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Category: housing

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man who Possessed Multiple Machinegun Conversion Devices Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    A man who possessed multiple machinegun conversion devices on more than one occasion was sentenced on July 18, 2025, to 108 months in federal prison.

    Gentile Kahungu, age 19, who was living in Marion, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 31, 2025 guilty plea to possession of a machinegun. The evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that Kahungu possessed a total of 18 machinegun conversion devices, two of which were connected to firearms.  On June 25, 2024, Kahungu possessed some of the devices in his bedroom in his home in Marion along with a tan Glock magazine and ammunition. When he was later arrested in Cedar Rapids, he possessed additional machinegun conversion devices, along with a tan Glock firearm that had a machinegun conversion device connected to it.  The evidence at the hearing also established that Kahungu’s Glock firearm was used during two other shootings, one in Marshalltown, Iowa, and one in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

    Kahungu was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Kahungu was sentenced to 108 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

    Kahungu is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Marshalltown Police Department, and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

    The case file number is 24-CR-00088.

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The Belarusian Parliament has declared its focus on building a strategic partnership with Iran

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    MINSK, July 21 /Xinhua/ — Belarus aims to build a strategic partnership with Iran, Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives (lower house of parliament) of Belarus Vadim Ipatov said on Monday during a meeting in Minsk with the Iranian parliamentary delegation led by the head of the working group of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran on cooperation with the National Assembly of Belarus Aliasghar Bagherzadeh. The relevant information was published by BELTA.

    V. Ipatov noted that Belarus views Iran as an important partner in the region, an authoritative participant in international relations, and strives to establish a strategic partnership. “We have a common understanding of the processes taking place in the world and a desire to form a fair multipolar world order,” the deputy chairman of the lower house of the Belarusian parliament emphasized.

    He recalled that the two countries signed a Roadmap for comprehensive cooperation for 2023-2026 and proposed concentrating bilateral efforts on its implementation.

    In turn, A. Bagherzade stated that Iran is interested in developing relations with Belarus in all areas. “Since a free trade agreement was signed between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union, and Iran is an observer in this union, very good additional opportunities for interaction with the union member countries, in particular with Belarus, are emerging,” he noted. –0–

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: New Evacuation Order Limits UN’s Ability to Deliver Aid in Gaza, Secretary-General warns

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    SG/SM/22734

    The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

    The Secretary-General is appalled by the accelerating breakdown of humanitarian conditions in Gaza, where the last lifelines keeping people alive are collapsing.

    He deplores the growing reports of children and adults suffering from malnutrition.

    The Secretary-General strongly condemns the ongoing violence, including the shooting, killing and injuring of people attempting to get food for their families.

    Civilians must be protected and respected, and they must never be targeted.  The population in Gaza remains gravely undersupplied with the basic necessities of life.

    Israel has the obligation to allow and facilitate by all the means at its disposal the humanitarian relief provided by the United Nations and by other humanitarian organizations.

    The Secretary-General notes that the intensification of hostilities in recent days comes as the humanitarian system is being impeded, undermined and endangered.

    A new evacuation order in parts of Deir al Balah — home to tens of thousands — pushes people into more desperate conditions and further displacement and restricts the United Nations’ ability to deliver life-saving aid.  UN staff remain in Deir al Balah, and two UN guesthouses have been struck, despite parties having been informed of the locations of UN premises, which are inviolable.  These locations — as with all civilian sites — must be protected, regardless of evacuation orders.

    The Secretary-General reiterates his urgent call for the protection of civilians, including humanitarian personnel, and for the provision of essential resources to ensure their survival.

    He once again calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

    The UN stands ready to significantly scale up our humanitarian operations.  The time for a ceasefire is now.

    For information media. Not an official record.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: PBS and NPR are generally unbiased, independent of government propaganda and provide key benefits to US democracy

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Stephanie A. (Sam) Martin, Frank and Bethine Church Endowed Chair of Public Affairs, Boise State University

    Congress’ cuts to public broadcasting will diminish the range and volume of the free press and the independent reporting it provides. MicroStockHub-iStock/Getty Images Plus

    Champions of the almost entirely party-line vote in the U.S. Senate to erase US$1.1 billion in already approved funds for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting called their action a refusal to subsidize liberal media.

    “Public broadcasting has long been overtaken by partisan activists,” said U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, insisting there is no need for government to fund what he regards as biased media. “If you want to watch the left-wing propaganda, turn on MSNBC,” Cruz said.

    Accusing the media of liberal bias has been a consistent conservative complaint since the civil rights era, when white Southerners insisted news outlets were slanting their stories against segregation. During his presidential campaign in 1964, U.S. Sen. Barry Goldwater of Arizona complained that the media was against him, an accusation that has been repeated by every Republican presidential candidate since.

    But those charges of bias rarely survive empirical scrutiny.

    As chair of a public policy institute devoted to strengthening deliberative democracy, I have written two books about the media and the presidency, and another about media ethics. My research traces how news institutions shape civic life and why healthy democracies rely on journalism that is independent of both market pressure and partisan talking points.

    That independence in the United States – enshrined in the press freedom clause of the First Amendment – gives journalists the ability to hold government accountable, expose abuses of power and thereby support democracy.

    GOP Sen. Ted Cruz speaks to reporters as Senate Republicans vote on President Donald Trump’s request to cancel about $9 billion in foreign aid and public broadcasting spending on July 16, 2025.
    AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

    Trusting independence

    Ad Fontes Media, a self-described “public benefit company” whose mission is to rate media for credibility and bias, have placed the reporting of “PBS NewsHour” under 10 points left of the ideological center. They label it as both “reliable” and based in “analysis/fact.” “Fox and Friends,” by contrast, the popular morning show on Fox News, is nearly 20 points to the right. The scale starts at zero and runs 42 points to the left to measure progressive bias and 42 points to the right to measure conservative bias. Ratings are provided by three-person panels comprising left-, right- and center-leaning reviewers.

    A 2020 peer-reviewed study in Science Advances that tracked more than 6,000 political reporters likewise found “no evidence of liberal media bias” in the stories they chose to cover, even though most journalists are more left-leaning than the rest of the population.

    A similar 2016 study published in Public Opinion Quarterly said that media are more similar than dissimilar and, excepting political scandals, “major
    news organizations present topics in a largely nonpartisan manner,
    casting neither Democrats nor Republicans in a particularly favorable
    or unfavorable light    .”

    Surveys show public media’s audiences do not see it as biased. A national poll of likely voters released July 14, 2025, found that 53% of respondents trust public media to report news “fully, accurately and fairly,” while only 35% extend that trust to “the media in general.” A majority also opposed eliminating federal support.

    Contrast these numbers with attitudes about public broadcasters such as MTVA in Hungary or the TVP in Poland, where the state controls most content. Protests in Budapest October 2024 drew thousands demanding an end to “propaganda.” Oxford’s Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism reports that TVP is the least trusted news outlet in the country.

    While critics sometimes conflate American public broadcasting with state-run outlets, the structures are very different.

    Safeguards for editorial freedom

    In state-run media systems, a government agency hires editors, dictates coverage and provides full funding from the treasury. Public officials determine – or make up – what is newsworthy. Individual media operations survive only so long as the party in power is happy.

    Public broadcasting in the U.S. works in almost exactly the opposite way: The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is a private nonprofit with a statutory “firewall” that forbids political interference.

    More than 70% of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s federal appropriation for 2025 of US$1.1 billion flows through to roughly 1,500 independently governed local stations, most of which are NPR or PBS affiliates but some of which are unaffiliated community broadcasters. CPB headquarters retains only about 5% of that federal funding.

    Stations survive by combining this modest federal grant money with listener donations, underwriting and foundation support. That creates a diversified revenue mix that further safeguards their editorial freedom.

    And while stations share content, each also has latitude when it comes to programming and news coverage, especially at the local level.

    As a public-private partnership, individual communities mostly own the public broadcasting system and its affiliate stations. Congress allocates funds, while community nonprofits, university boards, state authorities or other local license holders actually own and run the stations. Individual monthly donors are often called “members” and sometimes have voting rights in station-governance matters. Membership contributions make up the largest share of revenue for most stations, providing another safeguard for editorial independence.

    A host and guest in July 2024 sit inside a recording studio at KMXT, the public radio station on Kodiak Island in Alaska.
    Nathaniel Herz/Northern Journal

    Broadly shared civic commons

    And then there are public media’s critical benefits to democracy itself.

    A 2021 report from the European Broadcasting Union links public broadcasting with higher voter turnout, better factual knowledge and lower susceptibility to extremist rhetoric.

    Experts warn that even small cuts will exacerbate an already pernicious problem with political disinformation in the U.S., as citizens lose access to free information that fosters media literacy and encourages trust across demographics.

    In many ways, public media remains the last broadly shared civic commons. It is both commercial-free and independently edited.

    Another study, by the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School in 2022, affirmed that “countries with independent and well-funded public broadcasting systems also consistently have stronger democracies.”

    The study highlighted how public media works to bridge divides and foster understanding across polarized groups. Unlike commercial media, where the profit motive often creates incentives to emphasize conflict and sensationalism, public media generally seeks to provide balanced perspectives that encourage dialogue and mutual respect. Reports are often longer and more in-depth than those by other news outlets.

    Such attention to nuance provides a critical counterweight to the fragmented, often hyperpartisan news bubbles that pervade cable news and social media. And this skillful, more balanced treatment helps to ameliorate political polarization and misinformation.

    In all, public media’s unique structure and mission make democracy healthier in the U.S. and across the world. Public media prioritizes education and civic enlightenment. It gives citizens important tools for navigating complex issues to make informed decisions – whether those decisions are about whom to vote for or about public policy itself. Maintaining and strengthening public broadcasting preserves media diversity and advances important principles of self-government.

    Congress’ cuts to public broadcasting will diminish the range and volume of the free press and the independent reporting it provides. Ronald Reagan once described a free press as vital for the United States to succeed in its “noble experiment in self-government.” From that perspective, more independent reporting – not less – will prove the best remedy for any worry about partisan spin.

    Stephanie A. (Sam) Martin 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. PBS and NPR are generally unbiased, independent of government propaganda and provide key benefits to US democracy – https://theconversation.com/pbs-and-npr-are-generally-unbiased-independent-of-government-propaganda-and-provide-key-benefits-to-us-democracy-261512

    MIL OSI –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Luján Pens Joint Op-Ed on 80th Anniversary of the Trinity Test and Extension and Expansion of RECA

    US Senate News:

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

    Washington, D.C. – In Case You Missed It: U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Tina Cordova, co-founder of the Tularosa Basin Downwinders Consortium, published an opinion piece in the Albuquerque Journal reflecting on the 80th anniversary of the Trinity Test and highlighting decades-long work that led to the recent expansion and extension of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) program by Congress.

    Since being elected to Congress, Senator Luján has played a leading role in advancing legislation to strengthen the RECA program, introducing RECA legislation in every Congress and twice passing it through the Senate.

    Read the full op-ed here or below:

    Albuquerque Journal: 80 years later, we’re still fighting for justice

    Ben Ray Luján and Tina Cordova | July 20, 2025

    On July 16, 1945 — 80 years ago — the federal government detonated the first atomic bomb in the Tularosa Basin of New Mexico. That test, known as the Trinity Test, changed the world — and it changed our home forever.

    We write this together, as two New Mexicans who have fought side-by-side for justice over a decade, because the 80th anniversary of the Trinity Test calls for both recognition and reckoning.

    We both know families who lived near the Trinity site. Families who were never warned, never evacuated and never told what happened. They kept drinking the water, eating the produce and breathing the air, not knowing it had been poisoned, until it was too late.

    They raised children and grandchildren in these communities. And in the years that followed, they watched loved ones suffer and die of rare and aggressive cancers. They buried neighbors and loved ones. They kept asking questions. And for decades, they were denied answers. They were ignored by the government that created this crisis.

    We’ve spent years listening to these stories around kitchen tables, at church, in congressional offices and in communities all across New Mexico. For far too long, Washington turned a blind eye to them, and it’s why we’ve worked together to deliver justice to the people of New Mexico.

    Together with other advocates, survivors and bipartisan allies in Congress, we finally succeeded. Earlier this month, legislation to extend and expand Radiation Exposure Compensation Act was signed into law. For the first time, New Mexico’s Downwinders and the post 1971 uranium workers are eligible for federal compensation and support.

    This was a historic first step, following years of advocacy and bipartisan momentum that we started in the U.S. Senate, but it is only the beginning.

    Now our attention is focused on ensuring RECA is implemented urgently. Impacted families must be given clear, accurate guidance on how to apply for compensation. The federal government must move quickly to implement a program that meets the needs of the people it was designed to serve.

    For those who have been waiting — some for a lifetime — time is of the essence. We cannot let delays, lack of outreach, or misinformation deny families the compensation they deserve.

    RECA isn’t just about financial compensation. No dollar amount can ever repay the sacrifice. It’s about acknowledging that what happened to New Mexicans after the Trinity Test was wrong, and that the federal government has a responsibility to make it right.

    We know this work is not easy. But we also know what’s possible when New Mexicans organize and speak with one loud voice. The passage of RECA was made possible because survivors told their stories, and because lawmakers on both sides of the aisle finally listened and acted. We’re grateful to every person who made their voice heard.

    On this solemn anniversary, we recommit ourselves to the work ahead. To honor the lives lost. To amplify the stories of those still living. And to ensure this country never forgets the cost to the people of New Mexico.

    The road to justice has been 80 years too long. But we are finally moving forward together.

    More information for New Mexico Downwinders can be found here.

    More information for New Mexico uranium workers & on-site participants can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Pollution in the River Ul – municipality of Oliveira de Azeméis (Portugal) – E-002856/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002856/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Ana Miguel Pedro (PPE)

    The source of the River Ul is in Fajões, in São Mamede, in Portugal. It flows through the municipality of Oliveira de Azeméis and is an important watercourse for the local ecosystem and the quality of life of those who live nearby.

    In recent weeks, residents have raised numerous complaints, citing obvious signs of pollution in the river, including persistent white foam and an intense, unpleasant odour that even reaches neighbouring homes.

    This evidence indicates the presence of polluting discharges that are potentially industrial or domestic in origin and pose a risk to the environment, public health and local biodiversity. The situation could be a breach of the Water Framework Directive (Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000).

    • 1.Is the Commission aware of this situation?
    • 2.Does the Commission believe that the situation could breach the obligations laid down in Directive 2000/60/EC, in particular as regards the protection of the quality of surface water bodies?
    • 3.Is the Commission in a position to urge the relevant municipal authorities to investigate and, where appropriate, take immediate corrective action to ensure EU environmental legislation is followed?

    Submitted: 14.7.2025

    Last updated: 21 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Classification of poultry by-products and obstacles to biogas use – E-002843/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002843/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Asger Christensen (Renew)

    Each year, millions of spent hens in Denmark, Sweden and Finland pose a logistical and sustainability challenge because of insufficient slaughterhouse capacity. The only specialised facility in the region operates well below the scale needed to process the volume of end-of-lay hens.

    Mobile slaughter systems, such as the Danish BioChick solution, offer a practical and animal welfare-friendly alternative. The process involves the hens being stunned, inspected by a veterinary surgeon, and acidified to a pH of 2 to yield a product suitable for biogas generation. However, under Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009[1], this material is classified as Category 2, whereas it would be Category 3 if processed in a traditional slaughterhouse. This classification prevents its use in renewable energy, despite similar hygiene and safety standards and better animal welfare standards.

    In parallel, new EU transport rules may further restrict long-distance movement of spent hens, increasing the relevance of mobile slaughter and biogas conversion as one of the few sustainable solutions.

    • 1.Does the Commission consider this classification proportionate when equivalent standards are met?
    • 2.Will the Commission revise the rules to allow Category 3 classification in such cases?
    • 3.How does the Commission plan to support biogas use of spent hens in areas without adequate slaughter capacity?

    Submitted: 11.7.2025

    • [1] Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 laying down health rules as regards animal by-products and derived products not intended for human consumption and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 (Animal by-products Regulation) (OJ L 300, 14.11.2009, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2009/1069/oj).
    Last updated: 21 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Gaza: Guterres condemns killing of people seeking food as humanitarian conditions deteriorate

    Source: United Nations 2

    Stéphane Dujarric was speaking to reporters at UN Headquarters in New York a day after dozens of Palestinians were killed seeking food aid.

    He said the Secretary-General deplored the growing reports of both children and adults suffering from malnutrition and strongly condemned the ongoing violence, including the shooting, killing and injuring of people attempting to get food.

    Not a target

    “Civilians must be protected and respected, and they must never be targeted,” said Mr. Dujarric, noting that the population in Gaza remains gravely undersupplied with the basic necessities of life.

    He stressed that “Israel has the obligation to allow and facilitate by all the means at its disposal the humanitarian relief provided by the United Nations and other humanitarian organizations.” 

    Mr. Dujarric said the Secretary-General noted that the recent intensification of hostilities comes as the humanitarian system in Gaza is being impeded, undermined and endangered.

    New evacuation orders

    He pointed to a new evacuation order issued for parts of Deir Al-Balah, which is pushing people into more desperate conditions and sparking further displacement, while restricting the UN’s ability to deliver aid.

    He reported that two UN guesthouses in Deir Al-Balah were struck, despite the parties being informed about their locations. 

    “They suffered damage,” he said, responding a reporter’s question. “The UN staff inside was, to say the least, rattled.”

    Mr. Dujarric underscored that the UN intends to remain in Deir Al-Balah.

     Ceasefire now

    The Secretary-General reiterated his urgent call for the protection of civilians, including humanitarian personnel, and for the provision of essential resources to ensure their survival.

    He once again called for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

    Mr. Dujarric said the UN stands ready to significantly scale up its humanitarian operations in Gaza, adding “the time for a ceasefire is now.” 

    More to follow…

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Mast Issues Statement on Chairman Green’s Retirement

    Source: US House Committee on Foreign Affairs

    Media Contact 202-321-9747

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast issued the following statement upon House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Mark Green’s retirement from Congress.

    “Chairman Green dedicated his life to serving our great nation on the battlefields and in the halls of Congress.

    As a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, he played instrumental roles in shaping our foreign policy to protect our interests at home and abroad.

    We thank him for his many years of service and wish him continued success for many years to come.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Sues Trump Administration Over Cruel Directive Unlawfully Restricting Access to Head Start, Other Public Benefit Programs

    Source: US State of California

    Statute and longstanding federal policy have allowed access, regardless of immigration status, to specific community programs, including those deemed necessary for protection of life or safety 

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today sued the Trump Administration over its abrupt decision to restrict access to more than a dozen public benefit programs based on immigration status. This decision is contrary to law and a reversal of nearly three decades of federal practice allowing access, regardless of immigration status, to certain public benefits programs that have historically been determined to protect life or safety and contribute to the overall welfare of communities. In doing so, the Trump Administration has thrown programs across California into chaos and cruelly jeopardized the health and wellbeing of some of our most vulnerable families. At risk is access to Head Start, childcare services for low-income people, adult education, mental health and substance use disorder programs, and shelters for at-risk youth and domestic violence survivors, among many other safety-net programs. Attorney General Bonta, alongside a coalition of 20 other attorneys general, asks the court to enjoin the Trump Administration from implementing this devastating change, arguing that these new polices threaten the outright collapse of the states’ social safety nets.

    “Let’s be clear: This latest salvo in the President’s inhumane anti-immigration campaign primarily goes after working moms and their young children. We’re not talking about waste, fraud, and abuse, we’re talking about programs that deliver essential childcare, healthcare, nutrition, and education assistance, programs that have for decades been open to all because we understand that we are better off when everyone has the chance to succeed.” said Attorney General Bonta. “The Trump Administration’s abrupt reversal of nearly three decades of precedent – and decision to put at risk not just support for undocumented families, but ultimately families who rely on these programs nationwide – is cruel, but unfortunately unsurprising. So is its lack of regard for the law. Six months into the second Trump Administration, I’ll repeat a familiar refrain: We’ll see President Trump in court.” 

    Since 1997, the federal government has interpreted The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) to permit states’ use of federal funds for certain programs that serve communities based on need regardless of immigration status. These programs work precisely because there are few barriers to access and include: 

    • Short-term shelter or housing assistance for people who are unhoused, for survivors of domestic violence, or for at-risk youth.
    • Programs, services, or assistance to help individuals during periods of heat, cold, or other adverse weather conditions (e.g., cooling centers).
    • Soup kitchens, community food banks, senior nutrition programs such as meals on wheels, and other such community nutritional services for persons requiring special assistance.
    • Medical and public health services (including treatment and prevention of diseases and injuries) and mental health, disability, or substance use treatment. 
    • Early childhood education, childcare services for low-income people, and adult education programs.

    Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Labor, and Department of Education issued notices related to the interpretation of “federal public benefit” under PRWORA restricting numerous “noncitizens” from receiving benefits under federally funded programs. Around the same time, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) issued its own notice revoking every one of the “life or safety” exemptions that DOJ had put in place 29 years earlier. 

    In California, the effects of these actions will be devastating – and immediate. The Head Start Program, founded in 1965, was designed to help break the cycle of poverty by providing young children from families with low incomes a comprehensive program to meet their emotional, social, health, nutritional, and educational needs. In 2023-24, California’s 100 direct Head Start regional recipients served over 80,345 children and families at 1,842 individual site locations. The Trump Administration’s new polices, which will require programs to verify immigration status, are expected to have a chilling effect, leading to decreased enrollment from participants, and an administrative and financial burden for recipients. Moreover, if regional recipients do not hit mandatory 97% enrollment targets, they will lose federal funding and these programs will shut down, harming all the children they serve, as well as the more than 25,000 staff members these programs employ, including in rural communities where Head Start is often a large employer.  

    Examples like this are countless across the public benefits programs at risk through the Trump Administration’s actions. Survivors of domestic violence and at-risk youth may be fearful of seeking services at shelters. Mixed status families may forgo access to public benefit services all together. Requiring citizenship or immigration status verification of any kind fundamentally creates a barrier to access. People will be reluctant to reach out to access needed services or to call for help for others who might benefit from such services. And requiring programs to expend resources to implement systems and train staff to verify citizenship or immigration status will impose a time and resource burden on programs already struggling to operate on narrow financial margins.

    In today’s filings, Attorney General Bonta and the coalition argue that the Trump Administration’s abrupt announcement further limiting access to public benefit programs for undocumented individuals fails to provide notice and an opportunity to comment, is arbitrary and capricious, and contrary to law in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act, and fails to give the states “fair notice” as required under the Spending Clause. They highlight that instead of saving money, the new verification requirements will lead to an overall cost to their states’ economies in the amount of hundreds of millions of dollars each year and will endanger the ability of these programs to continue providing services to all of the residents of their states, not just noncitizens. They urge the court to preliminary enjoin the Trump Administration from implementing the order to prevent programs from shuttering, uncertainty, and tremendous impacts on the public health, education, and welfare of their states.

    Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys general of New York, Washington, Rhode Island, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Hawai‘i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, and Wisconsin in filing the lawsuit.  

    A copy of the lawsuit is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: “A Big Difference”: Trump Administration’s Tomato Tariffs Already a Game Changer for American Farmers

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Whitehouse
    In a decisive move to protect American agriculture and restore fairness, the Trump Administration’s tariffs on fresh Mexican tomato imports are already boosting American farmers, growers, and business owners.
    Here’s what they’re saying:
    Chad Smith, Smith Tomato Farm (Steele, AL): “It’s only been two days now, and we actually have a lot more calls of people having interest in doing business — and the price hasn’t even changed.”
    Matt Rudd, Rudd Family Farm (Browns Summit, NC): “What you see in the grocery store now, instead of all those tomatoes from Mexico and everywhere else, it should be more local and United States-grown — where we can compete with those prices.”
    Rich Troccio, Bloomfield Groceria (Pittsburgh, PA): “It will not bother me if he put a 50% tariff on Mexico. It wouldn’t bother me because I don’t buy from there. It’s just the way I am. As long as it’s something grown here, this is where I want to buy my product.”
    Sam Newell, Fruit Fair (Chicopee, MA): “It’s a win-win for the community and us. Having tariffs on imported goods gives us a more level playing field.”
    Mark Reuben, Gilcrease Orchard (Las Vegas, NV): “We won’t raise our price, so it will stay $1.50/pound, which is what we charge.”
    Logan Duvall, Me and McGee Market (Little Rock, AR): “I can’t see how the tariffs are going to be negative on us at all. Being as tomatoes are a massive part of what we do, and we see the impact when that money goes directly to our farmers in our community versus a multinational conglomerate — it’s a big difference.”
    Steve Longmire, Tennessee Homegrown Tomatoes (Rutledge, TN): “In the fall and wintertime, we have to count on — and, you know, the nation does — tomatoes in the warmer climates, so that’s where it’s going to be a good thing for the farmer. Hopefully more of their tomatoes are going to sell at a little bit better price because of the tariff on the imports.”
    Patty Morgan, Grainger County (TN) Tomato Festival: “It’s a huge industry in our county.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Banking: The Breakthroughs Powering Samsung’s Thinnest, Most Refined Foldables

    Source: Samsung

    Ever since Samsung created the foldable category by unveiling the first foldable smartphone in 2019, Samsung has pursued one goal: to give users large screens in a pocket-friendly device. Years and thousands of design and engineering advancements later, Galaxy foldable devices have again not only exceeded that goal but set a new standard for mobile foldable innovation.
    The Galaxy Z Fold7 and Z Flip7 are Samsung’s thinnest, lightest and most advanced foldables to date.
    Pocket-friendly Proportions
    Galaxy Z Flip7 slides into your pocket at just 6.5 mm thin when open and 13.7 mm when closed. An ultra-high-density circuit board makes sure there is no wasted space internally and Samsung enhanced the battery’s energy density, boosting its capacity by 300 mAh while reducing its thickness.

    Meanwhile, Galaxy Z Fold7 is nearly half the thickness of the original Fold, measuring just 8.9 mm folded and 4.2 mm unfolded. This 48% reduction combined with a wider, brighter screen and a new 21:9 bar-phone aspect ratio, delivers a foldable device that is both portable and intuitive to use.
    Stronger, Slimmer Hinges

    Galaxy Z Fold7 introduces a third-generation Armor FlexHinge that is 27% thinner and 43% lighter than its predecessor. Key upgrades include:

    Thinner critical rotating and supporting elements, resulting in a hinge that is smaller in size while maintaining strength.
    New alloy components that increase yield strength by over 14%allow the hinge to better withstand repeated folding.
    Separate supporting and rotating functions add structural stability and greater design flexibility.
    A wingplate that opens widerdelivers a flatter and cleaner screen for a more premium viewing experience.

    Galaxy Z Flip7 features Samsung’s thinnest FlexHinge yet. It’s 29% slimmer than the hinge on Galaxy Z Flip6 yet still supports full FlexMode and day-to-day toughness.
    Thinner, Stronger Displays

    The display is a cornerstone of Galaxy Z Fold7’s hardware innovations, with a focus on greater durability while ensuring the device is lighter and thinner:

    Reduced display thickness by more than 39%by completely reoptimizing the panel structure and introducing advanced materials.
    Titanium-based lattice replaces carbon fiber for 64% improved durability and better resistance.
    Achieved a slimmer profileby redesigning the panel layer to better absorb external stress and ensure consistent rigidity.
    Ultra Thin Glass (UTG) is 50% thickerthan the UTG on Galaxy Z Fold6 for a smoother, less-visible crease and improved performance.

    With Galaxy Z Flip7, Samsung maintains the Z Flip series’ iconic design but packs more power in a smaller package:
    A new edge-to-edge Infinity Cover Display removes the black notch to provide more content and cleaner visuals.

    The HID camera is precisely corner-mounted, keeping visuals clean and symmetrical.
    The display bezel shrinks from 3.94 mm to 1.25 mm, a 68% reduction that makes Galaxy Z Flip7 the world’s thinnest display bezel on a foldable.

    Pro Cameras, Optimized for Potability

    Galaxy Z Fold7 delivers an ultra-level camera experience, providing flagship technology in a sleek and light design.

    First 200 MP wide-angle camera in a foldablethat’s made possible by a new thin actuator and a complete structural redesign.
    The camera module shrunk by 18% and ran nearly 30,000 simulations, culminating in the thinnest 200 MP camera on a foldable device that doesn’t sacrifice image quality.

    On Galaxy Z Flip7, the camera module has been reengineered from the ground up, delivering flagship image quality in a slimmer housing. To achieve a thinner design while maintaining high performance, Samsung streamlined the internal structure of the entire module, incorporating a smaller actuator to ensure high-performance autofocus with less bulk.
    Tougher Materials, Lighter Feel   

    Samsung reinforced Galaxy Z Fold7’s thin profile with stronger, more advanced materials. The cover screen now features Corning® Gorilla® Glass Ceramic 21, making it 30% stronger2 in material strength than the previous generation. Additionally, the frame and hinge cover have been upgraded to Advanced Armor Aluminum3, a material that is 10% tougher4 than the Armor Aluminum previous used in Galaxy Z Fold6.

    The Bottom Line
    Every hinge, display layer and camera component inside Galaxy Z Fold7 and Z Flip7 was redesigned for one purpose: give consumers a refined foldable that feels as effortless as any premium smartphone.
    Welcome to the new era of pocket-ready power.

    1 Corning® Gorilla® Glass Ceramic 2 is applied to the front of the device and Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus® 2 is applied to the rear.
    2 Based on Corning internal lab testing. Comparison is at the material level between Gorilla® Glass Ceramic 2 and Gorilla® Glass Victus® 2, as used on Galaxy Z Fold6.
    3 Advanced Armor Aluminum frame does not include volume and side keys, SIM tray or camera lens barrel.
    4 Based on Samsung internal testing of Advanced Armor Aluminum versus Armor Aluminum used in Galaxy Z Fold6. Improvement measured at the material level and may not reflect overall device durability.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Seoul Searching: How Galaxy AI Became My Travel Companion in South Korea

    Source: Samsung

    Experiencing South Korea as both a traveler and a Samsung Brand Manager was an opportunity to see how our technology could help turn my jam-packed itinerary into something seamless. From overcoming jet lag to translating conversations on the fly and even recreating meals when I got home, Galaxy AI became more than a tool – it was a true travel companion.
    Prepping for Jet Lag, AI Style

    Before I boarded the flight to South Korea, I already had a plan in place for managing jet lag, thanks to Galaxy AI1. I used the sleep coaching program2, tailored to my “Nervous Penguins” sleep style profile3 (yes, that’s a thing – find it in the Samsung Health app!), and started adjusting my routine days before I flew out.

    It was all in the simple things: going to bed at the same time each night, tweaking the temperature on my thermostat, rethinking my sleep position and – surprise! – learning I snore thanks to the Galaxy Watch. A couple of extra pillows later and I was steadily improving my Sleep Score with deep, uninterrupted rest. Thanks to the changes I made, it was the first time I arrived in a new country without feeling like I was walking through molasses.

    Language Barriers? Not So Much
    In a new country, the right tools make all the difference. I’d been practicing Korean through language learning apps for a few months prior to the trip, but getting around Seoul by myself was a little intimidating at first. Hailing a cab was easy, but pronouncing directions or street names was a challenge. Galaxy AI’s Live Translate tools, especially Listening and Conversation Mode, made communication not just possible, but genuinely connective. I even chatted with drivers about where I’m from (New York), and more than once got a “Go Yankees!” in return. It was a reminder that language should be a bridge, not a barrier.

    Capturing the Moment

    Some of the most magical moments came through the lens of my Galaxy Z Flip6. At Bukchon Hanok Village (with its postcard-perfect streets packed with visitors), I didn’t have to stress about getting the perfect photo. Instead, I captured what I could and used Object Eraser to clean up the background later by tapping the tools icon and highlighting them. The result was exactly what I wanted: clean, focused photos that captured the energy of the place without wasting time waiting for the picture perfect moment.

    Tastes Worth Tracking Down
    I’m a big foodie, so naturally, my camera roll was full of street eats – and Circle to Search4 became my secret weapon. Whether live searching in the moment or when I was craving beef KBBQ days after landing back home, I used photos from my trip to find similar recipes instantly. Pairing that with the Samsung Food+ app meant I could re-create some of those dishes – I went from “that looks delicious” to “here’s how to cook it” in minutes. AI even helped me rate the healthiness of each dish, so I didn’t feel totally off-track after the trip.

    Finding Routine on the Road

    But maybe the biggest gift Galaxy AI gave me was routine – something that’s so easy to lose when you travel. After learning that repetition is key for good sleep from the Galaxy Watch’s sleep coach, I developed easy nighttime habits. I programmed my devices to allow social media scrolling only between 8–10PM with Do Not Disturb in the background, and dark mode kicking in after. It was a small thing, but it helped me wind down, unplug and reset. Even thousands of miles away from home, I still felt grounded.

    This trip was the first time I traveled with tech that didn’t just document the journey or help make it more fun, but it truly enhanced it from beginning to well beyond the end. With Galaxy AI as my travel companion, I didn’t just navigate Seoul – I truly experienced it. And I came back with memories, habits and a camera roll full of photos that, thanks to AI, look as good as they felt in the moment.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Saskatchewan Invests Over $800,000 In Housing and Supports for Women Leaving Custody

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on July 21, 2025

    A new multi-year agreement with Elizabeth Fry Society.

    The Government of Saskatchewan is investing $280,000 annually from 2025 to 2028 into the Elizabeth Fry Society of Saskatchewan to support the delivery of the Wikowin Supportive Housing Program. This program will help ensure that women leaving custody or under community supervision have access to safe, affordable housing and the supports they need to successfully reintegrate into the community. 

    “Reintegration is not easy, but it is possible with the right supports. Without a safe place to go, many individuals risk falling back into the justice system,” Corrections, Policing and Public Safety Minister Tim McLeod K.C said. “Through this investment, the Elizabeth Fry Society will help give women the footing they need to move forward and avoid returning to custody, which ultimately contributes to safer communities across the province.”

    As part of this program, Elizabeth Fry Society will provide consistent supervision of women residing at the property and provide a range of wraparound services, including addictions services, income assistance and where appropriate, family reunification. By targeting key risk factors and preparing participants for independent living, the program aims to reduce recidivism and promote successful reintegration.

    “This funding will allow us to provide safe, supportive housing for women leaving custody, women who deserve an opportunity to make meaningful change for themselves and their future,” Elizabeth Fry Society Executive Director Nicole Obrigavitch said. “We are grateful for this partnership with the Government of Saskatchewan, which reflects a shared commitment to doing things differently and supporting pathways to stability and healing.”

    This agreement builds on the province’s continued work with the Elizabeth Fry Society, including a separate $330,000 two-year investment announced last year to expand their presence in women’s correctional facilities to deliver culturally appropriate programs and supports to help clients succeed in their communities. The Government of Saskatchewan remains committed to strengthening the justice system’s efficiency through initiatives and collaborations like these.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: LEADER JEFFRIES STATEMENT ON AIRPLANE CRASH IN DHAKA  

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

    Know Your Immigration Rights

    If you or a loved one encounter immigration enforcement officials, it is essential that you know your rights and have prepared your household for all possible outcomes.

    Ask for a warrant: The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution protects you from unreasonable search and seizure. You do not have to open your door until you see a valid warrant to enter your home or search your belongings.

    Your right to remain silent: The Fifth Amendment protects your right to remain silent and not incriminate yourself. You are not required to share any personal information such as your place of birth, immigration status or criminal history.

    Always consult an attorney: You have a right to speak with an attorney. You do not have to sign anything or hand officials any documents without speaking to an attorney. Try to identify and consult one in advance.

    The New York City Office of Civil Justice and the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) support a variety of free immigration legal services through local nonprofit legal organizations. To access these resources, dial 311 and say “Action NYC,” call the MOIA Immigration Legal Support Hotline at 800-354-0365 Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. or visit MOIA’s website.

    Learn more here: KNOW YOUR IMMIGRATION RIGHTS  – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Scholten, Salazar, and Escobar Reintroduce Historic Bipartisan Immigration Legislation

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Hillary Scholten – Michigan

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representatives Hillary Scholten (D-MI), alongside U.S. Reps. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) and Veronica Escobar (D-TX), announced the reintroduction of the Dignity Act of 2025, a historic, bipartisan immigration reform bill. Salud Carbajal (D-CA), Mike Levin (D-CA), Susie Lee (D-NV), Adam Grey (D-CA), Laura Gillen (D-NY), Jake Auchincloss (D-MA), Nikki Budzinski (D-IL), Andriano Espaillat (D-NY), Mike Lawler (R-NY), David Valadao (R-CA), Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Mike Kelly (R-PA), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Gabe Evans (R-CO), Marlin Stutzman (R-IN), Don Bacon (R-NE), and Young Kim (R-CA) also co-sponsored the bill.

    This historic bipartisan legislation would address border security and infrastructure challenges, tackle critical workforce development issues, create legal status for undocumented immigrants already living in the United States, establish new pathways for asylum seekers, and create new legal pathways for economic migrants and unaccompanied minors.

    “As an attorney who has worked on immigration issues, both at the nation’s top law enforcement agency and at a community legal aid organization, helping migrants in West Michigan, I know this system. I’ve seen firsthand what patchwork and reactionary immigration policies do to families and communities, and I remain committed to creating a system that is both fair and humane, balancing humanitarian concerns with law enforcement. Our broken immigration system is a national security threat, an economic and workforce emergency, and a humanitarian crisis. This is Congress’s issue to solve, and we’re here to solve it,” said Rep. Scholten. “Congress must act now to reform our immigration system. It’s time to allow hardworking families to move out of the shadows and into the full light of the American dream. This bipartisan bill will make our communities and our country safer, bring our workforce into the 21st century, and bring dignity to millions of hardworking families already living in the United States to make our country a better place.”

    This comprehensive bill makes meaningful reforms to several aspects of our immigration system: 

    • Provides a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers
    • It creates the Dignity Program to grant legal status to undocumented immigrants already living in the United States;
    • It establishes new pathways for asylum seekers and creates new regional processing centers;
    • Enhances border security while creating additional accountability for ICE.

    The last time Congress passed immigration reform was in 1996, and that was driven by Republicans and signed into law by President Bill Clinton. That bill eliminated several legal immigration pathways, essentially making fewer people eligible for legal status while making more people deportable. Congress has had many opportunities to address this crisis. Over the last 10 years, 8 major pushes for immigration reform have failed:  

    • In 2013, the Senate on a bipartisan basis passed the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013, but House Republicans refused to take up the bill.
    • In 2018, a bipartisan group of Senators advanced the Uniting and Securing America Act to protect Dreamers and provide a pathway to citizenship, but Senate Republicans blocked it.
    • Again in 2018, the Senate tried to advance the United and Securing America Act “Common Sense” Proposal Amendment, but Senate Republicans blocked it.
    • Yet again in 2018, the Uniting and Securing America Act made it to the Senate floor but was blocked.
    • In 2019, the House passed the American Dream and Promise Act, but Senate Republicans blocked it.
    • In 2021, the House again passed the American Dream and Promise Act, but Senate Republicans again blocked it.
    • In 2021 and 2022, the President proposed record funding for more border agents, more asylum officers, more immigration judges, more border technology, and more detention capacity. Republicans in Congress failed to fund both requests.
    • In 2024, the Senate failed to pass bipartisan immigration and border security bills after President Trump called on Senate Republicans to abandon the bill so Republicans could campaign on the issue.  

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Scholten, Salazar, and Escobar Reintroduce Historic Bipartisan Immigration Legislation

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Hillary Scholten – Michigan

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representatives Hillary Scholten (D-MI), alongside U.S. Reps. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) and Veronica Escobar (D-TX), announced the reintroduction of the Dignity Act of 2025, a historic, bipartisan immigration reform bill. Salud Carbajal (D-CA), Mike Levin (D-CA), Susie Lee (D-NV), Adam Grey (D-CA), Laura Gillen (D-NY), Jake Auchincloss (D-MA), Nikki Budzinski (D-IL), Andriano Espaillat (D-NY), Mike Lawler (R-NY), David Valadao (R-CA), Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Mike Kelly (R-PA), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Gabe Evans (R-CO), Marlin Stutzman (R-IN), Don Bacon (R-NE), and Young Kim (R-CA) also co-sponsored the bill.

    This historic bipartisan legislation would address border security and infrastructure challenges, tackle critical workforce development issues, create legal status for undocumented immigrants already living in the United States, establish new pathways for asylum seekers, and create new legal pathways for economic migrants and unaccompanied minors.

    “As an attorney who has worked on immigration issues, both at the nation’s top law enforcement agency and at a community legal aid organization, helping migrants in West Michigan, I know this system. I’ve seen firsthand what patchwork and reactionary immigration policies do to families and communities, and I remain committed to creating a system that is both fair and humane, balancing humanitarian concerns with law enforcement. Our broken immigration system is a national security threat, an economic and workforce emergency, and a humanitarian crisis. This is Congress’s issue to solve, and we’re here to solve it,” said Rep. Scholten. “Congress must act now to reform our immigration system. It’s time to allow hardworking families to move out of the shadows and into the full light of the American dream. This bipartisan bill will make our communities and our country safer, bring our workforce into the 21st century, and bring dignity to millions of hardworking families already living in the United States to make our country a better place.”

    This comprehensive bill makes meaningful reforms to several aspects of our immigration system: 

    • Provides a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers
    • It creates the Dignity Program to grant legal status to undocumented immigrants already living in the United States;
    • It establishes new pathways for asylum seekers and creates new regional processing centers;
    • Enhances border security while creating additional accountability for ICE.

    The last time Congress passed immigration reform was in 1996, and that was driven by Republicans and signed into law by President Bill Clinton. That bill eliminated several legal immigration pathways, essentially making fewer people eligible for legal status while making more people deportable. Congress has had many opportunities to address this crisis. Over the last 10 years, 8 major pushes for immigration reform have failed:  

    • In 2013, the Senate on a bipartisan basis passed the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013, but House Republicans refused to take up the bill.
    • In 2018, a bipartisan group of Senators advanced the Uniting and Securing America Act to protect Dreamers and provide a pathway to citizenship, but Senate Republicans blocked it.
    • Again in 2018, the Senate tried to advance the United and Securing America Act “Common Sense” Proposal Amendment, but Senate Republicans blocked it.
    • Yet again in 2018, the Uniting and Securing America Act made it to the Senate floor but was blocked.
    • In 2019, the House passed the American Dream and Promise Act, but Senate Republicans blocked it.
    • In 2021, the House again passed the American Dream and Promise Act, but Senate Republicans again blocked it.
    • In 2021 and 2022, the President proposed record funding for more border agents, more asylum officers, more immigration judges, more border technology, and more detention capacity. Republicans in Congress failed to fund both requests.
    • In 2024, the Senate failed to pass bipartisan immigration and border security bills after President Trump called on Senate Republicans to abandon the bill so Republicans could campaign on the issue.  

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: LaLota Leads Bipartisan Bill to Protect Long Island Sound and Peconic Bay

    Source: US Representative Nick LaLota (NY-01)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Nick LaLota (NY-01) today announced his co-leadership of the bipartisan Estuaries Saving Through Efficient and Responsible Appropriations for Your Shoreline (ESTUARIES) Act, a bill that reauthorizes the National Estuary Program (NEP) through Fiscal Year 2031 and supports the continued restoration and protection of vital estuarine ecosystems across the country.

    “I lead the bipartisan ESTUARIES Act in the House because I represent two of our nation’s 28 nationally recognized estuaries—and I know they’re vital to our economy, our fisheries, and the coastal way of life we cherish. That’s why I’m proud to join colleagues from both sides of the aisle to ensure clean water and healthy habitats remain national priorities for generations to come,” said Rep. Nick LaLota.

    “The National Estuary Program is one of the smartest investments Congress can make in clean water, resilient infrastructure, and local economies,” said Joyce Novak, PhD, Executive Director of the Peconic Estuary Partnership and Chair of the Association of National Estuary Programs. “Reauthorizing the NEP ensures that coastal communities can continue to lead with science, partner across sectors, and deliver real results where they matter most. We thank Congressman Lalota for his continued and unwavering support for clean water on Long Island and for recognizing the power of this program to protect both ecosystems and economies.”

    To read the full text of the ESTUARIES Act, click HERE.

    Background:

    H.R. 3962 ESTUARIES Act reauthorizes the National Estuary Program (NEP) through Fiscal Year 2031. This bill, which amends Section 320(i)(1) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, ensures the continued protection and restoration of estuaries critical to coastal communities and ecosystems across the country. This legislation extends federal funding authority from 2026 through 2031, ensuring uninterrupted support for vital work in watershed planning, conservation, and pollution mitigation.

    The NEP is a non-regulatory, community-based initiative administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It empowers local stakeholders to improve water quality, restore habitats, and build climate resilience in estuaries of national significance.

    New York’s First Congressional District is home to two nationally recognized estuaries: the Long Island Sound and the Peconic Bay.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: LaLota Leads Bipartisan Bill to Protect Long Island Sound and Peconic Bay

    Source: US Representative Nick LaLota (NY-01)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Nick LaLota (NY-01) today announced his co-leadership of the bipartisan Estuaries Saving Through Efficient and Responsible Appropriations for Your Shoreline (ESTUARIES) Act, a bill that reauthorizes the National Estuary Program (NEP) through Fiscal Year 2031 and supports the continued restoration and protection of vital estuarine ecosystems across the country.

    “I lead the bipartisan ESTUARIES Act in the House because I represent two of our nation’s 28 nationally recognized estuaries—and I know they’re vital to our economy, our fisheries, and the coastal way of life we cherish. That’s why I’m proud to join colleagues from both sides of the aisle to ensure clean water and healthy habitats remain national priorities for generations to come,” said Rep. Nick LaLota.

    “The National Estuary Program is one of the smartest investments Congress can make in clean water, resilient infrastructure, and local economies,” said Joyce Novak, PhD, Executive Director of the Peconic Estuary Partnership and Chair of the Association of National Estuary Programs. “Reauthorizing the NEP ensures that coastal communities can continue to lead with science, partner across sectors, and deliver real results where they matter most. We thank Congressman Lalota for his continued and unwavering support for clean water on Long Island and for recognizing the power of this program to protect both ecosystems and economies.”

    To read the full text of the ESTUARIES Act, click HERE.

    Background:

    H.R. 3962 ESTUARIES Act reauthorizes the National Estuary Program (NEP) through Fiscal Year 2031. This bill, which amends Section 320(i)(1) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, ensures the continued protection and restoration of estuaries critical to coastal communities and ecosystems across the country. This legislation extends federal funding authority from 2026 through 2031, ensuring uninterrupted support for vital work in watershed planning, conservation, and pollution mitigation.

    The NEP is a non-regulatory, community-based initiative administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It empowers local stakeholders to improve water quality, restore habitats, and build climate resilience in estuaries of national significance.

    New York’s First Congressional District is home to two nationally recognized estuaries: the Long Island Sound and the Peconic Bay.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren, Sanders, Wyden Investigate Skydance’s Role in Potential Secret Trump Payoff Connected to Paramount Deal

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    July 21, 2025

    Skydance reportedly set up secret side deal with Trump worth tens of millions more dollars, with potential Skydance/Paramount merger pending Trump admin approval

    “These reports raise fresh questions about corruption in the Trump Administration and President Trump’s willingness to accept payments from entities with significant policy interests before agencies he controls.”

    Text of Letter (PDF)

    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) pressed David Ellison, CEO of Skydance Media, about reports of a secret deal between Skydance and President Trump — and how it may be related to Paramount’s recent multi-million-dollar settlement agreement with Trump. The settlement, which comes as Skydance and Paramount await approval from the Trump administration for their proposed mega-merger, has raised concerns about potential bribery.

    “These reports raise fresh questions about corruption in the Trump Administration and President Trump’s willingness to accept payments from entities with significant policy interests before agencies he controls,” wrote the senators.

    In May, following reports of a potential settlement in Paramount’s legal battle with President Trump, the senators wrote to the company with concerns that its attempt to settle President Trump’s “meritless” lawsuit for tens of millions of dollars, while approval for its $8 billion merger with Skydance is pending in front of the Trump administration, could be construed as bribery.

    Despite the senators’ warnings, on July 2, Paramount settled with President Trump for $16 million, at least part of which will go toward his Presidential Library fund. But President Trump himself revealed that the arrangement is worth more than the initially announced $16 million, leading to reports of a back-door deal with President Trump. Reporting suggests that a secret side deal with Skydance may include public service announcements “and other broadcast transmissions” worth between $15 million and $20 million that “support conservative causes supported by President Trump.”

    On July 17, CBS announced it was canceling The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, just days after the host criticized Paramount’s $16 million settlement with President Trump on his show and said the deal resembled bribery.

    The senators asked Skydance to answer questions related to whether Skydance’s actions comply with federal anti-bribery laws, including about the contents of the secret deal with President Trump, whether the deal’s participants discussed the pending Paramount-Skydance transaction, and whether Skydance executives were involved in the decision to cancel The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, by August 4.

    The $16 million Paramount settlement will largely go straight to President Trump’s Presidential Library fund — along with the money from other settlements by tech and media companies, including ABC. Senator Warren, alongside Senator Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Representatives Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), and Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), last week introduced the Presidential Library Anti-Corruption Act, new legislation to close loopholes that allow presidential libraries to be used as tools for corruption and bribery.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Weekly Immigration Caseload Dips Below 200 in Western District of Texas

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    SAN ANTONIO – United States Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 178 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from July 11 through July 17.

    Among the new cases, Edgar Josue Montelongo-Loera was charged in a criminal complaint in Del Rio for trafficking in firearms. On June 12, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents, assisting in a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigation, allegedly observed Montelongo-Loera transfer a plastic bag containing seven 9mm pistols to a non-immigrant alien co-conspirator at a parking lot in Eagle Pass. The criminal complaint states that HSI agents followed the co-conspirator to the Eagle Pass Port of Entry, where Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers allegedly located eight firearms concealed inside the vehicle during an inspection. Further investigation by ATF revealed that Montelongo-Loera allegedly purchased one of the pistols at a retail location in San Antonio.

    Also in the Del Rio sector, Mexican national Jose Elias Gavina-Vasquez was arrested on July 14 and charged with illegal re-entry. Gavina-Vasquez has seven prior deportations, and he was most recently deported to Mexico on Feb. 23, 2023. He has a prior felony conviction from June 2022 and a separate conviction for driving while intoxicated from March 2022.

    Mexican national and convicted felon Juan Antonio Torres-Moreno was also arrested and charged with illegal re-entry in Del Rio. Torres-Moreno has three prior removals and a voluntary departure, the last being a deportation in 2019. The 2019 deportation resulted from his second illegal-re-entry conviction. He was sentenced to nine months confinement in that case.

    Sergio Villeda-Hernandez, also a Mexican national, was arrested in Eagle Pass on July 13 and charged with illegal re-entry after he was recently removed from the U.S. on March 18. Villeda-Hernandez is a convicted felon, having been sentenced to just over a year in prison in 2007 for a felony battery, possession of cocaine, and selling cocaine in DeSoto County, Florida.

    In El Paso, Mexican national Mario Humberto Sanchez-Hernandez was found less than a mile and a half west of the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry without immigration documents allowing him to be or remain in the U.S. Sanchez-Hernandez was just removed from the U.S. to Mexico for the third time on June 21 through San Diego and was convicted in October 2024 for driving under the influence in Newark, New Jersey.

    Two brothers were arrested in El Paso, each charged with one count of alien smuggling. U.S. Border Patrol agents conducted an undercover operation that led them to meet Marcos Dominguez, who allegedly believed the agents were transporting two illegal aliens and were in need of a stash house. A criminal complaint affidavit alleges that Marcos exited his vehicle to assist with transferring one of the illegal aliens from the agents’ vehicle to his own. Marcos was then detained for further investigation and agreed to guide the agents to his residence. At the residence, the agents encountered Marcos’s brother, Andres Dominguez, who allegedly admitted that illegal aliens were present inside. Agents located four subjects determined to be illegal aliens. The illegal aliens were arrested and transported to the Ysleta Border Patrol Station. The investigation revealed that Marcos allegedly housed more than 40 illegal aliens at his residence, was paid $200 per day for his smuggling actions, and would split the earnings with his brother Andres, whom he said helped him house and transport the illegal aliens.

    In Austin, the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Fugitive Operations Team (FOT) encountered Honduran national Jimmy Reinel Espinal-Mejia on July 16. Espinal-Mejia was convicted for illegal re-entry in May 2024 after being previously removed in January 2024. For that conviction, he was sentenced to 63 days confinement and removed in July 2024. Six years earlier, in 2018, Espinal-Mejia was convicted for aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury and sentenced to 12 years in prison.

    In Waco, a Mexican national was charged with illegal re-entry on July 17 when Temple Police responded to a vehicle collision in Temple and identified Eloy Hernandez-Ponce as one of the vehicle occupants. ICE identified Hernandez-Ponce as a previously removed alien who was last deported in March 2010 following a felony conviction for intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle in Houston.

    These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.

    These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: As Canada’s economy faces serious challenges, the Indigenous economy offers solutions

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Mylon Ollila, PhD Candidate in Indigenous Economic Policy, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT)

    Canada faces economic headwinds due to geopolitical change, including a trade war with its closest economic partner, the United States.

    Canada’s policymakers are searching for new, sustainable sources of economic strength. One such source is already here and is being overlooked: the emerging Indigenous economy. It has the potential to boost Canada’s economy by more than $60 billion a year.

    But Indigenous Peoples are still largely seen as an economic liability to manage instead of an opportunity for growth. It is time for a mindset shift. For it to happen, the federal government should remove unfair economic barriers and invest in closing the employment and income gap.

    Canada’s future depends on Indigenous Peoples

    Economic growth is projected to decline over the coming years for developed nations, with Canada expected to have the lowest GDP of the 38 OECD countries by 2060. As growth stalls, living standards will decline and governments will face increased fiscal pressure.

    Compounding this challenge is Canada’s aging labour force. The number of people aged 65 and over is growing six times faster than the number of children aged 14 and under — those who will be entering the job market in the coming years. This demographic shift places additional pressure on pensions, the health-care system and the economy.



    Read more:
    Enabling better aging: The 4 things seniors need, and the 4 things that need to change

    But these gloomy projections often overlook one of Canada’s comparative advantages: a young Indigenous population, growing at a rate outpacing the non-Indigenous population. While Indigenous Peoples comprise five per cent of Canada’s population, they only contribute 2.4 per cent of the total GDP.

    A BNN Bloomberg feature about the Indigenous economy in Canada.

    If Indigenous Peoples could participate in the economy at the same rate as non-Indigenous Canadians, their GDP contribution could increase from about $55 billion to well over $100 billion annually.

    Despite this potential, Canada has largely failed to invest in Indigenous Peoples and reform the colonial structures that create inequality.

    While some progress has been made, such as the First Nations Fiscal Management Act that offers communities tools to strengthen their economies, progress is still too slow.

    Economic barriers hold back First Nations

    There are two parts to every economy: economic advantages and the institutions that make those advantages actionable. Some institutions lower the costs of doing business and encourage investment, while others do the opposite. Investment naturally flows to places that have both economic advantages and low costs of doing business.

    In Canada, strong property rights lower the costs of doing business and support the finance of business ventures. An efficient tax system creates predictability and allows governments to provide services. Business-grade infrastructure reduces logistical costs. All these institutions work together to support Canada’s economic development.

    In contrast, First Nations communities are constrained by Canadian institutions. The Indian Act limits First Nations’ authority over their own affairs, segregating them from mainstream finance mechanisms. Unclear legal jurisdiction between federal, provincial and Indigenous governments and weak property rights discourage business investments.

    Limited authority and fiscal powers mean First Nations governments cannot provide services at national standards and must depend on other governments.

    Compounding these issues is the fragmented, insufficient and culturally inappropriate nature of federal support systems. First Nations people have economic advantages and an entrepreneurial spirit, but they are burdened with unfair economic barriers, such as inadequate infrastructure, limited access to capital and administrative hurdles.

    Investing in Indigenous economies is vital

    In 1997, the Royal Bank of Canada predicted that not investing in Indigenous Peoples would widen the socioeconomic gap. As predicted, this is what happened.

    Canada has consistently chosen to manage poverty instead of investing in growth. While financial support for Indigenous Peoples more than doubled over the last decade, it only resulted in modest improvement in living standards.

    The RoadMap Project, a national initiative led by the First Nations Financial Management Board and other Indigenous organizations, proposes a pathway to economic reconciliation. Investing in the Indigenous economy means supporting Indigenous training, providing access to capital for Indigenous organizations and reforming the institutions that continue to impose systemic barriers.

    Education is one of the most effective ways to reduce poverty, improve health outcomes and drive economic development. The federal government should therefore support training programs designed to meet Indigenous needs.

    Online learning could help remote communities achieve educational goals, but its success depends on major investments in high-speed internet access, which remains lacking in many areas.

    Indigenous organizations are best positioned to understand and respond to local training needs. That is why Indigenous control over revenue transfers and program design must be central to any future investments in education. To support this, the federal government should partner with Indigenous education institutions to develop common goals and values.

    Financing and supporting Indigenous growth

    Indigenous Peoples develop new businesses at nine times the Canadian average, but only receive 0.2 per cent of available credit. Most Indigenous enterprises are small and cannot grow without viable financing options.

    Yet, individual Indigenous entrepreneurs and First Nations governments face challenges securing loans and financial support.

    Internationally, development banks have been used to fill credit gaps when the private sector is unable to meet the needs of emerging economies.

    In Canada, the First Nations Financial Management Board and other Indigenous organizations are calling for a similar solution: the creation of an Indigenous Development Finance Organization. By lending to Indigenous governments and businesses, this finance organization could bridge the gap between the financial markets and the Indigenous economy.

    While investments in capacity and development finance are urgent needs, only the dismantling of economic barriers and increased access to effective institutions can assure Indigenous development.

    Legislation such as the First Nations Fiscal Management Act and the Framework Agreement on First Nation Land Management can support Indigenous economies through taxation, budgeting, land codes and financial laws. They offer a pathway between the Indian Act framework and self-government, without waiting on lengthy negotiations.

    Growing stronger together

    Canada’s economic future will remain uncertain if short-term solutions keep being prioritized while ignoring the growth potential of the Indigenous economy. Improvements to the status quo are no longer sufficient.

    The federal government must support Indigenous-led initiatives like the RoadMap Project to foster shared growth and prosperity for Indigenous Peoples and all Canadians alike. Investments are needed to narrow the employment and income gap through new supports for capacity, access to capital and institutional reform.

    Mylon Ollila is a Senior Strategist for the First Nations Financial Management Board.

    Hugo Asselin 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. As Canada’s economy faces serious challenges, the Indigenous economy offers solutions – https://theconversation.com/as-canadas-economy-faces-serious-challenges-the-indigenous-economy-offers-solutions-261252

    MIL OSI –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Birmingham signs up to West Midlands Growth Plan

    Source: City of Birmingham

    Published: Monday, 21st July 2025

    The West Midlands Growth Plan has been launched by the regional mayor alongside local authority leaders.

    Birmingham City Council leader Cllr John Cotton attended the launch and signed up to the plan that will drive a new era of prosperity in all parts of the region by creating 100,000 good jobs in fast-growing industries, getting tens of thousands of residents into work, improving public transport, and building 120,000 homes.

    The plan also sets out actions to reduce poverty and deprivation and make further progress towards net zero.

    Cllr Cotton said: “This is great news for the people of Birmingham and the wider region. Birmingham is the beating heart of the West Midlands and when we thrive, the whole country thrives.

    “Increasingly, businesses want to invest here and families want to live work here and this growth plan will bring more jobs and skills, better transport and much-needed housing, as well as support our vital net zero ambitions.”

    The Growth Plan will build on new projects and funding secured by the Mayor since he took office.

    This includes hundreds of new social homes, £2.4bn to improve transport, more than £10m of support for local businesses, five million free bus journeys ahead of bringing the network back under public control and a flagship Investment Zone, offering tax breaks and other benefits for companies.

    The Mayor has also agreed a new tram line to East Birmingham which has proved pivotal in landing the £3bn Sports Quarter regeneration project by American financier and Birmingham City FC co-owner Tom Wagner.

    Full details can be found on the WMCA website.

    Useful links

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Canada grants $1,859,000 to Just For Laughs Festival

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    Montréal, Quebec, July 21, 2025

    This year, the Just For Laughs Festival is back in Montréal from July 16 to 27 with new diverse programming where festive comic entertainment is front stage!

    Today, the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED), along with the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages, announced a total of $1,859,000 in funding for the Just For Laughs Festival.

    CED is providing a non-repayable contribution of $1,359,000 under its Quebec Economic Development Program (QEDP) for the 2025 and 2026 editions of the festival. This assistance serves to support the promotion and marketing of the event, in addition to fostering the development of new products.

    For its part, Canadian Heritage is providing $500,000 through the Canada Arts Presentation Fund to support the 2025 edition of the festival. This funding will allow audiences to access rich bilingual programming, including comedy shows of all kinds.

    Quotes

    “The Just For Laughs Festival is one of our metropolis’s flagship events which, on top of generating significant economic impacts, helps to position Montréal as the world capital of festivals. That is why our government is today announcing significant funding to attract festivalgoers from all walks of life and to provide the public with a renewed experience. Congratulations to the entire team! I invite Montréalers and tourists from home and abroad to take advantage of a rich program that illustrates our diversity and cultural vitality!”

    – The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for CED

    “The Just For Laughs Festival is an integral part of Montréal’s cultural life. By showcasing both established artists and emerging talents, this major international event reflects the vitality, creativity and strength of our comedy scene. Our new government is proud to support this festival, which perfectly embodies the richness of our culture. Don’t miss this great opportunity to come together and laugh!”

    – The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages

    Quick facts

    • Montréal’s Just For Laughs Festival is the largest comedy festival in the world, a must-attend event that, every summer, transforms the metropolis into the world capital of laughter. For over 40 years, it has been celebrating humour in all its forms, bringing together renowned artists, rising stars and the next generation of talent in a rich, daring, inclusive program.
    • CED’s Quebec Economic Development Program helps communities seize economic development and diversification opportunities that are promising for the future.
    • The Canada Arts Presentation Fund provides financial assistance to organizations that professionally present arts festivals or performing arts series. It also supports organizations that offer support to arts presenters.

    Associated links

    Contacts

    For more information (media only), please contact:

    Isabella Orozco-Madison
    Director of Communications
    Office of the Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
    isabella.orozco-madison@ised-isde.gc.ca

    Media Relations
    Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
    514-283-7443
    media@dec-ced.gc.ca

    Hermine Landry
    Press Secretary
    Office of the Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages
    hermine.landry@pch.gc.ca

    Media Relations
    Canadian Heritage
    media@pch.gc.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Planning for end of greyhound racing proceeds

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Planning for the intended ending of greyhound racing in New Zealand is moving forward with animal welfare paramount while also managing the uncertainty for those in the industry, Racing Minister Winston Peters says.

    “We welcome the interim report by the Ministerial Advisory Committee appointed to help plan the intended transition away from greyhound racing in New Zealand.

    “This report sets out a way forward including plans for rehoming the greyhounds currently involved in the sport,” Mr Peters says. 

    In December the Minister announced the Government’s intention to end greyhound racing in New Zealand. An Advisory Committee was appointed to look at the process in detail and make recommendations for how the industry should be wound down. 

    The Committee has been working with representatives of the greyhound racing sector, rehoming agencies, animal welfare groups and government agencies to find practical solutions. 

    The report considers the planning that is underway for the rehoming of dogs, while always recognising this will continue after the intended end of racing on 31 July 2026.  The committee says the current rehoming programme will require reorganization and expansion to achieve finding safe homes for the estimated 1500 dogs remaining when racing is due to end. 

    The Committee also acknowledges the concern of owners and trainers about the financial liability of feeding and caring for dogs once racing ceases. Support is being considered.

    The Committee’s recommendations will be considered by Cabinet before any decisions are taken.

    “We are fully aware of the impact that ending greyhound racing would have on those involved in the industry, and appreciate the feedback owners, trainers and other stakeholders have given the committee. 

    “That is why it is important that we consider everything carefully.

    “The intention is to introduce legislation and members of the industry, and the wider public will get the chance to make submissions to the select committee as part of the process.” 

    The decision to end greyhound racing in New Zealand was made following ongoing concerns about animal welfare and three reviews into the industry which recommended significant change.

    “The imperative to see this through continues with 15 racing greyhounds having to be euthanized so far this season and nearly a further 200 dogs suffering serious injuries keeping them out of racing for weeks and months,” Mr Peters says.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER SECURES $18.5 MILLION AUTHORIZATION FOR FORT DRUM CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS IN SENATE NATIONAL DEFENSE BILL

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer

    Schumer Secured Authorization In Major Step Forward To Plan & Design New, Expanded Spaces To Store Aircraft And House Soldiers Training At Fort Drum

    Schumer Is Pushing To Deliver $$ For New Aircraft Storage And Training Facilities In Upcoming Funding Bill

    Schumer: A Major Step Closer To Critical Fort Drum Upgrades

    U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer announced a major step forward for future construction projects at Fort Drum in the Senate’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026. The senator has secured required the funding authorization, a critical milestone that unlocks the funding process, for the planning and design of an aircraft maintenance hangar addition and an Operational Readiness Training Complex training barracks at Fort Drum, a vital step in unlocking the funding process . These new projects will add space to house Fort Drum’s aircraft and expand housing for soldiers who come to Fort Drum for training. Schumer said this is a priority for Fort Drum and will fight to secure the funding in appropriations.

    “Fort Drum is vital to our national defense and is woven into the very fabric of the North Country, and this funding authorization is a major step towards bringing much-needed construction projects to life. I am proud to announce I just secured the long-desired federal funding authorization of $18.5 million to plan and design expanded space to house Fort Drum’s aircraft and more housing for soldiers who come to Fort Drum for training,” said Senator Schumer. “I will continue to fight tooth and nail to deliver funding in appropriations to get dollars through the door and bring these projects to life for all the hardworking servicemembers at Fort Drum.”

    Schumer said securing this $18.5 million authorization in the Senate is a massive step forward in the push to bring two Fort Drum Construction projects to life. This federal funding authorization would contribute to the planning and design of these construction projects. More information on the projects can be found below:

    1. $9.8 million for Aircraft Maintenance Hangar Addition: This funding would construct a hangar addition to store Fort Drum’s aircraft.
    2. $8.6 million for Operational Readiness Training Complex (ORTC) Transient Training Barracks: Fort Drum is a Regional Collective Training Center to roughly 25,000 soldiers annually, and this funding will help house transient units when they come to Fort Drum for training exercises, as it renovates other barracks. The funding would build two new battalion-sized training barracks with special foundations and ensure there are functioning sewer systems and emergency control systems for the two new barracks.

    Schumer has worked for years to deliver major federal investments to enhance Fort Drum’s capabilities. Schumer fought for years, personally calling the former Army Secretary, Defense Secretary, and Army Chief of Staff to deliver over $27 million in federal funding to construct a new railhead at Fort Drum, a top priority for the base. The senator also delivered over $21 million for a new Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Hangar at Fort Drum, and he secured $27 million for Fort Drum in the FY22 omnibus to replace the base’s existing water supply that was vulnerable to multiple forms of contamination, requiring Fort Drum to purchase half of its water supply from a municipal source. Schumer additionally secured nearly $10 million for two major Fort Drum projects in the end-of-year spending package for FY2023.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Slams USDA Proposal to Share Sensitive Data of SNAP Participants

    Source: US State of California Department of Justice

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta, leading a coalition of 14 attorneys general, slammed the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) demand that states turn over personal and sensitive information about millions of food stamp recipients, as well as its proposal to share that information with other federal agencies for purposes that have nothing to do with ensuring the integrity of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP is a federally-funded, state-administered program providing billions of dollars in food assistance to tens of millions of low-income families across the country. SNAP applicants provide their private information to the states on the understanding, backed by long-standing state and federal laws, that their information will not be used for unrelated purposes. In a letter, Attorney General Bonta and the coalition argue that USDA’s unprecedented actions are unnecessary, inefficient, and unlawful.

    “The Trump Administration continues to wage war on some of the most vulnerable members of our communities, deploying invasive and unlawful tactics in the process to intimidate them from accessing services to which they are lawfully entitled,” said Attorney General Bonta. “No Californian should be faced with the choice of having enough to eat or protecting their fundamental right to privacy. As California Attorney General, I will continue to use every tool in the toolbox to push back against any attempts by this administration to upend the rights of Californians. I urge the Trump Administration to reverse course and abandon its unprecedented proposal to share SNAP data for purposes far beyond ensuring the integrity of this program.”

    Since President Trump re-entered the White House in January, public reports indicate that federal officials are amassing huge databases of personal information on Americans and using that data for undisclosed purposes, including immigration enforcement. The Department of Homeland Security has already obtained troves of personal information from both the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Health and Human Services Agency, including private medical information and other personal details on Medicaid recipients, which California has already challenged in court. USDA’s attempts to collect data from states about SNAP applicants and recipients appear to be the next step in this campaign.  

    In May 2025, USDA made an unprecedented demand that states turn over massive amounts of personal information on all SNAP applicants and recipients, including social security numbers and home addresses, dating back five years. In June, USDA published a “System of Records Notice” stating that it intends to “leverage data-sharing across Federal and State systems to identify and rectify” improper payments, and to share information across the federal government, as directed by one of President Trump’s executive orders. 

    As the attorneys general explain in their comment letter, USDA’s actions are unprecedented, threaten the privacy of millions of families, and ignore long-standing restrictions on the use and redisclosure of SNAP data. What’s more, the proposed collection and sharing of SNAP data is wholly unnecessary and inefficient; SNAP fraud rates are already low, thanks to robust auditing mechanisms that states and the federal government have cooperated on for years. And those mechanisms do not, and have never, required that states turn over sensitive, personally identifying information about millions of Americans without any meaningful restrictions on how that information is used or shared with other agencies.

    The attorneys general also highlight The Paperwork Reduction Act, which seeks to “minimize the cost to the Federal Government of the creation, collection, maintenance, use, dissemination, and disposition of information.” USDA purports to seek data to re-verify the eligibility of SNAP participants, a function that is already subject to other quality control mechanisms and already completed by the states. Although USDA’s Notice claims the agency may share data with law enforcement, it overlooks key limits set by the federal Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. § 552a). USDA’s own rules further restrict SNAP data use to program-related purposes, like prosecuting fraud. The letter defends SNAP enrollees’ reasonable expectation of privacy, urging USDA “not to lose sight of the fact that SNAP exists to fight hunger.”

    In submitting this comment letter, Attorney General Bonta is joined by the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington. 

    A copy of the comment letter is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Murray, Colleagues Reintroduce Child Care for Working Families Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    As Republicans deliver fresh tax breaks for billionaires and kick Americans off their health care, Democrats continue their fight to help families find and afford child care

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and over 100 of her Democratic colleagues in both the House of Representatives and the Senate to reintroduce the Child Care for Working Families Act, comprehensive legislation to ensure families across America can find and afford the high-quality child care they need.

    “Working families in Nevada shouldn’t have to choose between quitting their jobs to look after their kids or footing the bill for unaffordable child care,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “This legislation would support families and spur economic growth by ensuring that all families across the country can access child care without breaking the bank.”

    As President Trump and Republicans in Congress choose to spend trillions on new tax cuts for billionaires and the biggest corporations, Democrats in Congress are continuing their push to help working people make ends meet. The cost of child care nationwide continues to rise—and far from helping tackle it, President Trump is exacerbating the affordability crisis. The national average cost of child care is now $13,128—a 29% increase since 2020 that outpaces inflation. In Nevada, the average annual cost of childcare is more than average annual cost of housing and more than doubles the cost of in-state college tuition. The crisis costs the U.S. economy over $100 billion each year and costs the Nevada economy over $1 billion each year.

    Specifically, Child Care for Working Families Act will:

    • Make child care affordable for working families by providing more funding to states, localities, and Head Start agencies. No working family will pay more than seven percent of their income on child care.
    • Improve the quality and supply of child care for all children and expand families’ child care options by providing grants to open and run new child care centers for underserved communities.
    • Support higher wages for child care workers.
    • Dramatically expand access to high-quality pre-K. States would receive funding to establish and expand a mixed-delivery system of high-quality preschool programs for 3- and 4-year-olds.
    • Better support Head Start programs by providing the funding necessary to offer full-day, full-year programming and increasing wages for Head Start workers.

    Senator Cortez Masto has consistently supported efforts to lower costs for hardworking Nevadans. She helped pass critical expansions to the Child Tax Credit in the American Rescue plan, and has been fighting to permanently increase this vital relief for working families. Cortez Masto also helped introduce the No Tax on Tips Act to exempt tipped wages from federal income tax. Additionally, Senator Cortez Masto supports raising the federal minimum wage and eliminating the minimum wage gap for tipped workers nationally. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI – Klobuchar Op-Ed in The Washington Post: Republicans said they would cut waste. Instead, they rewarded it.

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Minnesota Amy Klobuchar

    WASHINGTON — Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) published an op-ed in the Washington Post highlighting how, after Republicans promised to reduce waste, a last-minute carve-out in their “Big Beautiful Bill” actually rewards waste. The bill spares states that have the highest error rates from the bill’s food assistance cuts — ultimately incentivizing states to make mistakes and rewarding waste.

    From the op-ed:

    “Though Republicans came into office this year claiming to prioritize the elimination of waste, fraud and abuse, they have instead done the unthinkable: They passed a policy that actually rewards waste. That’s right — their budget bill explicitly gives states that have the most errors a reprieve from cuts to critical food assistance.

    This provision was added during the sausage-making process behind the budget bill that President Donald Trump signed into law this month. Passed along party lines, the “One Big Beautiful Bill” strips health care from millions, while greatly increasing the debt to pay for extending tax cuts for the wealthiest.

    This food-assistance policy change may not be the bill’s worst provision, but it’s certainly the most baffling — and it cuts directly against the GOP’s supposedly urgent quest to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse.

    Here’s how it works. As has been well documented, the legislation drastically reduces the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (known as SNAP). Roughly one-third of the $186 billion in SNAP cuts come from shifting a larger portion of food and administrative costs to the states.

    The stated reason for the cost shift is to incentivize states to lower error rates, which are calculated based on both overpayments and underpayments by states to recipients. Error rates do not measure fraud and are largely unintentional. For example, they can occur when a state miscalculates a household expense or a recipient forgets to update a change in their income. As part of the bill, Republicans included a feature in which states that get their error rates below 6 percent get a portion of their federal funding back as a reward.

    Not every Republican was thrilled with the prospect of cutting their constituents’ food assistance when they are struggling with high grocery prices. To get the vote of one senator, Republicans tried several gambits to carve out a special exemption from the new policy for Alaska. (The state that happens to have the highest SNAP error rate in the country.)

    These kinds of state-specific provisions go against the rules of the budget process. So, to cover their tracks, Republicans added a carve-out for Hawaii in an ill-fated “these states are far away” attempt to gain the approval of the Senate parliamentarian.

    When the parliamentarian saw through the ruse, they instead tried pushing through a carve-out for Alaska and the District of Columbia, which also has a high error rate. When the parliamentarian again said no, Republicans simply rewrote their special exemption in the dead of night to give states with the highest SNAP error rates special treatment across the board, with an up to two-year delay of the cost shift.

    As a result, what started as an effort to lower error rates became a reward for states with the highest error rates, which now have every incentive to further botch their administrative process. This is the maddening hypocrisy of this so-called reform. Upend the very reason you claimed to make reform in the first place by rewarding errors? That happened.”

    Read the full op-ed here.


    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Foreign Secretary statement on the Middle East, 21 July 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Oral statement to Parliament

    Foreign Secretary statement on the Middle East, 21 July 2025

    The Foreign Secretary made a statement to parliament on the Middle East

    With permission, Mr Deputy Speaker, I would like to make a statement on the Middle East.

    I’ll begin on Syria.

    We have been horrified by the recent violence in the south, including civilian deaths.

    Clashes between Druze and Bedouin militias have quickly escalated into intense fighting between government forces and further Israeli strikes on the Syrian military.

    As I said directly to Foreign Minister Shaibani we want to see the fighting ended, civilians protected and the rights of all Syrians upheld.

    The violence in Suwayda must be investigated and those responsible held accountable.

    We want humanitarian access to be restored, aid delivered and Syria’s sovereignty must be respected. 

    The UK can be proud of our support to the Syrian people over many, many years.

    And a stable Syria matters to the UK’s national interest, for terrorism, for irregular migration, for regional stability.

    We must work to prevent extremism, sectarianism or lawlessness taking hold now that Assad is gone.

    That’s why we are backing a sustainable ceasefire and that is why we support an inclusive transition.

    And that’s why I visited Damascus recently to support and to press the new government to meet its commitments.

    I will now turn to the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

    It’s two and a half months since Prime Minister Netanyahu restarted offensive operations.

    The IDF has driven Palestinians out of 86 per cent of Gaza, leaving around two million people trapped in an area scarcely over twenty square miles.

    Whatever this Israeli government might claim, repeated displacement of so many civilians is not keeping them safe. In fact, it’s quite the reverse.

    Mr Deputy Speaker, the new Israeli aid system is inhumane, it’s dangerous and it deprives Gazans of human dignity.

    It contradicts long-stablished humanitarian principles. It creates disorder Hamas is exploiting with distribution points reduced from 400 to just four.

    It forces desperate civilians, children among them, to scramble unsafely for the essentials of life.

    It’s a grotesque spectacle, wreaking a terrible human cost.

    Almost 1000 civilians have been killed since May seeking aid, including 100 over this weekend alone.

    There are near daily reports of Israeli troops opening fire on people trying to access food.

    Israeli jets have hit women and children waiting for a health clinic to open.

    An Israeli drone has struck down children filling water containers which Israeli officials blamed on a ‘technical error’.

    Hamas is contributing to the chaos and taking advantage of it.

    I utterly condemn the killing of civilians seeking to meet their most basic needs.

    The Israeli government must answer:

    What possible military justification can there be for strikes that have killed desperate, starving children?

    What immediate actions are they taking to stop this litany of horrors?

    What will they do to hold those responsible to account?

    Mr Deputy Speaker, I have said before I am a steadfast supporter of Israel’s security and right to exist.

    I treasure the many connections between our peoples

    And the horrors of October 7th must never be forgotten.

    But I firmly believe the Israeli government’s actions are doing untold damage to Israel’s standing in the world and undermining Israel’s long-term security.

    Netanyahu should listen to the Israeli people, 82 per cent of whom desperately want a ceasefire.

    And to the hostages’ families because they know it offers the best chance to bring their loved ones home.

    Those hostages may be hidden in cramped tunnels under the ruins of Gaza but we will not forget them or Hamas’s despicable actions and we will continue to demand their unconditional release.

    This offensive puts them in grave danger.

    But still Netanyahu persists.

    Indeed, Minister Katz has gone further proposing to drive Gaza’s entire population into Rafah, imprisoning Palestinians, unless persuaded to emigrate.

    Mr Deputy Speaker, this is a cruel vision which must never come to pass.

    I condemn it unequivocally.

    Permanent forced displacement is a violation of international humanitarian law.

    Many Israelis themselves are appalled.

    A former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak said ‘it marches us into the abyss’. He was right.

    Mr Speaker, today I joined a joint statement by 25 Foreign Ministers with a simple, urgent message:

    the war in Gaza must end now.

    There is no military solution.

    Negotiations will secure the hostages.

    Further bloodshed serves no purpose. 

    Hamas and Israel must both commit to a ceasefire now. 

    And the next ceasefire must be the last ceasefire.

    I thank the US, Qatar, and Egypt for their tireless efforts.

    And I am sure all Members share my intense frustration it has not happened.

    Until there is such a breakthrough, we must keep doing all we can to relieve suffering.

    UK aid has saved lives.

    Reaching hundreds of thousands with food, water, hygiene, and sanitation, and essential healthcare.

    And under the most appalling circumstances our aid is saving lives today.

    That includes, the almost nine million pounds the UK has provided to UK-Med, since we entered office,

    reaching half a million patients inside Gaza, 24,000 in the past fortnight alone.

    Like 3-year old Razan.

    UK-funded medics removed a bullet from her neck after nearly three hours of surgery.

    These doctors and nurses working in the most extreme conditions are true heroes.

    They deserve the thanks and admiration of the entire House.

    We are also working, of course, multilaterally.

    The 149 trucks from the World Food Programme and UNICEF entering Gaza in recent day included food supplies funded by the UK.

    And thousands more trucks laden with aid paid for by British taxpayers can enter, the moment the Israeli government lets it.

    Today, I am announcing an extra £40 million for humanitarian assistance in Gaza this year, including seven and a half million for UK-Med to sustain their vital operations in Gaza and save more lives.

    Mr Deputy Speaker, accompanying the horrors in Gaza, there is an accelerating campaign to prevent a future Palestinian state in the West Bank.

    It’s embraced by Netanyahu, it’s encouraged by his Ministers. It’s driven by an extremist ideology which wants to suffocate the two-state solution, the only route to a lasting peace and security.

    We see it in the unprecedented pace of settlement expansion.

    In the shocking levels of settler violence, even settler terrorism,

    for that is what the most egregious ideological attacks are.

    And in the deliberate attempts to squeeze the Palestinian Authority, unjustly denying it access to its own funds, and it harms Israel’s long-term interests.

    Now, the Israeli government is reintroducing plans to construct new units in the E1 area of occupied east Jerusalem.

    If built, this settlement would separate the West Bank’s north from its south and Palestinians in the West Bank from East Jerusalem.

    These plans are wholly unacceptable.

    They are illegal.

    And they must not happen.

    Mr Deputy Speaker, we are also striving to keep open the prospects of a two-state solution.

    UK assistance has been preserving the Palestinian Authority, contributing to essential Palestinian workers’ salaries and supporting them to progress critical reforms.

    Today, I can confirm we are enhancing our support, providing £7 million to strengthen the PA and Palestinian governance, implementing the agreement signed by myself and PM Mustafa earlier this year.

    And we’re delivering the reform plans President Abbas has set out.

    I can also confirm that we are providing £20 million to support UNRWA’s many services for Palestinian refugees.

    And alongside this support, we are leading diplomatic efforts to show there must be a viable peaceful pathway to a Palestinian state, involving the PA, not Hamas, in security and governance of the area.

    Hamas can have no role in the governance of Gaza nor use it as a launchpad for terrorism.

    Israeli Ministers should support the PA – not actively undermine its economy, as Ministers Ben-Gvir and Smotrich are doing.

    The UK is co-leading with Egypt the humanitarian and reconstruction track for the forthcoming Two-State Solution Conference.

    And we are pushing to agree plans for a credible next phase in Gaza with a responsible, reformed PA at their core.

    So we turn any temporary ceasefire into a lasting peace.

    Mr Deputy Speaker, in our year in office, this Labour Government has acted to address this horrendous conflict.

    We restored funding to UNRWA, after the Tories froze it.

    We suspended arms export licenses, when the Tories declined to act.

    We have provided nearly a quarter of a billion in humanitarian assistance, this year and next, getting medical treatment and food to hundreds of thousands of civilians in Gaza.

    We have stood with the hostage families at every stage.

    We’ve worked with Jordan to fly medicines into Gaza, with Egypt to treat medically evacuated civilians, with Kuwait and UNICEF to help children in Gaza.

    We’ve delivered three sanctions packages on violent settlers, suspended trade negotiations with this Israeli government and sanctioned far-right Israeli Ministers for incitement.

    We have defended the independence of international courts. We signed a landmark agreement with the Palestinian Authority, and hosted the Palestinian Prime Minister in London, pushing for the reform it needs.

    We called for…

    worked for…

    and voted for…

    an immediate ceasefire and the release of the hostages at every possible opportunity.

    And we will keep doing so until this war is over, Hamas release the hostages and we finally have a pathway to a two-state solution.

    I commend this statement to the House.

    Updates to this page

    Published 21 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    July 22, 2025
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