NewzIntel.com

Category: United States of America

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Pfluger’s Bill to Block Noncitizens from Voting in DC Elections Passes the House

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11)

    WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congressman August Pfluger’s (TX-11) bill to prohibit non-citizens from voting in D.C. and to repeal the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment of 2022 passed the U.S. House of Representatives in a bipartisan fashion by a vote of 266-148.

    It’s common sense: Only American citizens should be able to vote in U.S. elections. Prior to its passage, Rep. Pfluger delivered remarks on the House floor in support of his legislation. Watch his full remarks here.

    Read the full text of the legislation here.

    Rep. Pfluger released the following statement following passage of his legislation:

    “The radical D.C. Council decided to allow noncitizens—including illegal aliens and foreign agents—to vote in local elections. Even worse, they then proceeded to encourage noncitizens to vote for Mayor, Attorney General, and more. It’s no secret that local elections determine critical matters, and allowing noncitizens to vote in them opens Pandora’s box to D.C.’s already radical local policies, diluting the voting power of citizen voters. Today, the House took action to defend that power and restore the sanctity of the voting process by passing my legislation to block noncitizens from voting in D.C. elections. Let me be clear: anyone who voted against my bill voted for the transfer of political power away from legal voters,” said Rep. Pfluger.

    Several leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives also praised the passage of Rep. Pfluger’s legislation:

    House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Comer said, “It’s common sense that only American citizens should have the right to vote. Allowing noncitizens to vote in D.C. elections undermines the defining privilege of American citizenship and dilutes the right of American citizens to elect the candidates who best represent them. By passing H.R. 884, the House took a crucial step toward empowering American citizens in D.C. to vote in local elections and restoring the rule of law in our nation’s capital. The House Oversight Committee is proud to support Rep. Pfluger’s important bill and is committed to defending Americans’ fundamental right to vote and responsible governance in D.C. The Senate must now follow the House’s lead and do the same,”

    Majority Leader Steve Scalise said, “The D.C. Council’s law allowing noncitizens, including illegal immigrants, to vote in D.C. local elections is blatantly against federal law and inherently unjust, disenfranchising American voters and diluting their voice in their government. Making matters worse, the law makes no exception for foreign nationals or diplomats, meaning representatives from other countries, such as agents of the Chinese Communist Party, could potentially vote in D.C. elections–even though their interests are often separate or opposed to American interests. It’s common sense: only American citizens should be able to vote in U.S. elections. I’m thankful to Rep. August Pfluger for standing up for American voters and bringing legislation to prevent individuals who are not U.S. citizens from voting in elections in the District of Columbia.”

    House GOP Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain said, “House Republicans passed legislation to restore trust in our election system, particularly in our nation’s capital. Unlike Democrats, we will not allow illegal immigrants to dilute the votes of actual Americans. Only Americans should be able to vote in U.S. elections. It’s as simple as that.”

    Majority Whip Tom Emmer said, “The District of Columbia has defied federal law for too long by allowing illegal aliens to vote in local elections. Representative Pfluger’s bill rightly puts an end to this insanity by enacting what should be common sense: American elections should only be decided by American citizens.”

    Background:

    As first reported in Fox News, earlier this year, Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) introduced a package of bills to strengthen election integrity and restore American confidence in our elections. The package included Rep. Pfluger’s bill to prohibit noncitizens from voting in D.C.

    This bill follows a nearly unanimous vote by the D.C. City Council to advance a bill that would allow noncitizens to vote in local elections, even if they have only resided in D.C. for 30 days. This law is unjust and against federal law.

    Last year, this bill passed the House by a bipartisan vote of 262-143. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pfluger Participates in Energy Hearing with Secretary Wright

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11)

    Pfluger Participates in Energy Hearing with Secretary Wright

    Washington, June 11, 2025

    WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, participated in the Committee’s Energy Subcommittee hearing entitled “The Fiscal Year 2026 Department of Energy Budget.”

    Secretary of Energy Chris Wright testified before the subcommittee. During the hearing, Rep. Pfluger asked Secretary Wright about his top priorities for the year, for an update on the Mexico Pacific LNG export site, and how we can legislatively protect the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

    Click HERE or the image below to watch their full exchange.

    Watch their full exchange HERE or read highlights below.

    Rep. Pfluger: You have extreme expertise about how energy in this country works. I am worried about everybody who has testified here, especially those who have recently talked about data centers and the demand that we are going to see—rising demand for electricity consumption, and how we’re going to keep up with manufacturing. Just big picture priorities that you have set out that will enable us as a country to set the conditions for private industry to meet that demand with adequate supply. Love to hear your thoughts.

    Secretary Wright: Look, as you know, over the years, we’ve created huge regulatory burdens on building infrastructure, on building pipelines, on building power plants, on building transmission lines. If you make it harder and harder and more and more expensive to do things, well, guess what? You get less of them. And that’s what’s happened in the United States. I heard a comment earlier that U.S. oil and natural gas production were at all-time highs in 2023, which was true, but that’s because it’s dominantly on private land and state land, and it’s not on federal land. We’ve had huge federal obstruction efforts. They haven’t been entirely effective on oil and gas that’s produced on private lands and on state lands. But when you restrict the ability to build pipelines and grow the transportation, you ultimately restrict the growth of it. Power plants with the Clean Power Plan, if you build a new power plant today, you have to have carbon capture and sequestration injected underground, like 11 years from now. That’s a technology we don’t have at a commercial scale. A massively expensive parasitic load of maybe a third of the power plant has to go to that thing. People aren’t going to invest money and build power plants with constrictions like that. There are a lot of reasons we haven’t built as much new capacity as we should. And it’s critical for this administration and this Congress that we work together to remove these obstacles and barriers that chill investment. Because we need to lead in AI. We need to win in AI. We can lead and we can win in AI. But to do that, we need to get overly burdensome, truly not focused on the environment, regulations out of the way so that capital will flow and things will be built. We need some simplification with permitting. We need to make FERC move more efficiently. But I will tell you, in this administration, and I know in this Congress, there are many people working tirelessly to achieve just that, so I’m optimistic, but yes, big changes need to be made.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Schrier Demands Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Immediately Reinstate All Members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) in New Letter

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08), pediatrician and member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, led 86 of her colleagues, with the support of Democratic members of the Energy and Commerce Committee, on a letter demanding that Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. upholds his oath to protect the health of the American people by immediately reinstating the seventeen members of Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) that were recently fired.

     “Secretary Kennedy’s dangerous decision to fire all members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is a direct attack on science and a threat to our public health,” said Congresswoman Schrier, M.D. “For 61 years, this integral committee of seasoned health care experts has been trusted to evaluate scientific evidence, ask questions, and ultimately make fully transparent recommendations about vaccines. But now, Secretary Kennedy is gutting that expertise and may well use this opportunity to elevate conspiracy theorists and social media influencers to these decision-making positions. As a pediatrician and a member of Congress, I am outraged that the Secretary of Health and Human Services would dismiss science and the medical community and instead welcome those with fringe healthcare ideas into the heart of our public health system. It is just plain dangerous.” 

     Today’s letter comes on the heels of Congresswoman Schrier introducing the Family Vaccine Protection Act that will protect the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) and remove politics from the life-saving immunization schedule.

     A copy of the letter is below.

     Dear Secretary Kennedy,

     For over 60 years, in both Republican and Democratic Administrations, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has played a pivotal role in keeping Americans healthy and safe. As Members of Congress, we are outraged at your decision to unilaterally remove all 17 individuals from ACIP on June 9th. As Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), your duty to this country is to enhance the well-being of all Americans and this decision will cost lives. Your decision to disband the ACIP, a committee of medical and public health experts whose sole focus is to develop vaccine recommendations, completely undermines ACIP’s critical role and endangers this nation’s public health.

    On June 9th, in your opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal, you blame conflict of interests and a lack of curiosity as a rationale for removing this panel of experts from their roles. Your statement belies the rigorous vetting process for ACIP members, including financial disclosures and a review of their previous work on clinical trials. ACIP members must recuse themselves from votes and discussions on vaccines they are studying, or on any other vaccines manufactured by companies that fund their research. In fact, just this year the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention set up a public, searchable database allowing transparency for any conflicts of interest for voting ACIP members dating back to 2000.

     These actions upend ACIP’s thoughtful, evidence-based decision-making and will weave unfounded or disproven theories into what has traditionally been a science-based process trusted by our health care providers. Conducting immunization reviews takes months of deliberation and review of research, and your unilateral decision to abruptly end ACIP’s existing work is detrimental. It has become abundantly clear that your intent is to sow doubt and fear in the American public that will cost lives. With an ongoing measles outbreak and the decline of routine child immunizations, we will see the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases across the country. Your politicization of vaccines has made American families less safe and will return the US to an era before mass vaccination prevented millions of infections and early deaths.

     We demand that you reinstate the fired 17 members to ACIP and uphold your oath to the American people.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scalise Previews Congressional Baseball Game

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) joined Fox News’ Fox and Friends alongside Chairman Roger Williams (R-Texas) to discuss tonight’s Congressional baseball game, set to raise over $2.5 million for charity, as House Republicans work toward their fifth consecutive win. Additionally, Leader Scalise talked about the FBI’s gross misclassification of the 2017 baseball shooting that almost took his life as a suicide by cop instead of what it really was – a gunman who set out to kill Republicans.

    Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise’s full interview. 
    On miracles following the 2017 baseball practice shooting:“Well, Steve, we’ve come a long way from that. Obviously, God performed a lot of miracles that morning. He continues to perform miracles, but I’m lucky to be alive, and when you’re out here on the big league ballpark, you know, it doesn’t get any better than this.”On the Trump Administration exposing politicization from the FBI:“Yeah, and it shows you the difference with the Trump Administration, trying to focus on rooting out a lot of that politicization of those agencies – everybody knew. We told the FBI at the time that the guy didn’t even know that I had cops, and he tried to kill them once he found out they were cops. So you can’t call it suicide by cop, yet they did. So I’m so glad Kash Patel is getting the facts out and actually focusing on what really happened that day.”On tonight’s Congressional game:“Yeah, we do come together. We want to win the game, obviously, as our Skipper [Roger Williams] just talked about, but also, there’s a lot of camaraderie on the team. We’ll bring over 27,000 people in the stands tonight. Is that amazing? We’ll have more people in the stands than more than half the major league teams, and raising over two and a half million dollars for local charities. So it’s a really good cause. We really come together. We get to know the Democrats on the other side. We want to beat them out there on the House Floor when we’re trying to save America. But we’re having a really good time tonight for a really good cause. We are going to try to win the game. And you know, we’re on a heater right now, a [four]-game winning streak.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luis Silvas Appointed Western Territory Special Representative

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    IAM International President Brian Bryant has announced the appointment of Luis Silvas as a Special Representative in the Western Territory, effective June 7, 2025. Silvas is moving from his role as an Education Representative at the William W. Winpisinger Education and Technology Center.

    “Luis embodies what it means to be a union leader, grounded in experience, driven by purpose, and committed to empowering our members,” said Bryant. “His new role will only amplify the impact he’s already made.”

    Silvas brings a wealth of relevant and practical knowledge to the role and has been active in Local and District leadership since the beginning of his union journey. His knowledge and experience will immediately benefit IAM members.

    “Luis’s deep understanding of local procedures, coupled with his skills in organizing, negotiating, and servicing, as well as his background in developing and delivering training, will allow him to make an immediate and positive impact,” said IAM Western Territory General Vice President Robert “Bobby” Martinez.

    Silvas began his IAM career in Southern California with Local 1125 in 2013, quickly rising through the ranks as Shop Steward, Recording Secretary, and later Local President. In 2017, he became a Business Representative for District 725, where he also served as Political Facilitator and elected Trustee for the California Conference of Machinists.

    The post Luis Silvas Appointed Western Territory Special Representative appeared first on IAM Union.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ukraine Country Analysis Brief

    Source: US Energy Information Administration

    Petroleum & Other Liquids

    Crude oil, gasoline, heating oil, diesel, propane, and other liquids including biofuels and natural gas liquids.

    Natural Gas

    Exploration and reserves, storage, imports and exports, production, prices, sales.

    Electricity

    Sales, revenue and prices, power plants, fuel use, stocks, generation, trade, demand & emissions.

    Coal

    Reserves, production, prices, employment and productivity, distribution, stocks, imports and exports.

    Total Energy

    Comprehensive data summaries, comparisons, analysis, and projections integrated across all energy sources.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Building Affordable Homes in Buffalo

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced the completion of the rehabilitation of Ellicott Town Center, a decades-old 281-unit affordable housing development near downtown in the City of Buffalo. Developed by Beacon Communities and First Shiloh Development LLC, an affiliate of the First Shiloh Baptist Church, the project builds on the State’s historic $50 million investment in Buffalo’s East Side. The $71 million rehabilitation also includes 24 units set aside for older New Yorkers. Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, New York State Homes and Community Renewal has financed more than 11,000 affordable homes in Erie County, including nearly 8,000 in Buffalo. Ellicott Town Center continues this effort and complements Governor Hochul’s $25 billion five-year housing plan, which is on track to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide.

    “The $71 million rehabilitation of Ellicott Town Center demonstrates our commitment to revitalizing the East Side and working with faith-based organizations like the First Shiloh Baptist Church to ensure more individuals and families have access to safe, affordable housing,” Governor Hochul said. “This project preserves 281 homes and continues my administration’s focus on building a stronger, more affordable future for all New Yorkers.”

    Ellicott Town Center includes four high-rise towers which feature 257 affordable apartments originally built in 1958 and called the Ellicott Mall. The development also includes 24 townhome units, originally constructed in 1998, which remain reserved for New Yorkers age 55 and older. All units are affordable to households with incomes at or below 90 percent of the Area Median Income.

    The rehabilitation features both interior and exterior improvements to the buildings, including kitchen and bathroom updates in all apartments, new roofs, windows, siding, sidewalks, and enhanced lighting. The improvements have increased the building’s efficiency and are expected to lead to a 20 percent energy savings.

    Construction at Ellicott Town Center took place in phases, with residents temporarily moved to vacant units during the project.

    State financing for Ellicott Town Center rehabilitation includes support from HCR’s Federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program that generated $31 million in equity, nearly $36 million in tax exempt housing bonds, and nearly $23 million in HCR subsidy. The development also benefits from $300,000 in Clean Energy Initiative, a partnership between HCR and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) that aligns the development and preservation of affordable housing with New York’s affordable and just transition to a clean energy economy.

    New York State Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said, “The $71 million revitalization of Ellicott Town Center not only preserves 281 affordable homes on Buffalo’s East Side, it also transforms underutilized and aging buildings into vibrant, modern homes that will serve this neighborhood for years to come. Thank you to our partners at Beacon Communities and First Shiloh Development LLC for their work on this remarkable development that contributes to Governor Hochul’s vision for a more equitable and sustainable future for Western New York.”

    New York State Energy Research and Development Authority President and CEO Doreen Harris said, “New York continues to transform its aging building stock with the latest clean energy technologies, demonstrating pathways to affordable, modern housing throughout the state. This project maintains the development’s original mission to serve older New Yorkers and invest in Buffalo’s East Side community while allowing current and future residents to benefit from an energy efficient, quality and comfortable living environment.”

    Senator Chuck Schumer said, “Every family in Buffalo deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. I’m proud that the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit that I worked hard to protect and expand has delivered millions to rehabilitate nearly 300 homes at Ellicott Town Center on Buffalo’s East Side. High housing costs are a key driver of inflation so we must build more housing for working people to bring down those high prices. I applaud Governor Hochul’s work increasing access to affordable housing in Buffalo and across Western New York, and I will continue working to deliver federal resources to ensure that every New Yorker has a roof over their heads.”

    State Senator April Baskin said, “Just two years ago, ground was broken on a project designed to ensure access to quality housing on East Eagle Street. Now that concept has come to fruition, allowing older residents to live in safe, sustainable, affordable apartments and townhomes. Thanks to state and federal tax credits, along with the partnership between First Shiloh Development LLC and Beacon Communities, successful projects like the Ellicott Town Center are proof that we will celebrate these victories and never stop addressing the systemic social and economic inequalities that continue to impact this community.”

    Assemblymember Crystal Peoples-Stokes said, “The rehabilitation of Ellicott Town Homes is a substantial commitment from the state towards equity and investment for our seniors and residents of Buffalo’s east side. Modernized, energy-efficient housing ushers in a brighter future for Ellicott Town Homes residents. I thank Governor Hochul, NYS Housing & Community Renewal, First Shiloh Development LLC and Beacon for putting this project together for the benefit of our community.”

    Buffalo Mayor Chris Scanlon said, “As the Mayor of Buffalo, having access to affordable housing is crucial for all City residents. The completion of renovations at the Ellicott Town Center affordable housing complex provides Buffalo seniors and families with a safe, highly efficient, and comfortable living environment. This $71 million rehab and preservation project is another great collaboration between community-based organizations, religious institutions, private sector investments and multiple levels of government support, including the approval of a partial loan forgiveness by The Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency. I’d like to thank Governor Kathy Hochul and all of our partners for their continued commitment to provide affordable housing in East Buffalo.”

    Buffalo Common Council Majority Leader Halton-Pope said, “The rehabilitation of Ellicott Town Center is more than a construction project — it’s a promise kept to the residents of Buffalo’s East Side. By preserving 281 affordable homes, including those for older adults, this investment reinforces our commitment to dignified housing, community stability, and equitable development. I’m especially proud to see faith-based institutions like First Shiloh Baptist Church leading the way in this work, reminding us that progress is strongest when it’s rooted in partnership and purpose.”

    Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz said, “Affordable housing continues to be a critical issue in Erie County, just as it is across America, and the Ellicott Town Center project is an example of how to tackle the issue the right way. These investments build stronger communities, improve residents’ lives, and create better places to live.”

    Beacon Communities CEO Dara Kovel said, “This long-awaited renovation is an investment in the future of the City of Buffalo. Ellicott Town Center will provide residents with the high-quality, affordable, and sustainable housing they deserve so that they may continue to contribute to the vitality of this City. We’re grateful to our partners at First Shiloh Housing Corporations and our public and private sector partners for their vision and commitment to creating housing opportunities for all citizens of New York State.”

    First Shiloh Baptist Church Reverend Dr. Jonathan R. Staples said, “We are thrilled to announce the reopening of Ellicott Town Center, a cornerstone of our mission, to serve our community with compassion and dignity. Since its inception, this project has been a beacon of hope, providing safe and stable housing to those in need. Through the grace of God and the unwavering support of our congregation, partners, and volunteers, we have revitalized this initiative to continue offering refuge, restoration, and renewal. As we reopen our doors, we reaffirm our commitment to fostering a welcoming environment where everyone is valued and uplifted. We invite you to join us in celebrating this milestone and in working together to build a future rooted in faith, community, and love. May this housing program remain a source of strength and support for all who seek shelter and belonging.”

    Governor Hochul’s Housing Agenda

    Governor Hochul is dedicated to addressing New York’s housing crisis and making the State more affordable and more livable for all New Yorkers. As part of the FY25 Enacted Budget, the Governor secured a landmark agreement to increase New York’s housing supply through new tax incentives, capital funding, and new protections for renters and homeowners. Building on this commitment, the FY26 Enacted Budget includes more than $1.5 billion in new State funding for housing, a Housing Access Voucher pilot program, and new policies to improve affordability for tenants and homebuyers. These measures complement the Governor’s five-year, $25 billion Housing Plan, included in the FY23 Enacted Budget, to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide, including 10,000 with support services for vulnerable populations, plus the electrification of an additional 50,000 homes. More than 60,000 homes have been created or preserved to date.

    The FY25 and FY26 Enacted Budgets also strengthened the Governor’s Pro-Housing Community Program — which allows certified localities exclusive access to up to $750 million in discretionary State funding. Currently, more than 300 communities have received Pro Housing certification, including Buffalo

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Armed Drug Trafficker Convicted by Federal Jury

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW BERN, N.C. – A federal jury convicted an Elizabeth City man Tuesday on one charge of possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

    According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Charles Gregory, 36, was stopped for a traffic violation in Elizabeth City on August 7, 2022.  An Elizabeth City police officer observed Gregory, the sole occupant of the car, toss an item out the window before coming to a stop. Officers recovered the tossed item from the street and found it to be a bag containing multiple smaller baggies of crack cocaine. Officers placed Gregory under arrest and searched the vehicle, where they found a stolen pistol in the glovebox. Gregory later made statements on recorded jail phone calls about the drugs and gun. Gregory is a convicted felon who has multiple prior felony drug convictions, including possession of cocaine and sell/deliver a Schedule II controlled substance.

    Charles Gregory faces a mandatory minimum of five years of imprisonment and a statutory maximum of life imprisonment when sentenced on a later date.

    Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan accepted the verdict. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Elizabeth City Police Department investigated the case with assistance from the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office and the Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phil Aubart and Jermaine Sellers prosecuted the case.

    Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-CR-14.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Puerto Rican Man Sentenced to Nearly Five Years in Prison For Trafficking Fentanyl into Maine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PORTLAND, Maine: A Bayamon, Puerto Rico man was sentenced on Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Portland for possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances, including 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Rafael Omar Ojeda Lopez, 44, to a term of imprisonment of 57 months, to be followed by five years of supervised release.

    According to court records, in September 2023, at the direction of agents of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), a confidential source negotiated the purchase of a kilogram of fentanyl from Lopez for $40,000, following several smaller “test” buys. While Lopez and the source were working to finalize the transaction in Rockland, Maine, HSI agents arrested Lopez and seized the fentanyl, which was later lab confirmed to contain a mixture of fentanyl, caffeine, heroin, and xylazine, a powerful tranquilizer. The mixture of fentanyl and xylazine is particularly dangerous to drug users: because xylazine is not a narcotic, its effects cannot be reversed by naloxone, which serves to heighten the risk of overdose death.

    HSI and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (MDEA) investigated the case.

    Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces: This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Veterans Affairs Contractor Agrees to Pay $4.3 Million to Resolve Claims of Overbilling for Products

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Spokane, Washington – Omnicell, a company based in Delaware, has agreed to pay $4,366,660 to resolve claims that it fraudulently overbilled the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for medical device hardware and software, announced Richard R. Barker, the Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.

    Between January 2017 and February 2023, Omnicell held a federal contact with the VA to sell and lease products at a set price or negotiated discounted price.

    According to the settlement agreement, a False Claims Act (FCA) claim arose from allegations that Omnicell did not always charge the correct prices for products purchased and leased by federal agencies.

    When Omnicell became aware of certain pricing issues related to specific individual orders, including when federal government customers raised concerns and questions, Omnicell at times issued credits or otherwise corrected prices charged to federal government customers. However, Omnicell did not always timely correct the known issues in its sales and pricing system in a systemic way, nor did Omnicell undertake an analysis to determine whether other federal government customers that may have been previously overcharged due to the pricing issues in order to provide those customers with refunds of overcharges.

    In August 2023, a former Omnicell employee came forward with allegations of fraudulent product overcharging. This individual, known as a “Relator,” filed a qui tam complaint under seal in the U.S. District Court (EDWA). When a relator files a qui tam complaint, the False Claims Act requires the United States to investigate the allegations and elect whether to intervene and take over the action or to decline to intervene and allow the relator to go forward with the litigation on behalf of the United States. The relator is generally able to then share in any recovery. As part of the settlement agreement, the relator will receive $785,998.80 of the settlement amount.  $2,183,330 of the settlement amount has been designated as restitution, meaning that it will be returned to the VA.

    “Veterans who served our country deserve the best health care possible. It is important that companies who do business with the VA and the federal government are accurate in how they charge for goods and services,” stated Acting United States Attorney Barker. “I am grateful that Omnicell quickly accepted responsibility and has taken steps to comply with its billing obligations going forward.”

    “This settlement sends a clear message that the VA OIG will actively investigate allegations involving contractors overbilling for products provided to VA,” said Special Agent in Charge Dimitriana Nikolov with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northwest Field Office. “The VA OIG will continue to work with the US Attorney’s Office to ensure the integrity of VA programs and services.”

    The settlement was the result of an investigation jointly conducted by the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) and the VA Office of Inspector General. The USAO’s investigation and prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jacob E. Brooks.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Jersey Man Sentenced To More Than 6 Years In Federal Prison For Involvement In Elder Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Pranav Patel (33, New Jersey) to six years and three months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering. The court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $1,791,301, the proceeds of the offense. Patel pleaded guilty on December 23, 2024.

    According to court documents, between October and December 2023, Patel was involved in a fraud scheme targeting senior citizens. Conspirators involved in the scheme called from call centers abroad and fraudulently identified themselves as government agents such as officers from the United States Department of the Treasury. In some instances, the conspirators told victims that there were outstanding warrants for their arrest, and they needed to pay to clear the warrants. On other occasions, the conspirators told victims that they needed to provide their money and gold to the officers for safekeeping.

    Patel served as a money mule in the fraud scheme. He drove from New Jersey to pick up money and gold from senior citizens in the Middle District of Florida and elsewhere along the east coast of the United States. During the sentencing hearing, one victim from whom Patel picked up fraud proceeds advised the court that because of the scam, he was unable to afford his mortgage payments, had to sell his house, and had to depend on Social Security benefits for all his living expenses.

    In December 2023, Patel traveled to a residence in Hillsborough County to retrieve what he believed was a box of gold. Unbeknownst to Patel, he did so while under law enforcement surveillance, and Patel was promptly arrested after picking up the box. In total, Patel laundered $1,791,301 as part of the fraud scheme.

    “Preying on vulnerable, unsuspecting elderly victims to rob them of their hard-earned money is despicable. Even worse, the defendant’s co-conspirators posed as government agents to defraud victims of nearly $2 million, threatening them with arrest if they didn’t follow their demands. Thanks to the men and women of the Tampa Field Office, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida for their diligent work,” said U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Robert Engel of the Tampa Field Office.

    This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer L. Peresie and Maria Guzman.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Couple Indicted and Arrested for Marriage Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment on June 5, 2025, charging Shokir Kurbonovich Khalilov, from Uzbekistan, and Keily Maisonet-Ortiz, San Juan, with marriage fraud.

    According to court documents, from February 29, 2024, through on or about April 29, 2025, the defendants entered into a marriage for the purpose of evading any provision of the immigration laws of the United States. Shokir Kurbonovich Khalilov and Keily Maisonet-Ortiz obtained a marriage license and got married on March 13, 2024, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. On October of 2024 Maisonet-Ortiz submitted an I-130 Petition for Alien Relative in favor of defendant Shokir Kurbonovich Khalilov before the Department of Homeland Security and on the same date, Khalilov submitted a I-485 Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adult Status pursuant to his marriage to defendant Maisonet-Ortiz.

    The defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and marriage fraud. Defendant Maisonet-Ortiz is scheduled for her initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Giselle López Soler of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. Defendant Khalilov will have his initial court appearance next week. If convicted, the defendants face a sentence of up to five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico; and Reggie Johnson, Chief Patrol Agent for the Ramey Sector of the US Border Patrol made the announcement.

    US Border Patrol is investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Emelina M. Agrait Barreto is prosecuting the case.

    An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Sunderland’s potential rugby stars of the future have come face to face with one of the sport’s top trophies.

    Source: City of Sunderland

    Local schoolchildren enjoyed a day to remember getting up close to the Women’s Rugby World Cup trophy when it visited Barnes Park as part of its tour of the city.

    The iconic silverware was in Sunderland ahead of the city hosting the opening match of the Women’s Rugby World Cup at the Stadium of Light on the evening of Friday 22 August.

    World Rugby unveiled the new trophy last month to tie in with the start of the 100-day countdown to the opening match of the tournament in Sunderland which will see England’s Red Roses take on the USA.

    The trophy’s visit to Sunderland marked the culmination of a nationwide tour of all eight host cities and towns as excitement continues to build for the record-breaking tournament.

    Around 150 youngsters from Barnes Junior School and Broadway Primary School got the see the trophy and put their rugby skills to the test when it visited Barnes Park.

    They are among almost 800 hundred pupils in primary and secondary schools across Sunderland who have been introduced to the game of rugby as part of the Active Sunderland Community Impact Programme in the lead up to the tournament’s opening match in their home city.

    Councillor Beth Jones, Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Tourism at Sunderland City Council, said: “Hosting the opening match of this record breaking tournament is incredibly exciting for our city and we want one of its lasting legacies to be the impact it has on growing the game in Sunderland and inspiring more girls and boys to take up the sport.

    “We know that being active is really important, with all sorts of benefits for our physical and mental wellbeing and it’s been fantastic to see so many pupils in schools across Sunderland embracing the game and enjoying everything it has to offer. 

    “So it was really special for pupils who have been learning all about the game and the skills needed to play it, to come face to face with the trophy the world’s top rugby teams are going to be competing to win this summer.”

    The ongoing work in the city’s schools has included an Active Sunderland Rugby Skills event last October, with another  planned for 2 July.

    T1 rugby sessions – a new non contact style of rugby, with an emphasis on fun, fitness and inclusion – have also been delivered to 600 students in primary schools and 180 in secondary schools, along with a series of festivals for different year groups.

    During its visit to Sunderland, the trophy also stopped at Hylton Castle and at the Sunderland Food and Drink Festival in Keel Square where people had the opportunity to have their photo taken with it and the bespoke RWC Defender Trophy Tour Vehicle.

    Leader of Sunderland City Council, Councillor Michael Mordey said: “It was fantastic to have the trophy visiting Sunderland as we get ever closer to hosting the opening match of the Women’s Rugby World Cup on 22 August.

    “Having the opening game here is a brilliant opportunity to showcase our city on the international stage.

    “It was also great to see our own young players, who could well be the next generation of top rugby stars, demonstrating their own rugby skills during the trophy’s stop offs at Barnes Park and Hylton Castle, and to see so many people coming along to Keel Square to see the trophy for themselves.”

    The 2025 tournament is the biggest Women’s Rugby World Cup in history after selling more than 300,000 tickets – more than twice the total attendance at the last tournament in New Zealand in 2021.

    Tickets for the tournament are competitively priced from £10 for adults and £5 for children. This means a family of four can enjoy an evening at the Women’s Rugby World Cup Opening Game for £30. To find out more about the Women’s Rugby World Cup, how to get tickets and how to get involved in free rugby activities in Sunderland visit:Rugby World Cup 2025 – MySunderland

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Miller-Meeks Statement on ICE Protest in Iowa

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks’ (IA-02)

    Davenport, IA — Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01) issued the following statement in response to protests in Davenport and across the country targeting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE):

    “ICE agents put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe. The manufactured outrage in Davenport and around the country is not about standing up for justice, protesters are demanding that violent, illegal immigrant criminals be allowed to stay in our country without consequence.

    I voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill, which authorizes 10,000 more border security agents, completes the fence with accompanying technology, and gives CBP and ICE the tools to do their job.

    I will never allow Iowa to become the next Los Angeles. We will protect our neighborhoods, enforce our laws, and support those who put their lives on the line to keep us safe. Don’t California our Iowa.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: ICYMI: “For the first time in decades, the US-Mexico border is silent”

    Source: US Whitehouse

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    From the Arizona Republic:

    “Across the entire span of the U.S.-Mexico border, the change is stark — and it happened nearly overnight. Where Border Patrol agents encountered well over 100,000 migrants and asylum seekers every month just a year ago, they now see fewer than 10,000.

    More than four months into President Trump’s second term, one of his signature campaign promises — shutting down the flow of migrants across the border — seems fulfilled. Reporters with the USA TODAY Network traveled to 15 sites along the border from the Pacific to the Gulf, from California to Arizona and Texas, and found much of the same situation in each: few migrants were attempting to cross; once bustling shelters for migrants were ghost towns; local officials expressed relief for no longer having to assist with the flood of people. […]

    But as the border itself has gone quiet, Trump maintains that it remains in a state of crisis while touting the success of his efforts. The recently passed spending bill by the U.S. House of Representatives includes $150 billion in new money for immigration enforcement, including tens of billions for wall construction and facilities along the border along with tens of billions more for deportation efforts.”

    Click here to read the full story.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: “For the first time in decades, the US-Mexico border is silent”

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Whitehouse
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    From the Arizona Republic:
    “Across the entire span of the U.S.-Mexico border, the change is stark — and it happened nearly overnight. Where Border Patrol agents encountered well over 100,000 migrants and asylum seekers every month just a year ago, they now see fewer than 10,000.
    More than four months into President Trump’s second term, one of his signature campaign promises — shutting down the flow of migrants across the border — seems fulfilled. Reporters with the USA TODAY Network traveled to 15 sites along the border from the Pacific to the Gulf, from California to Arizona and Texas, and found much of the same situation in each: few migrants were attempting to cross; once bustling shelters for migrants were ghost towns; local officials expressed relief for no longer having to assist with the flood of people. […]
    But as the border itself has gone quiet, Trump maintains that it remains in a state of crisis while touting the success of his efforts. The recently passed spending bill by the U.S. House of Representatives includes $150 billion in new money for immigration enforcement, including tens of billions for wall construction and facilities along the border along with tens of billions more for deportation efforts.”
    Click here to read the full story.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Norton Condemns Three Anti-D.C. Bills Ahead of Rules Committee Consideration

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (District of Columbia)

    The bills will be before the Rules Committee at 4:00 p.m. today, and the House is expected to vote on all three this week.

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ahead of today’s Rules Committee consideration of three anti-D.C. home rule bills, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said that the bills’ advancement is another example of paternalistic, undemocratic incursions by Congress on the democratically expressed will of more than 700,000 D.C. residents. The Committee will consider a bill introduced by Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX) to prohibit D.C. residents who are not citizens from voting in local D.C. elections, a bill introduced by Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY) that would repeal parts of D.C.’s 2022 local police accountability and transparency law, and a bill introduced by Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA) to nullify locally-enacted D.C. laws, policies and practices regarding D.C. exchanging information about the citizenship and immigration status of individuals. Higgins’ bill would require D.C. to comply with requests by the Department of Homeland Security regarding immigration detainers.

    “Republicans introduced 14 bills or amendments to prohibit noncitizens from voting in D.C. or to repeal, nullify or prohibit the carrying out of D.C.’s law that permits noncitizens to vote last Congress,” Norton said. “Despite being fixated on the subject of D.C. elections, Republicans refuse to make the only election law change D.C. residents have asked Congress to make, which is the right to hold elections for voting members of the House and Senate by passing my D.C. statehood bill.

    “It is always wrong and never the right time for Congress to legislate on local D.C. matters, but I’ll address Rep. Garbarino’s bill to repeal parts of D.C.’s police transparency law. This bill was introduced three days after House Republicans passed a continuing resolution that cut D.C.’s local budget by one billion dollars. That was an act of fiscal sabotage, which did not save the federal government any money. It’s been almost three months since the Senate passed the D.C. Local Funds Act to reverse the cut and over two months since President Trump called for an immediate House vote on it. The D.C. Local Funds Act is still just sitting in the House. Like President Trump and the National Fraternal Order of Police, I call on the House immediately to pass the D.C. Local Funds Act.

    “Like states, cities and counties across the country, D.C. has passed laws to support and protect the safety of all its residents, regardless of immigration status. In passing those laws, D.C. followed its values, the evidence on the benefits of such laws for the entire city, and the democratic process to enact policy consistent with its goals. Congress has no business overturning D.C.’s democratically enacted local laws and should keep its hands off D.C.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Norton Says Chatbots Are No Replacement for Federal Workers

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (District of Columbia)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said in today’s Committee on Oversight and Government Reform (COGR) hearing on artificial intelligence that chatbots are no replacement for federal workers, as demonstrated by the current state of the Social Security Administration, where senior citizens now face 98-minute wait times to speak with customer service.

    “AI is a tool that can empower our public servants, but it is not a substitute for passionate and committed federal workers,” Norton said. “As a direct result of the interference with the Social Security Administration, senior citizens now face 98-minute wait times to speak with customer service, crowded lobbies at field offices, and being turned away from scheduled appointments because the agency simply does not have the employees to perform its mission. Poor customer service is not efficiency; it is failing to uphold the government’s responsibility to our constituents.

    “As we discuss the use of artificial intelligence in government, we must have people at the center of the conversation, including the people we represent and the federal workers who serve our country.”

    Norton’s remarks follow.

    Federal Workers Cannot Be Replaced By Chatbots

    Government must leverage the best technology possible to meet the ever-changing needs of the people it serves.

    From the creation of a national postal service to the discoveries that led to the internet, the federal government has a long history of embracing new technology to better deliver for our constituents. 

    But our north star must always be service to the American people—not tax breaks for billionaires or backroom deals to benefit the richest man in the world at the public’s expense. 

    As we discuss the use of artificial intelligence in government, we must have people at the center of the conversation, including the people we represent and the federal workers who serve our country.

    AI is a tool that can empower our public servants, but it is not a substitute for passionate and committed federal workers.

    Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency have gutted so much of the federal workforce, firing tens of thousands of people under the guise of greater efficiency.  But Americans know better:  They see the negative impacts every day.

    As a direct result of the interference with the Social Security Administration, senior citizens now face 98-minute wait times to speak with customer service, crowded lobbies at field offices, and being turned away from scheduled appointments because the agency simply does not have the employees to perform its mission.  Poor customer service is not efficiency; it is failing to uphold the government’s responsibility to our constituents.

    Now, the Social Security Administration wants to cut an additional seven thousand employees and somehow use AI to handle calls from seniors.  That does not work, because I know that when my constituents have a problem with their Social Security, they would rather talk to a person than a computer program. The Department of Government Efficiency cuts are wreaking havoc in our communities, and it will take years to clean up the mess Elon Musk left behind.

    Thank you.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Norton Statement on House Passage of Two Anti-D.C. Bills

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (District of Columbia)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said that the two anti-D.C. home rule bills passed by the House today demonstrate the Republican view of D.C. as property they can exert control over to score political points instead of working on behalf of their own constituents. The first bill, introduced by Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX), would prohibit D.C. residents who are not citizens from voting in local D.C. elections. The second, introduced by Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), would repeal parts of D.C.’s 2022 local police accountability and transparency law.

    “Once again, House Republicans have used countless hours of their offices’ time that rightly belongs to their own constituents to try to repeal local D.C. laws and policies, and they’ll waste even more tomorrow,” Norton said. “These bills, introduced by members elected to serve other districts, seek to bully and micromanage the affairs of local D.C. Yesterday, Chair of the House Rules Committee, Rep. Virginia Foxx, inadvertently revealed how Republicans think of D.C. when she referred to D.C. as ‘a special piece of property,’ ignoring the more than 700,000 Americans who reside in the nation’s capital.

    “Noncitizen voting has been allowed in the United States since its founding, with nearly 20 cities allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections. Republicans introduced 26 bills or amendments to change local D.C. voting laws, including 14 to prohibit noncitizens from voting in D.C. or to repeal, nullify or prohibit the carrying out of the local D.C. law that allows residents who are not citizens to vote in local elections last Congress. Yet Republicans refuse to make the only election law change D.C. has requested: making D.C. a state so that it can hold elections for voting members of the House and Senate.

    “Like with voting, Republicans regularly introduce legislation to repeal other types of local D.C. laws. What is different about Rep. Garbarino’s bill is it also overrides the longstanding wishes of the D.C. police department. For at least a quarter century, the D.C. police department had requested increased authority to discipline officers for misconduct. The local D.C. legislature gave the department this authority after the murder of George Floyd, which Rep. Garbarino’s bill would remove. The bill says it is necessary to combat rising violent crime and to improve the retention and recruitment of police officers but this bill has its facts wrong. Last year, violent crime in D.C. reached a more than 30-year low and is down 22 percent this year compared to the same period last year.”

    “If Republicans cared about D.C. residents or democracy, they would take up H.R. 51, the D.C. statehood bill. H.R. 51 would admit the residential and commercial areas of D.C. as a state, giving D.C. residents voting representation in Congress and full local self-government.

    “I will continue to fiercely fight any further advancement of these bills.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Norton Opposes Two Anti-D.C. Home Rule Bills on the House Floor

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (District of Columbia)

    Norton released her remarks after speaking on the House floor opposing two anti-D.C. home rule bills.

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released her remarks from the House floor where she spoke twice today in fierce opposition to two anti-home rule bills the House will vote on this week to repeal local D.C. laws. The first bill, introduced by Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX), would prohibit D.C. residents who are not citizens from voting in local D.C. elections. The second, introduced by Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), would repeal parts of D.C.’s 2022 local police accountability and transparency law.

    “Last Congress, Republicans introduced 26 bills or amendments to change local D.C. election laws, including 14 to prohibit noncitizens from voting in D.C. or to repeal, nullify or prohibit the carrying out of the local D.C. law that allows noncitizens to vote in local elections,” Norton said. Yet, Republicans refuse to make the only election law change D.C. has requested, which is to make D.C. a state so that it can hold elections for voting members of the House and Senate.

    “D.C. allows noncitizens to vote in local elections because it believes that all adult residents deserve a say in their local government. While local D.C. law allows noncitizens to vote only in local elections, 40 states and the federal government allowed noncitizens to vote in local, state, territorial and federal elections at various points, including at the founding. The federal government first prohibited noncitizens from voting in federal elections only 29 years ago. Today, nearly 20 cities allow noncitizens to vote in local elections.”

    The second bill Norton addressed on the House floor would repeal parts of D.C.’s 2022 local police transparency law.

    “Republicans regularly introduce legislation to repeal local D.C. laws. What is different about this bill is it also overrides the longstanding wishes of the D.C. police department,” Norton said. “For at least a quarter century, the D.C. police department had requested increased authority to discipline officers for misconduct. The local D.C. legislature gave the department this authority after the murder of George Floyd. This bill would take away this authority.

    “This bill says it is necessary to combat rising violent crime in D.C. and to improve the retention and recruitment of D.C. police officers. This bill has its facts wrong. Last year, violent crime in D.C. reached a more than 30-year low.  This year, violent crime in D.C. is down 22% compared to the same period last year. Police departments throughout the country, in both red and blue states, are struggling to retain and recruit officers, and they have been for many years.

    “If Republicans cared about D.C. residents or democracy, they would take up H.R. 51, the D.C. statehood bill. H.R. 51 would admit the residential and commercial areas of D.C. as a state, giving D.C. residents voting representation in Congress and full local self-government.

    Norton’s full remarks follow, as prepared for delivery.

    Floor Statement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton

    H.R. 884, to prohibit individuals who are not citizens of the United States from voting in elections in the District of Columbia and to repeal the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022

    June 10, 2025

    I strongly oppose this undemocratic, paternalistic bill, which would repeal a law enacted by the locally elected District of Columbia government and impose a new law in D.C.  I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record a letter from every member of D.C.’s locally elected legislature, the Council, opposing this bill. I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record a letter from D.C.’s locally elected Attorney General, Brian Schwalb, opposing this bill.

    Last Congress, Republicans introduced 26 bills or amendments to change local D.C. election laws, including 14 to prohibit noncitizens from voting in D.C. or to repeal, nullify or prohibit the carrying out of the local D.C. law that allows noncitizens to vote in local elections. Yet, Republicans refuse to make the only election law change D.C. has requested, which is to make D.C. a state so that it can hold elections for voting members of the House and Senate. 

    While Congress has the authority to legislate on local D.C. matters, it is not required to do so.  In Federalist #43, James Madison said of D.C. residents: “[A] municipal legislature for local purposes, derived from their own suffrages, will of course be allowed them.”  In 1953, the Supreme Court held that “there is no constitutional barrier to the delegation by Congress to the District of Columbia of full legislative power.”

    I want to discuss democracy, or lack thereof in D.C. There are over 700,000 D.C. residents. D.C. residents are required to pay federal taxes, register with Selective Service and serve on federal juries in the same manner as residents of states.  Yet, D.C. residents have no voting representation in Congress, and Congress has the ultimate say on local D.C. matters.

    The Council has 13 members.  If D.C. residents do not like how the members vote, residents can vote them out of office or pass a ballot measure.  That is called democracy.

    Congress has 535 voting members.  None are elected by D.C. residents.  If D.C. residents do not like how the members vote on local D.C. matters, residents cannot vote them out of office or pass a ballot measure. That is the antithesis of democracy.

    The substance of this bill is irrelevant, since there is never justification for Congress to legislate on local D.C. matters. However, I will briefly discuss it.

    D.C. allows noncitizens to vote in local elections because it believes that all adult residents deserve a say in their local government.  While local D.C. law allows noncitizens to vote only in local elections, 40 states and the federal government allowed noncitizens to vote in local, state, territorial and federal elections at various points, including at the founding. The federal government first prohibited noncitizens from voting in federal elections only 29 years ago. Today, nearly 20 cities allow noncitizens to vote in local elections. 

    As the House has considered this bill, Republicans have repeatedly said the franchise is a right of citizenship.  If that is what Republicans believe, I hope they will finally grant the American citizens who live in D.C. the right to vote for voting representation in Congress.  I have introduced H.R. 51 to do so.  Pursuant to the Admissions and District clauses of the Constitution, H.R. 51 would admit the residential and commercial areas of D.C. as a new state.  Statehood would not only give D.C. voting representation in Congress, it would also give D.C. full local self-government.

    I urge members to respect the will of D.C. residents by voting NO on H.R. 884.

    Floor Statement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton

    H.R. 2096, the Protecting Our Nation’s Capital Emergency Act

    June 10, 2025

    I strongly oppose this antidemocratic bill, which would repeal provisions of a law enacted by the locally elected District of Columbia government.  The over 700,000 D.C. residents, the majority of whom are Black and Brown, are capable and worthy of local self-government.

    I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record a letter from D.C.’s locally elected chief executive, Mayor Muriel Bowser, opposing this bill.  I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record a letter from every member of D.C.’s locally elected legislature, the Council, opposing this bill.  I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record a letter from D.C.’s locally elected Attorney General, Brian Schwalb, opposing this bill.

    Republicans regularly introduce legislation to repeal local D.C. laws.  What is different about this bill is it also overrides the longstanding wishes of the D.C. police department. 

    For at least a quarter century, the D.C. police department had requested increased authority to discipline officers for misconduct.  The Council gave the department this authority after the murder of George Floyd. This bill would take away this authority. 

    I will discuss the justification and timing of this bill, though it is always wrong and never the right time for Congress to legislate on local D.C. matters.  This bill says it is necessary to combat rising violent crime in D.C. and to improve the retention and recruitment of D.C. police officers.  This bill has its facts wrong.

    Last year, violent crime in D.C. reached a more than 30-year low.  This year, violent crime in D.C. is down 22% compared to the same period last year. Police departments throughout the country, in both red and blue states, are struggling to retain and recruit officers, and they have been for many years.

    The timing of the introduction and consideration of this bill is stunning.  It was introduced the same day Congress cut the local D.C. budget by more than $1 billion. This fiscal sabotage did not save the federal government any money, since the local D.C. budget consists entirely of locally raised revenue.  The Senate immediately passed the D.C. Local Funds Act to reverse this cut.  Although President Trump and the National Fraternal Order of Police called for the House to immediately pass the D.C. Local Funds Act, the D.C. Local Funds Act has been sitting in the House for three months. 

    I will close by discussing democracy, or lack thereof in D.C.  The Revolutionary War was fought to give consent to the governed and to end taxation without representation.  Yet, D.C. residents cannot consent to any action taken by Congress, whether on local D.C. or federal matters, and they pay full federal taxes while being denied voting representation in Congress.

    If Republicans cared about D.C. residents or democracy, they would take up H.R. 51, the D.C. statehood bill.  H.R. 51 would admit the residential and commercial areas of D.C. as a state, giving D.C. residents voting representation in Congress and full local self-government. 

    Congress has the authority to admit this new state. The Admissions Clause of the Constitution gives Congress the authority to admit new states.  All 37 new states were admitted by an act of Congress.  The District Clause of the Constitution gives Congress the authority to reduce the size of the federal district, which it has previously done. 

    I urge the House to vote NO on H.R. 2096 and to pass the D.C. statehood bill and the D.C. Local Funds Act.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: CIC – Notice of Early Redemption (ISIN code: FR0000584377)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO OR TO ANY JURISDICTION WHERE IT IS UNLAWFUL TO RELEASE, PUBLISH OR DISTRIBUTE THIS ANNOUNCEMENT (SEE “DISCLAIMER” BELOW).

    Paris, June 11th 2025

    Notice of Early Redemption

    To : (i)      The Noteholders of the below mentioned Notes;
    (ii)      Euronext Paris
    (iii)      Fiscal Agent.

    Dear Sirs,

    Crédit Industriel et Commecial S.A.,
    Issuance of F 500 000 000 (€76 224 508),
    Undated Subordinatede Notes
    With the Isin code: FR0000584377 (the ‘’Notes’’);

    Crédit Industriel et Commercial S.A., (formerly “Compagnie Financière de Crédit Industriel et Commercial’’) is the issuer (the “Issuer’’) of the Notes.

    In accordance with the terms and conditions of the Notes (the ‘’Conditions’’), the Issuer hereby gives notice that it is exercising in whole its right to redeem the Notes pursuant to the provision Redemption (‘’Remboursement’’) of the Listing Particulars (“Issuer Call Option”) of the Notes.

    We, the Issuer, instruct you as Fiscal Agent, to authorise the French Central Securities Depository to cancel the Notes redeemed on 21 July, 2025 (“Early Redemption Date”).

    For the purposes of the Issuer Call:

    (i) the Issuer Call Date will be 21 July, 2025; and
    (ii) the Optional Redemption Amount(s) or Early Redemption Amount excluding accrued interest is: 769.87 euros per Denomination.

    Unless otherwise defined in this notice, capitalised terms used in this notice shall have the meaning given to them in the Listing Particulars (‘’Note d’Information’’) dated June, 1987, as applicable, relating to the Notes.

    Yours faithfully,

    For and on behalf of

    Crédit Industriel et Commercial S.A.,

    By Eric CUZZUCOLI

    Duly authorized

    DISCLAIMER
    This press release does not constitute an offer to purchase, or the solicitation of an offer to sell, the Instruments in the United States, Canada, Australia, or Japan or in any other jurisdiction, including France. The distribution of this press release in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons into whose possession this press release comes are required to inform themselves and observe any such restrictions. No communication may be distributed to the public in any jurisdiction in which registration or approval is required. No action has been or will be taken in any jurisdiction where such action would be required; CIC disclaims any liability for any violation by any person of such restrictions.

    Contacts
    Corporate Communications and Press Relations Department: +33 (0)1 53 48 26 00 – compresse@cic.fr
    Investor Relations: bfcm-web@creditmutuel.fr

    About CIC
    CIC is a leading bank in France and internationally, and the bank of one in three businesses in France. It provides nearly 5.5 million customers with a French network of nearly 1,800 branches and 20,000 employees, as well as international branches in 37 countries. In order to meet the needs of all economic players and to build up a constantly efficient offer on a daily basis, it combines financial, insurance, telephony and cutting-edge technological services with a high level of financial solidity backed by that of its parent company, Crédit Mutuel Alliance Fédérale. For more information, visit cic.fr

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Resilient, sustainable food systems are Canada’s best defence against American tariffs

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Érick Duchesne, Professeur, Département de science politique, Université Laval

    Earlier this year, Donald Trump’s administration in the United States reimposed tariffs on Canadian items, including agricultural products, citing supposed national security concerns. Agricultural products have little to do with defence, and the move sent shockwaves through Canada’s farming community.

    We are members of the Common Ground Network, a national initiative of about 100 scholars promoting collaboration for sustainable agriculture and food systems in Canada.

    The Common Ground Network is closely monitoring the impact of tariffs and trade tensions on Canadian communities and the transition to a net-zero economy across all regions of Canada.

    The consequences for Canadian and American agriculture run deep — and could prove long-lasting. According to RealAgristudies’s survey of 660 Canadian farmers, 59 per cent expected a negative impact on their business, rising to 88 per cent in the livestock sector.

    Structural risk ahead if tariffs remain

    Trump’s tariffs have sharply reduced Canada’s agricultural exports to the U.S., with beef, pork and canola hit hardest. U.S. Department of Agriculture data shows an eight to five per cent drop in beef and pork exports in early 2025 compared to 2024.

    Fed cattle prices plummeted 22.6 per cent, with estimated revenue losses of C$4.02 billion. Canola exports are also expected to decline significantly.

    If current tariffs persist, Canada is at risk not just of short-term disruption but long-term structural damage to its agri-food sector. Rising input costs, shrinking revenues and market volatility are squeezing farmers and weakening overall competitiveness. Some Canadian producers are already struggling with oversupply due to market disruption.

    The tariffs could also threaten the economic sovereignty and food access of Indigenous farmers who rely on cross-border trade, and remote communities that depend on imported goods for food supply. If prolonged, these trade shocks could cut Canada’s GDP by three per cent, spark a recession and fuel lasting price volatility.

    American farmers also feeling the pain

    Ironically, Trump’s protectionism is also hurting American farmers. Canada, which supplies 20 per cent of agri-food imports to the U.S., has imposed retaliatory tariffs on goods like cheese and apples, prompting Canadian buyers to shift to other suppliers. That could result in long-term market share loss for U.S. producers.

    Integrated supply chains are strained, with American processors now facing higher costs for Canadian products like canola oil, beef and pork. Combined with domestic issues like water restrictions and labour shortages, U.S. agriculture is under mounting pressure on various fronts.

    Canada and the U.S. have built one of the world’s most integrated agri-food systems. In 2023, bilateral trade in the sector reached US$72.6 billion.

    This interdependence matters: a hamburger might include Canadian beef raised in the U.S., processed in Ontario and served on a Canadian wheat bun. But tariffs and mistrust now threaten this co-operation. Once lost, these market positions may be hard to recover, even after tariffs are lifted, as rebuilding supply chains and cross-border trust will be slow.

    Trade tensions are affecting food security and grocery baskets in multiple ways. Higher costs are passed on to consumers, creating lasting price increases — especially for goods with few substitutes, like coffee.

    The Consumer Price Index shows that prices of food purchased from stores increased 3.9 per cent between January 2025 and April 2025, fuelled by tariffs. Infant formula increased by six per cent, coffee by about 10 per cent and some beef cuts by about 13 per cent.



    Read more:
    Trump tariffs have sparked a ‘Buy Canadian’ surge, but keeping the trend alive faces hurdles

    Shortages from rising costs and reduced U.S. demand limit choices and drive prices up — especially hurting low-income households. These tariffs fuel food inflation and reduce access to essentials.

    Tariffs are also shifting behaviour: Food Processing Skills Canada found that 67 per cent of Canadians are buying more local products, 76 per cent are avoiding U.S. goods and 43 per cent have changed their grocery habits significantly. These trends were echoed in Angus Reid’s February 2025 study.

    The net-zero transition

    The tariffs will probably disrupt Canada’s ability to meet its net-zero emissions targets by 2050. Food processors and farmers in Canada relying on U.S. machinery and clean-tech components now face higher costs, slowing the adoption of low-emission technologies and sustainable agricultural practices.

    The tariffs are likely to undermine efforts to build a resilient, adaptive food system in Canada capable of withstanding climate-related disruptions. Dealing with the tariffs along with the need to reconfigure supply chains will likely increase Canada’s carbon footprint, whether that’s due to the increased transport emissions of distant markets or delayed or cancelled investments in carbon-reducing technologies.

    These trade disruptions also risk diverting political attention away from long-term sustainability goals. The current political focus may prioritize short-term economic stabilization, potentially stalling the momentum needed for a transformative food system change in Canada.



    Read more:
    Canadian Food Policy Advisory Council: A collaborative approach to strengthening food systems

    Canada needs to respond boldly

    Canada can diversify exports through its 15 trade deals, including the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, known as CETA, and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Canada’s 15 trade agreements provide access to 51 countries, representing 66 per cent of global GDP, which is the total value of all goods and services produced in the world during a specific time period.

    Furthermore, Canada can pursue new trade agreements and partnerships in emerging markets and invest more to further help the agri-food sector expand globally.

    Canada can challenge unfair trade practices through the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement’s state-to-state dispute panels and the binational panel review mechanism to challenge U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods.

    Canada can also leverage trade alliances like the Ottawa Group — a 14-member coalition that works on addressing multilateral trade challenges — to voice its concerns on the global stage.

    Investing in agricultural innovation can also boost productivity, reduce emissions, enhance global competitiveness and build resilience against tariff shocks.

    Improvements to transportation networks, storage and processing facilities, and broadband connectivity are also critical for reducing supply chain bottlenecks and enabling rural producers to access broader markets.

    Trump has repeatedly threatened Canada’s supply management system, which controls the dairy, egg and poultry industries. Supply management has been a reliable system for Canadian farmers and consumers. Easing interprovincial trade and supporting local food systems to reduce the unnecessary exports of dairy products and cold-climate fruits, beef and seafood could result in greater national self-reliance.

    Dairy cows at a Québec farm.
    THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

    Strategy over retaliation

    In response to American tariffs, there has been a shift in consumer sentiment. This presents an opportunity to encourage consumers to support local producers, reduce dependence on imports and build national economic resilience.

    Canada must rethink its trade and agricultural frameworks for the decades ahead.

    The future of Canada’s farming sector — and by extension its food security, rural communities and economic sovereignty — will depend on its ability to turn today’s crisis into tomorrow’s opportunity.

    Érick Duchesne is a member of the Common Ground Network, which is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).

    Gregory Cameron is a member of the Common Ground Network, which is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).

    Gumataw Abebe is a member of the Common Ground Network, which is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).

    Monika Korzun is a member of the Common Ground Network. She receives research funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) as well as Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC). Monika Korzun is a board member of the Atlantic Food Action Coalition (AFAC).

    – ref. Resilient, sustainable food systems are Canada’s best defence against American tariffs – https://theconversation.com/resilient-sustainable-food-systems-are-canadas-best-defence-against-american-tariffs-257946

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Musk apologizes but the bromance is over: What network science tells us about the Trump-Musk breakup

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Anthony Bonato, Professor of Mathematics, Toronto Metropolitan University

    The proverbial gauntlet has been thrown down. The friendship and partnership between United States President Donald Trump and “special government employee” Elon Musk has collapsed in spectacular fashion.

    On X on June 3, Musk posted about the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act, calling it a “disgusting abomination.”

    An argument ensued, and two days later, Trump called Musk “CRAZY” on Truth Social. The fight escalated and Trump’s slur was followed by Musk’s suggestion the president should be impeached and alleging he appeared in the Jeffrey Epstein files.

    These Musk posts in particular were seen as a step too far by many in Trump’s circle, even after the Tesla CEO deleted them.

    Trump and Musk’s storied bromance contributed to one of the greatest comebacks in American presidential history, with Trump winning a second term despite his numerous legal troubles. Musk actively campaigned for Trump, contributing more than $250 million to his re-election bid.

    While we can only speculate about what exactly went wrong between the world’s most powerful man and the world’s richest, their feud reveals a potentially highly impactful disruption in American politics. It also illustrates what happens when social networks fall apart and the impact those types of fissures have on social structures.

    Enter Zachary’s Karate Club

    Feuds between political figures are nothing new, and neither are fissures in social groups. The latter has been studied for decades by network scientists who measure the strength of ties between people.

    Networks, consisting of nodes and links, appear everywhere. They measure interactions and provide us with another lens through which to view the world. For example, we can consider networks of neurons in our brains, networks of banking transactions, or likes and follows on social media.

    Over three years from 1970 to 1972, Temple University anthropologist Wayne Zachary studied the social network of 34 members in a university karate club. He observed a split between the club’s instructor and its administrator. What ensued was a partition of the club into factions, centred on the two respective leaders. Zachary referred to this as fission within the group in his 1977 paper.

    “Communities” in a social network are groups of like-minded individuals who are more likely to interact with one another than those outside the group. Think of a community as a clique in a high school, with separate groups of teenagers who are into football, members of the math club or fans of Taylor Swift.

    The Zachary Karate Club network is a well-cited and early example of the emergence of two distinct communities from one. The network became a popular example of community structure in networks after its use by physicist Michelle Girvan and network scientist Mark Newman in 2002.

    How the split could affect voters

    The split between Trump and Musk echoes the split in the Zachary Karate Club network. While the Karate Club network is much smaller than the the 160 million-plus group of likely U.S. voters, it does suggest the kind of polarization that can occur when powerful individuals go their separate ways.

    Imagine each voter as a node, with two nodes linked if they voted for the same presidential candidate. That would split voters into two main groups: one that voted Republican and the other that voted Democrat, with a smaller group comprising the roughly three million people who voted for independent candidates like Jill Stein in 2024.

    U.S. presidential elections can be razor-close, as was the case with George W. Bush and Al Gore in 2000. Even a minor split among voters can upend the results. For example, in the 1992 presidential election, independent candidate Ross Perot garnered almost 19 per cent of the popular vote, which likely siphoned off Republican votes and contributed to George H.W. Bush’s loss.

    On June 5, Musk polled X about creating a new political party — The America Party. Within hours, about 80 per cent of 1.3 million people who took his poll supported his idea.

    That party could fracture the traditional voting base of Republicans and Democrats, leaving the fate of the White House uncertain for the foreseeable future. While die-hard MAGA voters will likely always support Trump, tech-savvy millennial and Gen Z voters may be more receptive to Musk’s disruptive third-party aspirations.

    Friends and enemies

    Social networks adhere to two core principles that govern ties between individuals. These principles are well accepted and are also common sense.

    The first is the adage that friends of friends are more likely to be friends. Given Musk’s strong past ties to Trump, followers of Musk would more likely consider voting for Trump.

    The second and equally important principle is that the enemy of my enemy is my friend. That could be bad news for Republicans, as independent-leaning voters who don’t like Trump but voted for him in 2024 may consider supporting the hypothetical “America Party.”

    Another possibility is that the feud ends — Musk is already expressing regrets, saying his posts about Trump “went too far.” That could go a long way to reversing the fissure, though it may not ease the hard feelings that could linger among either Musk or Trump fans.

    We can view both Trump and Musk as powerful attractors who influence the social network of U.S. voters.

    While the majority of Democrats may reject the policies and ideology of both men, the 49.9 per cent of Americans who supported Trump in 2024 could splinter.

    Because this is the official final term of Trump’s presidency, Musk could also support Vice President JD Vance or another Republican frontrunner, dropping his musings about a third party altogether.

    Whatever happens next — just like everything else in the Trump presidency — network science tells us it won’t be predictable.

    Anthony Bonato receives funding from NSERC.

    – ref. Musk apologizes but the bromance is over: What network science tells us about the Trump-Musk breakup – https://theconversation.com/musk-apologizes-but-the-bromance-is-over-what-network-science-tells-us-about-the-trump-musk-breakup-258554

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEWS: Sanders, Democratic HELP Members Call for Hearings on Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” and Its Impact on Americans’ Health

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders

    WASHINGTON, June 11 – As President Trump and Senate Republicans rush forward with their budget reconciliation bill – which would throw 16 million people off of their health insurance – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), alongside every Democratic member of the HELP Committee, today sent a letter to committee Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-La.) urging him to schedule hearings with patients and health care providers to hear about the legislation’s disastrous impact on the health and well-being of the American people and markup this bill before it reaches the Senate floor for consideration. 

    “We are deeply concerned that if these policies were signed into law they would create a national health care emergency,” wrote Sanders and the senators. “Not only would millions of Americans lose their health insurance and tens of thousands of our constituents die as a result of the House-passed reconciliation bill, the cost of prescription drugs would go up for seniors, hospitals and community health centers in rural and underserved areas would close or shut down access to services that patients rely on, and nursing homes would be made less safe.” 

    Last week, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that the House-passed budget reconciliation bill would slash more than $1 trillion from federal health care programs. The bill, coupled with the expiration of health care premium tax credits that Republicans have refused to extend, would lead to 16 million Americans losing the health insurance they currently have according to CBO. New research from Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania found that more than 51,000 additional Americans will die each year if Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” becomes law. The bill would also defund Planned Parenthood, slash funding for women’s health care, and restrict reproductive health care coverage across the country. 

    “Regardless of your views on the merits of these policies, we hope you would agree with us that the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee has a solemn responsibility to hold extensive hearings on the impact these policies would have on the health and well-being of the American people and our entire health care system,” conclude Sanders and the senators. “Failure to hold hearings and a markup on this reconciliation bill before it is considered on the Senate floor would be an abdication of our duty to the American people.” 

    Joining Sanders as cosigners on this letter are Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), and Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.). 

    Read the letter here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scalise Introduces Bill to Codify Trump’s Rescissions

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) released the following statement after introducing H.R. 4, the Rescissions Act of 2025, to codify the Trump Administration’s rescissions request:“As last month’s credit rating downgrade by Moody’s reaffirmed, we need to drastically reduce deficit spending in Washington and get back to focusing on the top priorities of the American taxpayer. The rescissions request sent to Congress by the Trump Administration takes the federal government in a new direction where we actually cut waste, fraud, and abuse and hold agencies accountable to the American people.  “I’m excited to introduce H.R. 4, the Rescissions Act of 2025, which codifies President Trump’s cuts to wasteful foreign aid initiatives within the State Department and USAID, as well as woke public broadcasting, including NPR and PBS, at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which is a business the federal government shouldn’t even be in.  “This legislation cuts $9.4 BILLION in waste, delivering on the mandate given to President Trump and Republicans in November and fulfilling the promises we made to the American people to restore fiscal responsibility – and it’s only the beginning.  “Along with the One Big Beautiful Bill that will achieve savings of more than $1.6 trillion, these cuts will help put us on a path to fiscal sanity and undo years of reckless spending that drives inflation. I look forward to seeing this legislation come to the floor next week as House Republicans fight to change the trajectory of Washington spending and restore commonsense to the federal government.” To view the bill, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scalise Corrects Record on Faulty CBO Projections

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) joined Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), and Congressman Mark Messmer (R-Ind.) to discuss how the One Big Beautiful Bill will reduce our deficit and unleash economic growth. Leader Scalise slammed the Congressional Budget Office’s false projections, noting their history of miscalculating opportunities for economic growth like they did with the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Leader Scalise highlighted how House Republicans will continue to rally around legislation that protects taxpayer dollars, pointing to the White House-requested rescissions package that Leader Scalise is bringing to the House Floor next week. Additionally, Leader Scalise condemned the horrific antisemitic terror attacks that continue around the country.

    Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise’s full remarks. 
    On the rise in antisemitic terror attacks:“We all mourn those who were the victims of these attacks here in Washington, D.C., as well as in Boulder, Colorado. And it just unfortunately highlights this continued antisemitism we’ve seen around the country. Last week, I met with Jewish leaders, and they’re understandably concerned about this trend that keeps going on. It’s been going on for years. You know, you go back to October 7th, and ever since then, it’s been a growing equivocation between almost trying to equivocate what the people who attacked and murdered Jews in Israel and Americans and kept hostages with those in Gaza who we’ve seen what Gaza has become in and all of those who want to clean up Gaza. President Trump has made it clear, Prime Minister Netanyahu has made it clear, they want to turn Gaza back into a place where you don’t have to fear for your life that it’s going to be a terrorist hotbed. And yet there are people there that want to sympathize with the very terrorists who want to continue to not only carry out evil against Israelis, but against people here in America and all across the globe. It’s got to stop. We’re going to continue to bring legislation on the House Floor to address it.”On House Republicans unifying around reconciliation:“Now, I do want to talk about the one big beautiful bill. This House came together in a way that maybe surprised some people here in Washington. We’ve defied the odds every step of the way, from the first vote on the budget to the second vote on the budget to final passage. But there’s a reason for that.“And, you know, as the Whip just said, we’ve said all along, failure is not an option. I’ve been asked by some in the press, ‘What’s plan B?’ when there were reports that the bill was going to fail. And we were very clear, and it wasn’t just a talking point, we said there is no plan B. The American economy, the voters of this country demanded that Congress deliver on the promises that President Trump made to get this country turned around. And what we do in this bill delivers on so many different fronts to help grow America’s economy, to create jobs, to put more money in the pockets of hardworking families. That’s been the focus of this bill from the very beginning.”On CBO’s history of miscalculating economic growth: “I think there are some people that start reading too many Congressional Budget Office reports and ignore the lessons of history. And there’s an old saying that if you ignore the lessons of history, you’re doomed to repeat it. But I think it’s important to go down that road of history and go back to 2017. You don’t need to go back that far to see how wrong the CBO has been when it comes time to make prognostications on economic growth. They’ve always been wrong, and they’ve always ignored what tax cuts will do to grow the American economy. In 2017, when we started this process, when President Trump came in and said, ‘We’re going to make America competitive again,’ we were at a 35% corporate rate, and we were losing jobs all across the globe. Every month, you’d see a great American company move to a foreign country, and they would take the jobs along with them. Millions of jobs were leaving America. They were called inversions. You don’t maybe know that term as well anymore, because we haven’t had an inversion since we passed TCJA in 2017.“But if you go back, look at what CBO said about that bill. They said it would cost a decrease in revenue to the tune of one and a half trillion dollars. One and a half trillion. Now you go look at the numbers, they were off by more than one and a half trillion dollars. Because what they left out of that report, just like they’re leaving it out again, CBO is making the same mistakes. They ignore economic growth. What we saw in 2017 when we cut taxes is that businesses started growing. They started giving pay raises to their workers. They hired millions more people. Unemployment went virtually to zero. Inflation dropped dramatically. People had more money in their pockets because wages were up.And all of those things produced more money for the American Treasury. It all happened, and yet CBO failed to recognize that. And they’re making the same mistake again. And anybody who repeats CBO’s analysis is also making those same mistakes.”On the historic growth this bill will generate for hardworking Americans:“If you ignore the growth that will come with keeping tax rates low, with helping businesses invest more in their workers, giving pay raises, putting more money in the pockets of waiters and waitresses, overtime workers not having to pay taxes on overtime, bonus depreciation, immediate expensing, all the things that will generate economic growth and ultimately put more money in the pockets of workers and send more money up to the federal Treasury here in Washington. CBO missed all of that in 2017, and they’re missing it again this time. That’s the only way they’ve come to a conclusion that it would increase the deficit. This bill will actually reduce the deficit if you recognize the historical economic growth that has always been there. To say you’re going to get 1.8% growth, at a minimum, we think you can get 2.5 to 4% growth. Scott Bessent, the Treasury Secretary, says over 4% economic growth. So I get that, you know, we’ve got to play by the rules of the referee, but the referee has been wrong. You know, we got a referee that tries to sack our quarterback a lot, and yet we still manage to play by those rules and deliver for the American people. Because when this bill is passed and signed into law, hopefully by July 4th, when the Senate does their work, you’re going to see economic growth in this country like we haven’t seen in generations, meaning more pay in the pockets of workers. And you’re going to see more Treasury money coming in because of the growth in the American economy. It’s happened before, and it will happen again. We just need to keep moving forward. And the Senate’s got the bill now, and I’m confident they’re going to move it on and ultimately back to us to the president’s desk.”On putting the rescissions package on the House Floor:“And finally, you saw yesterday the White House sent the rescissions package. This is the first maybe of many. We are now putting that in bill format. We’ll file that bill hopefully by tomorrow and then bring it up to the floor quickly and get rid of more waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government. This will deal with, obviously, the abuses we all saw at USAID, NPR, and public broadcasting. So those are the things that are going to be in this rescissions package. We’re going to continue working with President Trump to root out waste, fraud, and abuse and get the American economy turning around again.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scalise: Democrats’ Vote Against OBBB is a Vote for More Riots in LA

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) joined Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), and Congressman Gabe Evans (R-Colo.) to discuss how the One Big Beautiful Bill would directly address the violent riots in Los Angeles by providing funding for more ICE and Border Patrol Agents. Leader Scalise also highlighted the Office of Management and Budget’s report detailing how the One Big Beautiful Bill will unleash economic growth for hardworking Americans through no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, and the largest tax cuts in history, and also reduce the national deficit by over $1.4 trillion.

    Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise’s full remarks. 
    On the need for the One Big Beautiful Bill to help address the lawlessness in California:“Anybody who watched these just inflammatory scenes roll out in Los Angeles over the weekend sees one more example why we need to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill and why we need to get it to President Trump’s desk as soon as possible. One of the many great provisions in this bill that we came together to pass through the House are provisions that allow our ICE agents and our Border Patrol Agents to get more resources, to get more support hiring more Border Patrol Agents and more ICE agents. Frankly, it’s one of the reasons that every single Democrat voted no on the bill. Because they want open borders, they want the chaos and the mayhem that comes with sanctuary cities and sanctuary states that we’ve been standing up against. They had the opportunity to join us, and they deliberately chose to vote no because they want higher taxes, they want open borders, they want to close off our energy resources, all the things that were in that bill.“So we’re going to continue moving forward. The Senate is doing their work now, and I’m confident the Senate is going to move through quickly to get that bill through the Senate, ultimately back to the House for any minor changes, and then to the President’s desk so that we can hire those additional Border Patrol Agents, hire those additional ICE agents to keep Americans safe. And by the way, if you’re a citizen of the state of California while your governor is failing you miserably, at least we have a president, Donald Trump, who is willing to say that he will step up and try to protect those same people. Law-abiding people who are sick and tired of the lawlessness. They are disgusted by a foreign flag being waved in an American city and their governor defending the people that are actually burning down the city, trying to call it a peaceful protest. Don’t insult the intelligence of the American people. They see what’s happening. They know why it’s happening. The far-left Democrat Party wants open borders. There was an election run on this. The American people said enough is enough, we want secure borders, and that’s why they sent Donald Trump and a Republican House and Senate to Washington. And we’re going to keep fighting for those families who are sick and tired of what they’re seeing in cities like Los Angeles and other lawless cities in America. So we’re going to deliver on our promise.”On OMB’s projection of massive economic growth:“One more really positive thing that came out just a few days ago, the White House’s Office of Management and Budget did their assessment on the House’s version of the One Big Beautiful Bill, and confirmed what we knew, that with the economic growth you’ll get, with the job creation, the increased wages for families, we will end up seeing about a trillion and a half dollar reduction in the national deficit over the next 10 years – trillion and a half dollar reduction because of the growth we’ll get from this bill, because workers will have more money in their pockets when the government doesn’t have a four and a half trillion dollar tax increase that every Democrat voted to impose upon them. Waiters and waitresses at all of your local restaurants will have more money in their pockets because of no taxes on tips. Your blue-collar workers who go to work and sometimes have the opportunity to work overtime and maybe wonder if they should do it because of all the taxes that they’ll end up paying on that overtime to be away from their family, will no longer have to worry about paying taxes on overtime. And that’s going to spur investment. It’s going to spur more job creation. It’s going to spur more money in the pockets of those blue-collar workers. So that’s going to be another really big, important aspect, so that OMB report coming out really underscores one more reason why this bill is so important to the people of the United States.”On Leader Scalise’s rescissions package that will codify DOGE cuts:“And then, of course, this week, we’re taking up the rescissions package. Thursday, we will vote on that. We’ve been answering questions from our members, but our members are ready to go lock in some of those DOGE cuts. DOGE identified waste, fraud, and abuse in so many areas of the federal government. This is a start. It’s a good start. It’s an important first step, and we’re going to take it on Thursday.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Foster Statement on GOP Reconciliation Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bill Foster (11th District of Illinois)

    Washington, DC — Today, Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) issued the following statement:

    “Early this morning, I voted NO on Republicans’ disastrous reconciliation bill: the largest cut to health care, food assistance, and scientific research in American history. I watched in disgust as Republicans cheered for ripping health care from 13.7 million Americans and taking food from families, children, and seniors—all to hand out more tax breaks to their billionaire donors.

    “In 2010, I spent three days reading the Affordable Care Act before voting for it, knowing it would cost me my reelection. I did it to provide health care to millions of Americans with preexisting conditions. Last night, Republicans gave us just two and a half hours in the dead of night to read the final version of their Big Ugly Bill to take health care away from millions.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Foster, Obernolte Introduce CRISIS Act to Capitalize on Russian Brain Drain

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bill Foster (11th District of Illinois)

    Washington, DC – Today, Reps. Bill Foster (D-IL) and Jay Obernolte (R-CA) introduced the bipartisan Countering Russian Innovation and Safeguarding Individual Scientists (CRISIS) Act. This bill would make certain vetted Russian nationals with advanced science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees eligible for permanent resident status in the U.S., allowing them to contribute to American research and innovation.

    “Welcoming vetted STEM experts to the United States is a strategic investment in our own future—one that allows some of the world’s top scientific and technical minds to contribute to our economy and advance critical research,” said Rep. Foster. “The CRISIS Act is an important bipartisan step that strengthens our national security and global leadership.”

    “The United States has long benefited from being a destination for the world’s brightest minds,” said Rep. Obernolte. “The CRISIS Act helps ensure that highly skilled, fully vetted scientists and engineers—many of whom were trained at American universities—can continue their work here, contributing to our economy, advancing innovation, and strengthening our global competitiveness.”

    The CRISIS Act is endorsed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and the National Immigration Forum.

    A copy of the bill is available here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NIST and Partners Use Quantum Mechanics to Make a Factory for Random Numbers

    Source: US Government research organizations

    Members of the team who created the CURBy quantum random number generator. From left to right, Jasper Palfree (University of Colorado Boulder), Gautam Kavuri (NIST) and Krister Shalm (NIST).

    Credit: NIST

    Randomness is incredibly useful. People often draw straws, throw dice or flip coins to make fair choices. Random numbers can enable auditors to make completely unbiased selections. Randomness is also key in security; if a password or code is an unguessable string of numbers, it’s harder to crack. Many of our cryptographic systems today use random number generators to produce secure keys.

    But how do you know that a random number is truly random? Classical computer algorithms can only create pseudo-random numbers, and someone with enough knowledge of the algorithm or the system could manipulate it or predict the next number. An expert in sleight of hand could rig a coin flip to guarantee a heads or tails result. Even the most careful coin flips can have bias; with enough study, their outcomes could be predicted. 

    “True randomness is something that nothing in the universe can predict in advance,” said Krister Shalm, a physicist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Even if a random number generator used seemingly random processes in nature, it would be hard to verify that those numbers are truly random, Shalm added.

    Einstein believed that nature isn’t random, famously saying, “God does not play dice with the universe.” Scientists have since proved that Einstein was wrong. Unlike dice or computer algorithms, quantum mechanics is inherently random. Carrying out a quantum experiment called a Bell test, Shalm and his team have transformed this source of true quantum randomness into a traceable and certifiable random-number service. Their results were just published in Nature. 

    “If God does play dice with the universe, then you can turn that into the best random number generator that the universe allows,” Shalm said. “We really wanted to take that experiment out of the lab and turn it into a useful public service.”

    To make that happen, NIST researchers and their colleagues at the University of Colorado Boulder created the Colorado University Randomness Beacon (CURBy). CURBy produces random numbers automatically and broadcasts them daily through a website for anyone to use.

    Instrumentation for the quantum random number generator in the NIST Boulder laboratories. 

    Credit: NIST

    At the heart of this service is the NIST-run Bell test, which provides truly random results. This randomness acts as a kind of raw material that the rest of the researchers’ setup “refines” into random numbers published by the beacon. 

    The Bell test measures pairs of “entangled” photons whose properties are correlated even when separated by vast distances. When researchers measure an individual particle, the outcome is random, but the properties of the pair are more correlated than classical physics allows, enabling researchers to verify the randomness. Einstein called this quantum nonlocality “spooky action at a distance.”

    This is the first random number generator service to use quantum nonlocality as a source of its numbers, and the most transparent source of random numbers to date. That’s because the results are certifiable and traceable to a greater extent than ever before.

    “CURBy is one of the first publicly available services that operates with a provable quantum advantage. That’s a big milestone for us,” Shalm explained. “The quality and origin of these random bits can be directly certified in a way that conventional random number generators are unable to.”

    NIST performed one of the first complete experimental Bell tests in 2015, which firmly established that quantum mechanics is truly random. In 2018, NIST pioneered methods to use these Bell tests to build  Really Random Numbers”>the world’s first sources of true randomness.

    However, turning these quantum correlations into random numbers is hard work. NIST’s first breakthrough demonstrations of the Bell test required months of setup to run for a few hours, and it took a great deal of time to collect enough data to generate 512 bits of true randomness. Shalm and the team spent the past few years building the experiment to be robust and to run automatically so it can provide random numbers on demand. In its first 40 days of operation, the protocol produced random numbers 7,434 times out of 7,454 attempts, a 99.7% success rate.

    “If God does play dice with the universe, then you can turn that into the best random number generator that the universe allows.” —Krister Shalm, NIST physicist

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