Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California
May 30, 2025
Washington, D.C. – Today, top Democrats on the House Natural Resources Committee sent a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum demanding answers about a blanket freeze on personnel actions across the Department of the Interior, reportedly imposed earlier this month by the Department’s acting Chief Human Capital Officer—a former staffer of Elon Musk’s DOGE.
“This sweeping directive has already sparked internal conflict at the Department, where staff are reportedly struggling to fulfill the duties of thousands of now-vacant positions essential to the Department’s day-to-day operations,” the lawmakers wrote. “Your actions to date raise serious doubts about your commitment to that obligation.”
In the letter, the lawmakers cite the Administration’s proposed “skinny budget,” DOGE-led “voluntary” buyouts “backed by the threat of termination,” and pending Reductions in Force (RIF) plans as part of a “coordinated campaign of institutional dismantling” that “threatens the safety of our parks, the reliability of our water systems, and the scientific integrity of the very agencies entrusted with protecting Americans from wildfire, drought and other escalating risks.”
The lawmakers also expressed concern over the reported removal of Bureau of Land Management Deputy Director Michael Nedd, “who reportedly raised concerns about the effects of the May 2 personnel directive on the Department’s ability to do its job.”
The lawmakers called on the Department to provide a copy of the May 2 memo and respond to several questions, including what impact assessment was conducted, what essential functions are at risk, and whether other senior personnel have been penalized for raising objections.
“Like other recent personnel actions, this latest personnel freeze is, at best, shortsighted and self-defeating—and at worst, illegal and dangerous for Americans who visit our National Parks, live near federal lands, rely on federal irrigation for their farms, or depend on sound science to protect their homes and communities,” the lawmakers wrote. “It represents yet another ill-considered action by the Trump Administration that leaves our country weaker, less safe, and less prepared to meet the challenges ahead.”
The letter was signed by Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Vice Ranking Member Sarah Elfreth (D-Md.), Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Ranking Member Maxine Dexter (D-Ore.), Federal Lands Subcommittee Ranking Member Joe Neguse (D-Colo.), Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee Ranking Member Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.), Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee Ranking Member Val Hoyle (D-Ore.), and Indian and Insular Affairs Subcommittee Ranking Member Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.).
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California
May 30, 2025
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) released the following statement:
“The Supreme Court once again put polluters first, siding with fossil fuel interests over the communities that bear the burden of more oil drilling and refining. In the face of the climate crisis, the government should be clear-eyed about the threats and act accordingly. But by giving agencies an excuse to ignore foreseeable impacts in their NEPA reviews, the Court has said they can look the other way about the consequences of their decisions if they want. And communities, and our country, will suffer.
“The American people want to know when federal actions will cause environmental and health risks and fuel the climate crisis. Support for NEPA is high among voters of all stripes. They don’t want to let polluters sidestep responsibility. And they certainly don’t want House Republicans’ corrupt, polluter-friendly pay-to-play scheme for NEPA reviews, buried in their Big, Ugly Bill.
“This ruling adds to the chaos and confusion already unleashed by the Trump administration’s sabotage of agencies’ NEPA procedures. This is part of a broader assault on our nation’s environmental protections. Congressional Democrats invested $1 billion to improve NEPA and environmental reviews through the Inflation Reduction Act—an investment that was already producing real results. Now, Republicans are dragging us backward, risking more delays, more litigation, and more harm.”
[Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for dissemination in the United States]
TORONTO, June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ninepoint Partners LP (“Ninepoint”), on behalf of Canadian Large Cap Leaders Split Corp. (the “Company”) (TSX: NPS/NPS.PR.A), announced today that the Toronto Stock Exchange (the “TSX”) has accepted its notice of intention to make a normal course issuer bid (the “NCIB”) to purchase its class A shares (“Class A Shares”) and preferred shares (“Preferred Shares”) through the facilities of the TSX and alternative trading systems in Canada. The NCIB will commence on June 9, 2025 and terminate on June 8, 2026.
Pursuant to the NCIB, the Company proposes to purchase, from time to time, up to 176,492 Class A Shares and 176,492 Preferred Shares of the Company, representing 10% of the public float of 1,764,915 Class A Shares and 1,764,915 Preferred Shares. As of June 4th, 2025, there were 1,764,915 Class A Shares and 1,764,915 Preferred Shares issued and outstanding. The Company will not purchase, in any given 30-day period, in the aggregate, more than 35,298 Class A Shares or more than 35,298 Preferred Shares, being 2% of the issued and outstanding Class A Shares and Preferred Shares as of June 4th, 2025.
Under Ninepoint Partners prior NCIB, which commenced on May 28, 2024 and ended on May 27, 2025, Ninepoint Partners obtained approval to purchase up to a total of 209,947 Common Shares, reflecting a security split that took effect on Feb 4, 2025, and 182,563 Preferred Shares, of which 49,450, on the post-split basis, Common Shares, and 43,000 Preferred Shares were purchased through the facilities of the TSX at a weighted-average price of approximately $10.39, on the post-split basis, per Common Share, and $10.45 for Preferred Shares.
Ninepoint, the manager of the Company, believes that such purchases are in the best interests of the Company and are a desirable use of its funds. All purchases will be made through the facilities noted above and in accordance with the rules and policies of the TSX. All Class A Shares or Preferred Shares purchased by the Company pursuant to the NCIB will be cancelled.
About Ninepoint Partners LP Based in Toronto, Ninepoint Partners LP is one of Canada’s leading alternative investment management firms overseeing approximately $7 billion in assets under management and institutional contracts. Committed to helping investors explore innovative investment solutions that have the potential to enhance returns and manage portfolio risk, Ninepoint offers a diverse set of alternative strategies spanning Equities, Fixed Income, Alternative Income, Real Assets, F/X and Digital Assets.
For more information on Ninepoint, please visit www.ninepoint.com or for inquiries regarding the Offering, please contact us at (416) 943-6707 or (866) 299-9906 or invest@ninepoint.com.
Certain statements included in this news release constitute forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, those identified by the expressions “expects”, “intends”, “anticipates”, “will” and similar expressions to the extent that they relate to the Company. The forward-looking statements are not historical facts but reflect Ninepoint’s current expectations regarding future results or events. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations. Although Ninepoint believes the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and, accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. Neither the Company nor Ninepoint undertake any obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statement or information whether as a result of new information, future events or other such factors which affect this information, except as required by law.
Appropriations Letter Urges Congress to Fund BOEM’s Office of Renewable Energy Programs, Prioritize Efficiency in Federal Permitting for Offshore Wind Projects
Offshore Wind Projects Projected to Create 56,000 Jobs by 2030
Read the LetterHere
Washington, D.C – Congressman Dan Goldman led 18 of his Democratic colleagues in writing to House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Chair Congressman Mike Simpson (ID-02) and Ranking Member Chellie Pingree (ME-01) requesting they robustly fund the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) Office of Renewable Energy Programs, as well as include language in the FY26 budget to find increased efficiencies in the permitting process for offshore wind projects, which are an economic and national security imperative.
“We request that you take action to ensure robust funding for the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) Office of Renewable Energy Programs that supports the timely review and permitting of offshore wind projects. We also ask that you include report language in the bill that supports finding increased efficiencies in the federal permitting process to allow for projects to come online as fast and proficiently as possible, without compromising the safety and integrity of the review process,” the Members began.
Permitting, constructing, and connecting offshore wind to the energy grid is imperative to ensuring the United States’ long-term energy needs are met. Domestic energy demands are projected to rise 50% by 2050 as a result of crypto and AI, and offshore wind will be an essential part of generating the energy necessary to meet the future. However, the benefits of offshore wind extend beyond energy capacity.
“By the end of 2024, the industry had already announced more than $9.5 billion in supply chain investments, including investing in the creation of nearly 40 new domestic vessels to serve offshore wind projects. These jobs are inextricably intertwined with project permitting timelines, and investing in BOEM’s permitting capacity will increase job security for thousands of Americans and investment confidence for developers,” the Members wrote.
Additionally, offshore wind provides a local, reliable, and infinite source of energy, independent of geopolitical rivals and fluctuations in global energy markets. Fully funding the BOEM’s Office of Renewable Energy Programs and streamlining project permitting will strengthen American manufacturing and make us a world leader in spearheading the green energy transition. Failing to prioritize offshore wind in the federal budget will allow China and other nations to fill the gap.
“Committing our support to technologies like offshore wind will also help diversify our grid, making it more safe, reliable, and resilient. It is imperative that we provide BOEM with the resources they need to facilitate the timely, efficient, reliable and accurate review of offshore wind project applications so we don’t slow down this momentum,” the Members wrote.
Read the full letterhere or below:
Dear Chair Simpson and Ranking Member Pingree,
As you prepare the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, we request that you take action to ensure robust funding for the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) Office of Renewable Energy Programs that supports the timely review and permitting of offshore wind projects. We also ask that you include report language in the bill that supports finding increased efficiencies in the federal permitting process to allow for projects to come online as fast and proficiently as possible, without compromising the safety and integrity of the review process. As energy demand soars across the country, it is vitally important that we diversify our grid, support energy production in the United States, and build out an offshore wind project pipeline that can contribute to the “all-of-the-above approach to energy supply.
Current estimates project that domestic energy demand will grow by 2% annually and by more than 50% by 2050. Due in large part to the increased computing capacity needed to sustain rapidly expanding industries such as crypto and A.I., this unprecedented growth in demand requires a commensurate growth in supply. To meet these needs, to truly take an “all-of the-above” energy approach, and to ensure that we don’t fall behind our geopolitical adversaries in the race for energy dominance, we must ensure that offshore wind remains a part of our energy equation.
Over the past decade, the industry has advanced tremendously. By the end of 2024, BOEM had approved 19 GW of energy from offshore wind projects – enough to power 6 million homes — of which 10.8 GW were approved to begin construction. It is imperative that we continue this momentum, in collaboration with other energy sources, to meet the whopping 531 GW of expected grid demand in the coming decades.
The benefits of offshore wind extend beyond just energy capacity. They create massive economic investment and significant job opportunities across America, further diversify energy sources in the event of catastrophe, facilitate energy independence and energy dominance, and advance our geopolitical and national security interests.
According to a 2024 report published by American Clean Power, in large part due to the American energy credits in the Inflation Reduction Act, the offshore wind industry was projected to create 56,000 jobs across the country by 2030. These jobs span a number of industries and are largely good-paying, stable, manufacturing and marine trades jobs. By the end of 2024, the industry had already announced more than $9.5 billion in supply chain investments, including investing in the creation of nearly 40 new domestic vessels to serve offshore wind projects. These jobs are inextricably intertwined with project permitting timelines, and investing in BOEM’s permitting capacity will increase job security for thousands of Americans and investment confidence for developers. In turn, this will usher in additional spending in domestic offshore wind workforce development and supply chains.
Further still, ratepayers stand to gain significantly from the deployment of offshore wind as energy from such projects are projected to save households hundreds of dollars on their annual electricity bills. One study identified that 9 GW of offshore wind energy in New England would save New Englander’s between $2.79 to $4.61 a month on their electricity bill, adding up to about $630 annually. It would also provide nearly $362 million in annual public health savings as it would help prevent thousands of tons of dangerous pollution in our communities.
Finally, supporting offshore wind is a national security imperative. Offshore wind provides a local, steady, infinite source of energy that is not subject to the whims of our geopolitical rivals. It allows coastal areas, oftentimes with little space to build large new generation facilities, the ability to meet increased demand without depending on foreign sources of energy. And it provides a critical opportunity to build relationships in developing nations that expand far beyond energy production. Moreover, if we do not meet this demand, China will, which will increase their global footprint and influence.
Committing our support to technologies like offshore wind will also help diversify our grid, making it more safe, reliable, and resilient. It is imperative that we provide BOEM with the resources they need to facilitate the timely, efficient, reliable and accurate review of offshore wind project applications so we don’t slow down this momentum. While the industry is still relatively new, we have now seen a number of projects successfully permitted and we must learn from these examples and continue to improve and streamline the federal permitting process. As such, in addition to robust funding for BOEM Office of Renewable Energy Programs, we ask the committee include the following report language in their bill:
The Committee understands the value of streamlining the federal permitting process for offshore energy development, including wind power. As such, the committee directs the Bureau of Ocean Management, in consultation with the Department of Commerce, Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of Defense, and any other relevant agencies to identify efficiencies in the federal permitting process, including unnecessary duplicative efforts, to responsibly expedite reviews while maintaining comprehensive stakeholder engagement, tribal consultation, and environmental analysis so as to ensure that project development processes carefully consider impacts on marine life and ensure co existence with incumbent industries.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Young Kim (CA-39)
Washington, DC – Today, Representatives Young Kim (CA-40) and Lou Correa (CA-46) sent a letter to Nancy Ward, Director of the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal EOS), demanding retroactive grant support for Orange County in the wake of last year’s Airport Fire. In the immediate wake of the fire, the County’s Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) request submitted was denied—and has since had significant consequences for local residents and emergency response capabilities.
Despite the fire’s aggressive behavior, widespread evacuations, and the threat to residential structures, the FMAG request was placed “on hold.” The rationale cited—insufficient threat level and lack of residential impact—was inconsistent with the on-the-ground conditions reported by first responders.
“We are concerned that the denial of this FMAG request reflects a misjudgment of the situation’s urgency and impact,”Kim and Correa lambasted.“The Airport Fire posed a clear and present danger to life and property, and the County of Orange acted swiftly and in good faith to seek state support. It is important to note that Riverside County, which was also impacted by the Airport Fire, received their FMAG declaration on September 11 despite less structure loss than Orange County.”
The Orange County Fire Authority and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department continued to engage with Cal OES through multiple revised submissions, then through additional follow up. These efforts were met with either no response or continued denial, despite mounting evidence of the fire’s severity and the financial burden placed on local agencies.
“We respectfully request that Cal OES reconsider and approve the FMAG request retroactively,”they added, “acknowledging the critical need for federal assistance in mitigating the effects of this disaster and supporting our local emergency services.”
Priority question for written answer P-002201/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Laurent Castillo (PPE)
On 12 March 2025, the United States imposed customs duties of up to 20% on all goods from the European Union.
In response, the Commission initiated a series of countermeasures. The process of adopting these countermeasures was originally scheduled to be completed in mid-April 2025[1] with the entry into force of the act imposing them.
Given the United States’ decision to postpone the entry into force of its universal country-wide tariffs, the EU decided to suspend, for the same period, the planned countermeasures affecting US exports worth EUR 26 billion. Medical devices were not covered by these countermeasures.
However on 8 May 2025[2], the Commission launched a public consultation on a list of US imports liable to be covered by countermeasures by the EU, this time including finished medical devices or apparatus for the manufacture of medical devices produced in the EU.
Can the Commission therefore say:
1.What was the reasoning behind this potential U-turn?
2.If medical devices were to be included in the countermeasures to US customs duties, what would be the EU’s internal and/or external sources of supply for these products?
3.Will these sources of supply be sufficient and enable the health of European citizens to be safeguarded?
The European Union (EU) is seeking to boost its competitiveness to help ensure the well-being of its society in the face of global challenges. Central to this objective is the EU’s innovation ecosystem, which has fallen behind the United States (US) and China. As innovative European companies grow, they struggle to attract the necessary technical and financial support within the continent. The European Commission plans to put forward a legislative proposal for a 28th regime as part of a programme of measures to boost the EU’s innovation ecosystem. The European Parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI) is preparing a legislative-initiative report to inform the development of this proposal. This briefing, produced at the request of the committee, seeks to support its work on the file. The research identified four issues that are relevant for EU action: (1) the EU financial system has a low appetite for risk; (2) innovative companies struggle to attract workers (within the EU and beyond) with the relevant skills; (3) innovative companies face a high cost of failure and/or restructuring; and (4) there is high variation in laws affecting companies across the EU. While the proposed Savings and Investments Union could help to address the immediate and pressing demand for capital from innovative European companies, other measures such as the 28th regime could be complementary and offer European added value. Establishing one common set of EU-wide rules and introducing an EU stock option plan could boost the regime’s attractiveness for innovative European companies. Embedding links to the EU innovation ecosystem and ‘European preference’ incentives could also be beneficial. Levelling the playing field for innovative European companies, particularly by reducing the period of time to establish a company, complete funding rounds and advance through the lifecycle, could help to attract venture capital and boost the number of innovative scale-ups.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Norma Torres (35th District of California)
June 04, 2025
Videos of hearing can be foundhere.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Norma J. Torres (CA-35), whose district includes Ontario International Airport (ONT), pressed Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Acting Administrator Chris Rocheleau during the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) FY26 budget oversight hearing. Torres raised urgent concerns about ongoing aviation safety lapses, chronic staffing shortages, and recent personnel cuts led by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), under Elon Musk, that threaten the safety and efficiency of the national airspace system — and put local travelers and workers at risk.
“Ontario International is one of the fastest-growing airports in the country and a vital economic hub for the Inland Empire and beyond,” said Congresswoman Torres. “Our airspace depends on vigilance, coordination, and a skilled workforce. But with air traffic controllers overworked, oversight slipping, and DOGE gutting critical FAA personnel, we’re gambling with lives. We can’t wait for another tragedy to act. The FAA must confront these vulnerabilities now—or risk unraveling the safest aviation system in the world.”
Torres cited a troubling rise in near-miss incidents and recent ground collisions, underscoring the urgent need for effective safety oversight and fully staffed operations at airports like ONT. She questioned whether the FAA is doing enough to monitor controller fatigue and stabilize the workforce amid mass retirements and a historically thin staffing pipeline—extending beyond controllers to include engineers, maintenance crews, and other essential personnel responsible for operating and maintaining critical safety infrastructure.
During questioning, Torres demanded clear answers on whether FAA controllers at major airports are working excessive hours, if fatigue risk assessments have been conducted, and whether workforce cuts driven by DOGE would compromise safety.
She also pressed the FAA to provide a comprehensive workforce recovery plan prioritizing recruitment, retention, training, and wellness support for frontline personnel — critical to handling ONT’s expanding air traffic and maintaining public confidence in air travel.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jerrold Nadler (10th District of New York)
Yesterday, Representatives Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and Joe Wilson (R-SC) reintroduced the Living Organ Donor Tax Credit Act. The bill will provide up to a $5,000 one-time refundable tax credit to living organ donors who were not reimbursed for the costs related to organ donation by the National Living Organ Donor Assistance Center (NLDAC) or any entity.
Our nation’s transplant shortage is dire. Seventeen people die every day waiting for a viable organ according to the Health Resources and Services Administration. Currently, there are around 93,000 Americans on the kidney transplant waitlist, with some having to wait as long as six years to receive a transplant, according to UNOS. Patients waiting for a transplant on average cost the U.S. government at least $77,000 a year on dialysis, which adds up to more than $20 billion a year according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Removing the barriers to organ donation will not only increase the number of living donors therefore saving lives, but also will save the taxpayers money. This tax credit would apply to living kidney, liver, lung, pancreas, intestine, bone marrow donors, and any other viable living organ donation.
“When an organ donor decides to donate one of their organs to someone else, they aren’t just saving someone’s life—they’re making one of the most selfless, difficult decisions anyone could ever make,” said Rep. Nadler. “However, donors can face tremendous and often prohibitive costs associated with surgery, including the cost of travel, lodging, follow up care, and lost wages in connection to transplantation. That’s why I’m proud to introduce this bill with Rep. Wilson and continue my work to remove roadblocks to organ donation.”
“The gift of living donation is truly priceless. The donors who choose the selfless act of giving a lifesaving organ are making a major life decision, whether gifting to a stranger or a loved one. That lifechanging decision should not be burdened by the costs of donation, and this bill will remove that disincentive to ensure that everyone is able to donate an organ if they choose to, regardless of their financial situation,” said Rep. Wilson. “My predecessor House Armed Services Committee Chairman Floyd Spence miraculously received a double lung transplant as the thirtieth in the world to receive the experiment, living an additional 13 years serving America. We are always grateful for Dr. Sesshadri Raju at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi for performing the procedure in 1988. I previously worked in the South Carolina State Senate to add a red heart for organ donors to South Carolina Driver’s Licenses at the time of registration. Today, I am grateful to expand this piece of Floyd Spence’s legacy.”
The bill has been endorsed by the American Association of Kidney Patients, American Kidney Fund (AKF), American Nephrology Nurses Association (ANNA), American Society of Pediatric Nephrology (ASPN), American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS), American Society of Transplantation (AST), Coalition to Modify NOTA, National Kidney Donation Organization (NKDO), National Kidney Foundation (NKF), Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) Foundation, Renal Support Network (RSN), and Waitlist Zero.
“We need better public policy to increase living organ donation. The Living Organ Donor Tax Credit Act of 2025 represents a positive step forward in helping people who selflessly decide to give the gift of life by donating a kidney by providing a refundable tax credit for associated costs of live organ donation such as lost wages, travel or childcare. People with limited resources should have every opportunity to help save a life,” said LaVarne A. Burton, President and CEO of the American Kidney Fund.
“The American Society of Pediatric Nephrology (ASPN) applauds the reintroduction of the Living Organ Donor Tax Credit Act by Representatives Jerry Nadler (D-NY) and Joe Wilson (R-SC). Rates of living kidney donation are declining in the US in both the pediatric and adult populations. This decline persists despite the fact that living donor kidney transplant is well established as the optimal treatment for children and adults with end stage kidney disease due to superior graft and patient survival. This important legislation will encourage living donors and we urge its swift passage,” said President Meredith Atkinson of theAmerican Society of Pediatric Nephrology (ASPN).
“On behalf of the American Society of Transplantation (AST), representing a majority of the nation’s transplant professionals, our Society strongly applauds and endorses the re-introduction of the Living Organ Donor Tax Credit Act. AST is grateful for the steadfast leadership of Congressmen Nadler (D-NY) and Wilson (R-SC) to protect and support living donation. The Living Donor Tax Credit Act is a patient-focused bill seeking to address financial and policy barriers that might otherwise prevent an individual from providing a lifesaving donor organ. AST greatly appreciates this bipartisan and patient centric legislation. We look forward to working with you to advance this key legislation in this 119th Congress,” said Dr. Jon Kobashigawa, President of theAmerican Society of Transplantation (AST).
“The National Kidney Foundation strongly supports the Living Organ Donor Tax Credit Act as an important step toward removing financial barriers to living donation. This legislation provides tax relief solely for documented, unreimbursed expenses actually incurred by the donor—costs like child/elder care, travel, and lost income. Living donors often face unexpected costs that can reach thousands of dollars, and these expenses should never prevent someone from saving a life. By allowing tax credits for legitimate expenses while maintaining strict documentation requirements, this bill supports donors without compromising the altruistic foundation of organ donation that the National Kidney Foundation has always championed. We applaud Reps. Nadler and Wilson for their leadership and urge Congress to pass this measure that will help save lives while preserving the integrity of our transplant system,” said Kevin Longino, CEO, National Kidney Foundation and a transplant recipient.
“There’s currently no cure for PKD, and while we await scientific breakthroughs, organ donation remains the most effective long-term treatment,” said Susan Bushnell, President and CEO of the Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) Foundation. “This common-sense, compassionate, and cost-effective policy to reimburse living donors for some of the costs of donation will help to remove needless financial barriers, save more lives, and reduce the burden on our federal health system by decreasing reliance on costly, time-consuming, and often unpleasant dialysis treatments. The PKD Foundation is deeply grateful for the longtime leadership of Representatives Nadler and Wilson in championing living donation,” said Susan Bushnell, PKDF’s President & CEO.
“Living donors are true heroes who should not incur financial losses for the life-saving gift they provide. A tax credit is a straightforward method to acknowledge their generosity while simplifying the reimbursement process,” said Lori Hartwell, President & Founder of RSN and kidney transplant recipient.
“Why should donors go into debt to give the gift of life? Representative Nadler and Representative Wilson’s Living Organ Donor Tax Credit Act will ease the financial strain and empower more people to say yes to donation. For the past 25 years, the number of living kidney donors has remained stagnant. Waitlist Zero proudly supports this crucial bill,” said Elaine Perlman, Executive Director of Waitlist Zero and President of the Coalition to Modify NOTA.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Robert Garcia California (42nd District)
Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Robert Garcia (CA-42) released the following statement after the Trump Administration ordered the dismantling of the Long Beach Job Corps program, which provides education, vocational training, job placement, and wraparound support services to hundreds of people in our community. Long Beach hosts one of seven Job Corps sites in California.
“As Mayor of Long Beach for eight years and now as a Member of Congress, I’ve seen firsthand how Job Corps has helped young people across our community and country. For decades, Job Corps has been a lifeline for students and young workers, especially those from underserved communities. It offers training, support, and opportunity to help folks build a future. We should be expanding this program, not dismantling it, which is why we’re going to fight back against this decision and make it clear to the Trump Administration that this action is illegal and unethical,” said Congressman Robert Garcia.
As an educator, Congressman Garcia is at the forefront of the fight to protect and uplift our students and young workforce. In May, Congressman Garcia joined 141 House Members in advocating for adequate levels of funding for Job Corps. Last year, Congressman Garcia joined the Job Corps Class of 2024 for their graduation, distributing personalized Certificates of Congressional Recognition to each graduate.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17)
PEORIA, IL – Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17) announced a major victory for the Peoria region, as the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research (NCAUR), also known as the Peoria Ag Lab, will remain open and is even slated for growth. The release of the administration’s Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Agriculture Research Service (ARS) budget proposal includes potential growth for the NCAUR with research expansion.
“When I heard this facility might be at risk, I made it a priority to make sure the administration and USDA leadership understood the value of this world-class research center. I’m proud to say our efforts paid off,” said Congressman Sorensen. “We made our case loud and clear. I want to thank every researcher, every advocate, and every voice who spoke up. The work being done in this facility supports farmers, strengthens our food systems, and helps fight climate change. I’m proud to have stood with our community to show how important the NCAUR is—not just to Peoria, but to our entire nation.”
“For months, we feared NCAUR would be the next target amid sudden and harmful cuts to federal agencies. The silence from USDA leadership created a culture of fear, driving away talented staff. But when we reached out to our stakeholders—especially the farming community—their support was overwhelming and helped put NCAUR and ARS back on the map,” President of AFGE Local 3247, Ethan Roberts said. “We’re grateful to everyone who stood with us to protect the vital research we do for farmers and food safety.”
Congressman Sorensen has been a fierce advocate for the Peoria Ag Lab, leading his colleagues in a detailed letter to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins this past March. The Congressman outlined the lab’s vital contributions to agriculture and the regional economy.
The Peoria facility, which employs hundreds and supports both local agriculture and global research, is the largest federal employer in the region. The proposed budget not only protects those jobs but recognizes NCAUR’s cutting-edge work by highlighting its pennycress biofuel research as a leading example in the USDA’s New Products section.
Final funding decisions will be made by Congress. Congressman Sorensen will continue to monitor the process and fight to make sure the Peoria Ag Lab remains fully protected.
You can view the FY26 Budget for the Agricultural Research Service below.
Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced a $6,764,854 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant for the Terrebonne Parish School Board.
“Hurricane Ida hit Houma hard, but the community has worked tirelessly to rebuild. This $6.8 million grant will help cover the costs of demolishing, relocating and renovating school facilities due to severe damage from the storm,” said Kennedy.
The FEMA aid will fund the following:
$6,764,854 to the Terrebonne Parish School Board to relocate the Hurricane Ida-damaged Louis Miller Vo-Tech campus to its Fletcher Building in Houma, La., and demolish its Ida-damaged School for Exceptional Children facility and renovate its existing Elysian Fields campus.
Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and 25 colleagues in introducing a resolution to designate the month of June as “Life Month.”
The resolution commemorates the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade in the June 2022 landmark decision Dobbs v. Jackson and affirms that every human life is precious.
“With too many extreme politicians supporting abortion up until the moment of birth, it’s more important than ever that Americans declare their support for God’s greatest gift, life. I’m proud to help introduce this resolution to designate June as ‘Life Month’ and support the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson decision—a win for both the Constitution and the unborn,” said Kennedy.
“Every human life is worthy of protection, and it is especially incumbent upon Americans and lawmakers to protect the most vulnerable among us. Designating June as Life Month is a recommitment to the American principle that every life has dignity. I call on my colleagues in the Senate to swiftly pass this resolution,” said Cruz.
Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) introduced the resolution in the House of Representatives.
“For decades abortion advocates have gone to extraordinary lengths to ignore, trivialize, and cover up the battered baby victim, fostering a culture of denial, disrespect, and bias against the unborn. This resolution designating June as Life Month highlights our moral imperative to protect innocent children’s lives from extermination. It calls our nation to reject willful blindness to the realities of abortion—brutally dismembering helpless babies with sharp knife-like curettes or poisoning babies with pills that literally starve them to death and often result in their bodies being flushed down a toilet. This resolution affirms that the cruel injustice of abortion need not be forever: instead we must defend the unborn and show love and compassion to both mother and child through meaningful assistance and support,” said Smith.
Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.) and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) also cosponsored the resolution.
Alliance Defending Freedom, Heritage Action, Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, National Right to Life, Human Coalition, Heartbeat International, Family Research Council, Students for Life, Americans United for Life, Family Policy Alliance, Concerned Women for America, Catholic Vote, March for Life, 40 Days for Life, National Pro-Life Alliance, NIFLA, Citizens for Life, Christian Broadcasting Network, Focus on the Family, Liberty Counsel Action and Eagle Forum support the resolution.
The full resolution is available here.
Source: United States Senator for Idaho James E Risch
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) today introduced the Securing our Energy Supply Chains Act, which would establish a Department of Energy non-procurement list for critical minerals, battery production, and other related energy needs.
“Organizations that threaten our national security have no business engaging in American energy production,” said Risch. “The Securing our Energy Supply Chains Act protects the energy sector, which is critical to both our economy and security, from bad actors while advancing domestic needs.”
“Supply chains for our country’s critical minerals and battery production are a cut-and-dry national security issue. Firms that are banned from doing business with the Department of Defense and other federal agencies should face significant restrictions when working in these sensitive areas,” said Cotton.
The Securing our Energy Supply Chains Act would:
Establish a master energy non-procurement list for DOE projects prioritizing critical minerals and battery production
Establish a waiver process for contracts or projects that require exceptions
Require a federal study to pull all similar lists of entities of concern from Commerce, DOD, Energy, State, Treasury, DNI, and other agencies and make recommendations for harmonization.
Source: US Whitehouse
By every honest metric, President Donald J. Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill dramatically improves the fiscal trajectory of the United States and unleashes an era of unprecedented economic growth.
HOAX: The One Big Beautiful Bill increases spending.
FACT: The One Big Beautiful Bill delivers nearly $1.7 trillion in mandatory savings — a fact that even the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) admits is true.
FACT: This is the highest level of mandatory savings in history — dwarfing spending reductions from similar reconciliation bills in 2005 ($140 billion), 1997 ($800 billion), 1993 ($370 billion), and 1990 ($440 billion) on an inflation-adjusted basis.
FACT: The One Big Beautiful Bill’s $1.7 trillion savings are permanent changes to the law — meaning these savings will continue long into the future.
FACT: This is a reconciliation bill — not an appropriations (budget) bill. This means there is no mechanism for including spending reductions on 99% of government operations, which will come in future legislation.
HOAX: The One Big Beautiful Bill adds to the deficit.
FACT: So-called “forecasts” (including by the CBO) predicting higher deficits are based on a false assumption that President Trump’s 2017 tax cuts will expire. In reality, extending the CURRENT tax rates — which this legislation does — has zero impact on the deficit.
If you cite the CBO’s faulty score, you must also cite CBO’s forecast that President Trump’s tariffs will cut the deficit by $2.8 trillion over the next decade. In other words, even the partisan CBO admits the deficit will be slashed by at least $500 billion over the next ten years.
FACT: Of course, the $1.7 trillion savings is partly offset by one-time spending on border security and additional tax cuts (NO TAX ON TIPS, NO TAX ON OVERTIME) — which brings the net deficit reduction to exactly $1.407 trillion.
FACT: Upon enactment the bill — and through increased tariffs revenues, discretionary spending cuts, and reversing Biden-era regulations — the Trump Administration will have taken actions that reduce deficits by at least $6.6 trillion over the next decade.
Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy
June 04, 2025
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and U.S. Representatives John Larson (D-Conn.-01), Joe Courtney (D-Conn.-02), Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.-03), Jim Himes (D-Conn.-04),and Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.-05) today joined 22 members of Congress from New England and Hawaii in issuing the following bicameral statement in response to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins illegally restricting relief funding to small and mid-sized family farms in New England, Alaska, and Hawaii:
“On behalf of our States and small farmers, we oppose the Department of Agriculture’s decision to violate Congressional intent, and the statutory purpose of the small states block grant, known as the Farm Recovery and Support Block Grant program. This block grant was created specifically to bridge the gap between traditional disaster relief programs and uncovered losses experienced by small farmers who cannot access traditional crop insurance.
“USDA has dragged its feet for months on implementing this simple program, adding barrier after barrier to our States, and has now set an arbitrary deadline in a clear attempt to rush States into making a decision without sufficient information. USDA is demanding States either accept traditional disaster relief, which has failed most of our small farmers for years, or gamble on an unknown amount of repayment with little to no guidance from USDA. Once again, this choice would leave so many small farms to fend for themselves after a disaster.
“The Secretary of Agriculture must execute the law as written to make these farmers whole. Our farmers know what they need best, and they have been left behind by traditional disaster relief before. This grant was created to address those shortcomings. Small farmers in our States deserve respect and fair treatment, not another bait and switch from Washington bureaucrats.”
U.S. Representatives Richie Neal (D-Mass.-01), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.-02), Lori Trahan (D-Mass.-03), Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.-04), Katherine Clark (D-Mass.-05), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.-06), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.-07), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.-08), Bill Keating (D-Mass.-09), Chellie Pingree (D-Maine-01), Jared Golden (D-Maine-02), Chris Pappas (D-N.H.-01), Maggie Goodlander (D-N.H.-02), Gabe Amo (D-R.I.-01), Seth Magaziner (D-R.I.-02), Becca Balint (D-Vt.-AL), Ed Case (D-Hawaii-01), Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii-02), as well as U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) also joined the statement.
In this edition of our monthly roundup, we’re recapping the biggest news from Microsoft Build 2025 and announcing new resources for Copilot Studio adoption and training.
May 2025 was a big month for Microsoft Copilot Studio and there are a ton of features to catch up on. In this edition of our monthly roundup, we’re recapping the biggest news from Microsoft Build 2025, giving a couple of important updates, and announcing new resources for Copilot Studio adoption and training.
Microsoft Build 2025 roundup: Our biggest announcements
Microsoft Build 2025 brought a wave of updates to Copilot Studio and Microsoft Dataverse, the operational database for agents, introducing powerful new tools for multi-agent systems, enterprise data access, and custom AI tuning. Here’s a quick overview of what dropped in Copilot Studio.
Multi-agent orchestration: Copilot Studio now supports multi-agent orchestration, allowing agents built with Microsoft 365, Microsoft Azure AI, and Microsoft Fabric to collaborate by delegating tasks and sharing results to complete complex workflows. Copilot Studio will also support the open Agent2Agent (A2A) protocol, allowing agents to connect to those built on third-party platforms.
Computer use in agents: The new computer use capability, currently available to eligible United States-based customers, allows Copilot Studio agents to perform tasks across desktop and web applications, automating repetitive processes like data entry and document processing through AI-powered UI interactions.
Bring your own model and Microsoft Copilot tuning: Makers can access more than 11,000 models in Azure AI Foundry and fine-tune them using enterprise data for even more context-rich and valuable agent responses.
Other updates include:
Get all the details on these announcements in Corporate Vice President Lili Cheng’s blog post. For an even more in-depth update, learn more about how Dataverse supports all these in Corporate Vice President Nirav Shah’s blog post from Microsoft Build 2025. You can also see a roundup of all the Microsoft Dataverse sessions presented at Microsoft Build 2025.
Build, publish, and monetize agents with the Agent Store
Welcome to the Agent Store, your centralized, curated marketplace for agents built by Microsoft, trusted partners, and customers. Accessible through the left side navigation in Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat, the Agent Store makes it easier to browse, try out, and share agents for your business processes without having to build them from scratch. These agents work seamlessly across your Microsoft 365 ecosystem, so you can install an agent once and use it in multiple places. It’s all about speed, trust, and impact at scale.
Right now, the Agent Store has more than 70 agents, ranging from knowledge assistants to complex multi-modal orchestrators. You’ll have access to more as makers and software development vendors build and share new agents in the coming months—and the store will offer personalized agent discovery based on your organizational context. For developers, the Agent Store also provides a platform to share your innovative agents with millions of Microsoft Copilot users and grow your user base.
With robust support through Copilot Studio and the Microsoft 365 Agents Toolkit, the Agent Store includes both low-code and pro-code development options. Whichever way you prefer to build and deploy your agents, this marketplace helps you reduce development time and costs and get them out there faster.
Learn more about finding and publishing agents through the Agent Store on the Microsoft 365 Developer Blog.
Publish custom engine agents to Microsoft Copilot Chat: Now generally available
The ability to publish custom engine agents built in Copilot Studio directly to Copilot Chat is now generally available and automatically enabled. This means all customers can now unlock powerful new ways to customize and extend Copilot experiences with rich, domain-specific intelligence, right inside the tools people use every day.
Previously announced in public preview, this feature allows makers to publish agents built in Copilot Studio to Copilot, with full access to the features that make agents intelligent and useful. That includes topics, orchestration selection, autonomous triggers, analytics, and Azure AI integrations. These custom agents surface seamlessly across Microsoft 365 apps, including Microsoft Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Office.
Custom engine agents in Copilot support messages, quick replies, Adaptive Cards, multi-turn interactions, and multi-message responses—all backed by robust governance and analytics in the Microsoft Power Platform admin center. Now you can confidently scale custom Copilot experiences across your workforce, without changes to existing agents.
General availability brings simplified deployment and seamless integration, turning every custom agent into a first-class participant in the Microsoft 365 Copilot experience. Read more about publishing and deploying agents on Microsoft Learn.
Microsoft Graph connectors are now Copilot connectors
Microsoft Graph connectors are now called Copilot connectors, a name that better reflects their role in powering the Microsoft 365 Copilot experience.
Copilot connectors bring external data into Microsoft 365 so Copilot and Copilot Studio agents can retrieve, apply reasoning to, and act on knowledge beyond the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. These connectors eliminate the need for duplicative uploads or clunky copy-paste workflows.
For developers and makers, Copilot connectors are the bridge between your existing systems and your AI-powered solutions. Whether you’re supporting sales teams to query customer relationship management (CRM) system records, surfacing insights from product documentation, or building custom agents grounded in real enterprise data, connectors make it possible to create truly contextual and intelligent experiences.
The change in name reflects a broader shift: AI isn’t just reading data anymore—it’s working with it. More than 40 Copilot connectors are already generally available or in public preview, including key sources like Gong, PagerDuty, and Unily, so connect your agents and systems in the Microsoft 365 admin center. Read more about building Copilot connectors on Microsoft Learn.
Accelerate agentic operations with new adoption resources
We’re excited to introduce two new resources designed to help your organization get started with Copilot Studio quickly and effectively. Whether you’re launching your first agent or scaling across teams, these tools are built to simplify the building process and drive measurable impact across your organization.
Microsoft Copilot Studio Adoption page
This centralized hub offers comprehensive guidance for seamless integration across teams. It includes:
Step-by-step setup and deployment guidance.
Role-based training for business users, developers and admins.
Best practices and support documentation.
Tools to help developers and leaders build and scale agents with confidence.
This page is your go-to destination for enabling success from day one. Explore the Copilot Studio AI Agents Hub.
Copilot Studio AI Agents Hub
Copilot Studio scenarios in the Microsoft Scenario Library
Explore 35 new custom agent scenarios across seven functional areas—each designed to showcase real-world value and accelerate adoption. Every scenario includes:
A clear use case with key performance indicators (KPIs) and key users.
Agent functionality and flow breakdown.
Architecture and key considerations.
These resources are crafted to help you unlock the full potential of Copilot Studio—empowering your teams to innovate, automate, and scale with ease.
Microsoft Scenario Library
Free Microsoft Copilot Studio training for Microsoft Power Platform makers
If you or members of your team are already familiar with Microsoft Power Platform, you may be wondering how the skills you have built using Microsoft Power Apps or Microsoft Power Automate translate to the world of agents. Microsoft worked with Shane Young, a Microsoft most valuable player (MVP) of 20 years, as part of a paid collaboration to bring you more than four hours of free, hands-on training on YouTube.
This series of videos will help you get started with Copilot Studio at your own pace so you can walk away with your own agents, ready to use. The training series includes demos, step-by-step builds, and deep dives into product-specific features, broken down into four sections:
Introduction and demos (7 videos)
How to build a conversational agent (8 videos)
How to build an autonomous agent (10 videos)
Reusing your Microsoft Power Platform skills (4 videos)
Thousands of Microsoft Power Platform makers have already gone through the training, and we encourage you to spread the word and join in. Start watching or share with your team. You may be the makers who create the next best agent in the Agent Store.
More ways to stay up to date on all things Copilot Studio
Check out all the updates live as we ship them, as well as new features releasing in the next few months.
To learn more about Copilot Studio and how it can transform your organization’s productivity, visit the Copilot Studio website or sign up for our free trial.
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
June 03, 2025
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses during a Senate Judiciary Joint Subcommittee hearing entitled “The Supposedly ‘Least Dangerous Branch’: District Judges v. Trump.” Durbin first asked the witnesses about nationwide injunctions. Last month, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Trump v. CASA. In that case, the justices are considering whether they should stay the district courts’ nationwide preliminary injunctions against the Trump Administration’s executive order that attempted to end birthright citizenship. During his question, Durbin echoed a hypothetical posted by Justice Sotomayor during the case’s oral arguments.
“She [Justice Sotomayor] said, and I’m paraphrasing: imagine a new president takes office and decides, because of the epidemic of gun violence in our country, to issue an executive order announcing that he will deploy the military to seize the guns of every gun owner across the country. That executive order would be swiftly challenged in a federal district court—or, more likely, in several district courts. Should a district court be allowed to issue a nationwide injunction to at least temporarily prevent the enforcement of that executive order?” Durbin asked.
Josh Blackman, a professor at the South Texas College of Law, responded that he did not think the remedy would be in the courts. Kate Shaw, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, responded, “whatever the Constitutional right is… if a president tries to do something that is in clear violation of settled law… an injunction is an appropriate remedy.” Joel Alicea, a professor at the Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law, responded, “I don’t think a judge could issue a universal injunction under those circumstances.”
“Do you think it is reasonable to expect every single person affected by an executive order, like the one I described, to seek relief through Rule 23 or to file their own lawsuit to seek relief?” Durbin asked.
Professor Alicea responded, “I don’t think that would be necessary. If you had one person who sought class certification successfully, that would be sufficient.”
Durbin then asked the witnesses about judge shopping. During the Biden Administration, right-wing litigants flocked to the Amarillo Division of the Northern District of Texas to file their lawsuits. Those litigants filed their lawsuits in Amarillo because only one judge sits in that division—Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk. Litigants knew Judge Kacsmaryk would be assigned to their cases and viewed him as favorable to their arguments.
“Judge Kacsmaryk is pretty well known for the way he rules. Professor Shaw, do you have any observation on that?” Durbin asked.
Professor Shaw responded that “those single-judge divisions—like the one in Amarillo, Texas where Judge Kacsmaryk sits—are a genuine problem, but none of the injunctions against the Trump Administration have issued from judges who sit in those single-member districts… we aren’t seeing it now but I do think, regardless of who the president is, these single-judge divisions are a problem that Congress would be well-served to address.”
Video of Durbin’s first round of questions in Committee is available here.
Audio of Durbin’s first round of questions in Committee is available here.
Footage of Durbin’s first round of questions in Committee is available here for TV Stations.
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Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
June 03, 2025
If passed by Congress, the rescissions package offered by the White House will cut $9.4 billion in federal funding for critical government programs
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after President Trump released a rescissions package that, if passed by Congress, would codify cuts made by the so-called Department of Government Efficiency:
“These sloppy and shortsighted rescissions slash public broadcasting and cut critical global health, HIV/AIDs, democracy, and other stabilization programs that save lives while helping to prevent wars and further develop markets for American goods, including Illinois farmers. Programs that make up less than one percent of the federal budget are being cruelly cut to fund tax cuts for the wealthiest at the expense of the world’s most poor and our national security interests. These rescissions are also dangerously targeting public broadcasting, which is critical to providing Americans, especially those in rural areas, with unbiased local news, educational programming, and emergency alerts.
“We cannot allow this proposal, championed by President Trump, to erode the federal government.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Adam Smith (9th District of Washington)
WASHINGTON, D.C. –Today, Rep. Smith (D-Wash.) released the following statement after an influx of reports of violence around aid distribution sites.
“I condemn rising violence around aid distribution sites in Gaza. The killing of individuals around humanitarian aid distribution sites is unacceptable. There must be an end to violence in the region and no individual should have to confront violence while seeking desperately needed humanitarian assistance.
“Israel bears the responsibility to ensure that critically needed and long overdue aid makes it into Gaza reaching those who need it most. The Palestinian people are suffering horribly. Not nearly enough food and humanitarian assistance is being delivered to Gaza and effectively and safely distributed. This must be fixed immediately.
“While it is a positive step that Israel lifted the blockade on aid to Gaza, the distribution of aid under this new plan seems haphazard and plagued by chaos and violence. The Israeli government must recognize these shortcomings and immediately fix their plan to stop the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and ensure aid is widely and safely delivered to Palestinian civilians. It is also of the utmost importance that Hamas and other actors are condemned for attempts to disrupt the distribution of aid.
“Israel must take every opportunity to reduce tensions, improve access to aid, and prevent human suffering. Fundamentally, the priority for the region must remain a ceasefire, a return of the Israeli hostages, and the delivery of necessary aid to the people of Gaza. A ceasefire will be an instrumental step to improve the flow of humanitarian aid and achieving sustainable peace and stability in the region.”
EL PASO, Texas — A New Mexico man is in federal custody after being indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso in 2021 and expelled to the United States by Mexican authorities on May 27. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is investigating the case with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Texas Attorney General’s Office.
Jaime Renteria-Fernandez, 31, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, is charged in a superseding indictment with nine counts related to alleged offenses committed in support of the Barraza drug trafficking organization. Co-conspirator Alex Barraza was the leader of the DTO and was sentenced to life in federal prison Oct. 24, 2024.
“Jaime Renteria-Fernandez tried to evade justice by fleeing the country, but the law has a long reach,” said Jason T. Stevens, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations El Paso. “HSI is relentless in its mission to seek out members of drug trafficking organizations who wreak havoc on the security and well-being of our border community.”
Renteria-Fernandez made his initial appearance in federal court May 29. The indictment includes multiple counts related to drug possession and trafficking, conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, as well as discharging firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking and murder resulting from the use and carrying of firearms during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years, with a maximum of life in federal prison, and possibly the death penalty. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Johnston, Andres Ortega and Susanna Martinez are 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.
Headline: DAAG Bill Rinner Delivers Remarks to the George Washington University Competition and Innovation Lab Conference Regarding Merger Review and Enforcement
Thank you for inviting me to join you today. I’m grateful for the opportunity, and honored to be among you all. For those of you who don’t know me, this is my second time serving at the Antitrust Division. I want to thank Assistant Attorney General Gail Slater for the opportunity to serve again alongside the tremendously talented attorneys, economists, and staff in the leadership and career ranks of the Division. My prior experience and former colleagues — some of whom I have the pleasure of serving alongside again — helped shape me into the attorney I am today.
Thank you for inviting me to join you today. I’m grateful for the opportunity, and honored to be among you all. For those of you who don’t know me, this is my second time serving at the Antitrust Division. I want to thank Assistant Attorney General Gail Slater for the opportunity to serve again alongside the tremendously talented attorneys, economists, and staff in the leadership and career ranks of the Division. My prior experience and former colleagues — some of whom I have the pleasure of serving alongside again — helped shape me into the attorney I am today.
Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins
Published: June 04, 2025
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins announced the restoration of funding for the Maine AgrAbility program. This announcement follows reports that the University of Maine (UMaine) was unable to draw down funding from the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)—which funds the Maine AgrAbility program—without any notice from the federal agency.
“The Maine AgrAbility program has helped hundreds of workers across our state prevent serious injuries by providing training and technical assistance that help make high-risk jobs safer,” said Senator Collins. “I am glad that, following my discussions with Administration officials, this critical funding has been released so UMaine and its partners can continue to provide valuable guidance to our farmers, fishermen, and foresters.”
According to UMaine, the Maine AgrAbility program serves more than 1,600 workers in Maine’s heritage industries, supporting numerous efforts, such as providing safety training to loggers on best practices to prevent slips, trips, and falls on the work site, reducing the risk of injury and helping to lower the rates of their workers’ compensation coverage.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Julia Brownley (D-CA)
Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (CA-26) and Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne (TX-24) announced the introduction of the Uplifting First-Time Homebuyers Act (H.R. 3526), bipartisan legislation that would increase the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) qualified distribution limit for first-time homebuyers utilizing Individual Retirement Account (IRA) funds. The introduction of this legislation coincides with National Homeownership Month and highlights the importance of homeownership in building strong communities and generational wealth.
In 1997, Congress created a tax provision allowing first-time homebuyers to withdraw up to $10,000 from their IRAs without incurring the standard 10% early withdrawal penalty. At the time, the median home price was $115,000. Today, the median price has nearly tripled, yet the $10,000 cap has not been updated. The Uplifting First-Time Homebuyers Act would raise the qualified distribution limit to $50,000, better aligning it with today’s housing market realities.
“Homeownership is one of the most important ways Americans build wealth and save for a secure retirement,” said Congresswoman Brownley. “But in high-cost states like California, too many first-time buyers are locked out of the market due to rising prices and the challenge of saving for a down payment. I am pleased to support Congresswoman Van Duyne’s efforts to update our tax code to help first-time homebuyers access their retirement savings without penalty and take that critical first step toward homeownership and a fair shot at achieving the American Dream.”
“Buying a home for the first time is not as easy as it once was,” said Congresswoman Van Duyne. “Since my time serving as Mayor of Irving, Texas, I have seen how empowering homeownership is for families, neighborhoods, and the lifetime accumulation of wealth that can be passed down to further generations. By updating and increasing the IRA withdrawal limit, we increase access to much needed capital for our first-time homebuyers. Helping Americans realize the dream of homeownership is an investment in their future and a more stable future for our country.”
“The Uplifting First-Time Homebuyers Act is a smart, targeted step toward making homeownership more attainable,” said Shannon McGahn, Executive Vice President & Chief Advocacy Officer of National Association of REALTORS. “By updating the outdated IRA withdrawal limit, this bill could give first-time buyers greater access to their own savings at the moment they need it most. With the median age of first-time buyers now at 38, this commonsense fix helps more Americans achieve the dream of homeownership earlier in life – and start building equity and long-term financial stability.”
The Securities and Exchange Commission today published a concept release soliciting public comment on the definition of foreign private issuer.
Foreign private issuers benefit from certain accommodations and exemptions from the disclosure and filing requirements of the federal securities laws. The concept release solicits public input on whether the definition of foreign private issuer should be amended in light of significant changes in the population of foreign private issuers since 2003.
“Attracting foreign companies to U.S. markets and providing U.S. investors with the opportunity to trade in those companies under U.S. laws and regulations remains an objective. That objective must be balanced with other considerations, including providing investors with material information about these foreign companies, and ensuring that domestic companies are not competitively disadvantaged with respect to regulatory requirements.” said SEC Chairman Paul S. Atkins. “The first step in striking this balance is to determine which foreign companies should qualify as foreign private issuers and be able to avail themselves to the accommodations that go with that status.”
SEC concept releases are a means for the Commission to obtain public input in advance of making decisions about possible rulemaking. Concept releases typically outline a topic of concern, identify different potential approaches, and raise a series of questions for public commenters.
In this concept release, the Commission welcomes comments on the current foreign private issuer definition as well as on the costs, burdens, or benefits that may result from possible regulatory responses.
The public comment period will remain open for 90 days following publication of the comment request in the Federal Register.
Good afternoon. This is an open meeting on June 4, 2025 of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under the Government in the Sunshine Act. Commissioners Caroline Crenshaw and Mark Uyeda are here with me in Washington, D.C., and Commissioner Hester Peirce is participating remotely.
Today, the Commission will consider a recommendation from the Division of Corporation Finance that the Commission issue a concept release seeking comment on whether to revise the definition of foreign private issuer.
The Commission first defined foreign private issuer in 1967.[1] Then in 1983, it developed the foundation of the current definition through a test to determine whether a foreign issuer is “essentially [a] U.S. issuer” based on percentage of U.S. ownership, nationality of the management team, and location of business operations.[2] The world, financial markets, and corporate legal structures have significantly changed over the past forty-plus years.
The U.S. capital markets have been and still are the envy of the world. Foreign companies from across the globe seek new capital from U.S. investors for their businesses and seek to have their securities listed on a U.S. exchange for a variety of potential benefits, including higher valuation, greater liquidity, and enhanced reputation.
Foreign companies that qualify as foreign private issuers receive these potential benefits while also being offered several accommodations under the federal securities laws that are not available to U.S. companies. These include provisions such as (1) not needing to file quarterly reports, proxy statements, or Section 16 reports, (2) not being subject to Regulation FD, and (3) furnishing current reports on Form 6-K, rather than filing the more prescriptive Form 8-K.[3]
As early as 1935, the Commission recognized that our rules should not treat foreign companies exactly the same as domestic companies,[4] likely because many aspects of their corporate operations, business and market practices, accounting standards, tax regimes, compensation and pension benefits, and organic corporate governance laws may be quite different from those in the United States. Yet, at the same time, the Commission has always been mindful of the paramount need for the adequacy of the disclosures provided by the foreign companies to their U.S. investors whenever it considered new accommodations under the federal securities laws for these companies. When the Commission provided foreign companies with additional regulatory relief in 1967, it noted “the improvement in the reporting of financial information by foreign issuers, resulting from changes in foreign corporate laws, stock exchange requirements, and voluntary disclosure by the companies themselves.”[5]
Today, maintaining reasonable accommodations in the federal securities laws to attract foreign companies to U.S. markets and to provide U.S. investors with the opportunity to trade in those companies under U.S. laws and regulations remains an objective. That objective must be balanced with other considerations, including providing investors with material information about these foreign companies, including their unique corporate structures, and ensuring that domestic companies are not competitively disadvantaged with respect to regulatory requirements.
The first step in striking this balance is to determine which foreign companies should qualify as foreign private issuers and be able to avail themselves to the accommodations. It has been several decades since the Commission last examined the characteristics of the foreign private issuer community. The global markets have changed significantly in those decades. It is therefore only prudent for the Commission to better understand the companies that are using the foreign private issuers accommodations today and determine if changes are needed to better protect U.S. investors. Based on the latest data from 2023, for example, almost 55% of foreign private issuers are traded exclusively, or nearly-exclusively, in the United States.[6] Among these issuers, the most common jurisdiction of incorporation is the Cayman Islands and the most common jurisdiction of headquarters is China.[7]
When the United States is effectively a foreign company’s exclusive or primary trading market and the company is not subject to meaningful disclosure requirements or securities law oversight in its jurisdiction of incorporation or headquarters, careful consideration should be given to whether the foreign company is eligible for accommodations under the federal securities laws that are unavailable to U.S. companies. This analysis begins with considering whether the current definition of a foreign private issuer is appropriately tailored. The concept release solicits public input on this issue, and I encourage market participants to submit their views and engage with my office and the other commissioners’ offices on this topic.
Before I turn the meeting over to Cicely LaMothe, Acting Director of the Division of Corporation Finance, to discuss the recommendation, I would like to thank the following staff members for their work on this concept release.
From the Division of Corporation Finance: Cicely LaMothe, Sebastian Gomez Abero, Ted Yu, Michael Coco, Kelsey Glover, Kateryna Kuntsevich, Mark Green, Ryan Milne, Wei Lu, Heather Rosenberger, Kayla Roberts, Anna Abramson, and John Fieldsend.
From the Division of Economic and Risk Analysis: Lyndon Orton, Mattias Nilsson, Evan Avila, Tara Bhandari, and Timothy Dodd. I would especially like to recognize Mattias and Evan because the data in their white paper on trends in the foreign private issuer population[8] significantly contributed to the concept release.
From the Office of International Affairs: Kathleen Hutchinson, Matthew Greiner, Morgan Macdonald, Michael Ferrario, Jordan Spain, and Katerina Ossenova.
From the Office of the General Counsel: Jeffrey Finnell, Bryant Morris, Johanna Losert, Mike Killoy and Cynthia Bien.
From the Office of the Chief Accountant: Ryan Wolfe, Shaz Niazi, Nigel James, Chauncey Martin, Mai-Khoi Nguyen-Thanh, Jill Davis, Sarah Esquivel, and Ella Karafiat.
Now I will turn the meeting over to Cicely for the staff’s recommendation.
[1] Adoption of Rules Relating to Foreign Securities, Release No. 34-8066 (Apr. 28, 1967) [32 FR 7845 (May 30, 1967)] (the “1967 Release”).
G7 Foreign Ministers Declaration on Maritime Security and Prosperity
Media Note
March 14, 2025
The text of the following statement was released by the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union.
Begin Text:
We, the Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union, reaffirm the G7’s steadfast commitment to contribute towards a free, open, and secure maritime domain based on the rule of law that strengthens international security, fosters economic prosperity, and ensures the sustainable use of marine resources.
Maritime security and prosperity are fundamental to global stability, economic resilience, and the well-being of all nations, and the conservation and sustainable use of ocean ecosystems is essential to all life on Earth. Over 80% of global trade is transported by sea, and 97% of global data flows through submarine cables. Disruptions to maritime routes pose a direct threat to international food security, critical minerals, energy security, global supply chains, and economic stability. We express deep concern over the growing risks to maritime security, including strategic contestation, threats to freedom of navigation and overflight, and illicit shipping activities. State behaviour in these areas has increased the risk of conflict and environmental damage, and imperils all nations’ prosperity and living standards, especially for the world’s poorest.
We recognize the role of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as the legal framework for governing all activities in the oceans and the seas.
We recall the G7 Statements on Maritime Security adopted in Lübeck (2015) and Hiroshima (2016). We welcome related work presently underway through other G7 ministerial tracks and working groups, on a range of issues including securing undersea cable networks and combating abandoned fishing gear. We welcome, as well, G7 work relating to transnational organized crime and terrorism that touches on the maritime domain, including in relation to piracy and armed robbery at sea, trafficking in persons, and strengthening the maritime law enforcement capabilities of coastal states. We acknowledge the importance of regional maritime security frameworks, to support coastal states to address collectively threats to their maritime security. We welcome existing initiatives, such as the G7++ Friends of the Gulf of Guinea (G7++ FoGG, that Canada chairs this year), which has been, the primary forum for dialogue among G7 members and partners on maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.
Emerging Threat on Safe Seas and Freedom of Navigation and Overflight
Enhancing Stability: We underscore the importance of freedom of navigation and overflight and other internationally lawful uses of the high seas and the exclusive economic zones as well as to the related rights and freedoms in other maritime zones, including the rights of innocent passage, transit passage and archipelagic sea lanes passage, as provided for under international law. We share a growing concern at recent, unjustifiable efforts to restrict such freedom and to expand jurisdiction through use of force and other forms of coercion, including across the Taiwan Strait, and in the South China Sea, the Red Sea, and the Black Sea. We condemn China’s illicit, provocative, coercive and dangerous actions that seek unilaterally to alter the status quo in such a way as to risk undermining the stability of regions, including through land reclamations, and building of outposts, as well as their use for military purpose. In areas pending final delimitation, we underline the importance of coastal states refraining from unilateral actions that cause permanent physical change to the marine environment insofar as such actions jeopardize or hamper the reaching of the final agreement, as well as the importance of making every effort to enter into provisional arrangements of a practical nature, in those areas. We condemn, as well, dangerous vessel maneuvers, the indiscriminate attacks against commercial vessels and other maritime actions that undermine maritime order based on the rule of law and international law. We reiterate that the award rendered by the Arbitral Tribunal on 12 July 2016 is a significant milestone, which is legally binding upon the parties to those proceedings and a useful basis for peacefully resolving disputes between the parties. We reaffirm that our basic policies on Taiwan remain unchanged and emphasize the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as indispensable to international security and prosperity. We welcome the resumption of exports from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports. Freedom of navigation for commercial shipping in the Black Sea must be upheld.
Attempts to Change the Status Quo by Force: We oppose unilateral attempts to change the status quo, in particular by force or coercion including in the East and South China Seas. We undertake to implement means through which to track systematically and report on attempts to change the status quo by force and by the establishment of new geographical facts, including through coercive and dangerous actions on the oceans and seas that might threaten regional and international peace and security.
Protecting Critical Maritime and Undersea Infrastructure: We are seized of the fact that vital energy and telecommunications infrastructure under the oceans and seas connects our economies and is vital to our prosperity. We recall the G7 Joint Statement on Cable Connectivity for Secure and Resilient Digital Communications Networks (2024) and the New York Joint Statement on the Security and Resilience of Undersea Cables in a Globally Digitalized World (2024). We share a growing concern that undersea communications cables, subsea interconnectors and other critical undersea infrastructure have been subject to critical damage through sabotage, poor seamanship or irresponsible behaviour which have resulted in potential internet or energy disruption in affected regions, delays in global data transmission, or compromised sensitive communications. We will enhance our cooperation with industry mitigate risks, reduce bottlenecks to operational tasks while strengthening repair capacities in order to improve the overall resilience of critical undersea and maritime infrastructure. In this respect, we welcome the EU Action Plan on Cable Security adopted in February 2025 by the European Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
Maritime Crime: Maritime crime, including piracy, armed robbery at sea, maritime arms trafficking and sanctions evasion, human trafficking, illegal drug trafficking and Illegal, Unreported, Unregulated (IUU) Fishing, continues to impede maritime security, freedom of navigation, and our economy and prosperity. We have been working together to tackle these maritime crimes, but maritime illegal activities have extended into new areas, to become an urgent issue to be addressed. We welcome the G7 Action Plan to combat migrant smuggling adopted under Italy’s 2024 G7 Presidency.
Protecting Freedom of Trade: In the past year, indiscriminate Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have endangered maritime security of vessels and their crews, disturbed international trade, and exposed neighboring countries to environmental hazards. Enabled by Iran’s military, financial, and intelligence support, these illegal attacks have also contributed to increased tension in the Middle East and Yemen, with severe repercussions on the intra-Yemeni peace process. The vessel “Galaxy Leader” seized by the Houthis must be released immediately. We appreciate the efforts of all those countries that have engaged to ensure freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, protecting crucial shipping lanes and helping to restore regular flows of trade through the Suez Canal connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian and Pacific Oceans. In this regard, we commend the efforts of EU’s maritime operation “Aspides” and U.S.-led operation “Prosperity Guardian”.
Safe Shipping and Supply Chain Security
Curtailing Unsafe and Illicit Shipping Practices: The rise of unsafe and illicit shipping practices, including fraudulent registration and registries, poses a significant threat to global trade and environmental sustainability. We are concerned that unsafe and illicit shipping imposes heavy costs on industry, governments and citizens. Russia’s ability to earn revenue has been sustained through its extensive effort to circumvent the G7+ oil price cap policy through its shadow fleet of often older, underinsured, and poorly maintained ships that routinely disable their automatic identification systems or engage in “spoofing” to avoid detection and circumvent international safety, environmental, and liability rules and standards. North Korea continues to pursue its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes and evade sanctions, particularly through its illicit maritime activities, including prohibited ship to-ship transfers of petroleum and other UN-banned commodities. Through G7 coordination, we have exposed North Korea uses of “dark” vessels – those that engage in illicit activity – to circumvent United Nations Security Council mandated sanctions. Russia and North Korea are strengthening their economic relations including through maritime routes, such as the reported transfer of petroleum products from Russia to North Korea Unregulated, “dark” vessels undertake IUU fishing, destroying marine habitats and depleting fish stocks, with negative impacts for biodiversity and food security. Unregulated, inadequately insured “dark” vessels also pose a high risk of maritime accidents, including in fragile ecosystems such as the Arctic and Antarctic. We commit to strengthen our coordination, amongst the G7 and with other partners, to prevent the use of unregistered or fraudulently registered, uninsured and substandard vessels engaged in sanctions evasion, arms transfers, illegal fishing and illicit trade. We encourage relevant International Organizations to improve maritime domain awareness by expanding satellite-based vessel tracking and establishing comprehensive data records of the movement of individual ships and of ship-to-ship transfers, as a means of identifying and tracking illicit maritime activities. We are also committed to capacity building of the countries in the region in law enforcement and Maritime Domain Awareness.
Shadow Fleet Task Force: We invite members of the Nordic-Baltic 8 (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden), and possibly others, to join participating G7 members in a Shadow Fleet Task Force to enhance monitoring and detection and to otherwise constrain the use of shadow fleets engaged in illegal, unsafe or environmentally perilous activities, building on the work of others active in this area. The Task Force will constitute a response by the participating States to the call by the International Maritime Organization in its Resolution A.1192(33) of 6 December 2023 for Members States and all relevant stakeholders to promote actions to prevent illegal operations in the maritime sector by shadow fleets and their flag states, including illegal operations for the purposes of circumventing sanctions, evading compliance with safety or environmental regulations, avoiding insurance costs, or engaging in other illegal activities.
Enhancing Maritime Supply Chain Resilience and Energy and Food Security: Maritime supply chains will continue to underpin the global economy, but these face a variety of threats, both present and future, stemming from both geopolitical tensions and environmental factors. Maritime disruptions raise consumer costs, increase transit times, and can reduce demand in importing countries, which in turn means lower revenues and diminished competitiveness for producers in exporting countries. Such vulnerabilities in maritime transport can undermine energy and food security, particularly for developing nations reliant on stable shipping routes, including Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs). We welcome maritime initiatives involving and supported by G7 partners intended to promote energy and food security, such as the Grain from Ukraine scheme, and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. We invite cooperation with the African Union (pursuant to Africa’s Integrated Maritime Strategy 2050) and other relevant International Organizations to identify best practices for enhancing maritime supply chain resilience and for safeguarding energy and food security, including in times of geopolitical crisis.
Promoting Safe and Resilient Ports and Strategic Waterways: Port ownership and operational control matter to national security, as foreign control or influence over critical port infrastructure can create vulnerabilities in trade, in defense and security, and in economic stability. Port resilience is also crucial to economic stability and global trade and yet ports face growing risks from environmental degradation, extreme weather events and geopolitical conflicts. Strengthening port security and modernizing infrastructure are essential to maintaining safe and efficient maritime trade. Ensuring that the ownership and management of strategic waterways and key maritime choke points are not vulnerable to undue influence by potential adversaries is also essential to national security. We underscore the importance of scrutiny of ownership structures and port management and resilience within our own national jurisdictions, including with regard to Information and Communications Technology (ICT) systems, to ensure that adversaries do not gain leverage over supply chains, military operations, or the flow of strategic resources. We will work with partners and with relevant International Organizations to encourage robust cybersecurity standards for port ICT infrastructure, to increase resilience against malicious cyber incidents on maritime logistical networks, to reduce monopolistic power over key supply chain nodes, to promote secure and transparent port ownership, to limit unsolicited or undue foreign influence over critical infrastructures and strategic waterways, and to otherwise encourage greater focus on such potential vulnerabilities.
Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) at sea poses a significant hazard to the marine environment, to the safety of fishermen and other users of the maritime space, and to various marine economic activities. We commit to enhancing diplomatic efforts and to exchanging best practices among national authorities, relevant international and regional organizations, and relevant industry sectors to accelerate the clean-up of UXO from the seas and ocean.
Sustainable Stewardship of Maritime Resources
Strengthen Enforcement Against IUU Fishing: IUU fishing is a major contributor to declining fish stocks and to marine habitat destruction. It may account for a third of all fishing activity worldwide, at a cost to the global economy of more than US$23 billion per year and with negative consequences for fisheries as an enduring economic asset, including for developing countries. We welcome the Canadian-led Dark Vessel Detection System in Ecuador, Peru, Costa Rica, the Philippines, and members of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) and would see value in replicating the model to support other partners whose fisheries are under threat from IUU fishing. We recognize that data sharing and transparency play a key role in this fight by exposing bad actors and that technological advances can support a robust Monitoring, Control and Surveillance and enforcement landscape. We encourage further progress in addressing IUU fishing, working with and through relevant International Organizations to establish and strengthen rules to sustainably manage fish stocks on the high seas and to improve the enforcement of these measures, including through the further development of detection technologies, aircraft patrols and high seas boarding and inspection of vessels, building upon the 2022 G7 Ocean Deal.
We welcome the Third UN Ocean Conference, in Nice, France, from 9 to 13 June 2025.
PARTNERSHIPS
This G7 Maritime Security and Prosperity Declaration provides a framework for cooperation with non-G7 Partners, including countries hosting major ports, large merchant fleets, or extensive flag registries as well as relevant regional and International Organizations, such as the International Maritime Organization and ASEAN. We would welcome robust cooperation with Partners to take forward the goals set out in this Declaration, consistent with the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, under the efforts of the G7 countries, including a free, open, prosperous and secure Indo-Pacific region, to build a free and open maritime order based on the rule of law, and of commitment to the sustainable development of the world’s maritime spaces.
We welcome the cooperation on Coast Guard Functions, including the Global Coast Guard Forum hosted by Italy in 2025, as well as the Arctic Coast Guard Forum, which could also support the objectives of this Declaration.
Designation of Former President of Argentina and Former Minister of Planning of Argentina for Involvement in Significant Corruption
Press Statement
March 21, 2025
Today, I am announcing the designation of Cristina Elisabet Fernandez de Kirchner (“CFK”), former president of Argentina, and Julio Miguel De Vido (“De Vido”), former Minister of Planning of Argentina, for their involvement in significant corruption during their time in public office. This action renders CFK, De Vido, and their immediate family members generally ineligible for entry into the United States.
CFK and De Vido abused their positions by orchestrating and financially benefitting from multiple bribery schemes involving public works contracts, resulting in millions of dollars stolen from the Argentine government. Multiple courts have convicted CFK and De Vido for corruption, undermining the Argentine people’s and investors’ confidence in Argentina’s future.
The United States will continue to promote accountability for those who abuse public power for personal gain. These designations reaffirm our commitment to counter global corruption, including at the highest levels of government.
These public designations are made under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2024 (Div. F, P.L. 118-47), as carried forward by the Continuing Appropriations, 2025 (Div. A, H.R. 1968) (“Section 7031(c)”). Section 7031(c) requires the Secretary of State to publicly or privately designate foreign officials and their immediate family members about whom the Secretary has credible information of involvement in significant corruption or a gross violation of human rights.
Secretary Rubio’s Meeting with Danish Foreign Minister Rasmussen
Readout
April 3, 2025
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce:
Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen today in Brussels. Secretary Rubio reaffirmed the strong relationship between the United States and the Kingdom of Denmark. They discussed shared priorities including increasing NATO defense spending and burden sharing, and addressing the threats to the Alliance, including those posed by Russia and China. They also reviewed ongoing coordination to enhance stability and security in Europe and to secure an enduring peace in Ukraine.