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Category: housing

  • MIL-OSI China: Trump confronts South African president with conspiracy claims

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

    U.S. President Donald Trump confronted visiting South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday with conspiracy theories on “white genocide” in South Africa, which Ramaphosa firmly denied.

    During their meeting in the Oval Office, Trump accused South Africa of “white genocide” and unfair land seizures, and then unexpectedly presented a video and a stack of printed news articles which he said proved his allegations.

    Ramaphosa, who arrived in Washington in hopes of improving trade terms and easing bilateral tensions, rejected Trump’s assertions during the meeting. He refuted the notion that white South Africans are fleeing the country due to racist policies. He said there was crime in South Africa and the majority of victims were Black.

    News outlets were shocked by Trump’s rudeness, saying most of the information that he used during the meeting to try to prove that “white genocide” was happening in South Africa had “repeatedly been disproven.”

    “Of the laundry list of conspiracy theories brought out at Trump’s meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa today, almost everything has been debunked. Some South Africans have said that they believe that the information is ‘AfriForum propaganda’ — a White Afrikaner lobby group criticized as being a White nationalist group,” the CNN reported.

    The clash came at a time of strained relations between the two countries. Since Ramaphosa signed the Expropriation Act into law in January, Trump has criticized the land reform law for “discriminating” against the country’s white people.

    In recent months, Trump has repeatedly criticized South Africa, most notably by canceling the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief funding and claiming that a “genocide” against white South Africans is underway, an allegation denied by the South African government.

    In March, the United States expelled then South African Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool, further straining their relations. The expulsion came after Rasool addressed a webinar organized by the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection, commenting on the Trump administration.

    “What Donald Trump is launching is an assault on incumbency, those who are in power, by mobilizing a supremacism against the incumbency at home and I think I’ve illustrated abroad as well,” Rasool said during the webinar.

    U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that Trump would not participate in the upcoming meeting of the Group of 20 (G20) leaders in South Africa later this year.

    “We decided not to participate in this year’s G20 hosted by South Africa, either at the level of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or at the level of the president, and this was largely due to some of these issues that they put on their agenda and which, as we think, they do not reflect the priorities of this administration,” Rubio told a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing.

    South Africa has pushed back against the Trump administration’s accusations, saying the executive order of freezing aid “lacks factual accuracy and fails to recognize South Africa’s profound and painful history of colonialism and apartheid.”

    “We are concerned by what seems to be a campaign of misinformation and propaganda aimed at misrepresenting our great nation. It is disappointing to observe that such narratives seem to have found favor among decision-makers in the United States of America,” said the country’s Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation in a statement in February. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Walmart further expands in China with new Tianjin mega store

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

    Walmart has launched construction of its largest Sam’s Club by operational area in northern China, with Tuesday’s groundbreaking ceremony in the Tianjin Municipality marking the U.S. retail giant’s latest bet on the country’s vast consumer market.

    Scheduled to open in 2026, the 25,000-square-meter facility will adopt an omnichannel model integrating one physical store with 20 digital fulfillment centers to serve premium and diversified consumption needs across the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. This third Sam’s Club location in the northern metropolis positions Tianjin as a strategic anchor for Walmart’s regional expansion.

    Since opening its first Chinese store in Shenzhen in south China’s Guangdong Province in 1996, the Walmart-owned warehouse membership chain has grown to 55 operational outlets nationwide. Sam’s Club achieved a milestone in 2024 with its annual China revenue exceeding 100 billion yuan (about 13.9 billion U.S. dollars), while Walmart China reported 6.7 billion U.S. dollars in net sales in the first quarter of 2025, a 22.5-percent year-on-year surge.

    “We take immense pride in Sam’s growth in China,” said Christina Zhu, president and CEO of Walmart China at last month’s Walmart Investment Community Meeting. She revealed that eight Sam’s Clubs in China are projected to surpass 500 million U.S. dollars in annual sales this year.

    The retailer has accelerated its China investments since announcing plans in December 2023 to open six to seven new Sam’s Clubs annually. Over a dozen projects are currently underway across Beijing, Guangdong, east China’s Zhejiang and other regions.

    Sam’s success aligns with China’s expanding import sector, which hit a record over 18 trillion yuan in 2024. The nation has maintained its position as the world’s second-largest consumer market and top online retail market, with total retail sales of consumer goods growing 4.6 percent year-on-year to 12.47 trillion yuan in the January-March period of 2025.

    China’s mega-market advantage lies in its economic scale, market capacity, industrial system and human capital — a multidimensional strength enhancing economic resilience, according to Yu Yongding, an economist at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

    Despite global protectionist headwinds, China attracted 12,603 new foreign-invested enterprises during the first quarter of this year, with actualized foreign direct investment up 13.2 percent year on year in March.

    “Multinationals like Walmart are voting with their capital, showcasing confidence in China’s economic vitality and market appeal,” Yu noted. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Wuhan reach AFC Women’s Champions League final

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

    China’s Wuhan Jiangda advanced to the final of the inaugural AFC Women’s Champions League, following a commanding 2-0 win over Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City FC on Wednesday.

    Wang Shuang (top) of Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC vies for the ball during the semifinal between Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC of China and Ho Chi Minh City Women’s FC of Vietnam at the 2024/2025 AFC Women’s Champions League in Wuhan, China, May 21, 2025. (Xinhua/Wu Zhizun)

    Cheered on by nearly 5,000 home supporters, Wuhan took control of the match early. The breakthrough came in the 34th minute, when local star Wang Shuang pounced on a poor clearance and curled a stunning strike into the net.

    The momentum continued in the second half. Just nine minutes after the restart, Song Duan unleashed a long-range shot from outside the penalty area. The ball dipped sharply, leaving the Ho Chi Minh City goalkeeper with no chance and sealing Wuhan’s place in the final.

    “The pressure forced our players to grow, and they rose to the challenge united as a team to secure this 2-0 victory,” said Chang Weiwei, Wuhan’s head coach.

    The squad has endured an exhausting schedule this season, simultaneously competing in the Chinese Women’s Super League, the National Sports Games’ qualifiers and the AFC Women’s Champions League.

    “It put a great challenge to our physical condition. Hopefully, we’ll recover to our best state in the following two days and bring a spectacular match to our fans,” said Wang.

    Wuhan maintained much of the same lineup from its quarterfinal clash against Japanese powerhouse Urawa Red Diamonds. Despite being under pressure in that match, the team held its nerve and triumphed in a dramatic penalty shootout, knocking out the tournament’s favorite.

    The final will be held on Saturday, where the five-time Chinese Women’s Super League champion will face either South Korea’s Hyundai Steel Red Angels or Australia’s Melbourne City FC.

    “We’ll analyze the other semifinal tonight. Once I know our opponent, we’ll make tailored tactics. But whoever the competitor will be, we’ll stay true to our style and fight until the final whistle. Hopefully, we’ll finish the journey with no regrets,” Chang added.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: In Support of His Amendments to Reimburse Working Parents Up to $8,000 for Child Care,

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Danny K Davis (7th District of Illinois)

    Testimony of Congressman Danny K. Davis (As Prepared) 

    In Support of His Amendments to Reimburse Working Parents Up to $8,000 for Child Care, 

    Help Cost-Burdened Renters Earning Up to $100,000, Ensure Foundations Fund Charitable Giving Rather Than Tax Cuts for the Wealthy, and Give Tax Cuts to Workers Who Are Single, Noncustodial Parents, Aged 19 and Older, Seniors, Foster Youth, or Homeless

    Committee on Rules Meeting on H.R. 1 – May 21, 2025

    The Good Book teaches us to care for the least among us.  My four amendments do just that. 

    For parents, child care is the work-related expense. My amendment would reimburse working parents up to $8,000 in child care costs. The meager, current maximum of $1,200 was set at the turn of this century.  Now, the cost of center-based care for two children is more than the average annual rent in all 50 states. Yet, the Republican bill fails to directly help struggling parents with the crushing burden of child care. Instead, the bill gifts $731 million to businesses and ignores the tens of millions of working parents whose employers will never offer child care.  And the small, temporary $500 bump in the Child Tax Credit excludes the poorest parents and is dwarfed by the $8,000 in relief offered by my amendment. If Republicans want parents to work, then you should accept my amendment. 

    My second amendment would provide life-changing help to hardworking, rent-burdened Americans earning up to $100,000.  Rent unaffordability is at an all-time high with about half of all renters being cost-burdened – especially extremely low-income households, seniors, and rural Americans.  My amendment would create a new tax credit for low- and middle-income renters that would cover a percentage of the gap between 30 percent of their adjusted gross income and their actual rent. For renters earning less than $25,000, the credit would cover the entire 30-percent-income-to-rent gap and then phase out.  The Republican bill offers nothing to help struggling renters.  Supporting my amendment would provide financial relief to tens of millions of Americans so they can thrive without fear of eviction. 

     

    My third amendment would provide a tax cut to tens of millions of low-income workers by enhancing the Earned Income Tax Credit. The EITC is a powerful tool to reduce poverty.  Although the Republican bill gives an increased EITC for some purple-heart recipients, it ignores the vast majority of individual workers.  Workers aged 65 and older represent one of the fastest-growing groups in our labor force. Millions of people younger than 24 serve in the labor force. My amendment gives permanent tax relief to seniors and younger workers by removing the EITC age cap and lowering the eligibility age to 19, while also enhancing the credit for all childless workers.  Further, my amendment includes important flexibilities for foster and homeless youth.  If the GOP bill can spend $211 billion on tax breaks for wealthy heirs, surely it can help vulnerable workers who are young, old, single, homeless, or foster youth. 

    My final amendment would strike the permanent tax hike on foundations that would rip $15.8 billion in charitable aid from our communities – aid that supports food banks, houses of faith, veterans, disaster relief, rural health care, emergency assistance during economic downturns, and other critical needs.  Policies that hurt foundations reduce grantmaking to charitable nonprofits across the country.  Forefront, the association of grantmakers for the state of Illinois, estimates that the proposed tax increase on private foundations would result in $168 million less in grants made to Illinois nonprofits each year.  Charitable giving represents the best of American generosity. At the exact time when charitable giving and philanthropy are needed the most to offset the cuts in federal investment, Congress must strike this charity-reducing provision. 

    Government should help people, not harm them.  My amendments would help lift the burdens of tens of millions of families and workers as well as promote charitable service.  I hope you will support them.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Australia’s knowledge of Russia is dwindling. We need to start training our future experts now

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jon Richardson, Visiting Fellow, Centre for European Studies, Australian National University

    Shutterstock

    Russia’s possible interest in basing long-range aircraft at an Indonesian airbase not far from Australian shores shook up a relatively staid election campaign last month.

    The news, which Jakarta immediately dismissed, caught many by surprise in Australia. It shouldn’t have. While Indonesia’s non-aligned stance makes granting such a request highly unlikely, Russia’s defence and political ties with Southeast Asia have actually been deepening over the last decade, at least.

    All of this has gone largely unnoticed in Australia. And this highlights a significant problem: Australia has something of a knowledge deficit when it comes to Russia. This is in part due to the fact our expertise on the country has been hollowed out since the Cold War ended.

    Russia’s power plays are expanding globally

    The Soviet Union loomed large in Australia’s consciousness during the Cold War, if not high on its list of priorities.

    Today, Russia remains a major, albeit slightly diminished, power. It is a nuclear weapons state (it has more than 5,500 nuclear warheads, the most of any nation) and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. It is also active in other forums of importance to Australia, such as the G20 and APEC, as well as in issues like arms control and climate change.

    Most worryingly, under President Vladimir Putin, Russia will no doubt continue to be a disruptor on the international stage.

    Russia’s political and security elite perceive the country to be a great power with interests and a right to influence in every part of the world. Just to drive that message home, a giant sign quoting Putin last year read: “Russia’s borders do not end anywhere”.

    Even before its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Moscow perpetuated an ideology that it is at war with the West. This idea is a key source of legitimacy for Putin’s regime. Russia’s hostile actions against Western democracies continue to proliferate. These include disinformation campaigns, cyber attacks, election interference and, in some regions, sabotage and assassinations.

    This isn’t focused entirely on Europe and the US, either. Russia has an active – and expanding – military presence in the Asia-Pacific. Russia’s Pacific Fleet, based in Vladivostok, now has more than 20 nuclear and conventional submarines and frequently engages in training exercises with the Chinese navy.

    More “normal” relations with Russia will not return soon. A lasting peace in Ukraine seems unlikely if any interim ceasefire deal leaves large swathes of the country under a brutal Russian occupation regime. Putin is unlikely to let go of his ambitions to subjugate Ukraine and limit its independence.

    While sanctions have made it harder for Moscow to conduct the war, the Russian economy also does not appear in danger of imminent collapse.

    Meanwhile, Southeast Asia has proven susceptible to Russia’s anti-Western narratives, particularly when it comes to the claim that the Russian invasion was provoked by Western policies and threats. Most regional governments have been loathe to criticise the invasion and the leaders of Indonesia and Malaysia have made state visits to Moscow despite it.

    Russia has had similar success in pushing disinformation through orchestrated social media campaigns across the Global South, including in parts of Africa where Australian companies have made significant investments in the mining sector.

    Reviving Russia literacy

    All these trends point to the need to enhance Australia’s modest level of Russia literacy, both in language skills and broader country expertise.

    This was the key message of a recent conference on “Russian activities and Australian interests in the Indo-Pacific”, hosted by the ANU’s Centre for European Studies. It was attended by a wide range of government officials, academics, analysts and foreign diplomats.

    Australia once had strong Russian-language departments at several universities. It also boasted numerous Russian and Soviet scholars of global repute, such as Harry Rigby, Sheila Fitzpatrick, Graeme Gill, Stephen Wheatcroft, Geoffrey Jukes and Stephen Fortescue.

    Today, the number of university departments teaching Russian language, history or politics has dwindled, with only the University of Melbourne offering a major in Russian language and literature. That university has also added a much-welcomed fellowship in Ukrainian studies.

    And Australia has few lecturers or researchers in international relations, history or social sciences with Russia expertise, including language skills.

    We can – and should – return our university Russian offerings to the levels we had 30 years ago. This can be done without cutting back on the existing expansive focus on other countries and regions. There is also scope for greater focus on Russia and the former Soviet countries in government.

    It will hard for Russia to shake off the pattern of failed government reform efforts defaulting to strong, centralised rule with imperial ambitions and an anti-Western posture.

    But moves towards reform could eventually bear fruit (again) when Putin leaves the stage. If this were to happen, Russia would remain a major power with a rich cultural legacy and many common interests with Australia in areas such as natural resources. There is also a significant Russian diaspora in Australia.

    For Australia, it is a mistake to think of Russia as somewhere far away. Both in simple geography – all state capitals except Perth are closer to Vladivostok than to New Delhi – and in terms of the interplay of global interests.

    Or, as British commentator Keir Giles puts it: “You may not be interested in Russia, but Russia is interested in you.”

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

    – ref. Australia’s knowledge of Russia is dwindling. We need to start training our future experts now – https://theconversation.com/australias-knowledge-of-russia-is-dwindling-we-need-to-start-training-our-future-experts-now-256445

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murray Slams Secretary Burgum’s Plans to Fire National Park Staff, Sell Off Public Lands, & Slash Funding for Tribes

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    Murray: “Our public lands are not for sale. Protecting our wilderness, living up to our tribal obligations, keeping our communities safe—it’s just not negotiable. It’s actually a core reason your Department does exist—and these have been places with strong, bipartisan support.”
    NEW REPORT: President Trump’s Attacks on National Park Service are Hurting Communities Across Washington State
    ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s remarks and questioning***
    Washington, D.C. — Today, at a Senate Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing on the fiscal year 2026 budget request for the Department of Interior (DOI), U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, slammed Secretary Doug Burgum’s efforts to fire staff across the Department, sell off our public lands and abandon the National Park Service’s conservation mission, and betray the United States’ obligation to Tribes with devastating proposed funding cuts. Also today, Senator Murray released a new report on how President Trump’s attacks on the National Park Service are hurting communities in Washington state.
    In opening comments, Vice Chair Murray said:
    “Washington state is home to a number of pristine public lands—people travel from all over the world to experience my state, and Oregon.
    “Secretary Burgum, our public lands are not for sale. Protecting our wilderness, living up to our tribal obligations, keeping our communities safe—it’s just not negotiable. It’s actually a core reason your Department does exist—and these have been places with strong, bipartisan support.
    “So, I’m really concerned that one of the first things you did was make deep, painful cuts at our national parks, and start talking about our public lands kind of like they are a piggy bank.
    “I do not want to tell future generations: ‘See that that river of sludge—it used to be clear, it used to have salmon. See that charred mountainside—it used to be a forest with campgrounds and trails. See that smokestack? That used to be a National Park.’
    “I worry because it feels to me like your vision could lead to that with your budget cuts, and mass firings, and reorganization.
    “And I’m deeply concerned about the proposed cuts to programs and funding that our Tribes rely on, the mass firing of park rangers—they’re the people who help visitors, they clear trails, they clean the bathrooms, and they respond to emergencies.
    “As I watch this and hear from folks, and see what’s happening, on top of gutting bedrock environmental protections, I just don’t see how your Department can execute the law without staff in place.”
    [HURRICANE RIDGE REBUILD]
    Senator Murray began by her questioning by discussing the rebuild of Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge in Washington State: “I wanted to start by touching briefly on Hurricane Ridge, a place that as you know is very special to people in my home state of Washington and visitors who come from all over the world. I know that you visited Olympic National Park last week—and you saw how scenic it is, and a hint of how brutal the weather can be. It’s called Hurricane Ridge for a reason. The Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge burned down in a tragic fire two years ago. Congress delivered the emergency funding necessary to rebuild it last year. In the execution report that you delivered to the Committee in February—the disaster funding spend plan—you included the money for Olympic National Park, which I understand is for Hurricane Ridge. Do you have any updates on the next steps for that project?”
    Secretary Burgum said, “No, but I did have an opportunity with a park superintendent and some of the lead people who actually work at hurricane ridge and thankfully there was not 70 mile-per-hour wind, it was beautiful, sunny, calm, gorgeous. But I got to see the site where the fire had happened and was able to meet with them regarding the plans they have. It looks like a great project.”
    “Good, and can you just keep my staff and me updated on that project as it moves forward, it’s really important to all of us,” Senator Murray replied.
    [SWEEPING STAFF CUTS AT NATIONAL PARKS]
    Senator Murray turned her questioning to the sweeping staffing reductions taking place under Secretary Burgum’s leadership at DOI, “In your short tenure, you have overseen significant staffing reductions—over 10 percent—and reorganization efforts across the Department of the Interior, with I understand more firings to come. The National Park Service has lost 18 percent of its staff. You managed to fire the only plumber at Mount Rainier National Park. There is just nothing efficient about that kind of management. You’ve also decided that what few staff remain at our National Parks will focus solely on visitor services—that really abandons the conservation mission, which no doubt will lead to the degradation of our natural resources and our parks. On May 8th, five former NPS directors—from Republican and Democratic administrations alike—raised really grave concerns about these decisions. They wrote that the National Park Service’s founding statute requires conservation at our parks so they will be ‘unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.’ We need trail guides and biologists. We need EMTs and geologists. We need snow plow drivers and historians. Mr. Secretary, do you acknowledge that you have a statutory obligation to conserve our national parks? A simple yes or no here please.”
    Secretary Burgum responded, “Yes.”
    “Well, it just feels to me watching this that you are abandoning that obligation with your staffing cuts. Your job is to carry out the laws that Congress has passed, not as you wish they were written. Let me ask you, how many people do you plan to fire from the National Park Service?” Senator Murray pressed.
    “Let me respond by saying I’m going to repeat myself, that there is an opportunity to have more people working in our parks in all the positions that you described, Senator, and to have less people working for the National Park Service. We just have to accept that this math, that if you have a situation where slightly less than 50% of the people actually work in the park, that everything you said, I can increase the number of people in the park but still decrease the number of people on payroll at the National Park Service because we are eliminating overhead back office, IT, and HR roles,” answered Secretary Burgum in part.
    Senator Murray pushed back, “It’s huge cuts. The people you’re talking about are actually the support staff, and when you cut support staff, that’s not efficient. How does someone drive a snowplow if you don’t have a staffer that makes sure that the government gets the best deal to buy that snowplow? There is many, many detailed people that you are talking about that actually make sure that the spending is efficient, that the people are efficient. We all know how important staff is, you can’t survive without them. Those are the people that you are letting go. We can’t be efficient if they are not there.”
    Secretary Burgum tried to change the subject, “Are you suggesting that the National Park Service today is operating at peak efficiency?”
    “I would suggest that I welcome any suggestions to us about how to be efficient, but just mass across-the-board cuts and firing is really going to not increase efficiency at our parks. And that, I think, we all should be very concerned about,” Senator Murray responded, emphasizing that mass firings are not the answer.
    “But if the goal is for us to have more people working in the parks, you’re comfortable if I could get to a spot where I have more people working—” Secretary Burgum again avoided the question.
    Senator Murray said, “You show me what employees you are leaving behind that don’t support someone that makes sure that they have the equipment that they need that is up to date, it is running. Those kinds of things, you can’t just cut those people and expect people to be out in the national park without somebody who is making sure that their equipment is safe, that their hours are maintained, all the things that it takes to run a place. Our national parks are huge. They take a lot of people to run.”
    Secretary Burgum again dodged, failing to state the number of employees he expects to lose at NPS.
    Senator Murray then followed up to state: “One thing that I’m really concerned about, and everyone should be, is our national wildland firefighting efforts and countless staff who provide the necessary support there. For example, firefighters put their lives at risk. Without the support they need in many different roles, it just gets more dangerous. Those are the kinds of people I’m extremely concerned about, that without thought or really smart moves, that we are going to be putting our parks at risk.”
    [DEVASTATING PROPOSED FUNDING CUTS FOR TRIBES]
    Senator Murray then asked about proposed budget cuts at DOI, such as cuts of $617 million from core programs at the Bureau of Indian Affairs, $107 million from the BIA’s law enforcement office, and $187 million—nearly eliminating—funds to build Tribal schools, “You have a role in fulfilling the Federal Government’s trust and treaty responsibilities to our Tribes. I see numerous cuts across the budget that defunds Tribal police, the Bureau of Indian Affairs. How many Tribes have you personally consulted with on your budget request?”
    “I’ve been meeting with tribes every week since I’ve been here. I’ve got a deep understanding of our challenges and shortage in law enforcement,” replied Secretary Burgum.
    “There’s 574 Tribe—which ones have you consulted or met with?” Senator Murray asked again.  
    Secretary Burgum said, in part: “I’m happy to provide you a list, but I just recently had the Interior Secretary Tribal Advisory Committee, we had 24 representatives from tribes from across the country actually meeting in my office just a couple weeks ago.”
    Senator Murray and Secretary Burgum discussed the funding, and Murray concluded: “I just want to say that my tribes in Washington state are deeply concerned, they’re telling us that these layoffs will eliminate natural resource management, basic social services and they are horrified. So, I hope that in your list you will provide me, that I see some of their names.”
    [NEW MURRAY REPORT ON NATIONAL PARK SERVICE]
    Also today, Senator Murray released a new report on how the Trump administration’s cuts and planned cuts of National Park staff will reduce access to our public lands, harm Washington state’s gateway communities, jeopardize natural resources, and make National Parks less safe for visitors.
    The full report is available HERE and below:
    Report: President Trump’s Attacks on National Park Service are Hurting Communities Across Washington State
    This report is part of a series detailing the harm President Trump and Elon Musk’s reckless and devastating attacks on the federal workforce are causing on the ground in Washington state. The Trump administration’s mass firings and harmful actions have real consequences for Washington state residents and their communities.
    This report focuses on how the Trump administration’s cuts and planned cuts of National Park staff will reduce access to our public lands, harm Washington’s gateway communities, jeopardize natural resources, and make National Parks less safe for visitors.
    National Park Service is Critical to Ensuring All Americans Can Safely Visit Our Most Iconic Public Lands This Summer and Beyond
    Across the country, National Park Service rangers work hard to keep visitors safe, protect natural resources, and create an inspiring and educational experience for visitors. For over a decade, the National Park Service has had to operate at low staffing levels, despite significant increases in visitation.[1] Yet, under the Trump Administration, the National Park Service has frozen hiring, rescinded seasonal employment offers, pushed employees to resign, and laid off 1,000 permanent employees.[2] The National Park Service has also been ordered to submit a restructuring plan, and the Department of the Interior plans “additional massive layoffs” in the coming months. Without sufficient staff, visitor centers and campgrounds may close, bathrooms will not be properly maintained, emergency response times will drop, and important ranger services from interpretation to providing safety advice will be unavailable.
    Layoffs at the National Park Service Will Reduce Access to Washington’s National Parks.
    The National Park Service has a significant footprint in Washington, home of the iconic Mount Rainier, Olympic, and North Cascades National Parks, along with historically significant sites across the state—like Fort Vancouver, the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial, and more. At the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area, Sam Peterson was one of the National Park Service staff fired on February 14, after accepting a promotion to become a park ranger just three months prior.
    “Americans aren’t getting what they’ve paid for—they’re not operating under a new budget. The Park Service is supposed to have a park ranger in my position at Lake Roosevelt, so there’s going to be fewer visitors who get important safety messaging, fewer visitors who can have their questions answered, and fewer kids that can go on a field trip led by a ranger. There may be safety impacts during the busy season, if we aren’t able to get out safety messaging as effectively. There’s supposed to be a team of nine interpreters at Lake Roosevelt—now there are only three,” said Peterson.
    In response to court orders, the National Park Service offered many fired employees, including Peterson, their positions back.[3]
    “I want to return to the Park Service someday, but right now, it doesn’t feel stable for either myself or my family, because we just don’t know what the next couple of months—and certainly the next couple of years—will bring. I turned down my job when it was offered back to me, because I was living in government housing at the time of my termination—I was given 60 days to leave. I signed a new lease and started a new job six hours away just before I was offered my job back. Even though it was tempting to accept my job back, I couldn’t do it,” said Peterson.
    Washington state’s outdoor recreation community has a front row seat to the local impacts of cutting staff at the National Park Service. Last year, the Mountaineers—an outdoor recreation group—led 727 trips, activities, and courses in Washington’s National Parks, serving 3,456 students.
    “We got word that the only plumber at Mount Rainier National Park was fired. That’s the kind of thing that you don’t see when you’re visiting the parks. But if a wastewater system goes down then they’re going to have to close bathrooms, that’s a public safety issue. You can’t have people visiting our parks if there are no sanitary facilities,” said Betsy Robblee, Conservation and Advocacy Director for the Mountaineers.
    “We’re also concerned about campgrounds opening up. There’s a lot of staff that are needed to open campgrounds, whether that’s removing hazardous trees from areas near campsites or opening up and testing the water system. If you don’t have staff to do that, that’s going to either delay or maybe prevent many campsites from opening. Hurricane Ridge, in Olympic National Park, lost one of their road crew members as part of the firing of probationary employees. If you don’t have enough road crew members to clear the road up to Hurricane Ridge, that area just can’t open,” said Robblee.
    In addition to the critical work conducted by National Park Service staff, Washington state has a uniquely strong volunteer community. The Washington Trails Association contributes thousands of volunteer hours to critical trail maintenance projects in places like Mount Rainier National Park.
    “We have had a decades-long relationship with Mount Rainier, but it’s built on working with National Park Service staff to plan projects so that we can leverage volunteers and bring them to the Park to help steward those places. The fear is that the public side of that public-private partnership is being eroded. We won’t be able to complete our mission to take care of these places without the Park Service being there as our partner,” said Michael DeCramer, Policy and Planning Manager for the Washington Trails Association.
    DeCramer is keenly aware of how reduced staffing will impact visitor experience.
    “There are just enough people at Mount Rainier National Park in the winter to keep the roads open and if somebody calls out sick, the gate doesn’t open,” said DeCramer, highlighting how vital staff are for providing access to our public lands.
    Following public outcry, the National Park Service proposed expanding their hiring of seasonal workers to meet the needs of increased visitation during the high season.
    “While that’s great in theory, a lot of parks haven’t been allowed to repost seasonal job postings, so they’re having to use the candidate pool from when the job was posted in October or November of last year. That’s now almost six months ago—a lot of the people who applied have already moved on,” said Peterson.
    “Seasonal employees do great work, and they’re absolutely necessary, but you also need stability year-over-year through permanent employees to train those seasonal employees and maintain institutional integrity, especially in the off season. Even though we think of parks as places we go to in the summer, staff are still needed for visitors during the off season and shoulder season. The off season is also when a lot of maintenance and repair work takes place, so that parks are ready for their high season. It’s not efficient to just say, ‘oh, we will fire all of these people and then hire a bunch of part time workers instead,’” said Peterson.
    Reduced Park Access Will Hurt Local Economies in Washington’s Gateway Communities
    In 2023, outdoor recreation contributed $22.5 billion to Washington’s economy and made up 3.2% of the state’s total jobs.[4] This economic impact is particularly important for gateway communities—those located closest to Washington’s National Parks. 
    The American Alpine Institute is a mountain climbing school and guide service with 60 employees and a significant presence in Washington state. Executive Director Jason Martin is also a mountain rescue volunteer, a former president of the Bellingham Mountain Rescue Council, and has worked extensively with the American Mountain Guides Association. After the initial round of layoffs, he reached out to people working in the National Park Service to try to understand how the layoffs may impact outdoor recreation.
    “Throughout the outdoor industry—which I represent in a couple of different ways: as a commercial operator, as a volunteer rescuer, and as an outdoor recreationalist—in many cases, we just don’t know what’s going on right now. We don’t know who to talk to. We don’t know who to ask about things,” said Martin.
    The Mount Rainier Business Alliance is a coalition of local business owners in Ashford, Elbe, Alder, and Mineral, Washington, whose members deeply understand the economic impacts of staffing cuts to the National Park Service.
    “In Ashford, which is the main town right outside of Mount Rainier National Park, everything is closely tied to the National Park—from our economy to our safety. So these cuts, while perhaps just seen as being cuts to the National Park, in some ways are really cuts to our community,” said Nickolas Neville, President of the Mount Rainier Business Alliance.
    For small business owners near Mount Rainier National Park, reductions in staffing at the National Park Service could make it impossible for them to keep their doors open.
    “This whole part of our county relies entirely on the people that decide to make the trip out to Mount Rainier. Making that more difficult, especially with how challenging access to the mountain has been because of lack of staffing—I could see causing businesses to shut down, businesses that are already struggling. I could see it impacting how often we get tourists here renting out properties and short-term rentals. This part of Pierce County is already on life support,” said Cat Larrow, head of the Community Advocacy Committee of the Mount Rainier Business Alliance.
    Layoffs at the National Park Service Will Reduce Emergency Services at Washington’s National Parks
    In addition to maintaining the parks and educating visitors, park rangers ensure that visitors are safe and serve as first responders when emergencies arise. 
    “The Golden West Visitor Center at North Cascades National Park on Lake Chelan has struggled to stay open because they just haven’t had the staff they need to operate. That’s a key entry point for the Steven Mather Wilderness and the southern end of North Cascades National Park. My fear is that there’s just no slack at the Park Service. These folks are already doing everything they can. And you’re still going to have people wanting to visit the parks, but services are going to suffer,” said Michael DeCramer, Policy and Planning Manager for the Washington Trails Association. 
    “If there is a search and rescue operation needed, they might not be able to provide the staff for the level of service that we expect. Things might have to close if there’s a wildfire in the Park. We may not have the staff with the skills needed to respond in the way that we’re used to. And I see a lot of potential risk to the public. Not to be dire, but these cuts will be felt both in terms of loss of services but also decreased safety for the public, because park rangers are first responders,” said DeCramer.
    In addition to search and rescue and wildfire response, park rangers provide valuable safety information to visitors to prevent emergencies from happening in the first place.
    “Even just the rangers who sit at Artist Point handing out information to people about mountain rescues are important. I’ve done dozens and dozens of rescues in that area, mostly people who have broken bones. But if there’s nobody sitting there to warn someone that they’re actually walking into the wilderness. There’s a lot of concern,” said Jason Martin, the Executive Director of the American Alpine Institute, and a mountain rescue volunteer.
    Across Washington’s Parks, decreased staff creates safety concerns for visitors.
    “We are a very outdoor engaged state and people just go up to visit the woods constantly. I love that people are engaged, but the Park Service is putting people at risk on any given day by not having enough staff to maintain these parks,” said David Beard, Director of Policy & Government Affairs for the Children & Nature Network.
    Layoffs at the National Park Service Will Harm Washington’s Natural Resources for Future Generations
    Washington’s National Parks contain some of America’s most precious natural resources and iconic landscapes. When people visit these special places, it often has a lasting impact.
    “We all have memories of a visit to our National Parks. My three kids have more than 50 Junior Ranger badges they have earned over the years. Are there going to be people there to raise their hand and swear in the six-year-old to be a Junior Ranger? All those things are likely going to be in question,” said Tom Uniack, Executive Director for Washington Wild.
    “If people aren’t able to visit our Parks, or they have negative experiences, then we’re losing out on those amazing connections that people have to the natural world that can change their lives. They develop a stewardship ethic. They want to care for these places, and they want to advocate to protect these places. And looking towards future generations, if this continues, future generations may not get to have the same experiences in these places as we are fortunate to have today,” said Betsy Robblee, Conservation and Advocacy Director for the Mountaineers.
    “Washington is a beautiful state. I was born and raised here. My dad was a climber. I really worry that whether it’s the National Park Service or the Forest Service or the Bureau of Land Management, not having the funding and staff to clean bathrooms, keep the gates open, and haul out trash. Garbage piling up can have lasting impacts on wildlife like bears and ravens and mountain lions,” said Jonathan Spitzer, Director of Operations for Alpine Ascents.
    As the summer season approaches, cuts to the National Park Service will be acutely felt across Washington state—from small businesses in gateway communities to the safety and quality of visitor experiences in Olympic, North Cascades, and Mount Rainier National Parks. Washingtonians understand that these iconic public lands belong to the public, and that it takes a strong National Park Service to steward them for visitors today and tomorrow.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Opening Remarks at Hearing on the Department of Energy’s Budget

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s opening remarks***
    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Energy and Water Development Subcommittee, kicked off a hearing on the fiscal year 2026 budget request for the Department of Energy (DOE), emphasizing in her opening remarks how important the Department’s work is—and how this administration’s illegal funding freeze, mass reductions in staffing, and steep proposed budget cuts jeopardize essential efforts to drive innovation, reduce dependence on foreign energy sources, and lower Americans’ monthly energy bills.
    Senator Murray’s opening remarks, as delivered, are below:
    “Thank you, Chair Kennedy. I am pleased to serve as Ranking Member of this important Subcommittee, and I hope we can continue our track record of writing bipartisan spending bills that make crucial investments in our communities that we need.
    “DOE’s work is far reaching with major implications for how much families spend on their energy bills, the reliability of our energy grid, whether we lead the world in clean energy, AI, and quantum computing, and our national security and nuclear waste cleanup program. In my home state of Washington, we see this firsthand at the Bonneville Power Administration, which provides power to families across the region. At the Pacific Northwest National Lab, which is pioneering cutting edge research, and at Hanford, where we have the biggest nuclear clean-up site in the country—a moral and legal obligation we must never shortchange.
    “So, we must give the programs DOE manages their due in terms of funding, and in terms of the oversight necessary to ensure that funding actually gets to our communities. But these goals are in jeopardy because of your actions over the last few months like a truly sweeping funding freeze, unprecedented contract cancellations, mass staffing reductions, and uncertainty that is hurting communities across our country.
    “Now, Secretary Wright, my colleagues and I have been pressing you for information on staffing, funds signed into law you are holding up or straight up cancelling, and more. I’ve only received two responses so far, both of them yesterday—clearly to get ahead of today’s hearing. And ‘response’ is being charitable, since you failed to provide any real answers. Last week, you told the House you have ignored basic inquiries from lawmakers because you are apparently too busy, and you mentioned you don’t want to spend time on false premises. So, I thought we could save some time today by debunking a few false premises.
    “It is false for you to say less than a thousand people have left since you took over when we know over 3,500 DOE employees have taken the so-called buyout you offered and we know you fired 500 more. It is false for you to say no contracts have been cancelled when you have plainly cancelled electric vehicle and low-income energy assistance grants in Colorado, to give one example. And it is false for you to say there are no unpaid invoices when we have heard from organizations still waiting on payments—including Hydrogen Hubs, which have unpaid invoices.
    “Now, in addition to ignoring requests from Congress, your FY25 spend plan which is required by law is completely inadequate. That is a critical document for us to understand how you are spending—or illegally blocking and cancelling—billions of dollars Congress has provided for critical projects across the country. I’ve heard you say you are merely conducting a review as if that magically makes it okay. Call it whatever you want, the bottom line is the money isn’t moving. And as a former businessman, you know perfectly well that uncertainty alone has a massive cost.
    “Jobs are already being lost because of your actions. Private investment in critical energy projects is being cancelled, delayed, or threatened to the tune of $71 billion so far this year. And as electric prices hit record highs, you are halting progress on investments that would lower people’s bills. Meanwhile, you are letting thousands of critical staff go—encouraging folks to leave—with no regard for if they do their work well, or if the work is important.
    “I still don’t know how you could do something as crazy as try to fire Bonneville Power Administration workers, in the name of efficiency! I mean these are literally the people who keep the lights on and they aren’t even paid by taxpayer dollars! Eventually, you reversed those firings, but the fact they happened at all was the first in a parade of red flags.
    “Now, we are here to talk about another red flag—a budget that completely guts the non-defense half of your mission. Overall, you want to slash $20 billion from DOE’s science and energy programs. Your budget proposes ripping 75% out of the energy efficiency and renewable energy program and shuttering important clean energy and manufacturing programs. I don’t know who is telling you people want to pay higher electric bills?
    “Your budget slashes $1.1 billion from the Office of Science. Who is telling you we should cede ground to China in the race for innovation, and layoff scientists at our national labs? Your budget cuts $15 billion from programs we created in the bipartisan infrastructure law—hydrogen hubs, battery storage, advanced manufacturing and supply chains, and other programs to lower energy costs. Who told you we don’t want those manufacturing jobs? Who told you we don’t want to strengthen our energy production and reduce our dependence on foreign oil?
    “Here is what I will tell you, if you were to follow through with this disaster of a budget the only energy you are going to save is from the lights that go out at factories across the country. Those lights are going to go off, as China swoops in to take the lead in the technologies that will define the 21st century. I don’t see any efficiency in this budget—but there is a heavy cost.
    “There is the cost you are going to pass on to our constituents in the form of higher electric bills, higher gas bills, more power outages. Not to mention the cost when manufacturing moves elsewhere, and we have to pay Trump’s absurd tariffs for technology we could, and should, be making right here. Or the cost to our country. Discoveries we could be making here, jobs we could be creating here, goods we could be making here and selling across the world. Instead, it feels like you want to gift wrap the future and hand it to China.
    “Your budget also flat-funds the Hanford clean-up. That has serious repercussions. They recently finalized milestones they have to meet on the High Level Waste mission. Flat funding means the only way to hit those targets is to pull funding from other priorities which would have ripple effects for workers carrying out critical projects across the site and ultimately would delay remediation along the Columbia River. That is unacceptable. We cannot rob Peter to pay Paul.
    “Secretary, I know you talk about energy abundance, but talk is cheap. Doing this work takes investments—investments you are ripping to shreds. So, I want to see less talk and more money getting out the door the way Congress wrote and intended. There is common ground in this space. I know because we have found it before. The very last bill Chair Kennedy and I wrote together passed out of this committee unanimously, and I want to see us do it again. Because this is genuinely important work.
    “Now, before I conclude, I would be remiss if I did not address the outrageously corrupt news we got last week on the Army Corps work plan. This administration is ripping away hundreds of millions of dollars from projects that were in the House bill and Senate Energy and Water FY25 bills and funding other projects which were not funded in any bill that we approved!
    “This includes scrapping funds for the Howard Hanson Dam in Washington state. This is a vital project that has to get done and I will keep working with you Mr. Chairman to get this done because this Committee and this Subcommittee have long come together to fund projects vital to communities across this country and I know no member appreciates any administration playing games with our communities for political reasons—as is the case with the work plan released last week. It’s brazen abuse—pure and simple. I am going to keep digging into how that decision was made, demanding answers, speaking out about this, and fighting for my state of Washington.
    “Thank you, and now I will turn it back to Chair Kennedy.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: At Hearing on Murray’s Bill to Expand Menopause Research at VA and DOD, Senator Murray Presses VA Witness on Resources for Women Veterans, Harmful Pause on Clinical Trials at VA

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    ICYMI: Murray Calls Out VA for Stonewalling Congress, Grills VA Secretary Collins on How Trump Administration Mass Firings are Increasing Wait Times for Veterans, Further Jeopardizing EHR Rollout & VA Research
    ***VIDEO of Senator Murray’s Q&A HERE***
    Washington, D.C. — Today, at a Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing to consider pending legislation, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member and former Chair of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, spoke with Dr. Thomas O’Toole, Acting Assistant Under Secretary for Health for Clinical Services for the Veterans Health Administration at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), about her bipartisan Servicewomen and Veterans Menopause Research Act that would require VA and the Department of Defense (DoD) to coordinate on research studying the effects of menopause and perimenopause on women servicemembers and women veterans to close treatment gaps and help ensure women veterans receive appropriate, high-quality gender-specific health care throughout their lives.
    Senator Murray also questioned Dr. O’Toole about VA’s 90-day pause on clinical trials—which is delaying important research right now—and on progress toward establishing permanent in-house mammography services for veterans in VISN-20, which covers veterans in Washington state, Oregon, Alaska, most of Idaho, and parts of Montana and California.
    “Women veterans, particularly those who have suffered from PTSD or sexual assault, tend to experience menopause much earlier than women who did not serve in the military. One VA study found that 15 percent of women veterans experience menopause before the age of 40—that is 10 years earlier than most women,” Senator Murray said. “It is really important that we strengthen menopause research at the VA and DoD so we can provide better care for women servicemembers and our veterans. That is why I was very proud to join Representative Houlahan and Senator Ernst in introducing the Servicewomen and Veterans Menopause Research Act last month to do that.”
    “Can you tell me today what resources are available right now, at the VA, for women veterans who are experiencing menopause? Are there any plans to expand that—what do you have right now?” SenatorMurray asked.
    “I acknowledge and fully appreciate and agree with what you’re saying there,” said Dr. O’Toole. “I do not have that information readily available in terms of what resources are currently being dedicated. I would have to get it for the record.”
    “How long will that take you to get to me?” SenatorMurray asked.
    “We will get it as quickly as we can,” Dr. O’Toole replied. “We strongly support the bill.”
    SenatorMurray continued her questioning: “During a hearing earlier this month, I actually asked Secretary Collins about the Trump administration’s 90-day ‘pause’ on VA clinical trials, which is right now delaying planned trials and putting a halt to ongoing clinical trials at VA, everything from predicting stroke risks to addressing substance abuse. Now, Secretary Collins said at the time, there was no decision regarding what would happen to VA researchers and trials when that pause ended.”
    “Do you have an answer to the question I asked a few weeks ago—what will happen after this this 90-day ‘pause’ ends?,” Murray asked. “Where will you direct the patients whose clinical trials were canceled or delayed?” asked Senator Murray.
    “I do not have that information available to me, I would have to take it for the record,” Dr. O’Toole replied.
    SenatorMurray followed up: “Can you provide my office with a list of clinical trials that were canceled?”
    “I don’t have that available, but we can get that information to you,” Dr. O’Toole responded.
    Senator Murray pushed back, “Well, the VA has to have this information. Certainly, if you care about transparency, which we keep hearing, I see no reason why this information would be secret. When can you get that information to us? These are people who were in trials, these are researchers, they—just for the next 10 years, they’re not supposed to know? When are you going to get that to us?”
    “We will get it to you as soon as we can,” said Dr. O’Toole.
    “What does that mean? I’ve heard that from so many people in the last couple weeks,” SenatorMurray said.
    Dr. O’Toole said, “I would, obviously, defer to our legislative team and our research office on those specifics, but—”
    “It’s a disappointing response, I have to tell you,” SenatorMurray interjected.
    “I would imagine we would be able to get it to you within the next few weeks, 1-2 weeks, hopefully,” Dr. O’Toole finally answered.
    Murray continued by asking about services for women veterans, in particular the lack of in-house mammography services for veterans at Puget Sound VA—an issue Senator Murray has taken up with VA before. “In my home state of Washington, Puget Sound VA saw a seven percent increase in women veterans utilizing their services over the past two years. I am appreciative of the mobile mammography centers that were made available for our Puget Sound veterans, but it’s  a temporary fix. Can you provide me any update today on the progress in establishing permanent in-house mammography services for veterans in VISN-20? Or a timeline?” SenatorMurray asked.
    Dr. O’Toole replied that he did not have the specifics but would get back to Senator Murray with a response to her questions.
    “I would appreciate answers to those questions as soon as you can, this is critical information we need,” Senator Murray said.
    Senator Murray was the first woman to join the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee and the first woman to chair the Committee—as the daughter of a WWII veteran, supporting veterans and their families has always been an important priority for Murray. Advocating for women veterans in particular has been a longtime focus for Senator Murray. As Chair of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee in 2010, Senator Murray passed her landmark Women Veterans Health Improvement Act into law. Murray has worked to permanently authorize the VA child care pilot program to increase access to free, quality child care for veterans during their appointments, make much-needed improvements to the women veterans call center, and fix a loophole that left veterans footing the bill for medically-necessary emergency newborn transportation that VA should be covering. Murray introduced and helped pass the Deborah Sampson Act, legislation to address gender disparities at VA that established a dedicated Office of Women’s Health at VA and required every VA health facility to have a dedicated women’s health primary care provider, among other things. Murray also helped to pass the MAMMO Actto expand access to high-quality breast cancer screening and treatment services for veterans. Last year, as Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Murray delivered a record $900 million investment in women veterans’ health care.
    Also last Congress, Senator Murray introduced the Advancing Menopause Care and Mid-Life Women’s Health Act, comprehensive bipartisan legislation that would be the most expansive effort so far to boost federal research on menopause and would—for the first time—coordinate the federal government’s existing programs related to menopause and mid-life women’s health.
    Senator Murray has been a leading voice in the Senate speaking out forcefully against President Trump and Elon Musk’s mass firing of VA employees and VA researchers across the country and Elon Musk and DOGE’s infiltration of the VA, including accessing veterans’ sensitive personal information. Earlier this month in an oversight hearing with VA Secretary Doug Collins, Senator Murray pressed Secretary Collins on how the Trump administration’s mass firing of VA employees is hurting veterans’ ability to get the health care they need—from jeopardizing VA research, to creating new risks around the deployment of the Electronic Health Record (EHR) system to additional VA Medical Centers—and on new policies the Trump administration recently rolled out that severely limit Congressional engagement with veterans and VA for no legitimate reason. Last month, Senator Murray released a report on how Trump’s mass firings at VA are already hurting veterans’ services and health care in Washington state and across the country.
    The full text of the Servicewomen and Veterans Menopause Research Act is available here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murray Grills Secretary Wright on Illegal Funding Freeze, Mass Firings, Devastating Proposed Funding Cuts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    Murray highlights how DOE’s actions and proposals undermined American innovation and will raise energy costs for American families
    ***WATCH AND READ: Senator Murray’s opening remarks***
    ***WATCH: Senator Murray questioning Secretary Wright***
    ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s closing remarks***
    Washington, D.C. — Today, at a Senate Appropriations Energy and Water Development Subcommittee hearing on the fiscal year 2026 budget request for the Department of Energy (DOE), U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee, called out Secretary Chris Wright for creating chaos by forcing out thousands of critical employees, undermining American innovation and raising consumers’ costs by illegally blocking funds, blatantly ignoring Congress, and more.
    [MASS LAYOFFS]
    Senator Murray turned her questioning to how Secretary Wright is pushing out employees at DOE, “Secretary Wright, despite your claims to the contrary, more than 3500 employees have taken the deferred resignation offer—that’s over 20 percent of your staff. And we know that you fired several hundred probationary employees as well. This has meant some offices are now gutted, there’s nobody there, and others are in turmoil. For example, the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, which manages $20 billion in grants from the bipartisan infrastructure law, has lost more than 77 percent of its staff. It will be nearly impossible for that Office to accomplish its basic functions, let alone oversee any massive and complex energy construction projects. Your firings have been really arbitrary even firing some of our grid operators and linemen at the Bonneville Power Administration—which are not paid for by taxpayer dollars. I know you scrambled to get those people back. Several weeks ago, you said no more firings will occur at Bonneville—these positions are absolutely critical to the reliability of the grid in Washington state and the Pacific Northwest. Will you commit to exempting BPA from your hiring freeze, so they can bring on mission critical staff and keep the Northwest grid running?”
    Secretary Wright refused to make that commitment but replied: “We are very concerned about the power marketing agencies. They are critical to our country, Bonneville being one of them. We have been careful that their operations have not been disrupted. They were short-staffed when I arrived in this chair, and we will continue to treat them as the critical assets they are. Headcount is one input, it’s an important input, but it’s not the only input in running a successful business or a successful agency and again you brought up people that have provisionally elected to do a deferred resignation program and many of them still have the option to decide whether they really are staying or they really are leaving, they are in transition, we are engaged with them, they are not fired, they are not gone from the Department of Energy yet—”
    “There are a lot of folks still on the payroll at the expense of the taxpayer. We were told that over $70 million worth that are on administrative leave now. They are at home, they are not working, they are not processing anything, they are not doing any work, and as a result, offices across the department are not able to function because those people are not there. Even though taxpayers are still telling them to. On BPA, in terms of that, I do look forward to DOE hiring back sufficient staff. We have got to cover these critical responsibilities,” said Senator Murray.
    [PROPOSED BUDGET CUTS]
    Senator Murray then asked about Secretary Wright’s sweeping proposed budget cuts at DOE: “President Trump’s skinny budget really doubles down on cuts DOGE has already made to the Department. You propose cutting $2.5 billion from the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy—74% of its overall budget—eliminating programs that reduce energy prices for businesses and families. On the one hand: you and the President say you support U.S. dominance in emerging technologies, but then, on the other, you propose cutting over $1 billion in funding to the Office of Science—undermining critical research programs for AI, fusion, quantum computing, nuclear energy, and critical minerals. Typically, new administrations craft budget requests that actually reflect their alleged priorities. You talk a lot about lowering costs for consumers and creating the ‘next Manhattan Project’ for AI, but this budget request includes across the board cuts to the very programs that would help you achieve your stated goals. I want to get this straight, you are asking Congress to cut the budget for the Office of Science by more than a billion dollars—that will help advance AI research and quantum computing?”
    Secretary Wright responded, “It [the over $1 billion plus proposed cut] won’t inhibit them at all. In fact, I think that on the margin it will help. Cause of course all the things you listed like fusion, quantum computing, fundamental basic science, none of those things will be cut. The problem is the labs drifted into things that are not fundamental basic science—that are political science. That is just not the missions of the labs.”
    Senator Murray pressed, “Do you have examples of those that you’d like to share with us?”
    “We have a crazy range of things on climate change. There is science around climate change that I write about and have studied for two decades, there’s real science there, but it has become a political game more than a real science game. That’s not the business of the national labs, and we’re going to shrink that activity,” said Secretary Wright, in part, admitting to planning to cut projects related to critical renewable energy research and climate science.
    Senator Murray continued: “You talk about the importance of nuclear power and small modular reactors. Just yesterday, you said you were in favor of ‘every incentive we can get from the federal government to restart this industry.’ Yet, in your budget you’re proposing you cut the Office of Nuclear Energy by $408 million. How are investors and companies supposed to have confidence in partnering with you, when what you say and what your budget says are two different things?”
    Secretary Wright replied, “Each individual line item does not indicate a policy. I think the nuclear industry is quite enthusiastic and quite confident they are going to have the best environment ever for commercial nuclear power under this administration, under my leadership at the DOE. What we are doing is mobilizing tens of billions of dollars of private capital using the government—”
    “The private capital is counting on us to make that investment; otherwise, we see them pull out. We have actually seen companies in the country now pulling out of projects because of the chaos in your department. As a businessman, you said that you should know more than anyone the importance of certainty. When they see the chaos and they see them pulling back, then they’re not going to invest their private money either,” Senator Murray pushed back.
    Secretary Wright again stood by the proposed budget cut for the Office of Nuclear Science.
    [LACK OF FULL BUDGET REQUEST]
    “We are having a budget hearing today. We have not seen your full budget request. We need that in front of us. It is required. It is critical information. When are we going to see your full budget request?” inquired Senator Murray.
    Secretary Wright was unable to provide details and responded, “I’m working with OMB right now to get that out as soon as we can. I understand your urgency.”
    [CLOSING COMMENTS]
    Senator Murray concluded by saying, “You have heard from my side, one after the other, of contracts that were canceled or frozen. These are real. You said no grants are frozen, no invoices unpaid. I don’t know if you’re not paying attention or you haven’t seen it, but I just want to remind you, it is illegal to ignore the clear directions of Congress. These are programs, spending bills that we passed through this committee. They were signed into law, and if you’re canceling them or freezing them or whatever, that is impoundment, and it is illegal. And I don’t raise that concern lightly. I am deeply concerned, and we are hearing the same stories over and over again. I do have a list, you said you hadn’t seen any. I will submit it for the record of canceled and frozen grants. These are just a handful that we know about. So, we expect your office to follow through and to do it quickly.
    “Secondly, on the CR spend plan, that was required within 45 days, that’s by law. Your department still has not given that to us. And again, I don’t raise this lightly, this committee, all of our committees, need to know where that money is going, where it’s being spent. Hanford Site is on the brink of having to lay off subcontractors and restart an entire procurement process on an important project because they are being directed now to hold off on implementing projects at FY 25 spend levels. So, this is not efficient, and Congress requires that, and we need those fixed. So that is really critical, and we expect a real response, not, you know, a nice little phrase.
    “And finally, on communication, you’ve heard it from several people. I appreciate that you’re telling everybody, ‘Call my office, we’ll call you back.’ But two-way communication is two-way communication. You told me you’d pick up the phone whenever, but we’re not getting calls back. People are not getting calls back. And I think it’s really important that you know that. I know you told some people that you were too busy, but you told me to call whenever. I have tried to get in touch with you. It took us a month and a half to get a call scheduled. Communication is not someday I’ll call you back. It’s unacceptable. And I do want to enter seven letters into the record that I have sent with colleagues over the past several months requesting information about what is going on at DOE—radio silence until yesterday—that was convenient. So, we need to get responses back to those letters, and I want to be on record saying that communication is not ignoring us.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy, Marshall, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Improve Seniors’ Access to Care

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Roger Marshall (R-KS) introduced the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act to improve access to care for seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans by streamlining the time-consuming prior authorization process. The bill would ultimately allow healthcare providers to spend more time on patient care rather than administrative burdens.
    “Prior authorization places more importance on process than patients. As a doctor, I want that to change. Let’s make sure seniors are receiving timely care,” said Dr. Cassidy.
    “Prior authorization is the number one administrative burden facing physicians today across all specialties,” said Senator Marshall. “As a physician, I understand the frustration this arbitrary process is causing health care practices across the country and the headaches it creates for our nurses. With the bipartisan, bicameral Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act, we will streamline prior authorization and help improve patient outcomes and access to quality care.”
    Cassidy and Marshall were joined by U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Mark Warner (D-VA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), James Lankford (R-OK), John Fetterman (D-PA), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), John Boozman (R-AR), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), John Cornyn (R-TX), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ted Budd (R-NC), Patty Murray (D-WA), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), John Hoeven (R-ND), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Rick Scott (R-FL), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Tina Smith (D-MN), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and Chris Coons (D-DE). 
    “Too often, seniors have to wait to receive vital care because of administrative burdens like prior authorization. I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act, which will streamline prior authorization and reduce unnecessary health care delays,” said Senator Capito.
    “Seniors across the Cowboy State rely on Medicare, but too often, bureaucratic red tape gets in the way of timely care,” said Senator Lummis. “I am proud to join my colleagues across the aisle to streamline the prior authorization process and put patients over paperwork.”
    “Excessive administrative burdens within the Medicare Advantage program means too many seniors receive delayed benefits, while our health care providers are overwhelmed by paperwork. The current system isn’t working well for anyone, and it’s time we take meaningful action to fix it. This commonsense legislation is a necessary step in the right direction,” said Senator Hyde-Smith.
    “Quality, expedited medical care should always be within reach for seniors, and our providers deserve a system that helps them focus on delivering it,” said Senator Boozman. “I’m pleased to join this bipartisan effort to end the inefficient process that delays Medicare Advantage beneficiaries’ evaluations and treatments while removing an unnecessary, bureaucratic burden on clinicians.”
    “Doctors and health care providers are too often bogged down by unnecessary burdens, which can lead to delayed care and negative outcomes for patients,” said Senator Cornyn. “By streamlining the prior authorization process under Medicare Advantage, this legislation would cut red tape, improve enrollee experiences, and ensure seniors receive the timely care they deserve.”
    “Improving the prior authorization process will help seniors have quicker access to the health care they need and remove administrative hurdles for physicians,” said Senator Moran. “This legislation would make commonsense changes to better support thousands of seniors in Kansas and remove the red tape that is costing doctors and patients valuable time.”
    “North Carolina seniors shouldn’t face unnecessary delays when trying to access the care they need through Medicare Advantage,” said Senator Tillis. “I’m proud to support this bipartisan, commonsense legislation that streamlines the prior authorization process, cuts red tape for providers, and ensures patients get timely access to treatment.”
    U.S. Representatives John Joyce, M.D. (R-PA-13), Suzan DelBene (D-WA-01), Mike Kelly (R-PA-16), and Ami Bera, M.D. (D-CA-06) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
    This legislation is supported by the Better Medicare Alliance, Humana, and 138 other health care organizations.
    “Prior authorization helps keep health care costs low and ensures seniors are getting the most appropriate care. But the process should be easier. The changes put forth in this legislation are long overdue and will help ensure seniors can get the care they need without delay,” said Mary Beth Donahue, President and CEO of Better Medicare Alliance. “We are proud to support this bill and thank Senators Marshall and Warner, and Representatives Kelly, DelBene, Bera, and Joyce for their leadership. We look forward to continued work on this issue with Congress and the Administration.”
    “Humana’s job is to ensure our members have access to high quality, affordable healthcare.  We support efforts in the House and Senate to move the Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act forward quickly,” said Jim Rechtin, Humana CEO. “It is a common-sense approach to making healthcare easier by modernizing the prior authorization process.”
    The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act would:
    Establish an electronic prior authorization process for Medicare Advantage plans, including a standardization for transactions and clinical attachments.
    Increase transparency around Medicare Advantage prior authorization requirements and their use.
    Clarify U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) authority to establish timeframes for e-prior authorization requests, including expedited determinations, real-time decisions for routinely approved items and services, and other prior authorization requests.
    Expand beneficiary protections to improve enrollee experiences and outcomes.
    Require HHS and other agencies to report to Congress on program integrity efforts and other ways to further improve the e-prior authorization process.
    Result in a zero cost to American taxpayers.
    Codify and enhance elements of the Advancing Interoperability and Improving Prior Authorization Processes (e-PA) rule that was finalized by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on January 17, 2024.
    Background
    Prior authorization is a tool used by health plans to reduce unnecessary care by requiring health care providers to get pre-approval for medical services. The current system often results in multiple faxes or phone calls by clinicians, which takes precious time away from delivering care. Prior authorization continues to be the number one administrative burden identified by health care providers, and nearly three out of four Medicare Advantage enrollees are subject to unnecessary delays due to the practice. 
    Last Congress, the bill was supported by a super majority of members in the U.S. Senate (60) and was unanimously passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in 2022.
    In 2018, the HHS Office of the Inspector General raised concerns after an audit revealed that Medicare Advantage plans ultimately approved 75% of requests that were originally denied.
    In 2022, the HHS Office of Inspector General released a report finding that MA plans incorrectly denied beneficiaries’ access to services even though they met Medicare coverage rules.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Trump Admin. Accidentally Admits It Will Hurt the Poor to Give Bigger Tax Windfall to the Ultra-Wealthy

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC – Earlier this week the White House accidentally published proof that President Trump’s so-called “big, beautiful bill” increases taxes on low-income earners in order to give cut taxes for the rich.

    The White House briefly linked to – and then took down – a document from the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT), the official nonpartisan committee that analyzes how different income levels will be impacted by new tax laws, after realizing the document showed Trump’s policies would financially harm working families.

    That JCT report showed that in 2029, when the permanent effects of the GOP tax plan are felt, Americans making less than $30,000 will actually pay more in taxes under the Trump plan than under current law.  Americans making less than $15,000 would be forced to pay 53 percent more in taxes than they do now as their average tax rate jumps from 3.3 percent to 5.1 percent. Meanwhile, households making over $1 million will pay 6.4 percent less in taxes (totaling an estimated $74 billion collectively), as their average rate falls from 30.8 percent to 28.7 percent.

    Today, U.S. Senator Jack Reed issued the following statement condemning Trump’s partisan tax bill that would raise taxes on the lowest-income Americans while handing six-figure windfalls to the wealthiest 0.1 percent of taxpayers:

    “Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans are trying to jam through a Robin Hood in Reverse tax plan that takes from the poor to give to the rich.  The numbers are clear: Trump’s plan will make the rich richer and the poor poorer.  Families struggling to put food on the table will pay more and have less federal support while millionaires and billionaires get a bigger tax windfall.  For people just getting by, and just starting out, it will make it harder for them to afford the American Dream.  It’s going to increase the number of people living paycheck to paycheck, deepen the divide, and exacerbate the wealth gap and financial inequality,” said Reed.

    According to USA Today, the top 1 percent of households in the United States own significantly more wealth than the bottom 90 percent.

    “The American people want a tax system that is simple, fair, and encourages a strong, resilient, and prosperous economic future.  Instead of directing bigger tax windfalls to the ultra-wealthy as Trump and congressional Republicans want, I believe we must direct targeted relief to working families and help bring down costs for things like health care, housing, and child care in ways that widely benefit the vast majority instead of just the wealthy few,” said Reed.

    New analysis from the Yale Budget Lab, a nonpartisan research center, further underscores the JCT’s findings and highlights how skewed the Trump tax bill is in favor of the wealthy at the expense of working families.  The Yale Budget Lab found that nearly 80 percent of the bill’s total benefits would go to just the top 20 percent of earners.

    Reed pointed out that the numbers look even worse when factoring in the fact that President Trump and Congressional Republicans are cutting programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to save money and help pay for their tax cuts for the wealthy. When adding the impact of those cuts to low-income families, the benefits of the Trump tax bill become even more skewed towards the richest Americans.

    The New York Times reports that economists at the Penn Wharton Budget Model “found that many Americans who make less than $51,000 a year would see their after-tax income fall as a result of the Republican proposal beginning in 2026.”

    Trump and Congressional Republicans are continuing to modify their bill which also currently cuts hundreds of millions from Medicaid, SNAP and other popular programs.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed: Trump Admin’s Decision to Accept Luxury Jet from Qatar is a National Embarrassment

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, after the U.S. Department of Defense announced it has accepted a luxury commercial aircraft donated by Qatar for use as the new Air Force One for President Donald Trump while he is in office and then plans to transfer it to Trump’s presidential library when he leaves office, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, slammed the decision, stating:

    “This is a national embarrassment that raises serious security and ethics questions.

    “President Trump is outsourcing a core symbol of American sovereignty, power, and ingenuity.  He is forcing U.S. taxpayers to shell out potentially hundreds of millions of dollars to refurbish this so-called gift which will likely only be in official service for a short time.

    “Refurbishing a Qatari-gifted plane with the responsibilities of Air Force One isn’t just costly – it’s a serious national security risk. Potentially exposing the President’s communications and safety to a foreign government is reckless and would create unacceptable vulnerabilities for our nation.

    “Today’s announcement is not the end of the story, and I expect my colleagues to join me in exercising oversight over this outrageous move. There must be transparency and accountability about the costs of retrofitting this plane, the counterintelligence risks involved, and how it will be used once President Trump leaves office.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Call for witnesses – Domestic Violence Offences – Johnston

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    NT Police Force general duties members arrested a 22-year-old male in relation to a domestic violence incident that occurred in Johnston last night.

    About 8pm, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre received a report that an incident was unfolding at a residential address, with a male assaulting a female known to him.

    Neighbours, upon hearing the disturbance contacted Triple Zero and rendered assistance and provided first aid prior to St John Ambulance and police attending.

    Upon police arrival, the offender was arrested and conveyed to Palmerston Watch House, where he remains in custody as investigations continue.

    The victim, a 22-year-old female, was conveyed by St John Ambulance to Royal Darwin Hospital in a critical condition.

    The Domestic Violence Investigation Unit has carriage of the investigation.

    NT Police appreciate the intervention and aid provided by neighbours and urge anyone who may have witnessed the incident to contact police on 131 444. Please reference to job number P25138375.

    If you or someone you know are experiencing difficulties due to domestic violence, support services are available, including, but not limited to, 1800RESPECT (1800737732) or Lifeline 131 114.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Man City’s Guardiola demands slimmer squad for next season

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

    Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola has urged the club to reduce the size of the first team squad or he will consider leaving for the good of his “soul” as he hates to leave players in the stands.

    Guardiola made the remarks after Tuesday night’s 3-1 win at home to Bournemouth thanks to goals from Omar Marmoush, Bernardo Silva and Nico Gonzalez. The win lifted City to third in the Premier League and it needs just a point from next weekend’s visit to play Fulham to assure a place in next season’s Champions League.

    Pep Guardiola looks on during Manchester City’s 2023 UEFA Super Cup against Sevilla in Piraeus, Greece, Aug. 16, 2023. (Photo by Panagiotis Moschandreou/Xinhua)

    Tuesday’s win came with players such as James McAtee, Rico Lewis and Abdukodir Khusanov, Savinho and Claudio Echeverri all watching from the stands. Some could say that shows the depth of talent available for Guardiola, but the coach clearly views things differently.

    “I said to the club I don’t want that; I don’t want to leave five or six players in the freezer. I don’t want that. I will quit. Make a shorter squad, I will stay.”

    “It’s impossible for my soul to have my players in the tribune – that they cannot play,” he said.

    “As a manager I cannot train 24 players and every time I select, I have to have four, five, six stay in Manchester at home because they cannot play. This is not going to happen. I said to the club, I don’t want that,” he continued.

    Tuesday night saw Spain international midfielder Rodri return after missing nearly all of the season after a knee operation, and Guardiola admitted that injuries to defenders such as Ruben Dias and John Stones had made things difficult this season.

    “It was so difficult but next season it cannot be like that,” insisted the coach.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Investing in community regeneration

    Source: Scottish Government

    Projects to unlock economic growth and tackle poverty.

    Projects across Scotland will benefit from Scottish Government investment to help regenerate communities and drive economic growth.

    More than £21.5 million from two Scottish Government funds will bring 24 disused or derelict sites and buildings into use, creating more than 160 jobs and support nearly 900 training opportunities.

    Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes confirmed the 2025-26 allocations from the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund (RCGF) and Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme (VDLIP) during a visit to Powderhall in north Edinburgh.

    City of Edinburgh Council will receive £1.4 million for remedial works at the former waste disposal site, paving the way for a housing-led regeneration project that will provide 259 homes, including affordable housing.

    Other initiatives being supported include:

    • reviving a slate quarry in Cullipool owned and operated by the Isle of Luing Community Trust
    • converting a former tram depot in Dundee into a new transport museum
    • redeveloping a former derelict school into energy efficient housing units in Borrodale on the Isle of Skye
    • creating film production suites and a training centre at a former glue factory in Glasgow
    • extending Lochvale House community centre in Dumfries to include a café and soft play area

    The announcement coincides with a call for expressions of interest in 2026-27 funding to support regeneration projects in disadvantaged communities. As set out in the 2025 Programme for Government, future Scottish Government support for regeneration projects will be channelled through one national fund – the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund – to streamline the application and delivery process.

    The Deputy First Minister said:

    “This funding will help to transform derelict sites the length and breadth of Scotland, creating homes, jobs and facilities that drive economic growth, tackle poverty and help support and growing thriving communities.

    “This funding forms part of a wider £62.15 million investment by the Scottish Government towards regeneration projects in 2025-26. This will help to revitalise green spaces, town centres and derelict sites to benefit people across Scotland.

    “The 2025 Programme for Government stets out our renewed commitment to supporting regeneration projects across the country with one streamlined fund delivering this vision from next year.”

    The RCGF is delivered in partnership with COSLA.

    COSLA’s Spokesperson for Environment and Economy, Councillor Gail Macgregor, said:

    “Today’s announcement sees the return of invaluable tools and resources for local authorities to help deliver on the regeneration aspirations of the communities which they represent.

    “The diversity of successful projects on show demonstrates how localised approaches can deliver benefits across the country and showcase the best of partnership between local authorities and our communities to deliver economic and social renewal.

    “We look forward to continuing to work with Scottish Government on regeneration in the months to come.”

    City of Edinburgh Council’s Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener Lezley Marion Cameron said:

    “Our development plans at Powderhall are breathing new life into an excellently located, long unused industrial site, and are set to deliver hundreds of much-needed new homes and work and community spaces too.

    “The transformation of Powderhall is already well underway with the restoration of the former stable block, which retains unique heritage features of the site’s former use.   

    “Regenerating a historic, brownfield site like Powderhall is complex, challenging, and costly therefore I warmly welcome this Scottish Government investment.”

    Background

    Regeneration Projects supported through the RCGF and VDLIP fund in 2025/2026:

    Fund

    Organisation

    Project

    Award

    RCGF

    Angus Council

    Arbroath Courthouse Community Trust

    £2,138,985

    RCGF

    Argyll & Bute Council

    Fyne Futures Local Food Production and Training Centre

    £250,000

    RCGF

    Argyll & Bute Council

    Isle of Luing Community Owned Slate Quarry

    £1,747,936

    RCGF

    City of Edinburgh Council

    Spartans Youth Work and Education Building

    RCGF

    Clyde Gateway

    Baltic Street Play

    £850,000

    RCGF

    Dumfries and Galloway Council

    Let’s Get Sporty – Lochvale House

    £1,572,370

    RCGF

    Dundee City Council

    Dundee Museum of Transport – A Catalyst for Regeneration of Stobswell

    £1,001,430

    RCGF

    Fife Council

    Together Cowdenbeath People’s Centre

    £1,000,000

    RCGF

    Glasgow City Council

    SEC Possilpark

    £600,000

    RCGF

    Glasgow City Council

    Glue Factory

    £398,169

    RCGF

    Highland Council

    Glen Urquhart Public Hall

    £602,500

    RCGF

    Inverclyde Council

    Bank St. Community Hub

    £515,000

    RCGF

    South Lanarkshire Council

    Cathcart Road Net Zero Industrial Units

    £963,000

    VDLIP

    City of Edinburgh Council

    Powderhall Housing-Led Regeneration

    £1,400,000

    VDLIP

    Clyde Gateway

    Cuningar Loop Woodland Park Completion

    £500,000

    VDLIP

    Dumfries and Galloway Council

    Annan Harbour Regeneration – Phase 1

    £1,343,683

    VDLIP

    Dundee City Council

    Placemaking Lochee

    £695,000

    VDLIP

    East Dunbartonshire Council

    Lennoxtown Community Greenspace Project

    £472,952

    VDLIP

    Glasgow City Council

    Milton Discovery Wood

    £655,200

    VDLIP

    Glasgow City Council

    Tureen Street School Conversion

    £1,978,441

    VDLIP

    Highland Council

    Borrodale School Renovation Project

    £450,000

    VDLIP

    North Ayrshire Council

    Kyle Road Phase 2 Development

    £892,990

    VDLIP

    North Lanarkshire Council

    Cumbernauld Village Green-Blue Space

    £735,770

    VDLIP

    Renfrewshire Council

    Ferguslie Green Line – Belltrees

    £650,436

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: IAG’s proposed acquisition of RACQ Insurance not opposed

    Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

    The ACCC will not oppose Insurance Australia Group Limited’s (ASX: IAG) proposed acquisition of RACQ Insurance Limited (RACQI).

    IAG and RACQI supply general insurance products, including home and contents insurance and motor insurance. They predominantly overlap in the supply of insurance products in Queensland.

    The ACCC’s review considered the impact of the proposed acquisition on the supply of home and contents insurance and the supply of motor insurance, focussing on the level of competition provided by other existing insurance providers, how competitive RACQI is now, and the likely impact of the acquisition on insurance prices, service offering, and coverage.

    The ACCC found that alternative suppliers of home and contents insurance and motor insurance would continue to compete with and provide a competitive constraint on IAG after the acquisition.

    “Several alternative suppliers of home and contents insurance and motor insurance, including the market leader Suncorp, more established insurers Allianz and QBE, and newer entrants such as Youi, Auto & General, and Hollard will continue to compete in Queensland,” ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said.

    The ACCC’s investigation also found RACQI has not been a particularly vigorous competitor in recent times and that it has been losing market share since 2019.

    “While RACQI has strong brand recognition in Queensland, our review found that it does not differentiate in terms of price or coverage. Its prices are generally higher than many alternative suppliers, and that it does not meaningfully differentiate on coverage or service offering in the supply of home and contents insurance and motor insurance,” Ms Cass-Gottlieb said.

    The ACCC also closely considered the level of competition RACQI would provide in the alternative scenario where it is not acquired by IAG.

    In particular, the ACCC considered the significant challenges faced by the insurance industry, including the growth in the number of extreme weather events over time and rising reinsurance and regulatory costs. The ACCC also considered how these challenges affected RACQI in particular.

    “RACQI faces material challenges in continuing to provide competitive insurance due to it serving some areas of higher natural hazard risk, and limited access to capital as a mutual organisation. These challenges have placed limitations on its capacity to compete,” Ms Cass-Gottlieb said.

    The ACCC also considered the impact of the proposed acquisition on markets for the acquisition of smash repair services, windscreen repair and replacement services, and building repair services.

    The ACCC found that the proposed acquisition is unlikely to substantially lessen competition in these markets as IAG is unlikely to have the ability to diminish prices or supply terms after the acquisition due to its position in the market relative to other insurers and acquirers of these services.

    The ACCC is currently reviewing Allianz Australia Insurance Limited’s proposed acquisition of RAA Insurance Holdings Limited and is aware of IAG’s proposed acquisition of RAC Insurance from RAC WA. This decision in relation to IAG and RACQ should not be treated as being indicative of the ACCC’s decision or further consideration of these transactions. The competitive dynamics and issues in each transaction are unique and the ACCC is considering (or will consider) each transaction individually.

    Further information can be found on the ACCC’s public register: IAG Limited – RACQ Insurance Limited

    Background

    As part of the proposed acquisition, IAG will acquire 90 per cent of the shares in RACQI from The Royal Automobile Club of Queensland Limited (RACQ), with an option to acquire the additional 10 per cent after two years. The proposed acquisition does not include RACQ’s membership-based business, which includes its roadside assistance business.

    IAG is a general insurance company operating in Australia and New Zealand. IAG provides a range of personal and commercial insurance products under various brands, including NRMA Insurance, Swann Insurance, ROLLiN’, Cylo, and Lumley Special Vehicles.

    IAG also underwrites insurance products and distributes them through agreements with third party brands, including Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, People’s Choice Bank, ANZ, and Coles (transitioning to Auto & General by October 2025).

    RACQ is a Queensland based member-owned organisation that provides roadside assistance, insurance, banking, and member/community services. RACQ issues general insurance products to customers through its wholly-owned subsidiary RACQI.

    RACQI also underwrites insurance products and distributes them through agreements with third party brands, including Honey Insurance (which provides insurance products to Aldi Insurance, Bank Australia, and Bank of Queensland) and Royal Automobile Club WA.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Defense Contractor Pleads Guilty to Tax Crimes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant Admits to Concealing 50% Ownership of $7B Defense Contracting Business to Evade Taxes

               WASHINGTON – Douglas Edelman, 73, a former defense contractor, pleaded guilty today to tax crimes related to a scheme to defraud the United States and evade taxes on income he earned from his contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense.

               The sentence was announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, and Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter with IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Washington, D.C. Field Office. 

               Edelman pleaded guilty to 10 felony counts: conspiracy to defraud the United States, seven counts of tax evasion, and two counts of making a false statement.  U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly scheduled a hearing on issues related to sentencing on Nov. 17, 2026. Trial on the remaining counts of the indictment will be in 2026.

               According to court documents and statements made in court, Edelman founded and owned 50% of Mina Corp. and Red Star Enterprises (Mina/Red Star), a defense contracting business that received more than $7 billion from contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense to provide jet fuel in the United States’ post-9/11 military efforts in Afghanistan and the Middle East. 

               Working with others, Edelman engaged in a lengthy scheme to hide his Mina/Red Star profits to evade U.S. taxes, including by concealing his income in undisclosed foreign bank accounts, creating false documents and making false statements that one of his co-conspirators — a French citizen residing abroad and without U.S. tax obligations — founded and owned Mina/Red Star. 

               For example, when the company became profitable in 2005, Edelman began taking distributions which he deposited into Swiss bank accounts, primarily at Credit Suisse, in the name of other companies he owned. In 2008, Credit Suisse informed Edelman that he had to either close his accounts or disclose them to U.S. authorities. Rather than come into compliance with his tax and reporting obligations, Edelman closed his accounts and opened new ones at Bank Julius Baer in Singapore in the name of a nominee entity, the beneficiaries of which were purportedly Edelman’s daughters. He then directed the subject income he earned from Mina/Red Star to those bank accounts. 

               In 2010 the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs began investigating allegations of corruption in connection with Mina/Red Star’s contracts with the Department of Defense. As part of this inquiry, the subcommittee became interested in the identity of Mina/Red Star’s owners. At this time, Edelman had not filed U.S. tax returns to report the millions of dollars he had earned from Mina/Red Star and had not paid U.S. taxes on his income. 

               Rather than disclose his ownership, Edelman caused his attorneys to tell Congress a false story that a French co-conspirator who had no U.S. tax or reporting obligations founded and co-owed Mina/Red Star with another individual. To corroborate the false story, Edelman and a co-conspirator caused false and backdated paperwork to be created. 

               To continue the scheme, Edelman conveyed the false story about Mina/Red Star’s ownership to other arms of the U.S. government, including to the Department of Defense during contract negotiations in 2010 and 2011, to the IRS in a 2016 application to the Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program, and to the Justice Department in a 2018 presentation. 

               In conjunction with his 2016 application to the IRS’s Voluntary Disclosure Program, Edelman filed false tax returns for several prior years that only reported income from gifts or purported consulting payments, continuing to conceal the millions he had earned from his company. On the returns, he also concealed profits he had earned from a separate business to provide internet service to members of the armed forces at Kandahar Air Base in Afghanistan. 

               Instead of paying the taxes that he knew he owed, Edelman used the money to fund his lifestyle and additional investments. He invested in a music television franchise in Eastern Europe, a land venture in Tulum, Mexico, and a farm in Kenya, and purchased property around Europe, including a home in Ibiza, Spain, and a townhouse in London.

               Edelman faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each of the 10 counts to which he has pleaded. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

               This case is being investigated by special agents from IRS-CI’s International Tax & Financial Crimes specialty group, a team based out of Washington, D.C., that is dedicated to uncovering international tax crimes, along with the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs assisted in the investigation. His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs of the United Kingdom also provided assistance, as did the Joint Chiefs of Global Tax Enforcement (J5), which brings together the taxing authorities of Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The Guardia Civil of Spain assisted with the arrest. 

               This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Gold for the District of Columbia and Assistant Chief Sarah Ranney and Trial Attorney Ezra Spiro of the Tax Division.

    24cr239

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jury convicts home health agency owner in Medicare fraud and identity theft scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HOUSTON – A 64-year-old man has been convicted of all counts as charged for leading a Medicare fraud scheme involving the submission of falsified medical records, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.  

    The jury deliberated for less than two hours before convicting Paul Njoku following a three-day trial. 

    Njoku owned and operated a home health care agency called Opnet Health Care Services Inc. doing business as P & P Health Care Services. Njoku was the owner and CEO. 

    The jury heard testimony from witnesses that Njoku, or others working at his direction, forged signatures of doctors and nurses. Specifically, Njoku and others cut out old signatures and taped them onto newly created doctors’ orders, nursing notes and nursing assessments. Medicare required home health agencies to maintain these documents to obtain payment for providing home health services. Njoku then submitted the falsified records in response to a request for records from Medicare. 

    The jury also heard about a registered nurse who had departed Opnet in 2017. Njoku continued using her signature on nursing notes and assessments in 2018 and 2019 without her knowledge or consent. 

    A witness also testified that Njoku bribed a doctor in exchange for approving home health services. 

    From 2015 to 2019, Opnet billed Medicare over $400,000 in claims for home health services and received over $360,000. Opnet did not maintain the required documentation for many of them and later falsified records to support the claims.

    During the trial, a representative testified that Medicare would not have paid these claims had Medicare known there was no documentation or that they were based on falsified records. 

    “It is absolutely paramount that Americans—both as patients and as taxpayers—have confidence in the integrity of medical providers that receive Medicare funds. Here, the defendant unrepentantly abused that trust by engaging in bribery and stealing from Medicare,” said Ganjei. “With today’s guilty verdict, the Southern District of Texas aims to restore some of that lost trust. I thank the jury for their time and attention to this important case.”

    The defense attempted to blame another person for the fraud. The jury did not believe those claims and found him guilty as charged.

    U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett presided over the trial and will set sentencing at a later date. At that time, Njoku will face a maximum of 10 years for conspiracy to commit health care fraud, five years for two counts of false statements relating to health care matters as well as another two years for the identity theft which must be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed. The convictions also carry a possible $250,000 fine for each count.

    He was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.

    The FBI, Department of Health and Human Services-Office of the Inspector General and Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christian Latham and Kathryn Olson are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Chief Executive Officer of Digital Asset Company Found Guilty in Multi-Million Dollar Crypto-Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant Misappropriated Millions of Dollars of Investors’ Funds for His Own Use Including to Purchase Real Estate and Luxury Vehicles

    Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, a federal jury convicted Braden John Karony on all counts of a three-count indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit securities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering.  The charges arose from the defendant’s and his co-conspirators’ roles in defrauding investors in a decentralized finance digital asset called “SafeMoon,” issued by their company SafeMoon LLC.  As alleged, the defendant agreed with his co-conspirators to lie to SafeMoon investors about whether SafeMoon executives could access the liquidity pool and whether they were using the assets from the liquidity pool for their personal benefit.  As SafeMoon’s market capitalization grew to more than $8 billion, the defendant fraudulently diverted and misappropriated millions of dollars’ worth of  liquidity from the SafeMoon liquidity pool for their personal benefit.  The verdict followed a 12-day trial before United States District Judge Eric R. Komitee.  When sentenced, Karony faces up to 45 years in prison.  The jury also issued a verdict to forfeit one residential property and the proceeds from the sale of another residential property, amounting to approximately $2 million.

    Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York;   Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI); and Darren B. McCormack, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI New York) announced the verdict. 

    “As proven at trial, the SafeMoon digital asset was anything but safe and turned out to be pie in the sky for investors who were deliberately misled by Karony, a man who sought to get rich quick by stealing and diverting millions of dollars,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “Karony used his scheme to purchase multiple homes, sports cars, custom trucks, and other luxury goods.  Today’s guilty verdict should serve as a warning to all would-be fraudsters that my Office will vigorously prosecute individuals like the defendant who victimize digital asset investors and undermine investor confidence in digital assets markets, thereby threatening the stability and growth of these emerging technologies.”

    Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for its work on the case. 

    “Braden Karony, the CEO of SafeMoon, exploited his company’s digital portfolio with fictional success stories and stole millions of dollars in crypto-assets to finance luxury purchases,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia.  “Along with his co-conspirators, Karony violated his clients’ trust and wallets while attempting to conceal his misconduct through discreet transactions.  May today’s conviction emphasize the FBI’s commitment to securing all markets and protecting the American people from individuals who abuse their position to satisfy personal greed.”

    “Braden Karony misled investors; intentionally diverted and misappropriated millions in cryptocurrency for his personal benefit; and lined the driveways of his million dollar homes with luxury cars.  While the name of his company is SafeMoon, there was nothing safe about this investment that was just a front for theft.  By following the money with complex cryptocurrency tracing, IRS-CI New York’s Cyber and J5 groups worked with our investigative partners to see that this conman is held accountable for his greedy acts,” stated IRS-CI New York Special Agent in Charge Chavis.  “The Joint Chiefs of Global Tax Enforcement (J5) is a global partnership that works together to gather information, share intelligence, and conduct coordinated operations against transnational financial crimes.  The J5 includes the Australian Taxation Office, the Canada Revenue Agency, the Dutch Fiscal Intelligence and Investigation Service, His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs from the U.K. and IRS-CI from the U.S.”

    “Steered by his selfish desires and insatiable greed, Braden John Karony treated millions of dollars in investors’ funds as his own personal bank account,” stated HSI New York Acting Special Agent in Charge McCormack.  “The defendant will soon be trading his sprawling real estate and luxury vehicles for a jail cell within the four walls of a federal penitentiary.  As reflected by today’s conviction, whether it involves fiat or crypto, HSI New York’s El Dorado Task Force will relentlessly pursue individuals intent on exploiting investors and the American financial system for their own gain.”

    Background on SafeMoon

    As proven at trial, SafeMoon tokens were digital assets first issued in March 2021 by SafeMoon LLC on a public blockchain.  Through the operation of SafeMoon’s smart contract, every transaction in SafeMoon was automatically subject to a 10% tax, meaning, for example, that if a holder of SafeMoon transferred 10 SafeMoon to another user, 1 SafeMoon would automatically be retained from the transfer as a tax and the remaining 9 SafeMoon would be received by the other party.  As marketed to SafeMoon investors, the proceeds of SafeMoon’s 10% tax were split into two 5% tranches, the proceeds of which were supposed to benefit holders of SafeMoon in specific ways.  The first 5% tranche of the tax proceeds would be “reflected” back to, and distributed among, all SafeMoon holders in proportion to their current SafeMoon holdings and thereby increase the total quantity of SafeMoon held by every SafeMoon investor automatically.  The remaining 5% tranche of SafeMoon tax proceeds would be deposited into designated SafeMoon liquidity pools.  The larger the SafeMoon liquidity pool, the greater the liquidity in the market for SafeMoon.  In the months after its launch in March 2021, SafeMoon grew to have millions of holders and a market capitalization of more than $8 billion.

    The Defendants’ Fraudulent Scheme

    Karony and his co-conspirators misrepresented various material aspects of the SafeMoon offering to investors.  Such misrepresentations included that SafeMoon relied on “locked” liquidity pools that would automatically increase in size due to a 10% tax imposed on every SafeMoon transaction; that the “locked” SafeMoon liquidity pool prevented the defendants and other insiders at SafeMoon from being able to “rug pull”—a type of crypto fraud— SafeMoon investors by removing liquidity from the SafeMoon liquidity pool; that tokens in the liquidity pool would only be used for limited pre-defined business purposes, not personal enrichment; that the defendants would manually add token pairs to the SafeMoon liquidity pool when transactions of SafeMoon occurred on specific centralized exchanges; and that the developers were not and had not been holding and trading SafeMoon for their benefit.

    In reality, Karony and his co-conspirators retained access to the SafeMoon liquidity pools and used that access to intentionally divert and misappropriate millions of dollars’ worth of tokens for their personal benefit.  In addition, although they publicly denied that they personally held or traded SafeMoon, they repeatedly bought and sold SafeMoon, sometimes at the height of SafeMoon market price, which generated millions of dollars in profits.  Karony and his co-conspirators masked their movement of the fraudulent proceeds via numerous private un-hosted crypto wallet addresses, complex transaction routing, and pseudonymous centralized exchange accounts.  Karony acquired over $9 million in crypto assets from the scheme and used some of the proceeds to purchase luxury vehicles and real estate, including a $2.2 million home in Utah, additional homes in Utah and Kansas, a $277,000 Audi R8 sports car, another Audi R8, a Tesla, and custom Ford F-550 and Jeep Gladiator pickup trucks.

    Co-conspirator Thomas Smith previously pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing. Co-conspirator Kyle Nagy remains at large. 

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section.  Assistant United States  Attorneys Dana Rehnquist, Sara K. Winik, and Jessica K. Weigel are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Asher Martin-Rosenthal and Madison Bates. Assistant United States Attorney Laura Mantell is handling forfeiture matters.

    The Defendant:

    BRADEN JOHN KARONY
    29
    Provo, Utah

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-433 (EK)

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As Crucial House Vote Looms, Rural Hospital CEOs Make Final Plea to House GOP: Avoid Medicaid Cuts That Will Cost Lives and Burden Local Communities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
    05.21.25
    As Crucial House Vote Looms, Rural Hospital CEOs Make Final Plea to House GOP: Avoid Medicaid Cuts That Will Cost Lives and Burden Local Communities
    NEW: 23 Republican WA state legislators join letter to full WA federal delegation, urging them to protect Medicaid
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Finance Committee, joined Washington state health care professionals to highlight statewide alarm and opposition to proposed Medicaid cuts.
    “The House Republicans are now trying to cobble together what I believe is a serious attack on Medicaid, and these will have impacts across our economy,” said Sen. Cantwell. “It undermines the program by shifting the burden to the states and making the entire healthcare system more expensive.”
    “If you cut Medicaid, and you cut people on Medicaid, they’re not going to stop having health care needs,” added Sen. Cantwell. “They’re just going to go to a more expensive, unfunded setting to get that care. Medicaid provides the critical financial support for the healthcare sector and for our economies to keep going every day.”
    Matt Kollman, CEO of Skyline Hospital in White Salmon, warned that the cuts would endanger the survival of rural hospitals, and ultimately the health of rural residents.
    “You don’t just have the opportunity, when you live in White Salmon, to drive a few blocks extra and go to the next hospital,” Kollman said. “You’re talking about a drive that in the best of conditions might be 60 or 90 minutes. That is a disruptive burden for many families, and it would lead to their delay, or possible just outright deferral of health care altogether. And to me, that’s not acceptable.”
    “I also know that it’s not acceptable to other members of our community,” added Kollman. “Recently, I was able to present Senator Cantwell and Representative Newhouse with a letter that was signed by many elected officials and community members, including Republicans, elected Republicans in my district and throughout the state, who are asking Congress to be very careful about what they do with Medicaid. To consider the consequences, to be very thoughtful, and to understand that you’re messing with something that is a very intimate and relied on part of people’s lives every day.”
    Also today, 23 Republican members of the Washington state legislature sent a letter to the entire Washington state federal Congressional delegation, urging the delegation to “protect Medicaid funding for Washington State.”
    This week, the Republican-led U.S. House Budget Committee held a rare weekend meeting late Sunday night as part of the effort to rush to the floor a reconciliation bill containing over $700 billion in cuts and significant changes to Medicaid, the federal program that insures many low-income adults and children, pregnant people, seniors, and people with disabilities. Then, early this morning, the House Rules Committee began a meeting at 1 a.m. – when most Americans were asleep – since GOP House leadership have indicated their intent to bring the reconciliation bill and its draconian cuts to the floor for a final vote as soon as later today.   
    Republican proposals include imposition of work requirements and new restrictions on who can receive long-term care support from Medicaid.
    Other participants at the virtual presser were
    •            Rashad Collins, CEO, Neighborcare Health (Community Health Center with over 20 Seattle-area clinics)
    •            Kym Clift, CEO, TriState Health (Clarkston, WA)
    •            Lynn Kimball, Executive Director at Aging & Long Term Care of Eastern Washington
    •            Dr. Rachel Issaka, gastroenterologist and clinical researcher, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
    •            Jacquiline Blanco, RN, a Seattle-area perinatal obstetric nurse and Public Policy Committee member at the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses
    Video of the event is available HERE and a transcript of Sen. Cantwell’s opening remarks is available HERE.
    Also today, Sen. Cantwell delivered a speech on the Senate floor, warning of the impacts to state economies and budgets if the Republican proposal becomes law. Video of her floor speech is available HERE and a transcript is available HERE.
    Medicaid, known as Apple Health in Washington state, covers over 1.9 million Washingtonians. On May 2, Sen. Cantwell released a snapshot report highlighting the impact that Medicaid cuts would have on Washington state’s highly-ranked long-term care system for seniors and people with disabilities. In February, she additionally released a snapshot report that demonstrated how cuts would harm health care access in Washington state, and followed up with a report in March that dove into impacts on the Puget Sound region.
    Highlights of those snapshot reports include:
    In Washington state, WA-04 (Central Washington) and WA-05 (Eastern Washington) have the highest proportions of adults and total population on Medicaid (Apple Health). In District 4, 70% of children are on Medicaid.
    In the Puget Sound, children in Seattle’s blue-collar strongholds would feel the deepest pain from Medicaid cuts. More than half of children in Burien, SeaTac, Kent, Federal Way, Auburn, Renton, and Rainier Valley depend on Medicaid.
    In an exclusive new survey of 68 WA nursing homes, 67 of 68 would cut services if Medicaid were cut by 5% or more, and 65% would consider closing.
    Over the past two months, Sen. Cantwell also took a tour around the state to hear from folks who would be directly impacted by cuts to Medicare. Doctors, patients, and health care providers in Seattle, Spokane, the Tri-Cities, and Wenatchee warned that such cuts would devastate Washington state’s health care system and limit access to lifesaving care.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Danny K. Davis Applauds Reintroduction of Second Chance Reauthorization Act of 2025

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Danny K Davis (7th District of Illinois)

    Legislation Continues a Legacy of Justice Reform and Community Investment Originating from Davis’ Landmark 2008 Law

    Legislation Continues a Legacy of Justice Reform and Community Investment Originating from Davis’ Landmark 2008 Law

         Washington, DC — Today, Congressman Danny K. Davis (D-IL), original author of the Second Chance Act of 2008, proudly announced the reintroduction of the Second Chance Reauthorization Act of 2025, a bipartisan, bicameral effort to bolster reentry services across the nation. Introduced in the U.S. House by Rep. Davis and Rep. Carol Miller (R-WV) and in the Senate by Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), the legislation renews vital programs that support returning citizens with housing, career development, and behavioral health services.

         “Sixteen years ago, I introduced the Second Chance Act because I believed every person deserves an opportunity to reclaim their life, reunite with their family, and rebuild their future,” said Congressman Danny K. Davis. “Since then, over 442,000 individuals across America have benefited from these services, including thousands here in Chicago. Reentry is not a privilege. It is a right backed by resources, dignity, and support.”

         With more than 600,000 individuals returning home from prison each year, and many more transitioning from local jails, reentry has become a national priority for reducing recidivism and promoting public safety. The Second Chance Act of 2008, authored by Congressman Davis and signed into law by President George W. Bush, established the nation’s first coordinated federal effort to fund reentry programs. 

         In Chicago and across Illinois’ 7th Congressional District, Second Chance funding has supported a wide array of community organizations and justice-focused initiatives, including workforce training programs, mentoring services, transitional housing, and behavioral health treatment. These services are particularly critical for Black and Brown communities that have long borne the brunt of mass incarceration.

         “This bill is about investing in people and giving communities—like those I represent in  Chicagoland—the resources to reduce crime, restore families, and rewrite futures,” Davis added. “This is bipartisan work at its best—and it’s deeply rooted in both justice and compassion.”

         From 2009 to 2024, over 1,300 Second Chance grants were awarded across 49 states and territories, supporting 871 agencies nationwide. The reauthorization will strengthen evidence-based programs and expand services for individuals struggling with substance use disorder and mental health challenges.

                  The American Jail Association, American Parole and Probation Association, Correctional Leaders Association, Council of State Governments Justice Center, Major County Sheriffs of America, National Alliance on Mental Illness, National Association of Counties, National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors, National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, National District Attorneys Association, National League of Cities, Prison Fellowship, Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities, and U.S. Chamber of Commerce support the legislation.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pelosi on House Floor: “This is Robin Hood in Reverse”

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi Representing the 12th District of California

    Washington, D.C. – Tonight, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi delivered remarks on the Floor of the House of Representatives in opposition to the Republicans’ bill that cuts Medicaid by $700 billion, which she condemned as a cruel attack on working families, vulnerable children and Americans with disabilities.

    Speaker Emerita Pelosi highlighted how the Republican Reverse Robin Hood plot would rip health care away from millions of Americans—including seniors, veterans and low-income families—just to finance tax breaks for billionaires and add trillions to the national debt while devastating communities across the country.

    Watch Speaker Emerita Pelosi’s remarks here. 

    Read Speaker Emerita Pelosi’s full remarks below:

    Speaker Emerita Pelosi. Thank you very much. Mr. Speaker, I’m pleased to receive time from the distinguished Congresswoman from Washington state. She is a pediatrician. We have all learned a lot about how public policy has a direct impact on the good—the health and well-being—of the American people.

    And when I hear them talk about cutting over $700 billion in Medicaid and it’s just ‘waste, fraud and abuse’… this beautiful child is not waste, fraud and abuse. I will talk about a little child in my remarks who is not waste, fraud and abuse.

    This Special Order comes together to shine a bright light on the Republican plan to fund tax breaks for billionaires by making huge cuts to Medicaid. Now, that’s what it looks like. But the fact is, they will still—with their tax bill—be adding over nearly $4 trillion to the national debt to cover their tax break for the wealthiest people in our country.

    This is fiscal engineering to reduce the role of government in the lives of the American people—where it is most needed. Where it is most needed.

    This is Robin Hood in reverse. Taking resources from where it is most needed—the people who need it most—and giving it to those who need it least: the billionaires in America.

    This is shameful. And it is a fraud. And it’s a shame.

    Now, President Johnson reminded the American people when he signed Medicare and Medicaid. He traveled to Independence, Missouri, to be in the presence of President Truman—former President Truman—who had worked on this when he was President. But it came to fruition under President Johnson. And he went there, and he signed the bill in the presence of Harry Truman.

    And he said – the President reminded the American people of a shared tradition: ‘Never to be indifferent toward despair. Never to turn away from helplessness. Never to ignore or spurn those who suffer unattended in a land that is bursting with abundance.’

    Indeed, Medicare and Medicaid save lives as a pillar of health security and justice for tens of millions of Americans.

    People often think of Medicaid as health care for poor children. That would be justification enough—health care for poor children.

    But it also is a middle-income benefit for nursing home residents, and people needing it for long-term care services. They get that largely through Medicaid. And it’s also a benefit for people with disabilities.

    The Republicans’ devastating budget plan would push about 14 million Medicaid recipients off life-saving health care, and leave countless vulnerable families exposed to catastrophic medical bills.

    This is terrible. Because this is about health, and financial health, that is being devastated.

    Working families and children in low-income households would face ruinous consequences—as would rural hospitals, as the distinguished Congresswoman has mentioned, families seeking opioid addiction treatment for their loved ones and middle-class Americans with long-term care needs.

    Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert a statement from the California Medical Association into the record. This is what they have said—the California Medical Association President issued the following statement regarding House Republicans’ proposed care cuts in Medicaid:

    ‘The latest federal proposal to gut Medicaid is reckless. Physicians and hospitals will be pushed to the brink, forced to close their doors and unable to continue care for their patients.’

    Because you know, when this funding leaves those rural hospitals—not only do the Medicaid patients lose—but all of the patients in that area lose. That’s my objection here.

    Back to the statement:

    ‘These would be the largest Medicaid cuts in history and will leave veterans, seniors, the disabled, children and working families without health care coverage.’

    As the distinguished physician colleague has said, making emergency rooms the only point of care for millions of people. Communities will be devastated. Lives will be lost.

    This is the CMA: ‘Congress must reject these cuts and instead focus on strengthening the safety net that protects us all. Otherwise, at least 13.7 million people will lose health care coverage.’

    Republican attacks on health care impact real people—including little children.

    My guest at the President’s State of the Union address was Elena Hung, mother of Xiomara, a courageous little lobbyist—11 years old.

    She has complex medical needs—including chronic lung disease, chronic kidney disease, and global developmental delays. She has a tracheostomy, uses a ventilator, is oxygen-dependent, and uses a feeding tube.

    Access to quality, affordable care ensured that Xiomara received the care she needed during extended hospitalization, and can now live at home with her family.

    Medicaid has helped Xiomara receive the therapies she needs to catch up with her developmental milestones—including physical therapy, occupational therapy, feeding therapy and speech therapy.

    But these very lifelines from Medicaid and more are what Republicans are working to destroy—to give a tax cut for billionaires.

    Democrats are standing strong against the Administration’s many attacks against family health care. This is just one of them.

    And with this Special Order—thank you, doctor, colleague—we are calling out Republicans to either vote to protect their constituents’ health care or vote to take it away.

    That’s the choice.

    In stark contrast to the President and Republicans in Congress, Democrats will always fight to lower health care costs. We are unified and ready to use every tool to stop this GOP scheme.

    And we will always work to strengthen pillars of health and financial security in America. That includes Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. We will always fight for Medicaid.

    I just want to go back to that one thing: they’re still adding nearly $4 trillion to the national debt to give tax breaks to their wealthy billionaire friends.

    In the bill that they passed when Trump was president—oh, there, I said his name—and the Republicans were in power. When the Republicans passed that bill and the President signed it into law, 83% of the benefits went to the top 1%, adding $2 trillion to the national debt.

    They’re doubling down on that—getting to almost $4 trillion to the national debt—and saying, ‘We’ve got to give all this money to billionaires,’ and calling children ‘waste, fraud, and abuse’ in our Medicaid system.

    It’s really sinful. It’s really sad.

    And it is something that I hope the Republicans will reject. And I hope their constituents will call them. Because these Medicaid people are in Republican districts.

    One of our colleagues in California has, out of all of our constituents, he has nearly 500,000 people on Medicaid—and yet he voted with the Republicans on this.

    Well, you can be sure he’ll be hearing from his constituents. Because people know.

    And I’ll close by saying—Lincoln said: ‘Public sentiment is everything. With it, you can accomplish almost anything. Without it, practically nothing.’

    But for public sentiment to prevail, people have to know.

    And we are making sure that your constituents know—and that they are informing you of their knowledge of what you are doing.

    Reverse Robin Hood. Republican Reverse Robin Hood.

    Thank you very much for the opportunity to share some thoughts about this—and for sharing the story of this beautiful little girl.

    Thank you. I yield back.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Mike Levin Pushes Amendment to GOP’s “Big Ugly Bill” to Prevent Higher Energy Costs for Americans

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

    May 21, 2025

    Rep. Levin Pushes Amendment to GOP’s “Big Ugly Bill” to Prevent Higher Energy Costs

    Washington, D.C.—Today, Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49) filed an amendment to stop House Republicans’ “Big Ugly Bill” from raising utility bills for Americans. The amendment would ensure provisions in the bill that eliminate programs and policies that help build out clean energy infrastructure and those that double down on costly fossil fuels cannot take effect unless the Energy Information Administration confirms that these policies will not increase monthly household energy costs.

    “This amendment is simple and reasonable. All it says is that if we’re going to pass legislation that affects energy prices, then we have a responsibility to ensure it doesn’t drive up costs for the people we represent,” said Rep. Levin. “If the policies in this bill are truly going to reduce costs, then this amendment simply adds a commonsense verification step to confirm it. Nothing more.”

    Independent analysis indicates the “Big Ugly Bill” would raise energy costs for American families by at least 7%, an average of more than $110 per year, per household. This increase comes at a time when nearly 80 million Americans are struggling to pay their utility bills. The “Big Ugly Bill” also contains provisions that raise fees on renewable energy while making it easier for fossil fuel developers to drill on public lands without public input. It weakens permitting protections, and it undercuts the economic foundation for one of the fastest-growing sectors in our economy—all while shifting costs back to American families.

    To watch Rep. Levin’s full testimony in the House Rules Committee, click here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Property Market – Broader market signals point to a steady upturn – Cotality

    Source: Cotality

    New Zealand’s property market continues to point to signs of recovery, according to new data from Cotality NZ’s latest Monthly Chart Pack.

    Kelvin Davidson, Chief Property Economist at Cotality, said property sales volumes have been gradually trending upward for nearly two years.

    In April, sales rose 4% compared to a year earlier – lifting activity to 7% above the historical norm for this time of year. Falling mortgage rates have clearly supported this momentum, according to Mr. Davidson.
    “Sales activity has been on a steady incline, and we’re now starting to see this translate into home values,” Mr Davidson said.
    The Cotality Home Value Index rose 0.3% in April – the fourth consecutive monthly increase – although growth remains modest. Among the main centres, Hamilton and Christchurch led the gains, while Dunedin, Wellington and Tauranga showed flatter results.
    “Despite these signs of improvement, the market remains tilted in favour of buyers,” Mr Davidson noted.
    “Stock levels are still elevated by historical standards, which will likely keep price growth in check.”
    Mortgaged multiple property owners are also regaining ground. This group accounted for 24% of April’s sales – the highest share in more than three years. Lower mortgage rates are reducing cashflow shortfalls, improving the financial appeal of property investment.
    Looking ahead, Mr Davidson said the outlook for 2025 remains cautiously positive.
    “We’re expecting a moderate upswing, with national property values forecast to rise around 5% for the year,” he said.
    “Lower mortgage rates will be a key driver. But we’re also watching the wider economy, the labour market, and the impact of lending restrictions, particularly debt-to-income limits.”
     
    Highlights from the May 2025 Housing Chart Pack include:

    New Zealand’s residential real estate market is worth a combined $1.64 trillion.

    The CoreLogic Home Value Index shows property values across New Zealand increased 0.3% in April. Over the three months to April, there was a 0.9% rise in median property values across NZ.
    The total sales count over the 12 months to April is 84,226.
    Total listings on the market were 31,035 in April. The total number of properties listed on the market remains elevated, although the seasonal fall for new listings flows means that agreed sales have just started to eat into stock levels a little in the past few weeks.
    On rents, the pace of growth remains subdued, with net migration having fallen a long way from its peak, and the stock of available rental listings on the market still elevated.
    Gross rental yields now stand at 3.9%, which is the highest level since mid-2015.
    Inflation is firmly back in the 1–3% target range, and after April’s 0.25% cut, further OCR reductions seem likely in the coming months.
    The Chart of the Month shows that First Home Buyers are taking advantage of multiple funding options to get a foot on the property ladder – making up 27% of property purchases in April.

    For more property news and insights, visit www.corelogic.co.nz/news-research.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Energy Department to Redirect $365 Million to Support Grid Resilience Efforts in Puerto Rico

    Source: US Department of Energy

    WASHINGTON— The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced it will redirect $365 million in funding to address Puerto Rico’s grid resiliency and expand access of affordable, reliable, and secure power supply for the people of Puerto Rico. The funding, allocated through the Puerto Rico Resilience Fund (PR-ERF), will be deployed to support practical fixes and emergency activities that offer a faster, more impactful solution to the current crisis, benefiting critical facilities like hospitals and community centers.

    Today’s announcement follows U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright’s decision to issue two emergency orders for Puerto Rico just weeks after the most recent island-wide blackout, underscoring the urgency of deploying immediate solutions for the millions of people who depend on Puerto Rico’s fragile grid to power their homes and businesses.

    “With President Trump’s leadership, the Department of Energy is focused on fortifying America’s electric grid and ensuring the reliable delivery of electricity across the country, and nowhere is this more needed than in Puerto Rico,” said Secretary Wright. “By redirecting these funds, we will ensure taxpayer dollars are used to strengthen access to affordable, reliable and secure power, benefiting more citizens as quickly as possible. This strategic shift allows us to address the root causes of the grid’s instability, strengthening the grid’s fragile infrastructure and delivering lasting relief for Puerto Rico.”

    “Puerto Rico is facing an energy emergency that requires we act now and deliver immediate solutions. Our communities, businesses, and healthcare facilities cannot afford to wait years, nor can we rely on piecemeal approaches with limited results. Rather than impacting a few customers, deploying these funds for urgent projects that improve the resiliency and reliability of our grid will have widespread, lasting benefits for all 3.2 million Americans in Puerto Rico,” said Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer González-Colón. “Since day one, President Trump and Secretary Wright have made it a priority to ensure we implement comprehensive solutions to address Puerto Rico’s energy challenges. I look forward to continuing working with them on these efforts.”

    This $365 million funding was initially awarded by the Biden administration in December 2024 to support rooftop solar and battery storage installations slated to begin construction in 2026. Today, DOE is reprioritizing these awards and will redirect funding to support technologies that improve system flexibility and response, power flow and control, component strength, supply security, and safety. The redirection of these funds will expand access to reliable power for millions of people rather than thousands and generate a higher return on investment for taxpayers while advancing grid resiliency for Puerto Rico.   

    DOE is working in close coordination with Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer González-Colón, Energy Czar Josué A. Colón-Ortiz, Puerto Rico’s energy industry and key community leaders and stakeholders to ensure maximum effectiveness of DOE resiliency funds.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Tech – Europe’s Largest Inaugural Tech and Startup Event Opens in Berlin as the Continent Spurs Momentum for Open Innovation and AI Leadership

    Source: GITEX EUROPE x Ai Everything 2025

    EconomyEntrepreneurs / Start-UpTech / DigitalInnovation – Ministers and senior tech stakeholders from the European Union, Germany and the UAE inaugurate the momentous first edition of GITEX EUROPE x Ai Everything.

    Berlin, Germany – 21 May 2025: Berlin became the focal point of Europe’s tech momentum and global digital cooperation as GITEX EUROPE x Ai Everything 2025 opened its doors today at Messe Berlin, launching the region’s largest inaugural tech, startup and digital investment event to capacity crowds and the biggest, most international lineup of tech and businesses converging in Europe. The show arrives at an inflection point in Europe’s digital future, sparked by a continent-wide ‘Choose Europe’ movement to anchor the next wave of innovation, research, investment, talent and deep-tech breakthroughs on home ground; alongside a renewed impetus in Germany represented by the formation of a new government and the country’s first digital ministry taking stewardship on digital transformation, AI excellence and data policy.

    Born in the UAE with global editions now running in seven countries, GITEX is the world’s largest and best-rated tech and startup event, reflecting the UAE’s wider national commitment to global digital collaboration. With the show’s expansion into Europe, it echoes the UAE’s shared commitment to advance innovation and scientific frontiers, recently strengthened with Abu Dhabi’s MGX investment and Nvidia partnering to develop Europe’s largest AI data center campus (1) alongside the development of a new 5GW AI campus (2), the largest of its kind outside the US to be based in Abu Dhabi.

    Welcome addresses led the inauguration ceremony from European and global leaders, including Kai Wegner, Governing Mayor of Berlin; H.E. Alia Al Mazrouei, UAE Minister of State for Entrepreneurship; Clara Chappaz, the Minister of AI and Digital of France; Thomas Jarzombek, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Minister for Digital and State Modernization, Germany; Jan Kavalírek, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, Czech Republic; Franziska Giffey, Mayor of Berlin & Senator for Economic Affairs, Energy and Public Enterprises; and Trixie LohMirmand, EVP of Dubai World Trade Centre, the global organiser of GITEX.

    With participation from over 100 countries, 1,400 tech companies, startups, and SMEs, more than 600 influential investors, and 500 industry leaders on-stage, the event sparked strategic dialogues on innovation, investment, policy shifts and business transformations, as well as catalysed collaborations at scale – across sectors and geographies. Taking place until 23 May at Messe Berlin, GITEX EUROPE x Ai Everything 2025 is organised in partnership with the Berlin Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises, Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, Berlin Partner for Business and Technology, and the European Innovation Council (EIC).

    Kai Wegner, Governing Mayor of Berlin: “The GITEX tech fair – which is taking place in Berlin for the very first time – brings founders from around the world, investors, and established companies together. As Germany’s startup capital, Berlin is the perfect place for GITEX. We want to create the best environment for founders in our city. Networking events and industry fairs like GITEX are part of that effort.”

    Her Excellency (H.E.) Alia Al Mazrouei, the UAE Minister of State for Entrepreneurship: “Moving beyond economic diplomacy, the UAE is now championing entrepreneurial diplomacy, guided by our diligent efforts in fostering global partnerships to empower entrepreneurs in the country. GITEX EUROPE’s vision of bringing together SMEs, investors, accelerators, incubators and industry leaders to ignite innovation, foster collaboration, and drive growth aligns with the UAE’s aspirations to strengthen partnerships with Europe in entrepreneurship and digital economy.”

    Clara Chappaz, the Minister of AI and Digital of France, commented on the development of AI: “When you were hear about Europe being a continent of regulation, this is the past. Today, Europe is all about innovation. More than ever, we have all the ingredients to succeed as Europeans building these amazing technologies when it comes to AI. The partnerships between France and Germany is extremely determined to accelerate Europe when it comes to innovation, and in particular when it comes to everything we can do on digital innovation.”

    Thomas Jarzombek, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Minister for Digital and State Modernization reiterated: “It’s a great opportunity here to connect startups and also for investment opportunities right now here in Berlin. We have to move forward, faster than we did in the past. Easy for you to do business in Germany, easy for every citizen to do everything with an app and to digitalize things you have in our pocket right now.”

    Jan Kavalírek, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, Czech Republic: “One of our top priorities right now, is to create the best possible environment for AI researchers and to deploy artificial intelligence across all the industrial sector. This is the reason why we invest in AI heavily, both in software and in hardware infrastructure, and this is also the reason why we are glad to part of GITEX EUROPE.”

    Franziska Giffey, Mayor of Berlin and Senator for Economic Affairs, Energy and Public Enterprises: “We have more than 5,000 startup enterprises here in Berlin, and of course we want to do more. We want to be the number one innovation place in Europe. Whenever you think about coming to the place of freedom, the place of possibilities, come to Berlin.”

    Trixie LohMirmand, global organiser of GITEX: “As the world’s third largest economy, Germany’s market gravity and Europe’s openness create a powerful test-bed where capital, code and talent can cross-pollinate at speed, forging new collaborative forces across geographies and sectors. GITEX EUROPE proves that innovations can scale beyond borders, opening new markets and opportunities for Europe’s most ambitious companies.”

    Spanning high impact showcases and talks covering AI, cybersecurity, deep tech, green tech, quantum computing, SMEs, and startup, scaleup and investments, GITEX EUROPE x Ai Everything offers unmatched opportunities to access new markets, breakthrough technologies, industry transformations and business insights.

    Across the show floor, global tech enterprises including IBM, AWS, Bosch, Cisco, CrowdStrike, Dell, Fortinet, Lenovo, ManageEngine, NinjaOne, NVIDIA, and SAP, alongside over 750 startups from 60 countries, showcase how infrastructure, intelligence, and investment intersect to propel Europe’s digital future forward. From business leaders to AI architects, quantum researchers to CIOs, green tech innovators to global investors, the opening day’s gathering set the tone for decisive partnerships accelerating the continent’s AI and digital competitiveness.

    The opening day conference programme was headlined by Dr. Geoffrey Hinton, Nobel Physics Laureate and ‘Godfather of AI’ with a riveting keynote on ‘AI for Humanity’s Greatest Challenges’. In April 2025, the United Arab Emirates and European Union delivered a joint statement to begin dialogue toward a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) (3) aimed at strengthening bilateral trade and investment ties across key sectors such as AI, advanced manufacturing, healthcare and more.

    GITEX EUROPE x Ai Everything leverages a powerful network of established relationships in tech, policy, investment and business spanning four regions and seven countries, with more new international editions in the wings. Currently the GITEX global network of events takes place in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Germany, Morocco, Nigeria, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

    (1) https://fastcompanyme.com/news/nvidia-and-abu-dhabis-mgx-join-french-partners-to-build-europes-largest-ai-campus/
    (2) https://www.techrepublic.com/article/news-uae-us-ai-campus/
    (3) https://www.wam.ae/en/article/bj3wkyv-uae-president-president-european-commission-agree

    For more information, visit: www.gitex-europe.com.

    About GITEX EUROPE x Ai Everything 2025

    GITEX EUROPE x Ai Everything 2025, Europe’s most global, collaborative, and cross-industry tech event, taking place from May 21–23, 2025, at Messe Berlin, Germany. Convening over 1,400 exhibiting enterprises, SMEs and startups from 100-plus countries, alongside over 600 investors, and 500 expert speakers across AI, Deep Tech, Quantum, Cybersecurity, Connectivity, Smart Cities, Green Tech, and many more, GITEX EUROPE x Ai Everything is advancing the continent’s digital future in partnership with the world. This inaugural edition features the new SMEDEX, GITEX SCALEX, and GQX, and brings to Germany the world’s largest and best-rated startup and investor event – North Star Europe. GITEX EUROPE x Ai Everything is seamlessly connected with the GITEX network of tech and startup events in Germany, Morocco, Nigeria, Singapore, Thailand, UAE, and Vietnam. For more information, please visit: www.gitex-europe.com

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Vice Ranking Member Amo Demands Secretary Rubio Prevent Starving Children from Dying and Protect Rhode Island Jobs

    Source: US Congressman Gabe Amo (Rhode Island 1st District)

    Secretary Marco Rubio confirms Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food produced by Rhode Island’s Edesia Nutrition is lifesaving aid and Vice Ranking Member Amo presses Secretary to do everything to keep starving children from dying.

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, House Foreign Affairs Vice Ranking Member Gabe Amo (D-RI), demanded Secretary of State Marco Rubio commit to fund the production, transportation, and distribution of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) aid to keep starving children from dying. Until recently, over 123,000 boxes of RUTF purchased for Sudan were sitting in Rhode Island’s Edesia Nutrition warehouse because of State Department inflicted delays. Another 185,000 boxes of RUTFs purchased by the U.S. Government still sit in Edesia warehouses undistributed.

    “Ready-To-Use Therapeutic Food aid produced in Rhode Island has the potential to save hundreds of thousands of lives. Secretary Rubio promised over and over that he would not stop the distribution of lifesaving foreign aid, but today the truth came out,” said Vice Ranking Member Gabe Amo (D-RI). “Right now in Rhode Island, 185,000 boxes of therapeutic food bought and paid for by American taxpayers are sitting in a warehouse. All that’s standing between those boxes and the starving kids who need them is Secretary Rubio’s State Department. This is unacceptable, and I will call on Secretary Rubio every week until he keeps his word and distributes this live saving food aid.”

    Watch Vice Ranking Member Amo’s Questioning Here.

    BACKGROUND

    Edesia Nutrition is a Rhode Island-based nonprofit that produces ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) for worldwide distribution to save the lives of millions of children suffering from severe acute malnutrition. 

    On January 31, 2025 Amo asked Secretary Rubiofor information on the Trump administration’s unilateral foreign aid pause impact on the production and delivery of Rhode Island-made RUTFs. Amo called outSecretary Rubio for missing a deadline to provide clarity on foreign aid distribution on February 7.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Secretary Rubio testifies before the House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee

    Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)

    Secretary of State Marco A. Rubio testifies before the House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs on the FY26 Department of State Budget Request on Capitol Hill, on May 21, 2025.

    Transcript: https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2025/05/secretary-of-state-marco-rubio-before-the-house-committee-on-appropriations-subcommittee-on-state-foreign-operations-and-related-programs-on-the-fy26-department-of-state-budget-request/
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    Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.

    The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.

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    #StateDepartment #DepartmentofState #Diplomacy

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWDlO6EnyC0

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Capito, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Enhance Reentry Programs, Promote Public Safety

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.), along with Representatives Carol Miller (R-W.Va.-1) and Danny K. Davis (D-Ill.-7) introduced the Second Chance Reauthorization Act of 2025.
    The legislation would reauthorize critical reentry grant programs from the Second Chance Act of 2008, which was most recently reauthorized during the first Trump administration as part of the First Step Act in 2018, including services and supports for housing, career training, and treatment for substance use disorders and/or mental illness. The legislation would also reauthorize critical programs to reduce recidivism, invest in communities, and promote public safety. 
    “Over 95% of incarcerated people will be released at some point,” Senator Capito said. “The Second Chance Reauthorization Act will help people reentering society get the resources they need to become productive and successful members of their communities. Whether it’s helping them find a job, providing therapy and rehabilitation services for those struggling with addiction, providing faith-based programming to help people turn over a new leaf, or many other services, this legislation will help provide resources to a wide range of programs across the country that have been proven to reduce recidivism rates.”
    “Since 2008, the Second Chance Act has supported programs across the country that provide opportunities to those rebuilding their lives after incarceration. This is why this there has always been bipartisan support for funding for second chance programs – we have seen that these programs work in communities everywhere. In fact, they have helped reduce the three-year rate of recidivism in our country by almost a quarter since its passage,” Senator Booker said. “This bipartisan legislation provides the necessary tools and reentry services that formerly incarcerated individuals need to be successful when they leave prison. Empowering these individuals is not just the right thing to do, it makes our communities safer for us all. And Congress should ensure that every community, red or blue, rural or urban, is able to access these critical grant funds.”
    “Since the Second Chance Act passed in 2008, formerly incarcerated West Virginians reentering our communities have received the vital services and support they needed to return home successfully,” Congresswoman Miller said. “We have seen the benefits of the Second Chance Act in West Virginia and across the country. When we put in place strong reentry programming, we are creating safer communities where individuals feel supported and empowered to break the cycle of recidivism.”
    “Second Chance reentry programs and services have reached hundreds of thousands of individuals and families across the country, creating healthier families and safer communities,” Congressman Davis said. “Continuing to invest in these evidenced-based interventions is a commonsense approach to strengthen individuals, re-build families, and grow our economy.”
    The Second Chance Reauthorization Act of 2025 would: 
    Reauthorize key grant programs that provide vital services, supports, and resources for people reentering their communities after incarceration;
    Expand allowable uses for supportive and transitional housing services for individuals reentering the community from prison and jail; and
    Enhance addiction treatment services for individuals with substance use disorders, including peer recovery services, case management, and overdose prevention.
    Since its passage 16 years ago, Second Chance has supported states, local governments, tribal governments, and nonprofit organizations in their efforts to reduce recidivism. To date, Second Chance grants have reached more than 442,000 justice-involved individuals who participated in reentry services or parole and probation programs. West Virginia has received more than $5 million in funding through Second Chance grants.
    From 2009 to 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice awarded over 1,300 Second Chance Act grants to states, local, and tribal governments, as well as reentry-focused community organizations. Second Chance grants have been administered to 871 agencies across 49 U.S. states, territories, and the District of Columbia.
    The Second Chance Reauthorization Act of 2024 is endorsed by the following organizations: American Correctional Association, American Jail Association, American Parole and Probation Association, Catholic Charities USA, Correctional Leaders Association, Council of State Governments Justice Center, CPAC, Major County Sheriffs of America, National Alliance on Mental Illness, National Association of Counties, National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors, National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, National District Attorneys Association, National League of Cities, Prison Fellowship, Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities, and U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
    To read the full text of the bill, click here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Charges Two Bay Area Caregivers with Elder Abuse and Fraud

    Source: US State of California Department of Justice

    Wednesday, May 21, 2025

    Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

    SAN JOSE – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the filing of felony charges against two caregivers for fraud and elder abuse. The California Department of Justice received a complaint referral from the California Department of Social Services alleging abuse and neglect of residents at an unlicensed care home located in San Jose. It was alleged that the residents were living in biohazardous conditions and were left with untreated medical issues, all the while the defendants were receiving in-home support service payments from Medi-Cal.

    “Those who care for our elders have a profound responsibility to treat those in their care with the highest level of compassion and dignity,” said Attorney General Bonta. “They support individuals during some of the most challenging moments in their lives. At the California Department of Justice, we are committed to fighting against all types of elder abuse and neglect. We will take prompt action to ensure that anyone who exploits or harms these vulnerable members of our community is held accountable.”

    A felony complaint has been filed in Santa Clara County Superior Court, charging the defendants with two felony counts of elder abuse, one felony count of dependent adult abuse, and one felony count of filing a false claim.

    The California Department of Justice’s Division of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse (DMFEA) works to protect Californians by investigating and prosecuting those responsible for abuse, neglect, and fraud committed against elderly and dependent adults in the state, and those who perpetrate fraud on the Medi-Cal program.

    The Division of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $69,244,976 for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2025. The remaining 25 percent is funded by the State of California. FY 2025 is from October 1, 2024, through September 30, 2025.
    A copy of the complaint can be found here.  

    It is important to note that criminal charges must be proven in a court of law. Every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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    MIL OSI USA News –