financial statements under international financial reporting standards. The traditional reports aggregate results and provide limited geographic reporting information.

    Traditional high-level reporting allows multinationals to conceal their country-level activities. This hides questionable tax practices.

    Country-by-country reporting allows us to better see where a multinational operates. More importantly, the amount of activity in each jurisdiction is reported. The information provides clues as to whether artificial profit shifting has occurred.

    Anyone interested can uncover details about how multinationals structure their global operations. Information may reveal a misalignment between the company’s real economic presence in a country, the profits they book and taxes they pay in that country.

    Bringing Australia into line with the EU

    Country-by-country reporting is not new. It is the requirement that the information be made public that has changed.

    Australian firms have been required to provide such reports to the Australian Tax Office since 2016. However, the information has been confidential.

    The new public disclosure law brings Australia in line with large firms operating in the European Union which brought in the change last year.

    How country-by-country reporting works

    A taxpayer with annual global income above A$1 billion and at least A$10 million of its turnover Australian-sourced will need to produce a report. The obligation to disclose rests with the parent entity no matter where they are located.

    Australia’s largest companies, including mining giants Rio Tinto and BHP, biotech firm CSL, and investment bank Macquarie Group, will be among those expected to report, as will foreign tech behemoths such as Apple, Amazon, Microsoft and Meta.

    These tech giants are the same US firms likely to be excluded from the global minimum tax rules under a G7 agreement reached last week. Under the agreement, US multinationals were exempted from paying more corporate tax overseas. Other G7 members gave in to protect their own companies from the US’s threat of retaliation.

    Under the law change in Australia, a parent entity will provide its name, the names of all members of the group, a description of their approach to tax, and information about operations in certain countries. Included on the list are countries that attract multinationals due to reduced tax obligations, such as Singapore, Switzerland, and the Bahamas.

    Everyone will be able to see where a multinational is operating. They will also see the types of business activities conducted, number of employees, assets, revenue, and taxes paid. Large profits in a country but little business activity and very few employees may raise questions, especially if a country has a low tax rate.

    Benefits of better transparency

    Access to the extra information will help investors assess the tax and reputational risk of a firm. A multinational that shifts profits to low tax countries may be audited and pay extra tax and penalties.

    Increased transparency allows greater scrutiny. In turn, it is hoped multinationals will reduce aggressive tax planning due to potential risk to their reputation.

    If multinationals shift less taxable profits out of Australia to low-tax or no-tax jurisdictions, this will lead to Australia receiving a greater share of much needed corporate tax revenue.

    Reducing profit shifting

    Recent academic research on public country-by-country reporting reveals it provides additional information to better identify tax haven activity. However, it does not result in a significant drop in corporate tax avoidance.

    Increased tax transparency helps investors and tax authorities to better understand a multinational’s economic and tax geographic footprint. It is also important when it seems that US giants will be excluded from the 15% global minimum tax rules. Transparency by itself, however, does not lead to multinationals paying more corporate taxes.

    By its very nature, tax avoidance is legal but pushes the boundaries by going against the spirit of the law. Indeed, many large multinationals argue tax is a legal obligation and is not voluntary. They maintain they pay the tax required of them according to the law.

    Undoubtedly, Australia’s new public country-by-country regime is a positive step for tax transparency. As a country initiative, it has been applauded as groundbreaking and world leading. However, it is not a panacea to corporate tax avoidance.

    To limit corporate tax avoidance and have multinationals pay more corporate taxes, we must get to the heart of the problem. We must change the law that dictates the way multinationals are taxed.

    Kerrie Sadiq currently receives funding from the Australian Research Council. She has previously received research grants from CPA Australia and CAANZ.

    Rodney Brown has previously received research grants from CPA Australia and CAANZ.

    ref. News laws to make it harder for large Australian and foreign companies to avoid paying tax – https://theconversation.com/news-laws-to-make-it-harder-for-large-australian-and-foreign-companies-to-avoid-paying-tax-260004

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-Evening Report: Farming within Earth’s limits is still possible – but it will take a Herculean effort

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michalis Hadjikakou, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Sustainability, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering & Built Environment, Deakin University

    Patrick Pleul/Getty

    The way we currently produce and consume food takes a big toll on the environment.

    Worldwide, farming is responsible for more than 20% of greenhouse gas emissions and uses more than 70% of all fresh water taken from rivers, lakes and groundwater. It’s the leading driver of deforestation and nutrient pollution, largely from fertiliser run-off. All of these pose a serious threat to ecosystems.

    If this sounds serious, it’s because it is. If emissions and land clearing trends continue, the world’s food system alone could make it impossible to meet climate targets. If we continue eating and producing food in the same way we are now, we will almost certainly exceed crucial environmental limits by 2050.

    What can be done? In our new research, we looked for ways to keep the food system within environmental limits by 2050. We found only one approach worked: combine high-impact changes such as shifting to flexitarian (low meat) diets, improving farming practices and reducing food waste.

    Why will farming take us past environmental limits?

    Environmental limits are also known as planetary boundaries. These nine boundaries are Earth’s natural safety limits. They range from freshwater resources to the biosphere to the climate. Human activities have pushed past six out of nine safe boundaries through clearing too much land, overusing water for irrigation, overapplying fertilisers or emitting more than our shrinking carbon budget permits.

    If we cross these thresholds, we risk dangerous and irreversible changes to the conditions supporting a stable planet.

    Transforming the way we farm and eat is essential if we are to keep humanity in a safe operating space within environmental limits.

    The 2021 documentary Breaking Boundaries focused on the very real dangers of breaching planetary limits.

    What does this transformation look like?

    The challenge of making food production sustainable is long-running. Previous research has compared the effectiveness of different changes authorities and consumers could make. But most studies used different models, making it hard to compare changes.

    To overcome this problem, we synthesised information from previous studies and built a database of thousands of future food system scenarios and possible changes. Then we performed a meta-analysis to combine data from multiple studies and draw more robust conclusions.

    This approach allows policymakers and researchers to compare apples and apples, as well as see which combination of changes would let us stay within crucial safety limits by 2050.

    We focused on four vital indicators: how much land and water is used for farming; the amount of greenhouse gases emitted; and the flows of two key nutrients, nitrogen and phosphorus.

    What works best?

    What stood out was the sheer variation in effectiveness. Some changes would work very well across several areas, while others would take a lot of effort for not enough result.

    Two changes punch well above their weight on land, water and emissions.

    The first is shifting to a flexitarian diet with fewer foods sourced from animals. This is similar to traditional regional diets such as the Mediterranean and Okinawan diets, where meat and dairy are eaten in much smaller proportions compared to whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes.

    Returning to this diet could shrink how much land we use for farming by almost a quarter (24%), cut water demand by 14% and slash greenhouse gas emissions by 47%.

    Traditional diets such as the Mediterranean diet rely less on animal products and more on plants, nuts, oils and legumes.
    monticello/Shutterstock

    The second is breeding better livestock. Livestock today are much better at converting their feed into meat or milk than their precursors. But this could be better still. More productive animals could enable an 18% reduction in land use, a 10% drop in water use and a 34% cut to emissions.

    Modern fertilisers have made it possible to produce many more crops and fodder. But if too much fertiliser is applied, it can wash off after rain and pollute waterways.

    Better timed and more precise application of fertiliser is by far the best way to cut nutrient pollution. Major improvements here could cut nitrogen pollution by 39% and phosphorus pollution by 42%. As a side benefit, it could save farmers money.



    Increasing crop yields, lowering agricultural emissions through better soil management and other practices, and taking up technologies such as methane-reducing supplements can significantly reduce our risk of exceeding environmental limits. So too can cutting food waste and using water more wisely in farming. Our extended results show the relative benefits of ten possible interventions.

    There is no silver bullet

    We found no single change was up to the task of making food production and consumption sustainable.

    We considered over a million possible combinations of changes. Of these combinations, only a tiny fraction – 0.02% – give us a fighting chance of staying within all environmental limits.

    In almost all successful combinations, the world would need to make significant cuts to how many calories come from animals, make big improvements to fertiliser use and nutrient management, and focus research and development on finding ways to farm land and livestock with less resources and emissions.

    Most successful combinations also rely on halving food waste and reducing overconsumption.

    Is it still possible?

    Farming within the limits of Earth’s systems will be hard. But it is possible.

    Some work is already being done. Global organisations such as the United Nations are making a concerted effort to accelerate changes to food systems across many countries.

    Research like ours can make people feel powerless. But individual change is always worthwhile. Reducing your intake of animal products benefits your health and the planet.

    Properly addressing these very real issues will take concerted, collective work. If we don’t succeed, we risk triggering ecological collapse – and threatening the foundation for human civilisation.

    The knowledge and tools are at hand. What’s needed now is ambition – and a sense of what’s at stake.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    ref. Farming within Earth’s limits is still possible – but it will take a Herculean effort – https://theconversation.com/farming-within-earths-limits-is-still-possible-but-it-will-take-a-herculean-effort-259901

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-Evening Report: Gum disease, decay, missing teeth: why people with mental illness have poorer oral health

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bonnie Clough, Senior Lecturer, School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University

    mihailomilovanovic/Getty Images

    People with poor mental health face many challenges. One that’s perhaps lesser known is that they’re more likely than the overall population to have poor oral health.

    Research has shown people with serious mental illness are four times more likely than the general population to have gum disease. They’re nearly three times more likely to have lost all their teeth due to problems such as gum disease and tooth decay.

    Serious mental illnesses include major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder and psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia. These conditions affect about 800,000 Australians.

    People living with schizophrenia have, on average, eight more teeth that are decayed, missing or filled than the general population.

    So why does this link exist? And what can we do to address the problem?

    Why is this a problem?

    Oral health problems are expensive to fix and can make it hard for people to eat, socialise, work or even just smile.

    What’s more, dental issues can land people in hospital. Our research shows dental conditions are the third most common reason for preventable hospital admissions among people with serious mental illness.

    Meanwhile, poor oral health is linked with long-term health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, some cancers, and even cognitive problems. This is because the bacteria associated with gum diseases can cause inflammation throughout the body, which affects other systems in the body.

    Why are mental health and oral health linked?

    Poor mental and oral health share common risk factors. Social factors such as isolation, unemployment and housing insecurity can worsen both oral and mental health.

    For example, unemployment increases the risk of oral disease. This can be due to financial difficulties, reduced access to oral health care, or potential changes to diet and hygiene practices.

    At the same time, oral disease can increase barriers to finding employment, due to stigma, discrimination, dental pain and associated long-term health conditions.

    It’s clear the relationship between oral health and mental health goes both ways. Dental disease can reduce self-esteem and increase psychological distress. Meanwhile, symptoms of mental health conditions, such as low motivation, can make engaging in good oral health practices, including brushing, flossing, and visiting the dentist, more difficult.

    And like many people, those with serious mental illness can experience significant anxiety about going to the dentist. They may also have experienced trauma in the past, which can make visiting a dental clinic a frightening experience.

    Separately, poor oral health can be made worse by some medications for mental health conditions. Certain medications can interfere with saliva production, reducing the protective barrier that covers the teeth. Some may also increase sugar cravings, which heightens the risk of tooth decay.

    Some medications people take for mental health conditions can affect oral health.
    Gladskikh Tatiana/Shutterstock

    Our research

    In a recent study, we interviewed young people with mental illness. Our findings show the significant personal costs of dental disease among people with mental illness, and highlight the relationship between oral and mental health.

    Smiling is one of our best ways to communicate, but we found people with serious mental illness were sometimes embarrassed and ashamed to smile due to poor oral health.

    One participant told us:

    [poor oral health is] not only [about] the physical aspects of restricting how you eat, but it’s also about your mental health in terms of your self-esteem, your self-confidence, and basic wellbeing, which sort of drives me to become more isolated.

    Another said:

    for me, it was that serious fear of – God my teeth are looking really crap, and in the past they’ve [dental practitioners] asked, “Hey, you’ve missed this spot; what’s happening?”. How do I explain to them, hey, I’ve had some really shitty stuff happening and I have a very serious episode of depression?

    What can we do?

    Another of our recent studies focused on improving oral health awareness and behaviours among young adults experiencing mental health difficulties. We found a brief online oral health education program improved participants’ oral health knowledge and attitudes.

    Improving oral health can result in improved mental wellbeing, self-esteem and quality of life. But achieving this isn’t always easy.

    Limited Medicare coverage for dental care means oral diseases are frequently treated late, particularly among people with mental illness. By this time, more invasive treatments, such as removal of teeth, are often required.

    It’s crucial the health system takes a holistic approach to caring for people experiencing serious mental illness. That means we have mental health staff who ask questions about oral health, and dental practitioners who are trained to manage the unique oral health needs of people with serious mental illness.

    It also means increasing government funding for oral health services – promotion, prevention and improved interdisciplinary care. This includes better collaboration between oral health, mental health, and peer and informal support sectors.

    Amanda Wheeler is an investigator on a MetroSouth Health 2025 grant exploring use of Queensland Emergency Departments for people with mental ill-health seeking acute care for oral health problems.

    Steve Kisely has received a grant on oral health from Metro South Research Foundation and one from the Medical Research Future Fund.

    Bonnie Clough, Caroline Victoria Robertson, and Santosh Tadakamadla do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    ref. Gum disease, decay, missing teeth: why people with mental illness have poorer oral health – https://theconversation.com/gum-disease-decay-missing-teeth-why-people-with-mental-illness-have-poorer-oral-health-258403

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-Evening Report: Gum disease, decay, missing teeth: why people with mental illness have poorer oral health

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bonnie Clough, Senior Lecturer, School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University

    mihailomilovanovic/Getty Images

    People with poor mental health face many challenges. One that’s perhaps lesser known is that they’re more likely than the overall population to have poor oral health.

    Research has shown people with serious mental illness are four times more likely than the general population to have gum disease. They’re nearly three times more likely to have lost all their teeth due to problems such as gum disease and tooth decay.

    Serious mental illnesses include major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder and psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia. These conditions affect about 800,000 Australians.

    People living with schizophrenia have, on average, eight more teeth that are decayed, missing or filled than the general population.

    So why does this link exist? And what can we do to address the problem?

    Why is this a problem?

    Oral health problems are expensive to fix and can make it hard for people to eat, socialise, work or even just smile.

    What’s more, dental issues can land people in hospital. Our research shows dental conditions are the third most common reason for preventable hospital admissions among people with serious mental illness.

    Meanwhile, poor oral health is linked with long-term health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, some cancers, and even cognitive problems. This is because the bacteria associated with gum diseases can cause inflammation throughout the body, which affects other systems in the body.

    Why are mental health and oral health linked?

    Poor mental and oral health share common risk factors. Social factors such as isolation, unemployment and housing insecurity can worsen both oral and mental health.

    For example, unemployment increases the risk of oral disease. This can be due to financial difficulties, reduced access to oral health care, or potential changes to diet and hygiene practices.

    At the same time, oral disease can increase barriers to finding employment, due to stigma, discrimination, dental pain and associated long-term health conditions.

    It’s clear the relationship between oral health and mental health goes both ways. Dental disease can reduce self-esteem and increase psychological distress. Meanwhile, symptoms of mental health conditions, such as low motivation, can make engaging in good oral health practices, including brushing, flossing, and visiting the dentist, more difficult.

    And like many people, those with serious mental illness can experience significant anxiety about going to the dentist. They may also have experienced trauma in the past, which can make visiting a dental clinic a frightening experience.

    Separately, poor oral health can be made worse by some medications for mental health conditions. Certain medications can interfere with saliva production, reducing the protective barrier that covers the teeth. Some may also increase sugar cravings, which heightens the risk of tooth decay.

    Some medications people take for mental health conditions can affect oral health.
    Gladskikh Tatiana/Shutterstock

    Our research

    In a recent study, we interviewed young people with mental illness. Our findings show the significant personal costs of dental disease among people with mental illness, and highlight the relationship between oral and mental health.

    Smiling is one of our best ways to communicate, but we found people with serious mental illness were sometimes embarrassed and ashamed to smile due to poor oral health.

    One participant told us:

    [poor oral health is] not only [about] the physical aspects of restricting how you eat, but it’s also about your mental health in terms of your self-esteem, your self-confidence, and basic wellbeing, which sort of drives me to become more isolated.

    Another said:

    for me, it was that serious fear of – God my teeth are looking really crap, and in the past they’ve [dental practitioners] asked, “Hey, you’ve missed this spot; what’s happening?”. How do I explain to them, hey, I’ve had some really shitty stuff happening and I have a very serious episode of depression?

    What can we do?

    Another of our recent studies focused on improving oral health awareness and behaviours among young adults experiencing mental health difficulties. We found a brief online oral health education program improved participants’ oral health knowledge and attitudes.

    Improving oral health can result in improved mental wellbeing, self-esteem and quality of life. But achieving this isn’t always easy.

    Limited Medicare coverage for dental care means oral diseases are frequently treated late, particularly among people with mental illness. By this time, more invasive treatments, such as removal of teeth, are often required.

    It’s crucial the health system takes a holistic approach to caring for people experiencing serious mental illness. That means we have mental health staff who ask questions about oral health, and dental practitioners who are trained to manage the unique oral health needs of people with serious mental illness.

    It also means increasing government funding for oral health services – promotion, prevention and improved interdisciplinary care. This includes better collaboration between oral health, mental health, and peer and informal support sectors.

    Amanda Wheeler is an investigator on a MetroSouth Health 2025 grant exploring use of Queensland Emergency Departments for people with mental ill-health seeking acute care for oral health problems.

    Steve Kisely has received a grant on oral health from Metro South Research Foundation and one from the Medical Research Future Fund.

    Bonnie Clough, Caroline Victoria Robertson, and Santosh Tadakamadla do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    ref. Gum disease, decay, missing teeth: why people with mental illness have poorer oral health – https://theconversation.com/gum-disease-decay-missing-teeth-why-people-with-mental-illness-have-poorer-oral-health-258403

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Bosnia and Herzegovina: Staff Concluding Statement for the 2025 Article IV Consultation Mission

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    July 1, 2025

    A Concluding Statement describes the preliminary findings of IMF staff at the end of an official staff visit (or ‘mission’), in most cases to a member country. Missions are undertaken as part of regular (usually annual) consultations under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, in the context of a request to use IMF resources (borrow from the IMF), as part of discussions of staff monitored programs, or as part of other staff monitoring of economic developments.

    The authorities have consented to the publication of this statement. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF Executive Board for discussion and decision.

    Sarajevo:

    Growth has proven resilient supported by expansionary fiscal policies, but inflation has picked up, and risks are elevated due to external shocks and domestic political tensions. Progress towards EU accession could boost confidence, but political hurdles persist. Fiscal policy should focus on restoring buffers and improving spending quality. The authorities should refrain from further discretionary measures that widen the deficit and strengthen contingency planning. Both entities face large financing needs that are expected to be met through external borrowing, with a Eurobond issuance in FBiH and bilateral loans in the RS, along with some domestic issuances. The authorities should prepare contingency plans in case of financing shortfalls. Reforms, including a review of public employment, wages, and social benefits are needed to achieve a debt-stabilizing primary balance.

    To safeguard monetary stability, it is essential to maintain the currency board and uphold the independence of the central bank. The authorities should continue to closely monitor financial sector risks and enhance crisis preparedness. The establishment of a country-wide financial stability fund, which would facilitate bank restructuring and provide liquidity on an exceptional basis, would substantially strengthen the financial safety net. To accelerate growth, the authorities need to speed up reforms to improve fiscal governance, protect financial integrity, fight corruption, and step up digitalization. Transitioning from coal to green energy along with preparing for the introduction of EU carbon taxes are major challenges ahead. Placing BiH on a higher growth path and providing its people with more opportunities will speed up income convergence with the EU and reduce emigration.

    Recent developments and outlook

    Despite a challenging environment, the economy has been resilient. Growth accelerated to 2.5 percent in 2024 from 2 percent in 2023, with strong domestic demand outweighing a decline in net exports. Household consumption was supported by strong growth in credit and remittances; private investment accelerated. The unemployment rate declined to 11.7 percent in Q4:2024, with real wages growing at an annual rate of 8 percent. The current account deficit widened to 4.0 percent of GDP in 2024 from 2¼ percent in 2023, reflecting a drought-induced decline in electricity exports, weaker demand for exports, and higher imports associated with strong domestic demand. Inflation fell to 1.7 percent in 2024 from 6¼ percent in 2023, owing to a slowdown in fuel and utilities prices. However, since end-2024, inflation has been rising again to 3.7 percent (yoy) in May, driven mainly by higher food prices.

    The economic outlook remains uncertain amid elevated downside risks. Real GDP is projected to grow by 2.4 percent in 2025 supported by an improvement in net exports, a stronger fiscal impulse, and private consumption. However, the outlook is vulnerable to both domestic and external shocks. A worsening in geopolitical tensions and a resulting slowdown in Europe, or increased commodity price volatility could raise food and energy prices, lower BiH exports and remittances, and dampen domestic demand. An escalation of political tensions could further increase economic fragmentation and weigh on investor confidence and growth. In the absence of faster reform progress, medium-term growth is expected to remain around 3 percent—insufficient for rapid income convergence with the EU. Inflation is expected to remain elevated during 2025, and as food inflation eases, gradually decline from 2026, approaching the ECB target of 2 percent.  

    Fiscal policy and reforms

    Fiscal performance in 2024 was stronger than expected. The general government deficit turned out to be 1¾ percent of GDP, the same as in 2023, but better than anticipated at the time of the 2024 AIV Consultation. The authorities leveraged a large increase in tax revenues to boost spending on wages, goods and services, social benefits, and public investments.

    With fiscal policy expected to ease in 2025, the authorities should avoid further discretionary measures and strengthen contingency planning. Entity budgets and subsequently-adopted measures envisage increases in public wages and pensions, reflecting both legally-mandated indexation and discretionary changes. The widening deficit, which could reach 2.6 percent of GDP, is expected to be mainly financed mostly through foreign borrowing, as well as domestic banks. The authorities should avoid policies that further expand the deficit as this would likely put upward pressure on rising prices and widen external imbalances. Moreover, given mounting downside risks, the authorities should aim to build cash buffers and develop contingency plans. Depending on the severity of a potential shock the authorities should use the available buffers and activate contingency plans.

    Over the medium term, the authorities are advised to place fiscal deficits on a firmly declining path starting from 2026, build fiscal buffers, and enhance the economy’s growth potential. Persistently high deficits risk placing public debt on an upward trajectory and may worsen financing terms. Fiscal consolidation should begin in 2026, with the goal of reducing the primary deficit to its debt-stabilizing level, while improving the quality of spending and rebuilding treasury balances. Priority should be given to spending measures that enhance efficiency—particularly by rationalizing the public wage bill through functional reviews and improving the targeting of social assistance programs. These measures should be complemented by revenue mobilization efforts, including broadening the tax base through the reduction of exemptions and development of new revenue sources, such as taxing dividends. Any fiscally costly policies should be strictly avoided or offset. Given significant infrastructure gaps, increasing both the level and quality of public investment should be a key objective.

    Fiscal consolidation efforts should be accompanied by institutional and structural fiscal reforms. Strengthening fiscal discipline will require a review of existing fiscal rules to assess whether they are appropriately designed to meet macroeconomic management and developmental needs and whether there are sufficient institutional arrangements in place to ensure that they are met. The recent materialization of contingent liabilities related to international arbitration cases underscores the urgency of enhancing fiscal risk management. This includes timely identification of all sources of fiscal risks, assessment of risk magnitude and likelihood, development of mitigation strategies, and reinforcement of the institutional framework. In this context, improving the oversight and governance of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) is crucial. Reducing inefficiencies in public investment management remains a priority. This involves better project selection, rigorous appraisal processes, efficient and transparency procurement, and stronger portfolio management and oversight. Finally, implementing robust beneficiary registries would improve the targeting of social assistance programs by reducing inclusion and exclusion errors, improving efficiency, and enhancing transparency and accountability.

    Currency board arrangement and financial sector policies and reforms

    For three decades, the currency board arrangement (CBA) has been a cornerstone of macroeconomic stability and must be preserved. The CBA has ensured the stability of the domestic currency, while reinforcing policy credibility and fiscal discipline. Benefiting from strong institutional independence, the Central Bank (CBBH), has consistently maintained net foreign exchange reserves well above the level of its monetary liabilities. Safeguarding the CBBH’s independence is critical to preserving the credibility and effectiveness of the CBA.

    The CBBH should further strengthen the reserve requirement framework. In line with IMF advice, the CBBH applies differentiated remuneration rates on reserve requirements for foreign and domestic currency liabilities. Falling euro area interest rates offer an opportunity to reduce the gap with CBBH remuneration rates on required reserves and the opportunity costs for holding reserves. A further comprehensive review of the reserve requirement framework, with technical assistance from the IMF, and implementation of previous recommendations would further strengthen the CBBH’s capacity to achieve its policy objectives.  

    Sustained strong credit growth calls for close monitoring of systemic risks and continued efforts to safeguard banking sector resilience. Credit expansion has been driven by rising wages, declining lending rates, and a booming real estate market. Despite this rapid growth, banks remain well capitalized, liquid, and profitable, while the share of non-performing loans continues to decline. Nonetheless, vigilance is warranted. The authorities should closely monitor financial sector developments and be prepared to deploy macroprudential tools to address risks from credit growth and rising real estate prices. Following introduction of additional capital buffers for systemic risk (SyRB) and domestic systemically important banks (D-SIBs), the macroprudential toolkit should be expanded to include a countercyclical capital buffer (CCyB) and borrower-based measures such as limits on loan-to-value (LTV) ratios and debt-service to income (DSTI) ratios. To preserve resilience, reducing the regulatory capital requirement from 12 to 10 percent as planned from end-2026 should be avoided. The authorities are also advised to avoid further extensions of temporary regulatory measures that aim to contain lending rate increases and to remove limits on bank exposures to foreign governments and central banks.

    Progress made on coordination on financial sector issues, under the leadership of the CBBH, should be maintained. Regular financial sector coordination meetings strengthen inter-agency cooperation and help ensure smooth information exchange. Additionally, the authorities are encouraged to establish a country-wide Financial Stability Fund to support orderly bank resolution and to cooperate across state-level institutions and both entities to request a new IMF Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP)—already requested by the CBBH—to comprehensively assess resilience and outline a roadmap for further reform, including in the context of EU accession.

    We commend the CBBH and the other relevant authorities for their strong efforts to integrate BiH with the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA). SEPA integration will enable faster and more convenient euro payments across borders within the SEPA area, lower transaction costs, and foster deeper trade and economic integration within Europe. It is crucial that the relevant legislative amendments are adopted in a timely manner to pave the way for the submission of the application for SEPA membership. In addition, the development of the TIPS Clone—the project implemented by the CBBH in cooperation with the Bank of Italy—will provide infrastructure for instant payments.

    Structural reforms

    Advancing toward EU membership will require a stronger, more coordinated, and results-driven approach. Persistent political fragmentation, lack of consensus among governing bodies, and limited administrative capacity continue to obstruct the adoption and execution of key reforms. In this context, timely adoption and implementation of the EU Growth Plan offers a valuable opportunity. Reforms under the growth plan will align BiH more closely with the EU single market, advance EU accession, and unlock €1 billion in additional financing over 2025–27 period.

    The authorities should accelerate energy sector reforms to reduce fiscal risks and prepare for implementation of the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). Key reforms include phasing out electricity subsidies over the medium term—while protecting vulnerable households—and advancing efficiency improvements in energy SOEs. CBAM charges are set to take effect from 2026, with the largest anticipated impact on the BiH electricity sector. To mitigate this, it is essential to establish a domestic power exchange system and an agreed roadmap and legislative framework for introduction of carbon pricing at the state level. These steps would enable BiH to unlock new investment in renewable electricity generation, reducing the overall burden of CBAM. Implementation of carbon pricing will allow BiH to retain carbon-related revenues domestically and potentially secure a CBAM exemption for electricity exports to the EU.

    Reforms that tackle the labor market, governance, and digitalization are also crucial. The authorities should take a structured approach to minimum wage increases that avoids high, frequent, and ad hoc adjustments. Complementary reforms are needed to address low labor market participation (particularly among women) and high youth unemployment. The authorities should urgently implement MONEYVAL priority actions to avoid being grey listed by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in early 2026. Grey listing could impose significant economic costs through reduced investment, delays in international payments, and increased transaction costs. Finally, developing digital identity and trust services, and providing government e-services, would strengthen the business environment.

    *   *   *   *   *

    The mission thanks the authorities and all other counterparts for their hospitality and for the constructive and insightful discussions in Sarajevo and Banja Luka.

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Camila Perez

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/07/01/cs-070125-bosnia-and-herzegovina-staff-concluding-statement-for-2025-aiv-consultation-mission

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Collins’ Statement on the Senate Reconciliation Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins issued the following statement after her vote against passage of the Senate Reconciliation Bill:

    “I strongly support extending the tax relief for families and small businesses. My vote against this bill stems primarily from the harmful impact it will have on Medicaid, affecting low-income families and rural health care providers like our hospitals and nursing homes. 

    “The Medicaid program has been an important health care safety net for nearly 60 years that has helped people in difficult financial circumstances, including people with disabilities, children, seniors, and low-income families. Approximately 400,000 Mainers – nearly a third of the state’s population – depend on this program. Certainly, there are improvements that should be made to the Medicaid system. For example, I support work requirements for able-bodied adults who are not raising young children, who are not caregivers, or attending school. However, a dramatic reduction in future Medicaid funding, an estimated $5.9 billion in Maine over the next 10 years, could threaten not only Mainers’ access to health care, but also the very existence of several of our state’s rural hospitals.

    “This bill has additional problems. The tax credits that energy entrepreneurs have relied on should have been gradually phased out so as not to waste the work that has already been put into these innovative new projects and prevent them from being completed. The bill should have also retained incentives for Maine families who choose to install heat pumps and residential solar panels. 

    “I am pleased that the bill contains a special fund that I proposed to provide some assistance to our rural hospitals, but it is not sufficient to offset the other changes in the Medicaid system. While I continue to support the tax relief I voted for in 2017, I could not support these Medicaid changes and other issues.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Fox News Opinion: “JD Vance and Trump personify political theater. And we’re watching their biggest act yet”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    ICYMI: Fox News Opinion: “JD Vance and Trump personify political theater. And we’re watching their biggest act yet”

    Fox News Op-Ed

    Padilla: “The Trump administration wants this spectacle. They want to distract from their failures, while giving them an excuse to push the boundaries of Trump’s power.”

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, published an op-ed on Fox News’ website where he slammed President Trump and Vice President Vance for creating a militarized spectacle and scapegoating immigrants to distract from their failed and unpopular policies, including their “Big Ugly Bill” that will add trillions to the federal deficit and kick tens of millions of Americans off their health care in order to fund tax cuts for billionaires.

    Padilla emphasized that Trump’s deployment of 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines draws them away from important core missions and puts them in an “impossible position” of being “political props.” He also warned about how Trump’s manufactured crisis in Los Angeles sets a dangerous precedent for presidents abusing the military for their own partisan goals, causing chaos to suppress Americans’ fundamental rights.

    Key Excerpts:

    • “Last month, Vice President JD Vance visited Los Angeles. No, not to better coordinate with local law enforcement frustrated after the dangerous lack of communication coming from the Trump administration as they keep Marines and National Guardsmen in Los Angeles. Instead, the vice president came to escalate a crisis of President Trump’s own making and to disparage California’s elected officials.
    • “The vice president, my former colleague and the current president of the U.S. Senate intentionally chose to call me ‘Jose’ instead of ‘Alex.’ He knows my name. But sadly, his behavior in June is indicative of a larger trend from this administration. In 2025, there is no one who personifies political theater better than JD Vance and Donald Trump. In fact, we’re in the middle of their biggest act yet — as they use service members and federal law enforcement in Los Angeles as props to justify their latest power grab. None of this is new.”
    • “It was no coincidence that at the lowest point of his presidency yet, Donald Trump turned to his break-glass-in-case-of-emergency option, federalizing and deploying 4,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles along with hundreds of Marines. The Trump administration wants this spectacle. They want to distract from their failures, while giving them an excuse to push the boundaries of Trump’s power.
    • “This isn’t just about how the Trump administration treats blue states or immigrants. It’s about how they treat our military, too. Anyone who applauds President Trump’s militarization of Los Angeles is also applauding a politician tearing away our service members from critical missions any time the president begins to feel some political pressure. And applauding putting every Guardsman and Marine in an impossible position. No one enlists to become a political prop.
    • “While you might not care to speak up today, imagine if a Democratic president returns to office and chooses to deploy our military to your state. It doesn’t matter that the overwhelming majority of protestors remain peaceful — one bad actor who chooses to exploit a protest to cause chaos, and the president could militarize your community, too.”
    • “In the end, this doesn’t come down to Republican versus Democrat, or Trump and Vance versus Los Angeles. It comes down to the basic question: do you believe that in America, an attack on anyone’s rights is an attack on everyone’s rights? Or, if you’re like J.D. Vance, are you just here for the show?

    Senator Padilla has been outspoken in calling out the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in Los Angeles and Trump’s misguided deployment of the National Guard and U.S. Marine Corps. Padilla recently led the entire Senate Democratic Caucus in demanding that President Trump immediately withdraw all military forces from Los Angeles and cease all threats to deploy the National Guard or active-duty servicemembers to American cities. He and Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) also demanded answers regarding the Trump Administration’s decision to deploy approximately 700 Marines to Los Angeles. Padilla has spoken at a spotlight hearing and on the Senate floor multiple times to blast President Trump for manufacturing a crisis by launching indiscriminate ICE raids across Los Angeles and deploying the National Guard and active-duty servicemembers to the region. He also joined all Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats last month in calling on Chairman Grassley to schedule Department of Homeland Security Secretary Noem for a broad oversight hearing for testimony before the committee.

    Full text of Senator Padilla’s Fox News op-ed is available here and below:

    Fox News Digital: Sen Alex Padilla: JD Vance and Trump personify political theater. And we’re watching their biggest act yet

    By U.S. Senator Alex Padilla

    Last month, Vice President JD Vance visited Los Angeles.

    No, not to better coordinate with local law enforcement frustrated after the dangerous lack of communication coming from the Trump administration as they keep Marines and National Guardsmen in Los Angeles.

    Instead, the vice president came to escalate a crisis of President Trump’s own making and to disparage California’s elected officials.

    How else would you describe the vice president’s conduct, when three days after Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass lifted the curfew downtown and protests were dissipating, he staged a press conference to attack state and local leaders, falsely claiming they had ‘decided to go to war against’ law enforcement.

    That’s a far cry from lowering the political temperature. But for this administration, it’s standard operating procedure.

    Yet, one thing the vice president said did surprise me. It came when one of his handpicked reporters lobbed yet another softball question, asking for his comment on the string of Democratic lawmakers — myself included — that the Trump administration has handcuffed for speaking out.

    ‘Well, I was hoping Jose Padilla would be here to ask a question, but unfortunately I guess he decided not to show up because there wasn’t the theater,’ he said, smirking. ‘That’s what this is: it’s pure political theater.’

    Political theater. Huh.

    The vice president, my former colleague and the current president of the U.S. Senate intentionally chose to call me ‘Jose’ instead of ‘Alex.’ He knows my name. But sadly, his behavior in June is indicative of a larger trend from this administration.

    In 2025, there is no one who personifies political theater better than JD Vance and Donald Trump. In fact, we’re in the middle of their biggest act yet — as they use service members and federal law enforcement in Los Angeles as props to justify their latest power grab.

    None of this is new.

    Time and time again, when the Trump administration finds itself in hot water, it returns to the same tired playbook: pick a fight to distract people. Scapegoat immigrants. Threaten the use of force. Do whatever you can to create a spectacle and change the news cycle. And as it turns out, just a few short weeks ago, things were going terribly wrong for Donald Trump.

    He was facing failures on nearly every front: failing to bring prices down or to secure a wave of trade deals despite his trade adviser’s promise to secure “90 deals in 90 days” Failing to quickly pass his “Big, Beautiful Bill” as allies and adversaries alike began to warn of the trillions of dollars it would add to the federal deficit. And perhaps most embarrassing of all, he was facing a messy public break-up with Elon Musk.

    So no, it was no coincidence that at the lowest point of his presidency yet, Donald Trump turned to his break-glass-in-case-of-emergency option, federalizing and deploying 4,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles along with hundreds of Marines.

    The Trump administration wants this spectacle. They want to distract from their failures, while giving them an excuse to push the boundaries of Trump’s power.

    But this isn’t just about how the Trump administration treats blue states or immigrants. It’s about how they treat our military, too. Anyone who applauds President Trump’s militarization of Los Angeles is also applauding a politician tearing away our service members from critical missions any time the president begins to feel some political pressure. And applauding putting every Guardsman and Marine in an impossible position.

    No one enlists to become a political prop.

    But to Americans watching from home who still think this doesn’t concern them because they’re not a Californian, not an immigrant, not a Democrat, or not from a military family: think hard about what comes next.

    The Trump administration has argued the president alone can deploy the military to put down protests over the wishes of the governor. Of the mayor. Even of local law enforcement.

    While you might not care to speak up today, imagine if a Democratic president returns to office and chooses to deploy our military to your state. It doesn’t matter that the overwhelming majority of protestors remain peaceful — one bad actor who chooses to exploit a protest to cause chaos, and the president could militarize your community, too.

    In the end, this doesn’t come down to Republican versus Democrat, or Trump and Vance versus Los Angeles. It comes down to the basic question: do you believe that in America, an attack on anyone’s rights is an attack on everyone’s rights?

    Or, if you’re like J.D. Vance, are you just here for the show?

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ricketts Celebrates One Big Beautiful Win for Nebraskans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)

    July 1, 2025

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) issued the following statement after the U.S. Senate voted to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill Act as part of the budget reconciliation process.

    “The One Big Beautiful Bill is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver for Nebraska,” said Ricketts.  “This legislation will result in increased security, strength, and prosperity for the American people.  The bill restores critical pro-growth business provisions and makes them permanent, benefitting Nebraska farming, ranching, and small business. Most of all, this is a win for families in Nebraska—creating a brighter future for our country.” 

    BACKGROUND:

    This legislation is a win for Nebraska families:

    • Prevents a $2,443 tax hike on the average Nebraska family.
    • Protects over 44,000 family-owned farms in Nebraska from having their death tax exemption cut in half.
    • Ensures more than 239,000 Nebraska households’ child tax credit is not cut in half.
    • Makes sure more than 868,000 Nebraska families’ standard deduction is not cut in half.
    • Establishes community engagement requirements for able-bodied adults who are choosing not to work and do not have dependent children or elderly parents in their care.

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    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Sudan: United Nations (UN) warns of soaring displacement and looming floods


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    At Tuesday’s regular briefing at the UN Headquarters, in New York, Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric relayed warnings from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian affairs (OCHA), citing urgent concerns across the country.

    “Across Sudan, we continue to be deeply concerned about the humanitarian impact of the ongoing fighting, which is escalating displacement and driving needs even higher,” Mr. Dujarric said.

    Conflict driving displacement

    Clashes between rival militaries – Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) – continue to uproot civilians, particularly in Darfur and Kordofan states. Fighting in El Fasher alone has displaced more than 400,000 people since April, according to OCHA.

    In June, nearly 8,000 displaced people from North Darfur arrived in Ad-Dabba, putting pressure on overstretched resources and limited access to healthcare, shelter, clean water and food.

    In North Kordofan, over 16,000 people were forced to flee their homes in Bara between 26 and 29 June alone, while another 16,000 to flee Babanusa in West Kordofan on 27 June, according to the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM).

    Flood warnings

    Separately, OCHA warned of increased flood risks as Sudan enters its rainy season, which runs through October. Forecasts point to above-average rainfall, heightening the threat of both riverine and flash floods – especially in areas already facing limited infrastructure and access.

    “Any flooding could disrupt road access, hamper aid delivery, and heighten the threat of disease outbreaks during the ongoing lean season,” Mr. Dujarric said, noting that an ongoing cholera outbreak could worsen with the floods.

    Nearly 500,000 people were affected by floods last year. With the likelihood of a repeat or worse this season, Mr. Dujarric said humanitarian agencies are ready to respond “where access and resources allow,” but warned that critical funding gaps are hampering preparedness.

    UN relief visits Sudan

    Mr. Dujarric also highlighted the importance of recent discussions between Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher and senior SAF and RSF officials.

    Mr. Fletcher appealed for a humanitarian pause to allow lifesaving aid to reach people in El Fasher, which has been besieged by the RSF and cut off from assistance since last April.

    “Our humanitarian colleagues underscore that we will continue our engagements with the aim of facilitating the swift and safe delivery of aid to all those who need it,” Mr. Dujarric said.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN News.

    MIL OSI Africa

  • MIL-OSI Africa: North Africa: Green Climate Fund approves a record $300 million for Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)-designed projects in Papua New Guinea, Saint Lucia and the Sahel


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    The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has approved projects worth more than $300 million that will protect forests in Papua New Guinea, promote sustainable fisheries in Saint Lucia, and help grow Africa’s Great Green Wall.

    The initiatives, designed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), were greenlighted at the 42nd meeting of the GCF Board, held in the Papua New Guinea capital from June 30 to July 3. It represents the highest-value batch of such approvals to date.

    “Through sustainable forestry management, fisheries transformation and land restoration, these FAO-designed projects will make a significant difference to the lives and livelihood of these vulnerable communities, especially in the current global context of overlapping and complex crises due to climate extremes and other shocks,” said FAO Director-General QU Dongyu. “FAO appreciates the unwavering trust that the GCF and Member Countries place in FAO’s professional capacity to provide the required technical expertise to strengthen resilience and safeguard the livelihoods of the most vulnerable,” he added. “The FAO-GCF partnership continues to be critical for the climate investments in agrifood systems required to deliver science-based concrete solutions to countries and communities where they are needed most, leaving no one behind.” 

    All three approvals were outcomes of successful FAO-led GCF readiness projects, as well as other long-standing technical collaborations, which unlocked the resources countries needed to pursue more ambitious climate projects. 

    Papua New Guinea 

    FAO has supported the country to design a high-impact climate project, within the framework of GCF’s pilot programme for results-based payments, that will direct investments worth $63.4 million into Papua New Guinea’s sustainable forest management activities.  

    This substantial GCF investment recognizes the Government’s achievements in reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 17 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO₂e) during the 2014-2016 period – comparable to taking over 3 million cars off the road for a year.  

    Funding for the project falls under the initiative known as REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation), and will support the Government’s efforts to conserve forests and implement the National REDD+ Strategy 2017–2027.  

    Papua New Guinea has been an advocate for the REDD+ global process since its very inception in 2008. The country has kept forest conservation and reducing emissions from the forest sector high on the national and global agenda including through support from FAO and the UN-REDD programme.  

    The investments seek to promote a virtuous cycle of emission reductions by promoting agroforestry, sustainable fuelwood and charcoal production, community pole and timber plantations, the restoration of natural forest, and more.  

    The project will place special emphasis on the social dimension, prompting benefit sharing, encouraging stakeholder engagement, and strengthening both local and national capacities.  

    Papua New Guinea’s tropical rainforests – of which three-quarters are primary forests – cover 78 percent of the country’s land, making it a global biodiversity hotspot. The forests are home to 191 species of mammals, and 750 species of bird. They also serve as vital carbon sinks, storing large amounts of carbon in above-ground biomass and soil.  

    Saint Lucia 

    The FISH-ADAPT project in Saint Lucia, with an investment of $16.7 million, has been designed to reduce the risks that climate change poses to the fishing and aquaculture sectors in this Small Island Developing State located in the eastern Caribbean Sea. 

    The project aims to transform Saint Lucia’s fisheries sector by making fishing safer and more productive despite a changing climate. It will foster a circular economy to help reduce waste, enhance resource efficiency, and promote livelihood diversification for more resilient communities. Fish value chains and markets will be strengthened; coastal fish grounds and aquaculture systems will become more climate resilient; and fishers will have more diversified incomes. 

    The initiative will put in place agrifood solutions that build sustainability and resilience to improve efficiency, safety and productivity in the fisheries sector. These include empowering fishers and aquaculture farmers by enhancing access to weather data, upgrading landing sites and promoting sustainable offshore fishing.   

    Saint Lucia’s geographic position and socio-economic dependence on the fisheries sector make it especially vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Fisherfolk who rely on the sea for their livelihoods are finding it increasingly difficult to adapt to a changing climate and declining fish stocks. Increased air temperature and changing rainfall patterns have also been affecting inland aquaculture.  

    Considering these challenges, FISH-ADAPT will target approximately 75,000 beneficiaries – about 41 percent of the population – including marine fishers, sea-moss farmers, fish vendors and processors, and inland aquaculture farmers. 

    The Sahel 

    The Scaling-Up Resilience in Africa’s Great Green Wall (SURAGGWA), with an investment of $222 million, will support livelihoods of agropastoral and pastoral communities living in the Sahel’s semi-arid regions, who are extremely vulnerable to climate change.  

    The initiative is FAO’s first multi-country proposal and the largest funding request ever submitted on behalf of its Member Countries. It builds on the extensive work done by FAO on the Great Green Wall initiative, in particular the Action Against Desertification Programme

    The initiative will seek to scale up successful land restoration practices using a diversity of native species to increase livelihood resilience while also sequestering carbon. It will develop value chains for climate-resilient and low-emission non-timber forest products, supporting the livelihoods and food security of vulnerable communities.  

    Another key aspect of the project will be to strengthen national and regional Great Green Wall institutions to ensure the sustainability and coordination of interventions and monitoring of restoration results as well as mobilizing additional resources including through climate change adaptation and mitigation financing mechanisms.   

    The SURAGGWA Programme will advance the African Union’s ambitions to transform Sahelian landscapes by restoring 100 million hectares of degraded land and creating 10 million jobs. Working with smallholder farmers and pastoralist communities, it will also build resilience and contribute to climate change mitigation through carbon sequestration in restored lands across the eight participating countries (Burkina Faso, Chad, Djibouti, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria and Senegal). 

    A quarter of the 100 million people who live in the Sahel rely on pastoralist livelihoods. Poverty, social tensions, and climate change put additional strain on herders and farmers who already compete for limited resources and land. Agriculture, livestock and forestry activities are the foundation of their economies and more than 70 per cent of rural communities depend directly on rainfed agriculture.   

    The FAO–GCF partnership 

    The new approvals raise FAO’s GCF portfolio to over $1.8 billion, with climate investments delivering sustainable agrifood system solutions to the countries and communities where they are needed most. 

    You can read more about FAO’s partnership with GCF here

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

    MIL OSI Africa

  • No Draper drama as British hope races past injured Baez in Wimbledon opener

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Britain’s Jack Draper was handed the prime-time early evening slot to get his Wimbledon campaign up and running and spared his fans any fingernail biting as he eased past Argentina’s injured Sebastian Baez in double quick time on Tuesday.

    A dominant Draper was leading 6-2 6-2 2-1 on a boiling Court One when Baez, who hurt his knee earlier in the contest when slipping on the baseline, decided enough was enough with only one hour and 14 minutes on the clock.

    Home fans without tickets had parked themselves on the sun-baked hill adjacent to Court One and those watching at home on TV on their sofas for the entrance of world number four Draper.

    But on a day when many top men’s seeds withered in the scorching temperatures, 23-year-old Draper dispensed with any drama and got the job done in ruthless fashion.

    Left-hander Draper, the highest British seed at Wimbledon since Andy Murray returned as defending champion in 2017, will need all his mental and physical reserves to navigate the pitfalls of Wimbledon under an intense spotlight.

    He has been saddled with trying to fill the void left by the retirement of twice champion Murray, and avoiding drawn-out early round matches, the like of which Murray sometimes inflicted on his legion of fans, is no bad thing.

    Although, speaking on court, Draper said he would have perhaps preferred a slightly tougher test.

    “I wanted to play a bit longer in all honesty. It is no way to win like that and I wish Sebastian the best in his recovery of course,” Draper, who has rocketed up the rankings after reaching the U.S. Open semi-final last year, said.

    Draper will have a much sterner test in the next round when he faces big-serving Croatian Marin Cilic, a player who won the U.S. Open and also reached a Wimbledon final.

    He is also seeded to meet seven-times champion Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals.

    HIGH EXPECTATIONS

    Asked how he is coping with the weight of expectation on his broad shoulders, Draper said: “I don’t think about it until people mention it every five minutes! I just think about what I can control and play the best tennis I can.

    “I have to face whoever is in front of me, I can’t be thinking about five matches ahead. I focus on whoever is up next. Everyone who is in this draw is in on their own merit, they can all play incredible tennis.”

    When the draw was made it seemed that Draper had been given a tough first hurdle with Baez ranked 38th in the world.

    In reality it was a mismatch.

    Draper’s serving power and venomous forehand were too much for a player more suited to clay and the writing was on the wall for Baez when he dropped his opening service game.

    The first set lasted only 25 minutes and towards the end of it the lightweight Baez slipped awkwardly when trying to change direction and early in the second set he required a lengthy check over from a doctor.

    Had it been a boxing match the towel might have been thrown in by then as Draper was handing out some serious punishment with a barrage of booming groundstrokes.

    Admirably Baez opted to carry on but the outcome was never in doubt and after he lost serve at the start of the third set he walked to the net and offered his hand.

    Draper has now matched his best Wimbledon run, having previously made the second round twice in three visits.

    This time, however, he will be expected to go much further.

    -Reuters

  • No Draper drama as British hope races past injured Baez in Wimbledon opener

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Britain’s Jack Draper was handed the prime-time early evening slot to get his Wimbledon campaign up and running and spared his fans any fingernail biting as he eased past Argentina’s injured Sebastian Baez in double quick time on Tuesday.

    A dominant Draper was leading 6-2 6-2 2-1 on a boiling Court One when Baez, who hurt his knee earlier in the contest when slipping on the baseline, decided enough was enough with only one hour and 14 minutes on the clock.

    Home fans without tickets had parked themselves on the sun-baked hill adjacent to Court One and those watching at home on TV on their sofas for the entrance of world number four Draper.

    But on a day when many top men’s seeds withered in the scorching temperatures, 23-year-old Draper dispensed with any drama and got the job done in ruthless fashion.

    Left-hander Draper, the highest British seed at Wimbledon since Andy Murray returned as defending champion in 2017, will need all his mental and physical reserves to navigate the pitfalls of Wimbledon under an intense spotlight.

    He has been saddled with trying to fill the void left by the retirement of twice champion Murray, and avoiding drawn-out early round matches, the like of which Murray sometimes inflicted on his legion of fans, is no bad thing.

    Although, speaking on court, Draper said he would have perhaps preferred a slightly tougher test.

    “I wanted to play a bit longer in all honesty. It is no way to win like that and I wish Sebastian the best in his recovery of course,” Draper, who has rocketed up the rankings after reaching the U.S. Open semi-final last year, said.

    Draper will have a much sterner test in the next round when he faces big-serving Croatian Marin Cilic, a player who won the U.S. Open and also reached a Wimbledon final.

    He is also seeded to meet seven-times champion Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals.

    HIGH EXPECTATIONS

    Asked how he is coping with the weight of expectation on his broad shoulders, Draper said: “I don’t think about it until people mention it every five minutes! I just think about what I can control and play the best tennis I can.

    “I have to face whoever is in front of me, I can’t be thinking about five matches ahead. I focus on whoever is up next. Everyone who is in this draw is in on their own merit, they can all play incredible tennis.”

    When the draw was made it seemed that Draper had been given a tough first hurdle with Baez ranked 38th in the world.

    In reality it was a mismatch.

    Draper’s serving power and venomous forehand were too much for a player more suited to clay and the writing was on the wall for Baez when he dropped his opening service game.

    The first set lasted only 25 minutes and towards the end of it the lightweight Baez slipped awkwardly when trying to change direction and early in the second set he required a lengthy check over from a doctor.

    Had it been a boxing match the towel might have been thrown in by then as Draper was handing out some serious punishment with a barrage of booming groundstrokes.

    Admirably Baez opted to carry on but the outcome was never in doubt and after he lost serve at the start of the third set he walked to the net and offered his hand.

    Draper has now matched his best Wimbledon run, having previously made the second round twice in three visits.

    This time, however, he will be expected to go much further.

    -Reuters

  • MIL-OSI: Navicore Solutions Offers Crucial Financial Support as Credit Card Interest Rates Increase

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MANALAPAN, N.J., July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As credit card interest rates continue to climb, averaging 25.37% for existing balances in June, Navicore Solutions is stepping up to provide essential financial counseling services to consumers nationwide. Despite the December 2024 Federal Reserve rate cuts, credit card Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) remain high, exacerbating financial strain for many Americans.

    The average APR has been steadily increasing, particularly since the beginning of 2022, due to a combination of factors including the Federal Reserve’s interest rate hikes and increases in credit card issuers’ margins.

    The Federal Reserve’s recent interest rate cuts in December 2024 have had minimal impact on credit card APRs, which remain near record highs. For instance, the average APR on new credit cards ranges between 20% and 29% which is significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels. This persistent rise in credit card interest rates is contributing to increased financial distress, with many consumers struggling to manage their debt.

    Navicore Solutions, a nonprofit credit counseling organization offers confidential, and personalized financial counseling to individuals and families across the United States. Navicore’s certified counselors work with clients to develop customized debt management plans, often reducing interest rates and consolidating multiple payments into a single monthly payment. This approach can help clients pay off unsecured debt in three to five years, providing a clear path to financial stability.

    “In these challenging economic times, it’s more important than ever for consumers to seek professional guidance,” said Diane Gray, Chief Operating Officer with Navicore. “Our team is dedicated to helping individuals regain control of their finances, reduce debt, and avoid the pitfalls of high-interest credit card debt.”

    For those struggling with credit card debt, reaching out to a nonprofit credit counseling agency like Navicore Solutions can be a crucial step toward financial recovery with services designed to empower consumers with the knowledge and tools needed to make informed financial decisions and achieve long-term financial health.

    About Navicore Solutions

    Founded in 1991, Navicore Solutions is a national leader in the field of nonprofit financial counseling with a mission to strengthen the well-being of individuals and families through education, guidance, advocacy, and support.

    Navicore counselors provide a wide range of services including credit counseling to consumers in need; education programs through workshops, courses and written material; debt management plan to provide relief for applicable consumers; student loan counseling for those struggling with student loan debt; and housing counseling services in the areas of rental, pre-purchase, default and reverse mortgage. The agency is an advocate of financial education helping communities achieve and maintain financial stability.

    Contact:
    Lori Stratford
    Digital Marketing Manager
    Navicore Solutions
    lstratford@navicoresolutions.org
    navicoresolutions.org

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Statement on Senate Republicans’ Passage of Big, Ugly Bill to Rip Away Health Care, Nutrition, Abortion Access from WA State Families & Balloon National Debt to Fund Tax Cuts for Billionaires

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    In Washington state, at least 328,695 people will lose health care under Republican bill; 900,000 Washingtonians could see SNAP benefits reduced or eliminated; 14 rural hospitals will be at risk of closure
    ICYMI: In Senate Floor Speech, Murray Rails Against Republican Bill That Rips Away Health Care, Nutrition Assistance, Abortion Access & Balloons National Debt to Fund Tax Cuts for Billionaires; VIDEO HERE
    ICYMI: On Senate Floor, Murray Again Slams Republicans for Using Deceptive Tactics to Hide True Cost of Deficit-Busting Tax Cuts for Billionaires
    ICYMI: Republicans Block Murray Amendment to Stop Republicans’ Big Ugly Betrayal Bill From Defunding Planned Parenthood
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement on Senate Republicans passing their partisan reconciliation bill—the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”—by a vote of 51-50 on Tuesday, with Vice President Vance voting with Republicans to break the tie, after an overnight “vote-a-rama” where Democrats forced Republicans to take dozens of tough votes on a wide array of issues, from protecting rural hospitals to preserving food assistance for families to extending expiring tax credits that help millions of families afford health care. The nearly 30-hour vote-a-rama came after Democrats forced more than 10 hours of debate and a full reading of every word of Republicans’ 940-page bill that will kick 17 million Americans off their health care and make the largest cuts to Medicaid and nutrition assistance in history to pay for tax cuts for billionaires.  
    Senator Murray put forward an amendment to strike a provision of the legislation that achieves anti-abortion extremists’ long-sought goal of “defunding” Planned Parenthood by cutting off Planned Parenthood health centers from receiving federal Medicaid funding for the care they provide for millions of low-income women across the country—including birth control, cancer screenings, STI testing and treatment, and wellness exams. Republicans blocked the amendment, 51-49.
    “This monstrosity of a bill is about one thing: Republicans’ insistence on passing more tax breaks for billionaires and giant corporations while they kick working people off their health care, rip away nutrition assistance, and make it harder for struggling families to get by. It’s about taking away programs that give American families a hand up in hard times, to pay for a handout for the people who need it the least.
    “This should be obvious: if a bill is so bad that you have to exempt entire states from its consequences to win the votes you need—just don’t pass the bill!
    “Republicans’ legislation will mean 17 million Americans will lose their health insurance, including more than 328,000 people in Washington state who rely on Apple Health and Affordable Care Act coverage. Families will lose the SNAP benefits they rely on to afford food because of new Republican red tape positively meant to keep people from getting the benefits they are eligible for. Rural hospitals in Central and Eastern Washington that are already operating on the tightest of margins will be forced to close their doors, ripping away health care access from entire communities. Planned Parenthood health centers will shutter and women will be left with nowhere they can go to get birth control, cancer screenings, and other preventive care they can actually afford.
    “When it comes to the all-out assault on clean energy in this bill, even Elon Musk understands the plain facts of the matter—Republicans’ cuts are ‘utterly insane and destructive’ and will ‘destroy millions of jobs in America.’ Republicans are also ripping away tens of millions of dollars for critical NOAA facilities in Washington state as part of this bill.
    “This fight is not over—this bill is not yet law and I am not going to stop raising my voice and making sure the American people know exactly what is in it. Communities in Eastern and Central Washington will be among the hardest hit by these gigantic cuts to Medicaid and SNAP—now is the time to raise your voices and tell your Republican Members of Congress to vote NO. Republicans in the House need to listen to the American people and abandon this disaster of a bill.  
    “In the end, every Republican who votes for this bill will have to explain to their constituents why they voted to shutter local hospitals and punish struggling families to pay for tax cuts for billionaires.”
    Earlier on Sunday, Senator Murray delivered a lengthy speech on the Senate floor where she laid out in detail how Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act will rip away health care from millions of Americans, shutter the doors of hospitals and health care clinics across the country, make the largest cuts to Medicaid and nutrition assistance in history, and blow up the national debt—all so Republicans can fund massive tax breaks for billionaires. Murray also spoke out repeatedly during debate on the Senate floor against Republicans’ use of a so-called “current policy baseline” to hide the true cost of their deficit-busting tax cuts for billionaires.
    Republicans’ 940-page bill, which they released in the dead of night, cuts more than $900 billion from Medicaid—$100 billion more than the House bill. That means about 17 million Americans will lose their health care, according to estimates from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), and more than 300 rural hospitals and over 500 nursing homes could close because of the legislation. The legislation makes the largest cut to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in history and will rip away nutrition assistance entirely from more than 5 million Americans and shift tens of billions of dollars in costs to states. The legislation also increases the debt by nearly $4 trillion dollars—nearly a trillion more than the House bill. About two in three Americans oppose the bill.
    In Washington state, 1.95 million people rely on Apple Health, Washington state’s Medicaid program, and over 300,000 Washingtonians access coverage through the state’s Affordable Care Act marketplace (Washington Healthplanfinder). The Joint Economic Committee estimates that at least 328,695 people in Washington state would lose their health insurance under the Republican legislation—that includes 198,050 people who would be kicked off Medicaid and 108,262 people who would lose their coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Among other things, Republicans’ bill would institute work reporting requirements for Medicaid, which have been proven not to increase employment and just strip health care coverage from people who are already working or exempt—this would put more than 620,000 Washingtonians at risk of losing their health care coverage or having it delayed. Fourteen rural hospitals in Washington state would be at risk of closure under the Republican bill. The legislation also “defunds” Planned Parenthood for the next year, threatening the closure of up to 200 health centers across the country—90 percent of them in states where abortion is legal. 11 percent of Washington state residents rely on SNAP, and the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services estimated that more than 900,000 people across the state could their see SNAP benefits reduced or eliminated under the House bill—the Senate bill is just as extreme.
    Senator Murray has held constant recent events—including multiple events in Washington state—to sound the alarm on Republicans’ devastating reconciliation bill and encourage constituents to raise their voices and call on their Members of Congress to oppose the legislation.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Statement on Senate Republicans’ Passage of Big, Ugly Bill to Rip Away Health Care, Nutrition, Abortion Access from WA State Families & Balloon National Debt to Fund Tax Cuts for Billionaires

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    In Washington state, at least 328,695 people will lose health care under Republican bill; 900,000 Washingtonians could see SNAP benefits reduced or eliminated; 14 rural hospitals will be at risk of closure

    ICYMI: In Senate Floor Speech, Murray Rails Against Republican Bill That Rips Away Health Care, Nutrition Assistance, Abortion Access & Balloons National Debt to Fund Tax Cuts for Billionaires; VIDEO HERE

    ICYMI: On Senate Floor, Murray Again Slams Republicans for Using Deceptive Tactics to Hide True Cost of Deficit-Busting Tax Cuts for Billionaires

    ICYMI: Republicans Block Murray Amendment to Stop Republicans’ Big Ugly Betrayal Bill From Defunding Planned Parenthood

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement on Senate Republicans passing their partisan reconciliation bill—the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”—by a vote of 51-50 on Tuesday, with Vice President Vance voting with Republicans to break the tie, after an overnight “vote-a-rama” where Democrats forced Republicans to take dozens of tough votes on a wide array of issues, from protecting rural hospitals to preserving food assistance for families to extending expiring tax credits that help millions of families afford health care. The nearly 30-hour vote-a-rama came after Democrats forced more than 10 hours of debate and a full reading of every word of Republicans’ 940-page bill that will kick 17 million Americans off their health care and make the largest cuts to Medicaid and nutrition assistance in history to pay for tax cuts for billionaires.  

    Senator Murray put forward an amendment to strike a provision of the legislation that achieves anti-abortion extremists’ long-sought goal of “defunding” Planned Parenthood by cutting off Planned Parenthood health centers from receiving federal Medicaid funding for the care they provide for millions of low-income women across the country—including birth control, cancer screenings, STI testing and treatment, and wellness exams. Republicans blocked the amendment, 51-49.

    “This monstrosity of a bill is about one thing: Republicans’ insistence on passing more tax breaks for billionaires and giant corporations while they kick working people off their health care, rip away nutrition assistance, and make it harder for struggling families to get by. It’s about taking away programs that give American families a hand up in hard times, to pay for a handout for the people who need it the least.

    “This should be obvious: if a bill is so bad that you have to exempt entire states from its consequences to win the votes you need—just don’t pass the bill!

    “Republicans’ legislation will mean 17 million Americans will lose their health insurance, including more than 328,000 people in Washington state who rely on Apple Health and Affordable Care Act coverage. Families will lose the SNAP benefits they rely on to afford food because of new Republican red tape positively meant to keep people from getting the benefits they are eligible for. Rural hospitals in Central and Eastern Washington that are already operating on the tightest of margins will be forced to close their doors, ripping away health care access from entire communities. Planned Parenthood health centers will shutter and women will be left with nowhere they can go to get birth control, cancer screenings, and other preventive care they can actually afford.

    “When it comes to the all-out assault on clean energy in this bill, even Elon Musk understands the plain facts of the matter—Republicans’ cuts are ‘utterly insane and destructive’ and will ‘destroy millions of jobs in America.’ Republicans are also ripping away tens of millions of dollars for critical NOAA facilities in Washington state as part of this bill.

    “This fight is not over—this bill is not yet law and I am not going to stop raising my voice and making sure the American people know exactly what is in it. Communities in Eastern and Central Washington will be among the hardest hit by these gigantic cuts to Medicaid and SNAP—now is the time to raise your voices and tell your Republican Members of Congress to vote NO. Republicans in the House need to listen to the American people and abandon this disaster of a bill.  

    “In the end, every Republican who votes for this bill will have to explain to their constituents why they voted to shutter local hospitals and punish struggling families to pay for tax cuts for billionaires.”

    Earlier on Sunday, Senator Murray delivered a lengthy speech on the Senate floor where she laid out in detail how Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act will rip away health care from millions of Americans, shutter the doors of hospitals and health care clinics across the country, make the largest cuts to Medicaid and nutrition assistance in history, and blow up the national debt—all so Republicans can fund massive tax breaks for billionaires. Murray also spoke out repeatedly during debate on the Senate floor against Republicans’ use of a so-called “current policy baseline” to hide the true cost of their deficit-busting tax cuts for billionaires.

    Republicans’ 940-page bill, which they released in the dead of night, cuts more than $900 billion from Medicaid—$100 billion more than the House bill. That means about 17 million Americans will lose their health care, according to estimates from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), and more than 300 rural hospitals and over 500 nursing homes could close because of the legislation. The legislation makes the largest cut to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in history and will rip away nutrition assistance entirely from more than 5 million Americans and shift tens of billions of dollars in costs to states. The legislation also increases the debt by nearly $4 trillion dollars—nearly a trillion more than the House bill. About two in three Americans oppose the bill.

    In Washington state, 1.95 million people rely on Apple Health, Washington state’s Medicaid program, and over 300,000 Washingtonians access coverage through the state’s Affordable Care Act marketplace (Washington Healthplanfinder). The Joint Economic Committee estimates that at least 328,695 people in Washington state would lose their health insurance under the Republican legislation—that includes 198,050 people who would be kicked off Medicaid and 108,262 people who would lose their coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Among other things, Republicans’ bill would institute work reporting requirements for Medicaid, which have been proven not to increase employment and just strip health care coverage from people who are already working or exempt—this would put more than 620,000 Washingtonians at risk of losing their health care coverage or having it delayed. Fourteen rural hospitals in Washington state would be at risk of closure under the Republican bill. The legislation also “defunds” Planned Parenthood for the next year, threatening the closure of up to 200 health centers across the country—90 percent of them in states where abortion is legal. 11 percent of Washington state residents rely on SNAP, and the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services estimated that more than 900,000 people across the state could their see SNAP benefits reduced or eliminated under the House bill—the Senate bill is just as extreme.

    Senator Murray has held constant recent events—including multiple events in Washington state—to sound the alarm on Republicans’ devastating reconciliation bill and encourage constituents to raise their voices and call on their Members of Congress to oppose the legislation.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Statement on Senate Republicans’ Passage of Big, Ugly Bill to Rip Away Health Care, Nutrition, Abortion Access from WA State Families & Balloon National Debt to Fund Tax Cuts for Billionaires

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    In Washington state, at least 328,695 people will lose health care under Republican bill; 900,000 Washingtonians could see SNAP benefits reduced or eliminated; 14 rural hospitals will be at risk of closure

    ICYMI: In Senate Floor Speech, Murray Rails Against Republican Bill That Rips Away Health Care, Nutrition Assistance, Abortion Access & Balloons National Debt to Fund Tax Cuts for Billionaires; VIDEO HERE

    ICYMI: On Senate Floor, Murray Again Slams Republicans for Using Deceptive Tactics to Hide True Cost of Deficit-Busting Tax Cuts for Billionaires

    ICYMI: Republicans Block Murray Amendment to Stop Republicans’ Big Ugly Betrayal Bill From Defunding Planned Parenthood

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement on Senate Republicans passing their partisan reconciliation bill—the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”—by a vote of 51-50 on Tuesday, with Vice President Vance voting with Republicans to break the tie, after an overnight “vote-a-rama” where Democrats forced Republicans to take dozens of tough votes on a wide array of issues, from protecting rural hospitals to preserving food assistance for families to extending expiring tax credits that help millions of families afford health care. The nearly 30-hour vote-a-rama came after Democrats forced more than 10 hours of debate and a full reading of every word of Republicans’ 940-page bill that will kick 17 million Americans off their health care and make the largest cuts to Medicaid and nutrition assistance in history to pay for tax cuts for billionaires.  

    Senator Murray put forward an amendment to strike a provision of the legislation that achieves anti-abortion extremists’ long-sought goal of “defunding” Planned Parenthood by cutting off Planned Parenthood health centers from receiving federal Medicaid funding for the care they provide for millions of low-income women across the country—including birth control, cancer screenings, STI testing and treatment, and wellness exams. Republicans blocked the amendment, 51-49.

    “This monstrosity of a bill is about one thing: Republicans’ insistence on passing more tax breaks for billionaires and giant corporations while they kick working people off their health care, rip away nutrition assistance, and make it harder for struggling families to get by. It’s about taking away programs that give American families a hand up in hard times, to pay for a handout for the people who need it the least.

    “This should be obvious: if a bill is so bad that you have to exempt entire states from its consequences to win the votes you need—just don’t pass the bill!

    “Republicans’ legislation will mean 17 million Americans will lose their health insurance, including more than 328,000 people in Washington state who rely on Apple Health and Affordable Care Act coverage. Families will lose the SNAP benefits they rely on to afford food because of new Republican red tape positively meant to keep people from getting the benefits they are eligible for. Rural hospitals in Central and Eastern Washington that are already operating on the tightest of margins will be forced to close their doors, ripping away health care access from entire communities. Planned Parenthood health centers will shutter and women will be left with nowhere they can go to get birth control, cancer screenings, and other preventive care they can actually afford.

    “When it comes to the all-out assault on clean energy in this bill, even Elon Musk understands the plain facts of the matter—Republicans’ cuts are ‘utterly insane and destructive’ and will ‘destroy millions of jobs in America.’ Republicans are also ripping away tens of millions of dollars for critical NOAA facilities in Washington state as part of this bill.

    “This fight is not over—this bill is not yet law and I am not going to stop raising my voice and making sure the American people know exactly what is in it. Communities in Eastern and Central Washington will be among the hardest hit by these gigantic cuts to Medicaid and SNAP—now is the time to raise your voices and tell your Republican Members of Congress to vote NO. Republicans in the House need to listen to the American people and abandon this disaster of a bill.  

    “In the end, every Republican who votes for this bill will have to explain to their constituents why they voted to shutter local hospitals and punish struggling families to pay for tax cuts for billionaires.”

    Earlier on Sunday, Senator Murray delivered a lengthy speech on the Senate floor where she laid out in detail how Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act will rip away health care from millions of Americans, shutter the doors of hospitals and health care clinics across the country, make the largest cuts to Medicaid and nutrition assistance in history, and blow up the national debt—all so Republicans can fund massive tax breaks for billionaires. Murray also spoke out repeatedly during debate on the Senate floor against Republicans’ use of a so-called “current policy baseline” to hide the true cost of their deficit-busting tax cuts for billionaires.

    Republicans’ 940-page bill, which they released in the dead of night, cuts more than $900 billion from Medicaid—$100 billion more than the House bill. That means about 17 million Americans will lose their health care, according to estimates from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), and more than 300 rural hospitals and over 500 nursing homes could close because of the legislation. The legislation makes the largest cut to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in history and will rip away nutrition assistance entirely from more than 5 million Americans and shift tens of billions of dollars in costs to states. The legislation also increases the debt by nearly $4 trillion dollars—nearly a trillion more than the House bill. About two in three Americans oppose the bill.

    In Washington state, 1.95 million people rely on Apple Health, Washington state’s Medicaid program, and over 300,000 Washingtonians access coverage through the state’s Affordable Care Act marketplace (Washington Healthplanfinder). The Joint Economic Committee estimates that at least 328,695 people in Washington state would lose their health insurance under the Republican legislation—that includes 198,050 people who would be kicked off Medicaid and 108,262 people who would lose their coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Among other things, Republicans’ bill would institute work reporting requirements for Medicaid, which have been proven not to increase employment and just strip health care coverage from people who are already working or exempt—this would put more than 620,000 Washingtonians at risk of losing their health care coverage or having it delayed. Fourteen rural hospitals in Washington state would be at risk of closure under the Republican bill. The legislation also “defunds” Planned Parenthood for the next year, threatening the closure of up to 200 health centers across the country—90 percent of them in states where abortion is legal. 11 percent of Washington state residents rely on SNAP, and the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services estimated that more than 900,000 people across the state could their see SNAP benefits reduced or eliminated under the House bill—the Senate bill is just as extreme.

    Senator Murray has held constant recent events—including multiple events in Washington state—to sound the alarm on Republicans’ devastating reconciliation bill and encourage constituents to raise their voices and call on their Members of Congress to oppose the legislation.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Regulatory obstacles to critical grid infrastructure in the face of recent crises – P-002370/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The Commission agrees that a sufficient supply of switchgear is essential for the electrical power system and the transition to a climate neutral Union.

    The prohibitions regarding switchgear in Regulation (EU) 2024/573 on fluorinated greenhouse gases[1] aim to prevent the use of high global warming potential F-gases and where possible replace them with alternatives with no or a global warming potential (GWP) of 1.

    The mechanism is designed to limit the risk of constraining the supply of switchgear, in those cases where there are less than two bids offering switchgear that meet the GWP requirements.

    To facilitate the implementation of this mechanism, the Commission has made available a document with frequently asked questions and answers[2].

    The Commission does not consider that a simplification is relevant in this case and will continue to support an effective implementation of this mechanism.

    The Commission will also monitor over time, without specific end-date, the progress in the implementation of the F-gas Regulation and the market developments in the switchgear sector, in close cooperation with the sector. The Commission will act, if it is deemed appropriate.

    • [1]  OJ L, 2024/573, 20.2.2024, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/573/oj.
    • [2] https://climate.ec.europa.eu/document/download/cfe52d31-9203-435d-b043-62f74900fd96_en?filename=policy_f-gases_stakeholders_switchgear_faq_en.pdf.
    Last updated: 1 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News

  • MIL-OSI Europe: REPORT on the future of the EU biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector: leveraging research, boosting innovation and enhancing competitiveness – A10-0123/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

    on the future of the EU biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector: leveraging research, boosting innovation and enhancing competitiveness

    (2025/2008(INI))

    The European Parliament,

     having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), in particular Articles 9, 151, 152, 153(1) and (2) thereof, as well as Articles 173 and 179 thereof, which concern EU industrial policy and research and refer to, among other things, the competitiveness of the Union’s industry and the strengthening of the Union’s scientific and technological bases,

     having regard to the Treaty on European Union, in particular Article 5(3) thereof and Protocol No 2 thereto on the application of the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality,

     having regard to the Commission communication of 20 March 2024 entitled ‘Building the future with nature: Boosting Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing in the EU’ (COM(2024)0137),

     having regard to the report by Mario Draghi of 9 September 2024 entitled ‘The future of European competitiveness’,

     having regard to the Commission communication of 29 January 2025 entitled ‘A Competitiveness Compass for the EU’ (COM(2025)0030),

     having regard to the Commission communication of 26 February 2025 entitled ‘The Clean Industrial Deal: A joint roadmap for competitiveness and decarbonisation’ (COM(2025)0085),

     having regard to the Commission communication of 11 December 2019 entitled ‘The European Green Deal’ (COM(2019)0640),

     having regard to the report by Enrico Letta of 10 April 2024 entitled ‘Much more than a market’,

     having regard to the Commission communication of 19 February 2025 entitled ‘A Vision for Agriculture and Food – Shaping together an attractive farming and agri-food sector for future generations’ (COM(2025)0075),

     having regard to Rule 55 and Rule 148(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

     having regard to the report of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (A10-0123/2025),

    A. whereas the EU biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector has been recognised as one of 10 strategic technology sectors for Europe’s competitiveness, economic security and sustainability; whereas the sector is characterised by very high productivity, growth and employment, and delivers globally competitive, cutting-edge solutions in healthcare, life sciences, industrial production and transformation, sustainable biomanufacturing, energy and food security; whereas biotechnology and biomanufacturing are important enablers of the bioeconomy at large; whereas biotechnology and biomanufacturing can help enhance the EU’s strategic autonomy, resilience and circularity by reducing industry’s dependency on fossil-based input and other external dependencies in various sectors; whereas the biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector still faces regulatory and financial obstacles and an incomplete internal market; whereas the Commission is expected to present an EU biotech act, an updated EU bioeconomy strategy, an EU life sciences strategy, an EU innovation act and an EU circular economy act;

    B. whereas according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), biotechnology is defined as the application of science and technology to living organisms, as well as parts, products and models thereof, to alter living or non-living materials for the production of knowledge, goods and services; whereas biomanufacturing is not clearly defined and the Commission should therefore propose such a definition; whereas a definition of biomanufacturing should be future-proof, open to scientific and technological developments, and technology neutral, so as to broadly encompass the use of biotechnology or other technologies for the production of bio-based material products and solutions including, but not limited to, chemical, mechanical or thermal processes;

    C. whereas the biotech and biomanufacturing industries have led the development and deployment of breakthrough innovations in healthcare, such as mRNA-based vaccines; whereas biotechnology processes can be used to manufacture active pharmaceutical ingredients and key manufacturing inputs for medicines;

    D. whereas the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of having robust raw material value chains and manufacturing capabilities within Europe, to ensure security of supply of critical products and to mitigate shortages, for example of essential medicines;

    E. whereas artificial intelligence (AI) can help drive biotechnology innovation – e.g. in personalised medicine and drug discovery – resulting in health and environmental benefits; whereas the use of AI in biotechnology can also present ethical challenges and risks, related to the protection of private data, which need to be addressed in order to maintain public trust and acceptance;

    F. whereas biotechnology is applied in various aspects of animal and plant-based agriculture and also indirectly, through its use in activities such as waste management;

    G. whereas biotechnology can strengthen the resilience of forests and, in the case of biomanufacturing, the forest sector can offer sustainably produced, renewable and recyclable raw materials that can be used in high-value innovative products, materials and applications;

    H. whereas the EU is a global leader in research and biomanufacturing capacity, yet its potential remains unexploited due to the lack of a sufficiently coordinated policy framework that enables the efficient scaling up of innovation, the attraction of investment and the commercialisation of new technologies; whereas the ‘one in, one out’ approach ensures that all burdens introduced by Commission initiatives are considered, and administrative burdens are offset by removing burdens of equivalent value in the same policy area at EU or Member State level; whereas Parliament has called for the EU’s research budget to be doubled; whereas EU private investment in research, development and innovation is lagging behind other major economies; whereas promoting investment in pioneering demo and commercial production plants can accelerate the commercialisation of EU innovation in the bio-based industries;

    I. whereas urgent, coherent and consistent action needs to be taken during the next few years to make the EU a world leader in biotechnology, biomanufacturing and life sciences effecting a bold level of change, in accordance with due process and supported by competitiveness checks and adequate funding;

    J. whereas lengthy and complex authorisation procedures, particularly concerning approval times, represent a competitive disadvantage for EU operators and drive project developers out of the EU, and hinder industrial deployment and growth;

    K. whereas current EU regulatory frameworks do not cater precisely to the specificities of bio-based products; whereas the existing regulatory authorisation processes for biotech products needs to be urgently addressed to ensure that the EU remains globally competitive; whereas an effective regulatory framework for conducting clinical research is essential for the competitiveness of the most innovation-intensive aspects of the EU’s pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors; whereas the Commission should take account of the regulatory frameworks of non-EU countries leading in the biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector, in the context of existing and future EU legislation covering the industry, to ensure compatibility without lowering existing EU safety and environmental standards;

    L. whereas the EU’s biotechnology and biomanufacturing investment and venture capital ecosystem remains fragmented; whereas high energy prices, regulatory burdens, barriers, and a lack of available key feedstock, raw materials and components are limiting the ability of start-ups and other small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to scale up, and limit large-scale deployment; whereas EU biomanufacturing capacity and supply chain resilience, including the availability of feedstock, are essential to reduce dependence on non-EU actors; whereas effective global supply chains – including strategic partnerships with reliable global actors – are also important to secure stable access to critical resources, avoid supply disruptions and foster continuous innovation in essential technologies;

    M. whereas bio-based feedstocks, such as sustainably sourced biomass, recycled waste and CO2 captured from biogenic sources, could be used as alternative feedstocks for the manufacturing of, for example, polymers, plastics, solvents, paints, detergents, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, thereby contributing to EU emission reduction, resource efficiency and strategic autonomy; whereas the EU could further incentivise market demand and market uptake for sustainable bio-based products and materials;

    N. whereas it is vital to increase the use of sustainable bio-based raw materials as part of the means of reaching the EU’s 2050 climate targets; whereas biotechnology has the potential to transform the refinery and chemical industry towards biomanufacturing, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions, in line with the EU’s climate objectives;

    O. whereas biotechnology and biomanufacturing are regulated across many different regulatory frameworks; whereas current EU regulatory frameworks for biotechnology and biomanufacturing are inconsistent across sectors, creating legal uncertainty and slowing market access for innovative solutions; whereas the lengthy authorisation processes, particularly concerning approval times, need to be urgently addressed and improved, while maintaining a risk- and science-based approach, to compete with corresponding time frames outside the EU; whereas the use of regulatory sandboxes should be expanded to ensure that emerging technologies have a clear development pathway; whereas new EU-wide regulation in the form of an EU biotech act should be duly justified based on examples of concrete gaps and shortcomings in current legislation and implementation, focusing on the specificities of the industry;

    P. whereas a coherent, robust and future-proof intellectual property (IP) framework is essential, ideally resulting in economic, environmental and societal benefits;

    Q. whereas public awareness in the EU of biotechnology and biomanufactured products should be further strengthened, in order to boost public acceptance; whereas the ethical aspects of biotechnology should be considered; whereas stakeholder consultation plays a crucial role in shaping responsible and ethical biotechnology policies; whereas civil society can play an essential role in ensuring public trust;

    R. whereas the engineering of DNA and organisms is increasingly carried out in automated biofoundries, which produce a wealth of data and improved designs and knowledge of biological functions;

    S. whereas the EU’s regulatory framework needs to adequately address evolving risks, opportunities and responsibilities associated with the handling, trade and synthesis of biological material, particularly in the context of synthetic biology; whereas existing biosecurity gaps need to be addressed by the EU and through international cooperation;

    Criteria for a comprehensive EU biotech act

    1. Emphasises the growth potential of the European biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector and the need for the EU to remain world-leading in this field; underlines the commitment to the principles of better regulation and lawmaking, simplification and administrative burden reduction; underlines that the simplification of EU legislation must not endanger any of the fundamental rights of citizens, workers and businesses or risk regulatory uncertainty; believes that any simplification proposal should not be rushed and proposed without proper consideration, consultation and impact assessments; therefore asks the Commission, if it proposes a new EU-wide regulation in the form of an EU biotech act, to address concrete gaps and shortcomings in current legislation and implementation, and to present legislation that can be revised, simplified, streamlined, repealed and which reduces bureaucratic burdens, focusing on the specificities of the industry and maintaining relevant safety and security standards; asks that an EU biotech act adopt a comprehensive cross-sectoral scope and that it be accompanied by an impact and cost assessment, competitiveness checks as well as a comprehensive assessment by the Regulatory Scrutiny Board, taking due consideration of the impact on SMEs, start-ups and scale-ups, as well as the interaction with other relevant legislative and non-legislative initiatives, including proposals currently undergoing the co-legislative procedure;

    2. Recalls that according to the OECD, biotechnology is defined as the application of science and technology to living organisms, as well as parts, products and models thereof, to alter living or non-living materials for the production of knowledge, goods and services; notes, however, that biomanufacturing is not clearly defined and calls on the Commission to propose such a definition;

    3. Recommends streamlining and harmonising existing and upcoming initiatives relating to biotechnology and biomanufacturing, with the objective of strengthening the biotechnology and biomanufacturing industry through clear industrial and research and development (R & D) competences;

    4. Urges the Commission to ensure coherence and consistency across all initiatives and legislative measures that may affect biotechnology and biomanufacturing innovations and companies, especially start-ups and scale-ups;

    5. Calls on the Commission to ensure that any future relevant legislative initiatives have a broad enough scope to capture the width of the biotechnology and biomanufacturing industry and its full range of applications; recommends facilitating a fast and efficient uptake of biotechnology and biomanufacturing through clear regulatory frameworks;

    6. Calls on the Commission to implement measures within its structures in order to ensure coordination, coherence and complementarity across its relevant directorates-general, and to enable more efficient scale-up and commercialisation of research, development and innovation results; highlights the importance of efforts to improve policy coherence and coordination at national level;

    7. Calls on the Commission to take account of regulatory frameworks of non-EU countries leading in the biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector, in the context of existing and future EU legislation covering the industry, to ensure compatibility, where possible and without compromising consumer safety, and a level playing field for EU biotech companies competing internationally, and to learn from best practices from outside the EU without lowering existing EU standards;

    8. Calls on the Commission to present a report on the implementation of current legislation in the field of biotechnology and biomanufacturing, including identifying potential gaps and regulatory barriers hampering the growth of the industries applying these technologies and manufacturing processes, including barriers to improving the EU’s self-sufficiency in key feedstocks, raw materials and components; recalls the precautionary principle laid down in Article 191 TFEU; urges the Commission to share with Parliament the preliminary findings of its study on regulatory burden, in this regard, and the potential need to review legislation related to biotechnology and biomanufacturing; calls for a simplification of current requirements for the sector across regulatory frameworks to enable faster approval procedures and market access, while maintaining a risk- and science-based approach and avoiding regulatory uncertainty;

    9. Welcomes the recently launched Biotech and Biomanufacturing Hub; requests that the Commission provide further guidance to EU biotechnology and biomanufacturing companies and the Member States with regard to the Net-Zero Industry Act[1] and the new Clean Industrial Deal in terms of permitting and financing, and to consider the creation of supporting hubs, in order to improve guidance and advice to companies navigating through the regulatory framework;

    10. Calls on the Commission to urgently streamline, simplify and shorten the time required for authorisation procedures, particularly approval time frames, for biotechnology materials and products throughout their manufacturing- and life-cycles, and to facilitate the market uptake of bio-based solutions, including the provision of pre-authorisation guidance, while maintaining a risk- and science-based approach, particularly in the context of its regular review of EU agencies such as the European Food Safety Authority, the European Medicines Agency and the European Chemicals Agency; calls on the Commission to ensure that the relevant EU agencies are adequately resourced, to enhance their capacity for conducting authorisation procedures in a timely manner;

    11. Calls on the Commission to consider the possibility of a simplified approvals procedure for biotechnology products that have already been approved by trusted regulatory bodies in like-minded countries with EU-equivalent standards;

    12. Calls on the Commission to consider simplifying labelling practices, such as the use of QR codes, and ensure fair market conditions between biotechnology and other products, such as marketing and advertising, without compromising consumer safety or access to relevant consumer information;

    13. Recalls that harmonised, predictable, future-proof and internationally competitive IP and data protection rules for biotechnology and biomanufacturing patents are essential for the development of the industry, resilient supply chains and sustainable economic growth; underlines the importance of improving IP protection rules by longer terms for patented technologies to strengthen the EU’s competitiveness, foster innovation and the EU’s strategic autonomy, protect cutting-edge technologies, reward long-term investments, and support high-risk research; considers that a coherent, robust and future-proof IP framework is essential; welcomes, in this regard, the EU’s recently established unitary patent system;

    14. Calls for a common clinical trials framework with streamlined approval procedures across the Member States to minimise administrative burdens and delays, and which allows for the use of real-world evidence for biotechnology therapies; asks the Commission to present the current situation in this regard, as well as potential improvements; calls for the swift implementation of the Clinical Trials Regulation[2] and the use of the EU’s Clinical Trials Information System;

    15. Underlines the strategic importance for the EU of a strong biotechnology ecosystem to support R & D, manufacturing, and patient access to innovative medicines; points out that biotechnology processes can be used to manufacture active pharmaceutical ingredients and key manufacturing inputs for both off-patent and innovative medicines;

    16. Recommends using the next generation of regulatory sandboxes to assess the specific impacts and possibilities of emerging biotechnology and biomanufacturing applications, ensuring that new technologies can be trialled in a controlled but flexible and future-proof regulatory environment; stresses the importance of ensuring that EU policy takes account of technological and scientific developments to safeguard the EU’s global competitiveness;

    17. Recommends developing a strategy to support biotechnology and biomanufacturing companies transitioning from the regulatory sandbox regime to full market access; requests that the strategy include, but not be limited to, support mechanisms, regulatory assistance and guidance on compliance with EU legislation;

    The need to promote the advantages and specificities of the biotechnology and biomanufacturing industry

    18. Underlines that effectively scaling up biotechnology and biomanufacturing in the EU hinges on a robust, competitive and circular bioeconomy; calls on the Commission to present an updated bioeconomy strategy, which takes account of current challenges and reinforces the bioeconomy’s industrial dimension and its links to biotechnology and biomanufacturing, incentivising the development and production of sustainable, innovative, high-value added bio-based materials, products and solutions, to contribute to EU competitiveness and strategic autonomy;

    19. Acknowledges the important role biomass plays in biomanufacturing; recalls, in this regard, the importance of adopting an approach open to different sustainable biomass technologies grounded in robust analysis, and with the aim of enhancing feedstock access and use, as well as harnessing international supply chains, while aiming to avoid unintended environmental externalities;

    20. Underlines the need to account for the specificities of biogenic carbon, bio-based products and processes, and to differentiate them from petrochemical and fossil-based products, in the context of EU and national chemical, materials and environmental legislation;

    21. Points out that essential components, such as enzymes, lactic acid bacteria and other microorganisms, run the risk of being prohibited or unduly disincentivised by EU regulations primarily designed for petrochemical and synthetic substances, such as the REACH Regulation[3];

    22. Is concerned that the European Investment Bank (EIB)’s interpretation of sustainability criteria under the EIB Group Paris alignment framework may result in access to funding for bio-based materials and projects being denied; asks the Commission to examine relevant definitions accordingly and encourage biotechnology- and biomanufacturing-friendly interpretations; calls on the EIB to propose de-risking instruments for biotechnology and biomanufacturing, in order to raise capital; calls, moreover, on the EIB to improve outreach, advisory support and information on financing instruments and opportunities for eligible biotechnology and biomanufacturing projects, in particular SMEs, start-ups and scale-ups;

    23. Underlines the benefit and contribution of bio-based products and processes to the EU’s CO2 reduction objectives, which, given the potential of these products to increase sustainability and lower the EU’s environmental footprint, need to be reflected in respective life cycle assessments, information for consumers and public procurement;

    24. Considers that, in order to accelerate the substitution of fossil-based feedstocks, the market demand and market uptake of sustainable bio-based products could be further incentivised in the EU; considers that bio-based feedstocks, such as sustainably sourced biomass, recycled waste and CO2 captured from biogenic sources, could be used as alternative feedstocks for the manufacturing of various products, contributing to the EU’s emissions reduction, resource efficiency and strategic autonomy; in this context, recalls the commitment in the EU’s Competitiveness Compass to develop policies to reward early movers; considers that coherent and adequate sustainability criteria should be ensured for biomass;

    25. Underlines the importance of upholding the EU’s high standards of food and consumer safety and the potential of biotechnology applications when assessing biotechnology applications in food and feed to protect consumer health, assess impact on circularity and sustainability, and to consider social, ethical, economic, environmental and cultural aspects of food innovation; calls on the Commission to identify smooth routes to market for safe applications of biotechnology in food products, while reiterating that such biotechnology applications need to be properly examined, prior to any future authorisation and subsequent placing on the EU market, including gathering toxicological information and clinical and pre-clinical studies where relevant, and ensuring traceability;

    26. Underlines that biosecurity risks, including bioethical considerations, must be addressed in conjunction with biotechnology and biomanufacturing innovation, ensuring responsible access to and use of synthetic biology tools, genetic editing technologies and biological materials; calls for the establishment of an EU biosecurity registry for synthetic DNA, benchtop synthesis equipment and genetic engineering tools, improving transparency and risk-assessment mechanisms, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, such as industry and civil society, and while ensuring sensitive data is adequately protected; stresses the importance of EU strategic autonomy in biotechnology supply chains, ensuring that critical biomanufacturing inputs and expertise remain within Europe; calls for stronger international cooperation on biosecurity standards, including mandatory international screening standards, ensuring that EU-based biotechnology and biomanufacturing companies benefit from global best practice while maintaining competitiveness;

    27. Urges the Commission to conduct a study on biological materials and to present an updated communication and an action plan on chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear risks, in particular regarding bioterrorism and bio-risks;

    Horizontal issues

    28. Underlines the importance for supply chain security of ensuring a sufficient, stable and competitive supply of feedstock, raw materials and essential components, such as sustainable biomass and enzymes for biotechnology and biomanufacturing companies; calls for potential risks, gaps and dependencies to be closely monitored while safeguarding company-sensitive data and the functioning of the internal market;

    29. Stresses the importance of developing EU raw material value chains and manufacturing, and enhancing self-sufficiency where possible, while also fostering strategic partnerships and cooperation with like-minded non-EU countries to secure resilient and diversified access to critical inputs of biotechnology and biomanufacturing industries in the EU;

    30. Stresses that, in an increasingly tense geopolitical context, biotechnology and biomanufacturing should be fully leveraged to strengthen the EU’s strategic autonomy, enhance food security and reduce dependence on non-EU countries; highlights the need to stimulate market demand and uptake of bio-based products to boost the growth, competitiveness and sustainability of the EU biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector;

    31. Notes that the scale-up and commercialisation of research results remains a major challenge in the EU, and stresses the need to improve knowledge and technology transfer between academia and industry to ensure that EU-funded biotechnology and biomanufacturing research leads to commercial applications and industrial deployment; highlights the importance of strengthening public-private collaboration and supporting universities and research institutions with high levels of technology transfer, spin-offs, and start-up creation, for example by applying the CERN model of building start-up studios within research institutions; calls for strategic investments in shared EU infrastructure – such as pilot facilities, biobanks or innovation accelerators – to support the scale-up of prototypes and the market uptake of innovative biotechnology and biomanufacturing solutions; underlines that innovation cannot solely take place for short-term economic benefit, and that biotechnology and biomanufacturing innovation should be driven through a bottom-up approach under a standalone and long-term framework programme; calls on the Commission to facilitate the creation of world-leading research hubs for biotechnology and biomanufacturing to drive innovation and collaboration between academia, industry and venture capital; emphasises the need for robust physical testing facilities in the biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector to drive innovation and facilitate the production and market access for SMEs and start-ups;

    32. Stresses the need to ensure access to affordable energy for biotechnology and biomanufacturing operators, given the high energy intensity of large-scale biological production processes; underlines the importance of facilitating the authorisation and validation of large industrial plants, such as bioreactors, which are essential for scale-up but also face significant construction and operating risks; welcomes the latest revision of the Renewable Energy Directive[4] and its provisions to simplify permitting procedures, and calls on the Member States to swiftly implement relevant measures to support the deployment of biotechnology and biomanufacturing infrastructure;

    33. Underlines the need for a skilled and diverse European workforce in the biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector and for the promotion of entrepreneurial skills, in close collaboration with industry and research institutions; calls for increased investment in biotechnology and biomanufacturing education and targeted professional training, including in but not limited to areas such as regulatory compliance, quality assurance and process engineering; supports the development of competence centres and public-private training initiatives across all Member States to enable upskilling, reskilling and lifelong learning to safeguard the attractiveness of the biotechnology and biomanufacturing industry; highlights the importance of adapting educational curricula to the evolving needs of the sector, and of promoting science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects, with a particular focus on attracting more girls and women into biotechnology and biomanufacturing careers; encourages more public awareness about career opportunities in the field to attract talent from non-EU countries and suggests exploring the potential for transatlantic cooperation; welcomes the recently launched Choose Europe for Science pilot scheme to attract top non-EU researchers, scientists and academics to Europe;

    34. Calls for the urgent completion of the capital markets union to attract institutional investors to the biotechnology and biomanufacturing industry, including venture capital, pension funds and private equity; underlines that the sector is characterised by high levels of risk and that reducing the cost of investment failure in the EU is necessary for attracting large-scale capital investment; calls for dedicated support to ensure that biotechnology and biomanufacturing SMEs, start-ups and scale-ups can access sufficient funding and compete globally; stresses that cross-border investment barriers must be reduced to facilitate investment in biotechnology and biomanufacturing scale-ups;

    35. Notes that public-private partnerships and mission-driven EU investment strategies, such as the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking, are essential for de-risking biotechnology and biomanufacturing innovation and for increasing the likelihood that IP and industrial capacity remain in Europe; urges EU investment instruments, such as the InvestEU programme, to be strengthened to support biotechnology and biomanufacturing projects considered as high-risk from an investment perspective; underlines that the sector is characterised by a high concentration of SMEs, which face disproportionate barriers in accessing capital despite being critical drivers of innovation; supports the exploration of a biotechnology Important Project of Common European Interest to facilitate industrial deployment and first-mover investments in bio-based chemicals, materials, and products and solutions;

    36. Notes that public awareness of biotechnology and biomanufactured products in the EU should be further strengthened to boost public acceptance; recommends engaging with citizens and civil society organisations to communicate the characteristics, benefits and implications of the growing presence of biotechnology-based products and services in the European market;

    Future-proof research and innovation

    37. Regrets that European private investment in research, development and innovation is lagging behind other major economies and that the scale-up and commercialisation of research results remain a major challenge in Europe; highlights the fact that European and national public systems for R & D funding remain complex and insufficiently coordinated, resulting in duplications and inefficiencies; calls for an EU-wide approach to coordinating public investment in R & D for biotechnology and biomanufacturing, with the dual objective of closing excellence and innovation gaps and accelerating commercialisation; underlines the importance of strengthening European collaboration, pooling knowledge and resources, and leveraging public funding with private investment; recalls the key role of framework programmes such as Horizon Europe in fostering scientific excellence, innovation and technical development and calls for targeted investment in strategic biotechnology and biomanufacturing subfields, such as industrial, environmental, marine, health and agri-food biotechnology;

    38. Reiterates the call to double the EU’s research budget and to reach the target of 3 % of EU gross domestic product being devoted to R & D by 2030;

    39. Notes the growing role of synthetic biology, bioinformatics, data and game-changing AI-driven biotechnology and biomanufacturing research; calls on the Commission to integrate biotechnology and biomanufacturing innovation into the EU digital and AI strategies, ensuring interoperability between biotechnology and biomanufacturing data infrastructure and AI-driven discovery platforms; notes that AI capabilities are dependent on the efficient use of data; considers that the creation of industrial data spaces for biotechnology and biomanufacturing is important for efficient data sharing;

    40. Acknowledges that, while AI systems and quantum computing can significantly speed up research and lead to new innovations, enabling better computational designs of biological systems, they can also increase the risk of biological threats; underlines, therefore, the need to apply a risk-based approach to the use of AI in scientific research and manufacturing;

    41. Considers that the ethical use of AI, bioinformatics and synthetic biology is crucial for building trust and for society at large to benefit from these technologies; underlines the need to safeguard data privacy, data security, transparency and human oversight of the use of AI systems in the health biotechnology sector;

    42. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission.

    MIL OSI Europe News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Explosive Colors: Unveiling the Mineral Magic Behind Fourth of July Fireworks

    Source: US Geological Survey

    Each hue is created by unique chemicals sourced from various minerals. These natural resources, which can be discovered on a journey across the country, enrich both your celebrations and daily life in often overlooked ways. Dive deeper to discover the fascinating elements responsible for these stunning displays and uncover the surprising roles these minerals play beyond lighting up our celebrations. 

    Discover Where the Minerals Lighting Up the Sky this 4th of July are Produced in the U.S.

    Infographic created by Eliza Malakoff, presidential management fellow

    Barium: The Green Enigma

    Barium, the mineral behind the green glow, is produced from barite in Nevada. Barium’s emerald hues in fireworks continue to enchant audiences while also playing a crucial role in the oil and gas industry. In drilling fluids, barium is used as barite to control well pressure, stabilize the wellbore, and carry cuttings to the surface. 

    Additionally, barite is used in ceramics, glass manufacturing, and as a filler in various industrial processes. Its properties make it valuable in corrosion-resistant coatings for vehicles and equipment. 

    Zinc: The Smoky Trailblazer

    Zinc creates mesmerizing smoke effects and is mined extensively in Alaska. As one of the world’s largest producers, the U.S. contributes to the supply of this versatile mineral, which not only adds drama to fireworks but also plays a pivotal role in galvanization, the process of applying a protective zinc coating to steel or iron. This process protects steel structures across the country from corrosion, extending the lifespan of bridges, buildings, and other critical infrastructure. Zinc is also mixed into brass and other metal alloys to make components used in cars, electronics and household fixtures. 

    Copper: The Blue Powerhouse

    Copper’s stunning blue hues are mined in abundance in Arizona. As one of the world’s largest producers, the U.S. leverages copper in electrical wiring and renewable energy technologies. Copper is integral to the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity, and its excellent conductivity makes it a cornerstone of our modern energy infrastructure. Copper is also used in construction, in roofing, gutters and siding. It is a key component of brass and bronze, which are used to make everything from industrial machinery to musical instruments.

    Titanium: The Spark of Innovation

    Titanium, responsible for bright white sparks, is mined primarily in Georgia and Florida. Titanium metal has a high strength-to-weight ratio and is crucial to the aerospace and medical devices industries, where its durability and resistance to corrosion ensure long-lasting performance of critical components. In fireworks, it’s the titanium that provides those breathtaking, brilliant white bursts. 

    Magnesium: The Brilliant White Light

    Magnesium’s intense white light is a staple in fireworks. It is sourced from brines in the Great Salt Lake in Utah. Magnesium is a key ingredient in strong, lightweight aluminum metal alloys that are used widely by the aerospace, automotive and electronics industries. Magnesium is also used in the production process of steel, iron, glass and cement. Its flammability also makes it a popular choice in fireworks and flares.

    Sodium: The Golden Glow

    Sodium, responsible for the golden yellows in fireworks, is predominantly sourced from trona ore in Wyoming in the U.S., with the Green River Basin holding one of the largest deposits in the world. The U.S. excels as a significant producer of soda ash derived from trona ore and is integral to both pyrotechnic displays and numerous industrial applications. Sodium compounds, derived from soda ash, are used in manufacturing glass, paper, detergents, and even in water treatment processes, showcasing the mineral’s versatility and importance.

    Independence Day fireworks are more than just an impressive array of colors and sounds; they highlight the minerals that fuel these dazzling displays. The radiant yellows and vibrant greens that illuminate the night sky, along with the practical uses that support our modern lifestyle, all stem from these important minerals. 

    By delving into the captivating origins of these minerals found throughout the U.S. and recognizing their significant impact, you can uncover the hidden forces behind each vibrant explosion of color.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate Passes President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Advancing Agenda for a Strong, Prosperous America

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
    ***Click here for audio.***
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Senate voted today to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) by a vote of 51 to 50. This legislation permanently extends the 2017 Trump tax cuts, accelerates American energy dominance, supports the nation’s farmers and ranchers, reduces federal spending, invests in generational defense capabilities such as President Donald Trump’s Golden Dome missile-defense shield, and delivers the largest single border-security investment in U.S. history.
    Within 10 years, OBBBA will cut the total deficit nearly in half and primary deficits will become surpluses. It builds upon the 2017 Trump tax cuts with incentives for investing in America to create new jobs and revive domestic manufacturing. The pro-growth policies are reflected in the recent Congressional Budget Office score indicating the legislation will reduce the deficit by $507 billion. The Council of Economic Advisors estimates it will slash the deficit by over $2 trillion over the next decade and lead to higher worker wages and increased GDP.
    U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) issued the following statement after voting in favor of the legislation:
    “What we did with this vote today is took a decisive step toward implementing President Trump’s agenda and restoring some fiscal sanity to Washington, D.C. which has been missing for several decades. It delivers on our promise as Republicans to extend pro-growth tax policy permanently, not just another extension, but make it permanent, and it gives much-needed certainty to American families, and businesses, and investment of all types. We are really aligning federal spending with North Dakota pragmatism, quite honestly. We’re slashing Green New Deal gimmicks, boosting reliable energy sources, delivering unprecedented resources to the border, which we know is in high demand, and then bringing defense efforts like the Golden Dome and nuclear modernization to complete fruition. It’s really a win for every American who believes prosperity, security, and fiscal responsibility all go hand in hand.”
    Prevents a $4 Trillion Tax Increase
    ***Click here for audio on OBBBA tax provisions***
    This legislation permanently extends the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to provide relief for working Americans and job creators. Without this bill, Americans would receive a $4 trillion tax hike, the largest increase in American history. It supports families by expanding the standard deduction, which is utilized by more than 90% of taxpayers, and the Child Tax Credit, and making both improvements permanent.
    The OBBBA includes pro-growth provisions to support small businesses by preserving the small business deduction to support job creation and local economic growth. It also includes efforts to boost domestic production and investment, including full expensing for domestic research and development, and new capital investments. To support financing for domestic investments, the OBBBA reinstates a globally competitive interest deduction.
    Promotes Energy Dominance
    To promote American energy dominance, the legislation rapidly phases out tax credits for intermittent wind and solar projects while boosting reliable domestic energy sources like nuclear, geothermal, and hydropower. The OBBBA also improves the 45Q credit, a critical tool for North Dakota’s lignite coal and oil producers, by indexing the value of the credit to inflation and equalizing the rate for all users of the credit. It promotes oil and gas development by requiring the Bureau of Land Management to hold quarterly leases, reduces royalty rates to pre-Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) levels, ensures timely leasing of federal coal resources, pauses the IRA natural gas tax for a decade, and creates an opt-in program at the Council on Environmental Quality for expedited environmental reviews. Finally, the OBBBA repeals costly Biden-era green energy efforts including the electric vehicle tax credit, rescinds unobligated IRA funds, nixes the costly methane tax, and fully repeals the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.
    Delivers the Largest Border Security Package in American History
    In the few months since President Trump’s return to the White House, illegal border crossings have dropped precipitously. The OBBBA provisions support these efforts and include funding for over 2,300 miles of border walls and barriers while also giving U.S. Border Patrol and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) resources to carry out the mission of protecting the border. This funding will allow ICE to hire additional officers and agents to patrol the border. The bill invests $46.55 billion to complete the Trump Wall and upgrade its barriers and intrusion sensors alongside $4.1 billion for hiring and training agents, officers, pilots, and support staff, as well as incentives to retain top talent. It ends the previous administration’s catch-and-release policy, deploys artificial intelligence (AI)-powered non-intrusive inspection systems, drones, counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems radar, and a nationwide biometric entry-exit network to stop fentanyl at the border.
    Curbs Immigration Abuse & Makes the System Pay for Itself
    The legislation flips the “everything is free” asylum pipeline on its head, imposing an inflation-indexed minimum $100 asylum-application fee that is split evenly between immigration courts and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to attack the backlog without touching taxpayers. Aliens removed in absentia now face a $5,000 fee upon apprehension—half of which flows directly into ICE’s Detention & Removal Office Fee Account to fund beds and removals.
    Makes Long Overdue Improvements to the Farm Safety Net
    To address the absence of a new Farm Bill, the OBBBA supports farm country by raising reference prices for covered commodities under the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs. For crop year 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will pay farmers the larger of ARC or PLC, regardless of which program they enrolled in for the year. It boosts premium support for the individual-based crop insurance and the Supplemental Coverage Option. The bill increases marketing assistance loan rates, improves disaster and animal disease prevention programs for livestock, and funds a supplemental agricultural trade promotion program. The OBBBA also modifies work requirements for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program eligibility and sets in place reforms to improve efficiency and management of the program. 
    Implements Commonsense Medicaid Reforms
    The bill reduces waste, fraud, and abuse in the Medicaid program and puts Medicaid on a fiscally sustainable path. It establishes sensible work requirements for able-bodied adults and provides exemptions for individuals with dependent children or medical needs. It increases the frequency of eligibility verifications and limits the use of financing gimmicks such as provider taxes to ensure Medicaid remains available for the most vulnerable into the future. The bill also establishes a rural health transformation fund to support critical rural hospitals and clinics across the country. 
    Invests in Generational Defense Capabilities
    President Trump’s Golden Dome initiative, unmanned ships, drones, AI and other recent investments in new defense technology in North Dakota and across the country, are included in the OBBBA. The legislation allocates $25 billion for the Golden Dome missile defense system and $210 million for MH-139 helicopters. Additionally, it provides $15 billion to accelerate nuclear modernization programs specifying $2.5 billion for the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) program and $600 million for the Minuteman III ICBM, both of which are housed in North Dakota. It also includes $90 million for APEX Accelerators and significant improvements in quality of life for troops and their families. 
    Modernizes Commerce & Transportation Infrastructure
    The OBBBA injects more than $34 billion into the arteries of American commerce—keeping goods, data, and people moving safely and on time. It fully recapitalizes the Coast Guard with $24.593 billion for new Offshore, Fast-Response, Polar, and Arctic cutters, long-range UAVs, autonomous surface vessels, and critical shore-facility upgrades. Another $12.57 billion modernizes the Federal Aviation Administration’s radars, telecom backbone, runway-safety tech, and controller displays to cut delays and boost air-travel safety nationwide. The bill restores the Federal Communications Commission’s auction authority through 2034 and directs the auction of mid-band spectrum within two years—part of a plan which ultimately reallocates 500 MHz for 5G/6G—and gives National Telecommunications and Information Administration the resources to value and relocate Federal users.
    Click here for bill text. Click here for one-pagers.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Capito Votes to Pass Republican Reconciliation Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), chairman of the Senate Republican Policy Committee (RPC), released the below statement following the passage of the Republican Reconciliation bill:
    “The Republican Reconciliation bill is a clear reflection of our priorities: securing our borders, rebuilding our military, preventing the largest tax increase in U.S. history, and unleashing American energy. I was proud to vote in favor of this commonsense legislation that not only delivers on the promises we’ve made to the American people, but will put West Virginia and our entire nation on a path to greater economic growth, national security, energy independence, and opportunity,” Senator Capito said.
    Senator Capito, who also chairs the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, led efforts to craft legislative text for the reconciliation bill within the EPW Committee’s jurisdiction. Click HERE for more details on this portion of the bill, including a one-pager, highlights, and a section-by-section.
    Additional West Virginia wins included in the legislation are below:
    Extends the Hydrogen Tax Credit (45V) until January 1, 2028, which will save Hydrogen Hubs across the country, including West Virginia’s ARCH2 project and the thousands of jobs that it will bring to West Virginia.
    Permanently restore 163j interest deductibility beginning after December 31, 2024, which will provide West Virginia’s small business owners the tools they need to compete, grow, and hire.
    Adds metallurgical coal as a critical mineral to 45x, which will have a significant impact on Southern West Virginia.
    Provides historic investments to strengthen America’s border security and immigration system, something that Senator Capito has long-championed during her time in the Senate, including during her many years as the top Republican on the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee.
    Supports law enforcement officers by providing funding for training and equipment, hiring, and critical grant programs.
    Provides resources to help curb the opioid crisis, particularly the fight against fentanyl, by increasing funding to the U.S. Department of Justice to support efforts to combat deadly drug trafficking.
    Provides funding to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the acquisition, construction, sustainment, and improvement of air traffic control (ATC) facilities and equipment.
    Sustains safety net programs like Medicaid and SNAP over the long-term. Specifically, the legislation puts Medicaid back on a more fiscally stable trajectory for those who need it.
    Invests significant funding in a rural health transformation program to improve access to care and stabilize critical hospitals and other providers.
    Creates a relief fund for rural hospitals, helping to support their critical services and those they serve in rural communities like the many throughout West Virginia.
    Establishes investment accounts for newborns to secure financial futures for every American child from birth.
    Provides $25 billion to replenish and increase stockpiles of critical munitions, including many that have key components manufactured at sites like Allegany Ballistics Laboratory in Mineral County, W.Va.
    Provides $500 million to support the readiness of National Guard units.
    Provides $100 million to accelerate production of the MQ-25 Stingray unmanned refueling drone, of which key components are manufactured in Harrison County, W.Va.
    Provides $1 billion for U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) support to border security missions and counterdrug enforcement to protect West Virginians from drug trafficking and fentanyl.
    Provides $9 billion to support service members and their families, including improvements to housing, healthcare, child care, and education benefits.
    Enhances the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC), a tax credit that helps working parents offset the cost of child care.
    Establishes workforce Pell, which will allow students across West Virginia to utilize the Pell Grant to obtain certificates and credentials through short term programs, something Senator Capito has long-advocated for.
    Improves the Employer-Provided Child Care Credit (45F), which supports businesses that want to help provide child care for their employees.
    Expands the Dependent Care Assistance Plans (DCAP), which are flexible spending accounts that allow working parents to set aside pre-tax dollars to pay for child care expenses.
    Invests in rural America by providing significant funding for competitive grants to assist in the construction, alteration, acquisition, modernization, renovation, or remodeling of agricultural research facilities under the Research Facilities Act—something that various institutions of higher education throughout West Virginia support.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Capito Supports Passage of Republican Reconciliation Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, issued the following statement after passage of the Republican reconciliation bill. With Chairman Capito’s support, the legislation passed and now heads to the U.S. House of Representatives.
    “Today, the Senate moved President Trump’s agenda forward and acted on the mandate given to Congress by the American people. Included in this bill are provisions I worked to craft through the EPW Committee that will lower energy costs for American families, return remaining taxpayer dollars spent recklessly by Democrats, and create more efficiency for infrastructure investments into our communities. Americans need reliable and affordable energy, wasteful spending needs to be cut, and our country needs to be able to build again. Together, we passed legislation to do that and more for American families and communities across our great nation,” Chairman Capito said. 
    EPW HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDED IN THIS LEGISLATION:
    Stops the Inflation Reduction Act’s (IRA) natural gas tax for 10 years, bringing certainty to American energy producers, preserving energy jobs, and incentivizing domestic production that will lead to lower costs for American consumers.
    Rescinds unspent dollars from the IRA in EPW’s jurisdiction that were put towards duplicative and wasteful initiatives with little oversight or accountability to the American taxpayer.
    Repeals the IRA’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and rescinds all of that program’s unobligated dollars.
    Creates an opt-in fee program at the Council on Environmental Quality for expedited environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act.The fee is set at 125 percent of the costs to prepare the environmental document or supervision and preparation of the environmental document when the project sponsor opts to prepare the document. Once the fee is paid, the provision sets a one-year timeline for completion of an Environmental Impact Statement and six-month timeline for an Environmental Assessment. 
    Click HERE to view a section-by-section on EPW’s portion of this legislation.
    Click HERE to view a one-pager on EPW’s portion of this legislation.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lankford Secures Major Wins for Oklahoma Families, Energy Producers, and Small Businesses in One Big Beautiful Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Oklahoma James Lankford
    WASHINGTON, DC — US Senator James Lankford (R-OK), a member of the Senate Finance and Homeland Security Committees, released the following statement after the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill, which delivers the largest tax cut in history for hardworking Americans, secures the border, strengthens Medicaid program integrity, and rebuilds the military, all while cutting out-of-control spending.
    “This is a big, beautiful win for Oklahoma families, workers, seniors, and small businesses,” said Lankford. “This bill halts the largest tax increase in history, secures the border, and contains the most significant entitlement reform in years. I fought to make sure Oklahoma values were reflected in this package – protecting charitable giving, supporting energy jobs, and making it easier for businesses to grow and hire American workers.”
    Lankford secured key wins in the One Big Beautiful Bill to support Oklahoma families, job creators, and charitable giving.
    He secured the charitable deduction for non-itemizers, allowing couples to deduct up to $2,000 in donations. This will help more Americans support local churches, charities, and non-profits.
    Lankford also led the repeal of the Biden administration’s tax penalty on oil and gas producers by restoring key investment deductions. This will allow energy producers to reinvest, create jobs, and keep energy prices stable.
    He also worked to make full, immediate expensing permanent so businesses can deduct the full cost of equipment and technology up front. This will drive expansion, innovation, and job creation across Oklahoma. 
    Background
    Lankford has been outspoken on what it would have meant for Oklahomans if the One Big Beautiful Bill hadn’t passed the Senate and if President Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts expire:
    A staggering 63,000 jobs were projected to be lost.
    The average Oklahoma family faced a $2,013 tax increase.
    Nearly 449,000 households would have seen their child tax credit reduced by 50%.
    Over 233,000 small business owners would have been hit with significant tax hikes.
    More than 1.5 million families would have had their standard deduction cut in half.
    To read more about how this bill helps families, seniors, the vulnerable and disabled, farmers and ranchers, small businesses, as well as strengthens our national defenses, unleashes American energy, and secures the border, see below: 
    How this bill helps families
    This bill delivers the largest tax cut in history, which will result in higher wages and higher take home pay. This is also the most substantial entitlement reform in years, which will help our safety net programs stay viable for those in need.
    The average family will save about $5,000 in additional taxes next year.
    There will be no tax on tips, an increased standard deduction for seniors, no tax on overtime, and a tax break for those who buy new cars made in America.
    This bill will also give families $2,200 per child up to 16 years old every year. It will also create a savings account for every child born between 2025 and the end of 2028 – each account would start with a $1,000 deposit that parents can invest for their kids, giving kids a financial boost from birth.
    In Oklahoma, the long-run wage increase is projected to go from $4,800 to $9,100 according to the Council of Economic Advisers.
    In Oklahoma, the take-home pay increase for a family of four is projected to go from $6,500 to $10,800 according to the Council of Economic Advisers.
    This bill also expands the adoption tax credit and indexes it for inflation. It also allows for tribal governments to decide when a child qualifies as having special needs to extra help under the credit. When adoption can cause as much as $60,000, this tax credit will make it easier for families to welcome a child in need into their lives and homes.
    Police officers, firefighters, truckers, linemen, and others who work overtime will take home an average of more than $1,300 a year because of the no tax on overtime in this bill.
    Those who buy a new American-made car will be able to write off some of the interest from their car loan, which will help families and American manufacturing.
    How this bill helps seniors
    Seniors who make less than $75,000 as an individual or a couple who makes less than $150,000 will see a $6,000 increase in their standard deduction regardless of whether they are receiving Social Security yet or not.
    How this bill helps vulnerable and disabled patients
    This bill is good news for vulnerable and disabled patients because it protects the aged, blind, and disabled from changes to Medicaid. It also blocks Biden’s nursing home staffing mandate that threatened rural care facilities, it boosts physician payments to offset cuts that the Biden administration had implemented, and it ensures continued access to care and incentivizes innovation, especially for those with rare diseases or who need access to telehealth options. It also prohibits tax dollars from going to Planned Parenthood through Medicaid.
    How this bill helps farmers and ranchers
    This bill delivers wins for rural America by expanding the farm safety net, strengthening crop insurance, and supporting agricultural trade. The bill also restores accountability in nutrition programs and ensures food assistance serves Americans in need, not illegal immigrants. 
    This bill would keep two million family farms safe from the death tax by making permanent death tax exemptions from the 2017 Trump Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
    How this bill incentivizes giving to charity
    Sen. Lankford was proud to lead on restoring a tax deduction for non-itemizers – up to $2,000 per couple – which will help more Americans support charities, houses of worship, and non-profits, especially those that serve the most vulnerable. 
    How this bill helps energy production
    Sen. Lankford also led a repeal of the Biden administration’s unfair tax penalty on oil and gas producers by restoring key investment deductions, which will allow domestic energy producers to reinvest, create jobs, and keep energy costs stable. 
    How this bill helps businesses
    Sen. Lankford worked to make full, immediate expensing permanent, so businesses can deduct investments like equipment and technology up front, which will help fuel job creation and business expansion.
    How this bill cracks down on illegal immigration
    This bill devotes $160 billion to hire more Border Patrol Agents, more ICE officers, and to finish the border wall and invest in technology to secure the border.
    How this bill helps our air traffic control system
    The bill invests $12.5 billion to modernize America’s air traffic control system, by replacing outdated equipment, upgrading safety infrastructure, and expanding controller training so we continue to have the safest skies in the world. 
    How this bill strengthens our national defense
    This bill provides $150 billion to strengthen our military, rebuild our defense industrial base, and support border security missions. It also funds the Golden Dome initiative, boosts efforts to counter China, improves the quality of life for our servicemembers, invests in the tools needed to improve Pentagon accountability and delivers a clean audit.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Statement on Senate Passage of President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) released the following statement after the Senate passed the One Big Beautiful Bill:
    “By passing the One Big Beautiful Bill, the Senate has delivered on President Trump’s hallmark legislative priority of his second term,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This bill puts Texans first by avoiding a massive tax increase on hardworking families, making historic investments to help secure our southern border, reducing financial barriers for Texans exercising their Second Amendment rights, and other priorities I have championed like reimbursing Texas for Operation Lone Star and allowing for the movement of the Space Shuttle Discovery to its rightful home in Houston. I was proud to cast my vote in strong support of this significant legislation, and I urge the House to swiftly send it to President Trump’s desk to become law so we can Make America Great Again.”
    Background:
    The One Big Beautiful Bill contains the following provisions championed by Sen. Cornyn:
    $13.5 billion to reimburse states like Texas for stepping up and trying to secure the southern border during the Biden-Harris administration;
    Language that would result in the consideration of movement of the Space Shuttle Discovery from Virginia to its rightful home near the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston;
    A modified version of his Small Business Investment Act, which would make it easier for small and start-up businesses to access the financing they need to grow and succeed;
    Provisions from his Feral Swine Eradication Act to provide $105 million to the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program;
    And the reduction of burdensome taxes on certain firearms and silencers to $0.
    It also includes the following tax provisions to benefit Texas families:
    Prevents a more-than $3,000 tax hike on the average Texas family;
    Protects more than half a million Texas jobs from being lost;
    Ensures more than 3.7 million Texas households’ child tax credit is not cut in half;
    Shields more than two million Texas small business owners from a massive tax hike;
    Makes sure more than 12 million Texas families’ standard deduction is not cut in half;
    Establishes work requirements for able-bodied adults who are choosing not to work and do not have dependent children or elderly parents in their care;
    And ensures no taxes on tips or overtime for millions of tipped and hourly workers.
    The bill also makes historic investments in border security through the following provisions:
    $46.5 billion for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to build the border wall and associated infrastructure like access roads, cameras, lights, and sensors;
    $4.1 billion for a border personnel surge;
    $45 billion for the detention of illegal migrants;
    $6.1 billion for improvements to surveillance at the border;
    Funding for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to increase staffing and enhance migrant screening and vetting processes;
    Resources for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to increase recruitment, onboarding, and retention of ICE staff;
    Funding for the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to hire more immigration judges and staff to address the yearslong backlog of immigration cases and to investigate and prosecute immigration matters;
    And additional resources for law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe.

    MIL OSI USA News