NewzIntel.com

Category: United States of America

  • MIL-OSI USA: Higgins Leads Freedom Caucus Letter Urging Fiscal Reforms and Topline Spending Reductions

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA) and members of the House Freedom Caucus sent a letter to the House Appropriations Committee requesting that the committee write and report Fiscal Year 2026 bills in line with President Trump’s goal of fighting waste, fraud, and abuse in federal government programs.

    “President Trump and his Administration have led the fight against waste, fraud, and abuse in federal government programs. President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has revealed some of the worst abuses against American taxpayers, most notably within the liberal U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Under the Biden Administration, USAID undermined traditional American policies and core principles across the world through the financing and support of radical leftist priorities. The Appropriations process provides Congress with an opportunity to demonstrate our shared commitment to fighting waste, fraud, and abuse by codifying DOGE cuts and embracing the America First agenda,” the lawmakers wrote.

    The letter concludes with a request to reduce spending to pre-COVID levels, “In order to meet the budget resolution spending goal in the annual appropriations process, we respectfully request that the Appropriations Committee write and report bills consistent with President Trump’s FY26 budget request that include adjustments initiated by DOGE and reduce non-defense, non-veterans, discretionary spending to pre-COVID levels.”

    Read the full letter here.

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: For L-374 retiree, giving back is a way of life

    Source: US International Brotherhood of Boilermakers

    Community service isn’t something John Beebe does. It’s much more than that. It’s who he is. The Local 374 (Hobart, Indiana) retiree has spent a lifetime giving back, volunteering, helping others, selflessly going the extra mile and stepping up. It’s not a brag. He doesn’t need a pat on the back.

    It’s just who John Beebe is.

    Beebe is well known as a go-to volunteer and overall champion for the Lake Area United Way; Lakeshore Area Regional Recovery of Indiana; the town of Highland and Lake County, Indiana, where he lives; the Northern Indiana Area Labor Federation-AFL-CIO, which he served as Boilermaker liaison for 61 years; his Methodist church disaster relief team; and Scouting America. Especially Scouting.

    Serving others may have taken root when he joined the Boy Scouts as a kid—and with 73 years of Scouting under his belt, those are some deep roots. 

    “What intrigued me was the outdoors,” he says of his venture into Cub Scouts in 1952. He also admits, “I didn’t want to stay at home, because my mother would have me washing dishes.”

    If avoiding work was part of his motivation, the irony is that Scouts propelled him many years on a path that would hone his dedication to discipline, hard work and service to others. He eventually earned his Eagle Scout, went into the Scout’s Exploring program and was working as a lifeguard when a fellow Scouting enthusiast and Boilermaker recruited him to work a shipbuilding job. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to do for a career, and he thought it could be a start. Turns out he had a knack for welding. After working a bit, then a short layoff and callback, he was told he’d be sworn in as a L-374 Boilermaker.

    Then came a war. Beebe was drafted and served in Vietnam. When he returned home, he took just a few weeks off before getting back to work. From then on, one job led to another, with his well-earned reputation as a good, hard worker and Eagle Scout serving him through the ranks.

    In one instance, he was called by a contractor to interview for a superintendent job he hadn’t applied to at Bethlehem Steele. They had his resume and wanted to talk to him, so he drove out and met with several gentlemen, one who sat against a wall and didn’t speak. At the end of it all, he was told to go get a cup of coffee. The silent man joined him and said, “Congratulations, you’re going to get hired. Those three guys work for me, and you’re getting hired because you’re an Eagle Scout. Eagle Scouts have leadership skills, and I know, because I’m an Eagle Scout.”

    Beebe has kept the cycle of goodwill going, volunteering his time with local Scouting throughout his life. Upon his return from Vietnam, he says the local program told him: “Boy we are glad to see you! You’re the new Scout advisor!”

    He’s remained close with the five men who earned their Eagle Scouts with him—they still get together once a month. His wife, who passed away in 1995, was an Explorer Advisor for the Scouts, and his kids were all into Scouting. He’s served the local Scouting Council and on the regional board.

    “It’s a good way to keep your kids off the street and out of trouble,” he says. “You never hear of an Eagle Scout getting into trouble.”

    With his background, it’s no surprise that organizations like United Way, area labor federation and other organizations have eagerly recruited Beebe over the years to fundraise, lend his leadership skills or literally lend a hand. 

    When areas of Munster, Indiana, flooded in 2010 and destroyed over 3,000 properties, Beebe was among multi-craft union members working side-by-side to clean up neighborhoods. He was also instrumental in assessing and reporting critical needs and where help was most needed. Lakeshore Area Regional Recovery of Indiana gave him an award for that. 

    His contributions over decades with the Northern Indiana Area Labor Federation-AFL-CIO earned him the prestigious George Meanie Award. United Way presented him with a Lifetime Achievement Award. He’s met an astronaut, former First Lady Laura Bush and former Vice President Mike Pence. He’s even been recognized as a “Distinguished Hoosier” by the then-Indiana State Governor Mitch Daniels.

    But that’s not why he’s done it all.

    “I give back as much as I can,” he says. “This is your home. This is where you live. We all need to take care of our community. Everything I do, I seem to have a lot of fun. I don’t want to be parked in front of a TV in a chair, so I stay busy.” 

    He has a solid reputation for staying busy helping others.

    “Brother Beebe is an example of what brotherhood means. He is someone Local 374, the labor movement and his community can count on—not out of obligation, but because he really cares about helping others,” says IVP-Great Lakes Dan Sulivan.

    When Beebe addresses families during Eagle Scout presentations, he encourages the Scouts’ parents to read the definition of the Citizenship Merit Badges and what it takes to earn them. Those badges focus on a person’s responsibility to their nation, the community and society.

    “Read them tonight or tomorrow, then go back and read them again in a few days to understand what your child went through,” he says is his advice. “They don’t teach that in school anymore.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: RGA Statement on the Latest Liberal Democrat Entering Iowa’s Gubernatorial Race

    Source: US Republican Governors Association

    The following text contains opinion that is not, or not necessarily, that of MIL-OSI –

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Republican Governors Association (RGA) released the following response to Julie Stauch entering Iowa’s gubernatorial race:

    “Stauch has been a part of the Democrat establishment for decades, railing against Iowa Republicans’ work to cut taxes, protect girls’ sports, and make government more efficient and effective,” said RGA Communications Director Courtney Alexander. “As the Democrat primary heats up, Iowans will see that Democrats only offer more of the same: higher taxes and a radically liberal, out-of-touch agenda.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Alan Wilson announces $7.4 Billion settlement against Purdue Pharma, Sackler Family for fueling Opioid CrisisRead More

    Source: US State of South Carolina

    (COLUMBIA, S.C.) – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson today announced a major legal victory in the fight to hold those responsible for the opioid crisis accountable. A bipartisan coalition of attorneys general has reached a $7.4 billion settlement in principle with members of the Sackler family and their company, Purdue Pharma, Inc., for their role in creating and driving one of the most devastating public health crises in American history.

    “South Carolina will stop at nothing to protect its citizens and deliver justice to those who have been harmed. I have fought for years to ensure Purdue and the Sacklers face real accountability, and we will continue to pursue every avenue to stand up for the people of this state,” said Attorney General Wilson. “The Sackler family knowingly drove an epidemic that shattered families and took thousands of lives. This settlement sends a powerful and unmistakable message: if you profit from the suffering and death of South Carolinians, we will hold you accountable, no matter how powerful you are.”

    Purdue, under the Sacklers’ leadership, invented, manufactured, and aggressively marketed opioid products for decades, fueling waves of addiction and overdose deaths across the country. Their actions led to widespread addiction, suffering, and death in communities across the country including in South Carolina.

    The settlement permanently removes the Sacklers from control of Purdue and prohibits them from ever selling opioids in the United States again. South Carolina is expected to receive approximately $72.8 million over the next 15 years as part of this landmark settlement. Funding will go directly to communities across the country to support opioid addiction treatment, prevention, and recovery programs.

    South Carolina joins a coalition of attorneys general from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Urges Court to Dismiss Challenge to California Law Limiting Use of State and Local Resources for Immigration Enforcement

    Source: US State of California

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a motion to dismiss Huntington Beach’s meritless lawsuit challenging Senate Bill (SB) 54 – also known as “the California Values Act” – which limits the use of state and local resources in federal immigration enforcement. The motion to dismiss contends that Huntington Beach lacks standing to challenge SB 54. Following a challenge from the first Trump Administration to SB 54, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in 2019 upheld the California Values Act, holding that “SB 54 does not directly conflict with any obligations that [federal law] impose[s] on state or local governments.”  United States v. California, 921 F.3d 865, 887, 889 (9th Cir. 2019). 

    “California made a choice when it passed SB 54: To use our resources to protect public safety and to maintain trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve.” said Attorney General Bonta. “But instead of focusing on this vital responsibility, Huntington Beach is attempting to relitigate settled law in a misguided attempt to divert its limited resources to federal immigration enforcement. I respectfully urge the court to dismiss this meritless lawsuit.”

    In 2017, California enacted SB 54, also known as the California Values Act, declaring that a “relationship of trust between California’s immigrant community and local agencies is central to the public safety of the people of California,” that “[t]his trust is threatened when state and local agencies are entangled with federal immigration enforcement,” and that “[e]ntangling state and local agencies with federal immigration enforcement programs diverts already limited resources and blurs the lines of accountability between local, state, and federal governments.” Under SB 54:

    • California law enforcement agencies are prohibited from investigating, interrogating, detaining, or arresting persons for immigration enforcement purposes;
    • California law enforcement agencies may not allow officers to be supervised by federal agencies or deputized for immigration enforcement purposes;
    • California law enforcement agencies may not enter into new contracts with the federal government to house or detain noncitizens in a locked detention facility for purposes of immigration custody; and
    • California law enforcement agencies are prohibited from participating in joint law enforcement task forces where the primary purpose of the task force is immigration enforcement. 

    Nothing in SB 54 prohibits a California law enforcement agency from investigating, detaining, or arresting individuals for criminal activity under state or federal law. SB 54 provides some exceptions for coordination with federal immigration enforcement, including but not limited to, transfers of individuals convicted of certain felonies and misdemeanors. 

    In 2018, the first Trump Administration filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of SB 54. On appeal, the Ninth Circuit affirmed that “California has the right, pursuant to the anticommandeering rule [derived from the Tenth Amendment], to refrain from assisting with federal efforts.” United States v. California, 921 F.3d at 873. When the Trump administration subsequently asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review that decision, the Court denied the request, leaving the Ninth Circuit’s decision and SB 54 in place.

    In the motion to dismiss filed with the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Attorney General Bonta argues that the district court lacks subject matter jurisdiction over the case, including because Huntington Beach lacks standing under longstanding Ninth Circuit precedent holding that local governments may not challenge the validity of state statutes under federal law in federal court.  

    Attorney General Bonta is committed to protecting, defending, and enforcing the rights of California immigrants. Following President Trump’s election, the Attorney General hosted a series of regional convenings with immigrant rights groups, elected officials, and others in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento, Salinas, and San Diego. He also released guidance to help California immigrants better understand their rights and protections under the law and to assist public institutions, law enforcement, and prosecutors in complying with SB 54 and other applicable state laws. More on the Attorney General’s work and the full set of resources are available at oag.ca.gov/immigrant/.  

    A copy of the motion is available here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: AG Labrador Announces Arrest of Idaho Falls Man for Alleged Sexual Exploitation of a Child

    Source: US State of Idaho

    Home Newsroom AG Labrador Announces Arrest of Idaho Falls Man for Alleged Sexual Exploitation of a Child

    BOISE — Attorney General Raúl Labrador has announced investigators within his Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force arrested twenty-three-year-old Joel Clarke on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, for possession and distribution of child sexual exploitation material. Clarke was charged with three counts of distribution of child sexual exploitation material and seven counts of possession of child sexual exploitation material.
    “My office will continue to pursue allegations of child exploitation,” said Attorney General Labrador. “We will continue to work tirelessly to protect children in Idaho and ensure that individuals accused of such heinous offenses are brought before the court to answer for these alleged crimes.”
    Members of the Idaho ICAC Task Force who assisted with the arrest include the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, and Madison County Sheriff’s Office. 
    Anyone with information regarding the exploitation of children is encouraged to contact local police, the Attorney General’s ICAC Unit at 208-947-8700, or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678. 
    The Attorney General’s ICAC Unit works with the Idaho ICAC Task Force, a coalition of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, to investigate and prosecute individuals who use the internet to criminally exploit children.
    Parents, educators, and law enforcement officials can find more information and helpful resources at the ICAC website, ICACIdaho.org.
    The charges listed above are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Sentenced to Seven and One Half Years in Federal Prison for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of Victim in Marin Headlands

    Source: US FBI

    SAN FRANCISCO – Esbin Ramirez-Garcia was sentenced today to 90 months in federal prison for committing aggravated sexual abuse while on federal land.  Senior U.S. District Judge William Alsup handed down the sentence.

    Ramirez-Garcia, 28, a national of Mexico, pleaded guilty on Feb. 25, 2025, to one count of aggravated sexual abuse in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2241(a).  According to the plea agreement, Ramirez-Garcia admitted that late in the evening on Aug. 2, 2024, while giving the victim, with whom he had a prior relationship, a ride from her workplace in his truck, he asked her to get back together with him.  The victim refused to resume their relationship and asked to be let out of the vehicle, but Ramirez-Garcia grabbed her with his hand and continued driving, forcing her to accompany him.

    Ramirez-Garcia deviated from the route to the victim’s home and drove his truck to a parking lot in the Marin Headlands, which is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.  Ramirez-Garcia forcibly placed his body on top of the victim’s body while she sat in the passenger seat and sexually assaulted her.

    United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani, and National Park Service Investigative Services Branch Acting Special Agent in Charge Betsy Smith made the announcement.  

    In addition to the prison term, Judge Alsup also sentenced the defendant to a 10-year period of supervised release and ordered that he participate in a sex offense-specific treatment program, among other conditions.  The defendant was immediately remanded into custody.

    Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Chen and Assistant U.S. Attorney E. Wistar Wilson prosecuted the case with the assistance of Sara Slattery, Maureen French, and Fernanda Gonzalez.  This prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch. 
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt Briefs Members of the Media, June 3, 2025

    Source: United States of America – The White House (video statements)

    The White House

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9KW7xNK02E

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEW: Trump Continues to Block At Least $425 Billion Dollars in Funding Owed to American People 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    Murray, DeLauro release updated tally of federal funds Trump is freezing—hurting communities across the country  
    ***VIEW UPDATED TRACKER HERE***
    Washington, D.C. — Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, released updated information detailing how President Trump is freezing at least $425 billion in federal funding that Congress has promised to communities across the country.
    The updated tracker, which Senator Murray and Congresswoman DeLauro first made public in April, chronicles how President Trump and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought are brazenly violating federal laws and choking off critical investments that families, businesses, and local governments across America depend on.
    This update comes as Trump and Vought seek to ask Congress to rescind a small fraction of the funding they have been illegally blocking, and as Vought vowed over the weekend to continue illegally impounding funding. 
    In a statement, Senator Murray and Congresswoman DeLauro said: 
    “President Trump continues to block hundreds of billions of dollars that have been signed into law, and it is families, farmers, small businesses, and communities in every part of the country who are suffering the consequences. 
    “While he works to kick millions off their health care and pad his own pockets with new tax breaks for billionaires, President Trump is choking off funding to lower the cost of living for families, create good jobs, and keep our communities safe. 
    “This administration’s unprecedented assault on our nation’s spending laws is costing the American people dearly. Students have seen critical support ripped away, disaster survivors are waiting on funds to be unfrozen, and cancer patients are seeing their best hope for treatment thrown into a shredder. Communities have suddenly lost resources to protect people from disease, tackle violent crime, and address the substance use crisis. And all across America, people are losing their jobs as President Trump freezes and cancels investments in energy projects, cutting-edge scientific research, community service, and so much else. 
    “We are going to continue shining a light on how President Trump’s sweeping, illegal funding freeze is hurting working people everywhere.” 
    As the updated tracker details, President Trump has—through a variety of different means—frozen, cancelled, clawed back, illegally impounded, and slow-walked federal funding for all manner of key priorities. Among much else, this includes investments in:  
    Critical research into Alzheimer’s disease, women’s health, cancer, diabetes, and much more, throwing research already conducted into the shredder and setting back treatments and cures.
    Mental health services and support for students across the country. 
    Public safety, including COPS grants, Office of Violence Against Women grants, and programs to help victims of crime.  
    Relief for states and communities responding to and recovering from natural disasters.  
    Cutting-edge scientific research, which advances breakthrough innovation and boost economic development. 
    Farmers and local agriculture businesses, making it more expensive for hardworking people to run their farms and cutting off research they count on.  
    School lunches and food for child care institutions at the detriment of the farmers who rely on these local markets.   
    Head Start, with unacceptable funding lags leading to program closures and costly uncertainty for providers and parents alike.  
    Critical investments in transportation projects—for roads and bridges, airports, public transit, ports, and more—and energy projects across the country that are creating new, good jobs and lowering families’ monthly energy bills.  
    Our national security and efforts to prevent and end global conflicts.   
    Essential health services like birth control and cancer screenings for over 800,000 patients—and resources to protect people from public health threats.
    Since the tracker was last updated, a small number of funds have begun flowing, but new funds have been frozen or cancelled, as well. The upshot remains: the president is blocking over $425 billion in enacted funding.
    About the Tracker 
    The tracker offers a snapshot-in-time look at the vast array of federal funding that should be going out the door, but that President Trump—in an unprecedented scheme—is holding up or actively fighting in court to block.   
    The tracker is not comprehensive or exhaustive—but it catalogs a wide range of investments that this administration is choking off, in many cases illegally. Compiled by the Democratic staffs of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, the tracker details the minimum amount of federal funding the Committees believe the administration is currently freezing, cancelling, or fighting in court to block. It does not detail tens of billions of dollars in funding that President Trump has previously frozen but finally allowed to flow—and it cannot measure the incredible cost of President Trump’s illegal funding freezes to American families, businesses, and communities. Additionally, it does not capture the wide range of funding at serious risk of not going out the door because of President Trump’s unprecedented mass firings or the full range of fiscal year 2025 funding that has yet to be awarded or disbursed, but that should be flowing. 
    In some instances, there are programs and priorities listed in the tracker that courts have ordered the Trump administration to release—rebuking President Trump’s unprecedented assault on our spending laws. Funding for those programs is listed because the Trump administration is actively fighting in court to block it; any relief provided by the courts at this stage is only temporary; and because this administration has over the last several months—whether through intentional defiance or sheer incompetence—repeatedly failed to get funding to its intended recipients even when ordered by a court to do so.
    In addition to flagrantly violating our nation’s spending laws, President Trump and Russ Vought are also taking every step they can to hide what they are doing from the American people. Despite repeatedly vowing to have the “most transparent administration in history,” President Trump has led an administration that has systematically obscured its spending actions and the actions of DOGE, failed to provide responses to oversight requests from Congress, refused to answer basic questions from the press, taken down a key website that OMB is required to publicly post spending decisions on in clear defiance of the law, and failed to submit detailed plans to the Appropriations Committees showing how this administration is spending fiscal year 2025 funding, as required by law. The unprecedented lack of transparency and responsiveness makes tracking what funding is being blocked all the more difficult, and it remains the Trump administration’s responsibility to not only begin to follow our spending laws but to explain its actions to date.  
    The updated database, which captures funding held up as of June 3, can be found on the Senate and House Appropriations Committees’ websites.  
    An earlier version of the tracker, which captures funding held up as of April 29, is available HERE. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: MYTHBUSTER: The One Big Beautiful Bill Isn’t “Bad” for Families — It’s the Opposite

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Whitehouse
    HOAX: The One Big Beautiful Bill is “bad for our families.”
    FACT: Democrats have totally lost the plot — opposing middle class tax cuts, an expanded child tax credit, border security, and more.
    They’re opposing the largest tax cut in history, which will put an extra $5,000 in their pockets with a double-digit percent decrease to their tax bills. In fact, Americans earning between $30,000 and $80,000 will pay around 15% less in taxes.
    They’re opposing NO TAX ON TIPS for the millions of Americans who work in the service industry and NO TAX ON OVERTIME for law enforcement, nurses, and more.
    They’re opposing historic tax cuts for senior citizens.
    They’re opposing a boost to the child tax credit.
    They’re opposing new savings accounts for newborns and the chance for children across America to experience the miracle of compounded growth.
    They’re opposing expanded access to childcare for hardworking American families.
    They’re opposing historic border security to keep their communities safe.
    They’re opposing expanded health savings accounts that give Americans greater choice and flexibility in how they spend their money.
    They’re opposing scholarships that empower Americans to choose the education that best fits the needs of their families.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 15,000 Attend Congresswoman Stansbury Town Halls Across New Mexico

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01)

    ALBUQUERQUE — This week, Representative Melanie Stansbury (NM-01)wrapped up a Town Hall Tour across New Mexico, reaching more than 15,000 New Mexicans across 10 counties and 12 cities and towns with 15 events.

    The Congresswoman traveled across New Mexico’s 1st Congressional District, covering a large swath of central New Mexico—holding town halls in Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Bernalillo, Tijeras, Moriarty, Fort Sumner, Carrizozo, Placitas, Corrales, Roswell, and Ruidoso and Mescalero. She also held virtual and telephone town halls for those who could not make it in person. Rep. Stansbury also consulted and met with a number of Pueblo and Tribal Nations, including those in the district, the All Pueblo Council of Governors and individual Pueblos, the Mescalero Apache Nation, and Navajo Nation Council members.

    “The most important thing Members of Congress can do right now is listen to the people they represent and do their jobs,” said Rep. Melanie Stansbury (NM-01).  “Americans across the country are deeply concerned about what is happening to American democracy, the federal government, and our communities—and they deserve answers. That is why I traveled to every corner of our district to listen to New Mexicans and answer questions. It is my duty to serve the people, and that’s exactly what we’re doing—fighting to protect Social Security, Medicaid, and vital programs our people depend on.”

    Across the district, the same questions were asked in rural, tribal, urban, large, and small communities alike. The top five issues raised by New Mexicans at all fifteen Town Halls included: 

    1. What Elon Musk, DOGE, and the Trump Administration are doing with Americans’ private data, mass firings, the dismantling of agencies, and how it all can be stopped. 
    2. Cuts to Social Security, Medicaid, and other vital programs. 
    3. Attacks on American civil liberties, due process, and the Constitution. 
    4. Attacks on voting rights, including the potential passage of the SAVE Act, and protecting free and fair elections going forward. 
    5. How Congress can protect New Mexicans and continue to fight back. 

    Congresswoman Stansbury now returns to Washington for a three-week Congressional work schedule that will include Republican-led hearings on a large tax and reconciliation package that could impact millions of Americans on Medicaid and food assistance. Congresswoman Stansbury returns armed with feedback and stories from New Mexicans on both sides of the aisle who are deeply concerned about what is happening in Washington. 

    Find photos and videos from the town halls here.  

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Stansbury on Trump’s “Skinny” Budget to Congress: The Great Betrayal Continues


    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01)

    22.6% reduction in critical programs threatens millions of American lives, including critical programs for schools, healthcare, the opioid epidemic, clean water, and tribal programs

    WASHINGTON D.C. — Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury (NM-01) released the following statement after President Trump delivered a “skinny” version of his Fiscal Year 2026 President’s Budget request to Congress on Friday: 

    
 “Today, Donald Trump delivered his first President’s Budget request to Congress, and it should tell you everything you need to know about his priorities: that they are all about gutting vital programs over meeting the needs of the American people,” said Rep. Melanie Stansbury (NM-01). “This is the President’s Great Betrayal once again, following on his massive tax package gutting social programs and ongoing tariffs that are driving economic instability and increased costs for the American people. Trump’s budget would gut vital programs by over 22% across all major federal programs—including those crucial to funding our schools, mental and behavioral health programs, clean water and air, and tribal programs. This is America under DOGE. And, I will continue to fight it every step of the way.” 

    Today, President Donald Trump transmitted a FY 2026 “Skinny” Budget to Congress, proposing over $163 billion in cuts, totaling more than a 22% reduction in funding for non-defense discretionary spending, representing cuts across vital federal agencies, including, among many others: 

    • $33.3 billion in cuts (a 26.2% decrease) to the Department of Health and Human Services
    • $33.6 billion in cuts (a 43.6% decrease) to the Department of Housing and Urban Development
    • $5.1 billion in cuts (a 30.5% decrease) for the Department of the Interior, including hundreds of millions in cuts to the Bureau of Indian Affairs
    • $4.535 billion in cuts to the Department of Education’s K-12 Programs and billions more to early childhood education and other programs 
    • $1.065 billion in cuts to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 
    • $2.460 billion in cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds 
       

    Among additional cuts that could significantly impact New Mexico and New Mexico’s First Congressional District include: 

    • $617 million in funding cuts to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) serving Tribal and Pueblo Nations (including $107 million in cuts for BIA Public Safety & Justice programs and 187 million in cuts to the Bureau of Indian Education) 
    • The elimination of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). which helps low-income families with heating and utility costs
    • $900 million in cuts to the National Park System 
    • Billions in cuts to infrastructure, clean energy, and Department of Energy programs vital to New Mexico’s economy.

    This FY 2026 Proposal for agency funding cuts follows on the special tax and spending package Trump and the GOP are trying to pass separately through a Budget Reconciliation package this spring. This disastrous package would have catastrophic impacts for the country and NM-01. This tax package includes $7 trillion in giveaways to billionaires and big corporations, including a $314,266 average annual tax cut for the richest 0.1 percent, funded through almost $5 trillion in deficit spending and cuts to vital programs like Medicaid and food assistance.

    Among its impacts for New Mexico’s First Congressional District include:  

    • Healthcare insurance premiums could increase by 60% – 169%  
    • 207,936 people on Medicaid could be at risk of losing health care access and benefits, including 85,960 children under the age of 19 and 22,000 seniors over 65 
    • 153,000 people on SNAP could be impacted in their ability to access benefits that help put food on the table. 
    • 216,669 children who rely on free school lunches could be impacted 
    • 15,721 students in NM-01 on Pell grants could be impacted 

    For a table with more information on these cuts, click here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Garbarino, LaLota Welcome U.S. Secretary of Labor to Long Island for Workforce Development Tour

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Andrew Garbarino (R-NY)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Long Island Congressmen Andrew R. Garbarino (R-NY-02) and Nick LaLota (R-NY-01) today proudly welcomed U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer to Long Island for a workforce development tour highlighting local training programs and labor partnerships. 

    The tour began at the Local 290 Training Center in Hauppauge, where the Secretary, along with Rep. Garbarino, Rep. LaLota, and key leaders from the North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters (NASRCC), observed hands-on training in welding, framing, and acoustical work, and engaged with apprentices in the lecture hall. 

    Following the visit, the delegation traveled to Suffolk County Community College in Brentwood to explore the National Offshore Wind Training Center (NOWTC) partnership, a cutting-edge program preparing local workers for jobs in the emerging offshore wind industry. The group toured specialized training facilities focused on fire awareness, sea survival, and working-at-heights safety.

    “Long Island has long been a leader in workforce innovation, and today’s visit showcased the strong partnerships between labor, education, and government that are building pathways to good-paying jobs for local workers,” said Rep. Garbarino. “From apprentices learning the trades at Local 290 to advanced technical training programs at Suffolk County Community College, these initiatives are not only equipping our workforce with the skills they need — they’re also strengthening Long Island’s economic future. I thank Secretary Chavez-DeRemer for making the trip and recognizing the importance of continued investment in our skilled workforce.”

    ”Labor Secretary Chavez-DeRemer’s visit to Suffolk County and her engagement with Long Island’s blue-collar labor leaders highlight the new Republican Party’s commitment to supporting both business growth and hardworking Americans through fair wages, safe working conditions, and expanded opportunities,” said Rep. LaLota. “To keep our region competitive, we must continue investing in workforce development and modern infrastructure. In Congress, I’ll keep fighting for commonsense solutions that strengthen job training, connect workers to good-paying careers, and grow Long Island’s economy from the ground up.”

    “Long Island’s skilled workforce is thriving under President Trump’s leadership, with thousands of new jobs created since he took office. I saw that firsthand today – from top-notch training programs to the small businesses driving local growth. When we invest in skills and opportunity, we empower our men and women to build better lives. I look forward to continuing to work with Congressmen Garbarino and LaLota to advance President Trump’s America First agenda and deliver for American workers,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer.

    “The Carpenters were honored to host the Secretary and our local members of Congress, and we look forward to continuing our work together on behalf of our members and all blue collar workers across Long Island and throughout New York State. The construction industry is critical to New York’s economy, and our world-class training center ensures that the next generation of carpenters have the skills they need to be successful,” said Anthony Villa, Local 290 Business Manager, North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters.

    The visit brought together leadership from local labor unions, educational institutions, and county agencies, reflecting a collaborative effort to strengthen the pipeline of talent supporting Long Island’s construction, energy, and manufacturing sectors.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pinedale Man Admits Guilt in Violent Knife Attack

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Pinedale man pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon after slashing a man’s throat during a confrontation.

    According to court records, on February 17, 2025, Laberto Curley, 25, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, used a knife to slash John Doe’s throat during a physical altercation, resulting is serious bodily injury.

    At sentencing, Curley faces a maximum of 10 years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Curley will be subject to up to three years of supervised release.

    U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

    The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jesse Pecoraro is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Illegal alien sent to federal prison for trafficking over $1 million in cocaine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    McALLEN, Texas – A 41-year-old Mexican national illegally in the United States has been ordered to prison for possessing narcotics with the intent to distribute, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas Ganjei.

    Rolando Banda-Lucero pleaded guilty Oct. 31, 2024.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Banda-Lucero to serve 37 months in federal prison. 

    At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence Banda-Lucero did not have status to be in the country and got involved in narcotics trafficking for money. In handing down the sentence, Judge Crane noted the straightforward facts of the case and Banda-Lucero’s clear role as a courier. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following the sentence.

    On Oct. 25, 2023, Banda-Lucero was to deliver narcotics in Pharr. Authorities conducted surveillance within a shopping center and observed a white work van pull into a parking spot.

    Banda-Lucero exited the passenger side of the van and provided a duffel bag over to who he thought was the purchaser. The bag contained 20 bundles which had an approximate weight of 22.5 kilograms and tested positive for cocaine.

    The drugs had an estimated street value of $1.2 million.  

    Banda-Lucero will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Garcia prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two West Covina Women Arrested on Indictment Alleging $4.8 Million Hospice Services Scheme to Defraud Medicare

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – The owner and operator of two West Covina hospices was arrested today on a 14-count federal grand jury indictment alleging she filed more than $4.8 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare – which paid more than $3.8 million on those claims – for medically unnecessary services for people not terminally ill and for paying kickbacks to marketers to procure patients.

    Normita Sierra, 71, a.k.a. “Normie,” of West Covina, is charged with nine counts of health care fraud, one count of conspiracy, and four counts of illegal remuneration for health care referrals.

    Also arrested today was Rowena Elegado, 55, a.k.a. “Weng,” also of West Covina, who is charged with one count of conspiracy, and four counts of illegal remuneration for health care referrals. 

    Both defendants are expected to make their initial appearances and be arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.

    According to the indictment, Sierra owned and operated Golden Meadows Hospice Inc., and D’Alexandria Hospice Inc., which billed Medicare for hospice services for patients who were not terminally ill during a scheme that lasted from September 2018 to October 2022.

    Sierra and Elegado allegedly worked together to pay marketers to recruit patients to the hospices, knowing that most of those patients had not been referred by their primary care physicians for such services. Those kickbacks, often referred to internally using the code words “girl scout cookies,” amounted to as much as $1,300 per patient, per month that the patient stayed on hospice service. 

    Others involved in the scheme included Carl Bernardo, 53, of Chino, who pleaded guilty in September 2024 to one count of receiving kickbacks in connection with a federal health care program and is scheduled to be sentenced on October 23. Relyndo Salcedo, 60, of Fontana, a nurse practitioner involved in the scheme, pleaded guilty on May 22 to one count of health care fraud and is scheduled for sentencing on November 20.

    Salcedo, a nurse practitioner, conducted initial assessments for the hospice and found many of the patients ineligible for hospice. But, under pressure from Sierra, who made the ultimate enrollment decisions even though she wasn’t a medical professional, and marketers such as Bernardo, Salcedo exaggerated and falsified the patients’ conditions to make them seem terminally ill. Hospice physicians then relied on Salcedo’s records to certify the patients as hospice appropriate.

    Once enrolled, those patients – who were not in fact terminally ill – rarely died, and instead were often discharged at around six months at Sierra’s direction, sometimes to her home health company or the other hospice company.

    During the scheme, Golden Meadows submitted at least approximately $3,870,642 in fraudulent claims, on which Medicare paid approximately $2,912,187. D’Alexandria submitted approximately $945,647 in fraudulent claims, on which Medicare paid approximately $894,199.

    An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime.  Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. 

    If convicted of the charges, Sierra would face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for each health care fraud count. Sierra and Elegado would face up to five years in federal prison for the conspiracy count and up to 10 years in federal prison for each illegal kickback count. 

    The United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General and the FBI investigated this matter.

    Assistant United States Attorney Kristen A. Williams of the Major Frauds Section is prosecuting this case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fort Worth Man Sentenced to 50 Years for Producing Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    A 36-year-old Fort Worth man who produced child pornography was sentenced on May 30, 2025, to 50 years in federal prison, announced Nancy Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas.

    Jamie Hackney pled guilty to a two-count indictment charging him with the production and transportation of child pornography in February 2025.  He was sentenced on Friday to 600 months in federal prison by United States District Judge Reed O’Connor.

    According to court documents, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children issued a Cybertip to the Fort Worth Police Department (FWPD) regarding images that were uploaded to Hackney’s Google account.  Through their investigation, FWPD uncovered forensic evidence of Hackney using a minor to create and subsequently transport child pornography.  

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fort Worth Police Department conducted the investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Allyson Monte.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Police Officers Plead Guilty to Federal Charges in Connection With Insurance Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Greenbelt, Maryland – Two Prince George’s County men have pleaded guilty to federal charges in connection with an auto-insurance fraud scheme. Michael Anthony Owen, Jr., 36, of Accokeek, Maryland pled guilty to falsification of records, and Jaron Earl Taylor, 31, of Ft. Washington, Maryland, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

    Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty pleas with Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office, and Chief Malik Aziz, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).

    According to the guilty pleas, between August 2018 and February 2020, Owen and Taylor, who were PGPD and Anne Arundel County Policy Department officers, respectively, at the time, conspired with fellow police officers to engage in mail and wire fraud. Owen and Taylor, along with officers Candace Tyler, Conrad D’Haiti, and Davion Percy, and others, devised a scheme for insurance companies to pay out the remaining financing costs of unwanted vehicles. 

    Members of the conspiracy reported fictitious losses to insurers to obtain money or avoid paying off vehicles that were now worth less than the amount owed on them. The co-conspirators used their statuses as police officers to assist each other’s claims by writing false police reports. Then co-conspirators submitted fictitious police reports to insurers to validate the claim. The false police reports were intended to impede, obstruct, or influence subsequent investigations of the false insurance claims.

    In August 2018, Owen and Taylor staged the theft of Taylor’s Chevrolet Tahoe. After Taylor filed a fraudulent police report, Owen and Taylor stripped the vehicle and drove it deep into the woods of a Maryland State Highway property near Largo, Maryland. Taylor then made a false claim to the United Services Automobile Association (USAA) for the loss, for which USAA paid out a total of $38,670.

    Then in January 2020, Owen assisted D’Haiti in avoiding payment on the loan balance of a Jaguar XKR. In cooperation with D’Haiti and Percy, Owen devised a scheme to fake the vehicle’s theft. On January 4, D’Haiti parked his Jaguar behind Marlow Heights Shopping Center where Percy worked as police chief.

    D’Haiti then paid Percy $350 to arrange for another co-conspirator to tow the vehicle and extensively vandalize it for the purpose of creating a total insurance loss. Tyler subsequently filed the fictitious police report which D’Haiti used to substantiate his claim against Liberty Mutual Insurance. In February 2020, Liberty Mutual paid the Jaguar’s lienholder, Navy Federal Credit Union, $17,585, on the false claim.

    Additionally, in January 2020, Owen and Taylor assisted with disposing of an Infiniti sedan to help a co-conspirator avoid making further payments on the vehicle while on extended overseas duty.  The co-conspirator gave Taylor $1,000 via CashApp to stage the theft. Taylor then forwarded the money to Owen who filed a false police report with PGPD, stating the vehicle was stolen.

    In reality, Owen, Taylor, and others moved the car to the top floor of a Camp Springs, Maryland apartment-complex parking garage.  The co-conspirators attempted to conceal the car’s identity by removing the vehicle’s license plates and replacing them with different ones registered to another vehicle. Then the owner and co-conspirator filed a claim with GEICO that was eventually denied on grounds of fraud.

    Owen faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.  Taylor faces a maximum sentence of three years in federal prison if the court fully accepts the plea deal. Both sentencings are scheduled for Tuesday, September 23. Taylor’s sentencing is at 10:30 a.m., and Owen’s sentencing is at 2:30 p.m.

    U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and PGPD for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Baldwin and LaShanta Harris who are prosecuting the case.

    For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md  and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi Appoints Kyle G. Bumgarner as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Louisville, KY – U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi has appointed Kyle G. Bumgarner as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 546. Bumgarner was formally sworn into the position yesterday by U.S. District Court Chief District Judge Greg N. Stivers.

    “It is the honor of a lifetime to lead the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky, said U.S. Attorney Bumgarner. “I would like to thank President Trump and Attorney General Bondi for entrusting me with this great responsibility, particularly at such an important time for our Nation. Through the talented prosecutors in this Office, we stand committed to fighting the drug epidemic and violence that has ravaged our communities, combating the fraud that has been perpetrated against our institutions, and protecting vulnerable victims that are preyed upon by ruthless criminals. Our goals cannot be achieved without selfless and heroic work from our federal, state, and local law enforcement officers—particularly those on the front lines—who will receive unwavering support from our Office. I accept this role with great enthusiasm and a commitment to making the Western District of Kentucky a safer place for each of us to raise our families and earn a living.”

    Before his appointment as U.S. Attorney, Bumgarner practiced law in Bowling Green, Kentucky, at Kerrick Bachert, PSC, and served as law clerk to Judge David Bunning of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky.

    U.S. Attorney Bumgarner is a graduate of Centre College and Northern Kentucky University Salmon P. Chase College of Law.

    The U.S. Attorney is the chief federal law enforcement official in their district, representing the United States in all criminal and civil litigation.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky, headquartered in Louisville with staffed offices in Bowling Green and Paducah, and an unstaffed branch in Owensboro, serves 53 Kentucky counties and two military facilities: Fort Knox and Fort Campbell.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky has a mission to fairly and justly prosecute violations of federal criminal law and to represent the United States and its agencies in civil litigation; to educate and inform the public, including victims of crime, about the functions of the justice system and the rights of all citizens; to assume a leadership role in crime prevention through speaking engagements and community involvement; and to conduct federal and local law enforcement training and facilitate cooperation and collaboration among law enforcement agencies.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Deluzio Proposal to Boost Innovation in American Commercial Shipbuilding and Jobs Included in Larger ‘SHIPS Act’ Package

    Source: US Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17) announced that the core pieces of his 2024 “Shipbuilding Innovation Act” were included in section 501 and 521 of the SHIPS for America Act, the larger bipartisan and bicameral legislative package on shipbuilding that was introduced late last month. Section 501 creates a program for the United States Maritime Administration to invest in U.S shipyards and the construction of U.S. built ships, authorizing a yearly appropriation of $250M through 2035. Section 521 creates a maritime innovation program to advance and accelerate research and development for new technologies and manufacturing processes for the maritime industry. 

    “I’m a proud Navy guy who thinks we ought to make more stuff in America,” said Congressman Deluzio. “I believe we can build up our industrial might for the 21st century, and that means our government needs to do a better job at supporting and funding research and development of new technologies that will give us the competitive edge over countries like China. The shipbuilding Executive Order is a good first step, but we need to do more. I am glad the core components of my Shipbuilding Innovation Act are included in the SHIPS Act.” 

    Over the last 20 years, China’s aggressive shipbuilding subsidies and unfair trade practices—along with American inaction—have made it impossible for the United States to keep up. This has resulted in a massive difference in industrial capacity: China is now capable of producing over 1,000 ocean-going vessels a year, while the United States currently produces fewer than ten. Maritime power is critical to our prosperity and to global peace, which requires staying on the cutting edge of this sector—in both the defense and commercial maritime markets.   

    Congressman Deluzio testified before the U.S Trade Representative in March, where he expressed support of the Section 301 petition initiated by USW, IAM, and other unions seeking to hold China accountable for unlawful and anticompetitive domination of the Maritime, Logistics, and Shipbuilding sectors.  

    President Donald Trump issued an executive order on April 9, 2025, titled “Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance.” Its goal is to lay down a foundation for a government-wide effort to revitalize America’s shipbuilding and maritime industries. This executive order aims to promote national security and economic prosperity through significant federal investment in the maritime industrial base and the recruitment, training, and retention of the maritime workforce  

    The bipartisan and bicameral SHIPS Act legislative package introduced last month takes a comprehensive approach to growing America’s shipbuilding industry and Merchant Marines. Along with including Congressman Deluzio’s Shipbuilding Innovation Act, it establishes national oversight and consistent funding for U.S. maritime policy and will make U.S.-flagged vessels commercially competitive in international commerce, rebuild the U.S. shipyard industrial base, and expand and strengthen mariner and shipyard worker recruitment, training, and retention.  

    Congressman Deluzio is the co-author of the “Make Stuff Here” Agenda, which focuses on supercharging America’s domestic manufacturing, including ending lousy trade deals and boosting domestic manufacturing.  

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with the US Ambassador to China and called on him to promote the healthy, stable and sustainable development of bilateral relations

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    Xinhua | 03. 06. 2025

    Key words: China-USA

    Source: Xinhua

    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with the US Ambassador to China and called on him to promote the healthy, stable and sustainable development of bilateral relations. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with the US Ambassador to China and called on him to promote the healthy, stable and sustainable development of bilateral relations.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Smith, Feenstra Urge USTR to Improve Market Access for U.S. Agricultural Products in India

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE)

    Washington, DC — Last week, Reps. Adrian Smith (R-NE) and Randy Feenstra (R-IA) led a letter to United States Trade Ambassador Jamieson Greer urging improved market access for American agricultural exports – specifically U.S. ethanol, distillers’ dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and soybean meal (SBM) – in India. 

    In their letter, the lawmakers wrote:

    India has publicly expressed its willingness to proceed in high-volume agricultural trade negotiations with the U.S., increasing demand for American farmers. The long-term demand opportunity for DDGS alone could be two million metric tons per year valued at $500 million, which would turn into the second largest export market (behind Mexico). For ethanol, India is already our 3rd largest export destination at 170 million gallons valued at $393 million, however further reducing existing market barriers would allow for over $400 million of additional exports. We are encouraged that the United States and India have been making rapid progress so far in negotiations on reciprocal trade, and are hopeful that farmers throughout the United States can benefit from results in the near future related to exports to India of DDGS and SBM, which comply with its strict non-GMO import restrictions.

    …

    President Trump’s America First agenda includes increasing exports of U.S. agriculture products to reduce the trade deficit. Each year, American farmers continue to increase yield per acre with fewer inputs. Since 2010, corn and soybean production have increased by 20 percent and 31 percent, respectively. Unfortunately, commodity prices have dropped by over 30 percent in the past three years, intensifying the need to expand export markets to keep up with increasing supplies. We believe U.S. Ethanol, DDGS, and SBM exports to India represents an easy win for American farmers and will be a terrific way to begin addressing the federal trade deficit through mutually beneficial trade with India.

    The letter is supported by the National Corn Growers Association, the American Soybean Association, the Iowa Corn Growers Association, and the Iowa Soybean Association.

    This comes as historic advances are made in negotiating a bilateral trade agreement with India, the framework of which was announced by Vice President J.D. Vance and USTR in April. Further, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins is slated to travel to India, among other countries, this year in efforts to continue discussions to open new markets for agricultural exports.

    Read the full letter here.

    Additional members who signed the letter include: Reps. Dusty Johnson (R-SD), Michelle Fischbach (R-MN), Tracey Mann (R-KS), Derek Schmidt (R-KS), Tony Wied (R-WI), Don Bacon (R-NE), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), Mike Flood (R-NE), Ron Estes (R-KS), Mike Carey (R-OH), Darin LaHood (R-IL), Max Miller (R-OH), Ashley Hinson (R-IA), Brad Finstad (R-MN), and Mark Messmer (R-IN)

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: The Apache Software Foundation Announces Two New Top-Level Projects

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Wilmington, DE, June 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Apache Software Foundation (ASF), the global home of open source software the world relies on, today announced that Apache Gravitino and Apache StormCrawler have graduated from incubation and are now Top-Level Projects (TLP). 

    Apache Gravitino is a high-performance, open source metastore that unifies metadata across data warehouses, data lakes, lakehouses, streaming platforms, and AI systems. With a flexible and centralized architecture, Gravitino empowers organizations to seamlessly manage, discover, and govern distributed data and AI assets – eliminating data silos and simplifying modern data infrastructure. Supporting a broad ecosystem, including Apache Iceberg, Apache Hive, Apache Kafka, MySQL, PostgreSQL, and more, Gravitino provides a unified metadata layer to enable intelligent data discovery, governance, and lakehouse federation at scale.

    “Gravitino is uniquely designed to bridge data and AI workloads. We’re excited to deploy it across our multi-cloud AI clusters and contribute to many prioritized AI and agent-based use cases,” said Jack Song, Director of Uber Data Platform. “Gravitino’s graduation marks its maturity entering the next level, backed by a thriving and engaged community.”

    Apache StormCrawler is an open source software development kit (SDK) for developers looking to build low-latency, scalable, and customizable web crawlers. The project consists of a collection of reusable resources and components, written mostly in Java and it uses Apache Storm®. StormCrawler is well suited for environments where URLs to be fetched and parsed arrive as a stream (i.e. continuously over time), as well as large-scale, recursive web crawling, especially when fast response times are important.

    “Becoming an Apache Software Foundation Top-Level Project is a significant milestone for an open source community, and we are extremely proud of the accomplishment,” said Julien Nioche, member of the Apache StormCrawler PMC. “We are eager to see how the StormCrawler community continues to grow, collaborate, and innovate as a TLP.” 

    Open source projects need healthy communities to thrive. The ASF provides projects with services and mentorship for building resilient and durable communities throughout their lifecycle. The Apache Incubator provides services to incoming projects (called podlings) that want to enter the ASF and adopt the Apache Way. 

    About The Apache Software Foundation (ASF)
    The Apache Software Foundation (ASF) is the global home for open source software, powering some of the world’s most ubiquitous software projects including Apache Airflow, Apache Camel, Apache Cassandra, Apache Groovy, Apache HTTP Server, and Apache Kafka. Established in 1999, the ASF is at the forefront of open source innovation, setting industry standards to advance software for the public good. Learn more at https://apache.org.

    ASF’s annual Community Over Code event is where open source technologists convene to share best practices and use cases, forge critical relationships, and learn about advancements in their field. https://communityovercode.org/ 
    © The Apache Software Foundation. “Apache” is a registered trademark or trademark of the Apache Software Foundation in the United States and/or other countries. All other brands and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

    The MIL Network –

  • Indian astronaut to conduct groundbreaking space research on Axiom-4 Mission

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Union Minister of State for Science & Technology and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh on Tuesday announced that Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, one of India’s four selected astronauts for the Gaganyaan mission, will undertake critical scientific experiments during the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The research will focus on physical, cognitive, and physiological responses in space, including the impact of continuous electronic displays in microgravity—a key factor for future long-duration space missions.

    Dr. Singh revealed that Shukla’s experiments will also explore skeletal muscle dysfunction in space and evaluate therapeutic strategies to mitigate its effects. Additionally, Shukla will study the revival, survival, and reproduction of tardigrades, microscopic extremophiles known for their resilience in extreme conditions. These experiments aim to deepen scientific understanding of life sustainability beyond Earth.

    “It is a matter of national pride that an Indian astronaut is an active participant with defined scientific responsibilities in this international mission,” Dr. Singh said during a media interview. He highlighted that Shukla’s role underscores India’s growing prominence in global space exploration. Group Captain Prasanth Nair has been named the backup astronaut for the Axiom-4 mission.

    The minister noted that discussions on sending an Indian astronaut to the ISS were part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s diplomatic engagements in the United States. Since 2014, enabling policies have opened up India’s space sector, fostering private sector participation, foreign direct investment, and international collaboration. Dr. Singh credited these reforms for catalyzing India’s leadership in NewSpace initiatives and increasing public access to facilities like Sriharikota.

    Speaking on India’s Gaganyaan mission, the country’s first human spaceflight program, Dr. Singh said trial phases are underway, with a target launch in early 2027. He described such space experiments as transformative for India’s space ecosystem, paving the way for self-reliance in the sector. The minister projected that India’s space economy, currently valued at USD 8 billion, is expected to grow five-fold to USD 44 billion, aligning with the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.

    Dr. Singh also highlighted India’s ambitions in deep ocean exploration through the Deep Ocean Mission, aimed at harnessing the country’s vast coastal resources. In the energy sector, he noted increased budgetary support for nuclear energy, with the development of Bharat Small Modular Reactors to advance India’s clean energy transition and Net Zero goals by 2070.

    On civil aviation, Dr. Singh emphasized that air travel has become more accessible under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, with new airports and rising demand for pilots. To meet this need, CSIR-NAL has developed a two-seater trainer aircraft, and efforts are underway to scale up production of the Electric Hansa (e-Hansa) in collaboration with the private sector.

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Kehoe Announces FEMA to Participate in Joint Damage Assessments in 5 Southwest Missouri Counties for May 23-26 Severe Storms and Flooding

    Source: US State of Missouri

    JUNE 3, 2025

    Jefferson City — Today, Governor Mike Kehoe announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will participate in joint Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDAs) of public infrastructure and response costs in Dade, Douglas, Ozark, Vernon and Webster counties after severe storms, straight-line winds, excessive rain, large hail and flooding caused heavy damage there from May 23 through May 26.   

    “The long Memorial Day weekend brought four consecutive days of damaging severe storms and flooding to southwest Missouri and led to the destruction of public infrastructure and emergency response costs that are well-beyond the capacity of Dade, Douglas, Ozark, Vernon, and Webster counties,”  Governor Kehoe said. “Missouri State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) personnel have been working with local officials as they have been preparing initial damage estimates and we believe the destruction requires joint reviews by FEMA, SEMA, and our local partners, in anticipation for a request for a federal disaster declaration.”

    Additional counties may be added as damage information is received from local officials.

    Joint PDA teams are made up of representatives from FEMA, SEMA and local emergency management officials. Beginning Tuesday, June 10, three teams will verify documented damage to determine if Public Assistance can be requested through FEMA. Public Assistance allows local governments and qualifying nonprofit agencies to seek federal assistance for reimbursement of emergency response and recovery costs, including debris removal and repair and replacement of damaged roads, bridges and other public infrastructure.

    SEMA continues to coordinate with local officials, other state agencies, and volunteer and faith-based partners to identify needs and assist impacted families and individuals in areas of the state affected by this spring’s destructive severe weather. If you have damage, you should contact your insurance company and file a claim as soon as possible.

    Missourians with unmet needs are encouraged to contact United Way by dialing 2-1-1 or the American Red Cross at 1-800-733-2767. For additional resources and information about disaster recovery in Missouri, including general clean-up information, housing assistance, and mental health services, visit recovery.mo.gov.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Panama Extradites Austin Fugitive to the United States to Face Aggravated Robbery Charges

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Austin, TX – The U.S. Marshals, working with the U.S. Department of State and Panamanian officials, have returned to Travis County a man who had been sought by the Austin Police Department on an aggravated robbery warrant issued April 2, 2024. 

    Brayan Estiven Rios, 29, was wanted by the Austin police for a robbery that occurred July 19, 2022, in the 2500 block of Francisco Street.  According to the affidavit, a victim reported to have been forced into a vehicle at gunpoint and instructed to withdraw a large sum of money from her bank account. 

    In April, the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force, U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, and the Travis County District Attorney’s Office worked together to facilitate the extradition of Rios, who was intercepted by officials in Panama.

    On May 22, Panamanian officials transferred Rios to the USMS for extradition back to the United States.  After arriving at the Austin Bergstrom International Airport, Rios was transported and booked into the Travis County Jail, where he will await further judicial proceedings. 

    The Department of Homeland Security filed an immigration detainer on Rios, who is a Colombian national and has no legal status in the United States. 

    The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with Panamanian authorities to secure the extradition of Rios.

    Members of the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force in Austin – 

    Austin Police Department-Tactical Intelligence Unit
    Round Rock, and San Marcos Police Department
    Caldwell, Hays, Travis, and Williamson County Sheriff’s Office
    Texas Attorney General’s Office
    Texas Department of Criminal Justice OIG
    Texas Department of Public Safety
    U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement
    U.S. DHS/Homeland Security Investigations

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Chinese National at the University of Michigan Charged with Illegally Voting in the 2024 Election

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DETROIT – A criminal complaint was filed charging Haoxiang Gao, a citizen and national of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), with false claims to register or vote and voting by aliens, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr.

    Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Field Division.

    According to the complaint, Gao was a college student attending the University of Michigan who illegally registered to vote in the days before the 2024 presidential election, apparently using his University of Michigan student ID, and then cast a ballot in the election at a polling location located at the University of Michigan Museum of Art, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The complaint further alleges that Gao made false statements regarding his citizenship on his voter registration application and his early voting application. After being charged with state offenses, the state court granted Gao a $5,000 personal bond with conditions, including that he does not leave the State of Michigan and that he surrenders his passport for the pendency of the case. Gao did surrender his passport but on January 19, 2025—the day before the new administration took office in Washington—Gao jumped bond and fled the country on a flight bound for Shanghai, China. Customs and Border Protection records show that Gao passed through Detroit Metropolitan Airport security using a PRC passport in his name but bearing a number different from the number on the passport that he surrendered to University of Michigan police.

    Relatedly, on Friday, May 30, 2025, a complaint was unsealed charging Gao with the federal offense of flight to avoid prosecution based on the allegations that he jumped bond and fled the country to avoid his state offenses.

    United States Attorney Gorgon stated, “Illegal voting is a serious crime that cast doubt on our elections and serves to disenfranchise United States citizens by diluting their power at the ballot box. But illegal voting by a foreign national who is from a country controlled by a communist party dictatorship – with no modern history or tradition of democratic government – is beyond the pale. I hope that today’s charges send a message to foreign nationals – including those who are students at our universities – that we will not tolerate illegal voting.”

    “The federal charges filed against Haoxiang Gao, a Chinese national, serve as a clear and unequivocal reminder that the FBI will investigate anyone who attempts to unlawfully interfere with the electoral process in the United States,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “The FBI treats all allegations of voter fraud with the utmost seriousness, and we are committed to holding accountable those who violate our election laws. This case reflects the strength of our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, whose prosecutorial leadership has been critical. I also want to commend the dedicated efforts of the FBI’s Ann Arbor Resident Agency, in close collaboration with the University of Michigan Division of Public Safety & Security, for their outstanding investigative work.”

    A complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Trial cannot be held on felony charges in a complaint. When the investigation is completed, a determination will be made whether to seek a felony indictment.

    The FBI is investigating this case. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: United States Attorney Sayler A. Fleming Departs from Post

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. LOUIS – United States Attorney Sayler A. Fleming announced Tuesday that she has resigned as the head prosecutor for the Eastern District of Missouri.

    “It has been the privilege of a lifetime to lead the United States Attorney’s Office for the last four and a half years,” Ms. Fleming said. “As a federal prosecutor in the Eastern District of Missouri, I have had the great fortune of working with some of the most dedicated law enforcement professionals in the country, and I am extremely grateful for the sacrifices they make every day for our safety. They are truly heroes, and it has been an honor to have worked alongside them. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in St. Louis has for years had an excellent reputation within the Department of Justice, which is a testament to the integrity of the committed and hard-working staff. I think they are the best in the country. I would also like to thank our partners in the business community and among religious and community organizations, who were invaluable in our efforts, including the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative,” Ms. Fleming said. “I will dearly miss this job and the people with whom I have worked.”

    Ms. Fleming was appointed by then-Attorney General William P. Barr on December 11, 2020, during the first administration of President Donald J. Trump. She assumed office on December 31, 2020.

    The Eastern District of Missouri leads the nation in gun prosecutions, including carjackers, armed robbers and murderers. Under Ms. Fleming’s leadership, St. Louis became one of a handful of cities in the Justice Department’s Violent Crime Initiative, targeting the ‘worst of the worst’ violent offenders. After former St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner resigned in May of 2023, Ms. Fleming signed an agreement that allowed assistant U.S. attorneys to prosecute murder cases in St. Louis and assist that office while they made hires to replace a depleted staff. The U.S. Attorney’s Office had long been handling many violent crimes that occurred in St. Louis.

    Ms. Fleming’s prosecutors also trained local and state law enforcement in the investigation of fatal drug overdoses and the possession and sale of machine gun conversion devices. Prosecutors also trained other U.S. Attorney’s offices on how to prosecute juveniles who commit murders during carjackings or robberies.

    Ms. Fleming, who co-chaired the Attorney General’s Child Exploitation Working Group, increased the number of prosecutors handling the child exploitation cases to help keep our children safer.

    “United States Attorney Sayler Fleming has been a tremendous law enforcement partner. Under her leadership over the years, our offices have been in lockstep in our efforts to protect our community,” said Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker of the FBI St. Louis Division. “The FBI cannot effectively accomplish our mission without the support of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The people of Eastern Missouri are safer thanks to her proactive and aggressive approach to prioritizing fighting violent crime.”

    “U.S. Attorney Fleming made a definitive impact, for the betterment of our communities, in the Eastern District of Missouri,” Drug Enforcement Administration St. Louis Division Special Agent in Charge Michael Davis said. “We’re grateful for her partnership over these past 15 years as we worked together to remove violent drug traffickers from our region.  On behalf of the DEA St. Louis Division, I want to thank U.S. Attorney Fleming for her dedicated service and wish her continued success in the future.”

    “We extend our sincere gratitude to U.S. Attorney Sayler Fleming for her steadfast leadership and unwavering commitment to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Bernard Hansen of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “Her dedication to combating violent crime and fostering strong partnerships with federal agencies like the ATF has made a lasting impact on public safety throughout the Eastern District of Missouri and beyond. Her service exemplifies integrity, diligence, and the highest standards of public duty.”

    “Sayler Fleming was instrumental in facilitating cooperation between law enforcement agencies and helping to fight crime,” said Mark A. Mossotti, Chief of the Bridgeton Police Department and Chairman of the St. Louis Area Police Chiefs Association. “We have many police departments in the St. Louis area and she was just phenomenal in working with every single one of them.”

    “U.S. Attorney Sayler Fleming has been a dedicated partner to the St. Louis region and the law enforcement community,” said St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Chief Robert Tracy. “She has played a key role in SLMPD’s mission to reduce violent crime through her office and leadership.”

    “On behalf of the St. Louis County Police Department, I extend my deepest thanks to U.S. Attorney Sayler Fleming for her unwavering commitment to justice. Your leadership has left a lasting mark, and we wish you all the best,” said St. Louis County Police Chief Kenneth Gregory.

    Ms. Fleming joined the office in August of 2010 from the Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner law firm. She had extensive experience prosecuting and supervising violent crime cases and was the office’s Appellate Chief before becoming U.S. Attorney.

    Ms. Fleming grew up in Charleston, Missouri. She received her Bachelor of Accountancy from Mississippi State University and her law degree from Vanderbilt University School of Law.

    Ms. Fleming concluded her service at midnight on Friday to make way for the next U.S. Attorney. Former First Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Drake will now assume the role of Acting U.S. Attorney. U.S. Attorney Drake joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2002 in the National Security Unit. He earned his Juris Doctor and Bachelor of Arts degrees from the University of Missouri.

    The Eastern District of Missouri includes 49 counties and is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes in the district, including crimes related to terrorism, public corruption, child exploitation, firearms and narcotics. The office also defends the United States in civil cases and collects debts owed to the United States.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Lowndes County Men Sentenced in OCDETF Drug Trafficking Case

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    According to court documents, Charles Stephen Farrar, Jr., of Columbus, Mississippi, pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District to Mississippi to trafficking methamphetamine. Farrar was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Glen H. Davidson on Monday to over 11 years in prison for the charge. He was further sentenced to four years supervised release following his release from prison.

    William Lyon, of Columbus, Mississippi, also pled guilty in the drug trafficking scheme. Lyons was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Glen H. Davidson on Monday to five years in prison for trafficking methamphetamine. He was further sentenced to four years supervised release following his release from prison.

    “The sentences imposed by Judge Davidson should provide notice to drug dealers that there are consequences to selfishly peddling poison within their communities,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner.  “We are proud of the partnership with DEA, ATF, and our invaluable state and local allies at the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and the Lowndes County SO that has allowed us to remove illegal narcotics, and those who sell them, from our midst.”

    “Methamphetamine tears lives apart. This sentencing, a result of dedicated work by our special agents and law enforcement partners, ensures these traffickers are held accountable for the damage they inflicted on Mississippi,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw.

    “This sentencing is the result of outstanding work and coordination by our local, state and federal partners,” said Department of Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell. “I commend the efforts of all the agencies involved for their dedication to ensuring justice is served and for their continued commitment to keeping our communities safe.”

    “The ATF is working closely with local and state police agencies to combat the scourge of deadly illegal drugs in our communities,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. “The sentence imposed yesterday sends a message that we will continue to focus efforts on repeat offenders so we can remove more violent criminals from our streets and keep our neighborhoods safe as the top priority for ATF.”

    The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Clyde McGee prosecuted the case.

    This investigation and resulting case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    This case is also a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Chinese Nationals Charged with Conspiracy and Smuggling a Dangerous Biological Pathogen into the U.S. for their Work at a University of Michigan Laboratory

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DETROIT – Yunqing Jian, 33, and Zunyong Liu, 34, citizens of the People’s Republic of China, were charged in a criminal complaint with conspiracy, smuggling goods into the United States, false statements, and visa fraud, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr.

    Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division and Marty C. Raybon, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

    The FBI arrested Jian in connection with allegations related to Jian’s and Liu’s smuggling into America a fungus called Fusarium graminearum, which scientific literature classifies as a potential agroterrorism weapon. This noxious fungus causes “head blight,” a disease of wheat, barley, maize, and rice, and is responsible for billions of dollars in economic losses worldwide each year. Fusarium graminearum’s toxins cause vomiting, liver damage, and reproductive defects in humans and livestock.

    According to the complaint, Jian received Chinese government funding for her work on this pathogen in China. The complaint also alleges that Jian’s electronics contain information describing her membership in and loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party. It is further alleged that Jian’s boyfriend, Liu, works at a Chinese university where he conducts research on the same pathogen and that he first lied but then admitted to smuggling Fusarium graminearum into America—through the Detroit Metropolitan Airport—so that he could conduct research on it at the laboratory at the University of Michigan where his girlfriend, Jian, worked.

    United States Attorney Gorgon stated: “The alleged actions of these Chinese nationals—including a loyal member of the Chinese Communist Party—are of the gravest national security concerns. These two aliens have been charged with smuggling a fungus that has been described as a ‘potential agroterrorism weapon’ into in the heartland of America, where they apparently intended to use a University of Michigan laboratory to further their scheme.”

    U.S. Custom and Border Protection, Director of Field Operations Marty C. Raybon stated, “Today’s criminal charges levied upon Yunqing Jian and Zunyong Liu are indicative of CBP’s critical role in protecting the American people from biological threats that could devastate our agricultural economy and cause harm to humans; especially when it involves a researcher from a major university attempting to clandestinely bring potentially harmful biological materials into the United States. This was a complex investigation involving CBP offices from across the country, alongside our federal partners. I’m grateful for their tireless efforts, ensuring our borders remain secure from all types of threats while safeguarding America’s national security interests.”

    Jian will be appearing this afternoon in federal court in Detroit for her initial appearance on the complaint.

    A complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Trial cannot be held on felony charges in a complaint. When the investigation is completed, a determination will be made whether to seek a felony indictment.

    The FBI and CBP are investigating this case.

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