Category: United States of America

MIL-OSI USA: Hawley Demands Energy Department Terminate Government Funding Grain Belt Express

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo)
Today, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) sent a follow-up letter to Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Chris Wright demanding he terminate the more than $4 billion in federal funding for the Grain Belt Express, an elitist land grab harming Missouri farmers and ranchers.
In the letter, Senator Hawley wrote, “I write to you once again to urge the termination of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) $4.9 billion conditional loan to the green-energy Grain Belt Express (GBE) transmission line. Your department recently terminated 24 awards issued by the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED), citing ‘that these projects failed to advance the energy needs of the American people, were not economically viable and would not generate a positive return on investment of taxpayer dollars.’ Yet the GBE conditional loan has not been cancelled.”
He continued, “I have repeatedly raised concerns to DOE about the viability of this transmission line. Most recently, on March 25, 2025, I wrote to you after officials from the Department of Energy confirmed that your department is moving forward with the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process, a key step in approving the loan. I have yet to receive a substantive response to that letter.”
Senator Hawley concluded, “During a recent House hearing, you stated, ‘It is deeply concerning how billions of dollars were rushed out the door without proper due diligence in the final days of the Biden administration.’ I completely agree. The Biden administration’s Department of Energy approved the loan to the Grain Belt Express at the eleventh hour… Your department should be taking every possible action to stop this loan – not only to save taxpayer’s money, but also to save generational land from being ripped away from families and hard-working farmers and ranchers in Missouri. Now is the time to act. I urge you to immediately terminate all agency actions related to the Department of Energy’s $4.9 billion loan to the Grain Belt Express.”
Read the full letter here or below.
June 25, 2025
The Honorable Chris WrightSecretary of EnergyU.S. Department of Energy1000 Independence Ave SEWashington, DC 20560
Dear Secretary Wright,
I write to you once again to urge the termination of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) $4.9 billion conditional loan to the green-energy Grain Belt Express (GBE) transmission line. Your department recently terminated 24 awards issued by the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED), citing “that these projects failed to advance the energy needs of the American people, were not economically viable and would not generate a positive return on investment of taxpayer dollars.” Yet the GBE conditional loan has not been cancelled.
I have repeatedly raised concerns to DOE about the viability of this transmission line. Most recently, on March 25, 2025, I wrote to you after officials from the Department of Energy confirmed that your department is moving forward with the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process, a key step in approving the loan. I have yet to receive a substantive response to that letter.
During a recent House hearing, you stated, “It is deeply concerning how billions of dollars were rushed out the door without proper due diligence in the final days of the Biden administration.” I completely agree. The Biden administration’s Department of Energy approved the loan to the Grain Belt Express at the eleventh hour.
While I applaud DOE’s current efforts to roll back last-minute Biden era green energy projects that were not vetted nor were reliable energy projects, I’ve become increasingly concerned that DOE apparently has not taken action to halt all federal funding to the Grain Belt Express. Your department should be taking every possible action to stop this loan – not only to save taxpayer’s money, but also to save generational land from being ripped away from families and hard-working farmers and ranchers in Missouri.
Now is the time to act. I urge you to immediately terminate all agency actions related to the Department of Energy’s $4.9 billion loan to the Grain Belt Express. Additionally, please answer the following questions by no later than June 30, 2025:
1. Why has your department not yet cancelled the Grain Belt Express $4.9 billion conditional loan?
2. Does your department plan to terminate all agency actions related to advancing the loan to the Grain Belt Express?
3. If not, can you provide clear and concise reasons as to why you and your department continue to advance this project over the objections of Missouri farmers and ranchers?
Sincerely,
Josh HawleyUnited States Senator

MIL OSI USA News –

June 26, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Rosen, Colleagues Demand Trump Administration to Reverse Decision to End Policy on Emergency Reproductive Care

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
The Trump Administration’s Decision To End Guidance That Reaffirmed Access To Abortion Care In Emergency Situations Will Put Women’s Lives In Jeopardy
WASHINGTON, DC – Following the three-year anniversary of the Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) joined a group of Senators in a letter demanding the Trump Administration to overturn its recent decision to end guidance that reaffirmed hospitals’ responsibility to provide medically-necessary emergency abortions. In 1986, Congress enacted the Emergency Medical Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) to require Medicare-participating hospitals to provide necessary life-saving treatment for any individual—including pregnant women—experiencing emergency medical conditions. However, since the conservative majority on the Supreme Court handed down the Dobbs decision, more than twenty states have passed laws to ban or severely restrict access to abortion, disrupting decades of certainty for hospitals regarding their legal obligation to provide necessary emergency abortion care under federal law.
“While EMTALA remains binding federal law, the rescission will create further confusion for hospitals and providers, especially in states with abortion bans, and will result in medically-necessary care being withheld from pregnant patients in crisis,” wrote the lawmakers. “When doctors are forced to navigate the complex legal interplay of state abortion bans and federal EMTALA protections, pregnant people experience care delays and may receive substandard care.”
“This abrupt decision will further the chaos and confusion that hospitals, physicians, and patients have experienced since the Dobbs decision and will result in negative and deadly consequences for women and families across the United States,” the lawmakers concluded.
The full letter can be found HERE.
Senator Rosen has been a fighter for women’s reproductive rights, taking action to safeguard access to essential health care for women. This week, she helped introduce the Women’s Health Protection Act to enshrine Roe protections in federal law and restore women’s reproductive freedom. Earlier this year, Senator Rosen joined Senate colleagues in introducing the Right to Contraception Act, aimed at federally guaranteeing the right to obtain and use contraceptives and shielding providers who prescribe and offer them.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 26, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Hagerty Calls on DOJ, FTC to Investigate ISS and Glass Lewis

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Tennessee Bill Hagerty
WASHINGTON—This week, United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Senate Banking Committee and head of the committee’s working group on proxy advisors, sent a letter to Attorney General Pamela Bondi and Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson, urging them to investigate ISS and Glass Lewis for antitrust violations.
“The dominant proxy advisory firms, [ISS] and [Glass Lewis], control more than 90% of the U.S. market for proxy advisory services,” Hagerty wrote. “These foreign-owned firms exploit their market power to suppress competition, hijack corporate governance, impose ideological agendas, drive companies’ capital allocation decisions, influence U.S. public policy on important matters, and undermine the welfare of American investors and consumers. Accordingly, I urge the Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission to investigate these firms for violations of federal antitrust law.”
Hagerty’s letter builds on his ongoing efforts to address abuses in the proxy advisory market. Previously, Hagerty demanded answers and documents from ISS after the firm publicly acknowledged that it may support proposals even though they are “not linked to long-term shareholder value.” He also sponsored the Putting Investors First Act, legislation to expand the SEC’s authority over proxy advisory firms.
A copy of the letter can be found here and below.
Dear Attorney General Bondi and Chairman Ferguson,
The dominant proxy advisory firms, Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (ISS) and Glass, Lewis & Co. (Glass Lewis), control more than 90% of the U.S. market for proxy advisory services. These foreign-owned firms exploit their market power to suppress competition, hijack corporate governance, impose ideological agendas, drive companies’ capital allocation decisions, influence U.S. public policy on important matters, and undermine the welfare of American investors and consumers. Accordingly, I urge the Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission to investigate these firms for violations of federal antitrust law.
The market power of ISS and Glass Lewis grants them enormous sway over public companies. A study of 175 institutional investors—managing more than $5 trillion in assets— revealed that the institutions followed proxy advisor recommendations more than 95% of the time. The influence of the proxy advisors enables them to dictate public companies’ governance standards, executive compensation practices, and corporate policies. Through the power of vote recommendations adverse to determinations of independent boards of directors as well as negative recommendations against board members themselves, the firms effectively force compliance even when these standards or practices are ideologically motivated, irrelevant, and/or destructive to shareholder value. In so doing, the proxy advisors have also been successfully pressuring companies to engineer social change outside the democratic process and shaping U.S. public policy on a wide range of issues, from energy to sensitive social policies. It is evident that ISS and Glass Lewis exercise de facto regulatory power over public companies, but without any of the accountability or transparency ordinarily demanded of such a role.
The firms leverage their market power by offering consulting services on the same or substantially similar items as those on which they provide proxy advisory services—a conflict of interest that raises significant anticompetitive concerns. ISS, for example, offers proxy advisory services to institutional investors with respect to companies’ say-on-pay proposals while also selling corporate consulting services to companies regarding the executive compensation programs subject to a say-on-pay vote. Similarly, ISS offers consulting services to companies with respect to equity compensation plans, while also providing recommendations to institutional investors as to how to vote on those same plans. This dynamic results in a coercive pay-to-play setup, where public companies are pressured to purchase consulting services to avoid or remedy negative proxy recommendations or assure the support of the proxy advisors, as the case may be. Indeed, many companies report being approached by the consulting arm of ISS during the same year in which they receive a negative vote recommendation from the firm. ISS also provides its institutional clients with corporate governance ratings on issuers, while also offering consulting services to corporate clients so that those issuers can improve their governance scores. This dual role—both rating companies and advising them—further enhances the proxy advisors’ power and drives important corporate practices and policies. While Glass Lewis has claimed that it does not offer consulting services, like ISS it offers equity plan advisory services to public companies. It also advises activists on influencing companies through shareholder proposals and other campaigns. The firm engages in these practices even though it has openly acknowledged that “the provision of consulting services to corporate issuers, directors, dissident shareholders and/or shareholder proposal proponents, creates a problematic conflict of interest.”
The link between consulting services and favorable ratings benefit both ISS and Glass Lewis by foreclosing competition. Revenues generated from consulting may permit the firms to cross-subsidize their proxy advisory services, enabling them to further expand and cement their market share. Such self-dealing practices are inherently anticompetitive and demand scrutiny.
ISS and Glass Lewis also appear to coordinate their voting guidelines and governance standards in ways that suppress competition and reduce the ideological and analytical diversity of services available in the market. The House Judiciary Committee has found evidence that the firms collaborated with organizations such as Climate Action 100+ to jointly issue nearly identical recommendations—effectively steering institutional investors toward predetermined outcomes guided by partisan ideology, not shareholder value. This parallelism is reinforced by the firms’ control of proprietary voting platforms—ISS’s ProxyExchange and Glass Lewis’s Viewpoint—which encourage institutional clients to automatically vote in alignment with the firms’ recommendations. Known as “robovoting,” this practice discourages independent fiduciary analysis and only deepens investors’ dependence on the firms, as some major investment managers do not even have personnel responsible for verifying that robovotes are correctly cast. While the firms often point critics to their “benchmark” reports, they continue to offer comparatively more extreme and politically contentious robovoting options through their insufficiently scrutinized “specialty” reports, often referred to as their “shadow” reports.
The market power and anticompetitive business practices of ISS and Glass Lewis inflict harm across the U.S. economy: potential competitors are foreclosed from entering or expanding within the proxy advisory market; capital formation is diminished as companies are deterred from going public; the cost of capital for certain industries, such as coal and oil and gas, is higher; the competitiveness of the US capital markets is impacted; boards and management lose control over their own corporate policies and practices; investors suffer the financial consequences of ideologically driven and economically unsound corporate decisions; finally, consumers pay higher prices due to operational inefficiencies and increased costs.
For these reasons, I urge the Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission to investigate ISS and Glass Lewis and take all necessary steps to promote competition in the proxy advisory market.
Sincerely,

MIL OSI USA News –

June 26, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Booker Statement Following Arraignment of Rep. LaMonica McIver

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
Newark, N.J. – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement:
“I am disappointed that the Department of Justice is wasting resources pursuing these unfounded charges against Representative LaMonica McIver, needlessly straining our already overburdened federal judiciary. Representative McIver was exercising her authority as a member of Congress to conduct constitutional oversight of a detention center that receives millions of taxpayer dollars. Representative McIver’s actions were so unremarkable and inoffensive that federal officials invited her into the facility later that same afternoon. This case undermines public safety and the public trust in federal law enforcement, and while its purpose is to intimidate public officials, it won’t. The Department of Justice must drop this case immediately.”

MIL OSI USA News –

June 26, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: SASC Chairman Roger Wicker Releases Updated Text of Defense Reconciliation Bill

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Mississippi Roger Wicker
WASHINGTON –?U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today unveiled updated legislative text of the defense reconciliation bill.
The House and Senate Armed Services Committees developed this legislation in close coordination with the White House and Department of Defense to modernize America’s military, secure the border, and strengthen national security.
Chairman Wicker released the following statement after the release of the updated bill text:
“This bill is a crucial down payment to modernize our military and enhance defense capabilities amid rising global threats. It provides significant funding for key areas including Golden Dome, unmanned technology, and shipbuilding,” said Chairman Wicker. “Alongside important reforms in the NDAA process, this bill will help transform the Pentagon and strengthen our military.”
Changes Made Since 6/3 Text Release:
Increases the amount of funding available for critical minerals supply chains to $5 billion
Increases the amount of funding available for defense industrial base efforts to $3.3 billion
Decreases the amount of funding available for the National Defense Stockpile to $2 billion
Decreases the amount of funding available for military border support operations to $1 billion
Removes all references to classified material
Makes a handful of non-substantive changes for execution purposes
The full text is available here

A redline from the last publicly released text is here

A legislative overview is available here

Legislation Highlights
Sec. 20001: $9 billion for Servicemember Quality of Life. Funds increases in allowances and special pays, as well as improvements to housing, healthcare, childcare, and education.
Sec. 20002: $29 billion for Shipbuilding and the Maritime Industrial Base. Expands the size and enhances the capability of our naval fleet. Invests in autonomous surface and subsurface technology. Builds capacity and improves infrastructure in the maritime industrial base.
Sec. 20003: $25 billion for Golden Dome for America. Supports President Trump’s vision for layered missile defense shield for America. Develops space-based assets support the system and rapidly accelerates missile defense against threats to the homeland and deployed troops.
Sec. 20004: $25 billion for Munitions. Accelerates purchases of most important munitions. America’s arsenal of munitions. Expands capacity in the industrial base to support higher levels of munitions production. Ramps up production of and critical minerals to execute President Trump’s EO. Expands production of missile defense interceptors and counter drone capabilities.
Sec. 20005: $16 billion to Expedite Innovation to the Warfighter. Expands DoD initiatives to scale production of game-changing new technology and expedite delivery of low-cost, attritable weapons systems and artificial intelligence needed to ensure success on future battlefields.
Sec. 20006: $400 million for Fiscal Responsibility and a Clean Audit. Requires audits of funds provided to DoD by this Act. Invests in the IT infrastructure, business systems, and new AI/automation capabilities needed to ensure the DoD fully passes an audit.
Sec. 20007: $9 billion for Air Superiority. Reverses declines in fighter force posture. Accelerates delivery of next generation aircraft and autonomous systems.
Sec. 20008: $15 billion for Nuclear Deterrence. Accelerates modernization of the triad. Improves readiness of our current nuclear deterrent. Invests in infrastructure needed to restore America’s ability to manufacture nuclear weapons.
Sec. 20009: $12 billion for Pacific Deterrence. Expands military exercises and improves readiness of Indo-Pacific forces. Acquires capability and builds infrastructure needed to defend forces and conduct military operations in the Western Pacific.
Sec. 20010: $16 billion to Enhance Military Readiness. Expands stocks of spares. Improves infrastructure at military depots and shipyards. Enhances the capability of Special Forces.
Sec. 20011: $1 billion for Border Security. Funds DoD personnel and logistics support to help carry out President Trump’s border, immigration, and counterdrug enforcement agenda.
Sec. 20012: $10M for DOD IG to conduct specific oversight on appropriations in this title.
Sec. 20013: Authorization of military construction projects in this title.
Sec. 20014: Reductions in appropriation contingent upon spend plan.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 26, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Peters Joins Colleagues in Introducing Legislation to Restore and Protect Americans’ Right to Abortion Nationwide As We Mark 3rd Anniversary of Supreme Court Overturning Roe V. Wade

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) joined his colleagues in introducing the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025, legislation to guarantee access to abortion across the country and restore the right to reproductive health care for millions of Americans. The bill was introduced on the third anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court repealing Roe v. Wade, a decision that stripped Americans’ access to vital health care and denied many women the freedom to make their own, private health care decisions.
“Three years ago, the conservative majority of the Supreme Court took away the constitutional right to abortion, stripping access to reproductive health care from millions of Americans and putting countless women’s lives in danger,” said Senator Peters. “It’s unacceptable that women today have fewer rights than their mothers and grandmothers did. The Women’s Health Protection Act would restore the fundamental right to choose, and ensure that women in every state can make private, personal health care decisions, without interference from politicians and judges.”
As a result of the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, millions of Americans are being denied or delayed access to necessary and potentially life-saving treatment, including for ectopic pregnancies and miscarriage management, because of new legal risks to patients and providers. The harms caused by these abortion restrictions fall heaviest on populations that already experience inequities, including people with low incomes, people of color, immigrants, young people, people with disabilities, and those living in rural and other medically underserved areas. Since the Dobbs decision, 19 [SB1] [FB2] states have banned abortion or severely restricted women from being able to access the procedure, leaving one in three[SB3] [FB4] American women without access to safe, legal abortion care. [FB5]
While Michiganders voted in November 2022 to enshrine the right to an abortion in the state’s constitution, the Women’s Health Protection Act would establish federal rights for patients and providers to protect access to an abortion and create protections against medically unnecessary restrictions that undermine Americans’ access to health care.
Specifically, the Women’s Health Protection Act would:
Prohibit states from imposing restrictions that jeopardize access to abortion earlier in pregnancy, including many of the state-level restrictions in place prior to Dobbs, such as arbitrary waiting periods, medically unnecessary mandatory ultrasounds, or requirements to provide medically inaccurate information.
Ensure that later in pregnancy, states cannot limit access to abortion if it would jeopardize the life or health of the mother.
Protect the ability to travel out of state for an abortion, which has become increasingly common in recent years.
Peters has been a strong advocate for protecting access to essential reproductive health care and the right of all Americans to make health care decisions privately with their doctors and family. Last year, Peters spoke on the Senate floor to urge his colleagues to support the Access to Family Building Act, legislation Peters cosponsored that would protect IVF treatment. Peters also spoke on the Senate floor in support of the Right to Contraception Act, legislation Peters cosponsored that would guarantee the right to access contraceptives. Peters also joined his colleagues last Congress in introducing the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2023.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 26, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Commerce Committee Passes Peters’ Bipartisan Bill to Improve Commercial Space Policy, Strengthen Industry Competitiveness

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters
Published: 06.25.2025
Bill Now Advances to Full Senate

WASHINGTON, DC – The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee passed U.S. Senator Gary Peters’(MI) bipartisan bill to strengthen commercial space policy and promote industry competitiveness. Peters’ bipartisan legislation – which he reintroduced with U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) – would establish a Commercial Space Activity Advisory Committee within the Office of Space Commerce. The bill would enable the advisory committee, made up of representatives with extensive experience in the commercial space industry from a variety of fields including space policy, engineering, and research, to share important insights into non-governmental space activity to help inform and shape federal policy and programs. The legislation now moves to the full Senate for consideration.
“The importance of the commercial space sector will only continue to grow as it plays a larger role in shaping the future of space exploration,” said Senator Peters. “I’m proud to lead this bipartisan legislation to provide space industry leaders in Michigan and across the U.S. with a chance to shape federal space policy and provide insight into how to stay competitive on a global scale. I’m going to continue working with my colleagues to see it pass the Senate.”
The Commercial Space Activity Advisory Committee would be comprised of 15 members who make recommendations on various priorities, including:
Identifying challenges relating to international obligations and export controls that affect the commercial space sector.
Addressing the need to access adequate, predictable, and reliable radio frequency spectrum.
Reviewing best practices for U.S. entities to avoid harmful environmental impacts to both earth and space.
Providing recommendations on matters related to space sector development and other activities the advisory committee considers necessary.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 26, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Russell Fry’s Federal Law Enforcement Officer Service Weapon Purchase Act Passes in the House

Source:

Rep. Russell Fry’s Federal Law Enforcement Officer Service Weapon Purchase Act Passes in the House

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Russell Fry’s (SC-07) Federal Law Enforcement Officer Service Weapon Purchase Act passed in the House of Representatives. This legislation will allow current and retired law enforcement officers to purchase their retired firearms.

Under current law, federal agencies are required to destroy retired firearms. This process costs the federal government millions of dollars and trickles down to American taxpayers.

Allowing current and retired federal law enforcement officers in good standing to purchase retired firearms is a common sense, cost-saving measure that benefits both law enforcement and American taxpayers.

“I’m thrilled to see the Federal Law Enforcement Officer Service Weapon Purchase Act pass in the House,” said Congressman Fry. “Not only will it save taxpayer dollars, it also creates a system in which law enforcement officers in good standing can exercise their Second Amendment rights by purchasing their retired service weapons. It is common sense legislation that recognizes the service of our federal officers while also encouraging responsible use of government resources.”

Full text of the Federal Law Enforcement Officer Service Weapon Purchase Act can be found here.

Congressman Fry serves on both the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Judiciary Committee. To stay up to date with Congressman Fry and his work for the Seventh District, follow his official Facebook, Instagram, and X pages and visit his website at fry.house.gov.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 26, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK seeks views on further trade protections for steel
Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

Press release

UK seeks views on further trade protections for steel

The UK has launched a six-week Call for Evidence, inviting views from across the steel supply chain to help shape new, future-ready trade measures.
Government invites businesses to shape future steel trade protections and strengthen the UK’s critical supply chains.

Key step in ensuring continued protection for the UK steel industry—building on the recent deal with the US to lift steel tariffs.

Follows a series of government actions under the Plan for Change to defend UK steel, protect jobs and secure major sites like Port Talbot and Scunthorpe.

Steel producers, consumers, and unions will shape the UK’s future trade approach for steel, as Ministers seek robust long-term protections for the industry.

Safeguard measures are put in place temporarily to address sudden import surges and help industry adapt to new trading environments, however the challenges now facing the steel industry demand longer-term solutions.

The current UK steel safeguard measure ends in June 2026 and cannot be extended. The views from industry will help shape new future-ready trade measures that will protect UK businesses and jobs right across the country.

Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:

We know this is a tough time for steel producers which is why this Government is using every tool available to ensure the long-term success of our vital steel industry, protect jobs and deliver on our Plan for Change.

Thanks to our deal with the United States, all Section 232 tariffs on UK steel will be removed—while producers in other countries still face tariffs of up to 50%. But we’re not stopping there.

We will not sit by idly while cheap imports threaten to undercut UK industry, so we are inviting industry to shape the next phase of our trade defences so we can provide robust support and ensure a fair and competitive market.

The six-week Call for Evidence comes in addition to further government action to support industry amid global challenges. This includes securing a trade deal with the US to remove tariffs on steel products and protect jobs. It also includes announcing the upcoming steel strategy, which will establish a long-term vision for the sector and help build resilient supply chains. These efforts follow the launch of both the Trade and Industrial Strategy, which set out broader plans to support key industries, including steel.

This Call for Evidence is a key step in the Government’s wider commitment to rebuilding the steel sector, alongside decisive interventions such as the £500 million grant securing the transformation of Port Talbot steelworks, the £2.5 billion investment pledged to rebuild the sector, the action taken to safeguard British Steel’s blast furnaces at Scunthorpe, and the forthcoming Steel Strategy.

UK Steel Director General Gareth Stace said:

It is welcome news that the Government is developing a new steel trade defence mechanism.

With growing global steel overcapacity and rising trade diversion, Government must deliver a new trade defence system to provide industry certainty before steel safeguards expire in June 2026.

UK Steel looks forward to working with Government to design an effective framework that will help to level the playing field on international trade and provide the market stability needed to draw investment in the UK steel sector.

Community Assistant General Secretary Alasdair McDiarmid said:

Trade protections are a vital bastion for our steel industry in the face of global overcapacity, rising protectionism and unfair trade. They provide essential security, and safeguard thousands of jobs across the UK steel industry and its extensive supply chains.

We welcome the UK Government’s early engagement with the sector to shape our future steel protections and ensure that a cliff-edge scenario next year is prevented.

This government has demonstrated its steadfast support for our steel industry, and we will continue to work with them to secure the long-term future of the sector.

Notes to editors

The Call for Evidence opens today and will run for six weeks, inviting stakeholders across the UK steel supply chain to submit feedback that will shape future trade measures.

For more details and to submit evidence, visit GOV.UK.

The UK’s steel safeguard measure is set to expire in June 2026 because it’s a temporary measure providing domestic industries with time to adjust to changing market conditions. These measures are meant to be in place for a limited time to allow industries to adapt to the influx of imports. WTO rules don’t allow for indefinite extensions of safeguard measures.

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Published 25 June 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
June 26, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Cleaver’s Statement on President Trump’s Unconstitutional Bombing of Three Sites in Iran

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) released the following statement on the bombing of three sites in Iran.

“President Trump’s bombing of 3 sites in Iran was unconstitutional; only Congress can declare war.

“I remain hopeful that Iran’s nuclear capabilities have been seriously weakened or destroyed. However, I’m concerned that Trump’s actions threaten to trap the U.S. in an escalating conflict.

“Recently both Democratic and Republican presidencies have felt comfortable in overstepping their article 2 constitutional authorities. This is a power grab.

“Any further military action must first be voted on by Congress.”

###

Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 26, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Cleaver Co-Sponsors War Powers Resolutions to Prohibit U.S. Involvement in Iran

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) co-sponsored two War Powers Resolutions to prohibit American involvement in Iran, following President Trump’s unilateral, unconstitutional, and dangerous decision to use U.S. Armed Forces to strike Iran directly.

The first resolution, introduced by Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA), would prohibit the U.S. Armed Forces from unauthorized hostilities in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The second resolution, introduced by the Democratic Ranking Members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, House Armed Services Committee, and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, would order the removal of U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities against Iran absent a Congressional authorization, while preserving the ability for U.S. Armed Forces to defend the U.S. and its partners and allies from imminent attack.

“For far too long and on a bipartisan basis, the Congress has ceded its Article I power to declare war, eliminating an essential check on the Executive Branch and giving one individual far too much power to drag the nation into protracted military conflicts,” said Congressman Cleaver. “While we all agree that Iran can never be allowed to procure a nuclear weapon, it is also critical that Congress leave no doubt that the president is not allowed to unilaterally begin a war with Iran, or any other country, without the approval of the People’s representatives. Both of these resolutions make clear that the president does not have this authority and ensure that the U.S. will not enter yet another costly conflict in the Middle East unless granted explicit approval from Congress.”

Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 26, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: A Review of Sediment Transport Across a Natural Tidal Salt Marsh in Northern San Francisco Bay

Source: US Geological Survey

A new monograph tackles these questions head-on, distilling years of scientific research at China Camp State Park in Marin County, California, into a clear, decision-relevant summary. The synthesis is the product of a collaborative process involving resource managers, restoration practitioners, and scientists convened through a National Estuarine Research Reserve Science Collaborative project. The site, located on San Pablo Bay in the San Francisco Estuary, is one of the last remaining salt marshes in the region that has remained largely untouched by human development.

The findings, drawn from a range of field studies, tell a complex and variable story of sediment movement. One major takeaway: shallow areas of the bay serve as an important—though inconsistent—source of sediment for the marsh. Sediment is delivered across the bay-marsh boundary primarily during flood tides and through wave action, in addition to transport through tidal creeks. In some cases, creeks may even export sediment instead of importing it.

The monograph also highlights the nuanced role of marsh vegetation. Plant species and seasonal growth cycles significantly affect how much sediment is trapped and retained. Denser vegetation in spring and summer, for instance, can slow water flow and promote sediment deposition—but this effect varies widely by plant type and inundation level.

As sea-level rise and human alterations continue to reshape estuaries, these insights are particularly important for assessing tidal marsh resilience. Sediment management is a key factor in whether tidal marshes can survive future climate conditions. For land managers and restoration practitioners, the study offers actionable information for planning sediment interventions—such as enhancing natural sediment delivery or restoring marsh-edge processes.

China Camp’s relatively unaltered condition makes it a valuable reference point, but researchers emphasize that broader studies across different marsh types are essential. Every estuary has its own sediment-flux dynamics; understanding that variability is crucial for protecting these ecosystems.

Read the study, Marsh Sediment in Translation: A Review of Sediment Transport Across a Natural Tidal Salt Marsh in Northern San Francisco Bay, in San Francisco Estuary and Watershed Science.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 26, 2025
MIL-OSI: Univest Securities, LLC Announces Closing of $1.2 Million Registered Direct Offering for its Client Houston American Energy Corp. (NYSE American: HUSA)

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

New York, June 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Univest Securities, LLC (“Univest”), a member of FINRA and SIPC, and a full-service investment bank and securities broker-dealer firm based in New York, today announced the closing of registered direct offering (the “Offering”), for its client Houston American Energy Corp. (NYSE American: HUSA) (the “Company”), an independent oil and gas company.

Under the terms of the securities purchase agreement, the Company has agreed to sell to an institutional investor (the “SPA”) for the purchase and sale of an aggregate of 81,629 shares of common stock at a purchase price of $14.80 per share in a registered direct offering.

The aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of this offering were approximately $1.2 million, before deducting the placement agent’s fees and other offering expenses payable by the Company. The Company currently intends to use the net proceeds of approximately $1 million from the offering for general corporate purposes.

Univest Securities, LLC acted as the sole placement agent.

The registered direct offering was made pursuant to a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-282778) previously filed by the Company and declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on November 4, 2024. A final prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus describing the terms of the proposed offering were filed with the SEC and are available on the SEC’s website located at http://www.sec.gov. Electronic copies of the final prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may be obtained, by contacting Univest Securities, LLC at info@univest.us, or by calling +1 (212) 343-8888.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor will there be any sales of such securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. Copies of the prospectus supplement relating to the registered direct offering, together with the accompanying base prospectus, can be obtained at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

About Univest Securities, LLC

Registered with FINRA since 1994, Univest Securities, LLC provides a wide variety of financial services to its institutional and retail clients globally including brokerage and execution services, sales and trading, market making, investment banking and advisory, wealth management. It strives to provide clients with value-add service and focuses on building long-term relationship with its clients. For more information, please visit: www.univest.us.

About Houston American Energy Corp.

Houston American Energy Corp., an independent oil and gas company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, exploitation, development, and production of natural gas, crude oil, and condensate. Its principal properties are located primarily in the Texas Permian Basin, the South American country of Colombia, and the onshore Louisiana Gulf Coast region. The company is based in Houston, Texas.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements that are other than statements of historical facts. When the Company uses words such as “may, “will, “intend,” “should,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “project,” “estimate” or similar expressions that do not relate solely to historical matters, it is making forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results to differ materially from the Company’s expectations discussed in the forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks including, but not limited to, the uncertainties related to market conditions and the completion of the initial public offering on the anticipated terms or at all, and other factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of the registration statement filed with the SEC. For these reasons, among others, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements in this press release. Additional factors are discussed in the Company’s filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov. Univest Securities LLC and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof.

For more information, please contact:
Univest Securities, LLC
Edric Guo
Chief Executive Officer
75 Rockefeller Plaza, Suite 18C
New York, NY 10019
Phone: (212) 343-8888
Email: info@univest.us

The MIL Network –

June 26, 2025
MIL-OSI: Univest Securities, LLC Announces Closing of $1.2 Million Registered Direct Offering for its Client Houston American Energy Corp. (NYSE American: HUSA)

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

New York, June 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Univest Securities, LLC (“Univest”), a member of FINRA and SIPC, and a full-service investment bank and securities broker-dealer firm based in New York, today announced the closing of registered direct offering (the “Offering”), for its client Houston American Energy Corp. (NYSE American: HUSA) (the “Company”), an independent oil and gas company.

Under the terms of the securities purchase agreement, the Company has agreed to sell to an institutional investor (the “SPA”) for the purchase and sale of an aggregate of 81,629 shares of common stock at a purchase price of $14.80 per share in a registered direct offering.

The aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of this offering were approximately $1.2 million, before deducting the placement agent’s fees and other offering expenses payable by the Company. The Company currently intends to use the net proceeds of approximately $1 million from the offering for general corporate purposes.

Univest Securities, LLC acted as the sole placement agent.

The registered direct offering was made pursuant to a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-282778) previously filed by the Company and declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on November 4, 2024. A final prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus describing the terms of the proposed offering were filed with the SEC and are available on the SEC’s website located at http://www.sec.gov. Electronic copies of the final prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may be obtained, by contacting Univest Securities, LLC at info@univest.us, or by calling +1 (212) 343-8888.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor will there be any sales of such securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. Copies of the prospectus supplement relating to the registered direct offering, together with the accompanying base prospectus, can be obtained at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

About Univest Securities, LLC

Registered with FINRA since 1994, Univest Securities, LLC provides a wide variety of financial services to its institutional and retail clients globally including brokerage and execution services, sales and trading, market making, investment banking and advisory, wealth management. It strives to provide clients with value-add service and focuses on building long-term relationship with its clients. For more information, please visit: www.univest.us.

About Houston American Energy Corp.

Houston American Energy Corp., an independent oil and gas company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, exploitation, development, and production of natural gas, crude oil, and condensate. Its principal properties are located primarily in the Texas Permian Basin, the South American country of Colombia, and the onshore Louisiana Gulf Coast region. The company is based in Houston, Texas.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements that are other than statements of historical facts. When the Company uses words such as “may, “will, “intend,” “should,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “project,” “estimate” or similar expressions that do not relate solely to historical matters, it is making forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results to differ materially from the Company’s expectations discussed in the forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks including, but not limited to, the uncertainties related to market conditions and the completion of the initial public offering on the anticipated terms or at all, and other factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of the registration statement filed with the SEC. For these reasons, among others, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements in this press release. Additional factors are discussed in the Company’s filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov. Univest Securities LLC and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof.

For more information, please contact:
Univest Securities, LLC
Edric Guo
Chief Executive Officer
75 Rockefeller Plaza, Suite 18C
New York, NY 10019
Phone: (212) 343-8888
Email: info@univest.us

The MIL Network –

June 26, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Sherrill and Harshbarger Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Modernize Prescription Information

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representatives Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) and Diana Harshbarger (TN-01) reintroduced the bipartisan Prescription Information Modernization Act, legislation designed to update how prescribing information (PI) is distributed to pharmacists and physicians. This long-overdue reform would allow the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to finalize a proposed rule permitting drug manufacturers to send prescribing information electronically instead of on printed paper — a change that would improve patient safety and reduce waste.

“I’m focused on improving our healthcare system to ensure healthcare providers are able to provide the best possible care to patients,” said Rep. Sherrill. “Under outdated rules, providers are prohibited from receiving prescribing information for medications digitally. This legislation would finally modernize our system, allowing pharmacists to access real-time updates on prescription medications that will ensure they can dispense medicines to patients safely while reducing waste at the same time.”

“Pharmacists and physicians deserve timely, accurate data when making decisions that impact patient health, not pages of printed material that often arrive late and are immediately discarded,” said Rep. Harshbarger. “This bipartisan bill is a practical update that empowers healthcare professionals with real-time digital access, cuts waste, and ensures patients are receiving the most up-to-date information. Thank you to my colleague, Representative Sherrill for working with me to bring prescribing information into the 21st century.”

Currently, prescribing information — detailed technical documents intended for healthcare providers, not patients — must be printed and distributed on paper. These documents average 45 pages per prescription and are often bulky, outdated, and discarded soon after arrival. This outdated system, established in 1962, creates significant waste and environmental harm, with roughly 90 billion sheets of paper printed annually to comply with the mandate.

In 2014, the FDA proposed a rule to allow electronic distribution of prescribing information, but Congress has blocked the rule’s finalization through appropriations riders, forcing providers to continue receiving paper copies that are often outdated as it takes up to 8 to 12 months from printing to shipment of the information. This legislation would give providers the choice of how they receive prescribing information and allow them to opt for digital delivery that offers real-time updates — improving patient care and reducing environmental waste.

This legislation has drawn support from leading pharmacy and healthcare advocacy organizations, including the Alliance to Modernize Prescribing Information (AMPI) and the following groups: Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP), Allergy & Asthma Network, American Pharmacists Association, AmGen, Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, Association for Accessible Medicines, Beyond Type 1, Biotechnology Innovation Organization, BioNJ, BioUtah, Boomer Esiason Foundation, Environmental Paper Network, Georgia Bio, Healthcare Distribution Alliance, HealthCare Institute of New Jersey, LUNGevity Foundation, Lupin, Maryland Tech Council, MassBio, McKesson, National Association of Chain Drug Stores, National Consumers League, National Grange, NewYorkBIO, North Carolina Biosciences Organization, Texas Healthcare and Biosciences Institute, and Zero Cancer.

Additional sponsors of this legislation include Reps. David Valadao (R-CA), Don Davis (D-NC), Ken Calvert (R-CA), Scott Peters (D-CA), Julia Letlow (R-LA), Deborah Ross (D-NC), Brad Schneider (D-IL), Steve Womack (R-AR), and Paul Tonko (D-NY).

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MIL OSI USA News –

June 26, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: CFTC Staff Issues No-Action Letter to MIAX Futures Exchange, LLC

Source: US Commodity Futures Trading Commission

CFTC Staff Issues No-Action Letter to MIAX Futures Exchange, LLC | CFTC

/PressRoom/PressReleases/9090-25
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June 25, 2025

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s Division of Market Oversight today issued a no-action letter stating it will not recommend an enforcement action against MIAX Futures Exchange, LLC in connection with the temporary provision for the trading of Minneapolis Hard Red Spring Wheat options on futures (HRSW Options) exclusively through block trades, subject to the conditions in the letter.
The no-action position is intended to enable market participants, including those who are not Eligible Contract Participants as defined in section 1a(18) of the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA), to trade out of or offset open positions.
MIAX sought the requested relief due to the upcoming unavailability of an electronic trading system for HRSW Options. The proposed relief was open to public comment from June 23-25, 2025.
The time-limited no-action position is effective from June 29 – August 29, 2025.

-CFTC-

MIL OSI USA News –

June 26, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Nick Langworthy Announces FAA Grants for Cattaraugus County Olean Airport

Source: US Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23) announced the Federal Aviation Administration has awarded $313,813 to the Olean Airport for phase 2 of their rehabilitation project which consists of rehabilitating a parking lot and construction of a new lighting system. The FAA also awarded a second grant of $87,400 for improving an existing terminal.

“Investing in our local airports is essential to strengthening our regional infrastructure and economy,”said Congressman Langworthy.“I’m proud to support these FAA grants, which will help the Olean Airport make needed upgrades that improve safety, access, and future growth opportunities for our communities.”

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MIL OSI USA News –

June 26, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Nathaniel Moran Participates in Small Business Tax Roundtable with U.S. and Tyler Chambers

Source: Congressman Nathaniel Moran (R-TX-01)

On Friday, Congressman Nathaniel Moran (TX-01) participated in a Small Business Tax Roundtable hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce, where local business leaders and small-business owners from across East Texas gathered to discuss the real-world impact of federal tax policy.

Tyler, TX – On Friday, Congressman Nathaniel Moran (TX-01) participated in a Small Business Tax Roundtable hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce, where local business leaders and small-business owners from across East Texas gathered to discuss the real-world impact of federal tax policy. The conversation focused on the need to make permanent key provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act—such as 100% immediate expensing, the increased Qualified Business Income Deduction to 23%, and expanded Small Business and R&D incentives—all central components of the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB).

“I’m grateful to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, local leaders, and business owners who joined us for this important discussion,” said Congressman Moran. “These conversations and their insight are exactly what we need to shape tax policy that actually works. When it comes to businesses, the One Big Beautiful Bill is about incentivizing innovation and investment, rewarding hard work, protecting small businesses from burdensome taxation and regulations, and making sure businesses in East Texas can grow, hire, and thrive without Washington getting in the way. These conversations remind us of who we’re fighting for—and why passing the OBBB matters.”

Community and chamber leaders emphasized the importance of smart tax policy and shared firsthand how it affects their region:

James Sheridan, Board Chair of the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce, reflected on the roundtable: “It was an honor to host today’s roundtable and highlight the importance of the One Big Beautiful Bill. Extending the 23% deduction for pass-through income—set to expire at the end of this year—will provide meaningful relief to local business owners. By lowering tax rates and expanding this deduction, the law gives entrepreneurs more breathing room to invest in their operations, hire new employees, and support their communities. From family-owned shops in Tyler to service providers across the region, East Texas businesses have thrived under a tax code that rewards hard work and encourages growth.”

Mark Robinson, Board Chair of the East Texas Coalition, added: “On behalf of the East Texas Coalition, representing Kilgore, Lindale, Longview, Tyler, and Whitehouse Chambers of Commerce, we’re encouraged to see national momentum around key provisions that matter most to our region, particularly the reauthorization of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and the Senate’s recent adjustments to expand short-term Pell Grant eligibility. These provisions directly align with what our employers are asking for: more skilled workers, faster. We also support efforts to streamline federal permitting processes that will boost energy and infrastructure development. These are essential to driving investment, job creation, and long-term economic competitiveness in East Texas.”

John Gonzales, Executive Director of the Southwest/South Central Region for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said: “The U.S. Chamber thanks Congressman Nathaniel Moran for his tireless work to ensure his East Texas small businesses and working families continue to benefit from the pro-growth policies enacted in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. The economic impact of lower rates has helped businesses of all sizes in the district. As a member of the Ways and Means committee, Congressman Moran is working hard to promote jobs and economic growth in the 1^st District of Texas.”

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MIL OSI USA News –

June 26, 2025
MIL-OSI USA News: Analysis: One Big Beautiful Bill Will Boost Wages, Lower Deficits
Source: US Whitehouse
President Donald J. Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill will boost real wages, reduce the deficit, produce meaningful economic growth, and bring stability to the national debt, according to a new analysis by the Council of Economic Advisers.

Here are the topline findings:
- Real wages for workers will increase by as much as $7,200 per year.
- After-tax take-home pay for a typical family with two kids will increase by as much as $10,900 per year.
- Real investment will increase by as much as 10%.
- At least 1.1 percentage points added to annual real GDP growth.
- 7 million jobs will be protected and created.
Moreover, as a result of President Trump’s economic agenda:
- The deficits will be reduced by as much as $11.1 trillion — including as much as $5.2 trillion from economic growth, $1.6 trillion from discretionary spending cuts, $2.8 trillion from tariff revenue, and as much as $1.5 trillion from interest savings.
- The debt-to-GDP will fall to between 88% and 99% — versus rising to 117% if the Trump Tax Cuts aren’t extended in the One Big Beautiful Bill.
MIL OSI USA News –
June 26, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Latta’s Bills to Unleash American Energy & Power AI Approved By Energy and Commerce Committee

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

Latta’s Bills to Unleash American Energy & Power AI Approved By Energy and Commerce Committee

Washington, June 25, 2025

Today, the House Energy and Commerce Committee approved two bills introduced by Congressman Bob Latta (R-OH-5) to unleash American energy as artificial intelligence technology continues to evolve and require increased energy generation: the Electric Supply Chain Act and the Researching Efficient Federal Improvements for Necessary Energy Refining (REFINER) Act. The legislation now awaits consideration on the House floor.

The Electric Supply Chain Act directs the Secretary of Energy to conduct regular assessments and submit reports on the supply chain for electricity generation and transmission. The REFINER Act requires the National Petroleum Council to produce a report on the state of petrochemical refineries in the United States.

These bills aim to strengthen domestic energy production and infrastructure, priorities Congressman Latta has consistently championed. At today’s full Energy and Commerce markup, he spoke about the importance of supporting these measures. Watch him speak in support of the Electric Supply Chain Act HERE and the REFINER Act HERE.

“Generative artificial intelligence isn’t a trend; it’s the backbone of the next industrial era. Countries around the globe are racing to build the full AI stack: data centers, chips, power, and platforms. Here in the United States, we must ensure that we have the right policies in place to have enough energy to power AI and make America an attractive place to build the entire AI supply chain. I’m grateful to my colleagues on the House Energy and Commerce Committee for advancing my two bills to not only support progress in the AI space but also strengthen American-led energy production across the board,” Latta said.

Read more about the Electric Supply Chain Act HERE.

Read more about the REFINER Act HERE.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 26, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Casten Introduces Package of Legislation to Reform American Democracy
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Sean Casten (IL-06)
June 25, 2025

Casten seeks to increase the size of the House and Senate, and rebalance the Supreme Court’s power

Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) introduced a package of legislation to reform American democracy by increasing the size of the United States Senate and House of Representatives, as well as restoring the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction to better align with Article III of the US Constitution.

A one-page summary of the legislation can be found here.

The legislation – two bills and a constitutional amendment – would:
- Establish 12 at-large senators to be elected through a national popular vote
- Add approximately 230 additional Members of the House (if it had been implemented after the 2020 census)
- Rebalance the power of the Supreme Court by creating a 13-judge multi-circuit panel to hear cases where the United States or a federal agency is a party
Prior to Rep. Casten introducing similar legislation in 2023, there had been no attempts in Congress to expand the Senate or reinstate the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court. The last time the House was expanded was in 1911. After an inability to settle disputes over reapportionment after the 1920 Census, the size of the House was arbitrarily locked in place at 435 in 1929.

An overview of the legislation can be found below, including bill text and section-by-sections of the legislation.

“The fundamental promise of our democracy is to fulfill the will of the people,” said Rep. Sean Casten. “In modern times, we have failed to meet that promise. There is a growing list of issues – from climate action to gun control to health care to voting rights – where the federal government has consistently ignored the priorities of the majority of Americans, and often acted in direct contradiction. This failure not only breeds cynicism but ultimately risks the very survival of our government. We must act against the counter-majoritarian institutions of our political system and seek to reestablish the government as a stalwart for the people.

“The Equal Voices Act will increase the size of the House to be in line with the growing population of the United States. Not only will this bill create smaller districts to allow Members to be more responsive to the needs of their constituents, but it will also rebalance inflated representation between districts and allow for greater diversity that is more representative of our great nation. On top of that, it will grow and equalize the Electoral College, better aligning outcomes with the national popular vote.

“Our Founders purposefully constructed the Senate to act as a counter-balance to the will of large, populous states. This may have been effective in their time, but it no longer meets the needs of our country. A government that doesn’t represent the people cannot sustain the support of the people. My amendment establishes 12 at-large senators to be elected through a national popular vote. By creating this bloc of senators, comprising roughly 10% of the body, who are directly responsible to the public will, the Senate will be forced to move its agenda towards the will of the majority.

“The current judicial system allows biased parties to game the system, seeking out judges who allow them to further policy objectives instead of blindly seeking justice. This distorts the actual and perceived fairness and independence of the Court and must be remedied. The Constitution gives Congress the power to address the structural concerns of the Supreme Court, and we must do so. It’s time for Congress to restore the Court’s jurisdiction to align with Article III of the Constitution and eliminate the current elements that allow the Court to be gamed for political advantages.”

“These are bold but necessary measures that seek the norms of modern American politics to remedy longstanding problems in our institutions and return power to the will of the people. This is the next step in our quest to form the more perfect union of our Founders’ dreams.”

House Reform – Equal Voices Act

Bill Text | Section-by-Section and Summary
- This bill directs that after the first census following enactment, the size of each Congressional District be limited to approximately 500,000 people.
- States with populations which do not neatly fit into 500,000-person districts may opt to create multi-member districts using ranked choice voting.
- This would bring the size of House districts in line with US population growth since the last expansion of the House in 1911 and reduce disparities in district size across states.
- If this method of apportionment had been implemented after the 2020 census, a congressional district would have added 228 new members in the 2022 election, growing to 689 total seats.
- By increasing the size of the House, this would also expand and rebalance the Electoral College, bringing outcomes more in line with the popular vote.
Senate Reform – Amendment to the US Constitution

Bill Text | Section-by-Section and Summary
- This is a constitutional amendment to establish 12 at-large senators to be elected through national popular vote.
- All voters eligible to vote in presidential elections will be eligible to vote for these senators.
- This would also establish 12 at-large Electors who shall cast their votes in the Electoral College for the winner of the national popular vote.
Supreme Court Reform – Restoring Judicial Separation of Powers Act

Bill Text | Section-by-Section and Summary
- Restructures the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of the United States to align with Article III of the Constitution.
- Allows for any party to appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia to be heard and determined by a district court of three-judges.
- Creates a 13-judge multi-circuit panel to hear cases that the United States or a Federal agency is a party, cases concerning constitutional or statutory interpretation of Federal law, or cases clarifying the functions or actions of an executive order.
  
  This panel will consist of 1 judge randomly selected from each circuit court of appeals (minus the federal circuit) and 1 chief judge randomly selected from the same circuit courts of appeals.
  
  Each judge of the multi-circuit panel shall serve during the period beginning at 10amET on the first Monday in October and ending at 9:59amET on the first Monday in October of the following year.
  
  A supermajority of not less than 70% of judges shall be required to affirm any decision which holds that any Act of Congress is unconstitutional, unlawful, or otherwise invalid.
- Actions before a court of the United States seeking injunctive relief restraining the enforcement of any Federal statute, regulation or order against a nonparty will be transferred to the U.S. Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia Circuit.
- The SCOTUS, U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, and Multi-circuit panel will have to issue a written explanation supporting decisions which shall be published on the respective websites and must be signed by the judge or judges.
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MIL OSI USA News –
June 26, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Virgin Islands Private Nonprofits Affected by Tropical Storm Ernesto

Source: United States Small Business Administration

ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in the Virgin Islands of the July 25 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by Tropical Storm Ernesto occurring Aug. 13-16, 2024.

The disaster declaration covers the areas of Saint Croix, Saint John, Saint Thomas and Water Island.

Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to PNPs providing non-critical services of a governmental nature with financial losses directly related to the disaster. Example of eligible non-critical PNPs include, but are not limited to, food kitchens, homeless shelters, museums, libraries, community centers, schools and colleges.

EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

“SBA loans help eligible small businesses and private nonprofits cover operating expenses after a disaster, which is crucial for their recovery,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “These loans not only help business owners get back on their feet but also play a key role in sustaining local economies in the aftermath of a disaster.”

The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 3.25% and terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

To apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

The deadline to return economic injury applications is July 25, 2025.

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About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 26, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Virgin Islands Private Nonprofits Affected by Tropical Storm Ernesto

Source: United States Small Business Administration

ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in the Virgin Islands of the July 25 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by Tropical Storm Ernesto occurring Aug. 13-16, 2024.

The disaster declaration covers the areas of Saint Croix, Saint John, Saint Thomas and Water Island.

Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to PNPs providing non-critical services of a governmental nature with financial losses directly related to the disaster. Example of eligible non-critical PNPs include, but are not limited to, food kitchens, homeless shelters, museums, libraries, community centers, schools and colleges.

EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

“SBA loans help eligible small businesses and private nonprofits cover operating expenses after a disaster, which is crucial for their recovery,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “These loans not only help business owners get back on their feet but also play a key role in sustaining local economies in the aftermath of a disaster.”

The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 3.25% and terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

To apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

The deadline to return economic injury applications is July 25, 2025.

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About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 26, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: SBA Offers Relief to Tennessee Private Nonprofits Affected by April Storms and Tornadoes

Source: United States Small Business Administration

ATLANTA – In response to a Presidential disaster declaration for public assistance issued June 19, 2025, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the availability of low interest federal disaster loans for certain private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Tennessee affected by severe storms, straight line winds, tornadoes and flooding occurring April 2–24, 2025.

The disaster declaration covers the counties of Cheatham, Davidson, Decatur, Dyer, Fayette, Gibson, Grundy, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Henry, Hickman, Lauderdale, Madison, McNairy, Obion, Perry, Steward, and Tipton.

Under this declaration, PNPs providing non-critical services of a governmental nature are eligible to apply for both business physical disaster loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) from the SBA. Examples of eligible non-critical PNP organizations include, but are not limited to, food kitchens, homeless shelters, museums, libraries, community centers, schools, and colleges.

PNPs may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets. Applicants may also be eligible for a loan increase of up to 20% of their physical damages, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes.

EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

“SBA loans help eligible PNPs cover operating expenses after a disaster, which is crucial for their recovery,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “These loans not only help PNPs get back on their feet but also play a key role in sustaining local economies in the aftermath of a disaster.”

Interest rates are as low as 3.625%, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

To apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is Aug. 19, 2025. The deadline to return economic injury applications is March 19, 2026.

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About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 26, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: SBA Offers Relief to Tennessee Private Nonprofits Affected by April Storms and Tornadoes

Source: United States Small Business Administration

ATLANTA – In response to a Presidential disaster declaration for public assistance issued June 19, 2025, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the availability of low interest federal disaster loans for certain private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Tennessee affected by severe storms, straight line winds, tornadoes and flooding occurring April 2–24, 2025.

The disaster declaration covers the counties of Cheatham, Davidson, Decatur, Dyer, Fayette, Gibson, Grundy, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Henry, Hickman, Lauderdale, Madison, McNairy, Obion, Perry, Steward, and Tipton.

Under this declaration, PNPs providing non-critical services of a governmental nature are eligible to apply for both business physical disaster loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) from the SBA. Examples of eligible non-critical PNP organizations include, but are not limited to, food kitchens, homeless shelters, museums, libraries, community centers, schools, and colleges.

PNPs may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets. Applicants may also be eligible for a loan increase of up to 20% of their physical damages, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes.

EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

“SBA loans help eligible PNPs cover operating expenses after a disaster, which is crucial for their recovery,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “These loans not only help PNPs get back on their feet but also play a key role in sustaining local economies in the aftermath of a disaster.”

Interest rates are as low as 3.625%, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

To apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is Aug. 19, 2025. The deadline to return economic injury applications is March 19, 2026.

###

About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 26, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Pennsylvania Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Drought

Source: United States Small Business Administration

ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Pennsylvania of the July 25 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by drought occurring on Nov. 19, 2024.

The disaster declaration covers the Pennsylvania counties of Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia and the Delaware county of New Castle as well as the New Jersey county of Gloucester.

Under this declaration SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.

EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the small business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

“Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”

The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.62% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

To apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

The deadline to return economic injury applications is July 25, 2025.

###

About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 26, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Pennsylvania Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Drought

Source: United States Small Business Administration

ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Pennsylvania of the July 25 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by drought occurring on Nov. 19, 2024.

The disaster declaration covers the Pennsylvania counties of Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia and the Delaware county of New Castle as well as the New Jersey county of Gloucester.

Under this declaration SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.

EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the small business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

“Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”

The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.62% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

To apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

The deadline to return economic injury applications is July 25, 2025.

###

About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 26, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Maryland Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Drought

Source: United States Small Business Administration

ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Maryland of the July 25 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by drought occurring Nov. 19.

The disaster declaration covers the Maryland counties of Anne Arundel, Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot as well as Kent County in Delaware.

Under this declaration SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.

EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the small business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

“Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”

The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.65% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

To apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

The deadline to return economic injury applications is July 25, 2025.

###

About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 26, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Maryland Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Drought

Source: United States Small Business Administration

ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Maryland of the July 25 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by drought occurring Nov. 19.

The disaster declaration covers the Maryland counties of Anne Arundel, Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot as well as Kent County in Delaware.

Under this declaration SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.

EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the small business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

“Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”

The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.65% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

To apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

The deadline to return economic injury applications is July 25, 2025.

###

About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 26, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Connecticut Private Nonprofits Affected by August Severe Storms

Source: United States Small Business Administration

ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Connecticut of the July 25 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by severe storm, flooding, landslides, and mudslides occurring on Aug. 18 – Aug. 19, 2024.

The disaster declaration covers the counties in Fairfield, Litchfield and New Haven.

Under this declaration, PNPs providing non-critical services of a governmental nature are eligible to apply for both business physical disaster loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDLs) from the SBA. Examples of eligible non-critical PNP organizations include, but are not limited to, food kitchens, homeless shelters, museums, libraries, community centers, schools, and colleges.

PNPs may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets. Applicants may also be eligible for a loan increase of up to 20% of their physical damages, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes.

EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

“SBA loans help eligible small businesses and private nonprofits cover operating expenses after a disaster, which is crucial for their recovery,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “These loans not only help business owners get back on their feet but also play a key role in sustaining local economies in the aftermath of a disaster.”

Interest rates are as low as 3.25%, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

To apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

The deadline to return economic injury applications is July 25, 2025.

###

About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 26, 2025