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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: First-ever MHRA analysis of UK clinical trial applications finds new opportunities to drive medical breakthroughs for patients

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    First-ever MHRA analysis of UK clinical trial applications finds new opportunities to drive medical breakthroughs for patients

    New analysis of the current clinical trial landscape in the UK shows clear opportunities to shape the future of medical research and patient care.

    The first-ever analysis of the UK clinical trial landscape by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the University of Liverpool reveals the UK is a global leader in clinical research – and sets out key opportunities to deliver even more life-changing treatments for patients.

    Published today in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, the report offers the most detailed picture yet of the UK’s clinical trials landscape. It finds strong innovation – but also a concentration of research in certain disease areas, and opportunities for increased representation of certain patient groups.

    A roadmap for stronger, more inclusive research

    The MHRA is using the insights to build upon the country’s world-leading clinical research and deliver its new clinical trials regulations to create a more efficient, streamlined and adaptable regulatory framework. Working in partnership with patients, the NHS, industry and academia, the MHRA will support increased research into underrepresented conditions, improve diversity in trial participation, and attract further global investment in innovation.

    Professor Andrea Manfrin, lead author of the study and MHRA Deputy Director, Clinical Investigations and Trials, said:

    “Clinical trials are the backbone of medical progress, essential for developing new medicines and advancing our understanding of diseases. This analysis shows clearly where the UK is leading – and where we need to work with our stakeholders to go further. By working together with patients, the NHS, industry, and researchers across the life sciences ecosystem to identify and maximise these opportunities, we can ensure clinical trials are faster, fairer, and more inclusive. Better trials mean better, more effective treatments, reaching NHS patients as quickly and as safely as possible.”

    Professor Sir Munir Pirmohamed, co-author of the study at the University of Liverpool, said:

    “The analysis from the MHRA clinical trials database shows the richness of UK clinical trial activity involving medicines. Importantly it also provides a baseline which can be used to increase future UK clinical trial activity, which is important for improving both patient outcomes and economic investment.”

    With the global clinical trials market expected to nearly double to over £80 billion by 2032, insights from the analysis will help shape policies that can bring innovative, new medicines to patients, attract investment, accelerate medical innovation, and expand trial access for UK patients. 

    Key findings from the MHRA and University of Liverpool’s analysis of all 4,616 clinical trials submitted between 2019 and 2023:

    • The UK is a hub for pioneering research, with one in eight trials testing treatments in humans for the first time. There is strong commercial investment in UK trials, with 85% industry sponsored. A smaller share (15%) comes from universities, hospitals, and charities.
    • Cancer trials dominate, making up nearly a third of all studies, but other major diseases lag behind. Heart disease – the world’s biggest killer – receives just 5.2% of research focus. Trials for conditions such as chronic pain, respiratory conditions and mental health disorders were among the least common, despite their major impact on public health.
    • Both sexes were included in most trials (90%), however male-only trials (6.1%) were nearly twice as common as female-only studies (3.7%).  Pregnant and breastfeeding women were represented in 1.1% and 0.6% of trials, respectively, which could impact treatment suitability for these groups.
    • Cutting-edge treatments, such as gene and cell therapies, represent a growing clinical area but make up only 3.4% of trials, despite their potential to transform care for patients with limited treatment options.

    Partnership working to strengthen UK clinical research

    The report sets a baseline to track progress and inform future funding, policy and regulation. The MHRA is already working with partners across the life sciences sector to increase research and streamline approvals in areas of unmet need through the Innovative Licensing and Access Pathway (ILAP); improve diversity in trial participation through the development of joint guidance with the Health Research Authority (HRA) so trials reflect the populations they aim to serve; and support more advanced therapy trials through collaboration with researchers via the Centres of Excellence for Regulatory Science and Innovation (CERSIs).

    These initiatives form part of wider clinical trials reform, including new legislation we are committed to implementing that will streamline how clinical trials are run in the UK. Backed by the MHRA and healthcare system partners, the changes aim to protect patient safety, boost global investment, and cut unnecessary red tape – helping bring new treatments to patients faster.

    As the government pushes forward the development of the Life Sciences Sector Plan and the 10 Year Health Plan, these findings come at a crucial time. They can be used to shape policies that ensure clinical trials deliver maximum benefit for patients, the NHS and the wider economy.

    Health Minister Karin Smyth said:

    “The government is determined to make Britain a world leader in life sciences, developing groundbreaking treatments focused on the conditions that matter most to patients.

    “As part of our Plan for Change, we’re laying the foundations for a modern, resilient health system that delivers, which is why the Prime Minister announced £520 million investment this week to turbocharge medical research.

    “By driving forward research and expanding access to clinical trials, we can ensure patients benefit from cutting-edge treatments quicker, while creating high-quality jobs and attracting global investment.

    “Strengthening the trial environment will help ensure we have an NHS fit for the future – one that harnesses innovation to improve outcomes for patients.”

    Science Minister Lord Vallance said:

    “As home to a thriving life sciences sector and the NHS, the UK is uniquely placed to host the trials and research that are taking the fight to a host of devastating health conditions. But as this data shows, we can go further and move faster through targeted investment, and smart regulation.

    “We are committed to doing precisely that – through this year’s record £13.9 billion funding for R&D in life sciences and beyond, as well as the efforts of our new Regulatory Innovation Office. We must make sure that trials of new medicines are available to everyone to take part.”

    Matt Westmore, Health Research Authority Chief Executive:

    “Health and social care research should be done with, and for, everyone.

    “We know that trials that involve a diverse group of participants help provide a better understanding of how effective a treatment is for different groups of people. In turn this helps us support efforts to address health inequalities.

    “We are pleased to be working alongside the MHRA to develop new guidance designed to make it easier for researchers to ensure they are designing trials that are more representative of the people it is for and about.”

    Lawrence Tallon, MHRA Chief Executive, said:

    “This first-of-its-kind analysis builds on our important work to strengthen clinical research in the UK. We are committed to implementing a flexible and risk-proportionate regulatory approach for clinical trials, which accelerates patient access to potentially life-saving medicines without compromising safety.

    “We’re making the UK one of the best places in the world to run clinical trials, with combined review approval times with the Health Research Authority now at 60 days or less for all trials. These changes not only benefit patients today but are laying the groundwork to accelerate innovation and deliver life-changing treatments to patients faster.”

    The MHRA will continue tracking progress and working with its partners to ensure the UK remains a world leader in medical research, keeping patient safety at the heart of clinical trials.

    Notes to editors 

    1. Publication: Andrea Manfrin et al. (2025) ‘Analysis of 4616 clinical trial initial submissions received by the MHRA between February 2019 and October 2023’ British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. DOI: 10.1002/bcp.70061.
    2. This analysis includes all 4,616 initial clinical trial submissions of investigational medicinal products (CTIMPs) received by the MHRA Clinical Trials Unit between February 2019 and October 2023. Other types of studies, such as non-CTIMPs, are not under the MHRA’s remit. For further information, please refer to the publication.
    3. Patients, the NHS and the Life Sciences sector set to benefit from new clinical trials framework being laid in parliament today – GOV.UK
    4. Commercial clinical trials in the UK: the Lord O’Shaughnessy review – GOV.UK
    5. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/the-top-10-causes-of-death
    6. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for regulating all medicines and medical devices in the UK by ensuring they work and are acceptably safe. All our work is underpinned by robust and fact-based judgements to ensure that the benefits justify any risks. 
    7. The MHRA is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care. 
    8. For media enquiries, please contact the newscentre@mhra.gov.uk, or call on 020 3080 7651.

    Updates to this page

    Published 10 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Merkley, Wyden Get Behind Legislation to Strengthen Rights of Public Sector Workers to Join Unions, Bargain Collectively

    US Senate News:

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

    April 09, 2025

    Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined colleagues to reintroduce the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, bicameral legislation to guarantee the right of public sector employees to organize, act concertedly, and bargain collectively in states that currently do not afford these basic protections. This comes at a critical time after President Trump’s recent executive order?ended collective bargaining?for over a million federal workers.

    “As the son of a union mechanic, I know unions?make a difference in standing up for workers and their families by ensuring they?have a safe workplace and good pay?for their work,” Merkley said. “While the Trump Administration threatens the rights of America’s public sector workers to organize and receive fair treatment in the workplace, we’re pushing to make sure these workers receive just treatment and fair pay for a hard day’s work.”?

    “The right to organize and bargain collectively for better pay and benefits stands out as a hallmark achievement for American unions, and public sector workers deserve the same opportunity to advocate for those rights in Oregon and nationwide,” Wyden said. “This legislation is especially timely given the latest chapter of Donald Trump’s long history of assaulting worker rights from both the White House and before that from his penthouse.”

    The?Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act?would establish baseline federal protections to ensure all public service workers can join a union and negotiate workplace conditions—regardless of state law. Unlike private sector workers, there is currently no federal law protecting the freedom of public sector workers to join a union and collectively bargain for fair wages, benefits, and improved working conditions.

    Specifically, this bill would set a minimum nationwide collective bargaining standard for public sector workers, including specifically the ability to

    • Join together in a union selected by a majority of employees; 
    • Collectively bargain over wages, hours and terms and conditions of employment; 
    • Access dispute resolution mechanisms; 
    • Use voluntary payroll deduction for union dues; 
    • Engage in concerted activities related to collective bargaining and mutual aid; 
    • Have their union be free from requirements to hold rigged recertification elections; and 
    • File suit in court to enforce their labor rights.?   

    Senators Merkley and Wyden also joined Senate Democratic colleagues in a letter urging President Trump to rescind his recent executive order terminating collective bargaining agreements between public employee unions and dozens of federal agencies, calling the action a sweeping and unjustified intervention that threatens the stability, fairness, and effectiveness of the federal workforce.?

    The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act is led by U.S. Senator Mazie K Hirono (D-HI). In addition to Merkley and Wyden, this legislation is cosponsored by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).

    The full text of the legislation is available?here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Reforming Foreign Defense Sales to Improve Speed and Accountability

    Source: The White House

    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:

    Section 1.  Purpose.  To serve the interests of the American people, the United States must maintain the world’s strongest and most technologically advanced military through a dynamic defense industrial base, coupled with a robust network of capable partners and allies.  A rapid and transparent foreign defense sales system that enables effective defense cooperation between the United States and our chosen partners is foundational to these objectives.  Reforming this system would simultaneously strengthen the security capabilities of our allies and invigorate our own defense industrial base.  This mutually reinforcing approach would enhance United States warfighting capabilities by fostering healthy American supply chains, domestic production levels, and technological development.

    Sec. 2.  Policy.  It is the policy of my Administration to:
    (a) Improve accountability and transparency throughout the foreign defense sales system to ensure predictable and reliable delivery of American products to foreign partners in support of United States foreign policy objectives.
    (b) Consolidate parallel decision-making when determining which military capabilities the United States will choose to provide, and to which countries.
    (c) Reduce rules and regulations involved in the development, execution, and monitoring of foreign defense sales and of transfer cases to ensure alignment with United States foreign policy objectives. 
    (d) Increase government-industry collaboration to achieve cost and schedule efficiencies in the execution of the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.
    (e) Advance United States competitiveness abroad, revitalize the defense industrial base, and lower unit costs for the United States and our allies and partners by integrating exportability features in the design phase, improving financing options for partners, and increasing contract flexibility overall.

    Sec. 3.  Phased Implementation.  (a)  The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense shall promptly:
    (i)    Implement National Security Presidential Memorandum 10 of April 19, 2018 (United States Conventional Arms Transfer Policy), or any successor policy directive.
    (ii)   Reevaluate restrictions imposed by the Missile Technology Control Regime on Category I items and consider supplying certain partners with specific Category I items, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce.
    (iii)  Submit a joint letter to the Congress proposing an update to statutory congressional certification (also known as congressional notification) thresholds of proposed sales under the FMS and Direct Commercial Sales (DCS) programs in the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.).  The Secretary of State shall also work with the Congress to review congressional notification processes to ensure the timely adjudication of notified FMS and DCS cases. 

    (b)  Within 60 days of the date of this order:
    (i)   The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall develop a list of priority partners for conventional arms transfers and issue updated guidance to Chiefs of the United States Diplomatic Missions regarding this list. 
    (ii)  The Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of State, shall:
    (A)  develop a list of priority end-items for potential transfer to priority partners identified by the Secretary of State in the list required by this subsection;
    (B)  ensure the transfer of priority end-items to priority partners would not cause significant harm to United States force readiness; and
    (C)  ensure the transfer of priority end-items to priority partners would advance my Administration’s goal of strengthening allied burden-sharing, both by sharing the cost of end-item production and by increasing our allies’ capacity to meet capability targets independently, without sustained support from the United States.
    (c)(i)  The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense shall review, update, and reissue the lists of priority partners and military end-items on an annual basis.
    the United States Munitions List, 22 C.F.R. part 121, to focus protections solely on our most sensitive and sophisticated technologies, and shall establish clear criteria for including an item on the FMS-Only List.
    (ii) The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense shall review and update the list of defense items that can only be purchased through the FMS process (the FMS-Only List) and
    (d)  Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce, shall submit a plan to the President, through the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (APNSA), to:  improve the transparency of United States defense sales to foreign partners by developing metrics for accountability; secure exportability as a requirement in the early stages of the acquisition process; and consolidate technology security and foreign disclosure approvals.
    (e)  Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense, with the assistance of the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Commerce, shall submit a plan to the APNSA to develop a single electronic system to track all DCS export license requests and ongoing FMS efforts throughout the case life-cycle.
     

    Sec. 4.  Definitions.  For purposes of this order:

    (a)  “Parallel decision-making” refers to the granting of simultaneous certifications and approvals during the FMS process, as opposed to sequential decision-making where agencies wait for other agencies to make decisions before taking action.
    (b)  “Exportability” means the process to identify, develop, and integrate technology protection features into United States defense systems early in the acquisition process to protect critical technologies, capabilities, and program information and thus enable export to partners.
    (c)  “FMS-only” means defense articles that are exclusively available through the FMS process as opposed to the DCS process, as authorized in the Arms Export Control Act and described in the Security Assistance Management Manual (SAMM), Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), Chapter 4.
    (d)  “End-item” means the final product when assembled and ready for issue or deployment.
    (e)  “Foreign defense sales system” means the enterprise devoted to the transfer of defense articles, services, and training by the United States Government and United States companies to international partners and organizations.
    (f)  All other terms related to FMS cases shall have the meanings given to them by the SAMM, DSCA 5105.38M.

    Sec. 5.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
    (i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
    (ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
    (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
    (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    THE WHITE HOUSE,
        April 9, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pressley Joins Neal, Massachusetts Delegation Demanding Answers on Sudden Closure of HHS Regional Office in Boston

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

    Text of Letter (PDF)

    WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) joined Congressman Richard E. Neal, Ranking Member of the House Ways and Means Committee, and the entire Massachusetts Congressional delegation – Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), and Representatives Jim McGovern (MA-02), Lori Trahan (MA-03), Jake Auchincloss (MA-04), Katherine Clark (MA-05), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), and Bill Keating (MA-09) – in demanding answers from the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. after the abrupt shuttering of the entire HHS Regional Office (RO) in Boston, Massachusetts, on April 1, 2025.

    In the letter, the lawmakers write, “It is impossible to overstate the lasting consequences this reckless action will have on every single person in this region—whether the families who rely on Region 1 employees dutifully overseeing child care licensing systems to ensure they deliver quality care to our children, or the coordination these civil servants conduct with state survey agencies to make sure all our nursing homes meet federal safety standards. Through steadfast commitment to the programs they oversee, employees of ROs provide a service to all of us whether we know it or not.”

    The HHS Boston RO employs hundreds of workers who serve Americans from Maine to Connecticut. As the economic catastrophe caused by Trump’s Tariff Tax devastates communities and businesses across the country, the administration continues to make senseless layoffs, adding even more individuals to the ranks of the unemployed. These job losses will have trickle-down effects on other businesses in the area during an already challenging time.

    The Boston RO specializes in health care innovation, partnering with drug companies, biotech groups, and other innovators to ensure gaps in research are being filled and the cures of tomorrow come to fruition. Eliminating the Boston RO will both deny the people of New England access to public health officials with expertise in our local communities and halt innovation in its tracks, with ramifications felt by the whole country for generations to come.

    The ROs are also on the front lines of fighting fraud, waste, and abuse alongside local law enforcement, as well as the vanguard coordinating responses against disease and outbreaks. Its closure will leave our communities and our programs less safe.

    The lawmakers continue, “It could open our region to massive risks of fraud and abuse of our vital federal programs. And it could provide the pathway for another pernicious disease to sweep the nation, absent vital on-the-ground detection and coordination among public health experts. We do not take lightly this attack on the health of our constituents and the unceremonious termination of thousands of experts living in our communities who make us all safer.”

    The Boston Regional Office property is desirable real estate and appeared on an early list of properties Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) group wished to “auction off”, raising questions about whether this action has ulterior motives – enabling Trump acolytes to cash in on real estate deals while ordinary Americans suffer from loss of services. The Trump Administration has shown a complete disregard for Americans’ needs, closing Social Security offices and curtailing customer service. This RO closure is just another effort to make it more difficult for our constituents to access the health and safety protections they count on the federal government to provide.

    The lawmakers are demanding detailed answers as to the basis of this decision, its effect on constituent health, and how HHS will continue serving individuals in the region. They request answers to the following questions by April 18:

    • Please provide a list of each division within the Boston RO that was eliminated, a description of its core functions, a summary of staff expertise, program staff caseloads for each overseen program at the time of closing, and all documentation justifying the Department’s decision to close each division within the RO.
    • Please provide the Department’s analysis of the impact this regional closure will have on costs and health outcomes for the 15 million residents of New England, as well as the local economy.
    • Please provide a detailed analysis of how the remaining five ROs will take over the responsibilities of the Boston RO, including total caseloads, in beneficiaries served and dollars managed, for the staff taking over New England responsibilities, and any anticipated hirings or training to offset the caseload inundation and loss of regional expertise.
    • Please provide a detailed analysis of anyways responsibilities of the Boston RO which will be absorbed by HHS headquarters, including the current and new responsibilities of any headquarters staff assuming responsibilities and any anticipated hirings to offset the caseload inundation and loss of regional expertise.
    • Please provide a detailed analysis of the anticipated additional wait times for services previously provided by staff at the Region 1 RO, such as the approval of Medicaid State Plan Amendments, enrollments of new providers into Medicare, surveys of nursing homes, child care licensing inspections, state plan approvals, and cost allocation agreements.
    • Please explain the Administration’s plan for the now-vacant real estate that previously housed the Boston RO.

    Congresswoman Pressley has been a leading voice in Congress speaking out against Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s unprecedented assault on our democracy and federal agencies, and she has been a steadfast advocate for protecting the essential services that federal workers and agencies provide.

    • On April 9, 2025, Rep. Pressley led lawmakers in sending a letter to Trump’s trade official demanding he resign from holding multiple positions with clear conflicts of interest that would further harm federal workers.
    • On March 28, 2025, Rep. Pressley issued a statement slamming Trump’s executive order to end collective bargaining rights for hundreds of thousands of federal employees.
    • On March 21, 2025, Rep. Pressley led Massachusetts lawmakers in a letter to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) sharply criticizing and demanding answers about the impact of the Musk-Trump Administration’s mass firings of federal workers in Massachusetts.
    • On March 11, 2025, Rep. Pressley spoke out against the U.S. Department of Education’s mass layoffs of over 1,300 workers, which effectively guts the agency.
    • On March 11, 2025, Rep. Pressley voted against Republicans’ shameful government budget bill, which would harm vulnerable families and provide a blank check for Elon Musk and Donald Trump to continue their unprecedented assault on our democracy. She later issued a statement condemning its final passage in the Senate.
    • On March 11, 2025, Rep. Pressley joined 13 of her colleagues on a letter to the Department of Homeland Security demanding answers and the immediate release of Columbia student Mahmoud Khalil, whose illegal abduction is an attack on his constitutional right to free speech and due process.
    • On March 4, 2025, Rep. Pressley walked out of the House chamber in protest during Donald Trump’s presidential joint address to Congress.
    • On March 4, 2025, Rep. Pressley welcomed Claire Bergstresser, an Everett constituent, dedicated public servant, AFGE union member, and former HUD worker who was unjustly terminated as part of Musk and Trump’s assault on federal agencies as her guest to the presidential joint address to Congress.
    • On February 28, 2025, Rep. Pressley led 85 lawmakers in a letter urging the Office of Special Counsel to immediate reinstate and expand protections for all unfairly fired federal workers.
    • On February 28, 2025, Rep. Pressley joined over 200 Democrats in filing an amicus brief defending the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau before a U.S. District Court.
    • On February 26, 2025, in a House Oversight Committee hearing, Rep. Pressley discussed what true government efficiency looks like and denounced Elon Musk and Donald Trump for utilizing DOGE to gut the essential services that keep people safe, fed, and housed.
    • On February 25, 2025, in a House Oversight Committee hearing, Rep. Pressley condemned Elon Musk’s abuse of government efficiency through the fraudulent Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
    • On February 25, 2025, Rep. Pressley delivered a floor speech in which she railed against Republicans’ cruel budget resolution that would slash Medicaid by nearly $1 trillion.
    • On February 20, 2025, Rep. Pressley and her Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs issued a statement condemning the Trump Administration’s decision to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti.
    • On February 13, 2025, in a House Financial Services Committee hearing, Rep. Pressley emphasized the critical role of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in safeguarding consumers and sharply criticized Donald Trump and Elon Musk for halting the critical work of the agency.
    • On February 10, 2025, Rep. Pressley rallied with Senator Elizabeth Warren, Ranking Member Maxine Waters, and advocates to protest Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s unlawful takeover of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)
    • On February 11, 2025, in a House Financial Services Committee hearing, Rep. Pressley criticized the Trump-Musk administration for halting the critical work of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) with crypto scams on the rise.
    • On February 10, 2025, Rep. Pressley issued a statement slamming the Trump Administration’s harmful cuts to National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding to support hospitals, universities, and research institutions conducting lifesaving research.
    • On February 10, 2025, as Trump and Musk threaten to dismantle the essential work of the U.S. Department of Education, Rep.  Pressley delivered a powerful floor speech to affirm the role of public education in American democracy.
    • On February 6, 2025, in a House Oversight Committee hearing, Rep. Pressley delivered a powerful rebuke of Republicans’ efforts to gut diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and eliminate essential services for vulnerable communities.
    • On February 5, 2025, Rep. Pressley rallied outside the U.S. Department of Treasury to protest Elon Musk’s unlawful assault on federal agencies and our democracy.
    • On January 30, 2025, Rep. Pressley slammed Donald Trump for blaming the tragic plane crash at Reagan National Airport, which killed over 60 people, including some families from Massachusetts, on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
    • In January 2025, Rep. Pressley issued a statement slamming Trump’s illegal freeze on federal grants and loans and its harmful impact on vulnerable communities.
    • On January 23, 2025, Rep. Pressley delivered an impassioned floor speech condemning Republicans’ cruel anti-abortion bill that criminalizes providers and denies families care.
    • On January 23, 2025, Rep. Pressley joined her colleagues to reintroduce the Neighbors Not Enemies Act, a bill to repeal an outdated law that has been used to target innocent immigrants without due process rights.
    • On January 22, 2025, Rep. Pressley issued a statement condemning the Trump Administration’s harmful executive actions on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Government meeting (2025, No. 12)

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    1. On the draft federal law “On Amendments to Articles 162 and 264 of Part Two of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation”

    The bill proposes not to impose value added tax on funds received by an energy sales organization authorized to carry out the purchase and sale of electrical energy (capacity) for the purpose of supplying electrical energy (capacity) in the territories of new constituent entities of the Russian Federation until January 1, 2028.

    2. On the draft federal law “On Amendments to the Budget Code of the Russian Federation and Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation” (in terms of budget monitoring and other issues of organizing the budget process)

    The draft law is aimed, among other things, at implementing certain instructions of the President of Russia in terms of organizing control over the inclusion in state (municipal) contracts, agreements, contracts (contracts) of provisions on treasury support in cases established by the budget legislation of the Russian Federation.

    3. On the draft federal law “On Amendments to the Code of the Russian Federation on Administrative Offenses”

    The bill is aimed at establishing administrative liability for violations of the provisions on treasury support.

    4. On the draft amendments of the Government of the Russian Federation to the draft federal law No. 107057-7 “On Amendments to the Housing Code of the Russian Federation”

    The draft amendments were developed in connection with the need to create a mechanism for legal regulation of state registration of the housing stock.

    5. On the allocation to the Ministry of Construction of Russia in 2025 from the reserve fund of the Government of the Russian Federation of budgetary appropriations for the provision of subsidies from the federal budget to the budgets of the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Zaporizhia region for the purpose of co-financing the expenditure obligations of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation arising from the implementation of measures to build apartment buildings, the developers or owners of which have not been determined

    The draft order is aimed at ensuring the completion of construction and commissioning of multi-apartment residential buildings in the territories of the Donetsk People’s Republic and Zaporizhia Oblast, the developers or owners of which have not been identified.

    6. On the draft federal law “On Amendments to Article 2516–1 of the Federal Law “On the Procedure for Leaving the Russian Federation and Entering the Russian Federation”

    The development of the bill was dictated by the need to create favorable conditions for increasing the number of foreign citizens entering the country for tourism, business, humanitarian and guest purposes, while maintaining the proper level of migration control and national security requirements.

    7. On the draft amendments of the Government of the Russian Federation to the draft federal law No. 810019-8 “On Amendments to the Federal Law “On Fisheries and Conservation of Aquatic Biological Resources””

    The draft amendments are aimed at clarifying certain provisions of the bill concerning the procedure for re-registering and terminating agreements for the use of fishing areas.

    8. On amending the Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation of June 15, 2018 No. 682 (in terms of amending the Regulation on the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation)

    The draft resolution is aimed at bringing the powers of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia into line with Article 179.1 of the Budget Code of the Russian Federation.

    9. On the allocation by the Ministry of Education of Russia in 2025 from the reserve fund of the Government of the Russian Federation of budgetary appropriations for the provision, within the framework of the state program of the Russian Federation “Development of Education”, of a subsidy from the federal budget to the budget of the Arkhangelsk Region for the purpose of co-financing the expenditure obligations of the Arkhangelsk Region arising from the construction of schools

    The adoption of the Government order will help resolve a socially significant issue for the Arkhangelsk region in terms of increasing the availability of general education in the region.

    10. On the allocation to the Ministry of Transport of Russia in 2025 from the reserve fund of the Government of the Russian Federation of budgetary appropriations for the provision of one-time financial assistance in the form of a subsidy from the federal budget to the budget of the Saratov Region in order to reimburse the expenses incurred by the budget of the Saratov Region arising from the implementation of measures to update public transport

    The draft order provides for the allocation of funds to provide financial assistance to the budget of the Saratov region in order to reimburse part of the costs incurred in the acquisition of two-section trams.

    Moscow, April 9, 2025

    The content of the press releases of the Department of Press Service and References is a presentation of materials submitted by federal executive bodies for discussion at a meeting of the Government of the Russian Federation.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Rapid City Man Sentenced to Over Four Years for Theft of Firearms

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RAPID CITY – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of two counts of Theft of a Firearm. The sentencing took place on April 7, 2025.

    Zachary Coats, age 28, was sentenced to four years and two months in federal prison on each count to be served concurrently, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and $10,277.67 in restitution.

    Coats was indicted on three counts of Theft of a Firearm and one count of Possession of a Stolen Firearm in February 2024. He pleaded guilty to two counts of Theft of a Firearm on January 29, 2025.

    In August 2023, at Rapid City, Zachary Coats broke into several local federally licensed firearms dealerships and stole multiple firearms, including a Beretta 12-gauge shotgun, a Benelli 12-gauge shotgun, a USA Military Surplus .30 caliber rifle, and a Stoeger 12-gauge shotgun. When law enforcement identified Zachary Coats as the suspect in the thefts, Coats directed his spouse, Danielle Coats, to remove the firearms from their residence to another family member’s home to prevent law enforcement from finding them in their home. Subsequently, Danielle Coats directed others to again move or dispose of the firearms to prevent law enforcement from recovering them.

    Danielle Coats pleaded guilty to Possession of a Stolen Firearm and was sentenced in July 2024 to two years and six months in federal prison.

    This case is 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. [use if applicable] Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.

    Zachary Coats was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

     

     

    RAPID CITY – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of two counts of Theft of a Firearm. The sentencing took place on April 7, 2025.

    Zachary Coats, age 28, was sentenced to four years and two months in federal prison on each count to be served concurrently, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and $10,277.67 in restitution.

    Coats was indicted on three counts of Theft of a Firearm and one count of Possession of a Stolen Firearm in February 2024. He pleaded guilty to two counts of Theft of a Firearm on January 29, 2025.

    In August 2023, at Rapid City, Zachary Coats broke into several local federally licensed firearms dealerships and stole multiple firearms, including a Beretta 12-gauge shotgun, a Benelli 12-gauge shotgun, a USA Military Surplus .30 caliber rifle, and a Stoeger 12-gauge shotgun. When law enforcement identified Zachary Coats as the suspect in the thefts, Coats directed his spouse, Danielle Coats, to remove the firearms from their residence to another family member’s home to prevent law enforcement from finding them in their home. Subsequently, Danielle Coats directed others to again move or dispose of the firearms to prevent law enforcement from recovering them.

    Danielle Coats pleaded guilty to Possession of a Stolen Firearm and was sentenced in July 2024 to two years and six months in federal prison.

    This case is 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. [use if applicable] Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.

    Zachary Coats was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

     

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pekin Man Convicted of Attempted Enticement of a Minor

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PEORIA, Ill. – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict today against Joseph Perkins, 32, of Pekin, Illinois, for attempted enticement of a minor. Sentencing for Perkins has been scheduled for August 13, 2025, at the U.S. Courthouse in Peoria, Illinois.

    Over two days of testimony, the government presented evidence to establish that from January 2023 to March 2024, Perkins communicated on an internet-based social media platform with an individual he believed to be a thirteen-year-old female, expressing multiple times that he wanted to engage in sex with her. In March 2024, Perkins drove to a location in Peoria to meet the girl for the purpose of having sexual relations. Federal law enforcement agents arrested him when he arrived at the location.

    The statutory penalties for attempted enticement of a minor are a minimum of ten years to life imprisonment, followed by a minimum five-year to life term of supervised release. Perkins remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

    The case investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa P. Ortiz and Douglas F. McMeyer represented the government at trial.

    The case against Perkins was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: German National Stationed in Northern Virginia Sentenced for Receiving Child Sexual Abuse Material from the BitTorrent File-Sharing Network

    Source: United States Attorneys General 11

    A German national, who worked in an IT position for the German military’s United States outpost in northern Virginia, was sentenced today to six years and six months in prison for downloading child sexual abuse material (CSAM).   

    Peter Markus Kuttke, 49, a German national residing in Reston, pleaded guilty on Jan. 8 to receiving CSAM. According to court documents, law enforcement learned that CSAM files were available for download on Bit-Torrent, a file-sharing network, from a user with an IP address associated with Kuttke’s residence. On Dec. 1, 2023, federal agents executed a search warrant at Kuttke’s home and recovered electronic devices that contained evidence of Kuttke’s offenses, including a device with numerous CSAM videos and images. Forensic analysis further confirmed that Kuttke had downloaded CSAM from BitTorrent, including videos depicting adults sexually assaulting prepubescent children.

    Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher Heck, of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C made the announcement.

    HSI investigated the case.

    Trial Attorney Nadia Prinz of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alessandra Serano for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Orange County man sentenced to federal prison for kidnapping attorney

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BEAUMONT, Texas – An Orange, Texas, man has been sentenced to federal prison for violations related to a kidnapping in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.

    Putnam Darwin Richardson, 79, pleaded guilty to kidnapping and brandishing a firearm and was sentenced to 294 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on April 9, 2025.

    “Thanks to the quick and outstanding work of the FBI, in concert with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and the Orange Police Department, an innocent victim was rescued from the clutches of a gun-wielding kidnapper and returned safely home to his family, and a now-twice convicted armed kidnapper is returned home to prison,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr. “This case serves as a reminder that violent predators come in all shapes, sizes and age-ranges, and to always stay vigilant and aware of your surroundings.”  

    “Putnam Richardson clearly failed to learn from his previous imprisonment for kidnapping, and he definitely underestimated FBI Houston’s capacity to mobilize critical resources when a life is at risk,” said FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams. “We are in the business of saving lives, and cases like this are why we exist. I’m especially grateful to the FBI Beaumont investigators, crisis negotiators, and special surveillance teams who swiftly deployed and worked tirelessly for days to rescue and reunite the victim with his family.”

    According to information presented in court, on July 15, 2024, a kidnapping for ransom was reported to the FBI.  The victim, a local attorney, was kidnapped at gunpoint that morning after arriving at his law office in Beaumont.  The victim’s wife received a call from the victim’s cell phone, during which the kidnapper indicated the victim was being held hostage in exchange for $1 million ransom. The kidnapper also indicated he would kill the victim if the ransom was not met.  Richardson, a former client of the victim, was identified as a suspect during the investigation.  Richardson had previously been convicted of kidnapping in 1984 and was sentenced to 50 years in prison.  On July 17, 2024, Richardson was arrested at a gas station and the victim was rescued by law enforcement authorities.

    This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

    This case was investigated by the FBI, the Beaumont Police Department, the Orange Police Department, and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Reynaldo P. Morin.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: Rep. Gabe Vasquez Champions New Mexico’s Defense Infrastructure in Strategic Forces Subcommittee Hearing

    Source: US Representative Gabe Vasquez’s (NM-02)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. –Today, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) highlighted the national security importance of New Mexico’s military infrastructure and private space innovation sector during a House Armed Services hearing on the Department of Defense’s strategic forces posture.

    WATCH: Vasquez Advocates for NM’s Strategic Defense Role

    Vasquez, whose district is home to White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) and Holloman Air Force Base, pressed senior military and defense officials to recognize New Mexico’s decades-long contributions to national defense—from nuclear deterrence to hypersonic weapons testing—and to double down on investments in the state’s test ranges and space technology ecosystem.

    In the committee hearing, Vasquez said, “Like everything in the 21st century, military and space technology is advancing exponentially. No state is better equipped to support that technological advancement than New Mexico. We’re innovative, and I’ve always said that if we can design it and test it in New Mexico, we can also build it in New Mexico. And so, as we discussed today, every dollar the department spends and invests in our state pays off dividends to strengthen American security.”

    Vasquez underscored how diminishing these resources would risk degrading the U.S. military’s technological edge and weakening readiness. He also emphasized the critical role of small businesses in New Mexico in designing and delivering the next generation of space-based assets and satellite power systems.

    Vasquez concluded by reaffirming his commitment to delivering federal investments that support both New Mexico’s military installations and the skilled workforce powering them.

     

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Schatz, Sheehy Introduce Bipartisan Legislation To Use AI To Protect Communities Against Extreme Weather, Wildfires

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Hawaii Brian Schatz

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) today introduced the TAME Extreme Weather and Wildfires Act, bipartisan legislation to improve and leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to better predict and respond to extreme weather and protect people and communities from the increasing toll of wildfires, hurricanes, floods, and other disasters.

    “Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent, more severe, and more deadly, and AI can be a powerful tool in saving lives and livelihoods,” said Senator Schatz, a senior member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. “Our bill will harness AI’s immense processing and prediction capabilities to improve weather forecasts and help communities better prepare for and respond more quickly to extreme weather events.”

    “Extreme weather and wildfires cost us hundreds of billions of dollars in economic impact and harm countless Americans each year, yet our government response – particularly to wildfire – hasn’t changed in decades. By incorporating leading-edge artificial intelligence into our forecasting and disaster threat prediction modeling, we will have the ability to know where, how big, and how bad weather is going to be, and can take preventative measures long before the impact is realized. Now is the time for transformational innovation and leadership to prevent future tragedies and protect American families, homes, and communities from disaster quickly and effectively,” said Senator Sheehy.

    The TAME Extreme Weather and Wildfires Act would direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to:

    • Develop a U.S. global weather dataset to train AI forecasting models;
    • Partner with the private and academic sectors on AI weather and wildfire forecasting, and innovate new AI weather and wildfire products and applications; and
    • Support the integration of AI weather models into the forecasts that the American people use and rely on.

    In addition to Schatz and Sheehy, the TAME Extreme Weather and Wildfires Act is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.). A companion bill was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by U.S. Representative Scott Franklin (R-Fla.).

    “Extreme weather is only getting more severe and more frequent. We need to use every tool at our disposal—including artificial intelligence—to save lives and livelihoods. By requiring federal agencies to use AI in proactive ways, such as boosting grid resiliency and improving weather forecasts, this bill will allow us to better predict and respond to extreme weather events and mitigate their impacts,” said Senator Welch.

    “Far too many communities in New Mexico and across the country have experienced the devastation that extreme weather events bring,” said Senator Luján. “We must utilize every tool at our disposal, like AI, to protect our communities from the devastation caused by wildfires, floods, and other disasters. I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this bill that will leverage the powers of AI to better predict extreme weather events and save lives.”

    “As devastating weather events continue to threaten lives, homes and communities across the country, the need for faster, more accurate forecasting is critical,” said Representative Franklin. “The TAME Extreme Weather and Wildfires Act leverages emerging AI technologies to enhance forecasting systems and bolster disaster preparedness. By encouraging American innovation and uniting the efforts of the federal government, academia and the private sector, our bill ensures we can respond swiftly to natural disasters here at home without relying on foreign data. I’m pleased to join Senator Schatz in leading this bipartisan effort to protect Americans and modernize our national weather capabilities.”

    In 2023 alone, the United States experienced a record 28 disasters that caused nearly 500 deaths and cost at least $1 billion in damages each, including to property and crops. The TAME Extreme Weather and Wildfires Act would help the United States better prepare for extreme weather and wildfires by providing forecasts that are improved by integrating traditional and AI weather models. Currently, AI weather models are dependent on a dataset created and maintained by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. The bill bolsters the security of AI weather models by requiring the development of a U.S. weather dataset.

    The text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Stats NZ information release: Household labour force survey estimated working-age population: March 2025 quarter

    Household labour force survey estimated working-age population: March 2025 quarter – information release

    9 April 2025

    The household labour force survey estimated working-age population table shows the population benchmarks used to produce household labour force survey estimates for the upcoming labour market statistics release.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Speech on foreign affairs and trade

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Kia ora and good morning everyone.
    Before I start, can I acknowledge the Wellington Chamber of Commerce for the opportunity to speak to all of you this morning.
    It comes at a difficult time for the global economy, with rising rhetoric, escalating tariffs, and the prospect of further retaliation to come.
    I had originally planned to take this opportunity to speak about my Government’s plan for economic growth – to create jobs, lift incomes, and put more money back in the wallets of Kiwis.
    I will still touch on that.
    It’s my Government’s top priority and it frames just about every decision we take here in Wellington as we focus on improving the lives of all New Zealanders.
    But with markets rocked and exporters facing uncertainty, I know there’s one topic front of mind for many businesses and many households.
    So this morning I want to take some time to speak to those events and make the case for free trade and the rules-based international order.
    Trade is the lifeblood of the New Zealand economy.
    Whether it’s our incredible farmers and growers, our outstanding tourism industry, or our burgeoning tech sector, Kiwis businesses thrive when we compete on the world stage.
    Our success isn’t an accident – and it didn’t happen overnight.
    Successive generations of trade negotiators and political leaders have invested in relationships offshore, and worked hard to complete deals like CER, the China FTA, the CPTPP, and the more recent EU, UK, UAE and GCC FTAs.
    Business leaders have moved rapidly, too – finding fresh opportunities for growth in emerging markets, and developing outstanding products back home that put New Zealand on the map.
    Our rural economy in particular represents the very best of open and competitive trade – selling into difficult markets, with no direct financial support, and consistently coming out on top.
    I could – and often do – speak at length about the contribution exporters make to the domestic economy.
    But trade goes both ways.
    Yes, export growth will be critical to improving New Zealand’s economic prospects in the coming years.
    But the removal of New Zealand’s own trade barriers and embrace of goods and services imported from offshore has also led to a major improvement in our quality of life in recent years.
    Our clothing is more affordable, our cars are more reliable, our diets are more diverse, and our holidays in Bali and Europe are a nice contrast to summers at the lake or the beach.
    Free trade of goods purchased from offshore has also supported growth in productivity.
    Kiwi exporters rely on the trucks, tractors, jet engines, computers, and smart phones we buy from overseas that make their businesses tick.
    And it’s not realistic to expect that in a country of just five million people, we could make everything we need here at home.
    Political leaders have tried that before in New Zealand – and it didn’t end well.
    Older generations will remember the efforts we went to.
    Governments imposed strict import controls and encouraged cars and televisions to be assembled here at home.
    And like today, conflict offshore occasionally helped to send prices spiralling – but the response looked very different.
    In the late 1970s, politicians imposed “carless days”, with stickers on your vehicle dictating which days you could drive to work, and which days you caught a ride with a friend or just walked into town instead.
    There was no “work from home” in 1979.
    Agriculture, today the backbone of our economy, was heavily subsidised and much less productive, much less diverse than the efficient and entrepreneurial sector thriving in New Zealand today.
    Those failed policies weren’t just foolish economics.
    They reflected the best efforts of political leaders to insulate New Zealand from an era of major social and geopolitical change.
    History shows those best efforts were a mistake, that required years of difficult choices and careful recovery.
    New Zealanders paid the price then.
    I don’t intend for them to do so again.
    Which brings us to today.
    The events of recent days are the most significant challenge to the rules-based trading system since the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was formed in 1947.
    Action, reaction, and response have shocked financial markets.
    As the Minister of Finance highlighted earlier this week, the direct impact on the New Zealand economy from the US tariffs announced last week is likely to be around $900 million or roughly 0.2% of GDP.
    But the second order consequences of a region and a world retreating from trade and increasingly uncertain about its economic future will be more significant, despite the welcome news of de-escalation this morning.
    I know for many businesses keeping an eye offshore and for those New Zealanders watching their KiwiSaver accounts, that could be confronting.
    The exporters I’ve spoken to in recent days remain buoyant, rightly confident in the quality of their product, and their ability to navigate choppy waters.
    But for countries whose prosperity is underpinned by global trade, the months ahead will be challenging for their economic interests.
    Many commentators will see these events as just the next step in a longer-term trend towards economic security and national resilience, as countries insure themselves against emerging geopolitical threats.
    Others have gone further, declaring an end to the era of free markets, free trade, and free people, and the rules-based international order underpinning it.
    For my part, I’m not ready to throw in the towel quite yet. Kiwis have worked too hard and for too long, to give up on the values and institutions which have seen our country and the region we live in thrive.
    So, for as long as I am Prime Minister, New Zealand will keep making the case for trade as a cornerstone of our prosperity.
    Yes, we are a small country – but stature has never been a barrier to our success.
    Take the P3 – a proposed trade agreement which began life under negotiation at APEC between New Zealand, Singapore, and Chile in the early 2000s.
    Three small countries, practicing what we preach – and doing everything we could to create opportunity for our people through trade.
    Today, that agreement lives on as the CPTPP and covers a dozen countries, including New Zealand and Australia, Canada, much of Asia, and most recently the United Kingdom.
    In total, that’s roughly 15% of global economic activity, or $13 trillion USD – a long way from where we started just over twenty years ago.
    The United Kingdom might be the most recent accession, but I expect they won’t be the last.
    New Zealand will continue to work with like-minded countries to promote free trade as a path to prosperity and explore the role of the CPTPP in strengthening that vision.
    One possibility is that members of the CPTPP and the European Union work together to champion rules-based trade and make specific commitments on how that support plays out in practice.
    My vision is that includes action to prevent restrictions on exports and efforts to ensure any retaliation is consistent with existing rules.
    Collective action, and a collective commitment, by a large portion of the global economy would be a significant step towards preserving free trade flows and protecting supply chains.
    Clearly though, efforts at collective action won’t be enough to support New Zealand’s economic interests.
    As Prime Minister, I have a responsibility to do everything I can to both bolster the existing rules-based order and to further strengthen New Zealand’s position offshore.
    It’s why I have put so much emphasis on deepening our relationships with partners around the region, with visits throughout South-East Asia, Korea and Japan, the United States, and to India last month as we commenced negotiations for a free trade agreement.
    It’s why my Government has worked so hard to close out fresh agreements with the UAE and GCC that enable additional trade and investment.
    It’s why we hosted an Investment Summit in Auckland, making the case both for New Zealand as an outstanding place to do business and for the opportunity to enter long-term infrastructure partnerships.
    It’s why on Monday this week the Minister of Defence and I launched the Government’s Defence Capability Plan, that lifts defence expenditure to 2% of GDP and ensures New Zealand pulls its weight for many years to come.
    It’s why I will be on the phone later today to world leaders comparing notes on world trade, and testing what we can do together to buttress the rules-based trading system.
    And it’s why I will be heading to the United Kingdom later this month to meet Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, to talk trade, security, and the geopolitical backdrop in Europe and the Indo-Pacific.
    We can’t make the case for New Zealand sitting at home.
    We have to position ourselves as advocates both for our own economic interests and the institutions that underpin them.
    I’m very lucky to lead a Government with so many Ministers dedicated to that task, whether that’s the Foreign Minister, the Minister of Trade, or the Minister of Defence, each of whom having already made a number of significant achievements supporting New Zealand’s interests offshore.
    Back home, the volatility offshore is a fresh reminder of just how important our focus on economic growth will be in the coming years.
    As I said recently at our Investment Summit in Auckland, New Zealand can be a shelter from the global storm.
    That brings a serious opportunity from ensuring our business environment is as welcoming as possible for investment and growth.
    We are making serious inroads into that task.
    Earlier this year, Minister for Economic Growth Nicola Willis published our Government’s Going for Growth Agenda, which outlines a range of actions we are taking to get the New Zealand economy moving and realising its vast potential.
    Each of those actions fits into one of five pillars we have identified as critical to lifting economic growth and improving New Zealanders’ standard of living:

    Developing talent,
    Encouraging innovation, science, and technology,
    Introducing competitive business settings,
    Promoting global trade and investment,
    And delivering infrastructure for growth.

    Across each of those pillars, we have Ministers working day and night to drive through reform – in transport, tourism, aquaculture, construction, advanced aviation, mining, energy, agriculture, and horticulture.
    In just the last few weeks, we have presented our plans to replace the Resource Management Act, fix our broken health and safety laws, and make nation-shaping investments like the Northland Expressway.
    We have introduced the Fast Track regime, streamlining the consenting process for projects of regional and national significance.
    We are re-writing the Overseas Investment Act, so major investments from offshore are consented faster and more reliably.
    We are tearing down the barriers to fresh investment in renewable and non-renewable energy, by repealing the oil and gas ban and ushering in new consenting rules for wind, solar, hydro, and geothermal.
    And we are doubling down on efforts to showcase New Zealand to the world, promoting our tourism and international education sectors offshore so we can attract even more people to spend their money here.
    I know there’s more we can do.
    Growth has now returned, and the economy has turned the corner, but our reform agenda will need to continue at pace for us to out-run the challenges to growth facing us from offshore.
    The challenges to the rules-based international order are intense and the strategic environment my government has inherited is more difficult than it has been for many years.
    For New Zealanders who grew up watching events unfold in Europe and the Middle East, it will be confronting to watch strategic competition and the deterioration of rules-based trade come to our neighbourhood, the Indo-Pacific.
    But the response for New Zealand cannot be retreat.
    New Zealanders are at our best when faced with adversity and we thrive when we compete on the world stage.
    To quote my friend the Foreign Minister, this isn’t our first rodeo.
    Our export sector is jam-packed with talented, sharp New Zealanders who make great products – and create jobs here at home while they do it.
    Farmers, growers, wine makers, and start-ups from all around the country investing in our nation’s future because they have confidence that better days lie ahead.
    I’m not ready to call time on the rules-based trading system.
    And I’m not ready for New Zealand to give up on our efforts to advocate for it on the world stage.
    We’re not in this alone.
    The same institutions that have served New Zealand so well for so long, also underpin the prosperity of so many of our friends and partners, many of whom are also continuing to make the case for free and open trade in recent days.
    My government will keep making the case – overseas, here at home, with a strong voice and a consistent message.
    Free trade works.
    It lifts incomes.
    It creates jobs.
    It builds partnerships.
    And it secures peace.
    I think that’s worth fighting for – and I’m up for that fight.
    Thank you.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Expanding Transportation Innovation: Gov. Polis Announces Swisspod Expansion in Colorado

    Source: US State of Colorado

    COLORADO SPRINGS – Today, Governor Polis and the Global Business Development Division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) announced that Swisspod, a company pioneering high-speed, emission-free Hyperloop transportation, is expanding in Colorado Springs. As a designer and manufacturer of high-speed vehicles and subsystems for transportation assets, Swisspod aims to transform the way people and goods move.

    “I’m excited to see Swisspod expand its presence in Colorado, the best place to live and do business. Colorado’s future is one where people can have more transportation options and expanded transit services at a lower cost. Swisspod will bring new, good-paying jobs to Colorado Springs while supporting the future of transportation infrastructure,” said Governor Polis.

    In 2024, Governor Polis announced Colorado Transportation Vision: 2035, which includes new goals and strategies to reduce transportation-related air pollution and GHG emissions by increasing transportation options, expanding transit services, and building more housing near train and bus stops.

    Swisspod develops technology that can revolutionize the transportation sector, making it faster, more reliable, and more sustainable. The company has developed patents for propulsion and levitation technologies that have the potential to transform current track-based transportation systems and extend into industries like aerospace, automotive, and more.

    Now, the company is expanding its North American presence with a new manufacturing and assembly facility in Colorado Springs. There, access to talent, supply chain connectivity, and proximity to partners, as well as the development of a prototype of its hyperloop transportation system in Pueblo, Colorado, will support the company’s growth.

    “We’ve built deep ties to Colorado. This is the home to our full-scale hyperloop infrastructure in Pueblo. And now, our newest R&D hub in Colorado Springs, a city that’s on the rise, an innovation powerhouse packed with bold thinkers and exceptional engineers ready to build the future. Setting up an operational office and a manufacturing & assembly space here was a natural next step. We’re excited to shape the future of transportation in a city that’s evolving full speed ahead,” said Swisspod CEO and Co-Founder Denis Tudor.

    In Colorado Springs, the company expects to create 107 net new jobs at an average annual wage of $67,952.38, which is 108% of the average annual wage in El Paso County. The positions will include roles in engineering and design, production, marketing, operations, and administrative support.

    “Companies like Swisspod are creating the technologies of tomorrow while creating good-paying jobs for Coloradans. We are thrilled to see them expand in Colorado Springs, enhancing our state’s commitment to innovation and diversifying our thriving economy,” said OEDIT Executive Director Eve Lieberman.

    The Colorado Economic Development Commission approved up to $918,000 in a performance-based Job Growth Incentive Tax Credit for the company over an eight-year period. These incentives are contingent upon Swisspod, referred to as Project Chocolate throughout the OEDIT review process, meeting net new job creation and salary requirements.

    The Colorado Springs City Council approved $5,250 over a four-year period in performance-based incentives. The sales and use tax rebates apply to the purchases of construction materials, equipment, machinery, furniture, and fixtures.  The City’s Economic Development Department also offered to support the company through its Rapid Response Program, as well as talent and workforce development support. Additionally, El Paso County approved $1,041,609 in incentives.

    “Swisspod’s expansion will significantly enhance Colorado Springs’ advanced manufacturing sector, diversify our transit systems, and open our region to new business opportunities across North America,” said Johnna Reeder Kleymeyer, President & CEO of Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC. “Our region’s diverse industries, robust economy, and highly skilled workforce create strong supply chains, allowing deep tech companies like Swisspod to thrive.”

    “We are proud to welcome Swisspod Technologies to Colorado Springs as they open their first North American headquarters. Their forward-thinking approach to technology and transportation aligns with our goals of creating vibrant economic growth, high-quality jobs, and positioning our community as a hub for cutting-edge industries. Hyperloop transportation has captured the attention and imagination of the world, and Colorado Springs is proud to be home to the people who are leading this innovative and ambitious work,” said Mayor Yemi Mobalade, City of Colorado Springs.

    “El Paso County remains committed to creating a business-friendly environment where private enterprise can thrive,” said Commissioner Carrie Geitner, Chair of the Board of County Commissioners. “By supporting initiatives like the Pikes Peak Enterprise Zone, we’re making it easier for job creators to invest, grow, and hire right here in our community. We’re proud to welcome Swisspod Technologies to El Paso County and look forward to the positive impact this investment will have on our region.”

    In addition to Colorado, Swisspod considered New Mexico for expansion. The company already has 10 employees in Colorado and is looking to expand its team here.

    About Swisspod

    Swisspod is a Swiss-American transportation technology company leading the development of the most sustainable, efficient, and comprehensive Hyperloop solution. The company was founded in 2019 by Denis Tudor, CEO, and Cyril Dénéréaz, CTO, two multiple-award winners of the SpaceX Hyperloop Competition. Swisspod aims to change the way people travel by connecting every major city using sustainable, carbon-neutral, energy-efficient, and high-speed transportation solutions. The company envisions a continental map of connections between major cities that will facilitate collaboration, accelerate human progress, and create a more prosperous future for the generations to come. For more information, visit www.swisspod.com and follow Swisspod on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X.com, and YouTube for ongoing updates.

    About Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade

    The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) works to empower all to thrive in Colorado’s economy. Under the leadership of the Governor and in collaboration with economic development partners across the state, we foster a thriving business environment through funding and financial programs, training, consulting and informational resources across industries and regions. We promote economic growth and long-term job creation by recruiting, retaining, and expanding Colorado businesses and providing programs that support entrepreneurs and businesses of all sizes at every stage of growth. Our goal is to protect what makes our state a great place to live, work, start a business, raise a family, visit and retire—and make it accessible to everyone. Learn more about OEDIT.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Remarks by Dr. Natalia Kanem, UNFPA Executive Director at the PMNCH High-Level Panel – SRHR as a Catalyst for Social and Economic Rights: Advancing Health, Equity, and Development

    Source: United Nations Population Fund

    Your Excellencies, 
    Dear Rajat, 
    Esteemed partners and friends, 
    Dear young people,

    My greetings are of peace – now so needed and the fervent wish of the women, girls and young people UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, serves in over 150 countries. In these times, the United Nations’ mission: peace, human rights and development, is more precious now than ever before.

    Since 1994 and the Cairo International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), Principle 1 of the Programme of Action affirming that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. This has been underscored in the UN Charter itself. 

    So we thank our friends at the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH) for organizing this event with a focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights – an intrinsic part of the right to health and development. UNFPA will continue to be your best ally on the frontlines of the fight for sexual and reproductive health and rights.

    Let me go further and commend you, the stalwarts of the sexual and reproductive health and rights movement – a movement that connects us all around the world. 

    We must face the reality that the pushback is intensifying and that progress is slowing. Once again, it is poor marginalized women and girls being left behind – who have the least access to health services and are bearing the greatest burden of ill health and preventable deaths. 

    Who is listening to them? Because they are being denied their fundamental rights and choices every day.

    Right now, the world over, human rights are being threatened. Let me tell you, there are two areas in particular that have me up at night:

    1) Population crusaders

    Some are currently taking the view that you should have 10- or 20 children because it’s what’s best for society. The right to bodily autonomy asserts that no woman anywhere should ever be told how many children to have, to be denied contraception of her choosing, or to be coerced into sterilization. It is women without a social safety net who fall victim to unsafe abortion and will be particularly harmed by these types of ideas.

    The right to bodily autonomy should not be up for debate. It should not be a toxic, third rail issue. Yet even in parts of Europe, women face difficulties accessing contraception and young women are being encouraged to pursue motherhood only, not a career.

    2) Online violence

    Online violence is terrorizing women, girls, and people of diverse sexual identities. If we do not act, if we do not listen, the average 10-year-old girl will not be able to go online without being bullied or shamed.

    The increasing prevalence of shocking disrespect and technology-facilitated gender-based violence threatens the safety and wellbeing of women and girls. Two in five women say they have experienced online violence. It’s even higher for women at the intersection of multiple forms of discrimination, including racism.

    Every day, UNFPA valiantly serves women and girls who have experienced life-altering violence; and women and girls who lack access to the essential sexual and reproductive health care that is their right.

    Let me remind us that a woman living in a country with a fragile health system is 135 times more likely to die from pregnancy complications than one in a country with accessible emergency care. This disparity is further compounded for women of African descent and Indigenous women, who face alarmingly high mortality rates due to inadequate care.

    Women and girls caught up in a humanitarian crisis have to contend with even more dire conditions. 

    In Myanmar, where the earthquake recently struck, it didn’t just shake the ground; it shook the very foundations of women’s access to life-saving care. In Gaza, pregnant women are giving birth amid chaos and without the essential maternal health care and medicines they desperately need. 

    And in conflicts everywhere, women and girls are singled out for abuse. Rape and assault as a tactic of war aims to terrorize and displace populations. I can imagine no worse violation of the dignity and rights of a human being.

    People who have been victimized tell us that justice is very important to them – it is part of the healing that they seek. But again, is anyone listening?

    I can assure you that UNFPA, PMNCH and all of us in this room are listening and are determined to speak up for her. I am certainly determined to defend the rights and choices of women, girls and young people everywhere.

    It is not something that goes in and out of fashion. It is not something that any one Member State can dictate. These are values that must not be compromised. 

    The enjoyment of sexual and reproductive health and rights generates a multitude of socioeconomic benefits, ranging from reductions in maternal and child mortality to higher education levels and greater productivity — building blocks for stronger, healthier communities.

    It is one of the best investments possible.

    I learned this week about a study in South Africa that has shown that at the age of 14-16 years, something dramatic happens in the life of an adolescent girl. Prior to that age, boys and girls enjoy the same freedoms when it comes to accessing social and economic opportunities. But with the onset on puberty, the girl diverges from the boy, her potential curtailed.

    Meeting the needs of young people has to be a priority, and solutions have to be co-created with them. 

    I hope we will take inspiration from CPD week and be humble enough to explain our positions, which are based on data and evidence, but also be adamant about our values proposition, as proclaimed in Principle 3 of the ICPD Programme of Action:

    The right to development is a universal and inalienable right and an integral part of fundamental human rights, and the human person is the central subject of development. 

    Thank you again. I encourage and urge you to continue to be vocal and to be visible, not just here in New York during this time, but everywhere where you sit. As you go back home, know that we wish the best for you as defenders of the rights and choices women and girls. 

    Please continue to wave the flag of the ICPD up high.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Kehoe Orders Flags to Fly at Half-Staff in Honor of Whitewater Fire Protection District Chief Garry Moore

    Source: US State of Missouri

    APRIL 9, 2025

    Jefferson City — Today, in honor of Whitewater Fire Protection District Chief Garry Moore, Governor Mike Kehoe ordered U.S. and Missouri flags be flown at half-staff at government buildings in Cape Girardeau County, the Fire Fighters Memorial of Missouri in Kingdom City, and firehouses statewide on Thursday, April 10, 2025, from sunrise to sunset.

    “Garry Moore’s life was devoted to serving his community, state and nation,” Governor Mike Kehoe said. “He served 20 years in the U.S. Navy, during which he first joined the fire service. After retiring from the Navy, he joined the Whitewater Fire Protection District, was soon promoted to chief, and spent over three decades responding to fires and other emergencies. Selfless people like Chief Moore are the foundation upon which our strong Missouri communities are built. Claudia and I are keeping his family and community in our prayers during this difficult time.” 

    On April 2, Chief Moore, 68, responded to the Delta, Missouri area after an EF-2 tornado caused widespread destruction. He was fatally injured while responding to a stranded vehicle.

    The flags will be held at half-staff on the day of Chief Moore’s memorial services. To view the Governor’s proclamation, click here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Time Federal Felon Sentenced to 151 Months in Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    A male who conspired to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl pills after previously being convicted of a federal firearms crime was sentenced today to 151 months in federal prison.

    Ian Michael Bonnette, age 45, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 30, 2024 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.  Evidence at the sentencing hearing demonstrated that in addition to conspiring to distribute controlled substances, defendant had many woman over to his home and provided them free methamphetamine in exchange for sex.  Many of these women were homeless and with limited resources and defendant took advantage of them due to his financial position.  The evidence also showed that defendant threatened a female with a knife over drugs he believes were stolen from him.

    Bonnette was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Bonnette was sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a four-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

    Bonnette 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 Dubuque Drug Task Force, at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is 24-CR-01012. 

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Media Advisory: Setting a bold ambition, Canada could be the number one exporter of liquefied natural gas to Asia

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CALGARY, Alberta, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Media Advisory – TC Energy Corporation (TSX, NYSE: TRP) (TC Energy or the Company) announces that François Poirier, TC Energy’s President and Chief Executive Officer, will deliver a keynote address to the Canadian Club Toronto on the country’s time-bound opportunity to fortify its economic sovereignty, build its economy and establish itself as a global energy leader.

    The theme of the sold-out event, Canada’s Will to Win – Seizing a Generational Opportunity, examines how we can empower growth and mobilize the country’s resource wealth to the benefit of Canada’s economic independence. The country has an opportunity right now to become a liquefied natural gas (LNG) superpower with a focus on Asian markets, if ambitions are bold instead of middling.

    “We stand before an extraordinary opportunity to transform our economy and establish our country as the number one LNG exporter to Asia,” he says. “Even beyond the West Coast projects currently proposed, we have the potential for so much more.”

    Media are invited to the address on Thursday, April 10, 2025 at One King West (1 King Street West) in Toronto. Mr. Poirier will begin his remarks just after 8 a.m. ET. For those who can’t attend in person, a live stream will begin here at approximately 8:05 a.m. ET.

    About TC Energy
    We’re a team of 6,500+ energy problem solvers connecting the world to the energy it needs. Our extensive network of natural gas infrastructure assets is one-of-a-kind. We seamlessly move, generate and store energy and deliver it to where it is needed most, to homes and businesses in North America and across the globe through LNG exports. Our natural gas assets are complemented by our strategic ownership and low-risk investments in power generation.

    TC Energy’s common shares trade on the Toronto (TSX) and New York (NYSE) stock exchanges under the symbol TRP. To learn more, visit us at TCEnergy.com.

    -30-

    Media Inquiries:
    Media Relations
    media@tcenergy.com
    403-920-7859 or 800-608-7859

    Investor & Analyst Inquiries:
    Gavin Wylie / Hunter Mau
    investor_relations@tcenergy.com
    403-920-7911 or 800-361-6522

    PDF available: http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/9660c529-a63d-40bb-9767-3ab2dcb95070

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Markey Joins Sen. Hirono, Rep. Norcross in Introducing Legislation to Strengthen Rights of Public Sector Workers to join Unions, Bargain Collectively

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    Washington (April 8, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee today joined Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Representative Donald Norcross (D-NJ) in reintroducing the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, bicameral legislation to guarantee the right of public sector employees to organize, act concertedly, and bargain collectively in states that currently do not afford these basic protections. This comes at a critical time, after President Trump’s recent executive order ended collective bargaining for over a million federal workers.
    “Donald Trump and Elon Musk are doing everything in their power to kill public sector unions and deny public servants their fundamental right to organize and collectively bargain. Their union busting is disgusting,” said Senator Markey. “Congress must pass the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act to guarantee public service workers their rights and empower them to fight for better wages and working conditions. Public servants deliver for the American people every day, and we must deliver for them.”
    “Public sector workers teach our children, protect our safety, and keep our communities moving forward—they deserve the right to organize,” said Senator Hirono. “The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act will help ensure that that millions of public sector workers across our country have the federal protections they deserve as they fight for fair wages, benefits, and improved working conditions. Private sector workers are already guaranteed the right to organize under federal law, it should be common sense that public sector workers are afforded those same rights. As President Trump works to gut our public sector workforce, this bill is crucial to protect workers’ freedom to organize and bargain collectively. I’m proud to lead this important legislation with Representative Norcross to help ensure that every public employee has their voice heard in the workplace.”
    “I know the power of collective bargaining because I’ve lived it,” said Congressman Norcross, a former union electrician, member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), and co-chair of the Congressional Labor Caucus. “I spent decades at the negotiating table standing up for working families—fighting for fair pay, safer jobs, and better benefits like health care and retirement. This bill ensures public-sector workers across the country have that same right to a voice on the job and a seat at the table.” 
    The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act would establish baseline federal protections to ensure all public service workers can join a union and negotiate workplace conditions—regardless of state law. Unlike private sector workers, there is currently no federal law protecting the freedom of public sector workers to join a union and collectively bargain for fair wages, benefits, and improved working conditions.
    “Unions built the middle class,” said Senator Alsobrooks. “At a time when our President has unleashed brazenly illegal attacks on unions, we need legislation to protect our public service employees – those who keep us safe, who ensure our communities can function, and who are teaching our next generation. They deserve fair benefits and wages, safe working conditions, and the right to organize – and we won’t stop fighting until they get it.”
    “The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act ensures that teachers, nurses, child welfare workers, firefighters, and so many others who serve our communities are afforded the same right to join a union as workers in the private sector,” said Senator Blumenthal. “All workers deserve the free and unhindered opportunity to organize and collectively bargain for better pay, benefits, and working conditions.”
    “As the granddaughter of union steelworkers and Delaware’s former Secretary of Labor, I know the power workers have when they stand together,” said Senator Blunt Rochester, member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. “At a moment when the Trump administration is indiscriminately firing federal employees across government, it is past civil servants have the protections and benefits that private sector workers do: the right to organize. I look forward to working with Senator Hirono and Congressman to get the bicameral Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act across the finish line. We are standing up for public servants across the nation.”
    “Public sector workers bear a huge responsibility within our communities, whether it’s teaching our children, responding to emergencies, or providing vital services that keep our society running,” said Senator Booker. “Public servants should have the same right to advocate for higher pay or safer working conditions as everyone else in America. The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act will ensure all workers have the opportunity organize, collectively bargain, and thrive in our economy.”
    “Public servants ask nothing more than the chance to serve our communities and our nation. They are our neighbors and often our heroes: teachers and 911 operators and police officers,” said Senator Coons. “This legislation protects their right to unionize so they can seek fair salaries and safe workplaces, just like everyone else. When public servants join together and elect a path forward, we ought to respect that choice. I’m proud that the bill we put forward today will do just that while creating better opportunities for public servants and their families in Delaware and across the country.”
    “Our public sector workers deserve the same right to organize as private sector workers, to work in a safe job that pays a livable wage and to be able to save for a secure retirement,” said Senator Duckworth. “As Donald Trump works to hollow out the backbone of our public sector, I’m proud to help Senator Hirono and my colleagues introduce this legislation that would protect these hardworking Americans by finally enshrining their right to unionize into law and enabling them to advocate for the wages and working conditions they rightfully deserve.”
    “Public sector workers – our teachers, firefighters, nurses – keep our communities safe, healthy, and educated.  They deserve the same freedom to organize and collectively bargain as those who work in the private sector,” said Senator Durbin.  “I am cosponsoring the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act to ensure that those who serve our communities are not denied basic labor rights.”
    “From the firefighters and police officers who keep us safe to the educators who teach our kids, public sectors employees serve Arizonans every day. They deserve our support in return,” said Senator Gallego. “I’m proud to back this bill to ensure that public sector employees have the same rights and protections as any other worker.”
    “Public sector workers are the backbone of our communities, ensuring that essential services are provided with dedication and care,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Unionization and collective bargaining are not just rights—they are a recognition of the value of these critical public servants. The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act would help ensure that millions of public sector workers have a voice in their working conditions, pay, and benefits, giving them the same federal rights as their private sector counterparts. I am proud to cosponsor this legislation so that every worker can organize and fight for fair treatment.”
    “Unions, including public-sector unions, have provided critical advocacy and support for many workers,” said Senator Kaine. “I am proud to cosponsor this crucial legislation to protect millions of American workers’ right to unionize and bargain for better wages and working conditions.”
    “All workers deserve the right to collectively bargain and have their voices fully heard on the job,” said Senator Kim. “As President Trump continues to vilify public service and go after workers’ rights, it is as important as ever that congress pass legislation like this to defend them, empower their voice, and have their backs as they simply demand the fair pay and benefits working families across our country deserve.”
    “Every worker in this country should have the opportunity to speak up for themselves on the job. This includes the teachers shaping our kids’ futures, the first responders keeping us safe, and the healthcare and social workers who are there for us when we need them most,” said Senator Luján. “I’m proud to introduce legislation that ensures the folks essential to our communities have the right to organize and fight for fair wages, good benefits, and safe working conditions.”
    “As the son of a union mechanic, I know unions make a difference in standing up for workers and their families by ensuring they have a safe workplace and good pay for their work,” Senator Merkley said. “While the Trump Administration threatens the rights of America’s public sector workers to organize and receive fair treatment in the workplace, we’re pushing to make sure these workers receive just treatment and fair pay for a hard day’s work.”
    “Trump has already stripped hundreds of thousands of federal workers of their collective bargaining rights, and even more public sector workers could be next. Unions built the middle class, and they’re still the best tool for workers to fight for better pay and fair treatment. This legislation would make sure our teachers, firefighters, and more than a million Americans who serve their communities have a seat at the negotiating table,” said Senator Murphy.
    “The nearly 20 million public sector workers across our nation deserve the fundamental right to organize and fight for a fair contract and better working conditions. Yet, the Trump Administration has repeatedly tried to strip away this right and attack public service workers’ ability to unionize,” said Senator Padilla. “From public school teachers who educate our children to first responders on the frontlines of emergencies in our communities, we must guarantee the right for workers to join a union and collectively bargain nationwide.”
    “Working men and women deserve the freedom to negotiate for fair wages and improved working conditions in the communities they serve.  This bill is about basic fairness,” said Senator Reed.
    “Nevada’s police officers, teachers, firefighters, and other public servants work tirelessly to serve our communities, and they absolutely deserve the right to bargain for better wages and working conditions,” said Senator Rosen. “That’s why I’m proud to help introduce a bill to protect their right to join a union and collectively bargain amid attacks from the Trump Administration. I’ll always stand up for Nevada’s public servants.”
    “Donald Trump is dead set on illegally dismantling workers’ rights to organize and advocate for higher pay, benefits, and workplace safety,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. “Public employees dedicate themselves to serving their communities each and every day, and they deserve the opportunity to join a union. Democrats stand with working Americans and will continue to fight until the right to organize is fully protected.”
    “Americans have a fundamental right to come together to bargain with their employer for fair wages and better working conditions,” said Senator Smith. “By protecting the rights of public employees to organize and advocate for themselves, we will put the power back in the hands of workers and strengthen the middle class.”
    “American workers’ right to organize is ingrained in our democratic principles, but for state and local government employees, this right is not a given. These public servants deliver vital services for our communities – and we’re fighting to ensure they have the freedom to organize and be treated fairly, no matter where they live,” said Senator Van Hollen.
    “Our hardworking civil servants dedicate their careers to teaching our kids, making sure our buses run on time, protecting our communities, and so much more. They should have the freedom to collectively organize and fight for good pay and working conditions,” said Senator Warren. “This bill protects the rights of these workers in every state to unionize and fight for what they deserve.”
    “Public servants are at the heart of our country and are essential to the functioning of our communities. The work of public employees–from our teachers to health care professionals to firefighters–is invaluable, and they deserve fair wages that reflect the important work they do every day,” said Senator Welch. “This bill will ensure that public sector employees have federal protections to form a union and collectively bargain in their efforts to secure better pay and safer working conditions for their essential work. In the wake of Elon Musk’s DOGE and Trump’s attacks on the federal workforce, it’s never been so important to protect workers.”
    Specifically, this bill would set a minimum nationwide standard of collective bargaining rights that states must provide, including allowing public service workers to join together and have a voice on the job to improve both working conditions and the communities in which they live and work. The legislation gives public service workers the freedom to:
    Join together in a union selected by a majority of employees; 
    Collectively bargain over wages, hours and terms and conditions of employment; 
    Access dispute resolution mechanisms; 
    Use voluntary payroll deduction for union dues; 
    Engage in concerted activities related to collective bargaining and mutual aid; 
    Have their union be free from requirements to hold rigged recertification elections; and 
    File suit in court to enforce their labor rights. 
    “Passing this legislation has never been more urgent — especially now, as federal workers face unprecedented attacks on their collective bargaining rights,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “We believe, as most Americans do, that every worker deserves a union — no matter who they work for.  This bill is about something fundamental: respect. Respect for the public service workers who’ve devoted their careers to serving their communities. And respect means the freedom to negotiate.”
    “When workers stand together in a union, their jobs and lives improve. But in half of the country, the people who keep our cities and towns running are banned from collectively bargaining for a good union contract. Every day, the attacks on the fundamental freedoms of workers who keep our streets and water clean, our public transportation moving, and our children learning are increasing from the highest level of government,” said AFL-CIO President, Liz Shuler. “We need federal law to protect their rights to form a union and negotiate fair contracts that allow them to continue to do the work that is so essential to our communities. We call on every member of Congress to stand with working people and support the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act.”
    “For years now, the rights of workers like nurses, librarians, educators, and all our essential public servants who dedicate themselves to our communities have been chipped away at, despite their dedication and selfless service to their communities,” said Claude Cummings Jr., president of the Communications Workers of America. “That’s why the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act is so vital. It protects public sector workers’ fundamental right to join together, bargain for fair pay, and stand up for decent working conditions. Congress needs to step up and pass this now and push back against efforts trying to undermine these essential rights.”
    “As education, healthcare and public service workers, our members make a difference in the lives of others every day. But too many states don’t allow the people who do the work to have a voice,” said Randi Weingarten, President of AFT. “The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act would change that, ensuring public servants, no matter where they reside, have a means to influence their own lives. Whether it’s higher wages, safer working conditions, or a secure retirement, the ability to organize a union and bargain collectively lifts working families, students, patients, and entire communities up. That’s why we enthusiastically support this legislation and are committed to moving it forward.”
    This legislation is cosponsored in the Senate by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
    The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act is endorsed by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); the Communications Workers of America (CWA); American Federation of Teachers (AFT); AFL-CIO; Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU); Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE); International Brotherhood of Teamsters; International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM); International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE); International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE); International Union of Police Associations (IUPA); International Union of Painters & Allied Trades (IUPAT); Laborer’s International Union of North America (LiUNA); National Education Association (NEA); National Nurses United; Service Employees International Union (SEIU); Transport Workers Union of America (TWU); UNITE HERE!; United Autoworkers; United Steelworkers (USW).
    The full text of the legislation is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Collins, Bipartisan Group Introduce Resolution to Support the Independence and Critical Services of the United States Postal Service

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins, Gary Peters (D-MI), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) introduced a bipartisan resolution to support the independence and critical public service mission of the United States Postal Service (USPS), emphasizing the essential role the Postal Service has played since its founding in 1775, by binding the nation together and connecting Americans in every community through its services.

    “The U.S. Postal Service plays a vital role in the daily lives of millions of Americans, especially in rural states like Maine, where the timely delivery of essentials like prescription medications is critical,” said Senator Collins. “Privatizing the Postal Service would jeopardize its core mission while driving up costs and reducing service. I have long supported efforts to strengthen the Postal Service, and I will continue working to ensure that it remains accessible in American communities for years to come.”

    The resolution notes that the Postal Service delivers mail to more than 168 million residential and business addresses six days a week and is one of the most trusted government agencies. The Postal Service is a self-sustaining entity that is not funded by taxpayer dollars and relies on revenues derived from its products and services. The resolution also highlights the Postal Service’s critical role in the $1.9 trillion mailing industry, which employs 7.9 million Americans. The Postal Service provides affordable and universal service to rural, suburban, and urban communities alike, and employs more than 73,000 military veterans. Finally, the resolution underscores that Congress should ensure the Postal Service remains an independent establishment and not subject to privatization.

    Senator Collins has been a long-time advocate of the Postal Service, and has fought against proposed changes to the Eastern Maine Processing and Distribution Center in Hampden since 2012, when she led the successful effort to halt a considered closure of the plant.

    In November 2023, she wrote to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, objecting to the Postal Service’s announced proposal to consolidate outgoing operations of Maine’s two USPS processing facilities. Senator Collins also provided comments for a public meeting on the proposal in February 2024. Prior to this, Senator Collins wrote to DeJoy several times, addressing concerns about delivery delays and workforce retention in Maine and across the national postal network. Additionally, she met with the USPS Inspector General in September 2023 to discuss their examination of Postal Service quality in Southern Maine.  

    In April of 2024, Senator Collins and former-Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) led a bipartisan group in sending a letter to DeJoy opposing the USPS’ recent nationwide consolidation and review announcements.  Then, in May, Senators Collins and Gary Peters (D-MI) led a bipartisan letter requesting a full review of the Delivering for America proposal by the Postal Regulatory Commission (USPS’ independent regulator).

    Following these efforts, in September 2024, Postmaster DeJoy called Senator Collins to inform her that the USPS had permanently abandoned its proposed changes to the Hampden facility.

    The full text of the resolution can be read here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEWS: Sanders Statement on Trump Tariff Announcement

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders

    WASHINGTON, April 9 – After Trump posted on social media yet another change to his sweeping global tariffs, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today released the following statement: 

    As someone who strongly opposed disastrous unfettered free trade deals with China, Mexico and other low-wage countries, I understand that we need trade policies that benefit American workers, not just large corporations. Targeted tariffs can be a powerful tool to stop corporations from outsourcing American jobs. They can help level the playing field for American autoworkers or steelworkers to compete fairly against companies who have moved production to countries where they can pay starvation wages. 

    But Trump’s chaotic across-the-board tariffs are not the way to do it. 

    Imposing steep tariffs on countries like Germany or France will not bring jobs back to America. These are not low-wage countries. Corporations are not shutting down plants in America and moving them to Switzerland. Trump’s blanket tariffs will just raise prices for American consumers and hurt our relationships with allies, undermining our global position. 

    Trump’s trade chaos – changing policy from day to day – is rapidly undermining our economy and making it impossible for households and small businesses to function. How can you plan for next week, let alone next year, when the rules might change tomorrow? People in my home state of Vermont are hurting. 

    This is exactly why the Constitution gives Congress sole authority to raise taxes and “to regulate Commerce with foreign Nations,” not the President. What Trump is doing is unconstitutional. Trump has claimed supposed “emergency” powers to bypass Congress and impose unilateral tariffs on hundreds of countries. The last president to try something like this was Richard Nixon, and his overreach prompted Congress to pass the law Trump is now abusing. This is another step toward authoritarianism. 

    And let’s be clear about why Trump is doing all this: to give massive tax breaks to billionaires. These tariffs will cost working families thousands of dollars a year, and Trump plans to use that revenue to help pay for a huge tax break for the richest people in America. That is what Trump and Republicans in Congress are working on right now: If they have their way on the tariffs and their huge tax bill, most Americans will see their taxes go up, while those on top will get a huge tax break. 

    Enough is enough. We need a coherent trade policy that puts working people first. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Makes America’s Showers Great Again

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    UNDOING THE LEFT’S WAR ON WATER PRESSURE: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to end the Obama-Biden war on water pressure and make America’s showers great again.
    The Order directs the Secretary of Energy to immediately rescind the overly complicated federal rule that redefined “showerhead” under Obama and Biden.
    Twice in the last 12 years, those administrations put out massive regulations defining the word “showerhead.”  The Biden definition was a staggering 13,000 words. The Oxford English Dictionary, by contrast, defines “showerhead” in one short sentence. 
    President Trump is restoring sanity to at least one small part of the federal regulations, returning to the straightforward meaning of “showerhead” from the 1992 energy law, which sets a simple 2.5-gallons-per-minute standard for showers.
    The Order frees Americans from excessive regulations that turned a basic household item into a bureaucratic nightmare. No longer will showerheads be weak and worthless.
    ROLLING BACK OVERREGULATION: Overregulation chokes the American economy, entrenches bureaucrats, and stifles personal freedom.         
    Under Obama and Biden, the government issued lengthy rules—thousands of words long—redefining “showerhead” as a “nozzle” and making multi-nozzle showers illegal if they collectively discharged over 2.5 gallons of water per minute.
    These changes served a radical green agenda that made life worse for everyday Americans.
    President Trump sought to undo this definition in his first term by publishing extensive analysis and a formal rule—however, Biden undid this progress and the shower wars continued. 
    The government should not waste taxpayer time and money writing another elaborate definition for a term that has a simple definition.
    No market failure justifies this intrusion: Americans pay for their own water and should be free to choose their showerheads without federal meddling.

    It’s not just showers—the Biden Administration aggressively targeted everyday appliances like gas stoves, water heaters, washing machines, furnaces, dishwashers, and more, waging war on the reliable tools Americans depend on daily.
    These appliances worked perfectly fine before Biden’s meddling piled on convoluted regulations that made those appliances worse. 
    President Trump is slashing red tape and ending Biden’s dumb war on things that work.

    DELIVERING ON PROMISES: By restoring shower freedom, President Trump is following through on his commitment to dismantle unnecessary regulations and put Americans first.
    President Trump: “We’re going to get rid of those restrictions. You have many places where they have water, they have so much water they don’t know what to do with it. But people buy a house, they turn on the sink, and water barely comes out. They take a shower, water barely comes out. And it’s an unnecessary restriction.”
    This Executive Order builds on actions President Trump has already taken to roll back overregulation and empower Americans, including:
    Cutting red tape across federal agencies to unleash economic growth.
    Repealing burdensome Biden-era executive actions that stifled freedom.
    Fighting against radical green agendas that prioritize ideology over people.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day, 2025

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    class=”has-text-align-center”> BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
    A PROCLAMATION 
    On this National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day, we remember every American service member who carries the memory of being captured in war as a consequence of defending American freedom.  Since the battlefields of the Revolutionary War, millions of selfless patriots have sacrificed their lives, safety, and security to protect our homeland and preserve our inheritance of liberty.  These noble men and women embody the best of our Nation’s spirit.  Tragically, far too many have been taken by the enemy and forced to endure captivity and sometimes torture.My Administration is steadfastly committed to taking care of our great veterans — especially every former American prisoner of war (POW).  For 4 long years under the previous administration, illegal aliens were living in luxury hotels while our homeless veterans were shivering on the sidewalks — a disgrace of the highest order.  Today, more than 30,000 veterans are homeless.  To that end, I am committed to eradicating all veteran homelessness in our country.  Under my leadership, if you served our Nation in uniform, your Government will never betray you — and we will never stop fighting for the brave men and women who devoted their lives to protect our sovereignty.To protect our brave service members and uphold our Nation’s interests both at home and abroad, my Administration remains committed to restoring peace through strength and ending the years of endless foreign wars.  As I stated during my Inaugural Address, we will measure our success not only by the battles we win, but also by the wars we end — and my proudest legacy will be that of a peacemaker and unifier.We are approaching the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States Army later this year, and I pledge to every POW, POW family, and member of our Armed Forces that you have our Nation’s full support and unending gratitude.  Today and every day, we pay tribute to those who have lost their lives in service to our Nation.  We ask Almighty God to preserve America’s peace, prosperity, security, and freedom for generations to come.NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 9, 2025, as National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day.  I call upon Americans to observe this day by honoring the service and sacrifice of all former prisoners of war and to express our Nation’s eternal gratitude for their sacrifice.  I also call upon Federal, State, and local government officials and organizations to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand thisninth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, 2025

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    class=”has-text-align-center”> BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
    A PROCLAMATION 
    All Americans should be able to thrive in their communities, raise their families, and lead long and fulfilling lives without fear of being victimized by crime.  Tragically, in recent years, soft-on-crime policies have emboldened vicious criminals, murderers, and gang members to wage war on our public safety, endanger our public spaces, and break down the rule of law.  This National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, we offer our unending support to every victim of crime, and we recognize that freedom in America cannot survive without safety in America.Under the previous administration, violent crime skyrocketed in virtually every city of our great Nation, with 12 major cities breaking all-time high murder records in 2021.  Over the last 4 years, radical left-wing policies empowered some of the most depraved criminals on the planet and made it harder for police officers to do their jobs.  Earlier this year, President Biden commuted the sentences of 37 death row criminals guilty of the most heinous acts imaginable — including rape, child molestation, and murder.  These commutations stand as a devastating betrayal of innocent victims and their families. During the Biden Administration, the United States Border Patrol recorded over 10.8 million encounters of illegal aliens nationwide, along with over 2 million known “got aways” — a number that could be underreported by as much as 20 percent.  Millions of illegal aliens have entered or evaded capture, with countless criminals and potential national security threats now at large in our Country.  That is why within hours of taking the oath of office, I declared a national emergency on our southern border.  We have also begun the largest deportation operation in the history of our country — and as your 47th President, the first bill I signed into law was the Laken Riley Act, which mandates the detention of all dangerous criminal aliens who threaten public safety.To aid the righteous mission of the men and women in blue, my Administration is committed to enhancing legal protections for law enforcement officers.  I am also asking the Congress for a new crime bill that will get tough on repeat offenders while enhancing protection for our law enforcement officials, so they can do their jobs without fear of their lives being destroyed. Under my leadership, America will soon, once again, be a country where the blessings of life and peace exist freely in our homes, at places of work and worship, and throughout our cities, streets, and neighborhoods.  Our citizens will be able to live without the threat of getting robbed, assaulted, or shot.  This week, as we honor the lives of victims and their families, I reaffirm my solemn pledge to build a safer, stronger, and more secure Nation for citizens of every race, religion, color, and creed.NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 6 through April 12, 2025, as National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.  I urge all Americans, families, law enforcement, community and faith-based organizations, and private organizations to work together to support victims of crime and protect their rights.IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand thisninth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Directs Repeal of Regulations That Are Unlawful Under 10 Recent Supreme Court Decisions

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    REPEALING UNLAWFUL REGULATIONS: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum requiring agencies to rescind regulations that are unlawful under 10 recent landmark Supreme Court decisions.
    This memorandum implements President Trump’s Executive Order 14219, Ensuring Lawful Governance and Implementing the President’s “Department Of Government Efficiency” Deregulatory Initiative (February 19, 2025).
    EO 14219 ordered agencies to review and identify their unlawful regulations.  Now, President Trump is directing agencies to prioritize that review under 10 recent watershed Supreme Court cases, and to repeal regulations that are unlawful under those cases.
    IMPLEMENTING THE LAW FROM RECENT SUPREME COURT DECISIONS:  President Trump’s memorandum directs departments and agencies to review rules for legality under ten recent watershed Supreme Court decisions:
    Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, 603 U.S. 369 (2024) overturned the Chevron doctrine.  Accordingly, agencies are to repeal any regulation that is not consonant with the “single, best meaning” of the statute authorizing it.   Agencies are also to repeal any regulation that was promulgated in reliance on the Chevron doctrine and that could be defended only by relying on Chevron deference.
    West Virginia v. EPA, 597 U.S. 697 (2022) was a landmark ruling applying the Major Questions Doctrine, i.e., the principle that an agency cannot claim to discover vast delegations of power on an important issue in a statutory text that doesn’t clearly provide such authority. (Agencies cannot “seek to hide ‘elephants in mouseholes.’”)  Accordingly, agencies must repeal any regulation promulgated in violation of the Major Questions Doctrine. 
    SEC v. Jarkesy, 603 U.S. 109 (2024) held that it violates the Seventh Amendment for agencies to adjudicate common-law claims in their in-house courts.  Agencies accordingly must repeal any regulation authorizing enforcement proceedings that enable the agency’s courts to impose judgments or penalties that can only be obtained via jury trial in Article III Courts.
    Michigan v. EPA, 576 U.S. 743 (2015) held that it violates the Administrative Procedure Act for an agency to promulgate regulations without properly considering the cost as well as the benefits.  Agencies accordingly must repeal any regulation where the costs imposed are not justified by the public benefits, or where such an analysis was never conducted to begin with.
    Sackett v. EPA, 598 U.S. 651 (2023) ended a twenty-year attempt by the EPA to enforce the Clean Water Act against landowners whose property was near a ditch that fed into a creek, which fed into a navigable, intrastate lake.  Agencies accordingly must repeal any regulation inconsistent with a properly bounded interpretation of “waters of the United States.”
    Ohio v. EPA, 603 U.S. 279 (2024) struck down an EPA plan under the Clean Air Act that the EPA had adopted after the scientific and policy premises undergirding it had been shown to be wrong.  Agencies accordingly must repeal any regulation that does not sufficiently account for the costs it imposes, or for which foundational assumptions have changed and are no longer defensible.
    Cedar Point Nursery v. Hassid, 594 U.S. 139 (2021) held that a law that forced landowners to admit union organizers onto their property violated the Takings Clause. Agencies accordingly must repeal any regulation inconsistent with a proper understanding of the Takings Clause, which protects far more than just real estate from being taken by the government without compensation.
    Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, 600 U.S. 181 (2023) held that “affirmative action” admission programs violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.  Agencies accordingly must repeal any regulation that imposes racially discriminatory rules or preferences.  As the Court said, “[e]liminating racial discrimination means eliminating all of it.” 
    Carson v. Makin, 596 U.S. 767 (2022) held that a law excluding religious schools from participating in Maine’s school-voucher program violated the Free Exercise Clause.  Agencies accordingly must review their regulations to ensure equal treatment of religious institutions vis-à-vis secular institutions for purposes of funding and access to public benefits.
    Roman Cath. Diocese of Brooklyn v. Cuomo, 592 U.S. 14 (2020) struck down New York’s Covid-era occupancy restrictions on churches and synagogues because they were uniquely harsher than those that applied to “essential” businesses—such as acupuncture facilities.  Each agency should review its regulations to ensure at least equal treatment of religious institutions vis-à-vis secular institutions for regulatory purposes. 
    AVOIDING CUMBERSOME AND UNNECESSARY PROCEDURES:  President Trump’s memorandum directs agencies to revoke these unlawful regulations expeditiously, using the Administrative Procedure Act’s (“APA”) “good cause” exception where appropriate.  Agencies must move quickly to delete illegal regulations from imposing further burdens on the American people. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Addresses Risks from Chris Krebs and Government Censorship

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    RESTORING TRUST IN GOVERNMENT: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum revoking any active security clearance held by Chris Krebs and his associates.
    The Order directs the head of every federal agency to immediately revoke any active security clearance held by Krebs.
    The Order also suspends any active security clearance held by individuals at entities associated with Krebs, including SentinelOne, pending a review of whether such clearances are consistent with the national interest.
    Furthermore, the Order calls for a review of Krebs’ activities as a government employee, including his leadership of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
    The review will include a comprehensive evaluation of all of CISA’s activities over the last 6 years and will identify any instances where Krebs’ or CISA’s conduct appears to be contrary to the administration’s commitment to free speech and ending federal censorship, including whether Krebs’ conduct was contrary to suitability standards for federal employees or involved the unauthorized dissemination of classified information.

    ENDING GOVERNMENT CENSORSHIP: President Trump is committed to ending government censorship of Americans and believes that those who engage in such conduct should not have access to our nation’s secrets.
    Krebs, the former head of CISA, is a significant bad-faith actor who weaponized and abused his government authority.
    Krebs, through CISA:
    Suppressed conservative viewpoints under the guise of combatting purported misinformation, and recruited and coerced major social media platforms to further its partisan mission.
    Covertly worked to blind the American public to the controversy surrounding Hunter Biden’s laptop.
    Promoted the censorship of election information, including known risks associated with certain voting practices, and falsely and baselessly denied that the 2020 election was rigged and stolen, including by inappropriately and categorically dismissing widespread election malfeasance and serious vulnerabilities with voting machines.
    Skewed the bona fide debate about COVID-19 by attempting to discredit widely shared views that ran contrary to CISA’s favored perspective.

    ENSURING LOYALTY AND ACCOUNTABILITY: President Trump has made clear that loyalty to the United States must come before personal or partisan agendas, taking decisive action against those who misuse their undeserved influence to deceive the American public.
    President Trump already revoked the security clearances held by intelligence officials who falsely claimed Hunter Biden’s laptop was Russian disinformation during the 2020 election.
    On Day One, President Trump signed an Executive Order to restore freedom of speech, dismantling federal programs that censored dissenting voices under the guise of combating misinformation, ensuring government serves the people—not partisan narratives.
    That same day, President Trump signed an Executive Order ending the weaponization of the federal government.
    These decisive actions underscore President Trump’s pledge to ensure a transparent government that is loyal and accountable to the people.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New measures to put neighbourhood bobbies back on beat

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    New measures to put neighbourhood bobbies back on beat

    Communities will be safer and trust in local policing will be restored under plans to put police officers back in our neighbourhoods.

    • Prime Minister unveils plan to restore confidence in policing and deliver security for working people
    • New measures mean named and contactable officers for every neighbourhood and guaranteed police patrols in busy areas at peak times, such as town centres, ending years of postcode lottery
    • For the first time in fifteen years, working people across the country will be entitled to the same standards from the police, no matter where they live 
    • This forms part of the government’s Plan for Change and Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, putting 13,000 more neighbourhood officers on our streets, up more than 50% across the country

    Communities will be safer and trust in local policing will be restored under plans to put police officers back in our neighbourhoods, announced by the Prime Minister today, as he delivers manifesto pledge to roll out the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee.

    New measures will ensure every community will have dedicated and specialist neighbourhood policing teams, ending the postcode lottery on law and order.

    Announcing the plan, the Prime Minister will make clear that security is the bedrock on which working families build their lives, but that in recent years visible policing has fallen dramatically, with the number of people who regularly see officers patrolling in their local area halving in the past decade. 90% of crime has been left unsolved and there were one million incidents of antisocial behaviour last year alone, including big increases in street crime.

    The measures will put prevention at the heart of policing. Under the government’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, crimes like vandalism or antisocial behaviour will be less likely to turn into more serious and violent offences, boosting confidence and security in local communities across Britain. 

    The Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee will put 13,000 more officers into neighbourhood policing roles by 2029, an increase of more than 50%. The early focus of the plan will be to establish named local officers, target town centre crime and build back neighbourhood policing, meaning hard working people can feel safer and more secure in their daily lives.

    The measures, announced today, will transform communities across Britain and will deliver the security communities deserve:

    •                 Each neighbourhood will have named, contactable officers to tackle the issues facing their communities, helping to restore trust that policing is working to keep people safe and meaning no community feels ignored when they need help. 

    •                 Every neighbourhood in England and Wales will have dedicated teams who will spend their time on the beat with guaranteed police patrols in town centres and other hotspot areas at peak times such as Friday and Saturday nights.  

    •                 There will be a dedicated antisocial behaviour lead in every force, working with residents and businesses to develop tailored action plans to tackle record levels of antisocial behaviour, which is blighting communities.

    Under these plans, communities across the country will, for the first time in 15 years, be able to hold forces to account and expect a minimum standard of policing in their area.

    The government’s new Police Standards and Performance Improvement Unit will ensure police performance is consistently and accurately measured, so the government can narrow the gap between the best and worst performing forces. 

    This will make clear that everyone across the country, no matter where they live, can expect the same standards from the police,  with a new online tool so the public are able to check how their local force is performing and hold forces to account.

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: 

    Everyone deserves to feel safe and secure on the streets they call home. It is just about the most basic right that anyone would expect. Yet for years crimes such as shoplifting and antisocial behaviour have wreaked havoc on our neighbourhoods. Policing has become reactive, picking up the pieces after crimes have occurred.

    Britain deserves better. It should not matter where you live – everyone deserves local, visible policing they can trust, and with our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee we will end this postcode lottery, putting prevention back at the heart of policing and ensuring police are back on the streets.

    That’s why our Plan for Change is delivering security for working people in their communities with a return to neighbourhood policing, putting thousands of bobbies back on the beat and keeping people safe.

    Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

    The heartbeat of our Great British policing tradition is seeing bobbies on the beat, but for too long, too many communities have been feeling abandoned as crime soared and neighbourhood police disappeared, even when local crimes like shop theft, street theft or blatant drug dealing rose sharply.

    That’s why this government is determined to get police back on the beat and into our town centres. 

    It should not matter where you live – everyone deserves local, visible policing they can trust, and with our Plan for Change and Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee we will tackle this postcode lottery and restore policing to our communities.

    Today’s announcement is just one part of the government’s commitment to keep communities safe.

    Through the Crime and Policing Bill, new powers will be given to police so they can better tackle crimes that matter most to communities. This includes bringing in Respect Orders to clamp down on persistent antisocial behaviour and giving police the power to seize vehicles that cause havoc to communities. The Bill will also scrap the effective immunity of theft of goods below £200 and help police go after phone thieves by removing the warrant to search properties where stolen items have been electronically geolocated.

    Through the Plan for Change and mission to keep our streets safe, this government will restore confidence in local policing and making towns and communities safer places to live, work and visit.

    Chief Constable Sir Andy Marsh, CEO of the College of Policing, said:  

    We welcome the government’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, which builds on the bedrock of British policing. Our evidence shows that good neighbourhood policing reduces crime and builds trust with communities, and it remains a top priority for the College. 

    We also know how important neighbourhood policing is to the public. That’s why, this June, we’ll be rolling out the Neighbourhood Policing Pathway training for neighbourhood officers and staff in police forces right across the country. Our training will ensure these teams have the specialised knowledge and skills to tackle anti-social behaviour, engage with communities and build relationships that support intelligence gathering and crime reduction. 

    We will also continue to use our position as a national source of best practice to help forces to constantly improve how they approach neighbourhood policing. Through our Practice Bank and Smarter Practice examples, the College will continue to evaluate and share initiatives and interventions to help police forces provide the best possible service for their communities.

    Emily Spurrell, Chair of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners and PCC for Merseyside, said:

    Neighbourhood policing is vital for building trust, preventing crime and fostering community engagement. It ensures that local officers, with their unique knowledge, can swiftly address the specific needs of their communities, creating safer and more connected neighbourhoods. Residents and businesses have made it clear, time and again, that they want an accessible local policing team, with local knowledge, dealing with the unique problems in their communities.

    Police and Crime Commissioners and Deputy Mayors have echoed their communities’ voices in setting the priorities for their Chief Constables and made neighbourhood policing a priority in their Police and Crime Plans. The Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee is an opportunity to reconnect policing with the communities they serve, helping to restore the trust and confidence that is vital if we are to continue policing by consent.

    The APCC welcomed the additional neighbourhood policing funding announced in January by the government, to enhance policing’s ability to deliver with additional officers and Police Community Support Officers. However, there remains significant pressure on police budgets and we will continue to work with the government to ensure policing has the resources it needs to effectively deliver neighbourhood policing for the public.

    Kurtis Christoforides, Chief Executive Officer of Police Now, said: 

    Police Now was founded to help transform communities through outstanding neighbourhood policing and brilliant public sector leadership, so it’s tremendously exciting to be working even more closely with government and police forces to do just that.

    The Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales, Baroness Newlove, said:

    I welcome the return of dedicated neighbourhood policing and the introduction of named ASB leads in each area. Persistent anti-social behaviour blights lives and communities, and these new roles will be vital in ensuring victims’ concerns are taken seriously by officers they know and trust.

    Some of the most harmful and enduring anti-social behaviour takes place in residential communities – away from the town centres and out of sight. The Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee has real potential, but its impact will depend on trained officers who have the support and skills to be able to respond to every report – whether from a busy high street or a quiet cul-de-sac.

    Matt Hood, Co-op Managing Director said:

    Creating healthy, safer high streets within resilient and durable communities is absolutely essential. We have effective partnerships with local police in several communities across the UK and we see first-hand the benefits of working together to target high impact offenders. At Co-op we have recently seen an encouraging improvement in police response and attendance, however the offenders keep coming and as retailers, we do all we can to prevent crime in our shops, but along with our communities, we need this support from the police to make it count.  We welcome this new Government commitment on increasing neighbourhood policing and our store colleagues will definitely be pleased to see a higher police presence.

    Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive of UKHospitality, said: 

    It cannot be overstated how important it is for businesses and communities to feel confident in their own safety on the streets, and knowing their neighbourhood police officers engenders that confidence. Utilising local knowledge and relationships is critical to providing safe high streets. 

    Hospitality and our high streets are critical for driving economic growth and regenerating our towns and cities, and we want them to be thriving hubs of activity. The government’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee is an important way of ensuring that.

    John Hayward-Cripps, Chief Executive of Neighbourhood Watch said: 

    The advantage of having a named officer is that it humanises the relationship between the police and the community. People report greater trust and confidence in the police when they can reach out to an officer who knows their area, and the communities who live there. Evidence suggests that patrols alone don’t make a significant difference to cutting crime, what is effective is combining them with community engagement. 

    Our members regularly work with the police, partners and the local people to adopt a problem-solving approach to crime and antisocial behaviour. And yet, nearly a third of people who responded to our community survey told us they lack a feeling of safety. It is especially important for younger people; they are the age group least likely to feel safe in their neighbourhoods.

    Updates to this page

    Published 9 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kelly, Strickland, Harrigan, Williams announce relaunch of House Small Brewers Caucus

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representatives Mike Kelly (R-PA), Marilyn Strickland (D-WA), Pat Harrigan (R-NC), and Nikema Williams (D-GA) announced the reintroduction of the House Small Brewers Caucus in the 119th Congress. These members will serve as caucus co-chairs.

    “Small breweries are also small businesses. They employ thousands of people across Pennsylvania and contribute more than $5 billion to the commonwealth’s economy,” said Rep. Kelly. “As Co-Chair of the House Small Brewers Caucus, I look forward to working on policy that keeps Pennsylvania’s beer industry brewing for years to come.”

    “Small brewers are a critical part of the Washington and South Sound economy,” said Congresswoman Strickland. “Relaunching this caucus means that this industry, small businesses, and their workers are supported across our region, and our country.” 

    “North Carolina is home to some of the most innovative and hard-working brewers in the country,” said Congressman Harrigan. “These small businesses create jobs, attract investment, and strengthen the fabric of our communities. I’m proud to support them and to help lead this caucus as we work to cut red tape and keep this industry growing.”

    “In Georgia’s Fifth District and across the country, small brewers are making a big splash. With a market value of $715 million in Georgia, small brewers demonstrate the impact small businesses can have on a community. These establishments create jobs, engage with their local neighborhoods, and promote economic and structural development. I am proud to help small brewers grow everywhere,” said Congresswoman Williams.

    BACKGROUND

    The House Small Brewers Caucus advocates for the 9,736 small and independent breweries in the United States. Craft breweries are vital small businesses and focal points of the communities in which they reside. In 2024, craft breweries supported nearly 460,000 jobs nationwide and contributed $77.1 billion to the U.S. economy, according to the Brewers Association.

    Pennsylvania ranks third nationally with 530 craft breweries calling the Keystone State home.

    Previously, as Co-Chair of the House Small Brewers Caucus, Rep. Kelly led the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act. This legislation would make permanent the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act’s (TCJA) excise tax reduction on breweries, wineries, and distilled spirits producers.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: De La Cruz Statement on Tariff Announcement

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Monica De La Cruz (TX-15)

    De La Cruz Statement on Tariff Announcement

    Washington, April 2, 2025

    WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz (R-TX) released the statement below following President Trump’s announcement on tariffs.

    “South Texas is home to some of the busiest land ports of entry in our country and I understand the importance of our trade partnership with Mexico. I am proud to have advocated to the White House on behalf of farmers and families for key agricultural products to be excluded from tariffs. Today, President Trump announced that USMCA-compliant goods will continue to see a 0% tariff under the announced trade strategy. I will continue to stay in communication with the White House and our community on the impacts of today’s announcement.” – Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz

    Background:

    During today’s announcement on the White House’s trade strategy, President Trump announced that USMCA-compliant goods will continue to see a 0% tariff. During the ongoing trade negotiations, De La Cruz met with President Trump and urged the Administration in a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio to include an exclusion of fruits and vegetables in tariffs. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: COMPETE AGAINST LEGENDS: DIGITAL LEGENDS and TRUGOLF BRING GOLF ICONS TO LIFE

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Augusta, GA., April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Remember the rush you felt hoisting your first trophy or watching your golf hero secure their first tour win. Now imagine feeling a similar rush if you could challenge, and maybe even beat, Mr. Ben Hogan in his prime at any of today’s best golf courses? Imagine he’s not just here to compete, but to talk with you as you play, look at your swing and maybe offer some advice on that stubborn slice.

    That fantasy becomes reality this fall. Ben had some thoughts earlier today in Augusta: Click here to see and hear Ben Hogan.

    TruGolf and Digital Legends have joined forces to create the ultimate simulator experience. This groundbreaking partnership allows golfers of all skill levels to tee off against the greatest legends in golf history—starting with the legendary Ben Hogan in his prime form.

    “This isn’t just another golf simulation—it’s a time portal to legendary golfers’ golden eras,” says Nathan Larsen, Chief Experience Officer at TruGolf. “Imagine analyzing your golf swing against Ben Hogan, hearing his voice improve your game, then testing your skills against Mr. Hogan at any of the courses he mastered. That’s the once impossible experience we’re bringing to golfers everywhere.”

    Built on TruGolf’s renowned E6 Apex platform, this revolution in golf simulation uses cutting-edge AI to recreate golf legends with stunning accuracy. Every signature swing, strategic approach, and playing style are meticulously revealed.

    “When I first saw today’s most advanced technology bring Ben Hogan back to digital life, I was speechless,” says Christian Tureaud, Co-Founder and CEO of Digital Legends. “The visual quality and AI-driven realism create an experience that’s beyond immersive—it’s like having these legends right there with you.”

    Bryan Johnston, Board Member of Digital Legends, adds: “We’re erasing the barriers of time. Whether you want to learn from legends of yesterday or superstars of today, this partnership makes that possible for both home users and commercial venues. While Mr. Hogan is our first signed athlete we can announce, it’s only the beginning of what today’s golfers can expect.” 

    The technology will make its public debut at Augusta this week, with the full release scheduled for fall 2025. 

    Golf enthusiasts can expect:

    • Realistic challenges against legendary players at their peak
    • Tournaments with you in the lineup against golf’s greatest competitors
    • AI-powered coaching from golf’s sharpest minds and technicians
    • Revolutionary commentary systems that respond to your game

    Era is no longer a barrier. History is no longer just for books. Golf’s greatest legends are ready for your challenge.

    Contact: Bryan Johnston 
    Bryan@AdjacencyPartners.Com
    516-301-8174

    About TruGolf

    TruGolf is a golf technology company, committed to making golf, easy. From innovative uses for AI to build content and enhanced image and spatial analysis, to gamified golf improvement plans, TruGolf is an industry leader in the growing technological revolution in the sport of golf. Since TruGolf’s founding it has redefined what is possible with golf through technology. TruGolf’s suite of Hardware, Software, and Web Products make the game easier to Play, Improve and Enjoy.

    About Digital Legends

    Digital Legends is a sports & entertainment technology company driven by proprietary intellectual property. The company has secured and continues to expand on an IP portfolio that consists of multiple granted and pending patents, trademarks in a wide variety of classes. Digital Legends develops and deploys a diverse portfolio of Digital Legends that may be deceased, retired or active in Sports, Music, Lifestyle and assimilate them into today’s marketplace in “their prime”. Our Digital Legends compete and interact in real-time against living humans within multiple verticals and environments such as simulators, location-based entertainment experiences, made for television live-events, eSports & Mobile Apps, Gaming platforms, Metaverse, Augmented and Virtual environments and more.

    The MIL Network –