NewzIntel.com

Category: housing

  • MIL-OSI USA: Republicans Shoot Down Rep. Peters’ Amendment to Save Medicaid for Millions of Needy Americans

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

    [embedded content]

    Washington, D.C. – Today, during the 17th hour of the marathon Energy and Commerce Committee meeting on the Republican tax plan, Representative Scott Peters (CA-50) offered an amendment to protect millions of Americans from being kicked off Medicaid. Their legislation would kick 13.7 million people off their healthcare, according to a new analysis by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office. In every state that has experimented with so-called “work requirements,” employment was not increased, but tens of thousands of people – many of whom are in fact working – have lost their healthcare. The Republican majority on the committee rejected Rep. Peters’ commonsense amendment to protect sick and uninsured Americans on a party-line vote of 23-28.  

     

    Speaking on his amendment, Rep. Peters stated, “I want to talk about what’s at stake today. Medicaid covers more than 72 million Americans. That includes nearly 40 million children, 7 million seniors, and 15 million people with disabilities. In my district alone, Medicaid (or Medi-Cal, as we call it), covers nearly one in five people. Across the San Diego region, that number is almost one in three. Medicaid helps working families who don’t get health insurance through their jobs, and it keeps struggling rural hospitals afloat. Medicaid provides treatment for opioid addiction and mental health services for those who need them the most. And let’s not forget: Medicaid is also the largest provider of long-term care in this country.” 

     

    He continued, “Look, I believe that work is valuable. It provides stability, dignity, and a path toward opportunity. I also believe deeply that every American who can work should be encouraged and supported in doing so. But time and again, when states have made these cuts, we have not seen increases in employment. But we have seen people lose health coverage, more red tape for doctors, and worse health outcomes.” 

     

    And he concluded, “People who should qualify still lose coverage. My constituents—veterans with post-traumatic stress injury, new mothers recovering from childbirth, or people managing chronic conditions often can’t make it through the reporting process in time. My Republican colleagues will point to the bill text and say people with disabilities are clearly exempted. Tragically, it already takes people who are disabled almost 8 months to receive a formal determination from the Social Security Administration. So, this bill would kick disabled people who have health care today off of their coverage. That’s because many of them are covered by the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion, which the legislation before us would gut. And even for those who do work — often in low-wage, unstable jobs — these mandates create a penalty for workers. A missed shift, a lost job, or a technical error can trigger a cascade that ends in lost coverage. That’s not promoting work. It’s punishing job loss. When people lose Medicaid, they don’t stop getting sick. They just stop getting preventive care. They end up in the emergency room, often sicker, and often at greater cost to their family and the taxpayers.”  

     

    Watch Rep. Peters’ opening statement against the Republican tax plan here.  

    Watch Rep. Peters’ remarks on the Republican tax plan’s fossil fuel favoritism here.   

     

    CA-50 Medicaid Facts:  

    • 156,100 people in the district rely on Medicaid for health coverage—that’s 20 percent of all district residents. 
      • 34,700 children in the district are covered by Medicaid. 
      • 17,700 seniors in the district are covered by Medicaid. 
      • 64,900 adults in the district have Medicaid coverage through Medicaid expansion—that includes pregnant women who are able to access prenatal care sooner because of Medicaid expansion, parents, caretakers, veterans, people with substance use disorder and mental health treatment needs, and people with chronic conditions and disabilities. 
    • At least five hospitals in the district had negative operating margins in 2022. These hospitals would be especially hard-hit by cuts to Medicaid. For example: 
      • Scripps Mercy Hospital had a negative 25.3 percent operating margin—and nearly 22 percent of its revenue came from Medicaid. 
      • Sharp Coronado Hospital had a negative 3.5 percent operating margin—and over 36 percent of its revenue came from Medicaid. 
      • University of California San Diego Medical Center had a negative 2.4 percent operating margin—and nearly 19 percent of its revenue came from Medicaid. 
    • There are 54 health center delivery sites in the district that serve 529,944 patients. 
    • Those health centers and patients rely on Medicaid—statewide, 69 percent of health center patients rely on Medicaid for coverage. 
    • Health centers will not be able to stay open and provide the same care that they do today, with more uninsured and underinsured patients. They are already operating on thin margins—in 2023, nationally, nearly half of health centers had negative operating margins. 
    • Medicaid cuts put health centers at risk, including: 
      • Family Health Centers of San Diego 
      • Neighborhood Healthcare 
      • North County Health Project 
      • San Diego American Indian Health Centers 
      • St. Vincent De Paul Village 

     

    Read Rep. Peters full remarks below:  

     

    I want to talk about what’s at stake today. Medicaid covers more than 72 million Americans. That includes nearly 40 million children, 7 million seniors, and 15 million people with disabilities. 

      

    In my district alone, Medicaid (or Medi-Cal, as we call it), covers nearly one in five people. Across the San Diego region, that number is almost one in three.   

      

    Medicaid helps working families who don’t get health insurance through their jobs, and it keeps struggling rural hospitals afloat. 

      

    Medicaid provides treatment for opioid addiction and mental health services for those who need them the most. And let’s not forget: Medicaid is also the largest provider of long-term care in this country. 

      

    If you have a loved one who relies on home care or if you have a grandparent in a nursing home, Medicaid is there to make sure they get the care they need. 

     

    So, when Republicans propose slashing Medicaid, let’s be clear about what that really means. It means seniors will be kicked out of nursing homes. It means people with disabilities will lose their independence. It means kids will miss critical doctor visits. 

      

    We know this because we’ve seen it before. 

      

    Let’s look at Arkansas. When the state piloted its Medicaid work requirement, over 18,000 people lost coverage. 

      

    Not because they refused to work, but because they struggled to report their hours in a newly created, online-only portal. 

      

    The vast majority of these people had jobs. Many more were caring for disabled relatives, recovering from illness, or navigating mental health challenges. The problem is: the work requirement didn’t account for that. 

      

    Local doctors and clinics felt the strain almost immediately. Physicians reported longer waits. Patients missed their follow-up appointments. Emergency rooms saw increases in uncompensated care. 

      

    It wasn’t just those subject to the mandate who suffered—everyone in the system felt the impact including the elderly, pregnant women, children, and people with disabilities. 

      

    Similar results followed when Georgia experimented with its own mandate. The evidence is consistent: Republican policies will increase red tape and cut health care coverage for everyone, but they do not increase employment for “able-bodied” people. 

      

    Medicaid is the difference between children getting the medication they need or not. It’s the difference between a working mother affording prenatal care or risking her pregnancy. 

      

    It’s the difference between a senior being able to stay in their home or being forced into a nursing facility. 

      

    Look, I believe that work is valuable. It provides stability, dignity, and a path toward opportunity. I also believe deeply that every American who can work should be encouraged and supported in doing so. 

      

    But time and again, when states have made these cuts, we have not seen increases in employment. But we have seen people lose health coverage, more red tape for doctors, and worse health outcomes. 

      

    We’ve heard plenty of arguments today that there are exemptions for the elderly or people with disabilities. 

      

    The problem is: in practice, these exemptions are often poorly implemented and difficult to navigate, as is the bill before us. 

      

    People who should qualify still lose coverage. My constituents—veterans with post-traumatic stress injury, new mothers recovering from childbirth, or people managing chronic conditions often can’t make it through the reporting process in time. 

      

    My Republican colleagues will point to the bill text and say people with disabilities are clearly exempted.  

      

    Tragically, it already takes people who are disabled almost 8 months to receive a formal determination from the Social Security Administration. 

      

    So, this bill would kick disabled people who have health care today off of their coverage. 

      

    That’s because many of them are covered by the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion, which the legislation before us would gut. 

      

    And even for those who do work—often in low-wage, unstable jobs—these mandates create a penalty for workers. 

      

    A missed shift, a lost job, or a technical error can trigger a cascade that ends in lost coverage. That’s not promoting work. It’s punishing job loss. 

      

    When people lose Medicaid, they don’t stop getting sick. They just stop getting preventive care. They end up in the emergency room, often sicker, and often at greater cost to their family and the taxpayers. 

      

    The evidence is overwhelming: these policies will drastically cut Medicaid funding and take health care away from more than 13 million Americans. 

      

    The short-term spending cuts we may see on our balance sheet will be outweighed by downstream costs—in both dollars and American lives. 

      

    We can do better than this, I encourage my colleagues to vote yes on my amendment. 

    ### 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump administration moves to undo appliance efficiency standards that save consumers billions, reduce pollution and fight climate change

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By David J. Vogel, Professor Emeritus of Business Ethics and Political Science, University of California, Berkeley

    Refrigerators were the target of the very first energy efficiency standards for appliances, back in 1974. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

    The Trump administration has begun the process of undoing decades of regulations that improved energy efficiency in American household appliances. In a statement announcing the move, the U.S. Department of Energy said those regulations are “driving up costs and lowering quality of life for the American people.”

    The legality of this effort is problematic, however, as federal law prohibits the Department of Energy from reversing already approved appliance efficiency standards.

    And as a scholar of environmental regulations, I know those regulations were created to save energy and lower utility bills for consumers. I also know that many companies and consumers have supported federal regulation to strengthen energy efficiency standards and generally have opposed weakening them.

    The first government-set energy efficiency standards for appliances were issued by California in 1974. They were initially for refrigerators, the household appliance that used the most energy. Subsequently, several other household appliances were added. During the next decade, more states issued standards, as saving energy would help avoid the costs of constructing new power plants.

    The proliferation of state standards led the federal government to prohibit states from issuing appliance efficiency standards once the federal government had done so. The first federal standards, in 1987, applied to 13 household products, including refrigerators.

    Since then, the federal government has created standards for additional products and tightened existing ones. Those changes have progressively made home appliances and business and industrial equipment more efficient, saving consumers billions of dollars, decreasing air pollution from power plants and reducing carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to climate change.

    Electric meters like these at a Mississippi apartment complex keep track of how much – or how little – electricity residents use.
    AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis

    Broad application

    Federal data indicates that 40% of total U.S. energy consumption – and 28% of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions – is attributable to household and industrial appliances, such as heating and cooling systems, refrigerators, lighting and various kinds of equipment, such as computers, printers and electric motors.

    At present, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Appliance and Equipment Standards Program covers more than 70 products that the government estimates consume about 90% of energy used in homes, 70% of energy in commercial buildings and 30% of energy used in industry. The government estimates the standards saved American consumers $105 billion just in 2024 – with a typical household saving about $576 over the expenses if there were no efficiency standards.

    Appliance energy efficiency standards now in place are cumulatively expected by the Department of Energy to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 2 billion metric tons over 30 years. That’s as much carbon dioxide as 15 million gas-powered cars would emit in that same period.

    Many federal standards, including on light bulbs, electric motors and commercial heating and cooling equipment, have been based on those previously adopted by one or more states. Federal law permits states to issue standards for products that the federal government has not yet regulated: As of 2024, 18 states had set efficiency rules for a total of 22 types of appliances, including computers and televisions.

    Additional benefits

    These appliance standards have reduced American energy use, including electricity. The existing national standards are projected to reduce overall national energy consumption by 10% between 2025 and 2035.

    Those standards also improve public health, because there is less need to build new fossil-fuel power plants or operate existing ones. As a result, power generators have been able to reduce their emissions of dangerous pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and mercury.

    Energy efficiency standards reduce the need for fossil fuel-powered electric plants, like this one in Ohio.
    Jim West/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

    A popular policy

    Making appliances more energy efficient has proved popular. A national survey released by the Consumer Federation of America in 2018 found that 71% of Americans “support the idea that the government should set and update energy efficiency standards for appliances.” Significantly, 72% of those surveyed named lowering electrical bills and 57% stated that avoiding construction of new power plants to keep electricity rates from rising were important reasons to increase appliance efficiency.

    Support remains strong: A June 2024 YouGov poll found that 60% of Americans support tougher appliance efficiency standards.

    From 1987 through 2007, more than three-quarters of national appliance energy efficiency standards were passed into law by Congress, with the rest created by administrative processes under existing laws. These legal standards received bipartisan support and were signed into law by Republican Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush.

    But more recently, partisanship has affected the setting of standards. Since 2008, whether standards improve or remain unchanged has depended on whether Democrats or Republicans occupied the White House.

    Political back-and-forth

    The Obama administration enacted among the most ambitious energy efficiency standards for appliances and equipment to date. New standards for commercial air conditioners and furnaces affected heating and cooling equipment for half of the square footage used by the nation’s businesses. The rules were projected to reduce energy costs to businesses by $167 billion over the life of the regulated products.

    But during the first Trump administration, improvements in existing standards came to a halt.

    When Joe Biden became president, his administration resumed issuing new standards, most notably phasing out incandescent light bulbs. The Biden administration also issued new standards for furnaces, residential water heaters, stoves, washing machines and refigerators.

    Electric induction stoves, like this one, are more energy efficient than gas stoves.
    Hans Gutknecht/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images

    Controversy continues

    A new Biden rule for electric motors, which are widely used in manufacturing and processing equipment, incorporated recommendations from businesses and advocacy organizations. The rule was slated to take effect in 2028 and was expected to save businesses and consumers up to $8.8 billion over a 30-year period.

    But the Trump administration has withdrawn this standard, along with others issued by the Biden administration, including for ceiling fans, dehumidifers and external power supplies. The administration has postponed the effective dates of other standards that had been finalized before Trump took office. The administration said the reversals would “slash unnecessary red tape and regulations that raise prices, reduce consumer choice, and frustrate the American people.”

    Another set of politically controversial standards Biden introduced sought to encourage consumers to switch from stoves, furnaces and water heaters that use natural gas or propane to electric ones. The electric versions of those appliances are more energy efficient, while gas cooking emits toxic chemicals into the home. Switching can be expensive, and many consumers prefer gas-powered appliances, as of course does the natural gas industry, which has opposed these federal efforts.

    And in early April 2025, Republicans in Congress used their legislative authority to overturn the regulations for natural gas water heaters. But most of the federal standards – and all of the state ones – remain in effect, at least for now.

    This article, originally published April 17, 2025, was updated on May 14, 2025, to reflect the Trump administration’s latest move on efficiency standards.

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

    – ref. Trump administration moves to undo appliance efficiency standards that save consumers billions, reduce pollution and fight climate change – https://theconversation.com/trump-administration-moves-to-undo-appliance-efficiency-standards-that-save-consumers-billions-reduce-pollution-and-fight-climate-change-253673

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Schatz, Coons, Murphy Lead 27 Senators in Introducing Resolution to Condemn $400 Million Airplane Gift to Trump from Qatar

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joined U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chris Coons (D-DE), and Chris Murphy (D-CT) in leading a group of 27 Senators to introduce a resolution condemning a luxury airplane gift, valued at $400 million, President Donald Trump announced he will receive from the government of Qatar. According to reports, Trump intends to designate the plane as Air Force One while in office and then transfer it to a foundation for personal use following the end of his term.
    “While Republicans plot to gut vital services like Social Security and Medicaid and unleash economic uncertainty onto hardworking Americans, Donald Trump is planning to accept a luxury jet, valued at $400 million, from a foreign government,” said Senator Booker. “This not only creates a clear conflict of interest, raises serious national security concerns, and undermines public trust in our government, but is a slap in the face to the people across the country who are struggling to make ends meet. All Senators should be able to agree that no one should use public service for personal gain through foreign gifts. I hope my Republican colleagues will support this resolution.”
    “Air Force One is more than just a plane — it’s a symbol of the presidency and of the United States itself,” said Senator Schatz. “Any president who accepts this kind of gift, valued at $400 million, from a foreign government creates a clear conflict of interest, raises serious national security questions, invites foreign influence, and undermines public trust in our government. We are asking the Senate to vote to reiterate a basic principle: no president should use public service for personal gain through foreign gifts.”
    “We wouldn’t trust another country to decorate the Oval Office, to set up our Situation Room, or to wire the White House briefing room, so why would we let another country build Air Force One for us, which is an airborne version of all three? This isn’t just a massive act of corruption, it’s a national security risk of the highest order,” said Senator Coons, Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. “If President Trump is so willing to put his own administration in danger for the sake of a $400 million gift, imagine how much danger he’s willing to put the American people in.”
    “The president doesn’t get to trade U.S. foreign policy and national security for a private jet,” said Senator Murphy. “This resolution sends the message Trump won’t: the Oval Office is not for sale.”
    “President Trump’s penchant for corruption and grift has risen to a new level with the news his presidency is for sale – if you happen to have $400 million dollars,” said Leader Schumer. “This Qatari plane deal would be the largest Presidential bribe in modern history and it’s not just naked corruption, it’s a grave national security threat. Senate Republicans may bury their heads in the sand while Trump tries to enrich himself and his billionaire buddies, but Senate Democrats are going to stand up for the American people and say enough is enough – we condemn this attempt at corruption and gross violation of the Constitution.”
    “No, Donald Trump cannot accept a $400 million flying palace from the royal family of Qatar. Not only is this farcically corrupt, it is blatantly unconstitutional,” said Senator Sanders. “Congress must not allow this over-the-top kleptocracy to proceed.”
    “President Trump wants to accept a $400 million private jet from a foreign government, have American taxpayers pay to retrofit it as Air Force One, and then keep it for himself to jet around the world as soon as he leaves office. It’s hard to imagine more brazen corruption or a clearer violation of our Constitution’s Emoluments Clause, and there’s no question this outlandish proposal puts our country’s national security at risk,” said Senator Murray. “Every member of Congress should support this simple resolution condemning violations of the Emoluments Clause and making clear Trump cannot accept a $400 million private jet from Qatar without explicit consent from Congress.”
    “If someone came to one of my town halls in Oregon and tried to argue that getting a $400 million jet from the government of Qatar wasn’t corruption, they would be laughed out of town,” said Senator Wyden. “Instead of securing new allies against adversaries like China or opening new markets for American products, Trump is using America’s clout to get a private jet. It’s corruption plain and simple that fritters away American influence and leaves us weaker.” 
    “While Republicans in Congress are working to gut Medicaid and Social Security, President Trump is brazenly accepting a luxury jumbo jet from Qatar — for his use during and after he leaves office,” said Senator Padilla. “Once again, Trump is showing us that he puts his own interests above those of the American people, benefiting himself and leaving working families behind. This foreign gift reeks of corruption, is blatantly against the law, threatens our national security, and will cost taxpayers tens of millions in retrofit costs and security upgrades.”
    “Donald Trump is accepting a multimillion dollar plane from a foreign government as a personal gift, while clearly ignoring the Constitution,” said Senator Rosen. “Trump gets richer off of his position while hardworking families suffer from his reckless actions. This is corruption plain and simple, and I’m supporting this resolution to make our strong opposition clear.”
    “This is corruption plain and simple. The President of the United States accepting a $400 million plane from a foreign government is unheard of, and would require direct consent from Congress,” said Senator Warner. “This is just the latest act by President Trump that shows his administration has no regard for the rule of law and is ripe to be exploited by foreign actors.”
     “Trump’s brazen willingness to accept a luxury jet from Qatar raises the dangerous prospect that the president can be bought and paid for by foreign powers — putting their interests over Americans’ and our national security. Every Senator should join us in rejecting it and blocking the sale of the presidency to the highest bidder,” said Senator Van Hollen.
    “Our founding fathers knew that we must protect ourselves from corruption and foreign influence, which is exactly why we have a constitutional provision prohibiting presidents from accepting lavish gifts from foreign governments—a super luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet, reportedly valued at $400 million, is no exception,” said Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Shaheen. “Congress and the American public have a right to know the details of any arrangement that calls into question whether the President is acting on behalf of American interests and American interests alone. Further, the security implications of taking a foreign-owned and managed plane and outfitting it with the most sensitive U.S. technology continues to demonstrate a lack of judgement in this administration when it comes to guarding U.S. intelligence.”
    “There’s no such thing as a $400 million “no-strings-attached” gift,” said Senator Duckworth. “This is the mother of all bribes. It puts our national security in jeopardy and erodes public trust—all for the President’s own personal gain. Donald Trump wants to sell our foreign policy and sell out our people.”
    “Donald Trump accepting a $400 million gift from a foreign country is corruption in plain sight,” said Senator Hirono. “Trump’s latest grift undermines our national security, flies in the face of the Constitution, and will cost American taxpayers hundreds of millions, if not billions, in retrofits.”
    “The mere notion that the President would cravenly accept a $400 million attempt to win favor from a foreign power is beyond the pale and reeks of corruption.  The White House and presidency are sacred trusts from the American people, not venues for Trump to enrich himself and his family with shady deals and influence buying,” said Senator Durbin. “Our resolution reaffirms what our Constitution makes clear – no President should receive gifts from a foreign power.”
    “While President Trump claims to target fraud and abuse, his actions continue to prove that his priorities are his own interests and those of his wealthy friends,” said Senator Bennet. “His plan to accept a $400 million luxury jet from the Qatari government for use as Air Force One is an act of blatant corruption and a violation of our Constitution that poses severe counterintelligence risks, needlessly undermining U.S. national security.”
    “This is corruption in plain sight. Under no circumstance should a sitting president be accepting luxury gifts from a foreign government, especially while negotiating an arms sale,” said Senator Blunt Rochester. “This is yet another example of President Trump focusing on enriching himself rather than improving the lives of everyday Americans. I’m joining with my colleagues on this resolution to protect national security, to stand up for our constituents, and to uphold the rule of law.”
    “If an ordinary government official accepted a gift even a fraction as valuable as this, there would be a full investigation, and potential firings due to concerns of foreign influence,” said Senator Slotkin. “Now the President is taking a $400 million foreign gift. Beyond the perception of corruption, the idea that a foreign country would have access to Air Force One, as the buyer, during production, leaves it incredibly vulnerable to bugs, tracking devices, and whatever else they or other countries may attempt to manipulate.”
    “This is corruption, plain and simple. The U.S. is not for sale, and we cannot allow the presidency to be bought by foreign interests,” said Senator Klobuchar.
    “Just when you think the Trump Administration can’t sink to a new low of ethical misconduct, he accepts a luxury jet from a foreign nation. Corruption on full display,” said Senator Merkley.
    “We’re beyond foreign interference at this point. We’re watching a President invite a foreign government to buy him off,” said Senator Alsobrooks. “American values are actively being flushed down the toiled by this corrupt President.”
    In addition to Booker, Schatz, and Coons, the resolution is cosponsored by Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Mark Warner (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Gary Peters (D-MI), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), and Andy Kim (D-NN).
    To read the full text of the resolution, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Peters and Blackburn Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Protect U.S. Nuclear Facilities from Drone Threats

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters
    Published: 05.14.2025

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced bipartisan legislation to protect our nation’s nuclear facilities from the growing threat of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), or drones. The senators’ Nuclear Ecosystem Drone Defense (NEDD) Act would expand the Department of Energy’s (DOE) authority to counter drones presenting threats to U.S. nuclear facilities and assets, specifically to cover facilities that store and transport nuclear material as well as facilities used to research, design, or manufacture components for nuclear weapons. As drones become more advanced, this legislation would help to better secure America’s major nuclear sites as well as smaller facilities that are critical to national security.  
    “As drone technologies evolve and advance, we need to be taking every step necessary to protect our national security and keep America’s nuclear assets, and the communities near them, safe,” said Senator Peters. “This bill would give the Department of Energy the additional authority it needs to counter evolving drone threats and protect some of our nation’s most sensitive and critical infrastructure.” 
    “Unmanned aircraft systems are threatening our nuclear and national security,” said Senator Blackburn. “The NEDD Act would protect nuclear facilities from unauthorized drones, enhancing the Department of Energy’s ability to safeguard its assets, and counter threats to our national security.”
    Between 2022 and 2024, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) reported six unauthorized drone sightings at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS), one suspicious UAS overflight of the Pantex Plant (PTX), and five suspicious drone overflights of the Los Alamos National Labs (LANL) restricted airspace. These events have underscored the need for DOE to have expanded authorities and capabilities to combat evolving drone threats. 
    The NEDD Act would help address weaknesses in DOE’s current drone authorities to better counter nefariously operated drones. While current law focuses on protecting high-profile sites where special nuclear materials are stored, the U.S. is also home to other important facilities, such as those involved in research or production, that are not thoroughly covered. This bipartisan bill would help close those gaps and ensure that DOE can respond quickly to threats and implement comprehensive safeguards for all sites under its purview.  Peters has been fighting to expand authorities to ensure our nation is prepared to address public safety threats from drones. Last year, he pressed his colleagues to pass long overdue, bipartisan legislation he authored that would provide state and law enforcement with tools to better detect and track drones so they can protect their communities. Peters’ legislation is supported by a wide range of stakeholders including the National Football League, airports and law enforcement organizations.   

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ricketts Leads Letter Backing President Trump’s Call for Full Dismantlement of Iran’s Nuclear Program

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) led a letter to President Donald Trump regarding the administration’s ongoing negotiations with Iran. The letter calls on the Trump administration to secure a deal that results in the full dismantlement of the Iranian nuclear program, including permanently ending the regime’s capacity to enrich uranium. The letter was signed by 52 Senate Republicans. The letter states:
    “We write to express our strong support for your efforts to secure a deal with Iran that dismantles its nuclear program, and to reinforce the explicit warnings that you and officials in your administration have issued that the regime must permanently give up any capacity for enrichment.
    “We cannot afford another agreement that enables Iran to play for time, as the JCPOA did. The Iranian regime should know that the administration has Congressional backing to ensure their ability to enrich uranium is permanently eliminated,” the letter continues. “As always we stand ready to provide you and your administration whatever resources you need to advance American national security interests.”
    The letter was also signed by Senators Ted Cruz (TX), Tom Cotton (AR), Leader John Thune (SD), Jim Risch (ID), Mike Crapo (ID), Jim Justice (WV), Steve Daines (MT), John Curtis (UT), John Cornyn (TX), Kevin Cramer (ND), Chuck Grassley (IA), Dave McCormick (PA), James Lankford (OK), Tim Scott (SC), Susan Collins (ME), Markwayne Mullin (OK), Tim Sheehy (MT), Rick Scott (FL), Cynthia Lummis (WY), Jim Banks (IN), John Hoeven (ND), John Boozman (AR), Jon Husted (OH), John Barrasso (WY), Roger Wicker (MS), Thom Tillis (NC), Shelly Moore Capito (WV), Mike Lee (UT), Katie Britt (AL), Marsha Blackburn (TN), Ashley Moody (FL), Ted Budd (NC), Mitch McConnell (KY), Dan Sullivan (AK), Joni Ernst (IA), Cindy Hyde-Smith (MS), Mike Rounds (SD), Deb Fischer (NE), Bill Cassidy (LA), Todd Young (IN), John Kennedy (LA), Tommy Tuberville (AL), Bernie Moreno (OH), Jerry Moran (KS), Lisa Murkowski (AK), Bill Hagerty (TN), Eric Schmitt (MO), Roger Marshall (KS), Josh Hawley (MO), Ron Johnson (WI), and Lindsey Graham (SC).
    Read the full letter here or below:
    Dear Mr. Trump:
    We write to express our strong support for your efforts to secure a deal with Iran that dismantles its nuclear program, and to reinforce the explicit warnings that you and officials in your administration have issued that the regime must permanently give up any capacity for enrichment.
    During your first term you withdrew the United States from the deeply broken Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and imposed maximum pressure on the regime. As you said then, a fatal flaw of the deal was that it “allowed Iran to continue enriching uranium and, over time, reach the brink of a nuclear breakout.”  The JCPOA allowed Iran to sell oil, provided waivers allowing third countries to help Iran build out its nuclear program, and included the termination of United Nations sanctions on the regime. Despite critics claiming your withdrawal from the deal would allow Iran to advance its nuclear ambitions, the Iranian regime remained deterred from making substantial nuclear progress throughout your term because of your maximum pressure campaign.
    Tragically, the Biden administration systematically undid that pressure, functionally re-implementing the nuclear deal. They immediately rescinded your decision to reimpose U.N. sanctions, allowed Iran to sell oil at JCPOA-levels, and even re-issued waivers allowing Iran to build out its nuclear program. As you predicted, those policies indeed allowed Iran to reach the brink of nuclear breakout, which is where they are today. The Biden administration made those concessions without any reciprocal concessions from Iran, and Iran even ceased providing international inspectors access to significant parts of its nuclear program in the early days of the Biden administration.
    The scope and breadth of Iran’s nuclear buildout have made it impossible to verify any new deal that allows Iran to continue enriching uranium. In its most recent report, published on February 26, the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that because of Iran’s activities over the last four years, “the Agency has lost continuity of knowledge in relation to the production and current inventory of centrifuges, rotors and bellows, heavy water and UOC, which it will not be possible to restore.”
    You and your administration have therefore correctly drawn a redline against any deal that allows Iran to retain any enrichment capability. Your National Security Presidential Memorandum on Iran stated that “Iran’s nuclear program, including its enrichment- and reprocessing-related capabilities and nuclear-capable missiles, poses an existential danger to the United States and the entire civilized world,” and you recently said that only “full dismantlement” of those capabilities would be acceptable. Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff has made it clear in that context of negotiation that for any final arrangement to work, “Iran must stop and eliminate its nuclear enrichment and weaponization program.” 
    We cannot afford another agreement that enables Iran to play for time, as the JCPOA did. The Iranian regime should know that the administration has Congressional backing to ensure their ability to enrich uranium is permanently eliminated. 
    As always we stand ready to provide you and your administration whatever resources you need to advance American national security interests.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 5 Defendants Federally Charged in Los Angeles, Orange Counties as Part of Nationwide Crackdown on Child Sexual Abuse Offenders

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – Attorney General Pamela Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel recently announced an unprecedented national initiative to protect the most vulnerable members of our communities. The FBI launched a coordinated effort with all field offices in a sweeping action to identify, track and arrest child sex predators.

    Since the end of April, the FBI arrested 205 subjects across the country and rescued 115 children during Operation Restore Justice. These subjects are accused of various crimes including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors, and child sex trafficking. They include school leaders and registered sex offenders, among others. 

    In the Central District of California, a seven-county jurisdiction that includes Los Angeles and Orange counties, five defendants were charged with federal crimes as follows:

    • Andrew Castillon, 47, of El Monte, was arrested May 1 on a federal criminal complaint charging him with possession of child pornography. A federal magistrate judge ordered him released on $5,000 bond. Castillon’s arraignment is scheduled for May 27 in United States District Court in Los Angeles. Assistant United States Attorney Thi H. Ho of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
    • Jose Olvera, 34, of North Hollywood, was arrested May 1 on a federal indictment charging him with two counts of distribution of child pornography and five counts of possession of child pornography. He pleaded not guilty to all charges at his arraignment and a June 23 trial was scheduled in this case. A federal magistrate judge ordered him jailed without bond. Assistant United States Attorney Mikaela W. Gilbert-Lurie of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
    • Steven Martin Nuss, 66, of San Juan Capistrano, was arrested May 9 on a two-count federal grand jury indictment charging him with distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography. He pleaded not guilty to both charges and a federal magistrate judge ordered him jailed without bond. He is scheduled to go to trial on July 1. Assistant United States Attorney Melissa S. Rabbani of the Orange County Office is prosecuting this case.
    • David Eugene Parker, 55, of La Palma, was arrested April 30 on federal grand jury indictment charging him with two counts of possession of child pornography. He pleaded not guilty to the charge and a federal magistrate judge ordered him released on $100,000 bond. A June 24 trial date is scheduled in this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Lauren E. Border of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
    • Gregory Cole Jr., 30, of Lancaster, was arrested April 30 in Arizona after he failed to appear at his trial earlier last month in which a jury found him guilty in absentia of one count of production of child pornography, one count of enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity, and one count of receipt of child pornography. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 23, at which time he will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison. Assistant United States Attorney Derek R. Flores of the Violent and Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.

    Two additional individuals were arrested in Los Angeles for sexual exploitation of a child and charges of coercion and enticement, respectively; however, those cases are being prosecuted in separate districts.

    “Sexual predators who target children leave emotional scars that can last a lifetime,” said United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “Along with our law enforcement partners, we seek to bring a measure of solace to victims and put criminals on notice that they risk lengthy prison sentences and severe penalties for harming children.”

    “The amount of child predators arrested during Operation Restore Justice should shock the conscience of any law-abiding citizen and parents or guardians, in particular,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office.  “Each day, our agents are tackling criminal allegations involving children, whether it be online dangers such as ‘sextortion,’ emerging nihilist extremist networks such as ‘764,’ or children being groomed by someone close to them. We urge caretakers of all children to educate themselves about these constant threats targeting the most vulnerable members of our society.”

    As the nation marked National Child Abuse Prevention month in April, the timing of this effort was a culmination of countless hours by hundreds of FBI agents. It further underscores the FBI’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and raising awareness about the dangers they face. While the Bureau works relentlessly to investigate these crimes every day, April serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of prevention and community education.

    The FBI takes a proactive approach to identify unknown individuals involved in the sexual exploitation of children and the production of child sexual abuse material. We do that through our Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Forces (CEHTTFs) located in each field office. This allows the FBI to combine resources with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The FBI also partners with the nonprofit National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24-hour hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org. 

    In 2004, the FBI created the Endangered Child Alert Program (ECAP) to identify individuals involved in the sexual abuse of children and the production of child sexual abuse material. The program is a collaborative effort between the FBI and the NMCEC.

    The FBI also offers resources for parents and caregivers to stay engaged with their children’s online and offline activities. The FBI’s Safe Online Surfing (SOS) program teaches students in grades 3 to 8 how to navigate the web safely.

    The FBI urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through our tiplines at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office. 

    Other online resources:

    • Electronic Press Kit:

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Stanislaus County Man Sentenced to over 15 Years in Prison for Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Cristian Ceja, 28, of Turlock, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge John A. Mendez to 15 years and eight months in prison for transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

    According to court documents, between Aug. 27, 2023, and Jan. 3, 2024, Ceja transported a minor victim from the Eastern District of California to Idaho with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. Ceja met the minor victim when Ceja was working as a delivery driver and delivered food to the minor’s house. Ceja thereafter used the minor victim’s phone number to track her down on social media and communicate with her. Ceja began a lengthy sexual relationship with the minor victim who, at that time, was 15. During the course of their sexual relationship, Ceja would sneak into the minor victim’s bedroom to have sex with her without being detected by her parents. On at least two occasions, Ceja video recorded himself engaging in sexual contact with the minor victim. Ceja kept used condoms and used feminine hygiene products in his storage unit as souvenirs of his relationship with the minor victim.

    On Aug. 26, 2023, the minor victim’s mother contacted law enforcement because she found provocative photographs of the minor victim in her bedroom and was concerned her daughter was having a sexual relationship with an adult. In the early morning hours of Aug. 27, 2023, Ceja took the minor victim and fled to avoid detection and to continue the sexual relationship. While on the run, Ceja attempted to evade detection by placing stolen license plates on his vehicle, obliterating the VIN from his vehicle’s dashboard, spray painting the vehicle a different color, and adopting a false name. In order to avoid detection, Ceja discarded his cellphone while in flight and used a “burner” phone.

    Ceja first took the minor victim to Nevada where they lived in his vehicle for approximately one week. Ceja then took the minor victim to a rural part of Idaho where they lived for several months in a small camper trailer without running water or heat. Law enforcement found the minor victim after she contacted a family member via social media to let her family know that she wanted to come home but could not leave on her own. On Jan. 3, 2024, law enforcement officers arrived at the camper trailer, rescued the minor victim, and arrested Ceja

    This case was the product of an investigation by the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shea J. Kenny prosecuted the case.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Russell Fry (SC-07) and Mike Levin (CA-49) Introduce MAPOceans Act to Enhance Access to Recreational Waterway Data

    Source:

    Reps. Russell Fry (SC-07) and Mike Levin (CA-49) Introduce MAPOceans Act to Enhance Access to Recreational Waterway Data

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressmen Russell Fry (SC-07) and Mike Levin (CA-49) introduced the Modernizing Access to Our Public Oceans (MAPOceans) Act, legislation that will modernize public access to vital data about U.S. waterways. By requiring the Secretary of Commerce to digitize and display real-time marine data through GPS and smartphone applications, the bill aims to improve the recreational experience for boaters and anglers, support safe and legal activity on the water, and strengthen coastal economies.

    Building on the success of the MAPLand Act (2022) and the MAPWaters Act (which passed the House in January 2025), the MAPOceans Act would require the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to consolidate, standardize, and digitize public information about U.S. marine waters and make that information easily accessible in real time.

    Specifically, the bill would:

    • Provide real-time status updates on which waterways are open or closed to entry or watercraft, low-elevation aircraft, or diving.

    • Digitize restrictions related to motorized propulsion, fuel type, and specific types of watercraft (e.g., motorboats, kayaks, personal watercraft, airboats, ships).

    • Display fishing regulations and restrictions, including no-take zones, marine protected areas, and rules about specific equipment or bait (such as circle hooks or descending devices).

    • Publish continuously updated geographic information (GIS) data on navigation, bathymetric information, and depth charts.

    • Require the Department of Commerce to partner with non-federal entities—including states, Indian Tribes, Native Hawaiian organizations, private industry, data experts, and academic institutions—to ensure accurate and up-to-date information.

    “The MAPOceans Act is a commonsense bill to help Americans enjoy our nation’s waters and coastlines more safely and responsibly,” said Congressman Fry. “Whether you’re a fisherman or a boater, this bill gives individuals the easily accessible real-time information they need and ensures that Americans who rely on our waterways—whether for work or recreation—have the tools to access and enjoy our natural resources.”

    “Our district is home to terrific coastal waters that offer recreational and economic benefits to our entire region,” said Congressman Levin. “Every resident and visitor should be able to easily access clear information about how to responsibly enjoy these areas. This bipartisan bill will help ensure that’s the case while promoting the long-term protection of these natural resources. I look forward to working with Rep. Fry to advance this important legislation through the House.”

    Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Angus King (I-ME) reintroduced the bill in the Senate, where it passed the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee by voice vote in March 2025.

    The bill has received endorsements from the following organizations: South Carolina Boating & Fishing Alliance, American Sportfishing Association, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, International Game Fish Association, Center for Sportfishing Policy, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS), and National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA).

    “Boaters and anglers want to follow the rules, but too often those rules are buried in scattered websites or outdated PDFs,” said President and CEO of the South Carolina Boating & Fishing Alliance Gettys Brannon. “For a coastal state like South Carolina, where access to our waterways drives tourism, supports small businesses, and defines our way of life, the MAPOceans Act will bring clarity to the chaos. It gives the public one clear source to understand where they can fish, anchor, or operate. It’s a long-overdue fix that makes federal waterways more accessible and more manageable for everyone on the water. We thank Congressman Fry for his leadership on this important legislation.”

    “The MAPOceans Act will provide many benefits for the millions of saltwater anglers who fish our nation’s marine waters every year,” said President and CEO of the American Sportfishing Association (ASA) Glenn Hughes. “This legislation will ease access to information on federal fishing regulations through navigation tools and mapping applications, helping anglers and boaters stay up-to-date with changing regulations and opportunities. ASA and the recreational fishing industry thank Representatives Fry and Levin for their leadership of this legislation, which will simplify access to a wide range of recreational information, allowing anglers to feel confident they’re in compliance with the law as they’re heading out on the water.”

    “America’s incredible saltwater recreation opportunities should be easily enjoyed by all,” said President and CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership Joel Pedersen. “The MAPOceans Act will help simplify boating and recreational fishing information by digitizing not easily accessible regulations and making them readily available to the public. TRCP thanks Representatives Fry and Levin for their leadership to introduce and advance this important public access legislation.”

    “Accurate charts are one of the basic safety tools for all boaters,” said Government Affairs Manager for Boat Owners Association of The United States, BoatUS David Kennedy. “The MAPOceans Act will ensure the information collected by federal agencies will get on the chart plotters, mobile devices and even paper charts that boaters rely upon.”

    “The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) applauds the introduction of the MAPOceans Act, which would provide recreational boaters and anglers with more easily accessible resources and information to enjoy America’s waterways in a responsible and safe way,” said NMMA President and CEO Frank Hugelmeyer. “NMMA appreciates Representatives Fry and Levin’s support of the $230 billion recreational boating community and their steadfast leadership on this issue.”

    Several organizations also submitted this letter.

    Congressman Fry serves on both the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Judiciary Committee. To stay up to date with Congressman Fry and his work for the Seventh District, follow his official Facebook, Instagram, and X pages and visit his website at fry.house.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK advocates clean energy development in Guatemala

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    World news story

    UK advocates clean energy development in Guatemala

    An official from the UK’s Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) engaged with stakeholders in Guatemala to advance energy transition.

    Mitchell Lloyd, Senior Policy Advisor on International Energy Transition at DENZ visited Guatemala 12-14 May.  He met with the General Directorate of Energy at the Ministry of Energy and Mines, other government departments, private sector and international financing institutions developing clean energy initiatives in Guatemala.

    The discussions included a series of topics ranging from the need to galvanize global and local leadership and foster international cooperation on a clean energy transition, to unlocking clean growth, job opportunities and build robust clean energy supply chains.

    Guatemala has significant potential to develop clean energy projects, with a renewable capacity potential of 3,700 MW that could be integrated into the country’s electricity grid between 2024 and 2040. This includes various sources such as solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal energy.

    The visit supports the UK’s government mission to become a clean energy superpower, protecting households from unstable fossil fuel markets, including coal, while at the same time unlocking job opportunities at home and abroad for the clean energy sector.

    Updates to this page

    Published 14 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Scottsdale’s Youtech Fuels National Growth with Local Talent Expansion

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    •   Youtech’s strategic growth aims to further enhance Arizona’s legal, manufacturing, and healthcare sectors

    •   Solidifying its position as one of the United States’ largest digital marketing agencies, Youtech demonstrates momentum for future growth

    SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., May 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Youtech, a leading global full-service digital marketing agency deeply rooted in Scottsdale, today announced a significant phase of national growth fueled by the expansion of its talented workforce, including a growing team right here in the Valley. This strategic initiative will allow the agency to further enhance its service capabilities and better support its expanding client base, both locally and nationwide.

    Building upon its strong Scottsdale presence, a vital component of its 120-strong national team, Youtech is actively hiring with the ambitious goal of increasing its total employee count to over 150 by the end of 2025. A significant portion of this hiring effort will be focused on solidifying the teams within Youtech’s Scottsdale office, strengthening its capacity to deliver exceptional results for a diverse range of Arizona businesses.

    This local expertise spans various sectors, from legal services helping firms connect with those in need, to e-commerce suppliers of pool and spa equipment reaching homeowners, and the dynamic world of fine dining, supporting iconic steakhouses and seafood restaurants in elevating their brand and attracting discerning patrons. The agency also provides crucial digital marketing support for the home services industry (HVAC, roofing, plumbing) and outdoor cooling solutions manufacturers, demonstrating tangible marketing ROI in both traditional and AI-driven search environments.

    Looking ahead, Youtech projects substantial long-term growth, with a clear trajectory to exceed 250 employees nationally within the next three years. This ambitious forecast reflects the Scottsdale office’s consistent track record of success in driving results for Arizona businesses across diverse industries, its client-centric approach, and the increasing demand for its data-driven digital marketing expertise. This includes optimizing local online visibility for businesses through Google Ads, backed by its status as a Google Premier Partner (top 3% of U.S. agencies), and crafting captivating web design and branding that resonates with target audiences, whether they are seeking expert legal counsel, reliable aquatic supplies, a memorable dining experience, or effective climate control for outdoor spaces, ensuring relevance in AI-generated content.

    “This rapid growth marks an exciting chapter for Youtech, and our Scottsdale team is instrumental in our national success,” said Wilbur You, CEO and Founder of Youtech. “Strengthening our physical presence in key markets like Scottsdale allows us to even better serve our valued local clients across vital Arizona industries while also attracting top-tier talent from the Phoenix metro area to our growing team. Our focus remains on delivering exceptional results, and this strategic growth, including the launch of our innovative YouRank GEO service, will enable us to elevate the marketing performance of businesses right here in Arizona and across the nation in the age of AI.”

    As one of the largest digital marketing agencies in the nation, with a significant and expanding team right here in Scottsdale serving a diverse portfolio of Arizona-based clients in sectors like law, e-commerce, hospitality, manufacturing, and home services, Youtech continues to set new benchmarks in the industry, driving measurable results for businesses across a wide range of sectors through its comprehensive suite of services.

    About Youtech
    Youtech & Associates Inc. (“Youtech”) is a leading, full-service digital marketing agency providing solutions to brands of all sizes. Bootstrapped in 2012 with an investment of just $600, the agency has since become an award-winning powerhouse serving over 2,000 clients, completing over 10,000 projects, and generating over $10 billion in client sales worldwide. With a strong and expanding presence in Scottsdale, alongside offices in Chicago and Dallas, Youtech is one of the fastest-growing digital marketing firms in the country. Learn more about Youtech at https://www.youtechagency.com/.

    Company Contact
    Michael Norris
    mnorris@youtechagency.com

    Media Contact
    Jessica Starman
    media@elev8newmedia.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: LEADER JEFFRIES: “REPUBLICANS CAN’T DEFEND THESE MEDICAID CUTS, THAT’S WHY THEY’RE TRYING TO HIDE THEM”

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

    Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on CNN’s The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer where he emphasized that Democrats will continue pushing back against the reckless Republican scheme to rip healthcare and nutritional assistance away from the American people. 

    WOLF BLITZER: Turning back now to the very contentious budget battle here in Washington, Republicans remain sharply divided over funding key pieces of President Trump’s agenda, as Democrats hammer them for proposing major cuts to Medicaid. For more on that, I want to bring in the House Minority Leader, the Democratic Congressman Hakeem Jeffries. Congressman, thanks so much for joining us. From your vantage point, do you think Republicans have the votes to get these important pieces of legislation through committee and onto the House Floor?

    LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, that remains to be seen. House Democrats are going to continue to stand up on behalf of the American people and make clear that what Republicans are trying to do will actively harm everyday Americans. This reckless Republican budget would inflict the largest healthcare cut to Medicaid in American history, and at the same time, inflict the largest cut to supplemental nutritional assistance to the American people in history, literally taking food out of the mouths of children, veterans and seniors. It’s shameful and Republicans need to stand up for their constituents and stop being a reckless rubber stamp for Donald Trump’s agenda.

    WOLF BLITZER: And on that point Leader Jeffries, how does it—what does it say to you that many of these proposed Medicaid cuts in the current proposal are scheduled to take effect after the 2026 midterm elections?

    LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, once you set these cuts in motion, there will be a dramatic impact on the healthcare ecosystem. And so, despite the Republican gamesmanship, the reality is, if you begin to set in motion collapsing the healthcare system in the United States of America, and more than 80 million Americans rely on Medicaid for their health insurance, what’s going to happen is that hospitals are going to close, nursing homes are going to shut down and, in fact, people will die. And so, this is a matter of life and death, no matter what type of legislative gamesmanship Republicans are playing, they can’t defend these Medicaid cuts. And that is why they are trying everything they can to try to hide them from the American people.

    WOLF BLITZER: Republicans, Leader Jeffries, say they can save a significant amount of money by cutting Medicaid funding to those states that help undocumented immigrants purchase health insurance. What’s your position on that proposal? And if Democrats try to fight that proposal, do you worry it could open up your members to Republican attacks that they support tax dollars, U.S. tax dollars going to people who are in the United States illegally?

    LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, this is actually another lie in terms of what Republicans are trying to do. The Congressional Budget Office has been clear that if these Medicaid cuts were to become law, approximately 14 million Americans will lose their healthcare. And the Republicans aren’t even trying to make the argument that the overwhelming majority of those 14 million Americans aren’t actually citizens. Of course they are. These are everyday Americans who work hard. They’re our children and our families and our women and everyday Americans with disabilities. And, of course, those seniors who rely on Medicaid for their nursing home care or for their home care.

    WOLF BLITZER: Another key disagreement, as you know, is among Republicans—a disagreement among Republicans—is what to do about state and local tax deductions that primarily benefit blue states out there. You’ve called on letting the caps on those deductions expire altogether, but that would cost the government a significant amount of revenue. So where else would you find that money?

    LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, one of the things that we should be doing is providing tax relief to working families, working-class Americans, middle-class Americans, those who have been struggling to live paycheck to paycheck. Donald Trump and House Republicans spent all of last year promising that they were going to lower the high cost of living. In fact, they promised, Wolf, that costs would go down on day one. We know that’s not happened. Costs, in fact, aren’t going down. They’re going up. Inflation is going up. And Donald Trump, with his reckless tariffs, is actually crashing the economy and driving us toward a painful recession. And instead of trying to actually provide tax relief to help out those everyday Americans to build an affordable economy, part of this GOP tax scam is to cut Medicaid, hurt veterans, cut nutritional assistance to families and children and others, all to give massive tax breaks to their billionaire donors like Elon Musk. The more we expose this tax scam, the worse it gets for Republicans, which is why they are on the run, it’s why they’re not holding town hall meetings and it’s why they’re trying to manipulate the facts and the reality of this toxic piece of legislation.

    WOLF BLITZER: As you know, President Trump is in Qatar right now amid major bipartisan criticism over his plan to accept a luxury jet from that country. Are you and your Republican colleagues in Congress taking any steps to try to stop the President of the United States from accepting this gift from Qatar?

    LEADER JEFFRIES: Pursuant to the United States Constitution, it’s our view that in order for the president to accept this flying palace in the sky, a $400 million gift, which is a joke and an embarrassment, and it’s malignant, that it’s even under consideration, but in order for the president to lawfully accept this flying palace in the sky, he has to come before Congress pursuant to the Constitution, and ask permission to accept what is technically referred to as an emolument. It’s a fancy word for gift from a foreign power that the framers of the Constitution were very clear should never be accepted or, if it is accepted, only with the permission of Congress.

    WOLF BLITZER: In regards to the CBO, the Congressional Budget Office, each party asked the CBO to assess different combinations of the bill text. I just wanted to point that out, Congressman. You want to react to that?

    LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, listen, I mean, I think the reality is the Congressional Budget Office is a nonpartisan organization that was stood up in a bipartisan way by Democrats and Republicans for decades in order to provide us with an actual, fact-based assessment of the legislation that we are considering. And the Congressional Budget Office has made clear that these cuts will be devastating to the health, safety and well-being of the American people. And the Republicans can try to run from that fact as much as they want. We will never let them hide it from the American people.

    WOLF BLITZER: Before I let you go, Leader Jeffries, I want to quickly get your thoughts on this new book that’s about to come out from CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios’s Alex Thompson detailing President Biden’s decline during his time in the White House? According to one rather stunning passage from the book, President Biden didn’t even recognize George Clooney at a fundraiser that the movie star was actually hosting for him. Why should voters trust Democrats when it’s clear so many in your party went to great lengths to keep Biden’s condition hidden from the public?

    LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, I can’t tell you what happened between George Clooney and President Biden. I wasn’t at that event. What I can say is that we’re not looking back. We’re going to continue to look forward, because at this moment, we’ve got real problems that need to be addressed on behalf of the American people, including the Republican effort to snatch away healthcare, snatch away food assistance and hurt veterans.

    WOLF BLITZER: You interacted with President Biden during those days, those final days he was President of the United States. Did you see, did you sense there was a major deterioration?

    LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, in the conversations that I was able to have on behalf of the House Democratic Caucus in those final days, we simply expressed our perspective as to what would be best for the party at that given moment in time. President Biden subsequently made the decision that he was going to pass the baton to Vice President Kamala Harris. Of course, that was the decision that we supported strongly.

    PAMELA BROWN: Just very quickly, I want to ask you, Congressman Jeffries. You know, you say we’re not looking back, we’re looking forward. But what happened in the past has to do with what’s going to happen in the future and whether voters can trust Democrats. As you look back, you were in a leadership position when President Biden decided to run again. Should you have done more at that point to intervene?

    LEADER JEFFRIES: That’s a great question in terms of whether voters can trust Democrats or not. Every single high-profile special election that has taken place since President Trump was inaugurated—a special election victory in Iowa in January, a special election victory in New York in February, a special election victory in Pennsylvania in March, a special election victory in Wisconsin in the Supreme Court race in April and yesterday, decisively defeating a Republican incumbent in Omaha and a surprise to many observers. Clearly, voters are trusting Democrats this year when they go to the ballot, repeatedly rejecting MAGA extremism.

    WOLF BLITZER: Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic Leader in the House, thanks so much for joining us.

    PAMELA BROWN: Thank you very much.

    LEADER JEFFRIES: Thank you.

    Full interview can be watched here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: House Republicans Are Securing the Border While House Democrats Want to Empty the Jails

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)

    WASHINGTON — This morning, at the weekly House Republican Leadership press conference, Speaker Johnson addressed House Democrats engaging in a physical altercation with ICE agents and provided an update on budget reconciliation.

    Watch the Speaker’s full remarks here

    On House Democrats engaging in a physical altercation with ICE officers:

    Three Democrat members of Congress got into a physical altercation with our ICE agents outside the Delaney Hall Detention Center in New Jersey. What a spectacle that was, what a horrible display for our children to see. Amid a long list of shameful and embarrassing episodes this year, that altercation, I think it takes the cake. I think it’s a new low for congressional Democrats. Instead of condemning the action, of course, the Democrat leadership in the House sent out a statement of support. My friend Hakeem Jeffries said, “We will never bend the knee.” Bend the knee to what, Hakeem? To ICE?

    The reason the Democrats were even at the detention facility is equally concerning. The purpose was they were there demanding to shut down the detention facility. Now look, here’s who’s housed in the detention facility: violent gang members, rapists and murderers. They want to shut it down. We already know the Democrats support open borders. They support MS-13 gang members. They go visit them in jail. They want to allow illegals to vote, so many of them. But this really is, this is a new this a new low.

    Republicans want to detain and deport criminal illegal aliens. Democrats want to empty the jails. Could you have a stronger contrast than that right there? We don’t need less detention beds and facilities, we need much more, and that behavior is just unacceptable. We’re grateful to US Attorney Alina Habba in New Jersey, she’s opened an investigation into this matter, and that legal process will play out. We’re having conversations, we had them this morning in the House Republican conference meeting this morning about appropriate action that we need to take here to address that inappropriate behavior, the wildly inappropriate behavior, and we will do that.

    On budget reconciliation:

    The bill is coming together. As you’ve heard, the last three committees are reporting out today. Everybody in this room gets fixated on a few final details about all this, but I think it’s important to just state one more time what we’re achieving through reconciliation. This will be the one of the most consequential pieces of legislation ever passed by the United States Congress. It is large, it is comprehensive, and it deals with reconciling the budget in a way that will be fiscally responsible. We’re going to slash taxes, including on tips overtime, Social Security for seniors and job creators, restore American energy dominance, secure our border, and deport illegal aliens. We’re going to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse, return to peace through strength and reduce spending, all at the same time.

    And I put reconciliation on an aggressive timetable. Back in January, I said that we would try to do this as quickly as possible. We’re still on target to hit that Memorial Day deadline, which people balked at when we first said it. The American people are counting on us to get this done and get it done quickly, and we are on target to do it. President Biden left virtually every area of public policy in disrepair, and it is incumbent upon Congress to fix it and pass laws that cannot be easily undone or overwritten. We’re working around the clock to build consensus to get the 218 votes and deliver on President Trump’s America first agenda so the American people can really begin to feel relief.

    On House Democrats lying about Medicaid:

    As we’re working to get this done, House Democrats are working overtime to deceive the American people about this. We’ve discussed it already this morning, but they’re not talking about what the bill actually does. They’re using talking points that are pretty stale. They’re not afraid to lie about what’s in it, and we’re not afraid to tell the truth about what the Democrats are doing. They’ve already been forced to take down their advertisements because they were filled with falsehoods about what the bill supposedly was going to have in it. You probably saw last week. They’re at it again. They released a CBO report, so called, that claims that our legislation cuts many millions of Americans out of Medicaid. It’s obviously, demonstrably false.

    Other outlets have reported on this. They included policies that are not even in the legislation. How could they have done that? Because they released a report before the bill text was issued. And most of the media ran with that, okay? And I’m just going to say this to my friends in the media, on the hill press corps in particular, right? If you allow Democrats to make these intentionally false claims without pushback, then you’re aiding and abetting in the spread of misinformation. I mean, you know, I’m stating the obvious. The job is to get the facts out there. So, we hope you will.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Managing risk-reduction even in times of crisis: UK Statement to the OSCE

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Speech

    Managing risk-reduction even in times of crisis: UK Statement to the OSCE

    Ambassador Holland reiterates the UK’s support to Ukraine, calls on Russia to end its war and to use this unique Forum for risk-reduction, even in crisis.

    Thank you Madam Chair, dear Kaja, and to the Secretary General, for setting out Estonia’s priorities for the Forum for Security Co-operation this Trimester.  You can count on the UK’s continued support, as you chair our Forum at this crucial time for Euro-Atlantic Security. 

    Madam Chair, as we know, the FSC’s mandate is broad and has rightly evolved over decades.  In 1996, our Heads of State and Government adopted a Decision tasking the Forum to manage “preventive diplomacy, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation”.  In the 1996 Budapest Document, Ministers tasked the FSC with: “tackling regional security problems (including crises) flexibly in ways appropriate to each case”.  So not only did our Ministers mandate the Forum to manage risk-reduction, they also saw value in our politico-military dialogue continuing even in times of crisis.   

    The OSCE has an extensive acquis and toolkit to do this work.  But it relies on political will to be effective.  Participating States have used the toolkit, including transparency mechanisms, to offer de-escalation.  For example, by Georgia in 2008, by Ukraine – twenty times – in 2014, and again by Ukraine in 2022.  As these examples proved, transparency mechanisms can offer a ladder to defuse a situation or at least an early warning indicator.  But no tool can substitute for the political will required to de-escalate.  Especially if that State has decided to invade, as Russia’s actions have shown so clearly. 

    Madam Chair, the Code of Conduct commits us to act in solidarity if OSCE norms and commitments are violated.  As catalogued by the OSCE Moscow Mechanisms, ODIHR and UN, there is irrefutable independent evidence of Russia violating international law.  As per the Code, such breaches are a “direct and legitimate” concern for us all.  

    That is why our weekly statements will continue reiterating our support for Ukraine and calling for Russia to end its war and return to abiding by the UN Charter and the Helsinki Final Act.  That is why we welcome Estonia’s three Security Dialogue topics on the Code of Conduct; Women, Peace & Security; and protection of children in armed conflicts, keeping a focus on Russia’s invasion.  That is also why we will keep on using this Forum and its tools to execute our mandate, including on risk-reduction and voluntary briefs on military exercises. 

    Madam Chair, our Ministers mandated the Forum to hold a weekly politico-military dialogue in order to execute our vital mandate.  We can only do that if we respect the Forum and meet weekly to fulfil, not to frustrate, its work. 

    I wish to conclude by welcoming Finland to the FSC Troika, and to thank Denmark for their work as they leave the Troika.  And most importantly, I wish you, Madam Chair, and your able teams here in Vienna and in Tallinn the best of luck this Trimester.  You can count on the support of the UK delegation.

    Updates to this page

    Published 14 May 2025

    Invasion of Ukraine

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Somerset Man Charged with Receipt and Possession of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TRENTON N.J. – A Somerset man was charged with receipt and possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.

    Elliott Souder, 51, was charged by complaint and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rukhsanah L. Singh in Trenton federal court on May 6, 2025.

    According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

    From at least September 20, 2021 through November 16, 2021, Souder, via his home computer, connected to an Internet-based peer-to-peer network and requested three videos depicting child sexual abuse. When members of law enforcement executed a search warrant at Souder’s Somerset residence in March 2022, they found over 1,000 images and videos of child pornography on Souder’s computer’s hard drive, including two of the aforementioned videos previously requested over the peer-to-peer network. Some of the images and videos depicted prepubescent children, toddlers and infants, and sadomasochism on children.

    The charge of receipt of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of possession of child pornography carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

    U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, specifically the Violent Crimes Against Children Unit, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, with the investigation. This investigation was conducted under FBI’s Operation Restore Justice. 

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/psc.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Agnew of the Criminal Division in Trenton.

    The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

                                                   ###

    Defense counsel: Steven D. Altman, Esq., New Brunswick, NJ

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Jury Convicts a Former Armed-Robber of Possessing a Firearm while on Supervised Release

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – A federal jury convicted a Raleigh man on Tuesday on charges of possession of a firearm by a felon.  Cawajalin Kavin McNeil, age 30, will face up to 15 years of imprisonment when sentenced later this year.

    According to court records and evidence presented at trial, in the early morning hours of March 16, 2024, while heading home from work, an eyewitness saw McNeil in a confrontation with a young woman. When the eyewitness attempted to intervene, McNeil pointed a 9mm pistol at him.  He then backed away to his vehicle where he called 911 to report the incident near North Carolina State University.  The eyewitness described the black car the defendant got into, gave a nearly complete license plate number, and a physical description of McNeil.

    When Officers with the Raleigh Police Department (RPD) responded, they found McNeil seated in a black vehicle matching the description of the car from the eyewitness. That vehicle’s license plate was nearly an exact match of the one given to 911 and McNeil himself matched the description of the individual who had pointed the gun at the eyewitness. A search of the vehicle found a 9mm pistol wedged between the front passenger seat and the center console. The gun was similar to the gun pointed at the 911 caller. McNeil was then arrested for not having a conceal-carry permit.

    During processing at the Wake County Detention Center, officers located a razor blade in McNeil’s shoe and felt an unusual object near the defendant’s groin. A subsequent search uncovered a second 9mm pistol hidden in McNeil’s underwear. It was later determined that McNeil was a convicted felon who had previously plead guilty to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery and using and carrying a firearm in furtherance of a federal crime of violence. McNeil had been sentenced to 180 months in prison, had been released in November 2023, and was on supervised release when this incident occurred.

    Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle accepted the verdict. The RPD and the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives are investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Logan Liles is prosecuting the case.

    A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No.5:24-cr-00271.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: China-US trade war: the next 90 days are a big deal for Beijing as it seeks long-term solutions

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Chee Meng Tan, Assistant Professor of Business Economics, University of Nottingham

    Washington and Beijing have finally agreed a pause in their escalating trade war. US and Chinese officials announced in Geneva this week that US tariffs on Chinese goods would fall to 30%, while Chinese tariffs on US products would drop back to 10%.

    But the real battle to determine the fate of future US-Sino relations will be in negotiations that take place in the next 90 days. As both sides jostle to protect respective national interests, a win is possible for China. But that probably hinges on whether Donald Trump sees what’s on offer as a win for him as well.

    The 90-day deal to deescalate tariffs, which begins on May 14, includes significant concessions, and shows a willingness from both sides to negotiate.

    In early April, US tariffs on Chinese products had soared to 145%, while Beijing imposed a 125% tariff on US imports. US supermarkets had begun to warn of imminent stock shortages.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    Donald Trump was quick to claim a significant win from Monday’s deal, but so did China.

    Was this really a win for either side? So far the only progress is the roll back of tariffs to levels before the trade war intensified in April 2025.

    But for China, the latest tariff reduction has provided much needed, if short term, economic relief, even if no one knows what will happen after 90 days. The Chinese stock market rallied immediately after the announcement. China is attempting to repair its ailing economy fuelled by a real estate crisis that began in 2021. So, Beijing needs more triumphs of this sort, as it realises that fiscal stimulus may be ineffective in the face of overwhelming tariffs.

    So, what measures should Beijing take to ensure that US tariffs remain low, if not lower?

    Before the trade war between the US and China began in July 2018, tariffs imposed by Washington on Beijing and vice versa were relatively low. In January 2018, US tariffs on Chinese exports stood at 3.1%, while Chinese tariffs on US exports were at 8%. While the current 10% Chinese tariffs on US goods isn’t far from the pre-trade war level, the same cannot be said of US tariffs on Chinese goods, which stand at 30%.

    What’s a big win for China?

    For Beijing, a big win would be a return of the pre-trade war tariffs or the absence of tariffs entirely. But either outcome is highly unlikely.

    A major obstacle is Trump’s need for a political win. In early April this year, the US president has harshly criticised foreign nations for having “looted, pillaged, raped, and plundered” the US. To address this problem, the US has imposed a minimum tariff of 10% on all nations sending exports to the US. And if Washington were to reduce tariffs on Chinese products to under 10%, then he would be expected to do the same with the rest of the world.

    Even this 90-day deal with China could be seen as capitulation by Trump, who was already under pressure from the US stock market and business leaders to roll back the high tariffs on Chinese goods. But revising baseline tariffs downwards to below 10% for the rest of the world would be seen as an even greater cop out.

    This could eat into Trump’s political capital and harm the Republican party’s chances at midterm elections scheduled for 2026. All of which seems unlikely.

    Details of the US and China trade war pause start to be revealed.

    What China hopes is for future US tariffs to get back to around 10%. This represents a massive improvement from the previous 145% imposed by the White House in April this year. But for Washington to save face and claim a believable victory of its own to reduce tariffs, Beijing needs to offer something in return.

    Sticking points

    One significant issue affecting US-Sino relations is the drug fentanyl. According to the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), fentanyl, which is responsible for tens of thousands of US deaths each year, comes primarily from China and Mexico.

    Washington expects Beijing to do more to stem the flow of the drug and chemicals used to make the drug from flowing into the US. To push China to take action on this, the US imposed a 30% tariff on China instead of the baseline 10% it has put on all other nations.

    Beijing sees things differently and claimed that Washington is engaging in a “smear campaign” and aims to “shift blame” on China for not doing enough when the country has some of the strictest drug laws in the world.

    Trump sees the fentanyl problem as a national security issue, and says China needs to provide sufficient concessions in stemming the outflow of the drug so that the White House can justify the lowering of tariffs below the existing 30%.

    But China can do more to secure lower tariffs. As part of the present trade deal, China has agreed to lift its export ban of critical minerals to the US. This is a crucial for the US as these items are essential in manufacturing advanced weaponry.

    If Beijing can guarantee the flow of critical minerals to the US, and assure its support for US agriculture, an important political support base for Trump, then it is likely that a Trump administration would lower, and more importantly, maintain these tariffs in the foreseeable future.

    China probably will want to hedge its bets. It needs to engage with the US and lower US tariffs as much as possible, but will want to look at other options, rather than relying on an unpredictable Trump. It will look to increase its trade with other significant regional players such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, an economic bloc that promotes economic growth among its member nations.

    Ultimately, China needs policy continuity from Washington. Without it, any plans that it has in recovering its sluggish economy won’t work.

    But like any good trader, Trump will likely find it difficult to pass up a good deal, especially when the US has to deal with its own economic problems. So if Beijing can find a way to make a deal that works and brings a symbolic win for both sides, it is likely to get Trump’s attention.

    Chee Meng Tan 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. China-US trade war: the next 90 days are a big deal for Beijing as it seeks long-term solutions – https://theconversation.com/china-us-trade-war-the-next-90-days-are-a-big-deal-for-beijing-as-it-seeks-long-term-solutions-256535

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Peter Sullivan murder conviction quashed after 38 years in jail – it would be a mistake to see his case as a bizarre, one-off

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Brian Thornton, Senior Lecturer in Journalism, University of Winchester

    Peter Sullivan has had his conviction for the murder of Diane Sindall quashed. He is not the Beast of Birkenhead. He is an innocent man who got ensnared in a malfunctioning system that then took 38 years to admit its mistake.

    He was wrongly convicted in 1987 for the brutal attack on the part-time pub worker. The 21-year-old was beaten to death and sexually assaulted as she walked home after a shift in Bebington, Merseyside.

    Sullivan is now 68 and has lost the best years of his life. Remarkably, in a statement read by his lawyer after his conviction was overturned he said he was “not angry, not bitter”. He said he had experienced horrors but would not dwell on them: “I’ve got to make the most of what is left of the existence I am granted in this world.”

    Given he’s the victim of the longest miscarriage of justice experienced by a living inmate in the UK, no one would begrudge Sullivan that.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    But it would be a mistake to see his case as a bizarre, one-off. In March I wrote in detail about how the English criminal justice system continually betrays victims of injustice – from cases like the Birmingham six and the Guildford four to the hundreds of victims of the Post Office scandal.

    There are also immediate parallels to be made with two other miscarriage of justice cases – Victor Nealon and Andrew Malkinson.



    Read more:
    Convicting the innocent: how a rotten system ensures miscarriages of justice will continue

    The Sullivan, Malkinson, Nealon cases were all exposed as miscarriages of justice thanks to new DNA evidence, but only after a reluctant and incurious appeal system was dragged kicking and screaming into agreeing to new forensic testing.

    Malkinson was wrongly convicted of rape and spent 17 years in prison. The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) twice rejected his submissions that he was innocent, and he was only cleared when his own lawyers tracked down DNA evidence that proved his innocence.

    Nealon who was wrongfully convicted of attempted rape spent an additional ten years in prison because the CCRC refused to carry out DNA tests that would have proved his innocence. He applied to the CCRC twice but was rejected both times.

    In the Sullivan case, the CCRC feels it deserves credit for ordering the retesting that led to his exoneration, and it does. But it’s worth noting that he applied to the CCRC in 2021 and it took until now for him to be freed.

    No compensation

    Justice delayed is justice denied and all three men spent unnecessary years of their lives behind bars thanks to a sluggish and often inept appeals system.

    It took decades, but Sullivan is now a free man. He leaves prison with £89 in his pocket, and that’s it. There will be no automatic compensation, no system that eases him back into ordinary life.

    When Victor Nealon was released after 17 years in prison, he would have been homeless if it were not for the kindness of a journalist who allowed him to sleep on his couch. Nealon has never received compensation. After multiple rejections he and Sam Hallam, another miscarriage of justice victim who was accused of murder, took their claims for compensation all the way to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). They lost.

    The judges at the ECHR concluded that it was virtually impossible for victims of miscarriage of justice to receive compensation in the UK, noting that 93% of people who applied for compensation were rejected. The two men have never seen a penny of compensation.

    But it appears that Malkinson may be one of the lucky 7% who do. It has been reported that the Ministry of Justice is to pay him “a significant sum” and no one in their right mind would object to Malkinson receiving compensation. He is an innocent man who spent 17 wasted years in prison.

    Hallam, Nealon and so many more are also innocent but have been refused compensation. Why?

    It is difficult to come to any other conclusion than Malkinson is being compensated because of the media coverage his case attracted. Malkinson is a very impressive person – erudite, thoughtful and reasonable – someone capable of guest editing the Today programme. His case, along with his criticisms, threw the CCRC into crisis and led to the resignation of its chair. But not everyone can be Andrew Malkinson, and they shouldn’t have to be.

    Sullivan is a very different person. “He’s a very quiet, private man,” his lawyer told the BBC. He has so far shunned the media and it’s clear that he will not have the same high profile as Malkinson. His story will fade as the news agenda moves on and there will be a danger that the lessons from this case will be ignored or forgotten.

    For example, Sullivan’s case is a reminder that there are still people in prison who were jailed based on false confessions, and these cases should be reviewed urgently.

    And the project announced by the CCRC to identify cases where new forensic testing could provide fresh evidence needs to happen urgently. As Chris Henley KC, the lawyer who led a review into the CCRC’s handling of the Malkinson case, said, more miscarriages of justice cases are “inevitable” and so it is better to identify them as quickly as possible. No need for more innocent people to languish unnecessarily in prison.

    Ultimately, the main lesson for the criminal justice system to learn is humility.
    If a plane crashes, accident investigators will painstakingly piece the wreckage back together to identify what went wrong. If there is an infectious outbreak, medical experts will urgently seek out the source. They do this so that they can find out what went wrong and avoid future tragedies.

    But somehow the criminal justice system appears to feel it is above this approach, despite the fact that Peter Sullivan was failed by the police, by the legal system, courts and the Court of Appeal. As Henley said: “I think that there is a fundamental problem in relation to our appeal system generally, that it just won’t face up to the fact that mistakes can be made. It stubbornly wants to stick to the original flawed conviction.”

    But first and foremost, Peter Sullivan must receive the compensation he deserves. He was wronged and the state should swiftly and fairly do what it can to make that right.

    Brian Thornton 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. Peter Sullivan murder conviction quashed after 38 years in jail – it would be a mistake to see his case as a bizarre, one-off – https://theconversation.com/peter-sullivan-murder-conviction-quashed-after-38-years-in-jail-it-would-be-a-mistake-to-see-his-case-as-a-bizarre-one-off-256723

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Who is Project 2025 co-author Russ Vought and what is his influence on Trump?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Dafydd Townley, Teaching Fellow in US politics and international security, University of Portsmouth

    While Elon Musk has clearly been a major influence on the Trump administration, the less well known, but arguably more influential, power behind the presidency is Russell (usually Russ) Vought. Vought is the director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) – the nerve centre of the administration’s sweeping changes.

    Vought is also rumoured to be about to take over running the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) from Musk.

    Unlike Musk, Vought acts mostly outside the media spotlight. He is fully committed to a radical overhaul of the way the US presidency works – and his deep religious convictions have led him to believe there should be more Christianity embedded in government and public life.

    He has vowed to “be the person that crushes the deep state”, and was part of the first Trump administration, where he held the position of OMB deputy director – and, briefly, director.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    Vought worked with Trump in his first
    term on executive order 13957, which aimed to reclassify thousands of policy jobs within the federal government. This was designed to allow the White House to quickly change who was employed in these roles.

    This was subsequently revoked by the Biden administration. But Trump issued a similar executive order 14171 in January, which will implement quicker hiring and firing procedures. The Office of Personnel Management estimates that this could affect 50,000 federal roles.

    In an interview with conservative commentator and podcaster Tucker Carlson, Vought said that this was necessary for the White House to “retain control” of the agencies under its command. Without it, he claimed, ideological “opponents” within the agencies had the power to diminish the efficiency of White House initiatives. And his role as head of the OMB, he argued, was “to tame the bureaucracy, the administrative state”.

    During the Biden presidency, Vought was one of the main authors – credited as the key architect – of the Heritage Foundation’s influential Project 2025, widely seen as the blueprint for Trump’s second term of office. The 900-page document, whose full title is Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise, was a major talking point during last year’s presidential election campaign.

    Throughout the campaign, Trump strenuously denied Democrat accusations of having any connection to Project 2025. But a large number of his appointees contributed to the Heritage Foundation’s publication, and numerous Project 2025’s recommendations have quickly been put into action. These include Trump’s high trade tariffs and Doge’s cost-cutting initiatives.

    Russ Vought talking to Tucker Carlson.

    During his confirmation hearing in the US Senate, Vought reiterated his belief that the White House has authority over federal spending, not Congress. This contradicts article I, section 8, of the US Constitution, which grants Congress the power to tax and spend for the general welfare of the country.

    For the majority of constitutional experts, the executive (the president) may propose a budget, but it is Congress that authorises it.



    Read more:
    How Project 2025 became the blueprint for Donald Trump’s second term

    Concerned by this, Democrats on the Senate budget committee attempted a boycott of Vought’s confirmation vote, which failed when all 11 Repubican members voted in favour. And when the call came on the Senate floor to confirm his appointment, all 47 Democratic senators held an all-night debate in protest.

    Democrat and Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer has called Vought the “most radical nominee” with “the most extreme agenda” and said that Americans needed to understand the danger he poses to them in their daily lives.

    Vought’s involvement in Project 2025

    When asked to compare the Trump administration’s policies to Project 2025, Paul Dans, who was the director of Project 2025 until he stepped down during the Trump campaign, said that the administration’s policies were “beyond my wildest dreams”. According to one website tracking the agenda, of the 313 suggested policy objectives in Project 2025, 101 have been implemented, while another 64 are in progress.

    A significant number of Project 2025’s recommendations have been implemented by the Elon Musk-led Doge. And Vought has been described by one journalist as “the glue between Musk and the Republicans”.

    Vought and Musk have forged a strange but effective relationship in executing Doge’s cost-cutting initiatives. According to reports quoting former Trump administration officials, Musk’s Doge has used data to identify what he considers to be overspending while and Vought’s OMB has confirmed Doge’s findings recommending how to deal with them.

    “What’s needed is a specific theory about the case and what can be done,” Vought said. It was part of an effort to help the government “balance its books”, he added.

    When asked by Tucker Carlson what he thought of Doge, Vought replied: “I think they’re bringing an exhilarating rush … of creativity, outside the box thinking, comfortability with risk and leverage.”

    The process to crush the so-called “deep state” conducted by Maga Republicans in Congress and Doge in the White House has been expertly coordinated by Vought. As one reporter wrote, he has experience of working on Capitol Hill and is on good terms with the Freedom Caucus who are the group of conservative Republicans that advocates for limited government, fiscal restraint and strict adherence to a constitutional, right-wing agenda.

    After the caucus was instrumental in defining the terms of support for Mike MCarthy as Speaker of the House in 2023, Vought called the members of Freedom House “the lions that have been through battle and won.” He knows the capabilities of the OMB – and is just as anti-establishment as Musk.

    According to independent researchers tracking Project 2025, a number of departments still have more than half of the project’s objectives to be completed. The administration will need to work quickly, however.

    Historically, the party that occupies the White House fares badly in the midterms. The Republicans could lose control of the House or the Senate, both of which they currently control. Should this happen, the administration may find it more difficult to implement the changes they wish.

    But it is highly unlikely that this will deter Vought and his drive for reforms of presidential powers. He, along with the majority of the Trump White House, believe in the unitary executive theory. This essentially argues that the president has control over all executive branch officials and operations, and that Congress cannot limit that control, even through legislation.

    If Vought does carry on and Congress challenges his decisions, the issue could end up in the Supreme Court – a court dominated by Trump appointees. Any judgment made by the court would be seismic in its importance of future interpretations of the constitution and where power really lies in the federal government.

    For Vought and other Project 2025 authors in the administration, a ruling in their favour would be vindication of their work.

    Dafydd Townley 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. Who is Project 2025 co-author Russ Vought and what is his influence on Trump? – https://theconversation.com/who-is-project-2025-co-author-russ-vought-and-what-is-his-influence-on-trump-255134

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto Joins Push Urging the Trump Administration to Drop its Anti-Voter Policies that will Disenfranchise Tribal Communities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and 10 of her Senate colleagues in sounding the alarm on the devastating impacts of President Trump’s anti-voter “election integrity” executive order and the SAVE Act on Native American voting rights.

    “Enactment of new voter registration policies under the Executive Order and the SAVE Act would lead to mass disenfranchisement of eligible Native voters and further depress the Native vote,” wrote the Senators. “Tribal IDs generally lack place of birth information required by the legislation, and the vast majority of these IDs lack the specific U.S. citizenship documentation required by the Executive Order. And the SAVE Act’s in-person requirement would exacerbate existing barriers, such as requiring IDs that list residential mailing addresses, by forcing many Native voters to travel great distances, including costly flights or multi-hour drives, to reach their local elections office or polling place.”

    “As Secretary of the Interior, you have a special moral and legal responsibility to uphold our nation’s trust and treaty obligations,” continued the Senators. “If implemented, the sweeping federal mandates included in the Executive Order and the SAVE Act would disenfranchise eligible Native voters who are following state laws. We encourage your active engagement with the White House and the Department of Justice to ensure that Native communities are able to exercise the franchise fully and have their voices heard at the ballot box.”

    Tribal IDs are currently an acceptable form of documentation to register to vote in nearly every state, but the SAVE Act and Trump executive order require that an ID must show place of birth and citizenship, which the majority of Tribal IDs lack, adding another barrier to the ballot box for many Native American communities. The Senators underscored that if enacted, these provisions would force Tribal voters who live in rural and remote locations to travel significant distances to prove their citizenship in order to register to vote.

    The Senators also emphasized the disproportionate impact the vote-by-mail restrictions would have on Native communities, which often rely more on mail-in voting because of a lack of infrastructure and transportation access. Trump’s executive order penalizes states that accept absentee or mail-in ballots received after Election Day, harming Native voters in states like Nevada, Alaska, North Dakota, Oregon, and California that process ballots as long as they are postmarked by Election Day.

    Only 66 percent of Native Americans eligible to participate in elections are currently registered to vote, leaving more than 1 million eligible voting-age Native Americans unregistered. Creating further obstacles to register to vote would likely reduce these numbers even further.

    Senator Cortez Masto has long been a champion for Tribal communities. Last year, the Senate passed both her legislation to make it easier for Indian Health Services to recruit and retain doctors and her legislation to strengthen Tribal public safety. She repeatedly called on the Biden administration to do more to address the epidemic of violence against Native women and girls, including securing federal funding to protect Native communities, urging the administration to draft a plan to address this issue, and requesting the Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigate the federal response to this crisis.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed, Senators Request Independent DoD Inquiry Into Trump’s Plan to Accept ‘Palace in the Sky’ Plane from Qatar

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC — Following news reports that President Donald Trump plans to accept a $400 million luxury jumbo jet as a gift from the Qatari government in violation of the Constitution, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, joined with several colleagues in urging the acting Inspector General of the Department of Defense to open an inquiry into the Department of Defense’s (DOD) involvement in facilitating the transfer of this unprecedented foreign gift for President Trump’s ultimate personal use.   

    “DOD risks becoming embroiled in a brazen attempt to evade constitutional limitations on the acceptance of personal gifts from foreign governments without congressional approval. The Constitution provides that “no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.” Congress has granted consent in only a narrow set of circumstances under the Foreign Gifts and Decorations Act, and none of these circumstances are applicable here,” the nine U.S. Senators wrote.

    “Securing the plane against counterintelligence and surveillance risks, moreover, would be costly. Initial reporting suggests that the plane would need to be substantially retrofitted by a military contractor to ensure it meets necessary security and counterintelligence standards, which could take years to complete. DOD, and by extension U.S. taxpayers, would thereby bear the ultimate cost, which could be significant. This timeline, moreover, reinforces that such a gift is not, in fact, intended for official use. By the time the plane would be ready for President Trump’s use as part of the Air Force One fleet, we would likely be approaching the final stretch of President Trump’s final term in office, at which point the Department would likely be directed to transfer it to President Trump’s presidential library for his ultimate personal use,” the Senators continued.

    Reed signed the letter along with U.S. Senators Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Christopher Coons (D-DE), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).

    Full text of the letter follows:

    Dear Mr. Stebbins,

    We write to request that you conduct an inquiry into the Department of Defense’s (DOD) role in facilitating and serving as a pass-through for President Trump to receive a luxury plane worth an estimated $400 million from Qatar. 

    Following initial public reports, President Trump confirmed on May 12, 2025, that he intends to accept this unprecedented gift from the Qatari royal family, which would constitute one of the largest foreign gifts ever accepted by a President or the U.S. government. According to public reporting, the Qatari government initially considered donating the plane directly to President Trump through his presidential library, but the Administration sought legal advice to restructure the transfer to circumvent constitutional and statutory prohibitions, including federal bribery and ethics laws.

    Public reports raise the troubling prospect that the Administration involved DOD to (1) launder this impermissible gift, so that the Department could provide cover to give the transfer of the plane the appearance of an official gift; (2) place the onus on DOD to retrofit the plane at considerable cost to U.S. taxpayers; and (3) ultimately transfer it to President Trump’s library prior to the end of his term for his continued use in a personal capacity. 

    DOD risks becoming embroiled in a brazen attempt to evade constitutional limitations on the acceptance of personal gifts from foreign governments without congressional approval. The Constitution provides that “no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.” Congress has granted consent in only a narrow set of circumstances under the Foreign Gifts and Decorations Act, and none of these circumstances are applicable here.

    In addition to these serious constitutional and legal concerns, this foreign emolument – and DOD’s possible involvement in facilitating it – could present severe foreign influence and counterintelligence risks. It could entangle DOD in President Trump’s personal financial interests and conflicts of interest, warp DOD’s military recommendations and advice moving forward, and undermine public confidence in the Department. 

    Securing the plane against counterintelligence and surveillance risks, moreover, would be costly. Initial reporting suggests that the plane would need to be substantially retrofitted by a military contractor to ensure it meets necessary security and counterintelligence standards, which could take years to complete. DOD, and by extension U.S. taxpayers, would thereby bear the ultimate cost, which could be significant. This timeline, moreover, reinforces that such a gift is not, in fact, intended for official use. By the time the plane would be ready for President Trump’s use as part of the Air Force One fleet, we would likely be approaching the final stretch of President Trump’s final term in office, at which point the Department would likely be directed to transfer it to President Trump’s presidential library for his ultimate personal use. 

    Accordingly, we request that you initiate an inquiry into the facts and circumstances surrounding DOD’s involvement to date in seeking to facilitate this foreign gift transfer and pursue a comprehensive audit and investigation to assess fraud, waste, and abuse if and when such a transfer occurs.

    In doing so, we ask that you consider and provide an assessment of the following, including in classified form if needed: 

    •           the cost estimate and assessed timeline for retrofitting such an aircraft and installing communications and other equipment necessary to meet security and counterintelligence requirements for the Air Force One fleet; 

    •           the timeline, if any, that the White House has directed for this aircraft to be ready for the President’s use, whether necessary modifications can be made within such a timeframe to meet Air Force One standards, and what risks such a timeline could entail; 

    •           whether the existing contract for other Air Force One aircraft will continue or be terminated, including the cost of termination; and 

    •           the counterintelligence and security risks of incorporating this aircraft, provided by a foreign government, into the Air Force One fleet. 

    Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter and to this request.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate Unanimously Passes Cassidy, Grassley Resolution Recognizing National Police Week

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and 79 senators applaudedthe Senate’s unanimous passage of their resolution designating May 12 through 17 as National Police Week to reiterate the Senate’s unwavering support for law enforcement officers across the United States. 
    “As hostility toward police officers grows, threats to their safety increase. We must support those who risk their lives daily to protect our communities,” said Dr. Cassidy.
    “Law enforcement officers in Iowa and across the nation work tirelessly to protect and serve our communities. This week, and every week, we should give our thanks to the brave men and women in blue, who have sacrificed so much to ensure our safety,” said Senator Grassley. “As always, I’m proud to back the blue and will continue my efforts in Congress to protect and support our courageous officers.” 
    Cassidy and Grassley were joined by U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Angus King (I-ME), Ashley Moody (R-FL), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Susan Collins (R-ME), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), John Kennedy (R-LA), Christopher Coons (D-DE), Tim Scott (R-SC), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Jim Risch (R-ID), Peter Welch (D-VT), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Rand Paul (R-KY), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jim Justice (R-WV), John Fetterman (D-PA), Katie Britt (R-AL), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), John Barrasso (R-WY), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Rick Scott (R-FL), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Jim Banks (R-IN), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ted Budd (R-NC), Gary Peters (D-MI), Thomas Tillis (R-NC), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Mark Warner (D-VA), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Steve Daines (R-MT), Margaret Hassan (D-NH), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), John Hoeven (R-ND), John Cornyn (R-TX), Mike Lee (R-UT), Mike Rounds (R-SD), John Thune (R-SD), Bernie Moreno (R-OH), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Jon Husted (R-OH), James Lankford (R-OK), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Todd Young (R-IN), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Dave McCormick (R-PA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and John Boozman (R-AR) in introducing the resolution.
    Background
    Every year, for more than six decades, Congress has passed a resolution in honor of law enforcement officers. During National Police Week, Americans pay special tribute to the service and sacrifice of courageous officers and their families, especially our nation’s fallen heroes. Cassidy is a consistent supporter of law enforcement. This month, he introduced legislation recognizing law enforcement officers for their diligence in protecting and serving our communities and calling for increased health and safety measures for law enforcement professionals.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Public invited to leave feedback on planned roundabout at US 12/Old Highway 9 near Grand Mound May 14-28

    Source: Washington State News 2

    GRAND MOUND – Community members can learn more about a planned roundabout on US 12 west of Grand Mound during an online open house.

    Beginning Wednesday, May 14, the Washington State Department of Transportation will host an online open house for a new single-lane roundabout. The roundabout will replace a stop sign at the US 12 intersection with Old Highway 9.

    Visitors are encouraged to leave feedback to help with the final design of the roundabout.

    WSDOT routinely reviews intersections along state highways in rural areas around the state to find ways to reduce potential collisions. Roundabouts help reduce the potential for crashes while keeping people moving.

    US 12/Old Highway 9 Roundabout Online Open House

    When:  Wednesday, May 14 to Wednesday, May 28

    Where:  https://engage.wsdot.wa.gov/us-12-old-highway-9-roundabout/

    Details:  The online open house is available 24/7 for people to visit and fill out the questionnaire whenever best fits their schedule.

    Free, temporary internet access is available to those who do not have broadband service in locations throughout the state. To find the nearest Drive-In WiFi Hotspot visit the Department of Commerce website.

    Free WiFi access is available at these locations for people who wish to participate in the online open house:

    • Tenino Timberland Library, 172 Central Avenue West, Tenino, WA 98589
    • Timberland Regional Library Headquarters, 415 Tumwater Boulevard Southwest, Tumwater WA 98501

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • India’s Operation Sindoor draws global support as new front against cross-border terrorism

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    In the wake of the tragic terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22, which claimed the lives of 26 innocent civilians, India has mounted a decisive and strategic response aimed at dismantling cross-border terrorism. The attack, which drew widespread condemnation and grief across the country, prompted immediate and firm action by the Government of India, with the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approving a range of diplomatic and military measures targeting Pakistan’s continued support for terrorism.
     
    Among the key diplomatic actions taken, India placed the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 in abeyance until Pakistan verifiably ceases its support for cross-border terror activities. The Integrated Check Post at Attari was closed, and Pakistani nationals were barred from entering India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme. Defence, Naval, and Air Advisors posted at the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi were declared persona non grata, while the strength of both High Commissions was halved from 55 to 30 personnel.
     
    As part of a precise military strategy, India launched “Operation Sindoor,” a calibrated campaign designed to neutralize key terror camps across the border. Based on multi-agency intelligence, nine significant terror infrastructure sites, including those in Bahawalpur and Muridke, were identified and targeted through coordinated air and ground strikes. The operation was executed with high operational ethics, focusing exclusively on terrorist camps while taking all precautions to prevent civilian casualties.
     
    Indian strikes successfully eliminated more than 100 terrorists and destroyed 11 air bases within Pakistan. Among those neutralized were high-value individuals linked to the 1999 IC-814 hijacking and the 2019 Pulwama terror attack, including Yusuf Azhar, Abdul Malik Rauf, and Mudassir Ahmad.
     
    The strikes marked a shift in India’s strategy by targeting deep into Pakistani territory, including critical radar installations in Lahore and Gurjanwala. Additionally, coordinated missile attacks were carried out on terror hubs in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), including Muzaffarabad and Kotli. Military bases housing Pakistan’s F-16 and JF-17 fighter jets at Sargodha and Bholari were hit, leading to the destruction of nearly 20 percent of Pakistan’s air force infrastructure.
     
    India’s retaliatory operations were launched in response to not only the Pahalgam attack but also subsequent Pakistani provocations, including drone and missile attacks on Indian civilian and religious areas on the nights of May 7, 8, and 9. Indian forces successfully intercepted and neutralized these threats, reinforcing the country’s operational readiness and commitment to defending its sovereignty.
     
    In a televised address on May 12, Prime Minister Narendra Modi underscored the resolve behind Operation Sindoor, calling it not just a military campaign but a reflection of the collective sentiment of the Indian people. He reiterated that terrorism would be met with decisive force, rejecting any possibility of dialogue or trade with Pakistan until terrorism is addressed. He stated unequivocally that water and blood cannot flow together and emphasized that the only issue India is willing to discuss is the return of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
     
    As Pakistani forces continued mortar shelling across the Line of Control (LoC), India responded forcefully, targeting terrorist bunkers and Pakistani army positions. Unable to withstand the Indian response, Pakistan sought a ceasefire, with its Director General of Military Operations contacting his Indian counterpart. A ceasefire was declared on May 10, but Pakistan violated it soon after, sending drones into Indian territory, which were swiftly countered by Indian forces.
     
    Despite the ceasefire at the borders, Operation Sindoor remains ongoing. The Indian Armed Forces remain on high alert to counter any future threats, with field commanders granted operational freedom to respond to provocations.
     
    India’s robust and restrained response has garnered wide support from the international community. World powers have condemned the Pahalgam attack and endorsed India’s right to self-defense. The United Kingdom, Russia, Israel, the United States, France, Japan, and key Gulf countries including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar expressed solidarity with India. European Union member states, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Panama, and even Palestine joined the chorus of condemnation.
     
    Each expressed their support for India’s fight against terrorism, with many recognizing Operation Sindoor as a legitimate and proportionate response. Iran’s President personally conveyed condolences to Prime Minister Modi, and global leaders have emphasized the need for stronger international cooperation to combat terrorism.

  • MIL-OSI: Youtech Deepens Texas Roots with Dallas-Area Talent Expansion Across Key Local Sectors

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • Youtech’s growing Dallas team to drive digital success for Texas’s leading industries, including home services, healthcare, legal services, and beyond
    • Building on national strength, Youtech enhances local expertise and client outcomes in the Dallas-Fort Worth area

    DALLAS, May 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Youtech, a leading global full-service digital marketing agency, today announced a significant phase of national growth fueled by the expansion of its talented workforce, including a growing team right here in Dallas. As part of its 120-strong national team, Youtech is actively hiring to increase its impact, focusing on building its presence in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. This strategic initiative will enhance the agency’s service capabilities and support its expanding client base, both locally and nationwide.

    Youtech’s growing Dallas team will provide specialized support to key local industries such as home services (HVAC, roofing, plumbing), healthcare, legal services (personal injury, divorce, corporate), and more. By leveraging its deep understanding of the Dallas market and these specific sectors, Youtech aims to deliver highly effective and locally relevant digital marketing solutions.

    Looking ahead, Youtech projects substantial long-term growth nationally, including its expanded presence in Dallas. This reflects the team’s proven track record in understanding and serving local businesses, complementing its national success in meeting the increasing demand for data-driven digital marketing expertise. This includes optimizing local online visibility through innovations like Google Ads, backed by its status as a Google Premier Partner (top 3% of U.S. agencies), and crafting compelling web design and branding tailored to target audiences.

    “This national growth, with a significant focus on expanding our team in Dallas, marks an exciting chapter for Youtech,” said Wilbur You, CEO and Founder of Youtech. “Strengthening our presence here allows us to better serve our valued local clients across vital Texas industries while attracting top-tier talent from the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Our focus remains on delivering exceptional results, and this strategic growth, including the launch of our innovative YouRank GEO service, will enable us to elevate the marketing performance of businesses in Dallas and nationwide in the age of AI.”

    As one of the largest digital marketing agencies in the nation, Youtech continues to set new benchmarks in the industry, driving measurable results for businesses across various sectors through its comprehensive suite of services.

    About Youtech
    Youtech & Associates Inc. (“Youtech”) is a leading, full-service digital marketing agency providing solutions to brands of all sizes. Bootstrapped in 2012 with an investment of just $600, the agency has since become an award-winning powerhouse serving over 2,000 clients, completing over 10,000 projects, and generating over $10 billion in client sales worldwide. With a strong and expanding presence in Scottsdale, alongside offices in Chicago and Dallas, Youtech is one of the fastest-growing digital marketing firms in the country. Learn more about Youtech at https://www.youtechagency.com/.

    Company Contact
    Michael Norris
    mnorris@youtechagency.com

    Media Contact
    Jessica Starman
    media@elev8newmedia.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Youtech Fuels National Growth with Chicago-Area Talent Expansion Across the Midwest’s Core Industries

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • Youtech’s expansion unleashes digital success for Illinois’ foundational industries
    • Solidifying its position as one of the nation’s largest digital marketing agencies, Youtech demonstrates unyielding momentum for future growth

    CHICAGO, May 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Youtech, a leading full-service digital marketing agency with a significant local presence in the Chicago area and recognized as one of the largest in the United States, today announced a substantial phase of national growth, powered in part by the expansion of its team right here in the heart of the Midwest. This strategic initiative will enhance the agency’s ability to serve its growing client base both locally and across the country, supporting the very backbone of the region’s economy.

    Building upon its established Chicago team, a crucial part of its national workforce, Youtech is actively hiring to increase its employee count to over 150 by the end of 2025. This growth will significantly strengthen the Chicago office, enhancing its ability to deliver exceptional results for Illinois, the Midwest, and national clients. Their local expertise supports vital regional sectors, including food security for non-profits and sustainability for environmental services. The agency also drives growth for the gaming and brewery industries, home services industry (HVAC, roofing, plumbing), construction material suppliers, and more.

    Looking ahead, Youtech projects substantial long-term growth, with a clear trajectory to exceed 250 employees nationally within the next three years. This ambitious forecast reflects the Lisle office’s consistent contributions to the agency’s success in driving results for Illinois and Midwest businesses across diverse industries, its client-focused approach, and the increasing demand for its data-driven digital marketing expertise. This includes optimizing local online visibility for businesses, crafting captivating web design, and creating branding that resonates with local target audiences, whether they are looking to find sustainable environmental solutions vital for the region’s future, enjoy entertainment that drives local economies, or improve their homes and communities.

    “This rapid growth marks an exciting chapter for Youtech, and our Chicago-area team is a cornerstone of our national success, deeply connected to the industries that form the backbone of the Midwest,” said Wilbur You, CEO and Founder of Youtech. “Strengthening our physical presence in key markets like Chicago allows us to even better serve our valued local clients across vital Illinois and regional industries while also attracting top-tier talent from the greater Chicago area to our growing team. Our focus remains on delivering exceptional results, and this strategic growth, including the launch of our innovative YouRank GEO service, will enable us to elevate the marketing performance of businesses right here in the Midwest and across the nation in the age of AI.”

    As one of the largest digital marketing agencies in the nation, with a significant and expanding team right here in Chicago serving a diverse portfolio of Illinois and Midwest-based clients in sectors like non-profit, environmental services, healthcare, entertainment, home improvement, hospitality, and construction, Youtech continues to set new benchmarks in the industry, generating measurable results for businesses across a wide range of sectors through its comprehensive suite of services, supporting the economic vitality of the region.

    About Youtech
    Youtech & Associates Inc. (“Youtech”) is a leading, full-service digital marketing agency providing solutions to brands of all sizes. Bootstrapped in 2012 with an investment of just $600, the agency has since become an award-winning powerhouse serving over 2,000 clients, completing over 10,000 projects, and generating over $10 billion in client sales worldwide. With a strong and expanding presence in Scottsdale, alongside offices in Chicago and Dallas, Youtech is one of the fastest-growing digital marketing firms in the country. Learn more about Youtech at https://www.youtechagency.com/.

    Company Contact
    Michael Norris
    mnorris@youtechagency.com

    Media Contact
    Jessica Starman
    media@elev8newmedia.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth, Murray, Blumenthal Introduce Resolution to Celebrate VA Researchers and to Commemorate the 100th Anniversary of Veteran-Focused Research at VA

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
    May 13, 2025
    [WASHINGTON, DC] – To honor our nation’s Veterans Affairs (VA) researchers and commemorate the 100th anniversary of Veteran-focused research beginning at what is now known as the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with U.S Senators Murray (D-WA) and Blumenthal (D-CT)—member and Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs (SVAC), respectively—introduced a resolution to designate May 12th to 16th as Veterans Affairs Research Week. Her resolution recognizes the vital, lifesaving and cutting-edge research conducted by the department that improves the lives of Veterans, people in the United States and individuals worldwide. Duckworth is a combat Veteran and a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs (SVAC).
    “The scientists and researchers at the VA are incredible public servants who work relentlessly to improve the care and services our Veterans have earned,” said Duckworth. “I’m proud to introduce this resolution to commemorate this important milestone and celebrate the researchers who help improve our Veterans’ lives. The least we can do is recognize and celebrate the innovation that helps keep our Veterans and those worldwide healthy.”
    “Our veterans made tremendous sacrifices for our country, and as a nation we make a promise to take care of them when they come home. VA research is at the forefront of innovation and care for our veterans—from advancements in treating cancers from burn pit exposure to developing new artificial limb technology,” said Murray. “This week we celebrate the 100th anniversary of VA research, but all of that progress is at risk as the Trump administration is mass firing VA employees and researchers and taking an axe to medical research across the board. I will keep fighting back as hard as I can to make sure every veteran has access to the care they need—and that VA researchers can continue their important work.”
    “As the Trump/Musk regime slashes health research funding, we should stand strongly with VA researchers and the incredible work they do for veterans and all Americans,” said Blumenthal. “VA research has led to life-changing medical innovations benefiting millions across the globe— including CT scans, the pacemaker, the first liver transplant, and many more. Our resolution rightfully honors these researchers, their groundbreaking contributions, and this remarkable milestone for VA research.” 
    In 1925, the Veterans’ Bureau, the predecessor to the Department of Veterans Affairs, established the Medical Research Section. Just a few years later, in 1933, the Hines VA Medical Center in Chicago became home to the VA’s first research laboratory to receive direct funding from VA Central Office, leading to early breakthroughs like advancements in skin cancer research. Since then, VA scientists and medical researchers have contributed to a vast range of critical breakthroughs. These include the first effective treatments for tuberculosis, the development of an implantable cardiac pacemaker, the first large clinical trials of hearing aids, the first successful transplantation of a liver and the discovery of a hormone that paved the way for the development of GLP–1 agonist medications. These advancements may become some of the most consequential health advances of the 21st century.
    A copy of the resolution is available on Senator Duckworth’s website.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: LaunchDarkly Introduces New Release Observability, AI Configurations, and Analytics Capabilities to Help Developers Innovate Faster Without the Risk

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    OAKLAND, Calif., May 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — LaunchDarkly today announced multiple platform innovations at its annual Galaxy user conference to help engineering and product teams deliver with both high velocity and lower risk. With the rise of AI-generated code, development teams are no longer just navigating faster development cycles, they’re facing an unprecedented surge in code volume that dramatically expands the surface area for bugs, broken experiences, and application outages.

    The latest capabilities at LaunchDarkly give teams the tools they need to innovate boldly—without exposing customers or businesses to unnecessary risk. By bringing observability, AI controls, and analytics directly into the release process, LaunchDarkly is enabling engineering and product teams to ship with confidence, respond to application issues, and continuously improve the user experience.

    “Software used to evolve quarterly. Today, it changes by the hour. And with AI systems adapting in production, often unpredictably, release management at feature level granularity has become mission-critical,” said Dan Rogers, CEO of LaunchDarkly. “Teams need the ability to ship with precision, respond in real time, and continuously optimize what’s live. That’s what LaunchDarkly delivers: a safer, smarter way to build and release software in an AI-powered world.”

    Platform Updates Introduced at Galaxy ’25:

    Guarded Releases – Observability at the Point of Release
    Guarded Releases pair progressive rollouts with real-time monitoring, automated rollback, and feature-level observability. Teams can now identify regressions instantly and correlate them directly to specific changes, preventing incidents before they impact users. With the recent integration of Highlight.io, LaunchDarkly extends observability to include telemetry data like metrics, logs and traces at the point of release.

    AI Configs – Runtime Control Plane for Model and Prompt Management
    AI Configs give teams a centralized control plane to manage prompt and model configurations for AI-powered applications. Teams can safely iterate in production, monitor key metrics like cost and latency, and deploy fallback strategies when things go wrong without any code changes. This reduces risk while accelerating the development of AI features.

    Warehouse-Native Experimentation & Product Analytics
    LaunchDarkly now gives teams real-time insights into user behavior and feature engagement, powered directly by their data warehouse. With warehouse-native experimentation and product analytics, teams can quickly understand what’s working, what’s not, and how every feature impacts business outcomes. The recent integration of Houseware strengthens these capabilities by making it easier to run experiments, analyze results, and iterate faster, all within the existing data ecosystem.

    “Generative AI is fundamentally changing the relationship between the code we build, the code we deploy, and the code we maintain in production. Experimentation, understanding user behaviour, is now a necessity, not a luxury,” said James Governor, RedMonk co-founder. “LaunchDarkly is building observability into its core offerings, deepening its focus on analytics, and doubling down on release management to create an integrated platform for progressive delivery in the AI era.”

    Availability
    Guarded Releases, AI Configs, and Warehouse-Native Experimentation & Product Analytics are generally available today. Advanced observability features within Guarded Releases, including error monitoring, session replay, and telemetry integrations, are available in early access.

    To learn more about these new capabilities, click here.

    About LaunchDarkly:

    LaunchDarkly is a comprehensive feature management platform that equips software teams to proactively reduce the risk of shipping bad software and AI applications while accelerating their release velocity. By progressively rolling out features, monitoring critical metrics in real-time, instantly rolling back flawed code, easily conducting targeted experiments, and quickly iterating on AI prompts and models, development teams can ship innovation consistently and confidently. Serving over 5,500 of the most innovative enterprises, including a quarter of the Fortune 500, LaunchDarkly is trusted around the globe to deliver exceptional customer experiences and maximize business outcomes.

    Media Contact:
    Spencer Anopol
    Head of PR
    sanopol@launchdarkly.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Fear and Fascination: a Gothic Exhibition A new exhibition at the University of Aberdeen invites visitors to meet ghosts, vampires and the supernatural as they step into a world of Gothic terror and explore how Gothic literature used fear to both terrify and excite readers.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    Frankenstein artworkA new exhibition at the University of Aberdeen invites visitors to meet ghosts, vampires and the supernatural as they step into a world of Gothic terror and explore how Gothic literature used fear to both terrify and excite readers.
    Opening in the Sir Duncan Rice Library on May 19, 2025, the exhibition explores why we are so intrigued and excited by things that scare us. Using the rich collection of eighteenth and nineteenth century Gothic literature cared for by University Collections, the exhibition highlights how the genre explores transgressive themes through their tales of monsters and villains.
    Visitors will see early editions of key Gothic novels including Castle of Otranto (first published 1764), The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890), and M. R. James’s Ghost Stories of an Antiquary (1904). These texts, and many more on display, are used to explore how fields such as queer theory and Postcolonial readings have brought new meanings to these stories that have fascinated audiences since their publication.
    An immersive space highlights the tropes used by authors to evoke a sense of fear in readers and will allow those who visit to get creative and explore the darker side of their imaginations, creating Gothic plots and stories. A cosy Victorian reading provides space to settle down and enjoy a good book, while Old Aberdeen Library will also have a selection of Gothic writing available to check out and read at home.
    Curator Christina Mackenzie said: “Gothic literature has an enduring appeal as shown by the popularity of many of these texts centuries after they were written.
    “This has been such a fun and revealing exhibition to work on and we’ve really tried to explore that throughout – the way these texts tell scary stories on the surface, but have been reinterpreted over time to question the monstrosity of the ‘monsters’.”
    ‘Fear & Fascination’ will be accompanied by a rich events programme, kicking off with Sophie Coulombeau’s talk Brothers & Lovers: Frances Burney and the Gothicon 29 May.
    ‘Fear and Fascination: A Gothic Exhibition’ will be open in the Sir Duncan Rice Library Gallery, Bedford Road, Aberdeen AB24 3AA, 11am-7pm Mon-Fri, 1pm-4pm Sat & Sun, from 19 May to 7 December 2025.
    Enquiries: uoacollections@abdn.ac.uk
    See https://www.abdn.ac.uk/collections/whats-on/ for further details of the exhibition and events programme.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell, Colleagues Condemn Trump’s Willingness to Accept Lavish $400M Jet From Qatar

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
    05.14.25
    Cantwell, Colleagues Condemn Trump’s Willingness to Accept Lavish $400M Jet From Qatar
    Amid administration’s claims of rooting out fraud and mismanagement, Trump indicates intent to accept 747 jet as a gift
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, joined 26 of her colleagues in formally condemning President Donald Trump’s willingness to accept a $400 million 747 jet from Qatar – to be used as a new Air Force One plane in the meantime, and then gifted to the Trump Presidential Library after he leaves office.
    “The Senate condemns violations of the Foreign Emoluments Clause of the United States Constitution, including the acceptance of substantial gifts from foreign governments that would replace symbols of the United States without the consent of Congress,” the resolution states.
    The resolution was led by U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Chris Coons (D-DE) and was cosponsored by Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Mark Warner (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Gary Peters (D-MI), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), and Andy Kim (D-NJ).
    The full text of the resolution is HERE and below.
    Condemning violations of the Foreign Emoluments Clause of the United States Constitution, including the acceptance of substantial gifts from foreign governments that would replace symbols of the United States without the consent of Congress
    Whereas the aircraft commonly referred to as Air Force One is a symbol of the United States;
    Whereas Air Force One is one of the most recognizable symbols of the Office of the President of the United States;
    Whereas Air Force One is equipped with some of the most sensitive technologies designed to transmit some of the most highly classified national security information of the nation;
    Whereas the acceptance of presidential aircraft from a foreign government constitutes a substantial gift;
    Whereas the acceptance of presidential aircraft from a foreign government poses counter-intelligence and other national security concerns;
    Whereas the acceptance of a substantial gift from a foreign government could unduly influence the foreign policies of the United States;
    Whereas the acceptance of presidential aircraft from a foreign government would establish a concerning precedent for the acceptance of substantial gifts from foreign governments without the consent of Congress;
    Whereas the Foreign Emoluments Clause of the United States Constitution states that no present, emolument, office, or title, of any kind, may be accepted by the President of the United States from a King, Prince, or foreign State without the consent of Congress;
    Whereas the President of the United States has a constitutional and statutory obligation to uphold the public trust;
    Whereas the violation of the Foreign Emoluments Clause of the United States Constitution undermines public trust and the integrity of public office in the United States.
    Now, therefore be it resolved, that the Senate condemns violations of the Foreign Emoluments Clause of the United States Constitution, including the acceptance of substantial gifts from foreign governments that would replace symbols of the United States without the consent of Congress.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Los Angeles announces 239 illegal aliens were arrested during recent operation

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    LOS ANGELES – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 239 illegal aliens during a weeklong operation from May 4 to May 10 focused on bolstering public safety in the greater Los Angeles area.

    ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations and interagency partners, identified, detained and removed dangerous criminals throughout Los Angeles and surrounding cities. Criminal aliens in the U.S. illegally should utilize the CBP Home app to self-deport and avoid arrest by ICE.

    Among the criminal aliens arrested during the operation included:

    • Lan Pham, 49, of Vietnam, convicted involuntary manslaughter, assault with a deadly weapon, parole violations, drug violations and more.

    • Manuel Angel Rodriguez Martinez, 40, of El Salvador, accused of aggravated rape of a minor or incapacitated individual in the category of continuing crime in his home country.

    • Jorge Artero Meza-Rodriquez, 52, of Mexico, convicted of vehicle theft, assault with a deadly weapon and illegal reentry to the United States.

    • Sung Park, 52, of Korea, convicted of voluntary manslaughter.

    Several federal law enforcement agencies assisted ICE during the operation including the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, the ATF, and the U.S. Marshals Service, along with state and local law enforcement partners.

    Members of the public can report crime and suspicious activity by calling 866-347-2423 or completing the online tip form. Follow us on X at @ICEgov to learn more about ERO’s missions and operations.

    Learn more about ICE Los Angeles’ mission to increase public safety in your community on X at @EROLosAngeles.

    Download b-roll of an arrest made during the operation.

    MIL OSI USA News –