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Category: MIL-OSI

  • MIL-OSI USA: Unregistered Municipal Advisory Activity in Public-Private Partnerships

    Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

    Good afternoon everyone. I want to thank The Bond Buyer for organizing this Infrastructure Conference and for inviting me today to talk about some important regulatory safeguards that were put in place a decade ago to help state and local governments make effective infrastructure investments.

    But before I begin, I must remind you that my remarks are in my official capacity as Director of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Office of Municipal Securities, but do not necessarily reflect the views of the Commission, the Commissioners, or other members of the staff.

    These types of events give me a unique opportunity to speak directly to the municipal securities market about an issue that has framed my tenure with the Commission, first as a staff attorney serving as a principal drafter of the municipal advisor rules and now as the Director of the Office charged with overseeing municipal advisor regulation, namely unregistered entities engaging in municipal advisory activity.[1]

    Filling a Gap in the Regulatory Landscape

    To begin, I thought I would spend a few moments laying out the municipal advisor regulatory framework.

    Until the passage of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (“Dodd-Frank Act” or “Dodd-Frank”), advisors[2] to municipal entities[3] and obligated persons[4] were largely unregulated and were generally not required to register with the Commission or any other federal, state, or self-regulatory entity with respect to their municipal advisory activity.[5]

    Leaving the activities of these advisors generally unchecked, however, led to several cases of market abuses and economic damage to municipal entities and obligated persons.[6] For instance:

    • Congress found that a number of municipalities suffered losses from complex derivatives products that were marketed by unregulated financial intermediaries;[7]
    • The Commission brought action against a financial institution alleging payments by the financial institution to local firms whose principals or employees were friends of public officials in connection with a bond underwriting and interest rate swap agreement;[8] and
    • The Commission settled several actions against major financial institutions for their role in a series of complex, wide-ranging bid rigging schemes involving derivatives utilized by municipalities and underlying obligors as reinvestment products.[9]

    Dodd-Frank was enacted to generally strengthen oversight of the municipal securities market and to broaden current municipal securities market protections to cover, among other things, previously unregulated market activity.[10] Section 975 amended Section 15B of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange Act”) creating a new class of regulated person required to register with the Commission: municipal advisors.[11] 

    Who Are Municipal Advisors?

    So, who are municipal advisors? Broadly speaking, municipal advisors assist municipal entities and obligated persons on the terms of bond offerings, investment of bond proceeds, and the structuring and pricing of related products.

    A “municipal advisor” is any person (who is not a municipal entity or an employee of a municipal entity) that:

    provides advice to or on behalf of a municipal entity or obligated person with respect to municipal financial products or the issuance of municipal securities, including advice with respect to the structure, timing, terms, and other similar matters concerning such financial products or issues; or undertakes a solicitation of a municipal entity or obligated person.[12]

    Key here is advice. As you may suspect, “advice” is not subject to a bright-line definition.[13] Instead, the determination of whether a person provides advice to, or on behalf of, a municipal entity or an obligated person regarding municipal advisory activity will depend on all the relevant facts and circumstances.[14] For purposes of the municipal advisor definition, advice includes, without limitation, recommendations that are particularized to the specific needs, objectives, or circumstances of a municipal entity or obligated person with respect to municipal financial products or the issuance of municipal securities, based on all the facts and circumstances.[15] Advice excludes, among other things, the provision of general information that does not involve a recommendation regarding municipal financial products or the issuance of municipal securities.[16]

    The focus of the advice standard is whether or not, under all of the relevant facts and circumstances, the information presented to a municipal entity or obligated person is sufficiently limited so that it does not involve a recommendation that constitutes advice.[17]

    The Exchange Act provides that municipal advisors and any person associated with such municipal advisor has a fiduciary duty to their municipal entity clients, prohibiting municipal advisors from engaging in any act, practice, or course of business that is not consistent with their fiduciary duty.[18] Although the Exchange Act does not provide that municipal advisors are deemed to have a fiduciary duty insofar as their advice is to non-municipal entity obligated person clients, some state fiduciary or agency laws may, depending on the facts and circumstances, apply to municipal advisor engagements with such obligated persons.[19] Municipal advisors do have other obligations to obligated person clients, such as a duty of fair dealing and a duty of care under current Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (“MSRB”) rules.[20]

    Now that I have laid out the regulatory framework, I want to summarize the key takeaways:

    First, the Commission applies the term “municipal advisory activities”[21] to a range of activities, including, but not limited to developing financing plans, assisting in evaluating different financing options and structures, and evaluating and negotiating terms.[22]

    Second, advice is not subject to a bright-line definition. Advice includes a recommendation regarding municipal financial products or the issuance of municipal securities. The determination of whether a recommendation has been made is an objective inquiry and a key factor that the Commission will consider is whether the recommendation reasonably would be viewed as a suggestion to take action or refrain from taking action.[23]

    Third, any person engaging in municipal advisory activity will be considered a municipal advisor and have a fiduciary duty to their municipal entity client, unless an exclusion or exemption applies.

    Finally, under federal securities law, a person must register with the Commission and the MSRB prior to engaging in municipal advisory activities. Any person that engages in municipal advisory activity prior to registering with the Commission and the MSRB as a municipal advisor violates Section 15B(a)(1)(B) of the Exchange Act.[24]

    Observations on Public-Private Partnerships

    The roughly $4 trillion[25] municipal securities market provides critical support to our nation’s infrastructure. The funds raised by our states and local governments in the municipal securities market have helped remove lead from water pipes; built roads and bridges; modernized hospitals; built clean-energy infrastructure, and so much more to ensure that we have the infrastructure needed to access critical services. But for decades now, observers have noted that tight fiscal conditions and rising costs associated with maintaining and building infrastructure have prevented our states and local governments from investing in infrastructure at the levels needed.[26]

    Recently enacted legislation has made funding and incentives available for a broad range of infrastructure development[27] and may also serve as a potential catalyst for the private sector to help in closing infrastructure gaps, including through public-private partnerships (“P3”).[28]

    As everyone in the room is aware, leveraging private capital to finance public infrastructure is not a new tool. Much of our nation’s early infrastructure was built through partnerships between the public and private sectors.[29] More recently, P3s have been used as a delivery option for complex highway projects throughout the nation[30] and have been presented as a tool to finance projects in other sectors, such as energy infrastructure, affordable housing, school facilities, and telecom.[31]

    Despite their widespread use, there is no universally accepted definition of a P3.[32] P3s are broadly described as any contractual agreement between a public entity and a private entity for the purpose of financing, constructing, operating, managing, and/or maintaining a public asset and related services.[33]

    Let’s break that down a bit: P3s are long-term contractual arrangements between a public entity and private entity, where the private entity makes a financing commitment expecting to be repaid with future tax revenue or user fees or similar arrangement. The private entity signing and managing the P3 contract is typically a special purpose vehicle (SPV) created for the purpose of the P3 project and having equity investors.[34]

    Pretty straightforward: instead of using public resources that may be limited by budget or debt restrictions, private financing steps in as an alternative to building much needed infrastructure, potentially using the same taxes and fees that the municipal entity or obligated person would have used to finance the project if it had decided to finance on its own.

    Well, there is more to the story. Definitionally, P3s exist on a spectrum as an alternative form of procurement[35] but also on a spectrum as an alternative form of financing. Financing packages come in all types of configurations: equity, debt, or a combination sourced from both public and private sources, including private activity bonds (“PABs”), federal credit assistance, state, or local funding, which may include the issuance of municipal securities.[36]

    Compared to more traditional financings of infrastructure – that is, using federal, state, or local funding, which more likely than not includes the issuance of municipal securities – P3s and other non-traditional methodologies that have been developed to deliver and finance infrastructure needs are a bit more complex.

    This complexity has brought with it a range of concerns regarding the use of P3s. Public officials and state and local inspector generals and auditors have studied individual transactions and have issued findings identifying key areas of concern. These concerns include transferring too little or too much risk between the public and private sectors; not using the most efficient and lowest cost financing available to the municipal entity or obligated person; and having very costly long-term impacts to fix short-term budgetary issues.

    Public entities have also been exposed to all sorts of contingent liabilities, including compensation clauses, non-compete clauses, and availability payment escalation clauses, leading to potential increased financial and political burdens on the public entity. Uncontrollable external events, oftentimes impacting anticipated revenues, have seen public entities having to make the choice to either terminate, suspend, or take full control over a project, even though the risk of such events was supposed to be borne by other parties.[38]

    Pathways to Public-Private Partnerships

    In light of these potential hurdles, how does a municipal entity or obligated person go about deciding to finance an infrastructure project using a non-traditional form of procurement?

    One way would be for municipal entities and obligated persons to rely on individuals and firms – advisors, consultants, banks, engineers, accounting firms, developers, real estate managers, investment specialists, diversified financial services groups – collectively, what I will be referring to as “P3 Consultants” that have positioned themselves as financial, legal, and technical experts on P3s. Individual or groups of P3 Consultants are purportedly capable of providing tailored advice to municipal entities and obligated persons on the entire P3 lifecycle. However, various reports[39] have identified that P3 Consultants have engaged in concerning behavior, including:

    • Failure by P3 Consultants to disclose conflicts of interest between the P3 Consultant and subcontractors hired to provide a VfM analysis, leading to the skewing of project costs in favor of a P3 procurement.
    • P3 Consultants with no experience in municipal financing, failing to include a public sector comparator as part of the VfM analysis and resultingly being unable to demonstrate that the procurement would be maximizing VfM.
    • P3 Consultants advising municipal entities or obligated persons that P3s that only used private debt and equity funding sources would be considered an “off-balance sheet” financing, despite the fact that projects procured with a mix of public and private funding sources would, under accounting standards be required to be includable on the municipal entities balance sheet.[40]

    Soliciting a P3 Consultant

    In staff’s review of P3s in the municipal securities market, one of the first questions that we asked ourselves is how does the process get started – how does a municipal entity or obligated person connect with a P3 Consultant and does that raise any regulatory issues?

    Municipal entities and obligated persons often solicit a P3 Consultant through a competitive request for proposal/qualification (“RFP/Q”) process, where the municipal entity or obligated person has defined the infrastructure project scope; completed a preliminary VfM, or other process, which compares[41] the costs and benefits of a P3 or other non-traditional procurement method against a traditional procurement method; defined requirements related to construction, operation, and management of the project; and assessed potential financing arrangements. But P3 Consultants may also approach the municipal entity (or obligated person) through an Unsolicited Proposal (“USP”) process.[42]

    So, how does the RFP/Q process tie back to our municipal advisor regulatory framework?

    Well, responses to requests for RFP/Qs alone do not constitute municipal advisory activity.[43] Persons providing a response in writing or orally to a RFP/Q from a municipal entity or obligated person for services in connection with a municipal financial product or the issuance of municipal securities is exempt from the definition of municipal advisor provided that such person does not receive separate direct or indirect compensation for advice provided as part of such response.[44] However, Unsolicited Proposals that broadly seek input on any infrastructure project may not be a process that is consistent with the RFP exemption to the municipal advisor definition.[45]

    We have previously spoken about the parameters and level of formality of the RFP/Q process that would be needed to qualify for the RFP exemption.[46] Staff is of the view that the USP process would need to meet the same standards to qualify any responses for the exemption. Municipal entities, obligated persons, or registered municipal advisors acting on their behalf, should apply a similar degree of formality by identifying a particular objective for the USP process. Otherwise, any person responding to a USP would need to consider if the substance of their proposal requires registration as a municipal advisor.

    We have seen instances where P3 Consultants are originating an infrastructure project by identifying public asset gaps, proposing project design recommendations, providing project affordability analyses, and/or discussing the viability of a public infrastructure project in general terms. Without including material specifically tailored to the needs, objectives, or circumstances of the municipal entity or obligated person, this may not rise to the level of municipal advisory activity. However, some Unsolicited Proposals have included subjective qualitative and quantitative criteria specially tailored to the municipal entity or obligated person that includes descriptions of proposed business arrangements (i.e., ground lease, management agreements); market studies that support revenue assumptions and financial, economic and social benefits; advice with respect to sizing and structuring of the financing package, which may include consideration or use of municipal securities or municipal financial products; and models allocating risk transfer between the public and private entity. P3 Consultants should be aware that, depending on the facts and circumstances, such submissions could constitute municipal advisory activity.

    Regardless of whether a P3 Consultant has been retained through an RFP/Q process or through a USP process, our overarching observation has been that municipal entities and obligated persons seem to rely heavily on the content of the proposals – and the implied expertise – of the P3 Consultant.

    The Role of the P3 Consultant

    What services do P3 Consultants provide? Well, services run the whole gamut.

    We have observed instances where the P3 Consultant analyzes and makes recommendations on the most cost effective and appropriate financing package for the delivery of the project, including:

    • Considering various financing alternatives to raise the necessary capital, which may include, without limitation: federal, state, or local funding, including the use of municipal financial products or the issuance of municipal securities; equity and lender commitments; and/or special facility financing; and
    • Assisting with the sizing and structuring of the financing package, which may include consideration or use of municipal securities or municipal financial products and participating in the preparation of disclosure documents.

    P3 Consultants should be aware that considering various financing alternatives and assisting with the sizing and structuring could constitute municipal advisory activity.

    We have seen P3 Consultants be asked to independently, or in collaboration with the staff of the municipal entity or obligated person and other advisors, draft RFP/Qs for the solicitation of financial and/or technical private sector project delivery partners (“Private Sector Partners”). Assisting a municipal entity or obligated person with drafting – or simply drafting – an RFP/Q is municipal advisory activity requiring registration with the Commission, absent an available exclusion or exemption, because the P3 Consultant (or any other entity) could be providing advice with respect to the parameters of such RFP/Q which includes the issuance of municipal securities or the use of municipal financial products.[47]

    Takeaways

    The SEC’s mission is to protect investors, maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets, and facilitate capital formation. The Office of Municipal Securities remains dedicated to providing information to the municipal securities market to help persons and entities active in the market comply with the important safeguards that were put in place after the last financial crisis by Congress. The Exchange Act makes it unlawful for any municipal advisor to provide advice to or on behalf of, or to undertake a solicitation of, a municipal entity or obligated person without registering with the Commission.[48]

    As you continue your partnerships to help meet the nation’s infrastructure needs, I would like you to remember that addressing the risks that unregistered municipal advisory activity pose to municipal entities and obligated persons is a challenge that requires a whole municipal securities market approach.

    P3 Consultants and Private Sector Partners who advise municipal entities or obligated persons on the issuance of municipal securities, the use of municipal financial products, and/or the use of debt financing alternatives that are tailored to the specific needs, objectives, or circumstances of the municipal entity during any stage of the P3 lifecycle should remember that they may be engaging in municipal advisory activity requiring registration as a municipal advisor with the Commission and the MSRB. The relevant timeline for advice to obligated persons is slightly different but still includes advice prior to the issuance of municipal securities until they are no longer outstanding.[49]

    For other market participants, engaging persons acting as unregistered municipal advisors may have far-reaching consequences for themselves and others,[50] including eroding public trust, significant financial losses and inefficiencies, and undermining the legitimacy of the P3 process.

    More information about the Commission’s regulation of municipal advisors is available at the Office of Municipal Securities website.[51] The MSRB also provides educational material on various topics related to municipal advisors at its Education Center website that may be helpful to municipal entities, obligated persons, P3 Consultants, and Private Sector Partners and any other market participant seeking additional information.[52]

    Thank you again to The Bond Buyer for the invitation to address you today. I look forward to working with all of you toward our shared goal of regulatory compliance in furtherance of protecting the integrity of the municipal securities market.

    [3]           See Exchange Act Section 15B(e)(8) [15 U.S.C. 78o-4(e)(8)] defining “municipal entity.”

    [4]           See Exchange Act Section 15B(e)(10) [15 U.S.C. 78o-4(e)(10)] defining “obligated person.”

    [5]           See Municipal Advisor Adopting Release 78 FR at 67472.

    [6]           Id. at 67475.

    [7]           Id. at 67475 n.102 (citing S. Rep. No. 111-176, at 38 (2010)).

    [8]           Id. at 67475 n. 104 and accompanying text.

    [9]           Id. at 67475 nn. 105-106 and accompanying text.  

    [10]         Id. at 67626.

    [11]         See Section 975(a)(1)(B) of the Dodd-Frank Act [15 U.S.C. 78o-4(a)(1)(B)].

    [12]         See Exchange Act Section 15B(e)(4)(A) [15 U.S.C. 78o-4(e)(4)(A)]. The definition of municipal advisor includes financial advisors, guaranteed investment contract brokers, third-party marketers, placement agents, solicitors, finders, and swap advisors that provide municipal advisory services, unless they are statutorily excluded. See 15 U.S.C. 78o-4(e)(4)(B). The statutory definition of municipal advisor excludes a broker, dealer, or municipal securities dealer serving as an underwriter (as defined in section 77b(a)(11) of this title), any investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 [15 U.S.C. 80b-1 et seq.], or persons associated with such investment advisers who are providing investment advice, any commodity trading advisor registered under the Commodity Exchange Act or persons associated with a commodity trading advisor who are providing advice related to swaps, attorneys offering legal advice or providing services that are of a traditional legal nature, or engineers providing engineering advice. See 15 U.S.C. 78o-4(e)(4)(C). The Commission exempts the following persons from the definition of municipal advisor to the extent they are engaging in the specified activities: accountants; public officials and employees; banks; responses to requests for proposals or qualifications; swap dealers; participation by an independent registered municipal advisor; persons that provide advice on certain investment strategies; certain solicitations. See Exchange Act Rule 15Ba1-1(d)(3)(i) through (viii) [17 CFR 240.15Ba1-1(d)(3)(i) through (viii)].

    [13]         Municipal Advisor Adopting Release, 78 FR at 67479.

    [14]         Id.

    [15]         Id. at 67480. See also Exchange Act Rule 15Ba1-1(d)(1)(ii) [17 CFR 240.15Ba1-1(d)(1)(ii)] (advice excludes, among other things, the provision of general information that does not involve a recommendation regarding municipal financial products or the issuance of municipal securities (including with respect to the structure, timing, terms and other similar matters concerning such financial products or issues)).

    [16]         See Exchange Act Rule 15Ba1-1(d)(1)(ii) [17 CFR 240.15Ba1-1(d)(1)(ii)]. See also Municipal Advisor Adopting Release, 78 FR at 67479-67480 (Commission providing clarifying guidance regarding “advice” only with respect to municipal advisors and solely for purposes of the municipal advisor definition).

    [17]         See Municipal Advisor Adopting Release, 78 FR at 67480. See generally Answer to Question 1.1 The General Information Exclusion from Advice versus Recommendation from the Registration of Municipal Advisors Frequently Asked Questions (“MA FAQ”), available at https://www.sec.gov/info/municipal/mun-advisors-faqs.

    [18]         See 15 U.S.C. 78o–4(c)(1).

    [19]         See, e.g., Arthurs Lestrange & Co., Inc., Exchange Act Release No. 42148, 1999 WL 1038053 at * 4 (Nov. 17, 1999) (financial advisor also a fiduciary under Pennsylvania state law).

    [20]         See MSRB Rules G-17 (fair dealing) and G-42(a)(i) (duty of care).

    [21]         See Exchange Act Rule 15Ba1-1(e) [17 CFR 240.15Ba1-1(e)].

    [22]         See Municipal Advisor Adopting Release, 78 FR at 67472.

    [23]         Municipal Advisor Adopting Release, 78 FR at 67480 and accompanying note 165 (citing FINRA Notice to Members 01-23 (Mar. 19, 2001), and Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change to Adopt FINRA Rules 2090 (Know Your Customer) and 2111 (Suitability) in the Consolidated FINRA Rulebook, Exchange Act Release No. 62718A (Aug. 20, 2010), 75 FR 52562 (Aug. 26, 2010); FINRA Regulatory Notice 11-02 (Know Your Customer and Suitability), Jan. 11, 2011, available at https://www.finra.org/sites/default/files/NoticeDocument/p122778.pdf).

    [24]         See 15 U.S.C. 78o-4(a)(1)(B).

    [26]         While the federal government contributes with funding, states and local governments carry most of the burden for maintaining and building infrastructure. See generally U.S. Dep’t of the Treasury, Infrastructure Investment in the United States (Nov. 15, 2023), available at https://home.treasury.gov/news/featured-stories/infrastructure-investment-in-the-united-states; American Society of Civil Engineers, Failure to Act, Economic Impacts of Status Quo Investment Across Infrastructure Investment Across Infrastructure Systems (2021), available at https://infrastructurereportcard.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/FTA_Econ_Impacts_Status_Quo.pdf and Bridging the Gap, Economic Impacts of National Infrastructure Investment, 2024-2043 (2024), available at https://bridgingthegap.infrastructurereportcard.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2024-Bridging-the-Gap-Economic-Study.pdf.

    [27]         The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (“IIJA”) and the Inflation Reduction Act (“IRA”) make funding available for an array of projects. See Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Pub. L. 117-58 (2021) and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, Pub. L. 117-169 (2022).

    [28]         In terms of private sector involvement in infrastructure development, the IIJA, for instance, provides planning grants for jurisdictions seeking to utilize P3 project procurement, requires projects with an estimated total cost of $750 million or more seeking either Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (“TIFIA”) or Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (“RRIF”) funding to conduct a value-for-money (“VfM”) analysis, and increased the federal cap on tax-exempt private activity bonds (“PABs”) for highway or surface freight transfer facilities. See e.g., IIJA §§ 71001; 70701; 80403 [23 U.S.C. 611; 23 U.S.C. 601; 26 U.S.C. 142(m)(2)(A)].

    [29]         See John Forrer, James Edwin Kee, Kathryn E. Newcomer and Eric Boyer, Public Administration Review, Public-Private Partnerships and the Public Accountability Question (May/June 2010), 475-484, available at https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/40606405.pdf.

    [31]         See, e.g., N.J. Senate Bill No. 3565 (introduced Feb. 9, 2023) (proposed establishment of the Energy Infrastructure Public-Private Partnership Program); Colo. Senate Bill No. 23-035 (June 2, 2023) (CO housing authority has power to contract with private entities to facilitate P3s for affordable housing projects); Md. Prince George’s County Public Schools, First-of-Its-Kind Public-Private Partnership Delivers New Schools for 8K+ Students (Sept. 18, 2023), available at https://www.pgcps.org/offices/communications-and-community-engagement/newsroom/news/newsroom-archives/2023-2024/news-release-first-of-its-kind-public-private-partnership-delivers-new-schools-for-8k-students; Brenton Foundation and Coalition for Local Internet Choice, The Emerging World of Broadband Public-Private Partnerships: A Business Strategy and Legal Guide (May 2017), available at https://www.benton.org/sites/default/files/partnerships_0.pdf; National Science and Technology Council, National Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Strategic Plan May 2023, available at https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/National-Artificial-Intelligence-Research-and-Development-Strategic-Plan-2023-Update.pdf.

    [32]         In 1999, the U.S. General Accounting Office issued a glossary of the most commonly used terms in P3s to facilitate a better understanding of the terms as they are used. See U.S. General Accounting Office, Public-Private Partnerships, Terms Related to Building and Facility Partnerships (Apr. 1999), available at https://www.gao.gov/assets/ggd-99-71.pdf.

    [35]         See, e.g., Dominique Custos & John Reitz, Public-Private Partnerships, 58 Am. J. Comp. L. 555 (2010); NCSL Report; DOT Primer.

    [36]         See generally DOT Primer; DOT Guidebook on Financing.

    [37]         See, e.g., Denver International Airport, Great Hall After-Action Report (Aug. 9, 2022), https://www.flydenver.com/app/uploads/2024/06/greathall_AfterActionReport-2.pdf; Office of the Inspector General, City of Chicago, Report of Inspector General’s Findings and Recommendations: An Analysis of the Lease of the City’s Parking Meters (June 2, 2009), https://igchicago.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Parking-Meter-Report.pdf; State of Texas, State Auditor’s Office, Audit Report on The Department of Transportation and the Trans-Texas Corridor, Report No. 07-015 (Feb. 2007), available at https://sao.texas.gov/reports/main/07-015.pdf.

    [38]         See generally supra note 37. See also Denver International Airport (Great Hall Project), City and County of Denver Auditor, Audit Report Denver International Airport Great Hall Construction (Apr. 20, 2023), available at https://www.flydenver.com/app/uploads/2023/09/greathallconstruction_Auditapril2023-1.pdf; Kevin DeGood, American Progress, When Public-Private Partnerships Fail: A Look at Southern Indiana’s I-69 Project (Feb. 15, 2018), available at https://www.americanprogress.org/article/public-private-partnerships-fail-look-southern-indianas-69-project/; Hearing, California Senate Transportation and Housing Committee, Tolls, User Fees, and Public-Private Partnerships: The Future of Transportation Finance in California? (Jan. 17, 2007), available at https://archive.senate.ca.gov/sites/archive.senate.ca.gov/files/committees/2015-16/stran.senate.ca.gov/sites/stran.senate.ca.gov/files/01-17-07Background.doc; Texas State Auditor’s Office, An Audit Report on The Department of Transportation’s Purchase of the Camino Colombia Toll Road (June 2, 2006), available at https://sao.texas.gov/reports/main/06-041.pdf. Concerns regarding P3s have been raised outside of the United States as well. See, e.g., Office of the Auditor General of Ontario, Annual Report 2014, available at https://www.auditor.on.ca/en/content/annualreports/arreports/en14/2014AR_en_web.pdf; Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives | Nova Scotia, Many Dangers of Public-Private Partnerships (P3s) in Newfoundland and Labrador (Sept. 2020), available at https://policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/Nova%20Scotia%20Office/2020/10/HiddendangersofP3s.pdf.

    [39]         See generally supra notes 37 and 38.

    [42]         A USP process refers to a proposal submitted by an offeror (often a P3 Consultant but can be any private entity) for a P3 project that is not in response to any RFP/Q issued by a municipal entity, obligated person, or municipal advisor on their behalf.

    [43]         See Municipal Advisor Adopting Release, 78 FR at 67509.

    [44]         See Exchange Act Rule 15Ba1–1(d)(3)(iv) [17 CFR 240.15Ba1-1(d)(3)(iv)]. See also Municipal Advisor Adopting Release for a discussion on the RFP exemption. Municipal Advisor Adopting Release, 78 FR at 67508-67509.

    [45]         See generally Answer to Question 2.1 of the MA FAQ.

    [46]         Id.

    [47]         See Municipal Advisor Adopting Release, 78 FR at 67509.

    [48]         See Exchange Act Section 15B(a)(1)(B) [15 U.S.C. 78o-4(a)(1)(B)].

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE conducts single adult, family unit removal flights September 20

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a component agency of the Department of Homeland Security, working in close coordination across the department, including with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, continued to facilitate removal flights of single adults and family units between September 16 and September 20.

    Those included removal flights to Brazil, Central America, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico and Peru. If a noncitizen arrives and has no legal basis to remain in the United States, they are processed and removed quickly, consistent with U.S. law.

    In the year following the end of the Title 42 public health order — between May 12, 2023, and May 12, 2024 — DHS removed or returned over 742,000 individuals, the vast majority of whom crossed the southwest border, including more than 111,000 individual family members. Total removals and returns in that period exceeded removals and returns in every full fiscal year since 2010.

    Since the presidential proclamation to temporarily suspend the entry of certain noncitizens across the southern border and the complementary joint interim final rule issued by DHS and the U.S. Department of Justice fifteen weeks ago, DHS has removed and returned more than 140,000 individuals to more than 144 countries, including by operating more than 430 international repatriation flights. DHS has almost tripled the percentage of noncitizens processed through Expedited Removal while in CBP or ICE custody. Expedited Removal processing was already at record levels prior to the Proclamation.

    In keeping with standard practice, the United States ensures that all noncitizens without a legal basis to remain in the United States are properly screened for valid protection claims and withholding of removal in accordance with our laws and U.S. international obligations. This applies to all noncitizens, regardless of nationality, to ensure the orderly and humane processing, transfer and removal of single adults and family units.

    Noncitizens placed into removal proceedings present their claims for relief or protection from removal before immigration judges in the immigration courts, which are administered by the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review. Due to operational security reasons, ICE does not confirm or discuss future or pending transportation operations.

    ICE Air Operations facilitates the transfer and removal of noncitizens, including family units, via commercial airlines and chartered flights in support of ICE field offices and other DHS initiatives. In fiscal year 2023, ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted 142,580 removals and 62,545 Title 42 expulsions to more than 170 countries worldwide.

    B-roll for removal flights is available here. DHS has made additional videos available to the public and the media, including b-roll footage of removal flights, a public service announcement and testimonials from migrants who have been removed.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kirsten Engel abused taxpayer resources to prop up campaign: Investigation

    Source: US National Republican Congressional Committee

    The following text contains opinion that is not, or not necessarily, that of MIL-OSI –

    September 20, 2024

    Kirsten Engel repeatedly “misused taxpayer resources to prop up her political campaigns,” an investigation story out today revealed. 

    It followed an investigation that judges excoriated Engel for fraudulently overbilling taxpayers for ‘imaginary’ legal work.

    In case you missed it…

    NOTE: “Cash-it-in Kirsten’s ethical compass is broken,” Ben Petersen, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, told the Washington Examiner. “From bilking taxpayers for ‘imaginary’ legal fees to misusing government resources, Engel has proven she will stop at nothing to game the system and benefit herself.”

    Arizona congressional candidate misused taxpayer resources by using state-funded email to boost campaign
    Washington Examiner
    Annabella Rosciglione

    EXCLUSIVE — A Democratic congressional candidate in Arizona misused taxpayer resources to prop up her political campaigns, documents show.

    Records reveal that Democrat Kirsten Engel, who is running against Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ) in Arizona’s 6th Congressional District, misused taxpayer-funded government resources to enhance her legislative and congressional campaigns while serving in the Arizona legislature.

    Engel used her email as a state senator to forward taxpayer-funded subscription publications to her campaign staff, according to documents obtained by the Washington Examiner. She sent her campaign staff articles from trade publications such as the Yellow Sheet Report and Arizona Legislative Report, both of which are pricey subscriptions the state of Arizona finances for legislative officials and their staff.

    Some emails she forwarded from said trade publications include in large text a “DO NOT FORWARD THIS EMAIL” message and state that it is illegal to “electronically disseminate” their reports. Engel forwarded emails like these from her state subscription to campaign staff at least 15 times over the last three years.

    In one instance, she used her state legislative email to coordinate social media posts for her campaign. She asked her campaign staffer to make a post about donating to a local Tucson, Arizona-based organization after her then-Republican opponent did the same. Her staffer complied with the request.

    In addition to using her state legislative-affiliated email for campaign-related happenings, she used her University of Arizona email, as she teaches at the law school there, to schedule a time to meet with a prospective congressional candidate in 2017. Another faculty member at the university reached out to her to schedule a time to meet with a prospective congressional candidate, to which Engel responded with a proposed time frame.

    Email addresses connected to state universities are, in part, taxpayer-funded via funds they receive from the state. The UA and other public universities typically enter a contract with email domain providers such as Microsoft or Google, for example. It is very unlikely, however, that the University of Arizona or the state is billed per email address or per email sent.

    If holding office or working in any capacity for the state or government, candidates are supposed to use their email from the campaign, which is paid for by money via donations and themselves, when discussing campaign-related topics rather than their email associated with the government.

    “Cash-it-in Kirsten’s ethical compass is broken,” Ben Petersen, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, told the Washington Examiner. “From bilking taxpayers for ‘imaginary’ legal fees to misusing government resources, Engel has proven she will stop at nothing to game the system and benefit herself.”

    Engel and Ciscomani previously faced each other in 2022, with Ciscomani winning the seat by just over 1 percentage point. The Cook Political Report labels the race a toss-up.

    Read more here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 09/20/2024 Blackburn, Graham, Rubio, Colleagues Condemn Palestinian Effort Targeting Israel at UN

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)
    NASHVILLE, Tenn. – U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and 27 of their Republican colleagues issued a joint statement in response to the Palestinian Mission to the United Nations (UN) submitting a disgraceful and flagrant resolution. This resolution was submitted ahead of the UN General Assembly and targets the Jewish State of Israel and its rightful control over its historic homeland.
    The Senators wrote, “This proposal introduced by the Palestinian delegation, ahead of the United Nations’ General Assembly, is an absolute disgrace that rewards terrorism. It is a clear insult to the Jewish people and anyone who understands history.”
    Senators continued, “As we approach the one-year anniversary of the barbaric terrorist attack by Hamas and affiliated Palestinian terrorist groups against innocent Israeli civilians, which involved murder, mutilation, and sexual violence, the international community must unequivocally unite against this evil, one-sided effort to delegitimize Israel. Instead of proposing biased and counter-productive initiatives, which will do nothing to advance a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians, the international community must focus its energy and resources on ensuring Hamas and other terrorist groups are completely destroyed. We must remain firm to ensure every single hostage held by these terrorists is safely returned to their loved ones.”

    CO-SIGNERS:

    U.S. Senators Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), John Kennedy (R- La.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Kevin Cramer (R- N.D.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Katie Boyd Britt (R-Ala.) joined this statement.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Polis and Department of Agriculture Announce Launch of Support For Small Retailers and Farms to Increase Access to Healthy Foods Across Colorado

    Source: US State of Colorado

    AURORA — Today, Governor Polis and the Department of Agriculture announced a new tax credit for Colorado’s small food retailers and small family farms to help increase access to healthy groceries in communities across the state.

    Eligible businesses who have made equipment purchases for the purpose of expanding access to healthy food for low access populations can apply for the refundable income tax credit for eligible equipment purchases. Starting this year, up to $10 million per year is available to help small businesses that fit the criteria. The Community Food Access Tax Credit will continue through 2030.

    “Colorado is the proud home to the best produce and food in the world, and this new support will increase access to healthy food and decrease the cost of groceries, especially in underserved rural and urban areas. It will also support small farms and food retailers that put food on the table for millions of people here in Colorado and around the world,” said Governor Jared Polis.

    “Both rural and urban communities across Colorado experience lack of access to freshly harvested or grown food. This refundable tax credit program will help small food retailers and small farms bring healthy food to communities with low access to fresh, nutritious food,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Kate Greenberg. “Small businesses will be able to get back 75 percent or more of the cost of expensive equipment necessary to provide fresh produce, meat, and dairy products to communities across Colorado.”

    The Community Food Access Tax Credit is intended to increase access to healthy groceries and help to lower their cost. Communities with low access to fresh and healthy food can be found across the state. These tax credits, funded through House Bill 23-1008, will build on the success of the Community Food Access Grants, which were created through House Bill 22-1380, signed by Governor Polis. These grants help stores, farm stands, farmers markets, and farms purchase equipment or cover operating expenses that would allow them to increase the availability of healthy food. To date, 117 grants have been awarded in 42 Colorado counties. Of those, 45 percent of awarded businesses self-identified as BIPOC led, and 58 percent were located in rural Colorado. A total of $5 million in grants has been awarded.

    Kusi Appiah, owner of Ghana International Market in Aurora, received a Community Food Access Grant to purchase new refrigeration equipment for his store.

    “My retail store is an African International grocery retail store that serves mostly low-income population including mostly refugees, Caribbeans, other international [people] residing in Aurora, East Colfax Neighborhood,” Appiah said. “I would not have been able to afford this freezer or this cooler without the grant funds. I am already seeing an impact on my electricity bill.”

    The improved and expanded cold storage at Ghana International Market will allow for better storage of healthy food like eggplant, cucumbers, tomatoes, spinach, fish and meat. It will also result in lower prices due to the savings from more energy-efficient equipment.

    The Community Food Access Tax Credit is intended to be used by small food retailers, farm-direct operations, and small family farms who are serving low-income, low-access communities in Colorado. Examples of such businesses include:

    • Grocery, corner and convenience stores
    • Carnicerías, bodegas, or mercantiles
    • Farmers’ markets, farm stands, and community-supported agriculture (CSAs)
    • Small farms, ranches, dairies, poultry farms, etc.

    The tax credit is available for costly equipment purchases that will increase access to or lower prices for healthy foods in low-income, low-access areas. Businesses can receive tax credits for items such as cold storage, food preservation equipment, shelving and displays, delivery vehicles, and more. Non-eligible expenses include things such as office supplies, food and product costs, installation costs, or salaries.

    Coloradans can learn more about the tax credit program by attending a virtual presentation:

    • September 27, from 12 pm – 1 pm
    • Spanish-only presentation on October 1, from 1 pm to 2 pm

    Anyone interested in attending can register on the Community Food Access website.

    Reducing food insecurity has been one of the strategic priorities CDA has focused on over the past several years, in partnership with other state agencies and food access nonprofits. This tax credit program is operated by the Community Food Access team at CDA, which has helped improve the infrastructure for small retailers and small farmers to bring fresh food to their communities through a grant program.

    More about Community Food Access grants
    The Small Food Business Recovery and Resilience grants were established through House Bill 22-1380. The final round of funding was just awarded in the program. You can review the map identifying grant recipients on the Small Food Business Recovery and Resilience website.

    To qualify for the Community Food Access grants, stores, farm stands, farmers markets, and farms submitted proposals to purchase equipment or cover operating expenses that would allow them to increase the availability of healthy food for sale in low income, low access communities.

    Through a competitive grant process, 117 applications were selected to be awarded in 42 Colorado counties. Of those, 45 percent of awarded businesses self-identified as BIPOC led, and 58 percent were located in rural Colorado. A total of $5 million in grants has been awarded.

    The application and selection process was developed with the guidance of the Small Food Business Recovery and Resilience Grant Advisory Committee, made up of farmers, retailers, as well as financing and food justice experts. The program also hosted three public listening sessions to gain insight on the program’s development.

    “The success of this grant program can really be attributed to the great number of stakeholders who engaged with its development and conception,” said Amanda Laban, Markets Division Director at CDA.

    To educate Colorado’s eligible businesses about the grant, CDA contracted with seven grassroots organizations across the state to help businesses learn about and apply for the grant. The application was offered in English, Spanish and any other language by request to encourage diverse businesses to apply.

    “Technical assistance from trusted local organizations was an essential part of reaching retailers in communities that would benefit from this grant the most,” said Mickey Davis, Community Food Access Program Manager. “Without the help of our partners, these small businesses may never have known about this opportunity, or may have been too intimidated to apply.”

    The grant – which had a maximum award value of $50k and an average amount of $43,000 – is already making a big impact in Colorado communities.

    The Community Food Access program is funded by the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund.

    ###

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Polis Issues Executive Orders to Memorialize Verbal Disaster Declaration for Recent Flooding in Ouray County

    Source: US State of Colorado

    DENVER – Today, Governor Polis issued an Executive Order to memorialize the verbal disaster declaration for flooding and debris flow in Ouray County. 

    The verbal order on August 23, activated the State Emergency Operations Plan and authorized all State departments and agencies to take whatever actions may be required for response efforts. The verbal declaration was in response to rain from monsoonal weather that resulted in flash flooding, landslides, and debris flows in Ouray County. 

    The Executive Order allocates funds to pay for response, consequence management, mitigation, and recovery efforts related to the Flooding and Debris Flow in Ouray County. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Previous Federal Disaster Assistance May Not Affect Eligibility for Hurricane Francine

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Previous Federal Disaster Assistance May Not Affect Eligibility for Hurricane Francine

    Previous Federal Disaster Assistance May Not Affect Eligibility for Hurricane Francine

    BATON ROUGE, La.– Homeowners and renters in eight parishes, who have suffered losses following Hurricane Francine, are encouraged to apply for FEMA disaster assistance, even if you have applied for assistance for previous disasters. 

    Residents in Ascension, Assumption, Lafourche, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Mary, and Terrebonne parishes should apply regardless of your previous losses and assistance.

    Disaster assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

    There are several ways to apply: Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov, use the FEMA App or call 800-621-3362 from  6 a.m. to 11 p.m. CT daily. Help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service, such as video relay (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service.

    To view an accessible video about how to apply visit: Three Ways to Register for FEMA Disaster Assistance – YouTube.

    If you have flood, homeowners or renters insurance, you should file a claim as soon as possible. FEMA cannot duplicate benefits for losses covered by insurance. If your policy does not cover all your disaster expenses, you may be eligible for federal assistance.

    For the latest information, visit fema.gov/disaster/4817. Follow FEMA Region 6 on social media at X.com/FEMARegion6 or at facebook.com/FEMARegion6/.

    alexa.brown

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Concern for welfare – Tennant Creek

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Northern Territory Police continue with land and air search efforts in Tennant Creek in an effort to locate Maxie Graham.  Despite efforts over the last three days Mr Graham has not been located with Police holding grave concerns for his welfare.  Police are asking the public for assistance in tracing Mr Graham’s whereabouts.  The last positive sighting of Mr Graham was on Monday morning. 

    Maxie Graham was last seen driving a silver Ford SUV at around 6.30am on Monday 16 September.  The vehicle was located abandoned at 09:20pm on Tuesday. 

    He is unable to walk unaided meaning he could not have ventured far from where his vehicle was located.

    Maxie Graham has medical conditions and has not presented for crucial appointments.  His family and the greater Tennant Creek community hold concerns for his welfare.

    Police are calling for witnesses who observed this vehicle travelling in Tennant Creek between 6.30am on Monday and 9.17pm on Tuesday to contact the Police on 000 or 1800 333 000.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Canada announces new support for global polio eradication efforts

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    The world is on the verge of eradicating polio, but humanitarian crises, overstretched health systems and the aftershocks of the COVID-19 pandemic have created new challenges. Canada has played a leading role in the global health response to polio, and we are stepping up once again.

    September 20, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada

    The world is on the verge of eradicating polio, but humanitarian crises, overstretched health systems and the aftershocks of the COVID-19 pandemic have created new challenges. Canada has played a leading role in the global health response to polio, and we are stepping up once again.

    Today, at the Rotary International conference held in Toronto, Ontario, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of International Development, announced $151 million in funding as the next step in Canada’s support of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI).

    With this Canadian investment, GPEI and partners like UNICEF and the World Health Organization will deliver and expand quality, accessible polio immunization and health services around the world. This includes increased access to polio immunization for the most vulnerable populations, including women and girls, and in conflict-affected regions where there is little or no access to essential health services.

    Efforts will focus on stopping the transmission of all forms of poliovirus by vaccinating more than 370 million children annually against polio, preventing 600,000 children annually from suffering from paralysis and death; improving vaccine uptake and communications activities to support polio vaccination; continuing disease surveillance and containment activities; and strengthening health systems.

    The funding announced today will make a significant and meaningful difference in polio eradication efforts and in protecting those who are most affected. It will mean more children can live polio-free lives with good health. And it will take us one step closer to ending polio forever. 

    “This new commitment brings Canada’s historical contribution to eradicating polio to over $1 billion. This funding will support UNICEF and the WHO’s efforts to eliminate polio worldwide, helping to ensure that 370 million children are vaccinated annually against polio. Together, we will end polio, and build a healthier future for children everywhere.”

    – Ahmed Hussen, Minister of International Development

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Risch Statement on Northwest Energy Planning Project

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho James E Risch
    BOISE, Idaho – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) released the following statement upon the launch of the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest Regional Energy Planning Project.
    “The last thing Idahoans need is the Biden-Harris administration forcing its extreme mandates on our energy planning, transmission, and infrastructure decisions. This is another thinly veiled attempt to push for breaching the lower Snake River dams. We need more reliable, baseload power, not less. Fortunately, this administration has absolutely no authority to remove these dams. That power rests with Congress alone. These dams aren’t going anywhere.”
    Risch has been a staunch defender of the lower Snake River dams and introduced the Northwest Energy Security Act to protect the operation of the Federal Columbia River Power System.
    In 2022, the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) released a draft report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) advocating for breaching at least one of the Lower Snake River dams to improve salmon populations. It also published a study commissioned by the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) laying out scenarios to replace power generated by the dams.
    Following four years of comprehensive scientific study of the Columbia River System Operations, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation and Bonneville Power Administration released a record of decision in September 2020 affirming the four dams’ critical importance to the region.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 09/18/2024 Blackburn, Blumenthal Statement on House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Passage of Kids Online Safety Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) released the following statement on the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s passage of the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act:
    “Children are dying every single day at the hands of social media companies. The House Energy and Commerce Committee’s passage of KOSA is a positive step towards protecting our children online. While we still have more work to do on KOSA, we are pleased that we are one step closer to having this legislation signed into law before the end of the 118th Congress. We applaud Chairwoman McMorris-Rodgers (R-Wash.) for moving forward with the Kids Online Safety Act and thank her and her staff for their hard work on this legislation, along with Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.) and Kathy Castor (D-Fla.).” – Senators Blackburn and Blumenthal

    BACKGROUND:

    In July 2024, the Senate passed the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act, 91-3, the first major reform to the tech industry since 1998.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SULLIVAN & KAINE INTRODUCE BIPARTISAN RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE “BLUE STAR WELCOME WEEK”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Dan Sullivan
    09.20.24
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.), members of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), announced the introduction of a bipartisan resolution to designate September 21-29, 2024, as “Blue Star Welcome Week.” Blue Star Welcome Week is a nationwide campaign to build a better sense of belonging and community for military families, many of whom face frequent moves and transfers. 
    “Alaska’s military members and their families sacrifice so much on behalf of our state and our country,” said Sen. Sullivan. “Frequent moves can put strain on families trying to establish ties in the communities in which they serve. Blue Star Welcome Week is an opportunity to reach out and connect with our brave men and women in uniform and their loved ones who serve our country to make them feel welcomed and supported by their fellow Americans.”
    “Many servicemembers and their families are stationed in Virginia, and I’m proud that the Commonwealth has welcomed them into our communities,” said Sen. Kaine. “Blue Star Welcome Week is an opportunity to thank military families for their sacrifices, connect with our neighbors, and help military families feel at home in their new communities.”
    Full text of the resolution is available here.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: September 20 U.S. Central Command Update

    Source: United States Central Command (CENTCOM)

    Sept 20, 2024 

    Release Number 20240920-01 

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

    In the past 24 hours, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) forces successfully destroyed one Iranian-backed Houthi uncrewed aerial vehicle launched from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen over the Red Sea.

    It was determined this system presented an imminent threat to U.S. and coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region. This action was taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Canada announces new support for global polio eradication efforts

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French 1

    The world is on the verge of eradicating polio, but humanitarian crises, overburdened health systems, and the aftershocks of the COVID-19 pandemic have created new challenges. Canada has played a leading role in the global health response to polio, and we are responding again.

    September 20, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada

    The world is on the verge of eradicating polio, but humanitarian crises, overburdened health systems, and the aftershocks of the COVID-19 pandemic have created new challenges. Canada has played a leading role in the global health response to polio, and we are responding again.

    Today, at the Rotary International Conference in Toronto, Ontario, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of International Development, announced $151 million in funding as the next phase of Canada’s support for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI).

    This Canadian investment will enable the GPEI and partners such as UNICEF and the World Health Organization to provide and expand accessible, quality polio health and immunization services around the world. This includes improving access to polio vaccination for the most vulnerable populations, including women and girls, and in conflict-affected areas where access to essential health services is limited or non-existent.

    Efforts will focus on ending transmission of all forms of poliovirus by vaccinating more than 370 million children annually against the disease, preventing 600,000 children from becoming paralyzed or dying each year, improving immunization rates and communications to promote polio vaccination, continuing surveillance and disease containment activities, and strengthening health systems.

    The funding announced today will make a significant and meaningful difference in polio eradication efforts and in protecting those most affected. It will enable more children to live polio-free and healthy lives. And it will bring us one step closer to eliminating this disease for good.

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Readout of the Secretary-General’s meeting with H.E. Allah Maye Halina, Prime Minister and Head of Government of the Republic of Chad [scroll down for French]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The Secretary-General met with H.E. Mr. Allah Maye Halina, Prime Minister and Head of Government of the Republic of Chad.  The Secretary-General and the Prime Minister discussed the situation in Chad and the region.

    The Secretary-General expressed his appreciation to the Prime Minister for Chad’s generosity and open-door policy towards refugees, especially those fleeing the conflict in the Sudan.

    The Secretary General expressed his solidarity with Chad in the context of recent mass flooding in the country.

    ***

    Le Secrétaire-Général a rencontré Son Excellence M. Allah Maye Halina, Premier Ministre et Chef du Gouvernement de la République du Tchad.  Le Secrétaire-Général et le Premier Ministre ont discuté de la situation au Tchad ainsi que dans la région.

    Le Secrétaire-Général a exprimé sa gratitude au Premier Ministre pour la générosité et la politique d’accueil du Tchad à l’égard des réfugiés, en particulier ceux fuyant le conflit au Soudan.

    Le Secrétaire-Général a exprimé sa solidarité avec le Tchad dans le contexte des récentes inondations massives dans le pays.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Readout of the Secretary-General’s meeting with H.M. King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein, King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The Secretary-General met with H.M. King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein, King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

    The Secretary-General and King Abdullah discussed, in particular, the developments in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.  They further discussed support required for UNRWA and other regional UN agencies in Gaza.

    The Secretary-General reiterated his appreciation for Jordan’s long-standing robust partnership with the UN.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: BREAKING: Issa Reveals State Department Scandal

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-50)

    WASHINGTON – Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-48), senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, this week revealed the Biden-Harris State Department financed a workshop where migrants were coached to lie to U.S. immigration officials so they could enter the country illegally.

    “We have brought to light how the State Department financed a program that taught illegal migrants to lie their way into America. They then covered up so as not to be discovered, and then lied to the Foreign Affairs Committee when we found out about it,” said Rep. Issa. “This scandal is just the latest reveal of a State Department that is out of control and desperately in need of wholesale reform and completely new management.”

    This story and supporting documentation are featured in a breaking Fox News exclusive from today.
     
    Watch Issa’s questioning here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Quigley Announces More Than $200 Million in Federal Funding for Chicago Transportation

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05)

    CHICAGO, IL – Today, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05), Ranking Member of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee, announced over $200 million in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Mega Program. With this federal funding, the Illinois Department of Transportation will receive $209,877,984 for the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) Program, aimed at reducing traffic delays, increasing rail junction safety, and improving mobility throughout Chicago. DOT’s Mega Grant Program provides federal funding for large projects of regional significance and is funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.


    “This funding announcement is critical to helping CREATE in their mission to improve rail operations in Chicago for both passengers and freight. As the Ranking Member of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee, I have an in-depth understanding of the needs facing our freight, commuter, and intercity passenger rail,” said Quigley. “Luckily, the CREATE Program has stepped up to the task and broken ground on numerous rail improvement projects throughout the region. In May, I visited their Forest Hill Flyover site, where I witnessed firsthand the efficiency and safety improvements CREATE is making. From adjacent neighborhoods to the nation’s supply chain, I know that the benefits of this funding will extend far beyond Chicago’s city limits.”

    The CREATE Program brings together the City of Chicago, the State of Illinois, the U.S. Department of Transportation, Metra, Amtrak, and the nation’s freight railroads in a partnership to eliminate transit bottlenecks, boost the economy, and improve overall safety of the Chicagoland area. Today’s announced funding will advance the 75th Street Corridor Improvement Project, a three-mile elevated rail corridor on Chicago’s South Side, which approximately 90 freight trains and 30 Metra commuter trains use daily. In 2018, Quigley worked to secure $132 million through the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant program to help get the project off the ground. The project will reconfigure track segments and signals at Belt Junction, add a third track to the Norfolk Southern line, replace and restore 14 aging bridge and viaduct structures, and implement mobility improvements on surface streets throughout the corridor. In addition to the creation of the 75th Street Flyover, the 75th Street Corridor Project includes the 71st Street Grade Separation, Belt Junction and 80th Street Junction Replacements, and Rock Island Connection projects.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden, Merkley Announce $200,000 Federal Award for Farmers Conservation Alliance in Central Oregon

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)

    September 20, 2024

    Washington D.C.— U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced the Farmers Conservation Alliance in Bend has earned a $200,000 Energizing Rural Communities award from the U.S. Department of Energy.  

    “In my meetings and town halls throughout Oregon, I hear regularly from farmers and ranchers about the negative impacts the climate crisis is wreaking on their land and crops,” Wyden said. “Organizations like Farmers Conservation Alliance that work to optimize irrigation and energy resources are crucial to help our farmers continue to produce the fresh, local bounty we enjoy here in Oregon.”   

    “Climate chaos continues to make the West hotter and dryer, depleting water resources for people, farms, and wildlife,” said Merkley. “This federal funding is great news for the Farmers Conservation Alliance in Bend to modernize irrigation systems. I will keep fighting to make sure our water systems are sustainable, reliable, and climate smart.” 

    “Farmers Conservation Alliance works with rural communities to improve their water and energy infrastructure,” said Julie Davis O’Shea, Executive Director, Farmers Conservation Alliance. “The recognition and financial support from the Department of Energy’s Energizing Rural Communities Prize supports our continued ability to build energy resiliency in some of the nation’s most underserved communities.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Remarks by Vice President Harris at a Campaign Event | Atlanta,  GA

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    Cobb Energy Performing Arts CentreAtlanta, Georgia
    3:21 P.M. EDT
     THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Can we please hear it for Dr. Reddick?  Please.  (Applause.)
    Please have a seat, everyone.  Please have a seat. 
    It’s so good to be back in Atlanta.  Thank you all.  (Laughs.)  (Applause.)  Thank you. 
    You know, I — I just want to say —
    AUDIENCE MEMBER:  (Inaudible) to have you.
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  (Laughter.)
    I just — I want to say about Dr. Reddick — you know, I — some of you may have seen I did a — an event last night with Oprah Winfrey and — (applause) — and that — it highlighted so many tragic stories, but it also highlighted so many important issues, which is why everyone has taken time out of your busy lives to be here this afternoon.  And it highlighted the importance of a Dr. Reddick.  
    AUDIENCE:  Yes.
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Because the courage, Dr. Reddick, that you are showing in the face of these arcane and immoral laws, to stand so publicly and talk about your commitment to your oath and to the health and well-being of people who need to be seen and treated with dignity is so extraordinary. 
    And I do believe, in moments of crisis, the world has a way of revealing the heroes among us.  (Applause.)  And I would say, Dr. Reddick, you are one of them.  Thank you very much.  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Thank you, thank you, thank you. 
    And thank you to all of the elected and community leaders who have joined us today.  (Applause.)  Thank you, thank you, everybody — everybody who is here.
    So, Georgia, the- — this election right here is a fight for the future.  (Applause.) 
    AUDIENCE:  Yes!
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  It is a fight for the future, and it is a fight for freedom — for freedom. 
    And we know, in America, freedom is not to be given.  It is not to be bestowed.  It is ours by right.  (Applause.)  It is ours by right, and that includes the fundamental freedom of a woman to be able to make decisions about her own body and not have her government telling her what to do.  (Applause.)  Yes, we must trust women.
    And we all know how we got here.  When Donald Trump was president, he hand-selected three members of the United States Supreme Court — the court of Thurgood and RBG — with the intention that they would overturn the protections of Roe v. Wade.  And as he intended, they did.
    And now more than 20 states have Trump abortion bans — extremists that have passed laws that criminalize health care providers, doctors and nurses, and punish women.  In two states of those states, they provide for prison for life — prison for life for health care providers for simply providing reproductive care, the care they so earnestly and rightly believe must be delivered.  All Trump abortion bans. 
    And think about this: Many of these bans make no exception even for rape and incest. 
    Now, many of you know I started my career as a prosecutor specializing in crimes of violence against women and children.  What many of you may not know is why. 
    So, when I was in high school, my best friend, I learned, was being molested by her stepfather.  And I said to her, “Look, you’ve got to come and stay with us.”  I called my mother.  She said, “Of course she does.”  And she came and she stayed with us. 
    And so, I made the decision early in my life that I wanted to do the work that was about protecting the most vulnerable among us and doing the work that was about giving them dignity in the process. 
    AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Thank you.
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  And so — well, thank everybody here for being here, standing in solidarity around the importance of that.  (Applause.)
    And so, I say to you, then, from that experience and from the work that I’ve done, the idea that someone who survives a crime of violence to their body — a violation of their body — would not have the right to make a decision about what happens to their body next, that’s immoral.  That’s immoral.
    And let us agree, and I know we do: One does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held beliefs to agree the government should not be telling her what to do.  (Applause.)
    If she chooses — if she chooses, she will talk with her pastor, her priest, her rabbi, her imam.  But it should not be the government or Donald Trump telling her what to do with her body.  (Applause.)
    And think about it — the stories that Dr. Reddick shares with us, the stories we heard last night, the stories we’ve been hearing for two years. 
    One in three women in America lives in a state with a Trump abortion ban.  This includes Georgia and every state in the South except Virginia. 
    Think about that when you also combine that with what we know has been long-standing neglect around an issue like maternal mortality.  Think about that when you compound that with what has been long-standing neglect of women in communities with a lack of the adequate resources they need for health care — prenatal, during their pregnancy, postpartum.  Think about that. 
    And these hypocrites want to start talking about “this is in the best interest of women and children.”  (Applause.)  Well, where you been?  Where you been — (applause) — when it comes to taking care of the women and children of America?  Where you been? 
    How dare they?  How dare they?  Come on. 
    And — and we understand the impact of these bans and the horrific reality that women and families — their husbands, their partners, their parents, their children are facing as a consequence every single day. 
    Since Roe was overturned, I have met women who were refused care during a miscarriage — wanted to have a child, suffering a miscarriage.  I met a woma- — a woman — I’ve actually met several who were turned away from the emergency room.  One, at early stages after the Dobbs decision came down, told me with tears — she was with her husband — about how only when she developed ses- — sepsis did she receive emergency care.  Only when she developed sepsis did she receive emergency care. 
    And now we know that at least two women — and those are only the stories we know — here in the state of Georgia died — died because of a Trump abortion ban. 
    One — and we heard about her story last night — a vibrant, 28-year-old young woman.  She was ambitious.  You know, we — I talked with her mother and her sisters about her, and they described such an extraordinary life of a person.  She was excited.  She was working hard.  She was a medical assistant.  She was going to nursing school, raising her six-year-old son. 
    She was really proud that she had finally worked so hard that she gained the independence.  Her family was telling me that she was able to get an apartment in a gated community with a pool for her son to play in.  She was so proud, and she was headed to nursing school. 
    And her name — and we will speak her name —
    AUDIENCE:  Yes.
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Amber Nicole Thurman. 
    AUDIENCE:  Amber Nicole Thurman.
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Amber Nicole Thurman.
    AUDIENCE:  Amber Nicole Thurman. 
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  That’s right. 
    And she had her future all planned out, and it was her plan.  You know, let’s understand — just take pause on that for a moment.  She had her plan, what she wanted to do for her son, for herself, for their future.  And so, when she discovered that she was pregnant, she decided she wanted to have an abortion, but because of the Trump abortion ban here in Georgia, she was forced to travel out of state to receive the health care that she needed. 
    But when she returned to Georgia, she needed additional care, so she went to a hospital.  But, you see, under the Trump abortion ban, her doctors could have faced up to a decade in prison for providing Amber the care she needed. 
    Understand what a law like this means.  Doctors have to wait until the patient is at death’s door before they take action. 
    You know, on the other side of my — you know, the — the other folks, th- — Trump and his running mate, and they’ll talk about, (deepens voice) “Oh, well, yeah, but I — you know, I — I do believe in the exception to save the mother’s life.”  (Laughter.)  Okay.  All right.  Let’s break that down.  Shall we? 
    AUDIENCE:  Yes!
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Let’s break that down.  (Applause.)  Let’s break that down. 
    So, we’re saying that we’re going to create public policy that says that a doctor, a health care provider, will only kick in to give the care that somebody needs if they’re about to die? Think about what we are saying right now.  You’re saying that good policy, logical policy, moral policy, humane policy, is about saying that a health care provider will only start providing that care when you’re about to die? 
    And so, Amber waited 20 hours — 20 hours, excruciating hours — until finally she was in enough physical distress that her doctors thought they would be okay to treat her.  But it was too late.  She died of sepsis.  And her last words to her mother — which her mother, as you know, tears up and cries every time she speaks it — last words to her mother, “Promise me you’ll take care of my son.” 
         So, I met last night and I spent time with Amber’s mother and her sisters, and they spoke about Amber — a daughter, a sister, a mother — with the deep love that you can imagine and how terribly they miss her.  And their pain is heartbreaking.  It’s heartbreaking. 
     Amber’s mother, Shanette, told me that the word “preventable” is over and over again in her head when she learned about how her child died — the word “preventable.”  She cannot — she can’t stop thinking about the word that they spoke to her.  It was “preventable.” 
    Because, you see, medical experts have now determined that Amber’s death was preventable.  And through the pain and the grief of her mother, who courageously told her story, I promised her, as she has asked, that we will make sure Amber is not just remembered as a statistic — (applause) — that she will not just be remembered as a statistic, so that people will know she was a mother and a daughter and a sister and that she was loved and that she should be alive today — (applause) — and that she should be alive today.
    And many of us remember — there’s so many leaders here — from two years ago when the Dobbs decision came down, we knew this could happen.  There is a word “preventable,” and there is another word: predictable. 
    AUDIENCE:  Yes!
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  And the reality is for every story we hear of the suffering under Trump abortion bans, there are so many other stories we’re not hearing but where suffering is happening every day in our country, an untold number of people suffering.
         Women who are also being made to feel as though they did something wrong.  The judgment factor here is outrageous — being made as though to feel as though they are criminals, as though they are alone. 
    So, to those women, to those families, I say on behalf of what I believe we all say: We see you, and you are not alone, and we are all here standing with you.  (Applause.)  Standing with you.  You are not alone.  You are not alone.  (Applause.)
    So, Georgia —
    AUDIENCE MEMBER:  We will not be silent.
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  We — and we will not be silent.
    AUDIENCE:  We will not be silent.
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  And we will not be silent.  But this is a health care crisis. 
     AUDIENCE:  Yes!
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  This is a health care crisis, and Donald Trump is the architect of this crisis.  He brags about overturning Roe v. Wade.  In his own words, quote, “I did it, and I’m proud to have done it,” he says.  He is proud. 
    Proud that women are dying?  Proud that doctors and nurses could be thrown in prison for administering care?  Proud that young women today have fewer rights than their mothers and grandmothers? 
    How dare he?  How dare he?
    And in our debate last week — (laughter and applause).  Well, that was fun.  (Laughs.) 
    But — and I know everyone here paid attention to the words, though — the words, right? 
    AUDIENCE MEMBER:  (Inaudible.)
    THE VICE PRESIDENT: (Laughs.)  I’m trying to get another debate.  We’ll see.  (Laughter.)
    But in our debate last week, remember when he said: Everyone wanted Roe v. Wade to be overturned.
    AUDIENCE MEMBER:  I don’t know where “everyone” is.
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Well, exactly.  I don’t know where everyone is either, because — (laughter and applause) — women have been arrested and charged for miscarriages.  They didn’t want that. 
     AUDIENCE:  No!
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  I — I was speaking with a physician who is here, who has, in her professional experience, been administering care to girls.  And what we know is that 12- and 13-year-old survivors of assault are being forced to carry a pregnancy to term.  They didn’t want this. 
    AUDIENCE:  No!
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  And couples just trying to grow their family being cut off in the middle of IVF treatments, they didn’t want this. 
    AUDIENCE:  No!
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  And on that last point, you probably saw, this week, for the second time, Republicans in the United States Senate blocked a bill that would protect access to IVF treatment. 
    Now, consider among the multitude of ironies the fact that, on the one hand, these extremists want to tell women they don’t have the freedom to end an unwanted pregnancy, and on the other hand, these extremists are telling women and their partners they don’t have the freedom to start a family.  Okay.  And they want to restrict access to contraception as well.
    And now Donald Trump says that he would personally cast his vote in Florida, which is where he now lives, to support their extreme abortion ban, just like the one that is here in Georgia.  And —
    AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Felons can’t vote!  (Laughter and applause.)
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Well, that’s a whole different policy discussion that we’ll have for another day.  (Laughter.)
    But let’s understand, if he is — if he is elected again as president, Donald Trump will go further.  (Applause.)  But we know what we’re up against, and we must — we must speak of the stakes.  We must remind — everybody here knows, but we got to remind our friends, our neighbors, our coworkers: The stakes are so high. 
    Because, if he is elected again, I am certain he will sign a national abortion ban, which would outlaw abortion in every single state.  And he would create a national anti-abortion coordinator — look at Project 2025 — and force states to report on women’s miscarriages and abortions.  It’s right there.
    I can’t believe they put that Project 2025 in writing.  (Laughter.)  I — I — they — they put it — they literally put it in writing.  They bound it.  (Laughter.)  They handed it out.  I mean, they are simply out of their minds.  (Laughter and applause.)
    And it’s clear that they just don’t trust women. 
    AUDIENCE:  They don’t.
    THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Well, we trust women.  We trust women.  (Applause.)
    And like Dr. Reddick said, when Congress passes a bill to restore reproductive freedoms, as president of the United States, I will so proudly sign it back into law.  (Applause.)  I will so proudly sign it into law.  Proudly sign it into law.  (Applause.)
    So, 46 days to go.  And let us remember that momentum on this and so many issues — momentum is on our side.  (Applause.)
    Let’s remember, since Roe was overturned, every time reproductive freedom has been on the ballot — from Kansas to California to Kentucky; in Michigan, Montana, Vermont, and Ohio — the people of America have voted for freedom.  (Applause.)  The people of America have voted for freedom — and not just by a little but by overwhelming margins, from so-called red states to so-called blue states, providing and making clear, also, this is not a partisan issue.  This is not a partisan issue.  And it is proving that the voice of the people has been heard and will be heard again — and will be heard again.  (Applause.)
    So, 46 days to go in probably the most consequential election of our lifetime. 
         And with that, then, today, I ask: Georgia, are you ready to make your voices heard?  (Applause.)
         Do we trust women?  (Applause.)
         Do we believe in reproductive freedom?  (Applause.)
         Do we believe in the promise of America?  (Applause.) 
         And are we ready to fight for it?  (Applause.) 
         And when we fight —
         AUDIENCE:  We win!
         THE VICE PRESIDENT:  — we win.  (Applause.)
         God bless you.  And God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.)
         Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you all for being here.  (Applause.)
                                 END                3:44 P.M. EDT

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by First Lady Jill  Biden at a Celebration of the 25th Anniversary of The West  Wing

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    The Rose Garden
    “Tell her where you are.”
    That was President Bartlet’s suggestion to Donna.
    For the entire episode, Donna had been trying to find a way to recognize her high school English teacher, Mrs. Morello—who went above and beyond for her school in Wisconsin.
    In the end, President Bartlet calls Donna into the Oval Office. Charlie has Mrs. Morello on the phone. And Donna doesn’t know what to say.
    “Tell her where you are.”
    And Donna says: “Mrs. Morello, I’m in the Oval Office with the President of the United States, and it’s because of you.”
    Now, I teach writing at a community college not too far from here—so I might be a little biased in bringing up this moment. And I want to thank Aaron and everyone who contributed to that episode for that beautiful tribute to educators everywhere.
    We just came from the Oval.
    Because even though Joe is away hosting the leaders of Australia, India, and Japan in Delaware, he wanted to make sure President Bartlet and his staff had a chance to see the Oval Office again.
    I often talk to my students about the power of good storytelling—because it can inspire and shape our world.
    When The West Wing lights up our screens, every swell of the opening theme, every fast talking, fast walking journey through seemingly endless halls—every performance—changes how we see the public servants behind these white walls, striving for a better tomorrow.
    Thank you to Warner Brothers for making today possible.
    And I’m glad to have so many wonderful members of Joe’s Cabinet joining us.
    I’m grateful to everyone on stage for taking the time to be here, because your work inspired so many to step forward and serve our country—maybe even some of the people here today: working in Congress, at non-profits and on political campaigns, or at the White House.
    That’s the power of storytelling—to inspire the Donnas and Charlies of the world who know they have something to give to this country—and the Mrs. Morellos, who may not serve in Washington, but change us for the better all the same.
    So anytime we begin to slip into cynicism or apathy—we just have to remember Jed Bartlet’s White House. A place where there are big blocks of cheese and everyone belongs.
    Where you do good.
    That’s the story The West Wing showed the nation: this family we create here, dedicated to a purpose greater than any one of us.
    I see it every day.
    It’s something that’s close to my heart, because, with every new hire, the Biden family grows too.
    Yes, the work is hard and the days are long. Yes, there are times when the weight of all we have before us can feel too heavy to carry. But that’s where the heart lies, where the future is created, side by side with our family of true believers—hope pushing us forward each step, each day, until the world is as it ought to be.
    Now, it’s my pleasure to introduce, President Bartlet—or as he’s sometimes known, Martin Sheen.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Photo and Video Chronology —September 20, 2024, Paused Kīlauea eruption near Nāpau Crater

    Source: US Geological Survey

    Photo and Video Chronology —September 20, 2024, Paused Kīlauea eruption near Nāpau Crater

    The middle East Rift Zone eruption of Kīlauea volcano, in a remote area of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park near Nāpau Crater, paused the morning of September 20, 2024. 

    USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory field monitoring crews reported minor spattering and small fountains at one end of the vent as of 8:30 a.m. HST on September 20, 2024. By 10 a.m. HST, eruptive activity had paused but the eruptive vents continued to emit volcanic gas and steam. The eruption, which began on the night of September 15, occurred within a closed and remote area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. 

    USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory field monitoring crews captured these videos during their visit to Kīlauea middle East Rift Zone eruption site the morning of September 20, 2024. They reported minor spattering and small fountains at one end of the vent at 8:30 a.m. HST. By 10 a.m. HST, eruptive activity had paused but the eruptive vents continued to emit volcanic gas and steam. The eruption, which began on the night of September 15, occurred within a closed and remote area of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. USGS video by M. Patrick. 

    Small fountains and lava flows erupting from one of the western fissures just before 9 a.m. HST on September 20, 2024. USGS photos by M. Patrick. 

    September 19, 2024—Lava flow channel on the middle East Rift Zone of Kīlauea

    On September 19, 2024, USGS-Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists landed near the Kīlauea middle East Rift Zone eruption site, where they viewed lava flowing through a channel more than 50 meters (about 164 feet) wide. USGS video by M. Zoeller. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Readout of the Secretary-General’s meeting with H.E. Allah Maye Halina, Prime Minister of Chad [scroll down for French]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The Secretary-General met with H.E. Mr. Allah Maye Halina, Prime Minister and Head of Government of the Republic of Chad.  The Secretary-General and the Prime Minister discussed the situation in Chad and the region.

    The Secretary-General expressed his appreciation to the Prime Minister for Chad’s generosity and open-door policy towards refugees, especially those fleeing the conflict in the Sudan.

    The Secretary General expressed his solidarity with Chad in the context of recent mass flooding in the country.

    ***

    Le Secrétaire-Général a rencontré Son Excellence M. Allah Maye Halina, Premier Ministre et Chef du Gouvernement de la République du Tchad.  Le Secrétaire-Général et le Premier Ministre ont discuté de la situation au Tchad ainsi que dans la région.

    Le Secrétaire-Général a exprimé sa gratitude au Premier Ministre pour la générosité et la politique d’accueil du Tchad à l’égard des réfugiés, en particulier ceux fuyant le conflit au Soudan.

    Le Secrétaire-Général a exprimé sa solidarité avec le Tchad dans le contexte des récentes inondations massives dans le pays.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Q&A: Healthy Moms and Babies

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    Q: How are you supporting families who are struggling with infertility?
    A: According to recent federal statistics, more than 13 percent of women under age 49 are affected by infertility. Coping with infertility, miscarriages and stillbirths takes a painful, emotional toll on families. I’m co-sponsoring legislation that affirms support for those facing infertility and fosters solutions to make meaningful medical advances in reproductive care. The Reproductive Empowerment and Support through Optimal Restoration (RESTORE) Act would expand access to restorative reproductive medicine within existing federal programs. Americans struggling with the anguish and uncertainty of infertility deserve better testing, diagnoses and treatment that a whole-of-government approach can bring. As a co-sponsor of the RESTORE Act, I support marshalling federal resources to promote research on the leading causes of infertility and provide training for medical professionals to learn how to diagnose and treat infertility. Let’s do what’s possible to ensure aspiring parents have information about evidence-based treatments to address underlying medical issues related to their fertility challenges.
    Unfortunately, the issue of reproductive health has been turned into a political football during this presidential election year. Specifically, the Democrat Majority Leader has scheduled votes twice in four months to manufacture a crisis about access to in vitro fertilization (IVF), which is not in question. Democrats intentionally loaded up their bill with poison pills like expensive programs and mandates that go well beyond simply protecting access to IVF while rejecting Republican alternatives to further support families utilizing IVF. The Democrat Majority is needlessly creating anxiety for people who already shoulder burdens of loss and despair. The RESTORE Act seeks to beef up the medical community’s focus on underlying reproductive health issues, such as endometriosis, ovarian cysts, uterine fibroids and more. Treating underlying conditions causing infertility is a common sense solution. Learning more about the causes of infertility will help find cures and answer the prayers of so many Americans who want to be called “Mom” and “Dad.” Although IVF is one example of the miracles of modern medicine, we also must pursue robust holistic approaches to reproductive care and infertility, including education, testing, diagnosis and treatment. Let’s also be clear on one important fact: Access to IVF is not in jeopardy. It’s legal in all 50 states. I know many families, including pro-life families, who have benefitted from IVF. I support IVF and am proud to advocate for pro-life, pro-family and pro-mother policies in the United States Senate.
    Q: What other priorities are you pushing to improve maternal health?
    A: This summer Rep. Ashley Hinson and I scored a victory for expectant moms across America when our bill to help reduce stillbirths was signed into law. Tragically, approximately 21,000 babies are stillborn every year in the United States. The Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act paves the way for Title V funds of the Social Security Act to be used for stillbirth prevention activities and programs. It will help curb infant mortality by enabling evidence-based stillbirth initiatives to qualify for federal funding. The tragedy of losing a baby to stillbirth after 20 weeks of pregnancy delivers immeasurable pain and heartache to families. What’s more, women who experience a stillbirth are more likely to die and have increased morbidity. Our bill will help improve maternal health and save babies by expanding resources for health care providers to proactively talk to their patients about stillbirth prevention strategies. I give a lot of credit to Iowa grassroots advocates for their leadership and commitment to help get this bill across the finish line. It’s an example of government of, by and for the people. For the third consecutive year, I co-sponsored the bipartisan National Stillbirth Prevention Day resolution to recognize those who have endured loss through stillbirth. Raising public awareness will lend urgency to public health efforts to help save lives.
    As an outspoken advocate for rural health care, I’m aware of the challenges faced by expectant moms living in rural areas to access prenatal and OB care. A lack of obstetric services and shortages in the health care workforce put patients and quality of care in rural areas at risk. I’ve introduced the Healthy Moms and Babies Act to address the maternal health crisis that particularly affects women of color and mothers living in rural America. In Iowa, more than 20 labor and delivery units have closed in the last decade. I’ll continue working with stakeholders to push for community-driven solutions and supports, including expanding telehealth services. My Healthy Moms and Babies Act would expand telehealth access for expectant and postpartum mothers to help lower mortality rates and improve patient outcomes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 80 percent of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable. I’ll continue pushing at the federal level to improve access to high-quality care for moms and babies, including my long-time support for the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program.
    National Stillbirth Prevention Day is September 19, 2024. Sen. Grassley delivered remarks at a reception hosted by Iowa-based Healthy Birth Day, Inc. to celebrate congressional progress on stillbirth awareness and prevention measures.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden, Merkley Announce Federal Investment in Manufacturing Equipment for Columbia Gorge Community College

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)

    September 20, 2024

    Washington D.C.— U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced a nearly $300,000 federal investment for Columbia Gorge Community College to add manufacturing equipment to its Advanced Manufacturing and Technology program. 

    “In my nearly 1,100 town halls throughout Oregon, I hear regularly about the need for local workforce development and creating avenues of success for young Oregonians,” Wyden said. “I’m gratified this federal investment in the Gorge combines both those objectives by giving Oregon’s future workforce and entrepreneurs the practical tools they need to help them blaze their own trails.” 

    “If we don’t make things in America, we won’t have a middle class in America, and when Oregon’s manufacturing industry does well, all Oregonians benefit,” said Merkley, who secured funding for this community-initiated project as a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “This Columbia Gorge Community College program helps set a path for young Oregonians to reach high-paying careers in manufacturing—opportunities they may not see in the traditional classroom setting. This is the exact kind of project that Senator Wyden and I are pushing to fund, and we’ll keep pushing to ensure CGCC has the necessary equipment to support its programs.” 

    This funding from the National Institute of Standards and Technology  will allow the community college to add milling and additive manufacturing equipment into its Columbia Gorge Regional Skills Center, aligning student training with the needs of the industry while fostering small business growth by providing public access to the equipment.

    “The Columbia Gorge Regional Skills Center is an exemplification of Columbia Gorge Community College’s (CGCC) commitment to fostering inclusive prosperity in our region through education and innovation,” said Dr. Kenneth Lawson, Columbia Gorge Community College President. “By providing access to state-of-the-art 3D printing, CNC milling, and welding equipment, we are empowering students, local, and statewide small and medium businesses alike to transform their ideas into tangible products. This initiative aligns perfectly with CGCC’s mission to ensure that everyone in our community has the opportunity to succeed. We are incredibly grateful for Senator Ron Wyden’s and Senator Jeff Merkley’s unwavering support in again securing this vital grant from NIST, which enables us to continue offering these invaluable resources and programs.” 

    “The impact of the Regional Skills Center extends far beyond the classroom, driving economic growth by supporting local entrepreneurs and small businesses,” said Robert Wells-Clark, Lead Instructor of Advanced Manufacturing & Fabrication at Columbia Gorge Community College. “Our ‘Community Fridays’ initiative shows how CGCC is bridging the gap between great ideas and their realization, providing access to essential tools and guidance at minimal cost. This approach not only democratizes access to advanced manufacturing technology but also strengthens our regional economy by fostering innovation right here at home. We deeply appreciate Senators Wyden’s and Merkley’s assistance in securing this grant, which allows us to continue this important work and further enhance the skills and capabilities of our community.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Rogers Votes for Critical Federal Funding for Veterans, Election Security and Protecting Taxpayer Dollars

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Harold Hal Rogers (KY-05)

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Rep. Harold “Hal” Rogers (KY-05), Dean of the House, voted for critical legislation in Washington this week, including federal funding that saves veterans’ benefits from falling short on October 1st.
     
    The House and Senate approved the “Veterans Benefits Continuity and Accountability Supplemental Appropriations Act” this week, sending it on to the President’s desk where it was signed into law. The bill provides $2.88 billion in emergency funding after the Veterans Administration notified Congress in July that disability compensation and pension benefits were at risk of a budget shortfall.
     
    “I will always vote to protect benefits for the men and women who have bravely served this great nation,” said Congressman Rogers, a senior appropriator. “This budget shortfall has magnified the continued mismanagement at the VA, so this legislation not only provides the necessary funding to take care of our veterans, but it implements stronger accountability and transparency measures to make the VA stronger for America’s heroes.”
     
    Congressman Rogers also voted for the “No Bailout for Sanctuary Cities Act” to protect taxpayer dollars from being used to bailout sanctuary cities that have provided free housing and healthcare to illegal immigrants. The bipartisan bill passed the House and now moves to the Senate for consideration.
     
    “We should not reward cities and states that are putting the needs of illegal immigrants above the American people. If sanctuary cities choose to go in debt to reward immigrants for breaking our laws and living here illegally, we aren’t going to pay them back with taxpayer dollars,” said Congressman Rogers.
     
    As Congress continues to work toward a resolution to avoid a government shutdown at the end of the month, Congressman Rogers supported the first proposed extension to continue federal funding for vital programs across the country. The original extension, which did not pass the House this week, included the SAVE Act, requiring states to obtain proof of citizenship when registering to vote and removing non-citizens from existing voter rolls.
     
    “With the Presidential election only a few weeks away, we cannot afford a government shutdown. I’m disappointed that the first measure failed with the SAVE Act. It is clear that we need to do more to safeguard our elections for the American people,” said Rogers. “I am hopeful that we can find a path forward next week before the deadline.”
     
    For more information about Congressman Rogers’ work in Washington and at home in Kentucky, visit halrogers.house.gov and follow him on social media.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Polis Celebrates the Launch of Colorado State Park History Book, Visits Small Business to Celebrate Colorado’s Hispanic Community

    Source: US State of Colorado

    AURORA – Today, Governor Polis, Department of Natural Resources Executive Director Dan Gibbs, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife Executive Director Jeff Davis celebrated the launch of At Home in Nature: The History of Colorado State Parks, the first of its kind compilation of over 65 years of Colorado State Parks history.

    “Colorado is home to the most beautiful parks in the country, and what better way to show them off than with a bound collection of our parks’ history. In Colorado, we are breaking down barriers for Coloradans to access the outdoors, from saving people money on park passes to protecting our incredible wildlife. Colorado is leading the way to continue and expand our great state parks for generations to come, and this book will help bring our parks to even more people,” said Governor Polis.

    “For more than 125 years, Colorado Parks and Wildlife has served Coloradans and our natural resources with unwavering dedication and determination. This book is a testament to Colorado’s incredible state park system and the people who serve as stewards to protect our public land and elevate our state parks so they provide enjoyable and sustainable outdoor recreation opportunities that educate and inspire current and future generations,” said CPW Director Jeff Davis.

    Colorado is home to 43 state parks that span over 220,000 acres of protected land. Colorado state parks generate over $65 billion in state funds because of outdoor recreation and Colorado’s thriving tourist economy.

    In 2021, Governor Polis signed legislation creating the Keep Colorado Wild Pass, which reduced Colorado’s state parks pass to just $29, breaking down barriers to the outdoors. The pass became available on January 3, 2023. In its first full year of being on sale, $1.5 million Coloradans opted to buy a Keep Colorado Wild Pass, generating $39.7 million to support Colorado state parks and outdoor first responders. Coloradans who qualify can also sign up for the Centennial State Park Pass, which costs just $14. Governor Polis also signed legislation creating the Outdoor Equity Grant Fund, which has provided 106 awards and over $5.5 million to organizations that help more Coloradans and Colorado kids access the state’s great outdoors.  

    Governor Polis also visited La Fogata, a local Mexican restaurant, to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and highlight Colorado’s vibrant Hispanic community and businesses. La Fogata opened its first location in 1990, and will now be celebrating 20 years at their second location in November. La Fogata has been serving Mexican food in Southeast Denver for 30 years.

    “Today I am excited to continue celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month at La Fogata. La Fogata is a story of entrepreneurship and hardwork, and here in Colorado we are proud to support small businesses and highlight the hardworking Coloradans who drive our economy and support our communities,” said Governor Polis.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Application Deadline Extended for FEMA Individual Assistance

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Application Deadline Extended for FEMA Individual Assistance

    Application Deadline Extended for FEMA Individual Assistance

    ST. PAUL–Homeowners and renters who suffered damage to their property from the severe storms and floods of June 16 -July 4 have additional time to apply for federal disaster assistance. 

    FEMA has extended the application deadline to October 27, 2024, for survivors in the 21 Minnesota counties designated for Individual Assistance. 

    FEMA assistance may include funds for temporary housing while you are unable to live in your home, such as rental assistance or reimbursement for hotel costs; funds to support the repair or replacement of your primary home, including privately-owned access routes, such as driveways, roads, or bridges; and funds for disaster-caused expenses and serious needs, such as repair or replacement of personal property and vehicles, funds for moving and storage, medical, dental, child care, funeral expenses, and other pre-approved miscellaneous items. 

    Disaster survivors who have not yet applied for FEMA assistance should apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov, use the FEMA App on your phone, visit a Disaster Recovery Center or call 800-621-3362. If you use a relay service such as video relay service, captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA your number for that service when you apply.

    For even more information about the disaster recovery operation in Minnesota visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4797.

    kimberly.keblish

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Major Disaster Declaration for Connecticut

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Major Disaster Declaration for Connecticut

    President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Major Disaster Declaration for Connecticut

    WASHINGTON — FEMA announced today that federal disaster assistance is available to the state of Connecticut to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides from August 18-19, 2024.

    The President’s action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in Fairfield, Litchfield and New Haven counties.

    Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-interest loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

    Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

    Robert V. Fogel has been named the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected areas. Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further assessments.

    Individuals and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can begin applying for assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 1-800-621-3362 or by using the FEMA App. If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA the number for that service.

    amy.ashbridge

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pacific Partnership 2024-2 in Kosrae [Image 5 of 14]

    Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

    Maintenance window scheduled to begin at February 14th 2200 est. until 0400 est. February 15th

    MIL Security OSI –