Category: Trump

  • MIL-OSI USA: WHAT THEY ARE SAYING: U.S.-Indonesia Trade Deal Is Another America First Win

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Whitehouse
    President Donald J. Trump’s landmark reciprocal trade agreement with Indonesia is another critical step forward in the Trump Administration’s relentless pursuit of trade policy that finally puts America First. The deal eliminates ~99% of tariff barriers for a full range of U.S. industrial, food, and agricultural exports, unlocks new market access, and breaks down non-tariff barriers — and represents the latest victory for American workers, farmers, and manufacturers.
    The trade deal was immediately hailed across American industry:
    American Iron and Steel Institute President and CEO Kevin Dempsey: “AISI is encouraged by today’s announcement of a framework for negotiating an agreement with Indonesia to remove Indonesia’s existing export restrictions on critical minerals, such as nickel, which is critical to stainless steel production. Indonesia’s existing export ban and other restrictions on nickel, together with its close ties to Chinese steel producers that have invested in that country as a result of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, have resulted in significant distortions in the global market for nickel to the detriment of steel producers in the United States. We look forward to working with USTR to address the Indonesian nickel export restrictions and other trade-distorting policies as these negotiations move forward.”
    Association for Competitive Technology President Morgan Reed: “This is another win for U.S. small tech developers. For years the App Association and our members have raised concerns with the U.S. Trade Representative regarding Indonesia’s inclusion of software and other digital goods in their tariff system, among several other digital trade barriers. We thank USTR and the Administration for their tireless work on behalf of small tech companies and look forward to our continued work strengthening American competitiveness globally. Further, we commend the Indonesian government for joining the United States in committing to support a World Trade Organization agreement that ensures countries will not apply taxes or customs duties to digital service transmissions.”
    Business Software Alliance SVP Aaron Cooper: “The US-Indonesia trade agreement is a breakthrough in digital trade policy. The agreement’s provisions to eliminate tariffs on intangible digital products, guaranteeing cross-border data transfers, and supporting the permanent extension of the moratorium on digital customs duties expands access to digital services and supports the adoption of technology. This agreement sends a strong signal to the global economy and many industries that rely on open and secure digital trade, and reflects key reforms that have been core BSA priorities for nearly a decade.”
    American Soybean Association President Caleb Ragland: “We appreciate President Trump and his administration’s efforts in maintaining market access for U.S. soybeans into Indonesia, and the commitment from USTR to address non-tariff barriers in that market. We look forward to future deals like this that reduce tariffs and ensure continued and increased market access for U.S. agriculture.”
    Computer and Communications Industry Association VP Jonathan McHale: “The announced Framework agreement for addressing Indonesia’s many trade barriers, including tariff regimes targeting digital products, restrictions on cross-border data flows, and local content requirements for communications devices, is an important and encouraging step in reforming what has long been one of the most challenging markets for U.S. suppliers. We look forward to a binding agreement addressing not only these restrictions, but a path to resolving all outstanding barriers that remain in this important market.”
    Consortium for Common Food Names Executive Director Jaime Castaneda: “The prospect of having Indonesia commit to a more transparent and balanced approach to GIs would be a meaningful advance in the global fight to preserve the use of common food names like parmesan and feta. We commend the U.S. negotiators for prioritizing this issue, particularly at a time when European Union is attempting to expand their GI abuse in growing dairy markets and shut out the United States. We will work diligently with the U.S. government to hold Indonesia accountable to their commitments on common names.”
    International Dairy Foods Association SVP Becky Rasdall Vargas: “We could not be more enthusiastic and energized about today’s announcement for improved access for U.S. dairy exports to Indonesia. Indonesia is an important trading partner in a region that is critical to U.S. dairy exports, and growing. Today’s announcement represents the largest improvement of access U.S. dairy exporters have seen in the region in over a decade and will be a timely step towards keeping U.S. dairy exporters globally competitive. We express our sincere appreciation to the Administration and the negotiators for achieving this positive outcome for U.S. dairy.”
    National Grain and Feed Association President and CEO Mike Seyfert: “America’s grain and feed industry appreciates President Trump and his negotiating team for advancing a bold and strategic trade framework with Indonesia that delivers meaningful wins for U.S agriculture. This agreement opens the door to billions in new exports – including soybeans, wheat, and other key commodities – while eliminating tariffs and cutting red tape that have long held back U.S. producers. We look forward to swift finalization and implementation of this deal and stand ready to work with the Trump Administration open new markets and tear down unfair trade barriers.”
    National Milk Producers Federation President and CEO Gregg Doud: “This looks like it will be a significant win for U.S. dairy. We commend the Trump Administration for securing an agreement that should deliver real benefits for our dairy farmers. We are pleased to hear this framework removes roadblocks to trade and will help grow dairy sales in one of the world’s most populous markets. NMPF looks forward to reviewing the details of the agreement and working with the Administration to ensure Indonesia upholds its end of the bargain.”
    National Oilseed Processors Association President and CEO Devin Mogler: “We commend the Trump Administration for prioritizing U.S. farmers in this trade deal with Indonesia, and specifically for including soybean meal purchases. NOPA members have invested over $6 billion to expand U.S. soybean crushing capacity by over 25% since 2023 levels to meet growing demand for food, feed and biofuel use, adding value to the crops our great U.S. farmers produce. Ensuring we have access to growing soybean meal markets like Indonesia ensures our farmers remain competitive relative to global competitors.”
    Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper: “We’re grateful to President Trump and his team for ensuring U.S. agriculture and renewable fuels are prominently included in these framework agreements. These deals will ultimately help open important Asian markets and allow greater access for American farm products, renewable fuels, and co-products like distillers grains. This administration clearly understands the leading role American farmers and renewable fuel producers can play when it comes to feeding and fueling the world, and we salute President Trump’s efforts to secure fair and reciprocal agreements around the globe. Breaking down barriers to fair trade strengthens our rural economy and the United States as a whole.”
    The Meat Institute: “The Meat Institute’s members celebrate @realdonaldtrump and @USTradeRep’s work on a deal with Indonesia opening up this important market for meat & poultry. We look forward to seeing the details of the deal & to continued efforts to remove remaining barriers to trade in other SE Asian markets.”
    U.S. Dairy Export Council President and CEO Krysta Harden: “Yesterday’s announcement is an important step forward in advancing opportunities for U.S. dairy exporters. This deal is poised to strengthen our long-term partnership with Indonesia while giving U.S. dairy companies a better shot at competing fairly. While verification that Indonesia honors its commitments will be necessary, the removal of both tariff and nontariff barriers is precisely what our industry needs to create new momentum for U.S. dairy exports and deeper collaboration with a key Southeast Asian partner.”
    U.S. Grains Council President and CEO Ryan LeGrand: “The U.S. Grains Council commends the Trump Administration on its historic trade deal with Indonesia, that will enhance trade for both countries and places a zero tariff on the products the Council represents. In the 2023-24 marketing year, Indonesia was the fourth largest importer for U.S. distillers dried grains with solubles at 1,024,000 metric tons. That translates into a nearly $299 million market, and we hope the deal announced today will not only help see those numbers increase but open doors wider to the full range of products we have to offer.”
    U.S. Meat Export Federation President and CEO Dan Halstrom: “USMEF thanks USTR for its tireless efforts to negotiate a meaningful agreement with Indonesia, tackling many challenging issues. Indonesia is a market with incredible potential, in which the opportunity for U.S. beef is estimated at $250 million annually. But today, exports are minimal due to numerous trade barriers. We are encouraged to see that the highlights detailed in the U.S.-Indonesia joint statement include resolving key issues such as import licensing, the commodity balance policy, and Indonesia’s onerous plant-by-plant approval process. For both U.S. beef and U.S. pork, these longstanding restrictions have limited exports to Indonesia. Indonesian importers and consumers are demanding U.S. red meat and we look forward to the swift conclusion of these negotiations and expanded export opportunities.”
    U.S. Wheat Associates President and CEO Mike Spier: “We are excited and grateful to track this wide-reaching government commitment that includes the agreement signed earlier this month between Indonesian flour millers and the U.S. wheat industry. We thank the Trump Administration, the U.S. Trade Representative and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA-FAS) for their continued work on behalf of American wheat farmers.”

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Security: FEDERAL JURY CONVICTS PANAMA CITY FELON OF DRUG TRAFFICKING AND ILLEGAL FIREARMS CHARGES

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Jarrel Daniel Rivaz, 35, of Panama City, was found guilty by a federal jury of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and marijuana, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon on Tuesday morning, July 22, 2025. The verdict was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

    U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Fulfilling the promise of President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America from violent criminals and drug traffickers requires close collaboration between our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners like we saw in this case.  I am deeply appreciative of the outstanding work of the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and the ATF to get this criminal off our streets, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute these cases to keep our communities safe from the predations of drug traffickers like this defendant.”

    Evidence admitted at trial established that on December 21, 2023, during a search warrant executed at the defendant’s house in Panama City, law enforcement found and seized over 900 grams of cocaine, a large quantity of marijuana, two firearms, and ammunition. One of the firearms was found loaded in a locked shed in the same bag as some of the marijuana. Rivaz had previously been convicted of a felony drug trafficking offense in New York under the name “Gerald Walker.”

    Sentencing is scheduled for October 16, 2025, at 10 a.m. in Pensacola before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell II. Rivaz faces a minimum mandatory term of 10 years’ imprisonment and a maximum possible sentence of life.

    The verdict was the result of a joint investigation by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ward Narramore and Alicia Forbes.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI: Northrim BanCorp Earns $11.8 Million, or $2.09 Per Diluted Share, in Second Quarter 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ANCHORAGE, Alaska, July 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Northrim BanCorp, Inc. (NASDAQ:NRIM) (“Northrim” or the “Company”) today reported net income of $11.8 million, or $2.09 per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2025, compared to $13.3 million, or $2.38 per diluted share, in the first quarter of 2025, and $9.0 million, or $1.62 per diluted share, in the second quarter a year ago. The increase in second quarter 2025 profitability as compared to the second quarter a year ago was primarily the result of an increase in net interest income, higher purchased receivable income, and increased mortgage banking income, which were partially offset by a higher provision for credit losses, higher other operating expenses, and a higher provision for income taxes. Net interest income increased primarily due to higher loan balances and higher yields on earning assets. Purchased receivable income increased primarily due to the Company’s acquisition of Sallyport Commercial Finance, LLC (“Sallyport or SCF”), which was completed on October 31, 2024. Sallyport and its direct and indirect subsidiaries provide services and products related to purchased receivable factoring and asset-based lending in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

    Dividends per share in the second quarter of 2025 remained consistent with the first quarter of 2025 at $0.64 per share as compared to $0.61 per share in the second quarter of 2024.

    “Strong loan growth, increasing asset yields, and stable funding costs drove record net interest income in the second quarter of this year,” said Mike Huston, Northrim’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “We continue to attract new customers to Northrim and believe we have an opportunity to steadily increase our market share over the next few years.”

    Second Quarter 2025 Highlights:

    • Net interest income in the second quarter of 2025 increased 7% to $33.6 million compared to $31.3 million in the first quarter of 2025 and increased 24% compared to $27.1 million in the second quarter of 2024.
    • Net interest margin on a tax equivalent basis (“NIMTE”)* was 4.72% for the second quarter of 2025, up 11-basis points from the first quarter of 2025 and up 42-basis points from the second quarter a year ago.
    • Return on average assets (“ROAA”) was 1.48% and return on average equity (“ROAE”) was 16.37% for the second quarter of 2025 compared to ROAA of 1.76 and ROAE of 19.70 in the prior quarter and ROAA of 1.31% and ROAE of 14.84% for the second quarter of 2024.
    • Portfolio loans were $2.20 billion at June 30, 2025, up 4% from the preceding quarter and up 17% from a year ago, primarily due to new customer relationships and expanding market share, as well as retaining certain mortgages originated by Residential Mortgage, a subsidiary of Northrim Bank (the “Bank”). The Company sold $61 million in consumer mortgages in the second quarter of 2025 that were included in loans held for investment as of the end of 2024 to reduce the concentration of residential real estate loans and to provide additional liquidity for future commercial and construction loan growth.
    • Total deposits were $2.81 billion at June 30, 2025, up 1% from the preceding quarter, and up 14% from $2.46 billion a year ago. Non-interest bearing demand deposits increased 5% from the preceding quarter and increased 10% year-over-year to $777.9 million at June 30, 2025 and represent 28% of total deposits.
    • The average cost of interest-bearing deposits was 2.04% at June 30, 2025, up slightly from 2.01% at March 31, 2025 and down from 2.21% at June 30, 2024.
    • Mortgage loan originations were $277.1 million in the second quarter of 2025, up from $121.6 million in the first quarter of 2025 and up from $181.5 million in the second quarter a year ago. Mortgage loans funded for sale were $249.7 million in the second quarter of 2025, compared to $108.5 million in the first quarter of 2025 and $152.3 million in the second quarter of 2024.
    Financial Highlights Three Months Ended
    (Dollars in thousands, except per share data) June 30, 2025 March 31, 2025 December 31,
    2024
    September 30,
    2024
    June 30, 2024
    Total assets $ 3,243,760   $ 3,140,960   $ 3,041,869   $ 2,963,392   $ 2,821,668  
    Total portfolio loans $ 2,202,115   $ 2,124,330   $ 2,129,263   $ 2,007,565   $ 1,875,907  
    Total deposits $ 2,809,170   $ 2,777,977   $ 2,680,189   $ 2,625,567   $ 2,463,806  
    Total shareholders’ equity $ 290,219   $ 279,756   $ 267,116   $ 260,050   $ 247,200  
    Net income $ 11,778   $ 13,324   $ 10,927   $ 8,825   $ 9,020  
    Diluted earnings per share $ 2.09   $ 2.38   $ 1.95   $ 1.57   $ 1.62  
    Return on average assets   1.48 %   1.76 %   1.43 %   1.22 %   1.31 %
    Return on average shareholders’ equity   16.37 %   19.70 %   16.32 %   13.69 %   14.84 %
    NIM   4.66 %   4.55 %   4.41 %   4.29 %   4.24 %
    NIMTE*   4.72 %   4.61 %   4.47 %   4.35 %   4.30 %
    Efficiency ratio   64.68 %   63.54 %   66.96 %   66.11 %   68.78 %
    Total shareholders’ equity/total assets   8.95 %   8.91 %   8.78 %   8.78 %   8.76 %
    Tangible common equity/tangible assets*   7.50 %   7.41 %   7.23 %   8.28 %   8.24 %
    Book value per share $ 52.55   $ 50.67   $ 48.41   $ 47.27   $ 44.93  
    Tangible book value per share* $ 43.35   $ 41.47   $ 39.17   $ 44.36   $ 42.03  
    Dividends per share $ 0.64   $ 0.64   $ 0.62   $ 0.62   $ 0.61  
    Common stock outstanding   5,522,271     5,520,892     5,518,210     5,501,943     5,501,562  
                                   

    * References to NIMTE, tangible book value per share, and tangible common equity to tangible common assets, (both of which exclude intangible assets) represent non-GAAP financial measures. Management has presented these non-GAAP measurements in this earnings release, because it believes these measures are useful to investors. See the end of this release for reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures to GAAP financial measures.

    Alaska Economic Update
    (Note: sources for information included in this section are included on page 14.)

    The Alaska Department of Labor (“DOL”) has reported Alaska’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in May of 2025 was 4.7% compared to the U.S. rate of 4.2%. The rate has held steady in Alaska at 4.7% for eight consecutive months. The total number of payroll jobs in Alaska, not including uniformed military, increased 1.1% or 3,800 jobs between May of 2024 and May of 2025.  

    According to the DOL, the Oil and Gas sector had the largest growth rate in new jobs of 8.8% through May of this year compared to the prior year, up 700 direct jobs. The Construction sector added 700 positions for a year-over-year growth rate of 3.7% through May of 2025. The larger Health Care sector grew by 1,200 jobs for an annual growth rate of 2.9%. Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities added 600 jobs for a 2.3% growth rate over the same period. Professional and Business Services increased 500 jobs year-over-year through May of 2025, up 1.7%.

    The Government sector grew by 200 jobs for 0.2% growth, adding 400 State positions while losing 200 Federal jobs in Alaska over the same period. Declining sectors between May 2024 and May 2025 were Information down 100 jobs or (-2.3%), Manufacturing (primarily seafood processing) shrinking 200 positions (-2.1%), Wholesale Trade lost 100 jobs (-1.5%) and Financial Activities, down 100 jobs (-0.9%).

    Alaska’s seasonally adjusted personal income was $57.4 billion in the first quarter of 2025 according to the Federal Bureau of Economic Analysis (“BEA”). This was an annualized improvement in the first quarter of 6.4% for Alaska, compared to the national average of 6.7%. Alaska enjoyed an annual personal income improvement of 6% in 2024 compared to the U.S. increase of 5.4%, ranking Alaska 6th best in the nation. The $885 million increase in personal income in the first quarter of 2025 in Alaska came from a $352 million increase in net earnings from wages, $440 million growth in government transfer receipts, and a $92 million increase in investment income.

    Alaska’s Gross State Product (“GSP”) in the first quarter of 2025 reached $72 billion according to the BEA. Alaska’s inflation adjusted “real” GSP increased 1.5% in 2024 and decreased -1.8% annualized in the first quarter of 2025. The average U.S. GDP growth rate was 2.8% for 2025 and -0.5% in the first quarter of 2025. Alaska’s real GSP decrease in the first quarter of 2025 was primarily caused by a decrease in the Mining, Oil & Gas sector, somewhat offset by improvements in the Construction sector.

    Alaska exported $5.9 billion in goods to foreign countries in 2024 according to the U.S. International Trade Administration. China is the largest importer of Alaska’s products at $1.5 billion, followed by Australia at $804 million, Japan at $674 million and South Korea at $634 million in 2024. Fish and related maritime products accounted for the largest volume at $2.1 billion, followed by minerals and ores at $2 billion, and primary metals at $992 million in 2024. Oil & Gas exports are $380 million because the majority of Alaska’s production is refined and consumed in the United States. Chief Credit Officer and Bank Economist Mark Edwards stated, “President Trump’s significant changes to international tariffs has created uncertainty in trade markets. At this time, it is unknown how each country will respond. Alaska’s natural resources are highly valued commodities throughout the world. If issues arise with one country, such as China, it is most likely that Alaska’s products will be redirected to other markets like Japan and South Korea or sold domestically in the United States. Canada is the largest long-term investor in Alaska’s mining industry. This involves significant fixed capital investments made over decades that are unlikely to shift dramatically in the short-run. Alaska’s Legislature just passed a bill HJR-11 with an approval vote of 33-4 titled, Recognizing and honoring the relationship between Canada and Alaska. It highlights the deeply interconnected friendship between Alaska and Canada culturally, economically, and militarily.”

    According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Consumer Price Index (“CPI”) for the U.S. increased 2.7% between June of 2024 and June of 2025. In Alaska, the rate of CPI increase was lower at 1.6% for the same time period.   Food and beverage, housing costs, and medical care costs were the largest causes for inflation. Declining motor fuel prices, transportation, recreation and household furnishing costs have helped moderate inflationary pressures in Alaska.

    The monthly average price of Alaska North Slope (“ANS”) crude oil has ranged between $76.39 a barrel in January of 2025 and $67.07 in May of the prior year. The June 2025 average was $72.62. The Alaska Department of Revenue (“DOR”) calculated ANS crude oil production was 461 thousand barrels per day (“bpd”) in Alaska’s fiscal year ending June 30, 2024.   Production rose to 469 thousand bpd in fiscal year ending June 30, 2025.   In the Spring 2025 Revenue Forecast published March 12, 2025, the DOR expects production to continue to grow to 663 thousand bpd by fiscal year 2034. This is primarily a result of new production coming on-line in and around the NPR-A region west of Prudhoe Bay. A partnership between Santos and Repsol is constructing the new Pikka field and ConocoPhillips is developing the large new Willow field. There are also a number of smaller new fields in the ANS that are contributing to the State of Alaska’s production growth estimates.

    The Alaska Permanent Fund is seeded annually by the oil wealth the State continues to save each year and has grown significantly over 40 years of successful investment. As of May 31, 2025 the fund’s value was $83.13 billion. According to the DOR it is scheduled to contribute $3.7 billion to Alaska General Fund in fiscal year 2025 for general government spending and to pay the annual dividend to Alaskan residents.

    According to the Alaska Multiple Listing Services, the average sales price of a single family home in Anchorage rose 6.2% in 2024 to $510,064, following a 5.2% increase in 2023. This was the seventh consecutive year of price increases. Through June of 2025 prices have continued to increase on average 2.6% to $523,059.

    The average sales price for single family homes in the Matanuska Susitna Borough rose 3.8% in 2024 to $412,859, after increasing 4% in 2023. This continues a trend of average price increases for more than a decade in the region. Through June of 2025 prices have continued to increase on average 6.9% to $441,463. These two markets represent where the vast majority of the Bank’s residential lending activity occurs.

    The Alaska Multiple Listing Services reported a 3.4% increase in the number of units sold in Anchorage when comparing 2024 to 2023. The first six months of 2025 has seen a 4.8% increase in home sales compared to the first half of 2024 in Anchorage.  

    There was virtually no change in the number of homes sold in the Matanuska Susitna Borough, with only four fewer homes sold in 2024 than in 2023 or -0.2%. In the first six months of 2025 the number of units sold has increased 13.1% in the Matanuska Susitna Borough compared to the first half of 2024.

    Northrim Bank sponsors the Alaskanomics blog to provide news, analysis, and commentary on Alaska’s economy. Join the conversation at Alaskanomics.com, or for more information on the Alaska economy, visit: www.northrim.com and click on the “Business Banking” link and then click “Learn.” Information from our website is not incorporated into, and does not form, a part of this earnings release.

    Review of Income Statement

    Consolidated Income Statement

    In the second quarter of 2025, Northrim generated a ROAA of 1.48% and a ROAE of 16.37%, compared to 1.76% and 19.70%, respectively, in the first quarter of 2025 and 1.31% and 14.84%, respectively, in the second quarter a year ago.

    Net Interest Income/Net Interest Margin

    Net interest income increased 7% to $33.6 million in the first quarter of 2025 compared to $31.3 million in the first quarter of 2025 and increased 24% compared to $27.1 million in the second quarter of 2024.   Interest expense on deposits increased to $10.3 million in the second quarter of 2025 compared to $9.9 million in the first quarter of 2025 and compared to $9.5 million in the second quarter of 2024.

    NIMTE* was 4.72% in the second quarter of 2025 up from 4.61% in the preceding quarter and 4.30% in the second quarter a year ago. NIMTE* increased 42 basis points in the second quarter of 2025 compared to the second quarter of 2024 primarily due to a favorable change in the mix of earning-assets towards higher loan balances as a percentage of total earning-assets, higher yields on those assets as variable rate loans reset at higher rates which were only partially offset by an increase in borrowings. The weighted average interest rate for new loans booked in the second quarter of 2025 was 7.27% compared to 7.30% in the first quarter of 2025 and 7.90% in the second quarter a year ago. The yield on the investment portfolio in the second quarter of 2025 increased to 3.07% from 2.97% in the first quarter of 2025 and 2.82% in the second quarter of 2024. “We are continuing to see some benefits from the repricing of our loan portfolio and new production increasing our margin” said Jed Ballard, Chief Financial Officer. Northrim’s NIMTE* continues to remain above the peer average of 3.26% posted by the S&P U.S. Small Cap Bank Index with total market capitalization between $250 million and $1 billion as of March 31, 2025.

    Provision for Credit Losses

    Northrim recorded a provision for credit losses of $2.0 million in the second quarter of 2025, which was comprised of a provision for credit losses on loans of $1.8 million, a $157,000 provision for credit losses on unfunded commitments, and a provision for credit losses on purchased receivables of $18,000. This compares to a benefit to the provision for credit losses of $1.4 million in the first quarter of 2025, which was comprised of a benefit to the provision for credit losses on loans of $1.1 million, a $322,000 benefit for credit losses on unfunded commitments, and a provision for credit losses on purchased receivables of $46,000. In the second quarter a year ago, Northrim recorded a benefit to the provision for credit losses of $120,000 which was comprised of a $134,000 provision for credit losses on loans and a $254,000 benefit to the provision for credit losses on unfunded commitments.

    The increase to the provision for credit losses on loans in the second quarter of 2025 as compared to the prior quarter and the same quarter a year ago was primarily a result of increased loan balances as well as an increase in estimated loss rates due to less favorable economic forecasts and trends in qualitative factors. The increase to the provision for unfunded commitments in the second quarter of 2025 was primarily due to an increase in estimated loss rates which was only partially offset by changes in mix of unfunded commitments.

    Nonperforming assets, net of government guarantees, decreased during the quarter to $11.9 million at June 30, 2025, compared to $12.3 million at March 31, 2025, and increased compared to $5.1 million at June 30, 2024. The increase in nonperforming assets, net of government guarantees at June 30, 2025 compared to June 30, 2024 is primarily the result of the acquisition of Sallyport in the fourth quarter of 2024.

    The allowance for credit losses on loans was 290% of nonperforming loans, net of government guarantees, at the end of the second quarter of 2025, compared to 262% three months earlier and 365% a year ago.

    Other Operating Income

    In addition to home mortgage lending, Northrim has interests in other businesses that complement its core community banking activities, including purchased receivables financing and wealth management. Other operating income contributed $16.6 million, or 33% of total second quarter 2025 revenues, as compared to $13.0 million, or 29% of revenues in the first quarter of 2025, and $9.6 million, or 26% of revenues in the second quarter of 2024. The increase in other operating income in the second quarter of 2025 as compared to the second quarter of 2024 was primarily the result of increased purchased receivable income due to the Company’s acquisition of Sallyport on October 31, 2024. Mortgage banking income in the second quarter of 2025 increased as compared to the first quarter of 2025 and second quarter of 2024 due to a higher volume of mortgage activity. See further discussion regarding mortgage activity contained under “Home Mortgage Lending” below.  

    Other Operating Expenses

    Operating expenses were $32.5 million in the second quarter of 2025, compared to $28.2 million in the first quarter of 2025, and $25.2 million in the second quarter of 2024. The increase in other operating expenses in the second quarter of 2025 compared to the first quarter of 2025 was primarily due to an increase in salaries and other personnel expense, including $980,000 in higher mortgage commissions expense due to higher mortgage volume, $763,000 in higher salary expense, a $760,000 increase in group medical expenses, and increases in profit share expense and payroll taxes. Additionally, marketing expense increased due to timing of annual charitable contributions. The increase in total other operating expenses in the second quarter of 2025 compared to the second quarter a year ago was primarily due to an increase in salaries and other personnel expense, the increase in compensation expense for Sallyport acquisition payments, and an increase in data processing expense. Total other operating expense increased $2.1 million in the Specialty Finance segment in the second quarter of 2025 compared to the second quarter of 2024 due to the acquisition of Sallyport on October 31, 2024.

    Income Tax Provision

    In the second quarter of 2025, Northrim recorded $4.0 million in state and federal income tax expense for an effective tax rate of 25.3%, compared to $4.3 million, or 24.2% in the first quarter of 2025 and $2.5 million, or 21.9% in the second quarter a year ago. The increase in the tax rate in the second quarter of 2025 as compared to the first quarter of 2025 and second quarter of 2024 is primarily the result of a decrease in tax credits and tax exempt interest income as a percentage of pre-tax income in 2025 as compared to 2024.

    Community Banking

    Northrim is committed to meeting the needs of the diverse communities in which it operates. As a testament to that support, the Bank has branches in four regions of Alaska identified by the Federal Reserve as ‘distressed or underserved non-metropolitan middle-income geographies’.

    Net interest income in the Community Banking segment totaled $30.0 million in the second quarter of 2025, compared to $28.2 million in the first quarter of 2025 and $24.3 million in the second quarter of 2024. Net interest income increased $5.7 million or 23% in the second quarter of 2025 as compared to the second quarter of 2024 mostly due to higher interest income on loans. This increase was only partially offset by lower interest income on investments and higher interest expense on deposits and borrowings.

    The provision for credit losses in the Community Banking segment was $1.3 million in the second quarter of 2025 compared to a benefit to the provision for credit losses of $1.8 million in the first quarter of 2025 and a benefit to the provision for credit losses of $184,000 in the same quarter a year ago. The increase to the provision for credit losses in the Community Banking segment in the second quarter of 2025 as compared to the prior quarter and the same quarter a year ago was primarily a result of increased loan balances as well as an increase in estimated loss rates due to less favorable economic forecasts and trends in qualitative factors. In the first quarter of 2025, the Company recorded a net benefit for credit losses in the Community Banking segment primarily due to changes in the Company’s loss rate regression models for commercial, commercial real estate, and construction loans. These decreases in the provision were only partially offset by increases in estimated loss rates for management’s assessment of economic conditions and an increase for higher loan balances.

    Other operating expenses in the Community Banking segment totaled $21.8 million in the second quarter of 2025, up $3.2 million or 17% from $18.6 million in the first quarter of 2025, and up $3.7 million or 20% from $18.1 million in the second quarter a year ago. The increase in the second quarter of 2025 as compared to the prior quarter and compared to the same quarter a year ago was primarily due to increases in salaries and other personnel expense, including $667,000 in higher salary expense, an $873,000 increase in group medical expenses, as well as increases in profit share expense and payroll taxes. Additionally, marketing expense increased due to timing of annual charitable contributions.

    The following tables provide highlights of the Community Banking segment of Northrim:

      Three Months Ended
    (Dollars in thousands, except per share data) June 30, 2025 March 31, 2025 December 31,
    2024
    September 30,
    2024
    June 30, 2024
    Net interest income $ 29,971 $ 28,151   $ 27,643 $ 25,928 $ 24,318  
    (Benefit) provision for credit losses   1,319   (1,768 )   771   1,492   (184 )
    Other operating income   3,268   2,703     2,535   3,507   2,451  
    Other operating expense   21,764   18,581     19,116   18,723   18,069  
    Income before provision for income taxes   10,156   14,041     10,291   9,220   8,884  
    Provision for income taxes   2,413   3,253     1,474   2,133   1,786  
    Net income $ 7,743 $ 10,788   $ 8,817 $ 7,087 $ 7,098  
    Weighted average shares outstanding, diluted   5,611,558   5,608,102     5,597,889   5,583,055   5,558,580  
    Diluted earnings per share attributable to Community Banking $ 1.37 $ 1.93   $ 1.58 $ 1.26 $ 1.27  
      Year-to-date
    (Dollars in thousands, except per share data) June 30, 2025 June 30, 2024
    Net interest income $ 58,122   $ 48,533
    (Benefit) provision for credit losses   (449 )   13
    Other operating income   5,971     4,919
    Other operating expense   40,345     35,247
    Income before provision for income taxes   24,197     18,192
    Provision for income taxes   5,666     3,752
    Net income Community Banking segment $ 18,531   $ 14,440
    Weighted average shares outstanding, diluted   5,611,734     5,562,025
    Diluted earnings per share $ 3.30   $ 2.59


    Home Mortgage Lending

    During the second quarter of 2025, mortgage loans funded for sale were $249.7 million, compared to $108.5 million in the first quarter of 2025, and $152.3 million in the second quarter of 2024.

    During the second quarter of 2025, the Bank purchased loans of $27.5 million from its subsidiary, Residential Mortgage, of which approximately half were jumbos, one-quarter were mortgages for second homes, and one-quarter were adjustable rate mortgages, with a weighted average interest rate of 6.71%, as compared to $13.1 million and 6.39% in the first quarter of 2025, and $29.2 million and 6.82% in the second quarter of 2024. Net interest income contributed $3.5 million to total Home Mortgage Lending revenue in the second quarter of 2025, up from $3.0 million in the prior quarter, and up from $2.8 million in the second quarter a year ago.

    The Company reclassified $100 million in consumer mortgages held for investment to held for sale in the first quarter of 2025 and recorded unrealized losses of $1.2 million related to this portfolio in the first quarter of 2025. In the second quarter of 2025, the Company sold $61 million of the $100 million that was reclassified to loans held for sale in the first quarter of 2025 for a total realized loss of $545,000.

    The Arizona, Colorado, and Pacific Northwest mortgage expansion markets were responsible for 22% of Residential Mortgage’s $216 million total production in the second quarter of 2025 (excluding the $61 million in mortgages sold noted above), 20% of $122 million total production in the first quarter of 2025, and 22% of $182 million total production in the second quarter of 2024.

    The provision for credit losses in the Home Mortgage Lending segment was $639,000 in the second quarter of 2025 compared to a benefit to the provision for credit losses of $307,000 in the first quarter of 2025 and a provision for credit loses of $64,000 in the second quarter of 2024. The increase in the provision for credit losses in the second quarter of 2025 in the Home Mortgage Lending segment as compared to the prior quarter and the same quarter a year ago was primarily a result of increased loan balances. The benefit to the provision for loan losses in the Home Mortgage Lending segment in the first quarter of 2025 was primarily the result of the reclassification of $100 million in mortgage loans to loans held for sale, which was only partially offset by an increase in the provision for loan losses due to changes in the Company’s loss rate regression models for home mortgage loans.

    The net change in fair value of mortgage servicing rights decreased mortgage banking income by $818,000 during the second quarter of 2025 compared to a decrease of $855,000 for the first quarter of 2025 and a decrease of $81,000 for the second quarter of 2024. Mortgage servicing revenue increased to $3.0 million in the second quarter of 2025 from $2.7 million in the prior quarter and increased from $2.2 million in the second quarter of 2024 due to an increase in production of Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) mortgages, which contribute to servicing revenues at origination. In the second quarter of 2025, the Company’s servicing portfolio increased $69.3 million compared to a $24.0 million increase in the first quarter of 2025, and an increase of $41.8 million in the second quarter of 2024.

    As of June 30, 2025, Northrim serviced 6,458 loans in its $1.55 billion home-mortgage-servicing portfolio, a 5% increase compared to the $1.48 billion serviced as of the end of the first quarter of 2025, and a 41% increase from the $1.10 billion serviced a year ago.

    The following tables provide highlights of the Home Mortgage Lending segment of Northrim:

      Three Months Ended
    (Dollars in thousands, except per share data) June 30,
    2025
    March 31,
    2025
    December 31,
    2024
    September 30,
    2024
    June 30,
    2024
    Mortgage commitments $ 73,198   $ 68,258   $ 32,299   $ 77,591   $ 88,006  
               
    Mortgage loans funded for sale $ 249,680   $ 108,499   $ 162,530   $ 209,960   $ 152,339  
    Mortgage loans funded for investment   27,455     13,061     23,380     38,087     29,175  
    Total mortgage loans funded $ 277,135   $ 121,560   $ 185,910   $ 248,047   $ 181,514  
    Mortgage loan refinances to total fundings   10 %   11 %   11 %   6 %   6 %
    Mortgage loans serviced for others $ 1,553,987   $ 1,484,714   $ 1,460,720   $ 1,166,585   $ 1,101,800  
               
    Net realized and unrealized gains on mortgage loans sold and held for sale $ 5,091   $ 1,580   $ 3,747   $ 5,079   $ 3,189  
    Change in fair value of mortgage loan commitments, net   (110 )   660     (665 )   60     390  
    Total production revenue   4,981     2,240     3,082     5,139     3,579  
    Mortgage servicing revenue   2,957     2,696     2,847     2,583     2,164  
    Change in fair value of mortgage servicing rights:          
    Due to changes in model inputs of assumptions1   (355 )   (322 )   1,372     (566 )   239  
    Other2   (463 )   (533 )   (499 )   (402 )   (320 )
    Total mortgage servicing revenue, net   2,139     1,841     3,720     1,615     2,083  
    Other mortgage banking revenue   280     170     238     293     222  
    Total mortgage banking income $ 7,400   $ 4,251   $ 7,040   $ 7,047   $ 5,884  
               
    Net interest income $ 3,507   $ 3,046   $ 3,280   $ 2,941   $ 2,775  
    Provision (benefit) for credit losses   639     (307 )   305     571     64  
    Mortgage banking income   7,400     4,251     7,040     7,047     5,884  
    Other operating expense   7,593     6,490     7,198     7,643     6,697  
    Income before provision for income taxes   2,675     1,114     2,817     1,774     1,898  
    Provision for income taxes   746     310     842     497     532  
    Net income $ 1,929   $ 804   $ 1,975   $ 1,277   $ 1,366  
               
    Weighted average shares outstanding, diluted   5,611,558     5,608,102     5,597,889     5,583,055     5,558,580  
    Diluted earnings per share attributable to Home Mortgage Lending $ 0.34   $ 0.14   $ 0.35   $ 0.23   $ 0.25  

    1Principally reflects changes in discount rates and prepayment speed assumptions, which are primarily affected by changes in interest rates.
    2Represents changes due to collection/realization of expected cash flows over time.

      Year-to-date
    (Dollars in thousands, except per share data) June 30, 2025 June 30, 2024
    Mortgage loans funded for sale $ 358,179   $ 236,663  
    Mortgage loans funded for investment   40,516     46,578  
    Total mortgage loans funded $ 398,695   $ 283,241  
    Mortgage loan refinances to total fundings   10 %   6 %
         
    Net realized and unrealized gains on mortgage loans sold and held for sale $ 6,671   $ 5,168  
    Change in fair value of mortgage loan commitments, net   550     777  
    Total production revenue   7,221     5,945  
    Mortgage servicing revenue   5,653     3,725  
    Change in fair value of mortgage servicing rights:    
    Due to changes in model inputs of assumptions1   (677 )   528  
    Other2   (996 )   (634 )
    Total mortgage servicing revenue, net   3,980     3,619  
    Other mortgage banking revenue   450     351  
    Total mortgage banking income $ 11,651   $ 9,915  
         
    Net interest income $ 6,553   $ 5,007  
    Provision for credit losses   332     16  
    Mortgage banking income   11,651     9,915  
    Other operating expense   14,083     12,783  
    Income before provision for income taxes   3,789     2,123  
    Provision for income taxes   1,056     595  
    Net income Home Mortgage Lending segment $ 2,733   $ 1,528  
         
    Weighted average shares outstanding, diluted   5,611,734     5,562,025  
    Diluted earnings per share $ 0.48   $ 0.28  

    1Principally reflects changes in discount rates and prepayment speed assumptions, which are primarily affected by changes in interest rates.
    2Represents changes due to collection/realization of expected cash flows over time.

    Specialty Finance

    The Company’s Specialty Finance segment includes Northrim Funding Services and Sallyport. Northrim Funding Services is a division of the Bank and has offered factoring solutions to small businesses since 2004. Sallyport is a leading provider of factoring, asset-based lending and alternative working capital solutions to small and medium sized enterprises in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom that the Company acquired on October 31, 2024 in an all cash transaction valued at approximately $53.9 million. The composition of revenues for the Specialty Finance segment are primarily purchased receivable income, but also includes interest income from loans and other fee income.

    The acquisition of Sallyport included $1.1 million in one-time deal related costs which are reflected in other operating expenses for the fourth quarter of 2024 in the tables below. Total pre-tax income for Sallyport for the second quarter of 2025 was $1.3 million compared to $1.3 million in the first quarter of 2025 and $945,000 for the two months of operations in the fourth quarter of 2024, excluding transaction costs.

    Average purchased receivables and loan balances at Sallyport were $71.0 million for the second quarter of 2025 with a yield of 27.23% compared to average balances of $59.9 million for the first quarter of 2025 and a yield of 35.8%. The yield in the first quarter of 2025 included the recognition of $899,000 in nonaccrual fee income collected during the quarter related to two nonperforming receivables and the collection of a $350,000 line termination fee. The yield excluding these items for the first quarter of 2025 was 27.4%.

    The following tables provide highlights of the Specialty Finance segment of Northrim:

      Three Months Ended
    (Dollars in thousands, except per share data) June 30,
    2025
    March 31,
    2025
    December 31,
    2024
    September 30,
    2024
    June 30,
    2024
    Purchased receivable income $ 5,897 $ 6,150   $ 3,526   $ 1,033 $ 1,242
    Other operating income   75   (64 )   (68 )    
    Interest income   782   596     407     158   170
    Total revenue   6,754   6,682     3,865     1,191   1,412
    Provision for credit losses   18   666     125      
    Compensation expense – SCF acquisition payments   600   600          
    Other operating expense   2,531   2,500     3,063     362   428
    Interest expense   668   496     489     185   210
    Total expense   3,817   4,262     3,677     547   638
    Income before provision for income taxes   2,937   2,420     188     644   774
    Provision for income taxes   831   688     53     183   218
    Net income Specialty Finance segment $ 2,106 $ 1,732   $ 135   $ 461 $ 556
    Weighted average shares outstanding, diluted   5,611,558   5,608,102     5,597,889     5,583,055   5,558,580
    Diluted earnings per share attributable to Specialty Finance $ 0.38 $ 0.31   $ 0.02   $ 0.08 $ 0.10
      Year-to-date
    (Dollars in thousands, except per share data) June 30, 2025 June 30, 2024
    Purchased receivable income $ 12,047 $ 2,587
    Other operating income   11  
    Interest income   1,378   382
    Total revenue   13,436   2,969
    Provision for credit losses   684  
    Compensation expense – SCF acquisition payments   1,200  
    Other operating expense   5,031   802
    Interest expense   1,164   422
    Total expense   8,079   1,224
    Income before provision for income taxes   5,357   1,745
    Provision for income taxes   1,519   494
    Net income Specialty Finance segment $ 3,838 $ 1,251
    Weighted average shares outstanding, diluted   5,611,734   5,562,025
    Diluted earnings per share $ 0.69 $ 0.23


    Balance Sheet Review

    Northrim’s total assets were $3.24 billion at June 30, 2025, up 3% from the preceding quarter and up 15% from a year ago. Northrim’s loan-to-deposit ratio was 78% at June 30, 2025, up from 76% at both March 31, 2025 and June 30, 2024.

    At June 30, 2025, liquid assets, investments, and loans maturing within one year were $1.15 billion and our funds available for borrowing under our existing lines of credit were $507.9 million. Given these sources of liquidity and our expectations for customer demands for cash and for our operating cash needs, we believe our sources of liquidity to be sufficient for the foreseeable future.

    Average interest-earning assets were $2.89 billion in the second quarter of 2025, up 4% from $2.78 billion in the first quarter of 2025 and up 12% from $2.57 billion in the second quarter a year ago. The average yield on interest-earning assets was 6.27% in the second quarter of 2025, up from 6.10% in the preceding quarter and up from 5.83% in the second quarter of 2024.

    Average investment securities decreased to $515.9 million in the second quarter of 2025, compared to $523.8 million in the first quarter of 2025 and $640.0 million in the second quarter a year ago. The average net tax equivalent yield on the securities portfolio was 3.07% for the second quarter of 2025, up from 2.97% in the preceding quarter and up from 2.82% in the year ago quarter. The average estimated duration of the investment portfolio at June 30, 2025, was approximately 2.4 years compared to approximately 2.5 years at June 30, 2024. As of June 30, 2025, $55.7 million of available for sale securities with a weighted average yield of 1.40% are scheduled to mature in the next six months, $106.8 million with a weighted average yield of 1.28% are scheduled to mature in six months to one year, and $145.0 million with a weighted average yield of 1.96% are scheduled to mature in the following year, representing a total of $307.5 million or 11% of earning assets that are scheduled to mature in the next 24 months.

    Total unrealized losses, net of tax, on available for sale securities decreased by $1.9 million in the second quarter of 2025 resulting in total unrealized loss, net of tax, of $3.6 million compared to $5.5 million at March 31, 2025, and $15.2 million a year ago. The average maturity of the available for sale securities with the majority of the unrealized loss is 1.3 years. Total unrealized losses on held to maturity securities were $711,000 at June 30, 2025, compared to $1.1 million at March 31, 2025, and $3.0 million a year ago.

    Average interest bearing deposits in other banks decreased to $27.2 million in the second quarter of 2025 from $38.0 million in the first quarter of 2025 and increased from $17.4 million in the second quarter of 2024, as cash was used to fund loan growth and provide liquidity.

    Loans held for sale decreased to $127.1 million at June 30, 2025, compared to $159.6 million at March 31, 2025, largely due to the sale of $61 million consumer mortgage loans in the second quarter of 2025 that had been reclassified to loans held for sale from portfolio loans in the first quarter of 2025, and increased from $85.9 million a year ago, due to higher loan production by Residential Mortgage.

    Portfolio loans were $2.20 billion at June 30, 2025, up 4% from the preceding quarter and up 17% from a year ago. Portfolio loans, excluding consumer mortgage loans, were $2.00 billion at June 30, 2025, up $59.1 million or 3% from the preceding quarter and up 21% from a year ago. This increase in the second quarter of 2025 was diversified throughout the loan portfolio including consumer mortgage loans increasing by $19 million, construction loans increasing by $31.2 million, commercial real estate owner-occupied loans increasing $17.1 million, and nonowner-occupied commercial real estate and multi-family loans increasing by $6.5 million from the preceding quarter. These increases were partially offset by a $3.8 million decrease in commercial loans. Average portfolio loans in the second quarter of 2025 were $2.17 billion, which was consistent with the preceding quarter after the sale of $61 million in consumer mortgage loans, and up 18% from a year ago. Yields on average portfolio loans in the second quarter of 2025 increased to 6.99% from 6.89% in the first quarter and increased from 6.87% in the second quarter of 2024. The yield on new portfolio loans, excluding consumer mortgage loans, was 7.45% in the second quarter of 2025 as compared to 7.43% in the first quarter of 2025 and 8.26% in the second quarter of 2024.

    Northrim’s loans and credit lines are subject to approval procedures and amount limitations. These limitations apply to the borrower’s total outstanding indebtedness and commitments to us, including the indebtedness of any guarantor. Generally, Northrim is permitted to make loans to one borrower of up to 15% of the unimpaired capital and surplus of the Bank. The legal lending limit was $39.4 million at June 30, 2025. At June 30, 2025, Northrim had 22 relationships totaling $504.0 million in portfolio loans whose total direct and indirect commitments were greater than 50% of the legal lending limit.

    Alaskans continue to account for substantially all of Northrim’s deposit base. Total deposits were $2.81 billion at June 30, 2025, up 1% from $2.78 billion at March 31, 2025, and up 14% from $2.46 billion a year ago. “The increase in deposits in the second quarter of 2025 was consistent with our customers’ normal business cycles which typically result in increases in deposit balances in the second and third quarters and decreases in the first and fourth quarters,” said Ballard. At June 30, 2025, 75% of total deposits were held in business accounts and 25% of deposit balances were held in consumer accounts. Northrim had approximately 34,000 deposit customers with an average balance of $60,000 as of June 30, 2025. Northrim had 27 customers with balances over $10 million as of June 30, 2025, which accounted for $731.1 million, or 27%, of total deposits. Demand deposits increased by 5% from the prior quarter and increased 10% from the prior year to $777.9 million at June 30, 2025. Demand deposits were 28% of total deposits at June 30, 2025 up from 27% at March 31, 2025 and were down from 29% of total deposits at June 30, 2024. Average interest-bearing deposits were up 1% to $2.03 billion with an average cost of 2.04% in the second quarter of 2025, compared to $2.00 billion and an average cost of 2.01% in the first quarter of 2025, and up 18% compared to $1.73 billion and an average cost of 2.21% in the second quarter of 2024. Uninsured deposits totaled $1.02 billion or 36% of total deposits as of June 30, 2025 compared to $1.08 billion or 40% of total deposits as of December 31, 2024.

    Shareholders’ equity was $290.2 million, or $52.55 book value per share, at June 30, 2025, compared to $279.8 million, or $50.67 book value per share, at March 31, 2025 and $247.2 million, or $44.93 book value per share, a year ago. Tangible book value per share* was $43.35 at June 30, 2025, compared to $41.47 at March 31, 2025, and $42.03 per share a year ago. The increase in shareholders’ equity in the second quarter of 2025 as compared to the first quarter of 2025 was largely the result of earnings of $11.8 million and an increase in the fair value of the available for sale securities portfolio, which increased $1.9 million, net of tax, which were only partially offset by dividends paid of $3.6 million. The Company did not repurchase any shares of common stock in the second quarter of 2025 and currently has no plans to repurchase shares this year. Tangible common equity to tangible assets* was 7.50% as of June 30, 2025, compared to 7.41% as of March 31, 2025 and 8.24% as of June 30, 2024. Northrim continues to maintain capital levels in excess of the requirements to be categorized as “well-capitalized” with Tier 1 Capital to Risk Adjusted Assets of 9.80% at June 30, 2025, compared to 9.76% at March 31, 2025, and 11.68% at June 30, 2024.

    Asset Quality

    Northrim believes it has a consistent lending approach throughout economic cycles, which emphasizes appropriate loan-to-value ratios, adequate debt coverage ratios, and competent management.

    Nonperforming assets (“NPAs”) net of government guarantees were $11.9 million at June 30, 2025, down from $12.3 million at March 31, 2025 and up from $5.1 million a year ago. Of the NPAs at June 30, 2025, $4.2 million are attributable to the Community Banking segment and $7.5 million are attributable to the Specialty Finance segment.

    Net adversely classified loans were $35.8 million at June 30, 2025, as compared to $20.4 million at March 31, 2025, and $7.1 million a year ago. Adversely classified loans are loans that Northrim has classified as substandard, doubtful, and loss, net of government guarantees. The increase in adversely classified loans, net of government guarantees, at June 30, 2025 as compared to the prior quarter is mostly attributable to two commercial relationships totaling $16.0 million. Net loan charge-offs were $140,000 in the second quarter of 2025, compared to net loan recoveries of $34,000 in the first quarter of 2025, and net loan recoveries of $26,000 in the second quarter of 2024. Additionally, Northrim had 13 loan modifications to borrowers experiencing financial difficulty totaling $3.3 million, net of government guarantees that had been modified in the last twelve months as of June 30, 2025.

    Northrim had $141.2 million, or 6% of portfolio loans, in the Healthcare sector, $127.2 million, or 6% of portfolio loans, in the Tourism sector, $121.0 million, or 5% of portfolio loans, in the Accommodations sector, $93.4 million, or 4% of portfolio loans, in the Retail sector, $84.2 million, or 4% of portfolio loans, in the Aviation (non-tourism) sector, $76.2 million, or 3% of portfolio loans, in the Fishing sector, and $59.5 million, or 3% in the Restaurants and Breweries sector as of June 30, 2025.

    Northrim estimates that $105.9 million, or approximately 5% of portfolio loans, had direct exposure to the oil and gas industry in Alaska, as of June 30, 2025, and $1.5 million of these loans are adversely classified. As of June 30, 2025, Northrim has an additional $76.9 million in unfunded commitments to companies with direct exposure to the oil and gas industry in Alaska, and no unfunded commitments on adversely classified loans. Northrim defines direct exposure to the oil and gas sector as loans to borrowers that provide oilfield services and other companies that have been identified as significantly reliant upon activity in Alaska related to the oil and gas industry, such as lodging, equipment rental, transportation and other logistics services specific to this industry.

    About Northrim BanCorp

    Northrim BanCorp, Inc. is the parent company of Northrim Bank, an Alaska-based community bank with 20 branches throughout the state and differentiates itself with its detailed knowledge of Alaska’s economy and its “Customer First Service” philosophy. The Bank has two wholly-owned subsidiaries, Sallyport Commercial Finance, LLC, a specialty finance company and Residential Mortgage Holding Company, LLC, a regional home mortgage company. Pacific Wealth Advisors, LLC is an affiliated company.

    www.northrim.com

    Forward-Looking Statement

    This release may contain “forward-looking statements” as that term is defined for purposes of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements are, in effect, management’s attempt to predict future events, and thus are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect management’s views only as of the date hereof. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, regarding our financial position, business strategy, management’s plans and objectives for future operations are forward-looking statements. When used in this report, the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” and “intend” and words or phrases of similar meaning, as they relate to Northrim and its management are intended to help identify forward-looking statements. Although we believe that management’s expectations as reflected in forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot assure readers that those expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements, are subject to various risks and uncertainties that may cause our actual results to differ materially and adversely from our expectations as indicated in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include: descriptions of Northrim’s and Sallyport’s financial condition, results of operations, asset based lending volumes, asset and credit quality trends and profitability and statements about the expected financial benefits and other effects of the acquisition of Sallyport by Northrim Bank; expected cost savings, synergies and other financial benefits from the acquisition of Sallyport by Northrim Bank might not be realized within the expected time frames and costs or difficulties relating to integration matters might be greater than expected; the ability of Northrim and Sallyport to execute their respective business plans; potential further increases in interest rates; the value of securities held in our investment portfolio; the impact of the results of government initiatives, including tariffs, on the regulatory landscape, natural resource extraction industries, and capital markets; the impact of declines in the value of commercial and residential real estate markets, high unemployment rates, inflationary pressures and slowdowns in economic growth; changes in banking regulation or actions by bank regulators; potential further increases in inflation, supply-chain constraints, and potential geopolitical instability, including the war in Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East; financial stress on borrowers (consumers and businesses) as a result of higher rates or an uncertain economic environment; the general condition of, and changes in, the Alaska economy; our ability to maintain or expand our market share or net interest margin; the sufficiency of our allowance for credit losses and the accuracy of the assumptions or estimates used in preparing our financial statements, including those related to current expected credit losses accounting guidance; our ability to maintain asset quality; our ability to implement our marketing and growth strategies; our ability to identify and address cyber-security risks, including security breaches, “denial of service attacks,” “hacking,” and identity theft; disease outbreaks; and our ability to execute our business plan. Further, actual results may be affected by competition on price and other factors with other financial institutions; customer acceptance of new products and services; the regulatory environment in which we operate; and general trends in the local, regional and national banking industry and economy. In addition, there are risks inherent in the banking industry relating to collectability of loans and changes in interest rates. Many of these risks, as well as other risks that may have a material adverse impact on our operations and business, are identified in the “Risk Factors” section of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, and from time to time are disclosed in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. However, you should be aware that these factors are not an exhaustive list, and you should not assume these are the only factors that may cause our actual results to differ from our expectations. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this release, and Northrim does not undertake any obligation to release revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or conditions after the date of this release.
    References:

    https://www.bea.gov/

    http://almis.labor.state.ak.us/

    http://www.tax.alaska.gov/programs/oil/prevailing/ans.aspx

    http://www.tax.state.ak.us/

    https://www.bls.gov/regions/west/news-release/consumerpriceindex_anchorage.htm

    https://www.alaskarealestate.com/MLSMember/RealEstateStatistics.aspx

    https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/34?Hsid=HJR011C

    https://www.trade.gov/data-visualization/tradestats-express-trade-partner-state

    https://tax.alaska.gov/programs/programs/reports/RSB.aspx?Year=2025&Type=Spring

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    https://www.capitaliq.spglobal.com/web/client?auth=inherit&overridecdc=1&#markets/indexFinancials

    Contact: Mike Huston, President, CEO, and COO
      (907) 261-8750
      Jed Ballard, Chief Financial Officer
      (907) 261-3539
       
    Income Statement            
    (Dollars in thousands, except per share data) Three Months Ended   Year-to-date
    (Unaudited) June 30, March 31, June 30,   June 30, June 30,
        2025   2025     2024       2025   2024  
    Interest Income:            
    Interest and fees on loans $ 40,519 $ 37,470   $ 32,367     $ 77,989 $ 62,817  
    Interest on portfolio investments   3,765   3,675     4,310       7,440   8,830  
    Interest on deposits in banks   515   416     232       931   1,070  
    Total interest income   44,799   41,561     36,909       86,360   72,717  
    Interest Expense:            
    Interest expense on deposits   10,304   9,935     9,476       20,239   18,656  
    Interest expense on borrowings   903   329     380       1,232   561  
    Total interest expense   11,207   10,264     9,856       21,471   19,217  
    Net interest income   33,592   31,297     27,053       64,889   53,500  
                 
    Provision (benefit) for credit losses   1,976   (1,409 )   (120 )     567   29  
    Net interest income after provision for credit losses   31,616   32,706     27,173       64,322   53,471  
                 
    Other Operating Income:            
    Mortgage banking income   7,400   4,251     5,884       11,651   9,915  
    Purchased receivable income   5,897   6,100     1,242       12,047   2,587  
    Bankcard fees   1,153   1,074     1,105       2,227   2,022  
    Service charges on deposit accounts   726   677     572       1,403   1,121  
    Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable equity securities   78   (50 )   (60 )     28   254  
    Other income   1,386   988     834       2,324   1,522  
    Total other operating income   16,640   13,040     9,577       29,680   17,421  
                 
    Other Operating Expense:            
    Salaries and other personnel expense   20,854   17,223     16,627       38,077   32,044  
    Data processing expense   3,366   3,104     2,601       6,470   5,260  
    Occupancy expense   2,104   1,889     1,843       3,993   3,805  
    Professional and outside services   1,113   1,115     726       2,228   1,481  
    Marketing expense   1,042   672     690       1,714   1,203  
    Insurance expense   756   1,017     692       1,773   1,471  
    Compensation expense – SCF acquisition payments   600   600           1,200    
    OREO expense, net rental income and gains on sale   2   3     2       5   (389 )
    Other expense   2,651   2,548     2,013       5,199   3,957  
    Total other operating expense   32,488   28,171     25,194       60,659   48,832  
                 
    Income before provision for income taxes   15,768   17,575     11,556       33,343   22,060  
    Provision for income taxes   3,990   4,251     2,536       8,241   4,841  
    Net income $ 11,778 $ 13,324   $ 9,020     $ 25,102 $ 17,219  
                 
    Basic EPS $ 2.13 $ 2.41   $ 1.64     $ 4.54 $ 3.13  
    Diluted EPS $ 2.09 $ 2.38   $ 1.62     $ 4.47 $ 3.10  
    Weighted average shares outstanding, basic   5,521,811   5,519,998     5,500,588       5,520,905   5,500,083  
    Weighted average shares outstanding, diluted   5,611,558   5,608,102     5,558,580       5,611,734   5,562,025  
    Balance Sheet      
    (Dollars in thousands)      
    (Unaudited) June 30, March 31, June 30,
        2025     2025     2024  
           
    Assets:      
    Cash and due from banks $ 43,734   $ 29,671   $ 33,364  
    Interest bearing deposits in other banks   97,549     35,852     21,058  
    Investment securities available for sale, at fair value   429,421     463,096     584,964  
    Investment securities held to maturity   36,750     36,750     36,750  
    Marketable equity securities, at fair value   8,747     8,669     12,381  
    Investment in Federal Home Loan Bank stock   8,343     5,342     4,929  
    Loans held for sale   127,116     159,603     85,926  
           
    Portfolio loans   2,202,115     2,124,330     1,875,907  
    Allowance for credit losses, loans   (22,585 )   (20,922 )   (17,694 )
    Net portfolio loans   2,179,530     2,103,408     1,858,213  
    Purchased receivables, net   109,098     95,489     25,722  
    Mortgage servicing rights, at fair value   27,506     26,814     21,077  
    Other real estate owned, net            
    Premises and equipment, net   36,501     37,070     40,393  
    Lease right of use asset   7,033     7,632     8,244  
    Goodwill and intangible assets   50,824     50,824     15,967  
    Other assets   81,608     80,740     72,680  
    Total assets $ 3,243,760   $ 3,140,960   $ 2,821,668  
           
    Liabilities:      
    Demand deposits $ 777,948   $ 742,560   $ 704,471  
    Interest-bearing demand   1,196,048     1,187,465     906,010  
    Savings deposits   248,141     256,650     238,156  
    Money market deposits   196,166     193,842     195,159  
    Time deposits   390,867     397,460     420,010  
    Total deposits   2,809,170     2,777,977     2,463,806  
    Other borrowings   63,026     13,136     43,961  
    Junior subordinated debentures   10,310     10,310     10,310  
    Lease liability   7,077     7,682     8,269  
    Other liabilities   63,958     52,099     48,122  
    Total liabilities   2,953,541     2,861,204     2,574,468  
           
    Shareholders’ Equity:      
    Total shareholders’ equity   290,219     279,756     247,200  
    Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $ 3,243,760   $ 3,140,960   $ 2,821,668  
           

    Additional Financial Information
    (Dollars in thousands)
    (Unaudited)

    Composition of Portfolio Loans                        
      June 30, 2025   March 31, 2025   December 31,
    2024
      September 30,
    2024
      June 30, 2024
      Balance % of
    total
      Balance % of
    total
      Balance % of
    total
      Balance % of
    total
      Balance % of
    total
    Commercial loans $ 569,753   27 %   $ 573,593   27 %   $ 518,148   24 %   $ 492,414   24 %   $ 495,781   26 %
    Commercial real estate:                            
    Owner occupied properties   447,561   20 %     430,442   20 %     420,060   20 %     412,827   20 %     383,832   20 %
    Nonowner occupied and                            
    multifamily properties   696,766   31 %     690,277   32 %     619,431   29 %     584,302   31 %     551,130   30 %
    Residential real estate:                            
    1-4 family properties                            
    secured by first liens   206,905   9 %     188,219   9 %     270,535   13 %     248,514   12 %     222,026   12 %
    1-4 family properties                            
    secured by junior liens &                            
    revolving secured by first liens   60,118   3 %     53,836   3 %     48,857   2 %     45,262   2 %     41,258   2 %
    1-4 family construction   36,005   2 %     34,017   2 %     39,789   2 %     39,794   2 %     29,510   2 %
    Construction loans   187,442   8 %     156,211   7 %     214,068   10 %     185,362   9 %     154,009   8 %
    Consumer loans   7,570   %     7,424   %     7,562   %     7,836   %     6,679   %
    Subtotal   2,212,120         2,134,019         2,138,450         2,016,311         1,884,225    
    Unearned loan fees, net   (10,005 )       (9,689 )       (9,187 )       (8,746 )       (8,318 )  
    Total portfolio loans $ 2,202,115       $ 2,124,330       $ 2,129,263       $ 2,007,565       $ 1,875,907    
                                 
    Composition of Deposits                        
      June 30, 2025   March 31, 2025   December 31,
    2024
      September 30,
    2024
      June 30, 2024
      Balance % of total   Balance % of total   Balance % of total   Balance % of total   Balance % of total
    Demand deposits $ 777,948 28 %   $ 742,560 27 %   $ 706,225 27 %   $ 763,595 29 %   $ 704,471 29 %
    Interest-bearing demand   1,196,048 42 %     1,187,465 43 %     1,108,404 41 %     979,238 37 %     906,010 36 %
    Savings deposits   248,141 9 %     256,650 9 %     250,900 9 %     245,043 9 %     238,156 10 %
    Money market deposits   196,166 7 %     193,842 7 %     196,290 7 %     204,821 8 %     195,159 8 %
    Time deposits   390,867 14 %     397,460 14 %     418,370 16 %     435,870 17 %     420,010 17 %
    Total deposits $ 2,809,170     $ 2,777,977     $ 2,680,189     $ 2,628,567     $ 2,463,806  


    Additional Financial Information

    (Dollars in thousands)
    (Unaudited)

    Asset Quality June 30,   March 31,   June 30,  
        2025     2025     2024  
    Nonaccrual loans – Community Banking $ 4,180   $ 4,274   $ 4,233  
    Nonaccrual loans – Home Mortgage Lending   197     221     253  
    Nonaccrual loans – Specialty Finance   3,484     3,573     344  
    Nonaccrual loans – Total   7,861     8,068     4,830  
    Loans 90 days past due and accruing – Community Banking           17  
    Loans 90 days past due and accruing – Total           17  
    Total nonperforming loans – Community Banking   4,180     4,274     4,250  
    Total nonperforming loans – Home Mortgage Lending   197     221     253  
    Total nonperforming loans – Specialty Finance   3,484     3,573     344  
    Total nonperforming loans – Total   7,861     8,068     4,847  
    Nonperforming loans guaranteed by gov’t – Community Banking   70     80      
    Nonperforming loans guaranteed by gov’t – Total   70     80      
    Net nonperforming loans – Community Banking   4,110     4,194     4,250  
    Net nonperforming loans – Home Mortgage Lending   197     221     253  
    Net nonperforming loans – Specialty Finance   3,484     3,573     344  
    Net nonperforming loans – Total   7,791     7,988     4,847  
                 
    Repossessed assets – Community Banking   50     297     297  
    Repossessed assets – Total   50     297     297  
                 
    Nonperforming purchased receivables – Specialty Finance   4,017     4,007      
                 
    Net nonperforming assets – Community Banking   4,160     4,491     4,547  
    Net nonperforming assets – Home Mortgage Lending   197     221     253  
    Net nonperforming assets – Specialty Finance   7,501     7,580     344  
    Net nonperforming assets – Total $ 11,858   $ 12,292   $ 5,144  
                 
    Adversely classified loans, net of gov’t guarantees – Community Banking $ 32,128   $ 16,592   $ 6,006  
    Adversely classified loans, net of gov’t guarantees – Home Mortgage Lending   223     252     718  
    Adversely classified loans, net of gov’t guarantees – Specialty Finance   3,484     3,573     344  
    Adversely classified loans, net of gov’t guarantees – Total $ 35,835   $ 20,417   $ 7,068  
                 
    Special mention loans, net of gov’t guarantees – Community Banking $ 3,966   $ 14,496   $ 8,902  
    Special mention loans, net of gov’t guarantees – Home Mortgage Lending   790     637      
    Special mention loans, net of gov’t guarantees – Total $ 4,756   $ 15,133   $ 8,902  
    Asset Quality, Continued June 30,   March 31,   June 30,  
        2025       2025       2024    
    Nonperforming loans, net of government guarantees / portfolio loans   0.35   %   0.38   %   0.26   %
    Nonperforming loans, net of government guarantees / portfolio loans,            
    net of government guarantees   0.38   %   0.40   %   0.28   %
    Nonperforming assets, net of government guarantees / total assets   0.37   %   0.39   %   0.18   %
    Nonperforming assets, net of government guarantees / total assets            
    net of government guarantees   0.38   %   0.41   %   0.19   %
                 
    Loans 30-89 days past due and accruing, net of government guarantees /       %    
    portfolio loans   0.06   %   0.04   %   0.03   %
    Loans 30-89 days past due and accruing, net of government guarantees /            
    portfolio loans, net of government guarantees   0.06   %   0.04   %   0.04   %
                 
    Allowance for credit losses for loans / portfolio loans   1.03   %   0.98   %   0.94   %
    Allowance for credit losses for loans / portfolio loans, net of gov’t guarantees   1.10   %   1.06   %   1.01   %
    Allowance for credit losses for loans / nonperforming loans, net of            
    government guarantees   290   %   262   %   365   %
                 
    Gross loan charge-offs for the quarter – Community Banking $3     $50     $—    
    Gross loan charge-offs for the quarter – Specialty Finance   152                
    Gross loan charge-offs for the quarter – Total   155       50          
                 
    Gross loan recoveries for the quarter – Community Banking   (15 )     (84 )     (26 )  
    Gross loan recoveries for the quarter – Home Mortgage Lending                  
    Gross loan recoveries for the quarter – Specialty Finance                  
    Gross loan recoveries for the quarter – Total ($15 )   ($84 )   ($26 )  
                 
    Net loan (recoveries) charge-offs for the quarter – Community Banking ($12 )   ($34 )   ($26 )  
    Net loan (recoveries) charge-offs for the quarter – Specialty Finance   152                
    Net loan (recoveries) charge-offs for the quarter – Total $140     ($34 )   ($26 )  
                 
    Net loan charge-offs (recoveries) year-to-date – Community Banking ($46 )   ($34 )   ($68 )  
    Net loan charge-offs (recoveries) year-to-date – Specialty Finance   152                
    Net loan charge-offs (recoveries) year-to-date – Total $106     ($34 )   ($68 )  
                 
    Net loan charge-offs (recoveries) for the quarter / average loans, for the quarter   0.01   %     %     %
                 
    Net loan charge-offs (recoveries) year-to-date / average loans,            
    year-to-date annualized   0.01   %   (0.01 ) %   (0.01 ) %
                 
    Allowance for credit losses for purchased receivables / purchased receivables   3.05   %   3.72   %     %
                 
    Net purchased receivable charge-offs (recoveries) for the quarter $281     $—     $—    
                 
    Net purchased receivable charge-offs (recoveries) year-to-date $281     $—     $—    
                 
    Net purchased receivable charge-offs (recoveries) for the quarter /            
    average purchased receivables, for the quarter   0.27   % NA   NA  
                 
    Net purchased receivable charge-offs (recoveries) year-to-date / average            
    purchased receivables, year-to-date annualized   0.61   % NA   NA  


    Additional Financial Information

    (Dollars in thousands)
    (Unaudited)

    Average Balances, Yields, and Rates                
      Three Months Ended
      June 30, 2025   March 31, 2025   June 30, 2024
        Average     Average     Average
      Average Tax Equivalent   Average Tax Equivalent   Average Tax Equivalent
      Balance Yield/Rate   Balance Yield/Rate   Balance Yield/Rate
    Assets                
    Interest bearing deposits in other banks $ 27,216   7.60 %   $ 37,969   4.44 %   $ 17,352   5.27 %
    Portfolio investments   515,916   3.07 %     523,753   2.97 %     639,980   2.82 %
    Loans held for sale   173,675   6.50 %     46,223   5.86 %     65,102   6.08 %
    Portfolio loans   2,172,482   6.99 %     2,173,425   6.89 %     1,845,832   6.87 %
    Total interest-earning assets   2,889,289   6.27 %     2,781,370   6.10 %     2,568,266   5.83 %
    Nonearning assets   306,206         293,415         204,509    
    Total assets $ 3,195,495       $ 3,074,785       $ 2,772,775    
                     
    Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity                
    Interest-bearing deposits $ 2,029,100   2.04 %   $ 2,002,594   2.01 %   $ 1,725,013   2.21 %
    Borrowings   86,404   4.14 %     37,081   3.55 %     38,390   3.92 %
    Total interest-bearing liabilities   2,115,504   2.12 %     2,039,675   2.04 %     1,763,403   2.25 %
                     
    Noninterest-bearing demand deposits   737,112         697,534         706,339    
    Other liabilities   54,320         63,348         58,549    
    Shareholders’ equity   288,559         274,228         244,484    
    Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $ 3,195,495       $ 3,074,785       $ 2,772,775    
    Net spread   4.15 %     4.06 %     3.58 %
    NIM   4.66 %     4.55 %     4.24 %
    NIMTE*   4.72 %     4.61 %     4.30 %
    Cost of funds   1.57 %     1.52 %     1.60 %
    Average portfolio loans to average                
    interest-earning assets   75.19 %       78.14 %       71.87 %  
    Average portfolio loans to average total deposits   78.54 %       80.49 %       75.92 %  
    Average non-interest deposits to average                
    total deposits   26.65 %       25.83 %       29.05 %  
    Average interest-earning assets to average                
    interest-bearing liabilities   136.58 %       136.36 %       145.64 %  


    Additional Financial Information

    (Dollars in thousands)
    (Unaudited)

    Average Balances, Yields, and Rates          
      Year-to-date
      June 30, 2025   June 30, 2024
        Average     Average
      Average Tax Equivalent   Average Tax Equivalent
      Balance Yield/Rate   Balance Yield/Rate
    Assets          
    Interest bearing deposits in other banks $ 32,563   5.77 %   $ 39,457   5.36 %
    Portfolio investments   519,813   3.02 %     655,458   2.82 %
    Loans held for sale   110,301   6.35 %     48,868   6.10 %
    Portfolio loans   2,172,950   6.94 %     1,819,629   6.81 %
    Total interest-earning assets   2,835,627   6.19 %     2,563,412   5.76 %
    Nonearning assets   299,848         202,819    
    Total assets $ 3,135,475       $ 2,766,231    
               
    Liabilities and Shareholders Equity          
    Interest-bearing deposits $ 2,015,920   2.02 %   $ 1,728,468   2.17 %
    Borrowings   61,879   3.96 %     31,167   3.55 %
    Total interest-bearing liabilities   2,077,799   2.08 %     1,759,635   2.19 %
               
    Noninterest-bearing demand deposits   717,432         705,736    
    Other liabilities   58,809         59,478    
    Shareholders’ equity   281,435         241,382    
    Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $ 3,135,475       $ 2,766,231    
    Net spread   4.11 %     3.57 %
    NIM   4.61 %     4.20 %
    NIMTE*   4.66 %     4.26 %
    Cost of funds   1.55 %     1.57 %
    Average portfolio loans to average interest-earning assets   76.63 %       70.98 %  
    Average portfolio loans to average total deposits   79.50 %       74.75 %  
    Average non-interest deposits to average total deposits   26.25 %       28.99 %  
    Average interest-earning assets to average interest-bearing liabilities   136.47 %       145.68 %  


    Additional Financial Information

    (Dollars in thousands, except per share data)
    (Unaudited)

    Capital Data (At quarter end)            
      June 30, 2025   March 31, 2025   June 30, 2024  
    Book value per share $52.55     $50.67     $44.93    
    Tangible book value per share* $43.35     $41.47     $42.03    
    Total shareholders’ equity/total assets   8.95   %   8.91   %   8.76   %
    Tangible Common Equity/Tangible Assets*   7.50   %   7.41   %   8.24   %
    Tier 1 Capital / Risk Adjusted Assets   9.80   %   9.76   %   11.68   %
    Total Capital / Risk Adjusted Assets   10.71   %   10.62   %   12.58   %
    Tier 1 Capital / Average Assets   7.99   %   8.02   %   9.17   %
    Shares outstanding   5,522,271       5,520,892       5,501,562    
    Total unrealized loss on AFS debt securities, net of income taxes ($3,571 )   ($5,452 )   ($15,197 )  
    Total unrealized gain on derivatives and hedging activities, net of income taxes $1,026     $1,097     $1,212    
    Profitability Ratios                    
      June 30, 2025   March 31, 2025   December 31,
    2024
      September 30,
    2024
      June 30, 2024  
    For the quarter:                    
    NIM 4.66 % 4.55 % 4.41 % 4.29 % 4.24 %
    NIMTE* 4.72 % 4.61 % 4.47 % 4.35 % 4.30 %
    Efficiency ratio 64.68 % 63.54 % 66.96 % 66.11 % 68.78 %
    Return on average assets 1.48 % 1.76 % 1.43 % 1.22 % 1.31 %
    Return on average equity 16.37 % 19.70 % 16.32 % 13.69 % 14.84 %
      June 30, 2025   June 30, 2024  
    Year-to-date:        
    NIM 4.61 % 4.20 %
    NIMTE* 4.66 % 4.26 %
    Efficiency ratio 64.14 % 68.85 %
    Return on average assets 1.61 % 1.25 %
    Return on average equity 17.99 % 14.35 %


    *Non-GAAP Financial Measures

    (Dollars and shares in thousands, except per share data)
    (Unaudited)

    Non-GAAP financial measures have inherent limitations, are not required to be uniformly applied, and are not audited. Although we believe these non-GAAP financial measures are frequently used by stakeholders in the evaluation of the Company, they have limitations as analytical tools and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of results as reported under GAAP.

    Net interest margin on a tax equivalent basis

    Net interest margin on a tax equivalent basis (“NIMTE”) is a non-GAAP performance measurement in which interest income on non-taxable investments and loans is presented on a tax equivalent basis using a combined federal and state statutory rate of 28.43% in both 2025 and 2024. The most comparable GAAP measure is net interest margin and the following table sets forth the reconciliation of NIMTE to net interest margin for the periods indicated.

      Three Months Ended
      June 30, 2025   March 31, 2025   December 31,
    2024
      September 30,
    2024
      June 30, 2024
    Net interest income $ 33,592     $ 31,297     $ 30,841     $ 28,842     $ 27,053  
    Divided by average interest-bearing assets   2,889,289       2,781,370       2,787,517       2,674,291       2,568,266  
    Net interest margin (“NIM”)2   4.66 %     4.55 %     4.41 %     4.29 %     4.24 %
                       
    Net interest income $ 33,592     $ 31,297     $ 30,841     $ 28,842     $ 27,053  
    Plus: reduction in tax expense related to                  
    tax-exempt interest income   409       379       379       385       378  
      $ 34,001     $ 31,676     $ 31,220     $ 29,227     $ 27,431  
    Divided by average interest-bearing assets   2,889,289       2,781,370       2,787,517       2,674,291       2,568,266  
    NIMTE2   4.72 %     4.61 %     4.47 %     4.35 %     4.30 %
      Year-to-date
      June 30, 2025   June 30, 2024
    Net interest income $ 64,889     $ 53,500  
    Divided by average interest-bearing assets   2,835,627       2,563,412  
    Net interest margin (“NIM”)3   4.61 %     4.20 %
           
    Net interest income $ 64,889     $ 53,500  
    Plus: reduction in tax expense related to      
    tax-exempt interest income   788       757  
      $ 65,677     $ 54,257  
    Divided by average interest-bearing assets   2,835,627       2,563,412  
    NIMTE3   4.66 %     4.26 %

    2Calculated using actual days in the quarter divided by 365 for the quarters ended in 2025 and 366 for the quarters ended in 2024, respectively.

    3Calculated using actual days in the year divided by 365 for year-to-date period in 2025 and 366 for year-to-date period in 2024, respectively.

    *Non-GAAP Financial Measures
    (Dollars and shares in thousands, except per share data)
    (Unaudited)

    Tangible Book Value Per Share

    Tangible book value per share is a non-GAAP measure defined as shareholders’ equity, less intangible assets, divided by shares outstanding. The most comparable GAAP measure is book value per share and the following table sets forth the reconciliation of tangible book value per share and book value per share for the periods indicated.

      June 30, 2025   March 31, 2025   December 31,
    2024
      September 30,
    2024
      June 30, 2024
                       
    Total shareholders’ equity $ 290,219   $ 279,756   $ 267,116   $ 260,050   $ 247,200
    Divided by shares outstanding   5,522     5,521     5,518     5,502     5,502
    Book value per share $ 52.55   $ 50.68   $ 48.41   $ 47.26   $ 44.93
      June 30, 2025   March 31, 2025   December 31,
    2024
      September 30,
    2024
      June 30, 2024
                       
    Total shareholders’ equity $ 290,219   $ 279,756   $ 267,116   $ 260,050   $ 247,200
    Less: goodwill and intangible assets   50,824     50,824     50,968     15,967     15,967
      $ 239,395   $ 228,932   $ 216,148   $ 244,083   $ 231,233
    Divided by shares outstanding   5,522     5,521     5,518     5,502     5,502
    Tangible book value per share $ 43.35   $ 41.47   $ 39.17   $ 44.36   $ 42.03


    Tangible Common Equity to Tangible Assets

    Tangible common equity to tangible assets is a non-GAAP ratio that represents total equity less goodwill and intangible assets divided by total assets less goodwill and intangible assets. The most comparable GAAP measure of shareholders’ equity to total assets is calculated by dividing total shareholders’ equity by total assets and the following table sets forth the reconciliation of tangible common equity to tangible assets and shareholders’ equity to total assets for the periods indicated.

    Northrim BanCorp, Inc. June 30, 2025   March 31, 2025   December 31,
    2024
      September 30,
    2024
      June 30, 2024
                       
    Total shareholders’ equity $ 290,219     $ 279,756     $ 267,116     $ 260,050     $ 247,200  
    Total assets   3,243,760       3,140,960       3,041,869       2,963,392       2,821,668  
    Total shareholders’ equity to total assets   8.95 %     8.91 %     8.78 %     8.78 %     8.76 %
    Northrim BanCorp, Inc. June 30, 2025   March 31, 2025   December 31,
    2024
      September 30,
    2024
      June 30, 2024
    Total shareholders’ equity $ 290,219     $ 279,756     $ 267,116     $ 260,050     $ 247,200  
    Less: goodwill and other intangible assets, net   50,824       50,824       50,968       15,967       15,967  
    Tangible common shareholders’ equity $ 239,395     $ 228,932     $ 216,148     $ 244,083     $ 231,233  
                       
    Total assets $ 3,243,760     $ 3,140,960     $ 3,041,869     $ 2,963,392     $ 2,821,668  
    Less: goodwill and other intangible assets, net   50,824       50,824       50,968       15,967       15,967  
    Tangible assets $ 3,192,936     $ 3,090,136     $ 2,990,901     $ 2,947,425     $ 2,805,701  
    Tangible common equity ratio   7.50 %     7.41 %     7.23 %     8.28 %     8.24 %

    Note Transmitted on GlobeNewswire on July 23, 2025, at 12:15 pm Alaska Standard Time.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Andrea Salinas Leads Colleagues in Letter Opposing Trump Administration’s Attacks on the Forest Service

    Source: US Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06), joined by ten of her colleagues on the House Agriculture Committee, sent a letter to President Trump highlighting the harm his administration has done to the U.S. Forest Service.

    The letter demonstrates that the Trump administration’s actions – which include firing thousands of fire-qualified personnel, slashing funding, and moving forward an ill-conceived reorganization plan – will undermine wildfire preparedness and response across the country. The letter calls on President Trump to reverse course to undo the damage his administration has already caused.

    Click here or see below for the full letter:

    Dear President Trump,

     As we move deeper into wildfire season, we write to express our grave concern regarding your administration’s sustained attacks on the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). Widespread staff reductions, irresponsible budget proposals, and harmful organizational changes undermine the agency’s ability to effectively manage public lands, mitigate the risk of extreme wildfire, and protect the safety of communities across the country. 

    In early 2025, USFS undertook large-scale staffing reductions. More than 3,400 probationary employees were terminated, and thousands more departed under early retirement and separation incentives. The agency lost qualified wildfire response staff, as well as personnel specializing in fuels and forest management. These staff also conducted essential forest restoration work in the wake of wildfires to help critical ecosystems recover quickly and effectively. The loss of this expertise directly impairs the agency’s ability to reduce wildfire risk and respond effectively when fires occur moving forward. Despite what DOGE may claim, these employees were not part of some imagined bureaucratic fraud, they were dedicated public servants working to protect our public lands and our communities.

    In recent months your administration has advanced plans to shift many wildland fire responsibilities away from USFS and into a new entity housed within the Department of the Interior. This proposal has raised serious concerns among experts in fire response and forest management who warn it would create unnecessary disruption, fragment coordination, and delay urgently needed fuels reduction treatments during a time of escalating wildfire threats. For instance, the National Association of Forest Service Retirees has raised concerns that such an entity would take billions of dollars and many years to establish, even if done in an effective manner that preserves federal firefighting capabilities and minimizes chaos. There is also concern that such a new entity would ignore the critical role rank-and-file USFS workers play in fire preparedness and response and the inherent connection between wildfire and ongoing forest health and management. Moreover, as we move away from having a definable fire season and towards year-round risk of severe fire behavior, it is hard to imagine reorganizing our nation’s federal wildland firefighting responsibilities without creating unnecessary confusion and stress while attempting to protect vulnerable communities.

    Unfortunately, based on your administration’s track record, these concerns are well founded. From the chaotic mass firings of USFS personnel and the disruption caused by DOGE’s unfounded allegations of “waste, fraud, and abuse,” to the implementation of ill-conceived funding freezes and issuance of repetitive and vague Executive Orders, your Administration has repeatedly demonstrated an inability to execute complex plans efficiently or in good faith. It should come as no surprise, then, that your budget request included no funding to assist with any reorganization effort – nor did it request funds to replace the loss of personnel critical to the USFS’s wildfire preparedness and response capabilities.

    We would be remiss not to also mention our concern with the USFS budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2026. Slashing support for state, tribal, and private forestry programs that provide technical and financial assistance to landowners and resource managers to help sustain the nation’s forests and grasslands, protect communities from wildland fire, and restore forest ecosystems is downright dangerous. For example, eliminating funding for the Forest Service’s Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration program, one of the agency’s most popular and effective programs, will actively hinder our ability to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire and support economic revitalization in rural communities.

    The USFS is also currently withholding funding from critical state, tribal, and private forestry programs, which are essential to preparing for and responding to wildfire on non-federal lands. We are deeply concerned by reports that program funding is being redirected to pay for the unauthorized and ill-conceived Deferred Resignation Program (DRP). Reallocating funding from its congressionally authorized purpose in order to pay employees to not work is an absurd, illegal, and irresponsible use of taxpayer dollars. If additional resources are desired to pursue DRP or other reorganization efforts, USFS should formally request and justify the need for these resources.

    Moving forward, we urge you to direct USFS to rectify the harm it has already done to wildfire preparedness and response. That means re-hiring or replacing terminated employees and resuming the distribution of state, tribal, and private forestry grants. It also means dropping ill-conceived reorganization plans until meaningful planning has occurred and required funds have been secured.

    The wildfire crisis is not going away. We should work together to reverse the dangerous course USFS is on, and bolster our wildfire preparedness and response capacity through collaborative, interagency efforts with a proven track record of success. Failure to do so will have catastrophic consequences.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall: This is the Greatest Betrayal of American Trust in My Lifetime

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Senator Marshall Joins The Joe Pags Show to Discuss DNI’s Russia Report
    Washington – On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), joined Joe Pags on the Joe Pags Show to discuss Medicaid and rural hospitals, the MAHA agenda, what needs to be done to help improve American healthcare outcomes, and what will happen to the perpetrators identified in DNI Tulsi Gabbard’s recent report about the Russia misinformation scandal.

    Click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full interview.
    On the challenges facing rural hospitals:
    “This is one of my favorite topics. You know, I practiced medicine for 25 years in one of these rural hospitals. I helped run the hospital, delivered a baby every day in one of these hospitals for 25 years. You know, the challenge right now for rural hospitals is the rural economy. We have many counties that have lost half their population. They’re all moving to big, wonderful cities like Kansas City and Wichita. So the rural economy is really struggling. Only 5% of Medicaid dollars ever make it to rural America. So yes, 60% of rural hospitals are really struggling.
    And enter the One Big, Beautiful Bill – we try to help the rural economy by helping out with crop insurance, reference prices, doubling the death tax, and some of those types of business tax issues as well. So I think it’s the economy, right?”
    On Democrat misinformation regarding Medicaid and rural hospitals:“Joe, I think the left controls 90% of the message. They control the national media; it is that simple. But I came to Washington, DC, to save healthcare, and I think that we’ve saved Medicaid. For now, we’ve saved it. We put it back on solid financial footing so that Medicaid is there for those who need it the most. For senior citizens in nursing homes, for people with disabilities, for pregnant women, for children.
    “No one’s going to lose Medicaid unless they’re on it illegally, and there are 2 million people on it illegally right now. 2 million people getting it from two states right now. And then, the only other people that will lose their Medicaid are people that refuse to work. And all we’re asking is people work for 20 hours a week. When did having a job, when was that considered punishment? Why is that a bad thing?
    “I’m going to give you one more stat, Joe, is that 20 years ago, there was only 7 million healthy people on Medicaid. Today, there’s 34 million healthy people on Medicaid. Let’s help those people find a job. Let’s give them education. Let’s help give them a hand up, and not a handout.”
    On the importance of verifying people’s status for Medicaid:
    “So this would be Medicaid expansion as you know it. So, Medicaid expansion gives Medicaid to healthy people that are above the poverty line. And then they stopped really doing any types of checks and balances on people. People could just walk in and say, I don’t have a job, I’m not making any money, they would never verify it. But we had the technology data actually verify those things pretty easily, and then we would just check things once a year. So I understand, look, I want to help medicate people out, I want to make sure no one goes to bed hungry, but this idea of just checking people once a year, not verifying their story, is just dishonest.”
    On improving the quality of VA care:
    “So Joe, again, what’s important to me: my dad served, my brother served, I served, my son is serving everyone. Every generation of my family, someone has served. I want to make sure that we fulfill the promise we made to veterans, but it’s been done inefficiently. It’s amazing, when President Trump 45 was in office, the wait times went down for our veterans, the care was going up, and the patient satisfaction was going up.
    “But under Joe Biden, they hired more and more administrator-type of people. And now President Trump went in there and said, ‘we don’t want all this bloated administration.’ There’s hundreds of billions of dollars that we’re increasing every year for veterans. We want to make sure it’s patient interfacing. So it’s the counselors, it’s the nurses, it’s the physical therapists. Those are the people we want. We don’t want more and more bureaucrats setting up here in the VA, here in Washington, DC.”
    On what might replace Obamacare:
    “Absolutely, and we’ve had these conversations. My big three themes for fixing health care when I came here was anything that makes health care more transparent, anything that promotes innovation, and anything that makes patients consumers again, would drive down the cost of health care. And President Trump already has issued many executive orders on the transparency part of this that are coming to fruition as well… making hospitals show you what they’re going to charge you for if you need an MRI, make that imaging center share with you what it’s going to cost so consumers can shop more.
    “So our big thrust of legislation this semester, as I call it, is we dropped a big transparency bill, which in many cases is codifying what President Trump’s executive orders are. And then there’s an issue called prior authorization, where Medicare Advantage companies, especially, are trying to prevent patients from getting the care they need.
    “So I was recently with the White House and Dr. Oz, and Secretary Kennedy, putting some more rules around what they can and can’t do as far as withholding health care. So, absolutely, those conversations that went on since day one, and I’m very proud to work beside Dr. Oz, Dr. McCary, over in FDA, as well as Secretary Kennedy.”
    On healthcare cost transparency and medical monopolies:
    “Joe, I’m not sure if I have a great answer. I can certainly tell you that I believe that insurance companies and big hospitals wrote the ACA. And they knew exactly what they were doing. Through the years, increased regulations have led to monopolies. So, you think about healthcare in each community. There’s one hospital; there’s usually one or two insurance companies that control 80% of the market in the entire state as well. So, through the years, these monopolies have allowed them to do it more.
    “So, physicians would like to own hospitals. Hospitals can own physicians, but physicians cannot own hospitals. We would like to come back in and have more competition, but that was outlawed by the ACA as well. So, whenever there’s overregulation, that’s going to lead to consolidation of the industry and get them more and more free rein.”
    On the job that HHS Secretary Kennedy is doing thus far:
    “Well, I think we’re just getting started again. The backdrop of this is 60% of Americans have a chronic disease. We’re spending 90% of our healthcare dollars on those chronic diseases, think heart disease, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, cancer, and anxiety. Those seven diseases are taking up 90% of [the] dollars [spent]. We think that there’s a significant nutritional component to all those. I think that we’re going to find that alzheimers is type three diabetes.
    “So, what can we do nutritionally to prevent those as well as treat them. So I’ve worked, obviously, I’ve grown up in agriculture, so I’ve had a foot in agriculture my whole life, a foot in healthcare since I was 23 or so, I started medical school, I guess.
    “So, as I listened to MAHA, I listened to the American farmers, and said: Where do we meet? How do we get healthy food? Well, I think it starts with healthy soil. It’s kind of a dirty topic, if you will, but that’s the focus. That’s what we’re working with, Secretary Kennedy and Secretary Rollins at Agriculture, who’s doing an incredible job, is trying to work with our farmers to make healthier soil, which is going to lead to healthy food and healthy people. And by the way, American farmers are doing so many great things already in this area.
    “So, I’ve been sharing with Secretary Kennedy best practices where we’re growing more with less. We’re decreasing by 90% the amount of fertilizer and pesticides that are leaving our field. We’re decreasing the amount that we’re putting on by 60% through modern-day agriculture practices. So, we’re working on this transition to get everybody practicing this regenerative agriculture.”
    On DNI Gabbard’s Russia misinformation report:
    “Joe, this is certainly new information to me. This White House meeting, with documentation of that meeting, adds Joe Biden’s name to being in that meeting as well. And I think what that document shows is this is the greatest betrayal of American trust in my lifetime. And you’re out there, your listeners right now, you’re sitting there thinking, well, the Democrats lied to us about COVID. They lied to us about Joe Biden’s health. And here’s his Royal Highness Barack Obama, that he lied to us as well and really organized this fraud, of what happened in this, Russia, Russia, Russia hoax.
    “And certainly the FISA court abuse, we knew all about that, but this is news to me that we can actually trace this all the way back to it to one Oval Office meeting, and they absolutely contradicted what the intelligence community was saying. I think that’s accurate.”
    On what will happen to the perpetrators of the hoax:
    “Yeah, Joe, I think it’s all the above. Certainly, we need the Justice Department to go full speed ahead and do whatever they can do. And meanwhile, the House and the Senate both have investigative committees. James Comer leads that over on the House side, and Rand Paul here on the Senate side. Ron Johnson also has a subcommittee that can focus on this as well. So, all of this needs to happen. Congress’s job is to expose everything and then let the Justice Department prosecute.
    “But regardless of where it goes, Joe, I think the story here, to me, is this betrayal of American trust as a physician. One of the first things I learned is that once you lose your reputation, you never get it back. And Americans don’t trust the federal government right now, and why would they right? So, I’m trying to work day and night to help restore that trust, but I think the Democrats just keep digging and digging a hole further and deeper. You know, the first thing you need to do when you’re in a hole is to stop digging. And here they are again, once again, in a deep, deep hole.”
    On the American right wanting to see arrests:
    “Joe, I sure hope so. I just want to tell you, you sound like my wife. You sound like my mom and dad. They say why isn’t somebody in handcuffs? Everything Hillary Clinton did to erase those emails. And the FISA court abuse. I’m not satisfied. You know, the judges should have paid the price for that. Everyone involved in that food chain of the FISA court abuse should have been fired at a minimum. And maybe one person went to jail, as I recall that.
    “So here we are. This is the next chapter of the FISA court abuse, and I think that’s what gives this story legs is… you dove into that story. I dove into that story, saying, my gosh, how did they do this? How did they fall for this, I mean, without orchestrating it? I sure hope so. I’m not a person to overpromise and underdeliver. I do think that Pam Bondi is serious. She would love to throw someone in jail. And I have a feeling Tulsi Gabbard would as well.”

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Risch Introduces Bill to Strengthen Local, Federal Immigration Enforcement Efforts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho James E Risch

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) introduced today the 287(g) Program Protection Act to streamline and strengthen partnerships between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities.

    “President Trump’s enforcement of our immigration laws has brought encounters at the southern border to a screeching halt,” said Risch. “To finish cleaning up the Biden administration’s mess, we must empower our local law enforcement to assist ICE in identifying and detaining the illegal immigrants in our communities.”

    Risch is joined by U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), and Rick Scott (R-Fla.).

    The 287(g) Program Protection Act has received support from Idaho’s Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris. 

    “In Kootenai County, we are committed to enforcing the law impartially and responsibly. The 287(g) program offers a structured, transparent framework that supports this mission,” said Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris. “Senator Risch’s leadership in furthering this program by attempting to streamline the process and provide local agencies a fair and timely opportunity to participate in federal enforcement efforts underscores his dedication to public safety, border integrity, and the rule of law. I stand with Senator Risch in urging Congress to advance this legislation and preserve the 287(g) program as a vital component of our national security efforts.”

    The 287(g) program enables state and local law enforcement agencies to partner with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to carry out critical immigration functions. 

    Under the Biden administration, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) refused to process new 287(g) program applications, creating a significant backlog, and offered little transparency to the jurisdictions seeking participation.

    In January 2025, President Trump issued an executive order to address the backlog and approve hundreds of 287(g) agreements, allowing local officers to enforce immigration laws.

    The 287(g) Program Protection Act would:

    • Require DHS to approve or deny 287(g) applications within 90 days;
    • Require DHS to provide written justification to Congress for denied applications; and
    • Prohibit DHS from terminating any existing 287(g) agreement without cause or prior notice to Congress.

    The 287(g) Program Protection Act was introduced in the House of Representatives by Representative Michael Cloud (R-Texas).

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Urgent: Take action to protect Tennessee Valley Authority from privatization

    Source: US International Brotherhood of Boilermakers

    Breaking News

    Since 1933, the Boilermakers have been working with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to build and maintain the infrastructure that powers the South. What began as a New Deal hydroelectric-focused endeavor has evolved over the past 90 years to coal, natural gas, nuclear and a planned, first-in-the-nation nuclear fusion generation facility. The generating assets within the TVA are diverse and efficient, delivering power to millions of southern households across seven states, powering the southern economy and stabilizing the national electric grid.  TVA is a federally owned power authority that has been operating in partnership with the IBB for nearly 100 years, producing millions of man-hours for generations.

    Since the Obama administration, several unsuccessful attempts have been made to privatize TVA. There are strong rumors that the Trump administration is considering privatization of TVA, meaning they would sell off the generating assets and infrastructure to the highest bidder, jeopardizing millions of Boilermaker man-hours. Additionally, privatizing TVA’s assets would cost families who live in the TVA jurisdiction an estimated additional $50 a month on their utility bill—a cost most working families cannot afford.

    Below is the Boilermakers’ official statement urging against privatization of TVA. Boilermakers are strongly encouraged to contact their U.S. Senators using this action page link, which can and should be shared widely. The link will take you to an easy form that will automatically contact your Senator with a letter. It only takes a minute. This will help Boilermakers working on TVA projects and remind Washington that Boilermakers power America.

     

    Boilermakers’ official statement on privatization of the Tennessee Valley Authority 

    Kansas City, Mo. (July 23, 2025) — Following is the official statement of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, issued by International President Timothy Simmons, regarding U.S. Senate consideration of privatization of the Tennessee Valley Authority

    We urge the Senate to slow down any attempt to privatize the Tennessee Valley Authority, as any such effort would have devastating effects across the South and our nation.  Through the hard work of thousands of Boilermakers, TVA has been efficiently and effectively powering the South for over 90 years, building and maintaining a diverse portfolio of power generation assets across seven states. Disrupting TVA’s service to the South would, in turn, disrupt the nation, stalling out our ability to meet increasing power demands further stressed by the need to support the ever-evolving AI technology sector. In its current practice, TVA generates power that is affordable for every family and stabilizes the nation’s power grid. This is a classic case of “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it.” 

    All Boilermakers are encouraged to contact their U.S. Senators using this action link.

    View the full statement PDF

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Government Watchdog Finds Trump Has Illegally Impounded Head Start Funding for Families Across America—Murray Responds

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement on another Government Accountability Office (GAO) decision announced this morning, which concludes that President Trump has illegally impounded funding provided by Congress for Head Start programs across America, in violation of the Impoundment Control Act (ICA):

    “Today, a top government watchdog confirmed what we’ve known for months: President Trump has illegally held up vast sums of funding for Head Start programs across America—blocking funding that working families count on every day for pre-K and so many critical services Head Start offers.

    “Because of Trump’s illegal impoundment of this funding that Congress provided, we have seen Head Start centers temporarily close, families scramble to make alternate plans, and needless stress and panic in communities nationwide—including in Washington state.

    “Stealing money from preschool programs? No President in modern history has demonstrated such contempt for working and low-income American families as Donald Trump.

    “Trump has signaled he would like to eliminate Head Start—but that’s not his choice to make. Congress delivered this funding for Head Start on a bipartisan basis, and instead of trying to destroy preschool programs and breaking our laws to hurt working families, President Trump needs to ensure every penny of these funds get out in a timely, consistent way moving forward—and he must also finally get out the rest of the investments he has been robbing the American people of.”

    In its decision, GAO also highlighted the Trump administration’s complete unwillingness to provide any explanation or justification for their actions, which, in this case, impact hundreds of thousands of children and families in Head Start programs across the country. This is further evidence that claims by this administration of a commitment to radical transparency are a farce—as this administration continues to try to hide what it is doing, and how it is spending taxpayer dollars, from the American public.

    In April, Senator Murray raised alarm bells about how President Trump was withholding nearly $1 billion in Head Start funding, and she led her colleagues in demanding that the funds get moving. A Head Start center in Lower Yakima Valley, Washington state, was forced to temporarily close because of the chaotic delays. Senator Murray has also consistently warned of how President Trump’s dismantling of the Office of Head Start is hurting families nationwide.

    In its decision today, the GAO concluded that:

    “As explained below, we conclude that HHS withheld these funds from expenditure in violation of the ICA. The Head Start Act requires the Secretary to prescribe procedures to assure that ‘financial assistance under this subchapter shall not be suspended, except in emergency situations, unless the recipient agency has been given reasonable notice and opportunity to show cause why such action should not be taken’. HHS’s actions here were inconsistent with this legal requirement. … As of 2024, there were approximately

    1,600 grant recipients across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, five territories, and Palau. Grant recipients, known as Head Start agencies, can generally receive federal funds that cover up to 80 percent of the approved costs of an agency’s Head Start program. ….  The Constitution grants the President no unilateral authority to withhold funds from obligation. …. In addition, plaintiffs in numerous cases before federal district courts reported Head Start agencies’ inabilities to access Head Start grant funding. While we accept that the rate of an agency’s obligations or disbursements of a given appropriation may vary from year to year, we expect that an agency’s obligations and expenditures, at any time throughout the fiscal year, will reflect a ‘reasonable attempt by the agency to carry out the purposes of the appropriation.’ Moreover, we would not expect substantial variations in disbursement rates in this case, where disbursements are directed by the Head Start Act. …. If the Administration wishes to make changes to the appropriation provided for Head Start, it must propose legislation for consideration by Congress.”

    Presidents do not wield the power to unilaterally withhold or block investments that have been enacted into law through what’s known as “impoundment.” This foundational principle has been affirmed time and again. The Impoundment Control Act (ICA) of 1974 makes this plain and establishes limited procedures the president can and must follow to propose delaying or rescinding enacted funding. The Impoundment Control Act also charges the GAO with the responsibility of investigating and reporting to Congress when the president illegally withholds funding.

    The GAO has now acknowledged that it has opened 46 impoundment investigations and counting. Today’s announcement follows the GAO’s first decision in May in one of its ongoing investigations, which concluded Trump is illegally impounding funding for electric vehicle charging, and a subsequent investigation in June concluding Trump is illegally impounding funding for museums and libraries across America. The ICA authorizes the Comptroller General to file suit when the president illegally impounds funding.

    Since his first hours in office, President Trump has illegally blocked funding owed to communities across the country through a variety of different means. Senate and House Appropriations Committee Democrats have been tracking Trump’s illegal funding freeze and found that, as of June 3, President Trump is blocking at least $425 billion in funding owed to the American people.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Secures Unprecedented U.S.–Japan Strategic Trade and Investment Agreement

    Source: US Whitehouse

    A HISTORIC TRADE AND INVESTMENT AGREEMENT WITH JAPAN: Yesterday, President Donald J. Trump announced a landmark economic agreement with Japan—one of America’s closest allies and most important trading partners.

    • This historic deal reflects the strength of the U.S.–Japan relationship and Japan’s recognition of the United States as the most attractive and secure destination for strategic investment in the world.
    • The agreement reaffirms the shared commitment of both nations to economic prosperity, industrial leadership, and long-term security. It delivers a powerful signal that the U.S.–Japan alliance is not only a cornerstone of peace in the Indo-Pacific, but also a driver of global growth and innovation.
    • With over $550 billion in a new Japanese/USA investment vehicle and enhanced access for American exports, this agreement marks a new chapter in bilateral cooperation—one that will unleash the full potential of the U.S. economy, strengthen vital supply chains, and support American workers, communities, and businesses for decades to come.

    RESTORING AMERICAN INDUSTRIAL POWER: Japan will invest $550 billion directed by the United States to rebuild and expand core American industries.

    • This is the single largest foreign investment commitment ever secured by any country and will generate hundreds of thousands of U.S. jobs, expand domestic manufacturing, and secure American prosperity for generations.
    • At President Trump’s direction, these funds will be targeted toward the revitalization of America’s strategic industrial base, including:
      • Energy infrastructure and production, including LNG, advanced fuels, and grid modernization;
      • Semiconductor manufacturing and research, rebuilding U.S. capacity from design to fabrication;
      • Critical minerals mining, processing, and refining, ensuring access to essential inputs;
      • Pharmaceutical and medical production, ending U.S. dependence on foreign-made medicines and supplies;
      • Commercial and defense shipbuilding, including new yards and modernization of existing facilities.
    • The United States will retain 90% of the profits from this investment—ensuring that American workers, taxpayers, and communities reap the overwhelming share of the benefit.
    • This capital surge, combined with the trillions already secured under President Trump’s leadership, will be a key component of a once-in-a-century industrial revival.

    ENSURING BALANCED TRADE THROUGH A PREDICTABLE TARIFF FRAMEWORK: As part of this agreement, imports from Japan will be subject to a baseline 15% tariff rate.

    • In addition to raising billions in revenue, this new tariff framework, combined with expanded U.S. exports and investment-driven production, will help narrow the trade deficit with Japan and restore greater balance to the overall U.S. trade position.
    • This approach reflects the United States’ broader effort to establish a consistent, transparent, and enforceable trade environment—one in which American workers and producers are no longer disadvantaged by outdated or one-sided trade rules.
    • By aligning with this framework, Japan affirms the strength and mutual respect of the U.S.–Japan economic relationship and recognizes the importance of durable trade grounded in fairness.

    SECURING INCREASED MARKET ACCESS FOR AMERICAN PRODUCERS: For decades, U.S. companies have faced barriers when seeking access to Japan’s market. This agreement delivers breakthrough openings across key sectors:

    • Agriculture and Food:
      • Japan will immediately increase imports of U.S. rice by 75%, with a major expansion of import quotas;
      • Japan will purchase $8 billion in U.S. goods, including corn, soybeans, fertilizer, bioethanol, and sustainable aviation fuel.
    • Energy:
      • Major expansion of U.S. energy exports to Japan;
      • The US and Japan are exploring a new offtake agreement for Alaskan liquefied natural gas (LNG).
    • Manufacturing and Aerospace:
      • Japan has committed to purchase U.S.-made commercial aircraft, including an agreement to buy 100 Boeing aircraft;
      • Additional billions of dollars annually of purchases of U.S. defense equipment, enhancing interoperability and alliance security in the Indo-Pacific.
    • Automobiles and Industrial Goods:
      • Longstanding restrictions on U.S. cars and trucks will be lifted, granting U.S. automakers access to the Japanese consumer market; U.S. Automotive standards will be approved in Japan for the first time ever.
      • Broader openings for a range of industrial and consumer goods, leveling the playing field for American producers.

    A GENERATIONAL SHIFT IN U.S.-JAPAN ECONOMIC RELATIONS: This agreement is not merely a trade deal—it is a strategic realignment of the U.S.-Japan economic relationship delivering for the American people.

    • For the first time, the terms of engagement place American industry, innovation, and labor at the center.
    • By securing historic investment and breaking open long-closed markets, President Trump has once again delivered a deal that no one else could deliver—a deal that will help to rebuild the American economy, strengthen our industrial foundation, and safeguard our national strength for decades to come.
    • President Trump is proving that when the United States leads from strength, the world follows—and America wins.

    SECURING LONG-TERM ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP: This agreement reflects the strong and enduring relationship between the United States and Japan, and it advances the mutual interests of both nations.

    • By aligning on economic and national security, energy reliability, and reciprocal trade, the agreement establishes a foundation for shared prosperity, industrial resilience, and technological leadership.
    • President Trump has once again delivered a transformative outcome for the American people—ensuring that our workers, producers, and innovators are rewarded, respected, and empowered in the global economy.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sanctuary City NYC Sees a More Than 400% Spike in ICE Detainers as DHS Prioritizes American People Over Criminal Illegal Aliens

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Sanctuary City NYC Sees a More Than 400% Spike in ICE Detainers as DHS Prioritizes American People Over Criminal Illegal Aliens

    lass=”text-align-center”>Sanctuary politicians forbid local law enforcement from any assistance on immigration matters, even to the point of refusing to assist with criminal arrest warrants 
    WASHINGTON—The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced today U

    S

    Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has issued 6,025 arrest requests to transfer custody, or detainers, in sanctuary New York City (NYC), since January 20, 2025

    To put this into perspective, during the entire Biden Administration, ICE only issued 9,472 detainers in NYC

    Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, there has been a more than 400 percent increase in the number of detainers lodged in NYC

     
    Despite the 6,025 arrest detainers lodged, NYC has honored just a handful

    In non-sanctuary cities, law enforcement would honor these requests and transfer these criminal illegal aliens to ICE law enforcement to detain and deport them

     
    “In just six months ICE has issued over 6,000 detainers in NYC alone—that’s a more than 400 percent increase in the number of detainers lodged under Biden,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin

    “When sanctuary politicians like Mayor Eric Adams ignore ICE detainers, they are protecting criminal illegal aliens at the expense of American citizens

    These are barbaric criminals with prior convictions for rape, murder, drug trafficking, and instead of holding them for ICE, sanctuary politicians release them back into your communities

    These reckless policies have deadly consequences

    Just this week, two illegal aliens who entered our country and were released under President Biden shot and nearly killed a brave off-duty CBP officer

    Both criminal illegal aliens had been arrested previously for violent crimes and released by the NYPD

    ”  
    ICE detainers are legal requests to state or local law enforcement to hold illegal aliens in custody and turn them over to immigration authorities

    These individuals often have prior deportation orders, criminal convictions, or pose as national security threats

      
    As ICE officers are arresting and removing the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens, they are facing a record number of assaults against them

    Assaults on ICE law enforcement have increased by 830 percent since Trump took office

    This increase in violence is largely driven by anti-ICE rhetoric and further fueled by these sanctuary politicians and their reckless policies

      
    DHS reaffirms our commitment to the American people—it will not be deterred by partisan attacks or activist pressure

    ICE will continue placing detainers, enforcing immigration law, and defending public safety—because every American deserves to feel safe in their own neighborhood

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: President Donald J. Trump Approves Major Disaster Declaration for New Mexico

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: President Donald J

    Trump Approves Major Disaster Declaration for New Mexico

    President Donald J

    Trump Approves Major Disaster Declaration for New Mexico

    WASHINGTON — FEMA announced that federal disaster assistance is available to the state of New Mexico to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, flooding and landslides from June 23, 2025, and continuing

     The President’s action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in Lincoln County

    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

     Federal funding is also available to state, tribal and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms, flooding and landslides in Lincoln County

     José M

    Gil Montañez 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 warranted by the results of damage assessments

     Individuals who sustained losses in the designated areas should first file claims with their insurance providers and then apply for assistance 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, provide FEMA the number for that service

    erika

    suzuki
    Wed, 07/23/2025 – 14:29

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Rosen in Las Vegas Sun: Trump’s New Extreme Law Is A Big Betrayal For Southern Nevada

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)

    LAS VEGAS, NV – This week, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) penned an op-ed in the Las Vegas Sun highlighting the devastating impacts that Donald Trump’s extreme tax and spending bill will bring to Southern Nevada. With the help of Republicans in Congress, Trump pushed through a bill that will gut access to healthcare services, cut funding for hospitals and food assistance programs, and even harm Nevada’s gaming industry. 
    Las Vegas Sun: Trump’s new extreme law is a big betrayal for Southern Nevada
    By Senator Jacky Rosen
    Key Points: 

    Earlier this month, Republicans in the House and Senate forced through President Donald Trump’s extreme tax and spending law — a devastating betrayal of hardworking Nevadans.
    As one of your U.S. senators, I believe public service is about delivering results that improve people’s lives, and that’s why I am outraged by a law that guts critical programs for hardworking families so Washington Republicans can hand out massive tax breaks to billionaires.
    Thanks to Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, which is really a big, ugly betrayal, more than 100,000 people in our state will lose access to affordable health care, and more than a dozen hospitals in Southern Nevada are facing millions of dollars in funding cuts.
    … according to a new report, University Medical Center stands to potentially lose $45 million from this extreme law. When hospitals lose funds, they can be forced to reduce services, hours or even close down, which hurts everyone. 
    By cutting Medicaid, Trump and congressional Republicans are making it harder for every Nevadan, regardless of whether they rely on Medicaid or not, to access the life-saving care they need.
    Trump’s bill also makes major cuts to SNAP — a food assistance program that helps nearly 1 in 6 Nevadans put food on the table. SNAP also funds a significant number of local food banks in our communities that Nevadans rely on to get a meal.
    This extreme law also includes a hidden provision targeting Nevada’s gaming industry. Under this new law, those who lose money playing blackjack, poker or other casino games will now owe taxes on money they lost. You read that right: Nevadans would be forced to pay the government taxes on money they didn’t win. It’s outrageous, and it will hurt our gaming industry — decimating our tourism industry along the way. This month, Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto and I tried to repeal this absurd provision by passing our bipartisan bill to fix it, but Senate Republicans blocked our efforts.
    We should be making life easier for people, ensuring that hardworking families can have a fair shot at living the American dream. It’s not about putting one group over another; it’s about giving people an equal chance at success. That means lowering costs for families and holding big corporations accountable for price gouging; cutting taxes for the middle class and closing loopholes exploited by billionaires; and addressing crises like the lack of affordable housing so everyone can put a roof over their heads without breaking the bank.
    Republicans’ tax and spending law fails every one of these tests. It slashes key lifelines for working people in order to hand out billions to the ultra-wealthy. That is not just bad policy — it’s shameful. As your senator, I will keep fighting to mitigate the harm of this reckless budget. I will work with my colleagues to stand up for Nevada families and push for policies that put people first.
    I urge every Nevadan to stay engaged, speak out and join me in this fight. Together, we can protect our families, defend our communities and keep the promise of the American dream alive for everyone who calls Nevada home.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen Helps Introduce Bill to Lower Costs for First-Time Homebuyers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) joined Senate colleagues in introducing legislation to lower costs for first-time homebuyers. The current housing affordability crisis has hit Nevada particularly hard—Las Vegas home prices are at an all-time high. The First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit Act will create a tax credit worth up to 10 percent of a home’s purchase price, up to $15,000, for low- and moderate-income first-time homebuyers. This credit would be available at the point of sale to help individuals and families without sufficient funds for a down payment to afford a home.
    “The Trump Administration’s reckless policies are raising housing costs across the board and making it more difficult for hardworking Nevadans to achieve the American Dream,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m proud to help introduce a bill to help lower costs and make it easier for first-time homebuyers to afford a down payment. I’ll keep fighting to lower housing costs for hardworking families in our state.”
    Senator Rosen has been fighting to lower housing costs for Nevadans. She recently joined a bipartisan bill to help lower housing costs and incentivize housing development in Nevada. Senator Rosen has also pushed the Trump Administration to reverse course on imposing tariffs on Canada and Mexico to prevent housing prices from rising even further. She also led her colleagues in a letter to Senate appropriators requesting they fund the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Veterans Affairs and Supportive Housing program. 

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: Senator Baldwin Unveils Package of Bills to Lower Costs for Wisconsin Families

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – As costs for working families rise under the Trump Administration, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) introduced a package of bills to address the ongoing affordability crisis in Wisconsin. Baldwin’s affordability agenda will lower the cost of purchasing a home for first-time homebuyers, ensure families can find and afford high-quality child care, and crack down on big corporations’ price gouging.
    “President Trump promised to lower costs for Wisconsinites, and instead he’s launching a trade war, kicking hundreds of thousands of Wisconsinites off their health insurance, and making life more expensive for hard-working families,” said Senator Baldwin. “Wisconsin families deserve some breathing room and deserve an agenda that works for them – not just for those in power, the wealthy, or well-connected. That’s why I’m pushing a package of commonsense bills that will help lower the costs of some of the biggest expenses in families’ budgets each month – housing, child care, and household goods.”
    Below are the bills that Senator Baldwin and her colleagues introduced:
    First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit Act
    The First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit Act would lower the cost of purchasing a home for first-time buyers by establishing a refundable tax credit worth up to 10 percent of a home’s purchase price – up to a maximum of $15,000 – for first-time homebuyers. Under the First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit Act, taxpayers would have the option of receiving the credit at the time of purchase by working with their mortgage issuer. Alternatively, taxpayers could elect to treat the purchase of their home as occurring in the prior taxable year to receive the credit before tax season if they are unable to qualify for the credit at the point of sale.
    The median sales price of homes in Wisconsin increased by more than half (53.3%) in just five years. During those years, the state’s median household income increased by only 19.7%. The National Association of Home Builders has estimated that the material costs to build a new home might increase by as much as $10,000 due to Trump’s tariffs.
    Price Gouging Prevention Act of 2025
    The Price Gouging Prevention Act of 2025 would prohibit corporate price gouging by authorizing the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and state attorneys general to enforce a federal ban against grossly excessive price increases, regardless of a seller’s position in a supply chain. The bill would help enforcers establish when price gouging is occurring during a significant shift in the market and outline a standard of what a violation is. It would also create an affirmative defense to protect small businesses that raise prices in good faith to earn a profit, while establishing presumptions against dominant companies that brag about exploiting American consumers or exercise unfair leverage to get ahead. Additionally, the bill would strengthen requirements for public companies to disclose changes in pricing strategies during market shocks in their filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
    Child Care for Working Families Act
    The Child Care for Working Families Act would tackle the child care crisis head-on: ensuring families can afford the child care they need, expanding access to more high-quality options, stabilizing the child care sector, and helping ensure child care workers taking care of our nation’s kids are paid livable wages. The legislation will also dramatically expand access to pre-K, and support full-day, full-year Head Start programs and increased wages for Head Start workers. Under the legislation, the typical family in America will pay no more than $15 a day for child care—with many families paying nothing at all—and no eligible family will pay more than 7 percent of their income on child care. The bill would also address child care deserts by providing grants to help open new child care providers in underserved communities and to cover start-up and licensing costs to help establish new providers. Additionally, the legislation would ensure child care workers are paid a living wage and achieve parity with elementary school teachers who have similar credentials and experience. On average, Wisconsin child care for an infant costs $12,567 annually, or $1,047 per month.
    Bill text for the Price Gouging Prevention Act can be found HERE and a one-pager HERE.
    Bill text for the First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit Act can be found HERE.
    Bill text for the Child Care for Working Families Act can be found HERE and a pager HERE.
    A full video from Senator Baldwin’s press conference is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEW: Government Watchdog Finds Trump Administration Illegally Froze Funding to Head Start Nationwide

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), ranking member on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health, and Human Services, released the following statement after a nonpartisan, independent government watchdog found that the Trump Administration illegally withheld funding from Head Start facilities nationwide earlier this year, forcing some to close:

    “This report proves what we’ve known all along: the Trump Administration broke the law and tried to take away preschool and child care services from Wisconsin’s working families because President Trump thinks the funding provided to the federal government is a slush fund for his personal use. It’s not. We have three branches of government, and when Congress approves funding, that is the law of the land that the President must follow. When funding to Head Start was frozen earlier this year, Donald Trump left families nationwide high and dry as preschool programs were forced to shutter, staff were laid off, and parents in some cases drove hours to find replacement child care,” said Senator Baldwin. “This non-partisan report shows that the Trump Administration not only turned their backs on thousands of working families, but they also think they are above the law. No one is above the law, and I’ll continue standing up and speaking out for Wisconsin families when President Trump breaks the law and tries to take away programs Wisconsin families rely on.”

    Today, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report that found the Trump Administration and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) illegally impounded funding approved by Congress for Head Start programs. This impacted Head Start programs across the country, causing at least one Wisconsin Head Start program to shut down earlier this year.

    Senator Baldwin has been pressing the Trump Administration for months to answer for this illegal funding freeze. In April, she led a group of 41 Senators in calling out the Trump administration’s direct attacks on Head Start and demanding his Department of Health and Human Services immediately release Head Start funding, reverse the mass firing of Head Start staff, and stop gutting the offices that help ensure high-quality child care is available for thousands of children and families across the country. She also pressed HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy on this frozen funding at a Senate hearing in May. She visited a Head Start facility in Waukesha, Wisconsin to talk with families, leadership, and staff about the impact of the illegal funding freeze after they were forced to close their doors earlier this year.

    Read the full report from GAO here.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Capito Opening Statement at Hearing to Consider Scarlett, Hall Nominations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    [embedded content]

    To watch Chairman Capito’s opening statement, click here or the image above.

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, led a hearing on the nominations of Katherine Scarlett to be a Member of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and Jeffrey Hall to be an Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

    Below is the opening statement of Chairman Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) as delivered.

    “At this hearing, we will consider the President’s nominations of Katherine Scarlett to serve as Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality and Jeffrey Hall to serve as Assistant Administrator for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance at the Environmental Protection Agency. So, thank you both for your willingness to serve. I want to give a special welcome to Katherine’s family…her husband Brian and her parents are here today, so thank you for joining us. And I know Jeffery has his parents and his wife here with him today, so thank you all for coming and being supportive.

    “Established by the National Environmental Policy Act, also known as NEPA, the Council on Environmental Quality or CEQ as we call it, is part of the Executive Office of the President. The agency is primarily responsible for advising federal agencies on the implementation of NEPA, as well as developing and recommending environmental policies to the President.

    “Katherine is very well-qualified to lead CEQ. In her current role as CEQ’s chief of staff, Katherine has supported the efforts of federal agencies to implement the bipartisan Fiscal Responsibility Act and ensure compliance with recent court decisions as agencies update their individual NEPA regulations and procedures.

    “She also led efforts to modernize environmental review and permitting processes through President Trump’s Permitting Technology Action Plan, recently launching the ‘CE Explorer’ which allows for easy identification of the more than 2,000 categorical exclusions established by federal agencies.

    “During the time of the first Trump Administration, Katherine served in senior roles at CEQ and also at the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council. In the four years between her service in the executive branch, Katherine served on my staff here at EPW, playing a key role in shaping bipartisan provisions in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Economic Development Reauthorization Act, and the America’s Conservation Enhancement Reauthorization Act, so thank you for that.

    “As my colleagues know, Ranking Member Whitehouse and I are diligently working on bipartisan legislation to reform the environmental review and permitting processes for all projects. I am hopeful that we can get a bill to the President’s desk for his signature. And when we do, I am confident that it will be implemented faithfully under Katherine’s leadership of CEQ.

    “Today, we will also hear from Jeffrey Hall, thank you Jeffery for being here, President Trump’s nominee to lead the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. OECA works with EPA regional offices, in partnership with state governments, tribal governments, and other federal agencies to promote regulatory compliance and enforce the nation’s environmental laws and regulations.

    “The office targets the most serious water, air, and chemical pollution violations under laws such as the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, CERCLA, and the Toxic Substances Control Act. In carrying out the EPA’s statutory authority, OECA must operate within the confines of our federal environmental laws, not invent novel violations to penalize regulated entities.

    “The previous administration placed an outsized emphasis on penalizing regulated entities, rather than working with good faith actors in the regulated community to ensure compliance. Mr. Hall will be tasked with striking the right balance between the agency’s efforts to encourage compliance with our environmental laws, and targeting the entities flaunting those laws to ensure Americans have clean air, clean water, and clean land.

    “Mr. Hall’s professional experience gives him the expertise to effectively lead this office. He has worked as a litigator, prosecutor, and legal advisor representing federal agencies, corporations, and individuals in a wide variety of litigation and in both civil and criminal enforcement procedures.

    “I look forward to hearing how Mr. Hall will navigate the Agency’s enforcement and compliance priorities today.”

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI—Hagerty Joins Open Interest on BloombergTV to Discuss Japan Trade Deal, China Negotiations, Appropriations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Tennessee Bill Hagerty
    WASHINGTON—Today, United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, joined Open Interest on BloombergTVto discuss President Donald Trump’s new trade agreement with Japan, implications for China, and the Senate’s progress on appropriations and crypto legislation.
    *Click the photo above or here to watch*Partial Transcript
    Hagerty on the significance of the U.S.-Japan trade agreement: “I think this is putting us on a completely new playing field with our allies in Japan. I look forward to what we do with South Korea as well. Japan is going to become a major financier of projects that support all of our national security, our economic security, and our national security. When I was Ambassador to Japan, we negotiated two trade deals with the Japanese. These are not easy to do. And my hats off to the team– Secretary [Scott] Bessent, Secretary [Howard] Lutnick, and Ambassador [Jamieson] Greer– they have done a fantastic job and delivered a terrific deal.”
    Hagerty on access for U.S. rice: “The Japanese are difficult to negotiate with, but they keep their word once a deal is made. I know that’s not true in every place in the world, but the Japanese certainly do. I know the negotiations have been tough; I’ve been in rice negotiations with the Japanese in the past. It’s almost a sacred issue in their agricultural sector, but rice has had an incredible run in terms of its price, creating a lot of inflation and pain domestically in Japan. I think this [deal] will be welcomed by the Japanese public to see more rice imported. It will take some of the pressure off the supply constraints that they have right now in the country.”
    Hagerty on the implications the U.S.-Japan deal has on China: “This [deal] absolutely makes a huge difference with respect to China. What China can observe is that our allies are working with us, and we’re doing this in a way that maximizes economic opportunity here in the United States, making our nation stronger. A stronger America means that all of our allies benefit from this. It’s a good deal for Japan. Their stock market is up. Our stock market is up. Everybody’s loving this.”
    Hagerty on future trade benchmarks: “I’m sure people will jump to that assumption [that 15 percent will become the new benchmark tariff level], but they don’t know the specifics of the deal. That will come down to the hard tax, and we’ll see how the negotiations go. I know that Ambassador Greer, Secretary Bessent, and Secretary Lutnick have spent a tremendous amount of time on this deal. Every deal will be unique. It’s going to be hard to superimpose that, but I’m certain that that’s where the industry will sort of target now that they see this come out with Japan.”
    Hagerty on finalizing trade agreements: “Not every single agreement [will be wrapped by Aug. 1], but the ones that matter. They [the White House] have been very focused on delivering agreements with those countries with which we have significant trade deficits. And Secretary Bessent sums it up by saying there are about 18 countries that [trade agreements] matter. I talk often with Ambassador Greer. He’s got term sheets, and he’s been working through a very structured, very disciplined process. I’m optimistic that they will have terms set. I’m not saying they will have the final agreements papered, but the broad terms will be set.”
    Hagerty on Senate August recess, nominee backlog, and government funding: “I think that [recess] is up to [Senator] Chuck Schumer. We’ve had maximum resistance from the Democrat side; they have not allowed a single one of our nominees to go through without putting us through maximum procedural hoops. That’s created a backlog. Every president needs to have their team on the ground and ready to go. Chuck Schumer is going to have to ask himself if he is going to keep kowtowing to the far left, or actually stand up and say: here’s what’s good for America. Let’s get it done. I’m ready to work through the weekend. … It’s important to talk to constituents. They elected us. Many of us are in cycle right now, myself included. But at the same time, we have an obligation and a duty to our constituents to make certain the government is functioning. And this resistance movement that tries to deprive the President of the team that he needs to execute is harmful to the economy. It’s harmful to our national security, so we have to address it.”
    Hagerty on appropriations and shutdown risk: “An important thing that we never worked on when Chuck Schumer was the leader was putting appropriations bills on the floor. That’s happening this week. We’re looking at the Sept. 30 deadline responsibly. We’re trying to put our appropriation bills on the floor so we don’t wind up with an 11th-hour negotiation that winds up with the government teetering on a shutdown. I don’t think we’ll shut down. But again, that’s up to Chuck Schumer and the resistance movement. … I hope that we’ll be able to come to terms with the Democrats. They have not been willing to negotiate so far as we move on our appropriations bill. That really narrows the space that we’ve got to deal with as we come to the Sept. 30 deadline. It’s possible to get appointees taken care of. We don’t need to shut the government down, but it requires cooperation.”
    Hagerty on the GENIUS Act and crypto market structure: “We’re working very hard [on the next phase of digital asset legislation]. We just put out a discussion draft this week on market structure. I’m very proud of my legislation, the GENIUS Act, which opens the door for digital assets in America. Compared to where we were a year ago, it’s a massive change. The U.S. markets are open to digital currencies and blockchain innovation. I’m excited about where we’re going. Our goal is to have this market structure bill move through expeditiously and get it done this fall.”

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: DeGette, Raskin, Auchincloss Introduce Resolution Recognizing U.S. Leadership in Biomedical Research

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Diana DeGette (First District of Colorado)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Reps. Diana DeGette (CO-01), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), and Jake Auchincloss (MA-04) introduced a Congressional resolution recognizing the importance of U.S. leadership in biomedical research and the federal government’s responsibility to protect and expand that leadership in the years to come.

    The resolution highlights the historic role the United States has played in advancing medicine and science—from breakthroughs in cancer and HIV treatment to the rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines—and lays out a clear roadmap for how the federal government must act to strengthen biomedical innovation, insulate science from political interference, and improve public health outcomes for all Americans.

    “Under the Trump administration, American leadership in biomedical research—which has saved countless lives through groundbreaking cures—has been under assault,” said DeGette. “NIH has long been the gold standard in biomedical research, and from the cure for hepatitis C to cutting-edge gene therapies, we’ve seen what’s possible when our scientists are empowered to pursue bold ideas and answer urgent medical challenges. But that progress is at risk of catastrophe. If we want to remain the global leader in innovation, the Trump administration must end its anti-science agenda, focus on empowering scientists, and ensure scientific inquiry is protected from political meddling.”

    “Our resolution puts America back in position to lead in the biomedical research field and to protect this critical work from political interference,” said Raskin. “For the health and wellbeing of our people, the Trump Administration must stop its brutal onslaught against science, research, public health and the federal workforce.”

    “America has led the world in biomedical research and innovation because it funds curiosity-driven basic science, elevates peer review over politics, and protects intellectual property,” said Auchincloss. “Congress either renews these commitments — or hands over biomedical leadership to China.

    “As a nation, we have led the world in biomedical advancement for decades. This did not happen by accident–it happened through the unified support of presidents, congress, and the American public. By creating a publicly funded ecosystem where our best and brightest could pursue answers to problems that have followed humanity since our beginning, we have saved millions of lives. We cannot separate the benefits of this ecosystem from our committed investment in it,” said Stand Up for Science Founder and Executive Director Collete Delawalla. 

    “From working to find cures for rare diseases, cancers, and Alzheimer’s to conducting basic research that will form the basis of future biomedical breakthroughs, UAW members at the NIH and at academic research institutions across the country do lifesaving research every day,” said Rajiv Sicora, Legislative Director for the UAW. “But their work is under attack by the Trump administration’s attempts to gut the federal government’s role in scientific research, undermine scientific integrity and academic freedom, and decimate workers’ rights. We thank Congresswoman DeGette, Congressman Raskin, and Congressman Auchincloss for their clear-eyed attention to this crisis and their efforts to protect federal investments in biomedical research.” 

    The resolution emphasizes the indispensable role of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the world’s largest public funder of biomedical research, and calls for a doubling of federal biomedical investment over the next decade. It also urges Congress to prioritize workforce development, scientific independence, and translational research that brings lab discoveries directly into patient care.

    The resolution also warns of recent political interference in scientific processes, including during the Trump administration, which has undermined grantmaking, delayed clinical trials, and politicized agency leadership—threatening long-term public health and global competitiveness.  

    The full resolution can be found here

    ### 

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Hearings – Tax implications of the Trump administration’s policies – 23-09-2025 – Subcommittee on Tax Matters

    Source: European Parliament

    On Tuesday, 23 September 2025, from 15:45 to 17:00, the FISC Subcommittee will hold a public hearing on “Tax implications of the Trump administration’s policies”. In light of recent shifts in U.S. tax policy under the Trump II administration, the hearing will assess its potential implications on EU businesses and the broader transatlantic tax landscape.

    The discussion will focus on how recent U.S. measures may affect the competitiveness of European companies, particularly in relation to international tax frameworks such as the OECD’s Pillar Two and the possible application of digital services taxes (DSTs) in the EU. Experts will explore the broader consequences of these developments for international tax cooperation, as well as possible policy responses at EU level to ensure a fair and balanced global tax environment. The hearing will provide a platform to reflect on the evolving dynamics of EU-U.S. tax relations and consider how the EU can safeguard its interests in a rapidly changing global context.

    MIL OSI Europe News

  • MIL-OSI USA: $5M Grant to Boost Digital Skills Statewide

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced the re-release of the ConnectALL Digital Equity Program Capacity Grant Request for Applications (RFA), committing over $5 million in State funding to continue New York’s digital equity grantmaking after federal funding was terminated by the Trump administration in May 2025. The ConnectALL Digital Equity Program will award grants across the state to support digital equity and inclusion projects that provide New Yorkers with devices, skills, and awareness needed to make use of affordable, reliable broadband service. Applications are due August 25, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. ET and must be submitted through the New York State Consolidated Funding Application Portal at https://apps.cio.ny.gov/apps/cfa.

    “Digital access is essential for success in today’s world — whether it’s applying for a job, completing schoolwork, accessing health care, or staying connected to loved ones. In New York, we believe that access to affordable, reliable internet is a basic right, not a luxury,” Governor Hochul said. “That’s why we are taking action to ensure every New Yorker has the tools, skills, and support they need to thrive in the digital age. No matter the challenges, we will continue forging ahead — investing in communities, strengthening partnerships, and delivering on our promise of a more connected and equitable future.”

    Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “Digital equity is essential to economic mobility, educational access, and full participation in modern life. New York State remains unwavering in our commitment to ensuring that every community — urban, rural, and everything in between—can connect to the resources and opportunities the digital world offers. Through continued investment, strong partnerships, and innovative strategies, we are moving forward to close the digital divide and build a more inclusive future for all New Yorkers.”

    Governor Hochul also announced a campaign to educate New Yorkers on the low-cost internet service options available under New York State’s Affordable Broadband Act (ABA) — the nation’s first legally mandated low-cost broadband option. Under the ABA, internet service providers are required to offer internet connections for $20/month or less and to promote and provide enrollment guidance to consumers.

    By re-releasing the Digital Equity Program RFA, ConnectALL reaffirms the Governor’s commitment to address barriers to internet adoption and access and enhance the opportunities and security for New Yorkers using the internet by:

    • Increasing access to affordable broadband subscriptions
    • Providing access to internet devices
    • Expanding digital literacy programs
    • Protecting the privacy and safety of residents, and
    • Ensuring the accessibility of government services

    ConnectALL will work with state and local partners to promote enrollment in low-cost internet options secured for eligible consumers through the Affordable Broadband Act.

    This groundbreaking legislation has earned national recognition, with ConnectALL winning the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA) Community Broadband and Digital Equity Award for 2025 Broadband Visionary/Legislative Achievement of the Year.

    ConnectALL will partner with New York City and State agencies to engage with eligible households, make them aware of low-cost internet plans, and support their enrollment. This partnership will implement a multi-channel outreach strategy that includes multilingual flyers, text campaigns to households receiving public benefits, summer street and back-to-school outreach, information via NYC 3-1-1, and a plain language self-enrollment guide, among other actions. In addition, the State is investing $500,000 in 2-1-1 NY, a subsidiary of the United Way New York, to launch ABA support for 2-1-1 callers with screenings and targeted enrollment guidance for up to 10,000 low-income households seeking reduced-cost internet services outside of New York City.

    Expanding New York’s Digital Infrastructure

    Governor Hochul has made expanding broadband access a cornerstone of her administration’s efforts to create a more equitable New York. Through the ConnectALL initiative, New York State is investing over $1 billion to transform the state’s digital infrastructure, enhance competition among providers, and ensure that every New Yorker has access to reliable, affordable high-speed internet. To date, ConnectALL has overseen the successful launch and implementation of several programs to advance broadband access, including:

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Delivers Opening Statement In Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On Drones

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    July 22, 2025

    During his opening, Durbin called out the Trump Administration for neglecting serious threats posed by unauthorized drone use as it focuses federal law enforcement efforts on mass deportation

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “Securing the Skies: Law Enforcement, Drones, and Public Safety.” During his opening remarks, Durbin criticized the Trump Administration’s unilateral focus on mass deportation at the expense of addressing serious threats posed by hostile foreign nations, cartels, and other malign actors. Further, Durbin expressed his frustration that Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem has failed to testify before the Committee on her agency’s unprecedented campaign of mass deportation.

     

    Key Quotes:

     

    “Thanks, Chairman Grassley, for holding this hearing to highlight the need to better combat the threat posed by unmanned aircraft systems, known as drones. As the use of drones continues to increase, these conversations are more important than ever.

    “However, I want to first note that while we have witnesses from the Trump Administration, and they are welcome, this Committee has yet to hear from Homeland Security Secretary Noem on this issue and a broad array of other critical issues. Secretary Noem is overseeing an unprecedented campaign of mass deportations. She should answer for the indiscriminate arrests of law-abiding individuals by masked officials, and even the arrest and detention of U.S. citizens, including [a] veteran.”

    “Why do I bring this up today? Because this Administration is diverting federal law enforcement away from countering threats to our nation in order to participate in its mass deportation campaign.”

    “As we will discuss today, there is a real threat posed by hostile foreign nations, cartels, and other malign actors exploiting drone technology for espionage, cyber-attacks, and drug and weapons trafficking. So, we need to hear from Secretary Noem about why she is shifting the focus of the agency she leads away from these threats to our homeland in order to arrest immigrants with no criminal record [and with] deep roots in our country.”

    “The FAA reports that over a million drones are currently registered in the United States for a broad range of commercial and recreational activities—from farming to photography to journalism. Law enforcement and government agencies also use drones for search and rescue, disasters, surveillance of criminal activity, and even traffic enforcement.”

    “But, like any technology, drones can also be dangerous. Drone operators can create safety hazards simply by flying into restricted areas, even if they do so by accident. Criminals and foreign adversaries also use drones for cyber-attacks, espionage, and transportation of drugs, weapons, or other contraband—including into prisons and across our borders.”

    “For example, if I am sitting at Wrigley Field during a ball game with my grandkids, and I see a drone in the sky, I want to know that drone is safe and is authorized to be there.”

    “Currently, the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security are among four federal agencies with drone detection and mitigation authorities. These authorities allow DOJ and DHS to detect, track, monitor, seize, and even destroy drones that pose a credible threat to [places] such as federal courthouses, prisons, and mass gatherings.”

    “The challenge we face now is how to update these authorities to enable law enforcement to protect us from nefarious drone activity without endangering civilian air traffic and people or property on the ground and [while] honor[ing] our First and Fourth Amendment. Addressing the threats posed by drones will require carefully tailored authorities with strong safeguards.”

    “I hope that today’s hearing will be a step forward to reaching a bipartisan, bicameral agreement.”

    Video of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.

    Audio of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.

    Footage of Durbin’s opening statement is available here for TV Stations.

     

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    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing, Durbin Pushes Back Against Trump Administration’s Focus On Mass Deportation While Unauthorized Drone Usage Threatens National Security

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    July 22, 2025

    In today’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Durbin called on the Trump Administration to focus on real threats to national security rather than mass deportation efforts

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “Securing the Skies: Law Enforcement, Drones, and Public Safety.” During his questioning, Durbin made clear that the Trump Administration should utilize its resources to address the serious threat of unauthorized drone usage, including at the U.S.-Mexico border and special events, rather than unilaterally focusing on the mass deportation of undocumented immigrants, many of whom do not have a criminal record.

     

    “If you determine there’s a malicious drone overhead at one of these events, what do you do to mitigate the threat?” Durbin asked Michael Torphy, Unit Chief and Supervisory Special Agent at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

     

    Mr. Torphy explained that FBI and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) implement flight restrictions during special events and that some drone manufacturers will provide a software barrier based on the geo-fence created by federal agencies. Mr. Torphy noted that FBI uses two forms of mitigation – ground interception in which FBI teams and law enforcement make physical contact with the unauthorized drone pilot and using technical countermeasures in which FBI uses technology to disrupt the unauthorized drone’s signal.

     

    Durbin then asked Steven Willoughby, Director of the Counter-UAS Program Management Office at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), about DHS plans to address the threat of unauthorized drones used by drug traffickers while Secretary Noem continues to put a larger emphasis on deporting undocumented immigrants without a criminal record.

    “Mr. Willoughby, part of your testimony suggests that in some ways we are fighting the last war when it comes to narcotics in this country, which is a scourge and kills so many innocent people. Of course, we are mindful that individuals transport these narcotics with the simplest forms of communication, transportation, trucks, and the like. But what you are suggesting is now they are flying these narcotics into this country. It’s an amazing number – 27,000 drones were detected in the last six months of 2024. You go through the various ways they are using to avoid detection in this situation. We just recently had a debate over a reconciliation bill, where we are investing billions, billions of dollars in detention facilities and new things that will be built at the border to deal with the human trafficking back-and-forth over the border. How much is it going to take for us to deal with the drone threat that you have outlined very specifically?” Durbin asked.

     

    Mr. Willoughby replied that transnational criminal organizations are moving operations to locations along the border where DHS operators cannot interdict drones. Mr. Willoughby noted that significant investment is needed to properly detect drones operating along the border.

     

    Durbin concluded by underscoring that DHS and FBI should be investing in resources to address unauthorized drone use rather than deport undocumented immigrants without a criminal record.

     

    “This seems like a big undertaking. I will just say for the record, now that we know of those who are being deported in the mass deportation policy of President Trump, eight percent have a criminal record, which means that 11 out of the 12 we are deporting do not have a criminal record. And yet we are going through all of the infrastructure necessary and process necessary to deport them. It seems to me that if we are going after real threats, current threats, and growing threats to the United States, we should divert some of this money from the mass deportation, which is only deporting people who overstayed a visitor visa for example, instead of focusing on what you have identified as a scary prospect, the 2,000 mile border that is vulnerable to these narcotics and other dangerous elements that are being sent into our country,” Durbin said.

     

    Video of Durbin’s questions in Committee is available here.

    Audio of Durbin’s questions in Committee is available here.

    Footage of Durbin’s questions in Committee is available here for TV Stations.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Markey Urges AI Companies to Reject Trump’s Unconstitutional “Anti-Woke” AI Actions

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Markey says Trump’s AI Action Plan and Executive Order are “factually baseless and patently unconstitutional”

    Set of Letters (PDF)

    Washington (July 23,2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, today sent letters to the chief executive officers of Alphabet, Anthropic, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, and xAI, slamming Trump’s AI Action Plan and executive order that prohibits federal agencies from contracting for any artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm that is not “free from top-down ideological bias.”

    In his letters, Senator Markey pointed out the double standard of Republicans complaining about biased AI chatbots even when Grok, the chatbot developed by Elon Musk’s AI company, acknowledged that it was trained to “appeal to the right.” Senator Markey urged the AI companies to fight this unconstitutional executive order and not become pawns in Trump’s effort to eliminate dissent in the United States.

    Senator Markey writes, “In their broad claims about censorship by the tech platforms, Republicans continue to mistake fact-based outcomes for bias against conservatives. Although the right continues to lean heavily on anecdotal examples of Big Tech’s alignment with liberal viewpoints, it ignores even more egregious evidence to the contrary. For example, on May 1, 2025, Grok — the AI chatbot developed by xAI, Elon Musk’s AI company—acknowledged that ‘xAI tried to train me to appeal to the right.’ If OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini had responded that it was trained to appeal to the left, congressional Republicans would have been outraged and opened an investigation. Instead, they were silent.”

    Senator Markey continues, “Even if the claims of bias were accurate, the Republicans’ effort to use their political power — both through the executive branch and through congressional investigations — to modify the platforms’ speech is dangerous and unconstitutional. Through the AI executive order, Republicans are using state power to pressure private companies to adopt certain political viewpoints, in this case by pressuring the Big Tech companies to ensure that responses from AI chatbots meet some unspecified, vague definition of ideological neutrality. The details and implementation plan for this executive order remain unclear but it will create significant financial incentives for the Big Tech companies — many of whom have multi-million or multi-billion-dollar contracts with the federal government — to ensure their AI chatbots do not produce speech that would upset the Trump administration. This type of interference with private speech is precisely why the U.S. Constitution has a First Amendment.”

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ahead of Subcommittee Hearing on Civil Rights Division, Welch Releases New Materials Showing Changing Enforcement Priorities at DOJ

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, sent his colleagues a memorandum with the new policy statements provided to career attorneys at the Civil Rights Division, which have not been made public.  
    The policy statements, transmitted to nine of the eleven sections of the Civil Rights Division by Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, largely replace long-standing enforcement priorities with President Trump’s executive orders and political priorities. The memo also sheds light on Assistant Attorney General Dhillon’s efforts to oust career attorneys through reassignments and resignations. Senator Welch’s office obtained data showing that since the beginning of President Trump’s second term, more than 368 individuals have left the Civil Rights Division and only two Section chiefs remain in place.  
    The directives in the memo have not been shared publicly by DOJ, which refused to provide them in response to a request by Senator Welch along with Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dick Durbin, and Senators Hirono, Whitehouse, Schiff, Booker, and Padilla.  
    This afternoon, the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution will hold a hearing on the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, with witnesses Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, plus Gene Hamilton, President, America First Legal, and Alabama State Senator Robert Stewart. State Senator Stewart represents Lowndes County, Alabama, where the Civil Rights Division recently withdrew from a settlement following an 18-month investigation which found that officials’ enforcement of sanitation laws threatened Lowndes County residents, who are largely rural and Black. 
    Read the Executive Summary from Senator Welch’s memo below: 
    “The new information contained in this memorandum demonstrates the extent to which the longstanding enforcement objectives of each of the Division’s sections have been narrowed, changed, and in some cases reversed under AAG Dhillon’s leadership to mirror and advance President Trump’s political agenda. As stated in multiple of the new policy directives: 

    The zealous and faithful pursuit of this section’s mission requires dedication of the section’s resources, actions, attention, and energy to the priorities and objectives of the President. 

    “Created by the Civil Rights Act of 1957, Congress charged the Civil Rights Division with enforcing federal statutes that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, disability, religion, familial status, national origin, and citizenship status. The Division is meant to prohibit discrimination in education, protect voting rights, prevent discrimination by federal funding recipients, investigate illegal bias in housing, and defend the rights of those with disabilities. It is common for the Division’s priorities to shift across presidential administrations, but the Division’s civil rights enforcement has always rested on this nonpartisan foundation.  
    “The new policy statements are woven together by a common thread—rather than prioritizing the enforcement of federal civil rights laws, career attorneys have been explicitly directed to faithfully and zealously dedicate their efforts to the “priorities and objectives of the President.” Most of the policy statements directly cite the President’s executive orders. Nearly half of the policy statements reference social issues President Trump has campaigned on, such as prohibiting gender-affirming care and preventing the “radical indoctrination” of elementary school students. Some policy statements fail to mention basic statutes the Division is tasked with enforcing. 
    “Also under AAG Dhillon’s leadership, career Division attorneys have been reassigned and pressured to resign. Since January 2025, more than 368 individuals have left the Division and only two Section Chiefs remain in place. There is no precedent, in the history of the Civil Rights Division, for dismantling the Division on this scale. AAG Dhillon has described her objective in leading the Division as “turning the train around and driving in the opposite direction[.]” She has done just that.” 
    Read and download the full memo here.  
    Senator Welch and Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) led their colleagues on the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution in demanding answers from DOJ concerning the Trump Administration’s efforts to dismantle the Department’s Civil Rights Division. The lawmakers expressed deep concerns about several directives issued by the Trump Administration that could jeopardize the Division’s work to enforce and protect the Constitutional and statutory civil rights of the American people. 

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. Reps. Castor, Tran Reintroduce “Keep Kids Covered Act” to Improve Outcomes, Lower Costs & Support Families Across America

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Reprepsentative Kathy Castor (FL14)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Reps. Kathy Castor (FL-14) and Derek Tran (CA-45) reintroduced legislation to provide continuous health care coverage for eligible children in Medicaid and CHIP. The Keep Kids Covered Act would expand the 12-month continuous eligibility (CE) protection for children, providing uninterrupted coverage for children until age 6 – a crucial time for their development – and for a 24-month period for children age 6 to 19.

    Continuous eligibility requires states to cover children in CHIP and Medicaid for a defined period of time – without coverage lapse – regardless of changes in circumstances. Access to consistent, high-quality coverage is crucial for children’s development and well-being, particularly in their early years, enabling them to grow into healthy and productive adults. Not only does CE improve short- and long-term health coverage, it lowers costs and reduces churn and financial barriers to care. Too many children who are eligible for Medicaid or CHIP have lost coverage for procedural reasons, like missing paperwork. The Keep Kids Covered Act would ensure kids and families across the country have access to the lifesaving care they need and deserve. The bill would also ensure that former foster youth have CE until age 26, as the Affordable Care Act intended. 

    Over 37 million children rely on Medicaid and CHIP across the country, but Congressional Republicans’ Big Ugly Budget Bill puts children’s health at risk. At President Trump’s urging, they are cutting $1 trillion in funding from Medicaid, CHIP and the Affordable Care Act and enacting policies that will strip coverage from millions of children in order to give tax breaks to the wealthy and well-connected. Last week, President Trump announced that states will no longer be able to provide enhanced CE for kids with Medicaid and CHIP coverage. And in Florida, Governor DeSantis continues to break the law by throwing children off the state’s CHIP program in violation of the federal 12-month CE protection. Legislation like the Keep Kids Covered Act would act as a bulwark against these harmful state policies.

    “In Florida and across the country, children pay the price when politicians rip health coverage away and create bureaucratic barriers to care,” said Rep. Castor. “The Keep Kids Covered Act will ensure eligible kids across the country can access reliable, stable Medicaid and CHIP coverage so they can live happy, healthy lives. Research has shown that children with health coverage do better in school and grow into more successful adults, lowering costs for everyone. While Congressional Republicans and President Trump have spent the past few months making it more difficult and expensive for kids to access critical health coverage, Democrats are fighting to protect our kids and their future. I’m grateful to my colleagues Rep. Derek Tran and Senator Michael Bennet, as well as the child and family advocates, for their partnership and support of this critical legislation.”

    “As a father of young kids, I know how critical adequate health care is for our children to grow and thrive. No child should be denied access to medical treatment because President Trump and Congressional Republicans wanted to give their billionaire friends a tax break,” said Rep. Tran. “I’m proud to join Rep. Castor in introducing the Keep Kids Covered Act to bring down costs for hard-working families and ensure high-quality access to health care so all of our kids can stay healthy.”

    “In the face of Republicans’ biggest attack on health care access yet, I’m grateful to Rep. Castor for her persistence in protecting health care for our nation’s children,” said Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06). “As the Big Ugly Bill is set to take health care away from millions of Americans, Democrats will keep fighting to minimize coverage gaps, burdensome paperwork requirements, and price hikes for families. The Keep Kids Covered Act is a critical tool in this fight against Republican cuts and will ensure young children continue to have health care coverage.”

    “Pediatricians know how vital it is that children have uninterrupted access to health care coverage that supports them as they grow and develop. As its name states, the Keep Kids Covered Act would help ensure children enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP do not face gaps in coverage, providing families with certainty that their children can continue to receive the health care they need. The American Academy of Pediatrics thanks Representative Kathy Castor (D-Fla.) for introducing this important legislation and calls on lawmakers to swiftly advance it,” said Susan J. Kressly, MD, FAAP, American Academy of Pediatrics President.

    “Every child deserves the opportunity to grow and thrive, and no child should miss out on essential health care because of a lapse in coverage,” said Margaret A. Murray, CEO of the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP). “For more than 20 years, ACAP has advocated for continuous eligibility for all people covered by Medicaid. We’re pleased that Representative Castor’s reintroduction of the Keep Kids Covered Act advances this priority by ensuring continuous coverage for children enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP.”

    “First Focus Campaign for Children strongly supports the reintroduction of the Keep Kids Covered Act led by Representative Kathy Castor. The legislation makes an important investment in children by ensuring that they have continuous eligibility in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) during their earliest and most critical years of development. This guarantee of coverage provides a powerful antidote to the recently passed budget reconciliation package, which cuts Medicaid and CHIP by hundreds of billions of dollars, jeopardizing the health and well-being of over 37 million children. The Keep Kids Covered Act is a practical, common-sense approach that will provide kids in Medicaid and CHIP with consistent health care coverage, laying a foundation of care that will benefit them throughout their lives.” — Bruce Lesley, President, First Focus Campaign for Children.

    “Rep. Kathy Castor is fighting to protect children’s health care in the wake of Donald Trump and Republicans’ health care emergency,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “Republicans’ actions are ripping coverage away from hard-working families and putting children at risk, but Democrats are working to ensure kids can stay covered and get the care they need to grow up healthy and strong. No child should lose care just because Republicans want to fund tax breaks for billionaires and big corporations.”

    “Children’s hospitals witness the critical role Medicaid and CHIP play in providing essential care to more than half of the children they treat, particularly those with serious and complex medical needs. The Keep Kids Covered Act addresses the pressing issue of coverage gaps that can disrupt this vital care, ensuring that no child’s health suffers due to administrative hurdles. By providing continuous, multi-year coverage, this legislation offers much-needed stability and peace of mind to families facing challenging health circumstances. We commend Representatives Castor and Caraveo for their leadership in making sure all children have access to the consistent care they need to lead healthy, successful lives,” said Matthew Cook, President and CEO of the Children’s Hospital Association.

    In addition to Reps. Castor and Tran, the Keep Kids Covered Act is cosponsored by Reps. Kim Schrier, Raul Ruiz, Marc Veasey, Nanette Barragán, Lizzie Fletcher, Greg Landsman, Jan Schakowsky, Jennifer McClellan, Darren Soto, Troy Carter, and Doris Matsui. 

    Endorsing organizations include: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Nurses Association, American Psychiatric Association, Association for Community Affiliated Plans, Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs, BayCare Health System—St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital, Child Welfare League of America, Children’s Defense Fund, Children’s Hospitals Association, Colorado Children’s Campaign, Families USA, First Focus Campaign for Children, Florida Health Justice Project, Florida Policy Institute, Florida Voices for Health, March of Dimes, National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, National Foster Youth Institute, National League for Nursing, Nemour Children’s Health, Primary Development Corporation, Protect Our Care, The Center for Law and Social Policy, UnidosUS, ZERO TO THREE.  

    The full bill text of the legislation can be viewed here.

    A one-pager about the legislation is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Lawler Applauds Decision To Release Funding For Vital Education Program Following His Advocacy

    Source: US Congressman Mike Lawler (R, NY-17)

    Pearl River, NY – 7/18/25… Today, Congressman Mike Lawler (NY-17) issued the following statement celebrating the Trump Administration’s decision to release funding for 21st Century Community Learning Centers. This follows Congressman Lawler’s direct advocacy to the Administration last week, urging the release of funds prior to the beginning of the school year.

    “Today is a great day for students, families, and educators across New York and nationwide,” said Congressman Lawler. “The 21st Century Community Learning Centers program is a valuable investment with proven results,  providing students with the academic tools they need to succeed.”

    Congressman Lawler personally wrote to President Trump last week after concerns were raised by local educators and parents about potential disruptions to these essential services. He emphasized the need to release these funds to support communities that heavily rely on these programs. 

    “I would like to thank President Trump for responding promptly to our request, as well as recognizing the importance of these programs for our children’s futures. As always, I remain committed to ensuring students have every opportunity for success,” concluded Congressman Lawler. 

    Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and represents New York’s 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties. He was rated the most effective freshman lawmaker in the 118th Congress, 8th overall, surpassing dozens of committee chairs.

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    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lawler Introduces Legislation Modernizing Post-Assad Syria Sanctions Policy

    Source: US Congressman Mike Lawler (R, NY-17)

    Washington, D.C. – 7/17/25… Today, Congressman Mike Lawler (NY-17), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa and House Financial Services Committee member, introduced the Syria Sanctions Accountability Act, legislation to modernize U.S. sanctions policy for a post-Assad Syria.

    “This bill modernizes the existing sanctions regime on Syria, requires assessments on existing sanctions relief provisions, and sets out goals for the Syrian government to meet anti-money laundering and anti-corruption standards. As the Trump Administration is already reviewing sanctions policy, we must ensure they have the tools to do so that reflect the current security environment,” said Chairman Lawler. 

    The Syria Sanctions Accountability Act:

    • Directs the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network to provide a briefing to Congress on the exceptive relief for the Commercial Bank of Syria.
    • Instructs U.S. representatives to the IMF and World Bank to support regular economic monitoring in Syria, processes to improve financial connectivity in Syria, and priorities related to anti-money laundering, weapons non-proliferation, and anti-corruption policies in Syria.
    • Requires a formal assessment from the Export-Import Bank on the appropriateness of current country limitations concerning Syria.
    • Updates the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act by updating conditions to lift sanctions. This includes requiring the Syrian government to take verifiable steps to combat illicit proliferation of Captagon, ensuring the Syrian government is not engaged in the targeting or extrajudicial detention of religious minorities, and removing references to Russia and Iran that were originally placed in the law due to Assad’s relationship with these adversarial regimes.

    “The al-Sharaa Administration certainly has a lot of work to do to reintegrate Syria with the U.S. and our allies. While this job should be difficult given the circumstances, it shouldn’t be impossible,” concluded Chairman Lawler. 

    Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and represents New York’s 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties. He was rated the most effective freshman lawmaker in the 118th Congress, 8th overall, surpassing dozens of committee chairs.

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    Full text of the bill can be found HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bicameral Legislation Introduced to Restore Abruptly Cancelled Program Supporting Students with Disabilities

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (D-CA-53)

    July 23, 2025

    Representatives Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Lucy McBath (GA-06), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Eugene Vindman (VA-07),  and Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) have introduced the Charting My Path to Future Success Act, legislation to restore an abruptly discontinued federal program designed to help students with disabilities succeed in adulthood. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Edward Markey (D-MA) have introduced companion legislation in the Senate.

    The bill directs the U.S. Department of Education to reissue the solicitation and award the contract for the “Charting My Path for Future Success Program,” a $45 million, ten-year initiative originally launched in 2019 during the first term of the Trump Administration. The program was abruptly canceled in February 2025 after more than $25 million had already been spent and just as participating students began receiving services.

    Rep. Sara Jacobs said, “It’s a big step from high school to adulthood – whether that’s college, job training, or employment – and it’s an even bigger step for students with disabilities, who may need a little extra support. That’s why the Charting My Path for Future Success Program provided students with disabilities with support and resources during this crucial transition. But unfortunately, DOGE’s abrupt cancellation of this program has abandoned these students, stifling their opportunity and limiting their potential. I’m proud to support this bill to restore this program, initially created by the first Trump Administration, and help students with disabilities during one of the most important times in their lives.”

    “Seeing your child grow up to thrive is the goal for every parent, and that takes on another level of significance when your child has a condition that makes learning more difficult. After years of recruiting families to participate and training teachers to be part of this program, the sudden cancellation abandoned students and families who rely on these services,” said Rep. Lucy McBath.

    “The President and Secretary McMahon claimed that students with disabilities would not be negatively affected by their plans to gut the Department of Education, but they already are. Now, students and their families are being left behind and being forced to reckon with the possibility of a lifetime on disability assistance instead of a path to a stable job. I’m grateful to my House and Senate colleagues for joining me on this legislation. We won’t leave America’s students behind.”

    “This program was created to better support teens with disabilities and help them plan for college, a career, and independence. Participating students reported feeling empowered and hopeful about their futures. Then, DOGE and Trump pulled the rug out from under these kids and families and cancelled the program with no warning in the middle of the school year,” said Rep. Juan Vargas. “The over 1,600 students enrolled in this program – including students in my district – deserve better. I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing the Charting My Path for Future Success Act to restore this funding and support.”

    “Students across Virginia’s Seventh District and our country deserve a real chance to thrive after high school. And yet, the Trump Administration just recklessly cut the ‘Charting My Path for Future Success’ program from Spotsylvania County Public Schools and I cannot let that stand,” said Rep. Eugene Vindman. “That’s why I am proud to introduce this bill – we owe it to students and families to re-start this program and prohibit the Administration from canceling it without Congressional approval.” 

    “As a staunch advocate for the disability community throughout my decades in public service and as a senior member of the Education Committee, I am proud to support this bill to bring back funding that the Department of Education recklessly eliminated for the Charting My Path for Future Success Program. The Administration’s ill-conceived contract cancellations brought needless uncertainty to school districts across the country, including Mt. Diablo Unified School District in the community I represent. This bill will help us to stand up for students with disabilities and their right to a quality education and the opportunity to reach their full potential,” said Rep. Mark DeSaulnier.

    “Ripping away critical funding and resources for disabled students is cruel and hurts America’s future,” said Senator Kaine. “The Charting My Path for Future Success Program was established during Trump’s first term, but now Trump and DOGE have cancelled funding with no warning. Not only does this harm disabled students who are depending on this support, it also hurts the teachers and Spotsylvania schools whose jobs and school budgets depend on this funding. I’m proud to introduce the Charting My Path for Future Success Act to immediately reissue this funding and ensure all students are set up for success.”

    “Yet again, the Trump administration has ripped away education funding that students, families, and communities were relying on. In Massachusetts and nationwide, students with disabilities and their families were thriving in the Charting My Path for Future Success program. Now, the Trump administration has abandoned those students,” said Senator Markey. “I am proud to join my colleagues in introducing the Charting My Path for Future Success Act to ensure we provide students with disabilities the support they need to thrive.”

      

    Designed to support students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) across a wide range of disabilities, the program provided one-on-one and small group sessions, mentoring, and year-round tutoring. Thirteen school districts in 11 states were participating in the pilot, which had enrolled over 1,600 high school juniors and seniors and their families.

        

    Participating districts include school systems in Georgia, Utah, Virginia, Massachusetts, California, Alaska, and New York.

     

    The bill is endorsed by a coalition of disability advocacy organizations, including the Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities Education Task Force, the National Center for Learning Disabilities, The Arc of the United States, the Autism Society of America, the National Disability Rights Network, and the Council of Administrators of Special Education.

    Full text of the legislation is available here.

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    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: N.M. Delegation Announces President’s Approval of Major Disaster Declaration for Lincoln County, Maintains Push for Major Disaster Declaration for Chaves, Otero, & Valencia Counties

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), and Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) released the following joint statement, welcoming President Donald Trump’s granting of a Major Disaster Declaration for Lincoln County, while renewing their call for President Trump to grant a Major Disaster Declaration for Chaves, Otero, and Valencia Counties and authorize Public Assistance Categories C-G in the wake of severe flooding that took the lives of three people and damaged homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure.

    “The loss of life and devastation in Ruidoso as a result of this catastrophic flooding is horrific and heartbreaking. After seeing the destruction firsthand and hearing from families who have lost everything, our thoughts remain with those mourning loved ones and the hundreds of New Mexicans forced to flee their homes or watch their businesses be destroyed. We are deeply grateful to the first responders, local leaders, medical providers, and rescue teams working tirelessly to help their communities recover.

    “This Major Disaster Declaration for Lincoln County will unlock funding needed for disaster response, and we will continue to push President Trump to grant the State’s Major Disaster Declaration request for Chaves, Otero, and Valencia Counties and authorize additional Public Assistance to make sure that all New Mexicans impacted by this disaster are provided with the federal support necessary to rebuild.”

    On July 10, the N.M. Delegation welcomed an emergency declaration for Chaves, Lincoln, Otero, and Valencia Counties. The emergency declaration opened up access to specific FEMA funds for immediate disaster response, including support for search and rescue and incident management efforts. An emergency declaration does not preclude a subsequent Major Disaster Declaration. Therefore, the N.M. Delegation pushed President Trump to approve a Major Disaster Declaration request from Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham.

    Through a Major Disaster Declaration request, the State of New Mexico has requested Public Assistance, Category A through G, including Direct Federal Assistance for Lincoln County, Chaves County, Otero County, and Valencia County, as well as Individual Assistance, including Housing Assistance, Small Business Administration Disaster Assistance, Disaster Case Management, Transitional Sheltering Assistance, Serious Needs Assistance, Crisis Counseling, Disaster Legal Services, Disaster Unemployment, and Displacement Assistance for Lincoln County and Valencia County. The State also requested Hazard Mitigation statewide, as facilitated by New Mexico’s Natural Disaster Hazard Mitigation Plan.

    The N.M. Delegation will continue to push President Trump to authorize Public Assistance Categories C-G and approve a Major Disaster Declaration request for Chaves, Otero, and Valencia Counties from Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham.

    Additionally, on July 15, the N.M. Delegation called on the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Acting Director David Richardson to disburse critical and overdue funds that would provide immediate assistance in response to the catastrophic flash flooding in and around Ruidoso.

    In a letter to OMB Director Vought and FEMA Acting Director Richardson, the Delegation urged OMB to release reimbursement funds from a project undertaken in the wake of last year’s South Fork and Salt Fires — currently stalled in “Large Project Review” — so they can be redirected to Lincoln County after recent severe flooding. The project in question was completed last year, has been fully reviewed by FEMA, and has an estimated cost of $7.7 million. These funds could be deployed immediately to assist Lincoln County and impacted residents as they continue to assess and respond to the recent severe flooding. But with no timeline provided to Lincoln County or the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) for completing the “Large Project Review” by the Administration, the Delegations is demanding answers. Read the full letter here.

    MIL OSI USA News