NewzIntel.com

Category: Trumpism

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed: Trump’s Deployment of National Guard Forces in LA is a Dangerous Escalation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC—Today, President Trump federalized National Guard troops in California and deployed them to Los Angeles to respond to civil unrest around ongoing ICE operations. This is the first time National Guard troops have been federally activated without a state governor’s consent since the 1960s.

    U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement in response:

    “While the safety of our communities is paramount, President Trump’s decision to activate and deploy National Guard troops to Los Angeles, and Secretary Hegseth’s decision to put active-duty Marines on alert, raises serious concerns. Such unilateral action, taken without consultation with local leaders, risks escalating tensions rather than calming them.

    “This move sets a troubling precedent for military intervention in local law enforcement. It is crucial that decisions of this magnitude are made with transparency, restraint, and respect for constitutional balance. The President and Defense Secretary should immediately stand down these troops and Congress should reject this dangerous overreaction.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed Rallies to Support Over 100 RI Students & Workers Left in Limbo by Trump’s Threat to Shutter Federal Job Corps Centers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    EXETER, RI – In a misguided attempt to illegally shutter federal Job Corps centers across the nation, the Trump Administration has rehashed an old plan from President Donald Trump’s first term to place students, staff, and employers in limbo. U.S. Senator Jack Reed helped defeat that first effort and is working to ensure the second attempt meets the same fate.

    With no regard for currently enrolled students, staff, and local employers who rely on the talent of Job Corps students across the country, the Trump Administration has directed the removal of more than 25,000 16 to 24-year-old Job Corps students who reside on 99 Job Corps campuses nationwide, including Rhode Island’s Exeter Job Corps.

    After being prohibited from stepping foot on Job Corps property, U.S. Senator Jack Reed today met with representatives from Exeter Job Corps’ student government, student veterans, staff, and local employers just outside the Exeter facility.

    “Everyone who has visited a federal Job Corps center knows the power of this program and the opportunity, success, and support it unlocks for students. It’s why one of the very first things I did as a Senator was fight for Rhode Island to have its own Job Corps Center,” said Reed.  “Today, after planning a visit weeks in advance, I’m prevented from visiting this center, from seeing these talented students show off their welding skills and electronics engineering ingenuity and learning about the stories of student leaders and soon-to-be graduates. I wish President Trump and Labor Secretary Chavez-DeRemer would spend time learning about the importance of the Job Corps program instead of trying to illegally eliminate these opportunities for young Americans. I beat back President Trump’s attempt to shutter this essential program during his first term. I’m planning to do it again.” 

    Job Corps empowers at-risk students to acquire industry-recognized credentials, high school diplomas or equivalents, and the social and employability skills needed to enter careers, the U.S. Armed Forces, apprenticeships, or post-secondary education.

    With some students just months away from earning their diploma or professional license, they are now in limbo.  This week, a U.S District Judge temporarily blocked the Trump Administration from eliminating the Job Corps program while the legal process plays out.  A hearing is set for June 17.  But the Trump Administration is needlessly endangering the futures and livelihoods of thousands of students and Job Corps employees.

    Reed recently confronted the U.S. Secretary of Labor during an Appropriations Committee hearing about the DOGE-directed, unsound, and misleading analysis that is being unjustifiably used as an excuse to halt Job Corps, telling her: “This is a calculated and not transparent, but deceptive report.”

    Exeter Job Corps Center, which opened in 2004, provides free job-training in a variety of fields, including: computers, culinary arts, construction, hospitality, health fields, manufacturing, and other career paths, as well as transportation and dormitory-style housing for those who need it.  The programs are aligned with industry credentials and include work-based learning.

    Exeter Job Corps Center is located at the site of the former Ladd Center off Route 2 in Exeter, with a capacity for 185 students, with rolling admissions throughout the year.  Exeter Job Corps Center employs a staff of about 85 and offers vocational training in 6 trades, a GED program, and two high school diploma programs.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: N.M. Delegation Urges Interior Secretary Burgum to Protect Chaco Canyon, Demand Trump Administration Respect Tribal Sovereignty and Consult Tribal Nations

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Senator for New Mexico Ben Ray Luján

    In a letter to Secretary Burgum, the N.M. Delegation expressed deep concern at the DOI’s efforts to revoke protections around Chaco Canyon

    The Delegation’s letter comes on the heels of their reintroduction of the Chaco Cultural Heritage Area Protection Act, legislation to permanently protect Chaco Canyon

    WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the House Indian and Insular Affairs Natural Resources Subcommittee, Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), Member of the House Committee on Natural Resources, and Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) sent a letter to U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) Secretary Doug Burgum expressing deep concern over the Department’s actions to begin the process of revoking protections around Chaco Canyon in Public Land Order No. 7923.

    Located in northwestern New Mexico, the Greater Chaco landscape is a region of great cultural, spiritual, and historical significance to many Pueblos and Tribes, and contains the most sweeping collection of Native American cultural sites in the United States. Chaco was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987 and is one of only 24 such sites in the United States.

    In 2023, the Biden Administration announced Public Land Order No. 7923, a 20-year Administrative Withdrawal of non-Indian federal lands within a 10-mile buffer zone that surrounds Chaco Canyon. That order has been successful but is now under threat from the Trump Administration and Republicans in Congress. The existing protections for Chaco Canyon are widely supported and are based on robust, extensive consultation with Tribal Nations.

    “To be clear, we firmly support the protections provided by this Public Land Order. Pursuing increased development on BLM lands within the ten-mile area that surrounds Chaco Canyon — so rich in cultural, spiritual, and historical significance — is misguided and risks permanent damage to one of the most sacred landscapes in North America. Additionally, it is unacceptable to push forward without full and robust Tribal consultation,” the N.M. Congressional Delegation wrote in a letter to Secretary Burgum.

    In the letter, the Delegation underscored the importance of consultation that honors our nation’s commitment to tribal sovereignty and government-to-government relations. 

    “Each of these Tribes is a sovereign government with its own unique history, traditions, and relationship to the Chacoan landscape. These voices are not interchangeable. They must be consulted independently, sincerely, and with the full weight of government-to-government respect. To date, the Department has failed to appropriately consult with Tribal Nations regarding protections for Chaco Canyon,” the lawmakers stated.

    Additionally, the lawmakers warned that, “If the Trump Administration diminishes these protections, it will face widespread public opposition and yield minimal benefits in terms of expanded oil and gas development.”

    The Delegation concluded the letter by urging Secretary Burgum to visit Chaco Canyon and engage directly with Tribal leaders and local communities to hear firsthand about the profound cultural and spiritual significance of this sacred landscape.

    The Delegation’s letter comes on the heels of their reintroduction of the Chaco Cultural Heritage Area Protection Act, legislation to permanently protect Chaco Canyon and the greater sacred landscape surrounding the Chaco Culture National Historical Park. For more information on the bill, click here.

    The full text of the letter is here and below:

    Dear Secretary Burgum,

    We write to express deep concern regarding the recent actions by the Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to begin the process of revoking Public Land Order No. 7923, which currently safeguards the cultural landscape surrounding Chaco Culture National Historical Park. To be clear, we firmly support the protections provided by this Public Land Order. Pursuing increased development on BLM lands within the ten-mile area that surrounds Chaco Canyon—so rich in cultural, spiritual, and historical significance—is misguided and risks permanent damage to one of the most sacred landscapes in North America.

    Additionally, it is unacceptable to push forward without full and robust Tribal consultation.

    Chaco Canyon contains the most sweeping collection of Native American cultural sites in the United States. It is a living, sacred space woven into the cultural and spiritual identity of numerous Tribal Nations. Each of these Tribes is a sovereign government with its own unique history, traditions, and relationship to the Chacoan landscape. These voices are not interchangeable. They must be consulted independently, sincerely, and with the full weight of government-to-government respect. 

    To date, the Department has failed to appropriately consult with Tribal Nations regarding protections for Chaco Canyon. First, BLM sent a May 9 letter announcing a general Tribal consultation scheduled for May 28, 2025, which was less than 30 days in advance. This short notice is a demonstration that the Department is failing to adhere to its own policies and standards for meaningful Tribal consultation. Moreover, many affected Pueblos did not receive notice directly from DOI. During the meeting, the BLM’s informal presentation of the proposed revocation alternatives did not provide Tribal participants with sufficient information to respond and the virtual nature of the meeting did not facilitate a meaningful exchange of information.

    As the Department considers future protections for Chaco Canyon, it is critical to appropriately consult with interested Tribes. Specifically, we urge the Administration to provide each interested Tribe an opportunity for individual consultation in-person, and in a manner that conforms with the Department’s established standards for Tribal consultation. We also urge the Administration to be as clear and transparent as possible with Tribes regarding the BLM’s proposed alternatives for Chaco Canyon and provide a timeline for any decision making.

    While oil and gas development is important to this state, we should also recognize that there are many other areas for development in San Juan County and New Mexico, it should not occur in a place like this. The existing protections for Chaco Canyon under Public Land Order No. 7923 are critical, widely supported, and are based on robust and extensive consultation. The area surrounding Chaco Canyon is interwoven with the cultural significance and experience of visiting Chaco Cultural Historic Park. It is a thoughtfully crafted and time-tested protection that safeguards a small portion of the Greater Chaco Landscape from the impacts of extractive industries that would disturb and alter the area negatively. It is also the product of compromise that respects the sovereignty and rights of Navajo allottees living in the area. The buffer from development has endured informally for nearly two decades across both Democratic and Republican administrations, with bipartisan support in Congress, and with past support from the affected Tribes and Nations, reflecting a strong recognition of Chaco’s extraordinary value.

    If the Trump Administration diminishes these protections, it will face widespread public opposition and yield minimal benefits in terms of expanded oil and gas development. According to the BLM’s own estimates, the ten-mile withdrawal area protects approximately 4,730 documented archaeological sites while oil and gas operators forgo development of only a few dozen wells.

    We end by noting that Secretary David Bernhardt, the previous Interior Secretary under President Trump, traveled to Chaco Canyon in 2019 to witness its profound significance firsthand. After hearing directly from the President of the Navajo Nation and numerous Pueblo Governors, Secretary Bernhardt decided to defer leasing within the ten-mile buffer, stating, “I walked away with a greater sense of appreciation of the magnificent site managed by the National Park Service and a better understanding of Tribal leaders’ views of its cultural significance.”

    We respectfully urge you to visit Chaco Canyon and engage directly with Tribal leaders and local communities to hear firsthand about the profound cultural and spiritual significance of this sacred landscape. The grandeur of Chacoan culture is unmistakable— etched into monumental architecture that rises from a sweeping expanse of mountains and mesas. Chaco is truly a place that must be experienced to be fully understood.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaine Statement on Trump’s Activation of National Guard in California Over Local Officials’ Objections

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) issued the following statement regarding President Donald Trump’s activation of 2,000 National Guard troops in California, over the objections of California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, in response to immigration protests:

    “Trump is trying to escalate violence with this move. I strongly condemn violence on American streets of any kind, whether it be from demonstrators or law enforcement. As a former Mayor and Governor, I know that local and state law enforcement can handle this. California officials have NOT asked for help from the National Guard. Deploying them unasked, with publicity hound Hegseth saying that he’s ready to send in Marines, is an attention-grabbing stunt to take people’s minds off Trump’s reckless destruction of the US economy and widespread corruption and incompetence.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Gomez Blasts Trump’s Travel Ban as “Cruel Political Stunt”

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jimmy Gomez (CA-34)

    Rep. Gomez Blasts Trump’s Travel Ban as “Cruel Political Stunt”

    LOS ANGELES, CA, June 9, 2025

    LOS ANGELES, CA – Representative Jimmy Gomez (CA-34) issued the following statement in response to President Trump’s latest executive order banning entry from 12 countries, which takes effect today:

    “This ban has nothing to do with security—it’s a cruel political stunt meant to stoke fear and distract from Trump slashing Medicaid to give billionaires more tax breaks. Using a tragedy as cover to undermine religious freedom and target immigrant communities is cowardly and dangerous. We must fight back against this assault on American values.”

    This new ban echoes Trump’s first-term “Muslim ban,” which barred travelers from several Muslim-majority countries and was repealed by President Biden. The new travel ban blocks entry from countries including Somalia, Iran, Haiti, and Yemen, and imposes restrictions on others like Venezuela and Cuba. Trump cited national security and a recent incident in Colorado as justification, despite the suspect being from a country not on the banned list.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Arrests and Attacks on Peaceful Protestors Threaten Our Freedoms

    Source: Communications Workers of America

    This weekend, ICE agents violently attacked and unlawfully arrested peaceful protestors and observers, including SEIU California President David Huerta. President Trump then unnecessarily deployed the California National Guard to Los Angeles, over the objections of state and local officials, mobilizing our military to silence opposition and prevent Americans from exercising their freedom of assembly.

    There is nothing more fundamental to the labor movement than the idea that an attack on one of us is an attack on all of us. Over and over again throughout our history, wealthy bosses have relied on armed militias to suppress working people’s efforts to exercise our constitutional freedoms. As is the case today, many of those workers were immigrants. Over and over again our solidarity has prevailed in the face of attempts to demoralize and divide us.

    This assault on our freedoms must stop now. We cannot allow the government to be used as a weapon against workers. We demand the release of David Huerta and the withdrawal of the National Guard from Los Angeles.

    ###

    About CWA: The Communications Workers of America represents working people in telecommunications, customer service, media, airlines, health care, public service and education, manufacturing, tech, and other fields.

    cwa-union.org @cwaunion

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta, Governor Newsom Challenge Trump Order Seeking to Federalize California National Guard

    Source: US State of California

    OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta and California Governor Gavin Newsom today sued President Trump and Defense Secretary Hegseth in response to their orders seeking to federalize the California National Guard for 60 days under 10 U.S.C. § 12406. In the early hours of Sunday morning, the U.S. Department of Defense, at the direction of the President, redirected hundreds of National Guard troops from San Diego to Los Angeles, without authorization from the Governor and against the wishes of local law enforcement. In total, the Department intends to deploy 2,000 troops from across the state, an inflammatory escalation unsupported by conditions on the ground. In a lawsuit being filed today, Attorney General Bonta and Governor Newsom will ask the court to hold unlawful and set aside the President’s order federalizing the National Guard by way of a rarely used law, arguing that such action exceeds the federal government’s authority under the law and violates the Tenth Amendment.

    “President Trump’s order calling federalized National Guard troops into Los Angeles – over the objections of the Governor and local law enforcement – is unnecessary and counterproductive. It’s also deeply unfair to the members of the National Guard who are hard at work every day protecting our state, preparing for and responding to emergencies, and training so that, if called, they can fight our nation’s wars,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Let me be clear: There is no invasion. There is no rebellion. The President is trying to manufacture chaos and crisis on the ground for his own political ends. Federalizing the California National Guard is an abuse of the President’s authority under the law – and not one we take lightly. We’re asking a court to put a stop to the unlawful, unprecedented order.”

    “Donald Trump is creating fear and terror by failing to adhere to the U.S. Constitution and overstepping his authority. This is a manufactured crisis to allow him to take over a state militia, damaging the very foundation of our republic,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “Every governor, red or blue, should reject this outrageous overreach. This is beyond incompetence — this is him intentionally causing chaos, terrorizing communities, and endangering the principles of our great democracy. It is an unmistakable step toward authoritarianism. We will not let this stand.” 

    On Friday and Saturday, June 6 and 7, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted multiple immigration raids in downtown Los Angeles. These raids were met with multiple protests. Following threats to send in the National Guard from several Trump Administration officials, on the evening of June 7, President Trump issued a formal memorandum entitled “Department of Defense Security for the Protection of Department of Homeland Security Functions,” purporting to authorize the Department of Defense to call up 2,000 California National Guard personnel into federal service for a period of 60 days. In implementing this directive, the Department of Defense circumvented authorization from the Governor and began deploying National Guard troops to Los Angeles over the objections of local law enforcement actively on the ground. Notably, by the time the National Guard arrived Sunday morning, the protests had dissipated and streets were quiet, but soon after the National Guard arrived, tensions reignited, leading to the very sort of unrest the National Guard was supposedly sent in to quell. Concerningly, President Trump has already made clear his intention to expand the use of these National Guard troops to conduct interior civil immigration enforcement activities normally conducted by civil immigration law enforcement officers, creating fear and terror in California communities.

    President Trump’s unprecedented order attempts to usurp state authority and resources via 10 U.S.C. § 12406, a statute that has been invoked on its own only once before in modern history and for highly unusual circumstances — when President Richard Nixon called upon the National Guard to deliver the mail during the 1970 Postal Service Strike. This is also the first time since 1965 — when President Johnson sent troops to Alabama to protect civil rights demonstrators — that a president has activated a state’s National Guard without a request from the state’s governor. Here, Governor Newsom did not request that the state’s National Guard be federalized, as local authorities were managing the situation on the ground, and openly expressed concern that bringing in the National Guard could inflame the situation. After the President plowed ahead with his order, the Governor sent a letter to Secretary Hegseth requesting that the Department of Defense rescind its unlawful deployment of troops in the state and return them to his command. 

    In a lawsuit being filed today, Attorney General Bonta and Governor Newsom will ask the court to hold that the President and Department of Defense’s orders federalizing the California National Guard are unlawful, arguing that:

    • The federalization of the California National Guard deprives California of resources to protect itself and its citizens, and of critical responders in the event of a state emergency. 
    • 10 U.S.C. 12406 requires that the Governor consent to federalization of the National Guard, which Governor Newsom was not given the opportunity to do prior to their deployment.
    • The President’s unlawful order infringes on Governor Newsom’s role as Commander-in-Chief of the California National Guard and violates the state’s sovereign right to control and have available its National Guard in the absence of a lawful invocation of federal power.

    A copy of the lawsuit will be available here shortly.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DEMOCRATS DEMAND ACTION ON COST-OF-LIVING CRISIS, WARN THAT TRUMP’S ONE BIG UGLY BILL WILL DRIVE PRICES EVEN HIGHER

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23)

    “Grocery checkout lines and the fear of falling ill are still major sources of financial anxiety for families, yet the Republican response is to give the wealthiest Americans a tax break windfall and pay for it by taking affordable health care and food assistance from millions of people. It’s a cruel, deplorable and fiscally irresponsible response, and we heard that message loud and clear today in Pennsylvania,” said Wasserman Schultz. “Far from lowering costs, Trump’s chaotic economic policies are driving recessionary fears, and Republicans’ ‘Big Ugly Bill’ would steal health care from 16 million Americans and deny food assistance to millions more. The net effect makes life even harder for paycheck-to-paycheck workers.”

    Collegeville, PA – Today, the House Democratic Steering and Policy Co-Chairs, Congresswomen Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Robin Kelly (IL-02) and Nanette Barragán (CA-44), led a roundtable discussion with local leaders and stakeholders impacted by the Trump Tariffs and Republican threats to cut Medicaid and SNAP. Witnesses warned that the Republican ‘One Big Ugly Bill’ would only exacerbate the cost-of-living crisis for Pennsylvania’s working families.

    Congresswoman Madeleine Dean (PA-04) hosted the committee’s field hearing, and took testimony from community leaders who work directly helping people meet their basic needs to hear how the cost-of-living crisis would worsen with the Republican tax scam to slash Medicaid and food assistance while giving huge new tax breaks to billionaires.

    “At a time when families need stability, President Trump has thrown our economy into turmoil with reckless tariffs that continue to decimate retirement and college savings accounts,” said Dean. “Meanwhile, Trump and Republicans are pushing their ‘Big Ugly Bill,’ which will kick more than 300,000 Pennsylvanians off their healthcare and rip away food assistance from 140,000 of our neighbors. We should be fighting to lower costs for working families — not spiking prices and financing another tax break for the wealthy.”

    “Republicans are not interested in making life more affordable for American families. Trump’s One, Big, Ugly bill will take away food and rental assistance, and life-saving health care from millions of Americans,” said Barragán. “House Republicans have refused to work with Democrats to deliver solutions that support hardworking Americans. Seniors, children, and veterans will bear the burden of higher costs of food, healthcare, and housing while Trump’s billionaire donors get richer.”

    “Grocery checkout lines and the fear of falling ill are still major sources of financial anxiety for families, yet the Republican response is to give the wealthiest Americans a tax break windfall and pay for it by taking affordable health care and food assistance from millions of people. It’s a cruel, deplorable and fiscally irresponsible response, and we heard that message loud and clear today in Pennsylvania,” said Wasserman Schultz. “Far from lowering costs, Trump’s chaotic economic policies are driving recessionary fears, and Republicans’ ‘Big Ugly Bill’ would steal health care from 16 million Americans and deny food assistance to millions more. The net effect makes life even harder for paycheck-to-paycheck workers.”

    “President Trump promised to lower the cost of living on Day One. He lied,” said Kelly. “Instead, Americans are paying the cost of his shortsighted trade war at the checkout counter while Republicans in Congress attack food assistance and healthcare. This is a recipe for a cost-of-living disaster, yet Republicans’ solution is to give more tax breaks to the well-off and well-connected. I, alongside my Democratic colleagues, will continue to travel across the country to hear directly from the American people and bring their concerns back to Washington with real solutions.”

    The Steering and Policy Committee has gone on the road to hear from the American people, convening a town hall in California and a hearing in Virginia exposing the extreme Republican agenda. The Steering and Policy Committee will continue to travel the nation in the months ahead to reach the American people where they live and hear from them directly.  

    The full video of today’s hearing can be found here. 

    ####

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WA joins federal suit to prevent Trump administration’s efforts to distribute thousands of machine gun devices

    Source: Washington State News

    Seattle – Attorney General Nick Brown today joined a coalition of 15 other attorneys general in suing the Trump administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) over its plans to distribute thousands of machinegun conversion devices to communities across the United States.

    ATF’s action involves forced reset triggers, which allow even novice shooters to achieve the firepower of a military machinegun. Although ATF previously classified these as machineguns, the agency — under directive from the administration — signed a settlement agreement that promises to stop enforcing federal law against forced reset triggers and to redistribute thousands of them that ATF had previously seized. The multistate litigation seeks to prevent that imminent redistribution, because forced reset triggers are illegal to possess under federal law.

    “Communities are less safe with these mass-shooting devices in circulation,” Brown said. “Essentially deregulating them is another example of this administration being driven by extreme ideology rather than commonsense.”

    In recent years, machinegun conversion devices like forced reset triggers, which dramatically increase a firearm’s rate of fire, have been frequently used in violent crimes and mass shootings, worsening the gun violence epidemic in the United States. Firearms equipped with machinegun conversion devices are able to exceed the rate of fire of many military machine guns, firing up to 20 bullets in one second. ATF has noted a significant rise in the use of these devices, leading to increasing incidents of machine-gun fire – up 1,400% from 2019 through 2021.

    Since at least 1975, ATF has classified devices that operate similarly to forced reset triggers as machineguns prohibited by federal law. These devices replace the standard trigger on a semiautomatic firearm to allow the shooter to maintain continuous fire with one trigger pull, similar to the operation of fully automatic weapons. Despite the prohibition, in recent years, ATF estimates that at least 100,000 such triggers have been distributed across the country. ATF’s records also establish that machinegun conversion devices, including forced reset triggers, are showing up more often at crime scenes.

    Multiple lawsuits seeking either to enforce or challenge the prohibition on forced reset triggers were filed during the Biden Administration. A federal judge in New York agreed that they are banned under federal law. A federal judge in Texas disagreed and held that they do not qualify as machineguns under federal law, but that ruling was on appeal.

    On May 16, the Trump administration announced that it has now settled these lawsuits—and done so in a way that eviscerates the federal prohibition on forced reset triggers. ATF has agreed to abandon its enforcement actions and appeals; promised to stop enforcing the federal ban against the devices, even against individuals and sellers who were not parties to any of these lawsuits; and pledged to redistribute forced reset triggers that it previously seized.

    Today’s lawsuit seeks to prevent the redistribution because they are prohibited by U.S. law, which prohibits anyone from owning machineguns, including devices that convert firearms into automatic weapons. The lawsuit explains that the federal government cannot violate U.S. law, even when it tries to bury those violations in a settlement agreement.

    The coalition will seek a preliminary injunction to halt the administration from distributing these devices in ways that directly harm plaintiff states in contravention of federal law.

    The lawsuit explains that the redistribution of machinegun conversion devices will permanently threaten public safety nationwide. And as the lawsuit highlights, ATF has even admitted that returning forced reset triggers in states that prohibit them would “aid and abet” violations of state laws. The attorneys general seek to prevent those harms from occurring.

    Attorney General Brown is joining New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Colorado, Hawai’i, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and the District of Columbia.

    The complaint is available here.

    -30-

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Amid Unprecedented Attacks on Veterans and Rising National Security Concerns, Congressmen Chris Deluzio, Pat Ryan, Ted and Lieu Lead 18 Democratic Members of Congress to Launch Veterans Caucus

    Source: US Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressmen Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Pat Ryan (NY-18), and Ted Lieu (CA-36) led 18 House Democratic colleagues in launching the first-ever Democratic Veterans Caucus. 

    Chaired by Congressman Ryan, an Army veteran; Congressman Ted Lieu, an Air Force veteran; and Congressman Chris Deluzio, a Navy veteran, the Democratic Veterans Caucus is composed of members from across the country. The caucus’ formation comes amidst unprecedented security breaches at the Department of Defense, threats to veterans’ health care, and growing national security threats across the globe. 

    Uniting these voices is especially important and timely given the reconciliation fight. President Trump, aided by House Republicans, is trying to push through massive cuts to both Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). 10% of all veterans rely on Medicaid for health care, and there are 1.2 million veterans living in households – alongside seniors and children – who utilize SNAP benefits. 

    “I love this country, and I am proud to join with my fellow veterans and Democrats in the U.S. House. The Democratic Veterans Caucus is a powerful space to do that,” said Congressman Deluzio. “My fellow veterans and I in Congress are ready to go to the mat for America’s veterans and servicemembers and our country’s national security. We swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution, and America needs us now more than ever.” 

    “I refuse to let our draft-dodging President lecture us about what it means to be a Patriot while he cuts veterans’ health care, insults Gold Star families, and installs an incompetent loyalist who is dangerously politicizing the Department of Defense. It’s our duty, as those who have borne the battle, to fight for our fellow veterans and for the country we love so dearly,” said Congressman Pat Ryan. “Our loyalty is to no man. It is to the Constitution we swore an oath to protect and defend. Our mission is to deliver for our men and women in uniform and every freedom-loving American.” 

    “Our veterans deserve our gratitude. That is why it is despicable that the Trump Administration is leaving veterans behind,” said Congressman Ted Lieu. “From harmful DOGE cuts at the VA to attempts at rolling back benefits for veterans exposed to toxins, our nation’s heroes are experiencing unprecedented attacks on their care. We’re standing up this Caucus to fight for our veterans and uphold the oath we all took to defend the constitution. I am grateful to work with Reps. Deluzio and Ryan and all the Members in our Caucus to uplift veteran and service member voices.” 

    “Veterans served this country with honor and sacrifice. They kept their promises to defend our freedom, and now it’s our duty to keep our promises to them,” said Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill. “As a former Navy helicopter pilot, I am disgusted by the Trump Administration’s decision to cut their health care and food assistance to pay for tax breaks for billionaires. It is a betrayal not just of our veterans, but of the values this nation stands for. This caucus was formed to unite those of us who have worn the uniform and to fight back against these attacks. I will continue to stand in the breach to protect the care and services our veterans have earned.” 

    “America is the land of the free because we are home to generations of brave veterans. We have a sacred obligation to fight for these patriots in the face of the Trump Administration’s cruel and senseless cuts to critical healthcare and lifesaving services,” said Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), who served as an intelligence officer for more than a decade in the Navy Reserve. “Veterans from New Hampshire and across the country deserve fighters in the United States Congress, and that is what this caucus is all about.” 

    “As an Army Ranger and paratrooper, I learned the ethos of servant leadership. True leaders jump out of the plane first, and always eat last. But that’s not the leadership we’re seeing from President Trump. Instead, we’re seeing Republicans cut veterans benefits and take away health care and food assistance in order to give the wealthiest Americans a massive tax break. It’s wrong for working families and our servicemembers. As a veteran and now a Democratic Member of Congress, I’m fighting back,” said Congressman Crow. 

    “Veterans need a united front to protect the benefits that they have earned,” said Rep. Panetta.  “At a time when we have an Administration that is cutting benefits, this caucus brings together Members who have served in uniform to ensure that the federal government upholds its commitment to defending the rights, benefits, and dignity of our fellow veterans. Fortunately, we know how to fight those who threaten our values and veterans’ services because we are committed to serving those who served our country.” 

    “Our veterans have given so much to our country, and for this Administration to cut and dismantle programs that benefit them and their families is simply disgraceful,” said Congressman Conaway. “While my Republican colleagues stand by and watch, this caucus serves as a coalition of former service members ready to push back. Every member of this caucus knows what it means to serve, and we will use our voices to ensure that promises made to veterans are promises kept.” 

    “When I joined the U.S. Army, I took an oath to defend the Constitution. As a member of Congress, I am honored to represent the 72,000 veterans in the Seventh District. Sadly, we have a Commander-in-Chief whose incompetence and chaos put American lives at risk and hurts our veterans,” said Vindman. “That’s why my Democratic colleagues who’ve worn the uniform and I are standing together and speaking out. We have a duty to defend the values and people that make America the greatest country in the world — and to ensure that no one, not even the President, gets away with undermining them.” 

    “I joined the Army Reserves when I was 18 because I felt it was my duty to give back to the country that gave me and my family so much. My parents fled communist Vietnam in search of freedom and democracy, and because America welcomed them, our family could not only survive but thrive. I am proud to join my fellow Veterans in the House Democratic caucus to stand up for all Veterans at a time when they are seeing their benefits cut, their expertise ignored, and their federal jobs terminated,” said Rep. Derek Tran (CA-45). “I was proud that the first bill I introduced as a Member of Congress was the Protect Veteran Jobs Act, to protect the livelihoods of Veterans who have served our country honorably and who continue to do so through civilian service. Our veterans have always had our backs, the Democratic Veterans Caucus will always step up to have theirs.” 

    “As a Marine, I will not stand by while Donald Trump insults our veterans and dismantles the services and benefits they rightfully earned,” said Congressman Salud Carbajal. “We have a responsibility to care for the heroes who defended our rights and freedoms. This Administration has abandoned this sacred duty through reckless actions, like rolling back the PACT Act and allowing DOGE to attack the VA. It’s heartless, cruel, and un-American. That’s why I’m proud to stand with my colleagues to launch the Democratic Veterans Caucus.” 

    “President Trump is not a veteran but that hasn’t stopped him from creating chaos and uncertainty in the lives of those who are. From threatening veterans’ health care to pushing reckless cuts to the benefits they’ve earned, the Trump administration has treated our community like collateral damage in a partisan agenda,” said Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan. “As a veteran, a Member of Congress, and a proud advocate for those who’ve worn the uniform, I believe we have a sacred obligation to protect and honor our veterans—not undermine their health, dignity, or security. The launch of the Democratic Veterans Caucus couldn’t come at a more urgent moment. We are stepping up and stepping in to ensure veterans receive the care, respect, and support they’ve rightfully earned.” 

    “In the Marines, we were taught that you can fail a run and come back the next day—but if you lie, you’re out. Veterans, and all Americans, deserve leaders who tell the truth, and who respect service and sacrifice,” said Congressman Seth Moulton. “Yet Donald Trump and his Republican allies lie every day about their commitment to the military and the veteran community. Democratic veterans in Congress aren’t afraid to call out the hypocrisy—and fight to make sure no one who served this country is left behind. I’m proud to be part of this new caucus and I’m looking forward to getting started.” 

    “As a combat veteran with the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vietnam and as a Purple Heart recipient, I know our nation’s responsibility to our men and women in uniform,” said Congressman Mike Thompson. “Make no mistake: by firing over 80,000 VA staff, many of them veterans, this Administration isn’t just hurting us and our families — they are making every American worse off. Proud to join the Democratic Veterans Caucus as a founding member to continue our fight to protect those who have served our nation.” 

    “As a Navy veteran, I’m appalled by the President’s assault on veterans and their families,” said Congressman Gil Cisneros. “I’ve seen firsthand the detrimental effects of this administration on our veteran community. From cutting health care and veteran benefits to disparaging the honor of those who have served, the attacks from the President are un-American and vile. I stand firmly with my colleagues in the Democratic Veterans Caucus and know we will fight to protect the honor of veterans, their health care, mental health care, and their families.” 

    “I am proud to represent one of the largest veterans’ populations in the country,” said Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03). “As a veteran of the National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve, I look forward to continuing my work protecting America’s veterans, especially their health care, with the launch of the Democratic Veterans Caucus.” 

    Members of the Democratic Veterans Caucus Include: 

    1. Rep. Salud Carbajal (CA) – Marine Corps Reserve 
    2. Rep. Gil Cisneros (CA) – Navy 
    3. Rep. Herb Conaway (NJ) – Air Force 
    4. Rep. Jason Crow (CO) – Army 
    5. Rep. Don Davis (NC) – Air Force 
    6. Rep. Chris Deluzio (PA) – Navy 
    7. Rep. Jared Golden (ME) – Marine Corps 
    8. Rep. Maggie Goodlander (NH) – Navy Reserve
    9. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (PA) – Air Force 
    10. Rep. Ted Lieu (CA) – Air Force 
    11. Rep. Seth Moulton (MA) – Marine Corps 
    12. Rep. Jimmy Panetta (CA) – Navy Reserve 
    13. Rep. Pat Ryan (NY) – Army 
    14. Rep. Bobby Scott (VA) – Army 
    15. Rep. Mikie Sherrill (NJ) – Navy
    16. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA) – Army 
    17. Rep. Derek Tran (CA) – Army 
    18. Rep. Eugene Vindman (VA) – Army 

    Congressman Deluzio is a U.S. Navy veteran, deployed to Iraq and at sea, and is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy. He is a member of the House Armed Services Committee. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s use of the national guard against LA protesters defies all precedents

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sinead McEneaney, Senior Lecturer in History, The Open University

    Violence has erupted on the streets of cities across southern California over the weekend, as protesters clashed with agents from the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency detaining people they suspected to be illegal immigrants. The US president, Donald Trump, took the unusual decision on Saturday to deploy 2,000 troops from California’s national guard, despite not being requested to by the state’s governor, Gavin Newsom.

    Newsom has threatened to sue Trump over what he has called “an illegal act, an immoral act, an unconstitutional act”. Other California officials have also denounced the move, with Senator Adam Schiff calling it a “dangerous precedent for unilateral misuse of the guard across the country”.

    Raids by ICE agents have increased significantly since mid-May when the Trump administration threatened to fire senior ICE officials if they did not deliver on higher arrest quotas. Several high-profile wrongful arrests of US citizens have further inflamed tensions.

    Protests have escalated in California, a Democratic stronghold and a “sanctuary state” where local law enforcement does not cooperate with ICE to detain illegal immigrants.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    At around 24,000 troops, California’s national guard is the largest in the United States. Each state has its own national guard unit, a reserve force under the control of the governor which can be called upon in times of crisis – often to help out during natural disasters or other emergencies. For example, in January, Newsom activated several thousand troops to aid relief work during the devastating fires that threatened Los Angeles.

    In 1992, the then president, George H.W. Bush, backed the call of the then governor of California, Pete Wilson, call to deploy national guard members to quell the South Central LA riots.

    Now troops are back on the streets of LA. But this time not at the behest of the governor. Trump’s unilateral decision to take federal control over the national guard pits the president against the state of California – and importantly, against a state that has constantly resisted his anti-immigrant agenda. Newsom is seen by many as a possible contender for the Democratic Party’s nomination in the 2028 presidential election.

    Historical precedents

    Is there a precedent for this? Yes and no. The Insurrection Act (passed in 1807, but revised several times) authorises the president to call on the national guard in times of crisis or war to supplement state and local forces. This has been codified in title 10 of the US Code, which details the laws of the land.

    In 1871, the law was revised to specifically allow for the national guard to be used in the protection of civil rights for black Americans. Legal experts have long called for reform of the Insurrection Act, arguing that the language is too vague and open to misuse.

    In the past, former US presidents, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson all invoked different sections of the Act to protect civil rights, particularly against segregationist states. While the act implies consent between governor and president, it does not require it.

    Two examples stand out. On June 11 1963, John F. Kennedy issued executive order 11111 mobilising the national guard to protect desegregation of the University of Alabama, against the wishes of Alabama governor George Wallace.

    Wallace’s determination to block the registration of two black students, Vivian Malone and James Hood, produced a produced a sensational media moment when Wallace physically blocked the entrance of the university. Local law enforcement stood by the governor. With the state of Alabama in defiance of federal law, Kennedy saw no alternative but to deploy the guard.

    Less than two years later, in March 1965 Lyndon B. Johnson again deployed the guard in Alabama, bypassing Governor Wallace. In February, a state trooper in the town of Marion killed a young voters-rights activist, Jimmie Lee Jackson.

    This shooting, along with several violent attacks by the local police on voter registration activists in Selma, inspired a series of marches in support of the 1965 voting rights bill. On the eve of the march from Selma to Montgomery, tensions between local police and civil rights protesters were at a high.

    Civil rights activists, including Martin Luther King Jr, lead a march from Selma to Montgomery in Alabama, March 1965, to support the right to safe voter registration.
    Wikimedia Commons

    In response, Johnson bypassed Wallace and called in the national guard to ensure, as he put it, the rights of Americans “to walk peaceably and safely without injury or loss of life from Selma to Montgomery”.

    Before last Saturday, this was the last time a president circumvented the authority of the state governor in deploying the guard. But even in this instance, there was an implied request from Wallace, who explicitly requested federal aid in the absence of state resources.

    The subtext here is that Wallace did not want to be seen to call up the national guard himself, so he forced Johnson to make that decision, allowing him to claim that the president was trampling on state sovereignty.

    Insurrection Act

    This is not the current situation in California. The LAPD is the third largest police force in the US, with over just under 9,000 sworn officers. While its ranks have shrunk in recent years, it has been responding to the recent protests and unrest. There is no reason to think that Newsom would hesitate to call in the national guard if warranted.

    In reality, Trump has invoked the Insurrection Act to protect ICE agents. Indeed, the national guard has a complicated history of responding to civil unrest. The current situation is in stark contrast with the past, and faces serious questions of legitimacy.

    It is difficult not to see this as the latest move by the Trump administration to subjugate California. In early January Trump threatened to withhold federal aid to rebuild after the wildfires. In past months he threatened to withdraw all of the state’s federal funding to punish it for its stance on campus protests and the inclusion of transgender athletes in women’s sports.

    Unlike his predecessors, Trump has not mobilised the national guard to protect civil rights against a hostile police force. Instead, he appears to be using this as leverage to undermine a political opponent he views as blocking his agenda. Circumventing gubernatorial powers over the national guard in this way has no precedent and heralds the next stage in an extended conflict between the president and the state of California.

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

    – ref. Trump’s use of the national guard against LA protesters defies all precedents – https://theconversation.com/trumps-use-of-the-national-guard-against-la-protesters-defies-all-precedents-258486

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kamlager-Dove Statement on ICE Raids in Los Angeles

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager California (37th District)

    LOS ANGELES, CA — Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37) shared the following statement to social media as ICE raids unfolded across Los Angeles, including in California’s 37th District, on Friday:

    “I am closely monitoring the ICE raids that are currently happening across Los Angeles, including at a Korean American-owned store in my district. LA has long been a safe haven for immigrants. Trump claims he’s targeting criminals, but he’s really just tearing families apart and destabilizing entire communities.

    “If you are a constituent of the 37th District and your family member has been detained, please reach out to my office and we can help locate your family member and provide you with a list of government-approved attorneys.

    “In these disturbing times, it’s important for you to know your rights and how to protect yourself. For more information, head to my website.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Risch Celebrates Committee Passage of Legislation to Counter Adversary Nuclear Energy Programs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho James E Risch

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, celebrated the committee’s passage of his International Nuclear Energy Act.

    The bill aims to support the U.S. domestic energy industry’s leadership and offset China and Russia’s growing influence on international nuclear energy development. Senator Risch’s legislation now awaits consideration on the Senate floor.

    “Nuclear energy is America’s creation. We cannot allow authoritarian aggressors like China and Russia to take our place as the world’s nuclear energy supplier,” said Risch. “My International Nuclear Energy Act will ensure the U.S. is at the forefront of nuclear leadership, and I urge the Senate to take up this important legislation.”

    The International Nuclear Energy Act aligns with key provisions in four executive orders signed by President Trump to promote American nuclear energy. It is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.).

    Senator Risch has long advocated for domestic nuclear energy production and the commercialization of advanced nuclear technologies. In a recent Washington Times editorial, Senator Risch underscored the critical role of nuclear energy in powering America’s current and future energy needs.

    Idaho is home to the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), which is the flagship laboratory for civil nuclear research and the first place in the world to generate electricity with a nuclear reactor. INL is driving significant progress in new nuclear research by collaborating with industry to demonstrate advanced technologies like small modular reactors, microreactors, and safer, more efficient nuclear fuels. These efforts, made possible through public-private partnerships at INL, will contribute to the nation’s energy independence and strengthen U.S. leadership in civil nuclear energy around the world. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Remarks at the Crypto Task Force Roundtable on Decentralized Finance

    Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

    Thank you and good afternoon.[1] It is a great pleasure to be with you today. Let me begin by thanking Commissioner Peirce and the Crypto Task Force for their organizing today’s event, and Commissioner Crenshaw and Commissioner Uyeda for their participation.  Of course, I very much thank the roundtable panelists and our moderator, Troy Parades, for their voluntary contribution of time and talent to our endeavor.

    Today’s roundtable is titled “DeFi and the American Spirit.” This is an apt title because the American values of economic liberty, private property rights, and innovation are in the DNA of the DeFi, or Decentralized Finance, movement.

    Blockchains, of course, are a very creative and potentially revolutionary innovation that have us rethinking evidence of ownership and transfer of intellectual and economic property rights.  They are shared databases that enable ownership of a type of digital property called crypto assets without reliance on an intermediary or central party. Instead, these peer-to-peer networks incorporate an economic mechanism to encourage participants to validate and maintain the database in accordance with the network’s rules. These are free market systems where users pay demand-based fees to network participants to have their transactions included within a so-called “block” of data with finite storage capacity.

    The prior U.S. government administration discouraged Americans from participating in these market-based systems by asserting through lawsuits, speeches, regulation, and threatened regulatory action that participants and staking-as-a-service providers may be engaged in securities transactions. I am grateful to the Division of Corporation Finance staff for clarifying its view that voluntary participation in a proof-of-work or proof-of-stake network as a “miner,” “validator,” or “staking-as-a-service” provider is not within the scope of the federal securities laws.[2]  As happy as I am over that step, it is not a duly promulgated rule with the force of law, so we cannot stop there.  The Securities and Exchange Commission must adopt a regulation based on the authority that Congress has given us.

    Another core feature of blockchain technology is the ability for individuals to have self-custody of crypto assets in a personal digital wallet. The right to have self-custody of one’s private property is a foundational American value that should not disappear when one logs onto the internet. I am in favor of affording greater flexibility to market participants to self-custody crypto assets, especially where intermediation imposes unnecessary transaction costs or restricts the ability to engage in staking and other on-chain activities.

    The prior President’s administration undermined innovation in self-custodial digital wallets and other on-chain technologies by asserting through regulatory actions that the developers of such software may be conducting brokerage activity. Engineers should not be subject to the federal securities laws solely for publishing this type of software code. As one court put it, it would be irrational to hold the developer of a self-driving car liable – here, quoting from the court’s decision – “for a third-party’s use of the car to commit a traffic violation or to rob a bank. In those circumstances, one would not sue the car company for facilitating the wrongdoing; they would sue the individual who committed the wrong.”[3]

    Many entrepreneurs are developing software applications that are designed to function without administration by any operator. The idea of self-executing software code that is accessible to everyone, but controlled by no one, and that enables private, peer-to-peer transactions may sound like science fiction. But, blockchain technology makes possible an entirely new class of software that can perform these functions without an intermediary. I do not believe that we should allow century-old regulatory frameworks to stifle innovation with technologies that could upend and most importantly improve and advance our current, traditional intermediated model.  We should not automatically fear the future.

    These on-chain self-executing software systems have proven to be resilient in the face of crises. While centralized platforms waivered and failed under recent stresses, many on-chain systems continued to operate as designed pursuant to open-source code.[4]

    Most current securities rules and regulations are premised upon the regulation of issuers and intermediaries, such as broker-dealers, advisers, exchanges, and clearing agencies. The drafters of these rules and regulations likely did not contemplate that self-executing software code might displace such issuers and intermediaries. I have asked the Commission staff to explore whether further guidance or rulemaking may be helpful for enabling registrants to transact with these software systems in compliance with applicable law.

    I also am excited about the use of on-chain software systems by issuers and intermediaries to eliminate economic frictions, increase capital efficiency, enable new types of financial products, and enhance liquidity. Current securities regulations already contemplate the use of new technologies by issuers and intermediaries, but I have asked the staff to consider whether amendments to the Commission’s rules and regulations would be better suited to provide needed accommodation for issuers and intermediaries who seek to administer on-chain financial systems.

    While the Commission and its staff work to propose fit-for-purpose rules of the road for on-chain financial markets, I have directed the staff to consider a conditional exemptive relief framework or “innovation exemption” that would expeditiously allow registrants and non-registrants to bring on-chain products and services to market. An innovation exemption could help fulfill President Trump’s vision to make America the “crypto capital of the planet”[5] by encouraging developers, entrepreneurs, and other firms that are willing to comply with to certain conditions to innovate with on-chain technologies in the United States.

    Thank you for your attention. I look forward to the discussions to follow.

    [1]    These remarks reflect my individual views as Chairman of the Commission and do not necessarily reflect the views of the full Commission or my fellow Commissioners.

    [3]    Risley v. Universal Navigation Inc., 690 F. Supp. 3d 195, 217 (S.D.N.Y. 2023), aff’d in part, vacated in part, remanded, No. 23-1340-CV, 2025 WL 615185 (2d Cir. Feb. 26, 2025) (internal citations omitted).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Peters Leads Bipartisan Legislation to Help Ensure National Weather Service Provides 24/7 Forecasting to Protect Public Safety

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters

    Bill Introduced in Response to DOGE-led Staffing Cuts that Threaten Continuous NWS Operations in the Upper Peninsula

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) co-led bipartisan legislation to help ensure that the National Weather Service (NWS) can continue providing 24/7 forecasting service in communities across the United States. The Federal Operational Resilience in Emergency Conditions and Storm Tracking (FORECAST) Act – which Peters introduced alongside U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS) – would exempt critical NWS positions from any executive orders imposing a hiring freeze, allowing the agency to adequately staff positions that are essential to notifying the public of extreme weather events that could be detrimental to people or property.

    This legislation is introduced in response to the Trump Administration’s self-inflicted staffing shortages, which have left numerous NWS forecasting offices with too few employees to ensure around-the-clock operation. In Michigan, these actions on the part of the Administration have left Marquette’s forecasting office spread so thin that they may be forced to suspend overnight staffing in the coming weeks.

    “We know that in the Upper Peninsula, weather can change on a dime. That’s why we need a team of full-time meteorologists working around the clock to notify the public when extreme weather impacts the region,” said Senator Peters. “This bill would help protect 24/7 weather monitoring in the UP and ensure we keep our communities informed and protected.” 

    Specifically, the bill exempts the following positions from the Trump hiring freezes:  

    • Meteorologists – Covers meteorologists, including forecasters at NWS Weather Forecast Offices and River Forecast Centers. This is the core classification for operational weather forecasting staff. 
    • Hydrologists – Includes hydrologists who support flood forecasting, river modeling, and water resource management — often working closely with meteorologists at RFCs and in field offices. 
    • Field Technicians – These are the field technicians responsible for maintaining radar systems, NOAA Weather Radios, automated weather stations, and other critical NWS observing infrastructure. 

    In addition, the bill also negates any job offer rescinded on or after January 20, 2025 and requires the Secretary of Commerce to submit a report after one year of enactment to demonstrate current adequate staffing levels at the NWS for these covered positions.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Peters, Slotkin, Bergman Call on Small Business Administration to Approve Disaster Declaration to Assist Communities Impacted by Northern Michigan Ice Storms

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Gary Peters (MI) and Elissa Slotkin (MI), as well as U.S. Representative Jack Bergman (MI-01), are calling on President Trump to approve the State of Michigan’s Small Business Administration (SBA) Rapid Administrative Disaster Declaration request following the severe winter storms that impacted Northern Michigan and the Eastern Upper Peninsula in late March. In a letter to SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler, the lawmakers expressed their support for Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s request to the SBA, which would help provide federal assistance to businesses, homeowners, renters, and private nonprofit organizations that were negatively impacted by the storm.  

    “The economic fallout from the storm has been staggering,” the lawmakers wrote. “In Emmet County, the second-most populous county in Northern Michigan, a local business survey conducted in the storm’s aftermath found that 97 percent of businesses experienced disruption, with 86 percent forced to suspend operations, and 71 percent reporting employees unable to report to work. More than half of these businesses reported infrastructure damage, inventory loss, or supply chain disruptions. Small businesses throughout the region, many of which are already operating on thin margins, are now struggling to recover.” 

    The National Weather Service has ranked this storm one of the most significant ice storms ever recorded in Northern Michigan. State and Federal officials estimate the storms caused $137 million in immediate response costs and inflicted severe damage to homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure. In addition to the immediate damage recorded, the summer tourism industry is expected to be impacted as well as other industries after devastating damage to 3 million acres of forest. The SBA Rapid Administrative Disaster Declaration would allow eligible businesses, homeowners, renters, and private nonprofits in the disaster area, specifically Cheboygan, Mackinac, Emmet, Charlevoix, Otsego, Montmorency, and Presque Isle Counties, as well as the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians, to apply for SBA disaster loans to help them recover. 

    The lawmakers continued: “The hardworking people and businesses of Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula are strong and resilient. Yet, local capacity is limited, and recovery of this magnitude requires a coordinated effort at all levels of government. As such, we respectfully request that SBA swiftly approve Governor Whitmer’s request for an administrative declaration of disaster. This declaration would make available critical federal support and resources to struggling business owners as they continue working to stabilize operations, preserve jobs, and rebuild.” 

    Peters, Slotkin, and Bergman have worked in a bipartisan way to aid Northern Michigan communities impacted by this devastating storm. In May, the lawmakers urged President Trump to swiftly approve Governor Whitmer’s Major Disaster Declaration request for Individual Assistance and Public Assistance, which, if approved, would help the affected areas recover from these severe winter storms. In the days following the storm, the lawmakers also wrote Governor Whitmer a letter expressing their willingness to provide any federal support needed as part of the State of Michigan’s response.  

    Text of the letter is available here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ahead of Hurricane Season, Welch Leads Colleagues in Calling on President Trump to Nominate an Experienced FEMA Administrator

    US Senate News:

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

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) this week led his colleagues in urging President Trump to expeditiously nominate a qualified Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator that will restore confidence in the agency as peak disaster season approaches. In their letter, the Senators expressed serious concern about the ongoing absence of a Senate-confirmed FEMA Administrator and steps the Trump Administration has taken to weaken and destabilize the agency, including the abrupt termination last month of Cameron Hamilton, the Senior Official Performing the Duties of FEMA Administrator.  
    “In recent months, your administration has reduced FEMA staff by roughly 30%, rescinded grant funding local communities rely on to recover from disasters and significantly scaled back emergency management training for state officials,” wrote the Senators. “Taken together, these actions have impeded ongoing recovery efforts and undermined the national response to future natural disasters.” 
    To date, President Trump has failed to nominate an Administrator or appoint someone who satisfies the qualifications specified for the role. David Richardson—Mr. Hamilton’s replacement as the Senior Official Performing the Duties of FEMA Administrator—told agency staff last week that he did not know the United States has a hurricane season. Mr. Richardson will head the federal response to any hurricanes that hit our shores this season. 
    The Senators concluded: “We agree that FEMA can do better and needs reform. But dismantling the agency and weakening its leadership will only leave states and localities stranded when disaster strikes. To preserve the long-term integrity of FEMA and ensure our nation’s preparedness for future disasters, we urge you to nominate a qualified Administrator that will restore confidence in the agency as soon as possible.” 
    In addition to Senator Welch, the letter was cosigned by Senators Angus King (I-Maine), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.). 
    Read and download the full text of the letter to President Trump. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The food affordability crisis is one reason governments need to step up for school food

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Tina Moffat, Professor, Department of Anthropology, McMaster University

    Despite the hard work and dedication of hundreds of local grassroots organizations across the country to deliver student nutrition programs, there are, too often, not enough funds to purchase the food to meet student needs.

    As described in a study of elementary school parents’ and teachers’ perspectives on school food in southern Ontario, in the city of Hamilton and Peel Region, far too many school food programs cannot adequately meet existing nutritional needs of hungry students. Some teachers described how students, as young as four years old, come to school without enough nutritious food to fuel them through the day.

    As a researcher who examines biological and cultural determinants of human nutrition and food security, I conducted this study with academic colleagues in partnership with the Coalition for Healthy School Food.

    Fortunately, in 2024 the government of Canada announced a new National School Food Program and policy. As of March 10, 2025, the federal government has made school food agreements with all provinces and territories.

    This is an opportunity to reinvent school food across Canada and to catch up to other G7 countries that have long-running traditions of school food programs.

    Perspectives on school food programs

    In our study we asked parents through an online survey and focus group discussions in Hamilton and Peel Region to tell us what they envision for a future national school food program.

    Eighty-three per cent of the respondents were women; respondents self-identfied as South Asian (eight per cent), Black (five per cent), Indigenous (four per cent), Middle Eastern (four per cent), Southeast Asian (three per cent), Latino (three per cent), East Asian (three per cent) and white (70 per cent).

    Forty-three per cent of households were classified as experiencing some level of food insecurity, with 41 per cent having an annual household income of less than $69,999.

    Ninety-six per cent of survey respondents said they want their child to participate in a school food program, and 77 per cent said they would be willing to pay some amount for it. In parent focus groups, and teacher interviews, participants cited such benefits as:

    • Improving the nutritional quality of what students eat;
    • Reducing the consumption of highly processed foods;
    • Improving behaviour, learning, mental health and energy levels;
    • And connections to curriculum like nutrition and food literacy education.

    Participants saw affordability as one of the major barriers to an accessible program. Suggestions for funding models ranged from universal free programs to government-funded programs subsidized by optional parent contributions, and corporate donor funding.



    Read more:
    School gardens and kitchens could grow with Ontario’s proposed food literacy act

    Most parents and teachers were adamant that programs be universally accessible with nutritious and diverse food options for all students regardless of ability to pay.

    Severely underfunded provinces

    Federal funding of $79 million flowed to the provinces and programs in the first year of the government’s National School Food Program, but those funds were quickly used up.

    As noted by the Coalition for Healthy School Food, not all provinces are contributing in the same way towards school food programs to date.

    In Saskatchewan and Ontario, school food is severely underfunded relative to other provinces and territories. Saskatchewan and Ontario’s per capita investments are four times lower than the national median of 63 cents per student per day: Nova Scotia contributes $3.30 whereas Saskatchewan and Ontario are at the bottom of the pack at three and nine cents per student per day respectively. That’s based on an annual average of 190 school days per year across Canada.

    Without significant funding increases from those provincial governments, none of the hopes and dreams for a National School Food Program in Saskatchewan and Ontario will come to fruition.

    Challenges and opportunities ahead

    While the need for more funding is paramount, there are also logistical issues to tackle. Without commercial-grade kitchens in elementary schools, some survey respondents suggested centralized food preparation models by upgrading existing neighbourhood or high school infrastructure, from which meals could be distributed to local schools.



    Read more:
    What needs to happen next for Canada to have a successful school food program

    Others were in favour of contracting local food businesses as providers. A few parents raised the concern that school boards might contract large food conglomerates, resulting in a situation where corporate profit compromises food quality.

    Teachers voiced the need for adequate staffing and volunteer support so as not to unduly burden school staff. Some parents and teachers felt strongly about minimizing packaging waste. As one teacher stated:

    “I would be concerned about the environmental impact, going from trying to conserve and be mindful of what we use, like reusable containers, to a disposable model … I think it would send a poor message to kids who we’re asking to protect their environment.”

    The topic of how much time students have to eat arose frequently in discussions. In Ontario, many schools at the elementary level adhere to a two-break or balanced day model, where students have a “nutrition break” in the morning with recess, and another in early afternoon (instead of two short recesses and a mid-day window for lunch/recess). This may be a reason why parents and some teachers say that kids don’t have enough time to eat.

    Diversity and inclusion

    In addition to logistical operations and accessibility, parents and teachers voiced the need to consider social and cultural diversity and inclusion. They noted the diversity of student dietary requirements and preferences — from food allergies/intolerances and cultural and religious foods to concerns about what respondents referred to as their “picky eaters.”

    Teachers pointed out that halal and/or vegetarian foods must be made available. The oversight of food safety and offering a diversity of healthy food choices was mentioned repeatedly by parents.

    Meals and ingredients could be posted in weekly or monthly menus — like they are in in France, for example — to ensure students and their families are aware of what is being served.

    Programs engaged with students, community

    There was enthusiasm for exposing kids to culturally diverse menu options that would make students from all backgrounds feel included and welcome.

    While some parents were concerned that their kids might not eat foods they’re unfamiliar with, others thought it would be great to expose them to new foods that they might eat at school even if they wouldn’t at home.

    Some parents were excited about the prospect of community involvement, including volunteers but also students in food prep, distribution and cleanup. Beyond the school community, some proposed fostering partnerships with local farms, community gardens and local food providers.

    In sum, participants voiced the need for flexible programs that could be tailored to specific school, family and community needs — with clear communication with all families and school staff about the school food programs’ goals and operations.

    Much more work to do

    We have a tremendous need and opportunity in Canada to strengthen our food system and food security with the National School Food Program.

    We have just begun this project with the commitment of some federal, provincial and municipal funding, but there is much more work to do in developing school food programs in each part of the country.

    The continued food affordability crisis and the threat of tariffs by the United States make it clear how important these programs are.

    No matter how these programs end up evolving, parents and teachers in Hamilton and Peel Region have clearly voiced their desire for equity — school food program accessibility, regardless of family income. They also want to see food offerings meeting students’ diverse dietary requirements, and the inclusion of student, family, educator and local community partners.

    Tina Moffat receives funding from SSHRC.

    – ref. The food affordability crisis is one reason governments need to step up for school food – https://theconversation.com/the-food-affordability-crisis-is-one-reason-governments-need-to-step-up-for-school-food-257868

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Amid Trump-Musk Fight, Warren Presses Rubio on National Security Contingency Plans for Musk-Linked Government Contracts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    June 07, 2025

    After Trump threatened to cancel Musk’s contracts, Musk warned that SpaceX would “begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately”

    “If Mr. Musk breaches his current contracts or they are canceled immediately, it could leave critical gaps that endanger U.S. interests and national security.”

    Text of Letter (PDF)

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, pressed Acting National Security Advisor Marco Rubio on contingency plans in place if Elon Musk violates his current contractual obligations and fails to deliver services national security agencies are counting on to keep Americans safe. As part of their public feud earlier this week, President Trump threatened to cancel Musk’s government contracts — and Musk, in turn, warned that SpaceX would begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft “immediately.”

    “No petty social media fight between the president and a billionaire should jeopardize U.S. national security,” wrote Senator Warren.

    Elon Musk’s companies have significant contracts with the U.S. government to provide key national security services, including NASA’s approximately $5 billion contract with SpaceX to send and bring home astronauts and supplies to the International Space Station. SpaceX’s Dragon capsule, which Musk threatened to decommission, is the only U.S. vessel capable of carrying astronauts to and from the station. The Department of Defense also relies heavily on SpaceX, including for launch services that support Space Force operations and spy satellites.

    “If Mr. Musk breaches his current contracts or they are canceled immediately, it could leave critical gaps that endanger U.S. interests and national security,” wrote Senator Warren. 

    Senator Warren has previously raised concerns that the U.S. government’s dependence on a mercurial billionaire puts U.S. national security at risk, including in May 2024, when she urged the Department of Defense to hold SpaceX accountable following reports that the company was allowing Starlink terminals to be used by Russian forces and sanctioned paramilitary forces. 

    As the Trump-Musk feud continues, Senator Warren pressed Secretary Rubio for answers to a series of questions in order to understand what contingency plans and options the administration could exercise to ensure that reckless decisions do not create an interruption in critical national security services.

    Senator Warren has long fought to ensure federal contractors are acting the best interest of the American people: 

    • In May 2025, Senators Warren, Warner, Shaheen and other lawmakers pushed for corruption investigations into the Trump Administration’s favors for Elon Musk’s Starlink.
    • In March 2025, Senator Warren, Representative Raskin, Senator Blumenthal, and other lawmakers pushed White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles on corruption by the Trump Administration.
    • In a May 2024 hearing held by the Senate Armed Services Committee’s Strategic Forces subcommittee, Senator Warren pressed Department of Defense officials on what steps they were taking to hold SpaceX accountable for Russia’s illegal use of Starlink.
    • In May 2024, Senator Warren sent a letter calling on the Department of Defense to hold SpaceX accountable for the use of Starlink by Russia and other sanctioned U.S. adversaries.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: MENG INTRODUCES LEGISLATION PROVIDING BACK PAY TO UNJUSTLY FIRED VA EMPLOYEES

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Grace Meng (6th District of New York)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06) introduced legislation to require full back pay for employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) who were unjustly fired and later reinstated. The Reinstating Employee Salaries to Original Rates and Entitlements (RESTORE) Act (H.R.3192) would apply to all VA employees who were terminated and later rehired on or after January 20, 2025.

    In January, the President issued an Executive Order calling for significant reductions in the federal workforce in conjunction with the so-called “Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).” Department communications show that as of March, VA officials had already fired 6,000 employees, and were planning to cut another 80,000 jobs, which would return staffing to 2019 levels. In addition to career civil servants, these actions have mainly targeted probationary employees, who have been in their positions for less than two years or recently received a promotion. As a result, thousands of veterans and federal workers have been terminated across multiple federal agencies, including the VA. These employees were responsible for providing core VA services, including health care, benefits services, housing loans, and burial and memorial services, among others.

    This year, Meng invited Luke Graziani, a constituent from Woodside, Queens and a 20-year U.S. Army veteran who was unjustly fired from his job as a public affairs officer at a New York City veterans’ hospital, as her guest to President Trump’s address to Congress in March to stand against the ongoing mass firings of federal employees and veterans. He was among the tens of thousands of federal workers that the Administration has unfairly terminated across the federal government since January. 

    “VA employees, like Luke Graziani, take an oath to serve our veterans, regardless of who is in the Oval Office. Without them, veterans would be left without the care and benefits they were promised when they made the commitment to serve and protect our nation,” said Meng. “These dedicated public servants, many of whom are veterans themselves, should never have been fired from their jobs. The RESTORE Act guarantees back pay for thousands of these illegally fired VA employees who have devoted their careers to serving our communities. They are not government waste, nor are the salaries they rely on.”

    Graziani was abruptly laid off in February as the Administration began its attempts at sweeping cuts to the federal workforce. Meng had intervened with the VA on his behalf, urging the agency to reinstate him. He was rehired in April after a federal judge ordered the VA and other federal agencies to reinstate probationary workers who were fired. Fortunately, Graziani was reinstated with backpay, but many VA employees haven’t had the same experience, and current federal law doesn’t mandate the Administration provide it in this circumstance. 

    Across the country there are about 2.3 million federal workers who serve their communities each day. Approximately 6,000 federal workers live in Meng’s Congressional District alone.

    Now introduced in the House, the RESTORE Act must be passed by the House Committee on Veteran Affairs before it can be brought to the floor for a vote.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DeGette, Pallone, and Democratic Health Subcommittee Members Demand Hearing on Alarming Disruptions at NIH

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

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee Ranking Member Diana DeGette (CO-01), Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) and all Democratic Health subcommittee members called for an urgent hearing with Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), amid growing concerns over sweeping disruptions to the agency since the beginning of the second Trump Administration. 

    In a letter sent to Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY), the Members requested a hearing to examine “significant staff reductions at the agency, the documented delayed or canceled research activities at NIH, and policy changes that have taken place in the first months of the Trump administration.”

    “Congress has a constitutional responsibility to oversee executive actions that fundamentally alter the structure, capacity, and mission of agencies established in statute, in a bipartisan manner. The current trajectory of NIH under the Trump administration is alarming, marked by political interference, anti-science rhetoric, and destabilizing personnel and funding decisions,” the letter reads. 

    The Members outlined sweeping and destabilizing changes at NIH since January, including: 

    1. Attempting to push out at least 2,500 NIH staff as part of broader HHS-wide staff reductions totaling more than 20,000 employees;
    2. Cancelling over 800 research grants—totaling billions of dollars—impacting research into cancer, mental health, rare diseases, infectious disease, and health disparities;
    3. Freezing NIH grant-operations and external communications, stalling the agency’s ability to carry out its mission; and
    4. Proposing a nearly 40% budget cut to NIH in the Administration’s fiscal year 2026 budget, despite strong bipartisan support for biomedical research.

    The letter continues, “It is critical the Energy and Commerce Committee convene a hearing with Director Bhattacharya to examine these actions and assess whether the NIH remains equipped to serve the American people and maintain its leadership in global biomedical research. We are deeply concerned the disruption at NIH and our biomedical research enterprise will have untold costs in terms of lost innovation and treatments and cures for the American people.”

    The Members sent the letter following the publication of the “Bethesda Declaration” in which hundreds of current and recently terminated NIH employees expressed deep concerns to Director Bhattacharya about the direction NIH has taken under President Trump. 

    Read the Member’s full letter here.

    ### 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoyer Recognizes Educators from the Fifth District at Annual Luncheon

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

    UPPER MARLBORO, MD – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) hosted his annual Educators Luncheon in Upper Marlboro recently to honor 17 exceptional educators, teachers, and education professionals in the Fifth District. Honorees included recipients of several leadership awards, including the Washington Post Finalists for the Teacher of the Year and County Educators of the Year Award Winners.

    “I am proud to celebrate the outstanding educators and support staff who work hard every day for Marylanders in the Fifth District,” said Congressman Hoyer. “America’s teachers continue to face challenges of today with grace and resilience – as they have done for many years. Despite the Trump Administration’s unprecedented attacks on the Department of Education and higher education, I will continue to fight for the funding needed to ensure all our students – no matter their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or disability status – receive equal treatment under the law and in the classroom. I thank them for meeting with me to discuss our shared commitment to the next generation of Marylanders.”
     

    The following education professionals were honored:

    Anne Arundel County
    1. Heather Garris, George Arlotto Leadership Award, Principal of the Year (2023-24)

    Calvert County
    1. Bill Voshell, Calvert County Teacher of the Year (2025)
    2. Rebecca Bowen, Washington Post Principal Finalist (2025)  
    3. Wendy Badgley, Educational Support Professional of the Year (2025)

    Charles County
    1. Alison Cheney, Charles County Teacher of the Year (2025)
    2. Georgia Green, Washington Post Teacher Finalist (2025)
    3. Nicholas Adam, Washington Post Principal Finalist (2025)
    4. Melissa Revell, Outstanding Employee of Charles County Public Schools (2025)
    5. Melanie Sokol, Outstanding Employee of Charles County Public Schools (2025)

    Prince George’s County
    1. Lafiya Tunstall, Prince George’s County Teacher of the Year (2025)
    2. Kathy Russell, Prince George’s County Teacher of the Year (2024)
    3. Dr. Ryan Daniel, National Distinguished Principal (2025), Washington Post Principal of the Year (2024)
    4. Lashawn James, Maryland’s Pupil Personnel Worker of the Year (2025)

    St. Mary’s County
    1. Hunter Martin, Washington Post Teacher Finalist (2025)
    2. Dr. Deborah Dennie, Washington Post Principal Finalist (2025)
    3. Vivian Johnson, St. Mary’s County Public Schools Educational Support Professional of the Year (2025)
    4. Kelly Bridges, Leader of Excellence (2025)

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: King, Colleagues to White House: “Immediately Reverse” Damaging, Unconstitutional Cuts to Job Corps

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — With the Trump administration attempting to shutter the nation’s largest jobs training program for low-income and at-risk young people, Senator Angus King (I-ME), alongside 39 of his Senate colleagues, sent a letter to Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer urging her to reverse the unconstitutional and illegal cuts to the Job Corps program that are harming student and communities in Maine and across the country. These cuts have left 25,000 students and thousands of staff across 99 Job Corps centers in the lurch, including nearly 500 Maine students and nearly 270 Maine employees

    “The Administration’s decision to illegally and abruptly terminate Job Corps center operations has left 25,000 students and thousands of staff across 99 Job Corps centers in the lurch,” wrote the senators. “The sudden ‘pause’ of operations at Job Corps centers puts young people’s lives at risk, especially a significant number of students who were experiencing homelessness before arriving to the program. Local communities will pay a steep price, especially the thousands of individuals who work at the centers and will lose their livelihoods.” 

    “We urge you to immediately reverse this decision to prevent a lapse in education and services for Job Corps students. We further urge that the Department restart enrollments, expeditiously restart background checks, and make any contract extensions or modifications necessary to ensure no interruptions or delays for students or program operations,” concluded the senators. 

    For more than 60 years, Job Corps has helped millions of young people in rural communities and cities alike to finish high school, learn technical skills and get good-paying jobs while providing stable housing, medical and mental health care, and other supportive services. Through Job Corps programs, young people receive the training they need to start in good-paying jobs that support their communities after graduation – including as wildland firefighters, nurses, electricians, machinists, pipefitters, and welders. Last month, however, the Trump administration indefinitely ‘paused’ operations at Job Corps sites across the country. 

    Joining Senator King on the letter are Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL.), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Peter Welch (D-VT), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Chris Coons (D-DE), John Fetterman (D-PA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI.), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Tina Smith (D-MN), Jack Reed (D-RI), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Raphael Warnock (D-GR), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Mark Warner (D-VA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Gary Peters (D-MI.), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Patty Murray (D-WA). 

    Senator King has been consistently sounding the alarm on President Donald Trump’s existential threat to the Constitution. He previously gave a speech on the Senate floor sharing that this administration is doing ‘exactly what the Framers [of the Constitution] most feared” and a speech where he shared his growing concerns over the Trump Administration’s usurpation of Congressional authority. Senator King also previously declared that the proposal to halt all federal grant and loan disbursement was illegal and a direct assault on the Constitution. Previously, he joined 36 Senators in a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, sharing the detrimental effects of  the Trump Administration’s dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and has also joined fellow Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) colleagues in writing a letter to the White House about the risks to national security by allowing unvetted Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staff and representatives to access classified and sensitive government materials.

    The full text of the letter is available here and below.

    +++

    Dear Secretary Chavez-DeRemer:

    We write to express our grave concern with the “pause” of operations that began at Job Corps centers on May 29, 2025, which will harm students and local economies in every state across the country. The Administration’s decision to illegally and abruptly terminate Job Corps center operations has left 25,000 students and thousands of staff across 99 Job Corps centers in the lurch. The sudden “pause” of operations at Job Corps centers puts young people’s lives at risk, especially a significant number of students who were experiencing homelessness before arriving to the program. Local communities will pay a steep price, especially the thousands of individuals who work at the centers and will lose their livelihoods.

    We urge you to immediately reverse this decision to prevent a lapse in education and services for Job Corps students. We further urge that the Department restart enrollments, expeditiously restart background checks, and make any contract extensions or modifications necessary to ensure no interruptions or delays for students or program operations. Congress passed the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act of 2025, which includes $1,760,155,000 for Job Corps and ensures that Job Corps Centers are funded for the new program year that begins on July 1, 2025. We write to remind you of your obligation to faithfully implement the law.

    Since 1964, Job Corps has helped millions of low-income or at-risk young people develop the skills and resilience needed to succeed in work and life. As the largest free residential education and job training program for young adults ages 16-24, Job Corps programs help students complete their high school education, learn high-value technical skills, and connect to employment through intensive education, training, and support services in a residential setting while providing stable housing, medical and mental health care, and other supportive services to ensure their success. At a time when more than 72 percent of jobs will require training beyond a high school diploma, Job Corps provides students with the opportunity to become wildland firefighters, nurses, electricians, machinists, pipefitters, CDL drivers and welders and more.

    Job Corps centers operate in rural and metropolitan regions nationwide and contribute to their local communities and economies. Many centers have partnered with employers, local workforce development boards, government agencies, and community-based organizations to develop the future workforce and meet the needs of local employers.

    Abruptly canceling contracts for the nation’s Job Corps centers will leave students and communities in the lurch and undermine opportunities for young people to get education and training to succeed in valuable trades. Rather than gutting this valuable program, we urge you to work with Congress to strengthen accountability and program quality for the betterment of young workers, employers needing skilled labor, and communities nationwide, such as reforms included in the bipartisan, bicameral WIOA reauthorization bill from last Congress. We request that you provide written answers to the following questions as soon as possible, but not later than June 20, 2025.

    1. Please provide a list of onboard strength (enrollment) at each center before January 20, 2025 and before the operations pause on May 28, 2025.
    2. With Job Corps operations on pause, how does the department plan to fulfill its obligations to implement the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, which includes $1,760,155,00 for Job Corps serving students?
    3. Please provide information on the number of students experiencing homelessness prior to enrollment at a Job Corps center based on enrollment at each center on May 28, 2025.
    4. Please provide a list of every contract that has been terminated or modified since January 20, 2025, including the total amount of funds to each operator, the amount of funds that each operator has spent up to the date of the contract’s termination or modification, and the amount of remaining unspent funds for each contract.
    5. What authority is the Department using to “pause” operations? Please provide a citation in law or regulation.
    6. The concept of a “pause” does not exist in Job Corps authorizing statute and appears to be an attempt to illegally shut down Job Corps operations without following requirements in law. Section 159 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) includes clear requirements and processes for the closure of Job Corps Centers that were not followed in this “pause”. How does the Department define a “pause” and how is it different than a “termination”?
    7. On April 25, 2025, the Department’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA) released the first-ever Job Corps Transparency Report, which is used throughout the DOL press release to pause operations at centers.
      1. Centers have returned funding to DOL when enrollments were lower than expected (but that’s not reflected in this report.) Please provide an updated cost per enrollee that accounts for money returned to DOL.
      2. The report also provides cost per enrollee based on enrollment from program year 2023. DOL has much more up-to-date enrollment numbers. Please provide an updated cost per enrollee with the enrollments on campuses as of May 28, 2025, incorporating onboard strength at each campus.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: House Democrats Challenge Trump’s Unconstitutional Birthright Citizenship Executive Order in Court

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

    Washington, D.C. —  On Friday, House Democrats’ Litigation and Rapid Response Task Force, remaining steadfast in their commitment to fighting against the Trump Administration’s illegal attacks on the constitutional principle of birthright citizenship, filed an amicus brief in the matter of Trump v. Casa, Inc., which is now before the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals. The Trump Administration filed this appeal to overturn a nationwide preliminary injunction blocking the President’s attempt to change the constitutional right to birthright citizenship via executive order. 

    The amicus brief–signed by 170 House Democrats–provides overwhelming evidence that President Trump’s Executive Order violates the Constitution and over a century of Supreme Court rulings, as well as laws enacted by Congress. It also signifies the lawmakers’ commitment to defending birthright citizenship, following their amicus briefs filed in State of Washington v. Trump before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and in the Supreme Court cases Trump v. Washington, Trump v. CASA, Inc., and Trump v. New Jersey.

    The full brief is available HERE.   

    The effort is once again being helmed by House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, along with Litigation Task Force Chair Assistant Leader Joe Neguse and Co-Chair, Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jamie Raskin; Representatives Bennie Thompson, Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Committee, and Pramila Jayapal, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement; as well as Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Chair Yvette Clarke, Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chair Adriano Espaillat, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Chair Grace Meng, and Congressional Jewish Caucus (CJC) Co-Chairs Jerry Nadler and Brad Schneider.

    See what they had to say below: 

    “Donald Trump and Elon Musk are taking a chainsaw to the United States Constitution. Their disgraceful actions on birthright citizenship violate our nation’s laws and are an assault on the American way of life. House Democrats will continue to push back aggressively against them in the courts, in Congress and in our communities. The Supreme Court of the United States must stand on the side of the Constitution and reject this outrageous effort. I am thankful for the leadership of Rep. Raskin, Rep. Thompson, Rep. Jayapal, Rep. Clarke, Rep. Espaillat, Rep. Meng, Rep. Nadler, Rep. Schneider and Assistant Leader Neguse of the Litigation Working Group and Rapid Response Task Force in standing up for the rule of law,” said House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. 

    “President Trump’s executive order on birthright citizenship is unconstitutional, and as our amicus brief makes clear, House Democrats will continue to vindicate our constitution,” said Assistant Democratic Leader Joe Neguse. 

    “Donald Trump’s executive order purporting to eliminate birthright citizenship violates not only the first sentence of the Fourteenth Amendment but decades of Supreme Court interpretation and federal laws enacted by Congress,” said Ranking Member Jamie Raskin. “The Fourteenth Amendment is clear that people born in the United States are American citizens regardless of their parents’ origin or status. A Presidential executive order cannot override the U.S. Constitution to strip millions of Americans born here of their rights and freedoms. We will fight to defend this core principle of Constitutional equality and membership.”

     “We will not allow the Trump administration to redefine what it is to be an American just to fit their extreme anti-immigrant beliefs. Under the Constitution, people born here are United States citizens – no matter who they are, what they look like, or where their families came from. Americans reject what Trump is attempting to do, and the Supreme Court must too,” said Ranking Member Bennie Thompson. 

    “Birthright citizenship is a core piece of our Constitution. Ending it through executive order is simply unconstitutional and a dangerous overreach of executive power,” said Ranking Member Pramila Jayapal. “All persons born on U.S. soil are U.S. citizens, that is what our Constitution dictates and is something President Trump cannot undo by waving a pen. As the first immigrant to serve as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Immigration, Integrity, Security, and Enforcement, I am proud to be co-leading on this amicus brief to stand up for the immigration laws of this country.”

    “Birthright citizenship is enshrined in our Constitution and has been affirmed by the Supreme Court numerous times — including in the landmark United States v. Wong Kim Ark decision. No matter what President Trump says or does, he cannot unilaterally overrule the law of the land by signing a piece of paper. As Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, I join my colleagues in standing up for American values and against this unconstitutional executive overreach,” said CAPAC Chair Grace Meng.

    “Birthright citizenship is a moral imperative in the United States because of its origins. It’s about our collective recovery from the evils of slavery, yes, but it’s also about equal opportunity for every American born in this country,” said CHC Chair Adriano Espaillat. “This brief reminds the Supreme Court of the historical weight of the 14th amendment and of the very real costs that would be imposed by additional legal requirements on all growing families by a spurious reinterpretation of this keystone amendment.”

    “Donald Trump is not a king. He cannot dismiss a century and a half of legal and judicial precedent that affirms the plain language of the Fourteenth Amendment of our Constitution with the swipe of a pen. Our Constitution clearly says if you are born here, you are a citizen. I’m hopeful that our highest court will follow the precedent set by its predecessors and send a clear message to the President that his flagrant, illegal overreach will be stopped,” said CJC Co-Chair Brad Schneider.

    “Donald Trump’s divisive and xenophobic policies seek to divide and distract us,” said CJC Co-Chair Jerry Nadler. “We are dealing with a President who believes he is not just above the law, but above the U.S. Constitution.  The 14th Amendment is clear that persons born in the United States are U.S. citizens. And yet, President Trump feels compelled to single-handedly change what has been universally understood about the law since the Amendment was adopted in 1868.  All Americans should be disturbed by Trump’s assertion that he can unilaterally change the Constitution at will to suit his purposes.  This represents an assault on our democracy, and we cannot stand idly by and allow the President to disregard fundamental pillars of the Constitution. That is why I am proud as the Congressional Jewish Caucus Co-chair to join my colleagues in leading this effort.” 

    Background on the Task Force’s Wins:

    The Litigation and Rapid Response Task Force first took the unprecedented step of filing a trial court amicus brief to defend American consumers from predatory lenders and bad actors. They were successful in this case after a federal judge blocked efforts to dismantle the CFPB, citing the group’s argument multiple times throughout the 112-page ruling. The Task Force was also able to effectively prevent the Trump Administration from dismantling the Department of Education, filing another such brief that led to a federal court demanding the immediate rehiring of unlawfully terminated staff. House Democrats have so far filed eight amicus briefs in cases against Administration lawlessness. 

    For more information on House Democrats efforts to protect Americans against the unlawful actions of the Trump Administration, visit litigationandresponse.house.gov. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Wall Street Journal Op-ed: My Son is Counting on Medicaid Work Requirements

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)

    WASHINGTON — When people who can work but refuse to do so and stay on Medicaid, it takes away resources from those who deserve and rely upon it – like the teenage son of Arkansas father Nick Stehle, who has severe autism and epilepsy and requires constant attention. The Wall Street Journal published Nick’s story last week, which touts the work requirements included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that will strengthen and preserve the program for those who need it.

    “Yet thanks to ObamaCare’s Medicaid expansion, he is stuck on a multiyear waiting list for in-home care because able-bodied adults are competing for the same resources,” Arkansas father Nick Stehle wrote.

    Read the full op-ed here or below:

    Medicaid was created to help people like my son. He is 17, has severe autism and epilepsy, and needs constant attention. Yet thanks to ObamaCare’s Medicaid expansion, he is stuck on a multiyear waiting list for in-home care because able-bodied adults are competing for the same resources. Republicans in the Senate can help states fix this by strengthening the Medicaid work requirements in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act they’re about to pass.

    ObamCare gave states a financial incentive to treat able-bodied adults better than the disabled. The federal government gives states $9 for every $1 they spend on able-bodied adults, but only $1.33 for every dollar spent on children, people with disabilities, pregnant women and seniors. Drawn by the promise of so much federal money, Arkansas’s Democratic governor expanded Medicaid in 2013. The program now covers more than 230,000 able-bodied adults.

    Because able-bodied adults bring so much money, Arkansas makes them a priority. We applied for in-home care in 2023, but state officials said it would take 10 years. Democrats are doing everything they can to keep my son on the wait list. They’re trying to frighten Republicans into abandoning work requirements by claiming they’re ineffective, unnecessary and cruel—none of which is true.

    In 2018 the Trump administration gave Arkansas a waiver that let it require able-bodied adults without children to work part time as a condition of receiving Medicaid benefits. A federal judge struck down the waiver on procedural grounds 10 months after the policy began to phase in. Yet the work requirement already had strong results.

    In less than a year, nearly 18,000 able-bodied adults increased their incomes enough to get off Medicaid. States should encourage people to replace government dependency with financial independence, protecting Medicaid for people like my son. But Democrats and their allies now claim there wasn’t a corresponding increase in the number of people working. They also claim that people left Medicaid because they didn’t know about the work requirement and therefore didn’t fill out the paperwork. All these false claims are intended to convince Republicans that work requirements are difficult for states to administer.

    Yet Arkansas thought it was well worth the effort, sending out more than a million letters, emails, text messages and phone calls in 2018 alone to inform recipients about the requirement. And far from not filling out paperwork, fully 87% of the people who were removed from Medicaid had already increased their incomes, moved out of state or otherwise become ineligible for the program. This freed up resources for people like my son. Arkansas projected the changes would save at least $300 million a year, reflecting how few of those able-bodied adults worked. Though the left now says that 92% of Medicaid recipients are supposedly working, that claim is based on self-reported survey data from the Census, with state sample sizes as small as 41 people. Only one conclusion is possible: Democrats want able-bodied adults to continue getting the benefits intended for my son.

    A work requirement for Medicaid would put my son first. The House version of the “one big beautiful bill” applies only to childless adults on Medicaid expansion. The Senate could do better by extending the work requirement to even more able-bodied adults—say, those without young kids. The Senate could go even further, ending the Medicaid funding formula that encourages states to sign up able-bodied adults at the expense of people with disabilities. But the work requirement is the bare minimum of what Republicans should pass. Able-bodied adults have blocked my son from care for too long.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Mann Applauds the One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s Wins for America

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Tracey Mann (Kansas, 1)

    [embedded content]

    CLICK HERE to download Rep. Mann’s opening remarks.

    CLICK HERE to watch Rep. Mann’s opening remarks on YouTube.

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) spoke on the U.S. House floor in support of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which passed in the House with a vote of 215-214 on May 22, 2025. During the speech, Rep. Mann highlighted his priorities in the bill, which include advancing the largest tax cuts in American history, historic investments in the nation’s border security and air traffic control systems, and long overdue relief for the nation’s agriculture community.

    Rep. Mann’s Remarks as Prepared:

    Mr. Speaker, over the Memorial Day recess, Rasmussen found that a majority of Americans say the country is on the right track. Under President Trump, America just keeps winning, again and again and again. Promises made, promises kept.

    77 million Americans trusted President Trump to restore common sense to our nation’s capital by bringing down everyday costs, reining in our federal spending, lowering taxes, rolling back burdensome regulations, strengthening our nation’s border security and getting our fiscal house back in order. President Trump has already begun delivering on that mandate, and Congress is helping him advance his agenda.

    Just a few days ago, here in this chamber, House Republicans voted to deliver the largest tax cut in American history. We made long overdue investments into our nation’s border security by funding the completion of the border wall, investing in modern technology to assist with intercepting drug and human smuggling, and increasing detention capacity for Immigration and Customs Enforcement as they work to deport violent criminals and gang members who are in the country illegally.

    Our bill supports America’s farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers like those in the Big First District of Kansas who want to see the farm safety net strengthened by expanding crop insurance and updating reference prices. We permanently expanded the death tax exemption, saving two million family farms and saving those families more than $10 billion. We supported President Trump and Secretary Duffy’s request to make much-needed investments into the Federal Aviation Administration to modernize our air traffic control technology and infrastructure and to uphold the Gold Standard of American aviation.

    The One Big Beautiful Act strengthens our social safety net while better stewarding the tax dollars of hardworking Americans. Americans are generous people, but we cannot allow the government to abuse that generosity. Programs like Medicaid and SNAP were intended for the most vulnerable populations in the country—pregnant women, single parents with kids too young for school, low-income Americans, disabled individuals, and the elderly. Over the years, those programs have been exploited and expanded beyond their initial intent, causing the cost of these programs to skyrocket exponentially.

    If taxpaying Americans can get up every day and go to work, why shouldn’t we ask the same thing of those who benefit from that generosity? Our bill requires that able-bodied adults without kids too young for school, work, or volunteer at least 20 hours a week. This includes volunteering at a food pantry, a local church, or giving back to their community. It’s disheartening that so many of my Democrat colleagues would prefer to lie about what our bill does and limit Americans to a permanent destination of government assistance rather than empower them returning to the ladder of opportunity. That is not the American dream.

    I am hopeful that the Senate will move quickly to get it over the finish line and on the President’s desk. The country cannot afford for us to get this bill wrong, and I trust that every single Republican is committed to getting it to the President as soon as possible and helping America win yet again.

    ###

     

    For more information about Representative Mann, visit: www.mann.house.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Jayapal Statement on Trump Abuse of Power in Los Angeles

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

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal  (WA-07), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Immigration, Security, Integrity, and Enforcement, released the following statement regarding the Trump Administration’s escalations of violence and abuse of power in Los Angeles, California.

    “On Friday and Saturday, the Trump Administration conducted a series of increasingly militarized immigration actions, utilizing law enforcement from numerous agencies and calling out the National Guard without a request or support from the Governor. They arrested David Huerta, the President of SEIU California, who was peacefully protesting the raids, as well as rounding up over 120 immigrants at least, according to initial reports. ICE also denied entry to Members of Congress — who have the legal authority and responsibility to conduct unannounced oversight visits — at both the LA detention center, where people were being held, as well as the Adelanto Detention Center, where detained people were reportedly transferred.   

    “The people of Los Angeles were non-violently protesting the injustices they have seen with Trump’s mass deportation agenda, the Administration’s sweeping up people of various legal statuses, and denying access to counsel to those detained. These peaceful protestors were exercising their constitutional rights to use their voices to speak out against this injustice and were met instead with tear gas and rubber bullets from an Administration that refuses to allow free speech or dissent in this country.

    “Trump is weaponizing the military against U.S. citizens and immigrants alike with no regard for the rule of law in this country — even threatening force on nonviolent protesters. This isn’t just an attack on immigrants, it is an attack on our foundational freedoms. Detained people must be provided with access to counsel, and the militarized raids by the federal government must stop immediately. 

    “I urge every person using their right to protest to continue to do so peacefully, even as the Trump Administration escalates violence.”

    Issues: Civil Rights, Public Safety & Criminal Justice

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth, Colleagues Demand Answers on Cost and Justification for Un-American Transgender Military Ban That Will Harm National Security

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    June 05, 2025

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—today led 22 of her fellow Senate Democratic colleagues in urging Defense Secretary Hegseth to reverse course and not implement the Trump Administration’s un-American transgender military service ban that will unfairly attack honorable servicemembers for who they are, compromise good order and discipline and jeopardize our national security. In the Senators’ letter, the group demands answers from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth—including what specific data is being used to back up their claim that transgender servicemembers are not in the “interests of national security” and how much it will cost taxpayers to train the replacements of perfectly capable transgender servicemembers that they are forcing out of our military. After Senator Duckworth led over a dozen of her colleagues in April pushing back against the ban, Secretary Hegseth’s response to their letter did not answer many of the questions that were asked about the short- and long-term impacts of the ban on servicemembers, readiness and national security as well as taxpayer cost and more.

    “Transgender servicemembers are not political props; they are patriotic Americans serving honorably,” wrote the Senators. “Banning them from service will compromise good order and discipline, take deployable servicemembers out of the fight and create national security risks felt for years to come. Your recent implementation guidance makes matters worse.”

    Additionally, the lawmakers admonished the Trump Administration’s latest guidance for implementing the ban, which requires military commanders to report servicemembers in their unit who they think display any signs of gender dysphoria.

    “By stating that unit commanders ‘will direct’ reviews of the medical records of servicemembers under their command, despite the fact that they are not equipped to do so, you are requiring them to perform a duty—for purely political reasons—that is far outside the scope of their normal operational and warfighting-centric responsibilities,” continued the Senators. “This burden is corrosive to unit cohesion, trust and the wellbeing of the servicemember and the commanders, who are being failed by their chain of command. This is not leadership.”

    In conclusion, the lawmakers’ wrote: “Your policy will harm our armed services’ operational readiness and lethality, not only endangering Americans, but costing billions of dollars in taxpayer money in service of a political stunt meant to attack a small, extraordinarily brave group of people. Servicemembers’ privacy is being invaded, their livelihoods are being threatened and they are being used as a political tool to appeal to a minority of Americans.”

    “Mr. Secretary, do not implement this ban.”

    In addition to Duckworth, the letter is co-signed by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

    The letter is endorsed by SPARTA, Modern Military Association of America, Minority Veterans of America and Out in National Security.

    The full text of the letter is available on Senator Duckworth’s website and below:

    Secretary Hegseth:

    We write to express our ongoing opposition to the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) destructive and foolhardy ban on transgender servicemembers, as outlined in the May 15, 2025, memorandum entitled “Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness: Implementation Guidance.” We have already written to condemn the ban itself. Transgender servicemembers are not political props; they are patriotic Americans serving honorably. Banning them from service will compromise good order and discipline, take deployable servicemembers out of the fight and create national security risks felt for years to come. Your recent implementation guidance makes matters worse.

    The May 15th memorandum compromises commanders by making them informers on their own troops in areas outside of their expertise. Per that guidance, commanders of servicemembers who, in their judgment, display “gender dysphoria, a history of gender dysphoria, or symptoms consistent with gender dysphoria will direct individualized medical record reviews of such Service members.” Generally, commanders are not trained in medicine, psychology or mental health and are therefore not qualified to assess the members of their units for symptoms of mental health diagnoses. By stating that unit commanders “will direct” reviews of the medical records of servicemembers under their command, despite the fact that they are not equipped to do so, you are requiring them to perform a duty—for purely political reasons—that is far outside the scope of their normal operational and warfighting-centric responsibilities. This burden is corrosive to unit cohesion, trust and the wellbeing of the servicemember and the commanders, who are being failed by their chain of command. This is not leadership.

    Additionally, the Department’s discharge guidance punishes those who have volunteered to serve. The guidance, which mandates separating transgender officers using the JDK separation code “on the basis that their continued service is not clearly consistent with the interests of national security,” is unjustifiable.  There is ample evidence that these servicemembers, many of whom are decorated with years of honorable service and all or nearly all of whom are otherwise deployable, are assets to their units and to the force.  Your DoD has failed to produce any meaningful evidence to suggest otherwise, much less to prove that transgender servicemembers threaten national security. Using this discharge code is not only cruel; it’s stupid. Beyond insulting brave individuals who have sacrificed to serve their country, this further ensures that the DoD or other security agencies will not be able to hire these individuals in a civilian capacity, robbing the national security establishment that protects everyday Americans of any opportunity to benefit from the skills and expertise these unreasonably separated servicemembers have gained at great expense to the taxpayer.

    Beyond those process failures, your last response declined to answer several critical questions, answers to which are vital for Congress’ ability to oversee your Department. Ongoing litigation is no excuse; the taxpayers have a right to know your reasons and evidence. Please explain:

    1. What is the anticipated cost of implementing this policy, including all costs for separation, legal defense, investments made in these brave servicemembers that will no longer be recouped and the cost to train their replacements? How much more expensive is it than retaining these servicemembers?
    2. What specific information, data or evidence, if any, serve as the basis for the statement that allowing transgender troops to serve is “not clearly consistent with the interests of national security”?
    3. What consultations, studies and/or assessments were conducted (internally or externally) to evaluate the impact of this policy prior to implementation?

    We trust that you will either include copies of all such reports, briefs or findings with your response, or specify that no such evidence exists.

    Your policy will harm our armed services’ operational readiness and lethality, not only endangering Americans, but costing billions of dollars in taxpayer money in service of a political stunt meant to attack a small, extraordinarily brave group of people. Servicemembers’ privacy is being invaded, their livelihoods are being threatened and they are being used as a political tool to appeal to a minority of Americans.

    Mr. Secretary, do not implement this ban.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rutherford Statement on NOAA’s Amendment 59

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Rutherford (4th District of Florida)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Monday, U.S. Congressman John H. Rutherford (FL-05) released the following statement on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s Amendment 59:

    “The release of Amendment 59 by NOAA, without the proposed three-month bottom fishing closure, is a major victory for Florida, especially for our more than 4 million anglers, coastal communities, and families whose livelihoods depend on reliable access to these waters and fisheries.

    “This outcome proves what anglers have been saying all along, the proposed bottom closure was a politically motivated attempt by the Biden Administration to shut down access to our fisheries and not rooted in actual data. 

    “Thank you to President Trump and Secretary Lutnick for listening to the concerns of anglers across the South Atlantic and pushing for accurate data. The final rule reflects what anglers are seeing and catching, which is more red snapper than ever before.

    “I am proud to have introduced the Red Snapper Act in the House and secured funding for the South Atlantic Great Red Snapper Count to ensure we’re using independent, peer-reviewed data in future management decisions. Today is a huge step in the right direction and I look forward to working with the Trump Administration to ensure recreational anglers voices are heard in Washington, D.C.”

    Read more about NOAA’s announcement here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Albanese says the government’s focus on delivering commitments is essential to reinforce faith in democracy

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

    Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says his second term government is “focused on delivery” of its commitments, declaring this is important not only for the economy but also for Australians’ faith in our democracy.

    In a speech to the National Press Club on Tuesday, partially released ahead of delivery, Albanese warns that the present era of global uncertainty reaches beyond just economic uncertainty.

    “It is the more corrosive proposition that politics and government and democratic institutions, including a free media, are incapable of meeting the demands of this moment.

    “Some simply dismiss such sentiment. Others cynically seek to harvest it. Our responsibility is to disprove it.

    “To recognise that some of this frustration is drawn from people’s real experience with government – be it failures of service delivery, or falling through the cracks of a particular system.

    “And to counter this, we have to offer the practical and positive alternative.To prove that a good, focused, reforming Labor government can make a real difference to people’s lives.”

    Albanese’s speech comes ahead of his departure later this week for the G7 summit in Canada, where he is expected to meet US President Donald Trump on the sidelines.

    Their talks are set to cover, in particular, the Albanese government’s bid for relief from the Trump tariffs and the president’s desire for Australia to significantly boost its spending on defence.

    Australia is subject to both the general US 10% tariff and the separate tariff on steel and aluminium, which the president has just increased to 50%.

    Australia will put on the table a proposal for arrangements on access to our critical minerals and rare earths, that will favour the US. The government has also been examining a way to give access to US beef, which currently faces an effective ban on biosecurity grounds.

    Albanese has stressed that any change would not compromise Australian biosecurity.

    The Trump administration has flagged it would like to see Australia boost defence spending to 3.5% of GDP. Albanese has said Australia makes its own defence decisions and that spending should be based on capability needs rather than a set percentage.

    Albanese’s stress, in his speech, on “delivery” of commitments is partly to manage expectations in the wake of the government’s massive majority.

    The unexpected election result has led to some pressures on the government to use its position to undertake a more radical agenda than the one it put at the election.

    Albanese says: “Our government’s vision and ambition for Australia’s future was never dependent on the size of our majority.

    “But you can only build for that future vision if you build confidence that you can deliver on urgent necessities.

    “How you do that is important too – ensuring that the actions of today, anticipate and create conditions for further reform tomorrow.”

    He says the government’s second-term agenda has been shaped by Australians’ lives, priorities and values.

    “It is the mission and the measure of a Labor government to give those enduring ideals of fairness, aspiration and opportunity renewed and deeper meaning, for more Australians.

    “To deliver reforms that hold no-one back – and drive progress that leaves no-one behind.

    “This is no small task. It demands we aim high and requires us to build big.”

    He points to the government’s promised big investment in Medicare as well as its commitments on housing and the energy transition.

    “Our vision is for a society that is a microcosm for the world – where all are respected and valued and our diversity is recognised as a strength.

    “Where our international relationships in the fastest growing region of the world in human history benefit us, but also provide a platform for us to play a stabilising global role in uncertain times.”

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

    – ref. Albanese says the government’s focus on delivering commitments is essential to reinforce faith in democracy – https://theconversation.com/albanese-says-the-governments-focus-on-delivering-commitments-is-essential-to-reinforce-faith-in-democracy-257331

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –