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Category: KB

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crapo, Tillis, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Increase Housing Supply, Reduce Costs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo

    Washington, D.C–U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), Ruben Gallego (D-Arizona), Katie Britt (R-Alabama), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and Alex Padilla (D-California) recently introduced the bipartisan Housing Supply Expansion Act of 2025, which would modernize the federal definition of “manufactured housing” to include modular or prefabricated homes built without a permanent chassis. By allowing off-chassis manufactured homes, the bill expands consumer access to more efficient and cost-effective designs, providing greater architectural flexibility to better integrate into existing neighborhoods.

    “We must find new, innovative ways to expand affordable housing venues so more individuals can achieve the American Dream of owning their home,” said Senator Crapo. “It is time to throw out established norms and cut bureaucratic hurdles that stand in the way of innovative designs to increasing affordable housing.”

    “I’m proud to support this commonsense legislation that expands housing options for hardworking families in North Carolina and across the country,” said Senator Tillis. “By modernizing the definition of manufactured homes, we can encourage innovative and affordable designs and help more Americans achieve the dream of homeownership.”

    “Manufactured housing plays an important role in helping more Americans access homeownership, but we need to make sure outdated regulations aren’t preventing newer, potentially more innovative models from coming to market,” said Senator Scott. “This legislation will remove red tape and lower the costs of building these types of homes, increasing access to affordable housing opportunities for Americans across the country.”

    “Manufactured homes are some of the most affordable housing solutions on the market, but outdated laws are preventing newer, safer models from becoming widely available,” said Senator Gallego. “Our bipartisan bill makes a simple update to allow for greater design flexibility and bring down the cost of manufactured homes.”

    “We need to build as many homes as we can to address our national shortage, and we can’t let outdated rules needlessly constrain supply,” said Senator Schatz. “Our bill will unlock manufactured homes in both urban and rural areas around the country, making manufactured homes and all housing more accessible and affordable.”

    “With this small adjustment, our legislation would help increase the production of affordable housing in California during a historic housing crisis,” said Senator Padilla. “Simply modifying the definition of manufactured houses would cost the government nothing and could unlock greater design flexibility while increasing the desperately needed affordable housing supply.”

    Full text of the bill is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Following Capito-led Efforts, Administration Releases Education Formula Funding to States

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS), announced that the U.S. Department of Education will officially release the remaining anticipated education formula funding to states—an issue she has heard about directly from impacted individuals.

    On July 16, Senator Capito led a group of her Republican colleagues in a letter to Russell Vought, Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), advocating to release this funding. Shortly after sending that letter, OMB Director Vought notified Senator Capito that the funding to support 21st Century Community Learning Centers would be released. Today’s announcement means that all of the remaining funding requested is now unfrozen. Click here to read the full letter.

    “The education formula funding included in the FY2025 Continuing Resolution Act supports critical programs that so many rely on. The programs are ones that enjoy longstanding, bipartisan support like after-school and summer programs that provide learning and enrichment opportunities for school aged children, which also enables their parents to work and contribute to local economies, and programs to support adult learners working to gain employment skills, earn workforce certifications, or transition into postsecondary education. That’s why it’s important we continue to protect and support these programs. I made this clear to OMB Director Vought and was glad he followed through on my request to release all of the education formula dollars that states across the country are expecting to receive,” Senator Capito said.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Korea Sets the Stage for a Resilient, Innovative Future in the Asia-Pacific Incheon, Republic of Korea | 26 July 2025 Issued by the APEC Secretariat Issued by the APEC Secretariat

    Source: APEC – Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation

    The Republic of Korea is set to host the Third Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM3) and Related Meetings, aiming to drive critical policy discussions on regional economic integration, digital transformation, and sustainable growth. 

    From 26 July to 15 August 2025, Incheon will be the focal point for around 5,000 delegates from 21 APEC economies as they participate in 200 sessions to tackle some of the most pressing challenges facing the region today.

    Incheon, a city at the heart of Korea’s rapid economic and technological evolution, provides the perfect backdrop for these high-level deliberations. Known for its strategic location and modern infrastructure, the city has emerged as a global hub for innovation and international trade. Its role as a center for cutting-edge technologies and sustainable development makes it an ideal venue for discussions on the future of the Asia-Pacific region.

    “We are at a critical juncture for the region,” said Ambassador Yoon Seong-mee, Chair of the 2025 APEC Senior Officials’ Meeting. “These discussions are not just about immediate policy shifts—they are about laying the groundwork for the future of the Asia-Pacific. Through APEC, we have a unique opportunity to drive innovation, strengthen trade links and build resilience against the shocks of the future.”

    Under the overarching theme “Building a Sustainable Tomorrow,” this meeting cluster will explore critical issues that extend beyond traditional trade and investment including AI-driven growth, digital economy policies, food security and supply chain resilience. Building on the work plans and cooperative projects initiated earlier this year, members are expected to review progress and explore ways to deliver tangible outcomes ahead of the APEC Leaders’ Meeting later this year.  

    The APEC High-Level Dialogue on Anti-Corruption Cooperation (AHDAC), Digital and AI Ministerial Meeting (DMM), Food Security Ministerial Meeting (FSMM), and the Women and the Economy Forum (WEF) are among the major events on the SOM3 agenda, where officials will align on policy frameworks that not only respond to the current needs of the Asia-Pacific but also anticipate the changes the region will face in the decades to come. 

    To gather a broad range of private sector perspectives on Korea’s key deliverables for its 2025 APEC host year—namely, cooperation on AI and demographic change—public-private dialogues on both topics are also planned.

    By addressing anti-corruption efforts and promoting transparency, the digital divide, advancing gender equality in the economy, and creating sustainable food systems, the meetings will underscore APEC’s commitment to a more inclusive, prosperous future. 

    “The Asia-Pacific is navigating complex challenges, from digital disruption to demographic shifts,” said Eduardo Pedrosa, Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat. “The meetings at Incheon will provide a unique opportunity for APEC economies to collaborate on advancing AI, digital economy policies and responses to the pressing issue of demographic change. Our collective actions today will have a lasting impact on the region’s future resilience.”

    The meetings will conclude on 15 August 2025 with a press conference at Songdo Convensia, where Ambassador Yoon and Executive Director Pedrosa will provide a summary of the outcomes and outline key priorities for APEC in the coming months.

    “Korea’s role as host is about more than just convening these meetings,” concluded Ambassador Yoon. 

    “It is about setting a clear vision for the future of APEC, one that ensures economic sustainability, fosters innovation and addresses the most urgent challenges of our time. We are excited to work together with all stakeholders to turn this vision into concrete actions that benefit the entire Asia-Pacific region.”

    The dates for the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week have also been announced, marking a key moment in the 2025 APEC calendar. The Concluding Senior Officials’ Meeting will take place on 27-28 October, followed by the APEC Ministerial Meeting on 29-30 October and culminating with the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting on  31 October to 1 November. For more information, click here access the calendar via this link.

    For further details and media inquiries, please contact:
    [email protected]
    [email protected]

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

    July 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Minnesota Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Adverse Weather

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Minnesota of the Aug. 25 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by excessive rain, hail, and high winds occurring April 17-Sept. 15, 2024.

    The disaster declaration covers the Minnesota counties of Big Stone, Grant, Stevens, Traverse and Wilkin, Richland County in North Dakota as well as Roberts County in South Dakota.

    Under this declaration SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.

    EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the small business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

    “Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”  

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    To apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    The deadline to return economic injury applications is Aug 25, 2025.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray, Commerce Director Nguyễn, WA Clean Energy and Business Leaders Highlight How Clean Energy Cuts in Republican Law Will Raise Energy Costs, Kill Jobs in WA State

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Elimination of clean energy tax credits in Republican legislation recently signed into law could cost WA over $8.7 billion, raise household electricity costs by 12 percent; cost 21,800 jobs in Washington state

    ***WATCH FULL EVENT HERE; PHOTOS AND B-ROLL HERE***

    Washington, D.C. –  Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, held a roundtable discussion at the Seattle City Light Denny Substation in downtown Seattle with Washington State Commerce Director Joe Nguyễn and labor, clean energy, and business leaders to discuss how cuts to critical clean energy tax credits in President Trump and Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act—which was recently signed into law—will raise energy prices for Washington state households, kill thousands of clean energy jobs, and put billions of dollars in new investments for Washington state projects at risk.

    Joining Senator Murray for the event were Joe Nguyễn, Director, Washington Department of Commerce; Dawn Lindell, CEO of Seattle City Light; Christine Reid, Political Director for IBEW 77; Gregg Small, Executive Director of Climate Solutions; and Brandon Provalenko, General Manager of Western Solar in Bellingham.

    The One Big Beautiful Bill Act rapidly phases out critical clean energy tax credits that Democrats passed in the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022, and will slow the construction of solar, wind, and battery projects, which made up over 90 percent of new electricity connected to the grid last year. So far in Washington state, the clean energy tax credits from the Inflation Reduction Act have generated at least $978 million in new private-led investment across seven energy manufacturing facilities in the state. $8.75 billion in outstanding investments to 27 facilities in Washington are at risk under the cuts in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The U.S. Climate Alliance estimates 21,800 Washingtonians will lose their jobs by 2030 due to the reconciliation bill’s cuts to clean energy and manufacturing tax credits, and Washington households will face a $115 annual increase in their energy bills by 2029. The legislation threatens Washington’s energy security and electric grid reliability by stifling renewable energy development at a time of soaring electricity demand. A one-pager from Energy Innovation on how the energy provisions in the Republican bill will affect Washington state is HERE.

    “The fact is, we need clean and renewable energy now more than ever. It’s critical to secure our grid, tackle the climate crisis—and lower costs! That’s why I worked hard to secure clean energy tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act. Then, Trump and Republicans came in like a wrecking ball—with truly shortsighted and destructive cuts. The harm to our clean energy sector is really immense,” Senator Murray said. “It’s an uphill battle to reverse so much damage, but I am not going to stop fighting. Everyone should know, Trump and Republicans are trying to make even more cuts to clean energy right now in our government funding bills. I’m using every bit of leverage I have as Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee to fight back and reject these cuts. And I’m using my voice—and urging everyone to use theirs as well—to shine a spotlight on what these shortsighted, damaging policy changes mean for businesses and families.”

    “This is an attack on Washington’s workers, our economy, and our values. It threatens the jobs we’ve built, makes energy more expensive for families, and puts our competitiveness at risk. These tax credits have brought real investment and real savings to communities across our state. Gutting them now would do real damage — and Washington won’t stand by and let it happen,” said Joe Nguyễn, Director for the Washington Department of Commerce.

    “The passing of the Reconciliation Bill directly impacts City Light and its customers by removing critical clean energy tax credits and incentives necessary for public and private investment in new renewable energy and energy efficiency projects,” said Dawn Lindell, General Manager and CEO, Seattle City Light. “It strips away essential support needed to keep pace with load growth forecasts. Every new megawatt of generation we add will cost significantly more than our current energy portfolio. These are costs that we must now pass on to our customers in the electric rates.”

    “At a time when we have rapidly rising energy costs and increased needs for power due largely to AI and data centers, we need more energy than ever,” said Gregg Small, Executive Director of Climate Solutions. “Renewables like solar and wind and batteries are the cheapest and fastest energy that we can build. We need to double down and accelerate the building of these resilient power sources. The Trump Administration and Republicans in Congress’ policies do the exact opposite, increasing energy costs for everybody and making it much more likely we will have blackouts at critical times.”

    “IBEW 77’s highly trained workforce stands ready to meet the clean energy challenge of the future. Our members—experienced in every facet of utility work, from generation, transmission, safe delivery, and all of the critical supporting classifications—have the skills, adaptability, and drive to build and maintain the advanced energy infrastructure our communities need. But the reduction in clean energy projects threatens this progress. When projects stall, it’s not just jobs at risk—it’s the pace of innovation and the reliability of our energy system that suffers. Our union believes we need to keep building. Investing in clean energy isn’t about today’s economy alone; it’s laying the foundation for a safer, more resilient, and more sustainable future,” said Christine Reid, Political Director for IBEW 77.IBEW 77 is one of the largest outside utility locals in the country, representing about 8,800 members across 34 Washington counties, Northern Idaho, and parts of Montana. Overall, IBEW represents over 20,000 workers in WA state alone. “Our members are on the front lines of energy infrastructure, ensuring the lights stay on and our communities remain connected and safe. In short, these cuts make it harder for new workers to enter the field and for the industry. Our IBEW members are trained and ready to build. We need to build now.”

    “This bill will accelerate rising energy costs across Washington, every household and business will feel it in their utility bills,” said Brandon Provalenko, General Manager of Western Solar in Bellingham and a member of the Washington Solar Energy Industries Association (WASEIA). “Fewer families will go solar, fewer small businesses will reduce or eliminate their bills, and we’ll face a slower, more expensive path to producing the power we need to meet our state’s growing energy demand. That’s the wrong direction, especially when solar and storage remain the fastest, cleanest, and most cost-effective solution on the table.”

    The cuts to clean energy tax credits in the legislation come at the same time as Trump and the Department of Energy’s decision to illegally cut investments provided by Congress to support the research and development of wind and solar energy, in defiance of legislation President Trump himself signed into law in March. In fiscal year 2024, Congress provided $137 million for the Department of Energy to support wind energy initiatives and provided $318 million to support solar energy. The fiscal year 2025 full-year CR that House Republicans wrote, and President Trump signed into law continued these fiscal year 2024 funding levels. But in a spend plan made public by DOE, the Trump administration revealed it is steering hundreds of millions of dollars designated by Congress to support wind and solar energy to other, favored industries—jeopardizing critical progress and ceding ground on key energy solutions of the future—among other harmful cuts. Instead of funding wind energy initiatives at $137 million, the administration is funding them at $29.8 million (a 78 percent cut), and instead of funding solar initiatives at $318 million, it is funding them at $41.9 million (an 87 percent cut).

    Senator Murray has held constant recent events—including multiple events in Washington state—to sound the alarm on Republicans’ devastating reconciliation bill and encourage constituents to raise their voices and call on their Members of Congress to oppose the legislation. Senator Murray and Democrats forced Republicans to take dozens of tough votes over a nonstop 30-hour “vote-a-rama,” which came after Democrats forced a full reading of every word of Republicans’ 940-page bill. Senator Murray spoke repeatedly on the Senate floor during debate over the bill, laying out in detail the harm the legislation would cause. Senator Murray also spoke out repeatedly on the Senate floor against Republicans’ use of a depictive so-called “current policy baseline” to hide the true cost of their deficit-busting tax cuts for billionaires.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Statement on Air Force Extending KC-46A Tanker Contract Award to Acquire Up to 75 Additional Aircraft Produced in Everett, WA

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Last month, Murray pressed Air Force Secretary Troy Meink on when the Air Force would award the next tanker production contract

    Senator Murray has long supported production of KC-46As in Everett and pushed for contract extension

    Washington, D.C. –  Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement on the Air Force’s recent decision to extend their contract with Boeing to buy up to 75 additional KC-46A aircraft. Senator Murray has been a longtime champion of KC-46A aircraft, which are produced in Everett, Washington. Last month, at a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing to review the Air Force budget request, Senator Murray questioned Air Force Secretary Troy Meink on the timeline for the Air Force awarding the next tanker production contract, and the possibility of Fairchild Air Force Base receiving KC-46As.

    “The decision by the Air Force to extend their contract with Boeing to purchase up to 75 additional KC-46As is a huge deal for Everett and the thousands of skilled aerospace workers in Washington state who are working hard every day to deliver world-class aircraft for our women and men in uniform. This announcement means billions of dollars in new investment in Washington state, and job security for talented aerospace workers in Washington state.

    “I’ve worked for years to make the case to administration officials and anyone who would listen that these next-generation air refueling tankers are critical for keeping up with China and ensuring the success of high-stakes Air Force missions across the globe—and they should continue to be produced in Washington state. Air Force Secretary Meink told me in June that the decision on the next tanker production contract would come ‘within months,’ so I’m glad to see the Air Force roll out their final decision less than a month after our conversation.

    “Extending the existing contract is not only the most cost-effective and well-considered decision for our Air Force, it’s also a boon to Washington state’s entire economy and our expert aerospace workforce.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Smith Calls for Humanitarian Aid into Gaza

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Adam Smith (9th District of Washington)

    “Israel must take immediate action and work with all possible humanitarian aid organizations to rush critically needed food and other supplies to the people in Gaza. The level of the crisis there demands emergency action. Israel’s new arrangement on delivering aid simply is not working. Israel must take all possible steps to facilitate a surge of aid into Gaza. Additionally, the United Nations and other international aid organizations must work with Israel to resolve their differences and work together so all parties can maximize the capacity of humanitarian efforts. 

    “It is unconscionable that Hamas continues to block a negotiated ceasefire, refusing both to surrender their illegitimate power in Gaza and to release the hostages that should never have been taken in the first place. It is also unconscionable that Hamas siphons off critically needed food and supplies intended for the people of Gaza and uses it instead to prop up their terrorist organization, while at the same time fighting their war against Israel by embedding themselves into the civilian population.

    “But given all of this, right now it falls to Israel to take the steps necessary to alleviate the humanitarian catastrophe facing the civilian population in Gaza. I urge President Trump and his administration to work with Israel to implement a ceasefire and dramatically increase the flow of aid into Gaza. I believe we can both continue to support Israel in their effort to defend themselves against Hamas, Iran and others in the region who continue in their efforts to attack and destroy Israel, and work immediately to relieve the suffering of the people in Gaza.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: 170 overseas companies have participated in all 8 editions of CIIE

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

    SHANGHAI, July 25 — A total of 170 overseas companies and 27 institutions have participated in all eight editions of the China International Import Expo (CIIE), according to a Friday press conference held by the expo’s organizer.

    More than 50 countries and international organizations have confirmed their presence in the comprehensive national exhibition area of this year’s expo, with Sweden and the United Arab Emirates serving as guest countries of honor, and with Kyrgyzstan participating for the first time, the expo’s organizer has said.

    This year, the contracted exhibition area for corporate businesses exceeds 330,000 square meters, the organizer noted.

    Notably, the scale of participating enterprises from Canada, Malaysia, New Zealand, Norway, Peru and other countries has reached a record high, fully reflecting the confidence of all parties in China’s economy and their enthusiasm for the CIIE, Wu Zhengping, deputy director general of the CIIE Bureau, said at the press conference.

    Wu added that this year’s CIIE will for the first time include a special area for products from the least-developed participating countries. It will also include an expanded and upgraded area showcasing African products, as well as a cross-border e-commerce selection platform to help small and medium-sized foreign enterprises enter the Chinese market smoothly.

    MIL OSI China News –

    July 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: Tourists visit Hexigten Banner of Chifeng City, China’s Inner Mongolia

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

    Tourists visit Hexigten Banner of Chifeng City, China’s Inner Mongolia

    Updated: July 26, 2025 07:46 Xinhua
    Tourists visit a stone forest scenic spot in Hexigten Banner of Chifeng City, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, July 24, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A sightseeing helicopter flies over a stone forest scenic spot in Hexigten Banner of Chifeng City, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, July 24, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Tourists ride grassland sightseeing vehicles on a grassland in Hexigten Banner of Chifeng City, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, July 24, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    This photo taken on July 24, 2025 shows a homestay at a grassland in Hexigten Banner of Chifeng City, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

    July 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Offers Disaster Assistance to California Small Businesses Economically Affected by the Vehicle Explosion Terrorism Incident

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced low interest federal disaster loans are now available to small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in California who sustained economic losses caused by the Vehicle Explosion Terrorism Incident occurring May 17-23. The SBA issued a disaster declaration in response to a request received from California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) Director Nancy Ward on July 18.

    The disaster declaration covers the California counties of Imperial, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego as well as the Arizona county of La Paz.

    Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to eligible small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs including faith‑based with financial losses directly related to this disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for aquaculture enterprises.

    EIDLs are for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business did not suffer any physical damage. They may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred.

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.625% for PNPs with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    To apply online, visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    The deadline to return economic injury applications to the SBA is April 23, 2026.

    ###

    Abot the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Minnesota Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Excessive Rain

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Minnesota of the Aug. 25 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by excessive rain occurring June 15-22, 2024.

    The disaster declaration covers the Minnesota counties of Blue Earth, Faribault, Freeborn, Martin and Waseca as well as the counties of Kossuth and Winnebago in Iowa.  

    Under this declaration SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.

    EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the small business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

    “Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”  

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    To apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    The deadline to return economic injury applications is Aug 25, 2025.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Diginex Announces Execution of Warrants Agreement, Bonus Share Issuance and Cancelation of EGM

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LONDON, July 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Diginex Limited (“Diginex” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: DGNX), a leading provider of Sustainability RegTech solutions, today announced that on July 22, 2025 Rhino Ventures Limited exercised warrants, with an exercise price of $5.13 per share, to purchase 2,250,000 ordinary shares of Diginex. The total exercise price of US$11,542,500 has been delivered in full to the Company. The warrants exercised by Rhino Ventures Limited were due to expire on 23rd July 2025.

    The board of directors of Diginex (the “Board”) has determined to terminate its plans for an 8 shares for 1 share forward stock split in favour of a bonus share issuance which is expected to be declared and distributed during the third quarter of 2025. Accordingly, the Board has determined to cancel Diginex’s extraordinary general meeting that was scheduled to take place on July 29, 2025. 

    About Diginex

    Diginex Limited (Nasdaq: DGNX; ISIN KYG286871044), headquartered in London, is a sustainable RegTech business that empowers businesses and governments to streamline ESG, climate, and supply chain data collection and reporting. The Company utilizes blockchain, AI, machine learning and data analysis technology to lead change and increase transparency in corporate regulatory reporting and sustainable finance. Diginex’s products and services solutions enable companies to collect, evaluate and share sustainability data through easy-to-use software. 

    The award-winning diginexESG platform supports 19 global frameworks, including GRI (the “Global Reporting Initiative”), SASB (the “Sustainability Accounting Standards Board”), and TCFD (the “Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures”). Clients benefit from end-to-end support, ranging from materiality assessments and data management to stakeholder engagement, report generation and an ESG Ratings Support Service.

    For more information, please visit the Company’s website:

    https://www.diginex.com/.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on the Company’s current expectations and projections about future events that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “approximates,” “believes,” “hopes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,” “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “may” or other similar expressions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results disclosed in the Company’s filings with the SEC.

    Diginex
    Investor Relations
    Email: ir@diginex.com 

    IR Contact – Europe
    Anna Höffken
    Phone: +49.40.609186.0
    Email: diginex@kirchhoff.de 

    IR Contact – US
    Jackson Lin
    Lambert by LLYC
    Phone: +1 (646) 717-4593
    Email: jian.lin@llyc.global 

    IR Contact – Asia
    Shelly Cheng
    Strategic Financial Relations Ltd.
    Phone: +852 2864 4857
    Email: sprg_diginex@sprg.com.hk 

    The MIL Network –

    July 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Faircourt Asset Management Inc. Announces July Distribution

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Toronto, July 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Faircourt Asset Management Inc., as Manager of the Faircourt Fund (CBOE:FGX), is pleased to announce the monthly distribution payable on the Shares of the below listed Fund.

    Faircourt Funds Trading Symbol Distribution Amount (per share/unit) Ex-Dividend Date Record Date Payable Date
    Faircourt Gold Income Corp. FGX $0.024 July 31, 2025 July 31, 2025 August 15, 2025

    Faircourt Asset Management Inc. is the Investment Advisor for Faircourt Gold Income Corp.

    This press release is not for distribution in the United States or over United States wire services.

    For further information on the Faircourt Funds, please visit www.faircourtassetmgt.com or
    please contact 1-800-831-0304.

    You will usually pay brokerage fees to your dealer if you purchase or sell Shares of the Fund on the CBOE Canada Exchange or other alternative Canadian trading system (an “exchange”). If the Shares are purchased or sold on an exchange, investors may pay more than the current net asset value when buying Shares of the Fund and may receive less than the current net asset value when selling them.

    There are ongoing fees and expenses associated with owning units of an investment fund. An investment fund must prepare disclosure documents that contain key information about the fund. You can find more detailed information about the fund in the public filings available at www.sedar.com. Investment funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated.

    The MIL Network –

    July 26, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Gaza: Global community must act amid reports of starvation of journalists, says IPI

    By Jamie Wiseman

    The International Press Institute (IPI) has joined calls for urgent action to halt the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Gaza as global news organisations warn that their journalists there are experiencing starvation.

    Israel must immediately allow life-saving food aid to reach journalists and other civilians in Gaza, IPI said in a statement today.

    “The international community must also put effective pressure on Israel to allow all journalists to enter and exit the territory and to document the ongoing catastrophe,”it said.

    In an unprecedented joint statement this week, the Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, BBC News, and Reuters — four of the world’s leading news agencies — said their journalists on the ground “are increasingly unable to feed themselves and their families”.

    The news outlets added: “Journalists endure many deprivations and hardships in warzones. We are deeply alarmed that the threat of starvation is now one of them.”

    Separately, Al Jazeera Media Network said in a statement that journalists on the ground “now find themselves fighting for their own survival” due to mass starvation.

    Harrowing accounts
    AFP and Al Jazeera journalists shared harrowing accounts of conditions on the ground.

    One AFP photographer was quoted as saying, “I no longer have the strength to work for the media. My body is thin and I can’t work anymore.”

    Al Jazeera Arabic’s Gaza correspondent said he was “drowning in hunger”.

    In an interview with NPR, AFP global news director Phil Chetwynd said that the news agency had been working to evacuate its remaining contributors from Gaza, which requires Israeli permission.

    The dramatic warnings come as more than 100 international humanitarian organisations said that mass starvation in Gaza was now threatening the lives of humanitarian aid workers themselves, while the civilian death toll continues to rise.


    Gaza under siege — a journalist reports on daily survival   Video: Al Jazeera

    Meanwhile, Israel continues to refuse to allow international reporters into Gaza to report and cover the war and humanitarian situation independently, obstructing the free flow of news and limiting coverage of the humanitarian crisis.

    The ongoing conflict has taken a devastating toll on journalists and media outlets in Gaza.

    Highest media death toll
    Since October 2023, at least 186 journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza — Al Jazeera puts the figure as at least 230 — the West Bank, Israel, and Lebanon, according to monitoring by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

    This is the largest number of journalists to be killed in any armed conflict in this span of time.

    Independent investigations such as those conducted by Forbidden Stories have found more than a dozen cases in which journalists were intentionally targeted and killed by the Israeli military — which constitutes a war crime under international law.

    IPI has made repeated calls, in conjunction with its partners, urging the international community to take immediate measures to protect journalists and allow unimpeded access to the strip from international media.

    Today, IPI has strongly and urgently reiterated these calls, as humanitarian conditions in Gaza rapidly deteriorate and as journalists and other civilians face man-made starvation.

    The international community must use all diplomatic means at its disposal to pressure Israel to ensure the safe flow of food aid to journalists and other civilians, said IPI in a statement.

    “The response by the international community in this critical moment could be the difference between life and death. There is no more time to lose,” IPI said.

    Jamie Wiseman is a journalist of the Vienna-based International Press Institute.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    July 26, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Gaza: Global community must act amid reports of starvation of journalists, says IPI

    By Jamie Wiseman

    The International Press Institute (IPI) has joined calls for urgent action to halt the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Gaza as global news organisations warn that their journalists there are experiencing starvation.

    Israel must immediately allow life-saving food aid to reach journalists and other civilians in Gaza, IPI said in a statement today.

    “The international community must also put effective pressure on Israel to allow all journalists to enter and exit the territory and to document the ongoing catastrophe,”it said.

    In an unprecedented joint statement this week, the Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, BBC News, and Reuters — four of the world’s leading news agencies — said their journalists on the ground “are increasingly unable to feed themselves and their families”.

    The news outlets added: “Journalists endure many deprivations and hardships in warzones. We are deeply alarmed that the threat of starvation is now one of them.”

    Separately, Al Jazeera Media Network said in a statement that journalists on the ground “now find themselves fighting for their own survival” due to mass starvation.

    Harrowing accounts
    AFP and Al Jazeera journalists shared harrowing accounts of conditions on the ground.

    One AFP photographer was quoted as saying, “I no longer have the strength to work for the media. My body is thin and I can’t work anymore.”

    Al Jazeera Arabic’s Gaza correspondent said he was “drowning in hunger”.

    In an interview with NPR, AFP global news director Phil Chetwynd said that the news agency had been working to evacuate its remaining contributors from Gaza, which requires Israeli permission.

    The dramatic warnings come as more than 100 international humanitarian organisations said that mass starvation in Gaza was now threatening the lives of humanitarian aid workers themselves, while the civilian death toll continues to rise.


    Gaza under siege — a journalist reports on daily survival   Video: Al Jazeera

    Meanwhile, Israel continues to refuse to allow international reporters into Gaza to report and cover the war and humanitarian situation independently, obstructing the free flow of news and limiting coverage of the humanitarian crisis.

    The ongoing conflict has taken a devastating toll on journalists and media outlets in Gaza.

    Highest media death toll
    Since October 2023, at least 186 journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza — Al Jazeera puts the figure as at least 230 — the West Bank, Israel, and Lebanon, according to monitoring by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

    This is the largest number of journalists to be killed in any armed conflict in this span of time.

    Independent investigations such as those conducted by Forbidden Stories have found more than a dozen cases in which journalists were intentionally targeted and killed by the Israeli military — which constitutes a war crime under international law.

    IPI has made repeated calls, in conjunction with its partners, urging the international community to take immediate measures to protect journalists and allow unimpeded access to the strip from international media.

    Today, IPI has strongly and urgently reiterated these calls, as humanitarian conditions in Gaza rapidly deteriorate and as journalists and other civilians face man-made starvation.

    The international community must use all diplomatic means at its disposal to pressure Israel to ensure the safe flow of food aid to journalists and other civilians, said IPI in a statement.

    “The response by the international community in this critical moment could be the difference between life and death. There is no more time to lose,” IPI said.

    Jamie Wiseman is a journalist of the Vienna-based International Press Institute.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    July 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: WATCH: Pressley Makes Powerful Call to Center Survivors After Successful Subpoena of Epstein Files

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

    Pressley Was Involved in Successful Subpoena, Demands Transparency, Accountability, and Healing

    “These powerful abusers have been protected by institutions that are more concerned with protecting predators than centering survivors.”

    “When you are violated, when you are groomed, when you are exploited, when you are preyed upon, when you are violated as a child—it changes you at your core, on a cellular level. It is a life sentence.”

    Video (YouTube)

    WASHINGTON – In an MSNBC interview, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) described why her work to subpoena the Epstein files is deeply personal to her. Congresswoman Pressley, who is a survivor of sexual assault, demanded healing, transparency, and accountability for those harmed by Epstein and his co-conspirators.

    As a member of the House Oversight Committee, Rep. Pressley successfully helped pass a motion to subpoena the Epstein files and is calling for the Department of Justice to release the full, complete files without delay, with the privacy of survivors respected.

    An excerpt of her remarks is available below, and the full video is available here.

    Transcript: Pressley Makes Emotional Call to Center Survivors After Successful Subpoena of Epstein Files

    MSNBC

    July 24, 2025

    JEN PSAKI: Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, a Democrat from Massachusetts, she’s also a member of the House Oversight Committee. There’s so many things I want to ask you about.

    Let me just ask you about some of these developments, the birthday book. What is the latest on the subpoena and trying to get access to that birthday book from the committee?

    REP PRESSLEY: Well, you know, in real time, we’re having to move with a nimble strategy, to follow up any new leads as they emerge.

    The fact of the matter is, Jen, that for decades, there has been a dereliction of duty here in getting accountability, truth, transparency, and justice for these survivors.

    These powerful abusers have been protected by institutions that are more concerned with protecting predators than centering survivors, and that’s what I want to really focus on here.

    Because I think — I fear — that we’ve lost the plot, that people have gotten so caught up in what they perceive to be the political gamesmanship and sport of this that they are losing sight of the survivors. 

    And I do want to take a moment just to thank Maria Farmer for her courage and her bravery. And I am — it is infuriating that for this many decades, she has been failed by so many because of these ongoing efforts to obstruct the truth.

    So it is really essential that we have the full Epstein files released. I joined Ranking Member Garcia and Congresswoman Summer Lee, Ranker for our Subcommittee, in a decisive vote to motion for the subpoena for the Epstein files, a full redacting of the victims’ names.

    Today, Ranking Member Garcia sent a letter to Chairman Comer saying, without delay, transmit this subpoena to the Department of Justice.

    And then, you know, the role — we’re doing our job in Oversight. You know this is our obligation, but it is the Department of Justice’s responsibility to ensure full compliance, and we’re giving them 30 calendar days to do that. 

    JEN: It certainly is and, and I want, you mentioned Maria Farmer, and for people who are just tuning in later in the show, she is a survivor, and one of the first people who came forward almost 30 years ago.

    And we had her on earlier in the show to talk to her about her story, for exactly the reason you mentioned, which is that there’s not enough light that is being shined — 

    REP. PRESSLEY: Almost 30 years.

    JEN: — on the survivors and the people who are so courageously speaking out. Let me ask you, because you are a survivor yourself, and you have been speaking out, and you’ve been involved in speaking out for survivors.

    You’ve, you’ve definitely, this is, this is a line people are not all walking perfectly, even people who are well-intentioned. What do you want people to understand about what people who have survived, who have been victimized, whether through this or any other scenario, as they’re reading these newspaper articles, how they’re consuming it, how it’s impacting them?

    REP. PRESSLEY: First, I think it’s important to contextualize that this smart, effective strategy by Ranking Member Garcia and Congresswoman Summer Lee yesterday was happening within the context of a Subcommittee hearing on the trafficking of children.

    And so this hearing was chosen specifically to call out the hypocrisy of Republicans in shielding abusers instead of protecting and centering survivors. 

    I’ve been doing the advocacy for survivors’ justice for all my life.

    I’m a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and sexual violence, and it is a life sentence. I think about what I experienced every single day. 

    And I know that’s true for every survivor. When you are violated, when you are groomed, when you are exploited, when you are preyed upon, when you are violated as a child — it changes you at your core, on a cellular level.

    It is a life sentence. 

    And so for those cynics or political watchers who see this as political gamesmanship or sport, it is certainly not that for me. Or those who would say that this is a distraction and don’t we have better things that we could be working on — no.

    This healing, transparency, accountability for these survivors is important, and they deserve it, and it is long overdue. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kamlager-Dove Statement on Dire Humanitarian Situation in Gaza

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager California (37th District)

    WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove released the following statement on the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza:

    “I am horrified by the escalating food and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where the civilian population is facing starvation and over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed trying to access aid in recent months. 

    “Following the Netanyahu government’s decision to lift its aid blockade on Gaza in late May, it quickly became evident that the new Trump-backed aid distribution model is costing innocent lives, not saving them. While the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation may have been established to address concerns about aid diversion, reducing the number of aid distribution sites from 400 to four—and restricting essential assistance like medicine and malnutrition treatment—has only exacerbated the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. 

    “Let me be clear: food must never be weaponized. The current aid distribution model cannot meet the growing needs of Palestinian civilians. The U.S. must support a humanitarian aid delivery system that adheres to international standards and ensures Palestinian civilians receive the lifesaving assistance they need. 

    “Trump cannot claim to be the ‘President of Peace’ if this humanitarian catastrophe only continues to worsen on his watch. For the sake of both the U.S. and Israel’s national security—and our collective humanity—Trump must prioritize securing a ceasefire to end this horrific war, return the hostages, stop the suffering of the Palestinian people, and establish a pathway to lasting peace in the region.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Schatz Introduce New Legislation to Improve Wages, Operations Transparency for Rideshare Drivers, Delivery App Workers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    July 25, 2025

    WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, on Thursday joined U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) in introducing the Empowering App-Based Workers Act, new legislation to improve transparency on how app companies operate and help boost wages for rideshare drivers and delivery app workers.

    “App-based companies purposely keep gig workers in the dark so they can grossly underpay them while also price gouging consumers,” said Murphy. “Our bill forces these companies to be transparent with workers about what they will be paid and establishes wage minimums so they can’t exploit loopholes to mislead and steal from their workers.”

    “Every day rideshare drivers and delivery app workers work long hours and travel many miles to make a living, often without knowing how much money they’ll make. Our bill would shed some light on how apps determine work assignments and pay, ensuring workers are treated and paid fairly,” said Schatz.

    Millions of workers across multiple industries, report to work by turning on an app. These platforms collect data from both workers and consumers to shape working conditions, evaluate workers, and make work-related decisions, including decisions on how much to pay a worker, which workers get which assignments, and whether, when, or for how long a worker will be suspended or ‘deactivated.’ All this is done with systems that are not transparent to workers, consumers, or regulators, creating information imbalances that mask wage theft, discrimination, and price-gouging.

    The Empowering App-Based Workers Act would create a level playing field for workers managed by digital labor platforms by:

    • Requiring disclosure of electronic monitoring and automated decision systems uses, including how they are used to determine pay and other work decisions;
    • Providing itemized receipts to workers and consumers after every work assignment;
    • Providing workers receive weekly pay statements with relevant information on their compensation;
    • Ensuring rideshare workers receive at least 75 percent of the amount paid by consumers; and
    • Stopping platforms from using interfaces that contain unfair or deceptive information on compensation.

    The bill is supported by the ACE Collaborative of New Virginia Majority, Action Center on Race and Economy, AFL-CIO, Athena, Center for Law and Social Policy, Color Of Change, Colorado Independent Drivers United, Connecticut Drivers United, Coworker, Data & Society, Drivers Union Washington/Teamsters Local 117, Economic Policy Institute, Fair Work Center, Groundwork Collaborative, Hawai‘i Workers Center, Los Deliveristas Unidos, Minnesota Uber/Lyft Drivers Association, Make the Road New Jersey, National Women’s Law Center, National Employment Law Project (NELP), New York Taxi Workers Alliance, New School Center for NYC Public Affairs, NLAN/GLOW, National Partnership for Women & Families, National Women’s Law Center Action Fund, Open Markets Institute, Portland Drivers United, Rideshare Drivers United, PowerSwitch Action, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Tech Equity Collaborative, Tennessee Drivers Union, The People’s Lobby, Towards Justice, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, and Working Washington.

    Full text of the bill is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hawley to Introduce Legislation Sending Rebate Check to Every Working American

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo)

    Friday, July 25, 2025

    Today, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) announced he will introduce legislation to send a rebate check to every working American. President Trump voiced support for this policy as recently as this morning when he discussed record-breaking tariff revenue.

    I will introduce legislation in the Senate to send a rebate check to every working person in America https://t.co/3s3ijAAuEL

    — Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) July 25, 2025

    “Working people need relief now,” Senator Hawley tweeted. “They’ve earned it. Let’s return their money to them asap.”

    Senator Hawley has long advocated for working Americans and has introduced legislation to protect unionized blue-collar workers. Senator Hawley also successfully fought to include direct payments in COVID-19 relief packages during the pandemic. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Van Hollen, 28 Senators Call on Administration to Conduct Independent, U.S.-Led Investigation into Death of American Citizen in West Bank

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    The Senators wrote, “We write with grave concern regarding the brutal killing of a Palestinian-American, Saifullah Kamel Musallet, near the West Bank town of Sinjil, on July 11, 2025. The U.S. government must conduct a credible and independent investigation into his death and hold all perpetrators accountable. Protecting and supporting U.S. citizens abroad is one of the foremost responsibilities of the U.S. government. The United States Government has failed to secure accountability for the killing of respected Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, or any of the other five American citizens – Omar Assad, Tawfic Abdel Jabbar, Mohammad Ahmed Mohammad Khdour, Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, and Amer Mohammad Saada Rabee – killed in the West Bank since January 2022. Following the Trump Administration’s sudden revocation of all U.S. sanctions against extremist settlers in the West Bank, the first five months of 2025 have seen the highest rate of settler attacks in years and the killing of another American. We urge you to pursue a different approach.”

    “Saifullah Kamal Musallet is the seventh American citizen killed in the West Bank since January 2022 — and the fifth in just the last nineteen months. The killings of these Americans in the West Bank have been met by a lack of accountability from the Netanyahu government and an inability to secure justice by the U.S. government. These failures have contributed to an unacceptable culture of impunity when it comes to incidents where civilians have been killed in the West Bank, including Americans,” they continue.

    The Senators note, “The Netanyahu government has failed to hold anyone accountable for any of these seven killings of Americans and the United States government has failed in its responsibility to protect American citizens overseas and demand justice for their deaths.”

    “It is long past time for the U.S. government to demand accountability in these killings of Americans. To that end, we urge you to immediately launch an independent investigation into the brutal killing of Saifullah Kamel Musallet, including the circumstances that blocked ambulances from reaching him. We also ask that you provide us with an update on the status of any investigations into the killings of the six other Americans who have been killed since January 2022, and provide us with a briefing on actions you are taking to ensure accountability for their deaths and to prevent future killings of Americans in the West Bank,” the Senators close.

    In addition to Senators Booker and Van Hollen, the letter was cosigned by U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Mark Warner (D-VA), Elzabeth Warren (D-MA), Marie Cantwell (D-WA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Tina Smith (D-MN), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ed Markey (D-MA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), and Chris Murphy (D-CT).

    To read the full text of the letter, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker Statement on Catastrophic Hunger in Gaza

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement:

    “Witnessing the catastrophic hunger and suffering of civilians, especially children, women, the sick and elderly, in Gaza has been heartbreaking. The crisis in Gaza must be met with an immediate and drastic surge in life-saving resources, such as desperately needed food, water, and medicine–including therapeutic foods for those suffering from severe malnutrition. It is our collective moral duty to ensure that humanitarian relief reaches those who need it most urgently.

    “The strategy of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has not worked. Proven methods to get humanitarian aid to those in need while preventing diversion to Hamas must be used to flood the zone now. Every moment of delay will cost lives and cause irreparable harm to the health of children, pregnant women, and other civilians.

    “We must do all we can to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza as part of the strategy to save lives, decrease Hamas’s influence and capabilities, release all remaining hostages, strengthen Israel’s security, and ultimately end this war. These goals are not mutually exclusive, rather they go hand-in-hand.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Secures District Court Decision Reaffirming Nationwide Injunction in Birthright Citizenship Lawsuit

    Source: US State of California

    Friday, July 25, 2025

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

    Ruling follows SCOTUS decision sending consideration of nationwide injunction back to lower courts 

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued a statement on the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts’s decision confirming the nationwide scope of its preliminary injunction in the multistate lawsuit challenging President Trump’s unconstitutional executive order seeking to end the constitutional right to birthright citizenship. The court concluded that “no workable, narrower alternative to the injunction issued originally would provide complete relief to the plaintiffs in this case.”

    “Today’s decision leaves in place a nationwide injunction in our lawsuit challenging the President’s executive order attempting to end the constitutional right to birthright citizenship while litigation continues,” said Attorney General Bonta. “It also reaffirms what we’ve argued from the start: Our states are harmed if those born in the United States are deprived of the right to citizenship. And it is unrealistic and infeasible to recognize the citizenship of those born in some states, but not others. We are pleased that the district court agreed. We will continue to fight to make sure this unconstitutional, anti-American executive order is blocked for good.”

    A copy of the court’s decision is available here.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lawmakers Across Political Spectrum Warn Trump’s K-12 Funding Freeze is Already Harming Students and Schools Nationwide

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC – Lawmakers, school districts, state leaders, and attorneys general are all sounding the alarm that President Trump’s unconstitutional withholding of $6.8 billion – including about $30 million for Rhode Island — in federal funds that Congress appropriated for K-12 education programs is harming students, teachers, and public schools nationwide.

    Despite a July 1 disbursement date enshrined in federal law, President Trump is withholding key federal K-12 funds for states and local school districts under the auspicious guise of an “ongoing programmatic review.” Trump’s abrupt freeze of this critical public school funding and adult education investment came just ahead of the U.S. Supreme Court’s six Republican-appointed justices clearing the way for the downsizing of the U.S. Department of Education at President Trump’s behest.

    U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) recently called on Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought and U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to release the $6.8 billion in funds for K-12 schools that the Trump Administration is withholding. Yesterday, ten Senate Republicans backed that call by sending a letter urging the Trump Administration to change course to avoid disrupting essential school services, such as summer instruction, teacher training, and after-school programs, as well as adult education programs that are critical to success in the workplace.

    Attorneys General from 24 states — including Rhode Island — are also pushing back against President Trump’s efforts to undermine public schools by filing a lawsuit describing the freeze on funds as both unconstitutional and “debilitating” to states just weeks ahead of a new school year.

    Due to the budget uncertainty caused by President Trump’s war on public education, officials have noted that some statewide education programs have already been forced to close their doors completely due to the loss of funds. Both Democratic and Republican Governors and state education chiefs in Arizona, Alabama, California, Massachusetts, Michigan, Oregon and more have rebuked Trump’s education funding freeze.

    “President Trump is needlessly causing budgetary chaos and making it harder for public schools to budget for the coming academic year. Furthermore, he taking away opportunities for working class people to build their skills, advance economically, and meet employers’ needs. I appreciate my ten Republican colleagues speaking up, but frankly, more Republicans should actively oppose this unconstitutional impoundment. School districts responsibly budgeted months in advance and now President Trump is needlessly making it harder for them to hire, support, and retain good teachers. Schools are now left scrambling through no fault of their own and forced into difficult staffing and programmatic cuts,” said Senator Reed.

    Reed also noted: “In addition to freezing these funds and dismantling the U.S. Department of Education, Trump’s 2026 budget proposal would cut federal education funding by 15 percent. It would cut off opportunities for students and set back America’s future workforce. President Trump allocated so much money to tax windfalls for billionaires that he is now trying to shortchange K-12 students.”

    According to an analysis from New America: “The 100 school districts that would see the worst losses per pupil are heavily concentrated in Republican-represented Congressional districts (91, compared with nine in Democrat-represented Congressional districts).”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. Senators Call on Netanyahu to Immediately Change Course in Gaza

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI), Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-IL), Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D-VA), Ranking Defense Appropriator Chris Coons (D-DE), and Ranking State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriator Brian Schatz (D-HI) released the following joint statement urging the Trump Administration to press Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to immediately change course in its war in Gaza:

    “Humanitarian conditions in Gaza are appalling and unconscionable. This week, more than 100 NGOs—including Mercy Corps, Doctors Without Borders, Save the Children, and Oxfam—warned of mass starvation spreading across Gaza. Following Prime Minister Netanyahu’s nearly 3-month blockade of humanitarian assistance, three-quarters of the population is facing emergency or catastrophic levels of hunger.

    “The handful of Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) sites are wholly inadequate to meet the needs of this starving population. Widespread problems have made GHF aid delivery chaotic and dangerous, leading to the deaths of an estimated 700 people. Yet the Trump Administration recently approved $30 million for GHF, overriding established procedures and waiving consultation with Congress.

    “While some established humanitarian organizations have been allowed to resume very limited operations, a number of restrictions and security challenges prevent them from fully functioning. To make matters worse, this week’s expansion of Israel’s military operation into central Gaza for the first time in the conflict has put at risk these few remaining operations. Moreover, the UN estimates that nearly 88 percent of Gaza is no longer accessible to civilians, leaving approximately two million people confined to a troublingly small remaining area.

    “Meanwhile, hostages remain in captivity in Gaza, including American citizens, and three out of four Israelis are calling for an end to this war. Last September, the IDF assessed that Hamas had been largely defeated militarily from its peak strength when it heinously attacked Israeli civilians on October 7, 2023 and is now effectively a “guerilla terror group.” As we know from our own experience following the attacks of September 11, 2001, there is no solely military solution to defeating a terrorist group. Continuing this war with no discernable end is not in Israel’s national security interest, and the lack of a viable “day after” plan has been a glaring mistake.

    “We call on the Trump Administration to use its considerable leverage to press Prime Minister Netanyahu to:

    • Reach a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas that releases the hostages as soon as possible.
    • Support a surge in humanitarian assistance that provides both a sufficient amount of humanitarian aid and credible mechanisms for effective distribution, including the verification and monitoring of assistance to ensure equitable distribution and to prevent Hamas from diverting assistance. Established humanitarian organizations like the World Food Programme have the experience and ability to renew their delivery of assistance without civil unrest. We must allow them to do their jobs.
    • Dramatically reform or shut down the Gaza Humanitarian Fund and resume support for the existing UN-led aid coordination mechanisms in Gaza with enhanced oversight to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches civilians in need.
    • Establish a “day after” plan for Gaza where Hamas does not retain power, Israel disavows annexation of the West Bank and further integrates into the region, a reformed Palestinian Authority is fostered and empowered, and regional partners are included in rebuilding.
    • Create a framework for a viable path back to a two-state solution that will allow the Israeli and Palestinian people to live side by side in security, dignity, and prosperity.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: July 25th, 2025 After Republicans’ Cuts Threaten Rural Healthcare, Heinrich & Luján Demand Transparency on Trump Administration’s Inadequate Rural Health Slush Fund & Backroom Deals

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, joined Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, Ron Wyden (D-OR), along with 12 of their Democratic colleagues, to demand accountability from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on how the rural health slush fund will be distributed to states and what guidance will be considered in this decision:

    In a letter to Mehmet Oz, the Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Senators demanded clarity on how the rural health slush fund will be distributed across the country. Earlier this month, Senate Republicans passed their “Big, Ugly Betrayal,” which delivered devastating cuts to the U.S. health care system – slashing funding by over $1 trillion dollars, the largest cut to healthcare in history. To try and cover up the damage of these cuts, they included a $50 billion rural health slush fund. However, this temporary fund only accounts for 5 percent of the cuts, which will have devastating, irreversible impacts. Perhaps even more alarming is the potentially blatant political distribution of this fund, underscoring the importance of accountability as to how CMS plans to award this money to states.

    “We are alarmed by reports suggesting these taxpayer funds are already promised to Republican members of Congress in exchange for their votes in support of the Big, Ugly Betrayal. In addition, the vague legislative language creating this fund will seemingly function as your personal fund to be distributed according to your political whims. As states, patients, hospitals, nursing homes and other health care providers brace for devastating cuts, we urge you to provide straightforward, detailed answers on how you plan to administer these funds,” the Senators wrote. “Republicans in Congress hastily developed the rural health slush fund to buy their members’ votes and give their caucus political cover for voting for the Big, Ugly Betrayal. Several Members of Congress have already touted your promises about the funding their states and districts will receive from the rural health slush fund.”

    Moreover, there are many questions about how the funds will be distributed. Shortly after the passage of the “Big, Ugly Betrayal,” Republican Senators took to “X” (formerly known as Twitter) to celebrate specific money for their states to support rural hospitals. Senator Britt (R-AL) tweeted: “the Senate just amended the Big Beautiful Bill to invest over $500M in Alabama’s rural hospitals.” Senator Husted (R-OH) said: “I’m proud to have secured $1.3 billion in funding for rural hospitals across Ohio—because every Ohioan deserves access to quality care close to home.” Senator Cassidy (R-LA) even noted an inequity, tweeting: “We secured a $50 billion fund to support rural hospitals. Louisiana is set to receive about 2% of that money, despite having only 1% of the U.S. population—a double share.” Since CMS has yet to release the criteria for how the funding will be awarded, there are questions about if this slush fund constituted a political pay-off.

    Additionally, the Senators noted the hasty and ill-conceived wording of the fund, which leaves it open to abuse, fraud, and re-appropriation.

    “Not only does the Republican rural health slush fund provide a meager amount of funding that fails to plug the $1 trillion hole caused by the Big, Ugly Betrayal, the fund is drafted in such a vague and open-ended manner that it is not even guaranteed to support rural health care. States are not required to use this funding to support rural hospitals or other rural health care providers. In fact, states can use funds to pay any health care providers, support technology-driven efforts like wearable devices, or fund unproven models of care that have nothing to do with rural health,” the Senators continued. “Further, there are no parameters outlined in the legislative language for how CMS should award, distribute, or rescind funding from the rural health slush fund, making it even more susceptible to abuse.”

    To combat this apparent political giveaway, the Senators demanded answers on several questions, including:

    • When will CMS provide guidance to states on criteria for an application?
    • Will they commit to clear defined criteria before distributing these funds, and an appeals process related to funding award decisions?
    • Will CMS prioritize rural providers receiving these funding awards?
    • How will CMS define proper vs improper use of funds and accountability for how CMS will hold states accountable for improper use?
    • What states/districts has the Trump administration already promised funding to?

    In addition to Heinrich, Luján, Schumer, and Wyden, other Senators who signed on to the letter include Senators Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Durbin (D-Ill.), Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Kim (D-N.J.), Markey (D-Mass.), Merkley (D-Ore.), Padilla (D-Calif.), Sanders (I-Vt.), Smith (D-Minn.), Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Warren (D-Mass.).

    The full text of the letter can be seen here and below.

    Dear Administrator Oz:

    As you know, the Republican reconciliation bill cuts funding to the U.S. health care system by over $1 trillion, and will devastate communities nationwide, with disproportionate, negative impacts on health care access in rural America. To cover up the harms of these catastrophic cuts, Trump and Republicans stood up a temporary $50 billion rural health slush fund. This meager investment amounts to just five percent of the Big, Ugly Betrayal’s largest health care cuts in history.

    We are alarmed by reports suggesting these taxpayer funds are already promised to Republican members of Congress in exchange for their votes in support of the Big, Ugly Betrayal. In addition, the vague legislative language creating this fund will seemingly function as your personal fund to be distributed according to your political whims. As states, patients, hospitals, nursing homes and other health care providers brace for devastating cuts, we urge you to provide straightforward, detailed answers on how you plan to administer these funds.

    Republicans in Congress hastily developed the rural health slush fund to buy their members’ votes and give their caucus political cover for voting for the reconciliation bill. Several Members of Congress have already touted your promises about the funding their states and districts will receive from the rural health slush fund. Before the Big, Ugly Betrayal was even signed into law, Senator Husted celebrated the $1.3 billion he claims is promised to rural hospitals in Ohio, and Senator Hawley said the bill will give $1 billion to rural hospitals in Missouri.

    Other reports suggest you promised to send funding from the rural health slush fund to districts in Pennsylvania that are not even rural. The Trump Administration’s explanation that this fund can and will be used for more than rural areas was a key fact that swayed Republicans to vote for the bill. The rural health slush fund appears to be nothing more than a political parachute to pay off members of Congress for their unpopular votes.

    Rural communities will suffer greatly because of the health care cuts enacted in the Republican reconciliation bill. One-third of all rural hospitals are already at risk of closing, and the bill will force over 330 rural hospitals to reduce service lines, convert to other types of hospitals with fewer services, or close altogether. The Big, Ugly Betrayal makes no meaningful investments in rural hospitals, rural health centers, and other rural health care providers, which have some of the most fragile operating margins in the nation, and often are the largest employers and economic engines of their communities.

    Not only does the Republican rural health slush fund provide a meager amount of funding that fails to plug the $1 trillion hole caused by the reconciliation bill, the fund is drafted in such a vague and open-ended manner that it is not even guaranteed to support rural health care. States are not required to use this funding to support rural hospitals or other rural health care providers. In fact, states can use funds to pay any health care providers, support technology-driven efforts like wearable devices, or fund unproven models of care that have nothing to do with rural health.

    Further, there are no parameters outlined in the legislative language for how CMS should award, distribute, or rescind funding from the rural health slush fund, making it even more susceptible to abuse. There is no clear definition of an appropriate state application for the rural health slush fund, CMS is not required to follow a clear formula for distribution of funds, and there are no guardrails on how CMS should claw back funding from states in cases of inappropriate use. Without more clarity, this rural health slush fund is vulnerable to the very abuse of taxpayer spending that Republicans purport to care about.

    To provide states, rural hospitals, and other health care providers clarity on the available use of funding from the rural health slush fund in advance of the December 31, 2025 deadline for CMS to approve or deny state applications, we request that you provide a staff-level briefing on the parameters of this fund as well as detailed, written responses to the following questions by August 15, 2025:

    1. When will CMS provide states with guidance on the components that should be included in an appropriate state application for funding from the fund?

    a) Will CMS provide guidance to states on applications for use of funds that are required to be distributed equally among states with an approved application?

    b) Will CMS provide guidance to states on applications for use of funds that are not required to be distributed equally among states?

    2. What percentage of program funding will CMS allocate to rural health care providers?

    a) How will CMS ensure that states use this federal funding to benefit rural hospitals and other health care facilities, providers, and patients?

    b) What is the breakdown of funding that CMS anticipates allocating across the different categories of eligible providers?

    c) How will CMS make sure that states use the funds for purposes that support the financial viability of rural hospitals and other health care providers, including by providing funding to address high fixed costs and low volumes, improve health care workforce retention and recruitment in rural areas, and replace aging infrastructure?

    3. The Big, Ugly Betrayal outlines several metrics that CMS may consider when distributing funding to states. How will CMS apply these metrics—the number of people who live in rural communities, the number of rural health facilities in a state, and the number of Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospitals (DSH) in a state—when distributing funding to states?

    4. Will CMS commit to make the formula for awarding and distributing funds to states public before making any commitments to states and before formally distributing funding?

    5. Will CMS commit to creating a public website outlining state applicants for funding, the funding formula and criteria for distributing funds, and approved state applications?

    6. How will CMS define and determine improper uses of funding? How will CMS monitor funds to ensure appropriate spending and use?

    7. Will CMS commit to establishing an appeals process for states to provide an opportunity to contest decisions made on award, distribution and/or clawback of funding?

    8. Given the ongoing hiring freeze at CMS, it appears that the agency cannot hire more people to distribute this funding. How will CMS use the $200 million in implementation funding tied to the rural health slush fund?

    a)Will CMS hire a third party to administer this fund?

    b) If yes, has CMS already committed to a hire a specific third party to administer this fund and, if so, which vendor?

    9. What other states or districts have Trump Administration officials already promised funding from the rural health slush fund to? Which states and districts have received this promised funding?

    While this taxpayer-supported rural health slush fund is wholly insufficient to plug the massive hole created by the Big, Ugly Betrayal including the 15 million people expected to lose insurance coverage, it is critical that CMS move with urgency to provide clarity to rural communities, states, hospitals, and other health care providers about the fund. We look forward to your prompt response.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: July 25th, 2025 After Republicans’ Cuts Threaten Rural Healthcare, Heinrich & Luján Demand Transparency on Trump Administration’s Inadequate Rural Health Slush Fund & Backroom Deals

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, joined Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, Ron Wyden (D-OR), along with 12 of their Democratic colleagues, to demand accountability from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on how the rural health slush fund will be distributed to states and what guidance will be considered in this decision:
    In a letter to Mehmet Oz, the Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Senators demanded clarity on how the rural health slush fund will be distributed across the country. Earlier this month, Senate Republicans passed their “Big, Ugly Betrayal,” which delivered devastating cuts to the U.S. health care system – slashing funding by over $1 trillion dollars, the largest cut to healthcare in history. To try and cover up the damage of these cuts, they included a $50 billion rural health slush fund. However, this temporary fund only accounts for 5 percent of the cuts, which will have devastating, irreversible impacts. Perhaps even more alarming is the potentially blatant political distribution of this fund, underscoring the importance of accountability as to how CMS plans to award this money to states.
    “We are alarmed by reports suggesting these taxpayer funds are already promised to Republican members of Congress in exchange for their votes in support of the Big, Ugly Betrayal. In addition, the vague legislative language creating this fund will seemingly function as your personal fund to be distributed according to your political whims. As states, patients, hospitals, nursing homes and other health care providers brace for devastating cuts, we urge you to provide straightforward, detailed answers on how you plan to administer these funds,” the Senators wrote. “Republicans in Congress hastily developed the rural health slush fund to buy their members’ votes and give their caucus political cover for voting for the Big, Ugly Betrayal. Several Members of Congress have already touted your promises about the funding their states and districts will receive from the rural health slush fund.”
    Moreover, there are many questions about how the funds will be distributed. Shortly after the passage of the “Big, Ugly Betrayal,” Republican Senators took to “X” (formerly known as Twitter) to celebrate specific money for their states to support rural hospitals. Senator Britt (R-AL) tweeted: “the Senate just amended the Big Beautiful Bill to invest over $500M in Alabama’s rural hospitals.” Senator Husted (R-OH) said: “I’m proud to have secured $1.3 billion in funding for rural hospitals across Ohio—because every Ohioan deserves access to quality care close to home.” Senator Cassidy (R-LA) even noted an inequity, tweeting: “We secured a $50 billion fund to support rural hospitals. Louisiana is set to receive about 2% of that money, despite having only 1% of the U.S. population—a double share.” Since CMS has yet to release the criteria for how the funding will be awarded, there are questions about if this slush fund constituted a political pay-off.
    Additionally, the Senators noted the hasty and ill-conceived wording of the fund, which leaves it open to abuse, fraud, and re-appropriation.
    “Not only does the Republican rural health slush fund provide a meager amount of funding that fails to plug the $1 trillion hole caused by the Big, Ugly Betrayal, the fund is drafted in such a vague and open-ended manner that it is not even guaranteed to support rural health care. States are not required to use this funding to support rural hospitals or other rural health care providers. In fact, states can use funds to pay any health care providers, support technology-driven efforts like wearable devices, or fund unproven models of care that have nothing to do with rural health,” the Senators continued. “Further, there are no parameters outlined in the legislative language for how CMS should award, distribute, or rescind funding from the rural health slush fund, making it even more susceptible to abuse.”
    To combat this apparent political giveaway, the Senators demanded answers on several questions, including:
    When will CMS provide guidance to states on criteria for an application?
    Will they commit to clear defined criteria before distributing these funds, and an appeals process related to funding award decisions?
    Will CMS prioritize rural providers receiving these funding awards?
    How will CMS define proper vs improper use of funds and accountability for how CMS will hold states accountable for improper use?
    What states/districts has the Trump administration already promised funding to?
    In addition to Heinrich, Luján, Schumer, and Wyden, other Senators who signed on to the letter include Senators Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Durbin (D-Ill.), Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Kim (D-N.J.), Markey (D-Mass.), Merkley (D-Ore.), Padilla (D-Calif.), Sanders (I-Vt.), Smith (D-Minn.), Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Warren (D-Mass.).
    The full text of the letter can be seen here and below.
    Dear Administrator Oz:
    As you know, the Republican reconciliation bill cuts funding to the U.S. health care system by over $1 trillion, and will devastate communities nationwide, with disproportionate, negative impacts on health care access in rural America. To cover up the harms of these catastrophic cuts, Trump and Republicans stood up a temporary $50 billion rural health slush fund. This meager investment amounts to just five percent of the Big, Ugly Betrayal’s largest health care cuts in history.
    We are alarmed by reports suggesting these taxpayer funds are already promised to Republican members of Congress in exchange for their votes in support of the Big, Ugly Betrayal. In addition, the vague legislative language creating this fund will seemingly function as your personal fund to be distributed according to your political whims. As states, patients, hospitals, nursing homes and other health care providers brace for devastating cuts, we urge you to provide straightforward, detailed answers on how you plan to administer these funds.
    Republicans in Congress hastily developed the rural health slush fund to buy their members’ votes and give their caucus political cover for voting for the reconciliation bill. Several Members of Congress have already touted your promises about the funding their states and districts will receive from the rural health slush fund. Before the Big, Ugly Betrayal was even signed into law, Senator Husted celebrated the $1.3 billion he claims is promised to rural hospitals in Ohio, and Senator Hawley said the bill will give $1 billion to rural hospitals in Missouri.
    Other reports suggest you promised to send funding from the rural health slush fund to districts in Pennsylvania that are not even rural. The Trump Administration’s explanation that this fund can and will be used for more than rural areas was a key fact that swayed Republicans to vote for the bill. The rural health slush fund appears to be nothing more than a political parachute to pay off members of Congress for their unpopular votes.
    Rural communities will suffer greatly because of the health care cuts enacted in the Republican reconciliation bill. One-third of all rural hospitals are already at risk of closing, and the bill will force over 330 rural hospitals to reduce service lines, convert to other types of hospitals with fewer services, or close altogether. The Big, Ugly Betrayal makes no meaningful investments in rural hospitals, rural health centers, and other rural health care providers, which have some of the most fragile operating margins in the nation, and often are the largest employers and economic engines of their communities.
    Not only does the Republican rural health slush fund provide a meager amount of funding that fails to plug the $1 trillion hole caused by the reconciliation bill, the fund is drafted in such a vague and open-ended manner that it is not even guaranteed to support rural health care. States are not required to use this funding to support rural hospitals or other rural health care providers. In fact, states can use funds to pay any health care providers, support technology-driven efforts like wearable devices, or fund unproven models of care that have nothing to do with rural health.
    Further, there are no parameters outlined in the legislative language for how CMS should award, distribute, or rescind funding from the rural health slush fund, making it even more susceptible to abuse. There is no clear definition of an appropriate state application for the rural health slush fund, CMS is not required to follow a clear formula for distribution of funds, and there are no guardrails on how CMS should claw back funding from states in cases of inappropriate use. Without more clarity, this rural health slush fund is vulnerable to the very abuse of taxpayer spending that Republicans purport to care about.
    To provide states, rural hospitals, and other health care providers clarity on the available use of funding from the rural health slush fund in advance of the December 31, 2025 deadline for CMS to approve or deny state applications, we request that you provide a staff-level briefing on the parameters of this fund as well as detailed, written responses to the following questions by August 15, 2025:
    1. When will CMS provide states with guidance on the components that should be included in an appropriate state application for funding from the fund?
    a) Will CMS provide guidance to states on applications for use of funds that are required to be distributed equally among states with an approved application?
    b) Will CMS provide guidance to states on applications for use of funds that are not required to be distributed equally among states?
    2. What percentage of program funding will CMS allocate to rural health care providers?
    a) How will CMS ensure that states use this federal funding to benefit rural hospitals and other health care facilities, providers, and patients?
    b) What is the breakdown of funding that CMS anticipates allocating across the different categories of eligible providers?
    c) How will CMS make sure that states use the funds for purposes that support the financial viability of rural hospitals and other health care providers, including by providing funding to address high fixed costs and low volumes, improve health care workforce retention and recruitment in rural areas, and replace aging infrastructure?
    3. The Big, Ugly Betrayal outlines several metrics that CMS may consider when distributing funding to states. How will CMS apply these metrics—the number of people who live in rural communities, the number of rural health facilities in a state, and the number of Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospitals (DSH) in a state—when distributing funding to states?
    4. Will CMS commit to make the formula for awarding and distributing funds to states public before making any commitments to states and before formally distributing funding?
    5. Will CMS commit to creating a public website outlining state applicants for funding, the funding formula and criteria for distributing funds, and approved state applications?
    6. How will CMS define and determine improper uses of funding? How will CMS monitor funds to ensure appropriate spending and use?
    7. Will CMS commit to establishing an appeals process for states to provide an opportunity to contest decisions made on award, distribution and/or clawback of funding?
    8. Given the ongoing hiring freeze at CMS, it appears that the agency cannot hire more people to distribute this funding. How will CMS use the $200 million in implementation funding tied to the rural health slush fund?
    a)Will CMS hire a third party to administer this fund?
    b) If yes, has CMS already committed to a hire a specific third party to administer this fund and, if so, which vendor?
    9. What other states or districts have Trump Administration officials already promised funding from the rural health slush fund to? Which states and districts have received this promised funding?
    While this taxpayer-supported rural health slush fund is wholly insufficient to plug the massive hole created by the Big, Ugly Betrayal including the 15 million people expected to lose insurance coverage, it is critical that CMS move with urgency to provide clarity to rural communities, states, hospitals, and other health care providers about the fund. We look forward to your prompt response.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: July 25th, 2025 Heinrich, Sheehy Introduce Legislation to Study Cost of Wildfires on Homeowners

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) introduced the Wildfire Insurance Coverage Study Act, legislation to better understand the cost of increasingly destructive wildfires on homeowners’ insurance coverage and identify possible measures to alleviate the financial risk of wildfires.

    “I’m hearing from more and more New Mexicans who’ve seen their insurance premiums skyrocket, lost coverage entirely, or been priced out of protecting their homes. That is completely unacceptable,” said Heinrich. “Families deserve fair, transparent coverage they can count on. We need a clearer picture of how worsening wildfires and climate risks are impacting insurance companies’ decisions to raise insurance premiums. Without better data, we can’t push back when insurers jack up rates or pull the rug out from under homeowners altogether.”

    “In addition to destroying livelihoods, wildfires that burn down communities threaten homeowners’ access to insurance coverage, lead to more costly premiums, and make the American Dream of homeownership less attainable. One-third of America lives in wildfire-prone areas, and we must get our arms around this crisis, because if you can’t get or afford homeowners’ insurance, you can’t finance your home, which means hardworking families can’t achieve homeownership. As we overhaul the federal wildfire apparatus to reduce catastrophic wildfire risk, which will help ease pressure on insurance markets, I’m also proud to lead the charge on this bill to ensure American families’ homes, financial futures, and communities are protected from wildfires,” said Sheehy.

    According to a 2023 report released by Heinrich as the former Chairman of the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee (JEC), the financial risks of wildfires are difficult to predict because fires can start for a number of reasons and because their risk to peoples’ homes at any given time is based on a complicated combination of topography, drought conditions, wind patterns, fuel amounts, and the location of houses among many other factors. This has led many insurers to either raise premium costs substantially across the board in Western and forested communities or pull out of markets entirely — with several major insurance companies declining to provide any form of coverage.

    The Wildfire Insurance Coverage Study Act will help gain a clearer understanding of the cost associated with living in areas with increasingly intense and longer fire seasons, regardless of the fire damages that occur over a year.

    Specifically, the Wildfire Insurance Coverage Study Act will require a federal study to assess the:

    • Extent and nature of growing wildfire risks in the United States;
    • The existing state of homeowners insurance coverage and commercial property insurance coverage for damage from wildfires in the United States;
    • Extent to which private insurers have refused to renew new policies because of geographical location;
    • Responses of states’ insurance regulatory agencies to increased premiums and exclusion of coverage; and
    • Need for a national wildfire risk map.

    The Wildfire Insurance Coverage Study Act is endorsed by Public Citizen and the National Association of Counties (NACo).

    Full text of the bill is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: July 25th, 2025 Heinrich, Sheehy Introduce Legislation to Study Cost of Wildfires on Homeowners

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) introduced the Wildfire Insurance Coverage Study Act, legislation to better understand the cost of increasingly destructive wildfires on homeowners’ insurance coverage and identify possible measures to alleviate the financial risk of wildfires.

    “I’m hearing from more and more New Mexicans who’ve seen their insurance premiums skyrocket, lost coverage entirely, or been priced out of protecting their homes. That is completely unacceptable,” said Heinrich. “Families deserve fair, transparent coverage they can count on. We need a clearer picture of how worsening wildfires and climate risks are impacting insurance companies’ decisions to raise insurance premiums. Without better data, we can’t push back when insurers jack up rates or pull the rug out from under homeowners altogether.”

    “In addition to destroying livelihoods, wildfires that burn down communities threaten homeowners’ access to insurance coverage, lead to more costly premiums, and make the American Dream of homeownership less attainable. One-third of America lives in wildfire-prone areas, and we must get our arms around this crisis, because if you can’t get or afford homeowners’ insurance, you can’t finance your home, which means hardworking families can’t achieve homeownership. As we overhaul the federal wildfire apparatus to reduce catastrophic wildfire risk, which will help ease pressure on insurance markets, I’m also proud to lead the charge on this bill to ensure American families’ homes, financial futures, and communities are protected from wildfires,” said Sheehy.

    According to a 2023 report released by Heinrich as the former Chairman of the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee (JEC), the financial risks of wildfires are difficult to predict because fires can start for a number of reasons and because their risk to peoples’ homes at any given time is based on a complicated combination of topography, drought conditions, wind patterns, fuel amounts, and the location of houses among many other factors. This has led many insurers to either raise premium costs substantially across the board in Western and forested communities or pull out of markets entirely — with several major insurance companies declining to provide any form of coverage.

    The Wildfire Insurance Coverage Study Act will help gain a clearer understanding of the cost associated with living in areas with increasingly intense and longer fire seasons, regardless of the fire damages that occur over a year.

    Specifically, the Wildfire Insurance Coverage Study Act will require a federal study to assess the:

    • Extent and nature of growing wildfire risks in the United States;
    • The existing state of homeowners insurance coverage and commercial property insurance coverage for damage from wildfires in the United States;
    • Extent to which private insurers have refused to renew new policies because of geographical location;
    • Responses of states’ insurance regulatory agencies to increased premiums and exclusion of coverage; and
    • Need for a national wildfire risk map.

    The Wildfire Insurance Coverage Study Act is endorsed by Public Citizen and the National Association of Counties (NACo).

    Full text of the bill is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Sierra Leone and African Development Bank Target $90 Billion in Annual Illicit Financial Flows

    Source: African Development Bank Group
    A four-day high-level seminar concluded last week with concrete recommendations to combat the estimated $90 billion that Africa loses annually to illicit financial flows, as the African Development Bank Group and Sierra Leone Government intensify efforts to strengthen natural resource governance.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

    July 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: £1.1 billion boost to improve local recycling services across England

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    £1.1 billion boost to improve local recycling services across England

    Money from packaging reforms to fund better recycling collections and cut costs for taxpayers

    Household bins lined up outside

    Every town and city across the country will receive a major boost to their recycling services, with more than £1 billion funnelled into improving critical infrastructure and collections, Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh announced today (Saturday 26 July 2025).

    Under an outdated regime, the bill for disposing of items like milk bottles, cereal boxes and soup tins is currently footed by local councils with taxpayers paying.

    Through the new Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging scheme, businesses who produce packaging will pay their fair share of the recycling costs.

    Delivering on the government’s Plan for Change, the investment will unlock regional growth, create new green jobs across the country, and boost household recycling rates which for years have failed to show significant improvement.

    Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh said:

    This government is cleaning up Britain and ending the throwaway society.

    Under the Plan for Change, we are pumping more than £1 billion into local recycling services.

    This will revolutionise how we deal with our waste and ensure more of today’s rubbish is recycled into tomorrow’s packaging.

    The scheme works by charging fees to the businesses that use packaging to meet the costs of collecting and recycling it. The costs will be higher for hard to recycle materials and less where packaging can be reused or refilled.

    This will encourage businesses to reduce the amount of packaging they use, shift to more recyclable materials and design new products that can be recycled and reused more easily, stopping waste from going to the nation’s landfills or incinerators.

    For the coming year, councils in England will receive £1.1 billion to improve recycling services for residents. This could be spent on offering local residents more streamlined recycling collections which can ensure more household waste is recycled.

    The funds can also go towards building new infrastructure or covering the costs of upgrading facilities where councils send household waste. This includes Veolia’s Integrated Waste Management Facility in Southwark, which handles and processes materials collected from homes, and then sends them to be turned into new products.

    Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution, Jim McMahon OBE MP said:

    Clean and tidy streets are something everyone wants to see, and these common-sense reforms will help councils achieve that.

    Whether it’s channelling more money into recycling or reforming the outdated funding system, we are fixing the foundations of local government so that it can focus on what matters most to people across the country.

    Gavin Graveson, CEO Veolia UK said:  

    We welcome the Government’s progress on the crucial suite of legislation that will help raise recycling rates, decarbonise and incentivise domestic infrastructure investment.

    We look forward to supporting our local authority partners to invest in the essential services they provide to collect and recycle more materials, as well as supporting brands and producers to not only design for recyclability, but also include recycled content in their products. That’s how we’ll build a world-leading, profitable and sustainable circular economy.

    Executive Director of the Environmental Services Association, Jacob Hayler said:

    Our members stand ready to invest billions, alongside local authority partners, in the next generation of recycling services, infrastructure and jobs, which will provide a rapid boost to England’s stalled recycling rates. The new producer responsibility regime for packaging, alongside other measures to simplify recycling services, will unlock this investment and support our ambition to achieve a circular economy in the United Kingdom over the next decade.

    Jim Bligh, Director of Corporate Affairs and Packaging at The Food and Drink Federation, said:

    This announcement is welcome news for both industry and consumers, coming just before producers receive their first invoices for EPR. It marks a vital step towards delivering the improvements in the UK’s recycling system that we all want and need. With a £1.4 billion annual investment from packaging producers into EPR, we’re pleased to see the government’s commitment to ensuring these funds will be used to upgrade infrastructure and resurrect our flatlining recycling rates.

    Cllr Adam Hug, environment spokesperson for the Local Government Association, said:

    It’s positive to see the costs of managing packaging waste shift to the industry creating this waste.

    Councils are proud to run some of the best recycling services in the world, with high levels of public satisfaction despite significant financial pressures.

    This success is built on council’s local knowledge and strong links with communities, and we hope the new scheme will support that work and help reduce the amount of packaging ending up in household bins.

    Libby Peake, head of resource policy at Green Alliance, said:

    For too long, the costs of dealing with packaging waste and recycling have fallen unfairly on local councils and, ultimately, taxpayers, when they have no control over the packaging businesses use. It’s absolutely right that costs are now shifting to the companies who create packaging and can figure out how to use less of it in future. This is an important step in the move away from an inefficient and wasteful system.

    The Environment Secretary has been clear that all councils must use this funding to deliver improved packaging waste collection services for their communities, with PackUK empowered to reduce future allocations if evidence shows that funding has been used for other purposes.

    The Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging scheme is a crucial part of the government’s packaging reforms, which industry estimates will support 25,000 new jobs and underpin £10 billion of investment in new sorting and processing facilities over the next decade.

    Alongside Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging, the government is introducing a Deposit Return Scheme in 2027. This will provide a financial incentive to return empty drinks containers to a collection point, such as at their local supermarket, so that bottles or cans will be recycled.

    A sensible and pragmatic approach to the collection of materials from households and workplaces is also being introduced. Simpler Recycling for workplaces went live in March 2025 and launches for households in March 2026. It will boost recycling rates and reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill.

    The action to clean up Britain doesn’t end there – with the Circular Economy Taskforce working with sectors to create a series of specific roadmaps to improve and reform the approach to using materials, underpinned by a Circular Economy Strategy which will be published in autumn.

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    Updates to this page

    Published 26 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    July 26, 2025
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