Category: Trumpism

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murray, Kaptur Blast Energy Department’s Decision to Steer Hundreds of Millions of Dollars Away from Wind, Solar to Favored Industries—In Defiance of Bipartisan Spending Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Washington, D.C. — Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-09), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, issued the following joint statement on the Department of Energy’s (DOE) decision to illegally cut investments that Congress provided to support the research and development of wind and solar energy, instead steering funds to other favored energy sources, in defiance of the fiscal year 2025 full-year continuing resolution (CR) President Trump himself signed into law in March.

    “This outrageous, unlawful decision by the Trump administration is a direct attack on our energy independence and American families’ ability to afford their monthly energy bill. By slashing congressionally mandated investments in cutting-edge technologies, President Trump is driving up energy costs and ceding ground to our global competitors, who certainly aren’t throwing in the towel on the energy solutions of the future. This isn’t a bureaucratic misstep—it’s a deliberate, partisan effort to sabotage bipartisan law and redirect funding to the energy sources favored by Secretary Wright and his allies. We demand the Department immediately reverse this reckless decision and honor the funding levels Congress enacted and the President himself signed into law.”

    In fiscal year 2024, Congress provided $137 million for the Department of Energy to support wind energy initiatives and provided $318 million to support solar energy. The fiscal year 2025 full-year CR that House Republicans wrote and President Trump signed into law continued these fiscal year 2024 funding levels. But in a spend plan made public by DOE today, the Trump administration revealed it is steering hundreds of millions of dollars designated by Congress to support wind and solar energy to other, favored industries—jeopardizing critical progress and ceding ground on key energy solutions of the future—among other harmful cuts. Instead of funding wind energy initiatives at $137 million, the administration is funding them at $29.8 million (a 78% cut), and instead of funding solar initiatives at $318 million, it is funding them at $41.9 million (an 87% cut).

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murray, Kaptur Blast Energy Department’s Decision to Steer Hundreds of Millions of Dollars Away from Wind, Solar to Favored Industries—In Defiance of Bipartisan Spending Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Washington, D.C. — Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-09), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, issued the following joint statement on the Department of Energy’s (DOE) decision to illegally cut investments that Congress provided to support the research and development of wind and solar energy, instead steering funds to other favored energy sources, in defiance of the fiscal year 2025 full-year continuing resolution (CR) President Trump himself signed into law in March.

    “This outrageous, unlawful decision by the Trump administration is a direct attack on our energy independence and American families’ ability to afford their monthly energy bill. By slashing congressionally mandated investments in cutting-edge technologies, President Trump is driving up energy costs and ceding ground to our global competitors, who certainly aren’t throwing in the towel on the energy solutions of the future. This isn’t a bureaucratic misstep—it’s a deliberate, partisan effort to sabotage bipartisan law and redirect funding to the energy sources favored by Secretary Wright and his allies. We demand the Department immediately reverse this reckless decision and honor the funding levels Congress enacted and the President himself signed into law.”

    In fiscal year 2024, Congress provided $137 million for the Department of Energy to support wind energy initiatives and provided $318 million to support solar energy. The fiscal year 2025 full-year CR that House Republicans wrote and President Trump signed into law continued these fiscal year 2024 funding levels. But in a spend plan made public by DOE today, the Trump administration revealed it is steering hundreds of millions of dollars designated by Congress to support wind and solar energy to other, favored industries—jeopardizing critical progress and ceding ground on key energy solutions of the future—among other harmful cuts. Instead of funding wind energy initiatives at $137 million, the administration is funding them at $29.8 million (a 78% cut), and instead of funding solar initiatives at $318 million, it is funding them at $41.9 million (an 87% cut).

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI China: Trump announces trade deal with Vietnam

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

    U.S. President Donald Trump announced on his social media platform Truth Social that he has just made a trade deal with Vietnam after speaking with To Lam, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee.

    “It will be a Great Deal of Cooperation between our two Countries. The Terms are that Vietnam will pay the United States a 20 percent Tariff on any and all goods sent into our Territory, and a 40 percent Tariff on any Transshipping,” he wrote.

    In return, Vietnam will do something that it has never done before, namely give the United States total access to its markets for trade, his post said.

    Vietnam will “OPEN THEIR MARKET TO THE UNITED STATES,” meaning that “we will be able to sell our product into Vietnam at ZERO Tariff,” wrote Trump.

    MIL OSI China News

  • MIL-Evening Report: Antarctic research is in decline, and the timing couldn’t be worse

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Leane, Professor of Antarctic Studies, School of Humanities, University of Tasmania

    Oleksandr Matsibura/Shutterstock

    Ice loss in Antarctica and its impact on the planet – sea level rise, changes to ocean currents and disturbance of wildlife and food webs – has been in the news a lot lately. All of these threats were likely on the minds of the delegates to the annual Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting, which finishes up today in Milan, Italy.

    This meeting is where decisions are made about the continent’s future. These decisions rely on evidence from scientific research. Moreover, only countries that produce significant Antarctic research – as well as being parties to the treaty – get to have a final say in these decisions.

    Our new report – published as a preprint through the University of the Arctic – shows the rate of research on the Antarctic and Southern Ocean is falling at exactly the time when it should be increasing. Moreover, research leadership is changing, with China taking the lead for the first time.

    This points to a dangerous disinvestment in Antarctic research just when it is needed, alongside a changing of the guard in national influence. Antarctica and the research done there are key to everyone’s future, so it’s vital to understand what this change might lead to.

    Why is Antarctic research so important?

    With the Antarctic region rapidly warming, its ice shelves destabilising and sea ice shrinking, understanding the South Polar environment is more crucial than ever.

    Ice loss in Antarctica not only contributes to sea level rise, but impacts wildlife habitats and local food chains. It also changes the dynamics of ocean currents, which could interfere with global food webs, including international fisheries that supply a growing amount of food.

    Research to understand these impacts is vital. First, knowing the impact of our actions – particularly carbon emissions – gives us an increased drive to make changes and lobby governments to do so.

    Second, even when changes are already locked in, to prepare ourselves we need to know what these changes will look like.

    And third, we need to understand the threats to the Antarctic and Southern Ocean environment to govern it properly. This is where the treaty comes in.

    What is the Antarctic Treaty?

    The region below 60 degrees south is governed by the 1959 Antarctic Treaty, along with subsequent agreements. Together they are known as the Antarctic Treaty System.

    Fifty-eight countries are parties to the treaty, but only 29 of them – called consultative parties – can make binding decisions about the region. They comprise the 12 original signatories from 1959, along with 17 more recent signatory nations that produce substantial scientific research relating to Antarctica.

    This makes research a key part of a nation’s influence over what happens in Antarctica.

    For most of its history, the Antarctic Treaty System has functioned remarkably well. It maintained peace in the region during the Cold War, facilitated scientific cooperation, and put arguments about territorial claims on indefinite hold. It indefinitely forbade mining, and managed fisheries.

    Lately, however, there has been growing dysfunction in the treaty system.

    Environmental protections that might seem obvious – such as marine protected areas and special protections for threatened emperor penguins – have stalled.

    Because decisions are made by consensus, any country can effectively block progress. Russia and China – both long-term actors in the system – have been at the centre of the impasse.




    Read more:
    Antarctic summer sea ice is at record lows. Here’s how it will harm the planet – and us


    What did our report find?

    Tracking the amount of Antarctic research being done tells us whether nations as a whole are investing enough in understanding the region and its global impact.

    It also tells us which nations are investing the most and are therefore likely to have substantial influence.

    Our new report examined the number of papers published on Antarctic and Southern Ocean topics from 2016 to 2024, using the Scopus database. We also looked at other factors, such as the countries affiliated with each paper.

    The results show five significant changes are happening in the world of Antarctic research.

    • The number of Antarctic and Southern Ocean publications peaked in 2021 and then fell slightly yearly through to 2024.
    • While the United States has for decades been the leader in Antarctic research, China overtook them in 2022.
    • If we look only at the high-quality publications (those published in the best 25% of journals) China still took over the US, in 2024.
    • Of the top six countries in overall publications (China, the US, the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany and Russia) all except China have declined in publication numbers since 2016.
    • Although collaboration in publications is higher for Antarctic research than in non-Antarctic fields, Russia, India and China have anomalously low rates of co-authorship compared with many other signatory countries.

    Why is this research decline a problem?

    A recent parliamentary inquiry in Australia emphasised the need for funding certainty. In the UK, a House of Commons committee report considered it “imperative for the UK to significantly expand its research efforts in Antarctica”, in particular in relation to sea level rise.

    US commentators have pointed to the inadequacy of the country’s icebreaker infrastructure. The Trump administration’s recent cuts to Antarctic funding are only likely to exacerbate the situation. Meanwhile China has built a fifth station in Antarctica and announced plans for a sixth.

    Given the nation’s population and global influence, China’s leadership in Antarctic research is not surprising. If China were to take a lead in Antarctic environmental protection that matched its scientific heft, its move to lead position in the research ranks could be positive. Stronger multi-country collaboration in research could also strengthen overall cooperation.

    But the overall drop in global Antarctic research investment is a problem however you look at it. We ignore it at our peril.

    Elizabeth Leane receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the Dutch Research Council, the Council on Australian and Latin American Relations DFAT and HX (Hurtigruten Expeditions). She has received in-kind support from Hurtigruten Expeditions in the recent past. The University of Tasmania is a member of the UArctic, which has provided support for this project.

    Keith Larson is affiliated with the UArctic and European Polar Board. The UArctic paid for the development and publication of this report. The UArctic Thematic Network on Research Analytics and Bibliometrics conducted the analysis and developed the report. The Arctic Centre at Umeå University provided in-kind support for staff time on the report.

    ref. Antarctic research is in decline, and the timing couldn’t be worse – https://theconversation.com/antarctic-research-is-in-decline-and-the-timing-couldnt-be-worse-260197

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-Evening Report: Antarctic research is in decline, and the timing couldn’t be worse

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Leane, Professor of Antarctic Studies, School of Humanities, University of Tasmania

    Oleksandr Matsibura/Shutterstock

    Ice loss in Antarctica and its impact on the planet – sea level rise, changes to ocean currents and disturbance of wildlife and food webs – has been in the news a lot lately. All of these threats were likely on the minds of the delegates to the annual Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting, which finishes up today in Milan, Italy.

    This meeting is where decisions are made about the continent’s future. These decisions rely on evidence from scientific research. Moreover, only countries that produce significant Antarctic research – as well as being parties to the treaty – get to have a final say in these decisions.

    Our new report – published as a preprint through the University of the Arctic – shows the rate of research on the Antarctic and Southern Ocean is falling at exactly the time when it should be increasing. Moreover, research leadership is changing, with China taking the lead for the first time.

    This points to a dangerous disinvestment in Antarctic research just when it is needed, alongside a changing of the guard in national influence. Antarctica and the research done there are key to everyone’s future, so it’s vital to understand what this change might lead to.

    Why is Antarctic research so important?

    With the Antarctic region rapidly warming, its ice shelves destabilising and sea ice shrinking, understanding the South Polar environment is more crucial than ever.

    Ice loss in Antarctica not only contributes to sea level rise, but impacts wildlife habitats and local food chains. It also changes the dynamics of ocean currents, which could interfere with global food webs, including international fisheries that supply a growing amount of food.

    Research to understand these impacts is vital. First, knowing the impact of our actions – particularly carbon emissions – gives us an increased drive to make changes and lobby governments to do so.

    Second, even when changes are already locked in, to prepare ourselves we need to know what these changes will look like.

    And third, we need to understand the threats to the Antarctic and Southern Ocean environment to govern it properly. This is where the treaty comes in.

    What is the Antarctic Treaty?

    The region below 60 degrees south is governed by the 1959 Antarctic Treaty, along with subsequent agreements. Together they are known as the Antarctic Treaty System.

    Fifty-eight countries are parties to the treaty, but only 29 of them – called consultative parties – can make binding decisions about the region. They comprise the 12 original signatories from 1959, along with 17 more recent signatory nations that produce substantial scientific research relating to Antarctica.

    This makes research a key part of a nation’s influence over what happens in Antarctica.

    For most of its history, the Antarctic Treaty System has functioned remarkably well. It maintained peace in the region during the Cold War, facilitated scientific cooperation, and put arguments about territorial claims on indefinite hold. It indefinitely forbade mining, and managed fisheries.

    Lately, however, there has been growing dysfunction in the treaty system.

    Environmental protections that might seem obvious – such as marine protected areas and special protections for threatened emperor penguins – have stalled.

    Because decisions are made by consensus, any country can effectively block progress. Russia and China – both long-term actors in the system – have been at the centre of the impasse.




    Read more:
    Antarctic summer sea ice is at record lows. Here’s how it will harm the planet – and us


    What did our report find?

    Tracking the amount of Antarctic research being done tells us whether nations as a whole are investing enough in understanding the region and its global impact.

    It also tells us which nations are investing the most and are therefore likely to have substantial influence.

    Our new report examined the number of papers published on Antarctic and Southern Ocean topics from 2016 to 2024, using the Scopus database. We also looked at other factors, such as the countries affiliated with each paper.

    The results show five significant changes are happening in the world of Antarctic research.

    • The number of Antarctic and Southern Ocean publications peaked in 2021 and then fell slightly yearly through to 2024.
    • While the United States has for decades been the leader in Antarctic research, China overtook them in 2022.
    • If we look only at the high-quality publications (those published in the best 25% of journals) China still took over the US, in 2024.
    • Of the top six countries in overall publications (China, the US, the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany and Russia) all except China have declined in publication numbers since 2016.
    • Although collaboration in publications is higher for Antarctic research than in non-Antarctic fields, Russia, India and China have anomalously low rates of co-authorship compared with many other signatory countries.

    Why is this research decline a problem?

    A recent parliamentary inquiry in Australia emphasised the need for funding certainty. In the UK, a House of Commons committee report considered it “imperative for the UK to significantly expand its research efforts in Antarctica”, in particular in relation to sea level rise.

    US commentators have pointed to the inadequacy of the country’s icebreaker infrastructure. The Trump administration’s recent cuts to Antarctic funding are only likely to exacerbate the situation. Meanwhile China has built a fifth station in Antarctica and announced plans for a sixth.

    Given the nation’s population and global influence, China’s leadership in Antarctic research is not surprising. If China were to take a lead in Antarctic environmental protection that matched its scientific heft, its move to lead position in the research ranks could be positive. Stronger multi-country collaboration in research could also strengthen overall cooperation.

    But the overall drop in global Antarctic research investment is a problem however you look at it. We ignore it at our peril.

    Elizabeth Leane receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the Dutch Research Council, the Council on Australian and Latin American Relations DFAT and HX (Hurtigruten Expeditions). She has received in-kind support from Hurtigruten Expeditions in the recent past. The University of Tasmania is a member of the UArctic, which has provided support for this project.

    Keith Larson is affiliated with the UArctic and European Polar Board. The UArctic paid for the development and publication of this report. The UArctic Thematic Network on Research Analytics and Bibliometrics conducted the analysis and developed the report. The Arctic Centre at Umeå University provided in-kind support for staff time on the report.

    ref. Antarctic research is in decline, and the timing couldn’t be worse – https://theconversation.com/antarctic-research-is-in-decline-and-the-timing-couldnt-be-worse-260197

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker Hosts Veterans Town Hall Alongside Passaic County Board of County Commissioners, Spotlights Trump Administration’s Cuts to Vital Veteran Services

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
    WAYNE, N.J. – This afternoon, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) hosted a town hall with over 150 veterans in partnership with the Passaic County Board of County Commissioners. Veterans spoke to Booker about the impacts the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans are having on vital services they rely on every day, from housing and health care to workforce development and food assistance.
    Booker presented a check to New Jersey SOS Veteran Stakeholder Group for $500,000 in Fiscal Year 2024 Congressionally Directed Spending for their project providing furnishing for homeless veterans receiving housing assistance. Booker also recognized seven New Jerseyans with Certificates of Special Recognition for their outstanding service improving the lives of New Jersey’s veterans.
    “We owe our veterans a debt of gratitude. They’ve sacrificed so we may enjoy the freedoms we so often take for granted. Despite this, the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans have taken steps to undermine the wellbeing of those who defended our nation, stripping many of the essential services upon which they rely. What I heard this afternoon was frustration, fear, and uncertainty. Our veterans deserve security, but what they’re getting from Washington is instability. I look forward to continuing to stand with veterans, fighting the Trump administration at every turn to ensure our vets have access to the housing, employment, health care, and comprehensive services they deserve,” said Senator Booker. 
    “It was an honor to welcome Senator Booker to Passaic County for this important conversation with our veterans. This town hall created a space for our heroes to share their stories directly with those who can effect real change. In Passaic County, we are deeply committed to supporting our veterans and advocating for the resources they’ve earned through their service and events like this help amplify their voices at every level of government,” said Sandi Lazzara, Deputy Director, Passaic County Board of County Commissioners.
    “We are honored that Senator Booker chose Passaic County for his Veteran Town Hall. It created a space for veterans to express their concerns and have their voices heard. It also gives their concerns that much needed place at the table where their issues can be addressed.  NJSOSVETS would like to thank Senator Booker for securing us funding for our Veteran Furniture Project. It will help turn an empty apartment into a home and help give veterans the dignity they deserve,” said David Pearson, Director, New Jersey SOS Veteran Stakeholder Group
    Booker was honored to present a Certificate of Special Recognition to the following New Jerseyans in recognition of and gratitude for their service to country and dedication to improving the lives of New Jersey’s veterans:
    David Cathcart, U.S. Army Vietnam veteran, former Secaucus Vet Center Director and veteran advocate
    Emerson Crooks, U.S. Marine Corps Vietnam Veteran and veteran advocate
    Lucy Del Gaudio, U.S. Army veteran, Operation Sisterhood Director and veteran advocate 
    Sherwood English, U.S. Army veteran, Passaic County Veterans Service Officer
    Anna Maria Vancheri, Paterson Veterans Council
    Anthony “Tony” Vancheri, U.S. Army Vietnam veteran, and President of the Paterson Veterans Council
    Michael Ventimiglia, U.S. Air Force Vietnam veteran

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker Tours Valley Hospital, Discusses Damaging Effects of Medicaid Cuts on NJ Families, Healthcare Providers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
    PARAMUS, N.J. – This afternoon, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) met with Valley Hospital administrators, doctors, and nurses to tour the hospital’s state-of-the-art facilities and discuss the disastrous effects of the Senate GOP’s cuts to Medicaid—the largest cuts to the program in history—in their recently passed bill, which Booker termed a “moral obscenity.”
    “Valley Hospital is a pillar of Bergen County. It’s a site of community wellness, healing, and hope. We should be doing everything to support lowering costs for working families and increasing access to the programs that keep us all healthy, but instead Senate Republicans’ have enacted the largest cuts to Medicaid in recent history. It was clear in my conversations that these cuts will be disastrous. They’ll limit access to critical health services and raise the cost of health care for millions of Americans, including hundreds of thousands of New Jerseyans. These cuts pose a grave threat to our regional and community health centers. I greatly appreciate the work of the doctors, nurses, administrators, and hospital staff that keep our communities healthy. To support them, we must stand firm against the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans, making clear we won’t tolerate policies that jeopardize access to affordable health care,” said Senator Booker.
    “We thank Senator Cory Booker for visiting The Valley Hospital today,” said Robert Brenner, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Valley Health System. “We greatly value his commitment to and passion for healthcare in New Jersey. I believe today’s tour of our new hospital gave Senator Booker keen insight into how Valley is using technology, sustainability and a deep commitment to its doctors and staff to provide care like no other in our region.”

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed Rips Senate Passage of Trump-Republicans’ ‘Big, Ugly Betrayal’ Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, following a vote of 51-50, U.S. Senator Jack Reed issued the following statement assailing Senate passage of Republicans’ ‘big, ugly’ reconciliation budget bill:

    “Rhode Islanders care about rising costs but Trump and this Republican Congress don’t care about costs.  Instead, they’re passing a huge tax giveaway for the wealthiest, slashing healthcare for millions, and adding trillions to the debt.  Future generations will be paying for this destructive, fiscally irresponsible monstrosity long after Donald Trump is gone.  This bill takes from the needy and gives to greedy special interests.

    “Congress should help lower costs and improve health care, not rip it away from millions of families and explode the deficit in order to give special tax treatment to billionaires and millionaires.

    “The Trump-Republican bill will contribute to higher health care prices, bigger bureaucratic hurdles, and shift heavier financial burdens onto working families, seniors, hospitals, and state and local governments.

    “Budgets are about priorities, and it’s clear Republicans prioritized the wealthiest at the expense of the working-class.  The big tax advantages go to the rich while all the cruelest cuts hit people struggling to pay for rent, food, health care, and energy bills.

    “This shameful bill is fiscally irresponsible and short-sighted.  It will force future generations to pick up the tab and sacrifices their economic future for a short-term money grab for the wealthy.

    “Many seniors, veterans, and children from low-income families will lose their health coverage due to the Republican vote.  Of course, not everyone will lose their coverage right away or feel the impact evenly.  But make no mistake: the cuts in this bill will cause higher premiums, hospital closures, crowded emergency rooms, and longer wait times, and it will add more burdens to state budgets.

    “Trump’s MAGA grift machine took full advantage of his own supporters.  Many won’t realize how bad this bill truly is until it’s too late and the safety net is no longer there when they need it. 

    “Congressional Republicans carved out big breaks for Big Oil polluters, while making it harder for families trying to send their kids to college.  The super-rich were granted a higher, permanent exemption of the estate tax so affluent couples can bequeath $30 million tax free to their heirs. Meanwhile the bill will make it harder to find a quality, affordable nursing home for seniors.  It undermines public education, gives gun manufactures a $1.7 billion tax break, and spends $40 million on a vanity sculpture garden for Donald Trump.  

    “This isn’t the end of the fight.  We’ve got to work even harder to limit the damage and then reverse it in the years ahead.”

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaptur, Murray Blast Energy Department’s Decision to Steer Hundreds of Millions of Dollars Away from Wind, Solar to Favored Industries — In Defiance of Bipartisan Spending Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09)

    Washington, DC — Today, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development issued the following joint statement on the Department of Energy’s (DOE) decision to illegally cut investments that Congress provided to support the research and development of wind and solar energy, instead steering funds to other favored energy sources, in defiance of the fiscal year 2025 full-year continuing resolution (CR) President Trump himself signed into law in March.

    “This outrageous, unlawful decision by the Trump administration is a direct attack on our energy independence and American families’ ability to afford their monthly energy bill. By slashing congressionally mandated investments in cutting-edge technologies, President Trump is driving up energy costs and ceding ground to our global competitors, who certainly aren’t throwing in the towel on the energy solutions of the future. This isn’t a bureaucratic misstep — it’s a deliberate, partisan effort to sabotage bipartisan law and redirect funding to the energy sources favored by Secretary Wright and his allies. We demand the Department immediately reverse this reckless decision and honor the funding levels Congress enacted and the President himself signed into law.”

    In fiscal year 2024, Congress provided $137 Million for the Department of Energy to support wind energy initiatives and provided $318 Million to support solar energy. The fiscal year 2025 full-year CR that House Republicans wrote and President Trump signed into law continued these fiscal year 2024 funding levels. But in a spend plan made public by DOE today, the Trump administration revealed it is steering hundreds of millions of dollars designated by Congress to support wind and solar energy to other, favored industries—jeopardizing critical progress and ceding ground on key energy solutions of the future — among other harmful cuts. Instead of funding wind energy initiatives at $137 Million, the administration is funding them at $29.8 Million (a 78% cut), and instead of funding solar initiatives at $318 Million, it is funding them at $41.9 Million (an 87% cut).

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-Evening Report: Trump is not like other presidents – but can he beat the ‘second term curse’ that haunts the White House?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Garritt C. Van Dyk, Senior Lecturer in History, University of Waikato

    Getty Images

    While he likes to provoke opponents with the possibility of serving a third term, Donald Trump faces a more immediate historical burden that has plagued so many presidents: the “second term curse”.

    Twenty-one US presidents have served second terms, but none has reached the same level of success they achieved in their first.

    Second term performances have ranged from the lacklustre and uninspiring to the disastrous and deadly. Voter dissatisfaction and frustration, presidential fatigue and a lack of sustainable vision for the future are all explanations.

    But Trump doesn’t quite fit the mould. Only one other president, Grover Cleveland in the late 19th century, has served a second nonconsecutive term, making Trump 2.0 difficult to measure against other second-term leaders.

    Trump will certainly be hoping history doesn’t repeat Cleveland’s second-term curse. Shortly after taking office he imposed 50% tariffs, triggering global market volatility that culminated in the “Panic of 1893”.

    At the time, this was the worst depression in US history: 19% unemployment, a run on gold from the US Treasury, a stock market crash and widespread poverty.

    More than a century on, Trump’s “move fast and break things” approach in a nonconsecutive second term might appeal to voters demanding action above all else. But he risks being drawn into areas he campaigned against.

    So far, he has gone from fighting a trade war and a culture war to contemplating a shooting war in the Middle East. His “big beautiful bill” will add trillions to the national debt and potentially force poorer voters – including many Republicans – off Medicaid.

    Whether his radical approach will defy or conform to the second term curse seems very much an open question.

    No kings

    The two-term limit was enacted by the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution in 1951. Without a maximum term, it was feared, an authoritarian could try to take control for life – like a king (hence the recent “No Kings” protests in the US).

    George Washington, James Madison and Thomas Jefferson all declined to serve a third term. Jefferson was suspicious of any president who would try to be re-elected a third time, writing:

    should a President consent to be a candidate for a 3d. election, I trust he would be rejected on this demonstration of ambitious views.

    There is a myth that after Franklin Delano Roosevelt broke the de facto limit of two terms set by the early presidents, the ghost of George Washington placed a curse on anyone serving more than four years.

    At best, second-term presidencies have been tepid compared to the achievements in the previous four years. After the second world war, some two-term presidents (Eisenhower, Reagan and Obama) started out strong but faltered after reelection.

    Eisenhower extricated the US from the Korean War in his first term, but faced domestic backlash and race riots in his second. He had to send 500 paratroopers to escort nine Black high school students in Little Rock, Arkansas, to enforce a federal desegregation order.

    Reagan made significant tax and spending cuts, and saw the Soviet Union crumble in term one. But the Iran-Contra scandal and watered down tax reform defined term two.

    Obama started strongly, introducing health care reform and uniting the Democratic voter base. After reelection, however, the Democrats lost the House, the Senate, a Supreme Court nomination, and faced scandals over the Snowden security leaks and Internal Revenue Service targeting of conservative groups.

    Truly disastrous examples of second term presidencies include Abraham Lincoln (assassination), Woodrow Wilson (first world war, failure of the League of Nations, a stroke), Richard Nixon (Watergate, impeachment and resignation), and Bill Clinton (Lewinsky scandal and impeachment).

    Room for one more? Trump has joked about being added to Mount Rushmore.
    Shutterstock

    Monumental honours

    It may be too early to predict how Trump will feature in this pantheon of less-than-greatness. But his approval ratings recently hit an all-time low as Americans reacted to the bombing of Iran and deployment of troops in Los Angeles.

    A recent YouGov poll showed voters giving negative approval ratings for his handling of inflation, jobs, immigration, national security and foreign policy. While there has been plenty of action, it may be the levels of uncertainty, drastic change and market volatility are more extreme than some bargained for.

    An uncooperative Congress or opposition from the judiciary can be obstacles to successful second terms. But Trump has used executive orders, on the grounds of confronting “national emergencies”, to bypass normal checks and balances.

    As well, favourable rulings by the Supreme Court have edged closer to expanding the boundaries of executive power. But they have not yet supported Trump’s claim from his first term that “I have an Article 2, where I have the right to do whatever I want as President”.

    Some supporters say Trump deserves a Nobel Peace Prize. And he was only half joking when he asked if there is room for one more face on Mount Rushmore. But such monumental honours may only amount to speculation unless Trump’s radical approach and redefinition of executive power defy the second-term curse.

    Garritt C. Van Dyk has received funding from the Getty Research Institute.

    ref. Trump is not like other presidents – but can he beat the ‘second term curse’ that haunts the White House? – https://theconversation.com/trump-is-not-like-other-presidents-but-can-he-beat-the-second-term-curse-that-haunts-the-white-house-260002

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 07/2/2025 Blackburn Statement on President Trump’s Tennessee U.S. Attorney Nominations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)

    NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Today, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) released the following statement praising President Trump’s nominations of Mike Dunavant to serve as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee and Braden Boucek to serve as U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee:

    “In nominating Mike Dunavant and Braden Boucek, President Trump is keeping his promise to Make America Safe Again,” said Senator Blackburn. “Both are experienced and principled federal prosecutors who know what it takes to lead a U.S. Attorney’s office. Mike and Braden will uphold the rule of law in Tennessee, restore law and order, and admirably serve the people of our incredible state. In my role on the Senate Judiciary Committee, I look forward to supporting their nominations and working to ensure they are swiftly confirmed.”

    BACKGROUND

    Mike Dunavant, Nominee for U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee:

    • Mr. Dunavant previously served as a U.S. Attorney during President Trump’s first term and was confirmed by the Senate in a unanimous vote.
    • Under his leadership, Memphis witnessed a 13.1% decrease in overall violent crime from 2017 to 2019.
    • Mr. Dunavant also instituted a successful carjacking initiative with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and local law enforcement to aggressively prosecute armed carjackings.
    • He reinvigorated the Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force, expanding cooperation with local and federal law enforcement.
    • Mr. Dunavant brings the leadership, experience, and proven track record needed to reduce violent crime and restore public safety in Memphis.

    Braden Boucek, Nominee for U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee:

    • Mr. Boucek served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in both Nashville and Memphis and as a prosecutor for the state of Tennessee—as both an Assistant Attorney General and as Assistant District Attorney. 
    • He has prosecuted hundreds of cases, ranging from organized crime and drug trafficking cases to terrorism and immigration offenses.
    • Currently, he serves as Vice President of Litigation at the Southeastern Legal Foundation, where he has focused his work on protecting Americans’ constitutional rights.
    • Mr. Boucek brings a strong background in criminal and constitutional law that will serve the people of the Middle District of Tennessee well.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • Pakistan doesn’t impinge on India-US ties: EAM Jaishankar

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday dismissed suggestions that Pakistan has any bearing on India’s ties with the United States, asserting that the relationship stands on its own merit and is not defined by third countries.

    Addressing a press conference in Washington, Jaishankar said, “I would really urge you to get over the idea that we need to define ourselves regarding third countries in order to forge ahead in ties with Washington,” Jaishankar told reporters.

    “Big relationships are not forged in terms of third countries and where they fit,” he emphasised, responding to a question on whether Pakistan’s role has changed India-US ties.

    “The central factor in the relationship between India and the US is India and the US. It is our complementarity. In many ways, it is the benefits that we get from closer relationship that is actually driving it,” he said.

    Jaishankar underlined that India’s growing global stature demands greater self-assurance when engaging major partners. “We are a big country. We are among the top five economies of the world. We are the most populous country in the world. Our influence is growing,” he said. “We must have that confidence.”

    The foreign minister said that ties with the US have progressed on substantive issues that bring mutual benefit. “It’s about trade. It is about investment. It is about technology. It is about mobility. It is about energy,” he said.

    On former US President Donald Trump’s claim that he brokered the ceasefire between India and Pakistan after Operation Sindoor, Jaishankar said: “The record of what happened was very clear.”

    “The ceasefire was something that was negotiated between the DGMOs” — Directors General of Military Operations Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai of India and Major General Kashif Abdullah of Pakistan — “I’d leave it at that,” he said.

    Jaishankar is in Washington for the Quad Ministerial meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Foreign Ministers of Australia and Japan. The Quad Ministers condemned the Pahalgam massacre carried out by The Resistance Front, linked to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba.

    On the sidelines, Jaishankar held separate meetings with Secretary Rubio, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Energy Secretary Chris Wright.

    “We essentially did a stock-taking of the last six months. And, you know, what do we do to go, a look ahead,” Jaishankar said on his talks with Rubio. “This included a discussion on trade and investment, on technology, on defence and security, on energy and on mobility.”

    Defence and energy ties warranted dedicated meetings with Hegseth and Wright, the Minister added.

    IANS

  • Pakistan doesn’t impinge on India-US ties: EAM Jaishankar

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday dismissed suggestions that Pakistan has any bearing on India’s ties with the United States, asserting that the relationship stands on its own merit and is not defined by third countries.

    Addressing a press conference in Washington, Jaishankar said, “I would really urge you to get over the idea that we need to define ourselves regarding third countries in order to forge ahead in ties with Washington,” Jaishankar told reporters.

    “Big relationships are not forged in terms of third countries and where they fit,” he emphasised, responding to a question on whether Pakistan’s role has changed India-US ties.

    “The central factor in the relationship between India and the US is India and the US. It is our complementarity. In many ways, it is the benefits that we get from closer relationship that is actually driving it,” he said.

    Jaishankar underlined that India’s growing global stature demands greater self-assurance when engaging major partners. “We are a big country. We are among the top five economies of the world. We are the most populous country in the world. Our influence is growing,” he said. “We must have that confidence.”

    The foreign minister said that ties with the US have progressed on substantive issues that bring mutual benefit. “It’s about trade. It is about investment. It is about technology. It is about mobility. It is about energy,” he said.

    On former US President Donald Trump’s claim that he brokered the ceasefire between India and Pakistan after Operation Sindoor, Jaishankar said: “The record of what happened was very clear.”

    “The ceasefire was something that was negotiated between the DGMOs” — Directors General of Military Operations Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai of India and Major General Kashif Abdullah of Pakistan — “I’d leave it at that,” he said.

    Jaishankar is in Washington for the Quad Ministerial meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Foreign Ministers of Australia and Japan. The Quad Ministers condemned the Pahalgam massacre carried out by The Resistance Front, linked to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba.

    On the sidelines, Jaishankar held separate meetings with Secretary Rubio, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Energy Secretary Chris Wright.

    “We essentially did a stock-taking of the last six months. And, you know, what do we do to go, a look ahead,” Jaishankar said on his talks with Rubio. “This included a discussion on trade and investment, on technology, on defence and security, on energy and on mobility.”

    Defence and energy ties warranted dedicated meetings with Hegseth and Wright, the Minister added.

    IANS

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Estes Reacts To Canada’s Removal Of DSTs

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas)

    Rep. Estes Reacts To Canada’s Removal Of DSTs

    WASHINGTON – Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) released a statement following Canada’s announcement to rescind their Digital Services Taxes (DSTs) on the United States yesterday.
     
    “Canada’s decision to rescind their egregious Digital Services Taxes is a win for American businesses and workers,” said Rep. Estes. “I’ve consistently called for an end to this discriminatory tax practice, and I’m grateful that under President Trump’s leadership, American tax sovereignty is being protected.”

    Background

    Rep. Estes has long opposed DSTs, including Canada’s Digital Services Tax Act (DSTA). Most recently, he and his colleagues sent a letter to President Donald Trump urging the removal of Canada’s DST.

    In 2023, Rep. Estes introduced a resolution against foreign DSTs. Last year, Rep. Estes condemned Canada’s initial Digital Services Tax on the United States. During the 119th Congress, Rep. Estes issued a statement of support on the Trump administration’s investigation into DSTs.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • Pakistan doesn’t impinge on India-US ties: Jaishankar

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday dismissed suggestions that Pakistan has any bearing on India’s ties with the United States, asserting that the relationship stands on its own merit and is not defined by third countries.

    Addressing a press conference in Washington, Jaishankar said, “I would really urge you to get over the idea that we need to define ourselves regarding third countries in order to forge ahead in ties with Washington,” Jaishankar told reporters.

    “Big relationships are not forged in terms of third countries and where they fit,” he emphasised, responding to a question on whether Pakistan’s role has changed India-US ties.

    “The central factor in the relationship between India and the US is India and the US. It is our complementarity. In many ways, it is the benefits that we get from closer relationship that is actually driving it,” he said.

    Jaishankar underlined that India’s growing global stature demands greater self-assurance when engaging major partners. “We are a big country. We are among the top five economies of the world. We are the most populous country in the world. Our influence is growing,” he said. “We must have that confidence.”

    The foreign minister said that ties with the US have progressed on substantive issues that bring mutual benefit. “It’s about trade. It is about investment. It is about technology. It is about mobility. It is about energy,” he said.

    On former US President Donald Trump’s claim that he brokered the ceasefire between India and Pakistan after Operation Sindoor, Jaishankar said: “The record of what happened was very clear.”

    “The ceasefire was something that was negotiated between the DGMOs” — Directors General of Military Operations Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai of India and Major General Kashif Abdullah of Pakistan — “I’d leave it at that,” he said.

    Jaishankar is in Washington for the Quad Ministerial meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Foreign Ministers of Australia and Japan. The Quad Ministers condemned the Pahalgam massacre carried out by The Resistance Front, linked to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba.

    On the sidelines, Jaishankar held separate meetings with Secretary Rubio, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Energy Secretary Chris Wright.

    “We essentially did a stock-taking of the last six months. And, you know, what do we do to go, a look ahead,” Jaishankar said on his talks with Rubio. “This included a discussion on trade and investment, on technology, on defence and security, on energy and on mobility.”

    Defence and energy ties warranted dedicated meetings with Hegseth and Wright, the Minister added.

    IANS

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Dallas arrests illegal alien wanted in home country for organizing an assassination attempt

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    DALLAS – Immigration and Customs Enforcement Dallas apprehended Maria Julia Varela, a 36-year-old El Salvadoran national, with connections to MS-13 and Barrio 18 transnational gangs June 30.

    Varela is wanted by law enforcement officials in El Salvador for her role in organizing an assassination attempt.

    “This criminal alien fled El Salvador hoping to evade law enforcement and accountability for an attempt of conspiring to take some one’s life,” said Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Dallas Travis Pickard. “HSI Dallas remains steadfast in ensuring that communities in North Texas are not a refuge for international fugitives. We are dedicated to pursuing those accused of crimes that endanger public safety.”

    HSI Dallas Violent Gangs Task Force assisted by officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigations Dallas, U.S. Marshals, Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division, and the Internal Revenue Service arrested Varela during the enforcement of HSI’s National Gang surge operation, aligned with the Trump Administration’s Executive Order, Protecting the American People Against Invasion.

    Varela will remain in ICE custody pending removal from the U.S. Varela was first encountered by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol in 2016 as a family unit and processed for a notice to appear.

    Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in our communities on X: @HSI_Dallas.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Washington state files amicus brief in support of legal challenge to unlawful termination of Job Corps

    Source: Washington State News

    SEATTLE — Attorney General Nick Brown today filed an amicus brief with the attorneys general from 21 other states in support of a proposed class of plaintiffs challenging the unlawful termination of Job Corps, a national program that offers career training and housing to young Americans from low-income backgrounds. 

    Last week, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York issued a preliminary injunction in favor of the plaintiffs challenging in National Job Corps Association et al. v. Department of Labor et al., noting in its opinion that the coalition of states led by Washington had opposed the termination of the program. Today’s filing urges the court, weighing a motion brought by enrollees in the program, to affirm that an injunction should remain in place.      

    Job Corps has nearly 100 residential campuses across the country, and the Trump Administration’s effort to illegally terminate the program threatens to leave thousands of vulnerable young Americans homeless. The brief explains that “in the sixty years since Congress created Job Corps, millions of young Americans from low-income backgrounds have been served by the program’s unique combination of education, training, housing, healthcare and community.” 

    Unlawful termination of the program would impact tens of thousands of young Americans who are currently enrolled and housed at campuses in all fifty states, including the Cascades Job Corps Center in Sedro-Woolley, Washington and the Tongue Point Job Corps Center in Astoria, Oregon. Thousands of these program participants were unhoused or in foster care when they enrolled and have no alternative housing if they lose their residence through the program.

    Today’s brief was filed in Cabrera et al. v. Department of Labor et al. in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, with Attorney General Brown and Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford leading a coalition including Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawai’i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin.

    Today’s amicus filing reaffirms that keeping an injunction in place is necessary to protect vulnerable state residents and promote state goals in education and workforce development. It further reinforces the point that the Trump administration cannot violate federal law and the Constitution by terminating congressionally mandated programs it opposes.

    A copy of the amicus brief is available here.

    -30-

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

    Media Contact:

    Email: press@atg.wa.gov

    Phone: (360) 753-2727

    General contacts: Click here

    Media Resource Guide & Attorney General’s Office FAQ

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA News: 160th Anniversary of the United States Secret Service, 2025

    Source: US Whitehouse

    class=”has-text-align-center”>By the President of the United States of America

    A Proclamation

    On April 14, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln signed legislation authorizing the creation of the United States Secret Service, the very same day an assassin’s bullet tragically took his life.  Ironically, the agency he established likely could not have saved him.  Its original purpose was not protection, but preservation, tasked with ending the widespread counterfeiting that threatened to destabilize the post-Civil War economy.  Less than 3 months later, on July 5, 1865, the Secret Service officially began operations within the Department of the Treasury. 

    Over time, the agency’s mission began to expand.  Following the assassination attempt of William McKinley in 1901, the Congress entrusted the Secret Service with the solemn duty of protecting the President of the United States.  What began as an effort to defend America’s currency became a lasting commitment to defend its highest office.  Today, the Secret Service stands among the Nation’s most elite and storied law enforcement agencies, defined by honor, vigilance, and its enduring motto:  “Worthy of Trust and Confidence.”

    More than 8,000 men and women serve in the Secret Service, united by a mission that demands excellence, resilience, and steadfast loyalty.  They protect the President and Vice President, their families, former presidents, major presidential candidates, and visiting foreign dignitaries.  Their watch extends to the White House, the Vice President’s residence, National Special Security Events, and critical sites around the world.  Agents undergo intense and rigorous training to earn their post, ensuring that only the most disciplined and determined are entrusted with this sacred duty.  Even in moments of grave danger, these warriors stand firm, confronting threats with unshakable resolve, unmatched skill, and the quiet strength that defines the very best of American law enforcement.  

    The United States Secret Service has stood as an unflinching shield against violence and mayhem, answering the call whenever danger arises to protect our national leadership.  Agents have placed themselves in harm’s way to protect against the attempted assassinations of President-elect Franklin Roosevelt in 1933, President Harry Truman in 1950, President Gerald Ford in 1975, President Ronald Reagan in 1981, and two attempts against my own life in 2024.  In each of these moments, they acted with split-second courage and absolute devotion to duty.  I witnessed their bravery firsthand — calm under pressure, fearless in the face of danger, and wholly committed to the mission.  Behind these historical incidents stand countless additional threats, lives protected without fanfare, and sacrifices made without recognition.  To risk laying down one’s life for another is the most selfless act of patriotism and humanity, and I am forever indebted to the agents who risk everything to guard me from harm.

    As we commemorate the 160th anniversary of the United States Secret Service, our Nation proudly honors the heroism, discipline, and unwavering commitment of every agent who have placed their lives in the line of fire so that our Republic, our freedom, and our glorious constitutional order may endure.  Their bravery stands as a powerful testament to the spirit of America, undaunted in the face of danger and resolute in the defense of liberty.

    NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim July 5, 2025, as the 160th Anniversary of the United States Secret Service.  I call upon all Americans to offer our unending gratitude and respect to the 8,000 employees of the United States Secret Service in more than 150 offices across the country and abroad that serve on the edge of danger to defend the safety and security of our communities and uphold the sovereignty and strength of our Republic.

    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this second day of July, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.

                                   DONALD J. TRUMP

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA News: 160th Anniversary of the United States Secret Service, 2025

    Source: US Whitehouse

    class=”has-text-align-center”>By the President of the United States of America

    A Proclamation

    On April 14, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln signed legislation authorizing the creation of the United States Secret Service, the very same day an assassin’s bullet tragically took his life.  Ironically, the agency he established likely could not have saved him.  Its original purpose was not protection, but preservation, tasked with ending the widespread counterfeiting that threatened to destabilize the post-Civil War economy.  Less than 3 months later, on July 5, 1865, the Secret Service officially began operations within the Department of the Treasury. 

    Over time, the agency’s mission began to expand.  Following the assassination attempt of William McKinley in 1901, the Congress entrusted the Secret Service with the solemn duty of protecting the President of the United States.  What began as an effort to defend America’s currency became a lasting commitment to defend its highest office.  Today, the Secret Service stands among the Nation’s most elite and storied law enforcement agencies, defined by honor, vigilance, and its enduring motto:  “Worthy of Trust and Confidence.”

    More than 8,000 men and women serve in the Secret Service, united by a mission that demands excellence, resilience, and steadfast loyalty.  They protect the President and Vice President, their families, former presidents, major presidential candidates, and visiting foreign dignitaries.  Their watch extends to the White House, the Vice President’s residence, National Special Security Events, and critical sites around the world.  Agents undergo intense and rigorous training to earn their post, ensuring that only the most disciplined and determined are entrusted with this sacred duty.  Even in moments of grave danger, these warriors stand firm, confronting threats with unshakable resolve, unmatched skill, and the quiet strength that defines the very best of American law enforcement.  

    The United States Secret Service has stood as an unflinching shield against violence and mayhem, answering the call whenever danger arises to protect our national leadership.  Agents have placed themselves in harm’s way to protect against the attempted assassinations of President-elect Franklin Roosevelt in 1933, President Harry Truman in 1950, President Gerald Ford in 1975, President Ronald Reagan in 1981, and two attempts against my own life in 2024.  In each of these moments, they acted with split-second courage and absolute devotion to duty.  I witnessed their bravery firsthand — calm under pressure, fearless in the face of danger, and wholly committed to the mission.  Behind these historical incidents stand countless additional threats, lives protected without fanfare, and sacrifices made without recognition.  To risk laying down one’s life for another is the most selfless act of patriotism and humanity, and I am forever indebted to the agents who risk everything to guard me from harm.

    As we commemorate the 160th anniversary of the United States Secret Service, our Nation proudly honors the heroism, discipline, and unwavering commitment of every agent who have placed their lives in the line of fire so that our Republic, our freedom, and our glorious constitutional order may endure.  Their bravery stands as a powerful testament to the spirit of America, undaunted in the face of danger and resolute in the defense of liberty.

    NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim July 5, 2025, as the 160th Anniversary of the United States Secret Service.  I call upon all Americans to offer our unending gratitude and respect to the 8,000 employees of the United States Secret Service in more than 150 offices across the country and abroad that serve on the edge of danger to defend the safety and security of our communities and uphold the sovereignty and strength of our Republic.

    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this second day of July, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.

                                   DONALD J. TRUMP

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: D. Trump announces trade deal with Vietnam

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    NEW YORK, July 2 (Xinhua) — U.S. President Donald Trump announced on his social media platform Truth Social that he had just concluded a trade deal with Vietnam after talking with General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam.

    “This will be a great deal of cooperation between our two countries. The terms stipulate that Vietnam will pay the United States a customs duty of 20 percent on all goods shipped to our territory, without exception, and 40 percent on all transhipments,” the American leader wrote.

    As noted in the publication, in exchange, Vietnam will do something it has never done before, namely, provide the United States with full access to its market for trade.

    The country will “open its market to the United States,” meaning “we will be able to sell our products to Vietnam at zero tariff rates,” D. Trump said. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Russia: General Secretary of the CPV Central Committee welcomes new Vietnam-US trade deal

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    HANOI, July 2 (Xinhua) — General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam welcomed the new trade agreement between Vietnam and the United States during a phone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday, the Vietnam News Agency reported.

    To Lam called on Washington to recognize Vietnam as a market economy as soon as possible and lift restrictions on the export of some high-tech goods.

    The two leaders also discussed the main directions for further strengthening the Vietnam-US comprehensive strategic partnership in the coming years and related measures. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Markey Blasts Paramount’s $16 Million Settlement with Trump

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Calls for full Commission vote on Paramount’s pending merger

    Washington (July 2, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, released the following statement after Paramount Global, the parent of CBS News, agreed to pay $16 million to settle a frivolous lawsuit brought by President Donald Trump. Paramount reportedly had pushed for the settlement to help facilitate approval of its merger with Skydance Media, which is currently being reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

    “Paramount’s decision to pay $16 million to settle Trump’s baseless lawsuit is a blow to journalistic independence. With the FCC currently reviewing Paramount’s merger with Skydance, this timing also raises serious questions about FCC independence and Paramount’s true reason for settling with Trump. The public deserves to have complete confidence that the FCC’s merger review is free from political interference. For that reason, the FCC must proceed with the utmost transparency, and Chairman Carr must hold a full Commission vote on the merger. I will be watching the Commission’s next steps very closely.”

    Senator Markey has aggressively pushed back on the Trump administration’s efforts to attack news organizations and intimidate the media. In May 2025, Senators Markey and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) wrote to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, urging the FCC to take a vote on the merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media. In March 2025, Senators Markey and Luján, along with Senator Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), introduced the Broadcast Freedom and Independence Act, legislation that would prohibit the FCC from revoking broadcast licenses or taking action against broadcasters based on the viewpoints they broadcast. In February 2025, Senators Markey and Luján, along with Senator Gary Peters (D-Mich.), wrote to Chairman Carr and then-Commissioner Nathan Simington regarding the FCC’s recent, politically motivated actions against broadcasters and public media.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Capito, Justice Applaud Appointment of Matt Harvey and Moore Capito as U.S. Attorneys for West Virginia by President Trump

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. – U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Jim Justice (R-W.Va.) released a statement following President Donald Trump’s nomination of Moore Capito as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia and Matt Harvey as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia:

    “As a respected attorney and former member of the West Virginia House of Delegates where he served as the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Moore Capito understands the issues that matter most to Appalachian communities—from combating the opioid epidemic to protecting our energy jobs and securing economic opportunity. His proven leadership and legal expertise make him the ideal candidate to uphold justice in the Southern District. As a dedicated prosecutor and leader in the Eastern Panhandle, Matt Harvey has consistently demonstrated an unwavering commitment to public safety. His experience and proven leadership in addressing violent crime, drug trafficking, and community security aligns precisely with the needs of the Northern District,” Senator Capito said.

    “I am thrilled and extremely proud that President Trump has chosen these two stellar candidates to be West Virginia’s next U.S. Attorneys. I look forward to supporting their confirmations quickly so they can get to work on behalf of West Virginia,” Senator Capito continued.

    “Moore Capito and Matt Harvey are rock solid picks by President Trump for U.S. Attorney in West Virginia. These guys are serious conservatives, have lengthy experience in the legal realm, and are qualified beyond belief – which is why I’m proud to have recommended them to the President for their respective positions. I extend my congratulations to both Moore and Matt, I wish them the best of luck in their roles, and know they will do great things while serving as U.S. Attorney because they are truly both sons of West Virginia,” Senator Justice said.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Coons, Representative Chu lead bicameral letter demanding accountability for President Trump’s discriminatory travel ban

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Representative Judy Chu (D-Calif.) led 68 of their Democratic colleagues in sending a letter to President Donald Trump urging him to rescind his discriminatory travel ban that will keep families apart and devastate the U.S. economy. The members are demanding transparency into President Trump’s decision-making process and answers about how the travel ban will impact communities across the U.S.  

    In a letter addressed to President Trump, Secretary of Homeland Security Noem, Secretary of State Rubio, and Attorney General Bondi, the members outlined the disastrous consequences that President Trump’s travel ban will have on both families and the American economy.

    “The effects of President Trump’s discriminatory travel ban will be devastating. In the last year alone over 126,000 visas have been issued to nationals from just the twelve countries on the fully restricted list. These are individuals who are looking to come to the United States to reunite with family, support our economy, or otherwise enrich our country in innumerable ways,” wrote the members.

    During his first term, President Trump enacted extreme travel bans that disrupted thousands of lives and weakened our nation’s economy and global standing. On his first day in office, President Joe Biden rescinded these bans, but on June 4, 2025, President Trump enacted another sweeping, discriminatory travel ban.

    President Trump is imposing full restrictions on entry into the United States from nationals of Afghanistan, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen, and partial restrictions on entry from nationals of Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela—meaning individuals from these countries cannot come to the U.S. permanently or apply for certain visas. President Trump is also reportedly considering imposing travel restrictions on an additional 36 countries.

    “President Trump’s actions once again disgrace the founding principles of our nation and enshrine cruelty into our immigration system,” the members continue. “Additionally, this travel ban will harm our economy by depriving the United States of workers in key fields experiencing labor shortages like medicine and agriculture and further devastating our domestic tourism industry which is already expected to decline by $12.5 billion in 2025.”

    As a result, the members demand accountability and answers from the Trump administration. The members wrote, “Given these severe impacts, we condemn this proclamation and urge President Trump to rescind it immediately. We also seek transparency into President Trump’s decision-making process and, accordingly, request answers to the following questions by July 3rd, 2025.”

    Earlier this year, Senator Coons and Representative Chu, alongside 130 of their colleagues, reintroduced the National Origin-Based Antidiscrimination for Nonimmigrants (NO BAN) Act, which would prevent any president from implementing a discriminatory travel ban by strengthening the Immigration and Nationality Act to prohibit discrimination based on religion. The bill would also require that any suspension of entry into the United States be narrowly tailored, backed by credible evidence, and subject to appropriate consultation with Congress.

    You can read the full letter here.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Aguilar: The GOP’s One Big Ugly Bill is fundamentally un-American

    Source: US House of Representatives – Democratic Caucus

    The following text contains opinion that is not, or not necessarily, that of MIL-OSI – July 02, 2025

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar joined Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, Budget Committee Ranking Member Brendan Boyle, Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig, Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard Neal, Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone and House Democrats for a press conference on Trump’s One Big Ugly Bill. 

    CHAIRMAN AGUILAR: Donald Trump promised the American people that he would cut costs on day one. Republicans in Congress swore up and down that their policies would fight inflation and make life easier for everyday Americans. More lies. But we’ve all seen under this President, and this Republican majority, the prices continue to rise and the American Dream slipping further from reach. 

    Today marks the culmination of Donald Trump’s betrayal of working people across this country. Because of this bill, your health care is going to go up. Your electric bill is going to be more expensive. The clothes and groceries that you buy are already rising due to his reckless tariffs. The only people who make out in this bill are people who can already afford to pay a little bit more at the checkout line. But that’s not the reality for most people in this country. This bill isn’t for the American people—it’s a reward to the mega-rich campaign donors that bankroll Republican campaigns. 

    Why would Gabe Evans in Colorado vote for this bill? 29,000 people will lose access to health care in his district. 30,000 households will lose access to food nutrition programs, and almost 1,000 energy jobs will be lost. No one asked 17 million people to lose their health insurance. No one asked for hospitals to close or nursing homes to be shuttered because billionaires want more tax breaks. Where I’m from, that’s not big or beautiful. That’s small and ugly. No one asked for food assistance to be taken away from children to give handouts to the same corporations gouging the American people. 

    House Democrats believe that this bill is fundamentally un-American. We are going to fight to make sure billionaires and wealthy corporations pay their fair share, so that we can build an economy that works for everyone. We are going to fight to make America less expensive. And we’re going to fight to give working class people more breathing room and opportunities to get ahead.

    I want to thank my House colleagues for standing with us in this time, against this bill. I want to thank the community members who have joined us as well. And members of the faith-based community as well.

    We’re not here in a partisan exercise. We’re here because the American people don’t deserve this suffering. Now we did take a little bit of liberty when we said, “Hell no.” We didn’t ask them, members of the clergy, but we stand in unison against this dangerous bill. And today, however long it takes, we will continue to vote against this bill. We will do it together, and we will do it with the American people in mind. Thank you so much. 

    Video of the full press conference can be viewed here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom marks historic expansion of California’s Film and Television Tax Credit Program, announces 16 new projects to film in the Golden State

    Source: US State of California Governor

    Jul 2, 2025

    What you need to know: Governor Newsom is more than doubling the state’s Film and Television Tax Credit Program, and adding 16 new television projects that will generate $1.1 billion in new economic activity.

    BURBANK – Today, Governor Gavin Newsom joined labor representatives, entertainment leaders and state officials to mark the official expansion of California’s Film and Television Tax Credit Program—solidifying the Golden State’s status as the global epicenter of film and television production. The move more than doubles the program’s annual funding—from $330 million to $750 million—and introduces key updates to keep production, below-the-line jobs, and investments rooted in California.

    The Governor is also awarding 16 new television shows through the program which, taken together, are collectively anticipated to bring in $1.1 billion in total spending and nearly 6,700 cast and crew jobs across the Golden State.

    California is where filmed entertainment was born, and with this expansion, we’re making sure it stays here. We’re not just investing in productions and soundstages—we’re investing in middle-class careers, small businesses, and the communities that power this iconic industry.

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    Doubling down on California’s creative economy

    Since 2009, the tax credit has generated over $27 billion in economic activity and supported more than 209,000 well-paying jobs with health and pension benefits by awarding nearly  850 projects. In years past, for every dollar of tax credit awarded, California has seen massive returns – $24.40 in economic output, $16.14 in GDP and $8.60 in wages.

    The expanded program – now one of the largest capped film incentives in the nation – maintains California’s competitive edge in the creative economy while continuing to prioritize workforce diversity provisions, more funding for the Career Pathways Training Program, and the nation’s first Safety on Production Pilot Program.

    “This expansion is about California’s long game—supporting a dynamic industry that fuels our creative economy and reflects who we are,” said Dee Dee Myers, Senior Advisor to the Governor & Director of GO-Biz. “By doubling down on this commitment, we’re ensuring California remains the premier place to work, create, and tell stories that reach across the world.”

    Why this expansion matters

    Critically, this historic investment in the entertainment industry is projected to increase the number of film jobs supported by the program by approximately fifty percent.

    This program has been oversubscribed year after year, with more productions applying than can be accommodated under the current cap. And in recent years, projects that were unable to secure California’s tax credits and were forced to move to other locations contributed to significant economic losses for California, with an estimated 69% of rejected projects subsequently filming out-of-state.

    Through the expansion of this program, local economies will now be able to keep these creative jobs and livelihoods here in California, all while investing in the future of the industry.

    “This expansion is a powerful investment in California’s future, strengthening the state’s position as the global leader in content creation, fueling job growth and supporting thousands of small businesses that rely on a thriving production industry,” said Colleen Bell, Director of the California Film Commission. “This program isn’t just about keeping cameras rolling — it’s about sustaining careers, building opportunity and ensuring that the economic and cultural benefits of filmmaking stay right here in the Golden State.”

    16 new projects to film in California

    These new projects, which have been approved across the program’s last three television application windows, include nine renewals, two pilots, four new shows and one relocating show.

    Altogether, these 16 projects are expected to hire 6,664 cast and crew members, as well as 59,000 background performers (measured in days worked), across 1,308 total California filming days. Highlights from the projects include:

    • Nine returning TV series, including HBO Max’s “The Pitt,” Hulu’s hit “Paradise,” and CBS’s “NCIS: Origins”

    • Two shows that will film outside of the Los Angeles area for a total of 23 filming days

    • One relocating series – Prime Video’s “Mr. & Mrs. Smith”

    “We are thrilled that we are going to be able to continue shooting our second season of Paradise in Los Angeles, thanks in no small part to California’s film and TV tax credit,” said “Paradise” Creator/Executive Producer/Showrunner Dan Fogelman and Star/Executive Sterling K. Brown. “We’ve been lucky enough to shoot in Los Angeles for the majority of our careers – it is home to the best crews in the world and allowing series to shoot (and remain) in L.A. provides consistent work for countless craftspeople, allowing us all to remain in town with our families and loved ones.”

    See the full list of productions that are part of the Film and Television Tax Credit Program here.

    What comes next

    While last week’s state budget bill delivered the $750 million expansion, the Governor is expected to soon sign additional legislation to modernize and further improve the program.

    In the meantime, these tax credits have become refundable for all projects for the first time since the program’s inception in 2009, beginning with Program 4.0 which officially commenced yesterday, July 1.

    The California Film Commission will integrate the expanded funding and refundable credit mechanism into its immediately upcoming application cycles, which are scheduled for July 7–9, 2025 (television) and August 25–27, 2025 (film). Updated guidelines and resources will be provided by the Film Commission in the coming days. 

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    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: WATCH: Ahead of Vote, Pressley Implores House to Reject Big, Ugly Bill That Rips Food & Healthcare from Millions

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

    “Let’s be clear: Republicans are ramming this bill through Congress so they can move us closer to their dark, dystopian vision of Donald Trump’s America.”

    “Behind each number and statistic is a family. A parent, a child, an elder, a loved one. And as much as JD Vance may call them ‘immaterial,’ these are people’s lives and livelihoods.”

    WASHINGTON – At a press conference on Capitol Hill today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) implored the House of Representatives to reject Trump and Republicans’ Big, Ugly Bill that would rip healthcare and food assistance away from millions of people, including in Massachusetts, and push reproductive healthcare further out of reach nationwide, just to pay for more tax breaks for billionaires.

    The press conference, which was hosted by Congresswoman Delia Ramirez, came as the House debates the bill and ahead of a possible vote on it today.

    The full transcript of her remarks as delivered is available below, and the video is available here.

    Transcript: Ahead of Vote, Pressley Implores House to Reject Big, Ugly Bill That Rips Food & Healthcare from Millions
    U.S. Capitol
    July 2, 2025

    You know, a moment ago there were some hecklers here, and they were cheering on every time we invoked Donald Trump and JD Vance’s name. They were cheering them on and clapping for them. 

    I wish they were still here so that I could tell them “I will pray for you.” And myself and my colleagues are fighting hard to defend you.

    You have been deeply betrayed. The only thing that the occupant of the Oval Office, this fascist dictator, white supremacist-in-chief is doing is equal opportunity harm.

    Nothing will save anyone from the harm that is coming if this bill becomes law. 

    Rural communities, yeah, Meemaw, papaw, jumbug. Urban communities, big momma, all our cousins.

    Everyone will feel this, in urban, rural and suburban communities. And I want them to know that we are fighting hard to defend everyone from this harm, because this will be a tsunami of hurt. 

    Thank you to my sister-in-service Congresswoman Delia Ramirez for convening us today and to our colleagues for speaking out in this somber moment.

    I’m reminded often of the words of Coretta Scott King who said that “starving a child is violence. Neglecting schoolchildren is violence. Ignoring medical need is violence. Contempt for those living in poverty is violence.”

    And let me be clear: Republicans’ big, ugly, betrayal of a bill is violence.

    It is an assault. It is an assault on working families and on every person who calls this nation home.

    It would rip healthcare away from over 17 million people.

    It would deny food to hungry elders and babies. 

    It would destroy Medicaid for babies in the NICU and parents with chronic illnesses, gut services like prenatal care and cancer screenings at Planned Parenthood, and push critical reproductive healthcare even further out of reach.

    And for what?

    To give billionaires even more money they do not need.

    Republicans are so desperate to line the pockets of their ultra-wealthy donors that they are willing to make millions of people, millions of their own constituents, poorer, sicker, hungrier and more vulnerable—and strip them of basic bodily autonomy.

    This is an anti-freedom agenda supposedly wrapped in the flag and so-called faith.

    It is shameful, and they are shameless.

    At this point, I’m running out of words to describe the harm of this bill.

    It is cruel. It is callous. And it is completely clueless.

    Clueless about the lives of everyday people—real people with real struggles and real needs.

    Republicans claim to be the party of God. But I don’t know what God these people serve. It must be god with a lowercase “g.”

    Because as someone who grew up at the knee of my grandfather of a Baptist preacher of a small store-front church, who spent my summers in the south of vacation Bible school, I have yet to find a Psalm that says “Thou shalt make people poorer, hungrier, and sicker.” 

    But that’s exactly what this bill would do if it becomes law.

    And we must do everything in our power to ensure that it does not.

    In addition to slashing resources that help people make ends meet, this bill would also shamefully fund Donald Trump’s unlawful mass deportation agenda—pouring more money into ICE to terrorize our immigrant neighbors.

    The cruelty is the point.

    Let’s be clear: Republicans are ramming this bill through Congress so they can move us closer to their dark, dystopian vision of Donald Trump’s America.

    An America where billionaires thrive and everyone else suffers.

    An America where families are criminalized for needing food or healthcare.

    Where patients are denied the care they need.

    And where the poor are punished simply for being poor.

    I represent the Massachusetts 7th, one of the most vibrant, diverse, and dynamic districts in the country, but also one of the most unequal.

    A district home to one of the highest concentration of community health centers, which provide life-saving care to 1 in 3 of my constituents.

    A district where hospitals have already closed, and where others would be at risk of closure if this bill becomes law.

    Across the Commonwealth, over 320,000 people would lose health insurance. At least 103,000 could lose food assistance.

    Over 11,000 manufacturing & energy jobs would be cut, ACA premiums would skyrocket, and energy bills would go up.

    Behind each number and statistic is a family. A parent, a child, an elder, a loved one. 

    And as much as JD Vance may call them “immaterial” – these are people’s lives and livelihoods.

    Republicans in both chambers rushed this bill through under the cloak of night. They’re hiding, like they always do, because they still have some semblance of shame.

    Enough to run and hide. But they still have time to reverse course.

    God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. 

    You can change this.  This legislation is NOT inevitable.

    And we will continue to resist, to obstruct, and to fight with every tool to stop it in its tracks.

    Because as our late movement sibling, the great Cecile Richards once said before she transitioned, “the question will be asked when everything was at stake for the country, what did you do? And the only acceptable answer will be everything that I could.”

    Congresswoman Pressley has been an outspoken critic of this harmful legislation since its inception.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: DHS Shatters Nationwide Border Records, Once Again Delivering the Most Secure Border in American History 

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: DHS Shatters Nationwide Border Records, Once Again Delivering the Most Secure Border in American History 

    In June, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) had the lowest number of nationwide encounters in CBP history at 25,243

    This is 12% lower than the previous record set by President Trump in February 2025

    That is 89% lower than the monthly average for years 2021-2024

    Nationwide U

    S

    Border Patrol (USBP) apprehensions were at 8,039, breaking the previous record from March 2025

    This is a dramatic decrease from last June when there 11,414 apprehensions made in just the first 3 days of the month

    Along the Southwest Border, USBP apprehensions dropped to 6,070, a 15% decline from March 2025

    Last year, in just the first two days of June, Border Patrol had more than 7,000 Southwest Border apprehensions

    Notably, on June 28, Border Patrol recorded only 137 apprehensions across the entire Southwest Border—the lowest single-day total in a quarter of a century

    Gotaways fell 90% compared to June 2024

    And for the second month in a row, USBP reported zero releases—reinforcing the Administration’s commitment to ending catch-and-release policies

    “The numbers don’tlie—under President Trump’s leadership, DHS and CBP have shattered records and delivered the most secure border in American history

    The world is hearing our message:the border is closed to law breakers,” said Secretary Kristi Noem

    “Under President Trump, our Border Patrol agents are empowered to do their job once again, secure our border and protect the American people

    ”  

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: DHS Shatters Nationwide Border Records, Once Again Delivering the Most Secure Border in American History 

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: DHS Shatters Nationwide Border Records, Once Again Delivering the Most Secure Border in American History 

    In June, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) had the lowest number of nationwide encounters in CBP history at 25,243

    This is 12% lower than the previous record set by President Trump in February 2025

    That is 89% lower than the monthly average for years 2021-2024

    Nationwide U

    S

    Border Patrol (USBP) apprehensions were at 8,039, breaking the previous record from March 2025

    This is a dramatic decrease from last June when there 11,414 apprehensions made in just the first 3 days of the month

    Along the Southwest Border, USBP apprehensions dropped to 6,070, a 15% decline from March 2025

    Last year, in just the first two days of June, Border Patrol had more than 7,000 Southwest Border apprehensions

    Notably, on June 28, Border Patrol recorded only 137 apprehensions across the entire Southwest Border—the lowest single-day total in a quarter of a century

    Gotaways fell 90% compared to June 2024

    And for the second month in a row, USBP reported zero releases—reinforcing the Administration’s commitment to ending catch-and-release policies

    “The numbers don’tlie—under President Trump’s leadership, DHS and CBP have shattered records and delivered the most secure border in American history

    The world is hearing our message:the border is closed to law breakers,” said Secretary Kristi Noem

    “Under President Trump, our Border Patrol agents are empowered to do their job once again, secure our border and protect the American people

    ”  

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: El estado de Washington demanda a la administración de Trump por compartir ilegalmente información personal de salud con ICE

    Source: Washington State News

    SEATTLE – El procurador general de Washington, Nick Brown, se unió ayer a una coalición multiestatal para presentar una demanda que impugna la decisión del U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS, Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de EE. UU.) de otorgar acceso sin restricciones a la información personal de salud al Department of Homeland Security (DHS, Departamento de Seguridad Nacional), que incluye al Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE, Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas).

    En las siete décadas transcurridas desde que el Congreso promulgó la ley de Medicaid para brindar asistencia médica a poblaciones vulnerables, la legislación, las políticas y las prácticas federales han sido claras: la información personal de salud recopilada sobre los beneficiarios del programa es confidencial y solo se compartirá en ciertas circunstancias específicas que beneficien la salud pública y la integridad del propio programa de Medicaid.

    En la demanda presentada ayer ante el U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California (Tribunal de Distrito de los Estados Unidos para el Distrito Norte de California), los procuradores generales argumentan que la transferencia masiva de estos datos viola la ley y solicitan al tribunal que bloquee cualquier nueva transferencia o uso de estos datos con fines de control migratorio. 

    “Los residentes de Washington esperan que la información confidencial que brindan al gobierno para acceder a tratamiento médico solo se utilice con fines de salud”, dijo Brown. “Su información no debería utilizarse para crear una gigantesca base de datos de información personal de estadounidenses ni para que ICE pueda deportar a inmigrantes indocumentados por tener que ir al médico”.

    “El uso que la administración de Trump hace de la información de salud privada de los residentes de Washington para su propia agenda política es indignante. Esto constituye una violación de la confianza de todos aquellos cuya información se compartió de manera indebida, pero especialmente de nuestras comunidades inmigrantes y familias con condición migratoria mixta, quienes ya están en la mira de la administración de Trump. Defenderemos la dignidad y el derecho a la privacidad de todos los residentes de Washington”, dijo el gobernador Bob Ferguson.

    Creado en 1965, Medicaid es una fuente esencial de seguro médico para personas de bajos ingresos y grupos de población desatendidos, como niños, mujeres embarazadas, personas con discapacidad y adultos mayores. El programa de Medicaid permite a cada estado participante desarrollar y administrar sus propios planes de salud. Los estados deben cumplir con los criterios mínimos establecidos por la ley federal, pero pueden adaptar los estándares de elegibilidad y las opciones de cobertura de sus planes a las necesidades de los residentes. Para enero de 2025, 78,4 millones de personas estaban inscritas en Medicaid y el Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP, Programa de Seguro Médico Para Niños) en todo el país.  

    El programa Medicaid de Washington funciona como parte del conjunto más amplio de programas de beneficios de salud de Apple Health. Apple Health incluye Apple Health Expansion, que brinda servicios médicos integrales a los residentes de Washington, independientemente de su condición migratoria. Hay más de 1,9 millones de clientes de Apple Health en Washington, que incluye a unos 49.000 cuya condición migratoria los excluye de algunos programas financiados con fondos federales. Apple Health cubre una gama de servicios de salud, que incluye atención hospitalaria para pacientes hospitalizados y ambulatorios, atención primaria y preventiva, servicios y apoyos a largo plazo y salud conductual. Los residentes de Washington se inscribieron en Apple Health con el conocimiento de que su información sería confidencial y no se compartiría por razones ajenas a la prestación de servicios de salud. 

    Se intercambia rutinariamente una cierta cantidad de información personal entre los estados y el gobierno federal para la administración de Medicaid. Antes de la actual administración de Trump, el DHS reconoció que la ley de Medicaid y otras autoridades federales de salud prohibían el uso de información personal de Medicaid para fines de control migratorio. Sin embargo, el gobierno federal parece haber creado, sin reconocimiento formal, una nueva política que permite la divulgación y el uso generalizados de la información personal de Medicaid de los residentes estatales para fines ajenos a la administración del programa de Medicaid. 

    El 13 de junio de 2025, los estados tomaron conocimiento a través de informes de prensa que el HHS había transferido masivamente los archivos de datos de Medicaid de su estado, que contienen registros médicos personales de millones de personas, al DHS. Los informes indican que el gobierno federal planea crear una amplia base de datos para “deportaciones masivas” y otros fines de control migratorio a gran escala.

    El gobierno federal afirma haber proporcionado estos datos al DHS “para garantizar que los beneficios de Medicaid se reserven para las personas que legalmente tienen derecho a recibirlos”. Sin embargo, desde 1986, el Congreso ha extendido la cobertura y los fondos federales para Medicaid de emergencia a todas las personas que residen en los Estados Unidos, independientemente de su condición migratoria. Los estados han cooperado, y seguirán cooperando, con las actividades de supervisión federal para garantizar que el gobierno federal pague únicamente los servicios de Medicaid legalmente autorizados.  

    En la demanda de ayer, la coalición destaca que las acciones ilegales de la administración de Trump están generando temor y confusión que llevarán a las personas no ciudadanas y a sus familiares a cancelar su inscripción o negarse a inscribirse en Medicaid de emergencia, para el cual de otra manera serían elegibles, y dejarán a los estados y a sus hospitales de la red de seguridad con la responsabilidad de pagar los servicios de atención médica de emergencia exigidos por el gobierno federal. Estas personas podrían no recibir los servicios de salud de emergencia que necesitan y, como resultado, sufrirán consecuencias negativas para su salud, o incluso la muerte. 

    La coalición solicita al tribunal que declare que las acciones de la administración de Trump son arbitrarias y caprichosas, y que la elaboración de normas no cuenta con el debido procedimiento, lo cual viola la Administrative Procedure Act (Ley de Procedimiento Administrativo), la Social Security Act (Ley del Seguro Social), la Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA, Ley de Portabilidad y Responsabilidad del Seguro Médico), la Federal Information Security Modernization Act (Ley Federal de Modernización de la Seguridad de la Información) y Privacy Act (Ley de Privacidad), y que viola la Spending Clause (Cláusula de Gastos). La coalición también solicita al tribunal que prohíba al HHS transferir información personal identificable de Medicaid al DHS o a cualquier otra agencia federal y que prohíba al DHS utilizar estos datos para aplicar las leyes de inmigración.  

    Al presentar la demanda, el procurador general Brown se une a los procuradores generales de California, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nueva Jersey, Nueva York, Oregón y Rhode Island.  

    La demanda se presentó ayer y está disponible aquí.

    -30-

    El Procurador General de Washington sirve al pueblo y al estado de Washington. Como la oficina judicial más grande de Washington, la Oficina del Procurador General brinda representación legal a todas las agencias, juntas y comisiones estatales de Washington. Además, la oficina sirve directamente a la gente al hacer cumplir las leyes de protección de los consumidores, de derechos civiles y de protección al medioambiente. La oficina también persigue el abuso de personas mayores, el fraude de Medicaid, y atiende los casos de depredadores sexuales violentos en 38 de los 39 condados de Washington. Para obtener más información, visite www.atg.wa.gov.

    Contacto para la prensa:
    press@atg.wa.gov
    Contactos generales: Haga clic aquí

    MIL OSI USA News