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Category: United States of America

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pacific Partnership 2025 Conducts Mission Stop in Nuku’Alofa, Tonga, June 23, 2025 [Image 7 of 11]

    Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

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    NUKU’ALOFA, Tonga (June 23, 2025) Lt. Cmdr. Derek Gresko conducts an eye exam for a local resident at Vaiola Hospital as part of Pacific Partnership 2025 (PP-25) in Nuku’alofa, Tonga, June 23, 2025. PP-25 medical teams are providing free eye exams and prescription glasses at Vaiola Hospital and Mu’a Health Center while in Nuku’alofa, Tonga. Now in its 21st iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Courtesy Asset)

    Date Taken: 06.23.2025
    Date Posted: 06.23.2025 23:29
    Photo ID: 9128315
    VIRIN: 250623-N-RM599-6451
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    Location: NUKU’ALOFA, TO
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  • MIL-OSI Security: The Hawaii National Guard conducts Urban Rescue training during Pacific Partnership 2025 in Virac, Philippines

    Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

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    Virac, Philippines (June 3, 2025) – Hawaii National Guard Spc. Elvis Salinas and personnel from the Armed Forces of the Philippines Disaster Response Unit instruct local emergency responders and civilian authorities on knot-tying techniques used in rappelling during a training session in Virac, Philippines, June 3, 2025. This effort is part of a two-week urban rescue training exercise supporting the humanitarian assistance and disaster response objectives of Pacific Partnership 2025. Now in its 21st iteration, Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jordan Jennings)

    Date Taken: 06.03.2025
    Date Posted: 06.24.2025 23:13
    Photo ID: 9130337
    VIRIN: 250603-N-YV347-1041
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    Size: 20.63 MB
    Location: VIRAC, PH
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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Drone footage captured orcas crafting tools out of kelp – and using them for grooming

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Vanessa Pirotta, Postdoctoral Researcher and Wildlife Scientist, Macquarie University

    Sara Jenkins/500px/Getty

    The more we learn about orcas, the more remarkable they are. These giant dolphins are the ocean’s true apex predator, preying on great white sharks and other lesser predators.

    They’re very intelligent and highly social. Their clans are matrilineal, centred around a older matriarch who teaches her clan her own vocalisations. Not only this, but the species is one of only six known to experience menopause, pointing to the social importance of older females after their reproductive years. Different orca groups have fashion trends, such as one pod who returned to wearing salmon as a hat, decades after it went out of vogue.

    But for all their intelligence, one thing has been less clear. Can orcas actually make tools, as humans, chimps and other primates do? In research out today by United States and British researchers, we have an answer: yes.

    Using drones, researchers watched as resident pods in the Salish Sea broke off the ends of bull kelp stalks and rolled them between their bodies. This, the researchers say, is likely to be a grooming practice – the first tool-assisted grooming seen in marine animals.

    This video shows whales using kelp tools in what appears to be social grooming behaviour. Credit: Center for Whale Research.

    Self kelp: why would orcas make tools?

    Tool use and tool making have been well documented in land-based species. But it’s less common among marine species. This could be partly due to the challenge of observing them.

    This field of research expands what we know these animals are capable of. Not only are orcas spending time making kelp into a grooming tool, but they’re doing it socially – two orcas have to work together to rub the kelp against their bodies.

    To make the tool, the orcas use their teeth to grab a stalk of kelp by its “stipe” – the long, narrow part near the seaweed’s holdfast, where it tethers to the rock. They use their teeth, motion of their body and the drag of the kelp to break off a piece of this narrow stipe.

    Next, they approach a social partner, flip the length of the kelp onto their rostrum (their snout-like projection) and press their head and the kelp against their partner’s flank. The two orcas use their fins and flukes to trap the kelp while rolling it between their bodies. During this contact, the orcas would roll and twist their bodies – often in an exaggerated S-shaped posture. A similar posture has been seen among orcas in other groups, who adopt it when rubbing themselves on sand or pebbles.

    Why do it? The researchers suggest this practise may be social skin-maintenance. Bottlenose dolphin mothers are known to remove dead skin from their calves using flippers, while tool-assisted grooming of a partner has been seen in primates, but infrequently and usually in captivity.

    Orcas across different social groups, ages and genders were seen doing this. But they were more likely to groom close relatives or those of similar age. There was some evidence suggesting whales with skin conditions were more likely to do the kelp-based grooming.

    Humpback whales are known to wear kelp in a practice known as “kelping”. But this study covers a different behaviour, which the authors dub “allokelping” (kelping others).

    A surprise from well-studied pods

    Interestingly, this new discovery comes from some of the most well-studied and famous orcas in the world – a group known as the southern resident killer whales. If you were a child of the 90s, you would have seen them in the opening scene of Free Willy, the movie which set me on my path to study cetaceans.

    These orcas consist of three pods known as J, K and L pods. Each live in the Salish Sea in the Pacific Northwest on the border of Canada and the US.

    Researchers fly drones over these resident pods most days and have access to almost 50 years of observations. But this is the first time the tool-making behaviour has been seen.

    Unfortunately, these pods are critically endangered. They’re threatened by sound pollution from shipping, polluted water, vessel strike and loss of their main food source – Chinook salmon.

    A pod of killer whales off Vancouver, Canada.
    Vanessa Pirotta, CC BY-NC-ND

    Orcas are smart

    In one sense, the findings are not a surprise, given the intelligence of these animals.

    In the Antarctic, orcas catch seals by making waves to wash them off ice floes. Before European colonisation, orcas and First Nations groups near Eden hunted whales together.

    They can mimic human speech, while different groups have their own dialects. These animals are awe-inspiring – and sometimes baffling, as when a pod began biting or attacking boats off the Iberian peninsula.

    While orcas are often called “killer whales”, they’re not whales. They’re the biggest species of dolphin, growing up to nine metres long. They’re found across all the world’s oceans.

    Within the species, there’s a surprising amount of diversity. Scientists group orcas into different ecotypes – populations adapted to local conditions. Different orca groups can differ substantially, from size to prey to habits. For instance, transient orcas cover huge distances seeking larger prey, while resident orcas stick close to areas with lots of fish.

    Not just a fluke

    Because orcas differ so much, we don’t know whether other pods have discovered or taught these behaviours.

    But what this research does point to is that tool making may be more common among marine mammals than we expected. No hands – no problem.

    Vanessa Pirotta does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Drone footage captured orcas crafting tools out of kelp – and using them for grooming – https://theconversation.com/drone-footage-captured-orcas-crafting-tools-out-of-kelp-and-using-them-for-grooming-259372

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Hauntingly familiar? Why comparing the US strikes on Iran to Iraq in 2003 is off target

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Benjamin Isakhan, Professor of International Politics, Deakin University

    On June 21, the United States launched airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities – Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan – pounding deeply buried centrifuge sites with bunker-busting bombs.

    Conducted jointly with Israel, the operation took place without formal congressional authorisation, drawing sharp criticism from lawmakers that it was unconstitutional and “unlawful”.



    Read more:
    Why the US strikes on Iran are illegal and can set a troubling precedent

    Much of the political debate has centred on whether the US is being pulled into “another Middle East war”.

    The New York Times’ Nick Kristof weighed in on the uncertainties following the US’ surprise bombing of Iran and Tehran’s retaliation.

    Even US Vice President JD Vance understood the unease, stating:

    People are right to be worried about foreign entanglement after the last 25 years of idiotic foreign policy.

    These reactions have revived comparisons with George W. Bush’s 2003 invasion of Iraq: a Republican president launching military action on the basis of flimsy weapons of mass destruction (WMD) evidence.

    Hauntingly familiar?

    While the surface similarity is tempting, the comparison may in fact obscure more about President Donald Trump than it reveals.

    Comparisons to the Iraq War

    In 2003, Bush ordered a full-scale invasion of Iraq based on flawed intelligence, claiming Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein possessed WMDs. And while the war was extremely unpopular across the world, it did have bipartisan congressional support.

    The invasion toppled Iraq’s regime in just a few weeks.

    What followed was a brutal conflict and almost a decade of US occupation. The war triggered the rise of militant jihadism and a horrific sectarian conflict that reverberates today.

    So far, Trump’s one-off strikes on Iran bear little resemblance to the 2003 Iraq intervention.

    These were precision strikes within the context of a broader Iran-Israel war, designed to target Iran’s nuclear program.

    And, so far, there appears to be little appetite for a full-scale military invasion or “boots on the ground”, and regime change seems unlikely despite some rumblings from both Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

    Yet the comparison to Iraq persists, especially among audiences suspicious of repeated US military interventions in the Middle East. But poorly considered analogies carry costs.

    For one, the Iraq comparison sheds little light on Trump’s foreign policy.



    Read more:
    The US has entered the Israel-Iran war. Here are 3 scenarios for what might happen next

    Trump’s foreign policy

    To better understand the recent strikes on Iran, we need to look at Trump’s broader foreign policy.

    Much has been made of his “America first” mantra, a complex mix of prioritising domestic interests, questioning international agreements, and challenging traditional alliances.

    Others, including Trump himself, have often touted his “no war” approach, pointing to large-scale military withdrawals from Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq,and the fact he had not started a new war.

    But beyond this, Trump has increased US military spending and frequently used his office to conduct targeted strikes on adversaries – especially across the Middle East.

    For example, in 2017 and 2018, Trump ordered airstrikes on a Syrian airbase and chemical weapons facilities. In both instances, he bypassed Congress and used precision air power to target weapons infrastructure without pursuing regime change.

    Also, from 2017 to 2021, Trump authorised US support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen, enabling airstrikes that targeted militant cells but also led to mass civilian casualties.

    Trump’s policy was the subject of intense bipartisan opposition, culminating in the first successful congressional invocation of the War Powers Resolution – though it was ultimately vetoed by Trump.

    And in 2020, Trump launched a sequence of attacks on Iranian assets in Iraq. This included a drone strike that killed senior Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani.

    Again, these attacks were conducted without congressional support. The decision triggered intense bipartisan backlash and concerns about escalation without oversight.

    While such attacks are not without precedent – think back to former US President Barack Obama’s intervention in Libya or Joe Biden’s targeting of terrorist assets – the scale and veracity of Trump’s attacks on the Middle East are much more useful as a framework to understanding the recent attacks on Iran than any reference to the 2003 Iraq war.

    What this reveals about Trump

    It is crucial to scrutinise any use of force. But while comparing the 2025 Iran strikes to Iraq in 2003 may be rhetorically powerful, it is analytically weak.

    A better path is to situate these events within Trump’s broader political style.

    He acts unilaterally and with near-complete impunity, disregarding traditional constraints and operating outside established norms and oversight.

    This is just as true for attacks on foreign adversaries as it is for the domestic policy arena.

    For example, Trump recently empowered agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to operate with sweeping discretion in immigration enforcement, bypassing legal and judicial oversight.

    Trump also uses policy as spectacle, designed to send shockwaves through the domestic or foreign arenas and project dominance to both friend and foe.

    In this way, Trump’s dramatic attacks on Iran have some parallels to his unilateral imposition of tariffs on international trade. Both are abrupt, disruptive and framed as a demonstration of strength rather than a way to create a mutually beneficial solution.

    Finally, Trump is more than willing to use force as an instrument of power rather than as a last resort. This is just as true for Iran as it is for the US people.

    The recent deployment of US Marines to quell protests in Los Angeles reveals a similar impulse: military intervention as a first instinct in the absence of a broader strategy to foster peace.

    To truly understand and respond to Trump’s Iran strikes, we need to move beyond sensationalist analogies and recognise a more dangerous reality. This is not the start of another Iraq; it’s the continuation of a presidency defined by impulsive power, unchecked force and a growing disdain for democratic constraint.

    Benjamin Isakhan receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Australian Department of Defence. The views expressed in this article do not reflect those of Government policy.

    – ref. Hauntingly familiar? Why comparing the US strikes on Iran to Iraq in 2003 is off target – https://theconversation.com/hauntingly-familiar-why-comparing-the-us-strikes-on-iran-to-iraq-in-2003-is-off-target-259668

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Will the fragile ceasefire between Iran and Israel hold? One factor could be crucial to it sticking

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Ali Mamouri, Research Fellow, Middle East Studies, Deakin University

    Amir Levy/Getty Images

    After 12 days of war, US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran that would bring to an end the most dramatic, direct conflict between the two nations in decades.

    Israel and Iran both agreed to adhere to the ceasefire, though they said they would respond with force to any breach.

    If the ceasefire holds – a big if – the key question will be whether this signals the start of lasting peace, or merely a brief pause before renewed conflict.

    As contemporary war studies show, peace tends to endure under one of two conditions: either the total defeat of one side, or the establishment of mutual deterrence. This means both parties refrain from aggression because the expected costs of retaliation far outweigh any potential gains.

    What did each side gain?

    The war has marked a turning point for Israel in its decades-long confrontation with Iran. For the first time, Israel successfully brought a prolonged battle to Iranian soil, shifting the conflict from confrontations with Iranian-backed proxy militant groups to direct strikes on Iran itself.

    This was made possible largely due to Israel’s success over the past two years in weakening Iran’s regional proxy network, particularly Hezbollah in Lebanon and Shiite militias in Syria.

    Over the past two weeks, Israel has inflicted significant damage on Iran’s military and scientific elite, killing several high-ranking commanders and nuclear scientists. The civilian toll was also high.

    Additionally, Israel achieved a major strategic objective by pulling the United States directly into the conflict. In coordination with Israel, the US launched strikes on three of Iran’s primary nuclear facilities: Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.

    Despite these gains, Israel has not accomplished all of its stated goals. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had voiced support for regime change, urging Iranians to rise up against Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s government, but the senior leadership in Iran remains intact.

    Additionally, Israel has not fully eliminated Iran’s missile program. (Iran continued striking to the last minute before the ceasefire.) And Tehran did not acquiesce to Trump’s pre-war demand to end uranium enrichment.

    Although Iran was caught off-guard by Israel’s attacks — particularly as it was engaged in nuclear negotiations with the US — it responded by launching hundreds of missiles towards Israel.

    While many were intercepted, a significant number penetrated Israeli air defences, causing widespread destruction in major cities, dozens of fatalities and hundreds of injuries.

    Iran has demonstrated its capacity to strike back, though Israel has succeeded in destroying many of its air defence systems, some ballistic missile assets (including missile launchers) and multiple energy facilities.

    Since the beginning of the assault, Iranian officials have repeatedly called for a halt to resume negotiations. Under such intense pressure, Iran has realised it would not benefit from a prolonged war of attrition with Israel — especially as both nations face mounting costs and the risk of depleting their military stockpiles if the war continues.

    As theories of victory suggest, success in war is defined not only by the damage inflicted, but by achieving core strategic goals and weakening the enemy’s will and capacity to resist.

    While Israel claims to have achieved the bulk of its objectives, the extent of the damage to Iran’s nuclear program is not fully known, nor is its capacity to continue enriching uranium.

    Both sides could remain locked in a volatile standoff over Iran’s nuclear program, with the conflict potentially reigniting whenever either side perceives a strategic opportunity.

    Sticking point over Iran’s nuclear program

    Iran faces even greater challenges when it emerges from the war. With a heavy toll on its leadership and nuclear infrastructure, Tehran will likely prioritise rebuilding its deterrence capability.

    That includes acquiring new advanced air defence systems — potentially from China — and restoring key components of its missile and nuclear programs. (Some experts say Iran has not used some of its most powerful missiles to maintain this deterrence.)

    Iranian officials have claimed they safeguarded more than 400 kilograms of 60% enriched uranium before the attacks. This stockpile could theoretically be converted into nine to ten nuclear warheads if further enriched to 90%.

    Trump declared Iran’s nuclear capacity had been “totally obliterated”, whereas Rafael Grossi, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog chief, said damage to Iran’s facilities was “very significant”.

    However, analysts have argued Iran will still have a depth of technical knowledge accumulated over decades. Depending on the extent of the damage to its underground facilities, Iran could be capable of restoring and even accelerating its program in a relatively short time frame.

    And the chances of reviving negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program appear slimmer than ever.

    What might future deterrence look like?

    The war has fundamentally reshaped how both Iran and Israel perceive deterrence — and how they plan to secure it going forward.

    For Iran, the conflict has reinforced the belief that its survival is at stake. With regime change openly discussed during the war, Iran’s leaders appear more convinced than ever that true deterrence requires two key pillars: nuclear weapons capability, and deeper strategic alignment with China and Russia.

    As a result, Iran is expected to move rapidly to restore and advance its nuclear program, potentially moving towards actual weaponisation — a step it had long avoided, officially.

    At the same time, Tehran is likely to accelerate military and economic cooperation with Beijing and Moscow to hedge against isolation. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi emphasised this close engagement with Russia during a visit to Moscow this week, particularly on nuclear matters.

    Israel, meanwhile, sees deterrence as requiring constant vigilance and a credible threat of overwhelming retaliation. In the absence of diplomatic breakthroughs, Israel may adopt a policy of immediate preemptive strikes on Iranian facilities or leadership figures if it detects any new escalation — particularly related to Iran’s nuclear program.

    In this context, the current ceasefire already appears fragile. Without comprehensive negotiations that address the core issues — namely, Iran’s nuclear capabilities — the pause in hostilities may prove temporary.

    Mutual deterrence may prevent a more protracted war for now, but the balance remains precarious and could collapse with little warning.

    Ali Mamouri does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Will the fragile ceasefire between Iran and Israel hold? One factor could be crucial to it sticking – https://theconversation.com/will-the-fragile-ceasefire-between-iran-and-israel-hold-one-factor-could-be-crucial-to-it-sticking-259669

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The war won’t end Iran’s nuclear program – it will drive it underground, following North Korea’s model

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Anthony Burke, Professor of Environmental Politics & International Relations, UNSW Sydney

    The United States’ and Israel’s strikes on Iran are concerning, and not just for the questionable legal justifications provided by both governments.

    Even if their attacks cause severe damage to Iran’s nuclear facilities, this will only harden Iran’s resolve to acquire a bomb.

    And if Iran follows through on its threat to pull out of the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), this will gravely damage the global nuclear nonproliferation regime.

    In a decade of international security crises, this could be the most serious. Is there still time to prevent this from happening?

    A successful but vulnerable treaty

    In May 2015, I attended the five-yearly review conference of the NPT. Delegates debated a draft outcome for weeks, and then, not for the first time, went home with nothing. Delegates from the US, United Kingdom and Canada blocked the final outcome to prevent words being added that would call for Israel to attend a disarmament conference.

    Russia did the same in 2022 in protest at language on its illegal occupation of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station in Ukraine.

    Now, in the latest challenge to the NPT, Israel and the US have bombed Iran’s nuclear complexes to ostensibly enforce a treaty neither one respects.

    When the treaty was adopted in 1968, it allowed the five nuclear-armed states at the time – the US, Soviet Union, France, UK and China – to join if they committed not to pass weapons or material to other states, and to disarm themselves.

    All other members had to pledge never to acquire nuclear weapons. Newer nuclear powers were not permitted to join unless they gave up their weapons.

    Israel declined to join, as it had developed its own undeclared nuclear arsenal by the late 1960s. India, Pakistan and South Sudan have also never signed; North Korea was a member but withdrew in 2003. Only South Sudan does not have nuclear weapons today.

    To make the obligations enforceable and strengthen safeguards against the diversion of nuclear material to non-nuclear weapons states, members were later required to sign the IAEA Additional Protocol. This gave the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) wide powers to inspect a state’s nuclear facilities and detect violations.

    It was the IAEA that first blew the whistle on Iran’s concerning uranium enrichment activity in 2003. Just before Israel’s attacks this month, the organisation also reported Iran was in breach of its obligations under the NPT for the first time in two decades.

    The NPT is arguably the world’s most universal, important and successful security treaty, but it is also paradoxically vulnerable.

    The treaty’s underlying consensus has been damaged by the failure of the five nuclear-weapon states to disarm as required, and by the failure to prevent North Korea from developing a now formidable nuclear arsenal.

    North Korea withdrew from the treaty in 2003, tested a weapon in 2006, and now may have up to 50 warheads.

    Iran could be next.

    How things can deteriorate from here

    Iran argues Israel’s attacks have undermined the credibility of the IAEA, given Israel used the IAEA’s new report on Iran as a pretext for its strikes, taking the matter out of the hands of the UN Security Council.

    For its part, the IAEA has maintained a principled position and criticised both the US and Israeli strikes.

    Iran has retaliated with its own missile strikes against both Israel and a US base in Qatar. In addition, it wasted no time announcing it would withdraw from the NPT.

    On June 23, an Iranian parliament committee also approved a bill that would fully suspend Iran’s cooperation with the IAEA, including allowing inspections and submitting reports to the organisation.

    Iran’s envoy to the IAEA, Reza Najafi, said the US strikes:

    […] delivered a fundamental and irreparable blow to the international non-proliferation regime conclusively demonstrating that the existing NPT framework has been rendered ineffective.

    Even if Israel and the US consider their bombing campaign successful, it has almost certainly renewed the Iranians’ resolve to build a weapon. The strikes may only delay an Iranian bomb by a few years.

    Iran will have two paths to do so. The slower path would be to reconstitute its enrichment activity and obtain nuclear implosion designs, which create extremely devastating weapons, from Russia or North Korea.

    Alternatively, Russia could send Iran some of its weapons. This should be a real concern given Moscow’s cascade of withdrawals from critical arms control agreements over the last decade.

    An Iranian bomb could then trigger NPT withdrawals by other regional states, especially Saudi Arabia, who suddenly face a new threat to their security.

    Why Iran might now pursue a bomb

    Iran’s support for Hamas, Hezbollah and Syria’s Assad regime certainly shows it is a dangerous international actor. Iranian leaders have also long used alarming rhetoric about Israel’s destruction.

    However repugnant the words, Israeli and US conservatives have misjudged Iran’s motives in seeking nuclear weapons.

    Israel fears an Iranian bomb would be an existential threat to its survival, given Iran’s promises to destroy it. But this neglects the fact that Israel already possesses a potent (if undeclared) nuclear deterrent capability.

    Israeli anxieties about an Iranian bomb should not be dismissed. But other analysts (myself included) see Iran’s desire for nuclear weapons capability more as a way to establish deterrence to prevent future military attacks from Israel and the US to protect their regime.

    Iranians were shaken by Iraq’s invasion in 1980 and then again by the US-led removal of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003. This war with Israel and the US will shake them even more.

    Last week, I felt that if the Israeli bombing ceased, a new diplomatic effort to bring Iran into compliance with the IAEA and persuade it to abandon its program might have a chance.

    However, the US strikes may have buried that possibility for decades. And by then, the damage to the nonproliferation regime could be irreversible.

    Anthony Burke received funding from the UK’s Economic and Social Research Council for a project on global nuclear governance (2014–17).

    – ref. The war won’t end Iran’s nuclear program – it will drive it underground, following North Korea’s model – https://theconversation.com/the-war-wont-end-irans-nuclear-program-it-will-drive-it-underground-following-north-koreas-model-259281

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: It’s time to face an uncomfortable truth: maybe our pampered pets would be better off without us

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Nancy Cushing, Associate Professor, School of Humanities and Social Science, University of Newcastle

    ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP via Getty Images

    Pet-keeping is often promoted for the benefits it brings humans. A close association with another animal can provide us with a sense of purpose and a daily dose of joy. It can aid our health, make us more conscientious and even help us form relationships with other humans.

    But the situation is perhaps not as rosy for the animal itself. Domesticated animals often live longer than their free-living counterparts, but the quality of those lives can be compromised. Pets can be fed processed foods that can lead to obesity. Many are denied a sexual life and experience of parenthood. Exercise can be limited, isolation is common and boredom must be endured.

    In the worst cases, pets suffer due to selective breeding practices, physical abuse and unethical commercial breeding.

    Is this the best life for the species we feel closest to? This question was raised for me when I heard the story of Valerie, the dachshund recaptured in April this year after almost 18 months living on her own on South Australia’s Karta Pintingga/Kangaroo Island.

    Is being a pet the best life for the species we feel closest to?
    Oleksandr Rupeta/NurPhoto via Getty Images

    Valerie: the story that captivated a nation

    Valerie, a miniature dachshund, escaped into the bush during a camping trip on Kangaroo Island in November 2023. After several days of searching, her bereft humans returned to their home in New South Wales. They assumed the tiny dog, who had lived her life as a “little princess”, was gone forever.

    Fast-forward a year, and sightings were reported on the island of a small dog wearing a pink collar. Word spread and volunteers renewed the search. A wildlife rescue group designed a purpose-built trap, fitting it out with items from Valerie’s former home.

    After several weeks, a remotely controlled gate clattered shut behind Valerie and she was caught.

    Cue great celebrations. The searchers were triumphant and the family was delighted. Social media lit up. It was a canine reenactment of one of settler Australia’s enduring narratives: the lost child rescued from the hostile bush.

    A dog’s-eye view

    But imagine if Valerie’s story was told from a more dog-centred perspective. Valerie found herself alone in a strange place and took the opportunity to run away. She embarked on a new life in which she was responsible for herself and could exercise the intelligence inherited from her boar-hunting ancestors.

    No longer required to be a good girl, Valerie applied her own judgement – that notorious dachshund “stubbornness” – to evade predators, fill her stomach and pass her days.

    Some commentators assumed Valerie must have been fed by anonymous benefactors – reflecting a widely held view that pets have limited abilities.

    Veterinary experts, however, said her diet likely consisted of small birds, mammals and reptiles she killed herself – as well as roadkill, other carrion and faeces.

    Valerie was clearly good at life on the lam. Unlike the human competitors in the series Alone Australia, she did not waste away when left in an island wilderness. Instead, she gained 1.8 kg of muscle – and was so stocky she no longer fit the old harness her humans brought to collect her. She had literally outgrown her former bonds.

    Valerie could have sought shelter with the island’s humans at any time, but chose not to. She had to be actively trapped. Once returned to her humans, she needed time to reacclimatise to life as a pet.

    Not all missing pets thrive in the wild. But all this raises the question of whether Valerie’s rescue would be better understood as a forced return from a full life of freedom, to a diminished existence in captivity?

    A long history of pets thriving in the wild

    Other examples exist which suggest an animal’s best life can take place outside the constraints of being a pet.

    Exotic parrots have fled lives in cages to form urban flocks. In the United States, 25 species initially imported as pets have set up self-sustaining, free-living populations across 23 states.

    Or take the red-eared slider turtle, which is native to parts of the US and Mexico. It’s illegal to keep the turtles as pets in Australia, but some of those smuggled in have later been released into urban wetlands where they have established large and widespread populations.

    Cats are perhaps the most notorious example of escaped pets thriving on their own in Australia. They numbers in the millions, in habitats from cities to the Simpson Desert to the Snowy Mountains, showing how little they need human assistance.

    One mark of their success is their prodigious size. At up to 7kg, free-living cats can be more than twice the weight of the average domestic cat.

    Around the world, exotic former companion mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians and insects have all established populations large enough to pose problems for other species.

    Rethinking animals as pets

    Of course, I am not advocating that pets be released to the wild, creating new problems. But I do believe current pet-keeping practices are due for reconsideration.

    A dramatic solution would be to take the animal out of the pet relationship. Social robots that look like seals and teddy bears are already available to welcome you home, mirror your emotions and offer up cuddles without the cost to other animals.

    A less radical option is to rethink the idea of animals as “pets” and instead see them as equals.

    Some people already enjoy these unforced bonds. Magpies, for example, are known to have strong allegiances with each other and are sometimes willing to extend those connections to humans in multi-species friendships.

    As for Valerie, she did make “her little happy sounds” when reunited with her humans. But she might look back with nostalgia to her 529 days of freedom on Kangaroo Island.

    Nancy Cushing receives funding from the State Library of New South Wales as the Coral Thomas Fellow. She is a member of the executive committee of the Australian Historical Association.

    – ref. It’s time to face an uncomfortable truth: maybe our pampered pets would be better off without us – https://theconversation.com/its-time-to-face-an-uncomfortable-truth-maybe-our-pampered-pets-would-be-better-off-without-us-256903

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI China: ‘Sea of Death’ becomes land of wonder

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

    Hop aboard, grip the handrail, press the gas, and it’s time for an exhilarating adventure across the vast, rolling sand dunes on a four-wheeled quad bike.

    This thrilling experience is just one of many adventures visitors can enjoy at the N39 scenic area in Makit County of Xinjiang’s Kashgar Prefecture. Located on the southwestern edge of the Taklimakan, China’s largest and the world’s second-largest drifting desert — often referred to as the “Sea of Death” — this once-remote and seldom-visited wilderness has become a captivating destination.

    “The ride was so much fun and so intense, we enjoyed it a lot,” said Li Wei, who brought her 18-year-old son for a post-graduation trip from Wuhu in east China’s Anhui Province, a city some 4,000 km from Kashgar. “Playing in the desert should be a great way for the kid to relax after the college entrance exam,” she added.

    Launched in 2016, the tourist site is attracting a growing number of visitors. The annual tourist visits have reached 500,000, with a consistent year-on-year growth rate of 7 to 15 percent, according to Dong Mingjiang, general manager of the tourism development company of the scenic area.

    “Many of our visitors come from afar, such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong, and we have also received many foreign visitors from countries such as the United States, Britain, Singapore and Thailand,” he said.

    Besides the four-wheelers, the site offers a wide choice of desert-based activities such as off-roaders, sand surfing, camel riding and desert camping.

    At the camel trekking area, Chen Wenbai mounted a camel and, under the guidance of staff, set off to explore the rolling sand dunes. The rhythmic chime of camel bells and the ethereal whistling of the camel herders echoed across the wilderness, creating a scene reminiscent of the ancient Silk Road.

    “It is my first time to see the big desert, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said Chen, who traveled all the way from Zhuhai in south China’s Guangdong Province to Xinjiang. Accompanying him were a dozen “travel buddies” he met online, who had discovered this scenic spot through Xiaohongshu, the Chinese lifestyle online platform known overseas as “rednote.”

    The name of the tourist site N39 means the 39 degrees north latitude, a line popular with adventurers and off-road enthusiasts to cross the Taklimakan Desert. The history of the N39 dates back to 1895 when Swedish explorer Sven Anders Hedin led his team along this line to cross the Taklimakan in vain.

    Today, witnessing an evolving landscape, the once-feared “Sea of Death” is transforming into a sea of life and hope.

    Over the years, against the background of China’s fight against desertification, people in Xinjiang have been cultivating drought-resistant plants such as populus euphratica, saxaul and red willow at the edge of the Taklimakan to fix the sand and improve the environment. In November 2024, a sand-blocking green belt stretching 3,046 km was completed to encircle the Taklimakan.

    In Makit, a total of 78,400 hectares of sand prevention and control projects, including 30,666 hectares of protective forests, have been completed. At the same time, the county has been tapping into the economic potential of the desert. Besides the N39 scenic area, it also established a tourist site featuring the Daolang (swordsman) culture and paintings created by local farmers.

    According to Pan Guoping, deputy director of the local culture, broadcasting and tourism bureau, in the first five months of 2025, the county received over 1.78 million tourist visits, a growth of 55.05 percent year-on-year. Tourism revenue during the period reached 732 million yuan (102 million U.S. dollars), up 61.58 percent.

    The tourist boom is evident around the Taklimakan.

    At the northern edge of the desert, Xayar County, Aksu Prefecture, boasts the world’s largest and best-preserved pristine populus euphratica forest stretching along the Tarim River.

    Thanks to the ecological restoration efforts such as ecological water conveyance and replanting, the county has created a wetland scenic area in the desert, integrating populus euphratica forests, lakes, wetlands and waterfowl habitats. In autumn, when the forests turn into a sea of golden yellow, this once-isolated area emerges as a popular destination, drawing visitors and photographers from near and far.

    At the southern margin of the desert, Yutian County in Hotan Prefecture has a long history of rose cultivation. As part of the sand control efforts, local communities have successfully cultivated drought-resistant and highly adaptable rose varieties suitable to their local desert conditions.

    The region now hosts a rose culture tourism festival annually, featuring an array of activities including song and dance performances, cultural exhibitions, rose-themed experiences, gourmet food tasting, agricultural product fairs, and sports events.

    The booming tourism industry is offering immense opportunities for locals.

    Four years ago, after graduating from Shanghai Normal University, Aynur Emer returned to her hometown of Makit and became a tour guide at the N39 scenic area. Now, at just 25 years old, she is the scenic spot’s deputy general manager.

    Growing up in a farming family, Aynur Emer often found herself reflecting on the desert that dominated her childhood memories — a place of hardship she hoped to leave.

    “The back door of our house opened directly onto the desert,” she recalled. “During sandstorms, the roads would disappear entirely. Coming back from the market, I frequently struggled to find my way home.”

    As a little girl, she never imagined that the desert could become a tourist destination. Yet today, thanks to environmental improvements and a burgeoning tourism industry, the desert has transformed in her eyes from a source of struggle to one of beauty and prosperity.

    “When I was young, I dreamed of traveling to see stunning landscapes far from home,” Aynur Emer said. “But now, the best view is right at my doorstep.” ■

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Hawaii Guardsman Returns to the Philippines with Pacific Partnership

    Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

    VIRAC, Philippines (June 12, 2025) — The tropical heat of Virac felt familiar to Hawaii Army National Guard Spc. Elvis Lorenz T. Salinas. This wasn’t a vacation, however. As a 12B Combat Engineer with the Hawaii Army National Guard’s Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and High-Yield Explosives Enhanced Response Force Package (CERFP) Search and Extraction team, Salinas was participating in Pacific Partnership, a multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness mission.

    Born in Manila, Salinas immigrated to Hawaii in 2015 and joined the Guard to serve his new home while staying connected to his roots. The mission to the Philippines was deeply personal.
    “It feels like coming full circle,” Salinas explained. “I left for better opportunities, and now I get to come back and support local communities. It’s very humbling.”

    Salinas’s Filipino heritage proved invaluable. Speaking the language and understanding the culture allowed him to easily communicate with local firefighters, Armed Forces of the Philippines service members, and volunteers.

    “My heritage allows me to connect with people on a deeper level,” said Salinas. “I speak the language, I understand the culture, and I know how important family and community are here. It has helped build trust quickly, and I think it reminds both sides that we’re all working together as partners.”

    The Hawaii National Guard team provided training in structural collapse, confined space rescue, and disaster preparedness, working side-by-side with local responders.

    Salinas was impressed by the professionalism of the Philippine military. “We talked stories with each other, shared meals … It reminded me that what we do affects real people and real lives.”

    “I never imagined I’d have the chance to return in this capacity,” Salinas reflected. He hopes the local community gains tools for future disaster response. “To my family and all Filipinos, I thank you for your strength, resilience, and warm hearts. I’m proud to represent our people here, and I promise to continue serving with honor and compassion. Mabuhay kayo!”

    Now in its 21st iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific.

    For updates and multimedia from Pacific Partnership 2025, follow #PacificPartnership, #PP25, and #PacificPartnership25 on social media or visit: https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/PacificPartnership

    Date Taken: 06.12.2025
    Date Posted: 06.24.2025 22:41
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    Location: VIRAC, PH
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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pacific Partnership 2025 Concludes Successful Mission in Virac, Philippines

    Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

    VIRAC, CATANDUANES, Philippines (June 12, 2025) — Pacific Partnership 2025 successfully concluded its mission in Virac, Philippines, marking the end of a series of intensive training exercises and collaborative engagements aimed at strengthening disaster response capabilities and fostering lasting partnerships, June 12, 2025.

    Over the past two weeks, members of the Hawaii National Guard, the Center for Excellence-Disaster Management, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) worked alongside local emergency responders and civilian authorities, focusing on urban search and rescue (USAR), Incident Command System (ICS) training, and a disaster management workshop. These activities were designed to enhance technical skills, exercise coordination frameworks, and support community-based resilience initiatives, ultimately increasing natural disaster preparedness in Virac and the greater Catanduanes province.

    “Catanduanes is frequently hit by typhoons year-round and the people here have learned to adapt in their own ways; they can still smile and laugh right after their properties were damaged by storm,” said Armed Forces of the Philippines Air Force Lt. Col. Gil L Andal, the AFP Officer in Charge. “The AFP, as a regular partner, is committed to continually improving the synergy in disaster response mechanisms in vulnerable communities to foster resilience built with strong capabilities”

    The ICS and disaster management workshops, modelled after the U.S. National Incident Management System (NIMS), provided a standardized framework for incident management, improving disaster preparedness and response capabilities. The Hawaii National Guard and AFP’s USAR component focused on lifesaving operations in challenging environments, including hands-on training in simulated collapsed structure rescue, shoring and stabilization techniques, and rubble pile operations.

    “The success of Pacific Partnership in Virac is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our Philippine partners,” said U.S. Navy Cmdr. Robert Reyes, the officer in charge for the Philippines mission stop. “Their commitment to enhancing disaster resilience is truly inspiring. We are deeply grateful for their warm hospitality, collaborative spirit, and unwavering dedication to the safety and well-being of their community. The bonds forged here will undoubtedly strengthen our shared ability to respond effectively to future challenges.”

    Now in its 21st iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific.

    For updates and multimedia from Pacific Partnership 2025, follow #PacificPartnership, #PP25, and #PacificPartnership25 on social media or visit: https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/PacificPartnership

    Date Taken: 06.12.2025
    Date Posted: 06.24.2025 22:44
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    Location: VIRAC, PH
    Web Views: 4
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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: June 24th, 2025 Heinrich Slams Trump Administration’s Decision to Rescind Roadless Rule That Strips Protections of Millions of Acres of America’s National Forests

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, released the following statement on U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins’ efforts to rescind the Roadless Area Conservation Rule, also known as the Roadless Rule, established during the Clinton Administration to protect over 58 million acres of public lands administered by the Forest Service.

    “Once again, the Trump Administration is putting special interests first by torching protections for our national forests. Rolling back the Roadless Rule will make millions of acres vulnerable to destructive wildfires, carve up wildlife habitat, degrade opportunities for recreation, and threaten the headwaters our communities rely on,” said Heinrich. “More than 80 percent of wildfires are started by humans within a half mile of a road – but now Trump is pretending that this rollback is necessary for fire prevention. This is nothing more than a reckless giveaway to private interests that puts lives and our lands at risk.” 

    See the map of New Mexico’s inventoried roadless areas on National Forest System lands here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Schatz Questions Military Leadership On Middle East Readiness, GOP Budget Tactics

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Hawaii Brian Schatz

    WASHINGTON — During a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense hearing today entitled, “A Review of the President’s Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request for the Navy,” U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) pressed top military officials on Middle East operations and partisan budget maneuvers. The witnesses included Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan, Commandant of the Marine Corps General Eric M. Smith, and Acting Chief of Naval Operations Admiral James W. Kilby.

    Addressing the current situation in the Middle East, Senator Schatz began, “President Trump’s decision to strike Iran was impetuous. He conducted strikes without seeking Congressional authorization, and it endangered service members stationed throughout the region. Iran’s barrage of missile attacks on Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar demonstrated that. The announcement of a ceasefire is good news, but now we need an actual ceasefire, and it is on all parties to arrive at that conclusion this unnecessary 12-day conflict.”

    Schatz then raised concerns about the readiness of U.S. forces amid shifting global threats, citing examples of multiple carrier strike groups rerouting from the Indo-Pacific to the Middle East and stressing the importance of replacing munitions expended by the U.S. to defend Israel to ensure that the U.S. can continue to deter future threats and protect its partners.

    Turning to the Navy and Marine Corps budget request, Schatz noted that the FY26 request, which Republicans have tied to their budget reconciliation efforts, fell $8 billion short of the FY25 continuing resolution (CR), saying, “Failing to address the current shortfalls caused by the CR means that the Navy will not be able to successfully deter the threats posed by China. Reconciliation is not a responsible way to do spending, as Senator McConnell, the Chairman of the Defense Subcommittee said, using extraordinary parliamentary authorities does not sustain the Department of Defense. The Department’s ability to take care of our service members should not be contingent on whether Congress passes an unrelated package of tax cuts and health care cuts.”

    He urged Republicans to pursue bipartisan cooperation through the regular appropriations process, saying, “Historically, the things that go in a reconciliation package are the things that can’t pass on a bipartisan basis… The model in this modern Senate, which is, granted, different from the Senate of 10 years ago and 30 years ago and so on, but the model has been that you explore bipartisanship, you explore achieving cloture, and making this committee relevant and important and a sort of center of power in the Article One branch, and if you fail, then you have these extraordinary authorities to go elsewhere. But to go elsewhere before you even try to cut a deal with Democrats, who are saying, ‘We’d like to cut a deal’ may not be the wisest course of action.”

    Video of the exchange is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for June 25, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on June 25, 2025.

    Bats get fat to survive hard times. But climate change is threatening their survival strategy
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicholas Wu, Lecturer in Wildlife Ecology, Murdoch University Rudmer Zwerver/Shutterstock Bats are often cast as the unseen night-time stewards of nature, flitting through the dark to control pest insects, pollinate plants and disperse seeds. But behind their silent contributions lies a remarkable and underappreciated survival strategy: seasonal

    Japanese prime minister’s abrupt no-show at NATO summit reveals a strained alliance with the US
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Craig Mark, Adjunct Lecturer, Faculty of Economics, Hosei University Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has sent a clear signal to the Trump administration: the Japan–US relationship is in a dire state. After saying just days ago he would be attending this week’s NATO summit at The Hague,

    Why have athletes stopped ‘taking a knee’?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ciprian N. Radavoi, Associate Professor in Law, University of Southern Queensland Eli Harold, Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid of the San Francisco 49ers kneel ahead of a game in 2016. Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images It’s almost a decade since San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick started

    Nearly half of Kiwis oppose automatic citizenship for Cook Islands, says poll
    By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist A new poll by the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union shows that almost half of respondents oppose the Cook Islands having automatic New Zealand citizenship. Thirty percent of the 1000-person sample supported Cook Islanders retaining citizenship, 46 percent were opposed and 24 percent were unsure. The question asked: The Cook

    Melanesian Spearhead Group leaders discuss Middle East conflict before ceasefire
    RNZ Pacific Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape says the Middle East conflict was one of the discussions of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) in Suva this week — and Pacific leaders “took note of what is happening”. The Post-Courier reports Marape saying the “12 Day War” between Israel and Iran was based on

    The ancients also had to deal with a cost-of-living crisis. Here’s how they managed
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Konstantine Panegyres, Lecturer in Classics and Ancient History, The University of Western Australia Louis Le Brun, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY Talk to anyone today, and they will probably have something to say about how expensive life has become. While the rate of inflation has

    Video games can help trans players feel seen and safe. It all starts with design
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Phoebe Toups Dugas, Associate Professor of Human-Centred Computing, Monash University Shano Liang There is a comfort in finding and being yourself. Video games offer opportunities for this comfort. They allow people to exist in safe spaces, to develop community, and to explore the self – as well

    How old are you really? Are the latest ‘biological age’ tests all they’re cracked up to be?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hassan Vally, Associate Professor, Epidemiology, Deakin University We all like to imagine we’re ageing well. Now a simple blood or saliva test promises to tell us by measuring our “biological age”. And then, as many have done, we can share how “young” we really are on social

    Global rankings fuel hype, but students have more to consider when choosing a uni
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kylie Message, Professor of Public Humanities and Director of the ANU Humanities Research Centre, Australian National University At this time of year, many year 12 students are seriously turning their minds to the future. Should they go to university next year? If so, which one? June is

    Playful or harmful? David Seymour’s posts raise questions about what’s OK to say online
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kevin Veale, Senior Lecturer in Media Studies, part of the Digital Cultures Laboratory in the School of Humanities, Media, and Creative Communication, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images Deputy Prime Minister and ACT Party leader David Seymour says he is being “playful” and

    Shadow treasurer Ted O’Brien accepts invitation to government’s economic roundtable
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The federal opposition has accepted an invitation from Treasurer Jim Chalmers for shadow treasurer Ted O’Brien to attend the August economic roundtable. The acceptance contrasts with the position taken by former opposition leader Peter Dutton last term. He refused to

    Fiji advocacy group slams Indonesian role in MSG as a ‘disgrace’
    Asia Pacific Report A Fiji-based advocacy group has condemned the participation of Indonesia in the Melanesian Spearhead Group which is meeting in Suva this week, saying it is a “profound disgrace” that the Indonesian Embassy continues to “operate freely” within the the MSG Secretariat. “This presence blatantly undermines the core principles of justice and solidarity

    Will the fragile ceasefire between Iran and Israel hold? One factor could be crucial to it sticking
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ali Mamouri, Research Fellow, Middle East Studies, Deakin University Amir Levy/Getty Images After 12 days of war, US President Donald Trump has announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran that would bring to an end the most dramatic, direct conflict between the two nations in decades. Israel

    Ramzy Baroud: The fallout – winners and losers from the Israeli war on Iran
    COMMENTARY: By Ramzy Baroud, editor of The Palestinian Chronicle The conflict between Israel and Iran over the past 12 days has redefined the regional chessboard. Here is a look at their key takeaways: Israel:Pulled in the US: Israel successfully drew the United States into a direct military confrontation with Iran, setting a significant precedent for

    Iran and Israel agree to a fragile ceasefire. One factor could be crucial to it sticking
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ali Mamouri, Research Fellow, Middle East Studies, Deakin University Amir Levy/Getty Images After 12 days of war, US President Donald Trump has announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran that would bring to an end the most dramatic, direct conflict between the two nations in decades. Israel

    eSafety boss wants YouTube included in the social media ban. But AI raises even more concerns for kids
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tama Leaver, Professor of Internet Studies, Curtin University Irina WS/Shutterstock Julie Inman Grant, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, today addressed the National Press Club to outline how her office will be driving the Social Media Minimum Age Bill when it comes into effect in December this year. The bill,

    Trouble getting out of bed? Signs the ‘winter blues’ may be something more serious
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kelvin (Shiu Fung) Wong, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology, Swinburne University of Technology Justin Paget/Getty Winter is here. As the days grow shorter and the skies turn darker, you might start to feel a bit “off”. You may notice a dip in your mood or energy levels.

    A carbon levy on global shipping promises to slash emissions. We calculated what that means for Australia’s biggest export
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Brear, Director, Melbourne Energy Institute, The University of Melbourne Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images Moving people and things around the world by sea has a big climate impact. The shipping industry produces almost 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions – roughly the same as Germany – largely

    The war won’t end Iran’s nuclear program – it will drive it underground, following North Korea’s model
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anthony Burke, Professor of Environmental Politics & International Relations, UNSW Sydney The United States’ and Israel’s strikes on Iran are concerning, and not just for the questionable legal justifications provided by both governments. Even if their attacks cause severe damage to Iran’s nuclear facilities, this will only

    Iran’s internet blackout left people in the dark. How does a country shut down the internet?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mohiuddin Ahmed, Senior Lecturer of Computing and Security, Edith Cowan University Dylan Carr/Unsplash In recent days, Iranians experienced a near-complete internet blackout, with local service providers – including mobile services – repeatedly going offline. Iran’s government has cited cyber security concerns for ordering the shutdown. Shutting off

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Graham Floor Speech on the Israel-Iran Conflict

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Lindsey Graham

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) yesterday delivered a speech on the Senate floor regarding the recent Israel-Iran conflict, before President Trump announced a ceasefire. During his remarks, Senator Graham gave an overview of the conflict, highlighted the Iranian Regime’s radical religious beliefs, and underscored the importance of stopping the ayatollah from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Graham also reiterated his unwavering support for the State of Israel and praised President Trump for the strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

    On Operation Midnight Hammer:

    • GRAHAM: “God bless President Donald J. Trump! I am so glad he won. What has he tried to do? Make peace, not war. He gave the ayatollah sixty days to find a peaceful settlement regarding their nuclear enrichment program… Sixty-one days go by and the rest is history.” https://youtu.be/6mWtHKhRszs?si=9FnIyGcFppQ7DgyH&t=886
    • GRAHAM: “Operation Midnight Hammer [was conducted] after day sixty. All the negotiations went nowhere, because the Iranians didn’t want them to go anywhere. President Trump acted, and it was brilliant, it was bold, and it will live in history.” https://youtu.be/6mWtHKhRszs?si=0CfR0cMMbHX2Xluo&t=990

    On the motivations behind the Iranian Regime’s sponsorship of terrorism:

    • GRAHAM: “It’s all about religion. A fanatical strain of Shi’ism is now in charge of Iran, and they have three goals: …To purify Islam in the image of the ayatollah, to destroy the Jewish state, [and] to drive us out of the Middle East because we’re infidels. This is not a democracy, it’s a theocracy.” https://youtu.be/6mWtHKhRszs?si=F_BV1lb6ne5MDg_9&t=27
    • GRAHAM: “Why do they do what they do? Religious, fanatical beliefs. [They want] a master religion for the world. If you don’t believe that, you have missed a lot. The only way they’re not going to get there is for somebody to stop them.” https://youtu.be/6mWtHKhRszs?si=lUmASnj-In4s7xfm&t=1498
    • GRAHAM: “Let me tell you what [the Iranian regime is] up to. They’re up to enacting a religious agenda that has no place for anybody but them. If you’re a Christian, they want to destroy your faith. If you’re Jewish, they want to wipe you off the planet. And if you’re a Muslim, and you don’t agree with them, which most don’t, they want to take over the entire faith and make you bend the knee to their view. These people are religious fanatics. … Do you want any of these people [running the regime] to have a nuclear weapon? I don’t.” https://youtu.be/6mWtHKhRszs?si=agMwQomzy1yXhfup&t=416

    On Iran’s threats and acts of violence toward America:

    • GRAHAM: “During the swearing in of the [new] Iranian president, the crowd started chanting, ‘Death to America, Death to America.’ [This happened] not long ago, July 30, 2024.” https://youtu.be/6mWtHKhRszs?si=pu2a2sS1TSEw9dNa&t=398
    • GRAHAM: “If you think this is not our conflict, you’ve missed a lot. You’ve been asleep at the switch since 1979… [The Iranian regime has] attacked Americans. They have American blood on their hands. They’re trying to build a nuclear bomb, and one of the targets is us.” https://youtu.be/6mWtHKhRszs?si=kFU_-nj4ToShoYZ0&t=487

    On Graham’s hopes for the future of the Middle East: 

    • GRAHAM: “Here’s my goal: to have people in charge of Iran who don’t want a nuclear weapon [or] to destroy Israel, who will not be the largest state sponsor of terrorism, but live in peace with their neighbors, and have a good relationship with the United States.” https://youtu.be/6mWtHKhRszs?si=iiloDfp0waZMFofB&t=1119

    Click here to watch Graham’s full remarks

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: TODAY: Baldwin Fights Back Against Republicans’ Relentless Attacks on Women’s Reproductive Rights

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) marked the third anniversary of the Supreme Court’s disastrous decision to overturn Roe v. Wade by introducing legislation to restore abortion access nationwide and continuing her fight against attacks from the Trump Administration and Republicans in Congress to strip away access to comprehensive reproductive care.

    To begin the day, Senator Baldwin led the entire Senate Democratic caucus in introducing the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025, legislation to guarantee access to abortion everywhere across the country and restore the right to comprehensive reproductive health care for millions of Americans.

    On the Senate floor, Senator Baldwin delivered a speech underscoring the impact of the Dobbs decision in Wisconsin – forcing women to travel out of state just to access health care. Baldwin highlighted the importance of passing her legislation, especially as the Trump Administration further attacks a woman’s right to choose and Congressional Republicans barrel ahead with a bill that defunds Planned Parenthood.

    Additionally, Senator Baldwin joined her Senate colleagues for a press conference and hosted a forum focused on the devastation caused by the Dobbs decision. During the forum, Senator Baldwin questioned advocates and providers about why federal protection is essential for improving care for women nationwide and how the Republicans’ dangerous bill will make it harder for women to access reproductive health care both under Medicaid and private insurance.

    Full text of Senator Baldwin’s bill is available here. A one-pager on the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: On Anniversary of Decision that Overturned Roe v. Wade, Cortez Masto Calls Out Republican Efforts to Restrict Access to Reproductive Health Care

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    “It might not be front-page news every day, but when you take all of these actions together, it is clear that this administration and Republicans at every level of government are taking the steps they need to implement a nationwide abortion ban.”

    Video of the spotlight forum is available here.

    Video of her speaking on the floor of the Senate is available here.

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) called out Republican attempts to further take away access to reproductive health care for women across the United States, including efforts that could restrict access for women in Nevada. Today marks three years since the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, in which the Court overturned the protections of Roe v. Wade.

    Cortez Masto participated in a spotlight forum with patient, provider, and reproductive rights leaders to highlight the devastation caused since Dobbs, and the continued attacks from the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress to strip away access to abortion care, family planning services, and Medicaid and Affordable Care Act health coverage. Additionally, the Senator spoke on the Senate floor to call attention to the various ways the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans are working to create a backdoor national abortion ban, ripping away millions of women’s access to abortion care and right to control their bodies.  

    Senator Cortez Masto also joined all Democratic Senators in introducing the Women’s Health Protection Act, legislation to guarantee access to abortion everywhere across the country and restore the right to comprehensive reproductive health care for millions of Americans. The bill’s introduction comes as the Trump Administration further attacks a woman’s right to choose and Congressional Republicans barrel ahead with a bill that defunds Planned Parenthood.

    Senator Cortez Masto has been a fierce advocate for women’s reproductive rights. In response to the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Cortez Masto introduced the Freedom to Travel for Health Care Act to ensure legal protections for women traveling across state lines to receive reproductive care. She’s championed legislation torepeal the Comstock Act, an arcane 1873 law that anti-choice extremists have repeatedly invoked as a backdoor means to effectively ban abortion nationwide without a single act of Congress. In the last Congress, the Senator also cosponsored legislation to codify the right to contraception and IVF.

    Below are her floor remarks as prepared for delivery:

    M. President, right now, this administration is causing so much chaos and confusion that it’s sometimes hard to take stock of the damage being done.

    But the anniversary of the day Roe v. Wade was overturned is a reminder that we can’t let all that chaos distract us from the work being done to roll back women’s reproductive rights right under our noses.

    Take the Republicans’ billionaire tax giveaway bill as an example.

    We all know that this bill will cut $800 billion in Medicaid to pay for tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, but the legislation that passed the House would also decimate women’s health care. Not only would it force cuts to critical services, but it also cuts off Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood.

    That Medicaid funding wouldn’t be going toward abortions. Planned Parenthood providers distribute birth control, conduct wellness exams, test for and treat STIs, and provide lifesaving cancer screenings.

    For many Americans with Medicaid, especially in underserved areas, Planned Parenthood is the only accessible source of this care.

    Defunding it jeopardizes basic health services that more than one million men and women rely on.

    It’s already outrageous that so many Planned Parenthood health centers in anti-choice states around the country have been forced to close over the last several years. But if they’re prohibited from treating patients with Medicaid nationwide, many clinics – even in states where abortion remains legal – may be forced to close their doors.

    So in states like Nevada, where women have access to essential reproductive care, Republicans are working to strip that access away – ignoring the will of states that have chosen to protect these rights.

    Republican legislators in states across the country are also quietly working to gut access to reproductive care.

    Last November, voters in 7 different states approved ballot measures to protect or expand reproductive rights. But in the months since, extremist politicians in more than half of those states have tried to ignore the will of their voters and push new restrictions on abortion access.

    And, in several other states, anti-choice politicians are working to block similar ballot initiatives in the future. They’re trying to ignore what people have clearly voted for, and then they’re trying to make it so people can’t actually vote on those issues at all.

    Because let’s be clear: for anti-choice politicians, this is about controlling women.

    I’ll give you an example.

    In Arizona, voters went to the polls last November and overwhelmingly chose to enshrine abortion protections in their state constitution. But since then, Republican politicians in their state legislature have been trying to pass bills that would limit the use of medication abortion and ban doctors from even informing women about abortion as a potential treatment option.

    Or how about in Missouri, where anti-choice politicians are trying to get a measure on the ballot that would overturn the abortion rights protections Missouri voters just approved last November.

    These plots to subvert the will of voters and roll back women’s rights in the states may not be capturing everyone’s attention right now, but it’s happening. And we need to shed light on it, because it’s just as dangerous as some of the harmful policies coming out of this administration.

    We can’t forget that this administration is also taking steps to continue to take away women’s reproductive rights – without any input from legislators at all.

    The Food and Drug Administration has appointed commissioners who want to reexamine the safety of the abortion pill mifepristone.

    And, no surprise, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is encouraging it.

    He’s already asked the FDA to “review the latest data on mifepristone”. Secretary Kennedy is raising questions and injecting doubt about this medication that has already been proven to be safe and effective.

    This is a man who, at one time, said he believed it was “always the woman’s right to choose.”

    Mifepristone accounts for over 60% of abortions nationwide. Any attempts to restrict access to this medication would jeopardize the health and autonomy of women in Nevada and across the country.

    This is an overt tactic by the administration to continue to take away access to the abortion pill nationwide.

    In fact, the Trump administration made it more clear than ever that they’re not concerned about women’s safety when they eliminated guidance that hospitals have to provide abortions in emergency situations.

    We have a law in this country that hospitals that receive federal funding are required to provide medical care to stabilize a health emergency, including for pregnant patients. In cases where an abortion is necessary to stabilize a patient, hospitals are obligated to provide that care. It’s called the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, or EMTALA.

    Now, I want to stress that EMTALA is the law of the land, and emergency abortion care is protected under EMTALA.

    But the problem is that this administration is telling women they are unwilling to enforce those protections. That’s incredibly dangerous, and it ignores our laws.

    It might not be front-page news every day, but when you take all of these actions together, it is clear that this administration and Republicans at every level of government are taking the steps they need to implement a nationwide abortion ban.

    We have to remain vigilant and demand change when these harmful policies they emerge. Because we know anti-choice politicians all across the country, including here in Washington, will continue to push them and take away women’s access to health care.

    It’s happening at the Supreme Court, too, where the justices who struck down Roe v. Wade are taking up multiple abortion rights cases.

    So, as we mark the anniversary of the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which took the constitutional right to an abortion away from every woman in this country, I want to thank my colleagues who are standing with me today and every day in this fight.

    We will never stop pushing back against this administration’s, and any other anti-choice politician’s, attempts to make women second-class citizens in America.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: On Anniversary of Decision that Overturned Roe v. Wade, Cortez Masto Calls Out Republican Efforts to Restrict Access to Reproductive Health Care

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    “It might not be front-page news every day, but when you take all of these actions together, it is clear that this administration and Republicans at every level of government are taking the steps they need to implement a nationwide abortion ban.”

    Video of the spotlight forum is available here.

    Video of her speaking on the floor of the Senate is available here.

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) called out Republican attempts to further take away access to reproductive health care for women across the United States, including efforts that could restrict access for women in Nevada. Today marks three years since the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, in which the Court overturned the protections of Roe v. Wade.

    Cortez Masto participated in a spotlight forum with patient, provider, and reproductive rights leaders to highlight the devastation caused since Dobbs, and the continued attacks from the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress to strip away access to abortion care, family planning services, and Medicaid and Affordable Care Act health coverage. Additionally, the Senator spoke on the Senate floor to call attention to the various ways the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans are working to create a backdoor national abortion ban, ripping away millions of women’s access to abortion care and right to control their bodies.  

    Senator Cortez Masto also joined all Democratic Senators in introducing the Women’s Health Protection Act, legislation to guarantee access to abortion everywhere across the country and restore the right to comprehensive reproductive health care for millions of Americans. The bill’s introduction comes as the Trump Administration further attacks a woman’s right to choose and Congressional Republicans barrel ahead with a bill that defunds Planned Parenthood.

    Senator Cortez Masto has been a fierce advocate for women’s reproductive rights. In response to the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Cortez Masto introduced the Freedom to Travel for Health Care Act to ensure legal protections for women traveling across state lines to receive reproductive care. She’s championed legislation torepeal the Comstock Act, an arcane 1873 law that anti-choice extremists have repeatedly invoked as a backdoor means to effectively ban abortion nationwide without a single act of Congress. In the last Congress, the Senator also cosponsored legislation to codify the right to contraception and IVF.

    Below are her floor remarks as prepared for delivery:

    M. President, right now, this administration is causing so much chaos and confusion that it’s sometimes hard to take stock of the damage being done.

    But the anniversary of the day Roe v. Wade was overturned is a reminder that we can’t let all that chaos distract us from the work being done to roll back women’s reproductive rights right under our noses.

    Take the Republicans’ billionaire tax giveaway bill as an example.

    We all know that this bill will cut $800 billion in Medicaid to pay for tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, but the legislation that passed the House would also decimate women’s health care. Not only would it force cuts to critical services, but it also cuts off Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood.

    That Medicaid funding wouldn’t be going toward abortions. Planned Parenthood providers distribute birth control, conduct wellness exams, test for and treat STIs, and provide lifesaving cancer screenings.

    For many Americans with Medicaid, especially in underserved areas, Planned Parenthood is the only accessible source of this care.

    Defunding it jeopardizes basic health services that more than one million men and women rely on.

    It’s already outrageous that so many Planned Parenthood health centers in anti-choice states around the country have been forced to close over the last several years. But if they’re prohibited from treating patients with Medicaid nationwide, many clinics – even in states where abortion remains legal – may be forced to close their doors.

    So in states like Nevada, where women have access to essential reproductive care, Republicans are working to strip that access away – ignoring the will of states that have chosen to protect these rights.

    Republican legislators in states across the country are also quietly working to gut access to reproductive care.

    Last November, voters in 7 different states approved ballot measures to protect or expand reproductive rights. But in the months since, extremist politicians in more than half of those states have tried to ignore the will of their voters and push new restrictions on abortion access.

    And, in several other states, anti-choice politicians are working to block similar ballot initiatives in the future. They’re trying to ignore what people have clearly voted for, and then they’re trying to make it so people can’t actually vote on those issues at all.

    Because let’s be clear: for anti-choice politicians, this is about controlling women.

    I’ll give you an example.

    In Arizona, voters went to the polls last November and overwhelmingly chose to enshrine abortion protections in their state constitution. But since then, Republican politicians in their state legislature have been trying to pass bills that would limit the use of medication abortion and ban doctors from even informing women about abortion as a potential treatment option.

    Or how about in Missouri, where anti-choice politicians are trying to get a measure on the ballot that would overturn the abortion rights protections Missouri voters just approved last November.

    These plots to subvert the will of voters and roll back women’s rights in the states may not be capturing everyone’s attention right now, but it’s happening. And we need to shed light on it, because it’s just as dangerous as some of the harmful policies coming out of this administration.

    We can’t forget that this administration is also taking steps to continue to take away women’s reproductive rights – without any input from legislators at all.

    The Food and Drug Administration has appointed commissioners who want to reexamine the safety of the abortion pill mifepristone.

    And, no surprise, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is encouraging it.

    He’s already asked the FDA to “review the latest data on mifepristone”. Secretary Kennedy is raising questions and injecting doubt about this medication that has already been proven to be safe and effective.

    This is a man who, at one time, said he believed it was “always the woman’s right to choose.”

    Mifepristone accounts for over 60% of abortions nationwide. Any attempts to restrict access to this medication would jeopardize the health and autonomy of women in Nevada and across the country.

    This is an overt tactic by the administration to continue to take away access to the abortion pill nationwide.

    In fact, the Trump administration made it more clear than ever that they’re not concerned about women’s safety when they eliminated guidance that hospitals have to provide abortions in emergency situations.

    We have a law in this country that hospitals that receive federal funding are required to provide medical care to stabilize a health emergency, including for pregnant patients. In cases where an abortion is necessary to stabilize a patient, hospitals are obligated to provide that care. It’s called the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, or EMTALA.

    Now, I want to stress that EMTALA is the law of the land, and emergency abortion care is protected under EMTALA.

    But the problem is that this administration is telling women they are unwilling to enforce those protections. That’s incredibly dangerous, and it ignores our laws.

    It might not be front-page news every day, but when you take all of these actions together, it is clear that this administration and Republicans at every level of government are taking the steps they need to implement a nationwide abortion ban.

    We have to remain vigilant and demand change when these harmful policies they emerge. Because we know anti-choice politicians all across the country, including here in Washington, will continue to push them and take away women’s access to health care.

    It’s happening at the Supreme Court, too, where the justices who struck down Roe v. Wade are taking up multiple abortion rights cases.

    So, as we mark the anniversary of the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which took the constitutional right to an abortion away from every woman in this country, I want to thank my colleagues who are standing with me today and every day in this fight.

    We will never stop pushing back against this administration’s, and any other anti-choice politician’s, attempts to make women second-class citizens in America.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: On 3rd Anniversary of Roe Being Overturned, Murray, Baldwin, and Blumenthal Lead Senate Dems in a Bill to Restore Abortion Access Nationwide

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Women’s Health Protection Act comes as Trump and Congressional Republicans move to restrict a woman’s right to choose and toward a national abortion ban

    Washington, D.C. — Today, on the third anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member and former chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), led the entire Senate Democratic caucus in introducing the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025, legislation to guarantee access to abortion everywhere across the country and restore the right to comprehensive reproductive health care for millions of Americans. The bill’s introduction comes as the Trump Administration further attacks a woman’s right to choose and Congressional Republicans barrel ahead with a bill that defunds Planned Parenthood. Put together, Trump and Congressional Republicans’ assault on Americans’ reproductive rights is a backdoor national abortion ban, ripping away millions of women’s access to abortion care and right to control their bodies.   

    “Three years ago, Donald Trump and Republicans succeeded in overturning Roe, ripping away a Constitutional right for the first time in American history, and causing a full-blown health care crisis in our nation. Since then, we have seen with painful clarity how Republican abortion bans are putting women’s lives in danger, forcing providers to close their doors, decimating access to maternal health care, and forcing women to remain pregnant—no matter their circumstances,” said Senator Murray. “I’m proud to join my colleagues in reintroducing the Women’s Health Protection Act to restore the right to abortion and end the national nightmare Republicans created by overturning Roe. Democrats will never stop fighting to restore abortion access nationwide—nothing less.”

    “First, Donald Trump and Republicans overturned Roe v Wade. Now, they are continuing their crusade for a national abortion ban, stripping away a woman’s right to choose and control her body, healthcare, and future. Republicans continue to show that they will stop at nothing in their pursuit to stop a woman from having the right to choose,” said Senator Baldwin. “In Wisconsin, we’ve seen how these attacks on women’s reproductive rights and freedoms have hurt our neighbors, friends, and families – and we won’t stand for it. The Women’s Health Protection Act is a necessary step to restore Americans’ constitutional right to choose what’s best for their families, stop Congressional and state-level Republicans from further putting themselves between a doctor and a woman, and once and for all, give women their rights and freedoms back.”

    “This issue is about more than health care; it is about women’s rights, individual rights, and human rights. The foundation of the Women’s Health Protection Act is simply the right to make your own health care decisions. Three years after Dobbs, American women don’t have that right. Today, thanks to Republican lawmakers and conservative courts, a woman in America might walk into an ER and faint, bleeding, and be refused treatment. That woman might die,” said Senator Blumenthal. “By restoring abortion access and implementing basic protections against medically unnecessary restrictions on health care, the Women’s Health Protection Act overturns the death sentence handed down by Dobbs.”

    President Trump appointed the Supreme Court Justices who ruled in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case to overturn Roe v. Wade and nearly 50 years of precedent. Since the Dobbs decision, 19 states have banned abortion or severely restricted women from being able to access the procedure, leaving one in three American women without access to safe, legal abortion care. Additionally, state legislatures across the country have introduced hundreds of bills to include medically unnecessary restrictions that limit access to abortion care.

    In his second term, President Trump has continued to relentlessly attack reproductive rights, including freezing Title X funding for clinics that offer reproductive care, cutting Biden-era emergency abortion protections, pardoning anti-abortion extremists, and fighting to defund Planned Parenthood. Additionally, the House-passed Republican budget bill kicks 16 million people off their health insurance and defunds Planned Parenthood – threatening the closure of 200 health centers across the country and putting access to vital reproductive care for millions of families at risk.

    The Women’s Health Protection Act creates federal rights for patients and providers to protect abortion access. 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.

    The legislation is sponsored by the entire Democratic caucus, including Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D- DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

    The full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: At Dobbs Spotlight Forum, Senator Murray, Senate Democrats Highlight Trump & Republicans’ Backdoor Abortion Ban & Efforts to Rip Away Reproductive Health Care Nationwide

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    ***WATCH: Video of full forum***

    ***WATCH and READ: Senator Murray’s opening remarks***

    Washington, D.C. — Today—on the three-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s disastrous decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overturning the constitutional right to abortion—U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member and former chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Tina Smith (D-MN) hosted a spotlight forum titled Under Attack: Republicans’ Escalating War on Reproductive Freedom. At the forum, Senate Democrats heard from four panelists who have suffered the consequences of the Dobbs decision and subsequent Republican abortion bans firsthand and warned about how President Trump and Republicans are only escalating their attacks on women’s health care and working to make abortion impossible to access anywhere—a backdoor nationwide abortion ban.  

    The senators’ spotlight forum comes as President Trump has taken direct aim at reproductive health care in his first few months in office, including by: pardoning anti-abortion extremists found guilty of assaulting and injuring abortion clinic staff and announcing that his Department of Justice will largely no longer enforce the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act; attacking mifepristone based on anti-abortion junk science; laying the groundwork to make “fetal personhood” the law of the land—which would ban abortion in every state and curtail pregnant women’s rights; rescinding CMS guidance reaffirming that the Emergency Medical Treatment & Labor Act (EMTALA) requires hospitals to provide life-saving care to pregnant women suffering medical emergencies, which might include abortion care in certain situations; repealing two Executive Orders that sought to protect and expand access to reproductive health care in the aftermath of Dobbs; reinstating the Global Gag Rule that targets reproductive health care around the world; scrubbing government websites of vital information about reproductive health care; and appointing notorious anti-abortion extremists for influential roles in his administration, including Pam Bondi as Attorney General, Russell Vought as OMB Director, and John Sauer as Solicitor General—among much else.

    Additionally, right now Republicans in Congress are pushing through a budget reconciliation bill that would make abortion care impossible to access nearly everywhere by defunding Planned Parenthood—putting 200 health centers across the country at risk of closure, 90 percent of which are in states where abortion is legal—and by effectively banning ACA marketplace health plans from covering abortion care. Overall, Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act would kick 16 million people off their health insurance through massive cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and overwhelmingly impact women, who comprise most adults covered by Medicaid. Medicaid is the primary source of coverage and the largest single payer for pregnant women’s health care nationwide, covering between one-third and one-half of births in every state across the country.

    “Already, we have seen with painful clarity, how—on a daily basis—Republican abortion bans are putting women’s lives in danger, forcing providers to close their doors, decimating access to maternal health care, and forcing women to remain pregnant—no matter their circumstances. But Dobbs was never the end of this fight for Republicans, whose goal has always been a national abortion ban. And since Republicans know they don’t have the votes right now to pass a national abortion ban outright, they are slowly, but surely, advancing a backdoor nationwide abortion ban, and chipping away at access to reproductive health care piece-by-piece—even in states where abortion is protected. Republicans are hoping no one will notice these attacks—as if people don’t care when their rights are stripped away. As if it’s easy to miss the moment your health care decisions are out of your control,” said Senator Patty Murray. “As hard as Republicans might try, the damage they are causing is undeniable. But that doesn’t mean we give up. Women’s lives are at stake—Democrats are not going to stop pushing back—not ever. We will keep pushing for legislation to protect women and health care providers from Republican prosecution, to help people access and afford the reproductive health care they need, to protect women’s private health data, to protect the Right to Contraception and the Right to IVF, and to restore the right to abortion nationwide—nothing less.”

    “When I was ten weeks pregnant, doctors informed me that my baby had acrania, a rare condition that was fatal for my baby, and dangerous for me. Naturally, I was heartbroken and scared, but I trusted that I would receive the necessary medical treatment so that my family and I could begin healing. Unfortunately, I was wrong. Just a few weeks before I received my diagnosis, the Supreme Court issued their decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, overturning Roe v. Wade and eliminating the legal right to abortion. The fallout from the decision was fast, with states across the country starting to enforce cruel and dangerous abortion bans,” said Nancy Davis of Louisiana, Founder and Executive Director of the Nancy Davis Foundation. “My home state of Louisiana has some of the strictest abortion laws in the country, and even though I needed to terminate my pregnancy to protect my own health and safety, I was told I could not receive care at the hospital in Baton Rouge. Instead of being able to process the diagnosis and grieve the loss of my pregnancy at home with my family, I had to scramble to find a way out of Louisiana to access abortion care. I found myself in a situation I never thought I would be in, forced to travel nearly 1,500 miles to get the care I needed and deserved. I experienced not only a denial of necessary medical care, but a denial of compassion, and my right to make my own decision about my own health. I felt dehumanized and stripped of my most fundamental rights. I knew what I needed to do to protect my health, and my doctors agreed, but local lawmakers who will never know me or understand my situation had the final say. The system failed me, and I am just as outraged today as I was then.”

    “I was raised in St. Louis and I love living in Missouri. But, it is challenging to fulfill your job as a physician when you cannot practice medicine as you were trained to do or teach medical students about abortion in the community and state where you live…It is infuriating and irresponsible that because of abortion bans, OBs can teach our students all aspects of medical care—except abortion. When you go to the doctor, you want your doctor to be trained. Anti-abortion politicians and groups have claimed that abortion rights have been left up to the state. That is simply not true. Last fall, Missouri voters approved a constitutional amendment ensuring the right to an abortion, but — despite the will of the voters — politicians and state officials are still interfering with patients’ rights. At every turn, when we finally make progress towards abortion access in Missouri, they move the goalposts on us. The only way to describe our experience over the last several months is whiplash,” said Dr. Margaret Baum, M.D., FACOG, Chief Medical Officer of Planned Parenthood Great Rivers in Missouri. “I have seen first-hand that these draconian laws force patients to make impossible choices when Medicaid cannot cover their care. People delay care because they’re afraid that they are not going to have the coverage for the services we know that they need. Patients are forced to decide if they can pay out of pocket to get lab tests. They are forced to decide between the procedures they need. They are forced to sometimes forego services altogether. It is critical for lawmakers to understand that the decisions they make are affecting patients every. Single. Day. And now, once again, they want to bring this chaos and confusion to the national level. I’m here to tell you today that the Senate bill proposing to ‘defund’ Planned Parenthood would be devastating. It could force nearly 200 Planned Parenthood health centers to close and is a trojan horse for a nationwide abortion ban.”

    “Back before the FACE Act protections, our clinic doors were routinely blockaded one day a month by a mob of 300 to 400 anti-abortion extremists. Those days were unpredictable and scary. If we tried to get through them and into the clinic, extremists pinched or pricked us with sharp objects. By the end of the day, our patients were all traumatized and uncared for – and our bodies were black and blue. We can’t go back to those days…I proudly advocated for this Act when it was being debated in the 1990s – I am outraged and heartbroken we have to do this again. The law works at protecting rights, including speech rights, something I witness daily. As soon as the Act took effect, the extreme blockades stopped. Yes, we still had protesters exercising their First Amendment Rights, but now they knew they couldn’t be violent, and they could not invade the clinics or block staff and patients from entering. FACE has helped preserve the dignity and safety of the patients we serve, and the professionals who care for them,” said Renee Chelian, Founder and CEO of Michigan-based Northland Family Planning Centers. “But then in 2017, when President Trump first took office extremists were emboldened to resume their violent attacks, despite FACE, knowing they had a friend in the White House. Twice they invaded our clinics, harassed patients and staff and refused to leave after trespass warnings were given. Even after law enforcement arrived, they refused to leave, went limp and had to be carried out one at a time. But the most appalling and dangerous episode occurred toward the end of Trump’s first term, in August of 2020. A group blockaded our doors preventing staff and patients from entering the clinic including those arriving for birth control appointments and three women scheduled for abortions after receiving a fatal fetal diagnosis…Within days of returning to the White House, sure enough, President Trump pardoned the violent offenders who attacked our clinic and others serving time for violence against clinics in other states, as well as those convicted for their actions here on January 6th. We were all abandoned by our government with that swipe of a pen. The FACE Act has been our only lever preventing clinic violence and holding anti-abortion criminals accountable. The FACE Act simply can’t be undone and it is up to lawmakers like you to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

    “Right now, the Trump administration is taking unprecedented action to roll back abortion rights,” said Mini Timmaraju, President and CEO of Reproductive Freedom for All. “The majority of Americans do not support right-wing, hate-fueled ideology. Eight in ten Americans want legal abortion. That’s not just a majority—that’s a consensus. But because of the daily churn of chaos from the White House, most Americans don’t know that Republicans are attacking abortion. Our new focus group research shows that when Americans know these attacks are happening, they feel disgusted and betrayed. That means if we’re louder about this issue, we can win. Senator Murray and many of the champions in this room have long been the conscience of the Senate, and it’s time for all Senate Democrats to join them. We need to do everything we can to loudly push back against this administration’s attacks on our bodies, lives, and futures. We are living through remarkably dangerous times, and this is the moment to act. Our rights are not safe under this administration, and that includes abortion rights. In order to protect the safety, health, and dignity of all Americans, we need you to keep fighting. The majority of Americans are on our side, and together, we will protect reproductive freedom and restore abortion rights for all.”

    “Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans paved the path to overturn Roe v. Wade and stripped away a woman’s right to choose, but that wasn’t enough for them,” said Senator Tammy Baldwin. “Now, they are putting the puzzle pieces together to finally get what they have long wanted: a national abortion ban. Wisconsinites have said time and again that they want the freedom to control their bodies and futures, without politicians or the government butting in – and that is exactly what I’m fighting for. We are going to keep shining a light on Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans’ cruel efforts to further chip away at women’s right to get the health care they want and deserve – including abortion care.”

    “Since Trump’s Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, we’ve seen a new form of hell at every turn,” said Senator Elizabeth Warren. “Now, Republicans in Congress are on track to pass a bill that amounts to a backdoor ban on abortion – even in states where it’s protected. Republicans’ bill to cut Medicaid and defund Planned Parenthood is a one-two punch to women across the country, and we are not going to let them get away with it.”

    “Three years after the Supreme Court ruled in the Dobbs decision, it’s become difficult and dangerous for women to access basic reproductive care, and Trump and Republicans in Congress are continuing to chip away at access and stoke the danger. I worked at Planned Parenthood, and I know all too well that receiving credible death threats is a fact of life for so many people who work in reproductive health care,” said Senator Tina Smith. “We’re seeing an uptick in threats against abortion providers and patients, meanwhile President Trump is actively pardoning anti-abortion extremists found guilty of harassment and violence. That’s why we are spotlighting the voices of leaders working on the frontlines of providing reproductive health care in the face of these threats at this important moment.”

    “The deadly Dobbs decision will go down in history as one of the worst, most harmful, most regressive decisions in modern history, said Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer. “As bad as the Dobbs decision was and as catastrophic as the impacts have already been, Republicans are doubling down on their crusade against access to reproductive healthcare in their big, ugly reconciliation bill. Democrats are going to fight like hell to strip these cruel provisions from the Republican bill, and to protect and restore reproductive freedom for all.”

    “This issue is about more than health care; it is about women’s rights, individual rights, and human rights. It is about the right to make your own health care decisions,” said Senator Richard Blumenthal. “Three years after Dobbs, American women don’t have that right. Today, thanks to Republican lawmakers and conservative courts, a woman in America might walk into an ER and faint, bleeding, and be refused treatment. That woman might die. But we aren’t giving up, and we will never stop fighting for reproductive justice, abortion access, and the simple, foundational right to choose your own health care.”

    “The Guttmacher Institute said 155,000 people traveled for an abortion in 2024,” said Senator Maria Cantwell. “We are forcing them to go get care in some other state, miles and miles away. Why? Because of this archaic decision.  Now, we have two problems. We have people coming to our state who want this care, but now we could have fewer Medicaid dollars to even provide the care.”

    “With all the chaos and damage this administration has caused, the anniversary of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade reminds us that we can’t lose sight of the fact that anti-choice politicians at all levels of our government are working nonstop to roll back women’s access to reproductive care,” said Senator Catherine Cortez Masto. “Between devastating cuts to Medicaid in Republicans’ reconciliation bill to top officials in this administration calling the safety of the abortion pill into question, Republicans across our country are taking steps to claw back women’s rights. My Democratic colleagues and I will never stop sounding the alarm about this and working to restore women’s access to basic health care.”

    “Three years ago, the Supreme Court’s conservative supermajority abandoned the long-standing constitutional protections recognized in Roe v. Wade—rejecting nearly 50 years of progress and dragging gender equality and women’s rights half a century backward,” said Senator Dick Durbin. “What has happened in the wake of Dobbs was as predictable as it is devastating—and today we heard how devastating the last three years have been for women seeking critical health care in Republican-led states. While I cannot sugarcoat the state of women’s rights following Dobbs, I want to make one thing crystal clear: this fight is far from over. I thank my colleagues, Senators Murray, Baldwin, Smith, and Warren, for hosting such an important forum and keeping up the fight.”

    “I was proud to join my colleagues today to hear directly from those who have suffered due to the deadly Dobbs decision and under Republicans’ anti-choice agenda,” said Senator Mazie Hirono. “Three years after the fall of Roe, Republicans continue to escalate their assault on reproductive freedom, while women across the country experience the devastating impacts of this infringement on their fundamental rights. Dobbs caused chaos and confusion, putting millions of Americans’ lives at risk, but I will not stop doing everything in my power to restore access to abortion and family planning services nationwide and protect reproductive health care providers and their patients.”

    “Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade three years ago, women have been at the mercy of a patchwork of laws. Over 40 percent of women of reproductive age now live under extreme and dangerous bans, women are being turned away from emergency rooms, and doctors are threatened with prosecution for just doing their jobs. This cannot be a country where our daughters have fewer rights than their mothers and grandmothers. That is why we must pass the Women’s Health Protection Act and put the protections of Roe v. Wade into law,” said Senator Amy Klobuchar.

    “In the three years since the Trump-packed Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Republican-led states have passed waves of harmful laws stripping Americans of the freedom to make their own health care decisions. Despite the life-threatening consequences of these actions, the Trump Administration is escalating its attacks on access to reproductive health care across the country—including in states where it’s protected. The stories we heard today underscored the urgent need to protect reproductive care as a matter of federal law,” said Senator Chris Van Hollen.

    Today, Senator Murray also joined Senators Tammy Baldwin and Richard Blumenthal to introduce the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025, legislation to guarantee access to abortion everywhere across the country and restore the right to comprehensive reproductive health care for millions of Americans.

    Senator Murray is a longtime leader in the fight to protect and expand access to reproductive health care and abortion rights, and she has led Congressional efforts to fight back after the Supreme Court’s disastrous decision overturning Roe v. Wade. Murray has introduced more than a dozen pieces of legislation to protect reproductive rights from further attacks, protect providers, and help ensure women get the care they need; Murray has led efforts to push for passage of these bills on the Senate floor multiple times. Last January, on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, Murray led her colleagues in hosting a “State of Abortion Rights” briefing with women who have suffered firsthand from Republican abortion bans, and last June, she chaired a HELP Committee hearing titled “The Assault on Women’s Freedoms: How Abortion Bans Have Created a Health Care Nightmare Across America.” Last year, Senator Murray helped lead efforts to force Republicans on the record on votes to protect access to contraception and access to IVF (twice), and she led her colleagues in raising the alarm about the threat a second Trump administration poses to reproductive rights and abortion access in every state, as outlined in Project 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: At Dobbs Spotlight Forum, Senator Murray, Senate Democrats Highlight Trump & Republicans’ Backdoor Abortion Ban & Efforts to Rip Away Reproductive Health Care Nationwide

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    ***WATCH: Video of full forum***

    ***WATCH and READ: Senator Murray’s opening remarks***

    Washington, D.C. — Today—on the three-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s disastrous decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overturning the constitutional right to abortion—U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member and former chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Tina Smith (D-MN) hosted a spotlight forum titled Under Attack: Republicans’ Escalating War on Reproductive Freedom. At the forum, Senate Democrats heard from four panelists who have suffered the consequences of the Dobbs decision and subsequent Republican abortion bans firsthand and warned about how President Trump and Republicans are only escalating their attacks on women’s health care and working to make abortion impossible to access anywhere—a backdoor nationwide abortion ban.  

    The senators’ spotlight forum comes as President Trump has taken direct aim at reproductive health care in his first few months in office, including by: pardoning anti-abortion extremists found guilty of assaulting and injuring abortion clinic staff and announcing that his Department of Justice will largely no longer enforce the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act; attacking mifepristone based on anti-abortion junk science; laying the groundwork to make “fetal personhood” the law of the land—which would ban abortion in every state and curtail pregnant women’s rights; rescinding CMS guidance reaffirming that the Emergency Medical Treatment & Labor Act (EMTALA) requires hospitals to provide life-saving care to pregnant women suffering medical emergencies, which might include abortion care in certain situations; repealing two Executive Orders that sought to protect and expand access to reproductive health care in the aftermath of Dobbs; reinstating the Global Gag Rule that targets reproductive health care around the world; scrubbing government websites of vital information about reproductive health care; and appointing notorious anti-abortion extremists for influential roles in his administration, including Pam Bondi as Attorney General, Russell Vought as OMB Director, and John Sauer as Solicitor General—among much else.

    Additionally, right now Republicans in Congress are pushing through a budget reconciliation bill that would make abortion care impossible to access nearly everywhere by defunding Planned Parenthood—putting 200 health centers across the country at risk of closure, 90 percent of which are in states where abortion is legal—and by effectively banning ACA marketplace health plans from covering abortion care. Overall, Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act would kick 16 million people off their health insurance through massive cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and overwhelmingly impact women, who comprise most adults covered by Medicaid. Medicaid is the primary source of coverage and the largest single payer for pregnant women’s health care nationwide, covering between one-third and one-half of births in every state across the country.

    “Already, we have seen with painful clarity, how—on a daily basis—Republican abortion bans are putting women’s lives in danger, forcing providers to close their doors, decimating access to maternal health care, and forcing women to remain pregnant—no matter their circumstances. But Dobbs was never the end of this fight for Republicans, whose goal has always been a national abortion ban. And since Republicans know they don’t have the votes right now to pass a national abortion ban outright, they are slowly, but surely, advancing a backdoor nationwide abortion ban, and chipping away at access to reproductive health care piece-by-piece—even in states where abortion is protected. Republicans are hoping no one will notice these attacks—as if people don’t care when their rights are stripped away. As if it’s easy to miss the moment your health care decisions are out of your control,” said Senator Patty Murray. “As hard as Republicans might try, the damage they are causing is undeniable. But that doesn’t mean we give up. Women’s lives are at stake—Democrats are not going to stop pushing back—not ever. We will keep pushing for legislation to protect women and health care providers from Republican prosecution, to help people access and afford the reproductive health care they need, to protect women’s private health data, to protect the Right to Contraception and the Right to IVF, and to restore the right to abortion nationwide—nothing less.”

    “When I was ten weeks pregnant, doctors informed me that my baby had acrania, a rare condition that was fatal for my baby, and dangerous for me. Naturally, I was heartbroken and scared, but I trusted that I would receive the necessary medical treatment so that my family and I could begin healing. Unfortunately, I was wrong. Just a few weeks before I received my diagnosis, the Supreme Court issued their decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, overturning Roe v. Wade and eliminating the legal right to abortion. The fallout from the decision was fast, with states across the country starting to enforce cruel and dangerous abortion bans,” said Nancy Davis of Louisiana, Founder and Executive Director of the Nancy Davis Foundation. “My home state of Louisiana has some of the strictest abortion laws in the country, and even though I needed to terminate my pregnancy to protect my own health and safety, I was told I could not receive care at the hospital in Baton Rouge. Instead of being able to process the diagnosis and grieve the loss of my pregnancy at home with my family, I had to scramble to find a way out of Louisiana to access abortion care. I found myself in a situation I never thought I would be in, forced to travel nearly 1,500 miles to get the care I needed and deserved. I experienced not only a denial of necessary medical care, but a denial of compassion, and my right to make my own decision about my own health. I felt dehumanized and stripped of my most fundamental rights. I knew what I needed to do to protect my health, and my doctors agreed, but local lawmakers who will never know me or understand my situation had the final say. The system failed me, and I am just as outraged today as I was then.”

    “I was raised in St. Louis and I love living in Missouri. But, it is challenging to fulfill your job as a physician when you cannot practice medicine as you were trained to do or teach medical students about abortion in the community and state where you live…It is infuriating and irresponsible that because of abortion bans, OBs can teach our students all aspects of medical care—except abortion. When you go to the doctor, you want your doctor to be trained. Anti-abortion politicians and groups have claimed that abortion rights have been left up to the state. That is simply not true. Last fall, Missouri voters approved a constitutional amendment ensuring the right to an abortion, but — despite the will of the voters — politicians and state officials are still interfering with patients’ rights. At every turn, when we finally make progress towards abortion access in Missouri, they move the goalposts on us. The only way to describe our experience over the last several months is whiplash,” said Dr. Margaret Baum, M.D., FACOG, Chief Medical Officer of Planned Parenthood Great Rivers in Missouri. “I have seen first-hand that these draconian laws force patients to make impossible choices when Medicaid cannot cover their care. People delay care because they’re afraid that they are not going to have the coverage for the services we know that they need. Patients are forced to decide if they can pay out of pocket to get lab tests. They are forced to decide between the procedures they need. They are forced to sometimes forego services altogether. It is critical for lawmakers to understand that the decisions they make are affecting patients every. Single. Day. And now, once again, they want to bring this chaos and confusion to the national level. I’m here to tell you today that the Senate bill proposing to ‘defund’ Planned Parenthood would be devastating. It could force nearly 200 Planned Parenthood health centers to close and is a trojan horse for a nationwide abortion ban.”

    “Back before the FACE Act protections, our clinic doors were routinely blockaded one day a month by a mob of 300 to 400 anti-abortion extremists. Those days were unpredictable and scary. If we tried to get through them and into the clinic, extremists pinched or pricked us with sharp objects. By the end of the day, our patients were all traumatized and uncared for – and our bodies were black and blue. We can’t go back to those days…I proudly advocated for this Act when it was being debated in the 1990s – I am outraged and heartbroken we have to do this again. The law works at protecting rights, including speech rights, something I witness daily. As soon as the Act took effect, the extreme blockades stopped. Yes, we still had protesters exercising their First Amendment Rights, but now they knew they couldn’t be violent, and they could not invade the clinics or block staff and patients from entering. FACE has helped preserve the dignity and safety of the patients we serve, and the professionals who care for them,” said Renee Chelian, Founder and CEO of Michigan-based Northland Family Planning Centers. “But then in 2017, when President Trump first took office extremists were emboldened to resume their violent attacks, despite FACE, knowing they had a friend in the White House. Twice they invaded our clinics, harassed patients and staff and refused to leave after trespass warnings were given. Even after law enforcement arrived, they refused to leave, went limp and had to be carried out one at a time. But the most appalling and dangerous episode occurred toward the end of Trump’s first term, in August of 2020. A group blockaded our doors preventing staff and patients from entering the clinic including those arriving for birth control appointments and three women scheduled for abortions after receiving a fatal fetal diagnosis…Within days of returning to the White House, sure enough, President Trump pardoned the violent offenders who attacked our clinic and others serving time for violence against clinics in other states, as well as those convicted for their actions here on January 6th. We were all abandoned by our government with that swipe of a pen. The FACE Act has been our only lever preventing clinic violence and holding anti-abortion criminals accountable. The FACE Act simply can’t be undone and it is up to lawmakers like you to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

    “Right now, the Trump administration is taking unprecedented action to roll back abortion rights,” said Mini Timmaraju, President and CEO of Reproductive Freedom for All. “The majority of Americans do not support right-wing, hate-fueled ideology. Eight in ten Americans want legal abortion. That’s not just a majority—that’s a consensus. But because of the daily churn of chaos from the White House, most Americans don’t know that Republicans are attacking abortion. Our new focus group research shows that when Americans know these attacks are happening, they feel disgusted and betrayed. That means if we’re louder about this issue, we can win. Senator Murray and many of the champions in this room have long been the conscience of the Senate, and it’s time for all Senate Democrats to join them. We need to do everything we can to loudly push back against this administration’s attacks on our bodies, lives, and futures. We are living through remarkably dangerous times, and this is the moment to act. Our rights are not safe under this administration, and that includes abortion rights. In order to protect the safety, health, and dignity of all Americans, we need you to keep fighting. The majority of Americans are on our side, and together, we will protect reproductive freedom and restore abortion rights for all.”

    “Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans paved the path to overturn Roe v. Wade and stripped away a woman’s right to choose, but that wasn’t enough for them,” said Senator Tammy Baldwin. “Now, they are putting the puzzle pieces together to finally get what they have long wanted: a national abortion ban. Wisconsinites have said time and again that they want the freedom to control their bodies and futures, without politicians or the government butting in – and that is exactly what I’m fighting for. We are going to keep shining a light on Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans’ cruel efforts to further chip away at women’s right to get the health care they want and deserve – including abortion care.”

    “Since Trump’s Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, we’ve seen a new form of hell at every turn,” said Senator Elizabeth Warren. “Now, Republicans in Congress are on track to pass a bill that amounts to a backdoor ban on abortion – even in states where it’s protected. Republicans’ bill to cut Medicaid and defund Planned Parenthood is a one-two punch to women across the country, and we are not going to let them get away with it.”

    “Three years after the Supreme Court ruled in the Dobbs decision, it’s become difficult and dangerous for women to access basic reproductive care, and Trump and Republicans in Congress are continuing to chip away at access and stoke the danger. I worked at Planned Parenthood, and I know all too well that receiving credible death threats is a fact of life for so many people who work in reproductive health care,” said Senator Tina Smith. “We’re seeing an uptick in threats against abortion providers and patients, meanwhile President Trump is actively pardoning anti-abortion extremists found guilty of harassment and violence. That’s why we are spotlighting the voices of leaders working on the frontlines of providing reproductive health care in the face of these threats at this important moment.”

    “The deadly Dobbs decision will go down in history as one of the worst, most harmful, most regressive decisions in modern history, said Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer. “As bad as the Dobbs decision was and as catastrophic as the impacts have already been, Republicans are doubling down on their crusade against access to reproductive healthcare in their big, ugly reconciliation bill. Democrats are going to fight like hell to strip these cruel provisions from the Republican bill, and to protect and restore reproductive freedom for all.”

    “This issue is about more than health care; it is about women’s rights, individual rights, and human rights. It is about the right to make your own health care decisions,” said Senator Richard Blumenthal. “Three years after Dobbs, American women don’t have that right. Today, thanks to Republican lawmakers and conservative courts, a woman in America might walk into an ER and faint, bleeding, and be refused treatment. That woman might die. But we aren’t giving up, and we will never stop fighting for reproductive justice, abortion access, and the simple, foundational right to choose your own health care.”

    “The Guttmacher Institute said 155,000 people traveled for an abortion in 2024,” said Senator Maria Cantwell. “We are forcing them to go get care in some other state, miles and miles away. Why? Because of this archaic decision.  Now, we have two problems. We have people coming to our state who want this care, but now we could have fewer Medicaid dollars to even provide the care.”

    “With all the chaos and damage this administration has caused, the anniversary of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade reminds us that we can’t lose sight of the fact that anti-choice politicians at all levels of our government are working nonstop to roll back women’s access to reproductive care,” said Senator Catherine Cortez Masto. “Between devastating cuts to Medicaid in Republicans’ reconciliation bill to top officials in this administration calling the safety of the abortion pill into question, Republicans across our country are taking steps to claw back women’s rights. My Democratic colleagues and I will never stop sounding the alarm about this and working to restore women’s access to basic health care.”

    “Three years ago, the Supreme Court’s conservative supermajority abandoned the long-standing constitutional protections recognized in Roe v. Wade—rejecting nearly 50 years of progress and dragging gender equality and women’s rights half a century backward,” said Senator Dick Durbin. “What has happened in the wake of Dobbs was as predictable as it is devastating—and today we heard how devastating the last three years have been for women seeking critical health care in Republican-led states. While I cannot sugarcoat the state of women’s rights following Dobbs, I want to make one thing crystal clear: this fight is far from over. I thank my colleagues, Senators Murray, Baldwin, Smith, and Warren, for hosting such an important forum and keeping up the fight.”

    “I was proud to join my colleagues today to hear directly from those who have suffered due to the deadly Dobbs decision and under Republicans’ anti-choice agenda,” said Senator Mazie Hirono. “Three years after the fall of Roe, Republicans continue to escalate their assault on reproductive freedom, while women across the country experience the devastating impacts of this infringement on their fundamental rights. Dobbs caused chaos and confusion, putting millions of Americans’ lives at risk, but I will not stop doing everything in my power to restore access to abortion and family planning services nationwide and protect reproductive health care providers and their patients.”

    “Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade three years ago, women have been at the mercy of a patchwork of laws. Over 40 percent of women of reproductive age now live under extreme and dangerous bans, women are being turned away from emergency rooms, and doctors are threatened with prosecution for just doing their jobs. This cannot be a country where our daughters have fewer rights than their mothers and grandmothers. That is why we must pass the Women’s Health Protection Act and put the protections of Roe v. Wade into law,” said Senator Amy Klobuchar.

    “In the three years since the Trump-packed Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Republican-led states have passed waves of harmful laws stripping Americans of the freedom to make their own health care decisions. Despite the life-threatening consequences of these actions, the Trump Administration is escalating its attacks on access to reproductive health care across the country—including in states where it’s protected. The stories we heard today underscored the urgent need to protect reproductive care as a matter of federal law,” said Senator Chris Van Hollen.

    Today, Senator Murray also joined Senators Tammy Baldwin and Richard Blumenthal to introduce the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025, legislation to guarantee access to abortion everywhere across the country and restore the right to comprehensive reproductive health care for millions of Americans.

    Senator Murray is a longtime leader in the fight to protect and expand access to reproductive health care and abortion rights, and she has led Congressional efforts to fight back after the Supreme Court’s disastrous decision overturning Roe v. Wade. Murray has introduced more than a dozen pieces of legislation to protect reproductive rights from further attacks, protect providers, and help ensure women get the care they need; Murray has led efforts to push for passage of these bills on the Senate floor multiple times. Last January, on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, Murray led her colleagues in hosting a “State of Abortion Rights” briefing with women who have suffered firsthand from Republican abortion bans, and last June, she chaired a HELP Committee hearing titled “The Assault on Women’s Freedoms: How Abortion Bans Have Created a Health Care Nightmare Across America.” Last year, Senator Murray helped lead efforts to force Republicans on the record on votes to protect access to contraception and access to IVF (twice), and she led her colleagues in raising the alarm about the threat a second Trump administration poses to reproductive rights and abortion access in every state, as outlined in Project 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy Delivers Floor Speech on Lowering Flood Insurance Rates with Hurricane Season Underway

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

    [embedded content]

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) delivered a speech on the U.S. Senate floor highlighting the need to end the Biden-era Risk Rating 2.0 policy and for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) to remain affordable.
    “We have a chance to bring down prices on flood insurance in the same way President Trump has brought down all these other prices—gas, eggs, milk, you name it,” said Dr. Cassidy.
    “As hurricane season ramps up, the clock is ticking. Let’s act now,” concluded Dr. Cassidy.Background
    In June, Cassidy led the charge in demanding the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) finally end the Biden-era policy, Risk Rating 2.0, which caused flood insurance premiums to skyrocket.
    In May, Cassidy delivered another speech discussing the danger that Risk Rating 2.0 poses to low- and middle-income families’ ability to be enrolled in the program.
    In April, Cassidy delivered a speech on the Senate floor calling for the continuation of FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program, which helps fund pre-disaster mitigation and flood prevention projects in Louisiana and nationwide.
    In March, Cassidy delivered a floor speech calling for a long-term extension of  NFIP and introduced legislation to extend the program through December 31, 2026. Cassidy also met with the Jefferson Business Council where he discussed his efforts to keep flood insurance affordable and extend NFIP long-term.
    In February, Cassidy introduced the Flood Insurance Affordability Tax Credit Act to give low- and middle-income households enrolled in NFIP a 33% refundable tax credit to combat rising flood insurance premiums. Cassidy also released a report last fall outlining the current state of NFIP and the issues that have led to skyrocketing premiums for millions of homeowners.
    Last year, the U.S. Senate Banking Committee held a hearing on NFIP at the request of Cassidy. The hearing highlighted the urgent need for Congress to act and featured a Louisiana witness. Cassidy also participated in a roundtable hosted by GNO, Inc. and the Coalition for Sustainable Flood Insurance to hear from community leaders and advocates on the issue.
    Cassidy traveled St. Bernard Parish in 2023 to talk with residents about their flood insurance premiums, recording the second episode of his Bill on the Hill series.
    Cassidy’s remarks as prepared for delivery are below:
    Mr. President,
    In every single state, there are Americans who rely on the National Flood Insurance Program to protect their home.
    Congress has a responsibility to serve ALL Americans, regardless of age, income, or zip code.
    Since Biden’s implementation of Risk Rating 2.0, seniors and low- and middle-income homeowners have been left behind.
    Earlier this month, I led eight of my Republican colleagues in urging FEMA to end the Biden-era Risk Rating 2.0.
    I want to work with him to fix the mess the Biden administration left us in.
    Now, I want to share with my colleagues the same case we made in that letter for why we need to act now.
    Every year on June 1st, the phrase “Hoping for the best, preparing for the worst” comes to mind.
    For the people in my state, it becomes a way of life.
    Another hurricane season is upon us.
    With a higher Gulf temperature than usual, meteorologists predict 13 to 19 named storms, 6 to 10 hurricanes, and 3 to 5 major hurricanes hitting the U.S. before the year’s end.
    Before long, Louisianans will, yet again, be stocking up on non-perishable food items and prescriptions, boarding up the windows, and checking on their neighbors.
    They will also be bracing themselves financially.
    Louisianans are still trying to get back on their feet after four years of financial distress under the Biden administration.
    Now, add the costs for recovery from severe weather damage. Many families just can’t afford it.
    That’s why we have NFIP—a program which has provided a safety net for millions in Louisiana and across the country for the last 50 years.
    Because of NFIP, the retired couple in Livingston Parish who just paid off their mortgage sleeps better at night knowing they are covered the next time they flood.
    The single working mother in Cameron Parish can rest assured knowing there is help available when it comes time to replace the siding and roof tiles, which have been torn loose by torrential winds. 
    But this program—and the peace of mind of those who rely on it—is being threatened.
    Since FEMA, under the Biden Administration, implemented Risk Rating 2.0, premiums have skyrocketed—making desperately needed protection unaffordable for millions. Over 80% of NFIP policyholders in Louisiana saw a spike in their premiums after its implementation in 2021.
    The protection that millions so desperately need has become unaffordable.
    When I say unaffordable, I’m not talking about a one or two-hundred-dollar increase.
    Even that would be too much for a lot of families.
    I’m talking about a $1,916 increase for a homeowner in Waggaman, Louisiana.
    I’m talking about a $4,500 increase for a homeowner in Gibson, Louisiana.
    I’m talking about an $8,256 increase for a homeowner in Belle Chasse, Louisiana.
    And there is no end in sight for these 300, 400, 500…one THOUSAND percent increases.
    Has FEMA been transparent about these stunning spikes?
    No.
    In fact, never knowing why their premiums rose in the first place, Americans have no option but to drop their NFIP coverage altogether, leaving them totally vulnerable.
    Has Congress been given the opportunity to provide meaningful comment in response?
    No, we were stonewalled for years under President Biden. Now with President Trump in charge, I trust there will be more transparency into Risk Rating 2.0 than we’ve ever seen before. 
    The American people—and certainly Louisianans—made it clear when they elected President Trump that they are ready to end the confusion and high prices of the previous administration.
    They were talking about the grocery store, at the gas pump, and yes, about insurance.
    NFIP was at the heart of the cost-of-living crisis Americans struggled through under President Biden.
    We have a chance to bring down prices on flood insurance in the same way President Trump has brought down all these other prices—gas, eggs, milk, you name it.
    I want to work with President Trump and my colleagues to make life affordable again!
    As hurricane season ramps up, the clock is ticking. Let’s act now!
    With that, I yield. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: On 3rd Anniversary of Roe Being Overturned, Markey Joins Senate Dems in a Bill to Restore Abortion Access Nationwide

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Women’s Health Protection Act comes as Trump and Congressional Republicans move to restrict a woman’s right to choose and toward a national abortion ban

    Washington (June 24, 2025) – On the third anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) joined the entire Senate Democratic caucus in introducing the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025, legislation to guarantee access to abortion everywhere across the country and restore the right to comprehensive reproductive health care for millions of Americans. The bill’s introduction comes as the Trump Administration further attacks a woman’s right to choose and Congressional Republicans barrel ahead with a bill that defunds Planned Parenthood. Put together, Trump and Congressional Republicans’ assault on Americans’ reproductive rights is a backdoor national abortion ban, ripping away millions of women’s access to abortion care and right to control their bodies.   

    President Trump appointed the Supreme Court Justices who ruled in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case to overturn Roe v. Wade and nearly 50 years of precedent. Since the Dobbs decision, 19 states have banned abortion or severely restricted women from being able to access the procedure, leaving one in three American women without access to safe, legal abortion care. Additionally, state legislatures across the country have introduced hundreds of bills to include medically unnecessary restrictions that limit access to abortion care.

    In his second term, President Trump has continued to relentlessly attack reproductive rights, including freezing Title X funding for clinics that offer reproductive care, cutting Biden-era emergency abortion protections, pardoning anti-abortion extremists, and fighting to defund Planned Parenthood. Additionally, the House-passed Republican budget bill kicks 16 million people off their health insurance and defunds Planned Parenthood – threatening the closure of 200 health centers across the country and putting access to vital reproductive care for millions of families at risk.

    The Women’s Health Protection Act creates federal rights for patients and providers to protect abortion access. 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.

    The legislation is sponsored by the entire Democratic caucus, including Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D- DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

    Full text of the bill is available here. A one-pager on the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Markey Joins Booker, Jayapal, Barragán to Reintroduce Legislation Removing Barriers to Health Care for Immigrants

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Washington (June 24, 2025) –  Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today joined Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) along with U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07), Ranking Member of the Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee, and Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA-44) to introduce the Health Equity and Access under Law (HEAL) for Immigrant Families Act, bicameral legislation that removes cruel and unnecessary barriers to health care for immigrants of all statuses. The legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).

    Immigrants are significantly more likely than U.S. Citizens to be uninsured, leaving them at a higher risk for both adverse health and financial consequences. Of the nearly 151 million people aged 15-49 in the United States, 14.6 million people—almost one in 10—are noncitizen immigrants.

    “Trump and Republicans are working to rip health care coverage away from millions, including immigrant communities that are already too often left uninsured and vulnerable due to their immigration status. We must expand health care access for all and eliminate the discriminatory policies that prevent immigrant families and communities from seeking the health care they need,” said Senator Markey.

    “Everyone deserves access to comprehensive, affordable, quality care, and the HEAL Act lifts unnecessary barriers to medical care for immigrants,” said Senator Booker.  “A more equitable health care system will help create healthier communities and ensure that all families, regardless of immigration status, have access to the care they need.” 

    “Health care is a human right that must be accessible to everyone — regardless of immigration status,” said Representative Jayapal. “As a proud immigrant myself, I know that the HEAL Act is a necessary first step to allow more people across America to access the health care they need to live, making all of our communities healthier. As Republicans in Congress work to strip health coverage away from millions of Americans and further decimate our already broken immigration system, we’re working to ensure everyone in this country is able to see a doctor when they need it.”

    “Access to healthcare shouldn’t depend on your immigration status,” said Representative Barragán. “Healthcare is a basic human right, and it’s time we break down the needless barriers that keep immigrant families from the care they need to survive and thrive. The HEAL Act is a step toward addressing racial health disparities and expanding quality healthcare to everyone in our communities.”

    “Withholding health care from immigrants is cruel and doesn’t make our communities safer or healthier,” said Senator Warren. “While the Trump administration continues playing political games with immigrant families, Democrats are fighting to make sure a person’s immigration status doesn’t prevent them from getting life-saving care.”

    “As the Trump Administration guts access to health care and basic services for immigrant communities, breaking down barriers to health care for immigrants isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s critical for protecting our public health and economy,” said Senator Padilla. “California is the fourth-largest economy in the world not despite immigrants, but because of their contributions to our workforce. Everyone deserves access to affordable, quality health care no matter their immigration status, and I will keep fighting to continue expanding coverage for these hardworking members of our communities.”

    “Health care is a human right—regardless of a person’s immigration status. With this critical legislation, we remove cruel, unnecessary barriers preventing immigrants from receiving the care they need to survive and thrive. By providing access to quality care and treatment, we strengthen our communities and bolster our nation’s public health,” said Senator Blumenthal.

    To see the full list of endorsing organizations, click here. 

    “Rep. Jayapal and Sen. Booker continue to be courageous and powerful champions for immigrant communities by reintroducing the HEAL for Immigrant Families Act. While immigrant families are currently being attacked and torn apart, this bill promotes a vision for what we want for our collective future. A future that supports immigrant communities by removing long standing systemic barriers to health coverage to help our communities access affordable health care. We are especially grateful that Sen. Booker and Rep. Jayapal are introducing this critical legislation today as we mark three years since the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision that overturned the constitutional right to abortion. That decision has disproportionately harmed immigrant communities, for whom abortion bans, misinformation, and the threat of being detained and separated from our families has increased the barriers that keep us from getting the health care we need,” said Lupe M. Rodríguez, Executive Director, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice. “We urge Congress to protect immigrant communities and pass this bill,” said Lupe M. Rodríguez, Executive Director, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice.

    “The reproductive justice movement teaches us that true justice means being able to have children, not have children, and raise our families in safe, supportive communities. None of that is possible without health care. In a country that has always been shaped by immigrants, we cannot keep allowing people and families, including the Asian American immigrants who make up more than a quarter of immigrants in the U.S., to be shut out from basic health care because of harmful, outdated policies. These are our mothers, our sisters, and our neighbors. The HEAL Act tears down the barriers facing our communities and reaffirms that everyone deserves the right to care, regardless of background, income, or immigration status,” said Sung Yeon Choimorrow, Executive Director, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF).

    “For too long, our health care system has denied immigrants equitable access to health insurance, fueling deep and unconscionable health inequities,” said Madeline Morcelle, Senior Attorney at the National Health Law Program. “The big ugly reconciliation bill before Congress threatens to lock even more immigrant families out of vital and often lifesaving coverage, widening those inequities. The National Health Law Program is proud to endorse the HEAL for Immigrant Families Act, which offers a better vision for the future: dismantling xenophobic health insurance barriers and fostering health equity and reproductive justice for all,” said Madeline Morcelle, Senior Attorney, The National Health Law Program.

    “Everyone deserves access to health care, no matter who they are or where they come from. It is unacceptable and cruel that many are denied affordable, high-quality, and comprehensive health care because of their immigration status. Amid the ongoing attacks on our immigrant communities and our health care, I thank Reps. Jayapal and Barragán and Senator Booker for reintroducing this critical bill that would break down unjust barriers to care for our immigrant families,” said Alexis McGill Johnson, President and CEO, Planned Parenthood Action Fund.

    “As a physician, I’ve witnessed the barriers immigrant families face when trying to access health care. Insurance coverage is a cornerstone of meaningful access; without it, care remains out of reach for too many. At a time when attacks on immigrant communities are escalating, we must act now to ensure that everyone—regardless of status—has the right to timely, compassionate, and comprehensive health care. That’s why I join physicians across the country in calling for a swift passage of the HEAL Act. Expanding health coverage to immigrant communities ensures they receive the care they deserve, regardless of their immigration status. Health is a human right and no one should be excluded from receiving healthcare. Congress must pass HEAL – our patients are counting on it,” said Dr. Jamila Perritt, MD, MPH, FACOG, President and CEO, Physicians for Reproductive Health.

    “With immigrant families under constant attack, it’s more important than ever to work toward a better, more inclusive future when everyone can get the care we all need. We are proud to champion the HEAL Act – a critical step toward that better future,” said Adriana Cadena, Campaign Director, Protecting Immigrant Families Coalition.

    “Now more than ever, it is critical to affirm that everyone—including immigrants—should have access to health care coverage. Immigrants already face many restrictions to such care and an onslaught of attacks on them and their families’ health and well-being, ranging from the fear created by the Administration’s mass deportation efforts to the deeply harmful budget reconciliation bill currently under consideration. The HEAL for Immigrant Families Act is a critical step in moving us back in the right direction by giving children and families access to the health care they need to thrive. CLASP is grateful to Representative Jayapal and Senator Booker for their leadership in promoting a vision that supports health care for all,” said Wendy Cervantes, Director, Immigration and Immigrant Families, CLASP.

    “A community’s health and well-being depend on ensuring all of us have access to the affordable health care we need, regardless of immigration status. The HEAL Act would remove harmful barriers to care for millions and benefit all of us. At a time when immigrant communities across the country are facing a barrage of attacks, we commend Representative Jayapal for continuing to champion a vision and policies that help everyone in our communities,” said Kica Matos, President, National Immigration Law Center.

    The HEAL for Immigrant Families Act will:

    1. Restore enrollment to full-benefit Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to all federally authorized immigrants who are otherwise eligible by removing the 5-year waiting period and outdated list of “qualified immigrants” for Medicaid and CHIP eligibility;
    2. Remove discriminatory Medicare restrictions based on length of stay in the U.S. for many lawful permanent residents (LPR);
    3. End the exclusion of undocumented immigrants from Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces
    4. Ensure access to public and affordable coverage for Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients;
    5. Create a state option to expand Medicaid and CHIP to immigrants regardless of immigration status.

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China calls for genuine ceasefire, de-escalation in Middle East: FM

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

    BEIJING, June 24 — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday that China supports Iran’s efforts to safeguard national sovereignty and security, and on that basis, achieve a genuine ceasefire, restore normal life for the people, and help de-escalate the situation in the Middle East as soon as possible.

    During his phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said China is willing to promote the UN Security Council in fulfilling its due role and primary responsibility of safeguarding international peace and security.

    China also hopes that Iran will continue to ensure the safety of Chinese institutions, personnel, and diplomatic missions, he said.

    Araghchi, for his part, stressed that the dangerous actions by Israel and the United States in attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities are serious violations of international law, leaving Iran with no choice but to respond.

    Genuine negotiations can only begin once Israel halts its aggression, he said.

    Iran is willing to maintain close communication with China and looks forward to China’s greater role in easing tensions, he added.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China opposes settling disputes by force: FM

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

    BEIJING, June 24 — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday that China opposes settling disputes by force and has always stood on the side of peace.

    Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during a phone conversation with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

    Wang said Israel and the United States have used force against Iran on the grounds of “potential future threats,” which has seriously violated the international law and infringed upon Iran’s sovereignty.

    Dialogue and negotiation is the fundamental way out, Wang said, noting that all parties should restart dialogue on an equal basis and push the Iranian nuclear issue back onto the track of political settlement.

    Wang said that the Palestinian question is at the heart of the Middle East issue, and it is necessary to promote the implementation of the two-state solution.

    For his part, Fidan said if Israel wants to safeguard its security, it should accept the two-state solution and stop the humanitarian disaster in Gaza.

    Türkiye is willing to enhance communication and coordination with China and jointly commit to achieving peace and stability in the Middle East region, he said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Israel says new missiles from Iran after ceasefire

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

    A missile trace is seen from the city of Hebron in the southern West Bank, on June 24, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Israel said on Tuesday it had identified missiles from Iran, shortly after the Israeli authorities said it had accepted a ceasefire proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.

    According to local media reports, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed Israeli military to “respond forcefully” after Iranian missile fire.

    The latest escalation came shortly after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that Israel had accepted a ceasefire proposed by Trump and had achieved its war goals against Iran.

    According to a statement by the office of Israeli prime minister, Netanyahu declared that Israel had achieved its goal of removing Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile threat.

    Iran’s Press TV said earlier Tuesday that ceasefire begins following waves of Iranian attacks on Israel.

    Trump had earlier announced that a ceasefire between the two sides would begin around 0400 GMT, with Iran expected to halt its operations first.

    Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said earlier that there was no “agreement” on a ceasefire between Iran and Israel. However, he suggested Iran would be prepared to halt further retaliation if Israeli attacks stopped by 4 a.m. Tehran time (0030 GMT).

    “If Israel stops its illegal aggression against the Iranian people no later than 4 a.m., Iran has no intention of continuing its response afterwards,” Araqchi wrote in a post on X, adding that “the final decision on the cessation of our military operations will be made later.”

    Hours earlier, a senior Iranian official told CNN that Tehran had not received any formal ceasefire proposal from the United States and saw no reason to halt hostilities.

    “At this very moment, the enemy is committing aggression against Iran, and Iran is on the verge of intensifying its retaliatory strikes, with no ear to listen to the lies of its enemies,” the official was quoted as saying. He added that remarks from U.S. and Israeli leaders would be seen as a “deception” intended to justify further attacks on Iran.

    The conflicting narratives raised questions about the implementation and durability of any potential ceasefire. It remained unclear whether the reported deal had been communicated through diplomatic channels, or whether either side intended to follow the terms.

    Trump announced Monday evening that Israel and Iran have reached a formal agreement to implement a complete and total ceasefire, marking what he called the end of the “12-Day War.”

    In a post on his Truth Social platform Monday, Trump said the ceasefire will initially last 12 hours, during which the opposing sides will maintain a posture of “peace and respect.”

    “On the assumption that everything works as it should, which it will,” Trump wrote, “I would like to congratulate both countries … on having the stamina, courage, and intelligence to end what should be called ‘THE 12 DAY WAR.’”

    Calling the agreement a breakthrough that “could have saved the Middle East from years of destruction,” Trump ended his announcement with a sweeping message of unity: “God bless Israel, God bless Iran, God bless the Middle East, God bless the United States of America, and GOD BLESS THE WORLD!”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tillis, Colleagues Lead Effort to Strengthen Review of Foreign Land Purchases Near Sensitive U.S. Military Sites

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) and 10 of his Republican Senate colleagues introduced the Protect Our Bases Act, legislation that strengthens national security by ensuring the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) can effectively review foreign land purchases near sensitive military, intelligence, and national laboratory sites. 
    “We must address the growing threat from the Chinese Communist Party and other hostile regimes trying to get close to our most sensitive military and intelligence sites,” said Senator Tillis. “The Protect Our Bases Act ensures the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States has the most up-to-date information on key U.S. national security locations so dangerous land purchases can be blocked well before they become security risks.”
    BACKGROUND: 
    In 2022, Fufeng Group, a Chinese company with ties to the Chinese Communist Party, announced it would purchase land near Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota. CFIUS determined that it could not evaluate the transaction for national security risks because the Department of Defense had not listed the base as a sensitive site for national security purposes. Although the City of Grand Forks ultimately blocked the transaction, the incident demonstrated a significant flaw in the review process of foreign land purchases. CFIUS relies on its member agencies to provide updated information on sensitive military, intelligence, and national laboratory sites in order to properly assess the security risk of foreign investment in our country. If CFIUS member agencies do not appropriately update their site lists, CFIUS cannot ensure an accurate review.
    In addition to requiring agencies represented on CFIUS to provide updated records of the military, intelligence, and national laboratory facilities that should be sensitive sites on an annual basis, the Protect Our Bases Act makes these records easier for CFIUS to use for national security reviews and requires CFIUS to submit an annual report to Congress certifying the completion of such reviews and the accuracy of its real estate listings.
    Full text of the bill is available HERE. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Array Technologies Announces Pricing of Upsized Offering of Convertible Senior Notes

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., June 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Array Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: ARRY) (the “Company” or “ARRAY”) today announced that it has priced an upsized offering of $300 million in aggregate principal amount of 2.875% convertible senior notes due 2031 (the “Notes”) in a private placement (the “Offering”) to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). ARRAY has also granted the initial purchasers of the Notes an option to purchase, for settlement within a 13-day period from, and including the date on which the Notes are first issued, up to an additional $45 million in aggregate principal amount of Notes. The Offering is expected to close on June 27, 2025, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

    The Notes will be senior, unsecured obligations of ARRAY, and will accrue interest at a rate of 2.875% per annum, payable semiannually in arrears on January 1 and July 1 of each year, beginning on January 1, 2026. The Notes will mature on July 1, 2031, unless earlier redeemed, repurchased or converted.

    ARRAY estimates that the net proceeds from the Offering will be approximately $290.4 million (or approximately $334.1 million if the initial purchasers exercise their option to purchase additional Notes in full), after deducting the initial purchasers’ discounts and estimated expenses payable by ARRAY. ARRAY intends to use (i) $150 million of the net proceeds to repay outstanding indebtedness under its term loan facility, (ii) approximately $30.5 million of the net proceeds to fund the cost of entering into the capped call transactions described below and (iii) a portion of the net proceeds to fund repurchases of approximately $100 million in aggregate principal amount of its outstanding 1.00% Convertible Senior Notes due 2028 (the “Existing Convertible Notes”) for approximately $78.3 million in cash, plus accrued and unpaid interest. ARRAY intends to use any remaining net proceeds from the Offering for general corporate purposes, which may include additional repayments or repurchases of outstanding indebtedness. If the initial purchasers exercise their option to purchase additional Notes, ARRAY expects to use a portion of the net proceeds from the sale of the additional Notes to enter into additional capped call transactions.

    At any time prior to the close of business on the business day immediately preceding April 1, 2031, the Notes will be convertible at the option of the holders of the Notes only upon the satisfaction of specified conditions and during certain periods. On or after April 1, 2031, until the close of business on the second scheduled trading day immediately preceding the maturity date, the Notes will be convertible at the option of the holders of the Notes at any time regardless of these conditions. The initial conversion rate will be 123.1262 shares of ARRAY’s common stock per $1,000 principal amount of Notes (equivalent to an initial conversion price of approximately $8.12 per share of ARRAY’s common stock). The initial conversion price of the Notes represents a premium of approximately 27.5% over the last reported sale price of ARRAY’s common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market (the “Nasdaq”) on June 24, 2025.

    Upon conversion of the Notes, ARRAY will pay cash up to the aggregate principal amount of the Notes to be converted and pay or deliver, as the case may be, cash, shares of ARRAY’s common stock or a combination of cash and shares of ARRAY’s common stock, at ARRAY’s election, in respect of the remainder, if any, of ARRAY’s conversion obligation in excess of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes being converted, based on the then applicable conversion rate.

    ARRAY may redeem for cash all or any portion of the Notes, at its option, on or after July 6, 2029 and prior to the 41st scheduled trading day immediately preceding the maturity date, if the last reported sale price of ARRAY’s common stock has been at least 130% of the conversion price then in effect for at least 20 trading days (whether or not consecutive) during any 30 consecutive trading day period (including the last trading day of such period) ending on, and including, the trading day immediately preceding the date on which ARRAY provides notice of redemption at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date. No sinking fund is provided for the Notes.

    Subject to certain conditions, if ARRAY undergoes a “fundamental change” (as defined in the indenture that will govern the Notes), holders of the Notes may require ARRAY to repurchase for cash all or any portion of their Notes at a fundamental change repurchase price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be repurchased, plus any accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the fundamental change repurchase date. In addition, upon certain corporate events that occur prior to the maturity date or upon redemption, ARRAY will, under certain circumstances, increase the conversion rate for holders who elect to convert their Notes in connection with any such corporate event or convert their Notes called (or deemed called) for redemption during the related redemption period, as the case may be.

    In connection with the pricing of the Notes, ARRAY entered into privately negotiated capped call transactions with certain of the initial purchasers or their respective affiliates and certain other financial institutions (the “option counterparties”). The capped call transactions will cover, subject to anti-dilution adjustments, the number of shares of ARRAY’s common stock initially underlying the Notes sold in the Offering. The capped call transactions are expected generally to reduce potential dilution to ARRAY’s common stock upon conversion of any Notes and/or offset any cash payments ARRAY is required to make in excess of the principal amount of converted Notes, as the case may be, with such reduction and/or offset subject to a cap based on a cap price initially equal to $12.74 per share which represents a premium of 100% over the last reported sale price of ARRAY’s common stock on the Nasdaq on June 24, 2025.

    ARRAY has been advised that, in connection with establishing their initial hedges of the capped call transactions, the option counterparties or their respective affiliates expect to purchase shares of ARRAY’s common stock and/or enter into various derivative transactions with respect to ARRAY’s common stock concurrently with or shortly after the pricing of the Notes. This activity could increase (or reduce the size of any decrease in) the market price of ARRAY’s common stock or the Notes at that time. In addition, the option counterparties or their respective affiliates may modify their hedge positions by entering into or unwinding various derivatives with respect to ARRAY’s common stock and/or purchasing or selling ARRAY’s common stock or other securities of ARRAY in secondary market transactions following the pricing of the Notes and prior to the maturity of the Notes (and are likely to do so (x) during any observation period related to a conversion of Notes or following any repurchase of Notes in connection with any “fundamental change” (as defined in the indenture for the Notes) and (y) following any other repurchase of Notes if ARRAY elects to unwind a portion of the capped call transactions in connection with such repurchase). This activity could also cause or avoid an increase or decrease in the market price of ARRAY’s common stock or the Notes, which could affect the ability of noteholders to convert the Notes and, to the extent the activity occurs during any observation period related to a conversion of Notes, it could affect the amount and value of the consideration that noteholders will receive upon conversion of the Notes.

    In connection with the pricing of the Notes, ARRAY entered into separate and individually negotiated transactions with certain holders of the Existing Convertible Notes to repurchase approximately $100 million in aggregate principal amount of the Existing Convertible Notes for approximately $78.3 million in cash, plus accrued and unpaid interest, using a portion of the net proceeds from the Offering (the “Existing Convertible Note Repurchases”). Holders of any Existing Convertible Notes that are repurchased as described above may enter into or unwind various derivatives with respect to ARRAY’s common stock (including entering into derivatives with one or more of the initial purchasers in the Offering or their respective affiliates) and/or purchase or sell shares of ARRAY’s common stock, which may occur concurrently with or shortly after the pricing of the Notes.

    The Existing Convertible Note Repurchases and the potential related market activities by holders of the Existing Convertible Notes that are repurchased by ARRAY could increase (or reduce the size of any decrease in) or decrease (or reduce the size of any increase in) the market price of ARRAY’s common stock, which may affect the trading price of the Notes at that time and the initial conversion price of the Notes. ARRAY cannot predict the magnitude of such market activity or the overall effect it will have on the price of the Notes or ARRAY’s common stock.

    Neither the Notes nor the shares of ARRAY’s common stock potentially issuable upon conversion of the Notes, if any, have been, or will be, registered under the Securities Act, the securities laws of any other jurisdiction or any state securities laws and, unless so registered, may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state laws. The Notes will be offered and sold only to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers in the United States pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act. This news release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, the Notes, nor shall there be any sale of the Notes in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale is unlawful.

    About Array Technologies, Inc.

    ARRAY Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: ARRY) is a leading global provider of solar tracking technology to utility-scale and distributed generation customers, who construct, develop, and operate solar PV sites. With solutions engineered to withstand the harshest weather conditions, ARRAY’s high-quality solar trackers, software platforms and field services combine to maximize energy production and deliver value to ARRAY’s customers for the entire lifecycle of a project. Founded and headquartered in the United States, ARRAY is rooted in manufacturing and driven by technology – relying on its domestic manufacturing, diversified global supply chain, and customer-centric approach to design, deliver, commission, train, and support solar energy deployment around the world.

    Media Contact:
    Nicole Stewart
    505-589-8257
    nicole.stewart@arraytechinc.com

    Investor Relations Contact:
    ARRAY Technologies, Inc.
    Investor Relations
    investors@arraytechinc.com

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as “estimate,” “plan,” “project,” “forecast,” “intend,” “will,” “shall,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “seek,” “target,” “continue,” “could,” “may,” “might,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict” or other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the completion of the Offering, the expected amount and intended use of the net proceeds and the anticipated effects of entering into the capped call transactions and the Existing Convertible Note Repurchases. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and important factors (many of which are beyond the Company’s control) that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward looking statements, including risks and uncertainties associated with market conditions, including market interest rates, the trading price and volatility of ARRAY’s common stock, and risks relating to this Offering, the Company’s business and operations and results of financing efforts, including those described in more detail in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2025 and subsequent reports and other documents on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements included in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake, and specifically disclaims, any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of such statements.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Jayapal, Barragan Reintroduce Legislation to Remove Barriers to Health Care for Immigrants

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) along with U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07), Ranking Member of the Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee, and Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA-44) introduced the Health Equity and Access under Law (HEAL) for Immigrant Families Act, bicameral legislation that removes cruel and unnecessary barriers to health care for immigrants of all statuses. The legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Edward Markey (D-MA), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).

    Immigrants are significantly more likely than U.S. Citizens to be uninsured, leaving them at a higher risk for both adverse health and financial consequences. Of the nearly 151 million people aged 15-49 in the United States, 14.6 million people—almost one in 10—are noncitizen immigrants.

    “Everyone deserves access to comprehensive, affordable, quality care, and the HEAL Act lifts unnecessary barriers to medical care for immigrants,” said Senator Booker.  “A more equitable health care system will help create healthier communities and ensure that all families, regardless of immigration status, have access to the care they need.” 

    “Health care is a human right that must be accessible to everyone — regardless of immigration status,” said Representative Jayapal. “As a proud immigrant myself, I know that the HEAL Act is a necessary first step to allow more people across America to access the health care they need to live, making all of our communities healthier. As Republicans in Congress work to strip health coverage away from millions of Americans and further decimate our already broken immigration system, we’re working to ensure everyone in this country is able to see a doctor when they need it.”

    “Access to healthcare shouldn’t depend on your immigration status,” said Representative Barragán. “Healthcare is a basic human right, and it’s time we break down the needless barriers that keep immigrant families from the care they need to survive and thrive. The HEAL Act is a step toward addressing racial health disparities and expanding quality healthcare to everyone in our communities.”

    “Withholding health care from immigrants is cruel and doesn’t make our communities safer or healthier,” said Senator Warren. “While the Trump administration continues playing political games with immigrant families, Democrats are fighting to make sure a person’s immigration status doesn’t prevent them from getting life-saving care.”

    “As the Trump Administration guts access to health care and basic services for immigrant communities, breaking down barriers to health care for immigrants isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s critical for protecting our public health and economy,” said Senator Padilla. “California is the fourth-largest economy in the world not despite immigrants, but because of their contributions to our workforce. Everyone deserves access to affordable, quality health care no matter their immigration status, and I will keep fighting to continue expanding coverage for these hardworking members of our communities.”

    “Trump and Republicans are working to rip health care coverage away from millions, including immigrant communities that are already too often left uninsured and vulnerable due to their immigration status. We must expand health care access for all and eliminate the discriminatory policies that prevent immigrant families and communities from seeking the health care they need,” said Senator Markey.

    “Health care is a human right—regardless of a person’s immigration status. With this critical legislation, we remove cruel, unnecessary barriers preventing immigrants from receiving the care they need to survive and thrive. By providing access to quality care and treatment, we strengthen our communities and bolster our nation’s public health,” said Senator Blumenthal.

    To see the full list of endorsing organizations, click here. 

    “Rep. Jayapal and Sen. Booker continue to be courageous and powerful champions for immigrant communities by reintroducing the HEAL for Immigrant Families Act. While immigrant families are currently being attacked and torn apart, this bill promotes a vision for what we want for our collective future. A future that supports immigrant communities by removing long standing systemic barriers to health coverage to help our communities access affordable health care. We are especially grateful that Sen. Booker and Rep. Jayapal are introducing this critical legislation today as we mark three years since the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision that overturned the constitutional right to abortion. That decision has disproportionately harmed immigrant communities, for whom abortion bans, misinformation, and the threat of being detained and separated from our families has increased the barriers that keep us from getting the health care we need,” said Lupe M. Rodríguez, Executive Director, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice. “We urge Congress to protect immigrant communities and pass this bill,” said Lupe M. Rodríguez, Executive Director, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice.

    “The reproductive justice movement teaches us that true justice means being able to have children, not have children, and raise our families in safe, supportive communities. None of that is possible without health care. In a country that has always been shaped by immigrants, we cannot keep allowing people and families, including the Asian American immigrants who make up more than a quarter of immigrants in the U.S., to be shut out from basic health care because of harmful, outdated policies. These are our mothers, our sisters, and our neighbors. The HEAL Act tears down the barriers facing our communities and reaffirms that everyone deserves the right to care, regardless of background, income, or immigration status,” said Sung Yeon Choimorrow, Executive Director, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF).

    “For too long, our health care system has denied immigrants equitable access to health insurance, fueling deep and unconscionable health inequities,” said Madeline Morcelle, Senior Attorney at the National Health Law Program. “The big ugly reconciliation bill before Congress threatens to lock even more immigrant families out of vital and often lifesaving coverage, widening those inequities. The National Health Law Program is proud to endorse the HEAL for Immigrant Families Act, which offers a better vision for the future: dismantling xenophobic health insurance barriers and fostering health equity and reproductive justice for all,” said Madeline Morcelle, Senior Attorney, The National Health Law Program.

    “Everyone deserves access to health care, no matter who they are or where they come from. It is unacceptable and cruel that many are denied affordable, high-quality, and comprehensive health care because of their immigration status. Amid the ongoing attacks on our immigrant communities and our health care, I thank Reps. Jayapal and Barragán and Senator Booker for reintroducing this critical bill that would break down unjust barriers to care for our immigrant families,” said Alexis McGill Johnson, President and CEO, Planned Parenthood Action Fund.

    “As a physician, I’ve witnessed the barriers immigrant families face when trying to access health care. Insurance coverage is a cornerstone of meaningful access; without it, care remains out of reach for too many. At a time when attacks on immigrant communities are escalating, we must act now to ensure that everyone—regardless of status—has the right to timely, compassionate, and comprehensive health care. That’s why I join physicians across the country in calling for a swift passage of the HEAL Act. Expanding health coverage to immigrant communities ensures they receive the care they deserve, regardless of their immigration status. Health is a human right and no one should be excluded from receiving healthcare. Congress must pass HEAL – our patients are counting on it,” said Dr. Jamila Perritt, MD, MPH, FACOG, President and CEO, Physicians for Reproductive Health.

    “With immigrant families under constant attack, it’s more important than ever to work toward a better, more inclusive future when everyone can get the care we all need. We are proud to champion the HEAL Act – a critical step toward that better future,” said Adriana Cadena, Campaign Director, Protecting Immigrant Families Coalition.

    “Now more than ever, it is critical to affirm that everyone—including immigrants—should have access to health care coverage. Immigrants already face many restrictions to such care and an onslaught of attacks on them and their families’ health and well-being, ranging from the fear created by the Administration’s mass deportation efforts to the deeply harmful budget reconciliation bill currently under consideration. The HEAL for Immigrant Families Act is a critical step in moving us back in the right direction by giving children and families access to the health care they need to thrive. CLASP is grateful to Representative Jayapal and Senator Booker for their leadership in promoting a vision that supports health care for all,” said Wendy Cervantes, Director, Immigration and Immigrant Families, CLASP.

    “A community’s health and well-being depend on ensuring all of us have access to the affordable health care we need, regardless of immigration status. The HEAL Act would remove harmful barriers to care for millions and benefit all of us. At a time when immigrant communities across the country are facing a barrage of attacks, we commend Representative Jayapal for continuing to champion a vision and policies that help everyone in our communities,” said Kica Matos, President, National Immigration Law Center.

    The HEAL for Immigrant Families Act will:

    1. Restore enrollment to full-benefit Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to all federally authorized immigrants who are otherwise eligible by removing the 5-year waiting period and outdated list of “qualified immigrants” for Medicaid and CHIP eligibility;
    2. Remove discriminatory Medicare restrictions based on length of stay in the U.S. for many lawful permanent residents (LPR);
    3. End the exclusion of undocumented immigrants from Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces
    4. Ensure access to public and affordable coverage for Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients;
    5. Create a state option to expand Medicaid and CHIP to immigrants regardless of immigration status.

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Jayapal, Barragan Reintroduce Legislation to Remove Barriers to Health Care for Immigrants

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) along with U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07), Ranking Member of the Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee, and Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA-44) introduced the Health Equity and Access under Law (HEAL) for Immigrant Families Act, bicameral legislation that removes cruel and unnecessary barriers to health care for immigrants of all statuses. The legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Edward Markey (D-MA), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).

    Immigrants are significantly more likely than U.S. Citizens to be uninsured, leaving them at a higher risk for both adverse health and financial consequences. Of the nearly 151 million people aged 15-49 in the United States, 14.6 million people—almost one in 10—are noncitizen immigrants.

    “Everyone deserves access to comprehensive, affordable, quality care, and the HEAL Act lifts unnecessary barriers to medical care for immigrants,” said Senator Booker.  “A more equitable health care system will help create healthier communities and ensure that all families, regardless of immigration status, have access to the care they need.” 

    “Health care is a human right that must be accessible to everyone — regardless of immigration status,” said Representative Jayapal. “As a proud immigrant myself, I know that the HEAL Act is a necessary first step to allow more people across America to access the health care they need to live, making all of our communities healthier. As Republicans in Congress work to strip health coverage away from millions of Americans and further decimate our already broken immigration system, we’re working to ensure everyone in this country is able to see a doctor when they need it.”

    “Access to healthcare shouldn’t depend on your immigration status,” said Representative Barragán. “Healthcare is a basic human right, and it’s time we break down the needless barriers that keep immigrant families from the care they need to survive and thrive. The HEAL Act is a step toward addressing racial health disparities and expanding quality healthcare to everyone in our communities.”

    “Withholding health care from immigrants is cruel and doesn’t make our communities safer or healthier,” said Senator Warren. “While the Trump administration continues playing political games with immigrant families, Democrats are fighting to make sure a person’s immigration status doesn’t prevent them from getting life-saving care.”

    “As the Trump Administration guts access to health care and basic services for immigrant communities, breaking down barriers to health care for immigrants isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s critical for protecting our public health and economy,” said Senator Padilla. “California is the fourth-largest economy in the world not despite immigrants, but because of their contributions to our workforce. Everyone deserves access to affordable, quality health care no matter their immigration status, and I will keep fighting to continue expanding coverage for these hardworking members of our communities.”

    “Trump and Republicans are working to rip health care coverage away from millions, including immigrant communities that are already too often left uninsured and vulnerable due to their immigration status. We must expand health care access for all and eliminate the discriminatory policies that prevent immigrant families and communities from seeking the health care they need,” said Senator Markey.

    “Health care is a human right—regardless of a person’s immigration status. With this critical legislation, we remove cruel, unnecessary barriers preventing immigrants from receiving the care they need to survive and thrive. By providing access to quality care and treatment, we strengthen our communities and bolster our nation’s public health,” said Senator Blumenthal.

    To see the full list of endorsing organizations, click here. 

    “Rep. Jayapal and Sen. Booker continue to be courageous and powerful champions for immigrant communities by reintroducing the HEAL for Immigrant Families Act. While immigrant families are currently being attacked and torn apart, this bill promotes a vision for what we want for our collective future. A future that supports immigrant communities by removing long standing systemic barriers to health coverage to help our communities access affordable health care. We are especially grateful that Sen. Booker and Rep. Jayapal are introducing this critical legislation today as we mark three years since the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision that overturned the constitutional right to abortion. That decision has disproportionately harmed immigrant communities, for whom abortion bans, misinformation, and the threat of being detained and separated from our families has increased the barriers that keep us from getting the health care we need,” said Lupe M. Rodríguez, Executive Director, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice. “We urge Congress to protect immigrant communities and pass this bill,” said Lupe M. Rodríguez, Executive Director, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice.

    “The reproductive justice movement teaches us that true justice means being able to have children, not have children, and raise our families in safe, supportive communities. None of that is possible without health care. In a country that has always been shaped by immigrants, we cannot keep allowing people and families, including the Asian American immigrants who make up more than a quarter of immigrants in the U.S., to be shut out from basic health care because of harmful, outdated policies. These are our mothers, our sisters, and our neighbors. The HEAL Act tears down the barriers facing our communities and reaffirms that everyone deserves the right to care, regardless of background, income, or immigration status,” said Sung Yeon Choimorrow, Executive Director, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF).

    “For too long, our health care system has denied immigrants equitable access to health insurance, fueling deep and unconscionable health inequities,” said Madeline Morcelle, Senior Attorney at the National Health Law Program. “The big ugly reconciliation bill before Congress threatens to lock even more immigrant families out of vital and often lifesaving coverage, widening those inequities. The National Health Law Program is proud to endorse the HEAL for Immigrant Families Act, which offers a better vision for the future: dismantling xenophobic health insurance barriers and fostering health equity and reproductive justice for all,” said Madeline Morcelle, Senior Attorney, The National Health Law Program.

    “Everyone deserves access to health care, no matter who they are or where they come from. It is unacceptable and cruel that many are denied affordable, high-quality, and comprehensive health care because of their immigration status. Amid the ongoing attacks on our immigrant communities and our health care, I thank Reps. Jayapal and Barragán and Senator Booker for reintroducing this critical bill that would break down unjust barriers to care for our immigrant families,” said Alexis McGill Johnson, President and CEO, Planned Parenthood Action Fund.

    “As a physician, I’ve witnessed the barriers immigrant families face when trying to access health care. Insurance coverage is a cornerstone of meaningful access; without it, care remains out of reach for too many. At a time when attacks on immigrant communities are escalating, we must act now to ensure that everyone—regardless of status—has the right to timely, compassionate, and comprehensive health care. That’s why I join physicians across the country in calling for a swift passage of the HEAL Act. Expanding health coverage to immigrant communities ensures they receive the care they deserve, regardless of their immigration status. Health is a human right and no one should be excluded from receiving healthcare. Congress must pass HEAL – our patients are counting on it,” said Dr. Jamila Perritt, MD, MPH, FACOG, President and CEO, Physicians for Reproductive Health.

    “With immigrant families under constant attack, it’s more important than ever to work toward a better, more inclusive future when everyone can get the care we all need. We are proud to champion the HEAL Act – a critical step toward that better future,” said Adriana Cadena, Campaign Director, Protecting Immigrant Families Coalition.

    “Now more than ever, it is critical to affirm that everyone—including immigrants—should have access to health care coverage. Immigrants already face many restrictions to such care and an onslaught of attacks on them and their families’ health and well-being, ranging from the fear created by the Administration’s mass deportation efforts to the deeply harmful budget reconciliation bill currently under consideration. The HEAL for Immigrant Families Act is a critical step in moving us back in the right direction by giving children and families access to the health care they need to thrive. CLASP is grateful to Representative Jayapal and Senator Booker for their leadership in promoting a vision that supports health care for all,” said Wendy Cervantes, Director, Immigration and Immigrant Families, CLASP.

    “A community’s health and well-being depend on ensuring all of us have access to the affordable health care we need, regardless of immigration status. The HEAL Act would remove harmful barriers to care for millions and benefit all of us. At a time when immigrant communities across the country are facing a barrage of attacks, we commend Representative Jayapal for continuing to champion a vision and policies that help everyone in our communities,” said Kica Matos, President, National Immigration Law Center.

    The HEAL for Immigrant Families Act will:

    1. Restore enrollment to full-benefit Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to all federally authorized immigrants who are otherwise eligible by removing the 5-year waiting period and outdated list of “qualified immigrants” for Medicaid and CHIP eligibility;
    2. Remove discriminatory Medicare restrictions based on length of stay in the U.S. for many lawful permanent residents (LPR);
    3. End the exclusion of undocumented immigrants from Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces
    4. Ensure access to public and affordable coverage for Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients;
    5. Create a state option to expand Medicaid and CHIP to immigrants regardless of immigration status.

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

    MIL OSI USA News –