Source: Republic of South Africa (video statements-2)
Deputy President Paul Mashatile meets with Their Majesties – Kings, Queens and Traditional Leaders from across the Country
Category: KB
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MIL-OSI USA: Pfluger Leads Effort Demanding Transparency from DOE on LNG Export Ban
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) led a coalition of 45 lawmakers in sending a letter to Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm raising serious concerns about transparency and accountability within the Department of Energy (DOE) regarding the Biden-Harris Administration’s handling of liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports. Pfluger and his colleagues call for answers regarding studies allegedly conducted by the DOE on the economic and environmental impacts of LNG—findings that, according to recent reports, may have been withheld from the public because they highlighted the positive impacts of U.S. LNG on the global energy landscape.
Since President Biden announced an indefinite ban on LNG export permits to non-free trade agreement (FTA) countries in January 2024, U.S. natural gas export projects have stalled. This decision has not only delayed critical energy investments but has also led to diminished energy security for America and its allies. A federal court recently blocked the LNG export ban, underscoring the lack of legal and factual basis for such a measure and casting doubt on the administration’s justifications.
“The DOE’s lack of transparency is deeply troubling and has real-world implications for American energy security and global stability,” said Congressman Pfluger. “The American people and our allies deserve to know why the Biden-Harris Administration imposed an unnecessary ban that is hampering U.S. energy exports and ceding ground to foreign competitors. We are calling on Secretary Granholm and the DOE to answer our questions and produce any analysis or reports that justify this decision. The American public has the right to understand the rationale behind these actions and how they impact our economy, national security, and environment.”
Read the full letter here.
The letter seeks clarification on whether DOE conducted or received LNG studies 2023 and, if so, why its findings were not made public. The lawmakers also question the administration’s decision to involve the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in its 2024 review—a move raising concerns about the politicization of LNG export research, as the PNNL traditionally focuses on renewable energy rather than natural gas.
The letter was cosigned by Representatives Mike Carey (OH-15), Jodey Arrington (TX-19), Carol D. Miller (WV-1), Dan Meuser (PA-9), Randy Weber (TX-14), Jake Ellzey (TX-6), Darrell Issa (CA-48), Troy Balderson (OH-12), Tracey Mann (KS-1), Michael A. Rulli (OH-6), Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (TX-26), Neal Dunn, M.D. (FL-2), Aaron Bean (FL-4), Brett Guthrie (KY-2), Harriet M. Hageman (WY-At-Large), Robert E. Latta (OH-5), Scott Fitzgerald (WI-5), Chuck Fleischmann (TN-3), Andrew Clyde (GA-9), Kay Granger (TX-12), Lloyd Smucker (PA-11), John R. Carter (TX-31), Virginia Foxx (NC-5), Lance Gooden (TX-5), Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (GA-1), Guy Reschenthaler (PA-14), Ralph Norman (SC-5), John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), Dan Crenshaw (TX-2), Richard Hudson (NC-9), Brian Babin, D.D.S. (TX-36), Pat Fallon (TX-4), Kat Cammack (FL-3), Jay Obernolte (CA-23), Morgan Luttrell (TX-8), Rudy Yakym III (IN-2), Rick W. Allen (GA-12), Don Bacon (NE-2), Josh Brecheen (OK-2), Tim Walberg (MI-5), Russ Fulcher (ID-1), Ronny L. Jackson (TX-13), Michael Guest (MS-3), Mike Kelly (PA-16).
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MIL-OSI USA: Casey Secures $245 Million to Clean Up Abandoned Mine Lands
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Pennsylvania Bob Casey
With this round of funding, PA has received more than $735 million to clean up abandoned mine lands
One third of the Nation’s abandoned mine land is in Pennsylvania, impacting as many as 1.4 million residents in 43 of PA’s 67 counties
Funding to clean up abandoned mine land comes from Casey-backed infrastructure law
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) secured $245,082,772 to clean up abandoned mine lands across Pennsylvania. This third round of funding from the U.S. Department of the Interior will help create good-paying jobs in rural and energy communities across the Commonwealth, reclaim abandoned mine lands, and mitigate the health hazards and environmental pollution from legacy mining sites. The funding was made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which Casey fought to pass.
“I have long fought to help Pennsylvania’s coal communities overcome the legacy of abandoned mine pollution, which has ravaged landscapes, damaged property, and threatened the health of far too many Pennsylvanians,” said Senator Casey. “Thanks to the infrastructure law, we can continue cleaning up this land, create good-paying jobs and boost our Commonwealth’s economy. These communities built and powered our Nation for decades and I will keep working to ensure that they are not left behind.”
Senator Casey has long advocated for abandoned mine cleanup across the Commonwealth. With this round of funding, Pennsylvania has received more than $735 million from the IIJA to clean up abandoned mine lands. In January 2022, after delivering $244 million in an initial round of funding for abandoned mine cleanup, Casey spoke to Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland about the need for additional flexibility during her visit to?Swoyersville, PA, allowing states to use their acid mine drainage (AMD) set-aside programs to mitigate environmental hazards acid mine drainage.?Casey also passed the STREAM Act to allow states more flexibility to use funding from the infrastructure law to address long-term impacts of abandoned mine land including AMD, which pollutes Pennsylvania’s rivers and streams. In addition to voting to pass the infrastructure law, in April 2021, Casey introduced?legislation?to extend abandoned mine land cleanup?funding?and?to?provide a boost for coal reclamation projects that provide economic development and growth in communities impacted by the downturn in the coal industry.?
In June 2024, Senator Casey announced more than $28.6 million from the Department of the Interior’s Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization (AMLER) Program. In March 2024, Casey delivered $90 million from the infrastructure law to build solar facilities on former mine lands in Clearfield County. The Mineral Basin solar project is expected to produce enough energy to power 70,000 homes per year. In May 2022, Casey announced $26.6 million from the AMLER Program. -
MIL-OSI USA: October 25th, 2024 N.M. Delegation Files Amicus Brief Urging Ninth Circuit Court to Affirm that Federal Law Requires Hospitals to Provide Emergency Care, Including Abortion
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
After the Supreme Court dismissed Idaho v. United States, returning it to the Ninth Circuit Court, 259 Members of Congress ask the Ninth Circuit to affirm that federal law ensures abortion care qualifies as “emergency stabilizing care” under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), and hospitals participating in Medicare must provide “emergency stabilizing treatment” to patients, including abortion care, when necessary.
The N.M Delegation joins the brief as New Mexico’s highly impacted health system continues to serve patients from neighboring states with restrictions on reproductive health care.
“In this case, respecting the supremacy of federal law is about more than just protecting our system of government; it is about protecting people’s lives.”
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), and Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) submitted an amicus brief to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in Moyle v. United States and Idaho v. United States, two consolidated cases concerning the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) under consideration by the en banc Ninth Circuit. EMTALA is a federal law that requires hospitals that receive Medicare funding to provide necessary “stabilizing treatment” to patients experiencing medical emergencies, which includes abortion care.
After the Dobbs decision in 2022, an anti-abortion law in Idaho went into effect, making it a felony for a doctor to terminate a patient’s pregnancy unless it is “necessary” to prevent the patient’s death. The United States sued the State of Idaho, arguing that the state’s law is preempted by existing federal law in those circumstances in which abortion may not be necessary to prevent imminent death, but still constitutes the “necessary stabilizing treatment” for a patient’s emergency medical condition. The district court agreed; it held that in those limited, but critically important situations, EMTALA requires Medicare-participating hospitals to provide abortion as an emergency medical treatment. Idaho Republicans appealed that ruling to the Supreme Court.
In March, 258 lawmakers, including the N.M. Congressional Delegation, filed an amicus brief, asking the Supreme Court to affirm the district court decision. In June, the Supreme Court dismissed the case but without a ruling on the merits, sending the case back to the Ninth Circuit Court and reinstating the district court’s injunction.
In their brief in support of the Justice Department, the lawmakers state “he 99th Congress passed EMTALA to ensure that every person who visits a Medicare-funded hospital with an ‘emergency medical condition’ is offered stabilizing treatment.” The lawmakers continued in their amicus brief, “Congress chose broad language for that mandate, requiring hospitals that participate in the Medicare program to provide ‘such treatment as may be required to stabilize the medical condition.’… That text—untouched by Congress for the past three decades—makes clear that in situations in which a doctor determines that abortion constitutes the ‘ecessary stabilizing treatment’ for a pregnant patient, federal law requires the hospital to offer it. Yet Idaho has made providing that care a felony, in direct contravention of EMTALA’s mandate.”
The lawmakers point to numerous reports of OB/GYNs leaving Idaho en masse since the state’s abortion ban went into effect — Idaho has since lost fifty-five percent of its maternal-fetal medicine specialists, and three rural hospitals have shut down maternity services altogether.
“These are not hypothetical scenarios. Because Idaho’s abortion ban contains no clear exceptions for the “emergency medical conditions” covered by EMTALA, it forces physicians to wait until their patients are on the verge of death before providing abortion care. The result in other states with similar laws has been ‘significant maternal morbidity,’” wrote the lawmakers, pointing to harrowing reports of pregnant women with severe health complications being denied necessary abortion care. The lawmakers’ brief also counters an argument from Idaho and its amici that the Supremacy Clause does not apply in this case because EMTALA was passed using Spending Clause authority, and therefore acts only as a condition on Medicare funding. The lawmakers make clear that alllaws passed by Congress are entitled to preemption — regardless of their source of constitutional authority — and states cannot pass laws that make it impossible for private parties to accept federal funding, inhibiting the purpose of the federal law.
“EMTALA requires abortion when necessary to stabilize a patient with an emergency medical condition, Idaho’s near-total abortion ban is preempted to the extent that it prevents doctors from providing that care,” the lawmakers wrote. “This Court should reject Appellants’ novel theory that EMTALA is not entitled to preemptive effect because it was enacted pursuant to Congress’s spending power. Under the Supremacy Clause, all‘the constitutional laws enacted by congress,’ constitute ‘the supreme Law of the Land,’. As the Supreme Court has repeatedly held, the principle of federal supremacy applies to laws passed pursuant to Congress’s spending authority no less than it does to laws effectuating other enumerated powers.”
“In sum, EMTALA plainly requires hospitals that participate in the Medicare program to provide abortion care when, in a doctor’s medical judgment, it constitutes the ‘ecessary stabilizing treatment’ for a patient’s ‘emergency medical condition.’”
The amicus brief was led by U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and U.S. Representatives Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), Richard Neal (D-Mass.), Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), and Barbara Lee (D-Calif.).
The lawmakers’ amicus brief to the Supreme Court can be read in full here.
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MIL-OSI USA: October 25th, 2024 N.M. Delegation Announces Over $3 Million for Tribal Communities to Address Opioid Use Disorder
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), and Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) are announcing $3,068,909 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to Tribal communities to serve individuals with opioid use disorder and co-occurring substance use disorders by funding culturally specific and evidence-based treatment, including medication for the treatment of opioid use disorder (MOUD). These HHS Tribal Opioid Response Grants are being awarded through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration(SAMHSA).
“Tackling the opioid crisis with the urgency it demands means expanding our approach. That includes everything from providing improved access to the lifesaving medication used to treat opioid use disorder to empowering local communities to develop treatment programs that are grounded in their distinct experiences and cultures. I’m proud to welcome over $3 million for Tribal communities to do exactly that,” said Heinrich. “I won’t stop fighting to eliminate barriers to lifesaving medication and help New Mexicans get the care they need.”
“Far too many across our Tribal lands have seen firsthand how the opioid epidemic has devastated our communities,” said Luján, a member of the Indian Affairs and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committees. “This $3+ million in federal funding will deliver critical treatments and medications to address opioid use disorder in our Tribal communities. Throughout my time in Congress, I have secured millions to expand opioid use disorder treatments, introduced bipartisan legislation to increase investments in substance misuse prevention, and called for an increase in funding in our nation’s response to the opioid use disorder epidemic. I am proud to welcome this funding alongside our Congressional delegation and will keep fighting to expand addiction treatment services and protect the health of our Tribal brothers and sisters.”
“For far too long, opioid addiction has ravaged our Tribal communities, and the need for culturally specific treatments is critical,” said Leger Fernández. “This funding will help provide life-saving treatment, tailored to the needs of Native communities, so that we can address the opioid crisis head-on. By combining evidence-based practices with the cultural knowledge of our Tribes, we can offer real hope and healing. I will continue to fight for more resources and support to make sure every New Mexican has access to the care they need to recover and thrive.”
“Culturally informed care is vital to addressing the opioid crisis in every community that is suffering,” said Stansbury. “This $3 million investment will help Tribal communities take care as they see fit, as they know what is best for their communities. I will continue to fight for more funding and tools to solve this crisis so New Mexicans can not only recover from addiction but thrive in life.”
“New Mexico’s Tribes and Pueblos have long faced significant challenges in combating the opioid crisis. I’m proud to welcome these funds to provide critical resources to help address opioid addiction head-on,” said Vasquez. “Supporting culturally specific and evidence-based treatments ensures that we’re not only tackling the crisis but also providing Indian Country with the tools they need to better support recovery. I’m committed to securing more funding and resources to combat this crisis and save lives.”
Recipient
Award Amount
Albuquerque Area Indian Health
$1,478,168
Pueblo of Pojoaque
$250,000
Five Sandoval Indian Pueblos, Inc.
$250,000
Santo Domingo Tribe
$295,107
Ohkay Owingeh
$250,000
Nambe Pueblo Governor’s Office
$295,634
Taos Pueblo
$250,000
The N.M. Delegation has continuously worked to make opioid use disorder treatments more readily available.
This month, Heinrich introduced the Broadening Utilization of Proven and Effective Treatment for Recovery Act, or BUPE for Recovery Act, legislation to increase access to buprenorphine — a lifesaving drug used to treat opioid use disorder — by removing barriers providers and patients face when trying to access the medication. The BUPE for Recovery Act temporarily exempts buprenorphine from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Suspicious Orders Report System (SORS) requirements during the opioid public health emergency. SORS reporting requirements have led to an uncertainty among pharmacies and distributors to stock and dispense buprenorphine, which can prevent individuals suffering from opioid use disorder from receiving timely and effective treatment. This legislation will mitigate the treatment gap created by stringent SORS reporting requirements, reducing overdose deaths, saving lives, and improving public health outcomes.
In the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS)Appropriations Bill, Heinrich successfully included language directing the DEA to take further action to remove barriers to access for opioid use disorder medications such as buprenorphine. The inclusion of this language will assist local medical and mental health providers and make medications, including buprenorphine, more accessible to New Mexicans.
Find an extensive list of Heinrich’s actions to tackle the fentanyl crisis and make opioid use disorder treatments more readily available here.
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MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen, Hassan Join Ribbon Cutting for Affordable Housing Development Made Possible by the American Rescue Plan
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Maggie Hassan
(Concord, NH) – Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) delivered remarks to community members and local advocates at the ribbon cutting ceremony for CATCH Neighborhood Housing’s Davis Ridge development, which will offer 48 units of affordable housing in Concord. The project was funded in part by Invest NH, which is supported by funding Senators Shaheen and Hassan helped secure in the American Rescue Plan. Photos from today’s event can be found here.
“Far too many Granite Staters are struggling with affordable housing and anything we can do to build more housing units to help lower costs for the workforce is worth doing, which is why developments like Davis Ridge are critical to addressing this challenge,” said Senator Shaheen. “I’m proud to have helped secure the federal funds needed to support this project, and I’ll continue fighting in Congress to ensure New Hampshire has the resources we need to tackle the housing crisis and bring costs down for Granite Staters.”
“The housing crisis affects every corner of our state, as families struggle to afford their rent and businesses are unable to grow because workers can’t find housing that they can afford,” said Senator Hassan. “Developments like the Davis Ridge Apartments demonstrate the role that federal funding can play in addressing the housing shortage in New Hampshire. I will keep working to expand federal funding to build more housing here in NH, help more Granite State individuals and families afford their rent, and strengthen our economy.”
The Davis Ridge development was built with the support of Invest NH, a $100 million program to accelerate affordable workforce housing construction funded through American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) secured by Shaheen and Hassan. The project is also supported by federal funding from the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC), which Shaheen and Hassan are working to expand.
Shaheen is a leader in the Senate on efforts to tackle the housing affordability crisis, including by helping to ensure Granite Staters have the resources they need to thrive. In May, Shaheen and Hassan celebrated more than $30 million in federal grants for New Hampshire to build more affordable housing across the Granite State.
As a senior member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee and Chair of the Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Subcommittee, Shaheen worked to include key provisions from her Strategy and Investment in Rural Housing Preservation Act in the FY24 Agriculture and Related Agencies Appropriations Act which was signed into law in March. Shaheen’s standalone legislation would ensure that hundreds of thousands of low-income tenants in rural areas are able to maintain access to safe and affordable housing. Another Shaheen-led bipartisan bill to increase access to rural housing was signed into law the same day. Together, the two bills will bolster existing rural housing options, make new construction easier and protect renters across the Granite State.
Shaheen also helped introduced the Fighting Homelessness Through Services and Housing Act to help local governments reduce homelessness as well as a bicameral bill that would protect the rights of residents of manufactured housing communities. Shaheen secured over $22 million in Congressionally Directed Spending in the FY24 government funding bills to address New Hampshire’s housing, transportation and urban development needs. -
MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy Announces $63.1 Million for Louisiana Railroad Projects from His Infrastructure Law
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) announced the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) will grant Louisiana a total of $63,149,456.00 from his Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) for railroad infrastructure.
“This is a huge investment from the Infrastructure Law to improve Louisiana’s railroads,” said Dr. Cassidy. “These projects will bring new interstate commerce opportunities for Louisiana families and businesses and build our economy for 2050.”Grant Awarded
Recipient
Project Description$30,600,000.00
Patriot Rail Company LLC
This grant will provide federal funding to improve track conditions on eight Patriot railroads.$27,320,000.00
Louisiana and North West Railroad Company, LLC
This grant will provide federal funding to replace outdated rail and rehabilitate track across approximately 44 miles of the Louisiana and North West Railroad. The project will enable the LNW to upgrade its gross weight limit along the majority of its 62-mile network to accommodate industry standards.$5,229,456.00
Jaguar Transport Holdings, LLC
This grant will provide federal funding to increase the capacity of the West Memphis Base Railroad. Construction includes an estimated 10,900 feet of new sidings and yard track. -
MIL-OSI USA: Senator Stabenow, Congressman Kildee Visit Hemlock Semiconductor to Celebrate Major Federal Manufacturing Investment
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Michigan Debbie Stabenow
Stabenow and Kildee Secured Up to $325 Million in Federal Funding for Hemlock to Expand Production of Semiconductor-Grade Polysilicon Investment Will Create Over 1,000 Jobs
Friday, October 25, 2024
HEMLOCK – U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-08) visited Hemlock Semiconductor to celebrate a major federal investment from the CHIPS and Science Act. Secured by Stabenow and Kildee, Hemlock will receive up to $325 million in funding to build a new, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility on its campus in Hemlock, Michigan. This historic funding will allow Hemlock to expand its production of hyper-pure polysilicon needed for semiconductor chips and create over 1,000 good paying jobs in Michigan.
“It is so exciting to see Hemlock Semiconductor and Saginaw County leading the way to make sure that American manufacturing no longer depends on semiconductor chips made halfway around the world. As one of only five companies in the world capable of producing the highest quality polysilicon for chips, this investment keeps Hemlock on the leading edge of innovations in microchips technology,” said Senator Stabenow. “I was very pleased to partner with Representative Kildee to make sure the CHIPS and Science Act focused on funding and tax incentives to make things in America which made this investment possible.”
“Because of the work of President Biden, Vice President Harris and Democrats in Congress, we are securing our supply chains and bringing manufacturing back to Michigan,” said Congressman Dan Kildee. “I fought hard alongside Senator Stabenow to bring this federal investment to mid-Michigan to create hundreds of good-paying local jobs and ensure that we make things in Michigan, not overseas. Hemlock is a key part of America’s resurgence in semiconductor and polysilicon manufacturing that will help our economy grow and compete for years to come.”
HSC Chairman and CEO AB Ghosh highlighted the transformative impact of the proposed funding, stating, “The proposed $325 million CHIPS award is a monumental achievement, not just for HSC, but for Michigan and our country. It allows HSC to plan for a once-in-a-generation investment that will secure our position as a top supplier to the leading-edge semiconductor market and therefore strengthen national security. Our customers want high quality and sustainably made polysilicon, and this grant underscores HSC’s commitment to meeting those needs while strengthening American interests.”
Senator Stabenow and Congressman Kildee have led the effort in Congress to advance the next generation of American manufacturing and strengthen our domestic supply chain. This includes the 48D Advanced Manufacturing Investment Tax Credit authored by Stabenow and Kildee. This will provide a 25% tax credit and allow for a wide range of qualified investments necessary to create equipment for and manufacture semiconductors.
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MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Applauds President Biden’s Formal Apology To Native Communities For Federal Government’s Role In Native American Boarding Schools
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
10.25.24
SPRINGFIELD – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representative Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13) today announced $157,126,494 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for the final segment of the Springfield Rail Improvements Project (SRIP).
The multi-phased project is a large-scale effort supported by local, state, and federal funding designed to alleviate rail congestion in downtown Springfield by consolidating train traffic from Third Street to 10th Street and constructing a series of overpasses and underpasses along the corridor.
“Connecting communities is at the heart of transportation and today’s announced federal funding for a new Amtrak Station, rail improvements, and track realignment in Springfield will better connect passengers between St. Louis and Chicago,” said Durbin. “The Springfield Rail Improvements Project is dramatically changing downtown Springfield by reducing rail congestion, creating jobs, and improving safety for passengers, drivers, and pedestrians. I will continue advocating for strong investments in Illinois’ transportation infrastructure.”
“Investing in our rail infrastructure is about growing our economy and making it easier, faster, safer and more efficient so people and goods can get where they need to go,” Duckworth said.“This significant federal investment in the Springfield Rail Improvements Project will help us build a new multimodal transportation center, improve efficiency for passengers traveling between St. Louis and Chicago, support good-paying jobs and make Springfield safer for pedestrians and drivers. I’ll keep working with Senator Durbin and Congresswoman Budzinski to ensure that our communities are receiving the much-needed federal resources they deserve.”
“The Springfield Rail Improvements Project is revitalizing our downtown by reconnecting our community, reducing rail noise and enhancing public safety. It’s also creating good-paying union jobs along the way,” said Budzinski. “I’m honored to join Senators Durbin and Duckworth to announce $157 million in federal funding to complete the final phase of this important work. This investment and the new 1908 Springfield Race Riot National Monument along the project’s route will honor our history and build a bright future for our city.”
This phase of the SRIP includes rail improvements, track realignment, and the construction of a new Amtrak Station in Springfield. This project will complete the final segment of track realignment to consolidate the Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern corridors into one multitrack corridor through the city, which will advance the efforts to provide a higher speed intercity passenger rail connection between St. Louis and Chicago. In addition to various track improvements and grade crossing separations, the project will also construct a Multimodal Transportation Center to improve public transportation connectivity among intercity passenger rail, local bus service, and intercity bus service.
Last year, Durbin urged Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to strongly consider the SRIP for federal rail grants. Since the project’s inception, Durbin has helped to secure roughly $90 million inprevious federal funding to advance the SRIP, including a 2021 RAISE grant for the Madison and Jefferson underpasses project, which was completed in August.
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MIL-OSI USA: FDA Roundup: October 25, 2024
Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3
- For Immediate Release:
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is providing an at-a-glance summary of news from around the agency:
- Today, the FDA updated the advisory for the outbreak of E. coli O157:H7. A specific ingredient has not yet been confirmed as the source of the outbreak, but most sick people report eating McDonald’s Quarter Pounder burgers. Investigators are working to determine if the slivered onions or beef patties on Quarter Pounder burgers are the likely source of contamination. McDonald’s has temporarily stopped using Quarter Pounder slivered onions and beef patties in affected states. Diced onions and other types of beef patties used at McDonald’s have not been implicated in this outbreak. Additionally, Taylor Farms has initiated a voluntary recall of some onions sent to food service customers. Customers who are impacted have been contacted directly. As of Oct. 24, 75 people infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 have been reported from 13 states. Illnesses started on dates ranging from Sept. 27, 2024, to Oct. 10, 2024. Of 61 people with information available, 22 have been hospitalized and two people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious condition that can cause kidney failure. One death has been reported from an older adult in Colorado. Of the 42 people interviewed, all 42 (100%) report eating at McDonald’s and 39 people report eating a beef hamburger. Consumers who have already eaten at McDonald’s and have symptoms of E. coli infection should contact their health care provider to report their symptoms and receive care immediately. The FDA is working closely with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Food Safety and Inspection Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state partners to determine if the slivered onions or beef patties on Quarter Pounder burgers are the likely source of contamination. Additional information will be published in the advisory as it becomes available.
- On Thursday, the FDA issued guidance to help tattoo ink manufacturers and distributors recognize situations in which tattoo ink may become contaminated with microorganisms. The guidance titled “Insanitary Conditions in the Preparation, Packing, and Holding of Tattoo Inks and the Risk of Microbial Contamination” contains recommendations that include: testing ink and ink components for possible microbial contamination; ensuring the manufacturing process does not introduce microbial contamination; ensuring appropriate sterilization methods are used, when applicable; and taking corrective measures to prevent the release of any product containing microbial contamination.
- On Wednesday, the FDA announced the virtual Medical Device Sterilization Town Hall – Sterilization Short Topics and Open Q&A that will be held on Oct. 30, 2024, from 1-2:30 p.m. ET. During this town hall, the FDA will discuss submitted questions and comments, activities to support medical device innovators and bundling sterility submissions. We will also host an open question-and-answer session. Registration is not necessary. We encourage attendees to submit questions to MedicalDeviceSterilization@fda.hhs.gov by 4 p.m. ET on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024.
- On Wednesday, the FDA finalized Guidance for Industry (GFI) #293: FDA Enforcement Policy for AAFCO-Defined Animal Feed Ingredients. Draft GFI #294: Animal Food Ingredient Consultation (AFIC) has not yet been finalized but the agency will notify the public when final guidance is issued. The FDA will continue to accept comments submitted to docket FDA-2024-N-2979 in response to the Request for Comments on the FDA’s premarket animal food review processes until Dec. 9, 2024.
- On Wednesday, the FDA published a Consumer Update, FDA’s Critical Role in Ensuring Safe and Effective Flu Vaccines, reminding the public that the flu vaccine received at a doctor’s office or pharmacy is the result of year-round work of highly skilled microbiologists, epidemiologists, physicians and other public health experts. As new strains of flu viruses emerge, the FDA closely coordinates with sister agencies and works with manufacturers to help the development of vaccines to protect from the flu. All FDA-approved flu vaccines are safe and effective.
- On Tuesday, the FDA announced that Michelle Tarver, M.D., Ph.D., has been selected as the permanent director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH). Dr. Tarver is a board-certified ophthalmologist with a doctorate in epidemiology and has held various leadership positions at the FDA as a medical device regulator, helping drive strategic initiatives, conduct clinical research and changing organizational culture. Under her leadership, CDRH launched numerous efforts to amplify the perspectives of people living with medical conditions, foster collaboration across the health care ecosystem and stimulate creative evidence generation pathways.
“I am truly honored to lead CDRH and our talented staff across the Center who are committed to protecting and promoting public health,” said Michelle Tarver, M.D., Ph.D., director of the FDA’s CDRH. “As someone who has served the FDA for more than 15 years, I am immensely proud of the work we have accomplished together, always keeping the people we serve at the core of our mission. As we embark on CDRH’s next chapter, we remain committed in our service to public health and ensuring all patients in the U.S. have access to high-quality, safe and effective medical devices.”
- On Tuesday, the FDA announced a new dataset generated in a clinical study that assessed the way people with Parkinson’s disease move over time compared with those who don’t have the disease. Researchers used wearable sensors and video cameras to gather data about study participants’ gait. The result is an open access dataset that can be used to assess the performance of algorithms used in wearable sensors and identify and validate digital biomarkers relevant to people with Parkinson’s disease. The use of this regulatory science tool may help to accelerate the development and evaluation of novel medical devices in this important area. The dataset is the result of a partnership between the FDA, VA Ventures and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
- On Tuesday, the FDA approved the vaccine Abrysvo for the prevention of lower respiratory tract disease (LRTD) caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in individuals 18 through 59 years of age who are at increased risk for LRTD caused by RSV. Since 2023, Abrysvo has been approved for the prevention of LRTD caused by RSV in individuals 60 years of age and older and for use in pregnant individuals at 32 through 36 weeks gestational age for the prevention of LRTD and severe LRTD caused by RSV in infants from birth through six months of age. Abrysvo is manufactured by Pfizer Inc.
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The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, radiation-emitting electronic products, and for regulating tobacco products.
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MIL-OSI USA: ‘Journey to Space’ Exhibition Touches Down at N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Nov. 2
Source: US State of North Carolina
Headline: ‘Journey to Space’ Exhibition Touches Down at N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Nov. 2
‘Journey to Space’ Exhibition Touches Down at N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Nov. 2
jejohnson6Do you have what it takes … to live and work in space? Find out at “Journey to Space,” a new exhibition opening at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences on Saturday, Nov. 2.
This special exhibition, developed in partnership with NASA’s Johnson Space Center, invites visitors to explore the extraordinary environment of space, including the dangers that astronauts face during their missions above Earth and the adaptations that engineers have developed to help them survive while in space.
You’ll learn about the vacuum of space, radiation, meteoroids and temperature extremes, getting a look at all the ways in which the forbidding environment of space can challenge the humans who explore it. You will experience the sights, sounds and smells on board the International Space Station (ISS), and try your hand at some of the feats of engineering that support astronauts who live in space. Finally, check out authentic artifacts from past missions, including Neil Armstrong’s helmet and gloves from Apollo 11, when he became the first person to walk on the moon.
Through games, multimedia components and interactive stations, you’ll learn how astronauts eat, sleep and even go to the bathroom in space. Finally, climb aboard a full-scale mock-up of the Destiny Lab, the primary research facility for U.S. payloads on the ISS, and feel the sensation of floating as you get a virtual tour of the lab from astronauts who have worked there.
Profiles on Museum astronomers Rachel Smith and Patrick Treuthardt will detail the adventure of astronomy on Earth, including how researchers observe space using powerful telescopes in Hawai‘i, and how spiral galaxies are formed.
“Journey to Space” is presented by the Science Museum of Minnesota and the California Science Center with support from NASA. It will run through April 27, 2025.
For more information or to buy tickets, visit naturalsciences.org/space. Tickets are also available at the Museum Box Office: Free for Members; $16 for Adults; $12 for Children 3-12. Exhibition Hours are Tuesday–Sunday,10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (last entry at 4 p.m.).
About the NC Museum of Natural Sciences
The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in downtown Raleigh (11 and 121 W. Jones St.) is an active research institution that engages visitors of every age and stage of learning in the wonders of science and the natural world. In addition to two downtown buildings showcasing seven floors of world-class exhibits, the Museum runs Prairie Ridge Ecostation, a 45-acre outdoor education and research facility in west Raleigh, as well as satellite facilities in Whiteville, Greenville and Grifton (Contentnea Creek). Our mission is to illuminate the natural world and inspire its conservation. Downtown Raleigh Hours: Tuesday–Sunday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. General admission is free. For more information, visit www.naturalsciences.org.About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.Oct 24, 2024 -
MIL-OSI USA: Commemoration for Governor Richard Caswell Living History Program Nov. 16
Source: US State of North Carolina
Headline: Commemoration for Governor Richard Caswell Living History Program Nov. 16
Commemoration for Governor Richard Caswell Living History Program Nov. 16
jejohnson6The life and accomplishments of Governor Richard Caswell, North Carolina’s first state governor, will be commemorated Saturday, Nov. 16, at the Governor Richard Caswell Memorial in Kinston, N.C.
To highlight Caswell’s long service as a political and military leader of both the British colony and the fledgling state of North Carolina, a living history event will occur from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Members of the Dobbs County Militia and the 3rd North Carolina Continental Line reenactment groups will portray camp life and present musket and cannon firing demonstrations of the Revolutionary War period along with 18th-century physicians.
The Governor Caswell Memorial is dedicated to North Carolina’s first governor. The memorial includes Revolutionary War-era artifacts, Caswell family heirlooms, and exhibits about Caswell’s life. It is located on property once owned by the Caswell family.
The Governor Richard Caswell Memorial is located at 2612 West Vernon Avenue, Kinston, N.C., and open Friday 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission is free.
For additional information, please call the site at (252) 526-9600 x221. The CSS Neuse Center and the Richard Caswell Memorial are within the Division of State Historic Sites in the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.Oct 25, 2024 -
MIL-OSI USA: National Register Adds 15 North Carolina Historic Places
Source: US State of North Carolina
Headline: National Register Adds 15 North Carolina Historic Places
National Register Adds 15 North Carolina Historic Places
jejohnson6The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources is pleased to announce that three historic districts and twelve individual properties across the state have been added to the National Register of Historic Places. The following properties were reviewed by the North Carolina National Register Advisory Committee and subsequently nominated by the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Officer and forwarded to the Keeper of the National Register for consideration for listing in the National Register.
“Preserving our history is vital to understanding who we are and shaping where we’re headed,” said Reid Wilson, secretary of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. “The newest additions from North Carolina to the National Register of Historic Places demonstrate our commitment to safeguarding our heritage, enriching our shared story, and strengthening local economies.”
The listing of a property in the National Register places no obligation or restriction on a private owner using private resources to maintain or alter the property. Over the years, various federal and state incentives have been introduced to assist private preservation initiatives, including tax credits for the rehabilitation of National Register properties. As of Jan. 1, 2024, there have been 4,308 historic rehabilitation projects with private investments of almost $3.6 billion completed.
In Central North Carolina
Copland Fabrics, Burlington, Alamance County, listed 8/1/2024
Copland Fabrics is significant at the local level and listed in the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion A in the area of Industry. Alamance County was a locus of fabric production starting with water-powered mills along the Haw River in the nineteenth century. The extant buildings reflect industrial architecture of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and the changes in production of textiles. Copland Fabrics and its CEO, J. R. Copland, shifted production here to rayon in 1941. Innovations in techniques and machinery developed and implemented at this facility allowed Copland Fabrics to produce good quality rayon economically. Additional expansion to fabric finishing gave the conglomerated Copland companies vertical integration as well as fee-based services to other mills. The mill buildings show the evolution of fabric production from the late nineteenth to the late twentieth century in a county noted for its leadership in textiles. The complex has a period of significance from 1941, the date of the purchase of the complex by the Coplands, to 1973, the date of the last plant expansion that is over 50 years of age.Geer Cemetery, Durham, Durham County, listed 8/5/2024
Geer Cemetery is significant at the local level under Criterion A in the areas of Social History and Black Ethnic Heritage as the oldest extant community burial ground for African Americans in Durham. It contains an estimated 1,825 graves densely organized in north–south rows with the graves oriented east–west. The ephemeral nature of wood grave markers, which were used extensively in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and were documented in period newspaper articles at Geer Cemetery, has left many graves unmarked today. Extant marker types include tab-in-socket and die-on-base headstones, pedestal tombs, and obelisks. Geer Cemetery’s period of significance begins in 1877, the year in which the Board of Trustees acquired the first 2 acres of land from white farmer Jesse Geer for use as a community cemetery for Durham’s people of color. It ends in 1945, when the last burial occurred in the cemetery. Geer Cemetery meets National Register Criteria Consideration D for cemeteries as its significance is derived from its historic associations under Criterion A.One Center Plaza, High Point, Guilford County, listed 4/10/2024
One Plaza Center is listed in the National Register of Historic Places at the local level of significance under Criterion A in the area of Community Planning and Development and under Criterion C in the area of Architecture. During the mid-twentieth century, the City of High Point and the High Point Redevelopment Commission (HPRC) carried out an urban renewal program that reshaped the city. One Plaza Center is one of the few remaining mid-twentieth-century office buildings in downtown High Point. The resulting Brutalist style office building, designed by prominent North Carolina architect James Norman Pease, Jr., is an integral piece of the fabric of downtown High Point and served as the physical and visual center of the mid-twentieth century commercial district. Its development and construction represent the effective use of Urban Renewal funds and served as an impetus to a broader shift in community planning and development in High Point. One Plaza Center’s period of significance begins in 1970, when construction on the building commenced through 1974, when construction was completed, and tenants began moving into the building.R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company Buildings 82 and 83, Winston-Salem, Forsyth County, listed 8/7/2024
R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company Buildings 82 and 83, erected in 1919 to provide tobacco leaf storage, are in the National Register of Historic Places listed under Criterion A due to their local industrial significance. The company fueled Winston-Salem’s economic prosperity as the concern grew to become the nation’s largest tobacco manufacturer in 1922. Due to spatial constraints at its downtown plant, RJRTC steadily acquired acreage in north Winston-Salem in proximity to the railroad corridor. Buildings 82 and 83 are the earliest identified extant tobacco storage warehouses in the city constructed per standard RJRTC specifications. Original features include large skylights and twelve-over-twelve double-hung wood windows that provide ample light and ventilation, sliding metal-clad and flat-panel metal doors at most entrances, and the concrete loading platform that spans Building 83’s west elevation. The period of significance begins in 1919 with the buildings’ construction and continues to 1973. Although RJRTC owned the warehouses until 1992, their function after 1973 is not of exceptional significance.Sidney Cotton Mill, Graham, Alamance County, listed 8/2/2024
The Sidney Cotton Mill is listed in the National Register under Criterion C as a largely intact example of late-nineteenth and early-twentieth-century, Italianate-style, industrial architecture and of slow-burn industrial construction. Developed in the late-nineteenth century and codified by insurance companies, slow-burn construction was developed to as a cost-effective means of protecting textile mills from loss due to fire. The Sidney Cotton Mill was among the earliest steam-powered mills to be constructed in Alamance County and was only the second steam-powered mill, of at least five mills in total, to be constructed within the town of Graham. The architecture of the Sidney Cotton Mill is typical of turn-of-the-twentieth-century textile mills constructed in the North Carolina piedmont; it features Italianate-style detailing, including segmental-arch window openings and corbelled brick cornices, as well as an intact, three-story tower on the south elevation. The period of significance extends from 1886, the date of the earliest part of the mill, to ca. 1945 to incorporate its last addition.Warrenton Historic District (Additional Documentation, Boundary Increase, and Boundary Decrease), Warrenton, Warren County, listed 4/4/2024
The nomination provides Additional Documentation for the 1976 Warrenton Historic District, a Boundary Increase to include early-to-mid-twentieth century buildings and African American resources, and a Boundary Decrease to remove vacant lots, recent construction, and substantially altered properties on the periphery of the Historic District. Additional Documentation for the Warrenton Historic District includes an updated inventory for the district with full written descriptions and a contributing status given for all resources within the district boundary. It clarifies the beginning of the period of significance for the Warrenton Historic District to begin c.1783, corresponding with the construction of the Peter Davis Store, the earliest extant above-ground resource, and extends the end of the period of significance to extend to 1971 to include Warrenton’s period of racial conflict related to the Civil Rights Movement and integration of the schools. The Additional Documentation also clarifies the areas of significance for the Warrenton Historic District.West End Cemeteries Historic District, Durham, Durham County, listed 8/6/2024
The West End Cemeteries Historic District is a collection of four contiguous cemeteries across 26 acres in the historically residential and primarily African American West End neighborhood. Consisting of the 23.71-acre Maplewood Cemetery, 0.9-acre Hebrew Cemetery, 1.14-acre Henderson Family Cemetery, and 0.25-acre Fitzgerald Family Cemetery, the historic district contains a wide range of burial and marker types illustrative of the socio-economic backgrounds of the groups it represents. The West End Cemeteries Historic District is listed in the National Register of Historic Places at the local level under Criteria A and C. The Henderson and Fitzgerald family cemeteries are significant under Criterion A in the areas of Social History and Black Ethnic Heritage, the Hebrew Cemetery is significant under Criterion A in the areas of Social History and Jewish Ethnic Heritage, and the Maplewood cemetery is significant under Criterion C in the area of Art for its distinctive collection of mausoleums, monuments, and grave markers that express high artistic values; therefore, the West End Cemeteries Historic District meets Criteria Consideration D as a cemetery whose significance is derived from its historical associations and high artistic merit.In Eastern North Carolina
Elizabeth City Cotton Mills, Elizabeth City, Pasquotank County, listed 8/6/2024
The Elizabeth City Cotton Mills is listed in the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion A in the area of industry for its local, long term industrial significance, its prominent role in the local economy, and as the last remaining, large, nineteenth century industrial complex in Elizabeth City. The Elizbeth City Cotton Mills facility was largely complete by 1896. It was the only cotton mill in the county, and one of two textile mills in the county. The large, one-story complex itself is highly intact and tells a clear story of the physical development of the mill from its initial construction through its last significant additions. The exterior of the main factory building retains strong architectural integrity of design, materials, and workmanship. Additionally, the mill retains its original site with a strong link to its historical setting, including the railroad line which served the mill for its entire existence and still runs parallel to the front of the mill. The period of significance for the Elizabeth City Cotton Mills complex begins with the completion of the initial phase of the mill construction in 1896, and continues until 1967, the completion of the last notable additions and expansions.Tobacco Growers Cooperative Association Warehouse, Nashville, Nash County, listed 8/1/2024
The Tobacco Growers Cooperative Association Warehouse is significant at the local level under Criterion A in the area of Agriculture for its association with a brief but powerful movement to change the tobacco buying process in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina in the 1920s. The Tobacco Growers Cooperative Association was established in 1920 to unite farmers within a single, large organization that would have the power to challenge the prevailing warehouse auction system of sales and undermine the capacity of a handful of large buyers to dominate the terms of sales. The multi-state, nonprofit organization subscribed thousands of farmer members and controlled dozens of warehouses by buying extant buildings, securing leases, or spurring new construction. The Nashville warehouse is one of an unknown number of buildings erected specifically to serve the cooperative movement. As quickly as the cooperative grew, so did it decline. The warehouse’s period of significance is from 1922, the year of its construction, to 1927 when it was sold to Nashville Building Supply.In Western North Carolina
Samuel James and Jessie McCune Childs House, Hendersonville, Henderson County, listed 4/2/2024
The Samuel James and Jessie McCune Childs House, with a period of significance of ca. 1923, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places at the local level under Criterion C in the area of Architecture. The house embodies the characteristics of the locally significant architectural history of 1920s residential design in Henderson County where the Craftsman and Rustic Revival styles accentuated the mountain aesthetic sought by Southern vacationers. Samuel Childs, a real estate developer, began purchasing land for a family home, a farm, and a resort development in 1922. He hired local Hendersonville contractor Ervin J. Anders and stonemason Lee Dewey Wright to build the house, and they completed construction in 1923. The house exhibits excellent craftsmanship and embodies the characteristics of Henderson County architecture from the 1920s. The landscape surrounding the house includes numerous several-hundred-year-old evergreen and deciduous trees, along with stone pathways and a patio, likely also constructed by Wright. The tract is approximately 2.62 acres, a portion of the acreage purchased by Childs in 1922.Clinchfield Manufacturing Company Mill No. 2, Marion, McDowell County, listed 4/23/2024
The Clinchfield Manufacturing Company Mill No. 2 is listed in the National Register under Criterion A in the area of industry. As one of the earliest textile manufacturers in Marion, it helped establish textile manufacturing as an important local industry and grew to be the largest employer and textile producer in the county. The company hired noted industrial architect Joseph E. Sirrine to design two textile manufacturing plants—the first completed in 1915 (no longer standing) and the second, Mill No. 2, built 1917-1918. Mill No. 2 occupies a residual 19-acre tract that includes the mill building, boiler house and chimney, a cotton warehouse, security gatehouse, water tower, and multiple small hose houses and hydrants that were part of the plant’s fire suppression system. The original mill evolved over the years with the addition of air conditioning and bricked-in window openings. The period of significance begins in 1915 with the initial development of the Clinchfield Manufacturing Company site and construction of the water tower and ends in 1974 with the continued operation of the mill into the late twentieth century.Downtown Taylorsville Historic District, Taylorsville, Alexander County, listed 8/6/2024
Located at the center of largely rural Alexander County in the western Piedmont region of North Carolina, the Downtown Taylorsville Historic District, in the county’s only incorporated town, has historically served as the county’s administrative and commercial seat. The buildings that compose the Downtown Taylorsville Historic District were constructed incrementally over the course of the early to mid-twentieth century, primarily as brick replacements of frame structures. The locally significant Downtown Taylorsville Historic District meets National Register Criterion A in the area of Commerce and Criterion C for its generally well-preserved grouping of early- to mid-twentieth-century commercial, civic, and religious buildings in the blocks around the Alexander County Courthouse. There are 39 resources in the district, of which 30 are contributing. The period of significance for the district is 1906 to 1970. Although additions were made to Taylorsville’s commercial center after 1970, the town’s architectural and commercial development since that time is not of exceptional significance.Seven Gables, Shelby, Cleveland County, listed 8/1/2024
Seven Gables is listed in the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion C for architecture as an intact and locally significant Tudor Revival-style residence. Although abodes influenced by nationally popular architectural styles are found throughout Shelby’s early- to mid-twentieth-century subdivisions, Seven Gables is distinguished by its scale, sophisticated execution, and setting. The expansive house, designed by prominent Charlotte architect Franklin Gordon, is situated on an approximately two-acre tract that provides estate-like surroundings. Although a July 1935 fire caused extensive destruction, damaged elements were repaired or replicated by November 1935 using the 1929 drawings. Many historical features remain including gable windows with diamond-pane casement sash, oak floors; smooth plaster walls and ceilings; paneled wood doors; and built-in cabinets. Historic secondary resources include a stable, garage-apartment, and fieldstone-bordered pond with a pyramidal fieldstone fountain erected in 1929; a circa 1950 stone fireplace/grill; and a circa 1950 pool updated around 1970. The period of significance is 1929 and 1935, the dwelling’s construction and fire damage repair dates.Stepp’s Mill, Hendersonville vicinity, Henderson County, listed 8/2/2024
Stepp’s Mill and its associated buildings provided the essential service of food processing and functioned as a social center for the rural community of Saconon in southeastern Henderson County. Built in 1913 by Benjamin and Alice Stepp Merrell, the grist mill ground grain for local farmers and, along with the adjacent post office, served as a hub of news and information for rural families. The post office closed in 1923 and later served as an office for the milling operation. The small grist mill complex is listed in the National Register under Criterion A in the areas of industry and social history. The grist mill reflects the traditions of self-sufficiency and early industry that brought together families in rural, agricultural-based communities across the region. The post office, in combination with the mill, served as a social center for the community of farm families that came together to process food, conduct business, and exchange information. The period of significance for Stepp’s Mill begins in 1913 when the Merrells constructed the buildings and began operations, and it ends in ca. 1955 when T. D. Stepp ceased regular production at the mill.Walker Top Baptist Church, Morganton vicinity, Burke County, listed 8/1/2024
Walker Top Baptist Church was constructed around 1845. An associated cemetery is adjacent to the church where members are buried. The building is a rare survivor of a one-room, log church, which was a once-common building type, and it is historically significant under National Register Criterion C in the area of Architecture. Because the building derives its primary significance from its antebellum architecture, it meets Criteria Consideration A: Religious Properties. Its period of significance is its date of construction, circa 1845. The church retains all seven aspects of integrity: location, setting, materials, design, workmanship, association, and feeling. While some interior materials have been repaired or replaced over time and original windows have been replaced with modern sash, the building continues to convey its historic significance.NOTE TO EDITORS — The above images are available in a higher resolution on Dropbox Site.
About the National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the nation’s official list of buildings, structures, objects, sites, and districts worthy of preservation for their significance in American history, architecture, archaeology, and culture. The National Register was established by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 to ensure that as a matter of public policy, properties significant in national, state, and local history are considered in the planning of federal undertakings, and to encourage historic preservation initiatives by state and local governments and the private sector. The Act authorized the establishment of a State Historic Preservation Office in each state and territory to help administer federal historic preservation programs.In North Carolina, the State Historic Preservation Office is a unit of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. Dr. Darin Waters, the Department’s Deputy Secretary of Archives, History, and Parks, is North Carolina’s State Historic Preservation Officer. The North Carolina National Register Advisory Committee, a board of professionals and citizens with expertise in history, architectural history, and archaeology, meets three times a year to advise Dr. Waters on the eligibility of properties for the National Register and the adequacy of nominations.
The National Register nominations for the recently listed properties may be read in their entirety on the NC Listings in the National Register of Historic Places page of the State Historic Preservation Office website. For more information on the National Register, including the criteria for listing, visit the NC State Historic Preservation Office National Register page.
About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.Oct 25, 2024 -
MIL-OSI USA: North Carolina Zoo Earns Botanical Garden Accreditation
Source: US State of North Carolina
Headline: North Carolina Zoo Earns Botanical Garden Accreditation
North Carolina Zoo Earns Botanical Garden Accreditation
jejohnson6The North Carolina Zoo is now officially accredited as a Botanical Garden, marking a significant milestone in the institution’s memorable 50-year history. The North Carolina Zoo is one of only a handful of zoos nationwide to earn this distinction.
“Our dual status as both a Zoo and Botanical Garden reflects our long-standing commitment to conservation, education, and the preservation of diverse species, including plant life,” says Zoo Director and CEO Patricia Simmons. “This honor is well-deserved and highlights our Zoo’s essential role as a center for environmental education and responsible stewardship.”
According to Simmons, becoming a Botanical Garden has been a longtime goal and is a “cherry on top” of the Zoo’s golden anniversary year.
Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI), a membership organization representing botanic gardens in more than 100 countries, grants the zoo accreditation. According to BGCI, the North Carolina Zoo “conforms to the highest international standards” in plant conservation and care.
“This accomplishment would not be possible without the dedication, expertise, and tireless work of our Zoo’s talented Horticulture team,” says Zoo representative Sara Pack. “Their passion for cultivating and showcasing the natural beauty of our landscapes has enriched the Zoo experience for staff and guests for many years. We are grateful to see their outstanding work professionally recognized and affirmed through this accreditation.”
To learn more about the Zoo’s plant collections, visit www.nczoo.org/experiences/gardens.About the North Carolina Zoo
At the North Carolina Zoo, we celebrate nature. As the world’s largest natural habitat Zoo, we inspire a lifelong curiosity about animals in the hundreds of thousands of people who visit our Zoo each year. Our dedicated team of experts provides exceptional, compassionate care for the more than 1,700 animals and 52,000 plants that call our Park home. We also lead efforts locally and globally to protect wildlife and wild places because we believe nature’s diversity is critical for our collective future. The North Carolina Zoo invites all of our guests to witness the majesty of the wild in the heart of North Carolina and welcomes everyone to join in our mission to protect nature’s diversity. Visit NCZoo.org to begin your life-changing journey.About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.Oct 25, 2024 -
MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Alan Wilson announces York Co. man already on probation sentenced to prison for having child sexual abuse materialRead More
Source: US State of South Carolina
(COLUMBIA, S.C.) – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced that a man already out on probation for possessing child sexual abuse material has been sentenced to prison for possessing thousands more files of the material.
On October 23, 2024, Lawrence Tafoya pleaded guilty to two counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, 3rd degree, in York County before the Honorable Daniel D. Hall.
On March 15, 2024, Investigator Alex Clark with the York County Sheriff’s Office was contacted by Probation, Parole and Pardon Services in reference to a cell phone that was seized by their department that contained child sexual abuse material. The agent said the phone belonged to Lawrence Tafoya, who was currently on probation for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, 3rd degree. A forensics examiner with SCPPP examined the phone on scene and located files of child sexual abuse material. Tafoya was arrested on April 11, 2024, for images on the phone, and subsequently confessed to having additional images on other items in his home. A search warrant was done on his residence in York County and several items were seized. A forensic examination of the items revealed files of child sexual abuse material on his cell phone and thousands more files on his laptop.
Judge Hall sentenced Tafoya to six years in prison, with credit for 196 days already served. He will have to continue to register as a sex offender and was ordered to forfeit devices containing illegal material.
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MIL-OSI Security: Waterbury Man Sentenced to More Than 4 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Drug Trafficking Ring
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JESUS MALDONADO, also known as “Zeus,” 34, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 51 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking narcotics.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI’s Waterbury Safe Streets Gang Task Force and other law enforcement agencies investigated two drug trafficking organizations based in the city of Waterbury. One organization operated in the area of William Street and the other operated in the area of Maple Avenue. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps on multiple phones, video surveillance, GPS tracking of vehicles, and numerous controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that the two organizations distributed cocaine, crack, and fentanyl through a network of sellers. The organizations shared sources of supply and worked together to further their operations.
During the investigation, Maldonado, who was involved in the William Street organization, was intercepted multiple times over a wiretap discussing the distribution of narcotics. On November 16, 2023, he was captured on video engaging in a 500-gram cocaine transaction.
Seventeen individuals were charged with federal offenses as a result of the investigation. Maldonado and several codefendants were arrested on November 29, 2023. In association with the arrests, investigators executed multiple search warrants and seized approximately 700 grams of crack cocaine, more than 900 vials (“caps”) of crack, approximately 200 grams of loose fentanyl, more than 1,600 dose bags of fentanyl/heroin, two stolen firearms, numerous rounds of ammunition, and more than $39,000 in cash.
Maldonado has been detained since his arrest. On June 24, 2024, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
The FBI’s Waterbury Safe Streets Gang Task includes members from the FBI, the Waterbury Police Department, the Naugatuck Police Department, and the Connecticut Department of Correction. The DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Connecticut State Police, Wolcott Police Department, and Meriden Police Department have assisted the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha Freismuth and Shan Patel through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
U.S. Attorney Avery thanked the Waterbury State Attorney’s Office for its cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of this case.
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MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Valadao Introduces Resolution to Recognize Sikh Genocide
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David G. Valadao (California)
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman David G. Valadao (CA-22), co-chair of the Sikh American Congressional Caucus, introduced a resolution to formally recognize and commemorate the Sikh Genocide of 1984. California is home to the largest Sikh population in the U.S., with the majority residing in the Central Valley.
“Sadly, many Sikhs have been targeted for their religious beliefs throughout history, including during the 1984 genocide,” said Congressman Valadao. “The Central Valley is home to a vibrant Sikh community and I’m proud to stand with them in demanding recognition and accountability for this horrific event in their history. This resolution is a small but important step to commemorate this tragedy and honor the innocent victims who lost their lives while practicing their faith.”
“As we mark the 40th anniversary of the Sikh Genocide, we remember a dark chapter in history that inflicted pain on Sikh families and communities. This is not just a distant tragedy—it hits home for us here in the San Joaquin Valley, where so many of our Sikh neighbors have shared their stories of loss, survival, and resilience. This resolution is more than a symbol — it’s a time to recognize this horrific time that our Sikh community experienced,” said Congressman Costa.
Reps. Valadao and Costa were joined in introduction by Reps. Josh Harder (CA-09), Vince Fong (CA-20), and John Duarte (CA-13).
The resolution is supported by American Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, American Sikh Caucus Committee, Ensaaf, Jakara Movement, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), Sikh Coalition, Sikh Coordination Committee East Coast (SCCEC), and the United Sikhs.
“This resolution marks a pivotal moment in our ongoing quest for justice and truth. The American Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, representing Sikh religious institutions across the nation, has long advocated for the recognition of the atrocities committed during the 1984 Sikh Genocide. We thank Congressman Valadao for his courageous leadership and reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that the stories of our martyrs are preserved, and that justice is pursued relentlessly,” said Gudev Singh, Acting President, American Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (AGPC).
“This resolution is a turning point in our community’s decades-long pursuit of justice and recognition. For too long, the horrors of 1984 have been hidden from the global stage. Today, we honor the memory of those who suffered and ensure their voices will never be silenced. We extend our deepest gratitude to Congressman David Valadao for his leadership of the American Sikh Congressional Caucus, and in championing this cause, marking a momentous step toward accountability and healing for Sikh Americans and Sikhs worldwide,” said Dr. Pritpal Singh, Founder, American Sikh Caucus Committee.
“This resolution marks a crucial victory in the battle for truth and justice for the victims of the 1984 Sikh Genocide. It stands as a testament to the resilience of our community, which has sought justice for decades. While we still have a long road ahead in terms of accountability, this first step of recognition in the U.S. House of Representatives gives us hope that justice one day will prevail,” said Sukhman Dhami, Co-Director, Ensaaf
“The introduction of this resolution is not just about acknowledging the past but ensuring that future generations understand the truth about the 1984 Sikh Genocide. For Sikh youth and activists, this is more than a political milestone—it’s a validation of the pain our elders endured and a commitment to never allow history to forget. The Jakara Movement looks forward to working alongside Congressman Valadao to continue shining a light on this dark chapter and to ensure that justice for the victims remains a priority for all,” said Naindeep Singh, Executive Director, Jakara Movement.
“This resolution is a historic acknowledgment of the deep scars the Sikh genocide of 1984 has left on our community. It not only honors the memory of those we lost but also empowers Sikh Americans and allies who have been fighting for decades to ensure that these atrocities are not forgotten. We are especially grateful to Congressman David Valadao for his unwavering support and for bringing this issue to the forefront of American consciousness. Today, we see a step toward justice and the validation of our truth,” said Kiran Kaur Gill, Executive Director, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF)
“This is the first time a federal resolution has been introduced to recognize the 1984 Sikh Genocide, and it sends a powerful message: the world is watching, and the atrocities committed against Sikhs will not go unnoticed. We are deeply thankful to Congressman David Valadao for his leadership in this effort, and we look forward to building a broad coalition of support to ensure its ultimate passage. Today’s recognition fuels our resolve to continue advocating for justice and accountability,” said Harman Singh, Executive Director, Sikh Coalition.
“The introduction of this resolution is a significant step forward for Sikhs worldwide, especially for those of us who have been tirelessly advocating for the truth to be recognized. The Sikh Coordination Committee East Coast stands united with our brothers and sisters in the continued pursuit of justice for the victims of 1984. This resolution acknowledges not only our pain but our perseverance, and we are grateful to Congressman Valadao for standing with us in this cause,” said Himmat Singh, Sikh Coordination Committee East Coast (SCCEC).
“As a global humanitarian organization, United Sikhs has long championed the cause of justice and human rights for the Sikh community. The introduction of this resolution in the U.S. Congress is a watershed moment for our community’s struggle for truth and justice. It is an acknowledgment that the international community is listening, and it reinforces our collective resolve to ensure that the horrors of 1984 are neither ignored nor repeated. We extend our deepest gratitude to Congressman Valadao for his leadership and solidarity,” said Hardayal Singh, United Sikhs.
Background:
In June 1984, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi ordered a military assault on Sri Darbar Sahib, a sacred place of worship more commonly known as The Golden Temple. During Operation Blue Star, the Indian Army used heavy artillery and tanks to lay siege on The Golden Temple complex, murdering thousands of civilians as an attempt to suppress Sikh religious rights and freedoms. This tragedy is considered by many as the beginning of the Sikh Genocide.
Following the death of Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984, the Indian government launched a multi-day campaign of state-sponsored violence and repression against Sikhs that included disappearances, targeted killings, and coordinated mass violence. Political unrest in India throughout 1984 resulted in the loss of thousands of Sikh lives. Today, transnational repression is still a widespread issue impacting the Sikh community.
Read the full text of the resolution here.
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MIL-OSI USA: Kelly Introduces Bipartisan Farmer Assistance and Revenue Mitigation Act of 2024 (FARM Act)
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Trent Kelly (R-Miss)
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Trent Kelly (MS-01) is proud to announce the introduction of the bipartisan Farmer Assistance and Revenue Mitigation Act of 2024 (FARM Act), vital legislation designed to provide much-needed support to America’s farmers.
The FARM Act provides assistance to farmers when their revenue falls below the cost of production due to circumstances beyond their control. Congressman Kelly emphasizes that this bill will help keep farms in operation during this challenging time.
“Farmers have been hit with circumstances outside of their control, such as natural disasters, inflation pressures, and drought, which have crippled their ability to obtain financing from credit and banking institutions. The FARM Act will bridge the gap, providing relief so that our farmers can continue to do their best—feed the nation,” said Congressman Kelly.
With support from major agricultural organizations, including the American Farm Bureau Federation, American Soybean Association, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Barley Growers Association, National Cotton Council, National Sorghum Producers, National Sunflower Association, U.S. Canola Association, U.S. Peanut Federation, USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council, USA Rice, and Western Peanut Growers Association, the FARM Act offers assistance for farmers growing a wide range of crops, including barley, corn, cotton, soybeans, wheat, and many others.
This legislation is a lifeline for farmers struggling to meet rising costs and navigate a difficult market. As Congress debates longer-term solutions in the 2025 Farm Bill, the FARM Act delivers immediate help to the farming community.
Original co-sponsors include: Sanford Bishop (GA), Julia Letlow (LA), Rick Allen (GA), Michael Guest (MS), Mike Rogers (AL), Barry Moore (AL), Austin Scott (GA), Don Bacon (NE), Rick Crawford (AR), Jerry Carl (AL), John Rose (TN), Vicente Gonzalez (TX), Greg Murphy (NC), Jake Ellzey (TX), Troy Nehls (TX), Dale Strong (AL), Brad Finstad (MN), David Rouzer (NC), Robert Aderholt (AL), Chuck Fleischmann (TN), Michelle Fischbach (MN), Mike Ezell (MS), Troy Balderson (OH), Tony Gonzales (TX), Henry Cuellar (TX), Michael McCaul (TX), Monica De La Cruz (TX), Clay Higgins (LA), Mike Collins (GA), Pat Fallon (TX), Pete Sessions (TX), Ronny Jackson (TX), David Kustoff (TN), Randy Feenstra (IA), John Carter (TX), Frank Lucas (OK), August Pfluger (TX), Gary Palmer (AL), Juan Ciscomani (AZ), Buddy Carter (GA), Brian Babin (TX), Jim Baird (IN), Randy Weber (TX), Lance Gooden (TX), Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA), Marc Veasey (TX), Nathaniel Moran (TX), and Michael Rulli (OH).
Contact: For more information or to co-sponsor the FARM Act, please contact Semaj Redd at semaj.redd@mail.house.gov.###
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MIL-OSI USA: Destacado de la NASA: Felipe Valdez, un ingeniero inspirador
Source: NASA
Read this story in English here.
Felipe Valdez es una persona que aprovechó todas las oportunidades posibles en la NASA, trabajando desde que inicio como pasante universitario hasta su trabajo actual como ingeniero de controles de vuelo.
Nacido en los Estados Unidos pero criado en México, Valdez enfrentó grandes desafíos mientras crecía.
“Mi madre trabajaba por largas horas, mi padre batallaba contra la adicción, y eventualmente la escuela se volvió inaccesible,” dijo Valdez.
Determinado a continuar su educación, Valdez tomó la difícil decisión de dejar a su familia y regresar a EE. UU. Pero en su adolescencia, aprender inglés y adaptarse a un nuevo ambiente fue un choque cultural para él. A pesar de estos cambios, su curiosidad por materias como las matemáticas y la ciencia nunca decayó.
“De niño, siempre se me ha facilitado trabajar con los números y me fascinaba cómo funcionaban las cosas. La ingeniería combinó ambas cosas,” dijo Valdez. “Eso despertó mi interés.”
Mientras estudiaba ingeniería mecánica en la Universidad Estatal de California en Sacramento, la orientación de su profesor, José Granda, resultó fundamental.
“Él me animó a solicitar una pasantía en la NASA,” dijo Valdez. “Él había sido portavoz en español para una misión de transbordador [espacial], así que al escuchar que alguien con mis antecedentes tuvo éxito me dio la confianza que yo necesitaba para dar ese paso”.
El esfuerzo de Valdez valió la pena – él fue seleccionado como pasante en la Oficina de STEM de la NASA en el Centro Espacial Johnson en Houston. Allí, él trabajó en el desarrollo de software para la dinámica de vehículos, actuadores y modelos de controladores para una cápsula espacial en simulaciones por computadora.
“No podía creerlo,” dijo Valdez. “Conseguir esa oportunidad cambió todo.”
Esta pasantía abrió la puerta a una segunda oportunidad con la NASA, esta vez en el Centro de Investigación de Vuelo Armstrong de la agencia en California. Tuvo la oportunidad de trabajar en el desarrollo de computadoras de vuelo para el Diseño Aerodinámico de Investigación Preliminar para Disminuir la Resistencia, un diseño experimental de ala volante.
Después de estas experiencias, fue aceptado como un pasante en el Programa Pathways de la NASA, un programa de trabajo y estudio que ofrece la posibilidad de trabajar a tiempo completo en la NASA después de graduarse.
“Eso fue el comienzo de mi carrera en la NASA, donde realmente despego mi pasión por la aeronáutica,” dijo Valdez.
Valdez fue el primero en su familia en seguir una educación superior, obteniendo su licenciatura en la Universidad Estatal de Sacramento y su maestría en ingeniería mecánica y aeroespacial en la Universidad de California, Davis.
Hoy en día, trabaja como ingeniero de controles de vuelo de la NASA en la rama de Dinámica y Controles del centro Armstrong. La mayor parte de su experiencia se ha centrado en el desarrollo de simulaciones de vuelo y diseño de sistemas de control, particularmente para aviones de propulsión eléctrica distribuida.
“Es gratificante formar parte de un grupo que se centra en hacer que la aviación sea más rápida, más silenciosa, y más sostenible,” dijo Valdez. “Como ingeniero de controles, trabajar en conceptos avanzados de aeronaves como la propulsión eléctrica distribuida me permite diseñar algoritmos para controlar directamente múltiples motores, mejorando la seguridad, la controlabilidad y la estabilidad, al tiempo que permite operaciones más limpias y silenciosas que amplían los límites de la aviación sostenible.”
A lo largo de su carrera, Valdez se ha sentido orgulloso de su herencia. “Siento un fuerte orgullo de saber que la inclusión es uno de nuestros valores fundamentales aquí en la NASA y que las oportunidades están abiertas para todos.”
Crédito: NASA / Charles Genaro Vavuris
Entrevistadora: NASA/ Lupita L Alcala -
MIL-OSI USA: Governor Parson Announces Six Judicial Appointments, Appoints Ray County Presiding Commissioner
Source: US State of Missouri
OCTOBER 25, 2024
Jefferson City — Today, Governor Mike Parson announced judicial appointments to the 3rd, 12th, 25th, 30th, and 43rd Judicial Circuits and appointed a new Ray County Presiding Commissioner.
Alex T. Van Zandt, of Bethany, will be appointed as Associate Circuit Judge for Mercer County in the 3rd Judicial Circuit.
Mr. Van Zandt is the Harrison County Prosecuting Attorney. He holds Bachelors of Arts in political science and business from the University of Missouri–Columbia and a Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri–Kansas City. He will fill the vacancy created by the election of the Honorable Matthew M. Krohn as Circuit Judge who is unopposed in the 2024 general election.
Jonathan A. Yelton, of Jefferson City, will be appointed as Associate Circuit Judge for Warren County in the 12th Judicial Circuit.
Mr. Yelton is deputy general counsel for the Office of Missouri Governor Michael L. Parson. He holds a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice from Sterling College and a Juris Doctor from the University of Kansas. He will fill the vacancy created by the election of the Honorable Richard L. Scheibe as Circuit Judge who is unopposed in the 2024 general election.
Kevin S. Hillman, of Waynesville, will be appointed as Associate Circuit Judge for Pulaski County in the 25th Judicial Circuit.
Mr. Hillman is the Pulaski County Prosecuting Attorney. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in history and government from Centre College and a Juris Doctor from the University of Cincinnati. He will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of the Honorable Colin P. Long.
Cynthia R. Black, of Marshfield, will be appointed as Associate Circuit Judge for Webster County in the 30th Judicial Circuit.
Ms. Black owns Cynthia R. Black, Attorney at Law, LLC. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Missouri State University and a Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri–Columbia. She will fill the vacancy created by the appointment of the Honorable D. Charles Replogle as Circuit Judge.
The Honorable D. Charles Replogle, of Marshfield, will be appointed as Circuit Judge for the 30th Judicial Circuit.
Judge Replogle is the associate circuit judge for Mercer County in the 30th Judicial Circuit. He holds a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice from Missouri Southern State University and a Juris Doctor from the University of Tulsa. He will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of the Honorable Michael O. Hendrickson.
Micha L. Dixon, of Jamesport, will be appointed as Associate Circuit Judge for Daviess County in the 43rd Judicial Circuit.
Ms. Dixon is the attorney for the 43rd Judicial Circuit Juvenile Office and an assistant prosecuting attorney in the 43rd Judicial Circuit. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in criminal justice and criminology and a Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri–Kansas City. Ms. Dixon will fill the vacancy created by the election of the Honorable Daren L. Adkins as Circuit Judge who is unopposed in the 2024 general election.
Sheila Tracy, of Richmond, was appointed Ray County Presiding Commissioner.
Ms. Tracy currently serves as a realtor at ReeceNichols Real Estate. She previously served as president of the Northland Regional Chamber of Commerce, vice president of membership for the Independence Chamber of Commerce, and as executive director of the Richmond Area Chamber of Commerce. Ms. Tracy further serves as a member of the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the American Chamber of Commerce Executives.
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MIL-OSI USA: N.M. Delegation Files Amicus Brief Urging Ninth Circuit Court to Affirm that Federal Law Requires Hospitals to Provide Emergency Care, Including Abortion
US Senate News:
Source: US Senator for New Mexico Ben Ray Luján
After the Supreme Court dismissed Idaho v. United States, returning it to the Ninth Circuit Court, 259 Members of Congress ask the Ninth Circuit to affirm that federal law ensures abortion care qualifies as “emergency stabilizing care” under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), and hospitals participating in Medicare must provide “emergency stabilizing treatment” to patients, including abortion care, when necessary.
The N.M Delegation joins the brief as New Mexico’s highly impacted health system continues to serve patients from neighboring states with restrictions on reproductive health care.
“In this case, respecting the supremacy of federal law is about more than just protecting our system of government; it is about protecting people’s lives.”
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), and Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) submitted an amicus brief to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in Moyle v. United States and Idaho v. United States, two consolidated cases concerning the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) under consideration by the en banc Ninth Circuit. EMTALA is a federal law that requires hospitals that receive Medicare funding to provide necessary “stabilizing treatment” to patients experiencing medical emergencies, which includes abortion care.
After the Dobbs decision in 2022, an anti-abortion law in Idaho went into effect, making it a felony for a doctor to terminate a patient’s pregnancy unless it is “necessary” to prevent the patient’s death. The United States sued the State of Idaho, arguing that the state’s law is preempted by existing federal law in those circumstances in which abortion may not be necessary to prevent imminent death, but still constitutes the “necessary stabilizing treatment” for a patient’s emergency medical condition. The district court agreed; it held that in those limited, but critically important situations, EMTALA requires Medicare-participating hospitals to provide abortion as an emergency medical treatment. Idaho Republicans appealed that ruling to the Supreme Court.
In March, 258 lawmakers, including the N.M. Congressional Delegation, filed an amicus brief, asking the Supreme Court to affirm the district court decision. In June, the Supreme Court dismissed the case but without a ruling on the merits, sending the case back to the Ninth Circuit Court and reinstating the district court’s injunction.
In their brief in support of the Justice Department, the lawmakers state “he 99th Congress passed EMTALA to ensure that every person who visits a Medicare-funded hospital with an ‘emergency medical condition’ is offered stabilizing treatment.” The lawmakers continued in their amicus brief, “Congress chose broad language for that mandate, requiring hospitals that participate in the Medicare program to provide ‘such treatment as may be required to stabilize the medical condition.’… That text—untouched by Congress for the past three decades—makes clear that in situations in which a doctor determines that abortion constitutes the ‘ecessary stabilizing treatment’ for a pregnant patient, federal law requires the hospital to offer it. Yet Idaho has made providing that care a felony, in direct contravention of EMTALA’s mandate.”
The lawmakers point to numerous reports of OB/GYNs leaving Idaho en masse since the state’s abortion ban went into effect — Idaho has since lost fifty-five percent of its maternal-fetal medicine specialists, and three rural hospitals have shut down maternity services altogether.
“These are not hypothetical scenarios. Because Idaho’s abortion ban contains no clear exceptions for the “emergency medical conditions” covered by EMTALA, it forces physicians to wait until their patients are on the verge of death before providing abortion care. The result in other states with similar laws has been ‘significant maternal morbidity,’” wrote the lawmakers, pointing to harrowing reports of pregnant women with severe health complications being denied necessary abortion care. The lawmakers’ brief also counters an argument from Idaho and its amici that the Supremacy Clause does not apply in this case because EMTALA was passed using Spending Clause authority, and therefore acts only as a condition on Medicare funding. The lawmakers make clear that all laws passed by Congress are entitled to preemption — regardless of their source of constitutional authority — and states cannot pass laws that make it impossible for private parties to accept federal funding, inhibiting the purpose of the federal law.
“EMTALA requires abortion when necessary to stabilize a patient with an emergency medical condition, Idaho’s near-total abortion ban is preempted to the extent that it prevents doctors from providing that care,” the lawmakers wrote. “This Court should reject Appellants’ novel theory that EMTALA is not entitled to preemptive effect because it was enacted pursuant to Congress’s spending power. Under the Supremacy Clause, all ‘the constitutional laws enacted by congress,’ constitute ‘the supreme Law of the Land,’. As the Supreme Court has repeatedly held, the principle of federal supremacy applies to laws passed pursuant to Congress’s spending authority no less than it does to laws effectuating other enumerated powers.”
“In sum, EMTALA plainly requires hospitals that participate in the Medicare program to provide abortion care when, in a doctor’s medical judgment, it constitutes the ‘ecessary stabilizing treatment’ for a patient’s ‘emergency medical condition.’”
The amicus brief was led by U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and U.S. Representatives Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), Richard Neal (D-Mass.), Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), and Barbara Lee (D-Calif.).
The lawmakers’ amicus brief to the Supreme Court can be read in full here. -
MIL-OSI USA: Luján Statement on Historic Formal Apology by President Biden for Traumatic Federal Indian Boarding School Policies
US Senate News:
Source: US Senator for New Mexico Ben Ray Luján
Luján Previously Introduced Legislation to Establish a Truth and Healing Commission
Santa Fe, N.M. – U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, issued the following statement regarding President Biden’s historic formal apology for the past injustices of the federal government’s Indian Boarding School Policies:
“Today’s long-awaited apology is a step in the right direction to heal from the intergeneration trauma inflicted by the federal government’s Indian Boarding School Policies. Across our Native communities and Tribal Nations, many continue to bear the scars from this dark time in our nation’s history. I applaud President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Secretary Haaland for fully acknowledging the harms of the past and for this effort to begin on the road toward healing Tribal families.
“Acknowledging the injustices of the boarding school era is just the first step toward reconciliation. I was honored to introduce the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies in the United States Act – legislation that seeks healing for stolen Native children and their communities, and I will continue to fight to get this, and similar legislation passed and signed into law.
“Let us never forget the scars inflicted on our Native brothers and sisters. Today, we are entering a chapter in the reconciliation process, and we must continue to right the wrongs of the boarding school era and ensure it is never repeated.” -
MIL-OSI USA: Luján, Leger Fernández Welcome $8.6 Million Federal Investment for New Mexico’s Digital Equity Plan
US Senate News:
Source: US Senator for New Mexico Ben Ray Luján
Multi-Million Dollar Investment Made Possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
Santa Fe, N.M. – U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Chair of the Subcommittee on Communications, Media, and Broadband, and U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) welcomed $8,673,975 to implement key digital equity initiatives in New Mexico. This funding comes from the $1.44 billion State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program, one of three Digital Equity Act grant programs created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that Senator Luján and Representative Leger Fernández helped pass into law.
This funding is part of the “Internet for All” initiative, a key component of the Biden-Harris administration’s “Investing in America” agenda. New Mexico will use this funding to implement its digital equity plan, which outlines how the state will empower individuals and communities with the tools and skills necessary to benefit from meaningful access to affordable, reliable, high-speed Internet service.
“In today’s world, a reliable broadband connection is not a luxury, but rather a necessity for everyday life,” said Luján. “This more than $8.6 million investment by the NTIA will deliver critical broadband connection and boost digital literacy in communities across New Mexico. I’m proud to have helped deliver this funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will continue to work to close the digital divide once and for all.”
“We know in New Mexico that we are all connected by history, family, culture and herencias. However, in today’s world, we need to also be connected digitally. When we invest in digital equity, we are investing in education, healthcare, and economic opportunity for every family across New Mexico regardless of their income or background,” said Leger Fernández. “This $8.6 million in investments made possible by our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will help bridge the digital divide, making sure that our rural, Tribal, and communities of opportunity can fully participate in today’s economy.”
This approval is from the first funding round of the Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program, which made available more than $800 million for states, including Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, U.S. Territories, and Native Entities to apply for grants to implement their digital equity plans. These plans were developed under the State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program. Awards of funding will require additional review and approval of State-submitted documentation. -
MIL-OSI Video: Lebanon/Israel, UNRWA, Sudan & other topics – Daily Press Briefing (25 Oct 2024) | United Nations
Source: United Nations (Video News)
Noon briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
-Secretary-General travels
-Occupied Palestinian territory
-UNRWA
-Lebanon/Israel
-Lebanon/humanitarian
-Sudan
-Ukraine
-Deputy Secretary-General
-Cuba
-Audiovisual Heritage
-Guests and Briefings todaySECRETARY-GENERAL TRAVELS
The Secretary-General is traveling back to New York from Kazan, in the Russian Federation, and he will be back at the United Nations for the Security Council meeting on Monday.
On the margins of the BRICS Summit in Kazan, the Secretary-General met last night with Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation.
The Secretary-General reiterated his position that the Russian invasion of Ukraine was in violation of the United Nations Charter and international law. He further underlined United Nations support for peace, in line with the remarks he delivered at the BRICS summit.
The Secretary-General expressed his belief that establishing freedom of navigation in the Black Sea is of paramount importance for Ukraine, the Russian Federation and for the world’s food and energy security. He fully supports the continuation of negotiations in this regard and expresses his deep appreciation for the work being done by Türkiye.OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
The Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is extremely alarmed by developments at Kamal Adwan Hospital in North Gaza, one of the last functioning medical facilities for civilians who are being killed, injured and trapped by the tightening Israeli siege.
This morning’s reports of a military raid on the hospital are deeply concerning. As we have said repeatedly, hospitals must be protected, both from use for military purposes and from attack, by any party to the conflict.
The World Health Organization says that since the reported raid, the agency has lost touch with personnel at Kamal Adwan.
Yesterday, WHO – accompanied by OCHA, the UN Mine Action Service, and partners – reached Kamal Adwan. The mission took 20 hours, with the team arriving back at 3:30 a.m. this morning. While on their way, the team reported long delays at checkpoints, as hostilities continued nearby, and said that local UN staff were temporarily detained at a mobile checkpoint. The team transferred 23 patients and more than two dozen caregivers from Kamal Adwan to Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.
The mission also delivered 10,000 litres of fuel, 180 units of blood, and enough trauma and surgical supplies for 1,600 interventions at Kamal Adwan. And they supplied a range of medicines sufficient for about 5,000 patients.
Kamal Adwan must be protected. It is the only minimally functional hospital providing trauma care in all of North Gaza governorate. Al Awda Hospital remains isolated due to hostilities in its vicinity.
OCHA warns that the humanitarian crisis in North Gaza is rapidly worsening, with humanitarian essentials in extremely short supply. Moreover, the vast majority of attempts to deliver critical assistance continue to be denied or impeded.
Today, Israeli authorities once again denied permission for the delivery of essential food and water supplies to Jabalya.
OCHA warns that intense hostilities persist across the Gaza Strip, including the south. Overnight, an Israeli raid on multiple neighbourhoods of Khan Younis left scores dead and many more injured, including numerous women and children. During the operation, families sought safety in An Nasser hospital, the Maan UNRWA school, and the Al Mawasi area, with most returning home after Israeli forces withdrew. Reports indicate widespread damage to homes, leaving people in urgent need of tents, tarpaulins to cover damaged shelters, hot meals, and clean water.
In the West Bank, OCHA reports that during this month alone, more than 100 incidents linked to Israeli settlers have led to Palestinian casualties and property damage. In October overall, there were some 180 settler-related incidents in almost 90 Palestinian communities across the West Bank, with more than half of these cases involving the olive harvest season.Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=25%20October%202024
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MIL-OSI Video: Why actor Edward Norton champions biodiversity | United Nations ‘Awake at Night’ podcast teaser
Source: United Nations (Video News)
Acclaimed actor, filmmaker and three-time Academy Award nominee Edward Norton has long been raising his voice on behalf of the planet and its most vulnerable communities. As a UN Goodwill Ambassador for Biodiversity, he is championing the protection of biodiversity for the well-being of all.
“It’s quite heartbreaking. I started diving, when I was 14, in the Caribbean. The change to the reef environments in the Caribbean in my adult lifetime is staggering and really upsetting. Reefs are in just terrible shape, terrible shape. Bleached, covered with algae, fish a fraction of what they were. What was vibrant and colorful and rich is just sort of denuded. It looks like a burnt forest or something. It’s just not, it’s not as alive.”
Working closely with communities in East Africa and around the world, Edward Norton is pushing for conservation that also tackles poverty by providing sustainable sources of income for local communities.
In this special episode, the Hollywood star reflects on his activist upbringing, his hopes for his children, and on balancing a successful acting career with a rich, varied and meaningful life.
Listen to the full episode on www.un.org/en/awake-at-night, UN YouTube or your favourite podcast platforms.
About Awake at Night
Hosted by Melissa Fleming, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, the podcast ‘Awake at Night’ is an in-depth interview series focusing on remarkable United Nations staff members who dedicate their career to helping people in parts of the world where they have the hardest lives – from war zones and displacement camps to areas hit by disasters and the devastation of climate change. -
MIL-OSI Canada: Manitoba Government Celebrates Recipients of 2024 Manitoba Healthy Aging Awards
Source: Government of Canada regional news
October 25, 2024
Manitoba Government Celebrates Recipients of 2024 Manitoba Healthy Aging Awards
The Manitoba government is honouring Manitobans aged 65 and older at the annual Manitoba Healthy Aging Awards to celebrate people who have dedicated their time to improving the health and well-being of older adults as they age in their homes and communities, Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Uzoma Asagwara announced today.
“Seniors have made this province what it is today: a wonderful place to live,” said Asagwara. “These awards are well-deserved, and I want to congratulate each outstanding individual for their dedication to supporting safe and healthy aging in their communities.”
The minister will present awards in three categories:
- Older Adult of the Year Award – recognizing older adults who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in advocating for seniors in their communities;
- Healthy and Active Living Ambassador Award – recognizing older adults helping their peers stay physically active and healthy; and
- Intergenerational Impact Award – recognizing voluntary contributions of Manitobans that have created innovative solutions to improve the health of older adults in the community through meaningful intergenerational activities.
The ceremony will be held today at the Manitoba Legislative Building to coincide with Seniors and Elders Month, the minister noted.
For more information about the awards and award recipients, visit www.gov.mb.ca/seniors/index.html.
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MIL-OSI USA: Tonko Applauds $215 Million Federal Grant Awarded to Replace Livingston Avenue Bridge
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Paul Tonko (Capital Region New York)
ALBANY, NY — U.S. Congressman Paul D. Tonko today celebrated the award of $215,104,000 to New York State Department of Transportation to replace the Livingston Avenue Bridge. For years, Tonko has campaigned for federal funding for the Livingston Avenue Bridge project. Earlier this year, he wrote to the Federal Railroad Administration calling for the project to be funded.
“The Livingston Avenue Bridge is a vital point of connection between Albany and Rensselaer and makes up the only Upstate New York passenger rail crossing over the Hudson,” Congressman Tonko said. “This Civil War-era rail bridge has long been in need of replacement to meet the needs of our communities. Now, at long last, this funding will help pave the way for groundbreaking improvements that will bolster rail service and reliability, and offer safe and easy access for pedestrians. I’m proud to have played a role in pushing for this vital funding to our region, and am grateful to all those whose efforts have driven this project forward.”
The proposed project involves construction to replace a passenger rail bridge, built in 1865, spanning the Hudson river. The new bridge will improve service and reliability along the Empire Corridor, while also providing pedestrians and cyclists with a safe, convenient, and easy-to-access Hudson River crossing. The project meets modern rail standards, allowing for simultaneous two-track operation, removing current speed restrictions, increasing operating speeds, and more.
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MIL-OSI USA: Kelly presents $500,000 in Community Project Funding in Corry, highlights broadband expansion project
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA)
CORRY, Pa. — Today, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) presented $500,000 in Community Project Funding to officials with Impact Corry for the organization’s ongoing Corry Area Technology & Cyber Hub (CATCH) project during a ceremony hosted by the Corry Higher Education Council.
During the news conference, Kelly and local officials highlighted the benefits that reliable high-speed internet brings to the local economy. They also provided an update about the forthcoming #LiveConnected broadband expansion project spearheaded by Impact Corry.
“Reliable internet is a critical tool for both families and businesses to succeed in the twenty-first century. The work Impact Corry is doing to establish high-speed internet in this corner of Erie
County is a gamechanger, and it aims to provide a return on taxpayer dollars,” said Rep. Kelly.“Great strides, like the #LiveConnected program, would not be happening without the advocacy and support of our elected officials like Representative Mike Kelly,” said Charles Gray, Executive Director of Impact Corry.
Impact Corry, along with the City of Corry and the Corry Redevelopment Authority, applied for the funding through the 2022 Community Project Funding process.
This project funding will go toward installing high-speed broadband infrastructure across the Corry area, along with a regional cloud system, work-at-home job training, and other technology-related initiatives.
One of the largest challenges facing rural communities and small towns is broadband access and limited technology options. This project aims to address those challenges. You can learn more about CATCH here.
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MIL-OSI USA: Pappas Introduces Multi-State Worker Tax Fairness Act
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)
This week, Representatives Chris Pappas (NH-01), Jim Himes (CT-04), and Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05) introduced the Multi-State Worker Tax Fairness Act. This bill establishes a uniform standard for taxing income based on physical presence in a state. In doing so, the bill prohibits a state from taxing a nonresident’s income earned when the individual was not physically in that state.
“Every dollar hard-working Granite Staters can keep in their pocket matters, and workers must be protected from unfair, out-of-state taxes,” said Congressman Chris Pappas. “The Multi-State Worker Tax Fairness Act would protect individuals who telework for a company in a state different from the one they reside in from over-taxation. I will continue to fight for tax fairness for all.”
“Despite a pandemic-driven surge in telework, conflicting state tax rules still burden employees and discourage working from home,” said Congressman Jim Himes. “There is no good reason why residents of Connecticut who work from home offices in Connecticut should be paying taxes to any other state. It is time to modernize our laws to support an evolving workforce and protect Americans from unfair over-taxation.”
“The Multi-State Worker Tax Fairness Act is essential for cutting taxes and ensuring people in New Jersey keep more of their hard-earned dollars where they belong — in their own pockets,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer. “By clarifying that they should only pay taxes to the state where they live and work, we’re not just protecting their financial well-being — we’re ensuring they aren’t double taxed by a state they don’t even set foot in.”
You can view the full text of the bill here.
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MIL-OSI USA: NH Delegation Joins EPA in Announcing Nearly $35 Million for Water Infrastructure in New Hampshire
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)
Today the New Hampshire delegation joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in announcing $35 million for New Hampshire in new funding under the bipartisan infrastructure law to upgrade water infrastructure and keep communities safe.
“Our drinking water and waste water systems in New Hampshire require investment and modernization to serve the needs of Granite Staters. That is why I fought to pass the bipartisan infrastructure law to deliver these federal resources to New Hampshire,” said U.S. Representative Chris Pappas. “I’ll keep fighting to ensure this law benefits Granite Staters by delivering clean drinking water, protecting our environment, and helping our communities and economy grow for the future.”
“The health and vitality of Granite State communities depend on clean water,” said U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen. “As a lead negotiator of the water provisions of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, I’m thrilled to see this funding headed to New Hampshire to strengthen our wastewater infrastructure, address forever chemicals and keep our lakes and rivers clean.”
“Every Granite Stater deserves safe, clean drinking water, and this new $34 million in funding for New Hampshire through the bipartisan infrastructure law will help make that possible for more families,” said U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan. “I helped negotiate and pass into law this historic infrastructure package to help deliver results for our communities, and I am pleased to see these continued investments flowing to New Hampshire to upgrade our water systems and protect public health.”
“Safe, clean water is essential to the health and well-being of our communities, our economy, and our way of life,” said U.S. Representative Annie Kuster. “With these resources made available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, New Hampshire will be able to make critical improvements to our state’s water infrastructure, protect our freshwater ecosystems, and ensure more families and businesses have access to clean drinking water.”
“Water keeps us healthy, sustains vibrant communities and dynamic ecosystems, and supports economic opportunity. When our water infrastructure fails, it threatens people’s health, peace of mind, and the environment,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “With the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s historic investment in water, EPA is working with states and local partners to upgrade infrastructure and address local challenges—from lead in drinking water, to PFAS, to water main breaks, to sewer overflows and climate resilience. Together, we are creating good-paying jobs while ensuring that all people can rely on clean and safe water.”
“Clean, reliable water is at the heart of every thriving community. Yet too many communities—especially those overburdened by pollution or left behind by past investments—face challenges accessing the resources they need to upgrade water infrastructure,” said EPA Regional Administrator David W. Cash. “Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration, we are delivering transformative funding to support local solutions to water issues, from fixing aging infrastructure to addressing emerging contaminants like PFAS. These investments don’t just protect public health and reduce pollution in waterways; they also create good-paying jobs and help communities become more resilient for the future.”
These bipartisan infrastructure law funds will flow through the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (CWSRF and DWSRF), a long-standing federal-state water investment partnership. This multibillion-dollar investment will fund state-run, low-interest loan programs that address key challenges in financing water infrastructure. Today’s announcement includes allotments for bipartisan infrastructure law Clean Water General Supplemental funds for New Hampshire ($24,867,000), Emerging Contaminant funds ($2,146,000), and $7,640,000 under the Drinking Water Emerging Contaminant Fund.
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