NewzIntel.com

Category: Law

  • MIL-OSI USA: Leger Fernández, Heinrich Lead Bill to Approve Water Rights Settlement for the Navajo Nation in the Rio San José Watershed

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández(D-N.M.), and U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) introduced legislation to approve the water rights settlement for the Navajo Nation as well as participating non-Tribal parties in the Rio San José watershed. U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) and Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) cosponsored the bill. 

    Leger Fernández and Heinrich previously introduced the Rio San José and Rio Jemez Water Settlements Act, which would implement the water settlements agreed to by the Pueblos of Acoma and Laguna, the United States, the State of New Mexico, and non-Tribal parties, in the Rio San José watershed. That bill received a hearing and was reported out of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee in December. The House version of this bill received a legislative hearing in the House Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee in July. The bill introduced this month would further resolve Tribal water claims in the Rio San José basin by settling the Navajo Nation’s claims. 

    “In New Mexico we know water is life. Navajo Nation, the surrounding communities, and the state of New Mexico worked together to reach an agreement that would make sure the life-giving waters of the Rio San Jose would flow for everyone,” said Leger Fernández. “Senator Heinrich’s and my bill would provide funding for much needed water infrastructure for Navajo Nation as well as nearby acequias. The powerful stories of collaboration around this precious resource we heard in committee prove that settlement is the best road for resolving these water claims.” 

    “Our legislation will provide critically needed funding to get much-needed water to Navajo communities in the Rio San José watershed,” said Heinrich. “By passing this and our other pending Tribal water settlement bills this Congress, we can better follow through on the federal government’s promise to help Tribes access and use the water that has always been rightfully theirs.” 

    “As a member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, I am proud to join my New Mexico colleagues in introducing legislation to approve the water rights settlement for the Navajo Nation in the Rio San José Watershed,” said Luján. “This legislation has strong backing from stakeholders across New Mexico and will provide a comprehensive resolution for the Navajo Nation’s water rights claims in the Rio San José Stream System. It will ensure the protection of Tribal water rights while effectively addressing the water needs of the community.” 

    “In New Mexico, we know water is life,” said Stansbury.“As stewards of the land, water, and air since time immemorial, it is so important that our Tribal communities have a stake in how water is used in this state. This bill, as well as many others, will uphold our commitment to our Tribes and Pueblos granting them the right to use water for their needs. This is what environmental justice looks like.” 

    “Protecting a critical resource and honoring Tribal sovereignty are some of our core responsibilities in Congress, and I’m proud to work with the New Mexico Delegation to fulfill our trust responsibility and provide essential resources to support the New Mexico’s water infrastructure,” said Vasquez. “This settlement ensures the Navajo Nation and our non-Tribal users of the Rio San José watershed will have the water resources needed to thrive for generations to come.” 

    “On behalf of the Navajo Nation, I want to express my deepest appreciation to Senator Heinrich, Senator Lujan, and Representative Leger Fernandez for introducing this important legislation. Implementation of this settlement will make a real difference for Eastern Navajo communities where lack of water has constrained development. A collaborative negotiation process produced a comprehensive settlement that provides a path forward towards a better future for the people of the Rio San Jose and Rio Puerco Basins,” said Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren.  

    Additional Background on Tribal Water Settlements Legislation: 

    The introduction of this bill follows Heinrich and Vasquez’s introduction of theZuni Indian Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act in July, with Leger Fernández, Luján, and Stansbury, and all joining as original cosponsors. That bill would unlock federal funding to support a trust for sustainable water management and infrastructure development that upholds the federal government’s trust responsibility while protecting the sacred Zuni Salt Lake. The bill ratifies the settlement between the federal government, State of New Mexico and Zuni Tribe that affirms their water rights for irrigation, livestock, storage, and domestic and other uses. 

    In June, Leger Fernández and Heinrich introduced theOhkay Owingeh Rio Chama Water Rights Settlement Act, legislation to approve the water rights settlement of Ohkay Owingeh and participating non-Tribal parties for water in the Rio Chama Basin. Luján and Stansbury are original cosponsors of this bill. 

    Last December, Leger Fernández and Luján introducedthe Technical Corrections to the Northwestern New Mexico Rural Water Projects Act, Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act, and Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act, which authorizes the appropriation of $6.3 million for the Navajo Nation Water Resources Development Fund; $7.8 million for the Taos Pueblo Water Development Fund; and $4.3 million for  the Aamodt Settlement Pueblos’ Fund, which covers Nambé, Pojoaque, San Ildefonso, and Tesuque Pueblos. It will support water resources development projects for the Tribes. Heinrich and Stansbury are original cosponsors of this bill.  

    Last June, Leger Fernández and Luján introduced legislation that amends the Navajo Gallup Water Supply Project to ensure it has the resources and time needed to deliver drinking water to northwestern New Mexico communities in the San Juan basin, including roughly 43 Chapters on the Eastern Navajo Nation, the southwestern portion of the Jicarilla Apache Nation, and the City of Gallup, which currently rely on a rapidly depleting groundwater supply of poor quality. Heinrich and Stansbury are original cosponsors of this bill. 

    Additionally, last year, the entire New Mexico Congressional Delegationannounced a $235.1 million allocation to continue fulfilling settlements of Indian water rights claims using funding from the Infrastructure Law and the Reclamation Water Settlements Fund. As part of that overall allocation, the Navajo-Gallup Water Project received $164 million from the Infrastructure Law and the Reclamation Water Settlements Fund. Another $2 million was directed to Navajo-Gallup Water supply operations, maintenance and replacement efforts. The Aamodt Water Rights Settlement, which includes the Pueblos of Nambé, Pojoaque, San Ildefonso, and Tesuque, received $69.1 million in federal funding from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.   

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lankford Warns Left’s Abortion Fearmongering May Prevent Women from Receiving Health Care

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Oklahoma James Lankford

    CLICK HERE to view the Q&A on YouTube.

    CLICK HERE to view the Q&A on Rumble.

    WASHINGTON, DC – Senator James Lankford (R-OK), member of the Senate Finance Committee, today called out Democrats’ fearmongering on abortion and warned that it may discourage women from receiving health care.

    Witnesses for the hearing included Kaitlyn Joshua; Michele Goodwin, JD, Linda D. & Timothy J. O’Neill Professor of Constitutional Law and Global Health Policy, Georgetown University School of Law; Amelia Huntsberger, MD, Obstetrician and Gynecologist; Christina Francis, MD, Chief Executive Officer, American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists; and Heather G. Hacker, JD, Partner, Hacker Stephens LLP. 

    Excerpt

    Lankford: I’ve even heard conversations today about ‘misinformation’ or ‘rhetoric’ or ‘intellectual honesty’ and all these things that have come out in the dialog today, and I want to be able to help bring some things together from hearing that testimony from the entire day on this. Ms. Hacker, just to clarify on this, are there any states where women face prosecution for having an abortion?

    Hacker: No.

    Hacker: Are there any states that criminalize miscarriage?

    Hacker: No.

    Lankford: Or the care for any for a miscarriage?

    Hacker: No.

    Lankford: Are there any states that criminalize removing an ectopic pregnancy?

    Hacker: No.

    Lankford: Are there any states that prohibit life saving care for the mother?

    Hacker: No.

    Lankford Are there any states where women have to be actively dying for a doctor to be able to act for her care?

    Hacker: No.

    Lankford: There’s been a lot of rhetoric on this that I’m concerned pushes people away from getting access to health care.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Secretary-General’s remarks to the Security Council – on Ukraine [bilingual, as delivered; scroll down for all-English and all-French]

    Source: United Nations – English

    r. President, Excellencies,

    Two days ago, in the newly agreed Pact for the Future, world leaders reaffirmed their commitment to international law and to the Charter of the United Nations.

    Our Organization is based on the principle of sovereignty of all Member States – within their internationally recognized borders.

    The Charter unequivocally stipulates that all States must refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any other State – and that international disputes must be settled by peaceful means.

    Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 – following the illegal annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and City of Sevastopol a decade ago – is a clear violation of these principles.

    And civilian populations continue to pay the price.

    The death toll keeps rising.

    Nearly 10 million people have fled their homes.

    Systematic attacks against hospitals, schools, supermarkets… are only adding pain and misery.

    Power cuts and infrastructure damage have left millions in the dark.

    I strongly condemn all attacks on civilians and civilian facilities – wherever they occur and whoever is responsible. They all must stop immediately.

    And I remain deeply concerned about the safety, humanitarian needs and basic human rights of people residing in occupied areas.

    Mr. President,

    Despite immense challenges, the United Nations remains fully engaged as the largest international presence in Ukraine.

    This year alone, and together with our partners, we have provided lifesaving aid to more than 6.2 million people.

    But we need the support of the international community.

    15 million people in Ukraine require humanitarian assistance – more than half of them women and girls.

    But – as winter is approaching – less than half of our 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan is funded.

    I urge donors to help us pursue our vital work on the ground.

    We are also assisting the government of Ukraine in its recovery and reconstruction efforts.

    This includes access to basic services and the restoration of Ukraine’s energy production capacities.

    In recent weeks, we have seen a resurgence of inflammatory rhetoric and incidents around nuclear sites – particularly at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, and alarmingly, at the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in the Russian Federation.

    I commend the International Atomic Energy Agency, including its critical presence in Ukraine’s nuclear sites, to help ensure nuclear safety and security.

    I urge all parties to act responsibly and avoid any declaration or action that could further destabilize an already incendiary situation.

    Monsieur le Président,

    Deux ans et demi après l’invasion à grande échelle de l’Ukraine, plus de 11 000 civils ont été tués.

    Plus cette guerre tragique se prolonge, plus le risque d’escalade et de débordement est grand.

    Cela n’affecterait pas seulement la région, mais aggraverait les tensions et les divisions mondiales – à un moment où notre monde a désespérément besoin de plus de coopération et d’action collective.

    Nous devons mettre fin aux souffrances et briser le cycle de la violence, dans l’intérêt du peuple ukrainien, du peuple russe – et du monde entier.

    L’initiative de la mer Noire et les échanges de prisonniers de guerre nous le rappellent : lorsqu’il y a une volonté politique, la diplomatie peut réussir, même dans les heures les plus sombres.

    Bien que la paix puisse aujourd’hui paraître hors de portée, les nombreux appels au dialogue représentent une lueur d’espoir.  

    Intensifions donc nos efforts pour aboutir à la paix en Ukraine – une paix juste, totale et durable ;

    Une paix conforme à la Charte des Nations unies, au droit international et aux résolutions de l’Assemblée générale.

    L’Organisation des Nations Unies soutiendra tout effort en ce sens.

    Je vous remercie.

    ******

    [all-English]

    Mr. President, Excellencies,

    Two days ago, in the newly agreed Pact for the Future, world leaders reaffirmed their commitment to international law and to the Charter of the United Nations.

    Our Organization is based on the principle of sovereignty of all Member States – within their internationally recognized borders.

    The Charter unequivocally stipulates that all States must refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any other State – and that international disputes must be settled by peaceful means.

    Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 – following the illegal annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and City of Sevastopol a decade ago – is a clear violation of these principles.

    And civilian populations continue to pay the price.

    The death toll keeps rising.

    Nearly 10 million people have fled their homes.

    Systematic attacks against hospitals, schools, supermarkets… are only adding pain and misery.

    Power cuts and infrastructure damage have left millions in the dark.

    I strongly condemn all attacks on civilians and civilian facilities – wherever they occur and whoever is responsible. They all must stop immediately.

    And I remain deeply concerned about the safety, humanitarian needs and basic human rights of people residing in occupied areas.

    Mr. President,

    Despite immense challenges, the United Nations remains fully engaged as the largest international presence in Ukraine.

    This year alone, and together with our partners, we have provided lifesaving aid to more than 6.2 million people.

    But we need the support of the international community.

    15 million people in Ukraine require humanitarian assistance – more than half of them women and girls.

    But – as winter is approaching – less than half of our 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan is funded.

    I urge donors to help us pursue our vital work on the ground.

    We are also assisting the government of Ukraine in its recovery and reconstruction efforts.

    This includes access to basic services and the restoration of Ukraine’s energy production capacities.

    In recent weeks, we have seen a resurgence of inflammatory rhetoric and incidents around nuclear sites – particularly at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, and alarmingly, at the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in the Russian Federation.

    I commend the International Atomic Energy Agency, including its critical presence in Ukraine’s nuclear sites, to help ensure nuclear safety and security.

    I urge all parties to act responsibly and avoid any declaration or action that could further destabilize an already incendiary situation.

    Mr. President,

    Two and half years since the full-blown invasion of Ukraine, more than 11,000 civilians have been killed.

    The longer this tragic war continues, the greater the risk of escalation and spillover.

    This would not only impact the region, but further deepen global tensions and divisions – at a time when our world desperately needs more cooperation and collective action.

    We must stop the suffering and break the cycle of violence – for the sake of the people of Ukraine, the people of Russia, and the world.

    The Black Sea Initiative and the continued exchanges of prisoners of war serve as reminders that, when there is political will, diplomacy can succeed – even in the darkest hour.

    Today, though the prospects for peace may seem distant, I am inspired by the growing calls for dialogue.

    So let us intensify our efforts to seek peace in Ukraine – a just, comprehensive and sustainable peace, in line with the UN Charter, international law and resolutions of the General Assembly.

    United Nations stands ready to support all efforts towards achieving this goal.

    Thank you.

    ******

    [all-French]

    Monsieur le Président, Excellences,

    Il y a deux jours, à travers le nouveau Pacte pour l’avenir, les dirigeants du monde ont réaffirmé leur attachement au droit international et à la Charte des Nations unies.

    Notre Organisation est fondée sur le principe de la souveraineté de tous les États membres – à l’intérieur de leurs frontières internationalement reconnues.

    La Charte est sans équivoque : tous les États doivent s’abstenir de recourir à la menace ou à l’emploi de la force contre l’intégrité territoriale ou l’indépendance politique de tout autre État, et que les différends internationaux doivent être réglés par des moyens pacifiques.

    L’invasion massive de l’Ukraine par la Russie en février 2022 – après l’annexion illégale de la République autonome de Crimée et de la ville de Sébastopol il y a dix ans – constitue une violation manifeste de ces principes.

    Et les populations civiles continuent d’en payer le prix.

    Le nombre de morts ne cesse d’augmenter.

    Près de 10 millions de personnes ont fui leurs foyers.

    Les attaques systématiques contre les hôpitaux, les écoles, les supermarchés… ne font qu’amplifier la douleur et la détresse.

    Les coupures de courant et les dommages causés aux infrastructures ont plongé des millions de personnes dans l’obscurité.

    Je condamne fermement toutes les attaques contre les civils et les installations civiles, peu importe où elles se produisent et qui est responsable. Elles doivent toutes cesser immédiatement.

    Et je reste profondément préoccupé par la sécurité, les besoins humanitaires et les droits humains des personnes résidant dans les régions occupées.

    Monsieur le Président,

    Malgré d’immenses défis, l’Organisation des Nations Unies reste pleinement engagée, représentant la plus grande présence internationale en Ukraine.

    Rien que cette année, en coopération avec nos partenaires, nous avons apporté une aide vitale à plus de 6,2 millions de personnes.

    Mais nous avons besoin du soutien de la communauté internationale.

    15 millions de personnes en Ukraine ont besoin d’aide humanitaire – et plus de la moitié d’entre elles sont des femmes et des jeunes filles.

    Cependant, à l’approche de l’hiver, moins de la moitié de notre Plan d’intervention humanitaire pour 2024 est financée.

    J’exhorte les donateurs à nous aider à poursuivre notre travail vital sur le terrain.

    Nous assistons également le gouvernement ukrainien dans ses efforts de redressement économique et de reconstruction.

    Cela comprend l’accès aux services de base et la restauration des capacités de production d’énergie de l’Ukraine.

    Ces dernières semaines, nous avons vu une recrudescence de rhétorique incendiaire et d’incidents autour des sites nucléaires – en particulier à la centrale nucléaire de Zaporizhzhia et, de façon inquiétante, à la centrale nucléaire de Koursk, dans la Fédération de Russie.

    Je félicite l’Agence internationale de l’énergie atomique, notamment pour sa présence essentielle sur les sites nucléaires ukrainiens, afin de contribuer à garantir la sûreté et la sécurité nucléaires.

    J’appelle toutes les parties à agir de manière responsable et à éviter toute déclaration ou action susceptible de déstabiliser davantage une situation déjà incendiaire.

    Monsieur le Président,

    Deux ans et demi après l’invasion à grande échelle de l’Ukraine, plus de 11 000 civils ont été tués.

    Plus cette guerre tragique se prolonge, plus le risque d’escalade et de débordement est grand.

    Cela n’affecterait pas seulement la région, mais aggraverait les tensions et les divisions mondiales – à un moment où notre monde a désespérément besoin de plus de coopération et d’action collective.

    Nous devons mettre fin aux souffrances et briser le cycle de la violence, dans l’intérêt du peuple ukrainien, du peuple russe – et du monde entier.

    L’initiative de la mer Noire et les échanges de prisonniers de guerre nous le rappellent : lorsqu’il y a une volonté politique, la diplomatie peut réussir, même dans les heures les plus sombres.

    Bien que la paix puisse aujourd’hui paraître hors de portée, les nombreux appels au dialogue représentent une lueur d’espoir.  

    Intensifions donc nos efforts pour aboutir à la paix en Ukraine – une paix juste, totale et durable ;

    Une paix conforme à la Charte des Nations unies, au droit international et aux résolutions de l’Assemblée générale.

    L’Organisation des Nations Unies soutiendra tout effort en ce sens.

    Je vous remercie.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Fatal crash on Pohuehue Road, Puhoi

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Police are at the scene of a three-vehicle crash near Puhoi this morning.

    One person has died, and another person is being taken to hospital with serious injuries.

    The crash was reported on Pohuehue Road at around 6.13am.

    Initially, two vehicles collided in the crash.

    The driver of one vehicle has sadly died at the scene, with the driver of the second vehicle suffering serious injuries. They have been transported to Auckland City Hospital.

    A third vehicle has had a secondary crash at the scene.

    The occupants of the third vehicle are shaken but have not required transport to hospital.

    A section of Pohuehue Road is currently closed while the Serious Crash Unit carry out an examination of the scene.

    Traffic is being diverted at the intersection with Mahurangi West Road, which is to the north of the crash scene.

    Traffic is being turned around at the southern end of the scene.

    Police advise motorists to avoid the area if possible as it is expected the road will be closed for some time this morning.

    ENDS.

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Sues Visa for Monopolizing Debit Markets

    Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

    The Justice Department filed a civil antitrust lawsuit today against Visa for monopolization and other unlawful conduct in debit network markets in violation of Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act.

    Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, the complaint alleges that Visa illegally maintains a monopoly over debit network markets by using its dominance to thwart the growth of its existing competitors and prevent others from developing new and innovative alternatives.

    According to the complaint, more than 60% of debit transactions in the United States run on Visa’s debit network, allowing it to charge over $7 billion in fees each year for processing those transactions. The complaint further alleges that Visa illegally maintains its monopoly power by insulating itself from competition. For example, Visa wields its dominance, enormous scale, and centrality to the debit ecosystem to impose a web of exclusionary agreements on merchants and banks. These agreements penalize Visa’s customers who route transactions to a different debit network or alternative payment system. In so doing, the complaint alleges, Visa locks up debit volume, insulates itself from competition, and smothers smaller, lower-priced competitors. Visa also induces would-be competitors to become partners instead of entering the market as competitors by offering generous monetary incentives and threatening punitive additional fees. As the complaint alleges, Visa coopted the competition because it feared losing share, revenues, or being displaced by another debit network altogether.

    “We allege that Visa has unlawfully amassed the power to extract fees that far exceed what it could charge in a competitive market,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Merchants and banks pass along those costs to consumers, either by raising prices or reducing quality or service.  As a result, Visa’s unlawful conduct affects not just the price of one thing – but the price of nearly everything.”

    Debit transactions are an important and popular part of the U.S. financial system. Millions of Americans prefer or must use debit for online and in-person purchases. Visa dominates debit network markets that facilitate these transactions, charging significant fees and stifling competition in the process. Visa’s systematic efforts to limit competition for debit transactions have resulted in billions of dollars in additional fees imposed on American consumers and businesses and slowed innovation in the debit payments ecosystem. Through this lawsuit, the Justice Department seeks to restore competition to this vital market on behalf of the American public.

    “Anticompetitive conduct by corporations like Visa leaves the American people and our entire economy worse off,” said Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “Today’s action against Visa reminds those who would stifle competition rather than competing on price or investing in innovation that the Justice Department will never hesitate to enforce the law on behalf of the American people.”

    “Visa fears competition and innovation, and instead chooses unlawful cooperation and monopolization,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Doha Mekki of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Visa abuses its power over its customers and buys off would-be rivals at the expense of American consumers, merchants, banks, and the competitive process itself. Today’s lawsuit holds Visa accountable for its conduct in a market that forms the backbone of American commerce.”

    Visa maintains enormous scale on both sides of the debit market — with merchants and their banks and with consumers and their banks — and the complaint alleges that Visa’s exclusionary practices extend, deepen, and protect what it refers to as an “enormous moat” around its business. When faced with the possibility that smaller debit networks or new technology entrants would threaten that position, Visa engaged in a deliberate and reinforcing course of conduct to cut off competition and prevent rivals from gaining the scale, share, and data necessary to compete for customers’ business:

    • Smaller Debit Networks: Visa uses leverage based on the large number of transactions that must run over Visa’s payment rails to impose expansive volume commitments on merchants and their banks, as well as on financial institutions that issue debit cards. These agreements are priced so that, unless all or nearly all debit volume runs over Visa’s payment rails, large disloyalty penalties can be imposed on all Visa transactions. Merchants cannot afford to use Visa’s smaller competitors for transactions where options do exist, even when those competitors offer lower per-transaction prices.
    • Tech Entrants: As Visa’s internal documents make clear, Visa feared that some technology companies and fintech startups with “network ambitions” would cut Visa out as the middleman between merchants, consumers, and their banks by offering a better or cheaper payment product. Visa aimed to stop that development by entering into agreements to pay potential competitors to partner instead of innovating. As Visa’s then-CFO put it: “Everybody is a friend and partner. Nobody is a competitor.”

    In 2020, the Justice Department filed a civil antitrust lawsuit to stop Visa from acquiring Plaid, a technology company that powers fintech apps developing disruptive options for online debit payments. The companies abandoned their planned $5.3 billion merger.

    Visa Inc. is a Delaware corporation headquartered in San Francisco. Visa has a global operating income of $18.8 billion and an operating margin of 64% in 2022. North America is among Visa’s most profitable regions with 2022 operating margins of 83%. Visa charges roughly $8 billion in network fees on U.S. debit volume annually. Globally, Visa processes $12.3 trillion in total payment volume.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville, Britt Call Out Biden-Harris Abuse of Unaccompanied Alien Children Program

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) and Katie Britt (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and 41 bicameral Republican colleagues in signing a letter urging President Biden and Vice President Harris to work with Congress to root out abuses in the unaccompanied alien children (UAC) program and stop the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) cover-up of its gross mismanagement of the program. As an example, HHS has failed to comply with two out of every three Department of Homeland Security (DHS) subpoenas and other information requests issued amid its investigation into more than 100 identified suspicious UAC sponsors.

    “As a result of your open-borders policies, overseen by Vice President Harris, who was tasked with ‘stemming the migration’ at our border with Mexico, more than 500,000 unaccompanied alien children (UACs) have crossed the southwest border without a parent or guardian to provide care since you took office, a massive increase when compared to previous administrations. These UACs often experience horrible sexual, physical, and emotional abuse on the journey and are victims of cartel trafficking and exploitation, a business that surged an estimated 2,500 percent from the Trump Administration to the middle of your term in 2022,” wrote the Senators.

    U.S. Senators Tuberville, Britt, and Grassley were joined by U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Mike Braun (R-IN), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), John Cornyn (R-TX), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Steve Daines (R-MT), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Josh Hawley (R-MO), John Hoeven (R-ND), Ron Johnson (R-WI), John Kennedy (R-LA), James Lankford (R-OK), Mike Lee (R-UT), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Jim Risch (R-ID), Rick Scott (R-FL), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), John Thune (R-SD), and Roger Wicker (R-MS) in signing the letter.

    Additional co-signers in the House include Representatives Cliff Bentz (R-OR-02), Dan Bishop (R-NC-08), Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05), Ben Cline (R-VA-06), Russell Fry (R-SC-07), Matt Gaetz (R-FL-01), Harriet Hageman (R-WY-At-Large), Wesley Hunt (R-TX-38), Jim Jordan (R-OH-04), Laurel Lee (R-FL-15), Tom McClintock (R-CA-05), Barry Moore (R-AL-02), Chip Roy (R-TX-21), Michael Rulli (R-OH-06), and Scott Fitzgerald (R-WI-05).

    Read the full letter below or here. 

    “President Biden and Vice President Harris:

    As a result of your open-borders policies, overseen by Vice President Harris, who was tasked with “stemming the migration” at our border with Mexico, more than 500,000 unaccompanied alien children (UACs) have crossed the southwest border without a parent or guardian to provide care since you took office, a massive increase when compared to previous administrations. These UACs often experience horrible sexual, physical, and emotional abuse on the journey and are victims of cartel trafficking and exploitation, a business that surged an estimated 2,500 percent from the Trump Administration to the middle of your term in 2022. Sadly, the suffering these children endure does not end at the border. Your Administration also fails them when they arrive in the United States by rushing them out of the custody of your Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) into the hands of unvetted sponsors who often continue to exploit and abuse them. 

    Even as the trafficking business and the number of children entering the U.S. surged, HHS ORR cut back significantly on background checks and vetting procedures to speed up the process, despite knowing children were being trafficked through HHS ORR’s UAC program. Your Administration likewise continued Vice President Harris’s longtime priority of cutting back on information sharing between HHS ORR and law enforcement related to unaccompanied children and sponsors. When the Trump Administration implemented a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to provide for robust information sharing between the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and HHS ORR, then-Senator Harris called this attempt to protect children and communities “outrageous.” She also introduced legislation in response to the Trump MOA that slashed funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement by $220 million. Her bill was so extreme it failed to allow HHS information to be used by DHS for immigration enforcement even for potential sponsors and household members with convictions or pending charges of child abuse, sexual assault, child pornography, or any other crime. Even House Democrats considered Harris’s approach too radical and added these exceptions to counteract the extreme nature of her legislative proposal. Their approach, unlike Harris’s, allowed HHS information to be used to deport child predators and those convicted of serious felonies. Given her stated policy priorities, it is no wonder your Administration later revoked the Trump Administration’s MOA, seriously hampering the work of law enforcement, and promulgated a final rule enshrining the bar on sharing such information with law enforcement officials.

    Your Administration further stripped Customs and Border Protection officials of their ability to conduct familial DNA testing, as was implemented by the Trump Administration to verify adults’ claims that they are related to children they bring across the border. This made the smuggling and trafficking of these kids that much easier. Early into your term, your Administration also canceled protections the Trump Administration proposed to provide post-release services for all children placed with sponsors, including in-person visits and extended follow-up after placement. These protections would have helped ensure children were safe. Instead, the actions of your Administration have been disastrous and now, HHS ORR is actively attempting to cover up the results of its egregious decisions. We call upon you to put an end to that cover-up.

    When Senator Grassley and Senator Cassidy, ranking members of the Senate Budget Committee and Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, asked HHS ORR contractors and grantees whether they took necessary steps to protect children, HHS obstructed those inquiries, directing the entities not to respond. This included Southwest Key, which Senator Grassley asked, among other things, about its vetting of staff before they have access to minors. The Department of Justice has since sued Southwest Key for turning a blind eye to nearly a decade of child rape and sexual abuse by its staff. During this same time, HHS ORR provided Southwest Key with more than $3 billion to house UACs. These contractors and grantees receive large sums of taxpayer dollars, a lucrative business that has boomed during your Administration. Yet HHS ORR told them not to answer Congress when it asked whether basic protections were afforded to these kids. This is completely unacceptable.

    At the same time, since early 2023, the House Judiciary Committee has sought information on the total number of UACs HHS ORR has lost contact with after placement during your Administration. According to the New York Times, as of February 2023, ORR had been unable to contact at least 85,000 UACs after placement with sponsors, or roughly 34 percent of total UACs released up to that point in your term. Applying the 34 percent figure to the most up-to-date number of 432,938 UACs the Administration has released to sponsors, we estimate ORR has been unable to contact nearly 150,000 UACs through Safety and Well-being calls after their release. When confronted by the House Judiciary Committee with an estimate based on the Times’s findings, ORR did not dispute it. Although the House Judiciary Committee twice subpoenaed HHS for internal agency data relating to the total number of UACs with whom it has lost contact after placement, HHS has refused to provide the subpoenaed data.

    Unfortunately, the cover-up does not end there. Recently, DHS informed Senator Grassley’s office that HHS ORR has not sufficiently complied with two out of every three subpoenas and other information requests that resulted from his referral of possible child trafficking rings across the U.S. to DHS in January. By not supplying the information law enforcement requested, ORR denied Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents critical information, including the last known addresses of children and sponsors and the identity of other household members. In part because of HHS ORR’s lack of cooperation, DHS has so far only been able to locate less than four percent of sponsors identified as investigative targets, and a similarly small number of UACs.

    At a recent Senate roundtable forum, “The Exploitation Crisis: How the U.S. Government is Failing to Protect Migrant Children from Trafficking and Abuse,” senators and members of the public heard from a panel with direct knowledge of this crisis. What the witnesses told the oversight panel was shocking. For example, HHS retaliated against one of the witnesses, Ms. Tara Lee Rodas, after she blew the whistle and tried to stop the placement of young children with a household in Ohio connected to the violent MS-13 gang. In addition, witnesses described how HHS and its contractors prioritized UAC placement speed over UAC safety by failing to verify the legitimacy of identity documents, failing to obtain criminal history from the countries of origin of UACs and sponsors, and failing to conduct legally required home studies for UACs who had endured sexual or other abuse. Other whistleblowers continue to come forward with similar information. Congress has the right to obtain information necessary to conduct oversight of these widespread failures to protect the lives of children without HHS standing in the way.

    HHS’s failure to ensure UACs are in appropriate placements and to adequately vet sponsors is harmful not only to the UACs, but also to American citizens. As the Attorney General under the Trump Administration recognized, the UAC program has for years suffered from exploitation by criminals, including “gang members who come to this country as wolves in sheep[’s] clothing” and “use th[e UAC] program as a means by which to recruit new members.” As the House Judiciary Committee’s oversight has shown, under Secretary Becerra’s leadership, HHS has ignored the potential criminality and gang affiliation of UACs.

    Indeed, as revealed in the House Judiciary Committee’s May 2023 interim report, in May 2022, HHS ORR released to a sponsor a UAC with a previous arrest record for “illicit association with MS13.” That UAC, released by your Administration, went on to brutally assault and murder 20-year-old American citizen Kayla Hamilton. Incredibly, HHS noted on several occasions to the House Judiciary Committee its focus on protecting the privacy of Kayla’s murderer. Although local police quickly identified Walter Javier Martinez as the primary suspect in the murder and expressed their concern about the threat he posed to society, according to new investigative reporting, Martinez was placed in a Maryland foster home with other children and enrolled in high school. Later, while in custody for murdering Kayla, the alien authored a letter in which he “admitted to committing [four] murders, [two] rapes, and additional other crimes.” Martinez has since been sentenced to more than 70 years in prison.

    Despite having released to a sponsor a UAC with gang tattoos and a history of “illicit association” with MS-13, HHS told the House Judiciary Committee that it does not have a policy to refer known or suspected gang members to the Justice Department for investigation or, where appropriate, prosecution. At the same time, ORR Director Robin Dunn Marcos, the HHS official in charge of the UAC program, admitted that, while HHS sometimes contacts the consulate or embassy of a UAC’s country of origin or last habitual residence to verify some documents or claimed familial relationships, HHS does not even request UACs’ criminal records. Troublingly, HHS has also admitted that it does not currently have any secure facilities “in-network”—that is, facilities designed for the secure placement of UACs who pose a danger to themselves or others or who have been determined to have a criminal record.

    An August 2024 House Judiciary Committee report highlighted yet another case of UAC criminality, detailing how Juan Carlos Garcia Rodriguez, a UAC from Guatemala released by your Administration, horrifically assaulted and murdered 11-year-old Maria Gonzalez. Maria’s father found “his daughter’s body wrapped in a trash bag and stuffed in a laundry basket that was put beneath her bed.” Garcia Rodriguez was encountered by Border Patrol after entering the U.S. illegally in El Paso in January 2023, smuggled to the U.S. border by a “guide” paid for by his parents. Despite being overheard commenting about his desire to run away while in HHS custody, HHS placed Garcia Rodriguez with an unrelated adult sponsor who had twice previously sponsored unrelated UACs. Unsurprisingly, shortly after the Biden-Harris Administration’s release of Garcia Rodriguez, he became one of the estimated 150,000 UACs with whom HHS has lost contact. Just months after HHS lost contact with Garcia Rodriguez, he ran away from his sponsor. Not long after his 18th birthday, and mere months after his release from HHS custody, Garcia Rodriguez, brutally assaulted and murdered Maria.

    This is not a partisan issue. It can and should bring us together, as we try to protect Americans and UACs placed in HHS ORR custody alike. Your Administration must make changes to its policies and procedures for UACs to end this public safety crisis. It must also take urgent steps to provide information to law enforcement and Congress, to reveal the crisis’s full scope. We request that you immediately instruct HHS Secretary Becerra to take urgent steps to this end: HHS must provide access to the UAC Portal, HHS’s system of record for UACs, to federal law enforcement, HHS’s Inspector General, and Congress, allowing them to quickly conduct investigations and oversee the UAC placement program, and to analyze data regarding suspicious UAC placements; it must fully cooperate with DHS’s HSI and other federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies seeking to locate children and investigate trafficking, smuggling, and other forms of child exploitation; and it must thoroughly respond to congressional oversight requests and instruct HHS’s contractors and grantees to do the same.

    HHS must stop its cover-up and cooperate with law enforcement and Congress to end this crisis and protect unaccompanied children and the American people. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

    Sincerely,”

    BACKGROUND:

    More than 500,000 unaccompanied migrant children have crossed the southwest border under the Biden-Harris administration, while cartel trafficking activity surged an estimated 2,500 percent. Amid this crisis, the lawmakers note the Biden-Harris administration limited background checks for sponsors of unaccompanied children, cut back on familial DNA testing at the border, and decreased information sharing with law enforcement.

    In December 2023, Senators Tuberville and Britt joined Senator Grassley and 36 colleagues in calling on HHS ORR to overhaul its harmful and deficient policies regarding the treatment of unaccompanied alien children in the U.S.

    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, and HELP Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Minister LeBlanc launches Canada Community Security Program to protect communities from hate-motivated crimes

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Everyone who lives in Canada deserves to be and feel safe in their communities. These last few years, we’ve witnessed an unacceptable rise in hate incidents experienced by many communities, but especially the most vulnerable. In response, the federal government is sharpening security programs tailored to their needs to keep them safe.

    September 24, 2024

    Ottawa, ON

    Everyone who lives in Canada deserves to be and feel safe in their communities. These last few years, we’ve witnessed an unacceptable rise in hate incidents experienced by many communities, but especially the most vulnerable. In response, the federal government is sharpening security programs tailored to their needs to keep them safe.

    Today, the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, launched the new Canada Community Security Program (CCSP), and announced that the program will be ready to receive funding applications from eligible organizations as of October 1, 2024.

    The CCSP replaces and enhances the Security Infrastructure Program (SIP) to support communities by investing in security measures that will help keep them safe. Eligible measures include security equipment and hardware, minor renovations to enhance security, security and emergency assessments and plans, training to respond to hate-motivated events, and time-limited security personnel.

    The federal government has listened to organizations and partners and has designed the CCSP to be more responsive to community needs and provide more flexibility to organizations seeking financial support. Under the CCSP:

    • Eligibility for funding has expanded to include office and administrative spaces, cemeteries, and child care centres.
    • Up to 70% of a project’s eligible costs may be covered, an increase from 50% of the cost under the SIP.
    • Funding for time-limited third-party licensed security personnel is now a permanent feature of the program.
    • The maximum level – or stacking limit – of total government assistance (across federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal sources) has been removed, which opens up more opportunities for organizations to apply for other sources of funding.
    • Application requirements have been changed to reduce administrative barriers.
    • Organizations can apply for funding at any time throughout the year through a continuous intake application process.
    • Organizations may apply for funding and deliver projects on behalf of affiliated eligible recipients.

    Taken together, these measures will make it easier for organizations to fund their projects and protect their community gathering spaces. 

    “Everyone who lives in Canada deserves to be safe in their communities. The changes we’re bringing forward through the new Canada Community Security Program are informed by what we’ve heard from organizations that have experience in dealing with its predecessor, the Security Infrastructure Program. It is now a more flexible, more generous, and simpler program that will make it easier for vulnerable communities to protect themselves from hate-motivated crimes.”

    – The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs

    • Hate crimes are believed to be one of the most underreported offences. Research suggests that only about one third of hate crime victims in Canada report these crimes to the police. 

    • Additional funding for the Canada Community Security Program was announced in Budget 2023 and Budget 2024.

      • $16 million in 2024-25,
      • $16 million in 2025-26,
      • $11 million in 2026-27,
      • $11 million in 2027-28, and
      • $11 million in 2028-29 and ongoing.

    • The CCSP is one of four programs under the National Crime Prevention Strategy, which supports local, targeted crime prevention initiatives and the development and sharing of knowledge to prevent and reduce crime among at-risk populations and vulnerable communities. The other programs include the Crime Prevention Action Fund, the Youth Gang Prevention Fund, and the Northern and Indigenous Crime Prevention Fund.

    • The Security Infrastructure Program (SIP) was originally established in 2007 to support communities at risk of hate-motivated crime through the enhancement of their security infrastructure. This important work will now continue through the CCSP.

    • In total, the Government of Canada has invested over $30 million in funding through the SIP and the Expanded Security Infrastructure Program (ESIP) to over 770 projects to help Canadian communities at risk of hate-motivated crimes protect and strengthen the security of their community centres, places of worship and other institutions.

    • Organizations that currently have an application under SIP will be contacted by Public Safety to discuss the status of the application and their option to continue under the CCSP.

    • To better support communities in need, costs for time-limited security personnel may be eligible for reimbursement as of September 24, 2024 and once the project is approved. 

    •  Organizations interested in staying informed about the upcoming CCSP Call for Applications are encouraged to subscribe to the National Crime Prevention Strategy mailing list.

    • Following the National Summit on Antisemitism and the National Summit on Islamophobia, the Government of Canada committed to exploring adjustments to  SIP. The CCSP will enhance effectiveness and allow the Government of Canada to be more responsive to the security needs of communities.  

    • Budget 2024 provides $273.6 million over six years starting in 2024-25, with $29.3 million ongoing, for Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate. The forthcoming Action Plan will support community outreach and law enforcement reform, tackle the rise in hate crimes and hate incidents, enhance community security, counter radicalization, and increase support for victims. Budget 2024’s additional funding for the Canada Community Security Program is part of the Budget 2024 investment for this first ever whole-of-federal government Action Plan to prevent and address hate. 

    Gabriel Brunet
    Press Secretary
    Office of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc
    Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs
    819-665-6527
    gabriel.brunet@iga-aig.gc.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Department of Social Justice and Empowerment implementing Swachhata Hi Seva 2024 Campaign in full vigour; First week witnesses a number of cleanliness drives

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 24 SEP 2024 8:17PM by PIB Delhi

    In line with the Government of India’s vision of a Swachh Bharat, Department of Social Justice and Empowerment (DoSJE) has launched the Swachhata Hi Sewa (SHS) Campaign 2024 from 17th September till 1st October, 2024 and celebration of Swachh Bharat Diwas (SBD) on 2nd October, 2024.

    The Department has planned a series of activities through its  organisations (autonomous bodies, corporations, field offices, etc.) focusing on cleanliness, fitness, and environmental sustainability keeping the theme of ‘Swabhav Swachhata – Sanskar Swachhata’ at the core of Campaign.

    Before start of SHS-2024, a meeting was held on 12thSeptember, 2024 under the Chairmanship of Shri Amit Yadav, Secretary (DoSJE), wherein importance of Swachhata was emphasised and all the Officers/Staffs were sensitized towards SHS Campaign-2024. A Swachhata Pledge was also administered by Shri Yadav to the officers/staff of the Department.

     

    The officers were also guided to encourage Institutions/organizations/NGOs receiving Grants-In-Aid (GIA) through various schemes of this Department for involving citizens and beneficiaries to participate in SHS-2024, to make the SHS-2024 Campaign successful in the spirit of involvement of the whole of society.

    Under the leadership of the Secretary, DoSJE has selected three CTUs for undertaking cleanliness campaign/shramdan during SHS-2024 since 17th September. These are – (i) Campus of Mahila Imdad Committee, Chelmsford Road Paharganj, New Delhi, (ii) Babu Jagjivan Ram National Foundation, No. 6 Krishna Menon Marg, New Delhi, and (iii) Kothi No.8, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road, New Delhi.

     

     

    Under the leadership of Shri Amit Kumar Ghosh, Additional Secretary (DoSJE), officials of the Department planted more than 100 trees at Kulesara, Noida on September 20, 2024, as part of the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative. During the programme, local citizens had also joined the cleanliness and tree plantation drive.

     

     

    In connection with SHS-2024, National Safai Karamchari Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC) has organised a preventive health check-up camp on 21st September at Krishna Market, MCD Community Centre, Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi. Around 300 persons have participated in the campaign.

     

                                             *****

    VM

    (Release ID: 2058374) Visitor Counter : 19

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: EC reviews poll preparedness for forthcoming assembly elections in Jharkhand

    Source: Government of India

    EC reviews poll preparedness for forthcoming assembly elections in Jharkhand

    Ensure strict implementation of law and ECI guidelines without any bias; EC cautions state & district administration against partisan conduct

    Zero-tolerance against inducements; Stringent directives to enforcement agencies to curb money power

    EC directs to expedite Assured Minimum Facilities at all polling stations

    Engage voters with SVEEP activities involving local culture, sports & influencers

    Posted On: 24 SEP 2024 5:21PM by PIB Delhi

    CEC Shri Rajiv Kumar along with ECs Shri Gyanesh Kumar and Dr. S. S. Sandhu held a detailed & comprehensive review of the poll preparedness for the forthcoming Assembly Elections in Jharkhand at Ranchi. The term of State Assembly in Jharkhand is due to expire on 5th January, 2025 and elections are scheduled for 81 ACs (44 General; 09 SC; 28 ST) in the State.

    During the two-day review visit of the Commission on September 23-24, representatives of national and state political parties namely Aam Aadmi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, Bharatiya Janata Party, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Indian National Congress, National People’s Party, AJSU Party, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and Rashtriya Janta Dal came to meet the Commission. All political parties conveyed their appreciation for successful & peaceful conduct of Lok Sabha Elections 2024.

    The main issues raised by political parties included:

    1. Most parties unanimously requested consideration of various festivities like Diwali, Chhath, Durga Pooja and state foundation day in the month of October and November, before deciding on the election schedule for enhanced participation in election process. It was informed that many voters in the state will be travelling during Chatth pooja.
    2. Many parties also requested for a single-phase election.
    3. Parties requested for an error free electoral rolls and to ensure a free and fair elections with non-partisan action by local civil and police administration for a level playing field.
    4. A proper mix of CAPF and State police for appropriate deployment at sensitive and rural booths, monitored by an IG Level Officer.
    5. 100 % Webcasting in all polling stations.
    6. Regarding polling stations, one of the parties requested availability of ramps and sufficient lights in all polling stations, along with priority in voting for elderly, PwDs and pregnant women.
    7. All polling stations to be set up in proximity of residential areas for convenience of voters. Pick and drop facility may be provided for polling stations set-up farther from residential areas. Accessibility Observer may be deployed for ensuring facilities at polling stations.
    8. One of the parties raised a concern that in some cases, members of same family residing together were allotted different polling stations and some polling stations have more than 1500 electors.
    9. To avoid any undue harassment by authorities, few parties raised need for clear guidelines and demarcation of area for setting up of polling desks near polling station by parties on poll day.
    10. One of the parties also raised concern regarding deletion of name of voters in certain constituencies in previous elections, after final publication of the electoral roll.
    11. One of the parties requested enquiry of a sudden increase of voters in certain Assembly Constituencies.
    12. Some parties raised concerns on Hate Speech during campaigning. One of the parties requested ban on raising sub-judice matters like illegal immigrants in the state during campaigning.
    13. Strict vigil and action on use of illicit cash, liquor and freebies to sway voters. A grievance that administration is slow to cooperate/proceed with complaints of opposition parties/candidates and there is a need for swift action on any such complaints.
    14. Monitoring of campaigning by candidates 24×7 for any violations and prohibiting campaigning through IVRS calls on poll day
    15. More awareness on ECI directions regarding display of party flags by voters voluntarily in their home after election announcement to avoid misuse of Public Defacement Act by authorities.
    16. Details of EVM to be used at polling stations to be given to parties/candidates. Reserve EVMs to be made available at all polling stations for smooth voting process
    17. Voter Information Slip to be distributed in advance for awareness
    18. Videography of counting of postal ballots
    19. Other demands included the timely sharing of voter lists with candidates; curb diversion of funds received by certain NGOs for development work towards election related campaigning and reduction in nomination fee for the contesting candidates.  

     

    The Commission assured the representatives that it has taken cognizance of suggestions and concerns of the political parties and ECI is committed to conduct free, fair, participative, inclusive, peaceful and inducement free elections in the state. The Commission after reviewing these issues, decided and conveyed the following to state and district administration:

    1. Beyond the Commission’s mandate of webcasting in 50% polling stations, webcasting will be done in all polling stations, wherever feasible technically.
    2. Assured minimum facilities including ramps, sufficient lighting, wheelchairs, and volunteers for elderly and PwD voters will be provided at all polling stations.
    3. Priority voting for elderly, PwDs and Pregnant women would be ensured
    4. Polling stations will be on the ground floor and within 2 kms of the residence of the voters. Pick and drop facility would be provided for few polling stations beyond 2km range.
    5. All divisional commissioners are directed to assess and ensure compliance of AMFs at polling stations.
    6. None of the polling station will have more than 1500 electors.
    7. Clear demarcation of area i.e. 200mt from the periphery of the polling station premises, where Polling Parties can set up their desks on poll day would be ensured.
    8. There would be no undue harassment of persons under Public Defacement Act. DEOs and SPs directed that law should be implemented equally and without any bias.
    9.  As per ECI guidelines, EVM & VVPAT details will be shared with all contesting candidates after first and second randomization. FLC & First randomisation is done in presence of recognized parties. Second randomization of EVMs and VVPATs is conducted, before commissioning of EVMs and VVPATs, in the presence of contesting candidates to allocate polling station wise and reserve machines.
    10. Video recording of counting of postal ballots would be ensured as per ECI guidelines.
    11. District Administration would ensure vigil and prohibition on campaigning/advertisement using bulk SMS and IVRS calls during silence period.
    12. Voter information slips will be distributed timely
    13.  DEOs were specifically told to be equally accessible to all political parties and to ensure prompt resolution of their complaints and grievances, apart from meeting them regularly through periodic meetings.

     

    During the review meeting with nearly 20 central and state Enforcement agencies like DRI, NCB, State & Central GST, RPF, RBI, State Police, Income Tax, Enforcement Directorate, etc., the Commission underscored its focus for an inducement-free elections. Without mincing words, the Commission conveyed its zero tolerance towards use of money power in the elections. However, CEC Rajiv Kumar also cautioned the officials to avoid any undue harassments to the public in the name of checking during elections. The following directions were given to enforcement agencies:

    1. All enforcement agencies to work in a coordinated manner to curb illicit liquor, cash, and drugs inflow in the state.
    2. Agencies to synchronise and update their route maps of flow of inducements with actual sensitivity on the ground.
    3. SPNO to ensure Joint teams of police, transport, State GST, Excise and forest for coordinated and synergistic action.
    4. Police and excise department to focus on action against liquor and drug kingpins and establish backward linkages for wider deterrence.
    5. Review inter-state border and Naka arrangements, particularly those which lie on illicit liquor and drugs inflow. Special focus on border with West Bengal, Odisha and Bihar.
    6. 24×7 CCTV monitoring at critical check posts on interstate borders and feeds to be followed up earnestly. 
    7. Focus on movement of synthetic drugs apart from rigorous monitoring of Ganja and poppy cultivation and destruction. Special watch of destruction of illegal poppy cultivation in districts of Palamu, Chatra, Hazaribagh, Latehar, Gumla and Khunti.
    8. National Highways particularly connecting Jharkhand with Odisha and West Bengal to be kept under close watch.
    9. Apart from road routes, rail and forest routes to be kept under close watch.
    10. Enforcement Agencies to mutually share intelligence and work in a coordinated manner.
    11. State Level Bankers Committee to ensure cash transfers only in designated vehicles during designated hours.
    12. Strict vigil over illicit online cash transfers through wallets.
    13. Special vigil on cargo movement through airstrips and helipads.

    During its two-day review, the Commission also held meeting with the Chief Secretary & Director General of Police to review the overall poll preparedness and law and order matters. Commission directed CS that AMF should be ensured in all polling stations. DGP was directed to ensure regular co-ordination meetings with counterparts in border states. Jharkhand shares a long border with 5 states namely Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh. CEC Rajiv Kumar highlighted that implementation of law and ECI guidelines should be in letter and spirit without any bias.

    On the second day, detailed review with DEOs/SPs/Divisional Commissioner’s/IGs was held on every aspect of election planning and conduct. The Commission specifically reviewed all the issues and concerns raised by the political parties during their meeting. CEC Rajiv Kumar emphasized that all DEOs/SPs to ensure free and fair elections, maintaining highest standards of impartial conduct for a level playing field. He emphasised that district administration needs to create a festive and comfortable voting experience for voters.

    DEOs to engage voters through innovative voter awareness and outreach activities for enhanced voter turnout. He emphasised that DEOs should organize SVEEP activities using local culture and sports like archery and hockey. Paintings competitions can be organized with local tribal folk themes. Local influencers/icons to be roped in for awareness activities. DEOs were told to intensify outreach activities in urban areas like Bokaro, Dhanbad, Ranchi, etc to address urban apathy noticed in previous elections. All DEOs and SPs were instructed to monitor social media for fake news and to respond swiftly with appropriate legal action, if required.

    The Chief Electoral Officer and State Police Nodal Officer gave a detailed overview of the poll preparations, including the Special Summary revision of Electoral Rolls in the state with respect to July 1, 2024 as the qualifying date. The final electoral roll was published on August 27, 2024, a copy of which was provided to all recognized parties free of cost. The details are summarised in Annexure A. The Commission reviewed in detail the law and order and requirement of forces with CEO & SPNO in for smooth and peaceful conduct of election.

    Senior officials from the Commission were also present during the review meetings.

    Annexure- A

    Electors

    CEO Jharkhand informed 2nd SSR in the state with respect to July 1, 2024 as the qualifying date has been completed and electoral roll was published on August 27, 2024 and copies of the same were provided to political parties. With continuous updation of the electoral roll and as on 20.09.2024, a total of 2.59 crore electors are registered in the state with approx. 1.31 crore male, 1.28 crore female electors. Over 11.05 lakh first time voters (18-19 years); 1.14 lakh 85+ senior citizens and 3.64 lakh PwD voters are registered in the state. More than 1845 voters are 100+ years old.  There is 100% enrolment (1.78 lakhs) of the 8 PVTGs in the electoral roll. With focus on inclusive and participative elections, all DEOs were directed to enhance participation of PVTGs and tribal groups in the elections. The state Electoral gender ratio is 978.

    Polling Stations

    While giving an overview of the polling stations during the review, CEO Jharkhand informed that a total of 29,562 polling stations will be set up on 20,276 locations in assembly elections. While 24,520 of these will be in rural areas, 5,042 will be urban polling stations with an average of 872 voters per polling station.

    1271 PS will be managed solely by women and 139 will be youth managed (young employees) to promote voting amongst the key demographics of women and youth. 48 Polling stations will be manned by persons with disabilities.

    Assured Minimum Facilities at Polling Stations

    All DEOs assured that polling stations across the state will have Assured Minimum Facilities like ramps, drinking water, toilets, electricity, shed, chairs etc. for convenience of voters.

     

    Technology

    DEOs informed that they will use an ecosystem of IT Applications to facilitate all stakeholders including voters and political parties.

    cVIGIL: This app empowers citizens to report any electoral violations and malpractices. Flying squads are deployed to address the complaints raised through an easy to use, intuitive app which preserves the anonymity of the complainant and assures a response within 100 minutes.

    SUVIDHA: It is a single window app for candidates to raise requests for permissions for meeting halls, booking grounds for political rallies etc. The technology is a step towards ensuring a level playing field as permissions are accorded on a first in first out basis, without any discretion.

    KYC or Know Your Candidate App is a step to promote an informed and aware electorate. The app contains the criminal antecedents, if any, of the candidates in the electoral fray and their assets and liabilities, educational details. 

    Saksham App is specially designed for PwD voters with various accessibility features built-in. One can request for Pick-n-Drop facility, wheelchair assistance, or volunteer assistance at the polling booth through this app to make the voting experience smooth for PwD voters.

    Inclusive & Accessible Elections:

    For the first time in State Assembly Elections in Jharkhand, Senior Citizens over 85+ years and PwDs with 40% benchmark disability will be provided an option to vote from the comfort of their homes. Home Voting facility is optional. If an elector is willing to visit the polling station physically to cast their vote, necessary assistance will be provided at the polling station. Application form 12D is distributed and collected by BLO within 5 days of the notification, from such electors who opt for this facility and deposit it with the Returning Officer. The complete process is videographed and representatives of political parties/candidates are always involved in the entire process of voting from home.

    ******

    PK/RP

    (Release ID: 2058271) Visitor Counter : 53

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: India attends Ministerial Meeting of Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity

    Source: Government of India

    India attends Ministerial Meeting of Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity

    IPEF partners welcome upcoming entry into force of the Clean Economy Agreement, Fair Economy Agreement, and IPEF Overarching Agreement under Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity

    IPEF partners commit to continued progress at virtual Ministerial Meeting

    Posted On: 24 SEP 2024 3:47PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Commerce and Industry Minister Shri Piyush Goyal along with 13 other IPEF Ministers virtually attended the third Ministerial meeting focused on IPEF Pillar II, III, and IV.                

    In particular, Minister Goyal along with other IPEF Ministers welcomed the upcoming entry into force of the Clean Economy Agreement, Fair Economy Agreement, and the Overarching Agreement on IPEF on October 11, 2024, October 12, 2024, and October 11, 2024, respectively, and emphasized the significant opportunities to further deepen economic cooperation and deliver concrete benefits under the IPEF agreements through ongoing collaboration.

    Supply Chain Resilience

    In the virtual meeting, IPEF Ministers reviewed and appreciated the substantive progress made to operationalize the Supply Chain Agreement, deepening cooperation to build more competitive and resilient supply chains, better prepare for, prevent, and respond to supply chain disruptions when they happen, and ensure that regional supply chains raise up workers and respect labor rights.  They outlined concrete next steps for the upcoming months, building on the progress made by the Supply Chain Agreement’s three bodies: the Supply Chain Council, Crisis Response Network, and Labor Rights Advisory Board.  IPEF partners also highlighted the meaningful collaboration taking place under the Supply Chain Agreement which includes:

    The IPEF Ministers noted that the three supply chain bodies – the Supply Chain Council (Council), the Crisis Response Network (Network), and the Labor Rights Advisory Board (LRAB) – met virtually in July to elect leadership in which India was elected as Vice Chair of the Council with US as Chair; Korea as Chair and Japan as Vice Chair of the Network; and the United States as Chair and Fiji as Vice Chair of the LRAB.

    Minister Goyal noted that the formation of Action Plan teams in the first in person meeting of supply chain council held in Washington last week, for three critical sectors – semiconductors, critical minerals with a focus on batteries, and chemicals which are highly relevant today given their supply/production concentration and the experience learned from disruptions faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

     

    The world has witnessed exponential growth in demand for clean energy solutions to meet respective climate goals. The paradigm shift towards a sustainable and low-carbon future has brought to the forefront of the critical importance in securing a reliable supply of minerals which are critical for green transition.

    The use of specific minerals is indispensable for the sectors including clean energy, electronics, defence, transportation, telecommunications, fertilisers, and pharmaceuticals. One of the key challenges in supply chains is risk on account of concentration of global capacities or resources, which can add to price volatility and supply uncertainty. The work under the Action Plan team needs to address this global concentration of supply chains in any form.

    The growing population puts immense pressure on limited agricultural land for higher yields and in this context, the importance of resilient supply chains for Agro-chemicals has become extremely important. According to an estimate, the Global Agrochemicals Market (fertilizers, pesticides, adjuvants, and plant regulators) is projected to reach USD 282.2 billion by 2028 from USD 235.2 billion by 2023, at a CAGR of 3.7%.

    Minister Goyal emphasized that healthcare including pharmaceuticals and medical devices is an extremely relevant area due to over concentration of global production of APIs and Key Starting Materials (KSMs) which can severely impair supply chain resilience and impact our capacity to address the healthcare needs of our economies. Besides, the multimodal transport systems including multimodal transport corridors, upgrades of logistics infrastructure, enhanced technological interoperability and data flows among freight and logistics enterprises, are some of the key areas which need to be focused upon.  

    Minister Goyal noted that IPEF’s focus on Logistics and Movement of Good aligns perfectly with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of Gati Shakti initiative, which aims to improve logistics and transportation infrastructure across India through evidence based integrated planning. Further, data and analytics on one hand will help identify new opportunities for collaboration for better resilience amongst IPEF supply chains and on other will help identify structural and systemic risks, enhancing the Council’s ability to address current challenges. He emphasized the workforce development which is a key cross cutting component of building resilient supply chains across the IPEF region should include efforts to identify skill gaps, support reskilling and upskilling, and ensure skill qualification comparability across the region to facilitate workforce mobility.

     

     

    Crisis Response Network

    IPEF Ministers emphasized the importance of collaboration under the Crisis Response Network to help partners timely understand risks in their supply chains. They also reflected on the emergency simulation exercise conducted during the Crisis Response Network (CRN) in person meeting to assist partners in creating tailored systems for real-time monitoring and crisis preparedness.

    Clean Economy

    Agreement on Clean Economy intends to accelerate efforts of IPEF partners towards energy security and transition, climate resilience and adaptation, GHG emissions mitigation; find/develop innovative ways of reducing dependence on fossil fuel energy; promote technical cooperation, workforce development, capacity building, and research collaborations; and collaborate to facilitate development, access, and deployment of clean energy and climate-friendly technologies.  The IPEF partners welcomed the progress made on the eight Cooperative Work Programs (CWPs), which serve as one of the primary mechanisms under the Clean Economy Agreement for facilitating cooperation among participating IPEF partners on priority topics. Each CWP, as developed by the proposing IPEF partner or partners, in consultation with the other IPEF partners, has different objectives and workstreams to carry forward the collaborative work.  During the virtual Ministerial, the IPEF partners commended the progress made on the Clean Economy Agreement since the successful Ministerial and inaugural Clean Economy Investor Forum in June.

    The IPEF partners welcomed the continued efforts to build and sustain longer-term cooperation among various groupings of interested partners on a range of climate solutions through the CWP mechanism, in furtherance of the overarching goals of the IPEF Clean Economy Agreement, especially w.r.t hydrogen, carbon markets, and small modular reactors (SMRs) and e-waste urban mining proposed by India.

    IPEF Ministers expressed great satisfaction over the very successful first IPEF investor Forum held in Singapore which provided a common platform to the investors and the project proponents together and facilitated them to gainfully engage on a wide array of investment opportunities including innovative ideas in the space of climate friendly technologies.

    Fair Economy

              By strengthening anti-corruption efforts and enhancing the efficiency of tax administration, the IPEF partners are demonstrating their commitment to increased transparency and predictability, and thereby will be better positioned to expand their trade, investment ties and ensure the benefits of trade are broadly shared throughout their economies.

    The IPEF partners welcomed the next steps to implement the Agreement, including operationalizing the Technical Assistance and Capacity Building Coordination Group that will coordinate technical assistance and capacity building (TACB) under the Agreement’s Capacity Building Framework. Some of the TACB initiatives highlighted include:-

    • The US Department of Commerce’s Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP)’s  two-year program will offer IPEF partners TACB to help with implementation of the anti-corruption provisions of the Agreement, primarily focused on enforcement training centered on foreign bribery, corporate liability, and compliance.
    • In August 2024, the US Treasury Department’s Office of Technical Assistance (OTA)’s virtual workshop served as a forum for the IPEF partners to discuss the importance of effective tax administration to support economic and development objectives.
    • In October 2024, the US State Department, with the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, will hold an IPEF workshop focused on the implementation and enforcement of foreign bribery laws and another IPEF workshop on preventing corruption in public procurement, including tools to improve the effectiveness of oversight mechanisms, appeal systems, and potential remedies and legal options.

    Minister Goyal underscored that peer learning, knowledge sharing and capacity building initiatives under the Fair Economy agreement will remain key to achieving its objectives. India, under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has established a robust anti-corruption regime and has already implemented several legislative, administrative, and regulatory measures to address both corruption and promote tax transparency. 

    Minister Goyal emphasized that the full potential of IPEF can only be realised if each partner country brings their respective strengths to the table whether it is technological advancements or investment capacity or market potential or requisite resources including skilled workforce, to address various challenges of supply chain resilience or green transition.

    The IPEF partners agreed that the Ministers will continue to monitor the progress made to further operationalize the Supply Chain Agreement, the Clean Economy Agreement, the Fair Economy Agreement, and the IPEF Overarching arrangement, and look forward to the first meetings of the ministerial-level IPEF Council and IPEF Joint Commission established under the IPEF Overarching  Agreement .

    About IPEF

    IPEF was launched on 23 May 2022 at Tokyo, Japan, comprising 14 countries – Australia, Brunei, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and USA. The IPEF seeks to strengthen economic engagement and cooperation among partner countries with the goal of advancing growth, economic stability and prosperity in the region.

    The framework is structured around four pillars relating to Trade (Pillar I); Supply Chain Resilience (Pillar II); Clean Economy (Pillar III); and Fair Economy (Pillar IV). Agreement on Supply Chain Resilience (Pillars II) was signed in November 2023 and is in force since February 2024. Agreement on Clean Economy (Pillar-III), Agreement on Fair Economy (Pillar- IV) and the IPEF Overarching Agreement were signed by India early this week in Delaware, USA in the presence of the Prime Minister during his 3-day visit to the US.  India has maintained an observer status in Pillar-I.

    These agreements were negotiated in consultation with line Ministries/Departments including the Ministry of External Affairs and other relevant stakeholders.

     ***

    AD/VN/CNAN

    (Release ID: 2058232) Visitor Counter : 46

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Signs Agreement with Laporte County, Indiana, to Ensure Civic Access for People with Disabilities

    Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

    The Justice Department today announced an agreement with LaPorte County, Ind., to improve access to all aspects of civic life for persons with disabilities. The agreement was reached under the department’s Project Civic Access initiative, which aims to bring state and local governments into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This agreement is the 169th under Project Civic Access and the eighth this year.

     “Civic access is a civil right, and individuals with disabilities must have the opportunity to participate in public programs, services and activities on an equal basis with their neighbors,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. “We appreciate LaPorte County’s commitment to ensuring that the civil rights promised in the Americans with Disabilities Act are granted to individuals with disabilities who live in or visit the county.”

    LaPorte County, founded in 1832, is located in northwestern Indiana, near the Chicago metropolitan area. More than 16 percent of the residents of LaPorte County have disabilities and will benefit from the agreement announced today.

     Under today’s agreement, the county will:

    • Make physical modifications to its buildings and parks so that parking, entrances, routes, toilet rooms, courtrooms, assembly areas, service counters and drinking fountains are accessible to persons with disabilities;
    • Post, publish and distribute a notice to inform members of the public of the provisions of the ADA and their applicability to county programs, services, and activities;
    • Amend its employment policies, as necessary, to comply with the regulations of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission implementing the employment provisions of the ADA;
    • Provide auxiliary aids necessary to ensure effective communication with persons who are deaf or hard of hearing and persons who are blind or have low vision;
    • Ensure that each 9-1-1 call station is equipped with a text telephone (TTY) or computer equivalent and that TTY calls are answered promptly and correctly;
    • Implement the La Porte County Sheriff Department’s Policy on Effective Communication with People Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, which provides for the county to make available interpreters and other auxiliary aids necessary to ensure effective communication with persons who are deaf or hard of hearing;
    • Provide accessible polling places;
    • Implement emergency management policies and procedures to ensure equal access for persons with disabilities, including preparation, notification, sheltering and response;
    • Make modifications necessary to county sidewalks and curb ramps to provide accessible routes; and
    • Ensure that the county’s official Web site is accessible to persons with disabilities, including people who are blind or have low vision.

    The settlement agreement will remain in effect for three years from Oct. 28, 2009, or until all actions required by the agreement have been completed, whichever is later.

    Project Civic Access was initiated to ensure that persons with disabilities have an equal opportunity to participate in civic life. As part of the project, department investigators, attorneys and architects conduct on-site surveys of state and local government programs and facilities in order to identify modifications needed for compliance with ADA requirements. The agreements contain a plan setting out the specific steps a community will take to improve access for persons with disabilities.

    People interested in finding out more about the ADA, today’s agreement with LaPorte County, Ind., or the department’s Project Civic Access initiative may find this information on the ADA Web site at http://www.ada.gov or may call the toll-free ADA Information Line at (800) 514-0301 or (800) 514-0383 (TTY).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Government Files Seven Lawsuits Nationwide to Block Alleged Scheme Involving Fraudulent Tax-Refund Claims

    Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

    WASHINGTON – The United States this week has filed civil injunction lawsuits across the country against seven individuals, the Justice Department announced today. The federal suits – filed in Los Angeles; Panama City, Fla.; Salt Lake City; Nashville, Tenn.; and Pocatello, Idaho – allege that the defendants promote a tax fraud scheme designed to siphon hundreds of millions of dollars from the U.S. Treasury through fraudulent tax refund claims.

    Papers filed in the cases say the defendants prepared tax returns requesting a total of $562.4 million in bogus refunds. One defendant – Dick Jenkins, of Heber City, Utah – allegedly holds himself out as a CPA and requested a $210 million fraudulent refund for one customer. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) catches the vast majority of the bogus tax returns and blocks the claimed refunds.

    Under the tax fraud scheme, known as the “redemption” or “OID redemption” scheme, participants file a series of false IRS forms, including tax returns, amended returns, and Forms 1099 (including Form 1099-OID) or Forms W-2, to request fraudulent tax refunds based on phony claims of large income tax withholding. According to papers filed in these cases and earlier cases against other alleged scheme promoters, redemption scheme promoters are tax defiers who falsely tell customers that the federal government maintains “secret” accounts of money for its citizens. Promoters claim to be able to help customers access the secret funds by filing the false IRS forms.

    Altogether, according to the IRS, redemption scheme participants (including customers of the defendants in the seven lawsuits filed this week) have requested a total of $3.3 trillion in fraudulent refunds.

    “The scope of the misconduct alleged in these lawsuits is staggering,” said John A. DiCicco, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Tax Division. “The IRS and Justice Department are working together closely to ensure that those who promote or participate in this large-scale attempted raid on the Treasury face all appropriate civil and criminal sanctions. Anyone who participates in this scheme can expect to not get the claimed refund, face very large civil penalties (up to 20 percent of the false claim), and where appropriate, face criminal prosecution with possible substantial prison sentences if convicted.”

    The Justice Department has previously brought other injunction suits to shut down redemption scheme promoters. A federal court in Sacramento found that tax preparer Teresa Marty had been using the same scheme to claim bogus refunds for her customers, and preliminarily barred her from preparing tax returns for others. The Government sued Nyla McIntyre and her Los Angeles-based company, Approved Financial Services Inc., to permanently bar them from preparing tax returns for others.

    Listed below are details of the seven lawsuits, filed in U.S. District Courts in the cities indicated:

    Case

    Fraudulent “Refunds” Requested

    United States v. Dick Jenkins

    Salt Lake City, Utah

    $393 million

    United States v. Susan Guan

    Los Angeles, California

    , et al.

    $4.5 million

    United States v. Jacqueline Cornejo

    Los Angeles, California

    $12.1 million

    United States v. Evelyn Johnston, et al.

    Panama City, Florida

    $17.5 million

    United States v. Thanh Cao

    Los Angeles, California

    $34 million

    United States v. Penny Jones

    Pocatello, Idaho

    $93 million

    United States v. Karen Miller

    Nashville, Tennessee

    $8.3 million

     

    TOTAL:

    $562.4 million

    The Tax Division also prosecutes criminal cases involving the redemption scheme and other schemes involving fraudulent uses of IRS forms, including Forms 1099. These prosecutions often result in significant prison sentences. In May 2009 in the Southern District of Florida, Willie Bernard Cameron was sentenced to 60 months in prison for filing a false $2.9 million refund claim based on a fictitious Form 1099-OID. At the sentencing hearing, Cameron espoused tax-defier positions, including sovereignty and redemption. Other successful prosecutions have involved the use of fraudulent Forms 1099 to harass federal and state officials. In May 2009 in the Northern District of Ohio, Jeanne Herrington was sentenced to 96 months in prison for conspiracy to defraud the IRS and for retaliating against federal prosecutors by filing false Forms 1099 in their names. In May 2009 in the Central District of California, Giancarlo Pertile was sentenced to 60 months incarceration and fined $75,000. Evidence at sentencing showed that, after his indictment for tax evasion, Pertile filed Forms 1099-OID against the judge and others.

    In the past decade, the Justice Department’s Tax Division has obtained more than 430 injunctions against tax fraud promoters and dishonest tax return preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s Web site.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bill Allen and Richard Smith, Former Officers of VECO Corporation, Sentenced for Roles in Alaska Public Corruption Scheme

    Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

    WASHINGTON – Bill J. Allen and Richard L. Smith were each sentenced in separate hearings today for their participation in a corruption scheme in which they provided approximately $395,000 in corrupt payments to public officials from the state of Alaska, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division. Allen and Smith were sentenced in U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska by U.S. District Court Judge John W. Sedwick.

    Allen, 72 , the former chief executive officer of VECO Corporation, was sentenced to 36 months in prison, a $750,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Smith, 64 , the former vice president of community and government affairs for VECO Corporation, was sentenced to 21 months in prison, a $10,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

    Both defendants pleaded guilty on May 7, 2007, to three-count informations charging each with bribery; conspiracy to commit bribery, extortion under color of official right, and honest services mail and wire fraud; and conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. According to court documents, Allen and Smith conspired with at least five members of the Alaska legislature to provide illegal financial benefits to several Alaska elected officials in exchange for those officials’ support on legislation pending before the Alaska state legislature. Allen and Smith also pleaded guilty to one substantive count of bribery, and admitted that they provided approximately $395,000 in benefits to public officials from the state of Alaska in connection with the scheme.

    The Allen sentencing was handled by Deputy Chief James M. Trusty of the Criminal Division’s Gang Unit, Trial Attorney Kevin R. Gingras of the Criminal Division’s Appellate Section and Trial Attorney Peter M. Koski of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section. The Smith sentencing was handled by Trial Attorney M. Kendall Day and Deputy Chief Raymond Hulser of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section. The case is being investigated by the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Settles Lawsuit Against Nevada Company to Enforce the Employment Rights of Air Force Reservist

    Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

    WASHINGTON – The Justice Department announced today that it has reached a settlement that will resolve its suit filed on behalf of former Utah Army National Guardsman and current Air Force Reservist Matthew T. Denning against Stonescape Pavers LLC. The settlement must be approved by the federal court in Las Vegas. The Department’s complaint, filed in June 2009, alleges that Stonescape violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA) by terminating Denning during his statutorily protected reemployment time period. Under the terms of the settlement, embodied in an agreement that has been submitted to the court, Stonescape must provide Denning with $10,000 to compensate him for his lost wages and benefits as a result of Stonescape’s actions.

    In its complaint, the Justice Department alleged that Denning was a salesman for Stonescape when he was called to active duty to deploy to Iraq with the Utah Army National Guard in January 2006. After he was honorably discharged in June 2006, he was reemployed by Stonescape. According to the complaint, Stonescape terminated Denning without cause in August 2006 during his statutorily-protected reemployment time period. The lawsuit was filed after the Labor Department’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service completed an investigation of Denning’s complaint. Congress enacted USERRA in 1994 to protect service members from being disadvantaged in their civilian careers due to serving in the uniformed services. Among other things, USERRA prohibits employers from terminating a service member except for cause for 180 days after the employee’s date of reemployment if his or her recent period of uniformed service was more than 30 days but less than 181 days.

    “We all have a duty to ensure the brave men and women who serve our country in uniform can land on their feet after they return from active duty. This settlement demonstrates our vigilant protection of the employment rights of our servicemembers, and our commitment to vigorous enforcement of the laws that protect them,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.

    The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division has given a high priority to the enforcement of servicemembers’ rights under USERRA. During 2009, the Civil Rights Division has filed 20 USERRA lawsuits on behalf of service members. Additional information about USERRA can be found on the Justice Department’s Web sites at http://www.justice.gov/crt/emp and http://www.servicemembers.gov/, as well as on the Labor Department’s Web site at http://www.dol.gov/vets/programs/userra/main.htm

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Security News: President Obama Signs the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016

    Source: United States Department of Justice 2

    Today, as we approach the 50th anniversary of the Freedom of Information Act, President Obama has signed into law the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016.

    In our democracy, the FOIA serves as a vital tool to keep citizens informed about the operations of their government. Since its enactment in 1966, the FOIA has been amended on a number of occasions to adapt to the times and changing priorities.  The FOIA Improvement Act of 2016 contains several substantive and procedural amendments to the FOIA, as well as new reporting requirements for agencies.  

    In order to assist agencies in understanding all of the new changes to the FOIA, OIP has added two new resources to its website today. First, agencies and the public can find a detailed summary of all of the changes to the law on the “FOIA Resources” pages of our site. Additionally, OIP is making available a redline version of the FOIA which outlines each of the changes within the law. 

    In the upcoming months, OIP will be issuing guidance to agencies on the implementation of the various new provisions of the law.  Announcements will be made on FOIA Post as new guidance is released. Agencies are encouraged to contact OIP’s FOIA Counselor Service with any questions they may have on implementation of these new statutory provisions.  

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former West Point Employee Pleads Guilty in $3 Million Embezzlement Scheme

    Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

    A Highland Falls, N.Y., woman pleaded guilty today for her role in a scheme to defraud and embezzle funds from the U.S. government by authorizing nearly $3 million in payments from the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., to a bogus corporation she controlled.

    Bobbie Cyana Ryan, 51, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly to a three-count information charging her with devising a scheme to defraud, and transmitting funds in interstate commerce for the purpose of executing the scheme; embezzlement and conversion by Ryan of government funds; and executing a financial transaction with criminally derived funds.

    According to court documents filed in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia, Ryan worked in the Information, Education and Technology division in the Office of the Dean at West Point. Ryan was responsible for coordinating information technology training programs for West Point staff. According to court documents, based on irregularities found during a routine audit, U.S. Army investigators discovered that Ryan, acting as the requesting and approving official, used her government purchase card and cards of her unknowing subordinates to authorize approximately $2.9 million in payments to CWG Enterprises. The payments were purportedly for either on-site training instructors or training reference materials when, in fact, no personnel were ever trained and no materials were ever provided.

    U.S. Army investigators subsequently discovered that Ryan conducted financial transactions and identified herself as doing business as CWG Enterprises. Ryan used a rented mail box as the company address for CWG Enterprises. Based on false invoices created by Ryan, transfers of government funds were allegedly made from a bank in Washington to a bank account in the name of “Bobbie C. Ryan dba CWG Enterprises” at a bank in New Windsor, N.Y. Once the funds arrived in the purported CWG Enterprises bank account, Ryan withdrew the funds and paid personal and family expenses.

    At sentencing, scheduled for Feb. 19, 2010, Ryan faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison a fine of up to twice the pecuniary gain from the scheme.

    The case is being investigated by the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command, Hartford Fraud Resident Agency. The case is being prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney Andrew Levchuk of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Security News: Agency Training on FOIA Improvement Act of 2016

    Source: United States Department of Justice 2

    Update: This post has been updated to reflect that this event is at capacity.

    OIP will be hosting a training session on the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016 on August 8, 2016.  The training will provide agency personnel with an overview of the recent amendments to the FOIA and an opportunity to ask questions to OIP’s Director about the new provisions.  As OIP continues to work on guidance to agencies on the implementation of the specific requirements of the new law, we hope you can join us for this training to address any immediate questions or concerns. The details for this training are:

    FOIA Amendments Training
    Robert F. Kennedy Building – Great Hall
    10th and Constitution Ave NW
    August 8, 2016 – 10am to 12pm     

    This training event is open to agency FOIA professionals and interested agency personnel.

    If you are interested in attending, please e-mail your name and phone number to OIP’s Training Officer at DOJ.OIP.FOIA@usdoj.gov with the subject line “FOIA Amendments Training.” As space for this meeting is limited, registration is required to attend.  You will need a picture ID to enter the building.  If you have any questions regarding this event, please contact OIP’s Training Officer at (202) 514-3642.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Security News: Inaugural Chief FOIA Officers Council Meeting

    Source: United States Department of Justice 2

    The inaugural meeting of the newly established Chief FOIA Officers Council will be held on July 22, 2016. President Obama recently signed into law the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016, which, among other things, established a Chief FOIA Officer Council. The Chief FOIA Officer Council is co-chaired by the Directors of OIP and OGIS and is made up of each agency Chief FOIA Officer and the Deputy Director of Management of OMB. In accordance with the new law, the Council is tasked with developing recommendations for improving FOIA, sharing best practices, and developing and coordinating initiatives.

    The meeting will be held at 2:00pm on July 22, 2016 in Room 430 of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building; 1650 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20502. 

    You can view a livestream of this meeting at www.wh.gov/live beginning at 2pm. You can also follow the meeting through OIP’s Twitter account @FOIAPost and through the hashtag #CFOCouncil.

    A limited number of seats are available for members of the public to attend in person. For security purposes registration is required. Please email DOJ.OIP.FOIA@usdoj.gov with the subject line “CFO Council Meeting – Public” by COB on July 18, 2016 to request a seat. On July 19, we will respond to your email to confirm your attendance and provide a link for you to formally register by July 21 at 12pm.  

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Security News: OIP Releases Guidance on the New Requirements for FOIA Response Letters

    Source: United States Department of Justice 2

    On June 30, 2016, President Obama signed into law the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016, which contains several substantive and procedural amendments to the FOIA. OIP has prepared a summary of the amendments as well as a redlined version of the statute which shows the changes made by the amendments. Today, OIP has released its first guidance piece addressing the new amendments. The guidance addresses the new requirements for agency response letters and for notices extending the FOIA’s time limits due to “unusual circumstances.” The guidance addresses the:

    • Requirement to notify requesters about the availability of the agency’s FOIA Public Liaison to offer assistance,
    • Requirements to notify requesters of their right to seek dispute resolution services from the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) at NARA, and
    • To afford the requester no less than 90 days from the date of the adverse determination on the request to file an administrative appeal.

    Agencies should update their response letters and notices extending the FOIA’s time limits due to unusual circumstances to include the new requirements from the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016. OIP has prepared an implementation checklist, with sample language, to assist agencies in doing so.

    Guidance on the New Requirements for FOIA Response Letters, Including Affording Ninety Days to File an Administrative Appeal, and New Notification Requirement for Notices Extending FOIA’s Time Limits Due to Unusual Circumstances

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Security News: CFO Council Holds First Meeting at the White House

    Source: United States Department of Justice 2

    On July 22, 2016, the Chief FOIA Officers (CFO) Council, created by the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016, held its inaugural meeting at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. The CFO Council is composed of all agency CFOs, plus the Deputy Director for Management from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and is co-chaired by the Directors of OIP and the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS).  Chief FOIA Officers and representatives from over 64 agencies attended, along with several members of the public. The meeting was available via livestream, and the full video recording is available here.      

    OIP Director Melanie Ann Pustay, opened the meeting by providing an overview of the responsibilities of agency CFOs. Next, Andrew Mayock, a Senior Advisor at OMB, emphasized the Administration’s commitment to transparency and open government. Mr. Mayock described the recently-announced Cross-Agency Priority (CAP) Goal for FOIA that will be co-led by OMB, DOJ, and NARA to focus senior leadership attention and drive performance and accountability for improving FOIA administration, and to ensure that Federal departments and agencies are providing sufficient resources toward FOIA responsibilities. He explained that the CAP goal will be publicly posted on Performance.gov, and will have a detailed action plan, including specific metrics and milestones that will be used to gauge progress. Mr. Mayock explained that the initial focus of the CAP goal will be on implementing the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016.  

    Acting Director of OGIS Nikki Gramian also gave opening remarks. She discussed the responsibilities of OGIS and summarized the first meeting of the second term of the FOIA Advisory Committee, which is composed of representatives from both agencies and the requester community. Ms. Gramian indicated that she anticipates the work of the CFO Council and the FOIA Advisory Committee will be complementary, and that she looks forward to keeping the CFO Council informed about the Advisory Committee’s activities. 

    Director Pustay then introduced the Council’s first item for consideration – implementing a “release to one is release to all” presumption for FOIA responses. Director Pustay briefed the Council on OIP’s six-month pilot program conducted with seven volunteer Federal agencies that was designed to assess the viability of a policy that would direct agencies to proactively post online their FOIA responses. The President has directed the CFO Council to consider the lessons learned from the DOJ pilot program and to work to develop a Federal Government policy establishing a “release to one is a release to all” presumptive standard for Federal agencies when releasing records under FOIA. After briefing the Council on the pilot and OIP’s findings, Director Pustay answered questions from the members on a wide range of issues connected with implementation of the policy.  

    In the coming months, the CFO Council will examine issues critical to this policy’s implementation, including assessing the impact on investigative journalism efforts, as well as how best to address technological and resource challenges. At its next meeting, the Council will invite journalists and members of the public to provide feedback about the “release to all” policy, specifically addressing the concerns raised by some journalists about its possible impact on their work.  Details about the next meeting will be available here on FOIA Post.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Security News: FOIA Summer Program Continues with FOIA Public Liaison and FOIA Requester Service Center Training

    Source: United States Department of Justice 2

    Both President Obama and the Department of Justice have stressed the importance of agencies working “in a spirit of cooperation” with FOIA requesters. Since their introduction, agency FOIA Requester Service Centers and FOIA Public Liaisons serve as the voice of the agency and provide two channels for the public to use to interact with agencies during the FOIA request process. On August 15th, OIP, in conjunction with the Office of Government Information Services, will be hosting a specialized training event to assist agency personnel in carrying out their responsibilities in these important roles.

    FOIA Requester Service Centers typically serve as the first contact at agencies for members of the public when they have questions or are seeking information about how the FOIA works or  the status of their requests. The individuals who make up these FOIA Requester Service Centers need to be prepared to discuss their agency’s FOIA process and to provide specific details about any given request. In addition, agencies offer the assistance of FOIA Public Liaisons who are tasked by the statute to be supervisory agency officials with the responsibility for “assisting in reducing delays, increasing transparency and understanding of the status of requests, and assisting in the resolution of disputes.”

    The FOIA Improvement Act of 2016 reinforced the important role played by FOIA Public Liaisons who, in conjunction with agency FOIA Requester Service Centers, provide an all-important human touch to FOIA administration. By engaging with requesters during the FOIA process and providing contacts to help answer questions or resolve issues that may arise, FOIA Requester Service Centers and FOIA Public Liaisons serve important roles in promoting understanding throughout the lifecycle of a FOIA request. 

    We hope that you are able to join us for this training, the details of which are:

    FOIA Public Liaison and FOIA Requester Service Center Training
    Department of Justice Conference Center
    145 N Street, NE
    August 15, 2016 – 10am to 12pm

    This training is open to all FOIA Public Liaisons and FOIA Requester Service Center personnel. Registration is required to attend this training and you will need a picture ID to enter the building.

    If you are interested in attending, please e-mail your name and phone number to OIP’s Training Officer at DOJ.OIP.FOIA@usdoj.gov with the subject line “FOIA Public Liaison & FOIA Requester Service Center Training.” If you have any questions regarding this event, please contact OIP’s Training Officer at (202) 514-3642.

    For those individuals outside of the Washington, DC area who are unable to attend this training, we are planning a teleconference to review the presentation material in the coming weeks. If you are interested in being a part of this teleconference, please send an email to DOJ.OIP.FOIA@usdoj.gov with the subject line “FOIA Public Liaison& FOIA Requester Service Center Training – Teleconference.” 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Security News: Launch of New Chief FOIA Officer Council Page

    Source: United States Department of Justice 2

    OIP is pleased to announce the launch of a new page on its website dedicated to the work of the Chief FOIA Officer (CFO) Council. Recently established by the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016, the CFO Council is composed of all agency CFOs, plus the Deputy Director for Management from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and is co-chaired by the Directors of OIP and the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS). In fulfilling its responsibilities, the Council will meet regularly to develop recommendations for increasing FOIA compliance and efficiency, disseminating information about agency experiences and best practices, and working on initiatives that will increase transparency. Agencies and the public can access resources related to the work of the Council, including agendas and meeting minutes from past meetings as well as details on future meetings, on this dedicated page.    

    As highlighted on FOIA Post, last month the CFO Council held its inaugural meeting on July 22, 2016 in an event held at the White House. A recording of that event, as well as the meeting minutes and presentation materials, is available on this new page. During this meeting, OIP Director Melanie Pustay introduced the first item for the Council’s consideration — implementing a “release to one, release to all” presumption for FOIA responses. To assist in the implementation of this new presumption, OIP asked agency CFOs to answer specific questions about how such a policy might work at their agency. The memorandum and questionnaire from OIP’s Director to all agency CFOs seeking this feedback is also available on this new page. If you would like to submit your own feedback on the “release to one, release to all” presumption, please email ReleaseToAll@usdoj.gov with your thoughts.

    Please be sure to continue checking FOIA Post and the new CFO Council Page for further updates on the Council’s work and details about upcoming meetings.  

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Security News: Second Meeting of the Chief FOIA Officers Council

    Source: United States Department of Justice 2

    UPDATE: This post has been updated with details regarding the livestream of this event.

    The next meeting of the Chief FOIA Officers Council will be held on Thursday, September 15, 2016.  At this meeting, OIP will brief the Council on the feedback received from agencies on the “Release to One is a Release to All” presumption and will provide journalists an opportunity to share their views on the presumption.  The meeting will be held at:

    Second Chief FOIA Officers Council Meeting
    GSA Central Office – Auditorium
    1800 F Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20405 
    September 15, 2016 – 10am to 12pm

    This meeting will be open to the public, and time will be provided for members of the public to address the Council.  If you would like to address the Council at the meeting, either as a journalist or a member of the public, please request this in your registration email.  Written comments pertaining to the “Release to All” presumption policy may be submitted to ReleaseToAll@usdoj.gov. While the “release to one is a release to all” presumption is the first topic being considered by the Council, the Director of OIP will also provide an update on the consolidated FOIA portal in anticipation of further engagement with the Council on that topic.

    For security purposes registration for this meeting is required.  Please email DOJ.OIP.FOIA@usdoj.gov with the subject line “CFO Council Meeting – Public” by 5:00 PM on September 7, 2016. This meeting will also be livestreamed at https://meet.gsa.gov/foiacfomeetingsept2016/. To view this livestream, please visit the URL and select “Enter as a Guest;” you will be prompted to provide your name and then select “Enter Room.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Announces Appointment of a Special Counsel

    Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

    Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced the appointment of a former career Justice Department prosecutor and former U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur to serve as special counsel to conduct the investigation of matters that were the subject of the initial investigation by U.S. Attorney John R. Lausch Jr. related to the possible unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents or other records discovered at the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement and the Wilmington, Delaware, private residence of President Joseph R. Biden Jr.

    Related:

    Appointment of a Special Counsel

    Statement of Special Counsel Robert K. Hur

    Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Delivers Remarks on the Appointment of a Special Counsel

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Eye Surgery Practices Agree to Pay $1 Million and End Discriminatory Policies Towards People with Disabilities

    Source: United States Department of Justice

    The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a proposed consent decree with Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Centers (BDP) and American Vision Partners (AVP), to resolve its lawsuit alleging that the eye care practices violated the Americans with Disabilities Act. The lawsuit alleged that BDP and AVP refused to operate on certain patients who needed assistance transferring from their wheelchairs for surgery and required other such patients to pay for third-party medical transport and transfer assistance. Medical providers routinely offer this type of assistance to patients who need help transferring from a wheelchair to an examination or surgical table for surgery and exams.

    “The Americans with Disabilities Act requires health care providers to offer equal access to their services,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Patients with disabilities must not be denied crucial medical services or forced to pay surcharges because they need transfer assistance. The Justice Department is fully committed to protecting the civil rights of individuals with disabilities to get the medical care they need.” 

    “This agreement reflects an important step in obtaining equal access to health care services for Arizonans with disabilities,” said U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino for the District of Arizona. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work closely with the Civil Rights Division to ensure that all Arizonans are afforded equal opportunity to access health care services in our state.”

    Under the decree, BDP and AVP will end their policies of denying surgery and prohibiting staff from providing transfer assistance to people with mobility disabilities. BDP operates eye care facilities throughout Arizona, and AVP, one of the largest eye care practice management organizations in the country, partners with eye care providers in Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada and Texas, including BDP, Southwestern Eye Center, M & M Eye Institute, Retinol Consultants of Arizona, Abrams Eye Institute, Southwest Eye Institute, Aiello Eye Institute, Havasu Eye Center, Visage Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery and Moretsky Cassidy Vision Correction. These eye care providers will also train staff on the new policy requirements and on safe transfer techniques, and pay $950,000 to patients and prospective patients who were harmed by its policies and a civil penalty of $50,000.

    For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit http://www.justice.gov/crt. For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit www.ada.gov. ADA complaints may be filed online at http://www.ada.gov/complaint.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Community Violence Intervention & Prevention Initiative Grantee Convening: Welcoming Remarks

    Source: United States Department of Justice

    Attorney General Merrick B. Garland provided welcoming remarks during the Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative Grantee Convening in St. Louis, Missouri.

    The conference marks the inaugural convening of communities funded under the department’s Community Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative, a first-of-its-kind federal grant program tailored to support community-driven safety solutions and reduce gun violence.

    The Justice Department invested $100 million to support community violence interventions that are working to expand the role of community partners as a complement to law enforcement. The grants, funded in part by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, include support for 47 sites nationwide to implement community-driven efforts that rely on cross-sector partnerships and trusted messengers to interrupt violence, expand opportunity, and save lives. The conference will host approximately 400 invited attendees, including representatives from grantee sites and training and technical assistance provider organizations.

    Related:

    Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Delivers Remarks at the Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative Grantee Convening

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Security News: Community Violence Intervention & Prevention Initiative Grantee Convening: Welcoming Remarks

    Source: United States Department of Justice 2

    Attorney General Merrick B. Garland provided welcoming remarks during the Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative Grantee Convening in St. Louis, Missouri.

    The conference marks the inaugural convening of communities funded under the department’s Community Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative, a first-of-its-kind federal grant program tailored to support community-driven safety solutions and reduce gun violence.

    The Justice Department invested $100 million to support community violence interventions that are working to expand the role of community partners as a complement to law enforcement. The grants, funded in part by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, include support for 47 sites nationwide to implement community-driven efforts that rely on cross-sector partnerships and trusted messengers to interrupt violence, expand opportunity, and save lives. The conference will host approximately 400 invited attendees, including representatives from grantee sites and training and technical assistance provider organizations.

    Related:

    Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Delivers Remarks at the Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative Grantee Convening

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Angola: Immediately release activists wrongfully jailed for one year and denied medical care

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Angolan authorities must immediately release four activists wrongfully detained for one year whose health has drastically deteriorated behind bars, Amnesty International said. 

    Police arrested the four activists on 16 September 2023 in Luanda ahead of a planned protest in solidarity with motorcycle taxi drivers. Since then, Amnesty International has documented significant declines in their health amid a pattern of authorities deliberately denying them medical care at multiple different prisons, including urgent surgery, which amounts to torture and other ill-treatment. 

    “One year in prison simply for peacefully protesting is a travesty of justice. Angolan authorities must release these activists now, especially given their worsening medical conditions,” said Vongai Chikwanda, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for East and Southern Africa. 

    Angolan authorities must release these activists now, especially given their worsening medical conditions.

    Vongai Chikwanda, Amnesty International Deputy Director for East and South Africa

    “Deliberately denying medical care to people in prison is torture. The denial of health care to prisoners also has potentially fatal consequences and may violate the right to life. Not another day should go by with them behind bars or without receiving the medical care they urgently need,” said Vongai Chikwanda. 

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: MSF closes programmes in Russia after instruction to deregister

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières –

    • After receiving a letter from the Ministry of Justice of Russia, MSF had to close our operations in the country.
    • This comes after 32 years of working in Russia.
    • MSF would like to work in Russia again should the necessary conditions be provided by authorities.

    Moscow / Amsterdam – Thirty-two years after starting work in Russia, Médecins Sans Frontières/ (MSF) had to close our operations in the country.  In August this year, we received a letter from the Ministry of Justice of Russia, with the decision to withdraw the affiliate office of the non-profit association ‘Médecins Sans Frontières’ (Netherlands) in Russia from the register of affiliate and representative offices of foreign NGOs.

    “It is with a heavy heart that we have to close our activities in Russia,” says Yashovardhan, head of MSF programmes in the country. “Our organisation’s work is guided by the principles of independence, impartiality, and neutrality, and medical ethics. We provide assistance based on the needs.”

    MSF had been present in Russia since 1992. For more than 30 years, we successfully implemented dozens of programmes, ranging from assistance to the homeless to emergency response to the collaborative work with the Ministry of Health on innovative tuberculosis treatment. We worked in various regions of the country, including Moscow, St. Petersburg, the Kemerovo region, Chechnya, Ingushetia, Dagestan, and – more recently – in the Arkhangelsk and Ivanovo regions, as well as in the south of Russia in Belgorod and Rostov-on-Don.

    A significant part of the history of MSF in Russia and the region was linked to the implementation of advanced approaches to the treatment of tuberculosis. MSF has collaborated with the medical academic community of Russia and other countries in the eastern Europe and central Asia to extend effective, innovative treatment for drug-resistant tuberculosis to patients in penitentiary and civil sectors across the region.

    In 2004-2017, we worked in close partnership with the Chechen Ministry of Health, providing technical and advisory support to the local health authorities in the treatment of drug-sensitive and drug-resistant tuberculosis in the Chechen Republic. The programme covered different aspects of tuberculosis diagnostics, treatment, laboratory services and health education, as well as adherence counselling and psychosocial support for patients and their families. In 2014, MSF supported the Ministry of Health in introducing new treatment regimens for patients with extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis which yielded impressive results giving hope to patients who previously had no treatment options left.

    In 2021, MSF and local health authorities of the Arkhangelsk region in the north of Russia started successful implementation of a nine-month all-oral course of treatment for drug-resistant tuberculosis. We enrolled 173 patients on this treatment regimen. And later, in 2023, we started enrolling patients on an even shorter, six months-long, all-oral treatment course that was recommended by the World Health Organization in the updated treatment guidelines in late 2022.

    In Arkhangelsk, and starting from 2024 in Ivanovo, MSF was providing expertise and technical assistance to health authorities with a special emphasis on implementing new treatment regimens and enhancing patients’ adherence and integrating person-centred care. To date, 41 patients in the Arkhangelsk and Ivanovo regions started treatment for drug-resistant tuberculosis within this joint programme. The aim of the collaboration was to contribute to the evidence base for more effective, meaning less toxic and person-centred, treatment with a view to scale up these scientifically proven treatment protocols in Russia.

    In Moscow and St. Petersburg since 2020, MSF partnered with two community-based NGOs to support access to general healthcare, as well as testing and treatment for infectious diseases, for people living with HIV and other vulnerable groups, such as migrants, who otherwise struggle to obtain medical assistance. Over 14,000 medical consultations were supported for patients from these vulnerable groups.

    Since the escalation of the armed conflict in Ukraine in 2022, many people have sought safety in Russia, and MSF, in partnership with local NGOs in the Belgorod and Rostov regions in the south of Russia, started providing assistance to those who crossed into Russia from Ukraine and later – with the development of the situation – internally displaced people. Since the start of our response in 2022, more than 52,000 refugees and displaced people were provided with humanitarian aid and more than 15,400 received free medical, mental health and psychosocial support.

    As part of this partnership, we were also planning to respond to the humanitarian and medical needs of the internally displaced people in the Kursk region. MSF continues to stand in solidarity with people impacted by this conflict and remain steadfast in our commitment to provide humanitarian assistance to those in need, irrespective of what side of the front line they are on, should the necessary conditions for our work be provided by relevant authorities.

    “We would like to take the opportunity to thank all our colleagues in Russia for their hard work and commitment to humanitarian values we hold high as an organisation,” says Norman Sitali, MSF operations manager responsible for programmes in Russia. “We are very sad to conclude our programmes in the country as many people in need of medical and humanitarian assistance will now be left without the support we could have provided to them. MSF would like to still work in Russia again, if and when possible”.
     

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  • MIL-OSI NGOs: MSF-Netherlands closes programmes in Russia after instruction to deregister

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières –

    • After receiving a letter from the Ministry of Justice of Russia, MSF-Netherlands had to close our operations in the country.
    • This comes after 32 years of working in Russia.
    • MSF would like to work in Russia again should the necessary conditions be provided by authorities.

    Moscow / Amsterdam – Thirty-two years after starting work in Russia, Médecins Sans Frontières/ (MSF) had to close our operations in the country.  In August this year, we received a letter from the Ministry of Justice of Russia, with the decision to withdraw the affiliate office of the non-profit association ‘Médecins Sans Frontières’ (Netherlands) in Russia from the register of affiliate and representative offices of foreign NGOs.

    “It is with a heavy heart that we have to close our activities in Russia,” says Yashovardhan, head of MSF programmes in the country. “Our organisation’s work is guided by the principles of independence, impartiality, and neutrality, and medical ethics. We provide assistance based on the needs.”

    MSF had been present in Russia since 1992. For more than 30 years, we successfully implemented dozens of programmes, ranging from assistance to the homeless to emergency response to the collaborative work with the Ministry of Health on innovative tuberculosis treatment. We worked in various regions of the country, including Moscow, St. Petersburg, the Kemerovo region, Chechnya, Ingushetia, Dagestan, and – more recently – in the Arkhangelsk and Ivanovo regions, as well as in the south of Russia in Belgorod and Rostov-on-Don.

    A significant part of the history of MSF in Russia and the region was linked to the implementation of advanced approaches to the treatment of tuberculosis. MSF has collaborated with the medical academic community of Russia and other countries in the eastern Europe and central Asia to extend effective, innovative treatment for drug-resistant tuberculosis to patients in penitentiary and civil sectors across the region.

    In 2004-2017, we worked in close partnership with the Chechen Ministry of Health, providing technical and advisory support to the local health authorities in the treatment of drug-sensitive and drug-resistant tuberculosis in the Chechen Republic. The programme covered different aspects of tuberculosis diagnostics, treatment, laboratory services and health education, as well as adherence counselling and psychosocial support for patients and their families. In 2014, MSF supported the Ministry of Health in introducing new treatment regimens for patients with extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis which yielded impressive results giving hope to patients who previously had no treatment options left.

    In 2021, MSF and local health authorities of the Arkhangelsk region in the north of Russia started successful implementation of a nine-month all-oral course of treatment for drug-resistant tuberculosis. We enrolled 173 patients on this treatment regimen. And later, in 2023, we started enrolling patients on an even shorter, six months-long, all-oral treatment course that was recommended by the World Health Organization in the updated treatment guidelines in late 2022.

    In Arkhangelsk, and starting from 2024 in Ivanovo, MSF was providing expertise and technical assistance to health authorities with a special emphasis on implementing new treatment regimens and enhancing patients’ adherence and integrating person-centred care. To date, 41 patients in the Arkhangelsk and Ivanovo regions started treatment for drug-resistant tuberculosis within this joint programme. The aim of the collaboration was to contribute to the evidence base for more effective, meaning less toxic and person-centred, treatment with a view to scale up these scientifically proven treatment protocols in Russia.

    In Moscow and St. Petersburg since 2020, MSF partnered with two community-based NGOs to support access to general healthcare, as well as testing and treatment for infectious diseases, for people living with HIV and other vulnerable groups, such as migrants, who otherwise struggle to obtain medical assistance. Over 14,000 medical consultations were supported for patients from these vulnerable groups.

    Since the escalation of the armed conflict in Ukraine in 2022, many people have sought safety in Russia, and MSF, in partnership with local NGOs in the Belgorod and Rostov regions in the south of Russia, started providing assistance to those who crossed into Russia from Ukraine and later – with the development of the situation – internally displaced people. Since the start of our response in 2022, more than 52,000 refugees and displaced people were provided with humanitarian aid and more than 15,400 received free medical, mental health and psychosocial support.

    As part of this partnership, we were also planning to respond to the humanitarian and medical needs of the internally displaced people in the Kursk region. MSF continues to stand in solidarity with people impacted by this conflict and remain steadfast in our commitment to provide humanitarian assistance to those in need, irrespective of what side of the front line they are on, should the necessary conditions for our work be provided by relevant authorities.

    “We would like to take the opportunity to thank all our colleagues in Russia for their hard work and commitment to humanitarian values we hold high as an organisation,” says Norman Sitali, MSF operations manager responsible for programmes in Russia. “We are very sad to conclude our programmes in the country as many people in need of medical and humanitarian assistance will now be left without the support we could have provided to them. MSF would like to still work in Russia again, if and when possible”.
     

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    Project Update 11 Sep 2024

     

    Mediterranean migration

    Detention of Geo Barents suspended by Italian court

    Press Release 12 Sep 2024

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