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  • MIL-OSI USA: June 6th, 2025 Heinrich, Luján Slam Trump’s Plan to Illegally Rescind Funding for New Mexico’s Local Public Radio & TV Stations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
    Losing this funding would force many public stations to reduce much of their programming or, in some cases, close their doors to the rural communities they serve
    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Commerce Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Media, joined 29 Senate Democrats to slam Trump and Republicans’ attempt to illegally rescind $1 billion in funding appropriated by Congress and signed into law to fund local public broadcasting stations in New Mexico and nationwide — particularly in rural communities. This move follows President Trump’s executive order directing cuts to federal funding for PBS and NPR. 
    The Corporation for Public Broadcasting supports over 1,500 local public television and radio stations nationwide that provide free, high-quality programming to American households, including in New Mexico. Local public television and radio stations provides young children who don’t get the chance to attend preschool with educational content that helps them learn to read; airs highly trusted nightly news programming; and shares critical public safety information during emergencies. Local public television stations also provide extensive coverage of local government and elections and host candidate debates, helping Americans stay connected with their elected leaders. 
    Because local public television and radio relies heavily on federal funding to operate, losing this funding would force many of these stations to reduce much of their programming or, in some cases, close their doors to the communities they serve.
    “Following the White House’s request to rescind $1.07 billion in federal funding for CPB, we write to express our strong opposition to any rescission of funding for public broadcasting and prohibitions of direct and indirect funding to the Public Broadcasting Service and National Public Radio,” the senators wrote to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.). “This funding is essential to the functioning of the public media system and the communities they serve, and any cuts in funding would have detrimental effects on local stations, which rely on this funding to provide critical services to millions of Americans across the country. Public broadcasting is an essential service that should be protected, not decimated. For this reason, we request that you prioritize maintaining and continuing funding for CPB.” 
    As Ranking Member of the Commerce Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Media, Senator Luján has long supported strengthening and protecting public media. In February, Senator Luján wrote to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr and Commissioner Nathan Simington condemning actions taken by the FCC under the Trump administration demonstrating that the FCC is weaponizing its authority over broadcasters and public media for political purposes. In March, Senator Luján introduced the Broadcast Freedom and Independence Act, legislation that would prohibit the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from revoking broadcast licenses or taking action against broadcasters based on the viewpoints they broadcast.
    The letter is led by U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.). Alongside Heinrich and Luján, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Minn.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
    The full text of the letter is available here or below:  
    Dear Majority Leader Thune,
    Federal investment in the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) supports over 1,500 local and regional public television and radio stations that provide free, high-quality programming to millions of households across the country. Following the White House’s request to rescind $1.07 billion in federal funding for CPB, we write to express our strong opposition to any rescission of funding for public broadcasting and prohibitions of direct and indirect funding to the Public Broadcasting Service and National Public Radio, as outlined in the Executive Order titled, “Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Biased Media” released on May 1, 2025. This funding is essential to the functioning of the public media system and the communities they serve, and any cuts in funding would have detrimental effects on local stations, which rely on this funding to provide critical services to millions of Americans across the country.
    Our public broadcasting system is a unique American institution that is deeply embedded in our communities and a critical source of lifesaving public safety services, accurate information, and educational programming. The vast majority of the federal funding CPB receives is allocated to local radio and television stations across the country. These cuts will have an immediate and significant impact for stations in rural communities that heavily rely on CPB funding to provide critical services and could likely result in the elimination of programming or outright closure of stations in areas already faced with limited connectivity.
    According to Northwestern University, 55 million people in the United States have no or only one source of local news, and rural counties are far more likely to lose their local news outlets. This number could increase if the two-year advance appropriation for public media is not upheld, resulting in the drastic reduction or complete elimination of free, high-quality local programming. This is especially concerning given the importance of public broadcasting during public emergencies, such as natural disasters, transportation accidents, national security threats, or public safety matters. CPB funds are essential to ensuring that the broadcast infrastructure remains robust and operational in disaster situations, especially scenarios in which local public broadcasters serve as the only source of information for those who need a lifeline. Any cuts in funding will have drastic consequences for communities in need.
    And there is much more to their public safety services in addition to the critical local information they broadcast. Public television’s interconnection technology, which connects local public television stations to PBS, is also one of the backbone pathways for the delivery of our nation’s Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) services – enabling cell phone subscribers to receive geotargeted emergency text alerts no matter where they are in the country. A cut to public broadcasting funding would put this lifesaving service and its nationwide footprint at risk.
    Public television has also pioneered cutting edge technology that helps first responders communicate with each other over the broadcast spectrum without the need for mobile service or broadband. This datacasting technology and public television’s public safety partnerships is already helping with early earthquake warning and has been proven effective in a wide range of scenarios where broadband or cellular service are limited, including rural search and rescue, overwater communications, large event crowd control and more. But this is only possible if stations serving rural and remote areas with limited broadband are healthy and continue operating as they are today.
    On the education front, public television’s early childhood education services ensure that every family has access to high-quality, non-commercial educational content regardless of their ability to pay for such services. This is essential for over 50 percent of three and four-year old children who do not attend formal preschool.
    If funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) is eliminated or rescinded, the impact would be devastating. Millions of people across the country whose stations rely on CPB funding for a significant percentage of their budget would be at risk of losing access to public television’s services. These are services that nobody else in the media world is providing, but it’s exactly the work for which public broadcasting was created, and they are delivering to our communities every day. 
    Public broadcasting is an essential service that should be protected, not decimated. For this reason, we request that you prioritize maintaining and continuing funding for CPB.
    We appreciate your consideration of this request and thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Heinrich, Luján Slam Trump’s Plan to Illegally Rescind Funding for New Mexico’s Local Public Radio & TV Stations

    US Senate News:

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

    Losing this funding would force many public stations to reduce much of their programming or, in some cases, close their doors to the rural communities they serve

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Commerce Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Media,joined 29 Senate Democrats to slam Trump and Republicans’ attempt to illegally rescind $1 billion in funding appropriated by Congress and signed into law to fund local public broadcasting stations in New Mexico and nationwide — particularly in rural communities. This move follows President Trump’s executive order directing cuts to federal funding for PBS and NPR. 

    The Corporation for Public Broadcasting supports over 1,500 local public television and radio stations nationwide that provide free, high-quality programming to American households, including in New Mexico. Local public television and radio stations provides young children who don’t get the chance to attend preschool with educational content that helps them learn to read; airs highly trusted nightly news programming; and shares critical public safety information during emergencies. Local public television stations also provide extensive coverage of local government and elections and host candidate debates, helping Americans stay connected with their elected leaders. 

    Because local public television and radio relies heavily on federal funding to operate, losing this funding would force many of these stations to reduce much of their programming or, in some cases, close their doors to the communities they serve.

    “Following the White House’s request to rescind $1.07 billion in federal funding for CPB, we write to express our strong opposition to any rescission of funding for public broadcasting and prohibitions of direct and indirect funding to the Public Broadcasting Service and National Public Radio,” the senators wrote to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.). “This funding is essential to the functioning of the public media system and the communities they serve, and any cuts in funding would have detrimental effects on local stations, which rely on this funding to provide critical services to millions of Americans across the country. Public broadcasting is an essential service that should be protected, not decimated. For this reason, we request that you prioritize maintaining and continuing funding for CPB.” 

    As Ranking Member of the Commerce Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Media, Senator Luján has long supported strengthening and protecting public media. In February, Senator Luján wrote to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr and Commissioner Nathan Simington condemning actions taken by the FCC under the Trump administration demonstrating that the FCC is weaponizing its authority over broadcasters and public media for political purposes. In March, Senator Luján introduced the Broadcast Freedom and Independence Act, legislation that would prohibit the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from revoking broadcast licenses or taking action against broadcasters based on the viewpoints they broadcast.

    The letter is led by U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.). Alongside Heinrich and Luján, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Minn.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

    The full text of the letter is available here or below:  

    Dear Majority Leader Thune,

    Federal investment in the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) supports over 1,500 local and regional public television and radio stations that provide free, high-quality programming to millions of households across the country. Following the White House’s request to rescind $1.07 billion in federal funding for CPB, we write to express our strong opposition to any rescission of funding for public broadcasting and prohibitions of direct and indirect funding to the Public Broadcasting Service and National Public Radio, as outlined in the Executive Order titled, “Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Biased Media” released on May 1, 2025. This funding is essential to the functioning of the public media system and the communities they serve, and any cuts in funding would have detrimental effects on local stations, which rely on this funding to provide critical services to millions of Americans across the country.

    Our public broadcasting system is a unique American institution that is deeply embedded in our communities and a critical source of lifesaving public safety services, accurate information, and educational programming. The vast majority of the federal funding CPB receives is allocated to local radio and television stations across the country. These cuts will have an immediate and significant impact for stations in rural communities that heavily rely on CPB funding to provide critical services and could likely result in the elimination of programming or outright closure of stations in areas already faced with limited connectivity.

    According to Northwestern University, 55 million people in the United States have no or only one source of local news, and rural counties are far more likely to lose their local news outlets. This number could increase if the two-year advance appropriation for public media is not upheld, resulting in the drastic reduction or complete elimination of free, high-quality local programming. This is especially concerning given the importance of public broadcasting during public emergencies, such as natural disasters, transportation accidents, national security threats, or public safety matters. CPB funds are essential to ensuring that the broadcast infrastructure remains robust and operational in disaster situations, especially scenarios in which local public broadcasters serve as the only source of information for those who need a lifeline. Any cuts in funding will have drastic consequences for communities in need.

    And there is much more to their public safety services in addition to the critical local information they broadcast. Public television’s interconnection technology, which connects local public television stations to PBS, is also one of the backbone pathways for the delivery of our nation’s Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) services – enabling cell phone subscribers to receive geotargeted emergency text alerts no matter where they are in the country. A cut to public broadcasting funding would put this lifesaving service and its nationwide footprint at risk.

    Public television has also pioneered cutting edge technology that helps first responders communicate with each other over the broadcast spectrum without the need for mobile service or broadband. This datacasting technology and public television’s public safety partnerships is already helping with early earthquake warning and has been proven effective in a wide range of scenarios where broadband or cellular service are limited, including rural search and rescue, overwater communications, large event crowd control and more. But this is only possible if stations serving rural and remote areas with limited broadband are healthy and continue operating as they are today.

    On the education front, public television’s early childhood education services ensure that every family has access to high-quality, non-commercial educational content regardless of their ability to pay for such services. This is essential for over 50 percent of three and four-year old children who do not attend formal preschool.

    If funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) is eliminated or rescinded, the impact would be devastating. Millions of people across the country whose stations rely on CPB funding for a significant percentage of their budget would be at risk of losing access to public television’s services. These are services that nobody else in the media world is providing, but it’s exactly the work for which public broadcasting was created, and they are delivering to our communities every day. 

    Public broadcasting is an essential service that should be protected, not decimated. For this reason, we request that you prioritize maintaining and continuing funding for CPB.

    We appreciate your consideration of this request and thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Heinrich, Luján Fight Trump Administration’s Cuts to the Job Corps Program

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
    Washington, D.C. – After the Trump administration attempted to shutter the nation’s largest jobs training program for low-income and at-risk young people, U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) joined U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and 37 Senate colleagues in a letter to Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer urging her to reverse the illegal and unconstitutional cuts to the Job Corps program that are harming students and communities in every state in the country.
    “The Administration’s decision to illegally and abruptly terminate Job Corps center operations has left 25,000 students and thousands of staff across 99 Job Corps centers in the lurch,” wrote the senators. “The sudden ‘pause’ of operations at Job Corps centers puts young people’s lives at risk, especially a significant number of students who were experiencing homelessness before arriving to the program. Local communities will pay a steep price, especially the thousands of individuals who work at the centers and will lose their livelihoods.”
    For more than 60 years, Job Corps has helped millions of young people in rural communities and cities alike to finish high school, learn technical skills and get good-paying jobs while providing stable housing, medical and mental health care, and other supportive services. Through Job Corps programs, young people receive the training they need to start in good-paying jobs that support their communities after graduation – including as wildland firefighters, nurses, electricians, machinists, pipefitters, and welders. Last month, however, the Trump administration indefinitely ‘paused’ operations at Job Corps sites across the country.
    “We urge you to immediately reverse this decision to prevent a lapse in education and services for Job Corps students. We further urge that the Department restart enrollments, expeditiously restart background checks, and make any contract extensions or modifications necessary to ensure no interruptions or delays for students or program operations,”concluded the senators. 
    Joining Heinrich, Luján, and Sanders on the letter are U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Angus King (I-Maine), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.).
    The text of the letter can be found HERE and below:
    Dear Secretary Chavez-DeRemer:
    We write to express our grave concern with the “pause” of operations that began at Job Corps centers on May 29, 2025, which will harm students and local economies in every state across the country. The Administration’s decision to illegally and abruptly terminate Job Corps center operations has left 25,000 students and thousands of staff across 99 Job Corps centers in the lurch. The sudden “pause” of operations at Job Corps centers puts young people’s lives at risk, especially a significant number of students who were experiencing homelessness before arriving to the program. Local communities will pay a steep price, especially the thousands of individuals who work at the centers and will lose their livelihoods. While a recent court order instituted a temporary restraining order on the “pause” at Job Corps, the damage of attempting to displace thousands of students has already been felt across the country.
    We urge you to immediately reverse this decision to prevent a lapse in education and services for Job Corps students. We further urge that the Department restart enrollments, expeditiously restart background checks, and make any contract extensions or modifications necessary to ensure no interruptions or delays for students or program operations. Congress passed the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act of 2025, which includes $1,760,155,000 for Job Corps and ensures that Job Corps Centers are funded for the new program year that begins on July 1, 2025. We write to remind you of your obligation to faithfully implement the law.
    Since 1964, Job Corps has helped millions of low-income or at-risk young people develop the skills and resilience needed to succeed in work and life. As the largest free residential education and job training program for young adults ages 16-24, Job Corps programs help students complete their high school education, learn high-value technical skills, and connect to employment through intensive education, training, and support services in a residential setting while providing stable housing, medical and mental health care, and other supportive services to ensure their success. At a time when more than 72 percent of jobs will require training beyond a high school diploma, Job Corps provides students with the opportunity to become wildland firefighters to keep our communities safe, nurses to help care for our families, electricians needed to build and maintain clean energy systems, and machinists, pipefitters, and welders to manufacture the next generation of submarines.
    Job Corps centers operate in rural and metropolitan regions nationwide and contribute to their local communities and economies.  Many centers have partnered with employers, local workforce development boards, government agencies, and community-based organizations to develop the future workforce and meet the needs of local employers. 
    Abruptly canceling contracts for the nation’s Job Corps centers will leave students and communities in the lurch and undermine opportunities for young people to get education and training to succeed in valuable trades. Rather than gutting this valuable program, we urge you to work with Congress to strengthen accountability and program quality for the betterment of young workers, employers needing skilled labor, and communities nationwide, such as reforms included in the bipartisan, bicameral Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) reauthorization bill from last Congress.
    We request that you provide written answers to the following questions as soon as possible, but not later than June 20, 2025.
    Please provide a list of onboard strength (enrollment) at each center before January 20, 2025 and before the operations pause on May 28, 2025. 
    With Job Corps operations on “pause”, how does the department plan to fulfill its obligations to implement the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, which includes $1,760,155,000 for Job Corps serving students?
    Please provide information on the number of students experiencing homelessness prior to enrollment at a Job Corps center based on enrollment at each center on May 28, 2025. 
    Please provide a list of every contract that has been terminated or modified since January 20, 2025, including the total amount of funds to each operator, the amount of funds that each operator has spent up to the date of the contract’s termination or modification, and the amount of remaining unspent funds for each contract. 
    What authority is the Department using to “pause” operations? Please provide a citation in law or regulation.
    The concept of a “pause” does not exist in Job Corps authorizing statute and appears to be an attempt to illegally shut down Job Corps operations without following requirements in law. Section 159 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) includes clear requirements and processes for the closure of Job Corps Centers that were not followed in this “pause”. How does the Department define a “pause” and how is it different than a “termination”? 
    On April 25, 2025, the Department’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA) released the first-ever Job Corps Transparency Report, which is used throughout the DOL press release to pause operations at centers.
    Centers have returned funding to DOL when enrollments were lower than expected (but that’s not reflected in this report.) Please provide an updated cost per enrollee that accounts for money returned to DOL.
    The report also provides cost per enrollee based on enrollment from program year 2023. DOL has much more up-to-date enrollment numbers. Please provide an updated cost per enrollee with the enrollments on campuses as of May 28, 2025, incorporating onboard strength at each campus.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Alberta is ready for its close-up! | L’Alberta est prête pour son gros plan!

    Now in its 46th year, Alberta’s government is solidifying its ongoing support for the Banff World Media Festival as a key platform to showcase Alberta’s state-of-the-art studios, competitive production incentives, beautiful landscapes and skilled talent to the world.

    Alberta’s government is proud to invest in the future of the provincial film industry with more than $1 million, over three years, in sponsorship support for the Banff World Media Festival. The funding is part of the government’s continued commitment to creating jobs, attracting investment and growing cultural industries across Alberta, including film, television and music.

    “Our film and television industry is a creative force and a major contributor to Alberta’s economy. By continuing to invest in the Banff World Media Festival, we bring global industry leaders right to Alberta’s doorstep, giving the world a front-row seat to everything that makes our province a top-tier destination for film and television production.”

    Tanya Fir, Minister of Arts, Culture and Status of Women

    The Banff World Media Festival welcomes to Alberta almost 1,600 key industry representatives from over 50 countries, all set against the breathtaking backdrop of Banff National Park.

    It opens doors for Alberta creators to connect with global partners and investors. Building on last year’s success, the Alberta “Fill Yer Boots” Music Showcase returns to shine a spotlight on Alberta’s talented homegrown musicians and highlight more opportunities to feature local music in film and television productions.

    “We are incredibly grateful for the Government of Alberta’s continued investment in the Banff World Media Festival. This support strengthens our ability to convene global industry leaders in Alberta, foster creative and economic partnerships, and spotlight the province’s world-class talent, locations and production capabilities on an international stage.”

    Jenn Kuzmyk, executive director, Banff World Media Festival

    “This funding is a meaningful commitment to the future of Canada’s and Alberta’s screen industries. The Banff World Media Festival is a vital platform where global deal making, talent discovery and innovation thrive. Alberta’s support ensures the festival continues to deliver economic and creative impact across the province and around the world.”

    Sean Cohan, chair of the board, Banff Television Festival

    Previous investment in the film and television industry has already put Alberta centre stage, capturing global attention with several high-profile productions. With over sixty per cent of all Alberta-made projects filmed or planning to film in small cities, towns and rural locations across the province, investment in this growing industry is boosting the economy in every corner of Alberta.

    “Alberta has a growing film and television industry that is putting our talent and landscapes on the big screen for the world to see. Our government continues to prioritize increased jobs, investment and economic diversification, which we are achieving in part through film and television. To all those attending this year’s Banff World Media Festival, thank you for helping put Alberta on the map.”

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

    Quick facts

    • The Banff World Media Festival runs from June 8 to 11, 2025.
    • The Government of Alberta has been a primary sponsor of the Banff World Media Festival since its inception in 1979.
    • Thanks to incentives like the Alberta Media Fund and the Film and Television Tax Credit, Alberta has been home to 337 film and television productions since 2020.
    • Every dollar of government support towards film and television production generates four dollars of investment back into the province.
    • To date, almost one-third of all productions participating in the Film and Television Tax Credit program did their filming in rural Alberta.

    Related information

    • Alberta Film Commission

    Related news

    • Lights, camera, Alberta! Boosting cultural industries | Lumières, caméra, Alberta! Stimuler les industries culturelles (April 16, 2025)
    • Movie star treatment for Alberta screen producers | Traitement de vedette pour les producteurs de l’Alberta (Sept. 18, 2024)
    • Lights, camera, action for film and television (June 7, 2024)
    • Investing in more chapters of Alberta’s stories | Investir dans d’autres chapitres des histoires albertaines (April 23, 2024)

    Le gouvernement de l’Alberta contribue à réunir des chefs de file du cinéma et de la télévision, des créateurs et des investisseurs du monde entier au Festival mondial des médias de Banff.

    Le gouvernement de l’Alberta renforce son soutien continu au Festival mondial des médias de Banff, qui en est à sa 46e année d’existence. Le Festival constitue une plateforme essentielle pour présenter au monde entier les studios ultramodernes, les incitatifs à la production concurrentiels, les paysages magnifiques et la richesse des talents de la province.

    Le gouvernement de l’Alberta est fier d’investir dans l’avenir de l’industrie cinématographique provinciale en affectant plus d’un million de dollars, sur trois ans, au parrainage du Festival mondial des médias de Banff. Ce financement s’inscrit dans le cadre de l’engagement continu du gouvernement à créer des emplois, à attirer des investissements et à développer les industries culturelles de l’Alberta, notamment le cinéma, la télévision et la musique.

    « Notre industrie cinématographique et télévisuelle est une force créatrice et une contributrice majeure à l’économie de l’Alberta. En continuant d’investir dans le Festival mondial des médias de Banff, nous invitons les chefs de file de l’industrie à découvrir l’Alberta et offrons ainsi au monde entier une place de choix pour se familiariser avec tout ce qui fait de notre province une destination de premier plan pour la production cinématographique et télévisuelle. »

    Tanya Fir, ministre des Arts, de la Culture et de la Condition féminine

    Le Festival mondial des médias de Banff accueille en Alberta près de 1 600 représentants clés de l’industrie venus de plus de 50 pays, dans le cadre époustouflant du parc national Banff.

    Il permet aux créateurs albertains d’entrer en contact avec des partenaires et des investisseurs du monde entier. Forte du succès de l’année dernière, la vitrine musicale albertaine « Fill Yer Boots » est de retour pour attirer l’attention des participants sur les talentueux musiciens albertains et multiplier les occasions de mettre en valeur la musique locale dans les productions cinématographiques et télévisuelles.

    « Nous sommes extrêmement reconnaissants au gouvernement de l’Alberta pour son investissement continu dans le Festival mondial des médias de Banff. Ce soutien renforce notre capacité à réunir les chefs de file de l’industrie mondiale en Alberta, à favoriser les partenariats créatifs et économiques et à mettre en avant les talents, les sites et les capacités de production de calibre mondiale de la province sur la scène internationale. »

    Jenn Kuzmyk, directrice générale, Festival mondial des médias de Banff

    « Ce financement constitue un engagement important envers l’avenir des industries cinématographiques du Canada et de l’Alberta. Le Festival mondial des médias de Banff est une plateforme essentielle qui permet de conclure des accords à l’échelle mondiale, de découvrir des talents et d’innover. Le soutien de l’Alberta permet au festival de continuer à avoir des retombées économiques et créatives dans la province et dans le monde entier. »

    Sean Cohan, président du conseil d’administration du Festival de télévision de Banff

    Les investissements antérieurs dans l’industrie du cinéma et de la télévision ont déjà permis à l’Alberta d’occuper le devant de la scène et d’attirer l’attention du monde entier grâce à plusieurs productions de premier plan. Plus de 60 % de tous les projets réalisés en Alberta ont été tournés ou prévoient de l’être dans des petites villes, des villages et des zones rurales de la province; l’investissement dans cette industrie en plein essor stimule ainsi l’économie dans tous les coins de la province.

    « L’Alberta possède une industrie cinématographique et télévisuelle en plein essor qui met nos talents et nos paysages sur le grand écran pour que le monde entier puisse les voir. Notre gouvernement continue d’accorder la priorité à la création d’emplois, à l’investissement et à la diversification économique, ce que nous réalisons en partie grâce au cinéma et à la télévision. Je remercie tous les participantes et participants au Festival mondial des médias de Banff de contribuer à faire connaître l’Alberta. »

    Joseph Schow, ministre de l’Emploi, de l’Économie, du Commerce et de l’Immigration

    En bref

    • Le Festival mondial des médias de Banff se déroule du 8 au 11 juin 2025.
    • Le gouvernement de l’Alberta est l’un des principaux commanditaires du Festival mondial des médias de Banff depuis sa création en 1979.
    • Grâce à des mesures incitatives telles que le Fonds des médias de l’Alberta (Alberta Media Fund) et le crédit d’impôt pour le cinéma et la télévision, l’Alberta a accueilli 337 productions cinématographiques et télévisuelles depuis 2020.
    • Chaque dollar d’aide gouvernementale à la production cinématographique et télévisuelle génère quatre dollars d’investissement dans la province.
    • À ce jour, près d’un tiers de toutes les productions participant au programme de crédit d’impôt pour le cinéma et la télévision ont été tournées dans les régions rurales de l’Alberta.

    Renseignements connexes (en anglais seulement)

    • Alberta Film Commission

    Nouvelles connexes

    • Lumières, caméra, Alberta! Stimuler les industries culturelles | Lights, camera, Alberta! Boosting cultural industries (16 avril 2025)
    • Traitement de vedette pour les producteurs de l’Alberta | Movie star treatment for Alberta screen producers (18 septembre 2024)
    • Lights, camera, action for film and television (Lumière, caméra, action pour le cinéma et la télévision) (7 juin 2024; en anglais seulement)
    • Investir dans d’autres chapitres des histoires albertaines | Investing in more chapters of Alberta’s stories (23 avril 2024)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville Discusses Importance of Protecting Women’s Sports, Boosting School Choice

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) spoke with several of President Trump’s nominees, including Penny Schwinn, nominee to be Deputy Secretary of Education at the Department of Education, Kimberly Richey, nominee to be Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the Department of Education, and Daniel Aronowitz, nominee to be Assistant Secretary of Labor for the Employee Benefits Security Administration at the Department of Labor. They discussed the importance of protecting Title IX and promoting school choice.

    Read Sen. Tuberville’s remarks below or watch on YouTube or Rumble.

    ON PROMOTING SCHOOL CHOICE:

    TUBERVILLE: “Thanks for all of you [being] willing to serve. It’s a privilege to have you all here. Doctor Schwinn, I wonder if people can give the definition of ‘national emergency.’ That’s what we have in our education system. It’s pitiful. I’ve been in it 35 years and it’s getting worse. The last four years, we just brushed over the problems, didn’t try to correct any. I would hope that you would be really involved in this. Our kids can’t read and write, [the] majority of them. It’s a disaster. It’s a shame. It’s criminal, to be honest with you.

    [Holds up cellphone] would you please get that out of the classroom? Because kids can’t learn when they’re looking at a text. I’m sick of hearing about ‘we need those in the classroom.’ Let’s take our schools back. We’ve given it over to the people who actually don’t want to educate our kids.

    So, thanks for your background in educational agencies. If confirmed, I hope you would assist Secretary McMahon in executing at the more local level. Can you address that?”

    SCHWINN: “Absolutely, and thank you for that. I couldn’t agree more as the parent of a thirteen-year-old. So, absolutely, one of the things that we did in Tennessee that I think was the secret sauce and has been over a long period of time is that locals know what’s best for their communities and their students. Memphis, Tennessee and Lake County, Tennessee are three to four hours apart and could not be more different. My home state of California and my adopted home state of Tennessee could not be more different. We need to make sure that locals are empowered to make the best decisions for their students. And when the money is closest to the child, when the decisions are closest to the child, we can best serve the child. And I am completely aligned with Secretary McMahon to ensure that we can help our states and our local communities to make the best decisions for their students in their communities.”

    TUBERVILLE: “School choice should be an option. I’ve been in many inner-city schools. For some reason, a lot of my colleagues do not want to educate kids in inner cities. School choice should be mandatory in a lot of our inner cities because they can’t read and write. If you can’t read and write, you can’t take advantage of the greatest country ever.”

    ON PROTECTING TITLE IX:

    TUBERVILLE: “Ms. Richey, Title IX, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, is what I’ve been trying to get passed for years. It makes no sense to me what’s going on. I mean, we’ve got a huge problem. We can’t define the difference of men playing in women’s sports. It’s dangerous. We all know that. I mean, it’s something that we’d better get straight because little girls aren’t going to get into sports and we’re not going to have women’s sports 10, 15years from now. We’ve got entire high school teams that are made now of transgender boys that can’t figure out that they’re not supposed to be in that—that it’s for women. But what are your thoughts on that?”

    RICHEY: “Yes, sir. Thank you, Senator, for the question. I grew up playing basketball, and played into college. I could not have competed against biological men. It just was not something that I would have been able to do. One of the things I’m really proud of under the first term is that [the] OCR investigated and took to enforcement one of the very first cases initiated by the federal government, which actually determined that policies that allow students to participate based on sexual orientation or gender identity actually violated Title IX because they deprive women and girls of the opportunity to participate in athletics. I’m very proud of that. I’m very proud of the way that the Secretary and the President have prioritized this issue, and I’m certainly committed to vigorously enforcing it and continuing to pursue these cases.”

    TUBERVILLE: “Thank you. We’ve got the Olympics here in a couple of years—[in] a few years in LA. We’re going be a joke if we allow that to happen on the world stage. So, hopefully we come to our senses by that time and show little girls that, ‘yes, you do have an opportunity.’”

    ON THE FINANCIAL FREEDOM ACT:

    TUBERVILLE: “[The] Financial Freedom Act. I think you, Mr. Aronowitz, are familiar with that. The Biden administration pretty much prohibited being able to put your finances where you wanted to, at the end of the day. I’ve been trying to get that passed. Would you commit to supporting legislation that would provide Americans the freedom to invest their own money how they see fit?”

    ARONOWITZ: “Absolutely, Senator. I believe that fiduciaries should decide what’s in retirement plans, not government bureaucrats, not plaintiff lawyers, no one else. Fiduciaries know what’s best, and I am committed to that.”

    TUBERVILLE: “Thank you. Mr. Chairman.”

    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville Speaks About Importance of Protecting Alabama’s Family Farms

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
    WASHINGTON – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) spoke about the importance of protecting Alabama’s family farms during a Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing. During the hearing, Sen. Tuberville spoke with Zippy Duvall, President of the American Farm Bureau Federation, Jim Alderman, Owner of Alderman Farms, and Aaron Locker, Managing Director of Kincannon & Reed.
    Read Sen. Tuberville’s remarks below or watch on Youtube or Rumble.
    ON HIGH COSTS IMPACTING AMERICAN FARMERS: 
    TUBERVILLE: “Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for having and holding this hearing. In addition to being on the Aging Committee, gentlemen, I’m also on the Ag Committee. Let me tell you, the state of our agriculture economy, it’s in dire straits. We’re in trouble. We’ve lost 150,000 farms, [and] 25,000 farmers just in the last five years. Producers have lost over $40 billion dollars in net farm income since 2022 and the current agriculture trade deficit has grown to $49 billion dollars. Despite [this], in my state of Alabama, the producers [are] making bumper crops, they can’t even break even, much less make a profit due to the low commodity prices, high input costs, interest rates and inflation. We can’t keep this up. We can’t do it. The only way we’re going to help our farmers survive is to extend President Trump’s tax cuts, increase references prices, and hammer the heck out of foreign countries on tariffs. It is way out of control, way out of balance. We cannot continue this direction.”
    ON FARM LABOR:
    TUBERVILLE: “It’s concerning that one-third of our farmers are over the age of 65. And this creates a significant workforce problem for our ag industry as young people are not entering farming. Mr. Duvall and Mr. Alderman, this labor problem increases the need for reforms in H-2A programs. Can you two speak of the struggles of keeping up with H-2A’s Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) that is over $16 dollars an hour in my state of Alabama—that is double the minimum wage. Can y’all address that, please?”
    ALDERMAN: “Yes, sir. I can.”
    TUBERVILLE: “Thank you.”
    ALDERMAN: “It costs me between $22 to $24 dollars an hour from my H-2A labor. Okay? Minimum wage in Florida, I think, is $12.50. I’m from Florida. And with the rates going up higher—next year they’re going up and they’re talking about going up another dollar—we still have to pay for their housing. We’d like some relief at least we could get the housing back from the people, the H-2A workers who we are bringing in. We spend, you know, hundreds of thousands of dollars every year just for housing for the labor. Plus, we have to bring them in here, pay for their visas, pay for their ride here, their ride back. They’re great labor. They’re good. Without them, we couldn’t harvest our crops. But we can’t compete with the cheap prices of tomatoes coming from Mexico against us. They undercut the price—it’s so cheap. […] The tariffs that we’re talking about is not enough to make any difference. 20%, 17%, that’s not enough to help it. They need a floor of at least what our minimum growing cost is and then put a tariff above that. But try to protect the Florida farmers, the few that are left, not only just in Florida, because at first, it was just Mexico was coming after Florida tomato farmers right after NAFTA. Well, 20 years later, they’re growing pepper and squash and corn and beans and every vegetable we grow all the way up the East Coast, all the way to Jersey and past. They’re going to be competing with all of them, Mexico with all those products. And their labor is, I don’t know, what are they paying $10 dollars a day and we’re paying $25 dollars an hour? There’s got to be some help with the balance of trade. We don’t want the government to give us anything, but get us on a level playing field with Mexico and Canada.”
    TUBERVILLE: “Thank you. Mr. Duvall, you want to add to that?”
    DUVALL: “Yes, sir. First thing we need to do is for Congress to freeze the AEWR wage rate so that farmers don’t have to take another increase and give us time to work on this H-2A program so that we can make it a workable program for our employees and for the farmer there. If the way we’re going now with the wage rate going up, we’re gonna price ourselves out of farming. We’re not gonna be able to pay the wage rate and stay in the farming and provide those jobs. And it’s gotta be done, it’s gotta be done quickly. And then we gotta work on creating an H-2A program or a program that speaks to all of agriculture. All of agriculture is suffering for the lack of labor, and we need to have year-round workers that’s not capped. We need to be able to control it, but we need to be able to fill those jobs, whether a small, medium, or large-sized farm, and we need to have those year-round workers in those areas like dairy and other places where the work never stops. And then, of course, the regulations that go along with those programs are just so burdensome. You heard him talk about the requirement of having housing—the liabilities that come along with that and the difficulty it is for our farmers to continue to abide by all these regulations because every regulation costs a lot of money to a farmer. And if we’re gonna continue to be able to compete with the world, we gotta be able to make sure that we have a workable program, bring reliable labor here so that we can get the job done. […] How can a young farmer come back to the farm and bring his expertise that he learned in college [and] expand that farm without having the labor force to do it with? That’s one of the biggest limiting factors we have. And that AEWR rate is set by a survey done by USDA that was created over 60 years ago to count employees, not to set a wage rate. The formula is totally […] unworkable, and we need to redo that formula and set a fair wage rate that encourages farmers to hire people and be able to still stay in business and to treat their employees right.”
    ON IMPORTANCE OF REPEALING THE DEATH TAX:
    TUBERVILLE: “I got one question, Mr. Locker, we’ll start with you. All of you can answer if you want—your thoughts on this. As long as I’ve been up here, I’ve been advocating to permanently repeal the federal estate tax, which is often called the ‘death tax.’ I know it means a lot to farmers. So, Mr. Locker, we’ll start with you—your thoughts?”
    LOCKER: “Well, Senator, I think, obviously, you look at modern agriculture today, I mean, it is a massive investment. Even small farms, I mean, if you add up all the assets. And, so, anytime that you want to pass that along to the next generation, it comes at a significant cost and in many cases is cost prohibitive. And so, yeah, doing away with the death tax. And I think we get, you know, bottled in with, you know, other businesses and it couldn’t be farther from the truth in terms of comparable that, you know, when you’re passing along a farm business, it comes with, like I said, a lot of costs, a lot of assets, it takes a lot to run a farm today. And so doing away with the estate, the death tax is the right thing to do. To be able to continue to pass it down to the next generation—otherwise it becomes cost prohibitive.”
    TUBERVILLE: “Mr. Duvall, you got it.”
    DUVALL: “It’s absolutely one of the necessary things that we need to do. [A farmer] works all his life. I’ve spent my whole life buying back my farm—my daddy had to sell part of it off—my whole life. And if we don’t fix that problem, if we don’t get rid of the inheritance tax, other generations will have to sell a farm and that farm will go out of production, and we will not enjoy the production from those farms. And it has to be done. You know, it’s just like people say, ‘Well, you got a lot of land, you got a lot of wealth.’ You have to have land to farm. It’s just like having a tractor. It’s just like having a car to go to work in every day, even if you’re not farming. It’s something you have to have to do that job. But, show me a farmer that has a retirement plan. It’s tied up in his land. It’s tied up in his land. And when he retires, he’s either got to sell his land or sell it to his children. And then if you pile inheritance tax on top of that, they have to sell part of the farm to be able to continue it. And it is one of the biggest devastating things that can happen to a family farm when you have a death and have to go through that difficult time.”
    TUBERVILLE: “Mr. Alderman?”
    ALDERMAN: “I agree with you wholeheartedly. It’s double taxation. It shouldn’t be there. You’ve already paid the taxes once. Why are you going to just put somebody out of business or make them sell their business or the farm? It shouldn’t be there. I agree with you.” […]
    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Dene and Métis people of Tulita District the focus of a new $16.5M Office and Cultural Centre for Nááts’įhch’oh National Park Reserve 

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    June 6, 2025                                Tulita, NT                                     Parks Canada

    The Government of Canada is committed to creating economic opportunities and benefits for Indigenous communities and protecting naturally and culturally treasured places in Canada, including through the advancement of infrastructure projects and impact and benefit plans.

    Today, the Honourable Rebecca Alty, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, on behalf of the Minister responsible for Parks Canada, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages, announced a $16.5 million investment under Parks Canada’s National Park Establishment program to advance construction of a new office and cultural centre for the Nááts’įhch’oh National Park Reserve in Northwest Territories. Construction of this landmark building fulfills a commitment in the Nááts’įhch’oh National Park Reserve Impact and Benefit Plan, will include a cultural centre exhibition, and will serve as Parks Canada’s primary operations base for the park reserve. 

    The ground-breaking event coincided with Tulita community’s annual “Fire Day,” which commemorates the devastating 1995 wildfire, also celebrated community collaboration, cultural leadership, and shared stewardship. Indigenous and community members from Tulita and Norman Wells gathered to speak of the cultural and regional significance of this long-anticipated milestone.  The office and cultural centre will be a place for connection and cultural discovery, provide a space for community members to gather, facilitate meaningful visitor experiences, welcome Mackenzie River paddlers, and to share the rich history of the Sahtu Dene and Métis. The building will also house Parks Canada’s operational facility, where local staff will work to protect, present and celebrate the natural and cultural heritage of Nááts’įhch’oh National Park Reserve.

    Investments in infrastructure, like the Nááts’įhch’oh National Park Reserve office and culture centre project, benefit the community of Tulita by growing local economic development, boosting the tourism sector, and driving job creation. Infrastructure improvements in the Nááts’įhch’oh National Park Reserve will deliver high-quality and meaningful experiences are for visitors and community members alike to connect with and discover the natural and cultural heritage of the Sahtu region and underscores the federal government’s commitment to northern communities and Indigenous partners.

                                                                                                      -30-

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Applications open for Education Maintenance Allowance 2025/26

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    All eligible young people are being encouraged to apply for a weekly, term time allowance of £30 per week from August 2025.

    The Highland Council administers Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) in respect of eligible young people from across its 29 secondary schools.  Colleges administer this scheme for their students.

    During the last academic year, over 400 young people across Highland secondary schools benefited from approximately £350,000 from this Allowance. The Allowance provides an incentive for young people aged 16-19 from lower income families to continue with their post-16 education, either in school or college.

    Eligibility for the scheme is based upon the total taxable household income for 2024/25:

    • up to £24,421 taxable income for households with 1 dependant child
    • up to £26,884 taxable income for households with 2 or more dependant children.

    This weekly term time allowance is paid directly into the young person’s bank account and does not affect the child benefit or other benefits being paid to their parents or carers.

    Further information about Education Maintenance Allowance, including full eligibility criteria, is available on the Highland Council’s website at www.highland.gov.uk/ema.

    The Council’s Welfare Support Team can complete the online application form with the young person and in the wider context, can support all eligible households to apply for benefits and other entitlements.

    The Welfare Support Team can be contacted by telephoning 0800 090 1004 or emailing welfare.support@highland.gov.uk.

    6 Jun 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Sixty temporary homes opening in Kelowna

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    People at risk of or experiencing homelessness in Kelowna will soon have access to 60 new temporary homes with the opening of Balsam Place.

    “We’re making meaningful progress addressing homelessness in Kelowna and throughout B.C.,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs. “Everyone deserves a safe, inclusive place to live and a chance to build a secure future. These 60 new homes are another step toward bringing people in, off the streets, and keeping our communities strong.”

    Balsam Place at 3199 Appaloosa Rd. is the third development in Kelowna created through an agreement between the Province and the City of Kelowna on homeless and encampment response and temporary housing solutions.

    Each temporary home includes a private entrance, bed, desk, mini fridge, heating and air conditioning, and storage space. The site also provides shared areas for dining, lounging and laundry, as well as access to overdose-prevention services, care professionals, and support and safety services, such as life-skills programming, support-group referrals, security lighting and cameras. In addition, the site includes multiple safety features to maintain resident safety including, security cameras and controlled access gates.

    “Through our first two HEARTH sites, we have already helped more than 60 people transition into housing,” said Tom Dyas, mayor of Kelowna. “With Balsam Place, we are helping even more individuals take the next step on their path out of homelessness, while also working to create a safer, healthier community for everyone.”

    Connective, an experienced non-profit housing operator, was selected to manage day-to-day operations at Balsam Place. Tenants are expected to move in gradually from July 2025.

    “For decades, Connective has delivered housing and a range of supportive programs in communities across B.C.,” said Mark Miller, CEO of Connective. “We are proud to draw on our experience and person-centred approach to meet the unique needs of people in Kelowna. We look forward to working with neighbours to build relationships and foster long-term community well-being.”

    This work is part of the Province’s homeless and encampment response temporary housing solutions program, under the Belonging in BC plan, to prevent homelessness and bring more people indoors quickly.

    In communities throughout B.C., almost 1,200 homeless and encampment response and temporary housing solutions spaces have been delivered or underway, including 179 in Kelowna. Since 2017, the Province has nearly 92,000 homes that have been delivered or are underway, including more than 2,000 homes in Kelowna.

    Quick Facts:

    • The Province, through BC Housing, is providing a Homeless Encampment Action Response Team (HEART) grant of approximately $6.7 million for the homes.
    • BC Housing will also provide approximately $2.6 million in annual operating funding.
    • The City of Kelowna is contributing the land, which it has leased to the Province for a nominal fee.
    • Kelowna’s first two homeless and encampment response and temporary housing solutions sites, STEP Place and Trailside Housing, are providing a total of 119 units and have been operational since early 2024.
    • All three locations are temporary housing solutions and will be in place for at least three years. 

    Learn More:

    To learn more about government’s new Homes for People action plan, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2023HOUS0019-000436

    To learn about the steps the Province is taking to tackle the housing crisis and deliver affordable homes for people in British Columbia, visit: https://strongerbc.gov.bc.ca/housing/

    A map showing the location of all announced provincially funded housing projects in B.C. is available here:  https://www.bchousing.org/projects-partners/Building-BC/homes-for-BC

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pingree, Turner lead 120+ Reps. in Bipartisan Push to Restore NEA Grants

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (1st District of Maine)

    Today, Congressional Arts Caucus Co-Chairs Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and Congressman Mike Turner (R-Ohio) led more than 120 of their colleagues in urging President Trump to restore National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grant funding approved by Congress. The bipartisan push comes after the Trump Administration canceled NEA grants to hundreds of community organizations, many of which had already begun the projects for which they had been awarded. 

    “Many grantees are anchors in their communities, whether as employers and educators, prominent Main Street destinations, and tourist attractions,” the lawmakers wrote. “Lost grants will hurt budgets, contract programming, and may lead to layoffs – right as the crucial summer season kicks off for many organizations and small businesses.”

    They further explained that the NEA underpins a $1.2 trillion cultural sector, representing 5.4 million jobs and a $36.8 billion trade surplus. “In short, the bang for our buck delivered by the NEA is too significant to ignore,” Pingree, Turner, and their colleagues said. 

    The full text of the letter is copied below and available here. 

    In addition to cancelling NEA funds already appropriated by Congress, the President has proposed eliminating the agency entirely in his budget.

    Pingree recently penned an op-ed in the Portland Press Herald condemning President Trump’s attacks on arts and culture and warning that his actions mirror the authoritarian playbooks of regimes in Turkey and Hungary.

    Pingree is Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, which oversees the NEA, and is an ex-officio member of the National Council on the Arts.

    +++

    Dear President Trump,

    We write to express our deep concern about recent grant cancellations at the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). These cancellations will have a resounding impact on communities in every part of the country, costing jobs and harming local economies. We urge you to direct their immediate reversal and restore full funding of the NEA as authorized by statute and approved by Congress.

    The NEA is a small but efficient agency, using its modest resources to ensure that the benefit of federal funds reaches every Congressional district. The cancellation of hundreds of grants threatens a wide range of initiatives, from apprenticeship programs to youth engagement to economic development planning. Many grantees are anchors in their communities, whether as employers and educators, prominent Main Street destinations, and tourist attractions. Lost grants will hurt budgets, contract programming, and may lead to layoffs – right as the crucial summer season kicks off for many organizations and small businesses.

    Our relatively minimal federal investment reaches Americans who would not otherwise benefit from the arts. In 678 counties across the country – primarily in rural areas – the Endowment does more to fund the arts than the top 1,000 foundations. And the benefit is not just local. It underpins the $1.2 trillion economic powerhouse that is the cultural sector, representing 5.4 million jobs and a $36.8 billion trade surplus. In short, the bang for our buck delivered by the NEA is too significant to ignore.

    The NEA fulfills an essential role in our nation’s economic and cultural life, particularly as we look toward America250 celebrations next year. The Endowment’s support for local arts organizations remains a cornerstone of its statutory purpose and of its value to local communities across the country. We urge you to restore the full potential of that value by reversing grant cancellations to local arts organizations.

    Sincerely,

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Mike Levin Delivers House Floor Speech Calling on Senate to Preserve Clean Energy Tax Credits that Lower Costs & Create Jobs

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Levin (CA-49)

    June 04, 2025

    Rep. Levin speaks about how eliminating clean energy tax cuts will raise energy costs

    Washington, D.C.- Today, Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49) delivered a speech on the House Floor urging the Senate to block the passage of the House Republicans’ “Big Ugly Bill,” highlighting how the bill’s elimination of clean energy tax cuts would raise energy costs for American households.

    Watch the full speech here. Full remarks below. 

    “Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak out against the “Big Ugly Bill,” which even Elon Musk has called, and I quote, ‘a disgusting abomination.’

    “The Big Ugly Bill undermines the programs millions of Americans rely on to survive, like health care and food assistance. But perhaps less discussed is that it will INCREASE your energy bills.

    “Right now, 80 million Americans are struggling to pay their electricity bills, and according to a recent report in the New York Times, this bill will make it worse. The Big Ugly Bill ends tax credits to promote clean energy and will increase household energy costs by up to $415 dollars a year.

    “On top of that, ending the tax credits will lead to thousands of job losses nationwide—red states blue states. This comes as demand for electricity is surging, driving up costs even more.

    “Everyone in this body talks a good game about lowering costs, but when the time came to actually do something about costs, my House colleagues voted to put Big Oil CEOs over the American people.

    “I urge my friends in the Senate to fix this mess and actually lower energy prices for the American people.

    “Thank you, and I yield back.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Los Angeles County Wildfire Recovery Continues with Over $3 Billion in Federal Support

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Los Angeles County Wildfire Recovery Continues with Over $3 Billion in Federal Support

    Los Angeles County Wildfire Recovery Continues with Over $3 Billion in Federal Support

    LOS ANGELES – As of June 6, just under five months since the Los Angeles County wildfires were declared, FEMA, along with our federal partners, have made over $3 billion available for eligible homeowners, renters, and businesses who have been impacted by the disaster

    This total includes:Individual Assistance To date, FEMA has approved over $136 million to help 57,813 survivors recover through the Individual Assistance program, including more than $42 million for Housing Assistance and more than $93 million for Other Needs Assistance paid directly to survivors

     FEMA’s Rental Assistance FEMA’s Rental Assistance Program provides money directly to eligible survivors to find their own temporary housing

     749 owners and 2,677 renters are utilizing the rental assistance program

     More than $18 million has been approved for rental assistance from FEMA

    Small Business AdministrationThe U

    S

    Small Business Administration has approved more than $2

    9 billion in federal disaster loans for businesses, nonprofits and residents impacted by the Los Angeles County wildfires

    That includes more than $456 million for businesses and more than $2

    4 billion to homeowners and renters to help them rebuild and recover from the disaster

    joy

    li
    Fri, 06/06/2025 – 18:08

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA’s Ready-to-Use Dataset Details Land Motion Across North America

    Source: NASA

    An online tool maps measurements and enables non-experts to understand earthquakes, subsidence, landslides, and other types of land motion.
    NASA is collaborating with the Alaska Satellite Facility in Fairbanks to create a powerful web-based tool that will show the movement of land across North America down to less than an inch. The online portal and its underlying dataset unlock a trove of satellite radar measurements that can help anyone identify where and by how much the land beneath their feet may be moving — whether from earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, or the extraction of underground natural resources such as groundwater.
    Spearheaded by NASA’s Observational Products for End-Users from Remote Sensing Analysis (OPERA) project at the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, the effort equips users with information that would otherwise take years of training to produce. The project builds on measurements from spaceborne synthetic aperture radars, or SARs, to generate high-resolution data on how Earth’s surface is moving.

    Formally called the North America Surface Displacement Product Suite, the new dataset comes ready to use with measurements dating to 2016, and the portal allows users to view those measurements at a local, state, and regional scales in a few seconds. For someone not using the dataset or website, it could take days or longer to do a similar analysis.
    “You can zoom in to your country, your state, your city block, and look at how the land there is moving over time,” said David Bekaert, the OPERA project manager and a JPL radar scientist. “You can see that by a simple mouse click.”
    The portal currently includes measurements for millions of pixels across the U.S. Southwest, northern Mexico, and the New York metropolitan region, each representing a 200-foot-by-200-foot (60-meter-by-60-meter) area on the ground. By the end of 2025, OPERA will add data to cover the rest of the United States, Central America, and Canada within 120 miles (200 kilometers) of the U.S. border. When a user clicks on a pixel, the system pulls measurements from hundreds of files to create a graph visualizing the land surface’s cumulative movement over time.

    “The OPERA project automated the end-to-end SAR data processing system such that users and decision-makers can focus on discovering where the land surface may be moving in their areas of interest,” said Gerald Bawden, program scientist responsible for OPERA at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “This will provide a significant advancement in identifying and understanding potential threats to the end users, while providing cost and time savings for agencies.” 
    For example, water-management bureaus and state geological surveys will be able to directly use the OPERA products without needing to make big investments in data storage, software engineering expertise, and computing muscle.
    How It Works
    To create the displacement product, the OPERA team continuously draws data from the ESA (European Space Agency) Sentinel-1 radar satellites, the first of which launched in 2014. Data from NISAR, the NASA-ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) Synthetic Aperture Radar mission, will be added to the mix after that spacecraft launches later this year.

    Satellite-borne radars work by emitting microwave pulses at Earth’s surface. The signals scatter when they hit land and water surfaces, buildings, and other objects. Raw data consists of the strength and time delay of the signals that echo back to the sensor. 
    To understand how land in a given area is moving, OPERA algorithms automate steps in an otherwise painstaking process. Without OPERA, a researcher would first download hundreds or thousands of data files, each representing a pass of the radar over the point of interest, then make sure the data aligned geographically over time and had precise coordinates.
    Then they would use a computationally intensive technique called radar interferometry to gauge how much the land moved, if at all, and in which direction — towards the satellite, which would indicate the land rose, or away from the satellite, which would mean it sank.
    “The OPERA project has helped bring that capability to the masses, making it more accessible to state and federal agencies, and also users wondering, ‘What’s going on around my house?’” said Franz Meyer, chief scientist of the Alaska Satellite Facility, a part of the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute.
    Monitoring Groundwater
    Sinking land is a top priority to the Arizona Department of Water Resources. From the 1950s through the 1980s, it was the main form of ground movement officials saw, as groundwater pumping increased alongside growth in the state’s population and agricultural industry. In 1980, the state enacted the Groundwater Management Act, which reduced its reliance on groundwater in highly populated areas and included requirements to monitor its use.
    The department began to measure this sinking, called subsidence, with radar data from various satellites in the early 2000s, using a combination of SAR, GPS-based monitoring, and traditional surveying to inform groundwater-management decisions.
    Now, the OPERA dataset and portal will help the agency share subsidence information with officials and community members, said Brian Conway, the department’s principal hydrogeologist and supervisor of its geophysics unit. They won’t replace the SAR analysis he performs, but they will offer points of comparison for his calculations. Because the dataset and portal will cover the entire state, they also could identify areas not yet known to be subsiding.
    “It’s a great tool to say, ‘Let’s look at those areas more intensely with our own SAR processing,’” Conway said.
    The displacement product is part of a series of data products OPERA has released since 2023. The project began in 2020 with a multidisciplinary team of scientists at JPL working to address satellite data needs across different federal agencies. Through the Satellite Needs Working Group, those agencies submitted their requests, and the OPERA team worked to improve access to information to aid a range of efforts such as disaster response, deforestation tracking, and wildfire monitoring.

    News Media Contacts
    Andrew Wang / Jane J. LeeJet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.626-379-6874 / 818-354-0307andrew.wang@jpl.nasa.gov / jane.j.lee@jpl.nasa.gov
    2025-076

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Provides Hardware for Space Station DNA Repair Experiment 

    Source: NASA

    When it comes to helping NASA scientists better understand the effects of space travel on the human body, fruit flies are the heavyweights of experiments in weightlessness. Because humans and fruit flies share a lot of similar genetic code, they squeeze a lot of scientific value into a conveniently small, light package. 
    Through a new Space Act Agreement between NASA and Axiom Space, the Vented Fly Box will enable fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) to launch aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. These tiny crew members will join the Axiom Mission 4 crew for scientific investigations on the International Space Station. The goal is to advance research into how spaceflight impacts DNA repair, a key factor in astronaut health on long-term space missions. 
    For decades, NASA has iterated and improved these specialized habitats to safely house generations of fruit flies for their trips to and from space. As the go-to organism for many of its studies, NASA gained unique knowledge and carefully finessed the steps astronauts take to perform the most efficient and rewarding life science experiments in space.
    The study is supported by NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley and Axiom Space.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: “Get Outdoors & Get Together Day” Set for Saturday, June 14

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced that New York’s “Get Outdoors & Get Together Day” celebrations will be held on Saturday, June 14 this year with events happening at more than 20 locations across New York State as part of the Governor’s initiative to “Get Offline, Get Outside,” and to ensure inclusivity of access to state public lands. The events bring people of all abilities, ages, identities, and backgrounds together for a day of fun and healthy activities.

    “Get Outdoors & Get Together Day is an opportunity for every New Yorker to visit our world-renowned state parks and public lands, and gather with family and friends while learning something new,” Governor Hochul said. “My Administration has prioritized accessibility and our state parks and lands are here for all New Yorkers to enjoy, no matter their background or abilities. Everyone is welcome.”

    This year’s event is hosted by the State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Perseveration (Parks), in partnership with the Office of the Chief Disability Officer, the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD), the Department of Veterans’ Services (DVS), the Office of Mental Health (OMH) and the Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs.

    At 23 locations across the state, participants will be encouraged to discover new skills and enjoy a range of introductory-level outdoor recreation activities such as fishing, nature walks and hikes, birding, archery, paddling, camping demonstrations, and more. Each event will highlight ways to enjoy the outdoors safely and sustainably. All locations will offer a selection of accessible activities, and use of adaptive equipment and demonstrations will be provided at many sites, including trail and beach mobility aids, archery assist stands, arm supports for fishing, and more. Certain sites will also feature sample assistive technology device loans from New York’s regional Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities (TRAID) centers.

    New York’s Get Outdoors & Get Together Day coincides with National Get Outdoors Day, an annual event to encourage healthy, active outdoor fun. Most “Get Outdoors & Get Together Day” celebrations will be held from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m., with a few exceptions. Exact times and locations are available on the Parks and DEC websites.

    New York State Chief Disability Officer Kimberly Hill Ridley said, “As New York’s Chief Disability Officer, I am proud we are co-sponsoring ‘Get Outdoors and Get Together’ day since our office was created in 2022. We thoroughly enjoy both co-sponsoring this event, but more importantly, participating in the event, which has consistently demonstrated the beauty that our parks have to offer and the accessibility that we strive to provide each and every day. We know how important the outdoors is to all New Yorkers, including those with disabilities, in the quest to spend as much time outside as possible to benefit both our physical and mental health.”

    New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton said, “DEC is thrilled to once again host ‘Get Outdoors & Get Together Day’ events across the state in partnership with our sister State agencies. We remain committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive outdoor experience for New Yorkers of all ages, abilities, identities, and lived experiences. New York’s public lands are for everyone and we invite all New Yorkers to join us to celebrate the outdoors and try something new, safely and responsibly.”

    New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities Commissioner Willow Baer said, “This event is important to our agency, especially considering that as little as fifty years ago, many people with developmental disabilities lived in institutions and were denied the same opportunities to enjoy the outdoors as everyone else. When we see people with and without disabilities enjoying the great outdoors together, we’re reminded that true inclusion goes beyond integration. I encourage everyone to come out for Get Outdoors & Get Together Day and see what it is all about.”

    New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Perseveration Commissioner Pro Tempore Randy Simons said, “Get Outdoors & Get Together Day highlights New York’s amazing public lands and recreational opportunities that are accessible for everyone to enjoy. Parks are natural gathering places where everyone can connect with nature and build memories, and New York State is committed to ensuring that all people of all abilities feel welcome and can experience the joy of the outdoors together. We are excited to once again partner with other state agencies to make this event possible and continue connecting more people to the outdoors.”

    New York State Department of Veterans’ Services Commissioner Viviana M. DeCohen said, “Get Outdoors & Get Together Day is a beautiful reminder that connection and community can be found in enjoying the scenic beauty of New York’s great outdoors. For Veterans, Service Members, and Military Families, this inclusive event offers a powerful way to recharge, reconnect, and feel truly welcomed in every corner of our state.”

    New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said, “Being outdoors and connecting with nature can have a powerful and positive impact on our mental health. As New Yorkers, we are very fortunate to have a beautiful park system that is both accessible and expansive — from nearby our cities and through the rural areas of upstate. As a proud partner of Get Outdoors and Get Together Day this year, we encourage all New Yorkers to explore the parks in their community and elsewhere throughout our state.”

    New York State Justice Center for the Protection of People With Special Needs Acting Executive Director Maria Lisi-Murray said, “Our job at the Justice Center is to protect the health, safety, and dignity of individuals with special needs in New York State and that includes promoting programs like TRAID. Funded through federal grants, TRAID is administered through the Justice Center and offers assistive technology device loans to any New Yorker, free of charge. Our regional TRAID centers across NY will be demonstrating some of these technologies at various Get Outdoors & Get Together Day sites. We are honored to serve as a sponsor for this year’s events and to help all individuals experience the great outdoors.”

    State Senator José Serrano said, “As the Chair of the Committee on Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks and Recreation, I am a firm believer that time spent outdoors in our green spaces is critical for our health and well-being. New York’s Get Outdoors & Get Together Day is a great opportunity for people of all ages to get outside and engage in recreational activities. My sincere thanks to Governor Kathy Hochul, Parks, DEC and all the partner state agencies for organizing this annual event to encourage healthy, active outdoor fun in our communities.”

    2025 DEC-led Programs:

    Activities at DEC facilities may include the following:

    • Camping 101: Visitors can try their hand at camping basics by pitching a tent on the lawn and learning how to pack for a camping trip.
    • Birding: Participants can learn how easy and fun it is to enjoy birdwatching almost anywhere.
    • Hiking: Participants can take a short hike and learn the basics of finding the perfect trails on their own.
    • Outdoor safety: Learn the basics of being prepared and safe so all outdoor adventures are good ones.
    • Accessible outdoor recreation: Experience and learn about accessible outdoor recreation opportunities on State lands including hiking, camping, birding, fishing and boating.
    • Select locations will also include I Fish NY catch-and-release clinics with rods and reels available for loan, introductory paddling on the water, and introductory archery, including important safety tips.

    Wheelchair-accessible features, including restrooms, as well as activities and select recreation opportunities are offered at all locations. Please contact the event coordinator directly with accommodation requests and to find out about the adaptive equipment and activities offered at each site. Details, including schedules and activity lists, can be found on the DEC’s website on the “Outdoors Day” page.

    2025 State Parks-led Programs:

    Program and scheduling details for each location can be found by visiting parks.ny.gov. No parking fee will be charged during event times. For details about visitor amenities at each location, visit parks.ny.gov.

    The New York City and Long Island events located at Denny Farrell Riverbank State Park, Mount Loretto Unique Area, Hempstead Lake State Park, and Sunken Meadow State Park are very popular, and there is no parking available for oversized vans accommodating larger groups at these sites with the exception of Sunken Meadow State Park. If you have a bus or oversized van you need to park at any park or DEC site, please contact the facility directly to inquire about parking availability in advance of your arrival.

    The Department of Environmental Conservation manages five million acres of public lands, including three million acres in the Adirondack and Catskill Forest Preserve, 55 campgrounds and day-use areas, more than 5,000 miles of formal trails and hundreds of trailheads, boat launches, and fishing piers. Plan your next outdoor adventure and connect with us on Facebook, Bluesky, X, Flickr and Instagram.

    The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses, boat launches and more, and welcomes over 88 million visitors annually. For more information on any of these recreation areas, visit parks.ny.gov, download the free NY State Parks Explorer app or call 518-474-0456. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, the OPRHP Blog or via the OPRHP Newsroom.

    The Office for People With Developmental Disabilities provides high quality person-centered support and services to people with developmental disabilities, including intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, autism spectrum disorders, and other neurological impairments. OPWDD provides services directly and through a network of not-for-profit providers. OPWDD’s mission is to help people live richer lives that include meaningful relationships, good health, personal growth and a home that supports them to participate in their community. For more information visit opwdd.ny.gov or connect with us on Facebook, X and Instagram.

    The New York State Department of Veterans’ Services proudly serves New York’s Veterans, Service Members, and Military Families, connecting them with benefits, services, and support. All who served should contact the Department at 888-838-7697 or via its website – veterans.ny.gov – to meet in-person or virtually with an accredited Veterans Benefits Advisor to receive the benefits they have earned. Follow DVS on Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn.

    The New York State Office of Mental Health is committed to promoting the mental health of all New Yorkers, with a particular focus on providing hope and recovery for adults with serious mental illness and children with serious emotional disturbances. The agency oversees a large, multi-faceted mental health system serving nearly 800,000 individuals annually. OMH operates 3,597 inpatient beds at 23 psychiatric centers statewide, while also overseeing the Nathan S. Kline Institute and New York Psychiatric Institute. In addition, the agency is tasked with regulating, certifying, and overseeing more than 6,500 programs operated by local governments and nonprofit agencies, which are dedicated to serving individuals and families living with mental illness.

    The Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs was established in 2013 by the Protection of People with Special Needs Act. The agency was created to restore public trust in the institutions and individuals charged with caring for vulnerable populations by protecting the health, safety, and dignity of all people with special needs. For more information on the agency, visit: justicecenter.ny.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Youth, community leaders take center stage in launch of gun safety effort

    Source: US State of California 2

    Jun 6, 2025

    Reduce the Risk campaign educates people about the 9 protection orders available

    What you need to know: Governor Newsom announced a comprehensive campaign to engage youth and community leaders on the available protection orders to keep Californians safer from gun violence during Gun Violence Awareness Month. 

    SACRAMENTO  – As California continues its nationwide leadership with the strongest gun safety laws in the country, Governor Gavin Newsom launched a campaign aimed at engaging the state’s youth and key leaders about the gun violence protection orders available during times of crisis.  

    Year after year, California continues to step up to protect families statewide from senseless gun incidents. As many of our youth experience a crisis of connection and belonging, we are welcoming them in the ongoing movement to bring communities together around these common-sense solutions.

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    Underscoring the state’s commitment to using every tool available to prevent gun violence, the Reduce the Risk campaign will be led by the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and aims to close the gap in public knowledge through key engagement about California’s nine types of protection orders, which temporarily remove firearms to prevent larger tragedies. A recent survey shows nearly 80 percent of Californians are concerned about how little they know about these legal tools. 

    “Protection orders have been a driving factor in reducing shootings, suicides, and domestic violence,” said Cal OES Director Nancy Ward. “Yet many Californians don’t know they exist. This campaign continues the work we began in 2023 to make sure every community knows how to use them.”

    The Reduce the Risk campaign is informed by the Champions Advisory Council,  composed of experts in law enforcement, legal practice, and health care, as well as the Youth Advisory Council, a group of young leaders on the frontlines of gun violence prevention. These youth advisors are helping shape campaign activities to better reach and engage younger Californians, who will be critical to sustaining progress in the future.

    California’s youth as a solution

    Nationwide, firearms are the leading cause of death for children and adolescents. Compared to the rest of the nation, California has made substantial long-term progress in reducing per capita rates of youth firearm homicide. CDC data showed that in 2022, California’s firearm homicide rate for youth under 25 was about 50% below the rate recorded for the rest of the U.S. By contrast, nationwide youth gun homicides increased over 46% from 2019-2021.

    “The Youth Advisory Council plays a vital role in shaping real solutions to gun violence by bringing the voices of those directly impacted into the conversation,” said Maxwell Martinez of Sacramento, Youth Advisory Council member, who is a survivor of gun violence and recent graduate from Chico State. “Young people are not just the future, we are the present. Our perspectives are essential in driving urgent, lasting change.”

    California has long been a national leader in gun violence prevention, with laws like universal background checks, assault weapons bans, and mandatory waiting periods. These efforts have paid off: California consistently has one of the lowest gun death rates in the nation. But the toll remains high – about 3,200 Californians lose their lives to gun violence each year, with suicides making up a significant share, especially among men. 

    “Gun violence affects every community, and for too long, young people have been left out of the conversation. Through my work producing a documentary on gun violence prevention, I saw the power of youth voices firsthand,” said Sarah Youssef of San Diego, Youth Advisory Council member, high school senior, and active participant in the local chapter of the Brady Campaign. “Reduce the Risk gives us the platform we need to push for real change and make sure no more lives are lost to preventable violence.” 

    Community leaders come together

    Experts from the Champions Advisory Council include community leaders who see the daily toll that gun violence has on families statewide. 

    “There is solid evidence that restraining orders can help prevent interpersonal violence, including domestic violence and mass shootings, and suicide. Reduce the Risk will help Californians put these important tools to work,” said Garen Wintemute, MD, MPH, Director of the Centers for Violence Prevention at the University of California, Davis.

    In California, men aged 15–44 die by suicide at 3 to 4 times the rate of women, often by firearms. While violence is focused both internally and externally, affecting all people in the community, men are responsible for almost 80% of violent crime. Almost half of female homicide victims are killed by a current or former male intimate partner.

    “Too often we see the devastation that could have been prevented if someone had spoken up or taken action. Protection orders are a proven tool that can interrupt violence before it happens,” said Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper. “Through the Reduce the Risk campaign, we are making sure every Californian knows how to use these lifesaving laws.”

    Protection orders reduce gun violence 

    California was the first state in the nation to adopt a “red flag law” in 2016. In the first three years of their existence, these protection orders were used to prevent 58 cases of threatened mass shootings. The protection orders available in California include:

    • Gun Violence Restraining Order
    • Domestic Violence Restraining Order
    • Civil Harassment Restraining Order
    • Elder/Dependent Adult Abuse Restraining Order
    • Juvenile Restraining Order
    • Postsecondary School Violence Restraining Order
    • Workplace Restraining Order
    • Criminal Protective Order
    • Emergency Protective Orders

    California’s strong leadership

    California is ranked as the #1 state in the country for its strong gun safety laws — along with some of the lowest rates of gun deaths — by Giffords Law Center and Everytown for Gun Safety. In states where officials have passed gun safety laws, fewer people die by gun violence. Texas and Florida, which ranked 32nd and 21st, respectively in gun law strength, had firearm mortality rates more than 50% higher than California. Click here to download the updated gun safety fact sheet.

    California has reduced its gun violence rate because of its leading gun safety laws. If the gun death rate in the rest of the U.S. matched California’s over the past decade, there would have been nearly 140,000 lives saved and potentially hundreds of thousands fewer gunshot injuries.

    Last year, Governor Newsom signed a bipartisan legislative package to further reinforce California’s nation-leading gun laws, prevent traumatic incidents of mass violence, and establish the first in the nation Office of Gun Violence Prevention. 

    California has invested $1.1 billion since 2019 to fight crime, help local governments hire more police, and improve public safety. In 2023, as part of California’s Public Safety Plan, the Governor announced the largest-ever investment to combat organized retail crime in state history, an annual 310% increase in proactive operations targeting organized retail crime, and special operations across the state to fight crime and improve public safety.

    Resources

    The campaign also launched a new website, ReduceTheRisk.ca.gov, which will offer educational materials in multiple languages and free training resources for community organizations across the state.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Restores American Airspace Sovereignty

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Whitehouse
    ENSURING AMERICAN SOVEREIGNTY OVER ITS SKIES: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to ensure American sovereignty over its skies and a safe and secure airspace.
    Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), otherwise known as drones, pose a growing threat as criminals, terrorists, and hostile foreign actors increasingly weaponize these technologies to endanger public safety and national security. 
    The Order establishes the Federal Task Force to Restore American Airspace Sovereignty to review and propose solutions to UAS threats.
    It directs the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to establish a process to restrict drone flights over critical infrastructure and other public facilities.  
    It instructs the FAA Administrator to make Notices to Airmen and Temporary Flight Restrictions freely available online for drone geofencing and Aircraft Navigation and Guidance system purposes.
    The Order requires the Attorney General and FAA Administrator to increase enforcement of civil and criminal laws against drone operators endangering the public, violating airspace restrictions, or committing a crime.
    It authorizes Federal agencies to use existing authorities to detect, track, and identify drones and drone signals, and enables state, local, tribal, and territorial  law enforcement agencies to access grant programs for similar equipment.
    The Order mandates the publication of guidance to help private critical infrastructure owners and operators employ drone detection technologies.
    It calls for a risk-based assessment to designate borders, large airports, Federal facilities, critical infrastructure, and military installations as protected areas.
    The Order directs the Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security to explore integrating counter-UAS operation responses as part of Joint Terrorism Task Forces that are stood up for mass gathering events.
    It also directs the Administration to create a National Training Center for Counter-UAS to build the needed counter-UAS capacity to secure major events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympics.  
    ADDRESSING GROWING DRONE THREATS: President Trump is taking decisive action to counter the escalating misuse of drones.
    Criminals, terrorists, and hostile foreign actors have intensified their weaponization of drone technologies, creating new and serious threats to our homeland.
    Drug cartels use drones to smuggle fentanyl across our borders, deliver contraband into prisons, surveil law enforcement, and otherwise endanger the public.
    Mass gatherings are vulnerable to disruptions and threats by unauthorized drone flights.
    Critical infrastructure, including military bases, is subject to frequent—and often unidentified—drone incursions.
    ADVANCING NATIONAL SECURITY: President Trumphas consistently prioritized making America safe and secure. 
    Immediately upon taking office, President Trump fulfilled his promise to address the mysterious drone sightings in New Jersey by clarifying that these were FAA-authorized flights, not a national security threat.
    President Trump has deployed drones to patrol the southern border, strengthening national security through advanced surveillance and monitoring capabilities.
    President Trump has advanced cutting-edge drone technologies through smart, targeted regulation, unlocking economic growth while strengthening safety, security, and innovation.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Reprioritizes Cybersecurity Efforts to Protect America

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Whitehouse
    STRENGTHENING THE NATION’S CYBERSECURITY: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to strengthen the nation’s cybersecurity by focusing on critical protections against foreign cyber threats and enhancing secure technology practices.
    The Order amends problematic elements of Obama and Biden-era Executive Orders (14144 and 13694).
    The Order directs the Federal government to advance secure software development.
    It directs department and agency level action on border gateway security to defeat hijacking of network interconnections.
    The Order directs department and agency level actions on post-quantum cryptography to ensure protection against threats that may leverage next generation compute architectures.
    The Order directs adoption of the latest encryption protocols.
    It refocuses artificial intelligence (AI) cybersecurity efforts towards identifying and managing vulnerabilities, rather than censorship.
    The Order directs technical measures to promulgate cybersecurity policy, including machine readable policy standards and formal trust designations for “Internet of Things” as a way to ensure that Americans can know that their personal and home devices meet basic security engineering principles.
    It limits the application of cyber sanctions only to foreign malicious actors, preventing misuse against domestic political opponents and clarifying that sanctions do not apply to election-related activities.
    The Order strips away inappropriate measures outside of core cybersecurity focus, including removing a mandate for U.S. government issued digital IDs for illegal aliens that would have facilitated entitlement fraud and other abuse.
    REPRIORITIZING CYBERSECURITY EFFORTS: President Trump is taking decisive action to address real technical challenges and enduring cyber security threats.
    Just days before President Trump took office, the Biden Administration attempted to sneak problematic and distracting issues into cybersecurity policy. This included:
    Introducing digital identity mandates that risked widespread abuse by enabling illegal immigrants to improperly access public benefits.
    Imposing unproven and burdensome software accounting processes that prioritized compliance checklists over genuine security investments.
    Micromanaging technical cybersecurity decisions better handled at the department and agency level, where budget tradeoffs and innovative solutions can be more effectively evaluated and implemented.

    Cybersecurity is too important to be reduced to a mere political football.
    Adversaries routinely threaten our critical infrastructure, personal devices, and the fabrics of our digital lives.
    ADVANCING NATIONAL CYBER SECURITY: President Trump is advancing cybersecurity for the safety of all Americans.
    President Trump has made it clear that this Administration will do what it takes to make America cyber secure—including focusing relentlessly on technical and organizational professionalism to improve the security and resilience of the nation’s information systems and networks.
    Since the first day he entered office, President Trump has been steadfast in his commitment to eliminate fraud and abuse across the Federal Government.
    President Trump has already taken action to remove barriers to AI innovation, ensuring that our technology sector remains competitive at the cutting edge of new developments and free from ideological bias.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Unleashes American Drone Dominance

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Whitehouse
    UNLEASHING AMERICAN DRONE DOMINANCE: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to ensure continued American leadership in the development, commercialization, and export of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS)—otherwise known as drones. 
    The Order directs the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to expand drone operations by enabling routine “Beyond Visual Line of Sight” drone operations for commercial and public safety missions, and to accelerate the development, testing, and scaling of American drone technologies, including advanced air mobility and autonomous operations.
    The Order establishes an electric “Vertical Takeoff and Landing” integration pilot program to accelerate the deployment of safe and lawful vertical operations in the United States, selecting at least five pilot projects to advance applications like cargo transport and medical response.
    It directs the FAA Administrator to deploy artificial intelligence (AI) tools to streamline and expedite UAS waiver reviews.
    The Order directs the FAA Administrator to publish an updated roadmap for the integration of civil UAS into the National Airspace System.
    It strengthens the domestic drone industrial base by prioritizing U.S.-manufactured UAS, promoting their export and taking action to ensure our technology remains secure from undue foreign influence and exploitation.
    It enhances global competitiveness by streamlining regulations, expanding market access, and utilizing federal financing tools.
    The Order supports the warfighter by expanding access to U.S.-manufactured high-performing drones while streamlining airspace and spectrum access.
    DRIVING INNOVATION AND ECONOMIC GROWTH: President Trump is harnessing the potential of drones to boost American productivity and global leadership.
    Drones enhance U.S. productivity, create high-skilled jobs, and are reshaping the future of aviation in areas such as logistics, infrastructure inspection, precision agriculture, emergency response, and public safety.
    Emerging technologies, such as vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, promise to modernize methods for cargo delivery, passenger transport, and other advanced air mobility capabilities.
    For too long, unfair foreign competition has posed a national security risk, disincentivizing our drone industrial base. This order is removing regulatory barriers and directing federal agencies to prioritize U.S.-manufactured drones, secure our supply chains, and promote American leadership in production, certification, and export.
    ADVANCING DRONE TECHNOLOGIES: President Trump is advancing drone technologies for economic, security, and public safety benefits.
    In his first term, President Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum to speed up commercial drone integration, launching a UAS Integration Pilot Program to test innovative applications with State, local, and tribal partners.  
    President Trump has deployed UAS to patrol the southern border, strengthening national security through advanced surveillance and monitoring capabilities.
    President Trump has advanced cutting-edge drone technologies through smart, targeted regulation, unlocking economic growth while strengthening safety, security, and innovation.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Takes Action to Lead the World in Supersonic Flight

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Whitehouse
    LEADING THE WORLD IN SUPERSONIC FLIGHT: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to promote supersonic aviation in the United States.
    America once led the world in supersonic aviation, but decades of stifling regulations grounded progress. This Order removes regulatory barriers so that U.S. companies can dominate supersonic flight once again.
    The Order directs the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to repeal the prohibition on overland supersonic flight, establish an interim noise-based certification standard, and repeal other regulations that hinder supersonic flight.
    The Order instructs the FAA Administrator to establish a standard for supersonic aircraft noise certification that considers community acceptability, economic reasonableness, and technological feasibility.
    The Order advances the coordination of supersonic research, development, test and evaluation efforts through the National Science and Technology Council with leadership from the Office of Science and Technology Policy.
    It promotes international engagement through the FAA and other agencies to align global supersonic flight regulations and secure bilateral agreements for international operations.
    USHERING IN A NEW CHAPTER IN AEROSPACE INNOVATION: President Trump is launching a historic national effort to reestablish the United States as the undisputed leader in high-speed aviation.
    For more than fifty years, outdated and overly restrictive regulations have grounded the promise of supersonic flight, stifling American ingenuity and weakening our global competitiveness in aviation.
    Advances in aerospace engineering, materials science, and noise reduction now make supersonic flight not just possible, but safe, sustainable, and commercially viable.
    American companies developing supersonic aircraft have already entered into government contracts and agreements with major commercial airlines, such as United Airlines and American Airlines, who have committed to purchase supersonic jets to enhance their fleets with faster travel options.
    By removing decades-old regulatory barriers and promoting cutting-edge supersonic technology, President Trump is Making Aviation Great Again.
    ADVANCING AMERICA’S TECHNOLOGICAL LEADERSHIP: President Trump is ensuring U.S. dominance in cutting-edge technologies, prioritizing innovation and global competitiveness.
    President Trump signed Executive Orders to enhance America’s global artificial intelligence (AI) dominance and advance AI education for America’s youth.
    He signed multiple Executive Orders to advance nuclear technologies and ensure a reliable, clean, and affordable domestic energy supply.
    The President signed an Executive Order to restore Gold Standard Science as the cornerstone of Federal scientific research and ensure that Federal decision-making is informed by the most credible, reliable, and impartial scientific evidence available. 
    President Trump has prioritized deregulation to spur innovation and economic growth.
    This includes issuing Executive Orders mandating the repeal of 10 regulations for each new one proposed, requiring the automatic rescission of outdated regulations, and eliminating anti-competitive regulations.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner & Kaine Slam House GOP’s Effort to Help Trump Ignore Court Orders

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, a former civil rights attorney and constitutional law professor, (both D-VA) issued the following statement regarding a provision in the tax proposal passed by the Republican-led House of Representatives that would make it harder for federal judges to hold government officials accountable when they act lawlessly:

    “The reason district courts are blocking many of President Trump’s actions is because these actions are illegal. Presidents are not kings, no American is above the law, and House Republicans’ attack on checks and balances through this obscure provision hidden in their partisan tax bill is irresponsible and cowardly. Now it’s up to our Republican counterparts here in the Senate to figure out two things – first, how the heck this provision is even relevant to a tax bill; and second, whether they have the courage and the respect for the U.S. Constitution to vote this down.”

    Warner and Kaine have been sounding the alarm about the effects of the GOP plan on Virginia families if Republicans in Congress continue to insist on gutting vital programs in order to pay for tax breaks for the richest Americans. The senators have noted that the GOP bill would strip health insurance from Virginians, cut SNAP benefits for more than 204,000 people in Virginia, raise energy costs for Virginia households, and jeopardize more than 20,000 Virginia jobs. The bill would also explode the deficit, eliminate a program allowing Americans to file federal taxes for free, raise taxes on minimum-wage workers while giving the richest 0.1% a $188,000 tax cut, and eliminate gun safety measures.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The President of the Republic of Korea held a telephone conversation with D. Trump

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    SEOUL, June 6 (Xinhua) — President of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Lee Jae-myung held a telephone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump at 10 p.m. local time on Friday, the South Korean leader’s office said.

    As noted by the presidential office, the call lasted about 20 minutes, during which the leaders discussed a number of issues, including ways to develop the alliance between the Republic of Korea and the United States.

    In addition, D. Trump invited Lee Jae-myung to visit the United States, the presidential administration said. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Recruitment campaign for doctors, nurses launches in U.S.

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Doctors, nurses and allied health professionals in the U.S. are now seeing targeted advertisements encouraging them to follow their hearts to B.C., as the Province launches a recruitment marketing campaign in Washington state, Oregon and California.

    “Our message to U.S. doctors, nurses and allied health workers is strong and clear – there has never been a better time to come to British Columbia, and for Canadian health professionals currently living and working in the U.S., now is the time to come home,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. “With the chaos and uncertainty happening in the U.S., we are seizing the opportunity to attract the talent we need to join and strengthen our public, universal health-care system in British Columbia.”

    The campaign, which launched on June 2, 2025, includes video, audio, digital, social media and print placements in Washington, Oregon and select cities in California. The ads will be served across nearly 14,000 digital screen locations, which have been targeted based on a 16-kilometre radius of health-care facilities. The locations are made up of restaurants, grocery stores, ride-share screens and outdoor placements, such as digital billboards, transit shelters and urban panels.

    The print advertisements are also being placed in six renowned medical trade publications with total circulation of more than 500,000. The six-week campaign is expected to reach approximately 80% of health-care professionals in the target areas. 

    Health-care workers will be directed to visit B.C.’s comprehensive recruitment website to explore opportunities and access personalized support to help with their move.

    This is part of the Province’s “Team BC” approach to recruiting health-care workers from the U.S. in collaboration with health authorities, regulatory colleges and other partners, such as local government and communities. This includes tailored support and guidance in navigating the process, provided free by Health Match BC. Recruiters are highlighting job opportunities in the areas they are most needed, such as cancer care and emergency departments, as well as rural communities facing health-care worker shortages.

    Since announcing its co-ordinated recruitment campaign in March 2025, nearly 1,600 people have expressed interest in moving to the province, including 704 doctors and 525 nurses.

    U.S. nurses, doctors and allied health professionals arriving in B.C. will be able to work in a variety of health-care settings throughout the province, including primary care, where they can be part of team-based care.

    “Local governments like Colwood are uniquely positioned to positively impact the well-being of residents through community planning, recreation and active living. Working with provincial partners to ensure residents have a family doctor is a logical next step,” said Doug Kobayashi, mayor of Colwood. “As a municipality we are able to offer an attractive municipal benefit package while also taking administrative responsibilities off the shoulders of doctors so they can focus on providing great care.”

    One example is the growing team of family physicians at Colwood Clinic, a municipally run family-medicine clinic. Established in partnership with the Province, Colwood Clinic offers an innovative approach that weaves together the strengths of each level of government for the benefit of patients.

    “My experience practising in the states has been especially eye-opening regarding social determinants of health and due to the extremely high fees compared to insurance coverage, patients seeking appropriate care is measured against their ability to afford it,” said Dr. Muthanna Yacoub, a U.S. doctor who is planning to start practising at the Colwood Clinic this year. “The opportunity to practise in British Columbia makes perfect sense to me. It’s time to give my best efforts to communities similar to those that gave me the welcome, safety and compassion in my vulnerable youth.”

    This announcement builds on actions B.C. is taking to make it easier for nurses and doctors working in the U.S. to register in the province. In April 2025, the B.C. College of Nurses and Midwives streamlined the application process so U.S. nurses can be registered in just a few days, compared to the previous average of four months.

    The College of Physicians and Surgeons of B.C. is also working to implement bylaw changes that will allow U.S. doctors to apply directly to become fully licensed in B.C. without the need for further licensing examinations. More information will be shared soon.

    Learn More:

    To see some of the visuals used for advertising, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QAmzTt1K_4, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETXiqTiUBe8, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDssmB0WwtI

    To learn more about health career opportunities in B.C., visit: https://bchealthcareers.ca/

    To learn more about B.C.’s actions to strengthen health care, visit: https://strongerbc.gov.bc.ca/health-care/

    To learn more about Colwood Clinic, visit: https://www.colwood.ca/community-services/health-well-being/colwood-clinic

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: European promotional institutions and EIB join forces to support EU security and defence

    Source: European Investment Bank

    • National promotional institutions of France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Spain as well as EIB explore ways of stepping up cooperation and coordination in support of Europe’s security and defence industry.
    • Cooperation to foster pan-European approach in areas such as research, industrial capacity, and infrastructure.

    The national promotional institutions of France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Spain as well as the European Investment Bank (EIB) will cooperate to bolster Europe’s security and defence industry. The six long term investors – Caisse des Depôts, Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP), Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego (BGK) and Instituto de Crédito Oficial (ICO) and the EIB – agreed to further explore cooperation opportunities.

    The cooperation will focus on areas of investment and on potential joint financing in sectors such as research and development, industrial capacity, and infrastructure.

    The agreement reached today in Warsaw – in the margins of the European Association of Long-Term Investors (ELTI) CEO meeting hosted by BGK – marks a significant step to further boost and reinforce the collaboration between the national promotional institutions and the EIB in supporting Europe’s security and defence infrastructures, technologies and industrial capabilities.

    The initiative, which may also explore the development of potential joint collaborations, including on financial products and advisory services, is a pan-European approach to strengthening European security and defence. It is open to additional European long-term public investors, in particular national promotional institutions all over Europe, and it is part of increased efforts to strengthen the EU and tackle evolving security threats amid significant geopolitical shifts.

    Background information

    About the Caisse des Dépôts Group

    Caisse des Dépôts and its subsidiaries form a public long-term investor group serving the general interest and economic development of local areas. 

    It combines five areas of expertise: social policy (pensions, professional training, disability, old age, health), asset management, monitoring subsidiaries and strategic shareholdings, business financing (with Bpifrance) and Banque des Territoires.

    Cassa Depositi e Prestiti is the National Promotional Institution which has been supporting the Italian economy since 1850. The main goal of CDP is to accelerate the industrial and infrastructural development of Italy to boost its economic and social growth. CDP focuses its activities on sustainable development at local level, supporting the innovation and growth of Italian enterprises, also in the international arena. It partners local authorities, in a financing and advisory capacity, to create infrastructures and improve services of public value. CDP also participates actively in international cooperation initiatives to realize projects in developing countries and emerging markets. Cassa Depositi e Prestiti is entirely financed by private capital, through the issuing of Postal Savings Bonds and Postal Savings Passbooks, and through issues on national and international financial markets.

    About the EIB   

    The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. The EIB finances investments in eight core priorities that support EU policy objectives: climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and the bioeconomy, social infrastructure, the capital markets union and a stronger Europe.

    High-quality, up-to-date photos of the organisation’s headquarters for media use are available here. 

    About ICO

    Instituto de Crédito Oficial (ICO) is the national promotional bank of Spain, attached to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Enterprise. ICO has become a benchmark in financing both SMEs and large investment projects and contributes to sustainable growth by promoting economic activities that, due to their social, cultural, innovative or environmental importance, are worthy of promotion and development. www.ico.es

    About KfW

    KfW is one of the world’s leading promotional banks. With its decades of experience, KfW is committed to improving economic, social and environmental living conditions across the globe on behalf of the Federal Republic of Germany and the federal states. To do this, it provided funds totalling EUR 112.8 billion in 2024 alone. Its financing and promotional activities are aligned with the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations and contribute to achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) around the world.

    About Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego

    Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego (BGK) is a Polish development bank, the only such institution in Poland. BGK supports the sustainable social and economic development of the country. Its activities influence job creation, housing construction, infrastructure development and air quality improvement. The bank cares about future generations – it builds social capital, develops entrepreneurship and provides responsible financing. It is present in every region of Poland, as well as abroad – it has representative offices in Brussels, Frankfurt am Main and Kyiv. The bank is involved in the implementation of European Funds in Poland, as well as products financed by the National Recovery and Reconstruction Plan. BGK supports exports and foreign expansion of Polish companies. Through cooperation with business, the public sector and financial institutions, it responds to economic needs.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Jayapal Hosts Shadow Hearing on Unlawful Third Country Disappearances

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

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ranking Member of the Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee, today hosted a Shadow Hearing titled Kidnapped and Disappeared: Trump’s Lawless Third Country Disappearances, to dive deeper into the cases of those lawlessly kidnapped and disappeared to third countries like El Salvador, Panama, Costa Rica, South Sudan, and Libya. This hearing was the first in a series she plans to hold on Trump’s immigration actions. 

    “Since taking office in January, President Trump has shown nothing but utter contempt for the Constitution.  He has ignored and decimated the traditional role of Congress and defied and defamed the courts, doing untold damage to our democracy.  He has attacked the rights of all people, starting with and especially immigrants. In his obsession to deport as many immigrants—lawful and undocumented—as he can, he has violated multiple constitutional rights,” said Congresswoman Jayapal. “Due process is the critical protection that requires anyone, no matter their citizenship status, to have their opportunity to present evidence, to be able to counter a government or any party falsely accusing them of being a terrorist or a gang member or of being kidnapped off the street and disappeared.”

    The witnesses at this hearing included Lindsay Toczylowski the President and CEO of Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef) and legal counsel for Andry Romero, Robyn Barnard, the Senior Director of Refugee Advocacy at Human Rights First, Lee Gelernt the Deputy Director of the Immigrants’ Rights Project at American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and Beatriz Guzman, a Venezuelan-American immigrant and immigration attorney.

    “The Trump administration has used a pattern of disappearances to detain, remove, and expel people to countries which are not their countries of origin, and for which no removal proceedings have been conducted nor the required fear screenings. These actions are part of a broader effort to subvert due process and the checks and balances that are central to the U.S. Constitution,” said Robyn Barnard, Senior Director, Refugee Advocacy, Human Rights First. “Before being disappeared to these third countries, many asylum seekers were detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in unbearable conditions. They went days or weeks without any contact with the outside world. They were subject to medical neglect, physical and psychological mistreatment, and intolerable living conditions that are especially traumatizing for children.”

    “Andry Hernández Romero’s story is truly a canary in the coalmine, a warning of what happens when the rule of law and due process are trampled upon. If being denied due process and sent to a third country happened to him – a gay makeup artist with no criminal record and targeted solely for having tattoos – it could happen to me, it could happen to you, it could happen to any one of us,” said Lindsay Toczylowski, CEO and President of Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef). “ Andry’s case, and those of the 230+ men who were disappeared to El Salvador’s CECOT gulag, is about whether we will fight to uphold the rights enshrined by the Constitution. It  is about the future of our democracy. If we fail him, we will have failed our country.”

    “People that are detained have no knowledge of our laws, often don’t speak English, and if a habeas corpus petition is not filed, they are deported to a gulag in El Salvador with no due process,” said Lee Gelernt, lead counsel in the ACLU’s legal challenges to the Trump administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act. “At the same time the government has taken the position that once immigrants are deported to El Salvador, they can not be returned, no matter how many mistakes they have made. Even if immigrants are given due process, we do not think that this wartime authority can be used during peacetime.”

    “Venezuelan immigrants have become a target despite the love we have for this country–the only place we can call home. Just like my kid clients who are now scared to go to school and who feel that pit in their stomach—that this country is not safe for them–now my parents and family feel that too. We feel it too even when we leave our homes with U.S. passports,” said Beatriz Guzman, Venezuelan-American U.S. citizen and immigration attorney for children.  “And this is all a flashback for my father–a reminder of the culture of fear that comes in the early days of authoritarianism. It is difficult for him to watch the first steps of those same changes that he fled over 20 years ago, happening now in his new home and country.”

    The hearing was attended by Representatives Becca Balint (VT-AL), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Deborah Ross (NC-02), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Mark Takano (CA-39), and Juan Vargas (CA-52).

    Issues: Immigration

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Peters, Vargas, San Diego Delegation Members Demand Answers over South Park ICE Raid

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Peters (52nd District of California)

    San Diego, CA — Today, Representatives Scott Peters (CA-50) and Juan Vargas (CA-52), along with Representatives Sara Jacobs (CA-51) and Mike Levin (CA-49), and U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) demanded answers from Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem over the outrageous and militarized ICE Raid at Buona Forchetta, a community restaurant.

    In addition to this letter, Reps. Peters, Vargas, Jacobs, and Levin, and U.S. Senators Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Alex Padilla (D-CA) sent a letter to Sec. Noem expressing their concern over the deliberate targeting of immigrants trying to follow the legal process at courthouses, such as the San Diego Immigration Court located in the Edward J. Schwartz Federal Building.

    In their letter, the members stated, “In 2024, President Trump’s now ‘border czar,’ Tom Homan, said immigration enforcement would focus on immigrants who are ‘public safety threats and the national security threats first.’  According to the facts outlined in the government’s warrant, the workers at Buona Forchetta do not appear to meet this standard. Instead, many immigrants, like those targeted in the operation, work challenging jobs and fill labor gaps in sectors like agriculture and construction. Immigrants are critical to the local and national economy, with those in the San Diego metro area contributing $11.3 billion in taxes annually.”

    They continued, “The role of law enforcement is to keep our community safe. The incident at Buona Forchetta last week did not make us safer. Witness accounts and video recordings show over 20 ICE and [Homeland Security Investigations] agents present on the scene, many armed with assault weapons and fitted in military tactical gear. Agents were then witnessed aggressively entering the restaurant to handcuff all employees—including those who were not enforcement targets. Agents also used three noise flash diversionary devices, which produce loud bangs and smoke, to disperse civilians at the scene. These tactics created chaos and fear, all to arrest four immigrants reportedly working hard as dishwashers and servers… The Administration’s use of these tactics also suggests the intent of the raid was not uphold the law in a responsible manner, but rather to intimidate. This is unacceptable. The use of such tactics to execute warrants for non-violent crimes not only harms public trust in HIS and ICE, it also raises legitimate questions about the Department of Homeland Security’s stewardship of taxpayer dollars.”

    And they concluded by asking that Sec. Noem promptly respond to the following questions:

    1. Has ICE or HIS received any new directive or informal communications from the Administration to expand enforcement priorities to immigrants who are not violent criminals or public safety threats?
    2. What is the process by which Department determines it is necessary to arm agents with assault weapons and military equipment during raids?
    3. How does Department account for the level of public safety threat of enforcement targets or the likely concentration of civilians when it makes these determinations?
    4. What tactics did ICE use to attempt to disperse the crowd before escalating to use noise flash diversionary devices?
    5. Prior to the operation, did ICE consider any of the targeted immigrants to be public safety or national security threats?

    The full text of the letter can be found here. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pleasant River — Queens District RCMP charge two men after a break and enter

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Queens District RCMP has charged two men after a residential break and enter in Pleasant River where items were taken from the home.

    On May 31, at approximately 8 p.m., Queens District RCMP responded to a break and enter at a residence on Old Chelsea Rd. Officers learned that a man had entered the home with a knife. Once in the residence, the homeowner confronted the man, and the man threatened the homeowner. The homeowner then left the residence and called police. The suspect exited the home and left the scene in an SUV that was being driven by another man.

    At around 8:45 p.m., Lunenburg District RCMP located the vehicle in Hebbville and conducted a traffic stop. The driver, who was the sole occupant of the vehicle at that time, was safely arrested. The man believed to have entered the home was located walking along Hwy. 208 near Crouse Rd. and safely arrested around 9:30 p.m. by Queens District RCMP. The stolen property was recovered and there were no injuries during the incident.

    Devon Matthew James Kanne, 34, of Danesville, was charged with Breaking and Entering and Committing. He was released on conditions and will appear in Bridgewater Provincial Court on August 13, 2025.

    Michael Gerald Wentzell, 32, of Italy Cross, is charged with:

    • Breaking and Entering with Intent
    • Uttering Threats Against a Person
    • Assault with Weapon
    • Possession of Property Obtained by Crime less than or equal $5,000
    • Failure to Comply with Probation Order (three counts)
    • Possession of a Prohibited Weapon Knowing its Possession is Unauthorized (two counts)
    • Possession of a Prohibited Weapon for Dangerous Purpose (two counts)

    Wentzell appeared at Bridgewater Provincial Court on June 2 and was released on conditions and is scheduled to appear again on June 25, 2025.

    File #: 2025-752320

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pfluger Introduces Resolution to Honor First Lady Barbara Bush’s 100th Birthday

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11)

    Click HERE to read the Resolution, or read the full text below.

    Recognizing the life, achievements, and public service of former First Lady Barbara Pierce Bush on the occasion of her 100th birthday.

    Whereas, on June 8, 1925, Barbara Pierce Bush (referred to in this preamble as ‘‘Barbara Bush’’) was born in New York City, New York;

    Whereas Barbara Bush attended Ashley Hall and Smith College;

    Whereas Barbara Bush worked a factory job to support the United States war effort during World War II in 1943;

    Whereas, on January 6, 1945, Barbara Bush married George Herbert Walker Bush after he returned from serving in World War II;

    Whereas, in 1948, Barbara Bush and George Herbert Walker Bush moved to Odessa, Texas, and had 6 children, George W., Robin, Jeb, Neil, Marvin, and Dorothy;

    Whereas Barbara Bush supported the early business ventures of her husband in oil, which would later evolve into the Pennzoil Corporation;

    Whereas Barbara Bush supported the first forays of her husband in politics during his 1963 Harris County Republican Party chairmanship and 1966 election to the House of Representatives in the 7th Congressional District of Texas;

    Whereas Barbara Bush kept the constituents in Houston informed of happenings in Washington, DC, by writing frequent newspaper columns during the time George Herbert Walker Bush served in the House of Representatives;

    Whereas, during the career of George Herbert Walker Bush before becoming President of the United States, Barbara Bush orchestrated cross-country moves for her family 29 times in 44 years;

    Whereas Barbara Bush supported the political ascension of George Herbert Walker Bush during his appointments as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations in 1970, the Chair of the Republican National Committee in 1972, and the Director of Central Intelligence in 1976;

    Whereas Barbara Bush became Second Lady of the United States when George Herbert Walker Bush was sworn in as the 43rd Vice President of the United States in 1981, and again in 1985 after the 1984 re-election of the Reagan-Bush Administration;

    Whereas, as Second Lady of the United States, Barbara Bush revitalized the vice-presidential residence at 1 Observatory Circle with extensive renovations and the hosting of more than 1,000 social events;

    Whereas, as Second Lady of the United States, Barbara Bush used her platform in the Reagan-Bush administration to champion public literacy to combat the cycle of poverty in the United States;

    Whereas, as Second Lady of the United States, Barbara Bush played a significant role in the successful presidential campaign of George Herbert Walker Bush, which saw him win the 1988 Presidential election with 426 electoral votes, a feat which has not been matched since;

    Whereas, as First Lady of the United States, Barbara Bush continued to champion public literacy by establishing the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy in 1989, and played a significant role in the passage of the National Literacy Act of 1991 (Public Law 102–73; 105 Stat. 333);

    Whereas, as First Lady of the United States, Barbara Bush showed immense compassion to AIDS patients at a time when public opinion was still hostile towards their plight;

    Whereas, after leaving the White House, Barbara Bush published her bestselling book, ‘‘Barbara Bush: A Memoir’’;

    Whereas, after the victory of her son George W. Bush in the 2000 Presidential election, Barbara Bush became the second woman in the history of the United States to have been both married to a President of the United States and the mother of a President of the United States;

    Whereas Barbara Bush showed unwavering support for the presidential campaigns of her sons, George W. Bush in 2000 and 2004, and Jeb Bush in 2016 and;

    Whereas, on her passing at her Houston home on April 17, 2018, Barbara Bush was survived by her husband of 73 years, George Herbert Walker Bush, 5 children and their spouses, 17 grandchildren, and 8 great-grandchildren:

    Now, therefore be it Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That Congress—(1) honors the life, achievements, and distinguished public service of Barbara Pierce Bush (referred to in this resolution as ‘‘Barbara Bush’’); (2) recognizes Barbara Bush on the occasion of her 100th birthday and expresses thanks and commendations to her and her family;(3) acknowledges the positive impact that Barbara Bush contributed to the United States through

    her tireless dedication to promoting literacy and uplifting her fellow citizens; and (4) celebrates the legacy of Barbara Bush as a model citizen and public servant of the United States.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Environmental Crimes Bulletin – May 2025

    Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

    View All Environmental Crimes Bulletins

    In This Issue:

    Cases by District/Circuit

    District/Circuit Case Name Conduct/Statute(s)
    District of Alaska United States v. Corey Potter, et al. Crab Harvesting; Lacey Act
    Southern District of California United States v. Ruben Montes, et al. Pesticide and Veterinary Drug Smuggling; Conspiracy
    United States v. Ricardo Alonzo Exotic Bird Smuggling
    Northern District of Florida United States v. Zackery Brandon Barfield Dolphin Killing; Marine Mammal Protection Act; Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act
    Southern District of Florida United States v. Liza Hash Discharging Oil; Clean Water Act
    Middle District of Georgia United States v. Tamichael Elijah, et al. Dog Fighting; Animal Fighting Venture, Conspiracy
    Eastern District of Kentucky United States v. Kendall Glenn Hacker Animal Torture Videos; Animal Crush Statute
    District of Maine United States v. Isaac Allen Tampering with a Monitoring Device; Clean Air Act, Conspiracy, Obstruction of Justice
    Southern District of Mississippi United States v. Thomas W. Douglas, Jr., et al. Wastewater Discharges; Clean Water Act
    District of New Jersey United States v. Tommy Watson, et al. Dog Fighting; Animal Fighting Venture, Conspiracy, Felon-in-Possession
    Northern District of Texas United States v. Phillip D. Waddell, et al. Tampering with a Monitoring Device; Clean Air Act, Conspiracy
    Southern District of Texas United States v. Jocelyn Castilleja Refrigerant Smuggling
    Eastern District of Virginia United States v. Charles Reginald McDougald, et al. Dog Fighting; Animal Fighting Venture, Conspiracy
    United States v. Jonathan Long Tampering with a Monitoring Device; Clean Air Act, Accessory-After-the-Fact

    Recently Charged

    United States v. Jocelyn Castilleja

    • No. 5:25-CR-00515 (Southern District of Texas)
    • AUSA Bryan Oliver

    On May 8, 2025, prosecutors unsealed an indictment charging Jocelyn Castilleja with smuggling (18 U.S.C. § 545).

    On June 15, 2024, Castilleja attempted to smuggle three 25pound containers of 410A hydrofluorocarbon refrigerant from Mexico into the United States in her personal vehicle. The refrigerants were discovered during a routine inspection by Customs and Border Protection agents at the Brownsville, Texas, border crossing. Castilleja failed to declare the containers to customs authorities, as required by law.

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation.

    United States v. Ricardo Alonzo

    • No. 3:25-mj-02712 (Southern District of California)
    • AUSA Parker Gardner-Erickson

    On May 20, 2025, prosecutors charged Ricardo Alonzo with smuggling 17 exotic birds into the United States from Mexico under the seat of his car (18 U.S.C. § 545).

    On May 4, 2025, authorities intercepted Alonzo as he drove over the border from Mexico at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. Officers found four bags containing 10 burrowing parakeets, five yellow-crowned Amazon parrots, and two red-lored Amazon parrot chicks under the rear seat. The two red-lored Amazon parrot chicks did not survive; the remaining birds were transferred to a quarantine facility managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

    According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Amazon parrots are native to Mexico, the West Indies, and northern South America, while burrowing parakeets are native to Chile and Argentina. All species of Amazon parrots, as well as burrowing parakeets, are listed on either Appendix I or Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna.

    Smuggled birds that are not subject to quarantine can prove dangerous as they may carry and spread Avian influenza (bird flu) and other diseases. Bird flu is highly contagious and can cause flu-like symptoms, respiratory illness, pneumonia, and death in humans and other birds including those housed on poultry farms.

    The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.

    Red-lored Amazon parrots rescued by border officials.

    Related Press Release: Southern District of California | San Diego Man Charged with Smuggling Exotic Live Birds | United States Department of Justice

    Guilty Pleas

    United States v. Tommy Watson, et al.

    • No. 1:23-CR-00787 (District of New Jersey)
    • ECS Senior Trial Attorney Ethan Eddy
    • AUSA Michelle Goldman

    On May 16, 2025, Tommy Watson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess, train, and transport dogs for an animal fighting venture, sponsoring and exhibiting dogs in an animal fighting venture, and being a felon-in-possession of ammunition (7 U.S.C. §§ 2156(a)(1), 2156(b); 18 U.S.C. §§ 371, 922(g)). Watson is scheduled for sentencing on October 2, 2025.

    The case began when officers responded to an emergency call at an auto body garage in Upper Deerfield Township, New Jersey. They found a fighting pit in the garage, along with two pit bull-type dogs, still fighting, that had been placed into an inoperable car on a lift in the garage as the participants fled on foot. The dogs later died from injuries they sustained while fighting. Officers also found an uninjured pit bull-type dog in a car near the garage, along with a rudimentary veterinary suture and skin staple kit.

    Evidence revealed that Watson organized the fight, and that his dog was scheduled for the next fight on deck. He jointly possessed and trained the dog for this particular fight, as shown by cell phone video evidence. Watson participated in a dog fighting operation called “From Da Bottom Kennels.” From Da Bottom Kennels and others live-streamed dog fight videos from the garage via the Telegram app.

    Co-defendant Johnnie Lee Nelson was sentenced in April 2025 to complete a two-year term of probation to include one year of home confinement. Nelson will also perform 100 hours of community service.

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.

    United States v. Phillip D. Waddell, et al.

    • No. 3:24-CR-00136 (Northern District of Texas)
    • AUSA Doug Brasher

    On May 22, 2025, Phillip Waddell pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act (CAA) (18 U.S.C. § 371; 42 U.S.C. § 7413(c)(2)(C)).

    Waddell is one of ten defendants charged for tampering with pollution control equipment software in diesel trucks. The other co-defendants are Philip Matthew Ormand, Kolby Douglas Huneycutt, Kyle Kris Kizer, Jonathan Joseph Lohrmeyer, Justin Loutoyama Pasamonte, Archie George Sims, and Adam Marsh Stanley, along with auto dealership James Hodge Motors, Inc. (doing business as Jay Hodge Dodge), and its Chief Operating Officer Curtis Kevin Poore. They are scheduled for trial to begin on December 15, 2025.

    Between June 2019 and November 2021, Waddell sold aftermarket diesel exhaust components, tuners, and so-called “delete tunes” that allowed vehicles to override on-board diagnostic (OBD) systems. Operating normally, OBDs monitor vehicle emissions to ensure they fall below the limits set by the CAA. When an OBD detects excess emissions, it sends input to the vehicle’s on-board computer, which may activate an indicator light and place the vehicle in “limp mode,” capping its speed as low as five miles per hour. With delete tunes installed, diesel exhaust systems can be modified so that OBDs are prevented from detecting emission changes.

    Waddell purchased delete tunes from Ormand to customize them for specific vehicles. From August 2018 to April 2021, Waddell paid Ormand more than $2 million for delete tunes and sold them for between $300 and $1,350 each. Waddell’s customers included James Hodge Motors and several individuals who operated their own diesel repair and customization businesses.

    Huneycutt, Kizer, Lohrmeyer, Pasamonte, Sims, and Stanley purchased tuners and delete tunes from Waddell and installed them on their customers’ vehicles, a process called “tuning” or “reflashing.” James Hodge Motors, acting under Poore’s supervision, falsified invoices to conceal the nature of the work it performed on customers’ trucks.

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation, with assistance from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. 

    Sentencings

    United States v. Thomas W. Douglas, Jr., et al.

    • No. 3:22-CR-00036 (Southern District of Mississippi)
    • ECS Senior Litigation Counsel Todd Gleason
    • ECS Senior Trial Attorney Matt Morris
    • ECS Paralegal Chloe Harris
    • ECS Paralegal Jonah Fruchtman

    On May 1, 2025, a court sentenced Thomas W. Douglas, Jr., to pay a $50,000 fine and complete a three-year term of probation, which includes nine months’ home confinement. Co-defendant John S. Welch, Sr., was sentenced to pay a $5,000 fine and complete a two-year term of probation. Following an almost two-week trial, a jury found Douglas guilty of two negligent Clean Water Act (CWA) counts and Welch guilty of one negligent CWA count (33 U.S.C. § 1319(c)(1)(A)).

    Douglas was the president and co-owner of Gold Coast Commodities, Inc. (GCC), based in Brandon, Mississippi, and Welch was GCC’s plant manager. The company processes fats, oils, and grease into feedstock for animal food and biofuels. GCC applied for and received pretreatment permits that limited the quantity of treated waste it could discharge to the Jackson area wastewater treatment system (JWTS). GCC never activated the permits, claiming that it trucked all its waste offsite for treatment and disposal. State and local regulatory officials later discovered discharges of industrial waste downstream from GCC that vastly exceeded numerous pollutant limits.

    After officials placed monitors into GCC’s sewer outfall, the defendants trucked GCC’s process waste to three other illegal discharge locations, two of which led to the JWTS. They hired two sewage haulers to transport GCC’s industrial waste to JWTS’s treatment plant in tanker trucks falsely marked as “sewage” to conceal the nature of the waste. The plant does not accept industrial waste. When that became too risky, they hired a trucking company to transport GCC’s waste to a small sewer service company owned by co-defendant Andrew Walker. There they excavated a JWTS sewer pipe and discharged another 3.4 million gallons of GCC’s industrial waste until they were again caught and ordered to stop.

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Brandon Police Department, and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality conducted the investigation, with assistance from the Cities of Brandon and Jackson municipal governments.

    United States v. Charles Reginald McDougald, et al.

    • No. 1:22-CR-00154 (Eastern District of Virginia)
    • AUSA Gordon D. Kromberg
    • AUSA Vanessa K. Strobbe

    On May 6, 2025, a court sentenced Charles Reginald McDougald to 27 months’ incarceration followed by three years of supervised release.

    From March 2015 through December 2022, McDougald, aka “Luke” and “Bottom Boy—along with other conspirators from Virginia, Washington, D.C., Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, and North Carolina—used a messaging app private group referred to as “The DMV Board” or “The Board,” to discuss training fighting dogs, exchange videos about dog fighting, and arrange and coordinate dog fights.

    Members of the DMV Board used the app to compare methods of killing dogs that lost fights, circulate media reports about conspirators who had been caught by law enforcement, and discuss ways to avoid being caught. McDougald posted multiple offers to arrange dog fights for thousands of dollars per fight. McDougald pleaded guilty to conspiracy and to violating the animal fighting venture statute (7 U.S.C. § 2156; 18 U.S.C. §§ 49, 371).

    McDougald’s sentencing follows the convictions of 19 others who used the DMV Board. Those other defendants received sentences ranging between 10 days and 30 months in prison.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Defense Criminal Investigation Service, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation.

    United States v. Isaac Allen

    • No. 2:24-CR-00125 (District of Maine)
    • AUSA David Joyce
    • AUSA John Osborn

    On May 7, 2025, a court sentenced Isaac Allen to pay a $40,000 fine and complete a three-year term of probation. Allen, the owner of a diesel repair shop called Red Barn Diesel Performance in Windham, Maine, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to tamper with Clean Air Act (CAA) monitoring devices and obstructing an agency proceeding (18 U.S.C. §§ 371, 1505; 42 U.S.C. § 7413(c)(2)(C)).

    Between January 2017 and September 2020, Allen conspired with a local truck sales business to reprogram the on-board diagnostic (OBD) systems of diesel trucks by downloading software, or “tunes,” which disabled the systems’ ability to detect emissions control malfunctions. Disabling emissions controls or tampering with the OBD system of a diesel truck causes its emissions to increase significantly.

    In June 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued Allen a CAA Information Request, seeking details on the vehicles serviced by Red Barn, including the impact of the engine tunes on emissions systems and OBD functions. Allen underreported the number of vehicles affected.

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation with support from the Maine State Police.

    United States v. Kendall Glenn Hacker

    • No. 5:25-CR-00002 (Eastern District of Kentucky)
    • AUSA Emily Greenfield

    On May 12, 2025, a court sentenced Kendall Glenn Hacker to 30 months’ incarceration, followed by three years’ supervised release. Hacker pleaded guilty to conspiracy and to violating the Animal Crush statute (18 U.S.C. §§ 371, 48(a)(2), (a)(3)).

    Between November 2021 and June 2022, Hacker sent money through online payment applications, such as PayPal and Venmo, to Michael Macartney, an online chat group administrator. The participants in this group funded, created, obtained, received, exchanged and/or distributed animal crush videos.

    Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.

    Related Press Release: District of Kentucky | Richmond Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Create and Distribute Animal Crush Videos

    United States v. Corey Potter, et al.

    • No. 3:24-CR-00047 (District of Alaska)
    • AUSA Seth Brickey

    On May 13, 2025, a court sentenced fisherman Corey Potter to 12 months’ incarceration followed by two years of supervised release for illegally transporting crab from Alaska to Washington in violation of the Lacey Act (16 U.S.C. §§ 3372(a)(2)(A), 3373(d)(1)(B)). Potter also is banned from commercial fishing while under supervision.

    In February and March 2024, Corey Potter owned and operated two crab catcher vessels and harvested Tanner and golden king crab in Southeast Alaska waters. The vessels were captained and operated by co-defendants Kyle Potter (Corey’s son) and Justin Welch. Corey Potter directed Kyle Potter and Welch to transport their harvest of live crab to Seattle, Washington, where they intended to sell it for a higher price than they would receive in Alaska. Before leaving Alaska, neither vessel landed their harvest at a port nor reported the harvest on a fish ticket, which all three defendants knew was required under state law.

    At the time, one vessel held more than 4,200 pounds of live Tanner crab aboard, while the other had close to 3,000 pounds of live golden king crab. A portion of the Tanner crab was infected with Bitter Crab Syndrome (BCS), a parasitic disease that is fatal to crustaceans. Several crab fishermen who knew about their plans contacted Corey and Kyle Potter expressing concern that the Potters’ harvest would infect other crabs with BCS. Despite the other fishermen’s concerns, Corey Potter moved forward with his plan to transport the catch.

    Following the multi-day trip from Alaska, roughly 40 percent the king crab died and was unmarketable. Since the other vessel had BCS-contaminated crabs, the entire catch of Tanner crab was transferred to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to dispose of in a landfill.

    In March 2024, law enforcement served a search warrant on Welch and one of the fishing vessels. Welch told Corey and Kyle Potter about the search, and both deleted text messages before law enforcement could seize their phones. Those messages described their awareness of BCS and their plans to sell the crab for better prices.

    Kyle Potter was previously sentenced to pay a $20,000 fine and complete a five-year term of probation. Welch was ordered to pay a $10,000 fine and complete a three-year term of probation.

    The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Law Enforcement conducted the investigation.

    Related Press Release: District of Alaska | Kodiak fisherman sentenced to prison for directing illegal transport of crab from Alaska | United States Department of Justice

    United States v. Tamichael Elijah, et al.

    • No. 1:24-CR-00005 (Middle District of Georgia)
    • ECS Senior Trial Attorney Ethan Eddy
    • ECS Trial Attorney Leigh Rende
    • AUSA Leah McEwen
    • ECS Law Clerk Amanda Backer

    On May 13 and 14, 2025, the court sentenced the final 11 defendants in this case arising from a large-scale dog fighting event in 2022. All defendants were ordered to pay restitution to the U.S. Marshals Service for the costs of caring for the seized animals.

    • Donnametric Miller was sentenced to 100 months’ incarceration followed by three years of supervised release. Miller will pay $17,129 in restitution.
    • Fredricus White will serve 35 months’ incarceration followed by two years of supervised release. White will pay $13,307 in restitution.
    • Christopher Travis Beaumont was sentenced to 30 months’ incarceration followed by three years of supervised release. Beaumont will pay $17,993 in restitution.
    • Cornelious Johnson will serve 27 months’ incarceration followed by two years of supervised release. Johnson will pay $13,307 in restitution.
    • Terelle Ganzy was sentenced to 24 months’ incarceration followed by two years of supervised release. Ganzy will pay $13,307 in restitution.
    • Terrance Davis was sentenced to 20 months’ incarceration followed by two years of supervised release. Davis will pay $16,424 in restitution.
    • Tamichael Elijah was sentenced to 18 months’ incarceration followed by two years of supervised release. Elijah will pay $50,279 in restitution.
    • Rodrecus Kimble will complete a three-year term of probation to include one year of home detention. Kimble will pay $17,895 in restitution.
    • Timothy Freeman was sentenced to time served and one year of supervised release. Freeman will pay $16,929 in restitution.
    • Herman Buggs, Jr., was sentenced to time served and two years of supervised release. Buggs will pay $16,688 in restitution.
    • Gary Hopkins will complete a two-year term of probation and pay $16,648 in restitution.

    The final two defendants, Brandon Baker and Marvin Pulley, III, are scheduled for sentencing on June 4 and 5, 2025, respectively. Defendant Willie Russell was previously sentenced to 24 months’ incarceration followed by three years’ supervised release, after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy and exhibiting dogs in an animal fighting venture (7 U.S.C. § 2156(a)(1); 18 U.S.C. § 371).

    On April 24, 2022, the defendants held a dog fighting event in Donalsonville, Georgia, that authorities disrupted while in progress. The defendants brought 24 pit bull-type dogs to fight in a series of matches over that weekend.

    The participants used their cars to store dogs that fought previously, as well as those awaiting their turn in the fighting pit. Dogs found in cars bore recent injuries and scars. Additional dogs were kept on chains on the property. Law enforcement rescued 27 dogs, including a badly injured dog that later died from its injuries.

    All defendants but Freeman pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate the animal fighting prohibition of the federal Animal Welfare Act. Beaumont and Miller also pleaded guilty to sponsoring or exhibiting a dog in a dog fight. Baker, Davis, Ganzy, Johnson, Pulley, and White further pleaded guilty to possessing and transporting a dog to use in an animal fighting venture. Freeman pleaded guilty to spectating at an animal fight. Miller and Pulley also pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a person with a prior felony conviction.

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Inspector General and the Seminole County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation, with assistance from the Bay County, Florida, Sheriff’s Office.

    United States v. Ruben Montes, et al.

    • No. 3:23-CR-02377 (Southern District of California)
    • ECS Assistant Chief Stephen DaPonte
    • AUSA Elizabet Brown

    On May 14, 2025, a court sentenced Ruben Montes to 16 months’ incarceration followed by two years of supervised release. Montes will pay $12,710 in forfeiture for his part in a scheme to smuggle and distribute more than $3 million worth of Mexican pesticides and veterinary drugs that are not approved for use in the United States (18 U.S.C. § 371).

    Since 2020, Montes coordinated the smuggling of pesticides and veterinary drugs from Mexico into the United States. The primary pesticides involved were Taktic and Bovitraz, which are not registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use in the United States. The smuggled veterinary drugs included Tylocet, Terramicina, Tetragent Ares, and Catarrol, which are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

    Montes requested that his co-conspirators bring these pesticides and veterinary drugs from Mexico into the United States. They then hid the pesticides and veterinary drugs in storage units in Calexico and retrieved them for distribution throughout the United States. Montes and Hugo Gutierrez (who remains at large) supplied most of the pesticides and veterinary drugs to individuals charged in another case, United States v. Toledo, et al., No. 22-CR-01965, (S.D. Calif.). Montes was also involved in shipping about 150 packages of unapproved products to another co-conspirator in Texas.

    According to the EPA, the active ingredient in Taktic and Bovitraz is amitraz, which is toxic to bees if released into hives, and then ultimately to humans when it ends up in honey, honeycomb, and beeswax. Misuse of amitraz-containing products in beehives can therefore result in exposures that could cause neurological effects and possibly reproductive effects in humans.

    Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, and the California Department of Toxic Substances Control conducted the investigation.

    United States v. Jonathan Long

    • No. 2:22-CR-00139 (Eastern District of Virginia)
    • AUSA Joseph Kosky

    On May 16, 2025, a court sentenced Jonathan Long to pay a $88,514 fine and complete a 12-month term of probation to include three months of home confinement. Long pleaded guilty to being an accessory after-the-fact to falsifying, tampering with, and rendering inaccurate a monitoring device required by the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. § 7413(c)(2)(C); 18 U.S.C. § 3).

    Long owned and operated Open Wide Performance, LLC, which sold aftermarket defeat devices for diesel trucks. Long works as a diesel technician and is an active-duty member of the U.S. Navy, stationed in Norfolk, Virginia.

    Between 2019 and 2020, Long sold “delete kits,” including delete pipes, software, cables, and tunes. Long also helped his customers use this equipment to manipulate their diesel trucks’ onboard diagnostic system. Long earned approximately $300,000 from this criminal enterprise.

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation.

    United States v. Zackery Brandon Barfield

    • No. 5:25-CR-00011 (Northern District of Florida)
    • ECS Senior Trial Attorney Patrick Duggan
    • AUSA Joseph Ravelo

    On May 21, 2025, a court sentenced Zachary Brandon Barfield to 30 days’ incarceration followed by one year of supervised release. Barfield also will pay a $51,000 fine. Barfield pleaded guilty to three counts of poisoning and shooting dolphins in violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (16 U.S.C. §§ 1372(a)(2)(A), 1375(b); 7 U.S.C. §§ 136j(a)(2)(G), 136l(b)(2)).

    Barfield is a charter and commercial fishing captain operating out of Panama City, Florida. In the summer of 2022, Barfield became frustrated with dolphins eating red snapper from the lines of charter fishing clients. Between June and August 2022, Barfield began placing a commercial methomyl insecticide inside bait fish to feed to and poison the dolphins that surfaced near his boat.

    While captaining another fishing trip in December 2022, Barfield saw dolphins eating snapper from fishing lines. This time, he used a 12-gauge shotgun to shoot and kill a dolphin that surfaced near his vessel. In the summer of 2023, while on a charter fishing trip, Barfield shot at a dolphin that surfaced near his clients’ fishing lines.

    The National Marine Fisheries Service Office of Law Enforcement conducted the investigation with assistance from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

    Related Press Release: Northern District of Florida | Panama City Commercial Fisherman Sentenced for Killing Dolphins in the Gulf of America 

    United States v. Liza Hash

    • No. 1:25-CR-20007 (Southern District of Florida)
    • AUSA Tom Watts-FitzGerald

    On May 23, 2025, a court sentenced Liza Hash to complete a one-year term of probation to include 60 days of home confinement. Hash also will pay a $5,000 fine. She pleaded guilty to discharging oil into United States and contiguous zone waters, in violating of the Clean Water Act (CWA) (33 U.S.C. §§ 1319(c)(2), 1321(b)(3)).

    Hash was the owner and operator of the S/V Juliet, a sailing vessel used for multi-day scuba diving trips between Miami and the Bahamas. Over the course of about six years, Hash’s vessel carried up to 12 passengers per trip, along with the crew, between the U.S. and the Bahamas.

    On June 16, 2023, U.S. Coast Guard investigators boarded the Juliet following its return from the Bahamas. After noticing an active oil sheen originating from the vessel, they conducted a safety examination.

    During the inspection, they noted oily water in the bilge, and a pump connected to the vessel’s grey water tank, to facilitate illegal overboard discharges. Hash had used the vessel’s grey water tank (which is intended to hold liquid waste from the boat’s washer, dryer, sinks, and showers) to store oil-contaminated bilge water and discharge it overboard.

    Investigators estimate that Hash discharged approximately 26,000 gallons of oily water during the five-year period.

    The United States Coast Guard conducted the investigation.

    View All Environmental Crimes Bulletins

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  • MIL-OSI Canada: B.C. appoints new Provincial Court judge

    The Government of British Columbia has appointed a new judge to support timely and efficient access to justice.

    Colleen Spier will be appointed a judge, effective July 7, 2025. Spier will be assigned by the judiciary to Nanaimo Provincial Court to assist with increased pressures the courthouse is experiencing and relieve delays.

    Spier graduated from the University of British Columbia faculty of law in April 2007. Most recently, Spier worked as the assistant deputy minister of the Indigenous justice secretariat at the Ministry of Attorney General.

    Spier has a strong background in family law, child protection and mediation. In 2007, Spier served as a judicial clerk in the Provincial Court’s externship program. In her role as assistant deputy minister, Spier worked with the Provincial Court’s Indigenous justice initiatives, including Indigenous sentencing courts.

    Awards that recognize Spier’s contributions to the legal profession include the King Charles III Coronation Medal in 2025, King’s Counsel designation in 2023 and the Susanna Jani award supporting excellence in mediation in 2022.

    Judicial appointments are made by considering various factors, such as the court’s requirements, the diversity of the judiciary and the candidate’s areas of expertise.

    The Province is committed to expanding the justice system and enhancing access to services for people in British Columbia.

    Quick Facts:

    • The process to appoint judges involves the following steps:
      • interested lawyers apply, and the Judicial Council of B.C. – a statutory body made up of the chief judge, an associate chief judge, other judges, lawyers and members from outside the legal profession – reviews the candidates;
      • the council recommends potential judges to the Attorney General, with the final appointment made through a cabinet order-in-council.
    • Although judges and judicial justices are located in a judicial region, many use technology such as videoconferencing for court proceedings.
    • Judges also travel regularly throughout the province to meet changing demands.

    Learn More:

    For information about the judicial appointment process, visit: www.provincialcourt.bc.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –