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  • MIL-OSI USA: Tillis Op-Ed: The Senate’s One Big, Beautiful Opportunity

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) published an op-ed in The Hill outlining the Senate’s one big, beautiful opportunity to deliver tax relief and pass President Trump’s agenda. 
    Read the full op-ed HERE.
    Senator Tillis on Delivering President Trump’s Campaign Promises: 
    “President Trump ran — and won — on a bold promise: supercharge America’s economy and restore strength at home and abroad. Now the Senate is on the verge of helping him fulfill that commitment with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Getting the bill through the House was a Herculean effort in itself, given the Republicans’ thin majority. That required many compromises to be made. While there is a lot of good in the House version of the bill, some big improvements still need to be made. That is what the Senate is currently working on.”
    Senator Tillis on Democrats Opposition to the One Big, Beautiful Bill:
    “Don’t buy the spin of Democrats who oppose this bill and falsely give the impression that it’s just tax cuts for billionaires. Instead, look at the numbers. By voting against this bill, Democrats are voting to double the federal taxes on every married couple with two kids making $80,000 a year, from roughly $1,400 in taxes owed to more than $3,000. By voting against this bill, Democrats are voting to force single parents with two kids making $40,000 a year to go from getting a net tax credit to owing nearly $1,500 in taxes. By voting against this bill, Democrats are also betraying tens of millions of small businesses. They’ll be voting to triple the income tax bill for married small business owners with three kids and a net income of $180,000. They will also be voting against the most ambitious welfare reform in a generation.” 
    Senator Tillis on Improvements to the One, Big Beautiful Bill: 
    “Despite a lot of good, there are some big areas in need of improvement. First, the Senate needs to find additional spending cuts and savings. While the House version saves taxpayers $1.6 trillion in spending, we need to push further for fiscal restraint. This will be easier said than done, as the reconciliation process that allows Congress to pass major tax legislation with a simple majority vote has major restrictions on what and where the Senate can cut. A prime target is the House’s inexplicable decision to quadruple the state and local tax (SALT) deduction, which wealthy taxpayers in high-tax blue states utilize. While I understand why lawmakers from California and New York want to increase the SALT deduction, it’s not the responsibility of federal taxpayers to subsidize state tax bills.  The SALT increase overwhelmingly benefits the wealthiest of taxpayers and carries a significant price tag of $320 billion. The Senate needs to fix this and unlock additional cost savings to help working families, not coastal elites.” 
    Senator Tillis on the Senate’s Work Moving Forward: 
    “Moving forward, each Republican senator will have input, and each provision should be scrutinized. My simple request to all my Republican colleagues in both chambers is: do not let the perfect become the enemy of the good. We have narrow majorities in both the House and Senate and cannot waste the historic opportunity we have to deliver tax relief and pass Trump’s agenda. Whether it takes the next few weeks or the next few months, let’s do the hard work to find common ground, get the job done, and put the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on Trump’s desk.”  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER SAYS: HANDS OFF UPSTATE NY’S JOB CORPS CENTERS; FOLLOWING TRUMP ORDER TO SHUT DOWN JOB CORPS, ELIMINATING 550+ UPSTATE NY JOBS & CUTTING JOB TRAINING FOR THOUSANDS OF NEW YORKERS, SENATOR…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
    Job Corps Provides Residential Workforce Training To Thousands of Students Across America & NY – Located In Albany, Sullivan, Orleans, Otsego & Chautauqua Counties – Helping Underserved Workers Get The Skills They Need To Start Careers In Healthcare, Construction, Tech, And Other Fields With Worker Shortages
    Schumer Says Rash, Potentially Illegal Move By Trump Admin Is Gut Punch To Upstate NY’s Worker-Starved Businesses From Albany To Western NY That Rely On Job Corps To Find Skilled Workers; Demands NY Republicans Stand Up To Trump And Join Him In Pushing To Reverse These Counterproductive Cuts That Hurt Small Businesses & Workers In Their Backyards
    Schumer: Eliminating Job Corps Hurts Workers, Businesses, And Upstate NY Economy
    With the Trump administration attempting to eliminate Job Corps, one of the nation’s largest workforce training programs with 5 centers across Upstate NY, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer demanded the Trump administration stop their cruel, potentially illegal, attempts to decimate Job Corps, eliminating over 550 jobs across Upstate NY and canceling training to help students across America, including thousands in New York, get the skills they need to enter in-demand careers. Schumer said Upstate NY’s Job Corps centers – in Albany, Sullivan, Orleans, Otsego, and Chautauqua Counties – are essential for local small businesses and other employers that rely on Job Corps for a pipeline of new skilled workers to fill jobs.
    Schumer said the Trump administration is not only attempting to shut down Job Corps centers by June 30th, but in the recently released Presidential “skinny” budget request, Trump said he wants to totally zero out funding for the program. Schumer is leading efforts in the Senate to oppose these destructive and potentially illegal actions like pausing existing funds for the Job Corps centers by the Trump Administration to end this valuable program to train Upstate NY workers, and is demanding the GOP, especially NY House Republicans, many of whom have districts that rely on Job Corps, to stand with their constituents in fighting to save Job Corps by pushing the Trump administration to reverse course on these damaging policies.  
    “Across Upstate NY the Trump administration’s cruel order to shut down Job Corps centers has caused students and teachers to scramble, and if this goes through, it will be our small businesses and local economies paying the price. Job Corps is one of the best bang for your buck programs we have, one of America’s largest workforce training programs with thousands upon thousands of success stories putting young people into good-paying careers and helping employers grow with new, skilled workers. Job Corps is where New Yorkers go to get the skills they need to start their career in healthcare, construction, and other in demand fields, but right now, Trump wants to close the doors and kick all these young workers out on the street,” said Senator Schumer. “It’s cruel, it’s outrageous, and potentially illegal to stop the flow of funding under existing contracts from a program that is authorized and funded by Congress. We must save Job Corps across Upstate NY. We want to help young people get jobs, to get the training they need for successful careers, and eliminating these centers will hurt those students as well as local employers like small businesses and hospitals in getting the skilled workers they need. The courts have already put a pause on Trump’s initial attempts to kill Job Corps, and I will vehemently oppose his attempts to defund this program in the Senate because the people are on our side in saving Job Corps.”
    Last month, Trump paused operations at Job Corps centers nationwide sparking widespread outcry. Schumer explained this would kick more than a thousand young New Yorkers out of training programs and potentially to the curb, create mass layoffs of hundreds of workers at Job Corps centers in every corner of the state and hurt local businesses and other employers in need of skilled workers. Since then, a federal judge has temporarily blocked the pause, but Job Corps employees and students are being left in the lurch and are being forced to scramble as they do not know what the future holds as a final ruling in the court case is pending and the Trump administration continues its attacks on the program. In addition, Trump’s FY2026 budget proposal would completely eliminate funding for Job Corps centers, effectively killing the program.
    The Trump administration’s destructive actions would close Job Corps centers in every corner of New York, which train thousands of young New Yorkers every year. Schumer specifically highlighted how:
    In the Capital Region, the Glenmont Job Corps Center provides training to hundreds of students every year in fields encompassing construction, solar, culinary, automotive, security, and healthcare. The center employs 125 workers in the local area and has an estimated local community impact of $24.6 million annually.
    In the Hudson Valley, the Delaware Job Corps Center provides training for hundreds of students in fields encompassing construction, security, healthcare, and culinary. The center employs 101 workers in the local area and has an estimated local community economic impact of $18.1 million annually. The center also provides construction for community-based projects throughout the region via work-based learning agreements.
    In the Rochester-Finger Lakes Region, the Iroquois Job Center provides training to over 200 students in fields such as brick masonry, carpentry, electrical work, commercial painting, and healthcare. The center employs approximately 104 staff and injects over $8.9 million in federal funding into the local economy every year.
    In the Southern Tier, the Oneonta Job Corps is currently providing training hundreds of students and employs approximately 130 staff dedicated to helping students succeed.  Attracting students from all across the country, the center prepares students for careers in auto trades, healthcare, and pre-apprenticeship union trades in electrical, tile, and cement masonry. Oneonta’s Smart Grid Advanced Training for Electrical program helps students develop the skills they need to work on overhead lines, underground residential distributions, and smart meter logic controllers. In partnership with Mohawk Valley Community College, the center is training the next generation of drone operators through their Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operator program.
    In Western New York, the Cassadaga Job Corps provides training in fields such as healthcare, carpentry, and plumbing. The center employs approximately 100 workers in the local area.
    Schumer added, “Many of NY GOP districts rely on workers trained at Upstate NY’s Job Corps centers. That is why I’m calling on NY House Republicans to immediately reverse the proposed cuts in Trump’s budget request and push the Trump administration to stop its destructive pause of current funding to Job Corps that would devastate communities in their backyard.”
    For more than 60 years, Job Corps centers have helped millions of young people ages 16 to 24 finish high school, learn technical skills, and get jobs in in-demand fields such as healthcare and construction. Low-income and at-risk young people have received stable housing and health care while developing the skills they need to get good-paying jobs after graduation. Schumer is fighting to keep these centers open to preserve this pipeline for thousands of New Yorkers.
    Schumer recently sent a letter with 39 of his colleagues in the Senate calling on U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer to protect Job Corps and demanding answers on these destructive efforts. A copy of the letter sent by Senator Schumer and his colleagues can be found HERE.
    “At Glenmont Job Corps, we see firsthand how powerful this program is. It gives young people the tools, support, and confidence they need to rewrite their stories and build a better future. These aren’t just students—they’re future workers, leaders, and contributors to our communities. If Job Corps is taken away, the loss won’t just be felt by the students—it’ll be felt in our neighborhoods, our workforce, and our local economy. We could see more young people left without direction, and that creates real challenges for everyone. This program works—and it’s worth fighting for. I’m incredibly grateful to Senator Schumer for standing with us and with every young person who deserves a chance to succeed,” said Tracy Battle, Center Director, Glenmont Job Corps.
    “For 60 years, the Iroquois Job Corps Center has trained hundreds of young adults annually to become the electricians, carpenters, medical assistants and more that our community needs,” said Lynne Johnson, Chairman of the Orleans County Legislature.  “The Center is also a vital employer, with 104 local workers, and has infused over 8.9 million-dollars in federal funding into our region’s economy. Stopping student enrollments and threatening to close the Iroquois Job Corps Center not only risks the futures of over 12,000 students but also the workforce that drives our region’s economic growth.  I’m proud to stand with Senator Schumer in calling for Job Corps student enrollments to resume immediately and keeping the Iroquois Job Corps Center open, so we can continue building a stronger, more prosperous community.”
    “I’ve worked at the Cassadaga Job Corps Center for 15 years. I’ve seen thousands of young people transform their lives here—earning diplomas, learning trades, and gaining real-world experience that benefits both them and our local community,” said Cassadaga Guardians of the Hill President Jake Brock. “Closing our center would take away critical opportunities from students and eliminate over 100 jobs in a rural area with few alternatives. We’re deeply grateful to Senator Schumer for his support in keeping Job Corps strong for future generations.”
    “The Delaware Valley Job Corps Center in Callicoon has been a valuable part of our community for nearly half a century, and any closure – even temporarily – will have devastating results in and around Sullivan County. Local young adults benefit from the skills training that the Center provides, and many of the over 100 employees live and shop in Sullivan County. We certainly will be harmed, economically and educationally, should that facility be shuttered,” said Sullivan County Manager Joshua A. Potosek.
    “The Delaware Valley Job Corps program has been a cornerstone of our community for nearly 50 years. By providing stable employment opportunities to local residents, it has made a meaningful contribution to the economic well-being of our region. Just as importantly, it has given our community the opportunity to positively impact the lives of thousands of young people, offering them the support, skills, and direction needed to build brighter futures. I am deeply concerned about the potential loss of these jobs and the far-reaching effects this would have on our local families and economy. The decision to shut down or scale back this program is short-sighted and overlooks the long-term value it provides—not only to the individuals it serves but to our entire community. I strongly urge that this decision be reversed and that full support be restored to the Delaware Valley Job Corps program,” said Sullivan County Legislator Catherine Scott.
    “The loss of the Oneonta Job Corps Academy would have a severe impact on our economy, our infrastructure, the capacity of our community services, and the quality of life in the City,” said Mark Drnek, Mayor of the City of Oneonta. “But beyond that, the closure of the Job Corps program, would be the retraction of a helping hand, and of the opportunity for hundreds of young men and women to pull themselves from poverty and place themselves on the very ladder of success that is the American Dream, in many cases providing precedent and role modeling to family, friends, and neighborhoods.”
    “Job corps gave me the opportunity to get my basic needs met (food, water, shelter and a stable environment), while giving me the opportunity to work on myself and the trajectory of my career. I would not be where I am today, without job corps,” said Cassadaga Job Corps Graduate Arlene Tariq.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cramer Speaks at EPA Clean Power Plan, MATS Amendments Announcement

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)

    ***Click here for photos.***

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, joined U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin in announcing two proposals to achieve national energy dominance and ensure Americans have access to affordable and reliable energy. The orders reverse punitive policies unveiled during the Biden administration. These rules targeted North Dakota’s energy industries and spurred a critical legal response from the state and industry.

    Administrator Zeldin announced a proposed repeal of all greenhouse gas emission standards for the power sector under Section 111 of the Clean Air Act as well as the 2024 Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) amendments. The EPA previewed its intent to repeal these regulations on its Deregulation Day in March. Between the two proposed actions, the power sector could save more than $20 billion dollars over the next two decades, with the bulk of that savings—approximately $19 billion in savings, or $1.2 billion per year coming from the greenhouse gas rule. 

    “In North Dakota, we mine lignite coal and produce very reliable, long-term, steady electricity at a low cost,” said Cramer. “I’ve always resented that somebody in this building, at EPA, thought they cared more about the air, land, water, and economy than I did and my family did. Thank you to President Trump and Administrator Zeldin for recognizing American greatness, for giving this opportunity to both highlight it and change the rules in a more common sense and reasonable way.”

    [embedded content]

    Clean Power Plan

    Clean Power Plan greenhouse gas emission standards, first issued in 2015 by President Barack Obama, would have resulted in the closure of nearly half of North Dakota’s lignite power plants, as well as raising consumer prices to pay for its multi-billion-dollar price tag.

    After legal challenges from the state of North Dakota and industry, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Clean Power Plan in 2022, in West Virginia v. EPA. The Supreme Court ruled the Clean Power Plan was an illegal attempt at mandating fuel choices outside the legislative process. It also found the EPA had engaged in an unconstitutional power grab contrary to the major questions doctrine, which requires agencies to adhere to Congressional intent. Despite this clear rebuke, the Biden administration issued a similar rule which Cramer called for the EPA to withdraw from consideration in August 2023. 

    The EPA’s new Clean Air Act proposal states the agency is required to find that the specific emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants contribute to dangerous air pollution before it can regulate those emissions. EPA’s proposal acknowledges the greenhouse gas emissions targeted by the Clean Power Plan do not contribute significantly to dangerous air pollution. The proposal would also repeal carbon capture and sequestration requirements for new turbines and modified coal plants while also engaging in public comment on efficiency-based requirements for new natural gas power plants.

    MATS Amendments

    The EPA also proposed repealing 2024 amendments to MATS and reverting to standards set by the Obama administration in 2012. Despite the Biden administration’s own admission that the 2012 standard adequately protected public health, it issued new amendments requiring installation and adaptation of continuous monitoring technology originally used for the detection of particulate matter instead of mercury, as well as costly mitigation methods unproven at the scale required for North Dakota’s lignite plants. Cramer and then-Congressman Kelly Armstrong pointed out many of these concerns in a letter they sent asking for these amendments to be rescinded.

    Additionally, while the Biden administration ignored the EPA’s own data findings and reversed a key precedent which created a regulatory subcategory for lignite coal, this announcement restores it. Lignite coal generates more than half of all electricity in North Dakota. The subcategory was originally created by the EPA to align its regulatory approach with the physical and chemical characteristics of lignite coal to best protect public health. North Dakota’s aggressive defense of the lignite subcategory was based on decades of sound science and laid the foundation for its reimplementation by the Trump administration.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Speech: Hon Andrew Hoggard to Federated Farmers at Fieldays

    Source: ACT Party

    ACT MP Hon Andrew Hoggard
    Federated Farmers Rural Advocacy Hub Speaking Engagement     
    Wednesday 11 June, 11:30 am 

    Good morning, everyone. 

    It’s great to be back, and thank you for the opportunity to speak here today. 

    I’d like to start by acknowledging the significant effort that’s gone into organising this year’s Fieldays Rural Advocacy Hub. These events don’t happen without a lot of hard work behind the scenes, and it shows. 

    I also want to acknowledge Federated Farmers and the many other farmer-led organisations who work tirelessly to support and advocate for the sector. 

    As a dairy farmer and a former President of Federated Farmers, I know firsthand how important your work is. Whether it’s in the regions or on the national stage, you give voice to rural communities, bring practical solutions to the table, and stand up for the interests of farmers and growers across New Zealand. 

    This Government is firmly committed to backing you—by reducing costs, cutting unnecessary red tape, and strengthening frontline support. 

    When I spoke at Fieldays last year, interest rates were a massive challenge for rural New Zealand. Make no mistake, that was Wellington’s fault. It was the hangover from a Labour-led pandemic response that pumped out easy money without a productivity boost to match.

    Now we’ve reined in waste, got inflation back to the target range, and farmers are finally seeing real interest rates relief. We need to do more to cut the waste in Wellington, because the less resource the Government sucks up, the more is left over for people like you out in the real world trying to grow things. 

    Over the past year, we’ve made real progress on red tape. We’ve started delivering on our promise to fix the resource management system and reduce the regulatory burden. 

    Amending intensive winter grazing and stock exclusion rules. Pausing the rollout of freshwater farm plans while we make them more practical and affordable, and halting the identification of new Significant Natural Areas. 

    Right now, we’re consulting on a package of proposals aimed at streamlining or removing regulations that are holding the primary sector back. 

    Most critically, we are consulting on changes to the NPS Freshwater 2020. There are several options being put forward. Now, if I remove my Minister hat and put on my ACT Party hat, we need to be bold. By that I mean Te Mana o te Wai needs to go. Worrying about the Paris Accord, whilst still a concern, is a sideshow compared to the hard calls we need to make with regards to RMA reform and the NPS Freshwater.

    Make no mistake, as a Party we have no interest in taxing the most carbon efficient farmers in the world, having methane targets far in excess of what is needed to play our part, sending billions offshore to be carbon neutral, or turning the lights off in homes or businesses through misguided energy policies.

    But if you ask me what area of policy scares me the most for the future of New Zealand farming, it is resource management and freshwater policy.

    Te Mana o te Wai has caused confusion amongst councils, and I see that if left in place its current trajectory will likely lead towards co-governance for regional councils, not just in policy but consenting as well, and policies that are based on vague spiritual concepts, not clear and simple water science balanced with societal needs.

    This debate will undoubtedly be noisy, but farming groups need to advocate strongly for clear unambiguous language in the NPS, individual farmers need to submit on what they are seeing and the stress this concept has caused many of them with regards to consenting.

    At the Treaty Principles Bill second reading debate many coalition party MPs stated that the Bill was too general, too broad-brushed, and that we should just focus on ensuring that we don’t have unclear language and vague concepts in future bills and policies. Well I would suggest that this NPS Freshwater is a good test for those statements. You will see plenty of MPs here for the next few days playing farmer dress up, make sure you let them know you expect them to keep their word.

    Now, while I’m being a staunch ACT MP I also want to give a shout out to the Regulatory Standards Bill, for many of you undoubtedly are thinking, why should I care about something that sounds that boring.

    Real simple. If this Bill had been in place during my Feds presidency it would have made the job so much easier, as it would have highlighted some of the more impractical and stupid regulations that were dreamed up. Even if it didn’t make the politicians think twice, at least the system would have shone a spotlight on the issues. We are so lucky that Bernadette Hunt got on the Hosking show and was able to show up some of the more daft parts of the winter grazing regs and they got changed within days, but they shouldn’t have got that far. That’s what the Regulatory Standards Bill will hopefully show up.

    But also, government doesn’t just take away your hard-earned dollars through its fiscal policies. It also can take away your property rights through its regulatory policies, so this Bill will ensure that if those property rights are taken away then compensation should be forthcoming. This whole concept has complete distaste from the Left, and some lukewarm reception from everyone else but ACT. So, if more protection for property rights is something you want to see, make sure you put your case forward for it.

    Okay, back to being a Minister, if I can just highlight some of the other Government work that is going on that is relevant for farming.

    In the health and safety space, we’ve got Brooke van Velden leading reforms to get rid of over compliance, reduce paperwork, and make WorkSafe helpful, not harmful. I’m especially pleased about her work to protect landowners from liability when they allow recreational activities like horse trekking, hunting, or hiking on their land. It’s about a shift from fear to freedom, opening up land for maximum enjoyment and enhancing the Kiwi way of life. 

    We’re also keen to empower farmers on the conservation front. I believe farmers are natural environmentalists. We live off the land, so we have every incentive to care for it. Many of us work to maintain stands of native bush or wetland on our land. For too long, the approach has been to punish this work, with councils looking at your land and saying, “that looks pretty, in fact that natural area looks ‘significant’ and you’re going to lose your property rights over that.” It’s all stick and no carrot. I think farmers deserve real credit for their contributions to biodiversity, and I’ll have more to say about that at the Beef + Lamb stall tomorrow.

    In this year’s Budget, we announced a 20% funding increase to tackle the spread of wilding pines—a major win for our landscapes and productive land. 

    Another important change in this year’s Budget is Investment Boost—a major new tax incentive to encourage business investment, support economic growth, and lift wages. 

    If you’re a farmer, tradie, manufacturer, or run any business, this matters to you. 

    When you invest in new equipment, machinery, tools, vehicles, or technology—you’ll now be able to deduct 20% of that cost immediately from your taxable income. 

    It’s a straightforward way to help reduce your tax bill and support decisions that lift productivity and grow your business. 

    To put it simply, we’re backing your success. 

    We want to see a thriving primary sector that’s not weighed down by complexity, but supported to innovate, grow, and lead. 

    I want to thank Federated Farmers, and many of you here, for the constructive role you’ve played in helping shape these changes. Your feedback is vital to making sure the final rules are workable, sensible, and fit for purpose. 

    Thank you again for the chance to be here, and for everything you do to keep this sector moving forward.

    All the best for a successful and enjoyable Fieldays. 

    Thank you.  

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WATCH: On House Floor, Pressley Condemns Trump’s ICE Raids, Calls for Solidarity with Immigrant Neighbors

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

    “From my home in the Massachusetts 7th… to Los Angeles, where Donald Trump sent the National Guard and Marines to descend on justice-seeking peaceful protestors – the hurt and harm of this hostile White House is felt by us all.”

    “We need solidarity and resistance and a rejection in this moment of these attacks on our immigrant communities. An attack on our immigrant communities is an attack on all of us.”

    Video (YouTube)

    WASHINGTON – Today, in a fiery floor speech, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) delivered a blistering condemnation of Donald Trump’s campaign of terror against immigrant communities, which have inflicted unspeakable trauma on families across the nation and done nothing to make our country safer.

    In her remarks, Congresswoman shared heartbreaking stories of families in the Massachusetts 7th impacted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) unlawful raids, condemned Trump’s deployment of the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles, and called for urgent solidarity with our immigrant neighbors.

    A full transcript of her remarks as delivered is available below, and the full video is available here.

    Transcript: On House Floor, Pressley Condemns Trump’s ICE Raids, Calls for Solidarity with Immigrant Neighbors

    House of Representatives

    June 11, 2025

    Mr. Chair,

    I rise today on behalf of our neighbors and community members, immigrants, our immigrant brothers and sisters who are being targeted and abducted, taken from their homes, torn away from their babies, disappeared on their way to church, work, and to school.

    Children crying in their teachers’ arms, families separated, communities traumatized. If they’ve not already been kidnapped, fearful that they will be.

    Children crying in their teachers’ arms afraid that they’re going to come home and their parents will be gone.

    Elders carrying all of their medications with them in their comings and goings for fear of being abducted and sent somewhere without access to necessary healthcare.

    We see a spike in no-shows and cancellations in health clinics as patients would rather miss critical care than risk detainment.

    We see young parents and grandparents alike attending their immigration court hearings, eager to officially call this country home, only to be met with handcuffs and shoved into cars by masked ICE individuals.

    This is Donald Trump’s America.

    But these are real people. Hardworking people whose labor and contributions make our communities a better place.

    Young people who show up every day in our schools as part of our learning communities.

    These are mothers and fathers working overtime to provide for their children.

    In my district, the Massachusetts 7th, my Chelsea constituent Kenia and her three children were driving to a Mother’s Day church service with her husband Daniel when ICE agents in unmarked vehicles ambushed them, broke the passenger’s side window, forcefully extracted Daniel from the car, and slammed his face on the sidewalk while their three watched on in horror.

    And in East Boston, my constituent Mercedes and her son are struggling after her husband Jose was arrested at work and detained for two days at an ICE facility in Burlington.

    Jose was living here legally with Temporary Protected Status but was told by the ICE agents who detained him that “only people born here have rights.”

    These are real people. Real people – children and adults alike – traumatized, whose lives have been disturbed, upended, and irreparably harmed.

    Donald Trump and ICE claim that they are committing this assault on our communities in the name of safety.

    Terror makes no one safe. It does the opposite. It sows chaos, it breeds fear, and it fosters unrest.

    From my home in the Massachusetts 7th – where mothers have wept on my shoulder, pleading for their husbands to come home, for their families to be reunited – to Los Angeles, where Donald Trump sent the National Guard and Marines to descend on justice-seeking peaceful protestors – the hurt and harm of this hostile White House is felt by us all.

    This has nothing to do with law and order. That is laughable coming from the most Godless, lawless Oval Office occupant in our history.

    This has everything to do with power and control.

    Deploying the National Guard without a governor’s approval, taking unwarranted and unprecedented action against peaceful justice-seekers and freedom fighters.

    We must see our neighbor’s humanity in this moment.

    Yet across the country, occupant Trump is working overtime to be a fascist dictator, to weaponize our government against its own people, to sow fear and chaos, to silence dissenting voices in our communities, at our colleges, in the courts and in fact, even in Congress.

    These actions are lawless – a complete violation of our constitutional rights to due process – void of common sense and compassion.

    Know this, for those of you watching at home, who might be tempted to think that this is not your problem:

    An extremist march towards fascism is everyone’s problem. Trust me, if you’re not already suffering, you will be.

    And we need solidarity and resistance and a rejection in this moment of these attacks on our immigrant communities.

    An attack on our immigrant communities is an attack on all of us.

    As a woman of faith, my God tells me to welcome the stranger. Do not be indifferent to the suffering of your neighbors.

    Immigrants make our country a better place. Immigrants make America great. And our immigrant brothers and sisters deserve to call this country home.

    I yield back.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pressley Rallies Against “Big Ugly Bill,” Demands Protection of Medicaid and Life-Saving Care

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

    “Medicaid has been essential – providing essential care to those who need it most in the midst of a crisis or a chronic diagnosis.”

    “Republicans who gave their vote and their endorsement to this horrific “Big Ugly Bill” should be ashamed. They voted against their neighbors. They voted against their constituents. They are complicit in wholesale harm.”

    Video (YouTube)

    WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) rallied with advocates from Caring Across Generations, Care Can’t Wait, and partner organizations to protest Trump’s and Republicans’ Big Ugly Bill that proposes disastrous cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and other essential programs and would leave communities sicker, poorer, and more vulnerable. The Congresswoman made it plain that Medicaid is a lifeline, and the support it provides is critical to everyone’s livelihoods – from those care taking for their loved ones to those needing medication for chronic conditions.

    A transcript of the Congresswoman’s remarks, as delivered, is available below, and the full video is available here.

    Transcript: Pressley Rallies Against “Big Ugly Bill,” Demands Protection of Medicaid and Life-Saving Care

    Upper Senate Park

    June 11, 2025

    Hey, movement family!

    And we are truly one movement and one human family, and that’s why you’re all here.

    When you could have been anywhere else, you chose to be here because you recognize that our freedoms and our destinies are tied.

    Thank you to our advocates and our partners in good. Thank you for being here today. Thank you for never losing sight of what is necessary in the work and the fight for our shared liberation and our collective humanity.

    You know, every day in Congress, I sit across the aisle from Republicans, and I’ve asked myself – since all around us is callousness, contempt for every person that calls this country home, and I’m going to say cluelessness – you know, we’ll stick with that C theme there – chaos, callousness, contempt and cluelessness.

    Because I wonder if they’ve ever sat at the bedside of a loved one in their final days.

    I wonder if they ever rushed a toddler to the emergency room with a fever.

    These are basic human experiences: grief, worry, care, concern.

    So either my colleagues across the aisle are some sort of extreme anomaly, and they’ve never experienced these moments, or they simply don’t give a damn.

    Maybe they believe if the language you speak is different, or your bank account is lighter, your heart just doesn’t break the same way.

    But you and I know that’s not true.

    Again, we are part of one human family.

    Brother James Baldwin reminds us that, “The children are always ours, every single one of them, all over the globe; and I’m beginning to suspect that whoever is incapable of recognizing that may be incapable of morality,” said Baldwin.

    Well, Medicaid is a lifeline to both our elders and our babies.

    It’s NICU care, it’s blood pressure medications, it’s cancer treatment.

    There is no moment, in my view, more basic and human than trying to take care of and keep safe your loved ones.

    In America, far too often, for far too many, we come up short.

    But that is not on our caregivers. That is on a broken system. And in the midst of broken systems and broken promises, programs like SNAP, food stamps have been essential.

    The difference between a family going hungry or being able to stretch those groceries until pay day.

    You know, being poor is not a character flaw, and being poor is one of the hardest, most expensive – one of the hardest jobs you’ll ever have, and one of the most expensive conditions.

    Medicaid has been essential – providing essential care to those who need it most in the midst of a crisis or a chronic diagnosis.

    Republicans who gave their vote and their endorsement to this horrific “Big Ugly Bill” should be ashamed.

    They voted against their neighbors. They voted against their constituents. They are complicit in wholesale harm.

    And these programs, as I said, they are essential. They are core to the basic functions of government. We’re not talking about nice-to-haves.

    We’re talking about programs that determine who lives, programs that determine who dies, programs that determine who survives, programs that determine who thrives.

    But this is not an inevitability.

    And this extremist march towards fascism – what history has taught us time and time again is that appeasement never works. Silence never works.

    What they want is a citizenry that is ignorant and uninformed. They want a citizenry that is indifferent to the suffering of their neighbors. They want a citizenry that is inactive.

    But in this moment today, we assemble, we come together to reject and resist the vision of Donald Trump’s America.

    And let me just say, for those that think that you can inoculate yourself or you are exempt from this harm, this harm is coming for everyone.

    Your whiteness will not keep you safe. Your wealth will not keep you safe. This hurt and harm is coming for everybody.

    I just wish I had some colleagues that were more concerned with doing a job than keeping it.

    That’s what has them complicit in this cult of cowards and wholesale harm because of this culture of grievance and political retribution that the occupant of the Oval Office moves with.

    What happens in the weeks to come will determine the lives and livelihoods of families for decades to come.

    Look, y’all, movement family – this is not just about how do we get through the next four years. This moment is going to determine and shape the next 100.

    And the Senate must act accordingly and listen to the people and stop this bill in its tracks.

    The consequences cannot be more severe. I’m appealing to people – this is bigger than Democrat and Republican. This is about right and wrong. This is about good and evil.

    I’m appealing to people of conscience to stand united against this bill, to raise your voice and share your stories.

    And to the Republicans who are all too eager to green light a handout to billionaires on the backs of the most vulnerable: if you won’t act in good faith, at least act to save your own job, because we will not forget where you stand in this moment.

    The people deserve better, and we can stop this Big Ugly Bill.

    So movement, family, I love you.

    We won’t back down, we won’t back down, we won’t back down, we won’t back down, we won’t back down, we won’t back down.

    I love you, movement family.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Agriculture – Wool carpet decision a ‘parachute’ for farmers – Federated Farmers

    Source: Federated Farmers

    Kāinga Ora’s decision to use wool carpet in its social housing is a massive win for wool growers but won’t be enough to save the industry on its own, Federated Farmers says.
    “Our wool industry is in major freefall, and this move from Kāinga Ora is the parachute we desperately need,” Federated Farmers meat and wool chair Toby Williams says.
    “This will slow our drop a bit but, in reality, what we really need now is an updraft to lift wool back up into being the number-one fibre globally.
    “It’s certainly a massive step in the right direction, though, and we’re very pleased with the announcement yesterday.”
    Williams says Kāinga Ora is New Zealand’s largest landlord, so its contract has the capability to soak up large volumes of wool, which in turn will help drive up prices.
    As well as transitioning to using wool carpet in its new social housing, Kāinga Ora will also use wool carpet in existing homes if the whole house needs recarpeting, such as when renovating older properties.
    The decision comes after a recent Request for Proposal (RFP) inviting both wool and nylon carpet providers to tender for the supply of carpet and underlay in its properties.
    “Last year Federated Farmers slammed Kāinga Ora for initially deciding to categorically rule out using woollen carpets in its social housing,” Williams says.
    “Our homegrown wool is an incredible product and it beggared belief that Kāinga Ora weren’t even giving wool the chance to compete against nylon products.
    “That was a total slap in the face for struggling Kiwi sheep farmers and rural communities, and we made it very clear it was a ridiculous, short-sighted decision.
    “It’s great they saw sense and allowed wool to have a crack – and even better that a wool provider has won the contract.
    “It just goes to show that when wool is given a fair chance, it comes out on top as a natural, sustainable and renewable alternative to cheap and nasty plastic alternatives.”
    Williams says the decision is the result of a massive collaborative effort across the entire wool industry.
    “Federated Farmers and other groups have been working really hard for years to get the Government engaged with, and listening to, wool growers.
    “We recently launched our SOS: Save Our Sheep campaign to hammer home the message that we need urgent action if we’re to keep our sheep and wool industry from collapsing entirely.
    “Farmers are sick of woolly ideas – they want solid actions like this.
    “It just shows that strong leadership from the Government can be a factor in restoring confidence to our embattled wool industry.”
    Williams says the housing agency’s decision is also a big step forward for environmental sustainability.
    “Using cheap, nasty plastic carpets might save a few bucks, but at what cost to the environment?
    “If Kāinga Ora had picked a fossil fuel-derived synthetic carpet over a sustainable New Zealand-grown woollen product, just because it’s cheaper, it would have been a disaster.”
    Williams says he’s also really pleased that high-quality, sustainable Kiwi wool will be in the homes of some of New Zealand’s most vulnerable tenants.
    Kāinga Ora will transition to using wool carpet in its new homes from 1 July 2025, when the supply arrangements come into effect. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As Trump’s illegal military deployment cuts into firefighting resources, Governor Newsom launches new CAL FIRE recruiting effort

    Source: US State of California Governor

    Jun 11, 2025

    What you need to know: Governor Newsom is launching a new CAL FIRE recruitment drive – at JoinCALFIRE.com – as President Trump’s illegal military deployment impacts firefighting resources already seeing cuts by the U.S. Forest Service.

    LOS ANGELES – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the launch of a new effort to recruit for one of the world’s leading firefighting departments, CAL FIRE.

    The effort comes as President Trump’s illegal militarization of Los Angeles cuts into valuable firefighting resources. Roughly 300 California National Guard fire crews have been diverted to armories in the Los Angeles region — cutting CalGuard’s firefighting force by three-quarters. This impact is on top of the Trump administration’s cuts to the U.S. Forest Service, which also threatens the safety of communities across the states.

    As part of the state’s ongoing investment in wildfire resilience and emergency response, CAL FIRE has significantly expanded its workforce over the past five years by adding an average of 1,800 full-time and 600 seasonal positions annually – nearly double that from the previous administration. Over the next four years and beyond, CAL FIRE will be hiring thousands of additional firefighters, natural resource professionals, and support personnel to meet the state’s growing demands.

    As California contends with rising wildfire risks, increasing demands for emergency services, and the need to fast-track mitigation and prevention efforts, recruiting mission-driven professionals across all disciplines has never been more critical. The state’s new website launched today, JoinCALFIRE.com, empowers prospective applicants with comprehensive information about the department’s diverse career paths— from firefighting and natural resource management to land use planning and information technology.

    With peak fire season just now getting underway, we can’t let our guard down. President Trump’s political stunt is now impacting our resources – with three-quarters of the National Guard’s firefighting crews diverted to Los Angeles armories. We’re ramping up our efforts to recruit for CAL FIRE to keep our communities safe – especially as the federal government makes conditions even more dangerous.

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    With the scale of hiring underway, JoinCALFIRE.com is launching at a pivotal time to streamline recruitment, improve public access to career information, and ensure the department attracts the qualified, mission-driven professionals needed to strengthen statewide readiness and response capabilities.

    “As our state faces unprecedented challenges, we are committed to building a team that not only meets but exceeds the demands of today’s emergencies,” said CAL FIRE Director and Fire Chief Joe Tyler. “Whether you’re launching your professional journey or looking to make a transformative career change, JoinCALFIRE.com offers the tools and resources to take that first step.”

    Building on unprecedented progress

    Late last month, the Governor announced $72 million for projects across the state that help reduce catastrophic wildfire risk. Governor Newsom also announced 13 new vegetation management projects spanning nearly 7,000 acres have already been approved for fast-tracking under his new streamlining initiative.

    This builds on consecutive years of intensive and focused work by California to confront the severe ongoing risk of catastrophic wildfires, and Governor Newsom’s emergency proclamation signed in March to fast-track forest and vegetation management projects throughout the state. Additionally, to bolster the state’s ability to respond to fires, Governor Newsom announced in April that the state’s second C-130 Hercules airtanker is ready for firefighting operations, adding to the largest aerial firefighting fleet in the world. 

    New, bold moves to streamline state-level regulatory processes builds long-term efforts already underway in California to increase wildfire response and forest management in the face of a hotter, drier climate. A full list of California’s progress on wildfire resilience is available here.

    Highlights of achievements to date include:

    • Historic investments — Overall, the state has more than doubled investments in wildfire prevention and landscape resilience efforts, providing more than $2.5 billion in wildfire resilience since 2020, with an additional $1.5 billion to be allocated from the 2024 Climate Bond.
    • On-the-ground progress — More than 2,200 landscape health and fire prevention projects are complete or underway, and from 2021-2023, the State and its partners treated nearly 1.9 million acres, including nearly 730,000 acres in 2023.
    • Increasing transparency — The Governor’s Task Force launched an Interagency Treatment Dashboard to display wildfire resilience work across federal, state, local, and privately managed lands across the State. The Dashboard, launched in 2023, provides transparency, tracks progress, facilitates planning, and informs firefighting efforts.
    • Hardening communities — Adding to California’s nation-leading fire safety  standards, Governor Newsom signed an executive order to further improve community hardening and wildfire mitigation strategies to neighborhood resilience statewide. Since 2019, CAL FIRE has awarded more than $450 million for 450 wildfire prevention projects across the state and conducts Defensible Space Inspections on more than 250,000 homes each year.
    • Leveraging cutting-edge technology — On top of expanding the world’s largest aerial firefighting fleet, CAL FIRE has doubled its use of Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) and the state is utilizing AI-powered tools to spot fires quicker.

    Press releases, Recent news

    Recent news

    Jun 11, 2025

    News LOS ANGELES – President Trump continues to violate the U.S. Constitution and federal law by turning the military into his own personal police force against American citizens. As Governor Newsom said in his address to Californians and the American people…

    Jun 11, 2025

    News Los Angeles, California – Governor Gavin Newsom issued the following statement today on the passing of Brian Wilson, singer-songwriter and Beach Boys co-founder:”Jennifer and I join the world in mourning the death of Brian Wilson, a musical genius and California…

    Jun 10, 2025

    News Los Ángeles — En un discurso pronunciado esta noche ante casi 40 millones de californianos y estadounidenses en todo el país, el Gobernador Gavin Newsom condenó la militarización ilegal de Los Ángeles por parte del Presidente Trump y advirtió que las acciones del…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden, Colleagues Reintroduce Bill to Protect Reproductive and Sexual Health Data

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)

    June 11, 2025

    Washington D.C.— U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said today he has joined colleagues to reintroduce the landmark My Body, My Data Act, which would create a new national standard to protect reproductive and sexual health data. 

    “Anti-abortion Republicans are restricting abortion state-by-state, and they’re not going to stop until they get a national abortion ban,” Wyden said. “The way MAGA prosecutors and politicians enforce their cruel assault on women’s rights is by going after their privacy and abusing their personal data to track down and punish women for their personal reproductive health choices. Congress has to draw a line. I’m proud to partner with Rep. Jacobs and Sen. Hirono on the My Body, My Data Act to set the toughest protections ever for reproductive health data.”

    The weaponization of private reproductive and sexual health data has increased in recent years, especially since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. In 2017, police used web searches and text messages to charge Latice Fisher with second-degree murder after a stillbirth at home. Facebook messages were also a key piece of evidence in an abortion-related investigation of a Nebraska mother and daughter in 2022. A data broker shared cell phone and geo-location data with an anti-abortion political group that then dispensed disinformation about reproductive health to people who visited 600 abortion clinics in 48 states. Earlier this year, police investigated a Pennsylvania mother and daughter after receiving text messages about her pregnancy.

    Specifically, the My Body, My Data Act would:

    • Limit the personal reproductive and sexual health data that can be collected, retained, used, or disclosed to only what is needed to deliver a product or service.
    • Protect personal data collected by entities not currently covered under HIPAA, including data collected by apps, cell phones, and search engines.
    • Require regulated entities to develop and share a privacy policy outlining how they collect, retain, use, and disclose personal reproductive health information.
    • Direct the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to enforce the law and to develop rules to implement the statute.
    • Create a private right of action to allow individuals to hold regulated entities accountable for violations. 
    • Provide additional consumer protections, including the right of an individual to access, delete, or correct their personal data if they choose to.

    In addition to Wyden, the legislation was led by U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii., and U.S. Representative Sara Jacobs, D-Calif. 

    The legislation is supported by Center for Democracy and Technology, Electronic Privacy Information Center, Electronic Frontier Foundation, National Partnership for Women & Families, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Reproductive Freedom for All, Physicians for Reproductive Health, National Women’s Law Center, National Abortion Federation, Catholics for Choice, National Council for Jewish Women, Power to Decide, United for Reproductive & Gender Equity, Indivisible, Guttmacher, and National Network of Abortion Funds, All* Above All.

    “Everyone deserves the freedom to make personal decisions about their bodies, lives, and health without the fear of surveillance or criminalization. The ‘My Body, My Data Act’ is a critical step toward protecting our most private health information—including abortion and pregnancy care—from being weaponized against us. We’re grateful to Representative Jacobs and Senator Hirono for their leadership in introducing this bold federal action. We are committed to working with them to fight back as Trump and Republicans continue to attack our fundamental freedoms,” said Mini Timmaraju, CEO and President of Reproductive Freedom for All.

    “In a chaotic and dangerous post-Roe landscape, no one seeking an abortion should have to fear that their health information will be used to criminalize them,” said Jocelyn Frye, President of National Partnership for Women & Families. “Many women, including many women of color and those with low incomes, already face over-surveillance and heightened barriers to accessing abortion care. This bill is an important step in protecting data privacy surrounding abortion care, and we thank Rep. Jacobs and Senators Hirono and Wyden for their leadership on this issue.”

    “Americans’ health data is constantly used in ways that they do not expect. The My Body, My Data Act protects the privacy and safety of people seeking reproductive care but putting strict limits on when reproductive and sexual health information can be collected and how it can be used. Health care and privacy go hand in hand, and EPIC commends Rep. Jacobs for introducing this important bill,” said Caitriona Fitzgerald, Deputy Director, Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC).

    “It’s been nearly three years since the Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, and we continue to see states hostile to reproductive rights seeking access to health data. The My Body My Data Act contains critical privacy protections that limit the data companies collect and retain about their customers while providing people clear ways to access and delete their health data when they want. When companies don’t collect and keep people’s health data, they won’t have anything to turn over if folks come asking for it,” said Andrew Crawford, Senior Counsel, Center for Democracy & Technology.

    “As a physician, I know how critical it is for the personal information of the patients I care for to be protected. Too often, data related to reproductive health care is used to target and criminalize people seeking essential care. I am thankful to Senators Wyden and Hirono and Representative Jacobs for introducing the My Body, My Data Act of 2025. Ensuring the health and well-being of patients includes protecting the privacy of personal reproductive health information,” said Dr. Ghazaleh Moayedi, Physicians for Reproductive Health Board Chair and OB/GYN in Texas. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden, Colleagues Introduce Class Act to give Students Cheated by For-Profit Colleges Their Day in Court

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)

    June 11, 2025

    Washington D.C.—U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said today he has joined colleagues to reintroduce legislation designed to strengthen students’ ability to hold for-profit colleges accountable in court for their misconduct.  

    The Court Legal Access and Student Support (CLASS) Act would enhance accountability for for-profit colleges and safeguard taxpayer dollars by prohibiting an institution of higher education from receiving Title IV federal student aid if the school’s enrollment agreement requires mandatory arbitration or otherwise restricts students’ ability to pursue claims against the school in court.

    “For-profit colleges must be held accountable for misleading people working hard to get an education, and no student should have to sign a non-disclosure agreement to secure thateducation,” Wyden said. “Students are already dealing with the skyrocketing costs of college across the country, and I am committed to support students to reduce these costs and empower them to hold bad-actors accountable with legislation like the CLASS Act.”.

    Specifically, the CLASS Act would enhance the accountability of for-profit colleges and safeguard taxpayer dollars by:

    • Prohibiting an institution of higher education from receiving federal student aid if the school’s enrollment agreement requires mandatory arbitration or restricts students’ ability to pursue claims against the school in court;
    • Ensuring  the Federal Arbitration Act, which governs the enforcement of arbitration proceedings, would not apply to student enrollment agreements;
    • Taking effect one year after enactment to allow schools to make any necessary changes; and
    • Exempting legitimate non-profit colleges and universities because these institutions do not include mandatory arbitration clauses in their enrollment agreements.  The CLASS Act thus squarely focuses on schools that might seek to profit off of students while hiding from accountability in a court of law.

    The legislation was led by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and U.S. Representative Maxine Waters, D-Calif. Along with Wyden, the CLASS Act is cosponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Jack Reed, D-R.I., Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, John Fetterman, D-Pa., Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., Cory Booker, D-N.J., Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., and Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y. 

    The bill has earned the endorsement of Consumer Action; The Institute for College Access and Success; National Consumer Law Center (on behalf of its low income clients); National Association for College Admission Counseling; Veterans Education Success; National Association of Consumer Advocates; American Association for Justice; Center for Justice and Democracy; Woodstock Institute; Public Justice; Earthjustice; Public Citizen; The National Employment Lawyers Association; Americans for Financial Reform; National Consumers League; Consumer Federation of America; Young Invincibles; and Center for Responsible Lending.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Armstrong: Housing funds to move forward after Attorney General finds line-item vetoed bill is valid

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    Gov. Kelly Armstrong today said $35 million in housing funds will be disbursed as approved by the state Legislature after a North Dakota Attorney General’s opinion found that the governor’s written objections in a line-item veto of Senate Bill 2014 clearly did not target the housing funds.

    In an opinion released today, Attorney General Drew Wrigley stated that the governor’s written statement of his objections to SB 2014 is what controls the extent of the line-item veto – not a mismarked version of the bill provided as a visual aid.

    “The written veto message is the controlling document because it clearly states our objection to the bill as required by the North Dakota Constitution. There was no ambiguity in our veto message, which was printed in the official Legislative Journal and is what lawmakers should rely upon when interpreting a veto,” Armstrong said. “We appreciate the Attorney General’s determination, which clarifies the matter, avoids the cost of a special session and nullifies the flawed interpretation that initially blew this up into something much bigger than it needed to be. We always said we would honor what the Attorney General found, and we appreciate his assistance.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Armstrong applauds EPA proposal to repeal burdensome Biden-era power plant regulations

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    Gov. Kelly Armstrong issued the following statement today after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced its proposal to repeal two burdensome Biden-era power plant regulations known as “Clean Power Plan 2.0” and Mercury and Air Toxic Standards (MATS).

    The announcement comes one month after Armstrong and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin met in Washington, D.C., discussing the need to repeal the Biden administration’s onerous and overreaching rules on power plants, especially those designed to phase out coal-fired power plants like those in North Dakota that provide critical baseload generation.

    “This is what smart federal regulatory reform looks like,” Armstrong said. “It’s refreshing to finally have a regulatory agency that takes input from the people who produce what the world needs – and allows them to do it better than anyone else while protecting the environment. We thank Administrator Zeldin and the Trump administration for supporting common-sense regulation and unleashing U.S. energy production to hold down costs for consumers and strengthen national security.”

    North Dakota is currently participating in lawsuits against both the Clean Power Plan 2.0, which would effectively shut down existing coal-fired power plants by requiring them to curb greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2032, and the MATS rule, arguing it exceeds EPA’s statutory authority and threatens the U.S. power grid by forcing the premature closure of power plants.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Mann Advocates for U.S. Trade Promotion, Global Food Programs in House Agriculture Committee Hearing with Secretary Brooke Rollins

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Tracey Mann (Kansas, 1)

    [embedded content]

    CLICK HEREto download Rep. Mann’s questioning

    CLICK HERE to watch Rep. Mann’s exchange with Secretary Rollins on YouTube.

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) questioned U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins during her first appearance before the House Agriculture Committee. During Rep. Mann’s questioning, he thanked Secretary Rollins and President Trump for their leadership and advocacy on behalf of American farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers and highlighted the need for sound federal policy that promotes trade opportunities for American agriculture and recognizes international food aid as a tool for U.S. national security that supports domestic producers.

    Excerpts:

    [Opening Statement]:Secretary Rollins, thank you for being here today and thank you for your leadership in supporting farmers, ranchers, and ag producers across America. It was an honor to have you visit the Big First District of Kansas your first week on the job back in February, right after you were confirmed. We had the chance to participate in a roundtable discussion with ag producers, stakeholders, and toured Finney County Feeders and the Ponderosa Dairy. We even met with some local FFA students, which was a huge highlight of mine and I know it’s something that’s near and dear to your heart as well.  In one of my first meetings with President Trump, I distinctly remember him telling me of his love for American farmers and I appreciate that you share that passion. Over the past few months, you and President Trump have led the way in supporting rural America, and I look forward to continuing to work with you for the next four years as we Make Agriculture Great Again. 

    [On trade opportunities for Kansas farmers]: The One Big Beautiful Bill Act is a major step forward for the future of American agriculture. We were able to strengthen crop insurance, raise reference prices, and really help our producers. We were also able to include historic landmark investments in funding for trade promotion programs in the House version. After the last administration’s failure to act on expanding international markets, I have been really encouraged at your efforts to rebalance trade to support American farmers and ranchers. In particular, I appreciate that you will be traveling on a trade mission to India here in the next few weeks, where greater market access for crops like sorghum would be a game changer for Kansas producers and a clear win for both the United States and India. With this significant upgrade in trade promotion resources, can you share what you and Ambassador Greer will be pursuing to unlock opportunities for U.S. exports of commodities, like sorghum, as part of the ongoing trade negotiations with India?  

    Rollins: India is reflective to your point on sorghum and a lot of our row crops; there is just so much opportunity there. I think we have talked a lot this morning about national security—agriculture security is national security. A lot of that is opening markets with our friends like India and moving away from other markets that clearly are not aligned with us on a value-by-value basis. What I have found with Ambassador Greer, Secretary Lutnick, with Secretary Bessent, and the ultimate dealmaker, President Trump, is they are—we are—relentless. I think I have mentioned this a couple of times, but I think it is worth repeating: the few countries that have already visited me—everyone is so anxious to support this vision of opening up more American products and decreasing the tariffs while working on the non-tariff trade barriers. There is a lot more to come, and would love to work with you, though, as we are working with India and other countries specific to sorghum and other row crops. 

    Mann: I’d love to.I think India is a huge opportunity for sorghum and other commodities as well. Thank you for that.

    [On Food for Peace]:Earlier this year, I introduced legislation to move back to USDA a program that is not only dear to the people of Kansas, but also vital to our ag producers in the country. Food for Peace is a program that I have long supported, and it supports American agriculture while helping feed millions of people around the world. It was originally housed with the USDA when it was created over 70 years ago; a Kansan came up with the idea years ago. My bill would return it back to its roots, to return it home to the USDA, ensuring its long-term sustainability. I’m optimistic that Congress will soon act to codify this move, realigning Food for Peace with USDA where it began. If and when that transition takes place, can you commit that the Department will continue to fund and operate Food for Peace as robustly as it is currently being administered? I welcome any thoughts about Food for Peace.

    Rollins: Sure, and understanding that it is moving through the system and not wanting to get ahead of President Trump specifically, but we stand ready if that is the Congressional direction. We will work with you and your partners to ensure the continued sustainability and success, and make changes if necessary. 

    Mann: A great program, right? We are shipping commodities grown here in bags that say, “A free gift from the American people.” It is good for our farmers, good for our shippers, good for the mouths that receive it. 

    Four days after Secretary Rollins was confirmed as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Rep. Mann welcomed the Secretary to the Big First District to tour National Beef Packing Plant, High Plains Ponderosa Dairy, and Finney County Feeder in southwest Kansas. Rep. Mann has applauded Secretary Rollins’ decisive leadership on combatting the Highly-Pathogenic Aviation Influenza (HPAI). Following the decision to halt imports of Mexican livestock to protect livestock from the New World Screwworm, Rep. Mann commended the announcement from USDA.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján, Cortez Masto Lead Senate Spotlight Forum on Trump’s Tariffs and Their Impact on American Families

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)

    Costs, Chaos, Corruption: The Household Impact of Trump’s Tariffs

    Photos from the forum available here.

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), members of the Senate Committee on Finance, hosted a Spotlight Forum titled “Costs, Chaos, Corruption: The Household Impact of Trump’s Tariffs.” The forum examined how President Trump’s tariff policies fuel economic instability, raise costs on working families, harm the travel and tourism sector, and benefit special interests. The event featured testimony from policy experts, labor leaders, and small business owners directly impacted by the reckless tariffs. 

    “Across New Mexico and the country, Americans arefeeling pain from President Trump’s tariffs,” said Senator Luján. “Costs, Chaos, Corruption – those aren’t just buzzwords. They’re the reality for hardworking families in New Mexico and across America. President Trump’s tariffs are expected to cost American households $2,600 a year, a price that’s far too expensive for many Americans to afford. That’s why I partnered with Senator Cortez Masto to show the American people that President Trump’s tariffs are a tax on working families, a gut punch to small businesses, and a green light for corruption.”

    “President Trump’s tariffs and the haphazard manner in which he’s deploying them are causing real damage to real Americans,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “It’s now more important than ever that we give a microphone to those most impacted by Trump’s shortsighted economic policies. Senate Democrats will never stop fighting for working families.”

    During the forum, witnesses highlighted that President Trump’s reckless tariffs are hurting small businesses, the economy, and the American consumer.

    The forum featured testimony from:

    • Adam Posen, President, Peterson Institute for International Economics
    • Thea Lee, Economist and Former Deputy Undersecretary for International Labor Affairs
    • Preston Martin, CEO, Bicycle Technologies International
    • Steve Wright, President and General Manager of Jay Peak Resort 
    • Emma Jagoz, Owner of Moon Valley Farm

    “This is one of the worst ways to impose a tax and one of the most regressive ways to redistribute income from poorer to richer Americans and increase the tax burden on poorer people. In addition, because they cause uncertainty, provoke retaliation by other nations, and create opportunities for government corruption, tariffs have many destructive side effects that other forms of taxes do not,” said Adam Posen in his opening statement. 

    “The Trump tariffs bring all pain and no gain. In the short term, there will be uncertainty, supply bottlenecks, unpredictable price hikes on essential items, and likely decreases in both imports and exports as some trading partners implement retaliatory tariffs. In the long term, there will be irreparable rifts with valued trading partners and lack of coordination on shared goals,” said Thea Lee in her opening statement. 

    “With over 90% of bicycles, bicycle parts and bicycle accessories manufactured outside the US, the bike industry depends on a global supply chain. BTI imports from around the globe, especially Asia and Europe. Even our US sourced bike products are being affected since they are made from foreign-sourced raw materials. The bicycle industry works on low margins, thus cannot absorb higher tariff expenses,” said Preston Martin in his opening statement. 

    “In a normal year, roughly 750k Canadian tourists come into Vermont and inject roughly $150m into the State’s economy. Recent data shows that hotel reservations from CAD visitors are down 45% between Jan-April, credit card spending is down nearly 40% across that same time period, border crossings have been declining every month and are down nearly 35% and visits to the Vermont.com website, a data point reflecting the likelihood of visiting in the future are off 70% across the first few months of the year,” said Steve Wright in his opening statement. 

    “Small and medium-scale farmers of all political affiliations are bracing for a tough year. Input costs are rising, labor costs are soaring, USDA support is being cut, and consumers are stretched thin,” said Emma Jagoz in her opening statement. 

    Footage of the full forum can be foundHERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Who Conspired with Son in Cocaine Dealing and Human Smuggling Sentenced to Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN ANTONIO – A Mexican national was sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio today to 37 months in prison for his role in cocaine trafficking and human smuggling conspiracies. He was also ordered for forfeit over $600,000 in proceeds from his criminal activity.

    According to court documents, Jorge Armando Morado, 44, helped his son, Jorge Armando Morado Moreno, 25, complete a sale of cocaine to an undercover Bexar County Sheriff’s Office deputy on July 16, 2023.  During that sale, Morado arranged for his son to sell a kilogram of cocaine to that undercover deputy at a future date, and then drove in tandem with his son to make that sale on July 25, 2023.  Morado and his son were both encountered by law enforcement while driving to make that sale, and approximately one kilogram of cocaine was found in the son’s vehicle.

    The investigation led to search warrants for Morado’s and Moreno’s respective residences. During the search of Morado’s residence, approximately $601,302 in cash was found in a cooler located in his master bedroom closet, along with an additional $3,000, a firearm, and a suspected drug ledger in his dresser drawer. Another bedroom—an empty room with only a mattress on the floor—housed five illegal aliens. A bucket full of urine was found in an adjacent bedroom. Moreno’s cell phone was also searched and contained numerous conversations between Morado and Moreno pertaining to their cocaine trafficking and harboring of illegal aliens at Morado’s house.

    Morado pleaded guilty on June 26, 2024, to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, and one count of conspiracy to transport and harbor illegal aliens. He’s sentenced to 37 months in prison for each count, running concurrent to one another, and in addition to his four months spent in state custody on related charges. Moreno pleaded guilty to the same two conspiracy charges on July 11, 2024, and was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison on Jan. 29.

    “This case serves as a stark reminder that alien smuggling is not a victimless crime, but rather a for-profit enterprise,” said U.S. Attorney Justin Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “Alien smugglers only seek to enrich themselves, in this case to the tune of over $600,000 in proceeds from these criminal activities.”

    The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the San Antonio Police Department investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney John Fedock prosecuted the case.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Action Taken by Governor Phil Scott on Legislation – June 11, 2025

    Source: US State of Vermont

    Montpelier, Vt. – Governor Phil Scott announced action on the following bills, passed by the General Assembly.

    On June 11, Governor Scott signed bills of the following titles:

    • H.106, An act relating to selling real property within a FEMA mapped flood hazard area
    • H.209, An act relating to intranasal epinephrine in schools
    • H.238, An act relating to the phaseout of consumer products containing added perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances
    • H.266, An act relating to the 340B prescription drug pricing program
    • H.321, An act relating to miscellaneous cannabis amendments
    • H.397, An act relating to miscellaneous amendments to the statutes governing emergency management and flood response
    • H.472, An act relating to professions and occupations regulated by the Office of Professional Regulation
    • H.484, An act relating to miscellaneous agricultural subjects

    On June 11, Governor Scott returned without signature and vetoed H.91, An act relating to the Vermont Homeless Emergency Assistance and Responsive Transition to Housing Program and sent the following letter to the General Assembly:

    Dear Ms. Wrask:

    Pursuant to Chapter II, Section 11 of the Vermont Constitution, I’m returning H.91, An act relating to the Vermont Homeless Emergency Assistance and Responsive Transition to Housing Program, without my signature. 

    For quite some time I’ve talked about the need to put an end to the pandemic-era “hotel/motel” program. We are the only state in the region that continues to operate an emergency housing program at this scale and unfortunately, H.91 does not adequately reduce the size or cost of the program. In fact, this bill proposes we spend millions of dollars more than the $45 million used last year (for comparison, in 2019 we appropriated $5 million).

    It’s also important to point out that since the expansion of the program, 135 individuals sheltering in hotels and motels have died. It’s my belief many of these deaths may have been prevented had there been more accountability and better engagement.

    Rather than continuing to fund a program that isn’t good for those in it, I believe we should focus on real solutions like building additional shelter capacity and requirements to engage in work, training, and treatment for those who need it. That way, those who are experiencing homelessness are more likely to get back on their feet and into permanent housing. H.91 does not adequately address how this would be accomplished.

    It’s my hope the Legislature and community stakeholders will work with the Agency of Human Services to transform the hotel/motel program into one that delivers value for Vermont taxpayers, those in the program, the community-based organizations providing shelters and services, and communities that have been unfairly burdened by this failed program. 

    Sincerely,

    /s/

    Philip B. Scott

    Governor

    To view a complete list of action on bills passed during the 2025 legislative session, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Arra Finance To Acquire Crescent Auto Finance, Rapidly Scaling Its Subprime Auto Finance Platform

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    IRVING, Texas, June 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Arra Finance, LLC (“Arra” or the “Company”), a subprime indirect auto finance company, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the auto financing division of Crescent Bank (“Crescent”), a New Orleans-based FDIC insured bank with approximately $1 billion in assets that has provided nationwide indirect auto lending since 1991. The deal accelerates the rapid expansion of Arra’s platform, enhancing its technology stack and analytics capacity well ahead of growth expectations. Crescent will retain its branch and online retail banking platforms, as well as its commercial lending program, and Arra will become the servicer for Crescent’s $815 million originated auto loan portfolio. The transaction is expected to close in 3Q 2025. Financial terms were not disclosed.

    As a well-established operator in the subprime auto financing space, Crescent has originated upwards of $5.3 billion in auto loans nationwide over its 30-year history and $652 million in the last two years. This acquisition brings Crescent’s e-contracting, internal loan servicing and accelerated auto-decision capabilities to the Arra platform, alongside advanced analytics and additional fraud protection tools in underwriting and funding.

    With financial backing from Obra Capital (“Obra”), Arra now has the operational bandwidth and capital structure necessary to provide a comprehensive suite of financing solutions to auto dealers across the country. Arra expects to rapidly scale delivery of customer financing solutions to dealers by leveraging Crescent’s existing operations, with a significantly increased auto finance origination capacity, larger dealer base and the ability to respond to credit applications within seconds of submission.

    As part of the acquisition, Arra will welcome approximately 180 new employees from Crescent, expanding Arra’s best-in-class team by a factor of six. This includes 24 new sales team members, who will support the deployment of Arra’s capital base and provide a consistent touchpoint for new and existing dealer customers alike. The new additions will continue to be primarily based in Carrollton, Texas, supporting a seamless operational integration while opening new pathways for opportunity, as enabled by Arra’s access to asset-backed financing solutions.

    “With today’s announcement, we have rapidly advanced Arra’s growth trajectory, substantially improving our ability to be the premier financing partner for franchise and select independent dealers,” said Kenn Wardle, Chief Executive Officer of Arra Finance. “After only six months in market, we are on track to outpace our growth targets by a number of years, and we have developed the platform capabilities necessary to deliver responses to credit applications in a matter of seconds. I look forward to welcoming our new team members as we bring our combined offerings to market and continue to streamline the car buying experience for dealers and consumers across the country.”

    Gary Solomon Sr., Chairman of Crescent Bank praised the transaction, stating: “Partnering with Arra and Obra has ensured the talent, momentum and reputation Crescent has garnered over the years will continue to support the auto industry, as Crescent Bank shifts its focus to our core retail banking business.” Crescent Bank has significantly grown its online banking presence nationwide in recent years, particularly in its offering of Certificates of Deposits. Mr. Solomon added, “This is a pivotal moment for Crescent Bank, as we refocus our investment strategy in support of our local New Orleans area community and nationwide customers alike.”

    “Today’s announcement is a major growth milestone for Arra, and a testament to the opportunity in the auto finance market,” added Blair Wallace, President and CEO of Obra. “With the capital structure and flexibility provided by Obra’s insurance company balance sheets, Arra has taken decisive and aggressive steps to meet the needs of dealers across the country and become a leading player in the subprime space. The business is capitalized for success in the long term, and we look forward to seeing what’s next.”

    About Arra Finance
    Arra Finance is a subprime indirect auto finance company that purchases and services retail installment contracts originated by U.S. automobile dealers. Arra offers fast, simplified solutions and options for dealers. The company’s cutting-edge auto finance platform provides more than 1,200 franchise and independent dealerships across 15 states (with planned business expansion to dealerships in 37 states) with auto financing solutions for used car buyers. Its scalable origination system and data warehouse provide dealers with access to finance solutions and enables them to facilitate auto sales for the dealership’s customers. For more information about Arra Finance, please visit www.arrafinance.com.

    About Crescent Bank
    Crescent Bank is a Louisiana chartered, FDIC insured bank which has served the New Orleans area community since 1991 providing retail banking services and direct lending to businesses and consumers. Shortly after its founding, Crescent Bank began to open loan production offices throughout Louisiana to provide auto loans to consumers who were not being served by traditional lending institutions. As the bank succeeded and grew, its geographical lending footprint expanded nationwide. In recent years it has further expanded its retail operations to include offering certificates of deposits to consumers and investors in all states.

    About Obra Capital
    Obra is a specialized alternative asset management firm with approximately $5.8 billion in capital under management as of May 31, 2025. Obra provides investment products and solutions across insurance, multi-sector credit, asset-based finance and longevity investment strategies. Obra aims to generate long-term value and attractive returns for investors through a variety of funds and separate accounts. With capabilities in investing, originating, structuring and servicing, Obra strives to provide differentiated investment opportunities and capital solutions for investors worldwide. For more information about Obra and its registered investment advisors, please visit www.obra.com.

    Media Contact:
    Dan Gagnier
    Gagnier Communications
    Obra@gagnierfc.com
    646-569-5897

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: A reversal in US climate policy will send renewables investors packing – and Australia can reap the benefits

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christian Downie, Professor, Australian National University

    President Donald Trump is trying to unravel the signature climate policy of his predecessor Joe Biden, the Inflation Reduction Act, as part of a sweeping bid to dismantle the United States’ climate ambition.

    The Inflation Reduction Act, or IRA, is a A$530 billion suite of measures that aims to turbocharge clean energy investment and slash emissions in the US. Once hailed as a game-changer for the global clean energy transition, it set in train a fierce international competition for renewable energy investment.

    But the policy is now hanging by a thread, after the US House of Representatives last month narrowly passed a bill to repeal many of its clean energy measures.

    Should the bill pass the Senate, billions of dollars in renewables investment once destined for the US could be looking for a new home. Now is the time for the Albanese government to woo investors with a bolder program of climate action in Australia.

    The Trump administration is seeking to wind back Biden’s signature climate policy.
    Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Climate Power 2020

    What is the Inflation Reduction Act?

    The Inflation Reduction Act passed US Congress in 2022. It legislated billions of dollars in tax credits for solar panels, wind turbines, batteries and geothermal plants, among other technologies.

    It included around A$13 billion in rebates for Americans to electrify their homes, tax credits of almost A$11,000 to electrify their cars, and billions more to establish a “green bank” and target agricultural emissions.

    The money flowed. Last year, almost A$420 billion was invested in the manufacture and deployment of clean energy – double that in 2021, the year before the legislation passed.

    Even in the first quarter of this year, under a Trump presidency, A$103 billion was invested in clean energy tech – an increase on the first quarter results of 2024. Electric vehicle manufacturing projects, especially batteries, were standout performers.

    Then US president Joe Biden in August 2023, celebrating the first anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act. The policy aimed to turbocharge the clean energy transition.
    Win McNamee/Getty Images

    But then came the proposed repeal. The Trump administration wants to gut tax credits for clean energy technologies. The measures passed the House of Representatives and must now clear the US Senate, where the Republicans have a margin of three votes.

    Initial modelling suggests the bill, if passed, could derail clean energy manufacturing in the US – including in Republican states where new projects were planned.

    The potential economic damage has sparked concern even among Trump’s own troops. Some Republicans last week reportedly urged the scaling back of the cuts, despite voting for the bill in the House.

    Opportunities for Australia

    After the IRA was enacted, many countries followed the US’ lead – including Australia’s Albanese government, which legislated the A$22.7 billion Future Made in Australia package.

    So how will Trump’s unravelling of the policy affect the rest of the world?

    The economic impacts are still being modelled. Some studies suggest the US could cede A$123 billion in investment to other countries.

    The US axing of tax credits for battery and solar technology paves the way for nations such as China and South Korea to capitalise – given, for example, they already dominate battery manufacturing.

    Australia should be doing its utmost to attract investors that no longer see the US as an option. Our existing policies are a start, but they are not sufficient.

    In February this year, Labor increased the investment capacity of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation – Australia’s “green bank” – by A$2 billion. But more will be needed if the government is serious about crowding-in private investment in low-emission technologies exiting the US.

    The government would also be wise to remove incentives that increase fossil fuel use. This includes the diesel fuel rebate, which encourages the use of diesel-powered trucks on mine sites. Fortescue Metals this week announced a push for the subsidy to be wound back – potentially providing the political opening Labor needs.

    What about nuclear?

    Trump has also promised a “nuclear renaissance”, signing four executive orders designed to reinvigorate the US nuclear energy industry.

    But those measures are likely to fail, just as Trump’s 2016 promise to revive the coal industry never eventuated.

    In fact, his cuts to the Loan Programs Office – which helps finance new energy projects including nuclear – threaten to undermine the viability of new nuclear plants. The office has been the guarantor for every new US nuclear plant this century, bar one.

    If the US is struggling to scale up its existing nuclear industry, this does not bode well for the technology’s hopes in Australia. Here, the prospect of a nuclear energy policy still appears alive in the Coalition party room, even though the technology remains politically unpopular, and the economics don’t stack up.

    What’s next?

    Predicting US climate and energy policy is a fool’s errand, given the potential IRA repeal, flip-flopping tariff announcements and daily social media tirades from Trump, including a social media bust-up with former ally Elon Musk over the merits of the repeal itself.

    Stepping back from the politics, we cannot ignore the climate harms flowing from a walk-back on US climate action.

    The US is the world’s second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases. As climate change reaches new extremes, the policy vacuum created by Donald Trump must urgently be filled by the rest of the world.

    Christian Downie receives funding from the Australian Research Council

    – ref. A reversal in US climate policy will send renewables investors packing – and Australia can reap the benefits – https://theconversation.com/a-reversal-in-us-climate-policy-will-send-renewables-investors-packing-and-australia-can-reap-the-benefits-258388

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Galloping Goose will bridge Tillicum for a safer commute

    A new crossing is coming to the Galloping Goose Regional Trail in Saanich, allowing people using the trail to safely cross Tillicum Road without waiting at the traffic lights.

    The new 100-metre (almost 330 feet) Tillicum Active Transportation Bridge will feature two three-metre-wide (10 feet) lanes with ramp access to sidewalks, safe connections to intersections and rapid bus stops, and an incline for accessibility.

    Work is expected to begin in early 2026, with the bridge opening scheduled for summer 2027.

    People are invited to learn more about this safer, more accessible way to cross Highway 1 at Tillicum Road. Galloping Goose Regional Trail users can get more information at a pop-up open house just off the trail (northwest corner of Tillicum Road and Highway 1) on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, from 3:30 until 5:30 p.m. Information is also available on the ministry’s website.

    Once complete, the Tillicum Active Transportation Bridge will eliminate one of the last signalized crossings on the Galloping Goose Trail between downtown Victoria and the Westshore, improving safety and reducing travel times for active commuters. Improvements to the trail also support goals outlined in the Province’s South Island Transportation Strategy, by providing better links for people to move more easily between communities in the Capital Region.

    During construction, users of the Galloping Goose Regional Trail will be temporarily detoured onto the shoulder of the Trans-Canada Highway. The trail will be separated from highway traffic by concrete barriers.

    More than 3,000 people use this stretch of the Galloping Goose Regional Trail each day in summer, and as many as 1,500 in winter. The new bridge will support more people in choosing active transportation and enjoying the outdoors.

    Learn More:

    For more information, visit:
    https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation-projects/other-transportation-projects/tillicum-active-transportation-bridge-project

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Opening Remarks at Hearing on Army Corps, Bureau of Reclamation Budgets

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s opening remarks***

    Washington, D.C. — Today, during a Senate Appropriations Energy and Water Development Subcommittee hearing on the president’s fiscal year 2026 budget requests for the Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation—U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee, underscored the indispensable role each agency plays in ensuring America’s waterways are flowing, supporting our economy, and protecting the American people—and slammed President Trump’s politicization of America’s water resources and proposal to gut investments in the Corps and Bureau.

    Senator Murray’s remarks, as delivered, are below:

    “Thank you very much, Chair Kennedy. Good morning to all of you, Acting Assistant Secretary Forsgren, Lieutenant General Graham, and Acting Assistant Secretary Cameron—thank you all for being here today.

    “We are here today to talk about the fiscal year 2026 budget requests for the Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation. Whether they know it or not—every American depends on the work of these agencies every day. And that is especially true for folks in my home state of Washington, and anyone who lives out West or near a major waterway.

    “The Army Corps keeps our ports running smoothly, which is critical for our economy and trade. They manage critical infrastructure like our dams, levees, and bridges—and protect communities from dangerous floods. And they support our ecosystems and help protect keystone species like salmon, among a lot else. Bureau of Reclamation brings water to over 30 million people and irrigation to one-in-five farmers out West, it generates power to keep the lights on in millions of homes, and it protects farmers and communities against drought—to name a few things!

    “It is critical work—work that we cannot afford to shortchange. But President Trump’s budget request shows yet again that he has no clue, and no problem gutting essential water investments our communities rely on to feed their families and stay safe from flooding. The president’s budget requests a nearly 25 percent cut for the Corps of Engineers.

    “And when you consider the fact that House Republicans’ last yearlong CR already cut funding for the Corps, we are really talking about a nearly 30 percent cut for the Corps relative to the funding level just a few months ago. This request, for example, falls $1.7 billion below the target level for the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund—leaving more than half of that target funding on the table.

    “Not only that, you include just $60 million for Donor and Energy ports like in my home state, when our bipartisan Water Resources Development Act has specifically instructed that there be $417 million for these ports. And President Trump’s budget also proposes a massive 30 percent cut for the Bureau of Reclamation. These cuts would end critical work on flood prevention, port dredging, basic management of our water resources, and more. This is flat-out dangerous—and Trump’s budget is dead on arrival here in Congress as far as I’m concerned.

    “But we have a lot more to cover beyond the budget request. Because, as we sit here today, the President seems bent on doing everything he can to undermine the work of the Corps and the Bureau with reckless staffing cuts, and by brazenly—and corruptly—politicizing the allocation of funding and control over our nation’s water resources. In the span of just a few months, DOGE has pushed out a quarter of the Bureau’s staff without any discernible strategy. This mass exodus of talent puts the Bureau’s mission at serious risk. The last thing we need are fewer dam safety inspections or big delays on repair projects.

    “And when it comes to politicization, the President spent much of his first few weeks in office making up conspiracies about California’s water supply as wildfires raged; vowing to block disaster relief, picking fights with the state’s governor, and—against the advice of all experts—ultimately ordered the Corps to open two dams and unleash billions of gallons of water on California’s central valley. That move, predictably, did absolutely nothing to stop the fires and came nowhere near LA. But it did waste huge quantities of precious water and nearly flooded—yes, flooded—local farms and communities and put agriculture at risk.

    “It was one of the first instances we saw of this president meddling in the Corps’ work and overruling experts to chase some fixation, but it was not the last. A few weeks ago, the Corps released plans detailing how it is allocating funding for construction projects in FY-25. Now, usually, that is something we decide here in Congress. But that decision-making power was turned over to the Trump administration with House Republicans’ yearlong, slush-fund CR.

    “That was one of the many reasons I voted against that bill, and it’s a reminder to all of us about why we need strong, bipartisan spending bills. So instead of allocating construction funding to projects that were selected in both our bipartisan Senate appropriations bill and the Republican House bill and giving funding to red and blue states roughly evenly—as both bills did—this administration decided to steal hundreds of millions of dollars in critical investments from blue states, and steer those investments instead to red states and the president’s political allies.

    “Every single construction project in California—the most populous state in the country—was zeroed out. We’re talking about funds to protect people in one of the most flood-prone states in the country—gone. And Trump completely defunded construction at the Howard Hansom Dam in Washington state, leaving a literal hole in the ground! This is a shovel-ready project that will ensure water reliability for over one million people in the region. And of course, the administration’s budget proposal does not fund those projects in FY-26 either.

    “All told, two-thirds of Army Corps construction funding is now headed to red states, for no reason other than Trump wanting to punish political enemies and reward his friends. This is not how these projects should work—ever—in the United States of America.

    “Lieutenant General Graham, a few weeks ago the Assistant Secretary’s office was asked in a House hearing about this nakedly partisan allocation. That official didn’t even try to justify it. Instead, they said, tellingly, the buck stopped with OMB. So, there it is: Trump and Russ Vought called the final shots and defunded these projects on their own.

    “Now, I shouldn’t need to tell anyone here, floods hit red states and blue states alike. Droughts hammers farmers in rural districts, and strain families in big ways. Every single American—in one way or another—depends on our ports being well-maintained to get the basic goods we count on and keep our economy humming. And everyone should be able to trust their government will decide how to invest resources and protect them from threats like flooding, drought, and wildfire based on science, based on engineering—that is, what’s best for people—not on a president’s desire for retribution.

    “I believe Congress needs to reject the reckless cuts you’re requesting for the Corps and the Bureau. And we need to see an end to the egregious politicization of these resources—this is not a path we can afford to continue going down as a country.

    “So, I will just give a warning to all of my colleagues, once again: It may have not been your state this time, but you all know full well just how fickle the President can be.

    “Let’s not leave this authority with him. We do need to come together and write a strong bipartisan bill.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Slams Trump Administration’s Politicization of Water Resources, Proposal to Gut Investments in America’s Waterways, Flood and Drought Prevention

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    ***WATCH AND READ: Senator Murray’s opening remarks***

    ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s questioning***

    Washington, D.C. — Today, at a Senate Appropriations Energy and Water Development Subcommittee hearing on the fiscal year 2026 budget request for the Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee, slammed the Trump administration’s politicization of water resources and proposal to gut investments in the Corps and Bureau.

    Senator Murray questioned witnesses D. Lee Forsgren, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works); Lt. Gen. William H. Graham, Jr., Chief of Engineers, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; and Scott J. Cameron, Acting Assistant Secretary for Water and Science, Department of Interior, on the Trump administration threatening the Howard Hanson Dam project in Washington state, not meeting funding targets for donor ports like the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma, and putting the Columbia River Treaty with Canada—which is critical for the entire Pacific Northwest—at risk.

    [RANK POLITICIZATION OF ARMY CORPS FUNDING]

    Senator Murray began by asking General Graham about President Trump’s flagrant politicization of Army Corps funding—an issue she touched on in her opening remarks—stating: “The Howard Hanson dam project is to address dam safety issues, provide additional water supply, and meet the Corps’ legal obligations by opening up miles of critical salmon habitat—would you agree with that assessment?”

    General Graham responded, “Yes. The Howard Hanson project right now is, the one we are working on is primarily is fish passage, to figure out how to get small juvenile fish off of a high head dam which we have never done before, but it is part of a larger project that provides as you said, critical flood risk management and water supply protection to the southeastern part of Seattle.”

    “Is it true that the $500 million the project was slated to receive in the FY25 budget—as well as in the House and Senate bills—would have allowed construction to proceed on schedule?” Senator Murray asked General Graham.

    General Graham replied, “Yes, that would have allowed us to keep on our current construction schedule.”

    Senator Murray said, “Well it’s clear that the Howard Hanson project is shovel ready. And despite that—the Trump Administration seems ready to walk away from that. Everyone needs to understand, turning the Army Corps into a political slush fund sets a very dangerous precedent.”

    “In fact, in testimony before the House, a top Army Corps official very explicitly stated that OMB—not the experts at the Corps—called the final shots here. Section 107 has been passed on a bipartisan basis in our bill for the last five years and makes clear that funding should be allocated only to projects determined to be eligible by the Chief of Engineers. But it appears that OMB handed the Corps the final spend plan without consulting you as required,” Senator Murray continued. “The law needs to be followed. So, I am going to ask you, yes or no—were you provided a final spend plan so you could determine all the projects listed were eligible?”

    General Graham answered, “We provided our best technical recommendation to the assistant secretary.”

    Mr. Forsgren responded, “We provided input through the presidential budget process on that spending plan. We provided technical input on that spending plan.”

    “So that you could prove that all of them were eligible, correct?” pressed Senator Murray.

    “I don’t think eligibility was ever the question,” replied Mr. Forsgren.

    Senator Murray replied, “That’s really troubling—and really an example of this Administration that just somehow thinks they are above the law. I’ve got news for Russ Vought—the law applies to him the same as for everybody else. So that is very troubling.”

    [DONOR PORT FUNDING]

    Senator Murray continued her questioning by discussing the administration’s failure to meet statutory targets for Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF) funding for donor ports like the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma—which contribute significantly to the HMTF but have historically received relatively little funding back for harbor maintenance projects. Murray said, “I consistently hear from ports and harbors across the country about how they rely on the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund to maintain critical port infrastructure. Now, in April, the Administration issued an Executive Order acknowledging that cargo carriers divert goods to Canada from our donor ports, Seattle and Tacoma, to avoid the Harbor Maintenance Tax—that is really an unfair practice, I have spoken about for years.”

    “But this year’s budget request does not even attempt to meet the WRDA [Water Resources Development Act] targets for HMTF donor port funding,” continued Senator Murray. “Even more troubling, in the skinny budget, this administration tries to tell Congress that it is not a federal responsibility to provide those dollars—even though that is one of the explicit purposes Congress passed into law. That is really unacceptable. Donor Port funding has already been determined through the WRDA process and our annual appropriations bills for years. It is extremely frustrating that I have to continue raising this issue year after year to get our ports the fair share they are entitled to under the law.”

    Senator Murray asked Mr. Forsgren, “Will you commit to ensure that Donor Ports like Seattle and Tacoma will receive their full, fair share of the HMTF dollars as Congress intended?”

    Mr. Forsgren responded, “I will commit to working to ensure that the Harbor Maintenance Fund is used to the maximum extent it possibly can. We understand the Harbor Maintenance Fund is the backbone of the commercial navigation system for our ports and that system has to be able to be functional across all of the nation’s ports. But I will say, there needs to be a primary focus on the principal federal responsibility which is the mainline channels. I will commit to working with you to fully utilize the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund as it is passed into law.”

    [COLUMBIA RIVER TREATY]

    Finally, Senator Murray emphasized the importance of the Columbia River Treaty for Washington state and the entire Pacific Northwest, and the shared waterway with Canada, “The Columbia River provides habitat for salmon and endangered species, it also irrigates 600,000 acres of farmland, and serves as a marine highway, it also provides electricity to the entire Northwest. And critically, it is also a transboundary waterway shared with Canada. Now, the State Department has been leading efforts to negotiate a modernized Columbia River Treaty—which is really critical to providing certainty for people and businesses across our region who rely on the Columbia River. But this Administration appears committed to doing everything they can now to tank our relationship with our friend and neighbor, Canada. And the key to getting this agreement in place, and all the hard work that has gone into it, was collaboration between all the stakeholders. It is really imperative that as the interim agreement is executed, that that collaboration continues.”

    Senator Murray asked Mr. Cameron and Mr. Forsgren, “Will you commit to ensuring that the Corps and Reclamation continue to communicate with tribes and the mid-C public utilities on the operation of the Columbia River System?”

    Mr. Forsgren replied, “We certainly commit—we are committed to the treaty, as is reflected in the budget. We are committed to continuing the dialogue necessary to operate and maintain the system.”

    “Mr. Cameron?” followed up Senator Murray.

    Mr. Cameron said, “Yes Senator, I’ve already had multiple meetings with stakeholders from throughout the Columbia River basin, including tribes. Conversations are ongoing.”

    Senator Murray concluded, “This is really a critical treaty. We need to get it enacted. And again, Canada is not our enemy there, we need to include them.”

    ___________________________________

    Senator Murray recently led the Washington state and California delegations to call out President Trump’s outrageous, nakedly-political decision to zero out critical funding for Army Corps of Engineers construction projects in blue states like Washington and California while steering hundreds of millions more to red states. Supporting the Howard Hanson Dam has been a longtime priority for Senator Murray, and she has pressed the Army Corps to prioritize funding for the Dam for years. Under the last administration, Senator Murray was able to secure critical funding boosts for Howard Hanson Dam, including $220 million in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and $50 million to begin construction of a new facility in the funding bills for fiscal year 2024 that Murray wrote as then-Chair of the Appropriations Committee. Back in 2010, Murray secured $44 million in badly needed emergency funds for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to repair the Howard Hanson Dam. In the draft fiscal year 2025 appropriations bill she cleared unanimously out of Committee last year, Senator Murray secured $500 million for the dam, which would support fish passage and address dam safety and water supply issues for cities like Tacoma and Covington. $500 million was also included in the House’s draft fiscal year 2025 appropriations bill. The funding is needed to execute a construction option on the contract for the project, which would have allowed construction to begin in 2026 as scheduled.

    Congress typically provides specific, detailed instructions in its annual appropriations bills on how the Army Corps (and so many other agencies) must spend funding provided by Congress. Annual appropriations bills note exactly what Army Corps projects must be funded and at what levels. But instead of working with Democrats to pass full-year appropriations bills that deliver for communities across America, Republicans in Congress put forth a yearlong continuing resolution (CR) that failed to include hundreds of specific directives on how funding must be spent. For months, Senator Murray warned of the dangers of passing Republicans’ slush fund CR, noting, for example, that it would allow the administration to zero out funding for Army Corps projects. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Slams Secretary Hegseth for Playing Politics with America’s National Security

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s exchange with Secretary Hegseth***

    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, questioned Department of Defense (DOD) Secretary Pete Hegseth at a Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee hearing on the president’s fiscal year 2026 budget request for DOD. Senator Murray pressed Secretary Hegseth on firing skilled Navy shipbuilders, firing qualified and experienced military leaders, Trump’s recent comments to use “heavy force” on peaceful protesters, and his leaked Signal Chat.

    In opening comments, Vice Chair Murray said:

    “Secretary Hegseth—you oversee one of the largest and most important organizations on planet earth. More than anything, the Department of Defense needs stable, competent, and strategic leadership. And much as I had feared back in January, that is not what we’ve seen under your leadership.

    “In a matter of months, you have lost top aides and reportedly struggled to hire new ones. You have fired highly respected top military officials. You shared highly-sensitive attack plans over Signal—and apparently with people in your own personal circles. And you have not taken responsibility for these mistakes.

    “All the while, the security challenges we face have grown larger—not smaller. And in the face of these challenges, you have taken a series of actions that weaken our posture.

    “For example: in my home state of Washington, which is home to many DOD installations critical to our Indo-Pacific strategy, you have pushed out almost 2,000 highly trained civilian, including at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.

    “Mr. Secretary, you talk about returning the Department to its mission of ‘warfighting.’ But I am repeatedly hearing that your policy and personnel changes at the Pentagon are only undermining–not strengthening–our military’s preparedness to protect our country.

    “You are deploying the American military to police the American people. Sending the National Guard into California without the Governor’s request. Sending the Marines—not after foreign threats, but after American protesters.

    “And now President Trump is promising ‘heavy force’ against peaceful protesters at his D.C. military parade. Those sorts of actions, and that sort of rhetoric from the President—should stop every one of us cold. Threatening to use our own troops—on our own citizens—at such scale is unprecedented, it is unconstitutional, and it is downright un-American.

    “We should all be speaking out against this—and demanding accountability.

    “Now Mr. Secretary, I have to say, for people who tout their commitment to transparency and efficiency, I have never seen an administration more hell-bent on hiding basic facts from the American people. Your Department has been unresponsive to Congressional inquiries and oversight requests. And all the while you are working to muzzle the free press, denying journalists’ access to the Pentagon.

    “Now before I turn to my questions, let me also just note: it is now mid-June—and we only, just days ago, received some—but not all—important portions of your budget request.

    “It should not have taken this long to get a request—and we still need to see the justifications, in order for this committee to do its work. We are missing those. Not having a full budget at this juncture is unacceptable.”

    [CIVILIAN CUTS TO SHIPYARDS]

    Senator Murray began her questioning by noting how the Trump administration’s staffing cuts and attacks on the civilian workforce are undermining key defense initiatives: “This administration has put the civilian workforce under attack from day one: encouraging resignations, firing probationary employees, instituting a hiring freeze, requiring OPM to approve any new hire one-by-one, and—new last week—requiring prospective employees to explain how they would, ‘help support the President’s Executive Orders and policy priorities.’ We have spoken with military installations across our country. Almost all of them have been forced to fire skilled, civilian employees who are badly needed. And all of them also have hundreds—in some cases, thousands—of new hires ready to bring onboard but now have to have individually reviewed by OPM—apparently to ensure they ‘support the President’s priorities.’”

    Senator Murray asked Secretary Hegseth, “Will you be firing more shipbuilders? Yes or no?”

    Despite firing probationary employees at our shipyards, Secretary Hegseth falsely claimed no shipbuilders have been fired—and dodged Senator Murray’s question, instead arguing the Department is merely letting thousands go through its buyout program: “We haven’t fired shipbuilders. We’ve offered through a right-sizing of our civilian position, which everyone on this Committee would acknowledge the Defense Department has had a bloated bureaucracy for a long time. Have given a voluntary process by – which some people can choose to take a DRP [deferred resignation program].”

    Senator Murray interjected to ask: “Mr. Secretary, do we need more or fewer shipbuilders?”

    Secretary Hegseth dodged the question, instead claiming—after letting go more than 2000 civilian workers at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard alone—that: “We are investing historically in our shipbuilding industrial base and workforce and ships in this budget—more than anything the previous administration ever did.”

    Senator Murray said, “Well you managed to fire highly skilled workers, including in my home state of Washington, for no reason, so let me just say: the Navy needs welders, not people who can recite the President’s Executive Orders.”

    “If the Navy wants to hire a qualified candidate for the role—but that candidate happened to vote for or donate to Democrats—would they be hired?” Senator Murray asked, referred to the administration’s new, first-ever requirements that prospective employees explain how they would help support the President’s orders and policies.

    Secretary Hegseth replied, “there’s never been a litmus test for hiring welders”—but did not respond to Senator Murray’s question about whether there would be a litmus test going forward—or how the new requirements will be effectuated.

    Senator Murray responded: “That is what they are being asked. Mr. Secretary, I just have to say: we need to drop the politics in our military. We need to hire the best people—we do not need to force them out.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Presses US Forest Service Chief on Wildfire Preparedness Amid Mass Layoffs & Funding Freezes at Hearing on Forest Service Budget

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    ICYMI: Murray, Schrier, Larsen, WA Colleagues Urge U.S. Forest Service to Reinstate Fired Employees Critical to Wildfire Response, Timber Harvest

    ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s exchange with Schultz***

    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, questioned Chief of the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Tom Schultz, at a Senate Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing on the president’s fiscal year 2026 budget request for the Forest Service. During her questioning, Senator Murray highlighted the critical importance of Forest Service workers, and how the firing of these employees puts wildfire preparedness in jeopardy. Senator Murray also questioned how it is remotely realistic for the Forest Service to meet the demands of President Trump’s Executive Order aiming to increase timber output from federal lands by 25 percent while the Trump administration is right now cutting budgets, delaying funding, freezing hiring, and reducing staff across the agency.  

    In her opening comments, Vice Chair Murray said:

    “As everyone knows, we’re approaching wildfire season. In my home state of Washington, wildfires are a constant threat as you well know—and when we invest in fire prevention, we save lives, we save entire communities. One of the most important investments we make is in the people who do that work.

    “But President Trump is throwing all of that work into jeopardy right now. He’s pushed out nearly 7,500 skilled employees across the Forest Service, either by firing them outright or pressuring them to leave under threat of losing their job later down the line. That includes at least 500 Forest Service employees in the Pacific Northwest. But we hardly know the full scope of the damage because the administration won’t share critical information with us.

    “I have spoken with countless Forest Service workers from Washington state who loved their job, they played an important role fighting those fires and are gone now—thanks to Trump.

    “Setting aside the proposal for a consolidated firefighting agency, this Budget proposes a $1.4 billion cut, that is 40 percent, to the Forest Service’s non-fire programs at a time when our nation’s trees, from our backyards to backcountry, are under stress and we need to step up the pace of forest health and resiliency to withstand these catastrophic wildfires.

    “On top of all that, the Forest Service has illegally withheld federal funds to help reduce wildfire risk and is currently not distributing $97 million to support state, rural, and volunteer fire departments.

    “That is a huge threat to our communities I represent in Washington state who have told me personally: this administration is putting them in danger by gutting our ability to respond to wildfires.

    “So, Chief Schultz, I do appreciate your service to our country.

    “I realize you are not making all the decisions here, but I have a number of important questions today, and I hope you can provide this committee with the information we do need.”

    [MASS FIRING OF FOREST SERVICE EMPLOYEES]

    Senator Murray began by highlighting the importance of Forest Service employees, from combatting wildfires to maintaining trails, and questioned Chief Schultz on the reasoning behind these mass firings: “Now, as I mentioned—I am profoundly concerned about this administration’s reckless decision to mass fire and push out essential Forest Service employees across the country. The Administration claimed that no firefighters have been fired, but the reality is on the ground, we have lost workers whose jobs are absolutely essential. Nearly every single Forest Service worker supports fire operations in some capacity. Trail maintenance crews, for instance, ensure access to routes remain clear for firefighting personnel and equipment. Biologists conduct essential environmental assessments that inform prescribed burns and fuel reduction strategies. Other support staff—ecologists, engineers, maintenance workers, camp managers—receive firefighting training and they are actually mobilized during peak fire season to bolster our frontline firefighting crews.”

    “So, Chief Schultz, was there any formal analysis conducted to determine the potential effect of the mass firings for wildfire preparedness?” asked Senator Murray.

    “So, I’ll try to just clarify a few things. So, in terms of a mass firing, we did not have a mass firing,” Chief Schultz replied.

    Senator Murray pressed, “I’m talking about across the board, pushing people out, early retirement, among other things.”

    Chief Schulz said, “Right, I just want to clarify. So, we did have two rounds of that deferred resignation program, and that was about 4,200 people that left voluntarily.”

    “Because they didn’t know what was coming, right?” Senator Murray followed up.

    “Right…I don’t disagree with you. And we had another 600 that took voluntary early retirement. So, there were incentives for people to leave. Now in terms of—we did not know who was going to leave obviously, it was a voluntary process. So, what we’ve done is, when they did leave, we’ve been moving people to—we call that lateral movement—we’ve been doing that across the agency. We’ve moved probably close to six- or seven-hundred people to fill those critical vacancies. When it comes to the fire piece, specifically, we have, I think I mentioned earlier, about 1,400 people that have fire quals that did leave. And we have reached out to those folks to secure their services this fire season, to see if they want to come back on a voluntary basis, to function on their…” Chief Schultz replied.

    Senator Murray called back to her initial question, “It just seems really ridiculous that it was done this way. Which was my question, actually. Was there an analysis done before this was all done, to realize the impacts of these people that you’re now trying to find and bring back?”

    “Well Senator, so we couldn’t do the analysis. So, we didn’t know who was going to leave, because it was voluntary, right? We didn’t go handpick who was going to leave,” Chief Schultz dodged.

     
    “Well, I want to get on. But the stakes are life and death here, and this really raises serious alarms about this agency being ready for this critical fire season,”     Senator Murray said.

    [UNPREPARDENESS FOR WILDFIRE SEASON]

    Senator Murray continued by emphasizing the consequences of these mass firings on wildfire preparedness across the country: “Interior Secretary Burgum recently told this Committee that on-the-ground wildfire operations would not be affected by the administration’s staffing cuts across various agencies. But we know that’s not true. In the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, one firefighter barracks recently and abruptly lost power. And it stayed without power not for a few hours or a day—but for weeks. Why? Because the maintenance workers in that Forest had been pushed out the door. There was no ability to put even a small purchase on a credit card because the card limit was drastically decreased. And there was no one left to process a basic contract to get that repair done. This is what happens when administrative staff disappear. It’s not just an inconvenience—it directly affects whether firefighters have a safe place to sleep, whether they have power, whether they can be deployed effectively. Maybe Elon didn’t care about the maintenance crew but turns out they’re pretty important. And this is not an isolated incident. I’ve heard so many stories: administrative staff responsible for coordinating travel for crews when a fire breaks out—gone. People who made sure fire response teams had their fuel and supplies ready—they’re gone. And all of this is happening as we now head straight into what is going to be a dangerous fire season in Washington state.”

    “So, Chief Schultz, tell us: do you believe the Forest Service is ready for wildfire season, given this absence of critical administrative and support staff, do you believe they are ready?” Senator Murray asked.

    “Yes, I do believe they’re ready. And then some of the credit card issues you’re talking about, we have adjusted those. We’ve had increases in cards, and we’ve—again we’ve been moving people into lateral positions to ensure critical vacancies that we can clear them to fill those,” replied Chief Schultz.

    “Well, I can just tell you from the ground, it feels like we are not prepared for this wildfire season. You just said we were. We’ll see what happens. But I fear I’m going to be right,” stated Senator Murray.

    [RESOURCES STRIPPED FROM TIMBER]

    Senator Murray moved on to the sale of timber, President Trump vows to increase output while reneging funding and resources, effectively crippling the ability of the Forest Service to produce timber at all: “The President supposedly wants to increase timber output from federal lands by 25 percent. Here’s the problem. This same Administration is simultaneously cutting budgets, delaying funding, freezing hiring, and reducing staff at the Forest Service—the very agency that is responsible for that work. So how exactly is that going to work? Who’s going to consult with tribes, who’s going to lay out the sale plans, who’s going to mark the timber, who’s going to manage compliance, and issue contracts when field offices have already been literally decimated? Is the expectation Chief Schultz—is it really the expectation that these fewer people, with fewer resources, less support, can somehow deliver work, at a faster pace and with greater complexity? How is that realistic?”

    Chief Schultz responded, “I think it’s an iterative process. We don’t have all the answers today, but in terms of how we’re going to get there, we’re going to, again, fill critical vacancies. We’re also going to have to lean on partners differently. So, the states in Washington, they have a very aggressive Good Neighbor program.”

    “The states are being relied on for just about, virtually everything. And I got to tell you, firefighters don’t sit—as my partner from Oregon knows—they do not sit in one state,” stated Senator Murray.

    “That’s right. But to your point though, we are going to be working with partners in a different way. We’re going to have different kind of contracting terms that we’re going to have looking at longer term contracts,” replied Chief Schultz.

    Senator Murray pressed, “Well, that begs the question, so do you have some kind of plan for this? It’s going to be executed over the next year? Because the wildfire season is here right now, and critical employees are not in place.”  

    “So, when it comes to the wildfire season, yes, ma’am, we do have the critical folks in place. When it comes to administering the timber program that you’re talking about, we’re building that right now. So that’s part of what we’re doing. Is we’re building that, that process, those interim operating plans, we’re working on that right now,” said Chief Schultz.

    “When will we see that?” followed up Senator Murray.

    “You know, I would suspect in the next couple months we’ll have that whole plan figured out how we’re going to execute that for the next four years. That’s what we’re working on right now,” Chief Schultz responded.

    Senator Murray said, “Okay, thank you.” 

    ___________________________________

    Senator Murray is a leading voice pushing back against the Trump administration’s attacks on federal agencies, including NOAA and the U.S. Forest Service, that support disaster preparedness and response in Washington state and across the country. Last month, Senator Murray held a press conference with Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and wildfire officials in Washington state and Oregon to sound the alarm on how the Trump administration’s funding freezes and punishing cuts to the workforce at the U.S. Forest Service and other key agencies are seriously undermining wildfire preparedness and response in Washington state and Oregon and putting communities at risk. Senator Murray is working to secure critical investments in wildfire suppression and mitigation—and in our firefighters. Last year, as Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, she secured nearly $22 million in funding for wildfire risk reduction projects across Washington state as part of the USFS Wildfire Crisis Strategy. In the Interior and Environment appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2024, she worked to include essential investments in wildfire preparedness and suppression. And in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, she secured $25 million in funding for wildfire mitigation projects across Washington state.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy on Senate Floor: Reestablishing American Energy Dominance Starts in Louisiana

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

    [embedded content]

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) delivered a speech on the U.S. Senate floor highlighting Louisiana’s energy abundance and detailing how unleashing American energy will benefit American families, the economy, and our national security.
    “The benefits of unleashing American energy go beyond our borders. President Trump’s America First policies are good for the U.S., good for Louisiana, and good for the world,” said Dr. Cassidy. 
    “America has the resources. We have an abundance. Let’s put it to use,” concluded Dr. Cassidy. 
    Background
    In January, Cassidy released a statement applauding President Trump’s executive order to lift the Biden administration’s harmful pause on liquefied natural gas (LNG) export permitting. In March, Cassidy was joined by U.S. Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) in reiterating support for President Trump’s approach to American energy. 
    Last year, immediately following the Biden administration’s announcement that they would freeze pending applications for LNG export permits, Cassidy led 25 of his Republican colleagues in condemning the decision. Cassidy later delivered a speech on the U.S. Senate floor blasting the decision. In February 2024, Cassidy penned an op-ed with U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) in the Houston Chronicle underscoring the devastating economic, environmental, and national security impacts of the LNG export freeze.
    Cassidy also introduced the LNG Security Act to reverse President Biden’s LNG export ban and require the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to approve LNG exports to all countries that have imported, currently import, or are capable of importing Russian or Iranian natural gas. Additionally, he introduced the Unlocking Domestic LNG Potential Act, which depoliticizes the export of American LNG. It eliminates the requirement for the DOE to authorize exports and instead gives the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) sole authority over the approval process. 
    Cassidy’s remarks as prepared for delivery are below:
    Louisiana fuels the world.
    That is what we say in my state. And that is true.
    Louisiana accounted for more than 60% of U.S. energy exports last year. The United States is the world’s largest LNG exporter—Louisiana has some of the largest export terminals in the world.
    And it’s a whole-of-state initiative! A lot of the gas that we export is produced in the Haynesville shale, which is in Northwest Louisiana.
    And that gas comes down to Cameron LNG in Hackberry, Louisiana. That one is capable of exporting 12 million metric tons of LNG per year.
    Cheniere Energy in Cameron Parish. 30 million metric tons of LNG per year.
    Venture Global in Plaquemines Parish. 27 million metric tons of LNG per year, and it is growing.
    President Trump wants to reestablish American energy dominance. That dominance starts in Louisiana.
    Louisiana has the infrastructure, the strategic location, and most importantly the workers to put America back on top.
    Louisiana’s ports, railroads, highways, and pipelines provide an outlet for gas and oil from landlocked states to export through our ports.
    Some oil is transported by rail. And the only place in the United States of America where six major freight railway carriers converge is in—you guessed it—Louisiana. 
    Our fully integrated, 50,000-mile pipeline network and 11,000 miles of state highways make Louisiana an obvious choice when considering which states can best transport these goods.
    We’re positioned where the Mississippi River drains into the Gulf of America.
    Besides our LNG export terminals, we have six combined deep draft ports.
    Louisiana moves oil and gas, and we also move the refined products of that oil and gas, which is part of fueling the world.
    Louisiana is critical to production and distribution of fuel and fuel products.
    I’m making these points because reestablishing American energy dominance is about creating better jobs—higher-paying jobs—changing the trajectory of a family in my state and across the nation. 
    By the end of President Biden’s term, after four years of attacks against American energy production, the Department of Energy reported tens of thousands of jobs lost.
    But tens of thousands of jobs is a statistic! **These are real people, real families we’re talking about!
    Think of the young couple with children who have lost their job!
    The wife immediately wonders how they’re going to pay the house note.
    The husband feels as if he’s letting his family down.
    The kids see conflict that was never there before between the parents.
    Those are human stories and those stories are relived over and over when those jobs are killed. Not because the fuel is not needed, but because the last administration decided they didn’t like it. 
    That was the case for tens of thousands of Americans under President Biden. His war on American energy was a war on American jobs, which is a war on American families.
    That war on the American family is over. I recognize, President Trump recognizes, that American energy dominance fueling our state, our country, and the world—and along with it, giving enough product for the manufacturing of the refined products that we all need—creates with it the high-paying jobs for the Americans who should never have been out of work in the first place. 
    Woodside Energy recently announced the largest single foreign direct investment in Louisiana history: a $17.5 billion investment in Calcasieu Parish for a new LNG export facility.
    It will support 15,000 jobs during construction and, once operational, thousands more after it’s built.
    By the way, there are other things we do with this plentiful, abundant energy! There are wonderful spin-offs!
    Last month, Hyundai Steel announced a $5.8 billion investment to build a new, next-generation steel production facility in Ascension Parish. The facility is expected to generate $4.1 billion in annual revenue and will bring nearly 1,500 direct jobs to the state, plus thousands of indirect jobs.
    That’s low-cost energy paving the way for more opportunity!
    By the way, this benefits my state, our nation, but guess who else it benefits? Our allies!
    Europe imports 45% of its LNG from the United States. Now they still get 20 from Russia, and the rest from Qatar and other countries.
    But WE send them 45% of their LNG. Before the Russia-Ukraine war, it was only 27%!
    We have a bill before Congress now to put even stricter sanctions upon Russia. If the Europeans buy even less gas from Russia, they’ll need more gas from us.
    We can make up that difference.
    With our LNG export facilities and with our gas, I want to send MORE natural gas from the Haynesville shale, through those LNG export facilities, across the Atlantic Ocean, creating tax revenue for my parish governments and wealth for my workers—to help their national security, to help our economy, to help my working families.
    The European Union using more U.S. LNG hurts Vladimir Putin’s war machine.
    Last year, the EU paid 22 billion euros for Russian natural gas, and Putin used that for his war machine.
    Next year, if the Europeans buy that much U.S. natural gas, that’s $25 billion coming to OUR economy!
    After Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine in 2022, America stood up against Putin. Europe did too. Let’s help them do it even more so.
    We can help them by saying, “Don’t buy Putin’s gas to fuel his war, buy OUR gas.”
    Louisiana is ready to help.
    America has the resources. We have an abundance. Let’s put it to use.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: LEADER JEFFRIES: “HOUSE REPUBLICANS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO STOP THE GOP TAX SCAM”

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

    Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries held a press conference with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer where they urged House Republicans to use their second chance to do the right thing and stop the GOP Tax Scam.  

    LEADER JEFFRIES: It’s an honor and a privilege to be joined today by Leader Chuck Schumer. We’ve been working closely with Leader Schumer and Senate Democrats in a unified way to stop the Republican One Big, Ugly Bill from ever becoming law. Later on today on the House Floor, Republicans will have an opportunity to stop the GOP Tax Scam and address the concerns that have been raised by dozens of House Republicans with respect to the damage that the One Big, Ugly Bill will do to everyday Americans. The GOP Tax Scam represents the largest assault on healthcare in American history. More than 16 million Americans will lose access to healthcare in the United States of America as a result of the One Big, Ugly Bill. Hospitals will close, nursing homes will shut down and people will die because they’ll lose access to the medical care that they need. Tens of millions of additional Americans will pay higher premiums, co-pays and deductibles.

    There are more than a dozen House Republicans who have indicated that they don’t support cutting Medicaid for the people that they represent. Those House Republicans have a chance to stop this bill from even being sent over to the United States Senate by voting no on the rule today. Other House Republicans have indicated that they don’t support the cuts to the clean energy tax credits that have generated jobs and economic opportunity in their communities. Yet somehow, mysteriously, they voted for the One Big, Ugly Bill a few weeks ago. But now, these House Republicans have the ability to stop the GOP Tax Scam from being sent over to the United States Senate.

    It’s strange to me that you have Republicans who voted for a bill that they apparently disliked, and then publicly sent a letter to their Senate Republican colleagues to say, stop these provisions from ever becoming law. I mean, that’s the height of irresponsibility. Vote yes and then hope for the best. No, you have a job to do in the House of Representatives, and now you have a second chance to actually stop this One Big, Ugly Bill and the provisions that you disagree with, whether that’s the cuts to Medicaid or the cuts to clean energy tax credits, or the prohibition against regulating artificial intelligence across all 50 states or the aggressive overreach that many Republicans have complained about in terms of trying to strip away the ability of federal courts to issue contempt orders against an out-of-control executive branch. Every single one of those Republicans, dozens of them, now have an opportunity to actually act responsibly. Vote no against the rule that will be on the Floor of the House and stop the GOP Tax Scam from even going over to the United States Senate. I’m thankful again for the leadership and presence of Chuck Schumer. It’s now my honor to yield to him.

    Full press conference can be watched here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: President Trump Signs Executive Orders on Drones, Flying Cars, and Supersonics

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Whitehouse
    WASHINGTON, DC – President Trump has signed three executive orders that will accelerate domestic drone production, secure our airspace, and position America to once again lead the world in supersonic technology.
    “Decades of regulatory gridlock have grounded advancements in drones, flying cars, and supersonic flight in the U.S. With today’s EOs, the Trump Administration is giving America’s innovators greater ability to test, develop, and commercialize these cutting-edge aircrafts that will reshape aviation,” said White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Michael Kratsios. “President Trump’s actions will unleash a new era of American aviation dominance, fostering innovation, driving economic growth, and protecting our national security.
    Burdensome red tape has hindered homegrown drone innovation and grounded progress in supersonic flight for generations. Today’s executive orders accelerate domestic drone innovation, secure supply chains, reduce reliance on adversarial nations, repeal regulations that stalled supersonic flight, and assert U.S. leadership in emerging aviation sectors. They also enable routine beyond line-of-sight operations, which will empower our domestic drone economy to assist with critical infrastructure, emergency response, and long-distance cargo and medical delivery.
    The executive orders also create a pilot program testing flying cars, also known as electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, for EMS, air taxis, cargo, and defense logistics. The eVTOL pilot program builds on the successes of President Trump’s 2017 drone pilot program, highlighting how President Trump’s actions continue to put America in a position to lead.
    Additionally, these orders address the growing threats from criminal, terrorist, and foreign misuse of drones inside U.S. airspace. This administration is securing our borders against aerial threats by cracking down on unlawful drone activity and prioritizing real-time detection and identification of drones to safeguard national security. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: The One Big Beautiful Bill Will Supercharge Our Economy

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Whitehouse
    Today’s inflation report brought more welcome news that prices are down and wages are up — and that progress will be supercharged with President Donald J. Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill.
    Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent told Congress how the One Big Beautiful Bill — the largest tax cut in history — will boost that progress for middle-class Americans and the private sector without fueling inflation:
    “The One Big Beautiful Bill will raise take-home pay between $7,800 and $13,300 for the average family of four. It will increase wages between $6,100 to $11,600 for the average worker.” (Watch)
    “Not only does the One Big Beautiful Bill add $500 to the Child Tax Credit, it makes it permanent.” (Watch)
    “It will cement No Tax on Tips, No Tax on Overtime, and tax cuts for seniors.” (Watch)
    “The One Big Beautiful Bill will make the 2017 tax cuts permanent. This will provide individuals and businesses with certainty and build economic momentum.” (Watch)
    “The legislation will provide 100% expensing for new factories, as well as existing factories that expand operations and support Made in America.” (Watch)
    “The legislation will provide … the ability to buy a new American-made car and deduct the interest.” (Watch)
    “This bill will allow us to prevent our corporate revenues from being drained into foreign treasuries — and that is in the hundreds of billions of dollars.” (Watch)
    If the One Big Beautiful Bill doesn’t pass, “it would be cataclysmic. It would be the largest tax hike in history. It would be a disaster for businesses, for working Americans, and for our status in the world … We would see increases in taxes of thousands of dollars on working Americans, we would see businesses contract and we would see a substantial increase in the unemployment rate.” (Watch)

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Public can share opinions at open house on two projects coming to SR 155 in Omak

    Source: Washington State News 2

    OMAK – It is once again time for voices to be heard, a road to be paved and a bridge to be built.

    Omak residents will have a chance to give feedback on projects planned for two locations on State Route 155 during an open house at Omak City Hall Monday, June 16.

    During the projects, contractor crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation will replace a bridge on SR 155 Spur over the Okanogan River. As part of a Complete Streets and paving project near East Omak Elementary, crews will also pave sections of the highway and improve bicycle and pedestrian facilities within city limits.

    These projects are scheduled for construction in 2026 and 2028.

    At the open house, WSDOT project staff will be available to share details of the project and receive feedback. Those unable to attend the in-person meeting can participate through an online open house. 

    SR 155 and SR 155 Spur projects open house

    When:  5–7 p.m. Monday, June 16

    Where:  Omak City Hall, 2 Ash St. N.

    Details:  Project team members will be available to explain the project, answer questions and take comments. A translator fluent in Spanish will be present. There is no formal presentation. Attendees are welcome to drop by anytime during the two-hour event. 

    Free internet access
    Free, temporary internet access is available to those who do not have broadband service in locations throughout in the area, including: 

    • Omak Community Library, 30 Ash St. N.
    • Wenatchee Valley College – Omak, 116 Apple Ave. W.
    • Omak School District, 619 W. Bartlett Ave.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: COLUMN: Walker: Your Money, Your Future: Delivering Real Tax Relief

    Source: US State of Georgia

    By: Sen. Larry Walker, III (R–Perry)

    Across Middle Georgia, folks are working hard to provide for their families, and every dollar matters. Whether you’re filling up your gas tank, checking out at the grocery store, or trying to cover your utility bill, the cost of living has gone up. I’ve heard it from farmers in Pulaski County, parents in Houston County, and retirees in Laurens and Dooly…Georgians are stretched thin.

    This year, we delivered real relief. I’m proud to report that the General Assembly passed two crucial measures, House Bills 111 and 112, to put more money back in your pocket and help ease the strain on household budgets.

    HB 111 reduces Georgia’s personal income tax rate from 5.39 percent to 5.19 percent, with a plan to reduce it even further to 4.99 percent in the coming years. While that may sound like a small number, it adds up in a big way for working families. Those savings will show up in take-home pay across our state, giving folks more flexibility to cover everyday costs.

    We know that when government takes in more than it needs, it should return the surplus to the people who earned it, not spend it on bureaucracy or pet projects. That’s why we also passed HB 112, which sends a one-time refund to Georgia taxpayers. The Department of Revenue is now issuing these checks. If you filed both your 2023 and 2024 tax returns on time and have no outstanding debt to the state, you can expect to receive a refund of $250 if you filed as a single taxpayer, $375 if you filed as head of household or $500 if you filed jointly as a married couple. It’s a direct result of responsible, conservative budgeting and the third year in a row we’ve been able to return excess revenue to Georgia families.

    We’re doing all this while still fully funding critical priorities. Our budget includes investments in school safety, teacher pay raises, mental health services, and rural healthcare infrastructure. We’ve supported hurricane recovery efforts and made sure our rural communities aren’t left behind. In fact, our state’s economy remains strong. Georgia’s net tax collections for May were up more than nine percent from last year, thanks in part to strong individual and corporate income tax returns. That’s not just good news for the state, it’s proof that our conservative approach is working.

    To my constituents in the 20th District, these policies were written with you in mind. Whether you’re running a small business in Eastman, tending a family farm in Cochran or living on a fixed income in Hawkinsville, this tax relief matters. It means fewer hard choices at the end of the month. It means peace of mind when planning for the future.

    I’ve always believed that Georgians know how to spend their money better than the government does. As Chairman of the Senate Insurance and Labor Committee and a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I take that belief seriously. It’s my job to protect your hard-earned income and ensure the state lives within its means.

    Georgia didn’t become the best state to do business by accident. We got here through discipline, smart policy and a deep respect for the taxpayer. This year’s tax relief package is just the latest chapter in that story, and I’ll keep fighting to make sure it’s not the last.

    If you have questions about your rebate or how these changes might affect your family or your business, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office. It’s an honor to serve you, and I remain committed to building a stronger, more affordable Georgia—one that works for every family in our part of the state.

    # # # #

    Sen. Larry Walker serves as Secretary of the Majority Caucus and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Insurance and Labor. He represents the 20th Senate District, which includes Bleckley, Dodge, Dooly, Laurens, Treutlen, Pulaski and Wilcox counties, as well as portions of Houston County.  He may be reached by phone at (404) 656-0095 or by email at Larry.Walker@senate.ga.gov.

    For all media inquiries, please reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Stein Urges Senate Leaders to Support NC Economy By Protecting IRA Tax Credits

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Stein Urges Senate Leaders to Support NC Economy By Protecting IRA Tax Credits

    Governor Stein Urges Senate Leaders to Support NC Economy By Protecting IRA Tax Credits
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    Today Governor Stein urged Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Senate Finance Committe Chair Mike Crapo, and North Carolina Senators Ted Budd and Thom Tillis to reconsider the U.S. House of Representative’s efforts to end the energy and manufacturing tax credits that the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 created. These tax credits have helped North Carolina emerge as a top state for clean energy business investment.

    “Our state’s clean energy economy is booming, and companies’ decisions to locate their clean energy advanced manufacturing facilities in North Carolina have brought jobs and opportunities to our state,” said Governor Josh Stein. “H.R. 1’s abrupt changes to these credits would jeopardize much of this investment, stifle the demand that many companies were counting on, and conflict with the goals of reshoring manufacturing that the Trump Administration has championed. H.R. 1 would weaken our economy, raise utility prices on consumers, and undermine our national security.”

    Since the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 passed, more than $24 billion in clean energy technology investments have been announced across North Carolina. These announcements include batteries for storage and vehicle applications, solar panels, cells, and wafers, electric vehicle charging stations, transformers, critical minerals, and a wide variety of grid-enhancing products. These businesses already or will soon employ tens of thousands of people, in addition to the more than 100,000 people already employed in North Carolina’s clean energy sector. The U.S. House budget resolution’s repeal of these tax credits would threaten jobs in North Carolina and put billions of dollars in investments at risk. 

    Moreover, H.R. 1 could cause a significant cost in electricity prices for North Carolinians – a more than 13 percent increase for households and a more than 20 percent increase for businesses. In total, if these tax credits were repealed, an average North Carolina family could expect to pay $200 more per year to power their homes. 

    Read Governor Stein’s letter calling for the US Senate to protect IRA tax credits here.  

    Jun 11, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –