NewzIntel.com

Category: Trump

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Grants Regulatory Relief from Burdensome EPA Restrictions to Promote American Security

    Source: US Whitehouse

    PROVIDING REGULATORY RELIEF: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed four proclamations, each granting two years of regulatory relief from stringent Biden-era regulations that impacted various sectors vital to national security.

    • The proclamations cover coal plants, taconite iron ore processing facilities, and certain chemical manufacturers that produce chemicals related to semiconductors, medical device sterilization, advanced manufacturing, and national defense systems.
    • These proclamations allow certain of these facilities to comply with the EPA standards that were in place before the Biden Administration rulemakings for two years.
    • The exemptions ensure that these facilities within these critical industries can continue to operate uninterrupted to support national security without incurring substantial costs to comply with, in some cases, unattainable compliance requirements.

    REDUCING BURDENSOME RESTRICTIONS: President Trump recognizes that overly restrictive environmental regulations undermine America’s energy reliability, economic vitality, and national security.

    • Biden-era emissions standards impose costly and, in some cases, unattainable compliance requirements on these industries essential to national interests.
    • The technologies necessary to comply with these Biden-era standards are further not commercially viable in many instances.
    • These sectors are critical to maintaining national security and economic stability. Shutdowns could compromise our grid and lead to electricity shortages and reliance on foreign energy, increase our reliance on foreign supply chains for semiconductors, reduce our ability to provide sterile medical equipment for public health and military readiness, and reduce the supply on steel that we need to support critical infrastructure.

    BALANCING ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS WITH AMERICAN PROSPERITY: President Trump has consistently prioritized a pragmatic approach, ensuring environmental policies support, rather than undermine, America’s economic strength and national security.

    • President Trump has sought to protect American industries while maintaining standards that allow Americans to have among the cleanest air and water in the world.
    • He directed the EPA to repeal the Obama-era Clean Power Plan during his first term, replacing it with the Affordable Clean Energy rule in 2019 that set achievable standards to preserve jobs while addressing emissions.
    • He paused the expansion of windmills, recognizing their detrimental environmental impact, particularly on wildlife, often outweighs their benefits.
    • He has championed an energy dominance strategy, boosting domestic oil and gas production to reduce reliance on foreign energy while maintaining practical environmental oversight.
    • His approach encourages industry to develop cost-effective solutions like improved emissions technologies rather than imposing unfeasible mandates that risk economic disruption.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Trahan Statement on House Passage of Cryptocurrency Legislation

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03) issued the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the S. 1582, the GENIUS Act, and H.R. 3633, the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025:
    “Crypto is here to stay. That’s why we can’t afford to wait any longer to establish guardrails that protect consumers and bring long-overdue transparency to this rapidly evolving industry.”
    “I voted YES on the GENIUS Act because it’s a meaningful step toward ensuring that Americans who choose to invest in stablecoins are protected from fraud and abuse. This bill is far from perfect and more must be done to confront the blatant corruption we’re seeing from Donald Trump, who has shamelessly used his position as President to line his pockets with millions in crypto. I’ll keep fighting for strong anti-corruption legislation to stop the kind of self-dealing that’s happening in plain sight.”
    “I voted NO on the CLARITY Act. I support a regulatory framework that distinguishes between digital assets, fosters innovation, and promotes responsible growth, but this bill simply doesn’t get us there. It’s riddled with loopholes and carveouts that leave everyday investors exposed to the kinds of volatile, often fraudulent crypto schemes we’ve seen too regularly with memecoins. It fails to strike the right balance between innovation and consumer protection. As the bill moves to the Senate, it’s critical that our colleagues strengthen it, starting with ensuring that states like Massachusetts retain the authority to crack down on fraud and abuse.”
    “I believe we can support innovation in the crypto space while standing firmly against the predatory practices that have taken root in the absence of meaningful oversight. The future of digital assets should be built on transparency, accountability, and protections for everyday investors. That’s the balance I’ll keep fighting for.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: WORST OF THE WORST: ICE Arrests Two Pedophiles Who Impregnated Children

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    Operations across the U.S. target criminal illegal aliens convicted of heinous crimes

    WASHINGTON — The Department of Homeland Security today announced U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Houston arrested Pedro Trejo Reyes, a convicted child rapist and criminal illegal alien from Mexico. On July 17, ICE removed Reyes from American communities.

    Reyes, a criminal alien from Mexico, entered the United States as a lawful permanent resident in 1990. While in the United States he was convicted of a DWI in 1995 and convicted again in Texas for repeatedly sexually assaulting his 12-year-old niece resulting in her pregnancy and subsequent miscarriage in 2011. Forensic DNA testing confirmed with over 99.9% certainty that Trejo Reyes fathered the unborn child. A U.S. immigration judge approved Trejo Reyes’ order for removal in 2011, and ICE removed him to Mexico on July 17, 2025, after his 16 years of confinement.

    “As the media and politicians continue to carry water for criminal illegal aliens who have committed indescribable acts of evil in our country, the brave men and women of ICE are arresting and removing the worst of the worst from the U.S.,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Just today, ICE deported Pedro Trejo Reyes who raped and impregnated a defenseless child. There is no path forward, no second chances and no place in America for depraved aliens like him. Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, DHS is continuing to make America safe.”

    ERO agents across the country carried out similar arrests of criminal illegal aliens with serious convictions, including:

    • Edwin Jacobo Hernandez Mateo, a criminal alien from Honduras, who was charged in Waller County, Texas, for raping and impregnating a minor under the age of 14. Hernandez was arrested by ICE June 17 and remains in ICE custody at the Montgomery Processing Center.
    • Juan Gabriel Zamorano-Gutierrez, an illegal alien from Mexico, convicted of molesting a minor in Ontario, California.
    • Edmundo Vasquez-Gaxiola, an illegal alien from Mexico, convicted of aggravated indecent assault after being accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting a young girl over the course of several years in York Springs, Pa. According to a Pennsylvania State Police affidavit, the victim disclosed the abuse began when she was around 5 years old and continued until she was about 11. 
    • Kelvin Civil, an illegal alien from Haiti, convicted of inducing a minor for sex, assault and battery on a police officer, and resisting arrest in Taunton, Massachusetts.
    • Elmer Breve-Sanchez, an illegal alien from Honduras, convicted of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens in Del Rio, Texas.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Clawback of $1.1B for PBS and NPR puts rural stations at risk – and threatens a vital source of journalism

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Allison Perlman, Associate Professor of Film & Media Studies, University of California, Irvine

    Nathan Heffel and Grace Hood rehearse their Colorado Public Radio public affairs program in Centennial, Colo., in 2017. Andy Cross/The Denver Post via Getty Images

    The U.S. Senate narrowly approved on July 16, 2025, a bill that would claw back federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which distributes money to NPR, PBS and their affiliate stations. The US$9 billion rescission package will withdraw $1.1 billion Congress had previously approved for the CPB to receive in the 2026 and 2027 fiscal years. In addition, it makes deep foreign aid cuts. All Democrats present voted against the measure, joined by two Republicans: Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. As long as the House, which approved a previous version, votes in favor of the Senate’s version of the bill by midnight July 18, Trump will be able to meet a budgetary deadline by signing the measure into law in time for it to take effect.

    What will happen to NPR, PBS and local stations?

    NPR and PBS provide programming to local public television and radio stations across the country. The impact on them will be direct and indirect.

    Both NPR and PBS receive money from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, an independent nonprofit corporation Congress created in 1967 to receive and distribute federal money to public broadcasters. More than 70% of the money it distributes flows directly to local stations. Some stations get up to half of their budgets from the CPB.

    But NPR and PBS get much of their funding from foundation grants, viewers’ and listeners’ donations, and corporate underwriting. And local public radio and TV stations also get support from an array of sources besides CPB.

    “There’s nothing more American than PBS,” said the network’s CEO, Paula Kerger, at a congressional hearing on March 26, 2025.

    Only about 1% of NPR funding, and 15% of PBS funding, comes directly from the government via the CPB. However, once local radio and television stations lose federal funding, they’ll be less able to pay NPR and PBS for the programs they produce.

    The nearly 1,500 public media stations in the U.S. rely on a mix of NPR, PBS and third-party producer programming, such as American Public Media and PRX, for the programs they offer. Local stations also produce and air regional news and provide emergency broadcasts for the government.

    In rural areas with few broadcast stations and spotty cellphone coverage, public broadcast stations are vital sources of information about important community news and updates during emergencies. Federal support is essential for the programming and day-to-day operations of many local stations and allows for the maintenance of equipment and personnel to operate these vital community resources.

    We believe that stations in communities that most need them, especially in rural locations, would be hit especially hard because they rely heavily on CPB funding.

    Why are Republicans taking this step?

    Public broadcasting has long been a target of conservative Republicans. They say that with a highly diversified media landscape, the public no longer needs media that is subsidized by federal dollars. They also claim that public broadcasting has a liberal bias and taxpayers should not be required to fund media that slants to the left politically.

    Why is public media necessary when there’s news on the internet?

    As journalism revenue has plummeted, public broadcasting has remained a vital source for news in communities across the nation. This is especially true in rural communities, where economic and political pressures have threatened the survival of local journalism.

    In addition, with much online news coverage placed behind paywalls, public radio and television plays an important role in making quality journalism available to the American public.

    Want crucial information about water systems in your drought-prone community? Public radio station KVMR in Nevada City, Calif., has a program for you.
    KVMR screenshot

    Why did Congress approve these funds 2 years ahead?

    Public broadcasting has gotten roughly $550 million per year from the federal government in recent years. The CPB has always approved and designated those funds two years in advance, due to a provision in the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, after Congress has voted to provide that money. The CPB then has distributed that funding primarily through grants to PBS and NPR affiliate stations to support their technical infrastructure, program development and audience research.

    What are the consequences for Native communities?

    Dozens of Native American stations are at risk of closing once the CPB is defunded. Native Public Media, a network of 57 radio stations and four TV stations, is a key source of news and information for tribal communities across the nation and relies on CPB support.

    U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds, a South Dakota Republican, publicly stated that he secured an agreement with the White House to move $9.4 million in Interior Department funding to two dozen Native American stations. But there is no provision related to this promise within the legislation.

    Allison Perlman is the co-chair of the Scholars Advisory Committee of the American Archive of Public Broadcasting.

    Josh Shepperd and Allison Perlman are under contract to co-author an update of the history of public broadcasting for Current, public media’s trade journal, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Josh and Allison are not paid employees or vendors of either institution.

    – ref. Clawback of $1.1B for PBS and NPR puts rural stations at risk – and threatens a vital source of journalism – https://theconversation.com/clawback-of-1-1b-for-pbs-and-npr-puts-rural-stations-at-risk-and-threatens-a-vital-source-of-journalism-255826

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lee Bill Bans Disparate Impact from Civil Rights Law

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Utah Mike Lee
    Codifies President Trump’s Civil Rights Reforms
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced the Restoring Equal Opportunity Act today to codify President Trump’s Executive Order prohibiting the use of disparate impact policies that incentivize racial hiring quotas. U.S. Representative Brandon Gill (R-TX) is the legislation’s co-lead in the House of Representatives.
    “Disparate impact has undermined equal opportunity in hiring for generations,” said Senator Mike Lee. “These policies are antithetical to the Constitution, keeping hardworking men and women from the jobs they deserve. It’s un-American, and it’s going to stop. The Restoring Equal Opportunity Act will prohibit this woke practice and support President Trump’s fight for equality under the law.” 
    “Americans deserve equal opportunity, not race-based quotas,” said Rep. Gill. “Equality under the law is a core American principle, ensuring every citizen’s right to equal protection and due process. I’m proud to introduce the Restoring Equal Opportunity Act alongside Senator Lee to bring merit, rather than DEI, back to our hiring and selection processes.”
    Background
    Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits employment discrimination based on race, religion, color, sex, or national origin. The purpose of this prohibition is clear: to prevent clear and overt instances of discrimination by prohibiting employers from engaging in the kinds of discriminatory practices that had become commonplace during the Jim Crow era.
    In the 1971 case of Griggs v. Duke Power Company, the Supreme Court expanded this standard by ruling that in addition to overt discrimination, Title VII also prohibited any employment practices that have a “disparate impact” on minorities. The Court alleged that though Duke Power Company’s policies were not intentionally discriminatory, they could not implement job requirements that have a disparate impact on minorities and are judged to have no relation to job performance.
    This unfair standard practically requires employers to impose racial quotas to avoid potential legal liability. Disparate impact prevents employers from making hiring decisions based solely on qualification and skill and requires them to engage in behavior that goes against the spirit and the letter of the Constitution. Congress codified the disparate impact standard into law via the 1991 Civil Rights Act and the Fair Housing Act, and disparate impact theory has since become the de facto method of determining discrimination.
    On April 23rd, President Trump issued an executive order to end usage of the disparate impact standard in all areas of the United States government. President Trump’s executive order is a much-needed correction, and Senator Lee’s Restoring Equal Opportunity Act would permanently put an end to disparate impact and fully restore equal opportunity under the law.
    The Restoring Equal Opportunity Act:
    Prohibits any disparate impact claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act or the Fair Housing Act. 
    Codifies President Trump’s “Restoring Equality of Opportunity and Meritocracy” executive order.  

    Read exclusive coverage from The Daily Caller here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Boozman Joins Capito, Colleagues to Advocate for Critical Education Funding

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas – John Boozman
    WASHINGTON–U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), joined by eight of their Republican colleagues, sent a letter to White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought, advocating for the release of anticipated education formula funding.
    Specifically, Boozman and colleagues requested the release of education funding secured in the FY 2025 Full-Year Continuing Resolution Act, which President Trump signed into law earlier this year.
    This legislation contains critical funding that states, including Arkansas, rely on to help students, families and local economies. Releasing federal funding as allocated is necessary for Natural State school districts and organizations as they depend on funding secured through grants such as the 21st Century Community Learning Centers, Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants, among others.
    Boozman and Capito were joined by Senators Katie Britt (R-AL), Susan Collins (R-ME), Deb Fischer (R-NE), John Hoeven (R-ND), Jim Justice (R-WV), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Mike Rounds (R-SD). 
    Text of the letter can be found below and here. 
    Dear Director Vought,
    We write to ask you to faithfully implement the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Full-Year Continuing Resolution Act, which President Trump signed into law earlier this year, including the education formula funds that states anticipated receiving on July 1, 2025.
    The Continuing Resolution contained funding for Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants; 21st Century Community Learning Centers; Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants; English Language Acquisition; Migrant Education; Adult Basic and Literacy Education State Grants (including Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education State Grants). Withholding these funds will harm students, families, and local economies.
    The decision to withhold this funding is contrary to President Trump’s goal of returning K-12 education to the states. This funding goes directly to states and local school districts, where local leaders decide how this funding is spent, because as we know, local communities know how to best serve students and families. Withholding this funding denies states and communities the opportunity to pursue localized initiatives to support students and their families.
    We share your concern about taxpayer money going to fund radical left-wing programs. However, we do not believe that is happening with these funds. These funds go to support programs that enjoy longstanding, bipartisan support like after-school and summer programs that provide learning and enrichment opportunities for school aged children which also enables their parents to work and contribute to local economies.
    These funds also go to support adult learners. These students are often adults seeking second chances for a myriad of reasons, for example, caregiving responsibilities or financial challenges. These are adult learners working to gain employment skills, earn workforce certifications, or transition into postsecondary education. We should be making educational opportunities easier for these students, not harder.
    We welcome the opportunity to work with you and Secretary McMahon to ensure that all federal education funding goes towards programs that help states and school districts provide students an excellent education. We want to see students in our states and across the country thrive, whether they are adult learners, students who speak English as a second language, or students who need after-school care so that their parents can work. We believe you share the same goal.
    We encourage you to reverse your decision and release this Congressionally-approved funding to states.
    Thank you for your attention to this request, and we look forward to your prompt reply.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Harshbarger Joins President Trump at White House for Signing of HALT Fentanyl Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Diana Harshbarger (R-TN)

    Washington, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger (R-TN) joined President Donald J. Trump at the White House to celebrate the signing of the bipartisan Halt All Lethal Trafficking (HALT) of Fentanyl Act, landmark legislation aimed at cracking down on the trafficking and abuse of deadly illegal fentanyl that continues to devastate communities across the nation.

    “Counterfeit Fentanyl is one of the deadliest drug threats our country has ever faced, and East Tennessee families have seen the devastation firsthand,” said Rep. Harshbarger. “The HALT Fentanyl Act is a commonsense, life-saving bill that will help law enforcement keep these poisons out of our communities and hold criminals accountable. I was proud to stand with President Trump and my colleagues at the White House today to mark this important victory in our fight to protect American lives.”

    BACKGROUND:

    Harshbarger was an original co-sponsor of the House version of this legislation. As a pharmacist and member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Rep. Harshbarger has been a vocal advocate for combating the opioid and illegal fentanyl crisis and played a critical role in advancing the bill through Congress. Additionally, Harshbarger is the Vice Chair of the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee and is a part of the Republican Doctors Caucus.

    The bill permanently classifies illicit fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs under the Controlled Substances Act, giving law enforcement the tools they need to stop traffickers and ensuring this incredibly dangerous substance remains off our streets.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen Statement on Senate Republicans Passing Extreme Bill to Strip Rural Communities of Public Broadcasting Services

    US Senate News:

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

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) released the following statement after Senate Republicans passed Donald Trump’s extreme bill to claw back funding for public broadcasting, which will hurt rural communities in Nevada that rely on it for key information including extreme weather threats and important public safety announcements. Public broadcasting in Nevada like Nevada Public Radio, Las Vegas PBS, KUNR, and Reno PBS will see millions of dollars in cuts as a result of this package.
    “Senate Republicans continue to bend at the knee to Donald Trump at the expense of hardworking families in rural communities,” said Senator Rosen. “Republicans passed an extreme bill in the dead of night in the Senate that will turn out the lights on Nevada public broadcasting stations that provide essential information like emergency weather alerts for rural areas in our state. After jacking up our national debt by giving billionaires more tax cuts, Senate Republicans are now trying to balance the budget by cutting more critical services that hardworking families rely on. It’s despicable.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Jim Costa Presses Trump Administration to Release Federal Funds for Valley School Districts

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jim Costa Representing 16th District of California

    WASHINGTON – Congressman Jim Costa and the California Democratic Congressional Delegation are demanding that the Trump Administration immediately release nearly $7 billion in federal funding already appropriated by Congress for K-12 schools and adult education, including $928 million owed to California.California stands to lose more than $811 million, accounting for 16.5% of its total federal allocation. Local school districts like Fresno Unified School District will lose up to $7.1 million, while Visalia Unified faces potential losses of $2 million. “These programs support some of the most vulnerable and underserved students and communities in California and have been demonstrated to have lifelong benefits to students’ educational attainment, income, and other measures of well-being. Each passing day that these funds are unlawfully withheld hurts our schools and students and strains already limited budgets,” wrote the members. “In California alone, the Trump Administration’s funding freeze is affecting hundreds of thousands of students and educators. For many of California’s school districts, this funding had already been accounted for in school budgets for the upcoming school year. Now, our schools are being forced to delay hiring and reduce resources to help students.”BACKGROUNDAs the new school year approaches, the Trump Administration announced on June 30, 2025, just one day before the expected disbursement, that nearly $7 billion in federal funding for K–12 schools would be indefinitely frozen. These Congressionally appropriated funds are typically distributed to states on July 1.California is home to nearly 5.8 million K–12 students and is among the hardest hit. The sudden and illegal funding freeze is leaving school districts scrambling to fill massive budget shortfalls just weeks before students return to the classroom. Essential programs are now at risk, including after-school programs, school-based mental health services, accelerated learning and STEM courses, career and college counseling, adult education, and teacher training.The impact is especially severe for California’s more than one million multilingual learners, who make up nearly a quarter of the state’s public-school population. These funds also provide vital support for English learners and the children of migrant workers, as well as workforce training programs that help families build a better future. As part of a broader national effort, Congressman Costa joined over 149 Democratic colleagues in a separate letter demanding that the Trump Administration release the funds without further delay.
    The letter is available HERE

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Armstrong applauds signing of HALT Fentanyl Act at White House ceremony with President Trump

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    Gov. Kelly Armstrong today joined President Donald Trump at the White House for the signing of the HALT Fentanyl Act, which places fentanyl-related substances under the same strict controls as other Schedule 1 drugs such as heroin. Armstrong was an original co-sponsor of an earlier version of the bill introduced in the 117th Congress in 2022.

    The HALT (Halt All Lethal Trafficking of) Fentanyl Act amends the Controlled Substances Act to permanently classify illicit fentanyl knockoffs as Schedule 1 narcotics. The first Trump administration temporarily restricted all fentanyl-related substances in 2018 by issuing a temporary Schedule 1 classification, which Congress has since extended several times. The bill signed today makes the classification permanent, while still allowing for the FDA-approved use of Schedule II fentanyl for legitimate medical purposes.

    The HALT Fentanyl Act also streamlines the registration process to allow more scientists to study fentanyl-related substances, according to the Senate Judiciary Committee. The committee’s chairman, Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, introduced the bill with Sens. Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Martin Heinrich, D-N.M. The bill was led in the House by Reps. Morgan Griffith, R-Va., and Robert Latta, R-Ohio.

    “Fentanyl is killing North Dakotans in communities across our state. Classifying fentanyl-related substances as a Schedule 1 drug will close off dangerous loopholes that can be exploited by traffickers, treating the drug with the severity it deserves,” Armstrong said. “I was proud to work with Rep. Griffith and Rep. Latta on this bill during my time in the House, and I thank them for getting it through this Congress. Thank you to President Trump and the White House for inviting me to the bill signing.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: AG Brown joins lawsuit challenging Trump administration rule that would make it harder for Washingtonians to obtain health coverage under the ACA

    Source: Washington State News

    By the Trump administration’s own estimates, the rule will cause up to 1.8 million people to lose their health insurance

    SEATTLE – Attorney General Nick Brown today joined a multistate coalition in filing a lawsuit challenging an unlawful final rule promulgated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that would create significant barriers to obtaining health care coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

    Congress passed the Affordable Care Act in 2010 to increase the number of Americans with health insurance and decrease the cost of health care. The following year, Washington established the Washington Health Benefit Exchange, building a stable, competitive individual market for health and dental insurance and enabling people to access subsidies to make coverage more affordable, leading to a drop in the state’s uninsured rate from 14.2 percent in 2011 to 4.8 percent in 2023.

    But now the Trump administration is turning back the clock with this final rule, rushed through with an unlawfully short 23-day notice and comment period, that will make it more difficult for people to enroll and keep their health insurance. The administration concedes that up to 1.8 million people across the country will likely lose their health insurance.

    In Washington, the final rule would lead to:

    • Tens of thousands fewer people enrolling in health insurance through the Washington Health Benefit Exchange,
    • The loss of as much as $10 million in annual revenue to the Washington Health Benefit Exchange due to decreased enrollment, and
    • $100 million in uninsured and largely uncompensated hospital care costs, that would then be borne by state taxpayers, providers, carriers, and employers.

    The final rule also excludes coverage of gender-affirming care as an Essential Health Benefit under the ACA. Insurers in Washington will continue to cover gender-affirming care as required by state law. But the rule change means the state will have to defray the expense of these medically necessary insurance benefits, costing state taxpayers about one million dollars annually. 

    “The Trump administration seems determined to undo the progress we’ve made in the past 15 years to help people get medical treatment when they need it,” Brown said. “People in Washington deserve the health care coverage they’re entitled to under the law, and I will continue fighting to protect that access.”

    “Everyone deserves affordable health care,” Washington Governor Bob Ferguson said. “Washington will stand with our partners across the country against the Trump administration’s efforts to strip away people’s health care. Reversing this unlawful rule will help thousands of Washingtonians hold on to their health coverage.”

    “The federal rule from this administration puts up barriers to accessing care that people have counted on for years, makes health insurance more expensive for consumers, and shifts financial burdens to states,” said Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer. “Washington state has a stable insurance market today and strong provisions in place to protect against fraud and abuse in our marketplace. The federal government should help us make health insurance more accessible and less costly for people, not more complicated and expensive to obtain.”

    “In the past decade, Washington state’s uninsured rate has dropped significantly, in large part due to the availability of marketplace health insurance plans offered through Washington Health Benefit Exchange. This rule will sharply curtail that progress and reverse years of significant gains,” said Ingrid Ulrey, CEO of the Washington Health Benefit Exchange. “We estimate that this rule, combined with other federal changes, will result in enrollment loss of one-third or more of our current customer base of 280,000 Washington residents.”

    Brown and attorneys general from 19 other states, along with the governor of Pennsylvania, are suing because the rule creates harmful changes to insurance marketplaces and health coverage subsidies. The rule shortens the period people can sign up for health insurance, raises premiums for people who do purchase individual insurance, and drives up costs for the plaintiff states, including covering the expense of medical care for people who lose insurance due to the final rule. 

    The attorneys general argue that the rule is arbitrary and capricious and violates the Administrative Procedure Act. The coalition is asking the court to prevent the challenged portions of the final rule from taking effect in the plaintiff states before the August 25 effective date.

    Joining Brown in this lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin, as well as Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, on behalf of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

    A copy of the complaint is available here.

    -30-

    Washington’s Attorney General serves the people and the state of Washington. As the state’s largest law firm, the Attorney General’s Office provides legal representation to every state agency, board, and commission in Washington. Additionally, the Office serves the people directly by enforcing consumer protection, civil rights, and environmental protection laws. The Office also prosecutes elder abuse, Medicaid fraud, and handles sexually violent predator cases in 38 of Washington’s 39 counties. Visit www.atg.wa.gov to learn more.

    Media Contact:

    Email: press@atg.wa.gov

    Phone: (360) 753-2727

    General contacts: Click here

    Media Resource Guide & Attorney General’s Office FAQ

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta: Trump Administration’s Unprecedented Move to Allow ICE to Access Medicaid Database is Violation of Privacy, Illegal, and Horrifying

    Source: US State of California

    Thursday, July 17, 2025

    Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

    California is suing the Trump Administration to stop the illegal sharing of Medicaid data and to prevent private data from being used for immigration enforcement 

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today responded to new reports that the Trump Administration has illegally provided Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with access to the personal, sensitive data of Medicaid recipients. This data sharing agreement, alarmingly, comes more than a week after Attorney General Bonta led a multistate coalition in filing a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ decision to provide unfettered access to individual personal health data to ICE earlier this month. A hearing on their motion for a preliminary injunction is scheduled for August 7, 2025. 

    “I’m deeply disturbed by the Trump Administration’s reckless and unprecedented weaponization of the private, sensitive data of Medicaid recipients,” said Attorney General Bonta. “It is devastating to think that individuals may not seek essential medical care because they are afraid that if they do so, they may be targeted by this Administration. We sued President Trump and his lackeys after we received initial reports of this illegal data sharing earlier this month. Despite this, the Trump Administration appears to have entered into a new illegal data sharing agreement with ICE. We are moving quickly to secure a court order blocking the sharing of this data for immigration enforcement. The President’s efforts to pull personal, private, and unrelated health data to create a mass deportation machine cannot be allowed to continue.” 

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Men Indicted with Conspiracy to Distribute 900 Pounds of Methamphetamine, One Charged with Illegal Reentry

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. PAUL, Minn. – Joel Casas-Santiago, 46, and Guillermo Mercado-Chaparro, 44, are both charged with one count of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine. Mercado-Chaparro is additionally charged with Illegal Reentry by a Removed Alien, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.

    According to court documents, an undercover police officer bought a pound of methamphetamine from Mercado-Chaparro, who was driving a Toyota Tacoma truck during the buy. Through post-buy surveillance, police learned that Mercado-Chaparro was traveling driving throughout south Minneapolis to conduct suspected drug deals.

    Several days later, police saw Mercado-Chaparro walk to the Tacoma, retrieve two large garbage bags from the truck bed, and place them in a nearby Jeep Wrangler. The Jeep was eventually stopped, and Casas-Santiago and Mercado-Chaparro were ordered out of the car. A drug-sniffing dog alerted the odor of drugs in the Jeep.  When police searched the Jeep, they found over 250 pounds of methamphetamine in the garbage bags and a cooler.

    Police arrested Casas-Santiago and Mercado-Chaparro and then obtained a search warrant for the Tacoma. They searched the truck and seized over 630 pounds of methamphetamine from the truck bed.

    Altogether, Casas-Santiago and Mercado-Chaparro were in possession of almost 900 pounds of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

    “This isn’t just another drug bust—it’s one of the largest methamphetamine seizures in Minnesota history,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “A 900-pound haul like this doesn’t just show intent to distribute. It shows intent to poison entire communities. We will not let Minnesota become a distribution hub for cartel-scale operations. This prosecution is just the beginning.”

    This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Minnesota Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Ramsey County Crime Enforcement Team, the St. Paul Police Department, the Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force, and the Minneapolis Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allen Slaughter and Campbell Warner are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As Chaotic Trump Tariffs Drive Price Hikes, Warren, Baldwin, Schakowsky, Deluzio Propose New Tools to Fight Price Gouging

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    July 17, 2025
    Text of Bill (PDF) | Bill One-Pager (PDF)
    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), along with Representatives Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) and Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.) reintroduced the Price Gouging Prevention Act to fight back against the corporate greed enabled by the Trump administration’s chaotic tariff policies. The bill would give the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and state attorneys general new tools to enforce a federal ban against grossly excessive price increases.
    The last five years have repeatedly shown us that giant corporations will take advantage of inflation and supply chain disruptions to expand their profit margins by raising prices higher than necessary to cover cost increases. President Trump’s on-again, off-again tariffs have created yet another opportunity for corporate price gouging. The tariff-driven uncertainty gives companies the opportunity to raise prices on all goods, regardless of whether they are actually subject to new tariffs, higher and for longer than what is necessary to cover any cost increases. Now, dozens of companies have reported raising the prices of goods and services unaffected by Trump’s tariffs. 
    “Donald Trump’s reckless tariff policies are giving companies cover to squeeze families and raise prices more than necessary. My bill is an opportunity for Congress to stand up for families by cracking down on price gouging and fighting back against corporate abuse,” said Senator Warren.
    Last week, Senator Warren and 16 other Democrats urged the FTC to investigate tariff-enabled corporate price gouging that is raising costs for American families and use its full authority to prevent it.
    “The biggest corporations in our country jack up the cost of everyday household items, take in record profits, and give their executives huge bonuses – all on the backs of hard-working Wisconsin families. Donald Trump claimed he would lower prices – so far, he has done just the opposite and is even opening the door to more price gouging. But, if we pass this bill, we can rein that in and give Wisconsinites some breathing room and allow them to save for the future,” said Senator Baldwin. “Our bill will finally crack down on corporate greed and help stop those big companies at the top of the food chain from sticking families with exorbitant costs.”
    “Prices are still too high, and inflation is still pounding folks. Especially now, we need to rein in monopolists and other huge corporations with the power to price gouge the American people,” said Congressman Deluzio. “By upping FTC enforcement practices and boosting transparency, this bill will take some of the squeeze off American families and small businesses suffering under the thumb of out-of-control corporate power.”
    “President Donald Trump promised to lower costs, but we have seen the exact opposite. Greedy corporations are using the economic turmoil the Trump Administration has created to gouge the American people on everything from groceries to consumer goods. While these large corporations rake in record profits, families in my community and across the country are struggling to put food on the table,” said Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. “Our bill will finally put an end to price gouging by empowering the FTC and state attorneys general to hold bad actors accountable when they take advantage of consumers.”
    Senator Warren introduced this bill in the 116th Congress, 117th Congress, and again in the 118th Congress. 
    The Price Gouging Prevention Act of 2025 would help the federal government and state attorneys general fight corporate price gouging. The bill would: 
    Prohibit price gouging at the federal level—anytime and anywhere. The bill would clarify that price gouging is an unfair and deceptive practice under the FTC Act. It would allow the FTC and state attorneys general to stop sellers from charging a grossly excessive price, regardless of where the price gouging occurs in a supply chain or distribution network; 
    Help enforcers establish when price gouging is occurring during a significant shift in trade policy. The bill lists a set of exceptional market shocks—including an “abrupt or significant shift in trade policy”—and outlines a standard for a presumptive violation of the price gouging prohibition during such a shock, such as when companies brag about increasing prices; 
    Create an affirmative defense for small businesses acting in good faith. Small and local businesses sometimes must raise prices in response to crisis-driven increases in their costs because they have little negotiating power with their price-gouging suppliers. This affirmative defense protects small businesses earning less than $100 million from frivolous litigation if they show legitimate cost increases; 
    Require public companies to clearly disclose costs and pricing strategies. During periods of exceptional market shock, the bill requires public companies to transparently disclose and explain changes in their cost of goods sold, gross margins, and pricing strategies in their quarterly SEC filings; and 
    Provide $1 billion in additional funding to the FTC to carry out its work.
    Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) joined as co-sponsors. 
    Representatives Angie Craig (D-Minn.), Maggie Goodlander (D-N.H.), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), and Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.) joined as co-sponsors. 
    “Consumers deserve and desperately need stronger protection against price gouging and unfair profiteering that this legislation will provide. As state Attorney in Connecticut, I saw firsthand how corporate greed leads wrongdoers to exploit loopholes in present law. American consumers should be safeguarded more effectively by imposing accountability and transparency,” said Senator Blumenthal.
    “Trump’s chaotic tariff policies handed large companies a free pass to jack up prices on the goods and services we rely on every day. As a result, hard-working Americans are being forced to take a smaller slice of the pie while corporate executives line their pockets. The Price Gouging Prevention Act gives regulators the teeth to shut this down,” said Senator Fetterman. “It forces big companies to be honest about why they’re raising prices, and it’ll bring relief at the grocery store and the pump to families across the Commonwealth.”
    “No one should be allowed to pad their pockets by price gouging hardworking Americans,” said Senator Kim. “At a moment when more and more people are feeling like they can’t afford the American dream, this bill is an important tool to stand up for working families, lower costs, and build an economy that looks after all Americans, not just the wealthiest few.”
    “Big corporations are making big profits, and some are cynically using Trump’s tariffs and trade threats to justify price increases on hard working people,” said Senator Markey. “While Republicans shower big corporations with lavish tax breaks, Senator Warren and Senator Baldwin are leading the fight to stand up for working people. I am proud to stand with my colleagues to co-sponsor the Price Gouging Prevention Act and end predatory profiteering.”
    “From outrageous prices for prescription medications, to the costs of groceries skyrocketing, it’s working families footing the bill while huge corporations gouge consumers to line their own pockets,” said Senator Merkley. “Americans deserve basic consumer protections from this harmful practice, and we need the Price Gouging Prevention Act to put people over profits.”
    “Michiganders know their pocketbooks. They know when they are getting taken for a ride.  The cost of living is too high in America, and it is keeping hard-working people out of the middle class,” said Senator Slotkin. “One way to attack that problem is to crack down on price gouging from the largest, multi-national corporations, who too often use a crisis or supply chain disruption to further squeeze Americans and raise prices. This bill strengthens the tools in our toolkit to go after bad-faith actors and protect the middle class.”
    “Corporate bad actors are using Trump’s tariff chaos as an excuse to hike prices far beyond their own cost increases to make even more money at the expense of hardworking Americans,” said Senator Whitehouse. “Our legislation will crack down on price gouging and lower costs for families.”
    This bill is endorsed by the following labor groups and organizations: AFL-CIO, UAW, USW, Accountable.US/Accountable.NOW, American Economic Liberties Project, Consumer Federation of America, Economic Security Project Action, Farm Action Fund, Food & Water Watch, Groundwork Collaborative, National Consumer Law Center (on behalf of its low-income clients), P Street, and Public Citizen. 
    “America’s working families are tired of giant corporations jacking up prices and taking a bigger and bigger slice of their paychecks just to pad their record-breaking profits. The Price Gouging Prevention Act is important legislation to crack down on this corporate greed, put some common-sense fairness back in our economy, and rein in the basic costs that are making it hard for working families to make ends meet,” said Liz Shuler, President of the AFL-CIO. 
    “Working families must never be squeezed by corporations using crises as cover to raise prices. The Price Gouging Prevention Act is a long-overdue check on corporate abuse, holding companies accountable and putting power back in the hands of consumers and workers. We’re proud to support it,” said David McCall, President of the United Steelworkers. 
    “The Trump administration has shown time and again it is on the side of the giant corporations squeezing profits from American families. While the President fans the flames on higher prices and fewer protections, the Price Gouging Prevention Act tackles corporate greed head on. It’s more important than ever that Congress take the initiative to defend American families from abusive price hikes in the marketplace,” said Caroline Ciccone, President of Accountable.US/Accountable.NOW. 
    “Cracking down on price gouging at the federal level is both commonsense and long overdue,” said Morgan Harper, Director of Policy and Advocacy at the American Economic Liberties Project. “From natural disasters to Trump’s tumultuous trade policy, big corporations are weaponizing chaos to pad their bottom line at the expense of hardworking Americans. Just like the laws many states across the country already have in place, Senator Warren’s price-gouging legislation prohibits opportunistic price increases now and during future crises to protect families and small businesses.”
    “Now, more than ever, we need to crack down on predatory corporations that weaponize economic turmoil by price-gouging hardworking Americans and lining their pockets with obscene profits. Congress should immediately pass the Price Gouging Prevention Act and give state and federal law enforcement agencies full power to stop corporations from preying on American families through this shameless profiteering,” said Erin Witte, Director of Consumer Protection for Consumer Federation of America.
    “More and more families are feeling the sting of our affordability crisis, and price gouging is a major cause. Price gouging puts basic needs like groceries, rent, and medications increasingly out of reach for millions just to line the pockets of corporate shareholders. The Price Gouging Prevention Act is a huge step towards ending this practice by holding corporate price gougers accountable,” said Adam Ruben, Director of Economic Security Project Action. 
    “For too long, corporate giants have used market disruptions as an excuse to gouge farmers and consumers, with little fear of consequences. We exposed abusive pricing schemes in the fertilizer, beef, and egg industries in recent years, yet the FTC has been hamstrung in its ability to take action. The legislation introduced by Senator Warren and her colleagues would enable antitrust enforcers to hold these corrupt corporations accountable, restoring fairness to our markets and bringing justice to America’s farmers and consumers,” said Joe Maxwell, President of Farm Action Fund. 
    “While everyday Americans are struggling to make ends meet, corporations continue to hike up prices and rake in record profits. The president’s chaotic trade policy has created the perfect environment for companies to raise prices on consumers well beyond the rate of inflation. Senator Warren’s legislation puts working families first by cracking down on these price gougers and ensuring consumers pay a fair price,” said Lindsay Owens, Executive Director of Groundwork Collaborative. 
    “Whether it’s airlines hiking prices after a hurricane, egg companies using flimsy excuses to quadruple costs, or oil giants colluding to keep prices high, we know corporations price gouge consumers for one simple reason: because they can,” said Joe Van Wye, Senior Legislative Strategist at P Street. “Decades of weak antitrust enforcement let these corporations grow unchecked—giving monopolies the power to squeeze families for every dollar. Senator Warren is taking on corporate greed head-on and demanding real accountability to put dollars back in Americans’ pockets. More of her colleagues should follow her lead.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Oregon Delegation Slam Trump Education Funding Cuts Harming Schools Across the State

    Source: US Representative Val Hoyle (OR-04)

    July 17, 2025

    For Immediate Release: July 17, 2025 

    WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, U.S. Representative Val Hoyle (OR-04) joined the rest the Oregon’s democratic federal delegation to demand the Trump Administration reverse its abrupt cutoff of more than $73 million in federal education funds for Oregon, harming afterschool programs, specialized literacy programs, educator training, and support for English language learners at schools.

    “Any withholding of these critical funds will negatively affect the State of Oregon’s efforts to increase academic outcomes for all our students, particularly our multilingual and migrant education students. It will undermine successful initiatives to recruit talented teachers and retain them in our schools, and it will undermine the ability for students to be taught in safe and secure environments. Additionally, withholding funds that support student learning through summer and after-school programs will undermine Oregon’s efforts to help all students thrive in their education,” wrote the lawmakers to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought and U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon.

    The Oregon delegation letter follows Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield announcing the state joined a coalition of states to file a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s freezing of these federal education funds. The Administration this week also moved to fire 1,400 Education Department employees, impacting the agency’s ability to perform essential functions such as distributing financial aid and essential federal dollars.

    “Oregon’s school districts are dedicated and efficient stewards of federal dollars, leveraging funds from [these grant programs] to improve student outcomes and serve Oregon’s student population,” they continued. “For example, Neah-Kah-Nie School District in rural Tillamook County uses ESEA Title II, Part A dollars to fund literacy interventionists in their rural elementary schools so students struggling with reading, writing, and comprehension get targeted support. Without Title II dollars, Portland Public Schools, Oregon’s largest school district serving more than 44,000 students, will lose the ability to provide critical professional development and support for teachers working in low-income schools with challenging student needs.”

    The lawmakers stressed, “In addition, Hood River Valley School District uses a 21st Century Community Learning Center grant under ESEA Title IV to administer academic support in after-school programs at four Title I schools across this rural region. Similarly, Umatilla School District uses the funds for an after-school program that supports extended learning for roughly half of its K-12 students and provides an opportunity for the students to participate in robotics and a variety of STEAM-focused classes.”

    Merkley and Wyden also previously joined 30 Senate colleagues to demand OMB Director Vought and Secretary McMahon immediately release nearly $7 billion in frozen funding for K-12 schools and adult literacy programs nationwide.

    “We respectfully demand that you abide by the law and immediately release this previously appropriated funding. Oregon’s students are counting on you and so are we,” the lawmakers directed.

    Full text of the Oregon delegation’s letter can be found HERE.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: LEADER JEFFRIES: “LIFE IS GETTING MORE EXPENSIVE”

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

    Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries held a press conference where he emphasized that Donald Trump and House Republicans are driving up costs while taking nutritional assistance and healthcare away from millions of Americans in order to reward billionaires.

    LEADER JEFFRIES: Good afternoon, everyone. The American people desperately want an economy that is affordable for hardworking taxpayers. Donald Trump and House Republicans promised that costs would go down in the United States of America. Costs aren’t going down. They’re going up. They certainly have not gone down on day one, as Republicans promised the American people. Inflation is on the way up. Life is getting more expensive. And Donald Trump and House Republicans are driving the economy off of a cliff. Donald Trump and House Republicans have done nothing—nothing—not a single thing to make life more affordable for hardworking American taxpayers.

    The One Big Ugly Law will do nothing to meaningfully address the cost of living crisis that we have in this country. In fact, the One Big Ugly Law will make life more expensive for everyday Americans, particularly as it relates to utility bills in this country. Utility bills are going to go up as a result of the actions that have been taken by Donald Trump and Republicans. More than 17 million people are going to lose their healthcare as a result of the action taken by Donald Trump and Republicans. Children, veterans and seniors who are hungry are going to lose their nutritional assistance as it relates to the actions taken by Donald Trump and House Republicans connected to the One Big Ugly Law. And all of this has been done to reward billionaires with massive tax breaks and at the same time skyrocket and explode the debt by more than $3 trillion.

    It’s unconscionable what Donald Trump and House Republicans have done to hurt the American people. The job of those of us who are in public service should be at all times to make life better for everyday Americans, to improve the quality of life for the American people, to ensure, as Democrats are focused on, that when you work hard and play by the rules in the United States of America, you should be able to afford to live the good life—good paying job, good housing, good healthcare, good education for your children and a good retirement. That’s the American dream, and far too many people are unable to achieve it even though they are working hard and playing by the rules. Republicans haven’t made it easier to achieve the American dream. They are making it harder for everyday Americans. And that’s a shame.

    Full press conference can be watched here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Files Amicus Brief Opposing Trump Administration’s Efforts to Roll Back Legal Representation for Unaccompanied Children

    Source: US State of California

    OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today led a coalition of 20 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto, et al. vs. United States Department of Health and Human Services, et al., in support of a challenge to the Trump Administration’s abrupt termination of funding for legal services for unaccompanied immigrant children. In their brief, the attorneys general urge the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to affirm the preliminary injunction issued by the district court, arguing that the Trump Administration’s termination of federal funding for legal representation undermines the efforts of Amici States’ in ensuring the safety of unaccompanied children.

    “As the People’s Attorney I am committed to protecting the safety, wellbeing, and rights of all children – including immigrant children – and ensuring that they have access to legal representation,” said Attorney General Bonta. “The Trump Administration’s attempt to roll back the rights of unaccompanied children not only undermines their safety but also increases the risk of legal complications, educational challenges, and other lasting harms.”

    Attorney General Bonta and the multistate coalition have a strong interest in protecting the rights of unaccompanied immigrant children, as many of these children will eventually be released to sponsors in their states. In fiscal year 2024, approximately 10,800 unaccompanied children were released to sponsors in California — 11 percent of all unaccompanied children released to sponsors that year and the second-highest number of released children after Texas. These children become important members of their communities, students in their schools, and eventually, parents of their own families. Forcing these children to spend prolonged time in federal custody will make it more difficult for them to thrive in their communities upon release. A robust body of research shows that prolonged time in immigration custody is particularly harmful for children’s physical and mental health and disrupts their development.

    In the amicus brief, the coalition urges the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to affirm the preliminary injunction issued by the district court, arguing that:

    • Federal law recognizes the importance of providing legal representation to unaccompanied children in immigration proceedings.
    • The termination of federal funding for legal representation for unaccompanied children will significantly increase the gaps in funding for legal services and legal service providers resulting in funding and staffing shortfalls.
    • Unaccompanied children will experience various long-lasting harms without access to the multidisciplinary support and advocacy that legal representation provides.

    In filing the amicus brief, Attorney General Bonta leads the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawai’i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.

    A copy of the brief can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy in National Review: Hospitals can’t keep hiding their prices from patients

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) penned this op-ed in National Review arguing that hospitals are failing to comply with federal regulations requiring them to display their prices for medical care clearly. Kennedy explains how his bill, the Hospital Transparency Compliance Enforcement Act, would help the Trump administration enforce price transparency rules and save patients money.

    Key excerpts of the op-ed are below: 

    “It can be scary to go to the hospital when you are sick or injured, but it can be even more terrifying to get the bill.

    “Many Americans have no way of knowing how much a hospital will charge them for a routine medical procedure until weeks later when the bill arrives in the mail. This doesn’t happen anywhere else. If I wanted to know the exact price of every mayonnaise at the grocery store, I could pull up the website and tell you in two minutes. 

    “This lack of transparency not only allows hospitals to charge breathtakingly high prices without fear of competition from other facilities, but it also allows them to charge different patients different rates for the same procedure.”

    . . .

    “Congress can help the Trump administration hold these hospitals accountable by doubling the fines of those who refuse to comply. My Hospital Transparency Compliance Enforcement Act would increase penalties for noncompliance to as much as $11,000 per day for large hospitals.

    “American consumers, employers, and insurers could have saved an estimated $80 billion if President Trump’s original price transparency order had been enforced under President Biden. Families cannot afford for Congress to sit by while hospitals continue to ignore our rules to the detriment of patients. 

    “If Louisianians can find the price of a side of mashed potatoes at any of the 600 Cracker Barrel locations around the country, they ought to be able to find the price of a blood test at the nearest hospital, too. Hospitals cannot keep denying patients the information they need to make the best decisions for their families.”

    Read Kennedy’s op-ed here.  

    Text of the Hospital Transparency Compliance Enforcement Act is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tillis Statement on the Importance of an Independent Federal Reserve

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Thom Tillis released the following statement on the importance of an independent Federal Reserve:

    “The independence of the Fed is paramount. Terminating Chairman Powell risks a protracted legal battle with potential economic consequences like the disruptions we briefly saw in U.S. Treasury and dollar markets yesterday. These impacts will only threaten the foundation for long-term economic growth, including all the economic progress made by President Trump over the last six months. While dramatic fluctuations may not make the wealthy lose sleep at night, they can seriously harm those working-class Americans I grew up with who are already struggling to get by.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Markey, Reps. Matsui, Barragán, Schneider, Carbajal Introduce Legislation to Create Coordinated Federal Response to Climate and Health Crisis

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Bill Text (PDF)

    Washington (July 17, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee and the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Representatives Doris Matsui (CA-07), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), and Brad Schneider (IL-10) today reintroduced the Climate Change Health Protection and Promotion Act, legislation that would improve America’s public health response to climate change by establishing an Office of Climate Change and Health Equity (OCCHE) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). OCCHE was originally established by President Biden’s Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad. In January 2025, President Trump eliminated OCCHE and terminated its staff. Senators Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) are cosponsors of this legislation.

    The reestablished OCCHE would support climate health research, health impact monitoring, and climate resilience initiatives within the health sector. In addition to codifying OCCHE, the bill would also direct the Secretary of HHS to develop a National Strategic Action Plan to assist health professionals in preparing for and responding to the public health effects of climate change. 

    “Climate change is making people and the planet sicker, and we need a national treatment plan to address the worst effects,” said Senator Markey. “While the Trump administration tries to fire everyone with any ability to fight the health impacts of the climate crisis, and while Republicans pass bills that kick millions of people off their health care, we are demanding a different future—one with a resilient health system that protects us all. My Climate Change Health Protection and Promotion Act will put us on track for a healthier, and brighter, future.”

    “Climate change is already endangering the health of Americans nationwide,” said Congresswoman Matsui. “President Trump and his Republican allies want to bury their heads in the sand, but we’ve seen the life-threatening effects of climate change in the Sacramento region, as flooding and wildfires are becoming more frequent and more intense. These impacts will only worsen as climate change accelerates. The Climate Change Health Protection and Promotion Act will ensure our healthcare system is prepared to face this new reality.”

    “The climate crisis is a persistent threat to our way of life – it is not just an environmental threat but is a public health emergency,” said Congressman Schneider. “The Climate Change Health Protection and Promotion Act will help ensure we are better prepared and supplied to protect the health and well-being of our communities and our planet. I’m proud to co-lead this bill with Reps. Matsui, Barragán and Carbajal and I’m hopeful that the coordination and investment it promotes will strengthen our ability to confront the health impacts of climate change head on.”

    “Climate change is already impacting the environment around us, and those changes bring real risks to our public health,” said Congressman Carbajal. “Our country must have a clear strategy for meeting these mounting threats to our air, water, and food supplies. This legislation marks a key step forward to defending both our environment and our well-being.”

    “Climate change is a very real problem that affects millions of Americans, from the growing health challenges they face to the care they receive,” said Congresswoman Barragán. “Yet, the Trump administration has undermined our federal agencies’ ability to protect our communities from climate change, especially as many of our underserved communities often fall through the cracks. That is why I am proud to co-lead this bill with Representative Matsui, which prioritizes public health and protects the environment by making sure that our agencies have the proper tools and resources they need to help combat climate change.”

    “The Climate Change Health Protection and Promotion Act of 2025 would implement an evidence-based approach to protecting Americans from the health threats of hazards like extreme heat, wildfire smoke, and storms. Data shows these climate-related events are increasing in severity and frequency,” said Jenny Keroack, Director of Program Strategy & Management in Health Care Without Harm’s U.S. Climate Program. “As a civil servant who worked at the now-defunct HHS Office of Climate Change and Health Equity, I was proud to help health care organizations support their patients and staff in the face of climate threats. We must redouble these efforts and use all of our public health tools to safeguard our communities from natural disasters and extreme weather.”

    “The climate crisis is also a health crisis and requires a robust whole-of-government approach to combat it,” said Ranjani Prabhakar, Legislative Director, Healthy Communities at Earthjustice Action. “From extreme heat to intense natural disasters, climate change is causing and exacerbating negative health outcomes in communities across the country. We thank Senator Markey and Rep. Matsui for recognizing the critical link between climate and public health and obligating the government to act.” 

    Specifically, the Climate Change Health Protection and Promotion Act would:

    • Formally establish an Office of Climate Change and Health Equity within the Department of Health and Human Services.
    • Provide technical support to state and local health departments to develop preparedness plans and conduct community outreach.
    • Enhance modeling of environmental and disease data and expand research into the relationship between climate change and health.
    • Prioritize communities who have been disproportionately harmed by the climate crisis.
    • Improve monitoring of infectious diseases and environmental health indicators.
    • Develop a National Strategic Action Plan for climate and health.
    • Require health impact assessments to determine how current and proposed laws, policies, and programs would protect against the health impacts of climate change.

    This legislation is endorsed by Health Care Without Harm, American College of Physicians, Center for Organizing, Deep South Center for Environmental Justice, Public Citizen, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Earthjustice, Climate Justice Alliance, and the International Transformational Resilience Coalition.

    Senator Markey has introduced several pieces of legislation to address the intersecting climate and health crises, including the Green New Deal for Health Act, which he introduced with Representative Ro Khanna (CA-17) in 2023.

    In July 2025, along with Representative Barragán, Senator Markey introduced a resolution recognizing climate change as a growing threat to public health and calling for a coordinated federal strategy to protect communities from worsening climate-fueled harms. 

    Last Congress, Senator Markey introduced the Protecting Moms and Babies against Climate Change Act with Representative Lauren Underwood (IL-04), the Preventing HEAT Illness and Deaths Act with Representative Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), and the Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act with Representatives Paul Tonko (NY-20) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Norcross, Labor Leaders Hold Press Conference on Collective Bargaining Discharge Petition

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Donald Norcross (1st District of New Jersey)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01), co-chair of the Congressional Labor Caucus, joined Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02), House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (NY-08), AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Congressman Greg Casar (TX-35), AFGE President Dr. Everett B. Kelley, National Federation of Federal Employees President Randy Erwin, and IFPTE President Matthew Biggs to announce a discharge petition on the Protect America’s Workforce Act, forcing a vote on the House floor to overturn President Trump’s executive order that stripped collective bargaining rights away from over one million federal workers. 

    A discharge petition is a procedural tool that can be used to bypass House Republican leadership and force a vote on the Protect America’s Workforce Act. If 218 representatives sign on to the discharge petition, the bill will come to the House floor for a vote. 

    “I’ve spent my life fighting for workers’ rights, at the bargaining table, on the picket line, and now in Congress. President Trump’s executive order to strip federal workers of their collective bargaining rights is a clear union-busting tactic, plain and simple,” said Congressman Norcross, co-chair of the Congressional Labor Caucus and an IBEW member. “This week, I fought back against this illegal attack on workers by authoring an NDAA amendment to restore collective bargaining rights for defense workers, which passed with bipartisan support. Now, the Protect America’s Workforce Act discharge petition is our chance to ensure ALL federal employees have their collective bargaining rights restored.”  

    The Protect America’s Workforce Act, introduced by Representatives Jared Golden (ME-02) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), is a bipartisan effort to protect the collective bargaining rights of federal employees. The bill directly counters President Trump’s executive order issued on March 27, which eliminated collective bargaining rights for unionized federal employees, including the Department of Defense. 

    Earlier this week, Rep. Norcross introduced an amendment to the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to block Trump’s illegal attack on collective bargaining rights for Department of Defense (DoD) employees. The amendment passed out of committee, with three Republicans voting in favor of it. 

    Rep. Norcross, a co-founder of the Congressional Labor Caucus, is a union electrician by trade, a former union organizer, and was president of an AFL-CIO regional labor council for nearly two decades.  

    ### 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Homeland Security Task Force Created in Houston

    Source: US FBI

    Task Force Will Combat Emerging Transnational Criminal Threats

    HOUSTON—The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Houston Field Office and FBI Houston announced the establishment of a regional Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) on July 17 to combat emerging threats from transnational criminal organizations in Southeast Texas.

    The task force was created as a regional component to the national Homeland Security Task Force established by the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice pursuant to an Executive Order issued by President Donald Trump on January 29, 2025, to protect the American people from invasion by transnational criminals.

    The Houston HSTF’s objective is to end the presence of criminal cartels, foreign gangs, and transnational criminal organizations operating in Southeast Texas through a collaborative, whole-of-government approach. To accomplish this mission, the HSTF will conduct intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional investigations targeting drug trafficking, money laundering, weapons trafficking, human trafficking, alien smuggling, homicide, extortion, kidnapping, child exploitation, and other transnational crimes. The task force will work closely with state and local partners to identify, investigate, and eliminate violent criminal organizations and associates operating in communities throughout Southeast Texas.

    “As transnational criminal organizations, foreign terrorist organizations, drug cartels, foreign gangs and other bad actors continue to evolve and become more sophisticated, it’s vital that we work together as a law enforcement community to find transformative ways to confront emerging threats,” said HSI Houston Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz. “This is especially true in Southeast Texas where we face a myriad of unique border-related challenges and threats from transnational criminal organizations. By establishing this permanently integrated multi-agency task force with dedicated personnel from federal, state and local law enforcement working side-by-side with a common mission, we will be better postured to detect and respond to any type of threat we might face.”

    “Foreign terror organizations who profit off violence, drugs, and human lives now face a united front unseen before in Houston,” said FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams. “For the first time, law enforcement and intelligence agencies are focused on hunting down and eradicating transnational criminals within Houston communities. Federal, state, and local police will coordinate with the U.S. Intelligence Community and overseas partners to efficiently eliminate newly designated terrorists wreaking havoc in our neighborhoods.”

    The Homeland Security Task Force will be headquartered in Houston and have a satellite office in Corpus Christi. The heads of HSI Houston and FBI Houston will co-lead the task force with input from a regional executive committee comprised of leaders from participating agencies. Task force personnel will include law enforcement agents, intelligence analysts, and professional staff.

    Participating agencies will include the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigative Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations, Texas Department of Public Safety, Houston Police Department, Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Director, U.S. Attorneys from the Southern and Eastern Districts of Texas, and other federal, state, and local partners.

    For more news and information on the Houston Homeland Security Task Force follow @FBIHouston and @HSIHouston on X.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WATCH: On House Floor, Pressley Assails CLARITY Act as Green Light for Corruption, Financial Abuse

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

    “This bill gives a green light to the self-enriching crypto schemes we’ve seen where officials at the highest levels of power, including in the White House, have generated hundreds of millions of dollars in personal profit.”

    “The American people deserve crypto legislation that is fair, transparent, and accountable—not a bill that opens the floodgates to conflicts of interest and weakens investor protections.”

    Video (YouTube)

    WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) delivered a floor speech in which she assailed the CLARITY Act, harmful legislation that lacks consumer protections and would legalize Donald Trump’s crypto corruption and brazen abuse of power. In her remarks, Rep. Pressley condemned the bill as a green light for self-enriching crypto schemes and urged Congress to instead pass crypto legislation that is fair, transparent, and accountable.

    A full transcript of her remarks is available below and the full video is available here.

    Transcript: On House Floor, Pressley Assails CLARITY Act as Green Light for Corruption, Financial Abuse
    House of Representatives
    July 17, 2025

    Thank you, Ranking Member Waters.

    Mr. Speaker, I rise in vigorous opposition to the CLARITY Act.

    This bill gives a green light to self-enriching crypto schemes where officials at the highest levels of power, including in the White House, have generated hundreds of billions of dollars in personal profit.

    We need legislation that stops financial abuse, not encourages it, especially during a time when the SEC has dropped enforcement actions against major crypto firms and undermined investor safety.

    Across our country, millions of working families are battling rising costs, our elders are targeted by financial scams, and investors are trying to recover from volatile markets, but Republicans are ignoring all of that to prioritize the crypto industry’s wish list.

    To be clear: the people deserve crypto legislation that is fair, transparent, and accountable—not a bill that opens the floodgates to conflicts of interest and weakens investor protections.

    The CLARITY Act fails that test.

    Republicans’ need some clarity alright, moral and legislative.

    I agree with Ranking Member Waters, this is really the CALAMITY Act and I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: US Department of Labor launches online resource to increase employment opportunities for 5 million disabled veterans

    Source: US Department of Labor

    WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the launch of the Veterans Accommodations Toolkit, a resource aimed at increasing employment rates and participation in apprenticeship programs for disabled American veterans. 

    Released ahead of National Hire a Veteran Day and the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the toolkit supports the Trump Administration’s goals to combat the cost-of-living crisis and expand the number of Registered Apprenticeships to one million new active apprentices nationally.

    Developed by the department’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service and the Office of Disability Employment Policy, the Veterans Accommodations Toolkit offers tips and strategies on ways to enhance workplace supports and accommodations designed to facilitate the recruitment, hiring, training, and retention of disabled American veterans in apprenticeship and other employment settings. The toolkit includes resources that not only help disabled veterans, but also benefit employers, apprenticeship sponsors, and workforce development specialists.

    “Our nation owes a debt of gratitude to the brave men and women who have sacrificed so much to secure our freedoms,” said Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer. “One of the most meaningful ways we can honor their service is by increasing employment opportunities for all veterans, including the disabled. By supporting our distinguished veterans through Registered Apprenticeships and other job opportunities, the Veterans Accommodations Toolkit will ensure they have every tool at their disposal to build valuable skills, earn a paycheck, and provide for themselves and their families.” 

    Currently, more than 5 million American veterans aged 18 or older have service-connected disabilities. Each year, roughly 200,000 service members – including approximately 22,000 who have some type of disability – transition to the private sector and many remain unemployed after transition. The employment rate for working-age veterans with disabilities is 43.5%, compared to 79.8% for nondisabled veterans. The toolkit aims to help close this employment gap and get skilled, capable Americans back into the workforce.

    Learn more about the Veterans Accommodations Toolkit.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Statement on Passage of the GENIUS Act by the House of Representatives

    Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

    I would like to congratulate the House of Representatives on passing the GENIUS Act and commend the work both the House and Senate put into this important legislation. Advancement of this bill to President Trump’s desk marks a historic milestone for crypto entrepreneurs, financial market participants, and everyday Americans. I would like to thank Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott, House Financial Services Committee Chairman French Hill, Senator Cynthia Lummis, and my longtime friend Senator Bill Hagerty, who sponsored this legislation, for their leadership in advancing this much-needed legislation.

    Blockchain and crypto asset technologies have the potential to revolutionize America’s financial infrastructure and deliver new efficiencies, cost reductions, transparency, and risk mitigation for the benefit of all Americans. Innovators experimenting with these exciting technologies deserve clear rules of the road, which the GENIUS Act provides for payment stablecoins. Over the coming months and years, I look forward to watching the market leverage the regulatory framework provided by the GENIUS Act to go to market with payment stablecoins solutions that make transactions quicker, cheaper, and safer—all while maintaining robust risk safeguards.

    Financial innovation is critical for making the U.S. the best and most secure place in the world to invest and do business. This is an important step to spur innovation by providing the crypto industry with clear rules of the road. Today’s passage of the GENIUS Act sends a powerful message that this Administration is charting a new course. I look forward to continuing to work to make America—already the world’s leader in financial market innovation—the center of crypto asset innovation as well.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: 287,000 jobs and $55 billion in economic growth on the line with key climate program’s extension

    Source: US State of California 2

    Jul 17, 2025

    SACRAMENTO – As Governor Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders continue to work on extending the state’s preeminent climate program – Cap-and-Invest – new reports out this week highlight how critical the program is to the state’s economic future, and how uncertainty is costing the state billions. 

    According to a study released by the Environmental Defense Fund and Greenline Insights, extending Cap-and-Invest, also known as Cap-and-Trade, through 2045 is “expected to generate 287,000 jobs, $55 billion in economic growth, and $232 million in net savings for households.” Extending the program is estimated to “raise a minimum of $47 billion for California Climate Investments.” 

    That builds on the program’s $28 billion already invested in the last 10 years – which has wiped out emissions equivalent to taking 80% of the state’s gas cars off the road.

    This comes as another report released this week shows the need for extension this year. According to Clean and Prosperous California, the program has lost up to $3 billion in potential revenue in the past year due to poor auction results “caused by uncertainty over legislative extension.” 

    Clean and Prosperous California reports: “We expect California will continue losing between around $600 million and $1 billion in revenue from each quarterly auction until the California legislature reauthorizes the cap-and-trade program.” 

    As Governor Newsom, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, and Senate Pro Tempore Mike McGuire said in April announcing efforts to extend the program this year: “Cap-and-trade is a huge success and, working together, we’ll demonstrate real climate leadership that will attract investment and innovation to deliver the technologies of tomorrow, right here in California.” 

    Press releases, Recent news

    Recent news

    Jul 16, 2025

    News What you need to know: With the Trump administration illegally terminating grant agreements funding California high-speed rail, Governor Newsom said the state is “putting all options on the table” to fight Trump’s action. SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom issued…

    Jul 16, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:Jennifer Osborn, of Orangevale, has been appointed Director at the California Department of Industrial Relations. Osborn has been Chief Deputy Director at the California Department of…

    Jul 16, 2025

    News What you need to know: Governor Newsom visited local businesses in the Los Angeles area that have been impacted by the federal government’s indiscriminate immigration raids, called on Trump to end his deployment of soldiers, and shared new “know your rights”…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Representatives Norma Torres and Pete Aguilar Lead Call to Reopen Inland Empire Job Corps Center Following Abrupt Closure and Court Orders

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Norma Torres (35th District of California)

    July 17, 2025

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Inland Empire Representatives Norma Torres and Pete Aguilar, joined by Reps. Raul Ruiz, Judy Chu, and Mark Takano, sent a letter demanding immediate action from the Department of Labor (DOL), Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer to fully reopen the Inland Empire Job Corps Center in San Bernardino, California. The letter also calls on DOL to follow recent federal court orders to keep the Job Corps Centers open and for the Trump Administration to reverse its reckless May 29 announcement to shut down the Job Corps program, which provides at-risk youth career pathways in business and industry.

    The Job Corps is a national program with over 120 centers across the country offering tuition-free education and job training to low-income youth ages 16-24. The center in San Bernardino has served the Inland Empire community for decades. On May 29, the Trump Administration started shutting down Job Corps Centers, forcing hundreds of students, many of whom live in the Inland Empire Job Corps Center, to leave the campus with just a few days’ notice and limited support.

    Congress appropriated nearly $1.8 billion to Job Corps programs in Fiscal Year 2024, with funding continuing at that same level in Fiscal Year 2025. The Trump Administration’s decision to shut down the program contradicts its own stated goals of putting American workers first and will take away opportunities for young people in the Inland Empire, especially at a time when many industries, such as construction and manufacturing, are facing labor shortages.

    “As Members of the Inland Empire Congressional Delegation, we express our extreme concerns regarding your announcement to implement a nationwide “phased pause” in the Job Corps program. This led to the abrupt changes for the Inland Empire Job Corps Center at 3173 Kerry St. in San Bernardino that serves our communities, forcing more than 120 students to leave,” said the members. “The Job Corps program has, for over 50 years, offered tuition-free education for low-income young people ages 16 through 24 to help complete their high school education, train them for good-paying careers, and help them get jobs. As such, we demand you strictly follow the federal court’s June 4, 2025, temporary restraining order and June 25, 2025, preliminary injunction.”

    “The Job Corps program currently serves around 25,000 young Americans nationwide, offering them a lifeline and the opportunity to learn critical vocational and technical job skills to enter the workforce. Since 2023, more than 6,200 Californians have enrolled in Job Corps, with more than 2,400 of them coming from the counties of Riverside, San Bernardino, and Los Angeles. Until the abrupt and chaotic changes, the Inland Empire Job Corps Center served 340 students, teaching them much-needed skills to work in careers and trades industries, such as automotive, construction, homeland security, manufacturing, transportation, health care.”

    “We demand that DOL take swift action to reopen the Inland Empire Job Corps Center and allow students to return and resume their program. Thank you for your attention to this matter, and we look forward to a prompt response,” the members continued. 

    Representatives Torres and Aguilar are committed to working with local partners to protect the futures of Job Corps students and the economic health of the Inland Empire.

    Full letter text

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: In-Depth Analysis – US tariffs: economic, financial and monetary repercussions – 17-07-2025

    Source: European Parliament

    This briefing assesses the economic, financial, and monetary implications of the tariffs announced by the Trump administration for the EU. Starting with an overview of US measures and EU countermeasures, it analyses the impact on the EU economy across sectors and member states, explains monetary policy challenges for the ECB, and discusses strategic options for European policymakers. As the situation evolves rapidly, the assessment provided in this briefing reflects information available as of 15 July 2025, with updates to follow as developments unfold.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Opening Remarks at Full Committee Mark Up of Military Construction-VA, Commerce-Justice-Science Bills

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s opening remarks***

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered the following opening remarks as the committee meets to consider the draft fiscal year 2026 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies and Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies appropriations acts.

    Senator Murray’s opening remarks, as delivered, are below:

    “Thank you very much, Chair Collins.

    “We are here to resume consideration of the CJS bill and to take up the MilCon-VA bill—and I do want to thank our MilCon-VA subcommittee leaders, Senator Boozman, and Senator Ossoff for all of your hard work.

    “It is a good thing that by working together, we were able to put together a solid bill that invests in folks back home. This is the way the process should work: Senators coming together and finding common ground on common sense investments.

    “But I do have to acknowledge the elephant in the room here. It is no secret the path to advancing more of our bills is going to be harder because of the unprecedented, partisan rescissions bill that Republicans just passed.

    “It is extremely frustrating to see so many of the colleagues that have worked with us to pass funding bills turn around and vote to rip away the funding that we all agreed on.

    “I have never seen anything like it because the Senate has never done anything like it. We have never—until now—passed a purely partisan rescissions bill. It is a dangerous new precedent. And it poses some hard questions my colleagues across the aisle need to start answering. Because Russ Vought has not been subtle: round two of these partisan cuts are on their way soon. He said that this morning.

    “So, what do my colleagues want to do? Do they want to turn this into the Rescissions Committee? Because that is one path we could end up going down, and as of now we are one big, alarming step down it.

    “It is not the path I want go down. I want to see us turn back to what has historically made this Committee so powerful—and so worth being on—in the first place. Which is working together to advance bills that deliver for our constituents and get signed into law. And it is unfortunate that many members of this body have voted to make that a whole lot harder. That is the reality—and there is no ignoring it.

    “Now, I do believe our work here is as important as ever: writing bills that make the voice of the Senate, and the voices of our constituents heard, instead of letting Donald Trump and Russ Vought make the decisions with a forever CR. There is no doubt in my mind the bills that we negotiate—together—will be far preferable to the partisan House bills that cut like there’s no tomorrow or another slush fund CR.

    “We have already seen this President abuse the power from the last CR to ignore our bipartisan decisions, spend taxpayer dollars as he sees fit, and rob money from blue states—exactly as I warned about. We’ve already learned that lesson the hard way. We cannot throw in that towel again and let OMB hold up funding for our states or zero out projects we secured for folks back home. That’s part of why bipartisan bills are so important. But everyone has to understand, getting to the finish line always depends on our ability to work together in a bipartisan way. And it also depends on trust—trust.

    “And as I warned on the floor, bipartisanship doesn’t end with any one line being crossed, it erodes over time—bit by bit. And frankly, I am alarmed by how quickly that erosion is happening right now, over the last six months, and certainly over the last 24 hours.

    “We are racing in the wrong direction, and it is really on my colleagues across the aisle to decide if they are going to hit the brakes or go over the cliff. The question of whether forging a bipartisan path is hopeless or not will depend very much on whether this Committee is able to lock arms, and whether our colleagues will defend bipartisan deals from a budget chief who believes quite plainly that Congress—and appropriators—should have as little say as possible on federal spending.

    “I appreciate that two Republican members of this Committee ultimately took a principled stand against the partisan rescissions package, I really hope that more will join us in standing up for our power of the purse.

    “Now, turning back to the bills before us today—the MilCon-VA bill is one that I care very deeply about. As the daughter of a World War II veteran, the programs we fund in our MilCon-VA bill are very personal to me.

    “Doing right by our vets, getting them the care they need and the support they were promised, is a moral obligation. I’ll have more to say as we debate the bill—including areas I’d like to have done more.

    “But the bottom line is—it delivers the funding needed to support safe and updated infrastructure for our troops and their families and to keep our word to our veterans.

    “As the Chairman noted, we will also take up the CJS bill. I spoke last week about the serious concerns I share with Senator Van Hollen. And it is frustrating that after a bipartisan amendment was taken up, instead of advancing the bill, we recessed and are only now taking it back up with consideration of a partisan amendment.

    “My hope is that we can ensure the integrity of the process for the FBI site, and it’s protected along with the prerogatives of this committee. I am prepared to see what happens as this bill moves forward but will probably vote no if it does not get addressed.

    “With that, I will turn it back over to Chair Collins.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy Votes to Pass President Trump’s DOGE Cuts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today released the following statement after voting to pass President Trump’s rescissions request to cut $9 billion in wasteful spending found by the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
    “Living within your budget means making some hard, and not so hard, decisions,” said Dr. Cassidy. “This is a long overdue step towards addressing America’s spending problem.”
    Cassidy has continuously pushed for defunding NPR.

    MIL OSI USA News –