NewzIntel.com

Category: Trump

  • MIL-OSI USA: President Trump Delivers on MAHA Push

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Whitehouse
    President Donald J. Trump took office promising to confront the chronic health crisis plaguing Americans — and six months later, he is delivering on that promise by removing harmful chemicals from our food supply.
    Today, the Trump Administration announced that dozens of ice cream companies — representing more than 90% of the ice cream volume sold in the U.S. — have pledged to eliminate the use of certified artificial colors in their ice cream and frozen dairy products.
    They join a growing group of leading companies that have taken steps to improve the food supply:
    Steak & Shake moved to 100% all-natural beef tallow and replaced its “buttery blend,” which contained seed oils, with 100% Grade A Wisconsin butter.
    McCormick announced it will drop certain food dyes from its products.
    PepsiCo announced it will remove artificial ingredients from popular food items — including Lay’s and Tostitos chips — by the end of the year.
    In-N-Out announced it will remove synthetic food dyes and artificial flavors from its menu items, and also transitioned to 100% beef tallow.
    Tyson Foods eliminated synthetic dyes in its food products.
    Mars removed titanium dioxide from its Skittles product.
    Sam’s Club committed to removing 40 harmful ingredients — including artificial colors, additives, dyes, and high-fructose corn syrup — from its private-label products.
    Kraft-Heinz announced it will remove artificial dyes from its U.S. products.
    General Mills announced it will remove artificial dyes from its U.S. cereals and all foods served in K-12 schools.
    Nestlé announced it will remove all petroleum-based food dyes from its food and beverage products.
    Conagra Foods announced it will remove certain color additives from its frozen products, no longer offer products with artificial dyes in K-12 schools, and stop using artificial dyes in the manufacturing of its products.
    JM Smucker announced it will remove synthetic colors from its consumer food products.
    Hershey announced it will remove synthetic dyes from its snacks.
    Consumer Brands announced it will urge its members to remove artificial colors in food and beverage products served in schools.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Investments, Not Cuts in NOAA & Weather Readiness, Will Save Lives & Dollars, Cantwell Tells CBS’s Face the Nation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    07.13.25

    Investments, Not Cuts in NOAA & Weather Readiness, Will Save Lives & Dollars, Cantwell Tells CBS’s Face the Nation

    Interview focuses on importance of federally-funded weather forecasting and disaster preparedness as nation faces more extreme weather events; Cantwell previews letter to President Trump outlining 5-point plan

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation – the committee that oversees the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Weather Service (NWS) – joined CBS’s Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan to discuss the importance of funding for NOAA and the NWS.

    “The real question is, is, what can we do to improve the weather forecasting of this nation? To use science, to use better assets, to really do a once-in-a-lifetime investment to upgrade the system so that we could have given people in Kerrville more time, more warning? And the same for tornadoes and hurricanes and fires,” Sen. Cantwell said.

    “The more you can move people and resources out of the way of a storm, the more you can predict what might happen, the better prepared we’re going to be. And that’s going to help us save lives, and certainly save dollars.”

    NOAA’s cutting-edge science informs NWS weather forecasts, which help local communities prepare for and respond to events like the recent deadly floods in Central Texas. President Trump’s proposed budget would slash NOAA’s funding by $1.8 billion – a 27% cut – and his DOGE team has caused over 2,000 job losses at the agency since January.

    On Wednesday, Sen. Cantwell questioned Dr. Neil Jacobs, President Donald Trump’s nominee to head NOAA, about his plans to preserve the agency’s mission as the administration continues to hack away at NOAA’s budget, workforce, and programs.

    Last month, Sen. Cantwell joined renowned meteorologists from across the country for a virtual presser to sound the alarm on the NWS cuts, and called on the Trump Administration to restore the agency to full capacity.

    Sen. Cantwell and Brennan also discussed President Trump’s ongoing trade war. Video of the full segment is HERE and HERE; a transcript is HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall: We Will Cut $9 Billion of Wasteful Spending for the American Taxpayers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall
    Senator Marshall Joins Newsmax to Talk About the Rescissions Package and Joe Biden’s Autopen
    Washington – On Monday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), joined Newsmax’s Wake Up America to discuss the White House’s rescissions package to cut funding to leftist causes and organizations like NPR and PBS, and the continuing questions around the usage of the autopen in the Biden-Harris Administration.
    Click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full remarks.
    On the likelihood of getting the Recissions Package passed this week:
    “I think we’ll get it across the finish line. And I think it’s important to remember why this is so important: our nation is $37 trillion in debt. We’re spending a trillion dollars a year in interest. We’re asking the Republicans to do what we said we were going to do. We said we were going to cut spending. Now, the One Big, Beautiful Bill, a record amount of spending cuts. But here’s a small chance to take a… $9 billion bite out of the apple.
    “Look, folks back in Kansas are tired of the federal government spending a billion dollars on public broadcasting. In today’s world, I don’t see that the benefits outweigh the detriments here. I think there are better things to do with that money. I think that we should proceed forward.
    “A second point, why this is important is it only takes 50 Republicans to do this. Usually in the Senate, it takes 60 votes. We got the Big, Beautiful Bill done with 50-plus votes, and we’ll do the same thing with this. I think we’ll get it across the finish line.”
    On what it means if Congress fails to pass the recissions package:
    “Well, I think that that means that the swamp is still really deep up here, and that Republicans aren’t willing to step forward and do the right thing. Look, DOGE has found like $2 trillion of waste, fraud, and abuse over the last 20-some years. $190 billion of cuts that they would like to make through wasted contracts and NGO grants, those types of things. This is a small bite of the apple.
    “USAID – this is the number one thing on my list I gave to Elon and the team. I saw just the horrible fraudulent abuse out there, that USAID had become a slush fund for Democrats, where they hired their buddies and their relatives and did all their DEI malarkey, I’ll say.
    “So, this is a chance for Republicans to stand up and do what we said we were going to do. Surely, 50 of us can do the right thing. Let’s put America first. Let’s take that $9 billion and pay down our debt.”
    On the President’s comments about interfering with the Recissions Package:
    “Well, that may help Susan Collins, but the rest of us do not want to be on President Trump’s naughty list, right? So, Mr. Putin is on the President’s naughty list right now, and it’s not a good list to be on. Trust me, I’ve seen people get their knees cut off by being on the President’s naughty list. But regardless, the President is America first. The Senate Republicans should be America first. We should get this rescissions package across the finish line while we have the chance.”
    On the usage of the autopen during the Biden years and the questions about his health:
    “Well, look, Joe Biden doesn’t know what day it is. I’d love to see him do a live interview. Let’s invite him on to Newsmax today. Come on in, Joe Biden, let’s have a live interview, and let’s discuss this.
    “Where are the notes that would prove that he participated in those conversations? Look, when I have conversations like that with my staff, there are copious notes supporting what you want, what they presented to me, and that I was involved in the conversation. So, show proof. So, you know, don’t tell me, show me. So, let’s see the reports there.
    “Look, this President, Joe Biden, was in cognitive decline, neurogenerative decline for years. And like I said, I’m not sure he knows what day it is…”
    On doctor-patient confidentiality in regards to National Security:
    “…I think the law is in our favor already. Look, I’m ethically bound to protect the patient’s privacy, but then being subpoenaed trumps that. If I’m called to be a witness, then that trumps my ethical obligation. I don’t have to disclose all the non-important things about that person’s medical history.
    “But if it’s something that impacts the case at hand, in this case, the President putting our nation at risk in so many ways, economically as well as in national security. So, I think we’re good with the laws that we have right now, we just need to enforce them. And I think if this goes to the Supreme Court, they’ll prove us right here.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: US tariff threat to EU ‘totally unacceptable’: Danish FM

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    BRUSSELS, July 14 (Xinhua) — Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen on Monday denounced the U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration’s threat to impose 30 percent tariffs on EU exports as “totally unacceptable” at a joint press conference with European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic in Brussels.

    L.L. Rasmussen said the EU considers this threat “completely unacceptable and unfounded” and is ready to respond if negotiations with Washington do not produce real results.

    “We intend to continue working with the United States to find an agreed solution,” the Danish Foreign Minister noted, while stressing that the agreement must be “mutually acceptable” to both sides.

    He warned that the EU would respond with decisive and proportionate countermeasures if necessary.

    M. Šefčovič, for his part, said that the 27-country union is preparing possible countermeasures worth 72 billion euros /84 billion US dollars/.

    “We must be prepared for any outcome, including, if necessary, carefully considered and proportionate measures to restore balance in our transatlantic relations,” the European Commissioner said.

    M. Šefčovič noted that, in his opinion, “there is still potential for continuing negotiations,” but stressed that any deal would require the approval of all EU member states and the European Parliament. –0–

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: D. Trump announced the sending of American weapons to Ukraine via NATO and threatened Russia with “harsh tariffs”

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    WASHINGTON, July 14 (Xinhua) — U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday announced that the United States would send weapons to Ukraine through NATO and threatened to impose “harsh tariffs” on Russia if a ceasefire agreement in Ukraine is not reached within 50 days.

    D. Trump announced the agreement with NATO to supply weapons to help Ukraine during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office.

    “We are going to send them weapons, and they will pay for it,” D. Trump announced, adding that the United States will produce these weapons.

    “We are going to impose very tough tariffs if we don’t have an agreement in 50 days,” Trump warned, speaking about Russia.

    As reported by a number of media outlets, the US President indicated that the size of the proposed “secondary duties” will be around 100 percent. –0–

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: GG Mothai: Aid cuts are putting LGBTIQ+ lives at risk in rural Botswana

    Source: Amnesty International –

    The Trump administration’s abrupt and sweeping suspension of US foreign aid is placing the lives and human rights of millions at risk. The cuts have ended critical programmes across the globe, including vital grassroots LGBTIQ+ organizations in Botswana which challenge entrenched homophobia and provide safety and support for LGBTIQ+ people.

    Gagotheko (GG/Gybian) Mothai is a non-binary human rights advocate based in Maun, Botswana, and director of the Pink Triangle LGBTQ Support Group.

    Below, GG shares the profound impact of grassroots organizations on LGBTIQ+ people’s lives and raises serious concerns about the welfare and safety of LGBTIQ+ people due to funding cuts.

    Maun is a deeply traditional and conservative place, more so than Gaborone, the capital of Botswana, where people are more aware. Maun is smaller and harmful cultural values still dominate.

    People here see LGBTIQ+ people as “un-African” or “possessed”. Homophobia is normalized, and being open about our identities puts us at constant risk of violence. We are rejected by our families, forced into unwanted marriages (especially LBQ women) and are cast out by our religious leaders. It feels harsher and more personal because it comes from people who are close to us: our families, chiefs and neighbours.

    I was disowned by my family in 2020, amid the pandemic.

    Activism here is survival work. It can feel powerful, we’ve seen real shifts: families starting to understand their queer children, churches slowly opening to dialogues on spirituality and sexuality, and queer people beginning to heal. But it’s also painful and emotionally draining. You may see progress on one side of town whilst violent incidents are increasing on the other.

    This is my hometown. I keep doing this work here because I hope one day to have a hometown that is kind, understanding and accepting.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI USA: States sue to release $7B in federal education funding illegally withheld

    Source: Washington State News

    SEATTLE — Attorney General Nick Brown today announced his office has joined litigation against the U.S. Department of Education and the Office of Management and Budget for the government’s illegal withholding of $7 billion in formula grants allocated to the states.

    “Student success and wellbeing is a nonpartisan issue. It’s inexcusable that the federal government would choose to wreak havoc on local school systems like this as they prepare for the upcoming school year,” Brown said. “We’re fighting for every dollar our students are owed.”

    These grants support longstanding programs for K-12 students that the federal government is obligated by law to support financially, including programs for English learners and children of migratory workers; professional development for teachers, principals, and other school leaders; enhanced classroom instruction, improved school conditions, and the use of technology in the classroom; and community learning centers that offer students a range of academic and extracurricular enrichment.

    The federal government was to begin awarding these grants for the upcoming school year on July 1, but the day before that deadline, the states received a vague notice that the government was now “reviewing” this funding “given the change in Administrations.” This action violates a number of statutes by going against Congress’ explicit designs for these funds as well as the Education Department’s own regulations.

    In our state alone, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction estimates nearly $137 million in these frozen funds were to go to K-12 schools for the upcoming academic year.

    “I thank the AG’s office for their willingness to step into this case,” State Superintendent Chris Reykdal said. “The AG represents their clients—state agencies, and at OSPI, we continue to share the harms to students, families, educators, and taxpayers stemming from this presidential administration. Diverting funds intended for students and educators that were approved by Congress and signed by President Trump himself, to build a reserve of funds to pay for tax cuts for billionaires, is immoral and illegal. We look forward to federal officials releasing all of the education funds intended for the 50 states and territories.”

    The funding freeze also severely limits the states’ adult education systems. Hundreds of thousands of learners in these states, including those learning English and those working toward a high school diploma, depend on services funded by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act at community colleges, public schools, libraries, correctional education programs and other venues.

    The state Board for Community and Technical Colleges estimates more than $13 million in funds to support student learning is being withheld under the administration’s freeze.

    “The Department of Education’s last-minute decision to withhold the Basic Grant and the Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education grant means immediate impact to tens of thousands of students across Washington state as they work on their high school diploma or GED, learn English, math, and digital literacy skills, and train for jobs,” said Chris Bailey, interim executive director of the state Board for Community and Technical Colleges. “Adult basic education programs are critical for working adults as they learn and improve the skills they need to get good jobs, as well as for employers to hire the skilled workers they need.”

    The states’ complaint seeks to halt these illegal actions and force the federal government to provide these grants in accordance with the law.

    The litigation is led by California, Colorado, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. Also joining are the attorneys general of Arizona, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont, and Wisconsin. The governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania are also plaintiffs.

    The complaint can be found 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: States sue to release $7B in federal education funding illegally withheld

    Source: Washington State News

    SEATTLE — Attorney General Nick Brown today announced his office has joined litigation against the U.S. Department of Education and the Office of Management and Budget for the government’s illegal withholding of $7 billion in formula grants allocated to the states.

    “Student success and wellbeing is a nonpartisan issue. It’s inexcusable that the federal government would choose to wreak havoc on local school systems like this as they prepare for the upcoming school year,” Brown said. “We’re fighting for every dollar our students are owed.”

    These grants support longstanding programs for K-12 students that the federal government is obligated by law to support financially, including programs for English learners and children of migratory workers; professional development for teachers, principals, and other school leaders; enhanced classroom instruction, improved school conditions, and the use of technology in the classroom; and community learning centers that offer students a range of academic and extracurricular enrichment.

    The federal government was to begin awarding these grants for the upcoming school year on July 1, but the day before that deadline, the states received a vague notice that the government was now “reviewing” this funding “given the change in Administrations.” This action violates a number of statutes by going against Congress’ explicit designs for these funds as well as the Education Department’s own regulations.

    In our state alone, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction estimates nearly $137 million in these frozen funds were to go to K-12 schools for the upcoming academic year.

    “I thank the AG’s office for their willingness to step into this case,” State Superintendent Chris Reykdal said. “The AG represents their clients—state agencies, and at OSPI, we continue to share the harms to students, families, educators, and taxpayers stemming from this presidential administration. Diverting funds intended for students and educators that were approved by Congress and signed by President Trump himself, to build a reserve of funds to pay for tax cuts for billionaires, is immoral and illegal. We look forward to federal officials releasing all of the education funds intended for the 50 states and territories.”

    The funding freeze also severely limits the states’ adult education systems. Hundreds of thousands of learners in these states, including those learning English and those working toward a high school diploma, depend on services funded by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act at community colleges, public schools, libraries, correctional education programs and other venues.

    The state Board for Community and Technical Colleges estimates more than $13 million in funds to support student learning is being withheld under the administration’s freeze.

    “The Department of Education’s last-minute decision to withhold the Basic Grant and the Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education grant means immediate impact to tens of thousands of students across Washington state as they work on their high school diploma or GED, learn English, math, and digital literacy skills, and train for jobs,” said Chris Bailey, interim executive director of the state Board for Community and Technical Colleges. “Adult basic education programs are critical for working adults as they learn and improve the skills they need to get good jobs, as well as for employers to hire the skilled workers they need.”

    The states’ complaint seeks to halt these illegal actions and force the federal government to provide these grants in accordance with the law.

    The litigation is led by California, Colorado, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. Also joining are the attorneys general of Arizona, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont, and Wisconsin. The governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania are also plaintiffs.

    The complaint can be found 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: Frankel, Colleagues Call Out Illegal Freeze on Education Funds, Demand Immediate Action

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-21)

    Representative Lois Frankel (FL-22) joined 144 of her Congressional colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought, demanding the immediate release of nearly $7 billion in K-12 and adult education funding that the Trump Administration is illegally withholding from states and local school districts across the country. The lawmakers also requested answers regarding the Administration’s decision to withhold the funds and its failure to communicate with impacted communities.

    In Palm Beach County, $32 million in critical funding is at stake—including support for academic enrichment, adult education and literacy, afterschool and summer programs, and more. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County is also awaiting $9 million in funding essential to its operations. Trump’s freeze threatens services for tens of thousands of children and jeopardizes the jobs of over 500 local educators and afterschool program staff in our area.

    By law, these funds were required to be distributed by July 1. With the school year fast approaching, the Administration’s illegal delay is preventing school districts from planning and implementing vital programs—leaving vulnerable students at risk of falling behind academically and without safe, structured environments after school.

    In their letter, the lawmakers requested responses to the following questions:

    1. When will the Administration complete its review and release the funding Congress allocated for the upcoming school year?
    2. Has the Administration provided any support or guidance to state and local education agencies during this period of uncertainty?
    3. If a review of these funds was planned, why didn’t it begin earlier in the year? Was the delay or failure to release the funds related to staffing shortages at the Department of Education caused by the Administration’s own reductions in force?

    For full text of the letter, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Risch Celebrates Historic Tax Cuts for Working Idahoans, Victories in Reconciliation Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho James E Risch

    BOISE, Idaho – In an interview with Idaho Falls’ NewsTalk Radio, U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) celebrated Republicans’ historic tax cuts for working families and key achievements of the budget reconciliation package. 

    Click here to listen to Senator Risch’s interview on NewsTalk Radio.

    Excerpts from Senator Risch’s Interview: 

    “If [the One, Big, Beautiful Bill] had not been passed, it would have resulted in the largest tax increase in history for American taxpayers.

    “The 2017 tax cuts that we put in place in [President Trump’s first term] were set to expire…Had that happened at the end of the year, there would have been a huge tax increase. Instead, we preserved those tax cuts and, in addition to that, [the bill] has the largest tax cuts for working Idahoans in history. No tax on tips, no tax on overtime pay, and a number of other things that are very helpful for working Idahoans. 

    “Secondly, it secures the southern border and provides the money that’s needed for immigration enforcement, which is, of course, what [President Trump] ran on and what the American people wanted and what we’re in the process of doing.

    “It cuts $1.6 trillion in federal spending. We needed to do that. Before COVID, [the federal government was] spending $4 trillion a year. We’re now spending $7 trillion a year. We’re running up a debt of a trillion dollars every 150 days. This has to change, and this bill does that.

    “It ends the Green New Deal, also known as the Green New Scam. It does not sell off public lands, and it preserves Medicare with common-sense reforms.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: AG Labrador: One state’s bold fight against classroom indoctrination targets woke ‘welcome’ signs — Fox News Op-Ed

    Source: US State of Idaho

    Home Newsroom AG Labrador: One state’s bold fight against classroom indoctrination targets woke ‘welcome’ signs — Fox News Op-Ed

    Op-Ed: One state’s bold fight against classroom indoctrination targets woke ‘welcome’ signs
    by Attorney General Raúl Labrador
    This spring, an Idaho teacher displayed a sign in her classroom that read, “Everyone Is Welcome Here.” On its face, the message appears neutral — simple, positive words that seem apolitical. But the design reveals its true purpose: colorful letters above imagery designed to signal adherence to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The rainbow colors and progressive symbols accompanying these messages make their political purpose unmistakable. 
    These classroom displays reflect a broader ecosystem of political resistance groups launched in protest of the political rise of President Donald Trump. The “All Are Welcome Here” movement, founded in November 2016 by progressive activists in Minnesota, explicitly states its mission as supporting “a just, inclusive and equitable environment” while donating thousands of dollars to progressive causes, including the ACLU.  
    The organization openly declares: “To show our support for our transgender family, friends, and neighbors, we’re also donating 5% of our online sales will be to Transforming Families of Minnesota” — an organization dedicated to advancing transgender ideology among children and families. 
    Related movements like “Everyone is Welcome” similarly incorporate symbols from the “Intersex-Inclusive Pride Flag” and promote LGBTQ+ ideology through educational messaging. A simple visit to any of these organizations’ websites reveals their unmistakably political nature — complete with progressive activism, social justice messaging and ideological programming that extends far beyond genuine hospitality. When teachers display signs bearing the same name as these political organizations, what are parents supposed to think? 

    The situation in Idaho is not unique. What Trump’s administration recognized as dangerous enough to ban from federal agencies and K-12 schools through executive order has been quietly spreading through classrooms nationwide.  
    Across America, educators have transformed learning spaces into venues for DEI messaging disguised as inclusion. Idaho responded with legislation prohibiting political displays in public school classrooms — a law that passed overwhelmingly. The fundamental question is: Do parents or schools control children’s moral education? Idaho chose parents. 
    At its core, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion judge individuals by group identity rather than merit, divide people into oppressor and victim categories based on immutable characteristics, and prioritize equal outcomes over equal opportunity. For years, activists have systematically embedded this political messaging throughout school systems under the banner of “inclusion” and “equity.”  
    These seemingly neutral terms mask a comprehensive worldview that undermines parental authority over children’s moral development. As Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis accurately observed, “DEI stands for … Division, Exclusion and Indoctrination, and that has no part in our public institutions.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: AG Labrador: One state’s bold fight against classroom indoctrination targets woke ‘welcome’ signs — Fox News Op-Ed

    Source: US State of Idaho

    Home Newsroom AG Labrador: One state’s bold fight against classroom indoctrination targets woke ‘welcome’ signs — Fox News Op-Ed

    Op-Ed: One state’s bold fight against classroom indoctrination targets woke ‘welcome’ signs
    by Attorney General Raúl Labrador
    This spring, an Idaho teacher displayed a sign in her classroom that read, “Everyone Is Welcome Here.” On its face, the message appears neutral — simple, positive words that seem apolitical. But the design reveals its true purpose: colorful letters above imagery designed to signal adherence to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The rainbow colors and progressive symbols accompanying these messages make their political purpose unmistakable. 
    These classroom displays reflect a broader ecosystem of political resistance groups launched in protest of the political rise of President Donald Trump. The “All Are Welcome Here” movement, founded in November 2016 by progressive activists in Minnesota, explicitly states its mission as supporting “a just, inclusive and equitable environment” while donating thousands of dollars to progressive causes, including the ACLU.  
    The organization openly declares: “To show our support for our transgender family, friends, and neighbors, we’re also donating 5% of our online sales will be to Transforming Families of Minnesota” — an organization dedicated to advancing transgender ideology among children and families. 
    Related movements like “Everyone is Welcome” similarly incorporate symbols from the “Intersex-Inclusive Pride Flag” and promote LGBTQ+ ideology through educational messaging. A simple visit to any of these organizations’ websites reveals their unmistakably political nature — complete with progressive activism, social justice messaging and ideological programming that extends far beyond genuine hospitality. When teachers display signs bearing the same name as these political organizations, what are parents supposed to think? 

    The situation in Idaho is not unique. What Trump’s administration recognized as dangerous enough to ban from federal agencies and K-12 schools through executive order has been quietly spreading through classrooms nationwide.  
    Across America, educators have transformed learning spaces into venues for DEI messaging disguised as inclusion. Idaho responded with legislation prohibiting political displays in public school classrooms — a law that passed overwhelmingly. The fundamental question is: Do parents or schools control children’s moral education? Idaho chose parents. 
    At its core, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion judge individuals by group identity rather than merit, divide people into oppressor and victim categories based on immutable characteristics, and prioritize equal outcomes over equal opportunity. For years, activists have systematically embedded this political messaging throughout school systems under the banner of “inclusion” and “equity.”  
    These seemingly neutral terms mask a comprehensive worldview that undermines parental authority over children’s moral development. As Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis accurately observed, “DEI stands for … Division, Exclusion and Indoctrination, and that has no part in our public institutions.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: AG Labrador: One state’s bold fight against classroom indoctrination targets woke ‘welcome’ signs — Fox News Op-Ed

    Source: US State of Idaho

    Home Newsroom AG Labrador: One state’s bold fight against classroom indoctrination targets woke ‘welcome’ signs — Fox News Op-Ed

    Op-Ed: One state’s bold fight against classroom indoctrination targets woke ‘welcome’ signs
    by Attorney General Raúl Labrador
    This spring, an Idaho teacher displayed a sign in her classroom that read, “Everyone Is Welcome Here.” On its face, the message appears neutral — simple, positive words that seem apolitical. But the design reveals its true purpose: colorful letters above imagery designed to signal adherence to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The rainbow colors and progressive symbols accompanying these messages make their political purpose unmistakable. 
    These classroom displays reflect a broader ecosystem of political resistance groups launched in protest of the political rise of President Donald Trump. The “All Are Welcome Here” movement, founded in November 2016 by progressive activists in Minnesota, explicitly states its mission as supporting “a just, inclusive and equitable environment” while donating thousands of dollars to progressive causes, including the ACLU.  
    The organization openly declares: “To show our support for our transgender family, friends, and neighbors, we’re also donating 5% of our online sales will be to Transforming Families of Minnesota” — an organization dedicated to advancing transgender ideology among children and families. 
    Related movements like “Everyone is Welcome” similarly incorporate symbols from the “Intersex-Inclusive Pride Flag” and promote LGBTQ+ ideology through educational messaging. A simple visit to any of these organizations’ websites reveals their unmistakably political nature — complete with progressive activism, social justice messaging and ideological programming that extends far beyond genuine hospitality. When teachers display signs bearing the same name as these political organizations, what are parents supposed to think? 

    The situation in Idaho is not unique. What Trump’s administration recognized as dangerous enough to ban from federal agencies and K-12 schools through executive order has been quietly spreading through classrooms nationwide.  
    Across America, educators have transformed learning spaces into venues for DEI messaging disguised as inclusion. Idaho responded with legislation prohibiting political displays in public school classrooms — a law that passed overwhelmingly. The fundamental question is: Do parents or schools control children’s moral education? Idaho chose parents. 
    At its core, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion judge individuals by group identity rather than merit, divide people into oppressor and victim categories based on immutable characteristics, and prioritize equal outcomes over equal opportunity. For years, activists have systematically embedded this political messaging throughout school systems under the banner of “inclusion” and “equity.”  
    These seemingly neutral terms mask a comprehensive worldview that undermines parental authority over children’s moral development. As Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis accurately observed, “DEI stands for … Division, Exclusion and Indoctrination, and that has no part in our public institutions.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: AG Labrador: One state’s bold fight against classroom indoctrination targets woke ‘welcome’ signs — Fox News Op-Ed

    Source: US State of Idaho

    Home Newsroom AG Labrador: One state’s bold fight against classroom indoctrination targets woke ‘welcome’ signs — Fox News Op-Ed

    Op-Ed: One state’s bold fight against classroom indoctrination targets woke ‘welcome’ signs
    by Attorney General Raúl Labrador
    This spring, an Idaho teacher displayed a sign in her classroom that read, “Everyone Is Welcome Here.” On its face, the message appears neutral — simple, positive words that seem apolitical. But the design reveals its true purpose: colorful letters above imagery designed to signal adherence to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The rainbow colors and progressive symbols accompanying these messages make their political purpose unmistakable. 
    These classroom displays reflect a broader ecosystem of political resistance groups launched in protest of the political rise of President Donald Trump. The “All Are Welcome Here” movement, founded in November 2016 by progressive activists in Minnesota, explicitly states its mission as supporting “a just, inclusive and equitable environment” while donating thousands of dollars to progressive causes, including the ACLU.  
    The organization openly declares: “To show our support for our transgender family, friends, and neighbors, we’re also donating 5% of our online sales will be to Transforming Families of Minnesota” — an organization dedicated to advancing transgender ideology among children and families. 
    Related movements like “Everyone is Welcome” similarly incorporate symbols from the “Intersex-Inclusive Pride Flag” and promote LGBTQ+ ideology through educational messaging. A simple visit to any of these organizations’ websites reveals their unmistakably political nature — complete with progressive activism, social justice messaging and ideological programming that extends far beyond genuine hospitality. When teachers display signs bearing the same name as these political organizations, what are parents supposed to think? 

    The situation in Idaho is not unique. What Trump’s administration recognized as dangerous enough to ban from federal agencies and K-12 schools through executive order has been quietly spreading through classrooms nationwide.  
    Across America, educators have transformed learning spaces into venues for DEI messaging disguised as inclusion. Idaho responded with legislation prohibiting political displays in public school classrooms — a law that passed overwhelmingly. The fundamental question is: Do parents or schools control children’s moral education? Idaho chose parents. 
    At its core, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion judge individuals by group identity rather than merit, divide people into oppressor and victim categories based on immutable characteristics, and prioritize equal outcomes over equal opportunity. For years, activists have systematically embedded this political messaging throughout school systems under the banner of “inclusion” and “equity.”  
    These seemingly neutral terms mask a comprehensive worldview that undermines parental authority over children’s moral development. As Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis accurately observed, “DEI stands for … Division, Exclusion and Indoctrination, and that has no part in our public institutions.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: AG Labrador: One state’s bold fight against classroom indoctrination targets woke ‘welcome’ signs — Fox News Op-Ed

    Source: US State of Idaho

    Home Newsroom AG Labrador: One state’s bold fight against classroom indoctrination targets woke ‘welcome’ signs — Fox News Op-Ed

    Op-Ed: One state’s bold fight against classroom indoctrination targets woke ‘welcome’ signs
    by Attorney General Raúl Labrador
    This spring, an Idaho teacher displayed a sign in her classroom that read, “Everyone Is Welcome Here.” On its face, the message appears neutral — simple, positive words that seem apolitical. But the design reveals its true purpose: colorful letters above imagery designed to signal adherence to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The rainbow colors and progressive symbols accompanying these messages make their political purpose unmistakable. 
    These classroom displays reflect a broader ecosystem of political resistance groups launched in protest of the political rise of President Donald Trump. The “All Are Welcome Here” movement, founded in November 2016 by progressive activists in Minnesota, explicitly states its mission as supporting “a just, inclusive and equitable environment” while donating thousands of dollars to progressive causes, including the ACLU.  
    The organization openly declares: “To show our support for our transgender family, friends, and neighbors, we’re also donating 5% of our online sales will be to Transforming Families of Minnesota” — an organization dedicated to advancing transgender ideology among children and families. 
    Related movements like “Everyone is Welcome” similarly incorporate symbols from the “Intersex-Inclusive Pride Flag” and promote LGBTQ+ ideology through educational messaging. A simple visit to any of these organizations’ websites reveals their unmistakably political nature — complete with progressive activism, social justice messaging and ideological programming that extends far beyond genuine hospitality. When teachers display signs bearing the same name as these political organizations, what are parents supposed to think? 

    The situation in Idaho is not unique. What Trump’s administration recognized as dangerous enough to ban from federal agencies and K-12 schools through executive order has been quietly spreading through classrooms nationwide.  
    Across America, educators have transformed learning spaces into venues for DEI messaging disguised as inclusion. Idaho responded with legislation prohibiting political displays in public school classrooms — a law that passed overwhelmingly. The fundamental question is: Do parents or schools control children’s moral education? Idaho chose parents. 
    At its core, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion judge individuals by group identity rather than merit, divide people into oppressor and victim categories based on immutable characteristics, and prioritize equal outcomes over equal opportunity. For years, activists have systematically embedded this political messaging throughout school systems under the banner of “inclusion” and “equity.”  
    These seemingly neutral terms mask a comprehensive worldview that undermines parental authority over children’s moral development. As Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis accurately observed, “DEI stands for … Division, Exclusion and Indoctrination, and that has no part in our public institutions.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Releases Guidance on Implementing President Trump’s Executive Order Designating English as the Official Language of the United States

    Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division

    Headline: Justice Department Releases Guidance on Implementing President Trump’s Executive Order Designating English as the Official Language of the United States

    WASHINGTON — Today, the Department of Justice released Guidance to ensure compliance with President Trump’s Executive Order No. 14224, which establishes English as the official language of the United States of America. Consistent with the Executive Order, the Department of Justice will lead a coordinated effort across federal agencies to minimize non-essential multilingual services, redirect resources toward English-language education and assimilation, and ensure legal compliance with the Executive Order through targeted measures where necessary.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General James Sues Trump Administration for Illegally Freezing Billions in Education Funds

    Source: US State of New York

    EW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James and 22 other attorneys general, as well as the governors of Pennsylvania and Kentucky, today sued the Trump administration for illegally freezing nearly $7 billion dollars in critical education funding. On June 30, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) abruptly halted funds appropriated by Congress for six longstanding education programs, jeopardizing programs that provide after-school care for children of working parents, teach English to children who are non-native speakers, recruit and train teachers, expand STEM and arts curricula, and provide bullying and suicide prevention services in schools. The attorneys general are asking the court to stop the unconstitutional freeze, which has thrown schools nationwide into chaos, and compel the administration to release the billions of dollars in frozen funds that support some of the country’s most vulnerable children and their families.

    “The federal government cannot use our children’s classrooms to advance its assault on immigrant and working families,” said Attorney General James. “This illegal and unjustified funding freeze will be devastating for students and families nationwide, especially for those who rely on these programs for childcare or to learn English. Congress allocated these funds, and the law requires that they be delivered. We will not allow this administration to rewrite the rules to punish the communities it doesn’t like.”

    For decades, Congress has required the federal government to release this education funding to states by July 1 to ensure schools receive resources ahead of the new academic year. These funds are distributed through formula grants, meaning ED has a legal obligation to allocate them according to a set formula established by Congress. This year, however, just hours before the statutory deadline, the administration abruptly informed states that the funds would not be coming. ED announced a blanket freeze on six programs, including:

    • The Migrant Education Program, which was created by Congress in response to the 1960 documentary Harvest of Shame to support the education of migrant farm workers and their children.
       
    • Title II-A, which supports recruitment, training, and retention of effective teachers and school leaders, particularly in low-income and underserved communities.
       
    • Title III-A, which provides English learners and immigrant students with the tools they need to attain English proficiency and meet state academic standards.
       
    • Title IV-A, which supports student well-being and academic enrichment through services like school-based mental health care, violence, bullying, and suicide prevention, arts and STEM education, and college and career guidance.
       
    • Title IV-B, known as the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program, which funds after-school and summer programs, tutoring, mentoring, and expanded literacy services.
       
    • Adult Education Grants, which help adults build literacy and job-readiness skills, including civics education for English learners.

    Together, these programs have provided vital educational support to millions of students and families nationwide for decades. Despite this history, the administration provided no legal justification for the freeze. On June 30, just hours before the funds were set to be distributed, ED sent states a vague, three-sentence email claiming that a “review” was underway to align funding with “the president’s priorities.” No details were provided on the duration or scope of the review. In the following days, OMB attempted to justify the freeze by claiming the funding had been used to “subsidize a radical leftwing agenda,” specifically accusing New York of using federal education funds to “promote illegal immigrant advocacy organizations,” which is patently false. OMB also raised objections to the use of funds for scholarships for immigrant students and lessons on LGBTQ+ topics.

    This sweeping funding freeze has already caused chaos for school systems. Essential summer school and after-school programs, which provide childcare for working families, have been canceled or are at risk. Professional development for teachers and support for English learners are being halted or scaled back. With the school year weeks away, districts have been left scrambling. Most critically, states have had no time to fill the massive fiscal hole left by the sudden cutoff. Budgets have been finalized, staff hired, and contracts signed based on a decades-long expectation that this funding would arrive on July 1. Now, many states and school districts face the prospect of breaking contracts and slashing programming they can no longer afford.

    In New York, more than $463 million in funding for the 2025-2026 school year has been frozen, 13 percent of the state’s total K-12 education funding. This includes more than $125 million for teacher training and development, $107 million to create safe and effective learning environments for New York students, $102 million for after-school and summer programs, $65 million to fund English learning and literacy initiatives, $10 million to support migrant students, and $52 million in adult literacy funding. The majority of this funding goes to 730 school districts across New York, which are now scrambling to address the budget shortfall.  

    Already, some summer programs have been shuttered, meaning thousands of children are missing out on academic and enrichment programming, as well as midday meals. With these programs closed, many New York families have abruptly lost their childcare for the summer, and if the funding is not released by September, the number of families suddenly left without childcare will grow exponentially. The New York State Education Department (NYSED) estimates at least 65,000 low-income New York students could lose access to afterschool or summer enrichment programs and 80,000 New Yorkers could be cut off from adult education and literacy services.

    In New York City, where 44 percent of public school students speak a language other than English at home, this freeze threatens essential English language instruction and literacy services. At the state level, the frozen funds cover the salaries and benefits of 67 full time employees. If the funding freeze continues, NYSED would be forced to conduct “large scale and unplanned layoffs,” which would have damaging reverberations across the state workforce, as well as disastrous impacts for local school districts.

    Attorney General James and the coalition argue that this funding freeze violates the Constitution and federal law. The administration offered no reasoned explanation for a drastic policy reversal and failed to consider the states’ reliance on long-established funding processes, in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act. The freeze also violates the Constitution’s spending clause and separation of powers principle, because the administration has disregarded Congress’ sole power of the purse and exceeded its authority by attempting to conduct a discretionary “review” of programs established, funded, and regulated by Congress. In addition, the Impoundment Control Act prohibits the executive branch from unilaterally refusing to spend appropriated funds unless specific procedures are followed. Those procedures were not followed here.

    The attorneys general highlight that this is not the first time the Trump administration has unlawfully attempted to block funds allocated by Congress. Federal courts across the country have repeatedly struck down similar overreaches targeting various educational and health initiatives. As those courts have affirmed, the president cannot defy the will of Congress.

    Attorney General James and the coalition are asking the court to declare the funding freeze illegal and permanently block the action. They will be seeking a preliminary injunction covering all plaintiff states and are asking for a writ of mandamus to compel the administration to distribute the funds that Congress appropriated for school systems.

    Joining Attorney General James in filing the lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawai’i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia, as well as the governors of Pennsylvania and Kentucky.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Sues Trump Administration for Freezing Billions in Education Grants Just Weeks Before School Year Start

    Source: US State of California

    In California, over $900 million in federal education funding is frozen, jeopardizing key programs for after school and summer learning, teacher preparation, and to support students learning English

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today sued the Trump Administration over its unconstitutional, unlawful, and arbitrary decision to freeze funding for six longstanding programs administered by the U.S. Department of Education just weeks before the school year in many parts of California is set to start. In California, an estimated $939 million in federal education funding is frozen. Without this funding, many educational programs will shutter – already, ongoing summer learning programs have been left unfunded. In filing today’s lawsuit, Attorney General Bonta co-leads a coalition of 23 attorneys general and two states together with the attorneys general of Colorado, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. The attorneys general argue that the funding freeze violates federal funding statutes and regulations authorizing these critical programs and appropriating funds for them, violates federal statutes governing the federal budgeting process, including the Antideficiency Act and Impoundment Control Act, and violates the constitutional separation of powers doctrine and the Presentment Clause. They ask the court for declaratory and injunctive relief.

    “With no rhyme or reason, the Trump Administration abruptly froze billions of dollars in education funding just weeks before the start of the school year,” said Attorney General Bonta. “In doing so, it has threatened the existence of programs that provide critical after school and summer learning opportunities, that teach English to students, and that provide educational technology to our classrooms. Taken together with his other attacks on education, President Trump seems comfortable risking the academic success of a generation to further his own misguided political agenda. But as with so many of his other actions, this funding freeze is blatantly illegal, and we’re confident the court will agree.”

    For decades, California and other states have used funding under these programs to carry out a broad range of programs and services, including educational programs for migrant children and English learners; programs that promote effective classroom instruction, improve school conditions and the use of technology in the classroom; community learning centers that offer students a broad range of opportunities for academic and extracurricular enrichment; and adult education and workforce development efforts.

    Pursuant to federal statutory and regulatory requirements, each year the Department of Education makes around 25% of the funds for these programs available to states on or about July 1 in order to permit state and local educational agencies to plan their budgets for the academic year ahead. The plaintiff states have complied with the funding conditions set forth under the law and have state plans that the Department of Education has already approved. And the plaintiff states have received these funds, without incident, for decades, including as recently as last year. However, this year, on June 30, state agencies across the country received a notification announcing that the Department of Education would not be “obligating funds for” six formula funding programs on July 1.

    This funding freeze has immediately thrown into chaos plans for the upcoming academic year. Local education agencies have approved budgets, developed staffing plans, and signed contracts to provide vital educational services under these grants. Now, as a result of the Trump Administration’s actions, states find themselves without sufficient funding for these commitments, just weeks before the start of the 2025-2026 school year. Essential summer school and afterschool programs, which provide childcare to working parents of school age children, are already being impacted. The abrupt freeze is also wreaking havoc on key teacher training programs as well as programs that make school more accessible to children with special learning needs, such as English learners.

    But it is Congress, not the Executive Branch, that possesses the power of the purse. The Constitution does not afford the Executive Branch power to unilaterally refuse to spend appropriations that were passed by both houses of Congress and were signed into law. Yet that is exactly what the Trump Administration is attempting to do here. In today’s lawsuit, Attorney General Bonta and a coalition argue that the Trump Administration’s actions violate federal funding statutes and Appropriations Act, Apportionment, the Administrative Procedures Act and U.S. Constitution, including the separation of powers doctrine, equitable ultra vires, and the Presentment Clause. They asked the Court to declare the funding freeze unlawful – as courts have repeatedly done in other multistate cases – and block any attempts to withhold or delay this funding.

    Attorney General Bonta co-leads the coalition together with the attorneys general of Colorado, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. He is also joined in filing the lawsuit by the attorneys general of Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont, Washinton, and Wisconsin, as well as the states of Kentucky and Pennsylvania.

    A copy of the lawsuit is available here. A copy of the motion for a preliminary injunction is available here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Releases Guidance on Implementing President Trump’s Executive Order Designating English as the Official Language of the United States

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    WASHINGTON — Today, the Department of Justice released Guidance to ensure compliance with President Trump’s Executive Order No. 14224, which establishes English as the official language of the United States of America. Consistent with the Executive Order, the Department of Justice will lead a coordinated effort across federal agencies to minimize non-essential multilingual services, redirect resources toward English-language education and assimilation, and ensure legal compliance with the Executive Order through targeted measures where necessary.

    “As President Trump has made clear, English is the official language of the United States,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The Department of Justice will lead the effort to codify the President’s Executive Order and eliminate wasteful virtue-signaling policies across government agencies to promote assimilation over division.”

    “President Trump’s Executive Order marks a pivotal step toward unifying our nation through a common language and enhancing efficiency in federal operations,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon. “The Department of Justice ensures that while we respect linguistic diversity, our federal resources will prioritize English proficiency to empower new Americans and strengthen civic unity.”

    While leaving room for linguistic diversity that exists in private and community spheres, this Guidance will help streamline federal processes, reduce administrative burdens, and increase operational efficiency across agencies by removing extensive translation services and de-prioritizing multilingualism over English proficiency. Implementing the Executive Order will enhance social and economic integration, offer new Americans a vital pathway for civic engagement, and further bind Americans together with a shared language.

    President Trump’s Executive Order rescinds Executive Order No. 13,166, signed by President Clinton on August 16, 2000. Executive Order No. 13,166 directed agencies to enhance access to federal programs for persons with limited English proficiency and required tailored guidance for recipients of federal funding—straining federal resources and impeding the assimilation of new Americans.

    This is the latest Guidance issued by the Department of Justice to implement and administer President Trump’s agenda.

    Read the Guidance HERE.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As School Year Nears, Merkley, Wyden, & Colleagues Demand Trump Admin End Blockade on Funding for Afterschool Programs, K-12 Schools Across America

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    July 14, 2025
    Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced they joined 30 colleagues in demanding President Trump’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought and U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon immediately release nearly $7 billion in funding for K-12 schools and adult literacy programs across America that the Trump Administration abruptly let states and school districts know it would indefinitely block.
    Oregon faces the potential loss of approximately $73 million in federal education as a result of the abrupt cutoff of education funds by the Trump Administration and may be forced to end afterschool programs, specialized literacy programs, educator training, and support for English language learners as a result of this misguided executive maneuver.
    “We are writing to demand an immediate end to the illegal withholding of nearly $7 billion in federal education formula grant funds our states and communities are expecting for the coming school year, which is set to begin in just a few weeks in some communities,” wrote the 32 U.S. Senators in their letter. “These funds were made available by the bipartisan Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, signed into law on March 15, 2025. Yet, instead of supporting the tens of millions of students and adult learners intended to benefit from these investments, the administration has chosen to continue an unprecedented and opaque ‘programmatic review’ of these formula grant funds past the July 1, 2025, date these funds became available for allotment to states.”
    The Trump Administration’s decision to withhold the funding has sent school districts nationwide scrambling to determine how they could fill the, in many cases, massive budget hole and whether they’ll have to lay off teachers or end after school programs in the coming weeks. School districts have made clear they will have to end afterschool programs, already told parents to prepare backup options, and adult literacy programs have already been forced to lay off staff.
    The lawmakers blasted the administration for its abrupt notice and illegal freeze of the funds, which has sent school districts and programs scrambling: “We are shocked by the continued lack of respect for states and local schools evidenced by this latest action by the administration.”
    They noted that blocking funding for before and after school programs, as well as summer learning programs, is already hurting families nationwide: “By withholding these funds from states, the Department will impact programs for nearly 1.4 million students served by 10,000 summer and before and afterschool programs around the nation, which the Department’s latest performance report showed supported significant improvements in student attendance, grades, and teacher reports of student engagement in learning.  These centers also help working parents by providing a safe and productive place for their children to be after the school day ends and during the summer months. It is beyond comprehension why the administration would want to jeopardize these outcomes.”
    Warning of how denying these funds will cause schools to lay off teachers and cut back on teacher training, they wrote: “This rash decision will only worsen school working conditions and teacher shortages.”
    The lawmakers also detailed how the move affects adult learners nationwide: “This pause could jeopardize services to more than 1.2 million adult learners working to develop foundational literacy and numeracy skills needed to enter and succeed in workforce training and health, financial, digital, and information literacy skills necessary for full participation in community and civic life. The withholding will have an even more significant impact on 12 states that rely on these funds for 70 to 75 percent of their adult education programs.”
    The Trump Administration has confirmed it is blocking funding for the following programs—all of which are programs President Trump has requested to eliminate in his budget request, raising serious concerns about this administration’s intentions to simply impound the funding:
    Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants (Title II-A), which support professional development and other activities to improve the effectiveness of teachers and school leaders, including reducing class size.
    21st Century Community Learning Centers (Title IV-B), which support high-quality before and after-school programs focused on providing academic enrichment opportunities for students.
    Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants (Title IV-A), which provide flexible funding for school districts for a wide range of activities including supporting STEM education, accelerated learning courses, college and career counseling, school-based mental health services, and improving school technology, among many others.
    English Language Acquisition (Title III-A), which supports language instruction to help English language learners become proficient in English.
    Migrant Education (Title I-C), which supports the educational needs of migratory children, including children of migrant and seasonal farmworkers.
    Adult Basic and Literacy Education State Grants (including Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education State Grants), which support adult education and literacy programs to provide the basic skills to help prepare adults and out-of-school youth for success in the workforce.
    The letter was led by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), and Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies.
    In addition to Merkley and Wyden, the letter was also signed by Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-MD), Jack Reed (D-RI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), John Fetterman (D-PA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Chris Van Hollen (D-NM), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Ed Markey (D-MA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL).
    Full text of the letter follows:
    Dear Director Vought and Secretary McMahon:
    We are writing to demand an immediate end to the illegal withholding of nearly $7 billion in federal education formula grant funds our states and communities are expecting for the coming school year, which is set to begin in just a few weeks in some communities. These funds were made available by the bipartisan Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, signed into law on March 15, 2025. Yet, instead of supporting the tens of millions of students and adult learners intended to benefit from these investments, the administration has chosen to continue an unprecedented and opaque “programmatic review” of these formula grant funds past the July 1, 2025, date these funds became available for allotment to states. This delay not only undermines effective state and local planning for using these funds to address student needs consistent with federal education law, which often takes place months before these funds become available, but also flies in the face of the nation’s education laws which confers state and local educational agency discretion on permissible uses of federal formula grant funds.
    We are shocked by the continued lack of respect for states and local schools evidenced by this latest action by the administration. Late on June 30, 2025, the Department of Education (“Department”) informed states that it would not release fiscal year 2025 funds expected on July 1 before completing a “review” of six programs. The Department even noted ironically that it “remains committed to ensuring taxpayer resources are spent in accordance with the President’s priorities and the Department’s statutory responsibilities.” Apparently, the Department needs a refresher course on its statutory responsibilities.
    The Full-Year Continuing Appropriations law requires funds to be allocated under the terms and conditions of the fiscal year 2024 appropriations law. This includes a requirement that “$1,329,673,000 shall be for part B of title IV”, which is the authority for the Nita M. Lowey 21stCentury Community Learning Centers program. This authority requires the Secretary to allot funds to each state for subgrants for before, after, and summer school programming. The law further describes the allotment formula, authorized state and local activities, and other program requirements. By withholding these funds from states, the Department will impact programs for nearly 1.4 million students served by 10,000 summer and before and afterschool programs around the nation, which the Department’s latest performance report showed supported significant improvements in student attendance, grades, and teacher reports of student engagement in learning. These centers also help working parents by providing a safe and productive place for their children to be after the school day ends and during the summer months. It is beyond comprehension why the administration would want to jeopardize these outcomes.
    The Full-Year Continuing Appropriations law also requires the Department to use $890 million to carry out part A of title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The purpose of the program is to ensure English learners (ELs) and immigrant students have access to the resources they need to attain English language proficiency and reach the same challenging academic standards as their English-proficient peers, which will prepare them to fully participate in society and the workforce as they grow older. Part A of title III specifies the allotment formula, permissible uses of funds and other program requirements for this program serving more than 5 million EL students enrolled in the nation’s public schools. Yet, the administration’s review will disrupt school hiring decisions and cause real and immediate harm to EL students.
    The Department issued preliminary allocations to states on May 29, 2025, stating that “The Full Year Appropriations and Extension Act, 2025 provides $629,600,400 for formula grants to States to carry out adult education and literacy activities.” Just more than a month later, the Department issued its curt memo indicating that the funds would not go out on July 1, 2025, as just promised in the May preliminary allocations. This pause could jeopardize services to more than 1.2 million adult learners working to develop foundational literacy and numeracy skills needed to enter and succeed in workforce training and health, financial, digital, and information literacy skills necessary for full participation in community and civic life. The withholding will have an even more significant impact on 12 states that rely on these funds for 70 to 75 percent of their adult education programs.
    The withholding also extends to more than $2 billion for Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants. According to the Department’s latest report, more than half of these funds are used for professional development for teachers and other educators, and nearly one-third of school districts used the funds to recruit, hire, and retain effective educators.12 Nearly $1.4 billion is being withheld for Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants and $375 million for Migrant Education programs. All these programs were funded in fiscal year 2024 and continued by the Full-Year Appropriations Act. This rash decision will only worsen school working conditions and teacher shortages.
    It is unacceptable that the administration is picking and choosing what parts of the appropriations law to follow, and you must immediately implement the entire law as Congress intended and as the oaths you swore require you to do. While the administration continues to deny federal funds to our states and local communities that they are expecting as the law requires, it has found time to move expeditiously to award funding to the Kennedy Center and acknowledged it is required to do so by the appropriations law. In its action here, the Department stated in a recent waiver proposal, “The waiver will allow the Department to issue a continuation award in FY 2025, as directed by Congress to the currently funded 84.351A AENP [Arts in Education National Program] project at an amount consistent with the amount awarded in FY 2024.” While it’s true the appropriations law requires such an action, it does so as well for billions in funding for state grants the Department recently informed states it will not release.
    The administration’s “programmatic review”—with no public information about what the review entails, what data the administration is examining, or a timeline for such review—appears to be an intentional delay that will result in school budget cuts in every State. In multiple statutes, Congress has prohibited the Federal government from directing or controlling state and local education decisions with these dollars. This programmatic review may be in violation of these longstanding and bipartisan prohibitions.
    We might be more inclined to believe the administration’s stated interest in ensuring federal funds were properly used if its actions to date didn’t tell a different story. The Department has impeded a review by the Office of Inspector General, which is charged with promoting the efficiency, effectiveness, and integrity of the Department’s programs and operations. Earlier this year, the administration terminated contracts for regional educational laboratories and grants required for comprehensive centers, which help states and districts use research and evidence in addressing local challenges of policy and practice. It has also halted evaluations of federal literacy programs, adult learning strategies, and strategies to help teens with disabilities transition from high school to college or work.
    We insist you immediately reverse your decision to illegally withhold federal education funding appropriated by Congress and provide the funds as the law requires. Such an action would represent a faithful execution of the law as required by the Constitution and a benefit to the tens of millions of students and adult learners that are intended to benefit from these federal education investments.
    Thank you for your attention to this matter.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As School Year Nears, Merkley, Wyden, & Colleagues Demand Trump Admin End Blockade on Funding for Afterschool Programs, K-12 Schools Across America

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    July 14, 2025
    Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced they joined 30 colleagues in demanding President Trump’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought and U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon immediately release nearly $7 billion in funding for K-12 schools and adult literacy programs across America that the Trump Administration abruptly let states and school districts know it would indefinitely block.
    Oregon faces the potential loss of approximately $73 million in federal education as a result of the abrupt cutoff of education funds by the Trump Administration and may be forced to end afterschool programs, specialized literacy programs, educator training, and support for English language learners as a result of this misguided executive maneuver.
    “We are writing to demand an immediate end to the illegal withholding of nearly $7 billion in federal education formula grant funds our states and communities are expecting for the coming school year, which is set to begin in just a few weeks in some communities,” wrote the 32 U.S. Senators in their letter. “These funds were made available by the bipartisan Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, signed into law on March 15, 2025. Yet, instead of supporting the tens of millions of students and adult learners intended to benefit from these investments, the administration has chosen to continue an unprecedented and opaque ‘programmatic review’ of these formula grant funds past the July 1, 2025, date these funds became available for allotment to states.”
    The Trump Administration’s decision to withhold the funding has sent school districts nationwide scrambling to determine how they could fill the, in many cases, massive budget hole and whether they’ll have to lay off teachers or end after school programs in the coming weeks. School districts have made clear they will have to end afterschool programs, already told parents to prepare backup options, and adult literacy programs have already been forced to lay off staff.
    The lawmakers blasted the administration for its abrupt notice and illegal freeze of the funds, which has sent school districts and programs scrambling: “We are shocked by the continued lack of respect for states and local schools evidenced by this latest action by the administration.”
    They noted that blocking funding for before and after school programs, as well as summer learning programs, is already hurting families nationwide: “By withholding these funds from states, the Department will impact programs for nearly 1.4 million students served by 10,000 summer and before and afterschool programs around the nation, which the Department’s latest performance report showed supported significant improvements in student attendance, grades, and teacher reports of student engagement in learning.  These centers also help working parents by providing a safe and productive place for their children to be after the school day ends and during the summer months. It is beyond comprehension why the administration would want to jeopardize these outcomes.”
    Warning of how denying these funds will cause schools to lay off teachers and cut back on teacher training, they wrote: “This rash decision will only worsen school working conditions and teacher shortages.”
    The lawmakers also detailed how the move affects adult learners nationwide: “This pause could jeopardize services to more than 1.2 million adult learners working to develop foundational literacy and numeracy skills needed to enter and succeed in workforce training and health, financial, digital, and information literacy skills necessary for full participation in community and civic life. The withholding will have an even more significant impact on 12 states that rely on these funds for 70 to 75 percent of their adult education programs.”
    The Trump Administration has confirmed it is blocking funding for the following programs—all of which are programs President Trump has requested to eliminate in his budget request, raising serious concerns about this administration’s intentions to simply impound the funding:
    Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants (Title II-A), which support professional development and other activities to improve the effectiveness of teachers and school leaders, including reducing class size.
    21st Century Community Learning Centers (Title IV-B), which support high-quality before and after-school programs focused on providing academic enrichment opportunities for students.
    Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants (Title IV-A), which provide flexible funding for school districts for a wide range of activities including supporting STEM education, accelerated learning courses, college and career counseling, school-based mental health services, and improving school technology, among many others.
    English Language Acquisition (Title III-A), which supports language instruction to help English language learners become proficient in English.
    Migrant Education (Title I-C), which supports the educational needs of migratory children, including children of migrant and seasonal farmworkers.
    Adult Basic and Literacy Education State Grants (including Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education State Grants), which support adult education and literacy programs to provide the basic skills to help prepare adults and out-of-school youth for success in the workforce.
    The letter was led by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), and Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies.
    In addition to Merkley and Wyden, the letter was also signed by Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-MD), Jack Reed (D-RI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), John Fetterman (D-PA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Chris Van Hollen (D-NM), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Ed Markey (D-MA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL).
    Full text of the letter follows:
    Dear Director Vought and Secretary McMahon:
    We are writing to demand an immediate end to the illegal withholding of nearly $7 billion in federal education formula grant funds our states and communities are expecting for the coming school year, which is set to begin in just a few weeks in some communities. These funds were made available by the bipartisan Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, signed into law on March 15, 2025. Yet, instead of supporting the tens of millions of students and adult learners intended to benefit from these investments, the administration has chosen to continue an unprecedented and opaque “programmatic review” of these formula grant funds past the July 1, 2025, date these funds became available for allotment to states. This delay not only undermines effective state and local planning for using these funds to address student needs consistent with federal education law, which often takes place months before these funds become available, but also flies in the face of the nation’s education laws which confers state and local educational agency discretion on permissible uses of federal formula grant funds.
    We are shocked by the continued lack of respect for states and local schools evidenced by this latest action by the administration. Late on June 30, 2025, the Department of Education (“Department”) informed states that it would not release fiscal year 2025 funds expected on July 1 before completing a “review” of six programs. The Department even noted ironically that it “remains committed to ensuring taxpayer resources are spent in accordance with the President’s priorities and the Department’s statutory responsibilities.” Apparently, the Department needs a refresher course on its statutory responsibilities.
    The Full-Year Continuing Appropriations law requires funds to be allocated under the terms and conditions of the fiscal year 2024 appropriations law. This includes a requirement that “$1,329,673,000 shall be for part B of title IV”, which is the authority for the Nita M. Lowey 21stCentury Community Learning Centers program. This authority requires the Secretary to allot funds to each state for subgrants for before, after, and summer school programming. The law further describes the allotment formula, authorized state and local activities, and other program requirements. By withholding these funds from states, the Department will impact programs for nearly 1.4 million students served by 10,000 summer and before and afterschool programs around the nation, which the Department’s latest performance report showed supported significant improvements in student attendance, grades, and teacher reports of student engagement in learning. These centers also help working parents by providing a safe and productive place for their children to be after the school day ends and during the summer months. It is beyond comprehension why the administration would want to jeopardize these outcomes.
    The Full-Year Continuing Appropriations law also requires the Department to use $890 million to carry out part A of title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The purpose of the program is to ensure English learners (ELs) and immigrant students have access to the resources they need to attain English language proficiency and reach the same challenging academic standards as their English-proficient peers, which will prepare them to fully participate in society and the workforce as they grow older. Part A of title III specifies the allotment formula, permissible uses of funds and other program requirements for this program serving more than 5 million EL students enrolled in the nation’s public schools. Yet, the administration’s review will disrupt school hiring decisions and cause real and immediate harm to EL students.
    The Department issued preliminary allocations to states on May 29, 2025, stating that “The Full Year Appropriations and Extension Act, 2025 provides $629,600,400 for formula grants to States to carry out adult education and literacy activities.” Just more than a month later, the Department issued its curt memo indicating that the funds would not go out on July 1, 2025, as just promised in the May preliminary allocations. This pause could jeopardize services to more than 1.2 million adult learners working to develop foundational literacy and numeracy skills needed to enter and succeed in workforce training and health, financial, digital, and information literacy skills necessary for full participation in community and civic life. The withholding will have an even more significant impact on 12 states that rely on these funds for 70 to 75 percent of their adult education programs.
    The withholding also extends to more than $2 billion for Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants. According to the Department’s latest report, more than half of these funds are used for professional development for teachers and other educators, and nearly one-third of school districts used the funds to recruit, hire, and retain effective educators.12 Nearly $1.4 billion is being withheld for Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants and $375 million for Migrant Education programs. All these programs were funded in fiscal year 2024 and continued by the Full-Year Appropriations Act. This rash decision will only worsen school working conditions and teacher shortages.
    It is unacceptable that the administration is picking and choosing what parts of the appropriations law to follow, and you must immediately implement the entire law as Congress intended and as the oaths you swore require you to do. While the administration continues to deny federal funds to our states and local communities that they are expecting as the law requires, it has found time to move expeditiously to award funding to the Kennedy Center and acknowledged it is required to do so by the appropriations law. In its action here, the Department stated in a recent waiver proposal, “The waiver will allow the Department to issue a continuation award in FY 2025, as directed by Congress to the currently funded 84.351A AENP [Arts in Education National Program] project at an amount consistent with the amount awarded in FY 2024.” While it’s true the appropriations law requires such an action, it does so as well for billions in funding for state grants the Department recently informed states it will not release.
    The administration’s “programmatic review”—with no public information about what the review entails, what data the administration is examining, or a timeline for such review—appears to be an intentional delay that will result in school budget cuts in every State. In multiple statutes, Congress has prohibited the Federal government from directing or controlling state and local education decisions with these dollars. This programmatic review may be in violation of these longstanding and bipartisan prohibitions.
    We might be more inclined to believe the administration’s stated interest in ensuring federal funds were properly used if its actions to date didn’t tell a different story. The Department has impeded a review by the Office of Inspector General, which is charged with promoting the efficiency, effectiveness, and integrity of the Department’s programs and operations. Earlier this year, the administration terminated contracts for regional educational laboratories and grants required for comprehensive centers, which help states and districts use research and evidence in addressing local challenges of policy and practice. It has also halted evaluations of federal literacy programs, adult learning strategies, and strategies to help teens with disabilities transition from high school to college or work.
    We insist you immediately reverse your decision to illegally withhold federal education funding appropriated by Congress and provide the funds as the law requires. Such an action would represent a faithful execution of the law as required by the Constitution and a benefit to the tens of millions of students and adult learners that are intended to benefit from these federal education investments.
    Thank you for your attention to this matter.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As School Year Nears, Merkley, Wyden, & Colleagues Demand Trump Admin End Blockade on Funding for Afterschool Programs, K-12 Schools Across America

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    July 14, 2025
    Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced they joined 30 colleagues in demanding President Trump’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought and U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon immediately release nearly $7 billion in funding for K-12 schools and adult literacy programs across America that the Trump Administration abruptly let states and school districts know it would indefinitely block.
    Oregon faces the potential loss of approximately $73 million in federal education as a result of the abrupt cutoff of education funds by the Trump Administration and may be forced to end afterschool programs, specialized literacy programs, educator training, and support for English language learners as a result of this misguided executive maneuver.
    “We are writing to demand an immediate end to the illegal withholding of nearly $7 billion in federal education formula grant funds our states and communities are expecting for the coming school year, which is set to begin in just a few weeks in some communities,” wrote the 32 U.S. Senators in their letter. “These funds were made available by the bipartisan Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, signed into law on March 15, 2025. Yet, instead of supporting the tens of millions of students and adult learners intended to benefit from these investments, the administration has chosen to continue an unprecedented and opaque ‘programmatic review’ of these formula grant funds past the July 1, 2025, date these funds became available for allotment to states.”
    The Trump Administration’s decision to withhold the funding has sent school districts nationwide scrambling to determine how they could fill the, in many cases, massive budget hole and whether they’ll have to lay off teachers or end after school programs in the coming weeks. School districts have made clear they will have to end afterschool programs, already told parents to prepare backup options, and adult literacy programs have already been forced to lay off staff.
    The lawmakers blasted the administration for its abrupt notice and illegal freeze of the funds, which has sent school districts and programs scrambling: “We are shocked by the continued lack of respect for states and local schools evidenced by this latest action by the administration.”
    They noted that blocking funding for before and after school programs, as well as summer learning programs, is already hurting families nationwide: “By withholding these funds from states, the Department will impact programs for nearly 1.4 million students served by 10,000 summer and before and afterschool programs around the nation, which the Department’s latest performance report showed supported significant improvements in student attendance, grades, and teacher reports of student engagement in learning.  These centers also help working parents by providing a safe and productive place for their children to be after the school day ends and during the summer months. It is beyond comprehension why the administration would want to jeopardize these outcomes.”
    Warning of how denying these funds will cause schools to lay off teachers and cut back on teacher training, they wrote: “This rash decision will only worsen school working conditions and teacher shortages.”
    The lawmakers also detailed how the move affects adult learners nationwide: “This pause could jeopardize services to more than 1.2 million adult learners working to develop foundational literacy and numeracy skills needed to enter and succeed in workforce training and health, financial, digital, and information literacy skills necessary for full participation in community and civic life. The withholding will have an even more significant impact on 12 states that rely on these funds for 70 to 75 percent of their adult education programs.”
    The Trump Administration has confirmed it is blocking funding for the following programs—all of which are programs President Trump has requested to eliminate in his budget request, raising serious concerns about this administration’s intentions to simply impound the funding:
    Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants (Title II-A), which support professional development and other activities to improve the effectiveness of teachers and school leaders, including reducing class size.
    21st Century Community Learning Centers (Title IV-B), which support high-quality before and after-school programs focused on providing academic enrichment opportunities for students.
    Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants (Title IV-A), which provide flexible funding for school districts for a wide range of activities including supporting STEM education, accelerated learning courses, college and career counseling, school-based mental health services, and improving school technology, among many others.
    English Language Acquisition (Title III-A), which supports language instruction to help English language learners become proficient in English.
    Migrant Education (Title I-C), which supports the educational needs of migratory children, including children of migrant and seasonal farmworkers.
    Adult Basic and Literacy Education State Grants (including Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education State Grants), which support adult education and literacy programs to provide the basic skills to help prepare adults and out-of-school youth for success in the workforce.
    The letter was led by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), and Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies.
    In addition to Merkley and Wyden, the letter was also signed by Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-MD), Jack Reed (D-RI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), John Fetterman (D-PA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Chris Van Hollen (D-NM), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Ed Markey (D-MA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL).
    Full text of the letter follows:
    Dear Director Vought and Secretary McMahon:
    We are writing to demand an immediate end to the illegal withholding of nearly $7 billion in federal education formula grant funds our states and communities are expecting for the coming school year, which is set to begin in just a few weeks in some communities. These funds were made available by the bipartisan Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, signed into law on March 15, 2025. Yet, instead of supporting the tens of millions of students and adult learners intended to benefit from these investments, the administration has chosen to continue an unprecedented and opaque “programmatic review” of these formula grant funds past the July 1, 2025, date these funds became available for allotment to states. This delay not only undermines effective state and local planning for using these funds to address student needs consistent with federal education law, which often takes place months before these funds become available, but also flies in the face of the nation’s education laws which confers state and local educational agency discretion on permissible uses of federal formula grant funds.
    We are shocked by the continued lack of respect for states and local schools evidenced by this latest action by the administration. Late on June 30, 2025, the Department of Education (“Department”) informed states that it would not release fiscal year 2025 funds expected on July 1 before completing a “review” of six programs. The Department even noted ironically that it “remains committed to ensuring taxpayer resources are spent in accordance with the President’s priorities and the Department’s statutory responsibilities.” Apparently, the Department needs a refresher course on its statutory responsibilities.
    The Full-Year Continuing Appropriations law requires funds to be allocated under the terms and conditions of the fiscal year 2024 appropriations law. This includes a requirement that “$1,329,673,000 shall be for part B of title IV”, which is the authority for the Nita M. Lowey 21stCentury Community Learning Centers program. This authority requires the Secretary to allot funds to each state for subgrants for before, after, and summer school programming. The law further describes the allotment formula, authorized state and local activities, and other program requirements. By withholding these funds from states, the Department will impact programs for nearly 1.4 million students served by 10,000 summer and before and afterschool programs around the nation, which the Department’s latest performance report showed supported significant improvements in student attendance, grades, and teacher reports of student engagement in learning. These centers also help working parents by providing a safe and productive place for their children to be after the school day ends and during the summer months. It is beyond comprehension why the administration would want to jeopardize these outcomes.
    The Full-Year Continuing Appropriations law also requires the Department to use $890 million to carry out part A of title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The purpose of the program is to ensure English learners (ELs) and immigrant students have access to the resources they need to attain English language proficiency and reach the same challenging academic standards as their English-proficient peers, which will prepare them to fully participate in society and the workforce as they grow older. Part A of title III specifies the allotment formula, permissible uses of funds and other program requirements for this program serving more than 5 million EL students enrolled in the nation’s public schools. Yet, the administration’s review will disrupt school hiring decisions and cause real and immediate harm to EL students.
    The Department issued preliminary allocations to states on May 29, 2025, stating that “The Full Year Appropriations and Extension Act, 2025 provides $629,600,400 for formula grants to States to carry out adult education and literacy activities.” Just more than a month later, the Department issued its curt memo indicating that the funds would not go out on July 1, 2025, as just promised in the May preliminary allocations. This pause could jeopardize services to more than 1.2 million adult learners working to develop foundational literacy and numeracy skills needed to enter and succeed in workforce training and health, financial, digital, and information literacy skills necessary for full participation in community and civic life. The withholding will have an even more significant impact on 12 states that rely on these funds for 70 to 75 percent of their adult education programs.
    The withholding also extends to more than $2 billion for Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants. According to the Department’s latest report, more than half of these funds are used for professional development for teachers and other educators, and nearly one-third of school districts used the funds to recruit, hire, and retain effective educators.12 Nearly $1.4 billion is being withheld for Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants and $375 million for Migrant Education programs. All these programs were funded in fiscal year 2024 and continued by the Full-Year Appropriations Act. This rash decision will only worsen school working conditions and teacher shortages.
    It is unacceptable that the administration is picking and choosing what parts of the appropriations law to follow, and you must immediately implement the entire law as Congress intended and as the oaths you swore require you to do. While the administration continues to deny federal funds to our states and local communities that they are expecting as the law requires, it has found time to move expeditiously to award funding to the Kennedy Center and acknowledged it is required to do so by the appropriations law. In its action here, the Department stated in a recent waiver proposal, “The waiver will allow the Department to issue a continuation award in FY 2025, as directed by Congress to the currently funded 84.351A AENP [Arts in Education National Program] project at an amount consistent with the amount awarded in FY 2024.” While it’s true the appropriations law requires such an action, it does so as well for billions in funding for state grants the Department recently informed states it will not release.
    The administration’s “programmatic review”—with no public information about what the review entails, what data the administration is examining, or a timeline for such review—appears to be an intentional delay that will result in school budget cuts in every State. In multiple statutes, Congress has prohibited the Federal government from directing or controlling state and local education decisions with these dollars. This programmatic review may be in violation of these longstanding and bipartisan prohibitions.
    We might be more inclined to believe the administration’s stated interest in ensuring federal funds were properly used if its actions to date didn’t tell a different story. The Department has impeded a review by the Office of Inspector General, which is charged with promoting the efficiency, effectiveness, and integrity of the Department’s programs and operations. Earlier this year, the administration terminated contracts for regional educational laboratories and grants required for comprehensive centers, which help states and districts use research and evidence in addressing local challenges of policy and practice. It has also halted evaluations of federal literacy programs, adult learning strategies, and strategies to help teens with disabilities transition from high school to college or work.
    We insist you immediately reverse your decision to illegally withhold federal education funding appropriated by Congress and provide the funds as the law requires. Such an action would represent a faithful execution of the law as required by the Constitution and a benefit to the tens of millions of students and adult learners that are intended to benefit from these federal education investments.
    Thank you for your attention to this matter.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As School Year Nears, Merkley, Wyden, & Colleagues Demand Trump Admin End Blockade on Funding for Afterschool Programs, K-12 Schools Across America

    US Senate News:

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

    July 14, 2025

    Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced they joined 30 colleagues in demanding President Trump’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought and U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon immediately release nearly $7 billion in funding for K-12 schools and adult literacy programs across America that the Trump Administration abruptly let states and school districts know it would indefinitely block.

    Oregon faces the potential loss of approximately $73 million in federal education as a result of the abrupt cutoff of education funds by the Trump Administration and may be forced to end afterschool programs, specialized literacy programs, educator training, and support for English language learners as a result of this misguided executive maneuver.

    “We are writing to demand an immediate end to the illegal withholding of nearly $7 billion in federal education formula grant funds our states and communities are expecting for the coming school year, which is set to begin in just a few weeks in some communities,” wrote the 32 U.S. Senators in their letter. “These funds were made available by the bipartisan Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, signed into law on March 15, 2025. Yet, instead of supporting the tens of millions of students and adult learners intended to benefit from these investments, the administration has chosen to continue an unprecedented and opaque ‘programmatic review’ of these formula grant funds past the July 1, 2025, date these funds became available for allotment to states.”

    The Trump Administration’s decision to withhold the funding has sent school districts nationwide scrambling to determine how they could fill the, in many cases, massive budget hole and whether they’ll have to lay off teachers or end after school programs in the coming weeks. School districts have made clear they will have to end afterschool programs, already told parents to prepare backup options, and adult literacy programs have already been forced to lay off staff.

    The lawmakers blasted the administration for its abrupt notice and illegal freeze of the funds, which has sent school districts and programs scrambling: “We are shocked by the continued lack of respect for states and local schools evidenced by this latest action by the administration.”

    They noted that blocking funding for before and after school programs, as well as summer learning programs, is already hurting families nationwide: “By withholding these funds from states, the Department will impact programs for nearly 1.4 million students served by 10,000 summer and before and afterschool programs around the nation, which the Department’s latest performance report showed supported significant improvements in student attendance, grades, and teacher reports of student engagement in learning.  These centers also help working parents by providing a safe and productive place for their children to be after the school day ends and during the summer months. It is beyond comprehension why the administration would want to jeopardize these outcomes.”

    Warning of how denying these funds will cause schools to lay off teachers and cut back on teacher training, they wrote: “This rash decision will only worsen school working conditions and teacher shortages.”

    The lawmakers also detailed how the move affects adult learners nationwide: “This pause could jeopardize services to more than 1.2 million adult learners working to develop foundational literacy and numeracy skills needed to enter and succeed in workforce training and health, financial, digital, and information literacy skills necessary for full participation in community and civic life. The withholding will have an even more significant impact on 12 states that rely on these funds for 70 to 75 percent of their adult education programs.”

    The Trump Administration has confirmed it is blocking funding for the following programs—all of which are programs President Trump has requested to eliminate in his budget request, raising serious concerns about this administration’s intentions to simply impound the funding:

    1. Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants (Title II-A), which support professional development and other activities to improve the effectiveness of teachers and school leaders, including reducing class size.
    2. 21st Century Community Learning Centers (Title IV-B), which support high-quality before and after-school programs focused on providing academic enrichment opportunities for students.
    3. Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants (Title IV-A), which provide flexible funding for school districts for a wide range of activities including supporting STEM education, accelerated learning courses, college and career counseling, school-based mental health services, and improving school technology, among many others.
    4. English Language Acquisition (Title III-A), which supports language instruction to help English language learners become proficient in English.
    5. Migrant Education (Title I-C), which supports the educational needs of migratory children, including children of migrant and seasonal farmworkers.
    6. Adult Basic and Literacy Education State Grants (including Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education State Grants), which support adult education and literacy programs to provide the basic skills to help prepare adults and out-of-school youth for success in the workforce.

    The letter was led by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), and Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies.

    In addition to Merkley and Wyden, the letter was also signed by Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-MD), Jack Reed (D-RI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), John Fetterman (D-PA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Chris Van Hollen (D-NM), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Ed Markey (D-MA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL).

    Full text of the letter follows:

    Dear Director Vought and Secretary McMahon:

    We are writing to demand an immediate end to the illegal withholding of nearly $7 billion in federal education formula grant funds our states and communities are expecting for the coming school year, which is set to begin in just a few weeks in some communities. These funds were made available by the bipartisan Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, signed into law on March 15, 2025. Yet, instead of supporting the tens of millions of students and adult learners intended to benefit from these investments, the administration has chosen to continue an unprecedented and opaque “programmatic review” of these formula grant funds past the July 1, 2025, date these funds became available for allotment to states. This delay not only undermines effective state and local planning for using these funds to address student needs consistent with federal education law, which often takes place months before these funds become available, but also flies in the face of the nation’s education laws which confers state and local educational agency discretion on permissible uses of federal formula grant funds.

    We are shocked by the continued lack of respect for states and local schools evidenced by this latest action by the administration. Late on June 30, 2025, the Department of Education (“Department”) informed states that it would not release fiscal year 2025 funds expected on July 1 before completing a “review” of six programs. The Department even noted ironically that it “remains committed to ensuring taxpayer resources are spent in accordance with the President’s priorities and the Department’s statutory responsibilities.” Apparently, the Department needs a refresher course on its statutory responsibilities.

    The Full-Year Continuing Appropriations law requires funds to be allocated under the terms and conditions of the fiscal year 2024 appropriations law. This includes a requirement that “$1,329,673,000 shall be for part B of title IV”, which is the authority for the Nita M. Lowey 21stCentury Community Learning Centers program. This authority requires the Secretary to allot funds to each state for subgrants for before, after, and summer school programming. The law further describes the allotment formula, authorized state and local activities, and other program requirements. By withholding these funds from states, the Department will impact programs for nearly 1.4 million students served by 10,000 summer and before and afterschool programs around the nation, which the Department’s latest performance report showed supported significant improvements in student attendance, grades, and teacher reports of student engagement in learning. These centers also help working parents by providing a safe and productive place for their children to be after the school day ends and during the summer months. It is beyond comprehension why the administration would want to jeopardize these outcomes.

    The Full-Year Continuing Appropriations law also requires the Department to use $890 million to carry out part A of title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The purpose of the program is to ensure English learners (ELs) and immigrant students have access to the resources they need to attain English language proficiency and reach the same challenging academic standards as their English-proficient peers, which will prepare them to fully participate in society and the workforce as they grow older. Part A of title III specifies the allotment formula, permissible uses of funds and other program requirements for this program serving more than 5 million EL students enrolled in the nation’s public schools. Yet, the administration’s review will disrupt school hiring decisions and cause real and immediate harm to EL students.

    The Department issued preliminary allocations to states on May 29, 2025, stating that “The Full Year Appropriations and Extension Act, 2025 provides $629,600,400 for formula grants to States to carry out adult education and literacy activities.” Just more than a month later, the Department issued its curt memo indicating that the funds would not go out on July 1, 2025, as just promised in the May preliminary allocations. This pause could jeopardize services to more than 1.2 million adult learners working to develop foundational literacy and numeracy skills needed to enter and succeed in workforce training and health, financial, digital, and information literacy skills necessary for full participation in community and civic life. The withholding will have an even more significant impact on 12 states that rely on these funds for 70 to 75 percent of their adult education programs.

    The withholding also extends to more than $2 billion for Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants. According to the Department’s latest report, more than half of these funds are used for professional development for teachers and other educators, and nearly one-third of school districts used the funds to recruit, hire, and retain effective educators.12 Nearly $1.4 billion is being withheld for Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants and $375 million for Migrant Education programs. All these programs were funded in fiscal year 2024 and continued by the Full-Year Appropriations Act. This rash decision will only worsen school working conditions and teacher shortages.

    It is unacceptable that the administration is picking and choosing what parts of the appropriations law to follow, and you must immediately implement the entire law as Congress intended and as the oaths you swore require you to do. While the administration continues to deny federal funds to our states and local communities that they are expecting as the law requires, it has found time to move expeditiously to award funding to the Kennedy Center and acknowledged it is required to do so by the appropriations law. In its action here, the Department stated in a recent waiver proposal, “The waiver will allow the Department to issue a continuation award in FY 2025, as directed by Congress to the currently funded 84.351A AENP [Arts in Education National Program] project at an amount consistent with the amount awarded in FY 2024.” While it’s true the appropriations law requires such an action, it does so as well for billions in funding for state grants the Department recently informed states it will not release.

    The administration’s “programmatic review”—with no public information about what the review entails, what data the administration is examining, or a timeline for such review—appears to be an intentional delay that will result in school budget cuts in every State. In multiple statutes, Congress has prohibited the Federal government from directing or controlling state and local education decisions with these dollars. This programmatic review may be in violation of these longstanding and bipartisan prohibitions.

    We might be more inclined to believe the administration’s stated interest in ensuring federal funds were properly used if its actions to date didn’t tell a different story. The Department has impeded a review by the Office of Inspector General, which is charged with promoting the efficiency, effectiveness, and integrity of the Department’s programs and operations. Earlier this year, the administration terminated contracts for regional educational laboratories and grants required for comprehensive centers, which help states and districts use research and evidence in addressing local challenges of policy and practice. It has also halted evaluations of federal literacy programs, adult learning strategies, and strategies to help teens with disabilities transition from high school to college or work.

    We insist you immediately reverse your decision to illegally withhold federal education funding appropriated by Congress and provide the funds as the law requires. Such an action would represent a faithful execution of the law as required by the Constitution and a benefit to the tens of millions of students and adult learners that are intended to benefit from these federal education investments.

    Thank you for your attention to this matter.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin Demands Vought, McMahon Stop Blocking $7 Billion for Afterschool Programs, K-12 Schools Across America

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) led 31 of her Senate colleagues in demanding the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought and Education Secretary Linda McMahon immediately release the nearly $7 billion the Trump administration is withholding from schools, parents, and students. In Wisconsin, $80 million is being withheld from local schools for programs that support educator training, school technology, after-school programs for children in high-poverty schools, those learning English as a second language, and adult literacy programs.
    The Trump administration’s decision to withhold the funding has sent school districts nationwide scrambling to determine how they could fill the, in many cases, massive budget hole and whether they’ll have to lay off teachers or end after school programs in the coming weeks. School districts have made clear they will have to end afterschool programs, already told parents to prepare backup options, and adult literacy programs have already been forced to lay off staff.
    “We are writing to demand an immediate end to the illegal withholding of nearly $7 billion in federal education formula grant funds our states and communities are expecting for the coming school year, which is set to begin in just a few weeks in some communities,” wrote the Senators. “These funds were made available by the bipartisan Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, signed into law on March 15, 2025. Yet, instead of supporting the tens of millions of students and adult learners intended to benefit from these investments, the administration has chosen to continue an unprecedented and opaque ‘programmatic review’ of these formula grant funds past the July 1, 2025, date these funds became available for allotment to states.”
    The lawmakers blasted the administration for its abrupt notice and illegal freeze of the funds, which has sent school districts and programs nationwide scrambling. They also noted that blocking funding for before and after school programs, as well as summer learning programs, is already hurting families nationwide.
    “By withholding these funds from states, the Department will impact programs for nearly 1.4 million students served by 10,000 summer and before and afterschool programs around the nation, which the Department’s latest performance report showed supported significant improvements in student attendance, grades, and teacher reports of student engagement in learning,” wrote the Senators. “These centers also help working parents by providing a safe and productive place for their children to be after the school day ends and during the summer months. It is beyond comprehension why the administration would want to jeopardize these outcomes.”
    The Trump administration has confirmed it is blocking funding for the following programs—all of which are programs President Trump has requested to eliminate in his budget request, raising serious concerns about this administration’s intentions to simply impound the funding:
    Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants (Title II-A), which support professional development and other activities to improve the effectiveness of teachers and school leaders, including reducing class size.
    21st Century Community Learning Centers (Title IV-B), which support high-quality before and after-school programs focused on providing academic enrichment opportunities for students.
    Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants (Title IV-A), which provide flexible funding for school districts for a wide range of activities including supporting STEM education, accelerated learning courses, college and career counseling, school-based mental health services, and improving school technology, among many others.
    English Language Acquisition (Title III-A), which supports language instruction to help English language learners become proficient in English.
    Migrant Education (Title I-C), which supports the educational needs of migratory children, including children of migrant and seasonal farmworkers.
    Adult Basic and Literacy Education State Grants (including Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education State Grants), which support adult education and literacy programs to provide the basic skills to help prepare adults and out-of-school youth for success in the workforce.
    Full text of the letter is available here.
    Senators Baldwin, Patty Murray (D-WA) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) led 29 of their Senate colleagues in penning the letter.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin Demands Vought, McMahon Stop Blocking $7 Billion for Afterschool Programs, K-12 Schools Across America

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) led 31 of her Senate colleagues in demanding the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought and Education Secretary Linda McMahon immediately release the nearly $7 billion the Trump administration is withholding from schools, parents, and students. In Wisconsin, $80 million is being withheld from local schools for programs that support educator training, school technology, after-school programs for children in high-poverty schools, those learning English as a second language, and adult literacy programs.

    The Trump administration’s decision to withhold the funding has sent school districts nationwide scrambling to determine how they could fill the, in many cases, massive budget hole and whether they’ll have to lay off teachers or end after school programs in the coming weeks. School districts have made clear they will have to end afterschool programs, already told parents to prepare backup options, and adult literacy programs have already been forced to lay off staff.

    “We are writing to demand an immediate end to the illegal withholding of nearly $7 billion in federal education formula grant funds our states and communities are expecting for the coming school year, which is set to begin in just a few weeks in some communities,” wrote the Senators. “These funds were made available by the bipartisan Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, signed into law on March 15, 2025. Yet, instead of supporting the tens of millions of students and adult learners intended to benefit from these investments, the administration has chosen to continue an unprecedented and opaque ‘programmatic review’ of these formula grant funds past the July 1, 2025, date these funds became available for allotment to states.”

    The lawmakers blasted the administration for its abrupt notice and illegal freeze of the funds, which has sent school districts and programs nationwide scrambling. They also noted that blocking funding for before and after school programs, as well as summer learning programs, is already hurting families nationwide.

    “By withholding these funds from states, the Department will impact programs for nearly 1.4 million students served by 10,000 summer and before and afterschool programs around the nation, which the Department’s latest performance report showed supported significant improvements in student attendance, grades, and teacher reports of student engagement in learning,” wrote the Senators. “These centers also help working parents by providing a safe and productive place for their children to be after the school day ends and during the summer months. It is beyond comprehension why the administration would want to jeopardize these outcomes.”

    The Trump administration has confirmed it is blocking funding for the following programs—all of which are programs President Trump has requested to eliminate in his budget request, raising serious concerns about this administration’s intentions to simply impound the funding:

    • Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants (Title II-A), which support professional development and other activities to improve the effectiveness of teachers and school leaders, including reducing class size.
    • 21st Century Community Learning Centers (Title IV-B), which support high-quality before and after-school programs focused on providing academic enrichment opportunities for students.
    • Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants (Title IV-A), which provide flexible funding for school districts for a wide range of activities including supporting STEM education, accelerated learning courses, college and career counseling, school-based mental health services, and improving school technology, among many others.
    • English Language Acquisition (Title III-A), which supports language instruction to help English language learners become proficient in English.
    • Migrant Education (Title I-C), which supports the educational needs of migratory children, including children of migrant and seasonal farmworkers.
    • Adult Basic and Literacy Education State Grants (including Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education State Grants), which support adult education and literacy programs to provide the basic skills to help prepare adults and out-of-school youth for success in the workforce.

    Full text of the letter is available here.

    Senators Baldwin, Patty Murray (D-WA) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) led 29 of their Senate colleagues in penning the letter.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar Urges President Trump to Support Efforts to Bring Abducted Ukrainian Children Home

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Minnesota Amy Klobuchar
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) released the following statement:
    “I hope President Trump will be announcing continued strong support for Ukraine this week in concert with our allies. I also urge him to make a clear commitment to finding and bringing home to Ukraine the thousands of Ukrainian children who have been abducted and forcibly deported by Russia,” said Klobuchar. “The United States should continue to support Ukraine’s determined work to track the missing and get these kids home. One way we can do that is by continuing the State Department funding of the work being done to track the stolen children.”
    Last month, Senators Klobuchar and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) introduced bipartisan legislation to enhance U.S. support for Ukraine’s efforts to investigate and track the nearly 20,000 Ukrainian children who have been abducted during Putin’s brutal invasion, assist with the rehabilitation and reintegration of children who are returned, and provide justice and accountability for perpetrators of these abductions. As of today, Ukraine and its partners have only managed to return 1,399 abducted children, according to Ukraine’s figures. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar Urges President Trump to Support Efforts to Bring Abducted Ukrainian Children Home

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Minnesota Amy Klobuchar
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) released the following statement:
    “I hope President Trump will be announcing continued strong support for Ukraine this week in concert with our allies. I also urge him to make a clear commitment to finding and bringing home to Ukraine the thousands of Ukrainian children who have been abducted and forcibly deported by Russia,” said Klobuchar. “The United States should continue to support Ukraine’s determined work to track the missing and get these kids home. One way we can do that is by continuing the State Department funding of the work being done to track the stolen children.”
    Last month, Senators Klobuchar and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) introduced bipartisan legislation to enhance U.S. support for Ukraine’s efforts to investigate and track the nearly 20,000 Ukrainian children who have been abducted during Putin’s brutal invasion, assist with the rehabilitation and reintegration of children who are returned, and provide justice and accountability for perpetrators of these abductions. As of today, Ukraine and its partners have only managed to return 1,399 abducted children, according to Ukraine’s figures. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren, Wyden Press Social Security Commissioner on Broken Staffing Promises

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    July 14, 2025
    After gutting the Social Security workforce, Bisignano drained understaffed field offices to hastily address DOGE-created phone line problems.
    “Your efforts to address the [phone] wait times…will almost certainly result in a terrible tradeoff, with longer wait times for in-person services, ‘robbing Peter to pay Paul.’”
    Text of Letter (PDF)
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, sent a letter to President Trump’s Social Security Commissioner, Frank Bisignano, demanding answers to reports that the Social Security Administration (SSA) is reassigning thousands of field office employees to staff a “pilot” phone program aimed at reducing hours-long phone wait times. After gutting the agency’s workforce, this move will further drain field offices, creating even more difficulties for Social Security recipients attempting to get in-person support.
    “This appears to be yet another indicator that you have broken the promise you made under oath to adequately staff the SSA — and just the latest of the Trump Administration’s DOGE-influenced actions that make it harder for Americans to access the Social Security benefits they have earned,” wrote the senators.
    Social Security has faced a customer service crisis since DOGE — initially led by the President’s then-close ally, Elon Musk — slashed the SSA workforce, closed offices, tampered with the phone service and website, and implemented burdensome new requirements that have degraded the Social Security program. The senators have previously written to SSA for answers on the various ways DOGE has taken a wrecking ball to the SSA — and how its efforts are effectively blocking people from accessing their earned Social Security benefits. 
    Instead of legitimately addressing these problems and reversing the cuts to the SSA workforce, it appears SSA is attempting to cover up its mess by shifting employees around for this new phone “pilot” program. The program will increase staff answering calls to the 1-800 number by reassigning frontline customer service representatives who directly assist recipients visiting offices. This will leave field offices short-staffed, and force backroom employees typically responsible for processing claims to take on in-person customer service tasks.
    “In a best-case scenario, your efforts to address the 1-800 wait times — even if they are successful — will almost certainly result in a terrible tradeoff, with longer wait times for in-person services, ‘robbing Peter to pay Paul,’” wrote the senators.
    The senators requested additional information about the degradation of SSA services under President Trump, SSA’s decision to reassign employees in the wake of these problems, and what steps SSA will take to reduce the staffing shortages and improve service. 
    Senate Dems’ Social Security War Room is a coordinated effort to fight back against the Trump administration’s attack on Americans’ Social Security. The War Room coordinates messaging across the Senate Democratic Caucus and external stakeholders; encourages grassroots engagement by providing opportunities for Americans to share what Social Security means to them; and educates Senate staff, the American public, and stakeholders about Republicans’ agenda and their continued cuts to Americans’ Social Security services and benefits.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sens. Warren and Wyden demand info on SSA reassignments

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    July 14, 2025
    SSA workers say the recent decision to involuntarily reassign 1,000 field office employees to man the 1-800 number flies in the face of leadership’s rosy pronouncements and further degrades service.
    A pair of Democratic senators on Monday fired a bevy of questions to Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano about the agency’s decision last week to reassign 1,000 field office employees to help answer calls to the agency’s 1-800 number, despite purported gains in customer service metrics.
    Bisignano has spent much of his first two months on the job heralding the advent of automated service options on both the Social Security Administration’s website and through its 1-800 customer service number. But last week, the agency involuntarily and with little notice reassigned 1,000 customer service representatives from the agency’s already understaffed field offices to help answer calls to the 1-800 number.
    The agency said the reassignments reflect new capabilities thanks to the new technology, though it recently removed tranches of real-time performance data initially published by former Commissioner Martin O’Malley. But union officials said the reassignments belie the fact that the agency’s recent changes aren’t working—and the changes at field offices are actually degrading service delivery.
    In a letter to Bisignano, Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., questioned the provenance of the agency’s remaining public performance metrics and demanded information about the decision to reassign field office staff to supplement the agency’s teleservice centers alongside detailed metrics about the teleservice centers’ performance in the week prior to the reassignments.
    “In June, Senator Warren released the results of her investigation of SSA’s phone wait time, showing that phone wait times on SSA’s AI-driven 1-800 number average over 1.75 hours—despite SSA’s claim of just 19.2 minutes,” they wrote. “These long wait times reveal the truth: the Trump administration’s cuts to the SSA workforce are disastrous—and any further staffing reductions will further degrade SSA and make it harder for seniors to get their monthly Social Security check or address other problems they may have with their benefits.”
    The senators accused Bisignano of using the reassignments to “cover up the mess” of his addition of AI assistants to the 1-800 number and the aspirational 7,000-employee headcount reduction this fiscal year.
    “The [reassignment] ‘pilot program’ would increase the number of staff answering calls to the 1-800 number by 25%,” they wrote. “But the employees you reassigned—with just a few days’ notice—were frontline customer service representatives who directly assisted recipients visiting offices. Reassigning customer service representatives left field offices short-staffed—forcing the backroom employees who are responsible for actually processing claims to pick up the in-person customer service responsibilities.”
    By:  Erich WagnerSource: GovExec
    Previous Article

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA:  Warren, Murray, Sanders, Baldwin, 20+ Senators Demand Trump Admin Stop Blocking Funds for Afterschool Programs, K-12 Schools

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    July 14, 2025
    The lawmakers blasted the administration for its abrupt notice and illegal freeze of the funds, which has sent school districts and programs nationwide scrambling. 
    “We are shocked by the continued lack of respect for states and local schools evidenced by this latest action by the administration… This rash decision will only worsen school working conditions and teacher shortages.”
    Text of Letter (PDF)
    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) joined Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), along with 28 of their colleagues, in demanding the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought and Department of Education (ED) Secretary Linda McMahon immediately release the nearly $7 billion in funding for K-12 schools and adult literacy programs across America that is currently being illegally withheld by the Trump administration. 
    The abrupt decision by the Trump administration to withhold this funding has left school districts nationwide struggling to find ways to fill the massive budget hole. School districts have made clear they will have to end after-school programs and have already told parents to prepare backup options, while adult literacy programs have already been forced to lay off staff. 
    The members note that the 10,000 school programs benefited approximately 1.4 million students across the nation, and the latest report by ED showed significant improvements in student attendance, grades, and teacher reports of student engagement in learning. 
    “These centers also help working parents by providing a safe and productive place for their children to be after the school day ends and during the summer months,” wrote the lawmakers. “It is beyond comprehension why the administration would want to jeopardize these outcomes.”
    The Trump administration has confirmed it is blocking funding for the following programs, all of which are programs President Trump has requested to eliminate in his budget request, raising serious concerns about this administration’s intentions to simply impound the funding:

    Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants (Title II-A), which support professional development and other activities to improve the effectiveness of teachers and school leaders, including reducing class sizes.

    21st Century Community Learning Centers (Title IV-B), which support high-quality before- and after-school programs focused on providing academic enrichment opportunities for students.

    Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants (Title IV-A), which provide flexible funding for school districts for a wide range of activities, including supporting STEM education, accelerated learning courses, college and career counseling, school-based mental health services, and improving school technology, among many others.

    English Language Acquisition (Title III-A), which supports language instruction to help English language learners become proficient in English.

    Migrant Education (Title I-C), which supports the educational needs of migratory children, including children of migrant and seasonal farmworkers.

    Adult Basic and Literacy Education State Grants (including Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education State Grants), which support adult education and literacy programs to provide the basic skills to help prepare adults and out-of-school youth for success in the workforce.

    The letter was also signed by Senators Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.).
    Senator Warren launched the Save Our Schools campaign in a coordinated effort to fight back against President Trump’s attempts to abolish the Department of Education:

    On July 3, 2025, Senator Warren led her colleagues in submitting an amicus brief for NAACP v. US, arguing to the United States District Court District of Maryland that President Trump’s attempts to dismantle the Department of Education (ED) violate separation of powers and lack constitutional authority.

    On June 10, 2025, Senator Warren met with Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and delivered over 1,000 letters to McMahon that the senator had received from people in all 50 states who were worried about the Secretary’s efforts to dismantle ED.

    On June 9, 2025, Senator Warren led her colleagues in pushing the Acting Inspector General of ED to open an investigation into new information obtained by her office revealing that DOGE may have gained access to two FSA internal systems, in addition to sensitive borrower data.

    On May 20, 2025, Senator Warren and 27 other senators pushed for full funding for the Office of Federal Student Aid.

    On May 14, 2025, Senator Warren led a Senate forum entitled “Stealing the American Dream: How Trump and Republicans Are Raising Education Costs for Families,” highlighting the consequences of Secretary Linda McMahon’s reckless dismantling of the Department of Education (ED) and President Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” for working- and middle-class students and borrowers.

    On May 13, 2025, Senator Warren agreed to meet with Education Secretary Linda McMahon and promised to bring questions and stories from Americans across the country to highlight how the Trump administration’s attacks on education are hurting American families.

    On May 6, 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren highlighted the consequences of President Trump and Secretary Linda McMahon’s reckless dismantling of the Department of Education for American families in a Senate forum.

    On April 24, 2025, Senator Warren launched a new investigation into the harms of President Trump’s attacks on the Department of Education, seeking information on the impact of the Trump administration’s actions from the members of twelve leading organizations representing schools, parents, teachers, students, borrowers, and researchers.

    On April 10, 2025, following a request led by Senator Warren, the Department of Education’s Acting Inspector General agreed to open an investigation into the Trump administration’s attempts to dismantle the Department of Education.

    On April 2, 2025, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Mazie Hirono, along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, sent a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon regarding the Department of Government Efficiency’s proposed plan to replace the Department of Education’s federal student aid call centers with generative artificial intelligence chatbots.

    On April 2, 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren launched the Save Our Schools campaign to fight back against the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle the Department of Education (ED) and highlight the consequences for every student and public school in America.

    On March 27, 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) led a letter to Acting Department of Education Inspector General (IG) René Rocque requesting that the IG conduct an investigation of the Trump Administration’s attempts to dismantle the Department of Education.

    On March 20, 2025, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders led a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon regarding the Trump Administration’s decision to slash the capacity of Federal Student Aid to handle student aid complaints.

    On February 24, 2025, in a response to Senator Warren, Secretary McMahon gave her first public admission that she “wholeheartedly” agreed with Trump’s plans to abolish the Department of Education.

    On February 11, 2025, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Andy Kim sent Linda McMahon, Secretary-Designate for the U.S. Department of Education, a 12-page letter with 65 questions on McMahon’s policy views in advance of her nomination hearing.

    MIL OSI USA News –