NewzIntel.com

Category: KB

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ten Individuals Charged with Attempted Murder of Federal Officers and Firearms Offenses in Alvarado Police Officer Shooting

    Source: US FBI

    Ten individuals have been charged for their roles in the shooting of an Alvarado police officer at the Prairieland Detention Center.  

    Today’s announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson, Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas FBI R. Joseph Rothrock, and Enforcement Removal Operations Dallas Acting Field Office Director Joshua Johnson.

    According to a criminal complaint filed today, the defendants, dressed in black military-style clothing, began shooting fireworks at the facility, as part of an organized attack.

    After approximately 10 minutes of convening, one or two individuals broke off from the main group and began to spray graffiti on vehicles and a guard structure in the parking lot at the facility.  An Alvarado police officer responded to the scene after correctional officers called 911 to report suspicious activity.  When the Alvarado police officer arrived, one alleged defendant positioned in nearby woods shot the officer in the neck area.  Another alleged assailant across the street fired 20 to 30 rounds at unarmed correctional officers who had stepped outside the facility.

    As alleged in the complaint, AR-style rifles were found at the scene.  The assailants fled from the detention center but were stopped by additional law enforcement officers.  Some defendants were wearing body armor, some were armed, and some had two-way radios.  A total of twelve sets of body armor were found during searches of vehicles associated with the defendants, on their persons, and in the area around the Prairieland Detention Center.  

    Additionally, officers found spray paint, flyers stating, “FIGHT ICE TERROR WITH CLASS WAR!” and “FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS,” and a flag stating, “RESIST FACISM – FIGHT OLIGARCHY.”  One of the alleged attackers had cell phones inside a “Faraday bag,” used to block phone signals and commonly used by criminal actors to try to prevent law enforcement from tracking their location.

    Ten individuals were charged in one complaint with three counts of attempted murder of federal agents and three counts of discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.  Those include:

    •    Cameron Arnold 
    •    Savanna Batten 
    •    Nathan Baumann 
    •    Zachary Evetts 
    •    Joy Gibson
    •    Bradford Morris
    •    Maricela Rueda
    •    Seth Sikes
    •    Elizabeth Soto
    •    Ines Soto

    As outlined in the complaint, officers photographed the graffiti, flyers, flag, body armor, and magazines containing ammunition:

    “Make no mistake, this was not a peaceful protest,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson. “This was an ambush on federal and local law enforcement officers.  This increasing trend of violence against law enforcement will not be tolerated in the Northern District of Texas.  Those who use violence against law enforcement officers will be found and prosecuted using the toughest criminal statutes and penalties available.”

    “The incident at the Prairieland Detention Center underscores the dangers that officers face daily. We want to thank all the law enforcement agencies that promptly responded and assisted in apprehending the suspects,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The FBI stands with our partners and pledges that violence against law enforcement will not be tolerated. We are committed to thoroughly investigating this weekend’s incident and will hold those responsible accountable for threatening the safety of law enforcement.”

    “Violence, threats of violence, and attempts of vandalism at our ICE Facilities will not deter our officers at ICE from fulfilling their duties, said Josh Johnson, Acting ERO Dallas Field Office Director. “This type of vigilante lawlessness is emblematic of the dangers federal, state, and local law enforcement officials face every day.”

    A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence.  All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.  If convicted, the defendants face a minimum penalty of ten years in federal prison and a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

    The investigation was conducted by the Dallas FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Office (ICE ERO), Homeland Security Investigations, ATF, Texas Department of Public Safety, Alvarado Police Department, and Johnson County Sheriff’s Office.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ten Individuals Charged with Attempted Murder of Federal Officers and Firearms Offenses in Alvarado Police Officer Shooting

    Source: US FBI

    Ten individuals have been charged for their roles in the shooting of an Alvarado police officer at the Prairieland Detention Center.  

    Today’s announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson, Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas FBI R. Joseph Rothrock, and Enforcement Removal Operations Dallas Acting Field Office Director Joshua Johnson.

    According to a criminal complaint filed today, the defendants, dressed in black military-style clothing, began shooting fireworks at the facility, as part of an organized attack.

    After approximately 10 minutes of convening, one or two individuals broke off from the main group and began to spray graffiti on vehicles and a guard structure in the parking lot at the facility.  An Alvarado police officer responded to the scene after correctional officers called 911 to report suspicious activity.  When the Alvarado police officer arrived, one alleged defendant positioned in nearby woods shot the officer in the neck area.  Another alleged assailant across the street fired 20 to 30 rounds at unarmed correctional officers who had stepped outside the facility.

    As alleged in the complaint, AR-style rifles were found at the scene.  The assailants fled from the detention center but were stopped by additional law enforcement officers.  Some defendants were wearing body armor, some were armed, and some had two-way radios.  A total of twelve sets of body armor were found during searches of vehicles associated with the defendants, on their persons, and in the area around the Prairieland Detention Center.  

    Additionally, officers found spray paint, flyers stating, “FIGHT ICE TERROR WITH CLASS WAR!” and “FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS,” and a flag stating, “RESIST FACISM – FIGHT OLIGARCHY.”  One of the alleged attackers had cell phones inside a “Faraday bag,” used to block phone signals and commonly used by criminal actors to try to prevent law enforcement from tracking their location.

    Ten individuals were charged in one complaint with three counts of attempted murder of federal agents and three counts of discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.  Those include:

    •    Cameron Arnold 
    •    Savanna Batten 
    •    Nathan Baumann 
    •    Zachary Evetts 
    •    Joy Gibson
    •    Bradford Morris
    •    Maricela Rueda
    •    Seth Sikes
    •    Elizabeth Soto
    •    Ines Soto

    As outlined in the complaint, officers photographed the graffiti, flyers, flag, body armor, and magazines containing ammunition:

    “Make no mistake, this was not a peaceful protest,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson. “This was an ambush on federal and local law enforcement officers.  This increasing trend of violence against law enforcement will not be tolerated in the Northern District of Texas.  Those who use violence against law enforcement officers will be found and prosecuted using the toughest criminal statutes and penalties available.”

    “The incident at the Prairieland Detention Center underscores the dangers that officers face daily. We want to thank all the law enforcement agencies that promptly responded and assisted in apprehending the suspects,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The FBI stands with our partners and pledges that violence against law enforcement will not be tolerated. We are committed to thoroughly investigating this weekend’s incident and will hold those responsible accountable for threatening the safety of law enforcement.”

    “Violence, threats of violence, and attempts of vandalism at our ICE Facilities will not deter our officers at ICE from fulfilling their duties, said Josh Johnson, Acting ERO Dallas Field Office Director. “This type of vigilante lawlessness is emblematic of the dangers federal, state, and local law enforcement officials face every day.”

    A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence.  All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.  If convicted, the defendants face a minimum penalty of ten years in federal prison and a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

    The investigation was conducted by the Dallas FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Office (ICE ERO), Homeland Security Investigations, ATF, Texas Department of Public Safety, Alvarado Police Department, and Johnson County Sheriff’s Office.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Releases Guidance on Implementing President Trump’s Executive Order Designating English as the Official Language of the United States

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    WASHINGTON — Today, the Department of Justice released Guidance to ensure compliance with President Trump’s Executive Order No. 14224, which establishes English as the official language of the United States of America. Consistent with the Executive Order, the Department of Justice will lead a coordinated effort across federal agencies to minimize non-essential multilingual services, redirect resources toward English-language education and assimilation, and ensure legal compliance with the Executive Order through targeted measures where necessary.

    “As President Trump has made clear, English is the official language of the United States,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The Department of Justice will lead the effort to codify the President’s Executive Order and eliminate wasteful virtue-signaling policies across government agencies to promote assimilation over division.”

    “President Trump’s Executive Order marks a pivotal step toward unifying our nation through a common language and enhancing efficiency in federal operations,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon. “The Department of Justice ensures that while we respect linguistic diversity, our federal resources will prioritize English proficiency to empower new Americans and strengthen civic unity.”

    While leaving room for linguistic diversity that exists in private and community spheres, this Guidance will help streamline federal processes, reduce administrative burdens, and increase operational efficiency across agencies by removing extensive translation services and de-prioritizing multilingualism over English proficiency. Implementing the Executive Order will enhance social and economic integration, offer new Americans a vital pathway for civic engagement, and further bind Americans together with a shared language.

    President Trump’s Executive Order rescinds Executive Order No. 13,166, signed by President Clinton on August 16, 2000. Executive Order No. 13,166 directed agencies to enhance access to federal programs for persons with limited English proficiency and required tailored guidance for recipients of federal funding—straining federal resources and impeding the assimilation of new Americans.

    This is the latest Guidance issued by the Department of Justice to implement and administer President Trump’s agenda.

    Read the Guidance HERE.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Co-leader calls for climate resilience to be put on a statutory footing

    Source: Green Party of England and Wales

    / by Green Party

    Reacting to the Met Office’s State of the Climate Report, published today, co-leader of the Green Party, Adrian Ramsay MP, has called on the Prime Minister to put climate resilience on a statutory footing. He said:

    “England is facing its driest start to a year in my lifetime. Extreme weather is becoming the norm, and we are nowhere near prepared to protect our citizens. Our climate is fuelling extreme weather, and that is having direct and urgent consequences in the here and now.

    He continued: ”We had the warmest spring on record, and we are in the middle of this summer’s third heatwave. The last three years have been among the top five warmest on record. The Government has not adequately prepared our infrastructure to protect our citizens.”  

    ”The Government must outline the steps they are taking to prepare for the increasing threat of extreme temperatures. This is not just about this summer, it’s about how we adapt as the climate crisis continues to escalate.”

    “We need to safeguard the public from this rising climate threat. That is why the Prime Minister must put climate resilience on a statutory footing, requiring local councils and major infrastructure providers to carry out climate risk assessments for all projects.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Forty-five affordable homes protected in Richmond

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    More Richmond residents can keep their affordable homes with support from the Province and the B.C. Rental Protection Fund.

    “We’re working on every front to address the housing crisis and rising costs, so people have an affordable home in the community they love,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs. “When a building changes hands, residents worry whether they will be forced to move or pay much higher rent. By helping non-profits to buy these buildings, we are protecting the people who have lived there for years, close to their families, their jobs and the activities they enjoy.”

    The property, at 8660 Westminster Hwy. in Richmond, has been bought by Tikva Housing through the Rental Protection Fund, and with a gift from the Ronald S. Roadburg Foundation. In recognition of this support, the building has been renamed Ronald S. Roadburg Residences.

    This purchase of the 45 affordable homes means people have an affordable, long-term, stable place to stay, in a community where rental options are limited.

    “This momentous acquisition embodies the core of Tikva’s mission to provide access to innovative housing solutions, giving new hope to individuals and families in need, transforming lives and strengthening the community,” said Anat Gogo, executive director, Tikva Housing. “We are deeply grateful to the Ronald S. Roadburg Foundation for its extraordinary generosity and to the Rental Protection Fund for ensuring these 45 homes will remain protected and affordable for generations to come.”

    The property offers a mix of one-bedroom and large two-bedroom homes with an existing elevator, making it suitable for low-income seniors and families. It is located near parks, shopping and other services. Rents at the property average approximately $1,500 to $1,600, or about 42% below community averages, and will remain below local market rates.

    The B.C. Rental Protection Fund contributed $5 million toward the purchase, helping keep housing affordable for tenants. This includes $1.2 million in renewal grants to help with building improvements to keep the homes safe and comfortable.

    “Investing in protecting the affordable housing we already have means we spend less while achieving more: more capacity, more resilience, more opportunity,” said Katie Maslechko, CEO, Rental Protection Fund. “By leveraging public investment to unlock private and philanthropic partnerships like this, we can transform housing from a commodity into a catalyst for community-driven solutions, multiplying the impact of every dollar invested through the Rental Protection Fund for decades to come.”

    The fund is part of a $19-billion housing investment by the B.C. government. Since 2017, the Province has more than 93,250 homes delivered or underway, including 380 homes in Richmond.

    Quotes:

    Kelly Greene, MLA for Richmond-Steveston –

    “Preserving these 45 affordable homes in Richmond is a vital step in protecting housing that people can afford. As housing costs rise, we’re taking action to ensure long-term affordability and keep people in their communities. This is how we build a more inclusive, livable Richmond for everyone.”

    Rob Botterell, B.C. Green house leader, MLA for Saanich North and the Islands –

    “Rental rates across B.C. are exorbitant. That’s why protections like this are essential. The Rental Protection Fund has proven to be a great tool to help tackle the housing crisis and ensure thousands of homes remain affordable. We look forward to the Province continuing to advance this important work.”

    Bernard Pinsky, chair, Ronald S. Roadburg Foundation –

    “Providing secure and affordable homes strengthens the entire community, and we are honoured to help make this happen.”

    Timothy Schafli, tenant, Ronald S. Roadburg Residences –

    “It’s a relief that Tikva has stepped in to secure the future of the Ronald S. Roadburg building. It’s helped me set aside a nagging fear of needing to relocate due to redevelopment or similar. I’m happy to have called Richmond home for over a decade and that I’m confident I’ll be able to continue to do that. Thanks to Tikva for the excellent communication during the transition as well.”

    Learn More:

    For information about the Rental Protection Fund, visit: https://rentalprotectionfund.ca

    To learn about steps the Province is taking to address the housing crisis and deliver affordable homes for British Columbians, visit: https://strongerbc.gov.bc.ca/housing/

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Security Copilot capabilities in Microsoft Intune and Entra now generally available

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Security Copilot capabilities in Microsoft Intune and Entra now generally available

    When Microsoft introduced Microsoft Security Copilot last year, our vision was to empower organizations with generative AI that helps security and IT teams simplify operations and respond faster. Since then, we’ve continuously innovated and learned alongside our customers. They consistently tell us that practitioners love it when Copilot is built directly into the tools they use every day.

    That’s why we’re focused on delivering deeply integrated, scenario-based experiences that align with Zero Trust principles, making it easier for IT and security professionals to ask questions, take action, and gain insights directly within their existing workflows. These experiences not only reduce friction but also help IT teams stay in flow, making smarter decisions faster and with greater confidence. And the impact is real: organizations using Security Copilot have seen a 54% reduction in time to resolve device policy conflicts, and a 22.8% drop in alerts per incident within three months of adoption, freeing up teams to focus on more strategic work.

    Get started with Microsoft Security Copilot

    We’re excited to announce the Security Copilot capabilities in Microsoft Intune and Microsoft Entra have moved from preview to general availability. This milestone reflects the critical role Intune and Entra play in modern security strategies, serving as the foundation for implementing a Zero Trust model. Intune enforces device compliance, app protection, and endpoint privilege management, while Entra governs identity access with Conditional Access policies and granular authentication controls. Together, they create a unified security posture that aligns with Zero Trust principles across devices, users, applications, and even agents. Security Copilot amplifies this foundation by providing AI-assisted guidance, autonomous agents, and insights accessible through natural language, helping IT teams scale operations, accelerate skilling, and proactively remediate threats at machine speed.

    Reimagining IT workflows with Security Copilot in Intune

    IT administrators often face a daily flood of data, alerts, and configuration details, making it difficult to quickly find the right information and act with confidence. AI is changing how people work, and Copilot in Intune is evolving how IT admins interact with and act on their endpoint management data. The Security Copilot in Intune general availability release introduces a brand new, Copilot-assisted data exploration capability. IT admins now have a dedicated page in the Intune admin center to ask Copilot for the data they need, take action, and complete endpoint management tasks, all without leaving their workflow. This capability allows admins to extract insights across Intune domains—devices, apps, security policies, users, compliance data, app configurations, and more—and act on it using its deep integration into the Intune functionality they are familiar with. It represents the first step in a foundational shift from traditional reporting and queries to Copilot-powered investigation and IT-empowered action.

    This new Security Copilot capability is designed to simplify the most time-consuming IT workflows, like assessing security posture, managing updates, troubleshooting issues, and generating custom reports. Whether it’s identifying non-compliant devices, tracking patch failures, previewing policy impact, or automating remediation, Copilot brings together the data and actions IT needs in one place.

    Admins can ask natural language questions like, “Show me devices that are not on the latest version of Windows and Office,” or “Which of my Endpoint Privilege Management rules are in conflict and what are the source profiles?” and take action instantly, without switching context.

    Figure 1. New experience to explore your Intune data with Copilot assistance across workloads.

    The new Explorer experience also includes support for Windows 365 Cloud PCs, giving IT administrators a consistent way to view and act on device details across both cloud and physical endpoints. We are excited to share that in the coming weeks, we’ll introduce additional AI capabilities in Intune with Copilot assistance for Windows 365, offering insights into Cloud PC connectivity and connection quality, licensing optimization, and performance issues tied to compute resources. These capabilities build on the momentum of virtual computing and the ability to stream Windows from the Cloud, enhancing the IT experience and delivering even more endpoint management value—especially for Windows-based environments.

    The general availability release of Security Copilot in Intune also provides chat-based contextual assistance and includes integration with core and Microsoft Intune Suite solutions. Intune Advanced Analytics multiple device query (MDQ), and Copilot help admins write detailed Kusto Query Language (KQL) queries and Endpoint Privilege Management with Copilot assesses app risks for admins to make informed decisions before approving Windows users’ elevation requests. And with the Surface Management Portal in Intune, Copilot provides unified visibility and controls for IT across Surface devices, further strengthening security posture and streamlining operations.

    Microsoft Intune: Empower IT. Protect endpoints. Optimize with AI.

    Just as Security Copilot is transforming endpoint management in Intune, it’s also reshaping how identity is managed in Microsoft Entra.

    Security Copilot in Entra brings clarity and speed to identity security

    Identity environments evolve daily—new user, apps, and permissions are constantly introduced, making it difficult for IT and identity admins to keep policies up to date and user access properly governed. Manual investigations done the traditional way can be very time-consuming and reactive, giving cyberattackers more time to exploit gaps. With more than 600 million identity-based attacks happening daily, organizations can’t afford slow, manual investigations or infrequent policy reviews.1

    Security Copilot in Microsoft Entra, now generally available, brings AI-assisted reasoning, natural language prompts, and real-time insights across your identity and access estate, all within the Microsoft Entra admin center. We’ve made major enhancements to improve performance, scalability, and accuracy, enabling Security Copilot to better understand user intent, handle more complex questions, and deliver clearer answers.

     We’ve also expanded coverage to support a broader set of real-world identity scenarios. Copilot in Entra now helps admins investigate users, troubleshoot sign-ins, manage access reviews and entitlements, monitor tenant health and service-level agreement (SLAs), optimize license usage, and analyze role assignments and recommendations—all grounded in Microsoft Graph data.

    Admins can now ask natural language questions like, “Which enterprise applications have credentials about to expire?” and “What role does the user have?” to quickly surface insights and take action. Whether it’s reviewing access packages, identifying risky apps, or checking license availability, Security Copilot in Entra helps teams move faster, stay ahead of cyberthreats, and focus on what matters most.

    Microsoft Entra: Comprehensive identity and network access solutions

    Purpose-built agents for real-world IT challenges

    At Microsoft Secure 2025, as part of our vision to deliver an AI-first, end-to-end security platform, Microsoft announced 11 AI-powered Security Copilot agents that are seamlessly integrated with Microsoft Security and partner solutions. These agents autonomously handle high-volume, high-value tasks, learn from feedback, adapt to workflows, and operate securely, reflecting our commitment to helping organizations achieve what was previously impossible—at machine speed.

    Today marks a meaningful milestone in our journey toward an AI-first, end-to-end security platform: we’re announcing the general availability of the Conditional Access Optimization Agent in Microsoft Entra. This launch brings AI-powered automation to IT and security operations, helping teams bring proactive protection directly into identity workflows.

    The Conditional Access Optimization Agent runs autonomously, scanning your environment for gaps, overlaps, and outdated policy assignments. It then recommends precise, one-click remediations to help close the gaps fast, turning reactive cleanup into proactive defense.

    The Conditional Access Optimization Agent provides:

    • Autonomous protection, every day—Automatically detects newly created users or apps not covered by Conditional Access policies, reducing risk between manual audits.
    • Real-time, explainable decisions—Every recommendation includes a plain-language summary and visual activity map showing how the agent reached its conclusion.
    • Continuous adaptability to your organization’s needs—Support for custom business rules, the agent can learn based on your natural-language feedback (for example, excluding break-glass accounts).
    • Full auditability—Agent actions like install, enable and disable, and recommendations are recorded in the audit log for compliance and operational transparency.

    With the Conditional Access Optimization Agent, policy coverage becomes continuous. You gain daily protection, policy clarity, and built-in expertise without the manual lift. As one security leader put it:

    “The Conditional Access Optimization Agent is like having a security analyst on call 24/7. It proactively identifies gaps in our Conditional Access policies and ensures every user is protected from day one, and with report-only mode and AI-driven recommendations, we can test and refine access policies without disruption. It’s a secure path to innovation that every chief information security officer can trust.”

    —Julian Rasmussen, Senior consultant and Partner, Point Taken, Microsoft MVP

    Step into the future of IT with Security Copilot

    We’re in a new era of AI that has implications for IT operations and security. Now with Microsoft Security Copilot in Intune and Entra, you can make your organization future-ready with AI solutions that help organizations transform IT and security at machine speed.

    As part of our ongoing commitment to enhancing the embedded experience of Security Copilot across Microsoft Security products, we’re excited to introduce a new in-portal capacity calculator available in the Security Copilot standalone experience (Azure account required). This tool allows organizations to estimate the number of Security Compute Units (SCUs) they may need based on the number of Security Copilot users in each Microsoft Security product. Users can generate a quick estimate, providing a practical starting point for capacity planning. SCU allocations can be adjusted at any time as real-world usage patterns emerge. Learn more.

    Explore more use cases for IT and identity admins in the Security Copilot adoption hub. Explore Copilot in Intune and Entra and take these steps to learn more:

    To learn more about Microsoft Security solutions, visit our website. Bookmark the Security blog to keep up with our expert coverage on security matters. Also, follow us on LinkedIn (Microsoft Security) and X (@MSFTSecurity) for the latest news and updates on cybersecurity.

    1Microsoft Digital Defense Report 2024.

    The data, insights, and events in this report represent July 2023 through June 2024 (Microsoft fiscal year 2024), unless otherwise noted.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s press conference on the launch of the Sustainable Development Goals Report 2025 [as delivered]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    Dear members of the media.

    Today, we launch the Sustainable Development Goals Report 2025. 

    Under-Secretary-General Li will go through the details. 

    But allow me to kick things off.

    We are now ten years into our collective journey toward the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

    The report is a snapshot of where we stand today.

    Since 2015, millions more people have gained access to electricity, clean cooking, and the internet.

    Social protection now reaches over half the world’s population — a significant increase from just a decade ago.

    Access to education has continued to increase and more girls are staying in school.

    Child marriage is declining.

    Renewable energy capacity is growing, with developing countries leading the way.

    And women’s representation is rising — across governments, businesses and societies.

    These gains show that investments in development and inclusion yield results.
    But let’s be clear: we are not where we need to be.

    Only 35 percent of SDG targets are on track or making moderate progress.

    Nearly half are moving too slowly.

    And 18 percent are going in reverse.

    We are in a global development emergency.

    An emergency measured in the over 800 million people still living in extreme poverty.

    In intensifying climate impacts.

    And in relentless debt service, draining the resources that countries need to invest in their people.

    We must also recognize the deep linkages between under-development and conflicts.

    That’s why we must keep working for peace in the Middle East.

    We need an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the immediate release of all hostages, and unimpeded humanitarian access as a first step to achieve the two-State solution.

    We need the ceasefire between Iran and Israel to hold.

    We need a just and lasting peace in Ukraine based on the UN Charter, international law and UN resolutions. 

    We need an end to the horror and bloodshed in Sudan.

    From the DRC to Somalia, from the Sahel to Myanmar, we know that sustainable peace requires sustainable development.

    In the face of these challenges, the report we are launching today points the way to progress.
    Transformational pathways — in food, energy, digital access, education, jobs, and climate — are our roadmap.

    Progress in one area can multiply progress across all of them.

    But we must move faster, and we must move together.

    That means advancing affordable, quality healthcare for all.

    Investing in women and girls as a central driver of progress.

    Focusing on quality education and creating decent jobs and economic opportunities that leave no one behind.

    Closing the digital divide and ensuring that technologies like artificial intelligence are used responsibly and inclusively.

    And it means recognizing a fundamental fact.

    Progress is impossible without unlocking financing at scale.

    The recent Sevilla Commitment reflected a commitment to get the engine of development revving again.

    Through reform of the international financial architecture, real action on debt relief, and tripling the lending capacity of multilateral development banks so countries can better access capital at scale and at a reasonable cost.

    We have more opportunities to drive these priorities forward — from the High-Level Political Forum, to the Second Food Systems Stocktake Summit, to the World Social Summit, and more.

    We must maximize these moments for real commitments — and real delivery.

    Today’s report shows that the Sustainable Development Goals are still within reach.

    But only if we act — with urgency, unity, and unwavering resolve.

    It’s a pleasure to be with you again and I will give the floor to my dear colleague Li.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Maryland IT Company Agrees to Pay $14.75M to Resolve Alleged False Claims

    Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

    Hill ASC Inc., doing business as Hill Associates, of Rockville, Maryland, agreed to pay at least $14.75 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act in connection with a General Services Administration (GSA) contract for information technology services.

    This settlement relates to a contract under which Hill provided information technology services to federal agencies from 2018 to 2023 through GSA’s Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program. The MAS program provides the government with a streamlined process to buy commonly used commercial goods and services.  GSA negotiates contract terms and other agencies can then buy goods and services from the contractor under that GSA MAS contract. The settlement resolves allegations that Hill billed federal agencies for labor of information technology personnel who did not have the experience or education required under the contract. In addition, it resolves allegations that, although GSA required technical evaluations for contractors who sought to offer highly adaptive cybersecurity services to government customers, and Hill had not passed such an evaluation, Hill submitted claims for such cybersecurity services and other services that were not within the scope of the MAS contract. Finally, it resolves allegations that Hill charged the government for unapproved fees, failed to provide government customers with required information about discounts for prompt payment, and included unallowable incentive compensation in a cost submission in connection with a new contract proposal.

    Under the settlement with the United States, Hill has agreed to pay $14.75 million, plus additional amounts if certain financial contingencies occur. The settlement amount was based on the company’s ability to pay.

    “Information technology contractors are expected to charge the government appropriately for their services,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to pursue cyber fraud and hold accountable those companies that knowingly fail to meet contractual obligations to the American taxpayers.”

    “Federal agencies should get what they have paid for from GSA contractors, nothing less,” said GSA Deputy Inspector General Robert C. Erickson. “I appreciate the hard work of all the attorneys, auditors, and special agents involved in this investigation.”

    “False claims and similar unfair advantage by contractors undermine the integrity of the contracting process and can result in significant adverse effects to vital security concerns,” said Treasury Deputy Inspector General Loren Sciurba. “Treasury OIG is committed to conducting and assisting other agencies to the utmost in investigations, audits, and other work to detect and prevent these violations of the public trust.”

    “As the nation’s tax watchdog, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) is dedicated to safeguarding the integrity of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)’s contracting and procurement processes,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jessica Cipolla of TIGTA’s Gulf States Field Division. “We remain steadfast in our mission to expose and hold accountable those who attempt to defraud the IRS. Anyone doing business with the IRS or the Department of the Treasury is expected to operate with the highest levels of honesty and integrity. We are grateful to the U.S. Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners for their continued collaboration and critical support in this investigation.”

    The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, the GSA’s Office of the Inspector General, the Treasury Department’s Office of Inspector General, and TIGTA. The matter was handled by Senior Trial Counsel Christopher Terranova of the Fraud Section.

    The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. Department of Transportation Awards $4 Million to Minot Corridor Project

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)

    BISMARCK, N.D. – The U.S. Department of Transportation announced an award of $4,050,000 to Ward County. These funds were made available through the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant program.

    Specifically, this BUILD grant funding will allow Ward County to conduct planning, environmental documentation, and preliminary design for three corridors and their connected intersections, including the Outer Connector from US Highway 2/52 to US Highway 83 along County Roads 14 and 16, and the Inner Connector from US Highway 2/52 to County Road 14 along 30th Street SW.

    “Minot’s growth is a testament to the region’s strong economy and welcoming community, and this BUILD grant will enhance residential and commercial transportation options in the area,” said U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee. “This grant will help ensure the Magic City’s growth goes hand-in-hand with safer and more efficient travel.” 

    Cramer and the North Dakota delegation wrote a letter supporting the application submitted by the City of Minot and Ward County, highlighting the need for the project.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As School Year Nears, Merkley, Wyden, & Colleagues Demand Trump Admin End Blockade on Funding for Afterschool Programs, K-12 Schools Across America

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    July 14, 2025
    Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced they joined 30 colleagues in demanding President Trump’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought and U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon immediately release nearly $7 billion in funding for K-12 schools and adult literacy programs across America that the Trump Administration abruptly let states and school districts know it would indefinitely block.
    Oregon faces the potential loss of approximately $73 million in federal education as a result of the abrupt cutoff of education funds by the Trump Administration and may be forced to end afterschool programs, specialized literacy programs, educator training, and support for English language learners as a result of this misguided executive maneuver.
    “We are writing to demand an immediate end to the illegal withholding of nearly $7 billion in federal education formula grant funds our states and communities are expecting for the coming school year, which is set to begin in just a few weeks in some communities,” wrote the 32 U.S. Senators in their letter. “These funds were made available by the bipartisan Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, signed into law on March 15, 2025. Yet, instead of supporting the tens of millions of students and adult learners intended to benefit from these investments, the administration has chosen to continue an unprecedented and opaque ‘programmatic review’ of these formula grant funds past the July 1, 2025, date these funds became available for allotment to states.”
    The Trump Administration’s decision to withhold the funding has sent school districts nationwide scrambling to determine how they could fill the, in many cases, massive budget hole and whether they’ll have to lay off teachers or end after school programs in the coming weeks. School districts have made clear they will have to end afterschool programs, already told parents to prepare backup options, and adult literacy programs have already been forced to lay off staff.
    The lawmakers blasted the administration for its abrupt notice and illegal freeze of the funds, which has sent school districts and programs scrambling: “We are shocked by the continued lack of respect for states and local schools evidenced by this latest action by the administration.”
    They noted that blocking funding for before and after school programs, as well as summer learning programs, is already hurting families nationwide: “By withholding these funds from states, the Department will impact programs for nearly 1.4 million students served by 10,000 summer and before and afterschool programs around the nation, which the Department’s latest performance report showed supported significant improvements in student attendance, grades, and teacher reports of student engagement in learning.  These centers also help working parents by providing a safe and productive place for their children to be after the school day ends and during the summer months. It is beyond comprehension why the administration would want to jeopardize these outcomes.”
    Warning of how denying these funds will cause schools to lay off teachers and cut back on teacher training, they wrote: “This rash decision will only worsen school working conditions and teacher shortages.”
    The lawmakers also detailed how the move affects adult learners nationwide: “This pause could jeopardize services to more than 1.2 million adult learners working to develop foundational literacy and numeracy skills needed to enter and succeed in workforce training and health, financial, digital, and information literacy skills necessary for full participation in community and civic life. The withholding will have an even more significant impact on 12 states that rely on these funds for 70 to 75 percent of their adult education programs.”
    The Trump Administration has confirmed it is blocking funding for the following programs—all of which are programs President Trump has requested to eliminate in his budget request, raising serious concerns about this administration’s intentions to simply impound the funding:
    Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants (Title II-A), which support professional development and other activities to improve the effectiveness of teachers and school leaders, including reducing class size.
    21st Century Community Learning Centers (Title IV-B), which support high-quality before and after-school programs focused on providing academic enrichment opportunities for students.
    Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants (Title IV-A), which provide flexible funding for school districts for a wide range of activities including supporting STEM education, accelerated learning courses, college and career counseling, school-based mental health services, and improving school technology, among many others.
    English Language Acquisition (Title III-A), which supports language instruction to help English language learners become proficient in English.
    Migrant Education (Title I-C), which supports the educational needs of migratory children, including children of migrant and seasonal farmworkers.
    Adult Basic and Literacy Education State Grants (including Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education State Grants), which support adult education and literacy programs to provide the basic skills to help prepare adults and out-of-school youth for success in the workforce.
    The letter was led by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), and Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies.
    In addition to Merkley and Wyden, the letter was also signed by Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-MD), Jack Reed (D-RI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), John Fetterman (D-PA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Chris Van Hollen (D-NM), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Ed Markey (D-MA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL).
    Full text of the letter follows:
    Dear Director Vought and Secretary McMahon:
    We are writing to demand an immediate end to the illegal withholding of nearly $7 billion in federal education formula grant funds our states and communities are expecting for the coming school year, which is set to begin in just a few weeks in some communities. These funds were made available by the bipartisan Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, signed into law on March 15, 2025. Yet, instead of supporting the tens of millions of students and adult learners intended to benefit from these investments, the administration has chosen to continue an unprecedented and opaque “programmatic review” of these formula grant funds past the July 1, 2025, date these funds became available for allotment to states. This delay not only undermines effective state and local planning for using these funds to address student needs consistent with federal education law, which often takes place months before these funds become available, but also flies in the face of the nation’s education laws which confers state and local educational agency discretion on permissible uses of federal formula grant funds.
    We are shocked by the continued lack of respect for states and local schools evidenced by this latest action by the administration. Late on June 30, 2025, the Department of Education (“Department”) informed states that it would not release fiscal year 2025 funds expected on July 1 before completing a “review” of six programs. The Department even noted ironically that it “remains committed to ensuring taxpayer resources are spent in accordance with the President’s priorities and the Department’s statutory responsibilities.” Apparently, the Department needs a refresher course on its statutory responsibilities.
    The Full-Year Continuing Appropriations law requires funds to be allocated under the terms and conditions of the fiscal year 2024 appropriations law. This includes a requirement that “$1,329,673,000 shall be for part B of title IV”, which is the authority for the Nita M. Lowey 21stCentury Community Learning Centers program. This authority requires the Secretary to allot funds to each state for subgrants for before, after, and summer school programming. The law further describes the allotment formula, authorized state and local activities, and other program requirements. By withholding these funds from states, the Department will impact programs for nearly 1.4 million students served by 10,000 summer and before and afterschool programs around the nation, which the Department’s latest performance report showed supported significant improvements in student attendance, grades, and teacher reports of student engagement in learning. These centers also help working parents by providing a safe and productive place for their children to be after the school day ends and during the summer months. It is beyond comprehension why the administration would want to jeopardize these outcomes.
    The Full-Year Continuing Appropriations law also requires the Department to use $890 million to carry out part A of title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The purpose of the program is to ensure English learners (ELs) and immigrant students have access to the resources they need to attain English language proficiency and reach the same challenging academic standards as their English-proficient peers, which will prepare them to fully participate in society and the workforce as they grow older. Part A of title III specifies the allotment formula, permissible uses of funds and other program requirements for this program serving more than 5 million EL students enrolled in the nation’s public schools. Yet, the administration’s review will disrupt school hiring decisions and cause real and immediate harm to EL students.
    The Department issued preliminary allocations to states on May 29, 2025, stating that “The Full Year Appropriations and Extension Act, 2025 provides $629,600,400 for formula grants to States to carry out adult education and literacy activities.” Just more than a month later, the Department issued its curt memo indicating that the funds would not go out on July 1, 2025, as just promised in the May preliminary allocations. This pause could jeopardize services to more than 1.2 million adult learners working to develop foundational literacy and numeracy skills needed to enter and succeed in workforce training and health, financial, digital, and information literacy skills necessary for full participation in community and civic life. The withholding will have an even more significant impact on 12 states that rely on these funds for 70 to 75 percent of their adult education programs.
    The withholding also extends to more than $2 billion for Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants. According to the Department’s latest report, more than half of these funds are used for professional development for teachers and other educators, and nearly one-third of school districts used the funds to recruit, hire, and retain effective educators.12 Nearly $1.4 billion is being withheld for Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants and $375 million for Migrant Education programs. All these programs were funded in fiscal year 2024 and continued by the Full-Year Appropriations Act. This rash decision will only worsen school working conditions and teacher shortages.
    It is unacceptable that the administration is picking and choosing what parts of the appropriations law to follow, and you must immediately implement the entire law as Congress intended and as the oaths you swore require you to do. While the administration continues to deny federal funds to our states and local communities that they are expecting as the law requires, it has found time to move expeditiously to award funding to the Kennedy Center and acknowledged it is required to do so by the appropriations law. In its action here, the Department stated in a recent waiver proposal, “The waiver will allow the Department to issue a continuation award in FY 2025, as directed by Congress to the currently funded 84.351A AENP [Arts in Education National Program] project at an amount consistent with the amount awarded in FY 2024.” While it’s true the appropriations law requires such an action, it does so as well for billions in funding for state grants the Department recently informed states it will not release.
    The administration’s “programmatic review”—with no public information about what the review entails, what data the administration is examining, or a timeline for such review—appears to be an intentional delay that will result in school budget cuts in every State. In multiple statutes, Congress has prohibited the Federal government from directing or controlling state and local education decisions with these dollars. This programmatic review may be in violation of these longstanding and bipartisan prohibitions.
    We might be more inclined to believe the administration’s stated interest in ensuring federal funds were properly used if its actions to date didn’t tell a different story. The Department has impeded a review by the Office of Inspector General, which is charged with promoting the efficiency, effectiveness, and integrity of the Department’s programs and operations. Earlier this year, the administration terminated contracts for regional educational laboratories and grants required for comprehensive centers, which help states and districts use research and evidence in addressing local challenges of policy and practice. It has also halted evaluations of federal literacy programs, adult learning strategies, and strategies to help teens with disabilities transition from high school to college or work.
    We insist you immediately reverse your decision to illegally withhold federal education funding appropriated by Congress and provide the funds as the law requires. Such an action would represent a faithful execution of the law as required by the Constitution and a benefit to the tens of millions of students and adult learners that are intended to benefit from these federal education investments.
    Thank you for your attention to this matter.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As School Year Nears, Merkley, Wyden, & Colleagues Demand Trump Admin End Blockade on Funding for Afterschool Programs, K-12 Schools Across America

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    July 14, 2025
    Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced they joined 30 colleagues in demanding President Trump’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought and U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon immediately release nearly $7 billion in funding for K-12 schools and adult literacy programs across America that the Trump Administration abruptly let states and school districts know it would indefinitely block.
    Oregon faces the potential loss of approximately $73 million in federal education as a result of the abrupt cutoff of education funds by the Trump Administration and may be forced to end afterschool programs, specialized literacy programs, educator training, and support for English language learners as a result of this misguided executive maneuver.
    “We are writing to demand an immediate end to the illegal withholding of nearly $7 billion in federal education formula grant funds our states and communities are expecting for the coming school year, which is set to begin in just a few weeks in some communities,” wrote the 32 U.S. Senators in their letter. “These funds were made available by the bipartisan Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, signed into law on March 15, 2025. Yet, instead of supporting the tens of millions of students and adult learners intended to benefit from these investments, the administration has chosen to continue an unprecedented and opaque ‘programmatic review’ of these formula grant funds past the July 1, 2025, date these funds became available for allotment to states.”
    The Trump Administration’s decision to withhold the funding has sent school districts nationwide scrambling to determine how they could fill the, in many cases, massive budget hole and whether they’ll have to lay off teachers or end after school programs in the coming weeks. School districts have made clear they will have to end afterschool programs, already told parents to prepare backup options, and adult literacy programs have already been forced to lay off staff.
    The lawmakers blasted the administration for its abrupt notice and illegal freeze of the funds, which has sent school districts and programs scrambling: “We are shocked by the continued lack of respect for states and local schools evidenced by this latest action by the administration.”
    They noted that blocking funding for before and after school programs, as well as summer learning programs, is already hurting families nationwide: “By withholding these funds from states, the Department will impact programs for nearly 1.4 million students served by 10,000 summer and before and afterschool programs around the nation, which the Department’s latest performance report showed supported significant improvements in student attendance, grades, and teacher reports of student engagement in learning.  These centers also help working parents by providing a safe and productive place for their children to be after the school day ends and during the summer months. It is beyond comprehension why the administration would want to jeopardize these outcomes.”
    Warning of how denying these funds will cause schools to lay off teachers and cut back on teacher training, they wrote: “This rash decision will only worsen school working conditions and teacher shortages.”
    The lawmakers also detailed how the move affects adult learners nationwide: “This pause could jeopardize services to more than 1.2 million adult learners working to develop foundational literacy and numeracy skills needed to enter and succeed in workforce training and health, financial, digital, and information literacy skills necessary for full participation in community and civic life. The withholding will have an even more significant impact on 12 states that rely on these funds for 70 to 75 percent of their adult education programs.”
    The Trump Administration has confirmed it is blocking funding for the following programs—all of which are programs President Trump has requested to eliminate in his budget request, raising serious concerns about this administration’s intentions to simply impound the funding:
    Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants (Title II-A), which support professional development and other activities to improve the effectiveness of teachers and school leaders, including reducing class size.
    21st Century Community Learning Centers (Title IV-B), which support high-quality before and after-school programs focused on providing academic enrichment opportunities for students.
    Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants (Title IV-A), which provide flexible funding for school districts for a wide range of activities including supporting STEM education, accelerated learning courses, college and career counseling, school-based mental health services, and improving school technology, among many others.
    English Language Acquisition (Title III-A), which supports language instruction to help English language learners become proficient in English.
    Migrant Education (Title I-C), which supports the educational needs of migratory children, including children of migrant and seasonal farmworkers.
    Adult Basic and Literacy Education State Grants (including Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education State Grants), which support adult education and literacy programs to provide the basic skills to help prepare adults and out-of-school youth for success in the workforce.
    The letter was led by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), and Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies.
    In addition to Merkley and Wyden, the letter was also signed by Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-MD), Jack Reed (D-RI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), John Fetterman (D-PA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Chris Van Hollen (D-NM), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Ed Markey (D-MA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL).
    Full text of the letter follows:
    Dear Director Vought and Secretary McMahon:
    We are writing to demand an immediate end to the illegal withholding of nearly $7 billion in federal education formula grant funds our states and communities are expecting for the coming school year, which is set to begin in just a few weeks in some communities. These funds were made available by the bipartisan Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, signed into law on March 15, 2025. Yet, instead of supporting the tens of millions of students and adult learners intended to benefit from these investments, the administration has chosen to continue an unprecedented and opaque “programmatic review” of these formula grant funds past the July 1, 2025, date these funds became available for allotment to states. This delay not only undermines effective state and local planning for using these funds to address student needs consistent with federal education law, which often takes place months before these funds become available, but also flies in the face of the nation’s education laws which confers state and local educational agency discretion on permissible uses of federal formula grant funds.
    We are shocked by the continued lack of respect for states and local schools evidenced by this latest action by the administration. Late on June 30, 2025, the Department of Education (“Department”) informed states that it would not release fiscal year 2025 funds expected on July 1 before completing a “review” of six programs. The Department even noted ironically that it “remains committed to ensuring taxpayer resources are spent in accordance with the President’s priorities and the Department’s statutory responsibilities.” Apparently, the Department needs a refresher course on its statutory responsibilities.
    The Full-Year Continuing Appropriations law requires funds to be allocated under the terms and conditions of the fiscal year 2024 appropriations law. This includes a requirement that “$1,329,673,000 shall be for part B of title IV”, which is the authority for the Nita M. Lowey 21stCentury Community Learning Centers program. This authority requires the Secretary to allot funds to each state for subgrants for before, after, and summer school programming. The law further describes the allotment formula, authorized state and local activities, and other program requirements. By withholding these funds from states, the Department will impact programs for nearly 1.4 million students served by 10,000 summer and before and afterschool programs around the nation, which the Department’s latest performance report showed supported significant improvements in student attendance, grades, and teacher reports of student engagement in learning. These centers also help working parents by providing a safe and productive place for their children to be after the school day ends and during the summer months. It is beyond comprehension why the administration would want to jeopardize these outcomes.
    The Full-Year Continuing Appropriations law also requires the Department to use $890 million to carry out part A of title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The purpose of the program is to ensure English learners (ELs) and immigrant students have access to the resources they need to attain English language proficiency and reach the same challenging academic standards as their English-proficient peers, which will prepare them to fully participate in society and the workforce as they grow older. Part A of title III specifies the allotment formula, permissible uses of funds and other program requirements for this program serving more than 5 million EL students enrolled in the nation’s public schools. Yet, the administration’s review will disrupt school hiring decisions and cause real and immediate harm to EL students.
    The Department issued preliminary allocations to states on May 29, 2025, stating that “The Full Year Appropriations and Extension Act, 2025 provides $629,600,400 for formula grants to States to carry out adult education and literacy activities.” Just more than a month later, the Department issued its curt memo indicating that the funds would not go out on July 1, 2025, as just promised in the May preliminary allocations. This pause could jeopardize services to more than 1.2 million adult learners working to develop foundational literacy and numeracy skills needed to enter and succeed in workforce training and health, financial, digital, and information literacy skills necessary for full participation in community and civic life. The withholding will have an even more significant impact on 12 states that rely on these funds for 70 to 75 percent of their adult education programs.
    The withholding also extends to more than $2 billion for Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants. According to the Department’s latest report, more than half of these funds are used for professional development for teachers and other educators, and nearly one-third of school districts used the funds to recruit, hire, and retain effective educators.12 Nearly $1.4 billion is being withheld for Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants and $375 million for Migrant Education programs. All these programs were funded in fiscal year 2024 and continued by the Full-Year Appropriations Act. This rash decision will only worsen school working conditions and teacher shortages.
    It is unacceptable that the administration is picking and choosing what parts of the appropriations law to follow, and you must immediately implement the entire law as Congress intended and as the oaths you swore require you to do. While the administration continues to deny federal funds to our states and local communities that they are expecting as the law requires, it has found time to move expeditiously to award funding to the Kennedy Center and acknowledged it is required to do so by the appropriations law. In its action here, the Department stated in a recent waiver proposal, “The waiver will allow the Department to issue a continuation award in FY 2025, as directed by Congress to the currently funded 84.351A AENP [Arts in Education National Program] project at an amount consistent with the amount awarded in FY 2024.” While it’s true the appropriations law requires such an action, it does so as well for billions in funding for state grants the Department recently informed states it will not release.
    The administration’s “programmatic review”—with no public information about what the review entails, what data the administration is examining, or a timeline for such review—appears to be an intentional delay that will result in school budget cuts in every State. In multiple statutes, Congress has prohibited the Federal government from directing or controlling state and local education decisions with these dollars. This programmatic review may be in violation of these longstanding and bipartisan prohibitions.
    We might be more inclined to believe the administration’s stated interest in ensuring federal funds were properly used if its actions to date didn’t tell a different story. The Department has impeded a review by the Office of Inspector General, which is charged with promoting the efficiency, effectiveness, and integrity of the Department’s programs and operations. Earlier this year, the administration terminated contracts for regional educational laboratories and grants required for comprehensive centers, which help states and districts use research and evidence in addressing local challenges of policy and practice. It has also halted evaluations of federal literacy programs, adult learning strategies, and strategies to help teens with disabilities transition from high school to college or work.
    We insist you immediately reverse your decision to illegally withhold federal education funding appropriated by Congress and provide the funds as the law requires. Such an action would represent a faithful execution of the law as required by the Constitution and a benefit to the tens of millions of students and adult learners that are intended to benefit from these federal education investments.
    Thank you for your attention to this matter.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As School Year Nears, Merkley, Wyden, & Colleagues Demand Trump Admin End Blockade on Funding for Afterschool Programs, K-12 Schools Across America

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    July 14, 2025
    Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced they joined 30 colleagues in demanding President Trump’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought and U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon immediately release nearly $7 billion in funding for K-12 schools and adult literacy programs across America that the Trump Administration abruptly let states and school districts know it would indefinitely block.
    Oregon faces the potential loss of approximately $73 million in federal education as a result of the abrupt cutoff of education funds by the Trump Administration and may be forced to end afterschool programs, specialized literacy programs, educator training, and support for English language learners as a result of this misguided executive maneuver.
    “We are writing to demand an immediate end to the illegal withholding of nearly $7 billion in federal education formula grant funds our states and communities are expecting for the coming school year, which is set to begin in just a few weeks in some communities,” wrote the 32 U.S. Senators in their letter. “These funds were made available by the bipartisan Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, signed into law on March 15, 2025. Yet, instead of supporting the tens of millions of students and adult learners intended to benefit from these investments, the administration has chosen to continue an unprecedented and opaque ‘programmatic review’ of these formula grant funds past the July 1, 2025, date these funds became available for allotment to states.”
    The Trump Administration’s decision to withhold the funding has sent school districts nationwide scrambling to determine how they could fill the, in many cases, massive budget hole and whether they’ll have to lay off teachers or end after school programs in the coming weeks. School districts have made clear they will have to end afterschool programs, already told parents to prepare backup options, and adult literacy programs have already been forced to lay off staff.
    The lawmakers blasted the administration for its abrupt notice and illegal freeze of the funds, which has sent school districts and programs scrambling: “We are shocked by the continued lack of respect for states and local schools evidenced by this latest action by the administration.”
    They noted that blocking funding for before and after school programs, as well as summer learning programs, is already hurting families nationwide: “By withholding these funds from states, the Department will impact programs for nearly 1.4 million students served by 10,000 summer and before and afterschool programs around the nation, which the Department’s latest performance report showed supported significant improvements in student attendance, grades, and teacher reports of student engagement in learning.  These centers also help working parents by providing a safe and productive place for their children to be after the school day ends and during the summer months. It is beyond comprehension why the administration would want to jeopardize these outcomes.”
    Warning of how denying these funds will cause schools to lay off teachers and cut back on teacher training, they wrote: “This rash decision will only worsen school working conditions and teacher shortages.”
    The lawmakers also detailed how the move affects adult learners nationwide: “This pause could jeopardize services to more than 1.2 million adult learners working to develop foundational literacy and numeracy skills needed to enter and succeed in workforce training and health, financial, digital, and information literacy skills necessary for full participation in community and civic life. The withholding will have an even more significant impact on 12 states that rely on these funds for 70 to 75 percent of their adult education programs.”
    The Trump Administration has confirmed it is blocking funding for the following programs—all of which are programs President Trump has requested to eliminate in his budget request, raising serious concerns about this administration’s intentions to simply impound the funding:
    Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants (Title II-A), which support professional development and other activities to improve the effectiveness of teachers and school leaders, including reducing class size.
    21st Century Community Learning Centers (Title IV-B), which support high-quality before and after-school programs focused on providing academic enrichment opportunities for students.
    Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants (Title IV-A), which provide flexible funding for school districts for a wide range of activities including supporting STEM education, accelerated learning courses, college and career counseling, school-based mental health services, and improving school technology, among many others.
    English Language Acquisition (Title III-A), which supports language instruction to help English language learners become proficient in English.
    Migrant Education (Title I-C), which supports the educational needs of migratory children, including children of migrant and seasonal farmworkers.
    Adult Basic and Literacy Education State Grants (including Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education State Grants), which support adult education and literacy programs to provide the basic skills to help prepare adults and out-of-school youth for success in the workforce.
    The letter was led by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), and Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies.
    In addition to Merkley and Wyden, the letter was also signed by Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-MD), Jack Reed (D-RI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), John Fetterman (D-PA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Chris Van Hollen (D-NM), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Ed Markey (D-MA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL).
    Full text of the letter follows:
    Dear Director Vought and Secretary McMahon:
    We are writing to demand an immediate end to the illegal withholding of nearly $7 billion in federal education formula grant funds our states and communities are expecting for the coming school year, which is set to begin in just a few weeks in some communities. These funds were made available by the bipartisan Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, signed into law on March 15, 2025. Yet, instead of supporting the tens of millions of students and adult learners intended to benefit from these investments, the administration has chosen to continue an unprecedented and opaque “programmatic review” of these formula grant funds past the July 1, 2025, date these funds became available for allotment to states. This delay not only undermines effective state and local planning for using these funds to address student needs consistent with federal education law, which often takes place months before these funds become available, but also flies in the face of the nation’s education laws which confers state and local educational agency discretion on permissible uses of federal formula grant funds.
    We are shocked by the continued lack of respect for states and local schools evidenced by this latest action by the administration. Late on June 30, 2025, the Department of Education (“Department”) informed states that it would not release fiscal year 2025 funds expected on July 1 before completing a “review” of six programs. The Department even noted ironically that it “remains committed to ensuring taxpayer resources are spent in accordance with the President’s priorities and the Department’s statutory responsibilities.” Apparently, the Department needs a refresher course on its statutory responsibilities.
    The Full-Year Continuing Appropriations law requires funds to be allocated under the terms and conditions of the fiscal year 2024 appropriations law. This includes a requirement that “$1,329,673,000 shall be for part B of title IV”, which is the authority for the Nita M. Lowey 21stCentury Community Learning Centers program. This authority requires the Secretary to allot funds to each state for subgrants for before, after, and summer school programming. The law further describes the allotment formula, authorized state and local activities, and other program requirements. By withholding these funds from states, the Department will impact programs for nearly 1.4 million students served by 10,000 summer and before and afterschool programs around the nation, which the Department’s latest performance report showed supported significant improvements in student attendance, grades, and teacher reports of student engagement in learning. These centers also help working parents by providing a safe and productive place for their children to be after the school day ends and during the summer months. It is beyond comprehension why the administration would want to jeopardize these outcomes.
    The Full-Year Continuing Appropriations law also requires the Department to use $890 million to carry out part A of title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The purpose of the program is to ensure English learners (ELs) and immigrant students have access to the resources they need to attain English language proficiency and reach the same challenging academic standards as their English-proficient peers, which will prepare them to fully participate in society and the workforce as they grow older. Part A of title III specifies the allotment formula, permissible uses of funds and other program requirements for this program serving more than 5 million EL students enrolled in the nation’s public schools. Yet, the administration’s review will disrupt school hiring decisions and cause real and immediate harm to EL students.
    The Department issued preliminary allocations to states on May 29, 2025, stating that “The Full Year Appropriations and Extension Act, 2025 provides $629,600,400 for formula grants to States to carry out adult education and literacy activities.” Just more than a month later, the Department issued its curt memo indicating that the funds would not go out on July 1, 2025, as just promised in the May preliminary allocations. This pause could jeopardize services to more than 1.2 million adult learners working to develop foundational literacy and numeracy skills needed to enter and succeed in workforce training and health, financial, digital, and information literacy skills necessary for full participation in community and civic life. The withholding will have an even more significant impact on 12 states that rely on these funds for 70 to 75 percent of their adult education programs.
    The withholding also extends to more than $2 billion for Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants. According to the Department’s latest report, more than half of these funds are used for professional development for teachers and other educators, and nearly one-third of school districts used the funds to recruit, hire, and retain effective educators.12 Nearly $1.4 billion is being withheld for Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants and $375 million for Migrant Education programs. All these programs were funded in fiscal year 2024 and continued by the Full-Year Appropriations Act. This rash decision will only worsen school working conditions and teacher shortages.
    It is unacceptable that the administration is picking and choosing what parts of the appropriations law to follow, and you must immediately implement the entire law as Congress intended and as the oaths you swore require you to do. While the administration continues to deny federal funds to our states and local communities that they are expecting as the law requires, it has found time to move expeditiously to award funding to the Kennedy Center and acknowledged it is required to do so by the appropriations law. In its action here, the Department stated in a recent waiver proposal, “The waiver will allow the Department to issue a continuation award in FY 2025, as directed by Congress to the currently funded 84.351A AENP [Arts in Education National Program] project at an amount consistent with the amount awarded in FY 2024.” While it’s true the appropriations law requires such an action, it does so as well for billions in funding for state grants the Department recently informed states it will not release.
    The administration’s “programmatic review”—with no public information about what the review entails, what data the administration is examining, or a timeline for such review—appears to be an intentional delay that will result in school budget cuts in every State. In multiple statutes, Congress has prohibited the Federal government from directing or controlling state and local education decisions with these dollars. This programmatic review may be in violation of these longstanding and bipartisan prohibitions.
    We might be more inclined to believe the administration’s stated interest in ensuring federal funds were properly used if its actions to date didn’t tell a different story. The Department has impeded a review by the Office of Inspector General, which is charged with promoting the efficiency, effectiveness, and integrity of the Department’s programs and operations. Earlier this year, the administration terminated contracts for regional educational laboratories and grants required for comprehensive centers, which help states and districts use research and evidence in addressing local challenges of policy and practice. It has also halted evaluations of federal literacy programs, adult learning strategies, and strategies to help teens with disabilities transition from high school to college or work.
    We insist you immediately reverse your decision to illegally withhold federal education funding appropriated by Congress and provide the funds as the law requires. Such an action would represent a faithful execution of the law as required by the Constitution and a benefit to the tens of millions of students and adult learners that are intended to benefit from these federal education investments.
    Thank you for your attention to this matter.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As School Year Nears, Merkley, Wyden, & Colleagues Demand Trump Admin End Blockade on Funding for Afterschool Programs, K-12 Schools Across America

    US Senate News:

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

    July 14, 2025

    Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced they joined 30 colleagues in demanding President Trump’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought and U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon immediately release nearly $7 billion in funding for K-12 schools and adult literacy programs across America that the Trump Administration abruptly let states and school districts know it would indefinitely block.

    Oregon faces the potential loss of approximately $73 million in federal education as a result of the abrupt cutoff of education funds by the Trump Administration and may be forced to end afterschool programs, specialized literacy programs, educator training, and support for English language learners as a result of this misguided executive maneuver.

    “We are writing to demand an immediate end to the illegal withholding of nearly $7 billion in federal education formula grant funds our states and communities are expecting for the coming school year, which is set to begin in just a few weeks in some communities,” wrote the 32 U.S. Senators in their letter. “These funds were made available by the bipartisan Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, signed into law on March 15, 2025. Yet, instead of supporting the tens of millions of students and adult learners intended to benefit from these investments, the administration has chosen to continue an unprecedented and opaque ‘programmatic review’ of these formula grant funds past the July 1, 2025, date these funds became available for allotment to states.”

    The Trump Administration’s decision to withhold the funding has sent school districts nationwide scrambling to determine how they could fill the, in many cases, massive budget hole and whether they’ll have to lay off teachers or end after school programs in the coming weeks. School districts have made clear they will have to end afterschool programs, already told parents to prepare backup options, and adult literacy programs have already been forced to lay off staff.

    The lawmakers blasted the administration for its abrupt notice and illegal freeze of the funds, which has sent school districts and programs scrambling: “We are shocked by the continued lack of respect for states and local schools evidenced by this latest action by the administration.”

    They noted that blocking funding for before and after school programs, as well as summer learning programs, is already hurting families nationwide: “By withholding these funds from states, the Department will impact programs for nearly 1.4 million students served by 10,000 summer and before and afterschool programs around the nation, which the Department’s latest performance report showed supported significant improvements in student attendance, grades, and teacher reports of student engagement in learning.  These centers also help working parents by providing a safe and productive place for their children to be after the school day ends and during the summer months. It is beyond comprehension why the administration would want to jeopardize these outcomes.”

    Warning of how denying these funds will cause schools to lay off teachers and cut back on teacher training, they wrote: “This rash decision will only worsen school working conditions and teacher shortages.”

    The lawmakers also detailed how the move affects adult learners nationwide: “This pause could jeopardize services to more than 1.2 million adult learners working to develop foundational literacy and numeracy skills needed to enter and succeed in workforce training and health, financial, digital, and information literacy skills necessary for full participation in community and civic life. The withholding will have an even more significant impact on 12 states that rely on these funds for 70 to 75 percent of their adult education programs.”

    The Trump Administration has confirmed it is blocking funding for the following programs—all of which are programs President Trump has requested to eliminate in his budget request, raising serious concerns about this administration’s intentions to simply impound the funding:

    1. Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants (Title II-A), which support professional development and other activities to improve the effectiveness of teachers and school leaders, including reducing class size.
    2. 21st Century Community Learning Centers (Title IV-B), which support high-quality before and after-school programs focused on providing academic enrichment opportunities for students.
    3. Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants (Title IV-A), which provide flexible funding for school districts for a wide range of activities including supporting STEM education, accelerated learning courses, college and career counseling, school-based mental health services, and improving school technology, among many others.
    4. English Language Acquisition (Title III-A), which supports language instruction to help English language learners become proficient in English.
    5. Migrant Education (Title I-C), which supports the educational needs of migratory children, including children of migrant and seasonal farmworkers.
    6. Adult Basic and Literacy Education State Grants (including Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education State Grants), which support adult education and literacy programs to provide the basic skills to help prepare adults and out-of-school youth for success in the workforce.

    The letter was led by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), and Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies.

    In addition to Merkley and Wyden, the letter was also signed by Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-MD), Jack Reed (D-RI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), John Fetterman (D-PA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Chris Van Hollen (D-NM), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Ed Markey (D-MA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL).

    Full text of the letter follows:

    Dear Director Vought and Secretary McMahon:

    We are writing to demand an immediate end to the illegal withholding of nearly $7 billion in federal education formula grant funds our states and communities are expecting for the coming school year, which is set to begin in just a few weeks in some communities. These funds were made available by the bipartisan Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, signed into law on March 15, 2025. Yet, instead of supporting the tens of millions of students and adult learners intended to benefit from these investments, the administration has chosen to continue an unprecedented and opaque “programmatic review” of these formula grant funds past the July 1, 2025, date these funds became available for allotment to states. This delay not only undermines effective state and local planning for using these funds to address student needs consistent with federal education law, which often takes place months before these funds become available, but also flies in the face of the nation’s education laws which confers state and local educational agency discretion on permissible uses of federal formula grant funds.

    We are shocked by the continued lack of respect for states and local schools evidenced by this latest action by the administration. Late on June 30, 2025, the Department of Education (“Department”) informed states that it would not release fiscal year 2025 funds expected on July 1 before completing a “review” of six programs. The Department even noted ironically that it “remains committed to ensuring taxpayer resources are spent in accordance with the President’s priorities and the Department’s statutory responsibilities.” Apparently, the Department needs a refresher course on its statutory responsibilities.

    The Full-Year Continuing Appropriations law requires funds to be allocated under the terms and conditions of the fiscal year 2024 appropriations law. This includes a requirement that “$1,329,673,000 shall be for part B of title IV”, which is the authority for the Nita M. Lowey 21stCentury Community Learning Centers program. This authority requires the Secretary to allot funds to each state for subgrants for before, after, and summer school programming. The law further describes the allotment formula, authorized state and local activities, and other program requirements. By withholding these funds from states, the Department will impact programs for nearly 1.4 million students served by 10,000 summer and before and afterschool programs around the nation, which the Department’s latest performance report showed supported significant improvements in student attendance, grades, and teacher reports of student engagement in learning. These centers also help working parents by providing a safe and productive place for their children to be after the school day ends and during the summer months. It is beyond comprehension why the administration would want to jeopardize these outcomes.

    The Full-Year Continuing Appropriations law also requires the Department to use $890 million to carry out part A of title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The purpose of the program is to ensure English learners (ELs) and immigrant students have access to the resources they need to attain English language proficiency and reach the same challenging academic standards as their English-proficient peers, which will prepare them to fully participate in society and the workforce as they grow older. Part A of title III specifies the allotment formula, permissible uses of funds and other program requirements for this program serving more than 5 million EL students enrolled in the nation’s public schools. Yet, the administration’s review will disrupt school hiring decisions and cause real and immediate harm to EL students.

    The Department issued preliminary allocations to states on May 29, 2025, stating that “The Full Year Appropriations and Extension Act, 2025 provides $629,600,400 for formula grants to States to carry out adult education and literacy activities.” Just more than a month later, the Department issued its curt memo indicating that the funds would not go out on July 1, 2025, as just promised in the May preliminary allocations. This pause could jeopardize services to more than 1.2 million adult learners working to develop foundational literacy and numeracy skills needed to enter and succeed in workforce training and health, financial, digital, and information literacy skills necessary for full participation in community and civic life. The withholding will have an even more significant impact on 12 states that rely on these funds for 70 to 75 percent of their adult education programs.

    The withholding also extends to more than $2 billion for Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants. According to the Department’s latest report, more than half of these funds are used for professional development for teachers and other educators, and nearly one-third of school districts used the funds to recruit, hire, and retain effective educators.12 Nearly $1.4 billion is being withheld for Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants and $375 million for Migrant Education programs. All these programs were funded in fiscal year 2024 and continued by the Full-Year Appropriations Act. This rash decision will only worsen school working conditions and teacher shortages.

    It is unacceptable that the administration is picking and choosing what parts of the appropriations law to follow, and you must immediately implement the entire law as Congress intended and as the oaths you swore require you to do. While the administration continues to deny federal funds to our states and local communities that they are expecting as the law requires, it has found time to move expeditiously to award funding to the Kennedy Center and acknowledged it is required to do so by the appropriations law. In its action here, the Department stated in a recent waiver proposal, “The waiver will allow the Department to issue a continuation award in FY 2025, as directed by Congress to the currently funded 84.351A AENP [Arts in Education National Program] project at an amount consistent with the amount awarded in FY 2024.” While it’s true the appropriations law requires such an action, it does so as well for billions in funding for state grants the Department recently informed states it will not release.

    The administration’s “programmatic review”—with no public information about what the review entails, what data the administration is examining, or a timeline for such review—appears to be an intentional delay that will result in school budget cuts in every State. In multiple statutes, Congress has prohibited the Federal government from directing or controlling state and local education decisions with these dollars. This programmatic review may be in violation of these longstanding and bipartisan prohibitions.

    We might be more inclined to believe the administration’s stated interest in ensuring federal funds were properly used if its actions to date didn’t tell a different story. The Department has impeded a review by the Office of Inspector General, which is charged with promoting the efficiency, effectiveness, and integrity of the Department’s programs and operations. Earlier this year, the administration terminated contracts for regional educational laboratories and grants required for comprehensive centers, which help states and districts use research and evidence in addressing local challenges of policy and practice. It has also halted evaluations of federal literacy programs, adult learning strategies, and strategies to help teens with disabilities transition from high school to college or work.

    We insist you immediately reverse your decision to illegally withhold federal education funding appropriated by Congress and provide the funds as the law requires. Such an action would represent a faithful execution of the law as required by the Constitution and a benefit to the tens of millions of students and adult learners that are intended to benefit from these federal education investments.

    Thank you for your attention to this matter.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fischer Applauds VA’s Decision to Move Omaha VA Hospital Project Forward

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer

    Today, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) applauded the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) action to list the Omaha VA hospital project on their Five Year Development Plan, which places the project on the path to final construction.

    “The Omaha VA hospital will turn 75 years old this year, and it’s clear it must be replaced to meet the standard of care our veterans need and deserve. That’s why I was glad to see the Omaha VA hospital project added to the VA’s Five-Year Development Plan, which will help spur the construction of this much-needed facility. I’ll continue to work through my position as a member of the Appropriations Committee to invest in and improve our VA infrastructure in Nebraska,” Fischer said.

    Background    :
    Previously, the Omaha VA hospital replacement project was placed on the Strategic Capital Investment Planning (SCIP) Process Project List but with the VA’s recent action, the project has been placed on the VA’s Future Years Defense Program (FYDP). Now that the project has been moved onto the FYDP, the project has been locked in as a concrete commitment from the VA to begin the design and planning work and eventual construction.

    Fischer’s VA work    :
    As a member of the Senate Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, Fischer has fought for investments in VA infrastructure. Last month, Fischer questioned VA Secretary Doug Collins on his plans to ensure a strong VA footprint and to support her CHIP IN for Veterans Act, which allows local communities to assist with the planning and construction of VA health care facilities.

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fischer Applauds VA’s Decision to Move Omaha VA Hospital Project Forward

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer

    Today, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) applauded the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) action to list the Omaha VA hospital project on their Five Year Development Plan, which places the project on the path to final construction.

    “The Omaha VA hospital will turn 75 years old this year, and it’s clear it must be replaced to meet the standard of care our veterans need and deserve. That’s why I was glad to see the Omaha VA hospital project added to the VA’s Five-Year Development Plan, which will help spur the construction of this much-needed facility. I’ll continue to work through my position as a member of the Appropriations Committee to invest in and improve our VA infrastructure in Nebraska,” Fischer said.

    Background    :
    Previously, the Omaha VA hospital replacement project was placed on the Strategic Capital Investment Planning (SCIP) Process Project List but with the VA’s recent action, the project has been placed on the VA’s Future Years Defense Program (FYDP). Now that the project has been moved onto the FYDP, the project has been locked in as a concrete commitment from the VA to begin the design and planning work and eventual construction.

    Fischer’s VA work    :
    As a member of the Senate Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, Fischer has fought for investments in VA infrastructure. Last month, Fischer questioned VA Secretary Doug Collins on his plans to ensure a strong VA footprint and to support her CHIP IN for Veterans Act, which allows local communities to assist with the planning and construction of VA health care facilities.

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin Demands Vought, McMahon Stop Blocking $7 Billion for Afterschool Programs, K-12 Schools Across America

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) led 31 of her Senate colleagues in demanding the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought and Education Secretary Linda McMahon immediately release the nearly $7 billion the Trump administration is withholding from schools, parents, and students. In Wisconsin, $80 million is being withheld from local schools for programs that support educator training, school technology, after-school programs for children in high-poverty schools, those learning English as a second language, and adult literacy programs.
    The Trump administration’s decision to withhold the funding has sent school districts nationwide scrambling to determine how they could fill the, in many cases, massive budget hole and whether they’ll have to lay off teachers or end after school programs in the coming weeks. School districts have made clear they will have to end afterschool programs, already told parents to prepare backup options, and adult literacy programs have already been forced to lay off staff.
    “We are writing to demand an immediate end to the illegal withholding of nearly $7 billion in federal education formula grant funds our states and communities are expecting for the coming school year, which is set to begin in just a few weeks in some communities,” wrote the Senators. “These funds were made available by the bipartisan Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, signed into law on March 15, 2025. Yet, instead of supporting the tens of millions of students and adult learners intended to benefit from these investments, the administration has chosen to continue an unprecedented and opaque ‘programmatic review’ of these formula grant funds past the July 1, 2025, date these funds became available for allotment to states.”
    The lawmakers blasted the administration for its abrupt notice and illegal freeze of the funds, which has sent school districts and programs nationwide scrambling. They also noted that blocking funding for before and after school programs, as well as summer learning programs, is already hurting families nationwide.
    “By withholding these funds from states, the Department will impact programs for nearly 1.4 million students served by 10,000 summer and before and afterschool programs around the nation, which the Department’s latest performance report showed supported significant improvements in student attendance, grades, and teacher reports of student engagement in learning,” wrote the Senators. “These centers also help working parents by providing a safe and productive place for their children to be after the school day ends and during the summer months. It is beyond comprehension why the administration would want to jeopardize these outcomes.”
    The Trump administration has confirmed it is blocking funding for the following programs—all of which are programs President Trump has requested to eliminate in his budget request, raising serious concerns about this administration’s intentions to simply impound the funding:
    Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants (Title II-A), which support professional development and other activities to improve the effectiveness of teachers and school leaders, including reducing class size.
    21st Century Community Learning Centers (Title IV-B), which support high-quality before and after-school programs focused on providing academic enrichment opportunities for students.
    Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants (Title IV-A), which provide flexible funding for school districts for a wide range of activities including supporting STEM education, accelerated learning courses, college and career counseling, school-based mental health services, and improving school technology, among many others.
    English Language Acquisition (Title III-A), which supports language instruction to help English language learners become proficient in English.
    Migrant Education (Title I-C), which supports the educational needs of migratory children, including children of migrant and seasonal farmworkers.
    Adult Basic and Literacy Education State Grants (including Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education State Grants), which support adult education and literacy programs to provide the basic skills to help prepare adults and out-of-school youth for success in the workforce.
    Full text of the letter is available here.
    Senators Baldwin, Patty Murray (D-WA) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) led 29 of their Senate colleagues in penning the letter.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin Demands Vought, McMahon Stop Blocking $7 Billion for Afterschool Programs, K-12 Schools Across America

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) led 31 of her Senate colleagues in demanding the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought and Education Secretary Linda McMahon immediately release the nearly $7 billion the Trump administration is withholding from schools, parents, and students. In Wisconsin, $80 million is being withheld from local schools for programs that support educator training, school technology, after-school programs for children in high-poverty schools, those learning English as a second language, and adult literacy programs.

    The Trump administration’s decision to withhold the funding has sent school districts nationwide scrambling to determine how they could fill the, in many cases, massive budget hole and whether they’ll have to lay off teachers or end after school programs in the coming weeks. School districts have made clear they will have to end afterschool programs, already told parents to prepare backup options, and adult literacy programs have already been forced to lay off staff.

    “We are writing to demand an immediate end to the illegal withholding of nearly $7 billion in federal education formula grant funds our states and communities are expecting for the coming school year, which is set to begin in just a few weeks in some communities,” wrote the Senators. “These funds were made available by the bipartisan Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, signed into law on March 15, 2025. Yet, instead of supporting the tens of millions of students and adult learners intended to benefit from these investments, the administration has chosen to continue an unprecedented and opaque ‘programmatic review’ of these formula grant funds past the July 1, 2025, date these funds became available for allotment to states.”

    The lawmakers blasted the administration for its abrupt notice and illegal freeze of the funds, which has sent school districts and programs nationwide scrambling. They also noted that blocking funding for before and after school programs, as well as summer learning programs, is already hurting families nationwide.

    “By withholding these funds from states, the Department will impact programs for nearly 1.4 million students served by 10,000 summer and before and afterschool programs around the nation, which the Department’s latest performance report showed supported significant improvements in student attendance, grades, and teacher reports of student engagement in learning,” wrote the Senators. “These centers also help working parents by providing a safe and productive place for their children to be after the school day ends and during the summer months. It is beyond comprehension why the administration would want to jeopardize these outcomes.”

    The Trump administration has confirmed it is blocking funding for the following programs—all of which are programs President Trump has requested to eliminate in his budget request, raising serious concerns about this administration’s intentions to simply impound the funding:

    • Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants (Title II-A), which support professional development and other activities to improve the effectiveness of teachers and school leaders, including reducing class size.
    • 21st Century Community Learning Centers (Title IV-B), which support high-quality before and after-school programs focused on providing academic enrichment opportunities for students.
    • Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants (Title IV-A), which provide flexible funding for school districts for a wide range of activities including supporting STEM education, accelerated learning courses, college and career counseling, school-based mental health services, and improving school technology, among many others.
    • English Language Acquisition (Title III-A), which supports language instruction to help English language learners become proficient in English.
    • Migrant Education (Title I-C), which supports the educational needs of migratory children, including children of migrant and seasonal farmworkers.
    • Adult Basic and Literacy Education State Grants (including Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education State Grants), which support adult education and literacy programs to provide the basic skills to help prepare adults and out-of-school youth for success in the workforce.

    Full text of the letter is available here.

    Senators Baldwin, Patty Murray (D-WA) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) led 29 of their Senate colleagues in penning the letter.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 14 July 2025 News release WHO recommends injectable lenacapavir for HIV prevention

    Source: World Health Organisation

    The World Health Organization (WHO) released today new guidelines recommending the use of injectable lenacapavir (LEN) twice a year as an additional pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) option for HIV prevention, in a landmark policy action that could help reshape the global HIV response. The guidelines are being issued at the 13th International AIDS Society Conference (IAS 2025) on HIV Science, in Kigali, Rwanda.

    LEN, the first twice-yearly injectable PrEP product, offers a highly effective, long-acting alternative to daily oral pills and other shorter-acting options. With just two doses per year, LEN is a transformative step forward in protecting people at risk of HIV – particularly those who face challenges with daily adherence, stigma, or access to health care.

    “While an HIV vaccine remains elusive, lenacapavir is the next best thing: a long-acting antiretroviral shown in trials to prevent almost all HIV infections among those at risk,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “The launch of WHO’s new guidelines, alongside the FDA’s recent approval, marks a critical step forward in expanding access to this powerful tool. WHO is committed to working with countries and partners to ensure this innovation reaches communities as quickly and safely as possible.”

    The new guidelines come at a critical moment as HIV prevention efforts stagnate with 1.3 million new HIV infections occurring in 2024 – with disproportionate impact among key and priority populations, including sex workers, men who have sex with men, transgender people, people who inject drugs, people in prisons, and children and adolescents. WHO’s recommendation on LEN signals a decisive move to expand and diversify HIV prevention, giving people more options to take control over their health with choices that fit their lives.

    Simplified testing: a major barrier removed

    As part of these guidelines, WHO has recommended a public health approach to HIV testing using HIV rapid tests to support delivery of long-acting injectable PrEP, including LEN and cabotegravir (CAB-LA). The simplified testing recommendation removes a major access barrier by eliminating complex, costly procedures and enabling community-based delivery of long-acting PrEP through pharmacies, clinics, and tele-health.

    Next steps: call for implementation

    LEN joins other WHO-recommended PrEP options, including daily oral PrEP, injectable cabotegravir and the dapivirine vaginal ring, as part of a growing arsenal of tools to end the HIV epidemic. While access to LEN outside clinical trials remains limited at the moment, WHO urges governments, donors and global health partners to begin rolling out LEN immediately within national combination HIV prevention programmes – while collecting essential data on uptake, adherence and real-world impact.

    Additional WHO recommendations at IAS 2025

    For the first time, WHO’s treatment guidelines include a clear recommendation for the use of long-acting injectable cabotegravir and rilpivirine (CAB/RPV) as an alternative switching option for antiretroviral therapy (ART) for adults and adolescents who have achieved full viral suppression on oral ART and do not have active hepatitis B infection. This approach is designed to support people living with HIV facing adherence challenges to oral regimens.

    Updated guidelines on service delivery integration include recommendations to integrate HIV services with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension and diabetes, as well as mental health care for depression, anxiety and alcohol use disorders into HIV services, alongside interventions to support ART adherence. Additionally, new guidelines on management of asymptomatic STIs recommend screening of gonorrhoea and/or chlamydia in key and priority populations.

    For people living with HIV who have mpox and are either ART naive or have experienced prolonged ART interruption, rapid initiation of ART is strongly recommended. Additionally, early HIV testing is advised for individuals presenting with suspected or confirmed mpox infection. WHO’s standard operating procedures further emphasize HIV and syphilis testing for all individuals with suspected or confirmed mpox.

    In response to the broader challenges facing HIV programmes, WHO has also issued new operational guidance on sustaining priority HIV services in a changing funding landscape. The guidance aims to provide a stepwise framework to help countries prioritize services, assess risks, monitor disruptions, and adapt systems to protect health outcomes and preserve progress.

    “We have the tools and the knowledge to end AIDS as a public health problem,” said Dr Meg Doherty, Director of WHO’s Department of Global HIV, Hepatitis and STI Programmes and incoming Director of Science, Research, Evidence and Quality for Health. “What we need now is bold implementation of these recommendations, grounded in equity and powered by communities.”

    HIV remains a major global public health issue. By the end of 2024, an estimated 40.8 million people were living with HIV with an estimated 65% in the WHO African Region. Approximately 630 000 people died from HIV-related causes globally, and an estimated 1.3 million people acquired HIV, including 120 000 children. Access to ART continues to expand, with 31.6 million people receiving treatment in 2024, up from 30.3 million in 2023.

    At a time of reduced funding for HIV and health, WHO’s new and updated guidelines offer practical, evidence-based strategies to sustain momentum. By expanding prevention and treatment options, simplifying service delivery and promoting integration with broader health services, they support more efficient, equitable, and resilient HIV responses. Now is the moment for bold implementation to ensure these gains translate into real-world impact.
     

    Note to the editor

    WHO at the 13th IAS Conference on HIV Science

    The IAS 2025, the13th IAS Conference on HIV Science is being held in Kigali from 13 to 17 July 2025. It is the world’s most influential meeting on HIV research and its applications. This biennial conference presents the critical advances in basic, clinical and operational HIV research that move science into policy and practice. Through its programme, the meeting sets the gold standard of HIV science, featuring highly diverse and cutting-edge research.

    At IAS 2025, WHO will present new normative guidance through key satellite sessions and engage at the highest level to highlight innovations and promote health equity, while sounding the alarm on the risks posed by declining global health funding. Detailed information on WHO at the conference is here. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar Urges President Trump to Support Efforts to Bring Abducted Ukrainian Children Home

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Minnesota Amy Klobuchar
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) released the following statement:
    “I hope President Trump will be announcing continued strong support for Ukraine this week in concert with our allies. I also urge him to make a clear commitment to finding and bringing home to Ukraine the thousands of Ukrainian children who have been abducted and forcibly deported by Russia,” said Klobuchar. “The United States should continue to support Ukraine’s determined work to track the missing and get these kids home. One way we can do that is by continuing the State Department funding of the work being done to track the stolen children.”
    Last month, Senators Klobuchar and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) introduced bipartisan legislation to enhance U.S. support for Ukraine’s efforts to investigate and track the nearly 20,000 Ukrainian children who have been abducted during Putin’s brutal invasion, assist with the rehabilitation and reintegration of children who are returned, and provide justice and accountability for perpetrators of these abductions. As of today, Ukraine and its partners have only managed to return 1,399 abducted children, according to Ukraine’s figures. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar Urges President Trump to Support Efforts to Bring Abducted Ukrainian Children Home

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Minnesota Amy Klobuchar
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) released the following statement:
    “I hope President Trump will be announcing continued strong support for Ukraine this week in concert with our allies. I also urge him to make a clear commitment to finding and bringing home to Ukraine the thousands of Ukrainian children who have been abducted and forcibly deported by Russia,” said Klobuchar. “The United States should continue to support Ukraine’s determined work to track the missing and get these kids home. One way we can do that is by continuing the State Department funding of the work being done to track the stolen children.”
    Last month, Senators Klobuchar and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) introduced bipartisan legislation to enhance U.S. support for Ukraine’s efforts to investigate and track the nearly 20,000 Ukrainian children who have been abducted during Putin’s brutal invasion, assist with the rehabilitation and reintegration of children who are returned, and provide justice and accountability for perpetrators of these abductions. As of today, Ukraine and its partners have only managed to return 1,399 abducted children, according to Ukraine’s figures. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren, Wyden Press Social Security Commissioner on Broken Staffing Promises

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    July 14, 2025
    After gutting the Social Security workforce, Bisignano drained understaffed field offices to hastily address DOGE-created phone line problems.
    “Your efforts to address the [phone] wait times…will almost certainly result in a terrible tradeoff, with longer wait times for in-person services, ‘robbing Peter to pay Paul.’”
    Text of Letter (PDF)
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, sent a letter to President Trump’s Social Security Commissioner, Frank Bisignano, demanding answers to reports that the Social Security Administration (SSA) is reassigning thousands of field office employees to staff a “pilot” phone program aimed at reducing hours-long phone wait times. After gutting the agency’s workforce, this move will further drain field offices, creating even more difficulties for Social Security recipients attempting to get in-person support.
    “This appears to be yet another indicator that you have broken the promise you made under oath to adequately staff the SSA — and just the latest of the Trump Administration’s DOGE-influenced actions that make it harder for Americans to access the Social Security benefits they have earned,” wrote the senators.
    Social Security has faced a customer service crisis since DOGE — initially led by the President’s then-close ally, Elon Musk — slashed the SSA workforce, closed offices, tampered with the phone service and website, and implemented burdensome new requirements that have degraded the Social Security program. The senators have previously written to SSA for answers on the various ways DOGE has taken a wrecking ball to the SSA — and how its efforts are effectively blocking people from accessing their earned Social Security benefits. 
    Instead of legitimately addressing these problems and reversing the cuts to the SSA workforce, it appears SSA is attempting to cover up its mess by shifting employees around for this new phone “pilot” program. The program will increase staff answering calls to the 1-800 number by reassigning frontline customer service representatives who directly assist recipients visiting offices. This will leave field offices short-staffed, and force backroom employees typically responsible for processing claims to take on in-person customer service tasks.
    “In a best-case scenario, your efforts to address the 1-800 wait times — even if they are successful — will almost certainly result in a terrible tradeoff, with longer wait times for in-person services, ‘robbing Peter to pay Paul,’” wrote the senators.
    The senators requested additional information about the degradation of SSA services under President Trump, SSA’s decision to reassign employees in the wake of these problems, and what steps SSA will take to reduce the staffing shortages and improve service. 
    Senate Dems’ Social Security War Room is a coordinated effort to fight back against the Trump administration’s attack on Americans’ Social Security. The War Room coordinates messaging across the Senate Democratic Caucus and external stakeholders; encourages grassroots engagement by providing opportunities for Americans to share what Social Security means to them; and educates Senate staff, the American public, and stakeholders about Republicans’ agenda and their continued cuts to Americans’ Social Security services and benefits.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sens. Warren and Wyden demand info on SSA reassignments

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    July 14, 2025
    SSA workers say the recent decision to involuntarily reassign 1,000 field office employees to man the 1-800 number flies in the face of leadership’s rosy pronouncements and further degrades service.
    A pair of Democratic senators on Monday fired a bevy of questions to Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano about the agency’s decision last week to reassign 1,000 field office employees to help answer calls to the agency’s 1-800 number, despite purported gains in customer service metrics.
    Bisignano has spent much of his first two months on the job heralding the advent of automated service options on both the Social Security Administration’s website and through its 1-800 customer service number. But last week, the agency involuntarily and with little notice reassigned 1,000 customer service representatives from the agency’s already understaffed field offices to help answer calls to the 1-800 number.
    The agency said the reassignments reflect new capabilities thanks to the new technology, though it recently removed tranches of real-time performance data initially published by former Commissioner Martin O’Malley. But union officials said the reassignments belie the fact that the agency’s recent changes aren’t working—and the changes at field offices are actually degrading service delivery.
    In a letter to Bisignano, Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., questioned the provenance of the agency’s remaining public performance metrics and demanded information about the decision to reassign field office staff to supplement the agency’s teleservice centers alongside detailed metrics about the teleservice centers’ performance in the week prior to the reassignments.
    “In June, Senator Warren released the results of her investigation of SSA’s phone wait time, showing that phone wait times on SSA’s AI-driven 1-800 number average over 1.75 hours—despite SSA’s claim of just 19.2 minutes,” they wrote. “These long wait times reveal the truth: the Trump administration’s cuts to the SSA workforce are disastrous—and any further staffing reductions will further degrade SSA and make it harder for seniors to get their monthly Social Security check or address other problems they may have with their benefits.”
    The senators accused Bisignano of using the reassignments to “cover up the mess” of his addition of AI assistants to the 1-800 number and the aspirational 7,000-employee headcount reduction this fiscal year.
    “The [reassignment] ‘pilot program’ would increase the number of staff answering calls to the 1-800 number by 25%,” they wrote. “But the employees you reassigned—with just a few days’ notice—were frontline customer service representatives who directly assisted recipients visiting offices. Reassigning customer service representatives left field offices short-staffed—forcing the backroom employees who are responsible for actually processing claims to pick up the in-person customer service responsibilities.”
    By:  Erich WagnerSource: GovExec
    Previous Article

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA:  Warren, Murray, Sanders, Baldwin, 20+ Senators Demand Trump Admin Stop Blocking Funds for Afterschool Programs, K-12 Schools

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    July 14, 2025
    The lawmakers blasted the administration for its abrupt notice and illegal freeze of the funds, which has sent school districts and programs nationwide scrambling. 
    “We are shocked by the continued lack of respect for states and local schools evidenced by this latest action by the administration… This rash decision will only worsen school working conditions and teacher shortages.”
    Text of Letter (PDF)
    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) joined Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), along with 28 of their colleagues, in demanding the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought and Department of Education (ED) Secretary Linda McMahon immediately release the nearly $7 billion in funding for K-12 schools and adult literacy programs across America that is currently being illegally withheld by the Trump administration. 
    The abrupt decision by the Trump administration to withhold this funding has left school districts nationwide struggling to find ways to fill the massive budget hole. School districts have made clear they will have to end after-school programs and have already told parents to prepare backup options, while adult literacy programs have already been forced to lay off staff. 
    The members note that the 10,000 school programs benefited approximately 1.4 million students across the nation, and the latest report by ED showed significant improvements in student attendance, grades, and teacher reports of student engagement in learning. 
    “These centers also help working parents by providing a safe and productive place for their children to be after the school day ends and during the summer months,” wrote the lawmakers. “It is beyond comprehension why the administration would want to jeopardize these outcomes.”
    The Trump administration has confirmed it is blocking funding for the following programs, all of which are programs President Trump has requested to eliminate in his budget request, raising serious concerns about this administration’s intentions to simply impound the funding:

    Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants (Title II-A), which support professional development and other activities to improve the effectiveness of teachers and school leaders, including reducing class sizes.

    21st Century Community Learning Centers (Title IV-B), which support high-quality before- and after-school programs focused on providing academic enrichment opportunities for students.

    Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants (Title IV-A), which provide flexible funding for school districts for a wide range of activities, including supporting STEM education, accelerated learning courses, college and career counseling, school-based mental health services, and improving school technology, among many others.

    English Language Acquisition (Title III-A), which supports language instruction to help English language learners become proficient in English.

    Migrant Education (Title I-C), which supports the educational needs of migratory children, including children of migrant and seasonal farmworkers.

    Adult Basic and Literacy Education State Grants (including Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education State Grants), which support adult education and literacy programs to provide the basic skills to help prepare adults and out-of-school youth for success in the workforce.

    The letter was also signed by Senators Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.).
    Senator Warren launched the Save Our Schools campaign in a coordinated effort to fight back against President Trump’s attempts to abolish the Department of Education:

    On July 3, 2025, Senator Warren led her colleagues in submitting an amicus brief for NAACP v. US, arguing to the United States District Court District of Maryland that President Trump’s attempts to dismantle the Department of Education (ED) violate separation of powers and lack constitutional authority.

    On June 10, 2025, Senator Warren met with Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and delivered over 1,000 letters to McMahon that the senator had received from people in all 50 states who were worried about the Secretary’s efforts to dismantle ED.

    On June 9, 2025, Senator Warren led her colleagues in pushing the Acting Inspector General of ED to open an investigation into new information obtained by her office revealing that DOGE may have gained access to two FSA internal systems, in addition to sensitive borrower data.

    On May 20, 2025, Senator Warren and 27 other senators pushed for full funding for the Office of Federal Student Aid.

    On May 14, 2025, Senator Warren led a Senate forum entitled “Stealing the American Dream: How Trump and Republicans Are Raising Education Costs for Families,” highlighting the consequences of Secretary Linda McMahon’s reckless dismantling of the Department of Education (ED) and President Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” for working- and middle-class students and borrowers.

    On May 13, 2025, Senator Warren agreed to meet with Education Secretary Linda McMahon and promised to bring questions and stories from Americans across the country to highlight how the Trump administration’s attacks on education are hurting American families.

    On May 6, 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren highlighted the consequences of President Trump and Secretary Linda McMahon’s reckless dismantling of the Department of Education for American families in a Senate forum.

    On April 24, 2025, Senator Warren launched a new investigation into the harms of President Trump’s attacks on the Department of Education, seeking information on the impact of the Trump administration’s actions from the members of twelve leading organizations representing schools, parents, teachers, students, borrowers, and researchers.

    On April 10, 2025, following a request led by Senator Warren, the Department of Education’s Acting Inspector General agreed to open an investigation into the Trump administration’s attempts to dismantle the Department of Education.

    On April 2, 2025, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Mazie Hirono, along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, sent a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon regarding the Department of Government Efficiency’s proposed plan to replace the Department of Education’s federal student aid call centers with generative artificial intelligence chatbots.

    On April 2, 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren launched the Save Our Schools campaign to fight back against the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle the Department of Education (ED) and highlight the consequences for every student and public school in America.

    On March 27, 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) led a letter to Acting Department of Education Inspector General (IG) René Rocque requesting that the IG conduct an investigation of the Trump Administration’s attempts to dismantle the Department of Education.

    On March 20, 2025, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders led a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon regarding the Trump Administration’s decision to slash the capacity of Federal Student Aid to handle student aid complaints.

    On February 24, 2025, in a response to Senator Warren, Secretary McMahon gave her first public admission that she “wholeheartedly” agreed with Trump’s plans to abolish the Department of Education.

    On February 11, 2025, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Andy Kim sent Linda McMahon, Secretary-Designate for the U.S. Department of Education, a 12-page letter with 65 questions on McMahon’s policy views in advance of her nomination hearing.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch for Fox News: I’m a Democrat and we need to fix FEMA with local control 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)

    WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) this morning published an opinion in Fox News entitled: “I’m a Democrat and we need to fix FEMA with local control.” 
    Read Senator Welch’s op-ed and view an excerpt below:   
    SENATOR PETER WELCH: I’m a Democrat and we need to fix FEMA with local control By U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) 
    Published July 14, 2025, by Fox News  

    “When disaster strikes, it is an all-hands-on-deck moment. The federal government has the unique ability to surge resources and personnel, and it’s critical they show up.  

    “As long as there is destructive weather, there must be a fully functioning FEMA. Communities from Vermont, to Texas, to North Carolina, to New Mexico know this reality.   

    “But, the agency is far from perfect. FEMA must be reformed.   

    “FEMA is too slow, too bureaucratic and too bloated. Administrative costs outweigh direct disaster assistance. Recovery is hindered by red tape.   

    “That’s why I introduced new legislation July 10 to fix FEMA’s broken long-term recovery process.   

    “The “Disaster Assistance Improvement and Decentralization (AID) Act” has a simple premise: local leaders know their local community best. They should be empowered to make decisions.” 

    Read Senator Welch’s full opinion piece in Fox News. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch for Fox News: I’m a Democrat and we need to fix FEMA with local control 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)

    WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) this morning published an opinion in Fox News entitled: “I’m a Democrat and we need to fix FEMA with local control.” 
    Read Senator Welch’s op-ed and view an excerpt below:   
    SENATOR PETER WELCH: I’m a Democrat and we need to fix FEMA with local control By U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) 
    Published July 14, 2025, by Fox News  

    “When disaster strikes, it is an all-hands-on-deck moment. The federal government has the unique ability to surge resources and personnel, and it’s critical they show up.  

    “As long as there is destructive weather, there must be a fully functioning FEMA. Communities from Vermont, to Texas, to North Carolina, to New Mexico know this reality.   

    “But, the agency is far from perfect. FEMA must be reformed.   

    “FEMA is too slow, too bureaucratic and too bloated. Administrative costs outweigh direct disaster assistance. Recovery is hindered by red tape.   

    “That’s why I introduced new legislation July 10 to fix FEMA’s broken long-term recovery process.   

    “The “Disaster Assistance Improvement and Decentralization (AID) Act” has a simple premise: local leaders know their local community best. They should be empowered to make decisions.” 

    Read Senator Welch’s full opinion piece in Fox News. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 14 July 2025 Departmental update WHO issues first-ever guidance to support countries in staying malaria-free

    Source: World Health Organisation

    The World Health Organization (WHO) has released its first global guidance on preventing the re-establishment of malaria ‒ a vital resource for countries that have succeeded in eliminating the disease or are approaching that milestone.

    To date, 47 countries or territories have been officially certified malaria free by WHO. Another 60 appear on a WHO supplementary list of countries where malaria never existed or disappeared without specific measures.

    Historically, most countries that have eliminated malaria have managed to maintain their malaria-free status. Many of these are situated in temperate climatic zones and achieved elimination during the WHO-led Global Malaria Eradication Programme (1955–1969).

    More recently, countries in tropical and subtropical regions have made notable progress, with several achieving elimination certification from WHO. The latest example is Suriname, which was officially certified malaria-free in June 2025.

    Despite these successes, malaria remains endemic in 83 countries and territories. The movement of people from endemic to malaria-free areas continues to pose a threat ‒ particularly if conditions allow for local transmission to resume. Preventing the re-establishment of malaria is critical to safeguarding progress.

    “Achieving malaria elimination is a tremendous accomplishment ‒ but the journey doesn’t end there. Countries must remain vigilant to keep malaria at bay,” said Dr Daniel Ngamije, Director a.i. of the Malaria & Neglected Tropical Diseases Department at WHO. “This new guidance offers the practical tools and strategies countries need to protect their hard-won gains and prevent malaria from returning.”

    While relevant to all malaria-free countries, the guidance is targeted to those in tropical and subtropical zones ‒ where the risk of re-establishment is highest.

    With increasing travel, migration, and climate variability, the challenges to sustaining malaria elimination are likely to grow. WHO’s new guidance provides a timely and essential tool for national malaria programmes as they navigate this evolving landscape.

    The guidance was launched today at a regional meeting for Middle East and North African countries on the prevention of re-establishment of local transmission of malaria.

    Malaria elimination is defined as the interruption of local transmission (reduction to zero incidence of indigenous cases) of a specified malaria parasite in a defined geographical area as a result of deliberate activities. Continued measures to prevent re-establishment of transmission are required.

    Re-establishment of malaria transmission is the occurrence of indigenous malaria cases (cases of second-generation local transmission) in a country or area where the disease had previously been eliminated. WHO’s operational definition of re-establishment of malaria transmission is the occurrence of at least 3 indigenous cases of the same species in the same focus for 3 consecutive years. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • President Droupadi Murmu addresses 5th annual convocation of AIIMS Bhubaneswar

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The President of India, Droupadi Murmu, addressed the 5th Annual Convocation Ceremony of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhubaneswar today.

    Addressing the graduating students and faculty, the President noted that AIIMS Bhubaneswar, established under the vision of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2003, has emerged as a trusted centre for quality healthcare and social welfare not just in Odisha but also in neighbouring states like West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.

    Highlighting the institute’s achievements, the President stated that in the last year alone, AIIMS Bhubaneswar treated over 10 lakh outdoor patients, conducted 17 lakh diagnostic tests and carried out 25,000 surgeries. She added that the institute’s specialty and super-specialty services have enabled it to deliver holistic healthcare across departments.

    President Murmu lauded the institute’s recognition by the World Health Organization under the Asia Safe Surgical Implant Consortium Quality Improvement Programme for its standards in surgical instrument and implant reprocessing. She also mentioned the National Kayakalp Award that AIIMS Bhubaneswar has won for five consecutive years for excellence in sanitation and hospital services.

    Appreciating the dedication of the faculty and students, the President described doctors as “representatives of God” and urged the graduating students to continue serving society with commitment and compassion.

    Speaking on the occasion, the Governor of Odisha, Hari Babu Kambhampati, said that the establishment of AIIMS institutions was a visionary step towards building an equitable healthcare system. He underlined that AIIMS Bhubaneswar has emerged as a leading centre for medical education and research in eastern India, second only to AIIMS New Delhi. He also commended the institute’s contribution during the pandemic as a centre for testing, treatment and vaccination.

    Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi highlighted the Prime Minister’s focus on digital transformation and modernization of healthcare services. He mentioned that initiatives like e-payment facilities at AIIMS Bhubaneswar align with the vision of a Digital India.

    He further said that the recognition of AIIMS Bhubaneswar as a centre of excellence for tackling diseases like sickle cell anaemia reflects the government’s commitment to strengthening healthcare. He urged the students to “heal with empathy” and assured continued support for quality healthcare through strengthened infrastructure and schemes like Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana and Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana, covering over 3.5 crore people in the state.

    Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, in his address, described good health as the foundation of human progress. Referring to the Prime Minister’s vision of making India a developed nation by 2047, he expressed hope that Odisha would contribute by becoming a developed state by 2036.

    Highlighting the institute’s ranking — 15th overall in NIRF, 12th among medical colleges and 2nd among emerging AIIMS — Shri Pradhan said that Bhubaneswar has the potential to become a global MedTech hub. He called on the young doctors to take up the responsibility of addressing health challenges in vulnerable communities.

    A total of 643 students were awarded degrees during the convocation, including 196 MBBS graduates, 158 MS, 49 MDs, 116 post-doctoral fellows, 62 B.Sc. Nursing and 41 M.Sc. Nursing graduates. Fifty-nine gold medals were also awarded to meritorious students across disciplines.

  • President Droupadi Murmu addresses 5th annual convocation of AIIMS Bhubaneswar

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The President of India, Droupadi Murmu, addressed the 5th Annual Convocation Ceremony of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhubaneswar today.

    Addressing the graduating students and faculty, the President noted that AIIMS Bhubaneswar, established under the vision of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2003, has emerged as a trusted centre for quality healthcare and social welfare not just in Odisha but also in neighbouring states like West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.

    Highlighting the institute’s achievements, the President stated that in the last year alone, AIIMS Bhubaneswar treated over 10 lakh outdoor patients, conducted 17 lakh diagnostic tests and carried out 25,000 surgeries. She added that the institute’s specialty and super-specialty services have enabled it to deliver holistic healthcare across departments.

    President Murmu lauded the institute’s recognition by the World Health Organization under the Asia Safe Surgical Implant Consortium Quality Improvement Programme for its standards in surgical instrument and implant reprocessing. She also mentioned the National Kayakalp Award that AIIMS Bhubaneswar has won for five consecutive years for excellence in sanitation and hospital services.

    Appreciating the dedication of the faculty and students, the President described doctors as “representatives of God” and urged the graduating students to continue serving society with commitment and compassion.

    Speaking on the occasion, the Governor of Odisha, Hari Babu Kambhampati, said that the establishment of AIIMS institutions was a visionary step towards building an equitable healthcare system. He underlined that AIIMS Bhubaneswar has emerged as a leading centre for medical education and research in eastern India, second only to AIIMS New Delhi. He also commended the institute’s contribution during the pandemic as a centre for testing, treatment and vaccination.

    Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi highlighted the Prime Minister’s focus on digital transformation and modernization of healthcare services. He mentioned that initiatives like e-payment facilities at AIIMS Bhubaneswar align with the vision of a Digital India.

    He further said that the recognition of AIIMS Bhubaneswar as a centre of excellence for tackling diseases like sickle cell anaemia reflects the government’s commitment to strengthening healthcare. He urged the students to “heal with empathy” and assured continued support for quality healthcare through strengthened infrastructure and schemes like Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana and Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana, covering over 3.5 crore people in the state.

    Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, in his address, described good health as the foundation of human progress. Referring to the Prime Minister’s vision of making India a developed nation by 2047, he expressed hope that Odisha would contribute by becoming a developed state by 2036.

    Highlighting the institute’s ranking — 15th overall in NIRF, 12th among medical colleges and 2nd among emerging AIIMS — Shri Pradhan said that Bhubaneswar has the potential to become a global MedTech hub. He called on the young doctors to take up the responsibility of addressing health challenges in vulnerable communities.

    A total of 643 students were awarded degrees during the convocation, including 196 MBBS graduates, 158 MS, 49 MDs, 116 post-doctoral fellows, 62 B.Sc. Nursing and 41 M.Sc. Nursing graduates. Fifty-nine gold medals were also awarded to meritorious students across disciplines.

  • President Droupadi Murmu addresses 5th annual convocation of AIIMS Bhubaneswar

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The President of India, Droupadi Murmu, addressed the 5th Annual Convocation Ceremony of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhubaneswar today.

    Addressing the graduating students and faculty, the President noted that AIIMS Bhubaneswar, established under the vision of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2003, has emerged as a trusted centre for quality healthcare and social welfare not just in Odisha but also in neighbouring states like West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.

    Highlighting the institute’s achievements, the President stated that in the last year alone, AIIMS Bhubaneswar treated over 10 lakh outdoor patients, conducted 17 lakh diagnostic tests and carried out 25,000 surgeries. She added that the institute’s specialty and super-specialty services have enabled it to deliver holistic healthcare across departments.

    President Murmu lauded the institute’s recognition by the World Health Organization under the Asia Safe Surgical Implant Consortium Quality Improvement Programme for its standards in surgical instrument and implant reprocessing. She also mentioned the National Kayakalp Award that AIIMS Bhubaneswar has won for five consecutive years for excellence in sanitation and hospital services.

    Appreciating the dedication of the faculty and students, the President described doctors as “representatives of God” and urged the graduating students to continue serving society with commitment and compassion.

    Speaking on the occasion, the Governor of Odisha, Hari Babu Kambhampati, said that the establishment of AIIMS institutions was a visionary step towards building an equitable healthcare system. He underlined that AIIMS Bhubaneswar has emerged as a leading centre for medical education and research in eastern India, second only to AIIMS New Delhi. He also commended the institute’s contribution during the pandemic as a centre for testing, treatment and vaccination.

    Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi highlighted the Prime Minister’s focus on digital transformation and modernization of healthcare services. He mentioned that initiatives like e-payment facilities at AIIMS Bhubaneswar align with the vision of a Digital India.

    He further said that the recognition of AIIMS Bhubaneswar as a centre of excellence for tackling diseases like sickle cell anaemia reflects the government’s commitment to strengthening healthcare. He urged the students to “heal with empathy” and assured continued support for quality healthcare through strengthened infrastructure and schemes like Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana and Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana, covering over 3.5 crore people in the state.

    Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, in his address, described good health as the foundation of human progress. Referring to the Prime Minister’s vision of making India a developed nation by 2047, he expressed hope that Odisha would contribute by becoming a developed state by 2036.

    Highlighting the institute’s ranking — 15th overall in NIRF, 12th among medical colleges and 2nd among emerging AIIMS — Shri Pradhan said that Bhubaneswar has the potential to become a global MedTech hub. He called on the young doctors to take up the responsibility of addressing health challenges in vulnerable communities.

    A total of 643 students were awarded degrees during the convocation, including 196 MBBS graduates, 158 MS, 49 MDs, 116 post-doctoral fellows, 62 B.Sc. Nursing and 41 M.Sc. Nursing graduates. Fifty-nine gold medals were also awarded to meritorious students across disciplines.

  • Centre to issue new guidelines to promote first-time exporters: Piyush Goyal

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The government will soon issue new guidelines on how to promote new markets, new products, and new exporters, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said on Monday. He added that the Ministry and districts can work together to promote One District One Product (ODOP) items in newer markets and support first-time exporters.

    He said the Commerce Ministry will collaborate with districts to help first-time exporters reach new markets.

    Goyal highlighted that 773 districts across various states have contributed to India’s success story.

    “India is like an oasis in a desert in a tumultuous world and is the fastest-growing large economy in the world today,” said the minister, adding that India is set to become the third-largest economy in 2027.

    He noted that India’s diverse products have the potential to reach global markets.

    Goyal cited examples such as Wayanad’s coffee, Ratnagiri mangoes, and saffron from Pulwama, saying these illustrate the wide range of products that can take India’s name worldwide.

    He emphasised that One District One Product is a unique initiative, unmatched by any other country. “Each district brings a different kind of legacy,” he said.

    Goyal also mentioned that sometimes two products must be recognised under ODOP and stressed that local products are now going global.

    The minister said that 64 out of 87 products are covered under the Industrial Investment Promotion Policy. He informed that all 38 districts of Bihar have achieved 100 per cent coverage of products under ODOP, and the state has prioritised the initiative.

    Goyal stated that all these products are integrated into the state’s economic system and included in the industrial policy. Bihar has been categorised as Category A in this regard. He urged everyone to take a pledge to make ODOP a driving force for prosperity in their districts through their unique products.

    –IANS