NewzIntel.com

Category: United States of America

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall Hosts HHS Secretary Kennedy & USDA Secretary Rollins for First ‘MAHA’ Roundtable

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall
    Washington – On Tuesday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) hosted Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, alongside farmers from across the country and agriculture experts, for the inaugural Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) roundtable on Capitol Hill. The conversation centered on how agriculture aligns with the MAHA movement, emphasizing the critical role of soil health in producing nutrient-dense food.
    “As a fifth-generation Kansas farm kid and a physician, I recognize that producing nutrient-dense foods for a healthier America starts with healthy soil,” said Senator Marshall. “Today, I was privileged to welcome Secretary Kennedy, Secretary Rollins, farmers, and agriculture experts from across the country to Capitol Hill for the first MAHA roundtable. Focused on soil health, I believe healthy soil leads to healthy food and healthy people, fostering a healthier America. MAHA will thrive due to the dedication, collaboration, and partnership of those who joined us today.”
    “America’s farmers and ranchers are not just stakeholders in this fight—they are the foundation of it,” Secretary Kennedy said. “I was proud to join Senator Marshall and Secretary Rollins today to meet directly with ranchers, farmers, and agricultural experts who are driving our shared mission to Make America Healthy Again.”
    “Farmers are at the heart of the Trump Administration’s mission to Make America Healthy Again. Thank you to Senator Marshall for gathering our great farmers and ranchers to discuss the role soil health plays in growing healthy foods. I look forward to continuing to support American agriculture as producers work towards healthier, more fertile soil,” said Secretary Rollins.
    Click HERE for additional photos.
    Background:
    As chair of the Senate Agriculture subcommittee on Conservation, Natural Resources, and Biotechnology, Senator Marshall has long fought for better agriculture practices and healthier foods in America. He is also the founder of both the MAHA Caucus and the Food is Medicine Caucus.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy ahead of vote on rescissions: “You either believe in reducing spending, or you don’t”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)

    Watch Kennedy’s comments here.

    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) delivered the following remarks on the U.S. Senate floor: 

    “I think most people—most adults anyway—understand that, in life, what you say doesn’t really matter. It’s what you do that demonstrates what you believe, and that’s certainly true in politics, and that’s certainly true in Washington, D.C. . . .

    “Now, President Trump—whether you voted for him or not, whether you like him or not—ran on a platform of reducing the size of government, and the people elected him. And since day one, the president has been—if you paid attention to the news—he’s been working very hard to reduce government spending. And he’s reduced a lot. He started out with a [Department of Government Efficiency] program with Mr. Elon Musk. Mr. Musk, of course, has left. But the quest to reduce government spending, wasteful government spending, which I call spending porn, continues.

    “Every Republican in the U.S. Senate has voiced approval of what the president has done. Every Republican—every one of my colleagues, myself included—has said to the president, ‘Atta boy, Mr. President. Go get them. Keep issuing those executive orders. Reduce the spending. We’re spending too much money. We’ve got a $37 trillion debt. Keep going, Mr. President.’

    “And the president has, but he’s been doing it through executive order. There’s only so much you can do through executive order. . . .  And now my colleagues and I have an opportunity to really support the president.

    “I don’t know if this bill is going to pass. . . . But I want to put this in context: After all of us on my side of the aisle telling the world that we need to reduce spending, if we vote against this rescission package and refuse to reduce spending by one-tenth of one percent of the budget, we ought to hide our heads in a bag. . . . 

    “I’m going to read you some of the appropriations that the president is asking us to eliminate from the current budget, and you be the judge. Let the American people decide. 

    “The president is asking us to eliminate $5.1 million of taxpayer money in the American budget and the federal budget that is there to ‘strengthen the resilience of queer global movements.’ . . . $3 million for circumcision, vasectomies and condoms in Zambia. I didn’t make this stuff up. It’s in the budget. . . . $3.6 million for pastry cooking classes, cybercafes and dance focus groups for male prostitutes in Haiti.

    “How many Americans, Mr. President, do you think we should be spending their money to fund male prostitutes in Haiti? But there it is in our budget, bigger than Dallas. And the president is saying cut it out. $6.2 million for Venezuelan migrants in Colombia. $500,000 to buy Rwanda electric buses. 

    “I love Rwanda. If they want electric buses, they have got a budget. $300,000 for a pride parade in Lesotho. $300,000 for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex advocacy in Uganda. $500,000 for biodiversity in Peru. 

    “I could keep going. I could go the rest of the day and the night. Now I know what you’re thinking: How in God’s name, on God’s green earth did this spending porn get in the federal budget? Why would Congress put it there? I’m going to tell you why: We didn’t.

    “When we pass a budget, we pass budgets based on programs or agendas or line items. . . . Congress didn’t vote to spend $3 million on sexual reproductive health in Venezuela. We voted for a program that the bureaucrats took and spent on sexual health and reproductive health in Venezuela.

    “That’s not an excuse, but I get that question all the time. Why did Congress vote to do this? We didn’t. The bureaucracy did. It’s a giant rogue beast. But the point is: Trump caught it, and his people caught it, and the president is saying, ‘Get rid of it.’

    “We’d be better off taking all of this money that I just talked about and spending it on scratch tickets and blackjack. At least taxpayers might have a chance of getting a return. That’s how out of control this is. But if you listen to some of my colleagues, ‘Oh my God. If we cut this spending porn, civilization is going to melt.’

    “Now, there’s one other thing in our budget that the president is asking us to cut: He’s asking us to cut a little over $1 billion for what I will call public broadcasting. . . . The president and CEO of NPR thinks that America is ‘addicted to white supremacy.’ She has denounced the use of the words ‘boy’ and ‘girl.’ She said that is ‘erasing language’ for nonbinary people. She contends that the U.S. was founded on the basis of ‘black plunder and white democracy’ That’s who’s running the show over there. . . .

    “NPR and PBS and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting are entitled to publish and broadcast what they publish, but not on the taxpayer’s dime. . . . We don’t fund CNN. We don’t fund Fox News. We don’t fund newspapers. Why are we funding PBS and NPR and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting?

    “And all the president is saying, ‘I don’t want you to do that anymore, Congress. I don’t want you to fund any form of media. PBS, for example, is right to publish what they want, but Congress shouldn’t give them taxpayer money to do it. Let them go raise money in the private sector.’ And the president’s right. 

    “The president is absolutely right, and that’s all this rescission bill is going to do, Mr. President. It’s going to bring a little bit of sanity back to our appropriations process. . . . What you do is what you believe, and everything else is just cottage cheese. . . . I listened to all of my Republican colleagues encourage the president and say, ‘That’s great. We’ve got to reduce spending.’

    “Well, here’s your chance. It’s gut-check time. You either believe in reducing spending, or you don’t. You either support spending porn or you don’t. We’re going to find out who does and who doesn’t here in about three or four hours.”

    Watch Kennedy’s speech here.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: MEDIA ADVISORY: Coast Guard to remove the sunken vessel Chaleur

    Source: United States Coast Guard

     

    07/15/2025 07:54 PM EDT

    The Coast Guard will be overseeing the removal and destruction of the vessel Chaleur, a historic 140-foot former Canadian Navy minesweeper that sank in Little Potato Slough, causing an environmental pollution event in a navigable waterway.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Massie, Khanna Seek House Vote on Public Release of Jeffrey Epstein Files

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Thomas Massie (4th District of Kentucky)

    For Immediate Release
    Contact: massie.press@mail.house.gov
    Contact #: 202-225-3465

    Washington, D.C.- Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY) announces that he has introduced the bipartisan Epstein Files Transparency Act (EFTA), which would force the House of Representatives to vote on the complete release of the government’s files related to Jeffrey Epstein. If EFTA is not considered by the House within seven legislative days, a discharge petition will be circulated.

    “We all deserve to know what’s in the Epstein files, who’s implicated, and how deep this corruption goes,” said Rep. Thomas Massie. “Americans were promised justice and transparency. We’re introducing a discharge petition to force a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives on releasing the complete files. If your Representative won’t sign the discharge petition, ask why.”

    A discharge petition is a procedural tool for bypassing House leadership. When the petition is signed by 218 Members, the House must vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) is an original cosponsor of the Massie resolution and will be assisting in the effort to collect Member signatures.

    The text of H.Res.581, the Epstein Files Transparency Act, is available here. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate Intelligence Committee Passes Intelligence Authorization Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    July 15, 2025
    CONTACT:     
    Caroline Tabler (Cotton) 202 224-2353Patrick McCann (Cotton) 202 224-2353Rachel Cohen (Warner) 202 228-6884
    Senate Intelligence Committee Passes Intelligence Authorization Act
    Washington, D.C. – Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), and Senator Mark R. Warner (D-Virginia), Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, today released the following statements after the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence passed the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (IAA) today on a bipartisan 15-2 vote. The bill authorizes funding, provides legal authorities, and enhances oversight of national security threats and our United States Intelligence Community.
    “I’d like to thank my colleagues for their tireless work on this bill that will go a long way towards keeping America safer and making the intelligence agencies charged with doing so more transparent and efficient. I am pleased this bill includes needed reforms and restructuring to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, restricts the travel of adversarial diplomats inside the United States, and protects Intelligence Community installations by adding further reviews to nearby land purchases which safeguards them against drone threats. This bill passed out of committee on a bipartisan basis and I hope my colleagues will support its passage by the full Senate,” said Senator Cotton.
    “This bipartisan bill provides the Intelligence Community the resources it needs to do its mission while ensuring that we maintain rigorous oversight of the IC’s activities. This year’s IAA responds to important concerns, including by enhancing protections for whistleblowers, and also safeguards our Nation’s critical infrastructure in the wake of the Salt Typhoon compromises.  At the same time, it readies the IC for the future by promoting IC energy resiliency through the deployment of nuclear technologies and enhancing the IC’s ability to detect and counter threats relating to biotechnologies and bioweapons,” said Senator Warner. 
    The Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 will:
    Significantly reform and improve efficiencies and effectiveness within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the broader Intelligence Community;
    Require that visas be denied to certain nationals applying to work at the United Nations if they are known or suspected of being foreign intelligence officers or committing intelligence or espionage activities;
    Prohibit the Intelligence Community from contracting with Chinese military companies engaged in biotechnology research, development, or manufacturing;
    Codify tour and travel restrictions for Chinese, Russian Iranian and North Korean diplomats in the United States;
    Improve the Intelligence Community’s artificial intelligence capabilities and capacity and establish guidelines for the IC’s procurement and use of artificial intelligence;
    Shores up counter-intelligence risks posed by Salt Typhoon compromises of U.S. telecommunications infrastructure by leveraging IC procurement power;
    Strengthen the security of telecommunications networks by establish baseline cybersecurity requirements for vendors of telecommunications services to the IC;
    Establish authorities for protecting Central Intelligence Agency facilities from unmanned aircraft systems;
    Require the Intelligence Community to develop a policy for sharing biotechnological threats with U.S. agencies, allies, and private-sector partners, including on PRC efforts to acquire genomic data;
    Require the Director of National Intelligence to identify sites for deployment of advanced nuclear technologies;
    Establish a fund to support IC efforts to acquire and integrate emerging technologies proven to meet mission needs;
    Prohibit Intelligence Community contractors from collecting or selling Intelligence Community personnel location data;
    Support the Intelligence Community workforce by requiring the Director of National Intelligence to issue standard guidelines for Intelligence Community personnel to document and report Anomalous Health Incidents; 
    Enhance protections for, and congressional oversight of, Intelligence Community whistleblowers;
    Require the Director of National Intelligence to enhance efforts to counter narcotics trafficking with the Government of Mexico;
    Promote transparency by requiring the Director of National Intelligence to conduct a declassification review and publish intelligence relating to the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic;
    Streamline the construction of Intelligence Community facilities;
    Amend the Spectrum Relocation Fund authorization to clarify eligibility for Title 50 agencies that utilize spectrum and whose usage could be impacted by future reallocation decisions;
    Protect Americans’ privacy by statutorily requiring procedures governing the dissemination of U.S. identities and corresponding reporting requirements, as well as prohibits the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis from collecting intelligence on Americans; and
    Provide additional reviews for foreign purchases of land near IC facilities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: MEDIA ADVISORY: Coast Guard to remove the sunken vessel Chaleur near Stockton, Calif.

    Source: United States Coast Guard

     

    07/15/2025 07:54 PM EDT

    The Coast Guard will be overseeing the removal and destruction of the vessel Chaleur, a historic 140-foot former Canadian Navy minesweeper that sank in Little Potato Slough, causing an environmental pollution event in a navigable waterway.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed Helps Introduce Consumer OPT-IN Act Designed to Ease Unsubscribing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
    WASHINGTON, DC – When it comes to companies offering ‘free trials’ for subscription services, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) says they should actually be free.  And when it comes time to cancel unwanted recurring subscriptions, Senator Reed says it should be just as simple to cancel as it was to sign up.
    Today, Reed joined U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) in introducing the Consumer Online Payment Transparency and Integrity (Consumer OPT-IN) Act to halt the use of unfair and deceptive practices in ‘negative option marketing’ (where consumers enroll in subscription plans that automatically renew unless consumers actively opt out before a given renewal).  This legislation would help protect consumers from online ‘free trial’ scams and hard-to-cancel recurring-payment programs by requiring companies with customers on recurring payment programs to offer easy online cancellation.
    The bill puts the onus on companies, not consumers, when it comes to extending subscriptions and memberships, including requiring a shift from “opt-out” conditions to “opt-in.” 
    The lawmakers say Congress must act in the wake of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit ruling last week that vacated the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) 2023 ‘click to cancel’ rule, which would have taken effect today and complemented this legislation by making it easier to get out of unwanted subscriptions. As a result of this ruling, businesses are free to continue using deceitful practices that trap consumers into making recurring payments that they never intended to make – underscoring the need to codify into law the “opt-in” requirements in this legislation.
    “While companies have made it easier than ever to sign up for subscription-based services, too many Americans know the frustration of jumping through endless hoops to get out of them. Corporate special interests are pushing to preserve the status quo so they can pad their profits by keeping consumers locked into unwanted subscriptions, but we will keep fighting back. Our legislation puts consumers in control – offering them an easy way out of subscription traps and holding companies accountable for these deceptive practices,” said Senator Van Hollen.
    “This legislation will make it easier for consumers to cancel subscriptions they don’t want. The process of enrolling and cancelling should be equally simple: If one click can sign you up, then you should be able to cancel with one click too,” said Senator Reed. “Simplifying the process for ending ‘free trials’ or unwanted subscriptions will save consumers real money.  This bill will get rid of needless cancellation hurdles, hold corporations accountable, and save consumers time, money, and peace of mind.”
    Companies increasingly use free trial offers and unclear terms and conditions to trap consumers into subscriptions. Additionally, companies often use software and interfaces that subtly trick users, called dark patterns, making it harder for consumers to end these subscriptions and stop unwanted charges. While the FTC has dedicated significant resources to combatting the worst of these business practices, resulting in at least $110 million worth of refunds returned to consumers over the past five years, more action is needed. To more effectively deter companies from employing these practices and better protect and inform consumers, the Consumer OPT-IN Act would limit the use of deceptive tactics and impose stricter notification requirements on companies.
    To better protect and inform consumers, the Consumer OPT-IN Act would limit the use of deceptive tactics and impose stricter notification requirements on companies. It will protect consumers from deceptive free trials and marketing tactics by:
    •           Requiring companies to get express informed consent from consumers before converting free trials into automatically renewing contracts and charging consumers;
    •           Requiring companies to notify consumers of the first automatic renewal and obtain express informed consent from consumers before automatically renewing long term contracts;
    •           Requiring that companies offering contracts that automatically renew on a short-term basis get express informed consent from consumers annually;
    •           Requiring companies that have knowledge that a consumer isn’t using their products or service for 6 months to get the consumer’s express informed consent to continue billing, and allowing consumers to request a refund for the remaining portion of the contract;
    •           Providing consumers with refunds when violations occur;
    •           Giving the FTC rulemaking authority over negative option contracts, automatic renewals, and dark patterns.
    In addition to Van Hollen and Reed, the bill is also cosponsored by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), John Fetterman (D-PA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
    The Consumer OPT-IN Act has been endorsed by Public Citizen, National Consumer Law Center, Consumer Action, Americans for Financial Reform, and American Economic Liberties Project.
    Consumers who feel they have been unfairly charged for an unwanted subscription or if a company used deceptive tactics to prevent them from cancelling may report it to the FTC: https://reportfraud.ftc.gov
    Companion legislation is being introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY-9).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Schatz fights Trump-backed NOAA staffing cuts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Hawaii Brian Schatz
    WASHINGTON >> Members of Congress are expressing renewed support for the nation’s weather forecasting system after deadly flooding in Texas and elsewhere put the focus on cuts within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
    The Trump administration proposed cutting NOAA’s fiscal 2026 budget to $4.5 billion — a 27%, nearly $1.7 billion reduction from the estimated fiscal 2025 spending.
    But Senate appropriators from both parties highlighted the importance of NOAA, and particularly the National Weather Service housed within it, in a meeting last week.
    During the Senate Appropriations Committee’s markup of its draft fiscal 2026 Commerce-Justice-Science bill on July 10, Subcommittee Chair Jerry Moran, R-Kan., said the bill would spare the NWS from the proposed cuts.
    “NOAA, and particularly the National Weather Service, is a hugely important component of what this bill funds, and this bill recognizes that importance,” said Moran, adding that the “bill fully funds the (NWS) for purposes of employing people who work” and eliminates any reduction in the workforce.
    Moran said the language would require the Trump administration to maintain staffing at levels necessary to fill statutory obligations and would increase the appropriation by $10 million to accomplish that goal. Moran didn’t provide a topline figure and the committee hasn’t yet released its draft text or bill summary.
    Sen Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, expressed concern that the bill still gave too much discretion to the Office of Management and Budget to determine whether the agency has too many employees. He offered an amendment that would require the administration to maintain staffing at the same levels as they were on Sept. 30, 2024. The panel rejected the amendment along party lines.
    “It’s clear to me that this administration has already made the judgment that the National Weather Service has too many human beings,” said Schatz.
    The committee ultimately didn’t complete work on the bill last week due to an unrelated disagreement over the future of a proposed FBI campus in Maryland.
    House Republicans, meanwhile, released their version of the fiscal 2026 Commerce-Justice-Science spending bill on Monday. The bill includes a cut of $387 million, or 6%, for NOAA, taking its budget to $5.8 billion in fiscal 2026, according to the GOP summary.
    The House C-J-S Appropriations Subcommittee approved the measure for full committee consideration on a 9-6 vote today.
    Staffing ‘a top priority’
    The issue of staffing at NOAA also came up in the confirmation hearing for Neil Jacobs, Trump’s nominee to lead NOAA, in the Senate Commerce Committee on July 10. Ranking member Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., said NOAA has lost nearly 1,900 employees, with 3,000 vacancies due to firings of probationary employees and buyouts, since Trump took office.
    “If confirmed, I will ensure that staffing the weather service offices is a top priority,” said Jacobs. “It’s really important for the people to be there because they have relationships with the people in the local community. They’re a trusted source.”
    Jacobs said he supported the administration’s proposal to cut NOAA’s budget by 27% in fiscal 2026, adding the cuts could be implemented by shifting work from the research to operations without impacting “mission essential functions” at the NWS.
    Monica Medina, principal deputy secretary for oceans and atmosphere at NOAA during the Obama administration and now a distinguished fellow with the environmental group Conservation International, said cuts to research would have significant implications for operations.
    “Artificial intelligence is only as good as the data you put in it,” Medina said in an interview. “We need science and research and data to inform our weather forecasts now and in the future, and what we’re doing is taking apart a system that was getting better and better and better, and putting ourselves at greater risk. And the impact on people is real and the forecast will be less accurate.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Schatz grills Hegseth, calls on Republicans to kill the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Hawaii Brian Schatz
    U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, upped his criticism of the Trump administration Wednesday, grilling Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine about the deployment of National Guard and U.S. Marine personnel to quell protests in Los Angeles during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense hearing. He called on Republicans to kill the president’s so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill” in a speech from the Senate floor. 
    At the subcommittee hearing, Schatz asked Caine if, in fact, the United States was being invaded by a foreign nation or if a rebellion was occurring, to which Caine responded: “I do not see any state-sponsored folks invading. There’s definitely some frustrated folks out there.” 
    Turning to Hegseth, Schatz asked, “Did you just potentially mobilize every Guard everywhere and every service member everywhere? I mean, create the framework for that?” 
    Hegseth, a frequent target of Schatz’s criticism dating back to his initial appointment, responded that the deployments were a preemptive move should protests expand to other areas.
    Schatz was more direct in his condemnation of the deployments in his Senate speech, repeating earlier accusations that the real purpose of the military intervention is to shift public attention away from a Republican legislative package he said would gut Medicaid and cut off food assistance for children and families while delivering a $600 billion tax cut for large corporations and the nation’s wealthiest 1%.
    “Trump does what he always does. He creates a spectacle out of nowhere in order to distract people from what is actually happening,” Schatz said. “They are cutting Medicaid. They are slashing nutritional assistance for children and families. They are jacking up everyone’s health insurance premiums and energy bills.”
    The Trump administration has maintained that the bill would in fact benefit nearly all Americans.
    In “50 Wins in the One Big Beautiful Bill,” an overview of benefits posted to the White House website, the administration claimed the legislation would deliver the largest tax cut in American history, with Americans earning between $30,000 and $80,000 paying about 15% less in taxes.
    And as the bill would make tax cuts initiated during Trump’s first term in office permanent, Americans would also be spared what the administration claimed would be “the largest tax increase in history.”
    Schatz pushed back at the administration’s claims.
    “Here’s what’s going to happen if Republicans pass this bill,” he said. “Anyone making $4 million a year or more will get a very nice tax break, and the more you make, the more you’ll get. So, if you’re a millionaire, you get close to $70,000. But if you’re a billionaire, you’re looking at $300,000. 
    “Now, if you’re wondering, ‘Well, what about me? I’m not a billionaire or a millionaire. What do I get?’” he continued. “Well, next to nothing. Worse than that, you’re going to be subsidizing these enormous tax cuts with cuts to your benefits and services 16 million Americans, including 60,000 people in the state of Hawaii, will lose coverage through Medicaid because of these cuts, meaning even when people get really sick, they’re going to avoid going to the hospital and buying medication because they cannot afford it. And then they’re going to turn to emergency care because they have no choice.”
    Schatz also noted controversial provisions tucked into the bill, including one that would prevent judges from taking action against people for violating court orders and another that would establish a tax credit for the purchase of gun silencers.
    “We’re going to fight as hard as we can,” Schatz told his Senate colleagues. “We’ve only got 47 votes. We need four Republicans to say ‘enough is enough.’”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Marshals Collaborate with Interagency Partners to Locate, Arrest Violent Criminal Alien Gang Members

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Washington, DC – Throughout the spring and summer months of 2025, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) has focused collaborative enforcement efforts on violent criminal alien fugitives in support of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force.

    USMS fugitive investigators and resources throughout the DMV (District of Maryland, Virginia) have partnered with Immigration Officers and are dialed in on locating and apprehending fugitive gang members associated with transnational criminal organizations like MS-13, 18th Street, and Tren de Aragua. The joint effort has yielded several arrests thus far and the mission continues.

    Significant arrests:

    Gerson Osmin Saravia- Fuentes
    Arrested on July 9, on warrants from Frederick, Maryland, for first-degree assault and firearm use during the commission of a felony violent crime. Saravia-Fuentes is a citizen of El Salvador and validated member of MS-13. In addition to Saravia-Fuentes, the investigation yielded five additional arrests of individuals without status in the United States.  

    Kevin Josue Cuestas
    Arrested on May 5, on a warrant for first-degree murder charges out of Baltimore. Cuestas is a citizen of El Salvador and validated member of MS-13. During the investigation, three others were arrested for being illegally present in the United States, and a firearm and MS-13 paraphernalia were recovered.  

    Jose Anibal Guardado-Orellana
    Arrested on May 12 on warrants from Prince George’s County, Maryland, on first- and second-degree murder charges. Guardado-Orellana is a citizen of El Salvador and validated member of the 18th Street Revolutionary gang. During the investigation, it was discovered that the fugitive was also wanted by El Salvador authorities on charges of homicide and association to a terrorist organization.  

    Kevin Adonay Penate-Saenz
    Arrested on Mach 19, in Portsmouth, Virginia, on warrants for rape, forcible sodomy, aggravated sexual battery, and object sexual penetration. Penate-Saenz is a citizen of El Salvador and validated member of MS-13.

    Adrian Castro-Sanchez
    Arrested on March 13 in Hyattsville, Maryland, on a warrant for first-degree assault. Castro-Sanchez is a Venezuelan citizen and is affiliated with the Tren De Aragua criminal gang.  

    Jose Alexander Olivar-Vigil
    Arrested on March 25 in Montgomery County, Maryland, on charges of first-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault, and firearm use during the commission of a felony violent crime. Olivar-Vigil is a citizen of El Salvador and affiliated with the criminal gang MS-13.

    The USMS is committed to enhancing the safety of our communities through the investigation and arrest of violent fugitives, including those who are in the United States illegally. The USMS coordinates closely with ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations and Homeland Security Investigations to ensure these dangerous individuals are appropriately processed through immigration proceedings.    

    See photos from the ongoing operation: https://www.flickr.com/gp/usmarshals/16v89Du327 

    The USMS Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force is a Congressionally backed multi-agency task force whose mission is to focus resources and efforts on the reduction of violence within the National Capital Region through the identification, investigation, and apprehension of fugitives wanted for egregious crimes against the community, while ensuring the application of equal Justice, Integrity, and Service for all. Since June 2004, the task force has investigated and apprehended more than 110,300 fugitives, including over 6,855 wanted for murder.  

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Experts Agree: Iran’s Nuclear Facilities Have Been Obliterated

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Whitehouse
    From nuclear regulators to foreign policy experts to members of the intelligence community, every knowledgeable person is in agreement that President Donald J. Trump obliterated Iran’s nuclear facilities.
    International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi: “Given the power of these devices and the technical characteristics of a centrifuge, we already know that these centrifuges are no longer operational, because they are fairly precise machines: there are rotors, and the vibrations [from the bombs] have completely destroyed them.”
    CIA Director John Ratcliffe: “CIA can confirm that a body of credible intelligence indicates Iran’s Nuclear Program has been severely damaged by the recent, targeted strikes. This includes new intelligence from a historically reliable and accurate source/method that several key Iranian nuclear facilities were destroyed and would have to be rebuilt over the course of years.”
    Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard: “New intelligence confirms what @POTUS has stated numerous times: Iran’s nuclear facilities have been destroyed. If the Iranians chose to rebuild, they would have to rebuild all three facilities (Natanz, Fordow, Esfahan) entirely, which would likely take years to do. The propaganda media has deployed their usual tactic: selectively release portions of illegally leaked classified intelligence assessments (intentionally leaving out the fact that the assessment was written with “low confidence”) to try to undermine President Trump’s decisive leadership and the brave servicemen and women who flawlessly executed a truly historic mission to keep the American people safe and secure.”
    Former ODNI National Intelligence Manager for Iran Norman Roule: “I am confident that Iran has suffered a catastrophic — catastrophic — blow … and that this has set them back for a very, very long time.”
    Former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe Gen. Philip Breedlove (Ret.): “It went off magnificently … They did it perfectly, so we should have … an expectation that there was significant damage.”
    Institute for Science and International Security President David Albright: “Iran can’t make centrifuges and can’t produce, in a sense, the equivalent of the gas … so their program is severely damaged.”
    President Trump: “Monumental Damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran, as shown by satellite images. Obliteration is an accurate term! The white structure shown is deeply imbedded into the rock, with even its roof well below ground level, and completely shielded from flame. The biggest damage took place far below ground level. Bullseye!!!”
    Israel Atomic Energy Commission: “The devastating US strike on Fordo destroyed the site’s critical infrastructure and rendered the enrichment facility inoperable. We assess that the American strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, combined with Israeli strikes on other elements of Iran’s military nuclear program, has set back Iran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons by many years. The achievement can continue indefinitely if Iran does not get access to nuclear material.”
    IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir: “I can say here that the assessment is that we significantly damaged the nuclear program, and I can also say that we set it back by years, I repeat, years.”
    Iran Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei: “Our nuclear installations have been badly damaged, that’s for sure.”
    Vice President JD Vance: “I can say to the American people with great confidence that they are much further away from a nuclear program today than they were 24 hours ago. That was the objective of the mission, to destroy that Fordow nuclear site, and of course, do some damage to the other sites as well, but we feel very confident that the Fordow nuclear site was substantially set back, and that was our goal.”
    Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth: “Based on everything we have seen — and I’ve seen it all — our bombing campaign obliterated Iran’s ability to create nuclear weapons. Our massive bombs hit exactly the right spot at each target and worked perfectly. The impact of those bombs is buried under a mountain of rubble in Iran; so anyone who says the bombs were not devastating is just trying to undermine the President and the successful mission.”
    Secretary Hegseth: “Given the 30,000 pounds of explosions and the capability of those munitions, it was DEVASTATION underneath Fordow … Any assessment that tells you otherwise is speculating with other motives.”
    Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan “Razin” Caine: “Initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction. More than 125 US aircraft participated in this mission, including B2 stealth bombers, multiple flights of fourth and fifth generation fighters, dozens and dozens of air refueling tankers, a guided missile submarine, and a full array of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance aircraft, as well as hundreds of maintenance and operational professionals.”
    Secretary of State Marco Rubio: “The Iranian program — the nuclear program — today looks nothing like it did just a week ago … That story is a false story and it’s one that really shouldn’t be re-reported because it doesn’t accurately reflect what’s happening.”
    Secretary Rubio: “Everything underneath that mountain is in bad shape … There’s no way Iran comes to the table if somehow nothing had happened. This was complete and total obliteration. They are in bad shape. They are way behind today compared to where they were just seven days ago because of what President Trump did.”
    Special Envoy Steve Witkoff: “We put 12 bunker buster bombs on Fordow. There’s no doubt that it breached the canopy, there’s no doubt that it was well within reach of the depth that these bunker buster bombs go to, and there’s no doubt that it was obliterated — so the reporting out there that in some way suggests that we did not achieve the objective is just completely preposterous.”
    Director Gabbard: “The operation was a resounding success. Our missiles were delivered precisely and accurately, obliterating key Iranian capabilities needed to quickly assemble a nuclear weapon.”
    Director General Grossi: “Given the explosive payload utilized, and the extreme vibration-sensitive nature of centrifuges, very significant damage is expected to have occurred. At the Esfahan nuclear site, additional buildings were hit, with the US confirming their use of cruise missiles. Affected buildings include some related to the uranium conversion process. Also at this site, entrances to tunnels used for the storage of enriched material appear to have been hit. At the Natanz enrichment site, the Fuel Enrichment Plant was hit, with the US confirming that it used ground-penetrating munitions.”
    Mr. Albright: “Overall, Israel’s and U.S. attacks have effectively destroyed Iran’s centrifuge enrichment program. It will be a long time before Iran comes anywhere near the capability it had before the attack.”
    Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ Nonproliferation and Biodefense Program Deputy Director Andrea Stricker: “I think that because of the massive damage and the shock wave that would have been sent by 12 Massive Ordnance Penetrators at the Fordow site, that it likely would render its centrifuges damaged or inoperable.”
    American Enterprise Institute Middle East Portfolio Manager Brian Carter: “There is no question that the bombing campaign ‘badly, badly damaged’ the three sites.”
    Institute for Science and International Security Senior Research Fellow Spencer Faragasso: “Overall, it may possibly take years for Iran to reconstitute the capabilities it lost at these facilities.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SUNDAY SHOWS: Send the One Big Beautiful Bill to President Trump’s Desk

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Whitehouse
    This morning, Members of Congress joined President Donald J. Trump on the Sunday shows to discuss the overwhelmingly positive impacts of the One Big Beautiful Bill — which will deliver unprecedented tax relief, generational welfare reform, and historic spending cuts for the American people.
    Here’s what you missed:
    President Trump on Sunday Morning Futures
    “We’re cutting $1.7 trillion … We’re going to have growth like we’ve never seen before.” (Watch)
    “It takes care of the border. There’s also No Tax on Tips, No Tax on Social Security, No Tax on Overtime.” (Watch)
    Senator Markwayne Mullin on Meet the Press
    “This cuts spending. It’s the largest deficit cut by any Congress ever in history. It makes tax cuts permanent — which, instead of taxes going up January 1 by $4 trillion, it actually restores the tax cuts and the average household of four is going to bring home pay over $10,000 more a year.” (Watch)
    “What we’re doing is cutting the waste, fraud, and abuse out of the Medicaid system and make sure it’s for the people that it was originally intended for.” (Watch)
    Senator Jim Banks on Fox News Sunday
    “This is the biggest spending cut in American history — a $1.6 trillion spending cut, getting rid of the Green New Deal scams from the Biden Administration, and it’s the biggest tax cut in American history for working class families.” (Watch)
    “Everyone in my family is blue collar, working class. They’re all going to get socked by another $2,000, on average, every year. They already tell me they can’t keep up right now, and the Democrats want them to pay more in taxes? … Democrats are focused on screwing the working class with higher taxes … President Trump and Republicans are serious about cutting taxes on the people who need it the most.” (Watch)
    Senator Katie Britt on State of the Union
    “We’re going to make sure that hardworking people can keep more of their money. We’re going to make sure that we have secure borders — not just now, but for generations to come. We’re going to make sure that we have a strong national defense so that our warfighter is the best trained, equipped, and ready across the planet. We’re going to unleash American energy … We want to make sure that these programs are available for the people who need them and we want to make sure that people who are working know that we see them and that they have a great opportunity to achieve the American Dream — and that’s what this bill does.” (Watch)
    “The reforms in this bill are necessary and we’re going to deliver actual solutions to the American people … This bill does No Tax on Tips, it does No Tax on Overtime. Real, hardworking Americans are going to see results from this.” (Watch)

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: And the Emmy goes to….California!

    Source: US State of California Governor

    Jul 15, 2025

    What you need to know: Productions filmed in California are raking in the nominations in this year’s Emmy bids. 

    SACRAMENTO –  Today, the nominees for the 77th Emmy Awards were announced, with California-based television productions securing at least 104 nominations across all categories. With today’s announcement, the Golden State continues to prove that it is the premier place to work, create and tell stories that reach across the world.

    Here are the 14 California-based productions that were nominated for an Emmy in a key category (listed in order of total nominations):

    1. “The Studio”, Apple TV+

    Courtesy of Apple TV+

    Total nominations: 23, including:

    • Best Comedy Series
    • Seth Rogen, Best Actor in a Comedy Series
    • Kathryn Hahn, Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
    • Catherine O’Hara, Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
    • Ike Barinholtz, Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

    2. “Hacks”, HBO Max

    Courtesy of HBO Max

    Total nominations: 14, including

    • Best Comedy Series
    • Jean Smart, Best Actress in a Comedy Series
    • Hannah Einbinder, Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

    3. “The Pitt”*, HBO Max

    Courtesy of Warner Bros.

    Total nominations: 13, including:

    • Best Drama Series
    • Noah Wyle, Best Actor in a Drama Series
    • Katherine LaNasa, Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

    4. “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story”, Netflix

    Courtesy of Miles Cris/Netflix

    Total nominations: 11, including:

    • Best Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
    • Cooper Koch, Best Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
    • Chloë Sevigny, Best Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
    • Javier Bardem, Best Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

    5. “RuPaul’s Drag Race”, MTV

    Courtesy of MTV/World of Wonder

    Total nominations: 8, including

    • Best Reality Competition

    6. “Shrinking”, Apple TV+

    Courtesy of Apple TV+

    Total nominations: 7, including:

    • Best Comedy Series
    • Jason Segel, Best Actor in a Comedy Series
    • Jessica Williams, Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
    • Harrison Ford, Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
    • Michael Urie, Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

    7. “Abbott Elementary”, ABC

    Courtesy of ABC

    Total nominations: 6, including

    • Best Comedy Series
    • Quinta Brunson, Best Actress in a Comedy Series
    • Janelle Hames, Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
    • Sheryl Lee Ralph, Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

    8. “The Oscars”, ABC

    Courtesy of ABC

    Total nominations: 6, including

    • Best Variety Special

    9. “Paradise”*, Hulu

    Courtesy of Ser Baffo/Disney

    Total nominations: 4, including

    • Best Drama Series
    • Sterling K. Brown, Best Actor in a Drama Series
    • Julianne Nicholson, Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
    • James Marsden, Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

    10. “Presumed Innocent”*, Apple TV+

    Courtesy of Apple TV+

    Total nominations: 4, including

    • Jake Gyllenhaal, Best Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
    • Ruth Negga, Best Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
    • Bill Camp, Best Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
    • Peter Sarsgaard, Best Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

    11. “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”, ABC

    Courtesy of ABC

    Total nominations: 3, including

    • Best Talk Series

    12. “Nobody Wants This”, Netflix

    Courtesy of Stefania Rosini/Netflix 

    Total nominations: 3, including

    • Best Comedy Series
    • Kristen Bell, Best Actress in a Comedy Series
    • Adam Brody, Best Actor in a Comedy Series

    13. “Matlock”*, CBS

    Courtesy of CBS

    Total nominations: 1

    • Kathy Bates, Best Actress in a Drama Series

    14. “The Residence”*, Netflix

    Courtesy of Erin Simkin/Netflix

    Total nominations: 1

    • Uzo Aduba, Best Actress in a Comedy Series

    The 77th Emmy Awards will take place on September 14th at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles’ L.A. Live.

    *Denotes inclusion in California’s Film and Television Tax Credit Program. For the full list of productions that are a part of the program, see here.

    Lights, camera, jobs

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

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

    The California Film Commission has already integrated the expanded funding and refundable credit mechanism into its immediately upcoming application cycles, the next of which is scheduled for August 25–27, 2025 for independent and non-independent films.

    Recent news

    Jul 15, 2025

    News What you need to know: The LA Rises public outreach campaign will connect and support Angelenos impacted by the Eaton and Palisades fires with resources for long-term recovery and rebuilding. LOS ANGELES – Today, Governor Gavin Newsom announced the launch of a…

    Jul 15, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Despite a concerted misinformation campaign driven by Republicans – from the President to state lawmakers – to create confusion around gas prices in California, prices actually remain lower now than they were one week ago, one month ago and one year…

    Jul 15, 2025

    News What you need to know: Governor Newsom is advancing California’s efficiency strategy by connecting state agencies with tech executives to identify new opportunities for efficiency, engagement, and effectiveness throughout the state government to improve services…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: And the Emmy goes to….California!

    Source: US State of California Governor

    Jul 15, 2025

    What you need to know: Productions filmed in California are raking in the nominations in this year’s Emmy bids. 

    SACRAMENTO –  Today, the nominees for the 77th Emmy Awards were announced, with California-based television productions securing at least 104 nominations across all categories. With today’s announcement, the Golden State continues to prove that it is the premier place to work, create and tell stories that reach across the world.

    Here are the 14 California-based productions that were nominated for an Emmy in a key category (listed in order of total nominations):

    1. “The Studio”, Apple TV+

    Courtesy of Apple TV+

    Total nominations: 23, including:

    • Best Comedy Series
    • Seth Rogen, Best Actor in a Comedy Series
    • Kathryn Hahn, Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
    • Catherine O’Hara, Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
    • Ike Barinholtz, Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

    2. “Hacks”, HBO Max

    Courtesy of HBO Max

    Total nominations: 14, including

    • Best Comedy Series
    • Jean Smart, Best Actress in a Comedy Series
    • Hannah Einbinder, Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

    3. “The Pitt”*, HBO Max

    Courtesy of Warner Bros.

    Total nominations: 13, including:

    • Best Drama Series
    • Noah Wyle, Best Actor in a Drama Series
    • Katherine LaNasa, Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

    4. “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story”, Netflix

    Courtesy of Miles Cris/Netflix

    Total nominations: 11, including:

    • Best Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
    • Cooper Koch, Best Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
    • Chloë Sevigny, Best Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
    • Javier Bardem, Best Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

    5. “RuPaul’s Drag Race”, MTV

    Courtesy of MTV/World of Wonder

    Total nominations: 8, including

    • Best Reality Competition

    6. “Shrinking”, Apple TV+

    Courtesy of Apple TV+

    Total nominations: 7, including:

    • Best Comedy Series
    • Jason Segel, Best Actor in a Comedy Series
    • Jessica Williams, Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
    • Harrison Ford, Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
    • Michael Urie, Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

    7. “Abbott Elementary”, ABC

    Courtesy of ABC

    Total nominations: 6, including

    • Best Comedy Series
    • Quinta Brunson, Best Actress in a Comedy Series
    • Janelle Hames, Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
    • Sheryl Lee Ralph, Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

    8. “The Oscars”, ABC

    Courtesy of ABC

    Total nominations: 6, including

    • Best Variety Special

    9. “Paradise”*, Hulu

    Courtesy of Ser Baffo/Disney

    Total nominations: 4, including

    • Best Drama Series
    • Sterling K. Brown, Best Actor in a Drama Series
    • Julianne Nicholson, Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
    • James Marsden, Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

    10. “Presumed Innocent”*, Apple TV+

    Courtesy of Apple TV+

    Total nominations: 4, including

    • Jake Gyllenhaal, Best Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
    • Ruth Negga, Best Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
    • Bill Camp, Best Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
    • Peter Sarsgaard, Best Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

    11. “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”, ABC

    Courtesy of ABC

    Total nominations: 3, including

    • Best Talk Series

    12. “Nobody Wants This”, Netflix

    Courtesy of Stefania Rosini/Netflix 

    Total nominations: 3, including

    • Best Comedy Series
    • Kristen Bell, Best Actress in a Comedy Series
    • Adam Brody, Best Actor in a Comedy Series

    13. “Matlock”*, CBS

    Courtesy of CBS

    Total nominations: 1

    • Kathy Bates, Best Actress in a Drama Series

    14. “The Residence”*, Netflix

    Courtesy of Erin Simkin/Netflix

    Total nominations: 1

    • Uzo Aduba, Best Actress in a Comedy Series

    The 77th Emmy Awards will take place on September 14th at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles’ L.A. Live.

    *Denotes inclusion in California’s Film and Television Tax Credit Program. For the full list of productions that are a part of the program, see here.

    Lights, camera, jobs

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

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

    The California Film Commission has already integrated the expanded funding and refundable credit mechanism into its immediately upcoming application cycles, the next of which is scheduled for August 25–27, 2025 for independent and non-independent films.

    Recent news

    Jul 15, 2025

    News What you need to know: The LA Rises public outreach campaign will connect and support Angelenos impacted by the Eaton and Palisades fires with resources for long-term recovery and rebuilding. LOS ANGELES – Today, Governor Gavin Newsom announced the launch of a…

    Jul 15, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Despite a concerted misinformation campaign driven by Republicans – from the President to state lawmakers – to create confusion around gas prices in California, prices actually remain lower now than they were one week ago, one month ago and one year…

    Jul 15, 2025

    News What you need to know: Governor Newsom is advancing California’s efficiency strategy by connecting state agencies with tech executives to identify new opportunities for efficiency, engagement, and effectiveness throughout the state government to improve services…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Coast Guard relieves commanding officer of Centralized Service Desk

    Source: United States Coast Guard

    News Release  

    U.S. Coast Guard Heartland District
    Contact: Heartland District Public Affairs
    Office: 504-671-2020
    After Hours: 618-225-9008
    Heartland District online newsroom

     

    Port conditions change based on weather forecasts, and current port conditions can be viewed on the following Coast Guard homeport webpages:

    For more information follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Coast Guard relieves commanding officer of Centralized Service Desk

    Source: United States Coast Guard

    News Release  

    U.S. Coast Guard Heartland District
    Contact: Heartland District Public Affairs
    Office: 504-671-2020
    After Hours: 618-225-9008
    Heartland District online newsroom

     

    Port conditions change based on weather forecasts, and current port conditions can be viewed on the following Coast Guard homeport webpages:

    For more information follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Young Kim Pushes to Boost U.S. Critical Minerals Supply Chain

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Young Kim (CA-39)

    Washington, DC – Following her House Foreign Affairs East Asia & Pacific Subcommittee hearing titled, “Breaking China’s Chokehold on Critical Mineral Supply Chains,” Chairwoman Young Kim (CA-40) joined Ranking Member Ami Bera (CA-06) and Rep. James Moylan of Guam introduced the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP) Authorization Act. 

    The Minerals Security Partnership (MSP) Authorization Act formally authorizes the State Department to coordinate U.S. efforts across the MSP — a coalition of 14 countries and the European Union — to accelerate responsible investment in critical mineral projects around the world. Through diplomatic leadership and interagency coordination with partners like the DFC, USTDA, and EXIM Bank, the bill supports the development of secure, resilient, and sustainable supply chains. 

    “Xi Jinping should not determine whether the United States can obtain critical minerals we need to power technologies that run our lives, from cell phones to defense systems,” said Congresswoman Kim. “The United States must work with our allies to strengthen our critical mineral supply chains and protect our economy and national security from the Chinese Communist Party. The Minerals Security Partnership Authorization Act will allow us to do exactly that.” 

    “Minerals like lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements are essential to powering our economy, clean energy future, and national defense,” said Representative Bera. “The People’s Republic of China (PRC) currently holds a near-monopoly over many of these supply chains and has shown a willingness to weaponize that control. Securing critical minerals is not just an economic issue — it is a national security imperative. That’s why it is critical that the United States lead efforts like the Minerals Security Partnership to diversify supply chains and strengthen America’s long-term competitiveness.” 

    “This bill strengthens the international and domestic efforts to secure mineral supply chains and relative advanced manufacturing, all of which are critical to our economic needs. These diversified supply chains allow for a stronger partnership between our allies, while significantly reducing outsourcing from adversarial counterparts. By forging a new database that collects information to attract investments, this bill will foster the collaboration between civil and private sectors to prioritize projects aligned with national security and environmental standards,” said Rep. Moylan. “I want to thank Rep. Bera for championing this initiative utilizing the full potential of our mineral wealth to create a clean and domestic circular economy while ensuring these practices adhere to environmental guidelines. Together, we are committed to building a self-sustaining economy with resources found at home to advance essential technology and defense.” 

    This bipartisan bill promotes international cooperation to secure critical mineral supply chains by: 

    • Provide diplomatic leadership within the MSP to identify, prioritize, and support strategic projects through every stage of the critical minerals supply chain — from extraction to processing to deployment in advanced technologies; 
    • Coordinate with partner governments and financial institutions to mobilize responsible investment and reduce dependency on authoritarian regimes; 
    • Engage with producing countries through the MSP Forum to foster transparent, high-standard investment environments; 
    • Promote environmental safeguards, labor protections, and community benefits alongside economic development. 

    Established in 2022, the Minerals Security Partnership has emerged as a key platform for aligning international investment and diplomatic engagement around critical minerals. This bill lays the groundwork for continued U.S. leadership in shaping a more secure and sustainable global minerals landscape. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Ciscomani Announces Support for Potential Space Force Mission at Fort Huachuca

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Juan Ciscomani (Arizona)

    SIERRA VISTA, AZ – Congressman Ciscomani today announced his strong support for Fort Huachuca’s selection as the U.S. Department of the Air Force considers basing a new space mission at one of four installations nationwide. 

    U.S. Air Force leadership recently briefed the Congressman’s office on the proposed site selection, which aims to establish a new U.S. Space Force mission system and squadron to provide Combatant Commands new space awareness capabilities.  

    The briefing, held on July 8th, was to inform Congress of the Department of the Air Force approval of site survey criteria and candidate locations for the new mission.  

    While the Air Force must consider numerous factors in its strategic basing decisions, Congressman Ciscomani expressed strong support of the proposed basing at Fort Huachuca, which would unleash opportunities for the region and strengthen national defense capabilities.  

    “Southern Arizona is the Astronomy Capital of America for a reason, with stark advantages for air and space operations that include beneficial geographic qualities as well as outstanding community investment. Specifically, Fort Huachuca’s unmatched airspace and technical capabilities positions it as an outstanding location to support Air and Space Force innovation. While this is an ongoing process, I am proud to support our district to fullest,” said Ciscomani. 

    Local support echoed the Congressman’s advocacy for this new mission, emphasizing alignment with Sierra Vista’s emerging potential in the aerospace industry. 

    “The possible selection of Fort Huachuca as the principle location for this new USSF mission and squadron could place Sierra Vista and the surrounding community in a lead position for the space economy,” said Dr. Randy Groth, President of the Fort Huachuca 50, “We stand ready to support the Air and Space Forces and Fort Huachuca to make this potential mission a success for our region and nation.” 

    Congressman Ciscomani remains committed to working closely with the Department of Defense and Air Force leadership to advocate for Fort Huachuca’s selection, ensuring Southern Arizona and Fort Huachuca’s key role in national security. 

    Arizona’s 6th congressional district is home to two military installations – Fort Huachuca and Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. Both installations house critical missions that ensure our nation’s military readiness in the 21st century. Congressman Ciscomani is proud to represent these military assets as well as the nearly 80,000 veterans who call the 6th district of Arizona home.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Ciscomani Announces Support for Potential Space Force Mission at Fort Huachuca

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Juan Ciscomani (Arizona)

    SIERRA VISTA, AZ – Congressman Ciscomani today announced his strong support for Fort Huachuca’s selection as the U.S. Department of the Air Force considers basing a new space mission at one of four installations nationwide. 

    U.S. Air Force leadership recently briefed the Congressman’s office on the proposed site selection, which aims to establish a new U.S. Space Force mission system and squadron to provide Combatant Commands new space awareness capabilities.  

    The briefing, held on July 8th, was to inform Congress of the Department of the Air Force approval of site survey criteria and candidate locations for the new mission.  

    While the Air Force must consider numerous factors in its strategic basing decisions, Congressman Ciscomani expressed strong support of the proposed basing at Fort Huachuca, which would unleash opportunities for the region and strengthen national defense capabilities.  

    “Southern Arizona is the Astronomy Capital of America for a reason, with stark advantages for air and space operations that include beneficial geographic qualities as well as outstanding community investment. Specifically, Fort Huachuca’s unmatched airspace and technical capabilities positions it as an outstanding location to support Air and Space Force innovation. While this is an ongoing process, I am proud to support our district to fullest,” said Ciscomani. 

    Local support echoed the Congressman’s advocacy for this new mission, emphasizing alignment with Sierra Vista’s emerging potential in the aerospace industry. 

    “The possible selection of Fort Huachuca as the principle location for this new USSF mission and squadron could place Sierra Vista and the surrounding community in a lead position for the space economy,” said Dr. Randy Groth, President of the Fort Huachuca 50, “We stand ready to support the Air and Space Forces and Fort Huachuca to make this potential mission a success for our region and nation.” 

    Congressman Ciscomani remains committed to working closely with the Department of Defense and Air Force leadership to advocate for Fort Huachuca’s selection, ensuring Southern Arizona and Fort Huachuca’s key role in national security. 

    Arizona’s 6th congressional district is home to two military installations – Fort Huachuca and Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. Both installations house critical missions that ensure our nation’s military readiness in the 21st century. Congressman Ciscomani is proud to represent these military assets as well as the nearly 80,000 veterans who call the 6th district of Arizona home.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Ciscomani Announces Support for Potential Space Force Mission at Fort Huachuca

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Juan Ciscomani (Arizona)

    SIERRA VISTA, AZ – Congressman Ciscomani today announced his strong support for Fort Huachuca’s selection as the U.S. Department of the Air Force considers basing a new space mission at one of four installations nationwide. 

    U.S. Air Force leadership recently briefed the Congressman’s office on the proposed site selection, which aims to establish a new U.S. Space Force mission system and squadron to provide Combatant Commands new space awareness capabilities.  

    The briefing, held on July 8th, was to inform Congress of the Department of the Air Force approval of site survey criteria and candidate locations for the new mission.  

    While the Air Force must consider numerous factors in its strategic basing decisions, Congressman Ciscomani expressed strong support of the proposed basing at Fort Huachuca, which would unleash opportunities for the region and strengthen national defense capabilities.  

    “Southern Arizona is the Astronomy Capital of America for a reason, with stark advantages for air and space operations that include beneficial geographic qualities as well as outstanding community investment. Specifically, Fort Huachuca’s unmatched airspace and technical capabilities positions it as an outstanding location to support Air and Space Force innovation. While this is an ongoing process, I am proud to support our district to fullest,” said Ciscomani. 

    Local support echoed the Congressman’s advocacy for this new mission, emphasizing alignment with Sierra Vista’s emerging potential in the aerospace industry. 

    “The possible selection of Fort Huachuca as the principle location for this new USSF mission and squadron could place Sierra Vista and the surrounding community in a lead position for the space economy,” said Dr. Randy Groth, President of the Fort Huachuca 50, “We stand ready to support the Air and Space Forces and Fort Huachuca to make this potential mission a success for our region and nation.” 

    Congressman Ciscomani remains committed to working closely with the Department of Defense and Air Force leadership to advocate for Fort Huachuca’s selection, ensuring Southern Arizona and Fort Huachuca’s key role in national security. 

    Arizona’s 6th congressional district is home to two military installations – Fort Huachuca and Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. Both installations house critical missions that ensure our nation’s military readiness in the 21st century. Congressman Ciscomani is proud to represent these military assets as well as the nearly 80,000 veterans who call the 6th district of Arizona home.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ricketts Supports President Trump’s Move to Sell Weapons to Europe in Support of Ukraine

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)

    July 15, 2025

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement in support of President Trump’s move to sell weapons to Europe in support of Ukraine.

    “For over three years, Ukraine has courageously fought and dismantled Russia’s military. Russia is one of our top adversaries. I support President Trump’s move to sell American munitions to NATO in support of Ukraine’s war efforts against Vladimir Putin’s Russia. If Putin succeeds in his brutal war against Ukraine, NATO allies like Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland could be next and American lives would be at risk. Military support for Ukraine keeps Americans safe, supports American jobs and our defense industry. Supporting Ukraine keeps our troops at home.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: July 15, 2025 Rep. Mullin Proposes Bill to Help Evaluate Safety of Autonomous Vehicles Washington, D.C. – In response to federal regulators weakening oversight as more driverless cars hit the roads, Rep. Kevin Mullin (CA-15) introduced a bill to require more robust safety data from autonomous vehicle (AV) manufacturers. AVs are already operating in… Read More

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Kevin Mullin California (15th District)

    Washington, D.C. – In response to federal regulators weakening oversight as more driverless cars hit the roads, Rep. Kevin Mullin (CA-15) introduced a bill to require more robust safety data from autonomous vehicle (AV) manufacturers.

    AVs are already operating in numerous states including California, Arizona, Florida, Georgia and Texas, with several manufacturers getting their start in the San Francisco Bay Area where Rep. Mullin’s district is located. Currently, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) requires AV companies to report some collision data, but it isn’t required to provide other basic metrics that would help the public to determine how safe they actually are.

    Rep. Mullin’s AV Safety Data Act would help ensure the public is entitled to basic transparency about how many miles driverless cars are traveling and when there are other types of incidents like unplanned stoppages or the blocking of emergency vehicles. Requiring this type of consistent data reporting would help compare safety rates across various manufacturers and help determine whether AVs are safer than human drivers.

    “Every day, people are interacting with AVs in my district – whether they’re hailing a ride or walking across the street as one approaches. The public deserves to know how safe autonomous vehicles actually are and that the federal government is working to ensure we’re protecting people on the road,” Rep. Mullin said. “The technology behind autonomous vehicles is rapidly developing and has the potential to dramatically improve safety on our roads. While there is no doubt AV technology will continue to evolve, we simply will not know if it is getting better without more independent, verifiable data collected at the national level. AV companies that are performing well and prioritizing safety should welcome this basic transparency effort.”

    In addition to codifying NHTSA’s existing collision data reporting requirements in law, the AV Safety Data Act would also require that companies report to NHTSA:

    • The number of miles traveled on public roads
    • AV collisions that result in any injuries to other human drivers, pedestrians or bicyclists
    • Information on unplanned stoppages and any impacts to law enforcement, first responders, or public transit agencies

    Since 2021, over 3,000 crashes have been recorded involving AVs and Level 2 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, which resulted in 53 fatalities and 303 injuries. Yet earlier this year, NHTSA weakened its AV reporting requirements. Lawmakers have been urging NHTSA to improve its AV safety data collection for years, and Rep. Mullin led several letters calling upon federal regulators to act in 2024 and 2023. While Rep. Mullin supports advancements in the AV industry, his bill seeks to help increase transparency and prioritize public safety on our roads.

    “Autonomous vehicles (AVs) are increasingly on our roadways. Yet, there are no minimum federal safety standards and insufficient data collection, transparency and accountability for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and automated driving systems (ADS). The AV Safety Data Act will enhance reporting requirements for these vehicles,” Cathy Chase, President, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety. “Robust data is essential to evaluate performance, detect safety defects and inform sound policy. Advocates commends Rep. Kevin Mullin (D-CA) for his safety leadership and innovative thinking to introduce this bill and urges Congress to advance it. Road users, whether as drivers, passengers, pedestrians or bicyclists, deserve this oversight and consumer protection.”

    Read the full bill text here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER CALLS ON ARMY TO IMMEDIATELY REVERSE DECISION TO SHUT DOWN CLARKSON UNIVERSITY ROTC PROGRAM THAT WOULD FORCE DOZENS OF NORTH COUNTRY CADETS TO CHOOSE BETWEEN STAYING AT THEIR SCHOOL AND…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
    Last Month, The Army Announced A Plan To Realign SROTC Resources And Force Structure By Inactivating Host Units At 10 Universities Across the US, Including The Long-Established And Successful “Golden Knight” Battalion At Clarkson University – The Only Army SROTC Host Unit In The North Country
    The Golden Knight Battalion Is Currently A Host To Nearly 45 Cadets And Has Produced More Than 1,600 Commissioned Officers
    Schumer: Army Must Maintain Clarkson University’s Superb SROTC For North Country Cadets
    Following news last month that the Army would be shutting down ROTC programs at dozens of college campuses across the county including in the North Country, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today called on the Army to reverse its unwise decision to inactivate Clarkson University’s top-notch collegiate ROTC program, which would force dozens of North Country cadets to choose between staying at their schools and transferring to another school with an ROTC program if they want to commission into the Army after graduation.
    “Shutting down the North Country’s only collegiate Army ROTC program is harmful for cadets, Fort Drum, the nation and counterproductive at a time when the Army wants to increase recruitment and quality officers. Patriotism and passion for serving our country runs deep in the veins of the North County, but if this decision goes through, our cadets who want to serve their country will be forced to choose between staying at Clarkson University or transferring far away to another Army ROTC program if they want to commission into the Army after graduating,” said Senator Schumer. “The Golden Knight Battalion has a tremendous track record and is the North Country’s only Army SROTC program and hosts cadets from other schools across the region that don’t have their own SROTC unit. The unit has commissioned more than 1,600 Army officers, and inactivating it would degrade the recruitment, training, and retention of elite commissioned officers. That is why I’m calling on the Army to immediately reverse these cuts and preserve the Golden Knight Battalion at Clarkson University for these talented and patriotic North Country cadets.”
    Clarkson University hosts one of the only Army Senior ROTC (SROTC) program for college students in the North Country. Schumer, in a letter to Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, called on the Army to immediately reverse its decision to shut down Clarkson University Army SROTC and to support young New Yorkers in the North Country who want to serve the country and to keep the Army strong and mission-ready.
    Clarkson University’s Army SROTC program is currently home to 45 cadets and has produced more than 1,600 commissioned officers throughout the unit’s history, commissioning at least one cadet for all 17 basic branches of the Army. The Golden Knight Battalion is known for producing more STEM field cadets than other Army SROTC units of the same size and caliber, with more than double the national Army average for cadets who enter STEM fields. The unit also ranks highly for commissioning pre-med officers and sending them to medical school post-graduation, which helps the Army fill medical staffing shortages.
    Clarkson University’s Army SROTC program also serves as a host unit for crosstown cadets who attend St. Lawrence University, SUNY Potsdam, and SUNY Canton, which don’t have Army SROTC programs of their own. Many cadets at Clarkson University are recruited from high schools across the North Country, including children of military families stationed at Fort Drum. If this inactivation proceeds as planned, none of the students at these schools will be able to continue their participation in Army SROTC unless they transfer to another institution that has an active Army SROTC program.
    Senator Schumer’s letter to Army Secretary Daniel P. Driscoll can be found HERE or below:
    Dear Secretary Driscoll:
    I write to express my strong concerns regarding US Army Cadet Command’s (USACC) SROTC Rebalance and Optimization Plan announced on June 26, 2025, which alarmingly and unwisely proposes to inactivate the Army SROTC host unit at Clarkson University – the only Army SROTC unit in the North Country.
    As you know, USACC’s plan entails the inactivation of 10 Army SROTC host units at universities across the United States, including the “Golden Knight” Battalion at Clarkson University. The Golden Knight Battalion is embedded in the fabric of New York State, recruiting and commissioning dozens of cadets every year from not only Clarkson University, but also serving as a host unit for crosstown cadets at St. Lawrence University, SUNY Canton and SUNY Potsdam. The hurried inactivation of one of 2nd ROTC Brigade’s most successful host units will completely extinguish any presence of Army SROTC host, extension, or crosstown units in Upstate New York’s North Country region—home to Fort Drum and the 10th Mountain Division—and ultimately degrade recruitment, training, and retention of elite commissioned officers for the Total Army.  
    Since the Golden Knight Battalion’s original activation at Clarkson University in 1936, it has commissioned over 1,600 second lieutenants (2LT) for the United States Army. In the last ten years alone, Clarkson University Army SROTC has commissioned at least one of all 17 basic branches of the Army, from cadets that have commissioned as Cyber Warfare Officers (17A) and Financial Managers (36A) to Infantry Officers (11A) and Field Artillery Officers (13A). The Golden Knight Battalion is also among the top Army SROTC programs for producing cadets in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields—to include commissioning dozens of engineers in the last five years alone. I fear that inactivating the Army SROTC host unit at Clarkson University will constrain the Army’s STEM training pipeline, as the Golden Knight Battalion commissions more than double the national Army SROTC average for cadets who enter STEM career fields.
    I believe the plan to inactivate the SROTC unit at Clarkson University is a misstep, is counterproductive for meeting the Army’s officer commissioning mission requirements, is harmful to cadets presently enrolled in the program, and is harmful to the whole North Country community. Therefore, I strongly believe this decision should be immediately reversed.
    In addition, I respectfully ask that USACC provide answers to the following questions prior to the issuance of any Operation Order (OPORD) to inactivate the host unit at Clarkson University:
    What criteria did USACC use to identify and determine which host units to inactivate, which host units to reclassify to extension units, and which to reclassify to crosstown units?
    What data specific to the Golden Knight Battalion at Clarkson University did USACC review as it developed the SROTC Rebalance and Optimization Plan? When was this data originally collected?
    Did USACC work with Clarkson University to verify the accuracy of its data before deciding to inactivate the Golden Knight Battalion?
    During its review, did USACC evaluate options to reclassify Clarkson University as an extension unit?
    Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter. Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office with any questions.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER CALLS ON ARMY TO IMMEDIATELY REVERSE DECISION TO SHUT DOWN CLARKSON UNIVERSITY ROTC PROGRAM THAT WOULD FORCE DOZENS OF NORTH COUNTRY CADETS TO CHOOSE BETWEEN STAYING AT THEIR SCHOOL AND…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
    Last Month, The Army Announced A Plan To Realign SROTC Resources And Force Structure By Inactivating Host Units At 10 Universities Across the US, Including The Long-Established And Successful “Golden Knight” Battalion At Clarkson University – The Only Army SROTC Host Unit In The North Country
    The Golden Knight Battalion Is Currently A Host To Nearly 45 Cadets And Has Produced More Than 1,600 Commissioned Officers
    Schumer: Army Must Maintain Clarkson University’s Superb SROTC For North Country Cadets
    Following news last month that the Army would be shutting down ROTC programs at dozens of college campuses across the county including in the North Country, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today called on the Army to reverse its unwise decision to inactivate Clarkson University’s top-notch collegiate ROTC program, which would force dozens of North Country cadets to choose between staying at their schools and transferring to another school with an ROTC program if they want to commission into the Army after graduation.
    “Shutting down the North Country’s only collegiate Army ROTC program is harmful for cadets, Fort Drum, the nation and counterproductive at a time when the Army wants to increase recruitment and quality officers. Patriotism and passion for serving our country runs deep in the veins of the North County, but if this decision goes through, our cadets who want to serve their country will be forced to choose between staying at Clarkson University or transferring far away to another Army ROTC program if they want to commission into the Army after graduating,” said Senator Schumer. “The Golden Knight Battalion has a tremendous track record and is the North Country’s only Army SROTC program and hosts cadets from other schools across the region that don’t have their own SROTC unit. The unit has commissioned more than 1,600 Army officers, and inactivating it would degrade the recruitment, training, and retention of elite commissioned officers. That is why I’m calling on the Army to immediately reverse these cuts and preserve the Golden Knight Battalion at Clarkson University for these talented and patriotic North Country cadets.”
    Clarkson University hosts one of the only Army Senior ROTC (SROTC) program for college students in the North Country. Schumer, in a letter to Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, called on the Army to immediately reverse its decision to shut down Clarkson University Army SROTC and to support young New Yorkers in the North Country who want to serve the country and to keep the Army strong and mission-ready.
    Clarkson University’s Army SROTC program is currently home to 45 cadets and has produced more than 1,600 commissioned officers throughout the unit’s history, commissioning at least one cadet for all 17 basic branches of the Army. The Golden Knight Battalion is known for producing more STEM field cadets than other Army SROTC units of the same size and caliber, with more than double the national Army average for cadets who enter STEM fields. The unit also ranks highly for commissioning pre-med officers and sending them to medical school post-graduation, which helps the Army fill medical staffing shortages.
    Clarkson University’s Army SROTC program also serves as a host unit for crosstown cadets who attend St. Lawrence University, SUNY Potsdam, and SUNY Canton, which don’t have Army SROTC programs of their own. Many cadets at Clarkson University are recruited from high schools across the North Country, including children of military families stationed at Fort Drum. If this inactivation proceeds as planned, none of the students at these schools will be able to continue their participation in Army SROTC unless they transfer to another institution that has an active Army SROTC program.
    Senator Schumer’s letter to Army Secretary Daniel P. Driscoll can be found HERE or below:
    Dear Secretary Driscoll:
    I write to express my strong concerns regarding US Army Cadet Command’s (USACC) SROTC Rebalance and Optimization Plan announced on June 26, 2025, which alarmingly and unwisely proposes to inactivate the Army SROTC host unit at Clarkson University – the only Army SROTC unit in the North Country.
    As you know, USACC’s plan entails the inactivation of 10 Army SROTC host units at universities across the United States, including the “Golden Knight” Battalion at Clarkson University. The Golden Knight Battalion is embedded in the fabric of New York State, recruiting and commissioning dozens of cadets every year from not only Clarkson University, but also serving as a host unit for crosstown cadets at St. Lawrence University, SUNY Canton and SUNY Potsdam. The hurried inactivation of one of 2nd ROTC Brigade’s most successful host units will completely extinguish any presence of Army SROTC host, extension, or crosstown units in Upstate New York’s North Country region—home to Fort Drum and the 10th Mountain Division—and ultimately degrade recruitment, training, and retention of elite commissioned officers for the Total Army.  
    Since the Golden Knight Battalion’s original activation at Clarkson University in 1936, it has commissioned over 1,600 second lieutenants (2LT) for the United States Army. In the last ten years alone, Clarkson University Army SROTC has commissioned at least one of all 17 basic branches of the Army, from cadets that have commissioned as Cyber Warfare Officers (17A) and Financial Managers (36A) to Infantry Officers (11A) and Field Artillery Officers (13A). The Golden Knight Battalion is also among the top Army SROTC programs for producing cadets in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields—to include commissioning dozens of engineers in the last five years alone. I fear that inactivating the Army SROTC host unit at Clarkson University will constrain the Army’s STEM training pipeline, as the Golden Knight Battalion commissions more than double the national Army SROTC average for cadets who enter STEM career fields.
    I believe the plan to inactivate the SROTC unit at Clarkson University is a misstep, is counterproductive for meeting the Army’s officer commissioning mission requirements, is harmful to cadets presently enrolled in the program, and is harmful to the whole North Country community. Therefore, I strongly believe this decision should be immediately reversed.
    In addition, I respectfully ask that USACC provide answers to the following questions prior to the issuance of any Operation Order (OPORD) to inactivate the host unit at Clarkson University:
    What criteria did USACC use to identify and determine which host units to inactivate, which host units to reclassify to extension units, and which to reclassify to crosstown units?
    What data specific to the Golden Knight Battalion at Clarkson University did USACC review as it developed the SROTC Rebalance and Optimization Plan? When was this data originally collected?
    Did USACC work with Clarkson University to verify the accuracy of its data before deciding to inactivate the Golden Knight Battalion?
    During its review, did USACC evaluate options to reclassify Clarkson University as an extension unit?
    Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter. Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office with any questions.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER CALLS ON ARMY TO IMMEDIATELY REVERSE DECISION TO SHUT DOWN CLARKSON UNIVERSITY ROTC PROGRAM THAT WOULD FORCE DOZENS OF NORTH COUNTRY CADETS TO CHOOSE BETWEEN STAYING AT THEIR SCHOOL AND…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer

    Last Month, The Army Announced A Plan To Realign SROTC Resources And Force Structure By Inactivating Host Units At 10 Universities Across the US, Including The Long-Established And Successful “Golden Knight” Battalion At Clarkson University – The Only Army SROTC Host Unit In The North Country

    The Golden Knight Battalion Is Currently A Host To Nearly 45 Cadets And Has Produced More Than 1,600 Commissioned Officers

    Schumer: Army Must Maintain Clarkson University’s Superb SROTC For North Country Cadets

    Following news last month that the Army would be shutting down ROTC programs at dozens of college campuses across the county including in the North Country, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today called on the Army to reverse its unwise decision to inactivate Clarkson University’s top-notch collegiate ROTC program, which would force dozens of North Country cadets to choose between staying at their schools and transferring to another school with an ROTC program if they want to commission into the Army after graduation.

    “Shutting down the North Country’s only collegiate Army ROTC program is harmful for cadets, Fort Drum, the nation and counterproductive at a time when the Army wants to increase recruitment and quality officers. Patriotism and passion for serving our country runs deep in the veins of the North County, but if this decision goes through, our cadets who want to serve their country will be forced to choose between staying at Clarkson University or transferring far away to another Army ROTC program if they want to commission into the Army after graduating,” said Senator Schumer. “The Golden Knight Battalion has a tremendous track record and is the North Country’s only Army SROTC program and hosts cadets from other schools across the region that don’t have their own SROTC unit. The unit has commissioned more than 1,600 Army officers, and inactivating it would degrade the recruitment, training, and retention of elite commissioned officers. That is why I’m calling on the Army to immediately reverse these cuts and preserve the Golden Knight Battalion at Clarkson University for these talented and patriotic North Country cadets.”

    Clarkson University hosts one of the only Army Senior ROTC (SROTC) program for college students in the North Country. Schumer, in a letter to Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, called on the Army to immediately reverse its decision to shut down Clarkson University Army SROTC and to support young New Yorkers in the North Country who want to serve the country and to keep the Army strong and mission-ready.

    Clarkson University’s Army SROTC program is currently home to 45 cadets and has produced more than 1,600 commissioned officers throughout the unit’s history, commissioning at least one cadet for all 17 basic branches of the Army. The Golden Knight Battalion is known for producing more STEM field cadets than other Army SROTC units of the same size and caliber, with more than double the national Army average for cadets who enter STEM fields. The unit also ranks highly for commissioning pre-med officers and sending them to medical school post-graduation, which helps the Army fill medical staffing shortages.

    Clarkson University’s Army SROTC program also serves as a host unit for crosstown cadets who attend St. Lawrence University, SUNY Potsdam, and SUNY Canton, which don’t have Army SROTC programs of their own. Many cadets at Clarkson University are recruited from high schools across the North Country, including children of military families stationed at Fort Drum. If this inactivation proceeds as planned, none of the students at these schools will be able to continue their participation in Army SROTC unless they transfer to another institution that has an active Army SROTC program.

    Senator Schumer’s letter to Army Secretary Daniel P. Driscoll can be found HERE or below:

    Dear Secretary Driscoll:

    I write to express my strong concerns regarding US Army Cadet Command’s (USACC) SROTC Rebalance and Optimization Plan announced on June 26, 2025, which alarmingly and unwisely proposes to inactivate the Army SROTC host unit at Clarkson University – the only Army SROTC unit in the North Country.

    As you know, USACC’s plan entails the inactivation of 10 Army SROTC host units at universities across the United States, including the “Golden Knight” Battalion at Clarkson University. The Golden Knight Battalion is embedded in the fabric of New York State, recruiting and commissioning dozens of cadets every year from not only Clarkson University, but also serving as a host unit for crosstown cadets at St. Lawrence University, SUNY Canton and SUNY Potsdam. The hurried inactivation of one of 2nd ROTC Brigade’s most successful host units will completely extinguish any presence of Army SROTC host, extension, or crosstown units in Upstate New York’s North Country region—home to Fort Drum and the 10th Mountain Division—and ultimately degrade recruitment, training, and retention of elite commissioned officers for the Total Army.  

    Since the Golden Knight Battalion’s original activation at Clarkson University in 1936, it has commissioned over 1,600 second lieutenants (2LT) for the United States Army. In the last ten years alone, Clarkson University Army SROTC has commissioned at least one of all 17 basic branches of the Army, from cadets that have commissioned as Cyber Warfare Officers (17A) and Financial Managers (36A) to Infantry Officers (11A) and Field Artillery Officers (13A). The Golden Knight Battalion is also among the top Army SROTC programs for producing cadets in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields—to include commissioning dozens of engineers in the last five years alone. I fear that inactivating the Army SROTC host unit at Clarkson University will constrain the Army’s STEM training pipeline, as the Golden Knight Battalion commissions more than double the national Army SROTC average for cadets who enter STEM career fields.

    I believe the plan to inactivate the SROTC unit at Clarkson University is a misstep, is counterproductive for meeting the Army’s officer commissioning mission requirements, is harmful to cadets presently enrolled in the program, and is harmful to the whole North Country community. Therefore, I strongly believe this decision should be immediately reversed.

    In addition, I respectfully ask that USACC provide answers to the following questions prior to the issuance of any Operation Order (OPORD) to inactivate the host unit at Clarkson University:

    1. What criteria did USACC use to identify and determine which host units to inactivate, which host units to reclassify to extension units, and which to reclassify to crosstown units?
    2. What data specific to the Golden Knight Battalion at Clarkson University did USACC review as it developed the SROTC Rebalance and Optimization Plan? When was this data originally collected?
    3. Did USACC work with Clarkson University to verify the accuracy of its data before deciding to inactivate the Golden Knight Battalion?
    4. During its review, did USACC evaluate options to reclassify Clarkson University as an extension unit?

    Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter. Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office with any questions.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Budd, Lee Introduce Bill to Protect Americans’ Right to Control Their Digital Assets and Secure Individual Financial Freedom

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ted Budd (R-North Carolina)
    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) was joined by Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) in reintroducing the Keep Your Coins Act to ensure that the federal government cannot infringe upon an individual’s right to control their digital assets.
    “Self-custody is a founding principle of the digital asset ecosystem and needs to be protected. I introduced the Keep Your Coins Act of 2025 to ensure the federal government cannot infringe on a person’s ability to control their own digital assets. If cryptocurrencies are going to be digital cash, we need to protect a person’s right to hold their digital cash however they want. I urge my colleagues to support this common-sense legislation to ensure financial freedom for the digital asset ecosystem,” said Senator Budd.
    “Americans deserve to keep their crypto assets where they choose – not where they’ve been forced by the federal government. Washington’s dragnet-style surveillance has eroded the financial privacy of law-abiding Americans for decades. I’m proud to join Senator Budd’s Keep Your Coins Act to protect Americans’ privacy and ability to maintain self-custody of crypto assets,” said Senator Lee.
    Leading wallet platforms Exodus, Ledger, Casa, Block, MetaMask, and Uniswap joined in celebrating the reintroduction of the Keep Your Coins Act, saying:
    “As leading providers of self-custodial wallets, we applaud Senator Budd’s introduction of the Keep Your Coins Act, which mirrors Congressman Davidson’s bill in the House. This crucial legislation protects individuals’ fundamental right to own digital property by safeguarding against regulatory overreach. We look forward to continuing to support this legislation and establishing the United States as a haven for financial autonomy and economic freedom.”
    Read the full bill text HERE.
    BACKGROUND
    The Keep Your Coins Act prevents the federal government from having access to and surveillance of transactions in the digital asset ecosystem by:
    Prohibiting any federal agency from promulgating a rule that would impair an individual’s ability to act as a self-custodian.
    Protect an individual’s right to conduct peer-to-peer transactions with their digital assets without the need to utilize a third-party intermediary.
    Empowering individuals to maintain control over their digital assets through self-hosted wallets to ensure financial freedom and a decentralized cryptocurrency ecosystem.
    Senator Budd previously introduced the Keep Your Coins Act in 2023.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Budd, Lee Introduce Bill to Protect Americans’ Right to Control Their Digital Assets and Secure Individual Financial Freedom

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ted Budd (R-North Carolina)

    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) was joined by Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) in reintroducing the Keep Your Coins Act to ensure that the federal government cannot infringe upon an individual’s right to control their digital assets.

    “Self-custody is a founding principle of the digital asset ecosystem and needs to be protected. I introduced the Keep Your Coins Act of 2025 to ensure the federal government cannot infringe on a person’s ability to control their own digital assets. If cryptocurrencies are going to be digital cash, we need to protect a person’s right to hold their digital cash however they want. I urge my colleagues to support this common-sense legislation to ensure financial freedom for the digital asset ecosystem,” said Senator Budd.

    “Americans deserve to keep their crypto assets where they choose – not where they’ve been forced by the federal government. Washington’s dragnet-style surveillance has eroded the financial privacy of law-abiding Americans for decades. I’m proud to join Senator Budd’s Keep Your Coins Act to protect Americans’ privacy and ability to maintain self-custody of crypto assets,” said Senator Lee.

    Leading wallet platforms Exodus, Ledger, Casa, Block, MetaMask, and Uniswap joined in celebrating the reintroduction of the Keep Your Coins Act, saying:

    “As leading providers of self-custodial wallets, we applaud Senator Budd’s introduction of the Keep Your Coins Act, which mirrors Congressman Davidson’s bill in the House. This crucial legislation protects individuals’ fundamental right to own digital property by safeguarding against regulatory overreach. We look forward to continuing to support this legislation and establishing the United States as a haven for financial autonomy and economic freedom.”

    Read the full bill text HERE.

    BACKGROUND

    The Keep Your Coins Act prevents the federal government from having access to and surveillance of transactions in the digital asset ecosystem by:

    • Prohibiting any federal agency from promulgating a rule that would impair an individual’s ability to act as a self-custodian.
    • Protect an individual’s right to conduct peer-to-peer transactions with their digital assets without the need to utilize a third-party intermediary.
    • Empowering individuals to maintain control over their digital assets through self-hosted wallets to ensure financial freedom and a decentralized cryptocurrency ecosystem.

    Senator Budd previously introduced the Keep Your Coins Act in 2023.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Budd, Lee Introduce Bill to Protect Americans’ Right to Control Their Digital Assets and Secure Individual Financial Freedom

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ted Budd (R-North Carolina)

    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) was joined by Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) in reintroducing the Keep Your Coins Act to ensure that the federal government cannot infringe upon an individual’s right to control their digital assets.

    “Self-custody is a founding principle of the digital asset ecosystem and needs to be protected. I introduced the Keep Your Coins Act of 2025 to ensure the federal government cannot infringe on a person’s ability to control their own digital assets. If cryptocurrencies are going to be digital cash, we need to protect a person’s right to hold their digital cash however they want. I urge my colleagues to support this common-sense legislation to ensure financial freedom for the digital asset ecosystem,” said Senator Budd.

    “Americans deserve to keep their crypto assets where they choose – not where they’ve been forced by the federal government. Washington’s dragnet-style surveillance has eroded the financial privacy of law-abiding Americans for decades. I’m proud to join Senator Budd’s Keep Your Coins Act to protect Americans’ privacy and ability to maintain self-custody of crypto assets,” said Senator Lee.

    Leading wallet platforms Exodus, Ledger, Casa, Block, MetaMask, and Uniswap joined in celebrating the reintroduction of the Keep Your Coins Act, saying:

    “As leading providers of self-custodial wallets, we applaud Senator Budd’s introduction of the Keep Your Coins Act, which mirrors Congressman Davidson’s bill in the House. This crucial legislation protects individuals’ fundamental right to own digital property by safeguarding against regulatory overreach. We look forward to continuing to support this legislation and establishing the United States as a haven for financial autonomy and economic freedom.”

    Read the full bill text HERE.

    BACKGROUND

    The Keep Your Coins Act prevents the federal government from having access to and surveillance of transactions in the digital asset ecosystem by:

    • Prohibiting any federal agency from promulgating a rule that would impair an individual’s ability to act as a self-custodian.
    • Protect an individual’s right to conduct peer-to-peer transactions with their digital assets without the need to utilize a third-party intermediary.
    • Empowering individuals to maintain control over their digital assets through self-hosted wallets to ensure financial freedom and a decentralized cryptocurrency ecosystem.

    Senator Budd previously introduced the Keep Your Coins Act in 2023.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Budd, Lee Introduce Bill to Protect Americans’ Right to Control Their Digital Assets and Secure Individual Financial Freedom

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ted Budd (R-North Carolina)
    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) was joined by Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) in reintroducing the Keep Your Coins Act to ensure that the federal government cannot infringe upon an individual’s right to control their digital assets.
    “Self-custody is a founding principle of the digital asset ecosystem and needs to be protected. I introduced the Keep Your Coins Act of 2025 to ensure the federal government cannot infringe on a person’s ability to control their own digital assets. If cryptocurrencies are going to be digital cash, we need to protect a person’s right to hold their digital cash however they want. I urge my colleagues to support this common-sense legislation to ensure financial freedom for the digital asset ecosystem,” said Senator Budd.
    “Americans deserve to keep their crypto assets where they choose – not where they’ve been forced by the federal government. Washington’s dragnet-style surveillance has eroded the financial privacy of law-abiding Americans for decades. I’m proud to join Senator Budd’s Keep Your Coins Act to protect Americans’ privacy and ability to maintain self-custody of crypto assets,” said Senator Lee.
    Leading wallet platforms Exodus, Ledger, Casa, Block, MetaMask, and Uniswap joined in celebrating the reintroduction of the Keep Your Coins Act, saying:
    “As leading providers of self-custodial wallets, we applaud Senator Budd’s introduction of the Keep Your Coins Act, which mirrors Congressman Davidson’s bill in the House. This crucial legislation protects individuals’ fundamental right to own digital property by safeguarding against regulatory overreach. We look forward to continuing to support this legislation and establishing the United States as a haven for financial autonomy and economic freedom.”
    Read the full bill text HERE.
    BACKGROUND
    The Keep Your Coins Act prevents the federal government from having access to and surveillance of transactions in the digital asset ecosystem by:
    Prohibiting any federal agency from promulgating a rule that would impair an individual’s ability to act as a self-custodian.
    Protect an individual’s right to conduct peer-to-peer transactions with their digital assets without the need to utilize a third-party intermediary.
    Empowering individuals to maintain control over their digital assets through self-hosted wallets to ensure financial freedom and a decentralized cryptocurrency ecosystem.
    Senator Budd previously introduced the Keep Your Coins Act in 2023.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Budd, Lee Introduce Bill to Protect Americans’ Right to Control Their Digital Assets and Secure Individual Financial Freedom

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ted Budd (R-North Carolina)

    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) was joined by Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) in reintroducing the Keep Your Coins Act to ensure that the federal government cannot infringe upon an individual’s right to control their digital assets.

    “Self-custody is a founding principle of the digital asset ecosystem and needs to be protected. I introduced the Keep Your Coins Act of 2025 to ensure the federal government cannot infringe on a person’s ability to control their own digital assets. If cryptocurrencies are going to be digital cash, we need to protect a person’s right to hold their digital cash however they want. I urge my colleagues to support this common-sense legislation to ensure financial freedom for the digital asset ecosystem,” said Senator Budd.

    “Americans deserve to keep their crypto assets where they choose – not where they’ve been forced by the federal government. Washington’s dragnet-style surveillance has eroded the financial privacy of law-abiding Americans for decades. I’m proud to join Senator Budd’s Keep Your Coins Act to protect Americans’ privacy and ability to maintain self-custody of crypto assets,” said Senator Lee.

    Leading wallet platforms Exodus, Ledger, Casa, Block, MetaMask, and Uniswap joined in celebrating the reintroduction of the Keep Your Coins Act, saying:

    “As leading providers of self-custodial wallets, we applaud Senator Budd’s introduction of the Keep Your Coins Act, which mirrors Congressman Davidson’s bill in the House. This crucial legislation protects individuals’ fundamental right to own digital property by safeguarding against regulatory overreach. We look forward to continuing to support this legislation and establishing the United States as a haven for financial autonomy and economic freedom.”

    Read the full bill text HERE.

    BACKGROUND

    The Keep Your Coins Act prevents the federal government from having access to and surveillance of transactions in the digital asset ecosystem by:

    • Prohibiting any federal agency from promulgating a rule that would impair an individual’s ability to act as a self-custodian.
    • Protect an individual’s right to conduct peer-to-peer transactions with their digital assets without the need to utilize a third-party intermediary.
    • Empowering individuals to maintain control over their digital assets through self-hosted wallets to ensure financial freedom and a decentralized cryptocurrency ecosystem.

    Senator Budd previously introduced the Keep Your Coins Act in 2023.

    MIL OSI USA News –