Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Attorney General Pamela Bondi and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Acting Administrator Robert Murphy held a press conference to announce actions the Department is taking to combat drug cartels and drug trafficking under the Justice Department’s Operation Take Back America Initiative.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Attorney General Pamela Bondi and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Acting Administrator Robert Murphy held a press conference to announce actions the Department is taking to combat drug cartels and drug trafficking under the Justice Department’s Operation Take Back America Initiative.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Attorney General Pamela Bondi and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Acting Administrator Robert Murphy held a press conference to announce actions the Department is taking to combat drug cartels and drug trafficking under the Justice Department’s Operation Take Back America Initiative.
Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council
The Security Council today extended the request to the Secretary-General to provide written monthly reports through 15 January 2026 on any further Houthi attacks on merchant and commercial vessels in the Red Sea.
Adopting resolution 2787 (2025) (to be issued as document S/RES/2787(2025)) with a vote of 12 in favour to none against, with 3 abstentions (Algeria, China, Russian Federation), the Council extended the reporting request in paragraph 10 of resolution 2722 (2024), while also recalling all its relevant resolutions on the situation in Yemen and the Red Sea, including resolutions 2216 (2015), 2722 (2024), 2739 (2024) and 2768 (2025).
In the ensuing discussion, the representative of the United States, who served as co-penholder of today’s resolution, said that the recent Houthi attacks on two civilian cargo vessels — the MV Magic Seas and the MV Eternity Sea — are yet another stark reminder of the Houthis’ terrorist tactics and their blatant disregard for civilian life. These attacks have also disrupted the free flow of global commerce through the Red Sea and, according to some reports, more than doubled the cost of operating commercial vessels in the area. “The United States strongly condemns these acts of terrorism, which threaten freedom of navigation and undermine regional economic and maritime security,” she said, calling for the immediate and permanent cessation of all Houthi attacks against vessels transiting the Red Sea. Demanding the unconditional release of the crew of the MV Eternity Sea, who remain in Houthi custody, she also reiterated condemnation of Iran’s ongoing violations of Council resolution 2216 (2015), which continue to “enable Houthi terrorism” — including these latest attacks.
The representative of Greece, also co-penholder of today’s resolution, said that the recent, unprovoked attacks against two commercial vessels transiting the Red Sea region “provide a clear testimony of the Houthis’ continued aggression and destabilizing role, as well as the need to keep the reporting mechanism in place”. Underscoring that there is no justification for any attack against innocent seafarers — “whose contribution to international maritime trade is irreplaceable” — he stressed that, if the Red Sea region “becomes even more degraded, it will expose the international community to more acute security risks and economic uncertainty”. He therefore called on all Member States to respect and implement the arms embargo established by resolution 2216 (2015).
As a nation deeply invested in the stability of the Red Sea, Somalia’s delegate said that he supported the resolution as a reflection of an unwavering commitment to maritime security. “We recognize the gravity of the current threats and their far-reaching implications, from economic disruption to environmental risks,” he said. While this resolution is a constructive step forward, its effectiveness will depend on a thoughtful approach that accounts for regional realities and sensitivities. Security in the Red Sea cannot be separated from the stability of its coastal States or the broader peace process. Lasting solutions must tackle the root causes of instability while upholding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations in the region. “We must avoid actions that risk further escalation and instead focus on addressing the legitimate concerns of all stakeholders,” he said.
The representative of Algeria said that his delegation’s abstention “comes in line with its principled position”, including abstentions on resolutions 2722 (2024), 2739 (2024) and 2768 (2025). He stressed, however, that this abstention must not be interpreted either as a reservation regarding the Secretary-General’s monthly reports or as a justification for the attacks targeting commercial vessels or cargo carriers. Rather, it is a “reflection of our deep concern” over the implementation of resolution 2722 (2024), he said, noting that such resolution has been misused to justify attacks on the territory of sovereign States. He added that the Council cannot disregard the “clear nexus between the attacks in the Red Sea and the aggression against the Palestinian people in Gaza”.
The representative of the Russian Federation — whose delegation also abstained — noted with concern that the text represents a direct continuation of resolution 2722 (2024) — an instrument that, despite its stated aim of ensuring freedom of navigation, has “raised serious concerns on our side” regarding its interpretation and application in practice. While the resolution’s original intent is commendable, namely safeguarding maritime security around Yemen, the broad and ambiguous language has opened the door to arbitrary interpretations, including its use as justification for unilateral military actions on the sovereign territory of Yemen. “We emphasize that such misinterpretations are unacceptable and undermine the authority of the Security Council,” he said. Stabilization efforts in and around Yemen must be pursued exclusively through political and diplomatic means, in full respect of international law. Moreover, it is impossible to decouple the Red Sea’s security from the wider instability across the region — most notably the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, he said. Achieving sustainable peace requires immediate steps: a ceasefire, the release of hostages and detainees, and unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza.
The representative of China — whose delegation also abstained — recalled its similar abstention on resolution 2722 (2024). “Following the adoption of that resolution, certain countries took military actions against Yemen, which seriously impacted Yemen’s peace process and exacerbated tensions in the Red Sea,” he recalled, adding that the “negative effects” of such actions “continue until today”. He underscored that Council resolutions should not be “misinterpreted or abused”, and that Yemen’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity should be respected. Adding that tensions in the Red Sea are a “major manifestation of the spillover from the Gaza conflict”, he said that issues in the Red Sea and Yemen cannot be resolved without easing tensions and de-escalating the overall situation in the region.
The representative of Pakistan, Council President for July, having voted in favor of resolution 2787 (2025) and speaking in his national capacity, reaffirmed “our principled and longstanding commitment” to upholding maritime security and unequivocally condemning attacks on all commercial shipping. He denounced the recent assaults on vessels in the Red Sea and called for the immediate and unconditional release of all detained crew members. In the current context, the extension of the reporting mandate is a necessary and timely step. “We underscore the strategic significance of the Red Sea maritime corridor — not only as a critical artery for global trade, but also as a vital channel for humanitarian aid to Yemen,” he said. All attacks on merchant and commercial vessels navigating the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden must cease immediately and permanently, in full compliance with international law.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)
Washington, July 15, 2025
Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI), along with her fellow Great Lakes Task Force co-chairs, today announced the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has granted $2,152,513 to the Great Lakes Fishery Commission to address invasive sea lamprey in the Grand River in Grand Rapids.
“Sea lampreys are highly invasive and are a significant danger to the native fish of the Great Lakes and the entire Great Lakes ecosystem. The Great Lakes fishery supports billions of dollars in the economy and hundreds of thousands of jobs, and we must protect this critical natural resource,” Dingell said. “The work of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission has reduced sea lamprey populations by more than 90%, and we must continue to support their efforts to sustain healthy fish and lakes for generations to come.”
The Great Lakes Fishery Commission will use the grant funding to:
Learn more about the Great Lakes Fishery Commission’s Sea Lamprey work here.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)
Yesterday, the House of Representatives unanimously passed H.R. 1765, the Promoting United States Wireless Leadership Act.
Introduced by Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (R-NJ), Congressman Tim Walberg (R-MI), and Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), this bipartisan bill strengthens American technological leadership by bringing together key trusted partners and encouraging U.S. participation in international standards-setting for 5G and future generations of wireless communications networks.
“The policy choices of today will have lasting effects on the global wireless technology development of tomorrow, especially as we compete against China,” said Congresswoman Dingell. “We must take concrete, proactive steps to lower barriers to entry for U.S. companies and promote American competitiveness in this space for each subsequent generation of these innovative technologies. As a Co-Chair of the 5G and Beyond Caucus, I am proud this bipartisan legislation has passed the House, and will continue to work with my colleagues to ensure the United States remains at the forefront of innovation.”
“As the global competition for 5G and wireless technology continues, the United States must lead—not follow,” said Congressman Kean. “This bipartisan bill ensures that it is American innovation, rather than that of our adversaries abroad, which sets the standard for the future of wireless communications. I am thankful to my colleagues in the House for passing this critical legislation to keep the U.S. competitive and at the forefront of global technological leadership.”
“The United States has been a longtime leader in cutting-edge technologies,” said Congressman Walberg. “As a co-chair of the 5G and Beyond Caucus, I understand how critical it is that the U.S. remains the leading voice in the worldwide development of future wireless communications networks. By establishing clear rules of the road, we can protect against influence by foreign adversaries and ensure that the next generation of connectivity is built with America’s values and economic and security interests in mind. I am pleased to see the House pass this bipartisan legislation to secure our future and strengthen our global competitiveness.”
“For America to remain a global leader in the Digital Age, ensuring the continued effectiveness and stability of our 5G networks must be the highest priority,” said Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke. “Providing standards-setting bodies with the cooperation, support, and assistance they need from the NTIA is a key step to seeing that aspiration become a reality. I am proud to be a leader of this initiative to secure our continued success in deploying 5G technologies and laying the groundwork for the innovation of future generation wireless networks.”
Additionally, this bill would direct the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to:
Source: US State of California
OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today co-led a coalition of 15 attorneys general, alongside Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, New York Attorney General Tish James, and the Corporation Counsel of the City of New York Muriel Goode-Trufant, in submitting comment letters to the United States Department of Energy (DOE) strongly urging the department to refrain from moving forward with its proposed deregulatory actions. Last month, the DOE proposed 16 rules that would erode water and energy efficiency standards for consumer appliances and commercial equipment. In today’s comment letters, the coalition argues that these rollbacks, if implemented, would be unlawful, would harm consumers and businesses by increasing utility costs, and would contribute to climate change by increasing greenhouse gas emissions.
“As energy costs reach historic highs, the President continues to break his promise to Americans of ‘driving costs down’ on Day One. Not only are these rules unlawful, but they will also drive up energy costs for business and consumers and harm our environment,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Alongside attorneys general nationwide, we strongly urge the Department of Energy to refrain from adopting these rollbacks and maintain the current common-sense water and energy efficiency standards.”
In response to President Trump’s Executive Order, “Zero-Based Regulations to Unleash American Energy,” the DOE proposed rules intended to weaken water and energy efficiency standards on a range of appliances and commercial equipment – either by rescinding amended standards, returning standards to statutory minimums, or removing products entirely from coverage under the Energy Policy Conservation Act (EPCA). If implemented, the Trump Administration’s actions would violate the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and in some cases EPCA’s “anti-backsliding” provision, which prohibits the weakening or removal of existing standards unless explicitly allowed by Congress.
In the comment letters, the coalition writes that:
In submitting the comment letters, Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys general of Maryland, New York, the City of New York, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington.
Copies of the 16 comment letters can be found here.
Source: US State of California
OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today co-led a coalition of 15 attorneys general, alongside Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, New York Attorney General Tish James, and the Corporation Counsel of the City of New York Muriel Goode-Trufant, in submitting comment letters to the United States Department of Energy (DOE) strongly urging the department to refrain from moving forward with its proposed deregulatory actions. Last month, the DOE proposed 16 rules that would erode water and energy efficiency standards for consumer appliances and commercial equipment. In today’s comment letters, the coalition argues that these rollbacks, if implemented, would be unlawful, would harm consumers and businesses by increasing utility costs, and would contribute to climate change by increasing greenhouse gas emissions.
“As energy costs reach historic highs, the President continues to break his promise to Americans of ‘driving costs down’ on Day One. Not only are these rules unlawful, but they will also drive up energy costs for business and consumers and harm our environment,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Alongside attorneys general nationwide, we strongly urge the Department of Energy to refrain from adopting these rollbacks and maintain the current common-sense water and energy efficiency standards.”
In response to President Trump’s Executive Order, “Zero-Based Regulations to Unleash American Energy,” the DOE proposed rules intended to weaken water and energy efficiency standards on a range of appliances and commercial equipment – either by rescinding amended standards, returning standards to statutory minimums, or removing products entirely from coverage under the Energy Policy Conservation Act (EPCA). If implemented, the Trump Administration’s actions would violate the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and in some cases EPCA’s “anti-backsliding” provision, which prohibits the weakening or removal of existing standards unless explicitly allowed by Congress.
In the comment letters, the coalition writes that:
In submitting the comment letters, Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys general of Maryland, New York, the City of New York, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington.
Copies of the 16 comment letters can be found here.
Source: US State of California
OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today co-led a coalition of 15 attorneys general, alongside Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, New York Attorney General Tish James, and the Corporation Counsel of the City of New York Muriel Goode-Trufant, in submitting comment letters to the United States Department of Energy (DOE) strongly urging the department to refrain from moving forward with its proposed deregulatory actions. Last month, the DOE proposed 16 rules that would erode water and energy efficiency standards for consumer appliances and commercial equipment. In today’s comment letters, the coalition argues that these rollbacks, if implemented, would be unlawful, would harm consumers and businesses by increasing utility costs, and would contribute to climate change by increasing greenhouse gas emissions.
“As energy costs reach historic highs, the President continues to break his promise to Americans of ‘driving costs down’ on Day One. Not only are these rules unlawful, but they will also drive up energy costs for business and consumers and harm our environment,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Alongside attorneys general nationwide, we strongly urge the Department of Energy to refrain from adopting these rollbacks and maintain the current common-sense water and energy efficiency standards.”
In response to President Trump’s Executive Order, “Zero-Based Regulations to Unleash American Energy,” the DOE proposed rules intended to weaken water and energy efficiency standards on a range of appliances and commercial equipment – either by rescinding amended standards, returning standards to statutory minimums, or removing products entirely from coverage under the Energy Policy Conservation Act (EPCA). If implemented, the Trump Administration’s actions would violate the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and in some cases EPCA’s “anti-backsliding” provision, which prohibits the weakening or removal of existing standards unless explicitly allowed by Congress.
In the comment letters, the coalition writes that:
In submitting the comment letters, Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys general of Maryland, New York, the City of New York, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington.
Copies of the 16 comment letters can be found here.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
Welch took to the Senate floor to demand Noem resign or be fired
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today called for the resignation of U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, citing Secretary Noem’s mishandling of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and record of undermining FEMA’s work, as well as her handling of President Trump’s cruel and illegal mass deportation campaign.
“The Department of Homeland Security has a simple but extremely important mission: keep Americans safe. Under that mission, the department is tasked with two critical jobs—border security and disaster response. Our current Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, has failed both. In her short tenure, Secretary Noem has overstepped, underperformed, and endangered the lives of countless Americans,” said Senator Welch. “I believe it is time for Secretary Noem to resign or for her to be fired.”
Watch Senator Welch’s floor remarks here:
Read key excerpts of Senator Welch’s remarks:
“Secretary Noem has undermined FEMA’s work, and in so doing has endangered disaster victims. Just a few months ago, Secretary Noem said in a cabinet meeting, and I quote ‘We are eliminating FEMA.’ And she meant it.
“And we saw evidence of that in not just Texas, but in North Carolina, New Mexico, California, Kentucky, Hawaii, and Vermont—where FEMA is crucial to helping people, and communities, and businesses recover from disaster. We need FEMA. It’s only the federal government that can surge into affected communities. We can’t lose that function and that capacity. When you need safety from a flood, and when you need to start the long road to recovery, you need the support of the federal government. No state, no community can do this alone. They cannot do this alone.
“I have seen from our experience in Vermont that FEMA, in fact, must be reformed—it must not be destroyed, as Secretary Noem has suggested. We cannot have a leader in charge of FEMA that is committed to its destruction. We must have one who is energetically committed to its reform.”
• • •
“We are seeing under the leadership of Secretary Noem that her response is an across-the-board embarkation on a massive and far-reaching deportation plan. There is no distinction in her policy among those who were brought here as children, who have families, who have jobs, who pay taxes, and who serve their communities.
“And there is a big difference between deporting known criminals and rounding up immigrants—some of whom have status to be here, in fact, are here legally—from work sites, and schools, and churches. This mass deportation policy is not about serving America and doing what our country needs to be strong and safe. It is instead about Secretary Noem accumulating the highest possible headcount of deportees. It’s hurting those folks, their families, and their communities, of course.
“It’s also hurting America. Particularly rural America. Our farmers depend on labor to milk their cows, to pick their crops. It’s weakening our construction industry, where workplace raids are shutting down construction sites, including for low-income housing, which we desperately need. This is decimating our health care workforce and the hospitality industry in every state in the union.
“We need a Homeland Security Secretary who will help us develop a sensible policy for folks who are here without status but have no criminal record; work; who have families; and are taxpayers.”
• • •
“We have an obligation to protect the safety of the families that all of us represent. I urge every one of my colleagues to demand better for our constituents and for every American. We need a Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security who puts public safety and preparedness before her personal image or political aspirations. Secretary Noem must resign.”
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
Welch took to the Senate floor to demand Noem resign or be fired
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today called for the resignation of U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, citing Secretary Noem’s mishandling of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and record of undermining FEMA’s work, as well as her handling of President Trump’s cruel and illegal mass deportation campaign.
“The Department of Homeland Security has a simple but extremely important mission: keep Americans safe. Under that mission, the department is tasked with two critical jobs—border security and disaster response. Our current Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, has failed both. In her short tenure, Secretary Noem has overstepped, underperformed, and endangered the lives of countless Americans,” said Senator Welch. “I believe it is time for Secretary Noem to resign or for her to be fired.”
Watch Senator Welch’s floor remarks here:
Read key excerpts of Senator Welch’s remarks:
“Secretary Noem has undermined FEMA’s work, and in so doing has endangered disaster victims. Just a few months ago, Secretary Noem said in a cabinet meeting, and I quote ‘We are eliminating FEMA.’ And she meant it.
“And we saw evidence of that in not just Texas, but in North Carolina, New Mexico, California, Kentucky, Hawaii, and Vermont—where FEMA is crucial to helping people, and communities, and businesses recover from disaster. We need FEMA. It’s only the federal government that can surge into affected communities. We can’t lose that function and that capacity. When you need safety from a flood, and when you need to start the long road to recovery, you need the support of the federal government. No state, no community can do this alone. They cannot do this alone.
“I have seen from our experience in Vermont that FEMA, in fact, must be reformed—it must not be destroyed, as Secretary Noem has suggested. We cannot have a leader in charge of FEMA that is committed to its destruction. We must have one who is energetically committed to its reform.”
• • •
“We are seeing under the leadership of Secretary Noem that her response is an across-the-board embarkation on a massive and far-reaching deportation plan. There is no distinction in her policy among those who were brought here as children, who have families, who have jobs, who pay taxes, and who serve their communities.
“And there is a big difference between deporting known criminals and rounding up immigrants—some of whom have status to be here, in fact, are here legally—from work sites, and schools, and churches. This mass deportation policy is not about serving America and doing what our country needs to be strong and safe. It is instead about Secretary Noem accumulating the highest possible headcount of deportees. It’s hurting those folks, their families, and their communities, of course.
“It’s also hurting America. Particularly rural America. Our farmers depend on labor to milk their cows, to pick their crops. It’s weakening our construction industry, where workplace raids are shutting down construction sites, including for low-income housing, which we desperately need. This is decimating our health care workforce and the hospitality industry in every state in the union.
“We need a Homeland Security Secretary who will help us develop a sensible policy for folks who are here without status but have no criminal record; work; who have families; and are taxpayers.”
• • •
“We have an obligation to protect the safety of the families that all of us represent. I urge every one of my colleagues to demand better for our constituents and for every American. We need a Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security who puts public safety and preparedness before her personal image or political aspirations. Secretary Noem must resign.”
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
Welch took to the Senate floor to demand Noem resign or be fired
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today called for the resignation of U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, citing Secretary Noem’s mishandling of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and record of undermining FEMA’s work, as well as her handling of President Trump’s cruel and illegal mass deportation campaign.
“The Department of Homeland Security has a simple but extremely important mission: keep Americans safe. Under that mission, the department is tasked with two critical jobs—border security and disaster response. Our current Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, has failed both. In her short tenure, Secretary Noem has overstepped, underperformed, and endangered the lives of countless Americans,” said Senator Welch. “I believe it is time for Secretary Noem to resign or for her to be fired.”
Watch Senator Welch’s floor remarks here:
Read key excerpts of Senator Welch’s remarks:
“Secretary Noem has undermined FEMA’s work, and in so doing has endangered disaster victims. Just a few months ago, Secretary Noem said in a cabinet meeting, and I quote ‘We are eliminating FEMA.’ And she meant it.
“And we saw evidence of that in not just Texas, but in North Carolina, New Mexico, California, Kentucky, Hawaii, and Vermont—where FEMA is crucial to helping people, and communities, and businesses recover from disaster. We need FEMA. It’s only the federal government that can surge into affected communities. We can’t lose that function and that capacity. When you need safety from a flood, and when you need to start the long road to recovery, you need the support of the federal government. No state, no community can do this alone. They cannot do this alone.
“I have seen from our experience in Vermont that FEMA, in fact, must be reformed—it must not be destroyed, as Secretary Noem has suggested. We cannot have a leader in charge of FEMA that is committed to its destruction. We must have one who is energetically committed to its reform.”
• • •
“We are seeing under the leadership of Secretary Noem that her response is an across-the-board embarkation on a massive and far-reaching deportation plan. There is no distinction in her policy among those who were brought here as children, who have families, who have jobs, who pay taxes, and who serve their communities.
“And there is a big difference between deporting known criminals and rounding up immigrants—some of whom have status to be here, in fact, are here legally—from work sites, and schools, and churches. This mass deportation policy is not about serving America and doing what our country needs to be strong and safe. It is instead about Secretary Noem accumulating the highest possible headcount of deportees. It’s hurting those folks, their families, and their communities, of course.
“It’s also hurting America. Particularly rural America. Our farmers depend on labor to milk their cows, to pick their crops. It’s weakening our construction industry, where workplace raids are shutting down construction sites, including for low-income housing, which we desperately need. This is decimating our health care workforce and the hospitality industry in every state in the union.
“We need a Homeland Security Secretary who will help us develop a sensible policy for folks who are here without status but have no criminal record; work; who have families; and are taxpayers.”
• • •
“We have an obligation to protect the safety of the families that all of us represent. I urge every one of my colleagues to demand better for our constituents and for every American. We need a Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security who puts public safety and preparedness before her personal image or political aspirations. Secretary Noem must resign.”
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
Welch took to the Senate floor to demand Noem resign or be fired
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today called for the resignation of U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, citing Secretary Noem’s mishandling of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and record of undermining FEMA’s work, as well as her handling of President Trump’s cruel and illegal mass deportation campaign.
“The Department of Homeland Security has a simple but extremely important mission: keep Americans safe. Under that mission, the department is tasked with two critical jobs—border security and disaster response. Our current Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, has failed both. In her short tenure, Secretary Noem has overstepped, underperformed, and endangered the lives of countless Americans,” said Senator Welch. “I believe it is time for Secretary Noem to resign or for her to be fired.”
Watch Senator Welch’s floor remarks here:
Read key excerpts of Senator Welch’s remarks:
“Secretary Noem has undermined FEMA’s work, and in so doing has endangered disaster victims. Just a few months ago, Secretary Noem said in a cabinet meeting, and I quote ‘We are eliminating FEMA.’ And she meant it.
“And we saw evidence of that in not just Texas, but in North Carolina, New Mexico, California, Kentucky, Hawaii, and Vermont—where FEMA is crucial to helping people, and communities, and businesses recover from disaster. We need FEMA. It’s only the federal government that can surge into affected communities. We can’t lose that function and that capacity. When you need safety from a flood, and when you need to start the long road to recovery, you need the support of the federal government. No state, no community can do this alone. They cannot do this alone.
“I have seen from our experience in Vermont that FEMA, in fact, must be reformed—it must not be destroyed, as Secretary Noem has suggested. We cannot have a leader in charge of FEMA that is committed to its destruction. We must have one who is energetically committed to its reform.”
• • •
“We are seeing under the leadership of Secretary Noem that her response is an across-the-board embarkation on a massive and far-reaching deportation plan. There is no distinction in her policy among those who were brought here as children, who have families, who have jobs, who pay taxes, and who serve their communities.
“And there is a big difference between deporting known criminals and rounding up immigrants—some of whom have status to be here, in fact, are here legally—from work sites, and schools, and churches. This mass deportation policy is not about serving America and doing what our country needs to be strong and safe. It is instead about Secretary Noem accumulating the highest possible headcount of deportees. It’s hurting those folks, their families, and their communities, of course.
“It’s also hurting America. Particularly rural America. Our farmers depend on labor to milk their cows, to pick their crops. It’s weakening our construction industry, where workplace raids are shutting down construction sites, including for low-income housing, which we desperately need. This is decimating our health care workforce and the hospitality industry in every state in the union.
“We need a Homeland Security Secretary who will help us develop a sensible policy for folks who are here without status but have no criminal record; work; who have families; and are taxpayers.”
• • •
“We have an obligation to protect the safety of the families that all of us represent. I urge every one of my colleagues to demand better for our constituents and for every American. We need a Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security who puts public safety and preparedness before her personal image or political aspirations. Secretary Noem must resign.”
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
Welch took to the Senate floor to demand Noem resign or be fired
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today called for the resignation of U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, citing Secretary Noem’s mishandling of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and record of undermining FEMA’s work, as well as her handling of President Trump’s cruel and illegal mass deportation campaign.
“The Department of Homeland Security has a simple but extremely important mission: keep Americans safe. Under that mission, the department is tasked with two critical jobs—border security and disaster response. Our current Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, has failed both. In her short tenure, Secretary Noem has overstepped, underperformed, and endangered the lives of countless Americans,” said Senator Welch. “I believe it is time for Secretary Noem to resign or for her to be fired.”
Watch Senator Welch’s floor remarks here:
Read key excerpts of Senator Welch’s remarks:
“Secretary Noem has undermined FEMA’s work, and in so doing has endangered disaster victims. Just a few months ago, Secretary Noem said in a cabinet meeting, and I quote ‘We are eliminating FEMA.’ And she meant it.
“And we saw evidence of that in not just Texas, but in North Carolina, New Mexico, California, Kentucky, Hawaii, and Vermont—where FEMA is crucial to helping people, and communities, and businesses recover from disaster. We need FEMA. It’s only the federal government that can surge into affected communities. We can’t lose that function and that capacity. When you need safety from a flood, and when you need to start the long road to recovery, you need the support of the federal government. No state, no community can do this alone. They cannot do this alone.
“I have seen from our experience in Vermont that FEMA, in fact, must be reformed—it must not be destroyed, as Secretary Noem has suggested. We cannot have a leader in charge of FEMA that is committed to its destruction. We must have one who is energetically committed to its reform.”
• • •
“We are seeing under the leadership of Secretary Noem that her response is an across-the-board embarkation on a massive and far-reaching deportation plan. There is no distinction in her policy among those who were brought here as children, who have families, who have jobs, who pay taxes, and who serve their communities.
“And there is a big difference between deporting known criminals and rounding up immigrants—some of whom have status to be here, in fact, are here legally—from work sites, and schools, and churches. This mass deportation policy is not about serving America and doing what our country needs to be strong and safe. It is instead about Secretary Noem accumulating the highest possible headcount of deportees. It’s hurting those folks, their families, and their communities, of course.
“It’s also hurting America. Particularly rural America. Our farmers depend on labor to milk their cows, to pick their crops. It’s weakening our construction industry, where workplace raids are shutting down construction sites, including for low-income housing, which we desperately need. This is decimating our health care workforce and the hospitality industry in every state in the union.
“We need a Homeland Security Secretary who will help us develop a sensible policy for folks who are here without status but have no criminal record; work; who have families; and are taxpayers.”
• • •
“We have an obligation to protect the safety of the families that all of us represent. I urge every one of my colleagues to demand better for our constituents and for every American. We need a Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security who puts public safety and preparedness before her personal image or political aspirations. Secretary Noem must resign.”
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
Legislation would make it easier for generic and biosimilar drugs to enter the market, increasing competition and lowering the price of prescription drugs
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) teamed up to introduce the Eliminating Thickets to Improve Competition (ETHIC) Act, bipartisan, bicameral legislation to streamline drug patent litigation, encourage fair market competition, and lower prescription drug prices by making it easier for generic and biosimilar companies to enter the market. U.S. Representative Jodey Arrington (R-TX-19) introduced companion legislation in the House.
“For decades, Big Pharma has exploited U.S. courts and the patent system through anti-competitive practices that prevent generic and biosimilar competitors from entering the market, forcing Vermonters to pay more out of pocket for life-saving drugs. It’s outrageous, and it’s gone on for far too long,” said Senator Welch. “I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing the ETHIC Act to stop pharmaceutical companies from abusing the patent system and lower prescription drug prices for patients across the country. Congress must pass our legislation to cut drug costs for families and streamline access to care.”
“Big Pharma knows exactly what it’s doing in monopolizing the U.S. patent system: driving up drug costs for Americans while preventing generic-drug manufacturers from getting their foot in the market. This bipartisan bill would break up the anticompetitive ‘patent thickets’ that pharmaceutical companies have abused to the detriment of the American patient,” said Senator Hawley.
“Big Pharma is exploiting loopholes in our courts and patent system to block generic and biosimilar pharmaceuticals from the market, leading to higher out-of-pocket costs for everyone,” said Senator Klobuchar. “Enough is enough. Our bipartisan bill will close these loopholes, strengthen competition, and lower prescription drug prices.”
“America leads the world in medical innovation and Congress understands the necessity of strong IP protections. Groundbreaking research and development fuels our economy, improves quality of life for patients, and brings down healthcare costs – one of the drivers of our national debt. Unfortunately, loopholes in our current patent system allow manufacturers to file for duplicative patents that delay competition. I am proud to lead this legislation to ensure new patents include real innovation and bring additional value to patients,” said Rep. Arrington.
The U.S. Patent system was designed to promote innovation and foster competition. However, pharmaceutical companies are exceedingly abusing the patent system through patent extension strategies such as “patent thicketing,” a strategy in which pharmaceutical companies develop a “web” of patents around their most profitable drugs. These patent thickets deter generic and biosimilar drugs from entering the market, due to the high cost of challenging each patent in a thicket.
The ETHIC Act codifies the practice that many federal district courts across the country already apply to limit the number of patents or patent claims a company can assert in litigation. Specifically, this bipartisan bill:
Streamlines patent litigation by limiting to one, the number of patents per patent thicket a pharmaceutical company can assert in litigation.
Prohibits a patent owner from asserting multiple patents from the same thicket in separate actions against the same alleged infringer to circumvent the intent of the law.
Safeguards quality patents that improve existing drugs, benefiting patients.
The ETHIC Act is endorsed by the Association for Accessible Medicines and Generation Patient.
“Patent thickets increasingly serve as a barrier to patient access to lower-cost generic and biosimilar medicines. This bill proactively addresses anticompetitive patent thickets by limiting brands to a single patent out of a duplicative patent family in Hatch-Waxman and biologics patent litigation, said John Murphy III, President and CEO, Association for Accessible Medicines. “In alignment with the Administration’s Executive Order on competition, this bill will accelerate generic and biosimilar launches and stop these problematic double patenting practices.”
“As an organization representing over 25 million young adults with chronic conditions in the United States, we witness daily the barriers to accessing affordable, life-saving medicines. For young adults striving for financial security and independence, these obstacles to accessing necessary medicines are especially daunting. With the leadership of Senators Welch and Hawley, the ETHIC Act represents a pragmatic step toward closing loopholes that allow brand-name pharmaceutical companies to use overlapping patents to block competition. By limiting infringement claims to one patent per group of closely related patents, this legislation promotes fair competition and enables more affordable treatment options for our community. It is time to prioritize the health and futures of patients, and this legislation is a step forward in that direction,” said Sneha Dave, Founder and Executive Director, Generation Patient.
Learn more about the ETHIC Act.
Read and download the full text of the bill.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) led a group of their colleagues in demanding that the Social Security Administration (SSA) stop peddling lies about the Republican reconciliation bill using the agency’s email platform, which reaches tens of millions of Americans.
The Republican reconciliation bill does not amend, reduce, or eliminate federal taxes on Social Security benefits. Contrary to the release’s claim that taxes would be eliminated on 90% of benefits, about half of beneficiaries will still owe some amount of income tax on their benefits. The bill also does not change tax filing requirements for people receiving Social Security benefits. The Trump Administration’s distribution of misleading and blatantly inaccurate information could upend the lives of millions of American seniors who depend on Social Security benefits. Inaccurate information could lead to Americans making benefit claims against their best interests or even missing payments on taxes they owe.
“We are appalled that the agency distributed misleading and blatantly inaccurate information regarding tax changes affecting older Americans, transforming the agency into a partisan megaphone for Donald Trump while sowing confusion and distrust in Social Security among Americans,” wrote Baldwin and the Senators in the letter to SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano.
On July 3, SSA sent a mass email and issued a press release falsely announcing that the Republican reconciliation bill would cut taxes on Social Security benefits. The agency doubled down on those lies by burying its misleading language on its website and keeping millions of Americans who received the initial email in the dark. Commissioner Bisignano has abandoned his promise to the Finance Committee and to the American people that, under his leadership, SSA would not become a partisan agency subject to the whims of Trump.
“Rather than focusing on improving customer service, you are using your position as Commissioner to stroke Donald Trump’s ego and peddle lies on his behalf. We urge you to retract SSA’s July 3 statement and issue a correction–on SSA’s website and via email for ‘my Social Security’ account users–clarifying the federal tax treatment of Social Security benefits,” Baldwin and the Senators continued.
As Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS), Baldwin has been a leader in the Senate in holding SSA accountable under the Trump Administration. In February, Senator Baldwin demanded answers from then from Acting Commissioner Leland Dudek on DOGE’s access to Americans’ sensitive Social Security information. In March, Senator Baldwin pressed the Trump Administration on their plans to slash the SSA workforce and called on the administration to reverse course on their plan to instate in-person verification that would put up roadblocks for seniors to access their benefits.
In April, Senator Baldwin continued to demand answers from the Trump Administration on staffing cuts at the SSA and called on the administration to keep Social Security field offices open so seniors can get their earned benefits.
In addition to Senators Baldwin and Wyden, the letter was co-signed by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senators Peter Welch (D-VT), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV).
The full letter is available here and below.
Commissioner Bisignano:
We write in outrage over the Social Security Administration (SSA) using its resources to spread political propaganda and false information. On July 3, SSA issued a press release and a mass email falsely praising the benefits of the Republican reconciliation bill–which in reality will leave millions of Americans without health care or food so that big corporations and the ultrawealthy get huge tax breaks–and falsely announcing that Social Security benefits are no longer subject to taxes. We are appalled that the agency distributed misleading and blatantly inaccurate information regarding tax changes affecting older Americans, transforming the agency into a partisan megaphone for Donald Trump while sowing confusion and distrust in SSA among Americans.
Shortly after the House passed the legislation, SSA issued a press release–posted on the agency’s website and emailed to all “my Social Security” account users–stating that the bill “eliminates federal income taxes on Social Security benefits for most beneficiaries” and provides some older Americans with an additional income tax deduction. This is wholly inaccurate. The Republican reconciliation bill does not amend, reduce, or eliminate the federal taxation of Social Security benefits. While the bill does provide a temporary income tax deduction for some older Americans, only about 46 percent of older adults would benefit from this deduction. The SSA press release claimed the bill would eliminate taxes on Social Security for 90 percent of beneficiaries, but the truth is that about half of recipients will owe some amount of income tax on their benefits.
Furthermore, the bill does nothing to change the tax filing requirements for Social Security recipients. An official press release claiming that Social Security benefits are not subject to tax creates confusion that could cause Social Security recipients to misunderstand their tax obligations. Your July 7 effort to correct the record–which retains the misleading language about “eliminat[ing] federal income taxes on Social Security benefits”—is hidden on a days-old press release on Social Security’s website. Moreover, you did not send this “correction” to the millions of “my Social Security” account users you mass emailed this incorrect and misleading information.
SSA has worked hard over years to encourage individuals to sign up for “my Social Security” accounts, which allow users to access online services and provide valuable information about their Social Security benefits, all while reducing pressures on Social Security field offices and teleservice centers. You have effectively used information provided by those signing up for these services to create a political mailing list of over millions of Americans. This is not only wholly inappropriate but jeopardizes the integrity of “my Social Security” accounts if the information provided to users is clearly politically motivated.
Having only been Commissioner for two months, it is disappointing that you devoted one of your first public statements to peddling inaccurate information to appease Donald Trump. As Commissioner, you know Social Security plays a critical role in the lives of millions of Americans. The decision on when to begin claiming Social Security is an incredibly personal decision that depends on the individual’s unique financial, medical, and family circumstances. To make that decision, individuals must have clear and accurate information about Social Security, including the tax treatment of benefits. Providing confusing or inaccurate information may lead Americans to make benefit claiming decisions against their best interest or mistakenly fail to pay taxes owed. Moreover, pushing blatantly partisan statements breeds distrust in the agency, which may raise doubt about the truthfulness of future statements.
During your confirmation process, you pledged to the Finance Committee and to the American public that you would run SSA “in an independent and nonpartisan manner.” You have failed in this instance. Rather than focusing on improving customer service, you are using your position as Commissioner to stroke Donald Trump’s ego and peddle lies on his behalf. We urge you to retract SSA’s July 3 statement and issue a correction–on SSA’s website and via email for “my Social Security” account users–clarifying the federal tax treatment of Social Security benefits.
Sincerely,
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves delivered her second Mansion House speech on the evening of Tuesday 15 July 2025.
Lord Mayor, Governor, Ladies and Gentlemen.
My thanks go to the City of London Corporation for hosting us here this evening…
…and to the Lord Mayor for his address…
…as well as to the Economic Secretary to the Treasury for all her hard work.
It is a year since my party was elected to office…
…and year since I was appointed as Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Recently, on a visit to a primary school, a young girl asked me –
“if you could have any job in the world, what would it be?”
Given the events of the last few weeks, I suspect many of you would have sympathised if I had said –
“anything but the Chancellor.”
But I didn’t.
Because I am proud to stand here tonight and address you for a second time at Mansion House…
…as the Chancellor of Exchequer.
This evening, I want to talk about the progress we have made over the past year:
Restoring stability;
Securing investment;
And delivering reform.
And I want to talk about the future:
The economy that we are building;
The opportunities that we are seizing;
And the prosperity that we together are creating.
In my Mais lecture last year, I talked about how a resilient economy must be built on security.
And the importance of that security has been brought into sharp focus in recent months.
As the world changes before our eyes, and global economies are becoming more uncertain.
The job of a responsible government is not just to watch this change –
We must step up, not step back.
We must build a dynamic economy on strong and secure foundations…
…where success is not limited to a handful of sectors, a few people, or certain parts of the country…
…but where the rewards of hard work are shared…
…harnessing the contribution of every part of Britain.
This is the foundation of an economy and a country that is more active and more confident…
…where people and business look to the future and talk about hope…
…talk about opportunity…
…assured of their own capability, and of the ability of our country to boldly face the challenges ahead…
…and certain in the prize when they succeed:
Of higher wages and higher living standards;
The renewal of Britain in every home and every high street.
To put it simply: a Britain that is better off.
The financial services sector is critical to my ambitions for our country.
It is one of the largest and most successful sectors in the UK…
…worth around 10% of total economic output…
…and supporting 1.2 million jobs in clusters right around the UK:
In Cardiff, and Belfast and Edinburgh where we have growing Fintechs;
In Manchester, where BNY have their new Angel Square hub;
And in London, the financial centre of the world.
And financial services is also critical in people’s everyday lives:
Whether that’s a couple looking to buy their first home;
A budding entrepreneur wanting to start their first business;
Or people getting more out of the money they’re putting aside for the future.
And that’s what these plans, that I will set out tonight, will deliver.
Growth must be built on a platform of economic stability.
When we came into office…
…it was our government, this government, that restored Britain’s reputation as a beacon of stability by putting the public finances back on a firm footing…
…getting debt on a downward path, while investing prudently alongside business.
That was – and still is – the right choice…
…because there is nothing progressive – [political redaction] – about a government that simply spends more and more each year on debt interest, instead of on the priorities of ordinary working people.
And fiscal stability is a choice that reflects economic reality.
National debt remains at its highest level since the 1960s…
…and globally, the cost of borrowing has increased in recent years.
This is not the inheritance that I would have chosen…
…but it is the reality.
And that is why the Prime Minister, and I and this government are remain committed to our non-negotiable fiscal rules.
The stability that we have restored is already delivering:
Four cuts in interest rates by the Bank of England since the General Election, reducing the cost of mortgages and business lending;
[political redaction]
And investment is returning to our economy.
At the Spending Review, I set out £120 billion of public investment over the next five years…
…and last month, the Prime Minister confirmed that the UK has attracted £120 billion of private investment – in just the last 12 months.
In a globally competitive market…
…firms all over the world are choosing to invest in Britain…
…as one of the best places to start up, to scale up and to list:
The FTSE is at an all-time high, today, for the first time ever, breaking 9000 points;
London is home to the deepest equity capital market in Europe;
It is the third biggest venture capital market globally;
And the London Stock Exchange is the most international in the world…
…with the FTSE soon to include shares listed not just in sterling but also in dollars and in euros.
Last year, to ensure the UK remains competitive, we made significant changes to the listing regime…
…for example, relaxing dual class share rules to give founders flexibility to pursue their growth ambitions.
The FCA have today published their final Prospectus Rules…
…simplifying the listing and capital raising processes for firms of all sizes.
And, as I committed to last year at Mansion House, we are delivering PISCES…
…a brand-new type of stock exchange for private company share trading…
…with the first trading events due to take place later this year.
And I am announcing a new Listings Taskforce with the Office for Investment…
…to attract the best businesses in the world to IPO here in London.
But we must do more to ensure that British savers benefit from the success of growing British businesses.
Last year at Mansion House, I set out an overhaul of our pensions system…
…and the Pension Schemes Bill, led by my colleague the Pensions Minister, will be signed into law in the next few months.
The creation of Defined Contribution and Local Government Pension Scheme megafunds…
…will mean larger and more powerful pots of funding invested productively across the country.
Pension funds, and this government, are united in our determination to deliver higher returns for savers and more investment in the economy.
That is why, since last year, funds covering the majority of the Defined Contribution market have committed to the Mansion House Accord…
…pledging to invest at least 10% of their main funds into private assets such as infrastructure and growth markets…
… with at least half of that going into UK projects.
And I would also like to congratulate the Lord Mayor on his employer pension pledge…
I am delighted, Lord Mayor, to see businesses such as Tesco, First Group and Octopus making this commitment…
…and like you Lord Mayor I look forward to seeing more companies joining up.
The UK economy is enhanced by its outward-facing approach…
…and this year we have built on that with our new trade deals:
A trade deal with the United States, where we were the first country to sign a deal so that British businesses are better protected against tariffs, and where we have worked with our G7 colleagues to avert new taxes.
I’m pleased to welcome US Securities and Exchange Commissioner Hester Peirce here tonight…
…who is driving forward proposals for greater digital collaboration between our two financial centres. Thank you for being here.
And a trade deal with the European Union, where our strategic partnership will slash red tape and reduce costs for business…
…as well as providing a platform to further deepen our relationship in future.
And I am pleased to welcome the European Union’s Financial Services Commissioner Maria Luis Albuquerque.
Maria Luis, we met earlier today to discuss our continued cooperation on financial services, and I look forward to working more closely with you.
And a trade deal with India, with whom our recent FTA agreement will give us the best trading relationship of any country in the world with India.
And we have concluded the first Economic and Financial Dialogue with China in six years.
And we are implementing the Berne Financial Services Agreement with Switzerland too.
At the G20 in South Africa later this week I will continue the call I made at the IMF Spring meetings –
…for countries to come together to tackle trade imbalances and drive growth…
…underpinned by stronger multilateral institutions.
I look forward to hearing more on this from the Governor in his address…
…and I would like to congratulate him on his recent appointment as Chair of the Financial Stability Board…
…a testament to both Andrew and this government’s commitment to international standards.
Britain is open for business;
Open for trade;
Open for investment.
And that’s why we must be willing to change how we do things to stay competitive in that global economy.
We have ripped up the planning rules;
We have swept away regulations;
We have published our industrial strategy;
And today we can go further, by announcing the Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy…
…including my Leeds Reforms…
…named after one of the UK’s great hubs for financial services…
…and the city that I have been proud to represent as a Member of Parliament for fifteen years.
These are the most wide-ranging package of reforms to financial services regulation in more than a decade.
At Mansion House last year, I said we must regulate for growth and not just for risk…
…and we are delivering on that commitment…
…while continuing to protect financial stability…
…so that the benefits of a thriving and growing financial services sector can be realised for people all over Britain.
Let me set out the details of that package in four parts:
First, I am rolling back regulation that has gone too far in seeking to eliminate risk;
Second, I am delivering targeted changes in the areas where the UK already has particular strengths;
Third, I am making changes to capital requirements to unlock more productive capital;
And fourth, I am introducing measures to boost retail investment so that more savers can reap the benefits of UK economic success.
I will begin with the biggest reforms.
As I promised last year, I am delivering the most significant reform to the Financial Ombudsman Service since its inception…
…including proposing to limit for ten years for claims.
This will speed up the time it takes for consumers to get redress for their complaints…
… returning it to its original purpose as a simple, impartial arbitration service…
…and ensuring that it no longer acts as a quasi-regulator.
And I welcome the announcement today, made by the Financial Ombudsman Service that will reduce the interest rate it applies before a decision from 8% to base rate plus 1%.
I am introducing new targets for the FCA and PRA to cut times on authorisations and approvals…
…and I have tasked the FCA with assessing the impact of the Consumer Duty and whether it unduly effects wholesale activity…
…to ensure that regulators are really regulating for growth.
And I am streamlining the Senior Managers and Certification Regime…
…reducing the burdens it imposes on firms by 50%…
…and slashing approval timelines…
…so you can bring in talent to your business more quickly.
My next set of reforms provide targeted regulatory support to the areas where the UK does already have a comparative advantage.
For insurance – where Britain is the destination of choice for underwriting complex, specialised and high-value risk…
…I am introducing a new competitive framework for captive insurance.
For asset management – where the UK is the world’s second largest centre…
…I am futureproofing the regulatory regime and will publish draft legislation in early 2026.
For sustainable finance, I am determined to focus our efforts on policies that matter most to our world-leading sector and support investment in the transition…
…so, after consultation and consideration, I have decided not to pursue a green taxonomy…
…but instead work with regulators through the Transition Finance Council to capitalise on the £200 billion opportunity of the global transition to net zero.
And for Fintech – where almost half of Europe’s Fintech’s are already based here in the UK…
…the PRA and FCA are launching a scale-up unit to support innovative firms to grow in the UK, including in our world-leading payments system.
And I will drive forward developments in blockchain technology…
…including tokenised securities and stablecoins…
…and an ambitious design for a new digital gilt instrument…
…so that UK financial services can be at the forefront of digital asset innovation.
And because I believe the UK is the best place in the world for financial services…
…today I’ve announced the Office for Investment’s new concierge service.
Launching by October this year, it will provide a tailored service to companies considering setting up and expanding in the UK…
…and I am grateful to Chris Hayward from the City of London Corporation, for his work to drive this forward.
Thank you Chris.
Now, let me turn to the changes I am making to capital requirements…
…to allow UK banks to do more lending and release more capital for investment into our infrastructure and into our businesses.
First, I am supporting the Bank of England’s decision to raise the asset threshold for MREL requirements to between £25 and £40 billion.
This will benefit the challenger banks and bring increased competition and innovation to the market…
…and support those businesses to expand their footprint here in the UK.
Second, I am confirming our approach to Basel 3.1…
…implementing lower capital requirements for domestically focussed banks from January 2027…
…while preserving flexibility on our approach for international banks to ensure the UK always remains competitive while aligning with international standards.
Third, I have committed to meaningful reform of the UK’s ringfencing regime…
…recognising that now is the time to go further in tackling inefficiency and boosting growth…
…while retaining the aspects of the regime that support financial stability and protect consumer deposits.
And fourth, following the new, growth focussed remit letter I sent in November…
…I welcome the Financial Policy Committee’s announcement that it will review the overall level of bank capital needed for UK financial stability…
…reporting back to me by the end of this year.
The review will inform the work the Treasury is taking forward with the Bank…
…to ensure the prudential framework strikes the optimal balance to deliver resilience, growth and competitiveness.
And I welcome the recent changes the Financial Policy Committee has announced to the loan-to-income limit on mortgage lending…
…which the PRA and FCA are implementing immediately…
…that means tens of thousands more people could be able to get a mortgage in the next year alone…
…with Nationwide already offering its ‘Helping Hand’ mortgage to more first time-buyers…
…supporting alone an additional 10,000 each year.
And my thanks to Dame Debbie Crosbie for her leadership.
My final set of reforms are focussed on boosting savings investment.
I recognise the potential for ISA reform to improve returns for savers…
…and access capital for UK businesses.
I have confirmed that Long-Term Asset Funds can be included in stocks and shares ISAs…
…allowing long-term ISA investors to benefit from this innovative product.
And I will continue to consider further changes to ISAs…
…engaging widely in the coming months…
…and recognising that despite the differing views on the right approach…
…we are united in wanting better outcomes for both UK savers and for the UK economy.
For too long, we have presented investment in too negative a light…
…quick to warn people of the risks, without giving proper weight to the benefits…
…and our tangled system of financial advice and guidance…
…has meant people cannot get the right support to make decisions for themselves.
That is why we are working with the FCA to introduce a brand-new type of targeted support for consumers ahead of the new financial year.
And I also welcome the campaign to promote the benefits of retail investment which will launch next April…
…and the action to look at our current approach to risk warnings – and that will report back in January…
…and I’m grateful to Chris Cummings of the Investment Association for spearheading both of those initiatives.
Thank you very much Chris.
Today, I have placed financial services at the heart of this government’s growth mission…
…recognising that Britain cannot succeed and meet its growth ambitions…
…without a financial sector that is fighting fit and thriving.
The reforms I have set out this evening are the next chapter in how I intend to support this growth…
…and I thank Gwyneth Nurse and her brilliant team at the Treasury for all of their hard work on this package.
I knew that Gwyneth would get the biggest clap …
I am also pleased to have been able to work in lockstep with our regulators…
…and I want to extend my thanks both to Nikhil Rathi and Sam Woods for their innovation and the work they have done in response to my updated remit letters last year.
Thank you Nikhil and thank you Sam.
We have been bold in regulating for growth in financial services…
…and I have been clear on the benefits that that will drive…
…with a ripple effect felt right across all sectors of our economy…
…putting pounds in the pockets of working people.
Getting better deals on their mortgages…
better returns on their savings
and more jobs paying good wages across our country
As I look ahead…
…it is clear that we must do more.
In too many areas, regulation still acts as a boot on the neck of businesses…
…choking off the enterprise and innovation that is the lifeblood of economic growth.
Regulators in other sectors must take up the call I make this evening…
…not to bend to the temptation of excessive caution…
…but to boldly regulate for growth…
…in the service of prosperity for our whole country.
I’m really proud of how far we have come in the last year as government and as a country.
I know that the changes that we have made will reform and transform our economy and our country.
And I know that you will waste no time in seizing the opportunities that lie ahead:
To build a stronger economy;
To deliver the renewal of Britain;
And to make working people in all parts of Britain better off.
Thank you very much.
Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – ICE Homeland Security Investigations Buffalo personnel, in coordination with United States Border Patrol, arrested an illegally present Cuban national with several criminal convictions, including sexual abuse of a child under age 11 and aggravated assault with a weapon.
“For nearly 20 years, this individual had free reign to commit alleged crimes from coast-to-coast – in New York, New Jersey and California – including at least one offense that involved the sexual abuse of a young child. With this arrest, his luck has finally run out,” said HSI Buffalo Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan. “I commend HSI Buffalo and our U.S. Border Patrol partners for placing the wellbeing of the public above all else.”
ICE HSI Buffalo arrested Geraldo Lunas-Campos, a convicted sex offender, on July 14 in Rochester, New York.
Lunas, 55, is considered an aggravated felon with an extensive criminal history of violence.
His criminal record, which spans from at least 1997 through October 2015, includes, but is not limited to:
Lunas was paroled into the U.S. via Miami, Florida, on Jan. 12, 1996. On March 1, 2005, an immigration judge ordered his removal.
He now remains in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.
Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – ICE Homeland Security Investigations Buffalo personnel, in coordination with United States Border Patrol, arrested an illegally present Cuban national with several criminal convictions, including sexual abuse of a child under age 11 and aggravated assault with a weapon.
“For nearly 20 years, this individual had free reign to commit alleged crimes from coast-to-coast – in New York, New Jersey and California – including at least one offense that involved the sexual abuse of a young child. With this arrest, his luck has finally run out,” said HSI Buffalo Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan. “I commend HSI Buffalo and our U.S. Border Patrol partners for placing the wellbeing of the public above all else.”
ICE HSI Buffalo arrested Geraldo Lunas-Campos, a convicted sex offender, on July 14 in Rochester, New York.
Lunas, 55, is considered an aggravated felon with an extensive criminal history of violence.
His criminal record, which spans from at least 1997 through October 2015, includes, but is not limited to:
Lunas was paroled into the U.S. via Miami, Florida, on Jan. 12, 1996. On March 1, 2005, an immigration judge ordered his removal.
He now remains in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Utah Mike Lee
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) cosponsored the Keep Your Coins Act today with U.S. Senator Tedd Budd (R-NC) to allow Americans to maintain self-custody of crypto assets, protecting their financial privacy and freedom from burdensome regulations and third-party custodians.
“Americans deserve to keep their crypto assets where they choose – not where they’ve been forced by the federal government,” said Senator Mike Lee. “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.”
“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.
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.”
The Keep Your Coins Act:
Prevents the federal government from having access to and surveillance of transactions in the digital asset ecosystem by:
Source: US Department of Health and Human Services
CMS Proposes Bold Reforms to Modernize Hospital Payments, Strengthen Transparency, and Put Patients Back in Control
Proposed rule advances administration’s vision to “Make America Healthy Again”
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today issued the Calendar Year (CY) 2026 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Payment System proposed rule (CMS-1834-P), introducing a series of patient-focused reforms that would modernize payments, expand access to care, and enhance hospital accountability.
Source: US Department of Health and Human Services
CMS Proposes Bold Reforms to Modernize Hospital Payments, Strengthen Transparency, and Put Patients Back in Control
Proposed rule advances administration’s vision to “Make America Healthy Again”
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today issued the Calendar Year (CY) 2026 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Payment System proposed rule (CMS-1834-P), introducing a series of patient-focused reforms that would modernize payments, expand access to care, and enhance hospital accountability.
Source: US House of Representatives – Democratic Caucus
The following text contains opinion that is not, or not necessarily, that of MIL-OSI –
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar and Vice Chair Ted Lieu held a press conference on the failure of House Republicans to protect health care and lower costs.
CHAIRMAN AGUILAR: Thank you for joining us. Pleased as always to be joined by Vice Chair of the Democratic Caucus, Ted Lieu. Good morning. Republicans spent the last week lying about their vote to throw 17 million Americans off of health insurance. They’re so terrified of voter backlash that they’re charting new frontiers in dishonesty and political chutzpah. Rob Bresnahan says the Big Ugly Law will be the largest deficit reduction in 30 years, when it actually explodes the deficit by $4 trillion. Gabe Evans, on the other hand, has twisted himself into knots claiming that there are no Medicaid cuts, because, technically, health care spending will continue to rise—he’s hoping that the one in three voters in Colorado who he represents won’t notice losing their health care. Derrick Van Orden wants his voters to believe that somehow he managed to secure more money for BadgerCare even though he voted for $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid—prompting the Governor of Wisconsin to call him out for lying.
Here’s the truth: Republicans own the health care crisis that they’ve created. People will get sick, hospitals will close—like we’ve seen in places like Curtis, Nebraska—and nursing homes will shut down. And they’re doing all of this so they can give billionaires tax breaks and make private jets fully tax-deductible. They’re the same rich and well-connected elites that they’re protecting by keeping the Epstein files under lock and key after campaigning to release them. It’s shameful—and House Democrats will make sure that they’re held accountable. Now I’ll turn it over to Vice Chair Ted Lieu.
VICE CHAIR LIEU: Thank you, Chairman Aguilar. Donald Trump, when he campaigned, promised on day one he would end inflation and lower costs. Donald Trump lied to the American people because we now know that inflation has continued to increase under his policies and that of Republicans. The most recent inflation report shows that inflation increased to 2.7 percent above expectations and core CPI increased to 2.9 percent. We call on Trump and Republicans to focus on lowering costs instead of things like the Big Ugly Bill, that are kicking millions of people off health care.
I’ve also noticed that there’s been an uptick in activity around Epstein files recently. I just want to remind the American people that in February of this year, Attorney General Pam Bondi acknowledged the existence of Jeffrey Epstein’s client list. In fact, she said that Jeffrey Epstein’s client list is, ‘sitting on my desk right now.’ Where is that client list? What is Attorney General Pam Bondi hiding? She needs to release the Epstein files as soon as possible. I talked about the Epstein files under the Biden Administration; I’m talking about it under the Trump Administration. This is a case of the powerful protecting the powerful. We need to have those files released. I also note that the Epstein files that have already been released show that Trump is all over the files. He’s in multiple pictures with Jeffrey Epstein. There’s multiple videos of Trump with Jeffrey Epstein. There are plane logs of Trump on Epstein’s plane. There are statements by Trump about Epstein. There are court pleadings of alleged victims of Epstein naming Trump. So, we need to have these Epstein files released.
I also want to talk a little bit about Ukraine. The only way we get Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table is to defeat Russian troops on the battlefield. I support President Trump’s decision to send Patriot missiles to Ukraine. I support President Trump’s decision to say that he’s going to backfill Europe’s military equipment when Europe sends military equipment to Ukraine. That is how we’re going to get Putin to the negotiating table by letting Putin know that he cannot win this war. With that, I yield back.
Video of the full press conference and Q&A can be viewed here.
###
Previous Article
Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Note: The expiration time in the watch graphic is amended if the watch is replaced, cancelled or extended.Note: Click for Watch Status Reports.
SEL4
URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 514
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
350 PM CDT Tue Jul 15 2025
The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a
* Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of
Northern Kansas
Western and Central Nebraska
Southeast South Dakota
* Effective this Tuesday afternoon and evening from 350 PM until
1100 PM CDT.
* Primary threats include…
Scattered damaging winds and isolated significant gusts to 80
mph likely
Scattered large hail and isolated very large hail events to 2
inches in diameter possible
SUMMARY…Scattered thunderstorms are forecast to develop along a
front this afternoon into the evening and grow upscale into a linear
cluster. Large hail will be the primary severe hazard this
afternoon before storms increase in coverage and congeal into one or
two linear clusters. Severe gusts will become the primary severe
hazard during the evening as this activity moves east-southeast
across the Watch area.
The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 85
statute miles east and west of a line from 35 miles east northeast
of Chamberlain SD to 20 miles south southeast of Mccook NE. For a
complete depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline
update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU4).
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
REMEMBER…A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are
favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area.
Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening
weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible
warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce
tornadoes.
&&
OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 513…
AVIATION…A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to
2 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 70 knots. A
few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean storm motion vector
28025.
…Smith
Note: The Aviation Watch (SAW) product is an approximation to the watch area. The actual watch is depicted by the shaded areas.
SAW4
WW 514 SEVERE TSTM KS NE SD 152050Z – 160400Z
AXIS..85 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST OF LINE..
35ENE 9V9/CHAMBERLAIN SD/ – 20SSE MCK/MCCOOK NE/
..AVIATION COORDS.. 75NM E/W /70ESE PIR – 18SSE MCK/
HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT..2 INCHES. WIND GUSTS..70 KNOTS.
MAX TOPS TO 500. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 28025.
LAT…LON 43959696 39919883 39910204 43950038
THIS IS AN APPROXIMATION TO THE WATCH AREA. FOR A
COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE WOUS64 KWNS
FOR WOU4.
Watch 514 Status Report Message has not been issued yet.
Note: Click for Complete Product Text.Tornadoes
Probability of 2 or more tornadoes
Low (10%)
Probability of 1 or more strong (EF2-EF5) tornadoes
Low ( 65 knots
Mod (60%)
Hail
Probability of 10 or more severe hail events
Mod (40%)
Probability of 1 or more hailstones > 2 inches
Mod (30%)
Combined Severe Hail/Wind
Probability of 6 or more combined severe hail/wind events
High (90%)
For each watch, probabilities for particular events inside the watch (listed above in each table) are determined by the issuing forecaster. The “Low” category contains probability values ranging from less than 2% to 20% (EF2-EF5 tornadoes), less than 5% to 20% (all other probabilities), “Moderate” from 30% to 60%, and “High” from 70% to greater than 95%. High values are bolded and lighter in color to provide awareness of an increased threat for a particular event.
Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division
Headline: Justice Department Reaches New Settlement to Protect U.S. Workers
The Justice Department announced today that it has secured a settlement agreement with H2A Complete II Inc., a Mississippi company, to address evidence that the company violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) when it unfairly tipped the scales to hire H-2A visa holders over U.S. workers for agricultural employment opportunities.
Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division
Headline: Justice Department Reaches New Settlement to Protect U.S. Workers
The Justice Department announced today that it has secured a settlement agreement with H2A Complete II Inc., a Mississippi company, to address evidence that the company violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) when it unfairly tipped the scales to hire H-2A visa holders over U.S. workers for agricultural employment opportunities.
Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division
Headline: Justice Department Reaches New Settlement to Protect U.S. Workers
The Justice Department announced today that it has secured a settlement agreement with H2A Complete II Inc., a Mississippi company, to address evidence that the company violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) when it unfairly tipped the scales to hire H-2A visa holders over U.S. workers for agricultural employment opportunities.
Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division
Headline: Justice Department Reaches New Settlement to Protect U.S. Workers
The Justice Department announced today that it has secured a settlement agreement with H2A Complete II Inc., a Mississippi company, to address evidence that the company violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) when it unfairly tipped the scales to hire H-2A visa holders over U.S. workers for agricultural employment opportunities.
Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division
Headline: Justice Department Reaches New Settlement to Protect U.S. Workers
The Justice Department announced today that it has secured a settlement agreement with H2A Complete II Inc., a Mississippi company, to address evidence that the company violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) when it unfairly tipped the scales to hire H-2A visa holders over U.S. workers for agricultural employment opportunities.
Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division
Headline: Justice Department Reaches New Settlement to Protect U.S. Workers
The Justice Department announced today that it has secured a settlement agreement with H2A Complete II Inc., a Mississippi company, to address evidence that the company violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) when it unfairly tipped the scales to hire H-2A visa holders over U.S. workers for agricultural employment opportunities.