Source: China State Council Information Office 2
An article by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on improving the systems for exercising full and rigorous Party self-governance will be published on Sunday.
The article by Xi, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, will be published in this year’s fourth issue of the Qiushi Journal, a flagship magazine of the CPC Central Committee.
Pacific Media Watch
Fiji has reaffirmed its commitment to establishing an embassy in Israel, with plans to open the embassy in Jerusalem, despite global condemnation of Tel Aviv over the war in Gaza.
This announcement came as the Coalition Cabinet prepared to discuss the matter in Suva next week, reports Fiji One News.
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka made these remarks during a bilateral meeting with Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister Sa’ar Gideon Moshe on the sidelines of the 61st session of the Munich Security Conference, which opened yesterday in Germany.
The discussions between the two leaders focused on deepening the partnership in various areas of mutual interest, including agriculture, security and peacekeeping, and climate action initiatives.
Prime Minister Rabuka expressed gratitude to the Israeli government for their continued support over the years.
Fiji and Israel have maintained diplomatic relations since 1970, and their cooperation has spanned areas such as security, peacekeeping, and climate change.
In recent years, Israeli technology has played a crucial role in Fiji’s efforts to combat climate change.
Invitation to Rabuka to visit Israel
During the meeting, Minister Moshe extended an invitation to Prime Minister Rabuka to visit Israel as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen diplomatic ties.
The Israeli government also expressed readiness to assist Fiji in its plans to establish an embassy in Jerusalem.
Additionally, in response to a request from Prime Minister Rabuka, Minister Moshe offered support for providing patrol boats to enhance Fiji’s fight against illicit drugs.
The last time Israel provided patrol boats to Fiji was in 1987, when four Dabur-class boats were supplied to the Fiji Navy.
Both leaders acknowledged significant opportunities for collaboration and expressed optimism about further strengthening bilateral relations in the future.
Fiji defies UN, global condemnation of Israel
Asia Pacific Report comments: Fiji has been consistently the leading Pacific country supporting Israel, in defiance of United Nations resolutions and global condemnation of Tel Aviv in the 15-month war on Gaza that has killed at least 47,000 Palestinians — mostly women and children.
Israel currently faces allegations of genocide in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) by South Africa and a growing number of other countries, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minster Yoav Gallant are wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Last September, the UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly in a resolution (124-43) that Israel end its “unlawful presence” in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and demanded that it withdraw without delay.
Vanuatu was the only Pacific island country to vote for this resolution.
East Jerusalem is planned to become the capital of an independent Palestinian state.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Lindsey Graham
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina, Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, today made this statement after the committee voted 11-10 to send the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Senate budget resolution to the floor.
The FY 2025 budget resolution is the blueprint for a fully paid for reconciliation bill to secure the border, bolster our military and increase American energy independence.
“Today we took a significant step to passing the most transformative border security bill in American history. The reconciliation bill will also increase defense capability and boost energy independence.
“To those who want a more secure border, help is on the way. We have started the process that will give President Trump’s team the money they need to secure the border and to deliver on our promises. Senate Republicans were informed yesterday by the Trump Administration that ICE is running out of money. We cannot afford to lose momentum.
“The Department of Defense will receive $150 billion at one of the most dangerous times in world history, and energy reform is coming. These initiatives will be fully paid for because we will find cuts and other programs to offset the cost of border security and a stronger military.
“By sending this resolution to the floor, the Senate Budget Committee has started the process of delivering the resources that President Trump’s team needs to implement his agenda.
“Finally, I appreciate the discipline of my Republican colleagues on the committee for holding firm. I also appreciate the professionalism displayed by my Democratic colleagues on the committee as they passionately presented their point of view.
“The result of today’s committee vote is an important step toward making America safer and more prosperous.”
Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND
The 1-SBCT, 4-ID, “Raider Brigade” is based out of Fort Carson, Colorado, and will continue to offer the mobility and flexibility necessary to meet various contingency requirements as an expeditionary, combined arms force organized around mounted infantry. The brigade will arrive later this year.
“This deployment reinforces our commitment to maintaining combat-ready forces capable of supporting U.S. strategic objectives and strengthening our alliance with the Republic of Korea,” said Col. Anthony Keller commander of the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. “Our Soldiers will train rigorously to ensure they remain lethal, adaptive, and ready to respond alongside our allies.”
U.S. Army Pacific routinely schedules and deploys forces on a rotational basis to the Republic of Korea. These deployments support U.S. strategic commitments to the ROK, regional partners and U.S. security obligations. The purpose for these deployments is to maintain a rotational process that cultivates Eighth Army’s readiness, supports U.S. long-term strategic objectives in the ROK and the region, and assures tailored flexibility for the future force structure in Korea. Exposing different units to the Korean theater of operations increase familiarity with the region and builds upon the partnerships between the two forces.
For more information, please contact the Eighth Army Public Affairs Office at usarmy.humphreys.8-army.mbx.public-affairs-office@army.mil.
Source: China State Council Information Office
Relatives of a released hostage hug each other when a helicopter carrying the hostage arrives at a medical center in Ramat Gan, Israel, on Feb. 8, 2025. Israel and Hamas on Saturday (Feb. 8) completed the fifth prisoner-for-hostage swap under the first phase of the ongoing Gaza ceasefire agreement, according to Israeli and Palestinian sources. (Photo by Gil Cohen Magen/Xinhua)
Israel confirmed Friday that it has received a list of three hostages set to be released on Saturday from Hamas captivity in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office initially stated that the list was “acceptable by Israel,” but a spokesman for Netanyahu later backtracked, clarifying that Israel had only received the list. “This is a purely factual description and does not reflect any Israeli position on the matter,” the spokesman said.
The list was delivered to Israel via Qatari and Egyptian mediators.
According to a statement from Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, the hostages are Alexander (Sasha) Troufanov, a 29-year-old Israeli-Russian civilian; Sagui Dekel-Chen, a 36-year-old Israeli-American civilian; and Yair Horn, a 46-year-old Israeli.
Meanwhile, Israeli army radio reported that 369 Palestinian prisoners will be released on Saturday. Among them, 333 will be returned to Gaza, with 10 others sent back to their homes in the West Bank and one released in East Jerusalem, while the remaining 25 of the prisoners sentenced for life will either be deported to Gaza or sent abroad via Egypt, said the report.
This will mark the sixth batch of prisoner-for-hostage exchanges between Israel and Hamas under the ceasefire agreement that took effect on Jan. 19.
The anticipated release comes amid heightened tensions after U.S. President Donald Trump warned that if “all of the hostages” in Gaza were not freed by Saturday at noon, the truce would be canceled, and he would “let hell break out.” Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz echoed the warning, saying Israel would resume its onslaught on Gaza.
Hamas announced on Monday that it would delay the hostage release scheduled for Saturday, citing Israeli violations of the agreement and demanding Israel reaffirm its commitment to maintaining the ceasefire. On Thursday, the movement confirmed that it would continue implementing the ceasefire agreement, including the exchange of Palestinian prisoners and Israeli hostages as initially scheduled.
Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND
The exercises – Freedom Banner 25, Korean Marine Exchange Program (KMEP) 25.1, and Freedom Shield 25 – are designed to enhance interoperability between the two allies while strengthening regional security.
3rd Marine Logistics Group, the logistics arm of III Marine Expeditionary Force, will begin the series of exercises with a movement of troops and equipment from ports in Japan to South Korea during Freedom Banner 25.
“We are eager for this opportunity to train with our Republic of Korea allies,” said Brig. Gen. Kevin G. Collins, commanding general of 3rd Marine Logistics Group. “I expect our presence and activities to demonstrate our shared commitment to the alliance and showcase warfighting excellence to both allies and adversaries.”
Freedom Banner 25 is a Maritime Prepositioning Force offload that provides equipment and support to III MEF units for KMEP 25.1 and Freedom Shield 25. U.S. Marines and Sailors will conduct beach landing operations to test and validate the 3rd MLG’s ability to conduct integrated logistics operations in a complex and contested environment, enhancing the expeditious transport and distribution of supplies in a combat environment or lifesaving aid in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.
As Freedom Banner 25 concludes, the units will continue to KMEP 25.1, a biannual exercise where forces participate in bilateral events focused on achieving III MEF training and readiness objectives while supporting interoperability with the ROK Marine Corps as a regional expeditionary force. For 3rd MLG, this means an opportunity to enhance the capacity for sustainment, distribution, and forward-deployed logistics in support of combined/joint operations with allied forces.
During KMEP 25.1, the Marines and Sailors of 3rd MLG will conduct a variety of bilateral training events such as counter mobility/mobility training, Military Operations in Urban Terrain, machine gun ranges, medical training, and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive training. One subordinate element of 3rd MLG, 9th Engineer Support Battalion, will conduct provisional infantry operations and counter-mobility operations with their ROK Marine counterparts that will culminate with mobility operations while employing the ROK’s Armored Combat Earth-mover.
“The ongoing training between the United States Marine Corps and ROK Marine Corps is a valuable opportunity to reinforce the strength of our alliance,” said Lt. Gen. Ju Il-seok, commandant of the Republic of Korea Marine Corps. “These types of exercises highlight the important role that Marines play in the broader ROK-U.S. Alliance.”
In addition to the bilateral training, the Marines and Sailors of 3rd MLG will be conducting numerous unilateral training events as well. This training will include demolition ranges, a 40-millimeter grenade launcher range, Tactical Combat Casualty Care, a live-fire and movement range, and professional military education at the War Memorial of Korea.
The training will finish with the command post exercise Freedom Shield 25. 3rd MLG will integrate with joint/combined forces and rehearse command and control of combined combat service support functions to refine regional contingency plans and increase III MEF interoperability within the Combined Forces Command.
For more Freedom Banner, KMEP, and Freedom Shield news and products, visit the 3rd MLG DVIDS page at https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/3MLG.
Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND
The port visit highlights the strong relationship between the U.S. and its closest of allies, Japan, demonstrating their continued support of each other, and a shared commitment to peace and stability in the region.
“We regularly operate alongside our allies in the Indo-Pacific region as a demonstration of our shared commitment in accordance with international law. The U.S. remains committed to protecting the rights, freedoms, and lawful uses of the sea, and the ability of all countries to exercise those rights,” said Cmdr. Eric Smitley, commanding officer, USS Howard. “Ports like Otaru allow us to refuel, gather supplies, and collect repair parts as needed, so that we can quickly return to sea and continue supporting and sailing alongside the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), or any of our other partners and allies in the region.”
While in Otaru, local government officials and media received a tour of the ship where they were given a brief history of Howard and learned what it takes to keep the ship operating in a safe manner.
Otaru, located in the Hokkaido prefecture, offered a wide variety of sights, activities, and cuisine, providing an opportunity for the Howard crew to immerse themselves in the local culture and enjoy the hospitality of Otaru before returning to sea.
Many Sailors traveled to the nearby city of Sapporo where they were able to view more than 100 snow and ice sculptures on display during one of Japan’s most popular winter events, the annual Sapporo Snow Festival.
“I’m so glad our visit to Otaru lined up with the snow festival in Sapporo,” said Personnel Specialist 2nd Class Chris Eric Limos, from San Fernando, California. “It was really cold, and snowing pretty hard, but it was all worth it to see the sculptures. Some of them were enormous, and the amount of detail they had was unbelievable. The artistic ability of people amazes me. It reminds me of the Greek statues we see in museums.”
The five-day visit culminated with a luncheon held on board Howard, and a dinner in Otaru hosted by Otaru’s Self-Defense Force Supporters Association (SDFSA).
“On behalf of Howard and the U.S. Navy, I want to thank the city of Otaru, the SDFSA, and the people of Hokkaido for the warmest welcome,” said Smitley. “We appreciate your generosity and look forward to more opportunities to build upon our ever-growing friendship as we make port visits in Otaru a regular occurrence.”
Howard is forward-deployed and assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Navy’s largest DESRON and the U.S. 7th Fleet’s principal surface force.
U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Alaska Dan Sullivan
02.14.25
WASHINGTON—Several Arctic policy experts at a hearing of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) testified strongly this week in support of increasing infrastructure investments in Alaska, which constitutes the entirety of America’s Arctic. While the hearing was focused on Greenland’s geostrategic importance to the United States, Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), a member of CST, argued that Alaska offers every potential resource and national security benefit of Greenland, but has too often been treated like one big “national park” by Democratic administrations, most recently by the Biden administration. Sen. Sullivan made this argument in a recent Wall Street Journal op-ed titled, “Greenland is nice, but Alaska is better.”
In his questioning of the experts, Sen. Sullivan highlighted the significant escalation in incursions by Russian and Chinese military aircraft and vessels in Alaska’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Each of the witnesses agreed with Sen. Sullivan that the increasing aggression toward Alaska by America’s adversaries warrants deploying new military assets to the state, including personnel, vessels, aircraft, ports and bases.
Sen. Sullivan was optimistic about the prospect of further investments in Alaska given President Donald Trump’s focus on the state, including a comprehensive day-one executive order, “Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential,” which directed many of the Biden administration’s harmful policies and actions related to Alaska lands and resources to be rescinded and many policies of the first Trump administration to be reinstated.
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Officials testifying before the committee were Alexander Gray, senior fellow in national security affairs at the American Foreign Policy Council; Anthony Marchese, chairman of Texas Mineral Resources; Dr. Jennifer Mercer, section head for Arctic sciences at the National Science Foundation’s Office of Polar Programs; and Dr. Rebecca Pincus, director of the Wilson Center’s Polar Institute.
Below is a full transcript of Sen. Sullivan’s exchanges in the CST hearing.
SEN. DAN SULLIVAN: Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you very much for holding this very important hearing. Arctic issues are something that, as the senator representing the only Arctic state in the country, I care deeply about. I appreciate the chairman focusing on this. I want to first mention, I think the idea of the President looking to purchase Greenland has already been mentioned by a number of the panelists. Other presidents have thought about this. I think it’s a wonderful idea if we can pull it off. Truman, Andrew Johnson, others did. But I also think it’s important to remember—this is an op-ed I wrote in the Wall Street Journal a couple of weeks ago saying—hey, Greenland’s nice, good to go if we can get it, but remember our Arctic state, Alaska. Because everything that people talk about with regard to Greenland we have in spades already in America—it’s called Alaska: Arctic location, strategic and critical minerals, oil and gas, the cornerstone of America’s missile defense. It’s all there. The problem is, as the panelists know, when Democrats get in power—Biden was the latest example—they want to turn Alaska into a national park, not recognizing our state for what it is, which is a strategic crown jewel for America. The father of the U.S. Air Force, General Billy Mitchell, in testimony before Congress in the mid-1930s, called Alaska the “most strategic place on the planet.” And it is. So that’s what we’re focused on. Don’t forget Alaska. Fortunately, unlike President Biden, President Trump has already made it very clear that he’s not going to forget Alaska. On day one, the president signed an executive order called “Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential.” I want to thank President Trump and his team for doing that. It goes into everything that this hearing has talked about: strategic minerals, oil and gas, natural gas, getting the military involved. We just introduced my legislation called the IRON DOME Act, which is all about missile defense. Alaska is the cornerstone of our country’s missile defense, and we can build that out even better. I appreciate what President Trump is already doing on Alaska. But it’s not as if our adversaries don’t recognize the strategic importance of Alaska or the Arctic. Next slide. This is what doesn’t make a lot of news in the Lower 48. In the last [few] years, we have had an enormous amount of Russian incursions into our airspace—America’s airspace—Alaska’s ADIZ, naval incursions into EEZ. Just in the past year, these are some depictions of this. This is another slide we have. This gives you all of the Russian-Chinese joint strategic bomber incursions in our ADIZ and, very disturbingly, joint naval task forces into our EEZ. Our adversaries clearly understand the Arctic. That’s a wind up to a question I want to ask the panelists. Mr. Gray, why don’t we start with you. Given this, how important is America’s Arctic? I’ve been talking to Secretary Hegseth, the President, and others in Alaska, not just for missile defense, but to push back on what is clearly happening. We had a meeting on what we’re going to be doing on the border. A lot of discussion with the President’s team on the northern border. This is the northern border, and our adversaries are all over it. In my view, what we need is a lot more infrastructure, a lot more military, a lot more missile defense, a lot more unleashing Alaska’s critical minerals, oil and gas. We couldn’t have a better partner right now with President Trump. The contrast between him and President Biden, who wanted to make my state a national park—he issued 70 executive orders—70—singularly focused on Alaska to shut us down. President Trump’s wiped that out. What’s your sense on how we need to respond to this in America’s Arctic, which is Alaska, and the potential that Greenland could add to this, because that’s the other part of the Arctic, not the Alaska part of the Arctic?
GRAY: Senator, it’s incredibly important. I think we have to look at our hemisphere holistically, from the Aleutians to Greenland, from pole to pole, and have a—President Trump began this process in his first term—this holistic Arctic strategy that I was pleased to be involved in. We have to, from a military standpoint, we’ve talked about icebreakers, but we have to…
SULLIVAN: Wait, just real quick, on icebreakers: Russia has 54, some of which are nuclear, many of which are weaponized. We have two and one is broken. Do you think that’s “peace through strength” when it comes to icebreakers? It isn’t. Continue. Sorry to interrupt you.
GRAY: It’s obviously—the icebreakers are key, particularly when we think about what the adversaries are doing: nuclear-powered icebreakers, growing their fleet. When we think about the limited C-130 capacity that we have now for Arctic takeoff and landings, when we think about just the general attrition of Arctic warfighting capabilities since the end of the Cold War and the lack of investment in them, I know DOD will likely have its own Arctic strategy. We have to have Arctic warfighting capacity and deterrence as a much higher-level priority. I think your chart and what your state’s dealing with is a perfect example of why.
__________
SULLIVAN: First, going back to this chart, I want to get a sense of why you think this has been a pretty dramatic increase from Russia and China in unprecedented joint naval and strategic bomber task forces into our airspace, into our water EEZ? And related to that, Mr. Gray, you talked about presence. You can’t have presence without infrastructure. I think it’s high time that we start looking at more infrastructure to be able to address this. We’re going to have a hearing with the NORTHCOM commander in the Armed Services Committee tomorrow. I’m going to talk a lot about looking at potential bases. There’s an incredible Navy base out here, the Adak Naval Base. It was closed during a BRAC. That could be a great sub base, Naval air station base, surface warship base. Huge refueling capacity right there flanking the Russians, Chinese. Very strategic. We’re trying to get a strategic port built in Nome, Alaska, but otherwise, we have very little infrastructure from which to launch military, economic, icebreaker capabilities. So maybe just a quick question for all the panelists. Do we need more infrastructure in America’s Arctic? I’m not talking Greenland. This hearing is about strategic interests in the Arctic. We’re an Arctic nation solely because of that great state, Alaska. What’s your sense, for all the panelists, on infrastructure in the Arctic to combat what is a very aggressive move by our adversaries? By the way, just talking to the NORTHCOM commander, we had one of the busiest times ever in terms of aggressive incursions, joint Chinese-Russian operations. That’s unprecedented. He thinks this year, it’s going to be even more. We’ve got to be ready for protecting America. Now, what’s the sense of the panel on infrastructure in America’s Arctic?
GRAY: Senator, I couldn’t agree more. We have to have more infrastructure, not just from a defensive presence standpoint to protect our homeland, but also from a power projection standpoint. We’ve allowed our Arctic infrastructure, in addition to a lot of just our general defense industrial infrastructure, to atrophy. I think this would be a huge way to boost our capacity to deter in the Arctic.
SULLIVAN: Great. Mr. Marchese, do you have a view on that?
MARCHESE: Senator, I couldn’t agree with you more. You’re preaching to the converted. We, in my opinion, need significantly more infrastructure spending, not only in Alaska, but in the United States. There’s nothing wrong with fishing at your feet. We have everything we need here. It’s great that we’re going to Greenland, but let’s concentrate on what we can control, which is United States investment.
SULLIVAN: Great. Thank you. Dr, Mercer?
MERCER: Thank you for the question, sir. As I said before, America is the world’s leader in scientific research. That’s certainly true in the polar regions. We rely heavily, in order to be the leader in research in the polar regions, on Coast Guard icebreakers, the LC-130 aircraft, the C-17 aircraft, the Space Base Pituffik in Greenland. As I noted in my opening testimony, we’re in the design process to recapitalize and modernize Summit Station at the center of the Greenland ice sheet.
SULLIVAN: Great. Thank you. Dr. Pincus?
PINCUS: Thank you, Senator. I agree that we are seeing increased adversary presence in the region because they perceive weakness on their part. And so they’re pressing us there.
SULLIVAN: By the way, it’s not on this chart. I have another one that shows they’re—I think some of the witnesses said this earlier—they’re building up their infrastructure, particularly military, but also energy and critical mineral infrastructure, in a huge way in the Arctic. We’re still kind of, I agree, exuding weakness.
PINCUS: I would also note that we face multiple challenges in Alaska. In addition to extending and expanding our presence there, we have challenges with coastal erosion and some of the permafrost issues. So there’s money that needs to be put into current DOD installations to harden them. We’re also seeing the expansion of wildland fires and other novel challenges. I think efficient spending decisions to get as much bang for our buck is important, so we can meet the full range of national security through economic and community concerns related to that really wide range of challenges. I would put the Coast Guard at the top of the list, because it’s got a broad mission set and its assets can be utilized for a lot of different purposes. Obviously, DoD assets can be applied to civil disasters as well. And then, new technology that can help us respond effectively and juggle competing demands, whether it’s from a massive wildfire, a big coastal storm, like some of the storms we’ve seen in western Alaska, or military challenges. We have to do all of those at the same time. It’s a real big problem set and I appreciate you flagging it.
SULLIVAN: Good. Thank you.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
TOPEKA, KAN. – A federal jury convicted a Kansas woman of murdering her husband who was a U.S. Army soldier assigned to Fort Riley, a federal military installation in Kansas.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Margaret E. Shafe, 31, was found guilty of murder in the second degree for shooting and killing her husband Greg Shafe in February 2024 at their home on Fort Riley.
Shafe faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Department of Army Criminal Investigation Division, and Fort Riley Fire and Emergency Services are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara Walton and Lindsey Debenham and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin Graham are prosecuting the case.
###
Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND
Adm. Samuel J. Paparo, commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, delivered the keynote address at the Honolulu Defense Forum in Waikiki, Hawaii, Feb. 13, 2025.
The forum provided an opportunity for senior government and military officials, academic experts and business leaders from across the Indo-Pacific and Europe to discuss operationalizing urgency for readiness and deterrence in the region. This year’s event focused on leveraging geography, public-private partnerships, and alliances to enhance resilience by building and sustaining defense capabilities, harnessing critical technologies at scale, and driving innovation and competitiveness in security initiatives.
Paparo underscored the critical importance of promoting regional security through warfighting readiness and lethality, highlighting numerous opportunities for defense collaboration. “We need cooperative production agreements that multiply our industrial output among our friends and allies. By coordinating our efforts, we can achieve the surge production that the environment demands,” he stated.
USINDOPACOM’s primary mission is the protection and defense of the homeland of the U.S., its people and its interests, by promoting security cooperation, encouraging peaceful development, responding to contingencies, deterring aggression and, when necessary, fighting to win.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen
(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee and Co-Chair of the U.S. Senate National Guard Caucus, along with U.S. Senators John Hoeven (R-ND), Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Jerry Moran (R-KS), reintroduced their bipartisan legislation to establish a permanent federal tuition assistance (FTA) program benefitting Air National Guard members. The Air Guard Standardizing Tuition Assistance to Unify the Services (STATUS) Act requires the Secretary of the Air Force to provide tuition assistance to drill-status members of the Air National Guard, consistent with the program available to the Army National Guard.
“Ensuring that the brave women and men serving in the Air National Guard have access to educational opportunities will not only help our recruitment and retention but will also enhance our overall military preparedness and provide service members the benefits they deserve,” said Senator Shaheen. “Passing our bipartisan legislation will make tuition more affordable for the Air National Guard and bring their educational benefits in line with the other service branches. Let’s get this done.”
“Our Air Guard members deserve to receive the same benefits as their counterparts, both in the reserve and active duty components of the military,” said Senator Hoeven. “Our legislation makes the Air Guard FTA pilot program that we first worked to establish in 2020 permanent and available to drill-status Guard members across the country. Doing so will ensure the Air Guard, like the Happy Hooligans in Fargo, can continue to recruit the best and brightest members to support the increasingly high-tech missions they take on in defense of our nation.”
“Colorado is home to over 1,500 Air National Guardsmen whose dedication and sacrifice helps keep our state and country safe,” said Senator Bennet. “Our bipartisan bill will help attract, develop, and retain members of the Air National Guard and ensure servicemembers nationwide have the educational benefits they deserve.”
“The men and women in the Air National Guard work alongside their active-duty counterparts to protect our nation and serve our communities,” said Senator Moran. “Providing the same educational benefits to the Air National Guard that the Army National Guard receives will help increase recruitment rates and make certain our servicemembers have access to the benefits they deserve.”
“We must take care of the servicemembers who take care of our nation. One way to show our gratitude is to invest in their future through federal tuition assistance,” said retired Maj. Gen. Francis M. McGinn, NGAUS President. “We must equally provide for our Soldiers and our Airmen. This bill corrects a long-standing gap in National Guard benefits and will empower our Airmen to reach new heights in knowledge and skill. We thank Senators Hoeven and Shaheen for their efforts and continued support of the National Guard.”
Shaheen and Hoeven have championed efforts in the U.S. Senate to establish a federal tuition assistance (FTA) program for Air National Guard members. This legislation follows efforts by Hoeven and Shaheen to establish and fund an FTA pilot program and ensure that North Dakota and New Hampshire Air Guardsmen had access to this important benefit. The Senators secured a total of $18.8 million across fiscal years (FY) 2020-2023 to support the program. The legislation is supported by the National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS).
Source: The White House
Here are only a few of the many victories from the past week:
Source: The White House
Section 1. Policy. America is blessed with an abundance of natural resources and is a leader in energy technologies and innovation that are critical to the economic prosperity and national security of the American people, as well as our partners and allies. We must expand all forms of reliable and affordable energy production to drive down inflation, grow our economy, create good-paying jobs, reestablish American leadership in manufacturing, lead the world in artificial intelligence, and restore peace through strength by wielding our commercial and diplomatic levers to end wars across the world. By utilizing our amazing national assets, including our crude oil, natural gas, lease condensates, natural gas liquids, refined petroleum products, uranium, coal, biofuels, geothermal heat, the kinetic movement of flowing water, and critical minerals, we will preserve and protect our most beautiful places, reduce our dependency on foreign imports, and grow our economy — thereby enabling the reduction of our deficits and our debt.
It shall be the policy of my Administration to make America energy dominant.
Sec. 2. Establishment. There is hereby established within the Executive Office of the President the National Energy Dominance Council (Council).
Sec. 3. Membership. (a) The Secretary of the Interior shall serve as Chair of the Council. The Secretary of Energy shall serve as Vice Chair of the Council.
(b) In addition to the Chair and the Vice Chair, the Council shall consist of the following members:
(i) the Secretary of State;
(ii) the Secretary of the Treasury;
(iii) the Secretary of Defense;
(iv) the Attorney General;
(v) the Secretary of Agriculture;
(vi) the Secretary of Commerce;
(vii) the Secretary of Transportation;
(viii) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency;
(ix) the Director of the Office of Management and Budget;
(x) the United States Trade Representative;
(xi) the Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy;
(xii) the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy;
(xiii) the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs;
(xiv) the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy;
(xv) the Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality;
(xvi) the Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers;
(xvii) the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy; and
(xviii) the heads of such other executive departments and agencies (agencies) as the President may, from time to time, designate.
Sec. 4. Functions. (a) The Chair shall convene and preside over meetings of the Council, in consultation with the Office of the Chief of Staff, provided that in his absence the Vice Chair shall preside.
(b) The Council shall:
(i) advise the President on how best to exercise his authority to produce more energy to make America energy dominant;
(ii) advise the President on improving the processes for permitting, production, generation, distribution, regulation, transportation, and export of all forms of American energy, including critical minerals;
(iii) provide to the President a recommended National Energy Dominance Strategy to produce more energy that includes long-range goals for achieving energy dominance by cutting red tape, enhancing private sector investments across all sectors of the energy-producing economy, focusing on innovation, and seeking to eliminate longstanding, but unnecessary, regulation;
(iv) advise and assist the President in facilitating cooperation among the Federal Government and domestic private sector energy partners; and
(v) advise the President on facilitating consistency in energy production policies included in the Strategy developed under subsection (b)(iii) of this section.
(c) In performing the advisory functions listed under subsection (b) of this section, the Council, through the Chair, shall, when appropriate, coordinate with the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, and the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs. The functions of the Council shall report to the Office of the Chief of Staff.
(d) Within 100 days of the date of this order, and from time to time thereafter as deemed appropriate by the Chair, the Council shall:
(i) recommend to the President a plan to raise awareness on a national level of matters related to energy dominance, such as the urgency of reliable energy; the improvements in technology achieved through reliable energy sources; the national security concerns with removing reliable and affordable energy sources; the jobs supported by the energy sector; and the regulatory constraints driving up the cost of reliable energy to consumers;
(ii) advise the President regarding the actions each agency can take under existing authorities to prioritize the policy objective of increasing energy production, such as rapidly and significantly increasing electricity capacity; rapidly facilitating approvals for energy infrastructure; approving the construction of natural gas pipelines to, or in, New England, California, Alaska, and other areas of the country underserved by American natural gas; facilitating the reopening of closed power plants; and bringing Small Modular Nuclear Reactors online;
(iii) provide to the President a review of markets most critical to power American homes, cars, and factories with reliable, abundant, and affordable energy;
(iv) advise the President regarding incentives to attract and retain private sector energy-production investments;
(v) advise the President on identifying and ending practices that raise the cost of energy; and
(vi) consult with officials from State, local, and Tribal governments and individuals from the private sector to solicit feedback on how best to expand all forms of energy production.
Sec. 5. Administration. (a) The Council shall have such staff and other assistance as may be necessary to carry out its functions.
(b) Agencies shall cooperate with the Council and provide such assistance, information, and advice to the Council related to policies that affect energy dominance as the Chair or, at the Chair’s direction, the Vice Chair, shall reasonably request, to the extent permitted by law.
Sec. 6. Representation on the National Security Council. The Secretary of the Interior, as Chair of the Council, shall serve as a standing member of the National Security Council.
Sec. 7. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
THE WHITE HOUSE,
February 14, 2025.
Source: US State of North Dakota
SVCMC Inc., formerly known as Saint Vincents Catholic Medical Centers of New York (Saint Vincent), has agreed to pay $29 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly retaining erroneously inflated payments received from the Department of Defense for healthcare services provided to retired military members and their families.
Saint Vincent is one of six health plans participating in the Uniformed Services Family Health Plan (USFHP) program, which is a federal health insurance program funded by the Defense Health Agency (DHA), a component of the Department of Defense. Under the USFHP program, DHA pays Saint Vincent capitated rates to provide healthcare services to military personnel, retirees, and their families. The complaint alleged that, in 2012, Saint Vincent learned that errors had been made in the calculation of the capitated rates resulting in substantial overpayments to Saint Vincent and the other five USFHP plans over the preceding four years. According to the government’s complaint, instead of notifying the government of the overpayments or repaying the funds, Saint Vincent, along with the other five USFHP plans, took steps to conceal the existence of the overpayments from DHA, continued to submit invoices at the inflated payment rates, and conspired to avoid paying the money back. Today’s settlement resolves the government’s claims against Saint Vincent.
“Those who receive public funds, including participants in government health care programs, must return funds to which they are not entitled,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Together with our partners across the federal government, we will hold accountable those who knowingly violate this obligation to the American taxpayers.”
“I want to thank the Justice Department for resolving this case on behalf of TRICARE and the Defense Health Agency,” said Dr. David C. Krulak, Director, TRICARE Health Plan, DHA. “Providing excellent health care to our 9.5 million beneficiaries worldwide is essential to maintaining force readiness and keeping our promise to our family members and retirees, while being good stewards of taxpayer dollars at the same time.”
The civil settlement resolves claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Jane Rollinson and Daniel Gregorie in the District of Maine. From 2007 to 2015, Ms. Rollinson worked at Martin’s Point Health Care, one of the health plans participating in the USFHP program, including as its Interim Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Gregorie was a consultant to the CEO and Board of Martin’s Point Health Care and later served on its Board of Trustees. Under the False Claims Act’s qui tam provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The United States may intervene and proceed with the case, as it did here. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Rollinson v. Martin’s Point Health Care, Inc., No. 2:16-cv-00447-NT (D. Me.). As part of today’s settlement, Ms. Rollinson and Mr. Gregorie will receive $5.655 million. The United States is continuing to pursue the remaining claims in this case.
The resolution of this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine, with assistance from the DHA.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The matter was handled by Fraud Section Attorneys Diana Cieslak and Evan Ballan and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Lizotte and Sheila Sawyer for the District of Maine.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Source: United States Attorneys General
SVCMC Inc., formerly known as Saint Vincents Catholic Medical Centers of New York (Saint Vincent), has agreed to pay $29 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly retaining erroneously inflated payments received from the Department of Defense for healthcare services provided to retired military members and their families.
Saint Vincent is one of six health plans participating in the Uniformed Services Family Health Plan (USFHP) program, which is a federal health insurance program funded by the Defense Health Agency (DHA), a component of the Department of Defense. Under the USFHP program, DHA pays Saint Vincent capitated rates to provide healthcare services to military personnel, retirees, and their families. The complaint alleged that, in 2012, Saint Vincent learned that errors had been made in the calculation of the capitated rates resulting in substantial overpayments to Saint Vincent and the other five USFHP plans over the preceding four years. According to the government’s complaint, instead of notifying the government of the overpayments or repaying the funds, Saint Vincent, along with the other five USFHP plans, took steps to conceal the existence of the overpayments from DHA, continued to submit invoices at the inflated payment rates, and conspired to avoid paying the money back. Today’s settlement resolves the government’s claims against Saint Vincent.
“Those who receive public funds, including participants in government health care programs, must return funds to which they are not entitled,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Together with our partners across the federal government, we will hold accountable those who knowingly violate this obligation to the American taxpayers.”
“I want to thank the Justice Department for resolving this case on behalf of TRICARE and the Defense Health Agency,” said Dr. David C. Krulak, Director, TRICARE Health Plan, DHA. “Providing excellent health care to our 9.5 million beneficiaries worldwide is essential to maintaining force readiness and keeping our promise to our family members and retirees, while being good stewards of taxpayer dollars at the same time.”
The civil settlement resolves claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Jane Rollinson and Daniel Gregorie in the District of Maine. From 2007 to 2015, Ms. Rollinson worked at Martin’s Point Health Care, one of the health plans participating in the USFHP program, including as its Interim Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Gregorie was a consultant to the CEO and Board of Martin’s Point Health Care and later served on its Board of Trustees. Under the False Claims Act’s qui tam provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The United States may intervene and proceed with the case, as it did here. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Rollinson v. Martin’s Point Health Care, Inc., No. 2:16-cv-00447-NT (D. Me.). As part of today’s settlement, Ms. Rollinson and Mr. Gregorie will receive $5.655 million. The United States is continuing to pursue the remaining claims in this case.
The resolution of this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine, with assistance from the DHA.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The matter was handled by Fraud Section Attorneys Diana Cieslak and Evan Ballan and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Lizotte and Sheila Sawyer for the District of Maine.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) announced his nomination of 57 Alabama students to multiple U.S. service academies including the U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, and U.S. Naval Academy as part of the class of 2029. This is Senator Tuberville’s fourth round of nominations since assuming office. Earlier this year, Senator Tuberville was named as the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Personnel for the Senate Armed Services Committee, where he is positioned to help bolster military recruiting and retention.
“Our young people are the number one commodity we have in this country, and Alabama is home to the best and brightest,” said Senator Tuberville. “I’m proud to represent a state with so many patriotic young leaders who want to serve in our nation’s military. It’s an honor to nominate 57 of these students for a service academy appointment. I have no doubt they will continue to make our state and country proud.”
A complete list of Senator Tuberville’s nominees for the class of 2029 can be found below.
*indicates additional service academy nomination
United States Air Force Academy:
Madeline Ashley Alford: Birmingham, AL; Homewood High School;daughter Josh Alford and Ashley Davenport
Sarah R. Brock: New Market, AL; Whitesburg Baptist Christian School; daughter of Jason and Heather Brock
Madelyn Bushong: Daleville, AL; Ridgecrest Christian School;daughter Benjamin and Vanessa Bushong
John David Dallas: Auburn, AL; Auburn High School; son of Doug and Heather Dallas
Julianna Ruth Gingrich: Enterprise, AL; Enterprise High School; daughter of Shane and Christina Gingrich
Samuel Vaughn Holmes: Montgomery, AL; Loveless Academic Magnet Program High; son of Harry and Tina Holmes
Kenneth Lee Jimmerson Jr.: Montgomery, AL; USAFA Prep School; Brewbaker Technology Magnet High School; son of Kenneth Sr. and Michelle Jimmerson
Anna Elizabeth Martin: Andalusia, AL; Andalusia High School;daughter of Travis and Heidi Martin
Jack Messervy: Owens Cross Roads, AL; Huntsville High School;son of Chris and Kim Messervy
Jackson Noah Mitchell: Adger, AL; Oak Grove High School;son of Paul and Amy Mitchell
*William McCarton Mitchell: Huntsville, AL; Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering; son of Thomas and Irene Mitchell
John Willis Parsons: Auburn, AL; Auburn High School;son of Robert and Ashley Parsons
Richard Dean Rutledge III: Albertville, AL; Plainview High School; son of Richard D. Rutledge II and Susan Rutledge
Benton Nathanael Shelton: Cecil, AL; Pike Road High School; son of Brian and Carolyn Shelton
Landon Alexander Ward: Spanish Fort, AL; Spanish Fort High School;son of Eddie and Natasha Ward
United States Military Academy:
Trinity Gwenyth Bentley: Springville, AL; St. Clair County School Virtual Preparatory Academy; daughter of Patrick and Madelyn Bentley
Matthew James Buhl: Harvest, AL; Westminster Christian Academy; son of Joshua and Rachel Buhl
Katherine Grace Chatfield: Huntsville, AL; St. Michael’s Academy; daughter of Joseph and Diane Chatfield
Jackson Best Cook: Mountain Brook, AL; USMA Prep School; Mountain Brook High School; son of Jackson and Catherine Cook
Cooper Daniel Gillis: Birmingham, AL; Homewood High School; son of Brent and Brooke Gillis
Sprinnia Anne Gregory: Mountain Brook, AL; Mountain Brook High School; daughter of Mark and Theresa Gregory
Heinrich Kai Hanada: Huntsville, AL; German School Tokyo Yokohama; son of Heinrich Miki Hanada
Aiden Elliot Harkey: Dothan, AL; Slocomb High School; son of Kathi Crick
Daniel Clark Hill II: Daphne, AL; Daphne High School; son of Daniel and Linda Kay Hill
David Wayne Hudry: Decatur, AL; Decatur Heritage Christian Academy; son of Wayne and Twila Hudry
Charles Hillman Jacobs III: Decatur, AL; Providence Classical School; son of Charles and Christy Jacobs
Jaden A. Johnson: Huntsville, AL; New Century Technology High School; son of Carl and Valisha Johnson
Aaron Jacob Lee: Orange Beach, AL; Marion Military Institute; son of Larry and Heidi Lee
Jason P. Love: Chelsea, AL; Briarwood Christian School; son of Brad and Pam Love
Judd Johnston Lunsford: Huntsville, AL; Randolph School; son of Bill and Ingrid Lunsford
Stanley Hawkins McConnell Jr.: Mobile, AL; UMS-Wright Preparatory School; son of Stan and Anna McConnell
*William McCarton Mitchell: Huntsville, AL; Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering; son of Thomas and Irene Mitchell
Jason J. Park: Madison, AL; James Clemens High School; son of Eun and Taesoo Park
Andrew Martin Paul: Athens, AL; St. John Paul II Catholic High School; son of James and Laura Paul
Spencer Joseph Perkins: Prattville, AL; Prattville Christian Academy; son of Ryan and Alora Fisher
Thomas B. Sigler: Madison, AL; Bob Jones High School; son of Jason and Brooke Sigler
Emily Chambers Spooner: Vestavia Hills, AL; Vestavia Hills High School; daughter of Alan and Melanie Spooner
Cammi Emma Tillery: Enterprise, AL; Enterprise High School; daughter of Robert and Heidi Tillery
Emily Minh Chau Tran: Auburn, AL; Alabama School of Math & Science; daughter of Nam Tran
Savannah Grace Trejo: Auburn, AL; Auburn High School; daughter of Charles and Jazzmin Trejo
Ava Yasmin Valadi: Phenix City, AL; Brookstone School; daughter of Nojan and Jennifer Valadi
*Madison Lydia Walz: Auburn, AL; Auburn High School; daughter of Paul and Heather Walz
Caiden Williams: Harvest, AL; Life Christian Academy; son of Charles and Rebra Kay Williams
Ethan Sunghyun Yi: Montgomery, AL; The Montgomery Academy; son of Lee and Heejin Yi
United States Naval Academy:
Joshua Robert DeFour: Madison, AL; Sparkman High School; son of Robert and Mary DeFour
Jonathan Lawrence Ellsworth Eddingfield: Daphne, AL; Daphne High School; son of Lawrence and Valerie Eddingfield
Hagen Kristopher Holley: Hoover, AL; Spain Park High School; son of Steve and Ramona Holley
Jonathan Levi Hulcher: Mobile, AL; Alabama School of Math and Science; son of Steve and Peggy Hulcher
Maggie Christine Mae Ingram: McCalla, AL; Heritage Christian Academy; daughter of Jason and Cheryl Ingram
Jackson Thomas Kalnoske: Birmingham, AL; Chelsea High School; son of Tom and Courtney Kalnoske
Truman Lee: Mountain Brook, AL; Mountain Brook High School; son of Tommy and Nidia Lee
Natalie Holland McCabe: Tuscumbia, AL; Muscle Shoals High School;daughter ofTrip and Jill McCabe
Millicent Elizabeth McCormick: Pelham, AL; Pelham High School;daughter ofRonald and Amanda McCormick
Jack Pritchett: Montgomery, AL; Loveless Academic Magnet Program High;son of Bill and Anna Pritchett
Lillian Litton Rand: Birmingham, AL; St. Andrew’s School; daughter of Edward and Anne Rand
Steven David Satcher: Madison, AL; Bob Jones High School; son of Ted and Laura Satcher
Ellen Mary Vegerita: Brownsboro, AL; Huntsville High School; daughter of Frank and Christian Vegerita
*Madison Lydia Walz: Auburn, AL; Auburn High School; daughter of Paul and Heather Walz
George Austin Wright: Demopolis, AL; Demopolis High School; son of Hess and Carrie Wright
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.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and the Senate Armed Services Committee, is cosponsoring legislation to allow surviving spouses of fallen servicemembers to retain certain survivor benefits if they choose to remarry. Under current law, most benefits from the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are terminated for surviving spouses who remarry before age 55. The Love Lives On Act would allow surviving spouses to retain these benefits upon remarriage regardless of age.
“Every day, military spouses show tremendous courage and dedication to our country as they support their servicemember,” said Senator King. “These men and women deserve full access to the benefits they’ve earned alongside their spouses. However, a current rules penalizes a widow or widower of a fallen servicemembers if they choose to remarry before the age of 55. The bipartisan Love Lives On Act is commonsense legislation that eliminates having to choose between taking care of your family and continuing your life with a new partner — and allows families the opportunity to heal from a tremendous loss on their own terms.”
The Love Lives On Act is cosponsored by Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Martin Heinrich (D-NN), John Cornyn (R-TX), John Fetterman (D-PA), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Ted Cruz (R-TX), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Chris Coons (D-DE), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).
Representing one of the states with the highest rates of military families and veterans per capita, Senator King has been a staunch advocate for America’s servicemembers and veterans. Last year, he led the bipartisan Military Spouse Employment Act — pieces of which passed into law in the FY2024 NDAA — which allows military spouses to have a remote work career with any federal agency and helps them to maintain consistent employment should they move with their spouse. He also introduced the Improving Access to Prenatal Care for Military Families Act to expand military family care to cover critical health care during pregnancies. Most recently, he joined the bipartisan Fairness for Servicemembers and their Families Act to improve financial security for military families by ensuring life insurance packages for servicemembers and veterans adjust for increases in cost of living and inflation.
Source: United States Department of Defense
UNKNOWN: Good morning, everyone. Welcome to the press conference in the Ministry of National Defense. We have here Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of National Defense Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz and Secretary of Defense of the United States, Mr. Pete Hegseth. Deputy Prime Minister, can you please take the floor?
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER KOSINIAK-KAMYSZ: Good morning. Good morning, everyone. It is a great moment. It is a great moment for myself, for my wife, together with whom we are hosting Secretary of Defense of the United States together with his wife. Welcome very cordially. Thank you for choosing Poland as the first venue of your first official bilateral visit, that you decided to come to Poland.
It is a testimony to our partnership. It is also a testimony to our friendship and shared strategy of security for the United States, for Poland, Europe and the whole world. That is our great duty. It is a great honor for myself to host Secretary Pete Hegseth to Poland today and talk about the most important challenges related to the security of Poland, the United States, Europe and the world.
Thank you very much for a very good discussion. Well, first, we had a [Inaudible] and then we had a bilateral meeting with delegations to talk about our alliance and the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance. Polish American Alliance has never been as strong as it is today, and we can do everything possible to make it even stronger overnight.
And this is what we agreed on, that we will have a joint investment and shared security guarantees, as well as increasing capabilities. Poland is a country that understands threats, that it can see it, and we can sense it. We have our own history and we know how it happened, that in our country, in our beloved homeland, the war was waged. We were deprived of our own independence for years.
For years, we didn’t also have the self-determination capacity when we restored it. We know how important security is, how important freedom is and peace. The values that bring us together need strength. Freedom needs strength. The peace also needs strength. Security takes a lot of strength, and that strength is not possible without spendings, without the money that we have to spend on security, without increasing our capabilities and investment in our armed forces, the alliance and the society.
We know this perfectly well and this is something that we definitely share. Thank you very much for that. Poland is an example of such a such a country and Secretary of Defense gave an example of Poland in public in Brussels, that Poland is actually an example how to care for our own security and the allied security.
Because whatever we do, the protection of our borders, five percent of defense spending is modernization and transformation of the Polish armed forces, the acquisition of the state-of-the-art equipment from our strategic partner in the area of defense, which is the United States and this is an absolute priority for our country.
Everyone in Poland absolutely accepts that and agrees with that. We want to thank our taxpayers, thanks to whom we are able to execute that great plan of the transformation of the Polish Armed Forces. Without them, it would not be possible. We can do that, thanks to them, because they contribute to this and they understand this.
Poland is a country that understands that the greater defense spendings are definitely a must. Europe must spend more. This is the message with which Secretary of Defense came to the meeting of defense ministers of the alliance. Well, we must spend more to protect our territory better and the United States wants to cooperate.
And the United States will do everything possible to be together for the alliance to be stronger and stronger, but Europe also must demonstrate its contribution. We understand this perfectly well and we are true to our commitments. We are true to our allied obligations. We were together in Iraq. We were together in Afghanistan.
We were in different anti-terror missions. After the terrorist attacks in the United States, we were the first country that was ready to support the US and we continue to do so. We will support the United States. We are a steadfast and loyal ally and thank you very much for the presence of the American troops in Poland.
It is incredibly important for us. It is crucial and it gives us a sense of security and it really provides tangible security. We want to thank for every single American serviceman and servicewomen training together with Polish troops for giving us strengths and capabilities and our power. You are very much welcome here.
Come to us. This is your home, and you will always be treated like that because it is a great privilege for us and a great pleasure. I am also very happy with our conversation about the future, further spendings that we want to make in the United States, further acquisitions. We will definitely continue that effort.
We also want to develop the cooperation of our defense industries. We also talked about that investment joint venture, Polish American Investment to increase the capabilities for our production, especially the capacity to produce munitions and the capacity for armament, production that is not sufficient in Europe.
Europe must wake up. Europe must invest in defense industry and we want to create joint venture companies with the United States to be able to use these resources better. Poland can and should be a hub of infrastructure for maintenance, for economy and businesses of the United States. Our strategy is to be like a transatlantic bond, bringing the United States and Europe together because Poland is best prepared to do that and Poland understands best all the actions that are undertaken by the United States today.
And I think that Poland has very good awareness of the situation. After this conversation, I am absolutely convinced that it is the case. We want to be a service hub that will be used for the American equipment used by our allies along the eastern border of NATO. We also talked about illegal migration that we stop at the Polish Belarusian border.
We talked about the challenges the United States is also facing to this extent and very good information that I want to share with you. You know that there is the review of different spendings in the United States, that there are different executive orders that were issued by President Trump and the objective is to review the justification of the spendings.
But there is something as foreign military financing. This is the fund that is used to modernize, for example, the Polish armed forces and we use it, billions of dollars. And that executive order of President Trump about freezing the funding of different programs to support modernization and transformation, they do not apply to Poland.
Thank you very much, Secretary of Defense for the decisions about the that, for a very clear presentation of the case. It is a great example and we are ironclad partners. We are friends for better and for worse, for good times and worse times. We are together with each other, Poland and the United States.
The United States and Poland are true and loyal friends and our cooperation will be even at a higher level.
UNKNOWN: Thank you. Now, Pete Hegseth, the Secretary of Defense of the United States.
SECRETARY HEGSETH: Well, thank you, Mr. Deputy Prime Minister. Thank you for your incredibly strong words, which I echo and concur completely. Our friendship, our bond is ironclad and we came here specifically to reinforce that. I also want to thank your wife for being a part of this as well today, and your entire delegation.
The warmth of the Polish people is very, very clear. It is a privilege to be here and I do want to emphasize that it’s quite intentional that our first European bilateral is right here in Poland. The symbolism is not lost, in fact, it is intentional. We see Poland as the model ally on the continent, willing to invest not just in their defense, but in our shared defense and the defense of the continent.
Our relationship is strong and growing stronger every day. Poland, a strategic frontline partner on NATO’s eastern flank. Poland, a staunch US ally. Poland, a, as I said, model ally, not only in words. Words are cheap, but in deed and in actions. Poland leads by example, on a lot of things, including defense spending, building up Polish military readiness.
Yesterday in Brussels, we both talked a lot about spending and the need for hard power. Diplomacy is important. Talk is important. Negotiations are important. But ultimately, beans and bullets and tanks and helicopters and hard power still matters. Poland understands that and so do we. They’re exceeding NATO burden sharing commitments and we’re looking for even more ways to partner.
You mentioned joint ventures, strategic partnerships. We are open and look forward to further solidifying how we can work together as it pertains to our defense industrial bases. We want to achieve peace through strength together. Deterrence, that defense industrial base, that’s Apaches, F-35s, HIMARS, Patriots, you name it. The more you have, the stronger we are.
The more we can cooperate with those systems, the more interoperable our capabilities are, the better. I also want to thank you and the Polish people for the outstanding support of our forces that are deployed here. We have over 8,000 American troops in Poland. I had a chance to spend the morning with some of some of those US troops.
We ran the streets of Warsaw this morning in the snow. I’m from Minnesota, so I was used to it. It was about 25 to 30 US Soldiers and Marines, had a chance to talk to them while we ran and did push-ups. And I asked them about their experience here in Poland and some worked directly with troops, others worked in military sales.
Some work in POW and MIA remains recovery still. Each one of them had nothing but gushing compliments for the Polish people, for the Polish military, for the amount of support that they receive, for the true partnership, for the eagerness with which Polish troops work alongside American troops. We’ve seen plenty of examples across the globe as the United States of America, or where you work with allies who sometimes you wish wanted it just as much as we did.
That’s not a problem we have with Polish troops or here in Poland, and we thank you and we thank your military for the immense amount of support they provide to ours. We also, investments by Poland makes it easier for us to be here as well. Generous contributions from the Polish Treasury for infrastructure and logistics support for our troops to be here reduces the US taxpayer burden.
I know that’s something that President Trump worked with Poland on his first four years in office. We will continue to do that together as well. The level of partnership, just to underscore here, is unmatched in Europe. The common bond between our forces is unlike others in Europe. We have a shared warrior ethos, which we talked about, something I’m emphasizing, we’re emphasizing at Donald Trump’s Department of Defense.
We’re ready, we’re lethal, we’re capable and we want to reinvest the warrior spirit. We want to rebuild our military and reestablish deterrence. I heard the exact same things from you and from your leadership in our bilateral meeting, which is incredibly encouraging. No truer friend, no tougher foe than the Polish soldier.
As I mentioned, we saw it in Iraq, we saw it in Afghanistan and it goes all the way back to World War II and Market Garden. The Polish military has stood alongside America and we stand alongside you. So, thank you again for that robust partnership, for being a friend around the table of nations. Yes, at NATO, we are all friends, but sometimes you look out and see those that say we are with you when there are tough conversations to be had and you were, and I know you will be. We look forward to leading those conversations and ensuring our deeds match our words, and your friendship is incredibly valued.
On behalf of the American people, thank you for welcoming us. It’s an honor to be here, sir. Thank you.
UNKNOWN: Now we have time for four short questions. The first question, Jan Piotrowski, TVN 24.
Q: — Hegseth. Sir, just recently you’ve ruled out the possibility of restoring Ukrainian pre-2014 borders, but do you believe that there is a possibility to restore the border as it was before the full-scale invasion back in February 2022? Thank you.
SECRETARY HEGSETH: Thank you for the question, sir. I think anything is possible. I, as the Secretary of Defense, have a specific lane of the portfolio of what America is representing inside these negotiations. So, my job today and in Brussels was to introduce realism to the conversation, the reality that returning to 2014 borders as part of a negotiated settlement is unlikely.
The reality of US troops in Ukraine is unlikely. The reality of Ukraine membership in NATO as a part of a negotiated settlement, unlikely. And I stand by the comments that I made on that first day in the Ukraine contact group and that’s for all the press out there who it’s difficult for them to understand that.
We stand by the statements we made in reality about the status of US forces or Ukraine’s involvement in NATO and the unlikely nature of that. That said, I would never put constraints around what the president of the United States would be willing to negotiate with the sovereign leaders of both Russia and Ukraine.
I’m not here to put a left and right limit on those discussions. We’ve been here just simply to introduce realism into the expectations of our NATO allies to incentivize the opportunity for that negotiation. So, what those borders ultimately look like, sir, remains to be seen and I think is part of the discussion that would be had between our President, Zelenskyy, Putin and likely Europe’s involvement in those discussions as well.
Thank you, sir.
Q: Mr. Secretary, are US troops in Ukraine on the table? Vice President Vance says it is. And [untranslated], under what condition would Poland send forces to Ukraine as part of a peacekeeping mission?
SECRETARY HEGSETH: Well, the president has said multiple times inside his framework for discussions of this, and I just want to lay out that these are not comments or statements that I make in a vacuum or make without direct consultation with our team. So, President Trump’s national security team, from Mike Waltz to the vice president to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, we’re all on the same page.
And our job is to ensure that our commander in chief, the president of the United States, has the full spectrum of options to bring this conflict, to bring the killing to an end, to an end. And my message to the Ukraine contact group was I do not believe as a part of those negotiations that US troops will be on the ground.
You can say that and I believe that to be true. That’s what President Trump has said. That is what he has emphasized, that this is a for Europeans to resolve alongside Ukraine and Russia and that US boots will not be on the ground. Again, negotiations happen, the president has latitude and what happens in those negotiations is his prerogative because he is the American people’s representative on the world stage.
There’s no daylight in those conversations. There’s no daylight between myself and the vice president. We are collective advocates on behalf of the president. He reserves the right to have any option as he discusses troops and partnerships and investment opportunities and front-line limits. Those are all what President Trump will negotiate with his counterparts.
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER KOSINIAK-KAMYSZ: [Inaudible] just started. I would like to thank for this question. The negotiation, which President Trump chairs, is just the first step. We’ve talked about it. Well, some thought that this is the finale, that this is the end. Well, it was just launched and it is worthwhile not only in Poland, but also in Ukraine across the world to realize.
And what just was said by Pete Hegseth, what will be the finale, it is to be seen. It is in front of us. What is for sure, we need to be strong and united as allies and this is what we have between Poland and the United States. Poland has been doing a lot to support Ukraine. We’ve been doing that from the first day.
Without the Polish participation, we could not be able to send assistance to Ukraine. 95 percent of hardware humanitarian assistance goes through logistical hub in Poland, and this has been happening for three years. We’ve been securing this. We’ve involved our forces which are protecting this process. We would like to thank our allies from the US, other countries, that they are supporting this transfer process and protection process of the donations which have been transferred to Ukraine.
And this is the role for Poland, of the logistical support in many issues rather than sending our troops to Ukraine, what we can do for sure. And I think we’re going to do it together soon to send our companies, joint venture companies or joint venture partnerships to Ukraine. The companies investing in the defense industry also using various capabilities to elevate the level of security of Ukraine and the eastern flank of NATO developing these possibilities.
If we invest in Ukraine, the United States, Europe and Poland, this is a great guarantee of security. I think it is also in the strategy that the United States is presenting broadly and this is also going to be a subject of the discussion. So, our role as a logistical support that we’ve been doing, it is very important.
Without that, we could not support fighting Ukraine and the peace in Ukraine.
UNKNOWN: Thank you very much. Next question, there will be two more questions.
Q: Mr. Secretary, would the US consider lowering troops number in eastern Europe as a part of the deal with Russia, or would it consider giving up its permanent military presence in Poland?
SECRETARY HEGSETH: Well, I will state definitively as I did in Brussels, that America is committed to the NATO alliance. Our message has been – and as we discussed, we believe, heard loud and clear that member countries in NATO need to spend more, need to invest more, need to have more skin in the game for their collective defense.
That is not just a suggestion from the United States of America, that is a direct request, which we will follow up on as a reflection of their desire and commitment to actually defend their own backyard. That’s a serious aspect of NATO becoming a serious alliance in the future. As I mentioned, you can have as many flags as you want, but if you don’t have hard power, you’re not an actual alliance.
And unfortunately, our adversaries look at that and they judge accordingly. Right now, on the continent, the American presence is robust and it has been. And that partnership is real and important. And the troops that we have here in Poland is an investment in that, is a recognition of that. And frankly, the invitation we receive here, if anything, would make me want to welcome more troops to Poland, as the Secretary of Defense.
That’s not a policy statement. That’s just how I feel. The welcome is warm. At the same time, our president is in the middle of negotiations, but he has recognized, as have I, that American presence on the continent is important to deter Vladimir Putin and send that signal of solidarity. But I think it’s really important what the deputy prime minister said.
This is the beginning of negotiations. I’m not here to set the terms of how my president of the United States will debate this. I’m here to give him my best military advice alongside him of what may or may not be most useful to reach the peaceful end state that we want. From my perspective, the American troop levels on the continent are important.
What happens five or 10 or 15 years from now is part of a larger discussion that reflects the threat level, America’s posture, our needs around the globe, but most significantly, the capability of European countries to step up. And that’s why our message is so stark to our European allies, now is the time to invest because you can’t make an assumption that America’s presence will last forever.
America has to stare down a lot of threats to include, as I mentioned, the Communist Chinese and if that’s the case, then countries like Poland and others will continue to step up. But as of today, we are very proud of our partnership in Europe. Thank you.
UNKNOWN: [Inaudible] Fox News [Inaudible].
Q: — Fox News. These questions are for both you gentlemen. Do you believe the warnings from NATO allies that allowing Putin to keep Ukrainian territory, will one day embolden him to launch future attacks, perhaps even invade the eastern flank of the NATO alliance? Is this Yalta 2.0 or perhaps even Munich 2.0? Do you trust Vladimir Putin to live up to any potential agreement?
And finally, in light of the Russian drone attack on Chernobyl last night, should there be a ceasefire during these negotiations? Thank you.
SECRETARY HEGSETH: Do you want to go? Go ahead.
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER KOSINIAK-KAMYSZ: Well, what I believe is the strength which protects us from evil. On the strong, we are able to defend ourselves from Putin on the strength the terrorists in our freedom. Our freedom will not be protected by beautiful words, by diplomatic meetings. Our freedom and independence will be only defended and protected by the strength of our alliance.
This is the only thing that can protect us, nothing else. And we’ll never have a calm day. There are no calm days across the world. There are only those who have slept the last 30 days, years, because they thought that they lived in the calm world. The world will never be calm. The world will also always require from us activity.
We always need to invest that. We have to remember that Putin or other dictator may come, which can threaten our security. It never ends. This is what history teaches us. And I think it was a bit too good for us. For some, it was too good. Maybe they didn’t have the experiences that we’ve had in Poland, that they just slept over this time.
And right now, it’s time to wake them up and the voice which came from Brussels, from Pete Hegseth, and more spending was finally heard. We’ve been talking about, we’ve been showing that and we need it. Not to replace the American troops in Europe because without them the world and Europe will not be saved.
But to maintain them to keep them, Europe must show that they want it, not in the words but in the deeds and many European countries is already doing that, but many more needs to do it and we want to do it. So, there is no other security guarantee than your strength.
SECRETARY HEGSETH: Well, I appreciate those words and I agree. First, your second question on a ceasefire, I think the president has stated that that could be part of a good faith aspect of the beginning of negotiations, which the president’s goal is to stop the killing and the violence and the death. Part of doing that could be a ceasefire, and that could be a welcome development.
As far as Vladimir Putin being emboldened, he’s going to declare victory no matter what. You can expect that no matter what the outcome is. Thankfully, the bravery of the Ukrainians and allies that came alongside them, especially early in the war, deterred and defeated Vladimir Putin from achieving what he wanted, which was all of Ukraine.
So, now you have a more defined front line and whether he declares victory or not will be up to him. Whether he’s emboldened speaks exactly to what the deputy prime minister talked about and NATO’s willingness to step up. If NATO’s response to this situation is to truly increase capabilities, truly increase inputs and spending to think more like Poland, to think more like the Baltics who are closer to the threat and recognize the reality of the threat, then I don’t think Vladimir Putin will be emboldened by this outcome.
It will be a recognition that the collective ability of the west to deter him was something that actually happened. Is there trust there? No. I mean, you don’t have to operate under a position of trust in order to negotiate a deal. But again, I’m the Secretary of Defense, it’s not my job to read the mind of Vladimir Putin.
President Trump will be the one at the table with Zelenskyy and Putin. You don’t have to trust somebody in order to negotiate with them. But as Ronald Reagan said, if you don’t trust, you need to verify and so there will be a follow up and ensuring that whatever peace is negotiated is a lasting and enduring peace.
UNKNOWN: Thank you, gentlemen. Thank you, prime minister and secretary.
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER KOSINIAK-KAMYSZ: Thank you one more time.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia
WATCH: Ahead of Potential Workforce Cuts, Senator Reverend Warnock Spotlights Importance of the CDC in Speech Opposing RFK Nomination to Lead HHS
On Wednesday evening, Senator Reverend Warnock gave nearly an hour-long Senate floor speech opposing Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Senator Reverend Warnock’s speech came just a day before the Trump Administration announced a 10 percent cut to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) staff, roughly 1,300 employees
During his speech, Senator Reverend Warnock highlighted the importance of the Georgia-based CDC and the agency’s work to protect the nation from health, safety, and security threats
The speech follows the recent news that the Trump Administration directed federal health agencies to pause public health communications with hospitals, doctors, and the public
The Senator’s work to champion the CDC continues the legacy of Georgia Republican Senator Isakson, who worked to expand and invest in the CDC
Senator Reverend Warnock: “As a senator from the great state of Georgia, I’m very proud that I represent the Georgia-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. […] The CDC does lifesaving work to control disease outbreaks, to ensure our food and our water are safe, to keep our brave servicemembers abroad safe, and to prevent leading causes of death such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes”
Above: Senator Reverend Warnock speaks in Defense of the CDC
Washington, D.C. – On Wednesday evening, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) delivered a speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate highlighting his opposition to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump’s nominee to be the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). During his nearly hour-long speech, Senator Warnock highlighted Mr. Kennedy’s lack of qualifications and troubling conspiracy theories about the Georgia-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which could hurt the state’s economy and hinder research from bird flu, to maternal health, to cancer.
Senator Warnock’s speech was just a day before the Trump Administration announced a 10 percent reduction of CDC employees. Terminating nearly 1,300 employees, which is part of the administration’s plans to get rid of all probationary employees. Senator Warnock remains committed to using any tools at his disposal to stop cuts to programs and agencies that impact the lives of everyday Americans.
“The moment at which you put the CDC and Nazi death camps in the same statement, and you’re the secretary nominee for HHS, Houston, Georgia, America, we have a problem,” said Senator Reverend Warnock.“And that problem is Robert Kennedy.
Last year, the Senator visited the CDC in Atlanta, Georgia for the first time as Senator to learn about the agency’s efforts to protect public health, including work to combat the maternal mortality crisis and how federal funding plays a role in keeping Georgia and the country safe from infectious diseases. During Mr. Kennedy’s nomination hearing in committee, Senator Warnock spoke at length defending the importance of the CDC which employs over 10,000 hardworking Georgians.
“Last June, I visited the CDC, carrying on the spirit of my predecessor in my seat, my friend, the late Republican Senator Johnny Isakson,” continued Senator Warnock. “Johnny Isakson was a good man. We didn’t agree on everything, but he was just a good human being. And he was a fierce advocate for the CDC. And I’m honored to carry on that tradition in his memory, because he understood, as do I, that the CDC again is saving us from so many bad things that we don’t even see.
The Senator highlighted that:
For everyone one job hired at the CDC, three jobs are created.
Students come from all over the world to study at Georgia research institutions because of its proximity to the CDC. The Center hosts over 125,000 visitors on its campus every year.
The CDC invests hundreds of millions of dollars into Georgia organizations and institutions to partner on research.
For every dollar the CDC spends, Georgia’s economy sees $2 in growth.
If the CDC were a business, it’d be the 7th largest business in the state.
Watch Senator Warnock’s speech HERE.
Below key excerpts from Senator Warnock’s speech:
“Mr. President,
“I rise today in strong opposition to the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. To lead the Department of Health and Human Services.”
“It’s no overstatement for me to say that it’s hard for me to imagine a nominee less qualified that would actually be presented for the job of HHS secretary. Robert F. Kennedy, not only does he not pass muster, this is not even close. I still can’t believe we’re even having this discussion. He is a conspiracy theorist who is so focused on his conspiracy theories, when you think of what we need the HHS secretary to do, Robert F. Kennedy is a hazard to our health.”
“Certainly we can do better than this. He’s just manifestly unqualified. I don’t know how else to put it.”
[…]
“As a senator from the great state of Georgia, I’m very proud that I represent the Georgia-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the CDC. Which was created nearly 80 years ago to prevent the spread of malaria across our countries. The CDC does lifesaving work to control disease outbreaks, to ensure our food and our water are safe, to keep our brave servicemembers abroad, safe, and to prevent leading causes of death such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes.”
[…]
“The CDC employs 10,000 Georgians and their work is so critical for every American. But in addition to that, the CDC has a great economic impact on Georgia as well. For every one job at the CDC, three jobs are created. One job at the CDC creates three jobs in the Georgia economy. […] If the CDC were a business, it would be the seventh largest business in my state.”
[…]
“Last June, I visited the CDC, carrying on the spirit of my predecessor in my seat, my friend, the late Republican Senator Johnny Isakson. Johnny Isakson was a good man. We didn’t agree on everything, but he was just a good human being. And he was a fierce advocate for the CDC. And I’m honored to carry on that tradition in his memory, because he understood, as do I, that the CDC again is saving us from so many bad things that we don’t even see.
[…]
“I spoke with researchers and medical professionals who are already working to address bird flu, which possesses a danger to our poultry farmers and our grocery prices. Can I tell you, I spent time with those CDC workers, they’re not the enemy, as some have tried to paint these federal workers in recent days. Shameful.
“They didn’t deserve to get a blanket memo encouraging them, whoever they are, no matter what job they hold, to just resign. They’re the wall. They’ve been protecting us. They’re the reason we’re able to go to sleep at night and not even think about certain things. It’s hard to get credit for saving people from the bad stuff they don’t even see.”
[…]
“You can slice and dice these words [RFK’s past comments about the CDC] all you want. The moment at which you put the CDC and Nazi death camps in the same statement, and you’re the secretary nominee for HHS, Houston, Georgia, America, we have a problem. And that problem is Robert Kennedy.”
“And god help us if my colleagues on the other side of the aisle cannot get past partisan politics, cannot find the courage to stand up to Donald Trump and say no to Robert Kennedy.”
Source: United Nations MIL OSI
The UN human rights office, OHCHR, on Friday condemned the intensifying Israeli military operation in the northern West Bank, warning that nearly 40,000 Palestinians have been displaced already amid an “alarming wave” of violence and destruction.
Since the start of the offensive on 21 January, Israeli forces have killed at least 44 Palestinians, including five children and two women, in Jenin, Tulkarem and Tubas governorates, and four refugee camps in those areas, according to OHCHR.
Many of those killed were unarmed and posed no imminent threat, said the UN rights office, calling the killings “part of an expanding pattern of Israel’s unlawful use of force in the West Bank where there are no active hostilities.”
OHCHR also highlighted an unprecedented scale of mass displacement not seen in decades in the occupied West Bank.
It cited reports from displaced residents of a pattern where they were led out of their homes by Israeli security forces and drones under the threat of violence.
“They are then forced out of their towns with snipers positioned on rooftops around them and houses in their neighbourhoods used as posts by Israeli security forces,” the office said.
Testimonies collected by OHCHR describe Israeli forces threatening residents who were told they would never be allowed to return. One woman, who fled barefoot carrying her two young children, said she was denied permission to retrieve heart medication for her baby.
In Jenin refugee camp, bulldozed roads were photographed with new street signs reportedly now written in Hebrew.
“In this regard, we reiterate that any forcible transfer in or deportation of people from occupied territory is strictly prohibited and amounts to a crime under international law,” OHCHR stated.
The office stressed that displaced Palestinians must be allowed to return to their homes and called for immediate, transparent investigations into the killings.
“Military commanders and other superiors may be held responsible for the crimes committed by their subordinates if they fail to take all necessary and reasonable measures to prevent or punish unlawful killings,” it stated.
OHCHR also reiterated Israel’s obligations under international law, including ending its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as rapidly as possible and evacuating all West Bank settlements immediately.
“In the meantime, as the occupying power, Israel must ensure the protection of Palestinians, the provision of basic services and needs, and the respect of Palestinians’ full range of human rights,” the office said.
© WFP
WFP aid trucks cross into Gaza via the Zikim and Kerem Shalom border crossings.
Meanwhile in Gaza, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) reported on Friday it had reached more than 860,000 men, women and children with food parcels, hot meals, bread and cash assistance since the start of the fragile ceasefire.
UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told journalists at a regular news briefing in New York that over 19,000 metric tonnes of WFP food have entered Gaza.
The agency has also distributed nutrition packs to some 85,000 people, including children under five, and pregnant and breastfeeding women, and provided more than 90,000 people with cash assistance in the past two weeks.
“Efforts are also underway to establish more food distribution points, especially in North Gaza, to reduce travel distances, transport costs and protection risks for families,” Mr. Dujarric said.
In addition, the World Health Organization (WHO) distributed 100,000 litres of fuel to hospitals in Gaza City on Friday, having delivered about 5,000 litres of fuel to Al Awda Hospital, in North Gaza governorate the day before.
In southern Gaza, education partners in Rafah are preparing for the reopening of at least a dozen schools as displaced families return to their home areas, Mr. Dujarric said.
“As you know, schools across the Strip had been used as shelters for Palestinians displaced during 15 months of hostilities. In Khan Younis and Deir al Balah, partners are providing cleaning materials to restart learning activities,” he added.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Alaska Dan Sullivan
02.14.25
WASHINGTON—In response to questions posed yesterday by U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) in a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), General Gregory Guillot, commander of U.S. Northern Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), endorsed the idea of reopening the long-shuttered Adak Naval Air Station and increasing military infrastructure investments across Alaska. In his exchange with Gen. Guillot, Sen. Sullivan highlighted the escalating incursions by Russian and Chinese military aircraft and vessels in Alaska’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the past several years.
Gen. Guillot also committed to working with Sen. Sullivan on implementing President Trump’s executive order, “Iron Dome for America,” and on Sens. Sullivan and Kevin Cramer’s (R-N.D.) IRON DOME Act, new legislation to strengthen and expand the U.S. homeland missile defense system.
[embedded content]
Below is a full transcript of Sen. Sullivan’s exchange in SASC.
Sen. Dan Sullivan: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Gentlemen, thank you for your testimony. I want to echo what the chairman has been saying. We do need Canada to step up. When they don’t meet their 2 percent of GDP NATO commitments, it undermines the entire alliance. I appreciate that the chairman mentioned that. General, it was good to meet with you the other day. We had a meeting with senior Trump administration officials just a couple days ago—a number of senators who are focused on the border. They focused, like your testimony, a lot on the northern border, which I really appreciate. I have a chart here that depicts a lot of the air and sea incursions that we’ve seen in the last few years. It’s been quite remarkable, particularly the joint Chinese-Russian strategic bomber missions into our ADIZ and the joint Chinese-Russian naval task force—quite big—[an 11] ship naval task force [in 2023]. President Trump himself commented recently that we need to increase military investments in Alaska as Russia and China make more menacing moves in the region. That’s a list—that’s just an example of all the different incursions, air and sea, just in the last [few] years, which is quite astounding. General, I want to go into a little bit more detail. Your troops have done a great job of intercepting these strategic bombers. By the way, they come with armed MiGs, right? This is a serious incursion. Not easy to do. Our Navy’s done a good job—although, the first time we had that joint Russian-Chinese task force, we didn’t have any Navy response, nothing, which was ridiculous, in my view. One 150-foot Coast Guard cutter. But these are difficult missions, made more difficult—for example, when you’re intercepting strategic bombers, a lot of times our fighters are having to fly over a thousand miles just to get to the end of the ADIZ to intercept them. So, my question—Do you agree we need more infrastructure? You and I have talked about reopening the airfield and the Navy base at Adak, which is out here in the Aleutian Island chain, or Utqiagvik and Barrow, Alaska, to help with the SAR missions. Can you explain that in a little bit more detail? Admiral Paparo is in agreement with you on this. These incursions are going to increase. This is America, our northern border, and yet the infrastructure we have for the young men and women who are doing these dangerous intercept missions, both at sea and in the air, they need more infrastructure for their safety and for our rapid response. Do you agree with me that they do and would you support reopening the Adak naval base and the extension of the Barrow runway, which is way up there in the northern part of America, North America?
Gen. Greg Guillot: Senator, I do agree with you. As you mentioned, Admiral Paparo and I are very closely linked and aligned on all issues in the Pacific. I would support Adak for sure for maritime and air access and, as you pointed out, Deadhorse or a point at the far north part of Alaska, because those missions aren’t only long—a thousand miles or more with five or six or seven air refuelings usually at night—but also the harsh conditions. If a pilot should have to eject, having those forward points that you mentioned would allow us to pre-position search and rescue aircraft or be able to land there in an emergency, which are capabilities that we just don’t have right now.
DS: Great. Thank you on that. Again, I want to thank the men and women under your command. They do these intercept missions all the time. They’re very tough. They’re dangerous. They don’t make a lot of news down here in the Lower 48, but they’re doing a great job.
Let me turn to missile defense. Senator Cramer and I recently introduced our IRON DOME Act that reinforces what President Trump’s executive order does. That’s a depiction of that, covering the whole United States with integrated missile defense systems to protect our homeland. I’d love to get co-sponsorships from all my colleagues. My 2017 Advancing America’s Missile Defense Act, which pretty much became law in the NDAA, had 30 co-sponsors—ten Democrats, 20 Republicans. Can I get your sense to—first, your commitment to work with me and Senator Cramer on that? Then, you mentioned the NGIs and the ground-based missile interceptors. Those are almost all based in Alaska. Why is it taking so long to fill those 20 silos that we just built out that are needed? Can I get your commitment to work with me, as part of this IRON DOME Act, to accelerate that?
GG: Senator, you have my full commitment to work with you on the Iron Dome. The core mission of NORAD and NORTHCOM is to defend just as you described there. You also have my full commitment to work to move all defense industrial base capabilities to the left to bring these capabilities earlier as our adversaries are advancing their capability, and we must keep pace.
Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency
Headline: How to do Business with FEMA After a Disaster
How to do Business with FEMA After a Disaster
LOS ANGELES – FEMA works with private sector vendors to help fulfill the response and recovery needs for disasters like the recent Los Angeles County Wildfires.The Doing Business with FEMA webpage outlines the steps that companies and small businesses looking to compete for federal contracts should take. During response and recovery, FEMA’s goal is to contract with local businesses in the affected area whenever practical and feasible.FEMA will only engage with companies through the federal procurement process. Business solicitations sent to individual members of the FEMA workforce will not be processed. The FEMA website outlines how companies can see and respond to the agency’s solicitations. The key steps to beginning the process are:Consult your local procurement center: We recommend you consider consulting with these Procurement Technical Assistance Centers.Register with SAM.gov: This is the System for Award Management. Entity registrations are free, and registration is required to do business with the federal government.Understand the FEMA mission: FEMA’s mission, as authorized by the Robert T. Stafford Act, is to help people before, during and after disasters.Monitor contracting sites for opportunities: Contracting sites are listed on FEMA’s webpage.Debris removal is often contracted locally after a disaster. If your company provides debris removal services, you can sign up with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Contractor Registry. You can also register your business information (including capabilities and locations served).Additional information can be found on our Frequently Asked Questions webpage.For the latest information about California’s recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4856. Follow FEMA Region 9 @FEMARegion9 on X or follow FEMA on social media at: FEMA Blog on fema.gov, @FEMA or @FEMAEspanol on X, FEMA or FEMA Espanol on Facebook, @FEMA on Instagram, and via FEMA YouTube channel. California is committed to supporting residents impacted by the Los Angeles Hurricane-Force Firestorm as they navigate the recovery process. Visit CA.gov/LAFires for up-to-date information on disaster recovery programs, important deadlines, and how to apply for assistance.
daniel.demski
Fri, 02/14/2025 – 18:01
Source: Thales Group
Headline: Thales introduces new FIDO Key Lifecycle Management solution to enable secure authentication at scale
Thales, the leading global technology and security provider, today announced the launch of OneWelcome FIDO Key Lifecycle Management, a new solution to help large organizations successfully deploy and manage FIDO security passkeys at scale. This announcement reflects Thales’s commitment to provide its customers with a seamless and secure passwordless journey.
OneWelcome FIDO Key Lifecycle Management combines an interoperable management platform with Thales hardware FIDO security keys (passkeys) specifically designed by Thales for use in large organizations. The solution helps CISOs accelerate and secure their passwordless journey by managing FIDO security keys at scale, in a simple and efficient way, throughout their lifecycle. In addition, CISOs benefit from the ultimate Thales expertise in cyber security and in complex projects.
Danny de Vreeze, Vice President, Identity & Access Management at Thales, said: “Authentication is at the heart of securing identities and we are committed to supporting organizations securely transition to passwordless authentication. This solution eliminates the barriers to smooth adoption and enables IT teams to easily manage FIDO security keys beyond just the enrollment. The OneWelcome FIDO Key Lifecycle Management solution is a crucial part of our Passwordless 360° approach that encourages organizations to deploy passwordless at scale and reap its strategic benefits.”
FIDO security keys are the gold standard for protecting the enterprise from phishing attacks, but cumbersome self-registration and lifecycle management processes often lead to user frustration, IT overheads and delayed passwordless authentication deployment.
Thanks to unique capabilities, this new solution, allows IT teams to quickly preregister keys and manage them easily and securely from enrollment to revocation. By relieving end users from these processes, the OneWelcome FIDO Key Lifecycle Management solution improves end-user productivity, accelerates FIDO authentication deployment at scale and secures the entire FIDO key lifecycle.
Andrew Shikiar, Executive Director and CEO at The FIDO Alliance, said: “The FIDO Alliance’s mission is to reduce the world’s reliance on passwords with simpler, stronger authentication. As an active board member of The FIDO Alliance, Thales underscores that mission by supporting a wider deployment of FIDO standards via its device-bound passkey Management Solution – with the added bonus of full key lifecycle management.”
The interoperable management platform is integrated via FIDO2 provisioning API’s to Microsoft Entra ID which enables organizations to pre-register Thales FIDO keys on behalf of their end users.
Thanks to this integration, Enterprises adopting Microsoft 365 can provide secure and seamless authentication to their users from day one. Thales confirms its position as an Identity Trailblazer won at the 2024 Microsoft Security Excellence Awards in recognition of its innovative IAM solutions.
Natee Pretikul, Principal Product Management Lead at Microsoft Security, said: “With FIDO2 provisioning APIs and our longstanding collaboration with Thales, we are empowering organizations to deploy phishing-resistant authentication at scale. By pre-registering end users for a passkey (FIDO2) credential, we enable them to use phishing-resistant multi-factor authentication methods more quickly.”
*The FIDO Alliance is an open industry association with a focused mission: reduce the world’s reliance on passwords. To accomplish this, the FIDO Alliance promotes the development of, use of, and compliance with standards for authentication and device attestation.
About Thales
Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global leader in advanced technologies specialized in three business domains: Defence & Security, Aerospace, and Cyber & Digital.
It develops products and solutions that help make the world safer, greener and more inclusive.
The Group invests close to €4 billion a year in Research & Development, particularly in key innovation areas such as AI, cybersecurity, quantum technologies, cloud technologies and 6G.
Thales has close to 81,000 employees in 68 countries. In 2023, the Group generated sales of €18.4 billion.
Source: Government of India (2)
Posted On: 14 FEB 2025 6:56PM by PIB Delhi
The 2025 edition of the Vice Admiral KK Nayyar Memorial Lecture was held on 14 Feb 25, coinciding with the 20th Foundation Day of the National Maritime Foundation (NMF). This prestigious event commemorates the enduring legacy of VAdm KK Nayyar, whose vision and intellectual rigour established the National Maritime Foundation as a premier institution for maritime thought and policy advocacy.
VAdm Nayyar was not only an accomplished Naval officer but also a strategic thinker with unparalleled foresight. He played a pivotal role in efforts towards dispelling India’s maritime blindness and nurturing a robust maritime consciousness. As the founder-chairman of the NMF and having played an instrumental role in establishing the Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF), Adm Nayyar’s contributions remain a source of inspiration for maritime and strategic thought in India.
The event commenced with opening remarks by Adm Karambir Singh (Retd), former Chief of the Naval Staff, Chairman NMF. Thereafter, Adm Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff delivered an insightful speech, contextualising the significance of VAdm KK Nayyar’s legacy and the importance of maritime consciousness in the nation’s growth trajectory. The CNS highlighted the National Maritime Foundation’s role as India’s premier maritime think tank, dedicated to the study and advocacy of maritime issues critical to the nation’s growth and security, that through its research, publications, and policy recommendations, continues to shape India’s maritime future in alignment with the nation’s aspirations. He underscored the Indian Navy’s increasing role in ensuring a stable and secure maritime environment, exemplified by its ongoing maritime security missions and enhanced regional cooperation. CNS exhorted all present to honour VAdm Nayyar’s legacy by continuing to strengthen India’s maritime capabilities and strategic vision.
The address by the CNS was followed by the ‘Vice Admiral KK Nayyar Memorial Lecture’ by Shri Ram Nath Kovind, former President of the Republic of India. Renowned for his statesmanship and visionary leadership, Shri Kovind’s lecture focused on “Increasing Maritime Consciousness in India: A Strategic Imperative for National Prosperity and Security.” His address highlighted the vital role of the maritime sector in realising India’s aspirations to become a developed nation by 2047.
In his talk, Shri Kovind underscored the critical importance of India’s maritime resources, trade routes, and strategic positioning in the global geopolitical landscape. He emphasised fostering a robust maritime culture to enhance economic growth, strengthen national security, and solidify India’s stature as a leading power in the Indo-Pacific region.
The event was attended by senior serving and retired officers of the Indian Defence Forces, members of the diplomatic community, eminent academicians, strategic experts, and close friends and family members of the late Vice Adm KK Nayyar.
The National Maritime Foundation continues to build upon Adm Nayyar’s legacy by fostering maritime awareness, promoting informed policymaking, and advocating for sustainable development in India’s maritime sector.
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VM/SKS 39/25
(Release ID: 2103329) Visitor Counter : 45
Source: Government of India (2)
Posted On: 14 FEB 2025 6:54PM by PIB Delhi
Launch ceremony of eighth MCA Barge, LSAM 11 (Yard 79) was held on 14 Feb 25 at Mira Bhayandar, Maharashtra, launch site of M/s SECON Engineering Projects Pvt Ltd Visakhapatnam. Chief Guest for the launching ceremony was Cmde N Gopinath, AGM (PL), ND (Mbi).
The contract for construction of eighth Missile Cum Ammunition Barges was concluded with MSME Shipyard, M/s SECON Engineering Projects Pvt Ltd, Visakhapatnam on 19 Feb 21. These Barges have been indigenously designed and built by the Shipyard in collaboration with an Indian Ship Designing firm and Indian Register of Shipping (IRS). Model testing was undertaken at Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL), Visakhapatnam to ensure seaworthiness. The Shipyard has successfully delivered seven of these Barges till date and are being utilized by Indian Navy for its operation evolutions by facilitating Transportation, Embarkation and Disembarkation of articles/ ammunition to IN platforms both alongside jetties and at outer harbours.
These Barges are proud flag bearers of Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiatives of Government of India.
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VM/SKY 40/25
(Release ID: 2103328) Visitor Counter : 62
Source: Government of India (2)
Posted On: 14 FEB 2025 6:11PM by PIB Delhi
Aero India 2025, India’s premier aerospace and defence exhibition, provided a platform for key engagements, technological showcases and strategic deliberations aimed at strengthening global military cooperation. Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS) demonstrated robust military diplomacy at Aero India 2025, under the leadership of Lt Gen JP Mathew, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (CISC). The senior Indian delegation, including Lt General DS Rana, Director General Defence Intelligence Agency and Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan, Deputy Chief PP&FD conducted extensive bilateral discussions, industry interactions and defence capability assessments, advancing India’s strategic defence partnerships.
Lt Gen JP Mathew’s engagement with Lt Gen Augustine S Malanit, Inspector General of the Armed Forces of Philippines emphasised the need for deeper bilateral military cooperation and exploring opportunities in defence procurement. The CISC also interacted with Israel’s Elbit Systems representatives, reaffirming the strong India-Israel defence partnership. Demonstrating India’s commitment to defense modernization, he received briefings on the capabilities and performance parameters of various aircraft and also carried out assessments of advanced military systems showcased by the domestic and international defence industry at the Aero India 2025.
Vice Admiral Vatsayan engaged with Maj Gen Ramanka Mokaloba, Chief of Logistics, Lesotho Defence Forces, exploring defense export possibilities. Additional strategic dialogues were conducted with Maj Gen Andrei Matsiyevich, First Deputy Chief of General Staff of Belarusian Armed Forces, strengthening military cooperation with these nations. He also spearheaded crucial meetings with global defense industry leaders from MBDA (Europe), L3Harris (America), Hensoldt (Germany), and Boeing (USA). These strategic interactions concentrated on technology transfer initiatives and establishing defense production facilities under the Make in India initiative, with special emphasis on integrating startups and MSMEs into the defence manufacturing ecosystem.
A series of high-level bilateral meetings showcased India’s growing diplomatic outreach. Notable engagements included discussions with the Japanese delegation led by Mr Kegoya Masanori, Deputy Director General for Global Combat Air Program (GCAP). The Italian delegation, under Lt Gen Giuseppe Lupoli, Director of Italian Air Armaments and Air Worthiness Directorate and the French team led by Lt Gen Gael Diaz de Tuesta, engaged in comprehensive discussions on defence manufacturing and technology exchange.
Lt General DS Rana held productive discussions with Brig Gen Ahmed Ghiyas, Vice Chief of Defence Force from Maldives, focusing on joint training opportunities. He held substantive talks on enhancing bilateral military cooperation with the German contingent, headed by Lt Gen (OF-8) Thorsten Michael Poshwatta of the German Air Force, accompanied by Ambassador Philip Ackermann. DG DIA also visited various defence pavilions and stalls at Aero India 2025, where he reviewed advancements in military technology, simulators and warfighting systems, supporting the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
The engagements held during Aero India 2025 not only strengthen India’s position as an emerging defense manufacturing hub but also advance the nation’s vision of achieving self-reliance in defense production while fostering meaningful international partnerships for global security cooperation. These strategic interactions underscore India’s focus on self-reliance, innovation and the development of robust international defence collaborations.
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SR/Anand
(Release ID: 2103305) Visitor Counter : 57
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
February 14, 2025
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee—pressed officials for answers regarding how much President Trump’s calls to transfer 30,000 migrants to Guantanamo Bay would cost, in addition to the impact these efforts would have on our military readiness. In her remarks, Duckworth asked the witnesses to detail the timeline for facilities expansion, construction costs and personnel costs. Duckworth’s questioning highlighted how the Trump Administration has failed to provide our military with details needed to fulfill their directive and would come at the expense of our military readiness. Duckworth’s full remarks can be found on the Senator’s YouTube.
“Our country faces serious threats from foreign adversaries, but Donald Trump ordering the deployment of our servicemembers to Guantanamo Bay to facilitate holding migrants there will do nothing to counter China in the Indo-Pacific—and will instead harm our military readiness while costing taxpayers millions of dollars,” said Senator Duckworth. “Despite Republicans claiming they want to ensure our military is the most lethal fighting force in the world, Trump’s executive orders will force our Armed Forces to divert time and resources away from training and executing their core mission. This Administration must prioritize our military readiness, not cheap political points at the expense of our national security.”
During the committee hearing, Duckworth questioned General Gregory M. Guillot, USAF, Commander of for U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) and North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and Admiral Alvin Holsey, USN, Commander of U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) on how the Trump Administration’s executive orders would stretch our military thin and leave us less prepared to combat threats from adversaries like the PRC.
Duckworth asked Admiral Holsey if the Trump Administration has provided projected costs for the President’s orders, asking: “Could you provide a breakdown of the timeline and projected construction costs for increasing Guantanamo’s capacity to 30,000 people, as outlined by the President’s directive?” and “Do you have estimates for the personnel costs associated with this effort?” Admiral Holsey indicated that the Trump Administration has not provided a projected construction and personnel cost for the completion of the entire directive. Additionally, Duckworth asked Admiral Holsey if he was aware of how redirecting funds from the military’s budget to complete this directive would impact our readiness, asking: “What priorities will be left unfunded as a result of this shift in priorities?” Admiral Holsey did not have that information from the Administration, responding: “I can’t answer that ma’am, I’d have to ask the Services.” Duckworth criticized the lack of answers from the Trump Administration, stating: “A lot of unanswered questions.” Duckworth pointed out during her questioning that a 2016 military construction project to expand the facility’s capacity to 13,000 cost approximately $33 million, and that Guantanamo Bay officials estimated in 2019 that a single guard’s 9-month deployment to the island cost an estimated $100,000, meaning that any effort to hold 30,000 migrants in Guantanamo Bay would cost the taxpayers tens of millions of dollars.
In May, Duckworth voted to advance bipartisan border security legislation—a package that Republicans helped author—that President Trump ultimately killed. Duckworth condemned Senate Republicans for blocking the Senate from even beginning debate on the bipartisan border security legislation that they helped negotiate.
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US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
Padilla, Moran, Hirono, Lankford Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Promote Wildfire Mitigation Through Wildlife Grazing
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), and James Lankford (R-Okla.) introduced bipartisan legislation to promote research on how grazing can support wildfire mitigation, fuels reduction, and post-fire recovery.
Several states have implemented pilot programs in which animals like goats and cattle, called “ungulates,” have grazed on prescribed areas of land containing highly flammable grasses and shrubs to mitigate fire risk. These pilot efforts have successfully reduced vegetation that can fuel rapid fire growth. However, limited scientific research has been conducted on optimal grazing land management techniques that also protect against other environmental harms.
To address this critical research gap, the Wildfire Resilience Through Grazing Research Act would add the “Grazing for Wildfire Mitigation Initiative” to the National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s High-Priority Research List.
“As devastating wildfires pose increasingly severe threats to our communities, we need to explore out-of-the-box approaches to blunt these disasters,” said Senator Padilla. “Grazing animals like goats and cattle have been successfully used to reduce the hazardous brush that fuels wildfires. Expanding our understanding of novel grazing strategies can make it a cost-effective tool to save lives and protect homes.”
“Using grazing as a way to reduce wildfires is both beneficial to our ranchers and important to eliminating the grasses that accelerate fires on the prairie,” said Senator Moran. “Kansans have faced devastating wildfires in recent years and understand the importance of proactively working to keep our land healthy and free of undergrowth that can make these fires worse.”
“As the people of Lahaina continue to recover from the devastating wildfires in 2023, we recognize just how necessary it is to pre-emptively reduce wildfire risk,” said Senator Hirono. “As wildfires occur with increasing frequency across the country, this legislation is a crucial step to help strengthen community resilience by studying the implementation of grazing as a strategy for reducing vegetation that can fuel wildfires. I’m glad to join my colleagues in introducing this important bill to help prevent wildfires and protect our communities.”
“The Nature Conservancy welcomes this bill as a jump start for the utilization of grazing as a tool for wildfire risk reduction,” said Whitney Forman-Cook, Senior Policy Advisor for Forests and Fire at The Nature Conservancy. “In our Roadmap for Wildfire Resilience, we recommend federal land management agencies research and implement new strategies for forest and rangeland fuels reduction treatments at landscape scales. Targeted grazing satisfies that call for a new, cost-effective approach to promoting both drought and wildfire resilience while maintaining rangeland health.”
“Wildfires are growing more intense, destructive and frequent—demanding bold, science-driven solutions. The Wildfire Resilience Through Grazing Research Act invests in the critical research needed to unlock the full potential of sustainable grazing as a wildfire mitigation tool. By equipping land managers, farmers and foresters with data-backed strategies, Congress can ensure grazing reduces fire risk while enhancing soil health, biodiversity and long-term ecosystem resilience,” said Eric Holst, AVP, Wildfire Resilience at Environmental Defense Fund.
Specifically, the Wildfire Resilience Through Grazing Research Act would:
Support research and development of grazing land management techniques for wildfire mitigation and recovery by driving research at land-grant colleges and universities like the University of California system, Kansas State University, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, and Oklahoma State University.
Promote the dissemination of information on these wildlife grazing land management techniques to public and private landowners, land managers, and livestock owners, including land management activities that protect against negative environmental impacts and improve soil health.
The bill is endorsed by the Environmental Defense Fund and The Nature Conservancy.
Senator Padilla has long been a leader in strengthening the federal and state response to wildfires. Last week, Padilla introduced bipartisan legislation to create a national Wildfire Intelligence Center to streamline federal response and create a whole-of-government approach to combat wildfires. He also announced a package of three bipartisan bills to bolster fire resilience and proactive mitigation efforts, including the Wildfire Emergency Act, the Fire-Safe Electrical Corridors Act, and the Disaster Mitigation and Tax Parity Act. Additionally, Padilla’s legislation to strengthen FEMA’s wildfire preparedness and response efforts, the FIRE Act, became law in 2022.
A one-pager on the bill is available here.
Full text of the bill is available here.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Rand Paul
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
February 14, 2025
Contact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343
BOWLING GREEN, KY – Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul issued the following statement after announcing his nominations to the U.S. service academies, consisting of 47 nominations to individuals from across the Commonwealth of Kentucky:
“A very rewarding aspect of being a United States Senator is the opportunity to nominate young men and women from across the state to attend our nation’s prestigious service academies. I commend each of these students for their dedication and desire to serve in the United States military, and I wish them the best through the remainder of the selection process. I have no doubt the students chosen will proudly represent the Commonwealth of Kentucky in the service academies,” said Dr. Paul.
You can learn more about the service academy process HERE and HERE. Dr. Paul’s 2025 Virtual Spring Service Academy Information Fair will be held on Thursday, April 3, 2025 at 10:00 am CT.
Dr. Paul nominated the following individuals to the U.S. Air Force Academy, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, the U.S. Military Academy, and the U.S. Naval Academy:
United States Air Force Academy
• Daphne Altsdadt – Louisville, KY
• Emily Bach – Elizabethtown, KY
• Nathan Bahng – Louisville, KY
• Andrew Bell – Prospect, KY
• Evan Bishop – Lexington, KY
• Blake Campbell – Lexington, KY
• Noah DeMasters – Louisville, KY
• Alexander Dilger – Union, KY
• Ryder Harbaugh – Morgantown, KY
• Lucy Hermann – Florence, KY
• Jimmy Martin – Louisville, KY
• John Minor – London, KY
• Hayes Preston – Lancaster, KY
• Jacob Shelton– Pendleton, KY
• Ethan ZumBrunnen – Shelbyville, KY
United States Merchant Marine Academy
• Evan Bishop – Lexington, KY
• Kennedy Crovo – Lexington, KY
• John Floyd – Bardstown, KY
• Meyer Gable – Bowling Green, KY
• Austin Harmon – Lexington, KY
• Ruby Karls – Lexington, KY
• Parker Moran – Park City, KY
• Thatcher Rathfon – Lexington, KY
• Jacob Strom – Alvaton, KY
• Ethan ZumBrunnen – Shelbyville, KY
United States Military Academy
• Daphne Altsdadt – Louisville, KY
• Nathan Bahng – Louisville, KY
• Andrew Bessler – Ft Mitchell, KY
• Corrine Blackburn – Alexandria, KY
• Jack Condra – Louisville, KY
• Ryder Harbaugh – Morgantown, KY
• Parker Moran – Park City, KY
• Sebastian Niles – Verona, KY
• Joseph Rawlings – Louisville, KY
• Chloe Tigue – La Grange, KY
• Trenton Upchurch – Nancy KY
• Nattalie Wall – Middlesboro, KY
• Luke Wood – Nicholasville, KY
• Tyler Work – Prospect, KY
• Essay Yermane – Louisville, KY
United States Naval Academy
• Henry Anderson – Corbin, KY
• Elias Bayless – Shelbyville, KY
• Dillon Beckman – Westport, KY
• Barrett Buckley – Louisville, KY
• D’Ivion Collins – Georgetown, KY
• Hailey Cook – Maceo, KY
• Meyer Gable – Bolwing Green, KY
• Braden Liford – Shepherdsville, KY
• Hudson Morgan – Beechmont, KY
• Tiare Satele – Crestwood, KY
• Baylee Sprouse – La Grange, KY
• Ryder Thomason – Prospect, KY
• Chase Thomason – Prospect, KY
• Trenton Upchurch – Nancy, KY
• Maxwell Windhorst – Crestwood, KY
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
February 14, 2025
“[DoD’s] new immigration operations — which the Trump administration is planning at an unprecedented scale — threaten to burden the Department’s resources and undermine our national security.”
Text of Letter (PDF)
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) wrote to Secretary of Defense (DoD) Pete Hegseth regarding the military’s recent deployment of active-duty forces to the southern border and Guantanamo, and the Department of Defense’s (DOD) new involvement in immigration detention and deportation.
On his first day in office, President Trump signed an Executive Order directing the United States Northern Command (NORTHCOM) to “seal the borders” and “to provide steady-state southern border security.” On January 29, President Trump directed DoD to “expand the Migrant Operations Center at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay to full capacity” of 30,000. As a result, NORTHCOM has deployed about 2,000 active-duty troops to the southern border, bringing the total under DoD’s command to over 4,000. These deployments have drawn from numerous Army and Marine Corps units, and DoD has required the 10th Mountain Division from Fort Drum, New York to oversee the units. In the near term, the Trump administration is reportedly considering deploying up to 10,000 troops to the southern border — double the scale of DoD’s border deployment in 2019 and 2020. That number could grow; during President Trump’s first term, then-Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said Stephen Miller (now White House Deputy Chief of Staff) said that “[w]e need a quarter-million troops” at the southern border.
Following Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) reversal of its policy prohibiting the use of military aircraft to deport migrants, DoD has operated over 10 deportation flights around the world. At Guantanamo, SOUTHCOM’s has deployed over 500 Marines and DoD has not ruled out detaining women and children there. A former Pentagon official estimates that these operations would “quickly skyrocket into tens of millions, if not hundreds of millions, of dollars.”
At a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee on February 13, 2025, Admiral Alvin Holsey, SOUTHCOM Commander, confirmed that the Pentagon does not have a cost estimate for these immigration operations, though the department is supposed to consider costs before deploying troops. At the same hearing, General Gregory Guillot, NORTHCOM Commander, told senators that only one training day has been set aside per week for deployed troops operating outside their specialties to maintain their skills, so troops are only doing 20% of relevant military training while deployed for immigration enforcement.
“[DoD’s] new immigration-related operations place significant — and unnecessary — burdens on DoD resources, personnel, and readiness,” wrote the senators.
The aircraft now used for deportations, for example, cost far more than the commercial and chartered flights that ICE normally uses for deportations. The new aircraft, the military C-17 plane, costs taxpayers over $28,000 per flight hour for a single deportation, compared to $8,577 per flight hour on civilian aircraft alternatives that ICE often uses. Similarly, ICE’s contract for Guantanamo’s migrant operations center requires it to pay a staggering $272,000 per detention bed, compared to around $57,00 per bed at ICE facilities within the United States.
DoD may not have a realistic estimate of how much these new operations will cost. During President Trump’s first term, when DoD deployed troops to the border between FY2018 and FY2020, the Department estimated that its border operations would total $1 billion in unreimbursed costs. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) later found that “DOD did not present reliable cost estimates.” Since then, DoD has not implemented any of GAO’s recommendations for improving how it estimates the cost of assisting DHS’s immigration operations.
DoD’s growing participation in DHS immigration operations will pose serious costs for units’ readiness. The Defense Secretary discontinued part of DoD’s border operations between 2018 and 2020 after finding that “continued support for the mission would negatively affect military readiness and morale.” The commandant of the Marine Corps warned at the time that the operation posed an “unacceptable risk to Marine Corps combat readiness and solvency,” as a result of separated units and canceled training exercises.
“Likewise, we are concerned about how these operations may impact servicemembers’ morale. In recent years, DoD personnel who deployed to the border have reported dangerously low morale, driven by an unclear mission, isolation, boredom, poor accommodations, and more,” wrote the lawmakers. “Poor morale even contributed to a series of suicides by members of the Texas National Guard who deployed to the southern border.”
“(T)he Trump administration is militarizing the country’s immigration enforcement system in an apparent attempt to signal toughness. But this political stunt will come at a high cost; it risks diverting DoD’s resources away from its vital mission in ways that compromise our national security,” the senators concluded.
The senators requested that DoD provide more clarity about troop deployment to the border and anticipated costs by February 27, 2025.
Senator Warren has sought to protect military resources and prevent unnecessary costs that compromise national security: