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  • MIL-OSI Security: Martinsville Man Sentenced to 18 Years for Distributing Double, Fatal Dose of Fentanyl

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ROANOKE, Va. – A Martinsville, Virginia man, who distributed cocaine that was laced with fentanyl to a pair of individuals that later died from overdoses, was sentenced yesterday to 18 years in federal prison.

    Okoyte Devon Gaston, 31, pled guilty in September 2024 to one count of distributing fentanyl.

    According to court documents, in February 2023 Gaston, a known drug dealer in Southside Virginia, arranged to sell what was supposed to be one-fourth an ounce of cocaine powder to victim “C.U.”  Unbeknownst to C.U., the cocaine was laced with fentanyl.

    Gaston met C.U. and her boyfriend, victim “M.A.” and another individual, J.U. in the parking lot of a Sheetz gas station in Franklin County, Virginia. Gaston sold the group what they believed was cocaine for $350.

    Shortly after meeting with Gaston C.U., M.A., and J.U. all used some of the drugs they purchased from Gaston. The group then made a short drive back to C.U.’s Franklin County trailer home.

    Once there, J.U. said he did not feel well and went inside to go to sleep, leaving C.U. and M.A. alone in the car.

    The next morning, J.U. woke up disoriented, nauseous, and incoherent. He found C.U. and M.A. unresponsive. M.A. was still in the passenger seat of the vehicle and C.U. was on the ground outside of the driver’s door.

    J.U. called 911 and when police arrived, they pronounced C.U. and M.A. deceased. The medical examiner later determined that both C.U. and M.A. died of acute fentanyl and cocaine toxicity.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Lee and Ibrar A. Mian, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Washington Division made the announcement.

    The Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case with the assistance of the Virginia State Police, the Roanoke City Police, and the Roanoke County Police.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly McGann and Keith Parrella are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: PSI Chairman Johnson to Meta CEO Zuckerberg: Turn Over Facebook’s Records on Censorship of COVID-19 Vaccine Injured

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson
    WASHINGTON – On Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), chairman of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, sent a letter to Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive officer of Meta Platforms, Inc., the company that owns Facebook, regarding the social media platform’s alleged censorship of COVID-19 vaccine injured individuals. 
    The letter details Facebook’s apparent targeting of the vaccine injured by shutting down their support groups and even concealing private messages they exchanged, which came to light in a recent book entitled Worth a Shot?. The book chronicled the experience of Brianne Dressen, an AstraZeneca clinical trial participant who was involved in these once-accessible Facebook support groups. 
    Within twenty-four hours of Chairman Johnson’s June 28, 2021 roundtable, which featured individuals who were experiencing adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines, including Mrs. Dressen, Facebook reportedly began shutting down vaccine injury support groups. In response, Mrs. Dressen and others sought refuge in what was the “largest COVID vaccine injury support group in the world,” only for Facebook to shut it down five days after the chairman’s roundtable.
    In a recent appearance as a guest on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Mr. Zuckerberg blamed the Biden administration for pressuring Facebook to take down certain posts that were critical of the COVID-19 vaccines. Mr. Zuckerberg said that Biden officials “pushed [Facebook] super hard to take down things that were honestly were true[.]” He also noted that the Biden administration pressured Facebook to take down “anything that says that vaccines might have side effects,” threatening repercussions if Facebook were to disobey.
    Chairman Johnson wrote, “Facebook’s alleged censorship campaign against the vaccine injured, as detailed in Worth a Shot?, is the latest evidence of Big Tech’s efforts, in conjunction with the Biden administration, to silence anything critical of the COVID cartel and the vaccines.”
    The chairman’s letter directs Mr. Zuckerberg to provide all records with any federal entity that may show the extent to which the Biden administration pressured Facebook to censor COVID-19 vaccine injured individuals and shut down their support groups.
    Read more about Chairman Johnson’s letter in Breitbart.
    The full letter can be found here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New Hampshire Congressional Delegation Demands Answers from Treasury Secretary Bessent on DOGE’s Access to Federal Payment Systems and Americans’ Highly Sensitive Information, Urges Him to Reverse Potentially Dangerous Decision

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Maggie Hassan
    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH), alongside Representatives Chris Pappas (NH-01) and Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), are demanding answers from U.S. Department of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent regarding his decision to grant Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and its team access to critically important federal payment systems – including highly sensitive personal information linked to Medicare, Social Security and veterans’ benefits.
    The delegation wrote, in part: “Not only does DOGE now have access to the personal information of our constituents…but he may also soon have the tools to unlawfully shut down specific payments that he disagrees with. DOGE may also be able to use this sensitive information to gain an advantage over individuals and companies that pose competition to Mr. Musk’s businesses…Initial reports indicated that you gave DOGE access to the payment systems on a “read-only” basis…However, other reporting has stated that Marko Elez, a member of Mr. Musk’s team, has or had administrator-level privileges and can in fact write code to Treasury payment systems, including the Payment Automation Manager and Secure Payment System.”
    The delegation asked the following questions:
    “In detail, what level of access has each member of the DOGE team, including but not limited to Marko Elez, been given to Treasury’s federal payment records and systems, both currently and in the past?
    Have any changes to Treasury’s federal payments or its payment systems been made either by a member of the DOGE team or at their direction as of the time of this letter?
    Has Treasury taken any actions to discourage discussion of the activities of the DOGE team at Treasury, especially within the Bureau of the Fiscal Service?
    What steps has Treasury taken to ensure that Treasury employees understand their protections should they wish to share information with Congress and others?”
    The delegation concluded: “We urge you to reconsider this potentially dangerous decision and work to ensure that Americans can trust their sensitive personal information is protected from Mr. Musk and his associates. Thank you for your prompt attention to this issue and given the urgent nature of this issue, we respectfully request a response to this letter as soon as possible.”
    Click here for the full letter to U.S. Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent.
    For months, Shaheen has sounded the alarm on Elon Musk’s outsized influence on the U.S. Government.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Community Wealth Building Strategy on the agenda

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    Members of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee will have the opportunity to discuss progress being made for the Community Wealth Building action plan when they meet next week.

    The Council’s Community Wealth Building Strategy 2024 – 2027 provides an alternative approach to economic development and a practical response that aims to keep wealth within a local area. Often described as a ‘people-centred approach to economic development’ it aims to ensure every area and community can participate in, and benefit from, economic activity. 

    At the Council meeting in September 2024, when members approved the CWB Strategy and Action Plan, a commitment was given to provide bi-annual progress reports to the Economy and Infrastructure Committee.

    Chair of Highland Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee, Cllr Ken Gowans, said: “The Council administration’s ‘Our Future Highland’ programme places people at its very heart, and through community wealth building we can bring people together to promote wellbeing, reduce inequalities, and deliver improved outcomes for people in Highland. 

    “I look forward to the Committee having the chance to look at the progress being made to date on the action plan that will allow us to be ambitious in establishing the foundations of a brighter and more sustainable future for our communities.” 

    Last year public opinion was such during a 12 week on a draft strategy previously approved by Councillors in March 2024. Feedback from this engagement has informed a revised version of the strategy and action plan which sets out a 3-year vision for taking forward and embedding the Council’s approach to Community Wealth Building.

    The Council will deliver its vision through five key objectives that align with five pillars of community wealth building. These objectives are headed as: ‘Spending’, ‘Fair Employment’, ‘Land and Property’, ‘Financial Power’, and ‘Inclusive Ownership’.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. NAVY LEADERS OBSERVE JOINT TASK FORCE SOUTHERN GUARD OPERATIONS

    Source: United States SOUTHERN COMMAND

    NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba   –  

    (Feb 6, 2025) – Rear Adm. Carlos Sardiello, Commander U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet, and Rear Adm. John Hewitt, Commander, Navy Region Southeast, visited Joint Task Force Southern Guard onboard Naval Station Guantanamo Bay (NSGB) February 5 and 6, as the Joint Task Force prepares to receive illegal aliens from the United States. Sardiello and Hewitt accompanied Adm. Alvin Holsey, Commander, U.S. Southern Command, during the visit.

    At the direction of the President to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Defense (DOD), U.S. military service members are supporting Illegal Aliens holding operations led by DHS at NGSB. U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) has set up Joint Task Force Southern Guard at the Naval Station to execute the directive.

    “The Naval Station is fully committed to ensuring we have the infrastructure and resources in place to support this vital mission,” said Capt. Michael Stephen, Commander, Naval Station Guantanamo Bay. “From the moment we received the mission, our team has worked with urgency, executing contingency plans, and rapidly strengthening our capabilities.

    “The level of teamwork—both within the base and across the joint force—has been outstanding,” said Stephen “Everyone is engaged, working together seamlessly to tackle challenges and ensure we’re ready for what’s ahead. The progress we’ve made in such a short time is a testament to their dedication and professionalism,” he said.

    As the United States’ oldest overseas military installation, established in 1903, Naval Station Guantanamo Bay is in the USSOUTHCOM Area of Responsibility. U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. Fourth Fleet serves as USSOUTHCOM’s maritime component commander and therefore has responsibilities in contingency plans involving the naval station. U.S. Navy Region Southeast manages and oversees shore installation support for the naval station as it does for a total of 18 Navy bases in the Southeast region.

    “We are very proud of our Sailors, Marines and civilians who have responded to this contingency plan at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, which is a critical forward-operating base that enables the United States to maintain a persistent presence in the Caribbean,” said Rear Adm. Sardiello. “This mission exemplifies how we integrate and deploy all-domain combat power to respond to crises, maintain regional security, and protect U.S. interests.”

    Military service members and contractors have provided the manpower and organization to accommodate thousands’ illegal aliens.  Additional phases of expansion will follow to meet the President’s directive to host up to 30,000 illegal aliens. This work includes the construction of large, secure tent facilities to house illegal aliens, the installation of high-security fencing and barriers to protect all personnel, and a huge increase in providing essential services, including food, medical care, and housing, to all DOD and DHS personnel. The Navy is also delivering comprehensive logistical support, ensuring the infrastructure and resources needed to sustain operations are in place.

    Naval Station Guantanamo Bay ensures the freedom of action in the maritime domain and contributes to enhancing U.S. alliances and partnerships throughout the region. By executing this critical role in the enforcement of national immigration policies, the station continues to be an integral asset in supporting the defense and security objectives of the United States.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Kensington Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering Charges in Connection with Transnational Criminal Operation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of New Kensington, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court on February 6, 2025, to charges of violating federal narcotics and money laundering laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    James Pinkston, 35, pleaded guilty to Counts One, Three, and Four of the Second Superseding Indictment before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan.

    In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around August 2021 to in and around June 2023, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Pinkston conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of cocaine. Pinkston was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of the drugs that he distributed to others. Similarly, in and around March 2023, Pinkston possessed with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing cocaine. Further, from in and around April 2022 to in and around March 2023, Pinkston conspired to commit money laundering by using a payments app to receive and initiate payments for drug transactions.

    Pinkston was one of 35 individuals indicted by a federal grand jury in Johnstown in December 2023 on narcotics, conspiracy, and money laundering charges for their participation in a violent transnational drug and money laundering operation. The Second Superseding Indictment alleges that the operation imported from Mexico millions of fentanyl pills, kilograms of fentanyl powder, hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine, and dozens of kilograms of cocaine that then were distributed and sold throughout the United States (read the news release regarding the Second Superseding Indictment here). Pinkston served as the western Pennsylvania connection to the Phoenix, Arizona, drug trafficking organization responsible for importing the drugs from Mexico.

    Judge Ranjan scheduled sentencing for May 28, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $10 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

    Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard Jr. is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Pinkston. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, and other local law enforcement agencies.

    This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bristol Man Who Made Interstate Threats is Sentenced

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DENNIS JOHN HERNANDEZ, also known as “DJ Hernandez” and “Jonathan Hernandez,” 38, of Bristol, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to approximately 18 months of imprisonment, time already served, and three years of supervised release for making interstate threats.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 6 and 7, 2023, Hernandez communicated with an individual via Facebook Messenger and made multiple statements threatening to carry out a shooting incident at UConn.  The statements included “I would recommend remaining away from there because when I go I’m taking down everything  And don’t give a f— who gets caught in the crossfire. I’ve died for years now and now it’s others people turn. I’m prepared to give my life. So if I don’t get to see you on the outside know I love you always  Not all shootings are bad I’m realizing. Some are necessary for change to happen.”

    Court documents allege that Hernandez’s vehicle was identified on UConn’s campus on July 7.

    On July 18 and 19, 2023, Hernandez made multiple Facebook posts threatening to harm or kill three individuals who reside out of state, including a state court judge.  In addition, on July 19, in a conversation via text message with one of the victims, Hernandez stated “We’re taking lives if s— isn’t paid up. It’s been years in planning just taking notes, names and locations. They talked their way into this and it’s almost point game. I know we don’t play in my family. If we have to take lives or buildings we will. So just letting you know so you can be prepared for a media circus one way or another.”

    Hernandez has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on July 19, 2023.  On December 18, 2024, he pleaded guilty to transmitting interstate communications containing a threat to injure.

    While on supervised release, Hernandez must continue mental health and substance abuse treatment and allow his electronic devices to be monitored by the U.S. Probation Office, and he is prohibited from visiting UConn and other locations that he targeted in his threats.

    This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bristol Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Repeat Offender Sentenced To 10 Years For Possession Of Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEWARK, N.J. – A Hudson County man was sentenced to 120 months in prison for possessing images of child sexual abuse, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

    Jonathan Lattif, 46, of Jersey City, New Jersey previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi to an Information charging him with one count of possession of child pornography. Judge Cecchi imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.

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

    On March 18, 2022, Lattif possessed videos depicting sexual abuse of minors, including prepubescent children, on his mobile device. He possessed over 500 videos files and 1 photograph of child sexual abuse material.  

    Lattif also has a prior state conviction for possession of child pornography.

    In addition to the prison term, Judge Cecchi sentenced Lattif to 10 years of supervised release.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel in Newark; and Customs and Border Protection Officers from the Port of New York/Newark, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations New York Field Office, under the direction of Acting Port Director Jeffrey Greene, with the investigation leading to the charge.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Fatime Meka Cano of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Video: President Trump Holds a Press Conference with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba of Japan

    Source: United States of America – The White House (video statements)

    The White House

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMiAE9X-Wig

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Boozman, Cotton, Crapo Introduce Hearing Protection Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas – John Boozman

    WASHINGTON––U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Tom Cotton (R-AR) joined Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) to introduce the Hearing Protection Act, legislation to help law-abiding gun owners better access suppressors to preserve hearing and safety. The bill would reclassify suppressors and treat them like traditional firearms for the purpose of regulation. 

    “Increasing access to hearing protection for sportsmen and hunters is common sense,” said Boozman. “Law-abiding, responsible gun owners should not have to fight burdensome regulations to enjoy their hobbies safely and with the accessories that can protect their hearing. I am proud to join my colleagues to update unreasonable limitations on suppressors and stand with shooting sports enthusiasts.”

    “Burdensome regulations on firearm suppressors are doing more harm than good to sportsmen and women,” said Cotton. “Our legislation will ensure law-abiding gun owners can easily access hearing protection without having to navigate bureaucratic red tape or exorbitant taxes.” 

    “Federal red tape continues to follow the false Hollywood narrative that suppressors are silent, and ignores the reality that they serve a genuine purpose in protecting the hearing of law-abiding American citizens exercising their Second Amendment rights,” said Crapo. “It is past time Congress removes the burdensome barriers to accessing this equipment for the safety of Idaho’s hunters and sportsmen.” 

    Specifically, the Hearing Protection Act would:

    • Remove suppressors from regulation under the National Firearms Act (NFA);
    • Replace the burdensome federal transfer process with an instantaneous National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) background check, making the purchase and transfer process for suppressors equal to the process for a rifle or shotgun; and 
    • Increase funding into state wildlife conservation agencies by taxing suppressors under the Pittman-Robertson Act instead of the NFA.

    On average, suppressors diminish the noise of a gunshot by 20-35 decibels, roughly the same sound reduction provided by earplugs or earmuffs.  The most effective suppressors on the market can only reduce the peak sound level of a gunshot to around 110-120 decibels, which is roughly equivalent to a jackhammer. 

    The legislation is also cosponsored by Senators Jim Risch (R-ID), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Rick Scott (R-FL), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Jim Justice (R-WV), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Mike Lee (R-UT), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), John Kennedy (R-LA), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Steve Daines (R-MT), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Ted Budd (R-NC), John Hoeven (R-ND), Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Ron Johnson (R-WI).

    The Hearing Protection Act is endorsed by the Academy of Doctors of Audiology, National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the American Suppressor Association (ASA), Gun Owners of America (GOA) and the National Rifle Association (NRA).

    “The Hearing Protection Act will increase access to important hearing protection for millions of Americans,” said President of the Academy of Doctors of Audiology Amyn Amlani, Ph.D. “While the use of conventional hearing protection tools, such as earplugs and earmuffs are fundamental for preventing noise induced hearing loss in firearm users, conventional hearing protection alone does not always offer adequate protection from noise exposure. Firearm noise suppressors can be an effective supplement to traditional hearing protection.”

    “These safety devices reduce the report of a firearm to a level that won’t cause instant and permanent hearing damage,” said NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel Lawrence G. Keane. “Despite Hollywood’s depictions, they do not silence the sound of a firearm. The focus should be on removing barriers to safe and responsible use of firearms and dedicating resources to ensuring firearms are safeguarded from those who should never possess them. Strict regulatory control of firearm accessories, and the parts of those accessories that have no bearing on the function of a firearm, is unnecessary and not the wisest use of federal resources.”

    “It’s absurd that our unrestrained federal bureaucracy requires Americans to jump through hoops to buy simple hearing protection devices. Momentum continues to grow for common sense reforms that would end the stranglehold of government on the rights of her people,” said President and Executive Director of the American Suppressor Association Knox Williams.

    “Gun owners around the world are using suppressors to reduce the impact of noise and hearing loss while using their firearms. Even in countries with the strictest firearms laws, suppressors are often unregulated products that anyone can buy over the counter. However, outdated federal law makes it difficult for Americans to access these useful safety devices,” said Executive Director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action John Commerford.  

    Click here for full text of the legislation.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Boozman, Colleagues Push to Expand Access to Job Training Programs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas – John Boozman

    WASHINGTON––U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) joined Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Susan Collins (R-ME) to introduce the Jumpstarting Our Businesses by Supporting Students (JOBS) Act, bipartisan legislation to help more Americans get good-paying jobs by allowing students to use federal Pell Grants –– need-based education grants for lower-income individuals –– to pay for shorter-term job training programs for the first time.

    Currently, Pell Grants can only be used at two- and four-year colleges and universities. By expanding Pell Grant eligibility, the JOBS Act would help close the skills gap by opening access to job training that students might otherwise be unable to afford but need for careers in high-demand fields.

    “Increasing the supply of workers ready and able to fill in-demand jobs is exactly what our economy needs to thrive. As more students choose to pursue skills-based careers, we can ensure this pathway is open to everyone including those who need financial assistance to start that journey. I’m pleased to champion this bipartisan effort that can help more Americans receive job training,” Boozman said.

    “No one should be priced out of an education—including a technical education—but I hear from many Virginians that access to high-quality job training programs that align with their goals is out of reach because of financial barriers,” said Kaine. “Simultaneously, I hear from employers throughout the Commonwealth about their struggles to fill skilled labor positions. With these Virginians in mind, I wrote the JOBS Act to help remedy these issues and provide more workers with the skills they need to get good-paying jobs and provide for their families. This bill is good for workers, good for employers, and good for our economy as a whole.”

    “Job training programs are proven, successful tools that help people gain the skills they need to prepare for rewarding careers,” said Collins. “By helping students in Maine and across the country access this career pathway, this bipartisan legislation would assist young people with obtaining good-paying jobs and make it easier for businesses to find qualified workers.”

    The JOBS Act would allow Pell Grants to be used for high-quality job training programs that are at least eight weeks in length and lead to industry-recognized credentials or certificates. Under current law, Pell Grants can only be applied toward programs that are over 600 clock hours or at least 15 weeks in length, rendering students in shorter-term, high-quality job training programs ineligible for crucial assistance.

    Specifically, the JOBS Act would amend the Higher Education Act by:
    • Expanding Pell Grant eligibility to students enrolled in rigorous and high-quality, short-term skills and job training programs that lead to industry-recognized credentials and certificates and ultimately employment in high-wage, high-skill industry sectors or careers.
    • Ensuring students who receive Pell Grants are earning high-quality postsecondary credentials by requiring that the credentials:
    o Meet the standards under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), such as meaningful career counseling and aligning programs to in-demand career pathways or registered apprenticeship programs;
    o Are recognized by employers, industry or sector partnerships;
    o Align with the skill needs of industries in the state or local economy; and
    o Are approved by the state workforce board in addition to the U.S. Department of Education.
    • Defining eligible job training programs as those providing career and technical education instruction at an institution of higher education, such as a community or technical college that provides:
    o At least 150 clock hours of instruction time over a period of at least eight weeks;
    o Training that meets the needs of the local or regional workforce and industry partnerships;
    o Streamlined ability to transfer credits so students can continue to pursue further education in their careers; and
    o Licenses, certifications, or credentials that meet the hiring requirements of multiple employers in the field for which the job training is offered.
    The legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Steve Daines (R-MT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), John Hoeven (R-ND), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Dan Sullivan (D-AK), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

    The JOBS Act is supported by Advance CTE, the American Association of Community Colleges, the Association for Career and Technical Education, the Association of Community College Trustees, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, Business Roundtable, the Center for Law and Social Policy, the Exhibitions and Conferences Alliance, Higher Learning Advocates, HP Inc., the Information Technology Industry Council, Jobs for the Future, the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, NAF, the National Association of Workforce Boards, the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals, the National Skills Coalition, the Progressive Policy Institute and Rebuilding America’s Middle Class.

    Click here to view text of the bill.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Homeland Security Investigations supports seizure of Venezuelan aircraft involved in violations of US export control and sanctions laws

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations played a key role, alongside the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security and other partners, in an announcement Feb. 6 by the Justice Department that Dominican Republic authorities, working in coordination with U.S. federal law enforcement and based on violations of U.S. export control and sanctions laws, seized a Dassault Falcon 2000EX aircraft used by Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A., the sanctioned Venezuelan state-owned oil and natural gas company.

    “This seizure demonstrates HSI’s unwavering commitment to enforcing U.S. export control and sanctions laws around the globe,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Santo Domingo Country Attaché Edwin F. Lopez. “By working closely with our partners in the Dominican Republic and across the U.S. government, we successfully prevented the violation of U.S. laws designed to protect national security and foreign policy interests. HSI will continue to collaborate with domestic and international law enforcement partners to ensure accountability and uphold the rule of law.”

    The Bureau of Industry and Security Miami Field Office is investigating the case with assistance from ICE HSI Santo Domingo.

    The Justice Department previously announced in September 2024 the seizure of a Dassault Falcon 900EX aircraft in the Dominican Republic that was owned and operated for the benefit of Nicolás Maduro Moros and persons affiliated with him in Venezuela.

    “The seizure of the Dassault Falcon 2000EX aircraft provides yet another example of this office’s commitment to enforcing America’s export control laws against Venezuelan-owned PdVSA and other sanctioned entities,” said Southern District of Florida U.S. Attorney Hayden O’Byrne. “Asset forfeiture is a powerful law enforcement tool, which we will continue to use aggressively to deter, disrupt, and otherwise combat criminal activity.”

    “The use of American-made parts to service and maintain aircraft operated by sanctioned entities like PdVSA is intolerable,” said Devin DeBacker, head of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division. “The Justice Department, along with its federal law enforcement partners, will continue to safeguard our national security by identifying, disrupting, and dismantling schemes aimed at procuring American goods in violation of our sanctions and export control laws.”

    “Today’s announcement — the seizure of a sanctioned aircraft used by the Maduro regime — clearly shows that sanctions and export control laws have teeth,” said Acting Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Kevin J. Kurland of the Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security. “BIS will continue to aggressively investigate and hold accountable those who violate our regulations.”

    According to the U.S. investigation, in July 2017, PdVSA purchased the Dassault Falcon 2000EX aircraft from the United States and exported it to Venezuela, where it was registered under tail number YV-3360. Following the imposition of sanctions on PdVSA and identification of the Dassault Falcon 2000EX aircraft as blocked property of PdVSA, the aircraft was serviced and maintained on multiple occasions using parts from the United States. The servicing

    included a brake assembly, electronic flight displays, and flight management computers — all in violation of U.S. export control and sanctions laws.

    President Trump issued Executive Order 13884 in August 2019, which, among other things, prohibits U.S. persons from engaging in transactions with persons who have acted or purported to act directly or indirectly for or on behalf of PdVSA. Pursuant to the EO, on Jan. 21, 2020, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control identified 15 aircraft as blocked property under U.S. law, which generally prohibits transactions by U.S. persons within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in blocked property.

    According to a public statement issued by the Office of Foreign Assets Control, since at least January 2019, the Dassault Falcon 2000EX aircraft has transported Venezuelan Oil Minister Manuel Salvador Quevedo Fernandez, who is also sanctioned by the U.S. government, to an Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries meeting in the United Arab Emirates and has been used to transport senior members of the Maduro regime in a continuation of the regime’s misappropriation of PdVSA assets.

    The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and ICE HSI El Dorado Task Force Miami provided significant assistance.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jorge Delgado and Joshua Paster for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Ahmed Almudallal of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are handling the matter. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan D. Stratton and Ajay J. Alexander for the Southern District of Florida also assisted.

    The burden to prove forfeitability in a forfeiture proceeding is upon the government.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Boston arrests illegal Dominican drug dealer charged with assault, battery with dangerous weapon

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    BOSTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement apprehended an illegally present Dominican national convicted of heroin distribution crimes, who is currently charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and shoplifting crimes when ICE officers arrested Santor Aibar, 56, in East Boston Jan. 22. 

    “Santos Aibar is exactly the kind of alien offender who needs to be removed from the streets of Massachusetts,” said ICE Boston Enforcement and Removal Operations acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde. “He has already been convicted of peddling poison to our neighborhoods, and he currently stands accused of assaulting a resident with a box cutter. ICE Boston will not tolerate such threats to the people of our New England communities. We stand committed to our mission of arresting and removing such egregious alien threats.”

    Aibar illegally entered the United States on an unknown date, at an unknown location, and without being admitted, inspected, or paroled by a U.S. immigration official.

    The West Roxbury District Court in Massachusetts convicted Aibar Sept. 29, 2008, for distribution of of heroin and sentenced him to one year in prison.

    ICE officers arrested Aibar at the Nashua Street Jail in Boston July 2, 2010, and served him with a notice to appear before a Department of Justice immigration judge.

    The immigration judge ordered Aibar removed from the U.S. on Sept. 30, 2010, and ICE removed Aibar to the Dominican Republic Nov. 17, 2010.

    Aibar illegally re-entered the U.S. on an unknown date, at an unknown location, and without being admitted, inspected, or paroled by a U.S. immigration official.

    ICE encountered Aibar Feb. 28, 2023, following his arrest by local authorities, and issued an immigration detainer against Aibar with the Boston Police Department.

    ICE determined that the state of Massachusetts released Aibar on Feb. 25, 2024, without honoring the immigration detainer.

    The South Boston District Court arraigned Aibar Sept. 03, 2024, for the offenses of assault with dangerous weapon and shoplifting. 

    Aibar remains in custody following his apprehension by ICE.

    Members of the public with information can report crimes or suspicious activity by dialing the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in our New England communities on X at @EROBoston.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Doechii’s Thom Browne look at the Grammys bridged street culture and luxury fashion

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Pierre-Yann Dolbec, Associate Professor of Marketing, Concordia University

    American rapper Doechii turned heads on the Grammy Awards red carpet on Feb. 2 in a striking Thom Browne ensemble: an off-the-shoulder corset suit dress with exaggerated hips, paired with a crisp white shirt and grey tie.

    The look was both classic and undeniably subversive — a fitting image for the transformation of the fashion world since the early 2000s. Not too long ago, the idea of a rap artist spotlighting a luxury tailor’s creation would have seemed jarring.

    Streetwear and high fashion once lived in separate worlds. Luxury brands sold exclusivity; haute couture, hand-stitched gowns and fine tailoring. Streetwear, on the other hand, was about authenticity and everyday life, with deep ties to subcultures around skateboarding and hip-hop.

    While designers at major high fashion houses occasionally took inspiration from street style in the 1990s and early 2000s — for instance, borrowing stylistic innovations from hip-hop and grunge — high fashion brands kept streetwear brands and designers at a distance.

    When Harlem designer Daniel R. Day — better known as Dapper Dan — repurposed Louis Vuitton and Gucci prints into custom streetwear pieces in the late 1980s, luxury labels sued him out of business. When Supreme used Louis Vuitton’s monogram on its skateboards in 2000, the fashion house hit them with a cease-and-desist order.

    Yet, Doechii’s four custom Thom Browne looks for the Grammys highlight how close hip-hop culture and high fashion now are.

    The birth of luxury streetwear

    The clear divide between streetwear and luxury fashion didn’t happen by accident. In the early 2010s, designers such as Virgil Abloh, Jerry Lorenzo and Shayne Oliver bridged the gap between streetwear and high fashion by pioneering what came to be known as “luxury streetwear.”

    This emerging style blended streetwear staples with luxury fashion production, values and beliefs. Designers crafted hoodies in Italy, integrated sneakers and tees into showstopping runway presentations. Like high fashion houses, they anchored their collections around artists and elevated conceptual work, transforming streetwear-inspired design into an art form.

    By mixing streetwear’s authenticity with high fashion exclusivity, brands like Fear of God, Hood by Air and Off-White gained the respect of luxury consumers and critics alike while retaining street culture’s cool factor.

    High fashion embraces streetwear

    By the mid-2010s, the same high-fashion elite that once kept streetwear at a distance began to see its commercial and cultural potential. Major fashion houses like Burberry and Dior experimented with limited-edition collaborations with streetwear designers, borrowing not just an aesthetic but also distribution tactics like “drops” — a limited, time-sensitive product release by fashion brands.

    The luxury streetwear shift came full circle when Gucci collaborated with Dapper Dan and when Louis Vuitton joined forces with Supreme in 2017. These collections sold out in hours and also served to draw in younger consumers initially uninterested by high fashion.

    Leading fashion houses started hiring luxury streetwear designers in top creative positions and, in some cases, acquiring established luxury streetwear brands.

    This strategy not only refreshed their brand image, but also expanded their appeal to new audiences. It reflected a broader culture shift where luxury is increasingly characterized by authenticity, shared community and pop culture relevance, rather than old-money status signals.

    These shifts opened the door for artists and figures from hip-hop and adjacent creative fields to take on prominent roles. Artists Rihanna, Frank Ocean and Kendrick Lamar have fronted high fashion campaigns, and rappers like A$AP Rocky and Travis Scott have walked the runway for high fashion houses and worked on high fashion collections, leading critics to claim that “rappers are fashion’s new royalty.”

    Doechii’s watershed moment

    The influence of streetwear on luxury was on full display at this year’s Grammys. When Doechii accepted her groundbreaking award — becoming only the third female artist to earn a Grammy for Best Rap Album — she wore another Thom Browne creation: a cropped, short-sleeved grey jacket with a tie, paired with dramatically structured and tiered balloon pants.

    Once considered an unlikely pairing, Doechii’s choice of a luxury label famed for its avant-garde suits reflected the dismantling of a boundary long separating high fashion from hip-hop culture.

    During her acceptance speech, Doechii addressed tearing down another boundary:

    “So many Black women out there that are watching me right now and I want to tell you … Don’t allow anybody to project any stereotypes on you, that tell you that you can’t be here, that you’re too dark or that you’re not smart enough or that you’re too dramatic or you’re too loud. You are exactly who you need to be, to be right where you are, and I am a testimony.”

    Her fashion choice and her message ran in parallel: just as her Thom Browne looks reflected a broader cultural shift, one in which a once-marginalized culture has claimed space at the pinnacle of luxury, her words underscored the continued need to break down societal barriers that have sidelined Black women.

    Tensions behind the scenes

    Despite the celebratory tone surrounding luxury’s embrace of streetwear, deeper tensions persist behind the scenes. The key question is not just about influence but about who wields control and reaps the financial benefits.

    Rather than merely adopting streetwear’s aesthetics, high fashion has strategically absorbed it, spotlighting select designers to project an image of inclusivity while ensuring that the status hierarchy remains intact.

    This process offers genuine opportunities for a few, but ultimately reinforces existing power dynamics, allowing luxury brands to appear progressive while maintaining their dominance and capturing the value created by the less powerful.

    As the fashion industry evolves, it must address issues of cultural appropriation and elite capture to and ensure that the voices behind these influential styles receive due recognition and compensation.

    But for consumers on the outside looking in, Doechii’s Grammys moment illustrates a power shift. High fashion, once sealed-off and hierarchical, has become more open, fluid and reflective of diverse backgrounds and artistic visions.

    Pierre-Yann Dolbec receives funding from Concordia University, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, and the Fonds de Recherche du Québec.

    – ref. Doechii’s Thom Browne look at the Grammys bridged street culture and luxury fashion – https://theconversation.com/doechiis-thom-browne-look-at-the-grammys-bridged-street-culture-and-luxury-fashion-249334

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Video: The Marine Corps Software Factory

    Source: US Marines (video statements)

    #Marines from the Marine Corps Software Factory develop and implement innovative technologies to enhance mission capabilities.

    The Software Factory is focused on delivering cutting-edge solutions to support Marine Corps operations, ensuring readiness and effectiveness in any environment.

    Marine Corps video by CTR Moises Rodriguez, CTR Eduardo Gutierrez, CTR Kurtis Chan

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oB7QXKCXWJo

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tillis, Kelly Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Increase Access to Non-Opioid Treatments

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis

    WASHINGTON, D.C. –  This week, Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) led the introduction of the Alternatives to Prevent Addiction in the Nation (Alternatives to PAIN) Act, bipartisan legislation that would provide greater access to non-opioid treatments for pain management for seniors.

    “The opioid crisis continues to wreak havoc on families and communities across the country, including in North Carolina,” said Senator Tillis. “This bipartisan, pragmatic legislation will help prevent opioid addiction before it starts by leveling the playing field for non-opioid alternatives, ensuring seniors have uninterrupted access to non-opioid, non-addictive alternatives.”

    “Arizona seniors managing pain deserve real choices—not a system that steers them toward addictive opioids just because they’re the cheaper option,” said Senator Kelly. “By expanding affordable access to safer, non-opioid treatments, we’re helping prevent addiction and giving seniors better options for attending their health.” 

    “One way to prevent opioid addiction is by avoiding unnecessary exposure to prescription opioids,” said Chris Fox, Executive Director, Voices for Non–Opioid Choices. “To do so, providers and patients must have easy and equal access to non-opioid pain management options. Unfortunately, non-opioid approaches are all-too-often out of reach for many Americans due institutional preferences and economic incentives that lead to our reliance on opioids to treat pain. This results in millions of Americans developing a new, long-term opioid use pattern every year. The Alternatives to Prevent Addiction in the Nation (“Alternatives to PAIN”) Act would ensure that non-opioid approaches are just as easily accessible as other medications. The legislation will go a long way towards ensuring that all Americans in all settings can access such approaches. It is a much needed step towards preventing opioid addiction in America and Voices for Non-Opioid Choices proudly supports and urges enactment of this critical legislation.” 

    Background:

    The Alternatives to Prevent Addiction in the Nation (Alternatives to PAIN) Act is cosponsored by Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Katie Britt (R-AL), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ted Budd (R-NC), Chris Coons (D-DE), John Cornyn (R-TX), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Jim Banks (R-IN), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Steve Daines (R-MT), and Mark Warner (D-VA). 

    The United States is facing a public health crisis caused by prescription drug addiction. Unfortunately, our country’s seniors are not immune to the worsening opioid epidemic. In 2021, 1.1 million seniors were diagnosed with an opioid use disorder, and 50,000 seniors experienced an opioid overdose-from prescription opioids, illicit opioids, or both. Tragically, the number of Americans aged 65 and older who died as the result of a natural or semisynthetic opioid overdose increased 63 percent between 2012 and 2020.

    Now, more than ever, we must prevent unnecessary opioids from becoming prevalent in medicine cabinets, homes, and communities. We can do this by increasing the use of non-opioids for pain management. Non-opioid treatments and therapies can be successful in replacing, delaying, or reducing the use of opioids which is why we believe it is necessary for Congress to advance policies that give practitioners and patients more access to these non-addictive treatments.

    The opioid epidemic is estimated to cost U.S. taxpayers $1.5 trillion every year. Too often, cost considerations incentivize Medicare Part D sponsors to employ utilization management practices intended to steer patients towards lowest cost options, which typically end up being generic opioids. This has resulted in opioid prescribing in Medicare Part D increasing over the past decade. In fact, Medicare Part D’s share of overall opioid prescriptions dispensed in the United States has increased 75 percent just since 2011. With several new opioid alternatives in the pipeline and others currently on the market, it is essential we encourage robust access to these therapies for Medicare Part D beneficiaries. 

    This bipartisan legislation would: 

    • Limit patient cost-sharing for patients receiving non-opioid based pain relief under Medicare Part D plans;
    • Prohibit the utilization of step therapy and prior authorization for these drugs; and
    • Encourage the continued dialogue between patients and their healthcare professionals about preferences in pain management choices.  

    This legislation builds on the Non-Opioids Prevent Addiction in the Nation (NO PAIN) Act, legislation supported by Senator Tillis that was signed into law in December 2022. The NO PAIN Act directed the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to provide separate Medicare reimbursement for non-opioid treatments used to manage pain in both the hospital outpatient department (HOPD) and the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) settings. Prior to the NO PAIN Act being signed into law, hospitals received the same payment from Medicare regardless of whether a physician prescribed an opioid or a non-opioid. As a result, hospitals relied on opioids, which are typically dispensed by a pharmacy after discharge at little or no cost to the hospital. 

    The Alternatives to Prevent Addiction in the Nation (Alternatives to PAIN) Act is supported by the following organizations:  Voices for Non-Opioid Choices, Ambulatory Surgery Center Association, American Addiction Recovery Coalition, American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, American Psychological Association Services, Asheville Equine Therapy, A Better Life-Brianna’s Hope, A Voice in the Wilderness Empowerment Center, Blue Water Recovery & Outreach Center, CA Black Health Network, Center of Addiction & Faith, Chatham Drug Free, Clean Living Exceptional Alternative Recovery Residences (CLEARR), Danny’s Ride, Dove Recovery Center for Women, Elderly Advocates, Families of Addicts, Freedom Through Recovery, Georgia for Recovery, Hawaii Health and Harm Reduction Center, Healing On The Fly Inc, Hear Alex’s Story, Hep Free Hawaii, Hernando Community Coalition, Herren Project, Holistic Homes for Us, Hope Haven, Inclusive Recovery, InStep Indy, Iron Tribe Network, Jake’s Reach, Journey House Foundation, LITE Recovery Café, Lifeboat Addiction Services, Medicare Rights Center, Mental Health America, Mental Health America of Illinois, Metro Drug Coalition, Michigan Women Veterans Empowerment, National Association of Social Workers, National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, National Hispanic Medical Association, National Rural Health Association, National Safety Council, National Transitions of Care Coalition, Operation First Response, Inc, Operation PAR, Overdose Lifeline, Parrott Creek Child and Family Services, Partnership for A Healthy Iowa, Partnership to End Addiction, Pennsylvania Mental Health Consumers Association, Pledge for Life Partnership, Positive Action Against Chemical Addiction, Inc. (PAACA), Prevention Action Alliance, Prevention Alliance of Tennessee, Psychophysiologic Disorders Association, PTSD Awareness Summit, REAL LIFE, Recovery Café- Ft. Wayne, Recovery Café- Muncie, Recovery Mobile Clinic, RetireSafe, Safe Haven Recovery Engagement Center, Salvage USA, Shatterproof, She Recovers Foundation, Sobar, Society for Opioid-Free Anesthesia, Society of Behavioral Medicine, South End – Roxbury Community Partnership, Stayin Alive 24 Coalition, Team Sharing, Inc., The Battle Within, U.S. VETS, VetPark’s A.T.V., Veterans National Recovery Center, Voices For Awareness, Warren Coalition, Warrior Path Home, West Warwick Prevention Coalition, Will Bright Foundation, Wyoming Valley Drug & Alcohol Services, and Young People in Recovery.

    Full text of the legislation is available HERE. 

    Additional statements of support are available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth Joins Markey, Hirono in Reintroducing Legislation to Codify Right to Contraception

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    February 06, 2025

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) reintroduced the Right to Contraception Act, legislation that would create a statutory right to obtain and use contraceptives and ensure health care providers have a right to provide contraceptives, contraception and share information about this essential care. Last June, Senate Republicans shamefully blocked the bill from passing the Senate.

    “Ever since the Supreme Court threw out Roe v. Wade, we’ve seen extreme MAGA Republicans across the country work to roll back health care and tear reproductive freedom away from Americans—which has cruelly threatened birth control, plan B, IUDs and other forms of contraception,” said Senator Duckworth. “I refuse to let my daughters grow up in a world with fewer rights than I had. As MAGA Republicans continue their anti-choice, anti-science crusade, it is as important as ever that the Senate acts to codify the right to contraception into law so that every American in every state—regardless of their skin color, zip code or income—has equal access to basic, necessary health care. I’m proud to join Senators Markey and Hirono in reintroducing our Right to Contraception Act to do just that.”

    “The right to contraception is essential for people’s freedom to make decisions about their lives and their health without politicians getting in the way,” said Senator Markey. “Contraception is essential not only for sexual and reproductive health, but also to treat a wide array of medical conditions and decrease the risk of certain cancers. The Right to Contraception Act will protect the right for people to get contraception and for providers to give it in the face of President Trump and Republicans’ relentless attacks on reproductive justice.”

    “Contraception is essential health care that millions of people across the country rely on,” said Senator Hirono. “The Right to Contraception Act simply protects patients’ right to access contraception, as well as providers’ right to provide it. I’m proud to join Senator Markey and Representative Fletcher in reintroducing this important bill. The right to control your own body, free from government interference, is as fundamental as it gets, and we’ll continue doing everything we can to protect the reproductive rights of all Americans.” 

    Throughout her time in the Senate, Duckworth has made protecting reproductive freedom a top priority in the face of Republicans’ anti-choice crusade. Duckworth has long pushed to pass her Right to IVF Act—which Senate Republicans blocked not once, but twice last year—that would both establish a right to IVF and other assisted reproductive technology (ART), expand access for hopeful parents, Veterans and federal employees, as well as lower the costs of IVF for middle class families across the country. This marked the fourth time Senate Republicans blocked Duckworth-led legislation that would protect access to IVF nationwide—Duckworth’s Access to Family Building Act, which builds on previous legislation she introduced in 2022.

    Duckworth was the first Senator to give birth while serving in office and had both of her children with the help of IVF. In 2018, she advocated for the Senate to change its rules so she could bring her infant onto the Senate floor.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth to Oppose All Remaining Top-Level Cabinet Nominees Until Donald Trump Stops Illegal Power Grabs at the Expense of Middle-Class Americans and National Security

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    February 06, 2025

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement announcing she will vote no on all remaining cabinet-level nominations until President Trump stops his relentless spree of illegal power grabs that are hurting middle-class Americans and endangering our national security:

    “I take the Senate’s advise and consent responsibility seriously and have always thoroughly considered the cabinet nominees of every President based on their individual merit, qualifications and ability to do the job. But until Donald Trump and unelected billionaire Elon Musk stop their relentless spree of illegal power grabs that are inflicting pain on the middle class and damaging our national security, I’ll be voting no on all remaining top-level cabinet nominees.

    “Despite running on a promise to lower costs and deliver for middle-class Americans, Donald Trump is instead putting the needs of the billionaire class above those he swore he’d look out for—effectively giving the keys to our government away to the richest man in the world who no one elected while he works to dismantle core agencies and programs that Americans depend on. It has become clear that I cannot trust the promises these nominees make—after all, Senator Rubio promised he wouldn’t come for USAID.

    “I already voted no on DOT Secretary Duffy and VA Secretary Collins after originally intending to support their nominations and I refuse to aid and abet these illegal and harmful power grabs by voting for any of this Administration’s remaining cabinet-level nominees.”

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Blumenthal Call On VA Secretary To Step Up And Defend Veterans’ Private Information From Elon Musk

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), along with 25 of their Senate colleagues, sent a letter urging U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins to take immediate actions to secure veterans’ personal information provided by VA or other agencies to Elon Musk and his “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE). This call follows Musk’s takeover of the U.S. Treasury’s payment system, which includes private information of veterans and their families, and reports of DOGE employees accessing VA computer systems at the Department’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.

    “Among many tasks, the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is entrusted with safeguarding the private and sensitive information of millions of veterans…Veterans risked their lives to defend our country, and they deserve better than to have an unelected billionaire reviewing their medical records, targeting the benefits they have earned, or using their private information for personal gain,” the senators wrote.

    “Our nation’s veterans have entrusted their health records, including genetic samples, disability data, bank information, and other private information, to VA. The Department also stores sensitive veteran casework, files of whistleblowers who have come forward with concerns about waste, fraud, and abuse, and sensitive investigative files with veteran and federal employee information,” the senators added.

    “Meanwhile, the President has given unfettered access to federal databases and systems to Mr. Musk, an unelected citizen, and a team of colleagues with no formal documented employment agreement with the U.S. government. It is a group of private citizens with no experience in the federal government, who lack proper approval from legal and agency authorities, lack the appropriate security clearances, and lack the requisite background investigations or ethical conflict requirements. We are outraged these unelected, unvetted, and unaccountable individuals now have access to sensitive information that has been heavily secured for decades and by Administrations of both parties,” they continued.

    There are millions of veterans’ medical records stored in VA’s computer systems. These confidential records include veterans’ prescriptions, diagnoses, and procedures they have undergone. Access to these medical records could give Musk and DOGE the ability to identify veterans who have received abortions or abortion counseling in the past. The Million Veteran Program, which manages the genomic data of its more than one million veteran participants for authorized research programs, also stores its data in VA data systems. In addition, the U.S. Treasury’s payment system stores private information of veterans, surviving spouses, and their families, including their monthly disability compensation amount, home address, and bank account numbers.

    The senators concluded, “During your confirmation process, you claimed you would be focused on rooting out corruption and ensuring accountability at VA, and committed to following the laws passed by Congress. We now call on you to respond quickly and comprehensively to these privacy violations by revoking DOGE’s access to VA systems and insisting they permanently remove all VA data collected from their files.”

    U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Angus King (I-Maine), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) also signed the letter.

    Full text of the letter is available HERE and below:

    Dear Secretary Collins,

    Among many tasks, the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is entrusted with safeguarding the private and sensitive information of millions of veterans. Today, we call on you to immediately secure any personal and related information regarding veterans provided by VA or other agencies to Elon Musk and associates under the auspices of the “Department of Government Efficiency” established under Executive Order 14158. Further, we call on you to deny and sever their access to any VA or other government system that includes information about veterans, and to require them to immediately and permanently delete any information in their possession. Veterans risked their lives to defend our country, and they deserve better than to have an unelected billionaire reviewing their medical records, targeting the benefits they have earned, or using their private information for personal gain.

    Our nation’s veterans have entrusted their health records, including genetic samples, disability data, bank information, and other private information, to VA. The Department also stores sensitive veteran casework, files of whistleblowers who have come forward with concerns about waste, fraud, and abuse, and sensitive investigative files with veteran and federal employee information. Veterans and VA employees entrusted the Department with this information with the understanding that it would be kept private and only used to help deliver the highest quality of services to veterans, their families, and survivors.

    Meanwhile, the President has given unfettered access to federal databases and systems to Mr. Musk, an unelected citizen, and a team of colleagues with no formal documented employment agreement with the U.S. government. It is a group of private citizens with no experience in the federal government, who lack proper approval from legal and agency authorities, lack the appropriate security clearances, and lack the requisite background investigations or ethical conflict requirements. We are outraged these unelected, unvetted, and unaccountable individuals now have access to sensitive information that has been heavily secured for decades and by Administrations of both parties.

    These actions are in direct violation of federal laws meant to protect our national security and the privacy of our citizens’ personal information. This includes information on Social Security payments, Medicare, Medicaid, student loans, veterans’ disability compensation payments, GI Bill payments, federal civil servants’ personnel records, and much more. With every hour, we see DOGE further expand its efforts to create a massive private database of previously guarded data outside the federal government’s cyber and legal protections. It is an abhorrent and illegal overreach of executive powers, which conflicts with various federal statutes, including the Federal Information Security Modernization Act, the Privacy Act, the EGovernment Act of 2002, and likely several other cyber and national security laws.

    During your confirmation process, you claimed you would be focused on rooting out corruption and ensuring accountability at VA, and committed to following the laws passed by Congress. We now call on you to respond quickly and comprehensively to these privacy violations by revoking DOGE’s access to VA systems and insisting they permanently remove all VA data collected from their files.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Blumenthal, Colleagues Introduce Antitrust Legislation To Take On Algorithmic Price Fixing, Bring Down Costs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    February 07, 2025

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) joined their Senate colleagues in introducing the Preventing Algorithmic Collusion Act to prevent companies from using algorithms to collude to set higher prices. As recent reporting, a Justice Department lawsuit, and multiple private lawsuits have shown, big corporations are using algorithms to raise prices and limit competition, including companies like RealPage that have facilitated collusion to increase rents by more than $3 billion in 2023 alone. This legislation would make such collusion illegal to lower costs for families and support small businesses.

    “These pricing algorithms are just one more tactic corporations use to get around the law and screw regular people. It’s how the poultry industry colludes to keep the price of chicken high,” said Murphy. “If we really care about lowering costs and disrupting the corrupt status quo, this is the kind of bill that Congress should pass.”

    “Predatory algorithms significantly suppress competition in today’s markets and allow companies to collude to raise prices to unaffordable levels. The Preventing Algorithmic Collusion Act will eliminate coercive anticompetitive software and empower consumers,” said Blumenthal.

    Price fixing and other forms of collusion are illegal under current antitrust laws. However, current antitrust laws may be insufficient when competing companies delegate their pricing decisions to an algorithm without agreeing to fix prices. Current law requires proof of an agreement to fix prices before condemning the conduct. When pricing decisions of multiple competitors are delegated to a single algorithm, that agreement may not exist even though the use of the algorithm may have the same effect as a traditional agreement to fix prices. This type of conduct has already occurred in rental housing, and we must ensure that it does not spread to other sectors of our economy with the proliferation of algorithmic pricing.  

    To strengthen current price fixing law, this legislation would:

    1. Close a loophole in current law by presuming a price-fixing “agreement,” when direct competitors share non-public information through a pricing algorithm to raise prices;
    2. Increase transparency by requiring companies that use algorithms to set prices to disclose that fact and give antitrust enforcers the ability to audit the pricing algorithm when there are concerns it may be harming consumers;
    3. Ban companies from using non-public, competitively sensitive information from their direct competitors to inform or train a pricing algorithm; and
    4. Direct the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to study pricing algorithms’ impact on competition. 

    U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) also cosponsored the legislation.

    The Preventing Algorithmic Collusion Act is endorsed by Consumer Reports, the Open Markets Institute, and Accountable.US. 

    Full text of the legislation is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lankford Introduces Bill to Prevent Trafficking in Government Contracts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Oklahoma James Lankford

    WASHINGTON, DC – Senator James Lankford (R-OK) introduced the Ensuring Accountability and Dignity in Government Contracting Act of 2025 to close gaps in federal rules that allow human trafficking to persist in government contracting while strengthening agency oversight, accountability, and reporting requirements. Representative David Valadao (R-22) led the introduction of this bill in the House of Representatives. 

    “It is unthinkable that taxpayer dollars would fund human and labor trafficking,” said Lankford. “Lax standards and procedures have enabled traffickers to continue their abuse of vulnerable people. This bill puts proactive measures in place to make sure that no taxpayer funds are spent on federal contracts that don’t safeguard against trafficking.”

    “The United States has a zero-tolerance policy for human trafficking, yet recent reports make it clear that federal agencies are failing to take meaningful action to prevent trafficking in government contracts,” said Valadao. “I’m proud to introduce this bill which will ensure contractors have anti-trafficking compliance plans in place and guarantee that when violations occur, there are consequences. American taxpayers should never be complicit in human trafficking, and this legislation takes critical steps to prevent that from happening.”

    The Ensuring Accountability and Dignity in Government Contracting Act of 2025 would:

    • Require contractors to provide anti-trafficking compliance plans for covered contracts to contracting officers.
    • Provide federal contracting officials with relevant information they can use when developing plans to oversee contractors’ trafficking prevention efforts, by expanding and strengthening the current contractor certification requirements.
    • Require the Inspector General to investigate all credible information about potential human trafficking violations, including when recipients report it and indicate they have taken actions to address it.
    • Direct OMB to assess and report on the feasibility of enhancing government anti-trafficking efforts by amending relevant laws for contractor compliance assessments, streamlining reporting processes, and mandating training for contracting personnel.
    • Upon receipt of an Inspector General report of alleged noncompliance, suspend grant payments until the contractor has taken appropriate remedial action.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Barrasso Bill Fixes Unfair Funding Issues for Rural Hospitals

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wyoming John Barrasso

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), joined by U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.), recently introduced bipartisan legislation to ensure that hospitals caring for large numbers of Medicaid and uninsured patients in Wyoming and other rural states receive their fair share of federal funding.
    The Fair Funding for Rural Hospitals Act would establish a nationwide federal funding minimum for disproportionate share hospitals (DSH). Current payment levels are based on a 1992 formula that has seen few updates and has assigned Wyoming the lowest payments of any state by far. In 2023, Wyoming’s DSH funding totaled only $300,000 while the second-lowest state received $11 million.
    “Wyoming’s hospitals serve more Medicaid and low-income patients than other states, but our share of funding hasn’t caught up for decades,” said Senator Barrasso. “We’ve been overlooked for our fair share while our rural hospitals fight to keep their doors open. This legislation will fix outdated funding issues for hospitals across Wyoming and rural America.”
    “By enabling states to increase payments to hospitals providing uncompensated care, our bill will help more uninsured and low-income people across Hawai‘i access the care they need,” said Senator Schatz.
    “I joined my colleagues in introducing the Fair Funding for Rural Hospitals Act to ensure hospitals receive appropriate support to care for Medicaid and uninsured patients,” said Cramer. “By establishing a new federal floor for rural states like North Dakota, this legislation will support access to care for our state’s most vulnerable patients.”
    “Hospitals in rural communities like Vermont are seeing more and more Medicaid and low-income patients. These hospitals provide essential health care services, so it’s crucial they get the support they need,” said Senator Welch. “I am proud to join Senator Barrasso to introduce this bipartisan legislation to provide stable funding for these hospitals to continue to do the important work of serving our most vulnerable patients.”
    The Fair Funding for Rural Hospitals Act:
    Establishes a federal floor of $20 million per state for the Medicaid DSH program, which will then grow at a “low” DSH percentage inflation rate after the first five years.
    Increases DSH funding to Delaware, Hawaii, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming.
    Full text of the legislation can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Labrador Letter – Women Are Winning: Title IX and Women’s Sports

    Source: US State of Idaho

    Dear Friends,
    This has been an extraordinary week for women and girls across the country. Surrounded by female athletes of all ages, President Trump signed an executive order safeguarding their opportunities and safety by preventing biological males from competing in women’s sports. This decisive action came just days after the Trump Administration’s Department of Education rescinded Biden’s Title IX rewrite—an overreach that forced schools to allow men into girls’ bathrooms and locker rooms and mandated the use of preferred pronouns under the guise of gender identity discrimination. With these rules now overturned, sanity, common sense, and biological reality have been restored in our schools.
    As Idaho’s Attorney General, I’ve been on the front lines of this fight, defending Idaho’s laws in federal court in Roe v. Critchfield and Hecox v. Little. I have also joined lawsuits alongside other attorneys general challenging Biden’s unlawful Title IX revisions. A U.S. District Court in Louisiana issued an injunction protecting Idaho and a small group of plaintiffs, while a District Court in Kentucky went even further, issuing a nationwide injunction against Biden’s Title IX rewrite, deeming it “unlawful.” Currently, Roe v. Critchfield, which addresses whether biological males can access girls’ bathrooms and locker rooms, is before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Meanwhile, Hecox v. Little, which upholds Idaho’s ban on biological males competing in women’s sports, is awaiting a decision from the U.S. Supreme Court on whether it will be taken up for review. President Trump’s actions this week could have a meaningful impact on these cases, reinforcing the constitutional and legal foundation we have been defending.
    Perhaps most rewarding is knowing that Idaho has led the way on these issues long before President Trump’s executive order. In 2020, Idaho became the first state in the nation to pass a law barring men from competing in women’s sports—thanks to the leadership of State Representative Barbara Ehardt, a former high school and NCAA women’s basketball coach. Dozens of states followed suit, modeling their laws after Idaho’s HB500. Rep. Ehardt has been a tireless advocate for female athletes, fighting for fairness, safety, and equal opportunities. Idaho owes her a debt of gratitude for her unwavering dedication. Today, what started here in Idaho has become the law of the land.
    That victory did not come without fierce opposition. Major businesses and their lobbyists in Idaho fought against it. Five former attorneys general urged a veto. My predecessor in the Attorney General’s office at the time wrote a legal opinion which gave the bill’s opponents their talking points. Democratic leadership called the legislation “disgusting and disappointing.” Editorial boards across the state attacked it. But as the saying goes, if doing the right thing were easy, more people would do it.
    Opponents argued that we should have surrendered women’s sports to political correctness, allowing fairness and safety to be sacrificed. But standing up for what is right often invites criticism from those who lack the moral clarity and courage to do so themselves. While the battle over women’s sports and girls’ privacy in school bathrooms may be won for now, there will always be new fights on the horizon. It is this very reason I worked so hard to become Idaho’s Attorney General—so I could uphold the values of the people of Idaho and defend what is right.
    I am honored to serve you and will continue to stand firm in this fight.
    Best regards,
    Not yet subscribed to the Labrador Letter?  Click HERE to get our weekly newsletter and updates.  Miss an issue?  Labrador Letters are archived on the Attorney General website.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Efficiency − or empire? How Elon Musk’s hostile takeover could end government as we know it

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Allison Stanger, Distinguished Endowed Professor, Middlebury

    Elon Musk, right, has moved to take the reins of the U.S. government. Brandon Bell/Getty Images

    Elon Musk’s role as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency, also known as DOGE, is on the surface a dramatic effort to overhaul the inefficiencies of federal bureaucracy. But beneath the rhetoric of cost-cutting and regulatory streamlining lies a troubling scenario.

    Musk has been appointed what is called a “special government employee” in charge of the White House office formerly known as the U.S. Digital Service, which was renamed the U.S. DOGE Service on the first day of President Donald Trump’s second term. The Musk team’s purported goals are to maximize efficiency and to eliminate waste and redundancy.

    That might sound like a bold move toward Silicon Valley-style innovation in governance. However, the deeper motivations driving Musk’s involvement are unlikely to be purely altruistic.

    Musk has an enormous corporate empire, ambitions in artificial intelligence, desire for financial power and a long-standing disdain for government oversight. His access to sensitive government systems and ability to restructure agencies, with the opaque decision-making guiding DOGE to date, have positioned Musk to extract unprecedented financial and strategic benefits for both himself and his companies, which include the electric car company Tesla and space transport company SpaceX.

    One historical parallel in particular is striking. In 1600, the British East India Company, a merchant shipping firm, began with exclusive rights to conduct trade in the Indian Ocean region before slowly acquiring quasi-governmental powers and ultimately ruling with an iron fist over British colonies in Asia, including most of what is now India. In 1677, the company gained the right to mint currency on behalf of the British crown.

    As I explain in my upcoming book “Who Elected Big Tech?” the U.S. is witnessing a similar pattern of a private company taking over government operations.

    Yet what took centuries in the colonial era is now unfolding at lightning speed in mere days through digital means. In the 21st century, data access and digital financial systems have replaced physical trading posts and private armies. Communications are the key to power now, rather than brute strength.

    A security officer blocks U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, right, from entering the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency headquarters on Feb. 6, 2025, in an effort to meet with DOGE staff.
    Al Drago/Getty Images

    The data pipeline

    Viewing Musk’s moves as a power grab becomes clearer when examining his corporate empire. He controls multiple companies that have federal contracts and are subject to government regulations. SpaceX and Tesla, as well as tunneling firm The Boring Company, the brain science company Neuralink, and artificial intelligence firm xAI all operate in markets where government oversight can make or break fortunes.

    In his new role, Musk can oversee – and potentially dismantle – the government agencies that have traditionally constrained his businesses. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has repeatedly investigated Tesla’s Autopilot system; the Securities and Exchange Commission has penalized Musk for market-moving tweets; environmental regulations have constrained SpaceX.

    Through DOGE, all these oversight mechanisms could be weakened or eliminated under the guise of efficiency.

    But the most catastrophic aspect of Musk’s leadership at DOGE is its unprecedented access to government data. DOGE employees reportedly have digital permission to see data in the U.S. government’s payment system, which includes bank account information, Social Security numbers and income tax documents. Reportedly, they have also seized the ability to alter the system’s software, data, transactions and records.

    Multiple media reports indicate that Musk’s staff have already made changes to the programs that process payments for Social Security beneficiaries and government contractors to make it easier to block payments and hide records of payments blocked, made or altered.

    But DOGE employees only need to be able to read the data to make copies of Americans’ most sensitive personal information.

    A federal court has ordered that not to happen – at least for now. Even so, funneling the data into Grok, Musk’s xAI-created artificial intelligence system, which is already connected with the Musk-owned X, formerly known as Twitter, would create an unparalleled capability for predicting economic shifts, identifying government vulnerabilities and modeling voter behavior.

    That’s an enormous and alarming amount of information and power for any one person to have.

    Candidate Donald Trump speaks at a key cryptocurrency industry conference in July 2024.
    AP Photo/Mark Humphrey

    Cryptocurrency coup?

    Like Trump himself and many of his closest advisers, Musk is also deeply involved in cryptocurrency. The parallel emergence of Trump’s own cryptocurrency and DOGE’s apparent alignment with the cryptocurrency known as Dogecoin suggests more than coincidence. I believe it points to a coordinated strategy for control of America’s money and economic policy, effectively placing the United States in entirely private hands.

    The genius – and danger – of this strategy lies in the fact that each step might appear justified in isolation: modernizing government systems, improving efficiency, updating payment infrastructure. But together, they create the scaffolding for transferring even more financial power to the already wealthy.

    Musk’s authoritarian tendencies, evident in his forceful management of X and his assertion that it was illegal to publish the names of people who work for him, suggest how he might wield his new powers. Companies critical of Musk could face unexpected audits; regulatory agencies scrutinizing his businesses could find their budgets slashed; allies could receive privileged access to government contracts.

    This isn’t speculation – it’s the logical extension of DOGE’s authority combined with Musk’s demonstrated behavior.

    Critics are calling Musk’s actions at DOGE a massive corporate coup. Others are simply calling it a coup. The protest movement is gaining momentum in Washington, D.C., and around the country, but it’s unlikely that street protests alone can stop what Musk is doing.

    Who can effectively investigate a group designed to dismantle oversight itself? The administration’s illegal firing of at least a dozen inspectors general before the Musk operation began suggests a deliberate strategy to eliminate government accountability. The Republican-led Congress, closely aligned with Trump, may not want to step in; but even if it did, Musk is moving far faster than Congress ever does.

    Destroy the republic, build a startup nation?

    Taken together, all of Musk’s and Trump’s moves lay the foundation for what cryptocurrency investor and entrepreneur Balaji Srinivasan calls “the network state.”

    The idea is that a virtual nation may form online before establishing any physical presence. Think of the network state like a tech startup company with its own cryptocurrency – instead of declaring independence and fighting for sovereignty, it first builds community and digital systems. By the time a Musk-aligned cryptocurrency gained official status, the underlying structure and relationships would already be in place, making alternatives impractical.

    Converting more of the world’s financial system into privately controlled cryptocurrencies would take power away from national governments, which must answer to their own people. Musk has already begun this effort, using his wealth and social media reach to engage in politics not only in the U.S. but also several European countries, including Germany.

    A nation governed by a cryptocurrency-based system would no longer be run by the people living in its territory but by those who could could afford to buy the digital currency. In this scenario, I am concerned that Musk, or the Communist Party of China, Russian President Vladimir Putin or AI-surveillance conglomerate Palantir, could render irrelevant Congress’ power over government spending and action. And along the way, it could remove the power to hold presidents accountable from Congress, the judiciary and American citizens.

    All of this obviously presents a thicket of conflict-of-interest problems that are wholly unprecedented in scope and scale.

    The question facing Americans, therefore, isn’t whether government needs modernization – it’s whether they’re willing to sacrifice democracy in pursuit of Musk’s version of efficiency. When we grant tech leaders direct control over government functions, we’re not just streamlining bureaucracy – we’re fundamentally altering the relationship between private power and public governance. I believe we’re undermining American national security, as well as the power of We, the People.

    The most dangerous inefficiency of all may be Americans’ delayed response to this crisis.

    Allison Stanger receives funding from the Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society, Harvard University

    – ref. Efficiency − or empire? How Elon Musk’s hostile takeover could end government as we know it – https://theconversation.com/efficiency-or-empire-how-elon-musks-hostile-takeover-could-end-government-as-we-know-it-249262

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Amherst Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant sent undercover federal agent 345 CSAM files depicting children as young as one year old

    BOSTON – An Amherst man pleaded guilty on Feb. 5, 2025 in federal court in Boston to distribution and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

    Bradley Driscoll, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for May 13, 2025. Driscoll was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2023.

    The investigation determined that on or about Aug. 29, 2022, Driscoll knowingly distributed and possessed CSAM. Specifically, Driscoll engaged in a Kik on-line chat conversation with an undercover agent, where he expressed an interest in obtaining CSAM materials. Driscoll also distributed a link to the undercover agent which contained approximately 345 CSAM files depicting minor children, some as young as one year old, being sexually penetrated by adult males.

    In September 2023, Driscoll told federal agents that he was the owner of the Kik username and that he located the link containing CSAM files through other Kik messenger chat groups. He acknowledged asking the undercover agent to send him sexual material related to child pornography and acknowledged that the Mega link he shared contained sexual materials involving young children.  

    The distribution charge provides for a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison, supervised release of no less than five years and a maximum of life and a $250,000 fine. The possession charge provides for up to 20 years in prison, a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigations; and Gabriel Ting, Chief of the Amherst Police Department made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit.

    The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse.  Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identity and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: UPDATE: Haivision Wins ISE Best in Show Award for Haivision Command 360 Video Wall Solution for Operation Centers

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MONTREAL, Feb. 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Haivision Systems Inc. (TSX: HAI), a leading global provider of mission-critical, real-time video networking and visual collaboration solutions, today announces that the Haivision Command 360 video wall solution has won the AV Technology ‘Best in Show’ Award at ISE in Barcelona. This prestigious recognition highlights the groundbreaking impact of Command 360 in operation and command centers.

    Haivision Command 360: Powering Mission-Critical Decision-Making

    Haivision Command 360 is a complete video wall solution for situational awareness and real-time decision-making in mission-critical environments. By aggregating live video feeds, real-time analytics, and diverse data streams onto a secure, scalable video wall, Command 360 empowers defense, government, and public safety organizations to collaborate seamlessly and respond rapidly to critical situations. Its intuitive interface simplifies operations, enabling teams to access, manage, and control essential information with just a few clicks.

    “We are extremely honored to have won the ISE Best in Show Award for Haivision Command 360,” said Marcus Schioler, Vice President of Marketing at Haivision. “Haivision is a world leader in providing solutions that improve situational awareness and help organizations make better decisions in mission-critical situations. Winning this award at ISE is a recognition of our commitment to excellence and innovation.”

    Haivision Command 360 is part of Haivision’s mission-critical video ecosystem, helping aerospace, enterprise, government, military, and public safety organizations make informed decisions faster. Command 360 provides the following features and benefits to customers:

    • Display Any Content: Command 360 supports a wide range of content types, including live video feeds, TV channels, data dashboards, maps, web content, software applications, and more, ensuring access to critical information in real-time.
    • Centralized Management: The system features easy management of user permissions based on roles and responsibilities across multiple operation centers.
    • Defense-Grade Security: Command 360 adheres to strict government and industry standards to ensure security, reliability, and interoperability.
    • Use Safely from Anywhere: Secure remote access is critical when situations requiring attention develop at unpredictable times. Command 360 provides robust encryption and secure access controls to protect sensitive information and ensure data integrity, even for users accessing remotely.
    • User-Driven UI for Any Workflow: Command 360’s easy-to-use interface enables users of any technical proficiency to change input sources, customize layouts, and schedule system actions.
    • Total Device Control: The ultra-capable and intuitive Command 360 software integrates seamlessly with a wide range of applications, offering agnostic compatibility with multiple devices.
    • Remote Workstation Access with KVM: Integrated Keyboard, Video, and Mouse (KVM) control for direct interaction with displayed content from remote workstations, enhances operational flexibility and efficiency.

    For more information about Haivision Command 360, visit https://www.haivision.com/products/command-360-video-wall-software/.

    About Haivision

    Haivision is a leading global provider of mission-critical, real-time video networking and visual collaboration solutions. Our connected cloud and intelligent edge technologies enable organizations globally to engage audiences, enhance collaboration, and support decision making. We provide high quality, low latency, secure, and reliable live video at a global scale. Haivision open sourced its award-winning SRT low latency video streaming protocol and founded the SRT Alliance to support its adoption. Awarded four Emmys® for Technology and Engineering from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Haivision continues to fuel the future of IP video transformation. Founded in 2004, Haivision is headquartered in Montreal and Chicago with offices, sales, and support located throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia. To learn more, visit Haivision at haivision.com.

    Jennifer Gazin
    514.334.5445 ext 8309
    jgazin@haivision.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaine Statement on Confirmation of Russell Vought as OMB Director

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
    Published: February 06 2025

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, released the following statement regarding the confirmation of Russell Vought as Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB):
    “The American people deserve a federal government they can count on—one that is staffed by people who are hired based on merit and are committed to upholding the Constitution. And just like our federal workforce has our back—they deserve a Congress that will have theirs. This vote is an insult to both of those principles. But today’s temporary injunction against the sham federal worker buyout—which has Russell Vought’s name written all over it—is an important reminder that our work here isn’t over. To Vought and the rest of Donald Trump’s cronies intent on shredding the federal workforce: rest assured that when you break the law, we’ll see you in court.”
    As a member of the Senate Budget Committee, Kaine aggressively questioned Vought during his confirmation hearing over a speech Vought gave in which he said he wanted to “traumatize” the federal workforce. He also demanded that Budget Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) postpone a vote on Vought’s nomination until he answers questions regarding his role in the illegal freeze of many federal grants and loans that have already been appropriated by Congress. He took to the Senate floor for multiple speeches about Vought’s unfitness to lead OMB, including to help Senate Democrats delay today’s vote by sharing stories he collected from federal workers about how the Trump Administration’s attacks on the federal workforce have harmed them and threatened their ability to deliver essential services.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin Pushes Back on Trump’s Plan to Dismantle Education Department

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and her colleagues are pushing back on the Trump Administration’s reported plans to unilaterally dismantle the Department of Education and called out Elon Musk’s access to Americans’ most sensitive data, including at the Department of Education. Baldwin is calling on the acting Secretary of Education for answers on recent actions taken to put federal workers on administrative leave, coerce employees into leaving their jobs, provide access to students’ sensitive data, and illegally freeze vital funding. Wisconsin received approximately $630 million last fiscal year from the Department of Education to directly support school operations, pay teachers, and support students. If the Department of Education were to shutter, it could threaten this year’s funding and risk cuts programs, layoffs for teachers, and less funding for classrooms.
    “Over the course of two weeks, the Trump Administration issued sweeping executive orders and sought to broadly and illegally freeze federal financial assistance,” wrote Baldwin and the lawmakers. “Federal employees have been targeted, in some cases for simply following the law. Elon Musk is attempting to shut down the work of entire agencies while gaining access to some of the federal government’s most far reaching and sensitive data systems. Media reports indicate a similar effort may be underway at the Department of Education.”
    In their letter, they request information about access to the Department’s sensitive data and steps taken to safeguard it, communications and details regarding Department employees who have been placed on leave and confirmation that no awards have been blocked or terminated.
    “We will not stand by and allow this to happen to the nation’s students, parents, borrowers, educators, and communities. Congress created the Department to ensure all students in America have equal access to a high-quality education and that their civil rights are protected no matter their zip code,” continued the lawmakers. “We urge you to provide information on the steps the Department is taking to ensure the continuity of programs that Americans depend on, the ability of the Department to effectively administer programs for their intended purposes without waste, fraud and abuse, and the safeguards in place to protect student data privacy.”
    A full version of this letter is available here and below.
    Dear Acting Secretary Carter,
    We write with serious concerns about actions at the U.S. Department of Education (the Department), in light of the troubling developments across the federal government since January 20, 2025.
    Over the course of two weeks, the Trump Administration issued sweeping executive orders and sought to broadly and illegally freeze federal financial assistance. Federal employees have been targeted, in some cases for simply following the law. Elon Musk is attempting to shut down the work of entire agencies while gaining access to some of the federal government’s most far reaching and sensitive data systems.
    In just the last few days security officials at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) were put on leave after refusing non-government workers access to sensitive personnel information and classified systems. On Monday morning, USAID staff were told not to report to the agency and more than 600 employees were locked out of their computer systems and put on leave. Media reports indicate a similar effort may be underway at the Department of Education. Media reports are all we can rely on at this point because the Department has not shared any information on its plans with the authorizing Committees of jurisdiction responsible for establishing the Department, its organizational structure and programs; or the Committees on Appropriations responsible for funding it.
    The Department has been a target of President Trump and his unelected advisors since even prior to his inauguration. And recently, the Department has put workers on administrative leave for attending trainings promoted by former Secretary Betsy DeVos, once touted among results achieved by the Department, and coerced employees into leaving their jobs.6 Workers at the Department—like those across the government—have been made to fear their jobs will be reclassified so that they lose employment protections. Some staff from the entity referred to as the Department of Government Efficiency have reportedly gained access to internal Department data systems, including financial aid systems that include personally identifiable information on millions of students. These actions appear to be part of a broader plan to dismantle the federal government until it is unable to function and meet the needs of the American people.
    We will not stand by and allow the impact that dismantling the Department of Education would have on the nation’s students, parents, borrowers, educators, and communities. Congress created the Department to ensure all students in America have equal access to a high-quality education and that their civil rights are protected no matter their zip code. The Department is in the middle of implementing the FAFSA for the 2025-2026 school year and cannot afford any disruptions to that critical work. The Department also oversees vital federal aid programs that help students from low-income backgrounds, students with disabilities, student veterans, students experiencing homelessness, rural students, educators, and parents in need of childcare across the country. To further these activities, the Department maintains sensitive, personally identifiable information about these students and their families, which must be protected from people bent on ending these critical programs created over decades through bipartisan laws passed by Congress.
    We urge you to provide information on the steps the Department is taking to ensure the continuity of programs that Americans depend on, the ability of the Department to effectively administer programs for their intended purposes without waste, fraud and abuse, and the safeguards in place to protect student data privacy. We therefore request the following by Friday February 7th, 2025.
    Provide a list of all individuals, including their job titles and offices and whether they are federal government employees, who have been granted access to personally identifiable or sensitive information since January 20, 2025, the training provided to such individuals on the requirements for handling personally identifiable or sensitive information, the specific information to which they have they been granted access and the legal purpose to granting them access to that information, and whether students have been notified that their personally identifiable or sensitive information has been accessed.
    Provide an explanation of all steps the Department has taken to protect sensitive, personally identifiable data in the Department’s control, including but not limited to the National Student Loan Data System, the Common Origination and Disbursement System, and the FAFSA Processing System. a. Provide information on how those steps have been communicated to each individual with access to that data.
    Provide a list of all individuals placed on administrative leave or terminated from the Department since January 20, 2025, including their job title, duties and responsibilities, office, and the reason for the leave or termination.
    Provide all communications to Department employees who have been placed on administrative leave or terminated since January 20, 2025.
    Confirm that the Department has not frozen, paused, impeded, blocked, canceled, or terminated any awards or obligations since January 20, 2025 (other than the cancellation of training and service contracts announced in the Department’s January 23, 2025 Press Release).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: February 7th, 2025 Heinrich, Luján Join Colleagues in Calling for Quick Implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) joined U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and 25 of their colleagues in calling for the immediate implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act to provide full Social Security benefits for millions of public servants impacted by Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). The Social Security Fairness Act, which Heinrich and Luján cosponsored, fully repeals the two unfair Social Security provisions WEP and GPO, was signed into law on January 5, 2024 after Heinrich and Luján voted to advance legislation on the Senate floor. 

    “The Social Security Fairness Act restores full Social Security benefits for the millions of teachers, police officers, firefighters, and other public servants who are unfairly penalized by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO),” wrote the senators.

    “The Social Security Administration’s website currently states, ‘SSA expects that it could take more than one year to adjust benefits and pay all retroactive benefits’ owed under the Social Security Fairness Act. We call for the immediate implementation of this legislation to provide prompt relief to the millions of Americans impacted by WEP and GPO,” continued the senators.

    Heinrich, Luján, and Cassidy were joined by U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Angus King (I-Maine), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.).

    Read the full letter here or below:

    Dear Acting Commissioner King,

    We write to you concerning the implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act (Public Law No: 118-273). This legislation passed Congress on an overwhelmingly bipartisan basis on December 21st, 2024 and was signed into law on January 5th, 2025. The Social Security Fairness Act restores full Social Security benefits for the millions of teachers, police officers, firefighters, and other public servants who are unfairly penalized by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO).

    The Social Security Administration’s website currently states, “SSA expects that it could take more than one year to adjust benefits and pay all retroactive benefits” owed under the Social Security Fairness Act. We call for the immediate implementation of this legislation to provide prompt relief to the millions of Americans impacted by WEP and GPO. In the interim, we request monthly updates and briefings regarding the status of the Social Security Administration’s progress towards implementing the Social Security Fairness Act. 

    Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter.  We look forward to your response.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: February 7th, 2025 Heinrich HALT All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act Passes U.S. House of Representatives

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    Heinrich introduced the legislation last week to permanently place fentanyl-related substances into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, help law enforcement combat fentanyl trafficking, and advance scientific and medical research

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) announced that his Halt All Lethal Trafficking of (HALT) Fentanyl Act to permanently classify fentanyl-related substances (FRS) as Schedule I drugs, under the Controlled Substances Act, passed the U.S. House of Representatives. This permanent scheduling will give law enforcement the tools they need to keep extremely lethal and dangerous drugs off our streets and ensure scientists can research and better understand these substances.

    Last week, Heinrich, with U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), introduced the HALT Fentanyl Act in the Senate. The bill now awaits Senate passage, before heading to the President’s desk.

    “I’m pleased that my HALT Fentanyl Act is one step closer to becoming law,” said Heinrich. “I urge my Senate colleagues to swiftly bring the legislation to the floor for passage. It is urgently needed to help our law enforcement personnel crack down on illegal trafficking, get deadly fentanyl out of our communities, and save lives.”

    The HALT Fentanyl Act is endorsed by the Drug Enforcement Association of Federal Narcotics Agents, the Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies, the Major County Sheriffs of America, the National Alliance of State Drug Enforcement Agencies, the National High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Directors Association, the National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition, and the National District Attorneys Association, as well as state and local law enforcement across New Mexico.

    “Fentanyl has negatively impacted the city of Las Cruces in significant ways. In the past five years, we have experienced a substantial increase in crime, homelessness, and quality of life issues. I firmly believe fentanyl has been the biggest driver of these issues. It is time to take meaningful action to reverse the harm caused by this illicit substance,” said Jeremy Story, Chief of the Las Cruces Police Department.

    “Like any illegal substance, whether it be opioids or fentanyl use, there are no easy or quick solutions and often combatting their abuse requires a multi-layered approach. The HALT Fentanyl Act is just that, which is why I fully support it. We may be inclined to not concern ourselves with research, for example, but those trafficking in this market do concern themselves with research. Let us endorse this bigger picture approach to help combat fentanyl use in our country,” said Kim Stewart, Doña Ana County Sheriff.

    “The HALT Fentanyl Act is another tool to go after transnational gangs and help make our community safer. Legislation is key for law enforcement to do their job,” said John Allen, Bernalillo County Sheriff.

    Background:

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that there were 107,543 overdose deaths in the United States in 2023. Fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances accounted for nearly 75,000 of those deaths. Since 1999, the overdose crisis has increasingly been characterized by deaths involving these illicitly manufactured synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl-related substances (FRS), which are commonly sold through illicit drug markets for their fentanyl-like effect, and are often mixed with heroin or other drugs, such as cocaine, or pressed in to counterfeit prescription pills. During this same period, overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids (excluding methadone) increased 103-fold. By comparison, overdose deaths involving heroin and prescription opioids increased 2.5-fold and 4.1-fold, respectively.

    Traffickers are continually altering the chemical structure of fentanyl to evade regulation and prosecution, sometimes with tragic results. Since 2013, China has been the principal source of fentanyl, fentanyl-related substances, and the precursor chemicals from which they are produced. Chinese product is commonly shipped to Mexico and smuggled into the U.S’s illicit drug market. Traffickers have favored fentanyl-related substances to skirt around committing the crime of trafficking fentanyl and fentanyl analogues. In 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) seized nearly 12,000 pounds of illicit fentanyl, including fentanyl powder and more than 78 million pills laced with illicit fentanyl. The 2023 seizures were equivalent to more than 388.8 million lethal doses of fentanyl.

    In 2018, as an initial response to this unprecedented crisis, the DEA issued a temporary scheduling order that placed FRS in Schedule I, under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), after classifying it as an imminent hazard to public safety. Previously, Congress has only closed this loophole temporarily by designating fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs. Congress has extended the FRS temporary scheduling order several times, most recently on December 21, 2024, with a measure that expires on March 31, 2025.

    Heinrich’s HALT Fentanyl Act would finally make permanent the scheduling of illicitly produced fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs and streamline the regulatory process for scientists seeking approval from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to research Schedule I substances.

    Clear and Enforceable Criminal Penalties for Fentanyl Trafficking:

    A permanent scheduling of FRS is necessary to make penalties for criminals clear and enforceable under the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), reducing the supply and availability of illicitly manufactured FRS. The HALT Fentanyl Act places the strongest controls and penalties on FRS, which have no accepted medical use and a high abuse potential.

    Specifically, the HALT Fentanyl Act will permanently impose the following quantity-based federal trafficking penalties on FRS:

    Mandatory minimum penalties: 5 years for 10 grams or more (10 years for second offense); and 10 years for 100 grams or more (20 years for second offense).

    Discretionary maximum penalties: 40 years for 10 grams or more (life for second offense); and life for 100 grams or more.

    Expanded Scientific and Medical Research

    More closely aligning the research and registration process for schedule I substances, including FRS, with Schedule II substances will facilitate increased FRS research. By accommodating more medical research into fentanyl-related substances, the bill would establish a new, streamlined registration process for research funded by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), or under an Investigative New Drug (IND) exemption from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

    Specifically, the HALT Fentanyl Act will enhance our understanding of these illicitly manufactured substances by:

    Allowing researchers in the same institution to participate in multiple scientific studies.

    Permitting researchers with ongoing studies to examine newly added schedule I substances.

    Allowing researchers to manufacture small quantities of FRS without a separate registration.

    Full text of the HALT Fentanyl Act can be found here.

    A section-by-section summary of the HALT Fentanyl Act can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –