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Category: MIL-OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: USS Preble Departs San Diego for Japan

    Source: United States Navy Pacific Fleet 1

    by Courtesy Story

    22 September 2024


    CORONADO, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES

    The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Preble (DDG 88) departed San Diego Sept. 22, 2024, shifting its homeport to Yokosuka, Japan. The move is part of a scheduled rotation of forward-deployed naval forces in the Pacific a permanent change of station move for for the crew and family members.

    Preble replaces USS Benfold (DDG 65), which will depart Yokosuka and shift its homeport to Everett, Washington.

    The forward presence of Preble directly supports the United States’ commitment to the defense of Japan, enhancing the national security of the United States while improving its ability to protect strategic interests. Preble will directly support the Defense Strategic Guidance to posture the most capable units forward in the Indo-Pacific Region.

    The United States values Japan’s contributions to the peace, security and stability of the Indo-Pacific and its long-term commitment and hospitality in hosting U.S. forces forward deployed there. These forces, along with their counterparts in the Japan Self-Defense Forces, make up the core capabilities the alliance needs to meet our common strategic objectives.

    “It has been more than four years since Preble last operated in 7th Fleet,” said Cmdr. Paul Archer, Preble’s commanding officer. “But Preble today is markedly different than the ship that last left 7th Fleet. Armed with the U.S. Navy’s most capable combat system suite, this crew is well-trained and hungry to take our cutting-edge warship west to support national strategic objectives. The Western Pacific is gaining a true asset—unparalleled technical capabilities and more than 300 Sailors excited for this new opportunity.”

    Preble is the sixth ship to be named in honor of Commodore Edward Preble, an early 19th century U.S. Navy hero who served in the Revolutionary War and launched the attack on Tripoli in 1803.

    The ship was commissioned Nov. 9, 2002, in Boston and has been homeported at Naval Base San Diego for nearly 22 years.

    One of Preble’s most notable operations was its 2004 surge deployment in support of the global war on terrorism. It was one of several U.S. Navy, Coast Guard, and coalition ships responsible for patrolling and safeguarding the waters near the Khawr AL Amaya and Al Basrah oil terminals in the Persian Gulf.

    The security environment in the Indo-Pacific requires that the U.S. Navy positions the most capable ships forward. This posture allows the most rapid response times for maritime and joint forces and brings our most capable ships with the greatest amount of striking power and operational capability to bear in the timeliest manner.

    The mission of Commander, Naval Surface Force, Pacific is to man, train, and equip the Surface Force to provide fleet commanders with credible naval power to control the sea and project power ashore.

    MIL Security OSI –

    September 29, 2024

  • MIL-OSI: H&R Block Publishes Fifth Annual ESG Report

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    KANSAS CITY, Mo., Sept. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — H&R Block, Inc. (NYSE: HRB) today published its fifth Annual Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report for fiscal year 2024 (July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024). The Annual ESG Report reflects H&R Block’s ongoing commitment to transparency, sustainability, and responsible business practices in key areas such as environmental impact, social responsibility, corporate governance, stakeholder engagement, and more.

    “At H&R Block, our Purpose is to provide help and inspire confidence in our clients and communities everywhere. As part of this Purpose, we believe in doing our part to be a responsible corporate citizen – which has been a part of our culture and aspirations from the very beginning,” said Jeff Jones, president, and CEO of H&R Block. “Together, we can continue to deliver on our Purpose and make a positive impact.”

    Notable highlights from the 2024 Annual ESG Report include:

    • On the Environmental front, H&R Block’s ‘Path to Print Less’ initiative reduced the number of total pages printed across its retail footprint by 36%. The company also introduced a new associate-led composting program at its corporate headquarters’ public cafeteria and sharpened its GHG emissions inventory by adding additional categories to its Scope 3 calculation.
    • Within the Social category, the company furthered its commitment to easing the financial burdens of clients, continued to honor co-founders Henry and Richard Bloch’s legacy of service, and gave back to local communities through its Make Every Block Better impact platform.
      • Spruce1, H&R Block’s mobile banking platform, is delivering on its mission to help people be better with money
        • Since launch through June 30, 2024, Spruce had 476K sign ups and is nearing a milestone of $1B in customer deposits. The company saw positive deposit trends, indicating Spruce is empowering clients to grow their financial health, and build financial literacy.
      • The launch of H&R Block’s AI Tax Assist tool in all DIY Online paid SKUs
        • The genAI powered experience was designed to streamline the tax preparation process for clients to file and manage their taxes confidently. The technology performed well as feedback indicated that the tool was easy to use, helpful in the tax prep process, and clients found value in it.
      • The inaugural year of ‘Fund Her Future’, H&R Block’s small business grant program
        • H&R Block provided $100K in funds and services to empower select women-owned businesses—particularly those focused on making a difference in their communities—to reach their full potential.
      • Supporting Connected Culture and more in-person engagement through Block Party events
        • Centered around bringing local associates and teams together, H&R Block introduced quarterly Block Party events at their corporate headquarters in Kansas City. Attendees had the opportunity to attend several Belonging events, networking sessions, professional panels, and other various engagement activities.
    • Regarding Governance, H&R Block strives to maintain a culture of integrity, transparency, and accountability throughout all levels of the organization. The company is committed to strong ethical practices, responsible decision-making, and effective governance structures.

    For more information and to read H&R Block’s FY24 Annual ESG Report, click here.

    1 Spruce fintech platform is built by H&R Block, which is not a bank. Spruce℠ Spending and Savings Accounts established at, and debit card issued by, Pathward®, N.A., Member FDIC.

    About H&R Block

    H&R Block, Inc. (NYSE: HRB) provides help and inspires confidence in its clients and communities everywhere through global tax preparation services, financial products, and small-business solutions. The company blends digital innovation with human expertise and care as it helps people get the best outcome at tax time, and be better with money using its mobile banking app, Spruce. Through Block Advisors and Wave, the company helps small-business owners thrive with year-round bookkeeping, payroll, advisory, and payment processing solutions. For more information, visit H&R Block News.

    The MIL Network –

    September 29, 2024

  • MIL-OSI: CommUNITYFirst Day 2024, Held on September 24th, Benefits Thousands

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    RED BANK, N.J., Sept. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — OceanFirst Bank N.A. (“OceanFirst” or the “Bank”), a subsidiary of OceanFirst Financial Corp. (NASDAQ:OCFC), held its third annual CommUNITYFirst Day on September 24th, 2024, providing volunteer assistance to community organizations across the Bank’s market area. All OceanFirst branch locations and loan offices were closed on the afternoon of September 24th to enable employees to volunteer at local nonprofit organizations, with more than 700 team members joining in the effort.

    More than 75 nonprofit organizations in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York and Massachusetts requested OceanFirst employees, known as WaveMakers, to help complete a variety of projects that will assist people and neighborhoods with the greatest needs. The nonprofit organizations focus on providing housing, alleviating food insecurity, protecting the environment, aiding future generations, building inclusive communities, fostering economic empowerment, improving health and wellness, and promoting arts and culture.

    “CommUNITYFirst Day began in 2021 and has become an annual tradition at OceanFirst. It is a great opportunity for the Bank to extend a helping hand to our neighbors in the communities where our employees live and work,” said Joe Lebel, OceanFirst Bank President and Chief Operating Officer. “With more than 700 employees participating in CommUNITYFirst Day 2024, we were proud to assist our nonprofit partners and the people they serve.”

    Meals on Wheels of Ocean County (“Meals on Wheels”) was one of the more than 75 nonprofit organizations that hosted OceanFirst employees for CommUNITYFirst Day 2024. According to Heather deJong, Community Relations Specialist at Meals on Wheels, “Meals on Wheels of Ocean County is so appreciative of the army of volunteers we had during CommUNITYFirst Day. We deliver 1,000 meals each day, Monday thru Friday, to our homebound and food insecure seniors and OceanFirst’s volunteers saved our kitchen staff a day’s worth of work by prepping and putting the cold components of our meal into 1,000 grab-and-go bags that our drivers will now deliver along with the hot entrée and sides tomorrow.”

    Since CommUNITYFirst Day was established, OceanFirst Bank employees have volunteered almost 9,000 hours in conjunction with CommUNITYFirst Day. Volunteer opportunities are coordinated for OceanFirst employees in collaboration with OceanFirst Foundation, whose mission is to empower nonprofits to think bigger, solve more problems, and make life better in the neighborhoods served by OceanFirst Bank.

    OceanFirst Bank N.A., a subsidiary of OceanFirst Financial Corp., founded in 1902, is a $13.3 billion regional bank providing financial services throughout New Jersey and in the major metropolitan areas between Massachusetts and Virginia. OceanFirst Bank delivers commercial and residential financing, treasury management, trust and asset management and deposit services and is one of the largest and oldest community-based financial institutions headquartered in New Jersey. To learn more about OceanFirst go to www.oceanfirst.com.

    Company Contact:
    Jill Apito Hewitt
    OceanFirst Bank N.A.
    Director of Corporate Communications
    1.888.623.2633 ext. 27513
    jhewitt@oceanfirst.com

    The MIL Network –

    September 29, 2024

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen, Shaheen, Baldwin Introduce Legislation to Increase Startup Tax Deduction to $50,000

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
    Currently, Entrepreneurs Can Only Write Off $5,000 In Costs When Starting A New Business
    A Recent Survey Found That Small Business Owners Spend An Average Of $40,000 To Get Their Businesses Off The Ground
    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Chair Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) introduced legislation to provide more tax relief to entrepreneurs looking to start a small business, and reduce barriers for startups. The Tax Relief for New Businesses Act would increase the startup tax deduction from $5,000 to $50,000, and allow businesses to write off more expenses to compensate for the increasing cost of starting a business. Currently, small business owners can only deduct up to $5,000 in startup costs in the first year, yet a recent survey found that they spend an average of $40,000 to get their businesses off the ground.
    “It’s getting harder and more expensive for local entrepreneurs to turn their dreams of starting their own small business into reality, which is why I’m proud to introduce legislation to increase the startup tax deduction from $5,000 to $50,000,” said Senator Rosen. “This is a common-sense step to make this tax deduction practical and helpful for startups, and I’ll keep working to support Nevada’s entrepreneurs and small business owners.”
    “Allowing small businesses to deduct more of their startup expenses will help support the growth of the 19 million new businesses formed during the Biden-Harris administration while creating good-paying jobs in our communities,” said Small Business and Entrepreneurship Chair Shaheen. “Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and in the Granite State, approximately two thirds of job creation is done through small businesses. With legislation like the Tax Relief for New Businesses Act we can continue to spur job growth while giving entrepreneurs a fair shot at success.”
    “On Main Streets across Wisconsin, small businesses are creating jobs and contributing to our local economies. For too many entrepreneurs, starting a business can be out of reach and it’s our job to break down the barriers in their way so more Americans can pursue their dreams,” said Senator Baldwin. “This legislation is a commonsense step that will unlock opportunities for Wisconsin’s next generation of small businesses and help ensure they have the capacity to grow, innovate, and shape the future of the Badger state.”
    “The Reno + Sparks Chamber of Commerce is enthusiastic about Senator Rosen’s bill, that if passed, would open doors to hundreds of entrepreneurs who dream of developing and owning a small business in our community,” said Ann Silver, CEO of the Reno + Sparks Chamber of Commerce. “The Tax Relief for New Business Act would stimulate commerce and enable our small business economy to be determined by those with the grit and determination to be successful.”
    “Starting a business is a vote of confidence in the future,” said Richard Trent, Executive Director of Main Street Alliance. “Men and women all across the country start businesses that help our communities thrive. Small businesses are connected to their communities, sponsoring little league teams, providing employment and creating a robust culture and economy. But one of the most difficult parts of starting a business is having the capital to do so. A lack of generational wealth, unfair lending practices and discrimination make this difficult for too many. The Tax Relief for New Businesses Act is a huge step in the right direction to level the playing field and jump start Main Streets all across America.”
    “Repeated research has demonstrated that new businesses – ‘startups’ – are a critical driver of economic growth, job creation, and opportunity expansion,” said John Dearie, President of Center for American Entrepreneurship. “But launching a new business costs money. And because startup costs are incurred long before the first dollar of revenue, those costs can be a major obstacle to new business formation. That’s why the Tax Relief for New Businesses Act is so important. The Act would increase the tax deduction of startup costs from $5,000 to $50,000, expand the types of expenses eligible for the deduction, and stretch the phase-out threshold of the credit from $50,000 to $150,000, allowing entrepreneurs to write-off more of the costs required to launch their business once they become profitable. The legislation is powerfully pro-entrepreneurship, pro-growth, and pro-job creation. CAE thanks Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) for their leadership and looks forward to working with them to ensure swift passage of the legislation.”
    This legislation is endorsed by the Reno+Sparks Chamber of Commerce, Main Street Alliance, Center for American Entrepreneurship, and the Vegas Chamber.
    As a member of the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Senator Rosen has been a champion of Nevada’s small business community. Every year, she leads her Senate colleagues in pushing for robust funding to support small businesses and cut burdensome red tape. Senator Rosen has introduced the bipartisan Minority Entrepreneurship Grant Program Act to establish a Minority Entrepreneurship Grant Program through the Small Business Administration (SBA) to award grants to Minority Serving Institutions to promote and increase opportunity. She also introduced the bipartisan One Stop Shop For Small Business Licensing Act to require the SBA to create a centralized website that includes federal, state, and local licensing and business permit information for starting a small business.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    September 29, 2024

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ahead of 1 October, Rosen Gives Speech on Senate Floor Honoring Victims of Tragic Shooting, Calling on Congress to Ban Bump Stocks

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
    Watch Senator Rosen’s Speech HERE.
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, ahead of what will be seven years since the 1 October shooting in Las Vegas, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) delivered remarks on the Senate floor to honor the sixty lives lost and highlight how Nevada was forever changed by this senseless violence, the deadliest mass shooting in American history. She also recognized the heroism of Las Vegas’s first responders and urged further action by Congress to prevent gun violence, including banning bump stocks.
    Senator Rosen has been a leader in the fight against gun violence. Following this year’s Supreme Court decision to reverse the Trump-era bump stock ban, Senator Rosen joined bipartisan legislation to permanently ban bump stocks. Last year, she helped introduce the Resources for Victims of Gun Violence Act to provide all victims of gun violence and their loved ones with the resources to help meet medical, legal, financial, and other needs. Senator Rosen also recently helped introduce the Background Check Expansion Act to expand federal background checks to all commercial gun sales, including those made online and at gun shows. She helped pass the historic Bipartisan Safer Communities Act to enhance background checks on firearm purchases for individuals under 21, fund the implementation of red flag laws, combat firearms trafficking, and invest in school safety and mental health programs. 
    Below are Senator Rosen’s floor remarks as delivered:
    Mr. President,
    This year will mark seven years since my community of Las Vegas was forever changed on October 1st, 2017.
    On that night, we experienced a tragedy on a scale far worse than anyone could have ever imagined.
    Ten minutes. Ten minutes is all it took for a gunman to open fire on an unsuspecting crowd at a music festival, killing 58 innocent lives, injuring thousands, and leaving a permanent scar on our state.
    Sadly, in the years since, two more victims of that night’s attack died because of injuries they received during the shooting, bringing the death toll to 60.
    It remains the deadliest mass shooting in American history.
    The families of the victims of that tragedy had their worlds shattered that day, their lives forever changed. 
    Families who didn’t get to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, holidays. And the families who never got to say goodbye to their loved ones.
    That night also changed the lives in our city. People who were attending or working at the Route 91 Harvest festival, the first responders who ran towards danger to save lives. 
    And in the following days, we saw lines of people, lines of people around entire blocks willing to donate blood, willing to help in any way they could.
    This kind of selflessness embodies the incredible spirit of our community. It showed the country why we’re Vegas Strong.
    And as we remember and as we reflect on this tragedy, we must also commit ourselves to action so that no community has to experience the pain and suffering like we did. 
    The 1 October shooter was able to inflict as much pain and carnage as he did by using bump stocks.
    This dangerous modification allowed his weapon to fire more bullets faster, as a way to inflict the most amount of pain on our city. Over 1,000 bullets, 1,000 bullets in just a matter of minutes.
    And it was in response to this carnage that then-President Donald Trump issued a federal rule banning bump stocks. It helped save lives from these deadly modifications.
    But unfortunately, the Supreme Court overturned this common-sense federal ban, allowing bump stocks to flow into our streets once again.
    This shameful decision, shameful decision by the Supreme Court will put more lives at risk, which is why I joined bipartisan legislation to restore this common-sense federal ban on bump stocks.
    And when members of this chamber tried to pass this bipartisan legislation, extremists in this body, what did they do? They blocked us, and some even had the audacity to say this legislation was trying to solve a “fake problem.” 
    A “fake problem.”
    Mr. President, should we tell the families who lost a loved one at the hand of a firearm using a bump stock on 1 October that it’s a “fake problem?” A fake problem that they’re sad at every holiday, and every meal, and every Thanksgiving table that their loved one is missing? A “fake problem?”
    Their grief is real. Their loss is real, and their loss is forever. This is not a “fake problem.”
    It’s a very real problem, and there are real solutions. But once again, Congress has failed, year after year, to act.
    Las Vegas knows how the real threat, what the real threat of bump stocks are and why we must act. 
    And as we approach the seventh anniversary of this unthinkable tragedy,  I ask all my colleagues in this chamber to remember and to honor the memories of the victims, to honor their families, to honor everyone whose lives were forever changed from the night and the shooting on October 1st, 2017.
    I also ask that we come together, Republicans and Democrats, in a bipartisan way to save lives by just passing common-sense legislation to ban bump stocks. 
    Thank you.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    September 29, 2024

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Collins Joins Bipartisan Legislation to Honor WWII Nurses with Congressional Gold Medal

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins joined 32 of her Senate colleagues in supporting the bipartisan WWII Nurses Congressional Gold Medal Act, a bill to recognize the work and sacrifices of World War II nurses by presenting them with a Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian award bestowed by the United States Congress. The bill would award this honor to the more than 59,000 Army Nurses and 14,000 Navy Nurses who served in World War II.
    Awarding this medal is a well-deserved commemoration of the service of nurses like Alize Zwicker, who was born in Brownville, and during the war, was held in a Japanese internment camp in the Philippines for three years after the nation was seized by Japan in 1942. Alize was the only Maine servicewoman held as a prisoner of war in either of the two world wars.
    “The brave and resilient women who answered the call to serve the nation during the Second World War deserve to be remembered alongside our country’s greatest patriots,” said Senator Collins. “This bipartisan effort would ensure that the adversity overcome by Maine nurses like Alize Zwicker is properly memorialized in our history.”
    The WWII Nurses Congressional Gold Medal Act is endorsed by the American Red Cross, Friends of the National World War II Memorial, and the National Military Women’s War Memorial.
    In addition to Senator Collins, the WWII Nurses Congressional Gold Medal Act is sponsored by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Steve Daines (R-MT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Mike Braun (R-IN), Jon Tester (D-MT), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Joe Manchin (I-WV), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), John Cornyn (R-TX), Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), Tina Smith (D-MN), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), John Barrasso (R-WY), Edward Markey (D-MA), Mark Warner (D-VA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Angus King (I-ME), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Peter Welch (D-VT), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Laphonza Butler (D-CA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).

    MIL OSI USA News –

    September 29, 2024

  • MIL-OSI USA: McConnell, Kaine Applaud Final Rule To Raise Minimum Age For Tobacco Sales Set By Their Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, applauded a final rule issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding ID requirements for the purchase of tobacco products at retail establishments. The rule, which will go into effect on September 30, was required by McConnell and Kaine’s Tobacco-Free Youth Act. Signed into law in December 2019, the bipartisan McConnell-Kaine legislation raised the minimum age to buy all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, from 18 to 21.
    Last week, Senator McConnell delivered remarks on the Senate floor highlighting a recent survey by the FDA and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) which concluded the number of young people in America smoking e-cigarettes dropped to its lowest level in the last decade.
    “Youth e-cigarette use was at its peak just five years ago. That’s when I introduced legislation along with Senator Kaine to raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco products to 21. Today, the number of young people smoking e-cigarettes dropped to its lowest level in a decade,” said Senator McConnell. “I’m glad to see the FDA finally produce this rule that will help keep even more children from getting their hands on addictive vaping devices. While more work remains, I’m grateful to see our bipartisan legislation making a big impact.”
    “I’m glad the FDA issued final guidance to implement our bipartisan legislation to raise the tobacco age to 21,” said Senator Kaine. “I was proud to work with Senator McConnell to get this legislation signed into law. Our bipartisan bill has already made a huge difference in keeping tobacco products away from young people, and this final rule will only further these efforts.”
    In 2022 and again in 2023, McConnell and Kaine pushed the FDA to issue this final rule. The final FDA rule requires retailers to ask for photo identification for anyone under the age of 30 and prohibits retailers from selling tobacco products via vending machines in facilities where individuals under 21 are present or permitted to enter at any time.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    September 29, 2024

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin, Shaheen Lead Bill to Make Affordable Care Act Premium Tax Breaks Permanent, Lowering Costs for Millions of Americans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) introduced the Health Care Affordability Act—legislation to make permanent the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits (PTCs) for millions of Americans who use the Health Insurance Marketplace for coverage. The enhanced PTCs, which have made health care more affordable and accessible for millions of Americans, are currently set to expire at the end of 2025. If this provision expires, over 20 million Americans will see a sudden increase in their health insurance costs, an estimated three million Americans could lose their health insurance entirely, and nearly nine million people will pay more—roughly $406 per person—for coverage.
    “I’m focused on the kitchen table issues that keep families up at night and the skyrocketing cost of health care and prescription drugs is high on that list. I fought hard to cut health care costs for Wisconsinites – saving thousands of families hundreds of dollars each year – and I refuse to let us go backward,” said Senator Baldwin. “Our legislation will stop millions of hard-working Americans from having their healthcare costs jacked up, giving families peace of mind that they can get the quality health care they need at a price they can afford.”
    “For years, the ACA enhanced premium tax credits have significantly lowered costs and increased access to health insurance for families in New Hampshire and across the country. But let’s be very clear: if Congress fails to act before these tax credits expire, tens of millions of Americans will suffer a substantial increase in health care costs and millions of individuals could lose their health insurance entirely,” said Senator Shaheen. “It’s time to extend these highly effective tax credits to keep costs from skyrocketing and ensure health care is within reach for every American, and I’m proud that our Health Care Affordability Act does just that.”
    In Wisconsin, over 230,000 Wisconsinites are receiving advanced premium tax credits, averaging a monthly savings of over $500. Senator Baldwin first voted to expand the premium tax credit in the American Rescue Plan Act. This expansion of premium tax credits marked the biggest improvement to the ACA since it became law over a decade ago. When the tax credits were set to expire at the end of last year, Baldwin voted to extend their authorization through December 2025 in the Inflation Reduction Act.
    Cosponsors of Shaheen and Baldwin’s bill include U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR), and U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), John Fetterman (D-PA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tina Smith (D-MN), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Peter Welch (D-VT), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Laphonza Butler (D-CA), John Tester (D-MT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Gary Peters (D-MI), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Tom Carper (D-DE), Bob Casey (D-PA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Ed Markey (D-MA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), George Helmy (D-NJ), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Patty Murray (D-WA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM).

    MIL OSI USA News –

    September 29, 2024

  • MIL-OSI USA: McConnell: VP Harris’ Willingness To Throw Away Senate’s Guardrails As Disqualifying As Her Record

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell
    ‘There is nothing normal or rational about blowing up the dam holding back simple majority rule. And the fact that a major political party has welcomed this short-sighted radicalism into the mainstream will be to their eternal shame. To lean on today’s fill-in-the-blank justification is to miss entirely what’s at stake. The Senate’s protections against the vacillations of simple majority rule are bigger than Washington Democrats’ policy preferences.’
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding the filibuster:
    “’I am prepared to get rid of the filibuster to pass a Green New Deal.’
    “‘I think we should eliminate the filibuster for Roe.’
    “These are the words of the Vice President of the United States and the Democratic nominee for President.
    “Her willingness to shatter the institution of the Senate is not unique. Nearly every single one of our Democratic colleagues was willing to do it two years ago. And they would have succeeded had two members of their own caucus not stood in the breach.
    “Nor is this campaign to rip up precious safeguards for political minorities confined here to the Senate. From a sitting President all the way down to grassroots activists, Democrats have made smashing institutions a core pillar of their party’s platform.
    “The Vice President’s latest comments are not novel. But they are shocking – no less so than the votes our colleagues cast here on January 19, 2022.
    “There is nothing normal or rational about blowing up the dam holding back simple majority rule. And the fact that a major political party has welcomed this short-sighted radicalism into the mainstream will be to their eternal shame.
    “To lean on today’s fill-in-the-blank justification is to miss entirely what’s at stake. The Senate’s protections against the vacillations of simple majority rule are bigger than Washington Democrats’ policy preferences. They’re bigger than my own.
    “A Senate that can steamroll a legislative minority to codify Roe v. Wade or enshrine the lunacy of the Green New Deal into law…
    “…is a Senate that will drive a stake through liberal hopes as soon as the political winds change.
    “To gamble the guardrails that make the Senate what it is… To short-circuit the process by which dissenting views are guaranteed a hearing… That ought to be disqualifying, by itself.
    “Then again, so should the Vice President’s record on the issues.
    “In November, the Democratic nominee will own the worst border crisis in American history, and the broken policies that invited it.
    “She will own the worst inflation in forty years, and the reckless spending and tie-breaking votes that enabled it.
    “The American people may well worry, like I do, about the future of an institution designed to be the world’s greatest deliberative body.
    “But more than that, they worry about keeping their families safe and putting food on the table. And I expect they’ll vote accordingly.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    September 29, 2024

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch, Sanders, Smith Introduce Bill to Help More Farmers Access USDA Emergency Farm Loans After Natural Disasters

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) introduced the Emergency Loans Reform Act of 2024, legislation to reform the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Emergency Loan Program to remove barriers to emergency funds and be more responsive to the needs of farmers and ranchers in the aftermath of a natural disaster. The Emergency Loans Reform Act would amend USDA’s Emergency Loan Program to remove the written credit denials requirement and increase flexibility in defining losses. The aim of the legislation is to improve eligibility and access for farmers seeking emergency loan funding.
    “Emergency farm loans can provide a lifeline to farmers and ranchers in their journey to rebuild and recover after a natural disaster strikes. But USDA’s one-size-fits-all system often fails to reflect losses facing Vermont-sized farms, making it difficult for them to access those crucial funds.” said Senator Welch. “Our bill makes commonsense reforms to the Emergency Loans Program to ensure that farmers and ranchers impacted by natural disasters can quickly get the support they need to recover.”
    “The last thing anyone needs after a disaster strikes is more red tape obstructing the road to recovery,” said Senator Sanders. “After the devastating floods of last summer and this summer, we saw too many Vermont farmers struggling to get the emergency assistance they needed in a timely and effective manner. This should not be happening in the richest country in the history of the world. With the existential threat of climate change making these disasters more frequent and more severe, we must take urgent action to reimagine disaster response in this country. This legislation, which makes it easier for farmers to get the emergency aid they need as quickly as possible, is an important step in the right direction and I am proud to join Sen. Welch and my colleagues on it.”
    “Farmers are the backbone of our economy and they need our help when severe weather strikes,” said Senator Smith. “This bill will help farmers deal with the inevitable ups and downs in the marketplace, including natural disasters.”
    In order to access funds through FSA’s Emergency Loan Program, farmers and ranchers impacted by extreme weather must currently provide evidence of 30% of total production losses and provide one or more written declinations from a commercial lender. As USDA does not always require written denials for similar loan programs, requiring farmers to receive written denials can be particularly burdensome, depriving them of resources at a crucial time. This 30% production loss requirement can be a misleading indicator when determining the need for emergency relief and create unnecessary obstacles for farmers to receive assistance when they need it most.
    Learn more about the Emergency Loans Reform Act.
    Read the full text of the bill.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    September 29, 2024

  • MIL-OSI USA: McConnell: Subservience To Autocrats Neither An American Value Nor Strategic Interest

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell
    ‘Hungary’s leaders have made no secret of their conviction that the future is one of American decline. They’re not hiding the ways they’re preparing for American weakness and betting on our failure. There’s nothing tough about bowing to autocrats. And there’s nothing for America’s leaders to gain by praising those who do.’
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding NATO:
    “I’ve spoken frequently about the welcome signs that America’s European allies are waking up to the strategic challenge posed by the PRC, and to the dangers of predatory Chinese influence in their own backyards.
    “Like America, our allies are watching the flaws of China’s statist economic model laid bare. They’re increasingly wary to hitch their wagons to a totalitarian system that stifles innovation, discourages free thought, and complicates free enterprise.
    “They’re hesitant to take risks in a system where the rule of law is trampled by the whims of the state, and assets are subject to expropriation by the regime.
    “Encouraging progress, like a German security strategy that explicitly recognizes the Chinese threat, and efforts across the EU to reduce reliance on Chinese technologies, presents opportunities for the West to work closer together. To secure supply chains. And to lower barriers to cooperation among allies.
    “Unfortunately, this progress is not across-the-board. China may not be a safe business partner, but it’s still an enticing one for far too many economies… including within the NATO alliance.
    “I’ve spoken before about Hungary’s decade-long drift into the orbit of the West’s most determined adversaries. It’s an alarming trend. And nobody – certainly not the American conservatives who increasingly form a cult of personality around Prime Minister Viktor Orban – can pretend not to see it.
    “Hungary’s leaders aren’t cozying up to Moscow, Beijing, and Tehran in private. They’re doing it publicly and vocally as well.
    “The Orban government has welcomed China’s view of a ‘European bridgehead’ in Hungary as the perfect complement to its own declared policy of an ‘opening to the East.’ And it hasn’t been shy about turning words into actions.
    “When Chinese state enterprise has said jump, Hungarian officials have asked, how high?
    “As European allies began to heed warnings from the Trump Administration to reduce reliance on Chinese industry and technology, Budapest repeatedly blocked EU progress and welcomed a geyser of Chinese Belt-and-Road investment.
    “Included in the torrent of PRC influence was five-hundred-million Euros from a Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer to build a new facility on Hungarian soil… and another seven-billion-euro investment in a new EV battery plant.
    “Meanwhile, the Prime Minister of a former vassal of Russian communism has nothing but praise for the neo-Soviet imperialist responsible for the first major land war in Europe since 1945.
    “Viktor Orban describes the regime that has sacrificed tens- if not hundreds of thousands of Russian lives and more than $200 billion dollars in military force for its unprovoked – and thus far unsuccessful – aggression against Ukraine as ‘hyper-rational’.
    “But this NATO Prime Minister doesn’t just admire Putin. He helps him. His government runs interference for Moscow, gumming up European and trans-Atlantic efforts to combat Russia’s unlawful aggression at every turn.
    “European allies are providing more assistance to Ukraine than the US is, but Americans who complain the EU isn’t doing more to help Ukraine should look no further than to Budapest’s efforts to block additional EU assistance for the answer.
    “And then there’s Budapest’s relationship with the Islamic Republic of Iran. Hungary’s Foreign Minister has bemoaned that ongoing international sanctions make it ‘really challenging to build effective economic and trade cooperation’ with the world’s most active state sponsor of terror.
    “I have little sympathy for Hungarian companies that struggle to profit from their ties to the genocidal regime in Tehran.
    “Of course, that hasn’t stopped Hungarian firms from committing tens of millions of dollars to financing joint nuclear projects with Iran.
    “It didn’t stop a national Hungarian university from inviting the former Iranian President to a conference on ‘common values in the global environment’.
    “’Common values’ with Tehran. And here I thought it was American conservatives who claimed shared values with Hungary’s ruling party. Has the Orban government forgot its adoring fans on this side of the Atlantic?
    “No. Hungary’s leaders have made no secret of their conviction that the future is one of American decline. They’re not hiding the ways they’re preparing for American weakness and betting on our failure.
    “There’s nothing tough about bowing to autocrats. And there’s nothing for America’s leaders to gain by praising those who do.
    “Subservience to revanchist powers is not an American value. But far more importantly, it is not in America’s interests.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    September 29, 2024

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Ramirez Applauds the Passage of S.Res. 847, The Wadee Resolution by the U.S. Senate

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Delia Ramirez – Illinois (3rd District)

    Ramirez urges the House to demonstrate its commitment to end anti-Palestinian, Islamophobic, and antisemitic violence by bringing the House concurrent resolution to the Floor after the October recess

    Washington, DC — Today, Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03) celebrates the passage of the Senate companion to her resolution honoring Wadee Alfayoumi and calling for elected officials to reject dehumanizing rhetoric that leads to hate crimes, Islamophobia, antisemitism, and anti-Palestinian discrimination. The passage of the legislation comes a week after Congresswoman Ramirez joined survivors of hate crimes and their families, national organizations, interfaith leaders, and members of Congress to call for Congress to pass the bicameral Wadee Act. 

    “Yesterday’s Passage of S.Res. 847, honoring Wadee Alfayoumi, was an incredibly important step for humanity, for the movement against hate and bigotry, and for this moment,” said Congresswoman Ramirez. “We are 12 days from October 7th and 19 days from the anniversary of Wadee’s murder – both dates marked by children torn from their mothers. While time has passed, we continue to see an escalation of violence in the Middle East, a rise in bigotry and dehumanizing rhetoric, and a rejection of our shared humanity. We must remember Wadee. And his memory must move Speaker Johnson and the House to take up the Concurrent Resolution and bring it to the Floor for a vote after the October Recess.”

    BACKGROUND

    On December 19, Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), joined by Representatives Lauren Underwood (IL-14), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), introduced a resolution honoring Wadee Alfayoumi, a 6-year-old Palestinian boy, murdered on October 14 as a victim of a hate crime for his Palestinian Muslim identity, in the State of Illinois. On March 14th, in commemoration of International Day to Combat Islamophobia, Congresswomen Ramirez, Jacobs, and Watson Coleman reintroduced the resolution in a bicameral manner with U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL). 

    The Resolution resolves that:

    • the United States lost the beautiful light of Wadee Alfayoumi because of hate;
    • it is the duty of elected officials and media to tell the truth without dehumanizing rhetoric when informing the public of factual information;
    • freedom of speech and peaceful protest are constitutionally protected and a fundamental cornerstone of democracy; and
    • the United States has zero tolerance for hate crimes, Islamophobia, antisemitism, and anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab discrimination.

    Full text of the resolution is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    September 29, 2024

  • MIL-OSI USA: House Foreign Affairs Committee Passes Salazar’s Legislation to Fight Fentanyl Crisis

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar’s (FL-27)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – The House Foreign Affairs Committee passed Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) and Rep. Joaquin Castro’s (D-TX) DISPOSE Act (H.R. 9172) in a bipartisan, unanimous vote.

    “The fentanyl crisis has become a scourge of the Western Hemisphere,” said Rep. Salazar. “By passing the DISPOSE Act, the Foreign Affairs Committee is committing to working with our partners to destroy fentanyl precursor chemicals well before they reach Miami and the rest of the country.”

    In 2023 alone, Customs and Border Protection seized over 23,000 pounds of fentanyl at the Southern Border, providing a critical source of income for Latin American cartels. Most of this fentanyl is created using Chinese chemicals that are shipped to the Americas, turned into drugs in clandestine labs, and trafficked into the U.S. by Mexican cartels through drug mules. The DISPOSE ACT keeps Americans safe by cutting off their supply and targeting the precursor chemicals foreign criminal cartels use to produce fentanyl, ensuring they can be destroyed and disposed of well before they reach the United States. This will also cut off crucial income for the cartels.

    The DISPOSE Act establishes the Precursor Chemical Destruction Initiative to fight drug trafficking with our partners in the Western Hemisphere. Working directly with partner countries, the Initiative will:

    • Increase rates of seizure and destruction of listed chemicals in beneficiary countries;
    • Alleviate the backlog of seized chemicals and dispose them in an environmentally safe and effective manner;
    • Ensure that the seized chemicals are not reintroduced into the illicit drug production network within beneficiary countries;
    • Free up storage space for future chemical seizures within beneficiary countries; and
    • Reduce the chemicals’ negative environmental impact.

    “In San Antonio and communities across the world, families have endured unimaginable tragedy as a result of the fentanyl trade,” said Rep. Castro. “The DISPOSE Act is an important step forward to support our neighbors in the Western Hemisphere as they work to curb the trafficking of fentanyl within their own nations. This bill will save lives at home and abroad, and I am honored to work with Chairwoman Salazar and a bipartisan coalition in the House and the Senate as we move this much-needed progress closer to the president’s desk.”

    Rep. Greg Stanton (D-AZ), an original cosponsor of the bill, was instrumental in advancing this bill through the Committee. Rep. Salazar is working to get this bill passed by the full House of Representatives. The Senate version is led by Senators Grassley (R-IA), Shaheen (D-NH), and Risch (R-ID).

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

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    September 29, 2024

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ricketts on Iran’s Threats Against President Trump: “These Provocations Demand a Strong Response”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)

    September 25, 2024

    September 25, 2024
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) issued the following statement in response to news that the Trump campaign had been briefed on “real and specific threats from Iran to assassinate him.”
    “While Iran’s President and Foreign Minister spew lies at the United Nations, the Iranian regime works to assassinate former President Trump and meddle in our election. They chant ‘death to America’ and fund global terrorism. These provocations demand a strong response, but the Biden-Harris administration has done nothing. They have an appeasement-first policy. We need strong leadership, not weakness.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

    September 29, 2024

  • MIL-OSI USA: Mann Rejects Continuation of Fiscal Insanity

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Tracey Mann (Kansas, 1)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) voted against H.R. 9747, the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025. The legislation, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 341-82, fails to reduce government spending, protect the integrity of the upcoming U.S. election, or tackle America’s $35 trillion debt. Rep. Mann released the following statement after the vote.

    “I did not come to Congress to be a caretaker in the slow demise of America,” said Rep. Mann. “Our country currently has $35 trillion in debt that our children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren will be responsible for. We cannot continue to do the same thing over and over again and expect different results. Kansans regularly tell me that the economy and the federal government’s reckless spending are two of their top concerns. I will not contribute to the decimation of America’s fiscal house by supporting spending bills that fail to prioritize the real needs of America. It is Congress’ job to pass 12 individual appropriations bills each year to fund the government. We must return to regular order, stop kicking the can down the road, and do our job.”

    In March 2024, Rep. Mann voted against H.R. 1061, the first part of a $1.66 trillion spending package. Mann also opposed the second vehicle in the spending package that further exceeded spending caps and ballooned the national debt.

    H.R. 9747 will now go to the U.S. Senate for further consideration.

    ###

    For more information about Representative Mann, visit: www.mann.house.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

    September 29, 2024

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK provides essential humanitarian supplies to civilians in Lebanon as the situation deteriorates

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Government re-opens portal for British nationals in Lebanon to register their presence following deployment

    • Government re-opens portal for British nationals in Lebanon to register their presence
    • Follows deployment of military, Border Force and Foreign office officials to Cyprus to support contingency planning
    • £5 million humanitarian package will support thousands of people who have been displaced or forced to flee

    The UK is sending £5m to Lebanon to support humanitarian response efforts, where the United Nations [UNICEF] will distribute supplies to those in need. 

    It comes as the UK also re-opens the Register Your Presence service to support British nationals and provide vital updates.

    The UK has been calling for British nationals to leave Lebanon since October 2023. Yesterday, 700 troops, alongside Border Force and Foreign Office officials, also deployed to Cyprus to continue contingency planning for a range of scenarios in the region.

    The essential humanitarian support comes after further civilian casualties following air strikes in recent hours. Thousands more have been displaced or forced to flee their homes.

    The package includes essential medical supplies, hygiene kits and fuel for water stations, to help thousands of displaced civilians across Lebanon meet their basic needs.

    It will also help emergency teams respond to urgent health and nutrition needs, and provide a series of training sessions for key delivery partners and frontline workers to ensure an effective emergency response.

    Anneliese Dodds, Minister of State for Development and Minister of State for Women and Equalities, said:

    The situation in Lebanon is deeply concerning. While we continue to urge British nationals to leave and have launched our ‘register your presence’ portal to aid their departure, the UK will always be a strong supporter of the Lebanese people. That is why we are providing £5m to UNICEF to support civilians who have been displaced and are facing a humanitarian emergency.

    We need to see an immediate ceasefire from both sides to prevent further civilian casualties and ensure that displaced people can return to their homes.

    At UNGA this week the Foreign Secretary emphasised the need for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Lebanese Hizballah when he met G7 ministers. The UK was the first G7 country to call for an immediate ceasefire. The Foreign Secretary will deliver the UK’s intervention at the UN Security Council session on Lebanon.

    Flights from Beirut continue to run, and British nationals should depart on the first available carrier.

    The military teams have joined the already significant UK diplomatic and military footprint in the region, including RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus and Royal Navy ships RFA Mounts Bay and HMS Duncan, which have remained in the eastern Mediterranean to support British nationals and allies over the summer.

    The Royal Air Force also have aircraft and transport helicopters on standby to provide support if necessary.

    Notes to editors  

    • Today’s funding announcement comes from pre-existing Official Development Assistance budgets and is already accounted for.
    • The UK is committed to supporting the most vulnerable in Lebanon, including refugees and Lebanese communities, with timely, flexible assistance to address basic needs and reduce suffering.  
    • The UK’s bilateral humanitarian support to Lebanon this financial year (up to £21m through the Lebanon Humanitarian Programme, including this £5m for UNICEF) is focussed on:  
      • supporting the most vulnerable refugee and Lebanese communities to meet their basic needs;     
      • providing essential education and child protection services to over 5,000 of the most vulnerable and marginalised out of school children; and  
      • supporting the Government of Lebanon to develop more inclusive, sustainable, and accountable social protection systems.  
    • Through the Lebanon Humanitarian Programme, the UK is one of the largest donors to OCHA’s Lebanon Humanitarian Fund which has allocated $14.7m to a range of NGOs for preparedness and response to displacement.  
    • Earlier this year, a Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) allocation of $9m was released to support UN partners response to the rising needs in Southern Lebanon. The UK is one of the largest donors to the CERF globally.    
    • $2.2m Education Cannot Wait (ECW) funding has been released to support 5,000 children affected by the crisis. The UK is the second largest donor to ECW.

    Media enquiries

    Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

    Telephone 020 7008 3100

    Contact the FCDO Communication Team via email (monitored 24 hours a day) in the first instance, and we will respond as soon as possible.

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    Updates to this page

    Published 25 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    September 29, 2024

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Josh Brecheen Votes Against Continuing Resolution (CR) That Increases Spending and Fails to Secure Our Elections

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Josh Brecheen (2nd District)

    Congressman Josh Brecheen Votes Against Continuing Resolution (CR) That Increases Spending and Fails to Secure Our Elections

    Washington, September 25, 2024

    Today, Congressman Josh Brecheen voted against H.R. 9747, the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025.

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Josh Brecheen voted against H.R. 9747, the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025. 

    “This Continuing Resolution (CR) maintains heightened government spending that must be reduced given our current $2 trillion annual deficits,” said Congressman Josh Brecheen. “I could not vote for this given we are more than $35 trillion in debt and this continues our trajectory towards a sovereign debt crisis.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    September 29, 2024

  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/LEBANON – Maronite Patriarch asks UN Security Council to intervene in order to impose negotiations between the parties in conflict

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Wednesday, 25 September 2024

    Beirut (Agenzia Fides) – In the face of the “national catastrophe” in Lebanon, Maronite Patriarch Boutros Bechara Rai appeals to the UN Security Council to “intervene effectively” to force the parties to the conflict to “end the war and start negotiations”.The appeal calls for unity “of the entire Lebanese family” and thanks all those who open their homes and schools to the displaced and work in hospitals to help the wounded. The Lebanese Cardinal also reminds the Lebanese Parliament of the urgency of electing a new President of the Republic and put an end to the political and institutional crisis that has been going on for years. “And let us pray to God,” the Patriarch concludes in his brief appeal, “so that he inspires everyone to find the path to a just and inclusive peace”. (GV) (Agenzia Fides, 25/9/2024)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

    September 29, 2024

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Democracy Promotion: Supporting Democratic Openings with Diplomatic Instruments

    Source: Switzerland – Department of Foreign Affairs in English

    Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

    New York, 24.09.2024 – Address by Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) – Check against delivery

    Secretary Blinken,

    Administrator Power,

    Excellencies,

    I would like to thank Secretary Blinken and Administrator Power for convening this important meeting today, which allows us to reaffirm our commitment to supporting democratic openings.

    Switzerland and the United States share a long history when it comes to democratic rights and freedoms.

    From the 17th century to the present day, our countries have influenced each other. We are sister republics, as the American constitutionalists put it 250 years ago.

    Excellencies,

    Democracy brings substantial benefits for sustainable development and lasting peace. Switzerland’s history bears witness to these positive consequences:

    Our democratic institutions and processes have enabled us to navigate linguistic, religious and cultural diversity and find unity.

    Today, only 30% of the global population lives in a democracy. Drawing from our own experience, strengthening democracy has become a key priority in our foreign policy.

    I am pleased to announce that my Ministry is now developing its first “Democracy Guidelines”.

    These guidelines define the objectives of our efforts and detail the tools we will employ:

    – One key tool is diplomacy: fostering bilateral and multilateral dialogue while engaging political actors as equal partners.

    – Another tool is providing knowledge and financial support to strengthen the framework that sustains democracies, thereby starting with the universally recognized fundamental rights, essential for the dignity and freedom of individuals.

    We are ready to provide swift and creative support wherever and whenever it is welcomed.

    Switzerland fully supports the joint statement and looks forward to ongoing dialogue, aiming to expand the family by welcoming many more sisters.

    Thank you.

    Address for enquiries

    FDFA Communication
    Federal Palace West Wing
    CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland
    Tel. Press service: +41 58 460 55 55
    E-mail: kommunikation@eda.admin.ch
    Twitter: @SwissMFA

    Publisher

    Federal Department of Foreign Affairs
    https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home.html

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    September 29, 2024

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Other events – Exchange of views with the European Chief Prosecutor on the EPPO activities – 30-09-2024 – Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

    Source: European Parliament

    Laura Kövesi, the Chief Prosecutor of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), will engage in discussions with members of the LIBE Committee.

    This exchange will cover the Office’s activities, its key achievements, and the challenges it faces. Such discussions are crucial for evaluating the EPPO’s effectiveness in protecting the financial interests of the EU and addressing any operational or legal obstacles that may hinder its mandate.

    The European Public Prosecutor’s Office is an independent and decentralized prosecution office of the European Union, headquartered in Luxembourg. Its primary responsibility is to investigate, prosecute, and bring to judgment crimes that affect the financial interests of the EU. It was established by Council Regulation (EU) 2017/1939 and began its operations in 2021.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    September 29, 2024

  • MIL-OSI Europe: EIB provides €220 million to Nexi to back digital payment innovation in Europe

    Source: European Investment Bank

    EIB

    • The new funds will contribute to the development of the group’s innovative digital payment products and services.
    • The projects financed will support the group’s sustainability-related environmental, social and governance goals, which have already been announced to the market.

    The European Investment Bank (EIB) is providing €220 million in financing to Nexi Group, Europe’s largest PayTech company, to support innovation in the digital payments sector. The agreement was announced today in Milano by EIB Vice-President Gelsomina Vigliotti and Nexi Group CFO Bernardo Mingrone.

    Nexi will use the EIB funds to develop and manage projects aimed at modernising digital payments in Europe, and to finance specific initiatives that leverage the expertise of Nexi Digital, a European technological innovation hub created in collaboration with Reply, an Italian company and European leader in digital transformation.

    The identified projects are fully aligned with Nexi Group’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) objectives, which have already been communicated to the market. These include promoting digital payment innovation across Europe, creating jobs for young people and in disadvantaged areas, and enhancing environmental sustainability by optimizing data centres and developing cloud-based activities.

    This is the first EIB loan granted to a publicly listed company in the digital payments sector, underscoring Nexi’s commitment to advancing the digital and technological transition.

    EIB Vice-President Gelsomina Vigliotti commented: “This operation represents a major step forward in the development of Europe-wide digital payment solutions, helping to reduce the use of cash and prevent fraud and tax evasion. This operation highlights the EIB’s commitment to promoting digitalisation and innovation in businesses and public sector organisations, which are key elements of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.”

    Nexi Group CFO Bernardo Mingrone added: “We are proud that the European Investment Bank has recognised our ongoing commitment to the development of innovative products and services promoting digital payment reliability and security, two key requirements for rolling out these services in the European countries where we operate. This agreement is further confirmation that even major players like the EIB recognise Nexi’s vital role in developing and supporting digitalisation in Europe.”

    Background information

    The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union owned by its Member States. It finances sound investments that can contribute to EU policy. EIB projects strengthen competitiveness, foster innovation, promote sustainable development and improve social and territorial cohesion while supporting a fair and rapid transition towards climate neutrality. In the past five years, the EIB Group has provided more than €58 billion in financing for projects in Italy.

    Nexi is Europe’s PayTech company operating in high-growth, attractive European markets and technologically advanced countries. Listed on Euronext Milan, Nexi has the scale, geographic reach and abilities to drive the transition to a cashless Europe. With its portfolio of innovative products, e-commerce expertise and industry-specific solutions, Nexi provides flexible support for the digital economy and the entire payment ecosystem globally, across a broad range of different payment channels and methods. Nexi’s technological platform and the best-in-class professional skills in the sector enable the company to operate at its best in three market segments: Merchant Solutions, Issuing Solutions and Digital Banking Solutions. Nexi constantly invests in technology and innovation, focusing on two fundamental principles: meeting, together with its partner banks, customer needs and creating new business opportunities for them. Nexi is committed to supporting people and businesses of all sizes, transforming the way people pay and businesses accept payments. It offers companies the most innovative and reliable solutions to better serve their customers and expand. By simplifying payments and enabling people and businesses to build closer relationships and grow together, Nexi promotes progress to benefit everyone. www.nexi.it/en www.nexigroup.com

    Nexi Digital Investment Plan
    EIB provides €220 million to Nexi to back digital payment innovation in Europe
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    Nexi Digital Investment Plan
    EIB provides €220 million to Nexi to back digital payment innovation in Europe
    ©EIB
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    Nexi Digital Investment Plan
    EIB provides €220 million to Nexi to back digital payment innovation in Europe
    ©EIB
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    Nexi Digital Investment Plan
    EIB provides €220 million to Nexi to back digital payment innovation in Europe
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

    September 29, 2024

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Spread of ‘peste des petits ruminants’ virus in sheep and goats in Kalampaka – E-001387/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    In accordance with Regulation (EU) No 2021/690[1] and Commission Implementing Decision C(2023) 8926[2], in particular Annex 3 thereof[3], certain measures implemented by Greece against the Peste des petits ruminants (culling of animals, compensation to owners for the value of the animals culled, disinfections of holdings, etc.) may be eligible for EU co-funding, up to a maximum rate of 30%.

    Moreover, in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/2115[4], depending on the identified needs and intervention strategy, through their Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plans, Member States may provide support for investments in preventive actions and for restoration of agricultural potential following natural disasters, adverse climatic or catastrophic events[5].

    This would also allow to support investments to restore agricultural production potentially damaged by animal diseases or by measures taken to eradicate or contain the disease. The design and implementation of those measures depends on Member States.

    S taffing of veterinary services and related laboratories in Member States, including Greece, is under the responsibility of each Member State, in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/429[6], in particular Article 13 thereof.

    • [1] http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/690/oj
    • [2] C(2023) 8926 final, Commission Implementing Decision of 21.12.2023 on the financing of the Programme for the internal market, competitiveness of enterprises, including small and medium-sized enterprises, the area of plants, animals, food and feed, and European Statistics and the adoption of the work programme for 2024-2027, https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/e6150e32-3fa5-4276-923b-a36faf4fec1e_en?filename=C_2023_8926_F1_COMMISSION_IMPLEMENTING_DECISION_EN_V3_P1_3119489.PDF
    • [3] Annex 3 to C(2023) 8926 final, Commission Implementing Decision of 21.12.2023, https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/c69d5f53-6966-420f-8628-7ff84bf91646_en?filename=C_2023_8926_F1_ANNEX_EN_V2_P1_3132789.PDF
    • [4] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/2115/oj
    • [5] Article 73 of Regulation (EU) 2021/2115.
    • [6] http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2016/429/oj
    Last updated: 25 September 2024

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    September 29, 2024

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Highlights – 30 September: Ukraine MFA, Chinese BEVs and Foreign Subsidies Regulation – Committee on International Trade

    Source: European Parliament

    At the 30 September meeting, INTA Members will exchange with Executive Vice-President Dombrovskis on the financial assistance package in support of Ukraine consisting of a Ukraine Loan Cooperation Mechanism and an exceptional Macro-Financial Assistance (MFA) loan of up to €35 billion.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    September 29, 2024

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – US access to biometric databases in the EU – E-001250/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The Council is aware that the European Commission is having an informal dialogue at technical level with US authorities with regard to the Enhanced Border Security Partnership, and is regularly informed with a view to promoting a concerted approach amongst EU Member States.

    Although no formal proposal has yet been submitted to the Council by the US authorities, this issue has been discussed on several occasions in the recent months within various Council of the EU settings, taking into account the respect of the principles of proportionality and reciprocity.

    Last updated: 25 September 2024

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    September 29, 2024

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Provocative actions by Türkiye against the Republic of Cyprus – E-001109/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The Council, in its December 2023 conclusions on Enlargement, reiterated its expectations that Türkiye unequivocally commits to good neighbourly relations and the peaceful settlement of disputes, and fulfils its obligations under the Negotiating Framework, including the full, non-discriminatory implementation of the Additional Protocol to the Association Agreement towards all Member States. Recognition of all Member States is essential.

    Türkiye must normalise its relations with the Republic of Cyprus and respect the sovereignty, and territorial integrity of all EU Member States, as well as all their sovereign rights.

    In this regard, the European Council has repeatedly stated the determination of the European Union to use the instruments and options at its disposal to defend its interests and those of its Member States as well as to uphold regional stability[1].

    It is noted that the Council’s Decision (CFSP) 2019/1894 was adopted in view of Türkiye’s illegal drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean.

    The Council remains fully committed to a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem within the UN-agreed framework, in accordance with all relevant UNSC resolutions and in line with the principles on which the EU is founded, and the acquis. It remains crucial that Türkiye commits and contributes to such a peaceful settlement, including its external aspects.

    The EU calls for the speedy resumption of negotiations and is ready to play an active role in supporting all stages of the UN-led process. The Council recalls the importance of the status of Varosha, condemns all Türkiye’s unilateral actions that run contrary to UN Security Council resolutions, and reiterates its calls for their immediate reversal.

    It should be further noted that the European Council, in its conclusions of April 2024, reiterated the particular importance it attaches to resumption of and progress in the Cyprus settlement talks in further enhancing EU-Türkiye cooperation.

    In these conclusions, the European Council also welcomed the appointment of the new UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy on Cyprus, Ms Maria Angela Holguin Cuellar, and reiterated the EU’s readiness to play an active role in supporting all stages of the UN-led process.

    • [1] See for example European Council, 25 March 2021 — Statement of the Members of the European Council

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    September 29, 2024

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Highlights – Scrutiny of delegated acts and implementing measures – Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

    Source: European Parliament

    On 30 September 2024, the ECON Committee will hold its second scrutiny session in the new legislative term to assess the delegated act adopted by the European Commission on 19 July 2024 (C(2024)4991) in accordance with Articles 9, 18, 19, 21, and 25 of the ELTIF Regulation.

    More specifically, this delegated regulation comprises regulatory technical standards (RTS) specifying when derivatives will be used solely for hedging the risks inherent to other investments of the European long-term investment fund (ELTIF), the requirements for an ELTIF’s redemption policy and liquidity management tools, the circumstances for the matching of transfer requests of units or shares of the ELTIF, certain criteria for the disposal of ELTIF assets, and certain elements of the costs disclosure.

    In this level 2 act, the Commission has exhausted the procedure on RTS laid down in Article 10(1) of ESMA Regulation and has amended the draft RTS with the modifications it considered relevant.

    The Committee will look into the reasons that led the Commission to that decision. Experts from the European Commission and the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) have been invited to this scrutiny hearing.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    September 29, 2024

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Highlights – Exchange of views with Parliament’s experts of EIGE’s Experts’ Forum – Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality

    Source: European Parliament

    EIGE © 2024 European Institute of Gender Equality

    On 30 September 2024, the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality will hold an exchange of views with Parliament’s experts in EIGE’s Experts’ Forum, Ms Edit Bauer and Mr Niall Crowley

    The mandate of the current members of the EIGE’s Experts’ Forum is about to expire on 30 November 2024 and the FEMM Committee is inviting Parliament’s experts to present their work in this mandate of the Forum. Parliament’s experts are invited to inform Members about the meetings that took place and what were the goals and what were the achievements of EIGE’s Experts’ Forum.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    September 29, 2024

  • MIL-OSI Europe: SDG Flag Day in Lugano: Cities play a key role in implementing sustainable development goals

    Source: Switzerland – Federal Administration in English

    Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

    Bern, 25.09.2024 – Since 2019, SDG Flag Day has been held every year on 25 September on the initiative of the business community (via the UN Global Compact). Schools, communes, organisations, companies and governments fly flags to symbolically express their support for the 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). At the SDG Flag Day event in Lugano, the two Federal Council delegates for the 2030 Agenda, Markus Reubi and Daniel Dubas, emphasised the key role of cities in implementing the 2030 Agenda.

    Whether it’s access to green spaces and public areas, sustainable transport systems, waste sorting or involving all stakeholders in urban planning, cities face particular challenges in the field of sustainability. Although they only cover 3% of the earth’s surface, they consume three quarters of global resources and are responsible for 75% of global emissions. The 2030 Agenda therefore also addresses this topic in SDG Goal 11, ‘Sustainable cities and communities’.

    Swiss cities and communes need to become inclusive, resilient and environmentally friendly. To mark this year’s SDG Flag Day, the city of Lugano is providing various examples of how it is driving forward the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

    “Through its #luganosostenibile programme, Lugano is one of the many cities using their proximity to citizens to implement solutions in different areas of the 2030 Agenda,” says Markus Reubi, deputy head of the Prosperity and Sustainability Division (PSD) of the FDFA and one of the Federal Council’s two delegates for the 2030 Agenda. Mr Ruebi took part in SDG Flag Day in Lugano together with the other Federal Council delegate for the 2030 Agenda, Daniel Dubas. According to Mr Dubas, who heads the Sustainable Development Section of the Federal Office for Spatial Development (ARE), ‘cities are a key driver of sustainable development in Switzerland, especially as almost three quarters of the population live in cities and peri-urban areas.’

    Today’s event in Lugano marks the start of a deeper collaboration between the FDFA and a range of cities in the field of sustainability, a development that will be highlighted at a city symposium on SDG Flag Day 2025.

    2030 Agenda

    The 2030 Agenda is the global frame of reference for local, national and international efforts to find joint solutions to major international challenges such as climate change, resource consumption, biodiversity conservation and health crises. The 2030 Agenda was adopted on 25 September 2015 by 193 UN member states, including Switzerland. It applies to all countries and sets the SDGs to be achieved by 2030. In Switzerland too, the 2030 Agenda is the guiding framework for sustainability policy.
    At the heart of the 2030 Agenda are the 17 SDGs and their 169 targets. These are structured around five guiding principles: people, planet, prosperity, peace and partnership. With these five principles, the 2030 Agenda aims to safeguard human well-being, economic development and environmental protection as well as addressing aspects such as peace, the rule of law and governance. SDG Flag Day is an initiative of the UN Global Compact, a global network of companies that are committed to the goals of the 2030 Agenda.

    Address for enquiries

    FDFA Communication
    Federal Palace West Wing
    CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland
    Tel. Press service: +41 58 460 55 55
    E-mail: kommunikation@eda.admin.ch
    Twitter: @SwissMFA

    Publisher

    Federal Department of Foreign Affairs
    https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home.html

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    September 29, 2024

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AMENDMENTS 025-027 – JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on continued financial and military support to Ukraine by EU Member States – RC-B10-0028/2024(025-027)

    Source: European Parliament

    AMENDMENTS 025-027
    JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
    pursuant to Rule 136(2) and (4) of the Rules of Procedure
    replacing the following motions:
    B10-0028/2024 (Verts/ALE)
    B10-0031/2024 (S&D)
    B10-0033/2024 (Renew)
    B10-0036/2024 (PPE)
    B10-0039/2024 (ECR)
    on continued financial and military support to Ukraine by EU Member States
    (2024/2799(RSP))
    Michael Gahler, Andrzej Halicki, Sebastião Bugalho, David McAllister, Siegfried Mureşan, Željana Zovko, Andrius Kubilius, Pekka Toveri, Rasa Juknevičienė, Isabel Wiseler-Lima, Antonio López-Istúriz White, Nicolás Pascual De La Parte, Mika Aaltola, Wouter Beke, Gheorghe Falcă, Niclas Herbst, Sandra Kalniete, Marcin Kierwiński, Łukasz Kohut, Ondřej Kolář, Vangelis Meimarakis, Danuše Nerudová, Ana Miguel Pedro, Hélder Sousa Silva, Davor Ivo Stier, Michał Szczerba, Alice Teodorescu Måwe, Ingeborg Ter Laak, Riho Terras, Matej Tonin, Inese Vaidere
    on behalf of the PPE Group
    Yannis Maniatis, Sven Mikser
    on behalf of the S&D Group
    Aurelijus Veryga, Adam Bielan, Mariusz Kamiński, Tobiasz Bocheński, Roberts Zīle, Michał Dworczyk, Veronika Vrecionová, Jadwiga Wiśniewska, Ondřej Krutílek, Reinis Pozņaks, Rihards Kols, Sebastian Tynkkynen, Małgorzata Gosiewska, Assita Kanko
    on behalf of the ECR Group
    Helmut Brandstätter, Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Benoit Cassart, Olivier Chastel, Bart Groothuis, Karin Karlsbro, Ľubica Karvašová, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Nathalie Loiseau, Urmas Paet, Eugen Tomac, Hilde Vautmans, Lucia Yar, Dainius Žalimas
    on behalf of the Renew Group
    Sergey Lagodinsky, Markéta Gregorová
    on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group
    Hanna Gedin, Jonas Sjöstedt, Li Andersson, Jussi Saramo, Merja Kyllönen, Per Clausen

    Source : © European Union, 2024 – EP

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    September 29, 2024

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Study – Regulation 1049/2001 on the right of access to documents, including the digital context – 25-09-2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Upon request of the Committee on Petitions (PETI), the Policy Department for Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs commissioned the present study on Regulation 1049/2001 on access to documents with a twofold objective. First, to update the analysis conducted in a 2016 study for the PETI Committee with the latest developments in the case law of the CJEU and the activities led by the European Ombudsman since then – in particular focussing on access to legislative documents, documents relating to administrative proceedings, Court proceedings, infringement proceedings, protection of privacy, international relations, and special regimes. Second, to assess the possible future alignment of the Access Regulation with the evolving digital context, including a potential revision of the definition of document, access to user-friendly public registers and internet sites, access to agendas of officials and scheduled meetings with interest representatives, and access to videos of CJEU oral hearings. The research also incorporates illustrative and complementary cases and own initiatives by the European Ombudsman as indications of evolving challenges to institutional secrecy in the EU context.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    September 29, 2024
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