NewzIntel.com

Category: Trump

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

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: President Donald J

    Trump Approves Major Disaster Declaration for Iowa

    President Donald J

    Trump Approves Major Disaster Declaration for Iowa

    WASHINGTON — FEMA announced that federal disaster assistance is available to the state of Iowa to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by the severe winter storm on March 19, 2025

    Public Assistance federal funding is available to the 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 disaster-damaged facilities in Crawford, Harrison, Monona and Woodbury counties

    Constance C

    Johnson-Cage has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area

    Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further assessments

     
    amy

    ashbridge
    Fri, 05/23/2025 – 13:38

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Brownley, Budzinski, McGarvey Reintroduce Legislation to Establish VA Veterans Experience Office and Amplify Veteran Voices on Care and Services

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Julia Brownley (D-CA)

    Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (CA-26), Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), and Congressman Morgan McGarvey (KY-03) reintroduced the Improving Veterans Experience Act, a bill to codify the Veterans Experience Office (VEO) within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Established in 2015, the VEO gathers feedback directly from veterans, their families, and caregivers on their experience with VA and incorporates the information to improve services. The VEO has been crucial to improving veterans’ trust in VA outpatient care, expanding outreach to women veterans, and creating a more effective and supportive mobile app that provides veterans with information and resources about care and benefits.

    “As a member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, one of my primary goals has been to ensure our nation’s veterans have access to the timely, high-quality care they are entitled to. By codifying the Veterans Experience Office, the VA can continue to carry out its mission to provide the highest quality customer experience when delivering care, benefits, and memorial services to veterans and their families. I applaud Congresswoman Budzinski’s leadership and commitment to fulfilling the solemn promise of serving our veterans as well as they have served our country,” said Congresswoman Brownley, Ranking Member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Health Subcommittee.

    “There is no better way to improve VA services than to hear from the veterans, family members and caregivers who are navigating the process firsthand,” said Congresswoman Budzinski. “By giving veterans a voice and putting their insights into action, VEO has made VA services more accessible and has built trust among the folks they serve. With the VA under attack by the Trump Administration’s DOGE efforts, I urge my colleagues in Congress to pass our legislation to codify this critical resource.”

    “Codifying the Veterans Experience Office ensures that veteran feedback stays at the heart of every decision the VA makes,” said Congressman McGarvey. “If we want a system that truly serves those who’ve served, we need to make sure their experiences shape policy, improve access, and build trust. Our veterans deserve nothing less.”

    “By actively seeking and integrating veterans’ feedback on VA health care and benefits, the Veterans Experience Office helps VA to design and deliver better veteran-centric services. DAV thanks Rep. Budzinski for introducing the Improving Veterans’ Experience Act, which would codify the VEO inside VA to ensure veterans’ voices and perspectives are guiding VA’s plans and programs,” said DAV National Legislative Director Joy Ilem.

    In 2016, VEO helped launch the first VA-wide customer experience survey to collect feedback on the ease, effectiveness, and emotional resonance of VA services. According to the VA, veteran trust in the agency has increased by 25% since the survey was established, reaching an all-time high in 2024. Responding to feedback that VA had too many phone numbers and websites, VEO led the creation of simple, easy-to-remember “front doors” by phone at 1-800-MyVA411 and online at VA.gov. 

    The Improving Veterans’ Experience Act is endorsed by Disabled American Veterans (DAV). 

    Read the full text of the bill here.

    ###

    Issues: 119th Congress, Veterans’ Affairs

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden Reintroduces Bill to Allow All Americans to Vote at Home

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    May 23, 2025
    Reintroduction of Wyden’s bill follows House Republicans recent passage of the SAVE Act that would rip away millions of Americans’ right to vote
    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today announced that he has reintroduced his bill to ensure Americans can more conveniently and securely vote at home. The Vote at Home Act would allow all eligible voters to vote by mail, provide pre-paid envelopes to return ballots, and automatically register citizens to vote at DMVs. 
    The bill follows Republican efforts to dismantle voting rights for millions of Americans. Most recently, House Republicans passed the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which would restrict voting rights for 69 million married women who have changed their last name and 140 million Americans who do not have a passport. In-person voter ID laws particularly hurt seniors, minorities, people with disabilities, and low-income people. 
    “With Trump taking over the Oval Office, far-right legislators across our country are more emboldened to make voting more difficult for millions of Americans,” Wyden said. “Taking off work to vote in person – often waiting in long lines for hours – isn’t an option for so many voters. Voting is a fundamental constitutional right. It should be easy, and bringing the Oregon Way of vote-at-home nationwide will guarantee that every eligible voter can make their voices heard.”
    “Oregon was the first state to enact full vote by mail in 1995, an effort led by both Democratic and Republican Secretaries of State,” said U.S. Rep. Val Hoyle, D-Ore., who introduced the House companion of the Vote at Home Act earlier this year. “We have seen the positive impact that mail in voting has had in Oregon – not only does it improve access for eligible voters, but every ballot has a paper copy making it the most secure form of voting. Voting is a Constitutionally protected right and I’ll fight to make sure every eligible voter can make their voice heard. I am proud to introduce legislation with Senator Wyden that does exactly that.”
    Voting at home was recognized as a longtime option by all 50 states before the last presidential elections. Thirty states adopted or changed their laws for the 2020 general election, allowing voters to cast their ballots from home to provide greater accessibility and protect public health. In the November 2020 election, nearly 50 percent of voters used a vote-at-home ballot, an all-time high in federal races. It expands voting access to people who have health issues, family or work responsibilities, and lack transportation. 
    The Vote at Home Act, which was first introduced by Wyden in 2017, would make innovative electoral reforms across America by: 

    Promoting the Ability of Voters to Vote by Mail – All registered voters would receive ballots in the mail weeks before Election Day, allowing them to carefully research candidates and issues well ahead of Election Day to inform their vote.

    Expanding Options for Casting Ballots – All registered voters would have the ability to cast their ballot through the mail or a drop-off site. Voters residing in states with in-person, same-day registration would still have the option to vote at a polling station in lieu of voting at home.

    Funding the United States Postal Service – The legislation would provide the USPS funding to cover costs associated with mailing ballots both to and from voters in federal elections. This would allow states to save money by transitioning away from polling stations and reduce a major barrier for voters with the federal government absorbing the cost associated with USPS delivery.

    Enacting Automatic Voter Registration – States would be required to ensure that each eligible citizen who provides identifying information to the state motor vehicle authority is automatically registered to vote. The provision also ensures voters are then allowed to opt out if they so choose.

    Joining Wyden in the Senate include Senators Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., Michael Bennet, D-Colo., Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Cory Booker, D-N.J., Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Brian Schatz, D-Hawai’i, Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Peter Welch, D-Vt., and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I. 
    “Voting by mail has worked in Oregon for years. It’s quick and secure—helping folks in red, blue, and purple states safely make their voices heard in our elections,” Merkley said. “This shouldn’t be a partisan issue. Expanding vote by mail nationwide is a secure way to ensure all eligible voters can exercise this constitutional right.”
    “Colorado has led the way on efforts to expand access to the ballot, and it shows,” Bennet said. “Our state has one of the highest voter turnout rates in the country because of commonsense reforms like automatic registration and vote-by-mail. It’s time the rest of the country does too.”
    “As Republicans in Congress and in states across the country continue to attack voting rights, it is critical that we increase access to vote-at-home methods and make the right to vote accessible to all voters,” Markey said. “I am proud to join Senator Wyden in reintroducing the Vote at Home Act to ensure that we protect and expand voting rights, and in the process, strengthen our democracy and people’s sense of civic duty.”
    The legislation is endorsed by Stand Up America, National Vote at Home Institute, Institute for Responsive Government Action, End Citizens United/Let America Vote Action Fund, and the Jewish Democratic Council of America. 
    “Voting by mail is essential for millions of Americans––including working people, college students, rural residents, and seniors––who rely on it to make their voices heard,” said Brett Edkins, Managing Director of Policy and Political Affairs at Stand Up America. “It provides a secure and convenient way to cast our ballots, especially for those who face challenges getting to the polls due to long distances, hectic work schedules, and other barriers. The Vote at Home Act is a crucial step toward strengthening our democracy by ensuring every voter has the option to cast their ballot from home, return it with a pre-paid envelope, and be automatically registered at their local DMV. We are grateful to Senator Wyden and Representative Hoyle for continuing to champion the freedom to vote in Congress.”
    “If you want to support and strengthen our democracy, there’s no better way than to support Vote at Home election systems,” said Barbara Smith Warner, the Executive Director of the National Vote at Home Institute. “When every active registered voter automatically receives a mailed out paper ballot, several weeks before every election; can return them by postage-free mail or in person to a wide range of accessible, convenient and secure locations; and can track them online, in real time, to ensure their vote is counted, we all win.”
    “Every eligible American should have the opportunity to cast their ballot in an accessible and secure way, and that’s exactly what this legislation ensures,” said Sam Oliker-Friedland, Executive Director of the Institute for Responsive Government Action. “At a time when so many proposals are full of unimplementable mandates and obstacles to voting, the Vote at Home Act is a reminder of what good policy looks like: Secure Automatic Voter Registration is the best way to ensure that eligible voters get registered to vote and their information is regularly updated.”
    The text of the bill is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Deploys Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies for National Security

    Source: The White House

    DEPLOYING NUCLEAR REACTORS FOR NATIONAL SECURITY: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to rapidly deploy advanced nuclear technologies to support national security objectives, including powering artificial intelligence (AI) computing infrastructure and national security installations.

    • The Order directs the Secretary of the Army to establish a program of record to build a nuclear reactor at a domestic military installation to commence operations within the next three years.
    • The Order directs the Secretary of Energy to designate AI data centers, located at or operated in coordination with Department of Energy (DOE) facilities, as critical defense facilities, and the nuclear reactors powering them as defense critical electric infrastructure.
    • The Secretary of Energy will designate DOE sites, and work with the private sector, to deploy advanced nuclear technology to power AI infrastructure and meet other national security objectives within 30 months.
    • The Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of Energy, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, and the Secretaries of the military departments, is tasked with making legislative and regulatory recommendations regarding the operation of advanced nuclear reactors on military installations.

    SUPPORTING NUCLEAR PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR: President Trump is taking comprehensive actions to remove government barriers to private sector investment and deployment of advanced nuclear technologies at Federal sites.

    • The Order directs the Secretary of Energy to release at least 20 metric tons of high-assay low-enriched uranium into a readily available fuel bank for private sector projects operating nuclear reactors to power AI infrastructure at DOE sites.
    • The Secretaries of Energy and Defense shall utilize their authorities to enable the construction and operation of privately-funded nuclear fuel recycling, reprocessing, and fabrication capabilities at Federal sites.
    • The Order directs the Secretaries of Energy and Defense to explore using categorical exclusions under the National Environmental Policy Act for the construction of advanced nuclear reactor technologies on Federal sites.
    • Federal departments will prioritize the issuance of security clearances to support the rapid distribution and use of nuclear energy and fuel cycle technologies.

    PROMOTING AMERICAN NUCLEAR EXPORTS: President Trump is fully leveraging the resources of the Federal government to promote the U.S. nuclear industry in the development of commercial civil nuclear projects worldwide.

    • The Order tasks the Secretary of State or his delegee to lead diplomatic engagement and negotiations for agreements under section 123 of the Atomic Energy Act to enable the U.S. nuclear industry to access new markets in partner countries.
    • Within 90 days, the Federal government will produce strategies to:
      • Increase financing for U.S. nuclear projects and promote nuclear trade; and
      • Make financial and technical support available to support foreign adoption of nuclear energy.
    • The Order directs the Secretary of State to implement a program to enhance the global competitiveness of American nuclear companies by expediting agreements and removing burdens on American exports.

    POWERING CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND NATIONAL SECURITY SYSTEMS: President Trump recognizes the need to power and operate critical defense facilities and computing infrastructure for AI capabilities.

    •  Military installations, including those in locations that are not well-served by other types of power due to complex supply chains required to reach them, require uninterruptible, dispatchable, high-density power of the type that advanced nuclear reactors can provide because of their unique size and generation capabilities. This is critical for readiness and national security.
    • The Federal Government’s advanced computing AI infrastructure will require a substantial increase in scalable power solutions, which advanced nuclear reactors are well-positioned to provide. This will ensure our technological supremacy in the emerging technologies of both AI and nuclear power.
    • By empowering the Department of Energy and Department of Defense to expand utilization of advanced nuclear power and instructing each to reduce regulatory red tape hampering use of nuclear power at their sites, this Order enhances our national security and reduces reliance on foreign sources of energy for our military and AI operations.
    • 87% of new reactor builds worldwide are based on foreign designs, and the majority of the world’s nuclear fuel comes from foreign sources. By instructing the Department of State and other agencies to aggressively pursue export opportunities, this Order will strengthen our relationships with our allies and disrupt potential industry control by adversaries.

    UNLEASHING AMERICAN ENERGY: President Trump believes in supporting all forms of reliable, dispatchable energy, harnessing nuclear, fossil fuels, and emerging technologies to secure American energy independence and fuel economic growth.

    • On Day One, President Trump declared a National Energy Emergency to eliminate bureaucratic barriers, unleash innovation, and restore America’s position as the world’s leading energy producer.
    • Unleashing American energy will create jobs and economic prosperity, improve the United States’ trade balance, help our country compete with hostile foreign powers, strengthen relations with allies and partners, and support international peace and security.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Streamlines Nuclear Reactor Testing at the Department of Energy

    Source: The White House

    STREAMLINING NUCLEAR REACTOR TESTING: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to reform and streamline National Laboratory processes for reactor testing at the Department of Energy.

    • The Order finds that the design, construction, and operation of advanced reactors under sufficient Department of Energy (DOE) control are, for the time being, for research purposes, and thus fall within DOE jurisdiction.
    • The Order tasks the Secretary of Energy with:
      • Issuing guidance on what counts as a qualified test reactor and taking steps to expeditiously process applications for such reactors.
      • Taking action to revise regulations, guidance, and procedures to significantly expedite the review, approval, and deployment of advanced reactors under DOE jurisdiction in order to enable operational test reactors within two years following a completed application.
      • Creating a pilot program for the construction and operation of at least three reactors outside of the National Laboratories, but under contract with and for the account of DOE, with the goal of achieving criticality by July 4, 2026.
      • Eliminating or expediting internal environmental review for authorizations, permits, approvals, and other activities related to reactor testing.

    FOSTERING NUCLEAR INNOVATION: President Trump is committed to re-establishing the United States as a global leader in nuclear energy and securing a reliable, diversified, and affordable energy supply to drive American prosperity and technological advancement.

    • While the United States led the development of civilian nuclear power through the Atomic Energy Commission, the National Reactor Testing Station (now Idaho National Laboratory), and other Federal entities, the commercial deployment of new nuclear technologies has all but stopped in recent decades.
    • Overregulation by the Federal government has stifled the domestic development and deployment of advanced reactors.
    • While the United States cultivated the effort to design and build the first Generation IV reactor for commercial use, we have since ceded the initiative to foreign nations in building these advanced reactors.
    • Advanced reactors have revolutionary potential, opening a range of new applications to support data centers, microchip manufacturing, petrochemical production, healthcare, desalination, hydrogen production, and other industries.
    • By maximizing DOE’s jurisdiction over next-generation nuclear technologies that are still in development, this Executive Order ensures that America’s innovators have clear pathways to create nuclear technologies that will propel economic prosperity and bolster national security.

    UNLEASHING AMERICAN ENERGY: President Trump believes in all forms of reliable, dispatchable energy, harnessing nuclear, fossil fuels, and emerging technologies to secure American energy independence and fuel economic growth.

    • On Day One, President Trump declared a National Energy Emergency to eliminate bureaucratic barriers, unleash innovation, and restore America’s position as the world’s leading energy producer.

    Unleashing American energy will create jobs and economic prosperity, improve the United States’ trade balance, help our country compete with hostile foreign powers, strengthen relations with allies and partners, and support international peace and security.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Directs Reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission

    Source: The White House

    MODERNIZING NUCLEAR REGULATION: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order directing the reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in order to reduce our dependence on foreign technologies, decrease regulatory barriers, and support our domestic nuclear industry.

    • This Order directs the NRC to complete rulemakings within 18 months to comprehensively revise its regulations and guidance documents, with a focus on balancing safety concerns with the benefits of nuclear energy for our economy and national security. The revisions will include:
      • Establishing fixed deadlines for evaluation and approval of licenses, including an 18-month deadline for construction and operation of new reactors and a 12-month deadline for continued operation of an existing reactor.
      • Adopting science-based radiation limits, instead of relying on flawed radiation exposure models.
      • Revising regulations governing compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act.
      • Establishing an expedited pathway for approving reactor designs that have been safely tested by the Department of Defense or Department of Energy.
      • Establishing a process for high-volume licensing of microreactors and modular reactors, including allowing for standardized applications.
      • Reconsidering regulations limiting license terms, extending those terms as appropriate.

    REALIGNING NRC CULTURE AND PERSONNEL: President Trump is directing the NRC to reform its culture and realign its organization to reflect Congress’ directive to rapidly promote nuclear power while ensuring reactor safety.

    • When licensing and regulating civilian nuclear power, the NRC is directed to consider the benefits of nuclear power to our economic and national security in addition to traditional concerns regarding safety, health, and environmental factors.
    • This Order directs a reorganization of the NRC to promote the expeditious processing of license applications and the adoption of innovative technology.
    • The NRC will create a dedicated team to draft the new regulations directed by the Order.

    REFORMING THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION: President Trump is committed to reestablishing the United States as a global leader in nuclear energy, which will create tens of thousands of high-paying jobs and generate American-led prosperity and resilience.

    • Since 1978, only two new nuclear reactors have begun construction and entered into commercial operation. Meanwhile, in just a single day, President Trump is signing twice as many Executive Orders to start a nuclear renaissance in the United States.
    • Due to an overly risk-averse culture that requires, for example, nuclear facilities to emit as little radiation as possible, including below naturally-occurring levels, the NRC has failed to license new reactors even as technological advances promise to make nuclear power safer, cheaper, more adaptable, and more abundant than ever. 
    • The Order establishes that U.S. policy will seek to facilitate the increased deployment of new nuclear reactor technologies and expand American nuclear energy capacity from around 100 GW today to 400 GW by 2050.
    • Energy independence, deregulation, and reducing barriers to building infrastructure have been hallmarks of President Trump’s second term, and reforming the NRC will represent a significant milestone across these critical policy areas.

    UNLEASHING AMERICAN ENERGY: President Trump believes in supporting all forms of reliable, dispatchable energy, harnessing nuclear, fossil fuels, and emerging technologies to secure American energy independence and fuel economic growth.

    • On Day One, President Trump declared a National Energy Emergency to eliminate bureaucratic barriers, unleash innovation, and restore America’s position as the world’s leading energy producer.
    • Unleashing American energy will create jobs and economic prosperity, improve the United States’ trade balance, help our country compete with hostile foreign powers, strengthen relations with allies and partners, and support international peace and security.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump is Restoring Gold Standard Science in America

    Source: The White House

    class=”has-text-align-center”>RESTORING GOLD STANDARD SCIENCE IN AMERICA: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to restore Gold Standard Science as the cornerstone of Federal scientific research and rebuild public trust in science.

    • Gold Standard Science is:
      • Reproducible, transparent, and falsifiable;
      • Subject to unbiased peer review;
      • Clear about errors and uncertainties;
      • Skeptical of assumptions;
      • Collaborative and interdisciplinary;
      • Accepting of negative results as positive outcomes; and
      • Free from conflicts of interest.
    • With this Executive Order, President Trump is directing Federal agencies to align new and existing programs and activities with Gold Standard Science principles.
    • This Order reinstates the scientific integrity policies of the first Trump Administration and ensures that science is no longer manipulated or misused to justify political ends, ensures agencies prioritize data transparency, acknowledges scientific uncertainties, remains transparent about the likelihood of future scenarios, evaluates scientific findings objectively, and communicates scientific data accurately.
    • The EO charges the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy to work with agency heads to issue guidance for adopting Gold Standard Science principles in 30 days and report their implementation progress within 60 days.
    • Agencies will publicly share data, analyses, models, and conclusions associated with scientific and technological information produced or used by the agency.
    • Agencies will also transparently acknowledge and document uncertainties, apply a “weight of scientific evidence” approach to decisionmaking, and ensure that scientific communication aligns with rigorous analysis.

    A CALL TO EXCELLENCE FOR AMERICA’S RESEACHERS: The Trump Administration encourages American research organizations across academia, industry, and philanthropy to return to core principles of scientific inquiry and align their activities to Gold Standard Science.

    • For too long, bureaucratic agendas, political interference, and inconsistent standards have eroded the American people’s trust in science.
    • Under the Biden Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) incorporated edits by a teachers’ union into its school reopening guidance, which discouraged in-person learning. This was despite the best available scientific evidence at the time showing that the COVID-19 risk for children was minimal, leading to prolonged closures that harmed students’ education.
    • The National Marine Fisheries Service adopted an admittedly flawed “worst-case scenario” projection for the North Atlantic right whale population, which could have devastated the historic Maine lobster fishery had the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals not overturned the opinion for skewing evidence analysis.
    • Agencies have relied on the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5 to justify climate change policies that hamper the American energy industry, an unrealistic worst-case climate scenario with exaggerated coal use assumptions, which scientists have criticized as misleading.
    • The Biden Administration manipulated science to achieve political ends, and conducted subpar science designed to support predetermined outcomes instead of objective science that informed well-designed policies.
    • President Trump’s restoration of Gold Standard Science will rebuild the nation’s confidence in science and its use in Federal decisionmaking, and ensure continued American strength and global leadership in technology.
    • New scientific integrity policies will:
      • Encourage the open exchange of ideas;
      • Ensure consideration of different or dissenting viewpoints; and
      • Protect employees from efforts to dissuade or prevent consideration of alternative scientific opinions.

    USHERING IN AMERICA’S GOLDEN AGE OF INNOVATION: This Executive Order is another step forward in President Trump’s agenda to ensure unquestioned American scientific and technological global dominance.

    This Order imposes the highest standards of scientific rigor on both the development and use of science by Federal agencies to restore public trust and ensure that policymaking follows, or adequately addresses, scientific findings, for demonstratable positive outcomes for the American public.

    Since inauguration, the President has taken significant action to:

    • Define America’s key scientific priorities in artificial intelligence, quantum information science, nuclear technology, and biotechnology.
    • Secure trillions of dollars in U.S.-based technology and research & development investments.
    • Create new educational and workforce development opportunities in artificial intelligence technology for America’s youth.

    Improve the safety and security of biological research. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Reinvigorates the Nuclear Industrial Base

    Source: The White House

    REINVIGORATING THE NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to expedite and promote the production and operation of nuclear energy, which is necessary to power the next generation technologies that secure our global industrial, digital, and economic dominance, achieve energy independence, and protect our national security.

    • This Order tasks the Secretary of Energy, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), to report on a recommended national policy to support spent nuclear fuel management, an evaluation of policies regarding commercial recycling and reprocessing of nuclear fuels, and recommendations for the efficient use of nuclear waste materials.
    • The Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Chair of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Director of OMB, will develop a plan to expand domestic uranium conversion capacity and enrichment capabilities to meet projected civilian and defense reactor needs.
    • This Order directs the Secretary of Energy to create a program to dispose of surplus plutonium by processing and making it available for advanced reactor fuel fabrication, stopping the surplus plutonium disposition program other than with respect to existing legal obligations.
    • President Trump is leveraging the Defense Production Act to seek voluntary agreements with domestic nuclear energy companies for the procurement of enriched uranium and for consultation regarding methods to enhance domestic capability to manage spent nuclear fuel.
    • The Secretary of Energy is authorized to support the establishment of nuclear industry consortia by ensuring offtake for newly established domestic fuel supply across milling, conversion/deconversion, enrichment, fabrication, and recycling and reprocessing.

    ACCELERATING NEW NUCLEAR ENERGY PRODUCTION: President Trump is leveraging the full suite of Federal financial resources to support the restart, completion, uprate, and construction of nuclear plants.

    • The Department of Energy will prioritize the facilitation of 5 GW of power uprates to existing nuclear reactors and construction on 10 new large reactors by 2030.
    • Federal loans and loan guarantees will be prioritized to support increased nuclear energy, including restarting closed nuclear power plants and completing construction of prematurely suspended plants.
    • The Order tasks the Secretary of Energy, in coordination with the Administrator of the Small Business Administration, to prioritize funding for companies with potential for near-term deployment of advanced nuclear technologies.

    EXPANDING THE AMERICAN NUCLEAR WORKFORCE: President Trump is taking action to expand pathways for Americans to gain employment in the domestic nuclear workforce.

    • Nuclear engineering and nuclear energy-related careers will be considered priority areas for actions directed pursuant to Executive Order 14278.
    • The Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Education will increase participation in nuclear energy-related registered apprenticeships and career and technical education programs.
    • The Secretary of Energy will increase access to R&D infrastructure, workforce, and expertise at Department of Energy National Laboratories for college and university nuclear engineering students.

    STRENGTHENING THE DOMESTIC NUCLEAR FUEL SUPPLY CHAIN: To enable the long-term expansion of nuclear energy, the Federal government shall pursue policies to maximize the value of nuclear fuel and expand the domestic nuclear fuel supply chain.

    • The Nation’s nuclear fuel cycle infrastructure has severely atrophied, with domestic fuel sources supplying only about 5% of the fuel used in U.S. reactors. In addition to permitting challenges in mining the relevant minerals, in 1977 the Federal government introduced a policy that did not allow reprocessing of used fuel for commercial reactors, leaving the United States heavily dependent on foreign sources of uranium as well as uranium enrichment and conversion services. 
    • The United States possesses ample deposits of uranium and thorium that can power advanced nuclear reactors. The President has already taken decisive action to advance mining activities relevant to these minerals pursuant to his Executive Order “Immediate Measures to Increase Domestic Mineral Production.”
    • This Executive Order supplements the Administration’s actions on mineral production to ensure that we can not only mine, but also process and refine, nuclear fuel domestically. This is crucial for energy independence and national security.
    • Treatment of nuclear waste is one of the most difficult problems in the nuclear supply chain, and this Order brings together all relevant Federal agencies to develop implementable solutions.
    • 60% of the nuclear workforce is between the ages of 30 and 60, and this Order takes decisive action to generate a pipeline of workers to supply the demand for this crucial industry.

    UNLEASHING AMERICAN ENERGY: President Trump believes in supporting all forms of reliable, dispatchable energy, harnessing nuclear, fossil fuels, and emerging technologies to secure American energy independence and fuel economic growth.

    • On Day One, President Trump declared a National Energy Emergency to eliminate bureaucratic barriers, unleash innovation, and restore America’s position as the world’s leading energy producer.
    • Unleashing American energy will create jobs and economic prosperity, improve the United States’ trade balance, help our country compete with hostile foreign powers, strengthen relations with allies and partners, and support international peace and security.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Joins Multistate Coalition to Oppose Trump Administration’s Reclassification of Federal Employees

    Source: US State of California

    New Trump employment classification would strip civil-service protections from tens of thousands of nonpartisan federal employees and risk eroding the effectiveness of the federal government  

    OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today joined a coalition of 19 attorneys general in submitting a comment letter that opposes the Office of Personnel Management’s proposed rule to create a new employment classification in the federal civil service called “Schedule Policy/Career.”  If implemented, this classification, a reinstatement of the previously failed “Schedule F,” would strip critical workplace protections from tens of thousands of career federal employees, allowing the Trump Administration to fire them for “subverting Presidential directives” or purely political or reasons unrelated to their job performance. 

    “The Trump Administration is looking to trample on workers’ rights by reinstating the Schedule F classification,” said Attorney General Bonta. “This would be a direct assault on the integrity of our federal workforce by threatening to replace experienced, nonpartisan professionals with political loyalists. This change would not only undermine the trust and stability of our strong federal workforce comprised of subject matter experts, it would also break the very foundation of a government that serves all Americans, not just those who implement President’ Trump’s agenda.”  

    Under the current federal civil service system, approximately 2 million federal employees serve in the “competitive service,” meaning they are hired through a merit-based process and protected by civil-service laws that guard against arbitrary dismissal or political interference. These federal employees are nonpartisan professionals hired for their expertise and expected to carry out the laws passed by Congress regardless of political shifts. 

    The new Schedule Policy/Career classification that attempts to reprise the previously proposed Schedule F would reclassify a broad range of policy-related civil servants—such as analysts, attorneys, scientists, and regulators — into an at-will employment status. Unlike traditional Schedule C appointees who change with each new presidential administration, Schedule Policy/Career would apply to nonpartisan federal career staff not normally subject to such turnover. This reclassification would remove long-standing due process protections that guard the apolitical nature of the federal workforce and open these employees up to being fired on political grounds.  

    As of March 2024, there were only roughly 1,600 Schedule C employees across the entire federal government, which illustrates just how narrow Congress intended the exemptions from merit-based employment to be. When the first Trump Administration attempted to implement Schedule F, one estimate projected it would reclassify as many as 50,000 federal employees. 

    In the comment letter, the attorneys general argue that the Trump Administration’s proposed rule is unlawful, unconstitutional, and harmful to states. Schedule Policy/Career violates the clear intent of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, which Congress passed to protect federal employees from arbitrary dismissal and ensure merit-based hiring. It also raises due process concerns under the Fifth Amendment by retroactively stripping career civil servants of vested employment rights. From a policy standpoint, the rule would politicize the federal workforce, chill the independence of career professionals, make it more difficult to retain experienced employees, and open the door to partisan retaliation against public servants when their expertise conflicts with a presidential administration’s political agenda.

    The attorneys general also emphasize the rule’s dangerous impact on states, including California, which depend on consistent, professional federal partners to administer shared programs. States rely on civil servants at agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Health and Human Services, and Department of Education to implement laws, distribute funds, and provide technical guidance. This reclassification would also affect civil servants at agencies that states rely on to manage disasters, such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The attorneys general further warn that the implementation of Schedule Policy/Career could return key parts of the federal workforce to a spoils system that enables a president to reward loyalists with jobs, rather than allow federal agencies to hire based on merit. Politicizing these positions would undermine cooperation, destabilize federal-state programs like Medicaid and environmental enforcement, and significantly degrade the effectiveness of the federal government, as well as its adherence to the rule of law. The attorneys general warn in the comment letter that Schedule F would erode federal-state relations by effectively shifting regulatory and programmatic burdens onto the states and coercing state compliance with federal political priorities. 

    This letter was co-led by Attorneys General Keith Ellison of Minnesota and Anne E. Lopez of Hawaii. They were joined by the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia.

    A copy of the comment letter can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Risch Applauds President Trump’s Executive Orders on Nuclear Energy

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho James E Risch

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch released a statement today on President Donald Trump’s executive actions to expand American nuclear energy production and streamline the deployment of advanced civil nuclear technologies.  

    “Nuclear energy is America’s creation and will be essential to powering our nation’s future,” said Risch.“President Trump’s actions present a significant opportunity for the U.S. civil nuclear industry to support America’s growing energy demands, bolster national security, and reinforce America’s leadership in energy innovation.”

    On Friday, May 23, President Trump signed four executive orders to strengthen the American nuclear industrial base, expedite deployment of advanced nuclear technologies for national security, streamline testing on Department of Energy sites, and modernize the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

    As a senior member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Risch is a leading voice on energy policy in the U.S. Senate. President Trump’s executive orders build on several priorities Risch has spearhead, including:

    • Promoting American Nuclear Exports: Risch led his colleagues in introducing the International Nuclear Energy Act to prioritize American dominance in nuclear energy and offset China and Russia’s growing influence on international nuclear energy development.

    • Fostering Nuclear Innovation: Risch co-founded the Senate Advanced Nuclear Caucus to amplify and support emerging nuclear technologies like those being developed at the Idaho National Laboratory. In a recent Washington Times editorial, Risch underscored the critical role of nuclear energy in powering America’s current and future energy needs.

    • Accelerating New Nuclear: Risch is a strong proponent of domestic nuclear energy production and the commercialization of advanced nuclear technologies, and has introduced legislation to accelerate new nuclear investment.

    • Reinvigorating the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Risch was a leader in passing legislation to develop a domestic nuclear fuel supply chain and end U.S. reliance on Russian uranium.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar Meets With Canadian Prime Minister Carney Regarding Trade

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)
    Senator Part of First Bipartisan Delegation to Meet with a Canadian Prime Minister in Canada in Five Years   
    Canadian Prime Minister and Klobuchar also talked ongoing women’s pro hockey finals with Minnesota Frost and Ottawa Charge tied in series 
    MINNESOTA— Today, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar met with newly elected Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Ottawa to discuss rebuilding trade relations with Canada. This meeting came at a critical time in response to the ongoing tariff issues between the two countries since Donald Trump assessed tariffs on Canada and other nations Klobuchar was one of a bipartisan group of five U.S. senators, and the first group of lawmakers to meet with a prime minister in Canada in five years.
    Joining Klobuchar were Senators Jeanne Shaheen, Tim Kaine, Kevin Cramer, and Peter Welch.
    Senator Klobuchar is Co-Chair of the Canada-U.S. Inter-Parliamentary Group along with Republican Senator Cramer of North Dakota.  
    “Canada is Minnesota’s neighbor, top trading partner and close friend. We share a deep bond grounded in trust and a shared commitment to democracy,” said Klobuchar. “I also made clear there is bipartisan commitment to restoring stability, credibility, and sanity to our trade policy with Canada.”
    In addition to discussing tariffs, Klobuchar also commended the Prime Minister for his decision to spend an hour with the bipartisan delegation and focus on issues ranging from tourism to energy policy.
    When discussing the ongoing women’s pro hockey finals between the Minnesota Frost and the Ottawa Charge, she noted to Prime Minister Carney that diplomacy can only go so far: “Go Minnesota Frost,” she said. 
    Klobuchar and her colleagues also met with Foreign Minister Anita Anand, Minister of National Defense David McGuinty, Minister of Industry Mélanie Joly, the Business Council of Canada, and other leading Canadian companies and business groups. 
    This week, Klobuchar joined Cramer and Kaine in introducing a bipartisan resolution to recognize the U.S.-Canada partnership and its shared interests in economic, energy and critical minerals, and national security.
    In April, Klobuchar’s bipartisan resolution with Kaine and Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) to reverse President Trump’s across-the-board tariffs on Canadian goods passed the Senate. 
    Photos available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman García Votes Against Trump’s Tax Scam

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Jesús Chuy García (IL-04)

    WASHINGTON, D.C.— Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04) issued the following statement after voting against Trump’s Tax Scam:

    “Republicans rammed through their Tax Scam in the dead of the night because they know the truth: this bill is a handout to billionaires at the expense of working families.  

    “The bill is cruel, harmful, and deliberate. The largest cut to healthcare and food assistance in U.S. history! Republicans ripped away care from children, seniors, and people with disabilities—just to fund tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy.

    “Nearly 14 million people will lose their health care. Millions more will have to pay higher premiums. In my district alone, 278,000 people who rely on Medicaid are at risk. 

    “The bill redirects nearly $80 billion to Trump’s mass deportation machine while terrorizing immigrants and imposing a new tax on non-citizens’ remittances.

    “I voted no. I stand with working families, not billionaires and bullies.”

     

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Larsen Releases Statement on Trump’s Attacks on Education

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Larsen (2nd Congressional District Washington)

    Today, Rep. Rick Larsen released the following statement on the Trump administration’s attacks on academic freedom and access to education:

    “The Trump administration is attacking colleges and universities to exact political revenge. These tactics will fail, and I stand with Harvard and all educational institutions against the President’s unlawful attempts to bully his opponents into silence.

    “The Administration should be investing in research and young people to keep the U.S. globally innovative and competitive. Instead, it is slashing funding that supports cutting-edge science, hard-working students and local jobs.

    “In Northwest Washington, funding cuts have jeopardized climate resiliency research at the University of Washington and Mars sample testing at Western Washington University. Funding cuts are also threatening the Federal TRIO Programs and Pell Grants, which have a proven track record of helping low-income and first-generation students succeed.

    “I will continue to fight against the Trump administration’s budget cuts, and to fight for academic freedom, college affordability, and keeping the U.S. globally innovative and competitive.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Merkley, Wyden, Hoyle Push for Federal Disaster Declaration in Response to Severe Flooding

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    May 23, 2025
    Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, alongside U.S. Representative Val Hoyle (OR-04), are calling for swift approval of Oregon Governor Tina Kotek’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The push comes in response to devastating flooding and other damaging weather-related events that severely impacted Coos, Curry, Douglas, and Harney counties in March.
    “Given the extent of the damage to both physical and social infrastructure across four counties, we urge you and your administration to act swiftly to ensure that State and Local governments have all the federal resources they need to recover and rebuild,” the lawmakers said in their letter to President Trump.
    The wide-ranging weather triggered several incidents from the South Coast to Eastern Oregon between March 13 and March 20, as warm rains led to rapid snowmelt that contributed to severe runoff and erosion. Three rivers reached major flood levels, and wind gusts of over 45 miles per hour caused power outages and blocked roads.
    In Harney County, a critical levee system protecting the City of Burns and members of the Burns Paiute Tribe failed, causing floodwaters to rapidly increase and inundate homes and agricultural fields.
    “Local leaders, first responders, volunteers, and neighbors stepped up heroically to protect lives and begin recovery efforts across Coos, Curry, Douglas, and Harney Counties. These are close- knit, self-reliant communities that have banded together to recover from these severe weather events and support one another,” the lawmakers stressed. “We encourage your administration to deliver the tools needed to protect lives, restore order, and get families back on their feet.”
    In addition to supporting the Governor’s request for Public Assistance (PA) to help communities in all four counties quickly recover from this disaster, the letter from lawmakers calls on FEMA to provide support to eligible individuals and households in Coos, Curry, and Douglas affected by the disaster through the Individual Assistance (IA) program.  
    They also urged the White House to make the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) available statewide for this event to help rural communities rebuild in a way that mitigates future disaster losses.
    “Oregon has demonstrated its ability to successfully use federal disaster dollars in the past, and we are confident they will be effective and efficient with funds from FEMA should they be provided for this disaster as well,” emphasized the lawmakers.
    Full text of the letter can be found by clicking HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Merkley, Wyden Press for Federal Support in Harney County’s Flooding Recovery

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    May 23, 2025
    Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden are calling on President Trump to urgently approve Oregon Governor Tina Kotek’s request for Individual Assistance (IA) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to support the Harney County community as they continue to recover from the worst flooding the region has seen in nearly 70 years.
    The flooding left hundreds of rural homes damaged and overwhelmed the City of Burns’ sewer system which required many residents to leave their homes to use portable toilets or travel to the next town to shower. Today, many of these homes remain contaminated due to the raw sewage that washed through the floors and along the walls.
    “Raging waters damaged homes and small businesses and created dangerous health conditions,” the Senators wrote in their letter to the White House.
    At the height of the flood on April 7 of this year, more than 1,400 people were advised to evacuate their homes in Burns and the Burns Paiute Reservation. This was a significant part of Harney County’s population, which is only around 7,400. The Senators also noted that this flood comes on the heels of other natural disasters in the region, including wildfires and severe drought.
    “The combined toll of these events has pushed many rural Oregonians to the brink,” the Senators stressed. “While the people of Harney County are resilient and deeply rooted in the values of hard work and self-reliance, they also rely on government at all levels to fulfill its basic duty in times of crisis.”
    The scale of the disaster in Harney County, combined with limited local resources, has left many rural Oregonians without the means to rebuild on their own—making Individual Assistance through FEMA critical.
    “Smart, targeted federal aid can make a lasting difference – especially when delivered in cooperation with local officials who know their communities best,” the Senators closed.
    The full text of the Senator’s letter can be found by clicking HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Mrvan Statement on Nippon Steel

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank J. Mrvan (IN)

    Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Frank J. Mrvan released the statement below following the announcement regarding Nippon Steel.

    “From the very beginning of this proposed acquisition, I was steadfast in voicing serious concerns about the implications of foreign ownership – particularly Nippon Steel’s record on trade practices – and the critical importance of preserving American control over our steel production, which is vital to our national security.

    “In the months since, as the Vice Chairman of the Congressional Steel Caucus, I’ve listened closely to the many voices raised across the political spectrum, including from the prior administration and the Trump Administration.  It is clear that this unified front of concern and advocacy played a crucial role in shaping the terms, incentives, and safeguards now in place.

    “Thanks to this persistent and bipartisan pressure, we are in a stronger, more secure position today than we were at the time of the initial announcement.  But let me be clear: this is not the end of our oversight.  Nippon Steel must be held to every promise made – from promises to the hardworking steelworkers of Northwest Indiana and the City of Gary, to the economic and strategic interests of the United States.  We will not hesitate to act if those commitments are broken.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Moolenaar Statement on Passage of H.R. 1

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Moolenaar (4th District of Michigan)

    Headline: Moolenaar Statement on Passage of H.R. 1

    This morning, Congressman John Moolenaar voted in favor of H.R. 1, the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act. The legislation delivers on the mandate given to President Trump and the Republican Party by the American people last November. Included in the bill are provisions to avoid a 25% tax increase on Michigan families, empower U.S. Border Patrol and ICE to secure the southern border, and ensure tax dollars are spent wisely by cutting wasteful spending, while protecting programs like Medicaid for vulnerable populations who rely on it.

    Congressman Moolenaar’s NO GOTION Policy was also included in the legislation passed today, which prohibits  companies affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party from qualifying for green energy production tax credits.

    “The One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act is a major win for families in Michigan’s Second Congressional District. This bill delivers on our promises to the American people to prevent a tax hike that would cost them thousands, and puts an end to the crisis at the southern border. It also addresses wasteful spending of taxpayer dollars, by establishing commonsense policies to protect programs like Medicaid for the Michigan residents who rely on it,” said Moolenaar. “I am also grateful my NO GOTION policy was included in this critical legislation. The tax dollars of hard-working Michigan families should not fund companies like Gotion, which are beholden to the Chinese Communist Party. I will continue my work to support Michiganders and get our nation back on the right track.”

    Moolenaar’s NO GOTION policy would prohibit foreign entities of concern from claiming green energy production tax credits implemented by the Biden administration in the “Inflation Reduction Act.” Gotion is a “wholly owned and controlled” subsidiary of Gotion High-Tech, a Chinese-based battery company. In an amended Foreign Agents Registration Act filing, Gotion admitted it is subsidized by the Chinese government.

    The budget reconciliation bill protects Medicaid for the people who rely on it. Currently, 4.8 million able-bodied Americans are covered by Medicaid – who are choosing not to work, as well as 1.4 million illegal immigrants receiving this taxpayer funded program. H.R. 1 addresses this issue, removing Medicaid coverage from people who are in our country illegally and requiring able-bodied individuals to return to work so Medicaid can continue to serve the vulnerable populations it was intended for. 

    H.R. 1 extends the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanently, avoiding a 25% tax hike on Michigan families, saving an average of over $1,300 every year. It also provides additional tax relief for middle-class families, ending federal income tax on tipped wages, overtime pay, and interest on loans for American-made cars. 

    Under the previous administration, more than 10 million people came into our country illegally, averaging nearly 160,000 border patrol encounters per month. Under the Trump administration, border patrol is reporting over a 90% drop, with just 8,383 illegal crossings last month. H.R, 1 builds on this success by providing funding to US. Border Patrol for hiring, technology to detect fentanyl, and the completion of the border wall. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall Thanks President Trump for Delivering Kansas Relief Aid After Severe Storms

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) today released the following statement after President Donald Trump granted the state of Kansas’ request for a Major Disaster Declaration, triggering the release of federal resources that will help communities in Kansas recover from the severe winter storms, straight-line winds, flooding, and wildfires that swept through the state March 14 – 19, 2025.
    Following the storms, Senator Marshall led a letter from Republican members of the Kansas federal delegation asking President Trump to grant the Sunflower State’s Major Disaster Declaration request.
    “I can’t thank President Trump and his team enough for swiftly stepping up for Kansans in a time of great need,” Senator Marshall said. “Local governments and utility providers will now be empowered with federal resources as they respond to the devastation left by these storms. To all those impacted, please know my office and I stand ready to assist in any way we can.”
    The following counties are now eligible for public assistance:
    Barton, Chautauqua, Edwards, Elk, Ellis, Gove, Graham, Gray, Greeley, Hodgeman, Jewell, Lincoln, Logan, Ness, Norton, Osborne, Pawnee, Phillips, Rice, Rooks, Rush, Russell, Sheridan, Sherman, Smith, Stafford, Wallace, and Woodson.
    Background:

    From March 14 – 19, 2025, Kansas was impacted by two back-to-back, strong, mid-latitude cyclone storm systems that moved through the state. The systems brought strong winds, low humidity, blowing dust, and blizzard conditions. According to the National Weather Service, the near-record low pressure in one of the systems measured close to the pressure found in a category 1 hurricane.
    On May 21, 2025, President Trump granted a Major Disaster Declaration for the State of Kansas.
    Due to President Trump’s leadership, local governments and public utility providers will now be eligible to submit storm-related expenses to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for reimbursement.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Jayapal Introduces Resolution Supporting May as Sex Ed for All Month

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) led lawmakers today in introducing a measure that would designate May as Sex Ed for All Month. The Resolution calls for bolstering an effective initiative that provides young people with comprehensive, accurate, and inclusive sexual health information, as well as access to sexual and reproductive health care services, empowering them to make healthy decisions for themselves and promoting healthy lifelong attitudes toward sex, health, and reproductive rights.

    “In a time when the Trump administration is threatening our reproductive rights and bodily autonomy, this Resolution expresses support for protecting young people’s access to comprehensive, culturally responsive, and equitable sex education,” said Congresswoman Jayapal. “I’m proud that Washington state is a leader in providing accurate and inclusive sexual health education to all students, and this Resolution supports ensuring that young people across the country have access to the same resources. Sexual and reproductive health is an issue of social justice, and the May as Sex Ed for All Month Resolution sets forth a vision for a future in which young people have the information and care they need to make healthy decisions for themselves while we decrease the rate of sexually transmitted infections.”

    Sex education that includes information beyond abstinence has been found to delay sexual activity, increase contraceptive use, and decrease physical aggression between intimate partners. Young people who receive sex education are 50 percent less likely to experience an unintended pregnancy and 31 percent less likely to contract a sexually transmitted infection. 

    The Resolution calls on public officials at all levels of government to advocate for sex education legislation and recommends the implementation of sex education in schools. Specifically, the resolution prioritizes sex education programs that are comprehensive and evidence-based, medically accurate, age-appropriate, equitable, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed. The resolution discourages programs that withhold health-promoting information about sexuality-related topics, promote gender or racial stereotypes, or are unresponsive to gender or racial inequities, fail to address the needs of sexually active young people, and fail to be inclusive of individuals with varying gender identities, gender expressions, and sexual orientations.                                                                                       

    Today’s resolution is co-sponsored by Alma Adams (NC-12), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Lateefah Simon (CA-13) and Jill Tokuda (HI-02). 

    The resolution is also endorsed by Advocates for Youth, AIDS Foundation Chicago, AIDS United, Alabama Campaign for Adolescent Sexual Health, All* Above All, American College of Nurse-Midwives, California Latinas for Reproductive Justice, Center for Biological Diversity, Center for Reproductive Rights, EducateUS, Equality California, Equality Illinois, Equality New Mexico, Guttmacher Institute, Health Connected, Healthy Teen Network, Ibis Reproductive Health, If/When/How, More Than Sex-Ed, a project of Community Partners, National Center for Youth Law, National Council of Jewish Women, National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association, National Network of Abortion Funds, National Organization for Women, National Women’s Law Center, National Working Positive Coalition, NE FL Diversity Caucus, Nevada County Citizens for Choice, New Voices for Reproductive Justice, Nicole Clark Consulting, LLC, PFLAG Tulare Kings Counties, Phenix Health, Physicians for Reproductive Health, PITA MERAH, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Population Institute, Pride Action Tank, PWN-USA Ohio, Religious Community for Reproductive Choice, Reproaction, Reproductive Freedom for All, Rural AIDS Action Network, Secular Student Alliance, SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change, Silver State Equality, SiX Action, Stop Sexual Assault in Schools, The AIDS Institute, The Center for HIV Law and Policy, U.S. People Living with HIV Caucus, UCSF Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, Underprivileged Welfare Support Development Association, Union for Reform Judaism, Women of Reform Judaism, Women’s Foundation of Florida, and Woodhull Action Fund.

    Issues: Arts & Education

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: President Grants Major Disaster Declaration for South Texas

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    Cornyn Wrote in Support of Gov. Abbott’s Request

    AUSTIN – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) released the following statement thanking President Donald J. Trump for approving Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration for the State of Texas following severe flooding in Cameron, Willacy, Starr, and Hidalgo counties in late March. This comes after the Senator wrote to the President in support of the request. 

    “The Rio Grande Valley endured devastating floods and severe storms that severely damaged Texans’ homes and businesses, and I thank President Trump for approving this request for federal disaster relief to be sent to the region,” said Sen. Cornyn. “I will continue to stay in touch with state and local officials to ensure South Texas has the resources and assistance it needs to recover and rebuild.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEW: Baldwin Releases Report on How Trump Cuts Are Hurting Veterans and Caregivers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) released a new report on how President Donald Trump’s reckless cuts to staff and services are hurting our veterans.

    “When Americans serve and sacrifice for our freedom, it’s our duty to have their back when these brave men and women return home,” said Senator Baldwin. “As we spend this weekend remembering those who have given the ultimate sacrifice for us and honoring the families of the fallen, we also recommit ourselves to taking care of those in uniform, those who returned home, and the loved ones of our troops. I will work with anyone to do right by our veterans and survivors but this Administration is failing to keep their end of that sacred promise.”

    President Trump and Elon Musk’s DOGE are enacting deep cuts across the federal government that continue to cost veterans their jobs and jeopardize essential care through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that veterans and their caregivers rely on every day. VA Secretary Doug Collins announced they plan to cut 83,000 jobs, slashing the essential workforce by over 17 percent at the federal agency. These cuts come on top of staffing shortages at the VA, including having 66,000 vacancies across the health system, and further outlined in a 2024 report that found that 137 of 139 VA health centers nationwide report a severe staffing shortage in at least one area, particularly nursing and psychology.

    NPR found that 11,273 VA employees nationwide have applied for deferred resignation, which the Trump administration is offering as part of its DOGE initiative to cut the VA’s workforce. The top positions across all networks that are requesting deferred resignation are nurses (about 1,300), medical support assistants (about 800), and social workers (about 300). In a recent poll by Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, more than 4 out of 5 veterans said they are concerned that recent federal cuts could impact veteran benefits and health care.

    Veterans are also being hit hard by cuts across the federal agencies, where they make up 30 percent of the nearly 2.3 million civilian federal workforce. DOGE’s stated goal to eliminate 75 percent of the federal workforce could mean that up to 500,000 veterans could lose their jobs.

    Read the full report.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Supports Artemis Accords Signatories Advancing Exploration

    Source: NASA

    The United States participated in an international Artemis Accords workshop May 21-22 to advance the safe and responsible exploration of the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Hosted by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which was represented by the UAE Space Agency, the workshop took place at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.
    The Artemis Accords are a set of non-binding principles signed by nations for a peaceful and prosperous future in space for all of humanity to enjoy. In October 2020, under the first Trump administration, the accords were created, and since then, 54 countries have joined with the United States in committing to transparent and responsible behavior in space.
    “Following President Trump’s visit to the Middle East, the United States built upon the successful trip through engagement with a global coalition of nations to further implement the accords – practical guidelines for ensuring transparency, peaceful cooperation, and shared prosperity in space exploration,” said acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro. “These accords represent a vital step toward uniting the world in the pursuit of exploration and scientific discovery beyond Earth. NASA is proud to lead in the overall accords effort, advancing the principles as we push the boundaries of human presence in space – for the benefit of all.”
    Participants from 30 countries joined the discussions and a tabletop exercise centered on defining challenges for operating in a complex environment.
    As the Artemis Accords workshop concluded Thursday, participants reaffirmed their commitment to upholding the principles outlined in the accords and to continue identifying best practices and guidelines for safe and sustainable exploration. The first workshop was hosted by Poland in 2023, followed by Canada in 2024.
    Artemis Accords signatories have committed to sharing information about their activities to the United Nations of Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and other appropriate channels. Transparency and communication are key to peaceful exploration.
    The Artemis Accords signatories will gather for face-to-face discussions on the margins of the International Astronautical Congress in late September, where workshop recommendations and outcomes will be presented to the Artemis Accords principals. NASA anticipates additional countries will sign in the coming weeks and months.
    The Artemis Accords are grounded in the Outer Space Treaty and other agreements, including the Registration Convention and the Rescue and Return Agreement, as well as best practices for responsible behavior that NASA and its partners have supported, including the public release of scientific data. 
    Learn more about the Artemis Accords at:
    https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-accords

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE San Antonio, federal partners lead to Treasury sanctions of high-ranking members of Cartel del Noreste, a foreign terrorist organization

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    WASHINGTON — The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned two high-ranking members of the Mexico-based Cartel del Noreste, formerly known as Los Zetas, May 21. CDN, one of Mexico’s most violent drug trafficking organizations and a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, has significant influence over the border region, particularly near the Laredo/Nuevo Laredo entry point. These sanctions emphasize the commitment to targeting CDN and other violent cartels involved in drug trafficking, human trafficking, arms trafficking, and other crimes that endanger the American people. The investigation is being conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s San Antonio office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ San Antonio office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Houston Division. The action was closely coordinated with Mexico’s Financial Intelligence Unit, Unidad de Inteligencia Financiera. The sanctions were imposed under Executive Order 14059, which targets the proliferation of illicit drugs and their production, and Executive Order 13224, as amended, which targets terrorists and their supporters.

    “In working toward the total elimination of cartels to Make America Safe Again, the Trump Administration will hold these terrorists accountable for their criminal activities and abhorrent acts of violence,” said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. “CDN and its leaders have carried out a violent campaign of intimidation, kidnapping, and terrorism, threatening communities on both sides of our southern border. We will continue to cut off the cartels’ ability to obtain the drugs, money, and guns that enable their violent activities.”

    Cartel del Noreste

    CDN is a terrorist organization primarily based in the Mexican states of Tamaulipas, Coahuila, and Nuevo Leon. The group has been involved in narcotics trafficking, human trafficking, arms trafficking, money laundering, vehicle theft, and oil theft. They have also engaged in terrorist activities to intimidate American citizens and local communities in Mexico, including extortion, kidnapping, and murder.

    In March 2022, CDN fired guns and threw grenades at the U.S. Consulate in Nuevo Laredo following the arrest of a CDN member wanted in Mexico for terrorism, homicide, and extortion. The consulate was closed for nearly a month due to the attack, which was seen as a retaliatory act aimed at intimidating American diplomats serving abroad.

    On Feb. 20, the U.S. Department of State identified CDN as an FTO and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist. Prior to this designation, CDN, then known as Los Zetas, was labeled by the United States as a significant foreign narcotics trafficker on April 15, 2009, under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act for its involvement in international narcotics trafficking. On July 24, 2011, Los Zetas was named a transnational criminal organization in the annex to Executive Order 13581. On Dec. 15, 2021, the Office of Foreign Assets Control designated CDN under Executive Order 14059.

    Sanctioning key members of Cartel del Noreste

    Firearms acquired by CDN affiliates have been smuggled into Mexico. Miguel Angel de Anda Ledezma (De Anda), a high-ranking member of CDN residing in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, oversees the procurement of guns and ammunition for the group. In this role, De Anda has facilitated payments to U.S. straw purchasers and organized firearm deliveries to Nuevo Laredo. Some of these weapons were used in terrorist activities, including one recovered after CDN attacked Mexico’s army during a patrol in March 2024.

    Ricardo Gonzalez Sauceda, who lived in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, was the second-in-command of CDN until his February 2025 arrest by Mexican authorities. He led an armed enforcement wing of the group and benefited from trafficked firearms in attacks on Mexican police and military, as well as drug trafficking activities. Gonzalez was arrested on Feb. 3, in connection with a CDN attack on the Mexican military in August 2024, which killed two soldiers and injured five. At the time of his arrest, Gonzalez was in possession of a rifle, a handgun, 300 grams of methamphetamine, and 1,500 fentanyl pills.

    The designations of De Anda and Gonzalez resulted from strong coordination between ICE Homeland Security Investigations, ATF, and DEA.

    Both De Anda and Gonzalez are sanctioned under Executive Orders 14059 and 13224, as amended, for being owned, controlled, or directed by CDN or acting on its behalf.

    Santions Implications

    As a result of this sanction, all property, and interests in property of the designated individuals listed above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to the Office of Foreign Assets Control. Additionally, any entities owned 50 percent or more, directly or indirectly, by one or more blocked individuals are also blocked.

    Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC or exempt, OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the U.S. that involve property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons.

    Violations of U.S. sanctions may result in civil or criminal penalties for U.S. and foreign persons. OFAC may impose civil penalties for sanctions violations on a strict liability basis. OFAC’s Economic Sanctions Enforcement Guidelines provide more information regarding its enforcement of U.S. economic sanctions. Financial institutions and other individuals may also risk sanctions for engaging in certain transactions with designated or blocked persons.

    Engaging in certain transactions with the individuals designated May 21 also poses a risk of secondary sanctions under Executive Order 13224, as amended. Under this authority, OFAC can prohibit or impose strict conditions on the opening or maintenance of a correspondent or payable-through account in the U.S. for any foreign financial institution that knowingly facilitated significant transactions on behalf of a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.

    Exports, reexports, or transfers of items subject to U.S. export controls involving individuals on the SDN List under Executive Order 13224, as amended, may face additional restrictions from the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security. See 15 C.F.R. section 744.8 for more details.

    The power and integrity of OFAC sanctions come not only from its ability to designate and add individuals to the SDN List, but also from its willingness to remove individuals from the list in accordance with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to encourage positive changes in behavior. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • How Pakistan Undermines Judicial Process and Denies Justice from being Served

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    India defines any act as terrorism under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA): “Whoever does any act with intent to threaten or likely to threaten the unity, integrity, security (including economic security), or sovereignty of India or with intent to strike terror or likely to strike terror in the people or any section of the people in India or in any foreign country.” Whoever is involved in these activities is a terrorist, including Pakistan-based terrorists Hafiz Saeed and Sajid Mir (Lashkar-e-Taiba), Masood Azhar (Jaish-e-Mohammed) and others from Pakistan on India’s most-wanted list.

    The United Nations defines it, “Terrorism involves the intimidation or coercion of populations or governments through the threat or perpetration of violence. This may result in death, serious injury or the taking of hostages.”

    Definition of terrorism as accepted in the United States follows the pattern. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) divides it into “international” and “domestic” terrorism. International terrorism means “violent, criminal acts committed by individuals and/or groups who are inspired by, or associated with, designated foreign terrorist organizations or nations (state-sponsored)”, whereas domestic terrorism pertains to violent, criminal acts committed by individuals and/or groups to further ideological goals stemming from domestic influences, such as those of a political, religious, social, racial, or environmental nature.

    Threatening unity, integrity, security or sovereignty of a nation, intimidating its people or the governing machinery, by individuals, or designated foreign terrorists – the core of these definitions – applies to all of the terrorists and their terror groups operating from Pakistan.

    For this, they have been designated as terrorists not just by India but by the United States, the United Nations and many other countries, including Pakistan.

    The United States designated LeT and JeM as foreign terrorist organisations in December 2001. UN sanctions for JeM came in October 2001; for LeT, they came in May 2005. Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), another Pakistan-based terrorist organisation targeting India, was designated a foreign terrorist organisation by the United States in August 2017.

    Hafiz Saeed was sanctioned as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) by the United States in May 2008 with a USD 10 million bounty after the Mumbai terror attack which killed 166 people including six Americans. Saeed was seen as the main perpetrator. Over the next few years, many other terrorists from Pakistan were also included as SDGT: Masood Azhar in November 2010, Sajid Mir in August 2012, and Syed Salahudeen in June 2017. Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, LeT’s operations commander and another key perpetrator behind the Mumbai 26/11 attack, was also designated as a global terrorist. Except Syed Salahudeen, who heads the HM, all others are banned under the ISIL/Al-Qaeda Committee sanctions by the United Nations as well.

    These designated terrorists were living a free life in Pakistan, raising funds, radicalising and recruiting terrorists more and more, linking with other terror groups and launching terror attacks against India and other places across the world.

    After overwhelming international pressure and financial sanctions, Pakistan was forced to jail some of them, but under much-diluted charges. The way Pakistan has made a mockery of the judicial process becomes evident from how these terrorists were always given the upper hand of supportive governance machinery.

    The jail-in and jail-out of LeT chief Hafiz Saeed is a case in point here.

    Pakistan was forced to arrest LeT chief Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind of the 13 December 2001 terror attack on the Indian Parliament. LeT and JeM jointly carried out this attack. After international pressure, Saeed was briefly detained, for three months, but no formal charges were filed against him and a Pakistan court ordered his release.

    The mastermind of the terror operations at the sovereign sign of a nation’s identity, its Parliament, was let off without charge, for an incident that got wide condemnation from across the world.

    He was again detained in May 2002 after two terror attacks killed 30 people and soldiers in Jammu & Kashmir. In October 2002, Saeed was shifted to his house and kept under house arrest. No charges were filed and the court ordered his release in November 2002.

    Saeed was detained for the third time in 2006, reports available show. This time, he was detained after the July 2006 Mumbai train bombing attack. Put under house arrest in August 2006 for badly affecting Pakistan’s ties with other governments through his activities, a court order released him in December 2006.

    He was detained for the fourth time in 2008, after the Mumbai terror attack on 26 November, after the United Nations listed him as a terrorist under the resolutions on the ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions List. LeT was blamed for the multiple terror acts in Mumbai that killed 166 people including six Americans and under United States pressure, Pakistan cracked down on Jamaat-ud-Dawa, LeT’s front that called itself a religious charity and that was headed by Saeed. He was again detained (placed under house arrest). The JuD was sanctioned by the United Nations.

    What was the end result? Pakistan again failed to provide any evidence and Saeed was released from jail by an order of the Lahore High Court in June 2009.

    The international voices post-the Mumbai 26/11 outrage though forced Pakistan to file terror charges against Hafiz Saeed this time, in September 2009, though his formal arrest was years away, past developments show. Also, he was not charged for the Mumbai terror attacks case. The charges filed were for inciting riots through his speeches and terror financing through JuD. Saeed went to court and petitioned against them. Next month, in October 2009, the Lahore High Court quashed those terror charges. The court said as his outfit JuD was not banned in Pakistan, Hafiz Saeed could not be charged as a terrorist. Before it, Pakistan had claimed that JuD was banned inside the country but the high court order clarified it was not.

    His next sham arrest came after eight years, in 2017. Pakistan slapped a case against him under the anti-terrorism act, again under international pressure, but diluted it by placing him under house arrest on 30 January 2017. Like in the past, Pakistan again failed to collect and present evidence and the Lahore High Court released him on 24 November 2017. He was put under house arrest after US President Donald Trump called Pakistan a terror haven with his strong anti-terrorism response. The United States government vehemently criticised his release, appealing to Pakistan to re-arrest Saeed again for the terror crimes he committed.

    In July 2019, Hafiz Saeed was arrested again, booked under the anti-terrorism laws for terror financing. The trigger this time was from multiple fronts. Global attention, including the pressure put by the United States, initially failed to check the terror tentacles in the country unless it was put under stricter norms of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) guidelines. It was coupled with the deteriorating economy of the nation and its rising external debt. Pakistan was inching towards economic default and only IMF loans were its lifeline as being on the FATF Grey List meant a difficult flow of external money and investment to Pakistan, either by other countries or by many other multilateral lending institutions. External loans from some friendly countries were not able to help much. Also, these loans were raising Pakistan’s external debt even more.

    For Pakistan, it needed to come out of the FATF Grey List, as its repeated inclusion in the Grey List was giving it a bad reputation, with misguided economic governance and endemic corruption factors pushing money-laundering and terror financing, the lifeline of terror networks like LeT, JeM and many others existing in Pakistan. No investor, be it an organisation, or a country, would like to loan such a nation or invest there.

    Saeed was charged with collecting funds that were routed through religious charities to recruit and fund terrorism. It coincided with the next FATF meeting slated to happen soon on Pakistan’s performance on the corrective guidelines given by the financial watchdog.

    The October 2019 FATF Plenary retained Pakistan on the Grey List. Post that, Saeed was formally indicted just within two months, in December 2019, unusually fast for the terrorist who roamed freely in Pakistan in spite of committing grave terror offences. He was jailed for 11 years in a February 2020 verdict for two terror financing cases. The verdict came just one week before the FATF Plenary which again retained Pakistan on the Grey List. In another terror financing case, he was sentenced to fifteen and a half years’ imprisonment in a court verdict in December 2020. It was followed by another two separate five-year prison terms given to him in two more terror finance cases in November 2020.

    On 7 April 2022, he was sentenced to 31 years in prison in two other terror finance cases. According to the United Nations Security Council, the terrorist has been handed down a cumulative prison term of 78 years in different terror finance cases. All of these prison terms will run concurrently, but so far he has not been convicted for perpetrating the Mumbai 26/11 terror case, despite India’s innumerable calls, the USD 10-million bounty by the United States and the continued global outrage. Three years are now over and there has been no update on it while Hafiz Saeed, earlier this month, challenged his convictions in a petition filed in the Lahore High Court.

    And Hafiz Saeed is not alone. There are many other similar examples that show how Pakistan undermines the judicial process to save terrorist groups and their members operating from its soil. Before the FATF Plenary in March 2021, Pakistan saw another high-profile terrorist, LeT’s Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, convicted in January 2021. He was jailed for three concurrent five-year terms, again for terror financing. As LeT’s operations commander, he was one of the main perpetrators behind the 26/11 terror strike.

    Lakhvi was out on bail. He was arrested in December 2008, under intense international pressure, after Ajmal Kasab, the sole surviving terrorist of the Mumbai terror attack, identified Lakhvi as the one who indoctrinated him and other terrorists. He got bail in April 2015 and remained on bail, in spite of the grave charges against him. According to a BBC report, while in jail, he was given more luxurious facilities than a common prisoner. Just next to the office, he was given several rooms, television, mobile phone and internet access with dozens of visitors daily visiting him, day or night.

    LeT terrorist Sajid Mir, who planned the outfit’s external terror operations and was one of the handlers sitting in Pakistan operating terrorists during the Mumbai 26/11 terrorist attack, was first declared missing and then dead by Pakistan. Before the FATF Plenary in Berlin in June 2022, Sajid Mir was quietly arrested in April 2022 and sentenced to 15 years in prison in May 2022, again for terror financing. Pakistan claimed it had taken effective measures to meet all of the FATF corrective measures, including these high-profile arrests. FATF, after the Plenary, decided to visit Pakistan to verify its claims.

    All delayed convictions, under unrelated charges, on terror financing, and not for masterminding and implementing the Mumbai terror attack or other such similar barbaric attacks – the United Nations, the United States, the FATF, the IMF, and the other global community at large – should raise questions and look into it. HM is not even proscribed in Pakistan even if the United States calls it a foreign terrorist organisation and Syed Salahudeen a specially designated global terrorist.

    The heinous Pahalgam terror attack of 22 April is a living example – of the audacity shown by Pakistan’s state-supported terror groups, in spite of the country’s claims of successfully curbing money-laundering and terror financing and imprisoning big terror names. Twenty-six innocent civilians were killed and many others injured and a LeT proxy, the Resistance Front (TRF), was behind the attack. The global community needs to see how Pakistan keeps on distorting and undermining the judicial process and keeps on denying the justice India and the world community need.

     

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China urges US not to politicize educational cooperation

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, May 23 (Xinhua) — Education cooperation between China and the United States is mutually beneficial, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Friday, stressing that China always opposes the politicization of cooperation in education.

    The Chinese diplomat made the remarks at a regular press conference, responding to a question about the Trump administration’s decision to stop Harvard University from accepting foreign students.

    Mao Ning noted that such actions by the American side damage the image and international reputation of the United States itself. China will firmly protect the legitimate rights and interests of its students and scholars abroad, she added.

    The Foreign Ministry spokeswoman reiterated that China opposes groundless accusations, attacks and smear campaigns against it, calling on Washington to lift illegal sanctions against China as soon as possible. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: President Cyril Ramaphosa engages members of the media on conclusion of his working visit to the US

    Source: Republic of South Africa (video statements)

    President Cyril Ramaphosa engages members of the media on conclusion of his working visit to the United States where he was meeting with President Donald Trump.

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

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office with President Donald Trump ahead of official talks.

    Source: Republic of South Africa (video statements)

    President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office with President Donald Trump ahead of official talks.

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

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Global: US solar manufacturers lag skyrocketing market demand

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Mojtaba Akhavan-Tafti, Associate Research Scientist, University of Michigan

    Americans continue to want solar energy. AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki

    U.S. consumer demand for renewable energy continues to grow, with more solar panel capacity installed in 2024 than in 2023, which saw more than in 2022. But U.S. trade policy is in flux, and high tariffs have been imposed on imported solar panels, which may cause shortages.

    I am a scholar who studies the Sun, as well as an entrepreneur who is working to harness its power here on Earth by creating new designs for generating solar electricity. As part of that effort, I’ve studied market trends and manufacturing capabilities in the U.S. and abroad. Right now, U.S. manufacturers do not produce enough solar panels to meet the nation’s demand, but industry investments and federal tax incentives have been making progress, though recent federal moves have created uncertainty.

    In 2024, U.S. installers put up enough solar panels to generate 50 gigawatts of electricity – enough to power New York City for a year.

    U.S. manufacturers made only a small fraction of that – 4.2 GW of solar modules in the first half of 2024. That was a big boost, though – a 75% increase compared with the same period in 2023. And the prices were roughly three times the cost of imports.

    A look at recent imports

    In 2024, the U.S. imported far more panels than the country needed, suggesting developers may be stockpiling panels for future projects.

    Most of those imported panels were made in Asia, particularly Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand. In fact, nearly all of the U.S.-made panels used at least some components from overseas. China currently makes about 97% of the world’s supply of photovoltaic wafers, which are building blocks of solar panels.

    The effects of proposed U.S. trade policies on the solar industry remain unclear. Through 2024, manufacturing continued a yearslong ramp-up to take advantage of government policies favoring domestic manufacturing. And imported panels seem slated to suffer from ever-increasing tariffs, which drive up costs.

    Domestic production rises

    Since 2010, U.S. solar panel production has increased about eightfold. But U.S.-made panels are more expensive than imported alternatives. In 2024, U.S.-made panels typically cost 31 cents per watt, but imported panels, even including tariffs that existed before President Donald Trump’s second term, cost about one-third of that: 11 cents per watt.

    But domestic manufacturers are bringing costs down by ramping up production while relying on the government to maintain or increase tariffs on imports, which may make U.S. panels more competitive domestically in the future.

    Reliance on overseas sources

    Despite that increase in domestic production, U.S. demand for solar panels has grown even faster. To meet demand, the U.S. imports a substantial portion of its solar photovoltaic modules.

    Tariffs, including a 30% tariff on solar cells and solar panels starting in 2018, aimed to boost domestic manufacturing.

    But those tariffs and falling global prices made solar installations more costly in the U.S. than in the rest of the world. The average global cost of installed solar systems dropped from $1.15 per watt in 2012 to $0.72 per watt in 2016, nearly half that of U.S. installations.

    The 2018 tariffs, as well as earlier rounds in 2012 and 2014, have shifted the source of U.S. imports of solar panels – from China and Taiwan to Malaysia and South Korea. Manufacturers are also building solar panels in Singapore and Germany to maintain access to the U.S. market. And Chinese companies are even investing in U.S. solar manufacturers to take advantage of federal incentives and avoid tariffs.

    New tariffs emerge

    Trump’s proposal for new tariffs on foreign-made solar goods, including panels and components, particularly target Chinese-owned companies in Southeast Asia.

    They could include a potential 375% tariff on Thai products – nearly quadrupling prices – and a 3,500% tariff on products from Cambodia.

    In contrast, U.S.-made solar panels will be cheaper. But a reduced supply of solar panels will raise prices even of domestic-made panels, at least until U.S. manufacturing can catch up with the demand. Some developers have begun to delay or cancel solar installations to address rising costs.

    Domestic investment

    Due in large part to the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, enacted in 2022, the U.S. solar panel industry has seen significant investments.

    Since the law’s enactment, more than 95 GW of manufacturing capability have been added across the solar supply chain in the U.S., including new facilities that in a year can construct enough solar panels to produce nearly 42 GW, beyond existing manufacturing levels. This growth in manufacturing capabilities is largely located in Texas and Georgia.

    Still, the new administration’s shifting priorities and trade policies make the landscape uncertain. Before Trump began discussing various solar-related trade policies, the industry projected it would install an average of 45 GW of solar panels every year for the next decade.

    Mojtaba Akhavan-Tafti owns shares in APT Solar Solutions Inc. in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He receives funding from public and private organizations to develop and commercialize three-dimensional solar modules.

    – ref. US solar manufacturers lag skyrocketing market demand – https://theconversation.com/us-solar-manufacturers-lag-skyrocketing-market-demand-256944

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Like many populist leaders, Trump accuses judges of being illegitimate obstacles to safety and democracy

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Michael Gregory, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Clemson University

    The front entrance of the E. Barrett Prettyman United States Court House, the workplace of Judge James Boasberg, along with other federal and appeals court judges, is seen in Washington, D.C. Philip Yabut/Getty Images

    Federal judges and at times Supreme Court justices have repeatedly challenged – and blocked – President Donald Trump’s attempts to reshape fundamental aspects of American government.

    Many of Trump’s more than 150 executive orders, including one aimed at eliminating the Department of Education, have been blocked by injunctions and lawsuits.

    When a majority of Supreme Court justices ruled on May 16, 2025, that the Trump administration could not deport a group of Venezuelan immigrants without first giving them the right to due process in court, Trump attacked the court.

    “The Supreme Court of the United States is not allowing me to do what I was elected to do,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “This is a bad and dangerous day for America!” he continued in the post.

    As the Trump administration faces other orders blocking its plans, the president and his team are framing judges not just as political opponents but as enemies of democracy.

    Trump, for example, has called for the impeachment of James Boasberg, a federal judge who also issued orders blocking the deportation of immigrants in the U.S. to El Salvador. Attorney General Pam Bondi has said that Boasberg was “trying to protect terrorists who invaded our country over American citizens,” and Trump has also called Boasberg and other judges who ruled against him or his administration “left-wing activists.”

    “We cannot allow a handful of communist, radical-left judges to obstruct the enforcement of our laws and assume the duties that belong solely to the president of the United States,” Trump said at a rally in April 2025. “Judges are trying to take away the power given to the president to keep our country safe.”

    As a scholar of legal and political theory, I believe this kind of talk about judges and the judicial system is not just misleading, it’s dangerous. It mirrors a pattern seen across many populist movements worldwide, where leaders cast independent courts and judges as illegitimate obstacles to what they see as the will of the people.

    By confusing the idea that the people’s will must prevail with what the law actually says, these leaders justify intimidating judges and their sound legal rulings, a move that ultimately undermines democracy.

    President Donald Trump shakes hands with Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts at his inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
    Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

    Thwarting ‘the will of the American people’?

    In the face of judicial rulings against them, Trump and other administration officials have suggested on multiple occasions that judges are antagonistic to what the American people voted for.

    Yet these rulings are merely a reflection of the rule of law.

    Trump and supporters such as Elon Musk have characterized the rulings as a sign that a group of elite judges are abusing their power and acting against the will of the American people. The rulings that enforce the law, according to this argument, stand in opposition to the popular mandate American voters give to elected officials like the president.

    “If ANY judge ANYWHERE can stop EVERY Presidential action EVERYWHERE, we do NOT live in a democracy,” Elon Musk posted on X in February 2025. “When judges egregiously undermine the democratic will of the people, they must be fired,” Musk added.

    And U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson, the Republican speaker of the House of Representatives, said in March 2025, “We do have the authority over the federal courts, as you know. We can eliminate an entire district court.”

    Framing judges as enemies of democracy or as obstacles to the people’s will departs sharply from the traditional view – held across political lines – that the judiciary is an essential, nonpartisan part of the American constitutional system.

    While previous presidents have expressed frustration with specific court decisions or judges’ political leanings, their critiques mostly focused on specific legal reasoning.

    Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson warned against the Trump administration’s charge that judges were actively undermining democracy. In late April 2025, she said during a conference for judges that “relentless attacks on judges are an attack on democracy.”

    So, are judges obstructing democracy – or protecting it?

    Are unelected judges a sign of democracy?

    The U.S. Constitution established an independent judiciary as a coequal branch of government, alongside the legislative and executive branches. Federal judges are appointed for life and cannot be removed for political reasons. The country’s founders thought this protection could insulate judges from political pressures and ensure that courts uphold the Constitution, not the popularity of a given policy.

    Yet as the federal judiciary has expanded in size and power, the arguments about the relationship between democracy and judicial independence have become louder among some political scientists and legal philosophers.

    Some critics take issue with the fact that federal judges are appointed by politicians, not elected to their positions – a fact that others argue contributes to their independence.

    Federal judges often serve longer on the bench than many elected officials.

    Why, some critics argue, should a small group of unelected experts be allowed to overturn decisions made by elected officials?

    Other democratic theorists, however, say that federal judges can act as a check on elected leaders who may misuse or abuse their power, or pass laws that violate people’s legal rights. This indirectly strengthens democracy by giving people a meaningful way to have recourse against laws that go against their rights and what they actually voted for.

    A common story across countries

    The argument that judges are an enemy to democracy is not unique to the U.S.

    Authoritarian leaders from across the world have used similar language to justify undermining the courts.

    In the Philippines, then-President Rodrigo Duterte in 2018 told Maria Lourdes Sereno, a top judge who was an outspoken critic of Duterte’s war on drugs, “I am now your enemy.” Shortly after, the Philippines Supreme Court voted to oust Sereno from the court. These judges cited Sereno’s failure to disclose personal financial information when she was first appointed to the court as the reason for her removal.

    Filipino protesters and outside critics alike viewed Sereno’s removal as politically motivated and said it undermined the country’s judicial independence.

    El Salvador President Nayib Bukele’s allies in the legislative assembly similarly voted in May 2021 to remove the government’s attorney general as well all five top judges for obstructing Bukele’s plans to imprison, without proper due process, large numbers of people. Bukele replaced the attorney general and judges with political loyalists, violating constitutional procedure.

    Kamala Harris, then vice president of the U.S., was among the international observers who said the removal of judges in El Salvador made her concerned about El Salvador’s democracy. Bukele justified the judges’ removal by saying he was right and that he refused to “listen to the enemies of the people” who wanted him to do otherwise.

    And in April 2024, a minister in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Cabinet called Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara an “enemy of the people,” blaming her for protests outside Netanyahu’s home. This disparagement was part of Netanyahu’s broader efforts to weaken judges’ role and independence and to remove judicial constraints on executive power.

    Judge James Boasberg is one example of a judge who was personally attacked by President Donald Trump for issuing various rulings on the administration’s plans to deport Venezuelan immigrants.
    Drew Angerer/AFP via Getty Images

    Pushing against democracy

    In the name of weakening what they call undemocratic institutions, these and other leaders try to discredit independent judges. This attempt helps these leaders gain power and silence dissent.

    Their attempts to disparage and discredit judges misrepresent judges’ work by asserting that it is political in nature – and thus subject to political criticism and even intimidation. But in the U.S., judges’ constitutionally mandated work takes place in the realm of law, not politics.

    By confusing the idea that the people’s will must prevail with what the law actually says, these leaders justify intimidating judges and their rulings, a move that ultimately undermines democracy.

    Independent judges may not always make perfect decisions, and concerns about their interpretations or potential biases are legitimate. Judges sometimes make decisions that are objectionable from a moral and legal standpoint.

    But when political leaders portray judges as the problem, I believe it’s crucial to ask: Who truly benefits from silencing judges?

    Michael Gregory does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Like many populist leaders, Trump accuses judges of being illegitimate obstacles to safety and democracy – https://theconversation.com/like-many-populist-leaders-trump-accuses-judges-of-being-illegitimate-obstacles-to-safety-and-democracy-255472

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Video: President Cyril Ramaphosa arrives at the White House and is received by President Donald Trump.

    Source: Republic of South Africa (video statements)

    President Cyril Ramaphosa arrives at the White House and is received by President Donald Trump, President of the United States

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGFdBa9hhhY

    MIL OSI Video –