Category: Justice

MIL-OSI Australia: 10 lesser-known walks to try in the ACT
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

Discover the London Bridge Arch on a walk in the Googong Foreshores area.
In brief:
- This article lists lesser-known walks in the ACT.
- This article lists easy, moderate and more difficult walks.
Canberrans are lucky to live among so many reserves, parks and green spaces.

Tucked away in these spaces are great walking trails that you may not have discovered yet.

Whether you’re an avid hiker or like to catch up with friends while taking a stroll, we’ve rounded up 10 lesser-known local walks to try.

Church Rock Heritage Loop

This 2.5km (one hour) signed heritage walk is in Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve.

Start your adventure at Flints picnic area, where you will walk through Flints homestead site and around Church Rock.

The walk has short steep hill sections, a rough surface and many steps. It’s suitable for most ages and fitness levels, but some bushwalking experience is recommended.

London Bridge Walk

This easy 4.5km circuit is in the Googong Foreshores area.

The track takes you through the woodlands to the London Bridge Arch – an incredible geological formation that’s over 20,000 years old – before following the valley to London Bridge Homestead.

Both the arch and the homestead are heritage-listed sites, so remember not to climb on the arch, enter the caves or swim in the surrounding creek.

Start your walk at the London Bridge Woolshed carpark.

Mount Arawang Loop

This is a short 3.5km (one hour) return walk on the Canberra Centenary Trail.

Mount Arawang is the highest point on Cooleman Ridge. Ascend through bird-rich bushland before reaching the trig point, which has beautiful views of Brindabella Mountains.

The walk requires no experience and has a formed track but has short steep sections and many steps.

Start the loop at the Namatjira Drive entry to Cooleman Ridge Park at Ballarat Street for easy access.

Mount Gingera

This walking track is in Namadgi National Park. At 1,847 metres, Mount Gingera is ACT’s second highest peak.

This walk is difficult and recommended for experienced bushwalkers. The uphill walk is worth it, rewarding hikers with beautiful views at the top.

We recommend not attempting the walk during winter as weather can change quickly in the mountains and access roads may be closed or become unsafe.

Distance:
- 14.5 km return from Mt Franklin Road (six hours)
- If walking via Stockyard Spur, start on Corin Road (eight to nine hours).
^{Image: Molonglo Gorge}

Molonglo Gorge

The Molonglo Gorge is 3km long and 15-million years old, and you can walk its full length.

The 6.5km (return) track climbs cliffs and skirts waterline to the Blue Tiles picnic area.

The gorge is also an important wildlife corridor, so keep an eye out for rare woodland birds.

Enter from the picnic area off Sutton Road, with parking available at the Molonglo Gorge recreation area.

Mount McDonald Summit Track

Discover a new side of the Cotter.

This moderate track curves through open woodlands to the summit of Mount McDonald. At the top, you will be rewarded with great views of Canberra, the Murrumbidgee River and Brindabella Range.

Distance:
- 3.8km return via Cotter Catchment Lookout Track (two hours)
- 5.2 km return via management trail (three hours)
^{Image: Settlers Track}

Settlers Track

Located in the Namadgi National Park, this track takes walkers back in time.

Experience huts, homesteads and other historic sites from the 19th and 20th centuries.

We recommend not attempting the walk during winter as weather can change quickly in the mountains and access roads may be closed or become unsafe.

Distance:
- 6km loop from Boboyan Road (four hours)
- 9km loop via Waterhole Hut from Boboyan Road (five hours).
This walk is suitable for most ages and fitness levels, though some bushwalking experience is recommended.

^{Image: Tong’s Hole}

Tong’s Hole

This walk is a hidden secret down the road from Shepherd’s Lookout.

The trail starts at the end of Stockdill Drive and takes you down through stands of Black Cypress Pine to the scenic Molonglo River.

It’s a great spot to see raptors and stunning river views.

This moderate 1km return walk takes about one hour. It’s easily accessible from Stockdill Drive, 3km south-west from Ginninderry.

Oakey Hill Nature Reserve Loop

Enjoy an easy 2.4-km loop walk through Oakey Hill Nature Reserve.

The reserve is a 65-hectare protected area between the suburbs of Lyons and Weston in the Woden Valley.

You can access the reserve:
- on its western side via an underpass beneath the Tuggeranong Parkway
- on its northern side from Heysen Street
- on its eastern side from numerous points in Lyons.
^{Image: Wanniassa Hills}

Wanniassa Hills Nature Reserve Track

This hidden gem is just down the road from Mount Taylor.

The walk up the mountain is 2.62km return and has great sweeping views at the top.

It is accessible from Erindale Drive and from the suburbs of Fadden and Macarthur.

The reserve is great for:
- birdwatching
- views of southern Canberra
- wildflower displays especially in spring.
Before you go

Respect reserves by:
- staying on the tracks to minimise your impact
- taking your rubbish home with you
- leaving what you find, including plants, animals, rocks and timber (dead and alive)
- respecting the area’s heritage – leave cultural sites undisturbed
- collecting and responsibly disposing of your dog’s droppings (where dogs are permitted)
- cleaning your outdoor gear, including bicycles, to avoid spreading weeds and disease.
Stay safe by:
- bringing your own drinking water
- dressing appropriately for the weather- making sure you rug up if it’s cold or layering clothing
- carrying a mobile phone, especially if you are on your own
- letting someone know where you are going and when you’ll return
- being weather alert – reserves and roads may close if there are severe weather conditions. Check the Parks ACT website before travelling.
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MIL OSI News –
June 25, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for June 25, 2025

ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on June 25, 2025.

Bats get fat to survive hard times. But climate change is threatening their survival strategy
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicholas Wu, Lecturer in Wildlife Ecology, Murdoch University Rudmer Zwerver/Shutterstock Bats are often cast as the unseen night-time stewards of nature, flitting through the dark to control pest insects, pollinate plants and disperse seeds. But behind their silent contributions lies a remarkable and underappreciated survival strategy: seasonal

Japanese prime minister’s abrupt no-show at NATO summit reveals a strained alliance with the US
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Craig Mark, Adjunct Lecturer, Faculty of Economics, Hosei University Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has sent a clear signal to the Trump administration: the Japan–US relationship is in a dire state. After saying just days ago he would be attending this week’s NATO summit at The Hague,

Why have athletes stopped ‘taking a knee’?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ciprian N. Radavoi, Associate Professor in Law, University of Southern Queensland Eli Harold, Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid of the San Francisco 49ers kneel ahead of a game in 2016. Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images It’s almost a decade since San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick started

Nearly half of Kiwis oppose automatic citizenship for Cook Islands, says poll
By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist A new poll by the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union shows that almost half of respondents oppose the Cook Islands having automatic New Zealand citizenship. Thirty percent of the 1000-person sample supported Cook Islanders retaining citizenship, 46 percent were opposed and 24 percent were unsure. The question asked: The Cook

Melanesian Spearhead Group leaders discuss Middle East conflict before ceasefire
RNZ Pacific Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape says the Middle East conflict was one of the discussions of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) in Suva this week — and Pacific leaders “took note of what is happening”. The Post-Courier reports Marape saying the “12 Day War” between Israel and Iran was based on

The ancients also had to deal with a cost-of-living crisis. Here’s how they managed
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Konstantine Panegyres, Lecturer in Classics and Ancient History, The University of Western Australia Louis Le Brun, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY Talk to anyone today, and they will probably have something to say about how expensive life has become. While the rate of inflation has

Video games can help trans players feel seen and safe. It all starts with design
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How old are you really? Are the latest ‘biological age’ tests all they’re cracked up to be?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hassan Vally, Associate Professor, Epidemiology, Deakin University We all like to imagine we’re ageing well. Now a simple blood or saliva test promises to tell us by measuring our “biological age”. And then, as many have done, we can share how “young” we really are on social

Global rankings fuel hype, but students have more to consider when choosing a uni
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kylie Message, Professor of Public Humanities and Director of the ANU Humanities Research Centre, Australian National University At this time of year, many year 12 students are seriously turning their minds to the future. Should they go to university next year? If so, which one? June is

Playful or harmful? David Seymour’s posts raise questions about what’s OK to say online
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kevin Veale, Senior Lecturer in Media Studies, part of the Digital Cultures Laboratory in the School of Humanities, Media, and Creative Communication, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images Deputy Prime Minister and ACT Party leader David Seymour says he is being “playful” and

Shadow treasurer Ted O’Brien accepts invitation to government’s economic roundtable
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The federal opposition has accepted an invitation from Treasurer Jim Chalmers for shadow treasurer Ted O’Brien to attend the August economic roundtable. The acceptance contrasts with the position taken by former opposition leader Peter Dutton last term. He refused to

Fiji advocacy group slams Indonesian role in MSG as a ‘disgrace’
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Will the fragile ceasefire between Iran and Israel hold? One factor could be crucial to it sticking
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ali Mamouri, Research Fellow, Middle East Studies, Deakin University Amir Levy/Getty Images After 12 days of war, US President Donald Trump has announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran that would bring to an end the most dramatic, direct conflict between the two nations in decades. Israel

Ramzy Baroud: The fallout – winners and losers from the Israeli war on Iran
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Iran and Israel agree to a fragile ceasefire. One factor could be crucial to it sticking
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eSafety boss wants YouTube included in the social media ban. But AI raises even more concerns for kids
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tama Leaver, Professor of Internet Studies, Curtin University Irina WS/Shutterstock Julie Inman Grant, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, today addressed the National Press Club to outline how her office will be driving the Social Media Minimum Age Bill when it comes into effect in December this year. The bill,

Trouble getting out of bed? Signs the ‘winter blues’ may be something more serious
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kelvin (Shiu Fung) Wong, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology, Swinburne University of Technology Justin Paget/Getty Winter is here. As the days grow shorter and the skies turn darker, you might start to feel a bit “off”. You may notice a dip in your mood or energy levels.

A carbon levy on global shipping promises to slash emissions. We calculated what that means for Australia’s biggest export
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Brear, Director, Melbourne Energy Institute, The University of Melbourne Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images Moving people and things around the world by sea has a big climate impact. The shipping industry produces almost 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions – roughly the same as Germany – largely

The war won’t end Iran’s nuclear program – it will drive it underground, following North Korea’s model
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anthony Burke, Professor of Environmental Politics & International Relations, UNSW Sydney The United States’ and Israel’s strikes on Iran are concerning, and not just for the questionable legal justifications provided by both governments. Even if their attacks cause severe damage to Iran’s nuclear facilities, this will only

Iran’s internet blackout left people in the dark. How does a country shut down the internet?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mohiuddin Ahmed, Senior Lecturer of Computing and Security, Edith Cowan University Dylan Carr/Unsplash In recent days, Iranians experienced a near-complete internet blackout, with local service providers – including mobile services – repeatedly going offline. Iran’s government has cited cyber security concerns for ordering the shutdown. Shutting off

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: On 3rd Anniversary of Roe Being Overturned, Murray, Baldwin, and Blumenthal Lead Senate Dems in a Bill to Restore Abortion Access Nationwide
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

Women’s Health Protection Act comes as Trump and Congressional Republicans move to restrict a woman’s right to choose and toward a national abortion ban

Washington, D.C. — Today, on the third anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member and former chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), led the entire Senate Democratic caucus in introducing the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025, legislation to guarantee access to abortion everywhere across the country and restore the right to comprehensive reproductive health care for millions of Americans. The bill’s introduction comes as the Trump Administration further attacks a woman’s right to choose and Congressional Republicans barrel ahead with a bill that defunds Planned Parenthood. Put together, Trump and Congressional Republicans’ assault on Americans’ reproductive rights is a backdoor national abortion ban, ripping away millions of women’s access to abortion care and right to control their bodies.

“Three years ago, Donald Trump and Republicans succeeded in overturning Roe, ripping away a Constitutional right for the first time in American history, and causing a full-blown health care crisis in our nation. Since then, we have seen with painful clarity how Republican abortion bans are putting women’s lives in danger, forcing providers to close their doors, decimating access to maternal health care, and forcing women to remain pregnant—no matter their circumstances,” said Senator Murray. “I’m proud to join my colleagues in reintroducing the Women’s Health Protection Act to restore the right to abortion and end the national nightmare Republicans created by overturning Roe. Democrats will never stop fighting to restore abortion access nationwide—nothing less.”

“First, Donald Trump and Republicans overturned Roe v Wade. Now, they are continuing their crusade for a national abortion ban, stripping away a woman’s right to choose and control her body, healthcare, and future. Republicans continue to show that they will stop at nothing in their pursuit to stop a woman from having the right to choose,” said Senator Baldwin. “In Wisconsin, we’ve seen how these attacks on women’s reproductive rights and freedoms have hurt our neighbors, friends, and families – and we won’t stand for it. The Women’s Health Protection Act is a necessary step to restore Americans’ constitutional right to choose what’s best for their families, stop Congressional and state-level Republicans from further putting themselves between a doctor and a woman, and once and for all, give women their rights and freedoms back.”

“This issue is about more than health care; it is about women’s rights, individual rights, and human rights. The foundation of the Women’s Health Protection Act is simply the right to make your own health care decisions. Three years after Dobbs, American women don’t have that right. Today, thanks to Republican lawmakers and conservative courts, a woman in America might walk into an ER and faint, bleeding, and be refused treatment. That woman might die,” said Senator Blumenthal. “By restoring abortion access and implementing basic protections against medically unnecessary restrictions on health care, the Women’s Health Protection Act overturns the death sentence handed down by Dobbs.”

President Trump appointed the Supreme Court Justices who ruled in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case to overturn Roe v. Wade and nearly 50 years of precedent. Since the Dobbs decision, 19 states have banned abortion or severely restricted women from being able to access the procedure, leaving one in three American women without access to safe, legal abortion care. Additionally, state legislatures across the country have introduced hundreds of bills to include medically unnecessary restrictions that limit access to abortion care.

In his second term, President Trump has continued to relentlessly attack reproductive rights, including freezing Title X funding for clinics that offer reproductive care, cutting Biden-era emergency abortion protections, pardoning anti-abortion extremists, and fighting to defund Planned Parenthood. Additionally, the House-passed Republican budget bill kicks 16 million people off their health insurance and defunds Planned Parenthood – threatening the closure of 200 health centers across the country and putting access to vital reproductive care for millions of families at risk.

The Women’s Health Protection Act creates federal rights for patients and providers to protect abortion access. Specifically, the Women’s Health Protection Act would:
- Prohibit states from imposing restrictions that jeopardize access to abortion earlier in pregnancy, including many of the state-level restrictions in place prior to Dobbs, such as arbitrary waiting periods, medically unnecessary mandatory ultrasounds, or requirements to provide medically inaccurate information.
- Ensure that later in pregnancy, states cannot limit access to abortion if it would jeopardize the life or health of the mother.
- Protect the ability to travel out of state for an abortion, which has become increasingly common in recent years.
The legislation is sponsored by the entire Democratic caucus, including Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D- DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), 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), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

The full text of the bill is available here.
MIL OSI USA News –
June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: At Dobbs Spotlight Forum, Senator Murray, Senate Democrats Highlight Trump & Republicans’ Backdoor Abortion Ban & Efforts to Rip Away Reproductive Health Care Nationwide

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

***WATCH: Video of full forum***

***WATCH and READ: Senator Murray’s opening remarks***

Washington, D.C. — Today—on the three-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s disastrous decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overturning the constitutional right to abortion—U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member and former chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Tina Smith (D-MN) hosted a spotlight forum titled Under Attack: Republicans’ Escalating War on Reproductive Freedom. At the forum, Senate Democrats heard from four panelists who have suffered the consequences of the Dobbs decision and subsequent Republican abortion bans firsthand and warned about how President Trump and Republicans are only escalating their attacks on women’s health care and working to make abortion impossible to access anywhere—a backdoor nationwide abortion ban.

The senators’ spotlight forum comes as President Trump has taken direct aim at reproductive health care in his first few months in office, including by: pardoning anti-abortion extremists found guilty of assaulting and injuring abortion clinic staff and announcing that his Department of Justice will largely no longer enforce the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act; attacking mifepristone based on anti-abortion junk science; laying the groundwork to make “fetal personhood” the law of the land—which would ban abortion in every state and curtail pregnant women’s rights; rescinding CMS guidance reaffirming that the Emergency Medical Treatment & Labor Act (EMTALA) requires hospitals to provide life-saving care to pregnant women suffering medical emergencies, which might include abortion care in certain situations; repealing two Executive Orders that sought to protect and expand access to reproductive health care in the aftermath of Dobbs; reinstating the Global Gag Rule that targets reproductive health care around the world; scrubbing government websites of vital information about reproductive health care; and appointing notorious anti-abortion extremists for influential roles in his administration, including Pam Bondi as Attorney General, Russell Vought as OMB Director, and John Sauer as Solicitor General—among much else.

Additionally, right now Republicans in Congress are pushing through a budget reconciliation bill that would make abortion care impossible to access nearly everywhere by defunding Planned Parenthood—putting 200 health centers across the country at risk of closure, 90 percent of which are in states where abortion is legal—and by effectively banning ACA marketplace health plans from covering abortion care. Overall, Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act would kick 16 million people off their health insurance through massive cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and overwhelmingly impact women, who comprise most adults covered by Medicaid. Medicaid is the primary source of coverage and the largest single payer for pregnant women’s health care nationwide, covering between one-third and one-half of births in every state across the country.

“Already, we have seen with painful clarity, how—on a daily basis—Republican abortion bans are putting women’s lives in danger, forcing providers to close their doors, decimating access to maternal health care, and forcing women to remain pregnant—no matter their circumstances. But Dobbs was never the end of this fight for Republicans, whose goal has always been a national abortion ban. And since Republicans know they don’t have the votes right now to pass a national abortion ban outright, they are slowly, but surely, advancing a backdoor nationwide abortion ban, and chipping away at access to reproductive health care piece-by-piece—even in states where abortion is protected. Republicans are hoping no one will notice these attacks—as if people don’t care when their rights are stripped away. As if it’s easy to miss the moment your health care decisions are out of your control,” said Senator Patty Murray. “As hard as Republicans might try, the damage they are causing is undeniable. But that doesn’t mean we give up. Women’s lives are at stake—Democrats are not going to stop pushing back—not ever. We will keep pushing for legislation to protect women and health care providers from Republican prosecution, to help people access and afford the reproductive health care they need, to protect women’s private health data, to protect the Right to Contraception and the Right to IVF, and to restore the right to abortion nationwide—nothing less.”

“When I was ten weeks pregnant, doctors informed me that my baby had acrania, a rare condition that was fatal for my baby, and dangerous for me. Naturally, I was heartbroken and scared, but I trusted that I would receive the necessary medical treatment so that my family and I could begin healing. Unfortunately, I was wrong. Just a few weeks before I received my diagnosis, the Supreme Court issued their decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, overturning Roe v. Wade and eliminating the legal right to abortion. The fallout from the decision was fast, with states across the country starting to enforce cruel and dangerous abortion bans,” said Nancy Davis of Louisiana, Founder and Executive Director of the Nancy Davis Foundation. “My home state of Louisiana has some of the strictest abortion laws in the country, and even though I needed to terminate my pregnancy to protect my own health and safety, I was told I could not receive care at the hospital in Baton Rouge. Instead of being able to process the diagnosis and grieve the loss of my pregnancy at home with my family, I had to scramble to find a way out of Louisiana to access abortion care. I found myself in a situation I never thought I would be in, forced to travel nearly 1,500 miles to get the care I needed and deserved. I experienced not only a denial of necessary medical care, but a denial of compassion, and my right to make my own decision about my own health. I felt dehumanized and stripped of my most fundamental rights. I knew what I needed to do to protect my health, and my doctors agreed, but local lawmakers who will never know me or understand my situation had the final say. The system failed me, and I am just as outraged today as I was then.”

“I was raised in St. Louis and I love living in Missouri. But, it is challenging to fulfill your job as a physician when you cannot practice medicine as you were trained to do or teach medical students about abortion in the community and state where you live…It is infuriating and irresponsible that because of abortion bans, OBs can teach our students all aspects of medical care—except abortion. When you go to the doctor, you want your doctor to be trained. Anti-abortion politicians and groups have claimed that abortion rights have been left up to the state. That is simply not true. Last fall, Missouri voters approved a constitutional amendment ensuring the right to an abortion, but — despite the will of the voters — politicians and state officials are still interfering with patients’ rights. At every turn, when we finally make progress towards abortion access in Missouri, they move the goalposts on us. The only way to describe our experience over the last several months is whiplash,” said Dr. Margaret Baum, M.D., FACOG, Chief Medical Officer of Planned Parenthood Great Rivers in Missouri. “I have seen first-hand that these draconian laws force patients to make impossible choices when Medicaid cannot cover their care. People delay care because they’re afraid that they are not going to have the coverage for the services we know that they need. Patients are forced to decide if they can pay out of pocket to get lab tests. They are forced to decide between the procedures they need. They are forced to sometimes forego services altogether. It is critical for lawmakers to understand that the decisions they make are affecting patients every. Single. Day. And now, once again, they want to bring this chaos and confusion to the national level. I’m here to tell you today that the Senate bill proposing to ‘defund’ Planned Parenthood would be devastating. It could force nearly 200 Planned Parenthood health centers to close and is a trojan horse for a nationwide abortion ban.”

“Back before the FACE Act protections, our clinic doors were routinely blockaded one day a month by a mob of 300 to 400 anti-abortion extremists. Those days were unpredictable and scary. If we tried to get through them and into the clinic, extremists pinched or pricked us with sharp objects. By the end of the day, our patients were all traumatized and uncared for – and our bodies were black and blue. We can’t go back to those days…I proudly advocated for this Act when it was being debated in the 1990s – I am outraged and heartbroken we have to do this again. The law works at protecting rights, including speech rights, something I witness daily. As soon as the Act took effect, the extreme blockades stopped. Yes, we still had protesters exercising their First Amendment Rights, but now they knew they couldn’t be violent, and they could not invade the clinics or block staff and patients from entering. FACE has helped preserve the dignity and safety of the patients we serve, and the professionals who care for them,” said Renee Chelian, Founder and CEO of Michigan-based Northland Family Planning Centers. “But then in 2017, when President Trump first took office extremists were emboldened to resume their violent attacks, despite FACE, knowing they had a friend in the White House. Twice they invaded our clinics, harassed patients and staff and refused to leave after trespass warnings were given. Even after law enforcement arrived, they refused to leave, went limp and had to be carried out one at a time. But the most appalling and dangerous episode occurred toward the end of Trump’s first term, in August of 2020. A group blockaded our doors preventing staff and patients from entering the clinic including those arriving for birth control appointments and three women scheduled for abortions after receiving a fatal fetal diagnosis…Within days of returning to the White House, sure enough, President Trump pardoned the violent offenders who attacked our clinic and others serving time for violence against clinics in other states, as well as those convicted for their actions here on January 6th. We were all abandoned by our government with that swipe of a pen. The FACE Act has been our only lever preventing clinic violence and holding anti-abortion criminals accountable. The FACE Act simply can’t be undone and it is up to lawmakers like you to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

“Right now, the Trump administration is taking unprecedented action to roll back abortion rights,” said Mini Timmaraju, President and CEO of Reproductive Freedom for All. “The majority of Americans do not support right-wing, hate-fueled ideology. Eight in ten Americans want legal abortion. That’s not just a majority—that’s a consensus. But because of the daily churn of chaos from the White House, most Americans don’t know that Republicans are attacking abortion. Our new focus group research shows that when Americans know these attacks are happening, they feel disgusted and betrayed. That means if we’re louder about this issue, we can win. Senator Murray and many of the champions in this room have long been the conscience of the Senate, and it’s time for all Senate Democrats to join them. We need to do everything we can to loudly push back against this administration’s attacks on our bodies, lives, and futures. We are living through remarkably dangerous times, and this is the moment to act. Our rights are not safe under this administration, and that includes abortion rights. In order to protect the safety, health, and dignity of all Americans, we need you to keep fighting. The majority of Americans are on our side, and together, we will protect reproductive freedom and restore abortion rights for all.”

“Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans paved the path to overturn Roe v. Wade and stripped away a woman’s right to choose, but that wasn’t enough for them,” said Senator Tammy Baldwin. “Now, they are putting the puzzle pieces together to finally get what they have long wanted: a national abortion ban. Wisconsinites have said time and again that they want the freedom to control their bodies and futures, without politicians or the government butting in – and that is exactly what I’m fighting for. We are going to keep shining a light on Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans’ cruel efforts to further chip away at women’s right to get the health care they want and deserve – including abortion care.”

“Since Trump’s Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, we’ve seen a new form of hell at every turn,” said Senator Elizabeth Warren. “Now, Republicans in Congress are on track to pass a bill that amounts to a backdoor ban on abortion – even in states where it’s protected. Republicans’ bill to cut Medicaid and defund Planned Parenthood is a one-two punch to women across the country, and we are not going to let them get away with it.”

“Three years after the Supreme Court ruled in the Dobbs decision, it’s become difficult and dangerous for women to access basic reproductive care, and Trump and Republicans in Congress are continuing to chip away at access and stoke the danger. I worked at Planned Parenthood, and I know all too well that receiving credible death threats is a fact of life for so many people who work in reproductive health care,” said Senator Tina Smith. “We’re seeing an uptick in threats against abortion providers and patients, meanwhile President Trump is actively pardoning anti-abortion extremists found guilty of harassment and violence. That’s why we are spotlighting the voices of leaders working on the frontlines of providing reproductive health care in the face of these threats at this important moment.”

“The deadly Dobbs decision will go down in history as one of the worst, most harmful, most regressive decisions in modern history, said Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer. “As bad as the Dobbs decision was and as catastrophic as the impacts have already been, Republicans are doubling down on their crusade against access to reproductive healthcare in their big, ugly reconciliation bill. Democrats are going to fight like hell to strip these cruel provisions from the Republican bill, and to protect and restore reproductive freedom for all.”

“This issue is about more than health care; it is about women’s rights, individual rights, and human rights. It is about the right to make your own health care decisions,” said Senator Richard Blumenthal. “Three years after Dobbs, American women don’t have that right. Today, thanks to Republican lawmakers and conservative courts, a woman in America might walk into an ER and faint, bleeding, and be refused treatment. That woman might die. But we aren’t giving up, and we will never stop fighting for reproductive justice, abortion access, and the simple, foundational right to choose your own health care.”

“The Guttmacher Institute said 155,000 people traveled for an abortion in 2024,” said Senator Maria Cantwell. “We are forcing them to go get care in some other state, miles and miles away. Why? Because of this archaic decision. Now, we have two problems. We have people coming to our state who want this care, but now we could have fewer Medicaid dollars to even provide the care.”

“With all the chaos and damage this administration has caused, the anniversary of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade reminds us that we can’t lose sight of the fact that anti-choice politicians at all levels of our government are working nonstop to roll back women’s access to reproductive care,” said Senator Catherine Cortez Masto. “Between devastating cuts to Medicaid in Republicans’ reconciliation bill to top officials in this administration calling the safety of the abortion pill into question, Republicans across our country are taking steps to claw back women’s rights. My Democratic colleagues and I will never stop sounding the alarm about this and working to restore women’s access to basic health care.”

“Three years ago, the Supreme Court’s conservative supermajority abandoned the long-standing constitutional protections recognized in Roe v. Wade—rejecting nearly 50 years of progress and dragging gender equality and women’s rights half a century backward,” said Senator Dick Durbin. “What has happened in the wake of Dobbs was as predictable as it is devastating—and today we heard how devastating the last three years have been for women seeking critical health care in Republican-led states. While I cannot sugarcoat the state of women’s rights following Dobbs, I want to make one thing crystal clear: this fight is far from over. I thank my colleagues, Senators Murray, Baldwin, Smith, and Warren, for hosting such an important forum and keeping up the fight.”

“I was proud to join my colleagues today to hear directly from those who have suffered due to the deadly Dobbs decision and under Republicans’ anti-choice agenda,” said Senator Mazie Hirono. “Three years after the fall of Roe, Republicans continue to escalate their assault on reproductive freedom, while women across the country experience the devastating impacts of this infringement on their fundamental rights. Dobbs caused chaos and confusion, putting millions of Americans’ lives at risk, but I will not stop doing everything in my power to restore access to abortion and family planning services nationwide and protect reproductive health care providers and their patients.”

“Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade three years ago, women have been at the mercy of a patchwork of laws. Over 40 percent of women of reproductive age now live under extreme and dangerous bans, women are being turned away from emergency rooms, and doctors are threatened with prosecution for just doing their jobs. This cannot be a country where our daughters have fewer rights than their mothers and grandmothers. That is why we must pass the Women’s Health Protection Act and put the protections of Roe v. Wade into law,” said Senator Amy Klobuchar.

“In the three years since the Trump-packed Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Republican-led states have passed waves of harmful laws stripping Americans of the freedom to make their own health care decisions. Despite the life-threatening consequences of these actions, the Trump Administration is escalating its attacks on access to reproductive health care across the country—including in states where it’s protected. The stories we heard today underscored the urgent need to protect reproductive care as a matter of federal law,” said Senator Chris Van Hollen.

Today, Senator Murray also joined Senators Tammy Baldwin and Richard Blumenthal to introduce the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025, legislation to guarantee access to abortion everywhere across the country and restore the right to comprehensive reproductive health care for millions of Americans.

Senator Murray is a longtime leader in the fight to protect and expand access to reproductive health care and abortion rights, and she has led Congressional efforts to fight back after the Supreme Court’s disastrous decision overturning Roe v. Wade. Murray has introduced more than a dozen pieces of legislation to protect reproductive rights from further attacks, protect providers, and help ensure women get the care they need; Murray has led efforts to push for passage of these bills on the Senate floor multiple times. Last January, on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, Murray led her colleagues in hosting a “State of Abortion Rights” briefing with women who have suffered firsthand from Republican abortion bans, and last June, she chaired a HELP Committee hearing titled “The Assault on Women’s Freedoms: How Abortion Bans Have Created a Health Care Nightmare Across America.” Last year, Senator Murray helped lead efforts to force Republicans on the record on votes to protect access to contraception and access to IVF (twice), and she led her colleagues in raising the alarm about the threat a second Trump administration poses to reproductive rights and abortion access in every state, as outlined in Project 2025.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: At Dobbs Spotlight Forum, Senator Murray, Senate Democrats Highlight Trump & Republicans’ Backdoor Abortion Ban & Efforts to Rip Away Reproductive Health Care Nationwide

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

***WATCH: Video of full forum***

***WATCH and READ: Senator Murray’s opening remarks***

Washington, D.C. — Today—on the three-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s disastrous decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overturning the constitutional right to abortion—U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member and former chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Tina Smith (D-MN) hosted a spotlight forum titled Under Attack: Republicans’ Escalating War on Reproductive Freedom. At the forum, Senate Democrats heard from four panelists who have suffered the consequences of the Dobbs decision and subsequent Republican abortion bans firsthand and warned about how President Trump and Republicans are only escalating their attacks on women’s health care and working to make abortion impossible to access anywhere—a backdoor nationwide abortion ban.

The senators’ spotlight forum comes as President Trump has taken direct aim at reproductive health care in his first few months in office, including by: pardoning anti-abortion extremists found guilty of assaulting and injuring abortion clinic staff and announcing that his Department of Justice will largely no longer enforce the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act; attacking mifepristone based on anti-abortion junk science; laying the groundwork to make “fetal personhood” the law of the land—which would ban abortion in every state and curtail pregnant women’s rights; rescinding CMS guidance reaffirming that the Emergency Medical Treatment & Labor Act (EMTALA) requires hospitals to provide life-saving care to pregnant women suffering medical emergencies, which might include abortion care in certain situations; repealing two Executive Orders that sought to protect and expand access to reproductive health care in the aftermath of Dobbs; reinstating the Global Gag Rule that targets reproductive health care around the world; scrubbing government websites of vital information about reproductive health care; and appointing notorious anti-abortion extremists for influential roles in his administration, including Pam Bondi as Attorney General, Russell Vought as OMB Director, and John Sauer as Solicitor General—among much else.

Additionally, right now Republicans in Congress are pushing through a budget reconciliation bill that would make abortion care impossible to access nearly everywhere by defunding Planned Parenthood—putting 200 health centers across the country at risk of closure, 90 percent of which are in states where abortion is legal—and by effectively banning ACA marketplace health plans from covering abortion care. Overall, Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act would kick 16 million people off their health insurance through massive cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and overwhelmingly impact women, who comprise most adults covered by Medicaid. Medicaid is the primary source of coverage and the largest single payer for pregnant women’s health care nationwide, covering between one-third and one-half of births in every state across the country.

“Already, we have seen with painful clarity, how—on a daily basis—Republican abortion bans are putting women’s lives in danger, forcing providers to close their doors, decimating access to maternal health care, and forcing women to remain pregnant—no matter their circumstances. But Dobbs was never the end of this fight for Republicans, whose goal has always been a national abortion ban. And since Republicans know they don’t have the votes right now to pass a national abortion ban outright, they are slowly, but surely, advancing a backdoor nationwide abortion ban, and chipping away at access to reproductive health care piece-by-piece—even in states where abortion is protected. Republicans are hoping no one will notice these attacks—as if people don’t care when their rights are stripped away. As if it’s easy to miss the moment your health care decisions are out of your control,” said Senator Patty Murray. “As hard as Republicans might try, the damage they are causing is undeniable. But that doesn’t mean we give up. Women’s lives are at stake—Democrats are not going to stop pushing back—not ever. We will keep pushing for legislation to protect women and health care providers from Republican prosecution, to help people access and afford the reproductive health care they need, to protect women’s private health data, to protect the Right to Contraception and the Right to IVF, and to restore the right to abortion nationwide—nothing less.”

“When I was ten weeks pregnant, doctors informed me that my baby had acrania, a rare condition that was fatal for my baby, and dangerous for me. Naturally, I was heartbroken and scared, but I trusted that I would receive the necessary medical treatment so that my family and I could begin healing. Unfortunately, I was wrong. Just a few weeks before I received my diagnosis, the Supreme Court issued their decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, overturning Roe v. Wade and eliminating the legal right to abortion. The fallout from the decision was fast, with states across the country starting to enforce cruel and dangerous abortion bans,” said Nancy Davis of Louisiana, Founder and Executive Director of the Nancy Davis Foundation. “My home state of Louisiana has some of the strictest abortion laws in the country, and even though I needed to terminate my pregnancy to protect my own health and safety, I was told I could not receive care at the hospital in Baton Rouge. Instead of being able to process the diagnosis and grieve the loss of my pregnancy at home with my family, I had to scramble to find a way out of Louisiana to access abortion care. I found myself in a situation I never thought I would be in, forced to travel nearly 1,500 miles to get the care I needed and deserved. I experienced not only a denial of necessary medical care, but a denial of compassion, and my right to make my own decision about my own health. I felt dehumanized and stripped of my most fundamental rights. I knew what I needed to do to protect my health, and my doctors agreed, but local lawmakers who will never know me or understand my situation had the final say. The system failed me, and I am just as outraged today as I was then.”

“I was raised in St. Louis and I love living in Missouri. But, it is challenging to fulfill your job as a physician when you cannot practice medicine as you were trained to do or teach medical students about abortion in the community and state where you live…It is infuriating and irresponsible that because of abortion bans, OBs can teach our students all aspects of medical care—except abortion. When you go to the doctor, you want your doctor to be trained. Anti-abortion politicians and groups have claimed that abortion rights have been left up to the state. That is simply not true. Last fall, Missouri voters approved a constitutional amendment ensuring the right to an abortion, but — despite the will of the voters — politicians and state officials are still interfering with patients’ rights. At every turn, when we finally make progress towards abortion access in Missouri, they move the goalposts on us. The only way to describe our experience over the last several months is whiplash,” said Dr. Margaret Baum, M.D., FACOG, Chief Medical Officer of Planned Parenthood Great Rivers in Missouri. “I have seen first-hand that these draconian laws force patients to make impossible choices when Medicaid cannot cover their care. People delay care because they’re afraid that they are not going to have the coverage for the services we know that they need. Patients are forced to decide if they can pay out of pocket to get lab tests. They are forced to decide between the procedures they need. They are forced to sometimes forego services altogether. It is critical for lawmakers to understand that the decisions they make are affecting patients every. Single. Day. And now, once again, they want to bring this chaos and confusion to the national level. I’m here to tell you today that the Senate bill proposing to ‘defund’ Planned Parenthood would be devastating. It could force nearly 200 Planned Parenthood health centers to close and is a trojan horse for a nationwide abortion ban.”

“Back before the FACE Act protections, our clinic doors were routinely blockaded one day a month by a mob of 300 to 400 anti-abortion extremists. Those days were unpredictable and scary. If we tried to get through them and into the clinic, extremists pinched or pricked us with sharp objects. By the end of the day, our patients were all traumatized and uncared for – and our bodies were black and blue. We can’t go back to those days…I proudly advocated for this Act when it was being debated in the 1990s – I am outraged and heartbroken we have to do this again. The law works at protecting rights, including speech rights, something I witness daily. As soon as the Act took effect, the extreme blockades stopped. Yes, we still had protesters exercising their First Amendment Rights, but now they knew they couldn’t be violent, and they could not invade the clinics or block staff and patients from entering. FACE has helped preserve the dignity and safety of the patients we serve, and the professionals who care for them,” said Renee Chelian, Founder and CEO of Michigan-based Northland Family Planning Centers. “But then in 2017, when President Trump first took office extremists were emboldened to resume their violent attacks, despite FACE, knowing they had a friend in the White House. Twice they invaded our clinics, harassed patients and staff and refused to leave after trespass warnings were given. Even after law enforcement arrived, they refused to leave, went limp and had to be carried out one at a time. But the most appalling and dangerous episode occurred toward the end of Trump’s first term, in August of 2020. A group blockaded our doors preventing staff and patients from entering the clinic including those arriving for birth control appointments and three women scheduled for abortions after receiving a fatal fetal diagnosis…Within days of returning to the White House, sure enough, President Trump pardoned the violent offenders who attacked our clinic and others serving time for violence against clinics in other states, as well as those convicted for their actions here on January 6th. We were all abandoned by our government with that swipe of a pen. The FACE Act has been our only lever preventing clinic violence and holding anti-abortion criminals accountable. The FACE Act simply can’t be undone and it is up to lawmakers like you to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

“Right now, the Trump administration is taking unprecedented action to roll back abortion rights,” said Mini Timmaraju, President and CEO of Reproductive Freedom for All. “The majority of Americans do not support right-wing, hate-fueled ideology. Eight in ten Americans want legal abortion. That’s not just a majority—that’s a consensus. But because of the daily churn of chaos from the White House, most Americans don’t know that Republicans are attacking abortion. Our new focus group research shows that when Americans know these attacks are happening, they feel disgusted and betrayed. That means if we’re louder about this issue, we can win. Senator Murray and many of the champions in this room have long been the conscience of the Senate, and it’s time for all Senate Democrats to join them. We need to do everything we can to loudly push back against this administration’s attacks on our bodies, lives, and futures. We are living through remarkably dangerous times, and this is the moment to act. Our rights are not safe under this administration, and that includes abortion rights. In order to protect the safety, health, and dignity of all Americans, we need you to keep fighting. The majority of Americans are on our side, and together, we will protect reproductive freedom and restore abortion rights for all.”

“Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans paved the path to overturn Roe v. Wade and stripped away a woman’s right to choose, but that wasn’t enough for them,” said Senator Tammy Baldwin. “Now, they are putting the puzzle pieces together to finally get what they have long wanted: a national abortion ban. Wisconsinites have said time and again that they want the freedom to control their bodies and futures, without politicians or the government butting in – and that is exactly what I’m fighting for. We are going to keep shining a light on Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans’ cruel efforts to further chip away at women’s right to get the health care they want and deserve – including abortion care.”

“Since Trump’s Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, we’ve seen a new form of hell at every turn,” said Senator Elizabeth Warren. “Now, Republicans in Congress are on track to pass a bill that amounts to a backdoor ban on abortion – even in states where it’s protected. Republicans’ bill to cut Medicaid and defund Planned Parenthood is a one-two punch to women across the country, and we are not going to let them get away with it.”

“Three years after the Supreme Court ruled in the Dobbs decision, it’s become difficult and dangerous for women to access basic reproductive care, and Trump and Republicans in Congress are continuing to chip away at access and stoke the danger. I worked at Planned Parenthood, and I know all too well that receiving credible death threats is a fact of life for so many people who work in reproductive health care,” said Senator Tina Smith. “We’re seeing an uptick in threats against abortion providers and patients, meanwhile President Trump is actively pardoning anti-abortion extremists found guilty of harassment and violence. That’s why we are spotlighting the voices of leaders working on the frontlines of providing reproductive health care in the face of these threats at this important moment.”

“The deadly Dobbs decision will go down in history as one of the worst, most harmful, most regressive decisions in modern history, said Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer. “As bad as the Dobbs decision was and as catastrophic as the impacts have already been, Republicans are doubling down on their crusade against access to reproductive healthcare in their big, ugly reconciliation bill. Democrats are going to fight like hell to strip these cruel provisions from the Republican bill, and to protect and restore reproductive freedom for all.”

“This issue is about more than health care; it is about women’s rights, individual rights, and human rights. It is about the right to make your own health care decisions,” said Senator Richard Blumenthal. “Three years after Dobbs, American women don’t have that right. Today, thanks to Republican lawmakers and conservative courts, a woman in America might walk into an ER and faint, bleeding, and be refused treatment. That woman might die. But we aren’t giving up, and we will never stop fighting for reproductive justice, abortion access, and the simple, foundational right to choose your own health care.”

“The Guttmacher Institute said 155,000 people traveled for an abortion in 2024,” said Senator Maria Cantwell. “We are forcing them to go get care in some other state, miles and miles away. Why? Because of this archaic decision. Now, we have two problems. We have people coming to our state who want this care, but now we could have fewer Medicaid dollars to even provide the care.”

“With all the chaos and damage this administration has caused, the anniversary of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade reminds us that we can’t lose sight of the fact that anti-choice politicians at all levels of our government are working nonstop to roll back women’s access to reproductive care,” said Senator Catherine Cortez Masto. “Between devastating cuts to Medicaid in Republicans’ reconciliation bill to top officials in this administration calling the safety of the abortion pill into question, Republicans across our country are taking steps to claw back women’s rights. My Democratic colleagues and I will never stop sounding the alarm about this and working to restore women’s access to basic health care.”

“Three years ago, the Supreme Court’s conservative supermajority abandoned the long-standing constitutional protections recognized in Roe v. Wade—rejecting nearly 50 years of progress and dragging gender equality and women’s rights half a century backward,” said Senator Dick Durbin. “What has happened in the wake of Dobbs was as predictable as it is devastating—and today we heard how devastating the last three years have been for women seeking critical health care in Republican-led states. While I cannot sugarcoat the state of women’s rights following Dobbs, I want to make one thing crystal clear: this fight is far from over. I thank my colleagues, Senators Murray, Baldwin, Smith, and Warren, for hosting such an important forum and keeping up the fight.”

“I was proud to join my colleagues today to hear directly from those who have suffered due to the deadly Dobbs decision and under Republicans’ anti-choice agenda,” said Senator Mazie Hirono. “Three years after the fall of Roe, Republicans continue to escalate their assault on reproductive freedom, while women across the country experience the devastating impacts of this infringement on their fundamental rights. Dobbs caused chaos and confusion, putting millions of Americans’ lives at risk, but I will not stop doing everything in my power to restore access to abortion and family planning services nationwide and protect reproductive health care providers and their patients.”

“Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade three years ago, women have been at the mercy of a patchwork of laws. Over 40 percent of women of reproductive age now live under extreme and dangerous bans, women are being turned away from emergency rooms, and doctors are threatened with prosecution for just doing their jobs. This cannot be a country where our daughters have fewer rights than their mothers and grandmothers. That is why we must pass the Women’s Health Protection Act and put the protections of Roe v. Wade into law,” said Senator Amy Klobuchar.

“In the three years since the Trump-packed Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Republican-led states have passed waves of harmful laws stripping Americans of the freedom to make their own health care decisions. Despite the life-threatening consequences of these actions, the Trump Administration is escalating its attacks on access to reproductive health care across the country—including in states where it’s protected. The stories we heard today underscored the urgent need to protect reproductive care as a matter of federal law,” said Senator Chris Van Hollen.

Today, Senator Murray also joined Senators Tammy Baldwin and Richard Blumenthal to introduce the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025, legislation to guarantee access to abortion everywhere across the country and restore the right to comprehensive reproductive health care for millions of Americans.

Senator Murray is a longtime leader in the fight to protect and expand access to reproductive health care and abortion rights, and she has led Congressional efforts to fight back after the Supreme Court’s disastrous decision overturning Roe v. Wade. Murray has introduced more than a dozen pieces of legislation to protect reproductive rights from further attacks, protect providers, and help ensure women get the care they need; Murray has led efforts to push for passage of these bills on the Senate floor multiple times. Last January, on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, Murray led her colleagues in hosting a “State of Abortion Rights” briefing with women who have suffered firsthand from Republican abortion bans, and last June, she chaired a HELP Committee hearing titled “The Assault on Women’s Freedoms: How Abortion Bans Have Created a Health Care Nightmare Across America.” Last year, Senator Murray helped lead efforts to force Republicans on the record on votes to protect access to contraception and access to IVF (twice), and she led her colleagues in raising the alarm about the threat a second Trump administration poses to reproductive rights and abortion access in every state, as outlined in Project 2025.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 25, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Why have athletes stopped ‘taking a knee’?

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ciprian N. Radavoi, Associate Professor in Law, University of Southern Queensland

Eli Harold, Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid of the San Francisco 49ers kneel ahead of a game in 2016. Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images

It’s almost a decade since San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick started a worldwide trend and sparked fierce debate when he knelt during the US national anthem.

In 2016, Kaepernick refused to follow the pre-game protocol related to the national anthem and knelt instead, saying:

I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of colour.

Soon, many athletes and teams began “taking a knee” at sports events to express their solidarity with victims of racial injustice.

Now, they appear to have stopped, which prompted us to research the decline.

Initial widespread support

Following the intense public debate over the appropriateness of Kaepernick’s act, the ritual quickly spread worldwide, with athletes in major soccer leagues, cricket, rugby, Formula 1, top-tier tennis and the US’s Major League Baseball and National Basketball Association taking a knee.

Athletes didn’t always kneel during national anthems, with the majority kneeling at certain points pre-game.

Despite the occasional “defection” of a small number of players who would stand while their teammates knelt – such as Israel Folau in rugby league, Wilfried Zaha in soccer and Quinton de Kock in cricket – the ritual was widely embraced by teams and athletes and helped raise awareness of the issue.

Even major sports organisations notorious for prohibiting any type of political activism generally accepted the kneeling ritual. For example, soccer’s International Football Federation (FIFA) showcased kneeling as a “stand against discrimination” and as human rights advocacy.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) initially stood firm by its Rule 50, which states “no kind of demonstration or political, religious, or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas”.

But just three weeks before the 2021 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo, the IOC relaxed its interpretation, and athletes were permitted to express their views in ways that included taking a knee.

A surprising turn of events

Despite permission and even encouragement from sports governing bodies, our research shows the practice is disappearing from major sports competitions.

Take soccer, for example. At the FIFA World Cup 2022, England and Wales were the only national teams that knelt at their games in Qatar.

At the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 in Australia and New Zealand, no teams or players knelt.

The same happened at the 2024 Olympic soccer tournament in Paris.

That only a handful of teams knelt in Tokyo at the 2021 Olympics, two at the FIFA Mens’ World Cup in Qatar in 2022, none at the FIFA Womens’ World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in 2023, and again none at the Paris 2024 Olympics indicates a growing reluctance throughout the sports world.

This surely cannot mean athletes have become indifferent to racial injustice or other forms of oppression in the interval between the late 2010s and the mid-2020s.

The explanation must be sought elsewhere. A hint was provided when Crystal Palace soccer player Zaha, the first player of colour in the UK who refused to kneel, explained:

I feel like taking the knee is degrading, because growing up my parents just let me know that I should be proud to be Black no matter what and I feel like we should just stand tall.

The explanation may therefore be, at least in part, the players’ uncomfortable feelings related to the kneeling posture.

In sociology, this bothersome state of mind is called “cognitive dissonance”: the mental conflict a person experiences in the presence of contrasting beliefs.

A history of kneeling

The body posture of kneeling is not deemed, in any culture, as expressing solidarity.

Ancient Greek and the Roman societies, on whose values Western civilisation was built, rejected kneeling as improper, even when praying to gods.

Then, with the spread of Christianity in the Western world, kneeling became widely used, but only as an act of worship, confessing guilt, or praying for mercy.

When performed outside the church, kneeling meant submission to nobility or royalty.

The significance of kneeling as humility is not limited to the Western world.

In African tribal culture, the young kneel in front of elders, and everyone kneels before the king.

In China in 1949, Chairman Mao famously proclaimed at the first plenary of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference:

From now on our nation […] will no longer be a nation subject to insult and humiliation. We have stood up.

With this in mind, kneeling may be deemed unfit at sporting events, which often feature a powerful cocktail of emotions, values and social expectations.

The inconsistency between the excitement of competition and the expectation to kneel — a gesture associated with submission and humility — likely creates a bothersome state of mind for athletes.

This potentially motivates some players to reject one of the two – in this case, the kneeling – to restore cognitive harmony.

What could replace the kneeling ritual?

After refusing, by unanimous players’ vote, to take a knee before their October 2020 game against the All Blacks, the Australian rugby union team chose instead to wear a First Nations jersey.

The same year, several teams in German soccer’s top league chose to show their support for Black Lives Matter by wearing distinctive armbands.

So it appears wearing a distinctive jersey or at least an armband is more easily accepted by modern-day athletes. This may be challenging given the governing bodies of many sports, such as FIFA, ban athletes from wearing political symbols on their clothing.

Depending on whether sports code accept this type of activism in the future, wearing suportive clothing could replace taking a knee as symbolic communication of solidarity with oppressed minorities.

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Why have athletes stopped ‘taking a knee’? – https://theconversation.com/why-have-athletes-stopped-taking-a-knee-259047

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: On 3rd Anniversary of Roe Being Overturned, Markey Joins Senate Dems in a Bill to Restore Abortion Access Nationwide
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

Women’s Health Protection Act comes as Trump and Congressional Republicans move to restrict a woman’s right to choose and toward a national abortion ban

Washington (June 24, 2025) – On the third anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) joined the entire Senate Democratic caucus in introducing the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025, legislation to guarantee access to abortion everywhere across the country and restore the right to comprehensive reproductive health care for millions of Americans. The bill’s introduction comes as the Trump Administration further attacks a woman’s right to choose and Congressional Republicans barrel ahead with a bill that defunds Planned Parenthood. Put together, Trump and Congressional Republicans’ assault on Americans’ reproductive rights is a backdoor national abortion ban, ripping away millions of women’s access to abortion care and right to control their bodies.

President Trump appointed the Supreme Court Justices who ruled in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case to overturn Roe v. Wade and nearly 50 years of precedent. Since the Dobbs decision, 19 states have banned abortion or severely restricted women from being able to access the procedure, leaving one in three American women without access to safe, legal abortion care. Additionally, state legislatures across the country have introduced hundreds of bills to include medically unnecessary restrictions that limit access to abortion care.

In his second term, President Trump has continued to relentlessly attack reproductive rights, including freezing Title X funding for clinics that offer reproductive care, cutting Biden-era emergency abortion protections, pardoning anti-abortion extremists, and fighting to defund Planned Parenthood. Additionally, the House-passed Republican budget bill kicks 16 million people off their health insurance and defunds Planned Parenthood – threatening the closure of 200 health centers across the country and putting access to vital reproductive care for millions of families at risk.

The Women’s Health Protection Act creates federal rights for patients and providers to protect abortion access. Specifically, the Women’s Health Protection Act would:
- Prohibit states from imposing restrictions that jeopardize access to abortion earlier in pregnancy, including many of the state-level restrictions in place prior to Dobbs, such as arbitrary waiting periods, medically unnecessary mandatory ultrasounds, or requirements to provide medically inaccurate information.
- Ensure that later in pregnancy, states cannot limit access to abortion if it would jeopardize the life or health of the mother.
- Protect the ability to travel out of state for an abortion, which has become increasingly common in recent years.
The legislation is sponsored by the entire Democratic caucus, including Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D- DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), 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), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

Full text of the bill is available here. A one-pager on the bill is available here.
MIL OSI USA News –
June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Markey Joins Booker, Jayapal, Barragán to Reintroduce Legislation Removing Barriers to Health Care for Immigrants
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

Washington (June 24, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today joined Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) along with U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07), Ranking Member of the Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee, and Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA-44) to introduce the Health Equity and Access under Law (HEAL) for Immigrant Families Act, bicameral legislation that removes cruel and unnecessary barriers to health care for immigrants of all statuses. The legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).

Immigrants are significantly more likely than U.S. Citizens to be uninsured, leaving them at a higher risk for both adverse health and financial consequences. Of the nearly 151 million people aged 15-49 in the United States, 14.6 million people—almost one in 10—are noncitizen immigrants.

“Trump and Republicans are working to rip health care coverage away from millions, including immigrant communities that are already too often left uninsured and vulnerable due to their immigration status. We must expand health care access for all and eliminate the discriminatory policies that prevent immigrant families and communities from seeking the health care they need,” said Senator Markey.

“Everyone deserves access to comprehensive, affordable, quality care, and the HEAL Act lifts unnecessary barriers to medical care for immigrants,” said Senator Booker. “A more equitable health care system will help create healthier communities and ensure that all families, regardless of immigration status, have access to the care they need.”

“Health care is a human right that must be accessible to everyone — regardless of immigration status,” said Representative Jayapal. “As a proud immigrant myself, I know that the HEAL Act is a necessary first step to allow more people across America to access the health care they need to live, making all of our communities healthier. As Republicans in Congress work to strip health coverage away from millions of Americans and further decimate our already broken immigration system, we’re working to ensure everyone in this country is able to see a doctor when they need it.”

“Access to healthcare shouldn’t depend on your immigration status,” said Representative Barragán. “Healthcare is a basic human right, and it’s time we break down the needless barriers that keep immigrant families from the care they need to survive and thrive. The HEAL Act is a step toward addressing racial health disparities and expanding quality healthcare to everyone in our communities.”

“Withholding health care from immigrants is cruel and doesn’t make our communities safer or healthier,” said Senator Warren. “While the Trump administration continues playing political games with immigrant families, Democrats are fighting to make sure a person’s immigration status doesn’t prevent them from getting life-saving care.”

“As the Trump Administration guts access to health care and basic services for immigrant communities, breaking down barriers to health care for immigrants isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s critical for protecting our public health and economy,” said Senator Padilla. “California is the fourth-largest economy in the world not despite immigrants, but because of their contributions to our workforce. Everyone deserves access to affordable, quality health care no matter their immigration status, and I will keep fighting to continue expanding coverage for these hardworking members of our communities.”

“Health care is a human right—regardless of a person’s immigration status. With this critical legislation, we remove cruel, unnecessary barriers preventing immigrants from receiving the care they need to survive and thrive. By providing access to quality care and treatment, we strengthen our communities and bolster our nation’s public health,” said Senator Blumenthal.

To see the full list of endorsing organizations, click here.

“Rep. Jayapal and Sen. Booker continue to be courageous and powerful champions for immigrant communities by reintroducing the HEAL for Immigrant Families Act. While immigrant families are currently being attacked and torn apart, this bill promotes a vision for what we want for our collective future. A future that supports immigrant communities by removing long standing systemic barriers to health coverage to help our communities access affordable health care. We are especially grateful that Sen. Booker and Rep. Jayapal are introducing this critical legislation today as we mark three years since the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision that overturned the constitutional right to abortion. That decision has disproportionately harmed immigrant communities, for whom abortion bans, misinformation, and the threat of being detained and separated from our families has increased the barriers that keep us from getting the health care we need,” said Lupe M. Rodríguez, Executive Director, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice. “We urge Congress to protect immigrant communities and pass this bill,” said Lupe M. Rodríguez, Executive Director, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice.

“The reproductive justice movement teaches us that true justice means being able to have children, not have children, and raise our families in safe, supportive communities. None of that is possible without health care. In a country that has always been shaped by immigrants, we cannot keep allowing people and families, including the Asian American immigrants who make up more than a quarter of immigrants in the U.S., to be shut out from basic health care because of harmful, outdated policies. These are our mothers, our sisters, and our neighbors. The HEAL Act tears down the barriers facing our communities and reaffirms that everyone deserves the right to care, regardless of background, income, or immigration status,” said Sung Yeon Choimorrow, Executive Director, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF).

“For too long, our health care system has denied immigrants equitable access to health insurance, fueling deep and unconscionable health inequities,” said Madeline Morcelle, Senior Attorney at the National Health Law Program. “The big ugly reconciliation bill before Congress threatens to lock even more immigrant families out of vital and often lifesaving coverage, widening those inequities. The National Health Law Program is proud to endorse the HEAL for Immigrant Families Act, which offers a better vision for the future: dismantling xenophobic health insurance barriers and fostering health equity and reproductive justice for all,” said Madeline Morcelle, Senior Attorney, The National Health Law Program.

“Everyone deserves access to health care, no matter who they are or where they come from. It is unacceptable and cruel that many are denied affordable, high-quality, and comprehensive health care because of their immigration status. Amid the ongoing attacks on our immigrant communities and our health care, I thank Reps. Jayapal and Barragán and Senator Booker for reintroducing this critical bill that would break down unjust barriers to care for our immigrant families,” said Alexis McGill Johnson, President and CEO, Planned Parenthood Action Fund.

“As a physician, I’ve witnessed the barriers immigrant families face when trying to access health care. Insurance coverage is a cornerstone of meaningful access; without it, care remains out of reach for too many. At a time when attacks on immigrant communities are escalating, we must act now to ensure that everyone—regardless of status—has the right to timely, compassionate, and comprehensive health care. That’s why I join physicians across the country in calling for a swift passage of the HEAL Act. Expanding health coverage to immigrant communities ensures they receive the care they deserve, regardless of their immigration status. Health is a human right and no one should be excluded from receiving healthcare. Congress must pass HEAL – our patients are counting on it,” said Dr. Jamila Perritt, MD, MPH, FACOG, President and CEO, Physicians for Reproductive Health.

“With immigrant families under constant attack, it’s more important than ever to work toward a better, more inclusive future when everyone can get the care we all need. We are proud to champion the HEAL Act – a critical step toward that better future,” said Adriana Cadena, Campaign Director, Protecting Immigrant Families Coalition.

“Now more than ever, it is critical to affirm that everyone—including immigrants—should have access to health care coverage. Immigrants already face many restrictions to such care and an onslaught of attacks on them and their families’ health and well-being, ranging from the fear created by the Administration’s mass deportation efforts to the deeply harmful budget reconciliation bill currently under consideration. The HEAL for Immigrant Families Act is a critical step in moving us back in the right direction by giving children and families access to the health care they need to thrive. CLASP is grateful to Representative Jayapal and Senator Booker for their leadership in promoting a vision that supports health care for all,” said Wendy Cervantes, Director, Immigration and Immigrant Families, CLASP.

“A community’s health and well-being depend on ensuring all of us have access to the affordable health care we need, regardless of immigration status. The HEAL Act would remove harmful barriers to care for millions and benefit all of us. At a time when immigrant communities across the country are facing a barrage of attacks, we commend Representative Jayapal for continuing to champion a vision and policies that help everyone in our communities,” said Kica Matos, President, National Immigration Law Center.

The HEAL for Immigrant Families Act will:
1. Restore enrollment to full-benefit Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to all federally authorized immigrants who are otherwise eligible by removing the 5-year waiting period and outdated list of “qualified immigrants” for Medicaid and CHIP eligibility;
2. Remove discriminatory Medicare restrictions based on length of stay in the U.S. for many lawful permanent residents (LPR);
3. End the exclusion of undocumented immigrants from Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces
4. Ensure access to public and affordable coverage for Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients;
5. Create a state option to expand Medicaid and CHIP to immigrants regardless of immigration status.
To read the full text of the bill, click here.
MIL OSI USA News –
June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Jayapal, Barragan Reintroduce Legislation to Remove Barriers to Health Care for Immigrants
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) along with U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07), Ranking Member of the Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee, and Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA-44) introduced the Health Equity and Access under Law (HEAL) for Immigrant Families Act, bicameral legislation that removes cruel and unnecessary barriers to health care for immigrants of all statuses. The legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Edward Markey (D-MA), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).

Immigrants are significantly more likely than U.S. Citizens to be uninsured, leaving them at a higher risk for both adverse health and financial consequences. Of the nearly 151 million people aged 15-49 in the United States, 14.6 million people—almost one in 10—are noncitizen immigrants.

“Everyone deserves access to comprehensive, affordable, quality care, and the HEAL Act lifts unnecessary barriers to medical care for immigrants,” said Senator Booker. “A more equitable health care system will help create healthier communities and ensure that all families, regardless of immigration status, have access to the care they need.”

“Health care is a human right that must be accessible to everyone — regardless of immigration status,” said Representative Jayapal. “As a proud immigrant myself, I know that the HEAL Act is a necessary first step to allow more people across America to access the health care they need to live, making all of our communities healthier. As Republicans in Congress work to strip health coverage away from millions of Americans and further decimate our already broken immigration system, we’re working to ensure everyone in this country is able to see a doctor when they need it.”

“Access to healthcare shouldn’t depend on your immigration status,” said Representative Barragán. “Healthcare is a basic human right, and it’s time we break down the needless barriers that keep immigrant families from the care they need to survive and thrive. The HEAL Act is a step toward addressing racial health disparities and expanding quality healthcare to everyone in our communities.”

“Withholding health care from immigrants is cruel and doesn’t make our communities safer or healthier,” said Senator Warren. “While the Trump administration continues playing political games with immigrant families, Democrats are fighting to make sure a person’s immigration status doesn’t prevent them from getting life-saving care.”

“As the Trump Administration guts access to health care and basic services for immigrant communities, breaking down barriers to health care for immigrants isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s critical for protecting our public health and economy,” said Senator Padilla. “California is the fourth-largest economy in the world not despite immigrants, but because of their contributions to our workforce. Everyone deserves access to affordable, quality health care no matter their immigration status, and I will keep fighting to continue expanding coverage for these hardworking members of our communities.”

“Trump and Republicans are working to rip health care coverage away from millions, including immigrant communities that are already too often left uninsured and vulnerable due to their immigration status. We must expand health care access for all and eliminate the discriminatory policies that prevent immigrant families and communities from seeking the health care they need,” said Senator Markey.

“Health care is a human right—regardless of a person’s immigration status. With this critical legislation, we remove cruel, unnecessary barriers preventing immigrants from receiving the care they need to survive and thrive. By providing access to quality care and treatment, we strengthen our communities and bolster our nation’s public health,” said Senator Blumenthal.

To see the full list of endorsing organizations, click here.

“Rep. Jayapal and Sen. Booker continue to be courageous and powerful champions for immigrant communities by reintroducing the HEAL for Immigrant Families Act. While immigrant families are currently being attacked and torn apart, this bill promotes a vision for what we want for our collective future. A future that supports immigrant communities by removing long standing systemic barriers to health coverage to help our communities access affordable health care. We are especially grateful that Sen. Booker and Rep. Jayapal are introducing this critical legislation today as we mark three years since the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision that overturned the constitutional right to abortion. That decision has disproportionately harmed immigrant communities, for whom abortion bans, misinformation, and the threat of being detained and separated from our families has increased the barriers that keep us from getting the health care we need,” said Lupe M. Rodríguez, Executive Director, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice. “We urge Congress to protect immigrant communities and pass this bill,” said Lupe M. Rodríguez, Executive Director, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice.

“The reproductive justice movement teaches us that true justice means being able to have children, not have children, and raise our families in safe, supportive communities. None of that is possible without health care. In a country that has always been shaped by immigrants, we cannot keep allowing people and families, including the Asian American immigrants who make up more than a quarter of immigrants in the U.S., to be shut out from basic health care because of harmful, outdated policies. These are our mothers, our sisters, and our neighbors. The HEAL Act tears down the barriers facing our communities and reaffirms that everyone deserves the right to care, regardless of background, income, or immigration status,” said Sung Yeon Choimorrow, Executive Director, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF).

“For too long, our health care system has denied immigrants equitable access to health insurance, fueling deep and unconscionable health inequities,” said Madeline Morcelle, Senior Attorney at the National Health Law Program. “The big ugly reconciliation bill before Congress threatens to lock even more immigrant families out of vital and often lifesaving coverage, widening those inequities. The National Health Law Program is proud to endorse the HEAL for Immigrant Families Act, which offers a better vision for the future: dismantling xenophobic health insurance barriers and fostering health equity and reproductive justice for all,” said Madeline Morcelle, Senior Attorney, The National Health Law Program.

“Everyone deserves access to health care, no matter who they are or where they come from. It is unacceptable and cruel that many are denied affordable, high-quality, and comprehensive health care because of their immigration status. Amid the ongoing attacks on our immigrant communities and our health care, I thank Reps. Jayapal and Barragán and Senator Booker for reintroducing this critical bill that would break down unjust barriers to care for our immigrant families,” said Alexis McGill Johnson, President and CEO, Planned Parenthood Action Fund.

“As a physician, I’ve witnessed the barriers immigrant families face when trying to access health care. Insurance coverage is a cornerstone of meaningful access; without it, care remains out of reach for too many. At a time when attacks on immigrant communities are escalating, we must act now to ensure that everyone—regardless of status—has the right to timely, compassionate, and comprehensive health care. That’s why I join physicians across the country in calling for a swift passage of the HEAL Act. Expanding health coverage to immigrant communities ensures they receive the care they deserve, regardless of their immigration status. Health is a human right and no one should be excluded from receiving healthcare. Congress must pass HEAL – our patients are counting on it,” said Dr. Jamila Perritt, MD, MPH, FACOG, President and CEO, Physicians for Reproductive Health.

“With immigrant families under constant attack, it’s more important than ever to work toward a better, more inclusive future when everyone can get the care we all need. We are proud to champion the HEAL Act – a critical step toward that better future,” said Adriana Cadena, Campaign Director, Protecting Immigrant Families Coalition.

“Now more than ever, it is critical to affirm that everyone—including immigrants—should have access to health care coverage. Immigrants already face many restrictions to such care and an onslaught of attacks on them and their families’ health and well-being, ranging from the fear created by the Administration’s mass deportation efforts to the deeply harmful budget reconciliation bill currently under consideration. The HEAL for Immigrant Families Act is a critical step in moving us back in the right direction by giving children and families access to the health care they need to thrive. CLASP is grateful to Representative Jayapal and Senator Booker for their leadership in promoting a vision that supports health care for all,” said Wendy Cervantes, Director, Immigration and Immigrant Families, CLASP.

“A community’s health and well-being depend on ensuring all of us have access to the affordable health care we need, regardless of immigration status. The HEAL Act would remove harmful barriers to care for millions and benefit all of us. At a time when immigrant communities across the country are facing a barrage of attacks, we commend Representative Jayapal for continuing to champion a vision and policies that help everyone in our communities,” said Kica Matos, President, National Immigration Law Center.

The HEAL for Immigrant Families Act will:
1. Restore enrollment to full-benefit Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to all federally authorized immigrants who are otherwise eligible by removing the 5-year waiting period and outdated list of “qualified immigrants” for Medicaid and CHIP eligibility;
2. Remove discriminatory Medicare restrictions based on length of stay in the U.S. for many lawful permanent residents (LPR);
3. End the exclusion of undocumented immigrants from Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces
4. Ensure access to public and affordable coverage for Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients;
5. Create a state option to expand Medicaid and CHIP to immigrants regardless of immigration status.
To read the full text of the bill, click here.
MIL OSI USA News –
June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Jayapal, Barragan Reintroduce Legislation to Remove Barriers to Health Care for Immigrants
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) along with U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07), Ranking Member of the Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee, and Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA-44) introduced the Health Equity and Access under Law (HEAL) for Immigrant Families Act, bicameral legislation that removes cruel and unnecessary barriers to health care for immigrants of all statuses. The legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Edward Markey (D-MA), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).

Immigrants are significantly more likely than U.S. Citizens to be uninsured, leaving them at a higher risk for both adverse health and financial consequences. Of the nearly 151 million people aged 15-49 in the United States, 14.6 million people—almost one in 10—are noncitizen immigrants.

“Everyone deserves access to comprehensive, affordable, quality care, and the HEAL Act lifts unnecessary barriers to medical care for immigrants,” said Senator Booker. “A more equitable health care system will help create healthier communities and ensure that all families, regardless of immigration status, have access to the care they need.”

“Health care is a human right that must be accessible to everyone — regardless of immigration status,” said Representative Jayapal. “As a proud immigrant myself, I know that the HEAL Act is a necessary first step to allow more people across America to access the health care they need to live, making all of our communities healthier. As Republicans in Congress work to strip health coverage away from millions of Americans and further decimate our already broken immigration system, we’re working to ensure everyone in this country is able to see a doctor when they need it.”

“Access to healthcare shouldn’t depend on your immigration status,” said Representative Barragán. “Healthcare is a basic human right, and it’s time we break down the needless barriers that keep immigrant families from the care they need to survive and thrive. The HEAL Act is a step toward addressing racial health disparities and expanding quality healthcare to everyone in our communities.”

“Withholding health care from immigrants is cruel and doesn’t make our communities safer or healthier,” said Senator Warren. “While the Trump administration continues playing political games with immigrant families, Democrats are fighting to make sure a person’s immigration status doesn’t prevent them from getting life-saving care.”

“As the Trump Administration guts access to health care and basic services for immigrant communities, breaking down barriers to health care for immigrants isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s critical for protecting our public health and economy,” said Senator Padilla. “California is the fourth-largest economy in the world not despite immigrants, but because of their contributions to our workforce. Everyone deserves access to affordable, quality health care no matter their immigration status, and I will keep fighting to continue expanding coverage for these hardworking members of our communities.”

“Trump and Republicans are working to rip health care coverage away from millions, including immigrant communities that are already too often left uninsured and vulnerable due to their immigration status. We must expand health care access for all and eliminate the discriminatory policies that prevent immigrant families and communities from seeking the health care they need,” said Senator Markey.

“Health care is a human right—regardless of a person’s immigration status. With this critical legislation, we remove cruel, unnecessary barriers preventing immigrants from receiving the care they need to survive and thrive. By providing access to quality care and treatment, we strengthen our communities and bolster our nation’s public health,” said Senator Blumenthal.

To see the full list of endorsing organizations, click here.

“Rep. Jayapal and Sen. Booker continue to be courageous and powerful champions for immigrant communities by reintroducing the HEAL for Immigrant Families Act. While immigrant families are currently being attacked and torn apart, this bill promotes a vision for what we want for our collective future. A future that supports immigrant communities by removing long standing systemic barriers to health coverage to help our communities access affordable health care. We are especially grateful that Sen. Booker and Rep. Jayapal are introducing this critical legislation today as we mark three years since the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision that overturned the constitutional right to abortion. That decision has disproportionately harmed immigrant communities, for whom abortion bans, misinformation, and the threat of being detained and separated from our families has increased the barriers that keep us from getting the health care we need,” said Lupe M. Rodríguez, Executive Director, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice. “We urge Congress to protect immigrant communities and pass this bill,” said Lupe M. Rodríguez, Executive Director, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice.

“The reproductive justice movement teaches us that true justice means being able to have children, not have children, and raise our families in safe, supportive communities. None of that is possible without health care. In a country that has always been shaped by immigrants, we cannot keep allowing people and families, including the Asian American immigrants who make up more than a quarter of immigrants in the U.S., to be shut out from basic health care because of harmful, outdated policies. These are our mothers, our sisters, and our neighbors. The HEAL Act tears down the barriers facing our communities and reaffirms that everyone deserves the right to care, regardless of background, income, or immigration status,” said Sung Yeon Choimorrow, Executive Director, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF).

“For too long, our health care system has denied immigrants equitable access to health insurance, fueling deep and unconscionable health inequities,” said Madeline Morcelle, Senior Attorney at the National Health Law Program. “The big ugly reconciliation bill before Congress threatens to lock even more immigrant families out of vital and often lifesaving coverage, widening those inequities. The National Health Law Program is proud to endorse the HEAL for Immigrant Families Act, which offers a better vision for the future: dismantling xenophobic health insurance barriers and fostering health equity and reproductive justice for all,” said Madeline Morcelle, Senior Attorney, The National Health Law Program.

“Everyone deserves access to health care, no matter who they are or where they come from. It is unacceptable and cruel that many are denied affordable, high-quality, and comprehensive health care because of their immigration status. Amid the ongoing attacks on our immigrant communities and our health care, I thank Reps. Jayapal and Barragán and Senator Booker for reintroducing this critical bill that would break down unjust barriers to care for our immigrant families,” said Alexis McGill Johnson, President and CEO, Planned Parenthood Action Fund.

“As a physician, I’ve witnessed the barriers immigrant families face when trying to access health care. Insurance coverage is a cornerstone of meaningful access; without it, care remains out of reach for too many. At a time when attacks on immigrant communities are escalating, we must act now to ensure that everyone—regardless of status—has the right to timely, compassionate, and comprehensive health care. That’s why I join physicians across the country in calling for a swift passage of the HEAL Act. Expanding health coverage to immigrant communities ensures they receive the care they deserve, regardless of their immigration status. Health is a human right and no one should be excluded from receiving healthcare. Congress must pass HEAL – our patients are counting on it,” said Dr. Jamila Perritt, MD, MPH, FACOG, President and CEO, Physicians for Reproductive Health.

“With immigrant families under constant attack, it’s more important than ever to work toward a better, more inclusive future when everyone can get the care we all need. We are proud to champion the HEAL Act – a critical step toward that better future,” said Adriana Cadena, Campaign Director, Protecting Immigrant Families Coalition.

“Now more than ever, it is critical to affirm that everyone—including immigrants—should have access to health care coverage. Immigrants already face many restrictions to such care and an onslaught of attacks on them and their families’ health and well-being, ranging from the fear created by the Administration’s mass deportation efforts to the deeply harmful budget reconciliation bill currently under consideration. The HEAL for Immigrant Families Act is a critical step in moving us back in the right direction by giving children and families access to the health care they need to thrive. CLASP is grateful to Representative Jayapal and Senator Booker for their leadership in promoting a vision that supports health care for all,” said Wendy Cervantes, Director, Immigration and Immigrant Families, CLASP.

“A community’s health and well-being depend on ensuring all of us have access to the affordable health care we need, regardless of immigration status. The HEAL Act would remove harmful barriers to care for millions and benefit all of us. At a time when immigrant communities across the country are facing a barrage of attacks, we commend Representative Jayapal for continuing to champion a vision and policies that help everyone in our communities,” said Kica Matos, President, National Immigration Law Center.

The HEAL for Immigrant Families Act will:
1. Restore enrollment to full-benefit Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to all federally authorized immigrants who are otherwise eligible by removing the 5-year waiting period and outdated list of “qualified immigrants” for Medicaid and CHIP eligibility;
2. Remove discriminatory Medicare restrictions based on length of stay in the U.S. for many lawful permanent residents (LPR);
3. End the exclusion of undocumented immigrants from Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces
4. Ensure access to public and affordable coverage for Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients;
5. Create a state option to expand Medicaid and CHIP to immigrants regardless of immigration status.
To read the full text of the bill, click here.
MIL OSI USA News –
June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Secures Decision Blocking the Trump Administration’s Unlawful Withholding of Billions in Funding for EV Charging Infrastructure

Source: US State of California

Tuesday, June 24, 2025

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

OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued a statement on a preliminary injunction issued by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington blocking the Trump Administration from unlawfully withholding billions of dollars in funding approved by bipartisan majorities in Congress for electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

“It is no secret that the Trump Administration is beholden to the fossil fuel agenda. The administration cannot dismiss programs illegally, like the bipartisan Electric Vehicle Infrastructure formula program, just so that the President’s Big Oil friends can continue basking in record-breaking profits,” said Attorney General Bonta. “We are pleased with today’s order blocking the Administration’s unconstitutional attempt to do so, and California looks forward to continuing to vigorously defend itself from this executive branch overreach.”

Background

In 2021, Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. One provision of the IIJA appropriated $5 billion for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) formula program to facilitate a national network of electric vehicle charging infrastructure across the states, making clean cars accessible and convenient for more consumers and markets.

On Day One of his administration, President Trump issued an executive order directing federal agencies to immediately stop releasing certain funds appropriated through the IIJA, including $5 billion that Congress appropriated for electric vehicle charging stations under NEVI. Following that directive, the Federal Highway Administration effectively halted the NEVI program by, among other things, illegally withholding billions in funds that Congress had directed to the states for building EV infrastructure.

Last month, Attorney General Bonta, alongside California Governor Gavin Newsom, the California Department of Transportation, and the California Energy Commission, co-led a coalition of 17 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against the Trump Administration to ensure the proper flow of NEVI funds. Today’s court order blocks the Trump Administration’s action while the case continues through litigation.

A copy of the court order can be found here.

# # #

MIL OSI USA News –

June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Shared e-scooter and e-bike providers invited to operate in the ACT
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

As part of ACT Government’s ‘One Government, One Voice’ program, we are transitioning this website across to our . You can access everything you need through this website while it’s happening.

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Released 25/06/2025

Providers of shared e-scooter and e-bike services will soon be able to apply for a permit to operate in the ACT.

From Wednesday 2 July 2025, a competitive permit application process will open to all interested shared e-scooter and e-bike providers.

“The ACT Government is renewing its shared micromobility program to ensure ongoing, high-quality services that meet the diverse transport needs of our community and support our mode shift goals,” said Kirra Cox, Executive Branch Manager, Strategic Policy and Programs.

“The ACT Government enabled shared pedal bikes from 2018 to 2023, and shared e-scooters have been operating since 2020. E-scooters have proven popular in the ACT, with around 1,650 trips per day taken since the scheme began.

“This renewal is an opportunity to refresh our program with new approaches, services and devices – including the potential introduction of shared e-bikes, which can be ridden longer distances and may better suit some riders who are less comfortable using e-scooters.”

Prospective providers will need to demonstrate how they will meet the ACT Government’s objectives, as outlined in the recently updated Dockless Shared Micromobility Policy for the ACT. These objectives include:
- Ensuring the safety of users and non-users alike
- Seamlessly integrating Canberra’s broader transport system
- Contributing to a mode shift away from private vehicles trips
- Promoting affordable and equitable access
- Delivering economic and environmental benefits
- Supporting community outcomes through collaborative design
Depending on the proposals received, the ACT Government may issue one or more permits for a three-year period.

An industry briefing will be held on Tuesday 8 July 2025, and the application process will formally close on Friday 1 August 2025. Successful applicant(s) are expected to commence operations in spring 2025.

Providers interested in receiving an application package should register their interest by emailing TCCS.Sharedmicromobility@act.gov.au. Application documentation will be provided on Wednesday 2 July 2025, when the permit application period officially opens.

For more information and to view the updated Dockless Shared Micromobility Policy for the ACT, visit the Transport Canberra website.

– Statement ends –

ACT Transport Canberra and City Services Directorate | Media Releases

Media Contacts

«ACT Government Media Releases | «Directorate Media Releases
MIL OSI News –
June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: UPDATE: Arrest – Indecent Assaults – Alice Springs
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

Detectives from Southern Investigations have arrested a youth in relation to multiple indecent assaults in Alice Springs last week.

On 20 June 2025, police received reports of an indecent assault on a female jogging along the Todd River by a male travelling on a bike.

Following a call for information, three additional female victims came forward and alleged similar offending on the same day in the same area.

Investigators identified a 14-year-old male, who was arrested at a residence in Gillen earlier today and processed into custody. He is expected to be charged with:
- 1 x Act of Gross Indecency without Consent
- 3 x Indecent Touching or Act
Police would like to thank the victims who came forward and provided vital information and would continue to urge anyone with information to make contact on 131 444 and reference job number NTP2500062998.

You can also anonymously report crime via Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

MIL OSI News –
June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Israel lifts nationwide restrictions after ceasefire with Iran takes effect

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

Israel lifted nationwide emergency restrictions on Tuesday evening, signaling a cautious return to normalcy after a fragile ceasefire with Iran took hold, ending nearly two weeks of intense cross-border attacks.

The decision came as Israeli officials assessed the aftermath of the 12-day war, which left dozens dead and over 1,000 wounded, while military leaders warned that despite a pause in fighting, the broader campaign against Iran and its allies was far from over.

Israel’s Home Front Command announced in a statement that the cancellation of the restrictions, which took effect at 8 p.m. local time (1700 GMT), allows all regions of the country to resume full civilian activity, including the reopening of schools, workplaces, and public gatherings. Communities adjacent to the Gaza Strip will remain under guidelines allowing gatherings of up to 2,000 people.

The easing of restrictions marks a tentative sign that the truce is holding after a shaky start, during which both countries accused each other of violating the terms by continuing to launch strikes. An Israeli surprise attack targeting military sites and nuclear scientists across Iran on June 12 sparked the war.

Police said Tuesday that Iranian missile barrages had struck 52 locations across Israel during nearly two weeks of fighting. Eight of the attacks caused fatalities, killing one soldier and 27 civilians. Magen David Adom, Israel’s national rescue service, said 1,319 people were injured, including 17 seriously, 29 moderately, and 872 lightly. An additional 401 people were treated for anxiety.

Israel’s Airports Authority said that Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv and a smaller airport in the northern city of Haifa had resumed full operations after periods of partial or total shutdown during the hostilities.

Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir held a situational assessment with senior officers on Tuesday and warned that the conflict with Iran is far from over. “We have concluded a significant phase, but the campaign against Iran is not over,” he said. “We are entering a new phase based on the achievements of the previous one.”

He said that Israeli strikes on nuclear-related facilities and missile stockpiles “set Iran’s nuclear project back by years,” but stopped short of claiming the program had been dismantled, a key goal stated by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“The focus now shifts back to Gaza — to bring the hostages home and to dismantle the Hamas regime,” Zamir added.

According to Gaza’s health authorities, 56,077 Palestinians have been killed and 131,848 wounded in Gaza during the 20-month-long conflict.

MIL OSI China News –

June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Dendy pays penalties for alleged ‘drip pricing’ practices

Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

Dendy Cinema Pty Ltd has paid a $19,800 penalty after the ACCC issued it with an infringement notice for allegedly failing to prominently show the total price, as a single figure, of movie tickets it sold online, in a practice commonly known as ‘drip-pricing’.

The ACCC alleges that Dendy breached the Australian Consumer Law by failing to prominently display the total single price for tickets, including the unavoidable per ticket booking fee, at the earliest opportunity in the booking process.

Instead, Dendy displayed prices that did not include the unavoidable per ticket booking fee, and did not display a total price for tickets until consumers reached the final stages of the online transaction.

“Businesses must be upfront about the total minimum quantifiable price of a product or service,” ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe said.

“Consumers are sometimes lured into purchases they would not otherwise have made when businesses display only part of the price upfront and reveal the total price only towards the end of the purchasing process.

“By initially only displaying part of the total price for a movie ticket, Dendy has reduced the ability of consumers to make an informed purchasing decision,” Ms Lowe said.

The ACCC is also looking at pricing practices in the cinema industry more broadly to ensure that per ticket booking fees are being presented in a way that complies with the pricing obligations under the Australian Consumer Law.

“We encourage all businesses to review their online pricing practices to ensure they are complying with their obligations under the law, including providing the total minimum quantifiable price of products and services in their advertising and at the earliest opportunity in the booking process,” Ms Lowe said.

One of the ACCC’s Compliance and Enforcement Priorities for 2025-26 is ‘misleading surcharging practices and other add on costs’.

Further information about pricing is available on the ACCC website at Price Displays.

Background

Dendy operates 52 screens across six cinemas in NSW, QLD, and the ACT.

The total minimum quantifiable price is the lowest amount that a consumer could pay, including any mandatory fees or pre-selected optional fees, that can be determined at the time of stating the price.

In November 2024, the ACCC took legal action against online travel booking site Webjet Marketing Pty Ltd for allegedly making false and misleading representations to consumers about flight prices and bookings. The ACCC alleged Webjet breached the Australian Consumer Law when it made statements about the minimum price of airfares which omitted compulsory fees.

Note to editors

The ACCC can issue an infringement notice when it has reasonable grounds to believe a person or business has contravened certain consumer protection provisions in the Australian Consumer Law (ACL).

The payment of a penalty specified in an infringement notice is not an admission of a contravention of the ACL. The ACL sets the penalty amount.

MIL OSI News –

June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Blumenthal, Democratic Caucus Introduce Bill to Restore Abortion Access Nationwide on 3rd Anniversary of Roe Being Overturned
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

June 24, 2025
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) today, on the third anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, joined the entire Democratic caucus in introducing the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025, legislation to guarantee access to abortion everywhere across the country and restore the right to comprehensive reproductive health care for millions of Americans. The bill’s introduction comes as the Trump Administration further attacks a woman’s right to choose and Congressional Republicans barrel ahead with a bill that defunds Planned Parenthood. Put together, Trump and Congressional Republicans’ assault on Americans’ reproductive rights is a backdoor national abortion ban, ripping away millions of women’s access to abortion care and right to control their bodies.

“In the three years since Roe was overturned, newly enacted, draconian abortion bans have put women’s lives at risk all over the country. Women – not politicians or radical right-wing judges – should be in charge of decisions about their health care, but Donald Trump and Republicans are hellbent on chipping away at women’s reproductive rights so they can eventually pass a nationwide abortion ban. This legislation would stop Republicans from turning back the clock on women’s freedom in this country and restore the right to reproductive health care,” said Murphy.

“This issue is about more than health care; it is about women’s rights, individual rights, and human rights. The foundation of the Women’s Health Protection Act is simply the right to make your own health care decisions. Three years after Dobbs, American women don’t have that right. Today, thanks to Republican lawmakers and conservative courts, a woman in America might walk into an ER and faint, bleeding, and be refused treatment. That woman might die,” said Blumenthal. “By restoring abortion access and implementing basic protections against medically unnecessary restrictions on health care, the Women’s Health Protection Act overturns the death sentence handed down by Dobbs.”

President Trump appointed the Supreme Court Justices who ruled in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case to overturn Roe v. Wade and nearly 50 years of precedent. Since the Dobbs decision, 19 states have banned abortion or severely restricted women from being able to access the procedure, leaving one in three American women without access to safe, legal abortion care. Additionally, state legislatures across the country have introduced hundreds of bills to include medically unnecessary restrictions that limit access to abortion care.

In his second term, President Trump has continued to relentlessly attack reproductive rights, including freezing Title X funding for clinics that offer reproductive care, cutting Biden-era emergency abortion protections, pardoning anti-abortion extremists, and fighting to defund Planned Parenthood. Additionally, the House-passed Republican budget bill kicks 16 million people off their health insurance and defunds Planned Parenthood – threatening the closure of 200 health centers across the country and putting access to vital reproductive care for millions of families at risk.

The Women’s Health Protection Act creates federal rights for patients and providers to protect abortion access. Specifically, the Women’s Health Protection Act would:

Prohibit states from imposing restrictions that jeopardize access to abortion earlier in pregnancy, including many of the state-level restrictions in place prior to Dobbs, such as arbitrary waiting periods, medically unnecessary mandatory ultrasounds, or requirements to provide medically inaccurate information.

Ensure that later in pregnancy, states cannot limit access to abortion if it would jeopardize the life or health of the mother.

Protect the ability to travel out of state for an abortion, which has become increasingly common in recent years.

U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) also cosponsored the bill.

Full text of the bill is available HERE. A one-pager on the bill is available HERE.
MIL OSI USA News –
June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Pre-loved tech will help to bridge digital divide under new government charter 
Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

Press release

Pre-loved tech will help to bridge digital divide under new government charter 

Organisations can sign up to the IT Reuse for Good charter on GOV.UK and then work with their chosen charity partner to distribute devices.
Pre-loved tech bridging digital divide under new government charter.

Big names like Deloitte, Vodafone and Three alongside leading charity Good Things Foundation are uniting with government to encourage organisations to donate pre-loved tech to digital excluded Brits.

Organisations can sign up to the IT Reuse for Good charter on gov.uk from today and then work with their chosen charity partner to distribute devices.

The Charter encourages organisations to change how they manage and dispose of IT assets, with the aim of increasing device donations to the 1.5 million people in the United Kingdom who lack access to a basic laptop, tablet and smartphone. 

With technology transforming essential services like healthcare access, job applications and housing, government is doubling down on commitment to improve skills and technology access for all – breaking down barriers to opportunity as part of our Plan for Change.

Telecoms Minister Sir Chris Bryant said:

Britain is leading the way when it comes to technological advancements with everyday essentials such as doctor’s appointments and job applications becoming increasingly digital. But to maximise the full potential of technology, we need to bring everyone along with us on this journey. 

This Charter represents a significant step forward in our mission to bridge the digital divide and create a more sustainable approach to technology. By working together with industry and charity partners, we’re helping more people access the digital tools they need to improve their lives while reducing harmful electronic waste.

Research also shows that digitally excluded people face higher costs for things like home insurance, train travel and food paying up to 25% more on average than consumers who are online. 

The charter sets out principles for organisations to adhere to including ensuring devices are securely wiped, professionally refurbished and fit for purpose so they can be provided free of charge to those who need them.

Ryan, a single father from Essex, struggled without access to a laptop. “Job searching felt impossible,” he said. “I couldn’t keep up and felt like I was falling behind.”

Through a donation from Vodafone’s Great British Tech Appeal to the National Device Bank, an initiative led by Good Things Foundation, Ryan received a laptop that transformed his prospects. “This laptop isn’t just a piece of equipment – it’s a lifeline,” Ryan shares. Now, he can actively search for jobs, attend online training, and build a better future.

“I want my kids to see what’s possible with determination and the right support,” Ryan says.

Helen Milner OBE, CEO of Good Things Foundation, said:

Alongside the government, Vodafone, Three and Deloitte, Good Things Foundation has developed the IT Reuse for Good Charter, tackling the UK’s digital divide and e-waste crisis head-on. With 1.5 million adults lacking essential devices and 1.45 million tons of e-waste discarded yearly, we’re proud to lead the charge for a more inclusive and sustainable future.  The Charter builds on the success of our National Device Bank and will be a game-changer, unlocking thousands of devices. We have also launched a Playbook to help businesses to navigate IT reuse for good, and bake it into their organisations.

Richard Houston, Senior Partner and CEO Deloitte UK said:

Since 2021, we’ve donated 20,000 devices to schools and charities through our network of social impact partners. I’m incredibly proud that we have been able to help thousands of people continue education, find employment, and connect with loved ones through technology. Yet I know there is so much more that can be done. I encourage all organisations, whatever size, to consider the role you can play, and together, we can bridge the digital divide. 

Rich Marsh, Responsible Business Director at BT Group, said:

As well as being a leader in sustainability for more than 30 years, at BT we’ve seen first-hand the positive impact that digital inclusion projects are having across the UK – supported by our networks, social tariffs and digital skills programs.

We warmly welcome the ‘IT Re-Use for Good’ Charter, which brings these 2 things together and gives a second life to our devices. Now we’re committing to donate even more devices, helping play our part in providing people with the tech they need in today’s digital society.

Notes to editors

Signatories must donate their first device within 6 months of signing the charter. Progress will be monitored by self-reporting every 6 months. 

Digital Inclusion Action Plan documents

Digital Inclusion Action Plan

Research shows that digitally excluded people face higher costs for things like home insurance, train travel and food paying up to 25% more on average than consumers who are online. Centre for Social Justice – Left Out (2023): How to tackle digital exclusion and reduce the poverty premium (page 5)

1.5 million people in the UK currently lack access to a basic laptop, tablet or smartphone Access: Expert Overview – August 2024, Good Things Foundation

Paula Coughlan, Chief People, Communications and Sustainability Officer said:

At Currys, everything we do is to help everyone enjoy amazing technology. Within that, we’re very aware that not everyone can afford or have access to the amazing tech we sell. Through our work to date, it’s clear to see the positive, transformative power of just one digital device for a child or for a family, and how isolating not having access to the digital world really is. That’s why we were founding members of the Digital Poverty Alliance, and why we’re committed to doing everything we can to help make digital poverty a thing of the past. It’s been wonderful to work with Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) on this important new Charter and we’re proud to be signatories. The more we can do as a society, as businesses, working together with government with solutions to bridge the digital divide, the more likely we are to really make a difference.

DSIT media enquiries

Email press@dsit.gov.uk

Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6pm 020 7215 3000

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Published 25 June 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Name release, fatal crash, Millers Flat, Otago

Source: New Zealand Police

Name release, Millers Flat, Otago

Police can now release the name of the woman who died following a crash on farmland at Millers Flat, Central Otago.

She was 41-year-old Kirsty Marie Hall, of Central Otago.

Our thoughts are with her family and those close to her at this difficult time.

Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.

The death will be referred to the Coroner.

ENDS

Issued by the Police Media Team

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Nadler Statement on Dobbs Anniversary

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jerrold Nadler (10th District of New York)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-12) issued the following statement on the third anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade and eliminated the constitutional right to abortion:

“Three years ago today, six Justices on the Supreme Court issued a decision that overturned nearly half a century of settled law and ripped away a constitutional right that millions of Americans had relied on: the right to access abortion care.

The consequences have been devastating. In the wake of Dobbs, 22 states have enacted bans or severe restrictions on abortion, resulting in deeply troubling violations of individual rights and medical ethics. In Georgia, for example, a woman who had been declared brain dead while pregnant was kept on life support for months against her family’s wishes, not because of medical necessity, but because of the state’s abortion law.

These harms are not incidental. They are the predictable result of the Republican Party’s coordinated campaign to roll back reproductive freedom. President Trump, who appointed the justices responsible for the Dobbs decision, has since taken additional steps to undermine access to care. He has pardoned individuals convicted of violence against abortion providers, withheld federal funding from reproductive health care providers, and rescinded guidance that ensured pregnant patients could receive emergency medical care. Trump is also targeting mifepristone, a safe and effective abortion medication used in more than half of all abortions nationwide, by seeking to restrict access even in states where abortion remains legal.

Congressional Republicans are following his lead. House Republicans’ recently passed a dangerous reconciliation bill that would kick 16 million people off of their health coverage by slashing Medicaid. Medicaid allows millions of Americans to access birth control, family planning services, prenatal care, and other essential services. The same bill would also defund Planned Parenthood, which provides routine care to millions of patients each year.

The American people overwhelmingly support the right to make personal health care decisions without political interference. Yet Republican leaders continue to pursue a national abortion ban, regardless of the consequences for women, families, and our most basic freedoms.

I remain firmly committed to restoring the protections once guaranteed by Roe, to defending reproductive rights, and to ensuring that every individual, no matter where they live, can make their own health care decisions free from government intrusion.”

###

MIL OSI USA News –

June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: LEADER JEFFRIES STATEMENT ON TRUMP ADMINISTRATION CANCELING CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFING ON IRAN

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

Know Your Immigration Rights

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

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

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

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

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

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

MIL OSI USA News –

June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: MEDIA ADVISORY: Recruit wing graduation tomorrow Thursday 26 June

Source: New Zealand Police

Media are invited to the 385 Glenda Hughes Police recruit wing graduation.

What:   Graduation of the New Zealand Police Glenda Hughes 385 Recruit Wing.
Who:   For families and friends to celebrate with the newly attested Police officers.
Why:   Completion and graduation from their initial training course.
Where: Te Rauparaha Arena, 17 Parumoana Street, Porirua.
When: Thursday 26 June at 2pm – media will need to be in place by 1.45pm.
How:    RSVP the Police Media Centre if you’re attending: media@police.govt.nz

Deputy Commissioner Tania Kura will be attending the ceremony, along with Minister of Police Hon Mark Mitchell and Her Worship Anita Baker, the Mayor of Porirua. Also attending will be members of the Police executive and Wing Patron, former police officer Glenda Hughes.

Three police officers have won two awards each between them. Two will deploy to Counties Manukau and one to Central District.

The 385 Wing Patron:

Glenda Hughes has had a multifaceted career in sports, law enforcement, media and public relations, and local and central government.
Her athletic achievements as a Commonwealth Games shot put champion and captain of the New Zealand Athletics Team are paralleled by her years of service in the New Zealand Police, where she handled serious criminal investigations, including drug investigations and high-profile cases such as the Rainbow Warrior affair. She was on the frontline of the Springbok Tour and Bastion Point protests. Beyond her police career, Glenda has made significant contributions in media as a consultant, journalist, and public relations expert who has trained New Zealand’s top athletes in media communications. She is the author of Looking for Trouble and has contributed to Last Man Standing by James Shepherd and Organised Deception: My Story by Sharon Armstrong, both focusing on the dangerous world of international drug trafficking.
Her leadership roles include Independent Chairperson of the New Zealand Racing Board and the Racing Integrity Unit, a member of the New Zealand Parole Board, Trustee of KidsCan and Chair of Pet Refuge. These highlight her commitment to serving the community.
Glenda’s academic background in sociology, criminology, and communications underscores her deep understanding of societal dynamics.
Glenda values perseverance, integrity, compassion, and service. She credits her time in Police for her understanding of behaviours, motives, and options for handling various incidents. She believes Police offers a strong foundation for career development and the camaraderie fosters many lifelong friendships.

ENDS

More details about statistics, prize winners and other recruits will be shared after graduation.

Issued by Police Media Centre

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Representatives Jackson and Krishnamoorthi Demand ICE Transparency at Chicago South Loop Facility

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Jonathan Jackson – Illinois (1st District)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CHICAGO, IL – Congressmen Jonathan L. Jackson and Raja Krishnamoorthi are demanding immediate transparency and accountability from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following their denied attempt to conduct an oversight visit at the South Loop ICE facility in Chicago.

In a joint letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, the two lawmakers insist on gaining access to the facility and obtaining clear information about recent detentions.

“We were denied the ability to perform congressional oversight – as is our duty as members of the United States House of Representatives,” the letter states. “During the visit to this facility, the ICE officer who refused to identify himself called the Chicago Police Department to evict us for ‘trespassing.’”

Their visit follows alarming reports from June 4 indicating that at least ten individuals were detained under the pretense of routine appointments at the facility.

“It is unclear exactly how many people were taken, where they were taken to, and if they were given access to counsel,” the lawmakers wrote. “We were denied those answers.”

These concerns arise amidst credible reports that President Donald Trump has directed ICE to initiate the largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history, targeting cities such as Chicago.

“The President’s politically motivated actions are deeply troubling, particularly for communities like ours in Illinois that have already seen intensified enforcement activity in recent weeks,” Reps. Jackson and Krishnamoorthi wrote.

In their letter to Secretary Noem, the representatives have requested a formal response by Friday, June 27, and reiterated their demand for access to the South Loop facility to fulfill their oversight responsibilities.

Access the complete letter here.

###

MIL OSI USA News –

June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Representatives Jackson and Krishnamoorthi Demand ICE Transparency at Chicago South Loop Facility

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Jonathan Jackson – Illinois (1st District)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CHICAGO, IL – Congressmen Jonathan L. Jackson and Raja Krishnamoorthi are demanding immediate transparency and accountability from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following their denied attempt to conduct an oversight visit at the South Loop ICE facility in Chicago.

In a joint letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, the two lawmakers insist on gaining access to the facility and obtaining clear information about recent detentions.

“We were denied the ability to perform congressional oversight – as is our duty as members of the United States House of Representatives,” the letter states. “During the visit to this facility, the ICE officer who refused to identify himself called the Chicago Police Department to evict us for ‘trespassing.’”

Their visit follows alarming reports from June 4 indicating that at least ten individuals were detained under the pretense of routine appointments at the facility.

“It is unclear exactly how many people were taken, where they were taken to, and if they were given access to counsel,” the lawmakers wrote. “We were denied those answers.”

These concerns arise amidst credible reports that President Donald Trump has directed ICE to initiate the largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history, targeting cities such as Chicago.

“The President’s politically motivated actions are deeply troubling, particularly for communities like ours in Illinois that have already seen intensified enforcement activity in recent weeks,” Reps. Jackson and Krishnamoorthi wrote.

In their letter to Secretary Noem, the representatives have requested a formal response by Friday, June 27, and reiterated their demand for access to the South Loop facility to fulfill their oversight responsibilities.

Access the complete letter here.

###

MIL OSI USA News –

June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Ceasefires like the one between Iran and Israel often fail – but an agreement with specific conditions is more likely to hold

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Donald Heflin, Executive Director of the Edward R. Murrow Center and Senior Fellow of Diplomatic Practice, The Fletcher School, Tufts University

President Donald Trump speaks to reporters outside the White House on June 24, 2025, in Washington, less than 12 hours after announcing a ceasefire between Israel and Iran. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Within hours of President Donald Trump unexpectedly announcing an upcoming ceasefire between Israel and Iran on June 23, 2025, both countries launched airstrikes against the other.

“We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don’t know what the f–k they’re doing,” an angry and frustrated Trump told reporters outside the White House on June 24.

While Iran and Israel have tentatively agreed to the truce – and Trump reiterated on June 24 that the “ceasefire is in effect” – it is not clear whether this deal can hold. Some research shows that an estimated 80% of ceasefire deals worldwide fail.

Amy Lieberman, a politics and society editor at The Conversation U.S., spoke with former Ambassador Donald Heflin, an American career diplomat who serves as the executive director of the Edward R. Murrow Center at the Fletcher School, Tufts University, to understand how ceasefires typically work – and how the Israel-Iran deal stacks up against other agreements to end wars.

An excavator removes debris from a residential building that was destroyed in Israel’s June 13, 2025, airstrike on Tehran, Iran.
Majid Saeedi/Getty Images

How do ceasefire deals typically happen?

There are classes taught on how to negotiate ceasefires, but it is ad hoc with each situation.

For example, in one scenario, one of the warring parties wants a ceasefire and has decided that the conflict isn’t going well. The second party might not want a ceasefire, but could agree that it is getting tired or the risks are too high, and agrees to work something out.

The next scenario, which leads to more success, is when both parties want a ceasefire. They decide that the loss of life and money has gone too far for both sides. One of the parties approaches the other through intermediaries to say it wants a ceasefire, and the other warring party agrees.

In a third situation – which is what we are seeing with the Iran-Israel deal – the outside world imposes a ceasefire. Trump likely told both Israel and Iran: Look, it’s enough. This is too dangerous for the rest of the world. We don’t care what you think. Time for a ceasefire.“

The U.S. has done this in the Middle East before, like after the Yom Kippur War in 1973 between Israel and a coalition of Arab countries led by Egypt and Syria. Israel was achieving big military victories, but the risk was pretty great for the world. The U.S. came in and said, “That’s enough, stop it now.” And it worked.

Does the US bring the warring parties to a table in this kind of situation, or simply pressure the countries to stop fighting?

It is more of the U.S. saying, “We are done.” When the U.S. does something like this, it is often going to have backup from the European Union and other countries like Qatar, saying, “The Americans are right. It is time for a ceasefire.”

It appears that this Israel-Iran deal does not have specific conditions attached to it. Is that typical of a ceasefire deal?

This deal doesn’t seem to have any specific details attached to it. Ceasefires work better when they have that. Lasting ceasefires need to address the concerns of the warring parties and give each side some of what it wants.

For instance, in the Ukraine and Russia war, we have not seen either one of those countries push for a ceasefire. Part of the problem is Crimea and eastern Ukraine, sections of land in Ukraine that Russia has annexed and claims as its own. Russia would be happy with a deal that puts it in charge of Crimea and Ukraine, but Ukraine won’t agree to that. The question of who controls specific areas of land has to be addressed in this conflict; otherwise, the ceasefire isn’t going to last.

Search and rescue efforts continue in a building in Beersheba, Israel, hit by a ballistic missile fired from Iran shortly before the ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump came into effect on June 24, 2025.
Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Who is responsible for ensuring that both sides uphold a ceasefire?

Security guarantees are an important part of negotiating and maintaining long-term ceasefires. Big countries like the U.S. could say that if a warring party violates a ceasefire agreement, they are going to punish them.

In the 1990s, the U.S. and Europe assured Ukraine that if it gave up its nuclear arsenal, the U.S. would defend Ukraine if Russia ever invaded it. Russia has invaded Ukraine twice since then, in 2014 and 2022. The U.S. gave a more substantial response in the form of sending weapons and other war materials to Ukraine after the 2022 invasion, but there have been no real consequences for Russia.

That has created a problem for ceasefires in the future, because the U.S. didn’t deliver on its past security guarantees.

The further away you get from Europe, the less interested the West is in wars. But in those kinds of disputes, United Nations and other international peacekeeping troops can be sent in. Sometimes, that can work brilliantly in one place, like with the example of international peacekeeping troops called the multilateral Observer Mission stationed between Israel and Egypt helping maintain peace between those countries. But you can copy it to another place and it just doesn’t work as well.

How does this ceasefire fit within the history of other ceasefires?

It’s too early to tell. What matters is how the details get fleshed out.

Ideally, you can get representatives of the Israeli and Iranian governments to sit around a conference table to reach a detailed agreement. The Israelis might say, “We have got to have some kind of assurances that Iran is not going to use a nuclear weapon.” And the Iranians could say, “Assassinations of our military generals and scientists has got to stop.” That kind of conversation and agreement is what is missing, thus far, in this process.

Why is it so common for ceasefire deals to fail?

Some ceasefire deals don’t get to the underlying conditions of what really caused the problem and what made people start shooting this time around. If you don’t get to the core issues of a conflict, you are putting a Band-Aid on the situation. Putting a Band-Aid on someone when they are bleeding is a good move, but you ultimately might need more than that to stop the bleeding.

The outside world might be pretty happy with a ceasefire deal that seems to stop the fighting, but if the details are not ironed out, the experts would say, “This isn’t going to last.”

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

– ref. Ceasefires like the one between Iran and Israel often fail – but an agreement with specific conditions is more likely to hold – https://theconversation.com/ceasefires-like-the-one-between-iran-and-israel-often-fail-but-an-agreement-with-specific-conditions-is-more-likely-to-hold-259739

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Ceasefires like the one between Iran and Israel often fail – but an agreement with specific conditions is more likely to hold

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Donald Heflin, Executive Director of the Edward R. Murrow Center and Senior Fellow of Diplomatic Practice, The Fletcher School, Tufts University

President Donald Trump speaks to reporters outside the White House on June 24, 2025, in Washington, less than 12 hours after announcing a ceasefire between Israel and Iran. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Within hours of President Donald Trump unexpectedly announcing an upcoming ceasefire between Israel and Iran on June 23, 2025, both countries launched airstrikes against the other.

“We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don’t know what the f–k they’re doing,” an angry and frustrated Trump told reporters outside the White House on June 24.

While Iran and Israel have tentatively agreed to the truce – and Trump reiterated on June 24 that the “ceasefire is in effect” – it is not clear whether this deal can hold. Some research shows that an estimated 80% of ceasefire deals worldwide fail.

Amy Lieberman, a politics and society editor at The Conversation U.S., spoke with former Ambassador Donald Heflin, an American career diplomat who serves as the executive director of the Edward R. Murrow Center at the Fletcher School, Tufts University, to understand how ceasefires typically work – and how the Israel-Iran deal stacks up against other agreements to end wars.

An excavator removes debris from a residential building that was destroyed in Israel’s June 13, 2025, airstrike on Tehran, Iran.
Majid Saeedi/Getty Images

How do ceasefire deals typically happen?

There are classes taught on how to negotiate ceasefires, but it is ad hoc with each situation.

For example, in one scenario, one of the warring parties wants a ceasefire and has decided that the conflict isn’t going well. The second party might not want a ceasefire, but could agree that it is getting tired or the risks are too high, and agrees to work something out.

The next scenario, which leads to more success, is when both parties want a ceasefire. They decide that the loss of life and money has gone too far for both sides. One of the parties approaches the other through intermediaries to say it wants a ceasefire, and the other warring party agrees.

In a third situation – which is what we are seeing with the Iran-Israel deal – the outside world imposes a ceasefire. Trump likely told both Israel and Iran: Look, it’s enough. This is too dangerous for the rest of the world. We don’t care what you think. Time for a ceasefire.“

The U.S. has done this in the Middle East before, like after the Yom Kippur War in 1973 between Israel and a coalition of Arab countries led by Egypt and Syria. Israel was achieving big military victories, but the risk was pretty great for the world. The U.S. came in and said, “That’s enough, stop it now.” And it worked.

Does the US bring the warring parties to a table in this kind of situation, or simply pressure the countries to stop fighting?

It is more of the U.S. saying, “We are done.” When the U.S. does something like this, it is often going to have backup from the European Union and other countries like Qatar, saying, “The Americans are right. It is time for a ceasefire.”

It appears that this Israel-Iran deal does not have specific conditions attached to it. Is that typical of a ceasefire deal?

This deal doesn’t seem to have any specific details attached to it. Ceasefires work better when they have that. Lasting ceasefires need to address the concerns of the warring parties and give each side some of what it wants.

For instance, in the Ukraine and Russia war, we have not seen either one of those countries push for a ceasefire. Part of the problem is Crimea and eastern Ukraine, sections of land in Ukraine that Russia has annexed and claims as its own. Russia would be happy with a deal that puts it in charge of Crimea and Ukraine, but Ukraine won’t agree to that. The question of who controls specific areas of land has to be addressed in this conflict; otherwise, the ceasefire isn’t going to last.

Search and rescue efforts continue in a building in Beersheba, Israel, hit by a ballistic missile fired from Iran shortly before the ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump came into effect on June 24, 2025.
Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Who is responsible for ensuring that both sides uphold a ceasefire?

Security guarantees are an important part of negotiating and maintaining long-term ceasefires. Big countries like the U.S. could say that if a warring party violates a ceasefire agreement, they are going to punish them.

In the 1990s, the U.S. and Europe assured Ukraine that if it gave up its nuclear arsenal, the U.S. would defend Ukraine if Russia ever invaded it. Russia has invaded Ukraine twice since then, in 2014 and 2022. The U.S. gave a more substantial response in the form of sending weapons and other war materials to Ukraine after the 2022 invasion, but there have been no real consequences for Russia.

That has created a problem for ceasefires in the future, because the U.S. didn’t deliver on its past security guarantees.

The further away you get from Europe, the less interested the West is in wars. But in those kinds of disputes, United Nations and other international peacekeeping troops can be sent in. Sometimes, that can work brilliantly in one place, like with the example of international peacekeeping troops called the multilateral Observer Mission stationed between Israel and Egypt helping maintain peace between those countries. But you can copy it to another place and it just doesn’t work as well.

How does this ceasefire fit within the history of other ceasefires?

It’s too early to tell. What matters is how the details get fleshed out.

Ideally, you can get representatives of the Israeli and Iranian governments to sit around a conference table to reach a detailed agreement. The Israelis might say, “We have got to have some kind of assurances that Iran is not going to use a nuclear weapon.” And the Iranians could say, “Assassinations of our military generals and scientists has got to stop.” That kind of conversation and agreement is what is missing, thus far, in this process.

Why is it so common for ceasefire deals to fail?

Some ceasefire deals don’t get to the underlying conditions of what really caused the problem and what made people start shooting this time around. If you don’t get to the core issues of a conflict, you are putting a Band-Aid on the situation. Putting a Band-Aid on someone when they are bleeding is a good move, but you ultimately might need more than that to stop the bleeding.

The outside world might be pretty happy with a ceasefire deal that seems to stop the fighting, but if the details are not ironed out, the experts would say, “This isn’t going to last.”

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

– ref. Ceasefires like the one between Iran and Israel often fail – but an agreement with specific conditions is more likely to hold – https://theconversation.com/ceasefires-like-the-one-between-iran-and-israel-often-fail-but-an-agreement-with-specific-conditions-is-more-likely-to-hold-259739

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Shaheen, New Hampshire Congressional Delegation Applaud Release of More Than $9.4 Million to Help Improve Water for Disadvantaged Communities, Small Towns and Private Wells

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

**Funding is New Hampshire’s FY 2025 allocation from the $5 billion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law program**

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a lead negotiator of the water provisions in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and Maggie Hassan (D-NH), alongside Representatives Chris Pappas (NH-01) and Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), applauded the release of more than $9.4 million from a Bipartisan Infrastructure Law program to help Granite State communities and private well owners address contamination from per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The funding is New Hampshire’s Fiscal Year 2025 allocation from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Shaheen secured this funding in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and has worked to ensure it can be used to help homes on private wells in addition to community water systems.

“When safe drinking water is on the line, it’s critical for New Hampshire to receive the federal funding it has been promised to address PFAS contamination,” said Senator Shaheen. “I’m glad the Environmental Protection Agency has released funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that I fought for to help ensure Granite Staters everywhere have clean drinking water. I’ll continue to push this administration to uphold its responsibility to protect public health.”

“I’m glad to see that this $9 million in federal funding is being released to New Hampshire’s small communities to help them address dangerous PFAS contamination in their drinking water and private wells. However, this contamination problem is likely to continue because the Trump Administration is rolling back standards that would limit forever chemicals in drinking water,” said Senator Hassan. “I will continue to support efforts to ensure that all Granite Staters have access to clean, safe drinking water.”

“I fought to pass the bipartisan infrastructure law to deliver needed resources to our communities to modernize water infrastructure, combat harmful PFAS contamination, and strengthen access to clean, safe water,” said Congressman Pappas. “While I continue to fight for better national water standards and federal resources for New Hampshire, I am glad that this funding is rightfully being delivered to help tackle toxic forever chemicals and protect public health.”

“New Hampshire cannot thrive without access to safe, reliable drinking water – free from forever chemicals like PFAS,” said Congresswoman Goodlander. “This federal funding will make life better for hardworking people across our state, and I’ll never stop fighting to deliver every penny of federal funding that the people of New Hampshire were promised.”

Senator Shaheen leads efforts in Congress to uncover the potential health effects related to PFAS contamination, respond to the chemical exposure and remediate polluted sites. As a lead negotiator of water provisions in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Senator Shaheen worked to secure $10 billion to specifically address PFAS and other emerging contaminants, $5 billion of which is targeted to small and disadvantaged communities. To date, New Hampshire has received more than $325 million in water infrastructure funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, including $66 million to address PFAS. In the Fiscal Year 2024 government funding legislation, Senator Shaheen successfully secured language ensuring funding for small and disadvantaged communities from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law could be used to address private well contamination. Shaheen has introduced legislation that would be a permanent fix.

Pappas has been a leader in addressing PFAS and advocating for improved standards, increased investment, and a stronger national focus on PFAS contamination. On the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Pappas led the fight for dedicated funding for PFAS and helped pass the bipartisan infrastructure law to deliver resources to New Hampshire communities. Pappas leads the Clean Water Standards for PFAS Act, legislation to establish water quality criteria and set limits on industrial PFAS discharges into water and water treatment plants. He also leads the PFAS Research and Development Reauthorization Act, the PFAS Registry Act, the PFAS-Free Procurement Act, and the No Taxation on PFAS Remediation Act.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Update 7: Alberta wildfire update (June 24, 3:30 p.m.)
Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)
Current situation (as of 3:30 p.m., June 24)
- There are 51 wildfires currently burning across Alberta in the Forest Protection Area, and four mutual aid fires.
  
  18 are classified as out of control, four are being held and 29 are under control.
  
  There has been one new wildfire since yesterday.
- Since Jan. 1, there have been 594 wildfires in the Forest Protection Area, burning more than 670,000 hectares.
- More than 1,500 Alberta firefighters, contract firefighters and imported firefighters are currently battling wildfires across the province.
- Resources currently being used include heavy equipment, air tankers, helicopters and night vision helicopters.
- Alberta has imported firefighters and aircraft from Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Canadian Forest Service, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, Australia, Costa Rica, Washington and the United States Forest Service.
- Information about wildfires can be found by visiting the Alberta Wildfire Status Dashboard.
Orders and alerts
- Updates on evacuation orders are available on www.alberta.ca/emergency.
- On June 25, the Municipal District of Opportunity No. 17 will lift its evacuation order for Red Earth Creek, allowing all residents to return home. Residents of Red Earth Creek must remain prepared to evacuate again if conditions change.
- On June 25, the Kee Tas Kee Now Tribal Council will lift its evacuation order for Loon River First Nation (Loon Lake), allowing all residents to return home. Residents of Loon Lake must remain prepared to evacuate again if conditions change.
- On June 23, Saddle Hills County lifted its evacuation order. Those in the Blueberry Mountain area should remain prepared to evacuate if needed.
- The Kee Tas Kee Now Tribal Council’s evacuation orders for Peerless Lake and Trout Lake remain in effect.
  
  Registration centre at 10451 170 Street, Edmonton.
- The Municipal District of Opportunity No. 17’s evacuation order for Chipewyan Lake also remains in effect.
  
  Reception centre at Lakeview Sports Centre, 102 Opportunity Drive, Wabasca-Desmarais.
- The Dene Tha’ First Nation’s evacuation alert for the community of Chateh remains in effect.
- Alberta Emergency Alerts are issued by local authorities and are updated at their discretion. For the best source of information on the status of evacuation orders and alerts, residents are encouraged to follow their local authorities’ preferred communication channels for updates.
- People living in Alberta are encouraged to download the Alberta Emergency Alert mobile app, which immediately pushes all alerts out to subscribers.
Fire bans
- A fire ban is in effect for the High Level Forest Area as well as parts of the Fort McMurray Forest Area.
- Under this ban, all outdoor wood fires, barbecue charcoal briquettes, fireworks and exploding targets are prohibited, and existing fire permits are suspended.
- Please confirm advisories, restrictions or bans for your area at alberta.ca/fire-bans.
- Fire bans outside the Forest Protection Area are the responsibility of municipalities and counties.
- Everyone has a role to play in wildfire prevention. Follow all fire bans and restrictions to avoid new fire starts. If you see smoke or flames in the forest, call 310-FIRE to report it.
- Applying FireSmart principles to homes and property can mitigate the risk of wildfire damage. Removing flammable materials and vegetation around the property and preventing embers from accumulating can help protect your home from wildfires. To learn more, visit FireSmart Alberta.
Air quality
- Visit Wildfire Smoke Information for air quality monitoring information to make informed decisions about outdoor activities to protect your health. While wildfire smoke is affecting air quality in parts of Alberta, the presence of smoke does not necessarily mean there is fire near your community. Find information about the status of active wildfires and wildfire updates at Alberta Wildfire.
Roads and highways
- Highway 686 between Red Earth Creek and Trout Lake is closed due to a wildfire.
- 511 Alberta is the best source of real time information as conditions change on our highways. Follow on X (formerly known as Twitter) @511alberta.
- Alberta highways that are affected by the wildfires will open and close frequently depending on safety and weather conditions. Be patient and respect the staff at the closure/detour sites – they are there with your safety in mind.
Health
- Due to the ongoing evacuation in Red Earth Creek, public health services in that area remain suspended.
- For information about wildfire resources, including mental health, visit Wildfire Resources | Alberta Health Services.
Education
- Six schools are currently closed in response to community evacuations:
  
  Dene Tha’ Community School, in Chateh
  
  Kateri School, in Trout Lake
  
  Elizabeth Quintal School, in Peerless Lake
  
  Clarence Jaycox School, in Loon Lake
  
  Red Earth Creek School, in Red Earth Creek
  
  Chipewyan Lake School, in Chipewyan Lake
- Swan Hills School, in Swan Hills, reopened on Monday, June 9.
- Parents and guardians should reach out to local school authorities for the most current information on impacts to schooling.
- All affected school authorities had plans in place to ensure displaced students have access to educational programming.
Child care
- One child-care centre is currently closed in response to community evacuations:
  
  Opportunity Childcare, in Red Earth Creek
- Licensed child-care programs are required to notify Child Care Connect if they close unexpectedly.
- Parents and guardians should reach out to their child-care provider for information on closures.
Justice and court services
- Court sittings will resume in person at the Chateh courthouse on July 2.
- The Red Earth Creek courthouse remains closed until further notice. Visit the Alberta Courts website for the most current information regarding court scheduling.
Related information
- Active emergency updates
- Alberta Emergency Alerts
- Download the Alberta Emergency Alerts app
- Download the Alberta Wildfire app
- How to prepare for an emergency
- Wildfire smoke information
- Emergency evacuation payments
- Free admission to provincial museums and historic sites
MIL OSI Canada News –
June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Indonesia: Police must release 75 people arrested in discriminatory raid on ‘gay party’ – Amnesty International

Source: Amnesty International

Responding to the arrest of 75 people in a raid on a gathering described by police as a “gay party” in the Indonesian city of Bogor, near the capital city of Jakarta, Amnesty International Indonesia’s Deputy Director Wirya Adiwena said:

“This discriminatory raid on a privately rented villa is a blatant violation of human rights and privacy that exemplifies the hostile environment for LGBTI people in Indonesia. This gathering violated no law and posed no threat.

“The Indonesian authorities must end these hate-based and humiliating raids. No one should be subjected to arrest, intimidation or public shaming because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.

“The police must immediately release all those arrested. Indonesia’s government must also take urgent steps to ensure accountability for human rights violations committed by the police, and work toward creating an environment where LGBTI individuals and their allies can live free from fear and harassment.”

Background

Police in the city of Bogor confirmed on Monday night that they had conducted a raid on a gathering, described as a “gay party,” at a villa in the Puncak area on Sunday 22 June, arresting 75 individuals (74 men, 1 woman).

The local police chief said the raid was carried out following reports from the public regarding “gay activities” at the location. The police claimed to have secured a number of pieces of evidence, among them sex toys, four condoms and a sword used for a dance performance.

All participants were taken to the Bogor Police Headquarters where they were subjected to further examination, including health checks and HIV tests. As of Tuesday afternoon (24 June) the police have not named any of the people arrested.

This is the latest such raid on so-called “gay sex parties” in Indonesia. Police detained nine people following a raid on a “gay sex party” at a hotel in South Jakarta on 24 May, while 56 individuals were detained for participating in “a gay party” in a raid on a different hotel in South Jakarta on 1 February.

Those arrested in raids could face prison terms of up to 15 years for breaching Indonesia’s Pornography Law.

The Pornography Law defines pornography broadly, encompassing material that contravenes norms of community morality. Ambiguously worded laws on pornography are often exploited to deliberately target LGBTI people, denying them the basic right to privacy and the right to enter into consensual relationships.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: On Third Anniversary of Dobbs Decision, Attorney General Bonta Co-leads Letter Reminding Hospitals of Their Obligation to Provide Emergency Abortion Care

Source: US State of California

OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today co-led a coalition of 22 attorneys general in sending a letter to the American Hospital Association reminding hospitals of their ongoing obligation to comply with the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). Every hospital in the United States that operates an emergency department and participates in Medicare is subject to EMTALA. Under the law, emergency departments are required to provide all patients who have an emergency medical condition with the treatment required to stabilize their condition, including abortion care. On May 29, 2025, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) rescinded guidance that it issued in 2022 “to remind hospitals of their existing obligation to comply with EMTALA”. CMS’s rescission of this guidance does not change federal law or the obligations EMTALA imposes. Put simply, all hospitals must continue to follow EMTALA, including with respect to the provision of emergency abortion care.

“When a medical emergency happens, patients must be assured that they can access life-saving care when they go to the hospital – that includes emergency abortion care,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Despite the Trump Administration’s attempt to sow confusion and fear among providers, EMTALA remains the law of the land and its obligations are clear: Hospitals must continue to provide emergency abortion care to prevent serious harm to patients’ health. Furthermore, states like California and many others have analogous state law protections, which we take very seriously. At the California Department of Justice, we remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring that every hospital continues to follow the law, and we stand ready to work together with our sister states to ensure that every pregnant patient across the country receives the necessary and lifesaving healthcare that federal and state law require.”

Since 1986, EMTALA has mandated that hospitals provide critical and necessary healthcare in emergency medical situations. Under EMTALA, all Medicare-participating hospitals with an emergency department must provide pregnant patients access to abortion care to prevent serious harm to the patient’s health, serious impairment to bodily function, or serious dysfunction of an organ or body part. EMTALA requires these hospitals to provide access to abortion care if it is the treatment necessary to stabilize pregnant patients with an emergency medical condition. Emergency medical conditions can include, but are not limited to, ectopic pregnancy, traumatic placental abruption, pre-eclampsia, hemorrhaging, amniotic fluid embolism, and hypertension. Critically, the requirements of EMTALA apply regardless of whether a hospital is in a state that purports to limit or ban abortion care.

For decades, the federal government has properly interpreted the requirements of EMTALA to protect access to abortion care under the statute. Across federal administrations of both parties, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has enforced EMTALA against hospitals who fail to provide abortion care when necessary to provide stabilizing care for a patient experiencing an emergency medical condition. Nothing about CMS’s rescission of its 2022 guidance changes the statutory text of EMTALA, which requires abortion care in specified circumstances. Nor does the rescission of the guidance supersede numerous judicial opinions interpreting EMTALA to require the provision of emergency abortion care. The Trump Administration itself has acknowledged as much in a letter sent to healthcare providers on June 13, shortly after the rescission of CMS’s 2022 guidance. In the letter, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., made clear that “the law has not changed.” And while that letter needlessly attempted to sow confusion by focusing on protections for a pregnant patient’s “unborn child,” nothing about the rescission of the guidance changes the fact that EMTALA’s requirement to provide stabilizing care is based on the medical condition of the pregnant patient, not the fetus. Hospitals in all states therefore must continue to comply with EMTALA and provide access to abortion care when it is the medical treatment necessary to stabilize a pregnant patient, regardless of state laws purporting to prohibit or limit access to abortion care.

Continued compliance with EMTALA’s requirements is critical in light of the severe harms that result from denying stabilizing abortion care to pregnant patients in emergency medical situations. Denying stabilizing abortion care can cause irreparable harms, including hysterectomy, fertility loss, kidney failure, brain injury, and limb amputation, forcing patients to live with significant disabilities and chronic medical conditions. Delaying such stabilizing care, meanwhile, increases the risk that lifesaving interventions might not work, risking the lives and health of pregnant patients. For example, a recent maternal morbidity study after the enactment of Texas’ six-week abortion ban found the rate of serious maternal morbidity was 57% when using observation-only care, nearly double the rate that resulted when following the standard protocol of terminating the pregnancy to preserve the pregnant patient’s life or health.

The real-world consequences of denying or delaying stabilizing abortion care for pregnant patients with an emergency medical condition are catastrophic. After Texas’s six-week abortion ban went into effect, sepsis rates rose 50% statewide and increased by 63% in hospitals that waited to provide abortions or other interventions to miscarrying patients. In Texas, a young mother experiencing a miscarriage died of an infection after being forced to delay abortion care for 40 hours until doctors, fearful of prosecution under Texas’s abortion ban, could no longer detect fetal cardiac activity. And HHS found as recently as May 2025 that a hospital violated EMTALA when a pregnant woman nearly died after being denied abortion care for her ectopic pregnancy, resulting in permanent damage to her reproductive organs. The devastating consequences of denying medically necessary abortion care to pregnant patients are a stark reminder of the importance of EMTALA’s requirements—and the importance of ensuring continued compliance with those requirements. The law is clear: Hospitals subject to EMTALA have an obligation to provide timely abortion care when necessary to stabilize a patient experiencing an emergency medical condition.

In sending the letter, Attorney General Bonta is joined by the Attorneys General of New Jersey, New York, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia.

A copy of the letter is available here.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Carlisle Man Indicted for Arson

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

HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that John Petonyak, age 46, of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, was charged on June 18, 2025, by a federal grand jury with two counts of arson.

According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on August 11, 2021, Petonyak maliciously set fire to materials associated with two buildings in Carlisle: The Gingerbread Man, located on S. Court House Avenue; and the Faye’s Kitchen, located on S. Hanover Street.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Carlisle Police Department; and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Ford is prosecuting the case.

Petonyak faces a maximum penalty of 40 years imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

# # #

MIL Security OSI –

June 25, 2025