NewzIntel.com

Category: United States of America

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Available to Missouri Small Businesses, Private Nonprofits and Residents Affected by May Storms

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – In response to a Presidential disaster declaration issued June 9, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)announced the availability of low interest federal disaster loans to Missouri small businesses, private nonprofit (PNP) organizations and residents affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding occurring May 16.

    The disaster declaration covers the Missouri counties of Scott, St. Louis, and the Independent City of St. Louis.

    Businesses and nonprofits are eligible to apply for business physical disaster loans and may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.

    Homeowners and renters are eligible to apply for home and personal property loans and may borrow up to $100,000 to replace or repair personal property, such as clothing, furniture, cars, and appliances. Homeowners may apply for up to $500,000 to replace or repair their primary residence.

    Applicants may be eligible for a loan increase of up to 20% of their physical damages, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements include insulating pipes, walls and attics, weather stripping doors and windows, and installing storm windows to help protect property and occupants from future disasters.

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

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

    “One distinct advantage of SBA’s disaster loan program is the opportunity to fund upgrades reducing the risk of future storm damage,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “I encourage businesses and homeowners to work with contractors and mitigation professionals to improve their storm readiness while taking advantage of SBA’s mitigation loans.”

    Interest rates can be as low as 4% for small businesses, 3.62% for PNPs and 2.81% for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not begin to accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    As soon as Federal-State Disaster Recovery Centers open throughout the affected area, SBA will provide one-on-one assistance to disaster loan applicants. Additional information and details on the location of disaster recovery centers is available by calling the SBA Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955.

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

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    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Medtronic Announces Voluntary Recall of Select Newport™ HT70 and Newport™ HT70 Plus Ventilators and Certain Related Newport™ Service Parts

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

    Summary

    Company Announcement Date:
    June 11, 2025
    FDA Publish Date:
    June 11, 2025
    Product Type:
    Medical Devices
    Reason for Announcement:

    Recall Reason Description
    Device & Drug Safety – Potential Defect

    Company Name:
    Medtronic
    Brand Name:

    Brand Name(s)
    Newport™

    Product Description:

    Product Description
    Newport™ HT70 and HT70 Plus ventilators and certain related service parts

    Company Announcement
    Customers are being asked to remove the affected devices from use and replace with an alternate means of ventilation
    June 11, 2025 — In May 2025, Medtronic issued a voluntary recall notification to global customers related to specific Newport™ HT70 and HT70 Plus ventilators and certain related Newport™ service parts. The FDA recently designated this voluntary action by Medtronic as a Class I recall.
    With this recall, Medtronic is advising discontinuation of clinical use of the affected devices. Investigation into customer complaints identified two separate capacitors on one of the ventilator’s controller Printed Circuit Board Assembly (PCBA), that, in case of failure, may result in:

    The ventilator shutting down during use, or
    The shutdown alert alarm failing to sound effectively.

    The following table identifies the item name, manufacture date and use by date:
    No instances of both capacitors failing on the same PCBA board have occurred, nor are they anticipated to occur.
    If a ventilator fails and does not provide adequate ventilation, the patient may not be able to breathe on their own, leading to low oxygen levels, high carbon dioxide levels, and potentially severe consequences like brain injury or death. There have been 63 medical device reports (MDRs) associated with this issue, including two serious injuries and one death. HT70 and HT70 Plus ventilators are intended for use by home users, as well as for infant and pediatric patients who may be at higher risks of injury or death due to unanticipated ventilator failures.
    Customer recommendations
    Customers should remove the affected devices from use and replace with an alternate means of ventilation. Medtronic is not correcting these issues on affected ventilators or service parts and will no longer service affected ventilators identified in this notification. Customers with questions should contact Medtronic Customer Service at 800-962-9888. Adverse events or product quality concerns with this product should be reported to the FDA and Medtronic:

    Refer to the customer notification and the patient letter for additional information.
    The Newport™ HT70 family of ventilators is intended to provide continuous or intermittent positive pressure mechanical ventilatory support for individuals who require mechanical ventilation through invasive or noninvasive interfaces. Specifically, the Newport™ HT70 family of ventilators is applicable for infant, pediatric, and adult patients greater than or equal to 5 kg (11 lbs) in hospital, sub-acute, emergency department, and home care environments as well as for transport and emergency response applications. The Newport™ HT70 operator’s manual can be found here.
    Medtronic will continue working directly with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other regulatory bodies around the world on this voluntary recall. In February 2024, Medtronic announced its decision to exit its ventilator product lines, including the Newport™ ventilators. The company continues to serve the needs of its customers and their patients worldwide, and honor existing ventilator contracts, as they wind down the business over the coming years.
    Contacts:Helga RadioPublic Relations+1 (612) 270-4999
    Ryan WeispfenningInvestor Relations+1 (763) 505-4626
    Identifying Affected Product  (see image below)

    Company Contact Information

    Consumers:
    Medtronic Customer Service
    800-962-9888

    Media:
    Helga Radio Public Relations
    +1 (612) 270-4999

    Product Photos

    Content current as of:
    06/11/2025

    Regulated Product(s)

    Follow FDA

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Thursday’s Forecasted High Temperatures

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today reminded New Yorkers to stay safe this summer during periods of elevated temperatures. Higher than normal temperatures are forecast for New York City for tomorrow, June 12. The National Weather Service HeatRisk index forecasts potential heat risks for the New York City area which will impact most individuals sensitive to heat. In addition to the heat risks, an Air Quality Health Advisory is being issued for Thursday for the Long Island, New York City Metro, and Lower Hudson Valley regions due to fine particulate matter pollution caused by wildland fires in Western Canada.

    “With summer almost here, New Yorkers should make plans to stay cool and safe, and sensitive groups should take steps to especially avoid potential health issues from high temperatures, humidity, and air quality,” Governor Hochul said. “I encourage everyone to be prepared for periods of warmer weather, including making a preparedness plan and knowing the location of local cooling centers.”

    New York State provides resources on the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services website to help residents stay cool and to help prepare for extreme heat ahead of the summer season. In addition, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation today released preliminary urban heat island maps to help communities plan and adapt to extreme heat in the future.

    New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton said, “Governor Hochul, DEC, and our partnering agencies are working together to help protect the air we breathe, educate the public on how to prepare and stay healthy, and ensure resources are available to address extreme heat and other harmful climate impacts. DEC’s updated heat maps are the latest step in helping New Yorkers in disadvantaged communities and statewide better understand heat threats, inform climate solutions, support actions to address urban heat islands, and protect public health.”

    New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray said, “Extreme heat can have a significant impact on people’s health, especially older people. Take steps to stay cool ahead of the hot weather including installing air conditioners and locating cooling centers in your area that will be open. People should also familiarize themselves with the symptoms and treatments for heat-related illnesses. During high heat drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned space and out of the sun, monitor your local forecast and check in on friends and neighbors who live alone or may be at risk.”

    New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Pro Tem Randy Simons said, “Our New York State Park pools, beaches and spraygrounds are gearing up to help people cool off in the summer heat. Remember to always keep safety in mind for yourself and your loved ones while enjoying a day at the beach or the pool.”

    Air Quality Advisory

    An Air Quality Health Advisory for PM2.5 is being issued for tomorrow, June 12, 2025, for the Long Island, New York City, and Lower Hudson Valley regions due to the impact of smoke from wildfires in Canada.

    New Yorkers are encouraged be “Air Quality Aware” and check airnow.gov for accurate information on air quality forecasts and conditions. Information about exposure to smoke from fires can be found on DOH’s website.

    Staying Safe During Higher Temperatures

    The dangers of hot temperatures can affect everyone, regardless of age, physical shape, or existing health conditions. The body works extra hard to maintain a normal temperature during extreme heat and, without taking proper measures, this can lead to heat-related illness or even death. Governor Hochul recently announced a suite of actions to help New Yorkers stay cool during extreme heat events this summer.

    Pools and beaches at New York State Parks are available for swimming, dependent on location. Prior to making a trip, visitors should call ahead to the park they plan to visit or  check the New York State Parks website  for any updates as weather and water conditions may affect swimming status. Park status updates are also available on the free New York State Parks Explorer mobile app for iOS and Android devices.

    New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Pro Tem Randy Simons said, “Our New York State Park pools, beaches and spraygrounds are gearing up to help people cool off in the summer heat. Remember to always keep safety in mind for yourself and your loved ones while enjoying a day at the beach or the pool.”

    New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, “As extreme heat events and air quality issues become more frequent due to climate change, it’s important that people know what resources are available to help them stay safe. Poor air quality can pose serious health risks, especially for people with asthma and heart conditions. New Yorkers can visit airnow.gov for the latest air quality forecast. Be alert for signs of heat related illness, like dehydration, heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke, which can be life threatening. I also encourage everyone to keep an eye on one another and take action if you think someone is experiencing heat or air quality related illness.”

    Learn more about heat related illness, including signs and symptoms and when to take action on the State Department of Health website here.

    The New York state Department of Health’s interactive Heat Risk and Illness Dashboard allows the public and county health care officials to determine the forecasted level of heat-related health risks in their area and raise awareness about the dangers of heat exposure.

    Information about what the public can do during hot weather and how to  locate cooling centers  can be found on  DOH’s Extreme Heat website.

    For a complete listing of weather watches, warnings, advisories and latest forecasts,  visit the National Weather Service website.

    To view the latest DEC air quality forecasts, visit the DEC website.

    Implementing the Extreme Heat Action Plan

    DEC today released preliminary Urban Heat Island maps to help communities better understand, plan for, and adapt to extreme heat exposures on the neighborhood level. DEC worked in partnership with the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry and the Davey Tree Expert Company to help identify, model, and map urban heat islands, assess extreme heat impacts and responses, and support climate actions to address urban heat island effects and extreme heat, particularly where New Yorkers are disproportionately burdened by the impacts of climate change.   

    Links to the maps, as well as additional information and data, can be found on DEC’s Extreme Heat Action Plan webpage  and posted at nys-heat.daveyinstitute.com/hottest-hour. Over the next year, more comprehensive heat exposure maps will be developed and released. Unlike the preliminary maps showing the single hottest hour based on past data, the final maps will incorporate both historical and future data based on climate change projections. The project advances a key action in the Extreme Heat Action Plan and advances a 2022 law signed by Governor Hochul directing DEC to study the impacts of disproportionate concentrations of extreme heat in disadvantaged communities across the state.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Air quality advisory for the Portland metro area due to smog [Aviso sobre la calidad del aire]

    Source: US State of Oregon

    ortland, Ore. – Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued an air quality advisory Monday, June 9 for the Portland metro area due to elevated levels of ozone pollution, or smog. DEQ expects the air quality advisory due to smog for the Portland metro area to last until 10 p.m. Monday, June 9.

    ** Información en español aquí **

    DEQ expects ozone pollution to reach levels that could be unhealthy for sensitive groups, including children, pregnant people, older adults and people with heart disease or respiratory conditions. Health officials recommend sensitive groups limit outdoor activity when pollution levels are high.

    DEQ urges residents to protect their health and limit activities that cause pollution during this time. Recommendations include:
    • Limit driving by using public transit, carpooling or other alternative transportation.
    • Avoid unnecessary engine idling.
    • Refuel vehicles during cooler evening hours.
    • Postpone yard work that uses gas-powered equipment.
    • Postpone painting and aerosol spray projects.

    Smog irritates the eyes, nose and lungs, and contributes to breathing problems. Consult your health care provider if these symptoms worsen.
    Ozone forms when hot temperatures and low winds combine with pollution from cars, gas-powered engines and chemicals in paints and aerosols. These air pollutants react with sunlight and heat to produce ozone and haze.
    Ozone pollution increases throughout the day with exposure to sunlight, so pollution levels tend to be highest during afternoons and early evenings. Air quality monitors may show good air quality in the morning, then quickly jump to unhealthy levels later in the day.
    Check current air quality conditions and advisories on DEQ’s Air Quality Index or by downloading the free OregonAIR app on a smartphone.

    Media contacts:
    • Oregon DEQ: Chris Varley, Public Affairs Specialist, chris.varley.@deq.oregon.gov, 503-933-0514
    • Local and Tribal contacts

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar Raises Concerns on Genetic Data Privacy at Senate Judiciary Hearing On 23andMe

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Minnesota Amy Klobuchar
    WATCH KLOBUCHAR’S FULL QUESTIONS HERE
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law, raised concerns about what will happen to the genetic data collected by 23andMe following the company’s bankruptcy during a hearing titled “23 and You: The Privacy and National Security Implications of the 23andMe Bankruptcy.” 
     “It is my belief that the privacy policies [of 23andMe] aren’t meeting the privacy needs of consumers during bankruptcy. That’s why I’ve worked with Senator Cornyn. I appreciate his leadership, and Grassley to give consumers control over their genetic data with our bill, Don’t Sell My DNA Act,” said Klobuchar.
    Testifying at the hearing was Joe Selsavage, Interim CEO at 23andMe; I. Glenn Cohen, Professor of Law, Harvard Law School; Brook Gotberg, Professor of Law, BYU Law; Adam Klein, Director, Strauss Center for International Security and Law.  
    A rough transcript of Klobuchar’s questions is available below. Video is available HERE.
    Klobuchar: Thank you. I think I’ll start by following up with Senator Blackburn’s good questions. And by the way, thank you, Mr. Klein, for mentioning the need for a general privacy bill, which we badly need.
    So, on this deletion issue, it’s my understanding that 1.3 million consumers asked 23andMe to delete their genetic data. Many faced technical issues. So, how long is the backlog right now, and what are you doing to make sure all the requests are fulfilled?
    Joseph Selsavage: Senator, the good news is that today, there is no backlog, that we are current on all of the deletion requests. What did occur, you know, is when we filed for bankruptcy. And you know, many state attorneys general requested, or suggested, to consumers that they delete their data at 23andMe. We did receive a significant amount of deletion requests. We quickly added additional staff, and you know, basically were able to reduce that backlog. 
    Klobuchar: Will you commit to ensuring that consumers will retain their right to have their genetic data deleted after the bankruptcy sale is completed, by making deletion rights a condition of the sale?
    Selsavage: Both of the bidders, and you know, the bankruptcy sale of 23andMe, both Regeneron and TTAM Research Institute, have agreed to adopt the policies of 23andMe, the privacy policy.
    Klobuchar: So the answer is yes?
    Selsavage: So, you know the answer is yes. 
    Klobuchar: Okay, during the bankruptcy process, how has 23andMe insured consumers could decide how information is used and for what purposes? That’s what your, that’s what your website has promised consumers.
    Selsavage: Our consumers consent, not only to a terms of service, a privacy policy, there are also separate consents for our customers to, if they so choose, to engage in research at 23andMe. And yet, and then a separate consent to allow us to engage with research with third parties. And you know, we make sure that customers have the right to actually opt in. We don’t default those. Customers are actually clicking ‘yes’ to indicate that they want to conduct or enable their data to be used for research purposes. Many customers understand these are important for understanding disease and genetic conditions, and life-saving medical treatments. 
    Klobuchar: Thank you. Professor Cohen, it’s my belief that the privacy policies aren’t meeting the privacy needs of consumers during bankruptcy. That’s why I’ve worked with Senator Cornyn. I appreciate his leadership, and Grassley to give consumers control over their genetic data with our bill, Don’t Sell My DNA Act. Why is it so important that we require consent from the consumer before their genetic data is sold to another company with which they have no prior relationship? 
    Professor I. Glenn Cohen: People are engaged in a trust relationship. You know, if my father gave me access to his medical records and said, “Son, I want you to look at this and be careful with this.” And I went ahead and said, “Let me give it to somebody else” without asking my dad, you’d look askance at what I was doing. The same thing is happening here. They’re essentially transferring data and transferring a trust relationship to a new entity, and people have the right to know who they’re dealing with and a right to consent to it.
    Klobuchar: Do you believe that the right to control one’s personal genetic information should take precedence over maximizing returns for creditors in a bankruptcy proceeding? 
    Cohen: Well, I think that it would be nice for the creditors to get paid. Senator, in this instance, I think this information is so sensitive and so important, it’s really important to protect people’s information. 
    Klobuchar: Okay, thank you. And Professor Gotberg, do you believe that the current Consumer Privacy Ombudsman system in bankruptcy proceedings is sufficient to protect consumers’ most sensitive information?
    Professor Brook Gotberg: So, the Consumer Privacy Ombudsman is appointed to help the court in weighing the costs and the benefits of any particular sale of assets. If you permit personal consumer data to be sold outside of bankruptcy, it’s permissible inside of bankruptcy as well. And so the Consumer Privacy Ombudsman is just trying to weigh what would be the negative effects of that sale. Without an understanding of the price of privacy, so to speak, that’s a very hard balancing act to perform. To my knowledge, there’s been no final litigation to determine what the damages would be for an individual to have their privacy violated in that way. So it makes it really hard for the Consumer Privacy Ombudsman to have an effective role there. 
    Klobuchar: Okay, and sort of to end where I began with Mr. Klein’s point. Why is it so important that Congress enact a comprehensive privacy law? 
    By the way, the same companies that were lobbying against one, because I’m also on the Commerce Committee, say, 10 years ago, now want one because of the patchwork of laws that we now have in our states. Which is very predictable, which I hope people will realize that we should need some AI rules of the road in place and tech rules of the law in place. And it’s just the worst that people just think they can lobby against things, and then all of a sudden they’re like, “oh no.” So, tell me why we need a privacy law and how that would have helped here.
    Gotberg: So, a greater predictability for companies when they’re entering into agreements with consumers would be, is always beneficial. So if companies know what the legal limitations are, then they can take that into account, and creditors can take that into account whether an asset will be available before lending to the, to the debtor. So it’s important to have that law in place inside and outside bankruptcy.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: WANTED: FBI Reward for Information Leading to Arrest of Elpidio Reyna for Allegedly Throwing Rocks and Improvised Explosives at Federal Law Enforcement

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

     “If you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” – Secretary Noem

    WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the following statement on the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Elpidio Reyna. He is wanted for allegedly throwing rocks and explosives at federal officers in their vehicles during the riots in Los Angeles (LA), California (CA).

    Reyna, a United States (U.S.) citizen from Compton, CA, is currently on the FBI’s Most Wanted List.

    Reyna’s criminal history includes arrests for felony burglary, felony possession of a controlled substance for sale, felony using or selling marijuana to a minor, DUI, and multiple counts of driving with a suspended license.

    “Elpidio Reyna threatened the lives of federal law enforcement by throwing rocks and explosives at their vehicles,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Our message to the LA rioters: you will not stop us or slow us down. ICE and our federal law enforcement partners will continue to enforce the law. And if you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

    If you see Reyna or have any information that could help lead to his arrest, call 1-800-CALL-FBI or visit http://tips.fbi.gov.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI China: Cities across US brace for more protests against ICE raids

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

    More protests against immigration enforcement raids are planned across the United States this week, after many of the kind have sprung up nationwide from Los Angeles to Seattle, Austin, Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C., with some of them peaceful while others resulting in clashes with law enforcement.

    Activists are planning more and even larger demonstrations in the coming days, with “No Kings” events across the country on Saturday to coincide with U.S. President Donald Trump’s planned military parade through D.C., according to The Associated Press (AP). The Trump administration said it would continue its program of raids and deportations despite the protests.

    “Cities across the United States were bracing for a new round of immigration protests on Wednesday after the Los Angeles mayor imposed an overnight curfew downtown and Governor Gavin Newsom of California blamed President Trump for unrest that began with deportation raids last week,” reported The New York Times.

    In San Antonio, protests against immigration raids are planned Wednesday night and on Saturday, but Mayor Ron Nirenberg said that city officials did not ask for the Texas National Guard to be deployed in advance. Governor Greg Abbott’s office said that National Guard troops were “on standby” in areas where demonstrations are planned. That came after police in Austin used chemical irritants to disperse several hundred demonstrators on Monday near the state Capitol.

    In Los Angeles, a sixth day of protests is planned downtown and near federal buildings. In Eugene, Oregon, several groups including the Party for Socialism and Liberation, which calls for the end of capitalism, said they planned to hold a solidarity protest in the city. In Mission Viejo, California, a protest is planned for Orange County, according to the local branch of the 50501 Movement, which was formed against the Trump administration’s “anti-democratic” actions.

    In Raleigh, North Carolina, hundreds of people are expected to gather in downtown Raleigh Wednesday evening, spurred in part by anger over a state immigration bill. In Seattle, the Party for Socialism and Liberation is among the groups behind a planned “ICE Out” protest in the city against ICE. In St. Louis, Missouri, a “NO ICE” protest is planned for this week, according to U.S. media reports.

    Meanwhile, Trump left open the possibility of invoking the Insurrection Act, which authorizes the president to deploy military forces inside the United States to suppress rebellion or domestic violence or to enforce the law in certain situations. “It’s one of the most extreme emergency powers available to a U.S. president,” noted AP.

    Tuesday night, Los Angeles police swiftly enforced a downtown curfew, making arrests moments after it took effect, while deploying officers on horseback and using crowd control projectiles to break up a group of hundreds of demonstrators. Immigration raids across Southern California are rattling the area’s immigrant communities, even among those in the country legally. More than 100 people have been detained since Friday.

    New York City police detained more than 80 people during protests around Lower Manhattan’s Foley Square against federal immigration enforcement actions Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the vast majority of demonstrators were peaceful. She blamed smaller groups for causing disorder that required police intervention.

    By Tuesday night, demonstrations against the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown have intensified and spread far beyond Los Angeles, with thousands of people gathering in at least two dozen U.S. cities, holding banners and chanting slogans like “Stop the Deportation Now” and “Abolish ICE.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen Joins Bipartisan Bill to Help Lower Housing Costs, Incentivize Housing Development in Nevada

    US Senate News:

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

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) announced her support for a bipartisan bill to incentivize housing development and lower costs in Nevada. The bipartisan Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act would increase the amount of Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) allocated to each state by 50 percent for the next two years. The LIHTC program provides tax credits for housing developers that incentivize construction of affordable housing units. 
    In Nevada, the Low Income Housing Tax Credit has developed or preserved 36,213 homes, supported 59,128 jobs, generated $2.325 billion in tax revenue, and generated $6.698 billion in wages and business income within the state.
    “Hardworking Nevada families are being squeezed by high housing costs and a dire shortage of affordable homes,” said Senator Rosen. “That’s why I’m joining this bipartisan bill to incentivize more development of housing Nevadans can actually afford and help lower costs for families. I’ll keep doing everything I can to bring down the prices of buying or renting a home.”
    “Senator Rosen’s support for the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act is a win for Nevada families,” said Maurice Page, Executive Director of the Nevada Housing Coalition. By championing the expansion of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, she’s standing up for working Nevadans and ensuring that more people have access to safe, stable, and affordable homes. Her leadership gives a voice to those too often left out of the conversation.”
    “We applaud Senator Rosen for championing the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act,” said Wally Swenson, Vice President of Corporate Affairs for Nevada HAND. “This bipartisan legislation will provide the resources Nevada needs to expand access to safe, stable, affordable housing that empowers residents and strengthens communities. Nevada faces one of the most severe affordable housing shortages in the country, and the Low Income Housing Tax Credit is our most effective tool to create and preserve quality affordable homes for low-income seniors, individuals, and families.”
    “The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act would be a true game-changer for our industry. It strengthens the public-private mechanisms that make attainable housing possible in communities across the country,” said Bill Brewer, Executive Director of Nevada Rural Housing. “This bill has long had strong support, and we’re thrilled to have champions like Senator Rosen helping to build momentum. Her support brings us closer to the traction we need to move this critical legislation forward and expand access to safe, affordable homes for those who need them most.”
    Senator Rosen is working to lower housing costs and prevent housing prices from increasing further. Earlier this year, she introduced the Housing Choice Vouchers Fairness Act to update the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s decades-old Housing Choice Voucher allocation formula so fast-growing cities like Las Vegas can access more of them. Senator Rosen also sent a letter urging the Trump Administration to reverse course on imposing tariffs on Canada and Mexico, which are raising housing construction costs. Additionally, Senator Rosen introduced bipartisan legislation to invest in the construction workforce to be able to build more housing and help lower costs.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin, Shaheen, Castor, Evans Intro Bill to Reverse Trump’s Cuts to Key ACA Program That Helps More Americans Sign Up for Health Insurance

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – As President Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans work to gut the Affordable Care Act (ACA), U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and U.S. Representatives Kathy Castor (D-FL-14) and Dwight Evans (D-PA-3) introduced legislation today in the Senate and House to restore a key program of the health care law that helps American families navigate the ACA marketplace and connect them with high quality, affordable health care plans. The Expand Navigators’ Resources for Outreach, Learning, and Longevity (ENROLL) Act would ensure the Navigator program, which was established under the ACA to help Americans navigate, shop, and enroll in affordable health care plans, will continue despite the Trump Administration cutting funding by 90 percent in February.

    “We have seen this movie before: when he doesn’t get his way to fully repeal it, Donald Trump tries every which way to chip away at the Affordable Care Act and kick Wisconsin families off their health care, and sadly, it works. At a time when Wisconsinites are worried their care is on the chopping block under Republicans’ plan to give tax breaks to the wealthy, the Trump Administration is also gutting a key program that helps our neighbors find health care coverage that they can afford,” said Senator Baldwin. “Wisconsin’s Navigator has connected thousands of families with good health care coverage, ensuring more Wisconsinites can access the care and treatment they need to stay healthy. We should be investing in bringing the cost of care down for Wisconsinites, not jacking up costs and eliminating proven resources that connect more families with affordable insurance.”

    “We’ve seen this before: When the first Trump administration slashed funding for the navigator program, ACA health care enrollment shrank by more than 2.5 million – and when that funding was restored, enrollment rose and reached historic levels. Despite the hard facts that it helps everyday Americans access critical health care, the administration is gutting the navigator program again and leaving Granite Staters in rural and underserved areas behind,” said Senator Shaheen. “Our ENROLL Act is urgently needed to restore this funding so Granite Staters—and all Americans—have access to the help they need to make informed decisions about their health insurance coverage.”

    “Florida families value and appreciate affordable health coverage. In fact, over 4.7 million Floridians selected an affordable marketplace plan for 2025—almost one-fifth of the nation’s 24.2 million enrollees. Robust outreach and assistance by navigators is vital to families so they can evaluate options and choose a health plan that is right for them. Unfortunately, the Trump Administration has slashed navigator support and complicated the lives of families who need advice on lifesaving health coverage,” said Representative Castor. “President Trump and Congressional Republicans appear dead set on making Affordable Care Act coverage more expensive, driving up premiums and putting hardworking families at risk. I am proud to work with Senator Baldwin to protect American’s health, well-being and pocketbooks by ensuring navigators stay on the job.”

    “The Affordable Care Act Navigators program provides free, objective, expert advice and information to Americans in red, purple and blue states alike to help them find affordable health coverage that meets their needs. A similar cut to the program in President Trump’s first term resulted in more people being uninsured, and letting his new cut stand is likely to raise costs for working-class Americans at a time when the cost of living is already high,” said Representative Evans. “One of the ways the Navigators program has helped American families is by helping hundreds of thousands of eligible consumers in Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage. President Trump recently promised not to touch Medicaid, and keeping people who qualify for Medicaid from getting covered breaks that promise, as far as I’m concerned.”

    In 2017 and 2018, the first Trump Administration cut funding for the Navigator program by 84 percent, contributing to 2.5 million fewer people accessing healthcare through the ACA Marketplace over the course of the first Trump Administration. Navigator funding was restored in 2021, and enrollment reached historic levels for the 2025 plan year. In February 2025, the Trump Administration slashed nearly 90 percent of funding for the Navigator program, threatening to leave millions of Americans without critical assistance to access health insurance.

    In 2024, Covering Wisconsin (CWI), Wisconsin’s only federal navigator program, helped process nearly 100,000 applications for ACA Marketplace and Medicaid coverage, answering questions about coverage, and navigating the marketplace to ensure families get quality care and a price they can afford. From 2019 to 2024, CWI has seen a 163% increase in Marketplace and Medicaid enrollments completed directly by CWI Navigators. As of August 25, 2025, CWI anticipates their funding will be reduced by 90 percent. This is especially harmful to Wisconsinites in rural communities who already lack access to in-person assistance for shopping and enrolling in quality, affordable health insurance coverage.

    The ENROLL Act would:

    • Ensure that Navigators have the resources they need to assist Americans in finding affordable health care coverage and restore funding for the program to $100 million annually;
    • Promote efforts to ensure that Navigators provide public education and assistance that helps consumers, including those who may need extra help signing up, find coverage, rather than prioritizing application numbers;
    • Clarify that Navigator responsibilities include enrolling consumers in Medicaid and CHIP coverage;
    • Promote efforts to provide Americans with information on comprehensive health insurance that protects individuals with pre-existing conditions.

    In addition to Senators Baldwin and Shaheen, the ENROLL Act is also co-sponsored in the Senate by Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Angus King (I-ME).

    The ENROLL Act is supported by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Federation of Teachers, American Heart Association, American Public Health Association, Community Catalyst, Epilepsy Foundation, MomsRising, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), National Bleeding Disorders Foundation, National Health Council, National Immigration Law Center, National Kidney Foundation, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, National Psoriasis Foundation, and Young Invincibles.

    “Marketplace navigators are a crucial resource for the more than 24 million people who access their health coverage through the ACA Marketplace and anyone who has questions about their coverage options. Appropriately funding health care navigators is essential for making sure consumers—especially those with complex medical conditions like cancer—can get access to the most appropriate health insurance coverage that will meet their needs. We commend Senator Baldwin, Senator Shaheen, and Representative Castor for acting to reverse the significant and damaging funding cuts that were enacted earlier this year and urge the Senate and House to pass this legislation quickly,” said Lisa Lacasse, President of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.

    “At a time when health care is under relentless attack, advancing the ENROLL Act is a clear signal that there are leaders in Congress committed to putting people over profit. The current administration has gutted funding for Navigators, trusted community members who guide people through the daunting, complex process of enrolling in coverage. Restoring that funding is essential to ensuring everyone, especially those facing the greatest barriers, can enroll in the most affordable, comprehensive options for their families. We thank Senator Baldwin and Representative Castor for their leadership and for standing with communities who depend on this trusted, unbiased help,” said Mona Shah, Senior Director of Policy and Strategy at Community Catalyst.

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin, Reed Demand Written Answers from RFK, Jr. on Firings of Childhood Lead Poisoning Experts at CDC

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Jack Reed (D-RI) are demanding written answers from the Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. in response to detailed questions on the Trump Administration’s firing of childhood lead experts. On numerous occasions in Senate hearings, Secretary Kennedy has claimed that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is not shuttering the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, and that cities requesting help, like Milwaukee, would receive it when needed. He also claimed, incorrectly, that CDC experts were on the ground in Milwaukee providing assistance. However, after applying for support from the CDC to help mitigate lead found in school classrooms, Milwaukee Public Schools was notified that their request for support was denied because the Trump administration fired the entire Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Surveillance Branch. Local officials continue to confirm that the requested aid is not being provided, and the Secretary has provided no documentation that the fired employees have been rehired, as Baldwin demanded.

    “You offered to follow up with more specifics, which we have not yet received, and to provide responses in a timely manner,” wrote the Senators in a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

    “The CDC’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program has played an essential role for many years in identifying lead hazards in homes and the associated risk to children and helping direct resources to the families and communities most in need,” the Senators continued.

    The crisis in Milwaukee has shuttered six schools and displaced 1,800 children. Senator Baldwin visited Milwaukee Public Schools’ Frances Starms Discovery Learning Center to meet with parents whose children’s health was at risk and schools were closed this year because of lead hazards. Senator Baldwin also pressed Kennedy on the firings at a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing. Senator Baldwin and Congresswoman Gwen Moore (D-WI-04) demanded that the Trump administration reinstate the fired CDC lead poisoning experts and approve Milwaukee’s plea for federal assistance to help keep children safe.

    The full letter is available here and below.

    Dear Secretary Kennedy:

    During the May 20, 2025, hearing of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee on the President’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Budget request, you were asked to clarify the status of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program. You offered to follow up with more specifics, which we have not yet received, and to provide responses in a timely manner. We have included additional questions below and ask that you respond no later than June 16, 2025:

    1. Is the CDC’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program operational? Does the Program currently have any staff? If so, how many staff? How many staff were working for the Program as of January 20, 2025 compared to now?
    2. Soon after the April 1, 2025 reduction in force (RIF), you noted in an interview that some of the terminations could “be mistakes.” Was the decision to terminate the staff within the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention branch a mistake?
    3. HHS has reinstated some employees previously terminated by the RIFs, citing health and safety concerns. Does HHS have the ability to reinstate employees from the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention branch in order to deploy to areas like Milwaukee, Wisconsin that are in need of assistance?
    4. During the hearing, reiterating a comment you made the week prior at a HELP Committee hearing, you said, if Congress appropriates the funding for the CDC Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, it will be spent. Has CDC released fiscal year 2025 funding to the 62 states and localities it supports to address gaps in service? How much funding has been spent by the Program in fiscal year 2025? How much funding has been spent by the Program since January 20, 2025?
    5. The fiscal year 2026 budget request proposes continuing funding for the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program outside of CDC and within the proposed Administration for a Healthy America. How does HHS plan to effectuate this program when all program staff have reportedly been terminated? Does HHS plan to hire new experts?
    6. During the hearing, when asked about the status of the Program, you said that a team from the Program was on the ground in Milwaukee to deal with the ongoing crisis of lead contamination in schools. The City of Milwaukee has refuted that claim. Has CDC sent any staff to Milwaukee in response to their request for technical assistance to help with the lead issue in schools? This request is unrelated to the support that was provided to the state last month to certify and calibrate lab equipment.
    7. Has the CDC deployed any teams or provided technical assistance related to the Lead Poisoning Prevention Program since the April 1st reductions in force at HHS? Please outline any activities or work conducted by the Program since this date.
    8. The Rhode Island Department of Health is in year four of a five-year grant from the CDC’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program. Will CDC follow through on its commitment and provide year five funding later this year?

    The CDC’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program has played an essential role for many years in identifying lead hazards in homes and the associated risk to children and helping direct resources to the families and communities most in need. We look forward to your timely responses to these questions, as your answers will help inform the Subcommittee’s fiscal year 2026 bill.

    Again, thank you for your testimony and your commitment to follow up on our questions.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Offers Disaster Relief to Michigan Small Businesses, Private Nonprofits and Residents Affected by March Storms

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA –The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the availability of low interest federal disaster loans for Michigan small businesses, private nonprofits, and residents affected by the severe winter storms occurring March 28-30. The SBA issued a disaster declaration in response to a request received from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on June 5.

    The declaration covers the counties of Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet, Mackinac, Montmorency, Otsego and Presque Isle.

    Small businesses and private nonprofits are eligible to apply for business physical disaster loans and may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.

    Homeowners and renters are eligible to apply for home and personal property loans and may borrow up to $100,000 to replace or repair personal property, such as clothing, furniture, cars, and appliances. Homeowners may apply for up to $500,000 to replace or repair their primary residence.

    Applicants may also be eligible for a loan increase of up to 20% of their physical damage, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements include strengthening structures to protect against high wind damage, upgrading to wind rated garage doors, and installing a safe room or storm shelter to help protect property and occupants from future damage.

    “One distinct advantage of SBA’s disaster loan program is the opportunity to fund upgrades reducing the risk of future storm damage,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “I encourage businesses and homeowners to work with contractors and mitigation professionals to improve their storm readiness while taking advantage of SBA’s mitigation loans.”

    SBA’s EIDL program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.

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

    Interest rates are as low as 4% for small businesses, 3.62% for PNPs, and 2.75% for homeowners and renters, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not begin to accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms, based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    Beginning Thursday, June 12, SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at the Disaster Loan Outreach Center in Cheboygan County to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the application process and help individuals complete their application. Walk-ins are accepted, but you can schedule an in-person appointment in advance at appointment.sba.gov.

    The DLOC hours of operation are listed below:

    Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC) 
    Cheboygan County

    Indian River Chamber of Commerce

    3435 S Straits Hwy.

    Indian River, MI 49749

    Opening:  Thursday, June 12, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

    Hours: Monday – Friday – 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

    Saturday – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

    Closed: Sunday

    Permanently Closing: July 10 at 4 p.m.

    Disaster survivors should not wait to settle with their insurance company before applying for a disaster loan. If a survivor does not know how much of their loss will be covered by insurance or other sources, SBA can make a low-interest disaster loan for the total loss up to its loan limits, provided the borrower agrees to use insurance proceeds to reduce or repay the loan.

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

    The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is Aug. 8, 2025. The deadline to return economic injury applications is Mar. 9, 2026.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Offers Relief to Missouri Private Nonprofits Affected by May Storms

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the availability of low interest federal disaster loans to private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Missouri affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding occurring May 16.

    The disaster declaration covers the Missouri counties of Scott, St. Louis, and the Independent City of St. Louis.

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

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

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

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

    Interest rates are as low 3.62% for PNPs with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not begin to accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA will set loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    The SBA encourages applicants to submit their loan applications promptly. Applications will be prioritized in the order they are received, and the SBA remains committed to processing them as efficiently as possible.

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

    The deadline to return physical damage applications is Aug. 11, 2025. The deadline to return economic injury applications is March 9, 2026.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sens. Cantwell & Gallego, Reps. Salinas & Ansari Lead Bicameral Legislation to Permanently Preserve Last Remaining Wild Forest Lands

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
    06.11.25
    Sens. Cantwell & Gallego, Reps. Salinas & Ansari Lead Bicameral Legislation to Permanently Preserve Last Remaining Wild Forest Lands
    Bill would codify Roadless Rule, which protects almost 60 million acres of America’s remaining pristine National Forest Lands
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), along with Representatives Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03) and Andrea Salinas (OR-06) and many other members of Congress from both chambers, announced a renewed push to enshrine the U.S. Forest Service’s Roadless Rule protections into law. For nearly a quarter century, the Roadless Rule has shielded 58.5 million acres of the most pristine and treasured areas within the National Forest System from roadbuilding and logging. The Roadless Area Conservation Act would codify the 2001 Roadless Rule, which was developed by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) during the Clinton Administration and finalized after several years of deliberation and 600 public meetings in local communities nationwide.
    “Mounting climate impacts have increased the need to protect America’s last remaining wild forestlands, which reduce wildland fire risk and store huge amounts of carbon,” Sen. Cantwell said. “Roadless areas provide Washingtonians with unmatched outdoor recreation opportunities, clean drinking water for our communities, and habitat for numerous endangered species. We need to redouble our efforts to permanently preserve the benefits these public lands provide our nation and future generations.”
    “For decades, the Roadless Rule has been protecting over 1 million acres of forest in Arizona – providing clean air and water, supporting areas of cultural and spiritual significance to many tribes, and bolstering our vital tourism economy,” said Sen. Gallego. “But unless we codify those protections into law, they will always be at risk. That’s exactly what this legislation does, and I’m proud to reintroduce it.”
    “On day one, Donald Trump announced his intention to roll back bedrock environmental protections that are critical to the responsible stewardship of America’s natural resources,” said Rep. Salinas. “The Roadless Area Conservation Act will ensure that longstanding, commonsense rules remain in place to protect untouched national forests without jeopardizing wildfire prevention and response.”
    “In the Southwest, we know how important our wild forestlands are. They are a habitat for wildlife, they bolster clean air and water for our dry, arid climate, and provide spaces where families can connect and make lasting memories. The Roadless Area Conservation Act is a vital step in combating climate change and preserving public land for our communities,” said Rep. Ansari.
    The Roadless Rule enjoys strong public support, as evidenced by the overwhelming majority of 2.5 million comments submitted on the Roadless Forest Protection Rule —more than 95%—were in support of protecting roadless areas. A March 2019 poll by the Pew Charitable Trusts found that three out of four respondents said they supported keeping roadless forest protections, while only 16% opposed it. That level of support changed little between respondents living in rural or non-rural areas and across party affiliation and political views. 
    For more than two decades, the Roadless Rule has prevailed over numerous court challenges and administrative and legislative attacks. The first Trump administration weakened the rule, and in October 2020 the administration removed roadless protections for over 9 million acres of pristine forest lands in the Tongass National Forest, threatening old-growth forest and southeast Alaska’s robust tourism and fishing economies. Under the Biden administration, the protections in the Tongass were restored but then removed again by the second Trump administration.  In April, the Trump administration enacted a sweeping rollback of environmental protections across nearly 60% of U.S. national forests, including about 26 million acres of previously protected Roadless areas. This policy shift was formalized through an emergency directive by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, following a presidential executive order aimed at expediting logging projects by streamlining permitting, removing National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements, and exempting affected forests from administrative objection processes that previously allowed for challenges by environmental groups, tribes, and local government.
    By codifying the rule into law—including in the Tongass—the Roadless Area Conservation Act would uphold recreational access to public lands, preserve the habitats of 1,600 at-risk species, reduce the risk of wildfires, aid in the fight against climate change by preserving vast carbon sinks, and safeguard watersheds that provide clean drinking water for more than 60 million Americans in 39 states and more than 350 communities across the United States. The legislation would maintain the flexibility engrained in the Roadless Rule which allows for continued forest management and the construction of roads as needed to address fires, floods, or other catastrophic events, and other circumstances like the need to build new road connections between remote communities.
    The Roadless Area Conservation Act of 2025 would:
    Protect, in perpetuity, 58.5 million acres of roadless national forest in 39 states;
    Ensure the more than 240 million people living within 100 miles of a national forest or national grassland retain access to opportunities for outdoor recreation, including hiking, camping, hunting, fishing, mountain biking, and backcountry skiing;
    Safeguard watersheds in national forests and roadless areas that provide clean drinking water for over 60 million Americans;
    Save taxpayers millions of dollars by limiting costly new road building, allow the Forest Service to focus on maintaining its existing 371,581-mile network of National Forest System roads, and reduce its multi-billion dollar backlog of deferred maintenance on its existing road system;
    Maintain exemptions for hydropower development, public safety, and firefighting needs;
    Uphold the 9th and 10th U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals decisions, as well as a decision by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, in support of the Roadless Rule.
    Additional cosponsors of the Roadless Area Conservation Act include U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA); Cory Booker (D-NJ); Tina Smith (D-MN); Ron Wyden (D-OR); Dick Durbin (D-IL); Bernie Sanders (D-VT); Peter Welch (D-VT); Jeff Merkley (D-OR); Patty Murray (D-WA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), as well as U.S. Representatives Don Beyer (D, VA-08); Julia Brownley (D, CA-26); Sean Casten (D, IL-06); Judy Chu (D, CA-28); Angie Craig (D, MN-02); Sharice Davids (D, KS-03); Diana DeGette (D, CO-01); Suzan DelBene (D, WA-01); Jared Huffman (D, CA-02); Sara Jacobs (D,CA-51); Raja Krishnamoorthi (D, IL-08); Zoe Lofgren (D, CA-18); Kevin Mullin (D, CA-15); Joe Neguse (D, CO-02); Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC); Jimmy Panetta (D, CA-19); Chellie Pingree (D, ME-01); Mike Quigley (D, IL-05); Adam Smith (D, WA-09); Melanie Stansbury (D, NM-01); and Jill Tokuda (D, HI-02).
    The measure is also supported by a wide range of stakeholders.
    “The Roadless Rule is the most significant forest conservation measure of the last two decades — period,” said Alex Craven, Forest Campaign Manager at Sierra Club. “That significance has also made it a constant target by logging and development interests. Codifying this crucial rule would ensure it can continue to protect nearly 60 million acres of national forests for generations to come.” 
    “Our nation’s public forests are the places we camp, fish, hunt and play, as well as abundant sources of clear air and water, and the Roadless Rule has been critical for keeping them as such,” said Michelle Gullett, Senior Government Relations Representative at The Wilderness Society. “The Roadless Area Conservation Act couldn’t be reintroduced at a better time, signaling that we must keep our roadless areas intact, despite the Trump administration’s efforts to hand public lands over to private industry. Congress should pass this bill and send the message that our public forests must be managed sustainably and on behalf of us all.” 
    “National forests are bastions of biodiversity, cultural institutions of Indigenous communities, the centerpieces of vibrant outdoor economies, and some of our best natural solutions for tackling climate change,” said Earthjustice Senior Legislative Representative Blaine Miller-McFeeley. “As the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans seek to open more national forest land to costly and reckless logging and weaken forest protections, permanently codifying the Roadless Rule gives us the chance to fight back. We thank the Senate and House sponsors for recognizing that our forests are worth more standing.”
    “We’re thrilled to see the Roadless Area Conservation Act reintroduced at a time when Alaska’s public lands are once again in the crosshairs of administrative rollbacks,” said Alex Cohen, Government Affairs Director at Alaska Wilderness League. “This bill is a powerful move to protect our national forests—especially the Tongass National Forest—by making the Roadless Rule permanent. With Senators Maria Cantwell and Ruben Gallego leading the charge with Representatives Yassamin Ansari and Andrea Salinas in the House, this bill offers real hope for long-overdue, lasting protections for Alaska’s forests and the communities that depend on them.” 
    “If you care about clean drinking water, controlling climate change, preserving wildlife, or just enjoying natural beauty, you care a lot about national forest wildlands. This bill would secure 60 million acres of those public resources forever, ending years of political football and needless uncertainty over their fate,” said Garett Rose, senior attorney for the Nature program at NRDC.
    Sen. Cantwell has been the lead Senate champion of the Roadless Rule since it was overturned by the Bush Administration in 2001. Sen. Cantwell has repeatedly introduced legislation to codify the Roadless Rule into law, including as early as 2001. Sen. Cantwell was also a vociferous and persistent critic of the Trump administration’s elimination of roadless protections for the Tongass National Forest in Alaska.
    Sen. Gallego has long championed the Roadless Rule, leading the effort in the House. He is proud to continue this work in the Senate.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: 201 ways to say ‘fuck’: what 1.7 billion words of online text shows about how the world swears

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Martin Schweinberger, Lecturer in Applied Linguistics, The University of Queensland

    Our brains swear for good reasons: to vent, cope, boost our grit and feel closer to those around us. Swear words can act as social glue and play meaningful roles in how people communicate, connect and express themselves – both in person, and online.

    In our new research published in Lingua, we analysed more than 1.7 billion words of online language across 20 English-speaking regions. We identified 597 different swear word forms – from standard words, to creative spellings like “4rseholes”, to acronyms like “wtf”.

    The findings challenge a familiar stereotype. Australians – often thought of as prolific swearers – are actually outdone by Americans and Brits, both in how often they swear, and in how many users swear online.

    Facts and figures

    Our study focused on publicly available web data (such as news articles, organisational websites, government or institutional publications, and blogs – but excluding social media and private messaging). We found vulgar words made up 0.036% of all words in the dataset from the United States, followed by 0.025% in the British data and 0.022% in the Australian data.

    Although vulgar language is relatively rare in terms of overall word frequency, it was used by a significant number of individuals.

    Between 12% and 13.3% of Americans, around 10% of Brits, and 9.4% of Australians used at least one vulgar word in their data. Overall, the most frequent vulgar word was “fuck” – with all its variants, it amounted to a stunning 201 different forms.

    We focused on online language that didn’t include social media, because large-scale comparisons need robust, purpose-built datasets. In our case, we used the Global Web-Based English (GloWbE) corpus, which was specifically designed to compare how English is used across different regions online.

    So how much were our findings influenced by the online data we used?

    Telling results come from research happening at the same time as ours. One study analysed the use of “fuck” in social networks on X, examining how network size and strength influence swearing in the UK, US and Australia.

    It used data from 5,660 networks with more than 435,000 users and 7.8 billion words and found what we did. Americans use “fuck” most frequently, while Australians use it the least, but with the most creative spelling variations (some comfort for anyone feeling let down by our online swearing stats).

    Teasing apart cultural differences

    Americans hold relatively conservative attitudes toward public morality, and their high swearing rates are surprising. The cultural contradiction may reflect the country’s strong individualistic culture. Americans often value personal expression – especially in private or anonymous settings like the internet.

    Meanwhile, public displays of swearing are often frowned upon in the US. This is partly due to the lingering influence of religious norms, which frame swearing – particularly religious-based profanity – as a violation of moral decency.

    Significantly, the only religious-based swear word in our dataset, “damn”, was used most frequently by Americans.

    Research suggests swearing is more acceptable in Australian public discourse. Certainly, Australia’s public airing of swear words often takes visitors by surprise. The long-running road safety slogan “If you drink, then drive, you’re a bloody idiot” is striking – such language is rare in official messaging elsewhere.

    Australians may be comfortable swearing in person, but our findings indicate they dial it back online – surprising for a nation so fond of its vernacular.

    In terms of preferences for specific forms of vulgarity, Americans showed a strong preference for variations of “ass(hole)”, the Irish favored “feck”, the British preferred “cunt”, and Pakistanis leaned toward “butt(hole)”.

    The only statistically significant aversion we found was among Americans, who tended to avoid the word “bloody” (folk wisdom claims the word is blasphemous).

    Being fluent in swearing

    People from countries where English is the dominant language – such as the US, Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Ireland – tend to swear more frequently and with more lexical variety than people in regions where English is less dominant like India, Pakistan, Hong Kong, Ghana or the Philippines. This pattern holds for both frequency and creativity in swearing.

    But Singapore ranked fourth in terms of frequency of swearing in our study, just behind Australia and ahead of New Zealand, Ireland and Canada. English in Singapore is increasingly seen not as a second language, but as a native language, and as a tool for identity, belonging and creativity. Young Singaporeans use social swearing to push back against authority, especially given the government’s strict rules on public language.

    One possible reason we saw less swearing among non-native English speakers is that it is rarely taught. Despite its frequency and social utility, swearing – alongside humour and informal speech – is often left out of language education.

    Cursing comes naturally

    Cultural, social and technological shifts are reshaping linguistic norms, blurring the already blurry lines between informal and formal, private and public language. Just consider the Aussie contributions to the July Oxford English Dictionary updates: expressions like “to strain the potatoes” (to urinate), “no wuckers” and “no wucking furries” (from “no fucking worries”).

    Swearing and vulgarity aren’t just crass or abusive. While they can be used harmfully, research consistently shows they serve important communicative functions – colourful language builds rapport, expresses humour and emotion, signals solidarity and eases tension.

    It’s clear that swearing isn’t just a bad habit that can be easily kicked, like nail-biting or smoking indoors. Besides, history shows that telling people not to swear is one of the best ways to keep swearing alive and well.

    Martin Schweinberger has received funding from from the Centre for Digital Cultures and Society and the School of Languages and Cultures at the University of Queensland. He is currently funded by the Language Data Commons of Australia, which has received investment from the Australian Research Data Commons, funded by the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy.

    Kate Burridge 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. 201 ways to say ‘fuck’: what 1.7 billion words of online text shows about how the world swears – https://theconversation.com/201-ways-to-say-fuck-what-1-7-billion-words-of-online-text-shows-about-how-the-world-swears-257815

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Griffith Statement on EPA Proposed Rollbacks of Power Plant Rules

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

    Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin announced proposed repeals of “greenhouse gas” emissions standards for the power sector under Section 111 of the Clean Air Act and amendments to the 2024 Mercury and Air Toxic Standards. House Committee on Energy and Commerce Environment Subcommittee Chair and U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement:

    “The Trump Administration continues to fight for American coal and American energy! Administrator Zeldin’s actions help kickstart the unraveling of the Obama-Biden-Harris ‘War on Coal’ and continue our drive to a return of American energy dominance.

    “These actions give communities like mine in Appalachia hope. We will continue to support federal developments that aim to reinvigorate coal communities and lower energy costs for American families.

    “Affordable energy equals vibrant national economic health.”

    BACKGROUND

    In the 118th Congress, Rep. Griffith chaired the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigations.

    In the 119th Congress, Congressman Griffith is serving his first term as chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment.

    The Environment Subcommittee’s first two hearings of the year focused on the EPA’s regulation of chemical manufacturing and the administration of the Brownfields Program.

    Later, Congressman Griffith welcomed Administrator Zeldin for a subcommittee hearing on EPA’s FY26 budget request.

    This week, Congressman Griffith held a hearing that examined the impacts of the Clean Air Act.

    While these rules are not finalized, the EPA estimates that repeal of the power plant rules would save $19 billion in regulatory costs over two decades beginning in 2026. 

    Congressman Griffith’s Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to repeal a last-minute Biden-Harris regulation on tire manufacturers passed Congress this year. In May, President Trump signed the resolution into law.

    Congressman Griffith helped lead an effort on the House floor to pass CRAs that overturned California’s Clean Air Act waivers.

    Congressman Griffith’s bill H.R. 3632, the Power Plant Reliability Act of 2025, which would help keep baseload power plants online, was favorably reported by the Energy Subcommittee last week.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Griffith Greets Ninth District Winner of 2025 Congressional Art Competition, Artwork Unveiled in U.S. Capitol

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

    U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) welcomed Kasey Walden of Bristol’s Virginia High School to Washington, D.C., today. As the winner of the 2025 Congressional Art Competition from Virginia’s Ninth Congressional District, Kasey’s artwork George Washington, Virginian is now officially displayed in the U.S. Capitol.

    “There are many artistic students in the Ninth District,” said Griffith. “Kasey’s hard work, creativity and passion for art all stand out in her authentic piece. I congratulate Kasey on this inspiring accomplishment and look forward to her continued success in art and beyond.”

    Congressman Griffith annually hosts the Congressional Art Competition. Information is yet to be released for the 2026 competition. Faculty or students with any additional questions about the competition may contact Josh Hess at (540) 381-5671 or by email at josh.hess@mail.house.gov.

    Pictured: Congressman Morgan Griffith, Virginia’s Ninth District 2025 Congressional Art Competition Winner, Kasey Walden, and Kasey’s Dad. Before the Washington, D.C., celebration, the three got a photo in Congressman Griffith’s DC office.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bipartisan House Members Urge Secretary Rubio to Save Program Tracking Kidnapped Ukrainian Children

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-TX)

    This follows a bipartisan appropriations request to reunite children with their families while holding war criminals accountable.

    Contact: Alexis.Torres@mail.house.gov

    Washington, D.C.—Today, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), an active member of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, led a bipartisan group of colleagues in urging State Secretary Marco Rubio to maintain funding for the Conflict Observatory at Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab. Months after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Conflict Observatory began collecting, analyzing, and preserving information related to Russian war crimes, including Putin’s abduction and concealment of Ukrainian children within Russia’s adoption system.

    “Without your immediate action, the Conflict Observatory will be forced to shutter by July 1st, and its ongoing research identifying more kidnapped Ukrainian children will end. Although the Conflict Observatory’s database of children has been transferred to Europol, it will quickly become out-of-date in a matter of weeks—hindering efforts to ensure every child is returned to family. No explanation has been given to us as to why funding for the Conflict Observatory has been terminated. We are part of a bipartisan effort to seek the relatively modest amount of appropriations necessary to continue this invaluable work during the next fiscal year. We ask that you utilize your authority to keep the Conflict Observatory open until our appropriation request can become law,” wrote the lawmakers.

    Earlier this year, the Trump administration illegally terminated Congressionally authorized funding for the Conflict Observatory before reinstating a six-week funding allotment to transfer all research and data to Ukrainian organizations and Europol, the European Union’s agency for law enforcement cooperation. The lawmakers note that Europol and other organizations do not have the specific expertise and resources needed to successfully navigate open-source intelligence and Russian websites to locate missing children.

    “Research must continue unabated to maintain the rigorous process of identifying every Ukrainian child abducted by Russia. The Conflict Observatory has verified that at least 19,500 children have been forcibly deported from occupied areas of Ukraine, funneled into reeducation camps or adopted by Russian families, and their identities erased. The actual number of children remaining in Russia is presumably significantly higher, with a Russian official stating in July 2023 that Russia had brought 700,000 children from conflict zones in Ukraine to Russia. Many kidnapped Ukrainian children have not yet been identified due to the Kremlin changing their names, place of birth, and date of birth,” the lawmakers continued.

    To ensure the United States upholds its core democratic values, Rep. Doggett and more than 50 colleagues submitted a bipartisan request last month to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on National Security, Department of State and Related Programs calling for no less than $8 million to be included in its Fiscal Year 2026 government funding bill to continue tracking kidnapped Ukrainian children. With President Trump cruelly terminating funding for critical foreign and domestic programs, the forced closure of the Conflict Observatory is yet another abhorrent example of this administration dismantling our nation’s status as a global superpower.

    Today’s full letter can be read here. Rep. Doggett’s bipartisan appropriations request can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Stauber Applauds Trump Administration’s First Step to Reverse Biden’s Illegal Mineral Withdrawal in the Superior National Forest

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08) made the following statement after United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins announced that her department will officially begin the process of reversing former President Biden’s illegal mineral withdrawal within the Superior National Forest. 

    “This announcement is great news for Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District, and the nation. Former President Biden’s illegal decision to lock away these resources and throw away the key was not only harmful to my constituents, but it was harmful to this nation as it further cemented our reliance on Communist China for the critical minerals on which we all rely. I thank USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, and President Donald Trump for taking the first step to reverse this massive wrong. As the demand for critical minerals continues to skyrocket, I look forward to seeing Minnesota’s skilled miners safely deliver our vast mineral wealth to the nation using the best labor and environmental standards in the world.”

    Read Secretary Rollins’ announcement HERE: https://x.com/RepPeteStauber/status/1932899972678381931

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: King Spars with Interior Secretary Over Harmful, Arbitrary Budget Cuts to National Parks

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, in a hearing of the Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee, Senator Angus King (I-ME), co-chair of the National Parks Subcommittee, demanded answers from Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum as to why the National Park Service’s (NPS) budget is being cut by $1.2 billion. During the exchange, Senator King pressed Secretary Burgum to justify the cuts and made clear that arbitrary budget decisions will have devastating consequences for national parks across the country — not just to operations, but to the visitor experience at locations nationwide.

    The hearing comes as the Trump Administration has implemented drastic cuts to federal land agencies such as the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service at the request of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). These actions, alongside aggressive pushes to privatize federally managed lands and reshape environmental policy, pose serious threats to public land protections. The cuts to the National Park Service, as of late, are now facing bipartisan pushback in Congress.

    “The 1.2 billion dollars you are cutting from the National Park Service is devastating to the National Park Service. It doesn’t amount to anything in terms of our federal budget. I did a calculation, if our federal budget was the height of this room, what you are cutting from the National Park Service is the combined height of two credit cards. In other words, to save virtually no money from the federal budget, we’re devastating one of America’s treasures. And that’s what I don’t understand. You yourself a few minutes ago said you don’t have the data; you don’t have the visitation data. This is ready, fire, aim. How about waiting a year, developing the data, finding out what it is because you can’t convince me that a detailed analysis of the National Park Service took place in the last couple of months to justify this pitiful submission to this committee. So, I’m anxious to hear. We all know the term bang for the buck, this is damage for the buck. This is huge damage to the Park Service for a very minimal return in terms of reduction to the deficit, reduction of our federal budget. Why in the world, given your commitment to the national parks, the new Teddy Roosevelt Park in your state, why did you let them do this,” asked Senator King.”

    Secretary Burgum replied, “Senator, I want to — first, I appreciate the chart you are holding up behind there. I believe that number, if I can see it correctly, probably is the full-time staffing as opposed to the summer and seasonal. I think we actually have — it is a mix. I think that line I’m trying to see —”

    “You allowed more seasonals for this year, but I understand only half of them have been hired and are in the summer right now,” said Senator King.

    “More than half have been hired but again this is a mix. Again, I just got back from a trip to Alaska. I was at Kenai Fjords. This is a beautiful and amazing park. The road gets plowed in May; it snows over in November. This is a classic case where we need a lot of staffing. cruise ships are stopping in Seward and hundreds of thousands of villagers coming over a three- or four-month period and in the wintertime, the visitor centers aren’t even open. So, we have to figure out a way to be able to do flex staffing. It is not as simple as the raw number. The one number I was able —,” responded Secretary Burgum.

    Senator King finished, “There may be details in here but is pretty unmistakable the trend on this chart. I don’t understand — you are saving a very small amount of money, and you are gutting — I looked it up last night–the National Park Service is the most popular federal agency. The most popular federal agency. Why in the world would you target this agency particularly when you yourself in your testimony said I don’t have the data? This is ready, fire, aim. Get the data. Understand the details of the budget. Give us something like this, and then we can decide what the plan should be to echo the Vice Chair, what is the plan for doing this in a thoughtful way, not an arbitrary way of all probationary employees and that kind of thing?”

    As a lifelong advocate for conservation and Chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Senator King is among the Senate’s most prominent voices advocating for conservation. Senator King helped lead the passage the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) into law; the legislation that included the Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF). Because of his work, in 2020, Senator King was awarded the inaugural National Park Foundation (NPF) “Hero” Award. Since the creation of the LRF, Senator King has pushed park leaders to discuss funding maintenance efforts, maintaining a sufficient NPS workforce, and managing growing park visitation. Recently, Senator King pressed a Department of the Interior

    Senator King’s work on this legislation is the culmination of more than four decades of work on land conservation efforts in Maine, including helping to establish the Land for Maine’s Future program in 1987 and supporting extensive conservation projects during his time as Governor. Under King’s leadership in his eight years as Maine governor, he put more Maine land under conservation than in the state’s 175 year history.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen Presses Hegseth on Tariff Disruption to America’s Defense Industrial Base, National Security

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a senior member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services and Appropriations Committees, today questioned U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General John Caine during a Defense Appropriations Subcommittee hearing examining the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 budget request for the U.S. Department of Defense. During her questioning, Shaheen pressed Hegseth on the impacts of the administration’s tariffs on steel and aluminum on the defense industrial base, supply chain lead times and our overall military readiness. Click here to watch Shaheen’s full remarks and questions.  

    Key Quotes from Shaheen: 

    • On the impacts of steel and aluminum tariffs on lead times and the defense industrial base, Shaheen said: “Mr. Secretary, when you were asked about the impact of President Trump’s tariffs under Section 232 on the defense industrial base, you commented that you’re in the business of tanks, not trade—but you can’t buy tanks without trade. And the administration’s steel and aluminum tariffs are having an impact on the lead times for our defense industrial base. […] And how are we going to address that if we need munitions or tanks or whatever it is, and we don’t have the steel and aluminum because of the tariffs?” 
    • On Secretary Hegseth’s comments that the first Trump administration gave javelins to Ukraine, Shaheen said: “Let me just correct the record here before I close. I’m out of time. But, Mr. Secretary, you pointed out that javelins were given to Ukraine during the first Trump administration, and I support that. But I would point out that [President Trump] was impeached over holding up giving those javelins and equipment to Ukraine. So I think as we look at the record, we ought to try and be accurate about how we portray things.” 

    In a letter to U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth last month, Shaheen raised concerns about how the President’s trade war harms defense supply chains and ultimately weakens America’s military readiness. The Senator expressed how tariffs on imports will increase prices for the Department of Defense’s defense acquisitions – harming its purchasing power and further raising costs on small businesses.  

    Citing national security concerns and a lack of qualifications on the Senate floor, Shaheen announced in January that Hegseth would be the first nominee for Secretary of Defense that she opposed since joining the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee in 2011. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Meets With Illinois Members Of The Ukrainian Congress Committee Of America

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    June 11, 2025

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, today met with Illinois members of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA) who are in Washington, D.C. for their “Ukraine Days” advocacy effort. During the meeting, they discussed Putin’s unjustified and unprovoked war in Ukraine, President Trump’s continued manipulation by Russian President Putin, and what Congress can do to help our Ukrainian allies. They also discussed Durbin’s bill that prohibits the United States from recognizing the Russian Federation’s claim of sovereignty over Crimea or any other forcibly seized Ukrainian territory. 

    “The Chicago-area is home to thousands of Ukrainian Americans. I am fortunate to represent them in the U.S. Senate, and I welcomed them to the Capitol today,” said Durbin. “During our meeting, we discussed this Administration’s failure to end Russia’s war in Ukraine ‘on day one’, as President Trump had boasted. Instead, Trump’s actions have alienated and bullied our allies around the world.  We also discussed the need to pass various legislation, including a strong Russia sanctions bill that is supported by more than 80 Senators, that President Trump bewilderingly keeps asking to be delayed as Putin relentlessly bombs Ukraine.”

    A photo of the meeting is available here.

    In March, Durbin asked for unanimous consent (UC) to pass a simple resolution he introduced condemning Russia’s abduction of Ukrainian children and called on Russia to work with the international community to return all abducted Ukrainian children to their families. Senate Republicans rejected Durbin’s UC request.

    In February, Durbin introduced the Protecting our Guests During Hostilities in Ukraine Act, legislation that would provide temporary guest status to Ukrainians and their immediate family members who are already in the United States through the “Uniting for Ukraine” parole process. The bill allows Ukrainians to stay and work in the U.S. until the Secretary of State determines that hostilities in Ukraine have ceased and it is safe for them to return. Bill text can be found here.

    Durbin has also joined U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and others in leading a simple resolution that expresses continued solidarity with the people of Ukraine and condolences for the loss of thousands of lives to Russian aggression; rejects Russia’s attempts to militarily seize sovereign Ukrainian territory; reaffirms U.S. support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine; and states unequivocally that Ukraine must be at the table for negotiations on its future.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Praises Pres. Trump’s Approval of International Bridge Project in Laredo

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
    Green Corridors’ Permit Approval Comes After Cornyn’s Letter
    U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) today praised President Trump’s approval of Green Corridors’ permit application to construct and operate the Green Corridors International Bridge facility, an intelligent transportation systems (ITS) commercial international crossing between Laredo, Texas, and Colombia, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, that will increase the freight capacity through the Port of Laredo:
    “I am glad President Trump has approved the construction of the Green Corridors International Bridge facility, which will enhance efficiency and security at the Port of Laredo, our nation’s top port of entry for international trade,” said Sen. Cornyn. “I look forward to seeing the improvements this project will help accomplish and thank the Trump administration for prioritizing this application, which I was proud to support.”
    Background:
    In April, Sen. Cornyn sent a letter to President Trump expressing his strong support for Green Corridors’ application for a presidential permit to construct and operate the Green Corridors International Bridge facility.
    The Senator’s letter can be found here. In addition, Sen. Cornyn continues to advocate for the expansion of the Colombia Solidarity International Bridge in Laredo.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Abbott, Texas Groups Endorse Cornyn-Led Push to Bring Space Shuttle Discovery to Houston

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
    Cornyn Announces Support for His Bring the Space Shuttle Home Act                                                                           
    U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX)’s Bring the Space Shuttle Home Act, which would move the Space Shuttle Discovery from Virginia to its rightful home near the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, has earned praise from Texas Governor Greg Abbott and space-related groups in the Houston area as the Senator works to include it in the Senate’s reconciliation legislation:
    “There is no better final home for Space Shuttle Discovery than JSC, where these explorers of tomorrow can learn from and be inspired by the incredible legacy of those who changed the history of the world in Houston, where giant leaps in human spaceflight started,” said Gov. Abbott. (Letter, 6/6/2025)
    “Exhibiting the Space Shuttle Discovery in Houston would significantly enhance educational opportunities and support the growth of our space economy, here in the home of human space flight. With 280 acres at Exploration Park dedicated to commercial space companies, the nearby Ellington Field Space Port, and the Texas Space Commission actively investing in the space economy, Discovery would play a crucial role in advancing our future prospects,” said Space Center Houston President & CEO William T. Harris. (Letter, 6/9/2025)
    “Despite its central role in the Shuttle program, Houston was not selected to receive an orbiter following retirement. Your bill offers an opportunity to correct that oversight and deliver a fitting and permanent home for the Shuttle in the place where so much of its story was written and where it will inspire the next generation of explorers,” said Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership President Brian Freedman. (Letter, 6/9/2025)
    Background:
    The Bring the Space Shuttle Home Act, introduced by Sen. Cornyn and cosponsored by Sen. Cruz in April, would move the Space Shuttle Discovery from Virginia to its rightful home near NASA’s JSC in Houston.
    Mission Control at NASA’s Johnson Space Center led all of the space shuttle flights throughout the program’s history, and the astronauts who flew aboard the shuttles lived and trained in the area Houston. Four space shuttles were retired from NASA in 2010, and one of them was expected to go on display in the Space City. Congress stated in the NASA Authorization Act of 2010 that the four space shuttles were to be given to states with a “historical relationship with either the launch, flight operations, or processing of the Space Shuttle orbiters or the retrieval of NASA-manned space vehicles, or significant contributions to human space flight.” Unfortunately, this directive was unlawfully ignored by the Obama administration, who played politics to keep Houston from getting one of the shuttles. Notably, the administration gave one of the four shuttles to New York City, which has not made any major contributions to the nation’s history of space exploration and is not home to a NASA center—unlike Houston. The Space Shuttle Discovery is the only shuttle still owned by the federal government and able to be transferred to Houston. This legislation would authorize the movement of the Space Shuttle Discovery from the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia to a nonprofit near the JSC in Houston.
    Last week, provisions led by Sen. Cornyn, including the Mission to Modernize Astronautic Resources (MARS) for Space Act, as well as funding for National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Artemis program and resources to support the International Space Station (ISS) were included in the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation’s legislative text to be included in the Senate version of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Sen. Cornyn continues to advocate for funding for NASA’s JSC and other space-related initiatives.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Demands FEMA Halt Biden-Era Flood Insurance Premiums

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and James Lankford (R-OK) today introduced the Stop Funding Genital Mutilation Act, which would prohibit federal funding from Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) from going towards gender transition procedures at any age:
    “Texas taxpayers should not be forced to foot the bill for dangerous and often debilitating ‘gender transition’ procedures that are driven by radical ideology masquerading as health care,” said Sen. Cornyn. “I’m proud to introduce this commonsense legislation to stop federal dollars from funding Democrats’ woke agenda and defend Texas values and Texas families.”
    “Before they can vote, drive, or get a tattoo, some children are pushed into irreversible gender-transition procedures with no proven long-term health benefit,” said Sen. Lankford. “These treatments can cause lasting harm, and taxpayers should not be forced to fund them.”
    Background:
     A recent U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) review of gender dysphoria medical interventions “highlights a growing body of evidence pointing to significant risks—including irreversible harms such as infertility—while finding very weak evidence of benefit.”
    Nearly 30 states have laws or policies that limit access to gender transition procedures for minors, including Texas. Texas prohibits health care providers from prescribing, administering or dispensing hormone or puberty blocking medications or providing gender transition surgeries to minors. Other countries have begun putting limits on these procedures over concerns about the long-term effects. In 2024, NHS England began limiting access to puberty blockers as “routine treatment” for children under 18. Finland, Sweden, and Denmark have also limited access to these procedures for minors.
    The Stop Funding Genital Mutilation Act would prohibit CHIP and Medicaid federal funds from being used to provide gender transition procedures at any age. It makes exceptions for those needing puberty blocking drugs or medical procedures for medically necessary reasons, including medically verifiable sex development disorders or injury from previous gender transition procedures.
    The legislation builds on President Trump’s Executive Order, signed on January 28, 2025, which called for cutting federal funding for gender transition procedures for minors and directs federally run insurance programs, including Medicaid, to stop covering these services.
    The legislation aligns with language included in the House’s version of Pres. Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, and Sen. Cornyn will fight to include this priority in the Senate’s version.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lummis Applauds EPA Moves Rolling Back Costly Biden Climate Rules

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wyoming Cynthia Lummis

    June 11, 2025

    Washington, D.C.— Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) today applauded moves by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rolling back costly, unrealistic Biden-era rules.

    “I’m pleased that President Trump and Administrator Zeldin are continuing to roll back unnecessary, expensive, and foolish Biden-era regulations. The Biden administration spent four years waging war on Wyoming energy and trying to undermine our reliable baseload energy sources. President Trump is making good on his promise to protect America’s electrical grid and cut costs for energy consumers. This is a victory for Wyoming and all Americans who reject the left’s climate cult.”

    Read more from the EPA here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy in the Ouachita Citizen: It’s time to stop pouring taxpayer money into biased public broadcasting

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)
    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) penned this op-ed in the Ouachita Citizen arguing that Congress should defund the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and, in turn, National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).
    Key excerpts of the op-ed are below:
    “One would think that receiving billions of dollars from taxpayers would motivate NPR and PBS to publish fair reporting that the American people can use. Instead, these organizations have consistently promoted ideas that reflect their own personal political beliefs, without attempting to provide the other side. These organizations are using taxpayer money to advance their own political agendas.”
    . . .
    “Even if the content on NPR and PBS was fair, the American people no longer need public broadcasting to access the news of the day. With more than $37 trillion in federal debt, the idea of giving these organizations a single penny is bone-deep, down-to-the-marrow stupid.
    “That’s why President Trump has paused federal funding to NPR and PBS through an executive order. He also recently asked Congress to formally rescind its funding of these public broadcasting entities—and the Senate should jump on this opportunity to pass President Trump’s rescission request on all his planned spending cuts as soon as possible. This would allow the Trump administration to cut off any money that the last Democrat-controlled Congress already allocated to the CPB and, in turn, NPR and PBS, in 2025.
    “To make sure no new money is allocated to the CPB moving forward, I introduced the No Propaganda Act. This bill would permanently defund the CPB.
    “The federal government has no business funding media companies. It’s time to stop picking winners and losers and defund public broadcasting for good.” 
    Read Kennedy’s op-ed here.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy to HHS: Fight foreign shrimp imports that hurt Louisiana and threaten Americans’ health

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)
    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today sent a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. urging his department to work with its partners to prevent unsafe foreign shrimp from reaching American consumers.
    While U.S. shrimp manufacturers comply with bans on antibiotic use and numerous environmental regulations, not all shrimp producers in countries like India, Ecuador, Indonesia and Vietnam abide by the same standards. A recent decline in transparency among members of the foreign shrimp industry has raised further concerns.
    “I write to express my concern regarding the ongoing public health risk posed by the importation of farmed shrimp into the United States. In 2021, the United States imported approximately 1.9 billion pounds of shrimp, accounting for over 90% of the nation’s consumption,” Kennedy began the letter.
    “A growing body of academic research and investigative reporting indicate that imported shrimp frequently contain illicit antibiotics and harbor antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. One of the most prevalent risks associated with warm-water shrimp aquaculture is antibiotic use, which poses significant health threats related to potential parasitic infection along with disease outbreaks,” the senator explained.
    “Fortunately, President Trump is taking action. On April 17, 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order titled Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness, which strengthens the domestic seafood industry and addresses the need to eliminate unsafe imports, promote ethical seafood sourcing, and level the playing field for domestic seafood producers,” Kennedy added. 
    “In light of the President’s executive order and the ongoing health risks posed by imported seafood, I urge the Department of Health and Human Services to collaborate with the U.S. Trade Representative, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and other relevant agencies to strengthen inspection capabilities and stop this harmful seafood from being sold domestically,” he wrote.
    Background: 
    In Dec. 2023, Kennedy introduced a bill to bolster the Seafood Import Monitoring Program’s ability to audit foreign seafood imports that its producers misrepresent. Senate Democrats blocked Kennedy’s bill.
    In May 2024, Kennedy questioned then-Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo on safety risks associated with imported shrimp and crawfish, drawing attention to foreign countries that subsidize their seafood industries and engage in false advertising.
    The full letter is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tillis Op-Ed: The Senate’s One Big, Beautiful Opportunity

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) published an op-ed in The Hill outlining the Senate’s one big, beautiful opportunity to deliver tax relief and pass President Trump’s agenda. 
    Read the full op-ed HERE.
    Senator Tillis on Delivering President Trump’s Campaign Promises: 
    “President Trump ran — and won — on a bold promise: supercharge America’s economy and restore strength at home and abroad. Now the Senate is on the verge of helping him fulfill that commitment with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Getting the bill through the House was a Herculean effort in itself, given the Republicans’ thin majority. That required many compromises to be made. While there is a lot of good in the House version of the bill, some big improvements still need to be made. That is what the Senate is currently working on.”
    Senator Tillis on Democrats Opposition to the One Big, Beautiful Bill:
    “Don’t buy the spin of Democrats who oppose this bill and falsely give the impression that it’s just tax cuts for billionaires. Instead, look at the numbers. By voting against this bill, Democrats are voting to double the federal taxes on every married couple with two kids making $80,000 a year, from roughly $1,400 in taxes owed to more than $3,000. By voting against this bill, Democrats are voting to force single parents with two kids making $40,000 a year to go from getting a net tax credit to owing nearly $1,500 in taxes. By voting against this bill, Democrats are also betraying tens of millions of small businesses. They’ll be voting to triple the income tax bill for married small business owners with three kids and a net income of $180,000. They will also be voting against the most ambitious welfare reform in a generation.” 
    Senator Tillis on Improvements to the One, Big Beautiful Bill: 
    “Despite a lot of good, there are some big areas in need of improvement. First, the Senate needs to find additional spending cuts and savings. While the House version saves taxpayers $1.6 trillion in spending, we need to push further for fiscal restraint. This will be easier said than done, as the reconciliation process that allows Congress to pass major tax legislation with a simple majority vote has major restrictions on what and where the Senate can cut. A prime target is the House’s inexplicable decision to quadruple the state and local tax (SALT) deduction, which wealthy taxpayers in high-tax blue states utilize. While I understand why lawmakers from California and New York want to increase the SALT deduction, it’s not the responsibility of federal taxpayers to subsidize state tax bills.  The SALT increase overwhelmingly benefits the wealthiest of taxpayers and carries a significant price tag of $320 billion. The Senate needs to fix this and unlock additional cost savings to help working families, not coastal elites.” 
    Senator Tillis on the Senate’s Work Moving Forward: 
    “Moving forward, each Republican senator will have input, and each provision should be scrutinized. My simple request to all my Republican colleagues in both chambers is: do not let the perfect become the enemy of the good. We have narrow majorities in both the House and Senate and cannot waste the historic opportunity we have to deliver tax relief and pass Trump’s agenda. Whether it takes the next few weeks or the next few months, let’s do the hard work to find common ground, get the job done, and put the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on Trump’s desk.”  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoeven Makes Case To HHS Secretary RFK Jr. for Access to Crop Protection Tools, Flexibility in School Nutrition Standards

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven
    06.11.25
    Senator, Ag Committee Colleagues Secure Commitment to Include Extensive Ag & School Nutrition Consultation in MAHA Strategy
    WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven this week met with Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at the White House to discuss progress on the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Strategy and advance the priorities of U.S. agriculture producers and school nutrition professionals. At the meeting in the Roosevelt Room, Hoeven, Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee and a senior member of the Senate Agriculture Committee:
    Stressed that access to proven safe crop protection tools is critical to the ongoing success of family farmers, as well as the affordability and security of the U.S. food supply.
    Highlighted the importance of flexibility in dietary guidelines so school nutrition professionals can serve meals students will actually eat without breaking their budget.
    Secured a commitment from Secretary Kennedy to conduct extensive consultation with farm and school nutrition groups prior to issuing the final strategy.
    “Considering the growing prevalence and impact of chronic disease in the U.S., it makes sense to take a careful, comprehensive look at the factors that are contributing to this issue. However, as these policies are being formed, we need to make sure that relevant stakeholders are at the table and the very best science is being used in making such decisions,” said Hoeven. “Our farmers rely on a range of crop protection tools, with decades-worth of evidence showing they are safe, to provide the highest-quality, lowest-cost food supply in the world. At the same time, school nutritionists face real challenges in providing healthy, cost-effective meals that students will actually eat. Their concerns need to be addressed as the MAHA Strategy moves forward, and I appreciate Secretary Kennedy’s commitment to include our farmers and school nutrition professionals in these ongoing discussions.”
    Hoeven was joined by his Senate Agriculture Committee colleagues, including Chairman John Boozman and Senators Chuck Grassley, Cindy Hyde-Smith and Roger Marshall.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoeven: EPA Repeals Two Overreaching Biden-Era Regulations that Threatened Coal Industry, Grid Reliability

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven
    06.11.25
    Senator Worked to Block, Roll Back Clean Power Plan & MATS Rules, Supporting Access to Affordable Baseload Power
    WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today released the following statement after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued proposed rules repealing two overreaching Biden-era regulations that threatened the reliability of the electrical grid and sought to force the premature closure of the nation’s coal-fired power plants, including:
    The Clean Power Plan 2.0, burdensome regulations that would have forced states to change their fuel sources for electricity generation.
    The Biden administration advanced this overreaching rule despite a Supreme Court ruling in 2022, which found the EPA overstepped its authority in imposing such sector-wide regulation.
    Hoeven pressed the Biden EPA to act in accordance with the court’s decision and withdraw the rule.

    The Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) rule, which imposed costly and overly-stringent regulations on coal-fired electric power plants.
    When first advanced in 2012, this rule contributed to the closure of numerous power plants before being blocked by the Supreme Court in 2015.
    The regulations replaced the existing cost-effective standards, which had already been found to protect human health and safety.
    Accordingly, Hoeven, along with then-Congressman Kelly Armstrong, led bicameral legislation to block the EPA from implementing its new MATS rule.

    Earlier this year, Hoeven joined President Trump as he signed executive orders to initiate the process of repealing these and other harmful regulations imposed by the Biden administration. The senator also recently advanced these priorities with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin at a hearing of the Senate Interior Appropriations Committee.
    “Today’s action by the EPA is a win for U.S. energy dominance and supports continued access to the affordable and reliable baseload power provided by coal,” said Hoeven. “When imposing the Clean Power Plan 2.0 and MATS rules, the Biden administration acted in defiance of prior decisions from the Supreme Court, which outlined that such regulations fall far outside of the legal authority provided to the EPA by Congress. That’s why we continually pushed back on these federal overreaches, and we appreciate the Trump administration and EPA Administrator Zeldin for working with us to repeal these harmful rules.”

    MIL OSI USA News –