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Category: Military Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The first meeting of the Belarusian-Tajik intergovernmental commission on military-technical cooperation was held in Minsk

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    MINSK, July 23 (Xinhua) — The first meeting of the Belarusian-Tajik intergovernmental commission on military-technical cooperation was held in Minsk on Tuesday, the press service of the State Military-Industrial Committee (Goskomvoenprom) of Belarus reported.

    The event was held under the leadership of the Chairman of the State Military Industrial Committee Dmitry Pantus and the Minister of Industry and New Technologies of Tajikistan Sherali Kabir. During the meeting, the parties reviewed the progress of the implementation of existing contracts, as well as promising areas for further cooperation and algorithms for their implementation.

    “This dialogue opens up new opportunities for strengthening the partnership between the two countries in the field of military technologies,” the State Military Industrial Committee said. –0–

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: NATO Defence Ministers agree on new capability targets

    Source: Government of Sweden

    At the meeting of NATO Defence Ministers in Brussels on 5 June, member countries’ defence ministers agreed on new capability targets for the Alliance. In conjunction with the meeting, Swedish Minister for Defence Pål Jonson also signed a number of agreements on behalf of Sweden.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Appropriations Committee Approves Chairman Fleischmann’s FY26 Energy and Water Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN)

    Washington, DC – The House Appropriations Committee met to consider the Fiscal Year 2026 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, led by Energy and Water Appropriations Chairman Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03). The bill was approved by the Committee with a vote of 35 to 27. Approval of Rep. Fleischmann’s FY26 Energy and Water Appropriations bill by the Appropriations Committee is a key step before the bill can be brought to the House Floor for a vote.

    Energy and Water Chairman Chuck Fleischmann said, “To achieve America’s new Golden Age, we must safeguard our national security, unleash American energy dominance, and increase economic prosperity for all our citizens. I am proud that, in tight fiscal times where every dollar spent must be scrutinized, the Fiscal Year 2026 Energy and Water Development appropriations bill makes historic investments in our national security and nuclear deterrent, advances American leadership in deploying new nuclear technologies, provides robust funding for waterways infrastructure projects nationwide, reduces our reliance on foreign sources of critical minerals, unleashes American energy production, and stops wasteful, inflationary spending. This bill is the product of close collaboration with the Trump Administration and my colleagues on the Appropriations Committee, and I thank them for their strong support.”

    House Committee on Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole (OK-04) said, “This FY26 Energy and Water bill is focused on lowering energy costs and advancing affordable, reliable, and secure power for the nation. It recognizes that American energy dominance is essential to our economic strength, national security, and global leadership—fueling jobs, innovation, and resilience across every community. Further, we make clear to our adversaries that America will lead with strength built on domestic energy and critical mineral production. We also prioritize essential waterway, flood control, and ports and harbors projects. Chairman Fleischmann’s approach ensures a stronger future reinforced through cutting-edge technology, strategic use of abundant resources, and responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars, and I commend its full committee approval.”

    Energy and Water Subcommittee Chairman Fleischmann’s opening remarks are available here.
    Chairman Cole’s opening remarks are available here.

    Fiscal Year 2026 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill
    The Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill provides a total discretionary allocation of $57.300 billion, which is $766.4 million below the Fiscal Year 2025 enacted level. The defense portion of the allocation is $33.223 billion, and the non-defense portion of the allocation is $24.077 billion.

    The bill prioritizes funding for agencies and programs that safeguard U.S. national security, unleash American energy dominance, and advance economic competitiveness.

    Key Takeaways

    Champions America’s nuclear deterrent and strengthens national security by: 

    • Providing $20.662 billion for the continued modernization of the nuclear weapons stockpile and infrastructure.
    • Providing $2.171 billion to support the U.S. Navy’s nuclear fleet by investing in infrastructure and new technologies to maintain America’s advantage over our adversaries.
    • Providing $1.984 billion to reduce the danger of hostile nations or terrorist groups acquiring nuclear weapons.
    • Prohibiting the sale of crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to the Chinese Communist Party.
    • Prohibiting access to U.S. nuclear weapons production facilities by citizens of China and Russia.
    • Prohibiting the Department of Energy from providing financial assistance to any foreign entity of concern.
    • Prohibiting the purchase of technology and telecommunications equipment from China and other adversaries.

    Supports the Trump Administration and mandate of the American people by: 

    • Codifying President Trump’s executive actions by prohibiting funding for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Critical Race Theory programs and ending federal censorship of free speech.
    • Continuing the prohibition on funding for any discriminatory action against individuals advocating for traditional marriage.
    • Allowing for the lawful carry of firearms on Corps of Engineers land.

    Restores American energy dominance and bolsters the national economy by: 

    • Supporting one of the largest investments focused on mining production technologies for critical minerals extraction in decades, reducing reliance on foreign sources.
    • Robustly funding small modular reactor and advanced reactor demonstration projects, as well as increasing funding for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to expand capacity for the review, licensing, and oversight of new nuclear reactors.
      • These investments are key to regaining international dominance in the nuclear market and achieving the Trump Administration’s goal to expand nuclear energy capacity to 400 gigawatts by 2050.
    • Facilitating the efficient transport of goods and commodities through improvements and maintenance of America’s ports and waterways.
    • Increasing investments to develop new baseload geothermal energy sources to capitalize on our vast domestic resources.
    • Maintaining funding for cybersecurity efforts that enable a resilient, reliable, and secure electric grid.

    Safeguards American taxpayer dollars and preserves core functions by: 

    • Eliminating the Biden-era Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations.
    • Including no funds for the Department of Energy Office of Energy Justice and Equity.
    • Refocusing applied energy technology program funding to ensure taxpayer resources are directed to the highest priority research and development efforts.
    • Reducing global dependency on the U.S. for foreign nuclear reactor conversions.

    During the markup, Committee Republicans also stood with the America First agenda and rejected Democrat amendments that would have: 

    • Restricted the implementation of the America First agenda.
    • Repealed reconciliation efforts that reformed green new scam climate initiatives.
    • Sought to hamper enforcement efforts at Alligator Alcatraz.
    • Promoted and advanced critical race theory.
    • Allowed unapproved flags to be flown over federal facilities.
    • Funded polarizing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
    • Exposed Americans to religious discrimination.
    • Prohibited the implementation of certain President Trump executive orders.
    • Increased taxpayer spending to unnecessary levels for certain programs.

    Adopted Amendments 

    • Fleischmann #1 (Manager’s Amendment) – Makes technical, bipartisan changes to the bill and report.
      • The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
    • Clyde #1 – Addresses the collection and utilization of recreation fees.
      • The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
    • Moore #2 – Increases funding for Regional Commissions.
      • The amendment was adopted by voice vote. 

    Bill text, before adoption of amendments, is available here.
    Bill report, before adoption of amendments, is available here.
    A table of included Community Project Funding requests is available here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Fleischmann Honors the Tenth Anniversary of the Fallen Five

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN)

    Washington, DC – U.S. Representative Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03), released the following statement commemorating the tenth anniversary of the July 16, 2015, terrorist attacks in Chattanooga that took the lives of five brave U.S. servicemen, remembered forever as the Fallen Five.

    “Ten years ago today, tragedy struck our Chattanooga community when a radical jihadist terrorist took the lives of five heroic servicemen and wounded two others in one of the darkest days Chattanooga and Tennessee have endured. Out of the horror and violence of that terrible day, our community has stood firmly together in love, support, kindness, and strength to honor and remember the ultimate sacrifice and legacy of the Fallen Five and to uplift and support their beloved families,” said Congressman Fleischmann.

    “Chattanoogans, Tennesseans, and Americans nationwide will never forget the Fallen Five. We will always pay homage to U.S Marine Gunnery Sergeant Thomas J. Sullivan, U.S. Marine Staff Sergeant David A. Wyatt, U.S. Marine Sergeant Carson A. Holmquist, U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Squire K. “Skip” Wells, and U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Randall J. Smith. Their dedication to America, our community, our military, our freedoms, and service to others will always be remembered.”

    “Please join Brenda and me in praying for the eternal souls of the Fallen Five who are home now with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and for their families and loved ones. We remember the eternal, healing words spoken through Psalms, ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble,’ and ‘Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me’”.

    “May God bless the Fallen Five and their families, and may God continue to bless Chattanooga and our great nation.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Moolenaar Votes for Funding for Military Readiness and Service Member Pay Raise

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Moolenaar (4th District of Michigan)

    Headline: Moolenaar Votes for Funding for Military Readiness and Service Member Pay Raise

    Last night, Congressman John Moolenaar voted in favor of H.R. 4016, The Defense Appropriations Act, 2026. The legislation contains key provisions to advance American interests, strengthens America’s national security, deters our adversaries, and invests in military readiness through funding exercises like Northern Strike in Michigan. It also delivers significant support for servicemembers with a 3.8% pay raise, and provides increased support for their families.

    “The Defense Appropriations Act passed today restores peace through strength, gives a well-deserved pay raise to our troops, and supports Northern Strike right here in Michigan,” said Moolenaar. “It ensures our military remains the most capable in the world by funding next generation aircraft, missile defense, and space capabilities to deter our adversaries like the Chinese Communist Party. This critical legislation puts our service members and their families first, with funding for equipment upgrades and enhanced quality of services so they can continue to keep America safe.”

    Exercise Northern Strike is a semi-annual military training hosted by the Michigan National Guard. The Defense Appropriation Act, 2026 allocates increased funding for personnel and operations, maintaining Northern Strike as a premier joint readiness exercise for American military personnel and our allies.

    The legislation passed the House of Representatives in a vote of 221 to 209. More information about the Defense Appropriations Act can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Norton Introduces Bill to Give D.C. Authority to Appoint All Members of Board that Deals Exclusively with Local D.C. Zoning

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

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today introduced her bill to give the District of Columbia the authority to appoint all members of the D.C. Board of Zoning Adjustment (Board), except when the Board is performing functions regarding an application by a foreign mission with respect to a chancery. Under current law, in general, the Board consists of a representative of the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) and the D.C. Zoning Commission, each of whom may be a federal official, and three mayoral appointees, subject to D.C. Council approval. The Board has no authority over federal property and Norton’s bill would not alter the Board’s authority.

    “The District of Columbia should be free to set its own local land-use policies like every other jurisdiction in the United States,” Norton said. “We face local issues, such as a growing population and economic development, that require local solutions. Land use is a quintessentially local issue. The Board of Zoning Adjustment should be accountable to District residents and local elected officials.”

    When the Board is performing functions regarding an application by a foreign mission with respect to the location, expansion, or replacement of a chancery, the Board consists of the Executive Director of NCPC, the Director of the National Park Service (or, if the President so designates, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the Interior or the Administrator of General Services), and the three mayoral appointees. Norton’s bill would not change this composition.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Robert Aderholt Introduces Accelerate Revenue for Manufacturing and Sales (ARMS) Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04)

    WASHINGTON – Today, Reps. Robert Aderholt (R-AL), Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), and Ryan Zinke (R-MT) introduced the Accelerate Revenue for Manufacturing and Sales (ARMS) Act, a bipartisan proposal to expedite the delivery of U.S.-made critical defense capabilities to allies and partners, by expanding the Special Defense Acquisition Fund (SDAF).

    “This bipartisan bill will help ensure that America’s allies and partners can receive critical defense equipment in a timely manner,” said Congressman Aderholt. “By strengthening the SDAF, this legislation not only supports national security interests abroad, but invests in our industrial defense base at home.”

    This bill addresses the inefficiencies and delays in the current Foreign Military Sales (FMS) process. The urgency to address these has increased in recent years, as the combined value of Foreign Military Sales (FMS) and Direct Commercial Sales (DCS) has significantly exceeded domestic defense procurement budgets, with international demand for U.S. defense products approaching two-to-one over domestic acquisition.
    “The ARMS Act is a win-win for our economic and national security, investing in both our critical manufacturing here at home and our allies’ defense abroad. As we continue to combat the threatening influence of foreign adversaries like Russia and China, this bill will help our allies stay safe while maintaining our leadership around the globe,” said Rep. Jared Moskowitz.

    “It’s unfortunate, but unnecessary and burdensome bureaucratic delays slow down the ability of the United States to fully support our democratic allies when they need it the most,” Rep. Jimmy Panetta added. “The expansion of the bipartisan Special Defense Acquisition Fund would provide a more efficient way to meet urgent demand and counter global threats, while strengthening our domestic manufacturing base.  As we push back against isolationism, this legislation is a smart, strategic, commonsense step to bolster American leadership and enhance global stability.”

    “I’ve made it my mission to eliminate the bureaucratic delays that prevent America’s life-saving defense capabilities from reaching our allies and partners. This bill delivers on that mission,” said Rep. Ryan Zinke. “The Special Defense Acquisition Fund is a vital but historically under-resourced tool that strengthens our defense industrial base and accelerates the delivery of critical arms and equipment to our allies. This legislation restores the SDAF to its original purpose supporting our partners and advancing American interests around the globe, without costing taxpayers a dime. I applaud Congressman Aderholt for his leadership in drafting this commonsense, strategic legislation.”

    The SDAF continues to have strong bipartisan support in Congress and from current and past Administrations.

    The Accelerate Revenue for Manufacturing and Sales Act is supported by leading defense organizations, including the Professional Services Counsel, National Defense Industrial Association, and Aerospace Industries Association.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Crow Hosts Annual Job Fair in Aurora

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jason Crow (CO-06)

    AURORA — Today, Congressman Crow hosted his annual Job Fair for Coloradans looking for work. The event featured more than 30 local employers from across the Denver metro area, and hundreds of Coloradans looking for a new job attended the event.

    “Connecting Coloradans with important resources is one of the most important parts of my job,” said Congressman Crow. “That’s why I’m proud to host an annual job fair that brings our community together, and connects Coloradans with valuable employment opportunities. I’m thankful to the hundreds of job seekers and more than 30 local employers who made this year’s job fair a great success.”

    The event included employers from across an array of industries, including: Buckley Space Force Base, the U.S. Navy, Thrivent, Littleton Public Schools, Arapahoe County Human Services, Target, STRIDE Community Health Center, Troops Into Transportation, Arapahoe/Douglas Works!, and Rocky Mountain Human Services.

    The event took place on Friday, July 18th from noon to 5 PM MT at Arapahoe/Douglas Works in Aurora. Veterans and spouses of servicemembers were granted early access at 11:30 AM MT.

    Through his time in Congress, Congressman Crow has made it a priority to connect Coloradans with important community resources. Since his first term in Congress, Congressman Crow has held an annual job fair; his 2024 Job Fair helped connect over 500 Coloradans with employers.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Crow Secures Key Wins in Annual Defense Bill for Colorado

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jason Crow (CO-06)

    WASHINGTON — Congressman Jason Crow (CO-06), a former Army Ranger who serves on the House Armed Services Committee, announced today that more than 15 provisions he championed have been successfully included in the annual National Defense Authorization Act. Congressman Crow’s provisions focused on improving the lives of servicemembers and their families, modernizing our military to make America more safe, and investing in Colorado’s space industry to make us more competitive.

    “I served in combat and know the critical role Congress plays in improving the quality of life for servicemembers, strengthening our military readiness, and keeping Americans safe,” said Congressman Crow. “As a Member of the Armed Services Committee, I’ve worked in a bipartisan fashion to secure key wins for Colorado and support our men and women in uniform.”

    Congressman Crow’s provisions included in this year’s Pentagon budget include:

    Improving the Lives of our Servicemembers:

    • Upgrading Digital Health Technologies for Traumatic Brain Injury: Improves care for active-duty servicemembers suffering from a traumatic brain injury (TBI) by identifying ways that digital technology can be used to better deliver care.
    • Preventing Traumatic Brain Injuries in Fighter Pilots: Directs the Department of Defense to create a strategy to better identify, document, and treat TBIs in active duty pilots.
    • Providing Dental for Our Troops: Ensures no-cost dental care for all reservists, which will help recruiting, retention, and readiness.
    • Securing affordable health care for servicemembers: Ensures children’s hospitals that serve a large population of active duty families can continue providing high quality, affordable healthcare for servicemembers and their children.

    Investing in Colorado’s Space Industry & Making America More Competitive:

    • Bolstering Crucial Space Programs: Provides U.S. Space Systems Command with the resources needed to compete tactically and technologically with our adversaries in outer space.
    • Modernizing Rocket Launches: Requires the Space Force to report to Congress on how it will modernize standards and processes around rocket launches so they are safer and more efficient.
    • Supporting Space Domain Awareness: Improves our ability to track objects, like satellites, and activities happening outside of our atmosphere.
    • Increasing competition when the government buys space technology: Ensures that all companies have a fair shot when the U.S. government is looking to purchase technology that we use in space.

    Modernizing our Military:

    • Updating Air Force’s Flying Communications System: Authorizes support for mobile communications platforms to ensure continuity of government and national military command and control during a crisis
    • Protecting Assets Against Climate Change: Ensures climate shocks don’t negatively impact military installations, training, operations, and readiness.
    • Ensuring the Military Protects Civilians in Combat: Compels the Department of Defense to produce a report on how civilian harm could impact the success of military operations.
    • Improving the Defense Supply Chain: Encourages changes to the way DoD buys equipment so the supply chain that supports our defense is stronger and more efficient.
    • Strengthening the Afghanistan War Commission: Gives them more tools to complete their bipartisan assessment of key decisions made over twenty years of war in Afghanistan and to produce their final report.
    • Maintaining a global security footprint: Prevents the elimination or consolidation of US Southern Command.
    • Bolstering our strategy in Eastern Europe: Requires DoD to provide Congress an updated strategy related to NATO, and provide a detailed update on Russia’s actions. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Ministers release Homelessness Insights Report

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Government has released the latest Homelessness Insights Report and announced a series of actions to reduce the number of people living without shelter, including sleeping rough in New Zealand, Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka say.

    “Homelessness is a problem New Zealand has grappled with for a long time. It is a symptom of a dysfunctional housing market and is exacerbated during challenging economic times,” Mr Bishop says.

    “Census data shows an ongoing trend of increasing homelessness, with 4,122 people living without shelter in 2013, 3,624 people in 2018 and 4,965 in 2023.

    “The 2018 to 2023 period showed a 37% increase of people living without shelter despite the large-scale use of Emergency Housing costing well over $1 billion across that period.

    “The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development’s latest Homelessness Insights Report confirms what frontline organisations like the Auckland City Mission and Salvation Army have been saying: there are too many people in housing need.

    “Accurate numbers are difficult to pin down – people without shelter often move around and may avoid engaging with government services – but it’s clear we have a real problem.

    “The Government takes this seriously. At present, over $550 million is spent annually across a range of programmes run by multiple agencies, including Transitional Housing, Housing First, Rapid Rehousing and many other support services.”

    “All New Zealanders deserve a warm, dry place to stay, and the Government is determined to make progress on this long-running challenge for New Zealand,” Mr Potaka says.

    “In the short-term, we’ve asked officials for advice on further targeted interventions to provide help and support to those living without shelter, including rough sleepers. We’ve asked for recommendations around better utilisation of existing programmes and existing services, and we are also open to new ideas that will make an enduring difference. 

    “We’ve made it clear that officials should engage with frontline providers such as the Auckland City Mission, The Wise Group and the Salvation Army, among others, because they are the organisations working at the frontline of this problem. 

    “We will not be returning to the previous government’s large-scale emergency housing model, which cost over $1 million a day at its peak and was a social disaster. New Zealanders – including people sleeping rough – deserve better than that.

    “The Government has an existing review under way of housing support services. There are hundreds of contracts for these services, and the system is complicated and often duplicative. Our aim is to make the system simpler, more effective, and reduce duplication. We want to fund what works.

    “We’re also looking at how to better support people leaving residential support programmes or prison. Stable housing is critical to successful reintegration and reducing reoffending.”

    “Our long-term focus is on fixing the fundamentals of our housing market: freeing up land, removing planning barriers, improving infrastructure funding, and giving councils stronger incentives to support housing growth,” Mr Bishop says.

    “Next year we’ll replace the RMA with a new planning system that makes it easier to build the housing and infrastructure New Zealand needs.

    “We’re also looking at ways to improve the social housing system to ensure it delivers the right homes, in the right places, for the right people. The Government has recently changed Kāinga Ora’s funding settings to enable the agency to build more one-bedroom units. About 50 per cent of people on the Housing Register require a one-bedroom unit, but they only make up about 12 per cent of Kāinga Ora’s housing stock.

    “Homelessness is complex and there are no easy answers, but we’re determined to take meaningful actions – like our Priority One policy which has seen more than 2,100 children and their families moved from emergency housing motels into homes.”

    Note to editors:

    The report is available on the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development’s website.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Ministers release Homelessness Insights Report

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Government has released the latest Homelessness Insights Report and announced a series of actions to reduce the number of people living without shelter, including sleeping rough in New Zealand, Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka say.

    “Homelessness is a problem New Zealand has grappled with for a long time. It is a symptom of a dysfunctional housing market and is exacerbated during challenging economic times,” Mr Bishop says.

    “Census data shows an ongoing trend of increasing homelessness, with 4,122 people living without shelter in 2013, 3,624 people in 2018 and 4,965 in 2023.

    “The 2018 to 2023 period showed a 37% increase of people living without shelter despite the large-scale use of Emergency Housing costing well over $1 billion across that period.

    “The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development’s latest Homelessness Insights Report confirms what frontline organisations like the Auckland City Mission and Salvation Army have been saying: there are too many people in housing need.

    “Accurate numbers are difficult to pin down – people without shelter often move around and may avoid engaging with government services – but it’s clear we have a real problem.

    “The Government takes this seriously. At present, over $550 million is spent annually across a range of programmes run by multiple agencies, including Transitional Housing, Housing First, Rapid Rehousing and many other support services.”

    “All New Zealanders deserve a warm, dry place to stay, and the Government is determined to make progress on this long-running challenge for New Zealand,” Mr Potaka says.

    “In the short-term, we’ve asked officials for advice on further targeted interventions to provide help and support to those living without shelter, including rough sleepers. We’ve asked for recommendations around better utilisation of existing programmes and existing services, and we are also open to new ideas that will make an enduring difference. 

    “We’ve made it clear that officials should engage with frontline providers such as the Auckland City Mission, The Wise Group and the Salvation Army, among others, because they are the organisations working at the frontline of this problem. 

    “We will not be returning to the previous government’s large-scale emergency housing model, which cost over $1 million a day at its peak and was a social disaster. New Zealanders – including people sleeping rough – deserve better than that.

    “The Government has an existing review under way of housing support services. There are hundreds of contracts for these services, and the system is complicated and often duplicative. Our aim is to make the system simpler, more effective, and reduce duplication. We want to fund what works.

    “We’re also looking at how to better support people leaving residential support programmes or prison. Stable housing is critical to successful reintegration and reducing reoffending.”

    “Our long-term focus is on fixing the fundamentals of our housing market: freeing up land, removing planning barriers, improving infrastructure funding, and giving councils stronger incentives to support housing growth,” Mr Bishop says.

    “Next year we’ll replace the RMA with a new planning system that makes it easier to build the housing and infrastructure New Zealand needs.

    “We’re also looking at ways to improve the social housing system to ensure it delivers the right homes, in the right places, for the right people. The Government has recently changed Kāinga Ora’s funding settings to enable the agency to build more one-bedroom units. About 50 per cent of people on the Housing Register require a one-bedroom unit, but they only make up about 12 per cent of Kāinga Ora’s housing stock.

    “Homelessness is complex and there are no easy answers, but we’re determined to take meaningful actions – like our Priority One policy which has seen more than 2,100 children and their families moved from emergency housing motels into homes.”

    Note to editors:

    The report is available on the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development’s website.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Amo, Huffman Lead 62 Members in New Bill Blocking Trump’s Assault on NOAA Facilities

    Source: US Congressman Gabe Amo (Rhode Island 1st District)

    The Stop NOAA Closures Act prevents Trump from arbitrarily closing National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) facilities, keeping communities safe from natural disasters.

    WASHINGTON, DC–  Today, House Science, Space, and Technology Environment Subcommittee Ranking Member Gabe Amo (D-RI) and House Committee on Natural Resources Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-CA) led 62 representatives in introducing the Stop NOAA Closures Act, which would block President Trump’s dangerous plans to close NOAA facilities across the country. NOAA facilities predict extreme weather, protect New England fisheries, and help communities understand and adapt to climate change. 

    “From fishermen to farmers, Rhode Islanders rely on NOAA to respond to severe weather and predict and prepare for climate change,” said Ranking Member Gabe Amo (D-RI). “I introduced the Stop NOAA Closures Act, alongside Ranking Member Huffman,  to prevent Trump from shuttering the NOAA facilities that track developing disasters, protect our natural resources, and help communities get ready for the next storm. As Ranking Member of the Science, Space, and Technology Environment Subcommittee, I will keep fighting to make sure NOAA and the National Weather Service can continue their vital work protecting the lives, livelihoods, and property of the American people.”

    “Let’s call this what it is: a full-blown assault on science and public safety. President Trump’s reckless plans to shutter NOAA facilities are dangerously irresponsible — especially as climate-fueled disasters grow more extreme, more frequent, and more costly,” said Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-CA). “NOAA is on the frontlines of forecasting hurricanes, tracking wildfires and floods, and issuing life-saving warnings before the next storm hits. Slashing NOAA’s capacity would mean slower warnings, less reliable forecasts, and more American families put in danger. I’m proud to co-lead the Stop NOAA Closures Act to stop this madness in its tracks and protect the science and services millions of Americans rely on every single day.”

    This bill is co-sponsored by Representatives Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Sarah Elfreth (D-MD), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), Kevin Mullin (D-CA), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ), Adam Smith (D-WA), Haley Stevens (D-MI), Seth Magaziner (D-RI), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Sylvia Garcia (D-TX), Lateefah Simon (D-CA), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Stacey Plaskett (D-VI), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Joe Neguse (D-CO), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Jill Tokuda (D-HI), Emilia Strong Sykes (D-OH), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Timothy Kennedy (D-NY), Marilyn Strickland (D-WA), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Nanette Barragán (D-CA), Bill Keating (D-MA), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), John Garamendi (D-CA), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Deborah Ross (D-NC), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Greg Stanton (D-AZ), Cleo Fields (D-LA), Andrea Salinas (D-OR), Lou Correa (D-CA), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Don Beyer (D-VA), Salud Carbajal (D-CA), Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Valerie Foushee (D-NC), Glenn Ivey (D-MD), George Latimer (D-NY), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX), Dina Titus (D-NV), Mark Takano (D-CA), Ed Case (D-HI), Lois Frankel (D-FL), Maxine Dexter, MD (D-OR), Kim Schrier, MD (D-WA), Maxwell Frost (D-FL), Sarah McBride (D-DE), Greg Landsman (D-OH), and Steve Cohen (D-TN). 

    This legislation is endorsed by the Sierra Club, Oceana, the Environmental Defense Fund, the Union of Concerned Scientists, the League of Conservation Voters, Azul, Save the Bay, Climate Action Rhode Island, the Conservation Law Foundation Rhode Island, Clean Water Action Rhode Island, the Eastern Rhode Island Conservation District, the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council, the Turtle Island Restoration Network, Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) Action Fund, ISciences, L.L.C., and the Woodwell Climate Research Center. 

    For additional quotes, click HERE.

    Background

    Congressman Amo, serves as the Ranking Member for the Subcommittee on Environment on the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology with jurisdiction over the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: House Passes Four Amo Amendments to Strengthen Rhode Island’s Defense Workforce and Blue Economy

    Source: US Congressman Gabe Amo (Rhode Island 1st District)

    Amo amendments bolstering Rhode Island’s cutting-edge defense innovation and our nation’s readiness included in the Department of Defense Appropriations Act passed through the House.

    WASHINGTON, DC – TODAY, House Foreign Affairs Committee Vice Ranking Member Gabe Amo (D-RI) authored four amendments that passed the House as part of the Fiscal Year 2026 Department of Defense Appropriations Act. The amendments support and encourage Rhode Island’s premier defense manufacturers like VATN Systems in Portsmouth, Composite Energy Technologies in Bristol, Textron Inc. in Providence, and G-Form in North Smithfield — national leaders in developing underwater drones for the United States Navy.

    “Rhode Island is leading our nation in developing cutting-edge technology that should be utilized to strengthen and modernize the U.S. military,” said Congressman Gabe Amo (D-RI). “The amendments I pushed for that were included in this year’s Defense Department appropriations bill will support good paying jobs at home in Rhode Island while advancing our national security.”

     

    Background

    Ranking Member Amo’s first amendment provides $10 million in funding for testing and adoption across the U.S. Navy fleet of underwater drone battery technology developed in RI.

    Amo’s second amendment provides $8 million in funding to develop underwater drones utilizing cutting edge composite materials technology developed by companies like Composite Energy Technologies in Bristol, RI.   

    The third amendment authored by Amo provides $10 million to upgrade the fuel tanks of military helicopters to increase servicemember safety and maintenance affordability while providing good-paying jobs in Rhode Island. 

    Amo’s fourth amendment provides $5 million in improvements to the safety and functionality of servicemembers helmets in extremely cold conditions using state of the art materials like those developed by G-Form in North Smithfield, RI.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Omar Introduces Five Amendments to FY 2026 Defense Appropriations Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Ilhan Omar (DFL-MN)

    WASHINGTON–Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) introduced five amendments to the FY 2026 Department of Defense Appropriations Act. The amendments aim to center human rights; redirect funds to critical medical research; destroy chemical agents and munitions; stop military funding to Israel; fund environmental restoration to clean up hazardous substances, pollutants, and munitions from former defense sites; and prohibit the United States Northern Command from unlawfully operating inside Mexico.

    “We have a moral responsibility to reduce our defense budget and invest in our communities,” said Rep. Omar. “It’s way past time we stop writing blank checks for endless wars that only hurt our reputation abroad and do not make us safer. I introduced five amendments to bring us in line with a more just defense budget–one that centers the needs of the American people and addresses past harms. Earlier this month, Congress greenlit an additional $150 billion to our defense budget to fund Trump’s police state. At a time when the United States spends more on our defense than the next nine highest-spending countries combined, it is more important than ever to reorient our budget to address the pressing issues facing our communities instead of appeasing warmongers.”

    The amendments introduced by Rep. Omar include:
    •    Omar #122 – transfers $5 million from defense-wide operation and maintenance to defense health programs.
    •    Omar #123– transfers $5 million from defense-wide operation and maintenance to chemical agents and munitions destruction account.
    •    Omar #168– strikes military funding to Israel.
    •    Omar #169– transfers $5 million from Army aircraft procurement to Army environmental restoration.
    •    Omar #211– strikes the exemption for Executive Order 14167 in the prohibition on Northern Command activities with respect to Mexico.

    Additionally, Rep. Omar is cosponsoring the following amendment:
    •    Gosar #126– prohibits funds to carry out section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978.

    The full text of the amendments is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: CPC Taskforce Chair Ilhan Omar Condemns Bloated Pentagon Spending Bill, Highlights Amendments to Promote Peace

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Ilhan Omar (DFL-MN)

    WASHINGTON — Representative Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Chair of the Promoting Peace & Security Taskforce of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), issued the following statement on H.R. 4016, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2026, which passed on a party-line vote:

    “Last night’s Republican spending bill further bloats an out-of-control Pentagon while doubling down on skewed priorities. This bill expands funding to a military deployed by Trump to launch unconstitutional wars while enriching well-connected private contractors with no safeguards. Meanwhile, this legislation attacks the right to access reproductive healthcare in the military and guts efforts to recruit diverse servicemembers who reflect the full range of America.

    “The Pentagon has failed every audit since it became legally required to submit one in 2018. No other federal agency is thrown hundreds of billions of dollars with so little transparency. Meanwhile, Trump is illegally destroying agencies like the Department of Education and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which provide urgent resources to our children’s classrooms and protect Americans from corporate fraud.

    “The Progressive Caucus will continue to push for a budget that prioritizes human needs and lifts up our communities at home—not endless wars abroad. I am proud of my CPC colleagues for putting forward commonsense alternatives to this Pentagon budget that advance peace, restraint and social justice. I urge Senate Democrats to impose meaningful checks on Trump’s unconstrained military during the appropriations process as this bill now moves to that chamber.”

    The following submitted amendments are a sampling of CPC Members’ efforts to improve the Defense Department Appropriations bill:

    Amendment #123 by Rep. Omar transfers $5 million from defense-wide operation and maintenance to chemical agents and munitions destruction account.

    Amendment #126 by Reps. Omar, Tlaib, Gosar, and Biggs prohibits funds to carry out section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978.

    Amendment #337 by Rep. Chuy Garcia prohibits the use of funds for transferring data and other records to DHS for civil immigration enforcement.

    Amendment #342 by Rep. Chuy Garcia and Amendment #455 from Rep. Salinas prohibit the use of funds for the National Guard to enforce immigration laws.

    Amendment #471 by Rep. Chuy Garcia and Amendment #475 by Rep. Nadler prohibit the use of funds for transferring any individual to the Migrant Operations Center at United States Naval Station at Guantanamo Bay.

    Amendment #509 by Rep. Kamlager-Dove prohibits the use of funds to implement the June 7 presidential memo activating the deployment of the National Guards to protect ICE personnel and federal property in Los Angeles.

    Amendment #188 by Takano, Smith, Jacobs, Randall, Pappas, Torres, and Craig prohibits funds from being used to implement, administer, or enforce Executive Order No. 14183, which prohibits transgender people from serving in the military.

    Amendment #397 by Rep. Friedman strikes section 8142 – prohibiting funding for execution of DOD memorandum on access to reproductive care.

    Amendment #13 by Rep. Jacobs strikes Sections 8138, 8139, 8144, and 8145, which ban gender-affirming care, drag queen shows, and allows discrimination for people who do not support gay marriage.

    Amendment #200 by Rep. Tlaib strikes sections prohibiting programs relating to advancing racial equity and support for under-served communities and diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.

    Amendment 206 by Rep. Tlaib prohibits the use of funds for foreign security force training with respect to El Salvador.

    Amendment #441 from Rep. Garamendi limits funding for the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) program until Congress receives the Milestone B approval decision pursuant to section 4252(e) of title 10, United States Code.

    Amendment #394 from Rep. Simon and Amendment #488 from Rep. Khanna and Rep. Massie prohibits fund from being used to introduce U.S. forces into hostilities in Iran in contravention of the War Powers Resolution.

    Amendment #203 from Rep. Tlaib prohibits funds from being used in contravention of the War Powers Resolution with respect to Yemen.

    Amendment #355 from Rep. Tlaib prohibits funds from being used to support the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).

    Amendment #301 from Reps. Chuy Garcia, Castro, Velázquez prohibits funds from being used for unauthorized military force against Mexico.

    Amendment #216 by Rep. Velázquez prohibits military action and/or regime change in the Western Hemisphere without Congressional authorization.

    Amendment #213 from Rep. Tlaib prohibits the use of funds to maintain a U.S. military presence inside Syria after one year, unless otherwise Congressionally authorized.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Doctors shouldn’t be allowed to object to medical care if it harms their patients

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Julian Savulescu, Visiting Professor in Biomedical Ethics, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute; Distinguished Visiting Professor in Law, University of Melbourne; Uehiro Chair in Practical Ethics, The University of Melbourne

    HRAUN/Getty

    A young woman needs an abortion and the reasons, while urgent, are not medical. A United States Navy nurse at Guantánamo Bay is ordered to force-feed a defiant detainee on hunger strike.

    These very different real-life cases have one connecting thread: the question of whether a health professional can conscientiously object to carrying out a patient’s request.

    Freedom of conscience is often held up as a purely noble principle. But when it’s used to deny health care, it means a single person’s beliefs are dictating what is best for another person’s physical and mental health – which can have devastating, even fatal, results.

    In our recent book, Rethinking Conscientious Objection in Healthcare, colleagues and I conclude doctors should not be free to make medical decisions based on their personal beliefs.

    It’s not noble to refuse care

    Freedom of conscience is strongly – but not absolutely – protected under international human rights law. It is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

    This principle has often been used for moral purposes: for example, to resist orders to torture or kill.

    But after researching use of conscientious objection by health professionals, I have concluded it is seriously flawed when used to deny patients health services. This is especially so when particular doctors have a monopoly on service provision, as is the case with abortion and assisted dying in many rural and regional areas of Australia.

    In Australia, doctors are allowed to conscientiously object to abortion, although nearly all states require referral to other service providers or information about how to access the relevant service.

    In practice, these laws are not enforced and sometimes disregarded.

    A doctor’s refusal can mean patients can be denied the standard of care they need, or indeed, any care at all.

    Health-care professionals are not like pacifists refusing conscription into the military, opposing something forced upon them. They freely choose health-care careers that come with obligations and with ethical stances already established by professional codes of conduct.

    People are free to hold whatever beliefs they choose, but those beliefs will inevitably close off some options for them. For example, a vegetarian will not be able to work in an abattoir. That is true for every one of us. But what shouldn’t happen is a doctor’s personal beliefs closing off legitimate options for their patient.

    4 guiding questions

    Instead of personal values, there are four key secular principles we propose that doctors should rely on when deciding how to advise patients about sensitive procedures:

    • is it legal?

    • is it a just and fair use of any resources that might be limited?

    • is it in the interests of the patient’s wellbeing?

    • is it what the patient has themselves decided they want?

    Of course, there will be times when some of these principles are in conflict – that is when it is important to apply the most crucial ones, the wellbeing of the patient and the patient’s own wishes.

    In Ireland in 2012, a young woman named Savita Halappanavar went to an Irish hospital for treatment for her miscarriage. Doctors knew there was no hope of the pregnancy surviving but refused to evacuate her uterus while there was still a fetal heartbeat, for fear of breaching Ireland’s anti-abortion laws. The result: Savita died of septicaemia at 31.

    If doctors had put the patient’s wellbeing first, they would have given her that termination, despite the law, and it would have saved her life.

    These are the principles that should have been applied to the examples above: the woman seeking an abortion for career reasons or the nurse refusing to force-feed prisoners.

    The doctor (or nurse) should ask: Is it what the patient has autonomously decided they want? Will it lead to the best outcome for both their physical and their mental health?

    If abortion will promote a woman’s wellbeing, it is in her interests. Hunger strikers should not be force-fed because it violates their autonomy.

    An unfair burden

    While doctors’ personal values are important, they should not dictate care at the bedside. Not only can this disadvantage the patient, but it places an unfair burden on colleagues who do accept such work, and must carry a disproportionate load of procedures they might find unpleasant and financially unrewarding.

    It also creates injustice. Patients who are educated, wealthy and well-connected already find it easier to access health care. Conscientious objection intensifies that unfairness in large swathes of the country because it further limits options.

    Two countries with excellent health-care systems, Sweden and Finland, do not permit conscientious objection by medical professionals.

    In Australia, it is time we do the same and strongly limit conscientious objection as a legal right for health professionals. We should also ensure those entering the discipline are prepared to take on all procedures relevant to their specialty.

    And lastly, but most importantly, we should educate them that the patient’s interests and values must always come first. An individual doctor’s sense of moral authority should not be permitted to morph into medical and moral authoritarianism.

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

    – ref. Doctors shouldn’t be allowed to object to medical care if it harms their patients – https://theconversation.com/doctors-shouldnt-be-allowed-to-object-to-medical-care-if-it-harms-their-patients-260003

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Doctors shouldn’t be allowed to object to medical care if it harms their patients

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Julian Savulescu, Visiting Professor in Biomedical Ethics, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute; Distinguished Visiting Professor in Law, University of Melbourne; Uehiro Chair in Practical Ethics, The University of Melbourne

    HRAUN/Getty

    A young woman needs an abortion and the reasons, while urgent, are not medical. A United States Navy nurse at Guantánamo Bay is ordered to force-feed a defiant detainee on hunger strike.

    These very different real-life cases have one connecting thread: the question of whether a health professional can conscientiously object to carrying out a patient’s request.

    Freedom of conscience is often held up as a purely noble principle. But when it’s used to deny health care, it means a single person’s beliefs are dictating what is best for another person’s physical and mental health – which can have devastating, even fatal, results.

    In our recent book, Rethinking Conscientious Objection in Healthcare, colleagues and I conclude doctors should not be free to make medical decisions based on their personal beliefs.

    It’s not noble to refuse care

    Freedom of conscience is strongly – but not absolutely – protected under international human rights law. It is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

    This principle has often been used for moral purposes: for example, to resist orders to torture or kill.

    But after researching use of conscientious objection by health professionals, I have concluded it is seriously flawed when used to deny patients health services. This is especially so when particular doctors have a monopoly on service provision, as is the case with abortion and assisted dying in many rural and regional areas of Australia.

    In Australia, doctors are allowed to conscientiously object to abortion, although nearly all states require referral to other service providers or information about how to access the relevant service.

    In practice, these laws are not enforced and sometimes disregarded.

    A doctor’s refusal can mean patients can be denied the standard of care they need, or indeed, any care at all.

    Health-care professionals are not like pacifists refusing conscription into the military, opposing something forced upon them. They freely choose health-care careers that come with obligations and with ethical stances already established by professional codes of conduct.

    People are free to hold whatever beliefs they choose, but those beliefs will inevitably close off some options for them. For example, a vegetarian will not be able to work in an abattoir. That is true for every one of us. But what shouldn’t happen is a doctor’s personal beliefs closing off legitimate options for their patient.

    4 guiding questions

    Instead of personal values, there are four key secular principles we propose that doctors should rely on when deciding how to advise patients about sensitive procedures:

    • is it legal?

    • is it a just and fair use of any resources that might be limited?

    • is it in the interests of the patient’s wellbeing?

    • is it what the patient has themselves decided they want?

    Of course, there will be times when some of these principles are in conflict – that is when it is important to apply the most crucial ones, the wellbeing of the patient and the patient’s own wishes.

    In Ireland in 2012, a young woman named Savita Halappanavar went to an Irish hospital for treatment for her miscarriage. Doctors knew there was no hope of the pregnancy surviving but refused to evacuate her uterus while there was still a fetal heartbeat, for fear of breaching Ireland’s anti-abortion laws. The result: Savita died of septicaemia at 31.

    If doctors had put the patient’s wellbeing first, they would have given her that termination, despite the law, and it would have saved her life.

    These are the principles that should have been applied to the examples above: the woman seeking an abortion for career reasons or the nurse refusing to force-feed prisoners.

    The doctor (or nurse) should ask: Is it what the patient has autonomously decided they want? Will it lead to the best outcome for both their physical and their mental health?

    If abortion will promote a woman’s wellbeing, it is in her interests. Hunger strikers should not be force-fed because it violates their autonomy.

    An unfair burden

    While doctors’ personal values are important, they should not dictate care at the bedside. Not only can this disadvantage the patient, but it places an unfair burden on colleagues who do accept such work, and must carry a disproportionate load of procedures they might find unpleasant and financially unrewarding.

    It also creates injustice. Patients who are educated, wealthy and well-connected already find it easier to access health care. Conscientious objection intensifies that unfairness in large swathes of the country because it further limits options.

    Two countries with excellent health-care systems, Sweden and Finland, do not permit conscientious objection by medical professionals.

    In Australia, it is time we do the same and strongly limit conscientious objection as a legal right for health professionals. We should also ensure those entering the discipline are prepared to take on all procedures relevant to their specialty.

    And lastly, but most importantly, we should educate them that the patient’s interests and values must always come first. An individual doctor’s sense of moral authority should not be permitted to morph into medical and moral authoritarianism.

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

    – ref. Doctors shouldn’t be allowed to object to medical care if it harms their patients – https://theconversation.com/doctors-shouldnt-be-allowed-to-object-to-medical-care-if-it-harms-their-patients-260003

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scott Votes Against GOP’S FY26 Defense Appropriations Bill

    Source: {United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bobby Scott (3rd District of Virginia)

    Headline: Scott Votes Against GOP’S FY26 Defense Appropriations Bill

    WASHINGTON, D.C. –Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after voting against H.R. 4016, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for FY 2026.

    “The annual defense appropriations bill must be a strong investment in our servicemembers and our national security. There are some provisions I support in this defense appropriations bill such as investments in shipbuilding, including funding the Columbia-class and Virginia-class submarines and the Gerald R. Ford Class Nuclear Aircraft Carrier program. The bill also includes an important amendment to prevent the closure of the United States Army Transportation Museum at Fort Eustis.

    “However, I ultimately cannot support the bill in its current form because the Republicans included language directing the Department of Defense to make harmful cuts in service of Elon Musk’s DOGE agenda. This bill will cut over $2 billion for troop readiness and $409 million for health programs. The bill includes provisions that attack the civil rights and liberties of service members and military families, including eliminating any office of diversity, equity, or inclusion. The bill also restricts access to abortion for servicemembers and fails to include $300 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia’s invasion. 

    “I am hopeful that as the bill moves to the Senate, the final enacted version of this legislation will ensure our servicemembers and their families are protected and will also include necessary investments to our national security.”

    CLICK HERE for a fact sheet on the legislation.  

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: McCaul Votes to Pass Defense Appropriations Bill in Support of U.S. Servicemembers, Strengthen National Security

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Michael McCaul (10th District of Texas)

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) — chairman emeritus of the House Foreign Affairs Committee — voted for the fiscal year 2026 Defense appropriations bill. 

    “After four years of President Biden’s weak leadership that fueled global chaos, the Trump administration has worked swiftly to reassert U.S. military superiority and restore peace through strength,” said Rep. McCaul. “Today, I was proud to help advance their work at this crucial moment in history by voting to fully fund our Department of Defense. This bill not only honors the brave service men and women who defend our freedoms each day, but it also readies our military with best-in-class defense technology, infrastructure, and training to ensure the U.S. will continue to lead on the world stage and deter our adversaries’ aggression.”

    The FY26 Department of Defense Appropriations Act will support our servicemembers and strengthen U.S. national security by: 

    • Raising all military personnel pay by 3.8 percent;
    • Funding border security and measures to counter drug trafficking;
    • Prioritizing fiscal sanity by eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse at the Pentagon;
    • Drives a major shift to embed AI and advanced tech into defense by rapidly scaling innovation programs, streamlining procurement, and leveraging commercial breakthroughs to outpace future threats;
    • Investing in critical ships, aircraft, and next-generation military assets, including unmanned aerial systems, hypersonics, and missile warning systems; and
    • Bolstering medical and health programs and improving quality of life for servicemembers and families.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Chu and Senator Padilla and Colleagues Join Union Workers to Introduce Legislation to Protect Workers from Extreme Heat

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Judy Chu (CA2-27)

    Rep. Chu and Senator Padilla and Colleagues Join Union Workers to Introduce Legislation to Protect Workers from Extreme Heat

    WATCH: Rep. Chu’s remarks on pushing for enforceable workplace heat stress protections after hottest year on record

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, following yet another extreme heat wave in California, U.S. Representative Judy Chu (D-Calif.-28) and Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), joined by co-leads Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.-03), Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Rep. Alma Adams (D-N.C.-12), stood alongside union leaders, including Yaisy Villalobos of the United Farm Workers (UFW), Dorothy Bryant of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), and Roy Houseman of the United Steelworkers (USW) to announce their bipartisan, bicameral legislation to establish an enforceable federal workplace heat protection standard.

    To address the increasing risks from extreme temperatures, the lawmakers introduced the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act, legislation to protect the safety and health of indoor and outdoor workers who are exposed to dangerous heat conditions in the workplace. The legislation would protect workers against occupational exposure to excessive heat by requiring the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to establish an enforceable federal standard to protect workers in high-heat environments with common sense measures like paid breaks in cool spaces, access to water, limitations on time exposed to heat, and emergency response for workers with heat-related illness. The bill would also direct employers to provide training for their employees on the risk factors that can lead to heat illness and guidance on the proper procedures for responding to symptoms.

    The bill is named in honor of Asunción Valdivia, who died in 2004 in California after picking grapes for 10 hours straight in 105-degree temperatures. Mr. Valdivia fell unconscious, but instead of calling an ambulance, his employer told Mr. Valdivia’s son to drive his father home. On his way home, he died of heat stroke at the age of 53. 

    Ever since the United Farm Workers first shared Asunción Valdivia’s story with her, Rep. Judy Chu has been a tireless advocate to protect workers from dangerous heat exposure. She helped pass into law a state heat standard for outdoor workers when she was in the California state legislature. And she will continue to introduce this federal legislation each session of Congress until workers finally have a federal law protecting them from heat-related illness, injury, or death while on the job.

    “As we continue to experience record-breaking summer heat waves, we’re also seeing a distressing increase in cases of workers collapsing and even losing their lives due to excessive heat. I will never forget people like Asunción Valdivia or Esteban Chavez Jr., who passed away in Pasadena, California in 2022 after a day of delivering packages in 90-degree heat in a truck without air conditioning. Unfortunately, their tragic deaths were entirely preventable,” said Representative Chu. “Whether on a farm, driving a truck, or working in a warehouse, workers like Asunción and Esteban keep our country running while enduring some of the most difficult conditions—often without access to water or rest. To protect our workforce and save lives, we must pass this bill into law and establish comprehensive and enforceable federal standards addressing heat stress on the job.”

    “Asunción Valdivia’s death was completely preventable, yet his story is sadly not unique. As the planet continues to grow hotter, there is still no federally enforceable heat safety standard for workers. That’s not just dangerous for the farm workers and construction workers who work all day outside in the sun — it’s also dangerous for the factory and restaurant workers in boiling warehouses and kitchens,” said Senator Padilla. “Every family deserves to know that even on the hottest day, their loved one will come back home. A national heat safety standard would provide that peace of mind and finally give workers the safety they deserve.”

    “This summer, Americans across the country are grappling with some of the hottest temperatures on record. Yet workers in this country still have no legal protection against excessive heat—one of the oldest, most serious, and most common workplace hazards. Heat illness affects workers in our nation’s fields, warehouses, and factories, and climate change is making the problem more severe every year,” said Ranking Member Scott, House Committee on Education and Workforce. “This legislation will require OSHA to issue a heat standard on a much faster track than the normal OSHA regulatory process. I was proud to advance this important bill in 2022, and I urge Chairman Walberg and Committee Republicans to do so again this Congress. Workers deserve nothing less, particularly as heat-related illnesses and deaths rise.”

    “Even as heat waves become more frequent, longer-lasting, and more severe, red state politicians are rolling back heat protections and child labor protections across the country. It’s not rocket science—you cannot be pro-worker if you are anti-heat protection,” said Senator Markey. “Our legislation would provide workers with basic, effective protections: access to water, access to shade, time limits on high heat exposure, and procedures for emergency medical response. Every worker deserves to know when they clock in that they will return home safe at the end of their shift.  The thermometer is rising and the clock is ticking. Republicans want to sacrifice working Americans. Let’s save our workers instead.”

    “As we face record temperatures, it has never been more important that we protect our workers facing extreme heat in the workplace,” said Representative Adams. “Last year, a North Carolina postal worker Wendy Johnson lost her life to heat illness after spending hours in the back of a postal truck on a 95-degree day with no air conditioning. Her death was entirely preventable, and Wendy should still be with us today. I’m proud to introduce this bill so we can honor her memory and ensure every worker has the protections from extreme heat that Wendy deserved.” 

    “From farmhands to construction workers, America’s essential workforce is doing important work while under extreme heat conditions,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “Temperatures continue to reach record highs in Nevada and across the United States. We must act now to protect our communities’ vital workers.”  

    According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 2024 was the warmest year on record for the United States. The past decade, including 2024, was the hottest on record, marking a decade of extreme heat that will only get worse. Heat-related illnesses can cause heat cramps, organ damage, heat exhaustion, stroke, and even death. Farm workers and construction workers suffer the highest incidence of heat illness. And no matter what the weather is outside, workers in factories, commercial kitchens, and other workplaces, including ones where workers must wear personal protective equipment (PPE), can face dangerously high heat conditions all year round. From 2011-2020, heat exposure killed at least 400 workers and caused nearly 34,000 injuries and illnesses resulting in days away from work; both are likely vast underestimates. The Washington Center for Equitable Growth estimates hot temperatures caused at least 360,000 workplace injuries in California from 2001 to 2018, or about 20,000 injuries a year. The failure to implement simple heat safety measures costs U.S. employers nearly $100 billion every year in lost productivity.

    The Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act has the support of a broad coalition of over 250 groups, including: Rural Coalition, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, AFL-CIO, UNITE HERE!, AFSCME, Communication Workers of America, Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, Sierra Club, United Farm Workers, Farmworker Justice, Public Citizen, National Employment Law Project, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, United Auto Workers, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, Union of Concerned Scientists, United Steelworkers, National Council for Occupational Safety and Health, National Resources Defense Council, Service Employees International Union, American Lung Association, and Health Partnerships.

    “Every worker safety rule in America is written in blood,” said UFW President Teresa Romero. “The UFW has been fighting for heat safety protections for decades. Over 20 years later, Asuncion Valdivia’s death still hurts. There are so many other farm workers — many whose names we do not know — who have also been killed by extreme heat on the job in the years since. Enough is enough. Every farm worker deserves access to water, shade, and paid rest breaks — it’s past time for Congress get this done.”

    “Too many workers – including AFSCME members – have lost their lives on the job as a result of blistering heat waves and record-breaking temperatures,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “As the number of heat-related illnesses and fatalities continue to rise, it is well past time we adopt nationwide safeguards to better protect the workers who maintain our infrastructure, keep our streets clean, harvest our food, and keep our economy moving. We at AFSCME thank Senator Padilla and Representative Chu for introducing the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act, which will ensure essential workers who brave the heat can do their jobs safely and effectively, and most importantly, make it home alive.”

    “For the Steelworkers Union, we represent workers in manufacturing settings and in a host of other areas where not only is it hot outside, but the areas that they work around are as hot as up to 3,000 degrees and they must wear protective equipment. The Asunción Valdivia Heat, Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act is important because it will provide a basic standard for not just outdoor, but indoor workplaces as well to ensure that there is proper rest breaks and the ability to stay cool. The Steelworkers are absolutely supportive of this bill and are going to work with Republicans and Democrats to ensure that heat illness is the last thing a worker should worry about,” said Roy Houseman, Legislative Director of United Steelworkers. 

    “Everyone deserves safe working conditions, but powerful corporations have not done enough to protect their workers from hot working environments, exacerbated by the climate crisis,” said Liz Shuler, President of the AFL-CIO. “Extreme heat is increasingly causing indoor and outdoor workers to collapse or even die on the job, and our union family has already lost too many members to preventable, work-related heat illness. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) must issue a strong heat rule, not a weak one, to ensure workers have specific protections they need and to be able to raise unsafe working conditions without fear of retaliation.”

    “It’s long past time for meaningful legislation to protect Teamsters and other workers from the effects of prolonged heat exposure and dangerous heat levels while at work,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “Paid breaks in cool spaces, access to water, and limitations on time exposed to heat are simple common sense steps that should be mandated immediately. Waiting to implement these measures is unacceptable and will result in the further loss of lives.” 

    “Workers in America are facing unprecedented dangers from climate-driven heat and extreme weather, and things are only getting worse. It is far past time for a strong national standard to protect workers from illness and death caused by exposure to extreme heat. The provisions mandated in this bill, including temperature triggers, acclimatization, water, shade and paid rest breaks, would save countless lives. They represent a common sense and common decency approach that employers could quickly adopt. American workers deserve no less, and they urgently need it. Today, OSHA is in the final stage of issuing a final rule on this issue. It is imperative that the rule maintain the integrity and high standards called for in the Asuncíon Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act. We applaud Senators Padilla, Markey, and Cortez Masto and Representatives Chu, Adams, and Scott, as well as the dozens of Senators and Congresspersons who have joined them in this long effort. It’s time to bring a high quality, protective standard to the finish line for American workers,” said Ernesto Archila, Climate and Financial Regulation Policy Director, Public Citizen.

    “Every summer high temperature records get broken in states across the country, and while public health officials urge residents to stay inside and stay safe millions of workers have to report for work. From fields to warehouses, airports to schools, construction sites to manufacturing plants, and many more industries, too many workers are at risk of not getting home safely at the end of the day due to exposure to heat on the job. We know how to prevent these dangers. In fact, both outdoor and indoor workers in states like Oregon, California, and Maryland have strong, enforceable protections in place already. And in Washington, Colorado, and Minnesota at least some categories of workers are being kept safe from heat. But millions labor in other states where there are no protections; worker safety is left to the federal government in these states, and absent strong rules workers are left to protect themselves and hope for the best. We must extend workplace protections from heat to all workers. The National Employment Law Project thanks Senator Padilla and Representative Chu, as well as the dozens of Senators and Congresspersons who have cosponsored the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act of 2025,” said Anastasia Christman, Senior Policy Analyst, National Employment Law Project.

    This bill is originally cosponsored by 90 House Members, including Rep. Bobby Scott (VA-03)*, Rep. Alma Adams (NC-12)*, Rep. Gabe Amo (RI-01), Rep. Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Rep. Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Rep. Julia Brownley (CA-26), Rep. Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Rep. Andre Carson (IN-07), Rep. Troy A. Carter, Sr. (LA-02), Rep. Greg Casar (TX-35), Rep. Sean Casten (IL-06), Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14), Rep. Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Rep. Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, II (MO-05), Rep. Angie Craig (MN-02), Rep. Danny K. Davis (IL-07), Rep. Diana DeGette (CO-01), Rep. Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Rep. Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Rep. Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Rep. Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Rep. Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Rep. Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), Rep. Lois Frankel (FL-22), Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost (FL-10), Rep. Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Rep. Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Rep. Daniel Goldman (NY-10), Rep. Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Rep. Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Rep. Al Green (TX-09), Rep. Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Rep. Steven Horsford (NV-04), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Rep. Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. (GA-04), Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02), Rep. Michael Lawler (NY-17), Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03), Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49), Rep. Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Rep. Seth Magaziner (RI-02), Rep. John Mannion (NY-22), Rep. Lucy McBath (GA-06), Rep. Betty McCollum (MN-04), Rep. Morgan McGarvey (KY-03), Rep. Jim McGovern (MA-02), Rep. LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06), Rep. Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Rep. Gwen Moore (WI-04), Rep. Seth Moulton (MA-06), Rep. Frank J. Mrvan (IN-01), Rep. Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Rep. Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Rep. Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), Rep. Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Rep. Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-02), Rep. Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Rep. Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Rep. Luz Rivas (CA-29), Rep. Raul Ruiz (CA-25), Rep. Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Rep. Linda Sanchez (CA-38), Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Rep. Hillary Scholten (MI-03), Rep. Adam Smith (WA-09), Rep. Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Rep. Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), Rep. Mark Takano (CA-39), Rep. Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (MS-02), Rep. Dina Titus (NV-01), Rep. Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Rep. Paul Tonko (NY-20), Rep. Norma Torres (CA-35), Rep. Derek T. Tran (CA-45), Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-52), Rep. Marc Veasey (TX-33), Rep. Nydia M. Velazquez (NY-07), Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), and Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).

     A one-pager on the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act is available here.

    A section-by-section of the bill is available here.

    Full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Defence News – US and NZ Army leaders strengthen strategic partnership

    Source: New Zealand Defence Force

    United States Army Pacific (USARPAC) Commanding General, General Ronald P. Clark, met this week with New Zealand Chief of Army, Major General Rose King, to reaffirm the strong and enduring military relationship between the two nations and advance efforts to bolster security cooperation, readiness, and interoperability across the Indo-Pacific region.

    Over the course of the senior leaders’ and their delegations meeting in Wellington, as well as a visit to the NZ Army’s training and cultural home in Waiouru, the deepening defence relationship was reflected between both countries, rooted in shared democratic values and more than a century of military cooperation dating back to the First World War.

    “Our armies have stood side by side in every major conflict of the past century,” said General Clark. “Today, that legacy continues as we build the integrated landpower network required to meet today’s challenges and preserve peace in the Indo-Pacific.”

    Their meeting underscored not only the historical depth of the US–New Zealand Army partnership, but also the shared commitment to preparing their forces for the challenges of a rapidly evolving regional security environment.

    “New Zealand values its close and enduring relationship with the US Army,” said Major General Rose King. “Our cooperation is not just historical – it’s operational, forward-looking, and grounded in trust. Together, we are preparing our forces to meet shared challenges across the region with agility, adaptability and purpose.”

    Discussions focused on building further interoperability, advancing combined readiness initiatives, and the US Army’s recent transformation efforts. The leaders emphasised the critical role both armies play in shaping a free and open Indo-Pacific, especially as the region faces evolving threats and strategic competition.

    The meeting occurred as both nations’ armies participated in Exercise Talisman Sabre in Australia, where close to 700 New Zealand Defence Force troops trained alongside US, Australian, and other allied forces. The exercise demonstrated growing interoperability across air, land, maritime, cyber, and space domains.

    Major General King highlighted New Zealand’s commitment to maintaining a modern, combat-ready force capable of deploying globally and regionally. The New Zealand Army – 4,200 active and 2,000 reserve soldiers strong – regularly integrates seamlessly with allied partners across combined missions and operations, supports United Nations peacekeeping operations and delivers humanitarian assistance across the Pacific when called upon.

    “We know that we can’t contribute mass and scale, but we pride ourselves on the quality of our soldiers and our leaders, who regularly deploy to, and add significant value to multinational deployments and operations,” Major General King said. “To that end, it’s been great to be able to share some insight with General Clark and his team around how we go about training our people.”

    As part of its publicly announced modernisation efforts through the New Zealand Government’s Defence Capability Plan, the New Zealand Army is pursuing upgrades to its Javelin anti-tank missile system, investing in a Network Enabled Army to improve its digital communications and command-and-control interoperability, and planning the replacement of aging vehicle fleets to enhance mobility and sustainment in the field.

    “New Zealand is a stalwart partner in the Pacific,” said General Clark. “Whether in exercises like Talisman Sabre or standing shoulder to shoulder in peacekeeping operations, our soldiers share trust built on action, not just words.”

    This sentiment was echoed by Major General King, who emphasised the operational value of combined training and the practical steps both armies are taking to improve regional preparedness.

    “Participating in Talisman Sabre alongside US and Australian forces showcases our commitment to operational readiness and deepening interoperability,” said Major General King. “These exercises strengthen our collective capability to respond quickly and effectively in the region—whether in conflict, crisis, or humanitarian need.”

    Both generals acknowledged the strategic importance of the Pacific Islands region and affirmed their role in promoting regional security, development, and sovereignty.

    This visit underscored the enduring strength of the US–New Zealand partnership – one forged in the trenches of the First World War, battle-tested in the Pacific during the Second World War, and reaffirmed today through shared purpose and mutual respect.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Defence News – US and NZ Army leaders strengthen strategic partnership

    Source: New Zealand Defence Force

    United States Army Pacific (USARPAC) Commanding General, General Ronald P. Clark, met this week with New Zealand Chief of Army, Major General Rose King, to reaffirm the strong and enduring military relationship between the two nations and advance efforts to bolster security cooperation, readiness, and interoperability across the Indo-Pacific region.

    Over the course of the senior leaders’ and their delegations meeting in Wellington, as well as a visit to the NZ Army’s training and cultural home in Waiouru, the deepening defence relationship was reflected between both countries, rooted in shared democratic values and more than a century of military cooperation dating back to the First World War.

    “Our armies have stood side by side in every major conflict of the past century,” said General Clark. “Today, that legacy continues as we build the integrated landpower network required to meet today’s challenges and preserve peace in the Indo-Pacific.”

    Their meeting underscored not only the historical depth of the US–New Zealand Army partnership, but also the shared commitment to preparing their forces for the challenges of a rapidly evolving regional security environment.

    “New Zealand values its close and enduring relationship with the US Army,” said Major General Rose King. “Our cooperation is not just historical – it’s operational, forward-looking, and grounded in trust. Together, we are preparing our forces to meet shared challenges across the region with agility, adaptability and purpose.”

    Discussions focused on building further interoperability, advancing combined readiness initiatives, and the US Army’s recent transformation efforts. The leaders emphasised the critical role both armies play in shaping a free and open Indo-Pacific, especially as the region faces evolving threats and strategic competition.

    The meeting occurred as both nations’ armies participated in Exercise Talisman Sabre in Australia, where close to 700 New Zealand Defence Force troops trained alongside US, Australian, and other allied forces. The exercise demonstrated growing interoperability across air, land, maritime, cyber, and space domains.

    Major General King highlighted New Zealand’s commitment to maintaining a modern, combat-ready force capable of deploying globally and regionally. The New Zealand Army – 4,200 active and 2,000 reserve soldiers strong – regularly integrates seamlessly with allied partners across combined missions and operations, supports United Nations peacekeeping operations and delivers humanitarian assistance across the Pacific when called upon.

    “We know that we can’t contribute mass and scale, but we pride ourselves on the quality of our soldiers and our leaders, who regularly deploy to, and add significant value to multinational deployments and operations,” Major General King said. “To that end, it’s been great to be able to share some insight with General Clark and his team around how we go about training our people.”

    As part of its publicly announced modernisation efforts through the New Zealand Government’s Defence Capability Plan, the New Zealand Army is pursuing upgrades to its Javelin anti-tank missile system, investing in a Network Enabled Army to improve its digital communications and command-and-control interoperability, and planning the replacement of aging vehicle fleets to enhance mobility and sustainment in the field.

    “New Zealand is a stalwart partner in the Pacific,” said General Clark. “Whether in exercises like Talisman Sabre or standing shoulder to shoulder in peacekeeping operations, our soldiers share trust built on action, not just words.”

    This sentiment was echoed by Major General King, who emphasised the operational value of combined training and the practical steps both armies are taking to improve regional preparedness.

    “Participating in Talisman Sabre alongside US and Australian forces showcases our commitment to operational readiness and deepening interoperability,” said Major General King. “These exercises strengthen our collective capability to respond quickly and effectively in the region—whether in conflict, crisis, or humanitarian need.”

    Both generals acknowledged the strategic importance of the Pacific Islands region and affirmed their role in promoting regional security, development, and sovereignty.

    This visit underscored the enduring strength of the US–New Zealand partnership – one forged in the trenches of the First World War, battle-tested in the Pacific during the Second World War, and reaffirmed today through shared purpose and mutual respect.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Vermont Delegation Meets with Dylan Collins, Demands Accountability for Targeted Attack Against International Journalists in Lebanon 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today met with Dylan Collins, a Vermonter and video journalist for the Agence France-Presse (AFP) news agency, who was attacked and wounded by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) while reporting in Southern Lebanon. Representatives for Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Representative Becca Balint (D-VT-At Large) also attended the meeting.  
    The Vermont Congressional Delegation released the following statement of support for Mr. Collins:  
    “For two years, we have sought accountability for Dylan Collins, a Vermonter who was wounded in a targeted attack on international journalists in southern Lebanon by Israeli Defense Forces. A Reuters journalist was killed instantly, AFP’s Christina Assi suffered catastrophic injuries, including losing her right leg, and Mr. Collins and four others were wounded by shrapnel. Multiple credible independent investigations indicate that the attack by Israeli soldiers was a deliberate targeting of individuals who were clearly identified as journalists.  
    “We have demanded answers from both the Biden and Trump Administrations. The United States government has a responsibility to investigate and obtain accountability for an attack on an American citizen. This Administration has yet to recognize this obligation to Mr. Collins. Our delegation will continue to seek accountability for this shocking misuse of lethal force through legislation, including restrictions on taxpayer-funded weapons for Israel.” 
    Independent investigations conducted by Reuters, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Agence France-Presse (AFP), and others have concluded that the IDF’s October 2023 attack on international journalists, including Dylan Collins, in southern Lebanon was targeted and deliberate. 
    Nine American citizens, including Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, have been killed by IDF forces or settlers since 2022. The killings have been met by a lack of accountability from the Israeli government and a pattern of indifference by the U.S. government. These failures have contributed to an unacceptable culture of impunity when it comes to ensuring accountability for the deaths of Americans, journalists, and tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians in the West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria. 
    Reports by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) have revealed that at least 186journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza, the West Bank, Israel, and Lebanonsince the conflict began on October 7, 2024, making it the deadliest period for journalists since CPJ began gathering data in 1992. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Tuberville Joins Kudlow to Highlight President Trump’s Wins in First Six Months in Office

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined Larry Kudlow on Fox Business Network to highlight some of President Trump’s many wins since taking office six months ago, including historic tax cuts, increased military recruitment, protecting female athletes, securing the southern border, and making our food healthier.

    Excerpts from the interview can be found below and the full interview can be viewed on YouTube or Rumble.

    KUDLOW: “So Senator Tuberville, I think one of the themes here—this is something we’ve talked about. Victor Davis Hanson has been writing about this. The experts were wrong. Trump got this stuff done. In particular, the southern border—which is virtually flat now, virtually empty—no crossings. We didn’t need new legislation, right? Remember that push? We just needed somebody who was tough enough to enforce the laws. Let’s start with that one, okay? Immigration. How about that? Maybe his greatest achievement.”

    TUBERVILLE: “Well, you’re exactly right and one of the repercussions of the immigration stoppage of keeping very few illegals coming to our country—we’re saving $40 billion dollars to this point in this budget. $40 billion dollars. And that’s going to count up. We could not afford for Kamala Harris to win this election because it would have been a disaster, just for the immigration alone, which would [have] just stair-stepped everything to becoming a disaster when it come to the economy.”

    KUDLOW: “And you know Senator, the Democrats have to be crazy and just out of their minds to oppose this, okay? They’re still defend[ing]—and they’re still in the business of defending sanctuary cities and of defending the worst of the worst criminals. And we just had this awful shooting of a border agent in New York City. And DHS secretary Kristi Noem correctly just blasted New York City Democrats. They got a mayor—the Socialist mayor, Communist mayor, whatever he is—Mamdani the Commie. He wants to keep ICE agents out. He wants to keep Netanyahu out. He wants to keep Trump out. I mean, how can the Democrats be so stupid? I call them experts. They’re really just deep state people who arejust on the wrong side of all these issues.”

    TUBERVILLE: “Well, the wrong side, and that’s the only side they can reach to, Larry, for votes. They have to have votes, and they’re looking for somewhere to get votes. This sanctuary city nonsense—it’s unlawful. People are going to get hurt more and more when you hang out in these sanctuary cities. But all they’re doing is pushing socialism, and all socialism is just—it’s communism without a gun, at the end of the day. And so, we need to understand the direction this country’s going if the Democrats have an opportunity to get a leg back into this country in terms of leadership. That’s not going to happen. As you just said, I was at that dinner in the White House Friday night when President Trump was going through all those wins that we’ve had. It’s just amazing to me that it takes so long to go through them, our dinner got cold. But at the end of the day, it was so fun to listen to all that. It’s just amazing what he’s done in six months.”

    KUDLOW: “So the experts were wrong, tariffs are not inflationary, real wages are actually going up, the stock market is now hitting new record highs. I believe today, both the NASDAQ and the SMP hit new record highs. But here’s one for you, which I think is very important: in six months, military recruitment—new military recruitment—Pete Hegseth, Defense Secretary, Donald Trump, President of the United States and Commander in Chief—new military recruitment has gone sky high, record levels. What do you make of that, Senator?”

    TUBERVILLE: “Well, I’ll tell you why, people—these young men and women—are feeling good about our country again. They’re not being told that they’re woke, and they need to be social justice warriors. They’re doing it for the right thing. They’re doing it to protect our country. But it’s also a great way to get an education. It’s a great job. But it wasn’t sold that way by the Democrats. It was sold by the Democrats as ‘Hey, be part of a basically a clown show,’ and that’s what it was turning into. I’m on Armed Services. I’ve never seen anything like the recruiting that was going on. The books that our generals were telling our troops to read, whether it was on ships or in in some of these camps—it’s just amazing to me the direction where we were going.”

    KUDLOW: “Well, here’s another one then. We obliterated Iran, but the deep state experts said, ‘No. No. No. If we hit Iran, it would cause a massive blow-up and war throughout the Middle East and the rest of the world.’ What I don’t see is any of that stuff. In fact, we’re—I guess, we’re at a ceasefire, de facto, if not de jure. But the point is he obliterated the Iran nuclear program. None of them under the Bidens or the Obamas or anybody else had the backbone, I’ll call it, to do such a thing. You know what I mean? Here—tough wins, okay? Tough always wins.”

    TUBERVILLE: “Yep. President Trump’s a peacemaker. He understands sometimes you have to take the tough decision. Don’t listen to everybody else around you. Go by your instincts. He understood that, hey, there is no possible way we can allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon. And if they’re getting this close as his experts were telling him, we’ve got to do something. And so go in, go out. He set them back probably a year and a half, two years. They can always build back. But who’s to say we won’t go back in there in two years and destroy it again? And it’s cost them a trillion dollars to build this infrastructure up. […]”

    KUDLOW: “Here’s another one: no men in women’s sports. How about that? Commonsense, you wouldn’t have thought. This was like a major battle—a major battle. This was like the Democrats’ last stand, but no men in women’s sports.”

    TUBERVILLE: “Yeah. Of course, I’ve been on this ever since it started. This was my first vote when I got here four years ago. And there’s [been] no Democrats in four years vote on any of my bills about no men and women sports. It’s absolutely insane what they’ve tried to do. And it’s an attack on women. And it doesn’t—I don’t understand this. I must be talking to people from a different planet sometimes when they talk about [how] they need the opportunity to do whatever they want to do. No, they don’t. Men and women have separate identities in terms of physical ability, and they need to be separate in sports and that’s the reason we’ve had it this way for 249 years.”

    KUDLOW: “How about this one? I didn’t put it in my riff, but alright, fancy colleges and universities—no more antisemitism. No more racism. No more affirmative action. And if you don’t play ball, you’re gonna lose your grants, your federal grants. Now that is a tough President doing the right thing. Is he not?”

    TUBERVILLE: “Exactly. Our education is going to hell in a handbasket. And here’s the reason why: it’s become a business, Larry. It’s become a business of making money and doing things to where they can pay their presidents $2 or $3 million dollars each and have their private planes. It’s really gone overboard. But let me give you one: 35-40% of the companies in this country have cut out this poison that we’re putting in our food. And of all the people I talk to, this is one of the major wins that President Trump’s had. We don’t talk about it enough. I’m having dinner with Dr. Oz and some of the people of MAHA tonight, and it’s gonna be a celebration of making a lot of progress in just a short period of time and cleaning up our food.”

    KUDLOW: “Well, I love that. Look, we had Bobby Kennedy on the show. He was absolutely terrific. I gotta stop eating ice cream because they’re always weird dyes. I can’t do that anymore. I’m gonna stick to my—” 

    TUBERVILLE: “Eat vanilla. Eat vanilla, Larry.”

    KUDLOW: “I don’t know. Even vanilla, I can’t be sure anymore. He really shook everybody up. But finally, Senator—and this is a tragedy. Today a Border Patrol agent got shot in New York City. I think people, alright. Kristi Noem—DHS Secretary Noem—is blasting this as part of the New York City problem. This is part of the sanctuary city problem. This is part of the blue city Democratic problem. This is Mamdani the Commie problem. He’s gonna make it worse. I mean, this poor guy got shot for no good reason. Now, this stuff has gotta stop.”

    TUBERVILLE: “It really does have to stop. And again, law enforcement, Customs and Border Patrol, whoever is in authority—protect yourself. President Trump has given them authority to protect themself. It’s unfortunate this young person got shot and shot in the face [is] my understanding. Hope he’s fine. But again, this is not gonna be the end of it, Larry. It’s gonna get worse and worse as we go from here. But they have to protect themselves, give them the right to shoot back if they shoot at them…”

    KUDLOW: “And so, let me ask you. I mean, Democrats defunding the police again. I haven’t heard that this is what Mamdani the Commie wants to do. Defund the police, put social workers in their place. By the way, he’s got a clone who just got the Democratic nomination for mayor out in Minneapolis, unbelievable to me. How can they actually argue that? You got your Mayor Bass. You got your Governor Newsom. You got all these people, okay? They may not come out for defund the police, but they don’t want any law and order when it comes to chasing the worst of the worst of the illegal criminals who should be deported. I mean, honestly, this is the Democratic position. I think I saw poll today. The Democratic Party has an approval rating, Senator, of 19%. How about those apples? 19%.”

    TUBERVILLE: “It’s gonna get worse. Can you imagine [in] Minneapolis, and Chicago, and Detroit, and New York, San Francisco, LA—social workers being the police? What uniform are they gonna wear, first of all? And then are they gonna be armed? It will be a total disaster and it’s a disaster waiting to happen. But [radical Democrats] believe in this. I don’t understand it, but it’ll all get straightened out at the end of the day. They’re not gonna win any of the elections coming up [that] they think they’re gonna win. And President Trump’s gonna keep hammering them every day in terms of making sure we take this social justice nonsense out of everything that we do.”

    KUDLOW: “Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Absolutely. Senator Tommy Tuberville, as always, sir, thank you for your wisdom.”

    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Rate and Chicago White Sox to Host Tribute Honoring Military Families at Rate Field on July 25

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO, July 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Rate, a leading fintech company, will proudly honor America’s military families during its second annual Military Appreciation Game with the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field. Held on Friday, July 25, the event will be a powerful tribute to service, sacrifice, and the enduring spirit of the armed forces.

    A pregame “Take the Field” recognition will spotlight all seven Military Spouses of the Year, each representing a different branch of the U.S. military. They will be honored on the field as they meet with White Sox players at each defensive position in a moving pregame moment of appreciation and respect.

    The evening’s Hero of the Game will be Marine Corps Captain Riley Tejcek, an active-duty officer, Olympic bobsled hopeful, author, and rising digital voice, who embodies the strength and versatility of today’s military leaders.

    A highlight of the night will be a parachute jump into Rate Field, delivering the game ball into the hands of a military child who will throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Justin Holmes, a U.S. Air Force veteran and Nashville recording artist, will perform the National Anthem, bringing added meaning to this celebration of country and community.

    “This night, honoring the military is our way of saying thank you,” said Victor Ciardelli, CEO of Rate. “Military families are the backbone of this country, and we’re proud to celebrate and serve them.”

    Earlier in the day, Rate will host a brunch and service project at its Chicago headquarters to welcome the honorees and connect them with company employees and leadership. The gathering will include a hands-on volunteer initiative supporting military causes.

    On game day, attendees will also be able to connect with key organizations at Rate Field, including:

    • Marine Corps Recruiting Command
    • Hiring Our Heroes
    • United Through Reading
    • Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)

    The evening coincides with a crosstown matchup between the White Sox and the Cubs, adding even more excitement to what is expected to be a deeply memorable occasion.

    This celebration is part of Rate’s unwavering commitment to military families nationwide. Through its leading VA loan program, the company has waived more than $65 million in lender fees and actively supports military-focused nonprofits and educational initiatives throughout the year.

    About Rate
    Rate Companies is a leader in mortgage lending and digital financial services. Headquartered in Chicago, Rate has over 850 branches across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Since its launch in 2000, Rate has helped more than 2 million homeowners with home purchase loans, refinances, and home equity loans. The company has cemented itself as an industry leader by introducing innovative technology, offering low rates, and delivering unparalleled customer service. Recent honors and awards include: a Best Mortgage Lender of 2025 by Fortune; Best Mortgage Lender of 2025 for First-Time Homebuyers by Forbes; a Best Mortgage Lender of 2025 for FHA Loans, Home Equity Loans, and Lower Credit Scores by NerdWallet; Best Mortgage Lender of 2025 for Digital Experience and Down Payment Assistance by Motley Fool; Chicago Agent Magazine’s Lender of the Year for seven consecutive years. Visit rate.com for more information.

    Media Contact:
    press@rate.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Rate and Chicago White Sox to Host Tribute Honoring Military Families at Rate Field on July 25

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO, July 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Rate, a leading fintech company, will proudly honor America’s military families during its second annual Military Appreciation Game with the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field. Held on Friday, July 25, the event will be a powerful tribute to service, sacrifice, and the enduring spirit of the armed forces.

    A pregame “Take the Field” recognition will spotlight all seven Military Spouses of the Year, each representing a different branch of the U.S. military. They will be honored on the field as they meet with White Sox players at each defensive position in a moving pregame moment of appreciation and respect.

    The evening’s Hero of the Game will be Marine Corps Captain Riley Tejcek, an active-duty officer, Olympic bobsled hopeful, author, and rising digital voice, who embodies the strength and versatility of today’s military leaders.

    A highlight of the night will be a parachute jump into Rate Field, delivering the game ball into the hands of a military child who will throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Justin Holmes, a U.S. Air Force veteran and Nashville recording artist, will perform the National Anthem, bringing added meaning to this celebration of country and community.

    “This night, honoring the military is our way of saying thank you,” said Victor Ciardelli, CEO of Rate. “Military families are the backbone of this country, and we’re proud to celebrate and serve them.”

    Earlier in the day, Rate will host a brunch and service project at its Chicago headquarters to welcome the honorees and connect them with company employees and leadership. The gathering will include a hands-on volunteer initiative supporting military causes.

    On game day, attendees will also be able to connect with key organizations at Rate Field, including:

    • Marine Corps Recruiting Command
    • Hiring Our Heroes
    • United Through Reading
    • Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)

    The evening coincides with a crosstown matchup between the White Sox and the Cubs, adding even more excitement to what is expected to be a deeply memorable occasion.

    This celebration is part of Rate’s unwavering commitment to military families nationwide. Through its leading VA loan program, the company has waived more than $65 million in lender fees and actively supports military-focused nonprofits and educational initiatives throughout the year.

    About Rate
    Rate Companies is a leader in mortgage lending and digital financial services. Headquartered in Chicago, Rate has over 850 branches across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Since its launch in 2000, Rate has helped more than 2 million homeowners with home purchase loans, refinances, and home equity loans. The company has cemented itself as an industry leader by introducing innovative technology, offering low rates, and delivering unparalleled customer service. Recent honors and awards include: a Best Mortgage Lender of 2025 by Fortune; Best Mortgage Lender of 2025 for First-Time Homebuyers by Forbes; a Best Mortgage Lender of 2025 for FHA Loans, Home Equity Loans, and Lower Credit Scores by NerdWallet; Best Mortgage Lender of 2025 for Digital Experience and Down Payment Assistance by Motley Fool; Chicago Agent Magazine’s Lender of the Year for seven consecutive years. Visit rate.com for more information.

    Media Contact:
    press@rate.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate Intelligence Authorization Bill Advances with Key Provisions Authored by Senator Collins

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, announced that the Committee advanced the Intelligence Authorization Act (IAA) for Fiscal Year 2026 by a 15-2 vote. The bill authorizes funding, provides legal authorities, and enhances congressional oversight for the U.S. Intelligence Community, and includes multiple provisions authored by Senator Collins. The bill now awaits consideration by the full Senate.

    “The Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 is critical for the Intelligence Community to defend U.S. interests and to arm policy and decision makers with critical information,” said Senator Collins. “This bipartisan bill would also build upon the effectiveness of the security clearance process, strengthen cybersecurity, and increase congressional oversight of the Intelligence Community.”

    The provisions co-authored by Senator Collins address the following issues:

    • Requiring improvement to the security of our voting and election systems through cybersecurity penetration testing and accreditation, by amending the Help America Vote Act of 2002. This provision was co-authored with Chairman Warner, and was originally introduced as the SECURE IT Act (“Strengthening and Enhancing Cybersecurity by Using Research, Education, Information, and Technology” Act) in the FY24 and FY25 IAA.
    • Ensuring continued support for victims of Anomalous Health Incidents (AHIs) by mandating that the Intelligence Community support Department of Defense AHI medical research, along with a requirement for the ODNI to issue standard AHI reporting guidelines. This provision was co-sponsored with Senators Cotton, Warner and Gillibrand.
    • Extension of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015, to 2035. This provision was co-sponsored with Senators Warner, King, and Rounds.

    Additional subjects of critical importance to Senator Collins which were included in this IAA were: AHI budget increase to military intelligence centers and health agencies for medical and mechanical research; new policy requirements to support biomedical and biotechnological research to defend against various threats; and multiple security clearance reform initiatives.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER ANNOUNCES MAJOR STEP FORWARD FOR BUILDING NEW CAPITAL DISTRICT ARMORY FOR NY ARMY NATIONAL GUARD’S 42ND INFANTRY DIVISION HEADQUARTERS

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer

    Current 42nd Infantry Division HQ Armory Built in 1971 Has Long-Been Running Out Of Space, Technology, And Infrastructure Needed To Maintain US Army Division HQ And Support Training, Readiness, And Mission Requirements

    After Months Of Work, Schumer Just Secured New $90M Authorization – Unlocking The Funding Process – For Project In The FY 2026 Senate NDAA; Senator Is Pushing To Deliver $$ In Future Appropriations Bill For New, Consolidated National Guard Headquarters

    Schumer: NDAA Authorization Is A Major Step Forward For A New Armory For NY Army National Guard’s 42nd Infantry Division In Capital Region!

    U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today announced a major step forward for building a new armory and readiness center for the NY Army National Guard’s 42nd Infantry Division Headquarters to be located in Colonie at the former site of the old Heritage Park minor league baseball stadium that was home to the Albany-Colonie Yankees. The long needed new HQ will also consolidate NY Army National Guard facilities currently located at Watervliet Arsenal, which is needed to maximize space and accommodate planned modernization and expansion projects at Watervliet Arsenal.

    Schumer explained the current armory does not meet Army division HQ requirements, and securing this authorization for funding in the Senate’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 is a critical milestone that unlocks the funding process. The next step is to pursue funding in future appropriations. The $90 million authorization he secured to be eligible for the project in the Senate is a massive step forward for the NY Army National Guard which has long been pushing for a new modern expanded armory and readiness center.

    “This is a major step towards securing funding to build a new Armory for the 42nd Infantry Division, all while breathing new life into the former site of the Heritage Park minor league in Colonie. NY’s Army National Guard is critical to our national security, but the 42nd Infantry Division’s current headquarters was built over 50 years ago and needs more space to meet the Army’s growing requirements. When I heard the NY National Guard needed help to continue its vital mission and service in the Capital Region, I immediately got to work to secure this critical funding authorization so it can receive future appropriations funding in order to begin the process of building a new, modern facility,” said Senator Schumer. “This funding authorization in the Senate’s national defense bill is a major milestone for building a new state-of-the-art armory and readiness center for the Rainbow Division. I will continue to fight tooth and nail to secure this funding in future appropriations so we can get shovels in the ground for this new Armory.”

    Major General Ray Shields, Adjutant General, New York National Guard said, “Senator Schumer has delivered again for the New York Army National Guard – in the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2026 with $90M in authorized federal funds to build a new Readiness Center in Albany for the historic 42nd Infantry Division. Because of the Senator’s efforts to authorize this funding, we are one step closer to the construction of this new 140,000 square foot facility. The impact of this facility on the Division’s readiness will be significant and long lasting.”

    Schumer explained that the 42nd Infantry Division Armory in Troy was constructed in 1971 for a smaller organization, but the current Armory housing headquarters does not meet the Army’s minimum facility requirements, with the Division growing and needing a larger space. Simultaneously, the Watervliet Arsenal is modernizing its manufacturing facilities and production streams. However, as a result, this will displace the National Guard Division’s warehouses located on Watervliet Arsenal grounds by 2028. The New York Army National Guard will move the warehouses at Watervliet Arsenal to the site of the current Armory will continue to be used by the NYNG.

    Building a new, modernized Armory to house headquarters and consolidating warehouses, now at Watervliet, to the old Heritage Park site in Colonie would ensure that the 42nd Infantry Division has the centralization, resources, infrastructure, and capabilities needed to maintain the division’s mission readiness and its training and deployment activities.

    Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy said, “Building a new Capital District Armory on the former site of Heritage Park would be a win-win for both the NY Army National Guard’s 42nd Infantry Division and Albany County. A new division headquarters, on what has been a long vacant county-owned property, would accommodate the need for more space in a modern facility. It would also provide a nice shot in the arm for our restaurants and hotels in that area. I want to thank Senator Schumer for his continued efforts to move this forward and secure funding for what will be a transformational project. This state of the art center will keep the Division mission ready and be able to maintain vital training and preparation for deployments.” 

    Schumer took action to push for the federal funding needed to support the Army’s operations in the Capital Region. NY State has already provided $5 million to acquire a new Capital Region location for a headquarters facility near the Albany International Airport that is shovel-ready and capable of handling large military vehicles. The state has also delivered $10 million to advance design and has pledged to contribute an additional $30 million to bring this idea to life if the federal government is able to deliver the $90 million needed to complete the project.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER SECURES PROVISION IN SENATE NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BILL TO ADDRESS FORT DRUM’S LONG-NEEDED EXPANSION FOR MATERNAL HEALTH CARE TO SUPPORT MILITARY MOMS & FAMILIES ON BASE – AND AT RURAL…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer

    Fort Drum Has History Of OB/GYN Staffing Shortage & Relying on Local Hospitals & Providers For Maternal Care; Amid Nationwide OB/GYN Shortage, Senator Says Department of Defense Needs To Boost Access To Maternal Health Care At Fort Drum & In Watertown, As Well As Military Installations Across The U.S.

    After Months Of Work, Schumer Just Secured Language In The Senate NDAA To Address The Longstanding Maternal Healthcare Issues At Fort Drum, Directing The DoD To Develop A Comprehensive Plan & Study Of The OB/GYN Shortage In The Greater Watertown Area

    Schumer: Fort Drum’s Military Moms & Families Deserve The Very Best When It Comes To HealthCare

    U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today announced he has secured legislation in the Senate’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) to begin to address the long standing shortage of Obstetrician-Gynecologists (OB/GYNs) at Fort Drum. For years, Fort Drum has faced shortages of OB/GYNs, forcing soldiers and military families in need of maternal health care to seek care from local hospitals off base or to drive for hours when local care is unavailable.

    Schumer said if this language passes into the final NDDA it would require the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Defense Health Agency (DHA) to immediately begin work to create a comprehensive plan to expand OB/GYN care serving Fort Drum and the surrounding Watertown area.

    “Our Fort Drum military moms & families, who serve our nation proudly, deserve better access to vital maternal healthcare. But right now, our servicemembers at Fort Drum and their families often have to leave base to access the basic maternal healthcare they need. The bottom line is that we need to take better care of our brave military moms,” said Senator Schumer. “The North Country already experiences major shortages when it comes to recruiting OB/GYNs, and we can’t be forcing our military families who sacrifice so much to be stuck without the proper care they need when they move to our community in service to our country. That is why I am proud to have secured a provision in the Senate NDAA to put Fort Drum’s military moms & families’ first. This is a massive step in the right direction, and we need DoD to immediately address this urgent need to expand OB/GYN care at military installations and make sure families—both at Fort Drum and around the country—have what they need to be safe and healthy. Fort Drum is woven in the very fabric of the North Country, and our military families, military moms and those on the base deserve only the best when it comes to health care.”

    Fort Drum has a history of relying on the civilian healthcare network for primary health care, as well as specialty care provided by OB/GYNs. When Camp Drum became Fort Drum in 1974, the decision was made to not build a hospital on-post, and to instead only have a clinic, in order to integrate Fort Drum families with the local network in Watertown.

    Shortages of OB/GYN providers on base force those in need of maternal health care to seek care in the community for a multitude of reasons, which can range in urgency from routine check-ups to emergency childbirth. Samaritan Medical Center and Carthage Area Hospital serve Fort Drum soldiers and families with incredible dedication and top-notch medical care, but when their OB/GYNs are spread too thin, soldiers and families must travel over an hour and a half to Syracuse or farther for care. Schumer said this not only increases the risk to patients unnecessarily, but it also saddles soldiers with expenses that they are not eligible to be compensated for under the Department of Defense’s Joint Travel Regulation (JTR).

    To help fix the situation, Schumer proudly pushed for and successfully secured language in the Senate version of the NDAA to develop a plan & study the administrative and cost barriers to expanding OB/GYN care specifically in the Watertown area and to create a comprehensive plan to expand OB/GYN care serving Fort Drum. The provision also directs the Secretary of Defense to brief Congress on the plan December 1 of this year to ensure that there is no more delay in providing the Fort Drum community with reliable, high-quality maternal health care close to home.

    Schumer said the shortage of OB/GYNs at Fort Drum is part of a nationwide shortage, with particularly low access in rural areas. OB/GYNs have one of the highest attrition rates compared to most medical professions, and increased threats to OB/GYN safety driven by anti-abortion politics. Labor and delivery units, especially in rural areas, are currently closing nationwide due to low reimbursement, and with Medicaid paying for more than 40% of births across the country, even more L&D units are at risk. The recent GOP cuts to Medicaid – the largest in history – will force more units in rural parts of the country to close. This will exacerbate the already dire situation of limited access to critical OB/GYN care for those living on bases in rural America.

    Erika Flint, Executive Director, Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization, said “Ensuring access to high-quality OBGYN care for military members and their families continues to be a key focus for the local healthcare community. Maintaining this standard of care—locally and consistently—reflects a deep commitment to the well-being of those who serve. We appreciate the support and attention given to this issue by Senator Schumer, which affects our North Country families, both civilian and military alike.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER SECURES PROVISION IN SENATE NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BILL TO ADDRESS FORT DRUM’S LONG-NEEDED EXPANSION FOR MATERNAL HEALTH CARE TO SUPPORT MILITARY MOMS & FAMILIES ON BASE – AND AT RURAL…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer

    Fort Drum Has History Of OB/GYN Staffing Shortage & Relying on Local Hospitals & Providers For Maternal Care; Amid Nationwide OB/GYN Shortage, Senator Says Department of Defense Needs To Boost Access To Maternal Health Care At Fort Drum & In Watertown, As Well As Military Installations Across The U.S.

    After Months Of Work, Schumer Just Secured Language In The Senate NDAA To Address The Longstanding Maternal Healthcare Issues At Fort Drum, Directing The DoD To Develop A Comprehensive Plan & Study Of The OB/GYN Shortage In The Greater Watertown Area

    Schumer: Fort Drum’s Military Moms & Families Deserve The Very Best When It Comes To HealthCare

    U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today announced he has secured legislation in the Senate’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) to begin to address the long standing shortage of Obstetrician-Gynecologists (OB/GYNs) at Fort Drum. For years, Fort Drum has faced shortages of OB/GYNs, forcing soldiers and military families in need of maternal health care to seek care from local hospitals off base or to drive for hours when local care is unavailable.

    Schumer said if this language passes into the final NDDA it would require the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Defense Health Agency (DHA) to immediately begin work to create a comprehensive plan to expand OB/GYN care serving Fort Drum and the surrounding Watertown area.

    “Our Fort Drum military moms & families, who serve our nation proudly, deserve better access to vital maternal healthcare. But right now, our servicemembers at Fort Drum and their families often have to leave base to access the basic maternal healthcare they need. The bottom line is that we need to take better care of our brave military moms,” said Senator Schumer. “The North Country already experiences major shortages when it comes to recruiting OB/GYNs, and we can’t be forcing our military families who sacrifice so much to be stuck without the proper care they need when they move to our community in service to our country. That is why I am proud to have secured a provision in the Senate NDAA to put Fort Drum’s military moms & families’ first. This is a massive step in the right direction, and we need DoD to immediately address this urgent need to expand OB/GYN care at military installations and make sure families—both at Fort Drum and around the country—have what they need to be safe and healthy. Fort Drum is woven in the very fabric of the North Country, and our military families, military moms and those on the base deserve only the best when it comes to health care.”

    Fort Drum has a history of relying on the civilian healthcare network for primary health care, as well as specialty care provided by OB/GYNs. When Camp Drum became Fort Drum in 1974, the decision was made to not build a hospital on-post, and to instead only have a clinic, in order to integrate Fort Drum families with the local network in Watertown.

    Shortages of OB/GYN providers on base force those in need of maternal health care to seek care in the community for a multitude of reasons, which can range in urgency from routine check-ups to emergency childbirth. Samaritan Medical Center and Carthage Area Hospital serve Fort Drum soldiers and families with incredible dedication and top-notch medical care, but when their OB/GYNs are spread too thin, soldiers and families must travel over an hour and a half to Syracuse or farther for care. Schumer said this not only increases the risk to patients unnecessarily, but it also saddles soldiers with expenses that they are not eligible to be compensated for under the Department of Defense’s Joint Travel Regulation (JTR).

    To help fix the situation, Schumer proudly pushed for and successfully secured language in the Senate version of the NDAA to develop a plan & study the administrative and cost barriers to expanding OB/GYN care specifically in the Watertown area and to create a comprehensive plan to expand OB/GYN care serving Fort Drum. The provision also directs the Secretary of Defense to brief Congress on the plan December 1 of this year to ensure that there is no more delay in providing the Fort Drum community with reliable, high-quality maternal health care close to home.

    Schumer said the shortage of OB/GYNs at Fort Drum is part of a nationwide shortage, with particularly low access in rural areas. OB/GYNs have one of the highest attrition rates compared to most medical professions, and increased threats to OB/GYN safety driven by anti-abortion politics. Labor and delivery units, especially in rural areas, are currently closing nationwide due to low reimbursement, and with Medicaid paying for more than 40% of births across the country, even more L&D units are at risk. The recent GOP cuts to Medicaid – the largest in history – will force more units in rural parts of the country to close. This will exacerbate the already dire situation of limited access to critical OB/GYN care for those living on bases in rural America.

    Erika Flint, Executive Director, Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization, said “Ensuring access to high-quality OBGYN care for military members and their families continues to be a key focus for the local healthcare community. Maintaining this standard of care—locally and consistently—reflects a deep commitment to the well-being of those who serve. We appreciate the support and attention given to this issue by Senator Schumer, which affects our North Country families, both civilian and military alike.”

    MIL OSI USA News –