NewzIntel.com

Category: Justice

  • MIL-OSI Security: Thompson — Thompson RCMP make arrests in significant drug seizure/Le Détachement de la GRC de Thompson procède à des arrestations dans le cadre d’une importante saisie de drogues

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On September 17, 2024, at approximately 12:15pm, officers in the Thompson RCMP detachment executed a Controlled Drugs and Substances Act warrant at a residence on Hickory Avenue in Thompson as a result of an extensive investigation.

    Upon forced entry into the residence, officers discovered and seized 40 grams of crack/cocaine, drug paraphernalia, a scale, multiple weapons, cell phones, and an undisclosed amount of Canadian currency.

    Three individuals inside the home were arrested and taken into custody.

    Wendy Saric, 47, and a 33-year-old male, both of Thompson, were charged with Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking.

    Robait Modi, 26, of Alberta, is charged with Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking, Possession of Property Possession of a Prohibited Weapon or Restricted Weapon.

    Modi has been remanded in custody while Saric and the male have been released on an Undertaking.

    The investigation continues.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Addresses Gender-Based Pay Discrimination in Lawsuit Against Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs

    Source: US State of California

    The Justice Department has reached a settlement agreement to resolve a gender-based pay discrimination lawsuit filed in January 2023 against the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs (WDMA). The lawsuit alleged that the WDMA discriminated against former employee Michelle Hartness, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, when it offered her a lower salary than similarly or less qualified men for a director position in the Wisconsin Division of Emergency Management. 

    Title VII is a federal statute that prohibits pay discrimination and other forms of employment discrimination on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin or religion.

    “It is time to close the gender pay gap which stands as one of the most pressing problems that we face in the labor market today. This settlement agreement demonstrates the Justice Department’s strong commitment to vindicating the rights of qualified job applicants and employees who are offered or paid less simply because they are women,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We will continue to aggressively hold state and local government employers accountable when they unlawfully deny women the right to bring home the full paycheck they have rightly earned.”

    Under the settlement agreement, WDMA will pay Ms. Hartness a $175,000 monetary award. By signing the agreement, WDMA also confirms that it maintains antidiscrimination and other personnel policies to prevent compensation discrimination, including a pay-setting policy to establish consistency in setting salaries, and that it trains personnel on the pay-setting policy.

    Ms. Hartness filed a charge of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The EEOC’s Milwaukee Area Office investigated the charge and found reasonable cause to believe that Ms. Hartness was discriminated against because of her sex.  After unsuccessful conciliation efforts, the EEOC referred the charge to the Justice Department.

    Senior Trial Attorneys Patricia Stasco, Chrisine Dinan and Catherine Sellers and Trial Attorney Young Choi of the Civil Rights Division’s Employment Litigation Section handled the case.

    The full and fair enforcement of Title VII is a top priority of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division and the Employment Litigation Section is available at www.justice.gov/crt/ and www.justice.gov/crt/employment-litigation-section.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Alaska Man Arrested for Threatening U.S. Supreme Court Justices, Their Family Members

    Source: US State of California

    An Alaska man was arrested yesterday in Anchorage for allegedly threatening to injure and kill six U.S. Supreme Court Justices and some of their family members.

    According to court documents, between March 10, 2023, and July 16, Panos Anastasiou, 76, sent over 465 messages to the Supreme Court through a public website the court maintained.

    “We allege that the defendant made repeated, heinous threats to murder and torture Supreme Court Justices and their families to retaliate against them for decisions he disagreed with,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Our justice system depends on the ability of judges to make their decisions based on the law, and not on fear. Our democracy depends on the ability of public officials to do their jobs without fearing for their lives or the safety of their families.” 

    Beginning on Jan. 4, Anastasiou’s messages allegedly escalated to messages intending to threaten harm toward the victims. The messages contained violent, racist, and homophobic rhetoric coupled with threats of assassination by torture, hanging, and firearms.

    Anastasiou is charged by indictment with nine counts of making threats against a federal judge and 13 counts of making threats in interstate commerce. The defendant made his initial court appearance yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kyle F. Reardon of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska.

    If convicted, Anastasiou faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each count of making threats against a federal judge and a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count of making threats in interstate commerce. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Attorney General Garland and U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska made the announcement.

    The Supreme Court of the United States Police, Protective Intelligence Unit is investigating the case, with significant support from the U.S. Marshals Service and FBI Anchorage Field Office.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Will Taylor for the District of Alaska is prosecuting the case.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Announces Civil Rights Investigation of Rankin County, Mississippi, and Rankin County Sheriff’s Department

    Source: US State of California

    The Justice Department announced today that it has opened a civil pattern or practice investigation into Rankin County, Mississippi, and the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD). Rankin is the state’s fourth most populous county, with a population of approximately 160,000. It is located about 30 minutes east of the state capital, Jackson, Mississippi. 

    The investigation will seek to determine whether RCSD engages in patterns or practices that violate the Constitution and federal law. The investigation will evaluate all types of force used by RCSD officers, including deadly force. It will also assess whether RCSD engages in unlawful stops, searches, and arrests in violation of the Fourth Amendment and whether RCSD conducts discriminatory policing in violation of the 14th Amendment, Title VI, and Safe Streets Act.

    “The public is now well aware of the heinous attack inflicted on two Black men by Rankin County deputies who called themselves the ‘Goon Squad,’” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland.  “Those officers have since been convicted and sentenced, but we are launching this civil pattern or practice investigation to examine serious allegations that the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department systematically violates people’s constitutional rights through excessive use of force; unlawful stops, searches, and arrests; and discriminatory policing. These include allegations that Rankin County deputies have overused tasers, entered homes unlawfully, used racial slurs, and deployed dangerous, cruel tactics to assault people in their custody.  We are committed to working with local officials, deputies, and the community to conduct a comprehensive investigation.”

    “The violent, unlawful and racially charged actions of the so-called Goon Squad left lasting and damaging effects on the community,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Since the Goon Squad’s sickening acts came to light, we have received reports of other instances where Rankin deputies overused tasers, entered homes unlawfully, bandied about shocking racial slurs, and deployed dangerous, cruel tactics to assault people in their custody. Based on an extensive review of publicly available information as well as complaints provided to us, we have grounds to open a pattern or practice investigation into the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department now. The Justice Department will conduct a comprehensive and fair investigation into allegations of racially discriminatory policing of Black communities, the use of excessive force, and violations of the Fourth Amendment.”

    “The information we have learned to date about the conduct of some members of the Rankin County Sheriff’s office calls back to some of the worst periods of Mississippi’s history,” said U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi. “We do not have to accept the old hatreds and abuse of the past.  And we do not have to accept the false claim that safety comes at the price of illegal force and abuse of power. We will conduct an impartial and thorough review of the Rankin County Sheriff’s Office, and if we find violations, we will take necessary action to address them.”

    This civil investigation is separate and independent from the federal criminal civil rights prosecutions of RCSD deputies related to the violent assaults of two Black men, Michael Jenkins and Eddie Parker, at the hands of five white deputies.

    The investigation will include a comprehensive review of RCSD policies, training, and supervision. The investigation will also examine RCSD’s systems of accountability. The Justice Department will reach out to community groups and members of the public to learn about their experiences with RCSD. The Justice Department will also speak with RCSD deputies and leadership to hear their perspectives.

    Before this announcement, the Justice Department notified Rankin County officials, who have pledged to cooperate with the investigation.

    The investigation is being conducted pursuant to the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, which prohibits state and local governments from engaging in a pattern or practice of conduct by law enforcement officers that deprives individuals of rights protected by the Constitution or federal law. The Act allows the Justice Department to remedy such misconduct through civil litigation.

    The Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi will jointly conduct this investigation. 

    Individuals with relevant information are encouraged to contact the Justice Department via email at community.rankin@usdoj.gov or by toll free phone at (888) 392-8557. Individuals can also report civil rights violations regarding this or other matters using the Civil Rights Division’s new reporting portal, available at civilrights.justice.gov/. Individuals can also report civil rights violations to the U.S. Attorney’s Office at USAMSS.civilrights@usdoj.gov or (601) 973-2825.

    Today’s announcement marks the 12th pattern or practice investigation into law enforcement misconduct opened by the Justice Department during this administration. The Justice Department recently completed an investigation of the Phoenix Police Department.

    Information specific to the Civil Rights Division’s police reform work can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Texas Couple Charged in Multimillion-Dollar Tax Refund Fraud Scheme

    Source: US State of California

    A federal grand jury in Tyler, Texas, returned an indictment yesterday charging a Texas husband and wife with crimes related to their conspiracy to defraud the United States by seeking fraudulent tax refunds. 

    According to the indictment, from 2017 to 2023, Larry and Rebecca Kalmowitz filed false tax returns in the name of estates and trusts that sought $42 million in fraudulent refunds, ultimately receiving over $23 million from the IRS. The returns allegedly falsely reported interest income and large amounts of income tax withholdings to the IRS that resulted in large tax refunds to which they were not otherwise entitled. The Kalmowitzs allegedly created bank accounts in the names of the estates and trusts and deposited the fraudulently obtained tax refund checks into those accounts. They allegedly used the proceeds to purchase real property that they placed in the name of a nominee and to purchase luxury vehicles, including a Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 and a Mercedes-Benz GLS450. When the IRS attempted to recover the fraudulent funds, the Kalmowitzs allegedly took steps to obstruct the recovery by, among other things, filing false forms to support the claimed income and withholdings and a false form to release a federal lien.

    Both were charged with mail fraud, money laundering, conspiracy to defraud the United States and filing a false claim against the United States. If convicted, the Kalmowitzs each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of mail fraud, a maximum penalty of 10 years for each count of money laundering, a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the conspiracy to defraud the United States and a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count of filing a false claim against the United States. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Damien Diggs for the Eastern District of Texas made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

    Trial Attorneys Zachary Cobb and Daniel Lipkowitz of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Locker for the Eastern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Seeks to Bar Texas Tax Return Preparer

    Source: US State of California

    The Justice Department filed a civil complaint today in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas to enjoin John T. Ajuma, aka John Trobisch, from preparing federal tax returns for others.

    The complaint alleges Ajuma prepared nearly 11,000 federal income tax returns from 2018 through 2024 through two sole proprietorships named “Destiny Tax Service” and “Momentum Tax Express,” which Ajuma operated from the same location in Hurst, Texas. According to the complaint, in a substantial number of these tax returns, Ajuma significantly overstated customers’ tax refunds by fabricating or inflating unreimbursed employee expense deductions, falsifying child tax credits by reporting bogus child and dependent care expenses and falsely claiming energy, education and other credits to which customers were not entitled.

    By repeatedly understating customers’ tax liabilities, the complaint alleges that Ajuma may have caused the United States harm of almost $20 million in lost tax revenue from 2018 through 2022.

    Deputy Assistant Attorney General David A. Hubbert of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.

    Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers guidance on the credentials and qualifications that taxpayers should seek from their return preparer.

    In the past decade, the Justice Department’s Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Secures Relief from Morningstar Storage to Resolve Alleged Violations of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act

    Source: US State of California

    The Justice Department announced today that Morningstar Storage, which manages and operates a network of self-storage facilities in the southeast area of the United States, has agreed to pay $130,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by failing to obtain court orders before auctioning the contents of at least three storage units owned by active-duty servicemembers.

    According to the complaint, an Air Force Staff Sergeant stationed at MacDill Air Force Base rented a unit at a storage facility located in Tampa, Florida. On the storage agreement, the Staff Sergeant indicated that she was in active military service, provided contact information for her military unit and authorized rent payments to be made automatically. Shortly thereafter, before being deployed overseas to Jordan, she stored nearly all of her household goods at the Tampa facility, including her military awards and coins, and her children’s toys and keepsakes. While the Staff Sergeant was still deployed to Jordan, Morningstar acquired the Tampa facility, stopped her automatic payments and auctioned all the contents of her unit for $390.

    “We all know that servicemembers endure many hardships and make great sacrifices as a result of their service to the nation,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Our servicemembers should never have to worry that their property, including their most prized keepsakes and personal treasures, will be sold out from under them while they are on duty. The Justice Department will continue standing up for servicemembers to ensure basic respect for their property, their rights and their dignity.”

    “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida is deeply committed to protecting the civil rights of our Nation’s servicemembers,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “The brave individuals who selflessly sacrifice to serve our country deserve the respect and peace of mind of knowing that what they leave behind during their service will be treated with the utmost care. Today’s consent decree reminds us that the companies who take on this responsibility do not always exercise the care that our servicemembers are entitled to under the SCRA, but the department remains committed to ensuring companies like Morningstar follow their obligations under the law.”  

    The SCRA provides financial and housing protections and benefits to military members while they are in military service. One of the SCRA’s protections requires anyone holding a lien on the property of a servicemember to obtain a court order prior to auctioning off, selling or otherwise disposing of that property. Under the consent order, which must still be approved by the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Morningstar will pay the Air Force Staff Sergeant $80,000 in damages and will pay $5,000 each to two additional servicemembers. Morningstar has also agreed to pay a $40,000 civil penalty to the United States and must also implement new policies to prevent future violations of the SCRA.

    This lawsuit resulted from a referral to the Justice Department from the U.S. Air Force. The department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the department has obtained over $481 million in monetary relief for over 147,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit www.servicemembers.gov.

    Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA may have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations can be found at legalassistance.law.af.mil.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Specially Designated Global Terrorist Mohammad Bazzi Pleads Guilty to Sanctions Evasion

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    Lebanese national Mohammad Ibrahim Bazzi, 60, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to conduct and to cause U.S. persons to conduct unlawful transactions with a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.

    In May 2018, the Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Bazzi as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist for assisting in, sponsoring and providing financial, material and technological support and financial services to Hizballah. Hizballah is a foreign terrorist organization that, since the 1980s, engaged in numerous terrorist activities, including attacks against American military members, government employees and civilians abroad.

    According to the OFAC designation, Bazzi is a key Hizballah financier who has provided millions of dollars to Hizballah over the years, generated from his business activities in Belgium, Lebanon, Iraq and throughout West Africa. As a result of the designation, Bazzi’s interest in any property in the United States were blocked, and all U.S. persons were generally prohibited from transacting business with, or for the benefit of, Bazzi.

    Following Bazzi’s designation and according to the court documents, Bazzi and his co-defendant, Talal Chanine, who remains at large in Lebanon, conspired to force or induce an individual located in the United States (U.S. Person) to liquidate their interests in certain real estate assets located in Michigan and covertly transfer hundreds of thousands of dollars in proceeds of the liquidation out of the United States to Bazzi and Chahine in Lebanon without the required OFAC licenses, in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).

    During recorded communications, Bazzi and Chahine proposed numerous methods to conceal from OFAC and law enforcement officials that Bazzi was both the source and destination of the proceeds of the sale and to create the false appearance that the U.S. Person was conducting legitimate arms-length transactions unrelated to Bazzi and Chahine. For example, Bazzi and Chahine proposed that the funds be transferred through:

    • A third party in China as part of a fictitious purchase of restaurant equipment from a Chinese manufacturer;
    • A third party in Lebanon as part of a fictitious real estate purchase;
    • Chahine’s family members in Kuwait as part of fictitious intra-family loans; and
    • As part of a fictitious franchising agreement as payment for the rights to operate a Lebanese-based restaurant chain throughout the United States.

    Bazzi was arrested in February 2023 by Romanian law enforcement authorities and subsequently extradited to the Eastern District of New York. The Justice Department thanks the Romanian authorities for their assistance in this matter.

    A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. Bazzi faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. He has also agreed to forfeit the nearly $830,000 that was involved in the illegal transaction, and to be removed from the United States upon completion of his sentence. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York and Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI’s National Security Branch made the announcement.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Francisco J. Navarro, Jonathan P. Lax, Nomi D. Berenson, Claire Kedeshian and Robert M. Pollack for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case with assistance provided by Trial Attorney Charles Kovats of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Scott Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Section. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs assisted with the extradition in this case.

    This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: California Department of Justice Releases Report on Officer-Involved Shooting of Luis Herrera

    Source: US State of California

    Friday, September 20, 2024

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

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta, pursuant to Assembly Bill 1506 (AB 1506), today released a report on Luis Herrera’s death from an officer-involved shooting in Los Angeles, California, on September 17, 2022. The incident involved officers from the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). The report is part of the California Department of Justice’s (DOJ) ongoing efforts to provide transparency and accountability in law enforcement practices. The report provides a detailed analysis of the incident and outlines DOJ’s findings. After a thorough investigation, DOJ concluded that criminal charges were not appropriate in this case.

    “The California Department of Justice remains steadfast in our commitment to working together with all law enforcement partners to ensure an unbiased, transparent, and accountable legal system for every resident of California,” said Attorney General Bonta. “We hope this report brings a sense of assurance to our community. We acknowledge that this incident posed challenges for all parties involved, including Mr. Herrera’s family, law enforcement, and the community.”  

    On September 17, 2022, at approximately 1:21 PM, LAPD responded to two calls for service at a residence in Los Angeles. The calls, both made by Luis Herrera, reported that a domestic violence incident had occurred at the Herrera family’s residence. Mr. Herrera said that the gate to the residence would be left open for responding officers. When the officers arrived at the residence, they entered the front gate and walked towards the front porch. Mr. Herrera opened the front screen door with what appeared to be an AR-15 assault rifle, which he pointed at the officers. The officers retreated and took cover around the east corner of the residence while issuing multiple commands for Mr. Herrera to “drop the gun.” Mr. Herrera exited the residence and moved into the front yard where he pointed the rifle at the officers then was fatally shot.  It was later determined that the AR-15 assault rifle was an airsoft gun. 

    Under AB 1506, which requires DOJ to investigate all incidents of officer-involved shootings resulting in the death of an unarmed civilian in the state, DOJ conducted a thorough investigation into this incident and concluded that the evidence does not show, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the officer involved acted without the intent to defend himself and others from what he reasonably believed to be imminent death or serious bodily injury. Therefore, there is insufficient evidence to support a criminal prosecution of the officer. As such, no further action will be taken in this case. 

    As part of its investigation, the DOJ has identified policy recommendations that it believes will help prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. These recommendations include: 

    LAPD DISPATCHER TRAINING ON HANDLING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CALLS 
    It is recommended that LAPD conduct periodic dispatcher refresher training on handling domestic violence calls in three distinct areas outlined in the Communications Manual, Volume 3: (1) Diligent interviewing of callers reporting domestic violence, including calling back if calls are disconnected where pertinent information was not obtained; (2) Ensure Priority I coding of calls reporting threatened, imminent, and ongoing crime of violence; and (3) Remain on the line with the reporting party for Priority I calls to provide critical updates to responding officers, unless it compromises the safety and welfare of the reporting party. 

    A copy of the report can be found here.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Readout of Director Rachel Rossi’s Trip to Kansas

    Source: US State of California

    Director Rachel Rossi of the Office for Access to Justice (ATJ) traveled to Kansas this week to engage with stakeholders about the access to justice challenges rural communities face and to discuss innovative solutions. The visit built upon the ongoing work of ATJ to address the rural access to justice gap in the United States.

    Director Rossi began by meeting with the Executive Director of Kansas Legal Services, a grantee of the Legal Services Corporation that serves all 105 counties in Kansas, to discuss the importance of civil legal aid, the barriers that low-income Kansans face in addressing their civil legal needs and the operational challenges of providing legal services in rural areas of the state. Director Rossi highlighted various initiatives, including the office’s work to expand and modernize the Federal Government Pro Bono Program — which mobilizes federal government employees to engage in pro bono work, often in partnership with legal service providers, and the online resource developed through the Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable to make federal funding opportunities more accessible for legal service providers.

    Following her meeting with Kansas Legal Services, Director Rossi met with the Dean of the University of Kansas (KU) School of Law and Directors of the Law School’s Legal Aid Clinic, which offers students the opportunity to represent low-income clients in civil, criminal and juvenile cases under the guidance of supervising attorneys. Director Rossi and KU Law faculty discussed the recruitment and retention issues plaguing public defense and youth defense systems in Kansas. The clinical professors and Dean shared unique insight into current challenges and potential solutions to several access to justice issues in Kansas, focusing on creative recruitment strategies to encourage law students to pursue public interest and public defense careers.

    Later in the day, Director Rossi met with the Executive Director and the Director of Special Projects for the Kansas State Board of Indigents’ Defense Services (BIDS), which oversees Kansas’ 18 regional public defender offices and manages the statewide assigned counsel program, legal services for people in prison, non-capital appellate services and capital defense. Director Rossi shared ATJ’s Public Defense Resource Hub, a digital compilation of federal resources and materials that can be used to support public defense. The meeting included a discussion of caseload and workload standards, the public defense recruitment and retention crisis and the expansion of public defense in Kansas. Following her meeting with BIDS, Director Rossi met with the Federal Public Defender for the District of Kansas, who also serves as the chair of the Defender Services Advisory Group, to discuss issues federal public defenders are facing, implementation of the Report and Recommendations Concerning Access to Counsel at the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ Pretrial Facilities and the innovative defense provided laptop program within the district that ensures discovery access for detained clients.

    On Thursday, Sept. 19, Director Rossi met with the Rural Justice Initiative Committee, which was created in 2022 by the Kansas Supreme Court to collect information and data on unmet legal needs and the availability of legal help in rural Kansas and to issue a report and recommendations to address gaps and promote effective solutions. Director Rossi also met with the Supreme Court’s Access to Justice Committee and the Language Access Committee to discuss their programs in rural Kansas and ways in which ATJ can advance access to justice in rural areas. Director Rossi also had the opportunity to meet with a group of state court judges and Kansas Supreme Court justices who serve on these committees to hear their perspective on the role that the judiciary plays in addressing access to justice barriers in the state. She highlighted the work of ATJ to convene all 40 state access to justice commissions quarterly, and the office’s work to expand language access under the leadership of the department-wide language access coordinator.

    Director Rossi next met with the Kansas Farm Bureau (KFB) Legal Foundation, an organization established by the Kansas Farm Bureau to provide legal education, information and research for those directly engaged in agriculture or related enterprises. They discussed the civil legal help provided by the KFB Legal Foundation to agricultural communities, including programs to educate farmers and ranchers about significant legal issues such as farm bankruptcy and probate issues, farm ownership transitions, agricultural land use and zoning and more. They also discussed the need for more attorneys and legal help in rural communities, and how the KFB Legal Foundation recently responded through the launch of a Rural Law Practice Grant to help defray the educational costs of law school and to encourage new attorneys to locate their legal practice in rural Kansas.

    To conclude the trip, Director Rossi traveled to Washburn University Law School (Washburn Law), in Topeka, Kansas, to meet with faculty, administrators and students participating in Washburn Law’s Rural Law program that focuses on identifying rural externship and employment opportunities and providing support for students to transition into rural law practice. They discussed the program’s effort to expand the range of accelerated and remote study options to lower the barriers to rural students seeking a degree. This engagement highlighted the perspectives of law students, many with backgrounds from rural communities, on effective solutions to the rural lawyer shortage. 

    Director Rossi and ATJ staff met with faculty at the University of Kansas School of Law.
    Director Rossi and representatives from Kansas State Board of Indigents’ Defense Services.
    Director Rossi and ATJ staff convened with representatives from the Kansas Rural Justice Initiative, Access to Justice and Language Access Committees.
    Director Rossi engaged with Washburn University School of Law faculty and former and present law students.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Federal Funding Secured for Baylor University

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Pete Sessions (32nd District of Texas)

    WACO- Congressman Pete Sessions (TX-17) announced that the Arctic Acclimatization & Sleep Optimization (ARKTOS) Research Center at Baylor University received federal funding under the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024. Congressman Sessions was the sponsor of this Congressional Community Project. These funds will support the development of rapid acclimatization protocols and technologies, human-machine teaming, and group dynamics in multi-stressor arctic environments. The purpose of the project is to solidify the dominance of the United States military in complex, multi-stressor environments such as arctic climates. 

    Congressman Sessions said, “As the lead sponsor in the House of Representatives, I am proud to have played a pivotal role in achieving funding to improve the scientific endeavors of Baylor University. These funds will allow Baylor’s excellent researchers to optimize the performance of our military through rapid acclimatization.”

    “We appreciate Congressman Sessions and his staff for their hard work supporting the impactful research being conducted at Baylor University as a Research 1 institution,” said Provost Nancy Brickhouse, Ph.D. “Leading-edge research tied to rapid adaptation to extreme environments is greatly needed and critical for our state and country to remain ahead.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: This Week at Justice – September 20, 2024

    Source: United States Department of Justice (video statements)

    #ThisWeekAtJustice

    • Justice Department Awards Over $600M to Hire Law Enforcement Officers, Keep Schools Safe, and Improve Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Services
    • Justice Department Announces Five Cases Tied to Disruptive Technology Strike Force
    • Justice Department and Department of Housing and Urban Development Secure Over $15M from OceanFirst Bank to Resolve Redlining Claims in New Jersey
    • Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against Owner and Operator of the Vessel that Destroyed the Francis Scott Key Bridge
    • Suspect at Trump International Golf Course Charged with Firearms Offenses

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGRCk_SUVW8

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: A Proclamation on Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions Week,  2024

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
         Our Nation’s nearly 200 Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs) open doors of opportunity for millions of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) students.  AANAPISIs provide a pathway to the middle class and a better life for their students, many of whom often come from low-income neighborhoods and may be the first in their families to attend college.  During AANAPISI Week, we celebrate these critical institutions for the resources and support they provide to students, and we recommit to advancing their mission and success.
         AANAPISIs play a critical role in the lives of so many of our Nation’s AA and NHPI students.  In addition to a quality education, these institutions meet AA and NHPI students where they are and foster inclusive learning environments — providing tutoring, career development, counseling, culturally and linguistically responsive services, and more.  AANAPISIs confer more than half of all associate degrees and more than a third of baccalaureate degrees that AA and NHPI students earn.
         My Administration is committed to strengthening our AANAPISIs so that more AA and NHPI students can reach their full potential.  My American Rescue Plan delivered $5 billion to AANAPISIs.  The Department of Education has invested in increasing the number of diverse and talented teachers by funding programs at Minority Serving Institutions that serve large percentages of AA and NHPI populations.  Across my Administration, Federal agencies are working to expand the capacity of AANAPISIs and strengthen their programs.  And I re-established the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders and released a National Strategy to Advance Equity, Justice, and Opportunity for AA and NHPI Communities.  These actions work to ensure AA and NHPI communities have the resources they need to thrive.
         My Administration is also working to make college more affordable for all students.  We provided a $900 increase to the maximum Pell Grant award — the largest increase in over a decade, canceled debt for hundreds of thousands of borrowers through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, and taken steps to help borrowers manage their payments through income-driven repayment.  And earlier this year, I laid out my Administration’s new plans that would cancel student debt for more than 30 million Americans when combined with everything we have done so far.
         I have always believed that the American Dream is big enough for everyone — and every generation has benefited by opening the doors of opportunity a bit wider for those behind them.  During AANAPISI Week, may we celebrate the nearly 200 institutions across our Nation that ensure generations of AA and NHPI students can pursue the limits of their talents and ambitions.  May we recognize that diversity will always be one of our Nation’s greatest strengths.  And may we celebrate all our Nation’s AA and NHPI students. 
         NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 23 through September 29, 2024, as Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions Week.  I call on public officials, educators, and all the people of the United States to observe this week with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities that acknowledge the many ways these institutions and their graduates contribute to our country.
         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twentieth day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.
                                  JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: A Proclamation on Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions Week,  2024

    Source: The White House

         Our Nation’s nearly 200 Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs) open doors of opportunity for millions of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) students.  AANAPISIs provide a pathway to the middle class and a better life for their students, many of whom often come from low-income neighborhoods and may be the first in their families to attend college.  During AANAPISI Week, we celebrate these critical institutions for the resources and support they provide to students, and we recommit to advancing their mission and success.

         AANAPISIs play a critical role in the lives of so many of our Nation’s AA and NHPI students.  In addition to a quality education, these institutions meet AA and NHPI students where they are and foster inclusive learning environments — providing tutoring, career development, counseling, culturally and linguistically responsive services, and more.  AANAPISIs confer more than half of all associate degrees and more than a third of baccalaureate degrees that AA and NHPI students earn.

         My Administration is committed to strengthening our AANAPISIs so that more AA and NHPI students can reach their full potential.  My American Rescue Plan delivered $5 billion to AANAPISIs.  The Department of Education has invested in increasing the number of diverse and talented teachers by funding programs at Minority Serving Institutions that serve large percentages of AA and NHPI populations.  Across my Administration, Federal agencies are working to expand the capacity of AANAPISIs and strengthen their programs.  And I re-established the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders and released a National Strategy to Advance Equity, Justice, and Opportunity for AA and NHPI Communities.  These actions work to ensure AA and NHPI communities have the resources they need to thrive.

         My Administration is also working to make college more affordable for all students.  We provided a $900 increase to the maximum Pell Grant award — the largest increase in over a decade, canceled debt for hundreds of thousands of borrowers through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, and taken steps to help borrowers manage their payments through income-driven repayment.  And earlier this year, I laid out my Administration’s new plans that would cancel student debt for more than 30 million Americans when combined with everything we have done so far.

         I have always believed that the American Dream is big enough for everyone — and every generation has benefited by opening the doors of opportunity a bit wider for those behind them.  During AANAPISI Week, may we celebrate the nearly 200 institutions across our Nation that ensure generations of AA and NHPI students can pursue the limits of their talents and ambitions.  May we recognize that diversity will always be one of our Nation’s greatest strengths.  And may we celebrate all our Nation’s AA and NHPI students. 

         NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 23 through September 29, 2024, as Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions Week.  I call on public officials, educators, and all the people of the United States to observe this week with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities that acknowledge the many ways these institutions and their graduates contribute to our country.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twentieth day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.

                                  JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER, CONTINUING HIS PUSH TO LAND NEW SKI-BIRD FLEET AT SCHENECTADY COUNTY’S STRATTON AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, BRINGS NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION DIRECTOR TO U.S. CAPITOL TO BUILD SUPPORT IN THE…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
    Schumer Made Major Breakthrough After Visiting Stratton Air National Guard Base Earlier This Year Securing $229M In Senate Approps, But In Order For $$ To Become Law The House Needs To Agree To This Measure, Which Is Currently Not Included In Their Bill
    Schumer Brought NSF And NY National Guard Top Brass, Who Rely On These Planes For Scientific Research And Maintaining American Competition With China And Russia, To Capitol To Discuss Need For New Ski-Bird Planes To Ensure We Can Continue Missions To Arctic And Antarctic For National Security
    Schumer: We Are The Closest We’ve Ever Been To Landing New Ski-Birds For The 109th Airlift Wing & We Need Everyone To Get On Board To Support This Funding
    After securing $229 million in the Senate’s FY2025 defense appropriations bill to replace the 109th Airlift Wing’s (AW) two oldest LC-130H aircraft, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer this week brought National Science Foundation (NSF) Director Dr. Sethuraman Panchanathan and Major General Ray Shields, Adjutant General for the State of New York, to the U.S. Capitol to build support and describe the need for the House to follow the Senate and back funding to recapitalize the Ski-Bird fleet for the Stratton Air National Guard in Schenectady County.
    “Upgrading the 109th Airlift Wing’s Ski-Bird fleet based in Schenectady is critical for our national security and the National Science Foundation’s polar research mission. That is why I personally brought NSF Director Panchanathan and Major General Ray Shields to the Capitol to highlight the need to land new Ski-Birds in the Capital Region ASAP. Stratton Air National Guard and the 109th Airlift Wing is the only military unit in the world that flies these aircraft and they need the House to back up the funding I was able to secure in the Senate,” said Senator Schumer. “For more than thirty years, the old LC-130H planes have been in service in harsh environments, but now their state of disrepair is threatening aircrew safety and the 109th AW’s mission success. I landed $229 million in federal funding in the Senate’s FY2025 Defense Appropriations bill so now we need the House to follow suit. The brave men and women of the 109th Airlift Wing cannot wait, and I’ll keep fighting tooth and nail for the inclusion of this funding in end-of-year appropriations so we can finally bring brand new J model LC-130s to the Capital Region.”
    At the meeting Schumer convened at the U.S. Capitol they had a wide range of panelists who highlighted the tremendous need for upgrading the ski-bird fleet including: Dr. Sethuraman Panchanathan, Director, National Science Foundation; Major General Ray Shields, Adjutant General, New York National Guard; Dr. Jean Cottam Allen, Acting Director, Office of Polar Programs at the NSF; Stephanie Short, Section Head, Antarctic Infrastructure and Logistics at the NSF; Jennifer Mercer, Section Head, Arctic Sciences at the NSF; Brig. Gen. Gary Charlton II, Assistant Adjutant General (Air), NYANG; and Col Steve Slosek, 109th Airlift Wing, NYANG. Then, panelists covered how the 109th AW’s Ski-Bird mission is crucial to both scientific research and national security, discussing the significant and immediate consequences it would yield if Congress fails to recapitalize the fleet and the aircraft enters restricted flight status. Now, Schumer and these top leaders are advocating for the House to match the Senate Defense Appropriations bill and support its inclusion in the final FY25 appropriations package.
    National Science Foundation Director Dr. Panchanathan said, “The U.S. National Science Foundation’s leadership in both polar regions not only keeps the U.S. at the forefront of critical areas of science and innovation, it also maintains the United States as the dominant global year-round presence in the Arctic and Antarctic. This would not be possible without the LC-130H aircraft and the brave and dedicated servicemembers of the New York Air National Guard and the 109th Air Lift Wing. Together, they provide a unique and invaluable service that allows us to reach the most remote parts of the polar regions. Without this capability, our leadership and presence would be at risk, and the world-class science we invest in, from glaciology to astrophysics would not be possible. I am grateful to Sen. Schumer, the New York delegation, and Congress for continued support to make sure the United States remains the global leader in the Arctic and Antarctic.”  
    “Today Senator Schumer hosted a meeting and panel discussion to address the urgent need to recapitalize the New York Air National Guard’s aging fleet of LC-130H Ski Birds.  The event included the Director of the National Science Foundation as well as key leaders from their Office of Polar Programs.  Senator Schumer was instrumental in securing $229 million in the Senate’s FY-2025 appropriations bill.  The panel and the discussion continued the efforts of Senator Schumer and New York’s Congressional delegation to ensure the critical mission of the 109th Air Wing and their vital National Security and science support missions have the aircraft required. We appreciate Senator Schumer’s steadfast support and commitment to our recapitalization efforts,” said Major General Shields.
    Schumer explained that with these planes quickly approaching the end of their service life—and following his successful efforts to authorize funding for the procurement of two new J model LC-130 aircraft in the Senate’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25), securing this funding in the final end-of-year appropriations bills is a national security priority for New York. The senator explained that the $229 million in the Senate bill will support the procurement of two LC-130J Ski-Birds, as well as essential engineering work to accelerate the design and development of the J model’s capabilities.
    Earlier this year, Schumer wrote to Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall to urge the Air Force to prioritize recapitalizing the LC-130H fleet and in April, he personally visited the 109th Airlift Wing—the only U.S. military unit in the world that flies these aircraft—in person to double down on the urgent need to recapitalize the LC-130H fleet and formally launch his push to secure federal funding for the procurement of two new LC-130Js in the FY25 appropriations cycle. As he explained during his visit and with the top leaders during the meeting he convened in the Capitol this week, this funding is critical for protecting U.S. national security interests, enhancing U.S. competitiveness with Russia and the People’s Republic of China (PRC), maximizing aircrew safety, and continuing to support cutting-edge research in the polar regions which includes finding solutions to limit global warming and combat climate change.
    “As I have repeatedly said, we need to ensure that we deliver new Ski-Birds for the 109th as soon as possible. Now that we’ve secured more than $200 million for LC-130H recapitalization in both the FY25 Senate NDAA and defense appropriations bill, the House needs to follow suit so that new planes can land in the Capital Region. The National Science Foundation and the NY National Guard both agree, and we are closer than we have ever been. ” added Schumer.
    Schumer explained that after more than 30 years, these planes—several of which were built in the 1970s and operate on technology developed in the 1950s—are rapidly approaching the end of their service life, jeopardizing mission success, aircrew and operator safety, and U.S. national security. Schumer said the airplanes often suffer reliability issues and high maintenance costs, with only five planes out of the ten total in the fleet being mission-capable at any given time. Additionally, nearly all of the aircraft in the fleet have parts that require total replacement, but the 109th AW is unable to make the necessary fixes because those parts are no longer in production due to the aircraft’s age and commodity. With both U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM), which oversees the polar airlift mission, and 109th AW, which supports the NSF’s polar science research missions and is the only U.S. military unit in the world that flies these planes, expressing the urgent need to recapitalize, Schumer took action to push for this major federal funding and upgrade the fleet to support U.S. national security and scientific research.
    The LC-130 is also a necessity for maintaining and strengthening the United States’ presence, operations, and research in the Arctic and Antarctica. The Arctic is a region of growing strategic importance, and to compete on a global scale, especially with China and Russia who are expanding their presence in the region, it is vital that the U.S. has the advanced capabilities needed to expand its presence in the region.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Sues Wisconsin Townships to Ensure Accessible Voting

    Source: US State Government of Utah

    Department Secures Agreement with Lawrence, Wisconsin, to Resolve Voting Rights Lawsuit

    The Justice Department announced today that is has filed a complaint against the Town of Thornapple, Wisconsin, and the State of Wisconsin for violations of Section 301 of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), which requires polling places to be equipped with at least one voting machine that is accessible to voters with disabilities during federal elections. The department also secured an agreement with the Town of Lawrence, Wisconsin, to resolve its complaint alleging HAVA violations.

    “Our democracy works when voters with disabilities have the right to vote on the same terms as any other voter,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “By failing to offer accessible voting systems, Thornapple and Lawrence shirked their responsibilities under the Help America Vote Act to provide equal access to the ballot for all voters. We must ensure that all Wisconsin towns, and indeed all jurisdictions throughout our country, fulfill their duty to guarantee all voters equal access to the ballot. We commend Lawrence for working with the Justice Department to swiftly remedy this violation by taking simple action to ensure that federal elections are accessible to all eligible voters.” 

    “Ensuring equal voting access to all citizens, including those voters with disabilities, is a priority of this office,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea for the Western District of Wisconsin. “We’re pleased that the representatives of the Town of Lawrence agreed to remedy the violations of federal law, and we will continue to work to protect and vindicate the voting rights of voters with disabilities in Wisconsin.”

    Congress passed HAVA in 2002 in part to make in-person voting more accessible for voters with disabilities. Among other things, Section 301 of HAVA requires that each polling place used for federal elections provide at least one voting system that provides voters with disabilities the same opportunity for access and participation as other voters are provided, including the same opportunity to cast ballots privately and independently.

    The complaint alleges that Thornapple and Lawrence violated HAVA by deliberately failing to make accessible voting machines available to voters in certain 2024 federal elections. Specifically, the department alleges that Thornapple violated Section 301 of HAVA by failing to make available at least one accessible voting machine during Wisconsin’s April 2 and Aug. 13 federal primary elections. It also alleges that Lawrence failed to provide an accessible voting machine during the April federal primary election. Both the Thornapple and Lawrence Town Boards voted in 2023 to stop using the accessible voting machines the towns had previously used. Thornapple has neither revisited nor reversed that decision. Lawrence reversed its decision on Sept. 9 as part of its agreement with the department. The complaint alleges that the State of Wisconsin did not ensure that every polling place within the state was accessible to voters with disabilities, as required by federal law. 

    Under the department’s agreement with Lawrence, which is subject to court approval and was filed in conjunction with the complaint, Lawrence will make an accessible voting machine available at every polling place operated by the town in subsequent federal elections and will train its election and municipal staff on the operation of such equipment. The proposed consent decree resolves claims only against Lawrence; litigation against Thornapple and the state will proceed.

    The department also filed a motion for immediate injunctive relief against the Town of Thornapple to remedy the violations of HAVA. Among other things, the department’s motion requests an order requiring Thornapple to ensure that, during the Nov. 5 federal general election, every Thornapple polling place has at least one accessible voting machine.

    More information about voting and elections is available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/voting. Learn more about HAVA and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section. Complaints about possible violations of federal voting rights laws can be submitted through the Civil Rights Division’s website at civilrights.justice.gov or by telephone at 1-800-253-3931. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New State Law Provides Free State Parks Annual Passes for Veterans with Disabilities

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: New State Law Provides Free State Parks Annual Passes for Veterans with Disabilities

    New State Law Provides Free State Parks Annual Passes for Veterans with Disabilities
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    Veterans with service-related disabilities are now eligible to apply to receive a free Annual Pass to N.C. State Parks, the Division of Parks and Recreation announced. Those who want to redeem their free pass can submit a request form along with a copy of their Summary of Benefits Letter from the federal Department of Veterans Affairs.

    In July, the General Assembly passed State Law 2024-45, which included Section 15.(a) to 15.(d) that made any State Parks Annual Pass free for veterans who were discharged honorably and received benefits or certification that they have a service-connected disability.

    “North Carolinians take pride in our spectacular state parks and our strong support for military families,” said N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Secretary Reid Wilson. “This is a small token of acknowledgement of the sacrifices that our veterans have made for our state and our country, and we welcome them to our state parks.”

    The Annual Pass program allows visitors to enjoy equipment rentals, swimming, and more throughout the calendar year for a discounted package rate. Because most North Carolina state parks are free to enter throughout the year, the Annual Pass program is different from typical annual passes at other states or at the national level.

    Benefits of note include day-use entry at the reservoirs of Falls Lake, Jordan Lake, and Kerr Lake state recreation areas; ferry passes to Hammocks Beach State Park’s Bear Island (set to reopen in spring 2025); boat launches at Carolina Beach and Hammocks Beach state parks; and canoe, kayak, or paddleboard rentals at select parks.

    “We are thrilled to provide these recreation opportunities at no cost to veterans with disabilities,” said State Parks Director Brian Strong. “We hope all who are eligible take advantage of this program so they can enjoy the beautiful natural and cultural resources they have served to defend. We also remain committed to taking additional steps to make our parks more accessible to everyone, including those with disabilities.”

    By default, all requestors under this provision will receive the Annual Pass, typically sold at $90. Those who want to utilize the four-wheel-drive beach at Fort Fisher State Recreation Area in New Hanover County can indicate so on the form, and they will receive the Annual Pass with 4WD Beach Access, priced at $150. Veterans who receive this pass must visit the Fort Fisher park office to receive instructions on how to use the four-wheel-drive gate.

    For more information on the Annual Pass benefits and how eligible veterans can request a free one, visit ncparks.gov/annual-pass.

    About North Carolina State Parks
    North Carolina State Parks manages more than 262,000 acres of iconic landscape within North Carolina’s state parks, state recreation areas and state natural areas. It administers the N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, including its local grants program, as well as a state trails program, North Carolina Natural and Scenic Rivers and more, all with a mission dedicated to conservation, recreation and education. The state parks system welcomes more than 19 million visitors annually.
    About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
    The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.
    The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.
    Sep 20, 2024

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. John Albers Honored by Fraternal Order of Police

    Source: US State of Georgia

    ATLANTA (September 20, 2024) — This week,Sen. John Albers (R–Roswell) was honored by the Georgia Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) for his legislative contributions during the 2023-2024 Legislative Session of the Georgia General Assembly. During the 2024 legislative session, Sen. Albers authored and passed legislation to raise the limit for the total percentage of funds that the Peace Officers’ Annuity and Benefit Fund may invest in alternative investments.

    “It is an honor to be recognized by the Fraternal Order of Police,” said Sen. Albers. “As a former first responder, I have always considered standing alongside our law enforcement officers a privilege. These men and women put their lives on the line daily, serving our communities faithfully, often in the face of danger and uncertainty. I will always remain committed to doing everything I can to support them through sound policies and resources. Whether it’s ensuring they have the training and equipment they need or advocating for their well-being both on the job and after they retire, we owe them our full support.”

    The Georgia Fraternal Order of Police consists of 34 Local Lodges and has more than 6,200 members across the state. The organization serves as the voice of those who dedicate their lives to protecting and serving communities nationwide. More information on the Georgia Fraternal Order of Police is available here.

    # # # #

    Sen. John Albers serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Safety. He represents the 56th Senate District which includes portions of Cherokee, Cobb and North Fulton counties. He may be reached at his office at 404.463.8055 or by email at john.albers@senate.ga.gov

    For all media inquiries, please reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bonneville County Man Sent to Prison for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: US State of Idaho

    Home Newsroom Bonneville County Man Sent to Prison for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material

    [BOISE] – Attorney General Raúl Labrador has announced that Elias Daniel Medina, 27, was sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of Sexual Exploitation of a Child by Distribution of Sexually Exploitative Material, a felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison, and one count of Sexual Exploitation of a Child by Possession of Sexually Exploitative Material, a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Medina was sentenced on September 18, 2024, by Bonneville County District Judge Bruce Pickett.
    “Our ICAC investigators and prosecutors work hard to keep predators off the streets and to deliver justice for these tragically young victims,” said Attorney General Labrador.  “I’m grateful for the partnerships that have been built across the state and the awareness raised in our communities, and for the judges who take these crimes seriously when determining sentences.”
    In October 2023, the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit received multiple CyberTips indicating that files containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) were in accounts belonging to Medina. After obtaining search warrants, officers searched Medina’s home and devices, locating hundreds of files containing CSAM. Investigators also found Medina was distributing files containing CSAM to other internet users. The files depicted minor females ranging from approximately 3 to 13 years old. Many of these files depicted the minors engaged in sex acts with adult men.
    Judge Pickett sentenced Medina to a total of 15 years with 2 years fixed and 13 years indeterminate. Medina was ordered to pay reimbursement to Bonneville County for his representation and court costs and fees. Upon release, Medina will have to register as a sex offender pursuant to Idaho law.
    The investigation was led by Detective Jared Mendenhall with the Idaho Falls Police Department, who serves in the Attorney General’s ICAC Unit. The case was prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Madison Allen.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Escobar Celebrates Bridge of the Americas Modernization Project

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16)

    Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) celebrated the General Services Administration (GSA)’s adoption of Viable Action Alternative #4 for the Bridge of the Americas (Puente Libre, BOTA) project. Viable Action Alternative #4, one of several design proposals, which removes all commercial cargo operations and modernizes the bridge with a focus on customer service and environmental justice, comes after years of work and commitment by the Congresswoman to ensure that BOTA is modernized in a way that responds to El Pasoans needs and challenges, including the health and environmental risks posed to residents near the bridge caused by idling commercial traffic.

    “After years of advocacy and work for the modernization of our ports of entry, with particular care given to health and environmental impacts on El Pasoans, I am so excited to announce that GSA has finalized the best (and most popular) design option for the Bridge of the Americas,” Congresswoman Escobar said. “Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Biden- Harris Administration’s commitment to environmental justice, we are one step closer to delivering transformational investment – over $650 million – to our border region which will lead to cleaner air and a healthier community for generations to come. I look forward to seeing these designs come to life for a land port that will prioritize El Pasoans, create jobs, and promote economic growth and development for our community. I’m grateful to GSA and CBP who were great partners throughout this process, and grateful to all El Pasoans who took part in these important conversations.”

    $650 – $700 million was appropriated to GSA for Bridge of the Americas modernization in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, signed into law by President Biden in November of 2021. Congresswoman Escobar was the only representative in this region to vote in favor of the funding.

    Since the funding announcement – Congresswoman Escobar and her office have held a series of listening sessions, public engagements, and surveys with community leaders, neighborhood associations, business and environmental stakeholders, alongside both Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and GSA. These sessions were critical in ensuring the GSA and CBP made decisions based on facts and community input.

     

    Congresswoman Escobar’s Push to Remove Commercial Traffic and Prioritize El Pasoans at the Bridge of the Americas: 

    • August 2022– Congresswoman Escobar hosted a meeting with GSA to kick off stakeholder engagement for the BOTA modernization. Local government, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC), Department of State, HOME, neighborhood associations near the bridge and other stakeholders attended to learn about the process. GSA committed to robust community engagement throughout the design concept and environmental impact process. 
    • GSA hosted a series of community meetings beginning in Fall 2022, where the Congresswoman helped ensure local community members were present and their voices heard at the highest levels 
    • April 7, 2023 – Congresswoman Escobar met with GSA to provide feedback on concerns and issues shared with her by El Paso stakeholders.
    • July 5, 2023 – Congresswoman Escobar met with members of the San Xavier, Chamizal, and Washington-Delta neighborhood associations regarding their experiences with past construction projects impacting their communities and their concerns about the BOTA modernization project.  
    • July 19, 2023 – Congresswoman Escobar sent a letter to GSA requesting a Health Impact Assessment to be included as part of the Environmental Impact Survey process. 
    • October 19, 2023 –Congresswoman Escobar announced a series of listening sessionson BOTA with various stakeholders and sent out an email survey asking constituents their opinion on commercial traffic at BOTA.  
    • October 27, 2023 – Congresswoman Escobar hosted a convening of governmental stakeholders- United States federally, Texas state, local and Ciudad Juarez and State of Chihuahua attending. 
    • November 13, 2023 – Congresswoman Escobar hosted a virtual town hall with a legislative update, including an update on the BOTA LPOE modernization project, with over 2,000 constituents in attendance. 
    • November 17,  2023 – Congresswoman Escobar hosted a listening session with US and Mexico industry leaders (maquilas, custom brokers, trucking companies, etc) 
    • January 2024 – Congresswoman Escobar hosted a listening session at the Chamizal Recreational Center with GSA, IBWC, and CBP leadership to hear from the community members including Familias Unidas, San Xavier and Washington-Delta Neighborhood Associations 
    • May 2024 – Congresswoman Escobar hosted a meeting with GSA, CBP, City and County to discuss BOTA and what can be done for City and County to prepare for additional traffic at other ports of entry. 
    • July 2024 – Congresswoman Escobar hosted an update meeting with local and federal governmental stakeholders for BOTA, including Juarez Mayor and ANAM Director.

    More information about the Bridge of the Americas project and Alternative #4 can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: City of Chehalis Gets Nearly $1M Grant to Plan Hydrogen Fueling Facility at Airport

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
    09.20.24
    City of Chehalis Gets Nearly $1M Grant to Plan Hydrogen Fueling Facility at Airport
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, announced that the City of Chehalis will receive a $994,653 federal grant to help plan a proposed hydrogen fueling facility as part of the Chehalis Hub for Aviation Innovation and Sustainable Energy (CHAISE) at Chehalis-Centralia Airport.
    The grant will fund a feasibility study, design services, and public engagement for the proposed multimodal hydrogen fueling facility. The development may include a fueling station, on-site storage, or hydrogen generation. The Chehalis-Centralia Airport is an ideal location for a hydrogen fueling center, since it’s halfway between Seattle and Portland and close to I-5. Chehalis is also seeking funding from the SMART grant program and the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant program.
    Hydrogen is a clean fuel that, when consumed in a fuel cell, produces no dirty emissions — only water. Hydrogen can be produced from existing power resources, such as solar and hydropower.
    The grant was awarded through the Department of Transportation’s Innovative Finance Asset Concession Grant Program, administered by the Build America Bureau, and is a new program authorized by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The program provides $100 million over five years to help public entities scan existing assets to unlock value from them and explore innovative financing and delivery opportunities through, e.g., the Build America Bureau’s Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act?(TIFIA) low-cost loan program. The program awards two types of grants: technical assistance grants and expert services grants. According to USDOT,  the technical assistance grants will use the funding to enhance their organizational capacity and advance a portfolio of assets by conducting pre-construction tasks, such as asset scans, market studies, delivery option analyses, financial modeling, and other activities considering innovative finance and delivery, including asset concessions. The expert services grants will use the funding to hire advisors to analyze a specific existing asset for innovative financing and delivery opportunities, including public-private partnerships.
    Sen. Cantwell has helped position the Pacific Northwest to be a leader in hydrogen production. In July 2023, she announced that the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Association (PNWH2) will receive $27.5 million from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to kickstart the first phase of a $1 billion federal investment to develop hydrogen as a green energy source in the region. She called the July announcement “a huge milestone in our region’s efforts to create a hydrogen ecosystem that can help provide clean and affordable alternative fuels for our heavy-duty transportation and manufacturing facilities.”
    Sen. Cantwell worked to include the H2Hubs program and other key hydrogen investments in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law during consideration in the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, where she served as a senior member, in July 2021, and pushed for its successful passage through the Senate.
    Together with the clean hydrogen incentives included in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), these investments represent a historic investment that will help spur hydrogen to be an important piece of the decarbonizing puzzle needed to reach our climate goals.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Swan River — Swan River RCMP looking for man involved in shooting

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On September 18, 2024, at approximately 8:00 am, Swan River RCMP received a report of a female who had been brought to the Swan Valley Health Centre who had wounds from a firearm.

    The investigation has determined that a 48-year-old female from the community was walking outside of a multi-unit residence in Swan River when she was shot by someone in a passing vehicle. The female approached a passerby and got them to drive her to the Swan Valley Health Centre.

    A white SUV was seen in the area and police believed it was involved in the incident. Police located the SUV and determined the female registered owner of the vehicle was not involved. However, evidence that a firearm was used was located inside the vehicle, and the vehicle was seized.

    Officers continue to look for information about the shooting, but do not believe this was a random incident.

    The victim was treated and released from hospital.

    If you have information, please call Swan River RCMP at 204-734-4686, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Leader of $4M International Telemarketing Scheme Convicted

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    A federal jury in North Carolina convicted a man today for his role in orchestrating a years-long telemarketing scheme that defrauded victims in the United States from a call center in Costa Rica.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Roger Roger, 40, of Costa Rica, led a fraudulent telemarketing scheme in which co-conspirators, who falsely posed as U.S. government officials, contacted victims in the United States to tell them that that they had won a substantial “sweepstakes” prize. After convincing victims, many of whom were elderly, that they stood to receive a significant financial prize, the co-conspirators told victims that they needed to make a series of up-front payments before collecting their supposed prize, purportedly for items such as taxes, customs duties, and other fees. Co-conspirators used a variety of means to conceal their true identities, including Voice over Internet Protocol technology, which made it appear as though they were calling from Washington, D.C., and other locations in the United States. Roger personally called victims from Costa Rica, using fake names and documents to trick the victims into believing they had won a sweepstakes prize. He also recruited and directed co-conspirators to mislead victims on the phone and to transmit victims’ payments from the United States to Costa Rica. The evidence at trial showed that Roger and his co-conspirators stole over $4 million from victims.

    Roger was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, four counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, and two counts of international money laundering. The defendant faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison on each of the conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and the wire fraud counts, because the jury found that these counts involved telemarketing that victimized at least 10 people over the age of 55, and 20 years in prison on each of the conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering counts. Sentencing will occur at a later date. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Dena J. King for the Western District of North Carolina; Inspector in Charge Tommy Coke of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Atlanta Division; Special Agent in Charge Karen Wingerd of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Cincinnati Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Robert DeWitt of the FBI Charlotte Field Office made the announcement.

    The USPIS Atlanta Division, IRS-CI Cincinnati Field Office, and FBI Charlotte Field Office investigated the case. The La Grande, Oregon Police Department and Union County District Attorney Victim Assistance Office provided valuable assistance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Costa Rica to secure Roger’s arrest and extradition.

    Trial Attorneys Andrew Jaco and Amanda Fretto Lingwood of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.

    If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud, and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed 7 days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Moncton, Shediac, Long Creek  — Five people arrested following Alert Ready message

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Five individuals have been arrested following an Alert Ready that was issued for the Moncton and Shediac areas, in N.B., while police were searching for an armed individual.

    At approximately 1 p.m., on September 20, 2024, the Codiac Regional RCMP was dispatched to a report of an individual brandishing a firearm near Moncton High School, in Moncton. When police arrived, they were able to quickly identify a 15-year-old suspect.

    Upon further investigation, and in the interest of public and student safety, the New Brunswick RCMP issued an Alert Ready message at 2:48 p.m. Police were searching for a person travelling in a grey Dodge Caravan in the Moncton area, after last being seen near Moncton High School. Police provided a photo and of the suspect and vehicle. The public was asked to not approach and to call 911 immediately if they saw the vehicle or an individual associated with the vehicle.

    At approximately 3:45 p.m., five individuals were located and arrested, including the 15-year-old suspect in the Long Creek area, near Codys. The Dodge Caravan that was involved in the incident, was seized and will be towed to a secure location. The New Brunswick RCMP ended the Alert Ready a short time after the arrests.

    The public can expect an increased police presence in the Long Creek and Codys areas as part of the ongoing RCMP investigation.

    Members of the New Brunswick RCMP’s Air Services, Emergency Response Team, Police Dog Services, Caledonia Region and Codiac Regional general duty members all played significant roles arresting these individuals.

    If you have information regarding this incident that could help further the investigation, please contact the Codiac Regional RCMP at 1-506-857-2400. Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), by downloading the secure P3 Mobile App, or by Secure Web Tips at www.crimenb.ca.

    The New Brunswick RCMP would like to thank the public for their support, assistance and cooperation during this incident.

    The investigation is ongoing.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Half-year report

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Half-Year Report

    Oxford Technology 2 VCT plc (the “Company”)

    Legal Entity Identifier: 2138002COY2EXJDHWB30

    Unaudited Half Year Report to 31 August 2024

    The unaudited NAV per share for each of the classes are reported below:

    Unaudited NAV p per share 31/08/24 Audited NAV p per share 29/02/24 Change in NAV % Cumulative Dividends p per share to 31/08/24 Total Return p per share Shares in Issue Share Class
    OT1 46.8p 39.7p 18%  55.0 101.8p 5,431,655
    OT2 18.9p 20.4p -7%  22.5 41.4p 5,331,889
    OT3 22.9p 22.4p 2%  42.0 64.9p 6,254,596
    OT4 21.2p 25.3p -16%  48.0 69.2p 10,826,748

    The Directors are pleased to attach the Company’s unaudited Half Year Report to 31 August 2024.

    The associated PDF document can be downloaded by clicking the following link 

    OT2 VCT Plc 2024 2025 Half Year Report FINAL

    or the attachment shown at the bottom of the email.

    The Unaudited Half Year Report may also be downloaded from the Company’s website at www.oxfordtechnologyvct.com.

    At 31 August 2024, the Company’s issued share capital by Share Class is shown in the table above. The Company holds no shares in treasury and the total voting rights in the Company are 27,844,888. This figure of 27,844,888 may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the Company under the Financial Conduct Authority’s Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules.

    This announcement contains inside information as stipulated under the UK version of the Market Abuse Regulation No 596/2014 which is part of English Law by virtue of the European (Withdrawal) Act 2018, as amended. Upon the publication of this announcement via a Regulatory Information Service, this information is now considered to be in the public domain.

    For further details about the Company please either visit the Company’s website:

    Oxford Technology 2 VCT plc www.oxfordtechnologyvct.com.

    or contact:

    Lucius Cary

    01865784466

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Notorious Mexican Cartel Leader Convicted for International Drug Trafficking and Firearms Offenses

    Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

    A federal jury convicted Ruben Oseguera-Gonzalez, also known as El Menchito, today of conspiring to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine while knowing and intending that they would be imported into the United States, and using, carrying, and brandishing firearms, including destructive devices, in furtherance of the drug trafficking conspiracy, following a two-week jury trial in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, between 2007 and 2017, Oseguera-Gonzalez, 34, led an international drug trafficking organization responsible for importing large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine from Mexico into the United States. Oseguera-Gonzalez was the second in command of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), which is based in the State of Jalisco in Mexico. The CJNG is one of the most dangerous drug cartels in Mexico. Oseguera-Gonzalez personally used firearms, destructive devices, murder, and kidnapping to control the drug trafficking organization. Oseguera-Gonzalez also ordered his subordinates to shoot down a Mexican military helicopter so that he could escape capture by Mexican law enforcement.

    “El Menchito led the Jalisco Cartel’s efforts to use murder, kidnapping, and torture to build the Cartel into a self-described ‘empire’ by manufacturing fentanyl and flooding the United States with massive quantities of lethal drugs. Today, fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat the United States has ever faced,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “El Menchito now joins the growing list of high-ranking Cartel leaders that the Justice Department has convicted in an American courtroom. We are grateful to our Mexican law enforcement partners for their extensive cooperation and sacrifice in holding accountable leaders of the Jalisco Cartel.”

    “Ruben Oseguera-Gonzalez pioneered the manufacturing of fentanyl in Mexico to help build his father’s Jalisco Cartel into one of the world’s most powerful drug syndicates. His crimes caused horrific violence and death in the United States, Mexico, and around the globe,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Today’s guilty verdict demonstrates that our prosecutors and agents, working with our Mexican law enforcement partners, will relentlessly pursue justice against the leaders of the drug trafficking organizations who destroy lives and poison our communities.”

    “As second-in-command of CJNG, Ruben Oseguera-Gonzalez used extreme violence to traffic massive amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine into the United States,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “His conviction underscores the Criminal Division’s commitment to disrupting and dismantling organizations that manufacture and distribute deadly drugs into our communities. Today’s verdict also sends a powerful message to the cartel leadership: we will work with our domestic and international law enforcement partners to find you and bring you to justice. We are especially grateful to the Mexican authorities for their substantial assistance in this case.”

    “Today’s guilty verdict sends a clear message that the DEA will stop at nothing to investigate and dismantle criminal drug networks that threaten the safety and health of the American people,” said Administrator Anne Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “As one of the highest-ranking members of the Jalisco Cartel, Oseguera-Gonzalez was responsible for pushing vast quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into the United States while engaging in violence, kidnapping, and bribery to build and protect the Jalisco Cartel. I commend the men and women of the DEA Los Angeles Field Division for their outstanding work on this case.”

    According to the evidence presented at trial, from 2012 to 2015, Oseguera-Gonzalez oversaw the manufacture of more than three million pounds of methamphetamine in one area of Mexico. In April 2015, Oseguera-Gonzalez personally directed the distribution of over 55,000 pounds of cocaine. According to trial testimony, in October 2013, Oseguera-Gonzalez made plans to “do it big” with counterfeit oxycontin pills—just before the fentanyl epidemic began in the United States. According to witness testimony, the defendant said in 2015 that he was “building an empire with . . . fentanyl.” Oseguera-Gonzalez was arrested by Mexican authorities on local charges in June 2015. He remained detained in Mexico until his extradition to the United States in February 2020. While in prison in Mexico, Oseguera-Gonzalez continued to control the CJNG, negotiating drug transactions and approving the purchase of firearms and destructive devices, including .50 caliber firearms and 40 mm grenades.

    Oseguera-Gonzalez personally used extreme violence to grow and control the cartel. For example, when five men owed Oseguera-Gonzalez money for drugs in the United States, Oseguera-Gonzalez violently killed all five men. On another occasion, the defendant shot one of his drivers in the head a close range. In an intercepted message, Oseguera-Gonzalez also described having 13 people tied up—one of whom he decided to release only after the man agreed to make fentanyl pills for Oseguera-Gonzalez.

    Oseguera-Gonzalez also amassed an arsenal of weapons. His hitmen, which he called the Special Forces of the High Command, used the weapons to protect him and help him escape capture by Mexican authorities. For example, on May 1, 2015, the defendant’s hitmen—acting on Oseguera-Gonzalez’s personal orders—shot down a Mexican armed forces helicopter while 18 soldiers and police were on board. At least nine people on board the helicopter died as a result of Oseguera-Gonzalez’s order. Oseguera-Gonzalez’s men used an Iranian-made rocket-propelled grenade and a .50 caliber belt-fed firearm to shoot down the helicopter. Both weapons were painted with “CJNG” and a pixel camouflage pattern unique to Oseguera-Gonzalez’s hitmen.

    Less than two months after escaping capture, Oseguera-Gonzalez was arrested in Jalisco, Mexico. When he was surrounded by soldiers and police, he brandished an assault weapon and grenade launcher, demanding to be released because he was a member of the CJNG. The weapon Oseguera-Gonzalez used to threaten police bore the same pixel camouflage pattern and was emblazoned with CJNG and Oseguera-Gonzalez’s nicknames: Menchito, 02, and Jr.

    Oseguera-Gonzalez faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 40 years in prison and a statutory maximum penalty of life plus 30 years in prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Jan. 10, 2025. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The DEA Los Angeles Field Division investigated the case with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided critical assistance in securing the extradition of Oseguera-Gonzalez and in obtaining important evidence for the trial. The Criminal Division’s Office of Enforcement Operations provided significant assistance. The Justice Department thanks Mexican authorities for their assistance in securing the extradition of Oseguera-Gonzalez and in securing evidence and testimony presented in court.

    Acting Deputy Chief Kaitlin Sahni and Trial Attorneys Kate Naseef, Jonathan R. Hornok, and Lernik Begian of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case.

    This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Public-Interest Groups Defend FCC’s Broadcast-Ownership Rules Promoting Competition, Diversity and Localism on Air

    Source: Communications Workers of America

    WASHINGTON — On Friday, six public-interest, media-reform, media-justice, and labor organizations joined to file an amicus curiae brief defending the Federal Communications Commission’s broadcast ownership rules against an industry challenge in the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.

    The six groups are Common Cause, the Communications Workers of America-National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians, Free Press, the Future of Music Coalition, the musicFIRST Coalition, and the United Church of Christ Office of Communication, Inc. (“UCC Media Justice”). All of these entities have long participated in FCC proceedings and court cases on this issue. Attorneys Cheryl Leanza and Rachel Stillwell authored and filed the brief on the groups’ behalf.

    The FCC’s media-ownership rules are designed to promote competition, viewpoint diversity, ownership diversity, and the delivery of local content by broadcast stations licensed to serve communities all across the United States. A series of deregulatory decisions the agency has made over the last two decades has significantly pared back these rules. The FCC undergoes a congressionally mandated review of these regulations every four years.

    Prior legal challenges from both industry groups and public-interest organizations have played out in the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. This time, the broadcast industry brought its suit in a different circuit. Broadcasting conglomerates and the trade groups representing them argue that the Biden FCC should eliminate more of the few ownership limits that remain on the books.

    As today’s amicus brief explains, broadcast lobbyists suggest that their businesses should no longer be regulated because people already have access to the same kinds of content on the internet. The broadcasters’ assertion, the brief says, would “leave out of the picture the many Americans who do not fit their vision of a life lived completely online, consuming only national news and culture.” As the filing notes, millions of people in the United States still need to or choose to rely primarily on free broadcasting services for local news, cultural content, and emergency information that broadcast outlets distribute more reliably than internet sources.

    Free Press Vice President of Policy and General Counsel Matt Wood said:

    “As always, the broadcast industry wants to have its cake and eat it too. Lawyers for giant media conglomerates argue that free and over-the-air local broadcasting remains a unique and special service, yet also insist that their industry should be completely unfettered from any common-sense ownership limits because of competition from internet sources. They can’t have it both ways. For broadcasting to remain a source of diverse and truly local content—serving populations that national and homogenized news sources so often ignore—the Federal Communications Commission must retain its rules preventing a single company from dominating the airwaves or owning quite literally every broadcast outlet in the same city.”

    United Church of Christ Media Justice Ministry Policy Advisor Cheryl Leanza said:

    “Broadcast media is unique: Local television engenders more trust, more local news, and thus more local engagement on everything from elections to community needs. Local radio is an important means to preserve and enliven local culture. Previous FCC decisions permitting vast consolidation have been disastrous—for the court to reverse the most recent FCC decision to keep the remaining rules and close loopholes would be even more so. In line with multiple other federal court decisions, the Eighth Circuit should reject any hint that each iteration of the quadrennial-review process mandates further consolidation.”

    Common Cause Director for Media and Democracy Ishan Mehta said:

    “In this era of media consolidation, we need local television and radio stations to provide a much-needed avenue for the public to hear diverse voices as they seek to make informed decisions at the ballot box. When media outlets are owned by a small number of corporations, it narrows the available perspectives and stifles the investigative journalism that our democracy depends on. We ask the court to preserve the FCC’s role in protecting diversity and furthering competition to ensure a healthy media ecosystem for all Americans.”

    NABET-CWA President Charlie Braico said:

    “Locally owned broadcast television and radio stations and the jobs they create are critical to the well-being of our communities. Consolidation in the media industry and Wall Street’s downsizing and stripping of local news operations for profits, along with the ‘narrowcasting” of information on the internet, has left Americans more isolated and divided than ever. The FCC’s ability to enforce local broadcast ownership rules is critical to preventing further harm.”

    Future of Music Coalition Director Kevin Erickson said:

    “Radio is a medium uniquely equipped to uplift the voices of diverse local communities expressed through diverse American musical traditions. Sadly, as we’ve seen over the years, ownership consolidation has empowered large companies and private equity firms to move away from the live and local emphasis that makes AM/FM radio special, replacing regional character with narrow formats and repetitive playlists presented by robots. We’re proud to join with a diverse array of groups in defending the FCC’s important role in protecting ownership diversity and healthy competition.”

    ###

    About CWA: The Communications Workers of America represents working people in telecommunications, customer service, media, airlines, health care, public service and education, manufacturing, tech, and other fields.

    cwa-union.org @cwaunion

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Carter Celebrates Roughly $300 Million Investment in Louisiana’s Battery Manufacturing Plants

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. (LA-02)

    WASHINGTON, D.C.– Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-La.) announced $292,714,591 in Battery Materials Processing Grants from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for Element 25 (Louisiana) LLC and Honeywell International Inc. These awards were made possible through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Congressman Carter helped craft and voted for.

    “I’m excited to celebrate this significant step in our nation’s pursuit of sustainable energy and innovation,” said Rep. Carter. “This funding strengthens the battery materials industry and keeps the U.S. at the forefront of advanced technology manufacturing. With projects from Honeywell and Element 25, Louisiana is leading the nation’s clean energy transition, equipping our workforce with high-tech skills, and driving lasting economic growth. These investments not only boost our economic competitiveness but also lay the foundation for a cleaner, more sustainable future. I’m proud to see Louisiana shaping a self-sufficient energy future for America.”

    Element 25 (Louisiana) LLC was awarded $166,128,094 to launch “Project Laver,” a state-of-the-art refining facility in the Baton Rouge area to produce high purity manganese sulphate monohydrate (HPMSM), a critical component in lithium-ion batteries. This facility will be the first of its kind in the United States. Once operational, this plant will create over 140 permanent jobs for Louisiana workers, including those transitioning from the oil and gas industry, as well as 400 construction jobs. The project will also foster long-term community success by creating apprenticeships for 5% of its workforce, providing on-the-job training and opportunities for career growth.

    Honeywell International Inc. was awarded $126,586,497 to build a groundbreaking facility in Geismar, Louisiana, to produce Lithium (bis)FluoroSulfonyl Imide (LiFSI), a critical electrolyte salt for lithium batteries used in electric vehicles and energy storage. This new facility will be the first of its kind in the United States. This project will create approximately 100 construction jobs and 70 full-time, high-paying, permanent, high-tech positions available once the plant is operational.

    Background

    The Battery Materials Processing Grants Program is designed to provide grants for battery materials processing to ensure that the United States has a viable battery materials processing industry. Funds can also be used to expand our domestic capabilities in battery manufacturing and enhance processing capacity.

    Learn more about Louisiana’s projects here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Notorious Mexican Cartel Leader Convicted for International Drug Trafficking and Firearms Offenses

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    A federal jury convicted Ruben Oseguera-Gonzalez, also known as El Menchito, today of conspiring to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine while knowing and intending that they would be imported into the United States, and using, carrying, and brandishing firearms, including destructive devices, in furtherance of the drug trafficking conspiracy, following a two-week jury trial in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, between 2007 and 2017, Oseguera-Gonzalez, 34, led an international drug trafficking organization responsible for importing large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine from Mexico into the United States. Oseguera-Gonzalez was the second in command of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), which is based in the State of Jalisco in Mexico. The CJNG is one of the most dangerous drug cartels in Mexico. Oseguera-Gonzalez personally used firearms, destructive devices, murder, and kidnapping to control the drug trafficking organization. Oseguera-Gonzalez also ordered his subordinates to shoot down a Mexican military helicopter so that he could escape capture by Mexican law enforcement.

    “El Menchito led the Jalisco Cartel’s efforts to use murder, kidnapping, and torture to build the Cartel into a self-described ‘empire’ by manufacturing fentanyl and flooding the United States with massive quantities of lethal drugs. Today, fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat the United States has ever faced,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “El Menchito now joins the growing list of high-ranking Cartel leaders that the Justice Department has convicted in an American courtroom. We are grateful to our Mexican law enforcement partners for their extensive cooperation and sacrifice in holding accountable leaders of the Jalisco Cartel.”

    “Ruben Oseguera-Gonzalez pioneered the manufacturing of fentanyl in Mexico to help build his father’s Jalisco Cartel into one of the world’s most powerful drug syndicates. His crimes caused horrific violence and death in the United States, Mexico, and around the globe,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Today’s guilty verdict demonstrates that our prosecutors and agents, working with our Mexican law enforcement partners, will relentlessly pursue justice against the leaders of the drug trafficking organizations who destroy lives and poison our communities.”

    “As second-in-command of CJNG, Ruben Oseguera-Gonzalez used extreme violence to traffic massive amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine into the United States,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “His conviction underscores the Criminal Division’s commitment to disrupting and dismantling organizations that manufacture and distribute deadly drugs into our communities. Today’s verdict also sends a powerful message to the cartel leadership: we will work with our domestic and international law enforcement partners to find you and bring you to justice. We are especially grateful to the Mexican authorities for their substantial assistance in this case.”

    “Today’s guilty verdict sends a clear message that the DEA will stop at nothing to investigate and dismantle criminal drug networks that threaten the safety and health of the American people,” said Administrator Anne Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “As one of the highest-ranking members of the Jalisco Cartel, Oseguera-Gonzalez was responsible for pushing vast quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into the United States while engaging in violence, kidnapping, and bribery to build and protect the Jalisco Cartel. I commend the men and women of the DEA Los Angeles Field Division for their outstanding work on this case.”

    According to the evidence presented at trial, from 2012 to 2015, Oseguera-Gonzalez oversaw the manufacture of more than three million pounds of methamphetamine in one area of Mexico. In April 2015, Oseguera-Gonzalez personally directed the distribution of over 55,000 pounds of cocaine. According to trial testimony, in October 2013, Oseguera-Gonzalez made plans to “do it big” with counterfeit oxycontin pills—just before the fentanyl epidemic began in the United States. According to witness testimony, the defendant said in 2015 that he was “building an empire with . . . fentanyl.” Oseguera-Gonzalez was arrested by Mexican authorities on local charges in June 2015. He remained detained in Mexico until his extradition to the United States in February 2020. While in prison in Mexico, Oseguera-Gonzalez continued to control the CJNG, negotiating drug transactions and approving the purchase of firearms and destructive devices, including .50 caliber firearms and 40 mm grenades.

    Oseguera-Gonzalez personally used extreme violence to grow and control the cartel. For example, when five men owed Oseguera-Gonzalez money for drugs in the United States, Oseguera-Gonzalez violently killed all five men. On another occasion, the defendant shot one of his drivers in the head a close range. In an intercepted message, Oseguera-Gonzalez also described having 13 people tied up—one of whom he decided to release only after the man agreed to make fentanyl pills for Oseguera-Gonzalez.

    Oseguera-Gonzalez also amassed an arsenal of weapons. His hitmen, which he called the Special Forces of the High Command, used the weapons to protect him and help him escape capture by Mexican authorities. For example, on May 1, 2015, the defendant’s hitmen—acting on Oseguera-Gonzalez’s personal orders—shot down a Mexican armed forces helicopter while 18 soldiers and police were on board. At least nine people on board the helicopter died as a result of Oseguera-Gonzalez’s order. Oseguera-Gonzalez’s men used an Iranian-made rocket-propelled grenade and a .50 caliber belt-fed firearm to shoot down the helicopter. Both weapons were painted with “CJNG” and a pixel camouflage pattern unique to Oseguera-Gonzalez’s hitmen.

    Less than two months after escaping capture, Oseguera-Gonzalez was arrested in Jalisco, Mexico. When he was surrounded by soldiers and police, he brandished an assault weapon and grenade launcher, demanding to be released because he was a member of the CJNG. The weapon Oseguera-Gonzalez used to threaten police bore the same pixel camouflage pattern and was emblazoned with CJNG and Oseguera-Gonzalez’s nicknames: Menchito, 02, and Jr.

    Oseguera-Gonzalez faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 40 years in prison and a statutory maximum penalty of life plus 30 years in prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Jan. 10, 2025. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The DEA Los Angeles Field Division investigated the case with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided critical assistance in securing the extradition of Oseguera-Gonzalez and in obtaining important evidence for the trial. The Criminal Division’s Office of Enforcement Operations provided significant assistance. The Justice Department thanks Mexican authorities for their assistance in securing the extradition of Oseguera-Gonzalez and in securing evidence and testimony presented in court.

    Acting Deputy Chief Kaitlin Sahni and Trial Attorneys Kate Naseef, Jonathan R. Hornok, and Lernik Begian of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case.

    This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Van Hollen Introduce Legislation to Expand Student Debt Relief for Parent Borrowers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla, Van Hollen Introduce Legislation to Expand Student Debt Relief for Parent Borrowers

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), along with U.S. Representative Alma Adams (D-N.C.-12), introduced the Parent PLUS Parity Act, bicameral legislation to ease the burden of student loan debt for parent borrowers who helped their children pay for higher education.

    Nationwide, approximately 3.9 million borrowers have outstanding Parent PLUS loan balances totaling $112 billion. While these loans allow parents of dependent undergraduate students to borrow money to pay costs not already covered by the student’s financial aid package, current law excludes borrowers from the Parent PLUS and Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) programs from most income-based repayment plans.

    Among other provisions, the Parent PLUS Parity Act makes parent borrowers eligible for repayment plans created by the U.S. Department of Education under the Biden-Harris Administration. This legislation comes after Padilla joined Van Hollen and several of his Senate colleagues in urging the Biden-Harris Administration to provide financial relief to parent borrowers.

    “Parents taking out loans to help their kids pay for higher education deserve the same loan forgiveness and relief options as other borrowers,” said Senator Padilla. “More and more low-income families, especially Black and Latino parents, rely on the Parent PLUS program every year but have limited loan repayment options. By expanding parents’ access to the same repayment benefits their kids would receive, we can help close the racial wealth gap and expand debt relief for underserved families.”

    “Millions of parents who struggled to help their kids pay for college are now trapped in unsustainable debt – and it’s not just hurting them, it’s holding back our entire economy. While the Biden-Harris Administration has taken important steps to expand income-based repayment options so students can pay off their loans, parent borrowers have been excluded from these programs, offering them little to no recourse. Our legislation will help those families chart a path to clear their debt and regain their financial footing,” said Senator Van Hollen.

    “The student debt crisis is an intergenerational crisis preventing Americans young and old from unlocking the social and economic mobility promised by a higher education. Parent PLUS borrowers uniquely struggle under the weight of student debt but have been excluded from many of the most impactful efforts to make student loan payments affordable. The Parent PLUS Parity Act will help change that and ensure that these borrowers have access to the same affordable repayment options available to all other borrowers and have access to critical pathways to relief. We applaud Senator Padilla, Senator Van Hollen, Congresswoman Adams and their colleagues for introducing this critical piece of legislation,” said Aissa Canchola Bañez, Policy Director, Student Borrower Protection Center.

    “At the Student Debt Crisis Center, we are proud to endorse the Parent PLUS Parity Act which will expand access to Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) plans and IDR forgiveness to all borrowers, including parents with parent PLUS loans. This bill will help millions of parents who took out student loans to support their children in college and who now find themselves struggling to meet their monthly payments. This is one step towards a more fair and just student loan system, and brings us one step closer to achieving our goal of ending the student debt crisis,” said Natalia Abrams, President & Founder, Student Debt Crisis Center.

    Established in 1980, Parent PLUS loans were initially intended to assist higher-asset families, but as tuition has skyrocketed and the purchasing power of the Pell Grant has fallen, families with limited resources, particularly families of color, have increasingly turned to Parent PLUS loans to make up the shortfall. The consequences of this have been enormous, trapping thousands of low-income American families under a crushing financial burden.

    Between 1996 and 2018, the number of Parent PLUS recipients under the federal poverty line rose by an astonishing 350 percent. In 2020, the average Parent PLUS loan debt held was $37,970, a 40 percent increase from 2000. In 2015, 40,000 disabled or retired Parent PLUS borrowers had their Social Security benefits garnished after defaulting on their loans.

    Black parents are struggling disproportionately: the share of Black Parent PLUS borrowers with incomes below $30,000 nearly tripled from 2008 to 2018. In 2018, 44 percent of Black Parent PLUS borrowers had an annual income below $30,000 compared to only 10 percent of White Parent PLUS borrowers.

    Currently, Parent PLUS borrowers are excluded from most income-based repayment plans, including the SAVE Plan, the PAYE Repayment Plan, and the IBR Plan. Parent PLUS borrowers are also not eligible to discharge their loans in cases where their child becomes disabled and face additional barriers to obtaining Public Student Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). In their letters to Secretary Cardona, Padilla and Van Hollen urged the Education Department to use the extent of its authorities to provide relief for Parent PLUS borrowers. As a result of these efforts, the Department included Parent PLUS borrowers in its new hardship discharge program in the proposed student loan relief regulations announced in April 2024.

    The Parent PLUS Parity Act makes necessary statutory changes to ensure Parent PLUS borrowers can pursue additional avenues for debt relief and to protect these borrowers against Republican attacks on the Department of Education’s student debt relief programs.

    This legislation will help families tackle intergenerational debt, ensure equal access to programs available to other borrowers, and provide urgently-needed assistance to millions of forgotten Parent PLUS borrowers by:

    • Expanding the income-driven repayment plan options for Parent PLUS and all FFEL borrowers to all income-driven repayment plans and any forthcoming plans issued by the Department of Education, including the new SAVE program, PAYE, and IBR. 
    • Making Parent PLUS borrowers eligible for discharge if their child on whose behalf they’ve taken out loans becomes eligible for Total and Permanent Disability discharge.
    • Making Parent PLUS borrowers eligible for automatic discharge if their child on whose behalf they’ve taken out loans has their own loans discharged under Borrower Defense.
    • Making Parent PLUS borrowers eligible for PSLF if their child on whose behalf they’ve taken out loans serves the standard amount of time (120 months) in qualifying public service employment.
    • Directing the Secretary of Education to create a new hardship category program that will permit Parent PLUS borrowers to apply for loan discharge if they meet certain requirements based on income, borrower age, and other factors.

    The Parent PLUS Parity Act is cosponsored by Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.).

    The legislation is endorsed by NAACP, National Education Association, Student Borrower Protection Center, The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS), Student Debt Crisis Center, Project on Predatory Student Lending, Education Trust, Justice in Aging, and the Century Foundation Higher Education Team.

    Senator Padilla has consistently advocated on behalf of students and their families to increase access to higher education. He has led numerous calls urging President Biden to provide meaningful student debt cancellation, along with multiple letters urging U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to leverage his authority under the Higher Education Act to provide expanded student debt relief to working and middle-class borrowers.

    Padilla previously cosponsored the College for All Act to make college tuition-free and debt-free for working families. He also cosponsored the Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act, bicameral legislation that would nearly double the Pell Grant maximum award, index the maximum award for inflation, and expand the program to include Dreamers.

    A fact sheet on the bill is available here.

    Full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –