NewzIntel.com

Category: United States of America

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Tren De Araqua Associates Plead Guilty to Bank Theft

    Source: US FBI

    JACKSON, MS – Two individuals with ties to the Venezuelan organized crime syndicate Tren de Araqua pleaded guilty to bank theft, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi and FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff.

    According to court documents and statements made in open court, Jesus Rene Cabrera Tobias, 25 and Darwin Javier Delgado, 46, pleaded guilty after being indicted by a federal grand jury for bank theft. On August 8, 2024, Tobias and Delgado stole $21,500 from an ATM machine in Enterprise, Mississippi by hacking the ATM operating system and disabling the ATM security features by installing a foreign device that allowed them to assume control of the ATM.

    Surveillance footage recovered by FBI on the night of the theft captured Tobias unlock the ATM and open the machine to access the internal system that controlled the ATM operating system and security features. The footage showed that after manipulating the ATM, Tobias returned to their vehicle and retrieved a small electronic device to install within the ATM. After a brief period of manipulating the ATM using the small electronic device, the ATM then emptied by continuously producing United States currency from the cash tray. Tobias collected the cash as it was disbursed from the ATM and transferred it to another individual in the vehicle.

    Investigators identified the suspect vehicle and its owner through the surveillance footage. The registered owner of the vehicle was Delgado. Surveillance footage from a nearby store captured Tobias and Delgado traveling in the suspect vehicle and shopping within the store.

    The suspect vehicle was stopped the next day in Texas by officers with the Texas Department of Public Safety. Delgado and Cabrera were found in the vehicle and arrested. Two cell phones and clothing matching the clothing worn during the bank theft operation were recovered from the suspect vehicle upon execution of a search warrant. A forensic examination of the cellular phones contained photographs and videos from the instant offense, including multiple videos of the defendants manipulating other ATMs and withdrawing cash. The forensic examination also showed that the photographs and videos taken during the theft contained metadata placing the defendants at the scene of the crime. The ATM hard drive was forensically examined by FBI and was shown to have been compromised with malware that disabled the ATM security features.

    Tobias and Delgado are citizens of Venezuela. During the investigation, Investigators discovered that Tobias and Delgado committed the theft in coordination with members of the transnational criminal organization Tren de Araqua from Venezuela.

    “Today’s announcement sends a clear message: Tren de Aragua transnational criminal operations will not be tolerated and the FBI will aggressively pursue TdA’s scourge of criminal activity. Tobias and Delgado brazenly tampered with ATM machines defrauding banks and the American people,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff. “These guilty pleas underscore the FBI’s commitment in collaboration with our state and federal partners in identifying, pursuing, disrupting, and dismantling organized crime syndicates, ultimately eradicating TdA’s presence and influence in the U.S.”

    Tobias is scheduled to be sentenced on September 10, 2025. Delgado is scheduled to be sentenced on October 7, 2025. Tobias and Delgado face a maximum sentence of ten years imprisonment followed by possible deportation. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office, Meridian Police Department, Decatur Police Department, Enterprise Police Department, and the Texas Department of Public Safety.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samuel Goff and Brett Grantham are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Miller-Meeks Backed HALT Fentanyl Act Signed Into Law by President Trump

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks’ (IA-02)

    Washington, D.C. – President Donald Trump has officially signed the HALT Fentanyl Act into law, delivering a major win in the fight to stop fentanyl from devastating American communities. Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01), an original cosponsor of the bill in the House, praised the president’s action.

    “President Trump just signed the HALT Fentanyl Act into law, and it could not come at a more critical time,” said Miller-Meeks. “This deadly drug has taken far too many lives in Iowa and across the country. Iowans have buried their sons and daughters because of fentanyl, and families are pleading for action. As an original cosponsor, I was proud to help lead the charge on this legislation. This bill gives law enforcement the power to act, shuts down the loopholes traffickers exploit, and saves lives. We are sending a clear message: we will not let fentanyl destroy another family or another community.”

    Background:

    The HALT Fentanyl Act permanently classifies fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I under the Controlled Substances Act, closing loopholes that previously allowed traffickers to alter chemical compounds and avoid prosecution. It also provides a streamlined path for researchers to study fentanyl analogues for potential treatment and overdose prevention options.

    Fentanyl remains the leading cause of overdose death in the United States, claiming more lives than any other drug. In 2024 alone, more than 80,000 Americans died from synthetic opioid overdoses, with fentanyl and its analogues driving the epidemic.

    The HALT Fentanyl Act:

    • Permanently designates fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I
    • Prevents traffickers from evading prosecution by modifying chemical structures
    • Supports law enforcement and prosecutors with clear, consistent enforcement authority
    • Enables scientific research on fentanyl compounds to support treatment and prevention

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: TOP AFRICA NEWS Named Best Environment & Natural Resources News Platform 2025 by MEA Markets

    Source: APO

    TOP AFRICA NEWS (www.TOPAFRICANEWS.com) has been recognized as the Best Environment & Natural Resources News Platform 2025 by MEA Markets, highlighting its significant contribution to environmental journalism across Africa.

    This latest accolade caps a series of distinguished awards for the platform, including SME of the Year (2022), Best International Publication Service Provider (2023), and Best Marketing Service Provider (2024), demonstrating consistent excellence and leadership in the region’s media landscape.

    Founder and Managing Director Mr. DUSABEMUNGU Ange de la Victoire expressed pride in the achievement, stating, “Being named the best platform in this vital field underscores our dedication to covering critical environmental issues affecting Africa. It motivates us to continue delivering impactful, accurate, and insightful journalism that can influence policy and inspire sustainable change across the continent.”

    He emphasized the platform’s mission, saying, “At TOP AFRICA NEWS, our goal remains to amplify Africa’s stories on issues like natural resources, conservation, and sustainable development—topics that are pivotal for the continent’s future. This award reaffirms our role as a trusted voice for Africa’s environment and natural resources sectors.”

    Available on www.TOPAFRICANEWS.com, the website provides comprehensive coverage of topics ranging from agriculture and tourism to youth engagement and peacebuilding, aiming to inform and empower communities across Africa.

    As climate and environmental challenges grow more urgent, TOP AFRICA NEWS pledges to sustain its focus on delivering high-quality news that drives awareness, action, and sustainable development across Africa.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of TOP AFRICA NEWS.

    Additional link: https://apo-opa.co/4kHbEw8

    Media contact: 
    vickange@gmail.com  

    About TOP AFRICA NEWS: 
    TOP AFRICA NEWS is a Private shareholder Digital News Website managed by AFRICA NEWS DIGEST Ltd, a Domestic Company registered in Rwanda Development Board. Available on www.TOPAFRICANEWS.com, this website publishes stories from across Africa focusing on Environment, Natural resources, Livestock and Agriculture, Tourism and conservation, Youth, Sports and Culture, Peace Building, Health, Infrastructure and ICT, Security, Education, Business and Banking. The main objective of this website is to tell the World the real Africa’s Story from the real and reliable sources. We Publish News Stories, Supplements stories, advertorials, Feature stories among many others. We are based in Kigali, Rwanda.

    Media files

    .

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Austin Scott on HASC Passage of FY26 NDAA

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08)

    WASHINGTON, D.C.– U.S. Representative Austin Scott (GA-08), a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC), released the below statement upon the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passing out of committee last night by a vote of 55-2. The NDAA sets Department of Defense (DoD) policies and authorizes funding levels for defense programs. 

    “Georgia’s military installations play a key role in implementing President Donald Trump’s strategy of Peace Through Strength,” Rep. Scott said. “The FY26 NDAA strengthens the U.S. military and enhances the quality of life for our warfighters and their families. I am proud to have several amendments included that support our military in their mission of defending the United States.” 

    “Congressman Austin Scott has been a steadfast voice for our servicemembers and their families as a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee. In the FY26 NDAA, his leadership ensures our warfighters—especially those serving at Robins and Moody Air Force Bases and the more than 20,000 reservists and guardsmen across Georgia—have the resources and support they need to defend our nation. Congressman Scott is always fighting to take care of the men and women who wear the uniform, said Chairman Mike Rogers (AL-03).

    Rep. Scott had 18 amendments adopted during the HASC markup of the FY26 NDAA and another 10 were included in the base text of the bill. Some of the bill language provisions authored by Rep. Scott include: 

    PROVIDING FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE NEEDS AT ROBINS:

    The Chairman’s mark of the FY 26 NDAA contained two provisions that were championed by Rep. Scott throughout the drafting of this bill. 

    First, Section 1102 of the bill would allow for retired members of the Armed Forces to be appointed to competitive or excepted service positions in the Department of Defense without a waiver. This will allow more retired military personnel to continue to serve our country as civilians at Robins Air Force Base.

    Furthermore, included in the bill was an extension of the authority for depot working capital funds, like Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex (WR-ALC), to be used for unspecified minor military construction from September 30, 2025 to September 30, 2027. This will enable WR-ALC to continue to modernize their facilities. 

    “Once again Congressman Scott delivers for Robins AFB! These two provisions are critical to ensure access to talent and to shore up aging infrastructure for the missions at Robins,” said Retired Brig Gen John Kubinec, President and CEO of the 21st Century Partnership. 

     

    SUPPORTING MISSIONS AT MOODY:

    Rep. Scott authored an amendment to delay the full retirement of the A-10C “Warthog” aircraft, several dozen of which are based at Moody Air Force Base in Valdosta, GA. The Scott amendment requires the Air Force to maintain a minimum of 96 A-10 aircraft in FY 26. The A-10C provides close air support and combat search-and-rescue capabilities unmatched by any other aircraft in the Air Force’s inventory.

    “Prematurely retiring the A-10 would create a combat readiness gap in the timeline for replacement of A-10s with the F-35s. This premature retirement also impacts operational continuity of all the AIRMEN who will be involved in transitioning to the F-35. Congressman Austin Scott’s amendment minimizes operational risk and ensures a safe, timely and effective transition from the A-10 to the F-35 for AIRMEN and our Air Force,” Dr. Lucy R. Greene, PhD., Community Supporter and Emeritus Member of the Air Combat Command Commanders Group.

    Also included was an amendment sponsored by Rep. Scott that would extend the intergovernmental support agreements (IGSA) pilot program until September 30, 2030. Moody AFB has benefitted greatly from partnership tools, particularly the IGSA. The agreements provide additional flexibility in some areas for the base and keeps funds local. Moreover, Moody enjoys tremendous support from the Lowndes County community and government to include three IGSAs signed between Moody and Lowndes County.

    This important piece of legislation marked up by the House Armed Services Committee also included the following provisions by Rep. Scott:

    • Established a pilot program to provide service personnel with a voluntary option to enroll in a low-premium supplemental insurance plan to help protect against uncovered out-of-pocket expenses resulting from a cancer diagnosis in the family.

    • Renamed Fort Gordon in Augusta, GA as Fort Shughart Gordon. MSG Gary Gordon and SFC Randy Shughart were two Delta snipers that fought and died in the October 1993 Battle of Mogadishu. They were both posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor and their names deserved to be linked forever in history.

    • Strengthened deterrence against Russia in the Baltics by requiring the Secretary of Defense to identify and mitigate obstacles to the deployment of HIMARS platforms and munitions among Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania in crisis scenarios.

    • Modified and extended annual reporting on military and security developments involving the Russian Federation to include Russia’s strategic goals, force posture, and military spending.

    • Expanded training of partner and allied forces to include space domain awareness.

    • Enhanced congressional oversight of the U.S. Africa Command.

    Other provisions inserted by Rep. Scott included establishing minimum facility requirements for military working dogs, authorizing the Secretary of Defense to evacuate family pets of American citizens during emergency evacuations on a space available basis, and enhancing the preservation and commemoration of our nation’s naval heritage. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Latta’s Bipartisan HALT Fentanyl Act Now Law of the Land

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green Ohio)

    Latta’s Bipartisan HALT Fentanyl Act Now Law of the Land

    Washington, July 16, 2025

    Today, Congressman Bob Latta (OH-5) announced that President Donald Trump signed into law his bipartisan Halt All Lethal Trafficking (HALT) of Fentanyl Act. Co-led by Congressman Latta and Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-9), this new law permanently classifies fentanyl-related substances (FRS) as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act. A schedule I controlled substance is a drug, substance, or chemical that has a high potential for abuse; has no currently accepted medical value; and is subject to regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal penalties. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over the past five years, more than 324,000 fentanyl-related deaths have been recorded in the United States. 

    “Today marks a crucial day in the fight against the opioid epidemic as my bipartisan HALT Fentanyl legislation is now the law of the land to help protect American communities by cracking down on deadly fentanyl-related substances and saving lives,” said Latta. “With this law, we’re permanently classifying fentanyl-related substances as a Schedule I drug so that the penalties can be put in place to dissuade more hardworking Americans from falling victim to the poison and make our neighborhoods safer. I thank President Trump for signing this vital legislation into law to add another tool in our fight to keep dangerous drugs off our streets and out of the hands of our communities across Ohio and the country.”   

    Congressman Latta has consistently championed legislation to fight against the opioid epidemic. Last Congress, he led the HALT Fentanyl Act through the Energy and Commerce Committee and the House, demonstrating his leadership and commitment to combating the spread against deadly fentanyl-related substances.  

    In 2018, Congressman Latta along with the Energy and Commerce Committee passed the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities (SUPPORT) Act, a comprehensive legislative package to tackle the opioid crisis. Included in this legislation was Congressman Latta’s Indexing Narcotics, Fentanyl, and Opioids (INFO) Act, a bill aimed to improve data collection and transparency regarding opioid treatment programs. This year, Congressman Latta played a crucial role in reauthorizing the SUPPORT Act with the same goal of continuing to support those battling substance abuse. 

    He has also penned multiple op-eds in support of this legislation including in the Washington Examiner and Washington Times, helping to raise national awareness and save lives.   

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Griffith Attends WH Ceremony, HALT Fentanyl Act Signed into Law

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA)

    U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) attended a White House bill signing ceremony for S. 331, the Halt All Lethal Trafficking of (HALT) Fentanyl Act today. The bill is the companion bill to Rep. Griffith’s and Rep. Latta’s HALT Fentanyl bill, H.R. 27, which passed the House earlier this year. The HALT Fentanyl Act now becomes the law of the land.

    Coverage of the ceremony can be viewed here.

    On the legislation becoming law, Congressman Griffith issued the following statement:

    “As a leading proponent of the HALT Fentanyl Act since Day One, I am glad to see this important bill become law!

    “I appreciate my Congressional colleagues and President Trump for their relentless support of the HALT Fentanyl Act and their determination to combat the deadly fentanyl crisis. Today is an important step in taking action against lethal fentanyl-related substances and saving lives.

    “I look forward to supporting future actions that strengthen our fight against the fentanyl crisis.”

    BACKGROUND

    The U.S. House of Representatives passed Rep. Griffith’s and Rep. Latta’s H.R. 27 on February 6, 2025. Their statement is available here.

    In February, the Trump Administration issued a statement of Administration policy signaling their support of the HALT Fentanyl Act.

    The Senate version, S. 331, passed the Senate on March 14, 2025, and the House on June 12, 2025.

    While under consideration, Congressman Griffith managed floor debate on the HALT Fentanyl Act. His remarks can be seen here.

    The HALT Fentanyl Act permanently classifies lethal fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I substances, closing a dangerous loophole traffickers are exploiting. The temporary Schedule I designation was set to expire in September 2025.

    The bill also enables a streamlined registration process for medical research into fentanyl-related substances. 

    The recently-passed reconciliation bill will help the Trump Administration in its efforts to combat the fentanyl crisis. The bill boosts funding for border and immigration enforcement agencies and activities related to combatting trafficking of drugs, including deadly fentanyl-related substances.

    This July, Congressman Griffith was named Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Detroit arrests suspected member of foreign terrorist organization Tren de Aragua

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Officers and agents with ICE Detroit arrested a suspected member of the foreign terrorist organization Tren De Aragua in Traverse City, Michigan, on the 4th of July.

    Enforcement and Removal Operations alongside Homeland Security Investigations arrested Kleiber Siso Balza, a 25-year-old illegal alien from Venezuela.

    Siso has an active warrant out of Virginia for possession of burglary tools and a pending charge out of Florida for larceny. Siso was apprehended in the company of three other men who were also in the country illegally.

    “Our teams are working daily to remove criminal aliens and immigration violators from our communities across Michigan and Ohio,” said ICE ERO Detroit acting Field Office Director Kevin Raycraft. “I’m extraordinarily grateful to our officers for their service, especially when they sacrifice time with their own families to keep our communities safe.”

    “Tren De Aragua is known to engage in sex trafficking, debt bondage, drug trafficking, and murder to advance their interests,” said ICE HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “We’re thankful to have the assistance of our TSA, Federal Air Marshals and IRS partners in executing this important mission.”

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

    Learn more about ICE Detroit’s mission to increase public safety in our Michigan and Ohio communities on X at @ERODetroit and @HSIDetroit.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: H.R. 2409, Guidance Clarity Act of 2025

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    H.R. 2409 would require federal agencies to include text in their guidance documents to clarify that such guidance is not legally binding. Guidance documents typically explain how regulations are interpreted by the agency but do not carry the force of law. Agencies disseminate guidance to the public in memorandums, notices, bulletins, directives, news releases, letters, blog posts, or speeches.

    CBO expects that placing a clarifying statement in each guidance document would not significantly increase agencies’ administrative costs. CBO estimates that the administrative expenses associated with implementing H.R. 2409 would cost less than $500,000 over the 2025-2030 period; any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

    Enacting H.R. 2409 could affect direct spending by some agencies that are allowed to use fees, receipts from the sale of goods, and other collections to cover operating costs. CBO estimates that any net changes in direct spending by those agencies would be negligible because most of them can adjust amounts collected to reflect changes in operating costs.

    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Matthew Pickford. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.

    Phillip L. Swagel

    Director, Congressional Budget Office

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Severe Thunderstorm Watch 519

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    Note:  The expiration time in the watch graphic is amended if the watch is replaced, cancelled or extended.Note: Click for Watch Status Reports.
    SEL9

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 519
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    240 PM MDT Wed Jul 16 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of
    Eastern Colorado
    Nebraska Panhandle
    Southeast Wyoming

    * Effective this Wednesday afternoon and evening from 240 PM
    until 1000 PM MDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    Scattered large hail and isolated very large hail events to 2
    inches in diameter possible
    Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph possible
    A tornado or two possible

    SUMMARY…Scattered thunderstorms developing near Interstate 25 will
    continue to intensify this afternoon and move eastward across the
    Watch. Appreciably strong deep-layer shear will support a mix of
    supercells and severe multicells across mainly the northern half of
    the Watch. Large hail and severe gusts will be the primary hazards
    with the stronger storms, but a tornado is possible. Severe
    thunderstorms posing primarily a severe-wind risk are possible later
    this evening as storms congeal into a likely cluster across
    southeast Colorado.

    The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 65
    statute miles east and west of a line from 40 miles north of
    Cheyenne WY to 25 miles west southwest of Springfield CO. For a
    complete depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline
    update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU9).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are
    favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area.
    Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening
    weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible
    warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce
    tornadoes.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 517…WW 518…

    AVIATION…A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to
    2 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 60 knots. A
    few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean storm motion vector
    27025.

    …Smith

    SEL9

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 519
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    240 PM MDT Wed Jul 16 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of
    Eastern Colorado
    Nebraska Panhandle
    Southeast Wyoming

    * Effective this Wednesday afternoon and evening from 240 PM
    until 1000 PM MDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    Scattered large hail and isolated very large hail events to 2
    inches in diameter possible
    Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph possible
    A tornado or two possible

    SUMMARY…Scattered thunderstorms developing near Interstate 25 will
    continue to intensify this afternoon and move eastward across the
    Watch. Appreciably strong deep-layer shear will support a mix of
    supercells and severe multicells across mainly the northern half of
    the Watch. Large hail and severe gusts will be the primary hazards
    with the stronger storms, but a tornado is possible. Severe
    thunderstorms posing primarily a severe-wind risk are possible later
    this evening as storms congeal into a likely cluster across
    southeast Colorado.

    The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 65
    statute miles east and west of a line from 40 miles north of
    Cheyenne WY to 25 miles west southwest of Springfield CO. For a
    complete depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline
    update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU9).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are
    favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area.
    Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening
    weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible
    warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce
    tornadoes.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 517…WW 518…

    AVIATION…A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to
    2 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 60 knots. A
    few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean storm motion vector
    27025.

    …Smith

    Note: The Aviation Watch (SAW) product is an approximation to the watch area. The actual watch is depicted by the shaded areas.
    SAW9
    WW 519 SEVERE TSTM CO NE WY 162040Z – 170400Z
    AXIS..65 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST OF LINE..
    40N CYS/CHEYENNE WY/ – 25WSW SPD/SPRINGFIELD CO/
    ..AVIATION COORDS.. 55NM E/W /31N CYS – 28ESE TBE/
    HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT..2 INCHES. WIND GUSTS..60 KNOTS.
    MAX TOPS TO 500. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 27025.

    LAT…LON 41720356 37130186 37130422 41720608

    THIS IS AN APPROXIMATION TO THE WATCH AREA. FOR A
    COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE WOUS64 KWNS
    FOR WOU9.

    Watch 519 Status Report Message has not been issued yet.

    Note:  Click for Complete Product Text.Tornadoes

    Probability of 2 or more tornadoes

    Low (20%)

    Probability of 1 or more strong (EF2-EF5) tornadoes

    Low ( 65 knots

    Low (20%)

    Hail

    Probability of 10 or more severe hail events

    Mod (40%)

    Probability of 1 or more hailstones > 2 inches

    Mod (30%)

    Combined Severe Hail/Wind

    Probability of 6 or more combined severe hail/wind events

    High (70%)

    For each watch, probabilities for particular events inside the watch (listed above in each table) are determined by the issuing forecaster. The “Low” category contains probability values ranging from less than 2% to 20% (EF2-EF5 tornadoes), less than 5% to 20% (all other probabilities), “Moderate” from 30% to 60%, and “High” from 70% to greater than 95%. High values are bolded and lighter in color to provide awareness of an increased threat for a particular event.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Old Flames

    Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

    Thank you, Chairman [Chris] Hayward. You have once again gone out of your way to make me feel welcome in London. Thank you also to all of you who are here today. Before I begin, I must remind you that my views are my own as a Commissioner of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and not necessarily those of the SEC or my fellow Commissioners or of anyone else in U.S. Government.

    It is an honor to stand before you in this grand and historic room. The Guildhall is a symbol of resilience—the site is rich with centuries of history that enliven a vibrant present—and renewal—when fire or war has damaged the place, reconstruction followed. Notably, the Guildhall survived London’s Great Fire of 1666, though not fully intact.[1] Samuel Pepys, the go-to eyewitness of the fire that burned much of London to the ground, described watching “the fire grow . . . in a most horrid malicious bloody flame” so that it “made [him] weep to see it.”[2]

    Although the fire’s official death toll was remarkably low at six people, the four-day conflagration caused years of immeasurable human suffering for an overwhelmingly homeless, and universally, haunted population.[3] Pepys, whose house survived the blaze—as presumably did the Parmesan cheese he had buried before fleeing the oncoming flames[4]—remarked a few days after the fire that he “sleeping and waking had a fear of fire in my heart”[5] and in 1667 still could not “sleep at night without great terrors of fire.”[6] Rebuilding began right away but took decades to complete. In December 1667, Pepys observed that “the city [had] got a pace on in the rebuilding of Guildhall.”[7] As with any large-scale reconstruction, conflicting architectural plans, regulatory uncertainty,[8] and legal wrangling about how to rebuild and who foots the bill sometimes slowed progress. But, with the help of its financial markets,[9] the city rebuilt itself from the ashes, this time with less flammable materials.[10]

    London’s ability to survive and thrive after the Great Fire served as a precedent for its later perseverance through and recovery from the ravages of World War II bombings of the city. Pepys was not around to document those events, but photographic evidence tells of the destruction and suffering in a way that words could not.[11] Photos of the post-air-raid Guildhall reveal a pile of rubble against a still-standing grand backdrop.[12]

    Again, London rebuilt the Guildhall and the rest of itself from its bombed ruins into a thriving metropolis. The United States through the Marshall Plan and other measures helped to finance that effort. That assistance, a continuation of the wartime alliance, is evidence of a relationship that runs deep between our nations. Physical manifestations of that connection exist in the damaged London church that was reconstructed as a memorial to Winston Churchill in Missouri[13] and in the bomb detritus that was shipped from the United Kingdom in empty aid ships returning to the United States and used to build parts of New York City.[14] The US-UK bond also reveals itself in the intertwining of our markets for human talent, capital, physical goods, and services, including financial services.

    Smart financial regulation embraces and perpetuates the knitting together of our two nations. Because we share so many of the same principles, the United Kingdom is a natural partner with the United States in the endeavor to foster resilient and robust global capital markets. We have a long history of working together. We both have common-law systems that afford strong legal protections to investors. We share an appreciation for the role capital markets play in empowering our people to build a vibrant, prosperous society. We both recognize the importance of market-driven capital allocation decisions in ensuring that society builds the right things and builds them well. We both acknowledge the importance of innovation and competition in serving people’s needs. Both jurisdictions value an environment in which incumbents and new entrants can try new things and change the way old systems work. Both jurisdictions, by promulgating and implementing generally sensible and properly focused regulatory frameworks, have fostered capital markets that attract global investors and talent.

    Shared principles alone are not enough to bind our markets together. Regulatory cooperation, which takes many forms, helps too. I have benefited on this trip, for example, from bilateral meetings with my UK counterparts, and similar meetings happen frequently between UK and US officials. Supervisory colleges bring regulators and supervisors together to compare notes on multinational market participants. Substituted compliance—a tool we have used in security-based swaps regulation[15]—enables a market participant that meets one jurisdiction’s regulatory requirements to satisfy the rules of the other jurisdiction geared toward a similar objective. UK and US regulators have worked together to overcome data access challenges to clear the way for US examinations of the more than 270 UK investment advisers serving clients in the US and for additional UK advisers to join their ranks.[16] UK and US authorities also routinely cooperate on enforcement matters by, for example, facilitating one another’s investigations of potential securities law violations.

    Just over a year ago, I suggested another tool for regulators to use in bringing our markets together. In a comment letter to the Bank of England and the Financial Conduct Authority on their consultation on a digital securities sandbox, I suggested a cross-border sandbox.[17] The UK government had proposed a digital securities sandbox, which was limited to UK firms, to generate real-world insights about whether distributed ledger technology could streamline the issuance, trading, and settlement of securities without undermining investor protection, market integrity, or financial stability.[18] I posited that a cross-border version of the sandbox could be even more effective: innovators could benefit from simultaneously serving UK and US markets; regulators, relying on information sharing agreements, could benefit by seeing more data on how complex emerging technologies operate in different contexts; and the British and American public could benefit by being served by a greater pool of product and service providers.

    As I envisioned it, a very flexible US micro-innovation sandbox would pair well with a UK sandbox; participants could adhere to a single set of conditions in both jurisdictions. Details matter, and I ended the letter by welcoming a discussion on how we might bring a cross-border sandbox to life. I have appreciated expressions of interest from the public and private sector in the UK, including much useful feedback gathered by Chairman Hayward and his colleagues at the City of London. Several months ago, referring to my sandbox, Chancellor Reeves advocated “explor[ing] opportunities to support industry to innovate cross-border . . . potentially allowing greater digital collaboration between capital markets in New York and London.”[19] And at last night’s Mansion House Speech, Chancellor Reeves reiterated her support for “proposals for greater digital collaboration between our two financial centres.”[20]

    The goal of future conversations between our two jurisdictions should be a financial system better able to serve UK and US investors, innovators, and entrepreneurs. A sandbox can serve as a bridge between our current rulebooks and future financial markets by allowing people to experiment with technology that may underpin the markets of the future.

    As I have thought more about the sandbox idea in the past year and talked with others, several themes have emerged. First, perhaps the term “sandbox” undersells the efficacy of the tool. “Sandbox” describes a regulatory mechanism that the UK and other jurisdictions have put to productive use.[21] Yet the term evokes for some an isolated laboratory environment with no prospect of long-term commercialization and for others children at play. Innovators are childlike only in their healthy sense of curiosity, which enables them to identify and solve societal problems. As I have said before, beaches are better than sandboxes. Beaches give innovators more room to formulate and reformulate ideas within eyeshot of the regulator—in this analogy the lifeguard—but lifeguards do not opine every time a beachgoer adds a turret to her sandcastle, as a regulator sitting in a sandbox with the innovator might be tempted to do.[22] Despite its appeal to this freedom-lover, “cross-border beach” is unlikely to catch on as a term. Maybe we can come up with another descriptor such as technology incubator, but meanwhile we are stuck with “sandbox.”

    Second, a sandbox has limited utility unless it comes with a smooth exit ramp that takes the participant into a workable permanent regulatory environment. Incorporating an effective exit ramp facilitates commercial experiments that lead to better, cheaper products and services and a more resilient and efficient financial market infrastructure.

    Third, and related, a sandbox with time, customer, or activity limits, absent a nimble mechanism to extend the timeline or raise the limits, could put sand in the gears of a growing company or even bring it to a screeching halt. After a period of slow and steady growth, user interest might spike suddenly. If a regulator were not able to react quickly, the company would have to turn new users away, which could color adversely the public’s perception of the company. Similarly, regulators must stand ready to work with participants to change conditions as needed. As part of the standard innovation process, a team may start with one idea and pivot in response to market demand.

    Fourth, incumbent firms and new entrants should have equal access to the sandbox. Some observers worry that if entry criteria are not transparent, the sandbox could become a mechanism for regulators to pick winners. Everyone should be able to participate on the same terms, but the whole point of a sandbox is to accommodate experimentation with different ways of doing things. Transparent terms available to everyone with an option to iterate may address this concern. In operating a sandbox, regulators also must be cognizant of the cost of participating, which can be prohibitive for small entities or even for large firms if long-term commercialization is not a reality. A proactive invitation to firms of all shapes, ages, and sizes to come in and talk about whether the sandbox is right for them can help not only to combat perceptions of favoritism, but to build trust, and inform regulators of market developments.

    Fifth, regulators cannot force participants into a sandbox. A cross-border sandbox only makes sense if it streamlines the road to commercial viability for a company that wants to serve both the UK and the US. Sandbox projects need to be organically generated, not planned by government working groups. As London found out in rebuilding after the 1666 fire and after the wartime firebombing, grand plans drawn up by experts often give way to organic building in response to real and immediate human needs. Operationalization of a sandbox may have to wait until a company with a concrete idea for cross-border activity approaches both regulators, though I look forward to preparatory discussions in the meantime, including joint discussions with firms and both sets of regulators in the same room.

    Sixth, the conditions imposed by a cross-border sandbox would need to be workable for both jurisdictions. For example, I would not support conditioning a sandbox on sustainability or diversity objectives. Extracting conditions unrelated to—and potentially distracting from—the safe and effective functioning of the project would be an improper use of financial regulation to achieve political outcomes.[23]

    Seventh, although not a new thought, many people have underscored the importance of protecting investors and markets from harm caused by sandbox activities. These objectives align with the SEC’s mission, but an often-forgotten part of protecting investors and markets is ensuring that new competitors, products, services, and ways of doing things can come into the market. A sandbox constrains, but does not eliminate, risk, which is consistent with sound regulation. As Chancellor Reeves noted last night, regulation can “go too far in seeking to eliminate risk.”[24]

    Much of my thinking about a potential sandbox has been in connection with crypto. Blockchain technology, given its early stage and potential for transforming the way our financial system and perhaps other systems work, is ripe for experimentation. The SEC’s Crypto Task Force has received written comment on the issue of sandboxes.[25] The topic of fostering experimentation also comes up in some of the Task Force’s meetings with the public.[26] Market participants are looking to experiment with bitcoin and other crypto assets, stablecoins, non-fungible tokens, digital identity solutions, collateral management, and tokenization of securities and assets such as real estate, among other issues. Blockchain allows for increased transparency, enhanced efficiency, lower costs, increased liquidity, and decentralization. In recent years, many use cases for the technology likely remained unexplored in the face of regulatory hostility or died in the labyrinth of regulatory ambiguity before they could achieve commercial success. The unique challenges and opportunities raised by blockchain technology and crypto assets and their borderless nature would lend themselves well to a mechanism for facilitating experiments and could help to identify where and how existing regulations might need to change in response. Because market participants are exploring numerous models, a sandbox for tokenizing securities might make sense. Building in cross-border interoperability will be easier now than later when business models have matured. I head back to the US today with the hope that the Crypto Task Force can collaborate with the FCA in coordination with our domestic colleagues across the government and in the context of the Administration’s broader cooperation with the United Kingdom.

    Because I prize the ability of capital to flow to its highest and best use, regardless of borders, and of investors to share in the wealth created by entrepreneurs all over the world, I also hope that our cross-jurisdiction partnership can serve as an example of how more than just our two nations can align interests in pursuit of a freer and more prosperous society. Fundamental differences in approaches to and objectives of financial regulation, however, could impede such efforts. Securities markets are key to solving all manner of problems, but only if market participants are free to respond to market incentives rather than serving as robotic mercenaries in a government-orchestrated initiative to achieve objectives unrelated to investor protection, efficiency, competition and capital formation. As Europe’s embrace of double materiality in corporate reporting and export of its sustainability disclosure requirements have laid bare, market integration suffers when two jurisdictions diverge on core matters such as the purpose of financial statements and other securities disclosures.

    On a related note that may be relevant to some people in the room, the SEC recently asked for comment on the definition of a Foreign Private Issuer (“FPI”), which provides a number of specific accommodations from which eligible FPIs may currently benefit as compared to domestic issuers.[27] One of the few comments to date came from an FPI based in the UK urging us “to consider carve-outs or refined eligibility criteria that preserve FPI status for companies with genuine foreign governance and infrastructure, regardless of shareholder geography or incorporation jurisdiction.”[28] That first-hand perspective is valuable, and I look forward to hearing from other interested members of the public, including UK companies, on this topic with similar or differing views.

    Thank you for indulging me today with your attention. I hope that the coming months will bring continuing discussions about how people from our two countries can work together for our mutual prosperity and benefit. Cross-border cooperation, whether in the context of crypto or capital markets, is a good way to fan the flames of our long friendship.

     

    [3] For an interesting discussion of the fire and its aftermath see Not Just the Tudors Podcast: Great Fire of London (May 28, 2023).

    [8] Pepys gives us a glimpse of the effect of regulatory uncertainty, when he notes in his diary that a friend told him in “his opinion that the City will never be built again together, as is expected, while any restraint is laid upon them. He hath been a great loser, and would be a builder again, but, he says, he knows not what restrictions there will be, so as it is unsafe for him to begin.” Samuel Pepys, Diary Entry on February 27, 1667, https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1667/02/28/.

    [9] Judy Stephenson, Nathan Sussman & D’Maris Coffman, The financing of the rebuilding of London after the Great Fire, Economic Historical Society Blog (Feb. 9, 2022), https://ehs.org.uk/the-financing-of-the-rebuilding-of-london-after-the-great-fire/ (“London’s financial market extended the Corporation credit at an average of 4 per cent in the key period of rebuilding. . . . Remarkably, as the costs of rebuilding mounted, and war with the Dutch began, in addition to political upheaval, the Corporation was able to tap considerable funds for most of the cost of initial reconstruction at declining interest rates.”).

    [15] See, e.g., Order Granting Conditional Substituted Compliance in Connection with Certain Requirements Applicable to Non-U.S. Security-Based Swap Dealers and Major Security-Based Swap Participants Subject to Regulation in the United Kingdom, Securities Act Release No. 34-92529, (July 30, 2021), https://www.sec.gov/files/rules/other/2021/34-92529.pdf.

    [21] See, e.g., Stuart Alderoty, Sameer Dhond & Deborah McCrimmon, Ripple May 28, 2025 Written Input Submission to SEC Crypto Task Force,  https://www.sec.gov/files/ctf-written-input-ripple-letter-regulatory-sandboxes-052825.pdf (mentioning, in addition to the UK’s Digital Securities Sandbox, Singapore’s Project Guardian, the EU Blockchain Regulatory Sandbox, the Swiss Sandbox and Fintech License, the UAE Sandbox, and the Dubai Sandbox).

    [23] See All. for Fair Bd. Recruitment v. Sec. & Exch. Comm’n, 125 F.4th 159 (5th Cir. 2024). See also Commissioner Hester M. Peirce, Statement on the Commission’s Order Approving Proposed Rule Changes, as Modified by Amendments No. 1, to Adopt Listing Rules Related to Board Diversity submitted by the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (Aug. 6, 2021), https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/speeches-statements/peirce-nasdaq-diversity-statement-080621.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gov. Lujan Grisham condemns U.S. Senate budget vote

    Source: US State of New Mexico

    SANTA FE – Today, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham issued the following statement following passage of the Republican budget bill by the U.S. Senate.

    With their vote to approve President Trump’s reckless budget proposal, Republicans in the U.S. Senate betrayed the American people. This bill is a disastrous, deficit-exploding gift to the ultra-wealthy made possible by gutting health care and food programs that millions of Americans rely on. I urge New Mexicans to call Republican members of the U.S. House immediately and demand that they vote against this awful bill.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gov . Lujan Grisham blasts GOP passage of budget that will hurt millions – Gov. says special session may be necessary

    Source: US State of New Mexico

    SANTA FE — Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham issued the following statement after final passage of the Republican budget bill in Congress:

    The Republican budget bill is an abomination that abandons working families and threatens the health and well-being of New Mexicans. Their vote to slash funding for health care and child nutrition to pay for tax cuts for the ultra-rich isn’t just bad policy—it’s an outright betrayal.

    Make no mistake: this Republican budget will hit New Mexico hard. From cuts to Medicaid funding that keeps our rural hospitals open, to reductions in food assistance for children, to threats against education programs that ensure our kids have a brighter future, this budget puts politics over people. It also amounts to an egregious tax hike on Americans who will pay higher prices for health care, electricity, and other services.

    As governor, I will do everything in my power to mitigate harm from this budget, which President Trump and Congressional Republicans foisted on the American people without adequate hearings, debate and transparency. I’m prepared to call a special session if necessary to protect New Mexicans from their fiscal assault.

    My administration is going through this budget with a fine-tooth comb, identifying every threat to our state, and we’re going to fight like hell to protect what matters most.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Five hundred+ rural locations gain high-speed internet access – $6.8M federal funding connects previously unserved communities

    Source: US State of New Mexico

    SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham today announced that three completed broadband projects have connected more than 500 rural locations to high-speed internet in Cibola and McKinley counties through the Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE).

    “Rural New Mexicans need reliable internet access and we’re delivering it,” said Gov. Lujan Grisham. “These projects deliver real results—connecting families to telehealth, students to online learning, and businesses to new markets.”

    “These projects define our mission to bring sustainable, reliable broadband to communities that lack this vital service,” said Jeff Lopez, director of OBAE. “It’s extremely satisfying to connect locations that now have access to critical online programs, services and opportunities. I’m proud of our OBAE team that has worked closely with internet service providers and others to make this happen.”

    Cibola County Project: OSO Internet Solutions deployed a nearly 50-mile fiber network connecting 109 homes in Pine Meadow Ranches near Ramah. The $5,789,283 ARPA grant project connects through Oso’s mainline with Lumen Technologies and crosses sections of Ramah Navajo Tribal allotments to reach the Pine Meadows areas.

    McKinley County Projects: Sacred Wind/Ethos Broadband used a $1,041,926 ARPA grant to install fixed wireless systems serving 410 locations in two areas:

    • 162 locations in the Western Skies subdivision in Gallup.
    • 248 locations in the unincorporated community of Thoreau, east of Gallup.

    “I’m proud to welcome $6.8 million from legislation I helped pass into law to connect New Mexicans living in Cibola and McKinley counties to high-speed internet,” said Sen. Martin Heinrich. “This funding will connect New Mexicans in rural areas to careers they can build their families around, help local small businesses boost their sales online, and provide the next generation with the tools they need to succeed in their education and beyond.”

    “In today’s digital era, reliable internet access is a necessity for New Mexico families,” said Sen. Ben Ray Luján. “The completion of these critical broadband projects will bring much-needed, high-speed internet to rural communities across Cibola and McKinley Counties. I’m proud to have secured over $6.8 million in federal funding for these projects through the American Rescue Plan. As Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Media, I will continue to fight to deliver federal dollars to help connect New Mexicans to high-speed internet.”

    “High-speed internet is not a luxury—it’s essential for school, work, health care, and opportunity. That’s why I fought to make sure our rural and Tribal communities weren’t left behind when Democrats invested in America’s future with the historic American Rescue Plan,” said Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández. “The new connections in Gallup and Thoreau are life-changing for hundreds of families in McKinley County. With this over $6.8 million investment paid for by that Democratic reconciliation bill, we’re not just laying down internet lines—we’re building the foundation for our children’s success and building ‘the good life’ Democrats believe in.”

    “The completion of these three broadband projects is a big win for our district, as more New Mexicans living in Cibola and McKinley counties will now be able to access the online opportunities and resources they need to thrive in today’s digital world,” said Rep. Gabe Vasquez. “From online education platforms to telehealth medicine and more, the doors unlocked by expanded broadband access make day to day life easier for our communities, and I am proud to support this effort.”

    “The Navajo Nation Broadband Office is pleased to collaborate with OBAE and the state of New Mexico in delivering broadband access to Ramah Chapter and surrounding areas, with over 560 homes already successfully connected to fiber internet by Oso Internet Solutions,” said Sonia Nez, department manager for Navajo Nation Broadband Office. This achievement means more Navajo families now have the vital tools to access online healthcare, attend virtual classes, and stay connected with loved ones, all from the comfort of their homes.”

    All projects provide broadband speeds of 100/100 mbps download/upload to customers.

    ###

    The Office of Broadband Access and Expansion is dedicated to serving New Mexico with a commitment to make high-speed broadband accessible to all New Mexicans. OBAE’s mission is to expand and improve high-speed internet service with passionate leadership that drives bold, equitable, affordable and inclusive broadband solutions. OBAE seeks results that honor the state’s rich heritage and elevate quality of life for all.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New Mexico Governor mobilizes resources following catastrophic flooding in Ruidoso 

    Source: US State of New Mexico

    SANTA FE – New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham issued the following statement:

    Ruidoso endured devastating wildfires and flooding last summer, and now catastrophic flooding is hitting this resilient community again. This crisis demands immediate action.

    Tonight, I signed an emergency declaration request to get federal response teams and repair resources on the ground immediately. We’re encouraged that additional federal resources are already on the way.

    New Mexico is mobilizing every resource we have, but Ruidoso needs federal support to recover from this disaster. We’ve watched Texas receive the federal resources they desperately needed, and Ruidoso deserves that same urgent response.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor secures some federal resources for Ruidoso – State works with federal partners for additional financial assistance

    Source: US State of New Mexico

    SANTA FE – The state of New Mexico today received partial approval for a federal emergency declaration for flood-damaged communities, providing immediate federal personnel resources to support response and recovery efforts in Ruidoso while work continues to secure additional federal assistance.

    “This federal declaration is a critical first step, but it’s not everything Ruidoso needs and deserves,” said Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. “We will continue working with the federal government for every dollar and resource necessary to help this resilient community fully recover from these devastating floods.”

    What was approved: The emergency declaration provides immediate assistance to the community for life saving activities like urban search and rescue teams and the support staff for the incident management team to begin work.

    What remains under federal review: The governor’s original request also sought additional assistance that remains pending including:

    • Direct financial assistance for individuals, households, and businesses in the affected areas of Lincoln and Valencia counties, including grants for:
      • Repair or replacement of homes destroyed in the disaster.
      • Necessary expenses and essential needs including medical, dental, funeral, personal property, and transportation costs.
      • A one-time payment for emergency supplies including water, food, first aid, breastfeeding supplies, infant formula, diapers, personal hygiene items, and fuel for transportation.
      • Temporary housing including hotels, staying with family or friends, or other suitable options for displaced residents.
      • Transitional sheltering assistance.
    • Federal reimbursement for emergency work, including debris removal for Chaves, Lincoln, Otero, and Valencia counties.
    • Permanent repair of disaster-damaged facilities and public infrastructure for Chaves, Lincoln, Otero, and Valencia counties including:
      • Roads and bridges.
      • Water control facilities.
      • Public buildings and equipment.
      • Public utilities.
      • Parks, recreational, and other facilities.

    In support of the governor’s request, the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management is actively working with FEMA to conduct preliminary damage assessments and provide additional documentation requested by FEMA.

    A state Disaster Recovery Center is available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at ENMU-Ruidoso, 709 Mecham Dr, Ruidoso, N.M. 88345. State disaster case managers are on site, along with state agencies who can help residents replace documents, ask insurance questions, and find resources.

    Residents can also call the State Disaster Helpline at 1-833-663-4736 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. or visit the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management’s website.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Chu, Colleagues Join Union Workers to Announce Legislation to Protect Workers from Extreme Heat

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla, Chu, Colleagues Join Union Workers to Announce Legislation to Protect Workers from Extreme Heat

    WATCH: Padilla pushes for enforceable workplace heat stress protections after hottest year on record

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, on the heels of another harsh heat wave across California, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Representative Judy Chu (D-Calif.-28) joined union workers from the United Farm Workers (UFW), American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, and United Steelworkers to announce their bipartisan, bicameral legislation to implement federal enforceable workplace heat stress protections.

    Co-leads of the legislation include U.S. Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), and Representatives Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-Va.-03), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and Workforce, and Alma Adams (D-N.C.-12).

    To address the increasing risks from extreme temperatures, the lawmakers introduced the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act, legislation to protect the safety and health of indoor and outdoor workers who are exposed to dangerous heat conditions in the workplace. The legislation would protect workers against occupational exposure to excessive heat by requiring the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to establish an enforceable federal standard to protect workers in high-heat environments with commonsense measures like paid breaks in cool spaces, access to water, limitations on time exposed to heat, and emergency response for workers with heat-related illness. The bill also directs employers to provide training for their employees on the risk factors that can lead to heat illness and guidance on the proper procedures for responding to symptoms.

    The bill is named in honor of Asunción Valdivia, who died in 2004 after picking grapes for 10 hours straight in 105-degree temperatures. Mr. Valdivia fell unconscious, but instead of calling an ambulance, his employer told Mr. Valdivia’s son to drive his father home. On his way home, he died of heat stroke at the age of 53.

    “Asunción Valdivia’s death was completely preventable, yet his story is sadly not unique. As the planet continues to grow hotter, there is still no federally enforceable heat safety standard for workers. That’s not just dangerous for the farm workers and construction workers who work all day outside in the sun — it’s also dangerous for the factory and restaurant workers in boiling warehouses and kitchens,” said Senator Padilla. “Every family deserves to know that even on the hottest day, their loved one will come back home. A national heat safety standard would provide that peace of mind and finally give workers the safety they deserve.”

    “Even as heat waves become more frequent, longer-lasting, and more severe, red state politicians are rolling back heat protections and child labor protections across the country. It’s not rocket science—you cannot be pro-worker if you are anti-heat protection,” said Senator Markey. “Our legislation would provide workers with basic, effective protections: access to water, access to shade, time limits on high heat exposure, and procedures for emergency medical response. Every worker deserves to know when they clock in that they will return home safe at the end of their shift.  The thermometer is rising and the clock is ticking. Republicans want to sacrifice working Americans. Let’s save our workers instead.”

    “From farmhands to construction workers, America’s essential workforce is doing important work while under extreme heat conditions,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “Temperatures continue to reach record highs in Nevada and across the United States. We must act now to protect our communities’ vital workers.” 

    “As we continue to experience record-breaking summer heat waves, we’re also seeing a distressing increase in cases of workers collapsing and even losing their lives due to excessive heat. I will never forget people like Asunción Valdivia or Esteban Chavez Jr., who passed away in Pasadena, California in 2022 after a day of delivering packages in 90-degree heat in a truck without air conditioning. Unfortunately, their tragic deaths were entirely preventable,” said Representative Chu. “Whether on a farm, driving a truck, or working in a warehouse, workers like Asunción and Esteban keep our country running while enduring some of the most difficult conditions—often without access to water or rest. To protect our workforce and save lives, we must pass this bill into law and establish comprehensive and enforceable federal standards addressing heat stress on the job.”

    “This summer, Americans across the country are grappling with some of the hottest temperatures on record. Yet workers in this country still have no legal protection against excessive heat—one of the oldest, most serious, and most common workplace hazards. Heat illness affects workers in our nation’s fields, warehouses, and factories, and climate change is making the problem more severe every year,” said Ranking Member Scott, House Committee on Education and Workforce. “This legislation will require OSHA to issue a heat standard on a much faster track than the normal OSHA regulatory process. I was proud to advance this important bill in 2022, and I urge Chairman Walberg and Committee Republicans to do so again this Congress. Workers deserve nothing less, particularly as heat-related illnesses and deaths rise.”

    “As we face record temperatures, it has never been more important that we protect our workers facing extreme heat in the workplace,” said Representative Adams. “Last year, a North Carolina postal worker Wendy Johnson lost her life to heat illness after spending hours in the back of a postal truck on a 95-degree day with no air conditioning. Her death was entirely preventable, and Wendy should still be with us today. I’m proud to introduce this bill so we can honor her memory and ensure every worker has the protections from extreme heat that Wendy deserved.” 

    According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 2024 was the warmest year on record for the United States. The past decade, including 2024, was the hottest on record, marking a decade of extreme heat that will only get worse. Heat-related illnesses can cause heat cramps, organ damage, heat exhaustion, stroke, and even death. Between 1992 and 2017, heat stress injuries killed 815 U.S. workers and seriously injured more than 70,000. The Washington Center for Equitable Growth estimates hot temperatures caused at least 360,000 workplace injuries in California from 2001 to 2018, or about 20,000 injuries a year. The failure to implement simple heat safety measures costs U.S. employers nearly $100 billion every year in lost productivity.

    From 2011-2020, heat exposure killed at least 400 workers and caused nearly 34,000 injuries and illnesses resulting in days away from work; both are likely vast underestimates. Farm workers and construction workers suffer the highest incidence of heat illness. And no matter what the weather is outside, workers in factories, commercial kitchens, and other workplaces, including ones where workers must wear personal protective equipment (PPE), can face dangerously high heat conditions all year round.

    The Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act has the support of a broad coalition of over 250 groups, including: Rural Coalition, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, AFL-CIO, UNITE HERE!, Communication Workers of America, Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, Sierra Club, United Farm Workers, Farmworker Justice, Public Citizen, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, Union of Concerned Scientists, United Steelworkers, National Resources Defense Council, American Lung Association, and Health Partnerships.

    “Every worker safety rule in America is written in blood,” said UFW President Teresa Romero. “The UFW has been fighting for heat safety protections for decades. Over 20 years later, Asuncion Valdivia’s death still hurts. There are so many other farm workers — many whose names we do not know — who have also been killed by extreme heat on the job in the years since. Enough is enough. Every farm worker deserves access to water, shade, and paid rest breaks — it’s past time for Congress get this done.”

    “Too many workers – including AFSCME members – have lost their lives on the job as a result of blistering heat waves and record-breaking temperatures,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “As the number of heat-related illnesses and fatalities continue to rise, it is well past time we adopt nationwide safeguards to better protect the workers who maintain our infrastructure, keep our streets clean, harvest our food, and keep our economy moving. We at AFSCME thank Senator Padilla and Representative Chu for introducing the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act, which will ensure essential workers who brave the heat can do their jobs safely and effectively, and most importantly, make it home alive.”

    “For the Steelworkers Union, we represent workers in manufacturing settings and in a host of other areas where not only is it hot outside, but the areas that they work around are as hot as up to 3,000 degrees and they must wear protective equipment. The Asunción Valdivia Heat, Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act is important because it will provide a basic standard for not just outdoor, but indoor workplaces as well to ensure that there is proper rest breaks and the ability to stay cool. The Steelworkers are absolutely supportive of this bill and are going to work with Republicans and Democrats to ensure that heat illness is the last thing a worker should worry about,” said Roy Houseman, Legislative Director of United Steelworkers. 

    “Everyone deserves safe working conditions, but powerful corporations have not done enough to protect their workers from hot working environments, exacerbated by the climate crisis,” said Liz Shuler, President of the AFL-CIO. “Extreme heat is increasingly causing indoor and outdoor workers to collapse or even die on the job, and our union family has already lost too many members to preventable, work-related heat illness. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) must issue a strong heat rule, not a weak one, to ensure workers have specific protections they need and to be able to raise unsafe working conditions without fear of retaliation.”

    “It’s long past time for meaningful legislation to protect Teamsters and other workers from the effects of prolonged heat exposure and dangerous heat levels while at work,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “Paid breaks in cool spaces, access to water, and limitations on time exposed to heat are simple common sense steps that should be mandated immediately. Waiting to implement these measures is unacceptable and will result in the further loss of lives.”

    “Workers in America are facing unprecedented dangers from climate-driven heat and extreme weather, and things are only getting worse. It is far past time for a strong national standard to protect workers from illness and death caused by exposure to extreme heat. The provisions mandated in this bill, including temperature triggers, acclimatization, water, shade and paid rest breaks, would save countless lives. They represent a common sense and common decency approach that employers could quickly adopt. American workers deserve no less, and they urgently need it. Today, OSHA is in the final stage of issuing a final rule on this issue. It is imperative that the rule maintain the integrity and high standards called for in the Asuncíon Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act. We applaud Senators Padilla, Markey, and Cortez Masto and Representatives Chu, Adams, and Scott, as well as the dozens of Senators and Congresspersons who have joined them in this long effort. It’s time to bring a high quality, protective standard to the finish line for American workers,” said Ernesto Archila, Climate and Financial Regulation Policy Director, Public Citizen.

    “Every summer high temperature records get broken in states across the country, and while public health officials urge residents to stay inside and stay safe millions of workers have to report for work. From fields to warehouses, airports to schools, construction sites to manufacturing plants, and many more industries, too many workers are at risk of not getting home safely at the end of the day due to exposure to heat on the job. We know how to prevent these dangers. In fact, both outdoor and indoor workers in states like Oregon, California, and Maryland have strong, enforceable protections in place already. And in Washington, Colorado, and Minnesota at least some categories of workers are being kept safe from heat. But millions labor in other states where there are no protections; worker safety is left to the federal government in these states, and absent strong rules workers are left to protect themselves and hope for the best. We must extend workplace protections from heat to all workers. The National Employment Law Project thanks Senator Padilla and Representative Chu, as well as the dozens of Senators and Congresspersons who have cosponsored the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act of 2025,” said Anastasia Christman, Senior Policy Analyst, National Employment Law Project.

    The bill is cosponsored by Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

    Senator Padilla has acted urgently to address the threats posed by extreme heat as the climate crisis becomes more severe. Padilla successfully called on OSHA to establish the first-ever federal safety standard to protect workers from the severe risks of excessive heat, implementing key provisions from the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act. Padilla and his colleagues also led 112 members of Congress in calling on the Biden Administration to implement a workplace federal heat standard as quickly as possible. The letter urged OSHA to model the standard after the provisions in the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act. Additionally, Padilla and Markey’s Preventing Health Emergencies and Temperature-related (HEAT) Illness and Deaths Act advanced out of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation last year.

    Padilla previously joined union members and workers from UFW and the Kern, Inyo, and Mono Counties Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO in Forty Acres, California in 2023 to announce his legislation to implement an enforceable federal workplace heat standard.

    A one-pager on the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act is available here.

    A section-by-section of the bill is available here.

    Full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaptur Joins McCollum and 45 Bicameral Colleagues In Letter Opposing Cuts To The Corporation For Public Broadcasting

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

    Lawmakers emphasize importance of emergency broadcasting funding to keep Americans safe amid natural disasters and emergencies

    Washington, DC — On Wednesday, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), joined Congresswoman Betty McCollum (MN-04) in leading a letter alongside 45  bicameral Congressional colleagues to President Trump urging him to reconsider his decision to defund the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). The CPB supports America’s children with educational programming and ensures that emergency broadcasting keeps Americans safe amid natural disasters and emergencies. The proposed rescission to the CPB will force small stations around the country to close, leaving significant gaps in coverage for Americans who rely on these vital services for noncommercial, high-quality, localized content and telecommunications. 

    The letter comes amid Congressional Republicans’ attempt to pass President Trump’s proposal to rescind $10 Billion in federal funding that Congress approved four months ago on a bipartisan basis. Despite bipartisan opposition to the bill, the US Senate voted to move forward to debating and amending the legislation on Wednesday by the slimmest possible margin following a tie-breaking vote cast by Vice President JD Vance. 

    “We write to express our deep concern regarding the $1.1 Billion claw back of funds to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) included in the proposed recissions you sent to Congress on May 28, 2025,” said the lawmakers in their letter to the White House. “The package was passed through the House of Representatives on June 12, over the objections of all Democratic and four Republican Members. The cuts to CPB in the recission package undermine the public media that Americans rely on for unfettered access to information, educational programming for kids, cultural programming, and nationwide emergency alerting.

    “Public media has received bipartisan support for the past 50 years because Congress has continuously recognized that access to public media is in the public’s best interest. The Public Radio Satellite System (PRSS) is the backbone of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Amber Alerts and plays a critical role in keeping Americans informed and safe during emergencies. As key local news providers, public radio stations leverage their reporting resources to offer live news and information on disasters and other emergencies, providing real-time information on where local audiences can access resources and safe locations.

    “As our nation experiences increased instances of severe weather and climate shocks, this service is more important than ever. In Minnesota, Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) delivers programming and services across the state, and in some areas is the only local source for news and updates during an emergency. When the power goes out, and cell networks or the internet go down, MPR is the most reliable form of communication in an emergency and provides essential backstopping for all other emergency alerting services and activities across the public media system. This is true across all 50 states, and losing this important service in the middle of hurricane, flood, and tornado season will prove devastating nationwide.

    “Of the $1.1 Billion included in the rescission proposal, 70% of these funds will be pulled out of local stations that are independently owned and operated in our communities. For many smaller stations in rural communities across the country, these cuts will prove utterly devastating, because they provide local, state, and regional news that is no longer provided through other outlets. These small stations will not survive, resulting in news deserts for these communities and putting thousands of American lives at risk.

    “We ask your administration to withdraw this rescission proposal and protect the vital services that CPB provides. If the rescissions go ahead as planned, we will be requesting a report to Congress as to how your administration plans to fill the void left behind, particularly in the areas of emergency alerting and local news reporting.”

    The letter is co-signed by Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) and 44 Democratic Representatives: Representatives Joyce Beatty (OH-03), Ami Bera (CA-06), Sanford Bishop (GA-02), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Brendan Boyle (PA-02), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Shontel Brown (OH-11), André Carson (IN-07), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Danny Davis (IL-07), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Laura Friedman (CA-30), John Garamendi (CA-08), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), William Keating (MA-09), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Seth Magaziner (RI-02), James McGovern (MA-02), Robert Menendez (NJ-08), Dave Min (CA-47), Kelly Morrison (MN-03), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Richard Neal (MA-01), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Emily Randall (WA-06), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Adam Smith (WA-09), Greg Stanton (AZ-04), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Mike Thompson (CA-04), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Marc Veasey (TX-33), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), and Nikema Williams (GA-05).

    Click here to read the letter. 

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Acting Chairman Caroline D. Pham Lauds Actions to Clarify Whistleblower Protections for CFTC Staff

    Source: US Commodity Futures Trading Commission

    Acting Chairman Caroline D. Pham Lauds Actions to Clarify Whistleblower Protections for CFTC Staff | CFTC

    /PressRoom/SpeechesTestimony/phamstatement071625
    Skip to main content

    July 16, 2025

    Washington, D.C. – CFTC Acting Chairman Caroline D. Pham today made the following comment regarding a CFTC Office of Inspector General review that clarified whistleblower protections for agency employees.
    “I’m pleased that the inspector general conducted a thorough review of the CFTC’s policies to ensure our employees are adequately informed of their whistleblower rights and protections. Whistleblowers are critical to promoting a well-functioning government, and I applaud the agency efforts to make these protections abundantly clear,” Acting Chairman Pham said.

    -CFTC-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Member of Violent Gang Sentenced to Decade in Prison for Racketeering and Drug and Firearms Trafficking

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in Cameron Street, a violent Boston gang.

    Felisberto Lopes, also known as “Chee-B,” 40, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In November 2024, Lopes pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise, possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and multiple counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 6, 2025. In May 2023, Lopes was one of 22 individuals named in a multi-count superseding indictment charging him and others with racketeering conspiracy, drug and firearms trafficking and other offenses.

    Lopes was identified as a member of Cameron Street, a violent gang based largely in Dorchester that uses violence to preserve, protect and expand its territory, promote fear and enhance its reputation. According to the charging documents, members use social media applications to promote Cameron Street, celebrate murders and other violent crimes committed by the gang, as well as denigrate rival gangs. Cameron Street members allegedly possess, carry and use firearms to murder and assault gang rivals as well as protect narcotics and drug proceeds. Cameron Street members also allegedly distribute controlled substances and firearms, commit armed robberies and engage in human trafficking in part to generate income for the Cameron Street enterprise.

    During the investigation Lopes distributed several firearms as well as cocaine to a cooperating witness. On Feb. 26, 2022, law enforcement responded to a shooting that took place at Lopes’ residence in Dorchester. During a search of his residence, a half kilogram of cocaine, over $25,000, two plastic bags containing crack cocaine, two scales with cocaine residue, a bag of oxycodone pills and over 400 rounds of various calibers of ammunition were seized. Lopes was taken into custody nearby.

    Lopes had previously been convicted in Suffolk Superior Court of aggravated assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury and served a four-year state prison sentence.

    This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Scott Riordan, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Feld Division; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; Suffolk, Plymouth, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Canton, Quincy, Randolph, Somerville, Brockton, Malden, Stoughton, Rehoboth and Pawtucket (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Charles Dell’Anno of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

    The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Sentenced for Possessing More than 65 Pounds of Methamphetamine and Seven Firearms

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    TULSA, Okla. – A Mexican national was sentenced today for Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute, Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, and Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

    U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Marcos Javier Suazo-Mancilla, 23, to 270 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.

    In October 2024, the Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating a drug trafficking organization believed to be responsible for trafficking methamphetamine and cocaine in the Tulsa area. When law enforcement conducted a search warrant at a residence, Suazo-Mancilla was present, and documentation showed that he was residing in the home. During a search of the residence, approximately 26 pounds of methamphetamine, 41 grams of cocaine, seven firearms, and more than $9k in cash were found. The investigation further revealed that this organization rented an auto body shop. When law enforcement searched that business, they found an additional 39 pounds of methamphetamine.   

    Suazo-Mancilla was previously removed from the United States in August 2018. He will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons and is expected to face removal proceedings following the sentence.

    The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Nasar prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: AvePoint Announces Redemption of Outstanding Public Warrants

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    JERSEY CITY, N.J., July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AvePoint (Nasdaq: AVPT), the global leader in data security, governance and resilience, today announced that it has completed the redemption of its publicly traded warrants (the “Warrants”) to purchase shares of AvePoint’s common stock, $0.0001 par value per share (“Common Stock”), that were issued under the Warrant Agreement, dated September 16, 2019, by and between AvePoint’s predecessor company, Apex Technology Acquisition Corporation (“Apex”), and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as warrant agent, (the “Warrant Agreement”) as part of the units sold in Apex’s initial public offering, that remained unexercised at 5:00 p.m., New York City time on July 11, 2025 (the “Redemption Date”) for a redemption price of $0.01 per Warrant (the “Redemption Price”).

    On June 11, 2025, AvePoint filed a Form 8-K/A stating that, pursuant to the Warrant Agreement, it would redeem all Warrants that remained outstanding at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Redemption Date at the Redemption Price. Of the 1,242,994 Warrants that were outstanding as of the date AvePoint announced the redemption of its public warrants on June 11, 2025, 1,053,498 were subsequently exercised. Total cash proceeds generated from the Warrant exercises were approximately $12.1 million. A total of 189,496 Warrants remained unexercised as of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Redemption Date, and AvePoint redeemed those Warrants for an aggregate redemption price of approximately $1,895. Following the Redemption Date, AvePoint had no Warrants outstanding and 211,879,134 shares of Common Stock outstanding.

    In connection with the redemption, the Warrants ceased trading on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (“Nasdaq”) and will be delisted, with the trading suspension effective as of July 11, 2025. The Common Stock continues to trade on Nasdaq under the symbol “AVPT.”

    No Offer or Solicitation

    This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities of AvePoint, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

    About AvePoint 

    Beyond Secure. AvePoint is a global leader in data security, governance, and resilience, going beyond traditional solutions to ensure a robust data foundation and enable organizations everywhere to collaborate with confidence. Over 25,000 customers worldwide rely on the AvePoint Confidence Platform to prepare, secure, and optimize their critical data across Microsoft, Google, Salesforce, and other collaboration environments. AvePoint’s global channel partner program includes over 5,000 managed service providers, value-added resellers and systems integrators, with our solutions available in more than 100 cloud marketplaces. To learn more, visit www.avepoint.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements 

    This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws including statements regarding the future performance of and market opportunities for AvePoint. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “strategy,” “future,” “opportunity,” “plan,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “would,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result,” and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release, including but not limited to: changes in the competitive and regulated industries in which AvePoint operates, variations in operating performance across competitors, changes in laws and regulations affecting AvePoint’s business and changes in AvePoint’s ability to implement business plans, forecasts, and ability to identify and realize additional opportunities, and the risk of downturns in the market and the technology industry. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described in the “Risk Factors” section of AvePoint’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Copies of these and other documents filed by AvePoint from time to time are available on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and AvePoint does not assume any obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements after the date of this release, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law. AvePoint does not give any assurance that it will achieve its expectations. Unless the context otherwise indicates, references in this press release to the terms “AvePoint”, “the Company”, “we”, “our” and “us” refer to AvePoint, Inc. and its subsidiaries. 

    Disclosure Information

    AvePoint uses the https://www.avepoint.com/ir website as a means of disclosing material non-public information and for complying with its disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. 

    Investor Contact 
    AvePoint 
    Jamie Arestia 
    ir@avepoint.com 
    (551) 220-5654 

    Media Contact 
    AvePoint 
    Nicole Caci 
    pr@avepoint.com 
    (201) 201-8143 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Berry Corporation Announces Date for Second Quarter 2025 Earnings Release and Conference Call/Webcast

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DALLAS, July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Berry Corporation (bry) (NASDAQ: BRY) (“Berry” or the “Company”) today announced it will report second quarter 2025 results on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, after the close of U.S. financial markets and will host a conference call and webcast Thursday, August 7, 2025, to discuss these results; details and links are provided below:

    Earnings Call Information

    Call Date:  Thursday, August 7, 2025
    Call Time: 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time / 10:00 a.m. Central Time / 8:00 a.m. Pacific Time
       

    Join the live listen-only audio webcast at https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/nngi4arf or at https://bry.com/category/events

    If you would like to ask a question on the live call, please pre-register using the following link:

    https://register-conf.media-server.com/register/BIb2be5f52d4874ace92c29a164ea18802

    Once registered, you will receive the dial-in numbers and a unique PIN number. You may then dial in or have a call back. When you dial in, you will input your PIN and be placed into the call. If you register and forget your PIN or lose your registration confirmation email, you may simply re-register and receive a new PIN.

    A web based audio replay will be available shortly after the broadcast and will be archived at https://ir.bry.com/reports-resources or visit https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/nngi4arf or https://bry.com/category/events

    About Berry Corporation (BRY)

    Berry is a publicly traded (NASDAQ: BRY) western United States independent upstream energy company with a focus on onshore, low geologic risk, long-lived oil and gas reserves. We operate in two business segments: (i) exploration and production (“E&P”) and (ii) well servicing and abandonment services. Our E&P assets are located in California and Utah, are characterized by high oil content and are predominantly located in rural areas with low population. Our California assets are in the San Joaquin Basin (100% oil), and our Utah assets are in the Uinta Basin (65% oil). We provide our well servicing and abandonment services to third party operators in California and our California E&P operations through C&J Well Services (CJWS). More information can be found at the Company’s website at www.bry.com.

    COMPANY CONTACT:                
    Christopher Denison – Director of Investor Relations
    ir@bry.com
    (661) 616-3811

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Expand Energy Provides 2025 Second Quarter Earnings Conference Call Information

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    OKLAHOMA CITY, July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Expand Energy Corporation (NASDAQ: EXE) announced today that it will release its 2025 second quarter operational and financial results after market close on July 29, 2025. A conference call to discuss the results has been scheduled for July 30, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. EDT. Participants can view the live webcast here. Participants who would like to ask a question, can register here, and will receive the dial-in info and a unique PIN to join the call. Links to the conference call will be provided on Expand Energy’s website. A replay will be available on the website following the call.

    About Expand Energy
    Expand Energy Corporation (NASDAQ: EXE) is the largest natural gas producer in the United States, powered by dedicated and innovative employees focused on disrupting the industry’s traditional cost and market delivery model to responsibly develop assets in the nation’s most prolific natural gas basins. Expand Energy’s returns-driven strategy strives to create sustainable value for its stakeholders by leveraging its scale, financial strength and operational execution. Expand Energy is committed to expanding America’s energy reach to fuel a more affordable, reliable, lower carbon future.

    INVESTOR CONTACT: MEDIA CONTACT:
    Chris Ayres Brooke Coe
    (405) 935-8870 (405) 935-8878
    ir@expandenergy.com media@expandenergy.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: South Plains Financial, Inc. Reports Second Quarter 2025 Financial Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LUBBOCK, Texas, July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — South Plains Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ:SPFI) (“South Plains” or the “Company”), the parent company of City Bank (“City Bank” or the “Bank”), today reported its financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2025.

    Second Quarter 2025 Highlights

    • Net income for the second quarter of 2025 was $14.6 million, compared to $12.3 million for the first quarter of 2025 and $11.1 million for the second quarter of 2024.
    • Diluted earnings per share for the second quarter of 2025 was $0.86, compared to $0.72 for the first quarter of 2025 and $0.66 for the second quarter of 2024.
    • Average cost of deposits for the second quarter of 2025 was 214 basis points, compared to 219 basis points for the first quarter of 2025 and 243 basis points for the second quarter of 2024.
    • Net interest margin, on a tax-equivalent basis, was 4.07% for the second quarter of 2025, compared to 3.81% for the first quarter of 2025 and 3.63% for the second quarter of 2024.
    • Return on average assets for the second quarter of 2025 was 1.34%, compared to 1.16% for the first quarter of 2025 and 1.07% for the second quarter of 2024.
    • Tangible book value (non-GAAP) per share was $26.70 as of June 30, 2025, compared to $26.05 as of March 31, 2025 and $24.15 as of June 30, 2024.
    • The consolidated total risk-based capital ratio, common equity tier 1 risk-based capital ratio, and tier 1 leverage ratio at June 30, 2025 were 18.17%, 13.86%, and 12.12%, respectively.

    Curtis Griffith, South Plains’ Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented, “We delivered solid second quarter results highlighted by steady margin expansion, continued loan growth despite high levels of loan payoffs, which were expected, and healthy capital levels that continued to build through the quarter. Additionally, we believe the credit quality of our loan portfolio remained solid through the quarter. We believe that we are in a strong position to take advantage of opportunities as they present themselves and are pursuing a strategy to increase the assets of the Bank primarily focused on expanding our lending capabilities. Our community-based deposit franchise continues to provide a stable, lower-cost funding source for loan growth across our markets and our team has done a terrific job growing our loan portfolio over the last five years. We believe that we have opportunities to accelerate that growth by further expanding our lending platform and adding experienced commercial lenders who share our culture and values, and who can bring high quality customer relationships to the Bank. We recruited several experienced lenders in the Dallas market during the second quarter and will continue to add talent in the quarters to come as we expand our reach and continue to work to take market share.”

    Results of Operations, Quarter Ended June 30, 2025

    Net Interest Income

    Net interest income was $42.5 million for the second quarter of 2025, compared to $38.5 million for the first quarter of 2025 and $35.9 million for the second quarter of 2024. Net interest margin, calculated on a tax-equivalent basis, was 4.07% for the second quarter of 2025, compared to 3.81% for the first quarter of 2025 and 3.63% for the second quarter of 2024. The average yield on loans was 6.99% for the second quarter of 2025, compared to 6.67% for the first quarter of 2025 and 6.60% for the second quarter of 2024. The average cost of deposits was 214 basis points for the second quarter of 2025, which is 5 basis points lower than the first quarter of 2025 and 29 basis points lower than the second quarter of 2024. There was a recovery of $1.7 million in interest during the second quarter of 2025, related to a full repayment of a loan that had previously been on nonaccrual. This recovery positively impacted the net interest margin by 17 basis points and the loan yield by 23 basis points during the second quarter of 2025.

    Interest income was $64.1 million for the second quarter of 2025, compared to $59.9 million for the first quarter of 2025 and $59.2 million for the second quarter of 2024. Interest income increased $4.2 million in the second quarter of 2025 from the first quarter of 2025, which was primarily comprised of an increase of $3.3 million in loan interest income and an increase of $888 thousand in interest income on other earning assets. The increase in loan interest income was due primarily to the $1.7 million recovery of interest and growth of $20.0 million in average loans outstanding during the second quarter of 2025. The increase in interest income on other earning assets was mainly due to an increase of $69.8 million in average other interest-earning assets during the second quarter of 2025. Interest income increased $4.9 million in the second quarter of 2025 compared to the second quarter of 2024. This increase was primarily due to the $1.7 million recovery of interest and an increase of average loans of $12.0 million and higher loan interest rates during the period, resulting in growth of $3.3 million in loan interest income.

    Interest expense was $21.6 million for the second quarter of 2025, compared to $21.4 million for the first quarter of 2025 and $23.3 million for the second quarter of 2024. Interest expense increased $237 thousand compared to the first quarter of 2025 and decreased $1.7 million compared to the second quarter of 2024. The $237 thousand increase was primarily as a result of a $21.2 million increase in average interest-bearing deposits during the second quarter of 2025 as compared to the first quarter of 2025. The $1.7 million decrease was primarily as a result of a 42 basis point decline in the cost of interest-bearing deposits, partially offset by an increase of $151.3 million in average interest-bearing deposits in the second quarter of 2025 as compared to the second quarter of 2024.

    Noninterest Income and Noninterest Expense

    Noninterest income was $12.2 million for the second quarter of 2025, compared to $10.6 million for the first quarter of 2025 and $12.7 million for the second quarter of 2024. The increase from the first quarter of 2025 was primarily due to an increase of $1.5 million in mortgage banking revenues, mainly as a result of an increase of $1.4 million in the fair value adjustment of the mortgage servicing rights assets as interest rates that affect the value stabilized in the second quarter of 2025 after declining in the first quarter of 2025. The decrease in noninterest income for the second quarter of 2025 as compared to the second quarter of 2024 was primarily due to a decrease of $523 thousand in income from investments in Small Business Investment Companies.

    Noninterest expense was $33.5 million for the second quarter of 2025, compared to $33.0 million for the first quarter of 2025 and $32.6 million for the second quarter of 2024. The $513 thousand increase from the first quarter of 2025 was largely the result of an increase of $267 thousand in personnel expenses and $144 thousand in increased professional service expenses. The $971 thousand increase in noninterest expense for the second quarter of 2025 as compared to the second quarter of 2024 was largely the result of an increase of $509 thousand in personnel expenses, mainly a result of annual salary adjustments.

    Loan Portfolio and Composition

    Loans held for investment were $3.10 billion as of June 30, 2025, compared to $3.08 billion as of March 31, 2025 and $3.09 billion as of June 30, 2024. The increase of $23.1 million, or 3.0% annualized, during the second quarter of 2025 as compared to the first quarter of 2025 occurred primarily as a result of organic loan growth experienced broadly across the portfolio, partially offset by a decrease of $52.6 million in multi-family property loans mainly due to the payoff of three loans totaling $49.1 million. As of June 30, 2025, loans held for investment increased $4.7 million, or 0.2%, from June 30, 2024.

    Deposits and Borrowings

    Deposits totaled $3.74 billion as of June 30, 2025, compared to $3.79 billion as of March 31, 2025 and $3.62 billion as of June 30, 2024. Deposits decreased by $53.6 million, or 1.4%, in the second quarter of 2025 from March 31, 2025. Deposits increased by $114.4 million, or 3.2%, at June 30, 2025 as compared to June 30, 2024. Noninterest-bearing deposits were $998.8 million as of June 30, 2025, compared to $966.5 million as of March 31, 2025 and $951.6 million as of June 30, 2024. Noninterest-bearing deposits represented 26.7% of total deposits as of June 30, 2025. The quarterly change in total deposits was mainly due to a seasonal decrease of $73.7 million in public fund deposits, partially offset by organic growth in retail and commercial deposits. The year-over-year increase in total deposits was primarily the result of continued organic growth in retail and commercial deposits.

    Asset Quality

    The Company recorded a provision for credit losses in the second quarter of 2025 of $2.5 million, compared to $420 thousand in the first quarter of 2025 and $1.8 million in the second quarter of 2024. The provision during the second quarter of 2025 was largely attributable to an increase in specific reserves, net charge-off activity, increased loan balances, and several credit quality downgrades.

    The ratio of allowance for credit losses to loans held for investment was 1.45% as of June 30, 2025, compared to 1.40% as of March 31, 2025 and 1.40% as of June 30, 2024.

    The ratio of nonperforming assets to total assets was 0.25% as of June 30, 2025, compared to 0.16% as of March 31, 2025 and 0.57% as of June 30, 2024. Annualized net charge-offs were 0.06% for the second quarter of 2025, compared to 0.07% for the first quarter of 2025 and 0.10% for the second quarter of 2024.

    Capital

    Book value per share increased to $27.98 at June 30, 2025, compared to $27.33 at March 31, 2025. The change was primarily driven by $12.2 million of net income after dividends paid, partially offset by a decrease in accumulated other comprehensive income of $2.3 million. The ratio of tangible common equity to tangible assets (non-GAAP) increased 34 basis points to 9.98% during the second quarter of 2025.

    Conference Call

    South Plains will host a conference call to discuss its second quarter 2025 financial results today, July 16, 2025, at 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time. Investors and analysts interested in participating in the call are invited to dial 1-877-407-9716 (international callers please dial 1-201-493-6779) approximately 10 minutes prior to the start of the call. A live audio webcast of the conference call and conference materials will be available on the Company’s website at https://www.spfi.bank/news-events/events.

    A replay of the conference call will be available within two hours of the conclusion of the call and can be accessed on the investor section of the Company’s website as well as by dialing 1-844-512-2921 (international callers please dial 1-412-317-6671). The pin to access the telephone replay is 13754259. The replay will be available until July 30, 2025.

    About South Plains Financial, Inc.

    South Plains is the bank holding company for City Bank, a Texas state-chartered bank headquartered in Lubbock, Texas. City Bank is one of the largest independent banks in West Texas and has additional banking operations in the Dallas, El Paso, Greater Houston, the Permian Basin, and College Station, Texas markets, and the Ruidoso, New Mexico market. South Plains provides a wide range of commercial and consumer financial services to small and medium-sized businesses and individuals in its market areas. Its principal business activities include commercial and retail banking, along with investment, trust and mortgage services. Please visit https://www.spfi.bank for more information.

    Non-GAAP Financial Measures

    Some of the financial measures included in this press release are not measures of financial performance recognized in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”). These non-GAAP financial measures include Tangible Book Value Per Share, Tangible Common Equity to Tangible Assets, and Pre-Tax, Pre-Provision Income. The Company believes these non-GAAP financial measures provide both management and investors a more complete understanding of the Company’s financial position and performance. These non-GAAP financial measures are supplemental and are not a substitute for any analysis based on GAAP financial measures.

    We classify a financial measure as being a non-GAAP financial measure if that financial measure excludes or includes amounts, or is subject to adjustments that have the effect of excluding or including amounts, that are included or excluded, as the case may be, in the most directly comparable measure calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP as in effect from time to time in the United States in our statements of income, balance sheets or statements of cash flows. Not all companies use the same calculation of these measures; therefore, this presentation may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures as presented by other companies.

    A reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to GAAP financial measures is provided at the end of this press release.

    Available Information

    The Company routinely posts important information for investors on its web site (under www.spfi.bank and, more specifically, under the News & Events tab at www.spfi.bank/news-events/press-releases). The Company intends to use its web site as a means of disclosing material non-public information and for complying with its disclosure obligations under Regulation FD (Fair Disclosure) promulgated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Accordingly, investors should monitor the Company’s web site, in addition to following the Company’s press releases, SEC filings, public conference calls, presentations and webcasts.

    The information contained on, or that may be accessed through, the Company’s web site is not incorporated by reference into, and is not a part of, this document.

    Forward Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements reflect South Plains’ current views with respect to future events and South Plains’ financial performance. Any statements about South Plains’ expectations, beliefs, plans, predictions, forecasts, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not historical facts and may be forward-looking. These statements are often, but not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as “anticipate,” “believes,” “can,” “could,” “may,” “predicts,” “potential,” “should,” “will,” “estimate,” “plans,” “projects,” “continuing,” “ongoing,” “expects,” “intends” and similar words or phrases. South Plains cautions that the forward-looking statements in this press release are based largely on South Plains’ expectations and are subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that are subject to change based on factors which are, in many instances, beyond South Plains’ control. Factors that could cause such changes include, but are not limited to, the impact on us and our customers of a decline in general economic conditions and any regulatory responses thereto; potential recession in the United States and our market areas; the impacts related to or resulting from uncertainty in the banking industry as a whole; increased competition for deposits in our market areas and related changes in deposit customer behavior; the impact of changes in market interest rates, whether due to a continuation of the elevated interest rate environment or further reductions in interest rates and a resulting decline in net interest income; the lingering inflationary pressures, and the risk of the resurgence of elevated levels of inflation, in the United States and our market areas; the uncertain impacts of ongoing quantitative tightening and current and future monetary policies of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System; changes in unemployment rates in the United States and our market areas; adverse changes in customer spending and savings habits; declines in commercial real estate values and prices; a deterioration of the credit rating for U.S. long-term sovereign debt or uncertainty regarding United States fiscal debt, deficit and budget matters; cyber incidents or other failures, disruptions or breaches of our operational or security systems or infrastructure, or those of our third-party vendors or other service providers, including as a result of cyber-attacks; severe weather, natural disasters, acts of war or terrorism, geopolitical instability or other external events, including as a result of the policies of the current U.S. presidential administration or Congress; the impacts of tariffs, sanctions and other trade policies of the United States and its global trading counterparts and the resulting impact on the Company and its customers; competition and market expansion opportunities; changes in non-interest expenditures or in the anticipated benefits of such expenditures; the risks related to the development, implementation, use and management of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and machine learnings; potential costs related to the impacts of climate change; current or future litigation, regulatory examinations or other legal and/or regulatory actions; and changes in applicable laws and regulations. Additional information regarding these risks and uncertainties to which South Plains’ business and future financial performance are subject is contained in South Plains’ most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q on file with the SEC, including the sections entitled “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” of such documents, and other documents South Plains files or furnishes with the SEC from time to time, which are available on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov. Actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those contemplated, expressed, or implied by the forward-looking statements due to additional risks and uncertainties of which South Plains is not currently aware or which it does not currently view as, but in the future may become, material to its business or operating results. Due to these and other possible uncertainties and risks, the Company can give no assurance that the results contemplated in the forward-looking statements will be realized and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Any forward-looking statements presented herein are made only as of the date of this press release, and South Plains does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect changes in assumptions, new information, the occurrence of unanticipated events, or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. All forward-looking statements, express or implied, included in the press release are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.

    Contact: Mikella Newsom, Chief Risk Officer and Secretary
      (866) 771-3347
      investors@city.bank
       

    Source: South Plains Financial, Inc.

     
    South Plains Financial, Inc.
    Consolidated Financial Highlights – (Unaudited)
    (Dollars in thousands, except share data)
     
      As of and for the quarter ended
      June 30,
    2025    		   March 31,
    2025    		   December 31,
    2024    		   September 30,
    2024    		   June 30,
    2024
    Selected Income Statement Data:                            
    Interest income $ 64,135     $ 59,922     $ 61,324     $ 61,640     $ 59,208  
    Interest expense   21,632       21,395       22,776       24,346       23,320  
    Net interest income   42,503       38,527       38,548       37,294       35,888  
    Provision for credit losses   2,500       420       1,200       495       1,775  
    Noninterest income   12,165       10,625       13,319       10,635       12,709  
    Noninterest expense   33,543       33,030       29,948       33,128       32,572  
    Income tax expense   4,020       3,408       4,222       3,094       3,116  
    Net income   14,605       12,294       16,497       11,212       11,134  
    Per Share Data (Common Stock):                            
    Net earnings, basic $ 0.90     $ 0.75     $ 1.01     $ 0.68     $ 0.68  
    Net earnings, diluted   0.86       0.72       0.96       0.66       0.66  
    Cash dividends declared and paid   0.15       0.15       0.15       0.14       0.14  
    Book value   27.98       27.33       26.67       27.04       25.45  
    Tangible book value (non-GAAP)   26.70       26.05       25.40       25.75       24.15  
    Weighted average shares outstanding, basic   16,231,627       16,415,862       16,400,361       16,386,079       16,425,360  
    Weighted average shares outstanding, dilutive   16,886,993       17,065,599       17,161,646       17,056,959       16,932,077  
    Shares outstanding at end of period   16,230,475       16,235,647       16,455,826       16,386,627       16,424,021  
    Selected Period End Balance Sheet Data:                            
    Cash and cash equivalents $ 470,496     $ 536,300     $ 359,082     $ 471,167     $ 298,006  
    Investment securities   570,000       571,527       577,240       606,889       591,031  
    Total loans held for investment   3,098,978       3,075,860       3,055,054       3,037,375       3,094,273  
    Allowance for credit losses   45,010       42,968       43,237       42,886       43,173  
    Total assets   4,363,674       4,405,209       4,232,239       4,337,659       4,220,936  
    Interest-bearing deposits   2,740,179       2,826,055       2,685,366       2,720,880       2,672,948  
    Noninterest-bearing deposits   998,759       966,464       935,510       998,480       951,565  
    Total deposits   3,738,938       3,792,519       3,620,876       3,719,360       3,624,513  
    Borrowings   111,799       110,400       110,354       110,307       110,261  
    Total stockholders’ equity   454,074       443,743       438,949       443,122       417,985  
    Summary Performance Ratios:                            
    Return on average assets (annualized)   1.34 %     1.16 %     1.53 %     1.05 %     1.07 %
    Return on average equity (annualized)   13.05 %     11.30 %     14.88 %     10.36 %     10.83 %
    Net interest margin (1)   4.07 %     3.81 %     3.75 %     3.65 %     3.63 %
    Yield on loans   6.99 %     6.67 %     6.69 %     6.68 %     6.60 %
    Cost of interest-bearing deposits   2.91 %     2.93 %     3.12 %     3.36 %     3.33 %
    Efficiency ratio   61.11 %     66.90 %     57.50 %     68.80 %     66.72 %
    Summary Credit Quality Data:                            
    Nonperforming loans $ 10,463     $ 6,467     $ 24,023     $ 24,693     $ 23,452  
    Nonperforming loans to total loans held for investment   0.34 %     0.21 %     0.79 %     0.81 %     0.76 %
    Other real estate owned $ 535     $ 600     $ 530     $ 973     $ 755  
    Nonperforming assets to total assets   0.25 %     0.16 %     0.58 %     0.59 %     0.57 %
    Allowance for credit losses to total loans held for investment   1.45 %     1.40 %     1.42 %     1.41 %     1.40 %
    Net charge-offs to average loans outstanding (annualized)   0.06 %     0.07 %     0.11 %     0.11 %     0.10 %
      As of and for the quarter ended
      June 30
    2025    		   March 31,
    2025    		   December 31,
    2024    		   September 30,
    2024    		   June 30,
    2024
    Capital Ratios:                            
    Total stockholders’ equity to total assets   10.41 %     10.07 %     10.37 %     10.22 %     9.90 %
    Tangible common equity to tangible assets (non-GAAP)   9.98 %     9.64 %     9.92 %     9.77 %     9.44 %
    Common equity tier 1 to risk-weighted assets   13.86 %     13.59 %     13.53 %     13.25 %     12.61 %
    Tier 1 capital to average assets   12.12 %     12.04 %     12.04 %     11.76 %     11.81 %
    Total capital to risk-weighted assets   18.17 %     17.93 %     17.86 %     17.61 %     16.86 %
     
    (1)  Net interest margin is calculated as the annual net interest income, on a fully tax-equivalent basis, divided by average interest-earning assets.
     
    South Plains Financial, Inc.
    Average Balances and Yields – (Unaudited)
    (Dollars in thousands)
     
      For the Three Months Ended
      June 30, 2025   June 30, 2024
           
      Average
    Balance    		   Interest   Yield/Rate   Average
    Balance    		   Interest   Yield/Rate
    Assets                                  
    Loans $ 3,094,558   $ 53,894     6.99 %   $ 3,082,601   $ 50,579     6.60 %
    Debt securities – taxable   508,508     4,700     3.71 %     533,553     5,285     3.98 %
    Debt securities – nontaxable   152,202     1,015     2.67 %     155,408     1,022     2.64 %
    Other interest-bearing assets   456,818     4,747     4.17 %     225,720     2,545     4.53 %
                                       
    Total interest-earning assets   4,212,086     64,356     6.13 %     3,997,282     59,431     5.98 %
    Noninterest-earning assets   166,763                 171,472            
                                       
    Total assets $ 4,378,849               $ 4,168,754            
                                       
    Liabilities & stockholders’ equity                                  
    NOW, Savings, MMDA’s $ 2,326,779     15,890     2.74 %   $ 2,221,427     17,652     3.20 %
    Time deposits   438,697     4,172     3.81 %     392,778     3,977     4.07 %
    Short-term borrowings   18     –     0.00 %     3     –     0.00 %
    Notes payable & other long-term borrowings   –     –     0.00 %     –     –     0.00 %
    Subordinated debt   64,031     835     5.23 %     63,845     835     5.26 %
    Junior subordinated deferrable interest debentures   46,393     735     6.35 %     46,393     856     7.42 %
                                       
    Total interest-bearing liabilities   2,875,918     21,632     3.02 %     2,724,446     23,320     3.44 %
    Demand deposits   990,343                 960,106            
    Other liabilities   63,679                 70,854            
    Stockholders’ equity   448,909                 413,348            
                                       
    Total liabilities & stockholders’ equity $ 4,378,849               $ 4,168,754            
                                       
    Net interest income       $ 42,724               $ 36,111      
    Net interest margin (2)               4.07 %                 3.63 %
     
    (1)  Average loan balances include nonaccrual loans and loans held for sale.
    (2)  Net interest margin is calculated as the annualized net interest income, on a fully tax-equivalent basis, divided by average interest-earning assets.
     
    South Plains Financial, Inc.
    Average Balances and Yields – (Unaudited)
    (Dollars in thousands)
     
      For the Six Months Ended
      June 30, 2025   June 30, 2024
                           
      Average
    Balance    		   Interest   Yield/Rate   Average
    Balance    		   Interest   Yield/Rate
    Assets                                  
    Loans $ 3,084,563   $ 104,471     6.83 %   $ 3,048,569   $ 99,519     6.56 %
    Debt securities – taxable   509,431     9,392     3.72 %     543,817     10,796     3.99 %
    Debt securities – nontaxable   152,716     2,029     2.68 %     155,831     2,046     2.64 %
    Other interest-bearing assets   421,899     8,606     4.11 %     262,345     6,020     4.61 %
                                       
    Total interest-earning assets   4,168,609     124,498     6.02 %     4,010,562     118,381     5.94 %
    Noninterest-earning assets   169,222                 177,882            
                                       
    Total assets $ 4,337,831               $ 4,188,444            
                                       
    Liabilities & stockholders’ equity                                  
    NOW, Savings, MMDA’s $ 2,314,562     31,401     2.74 %   $ 2,253,704     35,649     3.18 %
    Time deposits   440,297     8,488     3.89 %     383,816     7,643     4.00 %
    Short-term borrowings   11     –     0.00 %     3     –     0.00 %
    Notes payable & other long-term borrowings   –     –     0.00 %     –     –     0.00 %
    Subordinated debt   64,008     1,670     5.26 %     63,822     1,670     5.26 %
    Junior subordinated deferrable interest debentures   46,393     1,468     6.38 %     46,393     1,717     7.44 %
                                       
    Total interest-bearing liabilities   2,865,271     43,027     3.03 %     2,747,738     46,679     3.42 %
    Demand deposits   962,557                 959,219            
    Other liabilities   64,875                 70,856            
    Stockholders’ equity   445,128                 410,631            
                                       
    Total liabilities & stockholders’ equity $ 4,337,831               $ 4,188,444            
                                       
    Net interest income       $ 81,471               $ 71,702      
    Net interest margin (2)               3.94 %                 3.60 %
     
    (1)  Average loan balances include nonaccrual loans and loans held for sale.
    (2)  Net interest margin is calculated as the annualized net interest income, on a fully tax-equivalent basis, divided by average interest-earning assets.
     
    South Plains Financial, Inc.
    Consolidated Balance Sheets
    (Unaudited)
    (Dollars in thousands)
     
      As of
      June 30,
    2025    		   December 31,
    2024
               
    Assets          
    Cash and due from banks $ 60,400     $ 54,114  
    Interest-bearing deposits in banks   410,096       304,968  
    Securities available for sale   570,000       577,240  
    Loans held for sale   17,182       20,542  
    Loans held for investment   3,098,978       3,055,054  
    Less:  Allowance for credit losses   (45,010 )     (43,237 )
    Net loans held for investment   3,053,968       3,011,817  
    Premises and equipment, net   51,329       52,951  
    Goodwill   19,315       19,315  
    Intangible assets   1,417       1,720  
    Mortgage servicing rights   25,134       26,292  
    Other assets   154,833       163,280  
    Total assets $ 4,363,674     $ 4,232,239  
               
    Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity          
    Noninterest-bearing deposits $ 998,759     $ 935,510  
    Interest-bearing deposits   2,740,179       2,685,366  
    Total deposits   3,738,938       3,620,876  
    Short-term borrowings   1,352       —  
    Subordinated debt   64,054       63,961  
    Junior subordinated deferrable interest debentures   46,393       46,393  
    Other liabilities   58,863       62,060  
    Total liabilities   3,909,600       3,793,290  
    Stockholders’ Equity          
    Common stock   16,230       16,456  
    Additional paid-in capital   90,268       97,287  
    Retained earnings   407,822       385,827  
    Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)   (60,246 )     (60,621 )
    Total stockholders’ equity   454,074       438,949  
    Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $ 4,363,674     $ 4,232,239  
     
    South Plains Financial, Inc.
    Consolidated Statements of Income
    (Unaudited)
    (Dollars in thousands)
     
      Three Months Ended   Six Months Ended
      June 30,
    2025    		   June 30,
    2024    		   June 30,
    2025    		   June 30,
    2024
                           
    Interest income:                      
    Loans, including fees $ 53,886   $ 50,571   $ 104,456   $ 99,503
    Other   10,249     8,637     19,601     18,432
    Total interest income   64,135     59,208     124,057     117,935
    Interest expense:                      
    Deposits   20,062     21,629     39,889     43,292
    Subordinated debt   835     835     1,670     1,670
    Junior subordinated deferrable interest debentures   735     856     1,468     1,717
    Other   –     –     –     –
    Total interest expense   21,632     23,320     43,027     46,679
    Net interest income   42,503     35,888     81,030     71,256
    Provision for credit losses   2,500     1,775     2,920     2,605
    Net interest income after provision for credit losses   40,003     34,113     78,110     68,651
    Noninterest income:                      
    Service charges on deposits   2,098     1,949     4,239     3,762
    Mortgage banking activities   3,606     3,397     5,719     7,342
    Bank card services and interchange fees   3,771     4,052     7,150     7,113
    Other   2,690     3,311     5,682     5,901
    Total noninterest income   12,165     12,709     22,790     24,118
    Noninterest expense:                      
    Salaries and employee benefits   19,708     19,199     39,149     38,187
    Net occupancy expense   3,972     4,029     7,999     7,949
    Professional services   1,874     1,738     3,604     3,221
    Marketing and development   919     860     1,824     1,614
    Other   7,070     6,746     13,997     13,531
    Total noninterest expense   33,543     32,572     66,573     64,502
    Income before income taxes   18,625     14,250     34,327     28,267
    Income tax expense   4,020     3,116     7,428     6,259
    Net income $ 14,605   $ 11,134   $ 26,899   $ 22,008
     
    South Plains Financial, Inc.
    Loan Composition
    (Unaudited)
    (Dollars in thousands)
     
      As of
      June 30,
    2025    		   December 31,
    2024
               
    Loans:          
    Commercial Real Estate $ 1,085,309   $ 1,119,063
    Commercial – Specialized   379,068     388,955
    Commercial – General   620,934     557,371
    Consumer:          
    1-4 Family Residential   589,935     566,400
    Auto Loans   258,193     254,474
    Other Consumer   63,589     64,936
    Construction   101,950     103,855
    Total loans held for investment $ 3,098,978   $ 3,055,054
     
    South Plains Financial, Inc.
    Deposit Composition
    (Unaudited)
    (Dollars in thousands)
     
      As of
      June 30,
    2025    		   December 31,
    2024
               
    Deposits:          
    Noninterest-bearing deposits $ 998,759   $ 935,510
    NOW & other transaction accounts   1,244,023     498,718
    MMDA & other savings   1,072,010     1,741,988
    Time deposits   424,146     444,660
    Total deposits $ 3,738,938   $ 3,620,876
     
    South Plains Financial, Inc.
    Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures (Unaudited)
    (Dollars in thousands)
     
      For the quarter ended
      June 30,
    2025    		   March 31,
    2025    		   December 31,
    2024    		   September 30,
    2024    		   June 30,
    2024
    Pre-tax, pre-provision income                                      
    Net income $ 14,605     $ 12,294     $ 16,497     $ 11,212     $ 11,134  
    Income tax expense   4,020       3,408       4,222       3,094       3,116  
    Provision for credit losses   2,500       420       1,200       495       1,775  
    Pre-tax, pre-provision income $ 21,125     $ 16,122     $ 21,919     $ 14,801     $ 16,025  
      As of
      June 30,
    2025    		   March 31,
    2025    		   December 31,
    2024    		   September 30,
    2024    		   June 30,
    2024
    Tangible common equity                            
    Total common stockholders’ equity $ 454,074     $ 443,743     $ 438,949     $ 443,122     $ 417,985  
    Less:  goodwill and other intangibles   (20,732 )     (20,884 )     (21,035 )     (21,197 )     (21,379 )
                                 
    Tangible common equity $ 433,342     $ 422,859     $ 417,914     $ 421,925     $ 396,606  
                                 
    Tangible assets                            
    Total assets $ 4,363,674     $ 4,405,209     $ 4,232,239     $ 4,337,659     $ 4,220,936  
    Less:  goodwill and other intangibles   (20,732 )     (20,884 )     (21,035 )     (21,197 )     (21,379 )
                                 
    Tangible assets $ 4,342,942     $ 4,384,325     $ 4,211,204     $ 4,316,462     $ 4,199,557  
                                 
    Shares outstanding   16,230,475       16,235,647       16,455,826       16,386,627       16,424,021  
                                 
    Total stockholders’ equity to total assets   10.41 %     10.07 %     10.37 %     10.22 %     9.90 %
    Tangible common equity to tangible assets   9.98 %     9.64 %     9.92 %     9.77 %     9.44 %
    Book value per share $ 27.98     $ 27.33     $ 26.67     $ 27.04     $ 25.45  
    Tangible book value per share $ 26.70     $ 26.05     $ 25.40     $ 25.75     $ 24.15  

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Rosen, Hyde-Smith, Kelly and Reps. Houlahan, Baird Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation to Support Workers Entering or Returning to STEM Careers

    US Senate News:

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

    Legislation Would Help Businesses Bring On Mid-Career Workers Seeking To Return To Or Transition Into STEM Jobs
    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) introduced the STEM Restoring Employment Skills through Targeted Assistance, Re-entry, and Training (RESTART) Act. This bipartisan legislation would provide funding to support mid-career internships, known as “returnships,” for workers seeking to return to or transition into the STEM workforce. Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) and Jim Baird (R-IN) have also introduced identical bipartisan legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
    “When we invest in STEM education and workforce development, we can open the door to successful careers in some of the most in-demand industries,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m glad to introduce this bipartisan bill to help give workers the training and tools they need to enter new STEM careers. I’ll keep working across party lines to make sure all Nevadans have the skills needed to fill good-paying jobs.” 
    “Many skilled professionals step away from the workforce, but face significant barriers when trying to return, especially in technical fields where innovation moves fast,” said Senator Hyde-Smith. “Our legislation equips small and mid-sized businesses with the tools to tap into this valuable talent pool.  This will help hardworking Americans reconnect with meaningful careers while growing the STEM workforce in states like Mississippi and beyond.”
    “Arizona’s 21st century economy depends on a strong STEM workforce, and that means making sure talented workers who’ve taken time away or are looking to transition into STEM fields have a real pathway back in,” said Senator Kelly. “This effort will help small businesses tap into an underutilized talent pool while giving Arizonans the support they need to reenter the workforce and succeed in high-paying careers.”
    “As a former Air Force engineer and chemistry teacher, I know that building a strong STEM workforce is essential not only for creating good-paying jobs, but also for safeguarding our national security,” said Representative Houlahan. “Whether it’s biotechnology, quantum computing, or clean energy, the global race for innovation is accelerating, and we can’t afford to leave talent on the sidelines. The bipartisan STEM RESTART Act will help mid-career professionals and those returning to the workforce enter high-demand STEM fields so we can strengthen our economy, compete globally, and protect America’s leadership in emerging technologies. I’m proud to reintroduce this commonsense legislation, which is a win for both businesses and workers across our Commonwealth and country.”
    “If we want to maintain our global competitive edge and continue to lead the world in innovation, we must ensure we have a well-equipped STEM workforce now and empower future generations in STEM fields,” said Congressman Baird. “A robust STEM workforce is also vital to our economic prosperity and national security, especially when up against the threat of Communist China. I thank my colleagues in the House and Senate for their work on this bipartisan legislation to equip Hoosiers who want to return to the STEM workforce with the tools they need to fill job openings and build the greatest economy in history.”
    “The STEM RESTART Act is a forward-thinking investment in our nation’s workforce,” said Chris Heavey, Interim President of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. “By supporting mid-career professionals reentering the STEM fields, this bill strengthens innovation, expands opportunity, and ensures that talent and experience are not left behind.”
    “The Society of Women Engineers is thrilled to see the STEM RESTART Act reintroduced in 2025. As the nation continues to rebuild a strong and inclusive STEM workforce, this legislation is more critical than ever. Hundreds of thousands of STEM professionals have stepped away from technical careers in recent years, and research shows most want to return—but face steep barriers. Grants for structured ‘returnships’ give mid-career professionals real, paid pathways back into meaningful STEM roles,” said Karen Horting, Executive Director & CEO of the Society of Women Engineers. “SWE and our 50,000 plus members fully support this bipartisan, bicameral effort to bridge talent gaps, bolster small and midsize businesses, and drive innovation. We urge lawmakers to pass the STEM RESTART Act as soon as possible and reaffirm our collective commitment to supporting women and others who pause their careers, as well as the country’s economic growth and global competitiveness.”
    The STEM RESTART Act has been endorsed by the Society of Women Engineers, STEM Education Coalition, AnitaB.org, Nevada System of Higher Education, College of Southern Nevada, Vegas Chamber, Henderson Chamber of Commerce, Nevada State University, and University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
    Senator Rosen has been a leader in advocating for tech innovation and improving access to STEM careers. She helped pass the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act, which invests $52 billion in domestic computer chip manufacturing to help address the current shortage. Additionally, Rosen helped write the broadband section of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which is delivering $65 billion to make high-speed internet more available and affordable to Americans. In 2020, Senator Rosen’s bipartisan Building Blocks of STEM Act, which breaks down barriers to allow more young girls to study computer science, was signed into law.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen, Cortez Masto Demand Trump Administration Release Nearly $7 Billion for K-12 Education

    US Senate News:

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

    Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) joined Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) in a letter to the U.S. Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon demanding answers over the Trump administration’s decision to withhold nearly $7 billion in federal funding for K-12 public schools, including more than $60 million for schools in Nevada. The Senators urged the Department to restore the funding and provide clarity for schools and educators. On July 1, schools across the country reported they were unable to access their federal funding after the Department of Education abruptly froze nearly $7 billion in grants, even though the funds were appropriated by Congress and already factored into school budgets. In Nevada, affected programs include after-school programs, English-learner services, professional development, and migrant education. At least fourteen percent of Nevada students are English-Language Learners.
    “These funds, which represent longstanding investments in K–12 education, support a wide range of priorities such as teacher recruitment, after-school programs, English learner instruction, school-based mental health services, and academic enrichment,” the Senators wrote. “Withholding funds for these important programs will disrupt essential services and undermine the support structures that students, families, and educators rely on every day.”
    Read the full letter HERE.
    Senator Rosen has been forcefully pushing back on Donald Trump’s attempt to dismantle public education. She spoke out against President Trump’s plan to dismantle the Department of Education, calling it “an illegal, irresponsible attack on students and families.” She also recently joined an amicus brief against the unconstitutional dismantling of the Department, warning of its harmful impact on Nevada schools. In April, Senator Rosen condemned the Trump Administration’s proposal to eliminate Head Start funding, calling the cuts “outrageous and cruel” and pledging to defend early childhood education programs that help Nevada families thrive.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen Helps Introduce Bill Requiring ICE, Immigration Enforcement Agents to Clearly Identify Themselves

    US Senate News:

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

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) helped introduce legislation that would prohibit ICE officers and other federal immigration agents from concealing their identity during routine immigration enforcement operations. The VISIBLE Act requires these officers to clearly identify themselves with their names, badge number, or agency name, except in covert operations. This is a direct response to the Trump Administration’s widespread use of masked, plainclothes agents in immigration raids — often without badges or agency markings — who are targeting law-abiding people without accountability.
    “The Trump Administration is using immigration officers wearing masks to target law-abiding immigrants, Green Card holders, and even American citizens,” said Senator Rosen. “As with any other law enforcement official, ICE officers have a responsibility to the public to act with transparency and accountability. I’m helping introduce this commonsense bill to ensure immigration officers properly identify themselves.”
    Senator Rosen has consistently opposed the Trump Administration’s aggressive and unlawful mass deportation enforcement tactics while championing transparency and fairness in the immigration system. Earlier this year, she helped introduce legislation to protect sensitive locations—such as schools, hospitals, churches, and courthouses—from immigration raids, ensuring families can access essential services without fear. She also urged Senate leadership to pursue real, bipartisan immigration reform that balances strong border security with protections for Dreamers and immigrant families. Additionally, Senator Rosen has called on the Trump Administration to guarantee legal representation for unaccompanied children in immigration custody, defending the basic rights of the most vulnerable.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker Demands Answers on Emil Bove’s Involvement in DOJ Withholding the Epstein Files

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, sent a letter to Emil Bove requesting information relating to his involvement in the Department of Justice’s review of and decision making relating to public disclosures of the Epstein Files. Emil Bove is currently a nominee for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

    “You have held a key decision-making role at DOJ since the beginning of this Administration, first as Acting Deputy Attorney General through March 2025 and then in your current position as Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General, serving as a close adviser to Attorney General Pam Bondi. In light of the significant public interest in the Epstein files and the Trump DOJ and FBI’s shifting positions on transparency and public disclosure, records and information relating to your participation in this matter are relevant to the Senate Judiciary Committee’s ongoing review of your nomination to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit,” wrote Senator Booker.

    “Your involvement in the DOJ’s review of the Epstein files is a matter of significant public importance given the contradictory statements by Attorney General Bondi concerning the existence of an Epstein “client list” and DOJ’s stated commitment to transparency. Furthermore, it warrants scrutiny whether the DOJ intentionally withheld evidence related to the trafficking and sexual abuse of minors to protect certain individuals,” Senator Booker continued.

    “As Acting Deputy Attorney General, you “advise[d] and assist[ed] the Attorney General in formulating and implementing Departmental policies and programs and [provided] overall supervision and direction to all organizational units of the Department” and were “authorized to exercise all the power and authority of the Attorney General.” By all accounts, you have continued to fulfill many of these responsibilities as Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General, closely advising Attorney General Pam Bondi,” Senator Booker wrote.

    “It is imperative that the Senate Judiciary Committee ascertain the scope and extent of your involvement in the handling of the Epstein files before voting on your nomination,” Senator Booker concluded.

    Senator Booker demanded answers to the following questions no later than 9:00 AM on July 17, 2025:

    1. Did you ever advise AG Bondi regarding the Epstein files?
    2. Did you participate in the review of any documents, video, or other evidence contained in the Epstein files?
    3. Did you participate in drafting or reviewing the letter Pam Bondi sent to Kash Patel on February 27, 2025 directing the FBI to produce “all records, documents, audio and video recordings, and materials related to Jeffrey Epstein and his clients”?
    4. Did you ever participate in discussions about what evidence from the Epstein files the DOJ should release?
    5. Did you participate in any discussions about whether to release video evidence from the Epstein files involving child sexual abuse material (CSAM)?
    6. Did you ever discuss the release of any evidence from the Epstein files with Pam Bondi?
    7. Did you ever discuss the release of any evidence from the Epstein files with Kash Patel?
    8. Did you ever discuss the release of any evidence from the Epstein files with Dan Bongino?
    9. Did you participate in a discussion about the release of any evidence from the Epstein files with Pam Bondi, Kash Patel, and Dan Bongino?
    10. Did you ever participate in a discussion in which Dan Bongino suggested releasing all the evidence in the Epstein files, including video, prior to July 7, 2025?
    11. Did you ever express concerns to Kash Patel or Dan Bongino about releasing video evidence from the Epstein files because it could include CSAM prior to July 7, 2025?
    12. Did you participate in any discussion in which Attorney General Bondi expressed concerns to Kash Patel or Dan Bongino about releasing video evidence from the Epstein files due to the presence of CSAM prior to July 7, 2025?
    13. Did you participate in drafting or reviewing the undated and unsigned DOJ and FBI memo issued on July 7, 2025?

    To read the full text of the letter, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Murray Reintroduce Access to Birth Control Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Patty Murray (D-WA) led the reintroduction of the Access to Birth Control Act. The legislation would guarantee patients’ timely access to birth control at pharmacies nationwide—including by addressing pharmacies’ refusals of contraception that prevent patients from obtaining their preferred form of birth control medication. U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL-02) introduced companion legislation in the House. 

    Contraception is an essential part of reproductive health care, and protecting access to contraception at the pharmacy is more important than ever given the relentless attacks on reproductive health care currently ongoing throughout the country. In addition to ensuring that patients have access to contraception at the pharmacy without delay, the bill would also ensure that pharmacies do not operate an environment where patients are intimidated, threatened, or harassed when seeking access to contraception or medication related to contraception. In the event that a pharmacy violates one of these requirements, the bill establishes liability for civil penalties for the pharmacy and a private cause of action for patients to seek relief. 

    “Three years ago, the Supreme Court unjustly overturned Roe v. Wade, and opened the door to attacks on contraception,” said Senator Booker. “Since then, Republicans have used every tool they can to undercut access to reproductive health care, and Congress must act to ensure everyone has the freedom to make their own decisions about contraception without fear of intimidation or threats. The Access to Birth Control Act will remove barriers to accessing birth control, and ensure Americans have full autonomy over their bodies and reproductive choices.”

    “Birth control is essential health care—there is no reason it shouldn’t be available to every woman, without exception,” said Senator Murray. “As contraception comes under attack by Republican anti-abortion extremists, it is more important than ever that women can access birth control, free from fear and intimidation. Our bill ensures no one seeking birth control experiences harassment, denials, or delays from providers. I will never stop fighting to defend reproductive health care and make it more accessible and affordable for women everywhere.” 

    “Birth control is safe, effective, and essential for healthcare,” said Representative Kelly. “No pharmacy employee or politician should weigh into such a private decision as to if or when to start a family. My bill removes barriers that obstruct a patient’s right to birth control so everyone can access birth control without intimidation, harassment, or discrimination.”

    Although Supreme Court precedent recognizes a protected right to contraception, conservatives on the Court have ignored precedent to undermine reproductive rights. In the radical Dobbs decision, the Court reversed the nearly 50-year precedent of Roe v. Wade that guaranteed a right to access abortion care. Access to contraception in the United States should not hinge on the Supreme Court’s ideological balance or the willingness of individual pharmacists to fill prescriptions. Providers, including pharmacists, play a key role in providing contraceptive services and important information about prescription and over-the-counter birth control options to people across the country.  

    According to the National Women’s Law Center, pharmacists have refused to fill prescriptions for birth control or provide emergency contraception over the counter to patients in 24 states and the District of Columbia. These refusals are based on personal beliefs and can negatively impact a patient’s health. Additionally, these refusals disproportionately affect people of color, low-income people, LGBTQ+ people, and those who live in rural and other underserved areas.   

    The bill is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

    The Access to Birth Control Act is endorsed by more than 20 organizations, listed here.

    To read the full text of the bill, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Jayapal, Schakowsky, Raskin, Senate Colleagues Fight for Children’s Fundamental Right to a Healthy, Livable Planet

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

    WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), and Jamie Raskin (MD-08) led over 40 Representatives in the introduction of a new resolution to protect the fundamental rights of the nation’s children to a safe, habitable environment in the face of climate chaos’ increasingly destructive and deadly impacts.

    “Every single one of us — no matter our age, our background, our race, our income — has the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. But those rights are in jeopardy, because the future of our planet is in jeopardy. I applaud the young people who are taking their futures into their own hands and standing up to the Trump administration’s efforts to sell out our clean air and water to the highest fossil fuel bidder. Inaction is not an option and we all must stand up for climate justice and a future where we can all thrive,” said Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal.

    “There is no room for debate: climate change is real, and as this crisis grows, our increasingly paying the price. The movement to protect our planet is more important than ever before because we have a president who continues to ignore the science and cozy up to the fossil fuel industry,” said Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. “I am introducing the Children’s Fundamental Rights to Life and a Stable Climate System Resolution to emphasize that we as leaders have a duty to ensure that all people, especially our young people, are protected from the existential threat of climate change. Our children and grandchildren should not be forced to suffer the consequences of our lack of action. Together we can save our planet.”

    “Children have a right to live and therefore a right to a livable planet,” said Congressman Jamie Raskin. “But the Trump Administration wants to carve out more giveaways to the Carbon Kings rather than protect the climate for children and future generations of Americans. Our Resolution with Representatives Jayapal and Schakowsky and Senator Merkley is about uplifting the voices of those who will be most affected by this climate irresponsibility and corruption—young people and children—and sounding the alarm on America’s accelerating climate disaster. The time to act for public accountability is right now. I salute everyone involved in this important campaign.”

    The resolution — led in the U.S. Senate by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) — responds to the Trump Administration’s ‘Polluters over People’ agenda that has enriched Big Oil, fueled climate chaos, and increased energy costs for working families. The resolution calls for leadership to put the United States on a trajectory to avoid the worst impacts of climate chaos.

    “Every child in America deserves a healthy and prosperous future, but the Trump Administration is selling out our health, safety, planet, and future to make billionaire corporate polluters even richer,” said Senator Jeff Merkley. “We stand with these courageous young activists in Oregon and across the country who are taking matters into their own hands with immediate and decisive steps to fight for themselves and future generations, address climate chaos, and tackle environmental injustice.”

    The resolution highlights the principles underpinning Lighthiser v. Trump, a youth-led lawsuit that was filed by 22 young plaintiffs from five states, challenging the Trump Administration’s Executive Orders that “unleash fossil fuels” and endanger the lives of children and future generations.

    In addition to Reps. Schakowsky, Jayapal, and Raskin, cosponsors of the resolution include Reps. Rashida Tlaib, Summer L. Lee, Shri Thanedar, Delia C. Ramirez, Yassamin Ansari, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Andre Carson, Nydia M. Velázquez, Nanette Barragán, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Dina Titus, Maxwell Frost, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Steve Cohen, Mary Gay Scanlon, Lateefah Simon, Jerrold Nadler, Kathy Castor, Kevin Mullin, Danny Davis, Julia Brownley, Dave Min, Sara Jacobs, Judy Chu, Maxine Dexter, David Scott, Mark Takano, Gabe Amo, Jared Huffman, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Valerie Foushee, Becca Balint, Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr., Ro Khanna, Alma S. Adams, Ritchie Torres, James P. McGovern, Jill Tokuda, Darren Soto, Stephen F. Lynch, LaMonica McIver, Val Hoyle, and Jahana Hayes.

    Issues: Environment

    MIL OSI USA News –