NewzIntel.com

Category: Donald Trump

  • MIL-OSI USA News: President Trump is Right About What’s Happening in South Africa

    Source: The White House

    Today, President Donald J. Trump showed the world the shocking treatment of white farmers in South Africa — including with a video montage that highlighted the discrimination and violence targeted at the innocent minority victims.

    President Trump was exactly right.

    • “We left because of the attacks. You can’t stay on a farm as a white person in South Africa. You know you’ll be killed,” said one South African refugee.
    • New York Post: White South African couple say they’re victims of racial attacks — and can’t wait to be in Trump’s America
    • The Daily Mail: Why white South Africans are fleeing surging violence and ‘racist’ laws for new lives in America
    • BBC: ‘I didn’t come here for fun’ – Afrikaner defends refugee status in US
    • Breitbart: Trump Vindicated as South Africa Considers Bill to Redistribute Land on Racial Lines
    • BBC: South African president signs controversial land seizure law
      • The law is vague, stating that expropriation is allowed in circumstances where it is “just and equitable and in the public interest” to do so.
    • BBC: “Close to 70,000 South Africans have expressed interest in moving to the US following Washington’s offer to resettle people from the country’s Afrikaner community, a business group has said.”
    • The New York Times: ‘Kill the Boer’ Song Fuels Backlash in South Africa and U.S.
      • “The political rally was winding down when the brash leader of a leftist South African party grabbed the microphone and began to stomp and chant. Thousands of supporters joined in, and when he reached the climax, they pointed their fingers in the air like guns. ‘Kill the Boer!’ Julius Malema chanted, referring to white farmers. The crowd in a stadium in Johannesburg on Saturday roared back in approval.”
    • The New York Times: Killing of White Farmer Becomes a Flash Point in South Africa
    • Sky News: ‘Anti-white racism’: Farmers being targeted in South Africa
    • news.com.au: South Africans trapped ‘like frogs in boiling water’ as racial violence escalates
    • The Independent: South Africa: Taking farms from whites is justified because ‘it’s not really their land’, says EFF spokesman
    • New York Sun: From Murdered White Farmers to ‘Racially Disfavored Landowners’: Why Trump and Musk Are Targeting South Africa
    • The Independent: Farmers in South Africa claim they are being targeted in ‘horrific’ attacks
    • news.com.au: South Africa farm attacks: Brutal crimes landowners face
    • The Daily Mail: There’s been a murder a week on farms in South Africa this year. Now a race-baiting Marxist who loves singing Kill the Boer is set to become Vice President
    • Fox News: South African political leader calls for violence against White citizens at rally: ‘Kill the Boer, the farmer’

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Energy Department to Redirect $365 Million to Support Grid Resilience Efforts in Puerto Rico

    Source: US Department of Energy

    WASHINGTON— The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced it will redirect $365 million in funding to address Puerto Rico’s grid resiliency and expand access of affordable, reliable, and secure power supply for the people of Puerto Rico. The funding, allocated through the Puerto Rico Resilience Fund (PR-ERF), will be deployed to support practical fixes and emergency activities that offer a faster, more impactful solution to the current crisis, benefiting critical facilities like hospitals and community centers.

    Today’s announcement follows U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright’s decision to issue two emergency orders for Puerto Rico just weeks after the most recent island-wide blackout, underscoring the urgency of deploying immediate solutions for the millions of people who depend on Puerto Rico’s fragile grid to power their homes and businesses.

    “With President Trump’s leadership, the Department of Energy is focused on fortifying America’s electric grid and ensuring the reliable delivery of electricity across the country, and nowhere is this more needed than in Puerto Rico,” said Secretary Wright. “By redirecting these funds, we will ensure taxpayer dollars are used to strengthen access to affordable, reliable and secure power, benefiting more citizens as quickly as possible. This strategic shift allows us to address the root causes of the grid’s instability, strengthening the grid’s fragile infrastructure and delivering lasting relief for Puerto Rico.”

    “Puerto Rico is facing an energy emergency that requires we act now and deliver immediate solutions. Our communities, businesses, and healthcare facilities cannot afford to wait years, nor can we rely on piecemeal approaches with limited results. Rather than impacting a few customers, deploying these funds for urgent projects that improve the resiliency and reliability of our grid will have widespread, lasting benefits for all 3.2 million Americans in Puerto Rico,” said Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer González-Colón. “Since day one, President Trump and Secretary Wright have made it a priority to ensure we implement comprehensive solutions to address Puerto Rico’s energy challenges. I look forward to continuing working with them on these efforts.”

    This $365 million funding was initially awarded by the Biden administration in December 2024 to support rooftop solar and battery storage installations slated to begin construction in 2026. Today, DOE is reprioritizing these awards and will redirect funding to support technologies that improve system flexibility and response, power flow and control, component strength, supply security, and safety. The redirection of these funds will expand access to reliable power for millions of people rather than thousands and generate a higher return on investment for taxpayers while advancing grid resiliency for Puerto Rico.   

    DOE is working in close coordination with Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer González-Colón, Energy Czar Josué A. Colón-Ortiz, Puerto Rico’s energy industry and key community leaders and stakeholders to ensure maximum effectiveness of DOE resiliency funds.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Miller Exposes Title IX Violations in Illinois

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Mary Miller (IL-15)

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Mary Miller (IL-15) sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon calling attention to a clear violation of Title IX that occurred at the Naperville Community Unit School District 203 in which the school district allowed a biological male to participate in a female-only athletic competition.

    In the letter, Congresswoman Miller expressed opposition saying that any school district  that permits biological males to compete in girls’ sports should have its federal funds reviewed immediately for revocation, citing violations of Title IX protections.

    Read the full letter HERE.

    “Girls across Illinois are being forced to compete on an unfair playing field, and it’s time to say enough. JB Pritzker’s radical trans agenda is destroying women’s sports and betraying an entire generation of young female athletes,” said Congresswoman Mary Miller. “Let me be clear: if you violate Title IX, you must be held accountable to the full extent of the law. I will not let our girls be pushed aside and silenced.”

    In April, Congresswoman Mary Miller previously sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon calling for an immediate investigation into the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) and the State of Illinois for actions that undermine fairness and safety in girls’ sports.

    Congresswoman Mary Miller introduced H.R. 2452, the Keep Our Girls Safe Act. This legislation would codify President Trump’s Executive Order 14201 and strip federal funding from any school that defies the commonsense protections for women and girls.

    Read more about the recent letter on Fox News.

    Congresswoman Miller currently serves as Chair of the Congressional Family Caucus and sits on the Committees on Agriculture, Education and Workforce, and House Administration.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Vice Ranking Member Amo Demands Secretary Rubio Prevent Starving Children from Dying and Protect Rhode Island Jobs

    Source: US Congressman Gabe Amo (Rhode Island 1st District)

    Secretary Marco Rubio confirms Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food produced by Rhode Island’s Edesia Nutrition is lifesaving aid and Vice Ranking Member Amo presses Secretary to do everything to keep starving children from dying.

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, House Foreign Affairs Vice Ranking Member Gabe Amo (D-RI), demanded Secretary of State Marco Rubio commit to fund the production, transportation, and distribution of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) aid to keep starving children from dying. Until recently, over 123,000 boxes of RUTF purchased for Sudan were sitting in Rhode Island’s Edesia Nutrition warehouse because of State Department inflicted delays. Another 185,000 boxes of RUTFs purchased by the U.S. Government still sit in Edesia warehouses undistributed.

    “Ready-To-Use Therapeutic Food aid produced in Rhode Island has the potential to save hundreds of thousands of lives. Secretary Rubio promised over and over that he would not stop the distribution of lifesaving foreign aid, but today the truth came out,” said Vice Ranking Member Gabe Amo (D-RI). “Right now in Rhode Island, 185,000 boxes of therapeutic food bought and paid for by American taxpayers are sitting in a warehouse. All that’s standing between those boxes and the starving kids who need them is Secretary Rubio’s State Department. This is unacceptable, and I will call on Secretary Rubio every week until he keeps his word and distributes this live saving food aid.”

    Watch Vice Ranking Member Amo’s Questioning Here.

    BACKGROUND

    Edesia Nutrition is a Rhode Island-based nonprofit that produces ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) for worldwide distribution to save the lives of millions of children suffering from severe acute malnutrition. 

    On January 31, 2025 Amo asked Secretary Rubiofor information on the Trump administration’s unilateral foreign aid pause impact on the production and delivery of Rhode Island-made RUTFs. Amo called outSecretary Rubio for missing a deadline to provide clarity on foreign aid distribution on February 7.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Capito, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Enhance Reentry Programs, Promote Public Safety

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.), along with Representatives Carol Miller (R-W.Va.-1) and Danny K. Davis (D-Ill.-7) introduced the Second Chance Reauthorization Act of 2025.
    The legislation would reauthorize critical reentry grant programs from the Second Chance Act of 2008, which was most recently reauthorized during the first Trump administration as part of the First Step Act in 2018, including services and supports for housing, career training, and treatment for substance use disorders and/or mental illness. The legislation would also reauthorize critical programs to reduce recidivism, invest in communities, and promote public safety. 
    “Over 95% of incarcerated people will be released at some point,” Senator Capito said. “The Second Chance Reauthorization Act will help people reentering society get the resources they need to become productive and successful members of their communities. Whether it’s helping them find a job, providing therapy and rehabilitation services for those struggling with addiction, providing faith-based programming to help people turn over a new leaf, or many other services, this legislation will help provide resources to a wide range of programs across the country that have been proven to reduce recidivism rates.”
    “Since 2008, the Second Chance Act has supported programs across the country that provide opportunities to those rebuilding their lives after incarceration. This is why this there has always been bipartisan support for funding for second chance programs – we have seen that these programs work in communities everywhere. In fact, they have helped reduce the three-year rate of recidivism in our country by almost a quarter since its passage,” Senator Booker said. “This bipartisan legislation provides the necessary tools and reentry services that formerly incarcerated individuals need to be successful when they leave prison. Empowering these individuals is not just the right thing to do, it makes our communities safer for us all. And Congress should ensure that every community, red or blue, rural or urban, is able to access these critical grant funds.”
    “Since the Second Chance Act passed in 2008, formerly incarcerated West Virginians reentering our communities have received the vital services and support they needed to return home successfully,” Congresswoman Miller said. “We have seen the benefits of the Second Chance Act in West Virginia and across the country. When we put in place strong reentry programming, we are creating safer communities where individuals feel supported and empowered to break the cycle of recidivism.”
    “Second Chance reentry programs and services have reached hundreds of thousands of individuals and families across the country, creating healthier families and safer communities,” Congressman Davis said. “Continuing to invest in these evidenced-based interventions is a commonsense approach to strengthen individuals, re-build families, and grow our economy.”
    The Second Chance Reauthorization Act of 2025 would: 
    Reauthorize key grant programs that provide vital services, supports, and resources for people reentering their communities after incarceration;
    Expand allowable uses for supportive and transitional housing services for individuals reentering the community from prison and jail; and
    Enhance addiction treatment services for individuals with substance use disorders, including peer recovery services, case management, and overdose prevention.
    Since its passage 16 years ago, Second Chance has supported states, local governments, tribal governments, and nonprofit organizations in their efforts to reduce recidivism. To date, Second Chance grants have reached more than 442,000 justice-involved individuals who participated in reentry services or parole and probation programs. West Virginia has received more than $5 million in funding through Second Chance grants.
    From 2009 to 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice awarded over 1,300 Second Chance Act grants to states, local, and tribal governments, as well as reentry-focused community organizations. Second Chance grants have been administered to 871 agencies across 49 U.S. states, territories, and the District of Columbia.
    The Second Chance Reauthorization Act of 2024 is endorsed by the following organizations: American Correctional Association, American Jail Association, American Parole and Probation Association, Catholic Charities USA, Correctional Leaders Association, Council of State Governments Justice Center, CPAC, Major County Sheriffs of America, National Alliance on Mental Illness, National Association of Counties, National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors, National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, National District Attorneys Association, National League of Cities, Prison Fellowship, Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities, and U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
    To read the full text of the bill, click here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Capito Opening Statement at Hearing on EPA’s Proposed FY26 Budget with Administrator Zeldin

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito
     
    [embedded content]
    To watch Chairman Capito’s opening statement, click here or the image above.
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, led a hearing on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2026 with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin.
    In her opening remarks, Chairman Capito applauded Administrator Zeldin for his leadership in returning EPA to its core mission, reversing the federal overreach of the previous administration, and focusing the agency on issues important to West Virginia and the country. Additionally, Chairman Capito highlighted ways EPA’s proposed budget benefits hardworking Americans and areas it can be improved. 
    Below is the opening statement of Chairman Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) as delivered.
    “Welcome to Administrator Zeldin, it is good to see you again. I understand you’ve had several hearings over the past few days, so I know you’ve been busy. I believe you are doing an excellent job in implementing your vision to return the EPA to its core mission of protecting our country’s air, our land, and water, while eliminating wasteful spending.
    “To start, I applaud your aggressive efforts to undo the previous administration’s regulatory overreach. Your leadership will put us on the path to energy dominance with sound environmental procedures.
    “Your efforts, like rescinding the Biden Clean Power Plan 2.0 rule…that was part of a comprehensive strategy intended to shut down all fossil-fuel electric generation, will unleash our economy and help onshore American jobs.
    “President Trump and his team are also putting West Virginia first, by announcing an agency-wide PFAS strategy and providing West Virginia with the authority to permit wells to sequester carbon dioxide. I appreciate the structural changes that you, Administrator Zeldin, are bringing to the EPA.
    “Several weeks ago, the EPA announced that it would move more than 130 experts to assist with reviews of new chemicals and pesticides. In 2016, the Congress told the EPA to accelerate the new chemical approval process, but the Agency has done little to comply with that direction. Reviews currently take months, if not years, stifling innovation and leaving companies reliant on outdated chemicals.
    “Addressing the pace of this process is crucial to maintaining our competitiveness in a global market, expanding our key industries, and onshoring critical supply chains. I appreciate that you, Administrator Zeldin, are taking into account my previous calls to provide more resources to address this issue.
    “This leads us to why we are here today, the EPA’s budget. I first want to thank the Administrator for acting on his pledge to prioritize being a good steward of tax-payer dollars.
    “EPA has restored accountability to grant programs enacted through the partisan Inflation Reduction Act. For example, in February, the EPA canceled a $50 million grant made to the Climate Justice Alliance under the IRA’s environmental justice grant program.
    “The Climate Justice Alliance is a non-profit organization that I investigated and found explicitly engaged in pro-Hamas, anti-Israel, anti-Semitic, anti-police, and anti-military activities. Some of these activities occurred while they were under consideration for an EPA grant awarded by the last administration.
    “The EPA has taken immediate action to investigate and reclaim the $20 billion dollars awarded under the so-called ‘Green Bank’ program in the IRA. This money was rushed out the door before the end of the last administration under unprecedented, and I would say, suspicious terms.
    “The EPA’s proposed Fiscal Year 2026 budget shows deep reductions for the agency. Some of these cuts reflect the best interests of hardworking Americans.
    “For example, the budget proposes to cut $100 million from environmental justice programs that were added under the Biden Administration and have unnecessarily imposed requirements that are burdensome for small, regulated entities or grant awardees. This is a welcome start and it will reduce regulatory compliance burdens and allow tax dollars to beneficially impact more entities.
    “However, there are bipartisan programs that would be impacted if the proposed budget is enacted, programs that have done much to help continuously clean up the air, water, and lands, as well as provide safe drinking water.
    “For example, the proposed budget would reduce funding for the Brownfields program and includes an 89% cut to the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds.
    “I and many of my colleagues have long been vocal about the importance of federal assistance for water infrastructure through the State Revolving Funds. In 2021, Congress made the largest bipartisan investment in the State Revolving Funds and water infrastructure in our nation’s history, delivering more than $50 billion for drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater programs.
    “State revolving funds have helped many West Virginians, and many around the country, get connected with the water access and resources that they need. I hope that we can work together through the Appropriations process, as well as through the committee’s reauthorizations efforts, to make sure that adequate resources remain available to support our water systems.
    “I look forward to building to that future with you, Mr. Administrator, over the next several years.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: May 21st, 2025 Heinrich Opening Statement on Hearing to Advance Nominations for Department of Energy and the Interior

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    VIDEO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) delivers opening remarks at a business meeting to consider nominees before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, May 21, 2025.

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, voted to support two of four nominations during a business meeting before the Committee.

    Heinrich voted to advance the nominations of Mr. Conner Prochaska to be Director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, Department of Energy; and Ms. Tina Pierce to be the Chief Financial Officer, Department of Energy.

    Heinrich voted no on the nominations of Mr. Jonathan Brightbill to be General Counsel, Department of Energy; and Dr. Ned Mamula to be Director of the U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior.

    A video of Heinrich’s opening remarks is here.

    A transcript of Heinrich’s remarks as delivered is below:

    With considerable reservation, I am going to vote for Mr. Prochaska and Ms. Pierce.

    I will be voting no, however, on the other two nominations that we are considering today, Mr. Mamula and Mr. Brightbill.

    I am troubled by Mr. Mamula’s track record of spreading disinformation and conspiracy theories, and I do not believe he is the correct choice to lead the USGS, an agency that prides itself on delivering unbiased, impartial, and objective scientific information.

    Last week’s nomination hearing, I asked Mr. Brightbill to square the Secretary’s recent decision to roll back energy efficiency standards with prior court orders requiring the Department to update efficiency standards.

    Mr. Brightbill’s response failed to provide me with comfort.

    I am also troubled by Mr. Brightbill’s past record of defending the Administration’s terrible environmental policies while at the DOJ during President Trump’s first term.

    As Republicans work to cut programs that save Americans millions of dollars in utility and energy costs, it is imperative that DOE’s General Counsel advocate for the rule of law as passed by Congress and signed by the president.

    I am not convinced Mr. Brightbill will do so.

    For this reason, I cannot support his nomination.

    Thank you.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: May 21st, 2025 Heinrich, Colleagues Introduce Senate Resolution Denouncing Two-Month Blockade on Food and Medicine in Gaza

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) joined U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) to introduce a resolution calling on the Trump Administration to use all diplomatic tools at its disposal to bring an end to the blockade of food and life-saving humanitarian aid to address the needs of civilians in Gaza. In their resolution, the senators express grave concern about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, including the imminent starvation of tens of thousands of children. 
    On March 2, 2025, the Israeli Government began blocking all food and emergency aid —including food, medicine, infant formula, fuel, and other lifesaving humanitarian supplies — from reaching Palestinian civilians in Gaza. In the same month, all 25 World Food Program (WFP)-supported bakeries in Gaza closed, wheat flour and cooking fuel ran out, and food parcels distributed to families — with two weeks of food rations — were depleted. According to the United Nations, about 10,000 children have been identified as suffering from acute malnutrition since January 2025. 
    “We must deliver critically needed food and medicine to innocent civilians in Gaza facing extreme hunger, death, disease and widespread destruction. While Israel has the right to defend itself, it must follow U.S. and international humanitarian law. Unfortunately, Israel has been and continues to act in direct violation of the requirements mandated under the Foreign Assistance Act and the Arms Export Control Act,” said Heinrich.
    “As we continue to pursue pathways to achieve a two-state solution, which remains crucial both for Palestinians’ sovereignty and self-determination and for Israel’s security in the region, we must work toward a long-term, post-war plan that can achieve lasting peace in the region,” Heinrich continued.
    The resolution is led by U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.). Alongside Heinrich, the resolution is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Angus King (I-Maine), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
    The senators’ resolution is supported by Anera, the Friends Committee on National Legislation, J Street, and Oxfam America.
    The full text of the resolution is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: May 21st, 2025 Heinrich, Murray, Klobuchar, Merkley Slam USDA for Evasive Response on Wildfire Mitigation Projects, Workforce Cuts, and Funding Freezes

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, along with U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Committee; Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry; and U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Senate Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, is once again pressing the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for answers after receiving a deeply inadequate response to a February oversight letter regarding the Department’s unlawful halt of federal funds needed to mitigate and fight wildfires.

    In a follow-up letter sent to USDA Deputy Under Secretary Kristin Sleeper, the lawmakers criticized the USDA’s April response for failing to answer the majority of their questions and  demanded a comprehensive and transparent accounting of the agency’s actions under the Trump Administration.

    “We write to address your recent response to the letter we sent on February 11, 2025, regarding the disbursement of funds for forest management and restoration projects and the universal hiring freeze under the Department of Agriculture. Our letter outlined ten specific questions, of which only two were addressed in your April 10 response,” the senators wrote.

    “Your incomplete response left significant questions unanswered concerning which projects, grants, agreements, and staff have been affected by the Trump Administration’s recent actions. Although the Forest Service has lost approximately 5,000 employees through resignation and early retirement since February, we understand that additional reduction-in-force actions are still planned. Questions remain about the Department’s plan to carry out Congressional directives and, most importantly, protect American communities in danger as they face a daunting fire season,” the senators continued.

    “Despite our clear and detailed inquiry, the Forest Service has only answered two of our ten questions,” the senators wrote. “This lack of transparency is unacceptable in the face of ongoing threats to public safety, wildfire resilience, and rural economies across the country.”

    The senators requested a response to the questions they originally sent to the USDA, which went unanswered by the Department in their correspondence:

    1. Please provide a full list of Forest Service programs for which disbursements were or currently are paused, including any paused under Executive Order 14154 or the now rescinded memorandum from the Office of Management and Budget.
    1. Please provide a full list of individual projects, including the location and total award amount, for which funds were obligated but disbursements are now paused. Please include projects carried out by Departmental personnel as well as those carried out through grants, contracts, or agreements. If obligated funds have been paused, what is the legal basis for pausing the disbursement of already obligated funds?
    1. Did the agency inform non-federal partners affected by the pause before halting their payments? Has the agency communicated with those same partners concerning the status of the affected projects since the pause was initiated? If so, please provide examples of any communications notifying applicants or current participants of the affected programs.
    1. 4. What is the status of agency personnel that were hired under funds appropriated by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)? Are those personnel still being paid their salaries? How many of these personnel, if any, have been terminated, furloughed, put on administrative leave, or otherwise notified of future administrative leave?
    1. How many Forest Service employees have been terminated, furloughed, put on administrative leave, or otherwise notified of future administrative leave since January 20, 2025? Please provide the job titles and duty stations for each category described above.
    1. How many Forest Service employees accepted the deferred resignation offer being offered to federal employees by the Office of Personnel Management? Please provide data broken down by position, grade, and duty station.
    1. Does the Department plan to reimburse contractors whose payments are paused but are continuing to act under the terms of their contract with the Department? What is the status of Departmental reviews of these paused projects?
    1. Please provide the minimum amount of time the pause on funding could last.

    The senators requested additional answers to the following new questions:

    1. The spending plan provided by the Forest Service for Fiscal Year 2025 contains no information on agency activity beyond what Congress provided to each mission area. Please provide a thorough spending plan that details the expected changes to each program area for this fiscal year, at least at the level of detail provided in the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Justification’s “Detail Tables.”
    1. Please provide the years-to-date number of acres treated nationwide for hazardous fuels using funds provided through annual appropriations, IIJA, or IRA compared with the 10-year average.
    1. Pursuant to existing law, a reduction-in-force plan must avoid undue interruption to the agency’s work. What is the Forest Service’s statutory authority for pursuing a reduction-in-force despite the loss of more than 15 percent of its total employees that has already resulted a significant decrease in the agency’s work?
    1. The President’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget recommends moving Wildland Fire Management programs out of the Forest Service. Has the Administration conducted an analysis of how this proposal would impact the Forest Service’s management of National Forest System (NFS) lands, particularly the Forest Service’s efforts to reduce wildfire risk on NFS lands? For this proposal, did the Administration consult States, Tribes, private sector, and the Forest Service employees’ union?
    1. If the President’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget, which proposes to cut NFS management funding, were enacted, how many Forest Service recreation sites, ranger stations, facilities, or services would be closed or limited in availability? Has the Forest Service analyzed how the current and additional proposed workforce reductions will impact its ability to maintain safe, sanitary recreation sites?
    1. How many Forest Service employees who have left the Forest Service since January 20, 2025 were certified to respond to wildfires? How many Forest Service employees being considered in workforce reduction plans are certified to respond to wildfires?

    The senators concluded their letter by underscoring how USDA is required by law to carry out its work as Congress intended, “The Forest Service provides a critical support function for communities across the country, from supporting the nation’s wood products sector to mitigating the threat of catastrophic wildfire. Continuing to carry out this work as Congress prescribed is not only required under the law but essential for our nation’s security.”

    Full text of the letter is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch and Baldwin Conclude Two-Day Forum on Harm Caused by Trump and Musk’s HHS Cuts Wednesday’s forum featured former agency officials from NIH, CDC, SAMHSA, AHRQ, and ACL 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) today concluded their two-day spotlight forum, entitled  “Trump’s Destruction of HHS: Mass Firings, Reorganization, and the Human Harm Caused.”  The forum examined the human harm caused by the Trump Administration’s sweeping reorganization and mass terminations at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).  
    Senators Welch and Baldwin were joined by Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.). 
    “The Trump Administration’s dismantling of critical programs and agencies at HHS is hurting Americans of every age—in every zip code. From Meals on Wheels, to mental and physical care, to lifesaving research, President Trump and Secretary Kennedy are destroying the systems that deliver quality health, wellbeing and prevention to millions of patients,” said Senator Welch. “I am so thankful for the opportunity to hear directly from America’s leading health experts, who gave detailed—and frankly disheartening—accounts of what’s at risk and what’s already been lost. Senator Baldwin and I are committed to standing up for our health workers and standing against this administration’s reckless attacks on health care.” 
    “President Trump and RFK, Jr.’s reckless cuts are putting cures for diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s that plague our families further out of reach. Their reckless cuts are putting mental health support further out of reach. Their reckless cuts are putting affordable caregiving further out of reach. This list goes on and on, and the impacts on the health and well-being of our constituents only get worse. I was proud to team up with Senator Welch to shine a light on this administration’s work to put Wisconsin families in harm’s way and make health care more expensive,” said Senator Baldwin. 
    Wednesday’s forum featured Dr. Anne Schuchat, the former Principal Deputy Director, Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); Ms. Trina Dutta, the former Chief of Staff, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA); Dr. Sean Bruna, the former Senior Advisor, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ); Professor Alison Barkoff, the former Administrator for Administration for Community Living (ACL); and Dr. Jeremy Berg – former Director of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences at NIH.  
    The former heads of HHS agencies shared about how layoffs and forced retirements are threatening evidence-based care and care outcomes, medical research, mental health research for Americans of all age, support for seniors, nutrition assistance through Meals on Wheels, and more. 
    Watch the livestream here:   
    Tuesday’s forum featured testimony from Dr. Robert Califf, the former Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); Dr. Meg Sullivan, the former Acting Secretary for Administration for Children and Families (ACF); Ms. Chiquita Brooks La-Sure, the former Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); and Ms. Carole Johnson, the former Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ricketts Discusses Biofuels and Year-Round Nationwide E15 with Secretary Zeldin

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, during an Environment and Public Works Committee hearing with Administrator of the EPA Lee Zeldin, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) discussed the importance of biofuels to Nebraskan farmers and reaffirmed the use of sound science and risk-based analysis in regulatory action. Ricketts underscored the value nationwide, year-round E15 offers for consumers, farmers, and the environment.

    “I know that everybody here knows that I love this committee because we get to talk about biofuels, so that’s what we’re going to do for a little bit here,” said Ricketts. “Supporting biofuels is consistent with President Trump’s mandate to unleash American energy. Year-round, nationwide E15 sales are a no-brainer in my humble opinion. It’s affordable, drives farm profits, and lessens energy reliance on adversaries.”

    Watch the hearing HERE.

    Ricketts’ comments were made in a hearing of the Committee on Environment and Public Works entitled: “The U.S. Environmental protection Agency’s Proposed Fiscal Year 2026 Budget.” The witness was Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin.

    BACKGROUND:

    Ricketts is co-leading bipartisan Congressional Review Act legislation to block the Biden EV mandate. He recently introduced the bipartisan Renewable Fuels for Ocean-Going Vessels Act to expand the use of biofuels on ships and has led bipartisan resolutions designating May as Renewable Fuels Montheach of the last two years. Senator Ricketts is also supporting Senator Deb Fischer’s bill to make the year-round sale of E15 permanent across the country. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Aguilar Introduces the Housing Stability for Dreamers Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Pete Aguilar (31 CD Ca)

    Last week, Reps. Pete Aguilar (D-CA-33), Juan Vargas (D-CA-52) and Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29) introduced the Housing Stability for Dreamers Act. This bill would clarify that DACA recipients can access mortgages backed by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
    During the first Trump Administration, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) upended years of settled policy and began quietly denying DACA recipients federally-backed loans. This led a bicameral group of lawmakers, including Reps. Aguilar, Vargas and Garcia, to request an investigation into whether the agency violated the Administrative Procedure Act and asked the Biden Administration to clarify that DACA recipients can qualify for federally-backed mortgages. In March, the Trump Administration announced that DACA recipients would again no longer be eligible for government-backed mortgages.
    According to estimates, thirty percent of DACA recipients are homeowners. DACA recipients have made over $760 million in mortgage payments and made significant economic contributions that are felt in their communities and nationwide. Yet, without congressional action, DACA recipients will no longer have access to some of the most important government programs to support wealth building and stability. 
    “We need to make homeownership more accessible for everyone. Dreamers and their families contribute to our economy and communities in countless ways and should not face even more barriers to owning a home and living the American dream,” said Rep. Pete Aguilar. “I am proud to partner with Reps. Vargas and Garcia to introduce legislation that would give Dreamers the same shot at owning a home as everyone else.” 
    “Dreamers and their families deserve an equal opportunity to the American Dream. That starts by ensuring they can permanently benefit from the same federal homeownership opportunities offered to all Americans,” said Rep. Juan Vargas. “This legislation is critical as the Trump Administration continues to target and discriminate against Dreamers and all immigrants.”
    “Dreamers are our neighbors, our coworkers, and an essential part of our communities. They work hard, pay taxes, and contribute to our economy. For many, homeownership is the key to building stability and achieving the American dream. No one should be denied that opportunity simply because of where they were born,” said Rep. Sylvia Garcia. “As the Trump administration once again tries to strip away protections and limit access to basic programs like federally-backed home loans, this bill is about standing up for their humanity, their rights, and their future. I am proud to co-lead this bill alongside Rep. Vargas and Rep. Aguilar to eliminate systemic barriers in lending and make sure that Dreamers are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.”
    In addition to Reps. Aguilar, Vargas and Garcia, the Housing Stability for Dreamers Act is cosponsored by Reps. Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ-03), Julia Brownley (D-CA-26), Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24), Joaquin Castro (D-TX-20), Jesus “Chuy” Garcia (D-IL-04), Jimmy Gomez (D-CA-34), Robert Menendez (D-NJ-08), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC-At-Large), Scott Peters (D-CA-50), Shri Thanedar (D-MI-13), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12) and Nydia Velázquez (D-NY-07).Rep. Aguilar serves as Chair of the House Democratic Caucus and as a member of the House Committee on Appropriations.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Graham: Moral Clarity Will Conquer Evil Regimes

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Lindsey Graham
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today spoke on the Senate floor about peace through strength and moral clarity during dangerous times.
    On moral clarity during dangerous times:
    GRAHAM: “Russia is the aggressor. Russia must end this bloodbath. That is my view of [the Russia-Ukraine war]. Let’s look in history and see what happens when you have moral clarity and see what happens when you lose it.” https://youtu.be/7QdErvIuatE?si=V0-X6tkjJE_8De10&t=566
    GRAHAM: “Hitler told [the world] what he was going to do, he wrote a book. But [former UK Prime Minister] Chamberlain obviously didn’t read the book and he didn’t have the moral clarity to confront the Nazi regime, and a lot of people died. September 30, 1938 [Chamberlain said] ‘I believe it is peace for our time.’ … Less than a year later, the world was on fire.” https://youtu.be/7QdErvIuatE?si=9GJNnus0en6x_S6R&t=643
    GRAHAM: “‘When all are free, then we can look forward to that day when this city will be joined as one and this country and this great continent of Europe in a peaceful and hopeful globe.’ [President John F. Kennedy] was talking about Berlin. Moral clarity to the Soviet Union.  He stood up for freedom and stood against the Soviet empire.” https://youtu.be/7QdErvIuatE?si=V0-X6tkjJE_8De10&t=718
    GRAHAM: “Ronald Reagan: ‘Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!’ How clear could you be? On the other side of this wall is an evil empire. That moral clarity, over time, brought the Soviet Union down to its knees.” https://youtu.be/7QdErvIuatE?si=V0-X6tkjJE_8De10&t=749
    On President Trump’s leadership:
    GRAHAM: “When [President Trump] got in office, one of his top priorities was to fix a broken border. Look what’s happened…He’s turned it all off because he was firm and resolved with Mexico and others. His border policies have worked.” https://youtu.be/7QdErvIuatE?si=BaLGLKsqVGj9HRCd&t=363
    GRAHAM: “What has [President Trump] said about Iran? ‘You know it’s not a complicated formula. Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. That’s all there is.’ That’s moral clarity. You can understand that no matter where you’re at on the planet.” https://youtu.be/7QdErvIuatE?si=sOxbu_x3XKBdCBOm&t=436
    GRAHAM: “I appreciate President Trump’s earnest effort to bring the parties together to find a solution we can all live with, to keep an independent sovereign Ukraine, and end this war sooner rather than later. It is clear to me that after all these months, the earnest efforts by President Trump are not being equally met. I think Zelensky is ready to make concessions to end this war. Putin seems to be [doing] more talking and less acting.”  https://youtu.be/7QdErvIuatE?si=uQ3IQiEdRV2rPWwG&t=948
    On the Graham-Blumenthal Russia sanctions bill reaching over 80 cosponsors:
    GRAHAM: “It is now time to increase the cost of this war to Putin. The sanctions package we have put together has [over] 80 cosponsors. Do you know how hard it is to get 80 Senators to agree on anything? Eighty of us – and the number is climbing – are ready to impose sanctions on Russia if Putin does not come to the table and earnestly seek peace.” https://youtu.be/7QdErvIuatE?si=kWOZu-UhJqd0ru3M&t=1009
    GRAHAM: “These sanctions are geared toward China. There are tariffs in these sanctions on any nation that buys Russian oil and gas from the shadow fleet. Putin’s war machine is propped up by China and India buying Russian oil at a massive discount…” https://youtu.be/7QdErvIuatE?si=QJy_NDKD5DdPFoUY&t=1036
    Click here to watch Graham’s entire speech

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Warner, Kaine, Bennet Secure DOD Fixes to Broken Military Moving System

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Michael Bennet (D-CO) issued the statement below after the Department of Defense (DoD) announced immediate modifications to the military’s broken moving system, which handles servicemember relocations. These modifications follow close advocacy by the senators, who have pushed for months to address the delays, poor communication, and repeated issues under the Global Household Goods Contract.
    “Military members and their families sacrifice so much in service to our country, including every time they relocate and integrate into a new community. After pushing for months, we’re pleased to see the Department of Defense move to address ongoing challenges with the contract tasked with moving household goods for military members and families in the process of relocating.
    “As these policy changes are implemented, we will continue to work with the Department of Defense and TRANSCOM to ensure that servicemembers and military families who are already well into the relocation process are not left in the lurch. Additionally, as these shifts put more pressure on federal employees to adapt to this change, we will continue to push for adequate federal staffing levels and against Trump’s senseless hiring freeze, which continues to prevent critical positions from being filled across government.”
    In February, Warner requested a briefing from USTRANSCOM and sounded the alarm about missed household goods pickups, delivery issues, and communication difficulties with HomeSafe Alliance, the contractor responsible for the moves. Earlier this month, the lawmakers raised their concerns, reiterating the ongoing delays and confusion being faced by military families, and requesting additional information from TRANSCOM on its plan to address these issues.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: PSI Chairman Johnson Releases Report; Will Hold Hearing on Federal Health Agencies’ Failure to Warn About the Risk of Myocarditis Following COVID-19 Vaccination

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), chairman of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (“PSI” or “Subcommittee”), will hold a hearing entitled, “The Corruption of Science and Federal Health Agencies: How Health Officials Downplayed and Hid Myocarditis and Other Adverse Events Associated with the COVID-19 Vaccines.” In conjunction with the hearing, the chairman released an interim Majority Staff Report, along with more than 2,400 pages of records, detailing the failure of federal health agencies to properly warn the public of the risks of myocarditis and related heart inflammation conditions following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination. The report, which follows Chairman Johnson’s Jan. 28, 2025 subpoena to the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”), reveals how federal health officials who were aware of reports of heart inflammation conditions associated with mRNA COVID-19 vaccines delayed notifying the public while downplaying the risks.
    Records produced pursuant to the subpoena reveal the following: in the first half of 2021, federal health officials had ample evidence of myocarditis and related heart inflammation conditions occurring in young adults who received mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. Although a number of these records were previously made available to the public through the Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”), the Biden administration’s heavy redactions prevented a full understanding of what federal health officials knew and what actions they took.
    As detailed in the report and records Chairman Johnson released, beginning in February 2021, federal health officials were put on notice by counterparts in Israel of individuals experiencing myocarditis and related heart inflammation conditions after receiving mRNA COVID-19 vaccination. Over the next three months, federal health officials continued to receive information on cases of heart inflammation following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination. By mid-May 2021, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) officials were drafting a formal notification for health care providers and other officials.
    Records indicate that while health officials were drafting the notification, a key vaccine safety monitoring system, VAERS, began showing a safety signal for a heart inflammation condition in young adults who had received an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. Within days of the safety signal, the top ranking official at the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”), then-Acting Commissioner Janet Woodcock, pushed back on the CDC’s plan to formally notify healthcare providers, ultimately resulting in the formal notification being rejected in favor of a posting on CDC’s website.
    The report builds on the work of many individuals who fought tirelessly to obtain records through the FOIA process under the Biden administration. The chairman credits Brenda Baletti, Ed Berkovich, Brian Hooker, Amy Kelly, Zachary Stieber, Naomi Wolf, and many others who worked persistently to expose the truth about the association of myocarditis with the COVID-19 vaccines.
    With the release of the interim report and the corresponding subpoenaed documents produced by the Trump administration, the public will be able to access a more complete record of the Biden administration’s failure to warn the public about the health risks of COVID-19 vaccines without heavy FOIA redactions. 
    Key findings from the report include:
    Despite their awareness of the risks, U.S. health officials downplayed the risks of myocarditis and associated heart inflammation conditions after receiving an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.
    U.S. health officials delayed for months alerting the public, and ultimately rejected a formal notification to health care providers about the risks to young people of myocarditis and associated heart inflammation conditions following receipt of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.
    U.S. health officials were made aware by at least early 2021 that some of their vaccine safety monitoring systems may not have been capturing all cases of myocarditis and associated heart inflammation following receipt of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.
    The hearing will be live streamed beginning at 2:00pm EST here.
    The interim PSI Majority Staff report can be found here.
    The records, which at the request of HHS contain minimal redactions for Personally Identifiable Information, are linked below: 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate Intel Vice Chairman on Trump Administration Attempt to Politicize Intelligence

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner
    WASHINGTON – Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Vice Chairman Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement:
    “The recent revelations that Joe Kent, DNI Gabbard’s chief of staff and the nominee to lead the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), sought to alter an intelligence assessment to align with false political narratives pushed by Donald Trump are deeply disturbing, disqualifying, and frankly, dangerous. This was a blatant attempt to politicize national security to appease a president who has repeatedly shown contempt for facts and for the intelligence professionals sworn to defend this country.
    “For years, the Director of National Intelligence has railed against so-called ‘deep state’ manipulation of intelligence. Now we learn that her closest aide, and Trump’s hand-picked nominee to one of the most sensitive roles in government, was actively pushing to distort intelligence because it contradicted a preferred political narrative.
    “This is unacceptable. The Senate should immediately halt consideration of Mr. Kent’s nomination to lead NCTC, and the Senate Intelligence Committee has an obligation to conduct rigorous oversight to determine whether Kent or other Trump officials have attempted to politically interfere with other assessments.
    “When intelligence is manipulated to fit a political agenda, our security is at risk. Our ability to prevent terrorist attacks, counter adversaries, and make sound decisions is only as good as the accuracy and integrity of the intelligence that informs it. Our intelligence agencies must be permitted to speak truth to power, not twist the truth to serve power.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Senate Judiciary Committee Nominations Hearing On Four Executive. Branch Nominees

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    May 21, 2025
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the nominations of Joseph Edlow, to be Director of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS); Elliot Gaiser, to be Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC); John Squires, to be Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO); and Stanley Woodward, to be Associate Attorney General. Durbin’s opening statement focused on whether the nominees’ allegiance is to the President or to the rule of law.
    Key Quotes:
    “Earlier this year, I asked Justice Department nominees a simple question: may a public official defy a court order? Shockingly, the nominees, including the future Solicitor General John Sauer, refused to give an unequivocal answer. Just days ago, Mr. Sauer repeated this egregious error before the Supreme Court. During arguments in the case challenging the President’s illegal birthright citizenship executive order, Justice Barrett, …a Trump nominee, asked Mr. Sauer if the Administration would follow circuit court rulings. Mr. Sauer responded that the federal government’s policy is to ‘generally respect circuit precedent but not necessarily in every case.’ As our colleague Senator Kennedy said earlier this year, ‘don’t ever, ever, take the position that you’re not going to follow the order of a federal court. Ever.’”
    “Mr. Gaiser has been nominated to lead the Office of Legal Counsel, which provides legal advice to the President and all executive branch agencies. I want to hear whether he believes that the policy of the federal government [should be] to ignore court rulings that don’t suit the President’s whims.”
    “Beyond unlawfully attempting to end birthright citizenship, which is enshrined in the Constitution, the Administration has made it harder for legal immigrants to apply for citizenship and naturalize. This Administration has made it harder for Dreamers, who want to do the right thing. Now these were kids who were brought to the United States by their parents… They want to apply for programs like DACA so that they can receive work permits and continue to contribute to the American economy. I am disappointed to hear that Mr. Edlow, nominated to lead USCIS, opposes DACA, when even President Trump claims that he doesn’t want to deport Dreamers. Despite his personal opinions, I want to hear how Mr. Edlow will ensure that USCIS will promptly process DACA applications of eligible Dreamers.”
    “In the name of carrying out Trump’s mass deportation agenda, Attorney General Bondi has made DOJ a shell of itself. Thousands of federal law enforcement agents have been diverted from preventing drug trafficking and violent crime to deporting immigrants who pose no threat to our safety. Mr. Woodward, nominated to be the number three official at the Justice Department, would oversee Justice Department grantmaking, the Civil Rights Division, and many other components that are now under attack.”
    “The Justice Department, at the direction of DOGE, took their chainsaw to hundreds of millions of dollars in federal grants to support public safety and our police. Programs supporting violence reduction, victims’ services, child protection, and substance use and mental health treatment have been gutted… For nearly 70 years, under Republican and Democratic Administrations alike, the Civil Rights Division protected the civil and constitutional rights of all Americans. Once known as the ‘crown jewel’ of the Justice Department, it has now been reduced to litigating a narrow set of cases aligned with the MAGA agenda. This is anathema to how this Division has operated historically.”
    “I want to hear from Mr. Woodward whether the Justice Department will continue to capitulate or if he will help restore the Justice Department to its intended function—to protect the safety and rights of all Americans.”
    Video of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.
    Audio of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.
    Footage of Durbin’s opening statement is available here for TV Stations.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall Joins Newsmax to Discuss the President’s ‘One, Big Beautiful Bill,’ The SALT Deduction, and the Golden Dome Defense System

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) joined Shaun Kraisman and Emma Rechenberg on Newsmax this morning to discuss the status of President Donald Trump’s ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill,’ what’s next for the reconciliation process regarding State and Local Tax (SALT) Deduction, and the ‘Golden Dome’ defense system announced by the President and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth yesterday.

    You may click HERE or above to watch Senator Marshall’s full interview on Newsmax
    Highlights from the interview include:
    On President Trump helping close out the negotiations: 
    Senator Marshall: “I thought about this this weekend during a baseball game. If the House, if this was a baseball game, the House is going into the seventh inning, and we’re going to have to bring our closer in sooner than expected. So, we’re going to bring in Donald Trump. And you think of all the great closers in the history of baseball, you’ve got Goose Gossage who had a fastball. So, we’ll bring him in the eighth inning, and then the ninth inning President Trump will be like Mario Rivera, who has his cutter.
    “So, look, if it wasn’t for President Trump, this doesn’t happen, but I do believe in Speaker Johnson, President Trump, they’ll get it across the finish line. Send it over here and we’ll make the bill even better.”
    On the SALT Deduction negotiations:
    Senator Marshall: “If you think about where the big divisions are on this bill, it’s the SALT tax… You have some Republicans from districts that are blue, and they want this SALT tax to go up. And by the way, it’s going to cost $1 trillion dollars over the next 10 years, and you have conservative Republicans like myself who say the biggest issue in the country right now is our national debt. And there’s so many other things we could do with that trillion dollars rather than spending it, you know, giving these people from blue states a big tax break as well.
    “So, President Trump is trying to find that sweet spot. This bill is not perfect. This is not the bill that a conservative Republican like myself would write, but we’re getting there. This is the first step towards a balanced budget. We need to deliver on the President’s promises.”
    On the Golden Dome Defense System:
    Senator Marshall: “Well, obviously this would give us a big advantage. If we could shoot down all the Chinese nuclear warheads and their warp speed missiles that they have as well, this would just put our military at a big, big advantage. But to me this is a defensive weapon, as far as United States has been concerned.
    “Look, we don’t want to rule the world. We just want to make sure our families are safe and secure. I think this will be a great investment. $175 billion is what the President’s going to spend on this probably. Think about this, we spent $200 billion in Ukraine and I don’t know what that did for the safety of American citizens.
    “I think that you know, this takes me back to my boyhood when they announced… going to the moon. And this is something that Americans can rally around together, that we can cheer for together. We don’t have the technology to complete this yet. It looks next to impossible. I would put this way ahead of any purpose of going to Mars for America right now. So, I think this is a good investment. It’s going to make Americans safer – that’s what President Trump promised us. He said he’s going to make our family safer and more secure. So, I’m behind it, I’m excited about the technology, and there will be so many other benefits from this technology going forward as we develop this.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hawley, Schmitt Urge Trump to Approve Missouri Emergency Declaration & Unlock Disaster Funding Immediately

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo)
    Earlier this morning, U.S. Senators Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) penned a letter to President Donald Trump, urging him to swiftly approve Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe’s May 19 emergency disaster declaration in light of recent devastating storms.
    “If approved, this declaration would immediately unlock critical funding to support state and local efforts to remove debris and take emergency protective measures,” the Senators wrote.
    “After touring the devastated neighborhoods, we can personally attest to the scale of the damage and the clear need for the governor’s request to unlock this first step of federal assistance to support first responder efforts,” they explained.
    This emergency designation would unlock resources for immediate needs such as debris removal while the damage is assessed for a more widespread disaster declaration. Senator Hawley spent Monday on the ground in St. Louis, Missouri, meeting with victims and surveying the damage inflicted by Friday’s tornadoes, and has set up a portal on his website to help constituents with insurance claims. 
    Read the full letter here or below.
    May 21, 2025
    The Honorable Donald J. TrumpPresident of the United StatesThe White House1600 Pennsylvania AvenueWashington, DC 20500
    Dear President Trump,
    We write to support Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe’s May 19 request for an emergency disaster declaration, pursuant to the Stafford Act, following devastating tornadoes and storms in the St. Louis region. If approved, this declaration would immediately unlock critical funding to support state and local efforts to remove debris and take emergency protective measures.
    As you may know, on May 16, 2025, severe storms and tornadoes struck the St. Louis region and areas of southeast Missouri, claiming at least seven lives and causing widespread damage and destruction. Preliminary damage assessments are slated to begin tomorrow in preparation for the Governor’s request for a major disaster declaration. Importantly, Governor Kehoe’s emergency declaration request would expedite funding to the State of Missouri in the interim and provide important reinforcement for recovery efforts currently underway.
    After touring the devastated neighborhoods, we can personally attest to the scale of the damage and the clear need for the governor’s request to unlock this first step of federal assistance to support first responder efforts. We respectfully urge your immediate consideration and approval of this emergency declaration request.
    Sincerely,
    Josh Hawley                                                                                                     United States Senator
    Eric S. Schmitt                                                        United States Senator

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla Hosts Bipartisan Mental Health Caucus Roundtable With Professional Athletes

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla Hosts Bipartisan Mental Health Caucus Roundtable With Professional Athletes

    WATCH: Padilla joins athletes to share stories and reduce stigma surrounding mental healthWASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), co-founder of the bipartisan Senate Mental Health Caucus, and Members of the Senate and Congressional bipartisan mental health caucuses commemorated Mental Health Awareness Month by hosting a roundtable in the Capitol with professional athletes focusing on the growing mental health crisis and overcoming the harmful associated stigma. U.S. Representative Andrea Salinas (D-Ore.-06), co-chair of the Congressional Bipartisan Mental Health Caucus, also joined the roundtable.
    According to the National Institute of Mental Health, more than 1 in 5 American adults experience a mental illness each year. However, less than half of individuals in crisis actually receive mental health services. While many challenges prevent people from seeking help, one of the biggest hurdles is the historic stigma associated with mental health, tragically causing many individuals to be ashamed or embarrassed to get the help they need for themselves or their loved ones. The roundtable aimed to tear down this stigma and reinforce the message that seeking support is a sign of strength, not weakness. Reducing stigma and talking about mental health are the most important ways to open doors to lifesaving care for those who need it most.
    The roundtable featured remarks from Senate and House mental health caucus co-chairs and NFL, NBA, MLS, and NWSL players.
    “It’s one thing to build the strength to deal with a mental illness — particularly in high-pressure environments like professional sports — and it’s another to use that strength to help others by publicly sharing your story,” said Senator Padilla. “By bringing voices to the table from outside the political realm this Mental Health Awareness Month, I hope more people suffering in silence can see these stories and the athletes they look up to, and we can start to break down the stigma surrounding mental health. Regardless of political affiliation, we can all agree that we need more investments in mental health care — not less — and I will keep advocating for the services and resources that we know can save lives.”
    “I know from personal experience what it’s like to watch someone struggle with their mental health and feel helpless. That is why discussions like these are so important, and I’m grateful to the athletes who shared their stories and perspectives on how to connect more people with care,” said Representative Salinas. “It takes a lot of courage to open up about your personal mental health journey. My hope is that by having honest conversations like this one, we will finally break the stigma and encourage more Americans to seek help if they need it.”
    Senator Padilla is a leading advocate for expanding mental health care access, especially for underserved communities. In 2023, Padilla launched the bipartisan Senate Mental Health Caucus to serve as a forum for Senators to collaborate on and promote bipartisan legislation and solutions, hold events to raise awareness of critical mental health issues, and destigmatize mental health. Earlier this month, Padilla condemned the Trump Administration’s proposed dissolution of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) as part of the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) restructuring plan and the White House Office of Management and Budget’s HHS budget proposal. Earlier this year, Padilla led 12 Democratic Senators in warning HHS Secretary Kennedy that additional staffing cuts at SAMHSA would have disastrous ramifications for millions of Americans struggling with mental and behavioral health challenges. Padilla applauded the Federal Communications Commission for making critical improvements to the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by adopting the main provisions of his Local 9-8-8 Response Act of 2023. 
    Additionally, Padilla introduced bipartisan legislation earlier this year to combat the growing youth mental health crisis in America through early intervention and prevention services. Last year, Padilla passed a Senate resolution to raise the alarm about the mental health care crisis American children face and highlight the urgent need to increase our investment in mental health care for children and adolescents. Padilla previously introduced a trio of bills to address the unique mental health needs of military children, Latinos, and farm workers.
    Video of Senator Padilla’s opening remarks at today’s roundtable is available here, and his closing remarks are available here. Footage of his remarks can be downloaded here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Schiff Condemn Trump Administration’s Student Visa Revocations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Alex Padilla, Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, and Adam Schiff (both D-Calif.) blasted the Trump Administration’s recent harmful revocations of international student visas, including on ideological grounds, underscoring the lack of due process regarding these revocations and the chilling effect of these actions in suppressing freedom of thought and expression. In their letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, the Senators condemn the revocation of hundreds of California student visas and Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) termination of several hundred California students’ Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) records.
    The Senators called on the State Department to immediately stop their “Catch and Revoke” AI-powered initiative, an effort to monitor millions of social media accounts of student visa holders and green card holders to gather evidence of alleged terrorist sympathies. The technology is reportedly being used to monitor international students’ speech through SEVIS and other publicly available resources, leading to the revocation of student visas or green cards for students exercising peaceful expression, without due process. This step to surveil international students’ activity is an unprecedented leap toward stifling students’ First Amendment rights and their freedom of speech. The Senators pushed for restoring revoked visas and full transparency.
    While the Department of Justice has reversed the termination of students’ SEVIS records, the student visa revocations under Catch and Revoke remain ongoing and are instilling fear and uncertainty among international students at colleges and universities in California and across the country.
    “These visa revocations and record terminations constitute unprecedented and unconstitutional attacks on freedom of thought and expression that impact international and U.S. citizen students alike at our nation’s colleges and universities,” wrote the Senators. “While we welcome the news that the Administration has taken steps to rectify the SEVIS record terminations, these actions taken all together still call into question our nation’s bedrock commitment to freedom of expression. We urge the State Department and DHS to suspend the ‘Catch and Revoke’ initiative, which continues to cause uncertainty, erode due process, and chill free speech and expression among students.”
    “The actions taken as part of the ‘Catch and Revoke’ initiative suggest a troubling pattern of misusing immigration enforcement to suppress dissent, intimidate politically active students, and chill Constitutionally protected expression,” continued the Senators. “Without transparency or independent oversight, the risk of abuse continues to grow. In fact, USCIS is now openly targeting speech by noncitizens with other immigration statuses, not just students.”
    The Senators detailed a series of other alarming incidents targeting international students, as ICE has detained students on university campuses, at ports of entry, and in their own homes, often without notice or time to contact an attorney. Many of these cruel arrests were based on limited information within these students’ visa applications and violate the right to due process.
    “Reports indicate that ICE has arrested students based on vague or previously disclosed information in their visa applications — such as social media posts, protest participation, or lawful political associations — as justification for their detention,” added the Senators. “If true, these practices represent not just an overreach of immigration authority but a violation of students’ First Amendment rights. These processes do not appear to be conducted with consideration for students’ due process and require immediate remediation.”
    Padilla and Schiff highlighted the immense contributions international students make to colleges and universities in California and nationwide. California’s more than 140,000 international students contribute roughly $6.4 billion to the U.S. economy and support about 55,114 jobs. These students also strengthen and help the United States secure its global leadership in science, technology, and research; protect U.S. national security interests; and promote innovation.
    The Senators emphasized the critical role California’s higher education system plays in powering the U.S. economy and warned that the attacks on the state’s international students jeopardize the country’s economic future.
    “California’s higher education system is the largest in the nation and considered one of the best in the world, driving global economic mobility—and fueling California’s growth into the fourth largest economy in the world,” wrote the Senators. “These institutions serve as beacons of opportunity and economic potential that transform the lives of hundreds of thousands of students in providing a better life for themselves, their families, and future generations. However, this Administration’s attacks on institutions of higher education and international students, who add immense value to our universities, puts our nation’s economic future at risk.”
    Last month, Senators Padilla and Schiff joined 34 Democrats in pressing the Trump Administration to reconsider recent decisions to revoke student visas. In 2021, Padilla led a group of 23 Senators in calling on the State Department to address the backlog of visas for international students. Padilla also chaired a hearing entitled “Strengthening our Workforce and Economy through Higher Education and Immigration” in 2022, highlighting the challenges undocumented students and international students face in seeking higher education and obtaining jobs in the United States.
    Full text of the letter is available here and below:
    Dear Secretary Rubio and Secretary Noem:
    We write to express our increasing concern about actions targeting international students by the State Department and by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Starting earlier this year, the State Department began revoking hundreds of student visas including on apparent ideological grounds, revoking roughly a hundred visas in California alone. These revocations have been conducted by the State Department through its AI-enabled “Catch and Revoke” initiative, instructing affected students to leave the country voluntarily or risk facing deportation proceedings. At the same time, ICE began terminating Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) records for thousands of students—leaving them uncertain about their ability to continue their studies. This includes at least two hundred students in California.
    These visa revocations and record terminations constitute unprecedented and unconstitutional attacks on freedom of thought and expression that impact international and U.S. citizen students alike at our nation’s colleges and universities. While we welcome the news that the Administration has taken steps to rectify the SEVIS record terminations, these actions taken all together still call into question our nation’s bedrock commitment to freedom of expression. We urge the State Department and DHS to suspend the “Catch and Revoke” initiative, which continues to cause uncertainty, erode due process, and chill free speech and expression among students.
    Colleges and universities across the U.S. have long benefitted from the enrollment and participation of international students, who contribute immensely to academic, scientific, and cultural life at schools all around the country. This should not be a partisan issue—there are over 1.1 million international students all over the country, across many states, and the District of Columbia. California enrolls more than 140,850 international students who contribute approximately $6.4 billion to our economy, supporting around 55,114 jobs. Nationally, over 1.12 million international students contribute roughly $43.8 billion to the U.S. economy and support over 370,000 jobs. They also strengthen our national security by fostering global partnerships, cross-cultural understanding, and long-term diplomatic ties with future world leaders educated in the U.S. By attracting top talent from around the globe, we bolster our workforce, drive innovation, and better position ourselves to maintain our competitive edge in science, technology, and research.
    In addition to the State Department visa revocations, multiple alarming incidents have surfaced in recent months involving international students detained by immigration enforcement at university campuses, ports of entry, and even in their homes. In a significant departure from normal practice, these students were, in many cases, not provided prior notice and given no time to contact an attorney, leaving many with few options to defend their nonimmigrant status and their ability to continue studying in the United States. Reports indicate that ICE has arrested students based on vague or previously disclosed information in their visa applications—such as social media posts, protest participation, or lawful political associations—as justification for their detention. If true, these practices represent not just an overreach of immigration authority but a violation of students’ First Amendment rights. These processes do not appear to be conducted with consideration for students’ due process and require immediate remediation.
    The actions taken as part of the “Catch and Revoke” initiative suggest a troubling pattern of misusing immigration enforcement to suppress dissent, intimidate politically active students, and chill Constitutionally protected expression. Without transparency or independent oversight, the risk of abuse continues to grow. In fact, USCIS is now openly targeting speech by noncitizens with other immigration statuses, not just students.
    California’s higher education system is the largest in the nation and considered one of the best in the world, driving global economic mobility—and fueling California’s growth into the fourth largest economy in the world. These institutions serve as beacons of opportunity and economic potential that transform the lives of hundreds of thousands of students in providing a better life for themselves, their families, and future generations. However, this Administration’s attacks on institutions of higher education and international students, who add immense value to our universities, puts our nation’s economic future at risk.
    We urge your agencies to take immediate corrective action by suspending the Catch and Revoke initiative, restoring revoked visas, and providing full transparency to ensure that our immigration system is not misused to police speech at our colleges and universities and maintain beneficial international exchange at universities. We look forward to your prompt response.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Mast Delivers Opening Remarks at Hearing on FY26 State Department Posture

    Source: US House Committee on Foreign Affairs

    Media Contact 202-321-9747

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast delivered opening remarks at a full committee hearing titled, “FY26 State Department Posture: Protecting American Interests.”

    Watch Here

    -Remarks-

    Since day one, President Trump and yourself, you’ve taken bold action to clean house, to restore accountability, to slash waste, and to put America—and Americans—first. I would say that this was desperately needed.

    In the past two decades alone, the State Department’s budget grew from about $9.5 billion to over $55 billion. And I think we could all easily say: for what? In any way, shape, or form did our foreign policy feel like it was five times more effective under Joe Biden? I think everybody would say no.

    Instead, we had a State Department that was literally a slush fund for many far-left bureaucrats, grifting non-government organizations, and foreign adversaries like the Taliban. We had our tax dollars went to things like vouchers for migrants at our southern border, mobilizing elderly lesbians to vote in Costa Rica, as well as drag shows, LGBT comic books, musicals, plays, and operas.

    That stuff was not PEPFAR, to say the least. It didn’t make America safer. It didn’t make America stronger. It didn’t bring other countries closer to us, and it didn’t save lives.

    Now, many of my colleagues might think that canceling these programs creates an inroad for China. I would say we could only hope that China is stupid enough to spend money in that way.

    I want to thank this administration for bringing charges against those who, it appears, were stealing from the State Department and USAID—and, in turn, the American people.

    And I want to thank you, Secretary Rubio, for reorganizing the State Department into a lean and effective diplomatic operation.

    Let’s give proof of that.

    Just this past week alone, President Trump secured more than $2 trillion of investment from the Middle East. That is more than ten times what Joe Biden secured from the Middle East during his entire four years in the White House—which is not entirely surprising, considering under the Biden State Department, millions were spent on programs like trans inclusion in Tunisia. That was the focus in the Middle East.

    Now, as you know, Secretary Rubio, the job is not done. Up until now, over 80% of the State Department has been unauthorized. We have bureaus and offices that have grown from thousands of dollars to billions of dollars, and that changes in law when we pass the first comprehensive and stand-alone State Department reauthorization that has occured since 2002.

    I look forward to working with the members of this committee. I look forward to working with you, Secretary Rubio, and I look forward to working with Senator Risch, moving forward, to make sure that one thing—and one thing alone—takes place: Every single dollar and diplomat that we authorize and send into the field puts America first.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Playing the crime card: do law and order campaigns win votes in Australia?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chloe Keel, Lecturer in Criminology and Criminal Justice, Griffith University

    Crime and public safety are usually the domain of state politics. But the Coalition tried to elevate them as key issues for voters in the recent federal election.

    Claiming crime had been “allowed to fester” under Labor, the opposition promised a A$750 million Operation Safer Communities plan, which included police strike teams targeting drugs, a national child sex offender register, and more money for Neighbourhood Watch.

    A Coalition government would also have given grants to community groups to install public lighting, bollards and CCTV cameras.

    But in the end, crime did not appear to be a deciding factor in the election, which was easily won by Labor.

    What does that tell us about leveraging public fear – either existing crime fears and general anxieties, or latent concerns that can be triggered – for political gain in Australia? Can it be a successful strategy?

    Stoking anxiety

    In culturally diverse countries, such as Australia and the United States, law and order rhetoric sometimes calls for supporting aggressive crime policies at the expense of racial and ethnic minorities, many of whom are immigrants.

    These policies can be effective in stoking public fear to win votes. US President Donald Trump’s exhortations on immigration and crime were a significant part of his election campaigns in 2016 and 2024.

    However, what experts call “protective factors”, such as strong communities and social cohesion, are important. They can reduce the influence of political narratives that try to define crime in narrowly punitive or racialised terms.

    Australia is not America

    Our peer-reviewed research, which will be published in the Journal of Criminology, investigated how public concerns about crime and safety in Australia and the US were associated with demographic factors that evolved over time. The study drew on data from the World Values Survey and indicated key differences in what makes Australians and Americans feel unsafe.

    We have found that in Australia in 2018, supporters of left-leaning parties (Labor/Green) reported feeling significantly safer than other voters. However, this gap disappeared when researchers took into account attitudes that blame crime problems on immigrants. This suggests immigrant-blaming in Australia can drive feelings of community fear and insecurity.

    The World Values Survey uncovered a different pattern in the US.

    Between 2011 and 2017, Republican voters reported feeling safer than other Americans – the opposite of Australia’s trend. The political divide in the US couldn’t be explained by immigrant-blaming attitudes. Rather, it was attributed to the “self-isolation” of American conservatives in more culturally homogeneous communities.

    Our study indicated that while immigration continued to influence safety perceptions in the US, it appeared to operate through different mechanisms than in Australia. Racial and ethnic minorities reported greater fear as the 2010s unfolded.

    Social connectedness also plays differently in each country. In Australia, trust in others and confidence in public institutions consistently influences safety perceptions. In the US, these factors have little impact.

    Social scientists have observed that in modern societies, responsibility for personal safety has increasingly shifted from the government to individuals. This trend is strong in the US, where market-focused, neoliberal economic and social policies dominate policies.

    By contrast, European research suggests stronger social welfare systems can reduce safety concerns by addressing underlying economic anxieties. Australia’s more robust social support appears to foster greater feelings of safety.

    Our research indicates social cohesion further helps reduce fear.

    Crime fears are not a vote winner

    Electoral strategies that seek to leverage public insecurities need to be understood in the context of these fear-mitigating factors. Media diversity can also counter fear-based messaging.

    In the 2018 Victorian election, crime became a prominent political issue through racialised commentary targeting “African gangs”. However, it failed to gain decisive political traction.

    Research found fear of crime was relatively rare in Victoria. Media reports of crime and comments by political leaders were distant from their own experiences

    With more diverse news sources and online platforms, political actors can no longer promote narratives unopposed. Fear-based messaging can backfire, especially when it overreaches.

    Outdated strategy

    Perceptions of crime are often shaped by a combination of actual crime rates and broader anxieties about social change, cultural difference, and uncertainty. This is frequently expressed as unease about the increasing presence of culturally diverse groups.

    While the coalition’s pivot to law-and-order rhetoric represented a familiar strategy, Labor positioned itself as the party of unity. This was underscored by Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s declaration after Labor won the election, in which she acknowledged

    […] the power in our 26 million people from more than 300 ancestries […] from the oldest continuing civilisation on the planet and I acknowledge the traditional owners. Friends, we love this country.

    Foreign Minister Penny Wong on election night.

    While harnessing fears of crime and cultural diversity was not effective in this election cycle, this is not the end of law and order politics. But the unique characteristics of this election appear to have rendered the formula less potent.

    Trump’s threat to democracy and the constitutional rule of law in the US may have fostered a sense of solidarity and social cohesion among Australian voters. Our research suggests this helped to mitigate fears about crime.

    The temptation to capitalise on law and order may continue to appeal to politicians. But in Australia, at least, there is no guarantee it will work.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Playing the crime card: do law and order campaigns win votes in Australia? – https://theconversation.com/playing-the-crime-card-do-law-and-order-campaigns-win-votes-in-australia-256780

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch, Shaheen Lead 20 Colleagues in Call to Protect ENERGY STAR 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Peter Welch, Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit, this week joined Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) in leading 20 of their colleagues urging the Trump Administration to immediately reverse course on its plan to illegally and unilaterally terminate the ENERGY STAR program. In their letter, the Senators highlight the cost-saving benefits of the program, which is projected to save the average American household $450 on utility bills each year simply by choosing ENERGY STAR certified products.  
    Since 1992, ENERGY STAR has reduced energy costs for American families and businesses by $500 billion, including $42 billion worth of savings in 2020 alone. For every federal dollar spent on ENERGY STAR, Americans have enjoyed $350 in savings. 
    “For over three decades, the ENERGY STAR program has lowered Americans’ energy bills by informing consumers about energy efficient products. The program has enjoyed bipartisan support since its creation under authority of Section 103 of the Clean Air Act, most recently receiving $35.7 million in fiscal year 2025 appropriations,” wrote the Senators. “Reporting has indicated, however, that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to eliminate ENERGY STAR without Congressional approval. Not only is the program protected under federal statute and thus illegal for the Administration to terminate unilaterally, but this decision also lacks basic economic sense. We write to urge you to immediately reverse course.” 
    The Senators continued: “ENERGY STAR is the epitome of an effective public-private partnership. As the program’s administrators, EPA and the Department of Energy set qualifying energy efficiency standards for products. EPA also protects the integrity of the ENERGY STAR brand, ensuring it remains well-known, trusted, and indicative of a quality product. Appliance manufacturers then voluntarily display the ENERGY STAR label, notifying consumers that a product will reduce their energy consumption and lower utility bills. The program strengthens consumer choice by sharing critical product information.” 
    “Eliminating the ENERGY STAR program will not only raise energy costs for American families and businesses, but also inflict far-reaching economic harms, threatening industry jobs and the reliability of the grid at a time of growing demand. We again urge you to immediately reconsider eliminating this popular and effective Congressionally authorized program,” the Senators concluded. 
    Administered by the EPA and Department of Energy, ENERGY STAR is a voluntary, market-based program that has saved consumers billions of dollars annually. The ENERGY STAR program has cumulatively reduced four billion metric tons of harmful emissions and currently supports more than 790,000 American jobs manufacturing and installing ENERGY STAR products.  
    ENERGY STAR is strongly supported by a wide array of manufacturers, homebuilders, housing organizations, building owners, small businesses, and other organizations. In April, the U.S. Real Estate Industry sent a letter to the Trump Administration expressing its strong support for the ENERGY STAR program. Additionally, the U.S. Green Buildings Council partnered with the Alliance to Save Energy in leading over 1,000 organizations in urging the Trump Administration to protect the program and maintain full funding and staffing levels. 
    In addition to Senators Welch and Shaheen, the letter was signed by Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Angus King (I-Maine), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), and Cory Booker (D-N.J.). 
    Read and download the full letter. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: AG Labrador Defends Trump Policy Upholding Biological Truth and Protecting Women

    Source: US State of Idaho

    Home Newsroom AG Labrador Defends Trump Policy Upholding Biological Truth and Protecting Women

    BOISE — Attorney General Raúl Labrador led a 26-state coalition, along with Indiana, in filing an amicus brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit supporting the federal government’s appeal in Doe v. Bondi. The appeal challenges a lower court’s preliminary injunction against a Trump Administration policy that protects the dignity, safety, and privacy of female inmates by requiring federal prison housing assignments based on biological sex. The policy also prohibits the use of taxpayer funds for sex-change procedures in federal prisons.
    “Truth matters—and it’s under attack in our culture today,” said Attorney General Labrador. “We’re standing up for biological reality, lawful executive authority, and the dignity and safety of women. If government policy or court rulings deny basic truth, it threatens both public trust and the rights of individuals.”
    In January 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14168, Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government. Among its provisions, the Order directed the Bureau of Prisons to house inmates according to their biological sex. It also prohibited federal funding for sex reassignment surgeries and related procedures in prisons and immigration detention centers.
    Shortly after the policy was issued, a lawsuit was filed in federal court seeking to block the housing provisions and the restriction on taxpayer-funded procedures. The plaintiffs aim to compel federal prison officials to place biologically male inmates in female correctional facilities and to provide sex-change operations at public expense.
    In response, Idaho is leading a multistate amicus brief urging the D.C. Circuit to defer to the Executive Order that directs federal prisons to house inmates according to their biological sex and bars federal funding for sex-change drugs and surgeries. The States argue that prison officials must be free to manage housing and medical decisions because they alone have the expertise to balance competing safety, privacy, and medical risks in a dangerous prison environment, and because placing biological males in women’s units jeopardizes female inmates’ privacy, safety, and dignity. 
    The case, Doe v. Bondi, is currently pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Idaho’s brief supports the federal government’s appeal and the Administration’s authority to enforce policies that prioritize safety and biological reality in federal custody.
    Read the amicus brief here.
    Read more from the Daily Wire here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Mullin Tells Hannity: “Trump is putting a cast together that is going to Make America Great Again.”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator MarkWayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma)

    ICYMI: Mullin Tells Hannity: “Trump is putting a cast together that is going to Make America Great Again.”

    “The good thing is we got a leader in President Trump that has truly put a cabinet in place that not only can deliver what the American people want, they can also defend themselves along the way.”

    Washington, D.C. – On Tuesday, U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) joined Fox News’s Sean Hannity on Hannity to discuss the Trump administration’s efforts to slash government waste, fraud, and abuse, and the recent liberal tirades against Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, in congressional hearings. Highlights below.

    Sen. Mullin’s full interview can be found here.

    On how department secretaries are cutting absurd amounts of government spending:

    “The State Department’s budget has doubled in the last four years. Literally, it was $41 billion it’s nearly $82 billion today. And is the country and the world safer because we invested in DEI [Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion]? Because $73 million through that budget went directly to DEI stuff. And so, if you’re going to really try to defend what you spent your money on, you can’t…

    “That’s why they were upset, because Marco Rubio and JFK [sic] are trying to truly cut spending, and that’s what—or RFK I’m sorry—they’re truly trying to cut spending, and they are going to do it. You just talk about HHS, where Bobby’s trying to actually cut spending too, their budget is $1.67 trillion. Now that is more than the sixth largest country in the world. That’s bigger than their entire budget $1.67 trillion and what have we got? An increase in the last four years by 38% and we are no closer to solving any chronic diseases than we were four years ago, and this is what they’re pushing back on.”

    On how Democrats are losing their minds at the idea of cutting waste, fraud, and abuse:

    “The Democrats are truly losing their ever-loving mind over it and saying that we’re making children sicker, and that we’re killing children around the world because we’re cutting DEI funding. It’s indefensible by the Democrats and I’m glad to see RFK and Marco go right back at them and put them in their place.”

    On the all-star team of cabinet officials President Trump has built:

    “The good thing is we got a leader in President Trump that has truly put a cabinet in place that not only can deliver what the American people want, they can also defend themselves along the way. And this is why President Trump said he’s putting a cast together that is going to Make America Great Again.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Weber Announces $138 Million in Army Corps Funding for Southeast Texas Projects

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Randy Weber (14th District of Texas)

    Rep. Weber Announces $138 Million in Army Corps Funding for Southeast Texas Projects

    Washington, May 16, 2025

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S Rep. Randy Weber (TX-14) announced that Southeast Texas waterway projects will receive $138,380,000 in funding in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers FY 2025 Army Civil Work Plan.

    “This is great news for Southeast Texas, America’s energy capital,” said Rep. Weber. “Our ports and waterways are the lifeblood of our economy and keeping them well-maintained is critical to preserving our nation’s leadership in commerce and energy. I’m grateful the Trump administration recognizes the strategic importance of our region. I will continue fighting for the infrastructure investments our communities deserve.:

    Operation & Maintenance projects in Texas’ 14th District were awarded:

    • $900,000 for the Channel to Port Bolivar. The Channel to Port Bolivar shallow-draft navigation project consists of a 14-foot deep by 200-foot wide channel that is 950 feet long. It extends from the entrance to Galveston Bay (Bolivar Roads) northward to the west point of Bolivar Island. The channel is heavily utilized by the Texas Department of Transportation and the Galveston-to-Port Bolivar Ferry System.
    • $13,150,000 for Freeport Harbor. The Freeport Harbor deep-draft navigation project consists of a 45-foot deep by 400-foot wide channel that is 8.5 miles long, extending from the Gulf of America, through a jetty-protected inlet, to a turning basin at the Freeport port facilities. The project also includes two rock jetties, 1.46 and 1.64 miles in length.
    • $47,975,000 for Galveston Harbor and Channel. The Galveston Entrance Channel is the main entrance for Galveston, Texas City, and the Houston Ship Channel. This deep-draft project includes a 45-foot deep by 800-foot wide channel that is 23.9 miles long, stretching from the Gulf of America through a jetty-protected inlet into Galveston Bay, to the port facilities at Galveston Harbor.
    • $50,000 for Chocolate Bayou. The Chocolate Bayou navigation project is a shallow-draft waterway, 13 feet deep by 125 feet wide and approximately 8.2 miles long. It extends from the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) at Mile Marker 376 through Chocolate Bay and Chocolate Bayou to port facilities located between Galveston and Freeport in Brazoria County, Texas.
    • $40,550,000 for the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. The Texas portion of the GIWW extends from the Sabine River to Port Isabel, Texas, and includes several tributary channels. It features a 12-foot deep by 125-foot wide, shallow-draft channel stretching 423 miles along the Texas Coast. The GIWW includes flood gates at the Brazos River and navigation locks at the Colorado River, along with mooring basins and buoys at 11 locations supporting heavy barge traffic.
    • $25,075,000 for the Sabine-Neches Waterway. The Sabine-Neches Waterway (SNWW) is a federally constructed deep-draft navigation project serving the Ports of Port Arthur, Beaumont, and Orange in Jefferson and Orange Counties, Texas, and Cameron and Calcasieu Parishes, Louisiana. The waterway includes 97 miles of navigation channels in three main segments: a jetty-protected entrance channel 42 feet deep and 500 to 800 feet wide; a 40-foot deep, 400-foot wide channel to Beaumont via the Neches River; and a 30-foot deep, 200-foot wide channel to Orange via the Sabine River.
    • $10,680,000 for the Texas City Ship Channel. The Texas City Ship Channel deep-draft navigation project includes a 45-foot deep by 400-foot wide and 9.4-mile-long channel, extending from the intersection of Galveston Harbor and the Houston Ship Channel to a turning basin and Industrial Canal at the Port of Texas City.

    Rep. Weber added: “This is not just about dredging or infrastructure—it’s about jobs, national security, and Texas leading the way. I will always stand up for the hardworking men and women who rely on these waterways to fuel our economy and keep America strong.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Hassan Slams GOP’s $490 Billion Medicare Cut in Tax Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Maggie Hassan
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Health, responded to a new analysis from the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office finding that the plan put forward by President Trump and Congressional Republicans to give corporate special interests and billionaires a tax break increases the deficit by $2.3 trillion, which will trigger a $490 billion automatic cut to Medicare over the next 10 years.
    “Seniors pay into Medicare their entire life, based on the promise that it will provide them with health care when they retire. It is absolutely ridiculous that Republicans want to take hundreds of billions of dollars away from Medicare in order to provide more tax giveaways to corporate special interests and billionaires,” said Senator Hassan, Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Health. “At a time when we should be working to make health care more affordable, Congressional Republicans instead continue to push ahead with this partisan tax giveaway paid for by exploding the deficit and cutting Medicare, Medicaid, and Affordable Care Act, which will only increase health care costs for millions of Americans across the country.” 
    The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office analysis finds that because the Congressional Republican plan increases the deficit by $2.3 trillion, it will trigger automatic cuts of $490 billion to Medicare. More than 60 million American seniors are enrolled in Medicare. An additional recent non-partisan analysis of the Republican tax plan finds that the legislation will also result in 13.7 million Americans losing their health insurance by 2034 because of proposed cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner, Kaine & Bennet Secure DoD Fixes to Broken Military Moving System

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Michael Bennet (D-CO) issued the statement below after the Department of Defense (DoD) announced immediate modifications to the military’s broken moving system, which handles servicemember relocations. These modifications follow close advocacy by the senators, who have pushed for months to address the delays, poor communication, and repeated issues under the Global Household Goods Contract.
    “Military members and their families sacrifice so much in service to our country, including every time they relocate and integrate into a new community. After pushing for months, we’re pleased to see the Department of Defense move to address ongoing challenges with the contract tasked with moving household goods for military members and families in the process of relocating.
    “As these policy changes are implemented, we will continue to work with the Department of Defense and TRANSCOM to ensure that servicemembers and military families who are already well into the relocation process are not left in the lurch. Additionally, as these shifts put more pressure on federal employees to adapt to this change, we will continue to push for adequate federal staffing levels and against Trump’s senseless hiring freeze, which continues to prevent critical positions from being filled across government.”
    In February, Sen. Warner requested a briefing from USTRANSCOM and sounded the alarm about missed household goods pickups, delivery issues, and communication difficulties with HomeSafe Alliance, the contractor responsible for the moves. Earlier this month, the lawmakers raised their concerns, reiterating the ongoing delays and confusion being faced by military families, and requesting additional information from TRANSCOM on its plan to address these issues.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: ICE arrest of Darwin Ronaldo Rodriguez Lopez

    Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)

    We arrested Honduran criminal alien Darwin Ronaldo Rodriguez Lopez. He received a DUI conviction Feb. 25, 2024, and just six months later was arrested again for impaired driving.

    Don’t come to this country, break our laws multiple times, and expect to stay.

    In fact, thanks to the Trump administration, if you’re here illegally at all — expect an ICE arrest.

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

    MIL OSI Video –